It's a Far Cry game - so, it's an open world shooter with tight mechanics. What I originally THOUGHT was going to be an interesting satire of the alt-right and Christian extremism turned into a narrative dumpster fire with twists that take power and agency away from the player. I could understand if this was done in service of some overarching theme or message but it's really, super not. Come on, what are we trying to say here? That extremists/cultists/terrorists could maybe be right? I think frustrating is the word that I associate with this game. It simply did not resonate with me. A swing and a mega miss.

I am so conflicted about this game. It is designed for the queer community and has been heavily scrutinized. This is often the case as the queer experience is not universal - we tend to want to critique things that do not fit the definitions we have forged from our own trauma. I can appreciate what this game does. It opens the door for polyamory, exploring intimacy with and without sex and it also sometimes forces you to face rejection. In this way, it does a good job of emulating the mess and wake of human relationships. It also has some genuinely funny moments, many of which are hinged on the game's primary conceit - you smooch swords.

However! It is deeply unfortunate that this game is just sort of... Mediocre on all fronts. It tries to do so many things between the genre mash up and the cast of characters that it doesn't do anything masterfully. The action RPG is truly just button mashing. At times the writing for dialogue feels rushed or cut short. The hype for this game has certainly worked against it. Everyone was looking for it to be so much more than it was.

Of course there is the stalker character and the controversy surrounding him. While I don't think that developers should shy away from topics that could make people uncomfortable, it needs to be done with a little finesse. In this instance, the character... is simply not written well. His character arc resolution is not believable. At times you are forced to interact with him, even by your own cousin. Another aspect of this game which suffered from its brevity and lack of depth.

Overall, I did enjoy my time at Verona Beach and I maxed out each weapon just wanting to get to know them. It is a step towards queer representation and an interesting concept. I just wish the execution was as good as the premise.

Let me preface this by saying that I have never been able to really get into any Souls titles. This seemed to be a more accessible entry point into the series for a few reasons: the flask mechanics and its open world nature. Hitting your head against a boss? Run in a different direction! I am sure that even after nearly 100 hours I did not uncover 50% of the content. Combat felt exciting and rewarding without being entirely unfair. I've realized these games are really an exercise of patience. A masterful game and I'm now inspired to dip my toes into the other Fromsoftware games.

There was a lot that I really enjoyed about this game. The driving and shooter mechanics were markedly improved from the first game. We get a setting which impacts not only the weapons you wield but the vehicles you drive. You have a more open word and vehicle customization.

I understand that this was a set piece and that the depiction of racism in the game is a product of the 40s and 50s. However, when major plot points involve slaughtering hordes of asian and black people that feels uh like pretty overdone. Also the player character is about as likeable as a cardboard cutout of Sylvester Stalone.

This one left a bad taste in my mouth.