Carned
A fantastic blending of social sim elements and strategy combat that Fire Emblem is known for. Gameplay is fantastic and keeps you engaged throughout. Characters are lovable and bonds are formed naturally.
Will hope to replay the further routes.
Petra best girl.
Will hope to replay the further routes.
Petra best girl.
This review contains spoilers
Despite many players concerns, I believe the remaster for PS5 has improved on the original PS3 and PS4 experiences.
Visually, Naughty Dog impress once again with their excellent visual style and graphical fidelity. The characters look authetical and the locales are beautifully imagined.
The story has always been praised however, I find myself struggling with the story and concepts it puts forward. Notably the ending when controlling Joel and going on his rampage in the hospital. As a player I did not agree with his actions which made playing the section feel jarring and uncomfortable, if this was naughty dogs intention then I commend their ability to control my feelings in that way.
The story touches on feelings of family and finding your place in a broken world which whilst typical of post-apocolypse media, the connections you witness forming between Joel and Ellie provide a unique view on the events.
Ellie provides a positive representation of young women and the moments spend in her gamepla allow for positive identifcation. This is amplifiied in the DLC which allows her sexuality to be represented in a mainstream piece of fiction.
Gameplay is reasonably standard with third person survival mechanics with some short exploration sections. The game would massively benefit from some more enemy variety as it did start to get stale toward the end.
Visually, Naughty Dog impress once again with their excellent visual style and graphical fidelity. The characters look authetical and the locales are beautifully imagined.
The story has always been praised however, I find myself struggling with the story and concepts it puts forward. Notably the ending when controlling Joel and going on his rampage in the hospital. As a player I did not agree with his actions which made playing the section feel jarring and uncomfortable, if this was naughty dogs intention then I commend their ability to control my feelings in that way.
The story touches on feelings of family and finding your place in a broken world which whilst typical of post-apocolypse media, the connections you witness forming between Joel and Ellie provide a unique view on the events.
Ellie provides a positive representation of young women and the moments spend in her gamepla allow for positive identifcation. This is amplifiied in the DLC which allows her sexuality to be represented in a mainstream piece of fiction.
Gameplay is reasonably standard with third person survival mechanics with some short exploration sections. The game would massively benefit from some more enemy variety as it did start to get stale toward the end.
2021
Remedys first entry into the "Remedy-verse" is a bold story that stumbles a little but provides a captivating world and story that hooks you in.
Alan Wake takes place in a Twin Peaks inspired world that oozes mystery and intigue. The story follows write Alan Wake who must overcome this mystery and truly understand whats going on.
Gameplay provides a unique torch based weakness that makes the enemies vulnerable to gunfire. Exploration provides an easier combat experience but the lack of enemy variety causes bordem and holds back an otherwise interesting experience.
Alan Wake takes place in a Twin Peaks inspired world that oozes mystery and intigue. The story follows write Alan Wake who must overcome this mystery and truly understand whats going on.
Gameplay provides a unique torch based weakness that makes the enemies vulnerable to gunfire. Exploration provides an easier combat experience but the lack of enemy variety causes bordem and holds back an otherwise interesting experience.
A fine cosy game vibe with a gorgeous Disney aesthetic. I'm probably not the audience for the amount of grind needed after playing the first 5/10 hours as all the goals seemed like i would need to play for months.
Has a lot of QOL options missing from games such as Animal Crossing which is a welcome change to the genre.
Has a lot of QOL options missing from games such as Animal Crossing which is a welcome change to the genre.
2019
As someone who never played the original, Resident Evil 2 remake is nothing short of amazing. Providing a perfectly sized game that paces itself excellently. Prioritising replayability and challenges rather than bloat in its run time.
Capcom rewards players with items to make repeat playthroughs easier to allow us to see the true ending.
Both Leon and Claire provide excellent protagonists for our journey and are endearing in a goofy kinda' way. Leon is probably my preferred of the two simply due to my connection to him from playing RE4 remake.
Racoon City PD looks incredible and the tension found throughout its eerie corridors provide an excellent survival horror experience.
Capcom rewards players with items to make repeat playthroughs easier to allow us to see the true ending.
Both Leon and Claire provide excellent protagonists for our journey and are endearing in a goofy kinda' way. Leon is probably my preferred of the two simply due to my connection to him from playing RE4 remake.
Racoon City PD looks incredible and the tension found throughout its eerie corridors provide an excellent survival horror experience.
2023
For my first ever Resident Evil game, I had high expectations based on the praise the original entry had been given.
Those expectations were blown out the water as RE4 is one of the best experiences ive had in modern gaming.
RE4 provides a variety of locations, each feeling just unique enough to keep the story interesting and the gameplay varied. A wider variety of enemy types makes RE4 feel more fun to play than some other survival horror games.
Leons arsenal provides a lot of ways to approach each encounter and the rewards for completing playthroughs making subsequently playthroughs easier is something other companies should look to Capcom for inspiration in.
Whilst the narrative is relatively barebones in RE4 and nothing to write home about, you do find yourself endeared to the characters in the game. Leon is the perfect protagonist with his witty charm and over the top comments making him hard to not enjoy. Supporting cast of Ashley, Ada and Luis all have there place and help to bounce of Leon well.
Gameplay wise RE4 follows the typical RE formula, with just a heavier focus on spectacle and actions as opposed to its horror roots, but it does provide some scary moments to keep you on your toes.
A game everyone should play, at least once.
Those expectations were blown out the water as RE4 is one of the best experiences ive had in modern gaming.
RE4 provides a variety of locations, each feeling just unique enough to keep the story interesting and the gameplay varied. A wider variety of enemy types makes RE4 feel more fun to play than some other survival horror games.
Leons arsenal provides a lot of ways to approach each encounter and the rewards for completing playthroughs making subsequently playthroughs easier is something other companies should look to Capcom for inspiration in.
Whilst the narrative is relatively barebones in RE4 and nothing to write home about, you do find yourself endeared to the characters in the game. Leon is the perfect protagonist with his witty charm and over the top comments making him hard to not enjoy. Supporting cast of Ashley, Ada and Luis all have there place and help to bounce of Leon well.
Gameplay wise RE4 follows the typical RE formula, with just a heavier focus on spectacle and actions as opposed to its horror roots, but it does provide some scary moments to keep you on your toes.
A game everyone should play, at least once.
Odyssey is a move away from AC's original roots with a push toward RPG gameplay. Supported by a gorgeous and varied representation of ancient greece that makes exploring fun and engaging.
AC:O gives the player choice in how to build their protagonist and the skills they will have. Allowing you to choose to play from stealth or go in swords swinging.
I chose to 100% the achievements on this game and DLC and found myself enjoying every minute. Some may think the gameplay is repetitive but I enjoy the combat and approaching different situations.
The narrative is engaging and you find yourself invest in Kassandra's story and quest to destory the cult whilst reuniting with the her family. Meeting histrorical figures was also a nice touch and provides a point of reference for those with some knowledge of history.
AC:O isn't everyones cup of tea but i certainly recommend it to anyone who loves historical locations and fun, mindless action RPG gameplay.
AC:O gives the player choice in how to build their protagonist and the skills they will have. Allowing you to choose to play from stealth or go in swords swinging.
I chose to 100% the achievements on this game and DLC and found myself enjoying every minute. Some may think the gameplay is repetitive but I enjoy the combat and approaching different situations.
The narrative is engaging and you find yourself invest in Kassandra's story and quest to destory the cult whilst reuniting with the her family. Meeting histrorical figures was also a nice touch and provides a point of reference for those with some knowledge of history.
AC:O isn't everyones cup of tea but i certainly recommend it to anyone who loves historical locations and fun, mindless action RPG gameplay.
Fantastic story with a great combat style that mixes turned based and action combat.
However some enemies are extremely unfun to fight against and i found myself wanting to drop the difficulty to just drop the tedium.
Side quests mixed bag, some meaningful but most boring.
The music in FF7 is phenomenal and provides emotional nuance to every scene. As someone who never played original I cant compare the story but this story hits hard and connections to characters are intense and emotional. I've found myself falling in love with the world and characters of FF7.
Mixed feelings on weapon system, felt some weapons would never be useful but this might be an issue with my feelings of tedium in some of the encounters.
Intermission was great fun, combat link mechanic made for engaging combat and appreciated the story beats for another perspective
However some enemies are extremely unfun to fight against and i found myself wanting to drop the difficulty to just drop the tedium.
Side quests mixed bag, some meaningful but most boring.
The music in FF7 is phenomenal and provides emotional nuance to every scene. As someone who never played original I cant compare the story but this story hits hard and connections to characters are intense and emotional. I've found myself falling in love with the world and characters of FF7.
Mixed feelings on weapon system, felt some weapons would never be useful but this might be an issue with my feelings of tedium in some of the encounters.
Intermission was great fun, combat link mechanic made for engaging combat and appreciated the story beats for another perspective
Horizon is a complicated game to have thoughts on. In one hand its a typical open world that follows the typical traits of this genre and does nothing to innovate on that.
However it also provides some great and unique combat that focuses on understanding the weakness on the robots and using different weapons to trap or stun the enemies. Each encounter was a challenge and required thought and that makes for a great combat system.
The main story of HZD is nothing special and doesnt break new ground however the world-building is extremely impressive and you find yourself wanting to learn more about the history.
Aloy provides a great positive representation for women, she is independent and is presented as a warrior and is refreshingly oblivious to the approaches of men during the story.
However it also provides some great and unique combat that focuses on understanding the weakness on the robots and using different weapons to trap or stun the enemies. Each encounter was a challenge and required thought and that makes for a great combat system.
The main story of HZD is nothing special and doesnt break new ground however the world-building is extremely impressive and you find yourself wanting to learn more about the history.
Aloy provides a great positive representation for women, she is independent and is presented as a warrior and is refreshingly oblivious to the approaches of men during the story.
I can appreciate what Trails in the Sky is setting out to be, the introduction to the world. The combat was somewhat interesting but the controls and outdated UI made it difficult to play and I think playing on PC didn't help.
I watched the story on YouTube and found it engaging which makes the decision to drop it conflicting but I can appreciate what the game does, even if i had issues.
I watched the story on YouTube and found it engaging which makes the decision to drop it conflicting but I can appreciate what the game does, even if i had issues.
2015
Life is Strange was DontNods first attempt at a choice based narrative game. It does the job at providing a story and the choices are presented have some impact on the story.
The world provides that small town atmosphere that matches the story, I believe many players found a connection to the characters in the game but for me I found Max jarring and extremely unlikable.
I do think this style of game has been done better but for a short way to kill time and enjoy an evening in Arcadia Bay.
The world provides that small town atmosphere that matches the story, I believe many players found a connection to the characters in the game but for me I found Max jarring and extremely unlikable.
I do think this style of game has been done better but for a short way to kill time and enjoy an evening in Arcadia Bay.
2023
FF16 is a move toward the action combat style that the series has rarely delved into to and a sharp turn from its turn-based roots.
Whilst FF16's combat is reasonbly basic and only allows for a small combo system, its still engaging with the different powers given to Clive across his journey. The RPG elements to the game feel tacked on and almost like Square wanted to appease older fans out of worry they wouldn't buy the game.
FF16 excels to me, in its story and characters. Clive might be one of my favourite protagonists in a long time, Ben Starrs performance is stellar and you find yourself emotionally invested in him and his struggles. The story has the spectacle we've come to expect from FF games but the interpersonal character relations make for a nice contrast to the action. Jill and Clives dynamic has you rooting for them both and the world around them.
I really hope that somehow we experience more of this world as I'd love to spend more time with these characters even if the combat in the entry is weaker than others.
Whilst FF16's combat is reasonbly basic and only allows for a small combo system, its still engaging with the different powers given to Clive across his journey. The RPG elements to the game feel tacked on and almost like Square wanted to appease older fans out of worry they wouldn't buy the game.
FF16 excels to me, in its story and characters. Clive might be one of my favourite protagonists in a long time, Ben Starrs performance is stellar and you find yourself emotionally invested in him and his struggles. The story has the spectacle we've come to expect from FF games but the interpersonal character relations make for a nice contrast to the action. Jill and Clives dynamic has you rooting for them both and the world around them.
I really hope that somehow we experience more of this world as I'd love to spend more time with these characters even if the combat in the entry is weaker than others.
I really enjoyed the sequel to Fallen Order as it expands on everything the previous game did so well. A larger world that promotes back tracking as Cal develops his skills, alongside a robust and challenging combat system that requires mastery if you want to beat some of the optional challenges.
I think the narrative is a little weaker in this entry and found myself less engaged with the characters but seeing Cals inner conflict come to fruition makes me excited for the third game in the series.
I think the narrative is a little weaker in this entry and found myself less engaged with the characters but seeing Cals inner conflict come to fruition makes me excited for the third game in the series.
2022
Ragnarok is a high point for narrative storytelling in mainstream games whilst still managing to provide a robust combat system and engaging world.
Kratos returns in Ragnarok to continue travelling across the realms and deal with Odin once and for all. The combat has been fleshed out in the sequel to keep you engaged and allowing for a variety of approaches to combat which is increased more when a 3rd weapon is added to Kratos's arsenal.
Gameplay has Kratos exploring the realms and solving light puzzles whilst defeating enemies and the occasional optional combat challenge. The realms all feel distinct and varied in their style and enemies.
Narratively, I felt engaged with Kratos and Atreus's journey, and the character development and arc of father and son takes an increasingly mature and well represented approach to storytelling. Not only this but side characters such as Freya are also written incredibly well and avoid falling into stereotypes that makes the story enjoyable for all audiences.
I'm unsure if I'd find myself replaying this game due to the narrative being the strongest hook and wanting to continue to see how the story progresses.
Kratos returns in Ragnarok to continue travelling across the realms and deal with Odin once and for all. The combat has been fleshed out in the sequel to keep you engaged and allowing for a variety of approaches to combat which is increased more when a 3rd weapon is added to Kratos's arsenal.
Gameplay has Kratos exploring the realms and solving light puzzles whilst defeating enemies and the occasional optional combat challenge. The realms all feel distinct and varied in their style and enemies.
Narratively, I felt engaged with Kratos and Atreus's journey, and the character development and arc of father and son takes an increasingly mature and well represented approach to storytelling. Not only this but side characters such as Freya are also written incredibly well and avoid falling into stereotypes that makes the story enjoyable for all audiences.
I'm unsure if I'd find myself replaying this game due to the narrative being the strongest hook and wanting to continue to see how the story progresses.
2018
A turning point for licenced games and one of the most impressive traversal systems in gaming.
A great story which allows you to enjoy the spectacle of being spiderman and fighting against his rogues gallery.
Side content is a mixed bag but overall enjoyable and adds to the experience.
A great story which allows you to enjoy the spectacle of being spiderman and fighting against his rogues gallery.
Side content is a mixed bag but overall enjoyable and adds to the experience.