Recent reviews by Barkavan

As a tactics game, this one includes so many new mechanics and tweaks that you don't know you want but will inevitably love. Bouncing bullets off of barrels makes you feel slick as hell. Bullseye is the traditional crit system, but you can push it up so high that you're landing crit after crit. Bravado lets you mow down baddie after baddie like the biggest badass in the West. And when your killing streak inevitably comes to an end from a bad shot, the Luck mechanic ensures you'll be able to bounce back next turn.

My personal favorite ability is an explosive burst fired in all directions from a character, which is more powerful the more hits he's taken. I load him up on HP-boosting items and let him drop to just above death, so he can bring out that crazy mass-explosion of an ability, and the game becomes a tantalizing game of keeping him safe from any harm while close enough to turn the tide on the enemy.

It's no triple A game, but this is Grade A tactics fun with a spooky, Wild West theme. Try your hand! It might just be your next gaming binge...

This game will teach you how statistics works. If you take 100 shots that have a 99% chance to hit, 50 of them will miss.

Played the demo and loved it so much! The dialogue is sharp and funny, the abilities are inventive, and the puzzles are a delight to riddle out. Plus there's a real sense of self-awareness and empathy in the story. So excited to be finally playing this game; pick it up and give it a try!

Snark + Defenestration = Win!

Mimimi's grand finale is a triumphant romp through the genre they single-handedly revived (RTS Stealth) with Shadow Tactics in 2016. The eponymous crew is a wacky and dramatic bunch, each painstakingly balanced to thwart tricky stealth challenges.

Up front, Gambit suffers a few flaws compared to Shadow Tactics or Mimimi's other game, Desperados III:
- Because you get to choose crews to take on missions, there are no puzzles crafted specifically for particular characters' abilities.
- Because you need to be able to win with any combination of characters, difficulty has been toned down.
- Because the cast is so big and each member is basically optional, none of them (save protagonist Afia) feel particularly integral to the story.

That said, Mimimi's level design is as sharp as ever, controls are tight and fluid, and characters' abilities are all fun and flavorful. Mimimi's "instant reload" mechanic is, delightfully, integrated into the plot as an in-universe power. Instant classic that I plan to come back to many times over the years.

As a side note, getting to see Yuki again in the DLC was a real treat! I heard her voice actress speak and got chills flashing back to Shadow Tactics! Thanks, Devs!

How did I wait a decade before getting in on this action? Amusing sci fi writing in service of a roguelike plot that turns into a chaotic, thrilling game of crew and systems management, concluding with a truly epic boss the likes of which will keep you coming back again and again. And that's without mods! Tons of playable ships, buckets of content, all for a low price. Subset really knows how to make a game!

Zero-g puzzle solving! Get crushed between bulkheads! Suffocate! Burn up! Get resurrected and start all over again! The company cares nothing for you—but if you work hard, you can achieve the American Drea—I mean, pay off punishing amounts of debt in a laid-back, enjoyable experience!

Dungeons & Dragons, one of the world's most accessible games, meets one of the world's greatest game designers.
Amazing freedom. Incredible reactivity. Game of the year? No. Game of the decade!

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a masterclass in game design experimentation and tactical combat that deserves far more love than it's had. The card-based power system enables crucial randomness, and heroes' attacks feel weighty and strong. Combined with an engaging emphasis on positioning, this is unlike any other tactics game. You could play for hours and hours, and you can—the game is extremely long.

That said, the "social" and "exploration" aspects of the game are a bit more tacked-on, and in places must be suffered through rather than enjoyed. Some may enjoy the writing, some may not; but if it's not your cup of tea, you can always skip forward to the next thrilling combat. I highly recommend Marvel's Midnight Suns.