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I've decided to combine the reviews for Warhammer 40K Dawn of War 1, as well as the 3 DLCs: Winter Assault, Dark Crusade and Soulstorm into one macro-review since they all contribute to the tapestry of the Warhammer 40K RTS universe. Because Soulstorm has the most mods available, the most traffic and the most inherent races/features, I will include the Warhammer 40K Dawn of War 1 review within Soulstorm. Please note that my hours on Steam are not indicative of my gameplay hours in DoW 1 (Dawn of War), as I own the retail copies of the main game, as well as all the DLCs. Within the Gamespy network, I logged well over 1250 hours and I was also active within the modding community, working with modders like Thudmeizer on occasion, on mods like Dark Angels, Thousand Sons, Sired by Slaanesh and Minerva Guard. With that said, DoW 1 is an excellent game and a must-have for any Warhammer 40K fan.

If you ask me, however, about what the finest example of real-time strategy (RTS) excellence is, I will quickly and emphatically answer Starcraft 1. That RTS was the first title to introduce a polished, well-designed and properly executed combat system where various races could play asymetrically in a framework of throughtful balance and strategy/tactics. Starcraft 1 had a massive modding community and a dedicated and professional-level competitive ladder. The game had a strong single-player campaign and interesting races that seemed to touch upon all the core tropes of a standard science fiction variety. And yet, despite my rational appreciation for Starcraft 1, my favorite RTS has been and will always be Relic's Warhammer 40K Dawn of War 1.

Apart from having a universe that Blizzard drew from heavily, a cosmic mythos that is inarguably deeper and more detailed than anything Blizzard could offer, Warhammer 40K/DoW 1 also introduced a series of gameplay innovations that produced a paradigm shift that profoundly altered the landscape RTS games. Playing very similarly to Starcraft 1, DoW revolved around the creation and protection of a base and the harvesting of two resource currencies: requisition and energy/power. Much in this way, DoW operates similarly to Starcraft 1 in that a player must create and marshall armies and explore the map that is covered with a fog of war. Once the player has explored the map and assessed all threats, he/she must utilize sound strategies/tactics to destroy/undermine all opponent(s), while simultaneously developing the base and ascending the technology/upgrade ladder.

However, while DoW 1 and Starcraft 1 share common spiritual underpinnings, their similarities end there. Unlike Starcraft 1, DoW 1 has a series of additions that allow it to shine and assume its own unique identity. To begin with, units don't simply mine minerals on deposits around the map but, instead, must capture strategic/valuable points that confer requisition and currency to expand the war machine. These strategic points may often be reinforced but usually exist within hotly-contested, strategically valuable locations and, therefore, the game requires players to not simply build multiple bases, racing wildly to produce the most units and spam a rush but, instead, DoW 1 mandates an adaptive, consistent response to promote success and survival.

In this way, DoW 1 promotes a nuanced and deep gameplay style that encourages the adoption of subterfuge, traps, killzones, turtling and more. Because so many buildings in DoW 1 can be garrisoned or reinforced, base defense is a complex affair that requires forethought and planning. Apart from base building and resource gathering, DoW 1 also adapts the concept of squads. Within Starcraft 1, a player will create 10 units and select them all, thereby creating a squad, wherein he/she can then assign orders to the entire grouping. Within DoW 1, most infantry units already spawn as a member of a squad, consisting of 2-6 units. Squads can be modified, enhanced, upgraded en masse and even reinforced. This paradigm introduces an interesting element where units are thought of members of a cohesive team and where upgrades can be very detailed and nuanced. A single squad may be comprised of various identical units, upgraded in very tactically disimilar ways.

Much like every member of a military platoon will not look identically and carry the same weapon, DoW 1 provides the opportunity to truly customize each member of a squad. Another innovation deals with not only the use of line-of-sight mechanics but also passive cover systems, where units may use the environment to gain bonuses to resist or dodge specific weaponry. Not all weapons are affected by cover and such weapons (like a flamer), may shine in circumstances where an opponent is cowering within a crater, behind a pile of rubble or within a burned-out building. The use of cover is an essential concept within DoW 1 and can produce victory from even the most tactically disparate scenarios, if employed correctly. The use of cover systems also promotes the necessity for melee combat. While many other RTS games, like Starcraft 1, only confer melee capabilities to some units, all non-vehicle units within DoW 1 posses hand-to-hand combat skills.

The importance of "pinning" and engaging a strong-ranged/weak-melee squad within hand-to-hand combat is an essential concept within DoW 1. Therefore, knowing about your squads and being aware of how they are upgraded is enormously important in order to ensure that all your units are being used to maximal effect. The issue isn't simply that a unit may be "weak" against melee but that, in fact, they may be substantially, proportionally weaker vs melee units when locked into close-combat. Units that are pinned in close-combat will lose morale and, should their morale break, will flee the battle scene/lose combat effectiveness at best...or simply get slaughtered at worst. Dealing with all of these factors, including squads, cover, melee and morale add a tremendously rich and satisfying layer to traditional RTS gameplay.

As a whole, the DoW 1 games are well, if unspectacularly scripted, and possess extremely competent graphics, combined with wonderful audio elements. Explosions and sprays of gore abound as squads of units smash into one another, desperately attempting to secure a contested spot that will produce the necessary requesition to further their military cause. Death animations are elaborate and further the notion that your armies aren't simply disposable paper dolls but limited...finite champions. However, despite the satisfactory single-player campaigns, DoW 1 really shines during multiplayer, where a variety of modes like annihilation, assassinate, timer, and more allow players to constantly nutate their strategies/tactics.

Unlike most RTSes, DoW 1 has a staggering 9 races to play, ranging from righteous Space Marines from a variety of chapters, diabolical Chaos Space equivalents, the loyal Imperial Guard (human servants of the Emperor), mysterious Eldar, cruel Dark Eldar, feral Orks, the robotic zombie Necrons, japanese-themed Tau and the Adeptas Sororitas: battle nuns. While the theming may seem all over the place, a few minutes at the Warhammer 40K online encyclopedia: Lexicanum will assure almost any discerning gamer about the unbelievable breadth and depth of this venerable franchise's awesome universe. While game balance is good but isn't perfect (Necrons wreck IG too easily for instance), the mod scene for DoW 1 is unbelievably strong and still active 10 years after the initial game's release. And with over 50 amazing mods to choose from, DoW 1 provides almost unending value after a quick trip to the Relic Forums or Moddb. Modders have produced an almost undending variety of new races, AI additions, environmental effects, incredible graphical upgrades and complete gameplay overhauls. Truly, the game value is astronomical.

Highest possible recommendation.

9.5/10.

I want to like this game, I really do. I paid 30 dollars for it and I was hoping to get at least 20-25 hours of gaming out of it. Unfotunately, while the game isn't bad per se, it has some flaws that for me impair the game's playability and longevity. Firstly, the game, while graphically impressive, is very badly optimized. Some gamers can run the game flawlessly but my system has a 780m. The 780m falls between a 660 Ti and a 770 GT. The game itself recommends(not requires...recommends!) a vanilla 560 so consequenly, I should be able to run this game at 1440p, high settings and still get 60 fps.

But I simply can't. The best I can manage is 1080p, medium settings and 60 fps. In a twitch shooter, those settings neither look good nor play well. In short the game is a fat bloated pig on mobility architectures and lots of people play on mobility architectures. This is an oversight that strictly shouldn't have happened. I suppose if you're running a 970, this game isn't a problem but if you're one of the many mobility gamers out there, be wary of this game because the architectures are different and even if you do have the horsepower to run it beautifully the game may not be designed to take advantage of it.

Secondly the game is very repititious. The classes lack significant variation. Each round plays almost exactly as the last as you buy the same gear and get the same weapons. The fighting is frenetic, which on the surface seems great, until you realize that it's simply spamming everything with firepower until it drops. The maps are uninspired and level advancement is slowed. Thematically, the concept of people spontaneously turning into zombies with drills for arms doesn't do it for me either, personally.

Mass Effect 3 has a similar multiplayer component but has literally 60 different classes and over 50 different weapons. Did I mention that at least 25 of the class archtypes play *completely* differently? Some have a staggering array of powers and others are weapon specialists. The range and variety is truly wonderful. Characters feel well, handle well and shooting play is flawless. Graphics are attractive and the game runs on modest systems. The game has over 15 different maps that all feel/play differently and you can play against four different races which all attack/behave differently.

When combined with four different difficulty modes, lots of ammo types, equipment/character bonuses and a complex branching power/skill system, the game has every advantage over this one. So why am I bringing it up? Because the games are almost identifcal in their design and yet Mass Effect 3's multiplayer component was a throwaway mode that few players extolled or gave credit to. And yet the game comes bundled with a long, rich campaign and costs 10 dollars on Origin.

You could buy this, get the inferior product, for 30 dollars. Go play ME 3 multiplayer. It's ultimately the same product but better and you'll be a lot happier. If you've played Left 4 Dead 2, or Mass Effect 3 multi, this game is simply no great shakes.

By all means post why you think this commentary/review is wrong. I'd love to debate why it is.

Not worth the time. You'll find better games elsewhere.

6/10.

Doom 2016 is a contradiction in the modern gaming paradigm. It is a game that wholly and unabashedly harkens back to the FPS glory days of the mid 1990s and, in so doing, flies in the face of all modern shooter tropes. As a remake of Doom 1 and 2, Doom 2016 is a blazing success that captures the inimical feel of the original Doom shooting experience. Created by iD, which many PC gamers had assumed to have fallen out of favor, Doom 2016 is a howl of relevance that informs that future traditional shooters are both still important and fun. I own Doom 1-3, as well as most of the expansions, and most of the Quake series. After a technically impressive but spiritually clouded Doom 3, Doom 2016 returns to gaming relevance and shows the best that this small Texas-based developer can accomplish.

Graphically, the practically-wet iDTech 6 engine is unparalleled, producing nigh-photorealistic graphics that when coupled with extremely stylish direction/design promote a very visceral and powerful atmosphere. Doom has always relied on atmosphere and in such a way, Doom 2016 does not disappoint. Creature and SP character animations are astonishingly fluid, shaders/environmental effects impress to no small degree and lighting is spot-on pitch perfect, moving as realistically as any game on the market. In fact, the large, horror-inducing maps showcase the powerful lighting effects, producing a wonderful sense of simultaneous curiosity and dread. The maps are varied and distinct, detailing unique flavors to the game's current plot.

Incredibly, despite such amazing graphics output, the game is remarkably well-constructed with budget gaming graphics equipment performing marvelously. My 780m (comparable to a 760 GT) was able to play the game with the following 3 settings:
High settings: 1440p 30fps (for singleplayer this works well)
High settings: 1080p 45fps (my best setup for coop games)
High settings: 720p 60fps (best for traditional multiplayer)

These benchmarks, which are supported by almost 200 screenshots, illustrate how impressive a performance this game achieves, when considering that my graphics hardware is not explicitly supported for the game. It's also important to note that the game feels far more fluid at 30fps than most games at similar frames. This feeling can be attributed to both the exceptional gunplay and superior animations. Finally, the game framerate is superlatively tight, with the game framerate never dipping below 20% of the average. This means that the game is always playable and always responsive -- truly an amazing achievement for a game that legitimately feels "future gen".

Many gamers have avoided or held off on picking up Doom 2016 because they believe that the title is simply a reskin and an uninspired shooter but this is far from the truth. As impressive as the graphics for Doom 2016 truly are, it's the gunplay, movement and combat that steal the show. In short, Doom 2016 would be an abject disappointment if the gunplay was nonexistent but could still survive as a great product with inferior graphics. The gunplay control feels perfect, with movement acceleration and handling feeling as good as any other Doom title. Without a jitter, this first person paradigm is the creme of the crop in gaming. Weapons have fantastic punch and meaty sounds, and the frenetic character movement speed underscores the need for constant evasion.

This game isn't about cover systems, or ploddingly-slow indecision, it's about rushing your enemies, using the best weapon for the task at hand, and dealing as much crippling damage as possible. Enemies drop health, ammunition and armor pickups and, consequently, your ability to dodge and move throughout the map, while eliminating enemies will ensure survival and success. Harder difficulties like Nightmare and Ultra Nightmare are impossible without a practiced ballet of evasion, dodging and counterpunching. It is this instinctual movement during combat that becomes so inspiringly fun for gamers, myself included. The glory kills, while initially appearing tacked on, are wonderfullly animated and blessedly short - complementing the break-neck combat perfectly and providing brief invuln frames to avoid damage from heavies.

The music is absolutely fanatastic and, while not my cup of tea, seems utterly Doom. I honestly can still remember guitar riffs and music scores from the game and that underscores how memorable and relevant the music and sound effects really are to this game. The game is very polished with no crashes and minimal issues (I did experience the final boss glitch twice and two problems with unattainable achievements :( ) but as a whole, Doom 2016 is remarkably well put together. The game may only have a sparing plot and a limited bag of tricks but what it does, it does better than any other shooter...any other game on the market, bar none. It's no wonder that so many Internet reviewers like TotalBiscuit, Angry Joe Vargas and Yahtzee are all completely enamored with Doom 2016.

The game has a wide array of multiplayer opportunities but truly the game is really valued in its singleplayer experience. Team Deathmatch appears to mesh a slower Quake 4 multiplayer with class-based shooter mechanics and the results while not poor by any means, are underwhelming. iD didn't develop the multiplayer component and, consequently, I'm not faulting them for a team deathmatch online mode that can provide at least 5-10 hours of enjoyment with friends but that won't set the world on fire. In short, you're not buying this game for the multiplayer deathmatch. There are also plenty of modes available on multiplayer but additional social gameplay can also arise from the use of Snapmap.

Snapmap is an easy, robust map editor that has facilitated gamers in posting literally hundreds of singleplayer, coop, multiplayer and puzzle-based maps/campaigns onto the Doom 2016 community pages. Downloading the maps is no more difficult than installing custom content from Steam and building custom maps/campaigns is further supported by built-in tutorials that are incredibly easy and motivating. While it is true that most custom maps are less than stellar and some are just piss-poor, there are some select gems representing a variety of off-the-wall modes that involve coop or puzzling. It is my sincere hope that Snapmap is included with Quake Champions. With the massive community of map-makers Quake III had (Polygon anyone?), the inclusion of Snapmap within Quake Champions seems like a match made in heaven.

In short, Doom 2016 is a great game. It plays great, looks great and sounds great. You may not get as many hours as other games but the hours you *do* get will be more memorable and better. It is a title that on singleplayer alone deserves its 50-60 dollar pricetag and when coupled with multiplayer, Snapmap/community and endless litany of unlockables, easter eggs and secrets will easily live up to your value-demanding expectations. In short however, Doom 2016 deserves your hard-earned money because it's a great experience and a great game to add to your collection, irrespective of multiplayer hours dedicated to other titles.

I've been waiting to say this for a long time and now I can finally, happily pronounce "iD is back." Bring on Quake Champions.

Highest possible recommendation.

9.5/10.

Warhammer 40K: Deathwatch is a cautionary tale of why we, as gamers, can't have nice things. Created by the now-good-as-defunct Rodeo games, Deathwatch initially appeared on iOS first and served as one of the greatest turn based strategies on that platform. Similar to a simpler, stripped-down XCOM, Deathwatch still showed a surprising amount of depth for an iOS game, coupled with attractive Unreal Engine 4 graphics. It's strength was firmly rooted in its staggering array of reliquary items, space marine variations drawing from various chapters and its surprisingly deep tactical game play.

Spacemarines and reliquary items come in four tiers, with Tier IV items being of the legendary variety. A truly impressive variety and attention to detail is lavished upon the space marines and all the weapons all have unique traits and identities. Space marines can gain levels and can spend XP to obtain chapter-specific traits and abilities. Each marine can also hold various reliquary items that may boost or augment his abilities.

Selecting the correct five-man squad that will complete over 40 missions is up to you. The tactics you employ and the speed at with which you also progress are also up you. Obviously, some load outs are more effective than others. A team of high level devastators with Tier-IV plasma cannons will obliterate most targets quickly. A balanced team with strong-melee powerfist front-liners will make short work of most groups.

The story isn't epic but it is satisfactory and once you can complete the campaign, you can reattempt it in two sequentially higher difficulty levels. Obviously the allure of the game is to obtain all the space marines and gear so that you can customize your squad to represent your notion of what a multi-chapter Deathwatch team should look like. With that goal, the game succeeds marvelously.

However, the game has painful flaws that will dissuade any but the most hardened and ardent WH40K fans. For starters, the game lacks any depth outside the combat zone and you don't have access to base-building. The enemies amount to horde waves of Tyranids. The game would have benefited tremendously from other enemy races, like Chaos, Orks, Eldar, Tau or Necrons. Even the offering of such content via DLC would have been welcome.

And yet, despite the game's overall good quality on iOS, it sold in middling numbers and Rodeo was unable to continue developing new enemies, maps, coop, multiplayer and other promised content. In short, the developer's funds dried up. The lack of monetary support also undermined its ability to develop the Steam version, leading to crushing bugs that affect visibility, lack of tool tips, bad achievement glitches and even crashes.

The added chapters on the Steam platform version are poor shadows of the original three and almost no new weapons or items were added. Consequently, the iOS version is a far better value. Finally, because the iOS version had IPA to purchase packs to accelerate the unlocking of rare marines and items, the grind was limited. The Steam version has no access to such a storefront and, consequently, only requisition can be used to purchase packs and items. That results in an impossible level of grind that diminishes the game's fun dramatically. Luckily I was able to grab my iOS save game which had 250 hours on it and port it into Steam so that I could slingshot my development without grinding all over again.

It's a shame that Rodeo wasn't able to complete its vision for its game. The game lacks a ton of content and features that would elevate it to an extremely competent and fun TBS experience. As it stands, the game is a great foray into strategy-based game play for avid WH40K fans. When juvenile and simplistic games like PokemonGo rack up 45 million downloads while complex, rich games like this one wither on the iOS vine, ... that, is why we, as gamers, can't have nice things. A worthy pickup for WH40K fans.

Recommended.

7.5/10.

Dead by Daylight (DbD) has an amazing premise. Built on a concept that deals with 1970-90 slasher horror, DbD pits 4 late teen/20-something survivors against one of four classic killer archtypes (chainsaw hillbilly, the facemasked trapper, the invisible voodooesque wraith or the phantasmal nurse). I observed the game for over 2 years, waiting eagerly for its release. I was rewarded with an inexpensive, creative, well-conceptualized title that is broken beyond repair. The game is almost too flawed to enjoy in its current state.

Borne by BeHavior, a fast food pack-in video game development house, DbD represents one of their first attempts at a AAA title and the first real attempt at their very own IP. The game is built by a small team atop the new Unreal 4 engine, which they butcher at every corner. The game's premise revolves around a team of survivors that work together to start several generators in a map that allow automatic doors to be engaged. Once the automatic doors are engaged, the survivors escape, score experience points, which they can promptly use to level and improve their specific character. Killers must hunt and stop them by either incapacitating them or hanging them from a hook, thereby feeding their essences to a dark, hungering entity that impels the murderer towards his/her unending task.

The concept is neat and the fact that the game utilizes a first person camera view for the killer, while framing survivors in a third person view, is an important distinction that adds depth to the title. Killers are focused and unceasing and use their hearing, as well as sight to locate their prey. Survivors by contrast can better manipulate their bodies and possess a better awareness of their surroundings. However, their primary mode of detection (apart from a heartbeat) is sight. The concept of starting generators is an interesting one, albeit simplistic and that's where the issues with DbD first begin.

The game would be infinitely better if survivors could repair a solitary car in one map, or build a boat in another. Perhaps the survivors could call the police or set up a trap for the killer. Adding various objectives rather than the same, tired, rote "generator hustle" would have added a massive dose of life to this game. As it stands, this game is a generator mini-game with a killer mechanic tacked on. As survivors are captured by the killer and impaled on hooks, as offerings to their dark god, the murderer-player will often camp the captured survivor, making it very difficult for that individual to escape. This makes it possible for some gamers to be out of the game very quickly (I was never very good at it and this happened to me often). Unable to finish the level, I often failed to obtain rewards that stunted my progression.

Other players didn't have the same issues and were soon able to rack up 3-4 perks that could drastically improve their survival abilities, further aggravating the issue. I don't recommend that players that use other gammas other than default Windows play this game. As a part-time graphic designer that runs Mac/Photoshop gammas...the game is unforgivingly dark and that compounds an inability to see the killer. However, despite my bad performance in the game, I would have stuck around if I felt that the game had compelling game play to offer.

That, however, is not the case. Not only is the game lacking various objectives, as I mentioned earlier, but every map looks fairly similar. Despite having various locations like a car yard or a farm or an asylum, etc...the maps are really just identical game sandboxes populated "dynamically" by rocks, trees and the occasional unique buildings/structures. If you're jonesing for a romp INSIDE an asylum, look elsewhere. If you think that a burnt car yard should have more atmosphere than a few crushed vehicles scattered throughout an identical forest environment, you WILL be disappointed.

The samey feel of all the maps augments the lack of objective variety and when compounded by the game's complete dearth of community, and singleplayer, can make DbD a bit of a slog after a few hours. With no method to communicate in game, teams of survivors often have no reason to work together other than "fixing" a generator together. The creation of a community is non-existent as players hardly make new friends when they can't even type into a chat box within the game, much less communicate via VOIP.

Many players suggested a "whisper" system that would allow the killer to hear players collaborating if he/she is close enough. That would be an excellent balance system as it would encourage cooperation, promote community and would serve as a foil for survivors that are not careful when a killer is near. Alas, the game is absolutely silent. The game also lacks a singleplayer mode where weaker players can practice their skills without getting dominated over and over, as matchmaking is very poor.

And matchmaking itself is extremely poor. Games are an augean feat to secure. And I've waited over 45 minutes on three separate occasions to find a game. On two of such occasions, I gave up when a game couldn't be secured. On the third occasion, I was promptly spawned in front of the killer and was killed, having waited 45 minutes for literally 4 minutes of gameplay. The game is a running joke about "finding servers" only to end up back at the Ready phase. Players that have dedicated time to this game have repeated stated this in other Steam reviews. Listen carefully to that refrain.

Playing with friends was a feature that shipped almost 3 months after the game released and, to this day, works rather poorly. In fact if you want to host a match against your friends and you wish to play as the killer, the game confers no experience. Therefore, if you want to play DbD and feel that you're a better killer player, you simply have to go game with strangers if you wish to advance your character progression. This is a draconian and ill-conceived mistake, especially in light of the already prominent hacking occurring within the game. With no real, professional-grade anti-hacking/cheat mechanism in place, I've personally run into killers that can see through walls and that kill with one hit, right at the outset of a game.

Yes, such hacks aren't common and are extremely rare but they do exist and are a far greater threat to player enjoyment than some friends progressing together in a private match. With no real story to speak of and minimal character customizeability, players really only have the adrenaline surge of dodging a killer as the sole element to keep them returning. Unfortunately, the game's population has already begun to decline.

While Unreal 4 engine games scale successfully all the way down to iOS devices, and despite the fact that DbD's visuals are wholly lacking, the game fails to run properly on a variety of systems. Sure, I still got over 80 fps on maximum settings but for a game that is uglier than Left 4 Dead 2, a 7 year predecessor, DbD should run far, far better than that. Textures are muddled and look like they were photographs that were run under a daubs/paintbrush filter in Photoshop. Models range from reasonably good looking (Dwight) all the way to absurdly ill-conceived (Wraith- 10 poly chicken legs, go!). Animation errors abound, and survivors will often be stuck floating in air, as if cinched by their belt, or unable to crouch, or cursed to be perma-prone. Many killer swipes fail to connect or connect through solid walls. Many survivors have been caught by a killer, unfairly, as they completed a vaulting animation out of a window, only to catapult back into the murderer's grasp. The game crashes and will sometimes glitch and become stuck within a menu or within the game itself. Still, for a quick romp with friends, there are worse ways to go than DbD.

Worth a look.

7.5/10.

As a whole, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - First Assault Online is a value first person shooter that provides significant entertainment for its free price tag. Possessing a moderate variety of weapons and an interesting blend of class-based cybernetic abilities, Gits enters the same market as other shooters such as CoD, Overwatch and TF2. The gun play is above average, though not entirely great, and the graphics are polished in this highly optimized, well-performing shooter.

The game has a variety of modes including Team Deathmatch, Demolition and Conquest and you can utilize a myriad of equipment options ranging from simple grenades all the way to tachicoma tanks. The true centerpiece of the show however are the excellently themed and organized maps that present unique, contested flows with an even balance of long/close-range combat. Character customizeability is limited to purchaseable content but almost all game-impacting upgrades are relegated to strictly in-game currency only. This mitigates pay-to-win dynamics tremendously.

The game therefore, is a fun, polished, reasonably well-executed class-based shooter that leverages great maps and a low price tag to keep its audience happy. Gits isn't devoid of weaknesses, however. The game has few customizeability options and those few that exist are locked behind an exorbitantly priced pay wall. Additionally, the game fluctuates between fun gaming environment and hacker-infested shark tank. Many VAC-banned afflicted players have gravitated to this game due to its low price tag and you'll often see evidence of wallhacks or aim botting. Grinding can be a chore to level and obtaining in-game funds can be difficult. Ability-improving chips are practically ineffectual unless leveraged in massive quantities and daily/missions and objectives do little to provide varied gameplay opportunities.

Couple those weaknesses with a lack of singleplayer and the game can on occasion become significantly frustrating. Still, despite its shortcomings, Gits offers those individuals on a tight budget an inexpensive, attractive and polished alternative to CoD, Overwatch or TF2 for nothing but a song. The game is a worthy pickup and I think most players will find themselves more engrossed by Gits than they ever expected. Good value during a slow gaming season.

Worth a look.

7/10.

The third Batman game was created by a developer other than Rocksteady and many gamers will affirm that the title suffers for it but I actually think it's quite the opposite. With a new developer and a game that occurs prior to the first Batman title we get to see an interesting, new side of the Caped Crusader: the young, yet not overwhelmingly inexperienced Detective. The developers not only brought a substantially refreshed rogues gallery and collection of art assets but also new interpretations/views to the Batman universe. Additionally, we get to finally see Batman as the up-and-coming Dark Knight: a foe to be feared and reckoned with. Despite introducing us to a Dark Knight that has limited experience and city-wide cache, the game doesn't present a rookie story at all in fact, as Batman has all his finalized gear and resources to bear on enemies. In fact, he's been able to effectively thwart several enemies and has already begun to generate a fearsome reputation. In short, we get a Batman that has the best of both worlds at a point in his crimefighting career where he begins to gain critical mass but wherein everything is still exciting and new.

The combat, movement and gameplay are all that you would expect from previous titles. You still utilize a combination of combat, trickery and subterfuge to accomplish objectives. And while the story is interesting at first ( you are being hunted by a rogues gallery of villains), the title is quickly spoiled by the introduction of a cliched and overused concept character that overwhelms most of the series. In this way, I would have preferred dealing with many of the villains individually, through the utilization of cleverness, open gameplay and legitimate cognitive gymnastics rather than the same overused rote tropes from the three sequels. I believe that its this similarity to the sequels that makes Arkham Origins suffer more than anything itself. Combat is fun and interesting at first but can grind a bit as you punch and sock your way thorugh a parade of *thousands* of goons(literally), in a wave of pointlessness that never truly abates. Much like Arkham City, you are plunged into a city with often a few too many options and dangling plotlines.

The combat against some of the rogues gallery is new, fresh and even comical however and unlike Arkham City, you are able to appreciate the boss battles at bit more pointedly in this go-around. The Deathstroke boss battle was a personal favorite of mine which on occasion felt like a legitimate fight between the young Caped Crusader and the ultimate Assassin. While the fight was a little repetitious and the ending may seem far-fetched, it at least tried to do something previous Rocksteady Batman games didn't do: have him battle ONE opponent. Deathstroke was the only thing you had to worry about during the fight and he was more than enough. The game developers didn't feel like they had to cheat by spawning waves of goons and turbogoons to "sweeten" and "intensify the boss fight. And for that, I am thankful since it feels different from previous Batman game villains.

While the story suffers at spots and the ending doesn't exactly have epic implications for the Batman mythos, Batman: Arkham Origins is an attractive, fluid game that, once fully patched, is a capable successor to the Rocksteady pantheon of Batman games. It's *definitely* better than the abomination that Rocksteady released a few scant years later. This game isn't an amazing title but it's at least as good as Arkham City and maybe close to Arkham Asylum. If you can find it on sale for 8 dollars or less, you should pick it up.

Recommended.

7.5/10.

(mini-review)

Frustrating controls, a ♥♥♥♥-poor tutorial and a ridiculous storyline about post-apocalyptic traffic cameras, make this title an absolute waste of time. This game is a pretentious coaster. Do not buy.

Not worth the time. You'll find better games elsewhere.

5/10.

I want to preface this review by noting that my low hours are not indicative of my game time. I finished the game on another Steam account. I also finished all of Ep 1 and most of Ep 2.

While I can concede that it's almost sacriligeous to affirm as such, I believe that HL 2 is one of the most overrated shooters ever. Zero legitimate story throughout the game other than "Run away from the Combine...go here!" transpires, with a no-show cliffhanger ending as a final insult. If people wonder why HL 2: Ep 3 or HL 3 aren't out it's because Valve doesn't have the slightest clue what to do with the franchise. They made a name for HL 2 by duping everyone into thinking that the game is more deep, thought-provoking and better written than it is. Now that they have to *live* up to those expectations but lack the skeletal framework in the universe to carry that kind of meat, they simply go the DNF route and simply delay the installment forever.

A glorified crate simulator with graphics that haven't aged gracefully at all, HL 2 was lauded for its amazing aeshetics. "We need real textures...quick, add noise to EVERYTHING!" Seriously? Doom 3 got bashed very hard on release because games like this proved what shooters should be but after playing Doom 3 recently and now this, I can honestly beggar the question: "Does a one-trick pony gravity gun, tunnel-linear gameplay, dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks AI and perpetual crate mechanics really qualify as the greatest FPS of all time?

Bioshock, System Shock 2, Deus Ex, CoD: MW (CoD 4) all say "Hi!".

Not a bad game by any stretch but hardly the world beater everyone makes it out to be. Between the campaign, deathmatch and other goodies, the game did pose good value, though.

Recommended.

7.5/10.

One of the finest examples of the early Infinity Engine WCRPGs available. Staged on Faerun, within the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons, the world encompasses traditional high fantasy better than perhaps any other. Deep tactical combat, coupled with rich, captivating atmosphere makes this game a pure winner. In fact, this is the perfect game to curl up with on a rainy night.

The new enhanced version doesn't have better graphics and it doesn't seem to have any of the old bugs ironed out but the multiplayer works perfectly now and that adds a new dimension to the fun. The game has multiple difficulty modes and comes with two expansion components, including Heart of Winter. Trials of the Luremaster is freeware/abandonware online and you can probably find that for this game also. If you're like me, you have the old jewel case on the shelf and you've already logged 120+ hours in the original, this game is definitely worth checking out. Steam only makes this venerable franchise better.

Highly Recommended!

9/10.