Jason Rodriguez's Reviews
Even with some refreshing concepts related to investigations, Gamedec stumbles owing to uninteresting plot points, bland characterization, unclear systems, and pesky bugs.
Siege Survival: Gloria Victis has several mechanics and concepts that look good on paper. Unfortunately, general clunkiness when it comes to the UI and controls, as well as a lack of attachment to your characters, lead to a rather uninspired romp. Once you're finished with a single playthrough, there's barely anything that's interesting to look forward to.
Spacebase Startopia has cutesy and cartoony xenos milling around, but that's all it has going for it. From questionable mission objectives and monotonous micromanagement, to audio hiccups, technical woes, and a lack of direction, it's a simulation of the doldrums of alien life.
A poorly structured first half, questionable gameplay design, and ill-conceived introduction of mechanics aside, Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris also suffers from numerous technical issues and performance drops. There are moments that will entertain you, but these are few and far between and you're left to contend with bothersome frustrations time and again.
Ridiculously lacking in new content and with a Weave game mode that feels like a parlor trick you've seen before, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 - Winds of Magic's only saving grace is the introduction of the Beastmen. Even then, it's still a mediocre expansion for a once-promising game.
With a few technical issues, a disconnected story, a very short new campaign, and an unbelievably nonsensical final boss encounter, Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil is a disappointing expansion to a once-promising game.
Riot: Civil Unrest attempts to depict complex socio-political upheavals in an extremely unengaging and unintuitive manner, to the point that these events lose their impact in video game form.
Anthem offers near unlimited potential, with certain features, taken separately, representing a marvel in design. Combined together and it proves to have a lot of style but very little substance.
The Occupation tries to present itself as a political thriller emphasizing stealth. Sadly, it has neither the thrills nor the mechanics for both.
Thymesia has some refreshing ideas to set it apart among a packed field of Souls-like games. Sadly, many of these mechanics don't mesh well with the action or are completely useless. Exploration also feels generally unrewarding.
Port Royale 4 might have quirks that are interesting at a glance such as automated trade routes and a vast map. Looking closer, you'll realize that its core mechanics are cumbersome and unintuitive, its naval battles are plainly uninteresting, and there's not a whole lot that would seem enticing. It lacks all the dynamism despite a time period known for swashbuckling excitement.
Necromunda: Underhive Wars has an engaging sandbox filled with a trove of missions and operations, as well as gang customization. Unfortunately, its linear campaign leaves a lot to be desired, and its own combat mechanics remain egregiously flawed and underwhelming no matter the content you attempt to tackle.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force has exciting combat mechanics and a fun traversal system, but it's hampered by poor performance, bland cutscenes, and questionable pacing.
Moonscars has a lot of promising ideas. Unfortunately, the threadbare plot, questionable level design, and odd execution of mechanics hold it back.
Potion Permit certainly has its own unique charm as you continue shaping the fortunes of Moonbury and its citizens. Unfortunately, it can get fairly monotonous later on.
While Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok has some brilliant ideas, it's far from the epic expansion that you'd want it to be. It's hampered by reused mechanics and a story that's woefully disconnected from your main character's arc.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris lets you meet a robust cast of historical characters. Unfortunately, many of its features and mechanics feel severely lacking. The concepts that it tries to introduce are either poorly implemented or limited in comparison to other games.
Tribes of Midgard has a lot of interesting concepts, from Norse Mythology inspirations to facets from other genres. Unfortunately, it's dragged down by poor pacing and rushing just to complete objectives. It's better if you have friends who also enjoy it. Unfortunately, as a solo player, you'll start wondering if there's anything else to look forward to.
Hood: Outlaws & Legends has several interesting concepts that, on paper, might seem refreshing for the genre. Unfortunately, clunky combat mechanics, questionable design choices, and a tedious gameplay loop lead to a rather monotonous experience.
Despite an overwhelming number of strategic options and features, many of Empire of Sin's mechanics just don't mesh well or they can be completely ignored. Playthroughs will feel roughly similar to what you've done previously, and it becomes a repetitive affair and a chore to see what else you could do.