Recent reviews by SolidFury

"Stop scrolling social media"

Hell Divers 2 is a rare gem in today’s gaming world, not just because it’s an absolute blast to play, but because it feels refreshingly fair when it comes to monetisation. Unlike so many games that lock everything behind paywalls or shove microtransactions in your face, Hell Divers 2 lets you actually earn premium content credits just by playing the game. It’s such a simple thing, but it makes a massive difference, it shows that the devs genuinely care about giving players a good experience, not just draining their wallets.

The game itself is an adrenaline-fueled mix of chaos, humour, and strategy. The whole idea of spreading "managed democracy" through over-the-top military action is hilarious and oddly satisfying. It's got that perfect blend of sci-fi and satire, making every mission feel fresh and exciting. Whether you're holding off waves of alien bugs or accidentally blowing up your squad with friendly fire, it’s impossible not to have a good time.

What really stands out, though, is how much heart Arrowhead Game Studios has poured into it. The developers come across as wholesome and passionate, they’ve been super transparent, they actually listen to the community, and it feels like they genuinely love what they’re making. That energy shines through in the gameplay, and it’s so rare in an industry where so many games feel like they were churned out just to hit sales targets.

Hell Divers 2 isn’t just fun; it’s fair. The monetisation model is a breath of fresh air, the setting is clever and exciting, and the teamwork-focused gameplay is perfect for co-op fans. It’s a game that respects your time and your money, and that alone makes it worth checking out.

This one’s a bit tricky for me to review due to the limited time I’ve spent with it and a few bugs I encountered. However, I figured I’d share my thoughts based on the introduction sections. Take this with a grain of salt.

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• Beautifully Crafted: The world design is stunning, with a clear focus on detail.
  
• Attention to Detail: Lore, references, and the small touches show real care and love for the source material.
  
• Interactive Environment: Interacting with objects is incredible in many areas. While it’s not quite on the level of Half-Life: Alyx, it’s probably second place for me — though some areas do fall short of that high standard (but, c’mon, it’s Valve).
  
• Voice Acting: Absolutely solid performances that immerse you in the world.
  
• Community Support: Shoutout to Survios_Admin on Discord for being helpful and engaged with the community.

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• Optimisation Issues: Performance could be a lot better. The game feels like it’s under-optimised, which is a shame given its hardware demands.
  
• High CPU Requirements: The minimum CPU requirements seem unusually high. It almost feels like the devs couldn’t fully optimise the game, so they just raised the hardware bar instead.
  
• Poor Communication / Deceptive Marketing: This one stings. Just 2 days before release, the store page was quietly updated to frame the game as "Alien: Rogue Incursion - PART ONE."
  
  Initially, I figured this was a miscommunication — maybe a sequel was already planned, and they fumbled the messaging.
  But upon launching the game and seeing “ALIEN: ROGUE INCURSION PART ONE” plastered on the title screen, alarm bells went off.
  Reports of a cliffhanger ending only add to this uneasy feeling.

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Despite my love for the setting, characters, and lore, I chose to refund the game. The poor optimisation, inability to play the game as the devs (or I for that matter) intended, combined with the sudden “Part One” revelation, left a sour taste. It feels rushed out the door without proper care, and I’m not willing to pay full price for that experience.

If the developers want to rush it out, then I won’t rush to buy it. I might reconsider picking it up down the line if they fix it up if I see reports of a stark improvement of optimisation across the board, but beyond that, maybe I'll wait for a sale.

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There’s a lot of potential here, but some of the issues are hard to ignore. If you’re a fan of Alien or immersive worlds, there’s something here for you. Just be aware of the performance issues and the “Part One” situation before you dive in.

Recommended? 🤔 On the fence - Might be worth waiting for patches, more transparency, or a sale. If you've got a souped up desktop and are a big fan of the series, go for it!

It's a shame there is no "Maybe" recommendation, but I will leave this as a "YES" for now, as some people will enjoy it (if they can play it)

They are not joking.

I had better FPS with the new STALKER on release. My god. This is potatoware.

Best VR game, hands down.

The OG game

TLDR - Dogwater game with predatory pay to win mechanics.

I’ve been playing Dead by Daylight since the beta, back when it was a true horror game—a tense, thrilling experience where every match was a pulse-pounding fight for survival. But over the years, it’s warped into something else entirely: a grotesque abomination of pay-to-win mechanics and predatory monetisation.

You pay £15 upfront, thinking you’re getting a complete game, but what you’re really buying is a ticket to a pay-to-win nightmare. The real terror doesn’t even start there—it begins when you realise that, as a new player, you’re basically fish food in a shark tank.

Let’s talk about the new player experience: Imagine booting up the game for the first time, excited to dive into some heart-pounding horror. You’re thrown into a match...only to find yourself up against veterans with years of experience and a full arsenal of perks while you are locked out of all of that, quite literally starting with 0 perks. They’ve got meta builds that the game that allow them to see you across the map, while you’re struggling to figure out why your flashlight doesn’t blind the killer and why your perks feel like they were designed for a different game entirely.

And those perks? Oh boy. Most of the good ones are locked behind dozens of hours of grinding, or worse, behind DLC paywalls. So while you’re getting hooked and sacrificed by seasoned players, you’re also getting hooked on the idea that maybe, just maybe, if you spent a little more, you’d stand a chance. It’s like dangling a carrot in front of a player base that’s already been beaten to a pulp.

Some bootlickers might say, 'But you can purchase all perks in a specific shrine in the menu!' But they fail to mention that the 'shrine' is just a thinly veiled attempt at hiding the pay-to-win dark patterns the devs have implemented. Even then, the four perks they begrudgingly offer to players who don’t want to fork out more cash for a game they’ve already paid for are laughable. You could wait months for a just one single perk from the latest DLC to appear in the shrine. And shocker—all the 'meta' perks rarely, if ever, show up, to the point it’s become a community joke.

Pros:

Genuinely terrifying atmosphere...but mostly because you’re terrified of getting matched against veterans.
Innovative mechanics: Pay, get wrecked, pay more.

It can be fun around 30% of the time, if you're playing with friends and not in the solo-queue (Which the game punishes you for)

Cons:
New player experience is like being tossed into the deep end with concrete shoes.

Matchmaking is a nightmare—literally.

Most perks are locked away, and your chances of getting good ones without paying are as slim as escaping the Entity unscathed.

Would I recommend it?: Only if you enjoy paying £15 for the privilege of getting crushed by players with the rarest items, best meta perks and 100 times the experience. 0/10—like the chances of surviving your first 50 matches without seriously considering uninstalling. This game is predatory, stay clear from it and anything this company touches.

Abandoned nearly upon release, which is a shame as this game had a huge amount of potential. It baffles me why they dont just make it F2P.

Level Zero Extraction is a thrilling multiplayer horror game, and as someone who's been playing since the Alpha, I can say this game has tremendous potential. It’s currently at the beginning of its Early Access, and the developers have already made significant strides in improving the experience since the beta.

Atmosphere & Gameplay:
As a mercenary, the game nails that Alien: Isolation vibe, putting you in dark, claustrophobic environments where every shadow feels like a threat. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and teamwork is absolutely essential to survive. The gameplay is intense and rewarding, especially when you successfully escape or fend off an alien attack while fighting other mercs with your squad.

Alien Aspect:
The real draw for me, though, is playing as an alien. It's an absolute blast to hunt down mercenaries, using the environment to your advantage. However, this side of the game is still a bit undercooked, which the developers admit with their "Road-map" (Most Alien things are yet to be worked on) . The aliens lack content and customization options, which is a shame because there's so much potential here. Attacks can sometimes feel flat and don't feel weighty, but the thrill of the hunt makes up for it. I'm really hoping the developers flesh out the alien gameplay further, making it more than just an extra mode for mercs to earn some cash.

Multiplayer Experience:
The multiplayer component is where Level Zero Extraction truly shines. The tension and excitement of coordinating with your team while knowing that one misstep could lead to your doom is exhilarating. The matchmaking works well for the most part, though occasional connectivity hiccups and bugs do pop up. When you get a good team together, the experience is nothing short of electrifying.

Content & Replayability:
While the game offers a good amount of replayability, it does start to feel a bit repetitive after a while, especially on the alien side. However, the developers have promised more updates, including new maps, skins, weapons, and hopefully, a more robust alien experience. I’m optimistic due to past work by the developers that they'll meet these goals.

Overall:
Level Zero Extraction is a standout in the multiplayer horror genre. It’s not without its issues—particularly in the balance and depth of the alien gameplay—but the foundation is rock solid. The atmosphere, teamwork, and sheer tension make it a must-play for fans of cooperative horror games. With more content and polish, this game could shape up to redefine a rather stale genre if work continues to be put in to it.

Would I recommend it?
I would, If you love intense, strategic horror games AND you dont mind the early access quirks and issues, Level Zero Extraction is well worth your time. Plus, if you’re like me and drawn to the alien aspect, you’ll find plenty of fun and potential here. I’m excited to see where the developers take it from here!

I've not even played much of this game but the fact they've worked on it for years after the (wonky) release with all these free DLCs.

Absolute TITAN of a developer!!!

Gonna play some more now!