Recent reviews by garnc

Elden Ring isn't just a game, it's a masterpiece of gaming artistry. Easily one of the greatest games I've ever played, it combines an immersive world with intricate design and storytelling that's unparalleled. Every element, from the breathtaking landscapes to the deeply engaging combat system, is crafted with exceptional skill, making it a true gem in the gaming world.

Just Shapes & Beats is as intense as any bullet hell game, but it's one that's easy to get into, not just because of the simple control scheme and the growing desire to escape alive, but because of the catchy soundtrack.

No matter how many times I would fail a level, I wouldn't lose my temper or quit - I'd get a little further each attempt which kept me motivated and the blast from the past sound track surely kept me calm.

I would pay for this game.

I'm usually not drawn into visual novels or anime style games, but I thought I'd check this out as Doki Doki was something I'd previously heard really great things about, and also that it was a little more than JUST your typical dating sim/innocent visual novel.

It goes without saying that this game is extremely technically impressive, & provides a very unique experience. I strongly recommend playing yourself when you have the spare time; regardless of your usual gaming preferences.

A truly exceptional project, and at no charge to the player. You have certainly earned my respect, Team Salvato.












J̨̢͙̼̩̯͎̙̤̤̻̪͍̬̲̯̰̱͙́̑ͧͫͦ͐̑̒̓͗͞ͅU̢ͮ̐ͩ͌̊ͩ̿̀́ͧ͂ͪͭ͛� ̩̩͇̝̜̖̮̲͉̕͘ͅ� S̴͙̭̼͍̆̓̎̈́̓̌̂ͩ͘̕Ṯ̴̡̲͚̯̟̣̩̭̗̼̩̲͔̀̇̒ͦ̂̊͆͘� ̙̗͎ ̶̼̻̱̱̹̜̰̖͇͙̼͕̯͈̖͉͌͆̊̀̔̉ͯ̎ͧ̎̄̌ͨ͐̚͟M̸̡͖̥̪͚̞͔̹̘̻̝̣̜̱̼͇̖͑͛̀̂͛̓̀̈̉̏̋̆ͤ̄̈́̾̿̏́̚O̸̮̤͐̍͗̐̾͡� ̞̰̪̻N͋ͮ̓̐̌̾̿̑͑͐̓̍̍̐̍̋͏̡̧̬̻̪̣̗̤̹� ̰̟̱̱� I̡̨̼̮͙̘̱͈̣̦̲̬͎̗͇͕͚̺͙ͧͩͫͬͣ̆̎͑͂͌ͯ͛͛́Ḵͮ̅̓̌̾ͮ̓̄̌ͨ̈̿͝͡� ̭̻͎̜̰̩̬ͅA̷̢͇̦͍̩̤͖̼̻͇̝͎̖̬̓̾̀̈̅ͩ̅ͩ̒̈̍ͭͫ͟ ̴̢̖͕͙̻̤͈̗͍̙̥ͫ̈́ͤ̌ ̛͔̮̥̞̯̻̹̖͈̮̗̟̮ͥ̓̑̈́͂ͮ̊͛ͩ̕͡

Cuphead is like an extremely hot girlfriend who is way out of your league, however, they are also very emotionally abusive.

Don't even think twice about buying Stardew Valley, it's everything a game should be and more. No wait time, no pay to win, no paid vital DLC, a solid story, & emotional attachment, along with a very welcoming, immersive, and cozy feel to it.

Adding to that, this game sports some beautiful retro-style graphics which I simply adore, seemingly endless content, gameplay that can be taken at your own pace, beautiful music to suit the current area & time of year, & amazing writing which truly draws you in and ensures you form real bonds with the NPCs.

This masterpiece will always hold a special place in my heart when it comes to gaming....

In it's current state KotK is one of the most buggy and broken shooters you'll find. With poor optimisation and a company driven by nothing more than money with no regard to it's player base, Daybreak is really pushing the limits.

On the other hand, the game concept is something you won't find elsewhere in this style and it has a lot of potential. Once you're actually able to join a game you'll see that graphically, it looks fairly nice (with the odd few clipping errors here and there). Gameplay wise the game is very balanced too, in which respect a new player is able to join with absolutely no disadvantages or advantages other than personal experience. Although money hungry, all microtransactions are thankfuly kept cosmetic.

You'll compete to be the last man (or team) standing in games of up to 200 odd people at peak times. Winning won't come easy and you'll likely be faced with tens or even hundreds of loses before you reach that end goal. With enough practice and determination you'll get there, and it will feel great.

There is a fairly large learning curve which may take a while to get the hang of but if you're willing to put in the time and practice, it will prove rewarding. Along with that, the community isn't so bad either, you'll meet some nice people and have hillarious encounters although as with any game there is a fair bit of toxicity. Of course if it's not for you, you can always toggle voice chat & stick with friends in teams of up to five.

You'll spend countless hours in this game having your patience tested while you wait in a thousand player queue and if you have a short temper you'll easily rage at the poor servers & game breaking glitches/bugs cutting your game short that you'll certainly come across. Along with that, idealistically, you wan't a better PC than the recommended on Steam due to it being so intensive.

However, overall the game is something painfully amazing. If you're someone who is willing to look past the bugs every so often and if you enjoy competitive & 'tryhard' player vs player action, then this is certainly a game for you.

To the Moon is a sincere story told through 16-bit-style graphics and simplistic gameplay. You control the characters Dr. Wyatt and Dr. Rosaleane, scientists within a wolrd in which it is possible to recover an alter memories of their dying patients for a chance to live their final requests and dreams - even if it was not reality and only in their minds.

"Occasionally I'm fortunate enough to play a game that reminds me what's important. Not only what's important in making a great piece of interactive media, but also what's important in life." - Anthony Gallegos

This story centers around a dying man named Johnny who wished to visit the moon, hence the games title, To the Moon. Along the journey of recovering Johnny's memory a wonderful story of love, and loss unfolds before your eyes. As you progress through layers of memories Johnny will slowly go from being an unconscious old man you don't really care about, to a complex human being whose life you are certain to empathize with. By the end of the game I came to care about Johnny, despite never meeting his "real" self in the overworld.

The gameplay consists of simple puzzles in order to break through layers of memories and then comes to exploring the memory and watching the story unfold. In other words if you are someone who's interested in fancy graphics and gameplay this isn't for you.

My weak puzzle solving skills and exploration are not why I have 4 hours in this game, I rather rushed through these parts in order to reach the next scene or dialogue sequence allowing me sight into the minds and hearts of the characters presented. Some games are mindless and are carried through the repetitive actions, gameplay and graphics. To the Moon is reliant on the excellent plot of which will leave you broken.

This game is innovation at its finest!


In all seriousnes though, I picked up this game for 47p and attained 100% completion in one sitting of 0.8 hours. The game obviously has steam achievements and trading cards which make it more of a collectors game but anyone can enjoy this with its cheesy gameplay and humerous short story lines. However I speak the truth when I say I'm writing with review with my index finger in pain...

The mechanics of the game are so simple, yet hard to master. It's rhythm based and the music is just amazing. You will push yourself further to complete those few percentages each attempt. Every time learning how to get a little bit further. The game has beautiful art style, and a simple learning curve. If you like rhythm based games that are extremely tough to master and extremely addicting and fun, while at the same time making you want to rage quit. This is definitely a game for you.
Good luck!