Recent reviews by Josef K

An amazing achievement. I always felt Bloober were capable of doing this right in spite of the hatewagon. Yes, the studio hasn't had a perfect track record but some of their games have been great and I'd felt there was a spiritual connection to Silent Hill in the first Layers of Fear, so this seemed like it deserved a fair go. Co-development with some of the original Team Silent members (especially the composer) definitely helped bring authenticity as well.

Having played through the game several times now, it's clear they have not only carried over the essence of the original but have enhanced it in some excellent ways. The actors obviously bring their own personal stamp to their roles yet they're mostly great throughout, especially Luke Roberts as James who does a knockout job portraying emotional turmoil under a veneer of stoicism. The unnerving sound design, foggy/murky environments and classic Silent Hill atmosphere are all very well realised and effective, e.g. the prison/labyrinth section is one most harrowing and tense game experiences I've ever had, even having expected from the original how dark it would be. The music is as powerful as ever and the new version of Magdalene, which has evolved to become the main theme of the whole game, cuts deep. The two new endings are also beautiful and a worthy addition.

This is not only personal GOTY for me, it's hall of fame material in terms of classic horror remakes and the SH series itself. It's a next-level win for Bloober, I hope they keep building on it.

On second thought, let's not play Dorfromantik. 'Tis a silly game.

The Resident Evil Within Silent Hill.

A perfect game for what it set out to achieve. Cat lovers will already have a soft spot for this but even so, it's not often that a game can pull at your heartstrings in quite this way. It looks great, sounds great (amazing soundtrack), plays great, and tells an unexpectedly deep and touching story along the way. I'm very glad this wasn't just some goofy "cat simulator" meme game. Compliments to the devs. Go hug your cats <33333

Meh. I recently played through Control and the RTX-enriched environments in that were more impressive. I'm on a new 13900K/4090 rig so performance is not an issue here. While comparing a game that originally came out in 2007 against a much more recent title is somewhat unfair, they could have spent more time properly remastering some elements of this. As it stands, it's basically a marketing gimmick. However it is a reason to replay the game, the original of which remains highly goated, and it is free, so I guess it basically gets a thumbs-up. If there was a middle hand-waving 'meh' option, I'd pick that.

[Given all the drama around the launch of this hotly anticipated game, this review needs a preamble to address just that.

Let's get one thing clear. Yes, a game should perform as expected on launch, and yes, consumers are entitled to that especially if they're paying a full AAA price. However, do day 1 performance issues (which ended up being patched within 24 hrs) justify people immediately review-bombing the game, throwing pile-on tantrums in the forums and writing the whole game off? No.

If you did this, you need to seriously grow up and reflect on your behaviour. Only in this industry are consumers so petulant and willing to ruin the entire reputation of a game and its developers over a short-term inconvenience. Such behaviour jeopardises the future of this new studio and thereby threatens diversity and ingenuity in the industry. Stop being a bunch of little babies, go touch grass, come back shortly when things are fixed. It's not the end of the world that you didn't get your sweeties right the instant you wanted them.

With that out of the way, let's talk about how this spiritual successor to Dead Space ultimately weighs up.]

This game is not Dead Space, and by that I mean that while it has clearly taken some cues from that series (which ended at game #2 btw) and has it in its soul, it's not trying to be another Dead Space game. This is a new imagining from Schofield and co which makes a fresh go of delivering a visceral, realism-based horror experience. The physicality and the way the player character moves are a testament to this: everything is slow, deliberate, lingering, exacting the maximum amount of tension possible. This isn't run and gun hour, though you can play that way if you want to. Sort of. Either way, I recommend leaving any strong Dead Space-based expectations at the door and viewing this as something new and different.

The visuals and sound design are all hugely on point. With my settings cranked up to ultra on a brand new 13900K/4090 build, the world is so rich and detailed and immersive that I feel like I inhabit it in a way that you can only experience in games crafted to a high sheen like this. Atmospheric, story-driven shooters with rich environments have always been my #1 jam, and this game delivers that in tons. Exploring the crumbling ruins of the former colony with its denizens shambling around in the dark for ages prior was especially satisfying to the slow-burn horror fan in me. You really get the feeling you're somewhere you're not supposed to be and you have to fight desperately to survive.

Speaking frankly about the game's most prominent drawback: the combat, while engaging and fun and brutal, is ultimately fairly limited and kind of disorienting to get used to at first. There are few gear options, you only have a handful of weapons and your tactics in defeating enemies are pretty much rinse and repeat. There isn't the kind of depth through weapon variety and upgrade trees that was seen in Dead Space. If you personally place value in the kind of realism and internal world logic this game displays, then you may not be bothered by this too much (I wasn't). Your character is after all just a freighter pilot trying to break out of a prison with just what he can find and a limited set of self-taught fighting skills.

I feel like SDS may have sacrificed some gameplay depth in order to focus time and resources on building the best immersive experience they could, and I personally am fine with that. The plot of the game - which admittedly is not very new or inspired - has clearly been set up for sequels. We all know how a game that might have lacked in elements we initially desired can evolve through sequels and further development to become an all-round powerhouse. I applaud SDS for their first title which basically delivered what I expected, and I hope they have a lot more to come.

you cannot escape the Noid Men.

A touching, thought-provoking story in 7 chapters about state of mind, individuality, freedom, choice and the direction society and humanity are heading in with respect to the increasing tech'ification of everything. You play a gifted young woman dealing with a recent trauma and carrying an old emotional void in her heart, trying to find a new way to live in the world and fulfil herself. If you have ever tried therapy/counseling or even just tried to have a conversation with someone about your feelings, this game may resonate with you. The cosy, 'blue' aesthetic of it and the minimal, emotive soundtrack are a big part of the deal.

Janky little game that still manages to be fun. If it were any longer or more complex than it knows it's capable of being, this would be a negative review.

This game is in the top-tier of doing a great deal with very little. Do yourself a favour, go into this blind and spend the couple of hours it takes for a playthrough. Powerful ideas here.