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video game reviews

Game Review: El Paso, Nightmare

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I want to mention that I was sent this game as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let that sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game.

El Paso, Nightmare is a Doom-like first-person shooter that proves you don’t need high-fidelity graphics to make a game fun. This high-octane, blood-pumping and disorienting experience is something that should at least be on your watchlist. Take control of Luis Rojas as you navigate through a nightmarish labyrinth killing monsters and trying to find a way out.

The gameplay is strait forward. You run around a maze picking up pills, weapons, ammo, and keys while killing the monsters that hunt you mercilessly. Don’t get caught or it’s game over!

Music by prazkhanal from Pixabay

I had a blast with El Paso, Nightmare. The music is fantastic, and I hope there is a soundtrack soon. There isn’t much of a story except for the little setup you get at the start, but the voice acting is great. I love the bit of dialogue Luis says as he tries to calm himself down. It is well-acted, and it makes Luis a more tangible character. Luis is very relatable because he is a normal guy going through a terrifying experience and the voice actor does a tremendous job of expressing this. 

I don’t do well in horror games; I had a hard time at first. My heart was racing, and I almost quit after the first jump scare, but I powered through for you. The horror in this game is well done. You can hear the creatures shuffling in the distance, feel the footsteps as they chase you, and the music makes the whole experience that much more intense. It does get easier the more you play, but I always had trouble when I reached a new area of the maze.

Screenshots and Video taken from game

My only complaint about this game is that the gameplay does get a bit repetitive. When you die, the level resets. All of the monster, weapon, and item spawns stay the same. After a while, you learn where everything is. You start to form routines as you make you plan your way to the next area. It becomes tedious when you are killing the same monsters and following the same paths because there are no checkpoints. At least none that I reached. The game does try to balance the monotony by creating multiple paths that lead to other areas where you fight different monsters. I still wish there was a way to save my progress so I didn’t lose my work because I got careless. 

You should check out El Paso, Nightmare. It is well worth the $5. If you are a fan of the original doom, you will like this game. If you want a game that isn’t a huge commitment that you can pick and drop whenever this is a great choice. I will be looking out for its sequel because I am curious to see what they can do. You can buy it now on Steam. 

video game reviews

Game Review: Pinball Wizard

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I want to start by saying that I was sent this game as a review code. While I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let this sway my opinion. This will be my honest review of the game.

All media are taken from the game

Pinball Wizard is a cute little pinball game with a few extra steps that I am sure you will enjoy. You can play it on the Nintendo Switch, PC, and IOS devices. This review will be on the Nintendo Switch version.

There is no story mode for this game. Instead, you choose from two game modes: Tower mode and Dungeon mode. In tower mode, you progress through different tables with increasing. Dungeons are larger tables that you can play with as long as you don’t die. Both modes offer a calm and relaxing experience as you try to clear each room, get your loot, and level up your wizard. 

This game plays like a pinball. Instead of a ball, you bounce around a cute little wizard. Each table is themed as its own dungeon room with its set of roaming monsters. As you play, your wizard will level up, and you use the loot you collect during each run to level up your abilities and spells. There might be a way to min-max your wizard, but I suggest you unlock the skills that fit your playstyle. You’ll have more fun that way.

My only complaint about this game is that it can be slow as you wait for the wizard to finish traveling. It is only a problem in earlier levels where you don’t have any spells, but it isn’t a huge spell as the tables aren’t too big. Once you get your spells, there is always something to do, but it never gets overwhelming.

Pinball Wizard is worth the $8. This is a great game to pick up if you want something relaxing to play that isn’t a huge commitment. The art is cute, the gameplay is solid, and you can come back to it anytime without feeling lost. If you like pinball and magic, check this game out. You can pick it up from Nintendo, Steam, and the App Store. 

video game reviews

Game Review: The Valiant

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I was sent The Valiant as a review code. While I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let this sway my opinions about the game. This will be an honest review of my experience.

The Valiant is a real time strategy game where you control a group of Templars as they try to save the world from an ancient evil. It is available now on both Steam and Epic Games.

I liked this game at first. The graphics are good, the music is solid, and the mechanics were manageable. Unfortunately, my experience with this game grew staler the deeper I got into the story. The missions got repetitive, the fights got annoying, and the story isn’t great. The story isn’t bad, but it isn’t anything exciting. The more I played, the harder it was to convince myself to keep playing. It is a shame that the story isn’t better because the voice acting is fantastic. I didn’t play multiplayer, but I doubt it would have saved the experience for me.

The gameplay isn’t great. It could do with a bit of polish. The mechanics were fine at first and very manageable for my skill level. There are skill trees, random drops, and some macro management that adds some depth to the game without being overwhelming. Unfortunately, there isn’t much variety in the missions and it gets a bit tedious. My biggest issue with the gameplay is with the pathing. The pathing in this game is a pain. I lost a few missions because my units would get stuck trying to find a path while the enemy slowly slaughtered them. This makes some of the missions unnecessarily hard because there is no way to replenish your troops. This would have been fine if the game didn’t get boring.

 

I don’t think this game is anything special, but I also don’t think this is a bad game. There is an audience for this game, but they might have to wait till it goes on sale. If you are a veteran of the genre, you will be disappointed. Stick to the classics. If you are new to the genre, this is a solid introduction, but know that there are greener pastures. For the price, you can do better. But for those interested, you can check them out on Steam and the Epic Game store. 

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All pictures are screenshots taken from the game

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40K Darktide Beta: Initial Thoughts

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Over the weekend, I got to play in the Warhammer 40k Darktide beta. I know I am a bit late with the coverage, but it is a game that I need to talk about. I had a lot of fun, and if you like 40k, this game should be on your radar. This isn’t going to be much of a review because I understand it is still in its early stages. This will be more of my initial thoughts about the game. 

Darktide is the 40k themed Vermintide. Darktide is a horde survival game where you and a squad of 4 must complete missions and objectives while surviving hordes of enemies. The goal is to complete the missions without dying.

Images are screenshots from game

The beta lets you choose from four classes: the Psyker, the Sharpshooter, the Ogryin, and the Zealot. Each class has its own set of abilities, skills, and weapons. When you start the game, you create your character. You design their appearance, choose a back story, and a name. The backstory is more for flavor. It only seems to affect the color of the jumpsuit you wear. I played the Zealot and loved it dearly. Each class plays differently, and you should try them all.

The game felt very polished for a beta. The only issue I had was the long Queue at launch. I never encountered a queue after the fact. There were some minor crashes in between, but nothing that turned me off the game. The art style had that grimdark dirty feel that I love about 40k, and the voice acting was pretty good.

The combat was great. Shooting enemies with the bolter, closing gaps with my rush, stunning them with my grenade, and crushing skulls with my axe was just so satisfying that I am sitting here wishing I had more. There were only a few game modes and maps available for the beta, but the game got more fun as I learned the pathing. One issue I can see is that the grind can be repetitive, but I am sure the full release will have a more diverse gaming experience. There is some RNG involved in the form of weapon drops at the end of missions. I thought they were fair at the lower levels, but I can’t speak on the drop rate for the end-game content. There are cosmetics in this game. I didn’t get to play with that aspect of the game, but I can only hope it isn’t predatory. 

As far as the community goes, i had a good experience. I never encountered any toxic players, but this might change at launch. There is a discord that is booming for those interested. 

I had a lot of fun with this game. If you like 40k or these horde survival games, this should be on your radar. You can preorder it on steam and check out their website for more details. The game plans to release November 11, 2022.

Image By The box/cover art can or could be obtained from Fatshark/Games Workshop., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64640644

video game reviews

Game Review: Warpips

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If you like what I do and want to show your support, buy me a coffee!

I was sent Warpips as a review code, and while I am grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let that sway my opinion. This will be an honest review of the game.

Warpips is a real-time strategy game that is similar to the mobile game Clash Royale. The game is available on pc and all major consoles. I played this game on the Nintendo Switch, so this review will be based on that experience.

Warpips is a 2D, card-based strategy game. You choose from a myriad of pips and traps to use against an oncoming enemy hoard. To win, you must destroy the enemy base before they destroy yours. This game has three game modes: Conquest, Quick Battle, and Endless. Conquest takes you through a campaign through different countries as you try to free them of their oil. Quick Battle is a random mode with three difficulties: Easy, Challenging, and Hard. You are given a random deck of pips and traps and try to defeat an enemy on a random map. Endless mode has you surviving an endless assault as you try to beat your previous high score.

The gameplay is very simple. You summon your pips and watch them fight against the enemy hoard. You can summon air strikes, use tools, and set up traps to help your pips secure their victory. In conquest mode, you can purchase additional cards and upgrades with the currency you earn while playing. There is some RNG, but I always thought it was fair. 

Don’t let this game’s cuteness deceive you, you will need to be strategic with your choices. I played on easy and still found enough of a challenge to keep me engaged. If I wasn’t paying attention or was too conservative with my choices, I was easily overwhelmed by the enemy AI. I suggest playing this game on the harder difficulties for a more fulfilling experience.

This game ran smoothly most of the time, but I did notice the occasional stutter. The game would freeze for a second before resuming. It never crashed on me or affected my game, but it is something to keep in mind. I didn’t notice much of a difference between docked and handheld mode, but I preferred handheld mode because of its versatility. 

The gameplay is a bit repetitive, but it might be a symptom of having it on the easiest difficulty. I played on higher difficulties, but I was never smart enough to get by. This game is deceptively unforgiving. Most of the game however is the same, and you find yourself constantly waiting for cooldowns.

I liked this game a lot, and I’d recommend it if it were cheaper. I am not a huge RTS fan, but this was a manageable game for my skill level. I thought the pixel art was a fantastic choice, and it definitely made losing sting less. The music is pretty fantastic as well. I recommend playing with the sound out, at least for the first hour or so. Warpips is a game you pick up when you want to chill but still need a challenge. This is a game where you don’t need to be too invested in a story or mechanics, but you will need to be strategic. I personally wouldn’t spend $20 on it and would wait for a sale, but I can see this being worth it to someone who really loves the genre.

Check it out on Steam, Nintendo, Xbox, and Playstation.

Tech Reviews

Tech Review: Razer Orbweaver Keypad

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My search for a more ergonomic gaming setup eventually landed me the Razor Orbweaver. Unfortunately, this device is no longer supported by Razor, and each day becomes an increased gamble of whether or not it will continue to work. That said, I love this keypad to bits and will continue to use it till it officially dies. I won’t be linking to this product because all I could find were listings with inflated prices that are not justifiable for this keypad. The most ideal price for this would be $50-$60 new, and that is pushing it.

The Orbweaver is a 30-button keypad that you can reprogram to fit your gaming style. The keypad can be easily remapped through the official Synapse app. You can save multiple different profiles that are game or program-specific. You can program the device to automatically switch profiles when certain programs or games are running. One issue I have with the software is that you do need to have an account with Razor to access your keybinds. The software will occasionally log you out, and if you lose your password, you have to start over. I wish they would have had onboard memory so that I didn’t have to sign into synapse every single time. Otherwise, the program is pretty straightforward, but I have heard people having issues with the buggy software.

Please note that Razor is no longer supporting the Orbweaver. There will no longer be any updates to the firmware or the software; it will eventually become unusable. I am sure there are third-party open-sourced solutions for remapping this device, but I haven’t looked into any because the current configuration works for me.

Images are from Amazon store

Build quality is another issue that you should consider when buying this keypad. It looks cool out of the box, but it feels cheap. I purchased mine as an Amazon renewed, and while I did get lucky, one of the directions on the thumbstick stopped working when the window for exchange closed. Since then, the bottom thumb key has stopped registering presses consistently, and I fear it will eventually stop registering presses completely. Aside from these two issues, the Orbweaver works perfectly, and I still plan on daily driving it till it dies.

What I love about the Orbweaver is how customizable the experience is. You can readjust the wrist, palm, and thumb rests to fit your hand size. People with larger hands might have an issue, but I was able to find a perfect configuration that has allowed for a much more comfortable gaming experience. I used to get bad wrist and hand pain that limited how much meaningful gaming I could get from a session. I used to only be able to manage 30 minutes of gaming before I had to give up because the pain was too much. I can now play for a lot longer without issue, although I still recommend taking regular breaks and stretching. This isn’t a perfect solution, and the pain comes back if I use the computer for longer than I should. This is currently the best solution I have found for me and my hands.

For gaming, the Orbweaver has been a fantastic upgrade. The pain in my hands and wrists used to make it difficult to hit all the number keys. This greatly affected my reflexes, and it made competitive gaming impossible. I love being able to remap the key to fit both my hands and my play style. I no longer have issues with overextension to reach the keys. If you are looking for something more comfortable, or even something that is more convenient, this keypad is a great option.

I love the Orbweaver, and under normal circumstances, I would be recommending it, but it’s just too expensive for what you are getting. Anyone over $50 new is asking too much. Buying it used is a gamble because the build quality isn’t reliable enough to be worth the risk. It won’t be falling apart, but it is something to keep in mind before paying. This device is also reaching the end of its life, and when Razor stops supporting its software, you will have to deal with third-party solutions. It is probably a better idea to look for alternatives or the Orbweaver’s successors if you thinking of buying a keypad unless you find it for cheap and don’t mind working a little harder.

video game reviews

Game Review: Lovecraft’s Untold Stories 2

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I want to start out by saying that I got this game as a review code and while I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let that sway my opinion. This will be an honest review of the game.

Lovecraft Untold Stories 2 is a 2D isometric dungeon crawler for pc based on Lovecraft lore. You start off choosing from three playable characters: the witch, the professor, and the detective. Each character has its own unique abilities, armor, and weapons. You control your character through randomly generated dungeons as you try to solve a mystery.

All pictures are from screenshots.

I was very excited about this game. I liked the art, I liked that the cutscenes were comic-like, and I had fun at the intro level. But once you get out of the intro mission, the game becomes frustratingly unplayable. Movement becomes clunky and slow in the cluttered rooms. I was constantly getting stuck on boxes, holes, and trees, making kiting enemies virtually impossible. To make matters worse, I was getting stuck on the invisible boundaries of boxes and trees. The witch has a cool teleport ability that could pass through enemies but would get stuck on invisible artifacts. I died so many times because my teleport was constantly being canceled by nothing. There are instances where I would teleport only to be trapped in between an inescapable grouping of trees. When the environment is more deadly than the enemies, that is bad game design.

I thought the randomly generated dungeons were cool at first, but that view quickly turned sour. I quickly learned that the room generation was quite unbalanced. Some rooms were laughably easy, with only two enemies standing in my way. Others were impossibly hard, with too many enemies and no way to escape. There was one room I couldn’t even complete because there was a wall blocking the exit. I love the randomness of life as much as any other gamer, but this experience was frustrating. 

The insanity mechanic is nonsense. If you get hit by an enemy, you slowly get stacks of insanity. If you get too many, you die. The problem is, there is no clear indication of how much insanity you have, nor is there an easy way to clear it. Because the environment made movement difficult, it was impossible to clear a level without getting stacks of insanity. You either got killed because you got stuck trying to run away, or you died because you gathered too much insanity. This poorly designed mechanic made this game harder than it should be. 

I was beyond excited about this game because it reminds me of the Arkham Horror board game. I have been desperately trying to find a group to play with, and I believed this game would be my only chance. The disappointment I collected from this game was so painful, I couldn’t muster the strength to finish this game. I forced myself to play as much as I could, but I can only be so patient. This game is broken to the point where you won’t get any meaningful enjoyment out of it. Lovecraft Untold Stories 2 isn’t worth your time as a free game, let alone the $25 it is asking for. But if you don’t believe me, you can buy it on steam.

Now as a shameless plug, let me tell you about Atlas VPN. If you need a VPN that is safe, easy, and affordable, consider Atlas VPN. I am affiliated with the service, and I do get a little money if you choose to use the service. I have been using it for a bit and it has been great. You get unlimited devices and it is very simple to use You can also try Amazon Prime Free and you can always just buy me a coffee!

video game reviews

Timemelters: First Impressions

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I got sent the Timemelters demo as a review code, and although I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. Since this is a demo, this will be less of a review and more of my first impressions. You can download the demo on Steam today, and I recommend you try it out.

Timemelters is a first-person tower defense-like game that I had a lot of fun with. It reminds me of the Orcs Must Die! series but with fewer traps. In Timemelters, you control a single character and run around a large map setting traps, killing mobs, and turning back time. There is a bit of strategy involved in this game, but it shouldn’t be a problem for most people. I am not very smart, but I managed to brute force myself through eventually.

All pictures are from screenshots

This game is incredibly polished for being made by such a small team of three developers. It runs smoothly, looks beautiful, and is a lot of fun. The concept is simple, but the range of abilities and the pacing of the mobs kept the game fast-paced and exciting. 

I can’t speak on the story because the demo doesn’t explore it too much, nor can I speak on the diversity of the missions. The demo offers a great tutorial and a few missions that provide a fantastic taste of what it has in store. I never felt lost or overwhelmed by the information and was only limited by my skill level,

The game fully launches on Steam on October 12th. This game deserves a lot of love. I am vastly impressed by how much this team of three was able to accomplish. If you like tower defense games with some RTS elements, give this game a try. The demo is free, and it is available on Steam!

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Tech Reviews

Tech Review: Kenisis Freestyle Edge RGB Keyboard

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I’ve done a lot of research to find an ergonomic setup that fits my lifestyle. I do a lot of typing and gaming on my computer, and I needed a keyboard that could transition from both seamlessly. I was using a cheap mechanical keyboard before that left my hands useless. I love mechanical keyboards and wanted to find an ergonomic version that also had a backlight. The Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB keyboard was my answer, but it might not be yours.

Before I continue with this review, I would like to take a moment to mention that I am not a doctor. This review is based on my experience. Please consult your doctor for any medical concerns. I will also be using affiliate links for the product. If you decide to purchase the product, I get a small commission, but these will be my honest thoughts on the keyboard.

The Kinesis Freestyle Edge is a split keyboard. The split design allows for more natural hand placement, ideally relieving unnecessary strain from your hands and wrists. I have wide shoulders, and the split design allows for a more ideal placement that better fits my frame.

As far as mechanical keyboards go, the Edge is on the quieter side. I did opt for the quieter brown switches because I wanted softer key presses, but you can get one with the louder and more tactile blue switches if that fits your style better. The brown switches aren’t completely quiet, and you do get some sound, but it isn’t as loud as some of the cheaper mechanical keyboards out there.

This keyboard comes with nine programable macro keys that can be easily adjusted on the keyboard or through the official software. You can save two different profiles, which is nice if you share a computer with someone else or if you need nine extra macro keys. I don’t have much use for the macros except for media keys at the moment, but setting them up was very simple. The RGB profile can also be adjusted easily through the software. Any changes you make to this keyboard whether it be macros, profiles, or RGB is saved to the keyboard directly. If you switch to a different computer, all your profiles and macros transfer with the keyboard. It’s nice to not have to have another account to access your preferences or lose them if your computer wipes.

I love this keyboard and have been daily driving it for nearly three years without any issues. My only complaint with this keyboard is that it doesn’t come with the lift kit. Kineses offers a separate kit which isn’t necessary, but I do recommend it getting one. I used the keyboard without the kit for about a week before giving in and buying one. There was nothing wrong with the flat setup of the keyboard, but I use my computer too much and needed the additional ergonomics. The lift kit offers a more natural position for your hands, and I honestly can’t go back to using anything else.

The keycaps are nice. They are very soft to the touch, but you can customize your keyboard with third-party caps if they fit MX switches. Be mindful of the measurements. You might have trouble finding spacebars that fit this board. If you have a mac, Kinesis offers a separate kit to change your command keys. Unfortunately, the kit is an additional $28, and you have to install it yourself. The installation is very easy, even if you have no prior experience.

The Freestyle Edge is an adequate keyboard for gaming. The keys are responsive and easy to press, but the function keys are a bit out of reach for me. I often had to stretch to hit these keys, and my performance suffered. Games where I needed to press these keys more often would also tire my hands out more quickly. This is possibly a personal problem for my short stubby fingers, but it is something to keep in mind. Games that don’t require the function keys are fine. I could play for a lot longer before feeling any discomfort. I still recommend taking regular breaks and doing stretches keyboard this won’t fix the issues completely. For people who play and work a healthy amount, the Freestyle Edge is a fantastic solution.

So is it worth it? Honestly, this keyboard is a bit pricey for what you get. I bought it because I liked the style and the RGB and didn’t mind the tax for both options. But if you are on a budget and only need the ergonomics, there are better options. The Kenisis Freestyle Edge has made a huge difference in my setup, and I do not regret my purchase. I understand that this keyboard isn’t for everyone, but for those interested, you can buy it on Amazon.

video game reviews

Video Game Review: Flashout 3

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I need to mention that this game was sent to me as a review code. While I am extremely grateful for the opportunity, this will be an honest review of the game.

Flashout 3 is a combat racing game similar to the F Zero games. This game is available for PC and VR. This review will be based on the PC version.

All images are from screenshots I took in game

I had a blast Flashout 3. The colors, the mechanics, and the music make for a fantastic experience. If you like arcade racing games, you should consider buying this game

The game has a story mode, but it only involves you completing the different circuits. There aren’t any cutscenes except the ones introducing the tracks. You choose from two racers and start with one car and a basic weapon loadout. You unlock more vehicles as you play the game and collect points. You collect points by damaging or destroying the other racers. There are four different types of races: elimination, time trial, destruction, and elimination. Each cup consists of a combination of the four types. The difficulty can be adjusted in the settings. I played on normal and believe it offered enough of a challenge for my skill set. Your mileage will vary.

The game is beautiful and very colorful. The tracks will wind and loop over a breathtaking futuristic landscape. Each track provides its own challenge, making some cars betters suited than others. I did encounter some visual bugs, but none of them were game-breaking. My favorite aspect of this game, however, is the soundtrack. Flashout 3’s collection of electronic is the perfect accompaniment for your race to the top. I am very tempted to buy the soundtrack.

The game offers keyboard, controller, and wheel support. I was partial to the controller because it fit my playstyle. Your mileage will vary. The concept is simple, but the load-outs, tracks, and AI are what make this game unique. It is your job to survive the chaos, but it is also your job to make sure you finish on top. The trick is to find the perfect balance of speed, weapons, and durability for each cup. There was enough variation in load-outs and maps to keep the gameplay from growing stale.

My only complaint is that there is no online multiplayer. It does offer local split-screen races, but I didn’t have anyone to play with, so I can’t speak on how well it runs. This game is worth the $20 bucks, especially if you enjoy battle racers. Check this game out on Steam!

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