Recent reviews by Doines

I initially played Half-Life 2 in co-op using the Synergy mod. During that playthrough I didn't pay too much attention to the happenings within the game as we focused on messing around with the physics and bunny hopping. I was pleasantly surprised when I went back and played it solo.

One of the strongest points of Half-Life 2 is its level-design. Sure, there were occasional parts where the path ahead was a bit obscure, but I could always resort to finding the most obvious route to progress. Trusting in the level-designers felt reassuring and satisfying whenever I struggled, and I doubt anyone will be stuck for long, if at all. Playing through chapters like Water Hazard it's obvious the developers had a blast. Here they explore new mechanics with vehicles while also making it entertaining. It was easily my favourite segment of the game, and I revisited it several times after finishing.

The pacing of the levels are also consistently entertaining, alternating between shootouts, puzzle-like platforming areas and story-related segments. The exception amongst the is the chapter "Follow the Freeman" which consists of constant gunplay that drags on for way too long, with few shifts in pace. I still enjoyed every other chapter, but this one in particular was a bit of a chore. It still doesn't come close to taking anything away from the game at all. Just know that if you happen to feel the same, it doesn't stay like that for long.

Something different I enjoyed in particular was how new weapons were introduced. About half of the weapons are introduced with a context, given to perform a certain task, fend against new enemies or tackle new environments. New enemies are also interesting and challenge you in a new way each time. I don't wish to spoil anything, so you're going to have to trust me on this one.

A sad part about this is that the gunplay itself isn't all that interesting. The shotgun and revolver are the most effective weapons and the gravity gun is the most fun. The other weapons, like the SMG, feel like backups for when you run out of ammo in the gun you want to use, other than weapons that serve a specific purpose. Ordinary enemies aren't that interesting either and only serve as things to drain your ammo and health as you progress. Nevertheless there are highlights which you should look forward to, and encountering new enemies is always fun.

The story on its own isn't all that enticing either, but doesn't function as a primary driving force until the final chapters. Then again, the final chapters take on a different tone than all the prior ones and is most definitely something to look forward to. Also, my favourite parts of the story are the beginning and the end. In other words, every part the G-Man is in. His ending monologue still haunts me.

Half-Life 2 is still impressive on its use of physics objects. From the get-go you can pick up small objects, highlighted in the opening sequence when a Metrocop orders you to pick up a soda can. Later in the game the player receives the gravity gun, which lets you manipulate larger objects and gives you a powerful toss-function. Whenever a level suggests, or forces, you to use the gun it feels incredibly satisfying. Oh, and trust me it gets better, but I'd rather not elaborate.

All in all, Half-Life 2 not only holds up today, but is a masterpiece of level-design and exploration of game mechanics. If you like linear games with guns and a surprising amount of freedom, Half-Life 2 was made for you.

The Wolf Among Us, like most Telltale games, feels like an interactive movie, more than a game. This is not to it's disadvantage as it only causes the game to rely solely on it's story. Thankfully the story is brilliant.

Being a detective-mystery-type story the stakes do not seem too high; however the story relies on constantly revealing more layers of a conspiracy where the "stakes" are in correlation with how deep the conspiracy goes. It most certainly works in it's favour, which I doubt it would have in any of Telltale's other games, namely the Walking Dead series. It is both satisfying and intriguing.

The characters are also well rounded, building upon "fables", as in characters from different fairytales like the Big Bad Wolf, Snow White and even Bloody Mary. This does not mean they are ripped straight out of the fairytales. In fact, they are mostly built upon excellently to fit the setting; being an underground community in New York, which includes the struggles usually attributed to New Yorkers.

Of the characters, the main character, sheriff Bigby (formerly known as the Big Bad Wolf), seems to be the most rounded and consistent one. Giving off a sort of Jessica Jones vibe with a fable-like twist. With the added bonus of his well-known backstory Bigby proves to be one of the most intriguing anti-hero figures in recent memory.

The biggest drawback of the game is the mechanical, as in:
- The animation, which feels robotic and dated at certain points, but it can usually be ignored.
- The camera angles/controls, which only seems to be where you want it to be at the beginning of a sequence, but pans off awkwardly as you move. This gets annoying and is the game's most substantial drawback.

One thing to get clear as well is the choices might not affect your story as much as you think it might. Consider the second chapter of The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings and the final level of Dishonored.
The prior will not just be severely affected by your choices, but the second act will play out in a different level altogether. I fear when people say "choices affect your gameplay" they imagine these levels of difference.
The latter, however, is more comparable. In Dishonored you have a factor named "Chaos" and there are two versions of the final level depending on this. Your chaos is affected by how many people you kill, which is comparable to your attitude and brutality in The Wolf Among Us. The choices will not severely affect your game, other than in small details, but your ending might differ. This goes for both games.

The former paragraph is not to bash on the game in any shape or form, but merely to clarify. All in all, this game is brilliant, and if you are the type who enjoys story-heavy, interactive-movie-type games then this is perfect for you.

I highly recommend this game as a casual singeplayer experience for anyone.
As a casual consumer, you needn't worry about playing the two previous titles. However, having played the trilogy in chronological order, I can say it was worth it.

The DLC for this game are also worthwhile. In fact, I'd consider Blood and Wine one of the best DLC ever made. Also, be aware that you may have to activate the smaller ones manually (I personally had to reinstall a couple of times).

The game boasts an insane playtime per playthrough. The main storyline can easily take more than 60-70 hours to finish. Even still it has quite the replayability, and somehow doesn't feel poorly paced whatsoever. In fact, the only off-putting element is how much time you will dedicate to the game going forwards, in relation to real-life responsibilities.

The playtime can be justified by the game's strong points. Namely how it relies on the characters, including their traits, arcs and dynamics; all to it's benefit. The characters give the story the strength it needs to keep you encapsulated. And just like that, 70 hours have gone by.

That being said, the focus on characters can work as a drawback. The biggest way someone could be denied enjoyment from The Witcher 3 is if they didn't like Geralt. For reference, Geralt is the protagonist, controlled by the player. To some people his batman-like dub (in the English version) might come off as "too cheesy", and if that's the case, you might not enjoy the game. However, like most people I love Geralt, cheese and all.

I would personally recommend playing on the highest difficulty (Death March), as it wasn't particularly challenging, except for the very beginning. I would also recommend keeping enemy upscaling off, considering some boss fights become incredibly difficult or just overly drawn out (especially in the Hearts of Stone DLC).

Without giving a numbered rating, as I believe they can be decieving, this is simply the best singeplayer RPG I have ever played.
The hours simply flew by playng this game and I constantly miss it.

In fact, I'd say the game leaves you somewhat empty afterwards, because you can only experience it for the first time once. And if that isn't the mark of an excellent game, I don't know what is.