Recent reviews by The White Death

Game gud. :)

Stick around. I'm full of bad ideas. -Isaac Clarke

10/10

What an absolutely PERFECT remake to an amazing IP. Dead Space Remake is worth every penny, from start till the very end. It felt like a totally different game but with so many Original aspects in their respective areas. The horror element still got me at certain points even though I remember a few parts vividly from the original. The change in story slightly is a great improvement, Isaac Being voiced instead of mute in the original is great to have and adds more depth to him and those around you, the supporting cast like Hammond, Kendra, Nicole and others are even better than before. Gameplay has been overhauled and feels more fluid than the original while adding certain features from the sequels, like Isaac's mini jetpacks is one to bring up and a new feature which makes him feel like an Engineer is the ability to revert power to certain nodes in the Ishimura. The overall graphical overhaul has made this game even scarier than how it used to be. The lighting, noises and gore factor sky rocketed in quality. But these are just certain things in the game for a short summary. Please put this game in your Wishlist and if the moneys tight wait for a sale because this game is worth the wait and worth playing for any returning fans and new comers. Now I will go into even further detail on a whole slew of parts that make this game one complete package, let's dismember, stomp and make us whole again.

1. GAMEPLAY
Starting out, the movement feels fluid, ADSing with all the weapons feels enjoyable and not delayed like the original. The tools you acquire through the game now you don't have to buy from the kiosk but actually find across the Ishimura which is a good change. The way you had to open secret doors and locked boxes have had a drastic change, and for the better. Meaning more nodes to use for upgrading all the tools in your arsenal. Now you have to get higher clearance to go through certain optional areas, there are now side quests which add slightly more gameplay and lore to the game but that will be talked about later in the story aspect of the game. When modifying the different tools you come across, every SINGLE slot now is used, and there is no wasting of any power nodes with "dead space" pun intended, they even added SPECIAL features for all the tools and your suit, for example Stasis can now deteriorate necromorph flesh to the bone making it super easy to dismember them and saving ammo. Difficulty is a challenge if you haven't played before but it isn't sole crushing…Except for Impossible mode if you want to go through the game in one life. A fantastic idea and I will get to doing that later on when I have the time. All Bosses have had major tweaks or a little addition added, making those who are returning Dead Space veterans a little happy that it is a different change of pace. And to end this section, many new aspects to this game have done the game justice and cannot wait for Dead Space 2 Remake.

2. STORY
Oh BOY!! With Isaac being voiced now like in the sequels, this game has more plot than the original. But before getting into the big fleshy part of this I want to bring up the side quests that feel refreshing and not tacked on lazily. These detours add more to the whole universe of Dead Space, like Nicole trying to find out what exactly is happening on Ishimura with the Unitologists, or the regenerating abomination that follows you through the whole game. These add more depth to the whys and what's of the Ishimura and the Marker, with also some added bonuses if you finish them. The audio logs are obviously back and in their original feature, just adding flavorful world building in case you wish to know about the crew and happenings of the Ishimura and Aegis VII. Now to get to the main story, Isaac is the systems engineer professional that has taken the job to go out and fix the Ishimura with Hammond a EarthGov soldier and Kendra Daniels a "CEC computer specialist". There are two others that join you in your approach to the Ishimura, Chen and Johnston but they both sadly perish quickly in the first chapter of the game. Isaac's story has been overhauled a lot from his backstory being more fleshed out in certain sections and him having a slight connection to Unitology because of tragic event in his past. Yet there is a more important task for Isaac on the Ishimura, which is finding his girlfriend Nicole. Throughout your time in the game the story beats of the original Deadspace is almost one-to-one, now there are a fw story beats with different outcomes then how they were portrayed in the original with an example of how Hammonds death has been changed and is more personal.

3. SOUND
Every step you take, every shadow you see, every whisper you hear and shot you take… It brings chills and excitement to your ears. When first starting the game the opening screen for the title is so haunting and uneasy with its static sound. The footsteps and stomp of Isaac is HEAVY! When hitting the necromorphs with your flailing fists, that nice crunch sound is worth getting swarmed, and stomping out so many necromorphs while they crawl towards you releases ear pleasing fleshy tones. When Isaac gets exhausted from running too long his heavy breathing makes it feel terrifying, same with when his health is low and his labored breathing makes it anxious to go on without health. Each tool releases fantastic noises. Your plasma cutter is a nice simple electrical zap when tearing through flesh, the pulse rifle has a nice popping affect when piercing through necromorphs, the flamers hot ionized flames melt away and char the whole body and the sweet sound of burnt flesh is satisfying to hear. Sometimes on your way through the Ishimura you hear faint whispers that are from so many different voices which is spooky, especially when you hear the iconic twinkle twinkle lullaby entering a specific elevator. The necromophs blood curdling screams and attacks makes the whole time killing them a terrifying experience and so amazing when you finish an encounter and hear silence. Many sounds in this game elevate the experience tenfold.

4. MUSIC
Possibly one of my favorite soundtracks for a horror game besides the Silent Hill franchise. The first track Hunger for the Stars is such a goosebump filled track. This whole soundtrack encapsulates the horror genre, the screeching strings when an event happens, the bellowing of the low tones when something dark and big approaches, the blaring trumpets, the spooky violins, and another specific instrument that I do not know the name of add so much suspense when traveling through the Ishimura.

5. ART DIRECTION
Many franchises have gotten their art direction correct and not many fail this position, and here is no different, Deadspace Remake has been revamped for the better making the whole universe of Deadspace more cohesive now. The horrific gore of the Unitology and Necromorphs fits so well and even better with the new engine that MOTIVE studios has used. The futuristic tech that is handled by Isaac and the Ishimura fits perfectly with the sci-fi genre. The Ishimura herself is such a great piece space machinery that I love to see again in a more enhanced graphical setting, you see more of the ship, hear more the ship and feel more of the ship when Isaac does his Engineering and the necromoprhs moving and destroying the Ishumra's metal guts! There really isn't any weird out of place content, or language in this franchise which makes the whole of Deadspace a great value to play or watch really and this is an amazing remake for one of gaming's best IPs ever created.

No need to blow smoke up my ass. But...that was fun. -Alfre Holland

4/10

This game is not worth $70, it isn't even worth the traditional $60. The character Frey is unlikable to a degree of annoyance because of many to all the actions she does and what she says to people around her. The gameplay is good in combat with certain weapons, but the tedious repetition of certain side quests bog down the fun of the game. The voice acting is mediocre because of the dialogue and some performances from the characters in the game, but for me the talking Vambrace is possibly the best character in the game. The story is too breakneck speed, plus it isn't engaging because of Frey, she makes it unbearable to go through because of her one track mind. She has no sympathy for the people of Athia and is cruel and heartless until some plot point cause now she feels "at home" in Athia. The menu music is great, their are a few aspects of this game that shine through the darkness and lameness of this game but it is too little with many problems that can't justify the purchase. If you wish to play this game for gameplay alone tread carefully and wait for a sale do not buy this at base price, do not buy the deluxe edition and please buy something better than this. It is not a horrendous game but it is a waste if time.

1. GAMEPLAY
Let's get difficulty out of the way first, Hard is a slight challenge if you don't over level yourself sadly. Playing on anything lower makes the game a snooze fest and a huge bore when you can just annihilate everything with ease. Now the combat will be a hit or miss for many people, just like difficulty it could be another problematic experience, doing the same attack animation over and over again. There are different elements that give the game some variety, combos can be made and in all honesty I like the fast pace changing of your defense abilities and offensive abilities, a good touch. Vulnerabilities are good to keep combat a little refreshing. Crafting is too mundane but the upgrade system for your actual powers is a nice aspect that shouldn't be bad, yet you can only do three at a time, which I dont see the point in limiting you. The open world part is pretty nice but at some points steering too far from your current mission in your journey forces you to get back on the path. It should not have been added. The specific locations and "detours" add decent gameplay yet some detours seem useless, giving you so little XP, the locations have a nice variety of different things to do, safe cabins, watch towers, upgrades, time trials, wave based, kills, Dungeons and optional bosses. A nice chunk of things to do. A lot to do but...It feels shallow when the combat gets too easy, but I did over level because I enjoy doing a lot of the optional objectives.

2. STORY
Before beginning this topic, I do not like how Frey cares little about Athia and how she treats everyone around, her not caring for the people of Athia is very annoying and not a captive trait for people playing if you care for the story and since I do it takes me out completely even though she "redeems" herslef at the end but no, she should have had a better emotional arc then just wanting to go home because "wah i miss my ♥♥♥♥♥♥ life even though i have these amazing powers and everyone needs me to save OUR world". Now the story starts with Alfrey in a court room for larceny and bulgary. An interesting start and the dialogue between the judge and you isn't bad. Sadly then when you get jumped by some gang members the dialogue was pretty average and laughable, the voice actresses performing though sounded great but the material wasn't anything good in all honesty. Frey's back story is a sad one, getting left near the Holland Tunnel as a baby and having to grow up in a life of crime to have ends meet is not a great life. But that really doesn't matter because it's about why she somehow got transported to a world called Athia. There's a a talking Vambrace that playes a pivotal role in the game and well out of everyone you meet in your journey, I do enjoy the time you spend with him attached to your arm. Then throughout the whole game it is constant horrible dialogue, lack luster emotional scenes and jarring cut to black moments going back into a cutscene for no damn reason. The four Tanta's are interesting. Sila, Prav, --- and Cinta are their names. Though each Tanta has been corrupted by the Vambraces and they have gone completely insane. Out of the whole story Frey is the weakest link because of her selfish desire to go back to New York for I don't know what reason where the only thing she had was Homer the cat. The supporting characters really were the leading roles for the game and certain characters like Robian, Cinta and the vambrace had amazing acting. Sadly though the story could have had so much potential of the main character had more empathy and stopped complaining that she isn't a savior and she doesn't care for Athia even after she finds out about her lineage. Then and only then does she flip the switch leaving a horrible taste in my mouth of this mediocre plot.

3. SOUND
The sound in the game is fantastic really, the four elements you wield, some pack a punch but some are very bland. Your first purple magic is earth so the thump of small and huge rocks hitting creatures makes a nice impact, your second element is fire and the roaring flames and slicing through the flesh of your enemies is beautiful, the water element is lack luster when Frey uses it but Prav made it look cool, and well the sound of certain affects for the water like the waves and suction special had amazing sound when the enemies would get pushed back or sucked in, lastly is...well idk what element really this was but sadly I barely used it so I can't say much on the matter of effects it did and how good it could have been. The sound of your footsepts on different terrain was not bad and certain enhanced movement abilities had a cool sound like the flame wire and water surfboard.

4. MUSIC
Now the opening menu track is surprisingly beautiful and a good listen, the vocal performance of the woman is calming while the electronic beat does make the menu a pleasing experience. Battle music is also decent but I think it is the same track everutine you commence a fight which is tedious hearing over and over, since its a not a track that you want to listen too on loop. At certain points in the game the main motif of the theme song from the menu plays in triumphant ways and is really amazing to hear. A ton of the soundtrack in the game is worth listening to, but not while playing. You rather should listen to it when doing something actually better or important.

5. ART DIRECTION
The jarring transition from our world New York to the mythical land of Athia is out of left field, but it does have plot significance. It's just that the world of Athia has wonderful beauty and terrifying creatures that make it a fantasy world, not high fantasy which would have been a possible cooler take on Forspoken. Yet we only go back to New York two more times, one more in a Boss fight and secondly if you choose one of the worst ever optional endings to an form of media ever. But the abilities have a great mythical aspect to it and so does Frey in general when she has her cape, necklace and an interesting cool nail feature which is something I have never seen done in a game. The architecture too was nice to look at, massive castles, outrageously tall towers and destroyed towns littered the world of Athia making it feel more like a worn town land brought by the "break". Then tte break itself would at times show up sweeping along the huge sprawling landscape, but it wasn't used a lot from what I've played. A few key points in the story yes nut I wish there were more fights since it is supposed to be terrorizing the land. Even though it does have a consistent direction...this game sadly falls flat, not even close to the finish

Isaac...Make us whole again... Nicole

10/10

Ever since I played this when it first came out I loved this franchise, now finally playing it on the PC this in my opinion is better than when I first booted it up on console. Still till this day I cannot believe I get spooked by this game that is now 14 years old. The gameplay is still top notch, the story I still enjoy, and atmosphere perfect. I can't praise this game enough for how much I've played it back in the day when I was teen. This game is a must play and since the Remake is coming out I hope it's even better than the original. Now let's slice, stomp and stasis this review.

1. GAMEPLAY
One word...versatile. The tools, melee, and modification is superb. Before talking about those features there is the store that you can buy health packs, ammo and node modules for modification, a great aspect when you have the right amount of credits. Out of the three of those melee is very simple, just a stomp and a swinging punch. Now to begin with one of the greatest parts of Deadspace, many of the tools you acquire is something unique and fun to use. To start off with the best tool in your engineering life, the Plasma Cutter is possibly the best and iconic weapon to grace the video game world. Simple and reliable is best to describe the tool and how's its introduced next to a corpse, a workbench and sprawled on the wall in blood, "Cut off the limbs", then having to slice a necromorph into pieces is an amazing grotesque way to start off combat. But that's not all the tools you can find on the USG-Ishimura, finding schematics along your horrific journey, you can pick up a Line-rack, Pulse Rifle, Flamer, Ripper, and (place holder). All with their own unique alternative fire mode. Not just that but each tool can be modified at a specific workbench, upgrading their ammo capacity, damage, reload and fire rate. Last but not least is difficulty ranging from easy to impossible, now last time I played impossible I had a pretty hard time with the difficulty but it was still a decent time with many frustrating moments, enemy variety is on point too with regular bipedal necromorphs, fast and nimble necromorphs, exploding necromorphs, Tank and insanely fast ones too. Not to mention a specific enemy type that turns corpses into tougher necromorphs which adds to the difficulty and a good reason to go around stomping out dead bodies. When it came to boss battles, each one was fantastic to go through for the thousandth time.

2. STORY
A Space Engineer, two body guards, a Commanding Officer and a (place holder). Isaac Clark, the main protagonist you play as has taken this opportunity to go and see his girlfriend Nicole. Well you do take the job to go and help the Ishimura's ship problem and what a coincidence that Nicole is also stationed here too. A win-win for Isaac...Until all hell breaks loose. The premise though is simple, repair the Ishimura, save your girlfriend and escape the alien outbreak. I really enjoy Deadspaces plot and characters, even if they aren't super fleshed out. There is a crazed cult too that worship the aliens and an item called The Marker which does mess with your mind and the world around you. Two key personal on the ship plus the ship's Captain are a part of this cult but one starts to gain his sanity again because of all the death that is happening on and off ship but he also made a fatal mistake killing the Captain by "accident", at some point Kyne comes to your aid but that is sadly short lived when you realize Kendra was sent by Earth gov to obtain the marker and bring it back to earth. A whole lot of bizarre circumstances happen and many audio and texts help flesh out the story even more of Deadspace. Though there are some holes that come here and there, especially on how you find out Nicole committed suicide but Isaac never knew until close to the end of the game. A great setup but just a little weak for the sole fact that Isaac never finished the whole recording Nicole left you before engaging in the mission. Yet with a few minor problems the story is still great.

3. SOUND
Whispers all around you, machinery humming throughout the ship, horrific screams, gurgling, the sound of your metallic footsteps as you make your way through this metal behemoth. The sound of Deadspace is ear tingling, especially when your health gets low and Isaac starts breathing heavy or when entering the cold desolate area of outer space, running out of oxygen is a horrific thrill when Isaac gasps for air and every second counts before he suffocates. Everything from the ship to the player has distinctive sound which heightens the intensity of every moment in deadspace, once the music kicks in combat begins and your tools ripping and burning through necromorph flesh is fantastic to hear, the enemies screams and stabs are another level pain I do not wish to ever happen to me physically. Yet once the silent creeps is you feel safe but just for a moment until again the ship continues its noises and whispers come back from who knows where. Without the dreadful, and calming sounds given in Deadspace that horror element would not be as impact full as it could be.

4. MUSIC
With any film or video game, without the right ambient sounds and music it could be a whole mess. Yet the audio stingers, and combat music hit well when putting you in the scene. The ambient music that plays or let alone none at certain points makes you feel safe at times or stressed and maybe even frightened. This OST is pretty well done with not many issues really, could be slightly generic but it sounds industrial, metal and slightly electronic when in a huge planet cracking ship. You aren't supposed to enjoy this soundtrack like normal music but feel a lot emotions that make you want to keep going, check corners and possibly stop playing because of the aspect of this genre.

5. ART DIRECTION
This game PINS the sci-fi horror aspect too ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ well. The atmosphere that dwells in every corner of the ship and planet breathes death and decay into your mind. The amazing set pieces of the Ishimura blend well with Isaac and his engineering suit, plus the tools that are now to be used as lethal weapons to the necromophs is a fantastic touch to the how the game feels and acts. Not many games can pull off horror in space, even though it seems like an easy avenue to use for someone's crazy script. How the characters act is nothing but great chemistry for a silent protagonist, even if Isaac doesn't speak he does show his emotions in his breathing from feeling healthy and pain just by him inhaling and exhaling. Necromorphs fit very well with the whole spectrum of the fiction part and adding the horror too. Not to also forget about the scientific part that comes from some crazed cult like zealots that see the necromoprhs as the next evolution for human kind which is so twisted and such a good cliché for this genre and I love it. The Marker being an interesting way to convey the hallucinations you have and why people on the planet and Ishimura went insane in slow and agonizing way helps ass more depth to why things are happening and why you need to find your girlfriend and get the hell out as fast as you can. You cannot underestimate the pure perfection Deadspace has made for this genre of games and I hope more space sci-fi horror games and movies come out and take some inspiration from this amazing title.

*Insert sweet electronic beats here*. -140

9/10

As a fan of rhythm games and music games in general 140 is a fantastic, *easy* and melodic time. There is not too much to talk about in this review besides the music, gameplay and art style. For a super TL;DR this game is worth playing and possibly completing to the fullest, I am decent at rhythm games so sadly I wasn't able to complete the alternate versions of the tracks in the game where you go through it in one shot. But completing 2 of them I felt accomplished and happy that I at least tried them out instead of just forgetting about them. The music is top notch, the simple gameplay is perfect and the endings to each level are a fun and mesmerizing time. Without any mishapes, lets jump, change and shoot our way into this review.

1. GAMEPLAY
Left, right and jump is all you need to know control wise, for the whole of the game. Boss wise is the same way excluding jumping sometimes. Making sure you jump and move to the Electric rhythm that the stages give you is a great feeling, especially when the music starts off with just a few beats and hitting checkpoints gives the music more life, adding even more technologic groove for your ears to hear. From point a to point b there really isn't much fault and learning the timing for the level plus the boss is a fun time and great accomplishment. Then heading into the mirror levels, which is the previous levels with the added factor of new colors and one life. A testament to trial and error and getting *gud*.

2. STORY
I...Hmm, well the story of 140 is nonexistent. But for this game it really doesn't need that, though if you wish to have some sort of story for this game then you play a transforming geometric shape on a stroll through some dope electronic music.

3. SOUND
Another section where everything slaps really, the music is beat-tastic, and the little bleeps and bloops from movements you do is par for the course. The low hum when you step into a checkpoint or level and the after affect sound is a great little transition sound effect. Not much here again to talk about besides simple things.

4. MUSIC
Now for the heavy hitter in this section! The music is top notch, the opening track for the startup of the game is a great start to what you'll hear and get into, Once into a level I enjoy the fact as to how the music presents itself with just basic notes that coincide with one another until you checkpoints that fills the void with more and more fantastic beatsies. Each level has a great track and each boss has that same feeling too. Besides the *Title* track the first level Pt.1 and Pt.1B are fan-♥♥♥♥♥♥♥-tastic, especially when it hits you with that consistent stabbing notes at the end of Pt.1 to lead into Pt.1B. The wubs and kick basses in Pt.1B are a nice groove when "shooting" the moving sphere Boss and that disorienting note that hits when the music gets sinister and calm. All in all I could go on and on about every single track in this game about what parts I enjoy the most and make a list on which tracks I like from least to best but you're picking up what I'm putting down, a masterpiece electronic soundtrack.

5. ART DIRECTION
Geometry, geometry everywhere. From your little shapeshifting…shape, to the cool backgrounds of each level that gives you those sweet blocky soundwaves. Again in this section there really isn't that much to talk about, the music fits perfectly with the aesthetic of geometry and nothing really is out of the ordinary besides Bosses giving different type of gameplay.

After this, we're never going to have to work another day in our lives. -Jacob Lee

7/10

To start off I waited for there to be a patch for the stuttering, framerate and crashing issue. Now during cutscenes and gameplay there still is moments of frame stutter and straight static frames which is a huge bummer. That does deteriorate the enjoyable aspect of the game a ton, since it's horror. But to give a TL;DR the game play is gun and repetitive, story has its moments, sound is finominal which same goes for its music, lastly its art direction is superb and spot on to what Schofield and his yeah wanted to capture like they did in Deadspace franchise. Yet being a spiritual successor to the Deadspace it does fall flat on some aspects that I gave a little detail about. But without further ado I will be going into more detail about Black Iron Prison and its Callisto Protocol.

1. GAMEPLAY
We're back again, another over the shoulder playstyle, just like the Dead Space. It's not a bad thing but I do feel like they made the camera claustrophobic, a great decision for the genre its used for. Melee wise its… "not bad" it is fun to hit and bash the infected with but it can get reparative pretty quick, the dodging mechanic is good and a worth addition to combat. Gunplay does have its hits and misses, a few times my shots didn't connect because the infected were a little too close but that should initiate a knockback effect. Modifications were great for each weapon, having the Electric Baton be able to do more damage, break infected block and reduce incoming damage helped, mainly with the regular fodder and not with Bosses/Minibosses which is fine. Weapon modification were really nice too like the revolver having an explosive shot, skunk gun with its homing bullets and the shotgun with its flamable ammo. Though each of those do take up a nice chunk of ammunition. All in all gameplay had many great moments but also some annoyances that could be fixed.

2. STORY
A colony unearthing Alien life and secret organization trying to obtain unimaginable evolution for humankind is not a new trope in any media format, Though I wish the story was clearer and killing off a specific character early in the game was a HUGE bummer, Elias was a very interesting person since he's been at Black Iron Prison for a very long time. I wish we could have known more on what murders Brought him here, why he was able to have all this knowledge on B.I.P and maybe if he had a hand in the Biological weapon. Back to the prison now, Captain Friggs was another interesting character but sadly I felt that he was not used more appropriately, he does play a big role, yet it felt anticlimactic when facing him for the last time, though his final form was amazing visually I felt like there wasn't enough of his evolution to warrant such a new Transformation. Scholfield though did make a new world with much more I hope to know either in the upcoming DLC or a sequel to this game if possible.

3. MUSIC
This haunting, clashing, ear bleeding soundtrack is well worth listening to on and off the game for inspiration and immersion purposes. The ending credits song was a nice touch and beautiful vocals performed by Kings Elliot. Throughout the game the atmospheric music played a pivotal role when in and out of combat, the cinematic cutscenes had great moments when somber or sad motifs played. Combat music was a good touch but wish it had a little more variety.

4. SOUND
From the start alone the hissing and atmospheric tension in your cargo ship, plants the disgusting, ear infecting and gut wrenching sounds that will play throughout your Prison sentence. The heavy footsteps, silence being broken by horrific monstrosities around Callisto. When hitting the infected with your hammer/crowbar it makes beautifully grotesque mashing sounds from the puss-filled infected meat bags of prisoners, jailers and other horrific entities. Then when you move to the Electric Baton that is upgradable it has the same great feeling. Onto the weapons, from the heavy-hitting revolver to the automatic rifle each has a nice distinct sound that incapsulates the devastation of the firearm.

5. ART DIRECTION
With similar aspects from the original DeadSpace, The Callisto Protocol has fantastic horror elements. The beautiful lighting, the hideous monsters that roam and attack you, the drab, dreary and desolate prison of Callisto is all magnificently portrayed to make the experience its own. The HUD that displays the weaponry, ammo, audio logs and the map fits perfectly with the design set tin the distant future. One *enemy* in the game that looks and sounds amazing adds great tension and gameplay, sadly though this is a double edged sword. The mechanical security personal that roam around "Detaining" but really out right annihilating prisoners and the infected are few and far between, I wish there were a few more encounters that gave them more *power* Or at least a Boss battle. Even with the great direction it has took for the whole of the game I do feel the end Boss was a good set piece, yet it didn't give a HUGE impact like the ending Boss of Deadspace. Sadly comparing Deadspace to The Callisto Protocol is an easy target but there are some amazing directions that Deadspace had that TCP should of implemented to help with immersion, a very obvious feature is listening to audio logs while roaming around and more in game HUD cutscenes for the other characters that are a part of your journey. All in all this game has fantastic graphics, top-tier voice acting and character movement but the gameplay is hit or miss, no pun intended story needed more fleshing out and lastly The Callisto Protocol needed more horror above many of these aspects.

Gotham gave me everything. It deserves to feel safe. -Night Wing

7/10

Well, well, well, we are back but in the suits of Batman's Apprentices and I have to say, I do not get all the over exaggerated hate and some people that blindly love this game. There are flaws to this game no doubt and fun times when you're with a friend. Sadly, the only "Batman" games I've played like Gotham Knights are Batman Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, both amazing games yet I wish I was able to have played Arkham Knight and Origins. Obviously now Gotham Knights is a spiritual successor to the latest Arkham game, and a from the developers themselves "not canon to the Arkham Universe". After completing the game two consecutive times, both with and without a partner, the game looks pristine, the gameplay is fun, the story could have had a bigger impact and lastly while playing through the game it had many hiccups and crashes on release and after. Now I will be going more in depth about many facets of the game. Let's get out there and protect GOTHAM!

1. GAMEPLAY
The combat system is nice, flashy and hard hitting but for those who enjoyed the simplistic, yet gratifying combat system of the Arkham series you will be in fights longer than you might anticipate, especially on the hardest difficulty. The enemies at first are child's play, mundane goons with no real challenging aspects until you reach the half-way point of the game it may become an annoyance if you do not have the correct gear for the right enemies. Even when having another player it won't be an easy task, if anything it will get immensely harder, which makes sense for any game having a co-op feature. Now having played all four characters and using all abilities plus trying every single tag-team take down Nightwing is my favorite character to play with another player, but Batgirl or Robin are surprisingly good solo. Each Characters takedowns are crisp, and amazing to see play out, the individual gadgets that Nightwing, Redhood, Batgirl and Robin have are super fun to use. Especially Batgirl's swarm of bats around her. Now the "Knighthood" abilities added a beautiful new addition to game but out of all four of them I do not like Batgirls gliding cape, my favorite is Nightwings glider, Robin's teleport is cool and Redhood's Lazarus jump is pretty sweet.

2. STORY
The premise of this DC game is not a bad one, but not amazing like the previous Arkham games. The death of Batman is a serious herculean task to make as the base of the story, executing it in this IP was in my opinion lack luster sadly. The cinematic for the fight with Ras Al Ghul was phenomenal, Batman's death scene was also heartbreaking to see and for them to actually show him "dead" I was not expecting. I was ready for them to just show the four main characters looking down and for the cutscene to fade to black or transition right away into gameplay/character select. After the realization settling into the main four, it is up to you to track down Batman's last case about the Court of Owls. A nice addition instead of the main point of putting criminals behind bars like the previous games. Though the Court of Owls again has a nice ugly splotch on the story, certain characters are not fully fleshed out and only appear either once and out of the blue with no context whatsoever after seeing them in a cutscene. A good example is at the end of the game after a pivotal moment with the Head of the Court of Owls being "Detained" a random no name, faceless rich man acts like the new head of the secret organization with no real strength other than "looking" menacing for his brief villainous speech. The league of Assassins are nice to have in here as well but again plays a role that I feel should have been left for the Court, yet in a very cliché fashion they become the actual true opponent to you and the Bat family… A very sad and obvious plot point that wasn't really BIG. Another not is the side villains, not bad but one could have been fleshed out a little more like the others. Harley had a whole main mission campaign that led into her side mission, while Mr.Freeze had a nice arc from the Lab, to the tower then all the way to prison. But Clayface was mediocre besides the chase sequence and final battle with him. Key figures like the new commissioner, random citizens that are prominent for just loot, Lucious Fox and Penguin are there as a sake for progressing and adding features to the game. Penguin being the one with the most fleshed out reason to be added as he does help with plot and getting you ton where you need sometimes. Lucious really being there for the addition of waypoints, which are helpful and the random citizens, commissioner and mayor are window dressing really. Lastly for the story is how it ends, I am happy they didn't just miraculously bring back Batman for him to just be okay and all is back to normal. They do actually have a him die a second time sacrificing himself to save you and destroying the Lazarus pit and Talia's plans. A decent story with many problems but none the less making it to the finish with many bumps and bruises.

3. MUSIC
Nothing too much to really write home about but none the less, it is a chill, Somber and at times intense score when you are in and out of battles. Just like Batman it can be menacing with its industrial sound, piercing strings and low tones. Just like any big budget Orchestration for a super hero movie or animated series it has its own Batman flare, or I should say Bat family twist since you are playing as the sidekicks now becoming their own super heroes. Some notable tracks I can say are Cryptozooology, which I like for its layers of strings and drum line, but that is one I can remember other than the other tracks. They are great and during Boss battles feels gut wrenchingly intense, especially on higher difficulties.

4. SOUND
Now there are tons of satisfying hits, shots and quip sounds. The banter between the characters can be intriguing and funny, the weapons have a nice weight to their sound especially when any one the characters does their finishing move or double team. The thuds, cracks and grunts make it sound so much better when you are basically putting these hooligans in the ICU. Nightwing's Escrima Sticks sound beautifully metallic, the same with Robins staff, Redhoods Dual pistols pack a nice punch when hitting enemies and Batgirl's Tonfas are on par with Nightwing and Robin.

5. ART DIRECTION
As with many superhero media it takes its inspiration from the comic format, with Gotham Knights it has the artistic style of the characters portrayal from previous comics and its own twist with the games theme and Arkham franchise. Not as grim-dark as I thought but more colorful, with its Neon look in many facets of the game including predominately in the logo. But these Superheroes are supposed to be their own persons, not how the batman is with his brooding and menacing, edgy look. Yet they did tone that down surprisingly in his armor and actual acting making him feel more sympathetic and close. For the time he is in the game. But on contrast I feel like the villains play their role as they always do with no real change like the previous games. It might feel different but you're blazing your own path, the four new heroes of Gotham are who they choose to be, what Batman always wanted them to be.

All the moves I have left are dangerous and desperate. I have no choice. I have to hunt him. - Alan Wake

7/10 (Steam Deck)----- 5/10 (PC Version)

I haven't tried this franchise ever in my life but finally being able to start it without any hassle, In can say is a fantastic start. Firstly I would like to say that this is reviewed on Valve's "Steamdeck" and not the PC. I was never able to fix the audio problem I encountered on my end and would say that it is not worth trying to fix and play the steam version. But I enjoy horror games of any type like thriller, phycological, adventure, open world you name it! Besides the blaring PC issue which I cannot recommend because of my misfortune, I can say on the Steamdeck it runs smoothly, sounds fantastic and is decent fun. It could have been a better experience but since I have never played the other Alen Wake game this is all I have to go off of, some blemishes here and there but an all-around fine game to pick up and play. Now let's get more technical and not get writer's block…Or let our "darker" side come out.

1. GAMEPLAY
Well to start, it's pretty easy on "NIGHTMARE" difficulty, I didn't see much of a challenge in story mode sadly. I thought there would be more of a challenge with the enemy types, ammo count and battery life…Yet it feels like a walk in the park, I have died a few times but the checkpoints are very forgiving and unlike certain games where the highest difficulty feels like crawling through a field of broken glass, and used needles, I felt like I was frolicking through a field of lush green grass and sunshine all around…For a game about darkness and dealing with your alter ego I would think they could of made the experience slightly more punishing. Although I for some reason really enjoy the flashlight/firearm combo, having to dispel the darkness around enemies and timing your dodges was a fun time for me, it can get repetitive quickly but it never bothered me. Another feature I like is collecting the manuscript pages, they give you more insight about you, the world and people while also being a source for opening up briefcases that give you better weapons to play with in the world created. Now I can't forget the "ARCADE-MODE", which is actually a nice challenge! I had a fun time with what I was given with the decent assortment of maps while progress from the story integrates into Arcade Mode. When collecting the manuscripts and finding all of the pages those same weapons you were able to unlock, now can be used in Arcade Mode, a very nice addition.

2. STORY
In all honesty, I enjoy the premise of what is given. A famous writer is trapped in a never ending loop by his alter ego Mr. Scratch, a sharp, handsome and silver tongued Alan Wake. All the evil and self-indulgence that Alan would have because of his fame and fortune. Being the "Champion of Light" and thwarting his own dark self from taking over his life and becoming the "New" Alan Wake we go through three stages that don't have the same outcome from the first instance, that being because the supporting characters begin to understand what they are being put through…Besides the last female that in all honesty is a throw-away NPC. There is more to it story wise with the town Bright Falls, and Cauldron Lake. The supernatural aspect is fascinating to me and Alan being forced to write a horror a story and make it a reality in Bright Falls. As well I like the "The Twilight Zone" astatic, the narrator both Alan and the television host. Now with all this praise and gushing over certain nice facets there are a few problems I do have with the story, beginning with me wishing it was longer and took place in more than just the three locations given. It is a small town after all but they could have fleshed out certain areas with more rich dialogue and cinematic pieces, for instance the cave entrance should have been made horrifying, the drive-in theatre should have had the screen play a more integral part than just showing Mr. Scratch and silence. For all the flaws though the story at its core did keep me intrigued to finish the game.

3. MUSIC
Not much really to say here for me about the music but some credible notes and applause to Petri Alanko, he made the game sound earie and suspenseful. The action sections made me feel energetic and on edge when I would run out of light and had to either recharge or put in a quick battery. The licensed track "Club Foot" by British indie rock band Kasabian was a real nice touch when finished assembling the first areas oil-well and the satellite crashing next to the motel. I wish there was more scenes in the game like that. For me I did not mind the three times it was used, I do wish however it played longer and did not stop when enemies appeared, I do like what Alanko has made but that song really hit the sweet-spot, running franticly back to the motel as flames engulf your routes to get back. Also I shouldn't forget about the fictional band "Old Gods of Asgard" has a song implemented too at the end with two giants! That part was done very well but I don't know why it didn't punch me the same way "Club Foot" did.

4. SOUND
The gut-punching sounds of certain weapons HITS nicely, the hissing and sizzle of the flares and flare gun work nicely, the darkness producing a vile sound while when your flashlight destroys the presence of the dark it produces a nice CRACK and hiss to open them up to gunfire. The voice acting is tolerable for certain characters and good for the majority, which the mains one come to mind are Alan Wake, Mr. Scratch and the Television Narrator. The haunting atmospheric sounds for all three sections hit nicely as well with the enemies hits on you have a heavy hitting sound.

5. ART DIRECTION
Alas, after talking about the fun and interesting gameplay, tolerable story, decent music and great sound we head towards where this game holds its direction to a T! It's artistic take on the horror genre is different and intriguing, I wish I played Alan Wake before this one but playing as a world renowned author, dealing with the supernatural while setting it in a nice time period makes the whole machine run like clock-work. The team that designed and rendered the models put amazing detail on the world and its enemies. The dialogue feels authentic at times when it is spoken like a human being. It's not a new concept of putting man against the supernatural and ones-self, but it actually working as it is intended is something to be proud of.

“I don't know how I'm gonna fix this, but I'm sure as hell gonna try.” -Kyle Crane

8/10

It feels refreshing coming back to a zombie game in the past years of gaming, especially getting this recommended to by my friend Jacob. From Resident Evil to Dead Rising, Dying Light is something special in the zombie genre, at least to me. For its many problems the game has it still is a fun and enjoyable experience if played on the "right" difficulty. But I'll be going more in depth about that and much more in this review.

Did I have fun playing this game? Absolutely.
Were there periods of frustration and bore? Indeed.
But is this a game worth playing and giving your hard-earned money towards? Well, that depends on how you feel for this game and this review will hopefully help you decide the outcome of that last question. Now without any more dribble it is time to get into the review!

1. GAMEPLAY
To be frank…Nightmare difficulty is an absolute NIGHTMARE! The experience can be likened to driving 80 MPH on a freeway in a vehicle held together by duct tape. The challenge of the difficulty was fun and engaging the whole way though the game, yet the combat felt to spongey when it came to killing zombies with any type of melee weapon, even with high tier weapons that you would think will definitely slice through a zombie like butter cave in the scull of the dead…It felt lack luster at times when I couldn't kill a zombie "easily". And what I mean by "easily" is taking into consideration the rarity and mods to the weapon. It felt like even the top tier weapons had no gusto to them, making the dinky grey tier shank feel antiquated compared to the Bad-ass Golden tier or Dev tier weapon. Gun-play on the other hand felt nice and easy, really nothing to complain about since hitting head in the game can guarantee instant kills at time. Firearm variety isn't much to consider, you have your basic pistole, shotgun and Assault rifles. Each having different variants if you have found higher tiers or bought DLC. But the new and extremely fun addition to this is the parkour and abilities you unlock through the upgrade tree system. From jumping, climbing, and vaulting around the city to instantly smashing zombies’ heads in while drop kicking them from streets to roofs. Mixing parkour with melee weaponry is a fantastic and new way to take this genre in, especially if you wish to have something new for your pallet.

2. STORY
Now this is a mediocre at best narrative, its dialogue can be questionable at times, characters motivations seeming irrelevant or outright idiotic to the point it could be comical or annoying to you. The opening to the game is a nice way to introduce you and your character to the city of Harran, but beyond that it'll test your patience from the story quests to side quests. Not feeling any emotions to characters in the game besides Rahim, Kyle Crane "the main character" and Jade to certain extent, the "Villain" of the game is nothing to write home about. A ruthless, cut-throat politician turning into a crazed and deranged war leader in the zombie infested city of Harran is nice, but the characters dialogue and drive doesn't hit well. I get what they were going for but the actor portraying Rais could have been better or switched out for anyone really. The story in general can be forgotten when still playing the game right after hearing someone speak. There are interesting dialogue parts in the game coming from both main and side quests respectfully yet having poor acting makes its retention abysmal. The story arc hits decent climaxes but fails to impact the player most parts of the game. Yet the ending for the base game could have been handled better than what we got in the end. What keeps this game going is the parkour, killing of thousands of zombies and superb music to my ears.

3. MUSIC
Speaking of music, this OST is something I wish was on physical media to purchase. Pawel Blaszczak’s haunting yet somber opening sets up the perfectly to enter Harran. It's use of electronics, and traditional instruments hits the ears nicely. This soundtrack goes through a wide range of emotions from triumphant victories to high octane parkouring to depressing moments. I am glad the tone settles in with the decaying city of Harran, the severe adrenaline rush of being chased by zombies and the depraved people of a tyrannical faction that does not care for the lives of anyone but themselves. Listening to this in game while playing is a great addition when blasting through zombies and going from A to B in quests. Even after getting off the game, I would recommend having some of these tracks on tunes.

4. SOUND
Going into sound now, this also hits hard from bone crushing skulls and clean slashing of anything that is living. Nothing too crazy here besides having great sound effects for running, jumping, climbing and vaulting anywhere in the world of Dying Light. The burning of zombies sounds disgusting and the shocking of them is satisfying to the soul. Characters sounds decent with nothing breaking the flow and there have been no cutting in and out of audio for me.

5. ART DIRECTION
For a 2014 game "graphics" are visually impressive and easy on the eyes. But art direction is what we're talking about here. Besides it's hit or miss story, fun, engaging and infuriating gameplay, fantastic soundtrack, and tolerable sounds the direction compliments all that and more making it "just work". The art to for Dying Light is beautifully grotesque and horrifyingly on point for a zombie apocalypse game. All of this is good and helps the game flourish. But I do wish there was more to the zombies and humans, more personality for sides, more intrigue and less cookie cutter format specifically when it comes to the human aspect of the game at times. The "Nightrunners" are a great concept to the game and the special types of zombies are good, but the BEST part of the zombies are the fast, strong, and terrifying Volatiles. The way they look, and sound fits perfectly for the game.

pRETTy.