Recent reviews by ρоѕιтяои_

Streets Of Rage 4 is an arcade action beat 'em up and the next installment of the much beloved classic franchise Streets Of Rage developed by Dotemu/Guard Crush Games/Lizardcube and published by Dotemu/Yooreka Studio (Greater China). Adam Hunter, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding return along with a new cast of characters to once again clean up the mean crime ridden streets of Wood Oak City in this fantastic and long awaited sequel to one of the most adored fighting game franchises of all time. After years of peace a new crime syndicate lead by children of the dreaded Mr. X, known as the Y twins, have seized control of the city for nefarious purposes and now it's up to you to stop them by any means necessary. So prepare for some bare knuckle brawling of epic proportions as this title shifts a tried and true genre into the next generation of gaming.


Superb visuals aside, the fighting is definitely the best aspect of this long awaited title. To start, you can select from a number of characters to play including Axel Stone, Blaze Fielding, Adam Hunter, Floyd Iraia and Cherry Hunter. They all have different fighting styles and characteristics such as speed, stamina and power. It's up to you to decide which of them fits your particular style of play. One of the nice things about this game is learning a characters fighting style and using it to the best of your ability as you dish out justice on the streets of Wood Oak City. All of the characters are quite varied so playing a game from start to finish with each one of them is a unique experience on it's own merits. The controls in this title are simple and intuitive so jumping from one character to another is not a jarring experience when it comes to remembering their abilities. Speaking of control, I think most people would agree that games like this are best played with a control pad so there's an option screen which lists all the moves for the fighters abilities and you can remap the buttons if you see fit but there is also an option to use a keyboard and mouse if you prefer.

This is a brawler so you will face wave after wave of various street toughs, corrupted/misguided cops, cyborgs, syndicate members and all manner of unique adversaries who will try to stop you from interfering with the Y twins diabolical plans. They each have varying behaviors as well as methods of attack and defense so the fighting never gets stale as you will constantly have to adapt to new ways of combating your adversaries not only in abilities but numbers. Sometimes you will find yourself swarmed by enemies with no breathing room so you'll just have to deal with all of them as best as you can in order to survive. In total there are 12 stages spread out in many different locations throughout the city of Wood Oak and at the end of each you will face a "boss" character who will test your fighting abilities in a battle of champions. Also just like in the old days, you can choose to go it alone or have up to three people play with you at the same time and no quarters or tokens needed.


This title is a visual masterpiece that takes the classic style of the old school brawler games and updates it for modern times. The game is not only filled with a dazzling array of gorgeous colors and amazing lighting but the animation is absolutely superb. All the playable characters and N.P.C.'s have an astounding amount of animation on them that really breathes alot of life into the game as you play. Whether the characters are walking, standing still or fighting they all look outstanding as they move about. Add to that the myriad of things occurring in the various backgrounds of the many locations that you traverse over the course of the story and the visual appeal of this title soars. This game definitely captures the attention to detail just as the older games did not only with the characters but the environments as well. Layers upon layers of scrolling background and foreground combine nicely with the midground to create a deep sense of immersion while you move through the stages.

Speaking of the environments, your battles will start out on the streets but as the story unfolds they will take you to a number of unique and interesting places such as the Police Precinct during a riot, past the decks of a cargo ship and through the sewers...watch out for turtles! From there you'll make your way to Chinatown, get aboard a moving skytrain, pass through an art gallery then a city-wide concert. Last but certainly not least a corporate tower and finally Y island the stronghold of the Y twins. Each of these locations are visually stunning and contain so many details in not only the midground but the foreground and backgrounds as well.


Because I love oldschool and retro games it's a no brainer that I was going to really enjoy the Streets Of Rage 4 soundtrack and I did! Some terrific top of the line musicians collaborated to put this soundtrack together such as Yuzo Koshiro, Olivier Deriviere and Motohiro Kawashima among others. I know it's a strange way to describe it but the music sounds both new and old at the same time and that's part of my fascination with it. Even though I never played any of the previous Streets Of Rage titles, alot of videogame music from this particular genre at that time in the past had a certain sound to it and this soundtrack does a wonderful job of replicating that audio.


As stated previously, I never had the pleasure of playing the original titles in their prime but as a new fan I think I was able to dive into this game and enjoy it just as much as the hardcore fans...probably not because if you've been with a franchise from the beginning there's just nothing like that experience when another sequel comes out. Knowing all the characters, the lore and what happened in each game as well as being able to spot all the easter eggs in the backgrounds that relate to previous titles is something that was completely lost on me as a new player. In the glory days of Streets Of Rage, I was a "Double Dragon" guy but playing this title was still a highly enjoyable and very nostalgic experience for me and I will definitely play all the previous games in this excellent franchise.

Replayability is quite high as there are a number of characters to choose from when you play including some unlockable characters from the previous games Streets Of Rage 1-3. It's like a throwback because those unlockable characters look exactly like they appeared in the old titles with the same pixelated appearance and oldschool 8/16-bit sound effects so this was a very cool and once again nostalgic feature. Also, there are a number of modes including Arcade, Battle Rush and Battle Mode not to mention that you can play cooperatively with up to four people offline and two people online.

As for technical problems I never had any but apparently many people on the forums were complaining about crashes with the game? On the downside, without giving away any spoilers, I was a bit disappointed with the games ending but nevertheless the overall experience was quite entertaining. As for extra content, there are a variety of Steam Achievements to hunt down but sadly no Steam Trading Cards to collect. In summary, whether you're a new or old fan this delightful brawler with it's terrific visuals, fantastic oldschool inspired soundtrack and addictive beat 'em up combat will provide hours of fun gameplay so Streets Of Rage 4 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to beat 'em up, retro fighting game fans everywhere.

System Crash is a strategic story-rich cyberpunk card game both developed and published by Rogue Moon Studios. Set in the not too distant future this is a story of intrigue, corporate espionage and cyberwarfare. Being a runner is a good, if not dangerous, career choice but after a mission in Berlin goes horribly bad you spend the next couple of months forcibly globetrotting while on the run from Corporate assassins intent on killing you. Eventually evading the pursuers you finally end up back in the "Sprawl", a.k.a. San Angeles, down on your luck and looking to make some much needed credits. But a runner without a console can't get any credits so after forging a deal with a local loan shark and finally getting your hands on some black market cyberware you hastily start down your road to redemption. A road that will take you through the darkest most dangerous places in both cyberspace and the real world...JACK IN!!!


Other than "Shadowhand" and of course "Gwent", I've not had much luck at finding a really good card game that I actually enjoyed playing...until now that is. System Crash is just so much FUN! It's one of those casual games that you can pick up intending to play a hand or two for only a couple of minutes and before you know it an hour or more has quickly gone by. Also, I'm not that bright and I can tell you with ease that I've had a hard time following the tutorials in most of the card games that I previously tried. It's just really hard to truly enjoy a game if you can't get the basics down. However with this title the tutorial was intuitive and after only a couple of battles I was able to grasp the fundamentals of gameplay with ease.

I'm a big fan of "Puzzle Quest" which is the absolute best match-3 title available. For anyone who is familiar with or has played "Puzzle Quest" I would best describe System Crash as being very similar to it but instead of fantasy and match-3 it's cyberpunk and card battles. Also, the card battling in this title has a very engrossing story wrapped around it but the basic gameplay consists of you getting into combat against various enemies which could include people, mechs or computer systems that need to be hacked in order to accomplish your many objectives. Victory is achieved if you can use the cards in your cyberdeck to defeat your opponents deck so strategy and tactics are vital. The cards themselves are basically characters both human and mech armed with ballistic weapons of varying degrees of lethality. Some have more firepower and health than others. Many cards even have special abilities as well as buffs that can increase the effectiveness of your other cards in play such as increased firepower or additional armor among other attributes.

During each round you and your opponent are both granted a total number of points that you can use on your turn in battle. All the cards in your hand cost a certain amount of points to play depending on what type of card that it is so you must strategically decide which cards to place and when to place them if you want to come out of the battle victorious. This battle of tactics and strategic matching of wits is the absolute best part of this glorious game. Also, besides the addictive card battle gameplay I would say that the cards themselves are one of the stars of this excellent title. Depending on your particular style of play you can customize your decks using the various types of characters from the game such as the "Runners", the "Anarchists", "Corporate", the "Yakuza" and "MetroSec" a.k.a. the law as well as all the other different program cards, tactical cards, weapon/armor cards and many others.

The cards have a hierarchy from the Basic or lower level cards to the Veterans which are mid level all the way up to the Elites which are the most powerful, expensive and hardest to acquire cards in the game. Speaking of which, you can get more cards by either buying them on the Black Market with credits that you earn over the course of the narrative or winning them as you defeat various opponents and achieve objectives in the game. The way that you stack your cyberdeck is completely up to your preference and skills. You may also need to specifically tailor a deck with certain cards in order to defeat a particularly difficult opponent as I had to do a couple of times. When it comes down to the overall gameplay I guess the phrase "Easy to learn hard to master" definitely applies to this title.


This game is simply gorgeous! It has all the visual presentation that you would expect of a cyberpunk title...a dark dystopian future, a huge megalopolis teaming with neon lights, flickering Japanese signage, those awesome flying cars and cool looking but highly dubious characters lurking everywhere. The campaign's story is told through various cutscenes of characters meeting face to face in a variety of locations throughout the city and also in text messages while in cyberspace. Along the way you'll get into intense gun battles in back alleyways with the Yakuza, get hassled by the "man" and just find yourself in all manner of unique predicaments over the course of the terrific narrative.

The illustrations for both the various locales of the city and the portrait artwork of the many characters in the game are stunningly beautiful while also sticking heavily to the aformentioned cyberpunk theme of the game which is lots of cool haircuts, awesome outfits and augmentations. The U.I. interface for the card battles is highly stylized, expertly laid out and intuitive. All the information that you need is readily visible and you can tab over any card on the battlefield at any time to see it's statistics and what it does which is quite helpful. Overall, I would say that this titles visual presentation is of the highest quality and you can see that the developers put a lot of hard work and effort into this game.


The aural presentation in this title is top notch with crisp high fidelity sound effects for the card battles as well as the user interface. Also, the musical score is bursting with cyberpunk inspired tracks that fit the bleak tone of the game perfectly whether you're battling some ruthless mercenaries intent on putting you in a grave or just having chit-chat with a fellow runner in a dark alley as the rain plummets down around you. Overall I'd have to say that the sound quality in this title does a fantastic job of immersing you in the world of cyberpunk.


I'll say the same thing about this game that I did when I came across "Puzzle Quest"...this is indeed one of those "hidden gem" titles that I'm so fond of discovering on Steam. It's always great to acquire a game in your library that will consistently keep you entertained for long periods of time and not just some title that you play once for a few weeks never to pick up again. Aside from the addictive card combat, I also really enjoyed the narrative portion of this game. It takes you on a grand adventure through the city full of intrigue, fascinating characters, gun battles and even adds some much needed comic relief as the nature of the story is often very serious most of the time.

Replayability is very high because of the dynamic combat and different decks that you can build. D.L.C. comes in the form of the "Deluxe Edition Content" which adds the wonderful soundtrack and high-resolution wallpapers alongside "Underworld" that includes a new campaign. I managed to complete my first playthrough with D.L.C. in just over 49 hours. On the technical side, I experienced a glitch a few times during card battle where the game became unresponsive but this was easily solved with a restart...nothing game breaking. In summary, the cyberpunk themed narrative and fantastic card combat made for a truly thrilling gaming experience so System Crash is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to cyberpunk, card game, strategy and story-rich gamers everywhere!

Celestial Crossing is a story-rich visual novel both developed and published by Touwaku Studio. In this title you are Hikaru, a bit of a slacker high school student and hardcore gamer who spends most of his time playing his favorite video game Celestial Crossing. One night through a series of strange occurrences Hikaru suddenly discovers that his in-game avatar is somehow in his real world home. Now face to face with a seven foot tall female elf battlemage with a hot temper...what could possibly go wrong? Follow along with Hikaru as he tries to curtail the wild antics of his avatar Nerith while she attempts to adjust to life in the real world until he can find a way to send her back to where she belongs. Let the high jinks ensue!


First off, the artwork in this visual novel is superb with a manga inspired art style that is filled with lush gorgeous colors as well as terrific shading. Additionally, the characters eyes blink and they also change facial expressions regularly depending on their mood during dialogue so this really helps with immersion as you read. Also, you're given a number of decisions and responses to make over the course of the story which could affect the ending that you receive so choose wisely. Overall, I would say this novel checks off all the right boxes for a great visual novel experience...an interesting story, fantastic illustrations and a branching narrative.


The aural presentation is more than adequate with musical tracks appropriate for humorous, dramatic and emotional moments during the narrative however there are no ambient or "background" noises which really could have increased immersion. Also, this V.N. features voiced dialogue for all the characters other than the protagonist which is a nice addition even though I typically prefer my visual novels without voiced dialogue. Nevertheless, the voice actors here did an exceptional job with the script so you won't be disappointed with the performances.


This was a highly enjoyable visual novel with it's "fish out of water" storyline and ample amounts of laughable moments which served to break up the sometimes serious and emotional nature of the narrative. On the technical side, I didn't have any issues other than a few typos in the dialogue which is normal for any visual novel. The only drawback for me was that this V.N. is extremely short in that I managed to complete my first read in a little over two hours. Replayability is high though as there are some choices to be made which could effect the ending that you receive as well as the achievements that you get. Also, the novel has the basic V.N. options for sound/music volume and text speed. As far as content goes, there are a small number of Steam Achievements to hunt down and Steam Trading Cards to collect. Overall, despite its short length this story provides a terrific read filled with hilarity and wonderful artwork so Celestial Crossing is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to fans of the visual novel genre.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a sci-fi action adventure title developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. You take on the role of Cal Kestis a Jedi Padawan who's gone into hiding after Order 66 is initiated immediately decimating the Jedi Order and bringing them to the brink of extinction. During an on the job accident Cal uses his powers of the force to save a co workers life and thus sets the Jedi hunting Inquisitors on his trail without haste. After a thrilling chase through a scrapyard and a skirmish with the Empire he barely manages to escape with the help of Cera Junda, a former Jedi, and pilot Greez Dritus. Together this ragtag group sets off on a galaxy spanning adventure to try and rebuild the Jedi Order while being relentlessly hunted by the Jedi killing Inquisitorius lead by the ruthless Second Sister. Prepare for grand adventure and a riveting emotionally packed story which expands on the lore of Order 66 and it's impact on the Jedi Order.


As someone who's never played a Dark Souls title or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice I went into this game completely blind to the "Souls-like" tag in which the title has been given. I have a short temper and I also have to admit that I've steered clear of the Dark Souls franchise over the years because of how hard people say the games are. Playing the same sequence over and over again for hours trying to defeat a certain enemy is NOT my idea of fun and that's exactly what happened to me in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and you know what...it WAS fun! Some of the opponents in this game made me want to immediately ragequit and walk away forever but I kept trying and trying until I finally defeated them and it was such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. I would scream and curse at the monitor and my dog would look at me like I was a lunatic but nevertheless a good time was had.

At it's core this is a third person action adventure game with lite R.P.G. aspects that also includes gameplay elements such as platforming and puzzle solving. I'm not a fan of heights so the platforming elements always made me a little nervous but scaling the outside of a AT-AT and jumping from the side of one cliff face to another was exhilarating. While I wouldn't consider the majority of the puzzles "brain-bending", they nevertheless were alot of fun to solve. Exploration is also encouraged as there are a number of secrets and hidden chests ripe with loot to be obtained for those willing to spend some time and effort to look for them. Mix these aspects with the intense combat and you have a title with plenty of gameplay mechanics to keep you entertained over the course of the intriguing narrative. Tagging along for the journey is your faithful companion which is a droid named BD-1. BD will also assist Cal when it comes to slicing doors and computers to allow access to previously unaccessible areas, providing stims for healing while in combat and scanning various items, people or creatures which will add entries to a codex for reading up on Star Wars lore.

Moving on to the bread and butter of the title besides the fantastic story is the intense combat. In the beginning I found it extremely frustrating because for the life of me I just could not seem to get the combat mechanics of this game down. I was getting slaughtered over and over again by the weakest enemies in the game so taking on tougher opponents was a complete nightmare. It took nearly fifteen hours of playtime but I finally managed to grasp the basics of combat and was even able to enjoy and look forward to fighting tougher enemies. Block, parry, dodging and striking at opportune times along with utilizing the force and analyzing how your opponents attack will eventually lead you to victory if you're patient and strategic about combat. However, rushing into battle hoping to just hit something over and over again for a quick kill will inevitably end in your untimely defeat. Over the course of the game you will fight an abundance of different creatures, automatons and humanoids all with varying combat styles and abilities so the fighting manages to stay fresh throughout the title and does not stagnate at all.

Additionally, there's a fair amount of customization involved in the game as well. Many of the chests that you find as you explore will yield new "skins" that you can use to change Cal's poncho, BD-1's color scheme and the color of your ship the Mantis. As it's always fun to fight with a lightsaber in a Star Wars game you can also customize Cal's weapon with parts that you discover through adventuring. Change the color of the beam, the hilt, add a different switch, etc. at any workbench.


It's a Star Wars title so of course the visual presentation is of the finest quality. Superb lighting, crisp textures, fantastic animation and a gorgeous color palette round out the wonderful visuals of this exceptionally beautiful game. This is a linear action adventure title that sends you on a quest to a number of different worlds each with unique biomes, landscapes and architecture as well as indigenous lifeforms, flora and fauna abound. All the environments are highly detailed whether you're traipsing through some Imperial base or meandering around any number of alien landscapes. For example, while walking through the scrapyard I stopped for a moment to look at a pile of old Clone Trooper helmets that someone had placed on a shelf, it's little things like this that make you truly admire the visual quality and attention to detail in this game. Likewise, the cutscenes are well done with fluid animations, superb textures and life-like movements on all the characters be they man, woman, beast or droid.


Practically every Star Wars game that you play is going to have iconic sounds from the franchise that you immediately recognize such as the Stormtroopers blaster bolts, the roaring engines of a squadron of Tie Fighters as they fly by to, of course, the sound that a light saber makes as it is activated. These sounds and more that are staples of the Star Wars universe are in abundance in this title as well as many new effects created just for this game and they all sound amazing. Likewise, the musical score also shares the orchestrated flair and tone of what you would expect from the Star Wars Universe. Beautifully rendered tracks that each fit the mood of the game from tense emotional moments to the epic battle sequences that take place over the course of the superb storyline. As far as aural presentation goes, this title is of the upmost quality in that aspect of the games overall presentation.


As a Star Wars fan and a gamer in general I absolutely loved this title as the story was simply amazing! The combat was frustrating because I was SO horrible at it yet I still could not put this game down. I would come back for more punishment over and over again. Combine that combat addiction with the fantastic visuals and intriguing narrative and you get a solid purchase. It's not without it's flaws however as there was some stuttering and sometimes at the most inopportune of times. I also experienced some problems with the camera during combat particularly if a foe backed you up against a wall...you literally could not see where you were in order to escape. Yet besides those issues I didn't suffer any game breaking glitches like I read about on the forum.

Replayability is only fair as there currently are no achievements but you could go back and try to find all the chests and secret areas. As for extras, there will be no D.L.C. for this title but there are Steam Trading Cards to collect and Steam Achievements are also due to be added soon. In summary, if you're looking to go on a grand space adventure and partake in epic battles then look no further because Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to story-rich, action adventure gamers who crave a challenge.

XCOM 2 is a strategy turn-based tactical game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. Following unconditional surrender by the world governments and the decimation of the last line of defense formally known as XCOM, this title takes place some twenty years after the events of the previous game with Earth now fully under control of the alien forces lead by the powerful Elders. Once again taking up the mantle of Commander of the XCOM forces, it's up to you to both unite and lead the ragtag group of resistance forces scattered across the planet against the aliens and take back our world...welcome to XCOM! This award winning title is the next chapter in Firaxis Games fantastic re-imagining of one of the absolute best strategy games of all time. Vigilo Confido!!!


I've played many a turn-based strategy game over the past couple of years and I can say without a doubt that this title is one of the greatest in the genre. XCOM 2 has taken the best parts of the previous game XCOM Enemy Unknown and improved upon them vastly for this title. The intense strategic turn-based combat is thoroughly challenging while at the same time highly enjoyable and quite addictive. This is one of those games that will deal out a crushing defeat causing you to hop out of your chair and storm out of the room screaming that you will NEVER play that *bleeping* game again only to return an hour later ready to try all over...again. Yes it's that good! The gameplay is well polished, the U.I. is intuitive and the story, although the alien invasion theme has been done to death, is also quite intriguing. Back to the combat which is the very best feature of this title, it is of course turn-based and initiates whenever you and your opponents make visual contact on the battlefield. From there it's up to you to use strategy and tactics along with the chosen loadout of weaponry and skills that your squad possesses to try and achieve victory against the alien menace. Carefully determining where to position your troops, taking adequate cover, combining skills, using the right weapon at the right time, all these factors and so much more come into account when you go into the battles of XCOM 2.

This fine title also features other wonderful gameplay aspects such as base building and inventory/resource management. XCOM's new base of operations is aboard the Avenger which is a gigantic flying aircraft carrier housing a number of sections dedicated to engineering, research, operations, a hangar, living quarters and many more vital and unused sections. It's the "unused" sections which fall under the base building portion of the game. After recruiting much needed engineers to join XCOM you'll have the opportunity to clear out the debris scattered about these dormant rooms of the Avenger's bowels. From there it becomes the Commanders prerogative as to what facilities to construct in order to further your efforts to resist the alien threat. A few examples would be a laboratory for your scientists to conduct vital research on recovered alien technology that would then allow your engineers to create armor, weaponry and technology of your own. Another choice of facility could be an infirmary that would cut down on the recovery time for your injured soldiers as well as treat any negative traits that they might acquire while in combat such as a fear of fire or a chance to panic at the sight of a particular alien. The fun here is deciding what is most vital to your war efforts and procuring the resources to further your goals. Last but certainly not least is the customization of your soldiers. This was a prime feature of XCOM: Enemy Unknown and it returns in full force with the sequel.


As visually stunning as I found the previous title to be this game manages quite well to outshine that entry in every conceivable way with it's wonderful lighting, beautiful high resolution textures and gorgeous yet highly varied environments. Something that immediately caught my attention with this game is the procedurally generated maps. I loved XCOM Enemy Unknown but after playing it for some time you would get to the point where you'd see the same locations used over and over just with different names. XCOM 2 eliminated this issue with the randomly generated maps so you always feel as though you're visiting new locations which is fantastic and with over two hundred hours of gameplay I can testify to that fact. I NEVER felt like I was seeing the same sites again and again.

Speaking of the environments, they're all absolutely stunning and since this title takes place twenty years later you're treated to the developers vision of the future as far as architecture, vehicles, clothing and various technology among other things are concerned. Yet another nice aspect was seeing the changes in how the aliens looked in this title as opposed to how they appeared in the previous game. From the Mutons, Chryssalids, Elders to the Sectoids and others, it was nice to see how the character designs evolved over time as they tend to do from game to game. In addition, you're also introduced to some new breeds of alien to do battle against as well. Overall, the visual presentation of this title is a big step up from the previous entry.


The sound quality in this title is truly exceptional. From the effects utilized for the user interface to the sounds of combat, weapons, characters and more, they're all great and in high fidelity. I'm a big fan of videogame music and I listen to this superb soundtrack ALL the time. The musical score is simply phenomenal with an abundance of great tracks for XCOM 2 as well as the expansion pack War Of The Chosen. You also have the option at any point in the game to change the soundtrack to one of three different selections ranging from the afformentioned XCOM 2/War Of The Chosen to the previous title XCOM: Enemy Unknown and music from the very first game in the franchise XCOM: UFO Defense. Needless to say, whichever score that is selected you won't be disappointed.


I enjoyed XCOM 2 so much that I started a second playthrough mere hours after completing the first and this is something that I've NEVER done for any game prior to this. Just as many would consider "The Witcher III: Wild Hunt" to be a benchmark title for roleplaying games then I would have to argue that XCOM 2 is indeed a benchmark for the tactical turn-based genre. Addictive strategic yet challenging combat, a great storyline and eye catching visuals all combine here for an extremely amazing gaming experience. On the technical side, I didn't have any issues with this title other than one crash to desktop but that occurred over a span of two hundred hours of gameplay. The only other gripe about the title is the sheer amount of times that you miss shots during the earlier stages of the game but that seems to be a recurring theme with titles in this genre...yeah I'm looking at you Shadowrun and Wasteland 2.

Replayability is very high due to the procedural maps. Amend to that the added diversity in which you can play the tactical combat, the huge amount of achievements which can't possibly be attained in just one playthrough and a extensive modding community. As for extra content, there's D.L.C. available in the form of "The Tactical Legacy Pack", "The Reinforcement Pack" and "The Resistance Warrior Pack" which adds new game modes, weapons and customizations along with a narrative driven mission. Finally, there's "War Of The Chosen" which is an expansion pack that delivers new factions and hero classes as well as a terrifying group of enemies to the storyline of the game. In conclusion, if you're a fan of science fiction, isometric games or tactical turn-based combat then your library would be incomplete without this exceptional title so XCOM 2 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

GreedFall is a open-world fantasy adventure R.P.G. developed by Spiders and published by Focus Home Interactive. This title is set during the the 17th century and begins in the currently ailing but formally bustling port city of Serene where a mysterious illness known as the Malichor has decimated the population and transformed the city into a mere shadow of it's former glory. You take on the role of De Sardet, the newly appointed Legate of the Congregation of Merchants, alongside your cousin Constantin who is also the newly appointed Governor of the far off city which is your current destination. The two of you set sail on a grand expedition to the mysterious and mostly uncharted island of Ter Fradee where you hope to find a cure for the outbreak of the disease that has brought Serene as well as many other regions around the world to the brink of annihilation. A vast foreign land, strange flora, weird creatures and unknown natives...prepare to go on the adventure of a lifetime to this wondrous place!


I found many of the R.P.G. aspects of the gameplay highly enjoyable while other facets not so much. Though limited in scope you can customize your characters appearance in the beginning of the game to your preference. Gender, race, hairstyle, facial features and skin tone are some of the choices at your disposal. Of course as the game progresses, your character gains experience points from completing various tasks and quests. Eventually accrue enough X.P. and you increase in level and are granted, depending on said level, a skill, attribute or talent point. From there you can spend the points on a very robust skill tree granting you the ability to create the type of character that you envision be that a mage, fighter, ranged character or a combination of the various classes.

Once I finally got a handle on it I found the combat in this title fun though it lacks variety. After awhile you'll find yourself just doing the same thing over and over again and the enemies other than the bosses tend to lack complexity and challenge in their attacks. You have the option to take up to two companions out of a total of five with you as you travel about Ter Fradee completing your investigations and questing. Each of them have vastly different personalities and bring something different to the group as far as skills and combat tactics go. So depending on the situation at hand you may want to choose appropriate companions whose strengths and affiliations will benefit you in the coming battle or parley that you may have. For example, Siorra is a native of Ter Fradee so if you need to engage in negotiations with native people her skills and knowledge of island customs could be quite beneficial to you especially if you have very low charisma. She also may be able to talk you out of a possible confrontation and avoid bloodshed of any kind which could serve to strengthen your nations overall relations with the natives.

There's also a large number of weapons and armor sets that you can acquire by purchasing them from vendors, looting from defeated enemies or discovering through exploration in various places. One-handed swords, large two handed weapons, ranged ballistic armaments and magical trinkets are just a few of the many choices. As far as armor goes and depending on your style there are a great many hats, helmets, cuirasses, gauntlets and boots many with a 17th century flair that you can outfit your character and team with. Of course all of these items can be upgraded through a crafting system that you can also use to create various potions, ointments, bullets, or items that may aid you in a quest that you need to complete.


I found this title visually stunning with nicely crafted environments, wonderful textures in most places and exquisite lighting that is a veritable feast for the eyes. It also excels at immersing you in the 17th century colonial era as far as the architecture, clothing, technology and speech among many other aspects are concerned. The various cities that you visit over the course of the game are detailed, wonderfully laid out and populated with many citizens going about with their daily lives working and carrying on. You can speak with many of the residents and most of them have interesting things to say about you, the island or current events. The cities themselves never feel barren and lifeless as people are always around except at night when most of the decent folk retire to their homes and the seedier individuals in the form of thieves and brigands come out.

However, as great as this title looks it is not without some graphical flaws particularly in the cities. All of the buildings use the same inside assets over and over again so the houses, government buildings and taverns as well as many other structures have the exact same interior layout no matter which city you visit them in which tends to become quite annoying after you've passed through them a few times. Thankfully, the other areas of the island in the form of the wilderness does not suffer from this same problem. Each location that you visit in the wild is unique and you will never see the same stretch of land twice.


Overall I found the aural presentation of this title to be fairly impressive. The sound effects for everything from the user interface as well as in-game effects, particularly the combat, were terrific. However, maybe it's just me but I did find the accents for the natives of Ter Fradee quite strange. Their language sounds like an amalgam of three possibly four different dialects and it just sounds weird especially depending on what they say? On the other hand, the musical score was excellent with a couple of highly memorable tracks that quickly became favorites of mine. One thing that bothered me though was the fact that as you wandered around the island some music would begin to play whenever you got near any enemies be they man or beast. It was almost like an early warning device and I just did not like that at all. It soon got to the point of being annoying but nevertheless this game still managed to thrill me with it's sound quality.


This game turned out to be much better than I expected based on the impressions that I got from E3. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the sidequests were also interesting and not just boring filler meant to pad the games length, the visuals were spectacular for the most part and the combat enjoyable if not a bit repetitive. Keeping in mind that this is dubbed a "AA" game developed by a studio with limited staff and resources I think they did a fantastic job on the title and I for one am really looking forward to a sequel hopefully in the years to come. Replayability is adequate because of the different combat styles you can choose from as well as the decisions to be made during the narrative which can affect the ending. As for problems, I did suffer the dreaded "armor glitch" for a small time but nothing game breaking like some people complained about on the forums. Thankfully the title ran smooth as butter during my entire playthrough.

On the downside, I hated the fact that enemies respawned and so very often. As someone who loves to explore it was extremely annoying to fight the same beasts and brigands over and over and over again if you had to revisit an area and that was something that you had to do quite a few times in this game in order to complete certain quests. Can it be? A new game is released without having parts of it sliced off to be sold as "D.L.C." later on? That's right you get the entire game in one shot so there is no downloadable content coming yes this is ALL there is. In conclusion, an intriguing story that takes you to a unknown location, decent combat mechanics, wonderful visuals and great sound are all the reasons why Greedfall is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to R.P.G., adventure and story-rich gamers one and all!

Snares Of Ruin 2 is a casual independent R.P.G. both developed and published by Astronomic Games. Once again ace detective Hank Anderson and his trusty partner Gwen head up an investigation this time in the city of Malrith to track down a mysterious serial killer who is leaving a trail of bodies all throughout the metropolis. The gangs all here as you will also team up with pivotal characters from the first title. Dr. Alzyra, a brilliant vampire scientist, Medina, a compassionate nurse and last but not least Miroslava, a strong-willed one-woman wrecking crew. Also, two new people will join the investigation as Hank and his team attempt to put an end to the killing spree that is terrorizing the city.


Like the first title this is a roleplaying game with your character earning skill points for completing various objectives. Said skill points can then be used to upgrade a skill tree consisting of Athletics for physical feats, Charisma used to coerce or gain information from other people and Erudition which is knowledge that can be applied to the use of science and computers. You can use these skill points to tailor your version of Hank Anderson as you see fit by investing all points into one ability or spreading them out for a more balanced character...the choice is yours. Choose carefully though as the skills that Hank possesses will allow him to handle situations in varying ways of success or failure. Another new addition to the series which I absolutely enjoyed is the city map which allows you to actually drive your car to different locations around town. This really adds to the feeling of being a detective as you move around to various crime scenes and search for clues.

There are also sidequests available in the form of "Missing Persons" whom you can choose to pursue on your off-time or while conducting the main investigation if you decide to take on the extra work. Locating these people, preferably alive, will net you additional skill points and currency to spend and it will have an effect on the overall safety and well being of the entire city. As with the original title you have the opportunity to pursue one or more romances with a number of female friends and co-workers over the course of the game if you should choose to do so. Exploration of the locations that you investigate is encouraged as you'll sometimes find useful items that can aid you in some way if you're resourceful and keep your eyes open.


This is a RPGMaker title that makes terrific use of the programs assets. The locations are wonderfully laid out, nicely detailed and filled with bright and beautiful colors when appropriate like in the suburbs for example and dreary tones when necessary for say...an abandoned warehouse or the sewers beneath the city. There's alot of variety to the many different areas that you visit over the course of the story. As opposed to Snares Of Ruin and Snares Of Ruin Zero, this title went in a completely different direction with some of the visuals and I for one really enjoyed the new aesthetics very much. The environments have a similar look to the previous games but the in-game sprites and character art used during dialogue sequences has changed altogether. The new cutscene artwork has a grittier look to it in my opinion and it really fits in nicely with the gumshoe narrative of this terrific game. The characters also move their lips during dialogue which definitely helps with immersion as you read.

Moving on, once again you'll visit a myriad of different locations throughout the city as you conduct your investigations from the City Center to the business district and the suburbs as well as the more affluent areas of town. You'll also get a chance to spend some leisure time with your co-workers at a restaurant, a bowling alley, the city park or a bar just to name a few examples. Overall, I really enjoyed the changes made in the visual presentation between this latest title and the previous entries.


The aural presentation of this game is terrific from the sounds of the user interface to various in-game sound effects such as cell phones ringing, combat as well as many others. The soundtrack is also fantastic and I really wish it was available for download but sadly like the previous games it is not. Such a shame though as many of those songs are quite memorable and have a catchy beat.


I enjoyed this game so much dare I say even moreso than the original title perhaps? The story was intriguing, the gameplay alot of fun with even some new elements introduced and a terrific new visual style that I adored. As always you can create the type of detective that you envision and there are a bevy of choices to make throughout the narrative that have an impact on current events as well as the ending. Replayability is high, again due to the decisions that you can make and for acquiring all the achievements if that's your thing. Also if you're fans of Astronomic Games and you pay close attention you might spot a couple of "easter eggs" hidden over the course of the narrative.

On the technical side, I didn't have many issues but did start to suffer some lag and a crash to desktop towards the end of the title but nothing game breaking. As far as extra content goes, there are an abundance of Steam Achievements to hunt down but sadly no Steam Trading Cards to collect. In summary, I loved this next title in the franchise and really look forward to more sleuthing adventures with detective Hank Anderson and his crew so Snares Of Ruin 2 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to story-rich roleplaying gamers who also like the fact that choice matters.

Aviary Attorney is an independent adventure visual novel both developed and published by Sketchy Logic. This intriguing story follows the adventures of the Aviary Attorney office of chief litigator JayJay Falcon and his faithful apprentice Sparrowson as they take on their latest cases in the city of Paris circa 1848. The V.N. features four chapters of captivating tales as JayJay and Sparrowson investigate crime scenes, interview witnesses and defend their clients in a dutiful court of law. Suspenseful courtroom antics a.k.a. "Perry Mason Moments" and shock as well as awe are abound in this highly entertaining and dramatic visual novel.


As aesthetics go this novel is simply gorgeous, the artwork by 19th century caricaturist J.J. Grandville is unique in that I've read a number of V.N.'s on Steam and have yet to peruse anything even remotely close to the illustrations on display here. It's really quite refreshing to get a visual novel that doesn't rely on the standard anime/manga art style that is just so prevalent in this genre. The narrative is told through the use of anthropomorphic animals such as birds, dogs, mice, rabbits, etc. The developers also make keen use of some of the various characters names. For example, there's a mule in the story named Neighthan...get it? Ha! You also maintain an inventory which is rare for a visual novel. It's composed of an evidence folder used to contain various clues and items that you acquire as you investigate, a dossier containing pictures and names of some people that you speak with and of course your wallet holding all the francs that you currently have on hand. Add to that a blackjack-like card game that you can play at a local tavern to earn some additional francs and the presentation of this title increases.

In addition this is the most animated V.N. that I've come across in that it seriously breaks the monotonous static nature of the 2D characters found in most visual novels. All the characters move their mouths when speaking the dialogue, they also blink their eyes and even turn around and pace back and forth on screen when the occasion warrants it. All this physical activity really helps with immersion as you read the story. Something else I found interesting was how the developers cleverly managed to weave modern day pop culture references into the narrative even though it takes place in 1848. I won't spoil anything by mentioning some of them here but you will come across them and you'll laugh when you do because it's brilliant and very funny. You also get to make some decisions over the course of the branching storyline particularly when you're cross-examining people in the courtroom and these decisions will affect current events as well as the narratives outcome so choose wisely.


The musical score by composer Camille Saint-Saëns is absolutely wonderful filled with brilliant orchestral songs and renditions of some highly recognizable tunes. Also worthy of note are the amazing sound effects particularly the ambient sounds such as the footsteps of characters as they move around on screen or the chattering of people in a tavern and other "background" noises that truly immerse one as you read any visual novel. I can think of many a V.N. that could take notes from this entry on the impressive usage of music and sound to enhance the storytelling as demonstrated here. In summary, I would have to rate the aural presentation of this visual novel as top notch.


I've said this over and over again but this time I really mean it...just like all the other times that I said it but this is one of the best visual novels that I've read to date on Steam. A mysterious and engaging yet completely interactive story, gorgeous visuals, memorable music and highly immersive sound effects...also Sparrowson is just plain hilarious! In addition the novel really makes you care for the characters and not just the protagonists but for many others as well. Overall Aviary Attorney is as fine an example of a visual novel there is and would make an excellent first entry for anyone wanting to try out the genre for the first time. Replayability is high as the choices that you make both in and out of the courtroom can have vastly different consequences depending on your actions. Length-wise, I managed to finish this novel in about 9 hours which is more than an adequate amount of time compared to many of the V.N.'s that I've completed previously.

As for content, the V.N. has the basic options for sound/music volume as well as text speed. Also, the wonderful soundtrack by Camille Saint-Saëns is available as downloadable content for listening at your leisure. Sadly there are no Steam Achievements available for this title but Steam Trading Cards are there for the collecting. In conclusion, this visual novels thought provoking narrative, unique artwork and thoroughly entertaining dialogue make for a terrific entry in the genre so Aviary Attorney is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for fans of the visual novel genre as well as anyone wanting to experience an intriguing narrative.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a cyberpunk stealth action R.P.G. developed by Eidos Montreal and published by Square Enix. Nearly a year after the events of the previous title Deus Ex: Human Revolution...Jensen, now working for Interpol's TF29 which is an elite anti-terrorist group, is soon thrust into a maze of political intrigue as he tries to uncover a world-wide conspiracy and expose the shadowy figures responsible. This title takes you on an amazingly stylized and brilliantly visualized story-rich adventure to the not too distant future where the lines between man and machine are heavily blurred. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is the next installment in one of the longest running and most beloved franchises in gaming history so prepare yourself for a thought provoking cybernetically enhanced action adventure.


For anyone who loves cyberpunk or stealth games, you get the very best of both worlds with this exceptional title which does a fantastic job of successfully merging those two very popular genres together. Add to that the wonderful R.P.G. mechanics in which you gain experience as you complete tasks, explore hidden locations, etc. Those experience points then grant you a Praxis Kit which you can use to add or upgrade an augment to Jensens impressive suite of cybernetically enhanced abilities. There are a large amount of skills available so you can tailor him to your particular style of play be that lethal, non-lethal or stealth. Another of this titles strong points is the non-linear gameplay or the option to complete objectives in a multitude of ways. As an elite augmented agent, Jensen has the skill and hardware to carry out missions anyway that he sees fit so the choice is yours. You can choose to go in guns blazing killing everyone and everything or you can opt for a more subtle approach and take out your opponents from the shadows and distance with non-lethal attacks. As far as his ballistic arsenal goes, Jensen can gain access to a number of different weapons from handguns, rifles, stun-guns and more which can all be upgraded to some extent either through crafting or by acquiring add-ons such as scopes, silencers and various types of ammunition.

If you're a gamer like me who likes to explore the worlds of various R.P.G.'s and find loot then you will not be disappointed with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided as you'll find plenty of opportunities between missions to wander around Prague and Golem City among other locations to search for items and places of interest. Sometimes you may happen upon people or various situations and find an additional sidequest to complete. There's also a large amount of information to be read in the form of pocket secretaries and e-books laying about as well as e-mails that you can access by hacking locked computer terminals. Additionally, you can learn alot of things by listening in on conversations between N.P.C.'s both friendly and non-friendly as you move about. I never passed up the chance to eavesdrop on people talking, especially about events that Jensen somehow was involved in. The entirety of game mechanics for this title brings many things into play, no pun intended, so you're sure to be well entertained over the course of the story.


This is without a doubt one of the most visually impressive games that I've ever played. From the beautiful yet colorful architecture and interesting landmarks of futuristic Prague to the cramped augmented slums of Golem City and beyond, each environment that you visit in this title is meticulously detailed in the layout and just a pleasure to explore. I spent so much time walking around various locations taking in the gorgeous visuals as I ventured about and searched for hidden places and items. The crisp high resolution textures, exquisite lighting effects and fantastic animation really add to the overall presentation as well. Something else that really caught my eye graphically with this title is the insane amount of detail given to the clothing and armor that all characters in the game wear. It has a futuristic flair but without being over the top and seems like style that could actually be trending in twenty years or so.

The hardware and technology as far as the vehicles, electronics, etc. are also designed equally well and just look so cool also without being outrageous. Moving on to the N.P.C.'s, I found the character models used in the game to be excellent as well, however, they do look exceptionally better for some characters than they do for others I might add. Some of the people seem like much more work was put into them than others if that makes any sense? This title also does a great job of combining C.G. with in-game graphics for many of the cutscenes and dialogue of which there are many given the scope of the story. Overall, this is just an excellent title as far as the visual presentation is concerned.


The sound quality for this title is excellent with crisp high fidelity effects for everything from the user interface to combat, dialogue, environmental and many other things. As with the previous title, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the soundtrack is also fantastic with an abundance of techno and cyberpunk themed tracks that really fit the futuristic themed narrative of this game perfectly. However, for some odd reason this games soundtrack is not available which I found very strange given how great it sounds? Nevertheless, the aural presentation of this game is terrific in my opinion.


As with the previous title, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, I thoroughly enjoyed my playthrough of this wonderful sequel. The gameplay was alot of fun, the storyline kept me interested and the visuals were of course top-notch. The developers took the best parts of Human Revolution and improved on them dramatically. However, I have to admit that I liked the story in Human Revolution moreso than I did this title nevertheless it was still quite enjoyable. Replayability is high as there are a number of choices that Adam has to make throughout the narrative and you can't possibly get all the achievements in just one playthrough of the title.

Technically, I didn't have any issues with the game other than slow loading times when initially starting the title up for a daily play session and I also noticed a few typos in some of the dialogue of the various journals, newspapers and emails that you read but nothing game breaking for me. D.L.C. is available in the form of "System Rift", "Desperate Measures" and "A Criminal Past" which adds three new missions for Jensen separate from the main story. In summary, with it's riveting conspiracy theory laced narrative, impressive cyberpunk themed world, fun combat and terrific musical score Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to story-rich, cyberpunk, stealth and adventure gamers one and all!

Planet Stronghold: Colonial Defense is a science fiction turn-based collectible card game interlaced with a visual novel both developed and published by Winter Wolves. Set in the distant future you take on the role of either the male or female Nelson sibling both of whom have been put in joint command of the Planet Stronghold colony. Follow the story as they attempt to put an end to the ever increasing conflicts that arise between the indigenous races and bring much needed order back to the settlement. Menacing man-eating aliens, sentient rock people and hostile synthetics running amok on a foreign world...can you restore the peace AND make time to find love?


Visually this title is quite impressive and the novel has an aspect that I've not yet encountered before in any V.N. which I've read to date on Steam. It offers two distinct styles of artwork to choose from. You can opt for the more realistic illustrations or the anime/manga inspired style of art. The fact that the developers give you the reader a choice as to what type of art style you would prefer to enjoy the visual novel with gives quite a boon to the overall presentation of this V.N. in my opinion. But no matter which type of illustrations that you decide to pick they both look fantastic with wonderful colors and terrific shading on not only the characters themselves but the backgrounds and locations that you visit as well. The characters also change facial expressions depending on the dialogue so that really helps with immersion. Also, the games U.I. is quite eye catching and has a very futuristic flair which makes complete sense given the science fiction theme of the story.

Moving on, the card game could be...fun...once you learn how to play it that is as the included tutorial just doesn't explain things very well at all. I myself found the card game very forgettable and decided to focus more of my attention on the narrative which is where this title truly shines. Luckily there is an option to experience the storyline without playing the included card game so after an hour or so into my first read of the V.N. I chose to start over in visual novel mode which is minus the card game. Other people may enjoy it but sadly I did not. The audio quality is fair but would have been much better with some ambient or background sound effects to increase immersion. Also, the title is not voiced but I typically prefer my visual novels without voiced dialog anyhow so that's a plus for me. With that said, no matter how you choose to approach this V.N. you definitely won't be disappointed with the visual presentation which is very well done.


I really enjoyed Planet Stronghold: Colonial Defense...the turn-based card game not so much but the interesting science fiction laced narrative was quite entertaining. There are also plenty of pop-culture references peppered throughout the narrative which I also found appealing. Replayability is very high because of the number of choices to make throughout the storyline which will have long lasting effects on current events as well as the stories ending depending on the decisions that you make. Also, don't forget about the two different sets of illustrations available so that alone increases the replay value immensely. Length-wise, this is a fairly long visual novel as it took me about 14 hours to complete but that was without the card battles so for someone playing them it would definitely take a little longer.

Technically, I didn't have many issues other than a few typos which is very typical for a visual novel and the title froze up on me once during a card battle. One other problem is that sometimes there could be as many as five or six different characters talking to you at the same time but only up to four would appear on screen. Therefore, during the conversation, dialogue could get a little convoluted and confusing because various people are speaking to you but it's none of the four or so that you're looking at which I found frustrating at times.

As for extras, the novel itself has the basic V.N. options for sound/music volume and text speed as well as a C.G. gallery that unlocks as the story progresses. Also, there are a number of Steam Achievements to hunt down and Steam Trading Cards to collect. Last but certainly not least, is D.L.C. in the form of a soundtrack, a set of wallpapers and some "free" D.L.C. which adds four new romances to the game and a "Quick Play Mode" that allows you to card battle at your leisure outside of the main campaign. In conclusion, although I did not find the card game enjoyable I did however find the sci-fi storyline and light dating sim aspects quite appealing so Planet Stronghold: Colonial Defense is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to visual novel, science fiction and otome fans only.