Ken McKown Avatar Image

Ken McKown

Germantown
ZeroTolerance
ZeroTolerance
ZTGD

Favorite Games:
  • Metal Gear Solid
  • Mortal Kombat II
  • StarCraft

696 games reviewed
74.6 average score
75 median score
54.6% of games recommended

Ken McKown's Reviews

I started ZTGD almost 20 years ago with the idea of gamers sharing their opinion on current games. We continue that to this day and love to be able to do this just for the passion of playing games.
Feb 22, 2024

There is so much more I want to say, but I do not want to ruin any part of this experience. Being such a huge fan of the original game, I could not be happier with how this sequel turned out. After being lukewarm on the first entry, this one squashes all my concerns and doubts about this remake. I do wish it wasn’t going to take over a decade to see it all, but this sequel gives me confidence in the finale. I cannot recommend it enough, but mute all keywords on Twitter, experience this for yourself, and enjoy what is easily an early contender for the best game of 2024.

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Feb 20, 2024

Banishers: Ghost of Eden is a unique title that just stumbles along the way. It has some severe pacing issues and clunky combat that really drag down the overall experience. I wanted to love it a lot more than I did. It feels like Dontnod’s usual unique take on a genre that feels just a bit undercooked. Still once it drops in price and perhaps receives a few updates, I think this could easily graduate to the status of hidden gem. There are a lot of cool concepts here that I really enjoyed. I just wish I didn’t have to wait so long to get to them.

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Feb 16, 2024

Tomb Raider Remastered is a fantastic collection that checks all the right boxes. I adored these games and revisiting them has been a treat. I cannot recommend this collection enough if you are like me and have nostalgia for those original titles. They just don’t make them like this anymore. The sense of wonder and exploration mixed with the subtle music cues and adventure are truly unmatched. It was great revisiting these and I hope the next game in the series takes a few notes from the ones that started it all.

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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is full of potential. The game is a blast to play. The story is one of the best in a video game in a while, and there is a lot here for those that enjoy looter shooters. This almost feels like two games in one. I loved the campaign, but had little interest in the end game, while others will likely breeze through the story just to grind. I hope they continue the flow of content for both audiences because I would love to revisit it down the line. Also patch in that offline mode ASAP. Being mid boss fight for the server to disconnect is a huge bummer and makes me not want to play.

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9 / 10.0 - Tekken 8
Jan 23, 2024

Tekken 8 is an outstanding entry into the series with a ton of content for both online and offline players. This is how you pack a game with enough content to keep players invested. The plethora of modes, customization, and superb game play create a package that any fan of the genre should not miss.

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Jan 16, 2024

Last of Us II Remastered could have been a cash grab with the success of the TV show, but instead feels like a solid upgrade with a reasonable path for owners of the original. The added content is more than worth the asking price, and the game remains one of the most impressive technical feats of all time.

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7 / 10.0 - Cotton 100%
Jan 2, 2024

Cotton 100% is the traditional horizontal shooter that was originally released on the Super Famicom. This was a direct sequel to the original game. The series is built around the mechanic of gems to power-up shots. There are also magic elemental attacks. These can now be swapped at any time allowing for more diverse game play outside of the standard shooting. This port has all the menus in English, but everything else is in Japanese. All of these ports are just that. The only work is done in converting the menus and adding a few features here and there, but they are basically just ports onto new consoles.

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6.5 / 10.0 - Panorama Cotton
Jan 2, 2024

Panorama Cotton is a little different, the most obvious change is the perspective. This entire game takes place from a third-person perspective that is more akin to a rail shooter than a shooter. The game handles the perspective really well. The original game was released on the Sega Master System, but this version is built on the original. This game looks really good, even all these years later. Games of this type make a really good impression and hold up well over time. Both Cotton games are must plays for shooter fans.

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Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion is a weird game that doesn’t feel like it fits into the Turok trilogy, yet here we are. All three games are now available, and remastered with so much love and care. I cannot get enough of these remasters and Nightdive deserve to be commended for their efforts. Cannot wait for Dark Forces and of course whatever else they have cooking up. Keep these remastered games coming, and I will continue snatching them up. If you grew up with nostalgia for N64 shooters, this is a must for your collection.

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Dec 5, 2023

Rollercoaster Tycoon Adventure Deluxe is a stripped-down version of the past games for sure, but I had a blast with its minimal limitations. I hate games like this that require hours of investment before I get to the “fun” parts. I had a blast with the campaign and of course the sandbox mode. If these types of games have always made you anxious about playing them thanks to all the micromanagement, then this is the version for you. It really strips away all the barriers and just lets its players have a good time right out of the box.

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3 / 10.0 - Quantum Error
Nov 21, 2023

Quantum Error feels like a game the team had passion about. There are good ideas here wrapped in a package that is executed poorly on all fronts. It doesn’t help that the developers decided to enrage fanboy wars on Twitter leading up to the release of the game. It put it in a spotlight the game wasn’t built to take. The price tag also hurts as this is a full-priced game in a budget game build. I could be a lot more forgiving if the sticker price was around $30, but at $60 I cannot recommend anyone lay down the funds for this one. It is disappointing in almost every aspect.

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Rise of the Triad is back, and it makes me happy, but if you didn’t have nostalgia for the series, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. The game hasn’t aged as well as others from its era and sometimes it moves TOO frantically for its own good. Still, I love the era where even the most obscure title can somehow be resurrected, and I am glad it exists. I just don’t recommend diving in unless you have a soft spot for the quirky shooter from its original release.

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Oct 19, 2023

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 is the definition of a perfect sequel. It keeps what made the first game work and improves what didn’t. I loved this iteration much more than the original and can see myself playing this for a long time. I wish the cars were more available and not packaged as DLC, but I get why they are doing that. I wish I got some carry over from the first game, but on its own Unleashed 2 is a great time that I cannot recommend enough.

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Oct 16, 2023

Spider-Man 2 is easily the best PlayStation first party game this year. I went from thinking it wouldn’t make my game of the year (to be fair it has been a stellar year) to definitely being on my list. Insomniac has truly evolved this series into the best franchise currently on the PlayStation platform. This entry is no different and it combines the best of both of the previous games and takes it to the next level. The main story is simply outstanding and one of the best superhero narratives I have ever played. The visuals are stunning and it is immensely fun to play. I cannot recommend this enough and I expect it to be at the top of a lot of best of lists come the end of the year.

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8 / 10.0 - Forza Motorsport
Oct 4, 2023

The production values are unmatched, but I found myself growing bored playing this game, and I really enjoy sim racers.

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Oct 4, 2023

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is an interesting entry in the series. On the one hand I adore the streamlined approach to the story. I like being able to invest in this world in a smaller, more focused package. The return to stealth is a turn-off for me though. I have truly enjoyed the more action-focused entries as of late. Still the quality is here and tying this into Valhalla was a smart idea since that was the most recent game. Fans of the lore will have a great time, but those that never clicked with the stealth approach of those early games may find this one a little hard to crack into.

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6 / 10.0 - Smurfs Kart
Oct 3, 2023

Smurfs Kart is a decent racer that is a nice alternative for consoles without Mario Kart. It simply doesn’t have a lot of staying power though. I was done with the game before I finished the main tournament mode and I didn’t find myself coming back to collect stickers. Some type of unlock system or some more unique and inspiring tracks would have gone a long way. Still if you love the Smurfs and enjoy Mario Kart, you can’t go wrong with this one.

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Oct 3, 2023

NASCAR Arcade Rush is disappointing in a lot of ways. I was really just wanting a simple Daytona-style arcade racing game and instead I got an uninspired and frustrating kart racing game with little to keep me coming back. I wanted to love it, I tried to love it, but at the end of the day I went back to better games in the genre. I really want the arcade racing game to have a renaissance, but with entries like this, I doesn’t look likely in the near future.

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8 / 10.0 - Mortal Kombat 1
Sep 26, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is a great game that feels like a step back in the extras. They are all here but shoved into one mode that I found more cumbersome than enjoyable. The grind to max character levels needs to be tweaked, but with the promise of support for years to come these are things that can be ironed out. The fighting itself is outstanding and the story mode is the best it has ever been. It is easy to recommend this game, it doesn’t quite hit the mark of best MK game of all-time, but it delivers where it counts the most. I look forward to seeing how the game evolves over time. A new MK game is always an event and this entry is no exception.

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6 / 10.0 - Enclave HD
Sep 12, 2023

Enclave is a quirky game that has some moments and I enjoyed revisiting it. I love this era where any game can come back and it is great for nostalgia. If you don’t have any fond memories of this game you might want to steer clear. This is not going to impress anyone in today’s world, but for those looking for a trip down memory lane of this obscure title, this version achieves what it set out to do.

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