error - NO FILE

nobody. nothing. nowhere; broken souls drifting like ronin in a blood-red neon hell of capitalist dystopia. the only meaning to be found is in the adrenaline rush of pulling a trigger against nameless bodies, or the swing of a blade against human flesh; if you can even call the bucket of bolts wired together with skin, human.

wake up puppy, we have a city to burn.

not exactly groundbreaking or all that thematical engrossing; one can't help but feel the cyberpunk genre is used here as a sort of pastiche for cool design and setting, however, that design and setting is undeniably cool and well crafted. the hub world of rengkok south is filled with interesting detail down to every little neon LED that lights up the back alleys; plenty of neo-punk styled characters to interact with as well that make for a bit of fun. the strongest aspect of this game is its ability of immersion and atmosphere. side note: the soundtrack goes so hard, like holy shit, sidewalks and skeletons are awesome! plus some great head-bangers by zamilska

in my opinion, the gameplay feels mean and overly brutal, which is totally the point and 100% a compliment. not as satisfying as others in the top-down action shooter genre but definably more hard-hitting; some enemies take more hits than one which exemplifies the visceral intensity of the action and adds difficulty. also, a really neat skill-tree that allows the player to build upon and easily switch between different playstyles on the go. the last hour or two of this is probably the best part as it constantly adds new elements to the fights, switches environments, and combines many different bosses/enemy types to result in a blistering finale of gladiatorial-like combat. i will admit that it can get a little tedious in the middle, especially in the boss department; there's like three different boss fights that you repeat multiple times; the mother machines, a bunch of like high-ranking guards, and a tank-like enemy.

if you can swallow a bit of tedium and some awkward mechanical controls, you'll be rewarded with an immersive and enjoyably bloody affair of cyberpunk ethics. take this review with a grain of salt because im a cyberpunk junky and will overlook A LOT in order to plug my soul into the net, altar my body with pervasive tech, and bask under the spellbinding lights of a futuristic city.

an incredibly stylish and fascinating game that puts its worst foot forward with an absolute exhausting beginning. im convinced backloggd users who slap this five stars with some sort of quirky one-liner or the word ‘kino’ have never experienced media outside the mainstream or are straight lying to themselves for their ‘eccentric tastes' image; i loved this a lot, but there’s no denying it has some considerable flaws and chalking those up to “but it’s a metaphor!” seems like denial; the bosses are horrible (not you ulmeyda and curtis), the puzzles are built for five-year-olds, the map sucks ass at all times, angel and sunset have pretty bland and forgettable environments, and the farcical sociopolitical commentary is really insipid and overbearing sometimes.

now let’s get to the goods…

the smiths are one of the best casts of characters in gaming; each one designed for a specific gameplay style and containing their own unique sense of individuality whilst still remaining a collective unit. one of my favorite things to do in this game was to go into a saferoom and listen to each of their TV intros. “don’t make me say it again. im a cleaner.” and the dialogue that ensues every time you hit a critical point too. “YOU’RE F'CKED!" loved spamming that one, the voice acting for each character is just so... satisfying?

and while the core gameplay is a bit disorientating at first, it’s pretty fun and satisfying once you get the hang of it. nothing quite like blasting a bunch of heaven smiles with one shot while simultaneously switching between smiths for maximum efficiency against their weaknesses. additionally, this game will always look fantastic; the combination of gradient coloring and chiaroscuro lighting creates a great aesthetic. also helps that the soundtrack is god-tier and perfectly complements each area's atmosphere.

as i stated earlier, i didn’t really care for the political commentary of this, but the overall themes and character stuff was highly interesting. the peak of this is probably the cloudman mission; the idea of some megacorp that doesn’t exist and only runs commercials is just too good, additionally the whole ‘driving a car to death’ thing. the entire cutscene at the end of the chapter is just as terrifying as it is entertaining. and cloudman being such a peak shouldn’t steer you away from the brilliance of the following chapters either. it’s hard for me to exactly pinpoint what makes each chapter so good because they’re all each one big canvas splattered with different themes and character moments that never really care to explain themselves too much; this game is constantly moving from idea to idea in such a unique and interesting way, giving you just enough time to appreciate the significance of super sentai power ranger assassins before one of the smiths old serial-killing mentor comes back to haunt without losing any depth or energy.

so yeah, i finally played backloggd aficionados' favorite game.

suffice to say, it’s pretty good.

light a cig and press start.

RING! CLICK!

get your ass in gear. now.

hop in, hop out. no time to think. grab that piece of wood right there. use it. abuse it. the first body you see is a dead one, more to come.

so.
many.
more.

blood splatters like split milk, covering each and every inch of neon architecture. it's hot down in miami. red-stained glasses, can't see no more. don't think about it. don't want to. that body around the corner is coming for you. kill it. CLANK. wait- he's not dead. POUND. POUND. POUND. next guy next guy next guy. SLASH! three-in-one! oh boy! this is so much fun. he dropped a gun this time. use it. BRATTA-BRATTA. dead. dead. dead. run out of ammo? grab the next gun and the one after that. use these bodies like commodities. dead. dead. dead. moving like a goddamn snake through these halls. they can't touch me.

knives, crowbars, samurai swords.. ain't a thing i can't kill with. whoops. slipped. they got me. oh well, i'll just hit the restart button. this time, they won't know what's coming to em. get a hold of this shotgun and it's lights out for them, the bad guys. wait... these are criminals im shooting, right? crap. who gives a shit. two more in front of me and one of them is a bigin, gotta get to a gun. fast. quick. lightning. STRIKE. im walking in guts now. getting stale? put on a new mask. cover the sins. new abilities, new heights. better killing.

at the top. boss is a little bit of a bitch. give him the ol' one-two. SLASH. CLANK. he's not waking up anytime soon. next body. oh. everyone is dead. time to go back. down the stairs... through the elevator...

... hey, this is pretty gruesome, you know?

i mean, i can't even tell what color clothes these guys are wearing. body parts flung around the room like disposables. absolute chaos... absolute carnage...

this room looks a bit different. did i even pass through here? i must have... just look at all the bodies...

i feel like a monste-

GO TO CAR.

run that shit back.

epitome of 'slicing and dicing' - fast-paced samurai gameplay that keeps you on your toes at all times. plus, a literal slow down time mechanic to take a breather while you plan your next course of action into slaughter. im beginning to understand these one-hit kill games are the way to go. super addictive and fun.

VHS + cyberpunk aesthetics to create this incredibly immersive atmosphere that's full of personality even to the littlest of characters that inhabit it (desk lady!). a non-linear and abstract approach to storytelling feels insufficient at times, however, i feel it gives a unique dynamic to this. the lack of explicit information allows our minds to dig deeper for the answers. also, it's more successful in world-building with this style; providing pinches of information that lead the player with curiosity down the rabbit-hole of zero's past, all through beautiful environments of 80s neon cyberpunk.

finishing at around five hours long, my only complaint would be that i want more of this; more of this cast, more of this world, more enemies and gameplay!

cruelty squad is a jagged mirror that reflects society's impending and ongoing doom, a cyberpunk future of our current state without any glitz or glam. a piece of shit that grits its teeth and happily leaps into the void of madness smiling. its aesthetics simply repute the establishment and substance of our current society in their truest form; an unfair-unforgiving hellhole of throw up where now only the wealthy survive on the suffering on lower class. the economical greed outweighing whatever piece of meat that's sacrificed for the next wave of chunkopops™. a nauseous experience. disgusting irony so pushed to the forefront where it only serves as the next 'joke'.

violence and corporate politics represented in the genuine tone of action. a game so vividly vile and disgusting that its disturbing idiosyncrasies only become normal; a man could tell you that he pawned his wife and kids off to a sex-trafficking cult in order to become CEO of SIGMA ENTERPRISES and you'd just laugh, continue on blasting every meat-stained polygon the game orders you without second glance. cruelty squad is a revolting piece of media, and i think the worst part about it is that it's so fun to play.

persona 3 is a culmination of many powerful themes; whether it be with how differently people process trauma, the apathy syndrome that's a basically a metaphor for mass depression and panic, or the means of stripping away from labels and achieving desired individualism.

however, one thing in particular that sums up persona 3, for me, is the celebration of the journey rather than the destination. i think persona 3 encourages the audience to embrace what they have around them and live in the now; it's futile to endlessly worry about an undisclosed future when you can't even accept the present. the future is one big blur that won't reveal itself until YOU try and figure it out. and the comforting about this world is that we don't have to go about it alone.

to truly live is not only to accept the inevitable, that all things must end, but to cherish those meanings once they've left and to continue on in the world despite the tribulations. to find meaning in someone or something despite the how hard that higher power is pressing down on us; "sometimes all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of."

it's not an ignorant ideology either, it's more along the lines of simply facing reality and learning to live with it. that might not seem so meaningful firsthand, but what persona 3 helps remind us that a lot of people seem to neglect, is that we don't have to push on alone. closing your eyes might seem hard at first, but when you think about those around you, and the love you gathered together, it suddenly becomes easier knowing you can live on as a cherished memory.

"after fighting alongside you, and facing the world's end... i finally began to understand...what it means to live... thinking for yourself... not running away... accepting the inevitable... all things eventually come to an end... every living thing will one day disappear... only by accepting this can one discover what they truly want... what the meaning of their life will be..."

"cyberpunk isn't about saving humanity, it's about saving yourself" - mike pondsmith

can't remember the last game i've played where i was so immersed in the story and characters. gameplay is fun, albeit a bit janky, but what pushes the game forward is the complex narrative and the multiple ways you can navigate it. every character has such personality and endless mannerisms that spots them different from the crowd. it truly is so intriguing to just get to know these people and build relationships with them. even the major douchebag that is johnny silverhand. i hate him, but i also can't help but endlessly love him. a huge factor is the perfect casting of keanu reeves. this goes for pretty much about everyone as well. the only complaint i have about the characters is that i wanted more!

and yes, the game is a bit buggy and glitchy, but most of it are just small things that end up being pretty funny. with the 1.5 patch, there isn't anything that's game-breaking anymore. the environment is beautiful and night city is truly a spectacle to explore. however, there is one thing that i won't defend at all. the driving is awful. making a simple lateral turn could have you end up halfway down the opposite street, i have no idea how they screwed up this badly. it makes it quite annoying when you're trying to enjoy the visuals of the city.

despite the really rough launch, im immensely glad that cdpr has continued to work on this game and keep faith. cyberpunk 2077 is nowhere near a perfect game, but it makes for one hell of an experience. the amount of passion and care that went into this big, explosive mess is something that just isn't present in today's gaming. the story, characters, environment, and soundtrack make this game standout amongst the rest.

dead space is essentially ALIEN, but bigger. on all fronts. more aliens, more areas, bigger environments, more people, more douchebags, more victims, and more action! but unfortunately, there are no robot humans.

dead space, in terms of gameplay, is essentially resident evil.

dead space works best when it's just the player and the vast emptiness of the environment ahead. there is basically no one left but you, all alone. you against whatever monstrosities lurk around the corner...or beneath you...or behind you...or above you.

there is a solid amount of diversity between the enemies and they're all exceptionally well designed. you've pretty much got it all, big, fast, powerful, long-range, small, and even aliens that spawn more aliens when they die! not to mention, you have some great, unique weapons to slay them with. the most iconic, and my favorite, being the plasma cutter. to add, the gameplay is also raised above the standard because of the no-HUD mechanic. health, ammo, and weaponry is all visible without even having to open up any menus or such.

side note: contrary to what might be believed, the big aliens aren't even all that scary. i can handle the big guys, the powerful ones, the kraken-esque ones. but the little guys. no sir, nope. they could be right around the corner and you wouldn't even notice them right up until they jump on your back to start feasting. fast little pieces of shi* will slither right up to you before you can even reload. and the sound they make? the squishy, flesh piercing sound when they crawl? hell no..

anyways, that kinda leads me to my next point. the sound design. holy crap, it is good! play alone in a dark room with headphones and i promise you, you will be scared. there's nothing quite like hearing...nothing! just the sound of footsteps and the feeling of dread as you search around each corridor. where dead space really excels is simply walking down an empty hallway...you never know what you might encounter.

nevertheless, dead space does not come without its flaws. some of the missions, especially later in the game, feel so tedious and drawn out. i believe they really could of just cut about three chapters or so. the pacing isn't all that great and sometimes masks the overall game as kinda boring, especially in the end. additionally, it all kinda leads up to a lackluster finale with a twist that didn't really seem like a twist at all. the story is pretty barebones honestly but it doesn't really matter lmao. a small little thing i wanted to add was the awful map. did anyone else have issues using it? truly quite frustrating.

all in all, dead space is a fantastic action, sci-fi horror that truly finds itself over the others in its genre. despite some weak story elements and tedious gameplay, dead space is really worth playing and stands the test of time as one innovative, inspired piece of media.