Hawke64

Finished Blue Fire. Managed to die once to the second-to-final boss. Defeated the final boss on the first attempt, but I doubt that I would be able to do so without looking up the guide after burning through a half of the healing items (the jumping outside of the arena part was unconventional, to put it politely). Overall, the game is fine, but rather light on the story and has some odd gameplay design (the wall-running controls and the sense of depth, in particular). Review:

I loved the game and I am happy to see that Obsidian are not going to worsen its performance or force me to download the content I cannot use. Considering that they did mess up the critical path in PoEII in one of the last updates, seeing that this is optional and, to be completely safe, paid is a relief. Which also reminds me that I wanted to replay both of them (PoEII before the "Ultimate" update, of course).

The Forgotten City. The game looks gorgeous on medium settings, and there is a photo mode.

The Forgotten City. Replayed the beginning as a soldier (had a gun and 10 bullets), discovered that a. (most of) the NPC don't have their keys on them (e.g. Horatius, the Philosopher, Desius) and b. the bullets can stop the shooting golden statues. So still had fun with it, though would prefer to be able to get the keys.

The Forgotten City. Completed the game. It is an excellent adventure game with immersive sim elements - the investigation makes sense, the writing and dialogues are consistent and fitting, the controls and movement are comfortable, the combat is present yet non-intrusive.

Completed Lamentum. It is a horror adventure game with combat. The main character arrives at an old mansion with his wife in hopes of saving her. Then something goes wrong, and the amnesiac protagonist spends the rest of the game looking for her in the mansion overrun by the undead. The more-talkative inhabitants of the mansion can provide assistance or hinder his search. Unfortunately, it is not possible to knife the suspicious but not outright hostile NPC. On the other hand, there are several weapons to dispose of the visible monsters, though combat in general is somehow clunky - there is delay between pressing the dodge button and the MC dodging and the weapons found later in the game, while more powerful, are also slower. The lack of rebindable controls does not help. The boss battles are unavoidable and reasonably challenging. But the bosses are not the only obstacle. Most of the puzzles are logical and there is enough information to solve them, thus gaining access to other parts of the mansion. The maps have to be found and are reasonably helpful - they show the current objective, discovered save points (the game uses manual saving at checkpoints), opened paths, and the current location. What they do not show is whether everything has been collected, and there are no maps for some of the areas, which is related to the several flaws of the game - the inventory space is limited and there are missable items that affect the endings. While it is possible to achieve a reasonably satisfying one, the "best" ending requires collecting several missable barely visible items, some of which in the temporary accessible areas without maps. Some of the less important items are hidden behind the environment as well. The graphics, sound, and GUI are good. Overall, recommended despite the above-mentioned issues. Started Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth-. The game looks gorgeous, the movement is fluid and the controls are rebindable, though the mouse is not supported. As I understand, the story is a prequel or a sequel of an anime series.

Alaloth.

Played for 2 hours and requested a refund. It is a hack and slash action game. You get attribute points from clearing combat zones. There are character customisation and AI-controlled companions, but no dialogue choices, non-combat skills, or tactical combat (can't give commands to the companions or pause). One save slot per character.

Started Alaloth. It gives me the "Diablo with stamina" impression so far, but the store page claims similarity to Pillars of Eternity. Has anyone played and/or completed it? Blue Fire. Reached the Steam House and got 3 (out of 4) McGuffins. In general, despite the level design and story, the action/platforming-focused gameplay is quite enjoyable, even if simplistic. The penalty for falling into lava is also very low - 1/4 of a heart (I think, you start with 5-6 and obtain one more for every challenge room completed) and returning to the nearest safe platform, except for the challenge room, which return to the last checkpoint within the room.

Not exactly news, but RockPaperShotgun has been covering noteworthy independent games about magic this week. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/celebrate-magical-games-of-witchcraft-and-wizardry-with-magic-week-on-rps https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-last-spells-magic-ruined-the-world-and-im-so-here-for-it Considering the volume and quality of the new releases on Steam, it is most welcome.

Blue Fire. Reached the Lava River, defeating 2 main bosses on the way. It is a metroidvania, after all. The level design even in terms of gameplay has become noticeably odd - in many cases I was not sure if I was on the right path (clipped through a wall once). The story came to the "gather 4 McGuffins" (a knight's soul fragments) part with the MC being the chosen one. In general, the story is certainly present, but somehow as generic as it can be. Same with the combat - it is there, but poorly made. The character development system includes the HP (for completing the platforming challenges), MP (for XP from combat), damage (the swords found), and passive abilities (e.g. higher movement speed or negating the falling damage). On the other hand, the robes (the only aspect of visual customisation) are somehow amusing, though they do not provide any gameplay advantage. Replaying Shadow of the Colossus. It is an excellent and concise action game - only the Colossi to slay, no gathering/crafting/trash mobs, no Assassin's Creed-like icon hunting. Also, the aiming somehow much more comfortable than in Uncharted, though less comfortable than it would be with a mouse.

Started Gamedec (it's been on my wishlist for some time, but I've got it during EGS giveaway). It is an RPG, but dialogue-focused and without a combat system. The graphics are nice, and the fixed camera angle and position are welcome. There are several character customisation options (also several premade PCs, including the MC from another game), though allocating the stats before the Professions (i.e. the thing you need the stats for) are known seemed rather odd. The dialogues have some easily noticeable typos, and the general quality of writing, while adequate, is lower than in Disco Elysium. On the other hand, it does not have RNG skill checks - you either have the information/Profession/previous action or you don't, which is brilliant. The dialogue options provide some space for roleplay, but they also required to earn stats (the stat-giving options are marked only after they have been chosen) to unlock more dialogue options. I think, there is an overarching story, though I am in the middle of the second case, and it does not seem anyhow connected to the previous one. The journal and the Deduction (decisions?) pages could give more context, but decent otherwise. I probably will pause the playthrough for now. Started Blue Fire. It is a platformer, which I had thought to be a metroidvania. The controls are partially rebindable and comfortable. The graphical settings are lacking, but the game is heavily stylised (the MC looks like a balloon with a cape). The location design is fine for a platformer - does not quite make sense in terms of realism, with the Void (challenge rooms) having floating platforms with spikes.

Despite it neither being isometric nor having a silent protagonist (i.e. less resources would be wasted on decreasing roleplay options in an RPG), it sounds generally fine. Console-orientated controls handle tactical combat poorly either way, and a hub has been around for some time. While the game originally seems to have MP elements, at least it is single-player now, and hopefully single-player only.

Same. It was fixed in DSR, which was a much more enjoyable experience. In the later FormSoftware games (I think, from DS3 onwards) there was full KB+M support, from 5-button mice to the correct on-screen prompts. I would like to play Demon's Souls on PC as well, though due to it being a PS# (4? 5?) exclusive, it is unlikely. Bloodborne also would be welcome, but it seems to require quite quick reaction time. In general, the input device is a personal preference and the only possible issue is the quality of the port, not the game's features (granted, I doubt that grand strategies or FPS are fun with controllers, but it is not impossible to optimise them). I find playing anything with a controller much harder than with KB+M/KB only. The current frame of reference are Dragon's Dogma (a perfect PC port) and Prince of Persia (2008; some QTEs are extremely hard to complete with controller).

Expeditions: Rome. The location design is impressive, considering the perspective. Also, the surface effects, which are somehow more user-friendly than in DOS2. The timers are not so much. The dialogues are interesting. Not quite "I don't like you. Die!", though.

DS2 v.2 is somehow more diverse yet consistent than DS2 v.1 in terms of enemy encounters and item locations, at least. I've heard that the lore-friendly reason why the areas are seem to be taped together is that the PC is losing their memories due to the Undead Curse. The out-of-universe reason is the developers running out of funds and time, as far as I know. DS3 has a similar location structure to DS2, but with a more clearly articulated in-game explanation (the resting places of the Lords of Cinder are the only things to remain while the world is collapsing into itself) and definitely not due to the deadlines. I think, Sekiro is the only other FromSoftware game on PC that had an interconnected world similar to DS1, though the "paths" are still more linear than in DS1. Expeditions: Rome. Conquered the first area, only the story quests left. The general opinion (better combat, but more bloat and RNG than in Vikings) has not changed.

I'd say that ME3 lacked the player's agency regarding the MC (the whole Earth thing - none of the backgrounds would see it as anything more than a prison, but especially the PTSD dreams; I'd be more sympathetic if it was a pyjak the MC accidentally ran over in the first game) and the Cerberus plotline was somehow odd (Kai Leng and the BBG's long monologue at the end; the latter was thematically justifiable but nonetheless irritating). I somehow disliked the insinuation that the uncontrolled military "doing what needs to be done at any cost" is an anyhow good thing, but it might be the logical continuation from the first game and the Spectres. Would prefer to be able to swap Hackett for anything else or at least purposefully disconnect mid-call, though. Structurally and in terms of pacing, ME3 seemed fine, the gameplay had not changed much from ME2, most of the story lines got some conclusion. Some side quests were timed and it was reasonable to complete them (e.g. so the opponents don't gain resources).

Finished Uncharted 3. I suppose, it was somehow entertaining - the locations and graphics in general looked good, though the story, combat, and controls varied from ridiculous to horrible. I managed to punch my way through most of the opponents, because it was nearly impossible to aim with a controller. Binding the grab attack and rolling to the same button was a rather unwise decision by the developers, even taking the general lack of keys into account. The MC was completely unable to plan anything beyond "Nate wants the treasure", while murdering hordes of evil minions and destroying historical buildings. The said minions had no self-preservation, but were able to almost literally rain from the sky. The pacing in general was quite good in the beginning, but descended into arena battles in the late game. I guess, if it was a parody of the American action movies from the 90s, it was successful.

MEA has jetpacks and a controllable car. And the Vaults (more platformer-like sequences). Also the MC not being a part of the military was refreshing, considering ME3. DAI certainly was very enjoyable when I had more time and the ability to focus. Tried replaying it for the 3rd or 4th time a year ago on Hard with some of the new difficulty options enabled. The combat was satisfying (everything could one-hit you), but there was too much of it (and exploration). A more concise (DAO/2) presentation would be preferable. Haven't played Anthem, not fond of online-only DRM and looter-shooters in general. After playing Expeditions: Rome a bit more the lack of maps and the presence of RNG and timers on activities (e.g. crafting, healing, resource capturing) are becoming more irritating, but the tactical combat is engaging enough. On another note, I missed the control and the exact numbers in DAI ("We don't have enough people to storm the castle" "How many people do we have? The ones at the courtyard?"), but in Rome the very same things feel overwhelming. I would prefer to know them still, but also to give the legion more general directions (e.g. to capture all resources in a conquered region, instead of clicking on each one then waiting), while micromanaging only the major battles.

Completed Momodora - Reverie Under the Moonlight. I suppose, it was decent, though the combination of saving system and insta-killing environmental hazards was unpleasant, and the no-damage boss battle rewards puzzling. Also the contact damage. It should not exist unless the foe is covered in spikes. The graphics, sound, and controls were good. The story was there and it was enough to explain why the MC goes on a murder spree, but nothing exceptional. The combat and character development were rather minimalistic and too much focused on the bow - there were several upgrades for it and only one for the melee weapon, which apparently determined the ending. After some progress in Expeditions: Rome the positive changes from Viking became more apparent - the looting system (you can loot multiple corpses in one click, there are less containers with generic materials in general) and the companion interactions (you can ask them about the missions completed, though the replies are rather limited). The combat system is definitely more fluid and engaging (some abilities that can be used without spending an action point, some class-specific, some equipment-specific; though the latter, equipment stats in general, are RNG-reliant, which is unpleasant). Also most of the management and some of the customisation options are bound to the Legion Management.

Expeditions: Rome. An RPG. I've just started, but so far, while definitely better-looking, it seems less than Viking - less options for character creation and all lines are voiced, though I do prefer class-based systems to the classless ones. The combat system allows to recover the action spent if you killed an "untrained" opponent, so it might be possible to have quite a few turns in a row. I am curious whether Rome has any general narrative theme. I think, it was that while the environment affects one's opportunities, there is personal choice in Viking. Edit. Completed 2 missions. There is no mini-map, which is inconvenient, and all skills seem to be combat-related - no Diplomacy, Leadership, or Crafting. There is a dialogue-related skill (3 to choose from; all have only 1 level, so you either have it or you don't), but I am unsure how much impact it has. It is possible that crafting and wound treatment are bound to the legion management part of the game, which I have not reached yet, but found crafting resources and dismantled some equipment. The Forgotten City. An adventure game. Looks and runs well. There are some character customisation options, which are welcome, though I am unsure if having 10 bullets is better than sprinting 25% longer. Also, it the second game in the Roman setting from GOG that gave me an error during installation - they seem to use the C drive to install, regardless of the final destination, and there was not enough space on mine. Momodora. After taking a quite long break I forgot some peculiarities of the game. Mostly that spikes are an instant death. Still, I was able to defeat Derelict Frida without taking damage on the second attempt, though the following boss, the Witch, took more time. Frida's accessory and charging the bow helped a lot. I am also starting to think that the MC might actually be an archer - there has been no upgrades for the melee weapon, but several to improve the fire rate and the bow's damage.

Expeditions: Viking. Completed the game with a reasonably good ending. Overall, it was a good if simple RPG. The difficulty curve was rather steep, but it was possible to lessen some of the gameplay aspects (mostly, management). The story was branching, the dialogue options meaningful, the choices reflected in subsequent events, some RNG present but nothing critical (mostly the hostile archers' critical hits and random events). While completely avoiding combat was impossible, non-lethal takedowns were mostly acknowledged in quests. Terfenstein 3D. A hardcore retro FPS. Successfully reached the second level and discovered that there were no "hard" saves, only checkpoints within one game session. While I appreciate the game conceptually, I also appreciate the options provided in the more modern FPS (with the last played being Titanfall 2, I'd say that my skills at them are quite limited).

As far as I know, some characters may cause errors. In particular, parentheses and quotation marks.

Neversong. Completed the game. It was a puzzle-platformer with horror elements. I suppose, the graphics and design were nice, but all other aspects of the game, from the story (the symbolism was fine, the story itself was rather unpleasant) to the platforming part of the gameplay (the controls were not rebindable, in many cases I could not tell whether I was misunderstanding the objective, jumping at a wrong time, or it was a bug with the physics) to the combat system (the hitboxes were odd, but almost everything dropped HP-restoring items on death, bosses on every 20% health depleted) to the settings (none in-game, but it was possible to open the Unity settings menu to select the graphics preset with VSync enabled, because otherwise the FPS were reaching 4 digits). Also, all lines were voice-acted and reasonably well (children and poems were supposed to sound odd, I assume). The only story-related thing that I liked was a boss remarking about the loot and skipping the battle, which was slightly 4th-wall-breaking, but amusing. In general, absolutely not recommended.

Dishonored is free on Epic Games Store this week. https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/dishonored-definitive-edition