kamille_biden
Improves on the first game, in basically every way, except the central narrative - which is still very strong, though it lacks the mystique of Zero Dawn.
At this point, though, can't complain. The Horizon series has become a new high water mark for open-world RPGs. But not only that - it's also established itself as the best original science fiction concept in big-budget video gaming since, probably, the Mass Effect or Bioshock series.
At this point, though, can't complain. The Horizon series has become a new high water mark for open-world RPGs. But not only that - it's also established itself as the best original science fiction concept in big-budget video gaming since, probably, the Mass Effect or Bioshock series.
The prolonged "playing an MMORPG solo" style of gameplay might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm surprised how many people I've talked to who don't normally like this kind of thing are finding themselves immediately hooked by the gripping narrative and excellent cast. I too, was hooked, and when the credits rolled, I felt as if I was leaving a world and a group of friends who I had come to know very well.
2022
A fun game that reaches its best ideas early and suffers a bit from a 2nd half that is kind of a lesser retread of the first. I did like it a lot though, and hope that if there's a Stray 2, it picks up on the stuff that worked best from this one: those moments of verticality in the Slums, and the limbo-like visual storytelling of the first hour.
2022
This one's been getting a ton of praise for its writing and strong, political narrative. I found that praise to be justified. At times, I found how effectively the game presented its space-faring capitalist dystopia to be so biting that it shook me to my core, and made me want to put the controller down. And I can't say enough good things about the other aspects of the production - the artwork, and the synthwave-inspired soundtrack. All of this perfectly sets the ambience for the kind of stories Citizen Sleeper is going to tell.
But as a game? I can't really say that I had a lot of fun, and I'm not sure why. I read a lot. I love Persona. I've never played a tabletop game, but I'm interested in them. Still, something about the whole package failed to click until way too late, and I spent most of my playthrough just kind of doing random things without much deliberation. Though, I think the game would greatly reward that second, more informed playthrough.
But as a game? I can't really say that I had a lot of fun, and I'm not sure why. I read a lot. I love Persona. I've never played a tabletop game, but I'm interested in them. Still, something about the whole package failed to click until way too late, and I spent most of my playthrough just kind of doing random things without much deliberation. Though, I think the game would greatly reward that second, more informed playthrough.
2018
Light spoilers ahead...
Well here I am at the border wall, the final destination of a long journey that has had its ups and downs, but over the last two episodes, mostly downs.
Life is Strange 2 is not a good game. It's well produced, well acted, it looks nice, it has a great soundtrack. A lot of heart evidently went into it. But the results speak for themselves. The game suffers from poor writing and planning, and a lack a coherent vision.
I got the sense that the creators of the series poured everything they had into the first game, which is not only a testament to the possibilities of telling stories through games, but also a homage to many coming-of-age works that came before it, stuff like Donnie Dark and Twin Peaks being so fundamental to Max and Chloe's story. But not only that, Life is Strange has a mechanic - time travel - that plays well into the photography theme. One thing that made the original so compelling is just how often we were taken back to the same places, left to explore the drastic changes in perspective and evolution occurring differences in time as great as years or a minuscule as thirty seconds.
Despite being sort of an epic journey, Life is Strange 2 never lets us take in anything of the world's sites and sounds with near the amount of detail. The brothers move from one location to the next, conversing with one character or another, and we never do get to form our own opinions on much that is going on. The game is always chiefly concerned with delivering one heavy-handed edict and forced epiphany after another, in social-media level doses that are concentrated for maximum effect but always feel hollow. There is no gameplay mechanic (occasionally having Daniel float stuff around does not count), there are no choices (real or perceived), there is just heavy handed scenarios that may be coming from the right place, but miss far more often than they hit. It is a shame, because I thought the first episode was really great, and the third episode was a high point for all three series, LiS2 is a pivot from the immersive, mysterious, open-ended world of the first game to a more topical one where choices are obvious and people are predictable.
Well here I am at the border wall, the final destination of a long journey that has had its ups and downs, but over the last two episodes, mostly downs.
Life is Strange 2 is not a good game. It's well produced, well acted, it looks nice, it has a great soundtrack. A lot of heart evidently went into it. But the results speak for themselves. The game suffers from poor writing and planning, and a lack a coherent vision.
I got the sense that the creators of the series poured everything they had into the first game, which is not only a testament to the possibilities of telling stories through games, but also a homage to many coming-of-age works that came before it, stuff like Donnie Dark and Twin Peaks being so fundamental to Max and Chloe's story. But not only that, Life is Strange has a mechanic - time travel - that plays well into the photography theme. One thing that made the original so compelling is just how often we were taken back to the same places, left to explore the drastic changes in perspective and evolution occurring differences in time as great as years or a minuscule as thirty seconds.
Despite being sort of an epic journey, Life is Strange 2 never lets us take in anything of the world's sites and sounds with near the amount of detail. The brothers move from one location to the next, conversing with one character or another, and we never do get to form our own opinions on much that is going on. The game is always chiefly concerned with delivering one heavy-handed edict and forced epiphany after another, in social-media level doses that are concentrated for maximum effect but always feel hollow. There is no gameplay mechanic (occasionally having Daniel float stuff around does not count), there are no choices (real or perceived), there is just heavy handed scenarios that may be coming from the right place, but miss far more often than they hit. It is a shame, because I thought the first episode was really great, and the third episode was a high point for all three series, LiS2 is a pivot from the immersive, mysterious, open-ended world of the first game to a more topical one where choices are obvious and people are predictable.