Recent reviews by BlackSpawn

This game was released on 5/31/20018.

It was made by the creators of the original Descent after a successful KickStarter Campaign and going through Steam Early Access.

It is amazing! Highly recommend it to all interested in 3D FPS and/or 6 DOF titles. It has both a SP campaign and Multiplayer. Graphics are legit, allows for VR either via either Occulus or Vive and both the music and sound effects are top notch. The title uses the Unity engine.

Without a doubt, this is the best "Descent" game since the original in the 1990's.

[This brief review may be followed by a more fleshed out version in the future.]

Developer: PixelShard , KillHouse Games
Publisher: KillHouse Games

EAG Launch on Nov 17, 2017
http://steamcommunity.com/app/686200/allnews/

Review at a glance:

Pros:
-Beautiful, pixelated art with a sense of humor
-Rockin 80's styled guitar heavy soundtrack
-Classic, simple, responsive controls (controller and keyboard friendly)
-Couch friendly side scrollin' action
-Local (and online) coop
-Fun, polished title

Cons:
-Rarely, there is difficulty rescuing hostages when interactive environmental elements are nearby
-Some achievements are bugged per community discussions
-Balance seems built around coop. If you want to play SP I recommend the power class / Breacher.

Story:

You are a member of a SWAT Team charged with bursting through a number of levels / scenarios, neutralizing the threats and rescuing the hostages / wounded. There are currently three different types of player classes for you to choose: Assaulter, Breacher, Shield.

Gameplay:

Simple, responsive controls with intuitive gameplay.
Fast paced action with some light strategy
Able to play with keyboard while being controller ready.
Open or destroy the doors and windows, find the occasional keycard and defuse the occasional bomb.
Simple, effective gameplay loop of "destroy / rescue / kill."
The level ends once all baddies / hostages dead or rescued.
Have fun interacting with environment / creatures / downed opponents.

Design:

Side scroller shoot' em up
Pixelated violence with gibs, persistence of downed baddies
Sense of humor with over the top violence and environmental interactions
Levels are not procedurally generated

Sound:

Crisp, polished, satisfying sound effects (gun sounds, character grunts, explosions, occasional voices)
80's styled guitar heavy shredding music

Replayability:

Currently, 3 episodes 12 levels each for a total of 36
Complete a level perfectly to receive 3 stars
Enjoyable single player with aim to perfect each level (0 hostage casualties, no team deaths)
Replayability as coop
Weapon upgrades as you progress, you can purchase them with stars
If the level editor launches with the title, replayability would be greatly increased (No level editor at this time)

Price (Subjective):

Currently sold for $11.99 with aims for price to increase 20% at Full Release. I believe $10 - $15 USD is a good price for the title. IMHO $19.99 USD or less is reasonable for the offered product.

Expected / announced changes / additions to Full Release:

Per Steam store entry for the game:
"- 1 NEW Player Class: Recon (total 4 classes)
- 6 usable weapons per player class
- 60 playable levels
- 17 non-boss enemies”

They also expect the game to launch with a level editor.

Conclusion:

Fun, side scrolling shooter with retro flair and sense of humor.
Polished core game with slightly less content and features than expected for full release.
Spot on retro sounds and music.
Local and online coop. Controller friendly but plays well with keyboard.

Off the wall and insanely awesome sense of humor, unique and evocative art, enjoyable tower defense/strategy gameplay. Highly recommend!

Early Access Game included Paid DLC prior to Full Release.

You were doing so well, Studio Wildcard.

Don't support poor Early Access business practices unless you want them to become the new, even more horrible normal.

http://store.steampowered.com/curator/12086839-Early-Access-Guidelines/?appid=346110

EDIT: Now with Shills massaging KF2 Steam reviews:
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/TWINOMICROTRANSACTIONS/discussions/0/360670708790750375/

"Early Access Done Right" in all the wrong ways.

Paid Early Access game that added Free To Play styled microtransactions 7.5 months after release without effective warning, barring an educated purchase or refunds based on said "feature"
Monetization for the game:
Base game price on Early Access
Key Crate RNG Microeconomy
Differing rarity/quality Steam marketable items with crafting
Deluxe Upgrade DLC
Cross Game Promotions (w/ Chivalry: Medieval Warfare)
Ingame Store
Workshop for introduction of community made items for sale
Plans for additional items/weapons for sale

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/TWINOMICROTRANSACTIONS/discussions/0/458604254441064992/

Consolized/Oversimplified mechanics: Radial dial instead of alphanumeric menu, Clot headgrab sets you up for headshot, medic dart and railgun autoaim, Grenade/shield markers for bosses, Boss Health, Notification of location of other perks/players in map, oversimplification of game browser, etc.

Introduction of official PVP mode before the introduction of all the perks and proper PVE balance: PVP balance is disrupting PVE at the moment: Game conductor, Resistances, Perk reworks/nerfings

Forum Overmoderation Censoring of Critique and forum overhauls to bury visibility of critical threads/subforums

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/TWINOMICROTRANSACTIONS/discussions/0/371918937258389095/

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/TWINOMICROTRANSACTIONS/discussions/0/366298942112434239/

Loss of the "HORROR" in "Horror Coop Survival": Now with aseptic, shiny environments with colorful, muscular enemies/zeds instead of the gritty, dark, messed up, nightmarish, foggy and film grainy ambiance of the original

Lack of replayability/game balance/perk overlap: Balancing maneuvers aiming to make the game more accessible to new players end up disrupting gameplay in higher difficulties for more experienced players and the PVP balance changes disrupts PVE gameplay for all.

Slow development: This doesnt bother me as much as the fact that development seems to be one step forward and five backward. Compounded by the fact that they have had significant staff losses in the last year, I can only be cautiously optimistic about the future of this game...IF they listen to the more experienced contigents of the community.

I suggest waiting for Full Release AND a heavy discount of 50% or more.

Happy gaming.

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/TWINOMICROTRANSACTIONS

The first Early Access game on Steam to OFFICIALLY add Paid Community Mods. This besides the fact that it is a PAID Early Acccess game that has been in the program for 2.5+ years and that already has Steam marketable microtransactions/microeconomy.

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/EarlyAccessGuidelines#curation/app/252490/

This game is special.

Original developer and publisher: Code Avarice
Current developer and publisher: Digerati Distribution

Initially the game was placed on Steam Greenlight on Aug 31, 2012
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=93241332&searchtext=

Then they had a successful Kickstarter campaign that collected $12,540 USD. (August 4, 2013 - September 3, 2013)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1125357480/paranautical-activity-old-school-fps-meets-rogueli

There were issues with the greenlight campaign:
"Code Avarice already set up a placeholder Steam Greenlight page and Steam 'didn't want to send the message that indies can seek out publishers to bypass Steam Greenlight.'"
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-04-first-person-roguelike-paranautical-activity-not-allowed-past-greenlight-even-with-a-publisher

But Officially, the title got Greenlit by 8/28/2013.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1125357480/paranautical-activity-old-school-fps-meets-rogueli/posts/582749

Subsequently, in October 2014 the developer threatened Gabe Newell's life over a Steam listing issue associated with the title.
"harsh lesson Paranautical Activity developer Mike Maulbeck learned today when after a Steam snafu erroneously advertised his game as an Early Access title he crossed a line and tweeted a death threat to Gabe Newell. Following this outrage, the game was pulled from Valve's distribution service."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-10-21-valve-pulls-game-from-steam-following-devs-tweet-threatening-gabe-newell
http://gameranx.com/updates/id/17237/article/paranautical-activity-on-steam-early-access/

Needless to say, the developer didnt handle the situation and associated fallout well:
http://www.pcgamer.com/paranautical-activity-removed-from-steam-following-developer-outburst/

This caused the game to be removed from the Steam store, the offending dev to resign from the studio ("Code Avarice"), the "Paranautical Activity" IP to be sold to another company ("Digerati Distribution & Marketing"), followed by the offending dev rejoining his original studio.
http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/17/8053713/paranautical-activity-death-threat-gabe-newell-steam
http://www.pcgamer.com/paranautical-activity-returns-to-steam-with-deluxe-atonement-edition/

On the Early Access Steam store page, they claimed "We're planning to add multiplayer co-op in the very near future, as well as a ton more content, and of course some bug fixes and polish." https://web.archive.org/web/20140418040048*/http://store.steampowered.com/app/250580

They also claimed that:
"Paranautical Activity multiplayer is definitely a thing that is happening...We’ve been really busy trying to get MP working...The multiplayer patch will be going live before the year anniversary of the game (february 14th)[2014]"
http://web.archive.org/web/20140407082949/http://codeavarice.com/post/71570505839/paranautical-activity-mulitplayer

Subsquently, the devs disclosed that they would not add a multiplayer mode.
"Sorry to those who purchased this game under the guise of the fact it will be multiplayer. We just couldn’t rebuild the entire game to make this happen, there is only two of us.”
http://www.pcgamesn.com/indie/paranautical-activity-developers-fight-community-over-cancelled-co-op-mode-insist-roguelike-fps-not-being-abandoned

Allegedly, the devs were asking for good reviews of the game and doing some "heavy moderating" ie. censoring of negative critique, on their forums.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/2jspdu/paranautical_activity_devs_begging_for_good/

The offending dev claimed he was "quitting the video game industry."
However, he is already working on 2 new games:
"Arkshot and Timefight Zone" as of 4/2016.
https://twitter.com/SpooderW/status/524327596939440128
http://www.codeavarice.com/arkshot.html
http://www.codeavarice.com/timefight-zone.html

Exhibit #1, how a fun reboot of a cooperative classic devolves into a shameless cashgrab with a pay to win structure, not even fit for a free to play game. This microtransaction hell is already layered on top of the full priced base game and an ever growing mountain of DLC. Thanks but no thanks. Enjoy how the playerbase exponentially vanishes and the goodwill of your community evaporates.

Review At A Glance

Pros:
*Poignant, touching, emotional story
*Unique experience, expands upon original
*Large, detailed environments
*Well chosen achievements and non-punishing dynamics encourage exploration and replay
*Flat shaded polygon aesthetique

Cons:
*Relatively short game
*Repetitive

Conclusion:
Shelter 2 is a third person perspective game where you play as a mother lynx. The game follows the life cycle of the lynx family from birth and envelops the player in its gripping, emotional story. This story, however, is simply told in an understated manner; and develops organically during gameplay. Game dynamics are simple, yet new ones are slowly introduced seamlessly as the game unfolds. It is the explorative, meditative character of the experience which sets it apart. Explore, hunt, discover and provide for your cubs; as you successfully do this, you cannot help but realize that the universal struggle for survival is not singular to your family. The prosperity of your family comes at the expense of ravaging the lower rungs of the food chain. As a lynx, right in the middle of the food chain, its just a matter of time until the circle of life has its way. There are no higher stakes than the game of life.

If you are in the mood for a slow paced game with a beautiful, large, natural world to explore, including day/night cycles, seasons and a unique flat shaded polygon aesthetique, you will truly appreciate the effortless, graceful manner in which this game tells its story.

Full Review, No spoilers:

Intro, Story and Gameplay sections abridged to avoid spoilers.

Experience the struggles of a mother lynx as she provides for her cubs and as the seasons of the year and stages of life progress. You start as a lone pregnant lynx; first sequence of the game is relatively linear, and reminiscent of the original Shelter. However, after this scene you are confronted with the wide-open expansive world that this iteration provides.

Design:

Meticulously drawn landscapes with meandering rivers, tree ladden forests, populated lakes, central valleys and hilltops can all be explored at your leisure. The unique look of the game entices the player to continue exploring the habitat and get to know the different areas and terrain features.

Characters, including cubs and other animals, have all been designed with loving care. Each of your cubs has a different fur coat, which allows you to assure you feed them all. Other animals also have a charming aesthetique, which you can appreciate while stalking and hunting them as they trudge, borrow and graze along in an appealing, animated world.

Sound:

The real standout on this front is the music; which has impeccable, professional production value. It was once again created by Retro Family[retrofamilysounds.blogspot.com]. You can feel the vibration of each strum, the rumble of each drum, the crispness and immediacy of the sound. Music is the voiceless narrator which, along with the evocative art, sets the tone of this story. Game music is varied and fitting to the different stages, situations and environments.

Sound effects are serviceable and, even though fitting, can grow repetitive. Some of them are quite subtle and amazing; such as the sound of you/your cubs eating.

Replayability:

Replay value is provided by the availabilty of achievements and to follow/grow your family line. Even though each life cycle is generally similar to the last, the expansive open-world and the beautiful art does entice you to continue exploring. You might also want to re-play while mantaining all of your cubs alive. Generally speaking, 3-5 hours should be sufficient time to explore a good portion of the world and develop at least 3 generations. However, the game can be enjoyed for way longer than this; especially if you wish to be meticulous in the exploration of the different habitats and complete the achievements. The game has 5 steam trading cards, and provides 3 drops.

Conclusion:

Shelter 2 is a unique, contemplative experience. The incredible music and its particular hand-drawn style set the tone for the touching, emotional journey through the life of the lynx family. The goal and controls of the game are simple, this understated style lends itself to provide a poignant, memorable experience. If you enjoyed the original Shelter or are in the mood for a short simple game; one which tells a touching story of life in the animal kingdom through a synergy of music and art, I invite you to give Shelter 2 a try.