Recent reviews by Player 10

aliens tried to eat my brain :(

★☆☆☆☆



I'd dislike for the bit but no, I recommend this game despite having my brain's well-being threatened.
Its the definition of modern classic. Talk about a genuine, unique experience. I'm gonna need a sequel, mutantleg. Just sayin.

Lotta fast parkour and big ole guns, what's not to like?

SPRAWL is pretty simple. Play the role of cybernetic assassin and liberator of the people, fight against "the man" you once worked for, and topple their empire. Quite literally all you need to know, and all you really end up getting, but hey, I ain't complainin. I was entertained for about 6 hours by a tough but fair FPS. Is it perfect? No. Is it really all that difficult? Nah. But was it a blast? Sure was.

(I should mention there is a time-trial and endless mode that I did not try, but that may add to your experience and overall time.)

Wall-running and sliding will always be entertaining in video games. This alone gets a thumbs-up from me. You can sort of slide-hop rather than bunny hop, and its really useful. And don't underestimate the effectiveness of the wall-run, you can pretty deftly scale and hop along walls and reach places in combat pretty easily.

Now, as for the bullet-time, while it is not necessarily core to the overall experience, it was a pretty handy tool to say the very least. It shows weak-points, and allows you to get that necessary time to refocus on a target you want gone. Plus, with how the resource system works, you'll usually not have too much of an issue running low on your "adrenaline".

Weapons consist of dual pistols, dual smgs, a double-barrel shotgun, a grenade launcher, a mini gun, a rail gun, and a rocket launcher (that fires a hail of missiles, rather than one single rocket). Oh, and a quick melee katana, useful for a finisher on stunned, or nearly dead, enemies.

Weapon-switching is viable, although I am not necessarily a practitioner of said play-style, and it helps you skip certain lags in firing your weapons. The shotgun has a particularly long reload, which can be skipped with a quick swap and swap back.

I can see some classic FPS game design in the variety of enemies on offer, and I love it. Leaping "hounds", grenade-chucking "ogres", fairly ineffective "Demons" and the semi-transparent cousins... This game oozes with influence from DOOM and Quake, as well as Half-Life, Titanfall (perhaps Mirror's Edge as well?). It is all just so good.

SPEAKING OF ENEMIES. As I mentioned, they have mechs called O.H.G.R.s, equipped with GRENADE LAUNCHERS. And that's not all. THE GRENADES MAKE THE SAME SOUND AS THE GRENADES IN QUAKE! **oh be still, my beating heart**
I absolutely love this. And then, they GIVE YOU that same weapon. And I'm home. A fast way to my heart as an FPS fan is references to Quake. And this was such a wonderful little thing. I can only smile when I encounter them in-game, now.

Level design was good fun, and far more the kind of parkour platforming action that I love... and prefer over any of the platforming in Doom Eternal. While there's a lot of "go pull that switch and come back", there is a lot of style and energy as you swoop through levels, demolishing all who stand before you.

SPRAWL may be nothing too fancy, particularly when compared to the myriad of heavy-hitters that have been coming out lately, but let her cook. This is a sure-fire modern classic, taking the old and sprinkling in a little modern spice.

My compliments to the chef.

Finally, the kind of puzzle game I enjoy but without all the annoying monsters.

Clever title, clever game.

I think I know what you'll be buyin, stranger...

Wow. Just. Wow. I haven't finished playing Dread Delusion, but I'm going to throw a review up to show my support.
*******Be sure to read HOW TO GET AN AIRSHIP ASAP further down in this review.*******

Lemme give you the pitch:

Welcome to the Oneiric Isles. Several maps worth of individual and unique biomes. A land ruled by a race of immortal dead men. A kingdom run into ruin by a mad clockwork king. A jungle of mushrooms. A nation split into those who illegally worship gods, and those who hunt them. And your goal? To hunt the mad visionary, Vela Callose, leader of the Dark Star mercenaries, who seeks to create a new world, and possibly destroy what's left of this one.

The world of Dread Delusion is fascinatingly unique. It oozes potential and intrigue. It begs to be explored. Floating islands and manning airships, headed towards adventure across a strange horizon, with a star of magenta radiating otherworldly light overhead. Its simply magical.

So, what is this game even like?

Is this a heavily stat-based RPG? No. Builds, classes, and playstyles are not really the selling point here. I mean, I wouldn't even say the actual combat/magic is the real draw. If you're going to buy Dread Delusion, understand that this is a finely crafted STORY and LORE HEAVY experience. This is a world, filled with ideas and characters, on a whole other level, really punching above its weight, easily rivaling the thorough and thoughtful world design of any mainstream, big-budget RPG. I am constantly blown away by the conundrums I am asked to solve, the dreams I am to share in, the crises of a world on the brink of madness and destruction. The WRITING IS KING.

Unfortunately, while I usually don't really ever notice the drawbacks Indies work with on their budgets and scale, the writing really contrasts with most of the actual game play.
Quests are amazing! The maps are huge! Dialogue is compelling! The art direction is fantastic! The scale the devs were working on, the genius that went into the crafting of this world, it is so very compelling.

But, combat is simple, as is enemy AI. Its really simple. Magic is fine. Stats are barely a worry. It all works, but its almost sad how much the actual game play pales in comparison to the creativity that went into narrative and visuals. Half of the experience is incredible, while the other is... there. Not being particularly compelling. This is something that keeps the game from being an easy recommendation.

Although I had a Lovely (Hellplace) of a time with this game (consistently amused, befuddled, and hooked) I cannot really say this game will appeal to everyone. I could really see some people being turned off by just how simple this game is. Personally, I feel the game play could have used more development, and at the very least, I would love to see an even more ambitious sequel to set things straight. I want to see more, of this world, and from the developers.

Minor notes:
I also would have LOVED for major characters to have received voice acting. It would have done SO MUCH for the experience. But, again, whether it wasn't envisioned or they didn't have the budget, this is one of those things that sort of stood out to me as a real limit. The game's writing was on the level of some of my favorite RPG experiences of the past. But, none of it is allowed the added depth of a convincing VA, really there to sell me on the characters and their struggles.

I also found, while a lot of time and attention was given to visuals and describing the appearance of even minor characters, NPCs in themselves are fairly one-note. They have simple "retro" designs that are regularly reused and don't match aforementioned character descriptions. In contrast to all the love the writing was given, I'm surprised a little more variation or attention wasn't given to NPCs. This, in combination with essentially one or two animations, and all the reading, results in characters that seem more like paper cut outs than the three-dimensional people the game wants me to see.

AIRSHIP TIP:
I will end my list of gripes with a warning. If you're anything like me, you'll play the majority of the game's side quests before pursuing the main quest.
DO NOT DO THIS.

Sure, smell a few roses on the way, but I ended up burning myself out running hither and thither over huge maps, increasing my Guile stat and chugging stamina potions. Play the main quest until you unlock the airship. Please, do this. There are fast travel points that you can activate anywhere (only one per spot recently visited), and set fast travel points you unlock later (giant portals). But, please, get an airship. These do not really mitigate the amount of walking you'll be doing without one.

CONCLUSION:
If you're to buy Dread Delusion, you're buying it for the pure, unadulterated, creative drug that is this game's world building and narrative. The decisions you make, the people you meet, the problems you must solve. Its all so very potent and thought-provoking. Buy, play, and enjoy, for that. If you're looking for an action-oriented, unique fantasy RPG with perks and play-styles... you're probably best looking elsewhere. But, for those looking to share in some truly dreadful delusions... please, partake and enjoy.

16 gigs for something that could have just as easily had a little more content than the 10 minutes it took to watch/play?

OK.

I'm fairly impressed by the visuals, and that most objects/doors weren't actually static and you could move things around by bumping into them.

Gameplay there is none, aside from walking around as a little Southern girl and following a couple prompts to press the space bar to push a stuffed hunting trophy over.

Writing felt a bit odd, but then again, most of the dialogue in this prologue was either spoken by a paranoid madman or a little girl...

Atmosphere and vibes this has, although once more, for a "prologue", I would have liked to see and do a little more than happens here. Overall, this would barely pass as a demo, but seeing as I am very interested in the game its promoting, I'm sold. By the end of things, I was really wondering what was going on, and what happened to Grace and "Uncle Jeremy". As the last cutscene closed out, I was crossing my fingers that I would be allowed to play a little of the opening with the main two characters, but then I remembered I have yet to surrender my money yet. Ah well.

Looks to promise nightmares on the horizon... but you're probably better off watching this on YouTube. That said, I'm certainly not leaving a negative review.

TLDR: Looks like Alone in the Dark will be good, hard to get much from this tiny prologue, however... JUST WATCH THIS ONLINE.

Looking to scratch that old "Survival Horror" itch? Do you enjoy indie horror games, such as Nightmare of Decay?
Then boy, oh boy, do I have a game for you.

When Nightmare of Decay came out in 2022, it caused a bit of a stir among the Survival Horror community. It was a cheap indie game with a bit of a janky appearance, but with a strong understanding of the genre and a bit of a dark sense of humor. Not only that, but the game knew not to overstay its welcome, taking around 3 or so hours to beat the base game.

Yet, I wanted more.

Well, I'm hear to tell you that if Nightmare of Decay was the indie darling of 2022, its a genuine crime that, only 7 months later, Dead Beacon did not receive the same treatment. I have achieved both endings in 7 hours, with a total overall time of 10 hours spent in-game (I made a decent number of mistakes).

Dead Beacon's scope is far more comparable to that of Spencer Mansion from the original Resident Evil. You will explore multiple wings of a decrepit, eery mansion, each stuffed to the brim with rooms, locked doors, and a decent handful of rewarding puzzles. You will trek through the hedge maze and gardens, secret laboratories, dismal attics, a dank basement, and a creepy, but brief, crypt. The design of the mansion and grounds took me by surprise, and I thrilled at each locked door and new discovery. Boss fights are a decent challenge, resources are scarce, and backtracking/note-making is necessary (on the in-game map, that is, altho this is optional). Not only that, but there are many secret valuables to be sold to vendors in exchange for upgrades or resources, and some shoot-the-target mini games are also scattered throughout the mansion, ultimately making character progression feel rewarding. There are plenty of secret objectives and side-areas, but they are not too challenging so long as you take care in exploring.

I played on the normal skill, but will probably return for a harder experience. The end was a little disappointing, as I would have liked to have had to worry about more enemies showing up once the majority of the game had been completed, and in that same vein, more ammo. I managed to reach the end boss for ending A with barely enough to scrape by. I feel I was given enough resources to handle threats throughout, but towards the end the only ammo I was being given was mostly for my pistol and a little for my shotgun. This definitely made the fight for survival towards the end a little more stressful, however.

Overall though, on Normal, this was a tough, but fair time, and was a nice, chill game. I definitely recommend for a chill, puzzling, gloomy night's experience.

I look forward to replaying this gem. Please, buy this game, tell your friends, leave a review, and buy it for others.

TLDR: BUY IT NOW. IT IS SO FUN.

GLHF!

Speaking as someone who has played hours of Quake, both the original and fan content, I can proudly say this one is IT. Sure, there have been several "Quake-likes" to enter the scene, but this one takes the bloody sponge cake.

Levels are intricate, enemies are abundant and brutal on Medium skill, and I keep finding myself going, "Just a little further. Just another level." And then that level keeps going, and turns into something truly jaw-dropping.

The folks at 3DR may have fumbled Graven a bit, but KillPixel and all those behind the project really let this one cook until it was done to near perfection.

While I am nearly finished with only the first hub, let this be a warning to you: this game is bringin it old-school in the prettiest, new-school kind of way. If you are not prepared for massive levels and tough battles, you had better sit this one out. Its an endurance run, in the best way possible for this kind of game.

Just thought I would throw down a quick, casual, positive review. There are perhaps some issues I could bring up, but I hope to elaborate further some day. Cheers to the devs. This is something to be proud of after such a painful production period.

If anyone is looking for a recommendation for anything similar to Wrath: Aeon of Ruin, or perhaps would like to practice your old FPS chops, check out Arcane Dimensions mod for Quake. Immense levels, incredible action, super creative, atmospheric, mind blowing secrets. Can't go wrong there.

ENJOY, GLHF

Oh Graven, dear Graven. Dear devs who worked on Graven. Dear customer who wants to know if Graven is worth the purchase.
I hate to leave a negative review, particularly right upon release, and since I am only 3+ hours into the first hub.
But...
This game needs work.
I do want to make anyone reading this aware that these are EARLY GAME THOUGHTS, and some critiques of the game overall, from what I have experienced THUS FAR.

Let's just say, in the spirit of Graven itself, the devs have some serious peat to shovel until this game can properly shine.
There are some serious design decisions, or lack thereof, that I take issue with. Until there is substantial tweaking done, or else I subject myself to figuring out just how to progress, I cannot recommend it.

Firstly, the ill-begotten checkpoint system. Yes, everyone has been complaining about it, but for good reason. Quicksaves are a no here, I get that. But why must I be subjected to running all the way back to where I was to begin with before having exited the game previously? It makes it hard for me to want to come back.

Secondly, the map. Or, actually, the blatant absence of one. I usually don't have too much of an issue navigating complex levels, but this is more of an issue of being unsure of where I am even going. It is so, so obvious to me that this is a clear oversight. Either the devs had completely memorized the maps, or just totally forgot to implement them, but this only makes the checkpoint situation worse, and navigation all-the-more confusing. When I read in my 'Journal' to go "there", wherever, say, the "Clotted Alcoves" may be, I feel more like turning the game off than exploring.

This finally brings me to my third major issue. The level design as a whole. As I mentioned before, having come to the "Clotted Alcoves", sans the help of a map, I have been asked in my 'Journal', to find the Totems used by Cultists in the area, so as to complete a puzzle. But there seem to be hints at the foot of the puzzle. And I scour the entirety of the "Clotted Alcoves" two or three times wondering just where I am being pointed to. This is without even mentioning that there are plenty (and I mean PLENTY) of inaccessible areas that seem to warrant returning with items/abilities I do not yet have. Now, this would be fine, if I only could find the trail of breadcrumbs to progress through the area I AM allowed in. I get the sense that the sprawling ruins are "Fromsoft-esque", but it is hard to find any answers as to how to proceed. It just feels as though the level designer did not get feedback. Who knows, maybe all my answers can be found at the shops. Maybe I screwed up.

Overall, I would say the experience of playing Graven is akin to finding yourself in a strange new-world, only no one tells you to "follow the yellow brick road", or even what direction the "City of Oz" is in. I just feel directionless.

Similarly, I am none-too sure about the stamina system. It is a literal thorn in my side, and once old-man John Graven runs outta juice, prepare to hear him wheezing for a minute or two, particularly if you are doing literally anything other than standing still. Even your jump is weaker, so you have to wait if you are platforming at all.

The crouch is... deceptive. It barely registers as having lowered your body, and yet you can make smaller gaps than you may first realize. This is so odd that I am certain it isn't intended to be this... poor at conveying its use.

Its still EARLY GAME for me, so take the combat critique with a grain of salt. Spells are really not all that exciting for combat-use, and the kick is fairly ineffective. Combat is fine overall so far, melee combat could be a little more satisfying/deep. The cuff arrow is not very inspiring to use. I believe an FPS can have a great starting weapon, just look at games like Ion Fury (a 3DR joint) and Incision. Great pistols, and as a starting weapon with a similar purpose, it just feels... ineffective.

I HATE the bat things who spew acid. That's it concerning enemies this early into things. I do have legitimate critiques concerning them, however. I dislike how far off they tend to be when they begin attacking, probably to incentivize the purchase of the scope (which I have yet to find). I also don't like how HUGE their acid pools become after a few seconds. See the Scrags from Quake for a similar enemy, who isn't a war criminal. What a role model.

I have been horrifically negative so far, so here are some POSITIVES:
Nothing about this game tells me its a bad game, only that it needs some adjusting and a few changes. This isn't a broken, bad, or waste of a game. In fact, I absolutely LOVE what is going on here, in Graven. Levels are atmospheric, exploration is compelling, art/music is extremely top-notch, Stefan Weyte is killer. But this game just needs some polish.

Here is to 3DRealms, hoping they can pull a classic gem out of the rough. I'm so happy for them that its out. Given all the layoffs and development time, I seriously hope they can improve Graven. It could go far, if pulled off correctly.

In that spirit, as this game continues to get the love and attention it deserves, keep an eye on it, and soon (I hope) I can recommend that you BUY THIS GAME. Until then... probably don't buy it. Unless its on sale.

The name "Incision" is appropriate because of the deep cut it has made into my brain to hack my pleasure center.

It has been awhile since I have played a game that really, really tickles that deep sense of wonder, like playing a game as a child and not knowing the full extent of its world. Not only that, but it is fun, complex, and the music/ambiance is entirely fitting. The speed and degree of air control feels incredible, although the double jump could use some tweaking.

This game is bringing so many beloved gaming experiences to mind: Dusk, Doom, Quake, Silent Hill, even the grisly whimsy (grimsy?) of American McGee's Alice, and the more recent unexplainable disgust and immensity of Cruelty Squad.

Gimme more Smoothbrain, keep cutting to the quick, you have found something that works.

TRULY a modern classic. This game manages to accomplish both a simplicity that a lot of the old school shooters had, while managing to be engaging and with variety in levels, enemies, and weapons. The visuals are incredible, from what I can tell/have heard, the dev used toys for the visuals in this game (?) and it really is just so fun to look at. I applaud the dev(s), and would definitely like to see what else they can conjure up after this!

This is precisely the kind of game I would have loved to play growing up, and they really nailed the whole "Arthurian Knights" vibe in every aspect. Even the music is a welcome change to the 90s midi tracks of Doom to a more epic fantasy soundtrack, with a nice, dark edge. There is a real abundance to secret hunting, great bosses that pull from everything from legend to Monty Python, and really ingenious twists like allowing wooden doors to be chopped down with your weapons. Level design is highly creative, items are well-placed with brilliant purpose, there are plenty of environmental hazards to nimbly avoid, and there seems to be some real thought behind the replay value with the inclusion of a NewGame+ mode (which adds a merchant).

The humor is incredibly tongue-in-cheek and certainly on-par with the shooters of the past. So is the writing, although as most should know, that means it is scant, relying on between-episode text. It really is amazing how the game seems to have been pulled right out of the era that brought us everything from Doom to Heretic, Witchhaven to Hexen (thankfully, its better than Witchhaven by far).

An easy recommendation if you enjoy a timeless romp through cursed lands, killing foul beasts in a straight-forward, no frills but plenty of thrills manner! Have at thee, and go down in Arthurian Legends!