The Hand of Merlin

The game is a nice mix of 'choose your own adventure' gamebook's style (story progression), RPG (characters progression and combat), and roguelite (few or more runs needed to unlock new heroes, spells & skills, and achievements). The core of the game is the isometric tactical Turn-Based Combat with eye-pleasing graphics, a fairly clear graphical interface, and with interesting combat rules, and sufficiently diversified opponents, although the AI ​​controlling them does not pose too difficult challenges to the player. The game world is a chivalric Middle Ages, modeled on the history of Charlemagne's wars, Andalusia under Muslim rule and the Crusades, with a leading motif of references to Arthurian legends.

Despite the diligence of the developers, some things in the game are confusing and certainly not intuitive.

1. Although the game's GUI suggests that when creating a team you choose one character from each class, any combinations are possible (even 3 characters from one class).

2. Description of the achievement "killing three enemies in the same round" to unlock hero is not clear, rather confusing, cause you need to do this with just 1 of your characters.

3. Gaining access to new Cores requires completing tasks that are unknown to the player and will undoubtedly require at least a few runs. If you prefer to know more, you will find clear tips by reading the list of Achievements (available in the game menu).

Full list here.

A couple that I finish a few weeks back:

Hollow Knight

What will likely come as no surprise to those who have played it - what a great game and an amazing experience. Exploring Hallownest was a lot of fun and had a great atmosphere along with an incredible soundtrack. I got stuck on a few bosses but usually was able to go away and do something else before trying again. I only did the base ending for now so I still have more to look forward to!

Tomb Raider (2013)

This one was a bit more hit and miss. The setting was ok and general traversal was fun. Combat was reasonably enjoyable although sometimes it felt like there was too much. I would have liked if the optional tombs were a bit longer. My main gripe was the amount of times Lara would get a major injury with little to no consequences or the amount of explosion filled running/jumping segments. Overall I did largely enjoy the playthrough but I was also glad to see it end as I found it fairly average overall.

Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes, May 22 (Xbox Game Pass)-I wanted to try it internet warriors be damned. It turned out kinda ok. Story was cliche but serviceable. Voice acting was pretty good with a few exceptions. There were some bad mini games thrown in. Combat was easily the worst part. It lacked depth and it was faster and easier to just auto combat thru 90% of the game. 100+ heroes/playable characters makes it difficult to get attached to any of them and they just turn into walking stats. If this game and mechanics are any indication of the quality of the Suikoden series, then I can't imagine liking any of those very much either.

Full List

After upgrading firstly CPU to R7 7800X3D and now GPU to RX 9070, I decided to buy a play Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. Since I installed version 2.21 I do not care about bad launch and describe today state. After playing The Witcher 3 in past, I was surprised by launcher. Such thing is annoying, so I had to create my own link to avoid it in future. Started with setting best graphics possible ended without RT with all to maximum detail with one exception (and some picture distorting options). Cyberpunk 2077 is even today extremely demanding in 4K resolution. After game started, I must say that authors have great aesthetic feeling, first bar was very impressive, material has great textures, especially clothes on human. Level of details is something absolutely outstanding. So I was shocked by many different situation when textures were comparable with Duke Nukem 3D. Another important things, is that as some others I would not be able finish tutorial, because game tells you to do something else, than what is expected.

Interesting is, that Cyberpunk tries to bring some new elements into the genre. I really love how they balanced game and now is not necessary take all things which are possible. Game plays very well if you take just small amount of items in general and thus you do not need wasting too much time in your inventory. Second new thing are discussion between/among people. Now you can decide whether you would drink, eat, look away, what is good. On the other hand when you decide what to say you use movement keys, i.e. you move around and very often you loose possibility to express what you wanted to say (of course later I find out, that it is possible also by mouse without any movement).

Difficulty balance is strange for me, as a newcomer started on normal difficulty. Most of the time I felt like terminator until I met Oda boss, which was unbeatable moment for me, since I never struggle during previous game play. Shortly after that moment I realize another spoil aspect of the game. When I should decided whether to decide for Voodoo Boys or NetWatch, I literally did not care. Story is so uninteresting, that I did not care about anybody and anything in this game. Apart from lasts quests for individual friends, it is very different in comparison to the Witcher 3 were I was interested since the beginning. Finally at the end I enjoy Panam, Judy and Peralez family quests. Either way what remains from W3 is, that some options leads to different outcome than what I wanted to do.

In summary it is average game, which can be fun to play similarly like Sleeping Dogs or Ghostwire: Tokyo. Main problem is, that there is obviously extreme amount of work left, maybe if there would make more DLCs, CD projekt could finish also main game. Some people complain about missing FSR4 support, what I understand – it would be better, but it is important to say, that CD projekt cooperate with nVidia very closely, so it is understandable, that newer version DLSS is preferred here. On the other hand I must say, that Cyberpunk content is mature in comparison to The Witcher 3. Things which happen in game seems not so romantic, but more natural.

BUGS (v. 2.21): One quest cannot be finished (The gig), some things are in the air and many time game stops receiving commands from keyboard… very often car disappeared right in front of me, car view setting was reseting all the time and when I have to deposit weapons before entering some club it did not recover my setting (including clothes from some reason). So all in all nothing game breaking, just very annoying deteriorating game experience. E.g. in Phantom Liberty woman ask me for help in car and then hit by the same car… Phanam standing next to me ask for meeting at my place by sms… From some reason game putting my clothes off very often etc.

Phantom Liberty is basically more of the same like base game.

Finished Murder by Numbers, a visual novel with Picross puzzles. The graphics are good and the story interesting but it was way too long and puzzles were too difficult in the end.

I used hints to finish the puzzles of the 4th case (the last one).

Full list here.

Just finished 8Doors: Arum's Afterlife Adventure. 100% completion, first playthrough on normal, a little over 16 hours.
Not bad. My only criticism would be that the distance from save points to boss rooms is a bit far. Since it would usually take me a couple of tries before I could beat some of the bosses, I would have to traverse quite a distance to get back to the fight. Otherwise, a pleasent experience.

Ooh that soundtrack.

I liked the soundtrack but it was way too repetitive.

Faith. I played the demo of this a while back and thought it was interesting, so I got the complete version here. You control a priest battling demons with nothing more than a cross you hold up, occasionally picking up items to be used to complete puzzles that are mostly pretty simple. Its style takes after C64 games, to the point that I wouldn't be surprised to see someone attempt an actual demake, although the rotoscoped cutscenes might be a tough nut to crack. Dialogue is delivered to evoke classic 1980s voice synthesizers and it works really well. It's similar to how Locomalito managed to make ZX Spectrum platformers seem moody when he made L'Abbaye des Morts. Something about the bold colors on a mostly black background.

It's not especially hard, although figuring out how to 100 percent the game might take some work, which bumps up the play time a little bit. I had to replay some parts to get the best endings. It's one of those games where it can be as much fun to see how things go wrong as right.

I guess I could nitpick how a Catholic-themed game opens with a Protestant hymn :p I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel, though.