My buddy Derek asked me for some game reviews. Since I've not been doing them as I went, I decided to just go down my steam account library and put in a few thoughts on each of the games along with 'how many hours' I've put into each. The format will be: Game Name (hours played) and thoughts.
Here are the games I've played in the last four months:
7 Days To Die (198) If you only like pretty graphics and such, this is not the game for you. Other than that, there is a lot to this game. We tore down part of a skyscraper because we felt like it. My buddy Matt is infamous for digging a huge hole in it. I like fully destructible terrain in games and feel it is way too rare. Pretty nifty game though after a couple hundred hours I'd had my fill.
Conan Exiles (267) This game was a huge surprise. I'd heard it sucked awhile ago but the rest of the group was getting into it so I said "Sure, I'll try." It was pretty good. Decent crafting system, lots of different stations required to craft stuff and so on. I couldn't imagine playing it solo - even with a group a lot of the fights and such were super hard. The horrible limiting factor of it is that (at time of writing) they have two maps. The one that originally came with the game and a new map that most people say sucks ass. Sure, they have some weird stuff and need to make some changes to help out but overall it kept me entertained a lot longer than I thought it would.
Craftopia (148) This game is a LONG way from done. I don't know if they'll get the funding and such to keep going with it but it is a long way from done. The game play gets pretty repetitive quickly and I am not a fan of the cartoony graphics. It does have some good points such as some automated things (mining units, conveyor belts, etc) but I think there are only a few different actual zones and then they copy/pasted the rest so that you keep visiting the same places over and over.
Cyberpunk 2077 (99) Ignoring for a moment the MASSES of bugs, I didn't think the story was all that great. Sloppy story telling. After choosing one of three beginnings (which don't matter at all later on) there are some cut scenes of partying and boom - the character skips several months. That is some shit story telling right there. That could have been used to introduce the character to the world and such. Also, once you piss off a gang (possibly by blowing up a lot of their shit) during a mission - not to worry - you will never see them again. Super lame crafting system. You always dress like a freak if you want the best plusses. This game should have been so much more. After eight long years in development, it should have been.
Drake Hollow (33) Played this game which I don't remember too much of because my buddy wanted to. Fortunately, it did have an actual ending and once we hit that, we were done with it. Cheesy cartoonish graphics.
Empyrion (373) Legos in space! Pretty decent as a group, OK solo - if you know what you're doing. I'd originally bought this game then gotten a refund when I got stuck in a hole I'd made myself. There IS a learning curve. The biggest problem this game has is that there is nothing beyond a super simplistic faction and highly ignorable quests. The bad guys are static. Also, if you get too many giant ships together the game will go down to 5 FPS. But, as you can tell by the amount of hours I've put into it, there is some fun to be had.
Enderal (39) This is a free mod for the Elder Scrolls game. It was OK but honestly, I didn't think they did a great job changing the system (the new one isn't significantly better than the Skyrim one which was also not great) and eventually I just lost interest in it. It's still on my computer but that is more of a 'desperation game' because not a lot is coming out right now that looks great.
Grand Theft Auto V (196) Honestly, if the new Cyberpunk game had just copied this with a cyberpunk skin on it, they'd have done better. A very good game though I've just not gotten back into it lately. Did try but it just didn't click in.
Medieval Dynasty (95) You can build stuff, hunt game and harvest crops. They did make some very "WTF is wrong with you" design decisions including (but not limited to): Your character will eventually die of old age - when they are about 80. That's about 240 days as each day (or is it 3?) is a season. You are expected to get married and produce a kid who you can then go on playing. Also, it's single player only when this game screams for multiplayer. Lastly (off the top of my head) the small map doesn't have anyone who is working on encroaching on the land, giving you any problems, warring kingdoms, nothing. It's dead. You have to constantly repair your buildings, get crops in and so on. Not sure if a couple of years of updates (they do update frequently) will help because their design decisions were (IMO) so poor - but there are many who like it.
Outward (4) Just imagine all of the game advances made in the last couple decades. Since Morrowind came out. Now, imagine the kind of developer who would say "Fuck using any of that." Clunky piece of shit in a dead world.
Scum (12) This is not a fun game to play. On my thumbs down steam review, I put "clunky interface, super unfriendly death system, world felt like too much cut and paste. Just didn't enjoy myself."
The Forest (116) Best played with a group. Lots of building, survival and zombies. Some actual 'shit your pants' moments in this game. Also, it has an ending - a goal. Very nice game.
The Outer Worlds (7) There was a lot of hype around this one and boy does it suck. Not a great shooter and like the lamentable Cyberpunk 2077 the rails you are on are way too visible. Uninstall!
Hope that helps someone out there to keep busy!
