Recent reviews by Tailszefox

Do you remember this game, Zach? It came out in 2010 on the Xbox 360, with a Director's Cut released on PC in 2013.

The reviews were quite...divided. Some called it one of the worst games of the generation, with clunky combat, incomprehensible story, dated graphics, poor audio mixing, and so on. While others hailed it as one of the most original and interesting experience they've had with a video game, in part because its clunkiness actually made it charming. IGN US gave it a 2/10, while Destructoid awarded it a 10/10.

It certainly is...an experience, isn't it, Zach? You've got a mysterious protagonist constantly talking to someone who seemingly isn't there, fighting zombies that may or may not only exist in his head. The rest of the cast isn't much better, each of them having their own bizarre quirks. But that's what makes them so likable, and what pushes you to continue playing despite the annoying and bland combat, don't you think?

It's probably fair to say it's not a game for everyone, but I personally enjoyed it due to how bizarre it is from start to finish. What about you, Zach?

One of the most ambitious games from Wadjet Eye, and certainly one of their best. Unawoved raises the bar on what to expect from a point and click adventure, offering you multiple choices and consequences which can dramatically influence how your story will go. It doesn't reach the intensity of a Bioware game, which is understandable given its scope, but it doesn't need to. It still manages to immerse you in its setting, making you care for each character you meet, eager to see what will happen next, until you stumble onto one of the most brilliant twist I've seen in this kind of game so far.

Add to that a lot of quality of life improvements compared to the norm, like being able to look at objects by just hovering over them, and you've got one of the most pleasant, gripping and interesting experience available, both from this developer and in the genre itself.

Ok! Here we go! Glory to Papers Please! The greatest game!
Where is your review?
Review! Papers Please so great, review not required. Right?
A review is required.
Ok, ok. I hear you. I come back again.

Ok! Hello again! Now I have review! Papers Please still best game for sure!
This review isn't helpful at all.
Hey now! Is not true! Is pre-marked helpful!
You just wrote "great game!" over and over again.
Ok, ok. You no like review, I understand. I come back again with better one.

Old friend hello! I'm back again! This time everything set.
Your review doesn't say anything about the game.
Oh man you funny guy.
A better review is required.
Wow, you run very strict website here. This is good. Do job right. I look for better words and come back.

Hey it is me! Are you happy to see? I have everything you ask for now.
You just added a bunch of exclamation marks to your review.
Hey no! Guy gave me review! Say is good! You check again maybe.
Do not come back again.
Haha! You nice guy but I have business on Steam. I get right one and come see you.

Hello my guy! Ok. Today is day! Look at all good review. Was not easy. Or cheap! Haha!
[Review approved]
All right! You the best! Papers please the best!

Judging The Beginner's Guide is a tall order; judging it objectively is pretty much impossible.

Please keep in mind I'm writing this from my own perspective, and that at the end of the day, whether or not you will get something out of this game depends a lot on who you are as a person.

That being said, I'd like to address an important point. This game is marketed as being by "the creator of The Stanley Parable". While this is true, this is also a hollow statement, because The Beginner's Guide has very little to do with The Stanley Parable.

The games do share a few similarities: they're both made in the Source Engine, both have a narrator guiding your through the game, and both offer a very limited gameplay (ie. walking around, looking at things and occasionally pressing other things).

The similarities stop here, though. While TSP was mostly humorous and absurd, TBG can be rather sad, depressing even.

TSP was about the story of Stanley, the character you played as, while TBG's story doesn't revolve at all around your character (or lack thereof). Your character isn't important. In fact, *you* are not at all important to the story.

TSP would encourage you to look around and disobey the game's narrator; TBG discourages you from doing so, and if you try regardless, you will be rewarded with very little, or even nothing. As such, TBG is much more linear and offers virtually no replay value, unlike TSP which could be played a good number of times.

Being different from TSP is not a problem; I wouldn't expect its author to rehash the same game over and over again. However, I find it a bit deceiving to mention TSP in TBG's marketing blurb. This can only make people think this game has similarities with TSP, even though there are more differences than similarities.

So, if you've considering getting this game because of TSP, do remember that they are wholly different. This doesn't mean you won't enjoy TBG, but if you go into it expecting anything like TSP, you risk being disappointed. It is better to go into it with a fresh head rather than with expectations.

With that out of the way, I'm going to try and address my issues with what the game is, rather than what it isn't.

The Beginner's Guide is, in essence, a story. The game itself is a series of smaller games that you will play one after another, but the game themselves aren't so important individually. While some offer some interesting gameplay mechanics, they are not there for you to really *play* them. What's important is the framing device, what all these games are wrapped around: the story of two friends, and the attempt of one of them to understand and help the other.

As such, the most important point The Beginner's Guide can be judged on is its story, since this is mostly what you'll be playing it for. And that story itself is good. Great, even. It's interesting, well delivered, surprising.

But the problem is, while the story itself is good, it didn't resonate with me. It didn't make me feel much of anything. It looked like it wanted to, but it failed. I got disappointed when it ended, because I felt like the game was close to succeed at that, but yet, fell short.

The reason why, I think, is that this story is meant to resonate with artistic people, mostly. Writers, or designers, or any other job or hobby that requires you to have ideas in order to produce something. The game touches a lot on this topic: what your ideas as a creator mean, what they say about you, and what happens when you run out of them. Unfortunately, I am not an artistic person. I have little imagination and would rather use concrete, already existing ideas, rather than make my own. As such, while I could understand what the game was trying to say, I couldn't relate to it.

And that's what this game requires you to do, in order to fully appreciate it: being able to relate to it, to understand and be influenced by it fully.

You may think this is a harsh judgment, then. I did, after all, find the story interesting, and it's not like I require all my games to have immersive, relatable stories. I've enjoyed games that made me feel no particular emotions.

But The Beginner's Guide, I think, lives and dies on your ability to get fully immersed in its story.

Still, is it the game's fault I couldn't do so?

At the end of the day, the reason I'm not recommending this game has more to do with me than the game itself. And maybe, just because of that, it was worthy of my attention. Maybe it will be worthy of yours, too.

I usually don't like short reviews that tells nothing.

But I really can't think of anything to say about Undertale other than: buy it immediately. The amount of depth this seemingly little game has is staggering. It's just...indescribable.

If you're unsure, there's a free demo that's basically the first quarter of the game. If it makes you even remotely curious or interested, don't hesitate for a second, and go for it.

Stay determined.

You might have a look at the screenshots or watch a gameplay video and think "Man, that game must be incredibly dull and boring".

And you wouldn't be wrong, at first. Yet, that is also what makes it so relaxing. If you've ever driven for a long time and ended up "in the zone", where you're basically on auto-pilot, calm and focused, this is the kind of feeling you'll also get while playing this. That doesn't mean there is nothing to do, but once you're immersed, it's hard to get out.

Of course, you can also play the game like a, well, game, and micro-manage every aspect of your growing empire, hiring drivers, upgrading your truck, taking the best paying jobs, leveling up, and all that. I'm sure some people enjoy playing it that way. But personally I just like taking a random job that will make me drive across a few countries and enjoy the ride.

You should definitely not expect too much from ETS 2, though. In the end, the gameplay is somewhat limited (there's not much else to do other than drive a truck, after all), the jobs can get repetitive, and the map could use some more variety and details. But if you enjoy driving because it's relaxing, ETS 2 can be a good way to experience that at home.

On a side note, there's a multiplayer mod that's fairly advanced. While it lacks some features (no cars on the road, no synchronization of stoplights), it gives the experience a whole new aspect. Honking at another player going the other way to greet them in the middle of a snowy road at night gives a pretty unique feeling.

Also, traffic jams are a sight to see!

AudioSurf gameplay is fairly simple: get the colored blocks, avoid some other blocks, try to make them match. There's a few variations that basically change how you get and arrange the blocks, but the basis is always the same. That would make it a pretty standard puzzle game if it was its only aspect, though.

What sets AudioSurf apart is the ability to import any kind of music and literally play it. Not just as a background music, but as the layout for the whole level. Elevation and speed, as well as the arrangement, frequency and colors of the blocks are all determined by the music. While a fair amount of games on Steam boast this ability, very few are capable to produce a level that feels unique and actually entirely determined by the music you import. As such, AudioSurf's tagline, "Ride your music", is pretty accurate.

At the end of the day, AudioSurf gameplay is very simple, and it's unlikely you'll spend hours upon hours on it trying to get the perfect score (unless that's really your thing). But personally, each time my music collection grows, I like to give a try to my newly acquired songs; the experience is different each time, and it makes you appreciate your songs with a new and interesting perspective.

Also, unlike a lot of other custom-music games who are stuck with MP3, AudioSurf also supports FLAC and OGG, which is pretty awesome in my book.

Don't be fooled by its simple style, To the Moon is not your usual Super Nintendo style RPG. Far from it. It's an interactive story, a beautiful one, that works excellently through this medium. Aided by its incredible soundtrack, it will leave you in a state that few other video games can manage and make you experience feelings you may not be used to have when playing, including sadness and melancholy. It requires a bit of investment, not in time but in the experience itself, but if you're capable of immersing yourself, you're in for an unique ride.

Also, you get free supplementary episodes that tie-in with the sequel. And that's pretty neat.

A not-very-long but really nice and original puzzle/plateforming game. Obviously inspired by Portal, but different enough to be considered as its own game, and not as a rip-off of Valve's creation.