Recent reviews by KNDY です

As a fan of Japanese train simulators as far as "Densha de Go!!" (on the PSX and later on PSP), fan of the Sonic Powered train sims and also Train Sim Classic/World, Ongakukan is a company that knows train simulators. And using train simulators to promote safety to the point that these video-based simulators are used to train staff.

Ongakukan the company is owned by musician Mukaiya Minoru (keyboardist of Cassiopeia) but also a guy who has created a lot of music that you hear at Japanese train stations (Hanshin Electric Railway, the chimes for the N700 series Shinkansen) to name a few.

Mukaiya went on to create the train driving simulation game "Train Simulator" (TS). These simulators were played on Windows computers in the '90s, PS2 and PSP in the 2000s (many may remember the Mobile Train Simulator + Densha de Go! Tokyo Express Edition) and the "Railfan" games for the PS3.

But all of this work for the last few decades has culminated into what we have with JR EAST Train Simulator.

These are for the most part, as mentioned simulators that trains people on the safety of operating a train, it's been featured on Japanese television numerous times and why people love it is because it's their chance to either reminisce or to feel like they are front seat in riding a train that they have ridden on before.

Whereas many train simulators focus on operating a train with computer CG elements and the big part of it is earning points or a grade, "JR EAST Train Simulators" is not about the game, it's more about the train experience.

This is where the culture differences are going to be more pronounced, as Japanese railfans are hardcore. Like how people love their music artists or celebrities, in Japan, trains are treated with the most highest regard. People take pictures of them, ride them, celebrate them in their hometown, buy NGauge model trains or Plarail. There is utmost respect and love and if you disrespect these trains, you'll read it on the news or see it in social media (especially if you are on the wrong end of things and you or or your kids do something bad on the train).

So, what you are seeing with JR EAST Train Simulator is the Japanese love for these trains, the routes, the sounds and it's important to note, for many of us who ride on Japanese trains, shoulder to shoulder, packed like sardines, we don't get to see the routes because it's so crowded. This game allows us to see what the conductor sees, but you are in control of departing and arriving and making sure you stop at the right time.

Again, unlike other train simulators, there is no significant gamification of playing for points, grades to unopen more routes. You play until the end and that's it.

With that being said, JR EAST Train Simulator DLCs can either be easy or frustrating. Certain trains, especially that have to go up hills or descend from hills or is a type of train that is not as easy to handle, you are going to face those challenges. So, not all trains operate or look the same.

For those outside of Japan, the games do feature English and is easy to pick up. But if you want more of a game, then look towards Sonic Powered (a few of their Tetsudo Nippon games are available in the West in English aka Japan Rail Sim). But for those who want the live-video experience, to see what conductors see but also taking on the challenge to depart and arrive in time and also stopping as perfectly as you can without of worrying about points or grades, it's pass or fail.

I absolutely love JR EAST Train Simulator because it's literally a labor of love to Japan railfans. It's not mean to be a Densha de Go!! or a Train Sim World/Classic type of game, again, it's used for safety trainings for staff and brought out on STEAM for the world to take part in something different. But understandably, will attract more of those who are fans of Japanese trains and environments.

Now the biggest debate is pricing, but again, looking at it on a Japanese perspective. Whereas many train sim games go on sale, a lot of Japanese-based merch affiliated with a major Japanese train company do not go on sale. So, I see it as this.... a price of a DLC is much lower than a Japanese N-Gauge train, much lower than a Plarail Real Class train, but a little more than a standard Plarail. As a Japanese rail fan who operates NGauge trains with a diorama and has traveled through many trains and shinkansen through Japan, I've always said that being a railfan is never cheap.

But while on STEAM it maybe seen as expensive, in the grand scheme of things in relation to train merch and so forth, if you are familiar with Japanese culture, it's not that expensive at all. It's a different perspective but that's how it is.

As I am enjoying JR EAST Train Simulator, I would be interested in seeing if Ongakukan will explore the JR Tokai (Central), JR Nishi-Nihon (JR West) and JR Kyushu in the future because there are a lot of JR trains and environments I would love to see. And if they do release them, I'm definitely buying!

JR EAST Train Simulator and the many DLCs are highly recommended for those who are fans of Japan rail systems.

For the rail fans who felt JR EAST Train Simulator was "too easy" and wasn't enough of a challenge, meet "JR EAST Train Simulator: Hachinohe Line (Hachinohe to Kuji) Kiha E130-500 series".

One of the more lower-priced DLCs in the collection and also which is a route that lets you drive near the coast line, So, this is a very scenic route but for rail fans who are attentive to sounds, may be a bit disappointed in the of the noise join sounds and the creaking sounds.

Granted, it's a bit overcast weatherwise, but that shouldn't affect your gameplay.

Now, many of you have probably gone through the DLC's and got it completed within two hours or less. But here's the kicker with this route, with the Kiha E130-500, you are using a diesel train that will challenge you in uphill slopes.

But I will tell you, the third route alone, looks so easy right? But getting it to stop in time before the time runs out, in a way, it's a pain in the arse. But that's Kiha for you....

Some DLC's, if you mess up, they are lenient and let you continue on. This is not the case, you don't arrive on time or you go pass your marker, game ends. You can start over from the last station and keep trying to get it right, so you don't have to start over from the beginning.

But it's amusing to me because I found numerous DLC's to be easy until I came upon this DLC which is really challenging. So, I do think Ongakukan listened to the fans who wanted more of a challenge.

Recommended, but be prepared for some frustration as some of the challenges can be nerveracking.

As a big fan of Japanese train simulators and being raised with "Densha de Go" and now enjoying the Train Sim games, along with the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon (aka Japan Rail Sim) series and Ongakukan's JR East Train Simulator.

With that being said, the Keiyo Line is a line which I have used to visit Kasai-Rinkai Park and possibly my favorite aquarium in all of Tokyo, Tokyo Sea Life Park in Edogawa.

But before I review this DLC, it's important to note that this is not like Train Sim Classic or Train Sim World where you have multiple camera mode, nor are they 3D-based trains and backgrounds. This is streaming video.

What makes the JR EAST Train Simulator stand out that the video was recorded in HD and thus these DLC's will take a big chunk of your disk space (especially as you grown your collection of DLCs), so make sure you have a TB or more of space because so far my JR EAST Train Simulator and DLC's are about 250GB. Also, the video is much more clearer and better than the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon games in terms of video.

In terms of gameplay, unlike Train Sim Classic or World, you are not going to be in charge of every button, switch like in those games which add to the intensity (and frustration). If you mess up, it's not the end of the world. As those other Train Simulators are brutal where you can put nearly two hours and one mess up and you lost, you have to start over gain.

Second, there is no gamification points. You are not aiming for a perfect grade, you are not aiming for points. There is no special stores or things to unlock with points. There are no hidden trains or courses.

JR EAST TRAIN SIMULATOR is a) Used heavily to train JR staff b) for those who love Japanese rail/trains and the overall atmosphere c) Those who miss Japan and are familiar with routes they traveled

Is there a game to it? Yes, by trying to adjust speed and brake perfectly. Again, there are no points or grades, unlike other games where they make you grind before you can move on or you need to raise your level, this game, while you can fail, if you really mess up, more than likely even if you mess up a little, you can still play to your hearts content.

The main source of gamifcation are those trying to accomplish getting all the STEAM achievements, which require arriving on time and also perfectly stopping. Both are not easy. But I have done it.

As for the Keio Line, it's one of the cheaper DLC's for JR EAST Train Simulator. For one, the Keiyo Line has only 17 stops (there are 18 but Makuharitoyosuna Station which opened in March 2023 was not up yet at the time of the video was shot) from Soga Station to Tokyo Station. And of those stops, outside of the start and ending stations, there are two stations that are used the most, Maihama (for Tokyo Disneyland Resort) and Kasai-Rinkai Park.

As for weather, it's a little overcase, but to be truthful, everytime I have gone to this area of Tokyo, it was always overcast or rainy. And the weather fluctuates from where it's cloudy and then sunny. Weird weather at times.

Now, I'm going to tackle a few things that I'm sure some may ask:

So, some may ask why so expensive? Why hasn't it gone on sale. To give you a better perspective as a Japanese rail fan, I think many have been spoiled by STEAM because game DLC's go on sale all the time for other train games. But if you are a Japanese train fan, I can say this with confidence: The Ongakukan DLC's are cheaper than KATO or TOMIX N-GAUGE model trains, and a little more than Takara Tomy Plarail but much less than Plarail Real Express.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not that expensive. But if you look for deals on STEAM, from Japanese train games to visual novels, expect to pay a little more.

So, is this DLC worth it? Yes, they all are so far. But if you are looking for more scenic, there are some that go by resort areas or beaches that are worth checking out.

But personally for me, I enjoyed Keio Line. It was a bit more difficult to get it perfectly centered for stopping. Unsuccessful and the tough thing, where you can inch to get the marker towards the center, not this DLC. Once the marker is on the green, people want in the train. And you have to quickly set the brakes because the doors open not long after the train stops.

And last but not least, if you were wondering if you should plunk down money because you loved Train Sim World/Train Sim Classic or the Railway Nippon or RealPro, it's not the same type of game. This is more like a Train Simulator that is more about giving you the feels of riding on the actual train thanks to it's video and more focused on your speed and stops and less about the gamification of other train sims.

If you are a hardcore Japanese rail fan, then this DLC is worth it

As a big fan of Japanese train simulators and being raised with "Densha de Go" and now enjoying the Train Sim games, along with the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon (aka Japan Rail Sim) series and Ongakukan's JR East Train Simulator.

With that being said, Yamanote Line has been a big part of densha games, may it be Densha de go (Switch release to the old PSP release) and it's the line I have ridden on the most, it was a "must buy" for me in that regard.

But before I review this DLC, it's important to note that this is not like Train Sim Classic or Train Sim World where you have multiple camera mode, nor are they 3D-based trains and backgrounds. This is streaming video.

What makes the JR EAST Train Simulator stand out that the video was recorded in HD and thus these DLC's will take a big chunk of your disk space, so make sure you have a TB or more of space because so far my JR EAST Train Simulator and DLC's are about 250GB. Also, the video is much more clearer and better than the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon games in terms of video.

In terms of gameplay, unlike Train Sim Classic or World, you are not going to be in charge of every button, switch like in those games which add to the intensity (and frustration). If you mess up, it's not the end of the world. As those other Train Simulators are brutal where you can put nearly two hours and one mess up and you lost, you have to start over gain.

Second, there is no gamification points. You are not aiming for a perfect grade, you are not aiming for points. There is no special stores or things to unlock with points. There are no hidden trains or courses.

JR EAST TRAIN SIMULATOR is for those who a) Used heavily to train JR staff b) for those who love Japanese rail/trains and the overall atmosphere

Is there a game to it? Yes, by trying to adjust speed and brake perfectly. Again, there are no points or grades, unlike other games where they make you grind before you can move on or you need to raise your level, this game, while you can fail, if you really mess up, more than likely even if you mess up a little, you can still play to your hearts content.

As for the Yamanote Line, it's not the most scenic. In fact, because it's a loop that gets to station to station, just like in real life, I think I am more excited when I am near Ikebukuro Station, Tokyo Station, Ueno Station, Shinjuku Station, Shibuya and so on because I go there so much. But for many people, it will look like tracks within a concrete jungle that some will not care for.

But of course, as a Kanto guy... a Tokyo guy, loved seeing the other trains and the Narita Express and the N700 passing by which was cool.

Now, I'm going to tackle a few things that I'm sure some may ask:

a) Does it have the jingles that Yamanote Line is known for? Nope. Neither does the Densha de Go games.

b) Do you see reactions if you brake hard for those inside the train . Nope. This is not like classic Densha de Go.

c) Can you open up all the past Yamanote Line vehicles? I don't think so. You ride the latest E235-0, but you do see the classic E-231-500. But no, you're not going to see old school 63 series, Tsurumi Line, 103 or the 205.

d) Why so expensive? I think many have been spoiled by STEAM because game DLC's go on sale all the time. But if you are a Japanese train fan, I can say this with confidence:

The Ongakukan DLC's are cheaper than KATO or TOMIX N-GAUGE and a little more than Takara Tomy Plarail and much less than Plarail Real Express.

So, is this DLC worth it? Yes, they all are so far. But if you are looking for more scenic, there are some that go by resort areas or beaches that are worth checking out.

But personally for me, Yamanote Line is a part of my life. Rarely do I get to see through the front of the train because Yamanote Line is so crowded that the best I have ever seen is if I'm near the window, but most of the time, all I see is someone's head or shoulder because I'm packed like a sardine inside the E235.

So, in many ways, yes... It's great to finally see what a conductor sees.

And last but not least, if you were wondering if you should plunk down money because you loved Train Sim World/Train Sim Classic or the Railway Nippon or RealPro, it's not the same type of game. This is more like a Train Simulator that is more about giving you the feels of riding on the actual train thanks to it's video and more focused on your speed and stops and less about the gamification of other train sims.

If you are a hardcore Japanese rail fan, then this DLC is worth it!

I play a lot of music games and shmups and "Touhou" games (the better known ones) tend to be difficult and challenging.

"Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost" is fascinating as incorporates rhythm games, danmaku shmup games and visual novel all in one.

This game....this brutal yet generous game is fun, if you love "Touhou" as many of the hit songs and many of the characters are featured in this fascinating storyline of Reimu trying to figure out why Gensyouko and the world has been covered with desert sand life as you know it has changed.

I started out with easy mode and for one....no...four button mode, it's six buttons and even when you do six, it's tough. I literally lowered the main top setting all the way to the left to slow the keys because even on easy mode...this game is brutal.

Never have I said "easy" mode was brutal in a music, rhythm game ever. Easy is easy for a reason.

Not for "Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost". I can't even imagine those with top notch skills playing the most difficult levels.

I guess that is why the developer offered a DLC to unlock all songs in the base version.

With that being said, I also mentioned "Generous" because no matter how many times you mess up, the game will give you a D ranking and you can easily progress through the game and story. Granted, certain songs requires a "C" or better. But so far in nearly two hours playing, I was at least happy that the game was generous in that manner.

The game also incorporates the danmaku shmup concept, while you are trying to shoot down your opponent and dodge all her attacks, on the side you will see RB and LB buttons that need to be pressed while you are dodging (ughh..) and then later RB and R Trigger and LB and L Trigger while trying to dodge. [Think positive and say that this is good training for eye/hand coordination]

Despite it being brutal and feeling F-this. Because I'm a "Touhou" fan and it incorporates the Visual Novel style of storyline with a log (so you can backtrack if you accidentally pressed the button to skip over a story).

Also, with each battle, you get cards. Do better, and you get more cards. Go to Team mode and you can level up these cards and these cards become part of your team. Using these cards, kind of reminds me of another "Touhou" rhythm game, "Touohou Spell Bubble".

Again, I'm only nearly two hours in this game but those two hours, gave me a good idea to know what I like and what I didn't like.

I do recommend a few things before playing this game.... TURN OFF any other open programs. Otherwise, you will see the game lag at times and it messes with your button presses. [unfortunately streamers may notice this is if .you have OBS open at the same time].

Makes me wonder if the SWITCH version will be smoother, but playing on a smaller screen with the six buttons....not sure how well that will work but SWITCH may benefit from the touch screen.

Other than that, I do recommend the game because I had fun despite the game being brutal and frustrating. Because the QoL of not being able to fail miserably really helps out and even your worse game, you may still get a D and open that song up and you can progress.

So, just know that going in....this is a brutal rhythm game, but yet it is also generous! So just know... Easy (mode) is not EZPZ.

I absolutely loved "Love is All Around" and now we have "Love Is All Around - Love in the Room" and thankfully, a lot of us can now enjoy it with the English subtitles recently added.

While a DLC and not chapter-driven like the first game, there is still a lot of story to go around with about 2 hours per woman (so you can get a good 6+ hours worth of unlocking everything).

The DLC provides just as much goodness as the first and with beautiful backdrop (wherever the set was located, talk about prime real estate property as the city landscape was breathtaking).

The three women are just as fascinating as before and you get to play the same guy but different guy and same buddy (think of it as an alternate storyline) in a different city.

But I completed Chen-Sai's route and looking forward to the other two.

But I feel intiny has a great thing going with these interactive video novels and this DLC was a surprise when it was first announced and bought it immediately (without the subtitles, just waiting for it to be translated). This game is one of the better ones on STEAM and the main game and the DLC are just magnificent!

As for the DLC....5 out of 5 Stars!

I hope there is more DLC planned!

Kairosoft is a software developer that is based in Shinjuku, Tokyo and they create PC and mobile phone games utilizing pixel art. It began with a guy named Usui Kazuyuki who would use the pen name "Oyama Kairo".

And he would create games in college and when companies asked him to develop games for the Nintendo DS, he would end up creating Kairosoft in 2007 and would create apps for a membersite, Kairo Park.

And this company would grow to nearly two dozen staff and focus on new apps for Android and iOS, as well as for the PC and consoles. And these popular games continue since 2008 to the present.

If anything, Usui and his company garnered a lot of followers because he created these fun, management driven type of games with many themes that would attract fans of the games all over the world.

It began in 2008 with "Game Dev Story" and over 45 games later, in October 2015, the company released "Tennis Club Story".

The game starts off with you and a partner founding their own Tennis club. Starting from scratch and taking part in small events to make money, training your players and eventually taking on opponents in the community and later to major events, while growing your tennis club to add convenience stores, department stores, indoor gyms, swimming pools, hot springs, etc.

And also attracting to sponsors and if you use their products, they develop better ones for you to assist with you and your star tennis players.

For the most part, "Tennis Club Story" is addicting. And while you don't play the tennis game per see, you are in control of your players development and also selecting tactics ala strategies during gameplay.

And development of the players is important, so you can take on other tennis players from their own club and earn more money, management points, sponsor items and practice points.

But also knowing that to make money, you need to spend money and some of these structures are expensive and also player clothing can get expensive (especially if you grow your tennis crew as it will be important to develop a team of guys, ladies, seniors, kids who can play the game) and development to play solo or doubles.

It's a very addictive game like other Kairosoft games.

With that being said, it does become a bit grindy (like an RPG Tactics game) especially once you start adding more players, you're going to have to develop each one and also teach them how to coach and that means, making more money, earning more management points and practice points.

I do have to say that I love the nod to Seishun Gakuen (for those familiar with the manga/anime "Tennis no Ojisama"/Prince of Tennis), as one of the better clothing gear are the Seishun Gakuen style of tennis gear.

But I am enjoying this game and slowly trying to get everyone up to level 20...that is a grindfest on its own. But I am enjoying this game a lot.

And while it's one of their older games from 2015, one thing about Kairosoft games is they still look fresh and new because it's pixel-based.

"Tennis Club Story" is a game that will entice those who love tennis done Kairosoft style and are into management-based games.

Recommended!

I absolutely enjoy the "WARRIORS OROCHI 4" game and when you play this game for many hours, one thing that is going to be important is having cool music to go along with that gameplay.

But one such DLC that makes you wonder if it's even worth it is the "ω-Force 20th Anniversary Concert BGM Pack".

First and foremost, its important for people to know that in Japan, music is expensive and second, unlike other countries, the great lengths Japan does to protect their music copyrights. Some companies are still in the '90s in that aspect and to this day, mostly Japanese companies tend to put their music as in-game only and MP3's or other formats like FLAC are not available.

This is primarily done in fear because they know people will rip them and put them on websites causing a headache for them. It's also one of the reasons why many Japanese companies today still release short videos not full videos on YouTube. They don't want anyone ripping their music, they want you to buy the physical or digital media separately where they can count sales and have control over it. [Note: I work with Japanese entertainment companies, especially the music industry]

In Japan, bundling things with music is the way they like to include their music, so to this day, if it's bundled with physical media, for limited series or to promote a release, they include a CD soundtrack.

So, knowing this in advance, it becomes subjective. How badly do you want that music that can only be listened to in the game? Music you can not download directly?

For me, I wanted to support Omega Force for what they have done with this video game series and also, I need more musical choices.

When the packs are on sale, it's a great time to buy. $11 is not bad for 21 songs. And the music is from the concert, so it has that live concert feel.

Granted, you are not going to enjoy the music all alone (you can during the music selection) but during the game, a lot of the voice and action sound effects will be prominent.

But I will say, there are a lot of awesome songs on this BGM pack.

Yes, it's a shame that you can't download it, listen to it in your car or phone. One day, major Japanese video game companies will one day allow their music to be downloaded separately on digital copies on STEAM. But as you can see with many major releases, they aren't going to any time soon.

So, knowing this in advance, the soundtrack is definitely worth it, moreso on sale! Under $11 is much more wallet friendly and it gives me the high energy music that I expect to use on this game.

It's a rarity to find live video game concert sounds in a video game. It's one thing to buy a soundtrack of live video game concerts but many songs that can be used in-game, I don't think I have really seen that in any video game.

I absolutely love the mixing done for these songs to hear the music separation (primarily electric guitars) from left and right headset (example "Slash It; Thrasha All BGM 5, "Tetorigawa" BGM 11, "Demon Slayers" BGM 13).

My personal favorites: "Dynasty Warriors" (1), "Slash the Demon" (3), "Arena" (4), "Slash It; Thrash All" (5), "Great Red Spirit" (6), "Kawanakajima" (8), "Tetorigawa" (11), "Chthonian Fiend" (14), "Pyropterix" (15), "THE WALL OF FATE ~God of War~ The Heroes' Advance" (18), "THEME OF OROCHI -REBIRTH MIX-" (19), City of Flowers (20) and "Crush 'em All" (21).

If you are on the fence, it's worth getting if you love this game and it's style of music. But do know, the BGM Pack is only play only via the Gallery Section or in-game. No fast forwarding, just play only.

As a longtime "Musou" fan, I do recommend it!

"Scarlet Nexus" it looks great, has a captivating story, cool voice acting but somewhat par gameplay.

In a way, it's more like a Virtual Novel game with gameplay elements, with the gameplay being OK.

I think those who love action-drive anime/manga storylines would enjoy "Scarlet Nexus" and in someways, I feel like there is more a lean towards reading vs. gameplay. And some gameplay elements, it's more of a rehash of re-doing things you've done before which becomes monotonous.

In some ways, it's a bit sad because for such a cool game with cool characters and design and cool storyline, developers must have had a hard time trying to figure out how to create a compelling well-balanced game.

But regardless, I did enjoy the game, as I enjoy reading a lot of manga and play a lot of virtual novels. Those who want more action and less reading, may not like this game that much.

So, a question some may ask is if the DLC is needed. If you are a completist, then go for it. If you can get it cheap, go for it. There are bond episodes which lengthens the game (especially if you beat it with one character and play the EX New Game with the other character). But aside from cosmetics and Bond stories, one can pass on it. I got it for the bond stories (yes, more reading! I don't mind, but if you do...then avoid).

As for the cosmetics, I thought I can have everyone decked out in all red like what you see in the illustration but it's not the case. Although, Yuito's red costume is awesome.

Other than that, again, I'm cool with "Scarlet Nexus" and I give it a recommendation, but that's only if you like a lot of reading and you are digging the overall character design. If you are looking for exciting gameplay, this game is not it. In fact, many times I felt sleepy because I felt I was rehashing things over and over again. It does get old quick and wish developers just created new environments and not having gamers revisit areas. Especially in an area where you had to look for keys and with a bond episode, you're going to have to do it all over again.

But "Scarlet Nexus" is a reader's delight! You are captivated in its fascinating storyline and cool visuals, like a comic book. The voice acting is also pretty cool too! But the gaming part of it...it's a bit lackluster.

I have to admit that it’s been a long time since I’ve played a “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon” game and while I enjoyed the series, I have since moved on from console to PC gaming and had to try “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint”.

450 hours later and I think I can say that I very much enjoyed this game! But it’s one of those games where the DLC enhances the experience and those sticking with the base game, if they don’t try the DLC, they end up missing out.

But first and foremost, look at reviews and if they have not put in much time playing it, then disregard it. This is a game that you really have to develop your character and add awesome weapons and gear overtime. It’ll take some time but that’s part of the journey with this game!

In fact, I don’t want to stop playing it but I have dedicated months to this game and I need to move on to the next game (as I have a huge gaming backlog).

First, it’s important to note that I got the Ultimate Edition on sale and my review is based on solo not multiplayer.

The main storyline is very cool. Pretty much there are various areas that you can pursue and so much of Auroa to discover. You have different classes you can partake in but I think what made this game so much fulfilling is using the drone to discover bivouac scattered throughout the island and thus making traveling easier.

It can get monotonous of walking around and fighting enemies for better weapons or parts, but it’s part of the game but with having so much of the DLC scattered through areas that are spread out, it made discovering locations much easier.

So, weapons do get better overtime, gear gets better overtime, but it depends on how much time you put into it. Seeing people who are only putting a dozen hours or so and think they got this game down and dismiss it is quite foolish.

You really have to get into this game and explore and play it and you’ll discover how awesome it is. Sure, the main missions is one thing, but those DLC missions takes the game even further. I swear that taking down the enemies in season 3 was just awesome!

Sam Fisher in Season 2 was cool. But it’s hard for me to see how much Sam Fisher has aged since I started playing “Splinter Cell” (and then I realize, darn, I grew old with this character as well…lol). But great to see Sam again….albeit, a much older version of one of the greatest stealth character in video games.

Also, the “Operation Motherland” was fun way to end the game.

But assuming no one got into the DLC and just focused on the base game, I can then see where some sections would be seen as negative. Taking on certain antagonists, there were those who were shown as evil but when you get into battle, it didn’t lead up into anything significant.
That is one key weakness of the base game is the antagonists don’t have any feeling of excitement, compared to the DLC missions.

I don’t like how Mads Schulz played a key figure in the beginning but pretty much nothing after you complete the missions.

Another is the use of the AI teammates. Some missions, you don’t want their involvement because even if you tell them to hold, they end up showing up in areas where enemies spot them. So annoying, that I had to deactivate them at times.

But I love the customization and the ability to really travel afar in this game and kick butt. I absolutely love this game!

But these are just small negatives, the positives outweigh the negatives if you incorporate the DLC. Because now that you can get the Ultimate so cheap on sale, you can see how they made this game better.

While the base game is very good, to truly enjoy this game and want to keep playing, those DLC’s more than make this game even better.

While Ubisoft was able to make this game way better than the base game through its updates and DLC’s, it’s not the bad game that some people made it out to be in the beginning. Ubisoft managed to make this game a winner, but it came months later after its release.

If you see this game on sale, please get the Gold or Ultimate Edition. I say Ultimate Edition, because really, there is only a few buck difference when both are on sale.

But I absolutely love this game! Highly recommended!