Recent reviews by Sylvé

It's like coming home to a warm meal.

Civ 7 is an interesting direction to for the franchise to go in. It revises a lot of the existing mechanics, simplifying them in some cases, and introduces new ones as well. Of note, the new "ages" mechanic is very interesting and adds a variation to individual game that freshens up the gameplay loop immensely, and the new way that towns and cities are developed adds another level of depth to the settlement system. Unfortunately, I agree with all of the comments with the UI issues. I do not have as much of a problem with the simplistic nature of it - instead my issue lies with how information is shown very inconsistently menu to menu. Why can't I see what my advisors recommend in the tree instead of just the quick menu? Where are all of my tooltips? Why can't I keep my civ stats open all the time? (Issues along those lines).

Overall, however, the game is fun. And that, to me, is what's important. Most of the time, it is an enjoyable play experience that adds a new twist to the game and I am having a blast re-learning how to play a new civ game. Civilization 7 is an solid foundation to this new era of civ, and I can't wait to see where it goes.

against all odds you kiss yuri ghost girls who try to murder you whilst avoiding getting electrocuted. this is top-tier gameplay. 10/10 would kiss Zmora again

A short, yet intriguing game that slowly builds with unease. Highly recommend for the very modest price if you enjoy environmental horror, puzzle, and observation games.

This game is an atmospheric masterpiece. Its visceral environments are breathtaking and repulsive at all of the right moments. There is a massive amount of silent, unspoken world building that makes the environment work in a way that I was worried it wasn't going to. This ties the puzzles together to create an intuitive bio-mechanical horrorscape that is like nothing else I have ever experienced. While it took a bit to get used to the combat, it eventually fell into a rhythm that was easy to accomplish - just the right amount of difficulty before it ended up being tedious or frustrating. All in all, I highly recommend this game to anyone who wants a relaxed puzzle experience in a beautifully grotesque world.

That being said, it is incredibly short. I took my time with it, and completed the game in just over five hours. Not that it diminished the experience at all, and I suppose there is some credit to be given to just how much I want more.

This game is a lot of fun - easy to pick up and put down with a gradual learning curve. The gameplay loop is solid and enjoyable, and the progression compliments it very well. Graphically, this game has a unique, consistent aesthetic that's cute and new all at the same time and it only adds to the experience. While it does recommend playing with a controller, I used M+K and had no problems while the controller controls felt kind of clunky (but then again, to me most controller schemes often do). 10/10 would definitely recommend picking this one up!!

This game is a massive, unabashed time-sink that will force you to loose hours on end. I love it. Satisfactory takes the addictive "factory must grow" mindset from other automation games and adds a meticulous vertical addition to it. No longer are you simply optimizing and increasing the efficiency of a production line, but you are trying to figure out ways to make it look good on top of that. This game excels in both of these areas, and combines into an experience that I repeatedly find harder and harder to put down. I'm always incredibly excited to see what is added next and where development will go!

Update: After the 1.0 launch, and almost 1000 hours in, it's only gotten better!!! One my my favorite games that I can just keep playing and playing over and over again. (Of course I can keep making my production line more efficient...)

This game should be nominated in every category.... but alas I can only nominate it for one.

Halo Infinite is a breathtaking return to the classic Halo story, pacing, aesthetic, and feel, and yet it somehow accomplishes this while also bringing so much more to the table. The new open world style compliments the story and pacing of the game perfectly, while also finally allowing us to explore the wonders and mystery of a Halo ring for ourselves. It provides a greater depth to the events that take place within the main story of the game, while also including plenty of references, hidden secrets, and yes, easter eggs for veteran players and lore geeks like myself. Unfortunately, the sandbox of the game does not live up to this level. While the weapons, equipment, and vehicles are amazing in the mission-to-mission format, in the open world they fall apart slightly. Not enough to ruin the experience, or even be frustrating - but enough to be noticeable and annoying in brief moments. These downsides, however, are almost entirely overshadowed by the sheer epic feel of the campaign and the incredibly solid story and gameplay, culminating in a satisfying and amazing game that I will have no problem playing over and over again. And best of yet, for the first time in years, Halo Infinite's story will leave you excited for what's to come, and craving for more. 9/10 would recommend.

Halo Infinite is a breathtaking return to the classic Halo story, pacing, aesthetic, and feel, and yet it somehow accomplishes this while also bringing so much more to the table. The new open world style compliments the story and pacing of the game perfectly, while also finally allowing us to explore the wonders and mystery of a Halo ring for ourselves. It provides a greater depth to the events that take place within the main story of the game, while also including plenty of references, hidden secrets, and yes, easter eggs for veteran players and lore geeks like myself. Unfortunately, the sandbox of the game does not live up to this level. While the weapons, equipment, and vehicles are amazing in the mission-to-mission format, in the open world they fall apart slightly. Not enough to ruin the experience, or even be frustrating - but enough to be noticeable and annoying in brief moments. These downsides, however, are almost entirely overshadowed by the sheer epic feel of the campaign and the incredibly solid story and gameplay, culminating in a satisfying and amazing game that I will have no problem playing over and over again. And best of yet, for the first time in years, Halo Infinite's story will leave you excited for what's to come, and craving for more. 9/10 would recommend.

I have always been more of a Halo Campaign player rather than a fan of it's multiplayer. However, that is looking to change with Infinite. The multiplayer is addictive - I always want to play another match. The sandbox feels unique from it's campaign counterpart, which creates an interesting learning curve and also an entirely different feel. The maps are well designed and detailed and create unique and captivating playspaces for PvP combat. It is a really solid multiplayer gameplay experience... which really makes the horrid storescape a disgrace in comparison. The battlepass progression has improved greatly since launch, and is actually in a state where I would consider it well-done. But the microtransactions in the store really need some work. $10-20 for a handful of the same colors cycled over and over again week after week with a few unique items thrown in is horrible for customization, and this is compounded by the fact that most of these items are for just one armor core - rather than all. The bots can do it, why can't we? Overall, if you're here to have fun playing the game, you will. If customization is important for you... you might be disappointed. But hey, its free to play, right? I'd recommend giving it a try either way. It's a lot of fun.