WuPac
2010
It can't compare to the more modern narrative/choice-driven games of recent years, but Heavy Rain was something truly amazing when it first came out. Meme-worthy voice acting moments aside, it was a very special game with an extremely memorable story and a controversial gameplay system that ended up being extremely influential, basically starting a whole new genre.
Not much to say about this. It finishes a story that didn't have very high stakes anyways, or at least didn't feel that way. Silver Sable is as boring as Hammerhead.
The second DLC is where the already present repetition starts to become too much. Nothing of note here, the mafia blockhead don just isn't a very interesting antagonist.
The best of the game's 3 DLCs, but it doesn't do itself any favors starting with a multi-stage never-ending generic thug beat down sequence right off the bat. The dynamic between Spidey and Black Cat is executed well.
2018
The combat and side activities get repetitive and boring by the end - Those are the only negatives in this sensational series starter. It's been said a million times by now, but the web-swinging city traversal is an absolute joy. Loved it way more than I thought I would, with incredibly high expectations for the sequel.
2018
The perfect reimagining for a series that very much needed it. Some of the best dialogue in all of gaming, if not the best. The progression of Kratos and Atreus's relationship is the strongest of the game's many, many highlights. The combat is original and insanely satisfying.
Lack of enemy/boss variety and tacked on RPG mechanics hold it back from being perfect, issues I'm sure the sequel will fix.
Lack of enemy/boss variety and tacked on RPG mechanics hold it back from being perfect, issues I'm sure the sequel will fix.
The best of the game's DLCs, which isn't saying much. The shadow creatures that sprint at you are by far the scariest thing in the entire game.
The gnomes add something different to the formula, which is enough to get through this mostly boring and repetitive DLC.
All the frustration of the base game with none of the charm.
2017
I was really excited for this years ago, back when it was called 'Hunger' and I ended up being mostly disappointed once I got around to playing it. It definitely has its tense moments and memorable areas, but the direction of it certainly changed for the worse at some point during development.
2012
Wow, this game did not age well. What I remembered as a vibrant and living world is mostly empty. It doesn't take long to have enough money and experience to make doing any of the open world activities useless. Since this game released nearly a decade ago, Vaas has definitely been put up on a pedestal way too high for him to actually live up to when replaying years later.
The highlight of the game is certainly clearing the enemy outposts. Ubisoft obviously realized this, themselves as it's remained a staple of the series. Then again, nearly everything in the series just carries over to the next game without changing.
The highlight of the game is certainly clearing the enemy outposts. Ubisoft obviously realized this, themselves as it's remained a staple of the series. Then again, nearly everything in the series just carries over to the next game without changing.
2018
Quite possibly the best Far Cry game, it'd be better if it went all the way with its social/political themes instead of meekly tiptoeing around it: "Look at who's in charge!" is the deepest they get. Because of this, the story mostly falls flat, although Joseph Seed is a great villain without being another wacky and eccentric psychopath like Vaas and Pagan Min.
The biggest problem with the story is the multiple instances of being captured and freeing yourself. Once you do enough open world activities, you'll suddenly be ambushed by enemies with tranquilizers who instantly incapacitate you to progress the story. It'd be ridiculously lazy even if it only occurred once - but it happens repeatedly.
On the other hand, the game gets props for doing something most open world games fail at. It makes all the different activities throughout the world that you do feel like they matter: Random event instances like saving hostages being driven down the road to overtaking outposts all progress a slider in regaining control of a region.
The biggest problem with the story is the multiple instances of being captured and freeing yourself. Once you do enough open world activities, you'll suddenly be ambushed by enemies with tranquilizers who instantly incapacitate you to progress the story. It'd be ridiculously lazy even if it only occurred once - but it happens repeatedly.
On the other hand, the game gets props for doing something most open world games fail at. It makes all the different activities throughout the world that you do feel like they matter: Random event instances like saving hostages being driven down the road to overtaking outposts all progress a slider in regaining control of a region.
I was expecting a throwaway B-tier spin-off, instead I got a fantastic, albeit short, story that competes with the series' best. Proof that the series can continue successfully even without Nathan Drake as the protagonist.
While many of its aspects end up being outshined in later FromSoftware iterations, the magical feeling that Dark Souls' world gives you is something that's never been recaptured. A shame that some of the final areas of the game are so poor and hastily scrapped together. Not quite perfection, but definitely the biggest building block in leading FromSoftware to that point.
2015
The gameplay (or lack thereof), monsters, and horror elements are all really crappy. Even the lauded story often drags and lulls throughout. But the key moments in the story (mostly the ending) really, really make you think. There really is something horrifying and inconceivable about the concepts presented. So despite not enjoying most of it, I'll never forget it.