Recent reviews by McWiggles

I went into this having actually read the description; unlike many who have complained about the game not matching the fantasies they had in their head after vapidly seeing a few screenshots and assuming this would be a throwback to Quake.

Whilst aesthetically, the game does lovingly evoke memories of early 3D FPS games like Quake, this game is, in fact, an incredibly satisfying FPS "roguelike-like".

Think weapon upgrades, shops, unlockables and permadeath and its roguelike leanings are very apparent.

I, for one, can't stop playing it. Then again, I happen to love retro-FPS AND roguelikes in equal measure.

25 hours in, and I have finally completed the game. The fact that I happily played it to completion merely for the pleasure of it as opposed to out of dedication speaks volumes.

The gameplay is more or less entirely devoted to boarding spaceships and conducting various heists, yet there are so many tools, tactics and fun (mis)adventures to be had, that it never feels old. It's like a constantly satisfying endorphin hit.

I usually downvote reviews that are publically posted yet contain little actual content about the game itself. However, I'm recommending this game, with the caveat being that your enjoyment will be substantially hightended with a VR headset.

When playing on a monitor, it is a cute little roguelike.

When playing on VR it is an amazing diorama come to life.

For the actual gameplay; there's not much to reveal that isn't shown in the screenshots. Wander a dungeon, level up, collect treasure, defeat monsters, die, and repeat.

The inventory and interface are slightly clunky, but servicable.

I currently have Eador: Masters of the Broken World listed as my favourite game in my profile; with well over 100 hours. Funnily enough, I don't think I even approached the end of the massive, massive campaign. Bugs aside, it really was (and is) a fantastic game.



If I could summarise the Eador series succinctly, it *almost* a HOMM-like; if you imagine one hex to be an entire HOMM Map. Each Hex contains numerous potential dungeons, treasures, resources and battles.

When I heard about Eador: Imperium, I was immediately excited, yet slightly skeptical; Would all the bugs be fixed?
Would it use a brand new shiny engine? Would it contain massive changes and alternations of the original game?

The answer to the above, for the most part, is no. Yet, I still recommend the game. There really isn't anything exactly like it
and it scratches an itch like no other series can.

Eador Imperium serves to deliver the same experience with new additions and with more managable completion goals. You won't need to play for 100+ hours to complete an epic campaign. For some, that may be a bad thing.

The develeopers are really listening, and the potential for this series is great. Here's hoping they have a chance to continue.

Both Eldritch and Neon Struct were games I absolutely loved. So much so, that I pledged that any future games developed by Minor Key Games would become instant purchases for me.

Unfortunately, as has been stated by several others, this game really is underbaked and rather vapid. Yes, the levels are proceduraly generated; but that more or less boils down to thirty farms/buildings/schools/dorms that are nearly indentical with the only really differentiator being whether there are chests or vampires inside.

I was optimistic about future updates, as there is definitely promise in the mechanics and execution, but that was sadly not to be. As it stands, the game almost feels like a preview screening of a rough cut of a film without any substantial edits or special effects included.

If not one of the best games of the year, this game is, at least, the best bang-for-your-buck of a title in recent memory.

The Gamespot review for this title is absolutely baffling and just shows what a shadow of its former self it has become. The aforementioned review cites the game's poor combat as one primary reason for its low review score. Yet, the reviewer seems to be completely ignorant of the fact that the game has deliberately made "combat" as cumbersome and ill-rewarding as possible for a key reason: This is a pure stealth game.

This is a genre that has been dormant for several years; this is not Assasin's Creed: where stealth is an *option*, as is slicing through dozens of soldiers like it's no big deal.

Here, killing silently in the shadows is the name of the game: emphasis on the word, "killing". Unlike recent so-called stealth titles like "Dishonored" that actively punish you for killing (why place such emphasis on this mechanic then?), Styx has no such qualms about wholesale stealthy slaughter.

The gameworld is something to behold: A giant metrolpolis built around a mystical elven tree that stretches off to the clouds. Something of a quasi-medieval Coruscant.

One unexpected thing I experienced upon playing the game is how surprisingly well written the story actually is:
The story, whilst confusing at first, is actually quite well written and the twist that is delivered in the latter-half of the game, is fantastic.

TLDR: The game *punishes* confrontational behaviour;' this is a pure stealth game. For enthusiasts of this once-dormant genre, you'll find it an immensely rewarding experience. The surprisingly well written story and plot-twist is a welcome surprise.l

Whilst I am aware that some people feel that the game is too, "random"; I adore it. The combat, whilst appearing simple at first, is actually quite enjoyable and deep.

I have never felt that the game was "unfair". Then again; I consider myself something of a roguelike veteren.

If you enjoy bite-sized, light-heated, randomized RPG's this is definitely worth the price.

Fantastic game set in Germany's most popular fantasy world

I am really baffled by some of the luckwarm reviews that this title was getting. I found it to be a fantastic, visceral turn based strategy RPG set in a refreshingly dark fantasy world.

Perhaps the initial bad press was due to the fact that it wasn't X-Com: The current turn based darling.

Indeed, there is no permadeath and the story is relatively linear. However; about 40% of gametime is dedicated to non essential side quests.

I especially liked the art design on the game; the battlefields, warriors and beasts seemed stylized as living toys; I could almost imagine this game being played on that chessboard in the Millenium Falcon. Expect to see dozens upon dozens of battle maps and a variety of winning conditions.

The "bullet-time" mechanic was only part of what made the original a cut above the rest;. Gone is the atmospheric neo-noir setting; gone are the dingy motel pool halls and eerie snow covered streets, where Laura Branigan's proverbial "creatures of the night" roamed.

Instead, we are given a pretentious tale told in bustling, populated, sunny Brazil, told in Tarantino-esque non-linear fashion; wholly unesseary for what is essentialy a run of the mill dumb action movie plot.

What does remain is Max's constant monologues; there are some great noir-ish lines delivered here and there, but Max's tale is so superflously nihilistic and violent that any extended playthroughs left me feeling depressed and empty.

I have never complained about video game violence before; and this is a veteren of "Soldier of Fortune" speaking, but the violence really is extreme. Were this done for the purpose of delivering some poignant message, that would be understandable, yet given that Max accumulates a kill count that would make Pol Pot weak at the knees, all with delightfull achievements inluding (but not limited to) 1000/2000/3000 kills/headshots/crotch-shots complete with equally delightful slow motion headshots; a commentary on violence this is not.

Dare I say game of the year? I never grew tired of this modern homage to first person dungeon crawlers. The atmosphere and graphics are spot-on. Where other companies would offer more content in the form of paid DLC's, the developers have instead made an extremely user-friendly dungeon editor and mod tools. The mod scene for this one is on fire. Given the plethora of good user-made dungeons the replayability of this game is seemingly infinite.