HamezRodriguez
Coming straight off the original has only made me detest my time with DOOM II more. Whilst the super shotgun is a blast (quite literally) and the core of doom still shines through the hefty layers of muck, the level design in this entry is disturbingly confused and maze-like. In other words, it's rather hellish.
2019
Bad game, good dog...
2005
Psychonauts' gameplay is fine, serviceable you might say, even if time hasn't been too kind on its rougher edges. However, the charm and imaginative designs Double Fine cooked up here are ageless. And for those who aren't opposed to a bit of jank, well worth experiencing all these years later.
2010
As someone who's only flirted with the occasional mobster flick, Mafia II really took me by surprise. Not only did I enjoy the story, enough to ignore the admittedly mediocre gameplay. But the thick, polluted atmosphere of its open world really drew me in. If anything I just wish the game gave you more to do in it.
2018
Genuinely one of the most charming games I've played. It has issues sure, a rather indulgent helping of jank being one of them. But even the setbacks here aren't enough to stop me from yearning for more of this world and the characters who inhabit it. Godspeed Tilo.
With the ungodly amount of praise this game gets, I was fully equipped to weather the disappointment that followed. But fuck me, this might be the best game I played all year.
Waking up after a jolly good thumping of your own, Penumbra: Black Plague improves over its predecessor from the get-go. Gone are the mazes, along with weapons that made a joke out of the enemies in Overture. In their absence, a tighter game emerges. A creepier, more enjoyable one at that. And whilst jank remains, this is one hell of a follow-up.
This game has no right to be this good, but here we are. I played this during a trip and despite some grievances, thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. The team behind this clearly loved what they were doing and it shows, and it's because of that very reason that I'm hyped for the upcoming sequel.
2020
Slack-jawed and vigorously mystified, my time with Fatum Betula felt like a dream. Its world encapsulates the bizarre creations of the unconscious mind, letting you explore them with an awareness you're usually exempt from which is subsequently where issues arise. For players who aren't prepared, the game's logic, or lack thereof, may act as a barrier and prevent them from giving it a chance.
2013
With its reputation as a studio killer, I went into Dead Space 3 suitably cautious, accompanied by a friend who I could laugh through the pain with. However now that the dust has settled and the lacklustre final boss defeated, the laughs dried out and frustrations vented. I've come to the conclusion that whilst Dead Space 3 may be a flawed game, it's still a fun one with the right company. The game's story is an incoherent mess and the characters even more so, with a succulent buffet of bugs around each corner being contrasted by some genuinely interesting ideas and crunchy combat mechanics. Don't get me wrong It's undoubtedly a shame and this series deserved a better send-off, but if you enjoyed the previous two entries you should be able to scrape some enjoyment out of this one too.
2012
I always find it's best to confide in those close to you during hard times. That's why I'd only ever recommend playing Resident Evil 6 with a friend, nothing brings people together like shared trauma.
Dead Space 3: Awakened brings back the horror, a core fixture of the series that had gone mysteriously missing in the base game. Whilst this is admirable, its bite-size nature cuts a lot of its potential short. And with a playtime of under two hours, I mean that quite literally.
2007
2019
The marshmallow roasting mechanics are quite divine.
Set in radiation riddled Moscow, it's a testament to the game's atmosphere that Metro Last Light can make you feel so at home among the inhabitants of its underground safe-havens. However, that immersion doesn't come cheap, and in order to retain it, you must ignore a smorgasbord of bugs, poor stealth mechanics and many more issues that try their best to bog down what is otherwise a decent romp.