Recent reviews by buuujjj

First off let's get it out of the way, Nightreign is a challenging rogue-like with Elden Ring mechanics and lore, so if you like either type of game you will probably enjoy this a lot (if you play with a group of friends). The gameplay is fast and frantic, and rewards calculated decisions, and is ultimately reliant on teamwork to win.

The problem with this game though, is the completely basic communication system - the only thing you can do, is ping one point on the map for your teammates to see, or ping an item of choice. That's it. I play with random matchmaking a lot and there are countless times on every mission when I want to either ping "Danger", "Attack now" or "Wait for me" or a host of other pings that already exist in online multiplayer games. The absence of voice comms in a game that requires well-timed coordination to succeed, is frankly absurd to me - did they just assume randoms can hop on discord and talk to each other?

This is in its current state is amazing when you play with a premade, and its a pity playing with random matchmaking can be such a chore all the time, because at the core of it lies a lot of fun. I still had a lot of success, but barring a couple of games I never felt like all 3 of us were on the same page, because we couldn't communicate.

Heck, after you win the 3rd day, the game boots you out back to your own lobby within seconds and you can't even say goodbye to your recently victorious teammates. Detailed Pings, a 2-player mode (you can still use the Seamless Co-op mod) are two fixes that would immensely improve an already fun game.

I think my biggest concern with recommending E:D is the difficulty curve for controls (combat especially) and figuring out the nuances of the game's systems. This is a ridiculously complicated game to get into properly without the use of external guides and tools, so please be prepared to spend hours doing this before you feel comfortable with the game.

I'd compare it to learning how to ride a bike again; you'll fall, skin some knees and suck for a while, but once you figure it out, you're off to wherever your wheels (or frame shift drives) take you.

The lack of a narrative will turn off a lot of people, since there is no one telling you what to do at the start to make your mark on the universe - you just have to figure it out on your own. Remember the first time you booted up Minecraft and had no idea what was going on? If building and crafting is the core of MC, exploration and learning different trades is the bread and butter of E:D.

I love this so much I bought it again on the switch just to play it on the go. When on PC I play with a few QoL mods that really liven things up, but I love the base game just as much.

If you own a steam deck this game was built to be played on the go, just saying.

As for the game itself, there is little else to be said. It's a very pleasant, chill experience with some surprisingly intriguing characters and a steady, strong sense of progression throughout. There is always something to do in this game, it's a boredom destroyer. Beautiful music to tie it all up. On sale it's cheaper than a soda and will keep you entertained for ages

The obvious comparison to draw here is GTA, but that's doing Sleeping Dogs a massive disservice. There are few open world games today that allow you the freedom to explore a bustling Asian city, where you get to play both sides as you skirt the law. The story of this game took me by surprise with how invested I got in Wei Shen (the main character) and the characters and world around him. The game seems to tip its metaphorical hat to Kung-fu and Hong Kong action movies of the past - there's even a complete Enter the Dragon parody DLC that is hilarious to play through - and does so in a way only video games can.

It isn't perfect - I find the driving to be unlike any game I've ever played, which is to say it sucks. You will get used to it, and then need to relearn how to drive to play anything else ever again. All the missions with driving sequences felt hilariously clunky to me, with the physics making no sense. Just consider this a funny arcade game, a la Crazy Taxi.

Speaking of combat, though, using guns isn't really what this is about. Punch people straight to the hospital or throw them into dumpsters and AC ventilator fans - this is brutal, just like the movies it pays homage to. You will do a lot of fighting in this game, so it's good that this is probably where it shines most. Anyone who enjoys action games will pick this up in no time.

This is one of my most recommended games, because of how unique of an experience it is that not many people have tried out. Frequently on sale so worth your dollas, yea?

This is a weird one to recommend. Learning how to play it is a challenge in of itself - Kenshi is set in a brutal post-apocalyptic game world with countless ways to suffer pain and die, what makes it rewarding is figuring out how the world works and slowly making your character(s) stronger and more proficient at a variety of skills, which will ultimately help your group survive and thrive. You are not the chosen one, you're some random dude who will die at the drop of a hat, in a world that will eat you for your 2 coins.

There isn't a main questline with markers and missions for you to follow, but there are quests you can find (for instance in bars) which can and will eventually affect a lot of the pre-existing political situations in the world (the regions are controlled by different factions). This is an emergent gameplay sandbox which means that you essentially write your own story through the various encounters and subsequent decisions you make over the course of your playthrough. Loss is a common theme in this game and the fun is in letting it run its course. If you die, start over. Until then, keep going, even if you have no limbs.

I would recommend watching a few videos or "let's plays" on this so you get a sense of how things work and if you're really up for the experience. It's a roleplayer's game and if you're willing to get past the ageing graphics (but pretty art style), the clunky controls and the brutal gameplay, which I understand is not for everyone, this is truly a unique experience. Also it's dirt cheap on sale.

greatest of all time.

I got my ass beat, learned lessons through metaphors about not giving up, learned to also give up when invaded by naked people with clubs, felt empty inside after beating the game because it was always about the journey not the destination and now the journey was over... ahh it's fine I'll just do it all again on a new character.... right.

Games are rarely designed so well these days. Elden Ring is by no means perfect, but the overall experience of playing this is second to none. It also offers a lot to folks who enjoy their lore in games. Can't wait for the inevitable DLC.

FTL's reputation seems to precede itself, I've been recommended this game by a lot of friends. This is a really fun game to play that doesn't require too much of your time, and has a fairly enjoyable learning curve. I can't speak for the nuances of game balance at higher (skill) levels but for someone who enjoys sci-fi games this was easy for me to get into and I'm glad I picked it up, and I can see myself playing this on and off quite frequently. Definitely worth your time and money, an absolute steal when on sale.

Nothing's really changed since early access. About 90% of the time I've spent on this game was with friends who wanted to squad up; cannot imagine playing this solo due to how mediocre the experience is otherwise.

Bugs, hackers, crashes. Inconveniences that mean you're lucky to have one proper gaming session without a problem. I happen to have a fairly decent system and internet connection, so that's not the issue.

This game should not be this bad for how much money it's earned. The fact that they sold crates containing in-game cosmetics for $$ while the game was still in beta and full of bugs just goes to show what the devs really care about.

There are better games out there built around the same concept but which actually work properly, play those. No, I don't mean Fortnite...

EDIT: There are free versions of this game available now (PUBG Lite, Mobile, etc.) which happen to be far better ways to give this a go. The performance is much better too, from what I've seen.

Pretty challenging to get into and it takes considerable effort to learn various game mechanics. Get past all of that (I gave up a couple of times before succeeding myself) and this can be a really fun, in-depth space-sim sandbox for you to do as you please. Loads of replayability. I'd like to point out that the learning curve is steep and I relied heavily on youtube tutorials to get me up to speed. I would recommend this game to space nuts and people who like stuff like EVE Online. I would not recommend this to anybody who lacks the patience of a monk. Cheerio