Rise & Shine has all the markers of a hit indie game. The gun’s add-ons, a series of upgrades that include a special curve-the-bullet ability, give the game an individualistic “hook”, and the art style is funky and appealing. If you approach it with the expectation of being entertained, you probably will be. But if you’re looking for a game that will reinvigorate your passion for the innovation of the indie game scene, look elsewhere.
Battleborn is a lot of fun but how popular it will be remains to be seen. Releasing it during roughly the same window as DOOM and Overwatch was poor timing on their part. I plan to keep playing it, but given the game's retreading of Borderlands with an added MOBA spin, I don't expect my friends to join me.
With the suffocating burden of rehabilitating the Wastelands, the unique weapons and armor now cheapened to random drops (not to mention the removal of Confirmed Bachelor/Cherchez Le Femme) I no longer feel myself in a universe I once called home.
The game might be enchanting to those who don't normally play the sort of rough fan-made horror PC mystery games that dominate Desura, as I do. I strongly recommend waiting until the "real" version, the fully remade Pathologic that promises to improve the game systems, NPC AI, and graphics, comes out next year. I will give the game another chance upon the remake's release.
There's more to Layers of Fear than initially meets the eye, and I'm pleasantly surprised at its quality. Playing the preview version was a nice way to get my Halloween horror fill. I highly recommend it.
SOMA will scare you, no doubt, but it won't be the memory of a gnarled, disfigured mass clumsily ambling towards you in a corridor that leaves you awake and unable to sleep at night. It will be the question of what makes us human.
It's also not a bad time to get all caught up, what with Dishonored 2 on the horizon (which is what I'm sure Bethesda intended by re-releasing the original). You may want to take a pass if frame rate is an issue for you, as the game is locked at 30 fps, but overall it's a decent game with a great price on its polished new look.
If you ever want to play another game again, this series is not for you. But, if you had to pick only one to play for the rest of your life, Civilization: Beyond Earth would be a solid choice. The various factions and Affinities will ensure multiple, robust playthroughs, each presenting unique scenarios that will encourage the player to strategize in challenging new ways with each file. I look forward to my next 400 hours with the game.
Overall, Thief is a great play. The script flaws, while annoying, are forgivable in light of the many hours of quality gameplay. It's not perfect but it's an enjoyable challenge that will go down as one of the better gaming experiences of 2014.
While I'm impressed that Compulsion Games fought to make a game that would appeal to both genders and I appreciate their effort, in the end, I had my issues with Contrast. It's an adequate game but fails to live up to its full potential. I recommend it to those who desire a more story -focused title or those who have a preteen son or daughter to play with, but not for players who want a thought-provoking, puzzle-driven adventure.