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Mark Ruhland

Langenfeld
TheRuhlander
TheRuhlander
theruhlander
MarkR

Favorite Games:
  • Mass Effect
  • Dragon Age
  • Starlancer

31 games reviewed
81.1 average score
83 median score
87.1% of games recommended
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9.6 / 10.0 - Ghost of Tsushima
Aug 6, 2020

Since inFAMOUS: Second Son (2014) we haven't heard anything from Sucker Punch and if we're honest, we were more expecting another inFAMOUS spin-off than this surprise. The setting can definitely be described as unspent and the realization is simply fantastic. Ghost of Tsushima has pretty much everything we could wish for in a title like this, impressive and contemporary presentation, great story, a lot to discover (including collectibles) and a decent amount. If we had to criticize anything, it would be the sometimes questionable enemy AI and a few tiny bugs (missing triggers for side quests), which were not visible after a restart of the game and will surely be fixed. Ghost of Tsushima is a terrific masterpiece, which you can definitely put on the "You have to played it" list.

Review in German | Read full review

Jul 25, 2020

The Last of Us - Part II was eagerly awaited, is, as expected, very successful and enormously controversial. Either way, the title is a milestone in the history of video games and rightly so. Nevertheless, as so often, it is a matter of taste whether you like the game or a certain aspect of it. There are reasons why some things are viewed so critically and sometimes even negatively, especially with this game. In my opinion, it's partly due to the grandiose predecessor, which managed to masterfully narrate a rather simple scenario of an apocalypse, make it playable and thus directly experienceable and also establish a wonderful character duo, which is extremely popular. In addition, this game is simply so damn realistic. We all know the term "playable film" and know some great genre representatives. But where we often have to deal with long cutscenes and heaps of quick time events, here we are given permanent control, at least felt. Because we can enter certain situations in different ways and defend ourselves with different weapons, we like to forget that we still follow a given path and go where they want us to go. Without a flashing arrow, without penetrating markings, only with minimalist support and following our playful instincts. There are no distorted representations here, heroes or villains in capes, enemies with distorted and frightening appearances. Even if the kill count in some sections feels as high as in Call of Duty, it feels different. Even eliminating an infected person sometimes feels "wrong". And it is for this feeling that I say "Everything done right! This game is the way it is and that is good. Not everyone has to like it in the end, that's the way it is with movies, with books and why should it be different with this form of storytelling. Apart from the fact that The Last of Us - Part II was a great game experience for me, I think it's basically worth a look and anything but lost time. "A profound orgy of violence"

Review in German | Read full review

Feb 18, 2022

Buy! Experience! Enjoy! - that's basically all there is to say. If you liked Horizon Zero Dawn, you won't be able to get past Horizon Forbidden West. Everyone who is (finally) hooked by the release of the sequel is cordially invited to experience this masterpiece, but should think twice before starting with the predecessor. You definitely won't regret it, I put my hand in the fire for that. Regarding the story, there will surely be extensive discussions and comparisons about which one is better, but I won't join in. I find Horizon to be an impressive overall work. For example, Lord of the Rings only works for me as a trilogy. Not that I would now indirectly anteasern the third part (or yet?), but as a complete work Guerrilla has created here for me the almost perfect continuation.

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Jun 18, 2021

Ratchet & Clank are back and finally usher in the PlayStation 5 era! "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart" is an absolute showpiece title and stands alongside the countless upgrades and remakes as the current reference for the next generation of console gaming. I can only summarize here that Rift Apart is an entertaining, very varied adventure that uses the technical possibilities of the PlayStation 5 very well. Thanks to the fast SSD, level changes are possible without noticeable loading times, the fast and fluid gameplay and the breathtaking graphics offer a total package with a guarantee of fun.

Review in German | Read full review

Sep 15, 2017

Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition is a heavyweight and can be considered a current genre reference. It is as simple as that, without beating about the bush. The enormous success and the popularity with the fans has ensured that the successor was financed just as record-breakingly and will surely be just as successful. The guys from Obsidian, who were considered the continuation pros for a long time, have shown what they can do with Pillars of Eternity. It carries the great classics like Baldur's Gate 2 in front of it, takes over strengths from there and yet brings an incredible amount of its own to not be stamped as a copy - quite the opposite. The adaption to the consoles has been successful so that you can reach more players with this masterpiece. The balancing act between modernity and nostalgia is impressively successful. Impressed already 2015 on the PC and can also the second look in 2017 on console just as convincing. Interested players will find the Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition both as a physical retail version (distributed by 505 games) at the retailer of their choice, as well as the digital version in PlayStation Store (directly distributed by Obsidian) at a price of currently about 50 euros. This is absolutely justified, considering the two included expansions, the enormous game scope (playing time easily between 50-80 hours depending on the joy of exploration) and the successful revision for the consoles. If you also consider the total playing time of about 60 to 80 hours, depending on how extensively you deal with the game world and how much you do side tasks, Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition is really worth its purchase price.

Review in German | Read full review

Jun 2, 2018

David Cage has once again succeeded in presenting an exciting story that also raises interesting questions. These are of a moral nature, but also socially critical. Although we as humans sit in front of the screen, at a certain point we might find it difficult to explicitly choose one of the two parties. But in order to get something to do as players, we may again become active as investigators. These are individual cases, but the "red thread" leads us into the overall structure of the story and when the story really unfolds, you get really caught up and you literally devour one chapter after the other. The ever-present curiosity, the ever-recurring question of what would have happened if you had behaved differently in one situation or another. For all those who like this kind of game even a little bit, the game offers great entertainment, for fans it is once again a masterpiece of storytelling, which Quantic Dream has delivered here. You can be curious what David Cage and his team will present us next. Maybe the renewed hunt for a serial killer, this time with more freedom, or something completely different? Whatever it will be, you can already look forward to it.

Review in German | Read full review

9.1 / 10.0 - Marvel's Spider-Man
Oct 8, 2018

Marvel's Spider-Man is like a giant mixed salad. The mixture is right and the dressing is delicious - as long as you consciously enjoy it. If you get the same thing too many times in a row, it can get monotonous even with great dressing. Insomniac has simply created a truly successful work of art. They didn't reinvent the wheel, but they made damn nice rims. Marvel's Spider-Man is currently the most beautiful and best Spider-Man video game and also probably the most successful superhero game overall.

Review in German | Read full review

Feb 21, 2022

Creative Assembly has done it again and created a game with Total War: Warhammer 3 that can inspire newcomers, but will also convince players who have already invested hundreds, if not thousands of hours in the predecessors. With the new factions and the sensible improvements, long-lasting fun is once again guaranteed and sufficient variety is also provided. If this will then also be the basis for an upgraded "Mortal Empires" campaign in which the previous races are added and all three parts merge into one gigantic world map, a strategy experience of unprecedented proportions can be expected here. Until then, Total War: Warhammer 3 can be celebrated as a great single work, which is really very successful.

Review in German | Read full review

9 / 10.0 - Gears Tactics
Apr 29, 2020

Bombastic! You can't say more than that. The idea to move Gears of War to another genre is brilliantly realized and works great as a tactical game. As with Halo Wars, the transfer was successful and you have chosen exactly the right genre. Gears Tactics can easily be mentioned in the same breath as XCOM. Not only fans of the Gears franchise are recommended to take a look, but everyone who is only in the beginning of a fantastic strategy game.

Review in German | Read full review

8.9 / 10.0 - Resident Evil 3
Apr 17, 2020

Yes, Resident Evil 3 came out relatively quickly after Resident Evil 2 and yes, it was certainly recycled a bit. But that's not tragic either, because why should an Umbrella transport crate or chemical container look different than in Resident Evil 2, or should vehicles and equipment be designed differently, that would be unnecessary. So here you can already guess that this has saved a lot of time. Only in the design of the zombies a little more variety would have been desirable. Nevertheless, Capcom has nothing to reproach itself technically, neither visually nor acoustically. A little more puzzles and a little more playing time, yes that would have been fine. Nevertheless, the remake of Resident Evil 3 is a successful title that we can not only recommend to fans of the series. We had a lot of fun in Raccoon City!

Review in German | Read full review

8.8 / 10.0 - Devil May Cry 5
Mar 9, 2020

Devil May Cry 5 is a successful sequel and will make series fans happy. The campaign offers some 15 to 20 hours of decent action and good (superficial) entertainment, on a decent level that is usual for the series. In addition, there are again a lot of secret missions, challenges and (for fans) a given replay value. Technically without flaws and presentable you can say - so far everything done right! A little more plot and especially more narrative content in the cutscenes wouldn't have hurt anyway. A more varied mission design would have been desirable. Nevertheless fans will say: It rocks, it bucks - is gambled to the drop!

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8.7 / 10.0 - Beyond: Two Souls
May 1, 2018

Once again Quantic Dream has succeeded in delivering a gripping story and integrating it into a great interactive film framework. Even after years the presentation is still in the absolute top class, thanks to the great adaptations even on the PlayStation 4. This gaming experience is not only for fans of Heavy Rain a clear recommendation worth. There is nothing more to say about it.

Review in German | Read full review

Sep 20, 2020

Definitely not only GTA fans get their money's worth with this game. Anyone who likes well staged action, varied missions and a freely accessible game world will have a lot of fun with this game.

Review in German | Read full review

Feb 13, 2022

That might be a bit more difficult than teaching a zombie to fetch. There was a lot of trouble in the run-up, there was a lot of hype, and some of it was followed by disillusionment and, for some, almost disappointment. Yes, not everything went smoothly and we also noticed some things that I had to bring up here. It is also clear that some potential was wasted. Nevertheless, it's fair to say that Dying Light 2 is a really successful game overall, which is fun to play and entertains well at times. It's not a masterpiece, and it doesn't have to be. Just drop all the ballast of the pre-reviews, install the latest patch and dive into a successful zombie survival adventure.

Review in German | Read full review

Apr 14, 2022

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a super fun and enjoyable game that I'm already looking forward to the DLCs. The story is brilliant and equally well "voiced". As you progress through the gameplay, you'll pass quests that couldn't be funnier. Gearbox has built in gags that you can only understand or recognize after a second thought. There are references to various children's shows, Star Wars and Borderlands, among others. Clap Trap is not missing either and comes with several questlines.

Review in German | Read full review

8.3 / 10.0 - Heavy Rain
Jun 1, 2018

The developers of Quantic Dream had already shown with Fahrenheit how to create an exciting interactive thriller and how such a concept could look like. With Heavy Rain, they had landed a really big hit and made sure that many players are immediately excited or beam with anticipation when they announce a new project. Even if the technology of the game has gotten a bit outdated, it doesn't diminish the fun of the game. The hunt for the Origami Killer is simply an incredibly exciting thriller and an absolutely terrific gaming experience. It's a bit surprising that the DLC "The Taxidermist" was not included, other remastered releases have done better. On the other hand the absence of this mini addon is not a big loss. If you already own the PS3 version, you don't have a compelling reason to switch to the PS4 version. Anyone who hasn't experienced Heavy Rain before and likes such games is highly recommended to catch up on this title.

Review in German | Read full review

You can see the gameplay pack The Sims 4 Star Wars: the journey to Batuu the basic concept strongly. Basically we send our Sim to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge amusement park and there he experiences a great stay with fun adventures and events. This is in itself also quite good, because if the classic Sims concept had been transferred to Batuu, there would have been little variety apart from strange neighbors with strange professions and futuristic furniture. Because of the two hostile factions, for which you can do tasks, there is a touch of play value, furthermore you have simply made sure with an enormous number of items that you can take further advantage of this gameplay pack. All in all Batuu is definitely worth a trip and an interesting expansion to The Sims 4, but will probably only work for Sim-loving Star Wars fans.

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Oct 29, 2020

Not only since the great air battles in Star Wars: Battlefront I wished for a great space shooter with a story. It didn't even have to be Star Wars, but the way it turned out is of course great. The fact that you can also add a great VR mode is of course mega great, because the additionally released Rogue One - Mission for Battlefront was also very strong. Here EA seems to have not only heard the call of the fans but also followed it. And Motive Studio did the whole thing really great. Yes, I have listed what I was missing or what I would have liked to have - given away. Maybe DLCs will provide us with more. You should also consider that Star Wars Squadrons is not a full-price title, but what is offered is definitely more than satisfactory and a clear recommendation to buy - but not for Star Wars fans - for them it is almost obligatory!

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Nov 21, 2021

Now it's time for the final review and I'm extremely torn. I'll admit, I'm quite a fan of single player campaigns and I really liked this year's one. I thought the overall almost cinematic staging was great and it had some great moments. Being a sniper in Stalingrad reminded me of the great scenes in Call of Duty: World at War. But the other locations were great as well. Multiplayer is something I enjoy playing in phases. I liked Black Ops: Cold War quite a bit and found myself in battles there more often. The beta phase of Call of Duty: Vanguard put me off a bit, as I didn't really warm up to the multiplayer mode. Of course, what was shown was only an excerpt of the later scope. So this part could also win me over now in the weeks gradually more. In the end, the problem of Call of Duty is probably more and more the "egg-laying-willing-milk-sow" principle paired with the tight release procedure, which seems to be a challenge despite changing studios. With Call of Duty: Vanguard, Sledgehammer has shown some great ideas of how a good shooter can be presented.

Review in German | Read full review

8.2 / 10.0 - Sniper Elite 5
May 25, 2022

Sniper Elite 5 is a very successful continuation of the series. Fans will once again be presented with exciting and challenging missions, and newcomers will find a good introduction to the series. Visually, the latest adventure with sniper Karl Fairburne isn't always on point, but the gameplay is all the more accurate. The story is solid, typical WW2 fare, without big surprises or special highlights. The drama could have been turned up a notch here. Especially the ending could have used a bit more tension. There aren't really many visible innovations, but the revised controls and the Killcam stand out, and on the PlayStation 5 there's also DualSense support. Nevertheless, Sniper Elite 5 is a lot of fun and will entertain genre fans well.

Review in German | Read full review