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I might have mentioned that Crusader Kings 2 was one of my favorite games. All I really want out of a game - any game - is to lose myself in a good story. Crusader Kings gives me that, fresh, every time I sit down to play. Crusader Kings 3 is at the start of its own story - I'm estimating we're going to see around 300 DLCs for this beast before it's all said and done - and already through its clarity of interface and intelligent design decisions I can see years of amazing "OH MY GOD, you'll never guess what happened in CK3" moments clogging up Felix's email inbox as I continue on my own journey with this wonderful, wonderful game.
Despite the glaring flaws in Horizon Zero Dawn upon release, and the occasionally shoddy dialogue and uninspired activities, what shines through are the major moments of awe-inspiring wonder and childlike discovery. The overarching story is also a joy to unravel, touching on some major themes and topics still unseen in many games today. And the standout star of the show is of course the mechanical creatures, who always steal the scene no matter the occasion.
Overall this DLC is very well done, as it is with all their DLCs for both games.
Overall, the Destroy All Humans! Remake is a fun trip down memory lane, very fun in fact. And whilst the crude and immature humor appealed more to my younger self than now, it's still a ridiculously entertaining ride. The remake's biggest saving grace is nostalgia, and finally bringing this old classic to the PC system. Whilst fans of the original will be very pleased with the nostalgia trip and additional new content, even if it isn't quite substantial.
Overall the game is the same as F1 2019 with some tracks redesigned and with the My Team mode added. It should give people a couple seasons to go through instead of career mode, which is still available for those who want to do both. We may not be too far away from having an F1 motorsport manager game or even an add on if this keeps going, maybe for those more interested in managing rather then racing.
Death Stranding is a wholly unique and fresh experience that will surely appeal to only a few, and the surprisingly engaging experience of essentially being a delivery man in the post-apocalypse is hypnotizing. Kojima's standout weird and wacky writing is left unhinged here, and that can excite some or terrify others, but the truth is that Death Stranding on PC is definitely the ultimate version of such a very, very strange game.
It may not be a western classic like the old spaghetti westerns, but Desperados 3 stands tall as a great western tale not of redemption, but of brilliant tactical strategy. There's nothing more rewarding than pulling off the perfect synergy of puzzle-violence (after loading up a quicksave 2, 3, or 18 times), and the amount of challenges to complete after missions is just begging to be replayed for the most passionate of perfectionists. Now if you'll excuse me Pilgrim, I got a horse to catch.
Overall, Disintegration shows a lot of promise, but it's hard to get away from that nagging feeling, one that tells me this just feels like Early Access. The story is okay, and the combat is fine, but the potential here is far greater than what is actually on offer. There are some good moments, and it is enjoyable, but the story and multiplayer lack much to be desired. If you want a simple sci-fi romp then look no further, but if you're looking for the next big Halo then you're going to want to look elsewhere.
Props to the small team for really doing a whole lot with a little graphically. The rain never seems to let up, and the neon glow of the noodle stands shimmer on the trash-strewn alleys, and the smoky canyons between the seemingly-endless skyscrapers adds a feeling of vastness to the city. Really though, when you get down to it, Cloudpunk seems more like a straightforward interactive novel than it does a really fleshed-out game. It takes the first part of the 'go anywhere, do anything' sandbox model and does it very well. It just doesn't really deliver on the 'do anything' part all that well.
SnowRunner is a beautiful - and oftentimes frustrating - experience, but it's that journey you undertake, one that you carve out yourself, that makes all the trials and tribulations worth it. The struggles you face will become obstacles to conquer, with each route forming a sort of puzzle to solve. It may take a while to get into, and if you're having trouble at the start then stick through it, as the long haul is well worth it.
Overall, Embr is a fantastic game that's a complete blast to play with friends. A few minor bugs that can be tweaked but nothing that breaks the game as it is in early access. There is so much more but the review would just drag on, some early gameplay can be seen online and the game is just ridiculously fun. Highly recommended if you just want to have some silly fun either on your own or with some friends.
What it lacks in depth, it more than makes up for in pure unadulterated joy. The simplistic combat, coupled with the ridiculously easy drop-in-and-play gameplay makes for a fun and engaging roguelite dungeon crawler either alone or with friends. You'll have fun, that's guaranteed, and is perfect for all ages. Don't expect a complex story, rich with lore, but you'll almost certainly have a good time if you're a fan of its predecessor.
Now a full on drifting game has promise, drifting is an art and quite difficult for most people. This game really has a great way of showing that. I would absolutely love to see way more cars, more maps, maybe even a multiplayer where people can compete against each other, that would make this way more enjoyable. It has a lot of promise for early access and hopefully the developers keep working on it and don't end support for a game that clearly shows a lot of potential, but at this point in time I just can't recommend it.
There's a lot to love here about Gears Tactics, and it somehow manages to almost flawlessly blend the genre of one game with another one's universe and characters with great execution. Yes, there are some issues, and they can be quite annoying, but in the end these won't detract you from the sheer amount of enjoyment you will experience. It's not perfect, but it's damn good, surprisingly good. Now give me more, please.
If you're looking for the authentic Resident Evil experience, this is definitely not it. But if you have a Resident Evil itch that you just need to scratch, this could provide lots of hours of entertainment for you, even without the Resident Evil Resistance standalone experience. But at the end of the day, I'd rather just play the excellent Resident Evil 2 Remake, or even the original Resident Evil 3 on my old PS2 instead.
Half-Life: Alyx is a tremendous VR experience that should absolutely set the standard of quality for all VR games to come. But the lack of replayability value, and the scale factor of enjoyment dependent on your hardware and room size, holds Alyx back from being a truly astonishing game. Is it worth it alone to buy a headset for? I'm not sure, that depends on how big of a Half-Life fan you are. But I can say that there are tonnes of other VR games available that are worth buying a headset for already, and Half-Life Alyx will still be a significant entry in that list of games.
DOOM Eternal is an absolutely insane roller coaster ride of emotions, and is a truly fantastic game.
When it's fun it can be really fun, but when it's bad it can be really frustrating.
Play ending with one bounce is also quite a bummer, but I'm sure that's something that will be fixed if people have even noticed that. I also tired to play multiplayer at the time of review and the game would crash and close itself so it still needs to be patched a few times. The single player career experience is where it's at though. AO Tennis 2's solo campaign is a thoroughly enjoyable time and it's here where I would say that is scores an ace.
That's not to say there's nothing to get out of Detroit: Become Human. At a superficial level it looks fantastic, your choices can often feel hefty and impactful, and the overall presentation value is comfortably in the very top tier of adventure games. But it is a game you may have to enjoy through gritted teeth; either raging or outright laughing at the clunky metaphors and hamfisted messages. Enjoy it I did though, honestly, even if it wasn't perhaps for the reasons Cage may have been hoping for.