2024
For me and my friends, Helldivers 2 represents classic "Battlefield" 1 energy through and through. I know that may be a weird comparison, but hear me out. Back in the day we would all hop on our PlayStations and get super immersed in the large-scale battlegrounds and fully destructible environments that battlefield is known for. Come 2024, Helldivers 2 reignited our fuel for democracy with one of the most insanely fun, brilliant and chaotic gameplay loops on the market. I mean it when I say this game is positively BONKERS at every second, with large-scale explosions, hilarious friendly fire, massive groups of enemies and a truly cinematic feeling that most games fail to achieve. Something about this game feels almost movielike in its scope, as many experiences throughout my playtime felt so epic and massive. It helps that strategy and communication are guided by the many customization options and tools to support you and your team to victory. The way abilities are handled here feels distinct and unique compared to other mainstream shooters in the genre (especially when I try to revive my buddy but I'm stupid and stand around for 15 seconds trying to input the right code, hilarious lol). Not to mention the real progression system that allows for unlocks as you continue to level up more and more. Season passes aren't thrown on you and microtransactions only exist for currency in the game that's incredibly easy to get, more studios need to follow suit I swear. It seems like a simple enough thing to achieve, but with gaming in 2024 we seem to stray further and further from tying feelings of persistence and excitement into progression, smh.
However, I do think there's still room for improvement in a few areas. The graphical bugs, while hilarious, are still pretty widespread. I've run into a ton honestly, but expect they'll be ironed out as the game grows. The biggest issue though is the balance between the terminids and automatons. While the automatons are balanced well enough, the terminids on harder difficulties are ridiculous. It feels almost unfair and unnecessarily difficult sometimes, with certain species being either too fast or too damaging. Not the biggest issue, but it's still somewhat annoying.
Overall, for $40.00 you're getting one of the most consistently fun and exciting multiplayer shooters, an amazing, exhilarating experience with your buddies and a super brilliant "always online" war that continues to fight on. Make the change, liberate the planets; For Democracy.
However, I do think there's still room for improvement in a few areas. The graphical bugs, while hilarious, are still pretty widespread. I've run into a ton honestly, but expect they'll be ironed out as the game grows. The biggest issue though is the balance between the terminids and automatons. While the automatons are balanced well enough, the terminids on harder difficulties are ridiculous. It feels almost unfair and unnecessarily difficult sometimes, with certain species being either too fast or too damaging. Not the biggest issue, but it's still somewhat annoying.
Overall, for $40.00 you're getting one of the most consistently fun and exciting multiplayer shooters, an amazing, exhilarating experience with your buddies and a super brilliant "always online" war that continues to fight on. Make the change, liberate the planets; For Democracy.
2020
I have a huge, huge admiration for Mason Lindroth and his art. His surrealistic style through various mediums continues to inspire me as an artist to experiment and get weird, something Hylics 2 understands perfectly. After a year-long gap between sessions, I ultimately moved on to other things at the time, however, yesterday something drove me back into this world. It was late, I was tired, burnt out and needed something to haze up my mind. This is where I landed. For me, this game exudes vibes, unlike any other game I've played. Whether it be the unique and mind-bending visual style mixing gorgeous claymation with 3d animated worlds, or the music(fucking amazing OST btw), occupying the same hazy and warm sentiments. The dialogue with each NPC is intertwined perfectly throughout their unique design, making the "story" make sense in the most nonsensical ways. Not to mention the bosses are some of the coolest designed enemies I've ever faced, I couldn't take the smile off my face for each one. All of these aspects come together to form a game that acts as a weird safe space for me, a world where I can wander and absorb all the uniqueness to be found. I'm really grateful for that.
However, I don't know if I'd call it perfect. Aside from the amazing boss/enemy designs, I think the combat is a bit too weighty. Towards the final third, I was outright avoiding it due to the intensity and difficulty of each encounter, it's a bit much tbh. It's also relatively easy to get lost and stumped on what to do next, leading to a good amount of backtracking. The movement is also a bit janky and tested my patience at times, especially with some of the precise jumps. Either way, this game is exactly my shit. From the moment I saw it on Steam I knew it would reflect my love for games as a mode for creativity, and of course, it succeeded.
However, I don't know if I'd call it perfect. Aside from the amazing boss/enemy designs, I think the combat is a bit too weighty. Towards the final third, I was outright avoiding it due to the intensity and difficulty of each encounter, it's a bit much tbh. It's also relatively easy to get lost and stumped on what to do next, leading to a good amount of backtracking. The movement is also a bit janky and tested my patience at times, especially with some of the precise jumps. Either way, this game is exactly my shit. From the moment I saw it on Steam I knew it would reflect my love for games as a mode for creativity, and of course, it succeeded.
2022
It's kind of bonkers to me how this game isn't massively popular considering it's one of the absolute best immersive sims out there right now. It's certainly the clearest example of the genre to me, with all the signature mechanics that make it fun. The monumental amount of ambition and finesse the devs achieved here is truly breathtaking, making for one of the freshest and most unique gaming worlds I've ever had the pleasure of playing through. The Steam page touts the game as "Prey 2017 meets Portal," and quite honestly I'd have a hard time coming up with a better selling point for the game myself. The level/environmental design here (like portal) is immensely detailed and puzzling, giving the player complete and utter freedom on how to approach it. Each level essentially acts as a giant sandbox of possibilities, complete with a full arsenal of upgradable tools to create some of the most insane chaos imaginable, it's glorious. Not to mention the traversal and movement are perfect for navigating the levels in a way that feels right to you. I seriously love how every approach to this game is the correct approach, letting the player craft the game through their own meaningful lens, SO cool. I however won't discuss the story or specific gameplay mechanics, as it's something best experienced blind, british quirks and all. If you love puzzle games with emphasized freedom, exploration and amazingly janky combat/controls, play. this. game. And if you don't, play it anyway, it rules.
Even though I've never played a game this short, Milk Inside a Bag of Milk still finds meaningful ways to mess with the mind. The fourth-wall-breaking nature and writing are both great, weaving different meta together to portray realistic themes and emotions. The art style, while minimal, achieves a general otherworldly, desolate and empty feel to it. It helped me enter and understand the mind of the character much more while relating to and unraveling the world piece by piece. I do think the length of the project makes it somewhat hard to leave an impression, (at least for me), something I feel will change after playing the sequel. I'm always happy to support smaller devs like this either way, so check this one out.
2022
This review contains spoilers
TLDR: There's no denying that Immortality is a truly, truly, truly impressive and remarkable game in every imaginable way. It's almost impossible that this game even exists at all honestly. Even after finishing it, I'm dumbfounded at how well-crafted everything in this game is, from top to bottom. The fact that it's a game consisting completely of FMV video footage, for 3 full movies, with intricate sets, characters, music, etc. doesn't even feel achievable to me, yet here it is. It's nearly impossible to sum up the sheer scope and inspiration found in this game, so here's what I'll recommend. If you're at all interested in playing a game like this, don't hesitate, you'll love it. HOWEVER, do not look up a smidge of information about it, just load it up and press play. I knew absolutely nothing, ultimately leading to one of my favorite gaming experiences in my life. I already can't wait to play it again, and yet I wish I could play it again for the first time. Truly a spellbinding, magical and deeply underrated game.
After thoroughly completing almost everything in Immortality, that title and word mean such different things. Something about the footage here feels dramatically otherworldly, a viewpoint of cinema's ghosts paired with a more supernatural and alien underbelly. It's weird to say a game feels immortal, but truthfully I don't think any other game fits that title quite as well as Immortality. It feels untouchable in the current landscape of games simply because it's so in a league of its own. As a thorough, and I mean thorough recontextualization of cinema around the 60s, 70s and 90s, it still finds ways to tell a brilliant collected story in a variety of means. Every single bit of the FMV footage blows my mind with its detail and professionalism in recreating the look of each decade. The whole experience in this regard is a true spectacle, especially considering some of the clips that get revealed later in the game…oh boy.
The gameplay is pretty simple, yet compelling in how you interact with it. With each clip, objects are interactable as a passageway to other clips via match cut (insanely genius mechanic btw). Throughout the experience clips are presented non-linearly, showing you details from each of the three movies in varying orders and sequences. It can get overwhelming at first, but as you progress it all starts to come together to form a simple, yet engaging gameplay loop. I will say the game does still have some bugginess and jank when it comes to audio and controls but maintains the exact right amount of jank. Where the gameplay shines for me is the reversal of footage into the “subversive” scenes, it seriously adds so much depth to the entire game once you discover how it works. Other than that much of the gameplay revolves around organizing footage by date or label number, nothing too crazy. I do feel like this is the gamemiest a game like this could've gotten so, not too many complaints. I played most of the game with a controller and some with a mouse and keyboard, definitely play with a controller lol.
However, rather than discussing the insane plot, I want to talk more about how the game made me feel and constantly shaped my expectations. The pacing and structure of the game are perfect for twisting the narrative in so many different ways. Through the first 6 hours, I was excitedly immersed and engaged in the world/career of Marissa Marcel at every moment. What had happened to her and these movies, and why do they remain unseen from the public eye? Every new piece of footage felt substantive and stylish, all while helping me towards the answers I needed. However, the more I learned the more I observed, listened and began to question everything. It was at that point I discovered the subversive footage, quickly taking the story down a dark and mind-bending path. It was a shocking moment honestly, and one that no other game has made me feel. By the very end, I knew and saw everything I could, pieced together each story element, and felt very sad. Sad that these characters seem to be lost in their immortality, struggling to find the brilliance in humanity and art, all while trying to preserve it in the end. It’s even more sad that I can't ever properly play this game for the first time again. Even if it's somewhat janky as a whole, this game left a massive impression on me. What a special experience this is, it truly hasn't left my mind since I finished it. At this moment Sam Barlow just announced teasers for 2 new games, so I'm incredibly glad I jumped on this ride when I did.
After thoroughly completing almost everything in Immortality, that title and word mean such different things. Something about the footage here feels dramatically otherworldly, a viewpoint of cinema's ghosts paired with a more supernatural and alien underbelly. It's weird to say a game feels immortal, but truthfully I don't think any other game fits that title quite as well as Immortality. It feels untouchable in the current landscape of games simply because it's so in a league of its own. As a thorough, and I mean thorough recontextualization of cinema around the 60s, 70s and 90s, it still finds ways to tell a brilliant collected story in a variety of means. Every single bit of the FMV footage blows my mind with its detail and professionalism in recreating the look of each decade. The whole experience in this regard is a true spectacle, especially considering some of the clips that get revealed later in the game…oh boy.
The gameplay is pretty simple, yet compelling in how you interact with it. With each clip, objects are interactable as a passageway to other clips via match cut (insanely genius mechanic btw). Throughout the experience clips are presented non-linearly, showing you details from each of the three movies in varying orders and sequences. It can get overwhelming at first, but as you progress it all starts to come together to form a simple, yet engaging gameplay loop. I will say the game does still have some bugginess and jank when it comes to audio and controls but maintains the exact right amount of jank. Where the gameplay shines for me is the reversal of footage into the “subversive” scenes, it seriously adds so much depth to the entire game once you discover how it works. Other than that much of the gameplay revolves around organizing footage by date or label number, nothing too crazy. I do feel like this is the gamemiest a game like this could've gotten so, not too many complaints. I played most of the game with a controller and some with a mouse and keyboard, definitely play with a controller lol.
However, rather than discussing the insane plot, I want to talk more about how the game made me feel and constantly shaped my expectations. The pacing and structure of the game are perfect for twisting the narrative in so many different ways. Through the first 6 hours, I was excitedly immersed and engaged in the world/career of Marissa Marcel at every moment. What had happened to her and these movies, and why do they remain unseen from the public eye? Every new piece of footage felt substantive and stylish, all while helping me towards the answers I needed. However, the more I learned the more I observed, listened and began to question everything. It was at that point I discovered the subversive footage, quickly taking the story down a dark and mind-bending path. It was a shocking moment honestly, and one that no other game has made me feel. By the very end, I knew and saw everything I could, pieced together each story element, and felt very sad. Sad that these characters seem to be lost in their immortality, struggling to find the brilliance in humanity and art, all while trying to preserve it in the end. It’s even more sad that I can't ever properly play this game for the first time again. Even if it's somewhat janky as a whole, this game left a massive impression on me. What a special experience this is, it truly hasn't left my mind since I finished it. At this moment Sam Barlow just announced teasers for 2 new games, so I'm incredibly glad I jumped on this ride when I did.
2020
Being someone who loves the practice and execution of photography, this game scratched an itch that most games can't. The idea of a photography game in this specific style, taking place in the shitty future on the verge of impending doom, absolutely ROCKS. Even with no dialogue, the game conveys its message and atmosphere strongly through effective world-building and interesting imagery. Every corner has something new to see, making for some incredibly cool pictures in the process. The amount of familiar camera add-ons makes for great variety in your pictures, along with every single useful editing tool to give them that extra flair. I will say that the camera did bug out for me at times, refusing to switch lenses after activating the flash, but other than that the UI is super easy and intuitive for beginners and seasoned photographers.
For me, photography has always been important in capturing specific moments, memorable moments that you will look back on and happily cherish for the rest of your life. This game is easily the closest thing to replicate this feeling, as the more I capture Umurangi, the more and more I fall in love with it. I couldn't recommend this enough.
For me, photography has always been important in capturing specific moments, memorable moments that you will look back on and happily cherish for the rest of your life. This game is easily the closest thing to replicate this feeling, as the more I capture Umurangi, the more and more I fall in love with it. I couldn't recommend this enough.
2019
This review contains spoilers
It's undeniable that Control has many amazing aspects. The setting and worldbuilding are drenched in a dense, brutalist atmosphere, smothering the screen with some of the coolest particle effects and destructible environments. The Old House as an explorable environment/entity is so insanely cool, I loved the way it consistently changed and morphed into something new, creating all new passages and areas to explore. This is easily the best part of the game, which is made all the better by the gorgeous visuals, sound design, and especially particle effects. Combat feels and looks amazing with a constant growth in power through different skills and abilities. I also LOVED (again) how they used live-action content throughout the world/story. Dr. Darling singlehandedly made this game for me, as his character is so perfectly acted, written, and woven into the world. All of his videos scattered throughout the Old House were easily the greatest immersion tool in the game, and again I wish more companies would experiment with stuff like this.
Unfortunately though, much of this game fell short for me, with many small/large problems getting in the way of the overall experience. I'll just say it, I hate the map, it makes no sense. The lack of depth concerning the different floors really hurts specific quest exploration, and exploration in general as it makes everything take way longer than it should. On that note, most of the sidequests lack any kind of interesting benefit (aside from a few cool ones) making them somewhat superfluous to the main story. Speaking of the story, I quite liked it actually up until the ending... sheesh. After the fake ending "Wow, that's it?" reaction from me, I wasn't expecting to have the same reaction for the real ending. It's just....so unsatisfactory in terms of resolving conflict, throwing away much of the tension that has been built up through the course of the game. Quite disappointing honestly, I only hope that Control 2 finds ways to wrap up the story more effectively.
Not gonna say too much more about this since I've said way too much already, but the AWE DLC was pretty cool as a fan of Alan Wake. I'd even go as far to recommend this after playing Alan Wake 1/2, it shows remedys passion for creating this connected universe so much more clearly. The actual DLC is somewhat underwhelming though in terms of gameplay, which sucks but whatever. Just wanted to point that out. Yeah uh, cool game, that unfortunately left me with more disappointments than I expected.
Unfortunately though, much of this game fell short for me, with many small/large problems getting in the way of the overall experience. I'll just say it, I hate the map, it makes no sense. The lack of depth concerning the different floors really hurts specific quest exploration, and exploration in general as it makes everything take way longer than it should. On that note, most of the sidequests lack any kind of interesting benefit (aside from a few cool ones) making them somewhat superfluous to the main story. Speaking of the story, I quite liked it actually up until the ending... sheesh. After the fake ending "Wow, that's it?" reaction from me, I wasn't expecting to have the same reaction for the real ending. It's just....so unsatisfactory in terms of resolving conflict, throwing away much of the tension that has been built up through the course of the game. Quite disappointing honestly, I only hope that Control 2 finds ways to wrap up the story more effectively.
Not gonna say too much more about this since I've said way too much already, but the AWE DLC was pretty cool as a fan of Alan Wake. I'd even go as far to recommend this after playing Alan Wake 1/2, it shows remedys passion for creating this connected universe so much more clearly. The actual DLC is somewhat underwhelming though in terms of gameplay, which sucks but whatever. Just wanted to point that out. Yeah uh, cool game, that unfortunately left me with more disappointments than I expected.
2023
This game brought me together with friends that I hadn't talked to in a very long time, and we all had an absolute blast engaging with the hilarious chaos that this game provides, as well as each other. It has brought me a lot closer with all of my buddies actually, so for that it holds a pretty special place in my heart. In general, this is what a good multiplayer game should always do, something that Lethal Company clearly understands. Very excited to watch it grow out of early access into something even greater, the potential is seriously endless.
2023
This review contains spoilers
TL;DR: Alan Wake II is no doubt, the best fusion of genre and multi-media that I've ever played, and will ever play. It's truly a remarkable, passionate experience through and through, transcending the medium of video games to create something unseen in the industry. Everything, EVERYTHING about this game inspired me so much and helped me grow even more fond of what games are, and what they have the potential to be. Not to mention, Remedy managed to make an actual survival horror game akin to the classics, which I greatly appreciated. Don't even read this review, go pick it up and play it if you can. This game managed to infect and tangle its way through my brain ever since I started playing it, which I'm sure is what will happen to you.
Pros:
I wanna start by saying that ALL of the incorporated live-action video work/sequences are the most amazing cutscenes I've seen in a game, ever, it's brilliant. The look, the sound, the sets, it all works so fantastically in tying the story to the world while helping you feel like you're a part of it. Seriously, the immersion in this game is next level, especially with the engine/graphics, I've never seen a game that looks this impressive. Style and detail are turned to a million here, I was consistently stunned by how fucking cool everything looks and sounds. Two moments in particular (We Sing, and Nightless Night) stood out to me as some of my favorite moments in any game that I've played. The ensemble cast through these sequences is so perfect, that I can't imagine how they could've found better people to be involved. That and the sound design through the whole thing is bonkers, play with a good pair of headphones and it'll scare the crap out of you.
The story is on another level altogether though, it's a literal miracle how well it works throughout the whole thing. It makes no sense, yet makes complete sense. It's a series of loops, spiraling deeper into a dark place, all while being a noir mystery set in a small mysterious town. Balancing the two narratives of Alan and Saga on top of each other works so flawlessly. Everything feels so important and interconnected through multiple, multiple realities and storylines that it blows my mind how it was even accomplished. It may not be the clearest or most concise story ever, but it makes all the more sense because of that. I also want to briefly mention Twin Peaks (particularly the return) as I feel this game took from that series in a way that stays true to its roots, all while finding ways to stand out and be different with certain concepts. It's clear that many of the locations and setpieces were directly taken from Twin Peaks, but if you're like me and love the show it only makes the game cooler. Fantastic story though, if it were just that and no combat I would've loved it just as much. Easily one of the most amazing narratives ever.
Combat is also improved from the first game, by a large margin I'd say. Being in the third person similar to RE2/4 and other third-person survival horror games worked in the game's favor in the same way it did for RE. The different weapons and utilities for each character kept combat tense and engaging while giving it that classic survival horror resource management edge. While not anything new, it feels fine for the kind of game this is. Also thank god there's no endurance meter...thank god.
Cons:
If you're going for 100% (which can be achieved in a single run) expect to slowly backtrack through areas a LOT. It got incredibly annoying searching for specific collectibles, only to realize that I can't get them yet and will need to walk alllll the way back at a later point. What is more frustrating is that the backtracking is mostly found with Saga, the character with the most space to explore. It killed the momentum of the story for me at certain parts, but since I got everything I can enjoy the full story again in the final draft NG+ mode. Another thing that bothered me was the sudden random jumpscares. At times they were done effectively, while at others they seemed present just to elicit a scare. Jumpscares like that always feel kinda cheap to me, specifically in the Valhalla Nursing home section.
There were also a few bugs I ran into, some of which broke my game pretty badly. Achievements sometimes won't load, the game black-screened at one point and wouldn't launch unless I fixed it, and audio/visual issues that at times broke my immersion completely. I also want to mention that I went and bought a new graphics card just to play this game, as my old one couldn't even open it, so expect an upgrade if you're behind on the tech like I was. Also, install this game on your SSD, I'm stupid and installed it on my HHD, leading to some of the worst audio issues I've ever seen, so be careful.
Overall:
What a great, great game. It feels like a true AAA title, in that the developers cared so much about telling an important story in ways unknown to the gaming sphere. I'm so, so glad that Remedy is continuing to evolve and push the envelope through video games in mindblowing ways. This medium is so endless and vast that truly anything is possible, and I think that's very evident with Alan Wake 2. I can't wait to dive back in (haha get it) with the DLCS, and the promising NG+ mode. It truly feels like a next-generation sequel in every way, and I'm so excited to see what Remedy does next.
Well, you might say that the industry is not a lake...it's an ocean.
Pros:
I wanna start by saying that ALL of the incorporated live-action video work/sequences are the most amazing cutscenes I've seen in a game, ever, it's brilliant. The look, the sound, the sets, it all works so fantastically in tying the story to the world while helping you feel like you're a part of it. Seriously, the immersion in this game is next level, especially with the engine/graphics, I've never seen a game that looks this impressive. Style and detail are turned to a million here, I was consistently stunned by how fucking cool everything looks and sounds. Two moments in particular (We Sing, and Nightless Night) stood out to me as some of my favorite moments in any game that I've played. The ensemble cast through these sequences is so perfect, that I can't imagine how they could've found better people to be involved. That and the sound design through the whole thing is bonkers, play with a good pair of headphones and it'll scare the crap out of you.
The story is on another level altogether though, it's a literal miracle how well it works throughout the whole thing. It makes no sense, yet makes complete sense. It's a series of loops, spiraling deeper into a dark place, all while being a noir mystery set in a small mysterious town. Balancing the two narratives of Alan and Saga on top of each other works so flawlessly. Everything feels so important and interconnected through multiple, multiple realities and storylines that it blows my mind how it was even accomplished. It may not be the clearest or most concise story ever, but it makes all the more sense because of that. I also want to briefly mention Twin Peaks (particularly the return) as I feel this game took from that series in a way that stays true to its roots, all while finding ways to stand out and be different with certain concepts. It's clear that many of the locations and setpieces were directly taken from Twin Peaks, but if you're like me and love the show it only makes the game cooler. Fantastic story though, if it were just that and no combat I would've loved it just as much. Easily one of the most amazing narratives ever.
Combat is also improved from the first game, by a large margin I'd say. Being in the third person similar to RE2/4 and other third-person survival horror games worked in the game's favor in the same way it did for RE. The different weapons and utilities for each character kept combat tense and engaging while giving it that classic survival horror resource management edge. While not anything new, it feels fine for the kind of game this is. Also thank god there's no endurance meter...thank god.
Cons:
If you're going for 100% (which can be achieved in a single run) expect to slowly backtrack through areas a LOT. It got incredibly annoying searching for specific collectibles, only to realize that I can't get them yet and will need to walk alllll the way back at a later point. What is more frustrating is that the backtracking is mostly found with Saga, the character with the most space to explore. It killed the momentum of the story for me at certain parts, but since I got everything I can enjoy the full story again in the final draft NG+ mode. Another thing that bothered me was the sudden random jumpscares. At times they were done effectively, while at others they seemed present just to elicit a scare. Jumpscares like that always feel kinda cheap to me, specifically in the Valhalla Nursing home section.
There were also a few bugs I ran into, some of which broke my game pretty badly. Achievements sometimes won't load, the game black-screened at one point and wouldn't launch unless I fixed it, and audio/visual issues that at times broke my immersion completely. I also want to mention that I went and bought a new graphics card just to play this game, as my old one couldn't even open it, so expect an upgrade if you're behind on the tech like I was. Also, install this game on your SSD, I'm stupid and installed it on my HHD, leading to some of the worst audio issues I've ever seen, so be careful.
Overall:
What a great, great game. It feels like a true AAA title, in that the developers cared so much about telling an important story in ways unknown to the gaming sphere. I'm so, so glad that Remedy is continuing to evolve and push the envelope through video games in mindblowing ways. This medium is so endless and vast that truly anything is possible, and I think that's very evident with Alan Wake 2. I can't wait to dive back in (haha get it) with the DLCS, and the promising NG+ mode. It truly feels like a next-generation sequel in every way, and I'm so excited to see what Remedy does next.
Well, you might say that the industry is not a lake...it's an ocean.
2021
This game is.... bizarre, and I mean that in the best way possible. Aside from the obvious influences the game draws from, it still manages to create one of the most interesting experiences and narratives I've ever played. Story-wise it's incredibly gripping and well-structured with some seriously freaky, and simultaneously hilarious twists and turns. This whole game is quite goofy honestly, which works much better than I anticipated (aside from some of the comedic parts in the last few episodes). Mostly I just really like the setting and dense atmosphere this game draws up, it reflects the twin peaks' influence well, all while allowing the deepest secrets of Bright Falls to be uncovered for yourself. I also enjoyed the combat a good bit, it's a lot more intense and unique than I am antiquated, with a super cool slow-motion camera system that makes for some super sick moments. I will say that by the end the formula starts to get stale gameplay-wise, with similar combat encounters, forest landscapes, and repetitive enemies. Ultimately, the story held this whole experience up greatly, and as a writer I appreciated how deep the history is between all these characters. That and the idea of finding the manuscript pages to tell the future of the story in the present is so genius, what a cool fuckin mechanic. Overall, I recommend this one, and if you can play the remaster, it looks really beautiful for a game that came out in 2010. I cant fuckin WAIT to play the second game though, that's pretty much the only reason why I played this one lol.
So it turns out, my PC can't support Alan Wake 2, pretty upset about this tbh. Heartbroken actually.
Update: I went and got a new GPU just for AW2, we ball out, we game
So it turns out, my PC can't support Alan Wake 2, pretty upset about this tbh. Heartbroken actually.
Update: I went and got a new GPU just for AW2, we ball out, we game
2022
It's funny, I unconsciously avoided much of this game with the prospect that I would play it for myself at some point. I knew going in blind would be ideal for this sort of game, and thankfully I did. For context, I've become more acquainted and fond of the survival horror genre over the past two years. I love to revel in the masterful atmospheres and core gameplay of series' like Silent Hill or Resident Evil, but also found a lot to love in smaller horror indie titles. The genre as a whole is just so cool to me, and this game is no exception.
All of that somewhat meaningless backstory is important for me, especially when talking about a game like Signalis, as it blends every avenue of survival horror with insane, INSANE talent. Seriously, the developers of this game made something so special and meaningful, massive kudos to them, I really can't believe this is a real game. Similar to Hypnospace, I feel every single ounce of love and passion that was put into this game. It's truly impressive honestly.
Lemme just say, if you're familiar with and or enjoy survival horror, play this game. It has everything a die-hard fan of the genre would love and appreciate, with much, much more. The art style especially is unbelievable, every single frame, cutscene, and animation is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It balances so well with the tense and decision-heavy gameplay, both of which are excellent. Limiting the inventory to 6 (yes including some annoying backtracking) makes items and deadly decisions feel meaningful and real. As a whole the gameplay is super well done, but for me what nails it are the visuals. The environments and puzzles are all amazing to explore, even if some of the puzzles can be a bit cryptic (imo). The world is so detailed and intricate to the point that you'll become so engaged in the maze-like labyrinths of the ship and beyond. It's all classic, well-crafted survival horror that takes from its influences in a way that feels new and fresh. So many games now take influence from the classics of survival horror, but this is certainly the best example of that. As a love letter to the genre, it really is something immensely special, and I love it very much.
I won't say too much about the story (as this is already far too long) but what I will say is that its very, very melancholic nature ties it all together for me. As confusing as it is, I still felt so many emotions through the cutscenes, they're unlike anything I've seen in a game before. And while I and most may have trouble understanding what's happening, there's no doubt that each scene is incredibly effective in garnering emotion. It's quite sad and especially tragic, which ultimately works in the game's favor.
I beat this game about a week ago now, and it still hasn't left my mind. I'm currently going back on the hardest difficulty to get all the achievements (something I rarely do in most games) because it's just that damn good. Play this one, it's unforgettable.
All of that somewhat meaningless backstory is important for me, especially when talking about a game like Signalis, as it blends every avenue of survival horror with insane, INSANE talent. Seriously, the developers of this game made something so special and meaningful, massive kudos to them, I really can't believe this is a real game. Similar to Hypnospace, I feel every single ounce of love and passion that was put into this game. It's truly impressive honestly.
Lemme just say, if you're familiar with and or enjoy survival horror, play this game. It has everything a die-hard fan of the genre would love and appreciate, with much, much more. The art style especially is unbelievable, every single frame, cutscene, and animation is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It balances so well with the tense and decision-heavy gameplay, both of which are excellent. Limiting the inventory to 6 (yes including some annoying backtracking) makes items and deadly decisions feel meaningful and real. As a whole the gameplay is super well done, but for me what nails it are the visuals. The environments and puzzles are all amazing to explore, even if some of the puzzles can be a bit cryptic (imo). The world is so detailed and intricate to the point that you'll become so engaged in the maze-like labyrinths of the ship and beyond. It's all classic, well-crafted survival horror that takes from its influences in a way that feels new and fresh. So many games now take influence from the classics of survival horror, but this is certainly the best example of that. As a love letter to the genre, it really is something immensely special, and I love it very much.
I won't say too much about the story (as this is already far too long) but what I will say is that its very, very melancholic nature ties it all together for me. As confusing as it is, I still felt so many emotions through the cutscenes, they're unlike anything I've seen in a game before. And while I and most may have trouble understanding what's happening, there's no doubt that each scene is incredibly effective in garnering emotion. It's quite sad and especially tragic, which ultimately works in the game's favor.
I beat this game about a week ago now, and it still hasn't left my mind. I'm currently going back on the hardest difficulty to get all the achievements (something I rarely do in most games) because it's just that damn good. Play this one, it's unforgettable.
2022
Cosmo D's colorful brand of surrealism is right up my alley, so I'm happy to say that this game is something super special. I was massively impressed with everything in this game, especially the intricate and brilliant gameplay design. Customizing the dice, taking risky chances, being strategic, real meaningful choices, it's all here and it's wonderful. During my final playthrough (on the hardest difficulty with random NPC dice) I had to constantly think outside the box to stay alive all while passing insane skill checks, I LOVED it. The gameplay loop is so satisfying and easy to master, which I will say may not be the case for everyone. It can certainly feel overwhelming at times, but with a little practice, the mechanics start to shine and build with the world around you.
Everything about this game is tuned to perfection with so much personality and color, and I couldn't recommend it enough. I'm excited to delve further into Cosmo D's discography, everything I've seen looks bonkers lol.
Everything about this game is tuned to perfection with so much personality and color, and I couldn't recommend it enough. I'm excited to delve further into Cosmo D's discography, everything I've seen looks bonkers lol.
2001
The importance and influence of Halo are still felt while playing it, but man does it get super tedious by the end. The first six missions or so are pretty varied and interesting, while the remaining ones see the same giant groups of enemies placed throughout neverending and reoccurring corridors. It was pretty exhausting to be honest, even in co-op, but I still really appreciate the cool aesthetics and gameplay this game brought to the table, especially for the time.
2023
While on the shorter side, Orbo's Odyssey is still an absolute blast of a platformer. You'll be flying through levels at insane speeds, all while meeting cute characters and listenin to some bangin tunes, all you could ever want. The feel and movement of the whole game is super well done, it's simple yet easy to learn/master. The level design compliments the movement perfectly, and makes the four levels feel developed and different from one another. The only real negative I have here is that I wish it was a litle bit longer. Realistically it can be beaten in an hour, but with the extra stuff it takes like 2-4. Still worth it though at full price/on sale, its real fun.
If you can't tell, I'm on a big Tendershoot (Jay Tholen and co.) kick, so when I learned that Zane from Hypnospace Outlaw had his own separate game I immediately bought it. Not to mention it's a boomer/retro shooter, one of my absolute favorite genres of games. So I'll keep this short and sweet if you're a fan of fast-paced/high-octane gameplay with gross-out and hilarious 90sish comedy, this is exactly the game for you. I can't even begin to tell you how much fun I had throughout this entire game, it's a treat. Jay knows exactly how to implement details and secrets into the level design in a way that stays true to the character they built back in Hypnospace. Speaking of Hypnospace, the connections between it and this game are really cool, yet another interesting way to build up both of these worlds. Not to mention the cutscenes, they're so glorious honestly. My only real complaint is that I wish it was longer, as I finished it after two sessions + the bonus levels and still found myself wanting more. That's very minor though, as this is def one of the best boomer shooters I've played, especially in 2023.