Xnian
You must fully understand going in to this that this is a game from 1999 that was given a gorgeous coat of paint 20+ years later. I'd be willing to bet the voice acting audio was lifted straight from the original version based on how it sounds.
I picked this up after the first teaser for Outcast: A New Beginning in late 2023 and heard people say nice things about the original. I walked away charmed and even more excited for the sequel. I also enjoy euro-jank games that have more ambition than budget (Gothic, Xenus, <Noun> Simulator etc.) so I can't say I have refined tastes.
There are lots of little touches that show this was a labor of love. The way your jet pack fires when you fall to slow your descent, the diving animation when jumping in to water, the way the visor slides over your characters eyes when you open the mini-map; just these little touches that were satisfying every time you see them.
One thing this game does that I wish would catch on is it defines terms and gives you context in paratheses which made following along with the lore so seamless without having to open and memorize an in game dictionary. Video games shouldn't feel like homework! Example: "No. I do not think other Talan (race which populates Adelpha) will follow their great leader Maar on this." This is done constantly so at this point you would easily know that Adelpha is the name of the planet you are on. Repetition and context make learning lore so easy. My eyes usually glaze over in JRPGs when they start listing all these different nations and I'd welcome other developers implementing this.
So it's a good looking refresh of an old open world game (there is no HUD so you have to actually explore and talk to characters to advance the story! What a concept!) that has interesting lore and an engaging sci-fi story to propel you along that is occasionally interrupted by awful combat that is kind of fun to cheese your way through in spite of itself.
I can't imagine playing this on a console. Quick save on PC is your friend with old, buggy games.
I picked this up after the first teaser for Outcast: A New Beginning in late 2023 and heard people say nice things about the original. I walked away charmed and even more excited for the sequel. I also enjoy euro-jank games that have more ambition than budget (Gothic, Xenus, <Noun> Simulator etc.) so I can't say I have refined tastes.
There are lots of little touches that show this was a labor of love. The way your jet pack fires when you fall to slow your descent, the diving animation when jumping in to water, the way the visor slides over your characters eyes when you open the mini-map; just these little touches that were satisfying every time you see them.
One thing this game does that I wish would catch on is it defines terms and gives you context in paratheses which made following along with the lore so seamless without having to open and memorize an in game dictionary. Video games shouldn't feel like homework! Example: "No. I do not think other Talan (race which populates Adelpha) will follow their great leader Maar on this." This is done constantly so at this point you would easily know that Adelpha is the name of the planet you are on. Repetition and context make learning lore so easy. My eyes usually glaze over in JRPGs when they start listing all these different nations and I'd welcome other developers implementing this.
So it's a good looking refresh of an old open world game (there is no HUD so you have to actually explore and talk to characters to advance the story! What a concept!) that has interesting lore and an engaging sci-fi story to propel you along that is occasionally interrupted by awful combat that is kind of fun to cheese your way through in spite of itself.
I can't imagine playing this on a console. Quick save on PC is your friend with old, buggy games.
2023
Amazing graphics, storytelling, and visual arts/presentation. Big fan of everything Remedy puts out so this is one of only 2 games I bought at release in 2023 (other was Tears of the Kingdom).
This should've been an easy 5 star, but the combat being clunkier than the first game and enemies randomly soaking up 20 shots it just became frustrating. I even had to bump the difficulty down to easy just to experience that sweet, sweet story and was still dying! WTF Remedy. Control and this game have difficulty spikes that no one is asking for.
I played American Nightmare after this game and god the combat in that one feels glorious in comparison.
Regardless as a Remedy fan boy I will replay New Game+ and look forward to the DLCs. If no one has played a Remedy game before I'd probably still recommend Control over this.
This should've been an easy 5 star, but the combat being clunkier than the first game and enemies randomly soaking up 20 shots it just became frustrating. I even had to bump the difficulty down to easy just to experience that sweet, sweet story and was still dying! WTF Remedy. Control and this game have difficulty spikes that no one is asking for.
I played American Nightmare after this game and god the combat in that one feels glorious in comparison.
Regardless as a Remedy fan boy I will replay New Game+ and look forward to the DLCs. If no one has played a Remedy game before I'd probably still recommend Control over this.
2020
I thought the first act was absolutely brilliant and I was recommending it to people who didn't ask for one. The thrill of escape and wondering what new tool I'd unlock next was pure dopamine. Then the first hide from the helicopter mission which was more frustrating than fun, but I got through it.
Once you get to the island location and the game strips all of your tools away and you have to scour the environment for just a couple planks at a time the game just becomes a chore (that ends with a second helicopter level...whoo).
But again that first act was pure bliss so I press on and then it was a series of find a way to move these objects from here to here and the thrill was gone. Turns out that 60 second timer was the real magic sauce all along.
Once you get to the island location and the game strips all of your tools away and you have to scour the environment for just a couple planks at a time the game just becomes a chore (that ends with a second helicopter level...whoo).
But again that first act was pure bliss so I press on and then it was a series of find a way to move these objects from here to here and the thrill was gone. Turns out that 60 second timer was the real magic sauce all along.