ZombieTech

Honestly, I held off on this game for the longest time until it went on a "mid-week madness" sale, due to so many negative and harsh reviews. (Though, would have honestly loved to have seen one of the extreme 70+ %-off sales!) Now that I finally have the game, I'm not sure why there were so many harsh reviews... perhaps there's been decent patching done since to iron out a few of the hiccups. But on a slightly-aged system, albeit a six-core, this game runs pretty great on mostly high settings, some customized to be more "medium"-ish. Every once in a great while, like very rarily, there might be a subtle hiccup and that's it, while still looking breath-taking and beautiful; although, the sound tends to stutter from time to time, and can't seem to find the propper options to iron this out, even after tinkering under the hood with sound-card settings directly in the OS. I also tried each of the quality ranges (720p, etc)... granted, sure, it looks crispier on the higher settings like "full", but I just run it on 720p and the difference isn't to over the top. There are some tiny issues I've noticed, but moreso that just go to point out that it's a console-port... such as when you alt-tab out of the game, the music keeps going and you have to turn off your speakers when multi-tasking... be nice if there was a patch or fix for this. Would also be nice to see a true sandbox mode as well (there is an "external work-around" for this, but I'd REALLY rather not have to go down that route if possible)... before buying the game, certain reviews had led me to believe that there'd be plenty of time for everything in plain "story mode", and since it seems the time-elapse is based on checkpoints in the story I believe, technically there is... but still semi-stinks to feel that there will be looming doom after a certain period of time that could blow up in your face (pun mildly intended). Also, with the size of the city, which for the record is great... all the many side quests (which are also great)... sometimes there's an itching feel of doing lots of busy-work, or having to focus on everybody else more than your own character... which is a tad ironic considering it is a zombie apocalypse after all. xD Only real reason I could see for the over critical-nature of most reviews, is probably because Dead Rising 3 remained a Microsoft-exclusive... would really have loved to see how this game runs on a PS4 myself... but at least on PC, thank goodness for the power of Linux! ^_^ PS - Only other minor issue I can think of is how the gamepad/joystick controls are hardcoded and not changeable as far as I can tell. Used to having attack and power attack on the triggers along with the aim functionality... it's strange using face buttons for attack... of course, it is Capcom; it's like playing Street Fighter in Zombieland. xD

Originally reviewed this as negative. Recently tried it again, it's come a decent way with some decent updates. Has native-controller support finally which is awesome. Game itself I'd probably give a 7/10... maybe higher once I play further into the game. Downside still is bugged quests, as well as a bit too "hardcore". I know the devs have stated that "easy" is just for those that want a challenge... but "normal" is pretty insane at times. One thing that might help would either have people gather more Shade Weed per pull, or lower the cost of Shade Weed a bit for resurrection shots... because it takes a lot of grinding just to not fully die, which can happen fairly easily. I get the idea is that it's an alien planet with unpredictable wildlife, but there have been so many times I'll get killed 5-10 times just trying to get from one waypoint to the next, just trying to respawn and run again. I get it's not supposed to be too easy, but in a slight way it kind of reminds me a smidge of Dark Souls in that sense. :P

Ater playing a decent chunk of the game on day-one release... I must say, the game IS EXCELLENT! Being honest, when I first launched, I had a small hiccup with graphic-settings, where for some reason it had an issue when I went to restart the game, in switching to full-screen mode. Ended up having to edit the settings file in the Steam-dir to make it borderless windowed. Was able to play the game for, according to Steam, an 11 hour stretch, without any real issues and everything was excellent, fun, interesting, explorative... this is not only the definite game I've been wanting to play for ages... but even the game I've been dreaming of for the past 20 years. When I was a teenager and used to be more into coding, I used to have ideas of games that could just render, on the fly, procedural-code and functions, to make a gigantic game without much need of mammoth-space and resources to make it work... this is more or less exactly what I would have imagined... starting in space and working down to the planet-level, rather than the other way around. Devs are already working on updates and additions to the game, which is GINORMOUS! To give an idea of the SCALE of this game: Before buying the game, I was SO excited for it... and found myself watching some PS4 gameplay videos on YouTube... kind of had a semi-idea of places to tighten up on that I'd see other players slip on, or stuff they'd pass by... or so I kind of thought. I had noticed in the journal-screen or whatever, that a lot of planets gave a few hundred thousand units, or more, if you discovered everything on the planet. Well, the planet I started on was awesome... which again, after the above-listed tiny graphics issue I had at first and flipping through some options, I found that if you exited and restarted at the very beginning you can re-renderer everything about the planet you start on. Since I was actually squared away, launched the game, and ended up on a freezing snowing planet... yeah, having grown up most my earlier years in the snow, I was good on that, restarted... and the planet I have now is lush, it's pretty, has neon-green grass with purple-ish and orange like landscape, the creatures are neat looking, the drones are there but only attack if provoked (and sometimes go into attack mode when I mine, which is odd), and findings are plentiful. This is where the scale comes into play, because I'm not sure if the amount of stuff per planet is semi-set or if it's procedural, but OMG, the first planet I'm on is SO HUGE with SO MUCH TO DO! As I said above, I noticed in videos that if a planet is completed there's a big pay day, and having an enjoyment of being a completionist, I thought I might start off completing the first planet or two. WOW! I can tell you now, the whole 11.5hrs listed up to this point has all been spent on THE FIRST PLANET! I have my ship repaired and ready to shoot into space... but I wanted to try to get everything on the first planet to have the few hundred thousands of credits starter-funds going into the cosmos; which I'm coming to find, with the found junk/sell-loot [like daggers and cubes and such] sold in a decent amount, can make just as many units, and perhaps for that reason, I'm feeling a nudge to move on with the game and maybe come back later, BUT... and this is the critical part... There's SO MUCH TO FIND... this game is an EXPLORER'S DREAM come TRUE! On just the first planet I've managed to upgrade my ship to a slightly nicer upgrade (another slot, a few more pre-installed functions/weapons) that was found in "downed ship" or whatever map-marker. I've also upgraded my multi-tool TWICE, and I think it's a 12-slot now (looks like an MP5), with a bunch of cool mods, that I crafted onto it. Also learned a TON of tool mods and ship mod (+several language words)... still can't access some of the materials yet to build them... but looking forward to huge mutli-slotted tools/ships that can be loaded to the teeth (it kind of reminds me a slight bit of Kingdom Hearts and the Gummi Ship with its upgrades & such). But seriously, after 11.5 hours, I'm STILL finding new stuff, on THE SAME STARTER PLANET! And I've barely made, in comparsion I'd imagine, a reasonable dent in the surface of the planet... when I think about how far I've traveled and what I've seen... I can't say that I can recall going in one direction, then realize coming back around the other side as in going all the way around... the planets are HUGE!!!! Which is a GREAT THING! This game is a UNIVERSE-SIMULATOR if there ever was one!!! From what I've seen in the videos, there are space-stations, there are "space bars" it'd seem, and everything in between... for any that grew up on the classic-game-series "Space Quest" by the *original* Sierra On-Line you OWE IT TO YOURSELF to try this, and be patient with it.

I originally gave this a thumbs up review... though for the life of me, I can't recall why. Game has okay graphics and decent open-world sandbox play... but becomes damn near painfully repetitive. You go into a neighborhood, attack smaller businesses, work your way up, then take out the neighborhood boss to liberate said neighborhood. Then wash/rinse/repeat. Even the storyline itself wasn't that bad... and originally I had a kick in taking out racist groups and such... but I coudn't bring myself to even finish the game, and even the thought of reinstalling and pushing myself to finish it brings back flashbacks of the overly dull repetitive and grindful nature of my last time attempting to play this game... and to me, that's not enjoyment, it's painful mind-numbing boredom. :-/ It's sadly like a AAA-level facebook and/or mobile game at best. -_-

First let me start by saying that this game is neat. I played Borderlands 1, but decided to pass on Borderlands 2 at the time of its release. I just recently picked it up a few days ago (it's now 02/21/2017), and the game originally came out 09/17/2012... so just shy of FIVE YEARS after the game released. Again, game is fun, but here's the issue I'm having. I purchased the $40 GOTY edition, where in the past, most GOTY editions come with everything that's come out for a game... and would think almost 5 years later, they'd be more than happy to have everything bundled together for the $40 I paid. But no... and don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the 10 items that are included in Steam's GOTY edition... but then while I'm in game, I go over to the customization-station, and see at least 5 skins for the Gunzerker that have an "*" next to them and figured maybe that meant they were premium items that were included... go to equip one, to find out I have to pay $1 each for each of the 5 or so "*" skins, and while perusing, notice there's about 5 for each class. So 6 classes x 5 skins @ $1 a piece, that'd be another $30 right there for JUST SKINS. Then while perusing father, it dawns on me that the Season Pass also wasn't part of the package, which is another $30... then I see scenario packs (but from what I understand they'd be included with the Season Pass, so won't list their prices), but on top of that, there's other packs, like a second level-cap pack (GOTY included the first I believe), which is another $5. Get where I'm going here!? $40 for GOY edition, plus $30 for JUST SKINS, plus $30 for Season Pass, plus $5 for the second level-cap pack (fairly certain that covers everything, but considering the lengthy list of DLC on Steam for this can't be certain)... so just to have the COMPLETE Borderlands 2 experience, even almost 5 years later, WITH a newer Borderlands (Pre-Sequal) that has released, looking at spending $105 at least!!! There's a "Borderlands: Take Over Your Life" pack for $129 which I believe included all Borderlands games, and I'd assume by the name everything for them... just WOW! To be fair, I can at least recommend Borderlands 2 and perhaps even the GOTY edition, so long as you're going to just play the game and do your best to dodge all pay-walls and invisible dollar signs looming through the game... but I must say, so early on in the game to be struck in the face with, "oh, that'll cost you this much extra" after already having purchased the GOTY edition almost 5 years later on after the original release... I sadly am left with a "Need For Speed: Most Wanted" (the remake) impression... where immersion feels now a bit constantly broken, and honestly a bit gross, with pay-walls and missing-content and invisible dollar-signs looming all throughout the game. >_< (From what I read about what's in the scenarios and the second level-cap pack, and skins, and other stuff... really feel like even after paying $40 almost 5 years later, there's still a decent amount that I'm missing out on. Honestly, I could easily afford the other $65 or more DLC, but the principle is just slapping me in the face like a stinky tuna-fish!)

So far, pretty relaxing and laid back. To be fair, I just started it, but loving what I'm seeing already. For die-hard fishers like myself, I'm worried it might be too simplistic, but time will tell if it gets more deep and realistic, will update as needed. Only real issue I'm seeing so far is been having an issue sharing highlights to Facebook... seems to clock and get stuck, and upon checking Facebook the share doesn't appear to be there. Went to share making level 2, and the game froze, so until that's ironed out, I may steer clear of social-sharing for the time being. Great replacement for Fishing Planet, which was a great game, until they purposely nerfed it to force nickel and diming of players in the cash-shop just to even have a semi-casual experience.

After the pleasure and joy of the first Test Drive Unlimited, and other great open-world racing games, this game, TDU2, just falls completely flat in SO many ways! Decided to pick it back up off the shelf, after getting bored with Forza Horizon 3's end-game grind, and at least there you can reasonably reach end-game! First of all, even though the world is open-world and even a bit pretty in its own right, the gameplay is EXTREMELY linear and layered. You need to acquire specific licenses before you can get the cars requiring those licenses in order to win races to make money which then is used to purchase properties and clothes which are only unlocked once you reach a certain level of exploration, etc. So, here's where the problem begins, which gets even more complicated given how unstable and buggy this game is (especially if attempting to use something like ENB to try and make the graphics look a bit more reasonable and not quite so dated). The licenses are the biggest bottleneck... they remind me so much of the Stuntman games and why I completely abhored that entire series and am glad it faded away into the lost and forgotten games of the past as a learning experience on the mistake that it was. The license tests are so abysmmal in the fact that after the initial license tests, they give JUST ENOUGH time to get all the way through from start to finish... meaning you can't over-skid, you can't bump anything, you have to do each test 100% perfect more or less with only perhaps a 1% spacing for even slight error. Which then each test couples in their own challenges, from a timer, to having to dodge and/or not hit other cars, along with having to navigate barrels/barricades. Some will have time-penalties for going off the road too much, but others are instant fail... if another car hits you, or you just BARELY graze a barricade/barrel, it's instant failure and having to start back over from scratch. The instant failure and restart might not be so bad on smaller tests, but when you're in a test with 49+ checkpoints, and you happen to barely graze a barel or a barricade (even when it doesn't look like you do on your screen) due to even a slight hiccup for any reason... you have to start back over from the first checkpoint. (Also worth noting that each of about 9-18 [the categories with different tiers to each] licenses have 8 test or so each!) Another huge issue is completely borked physics and handling. Even with a mod that's supposed to make the handling like TDU1, there's still so much constant fussing with the sliders to try and get the perfect handling for your experience, and it never quite hits the mark. From vehicle to vehicle it changes... so for one vehicle where you might need steering dampening all the way to the right, for others you might need it in the center, or all the way to the left... then the same applies to the other 5 or so sliders to fine-tune your control... ultimately to deliver one of the biggest cluster-!@#!s in a racing-game to date. Furthermore another huge issue is the fact the world seems SO empty compared to TDU1... perhaps I'm recalling TDU1 incorrectly, but the world felt more alive with more to do. There's something like 4 or 5 clothing stores, several car dealerships, Casino, real-estate agencies, safehouses, and other bits... but the fact they seperate them into different categories so only so much shows on the map at a time, along with the fact the maps are huge with having them so far spread out... it sadly has a Just Cause "empty lifeless village" feeling pretty much everywhere. Becomes even more painful when you hit lvl10 and start going to Hawaii from the airport... you drive through the hugest city area of Hawaii and actually have to drive aimlessly for quite sometime before you find even one point of interest, which is a massive shame! Was also rather disappointing that they had finally added motorcycles to the game, but was more just for vanity, as (unless I'm completely missing something) there doesn't seem to be anything single-player/offline to do with them... haven't found any way to paint/sticker a motorcycle, no way to improve motorcycle license, no motorcycle races, no motorcycle tuner upgrades... the motorcycles just seem to be there, and for anybody that's a massive enthusiast of motorcycles like I am, it's VERY disappointing! Then there's the issue that there are SEVERAL cars (as well as the motorcycles) that are locked behind cash-shop purchases (DLC) that require tokens. Not sure if the website still sells tokens, but luckily I was able to buy the Harley Davidson before the official shutdown. In game, I seem to have the option to purchase the other motorcycles if I wish, but come across several cars that say they're a DLC purchase and download, yet the source/download appears not to be available... so you get to stare at a car model that you'll never be able to access!

Single-player is "okay", but even the "end-game" of single-player is a grind-fest... then online is a super grind-fest... oh yeah, and Rockstar/Take-Two just took a smoking dump all over the moding community by canning OpenIV... so there is that. In one swoop they gutted most modding and/or the ability to expand the single-player side of the game... so GTAV now has less flexibility and potential than San Andreas, Vice City, GTA3, etc. -_-

Game engine is okay, gameplay mechanics are decent, base-building is fun... but OMG, the storyline has to be one of the worst. You wake up after seeing your son kidnapped and your wife murdered (not really spoilers, it's the opening to the game FYI)... you then prance all around the wasteland doing everything else except finding your son... however, when you do finally find your son, the story and explanation behind it are just God awful rubbish! >_

Took me awhile to get around to playing this... as you can tell from the release date compared against the date of the review. Game is actually pretty good, despite what some other reviews I recall reading had said. Got this on a Steam sale a LONG time ago and it'd been installed and sitting for quite some time. Finally fired it up and it's pretty fun. Although it would be nice to be able to either toggle third-person on foot, or at least pan our camera around us... otherwise, outside of some stat boosts, the different "outfits" seem kind of silly, lol. Gameplay is pretty fun though, sometimes grindy, but still overall pretty fun to play, would indeed recommend this title! :D

On the fence on recommending this. It's good for wrestling fans... however, the in-game roster is lack-luster, and unlike wrestling games of yesteryear, there's not really much in the way of storylines/cutscenes. The game tries to make conflicts/feuds... but more or less a match happens, where occasionally stuff can happen in those matches if the people are in a feud, and that's for the most part it. Customization is great... can customize arenas, CAWs, belts, weekly-roster of shows, stats, etc, etc.

TL;DR SUMMARY: Game is easily a pass; which pains me to say as I typically love anything having to do with nautical, naval, sea, sailing, etc. (Thank God I got it in a Humble Bundle!) There's three main mechanics to the game: 1. Sail, explore, and pick up items as you find them, 2. Attack and have combat with enemy vessels, 3. Dock at ports via a menu where you get supplies/quests -- wash/rinse/repeat those three mechanics endlessly throughout the entire game on "procedurally-generated" maps. (At least you can also customize the factions/ships, as well as the map layout I guess... fourth mechanic!? LOL.) Anywho, after perusing around on the webs a bit... seems some devs have "inspiration" (as a developer so eliquently phrased it on the Steam forums) from older shut-down titles/creations to then take said material, roll it around a bit, and rerelease it as their own... sad in a way... to have the ability and opportunity to make something unique and make the most out of the platform/foundation, and instead recycle something that's been done and shut-down numerous times before. :-| REVIEW: Not to be mean, game has some promise and potential, but it just got so boring with only sailing all the time and ship-combat aside from some (sarcasm) rousing menu-simulator going on. Having enjoyed the ship-combat in PotBS and AC: Black Flag, decided to give this a whirl... with a focus on just sailing and ship-battles, how could one go wrong. Well, that's where it begins to massively unravel. Game is okay, customization and configuration at the beginning of factions, and color-schemes, etc is really neat... but when the game starts and you play for awhile, it's the classic wide as an ocean, but deep as a puddle dilemma. It's another of many "pop up menu at the docks" sailing games with a locked isometric-view, where you're constantly staring down at your ship with no means to zoom it in whatsoever, so the view you start with is all you constantly have the entire game (an ability to pan in behind the ship and have more **** 3D view would be awesome!), with nothing but constantly seeing the water and the ship, which might be okay. But then you just constantly sail, gather, quest (which quests you get at docks and they get put in your cargo-hold like inventory... for some that makes sense, but others not so much), grind, combat, etc. If this released many moons ago on say the NES, SNES, or even the Gamecube, or even early Playstation 1 or 2, might not have been so bad as a quick time-waster console-game... but this is a PC game, that only released 2 years ago in 2015. It's almost more of a clicker kind of game... since when you come across pirates or enemies, your ship will auto-fire at it and all you really need to do is circle it and watch the battle commence. I was trying my hardest not to doze off while playing this, and I honestly wasn't tired when I originally started playing it... and even more bluntly honest, I wanted it to be much more fun than that! -_- I'm gonna' have to shelf this again... because if all I did in this the entire time is JUST ship sailing constantly and auto-combat and grinding... I might find myself burned out on other games such as PotBS, etc... which is a shame... was hoping this would be a fun "filler" kind of game when on a cool-down from PotBS and such... oh well, I guess... considering the state of today's gaming-industry, guess I shouldn't be all that shocked. Even if it were more of a pleasure-cruise exploration, there's so much more that could be done and/or added to make it more fulfilling as such. Perhaps allow people to get off on land and piers/town and walk around with a top-down old-school pixelated character (think Dragon Warrior or original Ultima and/or Final Fantasy) that can explore around, dig for treasure, fish, etc... perhaps even build/upgrade a house and/or your faction's village. Another thing that I found bizarre, is even though it allowed me to customize SIX factions, which I tried to make really unique and interesting, even on the largest map (33x33), it would only allow me to place FOUR factions!? What happened to the other 2 that I customized!? -_-