Recent reviews by Mooncake

The forest isn't so scary when you have 9mm of freedom.

The plot is quite good but the missions are very repetitive. The open world is just empty. More of a linear experience that an open world rpg. The optimization of the game is also not great and graphics... some are in very high resolution and some are just the same as in the original game.

Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI is a strategic masterpiece that invites players to shape history through empire building and diplomacy. With its richly detailed civilizations and intricate district system, the game offers a captivating journey from ancient times to the modern era.

Pros:

• Deep strategic gameplay with diverse civilizations and unique traits.
  
• Evolving soundtrack enhances immersion.

Cons:

• Late-game pacing can become slow, with lengthy turns.
  
• AI behavior can be inconsistent, lacking strategic depth in certain areas like military tactics and naval combat.
  
• Interruptive AI reminders about ideological differences can detract from immersion.

Overall, Civilization VI shines as a strategy game, providing countless hours of compelling gameplay. While there are areas for improvement, particularly in late-game pacing and AI behavior, the game remains a must-play for strategy enthusiasts.

Kingdoms Reborn offers a refreshing twist on the city-builder genre, immersing players in a world of simulated citizens and procedurally-generated landscapes. From humble medieval beginnings to the heights of a global empire, the game invites you to chart the course of your kingdom through the ages.

One of the most compelling aspects of Kingdoms Reborn is its focus on managing luxury resources, adding a layer of depth to the gameplay. Additionally, the inclusion of country politics.

However, the combat mechanics leave something to be desired, lacking depth and failing to evoke any sense of adrenaline. While the multiplayer mode offers opportunities for cooperation and competition with friends in real-time, the solo experience can feel tedious and lacking in excitement.

Where Kingdoms Reborn truly shines is in its cooperative city-building feature. Working together with friends to construct and manage a thriving metropolis adds a new level of enjoyment to the game, making the task of overseeing a large city both easier and more entertaining.

Despite its shortcomings, Kingdoms Reborn shows promise, and I eagerly anticipate future improvements and updates that will enhance the overall experience. With continued development, this game has the potential to become a standout title in the city-builder genre.

Medieval Dynasty offers a captivating blend of survival, base building, and cooperative gameplay set in the unforgiving landscape of medieval Europe. The game excels in its attention to detail, immersing players in a world where hunting, gathering, and strategic construction are essential for survival and prosperity.

Visually, the game impresses with its detailed graphics that effectively capture the ambiance of the Middle Ages. While performance is generally satisfactory, players may encounter occasional bugs. However, the dedicated developers consistently release updates, promptly addressing issues and adding new content to keep the experience fresh.

Playing with friends elevates the experience, allowing for collaborative endeavors and shared triumphs. However, in single-player mode, the game may feel more like a solitary journey, with long stretches of exploration that could benefit from additional depth or challenges beyond mere traversal.

One notable drawback is the game's hardware requirements; players with older or less powerful PCs may struggle to fully enjoy the experience.

While Medieval Dynasty offers a rich gameplay experience, there are areas for improvement. The absence of features such as village conquests limits the game's strategic depth, and the lack of precision building tools can be frustrating for players striving for meticulous construction.

Overall, Medieval Dynasty is a compelling choice for fans of survival and base-building games, particularly when played with friends. With regular updates and a vibrant community, it's a title worth revisiting periodically for fresh content and continued enjoyment.

Starfield, Bethesda's latest offering, is a game that has left me with mixed feelings and a sense of missed potential. Despite the vastness of the cosmos they aimed to create, the game feels disappointingly small, especially when compared to Bethesda's previous titles.
One of Bethesda's strengths has always been world-building. They excel at making their game worlds feel lived-in, rich with history and stories waiting to be uncovered. However, with Starfield, the introduction of generated content has stretched this strength thin. What used to be interesting hand-crafted overworlds have become vast expanses of boredom, with little more than aimless alien life and copy-pasted locations. The lack of depth in the generated content stands out, and it's clear that the hand-crafted locations are the game's highest points, often drowned out in a sea of mediocrity.

The main storyline of the game leaves much to be desired. The premise of the Constellation organization, which is meant to explore the unknown, feels poorly executed. It's hard to believe they haven't discovered anything after decades of existence, especially when they restrict themselves to already settled systems. The ending of the main story itself, in my opinion, is done very well and is open to many interpretations and thoughts. However, the path to get there is tiring and tedious.

The narrative, unfortunately, followed a somewhat predictable and formulaic path, lacking complexity and intrigue. Faction missions are more engaging than the main story ones but there is not many of them.

The gameplay elements have seen some improvements, such as smoother traversal and better shooting mechanics. Still, they feel more like catching up to modern gaming standards rather than breaking new ground.

The space combat and ship customization offer some enjoyable moments. Customizing your ship can be a satisfying experience, though it could benefit from more options and better interior previews.

On the other hand, outpost building feels like a chore due to the excessive resource requirements and limited storage capacity. It's frustrating and in need of refinement.

The crafting and research feel pointless and are a direct downgrade from Bethesda's previous titles.

The music is good but now even close to the epicness that Skyrim or Witcher 3 soundtracks provided.

The performance for a game that doesn't set new graphics standards for the next decade is really bad. I played on 3090 and i9-11900k with a very fast M.2 drive and this game on 3440p resolution didn't provide even a stable 60 FPS on max settings. It is weird as I get much more into bigger and more demanding titles. Fortunately, the lack of DLSS will be fixed by Bethesda in the near future.

In summary, Starfield is a game that occasionally shines but is buried beneath a sea of mediocrity and missed opportunities. It fails to leverage Bethesda's strengths in world-building, and its improvements are merely catching up to modern gaming standards. While there are enjoyable elements, they are overshadowed by a lackluster execution that leaves players longing for a more captivating experience.

However, all this does not mean that you cannot have fun in this game.

Score: 5.5/10

Is this game worth buying? Maybe for 1/4th of the current asking price.

A game that gave people what they needed. Haven't you ever wanted to become a Hogwarts student yourself?
In addition to the beautiful sound and graphics, the creators also proved, in defiance of EA and Ubisoft, that it is possible to release a finished product.
The only thing that can be accused of this game is that it is for less than 60 hours and the price is high for that number of hours to achieve 100% completion.

Immersive and Fun Ghost-Hunting Game

Phasmophobia offers a chilling dive into the realm of paranormal investigation, whether you're braving the haunted locations solo or with friends. As a 4-player, online co-op experience, it sets the stage for thrilling encounters with the unknown, with each investigation presenting a fresh challenge and a dose of adrenaline.

One of Phasmophobia's standout features is its diverse array of ghost types, each possessing distinct traits, personalities, and abilities. This variety ensures that no two investigations feel alike, adding to the game's replayability and sense of discovery.

Phasmophobia delivers an engaging and spine-tingling experience that is best enjoyed with friends. While some graphical imperfections and bugs may detract slightly from the immersion, the overall gameplay experience remains solid and enjoyable. The game could benefit from more diverse ghost interactions to heighten the horror elements, and expanded customization options for custom game modes would add even more replay value. However, frequent updates and new content additions from the developers ensure that the game continues to evolve and captivate players, making it a must-play for fans of the horror genre.

Great game! 10/10

Interesting take on Tetris, but still the game is not worth the money. The game ran out of interesting things after 20 minutes. For $ 1-2 it would be ok. It's definitely not worth more than that. Pros: Something different from regular Tetris. You can play with friends. Cons: Not enough content for the price. Annoying mechanic of placing a block in the middle of two squares. No classic mode.