Rezlo
BACKER
2017
Long story short: For Honor is an exceedingly unique, extremely intense combat game that I would recommend to anyone who's a fan of fantasy, swordplay, and technical arena fighting.
Long story long: For Honor has a fairly steep learning curve. The good news is that at its most basic level, there is little move-type variety to learn. Like most other fighting games, there is a surprising level of simplicity in terms of overall attack choices. Where the game really starts is in the millisecond precision timings, max damage punishes, understanding how to approach different heroes, and how to best position/be a team player. If you’re willing to put in the time to practice practice practice then you WILL reap the rewards, and undoubtedly be satisfied doing so. With a roster of 29 heroes and counting, For Honor has a character for every archetypal playstyle, all made accessible with the easily obtainable in-game currency.
Regarding the Faction War, it functions as a great concept but ultimately can’t nail the execution phase. Implementing it as an outlet to fight for your chosen faction is a superb idea, but ultimately provides no meaningful interaction or rewards for the player. While a sequel is unlikely, one can only hope this idea gets more thought put into it eventually. Similarly, the campaign is fairly barebones and functions almost exclusively as a tutorial. Still, I commend the fact that it even has a campaign at all. Though maybe I just have a soft spot for the quaint little story.
Speaking as someone who is by no means a hardcore fighting game player, this game’s setting and captivatingly simple combat has had me hooked from launch. If you’re so much as even next to the metaphorical fence, I would highly suggest giving it a chance.
Long story long: For Honor has a fairly steep learning curve. The good news is that at its most basic level, there is little move-type variety to learn. Like most other fighting games, there is a surprising level of simplicity in terms of overall attack choices. Where the game really starts is in the millisecond precision timings, max damage punishes, understanding how to approach different heroes, and how to best position/be a team player. If you’re willing to put in the time to practice practice practice then you WILL reap the rewards, and undoubtedly be satisfied doing so. With a roster of 29 heroes and counting, For Honor has a character for every archetypal playstyle, all made accessible with the easily obtainable in-game currency.
Regarding the Faction War, it functions as a great concept but ultimately can’t nail the execution phase. Implementing it as an outlet to fight for your chosen faction is a superb idea, but ultimately provides no meaningful interaction or rewards for the player. While a sequel is unlikely, one can only hope this idea gets more thought put into it eventually. Similarly, the campaign is fairly barebones and functions almost exclusively as a tutorial. Still, I commend the fact that it even has a campaign at all. Though maybe I just have a soft spot for the quaint little story.
Speaking as someone who is by no means a hardcore fighting game player, this game’s setting and captivatingly simple combat has had me hooked from launch. If you’re so much as even next to the metaphorical fence, I would highly suggest giving it a chance.
2013
This game feels just short of fully realized potential. One the one hand, I love the beginning setup. The asylum is literally coated in liquid macabre, and for a majority of the game, this status quo is maintained. Be it the sound design, the myriad of maniacs you encounter, your night vision video camera, or the sprawling asylum hell-maze, it can safely be said Outlast is a classic taste of horror, if a bit by-the-numbers. Unfortunately, I don’t think the final act could meet the expectations laid beforehand by the terrifying mini-bosses, and the exposition around the final boss' nature did nothing to increase terror or interest. The jump in threat level felt like a half-hearted attempt to increase the terror level. That disappointment, along with the sometimes-questionable enemy AI detection, are the most glaring issues in this overall decent horror experience.
A wacky, simple, and satisfying western arcade shooter that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The soundtrack, weapon handling, and humorous elements add to its fast-paced, balls-to-the-wall nature. At the same time, the different upgrade paths add just enough variety to warrant an extra couple of playthroughs down the line. While the story is far from groundbreaking, it offers a unique little tale with some cheeky narrative devices afforded to it by the nature in which it’s told. Don’t expect anything too serious though, as it doesn’t shy away from poking fun at common tropes in Wild West media. It’s only around 4-5 hours, but I would say it’s well worth the purchase.
I have a lot less to say about this game compared to its predecessor, namely for the fact that not much has changed. Barring a new weapon or two and added claymores, the gameplay is pretty much identical to Metro 2033 Redux. In practically every area Last Light is essentially an extended DLC of the original. If you liked it before and were left yearning to see more of the world, Last Light is a no-brainer to pick up.
The story has a good increase in globetrotting and really helps flesh out the Metroverse, both above and below the scorched surface. With the exception of a few rushed character arcs and developments, the story was engaging and had me interested in where I was heading next.
The story has a good increase in globetrotting and really helps flesh out the Metroverse, both above and below the scorched surface. With the exception of a few rushed character arcs and developments, the story was engaging and had me interested in where I was heading next.
2014
Metro 2033 Redux is a grimdark, gearpunk FPS with a heavy emphasis on atmosphere and exploration. In it, you explore the nature of the Dark Ones, a foreign and mysterious group of questionable intent as you navigate the vast expanse of the metro, an underground Soviet subway system that refugees from the surface retreated to after an apparent World War III.
As the title suggests, the graphics also have a new coat of paint with this rendition, which especially shine on the surface portions of the game. While I've not yet played the original version of the game to compare, I can safely assume that this is one of the major success points of the redux.
To speak on the game’s triumphs more generally, I would say that Metro 2033 succeeds in three main aspects. As previously stated, the graphics (along with the music/ambience) allow the player to really buy into the grimy world of the metro while still keeping the game nice to look at. It also has a suitable selection of weapons, equipment, and pathways to meet your every need in taking on the natural and supernatural foes you encounter. Made even further better by its adherence to the makeshift aesthetic, such as can be seen in the Tihar, a pneumatic hand-pump air gun made from spare parts around the metro. Additionally, the equipment rationing and scavenge mechanics, like the gas mask filters in particular, are fun ways to add resource management in a way that makes sense while adding to the difficulty.
Of course, the story is no slouch either. Its expeditionary-like structure and journal entries work surprisingly well in adding to the tone and immersion, as well as providing ideal accommodations for any playstyle, be it stealth missions, hunker down defenses, or run-and-gun ops. Though most of the time it is up to you how you handle the situation. Conversely, the game’s weakest point, and only real problems are the somewhat frequent glitches and bugs. While I didn’t suffer any outright crashes, I did have to restart the game at a certain point because I was unable to progress. The good news is that they can be avoided or ignored pretty easily, so there’s that at least. All in all, I would definitely say give it a shot, it’s a fun shooter with a lot to admire.
As the title suggests, the graphics also have a new coat of paint with this rendition, which especially shine on the surface portions of the game. While I've not yet played the original version of the game to compare, I can safely assume that this is one of the major success points of the redux.
To speak on the game’s triumphs more generally, I would say that Metro 2033 succeeds in three main aspects. As previously stated, the graphics (along with the music/ambience) allow the player to really buy into the grimy world of the metro while still keeping the game nice to look at. It also has a suitable selection of weapons, equipment, and pathways to meet your every need in taking on the natural and supernatural foes you encounter. Made even further better by its adherence to the makeshift aesthetic, such as can be seen in the Tihar, a pneumatic hand-pump air gun made from spare parts around the metro. Additionally, the equipment rationing and scavenge mechanics, like the gas mask filters in particular, are fun ways to add resource management in a way that makes sense while adding to the difficulty.
Of course, the story is no slouch either. Its expeditionary-like structure and journal entries work surprisingly well in adding to the tone and immersion, as well as providing ideal accommodations for any playstyle, be it stealth missions, hunker down defenses, or run-and-gun ops. Though most of the time it is up to you how you handle the situation. Conversely, the game’s weakest point, and only real problems are the somewhat frequent glitches and bugs. While I didn’t suffer any outright crashes, I did have to restart the game at a certain point because I was unable to progress. The good news is that they can be avoided or ignored pretty easily, so there’s that at least. All in all, I would definitely say give it a shot, it’s a fun shooter with a lot to admire.