Recent reviews by Nezan

The Yakuza games had caught my attention, but I wasn't sure which part I should begin with. Since there is a PC version out now that deals with the very earliest stages of Kiryu's involvement with the Yakuza, this is probably the best entry in the series. In contrast to the older games, you get better graphics, a more polished fighting system, and a better understanding of the series itself. 

You get to know Kiryu and Majima as the main characters, their surroundings, and what their intentions and character traits are. Why Kiryu is thinking differently about the Yakuza and why Majima got insane.

Especially the story of Yakuza 0 is one of the best of the series. Very exciting, with some sad and funny moments. This is one of the few games I played that made me truly laugh and also made me shed a tear.

There are tons of sidequests, areas to discover, and activities to do at your own pace. Relaxing tasks but also engaging fighting sequences.

You will visit Kamorucho (Kabukichō) in the next Yakuza parts as well. The city will change quite a bit as the years pass. It feels like a regular trip to Japan.

The Shenmue series is quite slow-paced. Which is not a bad thing, but rather the opposite. Thereby, it gives you time to enjoy the atmosphere, relax, and plan your next steps. It is a strange mix between an RPG, a beat-'em-up, and a detective game. How and when you approach tasks is up to you. There are multiple ways to complete them. The story has sorrowful, heartwarming, and funny moments. A good story-driven game should have such a composition. In the small, lovely open-world areas, you can discover a lot with plenty of playtime.

A unique game series for laid-back evenings.

The pure historical approach without fantasy creatures or magic feels very refreshing for the genre.

Compared to the medieval open-air museums I visited, the areas feel very authentic. The level of detail is stunning, and it feels like you're really walking through Bohemia in 1403. The music is fantastic and fits perfectly with the game. I regularly listen to the soundtracks even if I'm not playing the game.

The story is quite dramatic and keeps you interested in what might happen next. All the main characters are well written and have some really nice voice actors. You will fall in love with them. Most characters have a changing daily routine, which makes the world feel very alive.

Your character's outward appearance is predetermined, but you still have to choose your main weapon and armor to your liking. The latter consists of a lot of combinations. Clothing can be worn, like in real life, in different layers. While leveling up, you can strengthen your primary attributes and choose from various skills. Most skills will have negative side effects, which makes choosing the right one engaging and amusing.

The combat system can be a bit annoying or feel strange at first. After a while, you will get the hang of it. Because weapon blows are somewhat slow, you have time to respond to your opponent. You can hold your weapons in one of five postures to hit or block an adversary. There are also ripostes and dodges you can perform.

The DLCs are not necessary, but they are all well made.

The game is set in the American Old West of the 1900s, with the difference that abnormal creatures appear in Louisiana. You, as a player, take over the role of a hunter. It is your goal to kill a big creature on one of the maps and leave the area alive to receive a bounty and make the place safer. The exciting part is that you are not the only one who is hunting the bounty. Up to twelve players are competing against each other in different hunter teams. Everyone lusts for more money in order to buy better equipment and make their lives as hunters easier.

Due to the fact that, at these times, there were no advanced firearms, each shot you take becomes more important. Reloading takes some time, which makes the gunfights interesting and thrilling. Additionally, different types of creatures are spread all over the maps, which can intervene and reveal your position to enemy hunters via sound effects.

The sound design in Hunt is really impressive and precise. You can locate the sound origins very easily and, with little experience, tell which weaponry is involved.

In contrast to other extraction shooters, Hunt is quite easy to learn, but there is still a lot of stuff to dive deeper into. For example, gun velocities, tools, gagdets, custom ammunition, and traits that will make your hunter even stronger.

For a fair amount of money, you will get a lot of exciting playtime.