Recent reviews by }}PYЯO{{ ShinyShoe

When it comes to strategy games, there a few if any that can top this game. This is by far the best action turn based strategy game I've played. From the customization (which is quite thorough) to the combat situations, this game shines in all aspects. I really like the fact that bios can be added to the characters, it's surprisng how something so simple can add so much depth to the game.

Many of the enemies we all know and loved from XCOM2's predecessor make repeat appearances along with some new and frightening foes that keep players on their toes. The classes also recieved an overhaul with a few new ones to compliment the roster. Enemy toughness is balanced with the abilities the classes have. Some abilities may feel overpowered but no one class can dominate the battlefield (like the sniper with "In The Zone" in Enemy Unknown).

A new and very interesting mechanic in this game is the "concealed" stage in the beginning of some missions. This allows you to recon the map and choose when to engage the enemy and also set up deadly overwatch ambushes. I really like this mechanic and think it's an excellent addition to the game.

XCOM2 is a very solid release and is a shinning example of what a turn-based strategy game can be.

Easily one of my favorite FPS games of all time. Gameplay is smooth, environments look awesome, glory kills are endlessly satisfying, and the guns and mod system are stellar. I'm super stoked for the return of the single player campaign, which this game does very well, amongst the myriad of multiplayer games. A must play!

I'll start by saying that The Division is not a traditional Tom Clancy game. It's not Rainbow Six or GRAW, what I mean by this is that while The Division is a tactical Third Person Shooter, it is not on the same level of difficulty or realism as the previously mentioned games.

That being said, The Division does what it does well. Since this game does retain a lot of the tactical mechanics of other Tom Clancy games (enemies flanking you, throwing grenades to drive you out of cover, etc.), the gameplay stays fresh for a good while. Also, the different factions have different ways of fighting so not every fight will be the same. The loot system is what you would expect, quality ranging from the most basic equipment being white, and the best equipment being gold. There's also an attachment system for the weapons so you can attach sights, different kinds of magazines, etc.

If you like third person shooters and are a fan of tactical shooters, this game is going to be worth your time BUT as I said before it is not on the same level as the other Tom Clancy games in terms of difficulty or realism.

This is a fantastic game!

Take the free-running elements from Assassin's Creed and the flowing combat system from Batman: Arkham Asylum, combine them and there you have Shadow of Mordor. Both elements are a bit more polished than the games menitoned above and that makes for a very enjoyable experience. The missions do become repetitive BUT the excellent combat system helps to keep the gameplay from becoming stale.

A great release and definetly worthy of the Game of the Year award. If you enjoy action/adventure games, give this game a shot.

So, space ninjas with guns and powers...what's not to like? Warframe is a good game but it's also kind of difficult to explain. You are a Tenno; an ancient race of warriors who have emerged from cryostasis after a long cyrosleep. That's all I really know about them, the game doesn't go too far into that.

Anywho, the gameplay is pretty fun BUT it can get repetitive. There are a number of Warframes available either by crafting (you need the Warframe blueprint which drops ingame and various other materials to do so) or they can be bought using Platinum, which is the microtransaction currency of the game. Each Warframe has different abilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc but they are all fairly balanced. There a various and sundry melee weapons and guns to chose from as well which can also be crafted or purchased but some of them have level restrictions.

Missions range from data extraction to escort to "kill everything." The mod system....that's a bit too much to go into here but it's pretty involved and enables the player to customize their Warframe with buffs and abilities.

I'd recommend watching a tutorial on YouTube before tackling this beast because the game doesn't do a great job of explaining itself but it is fun. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a unique 3rd Person action/shooter.

Amidst the mighty throng of dungeon crawlers, you might be wondering, "what's so special about Torchlight II?" Well, I'm here to tell you.

Torchlight II is a fun departure from the rather tedious Diablo formula. Don't get me wrong, Diablo is a good game but it tends to lose it's novelty quickly, for me anyways. One thing that I really like about Torchlight II is the pets. They're actually helpful! They don't just stand there and get in the way, they fight (even tank sometimes), they can even make runs to town for you and sell all the junk you've picked up or buy some elixirs and other helpful items. Very cool.

I haven't tried all the classes but I have leveled an engineer up to a fairly decent level. Fun times! Stomp, bash, wack, and blast your way through enemies. You can carry a giant cannon or a giant wrench or whatever catches your fancy to be the harbinger of your enemy's doom. There are three skill trees that you can go into and you're not restricted to one I don't think.

Environments are well done, armor doesn't look totally lame (well, maybe some pieces do), weapons are wicked tight, it's just fun! I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a break from the run o' the mill dungeon crawler.

**P.S. I see some people are ready to grab their torches (hehe, torches, get it?....Ahh never mind) and pitchforks and make a mad dash for Runic Studios in order to rough up the developers...ok not that extreme. Maybe just scream some strong words and make some furious hand gestures? I think such unbridled fury is a bit uncalled for honestly, it's not that big of a deal.

It's been a while since I've played a Splinter Cell game so I can't really trace the game's evolution. The game has undergone some changes in an effort to make the gameplay a bit faster and it's worked.

The game's fun, takedowns are satisfying, guns are not in short supply. The game enables you to tailor your play style with a rather generous selection of gadgets and guns, even the goggles are upgradable. The AI is pretty well done and is challenging on higher difficulties. Slopiness will be punished on hard mode.

The story isn't too bad, it does a fairly decent job of engaging the player but it's pretty typical for a Tom Clancy game. In summary, Splinter Cell Blacklist is a faster paced game than some of the original instalments but it retains the need for a tactical playstyle. Good game.

Let me preface this review by saying that yes, this game does deviate majorly from the orignal Resident Evil formula. This game is still fun even though it's probably not going to appeal to RE purists. If you are looking for a good third-person shooter that's a bit slower paced than, say, Gears of War, give RE5 a look.

With that out of the way, I'm going to give a rundown of the gameplay. You play as Chris Redfield and you have a partner this time around (AI in singleplayer but Coop is avaiable). She's a new character to the RE world, Shiva is her name. If you've played RE4, Shiva behaves in a somewhat similar fashion as Ashley did except Shiva is armed and she will aid you in fights, collect goodies (you dictate what she picks up), and heal you when you're low on health (provided she has herbs/first aid spray). There's only one storage size, unlike in RE4 where you could purchase larger attache cases. You'll have the same ammount of storage throughout the whole game (both Chris and Shiva have storage so you have some degree of inventory management). You also have a "safe" which can be accessed before you start a mission and between missions. I think that's limited too but it's so large that you'll probably never use all of it.

Guns can be upgraded with the ingame money (I forgot what it's called) that you collect from fallen foes and the environment. There's no more merchant but there's still a store which can be accessed before or between missions. Here you buy guns, first aid spray, etc. and sell treasures found in the game for money. Enemies are very similar to RE4, not really zombies but still kinda mindless guys...I don't want to spoil anything so I'll leave it at that.

There's some puzzles in this game but they're not that hard, certainly not like the original Resident Evil games. Capcom has pretty much taken the way RE4 played, kept that as the base and made some modifications so if you have played the 4th RE, you'll find quite a few parallels between RE4 and 5.

To sum up, this game is a solid third-person shooter that will appeal more to people who haven't played the original RE games (not to say if you have, you won't enjoy it) but will probably leave purists high and dry.

Dark Souls: Prepare To Die delivers on its name. You will die. The sooner you face that, the better. While the port to PC from console is rather shoddy, the game is still fun. You'll almost certainly need a game pad such as an Xbox 360 controller in order to get anything useful done within the game.

First, the world. Dark Souls is not a game that holds your hand, guiding you step by step like some other games. You fend for yourself and the game leaves it largely to the player to piece together the tragic storylines of the world and its inhabitants. This game offered what may have been the most tragic story I've ever encountered; that of the Knight Artorias and his battle comapanion and friend, the Great Grey Wolf Sif. Take the time to learn about the world, it adds so much more to the experience. To know the past, the struggles, the despair, the hope. Dark Souls may very well be my favorite game and the world has all to do with that.

Classes available range from Knights to Mages and much in between but just because you chose a Knight doesn't mean you'll have to stick with that skill set for the whole game. Dumping points into dexterity will increase your skills as an archer or whatever class catches your fancy. Blocking, attacking, and sprinting are all based upon a stamina system which is governed by your Endurance. It will recharge once you stop doing something which expends stamina. Say you block an attack, the severity of the attack will determine how much stamina is depleted. If the attack is too strong and it depletes all of your stamina, the remainder will be taken from your health.

Weapons and armor undergo damage and have a durability meter as they are used. Not to worry, they can be repaired using souls, which are the currency of the game and are acquired upon the slaying of an enemy. Use souls to level up, purchase and repair equipment, and barter. There are no gates on areas so you'll be able to access them from the beginning of the game once the prologue is completed. Some areas do require you to kill a boss or aquire a key to access them but there are no level restrictions. This is a double edged sword; you may wander into a zone and get one-shotted. You've been warned. Exercise caution.

Dark Souls is a fun game that offers much more than meets the eye and should be given a look. If you're into RPGs, this is a must play.

Shadow Warrior is the throwback I've been waiting to play. This game is not an original title, it's a remake of an old game that was on the PC (I think). Combat in this game is a blast. You're given a katana which is, in my opinion, where the game shines, and a variety of guns. While the gunplay is solid, the swordplay is even more so.

The variety of enemies is not too bad although it can get somewhat repetitive. The fresh gameplay makes up for that though. On top of having a sword and guns, you'll also have Ki attacks at your disposal. Use them offensively, amplifying your sword attacks or defensively, keeping your foes at bay while you make swiss cheese out of them. Items in the environment can be used against your enemies as well (explosive barrells, cars, etc.).

The story isn't bad and there's some rather funny banter between the two main characters. This game doesn't take itself too seriously and that's a good thing as it lends to the arcadey feel of the game. I got through the main campaign in about six hours but I missed a lot of the hidden items and there's a new game+ so after you beat the game, you can begin again with all your weapons and powers.

To sum up, Shadow Warrior is a fun blast from the past with all the modern luxuries. Solid gun and swordplay keep it fun throughout the relativley short campaign. Among the modern remakes of old school FPS, Shadow Warrior stands out of the crowd as a solid release.