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A Morally Gray Masterpiece Where World-Building Triumphs Over Flawed CombatSequels in RPGs often struggle with the "Tabula Rasa" problem—how do you reset a fully leveled protagonist without insulting the player's prior investment? Warhorse Studios handles this with brilliant ludonarrative harmony. Following a catastrophic event, Henry loses his skills, but he doesn't revert to a village idiot. The developers elegantly streamlined micro-skills (like herbalism and lockpicking) into broader categories like Survival, indicating Henry retains his foundational knowledge. More importantly, Henry hasn't necessarily become weaker; the pond has just gotten vastly bigger. Moving from the rural ignorance of Sassau to the unforgiving, cosmopolitan streets of Kuttenberg means Henry is now facing a much higher caliber of ruthless nobles, seasoned mercenaries, and cunning rogues. It is a highly logical and immersive design choice.Beyond the protagonist's journey, the world itself is a masterclass in emergent design and moral ambiguity. The side quests are denser and far more captivating, presenting genuinely difficult moral dilemmas where the lines between good and evil are thoroughly blurred into shades of gray. The dynamic world encounters—especially the brilliantly eccentric "Riddler"—breathe life into every journey. Mechanically, the non-combat systems have seen a massive glow-up. The newly introduced blacksmithing minigame is phenomenal, and the skill tree has been overhauled into something far more intuitive. Even better, Warhorse removed the "auto-brew" function in Alchemy—a system that previously devolved into tedious busywork—and replaced it with a potion quality-tier system. This introduces meaningful friction, making the act of brewing feel like a true craft again. Surprisingly, the game truly shines in its stealth mechanics. The addition of interactive elements like throwing stones for distraction and QTE-based struggles during takedowns transforms KCD 2 into a top-tier stealth experience. The detection parameters are tighter, making every infiltration feel dangerously authentic.However, I must address the elephant in the room: The combat system is still fundamentally broken. Despite the visual flair of the finishers, Warhorse failed to fix the dominant strategy from the first game. The "Master Strike" remains an overpowered crutch that trivializes encounters. Dynamic swordplay is ruined by the fact that even a random peasant can execute perfect blocks, turning duels into awkward, staring contests of stamina attrition until you simply counter-attack them to death. The newly added unarmed wrestling suffers similarly; enemies can execute brutal counters from terrible angles while Henry cannot. Yet, Henry can exploit a chokehold mechanic to knock out almost anyone in three seconds flat. The combat looks cinematic, but mechanically, it is highly exploitable.Despite the glaring lack of balance in its combat loop, the sheer density of Kuttenberg, the intricate stealth systems, and the deeply immersive, morally complex world-building overshadow its flaws. It is a rare sequel that deepens its predecessor's vision in almost every way.A Flawed but Unquestionable Masterpiece

The Ultimate Puzzle Box: A Masterclass in Routing and Spatial DesignLet’s address the mechanical friction right out of the gate: the camera and controls. Playing the HD Remaster with the "modern" control scheme creates a jarring orientation dissonance with the fixed camera angles. The controls themselves aren't necessarily bad, but their interplay with the abrupt camera cuts is actively hostile; getting stuck in an infinite movement loop between two screen transitions is a frustrating reality. It wasn't until my third playthrough, chasing total mastery of the game, that my muscle memory fully adapted to this quirk.However, looking past that mechanical friction, this game is an absolute jewel. It stands as the magnum opus of the survival horror genre. The Spencer Mansion is not just a backdrop; it is an intricate puzzle box. The level design and item placement are so mathematically precise that they should be mandatory study material for game design in 2026. The spatial relationship between where an item is found, where it needs to be used, and the perilous routes connecting them is immaculate. The true genius of Resident Evil reveals itself through its mastery curve: what begins as a claustrophobic, trap-filled slaughterhouse eventually transforms into a speedrunner's playground once you memorize its layout. You stop fearing the mansion's residents; they start fearing **** action economy is equally brilliant. The severe limitation of inventory space forces agonizing macro-management, while the enemies themselves serve as ticking time bombs. Deciding whether to burn a corpse or risk it reviving as a faster, deadlier threat introduces a flawless delayed consequence mechanic to every single bullet you **** only notable blemish on this masterpiece is the illusion of choice between Chris and Jill. Aside from a punishing inventory deficit and different side-characters, they play identically. For a game so meticulously crafted, failing to provide true asymmetrical gameplay—giving them fundamentally different mechanical approaches to the mansion—feels like a remarkably lazy design choice, even for its era. Chris merely acts as an artificial hard mode rather than offering a distinct mechanical identity.Despite the dated illusion of character choice and the modern-control camera clashes, its spatial design, routing optimization, and resource economy remain virtually unmatched. It is the definitive peak of its **** Best of Its Kind

It checks all the boxes for its genre, but the pacing and design just weren't my vibe. I was actually into the story—from the intro to the quests—but the storytelling and level design couldn't quite keep me engaged. Maybe I’ll give it another go when I have more time; I might like it then.

A Triumph of Ludonarrative Resonance and Asymmetrical Co-opIt Takes Two is a masterclass in ludonarrative resonance. The premise is a familiar trope: a couple on the brink of divorce is magically compelled to cooperate, facing trials that can only be conquered by working in tandem. The narrative, while admittedly cliché, is undeniably heartwarming and serves as the perfect vehicle for the game's mechanical ambitions. The act of repairing a broken relationship is literally translated into the gameplay **** level design is exceptionally diverse, driven by Josef Fares's brilliant use of disposable mechanics. The game introduces a profound new layer of gameplay in almost every chapter, only to discard it before it overstays its welcome, keeping the pacing flawless. While Cody and May often perform functionally analogous tasks under different guises, specific chapters completely separate their mechanical responsibilities. This true asymmetrical design not only necessitates constant verbal communication but heavily encourages a second playthrough to swap roles, explore the alternate mechanics, and foster mutual **** paper and in execution, it is a mechanically denser and more comprehensive package than Hazelight's subsequent release, Split Fiction. Yet, subjectively, its vibrant, whimsical atmosphere didn't resonate with me quite as deeply as the specific themes, atmosphere, and overall feel of Split Fiction. Furthermore, while the environmental design and soundtrack are objectively well-crafted, they lacked staying power in my memory—with the notable exception of the brilliantly chaotic Garden chapter, which was an absolute riot.Josef Fares and Hazelight Studios have created a phenomenal, genre-bending sandbox. It redefines cooperative gaming, leaving us eagerly awaiting their next creative output.

A Shallow Playground Made Great by Good CompanyHaving just finished Sackboy in co-op with my girlfriend, I’m left with mixed feelings about its technical execution but a lot of fond memories of the chaos we caused. As a 3D platformer, it struggles with one of the genre’s most fundamental requirements: depth perception. It’s far too easy to misjudge a jump simply because the visual cues aren't sharp enough. Furthermore, the camera management is a bit of a letdown. In sections where things get frantic, the camera fails to zoom out properly when players diverge, leading to cheap, off-screen deaths that quickly sour the mood.Mechanically, the game is spread quite thin. It lacks the long-term depth or inventive evolution needed to keep a solo player truly engaged, and the level design feels somewhat repetitive, with environments that evolve at a glacial pace. When the levels themselves feel shallow, the motivation to press on usually falls to the "collectathon" loop—grabbing orbs and unlocking cosmetics. Honestly? That’s not enough to carry a 20-hour experience.However, the reason we actually stuck through to the end wasn't the brilliance of the game design, but the sheer fun of playing it together. Compared to the high-stakes, "we’re doing serious business" energy of It Takes Two or Split Fiction, Sackboy felt like a low-pressure sandbox. Our main motivation wasn't necessarily to beat the level, but to mess with each other and just soak in the vibes. The music-themed stages, where the entire environment pulses like a choreographed musical, were the undisputed highlights—pure, unadulterated **** you’re looking for the next evolution in platforming, this isn't it. But if you want a colorful, musical backdrop to laugh and mess around with a partner, it does the job. It's shallow, sure, but the memories we made were anything but.

A Bold Mess: When Innovation Feels Like a Part-Time JobI’ll start with the elephant in the room: the dual-character mechanic. Look, it’s a cool idea on paper and definitely forces you to look at the levels from a different perspective, but does it actually add "genius" to the puzzles? Not really. Most of the time it’s just: Character A stands here, Character B goes there, and they meet in the middle. It adds some variety, sure, and the gameplay differences between Billy (the tank) and Rebecca (the chemist) are a nice touch, but it’s not exactly ****, let’s talk about the thing that almost made me quit: the inventory. I honestly cannot wrap my mind around why a Resident Evil game—a survival horror classic—doesn't have item boxes. Who thought dropping items on the floor was a good replacement? It’s not "challenging," it’s just a massive waste of time. Since there’s no inventory expansion, the game quickly turns into a glorified delivery simulator. Trekking all the way back from Zone C to Zone A just to pick up a hookshot you left behind isn't "survival," it’s just tedious manual labor. It completely kills the pacing.Also, I really missed that classic RE backtracking feel. In the first game, returning to a hallway you’ve already cleared felt rewarding because the environment changed and you felt like you were mastering the space. In Zero? It just feels linear. You’re always just pushing forward, and that "Metroidvania-lite" magic of the Spencer Mansion is nowhere to be ****’s a shame, because the train section (Ecliptic Express) was genuinely fantastic. I wish the whole game stayed on those tracks and leaned into that layered, vertical design instead of becoming a logistical nightmare later on.There are some great ideas here and it’s a solid entry if you can ignore the headache of managing items, but man... someone should have told the devs that "inventory management" isn't the same thing as "fun.

A Slick Action Game That Doesn’t Respect Your TimeI gave Returnal about 10 hours—long enough to clear a few biomes and realize I was just forcing myself to play. To be honest, the narrative feels like it’s barely trying. There’s some interesting lore buried here, but it’s so fragmented and sparse that I kept forgetting what was even going on until I stumbled upon a new recording, only to forget it again ten minutes later. It just doesn’t stay "alive" enough to make you **** irony is that the actual gameplay and flow are fantastic. The gunplay is punchy, the movement is fluid, and it hits all the right notes for a high-octane action game. But as a roguelike? It fails at the most basic level: progression. While the micro-progression within a single run (weapons, artifacts, etc.) is decent, the macro-progression is honestly pathetic. You get a sword, you get a hook... and that’s about it. It adds almost nothing to the long-term **** a good roguelike, dying should still feel like you've moved the needle forward. In Returnal, if you don't get a lucky RNG run, you've essentially just wasted an hour of your life for zero gain. The game is incredibly repetitive, but without the "permanent growth" hook that makes the genre addictive.Eventually, I decided to pull the plug because my time is too valuable to gamble on a loop that doesn't feel rewarding. If the game doesn't respect the effort I put in, I don't see the point in finishing it. It looks great and plays well, but it just doesn't meet the standards of the genre.Great mechanics trapped in a frustratingly hollow progression loop. Unless you have infinite time to kill and don't mind the grind, this one is a pass.

A Masterclass in Tension, Routing, and True Survival HorrorLet’s get one thing out of the way first: I honestly don’t care about the whole "original vs. remake" debate. I don’t review games based on what they added or changed from a 20-year-old title; I judge a game by what it is now, on its own merits. And Resident Evil 2 Remake is hovering right on the edge of absolute survival horror perfection. Sure, the actual character writing and plot are pretty weak, but I actually love that classic, cheesy RE charm. Where this game truly excels is its world-building and **** RPD (Police Station) is a masterpiece of level design. The vertical and horizontal interconnectedness, the way the narrative unfolds naturally as you find keys and tools (like uncovering the lore in the S.T.A.R.S. office)—it just flows brilliantly. You spend the first couple of hours slowly mastering this location, turning it into your comfort zone. Then, Mr. X drops in, the hallways fill with Lickers, and it turns into an absolute hellscape.This is where the game rewards mastery. If you’ve memorized the map—which is basically mandatory if you're grinding out S-Ranks and chasing that Platinum trophy on the PS5 like I am—Mr. X just becomes a fun, glorified game of tag. You can completely clown on him. But if you stumbled blindly through the first half and don't know the layout? Good luck, because you're going to be screaming a lot.This brings me to my favorite aspect: the backtracking. This isn’t your standard Metroidvania "get a double-jump to reach a new ledge" backtracking. True RE backtracking is about returning to a space you thought you knew, only to find the context has entirely changed. You revisit familiar corridors armed with new items, noticing things you missed, but now the threat level is totally different. RE0 completely failed at this with its linear, forward-pushing design. RE2 Remake nails the classic formula: escape a puzzle-box station, survive a transitional area (sewers), and end up in a secret Umbrella lab. It’s the ultimate RE **** inventory and resource management might actually be the best in the series, arguably better than the classics. It gives you so little and demands so much. Combat is entirely strategic. A veteran player knows not to waste a whole magazine killing a zombie; you shoot out their kneecaps, leave them crawling in low-traffic hallways, and save your ammo for the Lickers. It’s brilliant resource **** one major gripe? The character differences are just too minor. I criticized RE0 and RE1 for this, but even they had mechanical differences (like Rebecca being a medic who can mix herbs). Here, aside from the Ada/Sherry segments and a few weapon/speed differences, Leon and Claire play almost identically. For a franchise built so heavily on replayability, I really expected more mechanical asymmetry to justify the A/B **** me, the RE1 HD Remaster is still the undisputed king and the purest representative of this genre. But RE2 Remake is right there behind it. Plus, William Birkin has always been my absolute favorite character in the entire franchise, so I’m definitely throwing in some bias points here. It’s a near-flawless experience.

Astro Bot is a "video game" in the absolute purest sense of the word. From A to Z, it’s designed to be a joyous experience, and it hits the ground running with incredible speed and variety. However, honestly? Given how quickly it introduces new ideas, I expected the gameplay to get a bit more complex and the level designs to become more creative as things progressed. Don't get me wrong—it’s still very well-crafted for a 3D platformer, but it never quite reaches that "top-tier" level of design mastery you’d see in something like Super Mario **** game feels like a high-end demo for the DualSense. It uses every single feature of the controller to its limit, and it definitely enhances the immersion. To be fair, I’m not someone who thinks the DualSense is as mind-blowing as everyone says, but even I can't deny that it’s a lot of fun here. My biggest gripe, though, is the power-ups. After introducing some really clever mechanics, the game starts recycling them way too much. Seeing a power-up from the very beginning show up again near the final stages felt like a bit of a letdown for a game of this caliber. I expected a bit more innovation in the latter **** levels are cheerful and well-thought-out, but only one or two really stood out to me as truly brilliant. And then there's the story—or the lack of one. The narrative is so thin it’s barely worth following. It’s just there to give the pacing a reason to exist, but it offers zero motivation for the player. That void is filled entirely by nostalgia. Seeing all those classic PlayStation characters and dressing up like them hits you right in the feels. It’s an emotional trip down memory lane that keeps you moving forward when the plot **** this game had a proper story and a more compelling way to tell it, it would have been a masterpiece. As it stands, it’s still at the top of the pile for modern platformers, but it's just a few steps away from being a legend.

Let me make one thing clear: when it comes to keeping you in the flow, this combat system might be one of the best out there. Trading blows in a tight fight, parrying incoming strikes, dodging unparryable moves, using specific combos to evade special attacks, and then completely unleashing on enemies with Beta and Burst skills... man, it feels so damn good. I admit it’s not a flawless or highly creative system—Lies of P, which I consider a similar game, feels much better in terms of pure combat design despite being simpler—but Stellar Blade’s combat is incredibly refined. You never get bored, and it keeps you completely locked into the flow. Plus, since our leading lady fights with such aesthetic style, the visual feedback alone keeps you hooked. Hats off to them for this, pure and **** game also features a lore and clue system that fits this combat perfectly—it's simple and easy to follow, but has some decent depth if you actually want to dig into it. My guess is that the story draws heavy inspiration from The Matrix and its philosophy. My only real gripe is that—maybe South Korea doesn't have deep exposure to Abrahamic religions, I don't know—the game does some incredibly basic foreshadowing and straight-up spoils the ending through the character names. I swear, during the opening sequence, I predicted the exact logical conclusion of the ending, even if I didn't know the exact plot points. Because it failed to surprise me where it tried to pull twists, I can't say I loved the story or found it highly successful, but at least it being simple and consistent was enough for me. In the narrative, we are an elite warrior and basically a detective unraveling the mystery, even if the gameplay doesn't really reflect that (I wish that detective aspect actually made it into the gameplay; it would've created an amazing narrative synergy).I also want to mention the soundtrack. The music is beautiful and does a great job of building the world, but for some reason, after a while, it felt like the tracklist was too limited, and I was just listening to the same tracks on **** game has some serious pacing issues. To be honest, I was bored out of my mind until the final stretch; if the core loop wasn't so straightforward and easy to get into, I might have just dropped it entirely. Early on, the game dumps you into highly repetitive semi-open worlds, giving off this mindless MMORPG grind vibe. You’re just killing enemies scattered across a mostly empty map, solving a few puzzles, and heading back to the hub over and **** later on, the game shifts into a strictly linear structure, and from that point, the tempo never drops. It delivers the exact climax I always look for in a game: pushing us straight into back-to-back boss fights with zero filler, sending the adrenaline through the roof, and wrapping it up with a phenomenal final boss. Speaking of the final boss, I think I saw two different versions. They aren't unlocked through gameplay milestones; you just choose them directly via a decision at the very end. I highly respect the game for this, and thanks to save scumming, I got to experience both. Two incredibly fun and distinctly designed final boss **** Game Plus is also incredibly well done and actually makes you want to replay it. Since it becomes relatively easier, you can just skip past the boring parts, rush to the endgame, and enjoy the pure power fantasy of being completely overpowered.

Just because I use Souls games as examples so often, I don't want anyone to think this is a souls-like. The reason I mention them is simply because I wanted to give an example of a real-time but strategic action game.I am relatively new to turn-based games; I’ve only been playing this genre for a few years. I gave the Persona series a chance a couple of years ago and instantly became a fan. While I have loved turn-based strategy games like Baldur’s Gate and Divinity since my childhood, I hadn’t touched JRPGs like Final Fantasy or Persona until **** be honest, what I love about this genre isn't reactive combat; I prefer the whole "wait for my turn and plan my strategy" aspect. I find it much more interesting and different. Sandfall Interactive didn’t invent this reactive turn-based system, but they are probably the ones who innovated it best—or at least, they executed it at the perfect **** real-time combat, especially in Souls games, everything depends on stamina control, composure, and instant strategy, which feels natural and fun. But Sandfall went for a design where you have plenty of time on your turn to plan your build and attacks, yet when the turn passes to the enemy, you have a right to defend yourself instead of just waiting. On paper, they made this system flawless, and by adding "soul" to it, the actual gameplay became **** pick a 4-member party and build a synergistic team, trying to choose equipment and skills that ensure maximum efficiency before jumping into **** Offense: You select your skill and try to hit the QTE at the exact right time to get the maximum damage or **** Defense: It is all about dodging and parrying. If you perfectly parry every incoming attack, you trigger an automatic **** combat is designed so beautifully that you stay completely in the zone from start to finish—well, until you die to a boss one too many times.Souls games have that magical loop where dying a hundred times to a boss doesn't bore you because you feel yourself getting better. That feeling doesn't translate to Expedition 33. Because it is turn-based and relies on numbers, having to start from turn one again just throws the math back in your face, and it can get really exhausting. Also, if you spend too much time in one area or get overleveled after the mid-game, fighting regular enemies starts to feel like a bit ****, the game looks incredible from start to finish. While I wouldn’t give the level design a 10/10, the environments really play with your emotions. Thanks to the visual success, the mood and feeling of each area completely transfer to you, making every zone feel entirely unique.However, I didn't find the layout or level design that successful. They mostly feel like empty corridors just carrying you to your next objective. Artistically, matching the game's theme, it looks like a painting, which serves as a powerful piece of visual narrative.I have some criticism regarding the plot. It has a magnificent opening and a great rising action, but the resolution completely ruins the story for me with cliches and family drama. The ending was a total disappointment. They tried to create a climax with a big plot twist, but it had the exact opposite effect on me.Note on the Map: When I played it, there was no map, but I think they added one later. That was a highly justified and correct choice. Bravo!Finally, I have to talk about the music because wow! Oh my god! Man, the soundtrack of this game is an absolute masterpiece. It is an incredible album. I still listen to it in the car on my way to **** conclusion, it is almost a masterpiece. For me, there are only two main flaws:1. My personal expectations from the story ending in a letdown.2. While the mechanics add great dynamism, I personally prefer the purely strategic and thoughtful nature of traditional turn-based combat—plus the exhaustion of restarting from scratch during brutal boss fights.

Before talking about the game itself, I want to clarify what an RPG means to me. If we look at the definitions from industry pioneers like Josh Sawyer or Hironobu Sakaguchi, Cyberpunk 2077 technically qualifies as an RPG. However, when you look closer at its mechanics and narrative structure, it doesn’t really fit under the hardcore RPG **** personal definition of a true RPG is simple: the world must react to the player's choices, and you must be able to roleplay within the established rules of that universe. More importantly, you should overcome challenges using your character's stats and attributes, not your actual real-world reflexes. If your character isn't intelligent, they shouldn't be making clever remarks or solving complex puzzles. If they aren't physically strong, they shouldn't be wielding heavy weapons without fumbling and **** this metric, Cyberpunk 2077 is an "RPG lite." That being said, especially after the 2.0 update, it has significantly more RPG depth than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and many other modern games that claim the title.I’ve finished the game twice, completing it 100% both times—once right at launch and a second time after the 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty DLC. I absolutely adore the cyberpunk theme and the world CD Projekt Red **** protagonist, V, isn't a deeply customizable or varied character; instead, V acts more like a witness to an incredible story and world. The main plot gives you a solid, urgent motivation, which works perfectly for the core campaign. However, this creates a major pacing paradox that bothered me during both playthroughs: it makes absolutely no narrative sense for a character who is actively dying to waste time on trivial street gigs. I tried to justify it by telling myself that V needs money, street cred, and connections to survive, but it's a bit of a **** quest design has elements I both love and **** Illusion of Choice: The final outcomes of most quests are completely predetermined. The game gives you a lot of variety in how you complete a mission based on your build, but the story ends up in the exact same place. Since this is an action-RPG and the combat feels incredible, I actually don't mind this. The gameplay variety and the moment-to-moment feel matter much more to me than having multiple narrative branches for every side **** Navigation Problem: Following golden lines and quest markers on a mini-map feels incredibly outdated. I’m not saying it needs to be completely unguided like Elden Ring or Zelda: Breath of the Wild—Cyberpunk's fast pacing wouldn't support that—but the industry needs to find a more organic, creative way to handle open-world navigation by now.There is a common criticism that the open world doesn't feel "alive," but I disagree with that wording. The world isn't dead; it's just empty. Night City is massive and beautifully designed, but outside of taking quests and gigs, there really isn’t much to do. It feels like a more hollow version of GTA. Personally, I wish they had taken a Yakuza (Like a Dragon) approach instead. The cyberpunk setting is a perfect match for that kind of dense, activity-packed **** biggest downside for me is that V’s actions, thoughts, and choices have almost no weight in the macro-story. Outside of picking your ending path and changing a few dialogue lines, you cannot influence or alter the state of the **** character progression system is highly enjoyable and offers great variety. However, if you clear all the side content as you go, the concept of a strict "build" disappears by the mid-game. Instead of specializing, you just become a master of everything and end up completely overpowered. Thankfully, the action is so good that it remains fun. You can still choose your playstyle on the fly: jumping into the middle of a crowd like an unstoppable cyborg death machine, or sniping a target from the roof of a **** without ever entering the **** side stories are where the game’s creativity shines brightest. Some of them are incredibly memorable, and I really wish they were expanded further—like the guy with the malfunctioning cyberware, or the monk who was kidnapped and forced to get cybernetic implants against his **** you don't like the cyberpunk theme, stay away, because the game won't convert you. But if you are open to it, drop the internet bias, ignore old reviews, and give it a fair chance. Take your time and get lost in the city. Mechanically, features like driving, vehicle variety, and car combat now run like clockwork. The game also manages its pacing well; if you ever get bored of roaming the open world, you can jump right back into the main story without worrying about being underleveled. It's a phenomenal experience.

First of all, I definitely wasn't expecting to play as a bodyguard instead of the actual Prince in a Prince of Persia game, and I didn't find that premise interesting at all. To be honest, I didn't find the overall story to be that high-quality anyway.I’m really not big on platformers; I lost interest in this genre a long time ago. However, The Lost Crown executes its action so well that it actually managed to grab my attention. You never lose your flow. Because the combat mechanics are so solid and you constantly have to react quickly, fighting never gets boring—no matter how many enemies rush you in a **** gameplay loop becomes incredibly fun thanks to a well-thought-out skill set that lets you:Pull off fluid combos.Parry regular attacks while dodging unparryable ones.Manage large crowds of enemies **** platforming elements are simple but refined. You use your abilities both for fighting enemies and for solving platforming puzzles, so your toolkit never feels cluttered or redundant. Because of the Metroidvania structure, the game doesn't dump all the abilities on you at once. You unlock them gradually over time, which keeps the progression smooth and keeps you from getting **** Screenshot Feature: Adding photos directly to the map is an amazing mechanic. It completely eliminates one of the biggest reasons why I usually stay away from platformer Metroidvanias. Though, to be fair, I still somehow managed to get lost quite **** level design was good too. It’s definitely not as detailed or brilliant as something like Hollow Knight, but it’s simple and neat. At the end of the day, if an action game has great pacing and the mechanics successfully keep you in the zone, it is almost impossible not to enjoy it.

Greed, Struggle, Learning.A masterclass in vertical world design that still puts modern games to shame. Every level is a meticulously crafted labyrinth of traps, secrets, and enemies that severely punishes greed but deeply rewards patience and **** agonizing boss runbacks. Bonfires are brutally far apart, meaning every time a tough boss wipes the floor with you, you have to trudge through a long, exhausting trek just to get another ****’s the definition of "tough but fair." The true magic is the unmatched dopamine hit and sense of pride you feel when you finally conquer a roadblock that felt completely impossible an hour **** you love Action RPGs and are looking for a genuine, unhandheld challenge, this is mandatory gaming **** the map and level design weren't so well-crafted, detailed, and rewarding, I'd suggest playing modern ones like Elden Ring and Dark Souls 3 instead. But unfortunately, not many games can match the vibe and enjoyment its level design offers, so it's definitely worth a shot.

I previously dropped this game and stated that it wasn't for me. However, I decided to give it another shot, and honestly, I think it deserves some credit.I completely misjudged it during my first attempt. Back then, I was going through a stressful period and didn't have much time. I tried to rush through the game and forced a "creative" build without actually committing to learning the systems. Because the build system is quite complex, I ended up underpowered, kept hitting a wall with every enemy I encountered, and naturally grew frustrated and quit.When I came back, I accepted that the game is complicated and that I needed to play patiently to figure it out. This time, I went for a very basic and straightforward build, just dumping points into Strength and Vitality. And I was wrong before—the game felt much simpler this way, and I managed to finish it with ease.Since I didn't stress over a complex, experimental build like the first time, I realized I actually understood the core mechanics much better. Instead of forcing myself to master all the unique features right away, I kept them in the background and naturally got used to them as I played. Because of this, the combat felt much more fluid and **** thing that impressed me the most by far was the level design. Just like I noticed in other reviews, it definitely gave me strong Dark Souls 1 vibes. To be fair, it’s not as perfectly planned or brilliant, but its complexity and interconnectivity make you remember DS1. You wander off into a side path thinking, "Let's see what's over here," and suddenly you end up in a completely new area, making you ask, "Wait, where was the main path again?"The Scaffolding Design: The game loves wooden platforms and scaffolding, which reminded me of Blighttown at times. However, Blighttown was a vertical labyrinth designed around vertigo and claustrophobia—a true psychological masterpiece. You don't really find that level of depth in Wuchang. The level design is good and well-thought-out, but it isn't profoundly **** game loves wooden platforms and scaffolding, which reminded me of Blighttown at times. However, Blighttown was a vertical labyrinth designed around vertigo and claustrophobia—a true psychological masterpiece. You don't really find that level of depth in Wuchang. The level design is good and well-thought-out, but it isn't profoundly **** paper, both the combat and the build systems look amazing. However, the build system essentially forces you to unlock basic skills through a talent tree—skills that most games just give you right from the start. It presents standard stat distribution (like Str and Dex) in a Path of Exile-style grid where you also choose special skills to shape your playstyle. This looks cool conceptually, but the actual execution in combat isn't that **** perfect dodge mechanic feels flawed. The game tries to offer fast-paced action like Khazan or Wukong, but Wuchang can feel surprisingly hantal (clunky).Because you can almost never interrupt enemy attacks (especially during boss fights), you rarely get to execute the cool combos or skills you actually invested your points into.Instead of relying on flashy combos like I tried to do in my first run, I just focused on basic moves that would melt the enemy’s health bar as fast as possible. It worked, but it felt disappointing in the end.Surviving between bonfires and exploring the world doesn't feel as polished or optimized as Lies of P, but it’s definitely better than other recent titles like Khazan or Wukong. If you take risks and check under every rock, the game rewards **** massive positive is the boss checkpoints. If you die to a boss, the game lets you respawn right outside the boss room instead of sending you back to a bonfire. This is an amazing feature. Honestly, I expect this from every soulslike not made by FromSoftware. Unless you are Miyazaki (in a good way), you don't have the right to frustrate players that much by making them run back to the boss. On the flip side, bonfires are a bit too rare during regular exploration, which can make exploring feel a bit tedious. I wish they were a bit more generous with **** conclusion, I went into this expecting great combat and weak world-building, but it turned out to be the exact opposite: mediocre combat with a really good world. Also, the game is unnecessarily long. I would much prefer a tighter main story that gets extended later through DLCs rather than a bloated campaign.I don't think it's a bad game, but my overall opinion hasn't changed drastically—it's still not entirely my type of game. That being said, returning to it and finishing it was worth it, and I don't want to completely rob it of its merits. If you are a hardcore Souls fan, it is worth playing just for the map design. If you aren't a fan of the genre, definitely stay away; there is nothing groundbreaking here that you need to experience.

This never feels like a Resident Evil game to me. I briefly played the original back in the day, but I don't remember why I never got around to finishing it. However, I still remember the original intro: Jill trying to find her way through the streets of Raccoon City, surrounded by shops, burned cars, destroyed walls, and broken doors. Right from the get-go, the atmosphere **** you in and makes you ****, looking at the remake, there is nothing like that here. As someone who heavily criticized Resident Evil 0 for being too linear and failing to match the brilliant level design of 1 and 2, you can probably guess what I think about RE3 Remake. I’m not saying this just to compare the original and the remake, because I don't think that's entirely fair. I'm just using the comparison to explain why this game doesn't feel like a true RE ****'s get the Nemesis issue out of the way first. He is a far cry from Mr. X. He doesn't create any tension, nor does he give you the feeling of being actively hunted. Instead, he just randomly pops up out of nowhere to ruin your **** entire mechanic feels incredibly scripted:It's impossible to escape him or lose his trail **** the script says he has to appear in that specific spot, he will find you and chase you down.Just when you think you've successfully dodged him and got away, he magically spawns right in front of your path to block you.Since he is basically the only major threat throughout the story, he just keeps mutating and fighting you over and over, which became highly annoying. I was so frustrated that when I finally defeated him, I didn't even feel happy or relieved.I usually play Resident Evil games first on the recommended (Normal) difficulty and then immediately replay them on Hardcore, because I love overcoming tougher obstacles on a map I already know. Unfortunately, I only did a single run of this game. The level design is just completely uninteresting; it doesn't feel detailed or well-thought-out. It just feels like I'm following a strictly linear story.Ammo is way too abundant, and combined with the dodge mechanic, the game turns into a weird action title—and it doesn't even do action well. If it had evolved into a solid, satisfying action game like Resident Evil 4, I would understand, but it fails at that too.Inventory management doesn't create any tension either. Managing limited space is a staple of the series, but here, I never ran into a single problem with inventory **** game is incredibly short. I used to criticize Spider-Man: Miles Morales for its length, but now I feel like I owe that game an **** be fair, it's a well-polished game with good animations and nice graphics. In some moments, just shooting zombies and utilizing the dodge mechanic can actually be fun. But at the end of the day, it doesn't offer a good action experience, a good Resident Evil game, or a good story.

Jesse Faden, who has been searching for her missing brother for years, steps inside the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC). This building has a strange aura that makes civilians completely miss or ignore it. Even if someone happens to discover it, strict protocols are put in place to stop them. So, why couldn't Jesse find this place for years, and why did she manage to find it just now? We take our first steps into this mysterious building with these exact questions, and the adventure begins.I want to start by praising the plot and narrative. The game makes a brilliant choice in how it tells its story, keeping things subtle and mysterious, which fits the theme perfectly. If you just want to follow the main plot, focusing on the cutscenes and dialogues is enough. However, if you carefully examine and read the collectibles, you encounter the massive hidden part of the iceberg.A deeply detailed and highly consistent lore is waiting for you. Control is a semi-open world game set entirely inside a single location: the FBC headquarters known as The Oldest House. Discovering the history of this world through internal corporate memos, emails, and official reports feels incredibly organic and perfectly maintains that cold, bureaucratic atmosphere.While the game has a very serious and dark tone, it also features excellent dark humor. Let me give you an example that might motivate you to read the files you find:There is a letter confiscated by the Bureau from the owner of an "altered item" cat. This cat turns into a monster the moment it is not being actively watched. The person writing the letter makes constant typos and grammatical errors because they are forced to stare at the cat while typing. Instead of just telling you a basic scary story, the game delivers a brilliant narrative through these tiny, realistic details.Furthermore, the Oldest House is a shifting structure where things constantly change places; a restroom on the first floor might literally disappear by the next morning. Seeing these paranormal misfortunes constantly happen to a bureau employee named Rodriguez makes you laugh out loud despite the tense **** gameplay variety and character progression are solid. You can customize your playstyle by equipping different mods to both your character and your transforming gun, the Service Weapon. Combined with your supernatural abilities like telekinesis, you can create a unique approach to **** absolute favorite feature is how the environment reacts to combat. Turning a pristine office or a department into a complete warzone and seeing everything shatter into pieces after wiping out waves of enemies is incredibly satisfying. It completely keeps you in the **** soundtrack list is absolutely amazing.I only need to say two words: Ashtray Maze. Oh my god, I still get goosebumps thinking about it. It is a pure, absolute dopamine rush from start to **** biggest and honestly only major downside for me is the lack of level and environmental variety. Because you fight in similar office environments against a rather limited variety of enemy types, a sense of burnout can kick in after a while. Everything is made of massive concrete blocks, and after spending hours inside, the brutalist architecture can start to feel a bit heavy and overwhelming.

We are slowly saying goodbye to our charismatic thief. Well, he definitely earned his retirement. First of all, because of its theme and narrative tone, Nate's story deserved a happy, heartwarming, and straightforward ending that doesn't force you to think about deep philosophical questions (unlike The Last of Us). It is a bit cliché, but it fits perfectly, and I congratulate the developers for making this choice. I can easily say that this is my absolute favorite story in the entire series in terms of execution, character dynamics, and **** only thing that didn't quite sit right with me was how certain plot points felt pulled out of a hat. We didn't even know Nate had a brother; the groundwork was never laid in the previous games. Suddenly, we learn about a past adventure where he supposedly died while escaping from prison, and then we find out he is actually alive. It is very weird that we never heard of this lost city and treasure before, especially since it sparked the Drake brothers' passion for treasure hunting as kids, changed Nate's life, and caused him to lose his brother in the first place.Despite this, the plot is consistent within itself. Finding this treasure feels like a "legacy" for the Drake brothers, and they pursue it no matter the cost. For Sam, it is even worth dying for; his only true wish is to discover this treasure together with **** Villains: Our enemy is their former partner, Rafe. Rafe is a classic, ambitious rich businessman who believes the end justifies the means. He gets exactly what he deserves. Honestly, one of my favorite things about the Uncharted series is that the bad guys always get their proper **** the finale, Nate and Elena plan a peaceful retirement using the gold they scavenged from the treasure hunt, living happily ever after with their child. There are no question marks, no "what ifs"—just a completely satisfying **** gameplay is basically the same as the other titles, but at least it doesn't feel raw anymore, and there are no stupid animation glitches. The new grappling hook mechanic is a great addition that makes the platforming more dynamic.However, the shooting, cover, and combat mechanics are still the same, and I still don't like them. How on earth does every single guy chasing a treasure possess a whole private army? The mercenaries just keep coming endlessly. They have tanks, artillery, and armored vehicles. How do they even transport these heavy weapons to every historical city? Nate is not a professional soldier or a marksman, so the immersion-breaking issue that bothered me in every previous game is present here too: it should be impossible for him to survive against a literal army, and realistically, he shouldn't even be able to take them down in one-on-one hand-to-hand combat.

The partnership between Chloe and Nadine became my favorite and most natural duo in the series. Of course, since we jump right into the middle of their story, these characters don't feel as deep or well-established as the slow-burning bond between Nate, Elena, and Sully. However, I really enjoyed their dynamic; it felt like watching a short film or an episode of Love, Death & Robots.Their motivations made sense. They tolerate each other at first just for work and a common goal, but as they overcome difficulties together and learn about each other's pasts, they warm up and look out for one another. This really resonated with me as a player.Additionally, the fact that the story takes place after our main thief's retirement immediately caught my attention because it answers the question, "What happened in the Uncharted world after we left?"I was both surprised and entertained by Sam's inclusion at the end of the story, especially with him trying to beat the number of mysterious cities discovered by his brother Nate. I actually expected Nate or Sully to show up somewhere. So, it was a nice plot twist for me.When you consider the game length, this title has the most diverse puzzles in the series. They are high-quality, fun, and plentiful. Frankly, it is the most satisfying game in the franchise regarding puzzle design.Enemy encounters feel a bit more optimized this time. The level design allows you to use stealth in open areas, and the game actually encourages it by giving you plenty of sniper rifles or silenced weapons. Since enemies don't attack in endless waves of 20 anymore, the encounters feel balanced and leave a good **** the playtime wasn't so short, if the story foundation was built slowly over longer hours, and if the main characters were more familiar—maybe focusing on Sam and Sully or Chloe this time—I would say this game deserves the highest score in the **** in its current state, it looks like a very short spin-off. It feels like a theatrical spin-off movie of a 10-season TV show. I looked at Spider-Man: Miles Morales more positively before; even though it gave me similar short spin-off vibes, it offered more variety and distinct features compared to its main game.

I haven't played the 2005 original, so I can only compare it to the other Resident Evil remakes I've played. In terms of story and atmosphere, it feels like a tense action game. The game has heavy action, and I felt tense while playing, but I was never actually scared. I don't think the game is even trying to create a terrifying atmosphere.This makes sense with Leon's character. After the Raccoon City incident, he is no longer a rookie. He went through serious training and is now an experienced agent on a major government **** can clearly see this experience in the gameplay. The combat is much more agile and dynamic now. You can move while attacking. Mechanics like weapon switching, inventory management, parrying, and melee kicks make the action side much stronger. Because of this, the enemies aren't slow zombies anymore; they are faster and more evasive. Also, with the newly added stealth mechanics, we aren't just getting ambushed by enemies; we can actually ambush them and become a threat **** keep the tension high in such an action-heavy system, they added the "Ashley" mechanic. When you fight large groups of enemies, you always have to keep one eye on Ashley so they don't kidnap her. You find yourself yelling, "Run, Ashley!" or "Hide, Ashley!" while fighting. I heard this mechanic was terrible in the original, but it is actually okay in the remake and sometimes creates a nice dynamic. However, if I am being honest, I would prefer not having her at all so I could just focus completely on the **** story supports the gameplay perfectly, which keeps the player in the flow and increases immersion. I love the classic Resident Evil clichés. Personally, I don't expect or want deep philosophical subtexts like in Silent Hill. The President's daughter gets kidnapped by a cult, leading to a global conspiracy, and our charismatic survivor Leon is sent to stop it. The dialogue is completely cheesy and empty, but it fits this action setup **** only thing that didn't sit right with me is that this gameplay difference feels more like a shift in genre rather than an evolution. Normally, I really love and appreciate the traditional RE formula: the mystery, the slow tension, and the difficult inventory management. Because this game moves away from those elements, I have to put this change in the negatives.

God, I really needed a game with a clear purpose and an above-average story that actually has a beginning and an end. After all that chaos, it felt really **** game follows the adventures of James Bond, an aviator who gets recruited into MI6's 00 program after succeeding in a seemingly impossible mission. Charismatic, sarcastic, rebellious, and highly talented, a young Bond trains at the MI6 Malta training camp under his complete opposite mentor, Greenway. Afterward, alongside other trainees, they go after 009—a rogue agent who was once one of the unit's most talented operatives. The mission is led by Greenway, who happens to be 009's former partner, and things get a bit messy after this **** its core, the plot is built around the conflict between an agent like Bond—who defies authority and molds, following his own instincts—and an MI6 managed by an advanced AI called THEIA. Bond isn't a 00 agent yet; he's a rookie proving himself along the way, though a highly successful **** story doesn't take many risks. It's a simple plot built on emotional, cliché, and iconic moments. While it didn't give me a massive emotional rollercoaster or blow my mind with twists, I still enjoyed it. I found myself laughing at times and getting genuinely hyped up whenever that classic Bond action music kicked **** some levels, the game moves completely linearly like Uncharted. In others, it features a sandbox level design that heavily reminds me of Hitman. In these sandbox parts, you gather clues, eavesdrop on people, and infiltrate areas to reach your main objective. However, you can't really talk about deep quest design or true player agency **** game creates a spy illusion. It acts like it offers gameplay variety, but even if your approach to a mission changes, it doesn't reach the level of Dishonored, or even Cyberpunk 2077 in my opinion. For example, you need to reach a room upstairs: do you find the security guard who called in sick and trick the person on shift, steal a press pass, or climb up a pipe? That's basically all there is to the choices. Because of this, the linear, story-driven levels actually caught my interest **** favorite part of the game was the pirate territory section, which actually made me feel involved and in control of my choices. First, you need to gather enough money to enter an auction there, and how you raise that money is left up to you. There is an illusion here too, because if you don't explore almost all the available options, you can't collect enough money anyway. Still, I really liked the sub-stories there, the gameplay, and the small sense of freedom it **** biggest criticism is that the game is way too cinematic. I only felt the game truly opened up after the Malta training camp, which means after a few hours of gameplay. Those first few hours were spent just waiting for Bond to get Q's gadgets and his signature pistol to finally infiltrate a place. There were times I felt my patience wearing thin, and I found myself saying, "Come on, just let me do some actual spying already."After finishing the game, there's a Tactical Sim mode where you complete challenges in the main story levels. This mode made me realize something: the main gameplay often feels like a series of small simulations with cutscenes thrown in **** in all, I am pleased with what I played. Lastly, I want to mention a small detail that might not motivate everyone as much as it did me, but I absolutely loved the level of detail in the world. For instance, seeing the wear and tear on an Aston Martin used in a mission, which probably belonged to a former 00 agent. Or the contrast between a high-end coffee machine in a luxury office and a cheap, crappy one in a rundown area. Spotting these kinds of details really pulls me into the experience.

In terms of story and storytelling, they have finally done the best. I've been waiting since Max Payne 1 & 2, Alan Wake, Quantum Break(?) and Control, they've finally done it! The atmosphere is just as good as the story. The story, the environmental sounds, the music, everything is there to create the atmosphere, the truth is that the gameplay is not as good as other things, but it is enough to keep you in the game. Although there isn't a lot of combat in the game, the gunfire gives a satisfying feeling. The tone of the game changes as you switch between Anderson's and Wake's characters. The game is not suitable for low systems, but if you have a high system, this game is a complete technology demo. Graphics, animation and detail are top notch. Games are experiences, and experiences are subjective. In short, this game is my best game of 2023.

I've never played an Armored Core game and I've never consumed any mech content other than the Evangelion anime series. Whether you like mechs or not, this is a very good action game. The smoothest game in years. The combat mechanics are near perfect. The aesthetics are also good enough. Bosses are not hard to defeat if you know what you're doing with your mech and how your mech works. The possibilities for customisation are endless. And this may make you think the game is so complicated at the beginning of the game, but after chapter 1 you'll see that the game is not as hard and complicated as other Fromsoftware games. There is exploration in the game, but it is not enough for me who thinks that exploration is important. There are some hidden items in the quests, of course there is the Moonlight Greatsword which is hidden in one of the quests (you may want to know that if you're from soulsborne). I look forward to see other IP from Yamamura.