In a word: Triumphant.

One of the best games to release in years, possibly the best.

It all comes together like coffee and cream. The art style, the level design, the music, the cutscenes, the gameplay.

Dear god the gameplay. Everything I want in a shooter like this. You can melee and you can shoot and you can use the environment. Bullets are scarce, weapons break - you have to use everything at your disposal, and it is all a joy.

The levels are huge and multilayered, there are so many ways to approach an objective. Not in some faux 'fight sneak or talk' fashion, whatever route you take feels natural, you don't have to contort yourself one way or the other, the game simply invites you to approach it in the manner which feels natural. I have a lot of fun going one way and think 'Wow, what a cool path that is, I bet it's the fun alt path' and then I die and reload, and just happen to end up going another way. There is no such thing as a 'main path' or 'alt path' in Fallen Aces; there is simply the level, and its objective and you must find a way forward. Whatever way.

The comic book style cutscenes are a joy to behold, they grab you by the collar and they scream 'PRODUCTION VALUE' despite this game's low budget. The voice acting from River Kanoff, Kamran Nikhad, Marissa Lenti and the others cannot be divorced from the panels that make up these cinematic's visuals. They're a married couple, and they have been for 20 years and going strong.

The ONLY criticism ('criticism') I have, is that I feel it could do with a harder difficulty setting, hard is pretty well balanced, but I'd personally appreciate it being toned up just a tiny bit, as I find consequence so important in this type of game, and don't seem to be finding myself dying a whole lot. It's minor and very personalised, but it'd be wonderful to see.

I haven't even finished the first episode and I'm already mourning, knowing it will end and dreaming of the next episode's drop. For now I will drink this game in. I want to become one with it, it is that good. I have never smiled so much playing a video game, a big, dumbass grin from ear to ear for my 3 hours playtime. I only stopped to make this review, and now I will go back to it.

In a word: Triumphant. One of the best games to release in years, possibly the best. It all comes together like coffee and cream. The art style, the level design, the music, the cutscenes, the gameplay. Dear god the gameplay. Everything I want in a shooter like this. You can melee and you can shoot and you can use the environment. Bullets are scarce, weapons break - you have to use everything at your disposal, and it is all a joy. The levels are huge and multilayered, there are so many ways to approach an objective. Not in some faux 'fight sneak or talk' fashion, whatever route you take feels natural, you don't have to contort yourself one way or the other, the game simply invites you to approach it in the manner which feels natural. I have a lot of fun going one way and think 'Wow, what a cool path that is, I bet it's the fun alt path' and then I die and reload, and just happen to end up going another way. There is no such thing as a 'main path' or 'alt path' in Fallen Aces; there is simply the level, and its objective and you must find a way forward. Whatever way. The comic book style cutscenes are a joy to behold, they grab you by the collar and they scream 'PRODUCTION VALUE' despite this game's low budget. The voice acting from River Kanoff, Kamran Nikhad, Marissa Lenti and the others cannot be divorced from the panels that make up these cinematic's visuals. They're a married couple, and they have been for 20 years and going strong. The ONLY criticism ('criticism') I have, is that I feel it could do with a harder difficulty setting, hard is pretty well balanced, but I'd personally appreciate it being toned up just a tiny bit, as I find consequence so important in this type of game, and don't seem to be finding myself dying a whole lot. It's minor and very personalised, but it'd be wonderful to see. I haven't even finished the first episode and I'm already mourning, knowing it will end and dreaming of the next episode's drop. For now I will drink this game in. I want to become one with it, it is that good. I have never smiled so much playing a video game, a big, dumbass grin from ear to ear for my 3 hours playtime. I only stopped to make this review, and now I will go back to it.