Category: Reviews
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC) Review
Blood Dragon is a gaudy, neon-colored extravaganza that never lets go of you. It’s not a videogame but a discovered time capsule filled with authentic homages to ‘80s and ‘90s pop culture. It takes its references straight from bad action movies of the era, Saturday morning cartoons, and a vision of a post-Cold War era future that’s now laughable. As a game, Blood Dragon is a wonderfully stupid experience that is outrageously awesome and offers an invigorating look at what videogames have become.
The Walking Dead: Episode 1–A New Day (PC) Review
If you’re looking for a cinematic, story-driven experience then this is it. The zombies are secondary to human drama. Rating: 9/10. Buy from Amazon (affiliate link).
Telltale Games delivers, what I believe, is their best game till date. Episode 1 starts off brilliantly with an excellent script, interesting cast of characters with engaging personalities, and a strong sense of dread around every corner. It builds up the anticipation for the next episode, so much so that you’ll be left eager and curious for the next installment which comes out next month.
The Walking Dead: Episode 1 succeeds where most other games fail. It introduces numerous characters over the span of two to three hours. Unlike most games, however, you feel close to them, having understood their struggles, ambitions, hopes, dreams, and the realization of what makes them tick. They become “real” people with fleshed out personalities. Although the game doesn’t break new ground, it stays true to the things that make Robert Kirkman’s comic book series so compelling: human drama in the midst of horror and death.
Metro 2033 (PC) Review
Post-apocalyptic games have become the new black in the games industry over the last couple of years. Most of them are not worth mentioning, however, thanks in part to poor quality control. Nevertheless, the ones that are good are extremely good. Metro 2033 is yet another game that depicts the vision of a post-apocalyptic Moscow through the words of Dmitry Glukhovsky, a Russian author. It does so with such friendliness and comfort that it feels like an old friend is recounting strange tales he heard from his travels abroad. The book’s Russian version has sold hundreds of thousands of copies; it is available in English as well. The game itself was made by 4A Games, which is composed of STALKER alumnus, who skillfully transferred the words of Glukhovsky to the bits and bytes that you can see and experience on your computer screen. Yes, the game is good, though it has some rough edges.
Alan Wake (Xbox 360) Review
American media has made popular small towns with deep, dark secrets. Such small towns are responsible for playing host to some memorable “The X-Files” episodes as well as the now-legendary “Twin Peaks” television show. This fascination with small towns is much more prevalent in books though, with big-time writers such as Stephen King weaving remarkable stories of evil with such backdrops.
Remedy Entertainment, the studio, took inspiration from both television shows and mainstream literature to create an experience that is simply unforgettable. The end result is Alan Wake, an excellent thriller that manages to combine an engaging story with compelling gameplay. It does not revolutionize the genre – it doesn’t even try to – but the experience will stay with you once it’s over.
BDGamers 