Without the Sarcasm
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I wish I had more nice things to say about The Final Station. It’s not a particularly great horror game, its story is initially interesting but ultimately disappointing, the exploration is nearly 100% linear, the combat is bare bones, and the train sequences are painful.
Beat Cop has its fun moments – patrolling the streets and meeting ticket quotas might not sound entertaining, but there’s a certain zen to it. However, Beat Cop is full of missteps, from its odd, juvenile/racist tone to the plethora of bugs that plague it.
MOTHERGUNSHIP is another unique take on the first person shooter, and at first glance it seems to take the central strengths of Tower of Guns to a new level. The gunplay is still as solid as ever, and having overarching RPG elements makes the disparate missions feel more like a cohesive game. However, MOTHERGUNSHIP feels more like an Early Access title than a fully finished game. Some bits feel like a step backwards from Tower of Guns, while many elements seem like they need more time and refinement to really gel.
The core concept of Has-Been Heroes is excellent. I love the theory behind the combat, and I love the exploration. In practice, though, Has-Been Heroes is confusing and fiddly in ways that make it frustrating to play, rather than challenging.
Nefarious is the good kind of bad in a lot of ways. It’s an enjoyable, throwback, satirical adventure that lampoons a lot of the silly things we take for granted in video games. A lack of variety and some sharp edges leave it just a few evil cackles shy of world domination.
Star Vikings is an engaging and challenging turn-based strategy game. Unfortunately, the random elements and the seemingly required grind make it far less casual and more frustrating than it really wants to be.
Fragments of Him brushes with greatness, but doesn’t quite manage it. Still, its ambitious attempt at tackling several tough subjects and doing so in a game format is impressive.
The bottom line is that Syndicate isn't as ground breaking or entertaining as Black Flag was, but it's not the mess that Assassin's Creed 3 or Assasin's Creed: Unity were. Do you need your yearly Assassin's Creed fix? Syndicate will do just fine. If you're sick and tired of the formula, though, there's nothing new here that's going to change your mind.
Infinium Strike brings a lot of meaty choices to bear when dealing with the Wrog menace. It’s never frustrating to keep track of everything, despite the tactical depth. However, I really feel like the emphasis on cinematic camera angles and black-on-black enemy design detracts from the fun.
Sundered maintains Thunder Lotus’ commitment to extraordinary art and detail – a commitment that few games, indie or otherwise, are able to match. Sundered manages to almost seamlessly meld two completely incompatible genres into a satisfying exploration experience. Grindy combat against overwhelming odds keeps it from being a “perfect” game.
If you were a fan of Knights of Pen and Paper, picking up Galaxy of Pen and Paper is definitely worth it. Galaxy an upgrade to Knights in almost every way. Likewise, if you’re a fan of space sci-fi or old-school RPGs, Galaxy of Pen and Paper will treat you right. There are a couple of areas for improvement, but overall Galaxy is a ton of fun on PC or mobile!
Loot Rascals is a quirky, unique roguelike that manages to simplify the genre without taking away the strategic bits that make roguelikes so much fun. My only major issue with it is that it lacks the level of variety that is really required for maximum replayability.
Automata Empire is as chaotic as it is hypnotic. The strategy focus and the simple mechanics make it easy to learn but difficult to master. That simplicity and randomness cut both ways, though, yielding a few frustrating moments.
Inklings is a downright beautiful game, and it’s a joy to just watch it in motion. It’s downright challenging to master, however, and often relies on careful precision in order to survive.
Burly Men at Sea is a minimalistic adventure game that is heavy on charm and whimsy. My only real complaint is that I wish that it was a bit deeper and less repetitive. The mobile version’s pricetag and portability make it the one to grab.
A solid, but difficult indie platformer, with a low price tag. Must love saws.
Crush Your Enemies is a terrific strategy game that proves that RTS games don’t need to be huge in terms of scale and complexity in order to be fun. The Steam version is a worthy addition to any library, but I personally think this is a great “on the go” RTS that fits perfectly on your phone or tablet.
Brigador nails a lot of the core features of an isometric action game. Walking tanks stomping through fully destructible missions is a ton of fun. The vast variety of mech and loadout choices is impressive, and the game’s strategy changes depending on your choices. There are a few issues and omissions that keep Brigador from being an instant classic, but it’s still a ton of fun to play.
Constructing platforming death traps with your friends has never been so fun (or possible… or legal). With plenty of levels and items, Ultimate Chicken Horse will have you and your friends killing each other with glee till the rooster crows.
Kingdom is a truly beautiful game that takes the core concepts of strategy games and cuts the genre's mechanics to the bone. This minimalism cuts both ways, leaving some parts of the game obtuse or frustratingly uncontrollable. Despite this, Kingdom is relentlessly addictive and replayable.