Recent reviews by Tsul

Fantastic follow up to the original. Wish the underlying progress felt clearer after the major points were completed.

A solid installment in the modern Doom franchise. I went into this unsure of the new mechanics, but ended up wishing it had been in other games as well.

Overall, well worth the price.

A fresh and well-built world, good character writing, and an interesting story up until the end are only marred by a flawed, mostly serviceable combat system, lack of shortcuts or accelerated travel for backtracking. Level designs are interesting, if a bit monotone. Despite the similarity, there are some truly memorable areas but be warned, this game earns it's adult content warning. It does not shy away from the effects of war.

Weak Parts

1. The story was not fully understandable. I enjoy lore and read through most of the collectibles, but ultimate causation and truth behind core driving forces is not clear.
2. The ending is flat, even anti-climatic, and there is very little tension driving the 3rd climax.
3. Combat suffers from too much slow down and interruption caused by special attacks.
4. You can get stun-locked or insta-killed in some cases due to dog-piling and general effects vomit. (Certain mob in Tulja, looking at you).
5. Too much hard running back and forth. I had originally wanted to complete the last batch of mysteries, but by the time I got close to Act 2 I had no desire to run that far.

But despite the weak areas, still a memorable and well constructed game at it's core. Special kudos to level design, sound design, and dialogue writer.

This game embodies the concept that "Anime was a mistake." It's like a teenager fan fiction that because they have boobs, butts, and curse a lot it's somehow "deep". It's not even consistent within it's on world building, is riddled with poor game design choices, sloppy combat, and stays well beyond it's welcome. Maybe I've grown out of JRPGs and Final Fantasy if the series can't mature past spouting idioms, laser clashes, and thinking tapping a button is somehow "tension". Ultimately, it's fatal sin is thinking spectacle is substance.

In my long tenure as a gamer I can count on one hand the number of games I've plowed through the main quest to get it over as quickly as possible. Part of that is this game does not respect player time or control. Just one example of dozens, you can't escape the final credits, you have to hold escape to make it go by faster by sh**ty songs play in the background.

All the above might have been tolerable, forgivable even, had the story been interesting. It's not. No real twists, no real revelations, just characters spouting the same vague information over and over. Which is double it's shame, because the foundation for an exceptional world and cast of characters are there but never get developed to the point anyone should care. And Clive is such an unlikable idiot. Would have rather played Garv.

You could write a book on how not to develop based on this entry in the franchise. Easily the worst post 2D FF I've played (have not touched FFX-2).

A good deal for the price, offering hours of simple terraforming chill. The potential for a story never quite manifests and the endings are rough, but everything in between is a good little journey.

Level 10 and this game continues to impress. From the expansive but POI-filled world, to the solid combat, to the building, it's jam packed with quality of life forethought and a potential for a vibrant base. Towns are well planned, fortresses and bandit camps feel like what they are. I haven't been this immersed in a survival crafter for a long time. With only 20 hours in, I can already say this is worth a buy.

For the price, the environmental design alone is worth a quick trip. And it is a short march through dreary oppressive environs by design. The story is there, one of those told by vague mutterings of a haunted and fractured mind.

There's quite a bit more to the game than I expected. The combat lacks feedback but works. Exploration is fun. The story builds an interesting world but ultimately falls flat in resolution. Overall, easily worth the price.

Overall, the historical element, mid-writing, and milk toast main character are not my cup of tea. I honestly expected more from the touted graphics and had heard the combat was janky but I pushed on despite those drawbacks until I hit the unforgivable sin in modern gaming; I shouldn't have to remember to drink some random potion or be reset back the beginning of a day, losing hours of real effort. Ridiculous design with no justification that makes any sense and I will not support a game that does not respect a players time.

* Fair Warning *
The prologue tutorial takes 2 hours to get through. So if you do that, then do one quest, craft 4 blacksmith items, and immediately refund Steam will refuse because of time played exceeding their normal amount.

Fun, zen, a little disturbing in between. I can see the appeal of "sim" games. Overall a solid delivery.