Recent reviews by Blue Velvet

Red Dead Redemption 2 more than lives up to its reputation as a perfect game. A flawless example of video games as an art form, with stunning vistas to look at in awe, a captivating narrative that rivals the best films ever made, and unforgettable moments that will have you sipping your whiskey lost in thought.
As a massive fan of the western genre, it hits all the right spots, with a slower paced story that builds up, giving time for character development and for attachments to form. The gameplay doesn't let down either with every moment being a joy, whether its getting in gunfights that feel straight out of something Clint Eastwood or John Wayne would get into, hunting down big game to make money selling hides, or simply exploring the vast open world and seeing what I can find.
I almost never used fast travel, as every second on the road with my horse was another second I could appreciate the beauty of this game.
Cannot recommend enough. Do yourself a favour and set aside the time to play this perfect work of art. 10/10

Engaging and immersive experience. Deep interlocking mechanics and systems combine to create a challenging and enjoyable experience that rewards tactical planning and prediction.

Scratches a similar itch for me as Rimworld, with all the route optimisations and base defence aspects, despite being radically different games.

Fun game with mates or solo. I enjoyed the first Risk of Rain, and was sceptical about how well they could port the feeling of it over to 3D for Risk of Rain 2, but the devs pulled it off well. Only complaint is that when playing with mates it quickly becomes a "lose more" game, where once you fall behind you are stuck behind and keep falling farther, while one or two members surge ahead. Despite this, still a pleasant game.