Not A Game Review

This game will forever be imprinted in my memory as the one that burned through my monthly data limit that I didn't know existed. It was neither story-rich (compared to the other games I prefer) nor did it feature any groundbreaking innovations in gameplay. However, credit where credit is due - Star Wars: Battlefront II is a visual marvel. And this is its biggest appeal. Sadly, its only appeal. Some scenes are more than AAA; it feels like they're right out of a movie. The environments are just as lush and richly detailed; the world of Star Wars has never been more alive in a game. However, once you manage to wade through this shiny top layer, you realize there's not a lot of depth or emotional investment in the story. The game follows a formula - thrusting you into one battle after another; there's no puzzle solving, or emphasis on stealth for that matter. I might be asking for the wrong things from this game - but then it's these innovations that eleva...

Cover used courtesy of 'Rewind' In a departure from my usual entries, major plot points for the game follow. I'd advise you to avoid this piece, if you haven't played it yet.  Do not mistake this game by its title or the 'point-and-click adventure' genre that it falls under for being anything other than downright dark, disturbing and uplifting at times. Puzzled? Welcome to Fran Bow.  Never one to shy away from depicting horrifying visions of death and despair that the 10 y/o protagonist is prone to, the game is the first such I have played in the point-and-click adventure genre. Admittedly, it's one of those niches that I am yet to fully explore, and have only managed to play a handful of, the biggest title being The Longest Journey. And surprisingly, many of the quests that Fran comes across in the game did remind me of some classic TLJ quests. However, this differs from the aforementioned classic in its portrayal of brutal death - simply ...

Cover used courtesy of 'Rewind' I won't be writing a lot about this one - though not an emotional tearjerker,  it's a pretty straightforward, unique experience lasting about 4 hours. A convincing storyline, very realistic characters and events that mirror those in the real world in more ways than one make for a gripping experience.  The entire game plays out with you controlling the interface of the 'Orwell' system - delving more into what that entails would spoil the fun. As far as surveillance-based games go, this was my first one, and I enjoyed it more than I had predicted. This is, in fact, the second game in the series; I ended up playing them out of order. Several events from the first game do appear in the second one, even though it focuses on a different set of characters. I'd recommend playing them in order to get the best possible experience from the Orwell series. If you enjoy playing God and going through strangers' texts, emai...

      I'll be honest, folks - the next week seemed tough to get through. Hailing from one of those weird families that never really celebrated anything, it amazes me just how much cheer and spirit people exhibit for certain events around the year - Christmas (and the subsequent New Year's Eve) being one of them. There are family dinners, meeting up with loved ones and of course, gifts - it's the one time of the year when you can see the infectious exuberance on the faces of people on the streets; and in stark contrast, here I am, failing to recall when I last felt such joy without staring at a screen as some or the other piece of entertainment unfolded before my eyes.  Um, I-I guess my question is do you... do you think it's too late for me?  It is in this state of mind - and wondering whether I should order some fast food (Subway! Yes, I call it fast food) on Christmas Day so I don't have to cook the same old pasta/burrito/rice meal that I do ev...

It is when you're left with no real connections to any human being around you for years on end, that you finally give up all hope and place your trust in fictional characters from games and series. After all, they can never discard you - it's the other way around. I realize for most people, these are nothing but hobbies, or simply a way to pass the time, but for me, certain games and shows hit home hard. It goes deeper than just relating to the story or characters. That will probably not make sense to most; but I digress. So: if life is a dark pit of self-loathing and despair, then these 'friends' are the lights that flicker on every once in a while- even if it is only for brief flashes - providing reassurance and hope to keep moving forward. 11-11 Memories Retold: by far the most moving game I have played in 2019. This will probably be the last game I complete this year and I am glad I will be ending on this bittersweet note. I say bittersweet, because t...

                                         In hindsight, it seems fitting that I ended this journey wearing my Hawt Dawg Man T-Shirt, which I didn't even realize until a few seconds ago. And what a journey it was. The first thing that strikes you  is the obvious upgrade the graphics have received - it's a welcome change which allows for greater immersion in the story. The idea of not possessing powers but rather shaping someone else who does is also unique, and I really loved it. This is certainly an unmissable game, for fans of the franchise. I'd suggest getting it during a sale though. I was surprised at the number of endings; the one I got failed to evoke the feelings in me that I experience every time I reach the end of Life is Strange. I attribute this purely to the fact that I relate to Max way more than I ever could to Sean, which allows for that extra emotional i...

People who know me well are very aware of the fact that I joke about what upsets me the most. Only a couple of those people also know just how much I joked about the 'love cards' in The Witcher (yes, that's what I am calling them, and yes, you know very well what cards I am talking about). The Witcher - a gripping political adventure for some, blatantly offensive and sexist to others. I fall somewhere in the middle. I am glad it was released when it was - doing that in today's political climate would be a total disaster. Now before the hordes of people saying 'that's-how-it-was-back-then' descend upon me, I would like to clear my position: I understand that to portray a medieval fantasy world, you have to mimic the times, which could include regressive remarks on a woman's abilities. What bothers me the most is the indulgence in an obvious teenage fantasy of collecting near-nude graphic cards of every woman you have sex with. I had t...