mylovich

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is a unique entry in the Soulsborne series, offering a different experience that, while not reaching the heights of its predecessor, still stands as an enjoyable and challenging adventure. The game’s quality feels slightly lower than the other titles, with lore and enemy placement that often lack the intricacy and depth seen in the rest of the series. The combat takes a different approach, requiring players to slow down and carefully consider their actions. This slower, more deliberate pacing is a departure from the original Dark Souls, and while some players critique the abundance of enemies and gank situations, this issue arises mainly when the game is approached like its predecessor. Adapting to this more methodical style is key to appreciating the experience. The bosses lean towards quantity over quality, with a few exceptional fights scattered among many that are simply decent or good. While they may lack the memorable designs of other games in the series, they still provide plenty of challenge and spectacle. The environments are a mixed bag—some are breathtaking and evocative, while others feel bland or poorly designed. However, the DLC content is a highlight, featuring some of the best areas and bosses in the game, elevating the overall experience significantly. Though Dark Souls II tends to be overhated, those who take the time to understand its unique rhythm and playstyle will find a game worth exploring. It’s not without its flaws, but it offers a rewarding experience for those willing to adjust their approach and immerse themselves in its world.

Dark Souls: Remastered is a truly remarkable game that stands as a testament to FromSoftware’s mastery of RPG design. The level design is among the best I’ve ever seen, with every section of the sprawling map interconnected in ways that are both ingenious and satisfying to explore. The atmosphere is hauntingly immersive, drawing players into its dark and mysterious world, though it’s worth noting that the remastered version does fall short in replicating the original’s lighting, which added much to the mood. The gameplay and enemy placement are meticulously crafted, with every enemy location feeling intentional and calculated to the millimeter. The bosses, while not as refined as those in later entries in the series, are still impressive for the first installment of the trilogy. However, the game’s unfinished elements prevent it from reaching true masterpiece status. The second half of the game feels noticeably rushed due to time constraints during development, resulting in some areas that lack the polish and cohesion of earlier sections. These rushed areas, while still playable, detract from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, Dark Souls: Remastered is a must-play for fans of RPGs and those who enjoy a challenging, rewarding experience. Its impact on the gaming world is undeniable, and it remains a cornerstone of the genre.

Half-Life 2 is a timeless masterpiece, standing tall even 20 years after its release as one of the greatest games of all time. Its unparalleled interactivity with the world remains a benchmark that no other game has matched. The Source Engine feels like black magic, delivering physics that are still astonishingly advanced by today’s standards. The story is a compelling continuation of the original. The gameplay is equally impressive, offering a diverse arsenal of weapons that feel satisfying to use and levels that are masterfully designed, keeping the experience fresh and engaging throughout. However, the one lingering sore point is the infamous cliffhanger at the end, a narrative loose end that remains unresolved even two decades later. Despite this, Half-Life 2 remains a game that has shaped the industry and continues to inspire.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 delivers thrilling combat and engaging gameplay, with missions that are a standout highlight. The story is solid, but it’s disappointingly short. Visually, the game is stunning, capturing the grim and epic Warhammer aesthetic perfectly, but it’s hampered by notable performance issues. The side content is sparse and underwhelming, leaving little to do outside the main missions. While the developers have promised future updates, the current offering feels incomplete. The PvP multiplayer mode is lackluster, becoming repetitive after just a few matches. The PvE mode, while initially fun, suffers from excessive grind and a lack of content, leading to boredom over time. Despite its flaws, the core gameplay shines, and with updates, Space Marine 2 has the potential to become a truly great experience. For now, it’s a solid but flawed addition to the Warhammer universe.

Black Myth: Wukong is nothing short of a masterpiece. The story, inspired by Journey to the West, is compelling, though players unfamiliar with the source material might feel a bit lost at times. Even so, the narrative remains really enjoyable. The graphics are absolutely stunning, with each chapter presenting distinct and meticulously crafted environments that are bursting with detail and atmosphere. From lush forests to desolate ruins, the visual design never fails to impress and keeps you with a wow face throughout the entirety of the game. The combat system is great, making use of a ton of variation on spells and combos. The variety of enemies and bosses is unparalleled—possibly the best I’ve ever seen in a game. Each enemy is uniquely designed, with incredible attention to detail, and the bosses stand out with their diverse set of attack patterns that make every fight memorable. Progression feels well-paced and rewarding, giving a strong sense of growth. While the game performs decently, it does suffer from occasional rough patches in optimization, which can detract slightly from the experience. However, these issues are minor compared to other recent releases. In conclusion, Black Myth: Wukong is an extraordinary experience. Its breathtaking visuals, thrilling combat, and unparalleled enemy variety make it a standout title. Despite minor optimization issues, it’s a game that no fan of the genre should miss.

Tormented Souls is a fantastic homage to old-school survival horror games. It nails the essence of the genre with a decent story, gorgeous and atmospheric environments, and a constant sense of tension that keeps you on edge throughout the experience. The gameplay is solid, bringing back tank controls and inventory interaction reminiscent of classic titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The puzzles are another highlight, offering engaging and challenging moments. However, many of them are quite obtuse, and a few were difficult enough to require consulting a guide. A bit more clarity in puzzle design would have made the experience smoother. Enemy variety is somewhat lacking, which could have added more freshness to encounters. Visually, the game is impressive overall, with stunning environments that enhance the horror vibe, but the character models look awkward and don’t quite match the polish of the rest of the game. Despite these minor shortcomings, Tormented Souls is a must-play for fans of the survival horror genre, and the upcoming sequel in 2025 is something to look forward to!

Alan Wake II: The Lake House brings a noticeable improvement in storytelling over the previous DLC. The atmosphere remains impressive, fully capturing the eerie vibe Alan Wake is known for. However, it shares similar issues with its predecessor: it’s far too short, leaving much to be desired in terms of content. The new enemy type, while intriguing at first, quickly becomes repetitive and fails to add to the encounters. Additionally, the new weapon—though marketed as a fresh addition—falls flat, as it’s only effective against this new enemy type, limiting its overall impact. While The Lake House is a solid addition atmosphere-wise, the lack of substantial content and engaging new mechanics prevents it from reaching its full potential.

Alan Wake II: Night Springs is a good DLC that adds some enjoyable side stories, delving into quirky and fun tales. The stories bring fresh layers to the world of Alan Wake, adding charm and mystery for fans of the series. However, the DLC feels too short, leaving you wanting more content to explore. The gameplay doesn’t diverge much from the base game, which makes it feel more like an extension than a distinct new experience. Overall, while it’s a decent addition with some entertaining moments, a bit more content and gameplay variety would have made it way more worthwhile.

Alan Wake II is a great game, it has stunning graphics. On PC, the game performs exceptionally well, providing a smooth experience even with all its visual bells and whistles. The story is one of the game’s strongest aspects—it’s both captivating and mysterious, weaving a tale that keeps you guessing. Although it can be confusing at times, those who engage with the narrative will find it deeply rewarding. Gameplay is solid, with well-designed areas that are fun to explore, though these environments could have benefited from offering more than just collectible stashes. A standout feature is the character-switching mechanic. Each character has a unique playstyle, and the ability to switch between them keeps the gameplay fresh. When one storyline starts to feel a bit slow, players can jump into the other, adding a nice balance to the experience. However, the game’s pacing could be tighter, and it could deliver more intense scares to elevate its horror elements. While the combat is enjoyable, it would have benefited from a bit more dynamism to make encounters feel more varied and engaging.

The Silent Hill 2 Remake is an incredibly good game, capturing the eerie atmosphere of the original as closely as you can get. The expanded parts of the game are handled really well, adding depth without straying too far from what made the original so special. The new combat system is serviceable, though it falls short of being great. However, the reworked boss fights are the most significant improvement, transforming them from clunky encounters into true masterpieces. The game’s length has been expanded by almost double, but this has slightly affected the pacing, though it still remains manageable. The references to the original are a nice touch, making fans feel nostalgic, but there’s a missed opportunity in not including both the original puzzles and the new ones together to enhance the experience. Visually, the graphics are fantastic, bringing the nightmarish world to life. Unfortunately, the PC performance is atrocious, some of the worst in recent memory. If they can fix the technical issues, the remake could stand proudly alongside the original. However, the treatment of the Otherworld has shifted in the remake. It now takes on a rusty aesthetic similar to Silent Hill 1 and 3. What made Silent Hill 2’s Otherworld unique was its use of black and white hues, reflecting how the town reacted to James' psyche. This shift in aesthetic takes away some of the distinction that originally set Silent Hill 2 apart from the other games.

Alien: Isolation is a good game, and the alien itself is a standout element. The tension throughout the game is palpable, and the environments and art direction are amazing, capturing the essence of the original Alien film perfectly. The alien AI is brilliant, making every encounter feel unpredictable and terrifying. However, the game is way too long and overstays its welcome. The gameplay lacks variation and can become repetitive, as it largely revolves around the same mechanics throughout. The story isn’t particularly interesting, and while the environments are beautifully crafted, they all start to look the same, with little variation. This is somewhat understandable given the setting, but it does contribute to the feeling of monotony. The synths are another well-done enemy, but they can be a pain to deal with, adding to the frustration. Overall, Alien: Isolation is a really good game, but it would have benefited from being shorter, as it tends to drag on unnecessarily.

Hollow Knight is the best Metroidvania i have ever played. The variety of enemies and bosses is staggering, keeping the gameplay fresh and challenging throughout. The art is absolutely amazing, with everything beautifully hand-drawn, giving the world a unique and immersive aesthetic. The DLCs are excellent, adding even more depth and content to an already huge game. The game is challenging but rewarding, with each victory feeling satisfying. The map is huge, with a lot of environmental variety that keeps exploration exciting. The only gripe is that the story is pretty vague, leaving much to interpretation. Overall, Hollow Knight sets the standard for Metroidvanias, with its stunning art, rich content, and satisfying challenge making it a must-play for fans of the genre.

Lies of P is a great game that excels in many areas. Most of the bosses are cool-looking and mechanically good. The weapons are varied and enjoyable to use. The systems in the game are well-designed. The art direction is fantastic. The parry mechanic is particularly fun to play, adding a layer of skill and precision to the combat.However, the last part of the game drags, and the bosses could be better. The lie or truth mechanic could also have more depth, adding another layer of complexity to the narrative and choices.

Warhammer 40k Boltgun: Forges of Corruption is a great DLC that addresses many of my complaints with the base game. It adds even more weapons, enhancing the already good weapon roster. The level design is even better, featuring more creative secrets that are sometimes really well hidden and really good levels with memorable locations. There are new enemy types, though they all are similar. However, the DLC is quite short, consisting of only 5 levels which took me about 3 hours to 100%. The final level is disappointing, with a boss fight that is the worst in the entire game.

Warhammer 40k Boltgun is a fantastic game with several standout features. The level design is excellent, with well-placed secrets that add an extra layer of exploration and challenge. The retro pixel art aesthetic is really great, capturing both the Warhammer 40k universe and the nostalgic feel of retro games, while also incorporating modern visual elements that make it look fantastic. The weapons are varied and satisfying to use. However, the game does fall short in a few areas. The lack of enemy variety can make encounters feel repetitive, and the levels often look too similar to one another, making it difficult to remember specific locations with no memorable levels. Additionally, some of the enemy tracking is just really bad with many enemies having aimbot attacks, leading to frustrating and unfun encounters.

Elden Ring is a good game, but it falls short compared to the last Souls games released. It has too many repeated bosses, making it feel overly long and dragging at times. The last areas have almost no dungeons and very little content. The quests are impossible to follow without guides, and the game is very poorly optimized for PC.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a very good game, the only downside is the lack of variety in the levels. The story is good, and it's not too long, so it doesn't get tiresome.

Armored Core VI is an excellent game, though it has its flaws. The auto-aim system works better when you don't even move the mouse, and the gank boss fights feel like artificial difficulty. Despite these issues, it's another masterpiece by FromSoftware. I really appreciate the multiple endings, which make the game last longer and significantly enhance replayability. With different choices, there are many varied missions to experience. The customization of the mecha is fantastic, adding depth to the gameplay. If you enjoy multiplayer, it can greatly enhance your experience, adding many hours of enjoyment. The multiplayer itself is well-designed and can significantly extend the game's longevity.

Skyward Sword HD is the worst 3D Zelda by far. While the story is good, the last parts drag a lot, and the combat makes the fights really frustrating. The dungeons in this game are amazing, some of the best in the series. If it weren't for the combat, it would honestly be a much more enjoyable experience.

Ghost of Tsushima is a great game with a compelling story and incredible visuals. However, the gameplay can become quite repetitive, and the open-world activities feel very Ubisoft-style. This makes the game drag on if you engage in side quests, camps, or collectibles. While the core experience is strong, the repetitive nature of the gameplay and side content can detract from the overall enjoyment.

The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring is decent but has its fair share of shortcomings. While there are new additions, many aspects feel lackluster and unfinished. The DLC still features reskinned bosses, and the dungeons are really boring with almost none of them available. The map feels empty, offering minimal rewards for exploration other than cookbooks and reskinned enemies. Bosses are mediocre, with most of them not even having cutscenes, giving the impression that the DLC was rushed. There are about three legacy dungeons, all of which are mediocre compared to other FromSoftware dungeons. The DLC was marketed with the promise of eight new weapon types and over 100 new weapons. While technically true, each new weapon type has only about two weapons, and the promised 100+ weapons are mostly unattractive and ineffective. Furthermore, the performance on PC remains atrocious, similar to the base game. It's baffling that none of these complaints from the base game were addressed, especially considering how much money the base game made.