OnlySP's Reviews
Fans that have been following all things The Outer Worlds up until launch will not be disappointed here. Obsidian managed to produce a title that is completely carried and elevated by its world(s) and characters. With the amount of interesting interactions filled in each conversation, The Outer Worlds will always beg to be revisited. Sadly, The Outer Worlds shot for the moon and only landed among the stars, thanks to combat that feels like shooting a BB gun at walls of sponge. Lackluster combat is only one flaw, but when players are spending nearly half of their time taking part in the flaw, its problems are unavoidable. Still though, Obsidian has crafted something special that fits right up there with its contemporaries. The Outer Worlds completely succeeds in its mission to take players on an interplanetary adventure in ways that have not been seen in gaming for some time. Hopefully, other titles will follow in its footsteps when taking players to brand new worlds.
GRID has firmly nailed its place in the market as one of the best arcade racing series and will remain a ferocious competitor to the Forza and Gran Turismo franchises. The cars and tracks have been beautifully crafted with explicit detail, and when coupled with the delicate handling model, command-based communication, and the Nemesis system, all create a unique, thoroughly enjoyable racing experience. However, the game suffers from engagement issues, which could be improved by implementing a photo mode and racing soundtracks. The Nemesis system needs more reckless driving from the AI and greater rewards when beating Nemeses to the finish line, to stand out from other arcade racing sims.
Code Vein tries hard to overcome its flaws with anime style and flamboyance—and in many areas almost succeeds. The character creation and Code-based upgrade system are intriguing, but the combat and partner AI are too inconsistent to overcome the uneven pacing and difficulty. Code Vein has its positives, but is flawed as a single-player experience.
Neo Cab is a smart, engaging visual novel. Containing light survival mechanics, emotional manipulation, and customer service, this combination of short stories and overarching plot choices create a unique voice in the visual novel genre.
Five hours into a session, the player could be forgiven for thinking that only half that time has gone by. WARSAW has an addictive quality that comes from sublime gameplay and a pervasive feeling of desperation. ‘Just one more mission,’ goes the refrain. ‘Just one more’ until the final mission is complete, and the game comes to its shattering end. WARSAW may be short, but as an engaging history lesson and an engrossing game, it warrants any number of replays.
Despite its flaws, The Sojourn has moments of greatness. Weaving a web of dark tunnels or daisy-chaining angel statues to the exit feels wonderful. The game world is stunningly beautiful, and wandering through the vistas is quite peaceful. However, the poor communication with the player, nonsensical greeting card writing, and frustrating final act leave The Sojourn a mixed bag of great puzzles and crappy idioms.
Devil’s Hunt is visually stunning in many ways and seeks to rise above its indie roots, but sadly the game is lacking in polish in many areas. Though at times the gameplay can be genuinely fun and engaging, Devil’s Hunt suffers from frustrating flaws that put it in the shade of other hack-and-slash titles. The clunky and occasionally tasteless writing does the game no favours either.
To sum up Gears 5 in a word would be “satisfying”. From the combat, plot, and ensemble of characters, it all fits neatly together in a well-wrapped present.
Regardless of whether players have experienced Catherine before, Catherine: Full Body fulfills its goal of giving players a reason to revisit this one-of-a-kind tale. The willingness to distance itself from traditional black-and-white romantic tropes allows the game to tell a captivating narrative, breaking the fourth wall and allowing players to act as if they found themselves in Vincent’s predicament. The addition of Rin has allowed for exploration of a different side of love, asking more thought-provoking questions that seek to uncover what true happiness means to the player. In the end, Catherine: Full Body is essentially, more Catherine, and fans of the original could not ask for more.
Overall, Torchlight II is a very solid console port. The gameplay loop is generally satisfying despite the minor annoyances, and can even feel a bit zen once the player manages to sink fully into the rhythm. Torchlight II does not do anything remarkable for the action hack-and-slash genre, but functions as a good spiritual successor to Diablo II and makes for a good alternative for hack-and-slash fans who were put off by Diablo III.
Children of Morta is strong in its apparent simplicity. By the end game the player is juggling multiple additional powers, temporary buffs, held items, and a vast array of enemy types, but since everything is introduced so smoothly and cleanly it never feels overwhelming. The game is brutal without being cruel, as each failure shows some granular hint of progress—it serves as a great introduction to the genre for newcomers, as everything is explained so well, and is also appealing for veteran players, showing a different approach to a well-known classic. A bit Rogue, a bit Diablo, and all class, Children of Morta will be remembered as the gold standard for years to come.
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is something of an oddity. The game has a lot of depth to uncover and problems to overcome, but with a difficulty curve like a brick wall, many players will end up walking away in frustration. For those with the patience of a mountain, this is worth checking out, as the lush environments are beautiful to behold, and many fascinating discoveries wait to be made and passed on down the generations.
At this point, decrying the necessity of a star rating is basically a cliche, but the fact is that a rating will not help invite or warn off potential players of Decay of Logos. The game is not quite distinctive enough to reach a wider audience, but neither is it as clunky and edgelordy as the also-divisive Darksiders III, so the game gets a hearty Credit from me. Bump the score up to a Distinction for any Souls fans willing to take a punt on a beautiful indie.
So much potential is wasted in The Great Perhaps. Puzzle design is solid throughout, but hampered with finicky controls. Art direction is outstanding, but the story that the game is trying to support flounders between ‘funny’ and serious, and is full of clichés. Offensive content notwithstanding, The Great Perhaps is a very run-of-the-mill time travel story delivered in a monotonous tone. Many adjectives could be used to describe this game, but ‘Great’ is certainly not among them.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood had the potential for greatness. MachineGames has proven itself as one of the best FPS developers active today with the previous two series entries, and Arkane Studios has a well-deserved reputation for great immersive sim experiences. Both are highly regarded for their single-player offerings, yet this collaboration squanders so much of the magic that could have been. The gunplay is as tight as fans could hope, and the central storyline is just strong enough to overcome the malaise that the repetitive open-world exploration breeds. However, those boons are not enough to offset the flaws, foibles, and—most of all—the sense that this is a game designed to keep players coming back: even as it lacks a hook to do so.
The Blackout Club is a fascinating take on the stealth-horror genre. Balanced between genuine fear and co-op laughter, starring vulnerable yet capable protagonists, and featuring a creepy atmosphere and goofy characters, the game is full of contradictory ideas that somehow work together really well. Best played with friends, but also enjoyable solo, this unique take on a horror game has something for everybody.
Stranger Things 3: The Game is only for really big fans of the show. Even then, the title is hard to recommend since it is an inferior version of the television season. While the gameplay is not bad, it is too repetitive to be enjoyable on its own. The game would perhaps be best played just before season four comes out, as a novel way of recapping the previous season.
The challenging gameplay, gorgeous sound design, and stunning aesthetics all make Etherborn a worthwhile experience, even for those not fond of puzzle-platformers. Every level demonstrates a craftsmanship that encourages the curiosity to think and engage with the world. Completing puzzles is satisfying, even if the length of the game is not. Some minor issues may crop up along the way, but Etherborn is still a clever, fun game that challenges players and their perspective of the world.
Given that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a crowdfunded game, the amount of love and attention evident in its production comes as no surprise. The level of quality that is present in this package is truly astounding, and the appreciation grows even more when considering the free content promised for the coming months. Perfection should not be expected from Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. However, the result is exactly what was promised by the developers, and fans could not ask for more. Throughout its development, Igarashi-san provided continual assurance that he desired to make the game a product of its fans. By listening to criticism and acting on it, he fulfilled his promise with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.
The Sinking City is one of the best Lovecraft-inspired games available and, despite some slightly awkward controls in places, the game is brilliantly crafted. Fans of horror will love its atmosphere and those who enjoy investigative games will quickly become absorbed in the depth offered by the gameplay. Those who loved L.A. Noire or Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, and players of the tabletop game, should definitely give thought to picking this title up.