Wow, has it been that long ! ?? Games like this haven't been made in years ! All the old school space combat flight sim goodness in a tight new independent game. Remember Starwars Xwing vs Tiefigher, or Starwars X wing Alliance, well, this game is quite like those, with tight controls, en enormous space battles which involve a lot of dog fighting skills. And that is where this game shines. The dogfights are quick, fluid and full of action. The story is very sci fi, and fans of sci fi can quickly recognize all the little nods and homages to other great classics. Difficulty is nice and challenging, making this a bit of a hardcore game, but it's nice that you actually need skill to progress in this game. There is also some nice replay vallue with all the extra power ups you can earn. In short, a very good action packed space combat flight sim !
Puddle is a nice slick looking indy game. The premise is very simple: Get a certain kind liquid from point A to point B. The liquid itself can not be controlled, but you can manipulate the environments in such the way that the liquid will start to move. Then you will have to navigate is through a trajectory with all kinds of booby traps and physics based puzzles. It's a very nice and calming experience, and the soundtrack and colorful graphics just make this a little casual game that is worth every single penny
Divinity 2 is in my opinion, as the title of this review already says, a hidden gem. It's one of those fantasy RPG games that never got big, but is very solid nonetheless. In that sense I think you can compare it to games like Gothic 1, 2 and 3, in that it also has a very distinct and committed fan base of its own. The game introduces some RPG systems that are very unique to this particular series in terms of skill management and earning and spending experience points. These elements might take a little "getting used to" when compared to bigger and (and often simpler) titles. But invest some time in it, and quickly it will become second nature to you. The game also is very old school in the sense that it really doesn't hold your that hand much. It's up to you how to approach certain situations, and it forces you to think about them before you throw yourself into it. This is also a game that you want to play with a notebook, since you have to write down clues for certain side quests yourself. (Once again, no hand holding here, the game gives you clues, and you decide whatever you do with the information). There is a helpful option to read back previous conversations you had, but a separate notebook is all the more handy, and frankly, its fun to do. The maps of the different regions and lands of Rivellon show only the lay of the lands as they are. Important buildings in villages you have to mark for yourself on the map. I like this feature, since it makes "exploration" as a gameplay element all the more essential. (And yet again no handholding, mark it yourself !) In terms of production value, the game is way above avarage. The graphics look nice and colorful, and most of the textures have nice detail to them. Larian also filled the environments with animals and such, making each area feel alive. The environments them selves look very nice, and the interplay of light and dark can create some very nice looking pictures. All the environments all are hand crafted , which makes the areas have a very organic and distinct feel to them. Voice acting is well done in my opinion, and the music fits the setting. Like other western RPG's you create your own character in Divinity 2, and this is where the game in my opinion is lacking a bit. There really aren't that much customization options available for your character. This is one minor gripe I have, but easily forgiven with all the other good things it has going for it. So if you are the type of person who likes old school RPG's, and you're not afraid to invest some time into a game that just does some things a little different, you might as well want to try Divinity 2. I'm certain you won't be disappointed !
Far Cry 2 is a typical Ubisoft product of it's time. (Meaning 2007/2008/2009). I remember the day I first saw a teaser for this game. After that a short video with some actual gameplay was released. It showed some of the elements this new far cry installment would contain, which all looked very promising. Being quite impressed with the first game my expectations for this one were high as well. Alas not all was realized end what we got was a game that has a lot of ambition, but also some very fundamental gameplay flaws. Lets just start with saying the production values are very high. Graphics look very good, and the power of the Dunia engine is quite impressive. Sound design is very well done and the game truly succeeds in creating a tense atmosphere. But its not all good. The most important aspect of all, the gameplay, falls short on many levels and robs the game of most of the fun. The AI is quite inconsistent, sometimes enemies spot you from miles away, shooting dead accurate, other times enemies are farting around not seeing you while you are right in front of them. For some reason all enemies can soak an unrealistic amount of bullets, and the hitboxes in general seem a bit dodgy. Then there is the dull mission design, which is very repetitive and uninspired as well. (Go to enemy outpost, shoot everyone, find suitcase, get out.) In between the missions there is nothing for you to do other than traveling the world killing every single man you see, because in the world of far cry 2 everyone, YES EVERYONE is your enemy. Far Cry 2 is very much a typical Ubisoft game of it's time. The design flaws found in this game, are also found in other Ubisoft games released around this time, like Assassins Creed for example. Its a shame that this game turned out the way it did, because it could have been so much more. It does have it's moments though, and some hardcore shooterfans might want to give it a go, and might find it satisfactory to a certain degree. But don't expect this game to keep everybody's attention span for it has lots of dull dragging moments. I give it 3 stars, and I think I have been quite fair and forgiving even by giving it that. It's good production values and optimized engine make it a very playable game on many a system nowadays. And like said before, there are some nice moments in the game. It's overall poor gameplay design though, make it a dull and unrewarding experience on the long run.
