Recent reviews by AbsoluTe Field

It's one of the most compact, realized stories I've played in any game. The art, soundtrack, and characters are all so well-realized, thought-out, and ooze style that make this game really stand out and worth playing. I was lucky enough to play the original DS version around its release, but it's well worth a revisit either to enjoy the story again or check out the new arranged soundtrack or cool concept art bonuses.

And hell, the achievements made me finally learn how to solve sliding block puzzles. No other game can do that!

Man... I wrote a short joke review for this game, but I still think this game needs even more love. So here we go.

Everything about this game just oozes passion and charm. Maybe it's not blatantly charming in the way something like Mario can be, but it's also dead-set on keeping its 90s-influenced aesthetic on its sleeves at all times. But that doesn't compromise the mechanics either since the game is a near-perfect balance of Wario platforming mixed with Sonic-like speed and adrenaline. The movement can still feel wonky at times given its (pretty nutty) complexity, but the feeling of finally learning how to control this fat anxious Italian man through carefully crafted levels (yes, even the sewer one) is one of the best feelings I've had all year.

AND THE SOUNDTRACK. Oh god. I don't even know what else to say there. Just listen to it!

So yeah, this is my 2023 GOTY and an absolute favorite for life.

While I haven't gone through the entire game yet (still working on a Hard 100% clear), I think the rather high price tag might warrant another review for people skeptical about the game.

- Performance wise, I've had little issues before or after the patch. Prior to the first patch's release, the worst I had was the game crashing on me twice during a transition from one area to another, but I haven't experienced FMV hiccups nor any general play issues even with max settings. The sound has been acting a little odd (hurr) after the patch, though, often cutting out at certain points like when several mines explode at once. It's not big, but it's noticeable.

- As someone who hasn't experienced the PS4 version and its possible issues, I've had little problem with the game compared to the original Oddysee... in more ways than one. Some may argue that the sterile, dark nature from the original is lost in the colors and bloom here, but I think there's still very nice environmental design that still highlights the industry vs. nature idea going on between the game's major settings. The new voice work can be rather goofy, though I think that falls under the more subjective argument against Oddworld's change in tone over time more than anything.

- On its own merits, the game still remains as clever and charming as I can recall (yes, even considering the changes in tone). The keyboard controls have been great, save for some time to adjust to more precise movements in the beginning. The ability to call multiple Mudokons together is nice, but I think there are moments where it shows that they didn't intend for it to work that way, forcing me to stick to single Mudokon greetings. Quik-Save is perhaps too nice; instantaneously loading to a save point can really diminish some otherwise tense challenges. It also bothers me that chant suppressors and certain chant possession moments are harder to gauge due to the lack of screen transitions, but it hasn't emerged too much to be a consistent issue.

Is this still a good game? Definitely. Does it outplace Oddysee? Not exactly, but I think it's a great complement. Is it worth $20? It depends. It's well worth a try to see Oddworld reimagined in HD, but the difficulty and tone are not going to be the same. I liked it enough to spend that much, but others might want to wait on a sale before stepping back in.

I've waited to grab this game on a good enough sale ($13.50, to be exact), and it's definitely provided me with a bunch of entertainment. The game itself is easy even on the highest difficulty, and my hours clocked into it is lower than I expected, but it's a great 15 hours of exploring South Park and playing through some of the funniest scenes in a while for games and South Park itself. It gets progressively crazier toward the end, though, just to warn you... not like the rest of the game isn't offensive, but they really push the envelope near the story's end. I have to give a big shout-out to the crazy customization in this game between the various design accessories and weapon/equipment effects, even if the latter ends up breaking the game for me.

My only big issue with this game is with collectables. From weapons to equipment sets to friends and Chinpokomon, there's a ton to look out for and collect... and each has items that can be missed. My post-story session ended quickly when I realized I wasn't going to get ANY of those four collectibles completed on my playthrough because I happened to miss one or two collectibles in one-time areas. It's likely my fault for not looking closer in those one-time areas, but to have that apply to four different kinds of items particularly annoys me. It's not something another playthrough can't fix, but the realization killed almost any reason I'd have to replay it immediately.

Even so, I certainly got my money's worth from just one playthrough, and maybe I'll get past my annoyance and try it again later.

The game itself is decent if not uninspired, the presentation is pretty bad, and you'll likely need to turn off music to stop the game from crashing.

But hey, you can buy it for 30 cents on the right sale.

A great example of function over form. Not to say that's it ugly or anything, but the game works incredibly well with such a simple concept. Later stages become a crazy test of reaction speed and awareness when new enemies, stages, and speeds throw you off from the last stage you played. And yet it works so well just using the mouse buttons that you'd be amazed how much you get into the game by the time you get a perfect run on a stage after so many attempts.

My only concern comes from the random bits where you can inflict special moves or cinematic kills, like ripping out hearts or punching out their eyes. In a game that embraces memorization, having one kill break your concentration and lead you to a miss can get real annoying on later stages, and you can't predict which one may pop out or when. Though I think this is only a larger issue when playing on higher speeds or when going for perfect runs, it's a gripe I have with an otherwise fantastic game.

Chivalry: Medieval Warfare is an odd game to review. It's pretty buggy, can get awful with lag, and has had its fair share of moments where the game loses my weapon progress and my key bindings after an update or... well, for no reason at all. I can't say it's easy to deal with.

At the same time, it's a ridiculously fun game that I've very much enjoyed playing, even with the aforementioned problems. The melee takes some getting used to, but it's so much fun to run around a battlefield screaming your war cry as you cut through a bunch of people wanting to cut through you. It may not be worth the normal $25 asking price, but it's very much worth it on a sale if you want a flawed but fun multiplayer game.

Stanley.

A great game that I hope has some awesome mod support like the original. The length may vary depending on how used to the game you are, and sometimes the level generator ♥♥♥♥♥ you over, but it's a good challenge.

Recommended to play with a controller.

LODS OF EMONE

Fast-paced and fun shooter so long as the people with you are competent. Hell, even then it's a rush.