Recent reviews by jojuryva

When Lethal Company was released in early access in 2023, solo developer Zeekerss took the world by storm with their blend of horror comedy established by previous titles released on https://zeekerss.itch.io/. I was constantly amazed when I kept coming back to this game with my friends.

The stark contrast between the kind of uncanny backrooms-style liminal horror and slapstick shenanigans fuelled by the game's emergent and diegetic gameplay makes it such an addicting gameplay loop with friends. It really shows that Zeekerss understands what makes a horror game tick, because the terror is never downplayed, but continually built up and then released through hysteric outbursts of panicked laughter.

The fact that this game is a solo developer project committed to such a specific and singular vision is so impressive that I simply can't wait to see what Zeekerss does next.

Baldur's Gate 3 is the logical conclusion to Larian Studios' exploits so far. Divinity: Original Sin I & II have always been appealing to many fans of fantasy TTRPGs with its turn-based combat, great variety of player builds and D&D-esque trappings. Being the third installment of the Baldur's Gate series, it draws from the narratives of the previous games and places them in contexts that set up an impressively expansive story that can unfold through countless permutations.

The writing walks a tightrope balance of providing a light and quippy around-the-table atmosphere, while also building up a high fantasy epic. Each of the three acts has its own self contained narrative stakes that can ultimately drive the story forward in different ways, depending on player choice. The companions, while all seem well written, are very much a matter of taste, but cater to a variety of player sensibilities, so everyone will likely have a preferred team to roll with.

The combat is challenging and satisfying. Strategy mostly pays off, although players with system mastery of D&D 5e will often know the most optimal solutions to any given combat scenario, but in the end, this just reflects a respect for the players' investment in the game's mechanics. Most of the tweaks to the system acknowledge and compliment the respective differences between a tabletop and video game experience.

A great game for any fantasy RPG fan. I can't wait to see where Larian goes after what I now consider their flagship title.

Obsidian Entertainment has got to be one of the studios I least expected to make a basically interactive Umberto Eco novel. They definitely have a great love of fiction and narrative, although it has previously extended to mostly fantasy and sci-fi settings in a roleplaying context, but I feel there is an undeniable dedication and reverence to history in this game. I'm not big on historical accuracy, but it feels like an elegant and well researched introduction to an important era of european history.

The narrative design feels incredibly cohesive and flows rather naturally, albeit stressfully sometimes, as you have to trust your gut when you prioritise what threads to follow in the limited time you have. Players looking to explore all the plot has to offer will likely have to make peace with playing the game multiple times to uncover all its underlying images poking through the layers that conceal them.

Although not one of my favourite games, it's a good game nonetheless, but I'm infinitely more interested in Obsidian as a studio when they pursue titles of this complexity with such lovingly crafted care, so I hope they keep that trajectory going forward.

I wasn't a big fan of Bastion when I first played it a couple of years ago. The whole experience felt very stiff, slow and heavy, and I didn't feel like the narrative was worth being invested in. I haven't played Transistor or Pyre yet, but I can safely say, that this time around, I was completely floored by Hades.

The design is tight.

The game does so much to keep the player invested in the roguelike gameplay loop. The fast paced combat and timed runs. The endless combinations of boons, keepsakes and weapons. The narrative that is so closely tied into the gameplay, and my god, the amount of voiced dialogue that is so aware of player choice and continuity. All the characters feel interesting, with their own internal as well as external conflicts.

The music rocks.

Darren Korb's music is awesome. With his signature folktronica style, he channels the music of the dungeon crawling of Diablo as well as the ass kicking metal of Doom, all topped with mediterranean folk instrumentation to hammer home the greek mythology aesthetics.

The art is also just gorgeous (oh no, they're hot).

The Resident Evil 2 Remake is a masterful horror experience and a return to form from Capcom. Remaking Resident Evil 2 in their new RE Engine introduced in Resident Evil 7 makes it look stunning, and the game is dripping with atmosphere. The first hours spent exploring the police station are some of the best in the genre. I hadn't played any RE game prior to this, but it serves as an excellent introduction to the series, both aesthetically as well mechanically. I cannot recommend this game enough.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 expands upon its predecessor and has a dizzying amount of side quests and ways to approach almost all situations. The turn-based combat is amazing and really speaks to my inner D&D nerd. On top of that, the release of the Game Master Mode calls for a lot of opportunities to play with friends and create ridiculous games and campaigns. The cast of companions are very memorable and have their own interesting stories, quirks and characteristics. The writing never takes itself too seriously and is hilariously absurd at times, which caused me to burst into laughter at how ridiculous it was. I have around 80 hours in the game, where I rushed the main quest on easy mode, so people looking for a strategic challenge will definitely get a lot of their money's worth in the game's higher difficulties.

All in all I think it's a great game that I'm sure will satisfy most RPG fans.

A nice student project from The Animation Workshop.

It borrows some elements from danish contemporaries Playdead, but manages to create a cyberpunk dystopia with stunning set pieces. It looks gorgeous, but could use a little optimization, as I had drops in framerate on all the different graphic settings. But aside from that, I had a very good experience with it.