Recent reviews by Jormaug

Overall Score: 8.5/10, a damn decent game that pulls you in from the first second, and keeps you enthralled the whole time. A game where you stay for the story and characters, as there is a lack of interactive gameplay.

Music: 7/10, a pretty decent soundtrack, but somewhat short-lived. The twangy country guitar, mixed in with the occasional synth/computerized song gives a good bit of variety to the OST.

Graphics: 9/10, I really enjoyed the graphics of this game. The cartoon like art style, mixed with the amazing colors of deep reds, oranges, and yellows, made for an excellent visual display. This is one of those games that I really took time to look around and take in my surroundings, and appreciate the work put in.

Characters: 10/10, although there are really only 3 characters, one of them being a minor addition, the two main characters were extremely well done, and super interesting. The dialogue between the two felt very real and well crafted. The people felt like actual lived-in humans rather than characters made simply for a game. They gave a good amount of backstory to each of the characters as well, which helped bond with and develop feelings towards them.

Story: 10/10, this story was a roller coaster. The start of the game got me down, and made me feel sorry for the main character and the things he has been through. The middle gave off summer vacation vibes, just two friends chatting and exploring together. But the end is where the story really kicked in. The sudden introduction of tension and mystery to the game made the whole feeling of the story corkscrew and change direction completely. Overall the story was pretty amazing, and the ending was a brutally real conclusion to a wild ride.

Summary (Minor Spoilers): In Firewatch you play as Henry, a 39 year old man, who has taken up a job as a Fire Lookout in a National Forest in an attempt to escape problems he has been facing in life. Throughout the story you make a new friend, unravel a tense mystery, and explore the Forest and all the secrets it holds.

Gameplay: 6/10, its a walking simulator. You don't play this game for the gameplay, you play it for the story. For the majority of the game you are walking around, looking at different objects and areas, and choosing dialogue options. If you want something that is more interactive, then you might want to search elsewhere.

Overall Score: 8/10, a really solid game, with extremely addicting combat, interesting enough characters, and a slow to start, but very intriguing story.

Music: 7/10, I thought that most of the music in this game was pretty good, but there were really only one or two songs that stuck out to me, both of them being towards the end of the game. Overall not a bad track list, but it just felt like it was missing something.

Graphics: 8/10, I am not a big fan of the characters being 3D models and the background being completely 2D. Besides that though, the backgrounds were absolutely breathtaking, with an almost water color like quality to them, and the color selection for the enemies and terrain was really well done.

Characters: 7/10, not much to say here because this game didn't focus much on the characters at all. Rucks was a pretty decent character, but everyone else felt somewhat shallow due to a lack of interaction in the game.

Story: 9/10, although the story for this game doesn't really kick in till the latter half, I thought it was a pretty good one, leading to some interesting theories and questions. Also the fact that there are multiple endings to get make the replay-ability of the game a little higher.

Summary (Minor Spoilers): In Bastion you play as "The Kid", never given a true name throughout the story. The game picks up after "The Calamity", a world splitting event that killed the majority of the population, and left its land in disarray. You are tasked with collecting shards to piece back together the core, which will activate the Bastion, a safe-haven for those who have survived. Throughout the game you make a couple new friends, and enemies, travel to many different places now scarred by the Calamity, and unravel the mystery of how it even occurred in the first place.

Gameplay: 10/10, this is where the bulk of my enjoyment of the game came from. The combat is extremely fast and fluid, and there is very little downtime, allowing for the game to stay fresh feeling from start to finish. That coupled with the multiple different weapon and ability combinations you can come up with make the gameplay and combat really fun, my personal favorite being the Scrap Musket/Army Combine/Grenades.

Overall Score: 8.5/10, all-in-all a really good game with an exceptional story, solid soundtrack, and decent enough gameplay. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys story forward, more laid-back experiences. Short, sweet, and straight to the point.

Music: 9/10, for how short of a game Grimm's Hollow is, it packs an impressive 23 track OST. All of the songs are very calm and relaxing, and add a lot to the ambiance of the game. I am personally fond of both "The Hollow" and "Hollow Life".

Graphics: 8/10, while I am not a huge fan of the sprites in the game, the artwork of all the enemy ghosts in the fighting sequences made up for it, and were very interesting and intriguing. I also really enjoyed both Lavender and Grimm's visual design.

Characters: 9/10, there are really only 4 unique characters throughout the story, but each of them are pretty well done and thought out. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Baker, but Grimm's dad like personality, and the relationship between Lavender and Timmy really tied the game together.

Story: 10/10, now this is where the game really shines. In the couple of hours it takes to complete the game, they pack one hell of a story into it. Its not the most complex of stories, but it is heart gripping, and absolutely encapsulating. On top of that the multiple different endings, of which I have played through 2, give the game a pretty decent amount of replay-ability, and each one has a very compelling end to wrap up the tale.

Summary (Minor Spoilers): In Grimm's Hollow you play as Lavender, a young girl who has awoken in the afterlife, and told that she is now to be a reaper of souls. However, Lavender is much more focused on finding her younger brother who is also somewhere in the afterlife with her. Throughout the game you run around defeating ghosts, meeting some fellow reapers, and attempting to track down your little brother.

Gameplay: 7/10, now I want to preface this section by saying that I am not the biggest fan of turn-based gameplay, so take that as you will. However, I do think that the developers did a decent job with the combat in this game. It is very simple and easy to pick up, and with a decent amount of ability customization, and a variety of different enemies to face, the combat stays pretty fresh throughout the game.

Overall Score: 9.5/10, a near masterpiece. I would highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys story rich, calm and wholesome games. (Minor Spoilers Ahead)

Music: 9/10, so many goods songs on this soundtrack like "Angus Story" and "Church Hill". All the background tracks are very calming and zen, but some of the best songs are the more upbeat and lively ones that you get to play on the Bass minigame. A list of bangers for sure.

Graphics: 10/10, some people may be off put by the graphics of this game, but I absolutely love them. The very cartoony, imperfect design of all the characters and environments really ties the game together and makes it feel complete and cozy.

Characters: 10/10, all of the characters in the game felt like real people with actual personalities. It was very obvious that a bunch of time was put in to the characters backstories and how they fit into the world. The relationships that are made between the characters throughout the game is absolutely precious, especially the sister bond that develops between Mae and Bea. But, the best character, without a doubt, was my boy Angus.

Story: 10/10, at first I was somewhat reluctant about the story, because within the first hour or so of the game not much is revealed to the player. But as the game progresses the overarching story, as well as the small side stories that encapsulate the lives of the cast of characters, bloom into full effect and take you on a wild and emotional ride, especially in the later half of the game. On top of that the use of real life problems, such as emotional and mental issues, loss of a loved one, and the idea of just getting by day to day, are expertly placed throughout the story, and show the different ways people cope. The last thing I will touch on is the dialogue, because oh my god, is it amazing in this game. The interaction between characters is so real, and the way in which they talk to one another feels very natural, and not fabricated at all, like many current day games do.

Summary (Minor Spoilers): In Night in the Woods you play as Mae Borowski, a 20 year old recent college dropout who has moved back to her hometown and is now living with her parents once again. As you play through the game you meet old and new friends of Mae, explore her cozy little hometown, and plunge down a dark path secrecy as not everything in the town is as it seems.

Gameplay: 8/10, the only thing lacking in this game is true gameplay, but that is because is a story and dialogue driven game. However, the little gameplay that is scattered throughout the game, like the Bass playing, Knife Fighting, and Crossbow shooting, are fun and extremely wholesome.

Overall Score: 10/10 WE GOT OURSELVES A MASTERPIECE ON OUR HANDS BOYS. I recommend this game to anyone who loves story rich and character driven games. I know that the community around it does not have the best of reputations, but dont let that dictate whether you play this absolute blast of a game.

Music: 10/10, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, from the opening track to the outro song, this games music was phenomenal. Every single song from start to finish was a certified banger, and mirrored its environments and situations so well. A few of my favorites include "Home", "Snowdin Town", "Once Upon a Time", and my favorite, "His Theme". Even if you dont play the game, do yourself a favor and at least check out the soundtrack.

Graphics: 10/10, there are many people who would bash Undertale for its graphics, but in my opinion it's more pixelated, simple art style, as well as its diverse color palette of the environments, adds so much charm and personality to the game. Also, the detailed versions of the characters, when you are in battle with them, are stunning in their simplicity.

Characters: 10/10, every character that you stumble around in this game has their own, unique personality. Even the surface level characters like the creatures in which you battle along your journey have such a creative and well thought out design and response to your actions. But the main cast of characters are what makes this game really stand out in my opinion. From the loving, caregiver of Toriel, to the shy, yet sweet Alphys, and even the wise cracking duo of Sans and Papyrus. They are all truly amazing characters and add so much depth to the game.

Story: 10/10, there are very few games that have been able to move me to tears, but ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, if this wasn't one of them. The lore of the world isn't the deepest or most complex of any game that I have played, but the story itself is heart-gripping, and immersive all the way through. I have only done the full pacifist ending, and dont plan on doing any other, so the stories in which we experience may be different.

Summary (Minor Spoilers): In Undertale you play as Frisk, a young human girl who has found her self stumbling through an underground realm of monsters. Some attempt to harm her, and others are there to help guide her way back to her home. Throughout the story you meet a very wacky cast of characters, explore the world of monsters, and ultimately decide the fate of monster population.

Gameplay: 10/10, the gameplay, much like the graphics of this game, is pretty simplistic at its base level. In the pacifist playthrough the only thing you do is dodge enemies attacks, but with the variation of incoming threats that differ from each enemy the gameplay never once felt stale. The puzzles that were placed around the game were incredibly fun as well, and always had a unique theme and feel to them.