Stylistically perfect. The gameplay feels natural, albeit a bit simpler than Inside. Though that was released after, so Arnt Jensen had time to perfect his formula.

It’s creepy, atmospheric, and like Arnt Jensen’s other game, it tells its story visually in a way that lets the audience piece together what they’re experiencing.

It doesn’t come together quite the way Inside does… but that doesn’t stop Limbo from being a unique and memorable gameplay experience.

While Spider-Man: Miles Morales doesn’t exactly reach the same emotional heights or peak gameplay that Spider-Man (2018) managed to pull off, that doesn’t stop it from getting pretty damn far.

The story itself is pretty simple, and what works about it is the relationship between Miles and Phin. It’s the emotional core of the storytelling, and it’s how their dynamic culminates in the final minutes of the game that give it the strength, memorability, and replay ability it will have in the future.

Simon Krieger is the cliché corporate a-hole character that doesn’t serve much purpose other than to be a money hungry overlord who screws over the lower class. It’s something that’s been done to death, but I guess what I can say positively about it is that in this story particularly, it works a bit better than it would under other given circumstances.

Krieger stealing ideas from people of color, and intentionally screwing over marginalized groups and lower class communities works in service of the story being told, so using the “corporate overlord” trope feels fitting, despite being overused at this point.

Some of the new gameplay elements were really cool. It’s nice that Miles has a different skill set from Peter. It really helps distinguish the characters’ gameplay. Especially when the core of their abilities are the same. I also like how distinctly atmospheric this game was in comparison to the 2018 Spider-Man. It helped add identity to this story and really makes it stand on its own.

There’s some pretty blatant elements borrowed from “Into The Spider-Verse” such as the heavy inclusion of the music in the game, which I think worked more than it didn’t. I still think that movie showcased a slightly better understanding of what makes the character work… but insomniac is beginning to find their footing with things as well, and it’s really nice to finally have a game where you can play as Miles’ Spider-Man for a change.

Especially when it is developed by Insomniac. Here, they’ve crafted another incredible superhero gameplay and narrative experience. It has some fun gameplay, and an engaging narrative, and even manages to hit some of the right emotional beats to make it a distinct and memorable experience despite operating as an expansion.

I can’t wait for Spider-Man 2, as I think both Peter Parker and Miles Morales are now each characters with stories that I can enjoy coinciding in the same game.

Terrifying, Brutal, and most importantly, fucking metal.

“Make us whole again Isaac…”
…Sheesh dude.

Dead Space is a well written horror game with organic feeling Sci-fi elements that contribute to fresh and exciting gameplay. The dismemberment angle is really damn cool. It’s unlike anything I’ve had to do before, and it really adds a layer to the game’s uniqueness… which says a lot already.

The goth elements are cool as hell… and the stomping and punching are of course awesome. Weapon variety never gets boring, and neither do your special abilities. Finding new ways to incorporate your abilities into your combat is so much fun, and the different enemy types are consistently scary, and refreshing.

I was on edge from start to finish, as almost every single scare was incredibly crafted. Though I think a stronger focus on story throughout the experience could’ve helped, I’m not upset with what we got. There’s a heavy focus on gameplay, and it’s fantastic, so it’s hard to complain. I think if they had just replaced some of the task-like missions in favor of some story driven ones, it would’ve been even better.

It can also feel a little stiff by todays standards, but I’m sure that’s something that gets worked out in the next entry in the series. The way the seemingly simple story culminated by the end of the game made the experience all worth it. It was everything I could have hoped for.

I got my awesome final boss battle, the story payoff, and the final character reflection, just how I like it. It was more than I could have asked for… and I’m very happy with it. What an awesome experience.

“Ten years, Athena! I have faithfully served the gods for ten years! When will you leave me of these nightmares?”

God of War (2005) gave ME nightmares for a while. It was a game I have been trying to finish for a little over two years now. I found it so painfully challenging that I almost abandoned it altogether.

If not for God of War (2018)… I may have never returned to this. And what a mistake that would have been.

Though I had always love the story in this game, I found the puzzles, combat, and overall experience far too challenging and frustrating to be enjoyable. While I had similar troubles upon my return, I also had the pleasure of dying enough to change my difficulty. Something I didn’t know was possible.

So, after a simple change, I absolutely breezed through this game. Not because it was easy… but because the experience felt more balanced and enjoyable. It became the game I always wanted it to be. Though the puzzles were just as hard, the combat wasn’t nearly as irritatingly grinding as it used to be.

And that, is one of my biggest complaints. The difficulty that the game starts you off with is just cruel. It’s normal… but never have I played a game where normal feels this hard. Perhaps that’s apart of the appeal or the “souls like experience”. Well… all that did was make me want to stop playing.

Though it’s a bit drab by todays standards… this game still managed to kick a ton of ass. An awesome final battle and some really memorable in game moments brought the experience way up for me. Some things feel pretty clunky still, the controls aren’t always responsive, there’s too much button mashing, and the hack in slash can be in excess… but when things are working, they are working like crazy.

A brutal experience, yet a rewarding one. What a series. I can’t wait to play God of War II next.

“You will always be a monster”

“I know… but I am your monster, no longer.”

Where can I start with this game?… It’s tough to say anything when a franchise you previously dismissed releases an entry so beautiful, and unlike any other gaming experience you’ve had.

I suppose I’ll start with God of War (2005). A game I’ve been trying to play for the last couple of years. It’s one that I started long ago. I find it… irritating. The game frustrates me because it has a story I find really compelling; and yet the gameplay itself is so infuriating to me… which is sacrilege to any lover of the franchise.

The combat isn’t necessarily bad. It can be fun at times. It’s also nice having weapon variety. But oh… my… god dude. How much button mashing can you stuff into one game? I mean geez… my thumbs are raw the first 20 minutes I pickup the controller. That’s one reason I can’t finish. And of course, the puzzles can be notoriously hard at times.

I will go back and finish the first game seeing as how I’m more than halfway through that one. But the only reason I will do so, is to get the full story before heading into ragnarok. I will finish the trilogy come hell or high water. Who knows, maybe I’ll enjoy the other two better.

But 2018 does something I wasn’t expecting from the series. It shows maturity. Nuance. Its storytelling is wonderful… and the writing masterful. The characters show growth, and it’s easy to find yourself loving them as they all have their own levels of complexity. The relationships drive the storytelling, and it’s so meticulously crafted in a way that makes the payoff immeasurable.

The combat is unbelievable… and the world feels so exciting to explore. It’s living, it’s breathing, and it’s filled with entertaining things to discover.

The boss battles feel unique and epic every single time. I was consistently blown away by the level of care and detail poured into this experience. I’ll remember it forever. God of War is amongst the greatest games ever made, and is easily one of the very best I’ve ever experienced.

Addictive, frustrating, simple. Overcooked is a game with a recipe that works. It’s cute, it’s entertaining, and it makes for an incredibly fun party game.

Its narrative doesn’t need to be too complex, and neither do it’s cutscenes. What makes it work is how it plays.

Though the buttons can sometimes feel unresponsive, the level design and cooking mechanics here shine. Especially when the tension ramps up.

The last of us part II challenges its player to trust the storytelling even when it can seem frustrating, scary, or useless at times.

All things purposefully culminate in the most brutal, unflinching, and beautifully heartbreaking way… leaving you haunted by what you’ve experienced by the time it’s finished.

It’s hard to add new things to the conversation when it comes to this game. But it’s easy to confront some of the criticisms I’ve heard.

I’ve seen people talk about how Ellie is a completely different character with a different personality… and for that they’re upset. Yes, she was an easy going, optimistic, bright spirited kid who liked to make cheesy jokes in the first game. That’s gone here.

She’s so jaded by everything that’s happened since then that she’s less than half of the person she used to be… and that’s the point. It’s literally reflected in the song Joel sings to her. The same one she attempts to play at the very end of the game.

Of course there’s the argument of what happens to Joel in the game as well. I don’t see why this is an issue. They’ve been setting this story up in the first game… and it’s hilarious to think that there wouldn’t be consequences for Joel’s actions.

And of course… playing as Abby. Now this is the only criticism I’ve seen that I can understand on some level. It’s hard to pick up and play as a character that you initially loath. Especially when they’ve hurt another character that you love. With that said… I don’t think Neil Druckmann could have handled her story any better.

Though the initial disdain for Abby is set, it’s easier to connect to her journey as you continue playing. Thus building your own connection to her world of characters and goals. You’re supposed to dislike Abby at first. It was all written with extreme purpose and attention to detail. The dual stories colliding in the last few hours of the game is some of the most riveting storytelling I’ve ever experienced.

My only real issue with this behemoth of a game is it’s runtime. It can be… exhausting. I think if they trimmed a bit of fat off of both Ellie and Abby’s gameplay, it would be much more concise, and entertaining. Not to pretend that it isn’t already though.

This game is much more mean spirited than the first. It’s angrier. Its feral. It’s so ferocious it’s practically foaming at the mouth to bite you. Let it. The pain is worth enduring. You’ll be in for a real blood-soaked, bone shattering, metal-as-hell treat. With it’s ridiculously good game design, and one of a kind story telling… you’d be doing a disservice to yourself for passing it up.

I Entered the Matrix… and immediately wanted to leave.

I’ll start by saying there are some things here that could have really worked. The idea of the main characters existing in live action and entering the Matrix, now playable to us, is kind of cool and sort of fits the theme of the film.

Too bad they decided to have some cutscenes in game as well… instantly taking away from the coolest aspect it had going for itself. But that’s not the most frustrating part. The controls, are like muddled garbage.

Stiff, uncomfortable, unnatural. You can hardly move the way you want to. And what’s worse is that there is no aim with your weapons. Not unless you enter their self proclaimed “first person mode”… and good luck with that.

The martial art combat is kind of cool… too bad the character barely goes in the direction you want him to hit. But you know what? It’s still possible to see past that. But It became really bad when there were not one, but TWO helicopter boss battles in the first three missions. And trying to navigate those… no way. Forget it.

I’m all for a challenge. Just not when your challenge is playing an unfinished, sloppily thrown together video game with no real sense of consistency or coherence 👎

Alan Wake marks the third Remedy game I’ve finished, and seeing how much I loved the first two Max Payne games, it’s safe to say I was pretty damn excited to jump into this.

Alan Wake introduces a new mechanic for Remedy that not only makes for a unique gameplay experience, but distinguishes its combat from that of Max Paynes run and gun style.

The introduction of flashlights to weaken your enemies was a really cool idea, and all of the light-based weaponry was fun to use. The combat was really difficult to get down at first. A lot of it feels stiff and uncomfortable more immediately as it’s very different from other games.

It took me about a quarter of the way through the game to really get the hang of things. But once that happened, I started to really enjoy myself. The variety in weapons could have been a little stronger, but it was nice to still be able to cycle through whatever I wanted to use.

Early on in the game, the level design is kind of dull, and I think that hurt the initial experience on top of the janky gameplay. I wasn’t enjoying myself as much as I would’ve liked to. What got me through it was the storytelling.

Yeah it can be overly referential, but it hardly bothered me most of the time. I liked how distinguished the storytelling was in this game from that of Max Payne. Those games utilize comic-like panels for their cutscenes, and it was refreshing to see something different here.

The mystery continued to pull me in early on, and I loved the pacific northwest setting. It really allowed for a cozy atmosphere whenever I wasn’t trapped in a woody hellscape. Fortunately the level design becomes more sophisticated and diverse later on. That really began to bring everything together.

The narrative ended on a pretty big high note, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here; though I would’ve been less satisfied had I not known there was a sequel coming soon. I mean god… people had to wait 13 years for a follow up to this?

The hardware can be limiting to the games experience, and some of the motion controls are still funky. And man, are the driving mechanics BAD… but despite it all, Alan Wake turned out to be another fantastic Remedy experience, and I can’t wait to play Control next!

What a cruel, punishing, unrelenting, albeit kind of beautiful fever dream of a video game. The cut scenes are fantastic for their time as so many state.

But are you kidding me with these boss battles??? It’s some of the hardest shit I’ve ever had to endure. And my god the hit detection… look I get it. It’s old. But I just played The Legend of Zelda and had no problems.

If I was right on top of my enemy, I wouldn’t hit him in this game. But he sure as hell would make me take damage for getting that close.

A simplistic, poignant, heartfelt portrait of familial tragedy told generationally in a way that couldn’t feel more natural.

It’s like a film. But instead of generically watching the events unfold, you unravel them yourself. Pacing the moments you want to linger on, and the ones you feel should progress quicker.

Incredible craftsmanship from the organic storytelling to the clever gameplay elements. Though it’s more narratively focused and less about the playing experience, it’s the perfect medium for a story like this, and I wouldn’t want to experience it any other way.

The Legend of Zelda is probably the best NES game I’ve ever played. It’s also the first NES game I’ve ever completed.

To start off… I will say that without the help of a guide (my girlfriend literally being my map), I would have never finished this game. Therefore I just can’t rate it any higher because the navigating in this game is ridiculous. But onward we go…

With an incredible score, addictive gameplay, an epic scope, and a simple premise, the game manages to capture a magic few other classics are able to.

It’s a game that almost 37 years after its initial release, still captivated a new player who never touched an entry in the franchise. But now I will. And it’s so comforting to know that the other games that succeeded it are met with so much more love.

Well we’re steadily approaching the final game in my Spider-Man series play through. It’s been a… well… if I’m honest… dull experience. But I’ll touch on that in my TASM 2 review.

The first Amazing Spider-Man video game is one that I finished when I was just an 11 year old boy. I had so much love for the character and I was so excited for the film that I blew through the game like it was dinner, and I had starved for weeks.

As a sequel to the film, it’s actually pretty good. The story was good for a movie game, a Spider-Man game, and well, just a game I guess. Somehow it also manages to capture the spirit and tone of the first film really well. It did what it needed to, and it was pretty satisfying overall.

There’s some decent Arkham style combat, but it pales in comparison to those of course. The swinging is a bit clunky, and the physics aren’t great, but it’s serviceable. The grinding in the open world is tedious, but the variety in things to do makes it tolerable. It just sucks that it’s so necessary.

Finding the hidden spiders and unlocking suits was a pretty fun addition. Watching the cities response to the events in the game was really cool. Especially adding that to the waiting screens. It made the world feel more authentic… though the open world isn’t as convincing.

The bosses are a bit repetitive and monotonous, but I think the inclusion of stealth/combat kept the gameplay mostly interesting. The open world is weird because for as dull as it is, there are things I like about it.

I like the blimp and it’s stupid side tasks, I like all of the little things I can go around doing for the reporter, I like stupid stuff like that. It just makes the game more enjoyable. Although everything else is just kind of drab.

As a sequel to the film, and a game that accompanies it… it’s a decent play through. Though I don’t see the replay value even after returning 11 years later.

I was pretty worried going into this one because I’ve played some pretty bad Resident Evil clones that I gave up on fairly quickly. I was pleased to find that Cold Fear does just enough right to be a somewhat satisfying play-through.

The gameplay mechanics aren’t anything spectacular or new. You get a bit of a weapon variety that you can cycle through, and they’re all scattered for you to find over time; though not in a way that feels like a rewarding scavenger kind of way.

The shooting and hit detection were serviceable, and the music could be pretty fun at times. Though a lack of music would have helped the atmosphere a bit more. Even if they had scored it in a way that felt more akin to a horror game than an action game, I think it would have benefitted.

But speaking of the atmosphere, it’s great. Having the first half of the game take place on a ship that you have to maneuver around was awesome, and the rain/ moving boat effect was such a cool touch. Especially since they factor into the gameplay.

Having the second half of the game take place on the oil rig was cool too. I like how it still felt organic to the story, and it allowed for a change in scenery to keep the play-through interesting.

The problem is that Cold Fear suffers from a selection of detrimental issues that are just too hard to look past in order to call it a “great game”. An obvious issue that many people point out is the old school Resident Evil camera.

When I get caught in a tense situation where I’m taking on multiple enemies, my aim gets knocked away and the camera gets all fucked up, and I have to reface the enemy while I’m getting hit just to fix the aim, then finally start fighting again. What a pain.

It’s also one of those where the fuck do I go types of games. Which is pretty ironic considering the game tells you where to go. But it expects you to know where certain locations are, or to remember ones you’ve already been to despite how far you might be.

This wouldn’t be so bad if there were multiple ways to get to locations… but the game is very linear in it’s level design. So half of the time I was walking around looking for where to go… which was sometimes the most time consuming aspect.

The game also has a horrible way of saving. Instead of being able to pull up a pause menu and hitting save, or auto saving (though that wasn’t as popular at this time), you have to progress a certain amount in order to save the game.

If you die, you have to go back from your last save spot… and you better fucking hope that it wasn’t too far… because this game will punish you towards the end. To clarify, I don’t just mean the enemy types get harder… I mean the save spots feel further and further away. Making it tedious, and challenging to die and restart all over again.

It’s a frustrating, atmospheric, painful, thrilling, hair pulling, exciting game. Okay that was way too many adjectives… but all of them accurately describe the essence of the experience. It’s one I’d recommend to any players looking for a good resident evil experience outside of the actual resident evil games.

If you’re looking for a good story… once again… serviceable. But I can say that for the game itself too; And that isn’t a bad thing if it’s the kind of survival horror experience you’re looking for.