aarvee
3 reviews liked by aarvee
Wolfenstein
2009
Oh, woe is me, I can't believe Raven Software were consigned into becoming a cog in the Call of Duty factory, it's clearly not at all what they would've wanted. You can tell because for instance the lead designer of Wolfenstein 2009 Jedi Outcast & Academy is still there, over a decade later, doing hard work on all of your favorite first-person shooter titles published by Activision Blizzard King since 2010, he is one of many being held hostage I'm telling you!...
The Witness
2016
Jonathan Blow walks into an art gallery saying he's got the biggest, deepest art you've ever seen, something only his incredibly intelligent mind could create. This will redefine the entire concept of art.
He unveils it and it's a video of a bunch of bright colors flashing wildly, immediately giving any epileptics in the room a seizure. He says that they are not interpreting his art correctly.
He unveils it and it's a video of a bunch of bright colors flashing wildly, immediately giving any epileptics in the room a seizure. He says that they are not interpreting his art correctly.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is a remake of the original Mafia game that was released in 2002. As such, it's natural to compare the two games. The Definitive Edition has beautiful graphics, and the lighting and overall look are cohesive and well art directed. The developers have done an excellent job in updating the game's visuals and creating an immersive atmosphere that transports players to the 1930s.
The story is similar to the original, and for its sake, the original is a very decent mafia story. However, the voice acting, especially from main characters like Paulie, can be over the top and seem like exaggerated bad Italian accents. Despite this, the cinematics are well-directed and engaging, and create the right mood in setting you up for missions.
The gameplay has its highs and lows (mostly lows, in my opinion). The game is at its best when it flows from car escapes to short gunfights and goes from different mechanics in short spans. The driving is fine, the car variety keeps it interesting and the detour zones to escape from cops are a creative mechanic that helps keep the driving/escape missions from becoming stale. However, the lack of diversity in gameplay and the long shooting galleries are a drawback. The shooting itself is clunky and unsatisfying, which can be frustrating. I played it in Hard mode and it made my experience boring instead of challenging. Dying feels cheap and unfair at times and the melee fights are basic spam fests with no depth.
The controls in a third-person shooting game can make or break the player experience. Popular games like GTA, like it or not, create habits for players, and developers should adjust the controls accordingly. In Mafia: Definitive Edition, the controls are adequate, but they could be more intuitive and easier to use.
The game offers two modes for playing, Story and Free Ride. Merging these two modes could improve the game significantly. Playing the solo story mode can feel like chugging along missions that are mostly the same. The race track mission was different and nice, and the developers should have done more of these things to make the game feel less repetitive.
In summary, while Mafia: Definitive Edition has improved the original's visuals and atmosphere, it still has some drawbacks. The lack of diversity in gameplay, clunky shooting mechanics, and basic melee fights make the game feel dated. The controls could be more intuitive and easier to use, and the story's voice acting could be less over the top. Overall, the game is enjoyable, but it could have been better if the developers had addressed these issues.
The story is similar to the original, and for its sake, the original is a very decent mafia story. However, the voice acting, especially from main characters like Paulie, can be over the top and seem like exaggerated bad Italian accents. Despite this, the cinematics are well-directed and engaging, and create the right mood in setting you up for missions.
The gameplay has its highs and lows (mostly lows, in my opinion). The game is at its best when it flows from car escapes to short gunfights and goes from different mechanics in short spans. The driving is fine, the car variety keeps it interesting and the detour zones to escape from cops are a creative mechanic that helps keep the driving/escape missions from becoming stale. However, the lack of diversity in gameplay and the long shooting galleries are a drawback. The shooting itself is clunky and unsatisfying, which can be frustrating. I played it in Hard mode and it made my experience boring instead of challenging. Dying feels cheap and unfair at times and the melee fights are basic spam fests with no depth.
The controls in a third-person shooting game can make or break the player experience. Popular games like GTA, like it or not, create habits for players, and developers should adjust the controls accordingly. In Mafia: Definitive Edition, the controls are adequate, but they could be more intuitive and easier to use.
The game offers two modes for playing, Story and Free Ride. Merging these two modes could improve the game significantly. Playing the solo story mode can feel like chugging along missions that are mostly the same. The race track mission was different and nice, and the developers should have done more of these things to make the game feel less repetitive.
In summary, while Mafia: Definitive Edition has improved the original's visuals and atmosphere, it still has some drawbacks. The lack of diversity in gameplay, clunky shooting mechanics, and basic melee fights make the game feel dated. The controls could be more intuitive and easier to use, and the story's voice acting could be less over the top. Overall, the game is enjoyable, but it could have been better if the developers had addressed these issues.