Seneste anmeldelser af ShelLuser

Sometimes you come across a game which immediately "clicks"; everything fits together and you're having a great time from the very moment you start it up. The story grabs you, the game sparks your interest and you're going to eat breakfast as soon as you're settled. And before you know breakfast has turned into brunch ;)

Well, that's Death end re;Quest to me in a nutshell. This game is amazing in the sense that it really manages to capture the atmosphere you sometimes get in good Anime series. And the best part is that you're starring in it!

Of course that's not saying the game is perfect, it isn't. Sometimes the story can progress even if you don't want that to happen just yet. At one time I was exploring an area and I'm sure that there was more to be found. However, I ran into a character encounter and even though it was a really interesting and entertaining intermezzo it also progressed the story, so the next moment I'm in another area. Even though I wanted to explore the previous area some more. Not a big issue, but still noticeable. (edit: the game does allow you to go back later, but at first it can come across as odd).

Because I had a very good feeling about this game I decided to grab the deluxe package; well worth the money if you ask me. However... this includes a DLC that introduces a new character. A cool looking character for sure, but it's odd that the game doesn't acknowledge her. My character is contemplating on how she's all alone in this strange world, then she gets into a fight and suddenly there this other girl who's helping her. But the storyline never addresses any of that; the next moment it's back to "I'm all alone..." which seems awkward. (edit: However...this actually gets addressed further in the game, and that took me completely by surprise!).


And boy do we get some solid gaming experience here!

I need to stress out that I couldn't care less about 2K or 4K graphics, 59 instead of 60 FPS, possible re-use of sceneries, etc, etc. All I care about is the game atmosphere and the gameplay itself. How that performs, and how that helps me get into the game. And who am I? I consider myself a casual gamer, though I've been gaming since the 90's. I know my way around. And I can't help but think that (too) many gamers have become a little entitled and spoiled. Instead of focussing on the story which a game tries to tell they're more obsessed with the framerate. Where you'd think that gameplay and gameplay mechanics should have some importance they'd rather concentrate on details which are easy to overlook (or to ignore) if you allow yourself to get immersed into the game.

Having said that I think that despite some minor issues and oddities this game is a true and solid classic of its own.

Like I said: I got sucked into the story from the moment the title ran and I started my new game.


This is the part I like best... I've played several Anime games and well... having to read, read, read which goes together with endless clicking of the mouse while I'm staring at static sceneries is definitely not my idea of fun. It's (somewhat) enjoyable, but if I wanted to do an endless reading session I'd rather pick up a manga (comic) and read that instead.

I'd rather run around and explore areas for myself.

So this game manages to give you a really good balance between those two game mechanics. I'm honestly excited about this... Yes, there will be reading sessions but you're not necessarily staring at a static screen; characters sometimes even change their facial expression which I think really helps to keep that feel of an anime series going. But those sessions don't go on forever, you'll soon be back to running around and exploring interesting areas (at least I think they're interesting!).

And that aspect seriously won me over big time; giving us the best of both worlds.

Also: while it is true that this game is best played with a controller (it was even build for that; every option shows you the name of controls found on such controllers) I can also say that playing it with keyboard & mouse is also easily doable. I haven't turned on my Steam controller yet, however I'm already exploring some strange empty palace at the time of writing.


This game really manages to capture the "Anime atmosphere", if you let it. Yes, some scenes will be cheesy, some things will be a bit over the top, but the atmosphere is there. However, I strongly recommend that you switch the voice from English to Japanese, it's so much more enjoyable that way!

There are some issues. Strange girls showing up during fights without the game addressing it (edit: not at first anyway), you getting moved to new areas even though you weren't finished exploring the previous one and some sceneries might not be as detailed as you would have expected it. But it will have 0 affect on your game experience and I think you should not let those details bother you too much.

One thing that is annoying is that the game can only continue with saved games. Most modern games auto save so that you can simply pick up where you left off. This game requires that you save, and that option isn't always available... so that can be a downer.

Still... Two big thumbs up from me; very entertaining game, very intriguing storyline, I really enjoy listening to those voice actors, the controls are pretty solid and well... You're playing in your own Anime series, who can beat that?

Even though I recommend(ed) getting this game it's still a bit of a mixed feeling. Personally I'm not too sure that the game is worth the normal price, and thus my advice would be to put it on your wishlist and wait for a Steam sale (which is how I got it).

The game itself is very intriguing and looks beautiful. You play as a young girl who woke up from stasis and decides to set out and find her missing friend. You're wearing a protective suit which can help you perform several moves (like jumping off ledges to the ground below) but all of that uses up energy of which you have a limited supply. So you need to be careful and carefully plan your moves.

As you progress you'll eventually come across clones ('copies') of yourself and they're all trying to kill you. To make matters worse these clones (or echos) can eventually also copy your actions. So: at one moment the echos can't walk through water but as soon as you walked through water the system learns from you and then teaches them that they can walk through water, after which they wil. And the system can copy almost everything you can do; leaping over objects, sneaking, shooting, using elevators or extend bridges and of course leaping down to a floor below. As soon as you perform such a move then the echoes will also learn how to do that.

.... unless it's dark which happens after the system resets itself, this happens occasionally.

It is a very interesting concept and not something I've seen in a game before.

My only problem though is that the game quickly becomes repetitive. Although the scenery somewhat changes between "levels" you basically end up doing the same things over and over again. That is to say: you're not. Because if you perform a certain action then your enemies will also know how to do that, so to prevent that from happening you should limit your use of those moves. Which leaves me with a somewhat mixed feeling; you know all those fancy moves but you're actually persuaded not to use those, it seems a bit odd.

Another problem I have with the game are the weird checkpoints. You can't really save but instead the game tracks your progress. Still, if you die then chances are high that you'll have to perform a certain section almost from the start again, which can be quite frustrating sometimes. Later on in the game you'll get access to "save portals"; once you step through such a portal then your current game state is saved, so if you die you can continue where you left off. Of course finding such portals soon becomes a challenge in itself. And if you do find one you can only hope that it won't go dark, because those save portals also stop working during that time (echos can't copy your moves, but you also can't save).

(edit): I changed my review from "yes" to "no" because of this exact mechanic, I'm seriously done with this game. Sometimes you come in an area where you need to collect an x amount of orbs before you can continue. And of course it'll be swarming with enemies. Well... it becomes plain out frustrating if you collected, say, 20+ orbs then die due to a freak accident you die (because of course it turns dark so that you can no longer see your enemies) and then you can replay that entire area from the start.

That's not a game mechanic: that's failing to design an actual game mechanic I think. Because obviously you also cannot save your progress because that would be too easy?

I don't mind a challenge, as long as it's a fair challenge. And games which force you to replay 20 - 30 minutes of gameplay just because the devs. decided not to save your progress in a timely fashion is simply not worth it for me.

An interesting concept for sure, but it can become quite frustrating at times.

We now return to my original (but slightly edited) review:

The final issue I have with the game, but don't worry about spoilers, is that I already saw the ending on Youtube and to be honest it didn't give me the satisfaction I'd hoped to get from finishing a game. In fact I think the game never really finished and left a lot of loose ends around, which I think is a bit sad.

And also the reason why I'm having some doubts about I don't agree with the full price.

But other than those issues I definitely enjoy(ed) the game in the overall, it's a nice challenge and a good mixture between your classic action game and a strategy game. Add an mysterious story into the mix and you have the perfect recipe for a wonderful exploration adventure. This game is most definitely enjoyable, (edit): but it does remain to be seen how long that enjoyment will last.

I learned that I'm not the only player who tossed this game aside after putting some time in because of frustration over the game mechanics. I won't buy into a sequel.

It's the #1 thing I hate about sequels the most and which capable gaming studios manage to avoid: in the original game you're on top of the hill. You're the undefeated hero which everyone has to respect. Then a sequel comes out and suddenly you're back to square one because "reasons" (or should I say plothole?). It is a very lazy game mechanic which can be easily avoided.

Well, not so much with 'Fractured'. And it makes absolutely 0 sense to me. I also don't like the fact that there's no acknowledgement of anything that happened in 'Stick'. Sure; the game references the previous game, you're even crowned king because of all those events, but if all of that happened then why doesn't anyone address this? For example: in 'Stick' you were basically the most popular kid in town because pretty much the entire town followed you on "social media" (aka Twitter). So why do some people suddenly whine about me not having enough followers on inst♥♥♥♥-agram?

Which is my biggest problem with this game: it doesn't matter if you completed 'Stick' or not, no references, no extra rewards, nothing. Which is very convenient and also cheap on the part of the developers. It also doesn't add up story-wise, as mentioned earlier.


Speaking of story... In 'Stick' the fights were turn based because "That's how they did it in the past, jeez!" (Quote Eric Cartman). In 'Fractured' you still play turn based because... reasons? I guess there's no difference between playing D&D or super heroes, but at least 'Stick' actually referenced all this. 'Fractured' just glosses over it and it makes the game feel a lot less special than its predecessor.

And speaking of combat... The combat has been advanced a bit in the sense that you can move around the battlefield (mostly to avoid area based attacks) and it also helps to position yourself for your own attacks. But... if I can move anywhere I like, then why can't I attack someone who's standing 'above' or 'below' me? You can still only focus your main attack left or right and it makes no sense.

And it doesn't stop there. Because I really miss the feature that you could block an attack (and negate some of its damage) if you managed to press space just in time. That mechanic is gone, which makes the fight mechanic seem dumbed down.


Sure, the game is set in South Park so obviously it uses the same setting. That's not much of a problem, what is a problem is that many things feel repetitive. In 'Stick' you couldn't explore the town right away because you were blocked, in 'Fractured' it's the same deal: only now you're blocked by 6th graders.

Even in-game they're just repeating themselves. Cartman put a number / word lock on the basement (number lock where the numbers have words beneath them) and in order to get in you have to search his room where you'll find a book which contains the code. By itself this makes sense. But then you get into the church and encounter the same kind of lock. And... you guessed it: you have to search for a book which contains the code. Added in the exact same way, which feels like a very cheap game mechanic to me. Not to mention that it makes little sense story wise.

And where the heck is Canada?


I bought the game with a nice discount and even though I think it's by far as good as 'Stick' I also don't think it's too bad. It's definitely fun and some things are nicely played out. The kids fighting on the street which suddenly gets interrupted by a passing car is a nice touch. And meeting the characters we all know and love for a second time idemditto.

But that is also the reason why I recommend against it. See: I'm convinced that any South Park fans already got this game no matter what. They may even agree with my negative opinion but also consider it worth it despite all its flaws because this is still a South Park game. But for anyone else I'd recommend to go watch the cutscenes on Youtube if you're curious about the story, and forget about the rest of this game.

If you really want a fresh and fun experience of South Park then go play The Stick of Truth. It is so much better than this game....

This is not a game, it's an incredible experience which you really have to experience in order to realize how special this thing actually is.


So what is Flower? It's a game where you control the wind and blow a few flower petals forward. As the petals brush against other flowers then some will bloom which adds more petals and in no time you have a bright colorful stream of petals which you control. What to do? Well, just look around!

You make flowers bloom, you make dried out grass look luscious and lively again and by doing all that you also discover new areas where you can do even more puzzling. There are some puzzles involved. Sometimes finding hidden flowers, or making specific flowers bloom in order to unlock other areas, things like that.

But in the end none of that really matters all that much. Flower is the kind of game where only one thing matters the most: your experience. The game is what you make of it. And Flower is honestly very beautiful and as I mentioned: a really enjoyable experience.

Two thumbs up from me. Seeing is believing.

When I first bought S.R. IV I enjoyed the atmosphere and silliness but ended up disappointed because of my too zealous dedication to the Steam controller: I couldn't get the game to work properly with the S.C., did not find any working presets and was too lazy to set up my own. Comparing S.R. to "another game" which had full S.C. support also didn't help so I ended up asking for a refund (and I got it).

Fast forward to the here and now and I came around from some things, one of them being too demanding for controller support. I ended up purchasing the game again during a discount period (realizing that asking for a refund again was not an option (IMO)) and guess what?


Please note that I know nothing of the Saints Row storyline other than what I learned in-game, but this is so utterly ridiculous that it's also extremely funny. I enjoy games which don't take themselves too seriously, which is what this game is all about.

How to describe it... if you'd combine the Matrix with GTA 5, add a bit of the crazyness of Rick & Morty and then mix it with a bunch of good ole' fashioned American patriotism then I think you're getting close ;)

Even in 2019/2020 is this game highly enjoyable and aged very well I think. Definitely something to consider getting!

I really love this DLC for what it is: an expansion which introduces us new races to play with. And as before we're in for a treat because the Sisters of Battle once again provide you with an environment that requires a complete overhaul of your combat strategies due to the specific nature of the new tech tree. For example; the battle starts with commanding units which are sent out to capture the first strategic points and they will be joined by the Sisterhood at a later time. You still use the regular "attach squad" options, but having these go solo at first? It's something else.

I think the Sisterhood is an awesome addition to the flock, however... I do occasionally wonder about some of the infantry and vehicles because it just looks weird at times and maybe slightly comical. Making me wonder how serious this faction is being treated. Something my girlfriend always brushes off as me being silly, this is actually her favorite faction to use when we sometimes play together.

But yeah... Missionaries who can capture strategic points and after doing so pray to the Emperor: "Hail to the Emperor for giving us this point", it sounds really funny ;) Exorcist units (a vehicle) which look like driving organs, only there's no music coming out of the massive pipes but a barrage of missiles that can lay waste to the heretics! It always makes me grin a bit when playing with the Sisters of Battle.


Unfortunately there are several problems which don't really help for our enjoyment. The sound engine seems to have had an overhaul and because of that the game sometimes misses those brutal (sound) effects which made some of the other titles stand out. That battlecry in the very first introduction movie? Goosebumps!

It also doesn't help that the tutorial session suddenly features a different narrator. That alone isn't really a problem, but it gets annoying if the tutorial itself skips over important aspects of the game and leaves the player to figure those out for themselves. For example: No where in the Sisters of Battle tutorial will it tell you that you can attach commanding units to your squads, which is actually a crucial part of the units strategy. That's sloppy.

As for the campaign... the gameplay is basically the same as that of Dark Crusade; you need to capture land in order to become stronger and defeat your enemies. Within that sense it sometimes feels as if this is "more of the same". Definitely fun to have and play, but not as good as previous titles.

The machine spirit told me to write this guide, a challenge worthy of my skill. So you have the honor or reading this now ;)

If the original wasn't already a good game we now have an expansion which adds even more to the fun. The Imperial guard, and this expansion, is actually a personal favorites of mine. And just as with the other races the guard has specific features which allow you to apply a specific strategy. For example the ability to quickly travel between their structures and to take shelter in them.

Next to a new race is also gives you access to new maps, new single player campaigns and new toys to play with ;)

The only thing that's somewhat "lacking" is the fact that Winter Assault uses the same introduction video as the original game, whereas the other DLC adds something of their own.

SO yeah, if you enjoyed the original Dawn of War then you'll love this one as well. This able beast shall take you there ;)

This DLC is the figurative icing on the cake. As you probably know Arma 3 tries to simulate pretty much every aspect of militarized combat. From your regular infantry units (which can be armed with a huge variety of weapons) to using APC's, tanks, jets and my personal favourite, drones, are also part of all this. If that wasn't enough Arma 3 also pays attention to the aftermath of war and the problems warfare can bring (think about left over land mines).

So it's only natural that we also get introduced to some military leisure activities. And this DLC learns us the truth, that all soldiers apparently really enjoy kart racing in their spare time ;-)

April fools!

Nah, when I'm invested in a game I want to know more about it. This DLC started out as an April fools joke but so many Arma players really liked the idea that Bohemia Interactive actually decided to do the unthinkable: release a karts DLC for Arma 3 which includes karts (obviously), props to make your own tracks using the Eden editor, Zeus modules which allow players to set up more dynamic races and most important of all: it even has a (starters) gun :P

Of course this is all very silly, but even so... it's fun!

Build your own kart races, and if the wrong racers win you just call in an air strike to bomb the living daylights out of them, what's there not to like there? ;)

When I look at game quality I try to look beyond gameplay in an attempt to get a complete picture. This game gobbles up around 40Gb of diskspace on my computer, almost the same as my favorite military simulation, yet it doesn't even come close to providing the same atmosphere.

For example: considering the amount of required diskspace I would have expected a tutorial option of some sort to help become familiar with the game. But no... there are video tutorials but what good would those do? Once you finished viewing one you'll probably have forgotten most which got discussed anyway.

Instead you're taken into a multiplayer battle right away. So basically... newbies and vets are thrown into a pool together or something? So if I'm not careful I could ruin the game not just for me but for the entire group? No pressure there... not exactly my favourite way to start a game: getting thrown into the deep (sea (pun intended)).


So here I was soaring through the sea, without having a clue what I was supposed to do. Fortunately it turned out that w,s,a,d worked and my mouse button fired my cannons. That's something I guess...

Now, the gameplay itself was nice. Music playing in the background but not too loud, and the sound of my guns were very cool to hear; I was obviously blasting away ;) But... that became also a problem because... Seriously? A 40Gb game and it's basically nothing more but "Steer your boat and fire away!"?


So after the first battle, which we managed to win, I rose in the ranks to level 2, earned some stuff and then looked around some more. Yah... interesting enough most "in port" options are based around buying upgrades. And that's when I decided to remove this game. Plenty of options to purchase stuff, including "premium content", but nothing to help new players get started? I guess it's obvious where the priorities in this game lie.

My problem with this is simple: when I like a game I don't mind buying DLC, if it's good. Thing is: I'll download the DLC and can then enjoy said DLC for as long as I like.

Games like these are fully played online (so... why do I need that 40Gb installation again? That's nearly half the size of GTA 5!), which means that all "your" stuff also only exists online. So if it gets decided to shut down the servers for whatever reason then you can kiss your game goodbye. Because it doesn't do much offline.

All in all enough reasons for me to steer clear of this one. Even if the game is "free" at first.

When I bought Arma III I roughly knew what I was getting myself into and everything was extremely appealing, also thanks to several youtube videos. It is for that reason why I immediately bought the first DLC bundle together with the game itself. When I actually started playing the game it immediately heavily appealed to me, so a few days later I bought the second DLC pack, which also included Laws of War.

The problem with DLC packs, in my opinion, is that they sometimes don't do justice to the individual DLC's. Because packs make it easy to overlook things. But when I eventually came across this one it really left me with a lot of admiration for Bohemia Interactive. Because what wargame would try to educate its player base about the "other side" of warfare?


"Every year land mines injure or kill around 5,000 people, the vast majority of them civilians."

"It is estimated 110 million are buried worldwide; an ongoing reminder of part conflicts."

... wait for it: On Altis alone there are 7,000 land mines; a figure decreasing thanks to humanitarian efforts.

What is Altis I hear some readers ask? Wel, easy: it's one of Arma 3's maps in which a lot of virtual warfare is being played out. And this is why I was so heavily impressed with all this... They address real world problems, in an incredibly impressive way, but still manage not to turn it into something "preachy" by also focussing on the world of Arma 3 itself. Yet without making it look as if they treat the whole thing as a game, this is a serious topic and thus it's being treated as such.

I have so much respect for this. True story: the day after I discovered this part for myself I immediately decided to buy the Apex expansion pack full price "because". It's well deserved (for both parties ;)).


The game of Arma 3 tries to cover pretty much the entire spectrum of militarized combat. From infantry units to tanks, from snipers to choppers and even drones are an important part of this game. But to discover that Arma 3 also tries to reflect on the results of warfare, the humanitarian aspects as well as the ugly truth that comes with war really made this game legendary for me.

Two thumbs up from me. Although I would strongly recommend to buy the DLC bundle, and if it can be helped during a Steam sale, I also honestly think that this DLC is well worth the money. Because it reflects on an important part of warfare which is more than often totally ignored.