Recent reviews by okcomputing

For a game that isn't broken, this 20th Anniversary Edition is among the more disappointing re-releases I've had my hands on.

The decision to add a layer of realism doesn't mesh with the cartoon-like aesthetic of the (original) game. The hyper detailed textures and tesselated surfaces give off a cheap "Ocarina of Time UE4 remake" look in many instances, and, instead of modernizing the game, oftentimes it reminds me of the Xbox 360 launch title Kameo -- not a compliment, to be clear.

Unfortunately the original PC version is riddled with bugs and it’s been pulled from digital stores, which makes this 20th Anniversary release the only feasible way to play BG&E on contemporary hardware. On its own, this is a good action-adventure game with a well-developed setting and strong direction. A rarity anno 2024 and later. So if you can look past or don’t see the visual anachronicity, there is plenty to like.

It's hard to recommend because aside from the uneven visuals, there are still the odd bugs in the game, huge Ubisoft Connect notifications constantly taking you out of the experience, Steam achievements being broken and the game feeling like a stuttery mess unless you fix frame pacing with external tools.

I think new players will enjoy this more than those who remember playing the original. But know what you're getting into.

A technical mess, regardless of whether you're on a high-end system. Even fake frames won't save you from the PS1 era pop-in and intense frame drops from simply panning the camera too quickly. I can only attribute it to wilful disregard that a publisher/developer with the means of Capcpom would release a game in such a sorry state.

There isn't a particular thing I can point at that's hideously bad about Ender Magnolia, but the experience of playing it is just languid and bland. I catch myself going through the motions of playing this game, almost passively ingesting it as I would a televised news show in the waiting room of my dentist. I suppose the best thing about Ender Magnolia is that it agitates me enough to seek out games that try to do something (different) instead of opting for safe, straightforward fare.

Plays perfectly on Deck. Looks utterly gorgeous out of the box, supports the right controller glyphs and even includes Steam achievements. Really happy they put in the work for this little device.

By the time I reached the end of the game, I felt like it overstayed its welcome a tad, but I still had a great time with the game overall, and it was a delight playing a metroidvania with high production values like these.

A refreshing puzzle game that doesn't pre-chew its puzzles for you but invites you to experiment and figure its systems. I think anyone who enjoyed games like Myst would get a kick out of this too.

I've only dabbled so far, but you can really tell a lot of heart went into this re-imagining.

It makes clever adjustments over the original(s) to allow you to learn the game under more gentle circumstances, which I appreciate. Once I get more accustomed to the game, I look forward to turning these off and finding out how far I can get.

It's apparently playable start to finish, which I haven't seen before this early in an early access release, and the game generally feels pretty robust already. Neato.

If you're into dungeon crawlers (and you should be), I think your money will be well spent supporting this -- especially at the current price.

It has a cool premise, good looking artwork and the soundtrack isn't all that bad either. Unfortunately, the story is drawn out to agonizing length and is awkwardly written (or translated), making everything else difficult to bear.

I don't play golf games all that often, but this one has had me coming back to it for a few days now, and I keep finding more to like about it. Took me by surprise.

Its presentation is very clean and I think strikes a good balance between low-poly and definition to give you a pleasantly retro aesthetic experience without having to interpret noisy visuals. A smart choice for a golf game. The sound effects and commentator are similarly a throwback to 90s games, and comforting nature sounds fill in the rest of the soundscape. Lovely.

The play itself is fairly straightforward. It's your typical two-button gauge: first strength and then accuracy. Other factors at play are wind, elevation, terrain, ball spin. I'm not much of an expert, but it plays well and has just the amount of complexity that keeps me engaged while also being a fairly laid back affair.

The ten courses in the game aren't just different backdrops, and some of them are clearly themed around a specific challenge, like one being a putting course, for example. I believe the idea is that you'd play the game online, but I've been playing versus AI, and I've somehow even built up a bit of a rivalry with the character I created to compete against, Ellie. She's a more considered player than I could ever hope to be. Never maxes out the gauge just to get mere inches over perilous terrain, but her putting game could use some work. Evidently the AI is adaptive and gets more challenging as your profile level increases, so I imagine it'll continue to be a competitive experience as I grow more comfortable with the physics model. In addition to your 18-hole courses, the game lets you play the first or last nine holes if you're looking for a shorter session, and it includes a practice range and a billiards mini-game, which is a neat bonus. Unfortunately billiards can't be assigned an AI opponent, but you can't have it all I suppose!

Anyway, I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying this whole package. I think it's the fact that it's so accessible and has a relaxing mood to it. I'm not really interested in playing a complex career mode and that kind of thing. Here, you just pick a course and go, and that makes it easy to pick up for a short round. It works quite well on the Deck too, which is how I've been playing it.

In short, a lovely game, big thumbs up.

Although it'll be quite the adjustment going to this from Kiwami 2 and the chronologically earlier entries, it's still a fantastic Yakuza game that hits all the high notes you'll have come to love about the series so far -- dramatic shirt removals, crying men, heartfelt drama, positive vibes, Kiryu being a goof, and so on. Personally speaking, I found the clunky animations and PS3 era character designs charming and quaint. Just make sure to install the SilentPatch and the Quickstep Fix, remember to use your grabs very (!) liberally, and enjoy the ride, aniki. It's one of my favorite in this series so far.

A beautiful treasure for the chronic procrastinator. Each of these solitaire variations is a delight, and their varying complexity means there's always one to match the intensity of your boredom. I've played a little of all of them but only really learned half. Already, this is one of the greatest gifts I've made to myself, and I foresee spending countless hours mastering the games in this collection.