Pillars of Eternity is an isometric party-based computer RPG using real-time-with-pause combat.
What is Great about this game:
- Complex and deep story that moves the game along incredibly well
- Deep character creation and multiple classes each with multiple viable playstyles bringing significant variety to your own playthrough
- Rich and appropriate back story, lore, and flavor text added throughout the game that is worth reading
- Enjoyable tactical combat with numerous options for pausing and other options to make the game more enjoyable
- Unique and sometimes fascinating quest lines with multiple alternative methods for success (e.g. talk yourself out of a combat encounter)
- An ending storyline that was possibly the most thought-provoking and intelligently written as any I have experienced
What is Good about this game:
- The game looks quite nice but could have used more art/animantions to improve it further
- The voice acting is quite good where it exists
- Good use of Steam features (cloud saves, trading cards, achievements, etc)
What is Bad about this game:
- The combat could have been significantly improved (although still very good) by including methods to automate companions similar to the systems in FFXII or Dragon Age: Origins
- Given how story heavy this game is, it would have been much improved by including more voice-over work. The voice acting is very good, but is only available sparsely. The writing is more than worth reading, but having it spoken would have been that much more engrossing.
Conclusion:
Pillars of Eternity is the current pinnacle of story-telling in RPGs with a great combat system and a classic style.
9.5 / 10.0
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Cities: Skylines Review
Cities: Skylines is a brand new city-building game in the vein of Simcity but built with modern sensibilities.
What is Great about this game:
- The city-building simulation is deep, complex, and incredibly satisfying to master
- The agent and traffic simulation is particularly deep and compelling to manage
- A variety of tools are available to manage almost any problem that arises in your city
- The game looks and runs beautifully
- Available areas for expansion are massive (and truly huge with easy to acquire mods)
- Modding and Steam Workshop support is pervasive in the game, and the modding community is prolific
What is Good about this game:
- Good use of Steam features (cloud saves, trading cards, achievements, etc)
What is Bad about this game:
- Some of the mechanics of the simulation (e.g. freight train depots, RCI) are not well surfaced so it can be a challenge to know how to answer certain problems
Conclusion:
Cities: Skylines is the new benchmark in city building and city simulation games. This is the game to get if you are at all interested in the genre, and everyone should at least try it once.
10.0 / 10.0
What is Great about this game:
- The city-building simulation is deep, complex, and incredibly satisfying to master
- The agent and traffic simulation is particularly deep and compelling to manage
- A variety of tools are available to manage almost any problem that arises in your city
- The game looks and runs beautifully
- Available areas for expansion are massive (and truly huge with easy to acquire mods)
- Modding and Steam Workshop support is pervasive in the game, and the modding community is prolific
What is Good about this game:
- Good use of Steam features (cloud saves, trading cards, achievements, etc)
What is Bad about this game:
- Some of the mechanics of the simulation (e.g. freight train depots, RCI) are not well surfaced so it can be a challenge to know how to answer certain problems
Conclusion:
Cities: Skylines is the new benchmark in city building and city simulation games. This is the game to get if you are at all interested in the genre, and everyone should at least try it once.
10.0 / 10.0
Wasteland 2 Review
Wasteland 2 is an isometric party-based role-playing game set in a post-apocalyptic southeastern United States.
The Great:
- Deep and expansive story that starts quickly and expands out in numerous branching paths
- Real player choices that change both the progression of the story and how gameplay mechanics play out (can avoid combat using conversation)
- Incredible amount of quality content as the story expands to tremendous length and allows for deep exploration
The Good:
- The combat system is of good quality and gives much variety and satisfactory tactical options
The Bad:
- RPG progression skills and traits are locked once selected which can cause significant potential problems for new/inexperienced players
- Some of the areas are notably barren or seemingly unfinished (e.g. all the random encounters that are nearly exact repeats of each other)
Conclusion:
Wasteland 2 should be on everyone's short list for engrossing stories in RPGs.
9.0 / 10.0
The Great:
- Deep and expansive story that starts quickly and expands out in numerous branching paths
- Real player choices that change both the progression of the story and how gameplay mechanics play out (can avoid combat using conversation)
- Incredible amount of quality content as the story expands to tremendous length and allows for deep exploration
The Good:
- The combat system is of good quality and gives much variety and satisfactory tactical options
The Bad:
- RPG progression skills and traits are locked once selected which can cause significant potential problems for new/inexperienced players
- Some of the areas are notably barren or seemingly unfinished (e.g. all the random encounters that are nearly exact repeats of each other)
Conclusion:
Wasteland 2 should be on everyone's short list for engrossing stories in RPGs.
9.0 / 10.0
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