Recent reviews by abstract₃₇₃

With refinements that have increased accessibility, deepened the strategy, and made more playstyles not just viable but also fun, Civilization VI has set a new benchmark for the 4X genre and for strategy games as a whole. Add in the two major expansions and you have a game that towers over the rest of the series with endlessly replayability and even more addictive gameplay. Plus, the menu theme goes hard.

An authentic and emotionally stirring homage to JRPGs of the 90s with a pleasant heaping of metacommentary on video games, Undertale's unique blend of its components culminates in something completely new and very much worth playing. Take my word: go in blind and don't let anyone spoil the experience for you.

Bioshock Infinite, besides being what the sequel to the stellar Bioshock really looks like, is a game with enough thought to its story and fun to its gameplay that it deserves a play from anyone who considers themselves a gamer. Another masterpiece from Irrational Games, one that will live long in the halls of gaming history and the minds of those who play it. Do yourself a favor: pick this up and enjoy the ride.

Fallout 4 is not nearly as deep as its predecessors - even other Bethesda release Fallout 3 feels more like a proper RPG - but the game still presents a worthwhile venture into the beloved wasteland. While still without the charm that the original two and New Vegas possess, 4 provides a setting worth exploring and characters worth meeting. It does feel a bit like the same game Bethesda has been releasing for years now - though arguably even more dumbed down than Skyrim - and its story feels like a lesser version of New Vegas.

Simply put, Fallout 4 is a good game, with interesting improvements, but it is still stops short of being better than Obsidian and Black Isle's entries. Buy it to experience more of the Fallout universe, enjoy a light RPG with pretty decent gunplay, lose a 100 hours to a well detailed world - just don't buy it for the essential Fallout experience. New Vegas still retains that crown.

"You can die here, or you can do what you have to to go on."
These haunting words are all I could hear resounding my head during the final choice of the game The Swapper. Neither option was good, but they were both equally viable. So why was it such a big deal to me? Because The Swapper had swallowed me whole, and I was in it's world and this felt like a real decision.

I first saw this game earlier this year when it first launched on Steam. It's trailer intrigued me and I love puzzlers, so I added it to my wishlist. Come Summer Sale, my friend gifted the game to me when the price dropped. And now I have to thank him wholeheartedly because The Swapper is the one of the most intriguing, thought-provoking, puzzling, and, at many times, fun experiences of not only this year, but that I've yet played.

The story is set far into the future, and you have just arrived on the derelict Space Station Theseus. There is no indication to who you are, what the Station is there for, or where everyone went. You simply enter the Station and find the enigmatic Swapper device. And here lies the game's central gameplay mechanic and moral dilemma: you can create and swap into clones of yourself and use them to solve puzzles aboard the ship, however in doing so and exploring the station, you often have to kill the clones. The game then goes from there, taking you on a puzzle-filled tour of the station, as you investigate what went down on Theseus and follow the instructions of a mysterious woman that is also aboard. Both lead you on a quite a ride, all the way to the mind-blowing ending I referred to earlier.

I am pleased to report, that the puzzles are the best puzzles this game could have. It's the sort of puzzle that is Portal-esque in nature, simple but difficult simultaneously, but always logical. I only had to look up solutions twice, and both times I immediately facepalmed myself (likely where the developer's name originated from) for not realizing the solution that was staring me in the face. I was quite okay with this, because it was never frustrating at all when playing, and when I absolutely couldn't figure out to solve it, I'd just go to the other availiable puzzle to solve and return to that one later with fresh eyes. And when I did solve them, there was always that joy of "Yes! I DID IT!" accompanying it.

The Swapper is a game I must insist you play. It's fascinating and thoughtful plot and well-crafted swapping mechanic and puzzles demand a playthrough. I don't often say a game simply has to be bought, but here it is. The Swapper is a wonderful adventure, puzzling from story to gameplay, that questions the true nature of the mind and soul, and the extent of what it means to have one.

A puzzler for the Portal crowd, Antichamber will certainly take your head and spin it around. Prepare to think in totally crazy ways as you explore a mysterious puzzle compound searching for hidden wisdoms and a way to get to the mysterious door labeled only 'The End'. It's actually a pretty good length for a puzzler, and the dropping of any pretense of a story works in it's favor as it cuts the distance between you and the gameplay. However, this is also my biggest issue with it: because there isn't a story and we're simply working towards an ending, there really isn't anything substanial to gain from playing it. The puzzles only serve to proceed you closer to finishing the game and acquiring new wisdoms, which aren't really wonderful just by the fact they are, in total, generic and plentiful. So, to wrap up, a good puzzler lacking anything to take away from it basically sums up Antichamber.

A very mindboggling and gorgeous game. Though your interaction with the game world is very limited, it's interesting to explore the mystery and solitude of this island. The game is, however, VERY short. I clocked 2 hours my first playthrough. This is kind of helped by the story slightly shifting each time you play it, but still, only buy this one when it's on sale.

When I saw this game release halfway through 2011, I never would have thought it would become one of my favorite games ever. I've never been much of a fan of driving games. I've tried a lot of them: Burnout, Need for Speed, Forza, Gran Turismo, even the previous Driver games left me lukewarm on the genre. I mean there's only so much one could do with using a car to get to another end of a race. At least, so was thought until this came around.

Using the novel car-swapping mechanic, you can jump in and out of different cars in open world San Francisco as you take on the devious Jericho. The car-swap allows for some great times; you could eliminate your fellow racers with headlong collisons or crash in a spectacular chase and in a couple button presses, be on your way as normal. That's the best thing about this game; the flow. It flows perfectly from car chases to street races to mission stages (:P).

I have a couple minor gripes: the cars seem to spin out pretty easily and the missions sometimes feel a bit unforgiving when I just barely fail them. But even then, they never at any point stopped me from enjoying the game. I recommend this one wholeheartedly and hope that you pick it up!

P.S. There is multiplayer - so if you do get it, let me know. I don't have anyone to play it with.

An absolutely emotionally draining experience, The Walking Dead forces you to make some grueling snap decisions and provides a captivating tale of convinct Lee Everett, as he attempts above all to protect young Clementine through the harrowing journey in a hopelessly cruel apocalypse. Not only is it a great game - one that I wholeheartedly recommend for anyone who loves a great story - it hints to me a grand resurgance of the long hollowed Adventure game genre. Worth the purchase.

Like it's predecessor, Saints Row: The Third is a chaotic and absurd romp of a game. The wacky-meter was cranked much higher this time and thus the serious aspect the last game had is mostly lost. Which is a shame, because it was hilarious to see the characters play the story to a realistic edge. Also, character customization has been reduced marginally, now all just predefined bits of clothing instead of customizing every bit of it. The city is also much smaller, so prepare to know every city street with barely much use of the map by the end.

That being said, the good much outweighs the bad. The combat is fluid and visceral, the activities (while lacking as much range as the previous game) are rewarding, challenging, and fun to play. The upgrade system makes the game very personal per playthrough, and riding vehicles feels very natural. This game gets a huge thumbs up. One thing: Do not play it alone. The game becames thousands times better with a friend, So please: Strap it on.