Recent reviews by PathlessSeeker

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is, overall, a really good RTS game to try out. I tried it out because one of my favorite games of all time is Star Wars Empire at War, and this game looked somewhat similar and has a just as popular modding community. I disregarded Sins of a Solar Empire Trinity, as this game contains all of the previous content of its predecessors and much more. The art style is cool, but don't expect to be playing this game for a story or to be invested in the lore, as I think it stands out as just being a good space sandbox where you can conquer a 4X galaxy a bunch of different ways. I will say I almost gave up on this game because of its old engine and the fact that it can crash or drop frames like crazy if you try to have a massive sandbox, as it has a harder time keeping up with all the planets, ships, and effects. The game runs on a 32-bit architecture, so it can barely run nicely sometimes on the full potential of really good PC systems. At some point, I will dive into Sins of a Solar Empire 2 to see how it stands out.

Mafia 3 is unexpectedly a decent enough game to try and beat. Since its release, it has not been favored among some Mafia fans, and it's viewed as the bottom of the three (probably better than Mafia 4 now, since its recent release). I'll say this: when I started playing the Mafia games, I knew of the warnings the fanbase had with this third installment, and I kept some low expectations from things like technical glitches in the game causing assets to not load properly, to downright crashes, all the way to the narrative of the story. I will say, there has been an effort made when making this third game. The world is humongous, attractive, and very interesting to explore in pretty much every aspect. Without spoiling much, one thing that took me off guard is the simple perspective that this does not feel like a traditional Mafia game. It's just me, but when I was thinking of Mafia games, I was thinking of the Italian New York and Chicago-like settings from the previous games, with more Italian mob family struggles. Having the story take place in a late 60s New Orleans southern setting with a PTSD infused Vietnam vet seeking revenge against racist white people is definitely new... It's pretty much a Vietnam Rambo Assassins Creed Hill-Billy Redneck slaughterfest simulator. It's not so much Italian but rather, as the game puts it, "Dixie". You are against the Dixie Mafia, essentially. There are elements that connect to other games that answer questions, but I wouldn't be surprised if it alienates the fedora-and-trenchcoat fans out there who were seeking something else. That being said, it's still not a bad game, and it is definitely a good decade to visit mob life. I liked all the characters, the classic rock music, and the overall soundtrack slaps as to be expected, the driving and the vehicle selection is definitely improved, and there is overall a lot of customization in the character and weapon design and various perks given to you in different stages of the game that make playing the game very creative, goofy, and fun. Really gives me the Assassin's Creed vibes in some ways. There are a lot of things to do in this game, from racing to the very interesting DLC missions you encounter. While this game is so long to beat, I have to reiterate that the game devs did put a lot of love into this project so it is work a playthrough. We shall see how Mafia 4 stacks up against the rest.

First of all, this game has legendary intro menu music.
Secondly, the collectables (not wanted posters) are fantastic.

Playing through the Mafia series and I am conflicted whether Mafia 1 Definitive Edition or Mafia 2 Definitive Edition is better. That is a good problem to have. These two games are S-tier games and are memorable mainly by the rich story and character development. The gunplay is alright. The driving is better than in the first game. There is no stupid race mission. I do feel it is a crime in itself to remake the first game in Mafia 3's pretty engine, but not do the same with Mafia 2. Mafia 2 is pretty much just classic. I think it is a lost opportunity. Regardless, you don't play this game for its graphics but rather the rich storytelling and vast open world with a lot of missions, cars, crashes, challenges, and DLCs to keep you occupied. The music never gets old, either.

Also, for whichever scumbag put in the Massacre and Explorer achievement in this game, they should get their game-making license revoked.

Regardless, the game is enjoyable. Play for story, stay for the collectables.

Mafia 1 (Definitive Edition) is, without a doubt, the best mafia game ever made. The story of Tommy Angelo and the mob in the fictional representation of Chicago is one of the most well-written narratives in gaming history. Every character development is superb. The voice acting is a masterclass. The 1930s setting is authentic and provides a wide array of vehicles and weapons, making it a truly fast-paced sandbox. While the original Mafia game was a classic, this remake has outshined it, and it will age like fine wine. The whole game is beautifully rebuilt from the world, its visuals, and the mechanics, which makes it much easier to immerse yourself than the original. There is so much detail in everything; the gunplay is smoother and polished, and the driving is better. The devs really put some thought into this remake to make it right while retaining aspects like the legendary music that make this game badass.

The only criticism I have with the game is the limited open-world interactivity in the vast world, the annoying side missions, and the infamous racing mission, which is particularly frustrating to complete at the highest difficulty and with the driving controls.

I love this game so much, and it bums me that there is no TV series of this franchise with the voice actors reprising their roles (as the in-game characters are created to resemble them and their facial features fully and there lots of opportunities for more story telling. It is very rare to see devs create characters to look just like the actors. I respect and admire that in the remake, and this will be one of the games I will remember fondly along with the characters.

XCOM 2 / War of The Chosen is a great continuation of the classic XCOM / Enemy Within. I went straight to playing War of The Chosen expansion, which is more fledged than the base game. XCOM 2 delivers a really meaningful story while incorporating some of the old charms or enemies and making them feel new. This second game really pulls you in where you want to complete everything perfectly, as this is much more punishing than the first game. Still, it is incredibly immersive—every decision has consequences and every loss stings. The most notable are the villains or the "Chosen," as we call them. These major enemy bosses have distinct personalities, strengths, and irritatingly persistent vendettas. These enemies evolve and grow stronger over time, and while you think they are overpowered, you get the chance to ally yourself with new resistance factions that have their own vendettas with the Chosen and with their own unique classes, whether it is the stealthy Reapers, the psionic Templars, or the high-energy Skirmishers, these units add much-needed variety to your squad tactics and encourage more creative, risk-taking plays thus giving you a satisfying long-game rivalry with the antagonists. Facing them feels personal, and beating them feels like revenge. Getting a piece out of every one of your squad members and ranking them up to become unstoppable is really satisfying. Squad customization is a whole lot better too. Visually, it's as stylish and atmospheric as ever. The voice acting (especially the Chosen) is top-notch, and the narrative flavor is much richer now, with dynamic story moments woven into the gameplay. Even the base management gets more interesting, with covert ops and faction dynamics adding layers of strategic depth. There are a ton of new weapons, gadgets, abilities, and armor that are really fun to try out, and their phasing out to newer tiers is satisfying as well. I do have to say that with both XCOM games, this gets grindy really quickly. Once the campaigns and the various game modes become too repetitive, the mod workshop makes it interesting and replayable with various tune-ups to the base game to complete overhauls and fan-made projects like various Star Wars mods and much more. XCOM 2 has evolved immensely, and hopefully, XCOM 3 can shine the same if one does get made (not Chimera Squad).

A funny battle simulator that is worthwhile and enjoyable to the last. Lots of unit choices and interesting maps. The six campaigns and the ways to unlock them are pretty good although some of the levels can get a little repetitive. Workshop/modding community is neat and you can make your own units or maps or scenarios without much trouble.

I never got into the fighter genre of games. When I think of fighting games, I think of consoles, not PCs.

Thankfully, I was able to plug in my controller because using the keyboard is such a pain. I gave this game a shot due to how much I've grown to love the DC universe by playing the Arkham series. recently. To my surprise, this game holds up really well. The premise is ingenious, where you are essentially doing an alternate reality what-if scenario comprising all your main well-known heroes and villains.

The basics of the combat and controllers are somewhat easy to learn and get used to. I appreciate that the game gives you a moves list because it is almost impossible to know every little thing. I don't know how the best players manage to do this. Mad props. The maps and game design are well-built, and once you are done with the campaign, the fun doesn't end there. You can start grinding on single-player battle scenarios with different difficulty modes, or you can do something equally as time-consuming and nightmarish and try to max out the arcade modes for every single character. I love some of the Star Lab arcade levels, and at the same time, I am glad I do not have to touch them ever again. Obviously, the multiplayer aspect here is nonexistent. The only multiplayer you will get is if you are lucky enough to get a friend to waste some time on a game relic. Just expect a decent single-player experience and move on.

When Two Point Hospital first came out, I was a little skeptical about playing it due to its cartoonish theme and fictional takes on illnesses. I could not be any more wrong; Two Point Hospital might as well be the only Hospital simulator that you need. The game is easy to get into and manage. The music is catchy. There are lots of funny and interesting references. The "characters" will be forever memorable, and their voice actors should be really proud of having this game so engaging. I loved them all, even though it can get repetitive and annoying to hear music or them speaking repeatedly while you spend 200 hours trying to 100% this game. Believe me when I say that you will have to spend 200 hours to 100% on this game and complete everything. The replayability is here, from multiplayer collaborations (although it is hard to find people to help out) to sandbox to the vast number of campaign levels (need to buy DLCs). Overall, I would rate this game 5 Stethoscopes.

Man, this game took way longer to complete than I initially thought. This game is massive. It's huge. Arkham Knight is an outstanding third and FINAL installment of the Arkham trilogy. Unsurprisingly, the Arkham franchise is so beloved by both Batman/superhero fans and fans who don't fit that spectrum. Some game franchises fail to improve upon their previous titles. Not this franchise. Batman Arkham Asylum was amazing. Then Arkham City improved upon everything. Then, against many doubts a third title would stumble, it improved again. It is no surprise that the highlight of Arkham Knight is indeed the batmobile. Using this car/tank vehicle will never get old as you gun down and mow down thugs, blow up and charge toward other vehicles, and race and drift throughout the city. The city of Gotham is improving quite a bit compared to Arkham City. It is so clean and so detailed. I enjoyed grappling and gliding around this city. From a game in 2015, it holds up in its graphical fidelity and overall gameplay. I do have to say the only bugs or glitches I saw were enemies acting up in their ragdoll physics. Another thing that stands out is indeed the physics, or the amazing destruction when riding or shooting over them. Incredibly, this game gets it right, and games today fail to implement something that improves the immersiveness of the entire game. Please note that on some systems, some advanced graphical settings, such as from Nvidia from the in-game menu, can cause crashes.

If you were looking for more villains to fight against, you got them. If you want to fight alongside heroes from the previous game, you get to. It's a shame there will never be another excellent successor title to this franchise, as we already see Gotham Knights; Suicide Squad had to change out the formula. It's a real shame, though. It was a delight to see Joker one last time, and Hamill's voice acting and writing were superb in this game, especially. There is more Joker in this game than in the first two games. It seems that is fine by me. To remind everyone from the first two sentences, this game is LONG; by that, I mean a grinding fest to 100% or, in this case, 240%... The mini-campaigns were delightful. The side quests were good, but the collectibles, such as the riddles, felt a little overkill. The AR challenges were definitely too much. Many AR challenges were good, such as the classic car race tracks. Other games, such as the predator and brawler game modes, took forever to complete thoroughly. Took over 120 hours for me to fully 100%. It is fun but very long if you intend to do the same. I think that, in this game, it is especially hard to forget what went down, and the overall story ended on a strong note. No need to do another one.

I really enjoyed Shadow of Mordor in its entirety. The game and DLCs aren't that long to complete, and that is a good thing, in my opinion. I am all for the Batman Arkham style and A/C style in terms of gameplay. In no way was this game a grindy Ubisoft collectors fest type of game when I played it, or any other game that has hundreds of items to collect. A collector's simulator can get annoying sometimes. I really enjoyed the progression and eventual 100% completion, as experiencing everything will present itself naturally. It is a visually beautiful but simple open-world sandbox with lots of things to do and great tools to do it. The weapons and abilities are so fun to use. Both the good and evil characters are memorable, although I don't think these games are canon. Everything legendary in the LOTR franchise is made through this game with a labor of love. The only thing that felt off for me was the AI being easy and clueless (on both sides). Other than that, it was a blast going through the journey, and I can't wait to play the second game.