Recent reviews by Fern

A fun game experience, full of content, with enjoyable gameplay but waay too many flaws and low quality aspects to excuse the pricetag. There was clearly love put into this game, but it seemingly wasn't allowed to flourish.

The worst of the Metro game series in terms of quality alone.
Less bugs and issues than most AAA games released in these modern days, but that's a low bar, the game is still chock-full of glitches and problems, even game-breaking bugs. Not terribly optimized but far from well optimized.

The game was clearly rushed for release. The story is unique, but the execution is average. Dialogue for the main story is horribly written, while in contrast the vast quantity of optional dialogues can often feel organic, engaging and at times even exceptional.

Voice acting in main story dialogues also suffers the same way, it is awful, and I feel is due to the script the VAs were following being so awkward and cheesy. A lot of the time it feels like the VAs weren't given context in what the character is going through, or what the scene is about before they read their lines;
i.e. Shouting in stealth because something startled them, when it's clearly supposed to be a stage-whispered "*Holy damn..*" or when the character is mildly irritated but the VA sounds like they are furious, and vice versa.

Like the previous games, this one is very cinematic, even when it comes to gameplay, but the scenes in this one are at their lowest when there is dialogue.

A few more quick issues are:
* Checkpoints in this game are abysmal and inconsistent.
* Enemy hit-boxes are sometimes amazing, and sometimes pertain to an unseen alien anatomy.
* The Full-dive mode (removes all UI, even necessary ones with information that can't be found anywhere else) which was supposed to be the best way to play the game is broken and mostly unplayable even for a Metro veteran, unless you have just beaten the game and have a photographic memory to know each and every prompt and interactable. Else you will be spending hours just holding a button on every surface hoping there is something to interact that you can't see, as well as becoming lost in instances where there are multiple commands but good luck knowing what any of them do, or even what buttons they are (specially on a keyboard and mouse).

One thing I admire a lot about these series –which is also very present here– is the attention to detail as well as how lived-in it feels whenever you are at "camp", or anywhere that is inhabited.

In the end this game did not need to exist, and the execs clearly just wanted to release more games of a franchise that was neatly finished, and you can feel that when playing.

I recommend the other two previous Metro Games with all my heart. This one however is only worth it with an at least 50% discount.

Contrary to what some say here, this is a very well balanced masterpiece.
It's very simple in the matter of movement and combat mechanics at first, but it isn't necessarily easy to master, and those elements become a lot more fun as you progress.

If you miss a game that respects you and your ability to play it like the old days, this one is for you. It brings a lot of that joy from the olden times, but with a lot of modern quality of life and game design improvements.

IF YOU ARE NO LONGER IN YOUR PRIME OR NO LONGER HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR GETTING GOOD AT GAMES it's fine. It has difficulty options that can make the game gradually easier, all the way to a walk in the park, and that is completely fine.

I'm still playing through it slowly, and enjoying every second of it.

I just love physics-based side-scrollers. This game is a wonderful one, and full of charm to top it off.

If you liked the first game, and don't mind/can live with a perspective change and the lack of vehicles and tools, you'll love this game because in many aspects it's much better. They did promise free upgrades, and I expect more tools and vehicles to be released, as well as enemy factions.

GREAT FUN WITH FRIENDS!




Old Review:
"My review will change when the servers allow me to play consistently. I rarely have time to play, so when I do I can't because the servers say they are at capacity.

Even if you want to play this game solo, you need to be connected to the servers. So it's a super high price for a game you can't play most of the time. Absolutely can't recommend in its current state."

This is a lot of what I always wished Windforge to be, but underwater.

Namely, it has multiplayer.

One of the best games to play with your friends. Be ready for a challenge though!

"Rain world is a melancholic game with a heavy, murky and deep lore about existentialism."

This is one of the best games I have ever played.
With a story and lore so intrinsically built into the world that the experience integrates the player into the world's ecosystem through sheer immersion.

Oh, and I guess it's pretty challenging as well.

I played the game for the longest while the same way I imagined a Slugcat would try and survive. I moved when food got low and avoided confrontation to the best of my ability since there was nearly no benefit to willingly engage something bigger than me in combat.

Yet despite all the difficulty at the beginning I could hunt titans by the end of my journey.
Keep in mind that your skill is the only thing that improves from the beginning of a capaign until its end.. in most campaigns at least.

It's just a great, fun, and well-paced Rogue-like.

Skyrim can't even hold a candle for this one in story telling, however, both are very different games in design.

Incredibly deep story, beyond well built world, intricate lore, charismatic characters, harsh but fair progression system, solid mechanics, amazing atmosphere, extraordinary soundtrack, beautifully crafted level design and overworld, original story, very satisfying pacing, rewarding exploration, consistant story development, well written and fantastically executed. All that and no taboo or publisher limitations thanks to it being developed by an indie studio.

This game does not feel like the Elder Scrolls, it's much darker, touches heavier topics and doesn't pull any punches. This adventure is deep, dark, melancholic, beautiful and incredibly refreshing. It has some of the best character dialogue around and the important NPCs might even give *you* smarter folks something to think about.

Pros: Works just dandy! Glitches are passable and it has a really nice collection of wallpapers from the community on the workshop.

Cons: Too many anime wallpapers, just too many.