Recent reviews by Teafiend

Unfortunately undercooked. Some very basic UX issues and questionable game design decisions mar an otherwise interesting game.

As someone who loves roguelikes/lites and tactics games, those issues make the core gameplay frustrating enough that I just don't want to play it anymore.

I don't really know how to review Clair Obscur, because it's the kind of game that is best experienced with minimal information and preconceptions. It has that ineffable quality to it where you can just "feel" that it's special; a one-of-a-kind combination of incredible storytelling, presentation, and gameplay.

Do not look anything up - be especially careful of autocomplete in search engines. Just play the game. The story is eminently spoilable, and the way the mystery unravels is one of the game's strongest points. We will still be talking about this game for many years to come, and by that point the twists will be widely spoiled online.

Regarding difficulty, if you enjoy Sekiro or other Souls-like games, I highly recommend playing on the hardest difficulty setting. The challenge level is very satisfying, and I was frequently impressed by how brutal some of the fights were. There is one particular superboss that is so unbelievably difficult that I cannot imagine doing it with anything less than a hyper-optimized cheese build and a good helping of luck, but of course somebody is going to come along and do it hitless with only basic attacks (and probably use dance pad too), and then I'll feel like a real idiot.

Overall rating: 9.5/10

Heavily influenced by Dark Souls, but with its own wealth of unique mechanics and lore, NieR:Automata raises interesting questions about morality, existentialism vs. nihilism, and the need for a higher purpose, while simultaneously leading you through a combat-filled open world of titanic robots, severely depressed androids, and enough secrets to satisfy the most thorough of players.

Every brilliant game has its shortcomings, and NieR is no different. I would have liked to see more variety in weapons - especially in their combos. The lock-on system is rather clunky, especially when compared to mechanically comparable games like those of the Dark Souls and Monster Hunter franchises. There are also some rather frustrating side quests (escorts, time trials), but none of them are mandatory, so this is not a big detractor.

Overall, NieR:Automata was an exciting, thought-provoking, and downright unforgettable experience that sits soundly among the finest games of the past decade. Do yourself a favor and play this game.

9/10

The most beautiful game I have ever played, and is certainly going in my overall top 10 games of all time.

I feel privilaged to have been able to play this game, and you are doing yourself a disservice if you never play it.

Treat it like a ~3 hour movie and play it all in one sitting; I guarantee you will not be disappointed.