Arcesius
The start of the Trine series, and while still one of the better entries, it is quite rough around the edges. Wonky hitboxes make platforming rather frustrating than fun, and combat feels really rough.
You can have fun if you play in coop, but make sure to pick Zoya. That's the next issue, Pontius and Amadeus feel balanced, having both crucial abilities for combat or puzzle solving, but obvious weaknesses as well. Zoya is simply way too strong.
You can have fun if you play in coop, but make sure to pick Zoya. That's the next issue, Pontius and Amadeus feel balanced, having both crucial abilities for combat or puzzle solving, but obvious weaknesses as well. Zoya is simply way too strong.
Having only limited experience with fighting games (and being terrible at them), I decided to broaden my horizon and play Injustice when it was offered for free on Playstation.
This was not the right game to do that. Is this even a fighting game? I completed all S.T.A.R. Lab missions with three stars, of which only a handful were really about fighting. The other ones? Gimmicky minigames with awful and clunky controls.
Battle Mode was quite the slog, at least until I had to complete The Max and The Impossible, which were both a bit of a challenge but nothing insurmountable.
A game I would definitely recommend avoiding, unless you are really passionate about superheroes, as the only passable aspect of this game is Story Mode.
This was not the right game to do that. Is this even a fighting game? I completed all S.T.A.R. Lab missions with three stars, of which only a handful were really about fighting. The other ones? Gimmicky minigames with awful and clunky controls.
Battle Mode was quite the slog, at least until I had to complete The Max and The Impossible, which were both a bit of a challenge but nothing insurmountable.
A game I would definitely recommend avoiding, unless you are really passionate about superheroes, as the only passable aspect of this game is Story Mode.
2019
The game delivers what you have come to expect from a Trials game, but with a modern presentation. However, it is that modern touch that also works against Rising. Picking tracks from the colorful and way too crowded world map can be confusing, you can't select the ghosts you want to race against, progression is weirdly gated, etc...
Furthermore, no single track from the base game or DLC comes close in difficulty to the harder tracks in Fusion, and it takes way too long to get to the Hard and Extreme tracks, making the campaign quite boring initially.
The addition of the University of Trials is genious, and I think is one of the reasons why newcomers to the series should start with Rising.
Furthermore, no single track from the base game or DLC comes close in difficulty to the harder tracks in Fusion, and it takes way too long to get to the Hard and Extreme tracks, making the campaign quite boring initially.
The addition of the University of Trials is genious, and I think is one of the reasons why newcomers to the series should start with Rising.
2015
A very simple game that, on the surface, makes a relatively straightforward impression. You control a character on rails and can just jump and slide. Easy, right?
Well, that is until you attemt to earn all rainbow medals, achieved for beating the tightest time attack in each level. It is only now that you learn how to use your limited movement options to shave milliseconds off of your best time.
Honestly, going for these medals was really fun, and turned Action Henk from a simple and shallow into a thrilling skill-based game.
Well, that is until you attemt to earn all rainbow medals, achieved for beating the tightest time attack in each level. It is only now that you learn how to use your limited movement options to shave milliseconds off of your best time.
Honestly, going for these medals was really fun, and turned Action Henk from a simple and shallow into a thrilling skill-based game.
2015
Awful port of a game originally released for mobile. Clunky, uninspired gameplay, the game just has no soul. Moreover, completing all challenges is pretty straightforward and thus doesn't feel rewarding.
Not worth your time.
Not worth your time.
2016
I had never played a Bioshock game and started this one with expectations that, ultimatelly, could not be met.
The setting is great and the game asks some uncomfortable questions, but the game itself did not age all too well.
I don't see myself playing the other two entries.
The setting is great and the game asks some uncomfortable questions, but the game itself did not age all too well.
I don't see myself playing the other two entries.
2014
The king of skill-based games. Trials Fusion is a deceivingly easy game, but will quickly turn into a game that demands that you get better at it if you want to keep making progress. With an incredibly high skill ceiling, Trials Fusion can be quite addictive, as you can always find a challenge that precisely suits your current skill level.
The most fun I had personally with this game was going for the "Redlynx to the Sword" challenge from the Awesome Level MAX DLC, where you have to beat the developer times on varous tracks.
What I personally disliked were the more gimmicky track challenges, but luckily there are not too many of those.
The most fun I had personally with this game was going for the "Redlynx to the Sword" challenge from the Awesome Level MAX DLC, where you have to beat the developer times on varous tracks.
What I personally disliked were the more gimmicky track challenges, but luckily there are not too many of those.
I adore this game. I truly do. I like the OST and will also listen to it (especially the Metal remix) just because I feel like it, I enjoy the varied playstyles of each character, and the mix of rhythm-game and dungeon crawler is something unlike anything I had seen before.
However, after spending roughly 130h with the game and having completed multiple clears with the various characters and completed specific challenges, I knew that if I wanted to keep pushing forward and unlock Coda or go for low% runs, I would have to invest a lot more of my gaming time with this game... And so I walked away.
Still, it is a very unique, very fun game with exceptionally complex and rewarding gameplay.
Maybe I will return to it one day...?
However, after spending roughly 130h with the game and having completed multiple clears with the various characters and completed specific challenges, I knew that if I wanted to keep pushing forward and unlock Coda or go for low% runs, I would have to invest a lot more of my gaming time with this game... And so I walked away.
Still, it is a very unique, very fun game with exceptionally complex and rewarding gameplay.
Maybe I will return to it one day...?
2016
Darkest Dungeon is a game that I enjoyed quite a bit. I have always been a fan of turn-based combat, and DD pairs this with grotesque, gory enemies and animations, a fantastic and unique artstyle and a varied roster of characters from which to compose your party for your next trip into the dungeons.
Darkest Dungeon can be a cruel game, but you should always accept the sometimes severe consequences and learn to move on, and make the best of the situation with the ressources that are currently available to you.
Stygian Mode could have been a pain, but once you know how to break the game (which luckily I didn't know on my first playthrough), it becomes a cakewalk.
Darkest Dungeon can be a cruel game, but you should always accept the sometimes severe consequences and learn to move on, and make the best of the situation with the ressources that are currently available to you.
Stygian Mode could have been a pain, but once you know how to break the game (which luckily I didn't know on my first playthrough), it becomes a cakewalk.
My first experience with the franchise. I enjoyed the game a lot, at least everything except the game modes in HD Fury. Gameplay is fast and responsive, and especially in 2048 the visuals are fantastic.
However, I was expecting a harder game. I had heard horror stories about Zico, but was able to beat his time in HD and 2048 without issues. Gold Medals on Elite difficulty / Elite passing all campaign nodes was also much easier than expected.
However, I was expecting a harder game. I had heard horror stories about Zico, but was able to beat his time in HD and 2048 without issues. Gold Medals on Elite difficulty / Elite passing all campaign nodes was also much easier than expected.
A beatifully looking boss-rush game with a unique setting. While I enjoyed the boss design, I found the exploration uneccessary and would have preferred a direct path to each encounter (similar to what you have in Valhalla mode).
The isometric perspective sometimes gets in your way, as you can easily misjudge your position relative to the boss, resulting in missed attacks or taking damage. This made some encounters a bit frustrating, especially longer ones like Valhalla fights against Odin or Kaunan without using God Powers.
The isometric perspective sometimes gets in your way, as you can easily misjudge your position relative to the boss, resulting in missed attacks or taking damage. This made some encounters a bit frustrating, especially longer ones like Valhalla fights against Odin or Kaunan without using God Powers.
2016
Very unique game concept and a great experience in VR, as you are really required to be aware of your entire body and how you move.
The challenges, especially the speedruns, were incredibly satisfying to do. There were some tracking issues every now and then, especially with trying to grab objects close to the borders of the camera, but nothing that resulted in too much frustration.
The challenges, especially the speedruns, were incredibly satisfying to do. There were some tracking issues every now and then, especially with trying to grab objects close to the borders of the camera, but nothing that resulted in too much frustration.
While Diablo III looks great on a superficial level, there really is no depth to any of its systems. Playing through the campaign results in a straightforward and fairly shallow experience, there is not much complexity to build crafting (or even the necessity for it) and the end-game becomes repetitive very quickly.
2016
With fantastic visuals and fun, chaotic gameplay, Alienation is a game that is great for solo monster slaying, but shines even brighter in coop.
2018
Fairly enjoyable 2D action RPG that wears its inspiration on its sleeve and even directly jokes about it.
I enjoyed the artstyle and enemy / boss design. However, character progression and customization is relatively shallow, and some boss fights on Heroic feel a bit too random for my liking.
I enjoyed the artstyle and enemy / boss design. However, character progression and customization is relatively shallow, and some boss fights on Heroic feel a bit too random for my liking.