Recent reviews by [ToJ.cc]Eltolad

The graphics are beautiful, but the story (and the excessive cursing) is not that great. If you want a puzzle game, go for Superliminal, not this one.

A short and sweet adventure - just like the name declares.

It has its challenging moments, but not so challenging that you stop playing. Also, it is not so easy that you get bored! There are plenty of "ah-ha" moments as you find little secrets here and there, and the story is enough to keep you interested, but not so much that it gets in the way.

Well-made game, and would love to see a sequel!

For when it was made, I suppose Amnesia was groundbreaking. Playing it in 2021 felt like work at times, instead of enjoying a game. Here's why: it really isn't that scary. Really. If I was making an Honest Trailer for Amnesia, I would call it "Run and Hide Simulator."

While the mechanic of hiding instead of outright fighting the bad guys is a refreshingly unique gameplay concept, the problem lies in execution. Some times you have to wait SEVERAL minutes before actually getting to leave the spot you are hiding in.

This is especially frustrating in the Justine bonus missions, which not only utilizes permadeath, but it drops you OUT OF THE GAME when you die. My first (and only) run through Justine was very careful, only to have a monster corner me right at the end. An absolute waste of all that effort. Oh well.

The narrative for the main game is passable, but the ending leaves something to be desired, for all the plot buildup.

In short, this is the "Blair Witch" of video games. Either you really like it because of the atmosphere, or you don't.

A delightful, albeit short romp. Imagine an RPG with Halloween seen through the eyes of a child. A cardboard costume lets the main character imagine they are a skyscraper-tall mech to defeat the monsters that have invaded their neighborhood.

Released in 2011, this is a rather old game by modern standards; however, the graphics, gameplay, and writing all stand up to rival modern entries to the genre.

Well worth picking up, if you haven't done so already. Well worth playing if it is sitting in your backlog. It is one of the few games I have 100% on Steam & I had fun doing so.

Highly recommended!

"But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences."

True. Unlike other games that have supposedly have branching storylines, in this game, your interactions/observations have real consequences to the people involved. It is quite immersive and does feel like you are actually doing the work of Big Brother. The little details, including the occasional quote from 1984, as well as a meme or or advert on web sites are a nice touch.

One note, sometimes it can be frustrating to find the "trigger" for the next info reveal. It is also not just a game where you simply find info and add it to the Orwell database - you need to weigh the meaning/context of the data and decide what should be reported.

I'll be buying the expansion(s). The game is worth it.

Just be forewarned: if you are focused on 100% completion, you cannot earn 100% of the achievements in one play through. Due to several of the achievements being linked to the aforementioned branching paths, it would require a minimum of 3 plays, and you cannot restart from a previous save game to save time.

At 11 hours gameplay (including a second run-through for achievement completion sake), this game was a great value for the money. I've tried a number of hacking-simulator games, but few have had the fun blend of storyline + fun inside-joke-easter-egg-type references built in.

It kept me engaged until the end. The puzzles are pretty straightforward if you are following along.

A number of other reviewers have pointed out a few obvious flaws (i.e. requiring deletion of log records, though the game does not punish you for forgetting). One of the strands is only available if you destroy a server, despite the "Mantra.txt" early in the game stating we should "Create more than we destroy." Despite these, it is a fun game for a reasonable price.

Finally.

A game to open the eyes of the average person.

This game is brilliant. You can tell by not only the overwhelmingly positive reiviews - but also by the fact that they don't need silly things like Steam Acheivements and Trading Cards just to get people to play their game. This game is worth the expereince, it is worth your time, and it is worth your money.

Play it. And thank me later.

I'll be honest, I just played it to get the STC drops.

That said, its a decent adventure platformer that doesn't let you stay stuck for too long. Yes, there are zombies. Again. Another freaking game with zombies. But this game isn't your typical "fight the hoarde" zombie thriller. You have to avoid them most of the time. I've gotten about 2/3 of the way through, and the story seems alright.

8.5/10 Graphics - very atmospheric, but hard to see holes in the floor at times
7/10 Gameplay - there are only so many ways you can set up platforms before they get boring

Keep in mind that parts of the game can be brutally annoying, as you have to perform a perfect run, slide, jump and duck. As long as you can play through that, you might find this game enjoyable.

Remember the old game Qix? The one where you had to make boxes in the play area without the weird line being touching your line before the box was complete? This is that game.

Just replace the weird line beast with dragons and cannons, and place the setting in mid-evil times. There is enough variety in the maps (i.e. location of the attacking cannons) to keep things interesting. Toss in a few powerups that pause time, etc, and it makes for a fun game for when you have a few minutes to spare.

Graphics 6/10
Gameplay 9/10

Steam Trading Cards are a nice little bonus (and makes the already cheap game price even cheaper)

An interesting premise. It is not a fast-paced shooter, nor is it an arcade puzzler. As many other reviewers have mentioned, it requires you to think.

+ Bonus - Steam Trading Cards were recently added
- Drawback - No achievements (for those who like them)

The screen is quite static - basically the same throughout the game. The plot is interesting enough. While some people get lost very quickly, pressing F2 brings up the objectives for the missions. I actually find that the objectives are too clear many times - almost a walkthrough in and of themeselves. It reminded me a lot of the old text adventure games of the late 80s and early 90s.

The basic trick here will be trying to pick the right ports to hack, as to not waste your Global Trace % (in other words, your "life meter"). Two protips that will help most players early on:

1. The tutorial has quite a bit of cash available in it. Don't complete it until you've transfered everything available.
2. Upgrade your CPU and Firewall ASAP. You can do it in the 2nd mission if you got all the cash from the tutorial.

Yes, it can be a tiny bit frustrating at times, if you don't open your eyes up and look for clues. Overall, though, it accomplishes what it is trying to do - simulate a hacking experience.

8/10 Gameplay
7/10 Music