Recent reviews by Ivan Ivanovich

Torbjörn lore.

This is the closest we'll get to if Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch were combined into a good team-based shooter.

Yeah, I like it. Now please bring back the support and finish up the USSR update.
Oh, and an anti-cheat system would be appreciated too.

Nominations made me recommend this game in a review. Yes.

In Short: This is a multiplayer project! No way around the experience of cooperating and interacting with other players. If you enjoy the themes of World War I or II, trenches and player-determined projects, you will enjoy this game.

The review is organized by categories with additional notes if I have something to add.

Game's Visuals (Graphics)
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: The game is played from a top view with a camera that can rotate! Keep this in mind.

Game's Sound Design
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: Solid job. Weapons sound like they are supposed to without exaggerating.

Gameplay Mechanics
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[x] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: It's not perfect, but it's stable enough to enjoy the game. As you learn to play the game, you will most likely encounter moments of confusion with aiming weapons and hitting targets. Armored vehicles balance often feels off, here's hoping the developers will do their best to balance everything. Other nuances with logistics, engineering, armored vehicles and such simply takes time, a YouTube tutorial or a friendly advice from a fellow soldier. Trenches and other similar mechanics may both serve in your favor or against you. Hopefully the developers are keeping a close eye on community's feedback and complaints in order to resolve issues and improve certain mechanics.

Story/Narrative
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[x] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: The only story a player needs to be aware of is that there are two factions fighting over control of territory: the Femboy Wardens versus the Chad Colonials (it's a joke! Play whoever and whatever you enjoy. It's all a friendly competition at the end of the day.). You can find notes that expand the world's lore or read through on the Wiki or the official Discord, but it doesn't expand the gameplay. Two factions simply serve ignition for war, and players do the rest and determine how the story goes.

Replayability
[x]Yes!
[] Kinda
[] None

Personal Note: Every time a war ends with one faction's victory, shortly the war resets and starts over. Each time, you get to fight for a faction and contribute either towards its victory or witness the fall of your empire.



Final Note:
I am receiving vibes from when I played RP servers on Garry's Mod. A game that is driven by its community, and the developers merely serve the purpose of rule enforcement and addition of new content for the same community to utilize in the story they create! I love the concept of massive player cooperation and common effort.

Plus, whether you are a part of giant, organized clan or a solo-logistics engineer, everyone can contribute. Small effort or great, everything counts! This game offers the liberty to play at your own pace and still contribute towards the larger victory.

However, this war is consistent, meaning the servers are active 24/7. Let's hope certain majority of players can't afford the luxury of sacrificing sleep and taking out your fortifications during your sleep... as long as the demographics are international, there should be constant rotation of players throughout the war!

Highly recommended with the DLC: The War of the Chosen
Note: I've originally played this game on Xbox One before I purchased it for PC

In Short: This game arguably represents the industry of modern turn-based strategy games, and for a good reason! Shoulder to shoulder with games such as Sid Meier's Civilization (I believe it's made and published by the same company). This game delivers a fantastic tactical experience, and the workshop expanded its horizon for unlimited replayability potential.

The review is organized by categories with additional notes if I have something to add.

Game's Visuals (Graphics)
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: The graphics aren't impressive when compared to the 4K standards of the modern gaming industry. But, in compromise of performance, the game has very appealing textures. If you inspect closely enough, you will notice it has somewhat of a cartoony art style, but at the same time, it looks fairly realistic and creates a believable environment. Either way, you spend most of your time in the skies, not on the ground. I am personally satisfied with the graphics.

Game's Sound Design
[x] Beautiful
[] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: The sound is fantastic! Prior to the legacy update, I would rate the sound design as good. However, the soundtrack that came with the Legacy Pack, which is a free update on PC, by the way! The reason why I had to purchase this game on PC..., is amazing! Other than that, everything else sounds solid. The futuristic weapons are believable, the sounds aliens produce fits well, voice-acting comes with personality, and so on. I have no criticism towards the sounds.

Gameplay Mechanics
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: There is a reason why many strategy games are referred to as "XCOM like." This series pioneered its own genre within the strategy games industry, and for a good reason. It's unique, and even though it's turn-based, it does not feel painfully slow. The animations and immersion do a good job at concealing the feeling of a turn-based shooter. The only time you may experience a slow-down in the action is when the enemy has to make a move, which occasionally takes a good minute to take its turn. The only reason I didn't give this category "beautiful" is because this game is based on chance and percentage. Some things will be out of your control, that's the nature of it. Otherwise, it's fantastic! Love this style of turn-based gameplay.

Story/Narrative
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: With the expansion of The War of the Chosen, the story picked up personality by introducing a foe that is constantly mocking you. Which, therefore, provides much more satisfaction when you finally get to strike them down! Otherwise, the core story is solid. It provides mystery to the goals of the alien overlords that you unveil at a steady pace. If you choose to dig deeper into the lore, there are many archives you can read through and draw parallels to the previous installments of this series. Honestly, this game doesn't have the strongest narrative, but it is intriguing. And curiosity helps to fuel the interest in the story and enjoyment of gameplay.

Replayability
[x]Yes!
[] Kinda
[] None

Personal Note: Definitely! Even without the introduction of a Steam Workshop, the game had plenty of reasons for replability (challenges, alternative strategies, achievements, difficulty increase, etc). Therefore, you can imagine how much further an introduction of mods and addons may drive this game's replability. If you need or want a game that offers enormous replay value, this is it. Especially with the introduction of a Legacy update. The only factor to consider: you should be able to enjoy strategy and tactical games. If you are looking for an FPS, obviously you won't enjoy the slower gameplay of XCOM.

Final Note:
This is one of my top favorite games. I can't recommend it to everyone because not everyone enjoys strategy games, but for anyone who does or is interested to try strategy genre, this is my top pick. Taste is subjective, but considering the XCOM series pioneered a specific category of the turn-based strategy industry, it's objectively a fair recommendation to make to introduce a person to this genre.

Customization is a huge plus! For me, at least. Individualizing each soldier within your arsenal is amazing. Whether you are looking for a serious, immersive gameplay or to create a silly squad full of wacky and wild alien killers, the game allows you to do as you please (plus mods). However, one criticism I have is that the Legacy update was exclusively free only for the PC. I originally pre-ordered this game for the Xbox for personal convenience and enjoyment, willingly sacrificing the option to mod my game. And I would've continued to play on the Xbox if the Legacy Update wasn't made exclusive to PC. That deeply upsetted me, made me salty at the developers. I do not know the politics between developer and console stores, but whatever the case was, the choice of making the Legacy Pack exclusive to PC forced me to re-purchase the game. Legacy not only offered unique gameplay, but it introduced unique customization as well! Which is an important factor to me. I am not angry, but I am salty because of that. Otherwise, I am extremely satisfied with the experience I gained from PC version of XCOM, and the Steam Workshop definitely made the experience sweeter!

Overall, this is a fantastic game and a series. I will recommend this to fans of strategy games and for those who have patience, resilience and discipline. This is a game that is based on chance! Do not take the algorithm personally when it rolls against you. If you can't handle defeat, I would carefully weight your options before purchasing this game. It is not kind. It is a difficult game, it's meant to be. It's not hardcore, but it certainly can be punishing. Therefore, you'll have two options: accept defeat like a man and move on, or reload a save file ;) Don't feel ashamed, it's your experience and your enjoyment! Play how YOU want to play. The best part about XCOM is the creativity it offers. Not a single campaign will be exactly the same across all accounts that own XCOM. It's randomized nature is what makes it standout. Each playthrough will be different, and that's what I love about it when I return to this game, no matter how many times I've beat the story and its campaign.

Note: I've originally played this game on Xbox One before I hesitantly got it for PC on sale

In Short: Lack of competent development is killing the game as well as promoting a toxic community and environment.

The review is organized by categories with additional notes if I have something to add.

Game's Visuals (Graphics)
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: The game fairly recently received a visual update in a form of a downloadable update. To the original product, I'd say the graphics used to be decent.

Game's Sound Design
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[x] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: This game doesn't have much in terms of sound design or voice acting. However, this game heavily relies on good sound design as a core mechanic. You need to hear the Killer's approaching heartbeat, the survivor's breathing, the sound of the crows being disturbed. Although I personally don't encounter it as much, I do have to mention many players complained about those core mechanics not working. From personal experience, I say it's decent, but it has to be at least good.

Gameplay Mechanics
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[x] Poor

Personal Note: This game has unique gameplay, which makes it very appealing in an industry filled mostly with FPS genres. However, it's always broken. Whether it was due to poor latency, exploit/bugs, or lack of a balance, I always encountered an unfair situation. There was not a single moment in this game's history where I can say "Yup, I lost fair and square" consistently. Perhaps I could have some bias, but I know how to accept defeat in a virtual computer game. I have no complaints like that in other video games, such as CS:GO, Overwatch, Team Fortress 2, or literally anything else I play. If I lose, I want to know that the chances were fair and I simply lacked the teamwork or personal skill. In this game, you will not get that chance.

Story/Narrative
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[x] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: It has lore now... that's about it. The premise of the game is intriguing, but nothing crazy to pull me in and make me hungry for more information.

Replayability
[x]Yes
[] Kinda
[] None

Personal Note: Definitely. It's a multiplayer/co-op game with the same objective every single time. The only factor that will vary from match to match is the people and characters they play. Although, there is a certain META you will encounter more often than not. Certain perks, abilities, or even characters.

Final Note:
Overall, I have more negative experience than positive memories. This is absolutely the development team's fault, and Mathieu Cote represents its face. Their actions, words and choices speak for themselves.

At this point, they care more about your wallet than your experience. When this game desperately needs critical fixes and development support, they release expensive cosmetics and skins. You may literally look up many videos on the internet with Mathieu where the Dead by Daylight community meme's on him. I don't have anything against him as a person, so far. But, as a developer, I do not respect him. He is killing this game. Lack of balance, especially for Killer Mains on this game, is suffocating the community and forces the casual players to leave. Survivors are not only given tools to bully and harass human beings that choose to play a Killer, but the developers promote such behavior through silly updates and in-game challenges. Of course, Killers may also bully survivors, but not as often as survivors bully Killers. There's only so much you can do against an organized team. This game attracted a very toxic community, and you may literally experience cyber-bullying on regular basis. Don't expect a good report system either, since the developers didn't care to implement a convenient report system to regulate toxic behavior or gameplay exploitation (Hackers also happen fairly often).

I could write a whole essay on fundamental issues with this game. However, there's plenty of well-organized videos and articles that will present that information better than I can in a Steam Review. Every single corner and aspect of this game has a problem with it. Gameplay, mechanics, development, support, sound, graphics, community, and so on. Every category has or at some point had an issue with it. For every fix, two new problems are introduced. Instead of prioritizing development, they monetize a broken game. I am surprised they didn't label this game as an "Early Alpha," cause it certainly feels like one. Save your nerves, find something better to do or play.

"Maybe try survivor a little bit, maybe you're just tired. Change it up every now and then, or take a break. Play something else for like a week. We are working on balance all the time. Some of it can come from our ranking and that needs fixing."
- Mathieu Cote, Producer of Dead by Daylight according to IMBd.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/app/381210/discussions/0/1693788384127676805/

Recommended on sale if you're a fan of the XCOM series.


Game's Visuals (Graphics)
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[x] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: The game was released in 2013 and the project was rushed from what I've heard. I personally admire cartoony graphics, similar to Overwatch and Team Fortress 2, but that's my taste.

Game's Sound Design
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[x] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: I had certain cutscenes with absent sound. However, the sound design overall isn't impressive. It gets the job done and that's about it.

Gameplay Mechanics
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[] Decent
[x] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: I really love the pausing mechanic of slowing down the battlefield to issue orders and use the mechanics, that was really fun! However, the AI isn't impressive and you are limited to two teammates. Discover which combination and abilities works together and the game shouldn't be too challenging for you.

Story/Narrative
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[] Decent
[x] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: For the fans of the XCOM series, especially from 2012 Enemy Unknown/Within, this will provide additional lore to how XCOM started and came about. Otherwise, if you're jumping into this blind, this might not appeal to you since the game offers mediocre gameplay. I played specifically for the story. While it does offer interesting setting and plot for the story, I don't believe it will appeal to everyone.

Replayability
[]Yes
[x] Kinda
[] None

Personal Note: Only reason to return to the story is for alternative dialogues or possible endings, but nothing else.

Final Note:
Overall, this game is just decent. Most people will probably say it's even bad since it doesn't offer any exciting or fascinating gameplay mechanics, graphics, and so on. However, since I am a fan of the XCOM series (I joined XCOM:Enemy Unknown), I had a sweet spot for this game and played it for the story. I enjoyed the lore, but the story itself began to confuse me towards the end and it wasn't that strong. If you're a stranger to XCOM or only religiously enjoy its turn-based gameplay, then you will most likely not be satisfied with this game. You're better off watching a walkthrough on YouTube if you are curious about the story/lore. However, if you're open minded and want a new experience, this game will provide.

I've played the game when it first launched, and I really enjoyed the survival aspect of it.

However, the game quickly grew into some form of battle royale with majority of servers focusing on PvP combat. That's not bad, but it's personally not my cup of tea. Addition of lootboxes and skins was cool, but I am also not a fan of "CS:GO-type" content.

Later, the developer introduced NPCs with quests mechanics, so I think that should appeal to a casual survival player more. Oh, and there's a very convenient in-game editor with workshop support!

Overall, I'm sure you could find your play-style and preference in this game. Simply because the game appeals to PvP doesn't mean you have to participate in it. The game allows creativity, choose your own path.

Recommended with the DLC: Enemy Within

In Short: This game marked the beginning of my exposure to strategy turn-based industry with tactical gameplay elements. Modern gaming industry owes an appreciation to this game specifically for popularizing this genre and bringing attention to it, which was how I learned about this awesome series. This game has aged when compared to its sequel, XCOM 2. If you are considering purchasing this game in 2021+ for the narrative before playing the sequel, I do not recommend spending your money. Purchase it only if you genuinely enjoy the genre of turn-based strategy, but do be warned this game can be harder and more punishing than XCOM 2. More challenging!

The review is organized by categories with additional notes if I have something to add.

Game's Visuals (Graphics)
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: I love cartoony style! I'm biased. That's all I have to say. To most, it may look decent, but it's definitely not bad. I find this artstyle pleasing to the eye without ruining the immersion, atmosphere or feeling of realism.

Game's Sound Design
[] Beautiful
[] Good
[x] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: Solid sound design. Not a masterpiece, but it gets the job done. Weapons sound fitting, the alien sounds match, voice-actors are fair, and so on. Plus, this game provides voice-acting for soldiers on multiple languages, including Russian! The language the second installment didn't include...

Gameplay Mechanics
[] Beautiful
[x] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: For its time, this was a one-of-a-kind turn-based strategy. There were not many options on the market with similar gameplay to XCOM. Now, it's a different story. However, if you wish to experience one of the Founding Fathers of the strategy turn-based games, you will definitely hear about XCOM!

Story/Narrative
[x] Beautiful
[] Good
[] Decent
[] Bad
[] Poor

Personal Note: If taking charge of an international organization, that is similar to the real life U.N., in response to an alien invasion in order to combat the foreign and unknown enemy as humanity unites in its darkest hour doesn't sound EPIC to you, I don't know what could impress you! Personally, I've really enjoyed the narrative and story. I felt engaged and curious about the intentions of the alien invasion. In some cases, it was even brutal. Again, it's not a masterpiece, but I really enjoyed the story this game told me as I, the player, progressed it forward.

Replayability
[x]Yes!
[] Kinda
[] None

Personal Note: Definitely! The story never changes, it ultimately comes down to your victory or your defeat. However, the journey to the end of game in each campaign will be different. The nature of this game will never have the exactly same experience, with an exception of few scripted mission. There is no direct Steam Workshop for this game, but there is a well-known mod for this game known as "Long War." Recommended if you wish to change up the gameplay.

Final Note:
One of the best strategy games out there, hands-down!

The story is intriguing and engaging. Strategy and tactical gameplay is the strongest appeal, though. I also enjoy any game that offers character customization, and here you can personalize each soldier under your command! However, be prepared to dedicate a long-term strategy and time since this game takes careful planning. Of course, you are at liberty to rush in and see what happens, but trust me: it's a very punishing strategy.

Don't be ashamed when your favorite soldier, friend or relative dies to a ridiculous chance and you are forced to reload a save file. We all know you will do it, we all know you did it, and we all know that we would do the same. ;)