Recent reviews by ☣ ⓉⓚⒶ ☣

Day of the Tentacle Remastered is an excellent remaster of the original 1993 classic, a game combining wit, charm, and madness in a point-and-click adventure.

It drops players into a world of time travel, where quirky characters and absurd scenarios await. It blends slapstick, wordplay, and dark humor while nodding to the pop culture of the 1980's and early 1990's.

I first attempted this game back in the 90's but couldn’t quite figure it out. This time around I used this guide to complete the game and obtain all the achievements. The puzzles can be challenging, and without a guide, I would have given up in frustration because the story doesn't have the payoff for the effort required.

The remaster itself is fantastic, beautiful, and modern, allowing you to switch to the original graphics at any time. Again, on the third floor of the mansion in the present, the full game of Maniac Mansion can be played on the computer in the right-side room. I played and completed the main game on the Steam Deck, where it worked perfectly.

All in all, this is a great little game to check out if you have the patience and can think like a cartoon character!

RoboCop: Rogue City is a solid video game that brings the iconic franchise to life!

Before diving into the game, I highly recommend watching the films, RoboCop,[www.imdb.com] and RoboCop 2,[www.imdb.com] as this game is set after those two films.

I dove into this game after playing Terminator: Resistance, made by the same team, which I absolutely loved. While I'm a huge Terminator fan, I’m only a casual RoboCop fan. I enjoyed the films, but I’ve never been fully invested in the dark and dystopian nature of Detroit in the RoboCop universe. However, much like Terminator: Resistance, the developers did an excellent job of capturing the essence of RoboCop. Familiar sounds, locations, and enemies, like RoboCop’s signature walk, the police headquarters, OCP, downtown Detroit, and ED-209, really immerse you in the RoboCop universe. Memorable vehicles, such as the 6000 SUX, and weapons like the Cobra Assault Cannon, further enhance the feeling of being part of this world. The atmosphere in this game is truly authentic to the films, and the developer team is notably shining in this respect with their work in the 2020s.

The game does have some downsides though. One major issue is the lack of challenge. RoboCop is so powerful that there’s little concern about failure. By the halfway point, your upgrades make you feel practically invincible. Additionally, the Downtown map is reused three times with only minor tweaks, which can become repetitive. It would have been nice to see more variety in the city’s locations.

I purchased the RoboCop: Rogue City Alex Murphy Edition, which includes the base game with 27-Chapters and its New Game Plus mode (which I didn't get around to playing). The additional DLC includes a Digital Artbook of the developer’s design process in <InstallDir>/RobocopRogueCity_DigitalArtbook.pdf, and skin packs for RoboCop and his Auto-9, along with the OCP Shotgun (an extra functional weapon that’s available in every mission). I didn’t find the DLCs to be particularly interesting, but they’re a nice way to support the developers.

I played RoboCop: Rogue City on the Steam Deck, with Medium video settings. To be honest, the experience wasn’t great – the game was blurry and had noticeable ghosting. That said, I did manage to finish the entire game and obtain all the achievements! For a sharper, crisper experience, you’ll likely want to play it on a more powerful system, especially with Epic settings. That’s how I was able to unlock the "There Can Only Be One" achievement.

When compared to other games that paid great homage to their respective franchises, like Alien: Isolation, Mad Max, and Terminator: Resistance, RoboCop: Rogue City is on the lower end, but still on par! So, if you're a RoboCop fan, you’ll definitely enjoy the experience this game offers!

Terminator: Resistance is an excellent video game!

Before diving into the game, I highly recommend watching the films, The Terminator[www.imdb.com] and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.[www.imdb.com] The 10 minutes of future war footage in these two films serve as the core inspiration for Terminator: Resistance.

The first thing that stands out about this game is how it perfectly captures the essence of The Terminator. From the visual design to the iconic soundtrack, the developers did an excellent job pulling these elements directly from the films. Within minutes of stepping into the shoes of Jacob Rivers, the sounds, scenes, and enemies immerse you in 2029 A.D. California, during the height of the Terminator universe's future war. While the gameplay and graphics are fairly standard, the real draw is the storified experience, which fully immerses you in the setting. This is the game's most impressive aspect, with the story seamlessly weaving into the films' narrative. New, memorable characters join well-known ones like Kyle Reese and John Connor. While these characters don’t look exactly like they did in the films (the same goes for the T-800 Infiltrator), it’s easy to overlook because the experience captured by the game is so authentic.

The experience is what makes this game unforgettable. You truly feel like a weak resistance fighter, constantly facing an onslaught of formidable Terminators. The game also allows you to see the backstories behind iconic scenes from the films. The settings are believable, with many familiar locations and enemies expanded upon, such as the resistance bases, T-600s, T-800s, and Hunter Killers. On Extreme difficulty, the Terminators are truly formidable, forcing you to strategize and making you experience the same terror Sarah Connor felt in the films—and then amplifying it to a whole new level of dread.

The main game offers two modes of play. The first mode is where you push forward with your team to take out the enemies, while the second involves open-world missions where you talk to people, find things, and fight or avoid enemies (sometimes a mix of both modes). The DLC adds even stronger ties to James Cameron's films, so be sure to grab it. All together it offers a 70+ hour-long experience in the resistance, doing justice to the source material while elevating the future war experience to legendary masterpiece status! I was so captivated by the game from the very start that I literally spent an entire evening trying to survive against the Terminators in the opening mission (spoiler: you can't ).

When compared to Alien: Isolation and Mad Max, two games that paid great homage to their source material of their respective franchises, Terminator: Resistance surpasses them both!

To get the most out of this package, which includes 1 Comic, the 28-Chapter Base Game, the 1-Chapter Infiltrator Mode, and the 12-Chapter Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line DLC (sold separately), follow this order of play:

• 1: Read the comic located at <InstallDir>/Zero_Day_Exploit_Comic/. It provides the backstory of Lt. Jessica Baron, Dr. Mark Sloane, and other characters from the game. The two-part comic is set in 2026 A.D., three years before the events in the game.
  
  
• 2: Start the main game by selecting PLAY > NEW GAME. Play until you defeat the Infiltrator Terminator in Chapter 17 - Dock Ruins. As the cut-scene for Chapter 18 begins, return to the main menu.
  
  
• 3: Play the DLC by selecting PLAY > NEW ANNIHILATION LINE CAMPAIGN. Complete the Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line DLC.
  
  
• 4: Resume the main campaign by selecting PLAY > LOAD GAME > Chapter 18 - Resistance Shelter. Continue and complete the main story where you left off.
  
  
• 5: Try Infiltrator Mode by selecting PLAY > NEW INFILTRATOR MODE at any time. In this mode, you play as The Terminator, and you'll attempt to eliminate the human resistance from Pasadena.

I played Terminator: Resistance on the Steam Deck, with video settings set to Epic. I only had to drop it to Medium a few times during my playthrough of Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line DLC when the frame rate dropped to 12-15 FPS on Epic. I also played with the difficulty set to Extreme, experiencing the psychological horror few would dare to tackle, which is why it took me 70+ hours to complete the entire order mentioned above, and obtain all the achievements!

I highly recommend this game to all Terminator fans. Without a doubt, you will thoroughly enjoy the experience of fighting for the resistance (or as the infiltrator) in the future war. You will love all of the tie-ins to the films. You will be satisfied with the ending. You will appreciate the films even more after experiencing this new perspective! Don't miss out on this amazing video game experience!

Alan Wake's American Nightmare is an excellent continuation of Alan Wake, taking place two years after the original game. Alan is still trapped in the Dark Place beneath Cauldron Lake, struggling to escape.

In this installment, the game unfolds like an episode of Night Springs, the fictional TV show from the original game. One night, while Alan's friend and manager, Barry, sleeps, an episode written and starring Alan airs. As you guide Alan through the bizarre events of Night Springs, you'll also confront his doppelganger and worst enemy, Mr. Scratch.

The game is relatively short but packed with fun. It features three main levels to explore that are bound in a time loop, alongside ten Fight Till Dawn arcade-style challenges where you fight waves of The Taken until sunrise. The game is more action-oriented than its predecessor, but fits perfectly as a third special episode of Alan Wake and is an enjoyment to play!

I played and completed Alan Wake's American Nightmare on the Steam Deck, and I highly recommend it to all fans of the Alan Wake series - just be sure to play the original game and its two special episodes first, or it won't make sense!

Alan Wake is an extremely well-done, suspenseful, and psychological horror story.

You take on the role of Alan Wake, an author struggling with writer's block, who decides to take a trip with his wife, Alice, to the secluded town of Bright Falls, Washington. He hopes to find some peace and inspiration, but things take a dark turn when Alice mysteriously disappears and Alan finds himself caught in a twisted nightmare.

The game play is simple: Keep moving to the next checkpoint. You don't have to kill everything, but sometimes you need to kill or destroy shadow-controlled living beings or objects. The mechanics are also straightforward: use light sources to eliminate shadows on living beings or inanimate objects, then use a gun to finish off living beings after shadow is gone.

It all sounds simple, but even on the easiest settings the game is punishing. The main difficulty lies in dealing with the number of powerful enemies, who can easily surround and flank you (some requiring considerable effort while in high-pressure situations). There were two ways to handle them and the first is being fearful, using light, running, and dodging to reach the next checkpoint. The second is to be brave, taking things slow and methodically. However, sometimes it gets so intense you can only run to reach the next checkpoint as soon as possible.

I spent a long time playing the six main episodes and two special episodes of this game, experiencing its story. It was sometimes overwhelming and difficult, which might be a downside for some. There's plenty of achievements in the game, and it's also highly replayable (but the story won't be fresh the 2nd time). It also plays on the Steam Deck without issue!

Overall, Alan Wake is an extremely immersive, intense, excellent, effective, and challenging psychological horror game that all fans of this genre should try at least once! If you enjoy it, check out Alan Wake's American Nightmare!

STAR WARS™: Dark Forces Remaster is a fantastic first-person shooter set in the Star Wars universe, marking the beginning of the STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight Collection.

In this game, you play as Kyle Katarn, a former Imperial officer turned mercenary after learning that the Empire was responsible for his parents' deaths. Alongside Jan Ors, a Rebel double agent, you take on a mission to aid the Rebels, seek revenge, and dismantle the Empire's secret Dark Trooper Project.

The remaster improves upon the STAR WARS™ Dark Forces (Classic, 1995) in several ways: right from the start, it offers enhanced visuals, smoother gameplay, and upgraded cutscenes & sound design. The remaster also includes a few great additions in the Vault, most notably the playable "The Avenger" level, which I found to be far superior to the "Secret Base" level it replaced and should have been kept in the original release. It also runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, where I completed the game and earned all the achievements.

Overall, STAR WARS™: Dark Forces Remaster is a fantastic remaster of a stellar classic that Star Wars fans will truly enjoy.

STAR WARS™ Dark Forces (Classic, 1995) is a fantastic first-person shooter set in the Star Wars universe, marking the beginning of the STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight Collection.

In this game, you play as Kyle Katarn, a former Imperial officer turned mercenary after learning that the Empire was responsible for his parents' deaths. Alongside Jan Ors, a Rebel double agent, you take on a mission to aid the Rebels, seek revenge, and dismantle the Empire's secret Dark Trooper Project.

As a 90's classic, the game builds on the foundations of DOOM + DOOM II, offering a nostalgic trip back in time. While it may feel dated by modern standards, you can breathe new life into it through The Force Engine (TFE)[theforceengine.github.io], an open-source community project. However, setup can be a bit tricky, and the improvements are limited, so modern players might prefer the STAR WARS™: Dark Forces Remaster instead.

Overall, STAR WARS™ Dark Forces (Classic, 1995) is a stellar game, that Star Wars fans will enjoy!

(Note: My low Steam hours don't reflect the time spent playing in the late 1990s [and mid-2020s].)

80's OVERDRIVE is an entertaining outrun-style racer that can be completed in just a few hours. If you're a fan of retro games like the one shown in the video, you'll find it satisfying, even though the gameplay is fairly straightforward. It definitely hits the nostalgic spot, but don’t expect anything too complex.

The game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, but a quick tip: make sure to accept every mission offered to you. Otherwise, you may need to replay the game to unlock all the achievements!

Retrocycles is a free game where you essentially race in light cycles from the film TRON (1982)![www.imdb.com]

The rules are simple: drive your light cycle around the track, laying a light trail wall behind you, while being the last cycle on the map to not crash into a light trail or the arena wall..

It's a small game, works great on the Steam Deck, has online multiplayer, and is a great little time killer game to always have installed, and ready to kill a few minutes.

Portal: Revolution is a massive and excellent Portal 2 mod!

It's just like Portal and Portal 2 - a full-fledged game, involving lots of fun, puzzles, mechanics, and its about 3 times longer than Portal Reloaded (also free)!

I played it all on the Steam Deck, but it crashed often when gel came into play. Even still, I kept restarting it to make my way through the game. It wasn't until I finished it that I found out I may need to switch proton versions. After finishing it, I changed to a proton version, and obtained all the achievements!

If you own Portal 2, then you will want to get this!!