Actually a very enjoyable game! I didn't go into it expecting much, but I needed a break from Elden Ring and saw it on Game Pass. It handles combat very well, with quests giving small hints as to how to maximize your potential, but it never forces anything. Ultimately a very customizable way to play, which I always value. The dungeons are also great because you can treat them like a puzzle or a lock, with a certain build being the key. Shaking up your gameplay and making adjustments is needed, and none of the solutions to any puzzles are too out there. Because everything is based around the transformation mechanic, you can make an educated guess that whatever problem you are facing was intentionally designed to make you adapt to it, not brute force. All in all, well designed and fun.

Very very fun, I don't think I've seen more blood in a game, outside of DOOM. Strangely meditative, getting into a rhythm with your absurdly large arsenal is quite appealing and simple. Movement is relatively tame though, this isn't a movement shooter, it's a boomer shooter thrrough and through. Gets quite samey after a while, but that's kind of what you're here for, so no big deal. A good way to explain it is if doom was JUST the guns, and no glory kills, chainsaw, grapple hook, etc. If you've got game-of-the-year type stuff (like DOOM Eternal) in your backlog, get to that stuff first. Prodeus can wait.

Contrary to what you might have heard, none of the puzzles required to beat Tunic are particularly tricky. I'm sure you can beat the final boss and roll credits without a guide. But where Tunic gets you is the sense of understanding you garner as you play. New mechanics get you thinking "was that always there?" And it WAS. And at the same time, it couldn't have been because you weren't seeing it in a particular way at first. I discovered two mechanics before they were explained to me, and it felt great and exciting both times. Really there's no other way to explain it than this, and I suggest you explore every nook and cranny as you play. Try everything, everywhere. Don't be afraid to decrease difficulty during combat either, we both know that's not why you're here.

This is not to say, however, that Tunic does not have hard puzzles... if you want the true ending, bring three friends and a notebook...

I want to like it, there's something here. But it's just so BORING. Every action takes 3 seconds of waiting to perform. EVERY action. Swinging the sword is sluggish and feels weightless, somehow both at the same time. The daily quests are boring and often repeat, sometimes back to back. I couldn't play long enough to really sink my teeth into the story, because I really couldn't play the game any longer. (For those who are curious, I just got the tool box.) The art quality, music, designs, and concept are all solid, but by mixing an action game with a very slow premise, they are leaving every single ACTION you can perform high and dry.