Recent reviews by eon

Now here is something that far, far exceeded my expectations! Is this difficult and brutal? Hell yeah! Is it fun? Undeniably so, you pain loving, respawning, daughter-of-a-she-rogue! Tough to get into. Luckily, I had prepped myself reading some reviews that suggested as much. Persist, relinquish life, and the weird world of Rain will click soon enough. And once it does... boy, you'll be in for one spectacular ride! Buckle-up, level-up, and suck up the mayhem! Most of the time, you will be on the receiving end of pain. But every now and then your fortune changes and the tables turn. And you will feel invincible... for a few precious unforgettable moments. The sound track, the graphics, and the writing are the very best in recent memory. Arcade art of the highest order!

I was sceptical watching the trailers but caved in (excuse the pun) after a sale that was too good to decline. Boy have I been happy that I did. The initial learning curve is way higher than an average game in the genre (which, it must be said, is pretty unique to begin with). It is not that the game is a nail bitingly difficult rongue - it is! - but the controls and rhythm take some time to get into. I found the tutorial fairly useless but then it is also fun finding things out for yourself, just as long as it doesn't make you ditch the game, which would be a grevious error! Once things click, the Crypt become a hugely addictive and satisfying dungeon romp unlike pretty much anything I have ever played. The Zeldaesque visuals create a cheerful world that is never tacky like so many games trying too hard to be cartoonish. Needless to say, the music is pure dead brilliant! Go ahead, give the NecroDancer a whirl... you will be glad you did!

Teleglitch (DMe) has been growing on me slow but strong. I wasn't entirely sold after first few hours of play. The graphics work well in the context, leaving just enough for the imagination to immerse you into the world of forsaken horrors of the bases your roam. The sound is equally top-notch. The first hoop I had to jump to properly appreciate the game was the controls. I started off on my Xbox One controller and that was a terrible mistake. In my humble opinion, Teleglitch was made for good old mouse and keys. After ditching the gamepad, immersion is the world became instantly more intuitive. The second hoop was accepting the fact of dying while pushing through the first few levels. It is only after three or four hard won teleports that the adrenaline really kicks in since there is no way to save and hence protect your investment in time. Most of the time, the game keeps your supplies to the bare minimum. Facing a swarming horde of monsters with your final clip and a pack of explosives really makes every shot count. Nor does being armed to the teeth - as rare as that is - make you invincible. There have been plenty of times when I thought I had the upper hand with a bunch of medkits, several weapons and a sackful of ammo just to be ambushed by a throng of zombies and killed in a heartbeat. As frustrating as this sounds, it is memories like this that really drive your heart rate as you progress further and further towards that elusive save point beyond the first five teleports. Whoever played the original Doom on hardest difficulty knows that bloodrush well. I therefore find the criticism of random deaths misplaced. As frustrating as it may be, it is an absolutely fundamental element in immersing one into the gameworld and pumping that adrenaline. An experience very different from - and ultimately more rewarding - than hitting F5 to quicksave around every corner. Progressively generated levels ensure that the experience never gets monotonous. I recently realized with some amazement that two of the most-played titles in my library - Europa Universalis IV and Teleglitch - were both fathered by Paradox Interactive. Given how different these two games are, I can only conclude that these guys know their gaming inside and out! My highest recommendation to anyone looking for a heart pounding claustrophobic challenge!

TIP: Remember to combine the items in your stock to make new stuff! Took me a while to figure this out... Also, shotguns can finish a secret wall if you're out of explosives or simply get stuck!

This is pure arcade gold! Original, addictive, and just plain insane. The mechanics are great and made your head work in ways most games do not. The simplicity of design belies a challenge that lies precisely in the unorthodox way the world moves... or swirls. I knew from the get go that this one will stay in my library and rob me of many an hour. Looking forward to future works by the developers! Highly recommended!

This is how nightmares are made!

An ingenious indie flick not for the faint of heart (or slow of finger)! Go on, peek into the vinelands! Just remember, they might peek back at you, and once they do...

I give this game all thumbs up! It has just the right factor of fun and abandonment I expect from a title like this. The retro feeling is great (though I am not entirely sold on the imitation screen borders) and brings back quite a few memories. Above all, it rewards careful study of the scenes to break thorugh situations that are seemingly impossible. Once you get a feel for the rhythm, order evolves out of chaos and you will soon ring another cowbell... or not! Highly recommended light entertainment!

Hexcells is brilliant at what it does! The regular version is hardly the most difficult puzzle game you have ever tried. But for some light satisfaction of crunching your brain it fits the bill perfectly. With its intuitive interface, relaxing music, and small but regular doses of gratification, it becomes addictive in just the right way for me. Always alluring enough to have me return, never too obsessive to suck me in for hours on end (though it has certainly tried more than once!) It is a great way to take your mind off work over breaks and amply rewards your attention. Cannot wait to try the other two expansions in the series!

Unfortunately, I must go against the masses and say I ended up uninstalling Invisible soon after I bought it. I found the artwork and athmosphere to be too childish and naive. It's not that I dislike cartoonish style as such. But Invisible Inc was just too "Disney" for me. Together with a lack of a good storyline noted by many other reviewers, the game just did not have the backbone to make it worth my time. The strategic mechanics, while fun, failed to make up for complete lack of immersion in the game world. I would pick up something like Frozen Synapse over Invisible Inc any day. It is too bad since I really wanted to like this one... Sorry!

Militia has quickly won my heart as one of the best strategy-puzzle games in my library. It projects a strange kind of attraction. It is by no means a brain-raker-difficult kind of experience. The mechanics are incredibly simple to pick up and apply. Oftentimes, I have caught myself thinking it is too easy. And yet, I do lose a stand every once in a long while and always keep coming back for more. It has already been noted that the game has a calming, meditative quality and it is true. It is great stress relief but also fun. The music, while every bit as minimalistic as the whole experience, it very good. And for all its simplicity, I do find my braincells stirring a little as I chase the orcs and imps down the dungeon halls. Something to reach for when you want an easygoing and pleasant experience that is more soothing than sophisticated. A good gin & tonic, if you will.

illumine was a chance purchase that popped up as I was looking for something else and caught my interest. It was only after exploring its world a dozen times or so that I realized how well my purchase reflected its core mechanics. illumine is about exploration and daring, spontaneity and taking chances. its outward minimalism belies a potential depth. But only if, it seems to me, one is willing to reach into the unknown and accept that it might be all there is to meet. Or not. Having only burrowed into the topmost crust, I can only speak of initial impressions. But given that I was drawn to respawn as many times as I did, and am already anxious to try again as I write, I can only say that I can recommend illumine to others who are open to subtle experiences and willing to use their imagination to fill the pages between the game's covers.