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Civilization VI

“Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now.”

I was really looking forward to this one... Civilization V was the game that introduced me to this series, and I couldn’t even imagine it getting any better. So the question now is, has it? 

The loading screen itself lives up to the hype as a chorus of epicness reigns down on your ears, and loading up the game for the first time really did seem like a whole new world. Truth is, I am still having difficulty mastering the gameplay, even after 5 full standard games. Districts, culture civics, and governmental policy add an enormous amount of versatility towards the game, going beyond civ 5′s linear strategy. This makes the game more strategic in my opinion. The visuals are either a hit or miss for most people, while civ 5 offered a more strategic view, civ 6 is a little laid back and cartoony. The game certainly is refreshing and it would likely take around 50 hours or more to get a good mastery of its core mechanics. 

However, in as much as it exceeds its predecessor, it has actually gotten worse in a few areas. The AI has always been clunky in the past but for some reason, I just really don’t like how unreasonable they can be. Trading, even when allied, can often lead to unfair trade deals. Even when you are allied with the civ, if you change policy in slight, they will end up denouncing you. One could say this is part of the game but I feel like they could be a little more reasonable. I also wished that some civilizations could be afraid of you like in civ 5. But the one thing that absolutely needs fixing is the user interface. I find it to be simplistic and not at all strategic. In civ 5 you can see the demographics and production queues, while in civ 6 you have gossips which only manage to spam your entire screen. It is also easy to miss at first if your cities have enough amenities or housing. Another minor complaint is I get bored of versing the same civilizations all the time like for example I got paired up with Arabia every game so far. A number of wonders in the game should also be increased I feel.

These are just small fixes that will hopefully become much better in its expansion pack, just like civ 5′s gods and kings expansion that blew up the game to the peak where it was 2 years ago. Civ 6 doesn't aim to take the crown of strategy games, it just delivers what it does best. If you have 10 hours to spare just to play a standard game, it definitely can be a day well spent. Overall, civ 6 actually is a better game than civ 5 and you don’t really notice it at first. It is yet again an addicting and pleasant experience, building your empire from the ground up. 

4/5 - Great

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Quick Message

Every time I sit down and play a new game I am often left with a conflicting opinion. Sadly I never got to jot those notes down, until now. This is made for my own leisure for something to reflect upon. 

I review my games with a 1-5 scale. Key considerations I take in before I review a game always include; fun factor, atmosphere, longevity and lastly gameplay. Although I prefer games with a good story over good gameplay, the gaming experience is what you make it. Enjoy if you can. 

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Ghost Recon: Wildlands

“Murder is an offense against society, lying is an offense against yourself”

One of the most anticipated games since its announcement, did this game live up to its expectations? Well here’s what the game isn’t; it doesn't have a fascinating story, it doesn't have a large variety of missions, nor is it one of the more fluid games with smooth gameplay. If you were thinking of picking it up to play by yourself, I can say with assurance that it would get repetitive and boring going through the same mission styles over and over with your lifeless character and crew.

However, let me tell you why you should buy this game. For starters, you will be amazed by the open world and stunning visuals of this game. Even the audio synchs up very well defining the moments of wandering and exploring Bolivia. I said you shouldn’t play this game alone because you have to play with your friends. Missions are repetitive but it's your friends that will add new ways you adapt to each situation. Trying to go full stealth? Awesome. Did you screw up and are now guns blazing? Awesome. For all the faults that wildlands have (Buggy AI, clunky driving mechanics, lifeless story and character development), it almost seems to make up for it in its gorgeous open world with multiple biomes. Wildlands is a decent game. 

2/5 - Average

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Grand Theft Auto V

“Why did I move here? I guess it was the weather. Or ... agh, I don’t know, that thing, that magic.”

For the purpose of this review, I will only be covering the single-player portion of the game. Set in a parody 2015 Los Angeles setting, Rockstar aims to bring a satirical outlook on the contemporary social conflicts we see today. From PC culture, inequality, bizarre media focus and most of all, hypocrisy, it is fair to say that Rockstar captures the essence of the imperfect, perfect way most people view America. In the middle of it all, our protagonists, whichever way you wish to see it view life as something more than expensive nose jobs or pop-cultural values. They play big, and the score is to survive.  Michael, is a man who retired with too much money and moved to Los Santos with his family who hates him and he hates himself. He wishes to have a perfect life of chaos as he chases his dreams of being lost in a live action movie. Franklin is a man from the ghetto of Los Santos, and above all a realist. His only motivation is to get out of the poverty cycle in whichever way he can even if it means he must be selfish. And now Trevor. It seems like Rockstar created his character all for the purpose of being allowed to do everything that would seem controversial and yet they got away with it. The crazy drug peddler, the man on a mission and vinewood hills highlife self-hating father will cross paths for an epic story. The gameplay is what makes GTA 5 one of the best games ever made. For its time, the ability of your character is almost limitless. You can either pretend to live a normal routine of yoga and tennis or run a mayhem of car chases and strip clubs. The map size itself is enormous, with mountains, lakes, 3 cities and wildlife all across the map, there really is no clear one way to enjoy the game. Go skydiving, go bike riding, or maybe even go deep sea ocean diving. yes, you heard me correct, deep sea ocean diving. Choice makes this game incredible, but the gunplay adds a whole new level to it. You may switch between characters at any time, allowing you to approach different angles towards missions. This is a concept never been done before and it has been executed brilliantly. I even felt the need to play according to the context of the characters. When I played as Franklin, the rap music would make me feel like I’m playing as a gangbanger. When I play as Michael, I would try to be a classy hitman/agent going through the danger zone. Player abilities also change the ways in which you may use players. The game was mostly centralised around heists and Rockstar pulled it off perfectly. Planning your heist matters in the final score as one wrong move can be costly.  I have nothing negative to say to the game’s single player, besides one thing. Without spoiling as much as possible, I would say that not enough time was spent on investing on the chemistry between Franklin, Michael and Trevor. Even though they were a deadly firepower of a team, the chemistry between the 3 always made me kind of sad how they mostly just argued and little did they ever get along. But maybe that’s just me. Overall, Rockstar has arguably made one of the best games ever, and I cannot wait to see how they bring on the next installment of the Grand Theft Auto series.

(Side note - These opinions are expressed strictly towards single player because GTA Online is complete garbage)

4/5 - Great

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Borderlands 2

“It’s cute that y'all think think you’re the heroes of this little adventure, but you’re not”

Truth be told, I only played 10 hours of the first Borderlands game with declining interest as I progressed throughout the game. Borderlands 2 fixed that. The open world RPG with its cartoony graphics, funky characters and its badass magnitude of weaponry offers a much-improved instalment from the first game and goes beyond. First, the gameplay. It’s hell of a lot of fun doing missions above your skill level as you are in constant contention against waves of enemies. It’s even more fun playing with another friend to add to the madness. The game progressively gets more intense with the abilities you posses and the guns you wield to your will. There are unfortunately some major problems. Like many RPG’s the missions are mostly aimless and aren’t creative in any way besides gunning the enemies down. To add to this, the game only feels fun when you are in the face of danger, barely being able to get through the room allowing the game to throw more enemies right at you. However, the more you level up the more missions you may have missed will feel obsolete or useless. This perhaps adds replayability with other characters but with a mildly interesting story, I will not be going back anytime soon. I’m also slightly disappointed with the fact that weapons are randomised at every single stage and wished that I could’ve possessed more overpowered weapons. Overall, however, this game is meant to be badass, and it truly does deliver this aspect. It’s worth a playthrough but also highly recommend playing with a team.

2.5/5 - Decent

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Rocket League

3... 2... 1...  GO!

The next addition to the competitive gaming community, Rocket League delivers a simplistic design with an addicting skill curve to master, making it one of the most interesting e-sports out today. Here’s what I have to say, the game is so simple, anyone that has ever driven in a video game will be able to pick it up and start fresh. However, to be the best at this game, there is a high skill curve to master. Personally, I have invested over 250 hours into this game and I am still not even close to the master level. Rocket League has a very vibrant and competitive community (although you will get a lot of arrogant players mostly every game) everyone is easy to get along and you will find yourself having majority of your steam friends list being players you played competitive in Rocket League. 

Although with a few minor downsides, mostly regarding server lag, Psysonix has been excellent to the community, making all new maps free to play and no pay to win system. Instead, the game offers endless customization with monthly updates to add constant interest for those who stick around.

This game is quick, fast paced, competitive and most of all delivers endless entertainment (or rage) that will leave a long-lasting imprint on the gaming community.

4.5/5 - Amazing

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The Last of Us

“No matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.”

Truly the defining gaming experience of this generation. Without giving much away, it is a story of a collapsed world, one where all hope has been lost. Everything once known, has been lost and forgotten. Until one day, humanity is given a second chance. Whatever the occasion, you are often scrambling for whatever shot you have at surviving, while the game constantly brings in new elements that affect the way you will react to each situation.

 If you’re anything like me, you will have a lot of heartful moments in this game, along with some ‘What the actual fuck’ ones as well. The graphics are incredible to say the least, bringing out the best in modern mechanics to make each moment more special.  The gameplay is a varied experience that I hear from others, either it being too repetitive or just perfect. My personal belief is that this game is the best at what it was intended for, to make you in constant moving motion. Whether you’re pinned down by gunfire or just casually walking through the abandoned ruins of our world, you will experience some incredible shocks and plot twists that will leave a print on what just actually happened.You are taken on a maze of an adventure with no idea what you’re in for. It’s almost like reading a really good book, although a good video game can be just as entertaining such as The Last of Us. 

This is a must play to anyone who loves a good story game, with a little bit of a challenge as well. I recommend hard difficulty as easy is a little repetitive while survivor is for the extreme. 

Endure and survive...

5/5 - Perfection