Recent reviews by Cymen

There have been other games that got close to being as interesting as Smash competitively but no other game managed to get close to the level of charm and polish that the popular king of the platform fighter genre is known for.

Multiversus, at the time of writing, is what I would consider the first real contender in the genre alongside Smash. The characters were given all the love that they deserve with references, voice-lines and moves that pay homoge to their source material.

Competively, the game shows great promise. Obviously there are still some balance adjustments to be made but that that could be said for any game...at any point of its lifespan. It actually innovates on the genre and presents a new take on the Smash-formula that is easy to get into while offering plenty of depth as you learn the characters. As the first ever 2v2 platform fighter, it adds a whole new level of fun but also complexity. It is different from 2v2 modes in other games of the genre because of how characters are designed and balanced. There are designated support-characters which can buff their allies with armor and many other status effects or save them from elimination using abilities unique to their kit.

At the time of writing, the business model seems not only fair but oddly generous in one aspect: All characters are onlocked for local and lobby play! So if you are just getting together with friends (or Twitch viewers) you can try out the entire cast without spending a cent!

For online multiplayer, there is a rotation of free characters. You earn gold by playing to unlock characters permanently. They can only be leveled up to earn new perks (some of which change move-properties) by playing, so there is NO PAY2WIN issues right now. You can earn enough gold to unlock even an Expert level character (3000 Gold) within a few days of playing. But if you do not wanna grind, you can always buy characters or costumes. This may change if they make future characters more expensive or mess with the amount of Gold you receive, so check in with the current business model when you read this as it is subject to change.


Conclusion:

A well-designed Smash-like with charming characters. It is free, so try it out!I have not had this much fun with a fighting game in ages, so I can wholeheartedly recommend it!

It is FREE and only 20 minutes long, you have nothing to lose but your frown!

This is a playable comedy short. The only gameplay is pressing the buttons they ask you to press.
It was designed as a tech-demo for the Steam Deck but it is perfectly playable with any controller!

Even if you have somehow never played a Portal game, this will be sure to give you a laugh.
Knowledge of the series is not required to enjoy this game, it won't spoil anything major for the series
but adds lots of lore for fans.

Now please make more games, Valve!

This is one of the most fun fighting games I have played. It takes the barrier of execution away entirely. No motions or other control-scheme nonsense or frustrating moments of the move not coming out. But make no mistake, this is NOT "baby's first fighting game". Characters have enough depth to engage in mind-games at every level. You will improve rapidly as you learn which of your moves counters whatever ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ is being thrown at you, bait out unsafe moves etc.

ALL CHARACTERS ARE FREE! The game has CROSS-PLAY with consoles! And GGPO Rollback Netcode!

An absolute classic with a new coat of paint. An experience authentic to the original while making necessary changes to the last few chapters, especially.

EDIT: The value of this particular game far outweighs the initial appraisal. This game is amazing is worth much more than the pricetag suggests. It is an absolute blast to play, especially if you have never touched the original.

It is much longer than I remembered. And the XEN chapters are GORGEOUS and FUN!

This version of the game is not just a coat of paint, it is a straight upgrade which can replace the original Half-Life for anybody who does not value outdated graphics for authenticity.

Black Mesa shows how well the design of Half Life has aged and serves as the PERFECT jump-in point for anybody who is new to the series.

It looks amazing aesthetically.

It makes something mundane such as checking documents engaging.

It somehow manages to tell a compelling political thriller.

It makes you feel like a small cog in a totalitarian machine.

It confronts you with moral dilemmas when you least expect it.

It is worth every penny.

The coolest part is seeing the steps which lead to Portal 2. You will see videos of game idea which shaped the characters you see in the finished product as well as hints at ideas which Valve has yet to reveal! A great documentary which is fun to interact with!

A classic reborn to the modern era without losing the old-school charm.

Skillful precision shooting coupled with strategic teamplay. An eSports juggernaut for good reason.

It is free, you have nothing to lose.

The last Metal Gear Game Kojima got to direct. It is not the best because he was forced to rush it. But other than that, it is total Kojima. Futuristic nonsense with some actual depth in between the lines. But MGS4 is a better ending to the series and clearly Kojima knew. But it is still enjoyable!

And the Open World is really just an over-world in disguise in some ways. There is no point walking around unless you are taking up a mission.

But the gameplay itself is amazing, it really is. TONS of variety. Many ways to approach the same mission, and that goes beyond the usual "go quiet/go loud" approach of some Stealth Games. And the enemy behavior adapts to your playstyle as well, making it more challenging to do whatever you have exploited in the past. Are you consistent with headshots? More soldiers wear helmets. But you can even exploit they're adaptation is cool ways! Did you make them suspicious of boxes but they never found anything when inspecting those boxes? Then they will adapt to NOT CHECK BOXES anymore because they think it will be another waste of time! Lots of tricks and secrets in the gameplay itself! Day/Night cycles and weather changes matter as well because of guard shifts and the lighting and visibility mechanics. SO MANY TOOLS to play with as well! You can do some GOOFY ♥♥♥♥ and it is amazing. The game is also gorgeous, especially at night and in the rain.

Wholeheartedly recommended if you want a deep stealth game with lots of variety and replayability!

Brütal Legend is a love letter to metal.

It is a genuinely funny game, Tim Schafer and Double Fine's writing at its best. The soundtrack INSANELY good, to the point that you wonder how they got the licensing rights to all these hits. But that is not all, some actual legends of metal are playing characters in this game! Ozzy Osborne, Lemmy Kilmister and more! They they do NOT phone it in, either! Their line deliveries are genuinely great! And if that was not enough, the main character is played by Jack Black of Tenacious D. and Hollywood fame. And you can tell he loved this performance. The world is designed like an album cover. Take a screenshot and you could use it as a wallpaper.

The gameplay features basic combat with new moves to unlock but it is the flair that makes it fun. Why even swing your Axe if you can fry people with some sick riffs and finish them off with a power-slide?

There is also a very weird RTS element which is clunky but inventive. In the end, this gameplay is all about capturing points with your units and attacking the enemy base. But once again, it is the flavour of the game that is the main appeal. Attack using an army of headbangers, buffed by the healing effects of a deep base.

I am biased. I love this game because I love metal. Even if the gameplay is not the strongest, the game is still an experience worth having, ESPECIALLY if you do not usually listen to metal. This game might convert you for good!

TL;DR: I am recommending this game because it's fun, charming and I respect the dev's ambition. The camera and odd coop-checkpoints are its worst flaws. If you can ignore those, you will find a beautiful 3D platform-puzzler to play with friends.

The long version is this: The first two games can be recommended without a second thought. They are simple but super fun, especially in coop and absolutely beautiful. This game is the best looking in the series. Jumping from 2.5D platformer to a fully realized 3D world was very ambitious and the first time you swing forward into the picturesque world is a feeling I have not had since Mario 64 because it you feel that mental 2D platformer barrier in your head break down. But the execution is nowhere near polished. You will fall of the edges of the world. The camera is your worst enemy for sure. Not only does it swing around wildly in some transitions but even when it is static, the angle will make you miss jumps as you misjudge your actual position in the world due to the confusing perspective.

Combat is as simplistic as it always was in the series but at least the Wizard can now slam his boxes to the ground...which is pretty hard due to the previously mentioned perspective issues. Unlike the other game in the series, there are no skill-trees or ability unlocks. The points you collect only unlock bonus levels. Thankfully, most of those are pretty fun, though some focus on combat .

The game is fairly short but man....you can still feel the love of the developer in this game. It really does feel unpolished or even unfinished in some ways but the gorgeous vistas, the ambitious step to 3D gameplay...

I am saddened that they were not able to put more resources into this game but I am even more saddened by people's reaction to it. They really attempted something cool here. And now and then, you REALLY feel that this game could have been amazing. The world-building, the characters and the feel of the game are so charming that even the technical foibles cannot make me give it a negative review.

I am looking forward to Trine 4 which returns to the classic 2D platforming but with all the cinematic improvements they made here. Although a part of me wishes they would attempt 3D again once improved upon.