The original System Shock featured a clunky control scheme that may have turned a lot of people off. This Enhanced Edition remedies that problem by making the game far more accessible so its greatness can be properly appreciated. The Classic Edition is also included in this package however, so it can still be played in its original form. The game is a survival horror experience like no other. Most of the environments are brightly colored and the music on its own is more upbeat rather than scary. This did not stop System Shock from keeping me on edge throughout my entire playthrough as I explored the narrow corridors of a space station where everything is trying to kill you. Characters will occasionally send you communications, though most of the story is being told through audiologs of the station's deceased crew. These recordings steadily paint the picture of how a rogue A.I. called S.H.O.D.A.N. (let loose by the player) has taken control of all systems aboard the space station and is reshaping everything in its twisted vision, and how it plans to do the same thing to the people back on Earth. The creepy way in which it addresses the player backed by excellent voice acting make S.H.O.D.A.N. one of the most memorable villains of any videogame. It is important to pay close attention to the contents of the emails and audiologs as they sometimes contain vital clues on how to proceed. This unclear progression can be frustrating at times, but it's also part of the game's intended challenge and is the reason why finally beating it feels so satisfying.
Shadow Tactics is a game brimming with quality around every corner. Each mission is a challenging but fair puzzle where you have to make clever use of the limited range of abilities available to your characters, carefully planning your approach to each situation. There is a great deal of trial and error involved here, but the quicksave/quickload function means failure is never the end. The story may not be super engaging, but the characters are all well written and voice acted. Listening to their banter during missions really adds to the overall experience while sneaking through the game's well-designed and pretty-looking environments. Highly recommended.
Thea is a game with many different mechanics and thus may take some time getting used to, but it's well worth the time investment. You start the game by picking a god with a unique set of bonuses that will affect your townspeople. Your god with level up after completing a game and you can also unlock other gods, offering some nice replayability. The gameplay revolves around exploring the map, doing quests, upgrading your town and improving your villagers' skills. There are different ways to finish a game, though the most straightforward path is to complete the main questline. Quests are often resolves through combat or a skill challenge. These take the form of a card game which is quite fun once you get the hang of it. All of the quest dialogue is also voiced over by a quality narrator, adding to the immersion of the story. Because every villager has their own inventory, equipment, and a unique list of skills, the game does get heavy on micromanagement, especially in the late game. This can be a dealbreaker if that's not your thing. All things considered, this is definitely a quality game.
Indivisible is a game of many ups and downs, though the pros outweigh the cons. The combat system is quite unlike any other game and is very fun. It doesn't have much depth to it, but it feels very satisfying to chain together attacks and juggle enemies into the air. The game could use some better tutorials however, as it kind of throws you into the deep end right at the beginning and doesn't explain the basics of combat very well. The game also suffers from an improper difficulty curve, making all fights in the late game extremely easy which takes some of the fun out of it. Aside from the combat, the other big part of gameplay is metriodvania platforming, which sadly felt undercooked. Mobility upgrades are gained by characters having an epiphany at seemingly random times, making backtracking feel arbitrary. It also becomes very tedious in the late game, due to limited fast travel options and the fact that some sidequests don't properly show their objectives on the map. The most notable positive about this game is its art direction. The character designs are nothing short of immaculate and everything is lavishly animated. It is clear that a lot of love went into the creation of this game. The soundtrack is also fantastic and nicely compliments the vibrant artstyle and hectic combat mechanics. Where the game falters is in its writing. The story is fine, but the protagonist has to be one of the most insufferable characters I've ever seen in a video game. She is aggressive and downright hostile towards everyone around her for about 2/3s of the game. The story does end up explaining why she is like that and the ending is actually quite touching, but this doesn't solve the issue that she is completely unlikable for the first 15-20 hours of play. The writing in general also tries way too hard to be funny and often falls flat on its face. This is a game I would recommend on the basis of its gameplay and overall presentation, but don't expect much out of the story.
I'm a big fan of zoo building games and Megaquarium did not disappoint. Mechanically simple at first, you'll unlock more advanced equipment and more demanding types of fish as you keep expanding your aquarium with more tanks and visitor facilities. The main fun here is trying to fit different types of fish in one tank while keeping it as efficient as possible in terms of space and staff accessibility. This gets progressively harder as many of the later animals have very specific needs that don't overlap with most other fish, thus creating interesting puzzles to solve. The game has a campaign mode that serves as a tutorial while still providing a decent challenge, and a sandbox mode that allows you to change various settings to provide an even greater challenge while building your own aquarium from scratch. I've sunk in over 100 hours into this game and still keep coming back for more. It's highly addictive and satisfying to play.
I had never played a classic point-and-click before so I wasn't sure what to expect, especially considering the game's age, but I'm happy to say that I greatly enjoyed my playthough. The pixelated artwork, antiquated 3D models, impressive soundtrack and good voiceacting all combine into a charming little game. The story is exciting and comes to a satisfying conclusion in the end. My only gripe is that a decent chunk of it has you doing the same set of tasks in a number of different locations, which felt unnecessary, but that doesn't stop this game from being an enjoyable experience overall.
