Ken McKown Avatar Image

Ken McKown

Germantown
ZeroTolerance
ZeroTolerance
ZTGD

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

701 games reviewed
74.6 average score
75 median score
54.8% 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.
Mar 19, 2024

Alone in the Dark was a fun adventure that scratched an itch I always have. It is a solid survival horror game that sometimes suffers under the weight of its own technical shortcomings. This is a game anyone who grew up with the likes of the original Alone in the Dark or Resident Evil games will enjoy, just not sure it is worth the asking price. I might wait for a sale on this one, but don’t sleep on it entirely. It definitely has its moments, and I enjoyed the story as a whole.

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Mar 13, 2024

The Gold Master Series remains the gold standard for telling these stories. Living in the era when almost any game can be playable on modern consoles is truly great. I always get excited when Digital Eclipse announces a new one of these. I cannot wait to see what they cover next and hopefully this series never ends. Big game publishers would be wise to get in on this trend, no one does it better than Digital Eclipse.

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8.5 / 10.0 - Berserk Boy
Mar 12, 2024

Berserk Boy is a mix of a lot of my favorite retro games mixed with its own flavor of fun. I really enjoyed the nostalgia it delivers while also being able to stand on its own. Definitely recommend checking this one out if you enjoy anything Mega Man or the more recent Gunvolt Chronicles games. This is one that will entertain from start to finish. It isn’t overly frustrating, yet remaining challenging. The stages beg to be revisited and I had fun the entire time. With so many retro games dropping on a weekly basis, it takes a lot to stand out. Now if they would only put this on more platforms, I would be truly happy.

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Mar 7, 2024

Ufouria 2’s only drawback is that it is possibly too simple. The game rarely presented a challenge and death was rarely an issue. The mechanics are also barren with only a few things to see and do, and the loop becomes repetitive relatively quickly. Still the music, visuals, and simple charm of the game carry it to completion. This is a game that I adore because of nostalgia, but I think even people unfamiliar with the developer will find plenty to love. The game just oozes that ‘video game’ charm we fell in love with back in the NES days, something that is sorely lacking in a lot of modern titles.

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Mar 6, 2024

Arzette is a love-letter to those old CD-i games and I am all here for it. I adored revisiting this style of game and it is clear that the developers have a genuine love for those older titles, and not just a need to tick some boxes. For people that have memories of the Zelda CD-i games, this is a must. Heck, even if you have only seen them in YouTube videos from retro personalities, I still recommend this game. It is a charming platformer that wears its inspirations on its sleeve while also carving out its own path.

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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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