Player Reviews

The Good
Art, sound, voice acting

The Bad
Continued use of the open world makes the game feel cheap and artificial. The skill tree (twig) has not been expanded or updated Seasonal content still feels more at home in a cheap FTP mobile game rather than a AAA game in a major franchise Combat still relies heavily on generator/spender or long cooldowns Only a handful of stats on gear makes gearing your character almost comically easy

The Bottom Line
This is still a casual game with little challenge and far too much simplicity. I'm sure there are many people who enjoy it, but I find it to be more like a children's game in terms of challenge and complexity. If you liked Vanilla D4 then you will enjoy this expansion. If you didn't enjoy Vanilla D4 then they haven't changed anything significantly.

I also think the expansion is overpriced for what it offers.

The Good
Visually things look reasonably good, and the game is fairly long, as well as featuring some surprising new ideas, although many are overused (such as the piano).

The Bad
The level designs are extremely generic and repetitive, with a succession of clichéd settings and originality-free enemies. Control is sluggish and cumbersome, especially when attempts at scaling the walls. Zool himself just doesn't inspire any emotions, as he's a lifeless creature with none of the dynamism of Sonic, the individuality of Toejam & Earl, or the sheer cutesiness of Bubsy. The various tunes are all rather bland, and nowhere near what the Amiga was capable of. There was no support for multi-button joypads, which would've made the control much easier, especially for anyone familiar with console titles.

The Bottom Line
Looking back, I think the hugely enthusiastic reception this game got was for all the wrong reasons. The Amiga lacked a console-style 'mascot' and wasn't well-stocked for great platform games - would this alien ninja be the perfect one? After all, the game looked consolesque and was big. The reality is very different, as the game is lacking any kind of sparkle. People appeared to review the game based on what they wanted it to be, not what it was. It's a shame that Lionheart and Tearaway Thomas were released by smaller companies, as they would've been a much better demonstration of what the Amiga could do. The second Zool game, which was never released for the consoles, was actually far better.

The Good
The narrative of the game gives pretty much what you would expect in a game aimed at younger players, but the idea of sentient buildings is pretty original and never before seen in a Disney Princess movie.

Music in the game is gentle on the ears and sounds like an electronic version of a music box, which is very fitting for a Disney Princess game. The art style are faithful to Disney style and illustrations. Colors and textures are pretty crisp and stand out across the screen, making rooms and fields interesting to look at. If that's not enough, there's some highlights and indicators on the map just to guide you. And to break up the current chores you have some mini-games that gradually get more difficult each time you play them again. But here is where the highlights are overwhelmed by everything else in the game.

The Bad
The narrative of the game is pretty mediocre for what it is. You're not really a princess, but some errand girl going back and forth between forests, mines, the castle, farms, gardens, and different worlds. There's no real room for exploration, just particular destination that you have to go to to solve townspeople's pitiful problems in the form of mini-games, and no real puzzles and riddles to test your brain, you just do the same mini-games, over and over again. Even the choice of dialogue doesn't drive the story in an appealing way.

Nothing could make the gameplay more monotonous than the slowest pace in Game Boy Advance games. You're limited to moving around and interacting with just people and walking over items to pick them up. It's always the same: You just walk, and walk, and walk, you really a run button to speed things up. And of course you're forced to go the long way to a place in order to unlock a shortcut. And the way trees have their boundary boxes programmed, forces you to go around them rather than under them. This is not how you make a game last longer.

The Bottom Line
Walking, chores, going round mazes, more chores, talking to people, even more chores, get me out of here! What you have isn't so much as an adventure, as a walking marathon and sequence of chores to do, you may as well be putting Lily in Cinderella's shoes (her work shoes not her glass slippers). While primarily designed for younger children, the game doesn't really give them much to do like an activity center. If you've played and finished this once, you've exhausted its features and its worn out its welcome. There might have been more opportunity during development, but the end product is far from a genie's wish granted. There's not even a Disney villain to challenge. This game could have been a crossover with the princesses meeting each other and exchanging culture, but their roles are minuscule compared to the game-exclusive Princess Lily. Put your cartridge copy down and find something better, or put on your favorite classic Disney movie.

The Good
Timeless graphics. Facial animations in the cutscenes are better than many games today.

High replay value with so many challenges and arcade mode variations to try out, co-op story mode, more objectives with higher difficulty levels, etc.

Fantastic soundtrack

The Bad
Some levels and challenges are so close to impossible, that after 20+ years I'm still tearing my hair out trying to get 100%.

The Bottom Line
Thanks for being a wonderful part of my childhood, TS2

The Good
One of the few titles from the early computer gaming scene that's still quite enjoyable to this day! The game that arguably was the first to truly break free from the "> [verb] [noun]" paradigm of earlier text adventures, like say, Colossal Cave Adventure or the early Scott Adams titles, with a parser that actually approached the way I would respond to someone like a DM in a game of D&D, i.e., "> turn bolt with wrench" or "> inflate boat with pump.". Honestly astounded that they managed to put this much for computers that only had 32 KB of RAM to work with.

The game itself is a good old-fashioned collectathon; having to find the scattered treasures throughout the ruined vast underground empire. The text itself is a pretty wonderful mix. On one hand, you have some lovely descriptive purple prose on the great landscapes and the lost and faded glory of the great underground empire—my favourite is the description of the engraving scene or some of the descriptions of stuff like the canyon view. Alongside that, you have some pretty funny satire that reminds me somewhat of stuff like Pratchett and Douglas Adams, what with the mentions "Lord Dimwit Flathead" and the inscription on the door reading "This space intentionally left blank," and such. There's an eclecticism that I quite enjoy, and as Infocom's first title, they already showed a knack for creating some pretty wonderful writing.

Some of the puzzles are also the better ones, with some pretty clever stuff: I love the dam puzzle and the Hades one in particular, requiring some spatial awareness and some trial and error with the items you have, but never not solvable. There are some that are very good but do have some minor annoyances, particularly with key items that aren't that obvious (the diamond one springs to mind), though the puzzle itself is good. There's a lot to cut your teeth on if you think on your feet well enough.

The Bad
Some aspects of the game are very certainly archaic and do not quite hold up. Certain puzzles, like the platinum bar and the cyclops, which require you to say a keyword, require pretty esoteric knowledge or are found in clues that aren't really that accessible (at least on the version I played). Otherwise, stuff with the egg and the thief, which is rather contrived.

The archaicness extends to the fact that the adventure game as a medium was still very much in it's infancy. There's an aspect of randomness too that's somewhat aggravating, especially with the lousy combat (something that works better in an RPG than an adventure title, IMHO). And certain verbs aren't too obvious for the first-timer (I had to ask around and get a clue for how to inflate the boat). It's also pretty easy to get softlocked if you missed something (say, the boat in the falls), and I did have to save scum quite often in certain situations, say whenever I encountered the thief.

Also, I find a "maze of twisty little passages" to be quite eye-rolling and why the game is probably best played with a map (alongside also having a general topography of the situation). Zork I can be a very, very cruel game.

The Bottom Line
As one of the first major pieces of the adventure game and interactive fiction, or even just narrative-centric games as a whole, Zork I's hold up quite well. It's not the most in-depth piece of text and there's a level of lack of polish, and there's a lot to be annoyed by in this game—Zork I is pretty cruel as these things go—but historically it's something that should be remembered, and there's still quite a lot to enjoy and to explore in the Great Underground Empire. If you just want a good, clean, adventuring romp, there's certainly worse places to go.

The Good
The graphics are very nice, for 8-bit. They're not as colorful and reminiscent of the TV show's look as the arcade version, but this being an NES game, they don't have to be.

The music is excellent and really gets you excited to kick some butt. It has that distinctive "Konami" sound, complete with digitized drumbeats (I believe the kids nowadays call it "soundfont").

The inclusion of two new levels with their respective bosses is a nice touch. It's a shame Tora and Shogun, the two new bosses, didn't become regular characters in the rest of the franchise. They'd fit right in.

The Bad
One of the primary characteristics of the beat 'em up genre is that it allows you to punch enemies several times in a row, to "combo" them, i.e. to beat them up, hence the name. In TMNT II: The Arcade Game for NES, you can't do this. Why? Well, you know how when you get hit in, say, Super Mario Bros., your character flickers and is invincible for about a second? In this game, the enemies have that. The normal Foot soldiers (enemy ninjas) all die in two hits, but when you hit them the first time, they become invincible for a second, time more than enough for them to immediately counter by punching you in the face. So you end up having to hit them once, back away before they hit you, approach them again and hit them a second time. I don't understand why they programmed it like that, considering that the NES was perfectly capable of handling combos in beat 'em up games, as Renegade, River City Ransom and the Double Dragon trilogy all prove.

Actually, there's a better way to beat the Foot soldiers; use the special attack by hitting jump a split second before hitting attack. If you get the timing right, you do some kind of jumping attack that does double the damage of a normal one. Since there is no penalty for using it, there's no reason to use normal attacks at all, but since the levels are twice as long as the arcade game's, you're looking at hours of doing nothing but special attacks. It can and will get tedious in a hurry.

Boss fights consist of jump-kicking the boss, backing away, jump-kicking them away, and hope they don't hurt you too much. They don't have a lot of frames of animation, so their attacks are instantaneous and give you practically no time to avoid them (although, to be fair, this was a problem in the arcade game as well).

The Bottom Line
The arcade game wasn't the deepest experience ever -none of Konami's arcade beat 'em ups were-, but if you're the kind of person who would enjoy playing it, do so. It's not easier, but it's shorter, and it actually lets you beat the enemies up.

The Good
Diving into the game puts you into an arcade-ready experience. You’ve got immersive detailed scenes in each stage, cool explosion effects, rendered stationary and flying enemies, thrilling and moody music tracks, smooth movement with the mouse, and quick thinking to grab as many points in each level as you can.

The waves of enemies you face are new insect-like alien vessels instead of the typical spaceships found in many space-themed shooters. The variety increases with each stage you proceed to. Fighting those enemies is a thrilling, the difficulty balanced by the use of concussion and homing missiles, plus it’s satisfying to level up the main gun, from shots to blasts to lasers. There’s also aiding power-ups for easy goings,

The Bad
Balanced as the game is, the challenge of the game is as fair as your skill at not getting hit. If you get downgraded to and stuck wi5 a single shot on your main gun, you’re not getting a high score as big as you want. Sometimes the upgrades to your main gun sacrifice both spread and speed of fire for pure power level, making the ability to wipe out waves of enemies too cumbersome. To add to the challenge, it is unfortunate that you cannot select what missile you want on a whim, you just have to wait to collect one kind of missile, or use up the currently selected in order to switch to the other kind. Whether you want to call these restrictions good or bad are up to you.

The Bottom Line
This title is a significant improvement over its prequel. Like any good old Galaxian shooter, this one is no exception when it comes to re-imagining the genre in a unique way. For its time, this game brought something simple and solid to PC players. Not great that Mac and Linux players got left out of the game. This is definitely an overlooked title worth going back to and bringing back on any virtual platform for old hardcore arcade-styled gaming.

The Good
There is quite a bit of visual appeal for the graphics in the game. All the textures and objects are realistic and recognisable. And while the lack of animation is apparent on the creatures you encounter, the main character’s walk animations not only add to realism, but they also let you know that the character is pushing a boulder and that you’re not stuck. Keeping with the atmosphere of the levels are the midi music tracks (some based on well known tunes), reflecting the mood of the level’s elements. The sound effects work well too, especially the announcements for collecting an extra life and time.

The first twelve levels gradually introduce new elements to give new players an idea of what to expect and how to solve puzzles. The difficulty for the most part is well-balanced, and where levels seem to present too far a challenge, there is always the option to skip levels with passwords (which are easily available on the internet). One big advantage is that the player can farm for virtually infinite lives by losing after collecting extra lives. Experienced players can experiment to find new ways to get more points than what is required to beat the levels.

The Bad
While the game mechanics hold out, there are certain oddities that upset the flow. One of them is the Zoom-In effect, which does magnify, but seems to put the frame rate out of sync so you’ll end up losing a life, such as grabbing a gem right next to lava and getting fried before you can make a clean escape. You also have to time your movements perfectly in zigzag passages so that the walls don’t slow you down from going to the next empty space, making the ability to outrun creatures and hazards a really chore. Another issue is the way creatures work. With grid-based movement and positioning, timing has to be precise to strafe past a creature without getting eaten. What is lacking in the game is that you don’t get extra lives for getting a certain score like most arcade-style games. And lastly, there’s no level editor, but you can edit the existing levels if you’re feeling adventurous.

Apart from gameplay, it feels as if some of the levels lack though and proper challenge such as level 15, while others such as level 24 are incredibly unfair due to being literally surrounded by creatures and there isn’t a convectional way to pass it. It gets samey when you see so many symmetrically structured levels. Sometimes the game uses the same music tracks more than once, in a couple of instances for two levels in a row, which kind of ruins the mood of 5e game. The developers could have easily included a few more extra midi tracks.

The Bottom Line
Not every variant of a known game comes as a complete knockoff. EnQue definitely found a way to make this Boulderdash variant interesting and imaginative. I guarantee you won’t call this one “Balderdash”. Chances of getting the registered version today are slim, and the game is not compatible with modern Windows computers, but for what it is, there is a lot anticipation for novice gamers, and many means to exercise arcade skills for intrepid gamers. Mac and Linux gamers could have enjoyed this one, had it been ported. This game really needs to be brought back into the spotlight. If there is ever a community workshop to make new levels and game mechanics for a HD version of this game count me in.

The Good
The graphics look good, the game feature a good size selection of words. There are a few limited variations on the game.

The Bad
If you had a friend you could easily play this with a pen and paper for a fraction of the price, but you WOULD need a friend.

The Bottom Line
It does a good job at what it's doing, but what it's doing is too easy to do in the real world. Maybe if it had a second game packed in. But the memory was probably taken up with the 160 words.

The Good
It's breakout, the graphics look good but the ball movement is not smooth, still it's an entertaining bat, ball and brick game.

The Bad
Again has lots of variations, but they really don't vary it enough.

The Bottom Line
A solid conversion for fans of the arcade game and will provide a good amount of fun.

The Good
The Graphics are clear and the ball rolling back to you is a nice touch. The controls are easy to get a hold of but it's still had to get those strikes. Can see this being entertaining with another player.

The Bad
Could have done with a little more variety, the split games option is okay but not far enough.

The Bottom Line
A solid basic bowling game that doesn't do anything wrong but maybe doesn't push hard enough.

The Good
The action is hot and fast in one or two player with responsive controls and plenty of options, leading to some fun match-ups

The Bad
Not really much to say bad around it.

The Bottom Line
Possibly the killer-app for this console, great fun. Recent game Videoball (2016) feels like a modern iteration.

The Good
The graphics look nice and the sound is fitting, the gameplay takes a little bit to get your head around, but once you do it's quite a challenge. It's good for a bit of a blast of challenge, on your own or with a friend.

The Bad
But each challenge only lasts about 11 seconds. So the games are very short. Could have done with a second game to fill it out.

The Bottom Line
Full challenge but quite short and simple.

The Good
While the main game Mind Reader is basically Mastermind, it is quite an amusing game for a single player which will give your brain a stretch. Nim is another puzzler which feels simpler but harder.

The Bad
While these games do offer replay value, you may have got better value buying the Mastermind boardgame, but you would need a second player.

The Bottom Line
A couple of fun Brain teasers which would suite solo players.

The Good
You might find it slightly amusing for a few minutes with a friend.

The Bad
The shooting is limited to left and right, you have to go back to base to refill after a few seconds shooting.

The Bottom Line
Just terrible and not worth shelling out the money for, wait for better carts.

The Good
Shooting Gallery gives amusement for a few minutes You might have two fun games on Desert Fox...

The Bad
...then never want to play again.

The Bottom Line
Seriously a very light offering for the 2nd cart, including a game that was on the first cart, that's just stupid. Not worth the money.

The Good
The Shooting Gallery is kind of entertaining, for a few minutes. Playing Tic Tac Toe is a novelty, till you beat them three times in a row. Doodling on the TV is a novelty...

The Bad
... but if you had played tic tac toe or drawn a picture on a piece of paper you would have saved £12 in 1979 money. And you can keep the picture.

The Bottom Line
Doodle & Quadradoodle should have been built into the system. Shooting Gallery would have been okay with a couple of other games. A terrible start for the cartridge line-up

The Good
Laser Squad was the first turn-based game I completed. The visuals are incredibly well done. The music is catchy and well composed. Gameplay is where the game will either ensnare you or make you never touch it again. If you like a challenge then, these are without a doubt good points. EVERYTHING spends action points, and I mean everything. I'm not including this in "The Bad" because to me this means more of a challenge. Every mission can be completed in many different ways. In the words of Marco Pierre White "it's your choice", it really is. The enemy is not to be underestimated, they will hunt you down and eliminate every single one of your team members.

The Bad
One save slot (On DOS)

The Bottom Line
I cannot recommend this game enough. I don't care what system you're on. Play it , you won't regret it.

The Good
- Physics (car deforms on impact and parts like suspension are simulated) - Vehicle handling
- Customization
- Built-in mod library/downloader

The Bad
- Dated graphics
- Optimization/bottlenecks
- Fictional car brands - Unfinished story mode

The Bottom Line
THE all-rounder driving game to get on PC. Insane price value, free updates, mods and customization make for endless replayability (pros heavily outweigh the cons) Whether you'd rather go all in with VR or an FFB steering wheel for racing/drifting or you just want to lay back and drive around freely to test out cars/features.

The Good
Interesting setting, premise and monster designs. Sound design was superb and I loved the way some enemies would cry out in agony after I just pummeled them. Some of the characters were mildly interesting and I played the game in Japanese so I didn't have to endure Japanese characters with British accents.

The Bad
The chapter system is extremely confusing and requires a guide to play. Sometimes you can't progress unless you pick up an item from a previous level, the game itself won't tell you which level or what item and I had to look it up online. In fact I had to rely on youtube as chatgpt was unhelpful and some over a decade old forum posts asking for items. I didn't like the tank controls either and can probably attribute most of my deaths to not being able to maneuvre my character well enough, but this was easier to get used to as it exists in other games I've played.

The Bottom Line
The game became too frustrating to really be scary and I just wanted it to end. I watched the secret cutscene on youtube as I don't feel like getting all the items.

I'll play the second game if it's less frustrating than this one because the yamibito look pretty cool.

The Good
visuals, the art is beautiful and the soundtrack is pleasant

The Bad
script(ep 4,5) and programming

The Bottom Line
interesting until episode three(even if it has some problems), but episodes 4 and 5 are very weak and predictable, even with the constant attempt to surprise me in every episode, there are almost more twists and turns than sessions in which I can control the character( it gets to be presumptuous). But there are werewolves and heads ripped off, so I recommend it.

The Good
01 - Fallout 3 offers a vast, post-apocalyptic world to explore with various locations and environments affected by nuclear warfare. 02 - The game provides numerous quests and side missions that impact the storyline and overall gaming experience. 03 - Players can choose their own path in this open-world environment, either focusing on main storylines or exploring secondary tasks. 04 - Character development is a key feature with players able to customize skills and abilities based on their preferences and gameplay style. 05 - The game offers countless hours of entertainment due to its immersive world, diverse quests, and the ability to replay multiple times with different choices.

The Bad
01 - Some players may find the game's interface and controls to be outdated or less user-friendly compared to more modern titles. 02 - The graphics, while impressive for its time, can appear dated when compared to more recent open-world games. 03 - Certain aspects of the storyline and quest design might not appeal to everyone, leading some players to feel disconnected from the game's narrative. 04 - The vastness of the world may overwhelm or confuse newcomers to the series, making it difficult for them to navigate through the game. 05 - Technical issues such as bugs and glitches can sometimes detract from the overall gaming experience.

The Bottom Line
Fallout 3 is a post-apocalyptic, open-world role-playing game set in a vast and detailed world. Players can explore various locations, complete quests, and develop their character through skill customization. The game offers an immersive experience with diverse storylines and countless hours of entertainment. However, some players may find the controls outdated or graphics less impressive compared to more recent titles.

The Good
Maybe it's just nostalgia, but if I find myself still playing this game in 2024, considering the progress the industry made with graphics and playability, it probably means something. Everything is perfect in this game: it's easy if you play easy, it's dramatically tough if you are a racing aficionado willing to find the optimal carset. Highly customizable, AI great for the era, great replayability and perfect physics. The car responds to your every input and every slight modification you try when it comes to finding the right balance, you can also feel very well the tyre degradation, the slipstream effect and you have to be EXTREMELY careful when trying to push because one inch too far and you lose time due to a high kerb or (worse) the deadly gravel trap.

The Bad
It's really hard to find something bad about this game, but probably the only major thing the game misses (so, technically, nothing bad) is the possibility to race under the rain: it's always sunny in the world of GP2. Minor flaws are represented by the tendency of the car to follow a "predefined" line when racing giving you sometimes little chances to take a different line and in a few tracks here and there there are some spots that need to be avoided because they trigger some behaviour in the car that is against the laws of physics (like the internal kerb before the last chicane in Canada). But, seriously, nothing actually bad, only some minor flaws that the casual player will never notice.

The Bottom Line
An absolute masterpiece for everyone who loves F1. If you have never played because you're too young or because you missed it when it came out, go and get it and enjoy some REAL racing.

The Good
Learnable if off-kilter jump physics Pleasant music

The Bad
Irritating enemies Unclear and ugly graphics

The Bottom Line
DJ Puff on the DOS platform seems awfully underwhelming when you consider that Crystal Caves was released just two years prior. "DJ Puff" in comparison looks like a product from the previous epoch. The animation is jumpy and jagged and the graphics are passable at best.

The controls and gameplay are equally crude. The jump physics aren't the worst -- you can get hang of them fairly quick, and controlling Puff in the air isn't difficult (although he has an odd habit of jumping for no reason if you rapidly press several keys in a row?!) -- but the character's interaction with platforms is pretty confusing: when jumping up towards an apparently solid platform, he can phase through it like a ghost, but only to a limited distance before he hits an invisible wall and plummets back down... That said, although jumping feels janky, the first two levels at least don't seem to feature any particularly frustrating jumps.

The enemies are a lot more frustrating. Some of them jump or launch projectiles at completely unpredictable times, which can result in a death you couldn't possibly see coming. Thankfully, you get quite a lot of bombs that can kill enemies from a distance, but their functioning is janky at best; sometimes you can plainly see the bomb hitting the enemy, only to leave them unharmed.

The level of difficulty is annoyingly high. In some parts you need to leap to reach off-screen platforms, or jump into pits you can't see (if you're lucky you won't fall right onto an enemy). Better be prepared to memorize each level and the optimal way to defeat each enemy. Each mistake ends in losing a life, extra lives are very rare, and there aren't even any level passwords, so be prepared to start from the beginning many times if you want to complete the game. On the plus side, upon dying you instantly respawn where you died, so you don't lose any progress that way.

There's just one song (although, curiously, you can change it mid-level by attacking a block numbered "4"...), but it's not that frustrating.

Concluding -- I recommend you skip this one, unless you enjoy games that offer a challenge and don't mind if they're otherwise awful.

The Good
Ancient Egyptian theme, style and music.

The Bad
Bad graphics, weird mechanics, weird missions, hard controls, ugly style, camera moves only the way you move when pulling the right joystick in the same direction, otherwise you will see not much...

The Bottom Line
I do no recommend, this game is just bad, not even worth it for the Ancient Egyptian theme...

The Good
- There are 12 missions to complete - Some missions are fairly easy; others take practice to beat - Unique spin on the Bond franchise with a focus on cars and gadgets - Fun selection of iconic Bond cars and spy weapons - Mission variety that adds more than just standard racing

The Bad
- Clunky controls and stiff car handling - Graphics and environments feel a bit dated and sparse - Limited replay value once missions are completed

The Bottom Line
007 Racing is a creative take on James Bond’s world, offering fans the chance to dive into vehicular missions loaded with spy gadgets and high-speed chases. While it’s a bit rough around the edges, with controls that may feel dated by today’s standards, it’s a fun piece of Bond nostalgia for fans of the PS1 era and those who want a different type of Bond experience.

The Good
This is short, it downloads quickly and it is over just as quickly

The Bad
There is no gaming experience here and, unless you like collecting meaningless Steam achievements, there is no point to it either

The Bottom Line
I downloaded it, clicked one hundred times and then the game closed. However I did collect one hundred Steam achievements in the process.

The Good
The movement and graphics advancement of this game is topnotch. It is the best game released by Activision in the last 3 years.

The victory or winners circle is also fun

The Bad
Winners circle can be improved especially by preventing the weapon from disappearing from operators grip.

The Bottom Line
Very good game an absolute AAA+ rating... have fun playing the game across multiple platforms.

The Good
- Nostalgic, retro platforming with a Gothic horror theme - Detailed pixel art and moody soundtrack - Challenging gameplay that rewards skill

The Bad
- High difficulty may not appeal to everyone - Limited save points can be frustrating

The Bottom Line
Toziuha Night: Dracula's Revenge is a solid tribute to the classic horror-action games of the past, offering an intense, skill-based experience that fans of the genre will appreciate. Though challenging, it’s a satisfying journey for those who crave a Gothic-themed platformer with a bit of bite.

The Good
- Simple yet addictive gameplay - Satisfying upgrades and exploration - Nostalgic retro graphics and music

The Bad
- Limited number of unique bosses - Short playtime, which may feel brief for some players

The Bottom Line
Xeodrifter is a fun, bite-sized Metroidvania that packs a lot of charm into a short experience. Although it’s a bit brief and could use more enemy variety, the smooth gameplay, enjoyable upgrades, and nostalgic design make it worth playing, especially for fans of retro-inspired platformers.

The Good
- Easy-to-learn controls and gameplay - Fun upgrade system keeps the gameplay fresh - Engaging visuals and soundtrack

The Bad
- Limited character and skill variety - Levels can feel repetitive over time

The Bottom Line
Zombo Buster Rising is a solid, casual defense shooter that’s perfect for players looking to kill time with a fun, low-commitment game. While it doesn’t bring anything revolutionary to the genre, it offers an enjoyable experience with its satisfying upgrades and addictive gameplay.

The Good
The game is free, it installs easily and does not take up much disc space and it has a bit of a twist.

The game starts with a hamster in the middle of an otherwise almost empty screen. The player clicks on the hamster, the click counter goes up and that is almost all there is to the game because there is a bit of a twist. The more the hamster is clicked the more it 'shivers', i.e. it wobbles around. The more it wobbles around the harder it is to click on it accurately which is incredibly frustrating, luckily there are icons on the screen that can slow the game down and toggle the shaking on/off.

At intervals a new hamster skin is awarded and the player can equip a new skin to change the look of the game

The Bad
There's nothing really bad about the game, it works but for me it just is not fun.

The Bottom Line
This is a clicker game. It is simple, it is basic, it does what it says it will do and no more.

The Good
First of all, the graphics are superb, I haven't played a game that looks this photorealistic in my life.

Not only does it look fantastic, it plays fantastic too! With countless weapons in your arsenal and combat that requires immense strategy and concentration, you won't want to stop playing.

The music, too, is excellent. Being masterfully composed to suit every single situation you may find yourself in. It ranges many genres, from tear-jerking tracks to adrenaline pumping rock to catchy jazz, you'll definitely be bopping your head along as you play.

The characters and plot, are also amazing. You play as the flawed, yet lovable main character, Max. Watch him grow and change as you progress, having an arc from moody teen to responsible parent. You'll also find yourself loving the side characters, who feel like real people. Experience the complexities of life as you talk to the people around you, helping them out with their struggles.

The Bad
The only negative I have with the game is the fact that the ending feels a tad rushed, nothing game-ruining, I just wish the last hour of gameplay had more room to breathe.

The Bottom Line
If you're looking for a hidden gem, make sure to pick this game up as soon as you can. With a tragic story, innovative gameplay and stunning graphics, you'll be a fool to give this one a miss.

The Good
The story and visuals

The Bad
Felt like the story could have ended at certain points in the story

The Bottom Line
A beautifully told and fun mystery adventure game

The Good
The best thing I can say about this game is that it was free, it downloaded quickly, and it played without a hitch (but see below).

The Bad
If you like anime then take a look at the promo screenshot because that is all you get
If you like clicker games then take a look at the screenshot because that is all you get.

The Bottom Line
I loaded the game and it started up in a small window, the first thing I noticed was that there is no menu, hence no configuration options, no picture gallery, nothing. No problem thinks I, the game works on a three hour cycle so perhaps they will unlock when the three hour period has elapsed so I started clicking. With each click the picture of the girl jiggles a bit and the counter increases. That's it, that is all I could get from this game.
During the first three hour period I had to restart my pc, when I restarted the game the click counter had been reset to zero so the game has no auto-save either. When the first three hour period expired I waited to see what had 'dropped' and nothing had. I had not clocked up any Steam achievements because there are none and, the central image had not changed, nothing was different.
It was late so I went to bed and left it running with an auto clicker set to click every ten seconds. It is now morning, the game has been running for a further nine hours straight with over 30k in clicks and still there has been no drop and nothing has changed.
Just in case a restart was needed I shut the game down and started it up again, that zeroed the click count again but there was no evidence of a drop.

Conclusion: This is a game with no real purpose. It does not deliver what it promised. I cannot recommend it.

The Good
Effectively an International version of the Sega AGES collection

• Includes all 6 main titles

• Multiple ports of each release

• International release includes both localisaed and Japanese versions

• Resolution, border, difficulty options for each title

• Universal control scheme can be set across all titles
  
  The Bad
  

• Only the primary Sega releases are included, so while comprehensive, some may argue its incomplete

• Japan's "Ultimate" collection only features the versions available in Japanese, so 13 ports may seem misleading for that title

• International version offers 21 ports, but the difference is these are just the English and Japanese ports all combined

Remake competition:

• Wonder Boy Returns Remix: WB1 remade with difficulty options, cleaner art style, high scores, and unique ending images, potentially offering better replay value

• The remakes of Dragon's Trap and Asha offer the original graphic style on top of being remakes, making those titles feel like more favourable upgrades
  
  The Bottom Line
  This expanded Wonder Boy collection is fantastic. It has ease of access options, a bountiful library, customisation to suit any play style, and additions that make it easy to pick up and play. Its limitations are purely set in the hindsight of how some titles have been remastered, if those versions are seen as more desirable, and the Japanese collection is half size as it does not offer English ports. But if you want to celebrate the six core games as they were originally released, both Ultimate and Anniversary Collections are by and large definitive ways to play and own most of this series.

The Good
Nice graphics, a lot of cars, a lot of courses (75), courses are increasingly challenging.

The Bad
Frame rate is awful (below 30 fps), map is very small, short drawing distance. Cockpit camera turns very slowly and limited. Third person camera turns a bit faster, but still slow. Parking meter is slightly off, and it's hard to get the parking meter completely full, but it's okay if it's not completely full.

The Bottom Line
It's an okay game, fun for a couple of hours, but don't expect high quality...

The Good
Great fun, lots of variety. Touch screen controls on Switch work really well.

The Bad
Some cards are clearly much better than other cards, which isn't necessarily a very bad, but combined with the randomness of what comes available in the shop, this sometimes puts you in a hard spot. Some of the best cards get progressively better over hands played, but if you don't get any of those early on the run will become almost impossible.

The Bottom Line
Balatro has a lot going for it. If you have some experience with poker it's easy to get into, but it quickly evolves to becomes something else. There's a lot of new content (cards, decks, etc.) to unlock which keep you playing and there's a lot of modifiers which can be added to the game to switch things up and keep things interesting.

After playing a couple dozen hands and having won a few rounds I still feel the game has a lot more for me to find out and enjoy.

Perhaps it's just me, or I haven't played enough, but a lot of runs appear to devolve into a "2 pair" strategy, because that's often the poker hand that's easiest to make. It's a solid strategy, but it does take away some of the variety. It's harder to set up a strategy around more valuable poker hands because they generally require much more specific jokers.

The Good
You can restart the race by pressing right on the joystick rather than restarting on the console, because you'll be doing this a lot. The game is more fun playing with another person.

The Bad
The game is very basic, even for Atari 2600 standards. Even when you finally do get the hang for the controls, the game is still boring. There's no CPU to play against. The game doesn't keep track of high scores.

The Bottom Line
It's not really interesting. There are better racing games on the 2600.

The Good
When you start a new game, the game asks for your sex, and for female players, you can now play as a girl. Pokémon have a brief animation when encountered from the wild or out of a Poké ball. Some Pokémon had their movesets changed for the better. It's the first game to introduce the Battle Tower, if that's your sort of thing.

The Bad
It's fundamentally the same so the same problems from Gold and Silver still exist such as HM moves being annoying, and most trainers not using held items or most gym leaders still not having Pokémon introduced in this generation.

The Bottom Line
If you played Gold or Silver, there's little reason to play this. Or play this whether or not you have, I don't really care. It's still Pokémon gen II and arguably the best generation for Pokémon. For players who already played Gold and/or Silver, the rating is changed to 4 out of 5 stars.

The Good
With four players, the competition becomes unpredictable and highly engaging, especially in an arcade setting. Easy-to-learn mechanics with layers of tactical possibilities make it highly replayable.

The Bad
The game’s best enjoyed with multiple players, and it lacks a strong single-player mode.

The Bottom Line
Comotion builds on Blockade’s innovative "snake" gameplay by adding a chaotic four-player twist, making it one of the most intense and strategic arcade games. The simple graphics and sounds don’t detract from the thrilling multiplayer experience, where each player’s moves impact the whole board. While not as visually impressive as Sprint 2 or 280 Zzzap, Comotion delivers unmatched multiplayer excitement, turning simple mechanics into an unforgettable competitive experience.

The Good
The focus on precision and timing over speed makes it stand out in the arcade lineup. The head-to-head setup adds an element of tension and competition, rewarding careful planning.

The Bad
The minimal visuals and sound effects can feel a bit underwhelming compared to flashier titles.

The Bottom Line
Lazer Command offers a fresh, strategic twist on arcade combat, prioritizing skillful shooting and evasion over speed. Although it lacks the visual and audio polish of Sprint 2 or the intensity of 280 Zzzap, it sets itself apart by emphasizing tactics and patience. This shift from reflex-driven gameplay to more calculated combat makes Lazer Command a unique, if understated, addition to the arcade scene.

The Good
The first "snake" game, introducing the concept of growing trails that players must avoid. The simplicity of controls and mechanics ensures broad appeal and replayability.

The Bad
The visuals are very basic and the sound is sparse.

The Bottom Line
Blockade brings a fresh, competitive edge to arcades with a new style of gameplay focused on strategy and survival. Its simple graphics and sounds are easily overlooked in favor of its addictive, head-to-head mechanics. Though visually minimal compared to games like Tank 8 and Sprint 2, Blockade's gameplay innovations have cemented its status as an arcade classic, paving the way for the "snake" games.

The Good
Sharp, monochrome graphics help make the road easy to follow, adding to the realistic feel. The narrow roads and high speed keep players engaged, testing their reflexes and skill.

The Bad
The monochrome palette and simple visuals may feel repetitive over time.

The Bottom Line
280 Zzzap takes the first-person racing experience introduced by Night Driver to new heights, with sharper simulation and an even faster sense of speed. It’s an exciting, skill-based racer that tests players' focus and reflexes. While not as visually good as Sprint 2 or as socially engaging as Cops 'n' Robbers, 280 Zzzap stands out as a thrilling single-player experience that continues the evolution of realistic arcade racing.

The Good
A departure from action-focused arcade games, it introduces strategy and planning to the arcade scene. The two-player mode offers a competitive element, making the game enjoyable with friends.

The Bad
Limited visual and audio design compared to other titles.

The Bottom Line
Amazing Maze stands out for bringing a purely puzzle-based experience to arcades, focusing on competition and strategic thinking. While it lacks the visual polish of games like Sprint 2 or the immersive sound of Sea Wolf, it delivers a fun, competitive experience for those looking to test their wits over their reflexes. Its simplicity and unique premise make it a memorable, if niche, addition to the arcade lineup of the time.

The Good
The two-player mode and AI-controlled cars add depth and replayability, making it enjoyable solo or with a friend. The car handling adds depth and realism, making each race a skillful experience. The detailed top-down visuals create a clean and engaging track design.

The Bad
While they add excitement, the limited variety of sounds can become monotonous over time. The skid mechanics can be challenging at first, especially for new players.

The Bottom Line
Sprint 2 combines the thrill of competitive multiplayer and single-player racing with realistic skid mechanics and the added excitement of AI-controlled cars. This mix of innovations and engaging graphics makes Sprint 2 an exciting evolution from games like Night Driver. By filling the track with both human and AI opponents, it offers a more dynamic race environment, setting a strong precedent for multiplayer arcade racing games.

The Good
A pioneering take on arcade racing, providing a unique groundbreaking first-person perspective that makes it highly immersive.

The Bad
The single focus on staying on the road may feel repetitive after extended play.

The Bottom Line
Night Driver is a standout arcade game, delivering one of the first first-person racing experiences with a thrilling night-driving concept. Its innovative perspective, challenging gameplay, and effective use of sound make it memorable despite its simple visuals. Compared to the multiplayer action of Cops 'n' Robbers and the fuller visuals in Tank 8, Night Driver is a solo experience that excels in immersion, marking a pivotal moment for racing games in arcades.

The Good
Amazing gameplay, cool figthing elements, fun weapons and vehicules to use, more fun levels and boss fight, moderate difficulty and great OST

The Bad
Short game, not as difficult to justify the games lenght, bland story.

The Bottom Line
Is not a must play, but is a great trip to the past but with recent videogames features.

The Good
Adds fielding to the standard gameplay, making it feel like a fuller baseball experience. Displays a complete field and players, adding depth and immersion. Simple controls make it easy for newcomers while adding variety for baseball fans.

The Bad
Limited audio cues can become monotonous over longer sessions. The fielding option adds interest but doesn’t fully resolve the game’s repetitive nature over time.

The Bottom Line
Tornado Baseball makes significant strides in arcade baseball by enhancing gameplay with fielding mechanics and clearer visuals. Compared to Flyball, it feels like a more complete baseball experience, and its interactive features set it apart from other sports titles. it’s a top choice for sports fans looking for an authentic arcade baseball experience.

The Good
One of the first arcade baseball games, introducing the genre to video games. Simple mechanics make it easy to play for newcomers to video games.

The Bad
Limited to pitcher-batter dynamics, which can become repetitive in longer play sessions.

The Bottom Line
Flyball is a strong first step for baseball in the arcade, delivering a simple but fun sports experience. Though it doesn’t reach the chaos of Cops 'n' Robbers or the visual appeal of Tank 8, Flyball stands out for its accessible sports gameplay. An exciting milestone in arcade sports games.

The Good
Innovative approach to multiplayer gaming, allowing 1 to 4 players to take on the roles of police and criminals. The straightforward mechanics make it accessible to all players, regardless of their gaming experience.

The Bad
While the game offers engaging dynamics, the basic mechanics can become repetitive after extended play.

The Bottom Line
Cops 'n' Robbers is a fun and innovative arcade game that captures the thrill of street chases between law enforcement and criminals. While the sound design may be basic compared to Seawolf, the engaging gameplay and the addition of obstacles like the beer truck create a lively and entertaining experience.

The Good
A main character that grows and subverts expectations by the end of the adventure. Good writing and funny humor. Lots of easter eggs and pop-culture/ gaming references subtly embedded into the game. Very nice and vibrant art. Great voice acting on most part, the main character especially. Mostly logical inventory puzzles that don't challenge too much and don't affect the flow of the game. Even the silly ones that use moon logic. Not something you haven't experienced in other games.

The Bad
Insane amount of backtracking during the last part of the game. Some tired adventure games elements prominent in that age of the genre. Some rough 3D models of certain characters and stiff 3D animations contrast sharply with the beautiful 2D background and animations. Multiple minor characters are voiced by the same actors with little effort to distinguish themelves. Some puzzles are really silly.

The Bottom Line
An enjoyable adventure that suprises with its characters' depth and humor, while not really breaking any new ground in the genre.

The Good
Struggling to come up with anything.

The Bad
The graphics are dreadful. The gameplay is very repetitive. Tons of glitches that make the game more frustrating to play. All the characters are the same with causing the same damage sans characters that can transform into Super Saiyan. So Broly (who's already the Legendary Super Saiyan by default) plays and deals the same damage as Yamcha. Little variety of enemies. Health and energy upgrades take too long to make any meaningful difference.

Bosses are ridiculously hard. They take forever to defeat because they have a really long health bar and your attacks do little damage. They also deal a lot of damage to you. Co-op isn't much better, especially when there are levels where you have to take turns playing the same character rather than having both players control the same character separately.

The Bottom Line
It's because of crappy games like this one that there will never be another western-developed Dragon Ball game again. There are a lot of passionate fans all over the world and they can make a far better game than any studio that has no passion for the property like Avalanche Software.

The Good
There is lot of disparity between critics and user reviews for TR6. I noticed that disparity on Moby but also on Metacritic. Users give this game way higher score than critics. How's that? IMO, critics reviewed the game mostly from day 1 when it was probably plagued with bugs, users mostly played the game some time after release, when most of bugs were ironed out. Critics waited for series restart a la TR1 again, users probably more likely considered the game in its own merits.

Now to positives:

= graphics: significant step-up from previous game and even if not top-notch graphics is ok for its time (2003).

= story: one of the strongest points of this title is story and "memorability". I recall the game after years (I played it in 2012), which can't be much said about other Lara titles. This is because other titles were just focused on exploring and action, then some lame cutscene and then again exploring and action. No interactivity. Here, you talk to other characters, go between various places, which you must visit to move story forward, so apart from some action and exploring you have a small feel of "adventure" game. In result, after years, I have this title written in my memory better than other Lara titles.

The Bad
I really can't recall some bad points. I was able to beat the game and I can't recall some big troubles. Probably there were some bugs here and there, but nothing critical. But again I must stress, that I played the game with latest patches. People who played the game freshly released probably have much worse experience, I guess.

The Bottom Line
TR6 is underdog of whole serie. It has lowest general score between critics, but I reckon, this game is not worst IMO. I played all Lara major titles (except last two "ROTR" and "SOTR" which I already bought and I have them in my playlist) and there are games which I almost totally forgot. From TR2 I recall just a bit, from TR5 I recall just some bug which made game unbeatable (I had to go to earlier save), from Legend I vaguely recall some house, fire and island and nothing else (despite the fact that game was highly praised), from Underworld I don't recall anything at all. TR6 I recall after years. In retrospective, TR6 deserve much higher score than it has on critics aggregate sites.

The Good
The concept of breaking bricks is simple yet so satisfying. The progressive difficulty as bricks disappears keeps the tension high, making each victory feel hard-earned.

The Bad
After a while, the constant beeping gets a bit grating. And while the game is fun, it doen's have much variation.

The Bottom Line
Breakout feels like a major evolution from games like Pong. While the graphics remain the same, the single-player challenge, combined with the precision and skill required, makes it a highly addictive experience. Though it could feel repetitive after prolonged play, Breakout is a must-play.

The Good
The first arcade game to adapt a popular card game, offering a unique change of pace from the typical arcade action games.

The Bad
The visuals and sound design are extremely limited. The game doesn't use color or detailed animations. While the game does replicate blackjack well, its appeal is limited. The gameplay doesn’t have the lasting excitement or competitiveness of action games.

The Bottom Line
Hit Me is an attempt to digitize a popular card game for the arcade crowd. While the game doesn’t have the colorful visuals or intense action of its arcade contemporaries like Tank 8, it does provide a solid blackjack experience that stands out for its calm, strategic gameplay.

The Good
The introduction of color is revolutionary. Allowing up to eight players to battle it out simultaneously is groundbreaking. The mix of strategy and fast reflexes keeps players coming back.

The Bad
The audio could be more immersive. While functional, the simple sound design doesn’t match the excitement of the gameplay and graphics. Despite the game’s innovation in color, the battlefield itself remains relatively plain.

The Bottom Line
Tank 8 is a game changer in every sense of the word. It’s not only one of the first multiplayer arcade games to accommodate up to eight players, but also a pioneering title in the use of color graphics, wich is a major step up from earlier black-and-white games like Pong and Gun Fight. While the sound design and battlefield visuals are basic, the competitive multiplayer action is thrilling and endlessly replayable. This represents a major step forward for arcade gaming, both in terms of technical innovation and sheer fun.

The Good
The periscope controls makes the player feels like he's really in command of a submarine. It’s a unique feature, offering a new way to interact with the game world. The sonar pings and booming torpedoes hitting ships add to the thrill, making the action feel more lifelike. The moving ships create a sense of unpredictability, keeping the gameplay exciting. The first video game to include a high score feature.

The Bad
While the periscope mechanic is fun, the gameplay doesn’t evolve much. After a few rounds, it starts to feel repetitive. And the time limit and pressure to score points make the game feel too short.

The Bottom Line
Sea Wolf offers a refreshing change of pace. The periscope-based controls bring an immersive touch that other games don’t offer, and the thrill of sinking ships with perfectly timed torpedoes adds excitement. While it shares some of the repetitive nature of its contemporaries like Gun Fight, the dynamic targets and immersive sound effects give it a unique edge.

The Good
A fantastic graphical update to the original, with several new features to flesh out the simulation.

The Bad
Adjustable map size would have been nice. Not very modable. The Amiga version was buggy.

The Bottom Line
Probably the best Sim City out of the box. You can make Sim City 4 better, but only with the Rush-Hour expansion and lots of mods to fix all the incomplete parts.

The Good
Here you get exactly what the appearance of the game promises: a homage to the good old Lucas Arts adventure games with logical, entertaining puzzles with sometimes several solutions, many a false trail, quirky characters and matching humor, and pretty animations throughout.

The Bad
Nothing from my side.

The Bottom Line
A masterpiece of craftsmanship that entertains for four hours and remains a pleasant memory.

The Good
The boss battles are a highlight in a franchise that has lackluster and repetitive boss battles. Game controls well. Decent soundtrack. Some cool graphic effects thanks to the Super FX2 chip.

The Bad
The game is very boring to play. I don't know if it's because of the art style or because it's trying to be a Mario game without really being one. I just can't get into this game.

If you want to get a perfect score in each level in order to unlock the secret level from each world, you have to have a perfect score in each level in that world. This is easier said than done because part of getting a perfect score is getting 30 stars. When you get hit, your stars start counting down and it will happen a lot. You can get more stars, but you have to be quick to get them or else they will vanish.

When you get hit, Baby Mario will start crying and it gets irritating every time he does and as stated before, it will happen a lot. He will sometimes end up being away from you long enough that you'll eventually lose a life thanks to the level design later in the game with enemies constantly hurting you as Baby Mario continues to float away.

The Bottom Line
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is like The Simpsons episode "Marge vs the Monorail": overrated. I never understood what people see in this game.

The Good
Good music, entertaining tactics

The Bad
Garbage loot system, journal bugs

The Bottom Line
Killed half of the annoying companions

The Good
Much improved front and back sprites of Pokémon. This generation introduced the Dark and Steel types, which make Psychic-Type Pokémon much less overpowered. In addition, the bug was fixed so that they are no longer immune to Ghost-Type moves. Tons of new moves were introduced that are more varied like an actual useful Ghost-Type move Shadow Ball and the Dragon-Type move Outrage. 100 new Pokémon introduced including new evolutions and baby Pokémon from the previous generation. The battle animations are more varied and look much nicer.

Item management is much better in this game. You no longer have to worry about filling up your inventory if you find an item in the overworld and on top of that, items are also categorized. Introduces breeding and egg moves. Great soundtrack. Experience points are now shown as a blue line that lets you know how much closer you are to gaining a new level instead of pausing the game frequently and checking the status of a Pokémon.

The game not only takes place in the Johto region, but after you complete the Pokémon League, you can explore the Kanto region from the first game, which features most of the original gym leaders to battle to collect an additional 8 badges totaling 16 in all from the first 8 badges from the gym leaders from Johto. You also battle Red, the protagonist from Red, Blue, and Yellow as a superboss! These features haven't been done since with the exception of the remake from generation IV.

You no longer have to pause to use most HM moves in the overworld. You go to a tree, water, whirlpool, boulder, or waterfall and press A and you use the move. The special stat from gen I is now divided to special attack and special defense, which means that Amnesia is less broken in which it raises special defense by 2 stages. The game is less glitchy overall.

Pokémon can now hold items which add more strategy in battles. There is also a new weather mechanic that affect certain moves and types. The game also keeps track of the time and day that affects what Pokémon you find in the wild and what event is being held and even when certain Pokémon evolve. It's still funny to name your rival something like asshole or retard.

The Bad
Some Pokémon still have limited moves that make them less useful. Out of the 100 new Pokémon introduced, there's only 1 new Ghost-Type Pokémon and 1 new Dragon-Type Pokémon. Some Pokémon introduced in this generation for some reason can only be found in Kanto, which makes no since they weren't in Red, Blue, and Yellow.

There are 2 new HM moves to use in the overworld which are required to proceed the game. And the worst part is the 2 new moves are both Water-Type moves which means you probably need a Pokémon in your party that has all HM moves in their moveset. Keep in mind that you can't replace an HM move if a Pokémon is trying to learn a new move. Only three gym leaders from Johto use a Pokémon from generation II, as if Game Freak was afraid that players wouldn't like the new Pokémon and had most of the gym leaders use the old ones to comfort them.

Like before, there are Pokémon who evolve by trading with a different player and there are also Pokémon that will evolve by trading while holding an item. Good luck finding someone to trade with in this day and age. Not many trainers use Pokémon that hold items except for the major trainers and even then it's usually only one Pokémon.

While not nearly as bad as the previous games, there is a glitch that makes some of the new Poké balls introduced not work as intended. For example, the Moon ball is supposed to make it easier to catch a Pokémon that can evolve with a Moon Stone. However, instead it works as a normal Poké ball.

The Bottom Line
This game is mind-blowing. You had to be there when it first came out to know how great it was to play the sequel to the generation I games. In my opinion, Game Freak has not topped Gold and Silver when it comes to new game mechanics and evolving previous mechanics in future Pokémon games. And remember, this is a Game Boy Color game! Hell, both versions have different front sprites for each Pokémon. They didn't need to make 2 different sprites for both versions, but they did.

The Good
Much improved front and back sprites of Pokémon. This generation introduced the Dark and Steel types, which make Psychic-Type Pokémon much less overpowered. In addition, the bug was fixed so that they are no longer immune to Ghost-Type moves. Tons of new moves were introduced that are more varied like an actual useful Ghost-Type move Shadow Ball and the Dragon-Type move Outrage. 100 new Pokémon introduced including new evolutions and baby Pokémon from the previous generation. The battle animations are more varied and look much nicer.

Item management is much better in this game. You no longer have to worry about filling up your inventory if you find an item in the overworld and on top of that, items are also categorized. Introduces breeding and egg moves. Great soundtrack. Experience points are now shown as a blue line that lets you know how much closer you are to gaining a new level instead of pausing the game frequently and checking the status of a Pokémon.

The game not only takes place in the Johto region, but after you complete the Pokémon League, you can explore the Kanto region from the first game, which features most of the original gym leaders to battle to collect an additional 8 badges totaling 16 in all from the first 8 badges from the gym leaders from Johto. You also battle Red, the protagonist from Red, Blue, and Yellow as a superboss! These features haven't been done since with the exception of the remake from generation IV.

You no longer have to pause to use most HM moves in the overworld. You go to a tree, water, whirlpool, boulder, or waterfall and press A and you use the move. The special stat from gen I is now divided to special attack and special defense, which means that Amnesia is less broken in which it raises special defense by 2 stages. The game is less glitchy overall.

Pokémon can now hold items which add more strategy in battles. There is also a new weather mechanic that affect certain moves and types. The game also keeps track of the time and day that affects what Pokémon you find in the wild and what event is being held and even when certain Pokémon evolve. It's still funny to name your rival something like asshole or retard.

The Bad
Some Pokémon still have limited moves that make them less useful. Out of the 100 new Pokémon introduced, there's only 1 new Ghost-Type Pokémon and 1 new Dragon-Type Pokémon. Some Pokémon introduced in this generation for some reason can only be found in Kanto, which makes no since they weren't in Red, Blue, and Yellow.

There are 2 new HM moves to use in the overworld which are required to proceed the game. And the worst part is the 2 new moves are both Water-Type moves which means you probably need a Pokémon in your party that has all HM moves in their moveset. Keep in mind that you can't replace an HM move if a Pokémon is trying to learn a new move. Only three gym leaders from Johto use a Pokémon from generation II, as if Game Freak was afraid that players wouldn't like the new Pokémon and had most of the gym leaders use the old ones to comfort them.

Like before, there are Pokémon who evolve by trading with a different player and there are also Pokémon that will evolve by trading while holding an item. Good luck finding someone to trade with in this day and age. Not many trainers use Pokémon that hold items except for the major trainers and even then it's usually only one Pokémon.

While not nearly as bad as the previous games, there is a glitch that makes some of the new Poké balls introduced not work as intended. For example, the Moon ball is supposed to make it easier to catch a Pokémon that can evolve with a Moon Stone. However, instead it works as a normal Poké ball.

The Bottom Line
This game is mind-blowing. You had to be there when it first came out to know how great it was to play the sequel to the generation I games. In my opinion, Game Freak has not topped Gold and Silver when it comes to new game mechanics and evolving previous mechanics in future Pokémon games. And remember, this is a Game Boy Color game! Hell, both versions have different front sprites for each Pokémon. They didn't need to make 2 different sprites for both versions, but they did.

The Good
Amazing graphics! Characters look like actual people, and the movements are much smoother than ever before seen. This is due to the incorporation of a digital microprocessor, a debut in video games. It also introduces strategic elements like moving behind obstacles and timing shots, making it more engaging. The sound produced by the guns adds atmosphere to the game.

The Bad
Despite the engaging duels, after several rounds, there isn't much else to discover.

The Bottom Line
Gun Fight feels like a major leap forward. After several years of a saturated market full of Pong clones, we finally have a game where the characters look like people, not just dots or paddles. It makes the duels feel more intense. This pushes the boundaries of what video games can be, making it a memorable experience.

The Good
A very fun to play game that is unlike anything seen before. Despite the simple graphics and sound effects, the idea of controlling a paddle and hitting a ball back and forth feels fresh and engaging, keeping the players coming back for more.

The Bad
The gameplay can get repetitive. Once the players master the controls, the thrill begins to fade after multiple rounds.

The Bottom Line
Pong is nothing short of revolutionary. It opens up a whole new world of entertainment! Despite its simplicity, it represents the start of something much bigger in the world of video games.

The Good
The music an absolutely amazing that you'll want to listen to outside of playing the game. While most 3D models aren't great, seeing monsters fight in 3D is a cool novelty for the era.

The Bad
The game is very hard if you don't have the right cards and fusion combinations in your deck. Even if you did, later opponents will have very strong monsters that will make you lose all of your life points. The game requires grinding to get cards from opponents and get the star chip currency in order to stand a chance with the tougher duelists. And speaking of, you only win one card from your opponent per duel. Rituals magic cards are absolutely pointless. Most cards cost way too much star chips which adds to the grinding.

The Bottom Line
Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon will be your best friend when building your deck. If you also have the time to grind against Meadow Mage, Meteor B. Dragon will also be your best friend. If you are not a fan of Yu-Gi-Oh!, I cannot recommend this game.

The Good
It has good graphics and is a fun game to try and punt cookies into the milk bowl. It reminds me of football, or tennis.

The Bad
I can't fault it for much

The Bottom Line
Great representative of the imagination on and creativity found in games written in the early years of the Spectrum

The Good
The missions sport plenty of lush jungle plants and foliage, with great sunlight, water splashes, and fog effects. It's easy to lose sight and track of enemies, but otherwise adds to the challenge. Some of the missions use the same map a second time, but at least the objectives and little elements vary and it reflects on going back the way you came to get from location to location, as one does in real life. There's objective markers, a mini-map and spoken objectives to give you full guidance without the need for a walkthrough. Even without the ability to do proper stealth, the maps are decently designed and would've made for great multiplayer maps. Music isn't too interesting, but it's there along with ambient sounds, and some dialogue from Jack Jeffers to keep things interesting.

Weapons in the game are varied and not too difficult to handle. Different weapons you have serve for different purposes and situations, such as sniping, blowing up armour, sneak attacks, and close range. The assault rifle is probably the weapon you'll want to use the most because of the plethora of ammunition. That's not an exaggeration. The rate at which the enemy spwans medpaks upon death like giving out candy is just ridiculous, and allows you to breeze through the game, provided that you don't run into a landmine or armoured car machine gun. And it's good that you're not forced into rail-shooting in the pickup truck missions, because you can use your guns if you so desire.

The Bad
Even in its straightforward gameplay and mission objectives, there are some glaring issues you're bound to stumble into. You won't know about the lean mechanics until you go to the control configurations, which for reason don't have their own pre-defined keys, forcing you to set it manually. But even with the ability to lean, you can only do it when firing from the hip and not when your sights are enabled, which sucks. In the pickup truck missions, there are times you need to jump on to the truck, but a misjump causes it to drive off without you, not that you'll ever fail the mission anyways. Speaking of missions, there's no way to tell your allies from your enemies without getting a good look at them. If only the cross-hair turned green or something. It is however hilarious that there's no penalty for friendly fire, just scolding from your objective giver.

The Bottom Line
If you ever wanted an economic version of Call of Duty: Black Ops, this counts. This game does not hand out the hype of better known and more popular FPS franchises, but it offers a unique experience in its own way, somewhere in between a game for beginners and experienced players. While this game may not have it all, it did try to do its best at being a good game. Not too overambitious and well-balanced in mechanics and cosmetics. Really stands out in the Terrorist Takedown series.

The Good
I think this is a good, free, maze game that part of me thinks should be simple. It obviously is not simple because I have not cracked it yet, I have not worked out what the rules are so I am still wandering more or less aimlessly. There is a clue on one of the walls which says "Find Nature", that is in the Steam store description too so I know there is a definite end to the game that I have yet to reach.

I start in a room with four exits. I take an exit, walk down the path, come back and sometimes the room has changed. Sometimes there are four exits, sometimes there are two, sometimes there is a hole in the floor but walking in and out of these exits is all there is to the game. There are what I think are clues, at least I think they are clues, over the exits and on the walls by the exits.

The controls are simple, WASD for movement (though I found the arrow keys worked as well), the mouse to look around and SPACEBAR to jump.

The game has a decent music loop, sort of zen/ambient/piano-like, which I listened to the entire time I wandered around

The Bad
This is my fault and not a fault of the game. I did not read the instructions carefully so after walking around for a while I pressed ESCAPE to get to the in-game menu. Unfortunately there is no in-game menu, no game save, nothing and ESCAPE immediately aborts the game.

The Bottom Line
This is a first person maze game that does NOT hold your hand in any way, shape or form. I suspect the way to crack it is to have a pen and paper handy to record various different paths taken and what the results were.

I liked this game. I may never solve it but I liked it.

"Good Luck" to anyone who tries.

The Good
The combat in this game is super awesome. It makes you feel like the ultimate boss, and you can mix and match different weapons like blades, swords, and spears, which is pretty wild. The character customization is really cool too, with some really attractive and sexy skins that I'm playing the game because of it😁. Plus, the game is a steal at just $4.59 with the deals, cheaper than a Big Mac meal.

The Bad
Not Enough Enemies, The Enemies Are Somewhat Similar Multiplayer Sucks And The Game Don't Need One

The Bottom Line
Graphics Mid Basic Story

The Good
Classics sprites. Appealing graphics considering the game came out in 1985. Great soundtrack that is remixed in later Mario games to this day. Great controls. Easy to pick up and play.

The Bad
You can't save your progress. There are no continues unless you hold down the A button and press start on the title screen, which the game or the manual doesn't tell you. Some of the later levels are hard. When you touch an enemy or get hit by a hazard as Fire Mario, you become Small Mario instead of Super Mario like in the later games.

The Bottom Line
A bona fide classic, but has aged a bit. A must play nonetheless.

The Good
- Fun gameplay. - The element of luck provides a unique gameplay every time. - Easy to pick up for the first time. - The score system allows for replayability.

The Bad
- The graphics are mostly ASCII, which means it might be confusing at first. - The music and sound effects are scarce, and are made up of basic computer sounds. - The element of luck can be, at times, a hinderance.

The Bottom Line
Dracula in London is an interesting and unique early DOS horror game. The gameplay blends adventure and board game elements together to create a unique experience. With the board game aspect, multiple players can also play, taking turns between characters. The element of luck also ensure that no two gameplays will be exactly the same. The luck-based element of the game can be a bit unforgiving at times, though, as you may wind up face to face with a particularly nasty enemy, or taking a lot of turns to even land an attack. One small gripe I have is with the audio, as it consists entirely of occasional computer bleeps and bloops, which some might find annoying. The graphics of the game, being an early DOS game, do not have graphical sprites, but instead are made up entirely of ASCII characters. As such, visually it can be a bit confusing, but after a while you'll probably find yourself memorizing what letter or symbol means what.

Overall, I would recommend it for fans of old DOS games, especially if you're looking for a horror game, or just a game with Dracula or vampires.

The Good
+ Soundtrack is lit, probably the only memorable thing from my experience with this game// + Customizable desktop, email and the forum sections all adds to the immersion// + Big variety of monsters to slay forces you to utilize many different strategies// + Battles using menus ain't that bad, I'd say combat is a good thing in this game, although many players will surely not like it//

The Bad
- Already mentioned emails are written in such an awkward way that makes me think if the writers had any social interactions before contributing to the game (all dialogues in this game are freakin' awkward, not only emails)// - This leads us to the main plot, which takes about 10% of the entire game? I mean, there was some story at the beginning, a little bit in the middle of the game, and some of it at the end - the rest of the story feels like it's made of filler episodes// - Most of our party members are annoying and AWKWARD - there are like 2 or 3 characters I can consider interesting// - The field exploring made me want to give up this game - it's just so repetitive and boring// - Want to know what's also repetitive and boring? Dungeons. There are few types of these, but their layouts are too similar to be enjoyable to explore// - There are too many things that will only make sense after a research or using a guide - such as Grunty and food system, trading, using keywords to create a dungeon in which you want to find certain particular things (all is "explained" in the game, but as a beginner to the series it didn't do much to me, maybe I'm dumb though)// - Game pauses after obtaining EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. (you'll get a loooooot of them during your playthrough)//

The Bottom Line
The only thing that made me want to try out next installments in this series is the ending, which gave me some hope that the plot is going to get interesting. That doesn't change the fact that this was by far the most boring JRPG experience I had, sorry to say. And I really wish the characters would be much better written, because at first glance a lot of them seems interesting.. but then their flat personalities show up.

The Good
Many of the environments are quite stunning.

The game has a large selection of excellent puzzles. Some can be quite challenging, but I only had to resort to outside help once.

The different "humans" providing different philosophical insights worked well and perhaps better than the failed predecessors of the previous game, as they felt more alive.

The Bad
Bigger isn't always better. The world in The Talos Principle 2 is vast, but often the size is just becomes annoying to traverse, or the repeat of megascan assets just becomes apparent.

Some of the puzzle concepts introduced later in the game just don't work as neatly as the earlier concepts or those from the previous game.

I didn't necessarily want more tetromino puzzles.

The Bottom Line
The Talos Principle was a surprise favourite for me. So its sequel had a lot to live up to.

On the puzzle front the game definitely delivers. I had a lot of fun solving all the puzzles the game had to offer. There are quite a lot of new mechanics introduced throughout the game which ramp up the variety. There's also a lot more of them I think. The additional challenges each "world" contained were of a more mixed quality and generally just involved a lot of walking around. And not always very purposefully.

Where the first game explores what it is to be human, part 2 focuses on a new philosophical question: what the meaning of life is. The other "humans" give a more lively conversation which is nice, but I must admit this second offering doesn't feel as profound as the first. It's still great, but the novelty has perhaps worn of a bit.

Still the game comes highly recommended if you like either a good puzzle game or a philosophical debate, but mostly if you like both.

The Good
The premise of exploration in the game is quite cool and I like how it slowly introduces new goals. The limited oxygen creates a lot of cool tension to go on runs to scavenge for resources or find another lifepod. Especially in the early game.

Later on in the game there are some cool unique environments to explore. Finding something new and unique is a really cool and immersive moment.

The Bad
I dislike the the hunger/thirst mechanics on top of limited oxygen because they are just busywork. Luckily you can turn them off!

When starting out I was dreading having to start the base-building aspect of the game. Luckily the amount of things you need to build is fairly limited. Still not my cup of tea. And while the amount of base building is limited you do need to do a looooot of crafting which is equally tedious. Collecting the resources mostly felt like busywork. Although sometimes you'd be rewarded by accidentally stumbling onto something new and unexpected.

The stylized graphics look alright, but the Switch clearly struggles keeping up to load in objects. There's a lot of popping in of terrain details and objects when moving around in the vehicles which diminish the immersion somewhat.

The Bottom Line
In my initial experience with the game, I played for multiple hours and saved regularly, but after the Switch ran out of power while standby all progress beyond the first hour was deleted. I gave the game a 1 star rating and was going to move on. I didn't want to risk losing multiple hours of progress again. After a couple days I decided to give it one more shot and I haven't encountered a similar issue since luckily.

I don't like survival games. Mostly because I don't like base building nor crafting which are two of the core elements of survival games. What makes me play Subnautica is the story. It reveals nicely in byte-sized chunks as you discover more of the world around you. The unique structures you find and get to explore at times are highlights and the game manages to keep a sense of wonder as the complexity of the gameworld is revealed bit by bit.

The survival mechanics prevent me from loving this game as much as say Myst or The Outer Wilds, but the game definitely has its charms. Another point in its favor is that there's no real combat in the game, unlike most survival games which have a lot of hunting and fighting mechanics to get resources. I like this more pacifistic approach.

A bit on the fence to rate this 3 or 4 stars. I might still change it in the future as I haven't finished the game yet.

The Good
Power-ups are pretty fun

The Bad
Ugly

So boring it induces Ambien grade drowsiness

Makes bad games look decent by comparison

Microtransactions to add insult to injury

The Bottom Line
Even as a free flash game it would have felt hollow. As a PS Vita rlease with microtransactions it's unbearable

The Good
• Visually unique, realistic JRPG character designs and frightening monsters reminiscent of Shin Megami Tensei's sprite work

• Challenging gameplay that requires you to use the game's mechanics to their utmost from start to finish

• Well-crafted and atmospheric soundtrack with unique battle themes that blend rock, classical, and electronic sounds

• On-screen map which shows the position of enemies on the overworld, occasionally allowing you to pull some quick maneuvers to get out of fights in a pinch

The Bad
• Some scenes are rushed and entire tracks from the OST barely get used

• The western release nerfed character stats to make the game more difficult in an attempt to prevent people from finishing it in a single Blockbuster rental -- in some ways this is a positive, but characters miss attacks more frequently than they should, and grinding becomes necessary in a couple areas

The Bottom Line
The 7th Saga, or Elnard as it's known in Japan, is a finely-crafted and dark JRPG experience in a genre that's often cluttered with cutesy characters and childish enemy designs. It offers a unique setting where 7 protagonists (the player chooses which to control) are searching the planet for 7 powerful runes, and each character has their own ambitions, whether it's fortune, fame, sense of duty, or belonging. You come across the other heroes on your journey, and some offer to help while others aim to stop you and thin out the competition.

Wholly unique, and yet there are plenty of familiar RPG tropes here to keep the experience grounded. Still fun today and highly recommended! Just be prepared to yell at your screen every now and again.

The Good
Upon starting this game, you'll find yourself in a firing range, which is the perfect way to start with a weapons practice. Progressing through the missions makes newer guns available to try. When you're ready, you're off. Cutscenes and the objectives screen offer sufficient info on what you have to do, mainly killing enemies.

Graphically the game is okay with a variety of scenery and settings with fitting props you can use to take cover. The lighting effects work fine even in the night missions, that you probably won't need to use the night vision goggles you're provided. The accompanying music is okay, but nothing special. The same cannot be said for ambient sounds, which almost non-existent.

Controls for the game are a bit crowded but otherwise serve useful purposes. Thank heavens for quicksave and quickload, because you will need them. The leaning mechanic is pretty hilarious due to the ability to lean into walls when you're up against them. The ability to communicate is a little innovative, but you can manage fine without it.

The Bad
Even though much of the game works as you would expect, the difficulty of the game comes as mean-spirited. Since you can only use what ammo, grenades and portable medpacks you have, you're expected to finish each mission in one go, no joke. This easier said than done with enemies popping out from one direction or another. You can try to cheese your way through the level by letting your squadmates do the legwork since they never run out of ammo, but you still have to cover for them. Not a fun way to play the game.

Weapons in the game are a like a mixed bag with a hole in the bottom. While sniper weapons give a higher kill chance, the M249 LMG is terrible. What is worse than any of the guns is the grenades. When you throw them, the player character throws in an awkward angle oriented to left, that you often end up killing yourself and your men, especially in tight corridors. Why on earth does this left hook grenade throw exist? To add insult to injury, the game is very stingy about accuracy that shooting anything other than a live enemy is considered a miss. Pretty harsh considering that you use mounted automatics for half of the game.

The Bottom Line
The works of the game seem a lot more challenging than the average FPS players may be accustomed to. It's hard to call it a balanced game, because the difficulty often racks up against you. It could've done with less rail shooting sequences. Who would've guessed this centered around a real-life war in Somalia? I guess these City Interactive games are good at using material from conflicts that are otherwise known only to military enthusiasts. Real-life war or not, this one didn't quite reach to the quality and standards of better known FPS franchises, but at least you can say this did have some good modern warfare themes before "Call of Duty 4" went up on stage. Probably worth renting, but not buying since you can just about finish it in a day.

The Good
The game can be fun in multiplayer. You can create your own levels.

The Bad
The gameplay is stupidly shallow which makes it feel like a early PS1 game instead of a game released in 2000. The game literally has nothing to do with Monster Rancher. There's no feature to put a cd in to get monsters like in the other games. The story mode is very boring.

The Bottom Line
If there's a game that begs for an explanation for why it exists, this game would be a top contender.

The Good
Open up this game into a futuristic setting. It really shows with those vibrant textures, strobe-like lights, and computer-styled interfaces with generous amounts of shadows and 3-D angles for polish. There's so much careful attention to detail in every level. Each level also plays fast-paced tunes, letting you know that you're in constant combat.

Gameplay is difficult as expected in typical arcade-style video game titles, yet the controls are so easy to utilize. You can play in the fashion of a multi-directional and a scrolling shooter (using the strafing lock) as you please. Some levels will be mazes, while a few others have an open-world feel. You have a nice selection of five weapons which you can power up in between levels if you have the stock. It's fun to experiment to see which weapon types work best in different situations.

The Bad
Even with such flawless gameplay and mechanics, what the game doesn't do is let you know what your next target to destroy is, to avoid aimlessly wandering around. Other desired elements would be a health meter for bosses and a password system to continue from a point. Leaving the little inconveniences behind, this is quite the solid game that has no frustration to put you through and nothing remotely unfair. The only issue is that its quite short and no variation for every new game.

The Bottom Line
This game sports sci-fi vibes of difficult shooters from Super Famicom and Sega Megadrive, but this title sadly never made it to either of those systems, it just stood alone below those two. If you've played a hundred shooters your arcade days, this one just might surprise you greatly. You would never guess the game's goodness from its title and cover, so don't judge, just pick it up and play it. A fun and packed shooter for any gamer.

The Good
Graphics are very well done for a Doom engine game. Semi open-world hub design is a nice change from most Doom clones; you progress through worlds in a linear sequence, but each world is a set of maps that you move between non-linearly. Puzzles and inventory system is a good progression from Doom.

The Bad
Some of the maps are cramped and don't lend themselves as well to combat action compared to Heretic or Doom. Puzzles can get a bit samey after a while, following a "find the switch, flick the switch, get a hint about what happened on what map, go there and see what has changed."

The Bottom Line
This game seems to be polarising, judging from a lot of comments I've seen. Those who dislike Hexen often mention the game being too cryptic or puzzling. I disagree, but I guess people who dislike this aspect also tend to dislike adventure games, or titles like Myst. In my opinion it's nowhere near as puzzling as a typical adventure game.

The Good
This game truly captures the spirit of the horror genre, enhancing the minimalistic choice of colours and internal speaker-like music and sounds, but not backing down on the blood and grisly atmosphere. The anime style of Lily balances cuteness and innocence with the hostile environment. Puzzles are very easy to solve, but getting through the game is a totally different beast. Despite the simplicity of the gameplay, the complexity of the plot is hiding and laying in wait for the right moment to show itself to the player as they get further into the game.

The Bad
There isn’t much that can be said that is genuinely bad about the game. Death encounters are expected so one cannot call this adventure unfair. The only thing missing is an indicator showing the code numbers you have acquired, so you have no choice but to write them down, which was typical of some puzzles of the 1980s, when online walkthroughs didn’t exist. Otherwise you have a whole adventure just waiting to scare you.

The Bottom Line
Have you ever seen a game that fleshes out true horror? Perhaps, though not like this title. If this is your first time hearing about it, don’t underestimate the disturbing theme it brings. The seemingly never ending damage Lily suffers seem to intentionally make you sympathetise for her, and seems to bring vibes akin to dark and grotesque fantasies like Elfen Lied. Unless you have nerves of steel and a clear head, you should probably not play this one before bedtime. Every element is done so beautifully, this game really needs to be ported to the old 8-bit computers such as Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.

The Good
The Italian cities are shown in great detail and are amazing to explore. The smoothness of all Ezio's animations while fighting and climbing were unrivaled at the time of release.

The Bad
The Ubisoft launcher is an absolute piece of garbage.

There's a lot of grind elements in the game which simply aren't fun. luckily it can just be ignored for the most part.

It takes an incredibly long time before you finally get to do some platforming. The intro is an incredibly boring piece of exposition.

Having the game pause on stick press is such a terrible default control. It's so easy to accidentally press the movement stick.

The sci-fi Animus storyline is still super lame and totally unnecessary.

The Bottom Line
I quite liked the first Assassin's Creed, but its world always felt a bit empty. The second game in the series manages to improve it greatly. An increased number of unique missions and less focus on the grind.

The Good

• Inexpensive
• Building is fun and intuitive
• Build your own world from scratch
• Randomly generated games have never been this scary
• Most fun you'll ever have exploring a world
• Full of surprises
• Build inventive contraptions and rollercoasters using simple tools
• Charming visual style
• Dying in this game will hurt a lot. Especially when it involves lava and all your stuff gets melted. But that makes the game all the more exciting

**The Bad**

• Multiplayer not yet working properly at time of review
• Some grinds just take too long (stocking up on gunpowder, mining obsidian)
• The Nether's loot isn't valuable enough to make venturing there worthwhile
• Encountering certain resources is pure chance. It would be nice if it were possible to scan for the existence of certain resources within a certain proximity

**The Bottom Line**
When at first I saw a short video of Minecraft, I thought it looked quaint and slightly interesting but dismissed and forgot about it. Then I met an old acquaintance who mentioned he was playing it and was totally addicted. So I decided to check it out. So, first I booted up Minecraft Classic with some friends on our own private server. The game only lets you build but it proved rather addictive and for a couple days we were all hooked on the experience. I decided to make the big leap and make the investment of 10 Euros for the full version (in alpha state at the time). I'm glad I did, because this is hands-down the best game of 2010. So I started on the beach of a deserted island. Although? Not quite deserted. To my amazement I see pigs, chickens, sheep and cows roaming the land. After some initial experimentation I start to understand that to build something in this game the materials must first be harvested. After finding a suitable location at the shoreline on the foot of a mountain I build my first wooden shack out of planks I make from trees I cut down. Before it's properly finished night falls however and I'm surprised for the second time. Zombies and skeleton archers besiege my shack. Scared shit-less I block the doors and windows with mud and wait for dawn while the moans of zombies are heard through the walls. And this is where I got hooked on Minecraft Most of the time in Minecraft I spend exploring. Usually mapping huge subterranean cavern structures, on the lookout for Creepers while prospecting for precious ores, but also sailing in my little boat along the coasts of thousands of islands in search for clay deposits. It might not sound as much fun but I assure you it's awesome. Minecraft has no levels or experience points. Rewards in this game are purely in the form of resources and what resources allow the player to do. Some resources (such as clay) don't even serve a real purpose other than the ability to build buildings out of red bricks instead of wood, stone or mud. But you just have to have. I know I do! I love RPGs, but in this game I didn't miss levels and experience at all. It's already incredibly rewarding to find a new diamond vein, because it'll allow you to construct more durable tools or armor. Building things consists of placing blocks which happens instantly (unlike removing blocks which takes a variable amount of time depending on the tools and material hardness). You can basically build anything you can think of as long as it consists of square blocks; but it doesn't end there! Aside from static buildings, the player can also build contraptions and railway systems. using a material called redstone the player can place wiring between pressure plates, railway switches, levers, buttons, doors, lights, TNT. This can be used to build traps for monsters (how about a block of TNT hooked up to a pressure plate?) or create automated train systems. With the most recent major update it is now also possible to visit the Nether which is scary as hell. Huge monsters will continuously scream in tormented childish voices and there's lava and fire everywhere. Interesting about the Nether is that every step you take corresponds to many more steps in the real world, so that this alternate dimension can be used as a sort of means for fast-travel. But other than that I felt that the whole Nether-world added little to the game. Its sound effects are nerve-wrecking and thus I don't go there for my pleasure, and the spoils to be gained there are rather mediocre, although this will likely be fixed by the next update. The graphics are rather simple, but I find them very charming. There's unofficial "high-res" texture packs for download, but frankly I think they all make the game look uglier. Why would I want a photo of the actual moon to replace my perfectly square moon? The engine also runs surprisingly fast. Sound in the game is not very remarkable. Most of the effects don't get old, except the Ghast's sound effects in the Nether. But none of the effects stand out as good either. The sporadic music is nice and can be very haunting. It always sets in when you least expect it. What also happens when you least expect it is that creepers sneak up on you and explode in your face just after you found some invaluable diamonds. "Gosh, I didn't know that there was a lava stream just below the floor." You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll look at marvelous sunsets from the most exotic locations. You'll cower in fear and entomb yourself just to avoid the overwhelming odds. You'll sail the seven seas. Throw snowballs. Ride pigs. Journey to the centre of the world. All the while wondering how a game so simple in its premises can be that much fun. Honestly, I haven't had this much fun in a game in years. I had just started Mass Effect 2 when I found out about this game and that game has been collecting dust ever since.

The Good
During my teenage years I frequently encountered stories about a game called Manhunt and how disturbingly violent it was. Eventually I managed to get the pc version on Steam and throughout the past 15 years I played Manhunt from time to time and always ended up getting hooked by this game’s setting and atmosphere.

In Manhunt you get into the bloodied shoes of James Earl Cash, a death row inmate who, at the start of the game, gets his lethal injection. But instead of leaving this mortal coil, Cash wakes up in a dark room wherein a voice over the speakers demands him to pick up an earpiece and then follow his instructions.

This mysterious voice, who calls himself “the director,” forces Cash to roam through Carcer City and murder gang members in the most brutal ways possible and that way earn his second chance at life. And so begins Manhunt, a game wherein you go from location to location slaughtering everyone in sight so that the aforementioned director can make his next snuff film (a snuff film is a film wherein a person is literally murdered, tortured, raped, mutilated etc.) all for the director’s bloodthirsty fetish and greed and for Cash’s primal desire of survival. The director’s snuff film leads you through various places around the massive city including desolated city streets and slums, abandoned factories, a zoo and an asylum while fighting gangs ranging from low-life street punks and mask-wearing psychopaths all the way to corrupt police officers and professionally trained soldiers of fortune.

If you know even a little bit about this game’s reputation, you’re aware that Manhunt is infamous for its violence and for good reason. For the most part, Manhunt plays like a stealth game wherein you hide in the shadows and kill your enemies using everyday items like plastic bags, glass shards, crowbars, baseball bats and eventually firearms like pistols, shotguns and assault rifles. One of the main elements that makes Manhunt so gruesome is the way you kill your foes. When you manage to sneak close to an enemy (or hunter as they’re called in this game) you can kill him with a hasty (white), violent (yellow) or gruesome (red) execution depending on how long you hold the attack button. For example, the plastic bag. Hasty: you simply put the bag over the hunter’s head to choke him. Violent: you put the bag over the hunter’s head and then smash his face into your knee multiple times. Gruesome: you put the bag over the hunter’s head, punch him in the face multiple times and finally snap his neck.

What makes the violence even more gruesome then just the executions comes from the sound effects. Choke the hunter with a wire and you can hear him desperately gasp him for air, chop him up with a machete and you can hear the sound of soft flesh being sliced by cold steel, slice the hunter’s belly open with a scythe and you hear his muffled screams as his intestines get exposed.

Speaking of sound, it’s one of the main ingredients that help in making Manhunt’s atmosphere so compelling. When you’re close to a patrolling hunter, you can hear Cash’s heartbeat rise and you can hear said hunter brag about how they would love to cut you up. So there’s the hunters’ taunts and banter, the aforementioned gruesome sounds when you butcher a hunter and to top it all off, Brain Cox’s magnificent performance as the director. When he guides you through the many gory scenes, he gives some pretty creative feedback when you slaughter your way through Carcer City, vulgarly mocking you when you get detected too often and even more vulgarly praising you when you constituently rack up the mutilated bodies.

Visually, Manhunt is powered by the Renderware engine made famous by its use in the GTA 3 trilogy. However, while the GTA 3 trilogy had a slight cartoonlike aesthetic to make the violence less disturbing and more goofy and satirical Manhunt dishes the colorful looks of LC, VC and SA to bring you the ruined metropolis of Carcer City. Filled with locked-down stores, trash and filth-covered streets and, if you’re really deep into gang territory, piles of decaying flesh and hanging corpses of every victim the gang in question has taken thus far. It truly gives you the feeling that Carcer City was a once thriving city that has now being completely abandoned by civilization and overrun by corruption, social decay.

Another visual element that makes Manhunt’s presentation unique is the home-made video aspect of the game. By default, the game has a soft film grain overlay during the gameplay and during the cutscenes (both the pre-rendered and in-game scenes) everything is presented through cheap CCTV cameras which includes occasional stuttering, coloring differences and glitch lines. It beautifully gives the game a homemade, low-budget video aesthetic as if you’re truly got your hands on a snuff film.

Musically, the soundtrack is composed by Craig Conner and features long, dark ambient industrial tracks that complete the darkness, isolation and brutality of Manhunt’s setting. Every in-game track has 3 versions, depending on whether the hunters are casually patrolling (the track is rather calm but still menacing), alerted by the noise you make (the track becomes more complex with sounds that sometimes feel like squalling or yelling) and finally when you’re detected (the music gets fast and aggressive). I particularly enjoy the dynamic music because it builds up the suspense as the hunters get closer and closer to you.

The Bad
During the second half of the game, the stealth gameplay gets less prevalent and you get into more shootouts wherein both you and the hunters are armed to the teeth and the gunplay isn’t as satisfying or as intense or balanced as the stealth. Basically, you can shoot a hunter in the head, run when his fellow hunters come in, hide in some nearby shadows and wait until the hunters give up actively searching for you. For me, it was much more compelling when you have to rely on melee weapons and have to get up close for the kill. With firearms, I felt more like the hunter rather than the hunted (which is less suspenseful). Sure, I understand that the developers probably wanted to bring some variety to the gameplay but I believe there should’ve been more balance between stealth and shooting throughout the game.

In addition, I felt the enemy AI could’ve been better. Usually, they casually walk around while looking around a bit until they stand still for a moment and then turn around to walk the same path. They also never actively search the shadows so once you’re out of their sight, you can simply hide in there even if the hunters look straight at you. I think the hunters would be even more threatening if they actively work together and use stuff like flashlights or flares to light up the shadows and once they found a dead hunter, they could more actively search the place for you and put boobytraps for you like beartraps or trip wires. This would’ve made the later game hunters like the Wardogs or Cerberus soldiers more unique and threatening compared to the earlier game’s gangs.

I agree that the extreme amount of savagery in Manhunt may be a bit too much for its own good. But I believe that Manhunt, thanks to its gruesome imagery and sound effects, humorless and grim atmosphere, nihilistic storyline and unsympathetic characters does a great job at deconstructing the concept of violence and how sensational it’s presented in modern day media.

Said violence isn’t glorified (otherwise the music would’ve probably been more upbeat and the score system more rewarding and prominent) nor is the main character someone you should root for (in the end, Cash is nothing more than a vicious man who mercilessly kills other vicious men who would otherwise mercilessly kill him. To Cash’s credit, however, he does show genuine rage about the fact his family got murdered by the director’s men). There are no legit good people in Manhunt (even the news reporter, who’s pretty much the only friendly character you meet, is more interested in reporting on the snuff ring just to make her own career rather than doing a genuinely noble deed).

The Bottom Line
So, after all the controversy and infamy that this game acquired throughout the past 20 years, is Manhunt really that dark, violent and disturbing? My answer, yes. However, underneath the violence and darkness lies a deep and atmospheric game that masterfully deconstructs violence and therefore makes said violence much more intense. It helps Manhunt rise through the ranks of just being a mere third person stealth/shooter game with high levels of brutality.

I certainly recommend you to give Manhunt a try and if you find it too disturbing, maybe that’s exactly what the game wants to achieve, not by mere shock value, but by showing how brutality truly looks and feels like, unrelenting, unforgiving and uncensored.

The Good
Simple gameplay. The basic slashing mechanic feels good, which leads allows for momentary bursts of enjoyment.

Doesn't overstay its welcome.

The Bad
The aesthetics are ugly and repetitive. Initial creativity quickly becomes uninspired. The experience is shallow and as often as it feels fun, it just as frequently feels like a waste of time.

The Bottom Line
A game that would have found its brief niche as a release title for the iPhone 3. Releasing 5 years later (in 2013) and on the Vita and there's nothing left of note.

The Good
A 1 star review that worked itself up to 2 stars as it has the rare benefit of getting better as it goes along (starting from a low bar). The more complex levels provide a cascading randomness that kept me throwing for a little while longer than I had originally expected.

Some small unexpected charms.

The Bad
Remember all those hours spent playing Angry Birds? Yeah, me neither. I imagine it was a bit like this. But probably with more personality. There's a reason Angry Birds are in commercials and King Oddball... is not.

The Bottom Line
An early 2010's physics game before the genre found its truly bizarre and enjoyable footing.

The Good
Solid soundtrack, visuals and general presentation

The Bad
Specifically on the Wii, visuals are crusty. Lack of any "proper" challenge

The Bottom Line
Worth every penny from Penny Lane

The Good
Passable song selection and instruments. Decently fun multiplayer mini-games and above-average drumming mode.

The Bad
Midi quality sounds, waggle fest, and fun factor isn't very high

The Bottom Line
If you’re an aspiring musician looking for a creative tool, stick with Garageband and leave Wii Music for the bin.

The Good
Where to start. Ever wanted to breeze through a shooter in less than a few hours? That's what this title offers. Even on the harder difficulties its still relatively easier where's virtually no shortage of ammunition and enough cover to avoid getting nailed down. The map on the loading screen doesn't really help and there's only one path so you can't get lost, with lots of ways that stop you from backtracking, robbing you of your freedom to explore. Objectives are simple being get form point A to B, get to from point X to Y to Z, so there's no real rocket science involved. There are a few special effects to break up the usual monotony throughout such as the feeling of being dazed and drained of blood when you need to scramble and get a medkit. That's pretty much what you'll get out of the game. Ask for more and you'll be thoroughly disappointed.

The Bad
Does it need to be said that this game is not even close to the mechanics and features most shooters at the time of its release? You've got an arsenal of five guns and some grenades, but no melee weapon or tactical attachments to do something other than shoot. Not even an RPG of your own to shoot down helicopters instead of blowing up barrels beneath them. None of the enemies pose a real challenge, including the black gas-masked agents. You're basically the unstoppable one-man army commando that wipes out everybody else. Wherever you go looks the same and the following levels reuse and recycle most of the previous levels with you go and back forth to the safehouse. By the end you've got the one and only boss, but no clever moves to take him down, just "shoot him till he dies" (sorry, till he falls down).

Plot and presentation are lacking pretty much everywhere. You take orders from a lower ranking agent that you never actually get to see. and while you're doing the legwork of liberating this stupid island, the rest of the US forces are making up excuses not to send additional reinforcements. Should I be surprised that you'll be your own from beginning to end? Even all the bombs and explosions at various points aren't literally ground breaking.

The Bottom Line
By today's and 2010s standards this shooter is all bare-bone, which offers practically nothing for its content and plot. Perhaps having Chuck Norris in it would've made it a small hit. Even Half-Life looks and peeforms more impressively. Nothing to praise or recommend. The desire to get this game downgrades from purchasing it, to renting it from a video game rental, to getting it for a bargain, to receiving it for free, and finally wanting absolutely nothing to do with it. This could be described as the cheesiest B-grade movie game. I can't recommend it as a first shooter game to new young players or as something different to experience players. I'll take 221B Software Development's "Alcatraz" over this Alcatastrophe of a game.

The Good
Fantastic graphics, very good gunplay, typically for Remedy mysterious.

The Bad
Very bad map, sometimes confusing environment.

The Bottom Line
Typically for Remedy, mysterious, supernatural, incomprehensible at first, but with great action, physics, gunplay and overall audiovisuals. The fights are really intense fun.

The Good
Character development, world design, gameplay

The Bad
Excessively extensive stats for weapons, armor and general equipment.

The Bottom Line
Definitely the best Diablo clone. Very elaborate character development, decent story, still looks good today. A great dark environment. Good longevity.

The Good
Graphics, City design, Frenetic action

The Bad
Very bad map, Game story

The Bottom Line
In terms of gameplay, it's a fairly simple frenetic action RPG seen from a bird's eye view, but with absolutely breathtaking visuals and a total Cyberpunk atmosphere. The graphic sophistication of the city often puts even Cyberpunk 2077 in your pocket.. The game is not extra long, so it is definitely worth the few bucks it costs today :) PS: Prepare your nerves for a disastrous map and a rather confusing story telling..

The Good
The game is fun enough for someone who wanna play a short period of time

The Bad
it just have 16 levels, they are a few

The Bottom Line
bla bla bla, try it!

The Good
Easy to play and a good graphics. The controls are super intuitive, and the hand movements make flying feel natural and immersive.

The Bad
I beat the first 3 levels and I really do love the game! The only problem is it's unwillingness to run smoothly and the achievement doesn't unlock in steam.

The Bottom Line
I recommended this game.

The Good
Great setting and characters. Historical fiction, yay!

The Bad
Since characters have their daily routines you can miss pivotal moments. I'm fairly sure I softlocked my progress at some point. The silver lining here is that I managed to do completely different things on my second try. Talk to different people, witness different events, etc.

The graphics while distinct aren't that great, nor have they aged well. They are fine for most of the conversations, but would benefit from a remaster, especially for the more involved cutscenes.

Unfortunately the story jumps the shark in the later half of the game. It becomes all mystical and fantastical, where it starts so down to earth and grounded in historical fiction.

The Bottom Line
The Last Express definitely isn't a perfect game, but it's so unique that you'll forgive it all its faults.

The Good
Great music, tight controls, interesting challenges, some hidden secrets.

The Bad
Let's be honest. It looks like crap. You won't notice it much while playing though.

The Bottom Line
VVVVVV is a ton of fun. There's some infuriatingly hard parts, but the elation when you finally get is is well worth it. It helps that it's all skill and no randomness.

The Good
It's fun to draw things and to have physics influence the drawing.

The Bad
You basically solve all the puzzles in the exact same way.

The Bottom Line
When first seeing the game it looked a bit like magic. It was very novel at the time, but it was very light on content. Hopes were high for Crayon Physics Deluxe, but it doesn't really keep up with the expectations. Quite quickly you realize all problems can be solved with the same solution, slowly sucking all the fun out of the exploration.

The Good
The slide animation makes it less likely to get lost.

Voice overs are a nice way to improve the mood of the game.

The interface is greatly improved as well, ditching the retarded marching order from the previous game where you had to continuously swap the character portraits in order to let them be able to make melee attacks.

Another silly artifact from the previous games are the lockpicks. If they last forever and can open any chest, what's the use in including them? You could just have chests without locks.

The Bad
Outdoor environments just don't work in a game based on square grids like this. It didn't work in Eye of the Beholder II either.

The Bottom Line
I'm glad they got rid of the AD&D license, because frankly I don't think AD&D works well for action RPGs, because the action results are too random. Unfortunately the current system is still very much inspired by it and carries over some of its flaws. While they got rid of totally redundant and useless stats (for these kinds of games) such as charisma and wisdom and spells; there are still monsters that when lucky kill your characters in a single hit. Luckily, death is just a phase in this game and as long as one of your party members is still alive you can still easily resurrect the others.

All in all, Lands of Lore is an improvement in all ways over Eye of the Beholder.