Recent reviews by CodingRiver

Do you like the concept of MMO sandboxes but don't actually care much for the actual multiplayer elements? This is the game for you. This game started as an MMORPG but evolved into a massive single player games, but it still has that MMO DNA. That said, the critic reviews don't do this game justice, because so many critics play this game like it's their job to finish it and get their review out. If you play the game with that kind of mindset, you're going to DESPISE it. But if you play this game looking for a massive immersive world, then you're in for a treat! It's not perfect, specifically around the controls, but Pearl Abyss has a good track record of listening to their community and putting out fixes and adjustments where needed.

In terms of performance, the game runs smooth as butter (settings maxed out, DLSS 4.5 balanced) and looks absolutely STUNNING! Haven't really encountered any graphical issues as of yet.

All that said, this game isn't for everyone, and it's not trying to be. It doesn't hold your hand, particularly with the puzzles, but that's what Google is for if you do get stuck. If you're a gamer who likes to focus solely on the MSQ and finish the story and not come back to the game, this is not the game for you. But if you like exploring, seeing what the world has to offer, and just let yourself become immersed in the game, then this might be your GOTY.

I see this game being timeless, with people still talking about and playing it in 10-15 years.

I'm usually not a huge fan of survival crafting games, but this one for some reason is an exception. It has that Half Life charm that fills the void of HL3. There's so much exploration and things to discover in this game. Play it with friends, don't use a guide, and discover for yourself. $35 is a fair price but it also frequently goes on sale

Another great Spiderman port, but not worth the $50 retail in my opinion due to the shorter playtime. It regularly goes on sale for $20 or less and at that price it's a must have. Web swinging and combat is just as fluid as the first game. A lot of the gadgets and skills feel underutilized, even on higher difficulties, because as long as you can time your dodges right, you'll be fine, and dodging in this game is very forgiving, so don't expect souls level combat on higher difficulties. That said, the game is still a joy to play and I highly recommend for any fans of the first to add this to their collection

Is this a satisfactory clone? Yes. Is this a satisfactory clone with a ton of graphical updates and QoL improvements? Also yes. If you enjoy satisfactory, you'll enjoy this game. Simple as that.

As someone with a 32:9 monitor, this is a gamechanger because it lets me essentially run multiple apps in full screen mode, so it can basically emulate having a multi-monitor setup

Ultrawide support is completely broken in this game, stretching to fill the entire screen at a 16:9 rendering instead of just having black bars on the side like literally every other game that doesn't support ultrawide resolutions. This has been an issue since launch and STILL hasn't been fixed.

Edit 2/2026: DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. The entire studio was just laid off effectively shutting down development. This game is dead and will likely be shut down soon

Yeah there's the typical launch day issues of high queues, etc, but once you're in game things are surprisingly smooth. Just be warned this is an ALPHA. Don't expect a complete game. This is truly early access in the sense that your feedback is helping them develop the game

Honestly, I usually HATE extraction shooters. The only one I can somewhat tolerate is Hunt Showdown and even that I'm not the biggest fan of. But I am addicted to this game. I think because it breaks away from the typical extraction shooter mantra of "Every player is your enemy". Sure, there are players that will try to kill you, but there's also a ton of player that just give you a friendly "Hey Raider!" as you cross paths. I honestly feel a little guilty when I need to knock out another raider to complete an achievement or daily task. As for the PvE enemies, on the harder levels and on night raids, they are absolutely no joke and can sometimes require teaming up with strangers in order to take them down.

Overwatch is in the best state it's ever been in. Way more fun than Rivals in my opinion, although the monetization could use some work. I have way more hours in this game than steam says, because I mainly play through the Battle launcher due to gamepass benefits

This game is a masterclass in game design. Easy 10/10. Probably going to be my GOTY