Joellemm

Lacking any real direction or gameplay. As much as I thought the story was interesting enough, you need to translate this into gameplay, or what is this point? Write a book! (Though the story isn't good enough for a book, so don't do that either.) The protagonist is very unlikable, and I don't think she's intended to be, and the conclusion is somewhat predictable. I think I'm especially disappointed because the hotel setting is an interesting environment to explore, but like the story, it isn't translated into anything worth exploring or engaging with. I constantly felt unsure of where I was meant to go and finding myself in places that you're not intended to reach until later on. It's a walking-sim, so I shouldn't harp on about gameplay too much. It let's you walk! What more should I expect?

The game could offer more at the start of it's journey and some of the gameplay felt a little awkward, but as the game gets going, and you finally have a feel for things, it's a brilliant and relaxing time riding those waves. I like the game's score and the visuals, but it's the boat, and the scale of the journey you depend on it for, that makes the game work. I established a genuine connection with the thing. It's how natural the game feels, how subtle it conditions you into knowing what you must do, how to maneuverer past each new obstacle. There was glee with every new upgrade, not just because it made the boat look cooler or work better, but because retrieving upgrades and attaching them to your boat required effort in and of itself, and was always necessary to proceed. I had a good time in this lonely melancholic world it places you in, and do you know why? I had that sweet boat. I'll miss you boaty. XXX

Only 75 characters? Better make the most of this and just say it's really g ...realised it said minimum but my original revenue was maybe too long as it just caused an error,. cba typing it again.

It's scary, gory and has a consistent narrative theme throughout. The school sections are as great as I remember them being. I don't think they're as well implemented into the plot as they could be, but it offers a fascinating environmental adjustment, just as you feel you're getting too settled. Certainly, some sections are more interesting than others, and a lot of sections are tedious to play though. However, my biggest criticism, and I feel more vindicated after playing for a second time, is how much of the gameplay devolves into trial and error. It really is disappointing. There were bits I remembered, avoided a mistake (death) I'd made previously, but I was still caught out far too often. It's the level design, signposting is necessary to maintain momentum in the faster paced sections, and the game a does a terrible job at designing its levels in a way that allows for such fluidity. Even when the game grinds to a halt, sometimes I was incredibly unclear on what it wanted for me. (There's a section where you drop down from some stairs and you're trapped by bushes, fences, cacti from each side. I thought I'd escape the level accidently, but no, through the shrubbery there was a little hole in the fence that I'm sure caught me out in the first playthrough.) I'd recommend the game for its ambitious plot and genuinely scary moments, but it's also a game more disappointing than I remember it being.

Despite growing up with Halo and playing all the mainline games, as I've gotten older I've realised that it actually isn't very good. I suppose it's because I've played so many other games at this point that I have more to compare it against. Games have come along that have completely blown me away. Reshaping what I view to be a "good game". The shooting mechanics in Halo are still great. There is still nothing like landing a perfect sticky grenade. Pure, simple joy. Its universe has an epic sense of scope that is still difficult to match. However, already I'm struggling to find things I really appreciate. In this particular entry, there is a great variety of weapons to choose from - and that's maybe the best I've got. The story this time out is simple, and that's to its benefit, but it's also entirely predictable, and despite the stakes being clearly high, you never really feel that weight. Master Chief has always been dull. Decent voice performances but hampered by poor writing. Shooting is fun, but the game doesn't offer much to vary its gameplay. I dread the moment in every Halo where you have to laboriously circle a pair of Hunters, and this one repeats the trick at least 3 times. Just because they're now called "Banished", the enemies are still the same as in the original Halo (some new colours maybe?). My word, did I also get sick of those fellas with the shields. Just let me shoot you!! Added a grappling hook, but it's treated as one of four equipment choices (you think I'm switching?). And what is with its range? Let me have some fun with it! Even the environments are the same as the previous Halos. They keep re-using the same door asset and corridor designs. I kept getting deja vu. This one now has boss battles though. That's new. To Halo at least. Sort of. Oh, and this one has bugs. For instance, even after googling it, and finishing the game, I still couldn't figure out when progress had actually been saved. Its checkpoint locations were very inconsistent, whatever the case. Whoops! I almost forgot, this one is open world. Just what we all needed. Why are all the franchises that I could rely on to be linear suddenly becoming open world. Gears of War, the Metro series, now Halo. You lose control of the pacing by making these games open world. Is the open world worth it? No. Its environment has zero diversity, the enemies are still the same, and there are no rewards or worthwhile side stories out there to be found. In summary, Halo is overrated. Not bad, just not great.

I really loved this game. I especially loved the interesting fail state the game has, which is perfectly woven into the narrative and world. I loved the characters, which are varied and all have their own back story to tell. The narrative itself is brilliant, surprising, has multiple endings. I want more games like this; immersive puzzlers, with great world building and characters. (I have a few small issues that I'm putting in these brackets because I actually don't want to dissuade anyone from playing this but I also can't ignore what caused me slight disappointment: the first interaction you have has some awful dialogue that isn't going to date the game well and put me off immediately (and yet doesn't reflect quality of the dialogue across the rest of the game), the gameplay is a little clunky when you're asked to do anything outside of walking and talking, and lastly, you have to be overly careful when navigating all dialogue trees if you don't want to miss a pivotal quest or piece of information).

I wouldn't doubt that the game is pretty terrifying. Visuals are impressive. And there are some story beats to appreciate. The game's problem is its direction. I don't have too much of a problem slowly walking around a spooky house and clicking light switches and finding keys and all that usual stuff you find in indie horrors. Running away from creepy dudes is always tense, but why am I here? Where am i running to? What is the point if I don't have any context for any of this stuff? Just give me at least a little bit of context before you make me walk through this same corridor for the fifth time! I think the developers built a series of spooky environments, some spooky looking enemies, made everything real dark and spooky-like...then they figured out what the rest of the game was meant to be about. Well...I need more of a purpose to s*** my pants.

I spent the whole time playing this desperate for it to get going. Incredibly fun soundtrack, mildly interesting characters, beautiful visuals, but it never gets to any actual gameplay. I don't have a problem with walking simulators. I like being immersed in a world, a story, and given the opportunity to explore at my own pace. Exploring is the gameplay. The Artful Escape doesn't even have this. You may as well watch a film. Holding a particular direction on an analogue stick is not gameplay, even if now and then you might have to press a separate button to jump. No! Not platforming, where jumping itself is satisfying and where there is reason to concern yourself with failure. Clicking a dialogue option is only gameplay if the choices made have a significant bearing on the rest of the game. Therefore, all your left with are these sections, that are few and far between, where you basically play Simon says. I'm still not counting this, however, if there is no real consequence for failure and there is no timing required when clicking in response to these often predictable button prompts. Give me my catharsis! Never has saving the cosmic universe, or whatever the hell much of this game is about, felt so unsatisfying!

The gameplay could have been polished a great deal. Interacting with anything requires a steady hand...I just want to click the bloody button!!! You'd think moving away from the point and click controls of the original would have been to benefit the controls. Across the board, there hasn't been much consideration for accessibility. Definitely use subtitles; otherwise, good luck figuring out what the voice actors are saying. However, it is nice to see a game not hold your hand for once. As such, it is one of the rare games where completing a puzzle feels satisfying.

Overall, the game feels far more focused than Mafia 3. Its not overburdened with stuff just for the sake of stuff. I like how there is an impressive open world, but it doesn't act as such until until you enter the game outside of story mode. Meaning, the developers haven't tried to tangle the linear story with the free space that might otherwise ruin the pacing. Despite all of this, the problem of poor storytelling and character development is moved into far greater focus. It just feels like so much necessary story has been lost for the sake orchestrating just another cliched mobster scene, that inevitably ends in an excessive fire-fight. Its difficult to pin-point the character shifts in the protagonist. As though, because we've seen this story so many times before, we can just accept shifts in his character whether they're highlighted or not. The romantic part of the plot seems to just happen. You walk a girl home once and your married, if only it was that easy. In terms of gameplay, there is a nice variety locations, the guns feel satisfying and the driving feels predictably awkward (as its intended). However, the intentions of the developers was to ramp up realism when it comes to gameplay, bullets being left in the chamber and lost when reloading and the driving mechanics as stated, but this feels somewhat counterintuitive when the rest of the game feels just like any other, over-the-top shooter. I feel even greater focus on realism could have differentiated the game further into being some far more noteworthy. Also, the AI is very cunning, especially on Classic difficulty, but i felt a bit cheated when i literally saw enemies teleporting; but i'm hoping this is a bug. Given the cheaper price-tag, i do think its really good value, because although i didn't think the narrative is very well established, it hits all the notes you'd expect from a game titled Mafia.

Sometimes it's nice to escape to a little world, with simple, easy to grasp gameplay, an array of interesting creatures and locations, and a consistently relaxing pacing. This review score might seem harsh, but it doesn't really do anything to stand out and the gameplay is a little clunky at times, and i hated the ending. However, it's a nice a game overall that i enjoyed playing.

I'm not a big a fan of rough-like/lites, but i did genuinely find enjoyment in Hades. Although not a huge selection, the weapons feel varied. Combat, as a whole, is fast and fluid. I appreciated the sense of progression. The story and characters, as much as I'm a little bored of European mythology at this point, are well written and mildly interesting. What is really important for these types of games, is level variety and enemy variety. In Hades, the enemies were not varied enough for me, even though which ones appeared seemed procedurally generated. Combined with the levels feeling exactly the same, apart from which power-ups appeared, it gets repetitive really fast. Everything is really polished. The art style simple and clean (arguably a little bland). The gameplay is fun. The story is fine. Play it if you like these sorts of games.

It's a very fun, easy-to-grasp, hack-and-slash, insta-death romp. Simple revenge story holds it together. Arcade principles offer replay-ability. Huge variety in weapons that all have their own unique feel. Solid level-design. Missing a little polish here and there, and could have had more interesting enemy variety, but all in all, it is a really solid game.

I don't feel as much care was put into this title as there was in the main games, but what would you expect? There is in fact, a surprising amount of content for what is effectively meant to be a smaller Dishonored game. If you wanted more from the series then it offers just that.

It visually holds up. In terms of its narrative and characters, it far exceeds any other 3d platformer I've ever played. It's level and gameplay variety is impressive. One level in particular stands out as one of the most compelling and noteworthy that I've maybe ever played. Certainly for a game of this type. I feel it deals with what are often sensitive matters very well, even whilst still maintaining the game's charm. However, for a platformer, the platforming is not good. It's inconsistent, and the design of many of these platforming sections are confusing. In fact, I spent a great deal of the game confused. You get so many powers in the end that can all be utilised in various ways, it often feels as though you're forced through a period of trial and error to figure out what the game wants of you. It's where the signature Double Fine - let's face it, ridiculous - puzzles begin to be problem for me. Mixed in the platforming and combat, it can be frustrating. Also, despite the quirky dialogue, it's never very funny - though this really is subjective. It's a fun game but also it's missing a lot of polish. Definitely worth going back to if you love 3d platformers though.

I hated Darkwood. I didn't find the gameplay engaging at all. It's the game that made me realise i don't enjoy survival games. Darkwood's gameplay leans far more into the "survival" of survival horror than i'd have really hoped. I wanted the game to be over quickly, however, to get the most out of the game you should really play on a higher difficulty than Normal. Otherwise, the repercussions for death, especially during the night, are not enough to maintain tension. Why did i continue to play and finish this 14 hour plus game, even on normal difficulty? Well, because the world is fascinating, the characters, withered and disturbing, capture the imagination too, and i really wanted the satisfaction and relief of finally getting out of those bloody woods! I should highlight the impressive sound design. I really liked the lack of direction the game provides. It's highly immersive for a game using a top-down perspective. It also has a somewhat procedurally generated world, thus, offering more replay-ability than most horror games Some people will love this game and I can see why.

I am a bit torn when it comes to this game. Firstly, I love horror games, and there is one level in particular that is really well designed to maximise tension, but this is it. Outside of this hour, the game is mostly just a slow-paced shooter. In fact, there is a section near the end, where it becomes a pure shooter; ammo maxed out. RE engine doesn't support this gameplay very well, and its certainly not the reason i purchased the game. There are a lot of puzzles, as you'd expect, but they're a mixed bag (I don't want to spend 20 minutes trying to headbutt a torch!) The level design is reasonably good, but the expansive scope of this instalment means the backtracking can be tedious at points. The gameplay as a whole, is very easy. I think it's the predictability of RE games at this point. With the way healing works, and the excess of resources you'll gather, you never really feel as though you're in any danger (which is huge a problem for a "survival" horror). I played on "Standard" and only died three times, all of which were during boss battles. I was hesitant to up the difficulty because I always find RE enemies to be overly spongey, and I didn't want this to be made worse. Despite all this, i still think this might be my favourite RE game in a while. This is due to variety! The world of RE is silly, camp and not one i intend to take seriously; so have a bulbous, freak-show of a merchant, a 9 foot, buxom countess, a weird fish-type man, a hilariously jacked Chris Redfield. I really hate RE boss battles, but at least they all felt quite different this time out. The lesser enemies even differ in their own slight way. Also, the level variety is far nicer this time out (no sewers for once, yay!). If you've enjoyed the previous few instalments, you'll enjoy this one. The terrible writing and ludicrous plot is there. The gameplay is much the same. If you love horror, you can find at least an hour in there. It even visually looks the same (some pretty outdated textures at this rate). The pacing is actually better than previous instalments, and as whole, it feels as though greater effort was put into this one.

Not my sort of game but I was sold on the art style and the premise. Early on, I'll admit, it was more of a puzzler than i expected it to be, and I had certain regrets about purchasing the game. And yet, i persisted and was rewarded for my patience with a simple but satisfying story, as well as a significant variety in the puzzles. Some of the puzzles were a serious test, with me even giving up on a couple (had to cheat). However, they never felt unfair, and despite the growing number of surprisingly complex elements to consider, the game eases you into these new challenges. What holds the game together, is the beautiful art style, impressively detailed world, and characters that don't need spoken dialogue to bring life to the story being told.

Undertale stands out amongst other games. Even amongst other indie games, it showcases a level of creativity and unpredictability hard to find elsewhere. It persistently subverts your expectations, until your confused and a little exhausted. But your invested in the characters, the narrative, and your determined to see out the conclusion of whatever weird journey your on. I honestly think the best part about Undertale is the soundtrack. I really hated some of the bosses it pits you against, and i honestly think if it wasn't for the upbeat, enthusiastic music, i might have given up at points. Here comes my problem with the game then, it's gameplay is naff, boring and has a difficulty scale that's so up and down it made me feel a little sick. I realise the game wants to be unpredictable, vary it's gameplay, difficult when you don't expect it. However, all of the tedious walking, in, let's face it, ugly environments, and the strangely easy puzzles, result in a game that feels disjointed, unbalanced, at times, frustrating. As a whole though, Undertale is brilliant.

Superliminal is a satisfyingly trippy game. It deserved better pacing and level design. It was missing a plot to give the experience more weight. I'd like to have seen more made of the mechanics. But as a whole, it's a fun game and the puzzles are varied and surprising.

I loved the first one, i loved the second one. The second one is not as good, but I'll love all the same. I don't think there is a game that would have traumatised me more should I have played it as a child. The enemies are just so horrific, maybe more so than the first. The sound design complements every environment perfectly. You find yourself with a companion, who functions well enough, and because it was your playable character in the first, it's easy to feel a connection. There are some interesting and surprising moments of combat, some destructible environments. Gameplay ideas not seen in the first. The level design, the detail, the variety in puzzles. It's great, it's imposing, you feel small, you feel scared, but you don't want it to end. Until you reach the last couple stages, then you're a little bit readier for it to end, appropriately. What i mean is, the forest level is a perfect introduction, and to avoid spoiling anything further, the next few levels are even better, but it certainly loses its footing later on. Enemies aren't revealed with the same gravitas, the tension steadily dissipates. I feel deaths are even more difficult to predict. I realize, the game expects you to die, but many points felt unfair and relied too much on trial and error. It still has all the symbolism, intrigue and wonderful world-building seen in the first. It felt a little longer, which, i still think is a plus, i just don't know whether the increased scale, in terms of it's narrative and environments, seen in the later stages, was misplaced. It's the more grounded moments, where you feel especially small and vulnerable, that Little Nightmares offers up its best, unique brand of horror.

What's most impressive in Titanfall 2, is that each level in the main campaign feels different and enjoyable in their own way. The gameplay is unquestionably smooth and fun when your not in a titan but it's still slow and tedious when you are. The biggest appeal of Titanfall 2 is it's gameplay, and it is good enough for those who just love simple first person shooters. It's not innovative; except for the hinderance of getting in a titan. it's visuals are stuck in the late 2000s; in terms of it just being a lot of grey. The plot is simple/boring/uninspired. But, it's fun enough. Especially if you're going to spend time in the multiplayer.

There are many reasons that the Penumbra games and Amnesia: A Dark Decent were so scary and compelling, but i think an important and overlooked factor might be the persistent player agency. Amnesia: Rebirth is surprisingly cinematic. This gets in the way of the gameplay, but most importantly, it gets in the way of the horror. The game doesn't include the same incredible story that Soma has, which, significantly, is so successful because of player agency. Therefore, the cinematics are not even worthwhile, and just serve to break immersion. I'm being overly critical because i love the other Frictional Games I've listed here. This latest title has some truly scary moments. The enemies are horrific. The art style is unique and interesting. The sound design is impressive. The characters are voiced really well. The plot is fine enough. However, I really think the level design was poor. The puzzles were at their best when they were most grounded and away from the abstract, and yet, there were so many that weren't. This poses a problem because these puzzles were so easy. Also, more noticeable in this title, was the lack of consequence for failure. I must have failed an embarrassing number of times, but other than an ugly, jarring cut-scene, there is no repercussion. This dissipates any tension built up. Level design, immersion and pacing were all poorer than in previous titles. What you're left with as just another insignificant, mildly spooky, walking-simulator on the indie market. Not bad, just disappointing.

It's a very straightforward, mostly linear puzzle game. Not necessarily easy puzzles, although this is highly subjective, as maybe I'm an idiot. There was certainly some satisfaction to be found from the challenging ones. I would say that the more open levels were the more frustrating, because at a point, success is driven by whether or not you found all of essential notes you'll need. Small gripes; the journal notes can be hard to read, so good luck if you actually have poor eyesight, and i found the ability to turn all notes over annoying, because it meant I had to do this every time, even though it was rarely worthwhile. Even so, it's a really good looking game, with a unique style and an interesting narrative. I feel that the narrative is overly explanatory, with discoveries not feeling as organic as the puzzles do, but it's overall a satisfying tale with good pacing.

I really enjoyed Origins. It was the first AC game in a while that felt worth playing. Odyssey, whilst not being overly innovative, continues the success. The game looks incredible, offering a greater variety in scenery and cities that is truly impressive. The narrative improves upon Origins, with Odyssey being a fitting title. The bounty mechanic and cult system offer long term goals that never feel overbearing. On the other hand, the Hunter/Warrior/Assassin RPG elements don't work very well, as its never really possible to stick to one of these play styles. The combat is almost unavoidable, and it can often takes an age to kill enemies if you are unable to instantly assassinate or headshot (with necessary ability). Quest variety and enemy variety is still lacking also. There is also way too much legendary loot to find, unless your look to customise your ship/horse, where there is very little. It has enough content to keep you playing until you forget what you're playing for. Its as fun as the last game. Even so, it's still not able to reach the heights better games in the genre have managed to reach.

Valhalla isn't too different from the previous two AC instalments. Why then, do i dislike it so much more? It looks just as pretty, it plays much the same, but it is also such a chore. Jarring cutscene transitions, annoyingly timed check-points, annoyingly placed fast-travel points, weird selection of NPC accents (an American in Viking age England?), NPC merchants that won't stop flailing their arms, and so many little, sometimes not so little, bugs. Worse, is the way the narrative is split across so many clearly defined zones, meaning you always know your progress, but more specifically, how much progress is left to do. It also makes the story itself easy to forget. I literally had to google whether i'd finished the story. I wasn't sure. I was so lost with what i had even been working towards. It's incredibly bizarre how moral the protagonist is, and yet we spend so much time burning down villages. Could we have not leaned into the character's dark side at all, or would that be asking too much of the writers? The combat is not good enough considering how much of it there is. You can just button mash most of the time. The entire game is very, very easy. It was only when i was severely under-levelled and at the end of the game, that i found any sort of challenge. This suggests a balancing issue as well. The RPG mechanics are more pointless than ever, with you even able to re-spec your skills at any time. That's not an RPG. That is just giving me busy-work in the menu's after every mission. To conclude, there is way too much of everything in Valhalla. It means a lot of repetition, and most significantly, a lack of quality. I like Orlog though, which is a side activity in the game, and the world events. Everything else, however, is devoid of any creativity.

Despite persistent graphical glitches and animation bugs, a tedious amount of backtracking due to some questionable quest ordering, I'm going to miss Eastshade. Its a beautiful place that understands exploration is not made satisfying through excess and player freedom, but through variety, brilliant world building, and tonnes of worthwhile characters to find. I was nervous the game would just be a series of fetch quests, and there are a lot of those, but many of its quests centre on puzzles that are only solved through deductive reasoning, and without the handholding most AAA games tend to force. The "painting" element could have been more interesting than just press a button and magic picture appears, but as a gimmick, it at least gives you pause to make the most of the world you explore. I was also nervous about the mandatory crafting system, but its thankfully not as overbearing as in so many other games. Its well implemented alongside the rest of the game. There is no doubt however, that Eastshade is enjoyable because of its characters. Maybe its because they're all furry creatures rather than the fleshy folk I'm used to interacting with? There is a scene at the end of the game where you've left island and you're in what is presumably the protagonists apartment. Scattered across the room are mementos and letters from many of these characters that you'd met. Genuinely, I was warmed by this end game surprise, and it helped me to recognize how immersive and enjoyable my time with Eastshade's residents had been.

I'm really sad that i've just finished Obra Dinn. Its a game so unique and perfectly crafted that makes almost any game look poor or average in comparison. The storytelling is neatly brought to life through beautiful visuals, fantastic sound design, and minimalist but incredibly complex gameplay, that allows for an unrivalled kind of satisfaction. The success of having your deductive reasoning achieve answers and move the narrative along is highly addictive and rewarding. Its an experience i haven't found anywhere else, and my fear is, i never will.

Its a horror game with more gameplay than most. Some of it works, some of it doesn't. The AI is quite dynamic for an indie title, with their movements difficult to predict. As is often the case, the unscripted moments that their constant stalking results in, is what typically leads to the best scares. Turning a corner to see an enemy just happening to be stood there caught me out a few times. However, many of the player's tools in these situations are awkward and clunky. Objects that distract often don't function as expected, and there is an overabundance of QTEs (which are always tedious). The level design is certainly unique, and the finding item/key to match the current requirement is functional at maintaining the pacing. I think what stands from the game, is its commitment to its plot. There are many cut-scenes for such a short game but the writing and voice acting is often clumsy and naff. The plot as a whole is interesting enough, with pretty solid character development for the game's short duration; except for the protagonist, who mostly just screams, squeals and says "oh god!" repeatedly. I think its a worthwhile horror experience but I feel that the developers tried to do too much in such a small game. This criticism applies to its gameplay and plot specifically.

Its a straightforward but intriguing enough set up. Go to a spooky place in the middle of nowhere, because someone our nameless, characterless protagonist cares about, told us so, and the predictability continues on from there. The weird key to weird lock dynamic from Resident Evil is satisfying, the level design overall is pretty good, but the gameplay itself is tedious not scary. Enemies are incredibly easy to avoid, so its simply a case of walking around really slowly in the dark, completing the same multi-lock puzzle mechanic repeatedly. Every now and then a loud sound would emanate from my TV, as if something scary had happened. I always either missed it, or the sound itself was the scare. I would say that the voice acting from the desperate lover our protagonist is persisting towards, was convincing enough to keep me invested. However, its a good job the game isn't much longer than it is, otherwise I'd have just given up out of boredom before the end.

I feel Remedy always let their concept artists down. The game is so stylish but misses the mark in most other areas. Its incredibly fun once you get to hurl objects everywhere. The physics, overall, are just fun to mess with. Sadly though, the puzzles are either incredibly easy or can be solved by just brute force. The setting is a brilliant concept. The plot offers an immediate sense of mystery. However, the level design is never particularly accommodating to interesting discoveries or exploration and the plot quickly solves its mysteries only to give you new ones. I quickly found myself confused over what i was working towards. It certainly wasn't the protagonist's story, who is boring and uninspired to play as. The enemies have some variety, but they almost all look the same. The game even re-uses the same boss fight twice. The game's framerate drops for about 3 seconds whenever you un-pause or bring up the map, which suggests the game isn't as well optimised as it should be; especially considering i've played over 12 months after its release. The sound design and soundtrack is pretty good though! I'm not convinced Remedy want to make games. I feel they dream of making a "Twin Peaks"-style TV show. They'd need to figure how to write interesting characters first though. In fairness, Control is their best game to date. Its stylish and the physics are endlessly enjoyable.

Great soundtrack. Fast, fun gameplay. Solid enough narrative for such a short game. I liked the writing (I actually laughed out loud at one point). I especially liked how it played with the idea of skipping dialogue, turning the act itself into a form of gameplay. Sadly, the stealth seemed unnecessary. Biggest problem i would say however, is that the game doesn't effectively differentiate itself from previous indie titles. It sort of lumped various bits from similar titles together. Familiar and easy to engage with, but not especially memorable.

The awful writing of SH2 somehow added to the uncanny nature of everything the game presents. Making it feel that bit more eerie. Maybe the developer's were lucky with this. In SH3, the overly ambitious plot, which centres more on some uninspired cult scenario rather than simply the psychology of its main characters, highlights the writing, characters, and everything else, as just being incredibly silly. It also never takes time to build up tension. It drops you in the heat of the "action" immediately. It misses that important "uncanny" mark by a fair amount. This means all your left with is the terrible combat. There are some interesting puzzles and you can finish the game very quickly, but SH3 has nothing worth going back to. Its just really, really bad.

Playing it back-to-back with Amnesia: A Dark Decent Decent doesn't reflect well on A Machine for Pigs. It never outstays its welcome, but spending much of your time running through linear corridors, sometimes being chased by a barnyard animal isn't particularly scary or enjoyable. Intractability with the game's physics is dialled down unnecessarily, puzzles are made so straightforward it would be disingenuous to describe them as puzzles, and the plot always feels like its blowing smoke up its own rear with its overly pretentious writing and obsession with pig metaphors. Also, the minimalistic inventory system in the original Amnesia, and the simple sanity gimmick, added to the tension ever so slightly. You're concern for lighting was persistent as well. It felt far less scripted, and absolutely terrifying for it. The new lantern doesn't need oil, and flashes when enemies are in your proximity, if only to make it really obvious that something scary might happen. Its kind of hard to feel the impact of any horror when there is so much handholding. Its still a mildly tense experience, but like Chinese Room's other games, its mostly just a walking simulator with a plot that feels as though its desperately crying out for clarity or just an interesting character to latch onto.

Its been a while since i've been able to enjoy some English countryside, so i appreciated the immersion of EGTTR as we currently find ourselves in and out of lock-down. It has the best towel physics ever seen in a videogame, as well as the most impressively slow walking speed ever. Even running feels like you have treacle under your feet. Sadly, this where immersion becomes frustration, as you have to drag yourself across already traced land, just to find the next floating orb. Given its a walking simulator, you'd think that the walking would at least work. The game doesn't really include any other gameplay mechanics. The game's focus, is clearly its narrative, which is mildly interesting and has enough mystery to push you through the slog. Is the ending worthwhile? I'm not quite sure. It felt like a genuinely nice break escape from the real world, being in a place where you literally only need to worry about holding an analogue stick down, but this doesn't make it a particularly great game.

Plot is not as good as it wants to be. Characters, including its lead, are forgettable. Writing is awful. Level design is weak. Graphics are sub-par. Combat is OK. Greater freedom surmounts to greater emptiness (not every game should be open world). Boss battles are tedious. Really tedious. There are many aspects of the game that are unpolished. I fell through the world. Sneak attacks failed me way to often. I don't remember any moments where it felt like I was playing horror game (this is the biggest disappointment). Many of its moments of sentimentality are ruined by feeling distant and being contradicted by the next scene. Example; Sebastian has a long illusion where his wife helps him to realise that he had no reason to feel guilt (for stuff), but in the next scene he seems to have immediately forgot this therapy session and has to be convinced again. I liked the original. I didn't like this. At all. Too many ideas. It lost the polish and tension of the original.

There is a new Amnesia being released soon so I wanted to relive the original experience, I had fittingly, mostly forgotten (/repressed). I have played a lot of horror games since Amnesia's first outing, but I'd never got close to feeling the sort of nerve-wreaking terror it offers. Its brilliant, and this time, I also made greater effort to understand the plot, rather than just running from place to place, holding the underside of my pants. To my surprise, the game exceeds what of it I had recalled. Its survival horror through and through. Brennenburg Castle is dark, labyrinthian and imposing. The enemies are horrific. Both aspects of the game are far better established and relevant to the plot than most other horror games. Like Silent Hill 2, a classic in the genre, you're inability to unpick what it what all means adds to the impact of every moment, whether its reality or the fantastical nightmares of a desperate and vulnerable playable character is always impossible to know. The literal descent, brilliant pacing and brooding sound design adds greater intensity to the atmosphere. The intensity, as it should, aims to tests the player's willingness to continue through the game's path and seek potential answers that might explain whatever evil that lurks within. The player's ability to manipulate even the smallest aspects of the environment, the way you literally have push and pull doors open, realised through a solid physics engine, ensures constant immersion throughout. Its easily the scariest game I've ever played. Its not a perfect game, greater enemy variety and more interesting puzzles would have been nice, but as a pure horror game, there aren't much better.

I am amazed that the overall reception to this game is so positive. Did game pass give me some kind of bum copy of the game? It barely works. Despite this, i played the 20-30 hours or so needed to complete the game. Either, i am an imbecile, or when the game functions, its really good. Choice driven RPG gameplay in a varied world with varied characters and a fun tone are enough to recommend the game if you're willing to persist through all of the bugs. Honestly, this is probably the most broken game I've played on the Xbox One; persistent crashes, characters spasming on cover, getting stuck in combat mode, not being able to function in several expected ways during combat mode, reversing your attempts to change your roster...I could go on. Point being, its an embarrassing mess that i am not convinced was play-tested at all before being released on Xbox. Even without the bugs (maybe they'll all eventually be patched out), the game is maybe a 6/10 game, but in its current condition, its awful. This is a real shame.

Hitman 2 isn't just faithful to the original, it's practically the same game. It literally includes the same tutorial missions. A lack of innovation isn't necessarily a criticism however. You wouldn't dare touch what's perfect, but sadly, the formula regurgitated here isn't exactly perfect. Good, but not perfect. I am especially intrigued as to why the narrative is directed towards the origin of Mr Hitman, who's entire gimmick is that he has no character. He's just a robot that wears various different human skins, all the while appearing as human as a shoe. Once you delve into his past, he sort of loses all he has that makes him interesting, that being his mystique. Importantly though, the gameplay is solid. There aren't many similarly satisfying moments as executing the perfect assassination in Hitman. Patience is awarded brilliantly. Nonetheless, I do have many minor criticisms with the gameplay; any form of traversal feels as laboured as a PS2 game, almost every situation can be resolved by just throwing a series of coins, and the AI isn't as dynamic as i'd expect for a series as long in the tooth as Hitman now is. The groans of a victim you take down can often be louder than anything in a room, but nobody ever seems to notice. I shoot my "silenced" pistol, and it seems guards from a room away will hurry towards me. Lastly, the game only seems to autosave arbitrarily, rather than at important moments. It can be frustrating, but if you have a great deal of patience, it can also be a really rewarding game. Despite the lack of innovation, the new maps are varied and designed well enough to offer enough content to just about warrant the attachment of a "2".

I was going to give the game at least a 4 because of the mystery on offer, but the game's major story reveal comes and goes with no more than a whimper. I think the intent of the game's narrative is to make you feel interested in how many characters you can keep alive though all the predictable jump-scares and quick-time events. Of greater interest to me however, was how many characters i could kill off. Preferably, in gruesome ways. Which it does allow for, so i guess i'm grateful for that. As an introvert who only leaves the house when he's run out of excuses, i might not be an expert on the average twenty-something, but i'm not convinced that they only speak in sarcastic quips. I hated the characters, i really did. I mostly chose the muted option when it came to dialogue, because the actual responses were so stupid most of the time. In terms of non-dialogue "gameplay", you get to walk around, and pick stuff up...really slowly. Also, the character's control like a tank. Finally, when the "horror" arrives, you'll be slightly more engaged, but not scared. The game isn't scary. As mentioned, they'll be the predictable jump-scare every now and then, just to remind you its a horror, but nothing genuinely scary. The game is mostly just dark, and boring.

The premise should be incredibly tedious, but because everything mechanically works so soundly, and there is such clear charm and personality brimming from the start, it is actually a brilliantly engrossing experience. Comparing documents in a dystopian, fictionalised, eastern European border control point is not all this game is - quite a mouthful in any case. The minimalist gameplay gets more complex in every level, without ever feeling unfair. Then there are the characters, some of them reappearing, the choices you're offered, the sudden attachment to nameless family members you're told exist that must be fed and potentially medicated. The political intrigue, terrorist subplot, and the eventual feeling that you're not simply a nameless immigration control worker, but that you're in the centre of it all. And this is just a brilliant achievement on the developer's part.

Finally got around to playing this. It centres on some interesting philosophical ideas. Satisfying and short enough to play in one sitting. Visually, it will hold up for a long a time due to its art style. Sound track fits perfectly and is well orchestrated alongside the gameplay. I have to say though, the gameplay itself (essentially just navigating the game world with little interaction here and there) and level design is not as streamlined and as neatly crafted as i would have expected for such a short and simple game. The biggest issue with me playing so late however, is there really isn't anyone else playing, and companionship is clearly central to much of the game's theme. I've used my imagination, but its a little depressing to imagine having a companion - as in life.

Its a pretty solid game. I really liked how little information it affords the player and how the story manages to be told neatly through only visuals. It resulted in a surprisingly immersive game. The visuals themselves and sound design are really good. The progression and increasing difficulty feels well balanced. There is a great deal of variety to the puzzles and enemies and this aligns well with the accomplished level design. Slightly overstays its welcome, over-complicating the fun late on, and the latest evolution in the monster's growth can by a burden to control. Other than this (and maybe the mild confusion early because i likely wasn't paying attention) there were very few moments i wasn't enjoying the unique power fantasy the game offers.

There are serious rough edges but its a simple enough game with many fun and varied levels that can take some time to seriously master. Solid customisation in game mode types and multiplayer options.

its a very fun experience that is brimming with detail, beauty and just enough heart to make you feel as though the developers cared a great deal for the culture and time period. So many of the game's systems and gameplay elements have been designed to really harness the game's stunning world and art style. The gameplay itself is fantastic, the combat and stealth mechanics are smooth and satisfying. I've played what feels like a hundred hours, and the narrative and characters are interesting enough to make this time spent feel worthwhile. However, I can't tell you i've gained much from the experience other than some pretty decent screenshots. With animals to follow and discover, no HUD to distract, and a wind mechanic that removes the need for a typical way point, you'd be fooled for thinking the game is immersive or unique. These are great ideas, and as said, they draw your eyes to the scenery, but sadly, they don't keep them there. The game feels like a standard Ubisoft title. A big map littered with repeating locations and things to do. A map that still end up being used as often as in any other game. Also, a very serious criticism, has to be the terrible AI. Moreover, its quite astonishing how easy the game is to play. (I played on normal, like i do with any game, and there are long stretches, tens of hours, where i didn't even come close to dieing.) In all honesty, this game might be the most accessible game of its type (I'm assuming this explains the high user review score). There's no doubt that this is a positive. But sadly, it leaves an empty feeling when you realise how unoriginal so much of the game's core is. All of the game's themes and gameplay elements good, but also kind of uninspired. **** Punch has perfected the style they set out for, and have immediately mastered the open world **** they have done so in the existing template so many developers before them had already established. Its a great game, just not a particularly memorable one.

The horror in Silent Hill 2 still, sort of, holds up. The brooding atmosphere, brilliant enemy design and labyrinthine level design come together, alongside the off-kilter cut-scenes, to create a quality horror game. The story is especially unnerving and is the biggest reason why i'd recommend the game to any horror fan even now. Much about Silent Hill 2 doesn't hold up however. The gameplay, excluding the puzzles (which are actually pretty good), is awful - combat, navigation, boss fights. Although i'd praise the atmosphere, this is mostly due to the visuals and setting, the sound design appears to just be a series of random uncoordinated sounds, that are so out of place, its not scary, but often confusing. The writing and voice acting is maybe worse - laughably bad most of the time. This is a big shame that distracts from could have been a far more compelling narrative. I enjoyed playing Silent Hill 2 for the first time, nearly 20 years after release, because of how different it feels to games today, but honestly, the game's quality (beyond the obvious for a game so old at this point) is far below what i'd expected for a game still so revered. Its a horror game though, and in fairness, it still does horror very well.

Maybe its because i avoid promotional material for a game I'm already going to buy, or because I don't care about diversity, or because i wasn't ever that attached to my namesake from the first game (he was objectively a bad guy right?), but whatever the case, i loved Part 2. Visually, its stunning. The gameplay is less combat focused this time around. There is far more exploration. i appreciated this more than i thought i would, simply because the detail and variety in the world was far greater than maybe any game I've ever played. It never felt like the developers took a shortcut, as so many other AAA developers often do. it felt that they had taken an almost obsessive degree of care in bringing this world to life. I think the balance between combat, stealth, slow paced exploration, cinematic set pieces and narrative, is maybe perfect. Regarding the narrative, which seems to have provoked a great deal of controversy, its not perfect. It seems Naughty Dog maybe tried to do too much as part of the narrative. A lot of it felt patched together. Its far from bad however. In fact, i think that its intention to reinforce that these characters, as interesting and relatable as they are, are essentially killing machines, feels like a continuation of point it makes at the end of the first game. One theme among those who dislike the game, is that they don't appreciate the depressing tone, but were we really meant to end the original feeling happy? Did we feel that the right choices were made by Joel; the character we're supposed to control? Should Ellie and Joel be anything like the people they were following the events of Part 1? Like the first game, we are led to believe that the choices being made and deaths that are occurring are worthwhile in order to survive, when in reality, we're killing all of these people without there being a worthwhile ending. Unlike the first the game, Part 2 is incredibly upfront about that fact, making it clear early, with *that moment*. The post-apocalyptic world is not forgiving. The human psyche is unpredictable and even nonsensical. The Last of Us Part 2 is thematically built around these two points with far greater confidence than Part 1, and it makes for one of the best games I've ever played.

If you're looking for a fun, linear FPS, Doom 3 still, just about, holds up. Level design is fantastic. Lighting is good. Sound design works wonders. All of these aspects come together to create a far more tense doom game. It plays with your expectations throughout. As soon as you feel you've come to terms with all the game's tricks, it offers something new. You get used to looking around every corner, and then you have to get used to looking behind you, then you have to get used to examining even the wall panels. You never feel safe and this makes the game thrilling to play throughout. Despite the fact i can look past the outdated graphics, the outdated mechanics are a touch more difficult to handle. Swapping between weapons is particularly awkward. The bosses are laughably easy to beat. Somehow, the least satisfying weapon to use is the shotgun. There are lots of tiny issues that are likely even more prominent now because i'm playing the game so long after realise. Even so, its a fun game, that's still incredibly fast paced playing today. Most importantly, the tension the game sets out to achieve still holds up.

I guess it an exploration, FPS, puzzler, collectathon. I'm not sure this is as unique as it sounds, but with incredibly easy to grasp mechanics and a genuinely funny, imaginative world, it sets itself apart from other games. I do think there could have been greater incentive to explore, other than just the necessity to find items, because it never offers much sanctification in the exploration and discovery as a result. The game is either very easy or very difficult, which indicates a balancing issue and makes the game's intended audience difficult to pin down. I also encountered a few bugs. Its a fun game with some obvious charm but not much more.

I really enjoyed Resident Evil 3. I think i enjoyed it however, because it felt as though it was essentially DLC for the last instalment. Its a great looking game. its functionally very good, offering a smooth experience and is always fun to play. However, RE2 and its engine was designed to maximise the experience you want from a slow-paced, tense horror, and does not translate as well to the more action orientated third game. The centre piece of this offering is Nemesis, despite his removal from the title, and sadly its AI is not as impressive as even Mr X from RE2. You never feel in much danger, with Nemesis' appearances failing to surprise or even offer much difficulty. The whole game is very easy and very short, and if the developers were to argue they were going for more a cinematic take in this game, they failed with regards to this too. The narrative, like with all RE games, is awful, with you never really feeling invested in anything going on. As fun as Jill and Carlos are to play as, there is zero depth to their character or relationship. Other villains were cartoonistic and shallow. Its not particularly bad, but its not better than the last game in any way, and this is bad. It feels like a cash grab and so after finishing the game, even though i enjoyed it, i'm left with the feeling that it could have been so much better.