Servant of the Lake, the new Rusty Lake game, is out, and I got to play it ahead of release. I put together a full spoiler-free video review. 

The setup: you take a servant job at the Vanderboom mansion and have to make it through three days of household chores. Laundry, setting the table... and the odd alchemical experiment. It works as a prequel set decades before Rusty Lake: Roots, so there's plenty here for anyone who's been piecing the universe together for years. 

The review covers structure, characters, puzzles, art direction and soundtrack, plus where I'd rank it within the series. 

Video is in Spanish with subtitles in several languages. 

Anyone played it yet? Where would you rank it?

This ’90s legend is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and during the recently concluded QuakeCon, another chapter was added to this legendary shooter, another episode celebrating the aforementioned anniversary, titled Dawn of the Machine. Once again, it’s the work of the Swedish studio MachineGames, and all owners of the remastered version of Quake received it completely free. Which struck me as the perfect opportunity to put together a five-minute review, since I’d like to make a full-length video about Quake someday - except… I’ve never actually played it, so that’s all the more reason to start… in my typical fashion, “from the end.”

More in my review! :)

Rating: 9/10
Pros: QUAKE, free for owners of the remaster, solid combat, map design, soundtrack, difficulty
Cons: some players might not like replaying levels, a few bugs, getting stuck on staircases

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLUo6CGzCI0

Hodnocení: 9/10
+: QUAKE, pro majitele remasteru zdarma, poctivá řežba, design map, soundtrack, obtížnost
-: někomu můžou vadit opakované průchodu levely, pár bugů, zasekávání se o schodiště

Probably risky to post this here but hear me out. I’m especially curious what your thoughts are about the points I make late into the video, whether they’re something that bother others as well because I can see that a lot of the first half is mostly opinion that I know people will fairly disagree with.

I understand I’m going to upset some people when I say this, but Big Walk is horrifically boring and feels so insanely lazy. I had a group of 6 of my close friends, talk with them all the time and play “friendslop” type games frequently. Long discord calls and lifelong buddies (I only clarify this because it I’ve seen other goofballs saying “ooh you need better friends!” on other posts like they’re on to something). Maybe some of you all can help me understand.

I genuinely feel like this game is some kind of industry plant/social experiment on how to make the lamest product and make the most money or something. Here’s a shortlist of my issues:

1. The puzzles genuinely feel like they were designed for children or streamers.
2. For a game encouraging walking and talking with your friends it punishes you if you get separated by painfully boring mindless roaming, in nice (but utterly desolate outside of maybe a sporadic puzzle) terrain.
3. The core mechanics of the game are “raise hand” and “interact with object”
4. You cannot be further than 5 feet from someone to actually hear them
5. The night segments are a worthless complication that just make already meaningless wandering of the the game harder to enjoy

Now, I’m not one to usually post game reviews, there are countless streamers and people online who do that for a living and it feels like screaming into the void. However, as I was completing that first two or three hours of the game, I just kept saying to myself “this was a waste of money and time” after each little puzzle and each 10 minute walk across the boring landscape to get to some other meaningless monument. I would have had more fun jumping in circles in a Minecraft server, just talking on discord, or hell - even playing a way better game, but similar game (PEAK).

I got a refund and told this to my friends (some agreed, others didn’t), but where I’m so caught up on this is that all the marketing I see for this game makes it out to be the next game of the year. Insane reviews, overwhelmingly positive impressions, etc. and it just feel… fake? Like a psy-op of some kind because I just don’t see this widespread appeal, regardless of whether it was made by the Goose game devs. One of the major things I saw was that it was “cozy” and “cute” and “simple” and that was somehow enough to justify a pretty high price tag for a short game run time. I can appreciate a cozy game and fully understand a desire to take things at a slow pace and chat with your friends, but that doesn’t change the fact that the game feels lazy and hollow.

I don’t feel crazy by pointing all this out, but maybe some of y’all can offer a different perspective? Why not just play any other cozy, higher effort multiplayer game?

TLDR: The hype around this game feels forced and out of place. It’s a boring game, and feels lazy. Maybe it’s just not to my taste, but I don’t see the appeal even after playing it.

Beast of Reincarnation starts with a lot of promise. After spending more than 25 hours playing through the entire game on Xbox GamePass I find i liked the combat and look, really wanted to enjoy it more, but finished with very mixed feeling overall on it.

The combat is easily one of the game’s biggest strengths. Fighting alongside Koo feels great, the weapons and abilities are fun to use, and the world itself has some really interesting ideas and strong world building. Early on, Beast of Reincarnation feels like it could become something special. Unfortunately, the game starts to lose its way as the adventure continues in my opinion....

The lack of enemy variety becomes increasingly noticeable. The story, which starts with some interesting set up but begins to fall apart toward the end. The wooden character performances during cutscenes many of which can’t be skipped are frustrating.

All that said though, the biggest problem for me is the second half of the game. Feeling like the devs abandoned much of the semi-open world structure for a series of shorter, more linear areas that quickly push toward the end

Despite all of those problems, I don’t think Beast of Reincarnation is a bad game. The combat is strong enough that I absolutely want to see a sequel.

https://preview.redd.it/0owtiazflrih1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=e4c4ae957ccd5989c4b68317cdc1f90191af1426

They are all dead
They just don't know it yet

First positive
When people talk about 90s shooters, Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, or Half-Life always come up. But in the shadow of this pantheon, there's one game that has significantly influenced all subsequent projects in the genre. It not only introduced voxels, alternate fire modes, advanced physics, and room generation to the public, but also a unique, previously unseen setting. That game is Blood.

A massive cult shootout in Little America (and beyond)
The story of Blood is probably one of the first games that lets you play not as a good Samaritan ready to save the world, but as an outright sadist and murderer. The protagonist, Caleb, is one of the main minions of the Chernobog cult. One day, the Demon with Slavic roots becomes disillusioned with his subordinates and kills them. Chernobog not only buried Caleb in an unmarked grave but also kidnapped his girlfriend. After an unspecified amount of time, the protagonist awakens and begins a bloody journey full of vengeance and obsession.

Chosen before Chernobog

I'm not lost, I'm just exploring
The bloody journey encompasses not only gloomy tombs and temples, but also populated buildings and settlements of an alternate America from the late 1920s. There are plenty of unusual locations. There's a train, a circus and a fair, ships in glaciers, and much more. Despite their size, the locations are fairly straightforward and don't feel confusing. It's always crystal clear where to go, what to find, and how to proceed. Shortcuts unlock as you progress, allowing you to return to previously explored areas. Each chapter represents a journey from point A to point B. Where you finish a level is where you continue in the next. Sometimes, of course, Caleb can be drawn into uncharted territory, but this doesn't ruin the immersion in the protagonist's bloody daily life.

Dark Carnival

Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you?
However, you won't just be admiring the well-crafted locations and intriguing design decisions. Each location is pleasantly enhanced by the protagonist's commentary. A bloodthirsty, sociopathic maniac, Caleb not only delivers animalistic "Ha-ha-ha" and "Hee-hee-hee" after killing, but also delivers rather ironic and amusing utterances about the locations he visits and the events that unfold. The developers imbued the game with dark humor and excessive violence, which were not so common in games in the late 90s. Listening to Caleb's jokes and commentary, you inevitably become imbued with his bloodthirsty sense of humor and the dark spirit of Blood. Although, personally, I think there are sometimes woefully fewer of them than necessary. It's important to clarify that the protagonist is not the Hero. According to the developers, he's merely "evil fighting an even greater evil," so don't expect Caleb to show any compassion for the living creatures around him. Civilians are merely an obstacle to his goals.

Caleb and his best friend

Blood, Dynamite and Two Smoking Barrels
Weapons only spur you on to the next bloody showdown. Besides the typical shotguns and machine guns, there's a flare gun that will set your enemies on fire, just give it time. More exotic options include a voodoo doll, which allows you to damage specific enemies, and a flamethrower spray. Each weapon has its use and its victim. A stick of dynamite is your best friend in the game, leaving bloody remains from both zombies and more resilient opponents.

Using an air freshener for its intended purpose

What bastards!
The entire bestiary of Blood isn't limited to basic cultists with various weapons or zombies. You'll be destroying Chernobog's servants on an industrial scale, from annoying rats and toothy fish to more aggressive gargoyles and hellhounds. Each enemy has its own biome, and when entering each building, you'll have a rough idea of ​​what you'll encounter. There's also a boss at the end of the chapter, so don't forget your guns.

\"O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!\"

Platelets
Blood also has some interesting mechanics. For example, health or life essence can be looted from defeated enemies. Items like jumping boots, glasses, or first aid kits can be used whenever you want, but magical effects are temporary. These include invisibility, invulnerability, and Akimbo guns. This ability allows you to fire with both hands for a while. However, don't rush too hard, as ammo runs out twice as fast, and you can easily lose your advantage. Speaking of effects, it's worth mentioning their placement throughout the level. Sometimes it feels like you should grab a buff right away if you see one, but enemy ambushes instantly punish you. If you're too careful, the usefulness of a crucial ability is wasted due to the premature death of enemies. Perhaps it's better to just run like hell, memorize the location, and pick off everyone on the fly. (They didn't put a speedometer in the remaster for nothing.)

Try to guess in the comments what it is and what bonus it gives.

I've already killed you!
Blood plays quickly and... hard. At least at first. The lack of weapons is frustrating in the early levels, but once you get into the groove, it becomes easier. However, that's not the only difficulty. The enemies are clearly gifted with the gift of foresight; otherwise, I can't explain such insane reaction speed. In keeping with the tradition of its more popular counterpart, Serious Sam, enemies are not only in front, but also above, to the left, to the right, and behind. Scattered throughout the levels are not only a large number of well-hidden secrets, but also traps. Coupled with the AI's fast reflexes (the developers still say they've never achieved this level), you'll die more than once. Save often.

Night of the Living Dead

Anemia
Blood was developed by Monolith Production and released under the wing of Atari (formerly GT Interactive) in 1997. Despite excellent reviews, the game's similarities to Doom and Duke Nukem didn't achieve the same popularity as id's creation. Its outdated visuals and gameplay likely contributed to this. In 1996, Quake was released, revolutionizing the industry and influencing all subsequent games for a generation. Quake's main feature was its full transition to 3D, something Blood couldn't boast. Nevertheless, Blood found its audience, and the game is still being modified, with add-ons and remasters released. If you enjoy Clive Barker's body horror and boomer shooters, I'd definitely give Blood a try. It might just be an unforgettable experience.

Blood Ad

When you get to hell, tell them I sent you. You will get a group discount.

Do you agree? What do you think about Blood

I see most review compilations and lists will start with an intro and a "well that's it" send-off, but I have noticed some newer channels don't bother. They hop straight into it, and it feels a bit... offputting. On the one hand... it does cut away the needless fluff and saves the viewer time, but it feels a bit impersonal. What are y'all's thoughts? It just feels weird to me.

In this review, we take a deep dive into The Punisher (2005): the gritty third-person action shooter developed by Volition and published by THQ that pushed Marvel games further than almost anything that came before or after it.

Into The Radius 2 has FINALLY launched its 1.0 version. After almost 2 full years of Early Access, how much has the game changed, and is it worth getting now that it's fully launched?

(I know I'm 3 months late to this; I've been really busy)

Half of all curator reviews on Steam are either just insufferable racists complaining about the existence of trans people or that they were allowed to make someone with dark skin in a video game, and the other half are just spam that give the same 1-word reviews on every single game on the platform.

Trying to find an actual informative curator review about a anything feels nearly impossible, since even when they aren't one of those two things it's usually a review loaded with opinions the reviewer already had about something else before they even played the game. There's no end in sight.

Is there anywhere I can go to get actually GOOD and INFORMATIVE reviews consistently on the internet?

Hey everyone,

Sorry if this isn't the regular post here, but I'm really excited to share the site I've been working on.

Over the last 2 years I've been working to build a website to share game reviews and curate a community that truly loves games, and giving their thoughts on the games they play. It's been a labor of love and I'm really happy with the way it has turned out through all of the hard work. Most importantly, let me list some of the features of the site:

-Ratings across multiple dimensions (Overall, Music, Gameplay, Narrative, etc.)

-Automatically imports your steam library including things like hours played per game

-Cross platform games (Nintendo, PC, Playstation, etc.)

-Playtime value across games (a metric of $ spent per hour played)

-Ability to add friends and follow their reviews, including compare your top games and see specific score differences and generate a "taste compatibility score"

-The ability to embed video reviews to your game reviews if you have a content creation channel or want to share one

-curated and custom "top game lists" that can be shared via a single link

-The ability to earn "review points" that can be redeemed for fun titles based on your reviews

-and even more that I can't get to without making this post too long

I would love to know what would encourage video game reviewers like all of you to use the site, I think it has a lot of potential to be a way to share your thoughts on games, and I use the site with my friends pretty regularly at this point. I appreciate the time and genuinely appreciate any feedback you can offer