Recent reviews by Hausman

Very underwhelming game. Such a great concept, but terribly executed.

Graphics: Starting out with the best feature, the textures look great and the style is very unique. Unfortunately, at times it feels like they overdid it and threw too much ♥♥♥♥ on the screen, making fight sequences confusing and difficult.

Story: Conceptually it's very intriguing, but the ending is very lackluster. You're given big choices throughout the game that would seem to affect the story, but no matter what you pick, it leads to the same boring, predictable, half-baked ending of "yay we saved the world". The switching back and forth between gameplay and movie is jarring and kills the momentum of the game, especially when the video portions have the production quality of a YouTube fan short film. Cringy dialogue, bad VFX, and SHAKY CAMERA ACTION SEQUENCES AHHH. Wish the whole game had just been animated and those sequences were playable, even if it was just walking through a la Detroit: Become Human.

Gameplay: This is where the game suffers horribly. Controls are clunky and unresponsive. Camera movement is strange and can be very confusing when the game takes control of it. Your powers are conceptually really neat, but are terribly implemented and sometimes hinder more than help just because of the way they affect the camera, or the delay between pressing the button and the power activating, or the graphics FX that occur when you trigger them. Guns feel weak and powerless, enemies can take 4 headshots to be downed (and then in a cutscene a character takes down 10 enemies with a single headshot each...yeah right). Puzzles are confusing and frustrating at times, especially when timing is key. The game throws platforming sections at you with clunky controls. The absolute biggest pitfall of this game is that, as a cover based shooter, there is NO COVER BUTTON. The game guesses when to crouch and when to stand, and often fails. Most of my deaths were due to the main character standing up when I don't want him to. You can't shoot while crouching or in cover, you have to stand up and get shot. All it would take it one button to make this game so much more playable.

Finally, the final boss battle is near impossible due to the issues mentioned above, and on top of that, it's long and has no save points throughout. Didn't even beat it myself and had to look up a walkthrough to see the ending.

What a disappointment. Such potential in a game, but it's a mess.

It took me way too long to get around to this game. As a huge fan of the Thief series, it should be a no-brainer that I would enjoy this. On top of that, this game heavily influenced Bioshock, yet another one of my favorites. This game is a true classic and it still holds up today.

Graphics: Can't comment too much on this because it's so dated. It's comparable to the original Thief: everything is really blocky and the textures are pretty bland. I wish I could've seen it when it was originally released, because I'm sure it looked much better than it does now. There are a couple mods out there that make the experience a bit more aesthetically pleasing, but it's tough to polish a turd.

Gameplay: This is where the game really shines. There's an amazing amount of choice and variation in how you can play the game. There are loads of upgrade trees and skills you can unlock, and the ones you pick will heavily effect your playthrough. I went through barely using any Psi abilities other than regen, but I'm sure you could have an incredibly effective character that utilizes Psi almost exclusively. The controls are really smooth for the most part, and the switching between shooting mode and inventory mode turned out to be very efficient.

Ambiance: Excellent job here as well. You can really tell it's Looking Glass Studios, they absolutely nail the creepy vibe. Despite the graphics, I found myself on edge for the majority of the game, always worrying about what might be around the next corner. The sound is great, and Shodan is one creepy mofo.

Story: I found the story to be kind of bland and cliched, but I realize that this game likely STARTED most of the cliches. All I could think about throughout the whole game was the similarity to Alien, but before this game, I don't think there was anything quite like this. I could be wrong, but in 1999, I don't think there was any sort of full fledged horror rpg with an entire space station to explore. Nowadays you see those types of games all over the place, so it's clear that SS2 was a huge inspiration in the game industry, at least from a concept POV.

Overall, I had more fun playing this 17 year old game than I've had with most recent games. Definitely going on my top 10 list somewhere. Always a fan of Looking Glass Studios. 10/10

This might actually be my favorite game. Ever. My most recent favorites were Bioshock and Alien Isolation, and this is basically them combined. I had high expectations for this game and it absolutely shattered them.

Gameplay: Similar to other Frictional Games titles, you can grab and throw various objects, but there aren't nearly as many physics puzzles. Instead, they use computer based puzzles without giving any instruction to use them. Lots of games will show a quick tutorial on how to do the minigame/puzzle, but this game just thrusts you in and expects you to figure it out. The only other game I've seen do this is Alien Isolation, which also did it magnificiently. The sneaking gameplay is also great, as usual.

Graphics: It's no groundbreaker in terms of graphics, but they get the job done and look nice for what they are. I thought the setting was captured perfectly, I was completely immersed throughout the whole game. Playing this in VR would be ridiculous.

Ambiance: AMAZINGLY well done. Similar to Alien Isolation, the soundtrack is totally dynamic. The video and sound work together beautifully and create a ridiculously immersive and terrifying experience.

Level Design: The game is entirely linear, but it does a very good job of giving an illusion of open world by making each area large, without obvious boundaries. You're also without a map in most areas, so it's up to the player to explore the area and figure out where to go.

Story: Probably the most intruiging and engaging story I've ever seen in a video game. It really puts you in the shoes of the main character, many times I was thinking the same questions he was asking. This game is full of thought-provoking concepts and moral conflicts. Also, the voice acting is phenomenal. They actually sound like real people with real emotions, which is part of the point of the game. The length is just about right too, and the ending is very well done.

Frictional Games never fails to please, but this time they outdid themselves. I was expecting just another horror game, but this was a heartwrenching, terrifying, and creative take on the horror genre. If you like crying, smiling, and ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ your pants, you'll enjoy this one. 10/10

Very well made platforming indie game. There's not a whole lot to it but it stays interesting throughout the whole game.

Gameplay: It's a physics based puzzle game in which you control a ball and get from one side of the screen to the other, utilizing certain powers such as speed, inverting gravity, and precision control of the ball. The physics are very well done and it's very satisfying and fun to move the ball around. I thought that all the puzzles were a good level of difficulty, I never had too much trouble finishing them, but some required some intuition.

Graphics: Similar to something like Limbo, although more colorful. The graphics aren't anything too special, but the game is more about the gameplay. It looks nice for what it is though.

Nothing much to say about story, since it's just a basic puzzle game. The level design is good quite good and compliments the gameplay well. It's not too long, but not too short. Check this one out on a sale. 8/10

This game's been sitting in my library for far too long...definitely one of the most fun indie games I've ever played. The gameplay is incredibly unique and kept my interest for the whole game. My one complaint is that the story is reaaally short. I beat it in one sitting in a little under 2 hours. I wish it had gone on for longer, since the mechanics are so interesting and fun to use.

Gameplay: The main mechanic is the ability to cut up the environment, pull it, and push it. Basically, you can create bridges and pathways by selecting a certain region to cut up. It's utilized in many ways throughout the game and I was always amazed with the intuition required to complete some parts. It never got old, and I wish it had gone on for longer. Definitely one of the most creative ideas for a game I've ever seen.

Story: The writing and story is very cute and funny. You're set out on a quest to stop your evil counterpart, "Big", from getting his hands on your Grandpa's underpants. It's a pretty hilarious concept, but it actually gets somewhat deep towards the end.

Level Design: I LOVE that you can create your own pathways and solve puzzles in different ways every time. There is a great amount of replayability in this game because you can always approach things from a different angle. The levels are very well designed and it's generally pretty easy to find where you're supposed to go.

Graphics: I love the style of this game. It looks like a comic book or something. It's always pleasing to look at, and it runs very well.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this game, but it turned out to be one of my favorite indie games. The one problem is the length...definitely get this game if you're into interesting gameplay and cute storylines. 9/10

Thomas Was Alone is a platforming puzzle game that utilizes various characters with different relations to gravity. It starts out quite simple and becomes extremely complicated by the end. The puzzles are very intuitive and interesting, and new concepts are introduced all the way to the end of the game.

Gameplay: There are many different characters that you meet along the way, and their powers become more interesting and complex as you go. It gets crazy when you combine all of the characters and have to solve huge puzzles with each of their powers. Besides these powers, it's a simple platforming game, getting from point A to point B. I thought the physics were well done and the controls were very responsive.

Story: This is where I had some trouble. There seems to be some underlying story that I'm missing, because I've seen loads of story and character analyses, but I never really felt that there was some deeper connection as I was playing. The characters are all given interesting personalities and relationships, but there was some sort of huge connection that I was missing. It seemed like the game was trying to be deep and intriuging, but I found it was just hard to follow and flat.

I enjoyed this game for the most part. I had some trouble with certain levels which got incredibly frustrating, especially those involving timing and switching between characters quickly. Most of the time, though, I was very pleased with it and thought the commentary of the characters was pretty cute. This is a well made indie game that lasts a fairly long time and gives a good amount of puzzles and challenges. 8/10

A strange, short, intriguing little game. I'd say I enjoyed it for the most part.

Gameplay: The puzzles are usually pretty decent and not too difficult to figure out. However, there are times when it takes too much trial and error and guesswork rather than intuition and observation. I played through this with a walkthrough open in another tab because I found myself getting frustrated with certain puzzles. Most of them, however, are pretty straightforward. Besides the puzzles, this game is a walking simulator with some interesting environments.

Graphics: Nothing special. It runs well and is ocassionally pretty to look at, but is mostly pretty bland.

Level Design: The environments are neat but I felt like it could've been designed better and been more polished. I've played loads of other trippy indie games such as this, and this one really felt like it was lacking in level design creativity. Most of the environments are pretty blocky and boring, and every room is a different shade of one color.

Story: As is common with these strange indie games, the story isn't too important. From what I gathered, you're exploring old ruins and contraptions and you're reactivating them, bringing life back to these environments. That's the jist, it's nothing special.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience, and the length was just about right. If it had gone on longer I feel like I would've gotten sick of it. There's lots of secrets to keep you busy if you're an achievment hunter, but the gameplay wasn't interesting enough for me to find all of the secrets. Get it on a sale if you're into these kinds of games. 6/10

One of the strangest games I've ever played. It's like a darker version of Antichamber, but with less puzzles and MUCH more walking.

Graphics: At first I loved the style, but it got old pretty quickly. It honestly felt unfinished in some parts, but that might have a bit to do with the level design as well. Everywhere you go, it's some form of gray, black, or white. Occasionally you'll get the odd dull orange or dark red, but it's monochromatic for the most part. Other than the boring textures, it ran very well and I always found myself impressed with the scale of the environments I was placed in. Which leads me to...

Level Design: This is both the best and worst aspect of the game. First of all, I was blown away by how large everything was, and how there were very few loading screens. If you could see a bright point really far off on the horizon, or on a wall somewhere across the huge room, you can probably get there eventually. I remember this sequence where I was decending down this huge city-like area for almost thirty minutes, and it just kept going. On the other side of things, the levels were so erratic and confusing that I often found myself lost among the various gray rooms and corridors. Some areas had lights to designate points of interest, but others left the goal in the dark and I would pass over it numerous times. This is where the game feels unfinished to me. I feel like it needs a bit more polish, a bit of editing, and more specific playtesting in order to iron out those spots that confuse the player.

Story: There really isn't one. You walk until you can't walk anymore, and it lasts about 4 hours.

Gameplay: Again, nothing too interesting other than just walking and using light to your advantage. There are a couple mechanics involving certain blocks that disappear/reappear depending on where you orient the light, but those are introduced early on and rarely utilized in the rest of the game. There are plenty of puzzles that play with your perception of reality, which can be interesting. One other gameplay mechanic which I'm not too happy with is the need to "breathe" while you sprint. This means pressing a button as you sprint when a circle appears on your screen. It can make the more intense platforming sections a bit harder, but generally it's just annoying to have to push the button when you're running around aimlessly, which is the majority of the time.

Overall, this game seems like a way to showcase the crazy things you can do with the Unreal Engine, rather than a game you can sit down and enjoy in terms of gameplay. It's fun to watch the environments and explore, but sometimes it can be frustrating with the clunky controls and confusing level design. I enjoyed it, for the most part, and I'm glad it was as short as it was. If it were any longer, I would've gotten sick of it. 7/10

Awesome concept. It was very short, but I feel like if it were any longer it would get old. You're basically playing an old style mario type sidescroller, but in reverse, meaning you have to perform all the actions (jumping, shooting, ducking) backwards. It's really well done and adds a whole new element to the sidescroller genre, including timing and avoiding enemies. The music can get old sometimes though. 8/10

Not too shabby. This game is not without its faults, but there are plenty of things that are absolutely spot on. I had a hell of a time playing this game, for the most part.

Graphics: Really really nice, and it runs pretty well too. Harran is a beautiful landscape despite being overrun with zombies, and the skylines are always amazing to look at.

Story: Probably the weakest point in the game. It falls into a lot of dumb stereotypes that have been popping up in games as of late, and overall it's relatively generic and the characters are uninteresting. The main character is definitely my favorite because he seems the most human, rather than being a cliched character.

Gameplay: The combination of parkour and zombie is fantastic. The parkour is smooth and easy to use, although still a bit clunky when compared to Mirror's Edge. The combat is satisfying and addicting. I could spend hours just roaming around killing zombies. The multiplayer aspect is very well integrated and adds a lot to the game. Being able to play through it with my friends was a whale of a time.

Overall, I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes zombie games. It's open world, it's co-op, it's got parkour, it's got a crafting system, and it has a long campaign. Definitely grab this one. 8.5/10