Recent reviews by masterturtlehed

Look, we can all agree that the Ringside Pass is awful. Paying for add ons then having to unlock them to use them sucks.

However, as for the game itself, it’s the best wrestling game to date. It builds on 24 and 25, improving across all game modes.

The presentation is second to none; the gameplay is fluid and fun; and the amount of content is great, meaning there’s something for everyone.

I’ve put 14 hours in over the last two days and those are all in Universe mode and Showcase mode, which I’ve just started.

The roster is stacked and the game is just pure fun.

Tl;dr: Ringside pass = abysmal. Game = spectacular.

Valheim is one of my favourite games of all time.

The art style is spectacular; the progression is a perfect mix of challenging and rewarding; the music is some of the best I’ve ever heard; and the building is so good I would play if that was the entire game.

For the price, it’s got to be one of the best value games out there, and the fact that five years later the devs are still adding content is fantastic. I’ve played a bunch on Steam Deck over the years and to find out they made improvements on that device has brought me back in.

Just play Valheim, it’s a masterpiece.

This is my first foray into extraction shooters and my word, I am addicted.

The world and theming is spectacular; the gunplay feels weighty and responsive; the risk vs reward is well balanced; and the progression is enticing.

I’ve played other PvPvE games and they’re hard to get right, but this does it perfectly. The constant thread of other players keeps even the most simple loot run exciting, and the spontaneous alliances restore your faith in humanity.

Arc Raiders is one of my games of the year and I can’t wait to put hundreds of hours into it.

Final note, if you are looking to play on Steam Deck, it runs wonderfully considering it’s an Unreal 5 game!

I loaded this year’s iteration up apprehensively, having seen a fairly split opinion on the new UI and match engine.

After seven solid hours of playtime, I’m struggling to see why this is anything short of very positive.

The UI is clean and a breath of fresh air after years and years of similar, mundane UIs. Sure, it’s a little slower to navigate and things have moved around, but I personally find most things fine. I particularly like the top bars for things like ‘negotiations’, as having all things transfer-related in one big drop down is handy for how I like to play.

The new tactical additions are fantastic, and allow for a genuinely new way to play after trying every old combination countless times.

The match engine is a lovely change too, bringing real-life presentation, but still with that FM charm.

Premier League branding is a huge plus, and being able to install and play without downloading badge packs and kits is underrated.

I can understand some gripes - on Steam Deck the font is a little small and when enlarged through the settings, some menus are a tad squished. However, it runs like butter.

I do miss touch line instructions, as I feel they added a nice element of immersion, even if they did very little.

I’ve also read about bugs and while I’ve not experienced any so far, that’s not to say there clearly aren’t any as people have been sharing online.

Overall, I’m thoroughly enjoying this year’s entry. For the way I like to play, it’s nice to feel like I’m playing a legitimately new FM, rather than wishing I’d just applied a squad patch and stuck with the previous game (which I’ve definitely thought I should’ve done in the past). I quite like learning the new UI, as with the new tactics, it feels fresh after two years of playing the same game.

A few tweaks and it will keep me happy for hundreds of hours. Ignore the boycot bandwagon and try it for yourself.

I got this game five days ago and just hit 40 hours. I feel like I've just scratched the surface of this incredible game. It's finally scratching the Animal Crossing itch, but with all the quality of life improvements I wanted back then.

When I'm not playing, I want to be. God it's good.

Having never engaged in anything Warhammer-related before this, I was hesitant but looking for something to scratch the itch Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) left behind, while dipping my toes in the Warhammer universe.

First off, Rogue Trader is A LOT of reading. I'd actually say that the majority of your time spent in game is reading dialogue. At first, that can be a little intimidating, especially when you aren't familiar with the source material and have come from the cinematic masterpiece that is BG3. However, key words are highlighted and can be hovered over to learn more and this approach has proven to be an excellent way for me to understand more of the 40k universe than I would've done if it were all voice acted.

The combat is satisfying, albeit a little easy on medium (I've not failed a fight yet), and the variety of classes and abilities leads to some interesting encounters. While levelling up is a bit tedious, the new skills unlocked mean that the way I'm approaching fights at hour 25 are vastly different to just five hours ago.

The first five hours or so were character creation and a long prologue, but since then, it's opened up and I'm choosing what objective/planet to deal with first, with the order in which I get through things having a significant impact on the story, which is fun.

I'm playing exclusively on Steam Deck, mostly handheld, and after some slight tinkering (check ProtonDB and Reddit), I'm getting 30-45fps with medium settings.

Overall, my first experience with a 40k product has been fantastic, and as a result of Rogue Trader, I've got my first box of minis and paints arriving today (big up, Thousand Sons!). If you've a fan of 40k and CRPGs already, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this, but if you're looking to start on your journey like I was, and don't mind a lot of reading, this is a great place to start. FOR THE EMPEROR!

This is a really fun game to play with a friend or partner. The art style is lovely and the sound effects are satisfying. The section of games is good and I love that the developer is continuing to add to it.

A few suggestions:
It doesn’t seem to show the controls on hangman. It would also be better if one person could secretly set the word and the other guess it.

I also think some background music would be lovely, though I don’t know how possible that is.

We had chequers freeze one but otherwise everything has worked as intended.

For a couple of quid, it’s a delightful collection of games with real character and charm. With one or two tweaks this could easily be our go to game on date night.

Having never played a Dragon Age game, I was intrigued by The Veilguard but didn't know what to expect. Overall, I had a lot of fun with The Veilguard and would consider it one of my games of the year in 2024.

Pros:
- The combat is incredibly satisfying and rewarding
- The design of the game is beautiful and I often found myself just pausing to take in the surroundings
- I enjoyed the relationships between the party members and particularly liked the moments around the table, discussing recent events and formulating a plan
- The game is very accessible to someone who hasn't played another entry in the series
- There were no boring fetch quests, was no annoying inventory management and the upgrade system (finding the same weapon/armour again automatically improves the item) was refreshing
- I felt that my choices significantly impacted the game, particularly in the final act

Cons:
- The dialogue was very Marvel-ey and cringe from time to time
- I didn't feel inclined to explore the character's backstories, but the bar is high for someone with ADHD who tries deliberately to stay focused on the main story to avoid never finishing the game

To conclude, I had a blast with this game - 8/10

Another strong entry in the series. While not revolutionary compared to last year, it does everything it needs to and so far has been a joy.

A delight on the Steam Deck. Still in early access but initial signs are great. So much fun to sink hours in and so much left to do!