Mike Thomas
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Gamer Escape 
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I enjoyed my time with Shotgun Cop Man but, where I couldn’t stop replaying My Friend Pedro, I don’t see myself returning to this one. Shotgun Cop Man is frantic, fun, and funny. It is also repetitive, irritating, and doesn’t separate itself from the pack. What it does have is enough charm and sharp gameplay to make itself a worthy pickup.
So, I have spent most of this review lighting up Observer: System Redux as a shining beacon in the bustling cyberpunk genre, and it is. The story is engaging and filled with noir goodness, the gameplay added to the feeling I was a memory hacking detective, and the visuals felt straight out of one of my favorite 80s movies. But the absolutely relentless and aggressive lights and patterns that invade the game a few hours in made it a hard game to finish. Because of this I still recommend it, bu...
For the rest of us who have been playing crafting and survival games for 10+ years, there is nothing in this game for us. For almost everything this game does well, there are other more complex games that do it just as well or better. I can tell lots of love was put into Summer in Mara, but there are some tweaks that need to be made to support the audience they seem to be going for.
Considering the largely uncharted waters (sorry) of the shark simulator genre, it is hard to fault Maneater for its flaws. On the other hand, open world design has been a staple of gaming for over a decade and it is a shame to see such repetitive quest design. Along with a few too many claustrophobic environments, I have a hard time giving Maneater a blanket recommendation. That being said, I had a lot of fun playing it, and I think there is a lot to like if you can deal with a few annoyances.
It’s such a shame that that serenity is broken by frustration when trying to plan roadways and neighborhoods. This may not seem like much of an issue for some, but for someone who finds odd satisfaction from having complete control of how my society will look, it kept me from falling in love.
That being said, it is impossible to ignore some of In Other Waters’ most glaring flaws. As much as I’m willing to sacrifice depth in gameplay for a satisfying story, I should never feel frustrated as much as I did while playing this. For those of you who may not be bothered by these issues to the degree I was, I think you will find an engrossing and even satisfying experience. I couldn’t help but find myself excited about what I was going to discover next, but I just couldn’t get pas...
I don’t want to discourage Wales Interactive from continuing down this path, however. While it didn’t shine often, there were glimpses of a world in which this can work and work beautifully. I just hope they can secure the funding necessary to achieve their ambition.
I still think Ys Net achieved something wonderful. It seemed an impossible task to come back after 18 years and make a game that doesn’t coast entirely on nostalgia. Shenmue III should have failed but, as a fan, I’m happy to say it’s the best I could hope for.
I hate to speak for a community but I’m sure this game may meet the demands they ask for in Need For Speed. For anyone else looking to get into racing but don’t want the difficulty associated with Forza or Asetto Corsa, I would still recommend picking up the recent remaster of Burnout Paradise. If you’re not already a Need For Speed fan, I say skip Heat and wait for EA to remember Burnout exists.
In the last handful of years, with all these “games as a service” pretending to be RPGs, it felt good to play a game I didn’t know I was missing. Obsidian have made a career out of being the unsung heroes to role-players the world over, and they have struck gold yet again. It may not be the flashiest, prettiest, or most obvious choice for meeting your RPG crave, but trust me, The Outer Worlds is a can’t miss gem of not just 2019, but the entire generation.