Recent reviews by ACHudson

HI I'M TED!
*Ted proceeds to shoot enemy in the face at point blank range five times and kills him*
You think this is an anime game with a WWII aesthetic?
Surprise motha ♥♥♥♥♥!
This is a WWII game with an anime aesthetic.
10/10 One of my new favorite games

If you were to go to 1990s Chuck E. Cheese high on acid while switching attention between watching Ren and Stimpy on the TV monitor, playing Sonic Chaos on your Game Gear, and Wario Land on your Game Boy...you'd be tripping balls thirty years ago.

Oh and in unrelated news, Pizza Tower is an excellent video game. When have you ever gone wrong with picking something related to pizza?

Keep in mind I've only played (and completed) the OG FF on the NES and this one.

If you've never played Final Fantasy, please play the big three old school JRPGs (Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IV or X) before tackling this one.

For those who are acquainted with the Final Fantasy games, it is a fascinating look at not only the first Final Fantasy game but also the game that created some of the building blocks for JRPGs and gaming in general.

And the good part is that much of it still holds up. Final Fantasy I is a classic in its own right and not simply a history lesson. I love the fact that you have to choose your classes for your party. It gives the game some strategy when deciding your party and plenty of replayability/difficulty scaling.

Another pleasant surprise as how much thought was put into every random encounter compared to even some of the later titles. A decent balance between not mindlessly smashing the attack button (unless you're all monks or warriors) but not so overly complicated that every move must be planned out.

With that being said it's still primitive. The story is incredibly basic despite a few interesting twists, the dungeons are simple especially with a map in hand, and it doesn't take long to finish.

It vastly improves on the original NES title with the artwork and music given a facelift. Translation is far less cryptic with dialogue actually indicating on where to go next. Difficulty is scaled down. You can level up quickly and no more random encounters with nine enemies who will all petrify your party in a single turn. And while FF Pixel Remaster is on the easier side, I'd rather have that than grind half an hour in the fields in order to clear a dungeon. And there are plenty of modern quality of life features such as being able to save anywhere and a modern map system.

Although I've never played the other versions, I believe reviewers who find other versions superior. I'm surprised they removed some of the additional content from later games and worse, didn't add additional content. Especially considering how short and basic the game is.

With that being said, it's still a solid version and a worthwhile trip down memory lane.

Story couldn't be that-

OH MY GOD! MY EYES! How could they make such a bad story!? I wasn't even that into the story of the first two games but what were they thinking!? They massacred my boi Gunvolt! In the words of AVGN, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?"

...Gameplay's pretty tight though. Kirin is a blast to play.

Doom Eternal is a rarity in that it manages to both take a huge step forward from D16 with its improvement...as well as a huge step backwards with its improvements. Eternal's a good game. Better than its detractors say but also not the masterpiece its legion of Doom fans make it out to be.

If you played Doom 2016 (and you should before this one), you know what to expect with Doom Eternal. It's an FPS that asks you to move, move, move, rip and tear with the glory kills for health, and manage your ammo well. Eternal does all that and more. A lot more.

This time you have a flamethrower for armor, two types of grenades that automatically reload, and a blood punch that can take out multiple enemies recharged. And the chainsaw now recharges. You're going to need all of that because enemies will tear through your health and armor in seconds and you'll blaze through all your ammo very quickly.

When it works well, it's some of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. It becomes a beautiful blend of shooting, platforming, and strategy. But a lot of times it becomes overwhelming and infuriating for all the wrong reasons.

You need to set them on fire and shoot your grenade and switch the grenades and chainsaw and watch for glory kill moments and check your ammo and dash and glory kill and keep an eye out when each of those things recharge and choose the best weapon for each type of enemy's weak points and make sure to switch to the right weapon but don't take too long because we won't slow it down enough for you to quickly find the correct one.

The irony was that in 2016 these mechanics would've been perfect because the maps were just big enough that you could find a spot to stop for a split second and come up with a strategy. But the maps are so tight and everything's so speed up that there is no time to figure anything out when things get chaotic. Not to mention that all your valuable resources sometimes go away when you fail challenges or restart at a checkpoint.

Before the hardcore crowd screams "Git Gud" let me say that I've beaten every Doom on Ultra Violence, including modern Shadow Warrior, and nabbed the rare 2% trophies on Hard Reset's hard difficulty. So I like to think that I have the right to say I'm at least "gud enuf" on these types of games.

But there's a difference between challenging and annoying. And most of my many deaths were simply because I clicked the wrong button or switched to the wrong weapon or didn't pay attention to the million things they put on the screen rather than the enemies themselves.

It's not the challenge that I have a problem with. I like the fact that there's more enemies. I like the challenge. I like the turbo speed. What I don't like is that they didn't fine tune the extra mechanics and maps enough so that they'd be a pleasure rather than a hindrance.

I'm not trying to bash the game. It's a great game. Terrific soundtrack, gorgeous atmosphere and graphics, and fun platforming and puzzle solving, and when the shooting clicks it really clicks. It's just that the new additions bring it close to being a masterpiece and keep it from being one at the same time.

A TASTY SAMPLER

I know that despite plenty of praise this game has gotten more than its fair share of criticism, emphasis on the fair. Because I understand the negative reviews.

Yes, it is an incredibly short game, easily beatable in under an hour and a half with no reason to replay it other than its sweet, sweet presentation. And yes, the variety of games are incredibly simplistic.

However...

It is a gorgeous game with a good enough twist to leave a favorable impression on me.

The game is a love letter to the Sega era of the late eighties and early nineties. If you've played Sega's games on the Genesis and Game Gear, then you'll quickly recognize the nods and tributes. And if you're unfamiliar with that era, I'd highly recommend playing Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Collection first.

It even has the music by Yuzo Koshiro. So yes, the soundtrack is incredible.

And the graphics are worth the ticket of admission. The team strikes a beautiful balance between modern pixel art and classic 16-bit.

The story is basically about a teen who's love for the arcade games serve as both an escape and a metaphor for his troubled life. Although the details are left ambiguous, its easy to piece together the story through the games and brief (and gorgeous) cutscenes.

As I've said before it's not really about the gameplay as much as the presentation. So if you're the kind of person who only looks for a game based on its mechanics, you might want to look elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, it's enjoyable, if a bit simple. But it's not the main draw.

Almost three years have passed since 198x has been released but hopefully we'll get a sequel to it. Something that either continues the story or completely fleshes it out. As well as gameplay that's equal to the artwork and music.

In the meanwhile if you've got a couple of bucks and are willing to part with it for a quick trip back to late nineteen eighty something, it might be worth your hour.

God I wish Steam finally added a mixed review button. This is more to balance out all the thumb's up.

Because there's a lot of good about it. Decent music, gorgeous graphics, and an interesting premise.

But unfortunately it tries to do two things at once and ends up being mediocre at both.

The combat side is what you expect from a Roguelite isometric action game. To be fair, it does give a variety of enemies with different moves, so you can't turn your brain off.

However, it still boils down to dodge/block, attack, and repeat.

And since they sometimes throw so much at you that you inevitably take a hit and you gotta take down enemies quickly before the timer gives way to a reaper like enemy, you'll be throwing a lot of money at gear/upgrades. So the game turns into a grindfest unless you want to completely cheese it. And you can only play the dungeons so many times before they grow stale.

Then there's the shop aspect....which Recettear did way better years ago.

Recettear has characters you get to know and interact with, complex sale system, and a monthly debt that puts the pressure on. You could play the game without the dungeon aspect and still enjoy it.

With Moonlighter, none of the NPCs have any kind of distinct personality and the shop doesn't require anything other than guessing and setting the correct price while watching out for obvious shoplifters.

It's fun at first but you soon realize that it's no different than hording and selling your loot in Skyrim but with an extra step.

As I've said, it's not bad. I really wish Steam added a thumb sideways. There's some enjoyment and it might be worth it when it's on sale for a few bucks. But if you looking for a great shop game, get Recettear. If you're looking for a great dungeon crawler, get something like Hyper Light Drifter or Hades. But if you want something that's just ok at both, get this one.

Did you enjoy The Terminator? Did you enjoy Terminator 2: Judgement Day? Do you enjoy video games?

If your answer is yes to all three, then I can say with confidence that Terminator: Resistance is a pleasant surprise.

Without spoiling the story, if you've watched the first two films, then you'll know what to expect from the future flashbacks and Reese's stories about the future war. While The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day set an impossible bar story wise for anyone to follow, it manages to faithfully adhere to the first two's lore without being afraid to add its own ideas, makes characters that while simple, are likable and interesting, and has a plot that doesn't get too convoluted or confusing. Best of all, it manages to give the series a fitting and satisfying closure that we've all wanted.

The shooting and combat mechanics are solid enough and there's enough variety to keep its relatively short length interesting. Even if the AI can be as dumb as bricks and many of the mechanics are last gen. Though ironically the mechanics are so out of fashion that bare bones RPG mechanics and looting doesn't bother me as much as they did back when they were en vogue with every other game.

And yes, from first glance, the graphics are also late PS3/early PS4. But it manages to mask its rough edges with some gorgeous lighting and great art direction.

"OK, it's a serviceable FPS with a team passionate about the first two films. What makes it stand out otherwise?"

Three things.

-Hospital: I won't spoil it but I will say this. Remember when T-800s were terrifying killing machines and not robots made for comic relief and raising families? Terminator: Resistance remembers. And you will too in the most intense hide and seek section of the game.

-Final mission: If the early missions were like the first film, tense moments of survival, the final level is like Terminator 2, a balls to the wall thrill ride. Yes, you become way overpowered by then with your purple laser weapons. But the bombastic theme rendition, Skynet throwing everything it can to stop you, and the "PEW! PEW! PEW! KABOOOM!!!" all around you makes this a badass experience.

-Music: Speaking of theme renditions, Chris Detyna's brings his A game to the music, making his own compositions that fit in easily with the game while also using various songs and motifs from Brad Fidel that feels both retro and modern in all the right ways.

I understand why major publications and others disliked this game and why it's already got a strong cult following in under a month. Despite all of its flaws, I'm definitely in the latter camp. And if Teyon keeps up the good work, they could go from making Rambo (yes, THAT Rambo) to becoming the next CD Projekt Red.

Whether you wait for it to go on sale or have a deep enough wallet to justify its current $40 price, it's clear why so many people are giving Terminator: Resistance the thumb's up here.

Dead Island used to be one of my guilty pleasures.

Sure, it's a zombie game in an overdone genre (even at the time of it's initial release). And no, there isn't much to it when it comes to combat and strategy, other than swinging away at normal zombies and throwing/shooting at the bigger zombies/armed bandits who are too dangerous to get up close and personal with.

And it has all the pitfalls you'd expect from your typical early 2010s open world. Lots of redundent side quests and collecting, weapons that degrade faster than paper mache, subpar voice acting, etc.

Yet I still found it, pardon the pun, braindead fun. I invested a lot of hours into it. Not the same amount as Oblivion or Borderlands 2 and nowhere near my favorite games of all time, but enjoyable nontheless and something I'd recommend.

So when the Definitive Edition went on sale this summer, I thought it might be a great excuse to go back to the island, slay some zombies, and sing along to "Who Do You Voodoo". All in shinier graphics.

Dead Island: Definitive Edition had all the sunshine, bikinis, and zombies like I remembered. And yes, the graphics were a similar yet noticable improvement. But something was off, something that made the game aggrevating to the point I quit midway through...

By the time I got to the second act I realized what it was.

In the original game, you could kick enemies as much as you wanted and do quite the damage with it.

By the time you got the stomp upgrade, all you had to do was kick a zombie down, instakill stomp, and repeat. That's not to say you didn't need weapons or there weren't a few tough spots but it was pretty exploitable.

They patched that up alright. I expected that and hoped that maybe they'd make the kick low damage and make you wait a second before executing it again.

But if kicking in the original game broke the game to a degree, "fixing" the kicking breaks the Definitive Edition by the time you get to the second act.

The whole point of the kick was to keep the enemies at a distance if they got too close and you needed to regain your stamina. But by making the new kick take a chunk out of your stamina, there's no way to stay on your feet when you get surrounded. And you lose stamina after (I kid you not) 4-6 swings, so you're going to need something to keep them at bay.

This isn't a problem with the first act, as there's plenty of open space and the zombies are fairly mellow. But once you get to the city, which has little open space and lots of aggressive zombies, prepare to be knocked out again and again.

Oh and stomping seems slower and allows for other zombies to hurt you, meaning that the stomp is an instakill for you this time around.

Is getting through the game impossible? No. But when something stops being a game and starts becoming a chore, it's time to put the controller down.

tl;dr Original Dead Island was fun but the kicking patch ruins the Definitive Edition. Avoid this one like the plauge and find the original.

RED FACTION: AR-MEH-GEDDON

As a very young teenager, I remember being blown away by the first Red Faction when it was initially released. Even if it was a fairly standard FPS for its time, the environmental destruction, space environment, and Marxist themes put it miles ahead from the bargain bin shooters.

And even now, despite it being a product of its time, Red Faction (and its sequel to a lesser if controversial extent) are worthy plays if you can forgive the flaws of the early 2000s games.

About a year-and-a-half ago I decided to give Guerrilla a chance. Even though it's nearly a decade old, the open world, destruction (and endless tactics to be used with it), gameplay, and art direction makes it an absolute must play. I could go on and on about Guerrilla but point is, it's still an amazing game.

I decided to give Armageddon a chance on a weekend sale. I knew it had mixed reviews but I set my expectations low and since I'm a Red Faction fan, I figured that even a mediocre sequel could be fun.

On a technical scale, they've learned their lessons and raised the bar.

Controls are with the times (e to use, ctrl to crouch, etc.). Moving, shooting, and recoil feel natural. And the addition of unique weapons like the magnet gun give greater variety to the gameplay. Not to mention the ability to instantly reconstruct cover and buildings adds tactics to the standard run and gun (and explode) gameplay.

But the praise ends there.

It's not that the rest of the game is bad, it's just bland.

They ditched the open world for a very narrow corridor shooting gallery. And I wouldn't mind it, since I enjoyed Red Faction (although even that was more open). But the art/story felt so uninspired and AI was so predictable that Armageddon never rised above mediocrity.

And maybe even then I might just allow it to be a turn your brain off fun. But once I got to the second level, and I kid you not, the game kept crashing every seven minutes. And since there's a checkpoint system, I have to do some backtracking each time I load it up.

THQ Nordic, if you're reading this, I don't blame you if you don't want to remaster this (completely understandable). But going back and patching this up might be a small but worthy investment. And I hope that this doesn't deter you from making a new Red Faction. Just take a minute to figure out what made Red Faction and Guerrilla outstanding and what made Armageddon subpar compared to its predecessors.

For the rest of you reading, even without the crashes, I'm not sure if I'd recommend it. It's not bad but should something so bland and disappointing be rewarded with a thumbs up?

But if this doesn't deter you, play the first three games (Guerrilla, Red Faction, Red Faction II in that order) and if you're still craving for more, get Armageddon when it's on sale. Just don't say I didn't warn you.