Graphics - Pretty solid for an indie game. Spell effects are nice and sparkly, Models and the world itself are quite nice. The only real issue I had is that it can sometimes be hard to tell where you can and cannot go when it comes to choosing your path. Sound - Soundtrack is nice and suits the the atmosphere of the game. Sound effects are not not overly varied but they are adequate for a game of this style and get the job done. Story - It's not Shakespeare but there is some worldbuilding and lore to set the stage and it's more than enough to hold the game together and give you a reason to do what you do. UI - The game does not appear to have mouse support, at least not if you have a gamepad plugged in. For this type of game, that is a big miss. Using the gamepad to navigate the interface and menus as well as moving through the world, feels unintuitive and awkward. It's useable but could be so much better with mouse control. Gameplay - There are multiple difficulty levels so it's suitable for beginners to advanced strategists. The battles play out on a grid just like the HOMM games and they feel pretty well balanced. You collect resources, fight monsters and build up your stronghold. It has pretty much what you would want and expect from this type of game. It does include a food system so you have to plan your route in such a way as to be able to gather enough food to keep your army fed or they will eventually weaken and die. I find this a bit annoying but it's manageable. Summary - It's a pretty solid HOMM clone...especially from an indie developer. The lack of mouse control and the food mechanic bring the score down a bit for me but if you are a fan of the genre, it's definitely worth checking out if you can get bast the few little niggles.
I was very disappointed in this game. After all these years, I was expecting a polished and deep futuristic Skyrim. What I got was an FPS with a little deeper story than most. Aside from the bugs which can easily patched out over time, here is what I liked and disliked: Liked: -Captures the Cyberpunk look and feel very well. -Graphics are beautiful. -Sound design and soundtrack fit the world nicely. Disliked: -Too linear. Doesn't feel like an open world at all. -Interface and keybindings are terrible -NPCs are nothing more than set decoration...far to little interaction with anything or anyone that isn't part of a mission. The world is populated but doesn't feel alive. Conclusion: After all the years put into this game and all the claims of it being such a giant living open world RPG in the Cyberpunk setting, it seems to have only captured a fraction of it's potential. The game comes across as less of an RPG and more of an expansive FPS. Not that I dislike an FPS with a bigger story but that was not what I was hoping for with this game. With all the issues and lack of interactivity with NPCs and the world around me, I got bored with it and playing feels more like a chore than a joy.
When Diablo was first came out back in the 90's, My PC was not quite up to snuff but, I wanted to play it so bad that I went out and got a whole new PC just so I could play this game. Almost 20 years later, I still feel that thrill booting the game up and beginning to descend the depths of that dungeon. In many respects, the game has not aged well, the movement and combat feel clunky and unrefined compared to more modern games. The graphics no longer have that wow factor they once did either. The fun factor is still there for me though. Yes, part of it is nostalgia fueled joy but the game is honestly, still a good game despite the limitations. It is nice to have support for better frame rates and higher resolutions. The only wish I have is that there was a widescreen option available. Yes, it would further distort the dated graphics but, it would be a nice to utilize my full screen real estate for the game. If you've never played the original Diablo, you should. It is the progenitor of all great ARPGs that came after it. Is it perfect? No, not by a long shot. It is however, still a worthwhile experience for both old timers like me and new players alike.
I purchased this one on Steam when it came out. I'm big fan of arcade racers and had initial high hopes of reliving the glory days of the genre. Sadly, I was very disappointed. I could forgive the repetitive graphichs if the gameplay was there but it is not. You may as well be trying to drive a wooden apple crate as a car. Turning is slow and ponderous...the drifting (which is imperative if you wish to win a race) is borderline impossible to engage, never mind master. There is nothing redeemable about this game. It sells itself as nostalgia but what you receive is a big steaming pile of hot garbage.
After spending a few hours with Telepath Tactics, I can say this game has a lot to like about it but there are a couple of aspects of gameplay that I think could have been better thought out. The fame is basically a tactical rpg similar to games like Final Fantasy Tactics. You control a group of characters in a series of turn based battles that are connected by scenes of dialog that walk you through the story. The story itself is pretty standard fare for this type of game...nothing overly special about it but, it does the job of giving you a reason to fight. Personally, I don't expect stellar stories from this kind of game so, this is not a point against or for the game...just an observation. Graphics are done in a 16 bit style and are suit the game quite well. they aren't super high tech eye candy but they are pleasing to the eye. The only parts of the graphics I have a small problem with. The dialog boxes and user interface items have a bit of a mottled background with quite small text. I have a 24" monitor and yet I still find it a bit of a strain to read the text in the game. Using a solid color background for dialog and interface with a higher contrast color scheme or making the text about 50% larger would easily fix this. Sound is adequate if a little bit sparse. I can't comment on the soundtrack as I am one of those people who finds game music distracting so I always turn it off. Gameplay, which to me, is the core of this style of game is really done fairly well. The battles are challenging without being over difficult and there are a wide variety of tactics and strategies you can use to win. The mental abilities that allow you to move various objects on the battlefield and even use the against your enemies add some fun and entertaining tactics to your arsenal. The interface for combat could have been done better. You click on a character to have them move, and then to select your character's action, you must move your mouse down to the bottom right corner panel to make your choice, then back up to select your target. Making the action panel part of the right click menu that could be accessed anywhere on the screen would have been much more efficient and would have streamlined gameplay quite a lot. In conclusion, Telepath Tactics is a fun tactics rpg with a some really good ideas implemented in it. There are a few minor things that could have been done better but none of them are major enough to be a deal breaker. If you enjoyed FF Tactics and other games like it, you will most likely enjoy this one too. It's not the most revolutionary or amazing game in this genre but, it does the job pretty well and is definitely an enjoyable experience.
While it may not be the deepest most strategic game ever made...not by a long shot in fact but...it definitely has its charm and is worth looking into. The graphics are cute and cartoonish which suit the games simplistic desing just fine. Music and sound effects are fitting and quite pleasant. In terms of gameplay it is very straightforward hex based combat...reminiscent of some of the 16 bit classics. Your hero and squad grow in abilities in a fairly typical fashion. The difficulty is not staggerig but it does ramp up smoothly and leads you to a satisfying conclusion when all is said and done. Braveland is a perfect coffee break strategy game...you can play it in small chunks and you are never overwhelmed at what you need to deal with when you come back to it. For the price, its an excellent fun little game that doesn't pretend to be any more than it is. Definitely worth picking up if you want a fun and quick little strategy fix.
In terms of gameplay, it's pretty much exactly what I expected. Faithful to the old school style mechanics and presentation except for one thing that completely ruined it for me: The dialogue! is absolutely atrocious! It does not fit a medieval world in any way shape or form. If I didn't actually have to wade the through that schlock to play the game, I would give it a higher rating.
