Recent reviews by C4underground

Cruelty Squad is pretty good as a game. It's biggest inspiration is Thief TDP. A few levels even feel like riffs on specific levels from that game albeit through a World Peace Bumper. It's pretty fun as an immersive sim especially once some upgrades are unlocked. For a game as ugly and outwardly hostile as Cruelty Squad I was trying to think of what the point of it really was besides being a "haha it's all messed up in society" until I realized that its disgusting outsider art really was the whole point. Despite looking and sounding abrasive, it's more fun than most AAA games of the last 2 decades with more options for player immersion and involvement in the levels.

Probably the best game I've played in quite some time.

This game was some of the most fun I had all year, but it might also be the worst possible ending I've seen in a video game. I've never been more disappointed by something in my life. So many interesting plot threads were just left off obviously for DLC. Frau Engel was also ruined as a character. She's evil, shows up like twice, and she's the main antagonist, and the other bad guy, Rip B. comes across much too hamfisted to have any real weight. This game also has some of the weirdest pacing I've ever seen, and I think that's because of the overuse of quick edit cutscenes. Remeber in the first game when you had to go through space nazi customs and it felt like a real place? Well not anymore that's just a cutscene. Even the final blow to the bad guy abruptly cuts to a cutscene midway through the animation (this happens for both bad guys.) Anyone could write a better ending for this game. Here's one: BJ makes his way up through Rip's mansion that's been protected by nazis for his safety and must confront Rip in a final confrontation. Here's another: BJ has a huge space battle with a certain someone who shows up late in the game in a mech suit. And how about one more: We find out the Godkey gives us some sweet new suit (because that's what it's going to be) and we battle Frau Engel on top of her big ship in the sky. There, that last ending would probably take like 2 weeks to program so get your act together.
I'd say wait until the actual ending is released for this game, It's fun, yes, but it really hurts that it had to go down like this.

I walked down a deserted alley, feeling like two eggs scorched by the hot sun and the looming threat of death over my head. I looked out from my personal hell to see something truly terrifying. That was the local goodwill. The cesspit of forgotten dreams picked up by the new age of the hip young generation. I took 4 seconds to open a door. Then, I took another 4 seconds to open a few more doors. I went straight to the gadgets and gizmos section and there it was for $3.99. Poor soul must have been priced by an elderly woman who lost both her arms to Marfan syndrome. As I started intently at the box is almost spoke to me. There I was living the American Dream with a cheap copy of Max Payne 3 under my belt. Booted the disk in the old toaster. But my mind was in so many places. All these years of glancing back at the past and never looking and the disaster that played out right in front of me. In a haze, I couldn't enter the product key and the box sat there like a narwhal with a couple extra kidneys squirming around out of water as a means of entertainment. But when the steam sale ship was in full motion giving more and more money to the high and mighty crippling the weak, like an advertisement on a late night TV show for finacial compensation that comes with 4 free copies of the final season of Weeds ripped off Jeffrey Dahmer's hard drive covered in the remorseful tears of a suicide bomber who works for a religious cult that believes Tex Murphy is secretly Tim Blake Nelson, who got drunk and dressed like Indiana Jones after rewatching ♥♥♥♥ Tracy 32 times but instead of ♥♥♥♥ Tracy the main character was a cardboard cutout of Billy Mays with the voice of that guy from the shamwow TV ads. As I waited for the game to download I noticed that it was taking an awfully long time like watching pieces of cheese try to reproduce through osmosis. I decieded to get a drink, and another, and another, and before I knew it my life was in a downward spiral. Life told me to accept social club. But Life never accepted me. It was one uninstall and that was it. There was no hope for me. I opened a few doors, and then I opened some more doors and yelled at people because I was dark and gritty feeling like the Tequilla was taking a toll on my like Charlie Sheen does to my neighbors' fouton when he's taken time out of his day to sell drugs to government agents. This was my experience... but now it's my life

(TL;DR: If you like lots of cutscenes and nonsense about talking to yourself along with the most satisfying gunplay ever you should try this game as long as social hub isn't being its awful self)

So as it has now come to pass, that I'd played through both seasons of the walking dead, I truthfully give this game a recomendation. I was a little iffy about purchasing a game that was an "interactive story" The only other game I've played that boasted being an interactive story was Gone Home, and that was the biggest waste of money... ever, however, this game is amazing.
Story 9.5/10
The story has you playing as a history teacher named Lee, but he pulled an OJ Simpson and the glove definitely fit, so he was sent to prison; probably for a really long time, but that's all okay because after a car crash, he's set free, but he's attacked by zombies, and saved by a little girl named Clemetine. The game's story progression starts out pretty slow. Like go get batteries that are hiding in unconvienient places in a drugstore that was owned by your family, it's sorta really boring, but then the game's intesity ramps up and you are met with some difficult chocies that don't really matter in the long run, but do matter to the people that you meet, and your relations with them. This gives you the illusion that there really is adaptoins to how you play the game.
Gameplay 6.9/10
There really isn't that much gameplay. The game is either a point and shoot adventure, or just a click on this object because you haven't clicked on anything else. This is made even more frustrating when certain areas of the game freeze so they can load a new area. This makes the game feel clunky and a little unfair. However, most of the gameplay is padding to up the intensity of the story, and the character's motivations making the game feel tense, without presenting any real challenge.
Voice and Sound 8.5/10
Most of the effects are pretty memorable and the game has incredibly charming voice acting. The only issue with these is that a few times the voice acting sounds compressed, and some areas have akward pauses especially by the voice actors for children, but this is completely understandable, since whoever played these characters had like 4 different scripts to do differently based on your choices so that is quite good.
Overall 8.3/10
I really enjoyed this game. It may be one of the best experiences I had in a video game... ever. At the very end I will admit that I did cry (like a man) and most of the voice acting was on point. However, the characters who die will die regardless of your imput... eventually. This can be annoying, but for me it wasn't a dealbreaker. If you have the patience to play a game that is basically a chore with a story, then you should really try this game.

Like that risk board game I never learned how to play, just... bloodier

This game is in no way better than portal or portal 2. Then again, it isn't trying to be. My biggest problem with the game is the pact that it is a PAID mod. Yes, the content that you get is enough for the price, but when Black Mesa came out IT WAS FREE. That game had a good 12 hours of content while this one only has about 3 (awakening, dear esther, the satnley parable ALL FREE) That being said I don't think it should stop you from getting this game. It may not be perfect, but any excuse to go back to the labs of aperture science is enough for me.
Story 7/10
Originally, the story was sort of boring. The AI that talks to you sounds incredibly... normal. I could tell he was trying, but he didn't sound plain or british or full of himself. However, there are some funny lines and if you find the secret room in the last level, you'll have an ending that doesn't involve you dying tragically (it might be even worse.)
Gameplay 8/10
The new gameplay mechanics work to the best of the game, but that being said the margin of error for some jumps can be completely unfair, and this game being first person, you might accedentally walk backward too much and fall of a cliff.
Length 5/10
The game is about as long as portal 1, but I might of gotten bored if it was too much longer
Graphics 6/10
Everything looks pretty good. Except for your paintgun which is a huge step down from the beta skin. It's almost crazy how bad the paintgun looks compared to everything else in the game the model is blocky, and the skin is low-textured. It's just mindboggling that the thing that's going to be staring down my nose for an intire game looks so bad
Music 10/10
The music is wonderful in this game. It captures the portal feel and almost makes the game more than just a paid mod. There is a new track on nearly each level making the game have more than just story to keep you moving forward.
Verdict 7/10
If you can get past that "oh so high" price tag there is a lot to enjoy in this game.

DISCLAIMER: This game is NOTHING new. If you are looking for something innovative, you may not find it here especially if you've played games with the elements portrayed here.

Sleeping dogs is a game that doesn't know what it wants to be, but through that, it makes a near perfect game ehem ehem "stealing" from other games, such as open world from gta, car chases from just cause, car races from need for speed, combat from the batman arkham series, and slo-mo gunplay from max payne. All this is wrapped up in a beautiful glossy package, and the most graphically beautiful and detailed open world game to date (excluding Watch_Dogs with the extra graphicy stuff in the code.) If you liked any of the games mentioned above you will probably enjoy this game.

Story 7/10
The game, as first seems like saterical comedy about the crap that gangsters have to put up with. This is great because it shows that the game isn't trying take itself to seriously so I don't feel sorry when I break an old woman's legs, but then, around 1/4 in, the story deciedes to get really dark and everyone gets serious and spews the f-word every 2 seconds just so you know that they don't f*** around. Which is dumb. This change of pace also doesn't mix well with overly funtastic gameplay making you feel unconnected to the characters. SPOILERS! Also, I never saw the bad guy "Big Smile Lee" use a gas grenade to torture a group of armless orphans on a train made of ductape and lead so I really didn't think he deserved to take a trip through an ice shredder. I also don't see what Pendrew did wrong. He killed an old guy who lead a bunch of gangsters who participated in robberies, murder, and sex slavery. Obliviously Pendrew did the RIGHT THING and he gets a life sentence, while you murder freaking everyone and get off clean. Oh, and any redeeming qualities about the "protagonist" who on one of the loan shark missions where a shove a cop's wife in the back of my car and then take a picture of me holding her at gunpoint and then sending it to him so he pays up really means I'm doing the 'right" thing because I'm also an undercover cop. (did I mention?)

Gameplay 8/10
This game steals from everyone else in a good way (see above.) also you get rewarded each mission for how many kittens you saved from blessing them with the gift of hugs, and how many bullets you can fire into one man's head before it explodes, but this isn't just one bar it's two, and different unlocks are made depending on how you played. Also there is a crapton of stuff to do as in any open world game.

Graphics 10/10
1. Download that HD texture pack (this will not effect frame rate to a noticeable extent; maybe 4-5 at the most)
2. brag to all your friends about how this game is so freakin pc elete
But I would like to say it's odd how some menus have mouse and wasd support while others require the arrow keys.

Verdict 8.5/10
If you like any video games that this game rips off you'll be happy with it, if you didn't like any of those games you probably should, overall this game is a fun experience if you forget that there is a relevent story. If you are a fan of the genere you should REALLY pick this one up.

Stole Cereal from a shopping cart and then I hit the owner until she thought I was an octopus
13/1.573
It's okay
-IGN

Crysis 2 is an awesome game. It looks freakin awesome in MOST parts. I did find things like fire effects and water to be a little bit consolish for some reason (worse than the first game I mean,) and no MSAA? OR QUICKSAVES? why? but everything else looks just AMAZING. I would also like to mention that the game never went under 35 frames (but not over 78.)
Gameplay
For most of the singleplayer you go around shooting faceless grunts who realistically fall and bleed all over the place, but the twist here is that you get a few superpowers to help you out. For some reason in the future the nanosuit recieves a downgrade from it's original 5 powers (now chaged to 3) but in return battery usage and visible UI have a few minor upgrades that keep it worth your time to use. The suit also has a new power where you get to play ghost hunter and use your thermal camera, and now the second you grab someone in the neck they die from shock or something (idk why grabbing people makes them die.) I would also like to say that gone are the free roaming jungles of Crysis because the devs thought making the areas as small and clausterfobic as possible would really please fans of the original (not add MSAA options is enough to displease the fanbase) but if you can get pass crysis 2 was marketed to CallofHaloFutureSoldiers it can be dismissed as EA's marketing flaws, BUT that does not stop crysis 2 from being freaking awesome and a blast to play and replay. I should probably also mention the collectable items throughout the level, but due to the linearity of the gameplay you'll either miss them right under your nose (erm facemask) or they'll be staring you right in the face with blinking lights around it saying PICK ME UP I'M USELESS! I would also like to mention that they broke the physics too. I'm serious they took something perfect and said naaaaaaa console players can't handle that, now, it's very rare to be able to throw enimies into each other.
Story
This is where I feel the game excels and also ruins my expectations. You play as a marine corps guy who isn't much for words who gets a suit from Eli Vanc- I mean Prophet, and you have to save the world because Prophet just wasn't good enough? Idk it's never really explained why he gives you the suit... and doesn't tell any of his friends about it... and you start killing people because they fired first. Oh, and a nerd named Gould keeps bothering you to hurry the hell up and get to him... because... I still don't know for sure why he called, but everything is pretty so I shouldn't care should I, and after that you murder more helpless victims until you start taking orders from some other guy, and he betrays you and you learn that anything with a human face is good while you should just pump as much lead into everyone else. That is, until you get to the leader of the blue clad suicide unit, and this is where I got a little mad. Spoiler: you kill him. Don't ask for answers or try to change him just let him swear at you until your magical touch of death kicks in and you get to throw him out a window. Yay... anyway aliens happen and all the pollution and bad fire effects in New York turn their color from blue to red for no reason and what else would you do but give a little on the fly dissection. You know the more I think about it the more I feel like the games major enemies stem from when a sibling says: "well he started it!" after your younger brother is hospitolized because you touched his neck or something.
Opinion
Yeah, this is some good game if you completely forget the first one ever existed, and the ability to walk 5 feet without blowing off some alien's head. It's actually really fun so yeah on a steam sale get this one it's pretty freakin awesome