Recent reviews by STICK3Rboy

I just couldn't put the game down during its final few hours and ended up finishing it with an all-nighter marathon session.

It's definitely another classic in this franchise. In fact I'm very close to calling it a masterpiece too, but we'll see what I think of it once I've given it some time to simmer.

There's quite a bit to unpack here, and it's amazing and refreshing to see a game address themes of systemic female oppression so well. And I absolutely loved how all of this was told through Silent Hill symbolism.
I also feel some of the stuff in here will probably be more relatable to Indians than to a western audience considering how we have similar rituals and traditions.

Combat is definitely a sore point though and can be a turn off for many by getting too frustrating at times. But it kinda grew on me, and I guess I get why it is the way it is. It actually feels thematically relevant.

But yeah, the game is definitely much, much better than the sum of its parts.
It actually even did a good job of making me care enough about Hinako to immediately start thinking of playing NG+ to hopefully give her a better ending.

Finished the game with both the NG endings and loved it!

I absolutely love how the game makes you play with a slow, methodical approach. There were sections where I was slowly walking through different rooms trying to gauge which enemies were alive while looking for the right angles to get those single headshots in. Felt like I was part of some supernatural SWAT team clearing rooms out. Felt quite badass!

Resources are scarce but the game gives you just enough to get by. You of course still need to manage them well by utilising the environment to your advantage.
And if you still completely run out, enemies start dropping some ammo too. So yeah, I don't get the "frustrating combat" complaints that some reviews had. Survival horror games are meant to be like this.

The setting, the atmosphere, and the world-building are all excellent. The retro-futuristic aesthetic is on-point, and the sound design is just *chef's kiss*. It's crunchy and beepy-boopy in all the right ways. With this game and SH2, I feel like Bloober has now perfected sound design.

The story was the only weak point for me. It had some nice ideas, but they didn't quite come together all that well.
But I do see others praising it, so this is probably just a personal gripe.

Excellent game overall though, and one that is already making me want to replay it on NG+ Hard difficulty. Shame that I won't be able to right away considering the barrage of games that have come out recently.

The very initial impression I had of this game wasn't as good as I had imagined. The gameplay, while responsive, wasn't as snappy as in Dead Cells. It felt like the animations had a little too many frames making it feel slower in comparison. But that feeling quickly faded once I got used to the gameplay flow of chaining the platforming (with its wall-runs) and the combat (with its kicks and vaults).

I'm actually now finding the gameplay loop buttery smooth and addictive. The wall-run especially is a game-changer here.

I've only just defeated the first boss. So I'm not sure how much content there exactly is, but it seems pretty okay for Early Access. There seem to be around 6-7 levels with a decent variety of weapons and fun modifiers (medallions).

Ohh and the visuals, which seem Moebius-inspired, and the music are pretty ducking amazing!

Can't wait for it to reach the stage where Dead Cells is currently at in terms of content.

Absolutely monstrous game!
I'm in sheer and constant awe while playing it, wondering how a game of this size, scale, density, variety, and depth even exists. I'm not sure how, but I'm just glad that it does.

This is the isometric Zelda-like that I've always dreamt of having on PC. It also has some of that wacky Ghibli weirdness to boot. Some of the characters in this game are morbid, and yet charming at the same time. I love it!

The game has such a soft and visually pleasing aesthetic too. I can't think of a better description than what Skillup came up with when he said that it feels like everything is made out of the same stone. That art-style combined with a stellar soundtrack make it an absolute treat to play! What makes it consistently enjoyable though is the level design. There are lots of secrets strewn around which I'm having a lot of fun finding even after having completed the game.

The only nitpick I have is the lack of a mini-map. The levels are generally not big enough to warrant the need for it, but it can get slightly irksome when you're trying to look for collectibles.
Some might also find the combat very simple, but IMO it still works well enough because of the engaging enemy encounters. Even the boss battles are pretty great!

Highly Recommended!