Recent reviews by Shadow

Obligatory game review for the Steam Awards badge. Also I really love the game, could nominate it for almost every category.
The music is especially a stand out (or cut-above), haven't enjoyed an in-game soundtrack so much since Death Stranding.

I love these commissioned series games, especially this one, but I feel like there's more yarns than cats and I only want cat. Otherwise you should call it "I commissioned some yarns". I wish for more cats in the next entry 🙏, and you could call it "I commissioned some MORE cats", perhaps in response to my review (we'll see).

Love Frog Detective ever since my friend introduced it to me all those years ago.
Looking forward to your next games Electric Eel Park Ranger and Hitman 4, can't wait!

So I finally got done playing Scorn, a game that was on my wishlist for approx 20 years, give or take a few, and I thought it was a very interesting experience to say the least.
Yes, this game is short, but this game is visually a masterpiece, the soundscapes are ambient and haunting. I'm not going to tell you that you need to play this game since I personally think it's pretty niche, so a lot of people will skip it, may be even more so considering it's current review state, which seems to be mixed, at best, but I think that's a shame. 10-20 years from now this game will be considered a "cult classic". Don't be turned away because of other people's opinion.

During my playthrough I found some sections really frustrating. The environment can be very confusing. You have to figure everything out for yourself, and try and remember which way is what, where did you come from, but this room looks exactly like the other room, where was that console again? etc. This means it will take some people longer to complete then others. I completed the game in 6 and a half hours, but I was engrossed for the whole ordeal.

<insert generic sentence about being a long time Giger fan here>
I would also like to mention Shichigoro-Shingo, because people always forget about him. - Sincerely me, an intellectual.

I've seen a lot of people state in their reviews that there is no story line, no plot and dismissing people who talk about the environmental story line, saying it does not exist, but did we play a different game or something?

Here is some of my perspective of the world of Scorn (not all thoughts are fully fleshed out);

- The buildings are a living organism in their own right and they have been modified, experimented on and utilised to a point where they are malfunctioning. And by malfunctioning, I believe these organism buildings are suffering from a type of cancer and are starting to die and decay.

- The intelligent lifeforms worship humans and the reproduction and birth of mammals like humans, almost like Gods so they desire to imitate them.

- The intelligent lifeforms that used these factories to produce creatures have deserted this planet for some reason, but the machine keeps pumping out other creatures, kind of like the cauldrons from Horizon: Zero Dawn, it's running on a "code or script", but the printer is running out of ink so we are seeing these weird abominations as a result.

- The player character is just one more factory pumped creature innately wired to go through the process of becoming more human, and entering the rift because that's hard-wired in to each one's brain to complete that mission.

There's more (and I might update this review later when I organise my thoughts better) but it's really difficult to express in words my thoughts of the game due to the fact that nothing is named, and dialogue is completely absent (which is likely intentional). Keep in mind this is my own perspective of the world of Scorn. Also, it's called Scorn, the definition of that being particularly interesting because the whole game seemed full of "admiration" of birth and reproduction as a whole (lots of phallic and yonic symbolism to be had!) so the title is just a little ironic.

P.s. If a dev ever reads this (I doubt it) I would really like to know if my thoughts of the game are accurate or not.

There might not be much to say about Stray that hasn't already been said, so I just give my personal opinion of this lovely game.

Firstly, I adore the atmosphere of this game, reminiscent of other short, ambient and thought-provoking games like "Journey", "Abzu", "Lost Ember" and "Gris". A lot of the attraction with these types of games lies in exploring a world someone else created that has an underlying ethereal feel to it.

The music/soundtrack is the quirkiest I've heard in a long time and it matches the setting of the game perfectly.

I got "Song of Saya" vibes from the grotesque, gore meat circus like growths and giant eyeballs covering some of the city. That might just be me but the first thought when I saw it was "Agnosia".

You can tell from very early on that the developers really understands cats, even down to the smallest details like in the way a cat walks, with the shoulder-blade protrusions of each step and everything. That must be congratulated in my opinion.

Stray may be short and pricey but to me it's worth it. I highly recommend this game to people who love cats, tech, robots and/or city grunge/grunge punk style.
Some are saying the game is only 5 hours in length, but I personally spent 8-9 hours in my first play through exploring, looking for secrets, taking screenshots, watching the robots and tripping that one guy (you know who I'm talking about) in different locations just to see if it would trigger something interesting. I'm tempted to go as far to say that the ones complaining about it being only 4-5 hours of gameplay actually just rushed it..

The game is likely open to interpretation and allows searching for your own hidden meanings within, but for me I really expected the cat to be a robot/automaton and that it would be revealed somehow/someway during the conclusion of the game. Stray does not answer any of our questions at the end, that may be disappointing for some people but I personally love that aspect in a game, and hopefully this means we get a sequel or another game set in the same world (to answer some of our questions and expand on the world), I would honestly love either, or both.

This game is weird, she's not really a frog she's just wearing a frog onesie.
And what if your girl was a frog?? Well guess what, you'd get to ❤️❤️❤️❤️ her in the ❤️❤️❤️ all day!
And he looks pretty pleased with himself at the end, which I'm sure you would be too if your girl was a frog.

Very short and cute macabre style game with puzzle sections that aren't always clear. It was really fun and chill to play this, and omg that ending! I laughed out loud with the ending, but then I felt a bit sad about it >x<

It's actually really bad and extremely buggy. You can't access the DLC sections for the dates with girls despite downloading it. The dance sequences mini game (whatever it is) is hilarious though so I guess there's that.

⠘⡀⠀Yes, I play NSFW games
⠀⠀⠀⠑⡀ on my main account,
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠢⢄⠀⠀ so what?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⣀⣀⣀⡀⠤⠄⠒⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣀⠄⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠿⠛⠛⠛⠋⠉⠈⠉⠉⠉⠉⠛⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣤⣤⣤⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⢏⣴⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣟⣾⣿⡟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⢢⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⠀⡴⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿
⣿⣿⣿⠟⠻⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠶⢴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿
⣿⣁⡀⠀⠀⢰⢠⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠀⣴⣶⣿⡄⣿
⣿⡋⠀⠀⠀⠎⢸⣿⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠗⢘⣿⣟⠛⠿⣼
⣿⣿⠋⢀⡌⢰⣿⡿⢿⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⢸⣿⣿⣧⢀⣼
⣿⣿⣷⢻⠄⠘⠛⠋⠛⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢿⣧⠈⠉⠙⠛⠋⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣧⠀⠈⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠟⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⢃⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⡿⠀⠴⢗⣠⣤⣴⡶⠶⠖⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡸⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⡀⢠⣾⣿⠏⠀⠠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠛⠉⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣧⠈⢹⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠈⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣄⣀⣀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡄⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠙⣿⣿⡟⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⠀⠁⠀⠀⠹⣿⠃⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠛⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢐⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉⠉⠁⠀⢻⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠈⣿⣿⡿⠉⠛⠛⠛⠉⠉
⣿⡿⠋⠁⠀⠀⢀⣀⣠⡴⣸⣿⣇⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡿⠄⠙⠛⠀⣀⣠⣤⣤⠄

Ahh yes, Elden Ring, but it shouldn't be called that, it should be called Elden Cheese.

First of all, I kinda like the game, it's okay. This is not so much a negative review, as it is a negative-leaning neutral review. In other words, I don't hate it.

The first week, possibly two (don't remember at this point) the game didn't run very well on my computer.
The start of the game is very good, the world-building; very Soulsy, some Bloodborne elements, and maybe Sekiro, but I have not played Sekiro yet (it's waiting). My absolute favourite thing about the Souls games is something that always seemed to surprise people, and that is the architecture of the buildings. I just really like architecture. I've spent a great deal of time in-game just trying to get a view of these amazing buildings from different angles and perspectives, which I had done in all previous FromSoft titles. Basically for me, the world-building is the best bit in it.

After a while, the game seems a bit bland, and just slogs on forever at a very unsatisfactory pace. Beating the bosses and "gitting gud" at the most recent FS title (Elden Cheese, make no mistake) does not require skill, at all, not even in the slightest, and not anymore. Any Tom, ♥♥♥♥, Harry and/or his blind elderly dog could play this game (just get your rivers of blood + seppuku and spam attack = you have an easy-mode Souls game right here)! Everyone is running around with the exact same build (dual katana), very original. STEP RIGHT UP GET YOUR RIVERS OF BLOOD! Please note my sarcasm. If you are hoping to play some lovely PVP/fight club à la Pontiff, you won't find it in this game unfortunately.

I was stuck on Malenia, Blade of Miquella and I was asking myself "why I do no damage". After trying a few times, I did some research and found that the way to beat her is to........ cheese her! Yes cheese her, as in literally turn her to swiss cheese with the swarm of flies incantation, just spam those buggers. I then spent approx 20-ish hours being summoned as a phantom to help other players get past Malenia, by spamming swarm of flies from a distance. I also realised that that kind of gimmick can be utilised against all the bosses, and for me there's no challenge in it. Once I discovered this is how people are playing the game and how we are supposed to play this game (it's not Dark Souls or BB I suppose) it just lost me completely. I want to play something challenging that gives a huge sense of accomplishment once you finally beat it. Something that makes your heart pump from adrenaline, something that takes tremendous skill, and patience and observation and trial-and-error to overcome. This game is not that. The "walking simulator" tag is quite accurate in that regard. And before you tell me something I already know (yawn), such as "yeah it's not Dark Souls, get over it", it's implied I do so, hence the negative review (it's stated as a "Souls-like", which is a lie).
But I had been trying to play this game basic melee build like I did in Dark Souls and Bloodborne, I thought this was a Souls-Like game afterall, silly me. Nonono, it's a RoB (and/or Moonveil) katana game, why not just give everyone that kind of weapon at the start and make it single player experience like with Sekiro? Think about all the awesome names they missed out on; "Rivers of Blood Ring", "Elden Katana", "Elden Blood Ring: Katana's Kill Twice". Missed opportunity if you ask me, what were they thinking???

Some other things that just didn't do it for me;
- The horse.
- The music.
- The boring and lazily designed dungeons.
- That same boss you've fought 78965487346 times already.
- The last like 5 bosses (especially the end boss) and the conclusion of the game in general is TERRIBLE. Yes, that includes the Ranni ending.**
- The fact that almost every single boss character (and a lot of NPC) names starts with an "M".*
- The Souls formula does not work that well in such a huge open-world game, especially concerning NPCs.
- Simultaneously has a lot of variety and no variety, due to the nature of the game forcing your hand, so to speak.
- The "maidenless", "touch grace", "git gud" (this game doesn't even require the need to "git gud" tbh so stop saying it) and sexualisation of women characters memes and junk that are absolutely everywhere you look.
- PvP and invasion is absolutely ridiculous and pointless in Elden Blood Ring. I don't get it, please explain it to me?

I find myself agreeing with the "Elden Ring is a FromSoft game aimed at people who don't play Souls games so they can get more players and make more money" sentiment. It's a mainstream, appeal to the masses and sacrifice quality game experience (which kinda started down that path in Dark Souls 3 ngl), so I dread what the next game will be like and what kind of cheese it will take advantage of next. If Elden Ring is swiss cheese (lots of holes here), then I predict the next one to be Manchego - a cheese that is very easy to digest, is often recommended even for people who are lactose intolerant and it's also one of the best foods for seniors to eat! In other words, it is soft and easy.

*Oh wait, the letter "M" represents masculinity and power, how drab. Overall, this game can be summed up in a single word - INSIPID.

**The only chance of me ever really liking the game as a whole would be if some of those endings tied in with Dark Souls or Bloodborne, for example; The Age of Stars ending brought about the world we see in Bloodborne, and Lord of Frenzied Flame ending brought about the world we see in Dark Souls (implying that the events of Elden Ring happened way before the events in both Bloodborne and Dark Souls). It would make Elden Ring a prequel, and I don't like those... This is just a theory, but to me it's the most interesting explanation in regards to the game, yet the developer's stated it's not linked or tied to other Souls games AT ALL.

"Save scumming" for all the endings/achievements because I don't want to play it again.

If you are wondering why I've spent over 100 hours in game and still giving a negative review, well... It's due to the simple fact that I am very attached to my pumpkin headed knight (please refer to my personal Steam profile for a preview of this very adorable tarnished, and obviously not maidenless) LOL.

*EDIT: Fixed some spelling errors, and added extra info since beating the game.

If you don't like that I gave a negative review for this "Game of the Year" title, then cry me a rivers of blood.