Recent reviews by VN1X

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a surprisingly fun entry-level turn-based strategy game. Some battles can get quite overwhelming (especially on higher difficulties, where they can also take forever to complete) but despite that you never feel like the odds are stacked against you. The puzzle aspect of trying to bump enemies into one another while also managing limited card plays or is an addictive rush.

Everything outside of the combat encounters is awful though. The hub area forces you into "friendship" moments with the angsty heroes who drone on and on about whatever emo nonsense comes to their mind. The writing is mindnumbingly bad, so much so that after the first few conversations I skipped pretty much all of it. The side activities and quests are equally dull—simple, signposted tasks just to grind resources that feels like padding at the best of times.

That said, the production values are top-tier and I had a lot of fun experimenting with different hero combinations along with their abilities. Just do yourself a favor and skip the ridiculous amount of dialogue if you want to keep your sanity.

Lamplighters League is a surprisingly engaging turn-based strategy game that starts off slow but quickly becomes an addictive romp soon enough. The varied character abilities create compelling synergies and its fantastic soundtrack really adds to the already impressive visuals.

That said, LLL's technical performance is absolutely terrible and is easily one of the worst optimized games I've played recently. It's not 'game ruining' by any means but it is quite apparent nonetheless. A few quality-of-life tweaks, such as faster battles or animation skips, would have been welcome additions as well. However despite these flaws, it’s a very solid and underrated strategy title.

Superb handling model but extremely repetitive. You'll quickly grow tired racing on the same courses over and over again but with different cars. Visuals have aged surprisingly well for a 2013 game though.

Playing it with an Xbox Elite controller (or equivalent) is a must as the rumble actually adds to the experience and lets you feel every bump and ditch on the road. Impressive stuff.

I've never dabbled in MOBAs all that much, and when I do it's usually in the form of hero shooters such as Overwatch, Battleborn, Gigantic, or Marvel Rivals. SUPERVIVE, however, scratches an itch I never even knew I had!

From the very first match, the game feels fantastic to play. The controls are smooth and snappy, and it only takes a few rounds to grasp the basics. It's by no means a shallow experience but it avoids the steep learning curve seen in other games such as DOTA or League of Legends. So you'll quickly be able to compete with other players and might even eek out a win or two.

What sets SUPERVIVE apart is its brilliant use of random elements, which keeps each match feeling fresh and unpredictable. Match modifiers—such as storm circle variations or sudden tornadoes—add strategic twists, while the "Powers" you pick up drastically alter gameplay. Whether you’re transforming into a tree or chest to hide in plain sight or calling in a tactical nuke to rain destruction from a safe distance, the expansive list of abilities injects some Smash Bros.-like chaos into the mix. Finding a random item at the perfect moment to turn the tide of battle feels incredibly rewarding that way.

I'm by no means an expert and have barely scratched the surface of what SV has to offer but so far I am hooked! Its easy-to-learn mechanics, unpredictable battles, and creative item system makes for a chaotic but fun hybrid that's incredibly addictive to play. I'm glad I gave it a shot.

The Knight Witch offers a fresh take on the Metroidvania genre, blending 360-degree movement with a unique card-based abilities. Unfortunately, the execution doesn’t quite stick the landing.

The game overwhelms you with dialogue and exposition, and the lack of a skip button for these scenes is just criminal (especially with writing this formulaic). Combat, while initially feeling good, often devolves into a slugfest. And when both you and the enemies go at it it's easy to lose track of your character amidst the mayhem, leading to frustrating trial-and-error encounters. This is compounded by poorly placed checkpoints, making some ambushes and boss fights a chore.

On the bright side, the game is short enough to complete in two or three sittings, the soundtrack isn't half bad and unlocking new abilities is pretty fun. However, overall I just didn't find it very engaging.

As someone who's sunk his fair share of hours into Warframe, I was looking for a more casual MMO that didn't require the same grind-heavy planning and spreadsheet juggling of that game. After a promising open beta for the relaunch of New World it seemed like Aeternum would fit the bill what with its frenetic combat and inviting environment art. And while I enjoyed the journey to max level for the full game its flaws quickly become apparent after that.

Its major drawback is that NWA doesn’t support a solo-friendly experience all the way through. While there’s some matchmaking for some PVE and PVP content, a significant amount of quests requires you to manually find teammates. What's more is that other players can complicate certain quests by competing for the same enemies and objectives, which makes sharing the world with others both a blessing and a curse.

Visually, it's an impressive looking game (for an MMO at least) and there's lots of variety to be found in its biomes. The story and setting are, at the very least, somewhat intruiging. However the gameplay itself becomes repetitive long before reaching the endgame. And being 'locked out' of certain quests makes the experience all the more frustrating. So if you’re a PVP fan it might hold more appeal but for players who don't care for that sort of thing I'd steer clear of New World.

Hob's Harrow takes you on a short but unnerving journey through the Scottish Hebrides during the Victorian era. Its unsettling yet inviting atmosphere draws you in, keeping you on edge as you uncover its secrets. And the fully voiced characters and sharp writing add to the game’s already eerie quality.

It doesn’t ask much from the player, which I appreciate, and its short playtime makes it a great pick for both seasoned adventure fans and newcomers alike.

Amazing visuals can't hide the fact that The Callisto Protocol feels ancient and a chore to play. From the archaic audio logs scattered about to the slow movement speed and awful combat, it's all very clunky and derivative. There's nothing here you haven't seen before.

Everything about it feels unearned as well. The cheap jump scares (that you see coming from a mile away), the nonsensical story, the unlikable characters, the awful pacing, the uninteresting environments, etc. None of it sticks and it boggles the mind that they expected to turn this into some multi-game spanning IP (with it being a PUBG tie-in no less?).

It's a pale imitation of Dead Space at best, one that lacks all the nuance of that title. Instead it's quite literally in your face (on multiple occasions you'll have some character or enemy scream at the camera) and the audio design especially was a real low point for me in that regard. After the first few chapters the general experience does get somewhat better as you get into the rhythm of it all but ultimately I was glad It was over after about 8 hours of play.

A Plague Tale: Requiem blew me away! From the very start, it’s clear this game is a visual masterpiece. The detailed environments are simply jaw-dropping, with Asobo Studios managing to deliver exceptional fidelity without sacrificing performance. I often found myself zooming around in photo mode just to admire the world. it really is one of the best-looking games I’ve ever played.

Beyond the visuals, the story is gripping and emotional. In an era where video game narratives can often get in the way or are simply poorly executed (with long text dumps, awkward dialogue, or forced self-inserts by the writers), Requiem proves that captivating writing and well-crafted characters still exist within this medium. If the story doesn’t hit you by the end, you might want to check for a pulse.

It's not without fault however as some puzzle and stealth sections boil down to a bit of trial & error, and as the setpieces escelate certain characters seemingly develop some very sturdy plot armor. Aside from those (very minor) issues Requiem is an unforgettable experience from start to finish! Fingers crossed for a sequel.

At the time of writing this is sitting at a very positive rating and I have no idea why. The puzzles are more annoying than engaging; seemingly out of place for the environment that you're in. And the only "psychological horror" aspect to speak of is the fact that you're on a timer and every time you die you basically have to start over again. That is, after you've sat through random nonsensical cutscenes (that aren't voiced btw). Once you respawn you get to experience the joy of having to solve previously completed puzzles again which is ridiculous. Imagine putting in an auto-solve for puzzles you've already solved 3 times or more? Crazy thought, I know.

Homebody is a puzzler disguised as a horror game that fails at both aspects. It's not scary in the slightest and because of the ground hog day setting the puzzles quickly become a chore.