Recent reviews by ✛ICE COLD™✛

There is not much I can say about this game that hasn't already been said. Therefore I will state my opinion on the most important points:

- I've played this game on Story Mode for almost 8 hours, and still have not completed it for the first time. It's not "short" for a VR action game, if you are taking your time to have fun and casually explore each level.

- There are a few different weapons, and easter eggs and collectibles, but most useful items are far and few. You spend a lot of time tediously opening drawers and cabinets and filtering through useless props, just to maintain a steady supply of weapons or find a trinket you haven't before. It's not 100% necessary, as you can get through most of the game just by sneaking, if you have the patience.

- Occasionally you'll have to find a keycard or piece of information that supports the predictable story, but most things can be found by a "brute force" method of just systematically searching everything in sight. The real payoff of exploration is discovering alternate routes and hiding spots that you can use during re-spawns or harder difficulties/game modes.

- The environmental scale, and action in this game is solid. Everything in the level looks and feels the right size. The mechanics work well. The enemy AI feels balanced and developed. I'm not a fan of "teleport to move" mechanics, but it is a core gameplay element here, and this game has found a way to integrate it properly.

- You'll need an area of clear space (at least 6'x6', I estimate) to play this game. It is not a game you can play sitting down, or cramped up against walls, furniture, etc. You actually need to reach, throw, duck, dodge, etc. on your feet. I would not call it a "casual" VR experience.

Overall, the game is pretty immersive and makes you want to keep playing - The art direction and mood of the game follows your standard corporate-escapist theme, with a lighthearted satirical tone mixed with ominous vibes - the player walks the line between being hunted, and being the hunter in order to destroy the hand that feeds. In combination with dedicated VR-focused gameplay, it is successful at being a thrilling single-player stealth/action adventure game.

TLDR: If you ever wanted to live out an extended scene from The Matrix where Neo escapes his office job, but you can also kill things with sharp objects, this is your game.

This is not the type of game I usually play, but regardless of genre or style, any gamer can appreciate this one. This game plays like a movie, supported by great voice acting and art direction. It can be a bit frustrating at some points because if you haven't played games like this, reading a walk-thru might become a necessity, unless you want to spend extra hours figuring out what to do. But don't worry about it - the stuff you do figure out on your own is a rewarding game play experience, and if you need to resort to a guide to progress because you've tried everything you can think of, there's no shame in that. It's a weird blend of a puzzle and action game, and it's worth a play through just for the experience itself.

For a game over 10 years old, the graphics on modern hardware look great, and it runs smooth. If you want a single-player campaign focused on the middle years of the War in Afghanistan, this does the job for about 5 hours.

It's your typical MOH campaign - As long as you don't rush headlong into the open, and do what your NPC teammates ask, you will slowly advance through a well-designed, on-rails tour of war-torn scenery, following a predictable plot.

The most memorable moments occur in the extreme day vs. night scenarios, using lighting effects within the level design to really highlight the environmental challenges American soldiers faced against Taliban forces.

Overall, there's nothing spectacular about this, but there's also nothing broken or frustrating about it. I don't know how it fits into the historical franchise war between MOH, COD, and Battlefield, and I don't care. On any difficulty, this is a fine single-player outing for casual noobs and Tier 1 operators alike.

OK, so this is going to be a long one: Better than I expected, and not a step in the wrong direction, but it doesn't change or improve much over previous games. Overall, it's another turn n' burn release, leaving a lot to be desired. Granted, it does go on SALE sometimes, the graphics are gorgeous, and you really can't expect much from NFS, anyways. If you liked the last couple games in the series and just need more, EA is back again to dole it out...

Here's what the game does decently: CAR HANDLING. Surprise! Unbound actually features a pretty balanced physics/handling mechanic. It feels like a refinement of the Ghost Games (EA Gothenburg) style of driving rather than the previous "drift or die" Criterion games. Sure, it's not great - There are going to be janky moments with the physics which may end up costing you a turn or a win, but thank goodness: Each car's physics profile is uniquely modeled, and you have access to some tuning settings. Driving your car carefully and discovering it's neutral handling qualities pays off, as opposed to stacking stats and button mashing.

There's also some great details. In addition to the very pretty, wet visual effects, Lakeshore is built like a real city. The checkpoint placement and visibility in every activity is refined and feels thoroughly play-tested. Also, the graffiti art you encounter, the single player plot, and the typical NFS "street scene" elements feel organic and beautiful here, not forced. It's minor, but I think they did these details better than previous games.

So here's what sucks (in single player): THE POLICE. While they barely interfere during race events, they are a constant antagonist in freeroam when you're just trying to get from point A to B, day or night! NFS Heat and every game before it was able to strike a nice balance with the Police activity, but in this game, freeroam chases are a loathsome, time-wasting nightmare...

Unless you sneak around the city timidly like some sort of stealth-survival car-ninja, you will be constantly battling cops! You will miss out on time-sensitive bonus objectives, and will generally be tearing around in circles like a chicken with your head cut off going asses and elbows against the Law. When you hit level 4 or 5 Heat, just go home immediately, unless you have nothing to lose.

There's no significant reward for carrying high heat and escaping all these unwanted pursuits. You just get away with the luxury of not losing all your progress. I guess that's realistic - like the video game equivalent of getting into a brutal street-fight, winning, and then going home with nothing more than a bloody nose and and a black eye. Who wants to do that?

My point is: Freeroam chases feel tedious. If you catch heat during a race, the follow up chase afterward is fun - but once you escape that, there's nothing new or fun about getting chased around in freeroam. The evasion mechanics should have been refined significantly. Aside from being able to blow by cops at low level without triggering them, and having helicopters eventually run out of fuel, there's nothing new or innovative about it.

In combination with the "Calendar" system, this makes Career mode feel really rushed and stressful. It's five lanes of ten-speed, high-stakes terror every week, which makes it one of least enjoyable and exhausting single-player NFS experiences.

So basically, the single-player experience kinda sucks. I recommend grinding it out till the end, because it gives you a huge leg-up in Online mode by earning free cars. Any car you've won in your single-player game transfers over to your Online garage (minus any upgrades). And speaking of Online - this is the best Online experience I've had in NFS so far, with balanced car classes, and reliable matchmaking and server connectivity!

In conclusion, if you are just looking for a good Single-Player NFS experience, go play NFS: Heat, or even Need For Speed (2015) if you haven't already. Even with their flaws, those games are more enjoyable than this campaign. But if you're just here to play the latest and greatest NFS Online, look no further!

A facetious window into the world of para-social fame, and bittersweet commentary on otaku relationships. This game can be very entertaining at times, but beware - if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you. It is advised you proceed with caution if any of the subject matter this game touches on might affect you personally; you might have either an existential awakening, or meltdown depending on what kind of mood you're in.

I have not really played many of these types of games, and I haven't gotten too far into this one in particular (i.e. explored all the possible endings) but I can say it's interesting, at the very least. At worst, the music loops are repetitive and annoying (so just put on your favorite vapor-breakcore-sissy-hypno mix), and at best, be driven by either hope, or sick curiosity, to continue enabling yourself to gaze into this dark mirror.

Let me begin by stating: It is not unreasonable to compare this game to Thief Simulator. It should be considered a sequel/prequel to Thief Sim. And that's why this game feels mediocre - it feels like an open beta for Thief Sim 2, not an actual game to stand on it's own.

Besides a few gameplay tweaks and a new town, this is just a re-hash of Thief Sim, but worse in some ways. With every minor improvement, a feature that made the OG Thief Simulator was removed. Let me explain: Blatant examples of this involve the tools, vehicle thefts, and the hideout/"real estate" system.

The 1980's setting serves as an excuse to avoid having high tech gadgets and security systems from Thief Simulator. That's fine, a lot of those puzzles were pretty annoying, anyways. But - in AT80 there are a variety of properties to buy, and vehicles to steal - features that the Dev's have been making a big deal about - and what can you do with them? Well, nothing, really. Basic features from the first game such as placing objects for decoration, and vehicle storage/workshops are not available. Why?

Just browse the Discussions for this game, and you will come across many conversations inquiring about basic features that the audience from the first Thief Sim have come to expect which are simply missing, or dysfunctional in this game. Features that have been trickled out over the past year as "updates" are copy-pasted from the original game. It just doesn't have the kind of support or attitude toward actual development that one would expect.

With the official Thief Simulator 2 game slated to release Summer of 2023, a cynic could say this release suspiciously serves as a live test-bed for the "Thief Sim" franchise, and at worse is: 1) a cash grab, and 2) experimentation on the loyal following for a more action-oriented style of gameplay, while neglecting some of the unique aspects that made the first Thief Simulator game actually great.

It kinda makes you wonder... Did I get robbed buying this game? Well, overall, I don't think so, if you buy it on sale. If you're a hardcore kleptomaniac in need of a fix, it's an alright joint to plunder for less than $10. But I can't recommend it over Thief Simulator, and I'm certainly not giving any benefit of doubt to Playaway or their future releases. I just hope that whoever makes Thief Simulator 2 takes note and does something more substantial.

Having played both MAFIA (the original) and Mafia: Definitive Edition, there is only one word that can sum up this sequel: BORING.

First of all, the story: The first Mafia game had a great story, it's what drove the gameplay. You had unique, memorable character design and introductions, great voice acting, and a plot filled with interpersonal drama that actually develops like a movie. Mafia 2's writing feels so watered-down by comparison, with bland characters in service of a generic plot.

Also, taking place only a few years later than the events of Mafia 1, you would expect the game's story would take the opportunity to tie into Mafia 1's rich legacy and characters - but as far as I can tell, it doesn't at all. And I'm not spoiling anything when I say: The game actually punishes you for completing the first few missions by sending you straight to prison! Which brings me to my next point...

The gameplay: I don't know what the real difference between Mafia 2's "Definitive Edition" and the original Mafia 2 is, but I don't think it matters - because it would seem the developers took complaints about the driving and shooting challenges of the first game to heart, and made this game completely about beating the brains out of every knucklehead you encounter with your bare fists.

There's actually very little action in a lot of the game's levels before the third act - and the majority of it involves clunky 1v1 fist-fights with AI opponents in instanced events. This would be fine if the fighting mechanics are on par with a decent brawling game, but this isn't. Wooden, at best, is how I would describe the controls, and most fights quickly devolve into button-mashing trash. It's only after slogging through this that you get the chance to really play the game...

As far as the gunplay goes - it's not bad. It's about the same as Mafia DE; the cover action is pretty smooth, and there's some room for experienced gunslingers to take shots that wouldn't be possible on other cover-based 3rd person shooters. Shooting goons in this game is really fun. Same goes for the driving physics - the quicker 40-50's era muscle cars are a blast to drive, but there's only a few missions where you are actually put to the test driving anything.

On top of that, there's a lot of points in the game where you get your money and weapons taken away unexpectedly, so there's no real point in earning money or visiting shops to access new equipment in between story mission save points... the open world function is basically useless. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this game lacks all of the side missions, secret vehicles, and characters of the first game, besides some soft-core pin up art!?!?

Overall, it pales in comparison to the 1st Mafia, and the 1st Mafia: Definitive Edition. If you can get it for less than 5 bucks it's a fine time waster. Even on hard difficulty, it's a game that you can play at your leisure, as long as you get used to the checkpoint system. But if you're expecting the story and action of the 1st Mafia... well I don't know what to tell ya, champ. Go back to Lost Heaven.

You will have to download a couple community made patches (check the discussions) to get this 20+ year old game looking and sounding as it should on a modern PC... but after that, it's back to the glory days!

This is a genuine classic of the 3D shooter era: Groundbreaking gameplay and storytelling... Plus unlike Max Payne 3, you can save scum any time you want, and are free to use any angle and any move in bullet time, or not, to take down your enemies.

There is no being bound to checkpoints or interacting with cover. You can run and gun spreading man sauce on every wall as you please, or hide like a wimp while picking off goons from a distance with anal precision.

This game is like John Woo meets Heat. It's like Charles Bronson meets The Matrix. It's the gun-slinging, finger blasting masterpiece of 3rd person shooters. 100/10 bullets.

It's been almost 20 years since this game's release - and it brings back so many memories.

POSTAL 2 is not a great game, not even a good one. It is an AWESOME game. In retrospect, I don't understand why anybody would waste their money or time on Postal 4 when this ABSOLUTE GEM is available on Steam. If you've never played it, you can't even imagine what you're missing.

This game marks an era where the Postal series (and 1st person shooters in general) actually stirred controversy in the world of gaming, politics, and beyond - and it makes a big point about it, too. The game gives you choice. Violence is not always the answer... unless you're some kind of hippy-dippie pacifist, anarchist psychopath, or somebody who likes fun.

Without ranting about Postal 4's shortcomings, I will say that POSTAL 2 is everything that Postal 4 is, except better. If this were the movie industry, P2 is the original vision that inspired all the terrible remakes. And to put icing on the cake, every DLC is worth it, expanding the lore and the Dude's adventure just the right amount. Take that while running with scissors.

Take control of Raria Morgandorffer on a sarcastic journey through the set of the original Blade Runner movie.

This is a great adventure game - that is to say: in a casual sense. You're not really facing any action/gameplay challenges, except for a few deliveries with time limits, and the writing has you meeting plenty of interesting characters supported by great voice acting. It's a relaxed gaming experience for those who enjoy cruising around soaking in the cyberpunk atmosphere.

The style, world building, and sense of exploration is great. I've enjoyed every moment playing this game, but it can feel lacking: There's no real secrets - if you hit every blip on your map you will discover all the items, NPCs, and side quests that there are to find.

The game gives you some choices to make in the main story, but I'm not convinced they lead to different outcomes other than unlocking a specific Steam achievement, or some NPC reaction soundbytes.

Again, this all adds to the "casual" aspect of the gameplay, and isn't really an issue if that's what you're into. If you expect any sort of combat/action/stat leveling, this game has none and you will get bored playing it.

I enjoyed playing this game to completion, but I didn't feel accomplished. However, it's a worthwhile experience for the experience itself.

[Disclaimer: This review was written after completing the base game only, and does not reflect any material added in any DLC]