Seneste anmeldelser af Chabs

Improves on a number of aspects vs DS1, but somehow is weaker that its older brother.
I find it a little lacking and bland, despite the many improvement.

DS1 was simplicity perfected.
The game made great use of what little it had (when comparing to the biggest RPG AAA titles): an astonishing combat system, a dark, dreadful (but not without a glimmer of hope) world, and ohhhh that feeling you got from triumphing over seemingly impossible odds...

DS2 tries to emulate the last two, but it just doesn't hit the same.
The world is nicely built, but lacks that scale DS1 had, where you could see across the world and get a feel of how immense Lordran was. Here, the maps are bigger sure, but progress feels more condensed. And challenge-wise, bosses are kinda meh... Some feel recycled, others are just fodder.
Controls are also a little ♥♥♥♥♥ too, with weird controls (not as snappy).

Still, in a bubble, the game is very enjoyable. Some areas are really tough, you feel like exploring every nook and cranny, and combat can be quite enjoyable.

TL;DR: A weaker DS, but an enjoyable DS nonetheless.

Edit 19/01/22: After having spent more time playing this, I've come to the conclusion that JC4 truly has the most pointless open world environment to date. It is just a super boring bland game.
There is NOTHING to it at all, it feels and plays like a concept. Challenges are a joke, driving and flying is somehow WORSE than previous entries, missions are even more shallow than before...

And what's sad is that it's an absolutely redeemable game. It's really not far from the glory of the previous ones. The map is huge and varied, some of the mechanics are tight, like the grapple. But there's really nothing to keep you there.

Original review:
By far the weakest link of the JC series.

IMO, these games peaked with JC2. Blowing ♥♥♥♥ up never felt so great, and the progression felt natural.
JC3 was really fun and improved on the mechanics with the wingsuit, which was INSANELY fun. But JC2 holds a special place in my heart. JC1 was just a great game for its time, but certainly doesn't hold up to today's standards.

JC4 however, despite looking relatively good (vehicles popping out of nowhere in the distance and some ♥♥♥♥♥♥ textures aside) and having vastly improved grappling and traversal mechanics, is just a major step down in major aspects.
It feels like more of the same JC, but just isn't... The previous entries were far from being masterpieces, but they did progression and epic mayhem very well. You can NEVER go wrong with having a complete checklist of stuff you've yet to blow up, like in JC2.

None of that is in JC4. You can still blow things up, but it's just... Meh. It doesn't achieve much, it's not really rewarding, and so all you're left with is the plot. But the plot was never these games' strong suit.

One last major gripe I have with this game is the UI/UX. The menus are honestly pretty bad. Calling for vehicle/gun drops is tedious as hell. Not to mention configuring your grapple... Why can't it be as simple as say JC2 or 3 for that matter, where you could order anything you wanted in a few clicks. Here, you have to assign a supply to one of your many available pilots from the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ menus, and then call. It's not straightforward, and the terrible menu navigation make it just so bad...

It's really too bad because the mechanics are OK, the possibilities are somewhat expanded, but it's just such a chore... There's almost nothing sucking you in.

All in all, get this at a discount if you insist, and do yourself a favor by playing the earlier titles.

Edit 02/01/21:
Just f*ing buy it.
It's seemingly hard at first, but you've got 2 hours to ask for a refund. You'll either end up loving it, or you just won't. No in-between.
And if you do, well congrats: you now have a lot of other games to explore!

--

First important note: Prepare to Die Edition (Original) > Remastered.

Remastered has higher res. textures and better shaders, sure. But it butchered the look&feel of the original.
However if this is your first rodeo, it won't impact you.

On to the "review":

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ was I missing out all these years.
Back when it came out, I was honestly very intimidated. I mashed R1/RB like an idiot and ended up abandoning altogether.

Don't be 2011-me.
Take your time to learn the game, its mechanics, its flow. It doesn't take long.
Do not be afraid of losing, dying, trying again. Embrace it. It's part of the core experience.

The reward: an experience like no other with a real sense of accomplishment.

TL;DR: I was blind, but now I see.

Only recommended at a discount.

The game's alright, but there's a huge "meh-ness" to it.
Driving feels meh, the stand-in story is meh, the acting is extra meh, freeroaming is mega meh...
On the other hand, car customisation is pretty fun! It's reminiscent of NFS's golden days: the days of NFS Underground and Most Wanted (the first one obviously).

Overall, it's a pretty bland game. 7 hours in and I'm already pretty bored.
Definitely not worth 60$, but sort of kind of maybe worth it at a discount.

The pinnacle of the Yakuza franchise, minus the fighting.

Don't get me wrong, combat is fun but very much dumbed-down compared to 0 or even Kiwami 1.

Overall, Yakuza 6 is a beast of a game. It's got everything from dumb fun at the arcade to cabaret "flirting", gripping (and often convoluted) story and solid gameplay... It's essentially Kiwami 2 perfected.

And the great part: it's not a slog like the previous games were (looking at you 3 and 5...).
You're following Kiryu's journey and nobody else's. This focus on a single character helped pace the game better. It's never boring, you're always free to do whatever you want and the storyline follows up very nicely.
You won't go through 3, 4 and 5 for nothing!

All-in-all, this game is GOAT certified.

The game's fun. It's certainly not the strongest modern Battlefield, but there's a fair share of fun to be had.

It improves on some gameplay elements, most notably traversal and overall character movement, which makes for a very pleasant feel.
But as is customary with DICE/EA, there's been a number of downgrades, things like:
- uninspired UI and poor menu UX,
- overly simple player stats,
- overall unlock mechanics (classes, ranks, individual weapons...),
- the introduction of a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ shop for cosmetics (camos, skins, outfits,...),

Now I haven't experienced this game at all when it came out. I decided to just skip it back then, due in part to the abysmal marketing campaign, but most importantly my Beta impressions.
I only just grabbed it about a month ago for next to nothing.

In hindsight, you can tell DICE/EA was really on the decline creatively speaking, and has slowly shifted to a "game as a service" model where every bit can be monetized at some point.

It's honestly disheartening to see how the industry is veering towards this dark path (specifically AAA's and big studios). All these franchises we've grown to love over the years are changing, and definitely not for the better... Not for us the consumers anyway.

An epic adventure well worth the time and money invested.

If you're looking for a story-rich RPG with a strong cast of characters and an engaging adventure, you'll find your fix, and then some.

I strongly recommend starting from the very beginning of this journey: Dragon Age Origins.
It's not a must, but it will allow you to port your saves over and make your adventure somewhat unique. You can also visit dragonagekeep.com, the official Dragon Age "companion" site which saves and tracks your progress across the 3 games. You can also review your decisions and edit if needed.

Pick this only if:

1. You've got nothing to play.
2. It's on sale.

This game is very much a stain on the ME franchise.
While the gameplay (to some extent) is far better and more dynamic than it's predecessors, and the graphics look relatively good, everything else is downright terrible.
Writing, characters, story... All pillars of a great story-rich game which this one does not give a damn about.

Right before writing this review, I picked it up again for a second go, years after my first.
It opened my eyes as to how bad it was... I did notice it in the past, but I just had nothing better to play, it was laughable but did the trick y'know.

It's honestly sad to see how these beloved franchises just get ripped to shreds by teams who seemingly don't share the same vision or passion as the original creators.

The gameplay is very simple and straightforward. Whether you're shooting, hitting stuff or riding your motorcycle, it's all very crisp, and I really liked that. You can watch plenty of spoiler-free gameplay to get a clear idea.

The story is nothing to write home about, but it's engaging nonetheless.
The pacing is ok, but the mission structure is a little puzzling sometimes. Some missions have you just meet someone and exchange 2 words. That's it.
Doesn't happen too often tho so it's alright. I suppose that everything is considered a "mission" so you don't accidentally miss out on certain convos.

One thing I hated: the main character, and more specifically his acting.
There are some okay moments, but the character's attitude is soooooo ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ annoyiiiiiing... And don't get me started on his monologues.
When you're out exploring, you're mostly by yourself, and your characters reacts to a lot of stuff: picking up things, killing people/"freaks", exploring, etc. He makes a lot of comments, talking to himself. That's really cool, I actually like the idea. But the way the lines were recorded? Ughhhh.

Seriously, Sam Witwer (actor who played and lent his likeness to the main protag "Deacon St. John") only knows how to act a specific way, and it just ain't it.
I didn't know who he was when I first played, but quickly recognised him as that guy who played Crashdown in Battlestar Galactica, which was... Another "stellar" performance on his part. He was literally acting the same here.
Most supporting characters were great however. Special shoutout to Rikki, she was cool. Underdeveloped but cool.

Anyway, still recommend if you're looking for your next solo fix. Easy 40 to 50 hours.