Recent reviews by TacticOrtega

Maximum Payne and Action in a New York Minute! 😈🌃

Max Payne is a game that I believe stands the test of time, a great action game followed by its atmosphere in both Location and Characters. But like any classic game on Steam or PC, it’s got its issues, Which is getting the game to run in 2024 and Beyond! Thanks to the Max Payne 1 Complete FixPack - 2023 Edition (Which you can find a guide on Steam), the game ran flawlessly on Windows 11, with no issues whatsoever! It even fixes the notorious sound problems that often plagues this title for some reason. Very simple as modifications should go.

Going back to the game, Max Payne nails its tone. I was immediately drawn in by the comic book cutscenes! It works as part of its game’s identity and shows how carefully crafted each panel is. Every line of hard-boiled dialogue pulls you deeper into Max’s world, it often feels like a movie which I think puts it WAY ahead of its time. The story is delivered with a sharp edge that makes it hard not to get sucked in based on the tragic tale of Mr.Payne.

Gameplay wise, Max Payne delivers albeit some frustrating experiences. One of the best things is "Bullet Time". One of the best mechanics in all of gaming. This one mechanic that truly sets it apart for its time and how many developers feel inspired years after it came out. There’s nothing quite like diving in slow motion, guns blazing with a Shotgun, Dual Pistols or an AR, dealing a slow mo headshot or taking our a group of Grunts. It’s a mechanic that not only feels incredible but also serves as a perfect reflection of Max’s emotions as he is hard boiled and nothing can stand in his way. Every firefight becomes a cinematic spectacle which I really enjoyed from start to finish. There maybe times where the gameplay feels repetitive but as you progress the game adapts to your success or failure from its adaptive difficulty.

One of the slight frustrations I had with the game was a nasty habit of spawning grunts right around the corner or in a blind spot to where the camera can't even reach it ready to blow you away before you even have a chance to react. Once you die you have to start off to where the last save was which is usually the beginning of the level. These cheap shots can feel downright unfair and creates a fear of quick saving every time you finish a gunfight. It’s a bit of a love hate relationship; you appreciate the challenge, but those moments where you get blindsided can be downright frustrating. So player beware!

Overall, Max Payne is a game that delivers a very noire, high octane, action adventure game even if it stumbles occasionally along the way with repeated gameplay and frustrating blind side cheap shots. The story, the atmosphere, and the magnificent "Bullet Time" make it a game worth revisiting or even playing for a first time, especially with the modern fixes in place from fans that love the game.

"It's America! We go in there with threats and bribes until we get what we want. If all else fails, we beat the crap out of everyone."

Bully: Scholarship Edition is one of the most charming games I have every played. Having first played it back in the PS2 days, and revisiting it almost a decade later, I still have this huge love for it, even as an adult. The story and the different groups (Nerds, Jocks, Preps, Greasers, etc) in the game really make it stand out, like a lite version of Grand Theft Auto but for teenagers. You're doing everything from going to class to making money with jobs, pranking, and who can forget bullying lol. This game throws a bunch of stuff your way it may feel overwhelming at times but I believe the pace is good if you set yourself up with a schedule. It is still a school and you must attend classes, also have a curfew. I was blown away by how much detail there is.

It's a bummer we won't get more games like this. When it first came out, people got all riled up about it, which sucks because now, looking back, it's not too bad. I played it with the "Definitive Edition Project" on PC that made it look better (Wide Screen Support) and run smoother (60FPS), but it still crashed sometimes but its far from perfect but its the best it might get for Windows 10/11. My only real gripe about the story is how the antagonist is handled. I felt like the antagonist was hardly even present for most of the game. They talk about him, but he's hardly around in the world or cutscenes. I wish they did more, especially with you trying to take over the school. Such a missed opportunity.

Overall, Bully is a blast. It's like GTA, but in school. It's not super hard to figure out, but it's a ton of fun. Sometimes it even reminds me of playing Yakuza 0, not exactly the same, but with its open world and side stuff. The characters are hilarious, the missions are all over the place, and it's just packed with fun stuff to do. I for sure recommend this game to newcomers and returning folks it took me about 15 hours on a casual run. Pretty small compared to most open world games.

DBD at its core is a really fun game, I have played it well from its beta and have seen it evolve into this massive IP. Playing the game still has the fun charm to it ableit some frustrating experiences. Some Perk combos are very unfair but its not as unfair as say like how it was in the "Old Days" Old DBD. I still enjoyed my time and I was pleasantly surprised with the new licensed killers they have. Wesker being the best of the bunch. I think he is designed a little too good for BHVR IMO. Really really fun and Resident Evil being one of my favorite games I knew I had to level him up. The new perk and prestige system is also a welcoming addition as well. No need to grind as hard as it seems like the lowered the cost of items too.
Overall, if you have not played DBD in a while. Check it out again. You would be surprised how fun it can still be either SOLO Q or with friends. I enjoyed my time replaying it again

I was hesitant on replaying this one on PC just due to how incompatible it would be on modern hardware but The Force Engine came in SUPER Clutch. I really enjoyed all the quality of life features this mod gave to Star Wars Dark Forces. Higher resolutions and modern controls gives it the 2nd life it needs for newcomers and veterans to enjoy and not be scared because of how this game has aged. (NOTICE: Installing the Force Engine does not add time to your game via Steam as you have to go through file locations to open it with the Mod)

Now to the game, the game is nevertheless a doom clone with Star Wars Sprites IMO. It's mission design and levels certainly separates it apart from the other Clones Doom may have had. Honestly, being a doom clone is not a bad thing. I think its a good ground to improve upon and then add your own spin to it which is what Dark Forces really does well. The designs are very cool and the levels are very unique that you feel like at times the Developers tried their best to not reuse assets.

This is the debut of one of Star Wars Legends greatest Characters of all time Kyle Katarn. I think he serves pretty well in this game. I feel like his presence in cutscenes were very minor I wanna say he was present at least 3 times but you can tell a lot by his dialogue which is what shaped his character. I think all the characters served their purpose in this game albeit sometimes it just reading.

One of the most frustrating aspects of this game is the "Mine " Placement. I feel like these were intentionally suppose to be annoying and make you take damage on purpose or to disrupt the flow of the level. That would probably be my biggest issue with the game especially on the higher difficulties.

Shooting feels very good and responsive and the variety of weapons although there is a good amount, you will most likely just stick to the Stormtrooper E-15 Blaster for most of the game and use the Big boy guns on the more powerful enemies. Thermals were very hit or miss for me. Sometimes it will harm me and sometimes it will kill my enemies lol. Enemy variety was mostly in tune with what level you were on. Considering this game is heavily focused on Empire related activities, you will most likely see Stormtroopers like 80% of the game.

Overall, I think Star Wars Dark Forces PC with its improved mods certainly showcases the best of this game and honestly it was quite fun all things considered. I would recommend anyone to play this on PC rather than the PS1 port because the Port can be quite choppy. Good Atmosphere, Good Star Wars Music Cues. I think this one is worth replaying for sure and seeing how Kyle goes onto be the badass everyone knows and loves.

SHODAN still relevant all these years especially with Artificial Intelligence taking the world by storm in 2023. Who knew....

SHODAN is honestly without a doubt one of the best villain's in gaming history. System Shock remake certainly lives up to what Nightdive studios was dreaming about when they announced this game back in 2016-2017. A faithful remake with some great Quality of Life additions. It's a great game if you are familiar with the 1994 version of the game. Combat is where it changes the most here. Now that we have established where First person shooters are in Gaming History we can now go back and give the good ol games more of the identity and proper care which is what Nightdive studio does well. With that the enemies are also updated and are more aggressive than the 94' counterpart. Also changing how to "Hack". I really enjoyed this as much as the 94' counterpart as it had a lot of wiring and I wasn't sure where the wall was lol. I really appreciated the art style here where it looks modern from a distance but it retains its pixelated architecture from the Original. Cyberspace will always have a place in my heart and I really owe it to Warren Spector who produced the original to getting me into Immersive Sim games.
The difficulty is what you expect with the tweaks on Mission, Combat, Puzzles etc. I did 2 all the way through and there were times I was confused where to go since its been so long and Old Guides still work on this game to my surprise lol. I do wish that there was a more QOL improvements in the Objective base difficulties. Although I heard switching to 1 on mission gives you generic waypoints, I do wish that was overhauled to give new players who have never played System shock a comfortability into understanding what OBJs have been completed so they do not run around for an hour forgetting weather or not they turned on a switch or forget to write a number they saw on a screen. This is probably my only gripe I have with remake honestly which is it remains too faithful in the difficulty which may turn off some folks.


I really LOVE System Shock Remake! SHODAN presence throughout the game make its seems like she is toying with me at every corner as the "Hacker". A pathetic insect infiltrating Citadel Station. A pleasant surprise to be sure!

Welcome to America! So this is what the dream feels like? This is the victory we longed for.

I have a lot of history with this game. From initially playing it as a friends house on the XB360 when I was 13, I was blown away by this game. It certainly did not feel like anything that GTA 3, Vice City or San Andreas had to offer. As a kid I used GTA IV as my playground and never really thought about the story. Then came along GTA the complete edition. I managed to persuade my father to buy me this game as I was 15. When I got this game on my PlayStation 3 I was able to really get into the story a lot more than I did at 13 but I felt like the story although being good, did not catch my attention as much as I still used GTA as more as a playground to do all the naughty things. I still remember some key elements in the game but I felt like it just came and went.

Coming to replay this in 2023, I felt like I have matured more and I am able to enjoy the story and its city elements, gone is the whole playground aspect of me trying to do all the whacky things this game offer. I believe GTA IV is the best Rockstar has to offer in terms of a gritty and dark GTA. I felt like I could "Relate" more to the Niko Bellic. Although he is a criminal he still had some tough choices to make. Flawed and sympathetic as he is violent. The other games do not offer this kind of character motivation than maybe GTA Vs Franklin. It really felt at times I was dealing with the consequences of my actions.

This is also a very DENSE & ALIVE city. I felt like anytime I went onto my next mission there was something always happening. This is certainly something that the other GTAs did not offer and was actually a HUGE improvement. Every Island felt connected as you were going through the story mode. it always felt seamless. Just hearing other people and their 2008 cellphones just reminds me of how much we really relied on those and used Internet cafes lol. The city certainly feels dated at times but there is a Charm to it and I love it.

As for Combat and Driving. Combat is probably at its peak here. Drawing inspiration from previous games that used Tactical Cover Mechanics. GTA IV is no different. Every bullet I took really felt like it was my own fault for not checking a corner or just to see how good I am going in guns blazing. There certainly was consequences. The physics engine they use here should also receive a mention because it felt real at time if you shot someone in their hand or body they would react to where they were shot be impaired for a bit before picking up their weapon and start firing. Certainly had fun with this mechanic. As for Driving, it certainly was some getting used to. You actually feel the weight of each car and its handling. I think they went a little too realistic here but it did not deter me from ever driving and if I did not want to drive I could always use the Fast Travel Taxi Mechanic. It's certainly a hit or miss from the folks I talk to about this game but I did not mind after the 1st act of this game.

Overall GTA IV is the blueprint that Rockstar used in all of its open world games during the Generation and you can see the inspirations even with the release of GTA V. I believe this game is the best the franchise has to offer in terms of Story and its Characters. Who can forget those Iconic Loading screens and mesmerizing music. I absolutely recommend this game if you have not played this in a while especially on Modern systems where you can push it to its limits like 60 FPS and cleaner graphics.

I know you blind but you gotta check this ♥♥♥♥ out....

GTA San Andreas is the magnum opus of the GTA 3D trilogy. This game was so ambitious and I sure had a blast playing this from beginning to end. I told myself I would at least try to beat the trilogy without cheats and glitches and I gotta say sometimes I can't believe this game fit on a DVD disc with how much content this game throws at you. The story is probably my favorite out of the Trilogy Games. Missions are fair and managed to beat them the first time apart from ZERO. (DAMN YOU ZERO). Memorable Characters from Woozie, Big Smoke, The Truth etc. I admire where it takes CJ story wise in his miscellaneous adventures through the state that is San Andreas. I played this with the Definitive Project Mod installed (HD Textures, 60 FPS etc.) and I did not have any issues or errors for the game. It was smooth as butter which says alot due to how much stuff can be thrown into the game itself! If you are wondering if you should give this game a try again. I would say absolutely of you managed to pick this up before Rockstar pulled the games! This game will make you go "Ahh ♥♥♥♥ here we go again"

A Rockstar Classic! A Modded Definitive Experience!


Coming into this game I told myself if I can beat it without cheat codes because as a kid, In-game cheats was the bread and butter of the experience. Now coming back decades later I can see why I wanted to be Overpowered and get rich quickly. Mission Design was very mixed IMO. One moment you are doing the easiest mission know to man following a person for 1 min and next you are literally jumping roof to roof on a timer lol. That's part of the early GTA experience I suppose. I enjoyed my playthrough of this game more than I initially thought. Coming 1 year later from GTA 3 there is alot of improvements and alot of things that were clunky that were later fixed in the years to come. The 80s era music was a ABSOLUTE BANGER. I had to help myself in switching every station at any given moment cause I wanted to hear all the music. I played this with the Definitive Project Mod installed (Non-Haitian friendly, Cut Music, HD Textures, 60 FPS etc.) and I did not have any issues or errors for the game. It was smooth as butter! If you are wondering if you should give this game a try again. I would say absolutely if you would like to experience a Satirical version of Scarface and the 80s. (If you managed to get this game before it was delisted on steam) After a while the nostalgia fell off after maybe 15 or so missions but I was engaged all the way through so it holds up in that regard.

How did I not play this sooner! I remember hearing about this game as being part of the "Capcom 5" and I stuck it out with Resident Evil 4. This game is very unique is nothing I have ever experienced and I was hooked on from beginning to end. There was prob never a dull moment I had with this game. This port is really good aside from its tutorial section which uses the Gamecube Style buttons. Other than that great game! Suda 51 first game outside of Japan did not disappoint! PLAY PLAY PLAY!

A certified hood classic!

This game is so good! I was glued to my screen from beginning to end and even then I wanted more but I know this game can have crazy replay value. I haven’t played this one in over a decade and wow, it’s like a whole new experience even tho you know what’s going to happen. If you are a fan of Bioshock this is the daddy of the games that came after it. One of the greats but for some reason I felt nauseous towards the end boss I dunno why I’m sure it’s not the game but weird how it happened and I keep saying Rickenbacker; it rolls off the tongue quite nicely lol. SHODAN PLEASE LET ME TAKE YOU ON A DATE. You can call me insect all you want! <3