Review #7 - 2020

One of the many games that came with your PC back in the 1990s that has stood the test of time. Many remember it, and many, really don't know how to play it, but hey, this updated version has a brilliant tutorial, so there's really no excuse now! Once you learn how to play this classic PC puzzler, you'll feel like a real boss taking on harder difficulties. It even includes a cute little adventure mode, adding a creative twist to the simple gameplay. It's free to download, so why don't you relive it? Maybe even learn it this time around. I did, and I'm now addicted and not randomly clicking squares hoping for the best.

Review #6 - 2020

https://www.activeworlds.com/

Can you imagine what VR Chat would be like abandoned? It's hard to think about given how massively popular it is, and I'm sure the individuals who thrived in this game back in its heyday couldn't imagine that either. "Active Worlds" was the first of its kind, originally named "WebWorld" when it started in 1994, and later changed to the current title a year later. The internet officially hit the mainstream in 1995, but even with it being a commercial hit, many websites and communities remained niche, with "Active Worlds" being one of those treasure troves where you could meet others, and explore a world curated by the developers and players alike.

It's still up and running to this day.

Albeit abandoned, there's still a few players roaming around. A friend of mine who once experienced this game back when it was thriving, gave me a tour and had many stories to tell regarding a lot of the different areas. It was incredibly surreal.

"Active Worlds" is a internet history landmark for being one of the first online communities in the form of a game such as this, and yet, not many know of it. If you're curious, download it now, and explore it for yourself. Witness a piece of internet history, still there waiting to be rediscovered and appreciated.

Review #5 - 2020

I'm a bit of a masochist when it comes to throwing my self into games without playing easier difficulties. I've always been that way. Never liked playing games without being able to drop into a harder difficulty. I love the trial by fire. I love having to figure it out for myself with as little as help as possible. It gives me a sense of adventure, a sense of achievement, a sense that I can overcome any challenge with sheer willpower. "Dark Souls" is a game that has been made for people like me, and I can't believe it has taken me this long to discover it.

It not only provides the challenge I crave, but also the lore as well. I love deep diving into a game's backstories and mythologies on down time between battles, and "Dark Souls" absolutely checks that box. Notice I'm describing this title as "Dark Souls" only. That's because this 3rd entry is my first experience with this series. I can't say too much more considering I'm still playing through this on my own time outside of the streams, but all in all, I'm loving it thus far, and now, I'm intrigued to experience more FromSoftware titles, and soulslikes in general. I hope to return to this review with even more in depth thoughts in the future.

Bluejay's Choice Review #4 - 2020

http://www.sakevisual.com/yousei/

The 3rd installment of the "Jisei" murder mystery series, and it's got a lot going on. I have vague memories of this one being really intense, with more of a focus on the conflict behind your character and his powers as opposed to the actual murder mystery itself, which isn't really a detriment, but I do remember having to go through a guide to unlock all the endings in order to find an important detail that would lead me to the "true" ending, even though I managed to solve who the murderer was, which I found to be a bit frustrating.

It has been long enough now that if I do another playthrough of this trilogy, I'll have forgotten the solutions, so I can play again with a fresh start. My memory could be fooling me, so I'd love to revisit this series, and give a proper up to date review to see if I simply did it wrong my first playthrough. They are working on the 4th title, "Shinsei", which is slated to release sometime this year in 2022, so I may revisit these soon.

Bluejay's Choice Review #3 - 2020

This is a game I remember seeing print ads for in gaming magazines back in the day. It always intrigued me as a child, but it wouldn't be until 2020 in the middle of a quarantine, that I'd finally take a dive into this blood filled mess of a PS2 classic.

The controls and graphics are clunky, which is to be expected, but can still be frustrating. Despite that, there are still some really cool moments that left me breathless. Combat is over the top as you cut, slice, and shoot your way through hoards of enemies. It's easy to get power hungry and want to take out multiple enemies in one go, but if you're not careful, your health will deplete quickly as you get pelted by an onslaught of bullets, which is a win in my book. It makes you want to dive into combat, which when done right, can be extremely satisfying when you clear a room.

I had a good time with this game, up until near the end when I got absolutely stuck fighting a boss because I didn't have enough ammo to take it out. It was a blunder on my part, using up ammo in a previous room against soldiers when I could have just ignored them before the big fight. I only had the one save, so I shelved it out of disappointment. I'll give this game a proper revisit someday soon.

Review #4 - 2020

First, a preface. Me and my wife were first introduced to the "Animal Crossing" series with "New Leaf" back in 2017. We IMMEDIATLY fell in love, playing the game nearly every day. It had so much to look forward to each day, and when a new season would arrive, so many surprises awaited you. It was perfect. My favorite thing to do were the Public Works Projects, where villagers would suggest something for you to put in your village, like a new statue or something silly like a giant shoe sculpture. If someone asked for it, I'd commission it right away, setting it up with their specially assigned fruit tree as a sign they commissioned it (I would plant fruits next to each home based on their personalities). We eventually fell off from playing the game daily due to life things, but we still did our best to visit our villages at least once a week.

Jump to 2020, the year of the global pandemic. Nintendo drops their new "Animal Crossing" game titled, "New Horizons", and we bought it immediately, as did many other lucky Switch users who were able to snag a copy. This game came at a perfect time, when the world was shrouded in death and uncertainty, and for many, including for me and my wife, this game was a light in our world, bringing people together in a beautiful way.

Yet, players hit a wall. For some, it hadn't been 6 months yet, and already players were getting bored and starting to move on. The lack of replayability of this game was beginning to rear its ugly head, and people began to see the flaws. It came at a perfect moment in time, but time indeed flies, and with a game like this having no real end game, it needs to thrive on its ability to keep you hooked even beyond the credits screen, and unfortunately, that just wasn't happening.

I bring up "New Leaf", because I feel that game had everything ready to go for you. It had all the content you'd unlock as time went by, and it was paced well enough in order to keep you coming back for more. Sure, you could play for hours, but eventually, you'd have to put it down and wait for another day to see what surprises were to arrive next. "New Horizons" had an illusion of fullness, but we soon found it was lacking many features that previous titles had, and though Nintendo eventually tried to remedy this with future DLC, it still wasn't enough to get people to stick around, including myself. People were completing things easily in a day, and with nothing more to come other than the usual seasonal things, players were already burnt out.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my time with this game, and I do pick it up from time to time, but that spark that got me hyped to boot it up each day, went by a lot faster compared to the well paced experience of "New Leaf". That, and the crafting system is an absolute chore to deal with.

To end on a more positive note, this game has brought joy to a lot of people, myself included, and it has introduced people to not only the series, but video games in general. They play this game for the first time, and fall in love with it the way me and my wife fell in love with "New Leaf". I may not find the same spark I felt with "New Leaf" when I play this title, but I can always go back to the one that started it all for us. Even though this may have been a disappointment to me, I really am glad that for many, this game is a light in their world, and even with its flaws, that's something worth counting.

Review #3 - 2020

https://globalgamejam.org/2020/games/wet-robot-dreams-1

If it weren't for Vinesauce, I never would have experienced this strange little gem of a thing. My stream audience was not prepared for this, and I sprung it on them without any warning. I opened the stream with a black screen, that faded into a scene featuring only the chat on the left, and the game on the right. The background remained dark. The attention was on them.

The game opens asking for your name. Unbeknownst to chat, they start suggesting names, some suggesting their own names as tribute. I, the silent player of this spectacle, randomly chose a name, and entered it into the prompt. Once the name was entered, the chat member I chose immediately began to regret showing up that day, as the text-to-speech eyes and mouth began speaking to them, asking them bizarre questions that would ultimately lead to a scene so risqué and bizarre, that I dare not spoil that here. You should experience this for yourself. Be sure to use your real name, traveler.

Bluejay's Choice Review #2 - 2020

http://www.sakevisual.com/kansei/

This is certainly a stronger murder mystery compared to the first installment of this trilogy. I found it to be more challenging, with more interesting characters and situations. The artwork in this one is gorgeous, with a lovely soundtrack to boot.

Review #2 - 2020

https://play.aidungeon.io/

One of the first AI experiences I had when AI software was beginning to hit the mainstream in terms of YouTubers and streamers, "AI Dungeon" is an incredibly intelligent algorithm that generates a text adventure based on prompts you give it. Once those prompts are generated, it makes up a story based on decisions you type out for it to process, making for some intriguing, and often times hilarious outcomes. It's easy to break it, for after awhile it begins to loop itself whenever prompts get too crazy. Here's an example of one of my adventures created by me and my chat.

https://play.aidungeon.io/main/adventureView?publicId=fff1de35-628c-4ce4-bf1e-9858f4275e7d

Review #1 - 2020

One of the most hardcore FPS titles you can buy. "Doom" provides a power fantasy unlike anything I have played, as you do nothing but fire, rip, tear, and explode your demon foes, but not without a challenge mind you. It's tough enough to make you think about how you'll go about your next encounter with each death, and once you nail a section down, you do it all over again, although usually tougher than the last. The progressing challenge is a great incentive for me, and getting to deal with bigger and badder enemies as you go through the campaign makes it all the more exciting. These things are ugly, vicious, and thirsting for blood. They want nothing more than to destroy you limb from limb, but you can do the exact same thing to them, no matter the size of the enemy, with SATISFYING glory kills that add to the feeling of power you get as you flow through the song and dance of combat. Need a break from crushing hell spawn? Take some time to explore every nook and cranny of each level, for there are collectables to be found, and secrets to be discovered. So much to do and so much to see in these hellish landscapes and cursed interiors. This game is polished, and beefed the fuck UP with great gameplay, and at the price point it's at now, you should do yourself a favor, and pick up a copy of this fantastic reboot of a beloved and iconic FPS.

Bluejay's Choice Review #1 - 2020

http://www.sakevisual.com/jisei/

The first installment of this trilogy, "Jisei", was quite easy to solve aside from the moments I was over thinking things as to avoid a bad ending. Not the strongest mystery of the trilogy, but I still recommend it since it does prepare you for what's to come in the next game. If you get to this trilogy, I recommend playing in order, starting with this one.

Review #12 - 2019

With a series as impactful and fun as Halo, it's a no brainer to house them all in one comprehensive package, and not only have they done that, they FINALLY brought these games to PC, which makes this collection even more of a must have. All 6 of the campaigns, and all 6 of their individual multiplayer experiences, all here. You can either purchase each game on its own, or buy the whole package, which really, you're getting a MASSIVE bargain buying the whole package. This is a MUST HAVE if you're into this series, and indeed a must have if you've yet to experience this incredible series of games, all remastered with so much love and care. These games are great fun, with a marvelous story to tell. This collection is very much worth your money and while.

Review #11 - 2019

The first PC game I ever experienced, and it all started with this release that included the base game, and the "Rise of Rome" expansion. I remember being captivated by the opening sequence, that gave you a scale of what you were about to get yourself into. Epic battles, taking place is a time long ago, when empires ruled, and many fell before them.

The Intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7LZLx_5pu0

The campaign is where I spent most of my time, for it wouldn't be until I was an adult that I would experience online multiplayer, but that was alright with me. Even though I desired to be able to play against my Dad and brothers, the campaign had a TON of interesting and challenging scenarios that kept me hooked. My favorite thing was the historical lore behind each scenario, basing each campaign around a specific empire, and telling the story of their rise and fall with each level. For the longest time I wanted to become a historian because of this game, and although that never came to fruition, I still find myself fascinated by this particular period of time enough to continue to study it.

Mind you, there are things that have kept this game from aging well, and lot of that has to do with the pathfinding, that would quickly be improved upon in the sequel, but those things never bothered me until I played multiplayer as an adult, and was quickly remedied with an HD patch made by the community, that keeps this game alive and well, even with the Definitive Edition on the market.

http://aoe.heavengames.com/

This is one of those games that has impacted me on such a deep level, that I carry it with me every where I go in my heart. Like, seriously, the soundtrack plays through my head nearly every day, and it has been that way since 1999, when I first saw my Dad playing this incredible RTS experience. I inspired my desire to learn about different cultures and their histories, all without realizing I was learning things, because I was having SO much fun.

Review #10 - 2019

"Age of Empires" is a series that means so, SO much to me, and seeing it get the remastered treatment so current day audiences can experience this landmark RTS series is something I've been waiting for, for a long time.

The game outside of aesthetic changes, pretty much remains the same, for better or for worse. Most people are going to call out the gameplay issues that future titles improved on, wondering why they didn't update those issues for this definitive edition, and I certainly agree with them. For me, it's the soulless interface and aesthetics, that lacks the inspiration and wonder that made the original so captivating. At the very least, they give you the option to return to original graphics with original music, which certainly helps ease the pain.

All that aside, it's still the classic "Age of Empires" gameplay I grew up with, and ultimately, that's what matters the most. The graphics are indeed beautiful, and I love seeing my favorite units and buildings rebuilt with these current day graphics. Being able to play this game online with my friends and family conveniently is a big plus for me, as I no longer need third party clients to get things going. Outside of the aesthetic changes, it remains true to this classic title, which hey, there's something to be said for it remastering the look, but not ruining the original experience (even though it could have used a few gameplay upgrades).