Recent reviews by all_meshed_up

Luck is when opportunity meets preparation. FTL features luck as a major factor in every jump you make. Yes, it can be very aggravating when you simply can not win because you didn't happen upon a certain random event 1 hour ago, but that's the nature of a game that requires you to learn every minute of play.

15 minutes of just looking through the mods menu and the game randomly crashed to desktop. Also, many of my keyboard keys don't function. I've never been one to bash Bethesda for lack of quality because the experience is always worth it, but I'm tired of having to wait for fixes or, even worse, having to fix what is broken myself in order to enjoy a AAA game from a AAA devoloper/publisher which is sold at a AAA price. Yes, I got this updated version for free, but I've spent allot on Skyrim and will review this version as if I bought it. I'll change my review if and when this game works properly, but Bethesda has little excuse anymore for the poor quality of The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series considering thier other successful titles and years of work on PC games.

--EDIT--
After playing a second time, I feel my original review was a little too harsh. I have made a couple of edits to it.

As the first new content since the release of Abe's Oddysee intended for veteran players, Alf's Escape isn't quite the taxing challenge I think it was meant to be, though some areas certainly are tricky. The puzzles aren't very complicated, and I think that's mostly due to the lack of any new mechanics, traps, or enemies. It's not easy, but it doesn't reinvent or evolve the game into something new (or tasty). Escorting Alf back through the level was a welcome aspect but it's too bad they didn't inject the ability to order Alf to manipulate objects like in Abe's Exoddus; which had some Mudoken-controlling areas that might be better than this DLC. That's probably why I so greatly enjoyed all the SoulStorm Brew imagery throughout the level.
Ultimately it's not a bad little chapter, I just wish it did a bit more. Even at the relatively low price it's mostly a way to support the developer, Just Add Water, if you're so inclined. I think you should, and that's really why I recommended it.

New 'n' Tasty is a finer cut of meat; more visually appealing, brighter color, not nearly as gritty, and the toughest parts have been tenderized to perfection.
It doesn't reinvent Abe's Oddysee, in fact some things still gracefully show their age, but it does add some very welcome new features and mechanics to make it much more enjoyable to replay or experience for the first time. Even on hard ("classic") mode, it's more forgiving than the original and it can be completed allot faster due to better gameplay progression. There are no new areas in the game, just a larger amount of Mudokens to save, The art style is sometimes too bright but the character of the world and significance of its message are not blinded in the least. The environments might have less grime, but they are more varied and interesting while still being equally dominating in scale.
New 'n' Tasty definitely isn't without it's own bugs and a few things can use some tweaking (like the hard mode meat-saws and most of Scrabania). But those are all fixable and don't ruin what is ultimately one of the best, most faithful remakes of a classic. I sincerely hope that the superior Abe's Exoddus is given the same treatment; just get rid of the steam-vents and bring back the heavy shadows, please.

--EDIT--
Oh, and another nice thing about this game is that the developer is real good at talking to it's players. As evidenced by the first comment on this review.

Dear Eshter.
It is my regret that I am incapable of writing anything nearly as beautiful as the letters meant for Esther. Letters stained in brilliant lines by the love poured over them from a man in grief.
Dear Esther is a very slow burning story that many people would easily find to be dreadfully boring. But in the same length of time in which you could watch a feature length film, you can simply wander through overgrown paths on an island and traverse the gorgeous caves beneath. The scenery is stunning but empty except for some cryptic clues; equally as cryptic as the haunting narration that accompanies them.
Rarely have I cared so much to understand an allegorical story. and never have I come out of one with at least three distinct theories as to its meaning, narrative, past, and conclusion. However, the most unfortunate aspect of trying to delve in to the deepest parts of the story is the inevitable realization that, unknowable details aside, the circumstances of the events are not very interesting; they just tug at a few emotional strings.
One of the few things that sets Dear Esther apart from Proteus is the fact that there is a story and there are actually some things on the deserted island that garner attention.

Proteus is a brilliant idea that only excels in its visual execution. It perfectly captures the kind of world once portrayed using just a few, two-toned pixels displayed from an Atari 800. A world that you, the viewer were forced to imagine rather than witness in high definition glory. The problem is; there is literally nothing to do within that world expect to wander its hills and valleys scaring off groups of animals while listening to the whimsical but unimpressive, procedurally-generated music. It is best described as a tech demo and it would make a fantastic screen saver akin to the classic Windows 3D maze. The one thing it is not however, is a game.
24 hours inside of Proteus would offer no more enjoyment or depth than simply watching its 2 minute long trailer video. And that is possibly the saddest thing I've ever written in review.
While most indie games leave you wanting more for their own good reasons, Proteus leaves you to starve on an empty island for want of anything at all.

Machinarium continues the unfortunate trend of enticing worlds dripping with character that offer very little in terms of actual content. The majority of the game takes place in a small part of what is clearly a massive city, and the story tends to be a simplistic telling of what was intended to be a heartfelt tale of reuniting lovers.
However, what there is to the world is all presented in a highly artistic, "handmade" style with hand-drawn environments that nearly engulf the little robot in scale and sketched cartoons in place of dialogue or text. It's soundtrack mixes unorthodox instruments and old Czech radio transmissions into wonderfully varied ambient music. In all It's a gorgeous work of art with plenty to enjoy, but more to desire

Oddworld inhabitants has had their ups and downs in developing the Oddworld series, but to me Abe's Exoddus will always stand as their greatest achievement. Expanding on everything that made Abe's Oddysee such an incredible experience, Exoddus offers an even richer story, longer gameplay, memorable environments, and far more enjoyable progression thanks to a quick save feature.
This PC port also lacks true gamepad support, but controls a little better than Abe's Oddysee. Both nearly require a gamepad-to-keyboard program to play well.

Oddworld is a humorously dark tale of an unlikely hero as he saves his people from the horrors of an unforgiving world. This first game in what is intended to be a quintology features 2D platforming puzzles where you lead the helpless Mudoken slaves out of the massive interior of Rupture Farms; an environment that never lets you forget how small you are.
Sadly, this PC port offers nothing more than the original Playstation version and lacks true gamepad support. This makes what should be a grand, enjoyable experience a frustrating chore.

"Proper story 'sposed to start at the beginning. This one ain't so simple"
Bastion's brilliance is in the way it's story is told; through dynamic narration. As you fight to rebuild the world following "The Calamity" your actions, choices, and even style of play are accompanied by only some of the thousands of lines of dialouge that tell the tale without ever taking you out of the moment. The gameplay is perfectly balanced for customization and is the closest thing I've seen to a good ol' fashioned Super Nintendo title since it's heyday. It also features one of the greatest soundtracks ever produced.
Bastion would be an accomplishment for a large studio, but for the independant artists at Supergiant it is so much more - It is everything right about modern gaming.