this is probably the best 4/5 game i've written a review for on here. the production values are so damn high in this game, and are a big step up from the first game. the motion capture/performance in EVERY scene (not just major scenes) is really expressive, theatrical, and just expertly done overall. the density of the environments, and the diversity of environments, is unparalleled. it is really a showcase for technology in gaming.
the combat is obviously excellent - i played with Normal difficulty for damage received, and Hard difficulty for damage dealt, and it felt great. every enemy required a lot of strategy, and i was always using multiple weapon types and traps to overcome the enemies. knocking off parts/weapons off of enemies will always feel good.
the story i think offered a lot of promise, and peaked at around the 40% point of the game, but it never fully realized its potential by the end game. it wound up a bit overstuffed in terms of plot, antagonists, and sequel/DLC setup. the ending and its accompanying fight were lowlights of the story.
but that said, the main cast of characters is quite good - not S-tier necessarily (e.g. Mass Effect 2), but still A-tier. my highlights were Varl, Zo, Kotallo, and Alva.
this all sounds like a lot of praise, but i don't feel confident giving it a higher score because, aside from the combat, so much of this game's formula just feels a bit tired. although i didn't feel pressured to explore every checkmark/ get every collectible/ complete every side mission (my completion % at credits was just 55%), their mere presence in the design of the game robs a lot of discovery/ sense of adventure that is present in other open world games.
of course, i will still be buying and highly anticipating the next DLC/game!
the combat is obviously excellent - i played with Normal difficulty for damage received, and Hard difficulty for damage dealt, and it felt great. every enemy required a lot of strategy, and i was always using multiple weapon types and traps to overcome the enemies. knocking off parts/weapons off of enemies will always feel good.
the story i think offered a lot of promise, and peaked at around the 40% point of the game, but it never fully realized its potential by the end game. it wound up a bit overstuffed in terms of plot, antagonists, and sequel/DLC setup. the ending and its accompanying fight were lowlights of the story.
but that said, the main cast of characters is quite good - not S-tier necessarily (e.g. Mass Effect 2), but still A-tier. my highlights were Varl, Zo, Kotallo, and Alva.
this all sounds like a lot of praise, but i don't feel confident giving it a higher score because, aside from the combat, so much of this game's formula just feels a bit tired. although i didn't feel pressured to explore every checkmark/ get every collectible/ complete every side mission (my completion % at credits was just 55%), their mere presence in the design of the game robs a lot of discovery/ sense of adventure that is present in other open world games.
of course, i will still be buying and highly anticipating the next DLC/game!
Freedomfighter
2 years ago