the release version runs poorly under linux. you are forced to either only use a controller or run the game permanently in windowed mode. i am not sure how windowed mode is related to the use of a controller, but opening any menu without both crashes the game hard. story: interesting if you are into sci-fi with a flavour of philosophy. alters, as the name suggests, are a mixed bag, some you will love, some you will hate. anyone even loosely following the story, can see most plot twists from miles away. visuals: for better or worse, default UE5. the game does not try to establish a distinct visual identity. in a few months only the look of the base "wheel" will remain in my memories. audio: sound effects are crisp and distinguishable. music is fitting, but unmemorable. maybe i am spoiled by all the JRPGs i played, but most characters sound extremely indifferent. gameplay: stranded on an alien planet, running around collecting stuff, managing resources, prioritizing tasks, basically everything you expect from an exploration survival. the maps have very limited randomness, but are beautifully handcrafted. subsequent playthroughs however, will become boring very quick. all the survival mechanics are just a stable of the genre, they did not reinvent the wheel (pun intended). verdict: a nice filler, but no masterpiece by any metric. the game succeeds in being as inoffensive as possible, thus leaving an almost non existent footprint in players memories.
NMS is a giant sandbox game. No clear goal and minimalistic story and lore, are a turn off for many people. But if you like sandbox games like GTA, Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls, etc. This might be right up your alley. The current iteration of the game also has a strong emphasis on survival (including a Permadeath mode). Mindlessly strolling over a beautiful alien planet gathering resources can be a relaxing Zen experience. Ordering your fleets to gather riches and power, gives you the feeling of accomplishment. Building gigantic and highly personalized bases on planets, gives you the opportunity to express yourself. if you are bored in NMS, you lack imagination. Go build a dance club in your base and create your own music. Or create a race track over, under and trough your base. Find a planet with a rare biome and build a base with a nice view. Race around the stars to find YOUR perfect system, and give every rock, plant and animal an unique name for all to see. Pros: - diversification: whether you want to explore or build, you have many different ways to do that. - free updates: even 4 years after release the game is still getting updated and expanded - cross multiplayer: you can play with your friends across ALL stores and platforms - seamless VR: i can not confirm this, but i have been told that NMS is amongst the better VR titles Cons: - high price: got it for 30€ on sale and i still felt a little bit ripped off in the first few weeks
while playing i was constantly reminded of Studio Ghibli in a good way. story, characters, plot, animation and sound design glued me to my keyboard and mouse. ThroughLine Games set their focus on story and characters, and that shows. gameplay is pretty much non-existent, controls are clunky and puzzles (if you can call 'em that) are very very easy. conclusion: if you are looking for a challenging puzzle platformer, move along. but if you are craving for a good story, Forgotton Anne will deliver.
the base game is nice and dandy, but nothing to write home about. until you click a button which throws you down a rabbit hole called Mods. be it quality of life, additional content, total conversions or plain old cheating. you can download, (un)install and enable/disable any number from the thousands of mods available. and the best thing is you can do all that in game, because the mod manager is integrated. and if you want to play the newest experimental version, take your serial key from GOG and register on https://factorio.com/ , then you get access to the newest, but probably bug infested (pun intended) version. another advantage of registering your game is, you can crossplay with other players.
take minecraft, replace survival rpg with 3d puzzle and medival fantasy with futuristic factory, then you get Infinifactory. so, if you like being creative in 3d and don't shy away from some light tlil medium puzzels, Infinifactory is a good investment. Infinifactory is funny: when my freshly welded floorplate accidentaly hit a rotator and started whirling all over the place, i couldn't stop laughing. Infinifactory is challenging: the solutions i build always seems flawless, until i run them, then i notice THAT block. Infinifactory is satisfying: i see a level for the first time. if i immediately know how to build my solution, and everything works like a charm on the first try, i feel like a boss. verdict: worth every cent.
