Recent reviews by Shoal

A must buy for any Sins fan. The more you play the more you realize it's not the old game with fancy graphics, but something of it's own; something better.

SOASE 2 -- It's better than the first, and that's saying a ton. This is the only 4x game like it, and they didn't burn it to the ground and start over. It's Sins: Rebellion, but improved. Quality of life improvements are just a part of it - tons of tweaks to the different factions, minor faction overhaul, a new (and better) research system, and decisions that matter in the short and long run of the game. I also respect a sequel that builds where the last one left off, instead of charging you DLC to get the stuff you already had in the older version.

Insane. Addictive. Always fun. Always makes me angry. I hate this game. I love this game.

If you like Left for Dead, this is a nice modern spiritual sequel. The atmosphere is awesome if you like 40k. Yeah, you're not a space marine, but you're also not killing rats in a fantasy warhammer environment (I just couldn't get into the atmosphere of vermintide). I quickly came to like the classes, and really enjoy both the gun and melee combat. It's still beta, so there's more coming, but it already feels very flushed out and fun. The DM definitely keeps it moving and doesn't make it easy to win. I keep coming back and can't wait to get some regular voice chat groups going.

TLDR: If you're on the fence, buy it.

The people that downvote this game are 100% correct, it's not the game we were promised. Very little, beyond the graphics, is next gen. The AI is dumb, the path is quite linear, and there is little to no customization. Still, setting aside all the failed promises, is it a good game? Yes, it is. It's fun, engaging, and it will suck hours of your life (many of the downvotes are still people with 40+ hours of gameplay... that speaks for itself.) CDPR didn't deliver on most of the hype, but it's still a stellar game that will entertain you for over 40 hours. Think final fantasy VII story style and depth with a (better than) dues ex play style. That's a big compliment, IMO. You choices do matter, and they do affect the story, but it still seems to not be as deep as hyped. Still, it's going to keep you playing.

And the elephant... is it buggy? Yes. Ubisoft or Bethesda level buggy? Nope. Of course, your experience will vary based on your hardware. The higher your PC spec, the less buggy the game seems to be. I'm running it on a 3080 and I rarely encounter a bug, one every few hours, and nothing game breaking so far. Honestly, I feel the "buggy" hate in the game media is a bit overdone, considering how bad other open world games from the usual developers continue to launch in such poor states. I think people are just a little disappointed (they expected better), and that's driving the ire.

One of the best arcade style racers - period. Still awesome and holds up. Many different ways to play as a racer or a cop. I really wish EA would give this a proper sequel.

This is THE X-game. While X3: The Threat was amazing, this adds to and tops that game. A strong addition, this is by far the pinnacle of X-style space sims. It's about as approachable as the X series gets, and yet still allows you to do anything.

The original, still an amazing game. If you want to save a few bucks, grab this over the new versions. 50 hours later you'll have a few other newer Borderlands games (2, and the prequel) you can buy to continue the Borderlands thirst.

Bottom Line: Star Trek fans interested in living in the universe and experiencing it all will find an entertaining (long) time sink here.

There is a surprisingly large amount of depth here for an MMO. You'll experience all the Star Trek universe, and even the expanded universe. The combat is fun (in the ships) and at least the ground combat has been refined enough that it can be an entertaining distraction (but it's nothing to brag about). Crafting is still pretty pointless, but you'll find plenty to do in the Star Trek universe. You'll even get to experience an entertaining story voice acted by many of the actors from the various series. If you're not already playing, the sheer amount of content is staggering. Guilds have a purpose and end game is well flushed out.

A simple, fun, and addictive game, Game Dev Tycoon is the perfect time waster. This game is well worth a couple of your dollars to experiment with different styles, video game markets, and to try and assemble the best game dev team around. You can remake well-known styles or experiment with genre mixes that no one would consider. If you're thinking about it, buy it.

Bottom Line: If you like Batman combat and/or the LOTR universe, this is a must buy. If you H A T E the Batman style of combat, skip this, as that is the meat of the game. The new mechanic of the NEMISIS system only serves to make the game better and more interesting. More below.

A mix of Batman and Assassins Creed styles in the LOTR universe. This game pretty much lifts the Batman combat style but improves greatly on the AC style of stealth and gameplay - AC done right, so to speak. It also introduces the NEMISIS system, which I think we will see in future games. Your enemy, the Uruks & Orcs, live and fight regardless of what you do. They will gain in rank and power as you continue about your quests. You job is to hunt them down and exploit their weaknesses by collecting intelligence - an activity that's actually easy, useful, and finally done right in a game. Uruks & Orcs will remeber your previous engagements and even taunt you if you lost or ran before. They exhibit scars and burns depending on how the battle went. This NEMISIS system is the icing on the delicious Batman style combat cake making the game even better.

The story is there. It's not great, nor is it horrible. It's mostly there to introduce new abilities, so feel free to play out the main story and worry about completing all those side quests once you have a decent repertoire of combat abilities. Yes, you can go back, and you can even do so after you beat the game.