Recent reviews by (APP)REHENDER

Love this condensed journey.

Soundtrack is a certified banger all round.
Combat is responsive, fun and has a fair amount of depth.
Writing is charming and energetic.
Art is just a sugar rush of conflicting styles and eye catching designs.

all in this little bite sized game managed to get me invested.
Spoilers to some degree but It nails a couple of character dynamics central to the plot and managed to genuinely intimidate me in the best way with its buildup, dynamic challenge, shifting and experimental visuals matched with tone perfect music.

If any DLC should get into the Game of the Year category it should be this one.

+ Nevada is GOAT.

I think if it was free it would still be underwhelming. Right now it’s the $30 sequel to a free mod that’s got loads of server and mechanical issues. Duplication glitches, huge delays in interactions, an uninteresting gameplay loop and surprisingly poor feeling melee combat for the guys who made chivalry.

This game has too little to show for the time and practice the developers had.

My assessment is no matter how much time you give this game it’s not going to get good at some point. Even if they were on the golden path I doubt it will sustain itself till it recovers.

Funny, Disturbing, mature and sombre in some ways, fun, exciting and playful in others. A one man love letter to a genre a style with a lot of heart and competence.

Not impressed. I tried to take my time, read and complete all the tutorials but they just neglect to mention too much.
The gameplay becomes visually cluttered instantly and its overlapping mechanics just force noise onto the act of playing.

Instead of focusing on a fight I'm staring at health bars that are using systems not elaborated on in the tutorial. I'm focused on the stamina recovery system timing that pulls too much importance and without it you are doomed. it doubles as a counter for a stamina draining aoe and a way of staying in a fight plus keeping me from staggering when hit even if i get staggered anyway with full stamina.

The button combo requirements to parry and change stances are exhausting to remember and perform while the games first real fight is a dirty prank on everyone who wants to just play the game.

Imagine of dark souls gave you all the items before the first boss, made you sit through a blunt tutorial only for you to still not be expected to persevere because the boss has 4 times the health and swings twice as fast. you can still run past but all the fights before were one shots and nothing gave you any friction up to that point.

This game has no idea how to get a player into engage in its mechanics, i needed to pull too much weight in the investment department and just got sick of its gameplay instantly. The fights are missing a crucial impact and reactivity to swings and attacks. there is too much to feel out and understand for normal people to not feel overwhelmed and the game is actively antagonising people off the bat.

I hate this game and I refuse to give it a second chance. I have completed all of the souls games and Im no fan boy for the series but this game makes me respect them more by showing how to fumble the formula.

In love with this game. minimal crashes. nothing mid game.

my favourite flavour of pocket monster game

This game gave me a real dose of dread just reading the instructions in the good way.

This is a simple and elegant platformer that uses its music to both compliment and dictate the gameplay. Rough in places, bosses specifically but the sceptical is excellent.

Too much is botched for me to stay invested even if/when they fix it.

There is something missing in all aspects. Story is just limp. levels and missions are underwhelming and repetitive, basic features from 2 are gone or "promised" while customisation is weak.

This is clearly this is the consequence of the company going bankrupt due to the walking dead fiasco. There is a foot on the neck of this team and it is forcing them to be roughshot and greedy. There is no redeeming this game because this is strictly an attempt to make capitol off the assets the company holds.

I feel like too many bad ideas are implemented and locked in with the level design to right this ship.
the ammo and reloading system is absurd, you pick up realistically sized guns off the ground and need to deal with mag retention but too many dropped guns simply cant be picked up and bullets from picked up guns do what feels like no damage.
you can refill ammo for the main gun with Cod Zombie item sized ammo pickups and that just feels too silly for the subject matter. reloading while holding a new gun makes the new gun disappear. dropped guns with ammo still in them become noncollectable.
a mid mission phone based save system is too easy to miss, it has no give and take so it feels out of place. hotline Miami just saves after each room, alien isolation at least uses it to build tension. This is just annoying.

Finishers are part of the same point requirement pool as slow motion and what appears to be an ammo refill so finishers are a waste of points better spent on more ammo or a solution to a tricky situation. i feel it would be better if it was like doom eternal so im not punished for using it. the system is already implemented just make finishers not require points. otherwise the flashy finishers are in every way a determent since they cost you to use when a simple punch would work, plus it gives the AI time to surround you.

there is alot to like but as it stands these problems completely rot the game from the inside.

!!! (edit) Super appreciate the response. Sorry my post is going for the throat. I must be reacting to liking soo much of this game conceptually and wanting it to be something its not. I honestly look forward to the project developing. Im still waiting for someone to make effectively a John Wick game and you guys are the closest to it I have found. when the executions were draining a separate pool and the slow motion gets more accessible I would be satisfied. It would make secondaries more viable and interesting without needing to over correct the balance. God speed guys, ill have my eyes on it and I appreciate the calm response to my rant.