Recent reviews by Steve Holt

Probably the smoothest shooting game I have played, not a surprise from iD.

This game does something that I have not felt in a while and that is making you feel powerful. Many games start you off weak with crafting or grinding required to even have basic level gear. You start off strong but against tough enemies. This is a truly raw and brutal game (but it's against demons it's okay). Both you and the enemies scale in power dramatically so that you end up more of a demi-god later in the game.

I don't have a lot of 'wow' moments in gaming, but I am only halfway through and there have already been several. I won't spoil them it's much better to go into this game blind.

Picked this up on sale due to the reviews, and am sorry I did not purchase it earlier.

I am a fan of board games, but many times I find there is more skill than luck involved.

Dune: Imperium definitely has an element of luck, but that is completely outshone by the variety of ways to win and accomplish your goals.

A mix of rougelite, deckbuilding, and strategy gameplay make this the most fun board game that I have ever played. Rarely do I finish a board style game feeling there was a lot more I could have done differently. This game will challenge you to be better to win, and you will want to because the gameplay is so satisfying.

Do not be turned off by the complexity as it is a complex game, but the basics are easy to learn and once you get in the rhythm I guarantee you will be addicted.

One of the most in-depth city builders I have played. I recommend avoiding all advice and instructions on the game. You will re-start a few times but figuring out how things work is a true joy and makes restarting less of a chore as your city will get more efficient as you discover better ways to do things.

I will be watching the progress of this with great interest,

I held off on getting this due to fear of it being a dumbed-down XCOM. In a way that is true, but now I am sorry I did not pick it up sooner. Combat is turn based and will remind XCOM fans of its combat. There are no & chance shots here so any strategy you use will actually work. I found this made the game much less frustrating to play than XCOM, though the tactics are less deep.

I was greatly surprised by the graphics of this game - they are amazing. The textures and lighting look realkly good in 4K. The only complaint I have is that a few of the animations are stiff. This is more noticeable during 3rd person section of the game. Instead of an overview of the base, this time you control a character in 3rd person to explore around and have conversations. I found that this led to an increased sense of feeling part of the world.

For someone who is tired of Marvel movies, this game is a major step in the right direction. Mature themes and jokes that are more than silly puns really add to the game.The customization and story have outpaced XCOM 2 for me so far and I would recommend anyone on the fence to pick this up.

The space game I have been dreaming about since I was a child. Some of the most interesting Bethesda quest lines I have played are in this game. Your PC might need to be from NASA to run it well. My newly-built 7900xtx / 12-i9k barely averages 55 FPS on ULTRA at 4K

I wish Greece was still this cool

In the running for my favorite game of all time. I played it originally for PlayStation 3 but an just awed at how the graphics are improved for PC. Even by today's standard Infinite, and especially the DLC, look amazing and detailed. Irrational games builds a world to enjoy that I have not experienced since the first Bioshock. The setting, scenery, music, and voice acting completely put you in the moment.
My one negative with this game is the repetitive combat. Many times it feels like endless waves of enemies come at you for no other reason than to make the game longer. A small complaint, as the combat is satisfying and the vigors are impactful and fun to use.

Graphics: 10/10
The graphics style used by this game ensures that it will look great for many years to come.

Music: 10/10
The music in this game is perfect. Dark, disturbing tones vibrate into your head while exploring dangerous areas and light, airy music floats across as you travel across the nicer areas of Columbia. Irrational games have nailed the sounds from the time period.

Gameplay: 9/10
The sky hook is innovative and fun to use, but can be frustrating trying to control when new to the game. Combat can be repetitive in parts, but as a whole does not detract from the game too much. The guns are satisfying and have different uses. Ammo can be hard to come by so Elizabeth will keep you stocked if you run low. I only ran into one or two issues with her AI throughout the entire game which I consider a great achievement, as companion in games generally annoy me to death.

Overall: 9.9/10
For me, this is what I want a video game to be. The story, setting, and gameplay all come together in what I can only call a masterpiece. I never thought a game would eclipse my love for the first Bioshock, but Irrational games seems to have done it. If you are a fan of story-driven (if a bit confusing) games, look no further. I would recommend this game to any type of gamer as the adjustable difficulty setting lets you set your own challenge. The only warning I would give is that this game has some highly disturbing parts, which is nothing new for this series. If you can handle that, strap in for the ride of your life.