As someone whose not typically a fan of horror media I was really surprised with how much I enjoyed this game. Exploring and completing puzzles in this game was just super satisfying from beginning to end. On top of that the visuals and narrative were also stellar (despite me not knowing whats going on for like 90% of the game). The only gripe I have is the inventory limit. At first it seems like it could be a cool layer to the resource management but in reality all it really accomplishes is forcing you to backtrack a bunch. I ended up switching to to the 8 slot inventory about halfway through which I found a lot better.

The games art direction is so inspired, and it contains a really beauty story about love and loss. I struggle with some of the more cryptic elements of the game, but I appreciate the narrative value nonetheless. I think gameplay leaves a bit to be desired - the inventory limitations and extremely strict and force a lot of backtracking, but it’s serviceable, the puzzles and good and the whole package has kept me thinking about it since I finished the game. Can’t wait to see what the devs make next

Hellblade 2 is a achievement in graphics and audio design and should be played on the best looking screen and best headset or surround sound system.

Apart from that praise hellblade 2 is a simple game in terms of narrative and gameplay.
Combat is the same two attacks with a block and a slow down to help you when you have been hit way to many times and on the brink of death.
Apart from the combat you will encounter a few puzzle sections that shouldn't be any trouble for anyone.
In terms of the story it is a step down from the first game and the emphasis on Senuas mental health isn't core to the game as it was in the first one.

In saying that I did not regret my time with the game but I also see why this isn't for everyone.

Great gamepass game or cheap sale.
But Ninja Theory should be applauded for there technical achievements for this game it is beautiful to look at.

Great survival horror game that feels like a PS1 title but with modern gaming QoL (no tank controls, reload button for weapons, use contextual items by interacting with the level instead of opening the inventory menu...)!

The ambiant is amazing, I really enjoyed my time in the creepy and disturbing world of Signalis. I bought this game because of its artstyle (me love pixels), but I was hooked by it's gameplay and exploration! You never feel safe, you never have enough inventory space but you always find a way to progress. The level design is great, the levels always feels so gigantic and dangerous at first and become easier to navigate the more your play. Every room has its distinctive elements so the rooms layout can be memorized to optimize your trips and lesser risks. Difficulty is well balanced, I did not struggle with any of the fights and died only a few times. Flee is a always a valid option, with the exception of boss fights, so there are always at least 2 ways of handleling a danger.

The story can be quite cryptic, and some might not like it, but I enjoyed crafting theories on what was actually happening as I played. The ending I got didn't explain a lot of things but I'm fine with it. I have my interpretation and that's enough for me.
If you are one of those who needs to have everything explained at the end, maybe this is not a game for you (unless you like watching 2h long lore videos lol)

All in all, a solid game and an impressive production considering it was made by only two people!

I think Signalis is one of those games that leaves you super confused while playing it but once you're done and you think on what actually was going on, reading theories and stuff, it really grows on you
It's just so beautiful and heartfelt, plus it has yuri so it's already perfect in my book
As far as problems go I would say the gameplay itself can get a bit boring/obtuse at times (but it's compensated by everything else tbh) and the Switch version is not updated with the anniversary stuff (the expanded inventory and the like)
The ambience and the music are top-notch though
Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to see fanart of all the Replikas having fun

Unicorn Overlord is sort of the reverse of 13 Sentinels where instead of the strong emphasis on story and weak gameplay, Unicorn emphasizes the gameplay and less elsewhere.

The gameplay loop was quite addicting to me. There's a lot of freedom in being able to go wherever you want unless it's simple gated by a main story battle which isn't all that many. You can pretty much explore entire regions when you first enter assuming you're strong enough to "win" the fights against the wandering enemies in the overworld.

Repairing and developing towns are pretty simple, but oddly satisfying. Being able to see visual changes after you repair them is a nice touch.

The combat is different from typical SRPGs where you're fighting on grids and strictly turn-based. Unicorn has essentially 2 phases during combat. The first is very similar to RTS (with pause) games where selecting locations where to move the units. As they slowly make their way across the map, the battle timer and enemy units will continue to move. Going to the various menu will pause the game however so it's not too stressful.

Once a unit gets into contact with an enemy unit, the screen transitions to the actual combat scene where you'll see the two units duke it out. Their actions are based on the A.I. tactics you set for them. The fight ends when they have depleted all of the Passive and Active points regardless if both sides are still alive.

Most of the strategy during battle involves who to send out and where to send them out. You can adjust tactics and unit formation just before you initiate a fight. A preview of the results is handy to show if you need to make any adjustments. Despite allied unit actions are based on the tactics A.I., the tactics in Unicorn has decent depth to it so that there's a lot of flexibility and control over what the characters can do. It has a similar complexity and depth to FFXII's gambits.

The main victory condition for 99% of the battle is just to claim the enemy base. Along the way, you can claim smaller bases to establish different deployment locations. There's are terrain issues that needs to be considered as well as traps on the ground. Most maps aren't too complex, but are varied enough that I'm pretty satisfied.

A good chunk of the game time is in the preparation stage outside of the battle. Fine tuning tactics and unit formation including equipment is fun, but also takes up a lot of time.

Graphics is standard Vanillaware which is good. The 5 main regions have varied environments and are nice to see.

The soundtrack is similar to Basiscape's other works. They do sound good in-game, but there's only a few that were memorable to me outside of the game.

The story is one of the weakest parts of the game. It's simple, straightforward, predicable and isn't all that special. It kept my attention, but that's pretty much it. It doesn't really get much better after the early hours. Disappointing, but also expected based on the game structure.

I did enjoy the sidequest stories a little more since they are more character driven, but largely not that remarkable either. Many of the stories get resolved in just one battle and feels very isolated from the main conflict outside of the obvious connections.

The character bloat has left me with mixed feelings. I like nearly all of them, but they have little depth or character development. Rapport side conversations between the characters does help flesh them out more, but not enough for me. It's very much the quantity over quality when it comes to the character.

Despite my issues with the game, it is very fun and the emphasis on unit and character setups over complex battles is something I enjoy.

It's a pretty long game too since it took me 70 hours on Expert to clear every quest in the game.

For those wondering, the demo that covers the first 7 hours of the game is a very good indicator of what to expect for the remaining game. From the gameplay mechanics to the story beats.