COGconnected
HomepageCOGconnected's Reviews
The Banner Saga 2 is a mesmerizing and beautiful turn-based RPG with a deep and layered combat system while also delivering a strong narrative jammed with plenty of tough player decisions.
After playing Unravel Two, I was bummed its predecessor completely flew under my radar.
Overall, Summerset is a wonderful expansion for fans of ESO and people looking to jump in.
I wanted this game to be a success, I wanted it to be as fun as the trailer made it out to be, but I don't know the last time I played a game which made me prefer the option of turning off my console and going outside.
A well-done mode doesn't make up for the rest of the shoddy work. Couple everything with what may be the absolute worst commentating I've ever heard, and you can't even get too deep into your career mode before you want to smash the controller off of the wall.
It is certainly a pretty game. The minimalist polygon planes are very evocative, the sound design is lovely, and the abundant bloom lighting creates a mood. There's sort of a goal (get to the next triangle) and when you achieve it, the art style shifts. But I didn't really find it relaxing, I found it boring. And I never got over feeling perplexed.
Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi is certainly the kind of game that you can get lost in, constantly muttering 'one more turn' while losing sleeping and playing into the wee hours of the morning.
Agony is an ambitious game; it sought to give gamers an experience that they had never had before, which it does somewhat deliver, and I have to credit its developers for even the attempt. But this final product just doesn't feel finished; this is more like an Early Access game
Once in a while, Safe House successfully pulls me into the allure of mindless task managing, but the gameplay drags down the strong elements of the story through its repetition, and despite the multiple endings, its replay value is low.
Onrush feels slow to start but once you dive in it can be addictive to play.
Overall, despite Nightfall being a relatively short bit of DLC, it manages to pack in some fun challenges with the level design, and the combat is as satisfying as ever. I found the story to be nicely paced throughout the four levels and leaves you off just before the opening of Aragami. However, the DLC doesn't add much more to the game than the three new Shadow Techniques and is over once you've only just gotten into it.
The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker puts a ton of work into the acting and presentation of the characters but lacks in the actual gameplay to make it stand out as a video game.
The controls, the level design, and the lore all feel like precise expressions of the developers' complete vision. Yet I must attach that age-old caveat: this game will remorselessly kick your ass, leaving you hardly a heartbeat before the boot comes whistling your way again.
Little Nightmares is a perfect example of doing lots with so little.
One Piece: Grand Cruise is diabolically short, bereft of almost any interaction from the player's side, painfully repetitive, and a wholly uninspired effort that seems more interested in luring in its most ardent fans rather than making a competent game.
Overall I'm really impressed with Gunheart. It's easy to get caught up in the importance of the cross-play aspect, but the game itself is great fun. It's a solid shooter, which some great mechanics and customization that should keep players engaged for quite some time, at the very least long enough to get their money's worth.
While I continue to lament the lack of certain exceptional titles, the wide range of games being offered helps ease that pain. If you're looking to dive back into the Sega library without hauling out old hardware, the Sega Genesis Classics collection is a fine choice.
Witnessing a studio succeed beyond what their audience expects of them is always a pleasure, and DONTNOD Entertainment has done just that with Vampyr. Whether you're intrigued by the idea of stalking London as a bloodthirsty vampire or expressly fancy a rock-solid ARPG, consider sinking your teeth into this gem.
While I can appreciate the game's own attempt at experimentation with its indefinite gameplay, tabletop format, and fragmented story, I could not find much enjoyment in constantly wondering what I was doing and asking myself why I was still playing.
With a gorgeous, ever-changing setting, unique and functional control scheme, and some fantastic roguelike elements, Everspace is an essential experience for fans of space shooters.