Recent reviews by RoadRager1904

Are you looking for a different experience in racing games? A big fan of Rally/Rally games? Then you've come at the right place, art of rally offers a great experience, something not quite the same as other offerings at this time in the Rally genre (like DiRT Rally, WRC, or DiRT 5, etc.).

You probably already noticed the cartoon-ish artstyle, and are thinking it's a casual game, right? Well, you're wrong. The artstyle is one thing, but it handles like a proper Rally game, with a different perspective than what you'd find in DiRT Rally for example, as you don't have access to pace notes. You won't need them anyway, as your POV is very high above your car, like a very far Chase cam.

If you're looking for a racing sim, this is not it, there's no cockpit camera for once, but it sure offers it's own set of challenges, as you can set the camera higher and see more of the road ahead, but in turn can make it harder to see in more detail what's immediately in front of you, the elevation changes, your car's attitude, etc. Conversely, you can get it closer to your car, and in turn lose some of the ability to see the next few corners. The placement of trees and hills will make it less straightforward in just looking ahead, hiding part of the corner, or even how tight it can get, so it keeps the unique challenge that is rallying.

At this time I've only played 5 hours, but I can definitely say that it's definitely a game to at least try for yourself, it's fun, it's beautiful (yeah, it's not a realistic artstyle, but it can definitely strike you with some beautiful sceneries as you slide around multiple countries), it's got a career mode where it'll take you from the late 60s to the mid 90s, completing seasons through every year, with cars corresponding to each era, and each season is randomly generated using different stages, so you can repeat a season and get totally different countries and/or stages. There's no licenced cars, but their replacements are equally unique, with matching caracteristics and feeling to their inspirations, which is something else to take note and practice with.

It's a game that has more than meets the eye, and has a soul that you can feel, unlike some games being released these days from companies that should be doing better.

If you've played a Dark Souls game before, you can pretty much resume this game as Anime Dark Souls. But that's probably selling this game short, while it plays much like any Dark Souls game, there's quite a few twists that gives a different aura to this game. For starters, there's no shields, although you can still use your weapons to guard, and parrying is a bit trickier than on Dark Souls, as you can't parry while guarding. On top of that, the gameplay is a lot faster, enemies can be a lot more aggressive, let alone the boss fights. You've probably already heard and/or seen the character customization, but the other customization aspects aren't to be ignored. Instead of increasing your attributes while leveling up, you can collect blood codes across the world and story, which are basically classes that have different stats and weight allowances, and you can change them at will. All in all, it's a great game, challenging but satisfying, though some of the bosses have cheesy attacks that can get very annoying when you die from them for the 50th time in a row, but if you need help, not only can you have a NPC companion, you can also summon help online. And no spoilers for the story, let me just say that it can get to you. I actually cried during a cutscene, and I don't remember a single game that actually made me tear up. It's not that it's a sad story, but it can really get you through a swirl of emotions at times.

If you like football, you must have this game. It combines a bit of strategy, choices and dice rolls with all things football related, like transfers, skills and training (all streamlined, don't expect Football Manager here) into one addictive game. It is easy to learn how to play (the game explains the basics to you very clearly), but not so easy to fully master this, that only comes with (a lot of) practice. Very user-frendly, and while it isn't that great to look at, graphics here aren't exactly anywhere near the top of this game's priorities list, nor should it. But this is just so beautifully put together, even the weather is a game-changer, literally, as playing in the rain afects your players (and opponents too) in a diferent way that playing in a very hot day. Get this game, it's only going to get better, since the devs are really nice and community-frendly. I repeat, get this game.

My first review (below this paragraph) was done with 20 hours or so, now with over 100 hours played I figured it was time for an update.

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If there is a game well worth 20€ or your equivalent, is this one. Great graphics (altough you need a beefy computer to fully max out the settings, but on Quality it's already very pleasing), great gameplay (Cars + Football with a bit of Hockey and, as of late April, Basketball = FUUUUUUUN) and a good comunity (Not once I've seen a squeaker/screamer or a stupid kid claiming that he has nailed my mom. Actually, it looks like I'm the worst player of the community, I sometimes insult my teammates if they are completly terrible and almost griefing...) makes this an essential buy. Sometimes you can land of lagged games, which it sucks if it has a lot of lag spikes, because otherwise I've played against 150+ ping players and still had a great time, because there wasn't any lag spikes. If you're completly unfamilliar with this game, it will take a while to get used to, but the fun you'll have will be worth the initial struggle. If you struggle big time, play some offline to get familliar with the physics of this game, because the ball is not an actual Football, is more like one of those big rubber balls you have in playgrounds (I think), they are very slow when bouncing and float a lot, so be aware.

9,5/10, you can even play against PS4 players, how neat is that? I just hope they add a lot more game modes, this game has a lot more potential that is untapped, I can feel it.

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After more game time, one thing is very clear: People are stupid. This means that there is a chance that every game you get paired with complete imbeciles that, despite they not having a good position to shoot, and you quick-chatting that you got the ball, they go out of their way to ram you in the side, scuff the ball and missing a sitter, taking both of you out of play for a few seconds, seconds that are crucial to avoid a counter but you can't help but to watch helplessly as they go on a 3v1 and score a goal.

Then after calling them out, I get usually replied with "Stop spamming". I don't spam, I use the quick-chat that is there for a reason, when playing with randoms, we all need to communicate with eachothers. I use the quick-chat to make them aware that I got it when I'm near the ball and can clear it or shoot it for a goal, or say all yours when I'm not in a good position to clear or don't hav boost to press on, or on the verge of making a cross and I need someone to shoot it in the goal. Why isn't there a quick-chat like "Uninstall please" or something like that?

Mistakes, everyone makes them, including me, an average RL player, but somethings are just unexcusable, there are a lot of idiots out there on competitive, they clearly don't have enough experience of RL to be half-decent. My advice to all new players is: play more causal to learn the ropes. Only when you feel you have some understanding of the usual tactics, the physics of the game (the corners are a trap, when you think you have the path of the ball figured out, it takes an odd bounce and before you know it, you are losing), and at least know how to defend properly (no staying at the goal line the entire match, it's an handicap when attacking in a 3v2 the entire match, and you can't stop a counter from forming, only if you actually save the final shot, otherwise staying at the halfway line it's a nice position to keep up the offensive pressure and stopping counters), then you can try the competitive lists.

Well, to wrap this up, there is nothing wrong with the game, the problem lies with the people that play it, playing with randoms is just like it says, you get people you don't know how they play. They can be a part of the problem, or they can be part of the fun. There is nothing more exciting than a tight match played with people that know what they are doing on both sides. Even if you lose, it's a lot of fun. Don't be a part of the problem, it's not hard to use your brain on this game, so use it and be part of the fun.

Still 9,5/10

UPDATE: Since April's patch, there have been some actual change. So much I've changed my recomendation.
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This game is as unbalanced as full of hackers, aided by poor hit detection and connection and strong support by microtransactions (it's not pay2win, but you'll struggle). While at first it seems quite the opposite, only the hackers are consistent throught the ranks, once you get to rank 13 (you unlock the professional servers, up to level 80 I think), you'll see all the flaws in this game. It's as unballanced as a one legged chair, with the early unlocked weapons and armour (specially weapons) being unable to compete with the more advanced arsenal present in professional servers. This is expected, and I know that, but this is where the microtransactions start to be tempting. But the worse of all is the poor detection and connection. Allied with the early, less powerful weapons, and you will rarely finish a match with a positive k/d. The slide function, while a relatively nice addition, in the hands of more skilled players and coupled with the afforementioned poor hit detection, and a shotgun wielding slider will take out your entire team, over, and over, and over, ... , and over again.

You are probably thinking, "This looks like more of a rant of a terrible player", and while it's true that I'm rubbish in this game, I used to have fun in it. The Co-Op is rather nice, but one only can complete the same missions so many times. It gets tiring.

Since these problems have been on the game since ages ago, I don't recomend it, there are cheaper alternatives (paid ones even, because this game has cost me a bit of sanity, there are only so many times you can call other players... not very friendly names, because they only kill with the grenade-launcher, another thing that is OP af), and to be honest, I would rather just play CoD Ghosts, because the problems that Ghosts have are nothing compared to this game.
Play it to see for yourself, after all, it's free, if you don't like it you can just uninstall it, no harm done, and if you do like it, even past the early professional ranks, well... kudos.

I used to like it. But after time I started to hate it. And I'm very sorry for that.
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Well, since the patch, for some reason it seems so diferent. While there are still hackers (I think, if they have over 60% headshot kills, one can assume they are), they have redone the matchmaking system, where you are matched with players of the same skill (or similar), and I think that makes a real difference. Not as many top level OP guys will appear to spoil your day, altough OP weapons still exist (the amount of snipers with their 1 shot kill sniper rifles is just ridiculous, even CoD is more forgiving), and by my senses, hit detection is better. It was time for a revamp of this game, even if it's just slighty, it's just enough to make me change my mind. I'm kind of glad I didn't uninstal, even if it's not that different, looks so diferent at times, and others it's just a small difference, but for now I'm liking it. 7/10

Well, I thought I had seen what the American Lifestyle was all about. But this has shown me what the real America is *Freedom Intensifies*

BROleven out of ten, would rocket Satan in the face again.

I only have an hour of gameplay, but I can already say that this is one game that you should have in your library. It's free, but if it was 5 or 10€ it would still be worth it. Think of this as Counter Strike in the 19th century. It runs the Source engine, so it doesn't have Next-Gen graphics, but isn't that shabby either, and the fun you'll have in this game will be unparalleled. I don't even like Westerns and that whole Cowboy era, but this is very fun and amazingly simple, you don't have much to do before playing, you just have to choose a server, choose your loadout and play. Simple as that. Play it like you play CS with snipers (standing still before shooting), and that's it. You have crates to get some extra gear or even better weapons, you can pick up weapons from enemies, you have infinite ammo (you still have to reload, no bottomless clips), and wiskey to heal (Thug Life, I mean, Cowboy Life). What more can you ask? If in the future this can be in a more recent engine, than this would be perfect. And to think I almost skipped this game while checking my queue. 9,5/10