Recent reviews by d23_

I had constant CTD when reaching the 2nd month :(

It's very annoying when Rockstar game launcher keeps trying to connect but is not able to do so due to poor internet connection. You won't be able to play Red Dead 2 until Rockstar launcher is ready. Other than that, this game is fine.
EDIT: There's an annoying bug where you can't shoot on your horse.

This game is grindy. Levelling up your skills is slow, and some activities in the game are quite monotonous. e.g mining copper, or sailing in the open seas. But, these very moments are the ones that are the most relaxing for me. In those moments, the monotony numbs your brain and allows you to only feel the raw anticipation of what the future will bring -- the anticipation of getting the next tier equipment, or the thrill of charting new islands.

The game currently lacks features and plot. As of now, it feels like medieval trading simulator. Hold off purchasing until the developers add in new features.

One of the best games I have ever played in my life. When you have completed the game, play the Long War mod to double your clocked playtime for Xcom. The music when selecting your squad now hypes me up before I go into exam halls.

Insurgency feels like a polished AAA title at a fraction of the cost. Sure, they made some game design decisions which might seem like playing the shooter in "hardcore" mode, but it forces you to change your behaviour to be more cautious and focus more on teamwork to cover your bases. In order words, it trains you to be a better FPS player. A fantastic game at a fantastic price point.

06/05/16 update: I have changed my review from Positive to Negative. The developers have abandoned development for the game. Why? I do not know. This game had a lot of promise, and I am sad.



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The Bad
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The learning curve is very steep on this game, and the wiki is rather sparse, so you'll have to look for videos on Youtube to get you started.

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The Good
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But after you get through that hump.... Oh boy, this game is Uber addictive. I haven't played a game that made me go "Oh ♥♥♥♥, it's 6am already??" since Civilization 4.

My tips on starting the game:

1) Choose a start with a healthy amount of Chickens, Trees, and Copper.
2) At the beginning of each game, make sure you have one dedicated Miner, Farmer, Builder. These settlers can take on dual roles: Woodcutter/Carpenter, Forager/Herder, StoneMason/Blacksmith/Engineer. Later on you will need a Tailor.
3) Build 2 layer walls around your settlement ASAP. ESPECIALLY around your Livestock Pen.
4) More food will invite more settlers as long as your road connects your hall to the edge of the map.
5) Have a dedicated army.
6) Have one or two city gates tops. More gates = more guards required.

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The Ugly
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To the Developers, hats of to you guys for creating such a wonderful game. This game looks like it can be a winner if your marketing team can get the word out and get more eyes looking at your game. A google search for the game shows up outdated graphics, so you guys need to get out there and change that so people see the updated textures.

However, there are some criticisms I hope you guys will take note of:
i) The ores in the game are too spread out. I wish they were clumped up more in veins like DF. I keep getting slaughtered past day 30 because the enemies do way too much damage to me. I could hardly get enough metals to make stuff in my 80+ Iron start. All I had I crafted into tools which eventually broke. Not enough for Weapons and Armour. It's kinda embarrasing to keep using clubs.
ii) Drawbridges!!!! PLS
iii) I wish there was an ability to group Settlers into squads so that I can have more control of them going into battle. Right now they just make a beeline and the first guy who gets there tends to get slaughtered.
iv) Depth limit is too low.
v) A gamma setting in game would be great. I don't have a very good monitor so it is really hard to see during the night cycle.

Again, great work guys. What a fantastic game. Now excuse me while I attempt fix my sleep schedule.

This game just throws you into the deep at the start. You won't know what to do and there isn't any tutorial. However, if you persist and be willing to let your men perish, you will eventually figure out what to do (around 15 minutes into the game for me). I like it that each level of the game takes 5-10 minutes to complete, because I can just crank up the game after a studying session. Unfortunately, I usually end up playing more than just one level, because the game is pretty addictive. You always want to see how far you can go into the dungeon before dying.

Boring.

EDIT: Indie/New developers live and die by user reviews so I guess I should try to expand on my already "extensive feedback".

I purchased this game because it was billed as a cross between FTL and The Sims - both being games I really like (also, I was attracted by the art style, which is nice). Unfortunately it doesn't do either very well.

Combat is nothing like FTL; it is very slow paced compared to FTL. At the start of combat, you have to wait for your ship to reach the opponent, and whatever tactical selection you make takes some time to take effect. For example, if you decide to circle your opponent after ramming them, you face an agonising wait while your ship slowly pulls out of range and circles the enemy ship.

Outside of combat, there really isn't anything interesting. It's just a simple trading mechanic to get more money to upgrade and unlock new stuff. You can't do anything when your crew is manning the ship. You can't make them talk, you can't make them eat more if they are still hungry. None of your actions have a direct impact on the crew.

Oh, and the mouse lag is really really annoying.

It's pretty boring if you play alone. The community is such that they would rather shoot you on sight rathrer than band together. I get that it's supposed to be a survival game, but when you have to restart multiple times after putting in hours of gathering materials it gets old quick, Furthermore, the game engine is unoptimized. I have a GTX 850 but it still plays at around 20 FPS low settings at 1280x780. In comparison, I play Skyrim at around 50FPS 1920x1080 High settings.