OnlySP's Reviews
Far from attempting to elicit mass market appeal, the game targets a niche and shows itself to be a project from a developer stretching beyond what it knows best. Longbow Games's heritage in RTS titles emerges in the point-and-click gameplay, yet, in most other respects, Golem is a departure. While the team's attempt to create something complex and novel is admirable, its ambition occasionally outstrips its execution. Meanwhile, although the game's reliance on colonialist tropes is slightly troublesome, it will be overlooked by most players who have much else to occupy their minds across this evocating, engaging, and challenging adventure.
Conan Exiles is plump with content, combining a sprawling continent with enough progression mechanics to provide endless engagement. However, the game does not feel deserving of its namesake. Between bland combat and an uninspired world, Funcom's Hyboria bears little resemblance to Robert E. Howard's glorious battles and fantastic locales, even failing to live up to its digital forebears. That crafting and community building saves the title from the bin of also-rans similarly seems like a betrayal of the tenets of those time-worn tales. Pedantic literary enthusiasts aside, players will find much to keep them engaged in Conan Exiles, particularly as the developers continue to work on the title in the coming months, ironing out the shortcomings evident in this initial release.
Few games are as unremittingly grim as Frostpunk. In this world of snow and sacrifice, success comes rarely, and hope is but a fleeting memory. Failure is almost assured, and the lessons learned in that process can only be applied to a certain degree. Additionally, some elements intended to be challenging can be exasperating. Nevertheless, these gripes are relatively minor and do little to detract from the engrossing atmosphere. Although the title is unlikely to be remembered as a benchmark or future model for the city builder genre, it stands out from the pack by daring to carve out a wholly unique niche and refusing to pander to the mass-market mentality.
Above all, God of War is a surprise. By perfecting the current trends in the gaming market, the game has become an outlier in how to properly design a AAA experience. The combination of systems, which have failed numerous times in other games, somehow work thanks to the amount of effort, time, and love the studio has poured into the title. The title has transcended the bloody roots of its origins, trading in a shallow representation of vengeance for a meditation on power and revenge that feels more mature. The scariest thing about God of War is that it is destined for sequels, but with a foundation this excellent, the series could reach untold heights. Despite all the gameplay and visual successes, God of War's greatest feat is tell a story about family in a way that feels timeless, with the writing taking care of all the idiosyncrasies and implicit machinations of patriarchal relationships. God of War is a game about fathers in a time that dearly needs them and that should be appreciated.
Yakuza 6 is another standout entry in the most fascinating series of this renaissance of Japanese video games. The game is better than the already great Yakuza Kiwami that released late last year and is possessed of a profound, yet silly, tone that fans of the Metal Gear and Final Fantasy games of old will love. Adherents of previous games might be blindsided by the game's sole focus on Kazuma Kiryu, but the long-striving Dragon of Dojima is deserving of some sort of conclusion. The series has seen more sprawling and fully-featured entries—including the upcoming remake of Yakuza 2, which will see a greater focus on Majima's ongoing story—but that cannot detract from the enjoyment to be had saying goodbye to one of Japanese games' best ambassadors.
Extinction has a lot of potential to be more than it is. While the title is worth playing, it could strive for better. The lack of guidance in the beginning and the learning curve can be tough for new players to acclimatise to. However, after a few hours of learning, some of the frustration drops away, and the game becomes more fun because the player starts honing their skills. Trying to take down the Ravenii as quickly as possible to save the city before rushing to the next giant can be stressful, but it is an enjoyable kind of stress. Similarly, facing off against two or more Ravenii can be a fun challenge, forcing different strategies, such as attacking the more weakly armored first or severing a leg so the player can focus their attention on the other ogre. The problems that hold Extinction back may be a make-it-or-break-it point for some players. The inconsistency in using the whip can bring exasperation, and the lack of varied game modes can become boring. Furthermore, the predominantly single-button combat system is lackluster because far greater complexity can easily be envisioned for a game of this type. Having more ways to perform sweeping attacks for crowd control or stronger direct attacks might make the physical act of play more enjoyable. With more varied game modes, a more in-depth combat system, and redesigned traversal mechanics, Extinction could stand out, but, in its current state, it simply exists.
Far Cry 5 offers the best mechanics the series has seen to date, from much-needed updates to driving and shooting to the addition of vehicles, the Guns-For-Hire system, and the changes in progression. On top of the new additions and updates, Hope County, Montana is the most well-realized and original location the series has seen to date and one of the best open-worlds to come around this generation. The variety of content, the way players discover it, and the process of progression all lend to a sense of freedom and possibility befitting the eye-catching northwest American locale. The story falters where past entries did not, with less memorable villains and repetition in the mission structure, but it is a worthwhile sacrifice to allow players to enjoy the game at their will. Far Cry 5 shows that the series is willing to head into new territory; whether it continues on this trajectory remains to be seen, but the ideas here could breathe new life into the open-world genre as a whole. Ubisoft’s design philosophy feels indebted to the game’s new location, as it is imbued with a unique sense of freedom and power to the individual not previously seen in the series. While the new changes are not all rocket-pops and fireworks, Far Cry 5 still goes off with a bang worthy of any Fourth of July celebration.
At worst, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is a victim of ambition. The sheer number of ideas and the volume of content packed into the game is jaw-dropping, but can cause confusion. Nonetheless, familiarity breeds contempt, so Level-5's decision to keep things fresh throughout the expansive adventure must be commended. Considering that such a noble goal is attached to a game that, on the surface at least, is targeted towards children makes it even more impressive. However, the reality is that Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is an incredibly powerful title that has the potential to appeal to people from all walks of life. The game's excellence should not be underestimated.
The team at Phantom 8 should be proud of what it has achieved in terms of atmosphere and core gameplay. Past Cure, similarly to Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice before it, is a testament to the idea that small indie developers can produce a quality of content matching that created by blockbuster studios. However, the excellence of these aspects makes the flaws in design, audio, and storytelling more glaring. What looks like a sterling experience feels amateur. Past Cure is ambitious, which can be a fantastic quality, but the developer's effort is misplaced, leaving the game incapable of surviving its own confusion.
Standing alone, Before the Storm has an emotional arc, which goes to say that the experience is not an inherent waste of time. The nature of truth that is at the heart of the narrative is not without merit—a worthy exploration of an important theme to be sure. Overall, Deck Nine does as the best as any studio could be expected to in trying to recapture the magic of the first season, even if the experience ultimately leaves players wanting more of that original magic. Perhaps these shortcomings are simply a testament to the quality of the initial installment. Any attempt to replicate Life is Strange would always fall flat, and no one can be faulted for failing at such an impossible task. In the end, even with all the proper precautions and setup in place to capture the same lightning in a bottle, the emotional maelstrom that is Life is Strange is so potent because of the storm at the heart of the game. Anything that comes before is just the calm.
The fundamental question 0°N 0°W posits is 'how much direction does one really need to enjoy a video game?' The rainbowed reality of 0°N 0°W provides no answer, but the suggestion that the art form is being limited by its own definitions of what defines a game lingers.
With A Case of Distrust, developer Ben Wander takes players on an intriguing narrative experience, with complex characters and intricate gameplay cleverly accompanied by a beautiful art style and charming soundtrack. For his first game as an independent developer, Wander has knocked it out of the park. For any fans of narrative games, or detective fiction in general, A Case of Distrust is a must play.
At the end of a long road, emotions can be mixed, with many exhausted by the experience or rejuvenated by the discoveries made along the way. WTWTLW instills the former, driving players to feel dragged through the mud as opposed to fulfilled. Although the game touts the importance of the journey over the destination, neither offers any real sense of satisfaction. In the end, an interesting concept and great art direction cannot save the game from the weight of ambition. The attempt is admirable, but the execution leaves much to be desired. WTWTLW is lacking the narrative punch and cohesion of other story-focused games, as well as the freedom and gameplay quality of other exploration-based titles. WTWTLW has all the promise of a long and exciting road-trip across unknown territory, but ends up only offering flat tires and postcards of better places.
Mulaka feels generic in its gameplay, but the intriguing themes of the Tarahumara folklore help the title to become more than just another action-platformer. The lackluster combat, level design, jarring animations, and basic plot line may not be worth the price of entry, yet Mulaka is a immensely engrossing adventure. Learning about a tribe of people that most have never heard of and playing a game about indigenous people is rare. Playing through Mulaka divulges a lot about the Tarahumara mythology and customs. Mulaka is best played to learn about the culture and origin stories of the Tarahumara people, who go down in legend as being some of the most athletic humans to ever grace the face of the planet.
All Walls Must Fall should have had everything going for it. Both the combat and dialogue mechanics are solid. The game has a premise that is ripe for character interaction and analysis of human choice in the face of time travel. Had it established at the outset that time traveling was a one-and-done deal and restricted the player from using the power at all, All Walls Must Fall could have had something. As is, the title provides a few hours of decent enjoyment that is too easy to truly enjoy.
With all said and done, and despite several flaws, Warhorse Studios delivers a fantastic first game and deserves praise for Kingdom Come's successes. The issues currently present in the game are comparable to Bethesda's infamous bugs. However, even before the game's release, the developers were working hard to constantly address feedback given by the community to influence future patches that will hopefully turn Kingdom Come: Deliverance into the great experience fans believe it can be.
The first age of so-called walking simulators is long past. The design foibles that led to such projects being so widely decried have been ironed out, but the genre is still struggling to find its feet. In such a situation, The Station is no revolutionary. Many aspects of the game help to give it a unique identity, but the gameplay is too reliant on established ideas to allow it to stand out from a crowded field.
Few titles can take players on a journey with the ease and grace that The Red Strings Club does; its ability to do so much with so little is a ringing endorsement to the effectiveness of minimalism. The game will not—can not—appeal to everyone, but those seeking a title that takes narrative seriously should not overlook it. Although the gameplay is not challenging, the way it forms an integral part of the story is something that even the biggest, most practiced teams in the industry can learn from. In short, The Red Strings Club is unmissable.
Indeed, in an age where titles are designed as sprawling live services, a more focused campaign can help a game to stand out. Fortunately, Attack of the Earthlings has much more in its favour than being a throwback to a simpler age thanks to its cheery tone and novelty. The game is far from revolutionary, but it bears a sense of individuality that many others lack. The greatest disappointment is that the title will likely never reach the audience it deserves.
Bringing together a pair of budget RPGs, Fallen Legion + represents excellent value for money, but that worth is highly conditional. The artwork is truly inspired—sometimes even breathtaking—but serves a world and story that do not deserve it. Adherents of fantasy war tales will likely find enjoyment from the narrative, though a general audience will fail to be enraptured. Aside from the graphics, the battle system is the game's standout feature, yet even this highlight is let down by the poorly-considered ancillary mechanics that make the Fallen Legion games into anaemic RPGs.