Alright the Hollow Knight community has gotten far too toxic, so I'll lay down some negatives to the game to show that it isn't as perfect as people make it out to be.

- For every great boss, there are 2 'filler' bosses.
- Difficulty progression is dumb. Hornet is the second boss you fight while flukemarm is technically an 'endgame' boss.
- Nothing in this game is original. Abilities are things you'll see in every other metroidvania. Hell even the charm system is from Paper Mario. Having said that, lack of originality isn't always a bad thing.
- You should expect a lot of backtracking + getting lost. Way more than any other metroidvania.
- Many of the areas have similar aesthetics. 4 of which share a dull grey colour.
- DLCs are good but again, they each have way too much filler.

This is still my favourite metroidvania, however almost every other one I've played focuses on quality over quantity. They are fun 90% of the time while hollow knight struggles to even come close to that number.

96

NO SPOILERS

Version 1.06 reviewed

I have a feeling that this is going to be a long review. I have a lot to say about this game, both good and bad. One of the reasons this game failed so spectacularly is the fact that people relied on one hit wonders to create the perfect game to end all other games. It was never going to meet expectations and even with patches i don't see this game hitting those expectations. Personally I enjoyed Cyberpunk more than the Witcher 3 however I never ranked the Witcher that high as others have. I'll get all my gripes out of the way first.


The Negatives:

- Obviously I can't talk about this game without mentioning bugs. Yes most of these will get fixed in the Jan and Feb patches however the Witcher 3 is still buggy even to this day. They sadly won't be able to smooth out everything, however most of the bugs weren't too bad. Most made me laugh and there were only a couple that frustrated me as these made me restart entire segments.
- The physics are actually laughable. You can literally drive up people like they are ramps. The driving isn't too horrendous when you get used to it but it's no GTA. Again these physics problems can often bring a laugh out of me but they also ruin immersion much like the glitches.
- Speaking of driving, the minimap is too zoomed in. I would always react too late when turning a corner because it tells you to turn at the last second
- Enemy AI was clearly done by 5 year olds. They could stare at you for 5 minutes before giving up and going about their lives again. They can also get stuck on invisible walls if they venture too far from their 1 meter radius they are stuck to.
- Bosses in first person games have never really attracted me and this game doesn't change my opinion.
- I absolutely hate games with save systems like this. I want it to autosave more regularly. There is nothing more frustrating than dying or glitching and having to go back 15 minutes of gameplay because you forgot to save.
- Characters often have no hit-boxes so you can just walk through them or vise versa which totally ruins immersion.
- Hand to hand combat is awful. I actually quite liked it in the Witcher 3 and yet this is somehow worse than that in GTAV.
- The police are really stupid. They spawn in out of nowhere and either you get one shot by them or they give up when you get 2 metres away. Apparently it was thrown in last minute which makes a lot of sense.
- I very much dislike the looting and item management compared to the Witcher 3. The looting is especially finicky with a controller
- Lip syncing was pretty poor for a 2020 story driven game. I appreciate that they had lip syncing for many different languages however the mouth and body movement is a little static

The positives:

- The story here is obviously the main attraction and it delivers. Characters are well developed and the main story contains very little filler (Witcher 3 looking at you!). The voice acting is consistently good with a lot of dialogue options to choose from. I especially love how there are no loading screens or time skips between cutscenes. You just walk in naturally and initiate the conversation.
- While the combat isn't the best I've seen, there are loads of variations in how you approach a fight. You can go stealth, melee, guns blazing, Quick hack and a bunch more. These classes all go even deeper with lethal and non lethal weapons, different abilities as well as different weapon types to keep you interested in the fight.
- The sheer amount of content here is staggering. Somehow this game manages to have so many hours of content without any excessive padding (Witcher senses be like). So many side quests feel like main quests with proper character development and really heartfelt moments.
- The graphics are gorgeous. I'm not a graphics guy but the amount of screenshots I took in this game is well over anything I've done for other games. The photo mode works really well for this.
- It's unacceptable how badly this runs on last gen however it is understandable. The scope of this world is something I've never seen in a game. The world is incredibly detailed, there are roads being build on top of each other and there are buildings towering over even the flying ships.
- The life paths are nothing to gawk at but they are really nice to have for a second or third playthrough. Even just the change in some dialogue goes a long way. Changing V's gender also helps with this.
- I'm pretty confident that I didn't get the best ending and yet I was absolutely thrilled with how they handled the ending I got. From the final mission to the final cutscene I was invested all the way.
- I love how you can message characters even after you are done with their quests. It adds to the immersion and it helps bring the characters to life.
- The soundtrack is pretty solid throughout. I appreciate that they composed their own songs for radios and clubs, definitely a nice touch.


I understand that this game isn't quite what people wanted but I was still very satisfied with what I got. I'm definitely going to do another playthrough of this. With the Witcher, there is just too much padding for me to do a second playthrough but with Cyberpunk I can not only change the story, but also my combat playstyle, what vehicles I drive as well as my life path and gender. I am exited to see how beneficial these patches will be and I'm 100% down for the free DLCs.

81

I went into this DLC thinking it would be the worst by far. DLC 1 and 2 gave you destructive mechs and a freaking jetpack and yet this DLC didn't look like it would give me anything special. I'm glad I was wrong.

The Loochador (weaponised boat) is an absolute blast to use - literally! The controls are fluid and the bases to destroy are all perfectly built with the boat in mind. That's not where the fun ends though. The final mission throws one more amazing weapon at you and it's amazing.

One thing that bothered me with all of the DLCs was the cutscenes. I found it a bit lazy that they didn't animate them. They do give off a stylised feel though. Overall, I'd rate this 2nd out of the 3 DLCs so don't skip this one.

Funnily enough this was actually my least favourite DLC. I absolutely love the jetpack and the weapons are really fun when you get good with them however that's where the praises end. The DLC is incredibly short: I'm talking like 2 missions short. The destruction is also very clunky as the missile dodging gets repetitive and the lock on system is wack.

That being said, the jetpack is really useful for the later DLCs and other uncompleted content so this is definitely a recommend. The 3 DLCs bunched together are really enjoyable. It's dirt cheap.

I genuinely really liked this DLC. Went into it thinking there would be something that'll really bring the experience down. To my surprise, a lot of this game was actually an improvement on the base game. There are some flaws which is why I understand why people don't like this DLC but in my opinion it's definitely worth your while.


Positives
- The combat takes it up a step further without the need of changing difficulty. Some of the shootouts and slayer gates really tested my abilities
- The first level blew me away. The contrast between fire and water was brilliant and the level was like 2 hours long!
- All the other levels are absolutely gorgeous and each of them have a different aesthetic to the base game
- There are new abilities to unlock which caught me off guard
- The new bosses are better than those from the base game which isn't saying much but it's still something

Negatives
- The new enemies are quite hit or miss. They increase difficulty but one of the enemies require you to use a specific weapon mod which is absurd
- It has a pretty decent game length but once again the price tag doesn't justify the content it brings
- This DLC counts as a separate experience to the main game meaning that every upgrade and mod is already unlocked. It was a little bit annoying having to re-equip all my preferences


Ancient Gods was really fun overall and I recommend getting it when it's on offer as I did. It's just more Doom and personally I can't wait for part 2!

This game used one of Portal 2's mechanics and expanded on it into a full game. The problem is, it already felt like Portal had squeezed all potential out of the idea already. This is why Gravitas is only 1 hour long. That being said, I really enjoyed the game. The humour is nearly identical to Portal's and the short game length means that there isn't any unnecessary padding (looking at you Portal 2).

The puzzles are cleverly made with enough, but not too many mechanics. Some of the puzzles were a little bit frustrating. I was unclear on what they wanted from me which led to a lot of guessing and improvisation. I couldn't figure out how to do some puzzles which led to me cheesing most of the later ones. I do like how I was able to do that as it encourages creativity.

Overall, the game is quite a bit worse than Portal 1 and 2 however it's still a great experience. It's is literally free so I don't see any reason to not get this game. It's not like that 1GB of storage will be missed.

79

Doom Eternal is definitely my game of the year. It is a straight upgrade from Doom 2016 which is exactly what a sequel should be. There are a few minor flaws however i was kept hooked until the credits rolled. I haven't played the online so there is no mention of it here.

Pros:
- The graphics are gorgeous and the game is optimised really well!
- This game is so fast paced compared to it's predecessor. Playing this on keyboard and mouse is a real treat.
- The music really compliments the gameplay. The menu music slaps!
- I'm a bit of a sucker for platformers so seeing that this game had some parkour pleasantly surprised me
- The new glory kill animations add so much variety and they make the old Doom look like a tech demo in comparison
- Grappling with the meat hook is just so satisfying when you get good with it
- Unlike the first game, Eternal has a hubworld and I was not expecting it to have so much depth
- This game attempts to bring in even more story and lore which will please some
- The dull and repetitive mars aesthetic from 2016 is gone and every Eternal level is distinct from the last
- In depth customisable menu screens!
- The special equipment actually adds strategy into fights with armour and ammo management
- You don't die from accidentally falling of an edge anymore!
- The lives system works allows you to seamlessly dive back into battle
- Huge amount of replayability due to constant updates, 2 DLCs and heaps of collectables

There is a lot that i could talk about in terms of positives however I do want to highlight some negatives I found with the game as well.

Cons:
- Most of the new enemies rock but two notable ones have questionable design choices. One is a flying damage sponge and the other relies on brief attack windows which I don't like.
- The bosses are a massive step down from 2016's. I actually found them all to be really uninspired or repetitive.
- There is a lack of new weapons which felt a little odd to me
- A lot of weapon mods were reused for this game which felt a little bit lazy
- ID Software straight up lied about the game's length. I beat it in 10 hours on a medium paced playthrough. They said it was twice the length of 2016's (20 hours)

I bought this game on sale which is what I would reccomend for anyone who wants this game. It is absolutely worth the £50 however it often goes on sale and I got it for £24 with DLC included. Don't sleep on this game as it's one of if not the best first person shooter out there

96

I see a lot of people trashing this DLC and praising the second one, but that is completely unfair. Nyakuza Metro is amazing but I honestly prefer this one. The 6th chapter isn't great, but it's clear that most of the effort went into the Death Wish. This DLC adds a lot of content to a slightly content light game.

The 6th Chapter is definitely the worst and shortest out of all 7 (aside from the 5th chapter for obvious reasons). However this doesn't mean it's 'bad'. The music is top notch as always however the level design is slightly off. I wish they tried a little bit harder with this chapter but that's okay. It's made up by the pizza time level that rivals that of spiderman 2 - music and all.

Death Wish is definitely not for everyone. It is brutally difficult and very similar to the Godmaster DLC from Hollow Knight in the sense that it reuses old content but with a fresh coat of pain. There is new stuff and the new stuff is amazing but most of the content comes from remixed existing levels. The content provided here is astonishing. It basically takes a game that's only 'flaw' was lack of content and it essentially doubles it. Snatcher's voice lines are infuriating but funny and well written. While I did say that the levels are incredibly difficult, the game does encourage you to buy an easier version of the level with in game currency. I will admit that I used this for 1 level because it was just way too difficult but it doesn't lock you out from any content or achievements. Some of the new music actually tops my favourites from the base game and that was a hard feat to accomplish.

The boss fights get their own paragraph because they are so amazing. I loved the base game bosses but I beat all of them first go (even with going into the game blind) and so having an actual challenge was a real treat. These are all really well made bosses as well, pretty much no random RNG crap that plague a lot of difficult bosses. The boss themes are definitely my favourite tracks in the game as well. They slap so hard.

In defence of many peoples complaints, I don't believe that death wish is unfairly challenging. Most of the levels are cleverly changed in a way that makes the level way harder, but still makes your death your fault rather than an unfair mechanic. I'll admit that giving a level a timer is just artificial difficulty but luckily only 2 or 3 levels have that. Also one singular boat themed level was just so hard that I had to use the easier mode to get past it (you know the one if you have played the game).

Also Rhythm Jump Studio is one of the coolest levels in the entire game.

This game is considered the best Arkham game out there. I don't necessarily agree with this, that doesn't mean that it is by any means a bad game. This is still a masterpiece 8 years later. Worth the price - but it's almost always on sale!

Pros:
- It retains the amazing combat from Asylum and adds even more animations and enemy types
- Catwoman is the best addition as she has a completely new playstyle, as well as completely new attack animations
- The bosses are all amazing (Mr Freeze taking the cake as one of the most well made boss fights ever)
- The game transitioned to open world extremely well
- There is stupidly high replayability with tonnes of side quests and a truck load of riddler trophies
- Very good difficulty curve

Cons:
- Due to its open world, the level design isn't quite as tight and well made as Arkham Asylum
- The story is pretty good, but not as memorable as the other games in my opinion

84

This game is really fun with friends, and really dull on your own. If you want to get it, wait for a sale and get a bunch of friends to buy it as well. The game is really easy to pick up, but also very difficult to master. This is the perfect way to make a game. There are loads of maps to chose from so the game should never really get stale. The game is slightly rigged in the hunter's favour however I think that I prefer to play as a survivor. Having said that, both classes are really fun to play as. There is a skill tree, daily challenges and a free battle pass. These will ensure that you never run out of things to do. It's a great multiplayer game and the horror element definitely comes from the adrenaline rush when you are getting chased.

There isn't much variety in the gameplay and there is only one gamemode, so you're kinda stuck if you don't like the core game.

My main complaint with this game is that it is an absolute rip-off. The DLC characters are all individually paid for and you have to pay something like £100 if you want all the available content. The DLC characters aparently aren't overpowered so it's not that bad but it's still annoying that they are so expensive. It makes sense due to the fact that the developers have to pay for the rights to each character as well as a detailed intro cutscene.

73

It's a Valve game running on the Source engine. That's just a worse Garry's Mod.

It's a Hero shooter with 9 playable characters. That's just Overwatch but worse

Jk the game is free and it's pretty fun + chaotic.

0 / 10

I was pleasantly surprised when playing Jedi Fallen order as it is now in my top 15 favourite games of all time. It fits right into the Star Wars universe without feeling forced or tacky.

I really don't care much for graphics in video games but I was just in awe the entire time with this one. I just kept on standing still and taking in the atmosphere and this is one of the many reasons why this game encapsulates the Star Wars feel so well. I'll also add that the music is fantastic as always and again; feels like Star Wars without trying too hard. Finally, the story works perfectly assisting the gameplay. It's funny and fits in to the Canon pretty well. This game also has so many twists and reveals that caught me off guard again and again and I'm really looking forwards to a sequel.

The gameplay takes many ideas from other games as you've probably heard. There are parkour sections like Tomb Raider, combat and checkpoints like dark souls however taking ideas is always a good thing unless its completely copied. Fallen Order expands on these ideas and adds a lot of new stuff as well such as a metroidvania style progression. The open worlds are filled with secrets and even secret mini bosses. Speaking of which, the bosses in this game are fantastic and they do a really good job of making you feel like a badass. The new abilities you unlock will keep you glued till the very end.

I do however have a couple of issues with the game. Firstly the game only takes about 15 hours to beat depending on your difficulty and how in-depth you explore. There wasn't much replayablility however Respawn did add an update which added new game plus as well as some other cool features to try out. My other issue is the performance. It runs fine, but there are definitely noticeable frame drops in many areas. It's usually in the many 'loading screens' that the game has.

I would highly recommend buying this game - even if you're not into Star Wars as it has a completely new story. Probably wait for a sale though.

91

I haven't played this game for about 4 years however he game has now fully released and with all the constant updates it brings, I'm sure the game is even more fun than when I played it. It's a pretty simple concept with a lot of replayability. There are loads of maps and gamemodes that would keep you coming back constantly. There is even a custom map creator so technically the course number is infinite. You know it is a good party game when someone gets mad when they lose and everyone laughs at them which makes them even more angry. It's incredibly satisfying when you nail a shot from miles away and steal the victory from someone else. The game is worth the money even when it isn't on sale but I would only recommend getting the game if you have other friends who have it as well.