Recent reviews by EJM

Whatever this genre of game is is my absolute favorite. It really doesn't get better than these task-based gambling sims.

Like Buckshot Roulette meets FNAF, Flathead is a perfect little experience. I haven't felt this kind of dread in awhile, and I'm pretty desensitized to horror. Once you figure out how everything works, the jumpscares are actually still quite effective. I like how the main monster's jumpscare isn't even super grand or even loud, but his footsteps remain scary even on multiple playthroughs.

Even without the lore, the surrealism of this game is so unique. Well-worth the small price.

People are so adverse to change. And usually I am too, but Silent Hill F is pretty fantastic. While I am disappointed by the general lack of connection to the main series, I think that's also part of what makes it good. SHF is able to separate itself from being the 5th or 6th clone of SH2, and we should praise it for being unique.

People complain about the combat, but I genuinely think it's a skill issue. It's quite fun once I figured it out, and if you use food items often it makes it pretty easy. I suggest selling them as often as possible for upgrades though. Even on harder difficulties, once you master the sanity, it's a fun romp in through the Japanese village.

The monster design is pretty great, although a lot of enemies suffer from the Downpour problem of just looking like people. Most of enemies are mostly the same: a person with knives for hands or feet. And I'm still not entirely sold on 3rd person cameras over fixed angles. but aesthetically, this is the best SH game since 4.

The English dub is a little tryhard-anime at times, but they are at least Japanese VAs, so I really can't complain. Hinako's VA is especially good, obviously. Fox Mask's is a bit too sensual or something. The lip sync doesn't always seem to line up, but the game is stunning visually, so who cares. It runs fantastically for an UE5 game.

Overall, great game. It really is SH in soul. And while I agree that if it has Silent Hill in the title that it should be more connected, it surpasses a lot of the series by essence alone (unlike a game like Bioshock Infinite or something). The story may seem initially confusing, but it's fun to replay (unlike the slog that is the SH2 remake).

Good not great.

Sadly, PTSD is a pretty mixed bag. The new weapons range from fun to downright terrible, same with the new enemies. The level design here is actually pretty bad, which is sad considering how great it is in the base game. I still had fun with this, and the final boss here is actually much better than any of the base games' bosses, but besides that... this was a bit of a let down.

Good not great. Discovered it, as with a lot of my favorite games, through OneyPlays. But it's much more of a fun game to watch than to play. Especially by people who can be scared by it, I'm awfully desensitized. And even then this isn't that scary. The gameplay can become really tedious, especially depending on which specimens you bump into. 11 was the only one that ever made me jump.

The Dollhouse add-on was fantastic, and changed up the gameplay without losing the soul (pun?) of the OG game. If only the main game had THAT feel, but there'd be no way with the randomness and the 1k rooms... oh well.

Conflicted about this remaster!

On the one hand, it's great that this game is still getting love 10 years later. I've ALWAYS loved this game for its ability to still scare me despite its simplicity. Even a decade later, it still gives me chills (especially the Into The Abyss level, SO effective). But sadly, as often is the case, these new graphics kinda take away from the atmosphere.

Ironically, the non-scary parts are gorgeous. Running around Oakside has never looked better. But the actual "levels," like the 8 Pages part, are way too bright. While The Abyss maintains its perfect claustrophobia and multitasking madness, the rest of the game suffers from being able to see everything, This makes the flashlight kinda pointless, and I'm assuming will make Hardcore easier.

So while the new models look much more intimidating, and they fixed that GOD-awful view-bobbing, the rest of the game's spookiness is restrained by looking too pretty. That being said, this is still one of my favorite little horror games. Who knew the 2nd Slender game would still be so great all these years later?

So peak. God, do I love little indie horror games like this. So pure and perfect.

It just does not get more satisfying than this. The first three pipes were actually pretty easy, but 4-onward felt like a huge difficulty spike. However, with some tenacity and (literal?) elbow grease, I started to GET it. I'm pretty horrible with directions, so this was hard for me. But I drew myself an actual map (something I haven't done since 100%ing Iron Lung) and was able to beat Pipe 4 after a couple hours.

Sound design rocks, hand-drawn jumpscares rock (and actually do a good job making me jump even after I've seen them 100 times), atmosphere rocks... it all just rocks. PLEASE play this. It's so cheap and so worth it.

My favorite Doom game, genuinely.

It just rocks. Maybe I have nostalgia bias, but I never got the hate. Yes, it is much different than the first two games. But honestly I don't even love Doom II, so this being different was great when I was first playing the series in order. And for those who dislike the HD version, the BFG edition let's you play the game MORE like the first two games! Double ammo capacity and better lighting makes it easier to run-and-gun. For purists, it does take away from the horror a bit, especially with the handheld flashlight being replaced by a shoulder-mounted one. But like I said, it comes off as hypocritical for people to complain about that AND the game being different than the OGs.

Also just a fun package, having all 3 games together is great, and I like the OG games having their original achievements. Overall, Doom3 gets too much hate, especially this version. Looks great, was ahead of its time in a lot of ways. It's almost an immersive sim.

It's not BAD, but it is SO derivative. So many aspects are just straight up stolen from other survival horror games. I was able to solve so many of the puzzles in this first try because I've solved them all before IN other games. The coin puzzle from SH2 and the statue puzzle from RE4 and the acid puzzle from Amnesia and so on and so on. Even some of the enemies are just stolen from other games: the cultists from Blood and the Regenerators from RE4 are just in this verbatim.

It's not paying homage to the genre as much as it is just ripping a bunch of stuff off. Is saved by decent gameplay and level design. Otherwise just go play Silent Hill 2 or Resident Evil 4.

It's okay. It really doesn't feel like an RE game despite all the references and callbacks.

I had fun playing it once, but really have no desire to revisit it. While the gameplay is far less clunky than 7's, the story is so much worse. Why would Chris not just tell Ethan what was going on? They even say this IN THE GAME. A better question is, why are the WInters back? The LEAST interesting characters in the history of the series. Ethan is somehow even worse here. In 7, he's painfully boring. In this, he's so tryhard. They clearly have no idea what to do with this character, so thank GOD he dies at the end of this.

Some enemies are far too bullet-spongey, and others are way too easy. They needed to average out the damage output or something. The puzzles are okay, not as good as 7's. Tries but kinda fumbles the metroidvania aspect with the village itself. It's so funny how this entire game's hype was built around the castle level, and it's SUCH a short part of the whole game. The factory was honestly a better level too!

I get why people like this game, but it just wasn't for me. Like I said, doesn't really feel like a Resident Evil game.

I've always had such a soft spot for this game. One of my favorite RPG Maker-type games. Really charming, fun characters (even if they're all cliched), fun set pieces, handles some serious subjects, decent puzzles... it's all just good. I would love a 3D remake of this someday, but even getting a full remaster last year was so cool. Glad to see this game still getting the love it deserves, even if it's kind of a cult classic compared to the Mad Fathers or Corpse Parties.