ClarkGW
Bio
I enjoy watching film and playing games. This is where I review the latter, I hope you find it insightful.
I tend not to review multiplayer games as I find them much more difficult to review in the narrative sense. Majority of the time they are made more for the "just have fun" aspect rather than the "experience".
I enjoy watching film and playing games. This is where I review the latter, I hope you find it insightful.
I tend not to review multiplayer games as I find them much more difficult to review in the narrative sense. Majority of the time they are made more for the "just have fun" aspect rather than the "experience".
Favorite Games
004
Total Games Played
002
Played in 2024
005
Games Backloggd
Recently Played See More
Recently Reviewed See More
Final Rating: 83/100
Controls: 9/10 (played on keyboard and mouse)
Controls were easy to learn and were well optimised for PC, I remapped a few buttons onto my mouse as hitting certain combinations or dodging felt easier this way. After trying the game on controller I can say that it is much more intuitive and made the game feel a bit more immersive.
Narrative: 9/10
The story was very well done, most definitely a step up from Jedi: Fallen Order. The introduction of new villains feels very well placed and adds lots of flavour and background to an already compelling goal. Certain points along the way feel a little monotonous and samey, but this can be looked over. The climax of the story I thought was fantastic and really made you feel for the characters involved.
Combat: 9/10
Combat feels great, very satisfying to time perfect parrys and perfect dodges. The skill trees also provide a great way to customise your play style and make the way you play unique. This is also true for the light saber styles, allowing you to have two equipped at a time makes changing styles for different types of encounters very rewarding.
Characters: 8/10
The characters introduced in the first game have each had a step up in terms of depth, same goes for many characters you meet along the way. Cal's character development throughout this game is fantastic and arguably one of the best parts of the game, this is also true for one other character but spoilers are to be had there.
Graphics: 8/10
The game looks absolutely fantastic, the open worlds feel immense in size and are most certainly visually appealing. There were occasional bugs here and there with objects phasing through the characters which can ruin immersion in that moment, but nothing lasting. My main complaint would be that the game is not fully optimised for PC as even on the highest graphics settings characters looked very grainy and certain textures weren't loading in correctly. This didn't bother me too much but it may be more of an issue for others.
Sound: 7/10
The music was fitting and often matched the area that you were in I personally felt as though it was nothing special. Saying that, it was well done star wars music and well suited for the game.
Consensus:
✅Worth Full Price
Wait for Sale
Don't bother
Free
Controls: 9/10 (played on keyboard and mouse)
Controls were easy to learn and were well optimised for PC, I remapped a few buttons onto my mouse as hitting certain combinations or dodging felt easier this way. After trying the game on controller I can say that it is much more intuitive and made the game feel a bit more immersive.
Narrative: 9/10
The story was very well done, most definitely a step up from Jedi: Fallen Order. The introduction of new villains feels very well placed and adds lots of flavour and background to an already compelling goal. Certain points along the way feel a little monotonous and samey, but this can be looked over. The climax of the story I thought was fantastic and really made you feel for the characters involved.
Combat: 9/10
Combat feels great, very satisfying to time perfect parrys and perfect dodges. The skill trees also provide a great way to customise your play style and make the way you play unique. This is also true for the light saber styles, allowing you to have two equipped at a time makes changing styles for different types of encounters very rewarding.
Characters: 8/10
The characters introduced in the first game have each had a step up in terms of depth, same goes for many characters you meet along the way. Cal's character development throughout this game is fantastic and arguably one of the best parts of the game, this is also true for one other character but spoilers are to be had there.
Graphics: 8/10
The game looks absolutely fantastic, the open worlds feel immense in size and are most certainly visually appealing. There were occasional bugs here and there with objects phasing through the characters which can ruin immersion in that moment, but nothing lasting. My main complaint would be that the game is not fully optimised for PC as even on the highest graphics settings characters looked very grainy and certain textures weren't loading in correctly. This didn't bother me too much but it may be more of an issue for others.
Sound: 7/10
The music was fitting and often matched the area that you were in I personally felt as though it was nothing special. Saying that, it was well done star wars music and well suited for the game.
Consensus:
✅Worth Full Price
Wait for Sale
Don't bother
Free
Final Rating: 87/100
Controls: 7/10 (played on keyboard and mouse)
Controls feel good for the most part, though there were a few times where buttons felt too far away or in slightly weird spots. I found the hold one button for one function or tap it for another to be a little finicky but that is not an experience breaking issue. My biggest complaint is the controls during combat - shooting feels great, as does hacking, but I find that melee combat feels stiff and not as responsive as I was hoping. I know many people don't mind or don't find this a problem but I personally wasn't a huge fan.
Narrative: 9/10
The story for this game is fantastic, though thanks to the amazing available customisation, many peoples V may be completely different or feel completely different about how the story unfolds. This I find amongst many other things makes it such an immersive and enjoyable game, your V of night city very much feels like your own person in many ways. The game evokes many emotions that I didn't expect to feel along the way.
Combat: 9/10
Combat is cool there is no doubt about that. The gunplay feels very satisfying, hacking is quick and efficient, and both over clock and sandevistan feel amazing. My small complaint as mentioned above is the melee combat, though all the weapons look fantastic I find that it really just doesn't work amazingly. But perhaps that's just me.
Characters: 8/10
The characters that are possible companions in the game are fantastic, you really get a feeling for who they are and it's really nice to see you building relationships with them. Many characters you meet along the way are fantastic they feel like their own fully fleshed out people, a few reoccurring characters I felt were very 2D and felt like they were just people to get quests or what not from, this is not a big problem though as all the important ones are great.
Graphics: 9/10
Graphics are top notch, they really do a great job at portraying night city. Everything feels and looks amazing, lighting, aesthetic, everything just works. I noticed a few bugs here and there with things phasing through characters or occasionally characters not moving or getting stuck in objects, this for the most part I only noticed on side missions so it wasn't a huge issue.
Sound: 9/10
Fantastic sound track, the music is very fitting, matches what's going on and is very well placed. The combat music is some of the best I've heard it really makes you feel cool. All the radio stations available for night city were amazing as well lots of options, only thing I'd say is they occasionally get repetitive if you listen to the same station.
DLC: Phantom Liberty
TBP (will be updated once complete)
Consensus:
✅Worth Full Price
Wait for Sale
Don't bother
Free
Controls: 7/10 (played on keyboard and mouse)
Controls feel good for the most part, though there were a few times where buttons felt too far away or in slightly weird spots. I found the hold one button for one function or tap it for another to be a little finicky but that is not an experience breaking issue. My biggest complaint is the controls during combat - shooting feels great, as does hacking, but I find that melee combat feels stiff and not as responsive as I was hoping. I know many people don't mind or don't find this a problem but I personally wasn't a huge fan.
Narrative: 9/10
The story for this game is fantastic, though thanks to the amazing available customisation, many peoples V may be completely different or feel completely different about how the story unfolds. This I find amongst many other things makes it such an immersive and enjoyable game, your V of night city very much feels like your own person in many ways. The game evokes many emotions that I didn't expect to feel along the way.
Combat: 9/10
Combat is cool there is no doubt about that. The gunplay feels very satisfying, hacking is quick and efficient, and both over clock and sandevistan feel amazing. My small complaint as mentioned above is the melee combat, though all the weapons look fantastic I find that it really just doesn't work amazingly. But perhaps that's just me.
Characters: 8/10
The characters that are possible companions in the game are fantastic, you really get a feeling for who they are and it's really nice to see you building relationships with them. Many characters you meet along the way are fantastic they feel like their own fully fleshed out people, a few reoccurring characters I felt were very 2D and felt like they were just people to get quests or what not from, this is not a big problem though as all the important ones are great.
Graphics: 9/10
Graphics are top notch, they really do a great job at portraying night city. Everything feels and looks amazing, lighting, aesthetic, everything just works. I noticed a few bugs here and there with things phasing through characters or occasionally characters not moving or getting stuck in objects, this for the most part I only noticed on side missions so it wasn't a huge issue.
Sound: 9/10
Fantastic sound track, the music is very fitting, matches what's going on and is very well placed. The combat music is some of the best I've heard it really makes you feel cool. All the radio stations available for night city were amazing as well lots of options, only thing I'd say is they occasionally get repetitive if you listen to the same station.
DLC: Phantom Liberty
TBP (will be updated once complete)
Consensus:
✅Worth Full Price
Wait for Sale
Don't bother
Free
Rating: 90/100
Summary:
I should preface by saying this game is certainly more of a experience and a work of both musical and cinematic art than it is an entertaining game.
Death Stranding is a game about connections and piecing together a once devastated world. The game follows Sam Porter Bridges, a member of Bridges on a mission to connect the UCA (United Cities of America) via the chiral network, a sort of post apocalyptic internet. This is important because average people no longer go outside as they live in underground bunkers. Porters or delivery people are the only people left to make deliveries to and from different cities, Sam being one of the them. This story incorporates many people that Sam meets along his journey, each with their own story to tell of what life was like for them before and after the Death Stranding and how they can help Sam on his journey to save his sister and reconnect the UCA.
Story: 10/10
The story of Death Stranding is certainly the most impactful part, the depth of each act and the thought that goes behind each of the logs and emails that you receive make it one of the most well written stories I've had the chance to experience either in film or game. Though at first glace many may see this as game centered around saving the girl and going home all happy, it is much more centered around Sam's growth as a person and his connection with his BB. This combined with the characters you meet along the way really shows the connection and growth that Sam experiences throughout the game.
Characters: 10/10
The characters in death stranding are what make this game so heartfelt and moving. Each character is so fleshed out that it feels like you're talking to real people with a real lives. There isn't too much I can say without spoiling, but everyone you meet will have you thinking deeper about both them as a character and Sam and his connection with them.
Gameplay: 6/10
The game was not meant to be played in my opinion, it was meant to be experienced. Though the gameplay score is low I don't hold that against Death Stranding with very much weight. The bulk of the game involves you making deliveries from point A to point B most of the time by foot, this for many can become tedious. The score of Death Stranding is beautiful and thought provoking, this combined with the amazingly detailed cinematic world of a post apocalyptic America makes walking through it something that you feel. For this reason I value the gameplay less so than the average game.
Conclusion:
Death Stranding is a game I will recommend to anyone who has an interest in experiencing something new. Everything about the game is a work of art, each character you meet is a new continuation to Sam's life and the journey you follow as the player. Though many may not find walking and not overly exciting gunplay thrilling, I assure you Death Stranding is more than worth your time.
Summary:
I should preface by saying this game is certainly more of a experience and a work of both musical and cinematic art than it is an entertaining game.
Death Stranding is a game about connections and piecing together a once devastated world. The game follows Sam Porter Bridges, a member of Bridges on a mission to connect the UCA (United Cities of America) via the chiral network, a sort of post apocalyptic internet. This is important because average people no longer go outside as they live in underground bunkers. Porters or delivery people are the only people left to make deliveries to and from different cities, Sam being one of the them. This story incorporates many people that Sam meets along his journey, each with their own story to tell of what life was like for them before and after the Death Stranding and how they can help Sam on his journey to save his sister and reconnect the UCA.
Story: 10/10
The story of Death Stranding is certainly the most impactful part, the depth of each act and the thought that goes behind each of the logs and emails that you receive make it one of the most well written stories I've had the chance to experience either in film or game. Though at first glace many may see this as game centered around saving the girl and going home all happy, it is much more centered around Sam's growth as a person and his connection with his BB. This combined with the characters you meet along the way really shows the connection and growth that Sam experiences throughout the game.
Characters: 10/10
The characters in death stranding are what make this game so heartfelt and moving. Each character is so fleshed out that it feels like you're talking to real people with a real lives. There isn't too much I can say without spoiling, but everyone you meet will have you thinking deeper about both them as a character and Sam and his connection with them.
Gameplay: 6/10
The game was not meant to be played in my opinion, it was meant to be experienced. Though the gameplay score is low I don't hold that against Death Stranding with very much weight. The bulk of the game involves you making deliveries from point A to point B most of the time by foot, this for many can become tedious. The score of Death Stranding is beautiful and thought provoking, this combined with the amazingly detailed cinematic world of a post apocalyptic America makes walking through it something that you feel. For this reason I value the gameplay less so than the average game.
Conclusion:
Death Stranding is a game I will recommend to anyone who has an interest in experiencing something new. Everything about the game is a work of art, each character you meet is a new continuation to Sam's life and the journey you follow as the player. Though many may not find walking and not overly exciting gunplay thrilling, I assure you Death Stranding is more than worth your time.