Torchlight is a beloved dungeon-crawler that has carved out a place in the competitive genre. With a bright art style and story, it stands apart from its edgier cousins like Diablo and Path of Exile. The good news is that Torchlight 3 carries that torch very well, however, there is a regrettable shallowness to the game that fails to live up to its predecessors… and much of the answer seems to lie within the development of the game.
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I really wanted to like this game, and it really has its charms, but as I got deeper into the story and as the cases get more and more complex, all these UI issues just ground my enjoyment down to nothing. If the game can fix these issues, and let me just organize my papers the way I please and let me skip animations, I would wholeheartedly recommend this game. As it stands right now, I think it’s great for the espionage lovers out there are able to overlook the gameplay flaws for the simulation elements of the design.
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes certainly isn’t a game you should pick up for its gameplay. The combat is just shallow, but in no way unplayable. If you are intrigued by the game’s world and aesthetics—and you aren’t much of a stickler for gameplay—I’d happily recommend it.
With a variety of missions to choose from at each stage and in-depth customization options, Project Wingman also tests the player’s intelligence in creating synergistic builds and risk-reward assessments. Aside from a multiplayer mode, which this game sadly lacks, this is one of the best infinitely replayable jet-fighter game modes I’ve ever seen.
Simply put, Override 2: Super Mech League would have benefited from having more content. It feels rushed, and I cannot help but think the developers were forced into meeting a release deadline. Granted, what we do have is a smooth, and functioning game; but it’s a half-finished one that doesn’t have much of a player base, at all. Modus Games dropped the ball here and I have a hard time recommending Override 2: Super Mech League to anyone.
Nioh 2 is an excellent game on PC and if you were a fan of the first one, this is a must-buy. If you haven’t played the original, I hope the review gave you a sense of what the game is like. Are myriad of complexities in action games something that gets you excited or do they sound like needless distractions? I personally lean more to the minimalist side, but when a game pulls off its mechanics as well as Nioh 2, I don’t mind diving in once in head-first.
With its randomized maps, a variety of civilizations to choose from, and multiplayer as an accessible option, The Battle of Polytopia is surprisingly replayable. On top of that, being available for mobile devices, you can play it anywhere you go. Truly, The Battle of Polytopia is the pocket-sized 4X that I never knew I needed until I played it.
I still commend the studio for its bravery and innovation. Before Your Eyes is unique enough to try out if you are interested. It’s just that although the game is backed by many wonderful talents, it lacked that little “umph” to turn it into something truly memorable.
The barebones story of this game is that you were some great warrior fighting some evil necromancers, but they hit you with a spell to erase your memory and powers. Now you have to fight to get it back. I’m not going to condemn a story just for its concept, but for Demon Skin, it’s as unoriginal as it sounds.
All in all, Legend of Keepers is a fine game with some issues and lots of things to love. There are certainly better rogue-lite/management games out there, but this title provides a unique flavor that may be perfectly suited for the right player.
But why, oh, why do I still feel compelled to go back and play the game? As I said before, Days Gone feels like bad TV. It has no substance, but goddamn is it nice just to relax and follow along with the story and its hypnotizing gameplay loops. There are definitely better games out there, but without a doubt, Days Gone is a perfectly entertaining title to waste a week in.
Thankfully, the humorous writing is still there and I will admit that Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown got a few chuckles out of me. The environment and models for the area also look awesome, and the unique flair of folk-tunes makes a great return (I just wish there was more). Overall, Battle of Steeltown is decent but if you are a Wasteland fan, I would recommend you wait for a sale to pick this one up.
Overall, Wildermyth is a fantastic addition to the CRPG genre that shows how great procedural generation can be when used smartly. I would highly recommend this game for anyone who is a fan of TTRPGs, maybe even with a couple of friends if your playgroup has been looking for something new to tackle.
Curved Space is described as arcade-style anyways, so I don’t understand why the devs thought the story was needed at all. If they focused on polishing a mode that players can have some mindless fun, Curved Space could be leaps and bounds better. There’s a reason why rogue-lites have been finding so much success in the indie sphere: gameplay-first designs that just feel nice to play.
City of Gangsters demonstrates that the 4x genre works just as well in miniature as it does in grand, sweeping epic spans of history.
Recompile is the complete adventure package. It has good gameplay, an intriguing minimalist story, striking visuals and music, and developers who respect the player’s ability to explore on their own. Go get it, you won’t be disappointed.
I think Tinytopia is a great game for younger audiences, especially ones interested in dipping their toes into citybuilder games. Fun, creative, and full of destruction! However, for veteran players looking for a new, complex system to dive into, I’d definitely look elsewhere.
Still, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town gets it right in all the important areas. The characters are definitely serviceable and are full of personality. I’m still absolutely in love with the aesthetic, and I can admit that I’ve definitely stayed up too long playing this game. It is missing any online functionality though, but if you are looking for a new solo farming game, definitely take a look at this one.
But that’s the thing, if all games were judged on their story, many masterpieces wouldn’t be very good, especially in the Metroidvania genre. A good story is a bonus, and Unsighted’s gameplay is fundamentally near-perfect. But I can’t help being disappointed at what this could have been with good writing. If I could have really fallen in love with the characters, it would have been so emotional when they turned mad, or if I was to be forced to choose between them and someone else I may need to beat the game.