Recent reviews by MadeofMandrake

Most of the negative reviews will say this game is unfinished.
For Wintermute, at time of writing, this is true. (scheduled to be finished 2025, with the sequel coming to early access 2026)

However, the devs have not been lazy. I'd argue there is more story-content in the DLC and regular survival mode of the game than there is in Wintermute (the designated story mode). This game is so much more than its story, otherwise myself and many others would never have sunk hundreds of hours into this game. If you buy this game, buy it for the stories YOU make while playing, not for the ones the devs make for you.

No other game I've played has ever immersed me into its world more than this one. If you come into playing with the outlook that every death teaches you a valuable lesson, you'll go far. Other reviews can better describe how amazing this game is, just know it feels and plays like a finished game, because everywhere except Wintermute, it is one.

The greatest "not-a-horror" horror game since Subnautica and Outer Wilds. If you liked either of those games, you'll like this.
No hardware issues, no balance complaints, no story problems. Solid game with a good premise done very well.

Game crashed on me twice because of missing textures/memory errors. Had to turn down a lot of the graphics settings just to be safe, luckily lower graphics doesn't affect your experience. Dev is also lucky that the game crashing upon entering the park mildly added to the atmosphere somewhat.

Rambley is obviously adorable and for what's here, the game is incredible. I don't scare as easy as others, I don't like being scared, but I think this hits a good balance. You'll scare if you want to, you won't if you don't. Artstyle and voice acting is incredible, plus it's free so you don't have an excuse not to try it. Can't wait for chapter 2!

Get a team to work on this game again and I'll reverse this review and start playing it again.

I'm doing my part!
o7

I tried playing this with friends. It was fun when we weren't disconnecting from each other or flat-out crashing when we tried to reconnect to each other. Over just 25 hours we experienced too many different server issues for it to be excusable for a AAA title, this is the first time we've had a problem like this.

Edit: There was a rant about the forced PSN linking here. Deleted it as Sony changed their mind. Now all you gotta do is get your weird server nonsense fixed and we're golden.

Its ok i guess

Fantastic Devs, fantastic mechanics, fantastic concept, fantastic community.

An expertly made game from top to bottom, with new updates only adding to perfection. Perfect for playing with friends, or making some on their discord server. If you've been sleeping on this, don't be afraid to jump in late. I have, and it's still great and the community is as inviting as ever. Rock and Stone!

Better than League, don't play either.
...Unless your level-headed under pressure and have an ability to memorise dozens of items, strategies and hero abilities. Then only if you have 1500 hours to kill. You could have learned 3 languages in that time. Be better than that.

Expect things to go slow. Good for killing time during the pandemic. There's a small, deep satisfaction that comes from reminding yourself that you are still *playing* the game while you're doing other things. As someone with serious anxiety issues, it calms my mind knowing that good things will come with time.

5 hours of open-window play now, after that day I had a bad dream from the perspective of the little guy. This game is incredibly immersive for how simple it is.
Very good, artful game. 5/7 near perfect score.

I tried hard to dislike this game. If you're trying to not like this either, stop and give it a chance. Let's forget the terrible press release, let's forget the extra 6 month wait time for steam integration, that's not the game developers fault, that's on marketing.

The beginning of the game is slow. Get past level 18-20, and the story only ever gets better from there. You may not know what in the *heck* is happening for the first half, but that will change if you just keep playing and give it that second chance.
However, all of this is moot if you haven't played Borderlands 2. You will not know what is happening at all without at least that one. None of the other series is mandatory, but that one absolutely is.
Overall, Great game made by great people; managed by morons that no longer know what they're doing.

Personal thoughts for changes/improvements:
-Menus are overcomplicated, the fast travel menu being a prime example
-Lower the rate of Legendaries: Finished my first casual playthrough with most of my bank/inventory full of legendary/unique weapons, some being multiple copies, worst was 4 copies of the same legendary launcher.
-Allow the player to abandon quests in their quest menu for cleanup, and make any side mission you pick up override the current quest you are completing. The first is quality of life, the second is so players will be subtly more willing to complete side quests.