The Vertical Slice's Reviews
At the end of the day, there is a game here that's easy to like, but at times, it starts to show its warts. The game can be very difficult, and I'm not convinced it's because of good design. There were levels I failed dozens of times, and most of those failures seemed unavoidable, almost as if the game was fabricating evidence against me (pun intended).
At the end of the day, whether you have any sort of nostalgia for this series, or a series that ripped it off, Pang Adventures is another downloadable title that is well worth your time. It’s very likely not going to be your game of the year, but I dare you to not have fun while playing.
If you even slightly like puzzle games, you can’t pass this up. The price alone should be an incentive.
As much as I would have LOVED to enjoy this game, or believe the game is a good one, even if I personally didn’t see it, I can’t do either.
I truly wanted to like this game. I was really excited to play it. I very much enjoy these kinds of games. However, what we get here, is just a mess. About a third of the way through I had to start forcing myself to the end. For every good thing, there were 10 bad ones. An exaggeration, of course, though you understand what I mean.
Quantum Break is a game I have been waiting on for a very long time. 3 years, almost. Since the Xbox One reveal in May of 2013, that was the one game I wanted to buy right that second. The game that would make me go all-in on the Xbox One, $500 price point, DRM, Kinect inclusion and all. I mean, these were the same people who created my favorite video game of all time, Alan Wake. This had to be good, right? At the time, and even to this day, Quantum Break is way ahead of its time.
Throughout Grimm’s journey to enjoy pizza, I had a bast playing. I spent many hours jamming out to the music and spelling out “dirty” words while trying to obtain every star I could. When I failed, I didn’t feel the kind of defeat where I wanted to stop. No, this was the kind where I NEEDED to try again. The mark of a great puzzle game in my eyes. I had many moments where I told myself it would be the last round only to keep going and find ways rearrange my day just to fit more time in.
You’d probably guess this game isn’t a home run. It’s really just a bunt you planned out and managed a single. Which, in baseball, is fine in certain situations. In this situation, I do think it’s fine, and I do feel like I will revisit this game every now and then during this baseball season to scratch that itch I feel when the summer nights are long. I enjoyed the game in small doses. R.B.I. Baseball isn’t trying to blow your Sox off (har har). It’s taking a very minimalistic approach to the national pastime, and for some people, that’s all they’re looking for. This series seems to be doing exactly what it wants to do, and that’s recreate the classic game for modern times. If you’re a casual baseball fan, or just a casual baseball game fan, this very well could satisfy that itch. If you’re looking for incredible graphics, realistic animations, lots of game modes, etc., I hope you have a PS4, because that’s the only way you’re going to get that near perfect baseball experience. Otherwise, especially on Xbox One, this is all you’re going to get.
Aside from any of the nitpicks and unfortunate realities of the game, I did have fun with Organic Panic! and everything the game had to offer. The load times were good, the colorful graphics kept things engaging visually, and the fun lasted to the end, wanting to punch a wall sometimes, included. You’re likely not going to find your game of the year here, but you certainly won’t find a dud, either. If you’re into physics based games or just puzzle games in general, you’ll find fun playing with your food, even though we’re constantly told as kids not to.
I had a blast playing, both single player and multiplayer. If you're looking for an unconventional racer/combat game, you could do way worse than this, especially for the price it goes for.
Overall, this puzzle game is certainly enjoyable. At times, it can feel too repetitious, and when that starts to hit, it's best to take a breather. Burn out on something like this can ruin the next experience, whether it be the next time you boot up this game, or another game like it. If you're looking for a different kind of puzzle experience than what you're used to, you could do worse than this game.
All things considered, Hitman isn't a bad game. It's just overly repetitive, lacks true planning of objectives, and doesn't make sense as an episodic game.
So, while the initial thrill of basically flying around Medici sounds fun, the story and the new mechanic of the Bavarium Wingsuit don’t really do much for me, given that most of the encounters I thought were really cool took place within very tight spaces, which isn’t very conducive to using a wingsuit in.
I love this game. It feels great to play, it’s super fun, and I didn’t want to put it down. Some of the Achievements look to be really challenging, so if you’re an Achievement hunter, keep that in mind. A fun challenge, but a challenge all the same. If you’re a fan of old-school gaming (right down to the final level that may have you questioning your sanity after failing so often), this has that with a new-school coat of paint.
All things considered, I really wanted to enjoy Telltale's first outing into the comics with The Walking Dead: Michonne, but right now, given the tone deaf story, deadpan characters, lack of any choice and length, I feel comfortable in saying that you should hold off on playing this episode.
Firewatch was #6 on my Top Ten Most Wanted Games of 2016, so I don't think it will come as much of a surprise when I say that Firewatch was a game I truly couldn't wait for, and that's also why I am very pleased to tell you that the game is an utter delight.
I feel like this is a game that you need to either get your hands on yourself, or see it in action to really understand what it's all about. I think the bigger focus is on the arcade and multiplayer as somewhere you'll be getting the most fun, online, with friends, or with bots. If that's where your heart lies with this I do think you'll get enough bang for your buck at full price.
The Witness is a very interesting game, when you first hear the premise for it. You're just a person going around an abandoned island, solving puzzles, and learning the story along the way. How that is portrayed is wonderful, but the execution is downright sloppy.
For what Fortified offers, you could do a hell of a lot worse with fun factor on the marketplace. This is a game that I know I will find myself going back to and I suspect I won't be the only one with that thought. In fact, I can hear it calling to me right now. Excuse me, I have to go save the world. Or, in my case, try to save the world and end up failing miserably.
I can't recommend this game (and the original REmake HD) more for fans of Resident Evil. If you've grown up with them like I have, it's a no-brainer. If you're a bit younger or haven't really played any RE games other than the recent ones (or even worse, none at all), I do believe this is worth a look.