Recent reviews by CharmyTheCharizard

Endlessly replayable with some good atmosphere and crunchy sound design. Whatever you'll do, there's always button sounds to send home you are doing something and progressing in your goals. Added to focuses and researching technology, and you have pretty good stimulation even around the main gameplay.
While I definitely recommend starting without DLC's enabled and enabling them one by one as you become comfortable with the mechanics you have, you could theoretically work around this watching some tutorials on YouTube.
Here's a problem with the learning curve in HOI4 though: It's certain you will watch a tutorial for something at some point, especially template designs or machinery designs, but in my experience: Don't be like me and do pay attention to recent template designs tutorials by YouTubers. They can do some crazy stuff. It will save you hours of frustration.
In spite of difficulties at improving in areas, or multiplayer being basically impossible, there's a reason we're 8 years into the game's lifespan and it's still beloved. Lots of DLC required though.

As long as you make sure to expand your main industry early game and SET FPS LIMIT (turning on V-sync also helps) so your computer does not become a fryer, it's actually pretty good now.
Don't be afraid of hitting the spacebar and begin. Problems and events show up as you go at a nice pace.

Somehow kept my attention more stiffly than Frontiers.
Clever writing, even in spite of the ashes of 2010s writing (since you can't reform a decade of a whole fantasy universe at this point in a couple years.)
A-tier illustrations with an art style from that one Frontiers Knuckles short. Good sign!
Thomas the Tank Engine-sounding main track.

Overall thumbs up!
Does that Eggman autobiography lists context that shaped any ideas that shaped him, by the way? Dedicated fans like me would appreciate to know whether new-era Eggman is either doom-monger or more laid-back Sonic X-style. I won't lie, I kinda have an Eggman bias with the right balance on the world he wants.

So break through it all,
and don't look down.
You won't be there,
'cause the fire in here NEVER dies.
It goes around to LIGHT the FLAAME,
they'll know YOUR NAME.
Burnt into THE MEMORIES.

(So break through it all,)
DON'T STOP, WE'RE ON A MISSION,
OVER-RIDE AND OVER-RUN THE COMPETITION.
COUNTING UP THE DAMAGE WHEN IT'S DOOOONEE.
(So break through it all,)
WE CAN'T PRETEND TO LISTEN,
SORRY IF IT PUTS YOU IN AN IMPOSITION.
WE WON'T STOP UNTIL THE BATTLE'S WOOOON.

WHAT GOES AROUND,
COMES BACK AROUND AGAIN.
AND IF WE DON'T COME DOOWN,
WE'LL BE LOST IN THE WIIIIIIIINNNDDD.

(WHAT GOES AROUND...)
I KNOW THAT WE WILL FIND OUR WAY.
WE'LL DO WHATEVER IT WILL TAKE.
AND IF WE NEVER REACH THE CROOOOWD,
WE'LL TAKE THE WHOLE THING DOOOOOWN!

OK, PEOPLE, LISTEN UP!
The game IS really awesome and really GOOD, yes, but I'm here mostly to clear up the Cyberspace panic.
No, it isn't as hellish as you think, you just gotta learn how to battle the air controls. Should we have to? No. But the rest of the game DOES make up for it with quality I'm sure you've all heard of already on the overall game. BUY, BUY, BUY!

Back when SEGA actually did level designing.

My review?
https://youtu.be/c988fZfChDY?t=834
Basically: No. This is a sin against everything alive and breathing that likes Half-Life.
2021 Edit: And also, a sin against everything VALVe holds dear as a philosophy for game design, too.

.o. This program is unreal with its quality overall. Please, VALVe, for the love of god push this out of beta someday, it'll have been worth purging the bugs <3 haha Source 2 FilmMaker already out when the first one didn't even leave beta lolel big funny

yes

as said in the Opposing Force one, sosad Gearbox ended up how they did today ;-;

yes.

So sad that Gearbox ended up how they did in these modern times ;-;