KeenGamer's Reviews
"Night Springs" is a great expansion to Alan Wake II that gives players a few hours of entertaining content with the kind of writing and style that Remedy excels at. It shows off the creativity of the studio, and how committed they are to doing things no other studio is doing. Some people may be disappointed that it doesn't explain the main game's confusing story, though.
V Rising is an incredibly solid RPG that is set within a gothic world where we must battle through against mankind and the sunlight through the lenses of a vampire, trying to restore the glory that once was theirs. The combat and environment within V Rising are highly addicting and satisfying that roaming around the map will always yield positive results. V Rising has almost everything that I want within an RPG game, and those who seek a game to spend their summer this year might want to take a look at V Rising.
Animal Well takes the Metroidvania model and provides a challenging and satisfying experience while also cutting off all the excess fat. There's basically no story, no upgrades, no flashing fighing mechanics. It proves that you can create a fantastic game with smart puzzle and level design alone, and by giving the player the freedom to figure things out.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a beautiful game that navigates the difficult journey of grief. Abubaker Salim delivers a great story and performance that resonates with anyone going through that process. It’s backed up with stunning visuals and a score that supports this strong story. While this game doesn’t reinvent the Metroidvania, fans of the genre will still be impressed. Hopefully, they’ll fix the bug of having Zau frozen after exiting the menu. Despite that, Tales of Kenzera is an impressive debut from Surgent Studios.
Stellar Blade is nowhere near perfect, however, some of its imperfections help us, the players, to understand and admire the game's strengths while also acknowledging its drawbacks. The combat is awesome, albeit there is a slight discomfort with how the Dodge mechanic works. Another strong point of Stellar Blade is how it incorporates the musical tracks throughout the game, thus giving us a sneak peek of what the developers are capable of when it comes to producing brilliant soundtrack design in their video games. Overall, Stellar Blade is not a game for everyone, however, it largely manages to capture the hearts of souls-like players and newcomers to begin their journey in this genre by mowing down the enemies with grace through the lenses of EVE.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is without a single doubt the most ambitious FF game to date and drives the story to a much better-crafted concept than its predecessor. It is massive, it expands and upgrades several aspects that previous games of the series have failed to construct. Even with its few but notorious flaws, it marks a benchmark on modern FF games and gives Square Enix the crucial responsibility to make the conclusion of this trilogy as memorable as we all expect it to be.
If you're looking for a solid Action-RPG this game ticks most of the boxes. It's not going to be for everybody, as I said the way the quests are so open-ended can be a major turn off for some gamers. But, it does feel extremely satisfying when you discover a unique way to achieve something. The combat is the real selling point. I've honestly spent more time fighting monsters than I have progressing through the story and I'm still only experiencing a small part of the total combat experience. If a game with a few quirks but a solid base sounds good to you, then this one is definitely worth a try.
Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator ticks many boxes for those who enjoy driving simulation games, as this title provides the players with responsive driving mechanics and gives options for those who enjoy manual or automatic transmissions. However, the lackluster AI drivers that can hinder our enjoyment and breaks the immersion almost destroy my experience while playing the game. However, once the developers acknowledge and address this issue, then Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator is a solid game for you to kick back and enjoy your down time after work or college.
Penny's Big Breakaway is a masterful 3D platformer. The team at Evening Star manages to make the transition from 2D to 3D platforming mostly flawlessly, far different from the blue hedgehog that started their game development journey. Evening Star has proven that they're the studio that should handle 2D Sonic, and with Penny's Big Breakaway, they've proven that they could handle 3D Sonic as well. They can do it, but they want to continue pursuing their own independent IP, which is just as good. Penny's Big Breakaway is something that no platformer fan should miss.
The remake of Mario vs. Donkey Kong breathes new life into the classic title, enriching what was achieved nearly 20 years ago. This format aligns seamlessly with the franchise's essence, where platforms and puzzles merge effortlessly to create an environment where Mario truly belongs. The enhancements in this new version serve as a welcoming invitation for newcomers and a compelling reason for veterans to revisit the world they once cherished. With gameplay and visuals elevated to new heights, it's evident that the experience has been refined for modern audiences. Of course, while some mechanics may show signs of age, they underscore the notion that a renewed, unreleased installment would seamlessly complement Nintendo's renowned catalog.
For their first outing as a studio, Ironwood Studios has provided a beautifully styled roadlike that captures the thrill of driving in a supernatural setting. With a fantastic cast to support the journey, an addictive gameplay loop, wonderful sights to behold, and creative obstacles to encounter. Pacific Drive has the potential for Indie of the Year.
Overall, Slay The Princess is a groundbreaking indie horror game. Choose-your-adventures often share the flaw of pointless choices and straight storylines, but Slay The Princess offers a unique story in a way that a choice-driven narrative should be played. With great characters and stunning visuals, it's important to detail how Black Tabby Games ensures a captivating narrative as well. This is a game you could play for hours and still discovers new scenes. A game that deserves to be played.
Frank and Drake is a unique narrative tale which is heavily influenced by the Gothic genre. The hand-drawn art style is mesmerizing and keeps your eyes glued to the intertwining tales of the two men. Cramming a bundle of interactivity into a relatively small game, each path you take will have you asking questions that are begging for answers. It isn't often I take the plunge to discover all endings to a branching narrative, but the excellent writing, eye-catching art and array of puzzles as well as a short run time feeds the urge to replay. This urge is then turned into a necessity upon seeing the endings play out, needing to unveil the mysteries plaguing Frank and Drake.
Final Fantasy XVI is the definitive real-time combat experience of the series. It expands the horizons of the franchise and mixes the concepts of RPG and Hack & Slash into one masterpiece. Being by far the most epic installment of the franchise yet, it delivers an astonishing soundtrack, a dark-themed story with deep characters and relationships, and an unmatched feeling in combat that even the most experienced will be in awe with.
Hogwarts Legacy is littered with small niggles which, when stacked together, make the game feel like it was released over a decade ago. While the castle is a large enough area to explore, the monotony of repeating quests and tasks makes the game feel last-generation and boring over time. Hogwarts Legacy could already use some DLC's in order to expand the size of the world, add more complex spells, and introduce a wider array of enemies. If you are a power-nerd looking for a new and complete RPG, you will have to wait for Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, coming in April 2023. While most critics agree that Hogwarts Legacy is near perfect, due to the incomplete feeling of the game and lack of a solid story arc, it feels more Muggle than magic.
Santa Monica Studio continues to produce excellent and masterful experiences with Kratos, and the door is most certainly open for more.
Overwatch 2 is a sequel like no other. Built up from a game with a really solid foundation, it couldn't really go wrong. With such amazing attention to detail in upgrading every aspect of the game, it was definitely worth the wait. Its new free-to-play model and Battle Pass system, however, make me worry about the FPS' future, as the execution of this is questionable in certain areas.
Svoboda 1945: Liberation is an excellent learning tool, but unfortunately isn't a very good game. That doesn't mean you should skip experiencing it, as the way it tells Czech history through small 'minigames' is excellent, as is its beautiful black and white animations. As a collection of key historical World War 2 moments in the Czech Republic's history, it's a triumph - but if you're looking for meaningful character exploration and a fulfilling main story, then you'll be disappointed. Still, I recommend Svoboda 1945: Liberation to anybody with an interest in history who wants a better way to learn outside of stuffy classrooms and textbooks.
Weird West’s combination of the Wild West mythos with dark fantasy elements brings together an enjoyable RPG experience. Being able to forge your own path through the world with your actions and combat is a fun and enjoyable experience. While there are some noticeable flaws, Weird West does a great job of giving you the tools you make to create your own legend in the West.
This title just doesn't bring enough to the indie market for the price it's being sold at. If at all possible, my final suggestion would be trying to get a mobile version up and running. I really think Eggcelerate! would crush it on the IOS and Android markets. However, as it stands now, the Winter Expansion doesn't really add enough to justify paying $8 for it, the base game feels more like trial-and-error than a test of skill, and there's little to no reason for me to beat the allotted time in this time trial racer. Pick it up if it seems fun, but I would recommend waiting for improvements.