So here's the thing about Dead By Daylight—its highs are high, its lows are low, and everything in between is so meh that you basically go on autopilot as you play. That being said, I don't not recommend it. It can be a lot of fun, and you can definitely get a lot of mileage out of it before you burnout, and even then some afterward so long as you don't overdo it. But rest assured, you will hit the burnout eventually and become just as cynical as everyone else in the community.

You can play as one of two roles - killer, in which you're pitted against four other players and must prevent as many of them from escaping as possible; or survivor, where you can either team up with up to three of your friends or torture yourself in solo queue, getting random teammates that will sometimes work really well together but more often than not will sandbag you or leave you to die on first hook.

And therein lies one of the game's biggest downfalls—the RNG of it all. So much of how matches play out comes down to what tiles spawn in the map, what map you get, where generators spawn, and how successful the matchmaking system is at pairing you up against similarly skilled players. Add on top of that common issues with multiplayer games—latency (a huge one), players giving up early and heavily skewing the game toward one side, griefers, chat harrassers—and you get some understandably very frustrating scenarios that make you wonder why you even play the game.

And building on top of that, you have gameplay and meta that have grown extremely stale. For killer, it's camping/tunneling/slugging to quickly eliminate someone and tilt the game in their favor while using maximum gen regression and aura reading perks; and for survivors, it's bringing items with powerful add-ons to help them finish gens quickly or prevent hooks while using perks that best help waste the killer's time and prevent forced death. To an extent, this makes sense because obviously each side will want to use things that help them achieve their objective. But in practice, it just makes so many matches unfun to go against, especially when factoring in the previous issues with RNG and multiplayer problems. And if you don't want to run the meta? Well, enjoy getting tunneled out of the game or having 5 gens finished before you can get more than a hook or two. Obviously, this is not always the case, but again, we're talking the majority of matches and what sort of mindset the lingering feelings of these games put you in. Which doesn't even take into account the sort of meta issues that are removed from specific gameplay issues, like the toxicity and harassment in end-game chat (which can range from the more harmless playful shit-talking related to the game to the much more egregious slurs/self-harm encouragement).

Now, regarding these issues, It's not that the devs have done zero work over the years—they've made mostly small but some big changes to try to address the inevitable burnout players hit, but so far, they've done nothing substantial to really resolve it. They do have some big changes coming in Year 6, though, that should theoretically help shake up the game, so that's something to hopefully look forward to.

Ultimately, I do like Dead By Daylight a lot. The mindgame of looping and stealthing/hunting is so much fun from both roles. When you make the right call on which way a survivor went or synchronize well with a teammate to get out of a close call against killer, the feeling is so satisfying. You meet a lot of wholesome people in the game as well and can have some really nice/fun conversations in end-game chat. I've put in more than 1000 hours and have actually paid real money for fake clothes in the game. I will continue playing it and have hopes that they can still fix a lot of these issues. But to pretend there aren't some major problems would be disingenuous. The most important thing to remember is to not take it too seriously. But also, if you do feel yourself starting to (understandable), just step away for a little while and go back when you're less frustrated.

This game is such a fun time with friends! Though it's still in early access, the devs have already done a lot of QOL improvements while continuing to work on the main ongoing chapters of the game; there are now smaller, bite-sized missions you can play that have elements of RNG to them for replayability. The graphics and character movement animations aren't amazing, but they don't have to be—the atmosphere and level designs are wonderful, and the monsters that come with each one are terrifying when you're playing immersively, especially when you are separated from your teammates either by the environment or death. Nothing quite like wandering through a giant maze alone shouting out into the void hoping to randomly get close enough to a teammate to register the proximity voice chat. I may have had a small panic attack when I got killed and separated from my team for the first time XD.

All in all, I'd highly recommend this to play with friends, so long as you aren't expecting AAA-level graphics and effects.

The art direction and music for this game are exceptional - they work hand-in-hand to create tense and horrifying scenes in a world that I was simultaneously repulsed and intrigued by. There are a lot of really fun levels and a good variety between sections that are more logically challenging as well as ones that are more reaction-based; the latter had me sweating and maybe shouting out quite loudly at times as I tried to quickly work through them. There are certain levels that I will not soon forget. The only knock this game has - and the reason I couldn't give it a full five stars - is the controls, which feel fine generally but inconsistent when you need them most; many times, this took away from the enjoyment and take away of certain levels. One example would be the stampede in The Guest level - the surprising nature of how it begins and the tension and fear as you immediately start running and realize you can't stop was excellent. However, I quickly lost the joy as I had to repeat the level three times simply because at the end, I couldn't get my little character to latch onto the lantern that would carry me across a giant gap in spite of pushing the grab button. There were little moments like this throughout that introduced the worst kind of frustration as a gamer - the failures that feel out of your control and, in turn, unfair. To clarify, this is not the same as frustration from scenarios that are simply difficult and require patience, which this game also had several of. All in all, though, this game is a solid little horror adventure with an excellent atmosphere and art style.

Overall a scary and entertaining entry in the series. Nothing quite like the exciting first couple of hours wandering around the house carefully, scared to explore but also desperate to find a way out. I don’t think I’ve screamed out loud so many times at a game before.

The first-person perspective is a welcome embrace of the approach popularized by several successful survival horror games in the gap between 6 and 7, and it was a natural way to reset from the heavily action-focused direction the past two entries had taken and bring the series back to its roots - atmospheric dread and horror with a bit of action and camp. Though some of the textures are pretty rough (the forest floors in the area outside the Manor are maybe worse looking than RE4’s similar setting), the graphics overall are beautiful on the new RE Engine. And the characters are intriguing and likeable, even if they’re terrible, crazy people who are trying to kill you. The boss fights are mostly fun (with the second being particularly wild and funny), and the story progression feels good.

I’m excited to play Village now.

I've done it. I've finally clicked with a Souls game and found a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction in the formula. It wasn't easy—it took me probably 3-4 hours to even make it past the first level, and there were many times throughout and even after that, into level 1-2, that I wasn't sure I'd be able to (or want to) continue playing to the end. But there is a specific point, after you've died 30 times or so and are going through the level yet again, where you realize you actually have developed a strategy and you...maybe know what you're doing? From that point forward, even the most tilting fights aren't enough to turn you off, and you come to appreciate and thrive in the challenge a difficult boss or stretch of a level brings as well as get excited when seeing what terrible, beautiful world lays beyond each archstone.

However, before you can get there, you have to get past the initial stretch. Or at least, I did as this was the first Souls game I was trying to really commit to. I've played some of Bloodborne and enjoyed it in spite of the difficulty, but got distracted and never went back to it. Not only is Demon's Souls very hands-off in its process for introducing players to the world, but it's unforgiving if you make mistakes, particularly when you're first starting. Coming off Ghost of Tsushima, I kept pressing the wrong buttons. For example, I'd use □ to attack, which in this game uses your item—I learned the hard way that it'll use your item whether you need it or not, which caused me to waste quite a few items before I'd even learned what most of them do. I also fumbled my way through understanding hit boxes, blocks, parries, rolls, etc. The one positive that came out of my struggle is that I died so many times that I farmed something like 40 firebombs and was able to go all in on the first boss. But until I got past that first boss, I would oscillate between the highs of feeling like I was finally gaining my footing and the lows of realizing I hadn't, contemplating whether this game could really be for me.

But I persevered—something the game rewards you for (well, sort of—so long as you don't die and lose all of your souls, you can level yourself up to the point of being able to take on most enemies without being too fragile). By your third or fourth boss run, you can go into most fights with confidence and a strategy that you've learned works for you. By this point, you get to feel the power of being on the other end of the spectrum from where you started, and it feels so freaking good. For comparison, that beginning stretch of Boletaria that I spent so long on when I first began took me 20 minutes to complete on NG+. I'd even say that by the end, you're a little overpowered. Some bosses went fairly quickly, and the hardest hurdle ended up being the path to that boss. I won't say I didn't love this a bit, but I also acknowledge it as a slight downside—it'd be interesting to see what it'd feel like if the bosses were buffed a bit to create a more consistent challenge (though who knows what NG+ will bring).

Aside from the typical novelty factor and common challenges that come with one's first Souls game, the world design and graphics are stunning. The visceral horror and disgust I felt making my way through the fifth archstone world; the sadness and tension I felt navigating the third world; the anxiety and stress making my way through world four. Each one came to life in a unique and memorable way, and in spite of any dread or frustration I felt fighting enemies, I always was visually captivated and eager to see what each archstone would bring (though if I never had to make my way through Swamp of Sorrows again, I wouldn't complain). I didn't play the original, but watching videos of it, it seems Bluepoint was able to take that blueprint and expand on it pretty faithfully—though they made the world a little brighter and a little prettier in a lot of ways, they were still able to deliver atmospheres that evoked strong reactions. Truly beautiful stuff, along with the excellent use of the new haptic feedback in the DS5.

In addition to the world design, the approach to storytelling in Demon's Souls is really interesting. It's similar to the in-game mechanics—very hands-off. You learn from the contextual clues while discovering each world and speaking to the few NPCs you meet along the way. You don't necessarily get long, details explanations, but you get the sense of the story in many places, and that has an almost more powerful impact than what you often get from more story-based third-person action/adventure games. I guess consider this another win for the whole show don't tell mantra. Alongside this, I'd also say the online, co-op functionality contributes to the story. I've never had more fun reading and crafting messages left behind by and for other players—many times, they saved my life by preparing me for some trap or some particularly tough enemy, and in return, I felt compelled to pay it forward because we were all in this struggle together, both as players outside the game and as the one person who may be able to save the in-game world from the overwhelming power of the Old One. All of these are small pieces to the puzzle, but that combined with the ritualistic nature of progressing through each level repeatedly until you're successful make for a really satisfying and emotional experience.

There are few other games where I've felt as satisfied simply being able to survive a single fight. But that's the essence of how DeS delivers joy to its players. I can't say I loved every minute of playing this game, but I wouldn't take any of it back, and I am fully bought into the Souls world.

I am impressed what Redlock Studios were able to accomplish with a small dev team off a Kickstarter campaign. There are some really strong moments that feel very polished - the Ras Samrah and Malkhel fights are both highlights - and the game's design and aesthetic is gorgeous and consistent. The lore also is well written and interesting, albeit a bit scattered and underwhelming in discovery. I also loved the movement mechanics - the double jump and dash are so satisfying to use along with the portal systems and bike-like device you have for traversing the Ancient Lands. They have also included a couple of side quests that seemed interesting, though I didn't complete most of these.

However, in spite of all this good, there's definitely an inescapable feeling of unrealized potential. Some areas feel unfinished (props to anyone who knows what "The House" region is for), and most of the enemies have no poise and, as a result, are often a bit too easy aside from when they put 10 of them in the same room to make it challenging. Additionally, the item system felt lacking - although I did do a lot of exploring simply because I wanted to see the map (a testament to the game's art design), I didn't care much about the items I picked up because it seemed like it was the same 5-10, regardless of the area or the difficulty of obtaining the items. This also made interacting with the merchants a little underwhelming as they didn't sell anything unique. Similarly, the weapons weren't different enough to encourage me to switch from the one I started with.

There is definitely room for improvements, so ultimately, you feel a bit like you're playing a game in early access, though it's more polished than what you'd expect to get from a game in that status. I'd recommend it, and I'm excited to see what the studio will do next, but I'm also not sure I'd replay it unless they made some significant updates to it.

Updated again July 2022

Well, it's over. The game is shutting down Jan 2023. It was fun while it lasted, and it's sad it ended on such a sour note.

Updated Nov 2021

I still have love for Spellbreak, but it's lost its way quite a bit since launch. It's made some exciting changes around balance and gameplay, including new talents, in-map environmental interactions, and game modes, but it's suffered from a continually shrinking playerbase and seeming lack of direction from its team that doesn't quite know what it wants the game to be. I have hope for the future still, but for now, it's going on a shelf for a while for me.

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Still relatively new in its officially launched lifetime, Spellbreak has a unique set of gameplay mechanics that give it a distinguishable style and a lot of potential. Though it's got a bit of a learning curve (or several, as you play more and face increasingly skilled fellow Breakers), the experience of the gameplay is enjoyable, and it's satisfying to work to improve and see measurable results in the fights you're able to win—or, at the very least, survive longer in.

The primary mode it launched with is Battle Royale, but it's most recently added a capture-point, 5v5 competitive mode that helps mix things up and, once again, shows how much potential there is just in the underlying systems they've set up. Because it's a newer game and a newer studio, there are some bumps in the road (bugs, balance issues, progression pain points), but the developers are extremely involved in the community and attuned to player feedback.

Overall, this game has a little piece of my heart; it's the first battle royale game I've played and actually enjoyed (in spite of the typical issues everyone faces in BR games - third parties and snipers). It's fun to play and figure out what your favorite class to run and offhand gauntlet to use is as well as play around with the talents and runes. The graphics, cosmetics, and visual effects are gorgeous. And the community is one of the coolest I've found, full of helpful and nice people!

After getting past my initial frustration with the clunky and stiff controls, it’s hard not to get into this game. It gets a lot of things right and, in spite of its flaws, still holds its own 15 years after release.

For starters, the art direction is beautiful. The world is detailed and frequently sets a creepy and unsettling tone. And the enemies are well designed and increasingly terrifying; one of my favorite details was shooting some Las Plagas in the head only to have some insect-like, wriggling thing emerge from its neck hole, ready to swing toward me. Horrifying (and weirdly fun). Then there are the many intense and hectic enemy mob scenes, where you’re forced to run around the map, creatively outmaneuvering and taking out Las Plagas while being mindful of ammo and being careful not to back yourself into a corner. And in spite of clearly being more action-focused, the game still has quite a few jump scares throughout and some moments of strong tension. It’s a weird blend of guns blazing action and survival horror, but it works.

On a less serious note, the game also has some ridiculous but fun elements that I think really help solidify its cult status. The most obvious one is the just-cheesy-enough script and voice acting. Leon and the various enemies, particularly Salazar, have some cringe-inducing one liners, but with the delivery and set up, you can’t help but laugh and kind of love it. Then there are the bits that are annoying at first until you hear them so much you find yourself mimicking them every time they come up. These include the iconic and spammy “What are you buying?” (and really every other line from the merchant), the sounds-like-you’re-annoying-younger-sister “Leooonn” from Ashley, and the weirdly sensuous and breathy “Yeah” that Ashley gives in response to Leon. I’ve already started to use these in my real life (ironically at first, and then in a way that’s uncontrollable).

By the time I was past the initial village scene, I had forgotten how impossible the mechanics seemed and was instead focused on finding creative ways to outrun enemies across the map and take them down without burning through ammo or being swallowed in a sea of Las Plagas. Though the pacing suffers a bit in the last half of the game when you hit the island, there are also some great moments in there that help bring the game to a satisfying conclusion. And in the end, there isn’t much I’d take away (except those gd QTEs).

In terms of replayability, this game definitely has it, and I’m sure I’ll revisit it in the future. I also think a remake of this game could be amazing. I see the risks, but I also am intrigued by the idea of a modern take that captures the spirit of the original while updating the mechanics. If they can maintain that blend of action and survival horror (and maybe include a little more of the latter) while giving Leon the ability to move and shoot (which would also have an inevitable impact on enemy mechanics), we could get a really great remake that pays homage while also solidifying its own place. But regardless of what happens with that, the original will remain one of my favorites.

I had a lot of fun playing this game. The combat is engaging—it feels really good to strategize the best way to approach different areas and strike a bunch of enemies down. There were quite a few areas that took me several tries and tweaks to my approach, but it's so satisfying when you make it through, and the game is set up to encourage trial and error. They do a solid job of making the game progressively more challenging while building off the combat system, so you really feel like you can get good at it. I enjoy the areas that mix enemies because it's a bit more challenging and requires some fast context-switching as you change combat style for different enemy types. The story is interesting as well—I wasn't just burning through to unlock new areas; I was actually pretty invested in learning about Cere and the Second Sister (and I'm not really a die-hard Star Wars fan). And the game design and visuals are beautiful—the enemies look good, and the worlds are really a pleasure to explore.

Admittedly, though, the game has some obvious flaws. I'd occasionally get some lag, which is a big deal with combat that requires well-timed parries and dodges, and a few times I ran into an issue where it'd freeze completely and I'd have to restart (this happened maybe two, three times tops). I also got really annoyed with the ledge/rope grabbing mechanics—they feel inconsistent. There'd be times I'd jump to a ledge and fail to latch on, despite the jump itself being a pretty short distance, or where I'd jump from one rope to the next only to fall to my death because Cal wouldn't grab the rope. Aside from that, the map is not the easiest to navigate, and there is some room for improvement in the skill system, which is pretty basic.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this game, and I'm sure I'll replay it. I'm excited at the prospect of a sequel.