EIP Gaming's Reviews
Flint: Treasure of Oblivion is a mess of many good ideas, not given nearly enough time to breathe. While the visuals are fantastic -- especially the portraits and comic-book-style cutscenes -- they exist to serve a game that feels both narratively and mechanically unfinished. Between unlikeable characters, confusing gameplay that lacks depth, and an overall lack of polish and size, Flint: Treasure of Oblivion fails to make good use of its many innovative ideas, and would've been better served if it had been reigned in.
The Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered bring a cult classic game back with enhanced graphics and features, while retaining the original version's gameplay. There being so few changes can cause some frustrations from clunky interactions, but these are still great games and an excellent way to introduce players to the Legacy of Kain series.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl lives up to its predecessors in a massive way. With a dangerous and stunning world, excellent gameplay, a tight story, and astounding sound design, STALKER has never been better. At the same time, the game is too easy, and doesn't mechanically incentivize exploration as much as it should, given how enjoyable that aspect is. Still, STALKER 2 is worth the wait, and newcomers will find it easy to sink right into the destroyed beauty of the Zone.
With a unique gimmick and plenty of action, Anger Foot is everything a tongue-in-cheek FPS should be: short, sweet, and to the door-kicking point.
Helldivers 2 is a very strong co-op extraction shooter with some excellent gameplay and mechanics. Unfortunately, a lack of endgame content or a reason to keep progressing keep the game from being the live service darling that many thought it would be at launch.
Riven is still one of the best puzzle games of all time, with challenging puzzles, an intricate plot, and a gorgeous world that all fold into each other in great ways. It's a wonderful experience, except for how slow it can be at points. As a remake, the full 3d movement and stunning new graphics add a lot, though replacing the FMV cutscenes with in-game cutscenes does pull away some of the game's original charm.
The Final Shape campaign is the magnum opus of the franchise. It's obvious that the pacing of the story and gameplay were given an abundance of care, which elevates the entire experience. The story provides longtime fans massive payoffs, and succinctly wraps up the epic journey we've been on for so many years. Lastly, the new additions of the Dread enemy faction and Prismatic subclass made playing through the campaign a delight. I will say that as a whole, this campaign is the best in the Destiny franchise, and hearkens back to Bungie's golden age of campaigns in their Halo days.
Dread Delusion is a visual feast (at least from a distance), but its philosophical dilemmas and wickedly cool world do not make up for its total lack of depth in combat, exploration, and questing that make the otherwise-beautiful game a chore.
Short and sweet, INDIKA uses the third-person adventure game medium to tell a compelling story of a young nun struggling with life, good and evil, and the voice of the devil in her head. The influence of both serious cinema and Russian philosophical novels come together to form the most compelling game I've played so far this year. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel weird, and you'll wonder what the word "evil" really means anyway.
Somehow, despite everything, Sucker for Love: Date to Die For is monumentally above its predecessor and is elevated far beyond its premise. What should be a schlock romance/horror/comedy game that struggles to mean anything instead becomes shockingly poignant and effective at those three genres and more. This game's story, bolstered by great art, fantastic voice acting, and surprising writing, should not be as good as it is. But, believe it or not, it is worth your time.
Alone in the Dark has such a fantastic pulp horror aesthetic that it makes up for very lackluster gameplay. Stand out performances, a clear reverence for horror, and some great writing make it work. Though it might not quite be worth the price...
Timemelters is a fun game that offers unique mechanics and design which are cleverly implemented, resulting in a satisfying overall experience. The game is smooth running with no glitches or performance issues, but the story and characters struggle to leave any impression, and a few more cutscenes could've gone a long way. Still, even the most story-driven gamers shouldn't shy away from this fresh and exciting product. Give it a chance and you won't be disappointed.
An excellent RPG that offers a strong narrative, true player choice, and a fresh setting and magic system. The combat can be a bit repetitive, but its interesting systems mitigate that somewhat, and the real draw here is the role playing anyway.
Reigns: Three Kingdoms is a worthy successor to the Reigns throne. As a mobile game it can feel awkward on a PC, but it has a nice minimalist style and offers some solid storytelling and world building.
A deftly told tale, with a well-realized and unique cast of chracters. While it sometimes lacks for choice, the choices you are offered are interesting, and anyone fiending for more Disco Elysium could do a lot worse than Sovereign Syndicate.
Rogue Trader is a near-perfect encapsulation of 40k. Its dark-but-pulpy story puts you in the position to make tough choices with no right answers, its combat is a healthy mix of TTRPG and game balance, and the amount of content on display is jaw-dropping. The Emperor has blessed Owlcat Games.
A solid entry in the Metroidvania genre, The Last Faith wears its influences on its sleeve, and provides a fun hack-and-shoot-and-spell adventure while doing so. It isn't particularly original — but it's fun, so who cares?
The Invincible is a competent first person exploration title, with a wonderful astropunk aesthetic married to a compelling narrative. There are minor issues with navigation, but not enough to prevent the game from being an enjoyable experience.
As close to flawless as any puzzle game can be, the Talos Principle 2 offers some of the deepest philosophy, most poignant moments, best written characters, and -- of course -- the smartest puzzles in gaming, all beautifully interwoven with each other to produce a masterful experience for contemplative gamers.
While missing some staples of a typical RPG, Long Gone Days is a great game, with a grounded story that effectively showcases the effects war can have on people.