Recent reviews by Ricky Spanish

Half-Life 2: The Greatest Game Ever Made

Half-Life 2 isn’t just a game—it’s a masterpiece. From the moment you step into the oppressive world of City 17, you’re hooked. The story unfolds naturally, without forced cutscenes, and every detail of the environment feels alive.

The gameplay is a perfect mix of intense combat, clever puzzles, and exploration. And the Gravity Gun? A game-changer. It’s not just a weapon; it’s a tool that makes you think creatively about every encounter.

Even years later, Half-Life 2 still looks and feels amazing. The characters, especially Alyx Vance, are unforgettable, and the world-building is unmatched. It’s the kind of game that sticks with you long after you finish.

If you haven’t played it yet, you’re missing out on a piece of gaming history. Go grab a crowbar and see why Half-Life 2 is still the gold standard.

Playing Half-Life 2 after almost 20 years and still finding it unforgettable says everything about its timeless quality. It's a game that just doesn’t age—pure perfection, then and now!

Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game and the stand-alone sequel to the Defense of the Ancients (DotA) mod.

Each match of Dota 2 is independent and involves two teams, both containing five players and each occupying a stronghold at either end of the map. Located in each stronghold is a building called the "Ancient"; to win, a team must destroy the enemy's Ancient. Each player controls a "Hero" character and focuses on leveling up, collecting gold, acquiring items and fighting against the other team to achieve victory.

A match of Dota 2 prominently features the strongholds of two opposing factions, the Radiant and the Dire, containing critical structures called "Ancients", which are defended by a number of lesser buildings. The bases of the two factions are connected by three main paths, referred to as "lanes", which are guarded by defensive towers, as well as groups of periodically spawning autonomous units called "creeps" that traverse each lane attacking any enemy units or structures in range. Towers and creeps serve to divide the map between the two teams, and are often the focal point of skirmishes. The Dota 2 map is functionally symmetrical, despite having a number of critical differences conferring a variety of advantages and disadvantages to each side. The Radiant is based at the southwest corner of the map, while the Dire is based at the northeast corner; the two sides are divided by a river which runs perpendicular to the central lane. The two teams, typically composed of five players each, are pitted against one another to compete as the defenders for their respective Ancient. Featured across the map are units referred to as "neutrals", which are not aligned to either faction and are primarily located in the forests; they constitute a fixed but recurring resource, though their strategic value may vary depending on the teams' and players' choices. Located on the southeast side of the river is a "boss" called "Roshan" who typically takes multiple team members to kill. Following his death, Roshan drops items that can significantly alter the course of a game.

There are nine standard game modes and 107 "Heroes" in Dota 2. Heroes are strategically powerful player-controlled units with unique special abilities; though many heroes fill similar roles as others, each confers different benefits and limitations to a team. These Heroes start off very weak early in the game, but level up their abilities and statistics as they accumulate experience, up to a maximum level of twenty-five. The Heroes' methods of combat are heavily influenced by their primary property, which can be Strength, Agility, or Intelligence. Most game modes provide teams with some preparation time before the game begins so that they can balance their hero selections, as the composition of the team can significantly affect their performance throughout the match. Because Dota 2 is highly team-oriented, the players must coordinate and plan with each other in order to achieve victory.

Developed by Valve Corporation. Dota 2 is exclusively available through Valve's content delivery platform, Steam.

Good continuation of the original Dead Island. But it still having a lot of bugs and poor performance.

CS