This game is such a disappointment - not because it's a bad game, but because of what it could have been. It's such a brilliant idea, great retro design, such an interesting universe to explore, the control method of flight is the best I've seen in any space sim - but it's broken, buggy, unfinished, and abandoned. Some examples are horrible ui design - one of the more important aspects of the game is upgrading components in your ship - but basic things such as comparing them can't be done in the store. You can't infact even check what you have installed in your ship without actually looking at them. You can move around your ship, and while some rooms are important - the engine room lets you change and repair modules for example - some however are essentially useless. Presumably future updates would have added functionality, but they exist now only as a reminder of what could have been. Game elements are limited - combat and the management of onboard systems seem the most fleshed out - trade, exploration, and missions seem the least and are very basic and somewhat broken in various ways. The game suffers from slowdown after extended play, and semi-regular crashes. It seems to be poorly optimized. Ultimately this game is a diamond in the rough that will never be polished. It has such potential, while in early access I wholeheartedly recommended it as a unique and brilliant space sim that just needed some work to reach it's potential. As it stands however it just can't justify the price tag and is just a crying shame. Two stars because it's still such a unique game despite its flaws. Hopefully one days the devs will pick it back up or perhaps another team will be inspired by the ideas here.
I remember when Shadow Warrior 2 came out, I gave it a brief glance before dismissing it. I had played and not loved the prequel, I watched a couple of reviews that didn't particularly impress me, and ultimately forgot all about the game. That was a mistake. I've picked it up in a recent sale and it's a whole lot of fun. Firstly, it's not a strict shooter ala Doom or its predecessor Shadow Warrior - but more of a hybrid similar to Borderlands. Shadow Warrior 2 has a map system - there is a hub with npcs, and you teleport to various locations for missions. The maps are huge, but you'll be back to the same locations for different missions using different parts of the map. The weapons are fun, gunplay feels similar to Borderlands - a bit more bulletsponge-ey than traditional shooters, but if you enjoy the Borderlands style it's very satisfying. The characters and humour are on point. Lo Wang is likable and hilarious, and the other characters I've run into so far have been all well done. Moving around is a lot of fun. Lo Wang can climb edges, and has some movement abilities that mean you can fly around maps with a little practice. The world is actually really interesting, I kind of want to go back to Shadow Warrior and finish that to see how things have come to where they are. The gem system is a little clunky - you can insert gems into your weapons to modify them, but the amount of gems you'll actually pick up is insane and if you're a min/max-er this game will be hell (or heaven?). I've just tended to put whatevers best in my weapons then forget about it. In conclusion this is a great FPS/RPG that probably didn't get the love it deserved at the time.
Okay, so this was one of those kinda embarrassing purchases - 'no, I'm playing it for the... er... gameplay! yeah..." type things - I came in expecting a semi coherent anime visual novel thing that I'd feel bad about buying after a couple of minutes, but was actually shocked by how good it is; Huniepop is actually surprisingly good: 1: Great artwork - so, it genuinely has good artwork - both the girls, and the scenery are all very well done. 2: Great voicework - each of the girls is fully voiced, and each voice is unique and high quality. 3: Great dialogue - along with the excellent voiceovers, the actual lines the girls speak are generally well done - with a nice sense of humour throughout. Each of the characters is distinct and has their own personality. 4: Catchy soundtrack - seriously - I still have that main song stuck in my head, this has some really fun music. 4: ACTUALLY FUN GAMEPLAY - this was the one I was shocked by - but it's true! A twist on the standard match three bejeweled/candy crush-esque gameplay, Huniepop adds enough to be a unique game in itself. The match three game takes place when you take a girl on a date - to 'win' the date, you must obtain a certain score with a limit of moves. Each of the different 'gems' are worth different amounts - depending on the girl. There are gems that increase the multiplier - gems that allow you to use 'powerups' (that you unlock in the main game), gems that give you extra moves, gems that subtract from your score... It's pretty indepth, and takes a fair bit of strategy, especially late game. In conclusion, what more could you possibly want? Fun gameplay, humour, cool music, and semi-naked anime chicks. If you don't like those things, this isn't the game for you. If you do? Just tell everyone you play if for the gameplay ;)
it's the next best thing. That doesn't really say much, but as Freelancer is pretty hard to get a hold of, and the likes of Star Citizen are a fair way off being released, this is probably the 'best of the rest'. The good: It has a decent story, good voice acting, and the ship upgrade system is pretty innovative. The combat system is good, and there's a nice selection of weapon types. The bad: you can't change ship, so once your ship is fully upgraded (roughly by the end of the storyline) there's really not much to do or work towards. While the upgrades can make your ship more specialized (some variations may have more hardpoints, or a bigger cargo bay etc) ultimately it's still more or less a multirole ship, so you can't play as a bulk freighter or a racer etc. Conclusion: If you can get this on special, it's worth a buy as the story will give you a few fun hours. If you can find a copy of Freelancer though your much better off playing that.
Invisible War has two irredeemable features. 1: by making the game cross compatible with consoles they nerfed the rpg elements, gameplay, level design, and even combat system; 2: it was the highly anticipated sequel to a PC game believed by most (myself included) to be the GOAT. I played this game a long time ago, and didn't get too far in before I gave up in disgust. While it probably has some redeeming values I wouldn't know what they are. Granted, I am a massive fan of the first game so my review is undoubtedly biased - but I'd recommend buying Deus Ex 1 GOTY ed. and install a graphics mod instead - and you'll be biased too;).
Most best PC games of all time lists will have this game at the top. There is a good reason. I've played through several times and each time I've been surprised by something new. You play the role of JC Denton - secret agent for the military branch of the UN, tasked to stop various terrorist groups around the world. Plays as a First Person Shooter with strong RPG elements. It can't really be compared with any current games I can think of - even the new Deus Ex game pales in comparison. If you have a computer you need to play this game.
More a epic movie than a game, To the Moon honestly has the most complex, beautiful, and tragic storyline I've ever seen - not just amongst games, but also literature and film. The game is RPG maker-ish in its graphics and physics, which can be slightly off-putting but that shouldn't detract from the utter epicness. A beautiful soundtrack backs the story, which starts slowly, but is peppered with humour - One of the two main characters, Dr Watts, plays the comic relief which comes as an amusing mood lightener for an otherwise serious story. It all comes together in a brilliant way that will have you thinking about it (and tearing up) for weeks after. Even if you don't like games this is a must play.
