This game was good, it wasn’t great and it wasn’t bad or mediocre, just good. But my fucking god the fanbase is so annoying. I’m on TikTok a lot and the people there overrate so many games. If it’s not Days Gone it’s Ghost of Tsushima, God of War Ragnarök, Spider-Man 2, Red Dead Redemption II, Call of Duty whatever, Assassin’s Creed or Dying Light. I’ll give Spider-Man 2 for example an 8/10, that’s a great fucking score but apparently not good enough. Apparently if I’m not giving it a 10 or a 9 it’s like I’m calling it bad, what the fuck are these people on. 5 is mediocre, 6 is good, 7 is really good, 8 is great, 9 is amazing and 10 is a masterpiece. So I started arguing in the comments of some edit on TikTok where everyone was calling these games absolute masterpieces 10/10’s and I said that I didn’t agree. What’s their response? “Bro’s tryna be different 😭🙏”, “Bro has NOT played Days Gone 😭😭” and “Blud’s on Xbox 😭🙏”. God these 15 year olds are so fucking annoying I don’t even know why I’m still trying. Anyway this game is GOOD, not great nor bad and definitely not a masterpiece.

6/10

Recently I read the short story “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”, this was an amazing and surprisingly short read. So seeing this turned into a video game had me wondering how they’d do it honestly, it’s really not much of a story that you can adapt. But to my surprise they managed it, and I really liked it.

If you’ve read the book then you already know it’s setting and story, but if not; this is set in post-apocalyptic world where the evil supercomputer, “AM”, has wiped out humanity except for 5 people who it decides to torment for eternity. As you go through the book you’ll notice how flawed these people are, and it’s certainly no different here. It’s even more in-your-face about their flaws, which isn’t always necessarily a bad thing though in my opinion.

The narrative is obviously masterfully crafted, delving into existential themes such as free will, identity and the nature of suffering. The writing is sharp and evocative, capturing the bleakness of the characters’ predicament while also offering glimmers of hope amidst the despair, personally I prefer the original story a tad bit more but the game still offers a near on par narrative in my opinion.

Visually, the game’s pixel art style has a gritty, dystopian feel that contemplates for it dark subject matter. The environments are atmospheric and immersive, from the decaying ruins of the world to the weird and twisted landscapes of the characters’ minds. This is the style I was looking for in a story like this and I personally think it succeeded in doing it.

However, the game is certainly not without its flaws, I do have some complaints unfortunately. Now I don’t think I’m inept, but some of the puzzles can be obtuse and frustratingly difficult leading to moments of trial and error that personally detracted from the overall experience.

Overall “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” is a great adaptation and of an excellent story that definitely is a must-play. This is an amazing experience that challenges you to confront the darkest aspects of human nature. Its rich storytelling, complex characters, and philosophical depth make it a standout title in this genre, despite its age.

8.5/10

Absolutely phenomenal, I love this game. The characters here are interesting with everyone having their unique traits, stories and so on. While I’m not a graphics fanatic, I’ll admit that it honestly impressed me how good this game looks still even after 6 years. Unfortunately I do have some issues with this game that did dumb it down to a 9/10 instead of a full 10/10.

To start I think the gameplay is a bit stale. It’s an improvement from previous entries like the Grand Theft Auto series and the first game but it still is the reused formulaic Rockstar gameplay. I do like features such as the ability to “talk” to npc’s in two different ways and in combat things such as Tonics, Deadeye, even just the slow motion shots that sometime occur when killing an enemy, but features such as those doesn’t save it in the end. You might not get tired of the combat, but by the end I wasn’t as engaged by it like I was at the start.

The other part of my gameplay critique are the missions. In nearly every Rockstar game after Grand Theft Auto IV their games have used a more structured approach to missions which works but is also a double-edged sword. This approach can make for a more cinematic experience in gameplay, but it also doesn’t allow for any creativity or real thought from the player making every approach to all missions the same for every player. Which in turn can also bring down the replay value for some.

Another critique of the missions is the formula for them. A lot of missions here act the same, which includes; talking to the person you approached, going to the destination on horseback, doing the unique thing to the mission leading to a shootout, then either end the mission there or ride somewhere on horseback again where it ends. Yes it works, but no player will have a unique experience or approach to the missions again tuning down the replay value. Realizing this structure and playing through the story again makes it feel a bit repetitive, padded even.

But that’s more or less my only critiques for this game, I still love everything on display here. The story is just as good as people make it out to be and the open-world is not only beautiful but rich with numerous random encounters and stories making it feel more immersive and real. All in all, an amazing game only held back by some minor flaws in my opinion.

9/10

This was a hard decision for me, while on one hand the story, atmosphere, graphics and even sound design is just amazing, the gameplay is can be pretty stale at times and repetitive unfortunetly. I also wished we would play as Motoko, as in just herself and not in the Fuchikoma, maybe something reminiscent of Max Payne but what we got is still fine.

The gameplay of Ghost in the Shell is a mix of third-person shooting, platforming and puzzle-solving. You technically play as Major, or Motoko Kusanagi for those who don't know, but you're actually just controlling a Fuchikoma the entire game which is less interesting in my opinion. Gripe aside, in this game you'll navigate through various missions in a world filled with political intrigue and technological marvels. The game featured varying mission types, such as rescue missions, stealth infiltration and somewhat annoying but intense combat encounters. One of the most innovative and fun aspects of the game was the ability to hack into enemy cyberspace networks. This mechanic not only allows you to control security cameras and disable traps, but it even allows you to manipulate enemy robots to turn against themselves. It added a small layer of strategy to the game, as you'd have to balance between difficult combat and stealthy hacking.

For the time Ghost in the Shell boasted graphics that really captured the gritty, futuristic aesthetic from the source material. The enviroments are detailed and atmospheric, from neon-lit cityscapes to dark, industrial complexes. The character models are obviously blocky compared to your Last of Us and Hellblade, but the designs were faithful to the anime's distinctive style at least. The game also featured a fitting soundtrack that complemented the cyberpunk setting, which is again fitting of the anime since that music was absolutely perfect in my opinion. Like the anime the music ranged from moody, ambient tracks to adrenaline-pumping techno beats, enhancing the immersive experience of navigating through this dystopian world.

I think this game successfully captured the dark, philosophical themes of the anime. Just like the anime the game's story delved into complex issues surrounding identity, consciousness, and the nature of humanity in a world where techonolgy blurs the line between man and machine. The story, setting and atmosphere is what I love Ghost in the Shell for, unfortunetly the story here took a backseat sometimes to instead focus on action. But I imagine this was just done to not bore the average player, especially nowadays.

As said the atmosphere is something that I adore Ghost in the Shell for, so luckily the atmosphere was undoubtedly one of the game's strongest aspects. The game recreated the oppressive, cyberpunk ambiance of the anime, which fully immersed me in a world of high-tech espionage and political intrigue. From the rain-soaked streets of New Port City to the towering skyscrapers of the city's corporate districts, every location felt like a believable part of the anime's dystopian universe.

Despite it's flaws, Ghost in the Shell is in my opinion a great fucking game, but mostly only for fans of the franchise. I don't think this game is a fitting introduction for anyone wanting to get into the series, but that does not mean the game is bad, I just think it's not for everyone. For people like me on the other hand, this is a great entry in the series and a must-play for fans.

8/10

Celebrated for its narrative sophistication, “Marry Me, Misato!” ingeniously unfurls within the intricate tapestry of the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” mythos, focusing with fervent dedication on the enigmatic persona of Misato Katsuragi. A testament to its thematic ambition, the game intricately weaves a narrative tableau that provocatively explores the interstices of love, longing, and existential yearning within its central protagonist.

At its core, the gameplay mechanics serve as a conduit for narrative progression, affording players a nuanced agency in steering the course of their journey. Through deftly crafted dialogues and morally weighty decisions, players are enhanced in a labyrinth of diverging paths, each beckoning toward an array of climactic denouements.

Augmenting this narrative odyssey is the exquisite visual tableau, which, while perhaps lacking the polish of mainstream counterparts, exudes an evocative aesthetic that admirably evokes the hauntingly atmospheric ambience of royal queen Misato’s world. Complementing this visual splendor is a meticulously curated auditory accompaniment, suffused with melodic motifs that ensnare the senses and evoke a poignant resonance with the thematic undertones.

Central to the game’s allure is its emphasis on character development, wherein the protagonist’s multifaceted persona is meticulously parsed through a tapestry of interpersonal dynamics and emotional reckonings. Supporting characters too, such as Bystander #1 & Bystander #2, are imbued with narrative gravitas, their nuanced interplay as both catalyst and consequence within the unfolding drama.

A tour de force in narrative branching, “Marry Me, Misato!” boasts a superlative replay value, inviting players to traverse a labyrinthine expanse of divergent pathways, each proffering a kaleidoscope array of denouements. It is within this dynamic interplay of choice and consequence that the game’s true brilliance shines, enshrining it as a magnum opus within the pantheon of fan-driven interactive storytelling.

In summation, “Marry Me, Misato!” stands as an exemplar of narrative ingenuity and thematic resonance, offering a transcendent journey into the labyrinthine recesses of one of anime’s most iconic characters. Its marriage of narrative sophistication, visual splendor, and evocative storytelling renders it not merely a game, but a profound testament to the enduring power of interactive art.
(sorry for bad English)

One of, if not the most beautiful game I’ve ever played visually. The picturesque graphics and cutscenes combined with a fittingly gorgeous soundtrack makes for a really good and memorable game personally. Also, some might be hesitant to buy it considering it’s length, but I’ve always said that length doesn’t equal quality, and I still after this game stand by that. This game took me about 3 hours, and apart from bigger games where you might expect to find some slog throughout the experience or at least once, here it’s full quality from start to finish. I’d even go so far as to say that the length accommodates the gameplay, with simpler gameplay mechanics like these it’ll eventually get repetitive and stale, so a shorter experience works here in my opinion.

One of my only negatives is that the gameplay is very simplistic, I think this works for a game such as this, but I just prefer more interesting mechanics and gameplay. I’d also say that by the end it got just a tad bit repetitive, but nothing you can’t get through easily. All the puzzles in this game are also really easy, I don’t want “bash your head against the wall” and “trial & error” puzzle difficulty, but at least some sort of challenge. No puzzle here really challenges what you’ve learned throughout the game at that point and that’s a bit of a shame personally. Also a lot of the themes this game throws at you is probably handled well and shown in a great way, I’m just too stupid to really understand it, but I still like it. Anyways, this game is a near must-play in my opinion. Short, sweet and absolutely beautiful, almost no reason not to try it.

8/10

This is overall a good game and a damn fun time even for me having to play it unmodded on a PS4. But if a game isn’t good without mods then the game’s just not good, this game is great and fun but unfortunately lacks a lot of depth. The kind of depth that I specifically love Fallout for.

First off the RPG mechanics have been greatly scaled down with customization being more simple, less creative and unique to your character(s). I really love Fallout’s RPG mechanics, I remember for example dying multiple times in the Temple of Trials in Fallout 2 so I made a new character over and over, reading through everything until I figured out how significant each perk was. Here the game has basically merged perks and skills together for a more straightforwarded path which kinda stops you from making a specific build. There really isn’t a lot to make your character more unique than your friend’s except in looks and what factions you choose.

Speaking of factions, they’re kinda boring here. Don’t get me wrong they’re still fun to play around with, specifically BoS now being one of my favorite renditions of them in a Fallout game so far, easily my favorite from the East coast. But then you have factions such as the Railroad which are just so incredibly boring with the most unfun missions. And then you got the Minutemen, they’re basically the “good guys” but my god Preston will keep nagging to you all the damn time, at some point I just think “oh my god fuck the settlements”.

And on the topic of settlements, this system is just kind of okay. I think it’s okay fun building your settlements, companions coming over (the companions are great in this game btw) and the whole making your own. Managing it though with Raiders coming a lot of times, while kinda cool the first few times, isn’t as fun later on.

Lastly we have the hugely downgraded dialogue system, long gone are the great replies with clever writing you could say before, now instead we have 4 options; “Yes”, “Sassy Yes”, “No” and “Huh?”. They also abbreviate all the options, mostly into 3 words, so one thing that may sound like something, may be something entirely different just because it looked that way. I really think this is a downgrade compared to the previous games, I love the writing of these games and that’s mostly comes from the dialogue. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

These are mostly my gripes about this game and while it seems like I might be very negative, I have barely covered any of my positives. It’s just easier to talk about why I don’t like something, rather than why I like something.

7/10