Recent reviews by mllamble

"A Short Hike" is a cute little game about exploring a mountainous island. The vibe is very chill and pleasant, and for such a small game it offers a fairly good variety of activities (races around the island, fishing, scavenger hunts, etc.).

"Firewatch" is a very pretty game, and it has a story that actually keeps you engaged. The gameplay is pretty much just a walking simulator, but I'm a fan of those. I found myself particularly enjoying the banter between the player character and his supervisor, which was well-written. If you liked things like "Gone Home" or "Dear Esther," this is a great choice for you. Might be better to wait for a sale if you're not flush with cash, since I'm not *quite* sure it was worth $20 for four hours of gameplay, but I definitely think it's a good thing to have on the ol' wishlist for when the next big sale rolls around.

"Gone Home" has some excellent characterization and environmental storytelling. The gameplay isn't much to write home about, as it's mainly walking around and looking at stuff, but that's mainly just a vehicle for progressing through the narrative, which is the real draw here. It's not a very long game, clocking in at MAYBE two hours, unless you find yourself in a rut, so this is probably a Wishlist game, to buy when it goes on sale, unless you've got money to burn. All in all, though, definitely recommended for people who like exploring and watching a story unfold largely through context.

As far as I'm concerned, this is an excellent game. The gameplay is nicely varied, giving you plenty of options and ways of approaching any given problem. The original DE:HR had some shortcomings when it came to the boss fights, in that they became just shootouts, but the Director's Cut gives you plenty of options for dispatching the bosses, which is nice.

I enjoyed the Total War games, but Crusader Kings II is a different breed entirely. I'm not an expert on the Middle Ages (yet), but the game does an excellent job, as far as I can tell, of replicating the realities of medieval politics. This is a great game, no doubt, but it requires that you have the bigger picture in mind when you play it. That said, getting it with the "Old Gods" expansion can make it a little simpler, and more fun, generally speaking, in that it allows you to attack other countries without first having to do some wheeling and dealing around titles and claims.

This game is pretty great. Despite the glut of space marines in shooters, it's rare that you find a game that gives you control over the bigger aspects of space warfare. This game has enough unlockables and playstyles to keep it fresh for a while, and there's a new update coming out soon! I heartily recommend it!

Definitely cheaper that friggin' Call of Duty or whatever the hell is all the rage right now. If you simply must have a military shooter, be frugal and buy this one. Also, I liked that you play as a SWAT team, rather than a bunch of 'Murrikuhn marines.

Not a very long game, nor an especially interactive one. Very haunting and atmospheric, though. Cheaper than a trip to the Art Institute, or a movie.

Terrifying and magnificent. Any game can pack a spring-loaded monster into a vent, but this game really delivers, offering up the kind of scares that will leave you shivering and sweating.

Pretty neat game. If you want a medieval experience without the constraints of a shadowy cult, an evil empire, or being "The Chosen One," then this is a good choice.