Recent reviews by eqazec

Amazing immersive sim game that still plays well in 2023. Has its fair share of game balance concerns, but the overall experience is amazing

TL;DR at bottom of review

I bought Dishonored 2, because I thoroughly enjoyed the original game. After finally playing this game, I can say I'm just a little unimpressed. It's a good game, don't get me wrong, but DH2 is undeniably shorter than the first game. The world design, a staple of the original game, felt somehow dated and bland in this sequel. During some missions, I found myself noticing map fragments which were directly lifted from other missions, breaking immersion on a few occasions (and I'm not talking about the black market shops). The story is a bit too predictable, though they definitely tried to improve it by adding branching timelines and guiding the player through the missions. The issue is that the game oscillates between holding the players hand through every little action and leaving the player wandering for minutes about how to use some poorly-explained game mechanic. Also, I really did not enjoy the way they rebooted the outsiders design and mannerisms. He went from being a mysterious G-man type character to an edgy young adult who never outgrew his goth phase.

Now that I've finished with my points of contention, I have to sing some praises. Dishonored, as a franchise, has some of the best navigation and level design ever. You really feel like an occult shadow assassin as you explore the limits of this beautiful open world. The fictional world that this game creates is endearing and dynamic, even though the entire game takes place in just two cities. The magic system got a major boost, though I found myself uninterested in most of the new offers, preferring to stick with the old mechanics. The bone charm crafting system was really cool, but I never found a use for it, because by the time I gathered enough bone charms, the game was already over. The option to play as Emily or Corvo is a welcome addition to the game (though I think story works best with Emily as the MC). The higher-level NPC characters, with whom you interact, mostly have good stories to tell. If you really want to enjoy this game, ready EVERYTHING. There is so much hidden lore and information within documents and books spread throughout the world. My only complaint was that my eyes were hurting by the end of the play through.

TL;DR Dishonored 2 is a good game. It has a beautiful, expansive world and enjoyable movement system, but often falls flat on aspects like mission flow/continuity. Despite trying to resolve classic Dishonored 1 character storylines, it ultimately fails to leave the player with that lasting feeling of resolution. At the end of this game, you might be left wondering, "huh...is that it?" If you enjoyed Dishonored 1 and find this on sale, you should pick it up and explore the world of Dishonored.

Hollow Knight is one of those games that looks very unassuming, but the quality and depth of this game's world and gameplay set it apart from many metroidvanias. If you haven't explored Hallownest yet, seriously consider giving this game a try.

Summary: If you haven't purchased this game yet...DO IT NOW

I think that very few words can truly describe the amazing game that is Bioshock Infinite. It is, by far, the best game FPS I have ever played! I could go on for hours telling you about all the things that make Infinite such a ridiculously amazing game, so I will leave the body of my review down below. I would recommend this game to everyone I know. I love the game, the world of Columbia, and I am most impressed with Infinite.

Fluid game mechanics, excellent character development and a solid virtual environment all serve to transport the gamer into the world of Columbia. In contrast to the original two Bioshock games, Infinite maintains a more light-hearted and less stygian atmosphere throughout the game. The introduction of character-to-character interaction leads the user to understand the plot, goals, and underlying motives of each and every character.

The NPC's of columbia stand out with unique personalities and attitudes during the game. They help the player comphrehend the attitudes of other game characters by presenting him/her with these multiple perspectives. For instance, the early NPC's of Columbia introduce topics, like the Vox Populi, which are not fully explained until halfway through the game. Some may argue that this is counterproductive, but I believe it holds some strategic merit.
Oh, and the Lutece Twins, my favorite side characters from Infinite, are exceptional examples of how game characters can really connect to the player! After all, they "are where [they] are needed and needed where [they] are"...

I used to play Minecraft (I KNOW "What a nob"); however, I grew tired of it and decided to search for another game to play. That is when I found Team Fortress 2. TF2 exceeded all my expectations for an FPS game with its amazing teamwork oriented gameplay mechanics. Team Fortress 2, in my opinion, changed the concept of what an FPS game CAN be. Overall, it is truly a stellar game, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Oh, and did I mention that it's FREE?