Recent reviews by RobTree

Pros:

• Oddly accessible, even if the first hour of a save can feel like a pressure cooker
  
• Beautiful visuals--Hello Games has a fantastic procedural engine for their environments
  
• Foraging, crafting, and traveling is rewarding

Cons:

• Does feel somewhat shallow--the base characteristics of planets/ships/etc. are obvious, and the NPC species are extremely limited
  
• If trying to do multiplayer, you either bring in miss-matched leveled characters, or start from scratch
  
• The story seems short (but, to be fair, the story is a small part of the appeal)

Overall, I don't regret the purchase (I got it on sale), and I foresee a good many more hours spent exploring and building.

I expected something more like The Lab, but overall it's a nice little (short) into to what finger-tracking can do. (I actually didn't know the Index controllers were sensitive to squeeze pressure until playing Hand Lab.)

As usual, high-quality (even if it's only a tech demo), and typical humor from the Aperture universe. Make this the first thing you play to test out your finger-tracking setup.

Pros:

• Smooth framerates (though the graphics aren't all that taxing)
  
• The mini-games are mostly fun, especially with friends
  
• Lag-free for the most part
  
• The way to access the main UI is unique (your wristwatch)

Cons:

• Turn off in-game voice and play exclusively with friends because it sounds like a majority of the general population is < 12 years old
  
• The way to start a game can be confusing because it sometimes lacks feedback on whey you can't start
  
• The mini-games can sometimes be buggy and prevent progress

GTA V really comes in two flavors: GTA V and GTA Online.

GTA V
The main story takes on a new twist by utilizing a trio of main characters. At first it was strange flipping between them, but you get used to it pretty quickly, and find yourself immersed in a modern-day version L.A. with unmistakeably GTA twists. The story is well-written and constructed, intertwining the fates of the three main characters, in a fun, whacky, sometimes nerve-wracking, and of course crime-filled adventure. The world around them is bustling with life, and is still one of the prettiest games I've played.

GTA Online
Taking place in the same city around the same time, GTA Online plays more like a hyper-violent MMO. RockStar has continually provided updates ever since launch (all for FREE), and the world is now fleshed out with a large variety of cars, guns, and gameplay, some of which isn't even available in single-player. At times it can feel a bit grind-y, and threat of trolls and greifers is real (and sometimes encouraged by the game itself). But nothing beats jumping on with some friends to knock out some missions, and ending up laughing till your face hurts with the antics you get up to (and completely ignoring the missions).

Other Notes
The game ran relatively well on older hardware (AMD Bulldozer with a GTX790), and runs like a dream on modern hardware. I do have a graphical glitch that I can't seem to get rid of (chrome reflections are broken), but otherwise I have zero complains regarding performance.

Every joke you've ever heard about "one... more... turn..." is absolutely true. I once decided to start a new game around 7pm "for a few hours" and went to bed just as I cracked the Modern Era (around 3am).

The expansions have rounded out the gameplay quite well, and I highly recommend getting them all.

The only con is that the factions all tend to lean aggressive. Even if you've had a steadfast ally through the the wars and treaties of the entire game, they'll be guarded toward you by the time you reach end-game. It's pessimistic to think two civilizations on the same path with the same ideals can't coexist. I mean, it's a game, it doesn't have to model real life completely...

TL;DR: 15/10, this is the ultimate Civ experience (at least until Civ6 starts getting expansions).

Imagine life as a secluded fire lookout in a national forrest. There is nothing around you for miles, except nature and gently-cut trails. Your job is simply to identify, observe, and track wildfires as they move through the area. Sounds pretty mundane, right?

Well, you're not wrong. There isn't much action aside from the occasional rock-climbing. That said, this game isn't about action. It's all about the story.

Firewatch is an interactive story, more than a traditional game. Thankfully, this is Firewatch's strength. It is well-written, and the voice-acting is excellent. There are times when you can get absorbed with taking in the scenery, and others where the scenery is blurring by as Firewatch dials up the tension. Even the casual controls help keep your mind off what your hands are doing, and focussed on what you're experiencing.

I've seen a lot of complaints that it's short (I finished in just under 5 hours), but there's no point to dragging it out. The narative is what is presented, not the mechanics. Would I say it's "a fun game?" Maybe not. But it's definitely an enjoyable experience, even if it's only for a few hours.

Oh, and the graphics are gorgeous. I love the art style. I almost feel it's what the Borderlands games could have/should have been.

TL;DR: Loved it. A great experience, from start to finish. But if you want to really enjoy it, you'll need to let go of expectations of testing your survival skills in the wild, and just let the story guide you through the experience.

Pros: A well-executed story, beautiful visuals, really engaging
Cons: A few dialog continuity hiccups, seems like some areas are wasted opportunities for exploration (but that could be a throw-back to traditional expectations)

10/5 stars. Psyonix somehow managed to digitize FUN, and this game is the result. A simple concept with a brilliant execution. The replay value increases with every explosive goal and epic save, all presented with perfectly-balanced visuals which provide serious eye-candy without getting in the way of ROCKET-POWERED CARS AND TRUCKS PLAYING RC FOOTY. Seriously. Awesome. I'm not exaggerating when I say I got my money's worth within ten minutes of first launching the game. I still have a kid-like grin on my face whenever I play, the whole time, every time.

Very cool concept with striking visuals. If you've ever wanted to parkour your way across the tops of skyscrapers while dodging gunfire, look no further.

My only serious con is that the controls can be frustrating, and the path ahead isn't always 100% obvious.

It's not particularly pretty, and the story line isn't deep in the slightest, but the amount of FUN you can have is top-notch.

Do you want to be Batman? Of course you do. Buy this game. Be Batman.