Recent reviews by RockstarCRO

This game will take some (... a lot) of time to get used to and a lot of researching. It is the positive and negative aspects of the game - the catch 22 - the two sided blade. Fun 2D colony/city builder, but at the price of time, commitment, and research. I'll recommend this one with a major caution sign before purchase. Not going to lie though, I didn't know playing with liquids and gasses can be this much fun. Another helpful hint about this game is that there is an encyclopedia within the game to help explain the finer details.

Oxygen Not Included (ONI) is a fun colony/city builder. The gameplay is quite basic and complex at the same time; the player can see and command everything from a 2D view while many complex options are available to customise the colony. It's underwhelming and overwhelming at the same time. The premise of the game is to be able to regulate, use, and refine the minerals, gases, and liquids in the surrounding areas to keep the colony alive. Oxygen is an important premise of the game, so is understanding what gases are heavier than others. The player can use rudimentary methods to power a colony (or even save it when oxygen is low) which included using different gases in the game. Accessing these gases requires research and foreknowledge of where the gas will go (hopefully not to the sleeping quarters). To access these gases (or other upgrades in the game) requires the player to research. The research tree is quite extensive and every new unlock can be quite confusing. The game takes a little patience to properly understand to maximise its potentials, and likes to throw obstacles towards the player such as keeping Duplicants happy and healthy. A colony covered in puke isn't hygienic.

The visuals and graphics feel quite unique to the game. I really enjoyed all the animations between the Duplicants and their environment, and the environment acting on its own. Tie this in with how smoothly the gas moves around the map and a formula for an addictive game appears. Never thought a video game could have a slight HVAC educational value to it. The sounds and music were also well done and do not overpower the speakers and do not repeat annoyingly. As busy as this game is, how the sounds were managed certainly deserve a mention.

Overall, would recommend, but my goodness, it can have an insane learning curve for every new researched content. Automated wires, what filters what, what needs to go to what, how wires interact, where to generate power... the hole can seem endless sometimes with no light at the end. The game is addicting and certainly is worth its rating. If you're someone who looks for major depth in a game - here it is.

Zeno Clash was an awesome series that further enhanced the brawler type games. The first person view, the whacky world everything took place in, and the game mechanics were awesome. Add a few mini-games and there is a solid rounded game. Clash: Artefacts of Chaos is an off-shoot of Zeno (and have read somewhere that Zeno was meant to be more of this style). Clash: Artefacts of Chaos (CAC... heh) is a well rounded brawler game, but is meant for more hardcore gamers that want to explore without hand holding.

CAC has solid gameplay. At first I found myself wanting the Zeno Clash style of battle. Soon after I understood the game mechanics a little better and understood how the game was meant to be played. It was certainly frustrating starting out in an open world and not having much idea of where or what to explore first. After a bit of frustration (and a lot of losses) the game started to make sense. There is a day/night mode where the player switches their character and allows them not only to battle slightly different characters, but also access places on the map that are not regularly accessible. This adds to the dynamic element of the game where it forces the player to seek out new options if a repetitive one doesn't seem to work. The controls feel like an xbox 360 control scheme when the player is moving around, however the battle controls are actually quite smooth. I hated the fight scheme at first, but soon learned to use what the game tutorials taught me in order to properly take on multiple or difficult opponents. I can actually appreciate the difference between CAC and Zeno Clash.

CAC is essentially an RPG brawler. The player's only access to location is through a map displayed on the loading screen. Beyond that, the player is on their own to figure out what to do, who to battle, and where to go. The player is able to pick up multiple items around the map that will help conjure potions, increase stats, or items for appearances. As the game progresses the player can find totems lying around the map in order to unlock new battle styles, and sometimes even new special moves. The player can choose to have two active styles and three special techniques. Additionally, the player can boost the stats of those styles and their own personal stats (such as strength and speed). This all comes together well when the player enters a battle. Before a battle does begin (and if a player has suitable items to battle with), there is a mini game that involves dice (or the One Rule of the land). The game has an impact to give the player or the computer an advantage given the outcome. This could include fog of war, poison, or other sorts of limiting factors.

CAC's visuals and graphics are quite solid and follow a similar theme of the Zeno Clash series. I enjoyed the outlandish characters, style, design, and layout of the environment. Though the environment can feel a little clanky at times, overall it's visually appealing. The user interface is also laid out nicely and easy to use. The sounds and music were also well done. The music is subtle enough that it can relax the player, but also bounce to kick the player into ready mode. The dialogue, sounds, and effects are also well done. There is a satisfying effect when brawling and landing shots on enemies.

Overall, I would recommend this game, but very carefully. Saves are sometimes far and in-between which could bother some players (especially having to pick up items that were previously picked up). I was resistant at first to like the game as I felt the fighting was a little too geared towards the AI having an upper hand, but as I got comfortable with the game (and became familiar with it) I really liked the brawl concept. This is one I would highly suggest doing your homework before a purchase. Surface level may look fun, but how the game was designed may bother casual gamers looking to button mash. Also feel like once you beat the game, this is one you're happy you've beaten and seldom come back to. Solid campaign if you're into that! Why a C+? Well, I'm an older gamer now and these hardcore games do need a good chunk of mastering to get through (and tries)!

I'll give this one a recommended tag, but with some caution. Although the planet colonisation feature is fun, the rocket system feels a little broken to the point where getting basic supplies going can be burdensome. Fun game, but I think there is a limited play time associated with Early Access in this case.

Moons of Ardan is a planet colony sim. The player starts with very basic buildings, acquiring resources as the game progresses to eventually max out the population to reach a new level. The gameplay itself is decently smooth, even with high populations. The initial load may be a little laggy, but the game slowly gets its bearings as the game continues on. The challenge is to balance resources, however different planets have different resources. As settlements upgrade into other housing, their needs increase as well. Finding a balance between pollution and launching rockets then becomes another balancing issue. The rocket menu itself isn't bad, but it's hard to tell which routes are endless. This part bothers me most about the game as getting to the next level can be burdensome (not to be confused with the feeling like it's a difficulty level aspect). I feel there will be population fluctuations until this is sort of tended to.

The graphics and visuals were well done. I know some gamers are sometimes sceptical about Unity engine games, but I do like the attention to detail. Planets are colourful, animations apply to almost every aspect of the game, and the user interface is nicely organised. The sounds and music are okay. Basic sound FX are all included and the music is at best okay. The ambience is space themed which is nice, but doesn't seem to try to pull the player in further.

Overall, I will recommend this game but with caution. Do your homework, watch some videos, and see if this is something you'd like to back and play. I think the game has potential, I just feel I won't be playing it too often.

This game is epic proportions for the task set out for the dev. Somehow, this is a beautiful mix between the X series, Void Space, Salvation Prophecy, and a touch of Rodina. For an Early Access game this game is quite vast. For those worried about those confusing space games (even though this looks cool) I understand you. Fortunately, this game keeps all the complex of space games within reach.

Spacebourne 2's (SB2) gameplay is pretty solid in its Early Access stage. The control of the ship feels tight and the movements, though a little block-ey, are pretty well rounded overall. The player has the option of hovering/flying on planets, ability to climb ledges, melee button, and basic cover manometers. The ship has an assortment of controls. These include stealth, warp, weapon slots, missile slots, and interchangeable modules. The physical customisation may not be there yet, but there is variation in what is available, especially the modules and parts. All of this comes together nicely with the ability to move about the universe freely. The player may exit the ship (almost) at any point and fly around and explore as they please. Stargates tie systems together (and flawlessly load system to system) and planets, stations, asteroids and other places of interest can be visited. Space and ground combat feel like a nice balance and certainly keep the player interested. The RPG element comes with upgrades to the character. Big suggestion to get the XP boost one first!

Although I'm early in the story and campaign there have been some notable visuals and graphics. Some cut-scenes are unreal (think of things blowing up on a large scale) to even the small details of a damaged ship. The cities themselves (although a little bland) have quite a bit of detail included. Skyscrapers, add boards, and other ships are seen flying around and about their business, with the occasional NPC. I'm still amazed how much was included by one dev on this project. The sounds and music are also solid. There is choice in the music selection (genre) and most menus to adjust sound are present. Voice acting, although not the best, is certainly far from the worst. There are some interesting back and fourths between characters that try to get the player immersed into a small story in a big universe.

Overall, I'd say a solid purchase on sale. As all Early Access games * DO YOUR HOMEWORK *, watch the videos, see some reviews, and watch gameplay to see if this suits your style. The whole game itself is a little overwhelming at first, but as the player becomes familiar with the controls and the user interface, this game falls into place nicely. I feel it was made to make space games a little more accessible to the regular crowd. Well done and cheers to hopefully a lot of updates and a very successful game!

Suggestions to the dev:
-Please allow an option to make the UI bigger (or at least the current mission in the top left corner).
-allowing the player to action slide (similar to Warframe or Vanquish).
-Keyboard is in order, but gamepad controls - if you can get some sort of command wheel on the controller I think a lot more would be possible (and accessible)! I know this game should use a keyboard, but there will be those who just want a controller. I think some sort of hold RB + right stick to choose (with submenus if necessary) may work???
-fix the "pick up all items every time you press 'F' during a village raid"
-make the grind less tedious or a way to transfer money from the faction to the player. I like doing the missions, I like the game, I like the combat both in space and on foot, but sometimes it feels like I'm doing side missions to catch up to the major leaps the story takes.
-AI combat on foot is decently random for this state. Would be interesting to mix up their characteristics. Feels like they just sort of rush the player, try to melee, then keep their distance. If the player moves the cycle seems to happen again. This is not always true, but sort of expected at this point.

For an early access game, it feels pretty complete. I'm amazed that I haven't ran into any bugs (yet... hopefully not) and that the game is as gripping as the reviews say. This is a city builder, but a rogue city builder. Don't get too comfortable as the next level will quickly call, thus making the player start a new camp. Not quite what I expected, but certainly worth a look!

Against the Storm's gameplay follows any general RTS type game. The camera can rotate in a 360 fashion with zoom in and out features. The general premise of the game is that the player has to acquire enough reputation before the Queen's impatience grows. So every level that is started does indeed let the player build a base/colony/camp, but the player has to build fast enough to beat certain objectives (or lack of in some cases) to keep the Queen's impatience at bay. The player has certain amount of turns to move through a map, scattered with different modifiers and landscape. As more camps are built and more turns are completed, there are options to upgrade for future experiences. Yes, it can suck for some players having to rebuild every time, but the point is to get faster, further, and better every play through. Upgrading is possible at a place called Smouldering City and gives the player modifiers. The way to get these modifiers is to acquire resources. How? Build as many successful camps as possible while increasing reputation.

The game starts out with two essential buildings: one that keeps an eternal fire running and one is a large warehouse. The player has to strategically think how and where to place each building, as space is an issue. To create more space the player has to build a woodcutters camp to cut down the trees. The catch in this game though is something called "glades" or unexplored areas. As the player continues to cut down trees and encounter glades, glades open the map up and provide resources for the player, sometimes even danger. Many buildings revolving resource gathering are available, but depending on what is available will determine what buildings to unlock. Basic buildings in the game are given, however as the player's reputation points progress a choice is given to which building to unlock for this current turn. For a city builder this game certainly keep the game entertaining and the player on their toes.

The visuals and graphics were well done. The animations are rock solid and everything looks like it was done with care and detail. The art style looks A LOT better in game than the videos and screenshots on the Steam store. I think the chosen art style is quite unique and gives a lot of character to the game. The sounds and music were also well done. Not too strong, not too loud, not too obnoxious. Perfectly blended in the background with hints of shock and change, especially when discovering new glades (or areas).

Overall, would highly recommend - especially on a sale. I know this is an early access game and it's smart to be wary of early access, but this is one that has significantly surpassed my expectations. I really wanted a city builder / colony builder, I got it, but I got a lot more with this package as well. Money well spent, time well spent (probably more than necessary), and certainly will give this one a glowing recommendation.

Cities Skylines partly meets Dyson Sphere Program (and maybe a little bit of Factorio), this is InfraSpace. A low colony mostly logistic type game that has a pretty solid core, but lacks little details that could take it to the next level. I'll recommend this one with a caution to read reviews.

InfraSpace has very straightforward gameplay. The player looks over the colony from above and can modify the camera as necessary for a better building or viewing angle. Building is an instant process, be it buildings, mines, or roads. The premise of the game heavily focuses on logistic management, or in this specific case: traffic. The goal is to keep roads as organised as possible while ensuring a steady flow of resources to sustain colonists. The ultimate goal in the game is to rebuild a damaged spaceship. The cool concept here is the more resources the player sends to their launching pad equates to a better gameplay experience. For example, the player can fix the weapons on the ship to eliminate obstacles blocking resources or potential build areas whereas some other features may produce additional resources. The more the player researches means more buildings, and later in the game, terraforming. Intersection and road control are most likely going to be the logistic gamer's favourite feature.

The visuals and graphics are okay... not sure what other word to use here. The art style of the game is completely fine, but there are minor details in animations or other little snippets that make the game come short. Construction sites do have stages and change but are limited in their animation. Traffic randomly sometimes disappears or clips through roads, or clip through roads and do a massive u-turn. The user-interface can be enlarged in addition to a lot of in-game UI that helps the player keep a better eye on what is going on. An encyclopedia is also included - super useful in the beginning of the game. The sounds and music are also.... okay. I'll be honest this is probably the worst part about the game. I turned down the music as it was very repetitive and slowly driving me crazy. The sounds are alright, but putting down a bunch of gas based storage will have you thinking there is a gas leak in the house - or at least your neighbours.

So, glowing-ish review, but where is the issue? The game is simply okay. I bought it out of boredom (and on sale - which I sort of feel like it was a little steep still) and had my fun with it. Personally, I'd rather go back to Cities Skylines now that I've beaten the game. It can be slow and sluggish at times to get to certain points (or resources) in the game. There is a fast forward button, but it's not really that fast (which could be due to a buffering issue having so much on the screen). There are small glitches here and there which don't ruin the game, but hinder experience. Distribution of resources isn't always straight forward and buildings next to one another don't seem to deliver goods. Depending on what it is could frustrate the player. It's fun and entertaining while it's new. The polish does wear off a little quicker than it should have. I like the the concept of the game mixing resources with civilian sustainability, there is a missing level of engagement to keep the player interested.

I enjoyed State of Decay one. I saw State of Decay 2 was on sale for a decent sale price and figured why not. The first few hours were entertaining gathering the materials, but after a while the game mechanic felt bland. In short, some may find this game very fun while some may get bored after a few hours.

The gameplay and controls are similar to the first. The movement of the characters seem a little more fluid than the first, but there isn't much added in regards to content after that. The premise allows the player to choose between two partners. They start in a mini-intro mission that introduces the player slowly to the game. Eventually, the player establishes a base and the fun increases. The menus, options, and potential to build a community can be a little overwhelming at first, but over the time the player familiarises themselves with the necessities to keep things going. There are a decent amount of variation to the missions which include contacting new neighbours, helping them, doing bounties, taking out zombie hot spots (sort of to clear areas to claim them), and random missions that will come and go. Again, all are fun for a short time, then everything sort of feels repetitive after the fact. The fighting and shooting portion is fun, and the player can do some "finisher" sort of actions. This area does feel limited as only one zombie at a time can be attacked.

Players are allowed to grow their communities by adding almost any NPC into their fold. Some NPCs will come with a set of skills. In order to acquire new skills the player has to set out in the world to explore and find books in order to gain new skills or knowledge. This part is cool which allows for greater base upgrade. It comes to a point though where a decent amount of variation is needed for the player to achieve any sort of progress or upgrades within the base. The open world exploration is fun and feels like there is always something to check out. The difficulty (even on easy) can get tricky and will provide players with a challenge. The multiplayer is certainly a cool feature, but feels quite limited. Depending on who is hosting will determine who gets progress for their community. Some players on the reviews didn't seem to like this.

The visuals and graphics are a slight upgrade from the previous game. Everything that needs to be there is there, but not much more has been added. The variation in the enemies is certainly cool and their FXs are quite decent (especially the juggernaut). I felt like this area of the game is mediocre at best. The sounds and music are also okay. Again, not much to go on about here either than everything that is required to be included is there.

Overall, not a bad game, not a great game. In my personal opinion I don't feel like I could recommend this game. I got bored of it pretty quickly, even with the multiplayer feature and ability to travel to different maps. The driving mechanism hasn't improved at all since the first - which is sort of key to getting around the map. Don't think you'll be climbing any hills. The game seems limited in its attempt to keep players engaged, and once the fun of exploring, gathering, and base building is done - doesn't seem like there is much purpose to keep playing. If this appeals to you, especially on sale, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, I'd say save your money.

I am grateful for the opportunity to receive this game for free, but I, in good faith, cannot recommend this game. In short, it's a linear car stunt game with simple controls with decent level designs. It feels quite unfinished and unfortunately, a little like a mobile game.

The gameplay is mediocre at best. The game has simple controls (accelerate, decelerate, rotate clockwise, rotate counterclockwise) in which the player uses to avoid or land on obstacles. There are obstacles that will destroy the player instantly if they fail to make it to certain parts on the level. Some of the level design is unique and has the player on top of trains (driving on a ramp on a train and jumping a train overhead), driving through crates, and even going off on half-pipe ramps. The issue with this game is it feels unfinished when it comes to this; sometimes the car simply gets stuck (or slows down A LOT) when driving up a ramp. I'm not sure if this was done deliberately, but it makes passing some of the levels impossible. The player needs a certain speed to clear death traps and it seems like some of the obstacle or ramp placement simply ruins the movement of the car. The player can buy other vehicles as they progress and collect more coins.

The visuals and graphics are not too bad. I like the style of the game with the grainy filter on and the levels aren't completely empty in the background. There are issues within the game where double buttons will appear. Further, the player is unable to call up a menu when stuck in certain parts of the map (leading to the player having to close the game and reboot it again). The sounds and music are okay... not much else I can say here.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend a purchase. It feels too unfinished, buggy, and it doesn't have a proper sense of fun. There is potential here for the game to get better (and especially considering some of the levels are quite cool), but it seems to fall short in all areas. Again, very thankful for the opportunity to be given a game through Curator Connect on Steam - but I can't in the right faith recommend this.

Papers Please started this interest with border patrol, and Contraband Police took it a step further. For an Early Access game it has a decent amount of content for the player to enjoy. I'm optimistic about this game and hope the devs continue with this great start. I would certainly recommend trying the demo at the very least.

The premise of Contraband Police is the player takes the role of a border guard in a communist / soviet-esque setting. The players success (and ability to continue playing the game) will depend on their ability and efficiency as a border guard. The better you are - the more money. The worse you are, the chances you might go broke due to upkeep. The gameplay is very basic and straightforward. The player interacts regularly with items and people to check for any discrepancies. It starts simple with passport pictures, expired documents, and potentially some smuggling but as the game progresses the checks become a lot more difficult. In a way, it makes you think how much has to go through someones head when doing security. As situations in Karikatka unfold and new developments happen, the demands around the checks will change. Fortunately, the game does have some manual click-to-check functions for players to do checks quicker. It will cost the player a little focus each time it is used (which will enforce the need to rest).

There are tools the player can buy in the world to improve their border guard ability. Sometimes this may be weapons, it may be tools, or upgrade to the player's border stop. (be it personnel or buildings). It is an open world map where players can interact with a few places, drop contraband or prisoners off. A van is given to the player to start, but if player's don't feel like contraband and prisoners all the time they may call for a transport (which will cost a pretty penny)! The premise is the player allows cars or trucks to go through and can ask the driver for documents or to step out of the car. If necessary, the player can make arrests and find contraband around and in the vehicle. Players may account for cargo and take it out of the vehicle to further inspect if anything else is hidden. While this is happening, random events will occur that will demand the player's attention. My suggestion is to do these missions as they pay a pretty penny. Don't worry about the border though, it doesn't seem like the drivers have any choice but to wait :). I don't know if this was on purpose, but it is appreciated when things go haywire and gangsters start raiding the border and the player needs to defend (hopefully with more than just a pipe). There are other missions that help with the development of the story and it feels like the missions are decently well rounded.

The visuals and graphics are pretty good. They aren't extremely detailed, however the game does a good job immersing the player into the environment. The level design seems pretty well organised to me and well laid out. There are cut-scenes in the game in addition to small animations that NPCs will engage in. Visual upgrades to the border base are also noticeable as well as the personnel. The audio and music are well done. I think more needs to be added to this domain, but again, for an Early Access game I think a decent amount was included. The player can play music while driving around in the police truck.

Overall, I would highly recommend this game on sale. If it seems interesting to you even if its not on sale, I'd say go for it. I really enjoyed my play through and can only hope the devs continue to add to the game as much as possible. Fingers crossed down the line there is some sort of endless mode and hopefully workshop items/missions.

TO THE DEVS:
-Endless mode would be highly recommended and I think appreciated
-Any plans for workshop items / missions down the road? I'm sure the community would love to help out
-The steering is a little weird and stiff... not sure if it was meant like that. The animation for the turning also isn't the most accurate... small detail :)
-Perhaps a sort of flash/easy mode for those new to the game. I played Papers Please so picking this up wasn't an issue, but noticed some other gamers were overwhelmed - even with a solid tutorial. Maybe an option in the gameplay menu?
-Well done with the environment, actually impressed with how much there is even in Early Access. Continue working on the world and adding events, items, things, NPCs whatever to it.
-Give player an ability to see future ambushes maybe with a radar down the road?
-AI partners do not feel useless and actually provide cover / do something during gunfights. Enemy AI also feels well balanced.
-What about stopping regular traffic? Why not add more to the game in terms of exploring by allowing the player to do random stops INSIDE the country? Perhaps on endless mode, may be too much for campaign.

This isn't a typical game I'd pick. For something outside of my scope of play I did enjoy having an experience of what being a 911 operator would be like (almost to the point of recommending this to people so they don't phone for non-emergencies). This isn't the most engaging game, but I feel it was made with care and gives the player enough to do city to city.

911 Operator's gameplay is quite simple. The player overlooks a city map and is given resources to combat fire, health, and police emergencies. Before the player enters their 911 user interface, they're given the option to buy staff, equipment, and additional vehicles. At first most of this is difficult to acquire, but as the game goes (and hopefully as the player gets better) more funds are acquired through expert performance. Once all is setup the player is given a moment to move emergency vehicles to spots around the map. When the player initiates the game to start then calls slowly start rolling in (depending on which speed the game is set at by the player). Some calls only require a quick glance, but sometimes may require more services if something like a shootout or explosion happens. As the player answers standard quick calls, sometimes actual phone calls come through. This is where the game becomes interesting and has the player balancing emergency vehicles while dealing with an emergency (or sometimes non-emergency) situation. The player must make the right decisions to be rewarded properly.

The graphics and visuals are simple. In a sense it is good as the map provides enough interaction and detail to know what is going on. Player's don't actually see the situation unfold, but UI is present to give details about the incident and how much time it will take to solve. In another sense, it may also be a little "boring" for some players as there might not be much to see. Depends on the preference! I also appreciate the devs providing emergency details during the loading screens. Adds a little extra care to the game. The sounds and music were also very well done. The 911 calls are quite realistic for a video game. Some are based off crazy life events while some are based off non-emergency calls operators get on a day-to-day basis. It really gives the player an inside perspective of what these people (and the realm of emergency in general) have to deal with. Almost educational in a way.

Overall, highly recommended on sale if this sort of genre interests you - or you're looking for something different!