Fairdy
2020
I don't know what it is, but Omori is overwhlemingly boring to play. The idea is good and the story is even enjoyable, but something about actually playing feels like such a slog. I wish I could like it and I can understand why people like it, but I have a hard time recommending it.
This review contains spoilers
An incredibly fun Spiderman game that is mercifully short. Miles, while a cool character, feels a bit too neurotic compared to his Spderverse version. Still, the gameplay is fun and the story is decent, with the disappointing villain not distracting too much from the rest if you ignore it.
Possibly one of the best visual novel games. It actually feels like you are playing a game and can choose where the story goes. In terms of customization, every other VN game feels pathetic in comparison. It is not a glorified storybook, but an actual story that you can interact with and influence. It feels like YOU are an actual character, instead of inhabiting the body of a predetermined character.
A must-experience for any VN fan, especially my fellow queers!
A must-experience for any VN fan, especially my fellow queers!
2013
Too American for me lmao
2023
This is an odd one. The AI feels a few decades too old. The wire puzzles were fine, but with only two types they got old fast. I fucking HATED the hacking minigame, the game would be a whole grade better without them. I also did not like running around the cramped station aimlessly with very few map markers, it made me want to drop the game quite a few times.
The gunplay felt a little weak at times, but I enjoyed the different combinations and ammo. I did enjoy the visuals a lot and the animations had character, the voice acting was also very enjoyable!
Also, despite being called one, the System Shock remake does not live up to the immersive sim reputation of being able to solve a puzzle in multiple ways.
TLDR; a great remaster in the sense that it keeps everything from the original game but does not hold up in terms of modern standards.
The gunplay felt a little weak at times, but I enjoyed the different combinations and ammo. I did enjoy the visuals a lot and the animations had character, the voice acting was also very enjoyable!
Also, despite being called one, the System Shock remake does not live up to the immersive sim reputation of being able to solve a puzzle in multiple ways.
TLDR; a great remaster in the sense that it keeps everything from the original game but does not hold up in terms of modern standards.
2018
This review contains spoilers
Judgment is a very decent Yakuza game, but it suffers from incredibly mediocrity. And the worst part is, I really really wanted to love this game and have it be one of my faves of all time.
The combat is your standard Yakuza beat-em-up, though the smooth transition from exploring to combat to exploring is very welcome. But other than that, I felt disappointed with the game.
The streets of Kamurocho are not as lively as they were in Yakuza 0. The side missions can be funny, but do not exceed the prior games in any way. The story feels incredibly bloated and after you've played a few games and are familiar with the trademark Yakuza padding, it will be very obvious with this game.
Worst of all, the gimmick that separates Judgment from the yakuza series - being a detective - is frustratingly underwhelming. Tailing is a chore, but not impossible. ""Investigating"" is a brain-dead 'click things until the story progresses' ordeal, the zoom-in camera mode when you investigate is very annoying, and in terms of puzzles you rarely have to think for yourself (except that one bomber side quest which required a lot of Japanese cultural and language knowledge, which was a jarring shift from the game's usual handholding). Most plot twists are revealed by other characters or in ways that do not feel rewarding, like you earned them through your own wits and skills as an investigator.
Also, for a detective, Yagami is way too hotheaded, impulsive and short-sighted - much similar to a Yakuza than a detective, making the shtick of this being a 'detective game' even less believable. Yagami in general feels like one of the blandest protagonists of the RGG games, which is a real feat considering their usually very colorful cast. He has A personality, but it pales in comparison to his predecessors. I understand the actor for Yagami was too expensive for karaoke, but my god do the side activities in this game feel boring. The dating aspect is a nice break-away, but I started to avoid it since it requires proficiency with the minigames (which admittedly is a skill issue, not the game's fault).
TLDR; Judgment is a decent Yakuza game and a despairingly awful detective game. If you just want the optics of being a 'detective' without actually having to do the legwork, this is your game. Otherwise, play something like LA Noire.
The combat is your standard Yakuza beat-em-up, though the smooth transition from exploring to combat to exploring is very welcome. But other than that, I felt disappointed with the game.
The streets of Kamurocho are not as lively as they were in Yakuza 0. The side missions can be funny, but do not exceed the prior games in any way. The story feels incredibly bloated and after you've played a few games and are familiar with the trademark Yakuza padding, it will be very obvious with this game.
Worst of all, the gimmick that separates Judgment from the yakuza series - being a detective - is frustratingly underwhelming. Tailing is a chore, but not impossible. ""Investigating"" is a brain-dead 'click things until the story progresses' ordeal, the zoom-in camera mode when you investigate is very annoying, and in terms of puzzles you rarely have to think for yourself (except that one bomber side quest which required a lot of Japanese cultural and language knowledge, which was a jarring shift from the game's usual handholding). Most plot twists are revealed by other characters or in ways that do not feel rewarding, like you earned them through your own wits and skills as an investigator.
Also, for a detective, Yagami is way too hotheaded, impulsive and short-sighted - much similar to a Yakuza than a detective, making the shtick of this being a 'detective game' even less believable. Yagami in general feels like one of the blandest protagonists of the RGG games, which is a real feat considering their usually very colorful cast. He has A personality, but it pales in comparison to his predecessors. I understand the actor for Yagami was too expensive for karaoke, but my god do the side activities in this game feel boring. The dating aspect is a nice break-away, but I started to avoid it since it requires proficiency with the minigames (which admittedly is a skill issue, not the game's fault).
TLDR; Judgment is a decent Yakuza game and a despairingly awful detective game. If you just want the optics of being a 'detective' without actually having to do the legwork, this is your game. Otherwise, play something like LA Noire.
2023
An interesting F.E.A.R and SCP lovechild, Trepang2 has decent gunplay and is otherwise unremarkable. It felt a bit clunky at places. Personally I dislike slow-motion mechanics, but something about the gameplay felt off. Still, it's a rather short game, so it doesn't overstay its stay.
2023
It has decent gameplay, the gore mechanic is very cool and never gets old, the different weapons are also cool but it feels like they are missing a certain oomph. Otherwise, Dying Light did it much better and was a much more fun game. Also, ALL zombie games should take over L4D's feature of reloading having stages, so you don't have to start reloading again from the start cuz you're dodging constantly - which also feels a bit clunky sometimes.
Worst of all, DI2 doesn't even take place on an island!
Worst of all, DI2 doesn't even take place on an island!
2014
While a subject of awful business practices, it is the best-looking Sims game and that sadly stops me from playing the older ones.
One of the best open world games ever with beautiful environments and fun areas. Makes good use of the interactable environment. Fun gameplay that rewards creativity, but sadly a bit shallow when it comes to mechanics. Story passable. Breakable weapons are a bother and the puzzles are very very bad.
2022
This review contains spoilers
I might be the only person in the world that disliked Elden Ring. Most areas felt like rehashes of older Soulsborne games, the bosses were forgettable and underwhelming. The difficulty is all over the place with frame-reading enemies. The semi-open world makes it so that you can be incredibly overleveled for some areas, which makes them incredibly boring and ruins the tension. Story does not do anything new. Though combat-wise, this is superior than the Dark Souls games (not BB or Sekiro), especially when it comes to magic. Generally the moment-to-moment gameplay is fun, but it started feeling to me like a slog and I stopped looking forward to the next area and boss.
Overall a decent game, but a bit disappointing in the larger picture. Dropped it after ~50 hours when my save got corrupted.
Overall a decent game, but a bit disappointing in the larger picture. Dropped it after ~50 hours when my save got corrupted.