Recent reviews by fitz

The ghosts
Of forgotten coattails, abandoned cigarette butts
Misplaced change and discarded candy wrappers
Of the tiny cakes of pasture stuck onto the boots of
Vagabonds, truck drivers and lambs of the awakening generation

The ghosts — they speak to us
In hushed melodies, they send us
Messages of love unrequited, mysterious unresolved
Abundant is the wisdom in these tales of old
And yet disregarded they lie in the wastes
As the listeners refuse to listen, preach without knowledge
Such are the crimes of the future

A tattered leather-bound book with yellow pages
Ye of paper, in a land of electronic faces,
We brave few cherish with reckless abandon;
"Sleep, perchance to dream"
Perchance to remember, to never let go
What has come before
What the ghosts are left with
What we are destined to be

Ghosts — the road of ghosts.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey's greatest strength is its protagonist, misthios Kassandra (portrayed wonderfully by Melissanthi Mahut), and her many wonderful adventures in the ancient Greek world. Even in the dullest moments of Odyssey -- and there were quite a few -- I always found myself compelled to complete whatever I had in my quest inbox just so that she can become that much more powerful, more in tune with her destiny. Through the base game, two DLCs and a final good-bye note in the form of the island Korfu (in which I shed a few tears), one gets to see the most ferocious brawn and the most tender emotions of Kassandra. She's easily a contender for my top 5 video game characters... so charismatic, so well-portrayed.

Odyssey is vast, almost to a fault (it took me 221 hours to finish everything in one playthrough, after all), and its activities are often repetitive... but there's always an incentive to keep going, always a silver lining. The magical abilities we can use are fascinating, and the various locales of ancient Greece are breathtaking to look at. Legacy of the First Blade is underrated, The Fate of Atlantis provides both the most fascinating and emotional moments of the entire game, and the island of Korfu gives us a small area of respite. I rolled my eyes when it started to become another grand-scale adventure, but it was in a way akin to how one would roll their eyes at a mildly annoying sibling. You can't help but love them in the end.

Farewell, misthios. It's been fun.

It's a VR game rather hastily ported to handheld/PC, and it shows. The animations, the jank... if this proves to be too high a barrier for you, then consider yourself lucked out of enjoying The Edge of Reality to the fullest. If you find yourself adjusting to the controls more or less, though? You're in for a treat (if you're a Doctor Who fan).

As a game, it's a decent platformer / adventure sim with hidden achievement objectives and beautiful stages. As a Doctor Who story, it's a sprawling epic with plenty of fan-pleasing moments (the Classic era menagerie that is the pot-breaking manor, the witty commentary AI spaceship straight out of Season 16-17 / Douglas Adams, etc). Maze Theory practically perfected the implementation of the Weeping Angels into a video game format, they did a decent job with the Cybermen... but the Daleks, oh my. No wonder they have Stormtrooper aiming in the show, take a gander at all that jank while controlling them pepper pots!

The story's nothing too special, but it is pretty engaging. Jodie Whittaker, as always, gives her all and it's all down to you whether or not you enjoy her take as the Doctor (as for me, I absolutely love her). David Tennant's small role as Ten is always welcome, too -- and it turns out he has a far bigger role in proceedings than I thought! No spoilers, but there's a neat little twist that gives the otherwise generic story a neat little kick. Genuinely touching moments, who thought we'd get any of those in a 2021 Doctor Who video game?

All in all, not a waste of my time. I enjoyed the four hours. It's a very short game, and it never lingers in one location for long enough (naturally, since it's not a game that accommodates exploration... ironically for a Doctor Who title). The highest praise I can give it is that The Edge of Reality should be regarded as proof of concept, that a sprawling Doctor Who game could definitely work. Take inspiration from stuff like Planescape Torment or Outer Wilds, for Rassilon's sake.

I'm not kidding, in just about every aspect (including story and gameplay), I like Before the Storm more than the original Life is Strange. Don't get me wrong, the first game was a great narrative-driven game in its own right, but I felt that it tried to talk about real-life issues that Dontnod (at the time) didn't exactly know how to handle maturely. I'm happy to say that Before the Storm improved greatly on this front: the fractured family dynamic, and whether you can trust your close ones, are issues that this game deal with quite smoothly.

Rachel Amber and Chloe Price are both very well-written characters. They provide great character moments, and their voice actors rise to the occasion nearly effortlessly. It's important to note that Ashly Burch, the original VA for Chloe in the original Life is Strange, was replaced by Rhianna DeVries (Chloe's mocap actor) due to the former taking part in an actor strike. While some saw this as a detriment, I actually think Rhianna's Chloe provides a wholly unique and oddly more fitting (although her voice sounds older than Ashly's) to the character at this stage of her life. Ashly's Chloe has that charming YA cringe, and feels more believable as a troubled teen-turning-eighteen. Rhianna's Chloe is more laid back, but is more convincing in scenes demanding emotional acting. All in all, Chloe Price is still a fantastic character. The romance between the two is absolutely electrifying.

While the final choice of the first Life is Strange hinged on knowing people that, quite frankly, you have very little reason to care about, the ultimate choice of Before the Storm *really* hits you in the guts. When it hits you, you'll see just how this game uses the mechanic of choice better. It's not just choices for the shock factor, it's an actual discussion between two equally compelling, morally dubious choices. The backtalk mechanic, Chloe's version of Max's time-rewind ability from Life is Strange, is fresh and provides some real gameplay challenges.

Many have criticized the game for borderline ignoring the canon of the first game. There are a few bits from the first game that are supposedly crucial but are left not addressed at all in this game (when it would have been logical to come up at some point, since the character of Rachel Amber has many links with various people .. if you've played the games, you know which tidbits I'm talking about). I agree with them to some extent, but since the game's narrative already feels so standalone and detached from its predecessor (despite being a prequel), I have no real gripe with that. You know what I really have a problem about, though? The character of Eliot - why is he even here? I don't know why Deck Nine decided to even include him, but his sudden part in Episode 3 is beyond off-putting.

.. but come on, now, we're starting to nitpick. Life is Strange: Before the Storm is well worth your time. Three episodes, plus a final tearjerker of a minisode. 'Farewell' is so emotional when you know these characters (as you will eventually, after two games), and the fact that it's Deck Nine's final goodbye to Arcadia Bay and it's the last time we'll ever see these characters .. is heartbreaking.

Gameplay wise, this game's absolutely flawless. SS tier and all, IO Interactive has honed their craft down to a T at this point. Content wise (in terms of map density and attention to detail), there are few games out there that can stand up to Hitman 2. Add the Legacy Pack (with all the maps/missions from Hitman 2016) and what we have here is a 150GB absolute monster of a video game that never gets old.

Yes, the story's fascinating and all, but have I talked enough about the sheer smoothness of the gameplay? No, I have not -- so I'm gonna keep drooling over this game. I'm currently going through what many cite as masterpieces, but Hitman 2 is probably never going to leave my Top 10. All the maps contain secrets and various ways to take out targets. They're gorgeous, well-designed, and *dense* with content (as well as Easter eggs from IO's devs). I don't know how self-serious the Hitman series was at the beginning, but the tongue-in-cheek humor that this game often shows is *perfect* for me.

So if you see this bad (admittedly expensive) boy on sale, and an 80% sale at that .. what are you waiting for? Clear out your PC for some extra space, because this behemoth deserves it. 12 different maps, and you'll be spending at least five hours on each one. Talk about cost efficiency!

*EDIT: 20211125* Still playing this magnificent game. Never change, IO Interactive.

You've probably heard of New Vegas even if you haven't played it yet. Ask anyone from all walks of life about their favorite RPGs, and chances are that they'll mention this game (and if you're lucky, they might mention that the Fallout series started as Interplay's isometric CRPGs from the '90s and that Steam has those bangers as well).

Choices, consequences, customization, engaging loot system - they're all part of Fallout: New Vegas. From being able to repair weapons/armor with identical items with varying durability to being allowed to kill literally everyone and ignore/choose any quest you like, the freedom this game provides is astonishing. Computer terminals have all sorts of interesting / f**ked up backstory stored in them, so be sure to level up your Science skill ASAP. Obviously, the main quest and the handful of huge side quests (companion quests, etc.) are well-written as well, but the charm of these otherwise totally miss-able stories - purely existing to flesh out this post-apocalyptic world - is on another level. The Survivalist's story from the DLC Honest Hearts, for example, is a story you have to piece together through exploration .. and the payoff is beyond satisfying.

I'm gonna stand my ground and say that Dead Money, New Vegas's first and most maligned DLC, is my favorite. Its tragic, soul-rendering story of the secrets of the Sierra Madre surpasses any other DLC in the Fallout series, let alone NV. Honest Hearts is okay; I wasn't as invested as I was with Dead Money. Joshua Graham is a fascinating character, though - if you find yourself in the Legion's camp, you might catch talk about a certain Burned Man .. keep him in mind. Old World Blues is quirky in a Douglas Adams way and the individual bits are hilarious, but it's also the DLC that completely threw me off the game for months. The middle section became so tedious and boring for me, even with all the cool gear. Last but not least, Lonesome Road is the Logan (2017) of New Vegas DLCs: it utilizes the sense of solitude and hopelessness that its worldspace reeks of and amplifies it with an engaging "bad guy" Ulysses and a fittingly dark and grimy quest. Lonesome Road feels like the final warning of what's to come, a memento mori that ends with an emotional twang. The real ending, though, is when you get back to the Mojave. A certain package awaits you, with a voice recording that will stay in your mind for years.

You may also have heard that in terms of engine or graphics, this game isn't really that astounding. Well, duh, it was made about ten years ago with an outdated game engine. That said, I encountered close to zero bugs on this Steam version (with NO bug fix mods, only one that enables steady high FPS), so don't worry too much. If you feel the gun combat feels too wonky, download some mods that improve fire recoil and such - they really enhance the NV experience.

I've written way too much. TL;DR, New Vegas is exactly as fantastic/near-perfect/perfect as they say, and then some. Talk about morality (or fruitlessness of) in a post-nuclear American wasteland, or gun/bomb/nuke your way through hoards of enemies. Remember, they're not enemies because the game sets them up as so, but because your *own* actions make them so; your choice matters.

Whether this is technically eligible as a 'game' is a discussion I'll not engage in in this particular review. There will always be a subgenre of games that walks a fine line between 'game' and 'interactive film' - my job as a consumer is not to set barriers on which is which. Hell, I'm the kind of guy who considers Twin Peaks: The Return as a film because David Lynch says so. Take my word with a pinch of salt if you feel the need to.

Now as for the game, I enjoyed it very much. It was engaging enough to make me completely forget about my finals and binge the game in three days (a miracle for me, because completing the game usually takes more than a month). Polished visuals, great cinematics, enjoyed them all despite the fact that my laptop wasn't high-end enough to show what's going on in HDR. The quick-time events were occasionally a real pain in the a**, but I managed by pausing every few seconds to see what button to press. I can't imagine how this must have been for console players.

Is the story flawless? No, the sometimes overly obvious comparisons to the Civil Rights Movement gets jarring in areas (especially in fraught, sensitive times such as now when it feels just a tad bit inappropriate to equate a fictional narrative with a disturbingly real, desperate matter of racism). However, what I really appreciated was how the choice always mattered. Exploration rewards more choices, and more choices lead to better consequences. It's basically comparable to the Life is Strange series, except the choices are more drastic and impacting (considering the much bigger scope of the story).

Intertwining the stories of Connor, Kara and Markus in a cohesive way mustn't have been easy, but kudos for Quantic Dream for doing it, the mad lads. Performances were all fantastic, and I'm looking forward to what the studio brings us next.

Mortal Kombat 11, in my eyes, has the potential to (eventually) become this generation's Mortal Kombat Trilogy. While we haven't gotten klassic kharacters like Rain, Mileena, Smoke, and all the other characters (plus Cyrax and Sektor, who appear in story mode but are not playable), I have a suspicion that we'll get to see all -- yes, *all* of those characters in the short years to come.

From the atmosphere of the game that screams "I know how cheesy and over-the-top I am and I don't give a sh*t" to the morbidly creative gore and fatalities to the upcoming stage fatalities & friendships, this game really has it all. Gameplay wise, combat is slower than Mortal Kombat X, but I don't think of it as a design flaw -- more as a design philosophy that detaches itself from its predecessor. Maybe MKX's quick-paced gameplay is the exact type of fighting game you're looking for, maybe it's not. MK11 is still a huge fun to play and delve into, especially when you know and love the lore.

Customization is the selling point of this game and I *love* it. Not all the gear are unique or awesome, but it's so satisfying to see in-game cinematics and finishers with the character I chose and dressed up. Graphics are out of this world and even with my not-so-high-end PC, this game runs pretty darn well.

Oddly enough, the story (which is praised by many fans) is not at all outstanding to me. It's not bad by any means, but I often have trouble with stories that revolve around too many characters. The only MK reboot story that I really loved was Mortal Kombat 9's, and that was basically a combination of the stories of MK 1~3. I'm really excited for Aftermath, however, as it's a sign of Netherrealm Studios moving away from its comfort zone.

The only real serious problem I have with this game is the fact that one of its Steam achievements doesn't seem to be working. I checked on the Internet and yep, I Want It All is a really infamous achievement for its bugginess. Unless someone fixes it, I guess 100% is a no-go for me.

With so much juicy content and a plethora of fun characters to play with, MK11 is probably my favorite Mortal Kombat game yet. Gameplay refined to the hilt meets gorgeous graphics and cool customization elements? Exactly the game for me.

Kombatants I want to see in MK11 in the future (including those that probably won't show up):

- Cyrax, Sektor, Mileena, Kung Jin, Takeda, Kenshi, Reptile, Stryker (now that Cassie Cage exists, maybe he could be more of a demolition expert utilizing various explosives in kombat), Goro, Smoke, Rain, Shinnok, Quan Chi, Ermac, Sareena

I can definitely see people complaining about how it's too much like fanfiction. In a way, it feels like fanfiction a lot -- a lot of cheesy one-liners and romantic moments and whatnot. But hey, I'm a sucker for this kind of thing.

Episode 5 is probably the best of the lot (not that I think any of the five episodes are bad) because it delves into the more nightmarish, mind-bending aspect of "what if the versions of yourself you leave behind by traveling back in time come back to haunt you?" that I don't see many IP related to time travel delve into. My ending was what I perceived as the right one, although it felt short compared to the other one (if you've played the game, you know which ending I'm talking about).

Chloe and Max are the perfect couple.

Skyrim is a game that never ends. From the smallest, most tedious radiant quests (which has become a staple of most modern-day open world RPGs, to Bethesda's sins) to sprawling epic final missions, it guarantees hundreds of hours of gameplay. Despite the recent trend to regard it as a game too dependent on community-made mods, I believe that Skyrim's core gameplay is addicting enough to garner such an expansive mod community in the first place.

Talking about mods, Legacy of the Dragonborn, The Forgotten City and Vigilant are quest mods that I consider essential to every playthrough. Three top-tier stories that surpass (almost) anything that Bethesda has brought up. With these three mods, I guarantee Skyrim will go above and beyond your favorite game.