I finished the main game and put quite a few hours into the expansion(s). I would say I have over 100 hours put into this game so the bang for your buck is there. The redundancy of the combat and running around became a chore instead of fun. The feeling of reward really wasn't there. It became more about enjoying certain aspects of the gameplay rather than the game as a whole. Those aspects are very good though. To sum this game up, it's like a generic Neverwinter Nights 2 without all the bugs. Drakensang runs far smoother and has much better controls/camera (although the nature of these kind of games all leave awkward camera angles in corners etc). However, in regards to the gameplay the combat is slower in Drakensang. The character development is unnecessarily complicated. The spells aren't that interesting. The rounds in combat take longer in Drakensang which is a real downer to me. I like the pacing of Neverwtinter 2 (and Dragon Age) where you see the results of your decisions relatively faster. The environments are really nice in this game. Nothing new or interesting to look at as far as the genre goes but what is there looks good. The backdrops look nice. Water looks particularly neat. Trees and grass sway and butterflies and other wildlife roam freely helping bring the areas to life. Basically I'll end with this. If you love rpgs with the "tactical pause" like Neverwinter, Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, Icewind Dale etc etc this is worth a try. Although this game feels generic there are great mechanics it borrows from others games even if these mechanics aren't done as well. There seems to be talented people behind this game and it comes across to me as potential unfulfilled. It's not bad either though. It's not one of the greats but you could do a lot worse. So again, there isn't much of a story here so for the love of this kind of rpg combat, and the timesink this game is... at gog's price point, it's a good deal. Overall 7/10
So the art direction, voice acting, and gameplay feel very much in the spirit of the two previous games. The pacing is almost fine with the exception of several points where you have to raise money to progress the story. It feels like a forced uncreative way to lengthen the game. The mini games are not classic sega games. Practicing martial arts to raise your stats feels as tedious as chopping wood or finding plants to raise money. The story doesn't bring you anywhere closer to closure for this franchise and you're left in a spot where you got a few tidbits about the history of the mirrors but that's about it. However the game still has a certain charm, and as a day 1 backer i'm glad we got this game. It could've been better. Especially the physical release. It was really disappointing to know that people who waited after the kickstarter got a better value collector's set than what we were offered. I mean, the way this game released (not talking about the game itself here) was just bad. Whoever handled the PR after the kickstarter did a horrible job. So...It's not a great game and it's not bad either. It's not exactly a beautiful game but it does feel right for shenmue today. The music was fine and the locations were just okay. I miss the bustling cities and kowloon walled city was probably the coolest setting for a game ever. There aren't crowds in the streets in shenmue 3 which is a bummer. To sum this up...if you love shenmue you should really play this game. Make sure your expectations are in the right place and you'll have some fun. Although not as wonderful as the original games it still has the shenmue mojo all over it. Worth it for fans. It'd be hard to appreciate what is here without playing the first two games. Overall a C+ game in my opinion. I'd say my love of shenmue helped make this a strong C instead of a weak one.
I've played all the brothers in arms games and this is asolid entry. If you didn't like the tactical aspect of the previous games then this title won't change your mind. If you did, then you're in for a treat. The maps are smartly done. The graphics are decent for the time. The music is excellent and the narrative is really interesting. There are cutscenes as others have said, but they are well-presented and emotionally charged. As someone who appreciates context for the human aspect of the war, the scenes deliver. The ending is a bit weak but the ride there is a blast. A few bugs, some graphical weirdness but nothing gamebreaking for me. I have no idea what the multiplayer is like. If you find the game is too easy, try challenging yourself by keeping all members of your teams alive. Then try it on authentic after you beat it. 8.5/10.
It's a point and click game from the perspective of games of old. I did use a xbox 360 controller for windows and it worked fine. Left stick to move character, right stick for cursor. No real puzzles to solve. Just kind of wandering around until you trigger the next story event to unfold. I thought the voice-acting was very solid. Also the music/ambience and sets were solid as well. Now...the meat of this game is the story. And although I was left a bit confused at the end (which might be cleared up by more exploration) I really enjoyed the ride there. It's basically a small group of high school kids who get together to spend the night on the beach of an island. Weird stuff happens. It gave me a vibe somewhere in between twin peaks and x-files which I loved. The characters do evolve...and how they do so can change depending on some choices you make which is nice. The graphics, while not stellar, work fine for the type of game this is. and the art direction makes use of the lack of fine detail to provide an aesthetic that compliments the overall mood of the game. In my opinion, if you like slow-paced adventure games with NO difficult puzzles with a creepy atmosphere this MIGHT be for you. Here is my breakdown: Graphics: C+ Sound: B+ Story/characters: B Gameplay: B for me...maybe C, D, or worse for action game fans.
Even less interactive than seasons 1 and 2. A lot more sitting back and watching different scenes play out with quick-time events. Less walking around...and the sets felt smaller when you do get to walk around in many places. So in this case it was kind of a bummer. However... The graphics are better...and the writing still isn't bad. I liked the characters here despite the mixed feedback of this season. The pacing was solid with a decent sense of closure for this "chapter" in this game series. I bought this game on sale and don't regret my purchase. People looking for serious gameplay or puzzles won't find it here. This is a leisurely game that builds tension through the story...not the gameplay. As long as you're okay with this I think you'll have a decent time with this one as I did. It does tie into the first two seasons in a few spots. Not necessary to enjoy this season but it definitely helps. I don't recommend anyone starting here though. Seasons 1 and 2 are cheaper and frankly are better experiences overall. As a big fan of this series...and as a casual adventure gamer I give this game a strong "C+". Maybe a solid "B" for people who enjoy interactive stories, rather than hardcore point-and-click adventure games.
First off...the art direction is gorgeous. The soundtrack fits perfectly. Not sure what the story is about...as it's cryptic and more symbolic than anything explicitly spelled out. The game does have some interesting themes of the fantastical, growing up/old, and perhaps nature. It's not in your face but it's interesting to look at. It's just very stylized and is curiously fun. Gameplay-wise you basically get four squares to combine pictures, sometimes layering or separating them, or connecting them side by side. A few puzzles were timed near the end but nothing to really test your patience once you have all the steps figured out. A few small snags in the puzzles, but mostly straightforward and not difficult. The game took me about an hour or two to finish so I'm not sure the bang for your buck is there in terms of length...but the game design is unique. I've not played anything like it. The art direction is awesome. So if you can forgive a game for being short as long as it's fun and aesthetically pleasing...then this is likely for you. If the length worries you, buy when it's on sale. I like that the devs didn't get crazy with the price from the get-go. $14.99 at release isn't bad at all and it even went on sale the day it came out too.
Like Icewind Dale, White March is combat-driven with less story (although there is one) in a wintry setting. The music and art are solid as expected. You can traverse back and forth from the main game to the expansion no problem. The new characters, level caps, items and the expansion altogether feels seamlessly integrated into the main game. There are quite a few side quests to do. Some are creative but usually the same old fetch quest or hunt whatever down. One thing I loved about the base game was that it felt like it didn't matter what kind of party you had, then you could adjust your tactics and make it work. You have an option to have this expansion scale to your level. Depending on your choice, the expansion can feel rough if you thought you were over-leveled and it was going to be easy. In this game, bosses like the alpine dragon and Llengrath are frustrating even if you thought you were over powered. There are angles to the fight that you can take advantage of, but it will still be frustrating unless you put the game on easy before entering the maps these bosses are on. The first location you'll encounter called Cragholdt Bluffs will give you a rude awakening as the enemies here are some of the hardest in the entire game including the base game. In my game these guys were wearing MUCH better gear than soldiers I'd fight in locations I'd find afterwards. Why? The mobs like the main game are for the *most part* easy fodder with the exception of a few snags I mentioned easlier. The ending to White March II felt like closure and does make you feel like your character is more epic for completing it. You might hit a few frustrating battles, but overall exploring new locations, enjoying the new level caps and new characters make it worthwhile. Definitely not perfect, nor as finely tuned with strategic considerations as the base game, yet still fun. Worth 25 bucks. 15 on sale is better. Expect 20-30 hours depending on how fast you get through it.
Great game. The levels are well-designed and there is a tool to make sure you're always going where you need to go (which has both pros and cons...but you don't HAVE to use it). I liked the weapon variety. The monsters get kind of repetitive after a while but considering how smooth the gameplay is it wasn't a chore or anything. As other reviewers have said, play this with a controller. There is lag in the mouse that I guess I could've gotten used to...but it was annoying when I wanted to be precise. I'll just say I didn't use it long enough to get used to it. It took me an 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete each chapter and there are 12 of them. Some of the bosses might stump you. One thing I liked about the enemies...is there are no wrong ways to deal with them. There are options and some will be better than others depending what kind of way you'd like to approach the situation. The graphics, while dated today still hold up great for those who don't need the latest/greatest visuals. It's an atmospheric game with nice sounds. The story wasn't that interesting to me. By halfway through the game I didn't really care what was said, I just moved on to where I needed to be next. I was very impressed with this game and all things considered, this game is an 8 and maybe an 8.5 for those who enjoyed aliens, event horizon and similar movies.
One of my favorite games. Although this game didn't please every BG fan, it pleases most very much. I thought it was an epic return to form for bioware. This game with all the dlc and awakening takes me about 120 hours if I do all the side quests. The story and pacing is solid. The characters are interesting and have fun dialogue when traveling around. Leveling up is a blast. Combat is fun. Even nightmare difficulty is tough but totally fair. Not every choice matters but quite a few do, and some may come back to haunt you. Plenty of secrets that give a great mythic feel. This is a really fleshed out world full of politics, social turmoil for some, and lots of history depending on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go with this game. This game is in my top 10 rpgs and it's my favorite genre. I whole heartedly recommend this game. The role-playing aspects are every bit as fun as the combat. Plus...tons of mods for this game. I've beaten this game three times and there is definitely a fourth run in the future. For starters maybe try rogue or for something straightforward try the fighter. My favorite is mage with the arcane warrior sub-class. They are overpowered and can wreck shop with the right spell combos. :)
The game no doubt borrows ideas from harvest moon and adds some really interesting (and addicting...ack!) aspects to the gameplay from other games...and mixes them up in a way that feels like a fresh perspective. At it's core it's a farming/life sim. Farming, exploration, and getting along with the neighbors feels solid. You have lots of options for making $. There is also combat and rpg elements like upgrading equipment and more. You can craft...it's not super deep but you do have options with little to no confusion. You probably have read this several times from other reviews but it's true...for fans of harvest moon, rune factory, or animal crossing just get it. You won't regret it. It scratches the same itch and more. Stardew Valley is its own thing so you aren't playing the previously mentioned games over again. Even if you had a hard time getting into harvest moon series, Stardew Valley does a great job of introducing you to the genre and explains things clearly in a well-paced manner. It won't take you long to see where the game is going. You are dropped with a lot of options but the journal/questlog helps get you started. The graphics and music are a charming throwback to the 16 bit era but look and sound a bit fancier. I told myself I was just going to play for two or three days (in gametime...30 min to 1 hour typically) and before I realized it, it was FOUR hours later in my real life. This has happened more than once. I'm not complaining...because it doesn't feel like a grind. It's really fun. I can see so many hours into this game. $15 is a great value for the timesink this game is. Hopefully multiplayer will be along someday. It is currently planned for this game. Beware. Some folks are crashing but I've not personally seen anything game-breaking. Only 3 days into the release and quite a few things have been fixed. Hopefully this game becomes totally bug-free for most people. It's great. A really leisurely-paced comfy game so far. 9/10.
