Pranubot
2024
I've never liked roguelikes, but this one was different.
Balatro is a crazy good game at making you feel like a genius and an absolute buffoon in a matter of minutes. The sheer amount of ways you can set up your jokers and cards is nearly endless, and I've taken wildly different approaches in the many hours I have played this game. The jokers are amazing at elevating your game, and the way they can complement each other makes for some blind-shattering runs. And even after you flop an amazing run at the bitter end, you always come back for more.
I finally understand why people play roguelikes over and over. I've always thought "It's just the same game over and over, why bother?", but it really isn't.
Balatro is a crazy good game at making you feel like a genius and an absolute buffoon in a matter of minutes. The sheer amount of ways you can set up your jokers and cards is nearly endless, and I've taken wildly different approaches in the many hours I have played this game. The jokers are amazing at elevating your game, and the way they can complement each other makes for some blind-shattering runs. And even after you flop an amazing run at the bitter end, you always come back for more.
I finally understand why people play roguelikes over and over. I've always thought "It's just the same game over and over, why bother?", but it really isn't.
2019
The best atmosphere I've experienced in gaming. The Oldest House is the perfect setting for playing as Director of a secret government agency. Art direction is the strongest point in Remedy Games, and Control is no exception.
Combat is overall pretty solid, although as you progress further into the game you will realize that you only need a couple of abilities in your arsenal to maximize your damage. So the combat can become pretty barebones during the late game. The enemies and missions are amazing, and one mission in particular stole the show. You'll know it when you play it.
The story unfortunately falls short near the end, which is disappointing for a game with such deep lore. Jesse, although a relatable protagonist at first, is a little shallow in personality. You will find yourself more interested in other characters, who are far more well-written.
Still, a game I would say is worth playing. A lot of the issues I have can most definitely be easily fixed in the sequel. And when that comes out, it's got a good chance of being a top 5 game.
Combat is overall pretty solid, although as you progress further into the game you will realize that you only need a couple of abilities in your arsenal to maximize your damage. So the combat can become pretty barebones during the late game. The enemies and missions are amazing, and one mission in particular stole the show. You'll know it when you play it.
The story unfortunately falls short near the end, which is disappointing for a game with such deep lore. Jesse, although a relatable protagonist at first, is a little shallow in personality. You will find yourself more interested in other characters, who are far more well-written.
Still, a game I would say is worth playing. A lot of the issues I have can most definitely be easily fixed in the sequel. And when that comes out, it's got a good chance of being a top 5 game.
2016
A solid improvement from the first Dishonored game. Chaos system is far more fleshed out with more leniency towards a brute force approach. Level design and maps are just as interesting as the first, and the non-lethal approaches to eliminating targets are more involved and interesting, an improvement upon the first game.
And unlike the original, I found no mission unenjoyable or a slog. No "The Flooded District" in this one, which was a relief to me. However, that constant looming urge to quicksave persists from the first game. If you are gunning for a good ending, you'll find yourself constantly saving and loading to aim for the perfect setup. And with the annoying 20/20 vision of many enemies, resorting to this is almost inevitable.
Story is not as in-depth as the first, a pretty standard too. But it doesn't bother me too much, as I never play Dishonored games for the story. Emily is a great protagonist though, and I enjoyed my playthrough playing as her over Korvo.
Still, Dishonored 2 is an amazing game that improves upon the first where it mattered.
And unlike the original, I found no mission unenjoyable or a slog. No "The Flooded District" in this one, which was a relief to me. However, that constant looming urge to quicksave persists from the first game. If you are gunning for a good ending, you'll find yourself constantly saving and loading to aim for the perfect setup. And with the annoying 20/20 vision of many enemies, resorting to this is almost inevitable.
Story is not as in-depth as the first, a pretty standard too. But it doesn't bother me too much, as I never play Dishonored games for the story. Emily is a great protagonist though, and I enjoyed my playthrough playing as her over Korvo.
Still, Dishonored 2 is an amazing game that improves upon the first where it mattered.
2023
Easily my favorite game of all time.
Hi-Fi Rush is an amazing game that has the atmosphere of a Saturday morning cartoon. Pure summer vibes throughout. The game's writing is silly, yet never tries to take itself too seriously. It knows what it is and knows what it isn't.
The combat is solid, and even for someone who doesn't play rhythm games, I found the gimmick of attacking to the beat enjoyable. The atmosphere is where this game truly shines. A beautiful world and a distinctly creative artstyle instantly reeled me in. Tango composed an amazing soundtrack to accompany each and every level in this world. There is always a specific moment you think of when you get reminded of a game, and Hi-Fi Rush has one of the best moments I've ever experienced in gaming. This game did its best to bring me joy, and I applaud Tango for its amazing direction.
RIP Tango Gameworks
Hi-Fi Rush is an amazing game that has the atmosphere of a Saturday morning cartoon. Pure summer vibes throughout. The game's writing is silly, yet never tries to take itself too seriously. It knows what it is and knows what it isn't.
The combat is solid, and even for someone who doesn't play rhythm games, I found the gimmick of attacking to the beat enjoyable. The atmosphere is where this game truly shines. A beautiful world and a distinctly creative artstyle instantly reeled me in. Tango composed an amazing soundtrack to accompany each and every level in this world. There is always a specific moment you think of when you get reminded of a game, and Hi-Fi Rush has one of the best moments I've ever experienced in gaming. This game did its best to bring me joy, and I applaud Tango for its amazing direction.
RIP Tango Gameworks
2016
I'm not going to say much about OneShot, because it is simply one of those games you should go into blind. But OneShot has one of the best stories I've ever experienced in a game, and I've never felt a greater connection towards a story in a video game.
If I must reveal something about this game, I might as well mention my favorite quirk. This game goes through a great effort to incorporate you as a player into the narrative. And I don't mean going through your system files to see the name you use for your computer profile so they can say your real name. I mean incorporating you and your role in this game into the story in an actually meaningful way. I have never seen this done before in a video game, and it was wonderful.
If I must reveal something about this game, I might as well mention my favorite quirk. This game goes through a great effort to incorporate you as a player into the narrative. And I don't mean going through your system files to see the name you use for your computer profile so they can say your real name. I mean incorporating you and your role in this game into the story in an actually meaningful way. I have never seen this done before in a video game, and it was wonderful.