S. Masoud Kazemi's Reviews
Testament is the type of game you play to learn what you should not do when you make a game. Everything about this game is either mediocre at best or absolute broken.
The Last Soldier of the Ming Dynasty is a broken game filled with good but unnourished ideas. From the environmental design to simple movement animation seems clunky and unpolished all the way. If the combat of the game wasn't good enough, there wouldn't be much of a reason to keep playing the game.
Tomb Raider Remastered I-III is more of an updated version of the main games rather than a fully remastered one. Apart from the new modern control which still struggles to keep up with today's standards, there isn't anything new to the game. While that may be good for the old fans of the series, it will create a struggle for new players and therefore not be able to enjoy some of the best exploration games out there.
Sprawl is a fun shooter but don't expect a good story or replayability value in it.
Strayed Lights is a decent game with some good ideas but can't use them to their full potential. The gameplay and enemy design will become repetitive after a while, but the narrative design of it is bold and something we don't see often. Strayed Lights isn't the best indie game of this year but it is worth a play if you are looking for something new.
Moonscars is a good debut by Black Mermaid with some unique ideas and missed potential. The gameplay is fun and engaging but some mechanics feel a little unbalanced and in some cases can even forget about them and still finish the game. The story is well written, especially the dialogues but the lore and character building lacks enough depth to feel close to them. Overall the story and art style of the game is forgettable and this made the sound editing and music of the game lose their power and therefore feel shallow.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox will be a good experience for Lovecraft and detective fans, if they aren't too picky with their games.
Potion Permit may not be the best life simulation or harvesting game you would play, but experiencing it shouldn't be empty of pleasure. Since you play as a Chemist rather than a farmer, this change itself promises unique things that the game provides most of them. While the story itself is well-written and simple, the characterization could have been much better. Even though the gameplay gets to the required pace a little late, once it does it becomes addictive rather quickly. The art style and music of the game have created good chemistry with the overall tone of the game.
Having a System Shock remake was more of a necessity to experience the lore and story of this game rather than a simple cash grab. Nightdive Studios did a good job of recreating most of the game the same it was with modern standards, especially the combat and UI of the game. While the AI of the game could have been better and the hacking mini-game shorter, it is not something to ruin the experience of the game. The issue that will stand out the most is the pixelated items you can easily see in the game which I hope be fixed with an update.
Lego 2K Drive has everything a family should have. You can play it co-op with friends, families, especially little kids, and have a blast time. The creation part of the game is rich and just wait to see some of the most amazing cars build by the community of Lego in this game. The overall design of race tracks and side missions could have been better, but the part that is weak compared to all other things in the game
Saturnalia is one of the best and most unique horror games of 2022 that not a single horror fan should miss.
Sunday Gold is a pretty decent turned-based action RPG with an acceptable story that carries the player until the end but there is so much lost potential in it as well. The art of Sunday Gold on the other hand fits its world perfectly and we can see the first legacy of Disco Elysium art style in this game. The gameplay of Sunday Gold is pretty straightforward and fun, something we don't see much these days. I wished they made or used better music for the game, but it wouldn't be right to not point out the fantastic job the sound editor of this game did.
Slave Zero X is a fantastic game with fast paced action and combat combined with great gameplay rhythm.
The Crackpet Show is a fun game with unique ideas. It is a great choice if you want to take a break from serious games, whether you play solo or with friends. It has a charming comedy to it, and the world of the game matches the gameplay mechanics perfectly. While the game lacks enough charm to get you to play it for countless hours and the aesthetic design of levels could be better, it is still a good experience
Lies of P is the best Soulsborne game that wasn't made by FromSoftware. The gameplay and design of the game are great and have a little signature of their own but the density of inspiration is a bit too much. The steampunk design of the game truly fits with its story and the music helps to convey the mood but I wish the story had more depth.
A complex and dense non-linear story told in one of the best art designs of this year.
Blue Wednesday is a unique and heartwarming experience that forgetting it will be an impossible task. The characters, the city, and that lovely music will always stick with the player and those who are in their 20s will share a deep sympathy and empathy with this game.
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is quite an astonishing visual novel that anyone could experience. There are some mini-games that will break the repetitiveness of a visual novel. On the other hand, the story and characters, especially the topic the game dwells on and the conversation with characters are very profound. And the wonderful music of the game doubles the effect of the story.
Rift Apart is a gorgeous game with great gameplay and fantastic story that suffers from unpolished PC port that results to constant frame drops throughout the game.
Mega City Police is the best game anyone who loves 80s aesthetics could ask for. The design, gameplay, and above all, music is top notch.