Recent reviews by axewolfdog

this review contains very slight spoilers - but to cut it short, if you're the slightest bit interested in this game or you have played and love the life is strange series, please try this game, you won't regret it.

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where do i even start with this? the graphics are stunning. even if my pc isn't tanky enough run the highest graphical settings, the lighting, shadows, colors and how they reflect on the characters' faces is gorgeous. the animation does get a bit funny during certain scenes when characters are standing still talking to each other.. but every other time (especially during intense moments and cutscenes) the camera movements are superb, no matter the mood of the scene.

the music is is simply beautiful. i think the soundtrack chosen for this game is perfect and very fitting, like "dreamers" captures that 90's summer vibe so well, while "see you in hell" is such a good riot grrrrl song (it also introduced me to nora kelly who i listen to regularly now) but i think it also perfectly represents one of the girls and her rage towards the opressors in her life.

as for the envoirement detail and exploration, it's incredibly detailed. there are so many things to record and collect, it's like a perfectionist gamer's dream. the game won't tell or show you directly what you can or cannot record, so going by your own intuition to try and capture certain things is really satisfying! on top of that there are so many achievements to collect!!
the other half of the gameplay, which is choice-based, is also really fun. you have the option to answer right away or wait a bit to see what else the characters have to say. even certain choices will only pop up if you wait a few seconds.

i also can't gloss over how much choices actually matter in this game. there are SO many variations to how the girls end up being at the end. and by the end, you'll really end up being attached to them. even now i can't pick a favourite, they're all amazing.
this game is also very LGBTQ+ and if you're against that i don't even know why you're here or why you're reading this review. you can go for a romantic route with any of the girls and still achieve a happy ending with them where you'll still be reconnected even after the 20 something year time skip. the writing for the LGBTQ+ parts never felt like it was misrepresenting or unnatural, so A+ on the wlw representation and the amount of gayness in this game! it really made me so happy.

as for the story... it's a bit hard to discuss without going into spoiler territory, but i'll try my best. it's like the best summer of your life with the best friends you've ever met, so you should live it to the fullest before it's over. even after it's over, you'll remember it fondly. the characters and the things they go through are very personal and very emotional. there are many quiet moments to take everything in, it's wonderfully atmospheric and just... feels safe. there's something very special about experiencing a story like this for the first time without knowing what happens next.

that's why i really recommend this game, even if you don't like choice based games or story games, you should at least give it time of your day and your support to the don't nod team. it's bizarre how big this project is even though the game has only two chapters, but those two chapters are full of so much content, so much heart and soul poured into it. games that are this beautiful, this diverse and this level of detail while still feeling so personal are really rare now... so it's really worth a shot. kudos to everybody that has worked on this game, you truly made something beautiful. ∞/10

this is a very fun game to play for my fellow ADHD-ers who are looking for speedy gameplay PLUS the ost is made by Machine Girl which is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ awesome. the art style and character designs are pretty, very persona-esque.
i wish that's all it was without the writing. it's generic harem anime writing kind of bad. so definitely don't look for a story in this and enjoy the rest lol

i makea the pizza

you're not gonna have a good time at first if you're starting out because you'll be so confused lmfao. but once you get in some hours and learn the basics, it starts to get fun! (and less scary, lol) each side has it's own fun ways to play, like trying out builds and learning how to loop/chase.
i think the best and worst part about this game is the community. matches get super fun if you're lucky to get respectful people to play with and against and if either side has no personality it gets super boring and unfun real fast. so when you're playing, please try to remember that the players on the other side are humans too. people will treat you the way you treat them!

if i had any suggestions for the game, maybe try to improve the invisible MMR system and add a competitive and casual game mode, for those that want to play seriously or just meme. the player base i think would overall have a much better time if these two play styles were seperate.

my review would have been positive if this game at the bare minimum was playable. it is, of course, not! i'm sure i don't need to spell this out, but having such an incredible bot crisis in your game and nothing drastic being done for over 5 years is... an achievement. a very bad one. it would have made sense if it was a small game made by a small company played by a small community, but it's obviously none of those things. people LOVE this game and seeing it burn in a dumpster fire like this is a sorry sight. all we ask for is for the cheater bot problem to be fixed. please quit neglecting one of the most played and beloved games of all time. #FixTF2

i played this game for about 520~ish hours from 2019-2021, and now two years later in 2023 i returned to this game with a much better mindset. i remember i quit because i realized at one point that this game made me so angry i legit felt like crap the entire day after playing it. even though i felt that way i still love this game very much and i'm glad i took a break so i came to appreciate it more now. i noticed not many people focus on this aspect of this game - but i really enjoy the characters, their designs and their lore. i love that they all each have their own unique signature attacks and it never gets repetitive because there are so many combos and such you can do with them. i noticed there are LGBTQ+ characters in between as well, like Zariel being nonbinary for example, so i'm happy to see such a big game having such an accepting and open-minded team of developers. let me also get to the animations of this game as well, because phew, the animation team is really impressive with their works. i love seeing my favourite legends animated in trailers and seeing them moving around and doing something in-character. i would definitely love to see an animated series of brawlhalla, there's definitely so much to come up with this roster of characters... if that ever happens someday i'd be absolutely thrilled

now that i'm done with my personal review, i'll get to an overall review of this game!

pros:
+endless amount of customization, so many skins and colors to play around with
+also an endless amount of characters to practice playing as, you will definitely find a favourite amongst them
+hype music/aesthetic background art
+pro-LGBTQ+ and BLM developers
+multiplayer and casual gameplay options
+goals to work for (leveling up characters, collecting coins, etc.)

cons:
-definitely not for the weakhearted, you WILL rage at this game
-matchmaking is lacking, you might get paired with people who just freshly installed the game or people who have 5k hours
-the competitive nature of this game. oh god. you don't have to win, just have fun and your skills with improve with time
-sig spammers

thought i could walk my infection off and died 5 seconds later

i absolutely recommend this game if you're a wolf nerd like me and you also like life simulators with many engaging challenges! this game is realistic, as in you'll really feel like a wolf trying to survive in the beautiful wilderness of yellowstone, trying to get by.
it's hard to explain the beauty and the fun of this game, as well as the satisfaction you achieve by completing the slough creek quests unless you try this game out yourself. i recommend playing in easy mode at first, then the other harder modes as you become more experienced in the gameplay.
the work you put throughout your wolf's life as a whole is really worth it. but like i mentioned beforehand, this is a life simulator and the most you'll get out of it is with single player. so if that's not the kind of thing you're looking for, i strongly recommend at least supporting the hardworking gamedevs and the effort they have put into this game for years on end. 11/10, would howl again

kinda weird to figure out the controls of this game on keyboard, but otherwise it's super fun, especially when you're a umineko fan and get all the references and hints to the original story of the VN.