Recent reviews by Scirocco Sauce

Magicka 2 has already received a lot of unwarranted vitriol, so I felt the need to right a review that puts a different spin on it.

Firstly, I would like to state that I believe most of the complaints regarding this game are the result of people wearing rose-tinted nostalgia goggles, unable to accept change. As someone who played Magicka for a significant period of time with friends online and offline, I have a lot of experience with the first game.

I feel Magicka 2 has actually improved upon the first game's innovation, albeit in a way many people seem to be disappointed with.

So now to my actual review:

Magicka 2 takes the original game's formula and adapts it to a new engine, whilst simultaneously altering it in an attempt to improve and refine the gameplay. I personally feel this has lead to an improved experience all around.

To start, some of the old spell combinations and stand-alone elements have been nerfed. Numerous people are complaining about this, but I welcome it wholeheartedly. After playing the first game for a few hours, you would find that there were actually a select few element combinations, as well as magicks, that completely dominated the battlefield, rendering everything else virtually useless. The classic steam/arcane/lightning beams made quick work of everything, and God knows how ridiculously broken boulders were. This quickly made Magicka 1 a test of whether you knew the best spell combinations, rather than a test of reflex and skill.

Magicka 2 has made spells far more balanced and now encourages players to utilize quick thinking in order to to take down enemies, rather than mindlessly picking the best spell combination. This has lead to a much faster game, one that feels more chaotic and a lot more difficult, but in a good way.

The unfortunate drawback to this change is that spell experimentation is not as encouraged as in the first. While the first had a select few overpowered combinations, it also allowed the mixing of elements (to create steam and ice) and had a great variety of other interesting combinations that are no longer present. Shields have also been nerfed, to the point that they are really only useful for enemy magic users. These drawbacks are regrettable, but I think that the faster, more skill-oriented gameplay makes up for them.

The game is also now running on the Wizard Wars engine. While I've heard numerous complains about the game feeling "slippery", I feel those complaints are, again, an unwillingness to adapt. The Wizard Wars engine is absolutely superior to the original Magicka in every way, allowing for greater movement capabilities. The whole game just feels more fluid and less clunky, which I think is something many people struggle to get used to.

Additionally, while the game has a few bugs here and there, I did not run into nearly as many as I did early on in the first game. I don't think they detract too much to the overall experience.

In addition, the challenge mode has been greatly improved, with numerous options to make your challenges more interesting.

Replay of the story is also encouraged with hidden secrets, which I feel were done much more skillfully than the first game's.

On top of this, the new system for equipping robes, weapons, and staves is much better, not requiring players to fight over which weapon or staff goes to who, and keeping players from losing their hard-earned equipment to a cliff or an accidental friendly-fire.

Robes are much more grounded than the ridiculous, over-the-top, and sometimes over-powered robes in the first game, and while over-the-topness is encouraged in Magicka, I feel the robes in the first just got a bit too crazy. These robes all maintain a certain aesthetic, not breaking from the game's artstyle in order to be zany and fun.

The most disappointing aspect about this game is the length. It feels about half as long as the original, although it is possible that my memory of the first is a bit fuzzy. I actually thought "wait, is it over?" at the end, and kept thinking some twist would happen to double the game's length like what happened in the first. I'm quite disappointed they didn't do more with the story, as I feel there were many, many different ideas they could have used to extend the story's length, and I truly felt like we didn't really get a whole "story".

Overall, I think the game has made many improvements to the original, but a lack of content and encouragement of spell variety are a bit disheartening. I feel these aspects could be improved, but I would still recommend the game, if not only on some sort of sale.

If you are looking at this, buy this game.

Seriously, if you have interest enough to be looking at this page, I assure you this game will deliver. It will. It just will.

Mercenary Kings is, at its core, a perfect blend of Contra, Metal Slug, and Monster Hunter, all represented with stunningly crafted sprites and an artstyle that is just amazing. The gameplay is satisfying and precise like Contra, from the shooting to the platforming and the controls. On top of that, it has the addictive collecting and crafting of Monster Hunter. You will find yourself unable to stop as you want to collect more items to personalize your character.

The personalization is top notch. Weapon customization is absurdly awesome. There are tons of options to mix and match to create a gun that really fits your play-style, and all of them are very well-balanced. You could spend hours just trying out all of the combinations to see what you like best.

The game is currently in alpha, but it has a level of polish like no other early access game I've seen. It is fully playable with seemingly no bugs in sight. Its truly astonishing - I really feel they could have called the game finished already, but nevertheless they are still cranking out updates for it, so don't let that "early access" label scare you off.

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised at just how fun this game was. Playing this game has actually gotten me to say "Wow, this is fun" out loud, something that not many games can do. I was hoping for some fun, Contra-styled platforming - and this game did more than deliver.

Well, now that Steam supports proper reviews rather than just the limited recommendations, I think its high time I wrote a game review.

Batman: Arkham Origins gets a lot of hate, and there is some truth to what people say. Cited by many as a buggy mess and a blatant rehash, at first glance you may not be interested in the game at all. However, I would say that the negativity surrounding the game is blown way out of proportion.

Arkham Origins takes place before Arkham Asylum. Bruce Wayne is just in his second year of being Batman, and in the beginning of the game he learns that the crime lord Black Mask has hired eight assassins to try to kill him. The player must take to the streets of Gotham as the Dark Knight himself for another adventure set in the Arkham universe.

The story in the game is absolutely top-notch. The writers have proven that they can craft an engaging, gripping Batman story, even better than the past Arkham games. Players will get to see a more human side of a less experienced Bruce, as well as one of the greatest depictions of the Joker and Bane in anything Batman related. The voice acting only makes it better - while some may shy away from the idea of new voice actors for their beloved childhood heroes and villains, Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker both really nail their performances as Batman and the Joker, respectively. As someone who grew up with the animated series, I can honestly tell you that I have no problem with them keeping this cast forever if they must.

The gameplay is where the negativity begins to appear. Virtually everything about the gameplay is identical to Arkham City - with a few changes here and there. With only one real new gadget, one can understand how this game would be labelled a rehash. However, more of the same in an Arkham game isn't really a bad thing. The combat is still fluid and fun, and the new enemy types really spice up the gameplay - the game has become a bit more challenging, forcing you to do more than just build up massive combos.

As for the bugs, the game's initial release was quite a mess - some of the sidequests weren't even able to be completed. These bugs have, for the most part, all been patched out, so you won't be hopping into a glitchy, messed up game.

All-in-all, Arkham Origins is a fantastic addition to your library - if not a bit similar to its predecessors. With tons of content and the same fun gameplay we all know and love, its great for anyone who wants another Batman game. If you're looking for innovation and change, this game may not be your cup of tea, but if what you want is another epic story in the city of Gotham, this game is sure to deliver.