Recent reviews by Arrythmia

Can't play using a controller unless I unplug literally every other USB device and then launch the game in Big Picture mode.

When controller is the optimal way to play the game, it should just work without going through some hoop-jumping ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ like this.

For clarification I'd like to state that this is for both a PS4 and Xbox 360 controller, and I do mean it when I say literally ANY device plugged in via USB. Audio interface, webcam, doesn't matter. If any other device is plugged in my controllers will not work.

In order to get it to work, I had to unplug everything, launch Big Picture mode, and then launch Elden Ring through Big Picture. Plugging devices back in after the game was open could even force the controller to stop functioning.

I have so many good things to say about this game. The level design is stellar, with each mission having tons of enemies to slaughter. The weapons are standard old-school FPS fare, but the addition of alt-fire modes make them all feel fresh and stand out in a sea of double-barrels, rocket launchers and nailguns.

Even though there are only 5 levels (at the time of this review) they have a ton of replayability. Starting levels in a different order from the central "hub" world changes the enemy composition and weapon pickups in each level, creating a different experience for subsequent playthroughs.

The movement in this game is a speedrunner's dream! If you like Quake 1/Source style air control and bunnyhopping, Wrath is the game for you. The arm blade weapon's alt-fire is a dash, and these can be chained with bunnyhops and slopejumps to gain insane speed and height. Levels that might take 30-40 minutes when focusing on combat can be completed in 2-3 minutes if you focus on speeding past everything.

A large portion of my playtime has been spent doing individual level and whole game speedruns, blazing through as fast as I possibly can by dashing, bhopping, and boosting up level geometry. I've spent thousands of hours in Quake Champions, modern DOOM, TF2 and other movement focused arena/old-school shooters, and Wrath has some of the most satisfying high-skill movement I've ever experienced in any game.

Whether you choose to fight and kill every enemy or zip past them all to get straight to the end-level objective, this game is amazing. It's taking longer than expected to release the finished product, but I assure you, the content that's here already is more than worth it.

A fantastic modern take on the classic FPS experience. Everything in this game is done "just right".

Weapons sound and feel meaty and powerful. Everything from the starting pistol to late-game power weapons are a joy to use, and they all remain useful throughout the course of the campaign. The alt-fires add a unique flavor to each of the weapons we've come to expect in a game like this. Certain expectations for classic guns like the Plasma Rifle and Super Shotgun are met, and then exceeded with insanely fun alt-fire modes.

Level design is incredible, as well. The layouts are complex, but never overbearing or maze-like. Many elements from classic DOOM mapping are present in this game. Things like monster closets and spawn triggers attached to buttons/switches and item pickups, but it never feels "cheap" or like the mappers were out to completely ♥♥♥♥ the player over. There's a fine balance that was struck with mapping elements in this game.

On the subject of maps, Prodeus has a built-in level editor! Community maps are already doing amazing things, from completely original designs to recreations of classic and modern DOOM levels.

The OST being made by our boy Andrew Hulshult definitely doesn't hurt, either :D

If you're a fan of old-school FPS or "boomer shooters" then this is well worth the $25.

Possibly the greatest FPS to ever be made. There's a lot to cover in a game like this, but there's a surprising amount of mechanical depth and a skill ceiling that smashes through the stratosphere and pierces the heavens themselves.

It's fast, intense, visually stunning, violent, and runs on any Vulkan compatible toaster because idTech 7 is black magic from a dark realm beyond mortal understanding.

Eternal doesn't just want you to learn a few of its mechanics, you NEED to use them in order to have a fighting chance against the hordes of Hell. Embrace those mechanics. Being chased by a Baron of Hell? Dash away or use the Super Shotgun's Meathook grapple to create space. Damage strip you of your armor bar? Flame Belch a big demon or a group of little ones. Out of ammo? Chainsaw a possessed soldier in half and refill your arsenal. Lock demons down with the Ice Bomb, deal damage and falter them with your frag grenades, learn what each and every weapon mod does and where it can be used most effectively and you will have a GREAT time turning demons into minced meat.

There ARE problems with the game, however, and it's had a bit of a tumultuous life cycle. The high-damage melee called "Blood Punch" had a 50/50 chance of working for over a year before getting fixed. For a long time, the chainsaw didn't work on demons when they were in certain animation states. Demon gore and gibs have projectile collision and can block the player's critical shots or even deal self-damage if it blocks your rockets. The loot system (ammo, health, armor) has had a similar problem crop up in recent updates, but is being addressed. AI attack speed and movement is tied to framerate, so the higher your frames, the harder the game becomes, essentially.

Despite the above issues, this is still one of my all-time favorite games, because the intensity of the combat is sooooo much fun! Hyper-switching between all your guns, learning how the enemies behave, flying around the levels with perfectly timed bunnyhops and Meathook swings never gets old.

I went into this game fully expecting to not give a ♥♥♥♥ about the story, and get an open-world hybrid of Fallout, Borderlands, and DOOM 2016. I got exactly what I expected, and thoroughly enjoy it.

I recommend it, but only if you're an avid open-world player that can appreciate vast but "shallow" worlds. If you like the post-apocalyptic looting vibe of Fallout, movement mechanics like dashing, double jumping, bunnyhopping and crouch-sliding, and a tough-but-fair AI/damage system, you'll enjoy this.

EDIT: Now that all of the Bandit Camps respawn whenever you want after Patch 1, I can solidly recommend this game as a more movement-and-slaughter focused version of Fallout, with pretty fun Mad Max style convoy assaults.

There are a few currency types, and upgrades happen through different menus that can, at times, be a little confusing and scatterbrained. Upgrade opportunities happen often, but the selections don't overly-complicate the gameplay or require any "stat management" like heavier RPG's.

All-in-all, it's an excellent movement shooter with a who-gives-a-♥♥♥♥ plot in an Anarchist open world, heavily inspired by Mad Max, Fallout, Borderlands, and more. Go blow up some mutants and raiders!

Participant Ignorant's Shoot'em Lands

Camping: The Game

AKA I just spent 10 minutes looking for a gun and got sniped by an Uzi.

Deleted from Library

The true spiritual successor to the classic THIEF series! If you played a stealth character in an Elder Scrolls game, you'll love this too.

Dishonored does the hybrid stealth/action FPS genre right, and has a lot to offer. Choose to sneak right past everything never being seen, or stab everyone in sight if you've got the skill. You can play anywhere in between at any time.

The story starts off fairly simple, but the DLC fleshes it out and really gives the world an unexpected depth. An Empress murdered, a loyal servant betrayed, a city in turmoil, and only you can make it right! But, who's really behind it, and why....? How you choose to solve this problem effects the general tone of the game's ending, but doesn't determine much about Dishonored 2's plot.

Movement and combat feel fantastic. The powers you unlock open up plenty of pathways through the semi-linear levels, and even more combat shenanigans can be had once powers like Possession and Wind Blast come in to play.

It's totally worth a play at $20 for the game and all its DLC, but it goes on sale fairly regularly,

I have mixed feelings on this entry into the Fallout universe. Overall, it's a great open-world, post-apocalyptic FPS/RPG game with some lazy quest writing, good shooting and looting, and a Minecraft mode to make up for the lack of replayable story.

The art style is great, the gameplay is solid, and general world-building feels good.... but the performance is ♥♥♥♥ (especially downtown) and the quests are mostly uninspired with a few gems here and there.

Shooting and running around the Commonwealth is a blast, and there's always a fight to be had. The experience of fighting off a Raider gang downtown with your trusty Dog, stalking a Super Mutant raiding party, or laying waste to a drive-in theater full of mole rats and nuclear powered cars is very enjoyable. Feeling extra ballsy? Head into the Glowing Sea and get yourself ♥♥♥♥♥♥ right up. Looting and exploring is this game's strong suit.

But then there's the drudgery and boredom of listening to Paladin Danse ramble on about duty, or Preston Garvey shoving his agenda upon you at Concorde, or the Institute's ever-present yet ridiculously unimportant plans. Seriously, what a stupid idea for a faction....

The main quest is especially dull, and I developed no attachment to any of the characters or what they were doing. I wanted out of Vault 111 before I even stepped into it. That's right. I wanted that nuclear blast to pass over me and prevent me from ever having to deal with Nate/Nora/Shaun on my very first playthrough, and that's coming from someone who sorta liked the Fallout 3 intro.

There are mods that truly fix the horrible performance downtown, but Bethesda Game Studios royally ♥♥♥♥♥♥ the framerate in Boston. My i7 4790 + GTX 970 aren't top of the line, but the system is no slouch. I shouldn't be seeing <20fps two blocks away from where I was just getting 60+ on the Default recommended settings. However, once the proper mods are installed and settings configured, you can have a consistent and enjoyable experience in these areas.

As a pre-Steam veteran of the series, this is my favorite Elder Scrolls game. This game is phenomenal, and a single review can't contain my love for it, or the series in general. Play it.

DO NOT LET THE INTRO DUNGEON BORE YOU OR SCARE YOU OFF. Push through until you leave the Sewers! You won't regret it :D

The charm, quality of writing in the quests, and world-building is hands down the best in the series, even if the combat and leveling system is clunkier than its younger brother Skyrim.

Although it's 12 years old, the vanilla game still looks graphically stunning (outside of the Potato-Faced NPC's). But these are things that can be improved upon with modding, an art form in its own right.

The soundtrack is brilliant, too, carrying many of the themes from Morrowind while opening them up to a more traditional "medieval" sound, reflecting the grassy fields, forests and cities of Cyrodiil.

A true successor to the classics in almost every way. The campaign is pure violence and speed, while leaving the plot deceptively simple. You hate demons. Kill all the demons. Stop the invasion. Get guns, kill demons, get bigger guns, kill bigger demons, GO TO HELL, kill the biggest demon with the BIGGEST ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ GUN.

But there's way more going on here if you go out of your way to find it....

The multiplayer is also SERIOUSLY underrated. Each player gets a two-weapon loadout plus an Equipment item. It's all about "weapon swapping", and mechanically speaking works a lot like a Mortal Kombat move - a series of properly timed button presses can absolutely destroy a player in a split second, possibly even groups of them if you know what to do. But plenty of players know how to do the same to you. It had its flaws at launch and the less-than-familiar Arena Shooter newbs that reviewed it didn't play more than two games to make a proper judgement, but it's a blast once you get the hang of it.

I paid full price for the base game and all its DLC about 2 weeks after launch (that's $100, btw) and I absolutely think it was worth it. Now that it's cheaper, it's an even better bang for your buck.