Recent reviews by Alex

Short but good, and pretty freaking beautiful.

The outer wilds has gotten praise from people far more qualified than me to tell you to check this thing out. I could touch on the absolutely beautiful soundtrack, art and design, the ingenious and astounding settings that each planet provides, or the raw emotion it tends to draw out at times. However, I won't. The moment you step into your ship this game will demonstrate all of that in a matter of seconds and will be far more effective than I ever could me at communicating just how much of a gem this little game is. What I will say is that the Outer Wilds made me feel small, alone, and horribly confused at times. Every step I took in progression was with increasing uncertainty. By the end, I was physically shaking from anticipation and anxiety over whether I was still on a clock or whether I missed one more very important detail. I felt small because I realized that the world I was in was incredibly complex despite being so small, and that I was a speck on a speck on a speck a million billion miles away. I don't know about you, but that's scary. Then, suddenly, it wasn't anymore. It was comforting because even that small speck proved to be important by the end. Buy this game. There's heart in it like you wouldn't believe and before long, yours will likely be in it too.

This is s a quality of game I hope to continue to see in the industry. Scratch that. This is the kind of game WE NEED to see continue in the industry. Not just because it's a Half Life title and not just because it's a VR title, but because it's just that damn good! From the immersiveness of the world, to the writing, to the stunning visuals, to the gut-wrenching fear you feel in moments, this is a damn good game. Savor every minute of it because you'll only get to play this once. Other game studios are in trouble because Valve has reminded us just how high the bar SHOULD be.

Kan Gao is a gem and has a way with words and storytelling that you rarely get to see. The characters are loveable, and while this story is likely less universally relatable, it is no-less meaningful. In his words, "To the Moon was about seeking fantasy from reality, whereas Finding Paradise is about seeking reality from fantasy. Two sides of the same coin."

I don't review games typically, but this one really stood out to me. I've never felt so badass in a game before. The game is stunning. As far as the controls go, they feel great (apart from occasionally pressing the grip button and dropping my saber/gun in the middle of a fight). The different guns, maps, gamemodes, characters, and gadgets add variety to the play style and keep you coming back for more and encourage to experiment. This is without a doubt the best multiplayer experience I have ever had in VR and hope the player base stays strong. Definitely worth the price.

For anyone who is thinking of playing this game, it is worth your time in every way. It explores the psyche of two very emotional characters and quite often made me think of the question, "Are the Curatains Blue Because They Are Sad? Or Are They Just Blue Because They Are F***ing Curtains?" Asking the player to come up with their own interpritation of not only the creator, but of possibley even themselves. I can't go on much further without spoiling a game you would be a fool to not buy. So I'm just going to say that Davey Wreden truely made a masterpiece of a game and a message that will change your way of thinking.