Recent reviews by Erratic Static

I don't play any Borderlands game for the story, so this one's cast of cringeworthy characters in a wonky narrative didn't trouble me. This game is excellent where it counts: the gameplay. It's straight up FUN, and is a good time either solo or with a group of friends. The gunplay and overall mechanics (such as movement and helpful QOL changes) have been improved even more from the already great Borderlands 2 experience. Even the vehicular control is a bit less clunky this time, allowing for the brief driving bits to be enjoyable enough. The weapon designs look better than ever, and feature plenty of wacky ideas put to good use.

Yes the story is relatively weak, so if you care about that I suggest you skip this entry and wait for Borderlands 4 (or just play the DLCs). But I wouldn't say the story is terrible, moreso just not great. The new characters are a mixed bag: the Calypso twins and Ava are the worst offenders, all three being annoying at best. But most of the other NPCs are just fine and they did a good job adding in many returning faces from previous games in ways that make sense.

BALEX is my personal favorite of the new characters, he's a riot. That trademark Borderlands sense of humor is on full display here, and many of the side missions are actually fun and change things around permanently, in minor yet noticeable ways. Your choices do matter.

Some people have complained that Legendary drops are too common in this game, and that makes them less meaningful or impactful. At first I agreed. But ultimately I think it's a positive change, as it allows you to have fun trying out various builds without too much grind. There are many hours of enjoyment to be had with this game, and don't miss the worthwhile DLCs.

my childhood approves 💜

This one is hard as balls for someone like me (who sucks at this genre)

So yes, it's difficult. That's not a bad thing. Also you likely know this already, but this game is utterly stunning with its art/animation and music. If you appreciate hand-drawn, hand-animated, hand-done everything 1930s Fleischer-style animation and jazzy music recorded live as if from the era, you'll love this game.

It all feels so genuine, so authentic, and you can tell how much effort was put into making it that way. You can see it in every frame of animation and hear it in every second of sweet scratchy tunes. It's a success on every front in terms of presentation. You can really feel the passion that went into crafting this game and its atmosphere.

The focus is on the incredible and varied boss battles, but there are also your basic run 'n gun levels (where you can collect coins to purchase weapons and charms) and a few levels where you do nothing but parry ghosts to earn super moves. There are some secrets and goodies to find and unlock as well.

I love Cuphead and highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates that 30s-style surreal cartoon aesthetic and/or is looking for a fun and challenging experience that might make you rage, but it'll do so while giving your eyes and ears a real treat.

a work of interactive art worth a playthrough. it's free and brief, yet lovely in a subtle way.

As one of my favorite games of all time (in my top five for sure) and an integral part of my childhood, this classic JRPG has always held a very special place in my heart. But even when I put aside those rose-tinted nostalgia goggles, I can safely say that this one is a timeless gem and well worth playing if you haven't done so yet.

I've played through the entire game and completed all side objectives multiple times back in the PS1 glory days, when FFIX was in its original 4-disc form. When I found out that this perennial fav of mine was being brought to PC in a remastered state, I was overjoyed-- and also, like many other fans, a bit worried that the port would be of poor quality. I anxiously awaited its release, and when it finally came out I was extremely relieved to see that the game was nearly perfect. They even kept the quality of the lovely and memorable musical score intact.

The character models look better than ever in high-res, and for those less fond of that JRPG grind there are now optional cheats to breeze through the game (though I'd never touch 'em, personally. I'm an FFIX purist like that!)

Controls work fine with either a controller or keyboard/mouse, but I recommend using a controller as that is the way the game was meant to be played.

The only issue I've got (and it's a relatively minor one that not much could've been done about) is the blurry backgrounds, which in most PC resolutions are quite noticeably fuzzy. This is unfortunate, as these pre-rendered backgrounds feature some very stunning art and help to create the game's amazing atmosphere. But fortunately they can still be appreciated, even in this state. It's far from a deal-breaker, at least for me. It bugged me a lot at first, but I can deal with it now. It just takes some getting used to, and it also depends on the specific resolution you're using.

The story and its characters remain as timeless and charming as ever, and it's the same emotional thrillride for me that it's always been. I will never stop adoring this game, and I'm really pleased to have it back in my life.

It's also worth mentioning that if you enjoy finding a whole lotta secrets and all sorts of hidden goodies, this one will not disappoint. Persistence and exploration are rewarded.

TL;DR --> An above-average port of the best Final Fantasy game of them all. If you haven't played FFIX yet, you're missing out.

This game has a single setting: a creepy fireplace. Your objective is to burn stuff. You find punny combinations of objects to burn together, which is the process used to unlock more stuff to burn. That's it. That's all you do, and the execution is brilliant.

I love digital toys like this little game, especially if the physics are a treat. And these fire physics fit that category.

Not just a mindless timewaster, this indie gem has a story. It tells you its tale in a subdued way (via snail mail communication, of all things) instead of direct character interaction, which works just fine for what Little Inferno is and what it's trying to convey.

It's eerie and atmospheric and enjoyable. Pick it up to entertain the budding pyromaniac inside all of us.

A completely free Diablo-style lootfest ARPG, and it's one of quality. Clearly designed by and for a hardcore crowd, but with easy appeal for just about any fan of the genre. It's fun and accessible, yet has plenty of depth if you seek it. And this game is TRULY free-- no BS, no PayToWin aspects at all. And it's still being updated with fresh content. This game is always a blast to play either solo or with friends.

In short, PoE is effin' AWESOME and I highly recommend it.

If you dig the game as much as I do, you can (and should) show your support for the developers by purchasing any of the cosmetic options in the in-game store to give your character(s) some visual pizzaz. I like the pet selection and the plethora of electricity-themed stuff. My only gripe is that a lot of those shiny items cost way too much, but it's all cosmetic and entirely optional so this is a minor complaint.

OH THE FEELS
in short: yes. get this game. it's effin' amazing.

Gee, I somehow forgot to ever write a review of TF2. Oh. Well. Darn. Here y'go...

What can I say? It's TF2. It's TEE EFF TOO. I was very late to the party, but I loved it RIGHT AWAY when I first started playing it (a couple of years ago) and I still adore it now. It's just as charming as it's ever been. I love its whole theme and stylized atmosphere of cartoony gore, the classes and their personalities, the background and story, the comics, and even most of the minor characters (most of which aren't seen in the actual game, which sucks. GET ON THAT VALVE) and NPCs. Yep, I just love everything about TF2.

Do you like succulents? How about neat and relaxing content that is also free?

Viridi is a small (and free) gem of a game that allows you to care for (though the care required is minimal, just as with real succulent plants) a digital succulent. You can water your plant, adjust and move it around the pot, sing to it (which supposedly helps it grow), take pics of it, listen to the soothing background music, pluck the weeds that spring up in your pot over time, and that's about it. The only way to mess up and eventually kill your plant, as far as I can tell, is to either overwater or underwater it. Both are bad.

The game's Nursery gives you a free seedling each week, but its species will be random. If you are willing to pay a few cents for the plant of your choice, then you have the option of choosing from a wide variety of popular succulent species. I think this game is sweet, so to support it I'm considering purchasing the species I'm most keen on owning: classic aloe vera! :)

Once your plant is chosen, you'll need to choose its home. There's a pretty big selection of pots to browse through, and though they're nothing outstanding there's bound to be at least one or two that'll strike your fancy enough to use. After you've got your succulent and its pot, you're all set. Now you have a pet digital plant, which comes with its very own smaller succulent companions that automatically spring into existence and grace its pot upon planting. No succulent in this game apparently allows itself to be planted solo.

And yes, you do get to name your plant. Every pet needs a name, flora or fauna. Though, I suppose it's more like naming your pot instead of any individual succulent within it since, well, see the paragraph right below this one.

You're not limited to caring for just one photosynthetic pal. You're allowed to plant and maintain a whole bunch of succulents in your current pot. You start with just one proper seedling, which you get to pick from a limited, if still fairly large, selection of species. Though the list of starter species isn't complete, you still get to pick your first plant (unlike the random free seedling given to you each week by the Nursery) and once you've accumulated more through this means or via purchasing additional seedlings, you can plant the seedling of your choice in the pot at any time as long as room remains.

One more thing:
Do you happen to dig snails as well? Well, you'll be pleased to know there's a snail that serves as sort of a living decoration for your pot. You get to name said snail and while you *can* spritz and even sing to it, you don't actually have to worry about it in terms of care (the game is about plants and not molluscs, after all) and in fact, all you can do is watch the little guy go 'round and 'round the edge of your pot in endless circles. The snail doesn't grow/change in any way and can't die, and is always the same. So yeah, the snail is bascially pointless but hella cute.