Recent reviews by TDOB

Runs just as well as the beta did!

ATLYSS is hard to pin down. It's a love letter to a whole host of games, namely the MMOs and ARPGs of the early aughts, and it absolutely nails that look, sound, and feeling. More importantly, it is VERY fun to play. The ten-or-so hours of early-access content available are well worth the price point, and I can't wait to get lost in the full release.

If you're already invested in Rivals of Aether, then Rivals 2 should feel like a big step forwards for the game, and for the franchise as a whole. But if you aren't already onboard, then there’s a baffling step backwards that new players have to contend with: the game’s total lack of onboarding.

Rivals 2 has no in-game resources or tutorials of any kind: neither controls, nor system mechanics, nor character movesets, nor a glossary. Instead, its main menu features a link to a Steam announcement featuring movelist infographics and 101 characters guides on Youtube. Buried deeper still is a link to an official wiki under-construction, where a new player can finally try to learn which button is which.

It’s a stark contrast to the original Rivals of Aether, which currently features three ‘grades’ of in-game tutorials for movement, offense and defense alike, including tech grandfathered-in from the game’s ancestor, Melee. And all of these lessons still apply to Rivals 2; they just aren’t available to you, neatly tucked away in another game, behind another price tag.

The launch window for a fighting game is when it brings in the majority of its new blood, and it’s the best time for newcomers to get their sea legs. Doubly so for a series with a lot of legacy skill involved—take Tekken as another example—where new players start off so far below the curve that it can feel impossible to catch up, and fruitless to try and learn.

Before you teach your kid to play baseball, you teach them to play catch. Rivals 2 will pitch you heaters from start to finish.

The best in the business.

Even more ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ is going down, if you can believe it.

"(...) we know this is a tough change for some of our players. We know this may mean some of you wait for future discounts or sales (...)"

Hear that? Creative Assembly is telling you to your face that your purchase is only a matter of time to them. No matter how bad it gets, they believe that you'll lie down and take what you are given in the end.

Please show them they're wrong.

Anyone who has played any of Nexon's games for any period of time knows that they are thieves, through and through. Not satisfied with stealing from their own customers, Nexon has taken it upon themselves to sack other companies with frivolous suits for profit.

If you're a would-be returner, stick to your guns. You deserve better than to do this to yourself.
If you're a newcomer, stay far away. Your time, and your wallet, will thank you later.
And if you care about games as a medium, tell the same to others.

Help make Nexon the pariah it has always deserved to be.

Anyone who has played any of Nexon's games for any period of time knows that they are thieves, through and through. Not satisfied with stealing from their own customers, Nexon has taken it upon themselves to sack other companies with frivolous suits for profit.

If you're a would-be returner, stick to your guns. You deserve better than to do this to yourself.
If you're a newcomer, stay far away. Your time, and your wallet, will thank you later.
And if you care about games as a medium, tell the same to others.

Help make Nexon the pariah it has always deserved to be.

The trailers and key art for Lightfall's advertising, such as on this Steam store page, showcase equipment that does not exist within the game's files. Similarly, certain news and blog posts made by Bungie leading up to Lightfall are known to have been edited following the expansion's launch, altering or removing certain statements that would now be considered deceptive.

Personal feelings aside about the product aside, these practices alone should be a deal-breaker for any self-respecting customer.

Darktide delivers and improves on what Fatshark is known for; top-notch horde combat, stunning music, audio and visuals, and reasonably amusing banter. Sadly, they're also known for fumbling their launches, and this is no exception. The studio may not call this an early-access title, but I think the shoe fits.

With 40 hours in and one of the four classes maxed out, I feel like I can safely say that Darktide just isn't ready yet. The biggest pain point is gear progression and crafting, which are the main incentives to play more difficult missions. Most of the crafting features aren't available, namely the cheaper options that would be more helpful for interim leveling gear. Blessings, the unique traits that can sometimes singlehandedly make or break a weapon's usefulness in the more difficult missions, can't be re-rolled. This leaves you at the mercy of an hourly rotating shop—which includes every single weapon type you've unlocked, at a variety of different rarities and item levels—to try and snag a practical improvement over previous weapons you might have liked.

While less egregious, it's also worth noting that some weapons aren't included in the launch at all, with an advertised number of "over 70" landing at 65. One of these missing weapons is even featured on the game's cover art. While I didn't play one myself, it seems most of them belonged to the Ogryn class, and I'm told that it leaves a notable 'gap' in the class's toolkit and unlock progression compared to the other classes.

There's much to be said about the game's stability issues, but I can't vouch for them myself. There's also much to be said about the game's frustratingly priced and well-stocked premium cosmetics shop, which I'm not smart enough to unravel. There's no shortage of quality discussion on the shop on the game's community outlets. What I can say for sure is that the contrast, between a gleaming cash shop and a barely-functioning crafting suite, is very sharp.

I don't doubt that Darktide will be a very good game. It's already a very fun game. But it needs more time and effort, to have its rough edges smoothed out, and I know Fatshark is willing and able to provide both. If you want to do a favor to your enjoyment of Darktide, then put if off for a while.