Game: VA-11 HALL-A CYBERPUNK BARTENDER ACTION
Playtime: 12.5h
Completion: main + extras


Story:
|Tale for the ages|
|Great| <-----------
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Horrible|
|Don't even try to understand it|
|None|

Notes: All characters are unique and masterfully built.
Each of them have their distinct personalities and
stories. The story deepens as you progress through
the game, getting you into a rollercoaster of emotions.
Let's mix drinks and change lives!

OST/Sound Design:
|Masterpiece| <-----------
|Great|
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Annoying but bearable|
|Unbearable|

Notes: Not only the music is extremely important for the scene,
it can completely change how you feel in each scenario. All
that at the palm of your hands. Each track of the OST fits
perfectly.

Gameplay:
|Fantastic|
|Great| <-----------
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Clunky|
|Unbearable|

Notes: Visual novel-ish gameplay with some drink mixing. It's great
on what it proposes. Mixing drinks actually, and heavily,
contributed positively to experience. Without it, the game
wouldn't feel complete.

Difficulty:
|Skill Issue|
|Quite the challenge|
|Hard|
|Normal|
|Kinda easy|
|Easy|
|Is this a joke?|
|Walking simulator| <-----------

Notes: It's a visual novel style game, what did you expect?

Art direction:
|Perfection| <-----------
|Beautiful|
|Nice to look at|
|Ok|
|Meh|
|Lifeless|
|Awful|

Notes: Simply beautiful. The scenery couldn't be more perfect.
The appearance of each character and their expressions
contribute immensely to their personality.

Bosses:
|I could do this over and over and never get tired|
|Pretty satisfying|
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Let's get this over with already|
|Just let me through, please|
|NO BOSSES| <-----------

Notes: NO

Score: 10/10

Conclusion: Not only i would recommend this game, i'd even pay
twice the base price for it. Many people will certainly
disagree with me, BUT, to me, this is the absolute best
of the genre.

Game: Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Playtime: 5.5h
Completion: Main


Story:
|Tale for the ages|
|Great|
|Good|
|Ok| <-----------
|Bad|
|Horrible|
|Don't even try to understand it|
|None|

Notes: There is a lack of continuity and explanation for
what the main antagonist is after and why it does
what it does. The details of norse mythology are
scattered and difficult to piece together as a whole.


OST/Sound Design:
|Masterpiece|
|Great|
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Annoying but bearable|
|Unbearable| <-----------

Notes: That's on me, but i hated the constant talking all
throughout the game. This made me feel anxious and
impatient. Sensory overload is how i would summarize
it.

Gameplay:
|Fantastic|
|Great|
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad| <-----------
|Clunky|
|Unbearable|

Notes: The idea is that thia game is like a playable movie and
it does that part right. BUT, everything else is undeniably
bad. Puzzles are made for 3 y.o and combat is so basic
i started questioning if it even added anything to the game.

Difficulty:
|Skill Issue|
|Quite the challenge|
|Hard|
|Normal|
|Kinda easy|
|Easy|
|Is this a joke?|
|Walking simulator| <-----------

Notes: Sit back and watch, nothing else to say.

Art direction:
|Perfection|
|Beautiful| <-----------
|Nice to look at|
|Ok|
|Meh|
|Lifeless|
|Awful|

Notes: One of the few good things this game got going
for it. It represents well the depths of troubled
mind and how the world would be seen by the
protagonist's eyes. A dark and sad setting to
accompany a dark and sad journey.

Bosses:
|I could do this over and over and never get tired|
|Pretty satisfying|
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Let's get this over with already| <-----------
|Just let me through, please|
|NO BOSSES|

Notes: Bosses are too basic to be enjoyable. They're a
tier above the normal enemies, but not much higher.
Bosses' movesets are too simple and repetitive.
These bosses served their purposes story wise, but
that's it.

Score: 5/10

Conclusion: This is game and i judge it as such. This game
would have been way more enjoyable if it was
a movie instead of a game. This is NOT a game
for you to have fun, instead it was made to
to be appreciated, just like a movie. I DO NOT
recommend for anyone looking for good gameplay.

Game: Pseudoregalia
Playtime: 5h
Completion: Main + Extras


Story:
|Tale for the ages|
|Great|
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Horrible|
|Don't even try to understand it| <-----------
|None|

Notes: There IS something there, but that's it, just something,
not relevant.

OST/Sound Design:
|Masterpiece|
|Great|
|Good|
|Ok| <-----------
|Bad|
|Annoying but bearable|
|Opens spotify|

Notes: Sounds aim to mimic N64 era sounds, both in feel and quality.
OST is ok at best. Almost as if they just got normal tracks
and applied filters to it. Not very good.

Gameplay:
|Fantastic|
|Great| <-----------
|Good|
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Clunky|
|Unbearable|

Notes: This is where the game shines and where you should focus on.
The movement is great, levels were carefully built to test
your skills. This is alone is enough reason to play the game.

Difficulty:
|Skill Issue|
|Quite the challenge|
|Hard|
|Normal| <-----------
|Kinda easy|
|Easy|
|Is this a joke?|
|Walking simulator|

Notes: Going for the main path alone poses no difficult challenge,
the difficulty lies on the optional stuff. Main path = Mildly
easy, optionals = mildly hard.

Art direction:
|Perfection|
|Beautiful|
|Nice to look at| <-----------
|Ok|
|Meh|
|Lifeless|
|Awful|

Notes: The aim was to replicate something like N64 style and they
nailed that. Although, the lack of detail in certain areas
was less then ideal.

Bosses:
|I could do this over and over and never get tired|
|Pretty satisfying|
|Good| <-----------
|Ok|
|Bad|
|Let's get this over with already|
|Just let me through, please|
|NO BOSSES|

Notes: The bosses serve their purposes. I found 2 bosses. First one
is the tutorial boss and his purpose is to get you to learn
combat basics. Second boss is the final boss and really feels
like you're fighting a final boss. Though, the game would be
fine without, considering its main focus is the platforming
aspect.

Score: 7/10

Conclusion: A short and very worthwhile experience. It's cheap and the
gameplay is great, what more could you ask for.