Скорошни рецензии на Like[A]SiR

There are tons of survival games out there, and most of them offer the same content over and over again without any new features or changes at all. And given that statement, I believe Astral Terra has what it takes to stand out than the rest. Even though the game has been on development for quite some time, it still needs more polishing and probably more content.

I could only suggest this game to those who are willing to help out the developers on finishing this one. They could really use some help from the community feedbacks. So if you’re not that type of person, I do suggest that you wishlist this game and maybe check it out again in a couple of months.

PROS

• Terraforming – I think this is the selling point of this game, and one of the most unique
  features compared to the other survival games.
  
• Dedicated developers – I’ve checked the developer’s website and found out that this game was on Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight on 2013. And up until now, they try to update the game as constantly as possible. Not everyone has the patience to develop games that long.
  
• Gorgeous Graphics – With more than a decent rig and the highest quality settings possible, this game simply stands out than most of the survival games out there.
  
• RPG Elements – You can choose your race and your gender upon character creation
  and it all comes with different character spells and a levelling system.

CONS

• Not User-Friendly – I had a hard time starting off to be honest, took me quite some time before I understand the mechanics of the game. I suggest you read some guides in-game or find a wiki on the internet.
  
• Lacks Customization – I’m aware that the gameplay does not revolve around the character customization. But the only options you get when creating a character is choosing a race and its gender.
  
• Low-end Rigs – If you can’t run this game and have a stable fps, I highly suggest that you look for different game instead. You’ll just be annoyed with the graphics and constant stutters. Not only that, but it also requires a DX 11 to run the game.

I may have not played most of crafting-sandbox games out there, but I think it’s safe to say that Alchemist’s Awakening is not like any other typical ones. I mean yes they follow the same principle of crafting and building stuffs, but instead, they’ve added more features to make things more interesting than the others. The developers are approachable and you can see that they are dedicated to this game. For the past few days, I’ve seen them regularly updating and trying to fix bugs and help out those who are in need.

Currently, there is no story or objective in this game other than the quest tab. I don’t really consider it as a quest because it only shows you what to build, how you can build it and that’s it. But if you are one of those people who enjoys crafting different kind of objects, then I’m sure your creativity will satisfy you right in this game.

• Graphics – It’s surprisingly soothing to just look at your surroundings even if it looks so simple. The areas are well-made and they all look good with the implementation of day-and-night cycle. Though there are times that the bloom is too much.
  
• Open World – The game offers an extensive area for you to explore while discovering different materials that you can use.
  
• Crafting – This is one of the unique methods I’ve encountered when crafting an object. Basically, you gather up materials (which in this game is considered as elements) and instead of dragging those materials to a window and wait, you actually put those materials in front of you with a specific form and then use a spell to turn it to what you’re actually building.
  
• Workshop – You don’t always see an Early Access launch will have a workshop support. With this, players can interact more and share their creations with others.

• Optimization – With how simple the graphics looks like, it is kind of surprising to have an fps which is less than what you’re expecting.
  
• Guides – Not everyone can follow instructions easily. I for one, took some time before I understood how crafting works. I highly suggest that you read and bring some guides with you upon playing this game. It really gets confusing.
  
• Minimap – There’s no compass, radar, or a map that can tell you exactly where you are. And this can be a problem when you’re playing in any Sandbox games, atleast in my experience.
  
• Combat System – I get that this is not the selling point, but it is honestly boring and the AI aren’t that smart either. There is no real challenge in it when in terms of fighting off some enemies.

• 7.2/10

Review

Even with its linear design, this game is quite enjoyable. Especially for me as it is my first ever Final Fantasy game. At the first part, it’s all fun and games. Most of the time, you just have to click the auto-battle and eventually, enemies will die. As I progress through, it really gets harder and harder. I had to bring out tons of different guides from the internet on how to upgrade efficiently, I had to search the internet for the best combinations and which weapon fits each character perfectly. In the last chapter, I ended up turning down the difficulty from normal mode to easy mode because enemies just became a pain in the ass.

The good part is definitely not at the start, which is probably the reason a person will just stop playing. You can clearly see this from the average playtime of the users over here[steamspy.com].

Pros

• Game Length – One of the things you can expect from any Final Fantasy game is how long it takes to finish the story alone. For whatever price you got this game, you will surely get your money’s worth.
  
• Characters – I think they are all amazingly done; they will definitely grow on you. They should… Given how long this game is.
  
• Skill system – Upon reaching a certain chapter, all characters can build up any class types. But ofcourse, different characters excel at different classes.
  
• Cutscenes – This is already given, you can always expect that Square Enix will leave you in awe.

Neutral

• Plot – I believe that there is not a single game on the franchise wherein the storyline is bad. I think it all comes down to which one is better. XIII may not be ranked as the top ones, but it is still great.
  
• Battle System – It’s a kind of battle system that you either love it or hate it. The game uses Command Synergy Battle, you can learn more about that in this site[finalfantasy.wikia.com]. Basically, you only control 1 character while the other two will fight automatically. And an ATB gauge which is utilized for your commands.
  
• Region Locking – Apparently, if you live in Asia or atleast bought this game from Asia, you are bound to only have Japanese audio and English/Chinese/English subtitles. I understand that Japanese audio is the original, and nothing beats the original. But it wouldn’t hurt to have an option, right? Meanwhile those who don’t live in Asia will have both English and Japanese audio. The only downside of this, is that you will be downloading around 26gb more than those who live in Asia.

Cons

• Bad Optimization – It’s like they forgot that they are porting this game to PC. The game has very limited graphic options, four options to be exact: Screen Settings (Full-Screen or Windowed), Resolution, Shadow Resolution and Anti-aliasing (MSAA). Top those with a 30 FPS lock in-game and a 60 FPS lock on some cutscenes.
  
• Very Linear Gameplay – It says linear as one of its genre in the store page, but I did not expect a tutorial for about 40 hours wherein three guys walk a corridor and eventually get a taste of some side quests.

I was able to finish the main story on the lowest settings possible on these specs:
CPU: Intel Core i5 3210M
RAM: 8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000
2048MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 7600M Series

• Plot – First of all the game is not directly connected to the movie even though being released on the same year. Max’ ultimate quest is to reach the Plains of Silence, a fabled land where he might find solace from his madness. But instead, he finds himself getting his V8 Interceptor stolen by the War Boys of Scabrous Scrotus, Immortan Joe’s third psychotic son. With the help of Chumbucket, a blackfinger, Max embarks on a journey to get his vengeance and take back what is his.
  
  The main plot and some scenes may be predictable to some, or maybe even a cliché to at least. But it doesn’t mean it’s bad. In fact, I personally enjoy the story all throughout and I’m pretty satisfied with how the story went.
  
  
• Gameplay – The game showcases two types of gameplay. First off is when a vehicle, the gameplay is somehow similar to Vigilante or the Twisted Metal series. Though you have the option to use other faction vehicles, nothing is compared to what the Magnum Opus, your own vehicle, can offer you. Other than the harpoon, sniper rifle, and the thunderpoon, you also have the freedom to customize your vehicle the way you want it to. And it is actually balance and just. Not because you have all the high-tier upgrades, it doesn’t mean it’ll be the best vehicle out there. No. And that is actually great in my opinion. And the upgrades can actually be seen in the vehicle, you can style the Magnum Opus any way you want it.
  
  Second is when you’re on foot. If you have played any Batman Arkham games, you’ll most likely be familiar with how this game works out. And this is one of the most brutal games I may have played not just because of the blood, but because of what can Max do to his enemies. I’ve been hearing multiple cracked jaws and bones everytime I beat someone and it is very satisfying. I have mentioned that there are upgrades for your vehicle; well there are also multiple upgrades for Max to help him out in his fights.
  
  
• Environment and Design – The whole map is huge, at least for me. To be honest, I am more than surprised to see how amazing the world is. Sure, in a rough glance the world may seem too flat or bland. But wait until you start exploring side quests and maybe just roaming around. There are lot of stuff to see in this game.
  
  
• Controls – I’ve played this game with a controller, I feel like it would be easier beating up enemies and driving the vehicles with a controller instead. For problems, I’m glad that I didn’t run into any major ones to ruin the game for me. Though there is a thing that may become annoying to some as you progress through the game. Most of the time, the game will require you to hold the interact button or key for you to take action. It gets annoying because you will be doing it a lot of times.
  
  
• Conclusion – I may have finished the story of this game, but there are still numerous areas undiscovered, many camps aren’t looted yet, many towers not yet taken down, some snipers are still hunting. If you’re interested in games that still offer something even when the main story is done, then this one deserves to be in your wishlist. Even with the fps that I’m getting, I really had fun playing this game.
  
  A fair warning to those with OCD, when you’re in a camp, the game will show you the total scraps there is in a specific camp or area. And guess what, I used YouTube twice on two different areas just so that I can achieve a 100% on that specific camp and move on to the next one.

If you’re thinking of playing this game before watching the series, then stop. I doubt you’ll actually enjoy the game even it does let you control an Avatar that can bend all the elements. The story happens between the events of Season 2 and Season 3. Even though it is just a filler for the whole show, I still highly recommend that you watch it atleast until through Season 2 so that you can have a better understanding of the game. The game introduces a new antagonist named Hudun, an ancient enemy of the Avatar. And like any other cliché enemies, he wants to unleash chaos to the world and have his vengeance.

The main selling point of this game, is ofcourse, the ability to bend 4 different elements; Water, Earth, Fire and Air. And as an additional to that, you also gain experience points and eventually level up each elements which gives you additional move sets and more options to unlock from the shop. And the combat system isn’t as fluid as I thought it would be, at most times it does feel clunky.

PROS

• Play as the Avatar – I may not be the biggest fan out there, but being able to bend all different elements is just so satisfying.
  
• Mini-games – One of the mini-games is the pro-bending match. If you’ve been watching the series, you’ll know exciting this is already. And then there is the endless runner-like game when riding Naga, you’re trusty companion.
  
• Graphics – It is almost the same in the series and I love it.
  
• Voice Acting – Whenever you’re doing a video game for a series, you should always hire the original voice actors. I seriously don’t think it’ll be the same if it was a different woman voicing as Korra.
  
• Challenging Enough – I for one, died more than 10 times just trying to figure out how to kill a boss. The game surely punishes when you such, but it’s rewarding if you manage to get by ofcourse.

CONS

• A Very Short Game – To be honest, I’m not sure if my hours played is correct. But I can say that this game was way too short. The game made me raised my eyebrows when I didn’t realized I was already on the last chapter.
  
• Lacks Design – No matter how much I tried to like the way the world is designed, it really feels bland and rushed. The environment looks and feels empty.
  
• No Enemy Variation – Felt like they just gave up on brainstorming ideas on how the enemies should look. You’ll be seeing the exact same models of the enemies all throughout the game only with different costume colors and abilities.

CONCLUSION / TL;DR

If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll definitely have fun with this game. Given that the game is short in terms of its storyline, I think it is for the best that you get this game on the cheapest way possible. And if you’re not a fan, you’ll most likely exit the game and not finish it at all. So you’re probably better off trying other beat ‘em up games.

• Plot – The game is a total reboot, retelling the story of Dante whom is a Nephilim; half-angel and half-demon. It is set in a modern-day city controlled by all-powerful demons, manipulating humanity through a parallel plane called Limbo. And being a Nephilim, Dante is being hunted down by the demons who believe that he is the only one who can defeat the Demon King, Mundus. With the help of his long lost brother, Vergil, and a human with ability to see through Limbo, Kat, they take on a quest to end the Mundus’ reign over humans.
  
  
• Gameplay – You have the Rebellion, Dante’s trademark sword and his trusty high caliber twin pistols, Ebony and Ivory. In addition to these, the game showcases the ability for you to switch to Angel Mode or Devil Mode, modifying the weapon you are holding. For the Angel Mode, you have the Osiris, a speedy scythe weapon and the Aquila, a shuriken-like weapon. While in Devil Mode, you get the Arbiter, a huge axe that deals huge damage and the Eryx, a set of gauntlets that can charged up for greater effect. For the two additional firearms, you have the Revenant, a powerful shotgun which will be useful for clearing crowds on a closer range and then the Kablooey, firing explosive needles that stick to the enemies and detonates at your dispose. Featuring five (5) different melee weapons and three (3) different firearms, players are bound to get massive combos to finish off the enemies thrown at them.
  
  The game also offers different types of enemies that will surely give you a challenge and test your ability to the fullest on harder difficulties.
  
  
• Environment and Design – The design of Limbo is what I find interesting from start of the game. How the world transition from a modern-world into a demonic scene is something that I don’t see often, and I like it for a change. The environment are well made, the cutscenes are entertaining to watch. I also think that the soundtrack of this game is awesome, especially when you’re on a combo, somehow it goes with the beat and that really keeps me hyped up.
  
  
• Controls –I started playing this game using a keyboard & mouse, and then switched to a controller when I finally bought a new one. And personally, I think this game is best played on controllers as you’ll be able to hold the button for either Angel Mode or Devil Mode, making it easier to deal damage in many different ways. Though I had tons of entertainment slashing my way through enemies, there is one thing that ticks me off, and that is the camera angles. Almost all the time, the camera is lowered to the level of Dante’s back, making it harder for me to anticipate whether the enemy behind me is about to attack or not. And this problem got me killed a few times.
  
  
• Conclusion – Being the first Devil May Cry game that I played and completed my entire life, I would say I had a great time even though the story is quite short. But if you are a hardcore gamer and a huge fan of the franchise, I think you’ll enjoy the different difficulties this game has. Or whether you’re basically a fan of hack-and-slash games, then this game is a must try atleast.

Disclaimer: A key was provided for me to beta test the game and write an honest review

• Gameplay – The game is meant to be played with players and not with A.I.s. At the start of the game, everyone is spawned randomly around the map, and must race to the tower. Whoever gets in first, will be the leader and the one who everyone should obey to... Or not. The main objective of the game is to earn the highest money at the end of the round. If you were unfortunate to get into the tower first, you now either obey the leader or sneak your way in to the tower to gain supremacy.
  
  
• Environment and Design – It seems that the game only features one specific sandbox map all throughout the game. And the graphics are simple but don't let that fool you, as this game
  
  
• Controls – The controls are basic just like any other game, and you also have the option in the main menu to do a tutorial.
  
  
• Conclusion – This is not your typical multiplayer game wherein players are sent in a sandbox to hunt down each other endlessly. No, this game is about showing who's the boss and make other players obey you... And then you shoot those who aren't following your orders. It is highly recommended that you get this game together with your friends, as you'll have a frustrating time waiting for people to fill up some server.

• Environment and Design – Set on a western world with pixel graphics, the game sure does catches the attention of those who likes either one . There are lot of things going on, literally. Add that to the fact that some characters almost have the same color of the environment, there is no doubt that most of the time you’ll spend more time trying to locate where character has gone into than trying to aim down your enemies. But even so, the developers did a great job on making each level designs, nothing seems to be exactly the same as the next one.
  
  
• Gameplay – The game features eleven different playable characters to choose from, which has their own unique ways of controls and attacks. And this makes the game not that repetitive. There are different modes that you can choose from; Arcade, where you advance through the stages once you’ve completely finished off all the enemies; Story, almost similar to the Arcade but in here, you have the will to choose which direction to go to and there is a story behind; Versus, this where you and your friend(s) or stranger(s) can fight to the death; and then there’s Online, you can team up with other people to progress through the game.
  
  
• Controls – I think this game balances the use of keyboard & mouse and the controllers. There are characters that are best used with a controller, and there characters that you will probably prefer to be played with your keyboard & mouse.
  
  
• Conclusion – Whether you’re a fan of single-player games, multi-player, or co-op games, Fistful of Gun will not fail to keep you satisfied.

• Plot – The game is set on a futuristic Paris, called Neo-Paris, at the year 2084. You will play as Nilin, who recently got his memory almost completely wiped. A mysterious guy, whom only you can hear from your voice comm will help you and try to remind you who you were. Later you’ll find out that you are part of a rebel group called ‘The Errorists’, whose mission is to bring down Memorize. The Memorize Corporation are the one who have invented a new brain implant that allows people to upload and share their memories on a cloud, not only this but they can also remove unhappy or unpleasant memories. Not only have you learnt about this, but you also found that you are a memory hunter. You have the ability to steal memories, and as well as remix them, bending people’s past to your benefit.
  
  
• Environment and Design – One of the best environments I have seen, the world is completely detailed. I never felt a dull moment all through the areas, nothing is rushed. But this comes with a price; the game doesn’t let you experience what the world can truly offer. The game features huge world, yet you’re stuck on a limited area to progress through the story. You don’t have the free will to check out different places. You’ll also know easily when you’re about to face a wave of enemies. Wherever the story goes, you’ll follow.
  
  
• Gameplay – There are only 3 happenings in this game; conversations, climbing, and combat. The game pretty much revolves around this three.
  
  In terms of combat, the game features an interesting way of making your own combos and its effect. Though the actual combination to press doesn’t change, you have the option to choose the animation and the effect of that specific attack. You have the ability to regain health, decrease the cooldown of your skills, inflict a devastating damage or multiply your combos, the choice is yours. After a few tries, you’ll definitely get the rhythm of each combo.
  
  Throughout the game, you’ll unlock each skill one at a time. This can be a downside because the only possible way for you to truly enjoy the different ways to finish off an enemy is during the last stages of the story.
  
  The game also showcases your ability to remix memories. In here, you’ll see the whole scenario and you have the ability to rewind and make some changes that would alter the ending of that scenario. Even though this is a great feature, you only get to do this on specific characters.
  
  
• Controls – Other than the different types of enemies that the game offers, you also have two additional enemies to deal with. First one is the camera angle will most of the time get in your way. Instead of showing you what is happening on your character during combat scenes, the camera will show you an object that will completely block the view. Second would be the annoying controls outside the combat, basically running and climbing. There are times that the controls override what I pressed. You want to go right? Sure, let’s go left.
  
  
• Conclusion – Yes, the game is very linear to the point that you only have a very limited space to explore. But the story and combat system they offer, makes up for it. Even though the game is quite short, I personally enjoyed the whole ride.

• Plot – Similar to the previous one, this also requires you to play them for you to truly understand what has happened. Following the events from Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood , Desmond Miles, have entered a comatose state and the only way for you to get back in the real world is to relive the remaining gaps of his ancestor. And from this, it’s high recommended that you also play the first Assassin’s Creed as this will also tell the story of the Altair. So in short, there are three stories that can be found in this game. First, is about Desmond Miles and his time on the Animus Island where you are imprisoned while on comatose state. Second is Ezio Auditore, instead of picking up from where it ended on the previous game, time has pass by and he is now on his early 50’s. And lastly, is Altair’s story.
  
  
• Environment and Design – The game is set on Istanbul, definitely quite a turn from the previous games. The map is divided into two large areas, though this time it does seem a very large map due to not having any horse to help you get into places but also the underground tunnels are limited. It does take some time for you to get to one place to another because of this. The areas are completely improved and more realistic as there are more animations for the NPCs around you. The game also has a noticeable day and night cycle, and during somewhere midnight, the streets are almost empty. They also made a great job on creating the map; one of my favourite areas is the bazaar. It is an indoor market with open entrances.
  
  Unlike the previous games, starting off with this one does seem kind of new. The UI are redesigned so it took me a few minutes to get used to it. And there are couple of times that I had to restart the game due to the screen being stuck on a black screen or having bugs while loading. Also, starting the game without any sound can occur.
  
  
• Gameplay – A lot of features have been introduced in this game. Now instead of having the usual dual blades, now you get a hidden blade and a hook blade. Even though the hook blade is still used as a weapon during combat, it also offers a huge help on parkours. You can now climb a little higher with help of the extended reach from the hook, give you a huge leap on lanterns and giving more animations during the parkour. This blade can also pull down scaffoldings, damaging those who are nearby and even do flips towards an enemy. Speaking of enemies, the finishing moves also received some updates. Lots of animations have been added and you look more brutal on delivering those finishing moves.
  
  Next addition was the creation of bombs. Now at first I had some troubles on using them, in fact I didn’t start using them until I was one fourth of the main story. There are three categories for the bombs that you can create, first are the explosive bombs. This are the bombs made to damage and kill of those who are hit. Next are the tactical bombs, these are used to help you out during combat which gains you a huge advantage towards the enemies. And lastly, are the decoy bombs. This bomb can lure a group of soldiers away from an area to avoid any conflict.
  
  A feature removed from the previous game was the ability to lower your notoriety by ripping off wanted posters of yourself. Now the only way to get less suspicious is either bribing a herald or killing an officer in the area. And this is not so bad at all, in fact, when you’ve reached the highest notoriety possible there is a chance that the Templars may assault one of your dens. And to defend them, you will be playing a tower-defense like mini-game. And having high notoriety, also has a chance that you also get hunted down by a mercenary, this leaves you to keep on your toes at most times.
  
  Now, coming back from Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, recruiting assassins are also doable in this game. And in this game, they’ve added a depth on this feature. Some recruits have a backstory with them, requiring you to do a different ask instead of just helping him kill of the Templars who are harassing him. Not only this but there are stories around the brotherhood you are managing once you’ve trained an assassin to the max level.
  
  
• Controls – Please take note that the controls has received some changes, some keys are altered and some are assigned to a new one. Your weaponry is now divided into two, the main weapon and the secondary equipment. With this, you can combine different weapons and equipment to your liking.
  
  
• Conclusion – A game that started with a great story, also ended with an excellent one. If you have played the previous games, I don't see any reason for you not to get this. And this really left me very satisfied; it really is a one hell of a ride for me.
  
  Since this game requires Uplay in order to be played, I suggest that you turn off the cloud synchronization as it may result your save file to be corrupted on accidental shutdowns.

Thank you for your time reading this review that I made. And I would highly appreciate it if you can rate it to your liking. Below are the links for my other reviews that would complete this story arc.

Assassin's Creed II - Review

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - Review