Recent reviews by Sinistar

This game might be great for the right person, and I am admittedly not that dude. The graphics, sound effects, music, and world are all top tier. (The OST alone is worth streaming.)

The gunplay is hit and miss. It feels great with PVE, with enemies reacting in a way that makes the weapons feel very punchy. In PVP, it doesn't have the same appeal. Players flash whatever shield color, pop, and just fall to the ground. I can't put my finger on why, but it's very unsatisfying (I will admit to being in the minority, as most love the gunplay. This might be a me thing.)

The maps are also hit and miss. Outpost is awesome, Cryo looks cool but is too rich for my casual blood, Dire Marsh is a vibrant nightmare, and Perimeter is very poorly laid out and kind of bland.

My biggest issue is with the progression. I'm no stranger to extraction shooters, having players almost all of them. This game is an absolute grindfest, made all the harder as time goes on because of the gear imbalance between low-tier and top-tier players. Newcomers can get absolutely annihilated by vets, making it harder to finish missions, unlock the option to even buy expensive shields, and so on.

On top of this, leveling and progression feels far too slow given the three-month wipe window. Even when you make an inch of progress, it feels bittersweet, knowing you'll only lose it when the wipe happens. If progression were sped up, it wouldn't be such an issue.

I hope this game finds its footing, retains its audience, and attracts more players. It's a beautiful, unique game world and it'd be a shame to see it wither away. But, if you're very casual and looking for a way to unwind with a buddy, this likely isn't it.

This game is a blast so far! Great for lunchbreaks, with timed levels that get increasingly more difficult.

Much like other roguelikes, you unlock more and more abilities that get thrown into the pool.

You also unlock passive slots that carry over between runs, allowing you to give you character a slight boost right out of the gate.

On top of this, you unlock different weapons, characters, and chair abilities, all of which can be changed before starting a run. The end result is a ton of build diversity, and a lot of room for experimentation.

The movement is where this game really shines, though. Rolling around feels great, as does the grinding mechanic. It's like Sunset Overdrive meets Megabonk, and I'm here for it. Loving the punky soundtrack and overall atmosphere, and can't wait to play more!

This game is something special. Is it flawed? Absolutely. But, it's also a giant world that implores you to explore it.

I won't lie: the opening hour of Crimson Desert is a bit of a slog. The controls immediately feel odd, your character feels slow, and having to talk to several people right out of the gate isn't the strongest opening. But, shortly after the opening shenanigans unfold, you're thrust into this beautiful, lush valley.

By the end of the first hour you're likely in the first town, and the fun really starts. Bit by bit you get introduced to a ton of different mechanics, while also exploring the town and the surrounding area. And with each little bit of exploration you're only teased further, with little hints of just how massive and rich the map is.

Even now, 17 hours in, I have barely scratched the surface of the map. Yet, I've never been bored. The combat is fun, exploration is a delight, the music is beautiful, and the world itself is beautiful.

It's on the slower side, feeling like a mix between Red Dead 2 and Dragons Dogma, so keep that in mind if you're expecting a chaotic ARPG. There are some weird glitches with the graphics at times, and the story makes vanilla seem exotic.

If you're in the mood for a giant open-world sandbox, this is damned near close to 10/10.

I'm not done yet, but I can already tell this game is a labor of love. The music is great, the graphics have a ton of charm, and the story and characters are a fun delight. The gameplay is really simple and is handled solely with the mouse, which is a nice change of pace.

I won't spoil anything, but the story has some fun twists and turns, and the chapter-based format makes it perfect for bite-sized sessions. I can't wait to finish this game in the next day or two, and wholeheartedly recommend it. (The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission!)

I'm only four hours into what I'm sure will be a lengthy runtime, but this is already an excellent entry into the series. It's great having our boy Kyle Crane back. Roger Craig Smith is simply crushing it as him, to no surprise.

The opening sequence is very cinematic, especially compared to DL 2. It's brutal, it does a great job with some quick exposition, and then it throws you into the action.

The open world feels smaller than DL 2, but not in a bad way. It's rich with details, brimming with the undead, and absolutely gorgeous. The main city is full of nooks and crannies to explore, with many buildings having open windows you can hop through. (Wouldn't recommend this at night, unless you enjoy pooping your pants.)

Speaking of ruined underwear, I'm happy to report that nighttime is terrifying again. Moreso than the first one, in my opinion. The volatiles feel like a true threat, with anything but a full-on sprint resulting in certain death. Miss a jump? Take a wrong turn? Try being a brave little boy and fighting them? Dead. Dead. Dead.

The music is fantastic, per the usual with these games. It's intense, it's raw, it's dramatic at all the right times, and it feeds into the chases and more suspenseful moments.

I can't wait to dive back in and play this some more. My only complaint thus far is that some of the climbing puzzles feel really difficult, especially given the decision to have white paint on off-white surfaces as the climbing indicator. But, it's nothing I haven't been able to figure out with a little hopping around like an idiot.

I can immediately tell this is something special.

This game plays like a cross between DOOM and Devil May Cry, blending FPS gameplay with dashing and wonderfully brutal melee combat. There's a parry system, easy switching between slashing and blasting, and a skill tree as well.

Where this game truly shines are through the story and world building. The character of Davy is fantastic, with great, charismatic voice acting. The world feels totally alien, yet familiar, as you're in a kind of bizarro ocean underworld. Little touches like star fish with teeth and fish skeletons drifting in the background really make it feel alive (despite everything being some definition of dead). I'm also already endeared to the dimwitted character of Jones, played by Davy's headless corpse.

I can't wait to see where this game goes. As long as there are more acts added over time, this one is an absolute classic in the making. We need more original, risky, outlandish titles. And on that front, this early access title already delivers.

Thicc and thicker.

For an F2P title, this game is perfectly fine. It's entertaining, the graphics are good enough, and the gameplay is solid. The combat can feel a little wooden at times, but it's no worse than its obvious spiritual predecessor.

I appreciate the addition of a PVE only mode for those of us who don't want to fight other players. I also like that there's a softer PVP mode where you lose your inventory, but not your gear (while Ranked mode enables full loot).

Is it perfect? No.
Are the outfits absolutely shameless? Absolutely.
Should you try it? It's 4gb and free, so why the hell not?

KF 3 was fun enough at first. Buggy and somewhat undercooked, but entertaining. Then the cracks began to show.

There's no 10 wave mode. A handful of guns make all the others obsolete, so there's no build diversity within matches. Healing darts have a mind of their own, making the new healing system even worse. Disconnects result in a loss of all materials earned for the round. Operators never shut up, and their lines are incredibly juvenile and obnoxious.

The list goes on and on. The cracks become really obvious after several hours, and on top of that, the game feels like it's not even on life support. It's plain dead. The upcoming update may be a step in the right direction, but I'd give this another year before even thinking about buying it. (If it's still got a playerbase at all by then.)

This is such a stellar game. The story is surprisingly emotional and fun, the world is jaw-dropping and unique, and the soundtrack is varied and a total 10/10. It's a shame that the gooner aspect of the game outshines the rest for many people, as it really is a great game.

The combat is nice and weighty, with hits feeling chunky and powerful. The parry system is forgiving enough (and I usually hate parry-heavy games). The upgrades feel good and allow for a nice natural progression in power. And, the difficulty is pretty perfect. (And it allows you to change the difficulty anytime, without penalty, which is a wonderful accessibility add.)

I wish I could experience this game for the first time again, but I'll gladly settle for New Game +. Which, as luck would have it, this game has!

The recent update for this game has really turned it around. There's still not a ton of content, but if you can snag it on a decent sale and have someone to play with, it's totally worth it.