Recent reviews by KitthiX

Whew. Telltale absolutely improved their formula between Jurassic Park (released 2011) and The Walking Dead (released 2012). This title is chock-full of technical issues, cheesy tropes, and obnoxious gameplay.

Technical:
- Gamepad integration is awful. Controller doesn't work with main menu. Inputs are frequently incorrect resulting in unintentional deaths or dialogue choices.
- Sound glitches. Audio is commonly off-track. There are random sounds, which I can only assume are meant to be jump-scares, that play during irrelevant sequences. In addition, the dialogue volume randomly spikes.
- Dialogue loops. Several times the characters repeat dialogue, for no reason.

Story:
+ I actually enjoyed the plot. I even enjoyed the personalities of some characters.
- The character's interactions were awful. Very common tropes, obvious foreshadowing, and weak development. Childish.
- Dialogue choice has no impact on story. Not any different from most Telltale titles, but Jurassic Park doesn't even give you the illusion of choice; there are no choices.

Gameplay:
- Ugh. The QTE's are bad. They feel forced, many are pointless. Any immersion you might have is quickly ruined when tapping LEFT (X) or RIGHT (B) to WALK across a cutscene.
- The music is subpar and I found it very distracting. Sound effects were also poor: the dinosaurs are making cow sounds, what the hell?
- Ranking system? Seriously? It does not belong in a narrative-based game. I'm glad this 'feature' wasn't in any of the newer Telltale titles.

Conclusion:
It's difficult to write a negative review for something that I purchased for pennies. (Telltale Humble Bundle) Regardless, I cannot recommend this game. Perhaps it was special in 2011, but by current standards this game doesn't make the cut.

I was on the fence for this review. I picked the game up cheap from a Humble Bundle. I had low expectations going in but must admit TWD: Michonne will likely get another playthrough.

Pros:

• Michonne is a BAMF. She's a tough ass chick and it's enjoyable to play her.
  
• The combat sequences look fantastic. They're action-packed and exciting.
  
• The atmosphere is great in each episode. Dialogue is on par with other Telltale features.
  
• Enjoyed the introduction and epilogue song.
  
• A couple jump-scares; I enjoyed them.

Cons:

• The story is a bit weak. Michonne's hallucinations offer minimal character growth and detract from the main action.
  
• Extremely short. I played slowly; spoke with everyone, interacted with every object, and finished at 4 hours.
  
• I didn't mind the outcome, but Episode 3 (the Finale) felt lackluster.
  
• A few technical issues. There were long load/save times potentially caused by the cloud feature.
  
• Unskippable cutscenes. I know this is nitpicky, but developers should know better.

My party took the wagon on a cruise across fields, rivers, deserts, and mountains. We explored mummy tombs, fought piranhas underwater, and visited outer-space. Cody found love after he ate some mushrooms. I was gored to death by a unicorn's horn.

10/10 for super and amazing.

Quite a neat game. I'm not a big fan of platformers, but Teslagrad had just the right amount of puzzle, challenge, and story. I picked up Teslagrad in a recent Humble Monthly Bundle and have enjoyed playing through it the last couple of days.

The puzzles and rooms themselves are fairly clever with beautiful artwork and pleasant music to match. The storytelling is stylish and subtle; in fact, there really is no parts of the story you're forced into following. Instead, the game offers interesting backdrop with artwork and puppet shows that are just enough to pique one's curiosity.

The platforming has some flaws. In particular the character doesn't feel as responsive as it should, and for some reason the controls aren't auto-mapped. I can see how some people could be frustrated with one-hit deaths, especially since the boss fights can be unforgiving and tedious until the mechanics are learned. Aside from those little tid-bits, I have no complaints whatsoever with the game.

If you're looking for a metroidvania puzzle-platformer with quality visuals, I definitely recommend Teslagrad.

TL;DR: If you're the type that can admire a well-crafted and stylish world over flawless action, then I recommend you pick up Remember Me.

I just completed a blind playthrough of Remember Me. I had never heard of the game before and only picked it up because it was included in the most recent Humble Bundle. I'm very pleased because I was able to enjoy a game that I otherwise would have completely skipped over.

From the futuristic Neo-Paris penthouses to the dark and blood-streaked slums, Remember Me is quite aesthetically appealing. There is only one HUD element and it remains hidden unless in combat. The special effects and soundtrack match exceptionally well to the world. The game has unique style and an impressive amount of attention to detail. It is rare for an action game to be so focused on ambience and aesthetics. That focus is why Remember Me was so enjoyable.

The gameplay itself has some shortcomings, though. The camera can be frustrating at times and you're limited to about four combinations. There is some variability with how the combos can be set up, but largely you'll be mashing X/Y and dodging relentlessly. The game is also very linear. There is no exploration other than the occasional dead-end detour hiding a collectible. Finally, the unskippable cutscenes are a travesty of proper game design.

The combat is redeemed through a few clever elements. There is a feature where you can reconfigure your combos to heal, reduce cooldowns, or strike more powerfully. There are also activated abilities called S-Pressens which have varying effects such as turning invisible, stunning enemies, or causing a large explosion. The ranged weapon also adds some utility and combat value. Enemies throughout the game (and several bosses) might require a mixture of all the above.

I would rather emphasize the characteristics that make a game memorable than lament a combat system that is otherwise forgettable. I really enjoyed Remember Me. While I wouldn't pay full price for the game, it was an absolute steal at bundle/sale price.

This game is fantastic! Tales from the Borderlands has cemented itself as my favorite Telltale game.

I've played through all of the Borderlands games and Telltale has captured the atmosphere of the franchise perfectly. The story is exciting; complete with witty dialogue, plenty of action, and loads of humor. The pacing is excellent, your choices/dialogue have impact on the story (rare for Telltale), and the characters have surprising depth.

It's absolutely brilliant narrative that will keep you engaged and chuckling throughout. If you're a fan of Borderlands, I highly recommend this. If you've never played Borderlands it might be difficult for you to understand the background, but I would still recommend Tales from the Borderlands over any other Telltale title.

This is the first negative review I have ever written on Steam, please bare with me.

I consider myself a Telltale fan; I've played through The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, and Tales from the Borderlands. I enjoyed each of them immensely. I've loved every book in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. I've avidly watched every season of HBO's Game of Thrones. This purchase was a no-brainer for me and I was really looking forward to it.

After completion, I spent hours contemplating if there was anything I enjoyed about this game. The game is depressing. It makes you feel miserable and powerless. It becomes a struggle not to detach because of frequent, inescapable brutality.

The choices force players to pick between humiliations. Will you grovel pitifully or accept a beating? The outcome is the same regardless of your choice. So which is more enjoyable: watching your face get bashed in or demeaning yourself? This doesn't just happen once; it happens every single episode.

There is no silver lining. The most enjoyable choice a player could make is not to play.

One down, two to go.

The Witcher was a great playthrough, I'm happy that I chose to experience the first before moving onto the second. I realize I'm late to the party, as the original Witcher came out in 2007, almost 8 years before writing this review. With that said, The Witcher doesn't feel like an out-of-date game. The graphics are still quite beautiful. What I can tell from completing The Witcher is that it had some direct effect on more modern RPGs.

Witcher brings an adult-theme to gaming. Here you make your choices and face the consequences of those choices. There is no scale of right or wrong. You are the scale of right or wrong. Your past decisions and the occasional sprinkling of regret are what shape your future actions throughout the story.

The Witcher has very little hand holding for quests and objectives. It's actually required that you pay attention, follow the dialogue, and consider priorities. The story is driven by interaction, not cutscenes. It truly is a breath of fresh air for someone who wants to be immersed in another world. This requires the player to have that interest: you can't mindlessly blunder your way to the ending.

As for the gameplay... If there is anything that should be overstated, it's that you should take your time. I spent 30+ hours in the Witcher, on the hardest difficulty, and I still feel like I don't understand many of the concepts. There are a multitude of customization options to alter your experience. This partially causes some awkwardness with the combat system, particularly with combat controls. I personally played Over-The-Shoulder(OTS) because I felt much more directly involved with the world than either isometric camera.

The hardest difficulty makes preparation necessary, which definitely adds a dimension to the combat. Knowing how to approach your enemies, researching your foe, utilizing your potions and the proper technique is half the battle. If you've developed your signs or bombs, this adds another dimension. Without that extra difficulty the combat is pretty simplistic, revolving primarily around appropriate clicking for attack combos. There is awkwardness from the controls; even during the epilogue I found myself swapping weapons or signs improperly. It caused some rather obnoxious deaths.

The inventory management is spectacular, simple, effective, easily one of the best I've had the pleasure of using. The same can be said for the crafting/alchemy panels. The journal and glossary are perfectly organized and easily accessible. They provide useful information including direction, extra lore, character knowledge, pictures, and even combat tactics. Character development (leveling up) has a plethora of options which allow for customization based on playstyle. I personally disliked that I couldn't keep Geralt well-rounded, but I can see how this adds replay value.

The plot is hunt down the bad guy and do some Witcher work on the side. Despite my intention to remain neutral in the ever growing conflict, I eventually chose a side. The side quests were my favorite aspect and where I spent the majority of my time. I had two obvious options for pursuing romances, but neither appealed to me. I must have slept with 30+ different people, which is practically its own mini-game. Speaking of mini-games, the extra hunt targets, fistfights and dice poker were entertaining.

The Witcher's world is still fresh and beautiful. The day/night cycle, weather effects, and other environment aspects are done masterfully. These effects directly change the world, for example: NPCs will remain indoors during the evenings or heavy rainstorms. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

TL;DR - I highly recommend this game, even in 2015.

Strangely relaxing hidden object and puzzle game about insects. It took me an hour and a half to play through the story. Soothing music, pretty visuals, all-in-all I had a pleasant experience. Pick it up on sale or in a bundle, then go ahead and play through while you're farming your cards; you won't regret it. :)

TL;DR: I was raised on this game. It will forever be my favorite PC game of all time. I would hide under my covers, way past my bedtime, as my older brother played through the night. It gave me horrid nightmares as an 8 year old. :)

The following is an excerpt from an email I wrote to my older brother on 8/26/11: (spoilers below)

"Over 15 years ago we began an extermination of an alien threat known as the ‘Terror from the Deep.’ I am proud to inform you that our mission was completed in a “Superhuman”-ly fashion at 0100 hours this morning.

CAPT KDW “Da Bomb” lead a team of advanced X-COM aquanauts through the abyssal depths of T’leth. CDR Leviticus, LCDR Sigourney Weaver, and LT Tommy Lee Jones destroyed the final life-support pillars and personally escorted the alien mastermind to the gates of hell.

It took 11 months to research and build the Leviathan. In the final month of December, 5 to 12 USOs were detected and engaged daily. From January 2040 (X-COM’s formation) the aliens conducted twice-per-month artefact sites, shipping routes, terror sites, and X-COM base assault missions. Though an alien colony was eliminated for every month beyond June, the entire globe was littered with half a dozen known sites.

This wasn't my first attempt. The original X-COM had a glitch that reset the difficulty to Beginner. The true Superhuman difficulty makes TFTD pretty darn difficult. Add on the fantastic modifications from XCOM UTIL, you face a formidable foe. Here are some of my most notable struggles:

**Base defense, first month.** Initial layout is nearly impossible to defend. Aquatoids use Mind Control. Thermal tazers are required to neutralize your own soldiers. Calcinite (deep sea diver) take 20+ rounds of Gauss Rifle.
**Terror attack, first month.** Live Deep One or BUST. Period.
**First Lobsterman encounter.** I am convinced that it is impossible to kill a lobsterman with gauss technology. They take a minimum 2-3 rounds of Sonic Cannon.
**First shipping route or artefact site.** Even the weakest alien soldiers have better than 100% aimed shot. The cyberdisk (bio-drone) and triscene (dinosaur) are by far the biggest challenge in the game. I have never seen either one miss and both can fire 5+ shots in a single reaction or turn. I’m not sure if they can be mind-controlled (I never broke 100+ MC skill) but they both can move across the entire map to destroy your squad. The bio-drone’s death explosion is lethal even with Mag. Ion Armour. The triscene is probably the most rare creature in the game, fortunately. No exaggeration here: the triscene will absorb 20+ rounds of sonic cannon before it dies on Superhuman.
**Medium to Very Large USOs.** Basically requires Sonic Oscillator. Barracudas often get blown to bits or can’t keep up. Without the advanced weaponry, this effectively ends your game within the month they begin appearing.

There were other difficulties; most of them dealing with Molecular Control / Research / Financial. So – what was the ultimate secret of my success?

1. Hand-to-Hand. This was the best tactic and the ultimate key to my success. Half my squad was equipped with Sonic Pistol / Thermal Lance. The thermal lance costs about 8 TU’s, has 100% accuracy, and turns lobsters into meatloaf. The sonic pistol is extremely underestimated and in my opinion the best overall weapon in the game.

2. Research. Weapons, Armor, MC, Submersibles. Proper order is essential. If researched improperly, you cannot complete the game.

3. Manufacture. Technicians can make certain items (Gauss Cannon, Particle Disturbance Sensor) for profit. With a permanent manufacture base, money is never an issue, only sponsorship to avoid losing the game.

4. SWS (Tanks). They die so easily, but they are by far the most effective scouts. Plus replaceable!

5. Aquanauts. I hired over 300 soldiers over the course of the game. Every initial statistic should be over 40, especially reaction, otherwise your soldier is just cannon fodder. MC strength needs to be a minimum of 80. Any soldier vulnerable to mind control was sacked or sent into USOs with primed sonic pulsers.

Instead of having a full squadron armed with cannons, I found diversity is best. There is no reason to leave anyone in the ship, ever. MC specialists (as many as possible!!!) should be equipped with pistols and following your scouts. When in doubt, nothing beats the old elevator trick or blasting away entire ships with the Disruptor Pulse Launcher. I was surprised to find that the traditionally difficult Tentaculant (STINKIN’ BRAIN) were relatively easy to kill. Their only real threat potential is their knack for sneaking around the battleground unnoticed. Once you’re well equipped, or have mind control, the game is simply an endurance challenge, regardless of difficulty."

Soon, OpenXcom will release TFTD support. I'm anxious to jump back into this game and try some of the truly difficult challenges: No Psionics, Ironman, Aggressive/Sneaky AI, the works. Thanks for sharing in my passion. :)