So I played TBT on my c64 in another era and my 10 yo self wasted too many sunny days indoor crouched over a monitor fighting packs of monsters that I still look like a sickly white irishman who fled the famine. These games that sat alongside gaming greats such as Ultima and led to RPGS's being so poular and thus one day birthing the like of Baldur's Gate were such an important part of my life that in many ways i contiune to chase the feeling of wonder that came with the to this day. In truth revisiting these games are rareky a good idea no matter how great they were. This is true of TBT on Dos Box for example. The graphics, gameplay, user interface and punishing difficulty make spending any real time withe these classics more chore than not. Thankfully the remakes have changed all that. Whilst I'm really hanging out for the excellent 3rd tile Thief of Fate I have cut my teeth on the first game and soon found myself in nostaliga heaven with a title that stays true to the originals but adds much needed updated gameplay such as the ability to Quick Save anywhere. The game itself remains as challenging as ever but no longer as punishing. Still I shamefully admit I became a little cocky and 8hrs in with my party reaching lvl 10 I strayed too far into a dungeon only to find myself trapped facing a dragom battle I can never win. Lesson learnt, I for one should have known better and had made better use of the save game features. Thus this was a very good reminder of 80's gaming where caution and respect went hand in hand. So do I reccomend or not? Its a hard call, returning fans will welcome a return to Skara Brae in modern playable manner that respects we all have jobs/kids/pets in 2018 to manage. Many newcomers may still find this baffling and even lame but if you have any love of CRPG"S these are really mustplays if only for the record.
Walking Sims seem to fall in a grey area for most gamers where you either get them or you don't. Not really a game? Sure that can be argued though by comparison so could most of the text based adventure games of yesteryear, especially those classics of linear storytelling requiring one to type verbs, nouns and adjectives until the exact combination derived of the designers is randomly located to progress the story. No doubt the same can be said of almost any graphical point and click game with single shot solutions to puzzles and a requirement to click furiously on every pixel in the hope of hitting the sweet spot. Games such as Edith Finch, Firewatch and indeed Gone Home are simply the next cycle on this type of genre and at least for me have proven adequate and at time brilliant forms of storytelling. Perhaps given the demands of an adult life I actually appreciate a game that does not require hundreds of hours to complete (I play those too) such is life in 2018. Gone Home does stray too far from the tried and tested formula of the walking sim and so obviously if you are reading this still you will likely know if this type of game is for you or not. I found the tale to be engrossing and enjoyed every minute of its slow explorative nature and reveal process. So with Gone Home you will get a great story and lovely environment to explore along with a gentle gaming XP.. You won't get a hugely challenging game and nothing much that amounts to a call to actions whatsoever so choose wisely. For those who enjoy storytelling and don't mind being on rails .
Action games (indeed even fast paced games) are not usually my thing, so to say I was surprised when I first played Hotline and found I'd quickly clocked up 5 hours with barely a break may tell you something about the type of fun to be had here. The game is played at lightning pace and whilst the violence may be considered a little over the top, it's more in sync with a comic book style of blood and gore. Each set piece or level provides for a superb blend of enemies and weapons, allowing for carefully laid out plans and (as is nearly always the case) those plans turning into a mad dash to shoot, hit, maim and kill your opponents before they do the same to you or you inevitably fire all of your shotguns ammo without hitting anyone. Glee and panic both vie for your attention and it all feels so well connected to the amazing techno electronic (80's?) soundtrack that underscores the experience. There is more depth here also than at first it seems. An interesting if lite and mysterious story seems to provide a background for your actions and some of the most joy is to be had between missions, visiting a store that serves no other purpose than to fill out the gaps and help develop the background of your character. Never has a chicken mask provided so much joy.
