Recent reviews by ShiroXfetch

Don't get attached to your survivors, chat T_T

State of Decay 2 is impressive across several aspects. First of all, the mechanics are in depth, immersive, yet simplistic. This isn't a game you have to study in order to play effectively. For instance, in most survival games, your character has to physically eat something from your inventory in order to combat hunger; it has to be fresh, it can go rotten, there are various effects - but in State of Decay, a deduction from your base's food supply occurs once a day in order to keep your survivors fed. Simple as that. Make sure your base is stocked, and your character will not starve. That is just one example, but my emphasis here is that State of Decay stays away from tedious survival mechanics and instead focuses on the more exciting elements such as wakefulness, health, morale, etc... Each survivor has goals, an archetype, and personality, and if they die, they are gone for good, which makes for very tense gameplay (especially when one encounters infestations or hordes). Another impressive aspect is the level of accessibility both in terms of mechanics and gameplay. Full customizable keybinds, FOV, etc... as well as dozens upon dozens of character customization options in terms of clothing. I also love the level of variance between weapons, their looks, and their stats. They absolutely could have gotten away with adding reskins of each weapon, and only adding in a handful at that, but the weapon selection is WILD, and each one genuinely feels different from the last (as well as are customizable in certain instances).

I am only 12.9 hours in at the time of writing this, but the level of missions, goals, and quests available are fantastic! I have yet to have a repeating mission, and every one I embark on feels hand-crafted and unique. Another impressive aspect is the scale of player freedom there is, You can kill or befriend ANYONE. You don't like the group of survivors behind the town? Kill 'em. You like a certain member from another faction? Recruit them and burst the dynamic of the faction. You have a survivor at your base you don't like? Exile them. Someone is infected and you don't want to go through the trouble of making a cure? Euthanasia time, baby! (Don't look at me like that, I always cure my infected survivors. I am making a point!)

There are 5 maps to explore, and I haven't even finished half of the first one yet. This game is MASSIVE! Which leads me to my next point: Vehicles! Boy, they are FUN to drive. Each one handles differently, has varying storage space, etc... You'll need gas to operate them, which is not hard to come by (make sure your base is producing gas, and you'll literally never run out). If your vehicle gets damaged, you can use a toolkit to repair it. I've become a bit of a car collector in my run; I like a different vehicle for specific situations. I need to hurry over to another faction to help? I'll take my decked out classic car with spikes and a battering cage installed on the front. I need to gather supplies in bulk? I'll take the ambulance (which, holy crap, has a ton of storage space). There is a diverse range of vehicles to choose from, which I love.

Base Building/Management is addicting. I love the supply management, the decision on what facilities to build, the security, everything! I have spent so much time perfecting my base, and the best part? If you want to move to another outpost and set up, it transfers everything over (including vehicles), which makes base swapping and even map swapping simplistic, fast, and convenient. When you're out and about, your other survivors will do various tasks around the base, which adds to the liveliness of the game. Everyone has a schedule, a task, something to say - it draws you in and gets you attached, which is dangerous because NO ONE is safe from death. Take my first leader, for example. A charismatic warlord who everyone loved. Always had something fun and witty to say, Well, all it took was a slight lack of sleep and a horde to have him ripped to shreds. The horror on my face as my leader screamed at the top of his lungs as several zombies tackled him to the floor and rip into his throat and stomach was wild. It did teach me to be even more careful, but man, I miss my homie Burn.

Some may critique the graphics as "cartoony", but I disagree. I think the world is GORGEOUS, as well as detailed. The characters look great, the greenery, warehouses, pizza parlors, gas stations, grocery stores, forests - they all look amazing. I am also impressed in regard to the game's memory; that is to say, stuff stays just as you left it. You dropped something a thousands meters away from your base? It'll be there hours later just as you left it. You left a zombie locked up in an apartment building? The same exact zombie will be there if you come back a day later. It is an impressive engine.

Combat, which was my biggest concern coming into the game, is astonishingly fun. For something that looks so simplistic, there are actually quite a few layers to it. Combat styles, weapon choice, firearms - they all contribute to your zombie slaying adventure. The gunplay is responsive and weighty, the melee is gory and chaotic, and depending on how you upgrade your stats, you can do some rather impressive moves to dispatch the undead. A single zombie by itself is super easy to kill, but a horde? Good luck, man. These zombies are beyond lethal in heavy numbers, so it is genuinely best to run away and hide until the pass by. I know I hyped up vehicles, but on foot traveling is also very satisfying; you can climb, jump, spring, crouch, and pretty much anything else needed to traverse the apocalypse. The animations they use for certain actions are high quality - you wanna jump off a building, your character will lower to the ledge, hang off, look downward, then drop to the ground below all in a fluid sway of motion. It almost feels parkour-like, which was positively surprising. All in all, the movement and combat are superb.

The last highlight I'd like to discuss are the curveballs - in game events that change things up. These keep the game even more fresh and suspenseful. They are random, and so far unique. One curveball was a group of military soldiers were infected, so for a period of time, more armored zombies appeared around the map (with a point of origin where the soldiers were ambushed and turned). Another one was a flu-like sickness spreading across my base - everyone got sick, which impacted combat, stamina, and even involved my survivors wincing, coughing, and struggling to do things like reload their guns. Another one was a group of zombie that REEKED and were spreading a noxious smell across the map and you would gain influence for killing them. These events are random and add in a lot of fun.

I am aware just how long this review is, but I had to rave about State of Decay 2. This begs the questions - are there any cons? And to be honest, not really. There have been maybe one or two minor things that have been bothersome, but were involved around tooltips appearing even though I had already done the thing it was trying to teach me about. But, to circle back to a prior point, the accessibility menu allows you to turn off tooltips, which fixed my issue.

I easily still have hundreds of hours left in this game, but at just 12 hours I feel confident in recommending this absolute gem of a survival apocalyptic adventure! Overall, I rate State of Decay 2: Juggernaut edition a 10/10.

I am blown away, I really am. I've had my eye on this game ever since it was announced. It reminded me of a gothic bioshock, so I was rather intrigued. When it released, I was shocked to see that it was less than $20, so I bought it on the spot.

Holy. Crap.

What a breath of fresh air. I haven't even beat chapter II yet, but I am confident in leaving a positive review based on everything so far. The atmosphere is impeccable; the isolated island where it is always raining, the looming gothic architecture, the aftermath of a bloody town-wide massacre - it is haunting , beautiful, and alluring. The story and aesthetic are the hard hitters, but the gameplay is right up there with its fun twist on survival horror. As you all know, you use your own blood as ammunition, making each shot expensive yet impactful. Guns pack a PUNCH (to both you and the enemy), and the sound design is loud and heavy (which I love). The enemies are freaky, but the stand out is Delores, the game's stalker. She will hunt you throughout the island. Her presence is imposing, dreadful, and genuinely freaky. Her taunts, growls, screams; they're chilling. What makes it even better is that Gabriel (the MC)'s heart pounds like a drum whenever she is near, really bringing in the immersion of terror.

The characters are great. I especially love the Cult of the Sun members who are hiding out on the island. They're your homies and offer some interesting dialogue, interactions, and more. They're hideout is an old carnival where you can play games to win tickets (which unlock gear and items). There's also an old witch who serves as the game's merchant. The standout character, however, is the leader of the sun cult on the island, Mediodia. She's a spunky, optimistic lady who is a blast to interact with.

Does the game have flaws? Yes, but they are obsolete in comparison to the many positives. Some frame drops throughout are about as bad as it gets, and if we're REALLY nitpicking, sometimes subtitles will turn back on even if you switch them off, requiring you to disable them again. Two flaws, indie game, less than $20 (for a full survival horror game that is 10+ hours according to stats), what is there to discuss? If you are a fan of survival horror, religious fanatism, gothic islands, and bloody rituals, then do yourself a favor and buy this gem. Seriously, hats off to the devs. Crisol needs more praise, and I hope more people pick it up and experience its unique story, gameplay, and atmosphere.

I have not finished and will update my score upon completion with some final thoughts, but as of now I rate Crisol: Theatre of Idols an 8.5/10

I decided to give Hell Let Loose a try. I thought a WWII shooter could be a nice change of pace from my usual selection, and I heard it was rather realistic. I had zero expectations going in, and let's just say this game grabbed me by the balls and told me to call it daddy.

I spawn in as an axis soldier. We're pushing an Allied garrison in the middle of a town. The solider next to me immediately gets shot in the face, our unit officer screams at us to hit the floor, and before I know it a grenade comes rolling toward our squad. I am able to jump back in time, but my squad mate is not so lucky and is literally blown to pieces; his head spins through the air, his guts spill out, and both of his arms go flying. Before I can even process what had just happen, I get riddled with bullets.

This game is the epitome of chaos, violence, and fun. Did I die a lot? Yes. Do I still die a lot? Oh absolutely. But what I love about Hell Let Loose is the equality of death. Sure, I may get torn to shreds by an enemy gunner 2 seconds post spawn, but at the same time, in my next life I can stumble upon a trench full of enemies and massacre them in a matter of seconds. I die, you die, we all die (dozens upon dozens of times per match)

The player base is strong, committed, and are very welcoming to new players. I was taught the ropes rather quick by my squad mates, and I even started doing well at being unit officer; giving commands, communicating with our side's commander, planning total domination and victory. It is addicting. Furthermore, one of my favorite aspects of this game is how alive it feels. To elaborate, the maps are massive, there are multiple squads with their own unit leads and an overarching commander. The commander can only communicate with unit leads/officers, while unit officers can communicate with the commander, the men in their units, and other unit leads. There is also some really entertaining/immersive proximity chat. Almost everyone uses a mic (and I highly recommend that you follow that trend if you get this game), making the social interactions consistent and world building. During a match, my squad will be 1 km to the west, while another unit will be 1km to the east; two more units may be charging up north, and our commander may be scoping out the land from HQ. At any given point, each squad is doing their own objective. It is about as immersive as it gets, in terms of video games.

The weapons pack a bunch and sound amazing. The explosions, overhead planes, rolling tanks, screams of soldiers, gunfire, and all of the other SFX are just perfect beyond words. Even now while writing this review at work, I keep thinking about how much fun I am going to have tonight when I load up a match. Hell Let Loose is an absolutely unforgettable experience and I cannot recommend it enough. I have already convinced many of my friends to purchase a copy, and hopefully this review will be enough to convince you to do the same.

Hats off to the devs! I rate Hell Let Loose a 10/10

The ending of this game really caught me off guard, and in a great way. This was my first time with an Alone in the Dark title, and it did not disappoint! I wish I would have played it sooner, and heck, I still have another playthrough with Emily to complete.

I don't understand why this game has mixed reception. Is it a 10/10 masterpiece? Not necessarily, but it is far from bad, or even average. Alone in the Dark has several positives and only a few negatives.
The Positives:
Excellent atmosphere
Fun/gory combat
challenging puzzles
Exceptional narrative
Great graphics
WTF ending

The Negatives:
A slight lack of enemy diversity - while the enemies that are present are freaky, gnarly, and fun to kill, I wish there was more variety, or at the very least different looking versions of the same enemies.
Some slight stutters were present here and there
A lack of boss fights - the boss fights that are in the game are quite fun, especially the ending one, but I wish there were a few more encounters that were above fighting common monsters

Alone in the Dark is pretty much a Lovecraftian take on Silent Hill set in 1930's Louisiana, and I love that. I absolutely recommend if you are a fan of Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and anything Lovecraft related.

Overall, I rate Alone in the Dark a 9/10

The best Resident Evil ever made. A masterpiece, and dare I say one of the best forms of entertainment ever released. Resident Evil Village is one of a kind - nothing comes close to it in scale of aesthetic, lore reveals, combat, map design, etc... It is a modern classic in every sense of the word. From the gothic halls of Castle Dimitrescu, to the misty house of Beneviento past the graveyard and near the waterfall, to the swampy reservoir claimed by a werewolf and the gnarly fishman Moreau, to the imposing factory owned by Heisenberg where abominable experiments lie in weight for fresh prey. Resident Evil Village is the magnum opus of the series and one that will be nearly impossible to top. Add in the flawless boss fights, series veteran Chris Redfield's Spec Ops segment where he raids the Village (which, by the way, is genuinely one of the coolest moments of the series), and the tear-inducing expansion "Shadows of Rose", and you are in for a series ride of thrills, emotion, and horror.

I have zero complaints about this game. No glitches, no technical errors, and by golly the major reveal in the end that Oswell Spencer (THEE Oswell Spencer) was Miranda's student and started Umbrella after visiting the village was utterly perfect. So much is answered, explained, and explored in this entry. Capcom is the goat. To the writers Antony Johnston, Morimasa Sato, America Young, etc... You all have outdone yourselves.

Overall, I rate Resident Evil Village a 10/10

Phenomenal. *future voice* Sensational.

What a freakin' game, lads. Easily the scariest in the series, and boy is it a blast to play through. I finished all content available (base game, Not a hero, and End of Zoe) and Resident Evil 7 is just stupendous. The graphics are darn near photorealistic, the story is intense, bleak, and sheer survival horror, and it is definitely one of the best in the series. I genuinely have no complaints. I also think 7 has some of the creepiest boss fights (mostly emphasizing marguerite's spider limbs crawling around on all fours).

This game deserves all of the hype. It is one of the best horror games ever created. Hats off to Capcom, and the development team. I absolutely adore the series and I am beyond grateful they keep pumping out new games, remakes, and the likes!

Overall, I rate Resident Evil 7 a 10/10

WOW! Okay, so RE2 remake was fun and all, but RE3 Remake is the icing on top of the cake. A lot of people seem to dislike this remake because some content was cut, but as this was my first experience with it, I have nothing but praise. It took all of my gripes with re2 (which, mind you, I still gave an 8/10) and improved upon them. We had more to explore, more to do, more lore, more horror - it was fantastic! Was it short? Yeah, but honestly that's okay! The combat was great, the the dodge mechanic was fun, and the aesthetic was just perfect. My favorite segments were downtown during the initial outbreak and the hospital (what a treat that was). Nemesis was much more imposing than Mr. X, and the boss fights were a blast. Behind RE8 and RE4, RE3 is the third favorite of mine in the series. I highly, highly recommend. I also hope we get remakes for 5, as well as Code Veronica, Outbreak, and Revelations! You're on a roll, Capcom!

Overall, I rate Resident Evil 3 a 9/10

Probably my favorite in the series right next to Village. Leon's growth between 2 and 4 is a treat, and story wise is is a MAJOR step up from the original trilogy. Immaculate horror aesthetic, gameplay, and enemies. It has been a bit since I have completed this gem, but with RE9 coming out next month and me revisiting (or playing for the first time) many of the Resident Evil games, I thought it would be nice to come and leave a review on this spectacular entry.

An aspect I love about RE is that despite how many titles there are, it never gets old because there are endless scenarios that can be explored within the universe. Re4 is fresh, exciting, scary, and gory - perfect for any horror enjoyers. The gameplay is the best in the series, the graphics are top notch, and the story is fantastic!

Overall, I rate the Resident Evil 4 Remake a 10/10

Resident Evil 2 is one of those games all horror fans have to play at least once in their lives. The grandfathers of horror games are Resident Evil and Silent Hill, and with both making a serious comeback in recent years, plenty of new players have been able to enjoy them in their remastered (or continued) glory.

I'll be honest, this was my first time ever beating Re2 to completion (both Leon and Claire scenario + true ending). It was fun, and it was irritating. Resident Evil does not mess around with difficulty. It will make you stare at the game over screen while gritting your teeth and sighing. It is often unforgiving, even on standard difficulty. I loved it, but also resented it. Sometimes I just wanted to progress but a lack of items or heals made me have to backtrack over an hour to grab some more supplies within RPD. Leon's route is rather easygoing, but for some reason playing as Claire for the second run is like putting toothpicks in your toenails and kicking a wall. It was worth it, though, for the true ending.

Gameplay wise it is smooth and responsive. The graphics are great, the story is fun (although a tad inconsistent between the two scenarios, but whatever) - I am mostly playing through the original trilogy to prepare for Re9 where we return to Raccoon City, so I wasn't coming in expecting a masterpiece, which is probably why I enjoyed it as much as I did. Also, as a fun little side note, despite a non-creepy appearance, Mr. X consistently jump scared me and made me squeal like a little girl. Very enjoyable XD Also, hats off to the bonus scenario "4th Survivor" where you play as Daddy Hunk. Really just a solid remake.

Overall, I rate Re2 Remake an 8/10

An absolute masterpiece. I spent a good amount of my teen years playing the first dying light, and this takes everything I loved about it and maximized it to the fullest extent. There is not a single thing wrong with Dying Light: The Beast, which is honestly impressive. Techland has listened to the players and have delivered an unforgettable experience and genuinely the best zombie game to ever have been released.

The graphics? Amazing. The Parkour? The best the series (or any game) has seen. The combat? Gory as all get out, smooth, and addicting. Gunplay? Surprisingly solid and relevant - as well as responsive, lethal, and fun. The story? A flawless continuation of Kyle's story. The setting? Castor Woods was the perfect location to explore. The side quests? Built with love, an unforgettable (especially Starchild's missions that felt like Schizo acid trips, which were a blast). The driving was also fun and rather convenient (especially when navigating areas between towns and facilities where parkour is more sparse).

I can't wait to do a new game+ on nightmare. This game has endless replayability. Please, for the love of all that is good, buy this game, support the devs, and get immersed in its narrative. I am beyond satisfied and eagerly await Techland's next project with sheer anticipation and excitement.

And to all of the people that have falsely claimed this is a glorified DLC, you could not be more than wrong. I understand it started off as an expansion for Dying Light 2, but I EASILY hit 50 hours I could have done more (and plan to get another 50 in addition with new game plus and hunting the achievements). This game is the best in the series, the best in the genre, and arguably the best of year.

Overall, I rate Dying Light: The Beast a 10/10.