dreadgamereviews-blog

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Hahaha.... Well, So Much For That Review I promised...

Well, it has been far more than a single night since my last posting about publishing a review. That’s my bad. Life got in the way, and while I would say it was necessary, I do regret not keeping my promise to you all and posting something.

Originally, I had planned to release a written review for “The Last of Use: Remastered,” but I’m currently watching the final credits of “Red Dead Redemption 2,” so that will certainly come first.

I also have a review planned for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3″ which will eventually make its way down the pipeline, and I’m pre-recording footage for videos that will be posted to a YouTube channel I intend to create very soon. 

The first video is planned a continuation of a series I used to make on an older channel, not counting the re-uploads of that series itself. Once all of that is up, I have plans to start on a “First Impressions” series, reviews for PC games (and eventually console games), and hopefully some fun montages of just standard gameplay. 

Really, whatever I can conceivably do, I want to at least try my hand at.

In conclusion, I’ll be posting a review for “Red Dead Redemption 2″ tomorrow at roughly 5 PM EST, and working on getting the YouTube side of things started after that. Few days after that, I’d like to release another review, and hopefully the pilot of the first impressions series I mentioned (really need a title for that...)

Regardless, I’l see you all tomorrow at 5!

~Dread

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

REBRANDING: DREAD GAME REVIEWS!

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that I’ve decided to shift away from using my real name on this blog and will instead be going by Dread, my current Screenname.

Simple change, but effective I think.

New review coming out tomorrow night!

Have a good night everyone!

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

GIVE MARK A HAND!

Markiplier is currently running a charity livestream set to raise 500k for “My Friend’s Place,” a charity seeking to cut down on youth homelessness nationwide. 

This is an absolutely astonishing goal for a wonderful cause and everyone should help by giving what you can, no matter how big or small. I have already donated and I encourage you all to do the same.

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

Why Do So Many PC Builds Use Intel Processors?

I understand that a lot of people trust Intel to make really reliable, high power processors, myself included.

What I don’t understand is why people are so willing to make cost-effective builds that include them and ALSO have a dedicated graphics cards.

Most (if not all) Intel processors ship with an integrated graphics processor built in, which can inflate the price so unnecessarily if you’re already dropping big money on a dedicated graphics card. 

Why not use something from AMD’s Ryzen lineup to cut price at similar/better clock speeds and invest the difference on a better card? It seems like an oversight on a lot of builders’ part. 

To be fair, I’ve made this same mistake in the past, but with such a huge community existing around PC building and component analysis I don’t see why new builders keep making the decision to go Intel.

Just my two cents.

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

No, I Am Not Dead!

As if anyone notes I haven’t posted lol.

So, it’s been a minute since I’ve posted here, whether that be a review or showcase of any kind, so it’s time I changed that.

BEHOLD! THE FIRST PAINTJOB OF THE BLOG!

Ok, it really doesn’t deserve that great an entrance. Here’s the story:

This is my “Power A” brand Mini Pro EX controller, which was originally designed as a companion of traditional 360 controllers, just in a smaller package with more sensitive bumpers. In my case, this sees very little use on my console and far more use as a gamepad for my PC.

Originally, this controller was a translucent green and has built in LED lights under the bumpers and command buttons. It looked pretty sick, but the look got old after a while. This led me to the ultimate decision to repaint it.

Now, the downside for the timing of the decision was a complete lack of proper space to paint in the garage. This lack of space meant that the alternative to spray painting the pieces was brush painting, something I had never done before (and a fact that certainly shows). Regardless, I struck out on a limb, did the base coat, top color work, and detailing (however little of that there is) by hand and sprayed on the clear coat as it wouldn’t ruin any of the things in the garage.

The result: a passable first attempt at a brush painted design while using limited resources and space. Without even planning, I made it into the Asimov design, reminiscent of the one found in CS:GO.

Could be worse, could be better, and I’ll probably redo it soon, but it shall do for the moment.

Feel free to let me know if you have any fun ideas I should try for paintjobs in the future!

See you all soon!

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

im rewatching some old avgn episodes rn and this part consistently makes me lose my shit no matter how many times i see it

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

Next Review?

Hello everybody!

The first review was posted last night. Later than I was hoping to complete it but life just got in the way. I’ll try to be better about it in the future. 

Speaking of which: Future Reviews!

What do you guys want to see me review next?

When it comes to PS4 games, my options are currently

The Uncharted Collection

Red Dead Redemption 2

Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far (To be followed immediately by Kingdom Hearts 3)

Limited, I know, but that will get better in time.

When it comes to PC games, I can review pretty much anything, and have been thinking about releasing a review of the “Mafia” series of games, as they’ve been a long standing favorite of mine (we don’t talk about the third game here...) How would you all like that?

Shoot me a message or comment what you’d like to see most, or make a suggestion for a game I didn’t even mention. I’ve been meaning to expand my collection recently anyway! ;)

Have an amazing day!

~Adron

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

REVIEW: Resident Evil 2 (Remake) DEMO (PS4)

TL,DR: The demo for the Resident Evil 2 remake gave us an absolutely stellar look at the newest entrant into the RE series and breathes much needed life into the classic game with all new graphics and mechanics whilst still maintaining the much loved puzzles, ambience, and story of the original. From this sneak peek alone, I’d definitely have to recommend this title.

Hello everyone!

Time for my first review. This time around, we’ll be taking a look at the demo for “Resident Evil 2 (Remake).” I figured that since the game drops today, if anyone is interested in purchasing it, now would be the best time to release a review of the experience I had as a starting point for any other consumer.

LET IT BE KNOWN: THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE PS4 VERSION OF THE DEMO!

Let me say that, initially, I was really puzzled by the idea of remaking a title as old as Resident Evil 2 in today’s day and age. Especially after Resident Evil 7′s complete reboot of the series back into true survival horror, it seemed odd that Capcom had interest in going back to the old days and revisiting, let alone completely redoing, a classic. However, once I saw the trailer for the game, I was absolutely floored. I was super impressed by the vast upgrades to graphics, for one, as they’re truly stunning in-game, and once the gore and gameplay were shown off a bit, I was really excited to get my hands on a playable copy, demo or not. Let me say, I was not let down.

I’m not going to factor this into the score of this review, but I do want to take a second to talk about how this demo differed from those released for other titles. While Resident Evil 2 (hereon referred to as “RE2″) has a standard demo in the sense that it allows you to play through a section of the story to a final point, it also has one additional caveat: a time limit. RE2′s demo is built as a once off per platform demo where the player is given 30 min. to experience as much of the introductory level as possible, regardless of whether or not they complete it. This added a really interesting motivation to play through and see as much of the demo as possible, leading me to really bust my ass to see as much as I could. It was a really unique experience compared to literally EVERY other demo I’ve played in my life, and I would certainly say it was a good addition. It adds both urgency to the experience and preserves the longevity of this level for the final game’s release. Nice work, Capcom.

The Good (or “Points of My Experience Worth Giving a Thumbs Up To”):

-The Story: I see little reason to relate this version of RE2 back to its original, as it’s a remake that will indefinitely revise certain parts of the experience to be more fitting of a new audience and I have a very, VERY limited recollection of the story of the original Resident Evil 2 from the last time I played. Therefore, I will only discuss the story presented in the demo. Let me say, the snippit that we get in the demo is a really fantastic entrance to the story the game intends to present. We’re dropped into the Raccoon City Police Department as Leon Kennedy, just after escaping a horde of zombies alongside Clare Redfield, and have to navigate the halls to escape the hordes and solve the mystery of the outbreak. It’s a great intro to the content the game intends to present and I loved it.

-The Graphics: Holy s**t, does this game look good. Remember how “Resident Evil 6″ looked amazing for the generation of consoles it was released on and we were all like “Whoa?” Yeah, it’s like that again. Texture quality is absolutely stellar and the post-processing effects they’ve created to show depth, enhance shadows, and distinguish item from item are beautiful. On top of that, the model work is absolutely impeccable. I’m playing the US version of the demo, which means I’m getting the full brunt of force when it comes to gore. The models on several dead guards and one cutscene in particular, where a RCPD officer is ripped in half, are seriously admirable, feeling almost real in the way they’re framed. I don’t tend to harp on graphics when I talk about games, but this title certainly deserves it. 

-The Gameplay (Most of it, anyway): Imagine that you’re playing a fan passion project that combines aspects of the gameplay from the original Resident Evil 2, the combat of Resident Evil 4, and the neat and tidy UI of Resident Evil 7. That’s what it feels like to play RE2, and it’s amazing. Everything feels really well polished and tidied up, which is super impressive to me, as a large portion of triple A titles today feel like they lack the specific details that the worlds they occupy deserve. The game handles well, and navigating the RCPD offices as young Leon feels great and is truly a scary experience.

The Meh:

-The Time Limit: So this isn’t something I’m going to factor into my final score, but I do want to talk about it a bit. While I personally enjoyed the forced rush that the RE2 demo presented, it certainly isn’t for everyone and I can definitely see why. Some people are definitely going to miss a lot of the content present in this demo because of the time limit and from feeling too rushed, which could certainly rub some the wrong way. Nothing too bad, but indubitably noteworthy.

-The Gameplay (Specifically Related to the Combat Knife): So this is the only really bad thing about the way combat and gameplay fleshes out that I have a minor problem with. In games like Resident Evil 4, the combat knife acted as a permanent sub-weapon, and gave you a consistent backup to rely on when you were low on ammo or felt like strategically dispatching enemies. In RE2, the combat knife instead acts as an item that fills the sub-weapon slot, and has limited durability that depletes as it’s used, both in the standard slash attack and escaping grapples from enemies. Not a fan of the swap, but it’s certainly still workable, which means I can’t count it as a solid negative factor.

The Bad:

-UI controls: The controls present throughout the UI, in particular the inventory screen, feel very clunky and outdated, at least in my opinion. They’re very reminiscent of the controls in older Resident Evil titles, and I don’t think that’s a good thing, especially since the game is being remade for a new market that expects more fluid design. This was the only thing that I really disliked about my experience, and it wasn’t super obstructive to the experience, but bothered me enough to mention here.

So In Summary:

The Demo for RE2 is incredible and definitely worth a play despite its (generally) ignorable faults here and there.

FINAL RATING: 7/10

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

My Rating System

Hello!

As I said in my intro post, I plan on having a rating system ranging from 1 to 10 with a complete description of what details making up a game/product with that rating.

Here it is!

How Ratings Work:

1: A game/product that is either completely unplayable/unusable or otherwise so vile that it isn’t worth the materials or time that went into it. In terms of a game, it has to be absolutely unplayable, or unstable to an extreme degree. Gameplay needs to be barren of all effort or absent, and all other aspects of the game would have to be equally as pointless or misguided to a detrimental level. Products would need to be a scam or outright horrible in physical quality or customer service and advertising to fall into this category. Essentially, this category exists solely to mark a game/product that doesn’t deserve to exist.

2: A game or product that is inherently flawed in several ways, making it nearly useless. Unless specific situations require this product, it has no reason to exist in your collection. Any game with this rating has minimal reason to purchase or play for any reason, and may be broken to a serious fault. While a single aspect of this product or game may be interesting or well-executed, its other faults completely overshadow and devalue this detail.

3: A game or product with some interesting function, reasonable quality, or comparable longevity that is unfortunately plagued with problems from end to end. Typically, one of the listed details above holds greater weight than the others, and while it stands out from the issues that persist with the game or product, it can’t completely justify the purchase of the game/product. At this point, a game will most likely fall into interest with a niche group of people, and as long as that interest is persistent, it could be worth the an investment at a personal level.

4: A game or product that is either interesting to some extent (although plagued with issues to a rather minor extent) or is playable and well-functioning (but lacking interest or depth). Generally speaking, this is a game/product that is flat out below average for whatever reason, and while it may still be well worth investing in on a personal level, I would have to push away from such an action.

5: A completely average game, exactly what you’d expect from its marketing, name, publisher, or subject matter OR an unremarkable product that may function, but be less than useful or simply nothing outstanding.

6: A game or product that pushes its boundaries ever so slightly. Its adventurous nature and delivery of more than what was promised brings out a new level of enjoyment, though a small one. Most of the problems it may have, or that the user will experience, are negligible. Generally speaking, worth an investment for a one-time use/play, and recommendable to a minor degree.

7: A game or product that successfully impresses through great quality and the level of enjoyment it brings to the user. For games, the details that make up the production, like story and graphics, create intrigue and pull you in. As with products, quality and function are greater than expected. The game or product is enjoyable from a genuine perspective, and may be worth multiple plays/repeated use. Something you could recommend to anyone with interest in that genre of game/product. It may not be perfect, but what it gives you is more than enough to keep you invested for a while.

8: A game or product that is truly incredible. For games, something that is expertly crafted, regardless of the few flaws that will persist, and keeps you playing for extended periods of time. A product with this rating will keep you using it and may become a small part of your regular life. Games will be full of life and expansive, or complex and carry significant weight. Products will be of great quality and be capable of withstanding a beating, big or small.

9: A nearly perfect product or game. A game with this rating will pull you in and keep you spinning around in the world it places you in, with a well-written story, complex and varying gameplay, and impressive visuals that immerse you. Products will be something you can use nearly every day, and never feel tired of experiencing.

10: A perfect product or game. Issues, should any exist with the item in question, must be nit-picked or remarkably specific on a personal level to warrant any second guessing. Much like the “1″ rating, this level is practically unachievable. No game or item is perfect, and this level exists, for the most part, to remind us that we cannot be complicit with the products and games we buy everyday and to always expect better throughout the years. I may break the rules a bit and give this rating to a game that is an absolute “must play” or a product that is absolutely necessary to enhance the experiences you have, as opposed to it being an actually perfect production.

So there you have it! A complete list of how the things I review will be rated. Sorry that it’s so long, I just wanted to ensure absolute clarity with how I plan to operate.

With this in place, let the reviews begin!

Be on the lookout for the first review: Resident Evil 2: Demo.

Have a great day/night/existence!

[dreadgamereviews-blog]

Welcome to My Review Blog!

My name’s Adron, and welcome to the page.

I’m really just a run-of-the-mill gamer with an interest and experience in working with technology, looking for a way to put that interest and time-spent into something greater.

Slowly, but surely, this page will be populated with reviews for games, services, gadgets, and various gaming machines, alongside a few extra showcases for things like controller and console modifications and modding.

With any luck, each of the written reviews and showcases posted here will have a video counterpart uploaded onto a connected YouTube channel, though that may have to wait due to a rather busy schedule on my part.

Hopefully you all enjoy your stay here! I’ll be posting a clear-cut, yet in-depth scale that lists the description of a 1 - 10 rating that will be given to each product that I review. Keep an eye out for it!

Have a great night!