Recent reviews by Kauldwin

I did not have any experience with the Witcher games prior to Wild Hunt. I had Witcher 1 & 2 but hadn't gotten around to playing them. However, I heard awesome things about Wild Hunt, and also heard that you could play it without having played earlier games, so I decided to give it a shot. I spent a little time near the beginning of the game slightly confused, and every once in a while a character popped up that I was clearly expected to know and didn't, but overall, I had very little trouble understanding what was going on, and I thought the game and the character interactions did a great job of explaining things, so yes, you are definitely able to start with Wild Hunt if that is your desire.

The Good: Where do I even start with this game? Never having had any experience with the Witcher before, I was really blown away with the story. So much so that I immediately went out and got all the books the games are based on, and I'll probably end up doing a replay of Wild Hunt now that I've read the books and have some more backstory. I can't compare the combat system to the older Witcher games; as a newbie, it was a little awkward to learn at first, but once I got familiar with it, I enjoyed the combat and all the options (potions, bombs, etc.) you have available during a fight. I think the NPCs really sold the game for me - I'm normally a "no companions" style player in RPGs, but I really looked forward to every interaction with Geralt's friends and enjoyed the missions where I got to travel alongside Yen, Triss, and other NPCs. With a lot of games, I have trouble being sold on the emotional connection that pushes the player to finish the main quest, but Wild Hunt does a great job of rounding out Ciri as a character and making you want to find her. The map is huge, with tons of places to explore and NPCs to meet. The card minigame (Gwent) is a lot of fun and a good way to break up some of the questing if you need a diversion.

The Bad: A few of the quests, especially some in Novigrad, suffer from the problems that all RPG quests face - somewhat repetitive and a lot of back-and-forth. The difficulty leveling of the monsters seemed to drop off after about Level 15 or so - combat seemed to get really easy after that point, even against boss or contract monsters. I don't think the romance questlines were set up well for good decision making - you meet one character and can complete her entire quest line well before meeting the other. The talking load screens were also very annoying to me, but that's a minor gripe.

General Info: I really liked the pacing of the game. At first I was a little unsure about having quests tagged with the level you should be completing them at, and also with the low amount of XP given for random monster hunting, but that really helped me to keep the number of side quests to main quests balanced and not tear through the game quite as recklessly. I spent around 100 hours on my initial playthrough and got a fair amount of side questing done, but still had many more side quests I could have done if I hadn't been so anxious to play out the main story. My main determining factor in how much I like a game is the plot, and this game has plot and lore in spades, as well as strong characters that really make you pull for them (or against them).


Overall: I strongly recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of open world, RPG, or fantasy games, as well as anyone who chooses games based on strong stories. Tons of content, tons of replay value, and overall a great bang for your buck.

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

New System Specs Used: Intel i7-7700HQ, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 / 8GB GDDR5, 32GB DDR4 RAM, Windows 10

The good: This is a fun little logic puzzle game, and you can experiment and have some creativity with your character and your tools. The art style is cute. It's not a long game (there is one achievement in particular that requires a lot of grinding, and I think this accounts for the number of hours a lot of people have in this). Some of the puzzles are challenging, and all have extra collectibles to find or things to do.

The bad: Poor damage & combat mechanics make the game somewhat more difficult than it needs to be. You can kill yourself quite easily with lightning or fire, and if any monster gets ahold of you it is generally lights out quite quickly, and with no checkpoints or saves in levels, this can mean some frustrating restarts.

General info: You play a little stick person trying to rescue your friend (coincidentally, another stick person) and questing through a sketched world. The actual artistic skill required to play this game is zero (all your "tools" can be straight lines if you wish), but it's definitely more fun if you take the time to sketch and enjoy. Replay value is low, once you've figured out the puzzles.

Overall: I don't know that I'd purchase it at full price, but if you pick it up during the Steam sales, I would recommend it!

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

The good: As a fan of the Deus Ex universe, I enjoyed having more story content. There are some new and some returning characters to get to know. Costa Rica is an interesting location for a Deus Ex game; it's nice to have a slightly different flair to the city. This isn't a long game, but for the price, you get a decent amount of content. There are a couple new weapons/mods to use, which are fun.

The bad: This is a port from mobile platforms, and the controls were poorly done IMO. They just seem very finicky and timing for quick movements is difficult. The graphics are not up to the standard of Deus Ex Human Revolution, again due to the port. The game was intended to be the first in a series, but the others have not yet been made, so the ending leaves you hanging.

General info: The player character, Ben Saxon, was introduced to the Deus Ex universe in the companion novel The Icarus Effect, which takes place just prior to and during Human Revolution. If you enjoy the lore of Deus Ex, this is a nice little addition with some more info on one of the Tyrants. The game gets a lot of hate, but I think most of that is due to the poor PC port. If you know what to expect going in, I think it can be enjoyable for fans of the series.

Overall: Would recommend it to those who are already Deus Ex fans; if you've never played a Deus Ex game before, start with the original Deus Ex or Human Revolution first.

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

The good: Enjoyable ambient sounds, voices, and music. Has a fairly good art style; more light fantasy steampunk for most of the game (as opposed to some of the dark gritty steampunk types you can find). You can turn the visual hints for puzzles on or off depending on the difficulty. Some of the puzzles are challenging, and the hidden objects puzzles are fun (although on the easy side).

The bad: It's rather short (I have 10 hours on record, but most of that is because I walked off to get lunch and stayed away from my computer and forgot to exit out of the game). The game takes certain tools out of your inventory once you use them; I guess it's not uncommon with this type of game, but I find it really annoying when I have to go hunt down another tool to do a job when I just had one that could have worked and it was taken away because reasons.

General info: Gameplay is a linear point-and-click story with logic/hidden object puzzles thrown in every so often. The story is a little cliché, but otherwise ok.

Overall: If you like point-and-click puzzlers or hidden object games, this is a fun little afternoon jaunt; I would recommend it.

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

The good: The Talos Principle is a bit like a less humorous, more philosophical version of Portal. The mechanics are different than Portal's, but the idea of going through a series of self-contained logic puzzles is similar. The puzzles range in difficulty from fairly simple to challenging, and there are bonus type puzzles to complete in some levels. There are lots of little Easter eggs referencing other games and pop culture. You can actually leave QR codes that others on your friends list can find as they play the game, which is interesting. You have lots of mechanics to play with in each level (boxes, force fields, lasers, fans, etc.), which helps to make for a really varied puzzle experience. Unlike a lot of "player choice" games that have different endings which turn out to be different cut scenes, the Talos Principle has a couple of completely different endings with totally different ways to get to each. The level design is beautiful, and it makes the game very atmospheric and fun to look at.

The bad: This game seems to have a motion sickness problem. I don't normally have trouble with games and I got pretty sick after playing a couple hours. Apparently it's a common problem; I found lots of hits online from others experiencing the same issue. There's actually a motion sickness reduction menu setting, and that did help some, but I was still a little queasy. Something to beware of if you are inclined to have problems already.

General info: You play as an AI tasked with solving various logic puzzles. There's a lot of really interesting back story to discover if you take the time to read all the documents and listen to the voice and the various recordings. The philosophical nature of the game questions the nature of humanity - what are the defining traits of a human being, how does AI compare, etc. Whether you agree with the conclusions or not, there's some good fodder for thought/discussion. There is a little bit of back and forth in the game (when you have to fetch an axe, for example) that is tiresome, but overall, the level design flows pretty smoothly.

Overall: If you are into puzzles, good stories, or philosophical debates, I strongly recommend this one.

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

The good: When it comes to challenging survival games, this one is near the top of the list. You'll die, a lot, and that's half the fun. Maps are randomly generated, so there's always something new to explore. Enemies and passive mobs are widely varied, and there are some decent sized crafting trees. Mod community is fairly active, so there are lots of fun add-ons for the game. The game's unique art style makes for an interesting experience. The characters that you can play are a lot more than cosmetic choices; each has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, and your character can really make a difference in how you play and how well you survive. Building/placing objects is very open-ended so you can set up a base however you want.

The bad: The game can feel a little directionless after a while; there is a "story" mode, but not much of a narrative there either, and there are no achievements (if you're into that sort of thing). The art style is cool, but the colors are very muted to begin with and get more so as you struggle with sanity later in the game; this can make for a slightly depressing game experience overall. There's a fine line in games between being challenged and the game being hard to the point of frustrating, and Don't Starve hugs that line pretty closely at times.

General info: This game is essentially a 2D point-and-click (you can navigate via keyboard as well). You are dumped on a map with no supplies and must gather resources and build structures, farms, and tools to help you survive. The world gen options give you a lot of choices about how to set up your world, which can help with the extreme frustration aspect. I like the crafting tree and available tools, although I would like to see some more permanent type structures enabled to help upgrade your camp and make it more secure and livable.

Overall: I enjoy this game a lot (ironically, I occasionally end up starving in real life as I get wrapped up in the game) and would definitely recommend it!

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

I've already reviewed the regular edition, so I've moved that review over with a few additional Definitive Edition-specific comments.

The good: This is one of my favorite games, so I could probably fill a page with "the good." I find the story line extremely enjoyable. Being an undercover cop gives you a chance to cause mayhem while not feeling like a total dirtbag. The interactions between the player & NPCs are fun, and the voice acting is good. The setting and story really make you pull for a lot of different sides and think about life and family. The atmosphere is excellent. Hong Kong feels very vibrant and alive. The fighting system is one of my favorites. There are few guns available in this game; instead, the game mostly relies on martial arts. There's a gym where you can practice your moves before you take on street thugs and rival triads. 

The bad: The driving is kind of awful. I've tried it with a controller and liked it slightly better, but it still wasn't great. However, once you get used to it, it's playable, if a little frustrating. I thought the main campaign was rather short. It's an open world game with lots of side quests, but the way each of the main quests comes up sort of gives you an urgency that can push you through the game at a faster pace. I raced through a lot of the main quest and suddenly went, oh, that's the end?

Definitive Edition comments: Almost all of the DLCs from the original edition were bundled into the Definitive Edition. They removed the (what I considered to be) game-breaking DLCs that gave you tons of money and XP right at the beginning, so the game progresses in a much more natural fashion now. All the outfits previously added by the DLCs are available for purchase at the Night Market; Wheels of Fury missions are now spread out so that you don't gain a super OP car immediately. The textures, graphics, and higher population density of the Definitive Edition may cause performance issues on some systems. I have an Nvidia graphics card and had to play with my settings to get the game to run on that card rather than my integrated graphics.

General info: The open world provides ample opportunity for exploration and side quests. The story is great and the world is very atmospheric (Hong Kong makes a nice change from the generic cities a lot of games are set in). The art style is fairly good (better with the HD textures). 

Overall: I would definitely recommend this game! If you haven't played it yet, you need to!

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

The good: Occasionally challenging puzzles, particularly if you're an achievement hunter. Cute art style and some fun bits of narration.

The bad: Controls are clunky. Music and sound effects get very repetitive. Some of the achievements appear to be broken. Game got a bit grind-y feeling by the end. While the art style/direction was cool, the execution is poor.

General info: I became interested in Wayward Manor (like many, I suspect) because Neil Gaiman was attached to the project. His writing gives a few fun moments and snide comments, but it definitely gets pushed to the rear in favor of the gameplay, such as it is. When I heard Gaiman was helping with this game, I assumed it would be heavy on the narrative with thrills and chills; this definitely seems like a children's game. The whole thing is just very simplistic. I really, really wanted to like this game, but I'm just not feeling it. This game had a lot of potential and I can't help but think they wasted it.

Overall: Probably wouldn't recommend this unless you're some kind of Neil Gaiman completionist.

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

The good: The game is challenging and keeps you engaged; it's fun to discover your environment as you play. The graphics are simple but oddly enjoyable. Level design is good; it starts pretty basic but as you work your way up the designs become more challenging and require some careful planning in order to survive. Enemy mobs add a little spice to the basic find-your-way-through-the-level format. The developer seems to be pretty active on the discussion board and responsive to bug reports and other game issues.

The bad: Controls are still a little wonky; sometimes the jump key goes straight to double jump, which kills me a lot. The music can get a little repetitive after long play sessions and so far there isn't a menu option to turn it down/off, or to remap the keys.

General info: This is a platformer in which you play as a little sponge that throws paint/ink splashes as you jump or impact surfaces. You discover more of your environment in each level the more you play. It's a fairly simple game, yet oddly addictive. I've only logged a few hours and I'm already enjoying myself immensely. There are hidden secrets in some of the levels, which does give you a bit of replay value.

Overall: Definitely recommend.

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7

I won't pretend to give an in-depth review for this game, because I obviously haven't played it much. However, my lack of play time is indicative of my opinion about this game. I loaded it up and immediately realized that the controls were terrible, the camera was wonky, and overall, the game was nearly impossible to play. I'm glad I picked this up on deep discount.

System Specs Used: Intel Core i7-3610QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M / 3GB GDDR5, DDRIII 12GB RAM, Windows 7