The page is for truncated reviews and impressions. Here’s why:
- You don’t have time to read a lengthy 1000-word review.
- There are too many games, and not enough time to write up a full review for each one.
- You want to get a quick sense of the game, and/or my taste in games.
- I still want to give impressions on a game, even if I did not fully complete it.
Full reviews will still be written as time permits, and can always be found via the category search.
Updated – Nov. 11th, 2019
2019 Update Log
11.11 – Updated a few games, recent and upcoming.
09.21 – Untitled Goose Game added.
09.15 – Gears 5 updated.
This table is best viewed in landscape view on mobile.09.21 – Untitled Goose Game added.
09.15 – Gears 5 updated.
| Title | Review / Impressions: | Summary Results: |
|---|---|---|
Release Date: 11.19.2019 Entry updated: --.--.---- Est. % Played: -- | *** I played Shenmue 1 & 2 decades ago on the Dreamcast. Looking forward to this third game. | Score: - out of 10 Grade: - |
Release Date: 11.15.2019 Entry updated: --.--.---- Est. % Played: -- | *** Finally. A purely single-player Star Wars game. Looking forward to it. | Score: - out of 10 Grade: - |
Release Date: 11.08.2019 Entry updated: 11.11.2019 Est. % Played: -- | *** I skipped this game after watching some gameplay. I will play it later once it goes on discount. It also sounded like a very long game, so I'll leave this one in the backlog. | Score: - out of 10 Grade: - |
Release Date: 10.31.2019 Entry updated: 11.11.2019 Est. % Played: Beat the game twice | The 2019 installment of Luigi's Mansion. I have never played the other LM games, so I can't compare how this version is better/worse. The game and presentation is what I expect from a high quality Nintendo game. Gameplay is diverse and full of variety. You'll have to think about how to defeat some different ghosts and bosses. There's not a whole lot of story here, but I think everything else picks up the slack. Towards the end of the game there is some obvious padding that is not fun. It involves having to chase a ghost cat around the hotel. Vacuuming up money, gold bars, ghosts, and debris really never gets old. I played through it once to beat it, and once more for the Luigi's Mansion 3 Walkthrough. | Score: 7.5 out of 10 Grade: - +Presentation +Good variety in gameplay elements -Some obvious padding |
Release Date: 09.19.2019 Entry updated: 11.11.2019 Est. % Played: 100% | I waited. I waited until after the initial high wore off before assessing this game. It's a perfect 10 out of 10. Everything about this game is an absolute delight. From the music, to the art style, to the arcade gameplay. The combination creates such a unique user experience that reaches euphoric levels. Music is such a strong component that is often overlooked in gaming experience. If you enjoy dreamy pop-syth tunes, you'll like this game. The first and only game to get a Superb grade. | Score: 10 out of 10 Grade: S - Superb +Great soundtrack +Great art style +voiced by Queen Latifah |
Release Date: 09.27.2019 Entry updated: 11.11.2019 Est. % Played: Beat the game | I was hoping this game would come with a decent story, but ultimately it just falls flat. A lot of the game has to do with memories and friendships, but a lot of the relationships are unearned. There's not sufficient build-up -- a lot of it was recalled in these memories fragments, but this has little lasting effect or emotional investment. The combat is simply okay. Nothing really special during normal exploration with basic enemies. The partner makes the experience more palatable. Going alone would have been dreadfully boring. CODE VEIN doesn't do a whole lot to make itself stand out. The truth is, it never excels in any one particular area. | Score: 7 out of 10 Grade: B - Slightly positive +Great character creator +Lots of customizations, skills, abilities, partners -Combat may be a mixed bag for some -Forgettable, unearned story |
Release Date: 09.20.2019 Entry updated: 09.21.2019 Est. % Played: Completed 4 times | You want to play as a mischievous goose? Well here it is. This is a game you play when you want something short that doesn't require learning deep gameplay systems. No need to worry about having 3 lives or dying; the townsfolk in the game can't kill Goose. The worst they can do is shoo you away from certain areas. So you can feel free to mess with things. You have a To-Do list in the game that you need to check off in order to progress through the town. They range from fetch quest-type to requirements that need a bit more ingenuity. It's all very good fun. Unfortunately the actions you can take as a Goose are super limited, which affects the longevity. You can complete this game in 2 hours on a first run. I don't consider game length alone; I believe the quality of the game should also be a factor. But the price at $15 may be too high for some. I definitely recommend the game, but perhaps it's easier to stomach at a sale price. There is also additional to-do lists after completing the main game. "Untitled Goose Game is a fun, clever, no-commitment game that has universal appeal." | Score: 8 out of 10 (FINAL) Grade: B - Slightly positive +Easy to get into +Mischievous fun +Engaging the entire way through -Limited available actions -High price for short playtime |
Release Date: 09.10.2019 Entry updated: 09.15.2019 Est. % Played: 100% of campaign | Best Gears campaign so far. Pacing is good. Gameplay is super refined/responsive, FUN, and always challenging. They added new mechanics to keep things fresh. They took the criticism of Gears 4 being too safe and took some risks in this one. This is one of the highlights of 2019. 9 out of 10 only for the campaign; I have not touched the multiplayer. | Score: 9 out of 10 A - Very positive +Best Gears gameplay ever +Top-class visuals and framerate +Better, more engaging story than Gears 4 -Story is fast-tracked; unrealistic or unearned character development |
Release Date: 08.30.2019 Entry updated: 09.10.2019 Est. % Played: ~5 hours | I estimate that I have played through about 75% of the game so far. I am having a hard time finding the motivation to play this one. It takes far too long for the story to hook (I still really don't care), and none of the characters are interesting. For a game that doesn't lean much on the gameplay, you need to captivate IMMEDIATELY. This game fails to do that. It relies on cheap jump scare moments, which makes me realize they designed this more as a party game. The 'shared-experience' is not for me. I just want a good single-player story-driven game. I cannot recall a single redeeming moment, and do not recommend. | Score: 3 out of 10 Grade: F - Extremely negative +Good sleep aid -Boring, unlikable characters -Flat and boring story |
Release Date: 08.30.2019 Entry updated: --.--.---- Est. % Played: -- | *** Placeholder thoughts: Looks like a typical first-person horror game. I don't have high expectations, so I can only be impressed. | Score: - out of 10 Grade: - |
Release Date: 08.30.2019 Entry updated: 09.10.2019 Est. % Played: 1 hour | I've only played through the first mission so there's still a lot left to take in. The combat will take some getting used to. I'm hoping there is still some depth to the gameplay to be discovered. | Score: - out of 10 Grade: B - Slightly positive +Stylish +Top-notch presentation +Good to decent music |
Release Date: 08.26.2019 Entry updated: -08.26.2019 Est. % Played: I beat the main story. 68% trophies unlocked. | I have completed the main story of the game. The gameplay is excellent once you get all of the abilities. Lots of notes, documents, videos/media for anyone wanting to get invested into this world; it's very detailed. CONTROL starts off decently, maybe a 7 but elevates up to an 8 or 9 towards the end. Technical issues prop up occasionally in the game; some fights are intense and will drop the framerate down. Some other issues with in-game menus. Even though you have a lot of powers, you can still easily die, which makes it challenging throughout. But once everything clicks, it's awesome. | Score: 8.5 out of 10 Grade: A - Very positive +Excellent gameplay +Very detailed world +Good pacing +Interesting characters -Technical issues (on v. 1.02) |
Release Date: 08.26.2019 Entry updated: --.--.---- Est. % Played: -- | *** Placeholder thoughts: Interesting game from a notable developer. Games that try something different are always on my radar. It's a break from the typical mainstream game. | Score: - out of 10 Grade: - |
Release Date: 08.19.2019 Entry updated: 08.26.2019 Est. % Played: Completed game. | I've been keeping on eye on this game for a while, back when it was initially revealed to be played via PlayLink -- the mobile app which Hidden Agenda also used. The game is $10. Unfortunately, the story isn't all that deep or interesting, due to the short length. The performances don't shine bright enough for this to be a lasting memory. There are different choices you can make, but there's just not enough supporting narrative to be really invested. I don't recommend. Get it on sale for $5 or less. | Score: 4 out of 10 Grade: D - Slightly negative +Cheap price -Shallow, uninteresting story -Not the best acting performances |
Release Date: 06.25.2019 Entry updated: 08.04.2019 Est. % Played: 100% (Platinum obtained) | For the first half of the game, I looked past all the technical issues in the game. Framerate drops, clipping, long load screens, etc. Characters are interesting and odd. Charles Reed looks like Dr. House, and sounds like Spike Spiegel. Oakmont is populated by lots of NPCs, which makes the world come alive. You get to choose some choices along the way, and decide some fates. I was engaged in reloading my save and trying to see what happens during the other path. After beating the game, my feelings have changed. The game ends abruptly after the final scene. You don't get to see how your choices affect the characters involved. Choices without ramifications are meaningless. The ending not being fleshed out also made me immediately discard any attachment to this game or it's character. In the end, it's a very forgettable game. | Score: 6 out of 10 (FINAL) Grade: D - Slightly negative +Interesting characters +Voice acting -Technical issues -Forgettable story -Choices don't matter |
Metrics Explained
Entry Updated – These reviews/impressions are fluid. This means scores, impressions, can and will change, and are updated as progress is made.
Est. % Played – This is the estimated percentage completed, or estimated time (in hours).
Score – The score is fluid and can change, until finalized. I rate on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 0.5 increments). Games are ranked within the same genre (not universally).
Titles within a certain genre tend to increase the benchmark or standard for all future games within that genre. Games that have not had a substantial percentage completed are typically not scored, out of fairness.
Grade – This is my own personal feeling on the game (as per the date of entry), measured by letter grades.
- A – Very positive
- B – Slightly positive
- C – Neutral
- D – Slightly negative
- F – Very negative
This is separate from Scores, because a low-ranking game can still exude charm or potential that a score cannot convey. Lower scores tend to give way to unreasonable and immediate dismissal.
Conversely, a higher-ranking game can be technically sound in all areas but can leave a bad taste — with a persistence presence of microtransactions, for example.
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