Recent reviews by Hlebovski

Resident Evil 2 Remake stands out as one of the exemplary remakes, effortlessly remaining visually impressive and remarkably playable even today. This game provides players a rare opportunity to immerse themselves into a nostalgic era of game design while highlighting the creative leaps and expressive power of contemporary gaming. It's a unique and captivating gameplay experience, perfectly structured to engage players thoroughly for an exciting 18-hour journey.

However, achievement hunters aiming for a platinum trophy might find themselves slightly frustrated, as earning this accolade requires replaying the game at least two to three times—a somewhat tedious undertaking. Nonetheless, this minor inconvenience does not overshadow the overall brilliance of Resident Evil 2 Remake. Highly recommended for both fans of the classic and newcomers alike.

A very intriguing and curious representative of its genre. With its unique setting and playful engagement with Christianity (yes,
The Game Kitchen didn’t invent anything new—they simply built concepts around what already existed), the game carries a distinct charm.

The brutalism, even in pixel form, is captivating and certainly stands out as something original. The expansions occasionally offer a decent challenge—but in a good way. And yes, with the right build, some of that challenge can be reduced to zero, but honestly, that’s a plus in my book.

I’d recommend this game to people who enjoy a solid challenge (with a dash of build experimentation) and those who appreciate storytelling through *"figure it out yourself—you’re smart enough, right?"* kind of delivery.

Mirage is quite an interesting. Within the context of the series, it honestly feels like a DLC. But for me, that’s actually part of its charm. The developers didn’t waste your time with repetitive and often dull tasks like fishing, ranking hunts, outpost clearing, stone puzzles, faction wars, or dice games.

By stripping away those elements, you’d think they’d focus more on story depth, fleshed-out characters, and rich lore—but unfortunately, that’s not the case. The plot here is a bland, characterless, and painfully typical Ubisoft storyline, walking down the same well-trodden paths we’ve seen time and time again.

The only thing Mirage really nails is the atmosphere and visuals. It's a stunning snapshot of the era, with some historical liberties taken for the sake of the setting, but overall, it plays like a beautiful, interactive museum tour. I still believe Ubisoft should close their game divisions and pivot to creating virtual historical guides—they’d excel at that.

In summary:
I’d recommend this game to people who are *completely new* to Assassin’s Creed. It’s short enough to give a taste of the franchise’s weaknesses and minor strengths. But for those looking for a meaningful or well-rounded gaming experience? This isn’t it.

For 2015, this was probably a solid sandbox that kept players entertained. But now? It’s a few hours of boredom. Instead of delivering engaging gameplay, the experience quickly devolves into repetition and monotony. At this point, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Let’s be clear—this game has its fair share of problems. The AI can be questionable, the balance is inconsistent, and it’s surprisingly easy to cheese your way through encounters. Some scripted moments crank up the difficulty far beyond what feels fair. And if you’re a completionist like me, the game actively wants you to grind rather than simply play, which I get might be off-putting.

What I don’t understand, however, is why this game went almost entirely unnoticed. The fan community is barely there, guides and discussions are scarce, despite the game taking the beloved Heroes of Might and Magic formula and attempting to evolve it. And visually? My god, this is some of the best stylized artwork I’ve ever seen. Yes, it’s clearly made by a small, possibly inexperienced team, but it looks incredible and genuinely tries to breathe new life into the genre. Huge respect for that—at the very least, it’s worth picking up on sale.

What an interesting time capsule. When this game was released, the trends of political messaging and social commentary in big-budget games were just beginning to take shape. Now, years later, Ubisoft—a company widely perceived as left-leaning—ironically stands behind a game that feels overwhelmingly right-wing. Eagles, rednecks, fireworks illuminating a strip club sign as the American flag rises—it all serves as a reminder that, in the end, whoever funds the project dictates the message.

As for the gameplay—it's painfully dull. You’re handed a gun and told to "liberate the country," but the core loop quickly becomes repetitive. The three DLCs add nothing substantial to this formula. The antagonist is weak, the mission structure is uninspired, and the game leans so heavily on forced kidnappings that it turns into unintentional comedy—each of the villain’s siblings manages to capture you three times, while the main villain just sits around waiting for their turn. It’s unoriginal, lazy, and ultimately forgettable. I wouldn’t recommend this game to anyone.

Probably the best DLC out of the three released, but only because the run-and-gun gameplay loop actually fits the setting. It’s a short experience, easily completed in 2-3 hours, and while mechanically solid, it stumbles on a more fundamental level.

The biggest issue is the ethical side of things—turning such a tragic and painful historical period into a VHS-style Rambo action flick feels tone-deaf, both then and now. If the game had made an effort to show the deep, lasting scars these events left on those involved, it could have been something more. Instead, it reduces the subject matter to yet another mindless shooter.

Yet another proof that the Ubisoft can’t create anything beyond map markers, tower clearing, and brainless NPCs. The DLC feels like a checklist simulator, where actual immersion and meaningful gameplay are sacrificed for repetitive, uninspired objectives. Instead of innovation (or just sumething new), we get the same tired formula wrapped in a different skin.

An example of how developers can sell you air while disguising it as new content. Instead of a proper expansion that adds depth to the game, we get a set of maps that could have easily been released for free or included in a patch. It’s just a lazy reuse of assets, often without new mechanics, story, or depth. This kind of DLC leaves a sense of being ripped off—like paying for a mode that was already in the game but now comes with a price tag.

A Rushed Attempt to Ride the Trend
Rotwood is a peculiar game that feels like a quick attempt to capitalize on the success of Cult of the Lamb. However, unlike Cult, which balanced a charming management sim with a unique setting, Rotwood shifts its entire focus to combat and co-op gameplay. Whether this was the right decision remains questionable.
The combat system is well-executed, offering fluid animations, well-designed enemies, and engaging boss fights. However, there are still occasional issues with attack readability, making it difficult to predict when exactly an enemy will strike.
The biggest drawback is the sheer lack of content. The entire game can be completed in about 5–10 hours, making it feel more like a well-polished combat demo rather than a fully-fledged experience. If you’re looking for a short, fun action game with no management mechanics and solid co-op gameplay, Rotwood might be worth your time. Just don’t expect it to keep you entertained for more than a day.