I'm glad GOG has a star system for reviews rather than the binary system that Steam has. This game is average at best with some shining moments that don't make up for the absolute slog it is in the midgame. Hollow Knight starts out quite charming, it has the bones to be something extraordinary but falls short due to amateur feeling design choices. The combat and controls are top notch but only utilized to their full potential during 2 or 3 of the games multitude of boss style battles and the difficulty is artificially inflated in too many instances to make certain challenges feel rewarding. Music is awesome but becomes tiring because of the limited number of tracks throughout the game. The artstyle is beautiful but that doesn't make up for a lack of interesting platforming and map traversal. The world feels very rigid and lacks any real fluidity to mask the tile-like way it is designed. Most of the best content was added after the initial release. People lauded this game from the beginning but I just don't get it. It is not really like Metroid, Castlevania, or Dark Souls, so don't let the genre associating terms fool you. What can be said is that Hollow Knight is an exceptional value at full or sale price. There is a lot of content to enjoy if this is your cup of tea. I put plenty of hours into the game to complete it, 80 or so, but did that for the sake of doing so more than fully enjoying myself. Like mentioned, I only felt truly satisfied after 2 or 3 or the games boss battles, which is a shame because those battles really excel in the fun department. Now that I'm seeing other reviews they use "flawed," "almost perfect," and other similarly weighted descriptors to describe the game yet still give it 5 stars. I guess the star system is bunk, too. This game is average at best but a great value like mentioned.
Prey is bonkers. The world has an extreme amount of interactivity and rich flavor text storytelling littered throughout in different forms but mostly voice and chat/email logs. It's an awesome experience!
I have this game on Steam but figured I'd review it here as well. This game is phenomenal! It's a high-octane shooter with bullet time mechanics like F.E.A.R. or Max Payne. It has a supernatural SCP style theme which is really cool. Don't expect some wild campaign storytelling, though, the game keeps it fairly simple and cryptic on that front. This is all about the wild shooting and movement. Super fun!
Skyrim is neverending. The writing and voice acting are phenomenal. Gameplay is varied and rewarding. It's a must-play if anyone is looking for a game to sink dozens, hundreds, or thousands of hours into. It's a beautiful world to explore.
That's a reference from the game. If you decide to play it you'll soon understand! Divinity Original Sin: Enhanced Edition is the first cRPG I played to completion. It is now one of my favorite games I have ever played! The combat system is turn-based and there's environmental effects that make it a blast. Strategy is endless thanks to a seemingly endless set of mechanics that allow characters to pick up and move objects, use teleportation items, throwables, consumables, spells, among many other tiny yet impactful design choices. For me, the story is fantastic. Voice acting is more akin to stage plays than traditional video game voice acting which lends a gripping aspect to most of the characterizations. Tons of humor mixed in with some very dark storytelling. Things can seem pretty grim! This is contrasted with the beautiful art style and a soundtrack that will keep you moving along for hours throughout the game world. There is a more traditional tabletop RPG experience system with a finite amount of experience that can be gained. This style is something I have come to appreciate after playing this game. There is no grind. Every encounter is meaningful and impactful to character development and progression. Player dialogue choice is rather limited, but there are choices that do rely on a dice rolls that do impact some events throughout the game. For the most part the replay value rests in the different builds and difficulty settings available. Of course the game is so entertaining with its storytelling and characters that returning to Rivellon never feels like a slog. The only real cons with the game, which aren't necessarily cons, is that some of the story elements can feel a little long-winded and drag on for a bit. It is great storytelling nonetheless. If you've never played a cRPG this is a great game to start. I will eventually play the sequel and most certainly Baldur's Gate 3. Larian have a lot of heart and know what makes games great.
Prey is a game that follows in the footsteps of old school games like Deus Ex, Thief, and newer ones like Dishonored. There's a lot of variety to styles of play and the world is highly interactive. It's a super awesome game worth full price but goes on sale for an absolute steal at $9.99 all the time! If you like mystery, puzzles, action, and immersive storytelling this game is for you.
