Recent reviews by diegzumillo

Filcher is clearly inspired by Thief, but it doesn't just copy it. The devs tackled a infamous issue with stealth games: the appeal of the main gameplay loop is to carefully explore without being detected, but any mistake forces you to reload a save, which diminishes the rewards of the core gameplay loop.

Filcher's solution? No saves + shorter, easier missions.

Does it work? Sort of. Early levels feel great; you can restart quickly without losing much progress, your play style is nudged into being careful and meticulous which makes it all more satisfying. But later missions get longer and harder, giving you all the frustration of both games compounded. You still lose that satisfying stealth flow when you mess up in longer harder levels, but now you also lose all your progress instead of just rewinding a few minutes.

It's a commendable attempt that needed more follow-through, in my opinion, by keeping missions short and manageable throughout the campaign.

The cutscene art is fantastic. Real Mignola/Frank Miller vibes. In-game visuals are hit or miss; mostly bland but occasionally gorgeous lighting moments. Might actually be uglier than Thief, which is saying something.

Recommended for stealth fans who want something Thief-like with a different approach to difficulty/saves.

On paper, there's nothing particularly groundbreaking here. It's a Zelda-style top-down adventure with a slightly unconventional melee weapon. Yet somehow, it feels fresh and exciting. The yoyo isn't just a sword wearing a fake mustache; it brings genuinely unique mechanics that the developers explored thoroughly.

Attention to detail permeates the entire experience. Every element feels purposeful and well-crafted, with no bloat or padding anywhere. This is lean game design distilled to its purest essence.

By the way, I follow countless curators and YouTubers because finding quality games among Steam's daily avalanche of releases is like panning for gold in a septic tank. And they all failed me with this game. Ironically, they all seem to have missed this while complaining about lack of interesting games to play. I discovered it through Steam's own discovery queue, like a common peasant. Then again, the game only launched a few weeks ago, so perhaps we should allow the curator industrial complex time to catch up.

I'm not exactly horror's biggest fan. I don't seek out scary games, I avoid horror movies, and the closest I get to horror is Mr. Ballen's strange dark and mysterious stories. Yet here I am, writing a glowing review for a horror game. That's just how exceptional Frictional Games is.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent revolutionized horror gaming. It spawned countless imitators and influenced titles like Alien: Isolation, Outlast, and virtually every "hide-and-cower" horror game since. Frictional's willingness to evolve has always impressed me. Since The Dark Descent, It seems they tried to push horror through novel directions; less jump scares, more irreversible psychological trauma. SOMA's existential dread through its philosophical exploration of consciousness was particularly effective.

The Bunker, in a way, takes some steps back to the basics. It goes back to focusing on gameplay, but it does so while feeling like a natural evolution of all their works, compounded with what we've learned from modern games. So it doesn't just catch up, but builds on these foundations. The dynamic environment, intelligent enemy AI, and resource management create genuine tension without relying on scripted sequences. The horror is delivered before you see a monster. Before any encounter! It happens when you are in the safest room, hyping yourself up to get out there again. It achieves this without long expositions of the more narrative driven games and without cheap shots at the player. It's truly a new landmark in horror, in my opinion, and proof that Frictional remains at the cutting edge of the genre they helped define.

I played it for six hours and I decided to stop playing. I'm not even stuck; my willpower simply packed its bags and left.

I don't want this to be a comparison against its predecessor, but it's worth using it as an example of where this games fails.

While both games feature confusing and complex plots, the original at least had the decency to ease you in. You start as a scientist who gets sucked into an alien world. Simple, effective, intriguing. And a few hours later you're invested in the insane plot. The sequel, meanwhile, hits you with a lore firehose before you've even encountered your first enemy. Alien names! Ancient civilizations! Cryptic documents! It's like being dropped into the final season of a TV show you've never watched.

Yes, it's a sequel, but even as someone who enjoyed the original years ago, I couldn't remember a blessed thing about its story. A brief refresher would've been nice before drowning me in proper nouns and interdimensional politics.

The gameplay itself suffered many setbacks as well. And it just goes to show how fickle game dev can be, because the flaws are subtle and very hard to articulate. The level design is more organic and rooms are larger. And you can tell the devs were aware of how it made navigation harder and duller, because the player now has a beacon on the map indicating where to go next. But the balance is still off.

The combat is also less interesting. You have a melee attack and a uselessly weaker range attack. Every enemy takes too many hits. The hacking mechanic, while interesting, adds nothing to it. I eventually resorted to just sprinting past enemies, taking the hits and healing at the next saving station.

Despite my criticism, I recognize that some players have deeply enjoyed this game; there are positive reviews praising elements I found frustrating. The developers clearly poured their hearts into this project, and there are genuinely clever ideas scattered throughout. This is not a cheaply made game. There is honest artistry on display that deserves to be experienced by those who will enjoy it. However I am not one of them, and if my criticism resonated with you in any way, you might want to disregard this recommendation and invest your money on something else.


PS: I changed between recommended and not recommended a dozen times while writing this review.

I bought this game years ago, played a few levels and lost interest. Now my son exists and is old enough to play games, so he's playing it. That means I have to play it every now and then to help him, and I'm reminded of how crap it is.

There are two type of sonic levels, invoking the 3D sonic era and the traditional sonic games. The 3D sonic levels are not bad, for the most part. But the traditional sonic levels just make you appreciate the originals and sonic mania more. The graphics are polluted and hard to read, the physics and controller are not satisfying and fun to play. And the design of the levels leaves a lot to be desired.

Don't buy it. Don't play it. And if you have a son who is not old enough to play by himself yet, don't show it to him.

Hey this was pretty fun. I don't have much to say. It's a good challenge but won't take more than a couple of hours.

The game presents an enchanting first impression in all departments, though its charm becomes less compelling with extended play. While the visuals draw inspiration from beloved series like Adventure Time, the aesthetic feels disconnected from the game's core elements rather than serving the overall experience.

The writing starts with promise, offering quirky encounters and humorous moments. However, the humor tends to rely on simple subversions (like a whale wanting to wear a thong) without building toward deeper comedic or narrative payoffs. The story, while whimsical, doesn't quite develop its initial potential. It suffers from a peculiar form of self-awareness that ultimately undermines itself. While it attempts to satirize gaming tropes, with villains announcing their absurd hot dog-transformation schemes and characters lampshading plot conveniences with fourth-wall-breaking comments, it never transcends these same clichés. Instead, the game seems content to simply point at its narrative shortcuts like a child pointing at their own mess and expecting applause. This meta-commentary feels less like clever subversion and more like an excuse to avoid deeper storytelling.

The platforming mechanics are well-implemented and smooth (try to guess what comes next) presenting a dazzling first impression. The game introduces various "buddies" that suggest exciting gameplay possibilities, but you already know where this is going. Like everything else, these additions feel more like variations on existing mechanics rather than meaningful evolutions of the core gameplay. While competently designed, the gameplay shows exactly the same depth as everything else.

For players looking for a light, visually pleasant platforming experience, there's certainly enjoyment to be found here, specially considering it often goes on 80% discount sales. I will definitely keep this one in mind for when my son is a little older! However, take this recommendation with an 80% discount - those expecting more will find this highly polished surface is all there is to it.

This is a great example of why playtime is meaningless. I finished the game in less than an hour and it immediately entered my list of favorite games of all time. Is it worth the asking price? No. It's worth more, in my opinion.

"Starstruck Vagabond" draws inspiration from "Stardew Valley," a game that, despite its raging fanbase, I found to be quite tedious. Approaching this new title, I was skeptical yet hopeful that Yahtzee’s distinctive storytelling could captivate me where others had not. After more than twenty hours playing, I'm pleased to report that the game surpasses expectations in numerous ways.

Like "Stardew Valley," "Starstruck Vagabond" revolves around routine tasks that can sometimes feel monotonous, yet it's Yahtzee’s adept narrative crafting that truly distinguishes it. The game bursts with a cocktail of humor and surprisingly poignant moments, spinning a plot that keeps you guessing rather than yawning.

If you’re a fan of games like "Stardew Valley," then "Starstruck Vagabond" is an easy recommendation. But for folks like me, who find these 'dad games' occasionally dangling on the edge of tedium, this game swings back and forth. Some tasks hit the sweet spot just right, while others are so mind-numbingly simple they could send your thoughts spiraling into the void. Yes, I've had my share of existential crises while meandering through the spaceports of "Starstruck Vagabond"! Apparently, it’s meant to be enjoyed with a side of podcasts or maybe a knitting project—something I'll have to test out next round.

Overall, "Starstruck Vagabond" stands out as a stellar game that flaunts Yahtzee's prowess in stitching together engrossing tales with wit and a dash of whimsy. It’s a top pick for "Stardew Valley" enthusiasts, offering a familiar gameplay experience peppered with rich, engaging storytelling. And if routine task games usually make you twitch, Yahtzee’s vibrant narrative and humor might just make this one enjoyable, or at the very least, tolerable.

You know, even with its moments that had me on the verge of tossing my controller across the room, I walked away from this game with a surprisingly warm feeling. The climbing mechanics are spot-on. Simple, intuitive, and just feel right. Yet, as with any game where climbing is the core, taking a tumble can be a major setback, time-wise. Many games in this genre throw the player a lifeline, checkpoints, hookshots, extra ledges, to soften the blow of a fall. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time had the time reversal trick. But here? You slip, you're starting from scratch.

I’m also quite taken with how it’s structured, giving off those metroidvania vibes but on a much, much smaller scale. It leaves me wondering, was this meant to be a larger adventure at some point, or is it a testing ground for something more grand? Hard to say.

Flaws and all, I find myself liking this game. Maybe it’s because of its brevity, or perhaps it's just its unique charm. It’s not perfect, but it’s got something special.