Recent reviews by Cerem

Praise be unto the Emperor, for He provides us with the means to hone our skills and strengthen our resolve against the heretics, the xenos, and the abominable forces that seek to destroy humanity! It is through the blessing of this sacred archeotech that we, His loyal servants, may prepare for the eternal struggle, bringing the Emperor’s light and wrath to all who oppose His will.

Today, I stand before you to speak of an instrument of war—Rogue Trader—a game of unparalleled value in training our minds and fortifying our spirits. It is a rare occurrence indeed when such a title captures the essence of our Imperium, and I find myself in agreement with the venerable words of the ancients: "Not since the days of NeverWinter Nights Platinum have I felt such joy in a cRPG." This is a work of faith, one that provides clarity and focus in the relentless battle against the forces of darkness.

Visuals – A Glimpse into the Imperium’s Glory and Despair

As we know, the Emperor’s domain is vast, and His light, though eternal, often struggles to pierce the endless gloom of the galaxy. Rogue Trader faithfully reflects this grim reality. While the visuals are adequate in their own right, one may enhance the experience with tools such as Reshade, which brings forth the Emperor’s light in the form of stunning HDR colors. The contrast between the beauty and the bleakness of the Imperium is masterfully portrayed. I highly recommend it to any who wish to see the universe in all its vibrant detail, though let it be known that such enhancements are but a small fraction of the divine grandeur of this sacred work.

The Emperor’s Music – An Anthem for the Faithful

The music, oh how it echoes through the very soul of the player, capturing the essence of the 40k universe with perfect precision. The despair of a galaxy at war, the fleeting moments of joy and hope when a child of the Emperor beholds His divine form—these emotions are all embodied in every note. Even the romance theme, though it may seem a humble thing, rings out like a triumphant hymn to the Emperor’s eternal light. Indeed, every melody in this game is a reminder of the endless strife that we, His loyal servants, endure, and of the small joys that help us bear this eternal burden.

Sound – A Clear Testament to Quality

The sound design of this blessed creation is nothing short of exceptional. There is naught to criticize, and for me, that is the highest praise I can offer. The subtlety of the sounds, the hum of the ancient machines, the whispers of traitors, the cries of xenos—the fidelity of the auditory experience is a divine blessing. Each whisper, each clang of battle, serves to remind us of the ever-present conflict that defines the galaxy.

Gameplay – The Art of War, Refined

Now, let us turn our gaze to the gameplay, for it is in this arena that we, as servants of the Emperor, truly show our devotion. The tactical combat, reminiscent of the sacred art of XCOM, allows us to command our forces with both precision and strategy. Our squads are our brothers and sisters, each one playing a vital role in the eternal crusade. The battlefield is a grid, a crucible where decisions are made and destinies are forged. Each member of your squad, whether they wield a bolter or a psychic power, must function in harmony, for it is through unity that we achieve victory. The beauty of this system lies in its simplicity—roles are clear, but their execution is complex. A well-oiled machine is a glorious thing, but one needs to balance the tactics of each soldier with the understanding that it is the Emperor’s will that guides us.

I have not yet partaken in the tabletop RPG—though I find myself drawn to it, and if it be even half as glorious as this, I will eagerly embrace it as another tool to further the Emperor’s divine plan.

Story – Intrigue, Politics, and the Eternal Struggle

Ah, and what of the story? Excellent! The tale unfolds with all the mystery, intrigue, and danger one would expect from the Imperium’s finest servants. We are thrust into a web of politics, deceit, and the endless war against the enemies of mankind. There is no shortage of heresy, no lack of vile xenos, and no absence of the dark forces that conspire against us. In every corner of the galaxy, there are enemies lurking—whether it be traitorous Astartes, alien invaders, or the forces of Chaos, each brings a new challenge. And we, the faithful children of the Emperor, must rise to meet them, for there is no greater calling than to purge the galaxy in His name.

Conclusion – A Sacred Test of Faith

In closing, Rogue Trader is not merely a game; it is a tool, a faithful companion in our never-ending war against the darkness. It is a reflection of the Emperor’s will, a challenge to our devotion, and a chance to prove ourselves worthy of His eternal light. So, my brothers and sisters, I urge you to partake in this sacred offering, for in doing so, you will strengthen your resolve, sharpen your mind, and become a better servant to the Emperor. May His light guide you through the darkest of times, and may you ever remain steadfast in His service.

For the Emperor!

5/5 stars - An absolute blast of a puzzle box/escape room game that I like to go back to for relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere and lore behind everything. Man I wish for a new installment, or at least for the VR version to be adapted to non-VR.

This is hands down the greatest remake I've ever experienced. Every bit of this shows the care and love the devs had for the original and their unwillingness to compromise on that vision. They did make changes, yes, but those changes so far do nothing to detract from the game and instead enhance the experience. They've brought Star Ocean 2 into the modern age with amazing visuals, a stunning soundtrack, and the same broken item creation we all know and love.

I've wasted years of my life on the original back on the PSX and trust me, this replaces it in every way.

Now if only all SE remakes/remasters had this level of love put into them XD

This is hands down the best Fallout game. And one of the best games ever.
Without a doubt in my mind I will claim it has the best DLC of anything that has ever had DLC, even when they used to be called expansions.

Visually the base game was a bit outdated when it released, but with mods such as the STEP project modpack, you can make it look even better than newer titles like FO4 and The Outer Worlds! Even with just a GTX 1060 you can have it looking like a game 10 years younger.

And honestly, that's the only downside I can give. Obsidian knew the IP, obviously, and did it justice. The music is hand picked for the themes they wanted, the atmospheric soundtrack is also a beautiful thing with multiple tracks from FO1 and 2 returning such as Metallic Monks and Acolytes of the New God. They chose things that will let you have a fun, open, maybe even happy adventure...but then remind you of just how horrible and terrifying the past of this world was and how truly scary the present can be.

As far as gameplay, they improved on FO3 in every respect. FO3 was a near-even blend of FPS and RPG, while FO4 was an FPS with some RPG elements. New Vegas is an RPG at its core that uses FPS mechanics. Your build matters a LOT when it comes to handling situations. Grabbing the items with the highest number is not always a good option and may result in your death. They also put in traits and perks that could change your loadout's effectiveness entirely.

But the truly magnificent thing about FNV is the storytelling, dialogue, and characters. Each named NPC is unique, and has their own personality. Mr Fantastic is worth the price of entry just by himself! But your companions are all fleshed out with quests that let you see what makes them tick and lets you help them.
The story starts off with freedom, but unless you know how to survive you're going to be going on a linear path that introduces you to things in a set way. The choice between Goodsprings and Powder Gangers, meeting the NCR and freeing Primm, meeting the Legion....these are done to allow you to see each group in their best and worst ways. And when you reach what you think is the end of the game...you realize its barely the halfway point as now the map is open to exploration!

But then you get the DLC. New Vegas has the best DLC out of any game, period.

Dead Money, considered by many to be the worst, is likely the best when it comes to the characters and their story. A heist taking place in a haunted villa in the desert under poisonous skies. A survival-horror game where everyone is important, and their motives are understandable and completely realistic.

Honest Hearts - The choice between peace and war, good and evil, and the path to redemption, or not, for one very specific man. The backstory involving the Father in the Caves is heartbreaking but provides so much insight into the world also.

Old World Blues - Perhaps the zaniest thing I've played. Someone took those old school B-list sci-fi movies and turned them into a game! It's whacky, zany, and silly...but also serious about it all somehow. The Think Tank is terrifying in a way nothing else in Fallout has ever been before - Not because they're nigh-immortal but because they're all too human.

And finally, Lonesome Road. The base game and all 3 previous DLC has been dropping hints to this, and finally you go to meet your nemesis...and learn why things have turned out how they do.

I cannot suggest this game enough. While my favorite game is and likely forever will be an old PSX RPG, New Vegas is a very strong contender that just barely misses that mark.

I've been a fan of every Fallout game since I first played Fallout back in the 90's. With the obvious exception of Brotherhood of Steel which was less a Fallout game and more a cashgrab they hastily spraypainted the Fallout name on. Sadly, I feel that has more in common with this game than, say, Fallout 2 or New Vegas do.

Fallout 4 has done the more unforgivable sin of open world RPGs - It has bored me. Whereas Fallout 1 and 2 were cRPGs in their 90's prime that relied on excellent mechanics, storytelling, and characters to get things by, and Fallout 3 revived the brand and showed that even if it's just "Elder Scrolls with guns" it can still do some sort of justice to the IP....this game is flat.

Controls are a problem. I'm left handed, and Bethesda has seen fit to lock me out of using most of the keys I rely on when it comes to remapping. I use the arrow keys for movement, but MANY menus in this game have them hardcoded. So, for instance, when I'm building settlement things I can't because the arrow keys are hardcoded to selecting items. The game has a ton of buttons which are hardcoded in and cannot be remapped, such as r and e for scrapping and accepting menus.

This is a PC game, there is absolutely no reason to hard-code mappings and not allow me to change them to suit my left-handedness. Control gets a failure for this reason.

Visually the game is impressive enough. Nothing special though. Pass.

Gameplay.....of the gameplay.
Fallout 3 and New Vegas are, at their cores, RPGs. Much like Fallout 1 and 2. These are RPGs, but in the game of 3/NV they are RPGs using FPS mechanics. Fallout 4, sadly, is an FPS game with RPG mechanics. Enemies are much spongier, and far more numerous. I don't play Fallout games because I want to constantly be fighting waves of enemies that don't die, I play it because I want to play a role. And Fallout 4 fails at that.

Story wise I'm not even sure there is one. I'm seven hours in and so far have only been wandering around because as soon as I leave the "hometown" area the game bombards me with useless sidequests that have no cohesion to the plot. I know I'm looking for my son, ostensible. I also know that this guy dressed up like a pioneer keeps sending me across the map claiming I can save lives. I also know some guy in power armor needs helps with waves of ghouls. I also know none of that has progressed the story.

Maybe I came into this expecting too much. I came off of New Vegas, which tied all of this together well. The side quests still advanced the main plot. The visual style lended well to the theme of the game. Everything was planned and worked around the concept of an RPG. Fallout 4 is likely a fine FPS game, but I don't play FPS games.

Sable is, at its heart, a game about freedom. You start as a child ready to go on her coming-of-age journey and are given little freedom in your tasks. But then as soon as you complete the tutorials....you're handed the entire world at once. You can just ride around on your hoverbike to every corner of the map without anything trying to impede you beyond your own creativity in climbing.

The gameplay in Sable is fun. It's key focus is exploration. There are no enemies, there is no game over or failure mechanics. Sable lets you enjoy it as you want. And at the end, a choice that takes your freedom awaits.

There is some jank, but not enough to make the game any less fun. Mostly with the map not loading if you've been playing for too long or for more fun sometimes jumping on edges launches you around.

I suggest this game very much.

Quick
Easy
Fun

I am an avid lover of JRPGs, and have been playing them since the NES days with Faxandu, Final Fantasy, and other classics. In those days JRPGs were based on DND a lot. You had a party of experienced warriors saving the world. Over the years, however, things shifted. Now every JRPG seems to be a group of school kids slaying god, the villains are over-the-top reality shifters who can destroy planets with a finger snap, and there's always the obligatory volcano, glacier, and forest levels.

Like A Dragon looked at modern JRPGs conventions and said "screw that". Instead of school kids, the cast is a bunch of middle aged people who aren't out to kill God but instead just unravel a mystery about a gang. The biggest evil can take on a few men in a fight but is by no means going to take on an entire army, much less explode a planet. This is a JRPG with FIRM roots in reality in terms of what's possible.

Magic to launch a fireball? Nah bro, this homeless guy is going to spit lighter fluid on you and set you on fire that way. A spell to support people? Nope, let this Metallica-looking cop play some tunes to amp you up. A hero with a sword fighting a dragon?
How about a goofball with a baseball bat fighting a guy with a dragon tattoo?

LAD is an amazing experience I cannot suggest enough.

Haven is one of those games that sets out to pull on heart strings.
In this regard, it succeeds magnificently.
The protagonists, Yu and Kay, are well developed and their relationship is extremely well done and quite believable. Their story hits home with anyone who has ever wanted to simply abandon it all and run away with that special someone.
The music is very nice, I often leave myself sitting in a spot while I do other things just to let it play.
Graphically, the game comes out as quite anime-esque which works for it, I feel.

And the final, perhaps most important thing that works in this game's favor:
It has Oink, the most adorable little lizard ever.

Nostalgia from my childhood brought back to life!

Runs just like I remember on the PSX with some better artwork.