Five Games That Were Better Than I Expected

[@Blasted2Oblivion]

"I am in fact a human being." That's exactly what a super advanced video game reviewing AI would say.

[@raskul4]

Exactly. He is clearly an AI

[@DNDmaster29]

Stop your futile attempts. You AI

[@statictoilet1228]

Agreed

[@Pinkblack-r9g]

Will feral said it in the past so your wrong son

[@Kuvantor]

My big surprise for the year was BG3. I really didn't expect anything, didn't know about cRPGs, didn't know about Larian, knew nothing about DnD, and yet it grabbed me for 400h and I'm definitely not done yet. The thing that convinced me was an interview with the developer where he explains how Larian see choice in their games, and I'm glad I watched that.

[@gamersinger5118]

@Kuvantor Sadly it lacks the amazing writing of Baldur's Gate 2 along with a truly great and memorable story. I don't even consider it an actual Baldur's Gate game and while it is amazing that they put so much into it like the cinematics but it still lacks so much compared to so many other CRPGs.

[@anraskr1568]

Story in bg2 is the Best. In larian bg it is ok. Could be better.

[@trevorditmar]

I played The Messenger after finishing Sea of Stars and boy was that so much more than the indie Ninja Gaiden clone I thought it was going to be.

[@Mursi009]

A game that took me by surprise was The Forgotten City. One of the most "choice matters" game I've played where it really does matter, brilliant story and very entertaining gameplay.

[@lukaszzylik4437]

I've been meaning to play that game for so long now. I'm bumping it up the list lol.

[@mgk-metalgearkelly5054]

Fun fact, the dev actually gave up a promising career in law to pursue game dev.

[@Mursi009]

@@mgk-metalgearkelly5054 Oh wow, I only knew he made a really popular Skyrim mod. that centered on the dwemer. I learned something new today. ty

[@shannonbayley3684]

Ghjgy

[@richardryan499]

Agree re Bioshock 2 - I enjoyed that the most of the Bioshock games. The combat was fun & satisfying, the story was actually not bad, but the best thing for me was the level design! I still, years later, remember some of the levels vividly and with great fondness. They managed to feel huge & sprawling without actually being so.

[@swiat86]

I agree, played in on the release and second Bioshock was amazing !

[@catherinebaillon7104]

I bought Showgunners thanks to your videos that I've been following for quite some time now. Thank you so much, the game was really a delightful experience ! Love all your work, thanks for sharing all that with us !

[@GeertPrins]

I’m with you on Atlas Fallen. What surprise me was also the different kind of builds you can actually manage to pull off once you get your hands on a lot of essence stones

[@Ari_2b]

Mort, honestly, your work ethic is impeccable. Reviewing so many titles and in such quality so quickly is admirable Thank you for your content, I usually use it as ASMR to relax LOL

[@glowinTHX]

He truly is the best reviewer out there, I've said this many times. He can actually sell you the game and for games that are not that popular, he also highlights the good things which may interest some.

[@mhjmstultiens]

Very diverse list, Mort. Would certainly like to play Dark Descent, Atlas Fallen and Armored Core 6 myself. So many good games to play. :)

[@OttoStarr]

Battle Chaser: Nightwar turned out to be a fantastic TRPG. The disc sat for years on my shelf collecting dust, it was a fun and satisfying game to snatch all achievements in.

[@xShammehx]

Remnant from the Ashes really surprised me with how much I enjoyed it and kept coming back to it. I bought it on sale and decided to play it as I was interested in Remnant 2 and wanted to play the first game before the sequel came out. Turns out I like Ashes more than 2. I think its just a better, tighter game and it runs much better on my PC. So even after playing through Remnant 2 I keep coming back to Remnant from the ashes to play new builds, try new guns and grind more perks.

[@DaFiestyBanana]

Yeah remnant 2 was a disappointment for me too :(

[@ThunderCat_]

Agreed, Ashes felt a lot tighter than 2

[@UniqueTechnique29]

I enjoyed the first Remnant more than the second as well.

[@shawngillogly6873]

Jagged Alliance 3. I was pretty worried about it during development. But it turned out to be a very good TRPG and worthy entrance in the JA franchise. Also, being a Stellaris player, I know the real means of Mort's success. He is the Biotrophy of a Rogue Servitor, who sees to all his real-world needs and allows him to devote his time to gaming. :)

[@coconutologist]

I think Enter the Gungeon surprised me the most. There is so much depth to it. It seems like every inch of it was painstakingly crafted. Onward to 300k. All glory to the algorithm.

[@Boss_Fight_Index_muki]

Rusty Armored Core 1&2 vet here, i hope AC6 moved the needle enuff to revive the mech genre. Maybe we'll see MechWarrior6, AC7 (or at least AC6 stand alone expansion, as per tradition), and other mech sims within 4 years.

[@silenceburns1336]

PGI already announced the next MechWarrior will be Clans, coming out next year. Also, a DLC for MW5 just launched, which I have yet to play. Time to earn my pay.

[@trishamiller7859]

Agree on BioShock 2. I thought it was the best of the bunch and 3 was the bottom of my BS list. Also, I'm not yet convinced of your humanity.

[@bob-g3e3x]

I've tried to finish Infinite sooo many times, I can't, it is such a bs game, no fun at all

[@SuperLocrian]

When I got back into gaming (like 15 years ago) the BioShock trilogy was one of the first things I bought. I absolutely still recall being awestruck during opening of the BioShock 1. Still need to finish the trilogy😁. Just added Alien Dark Descent to the wish list!

[@Ravenlock]

Thank you for the reminder on Showgunners! I've been meaning to check that one out since you spoke positively of it but it had kinda slipped off the back burner for me. :)

[@trashman1358]

Nice one dude and really like this as a kinda 6 monthly - games that surprised me - addition to your channel? Maybe? "...your mission - should you choose to accept it..." ;P Cool idea!

[@pant652]

Showgunners was a big surprise! Developed by a small team, but really very good quality! I also like the fact that they included a free DLC after release which adds even more content!

[@ShvyrkovAnton]

And it is also well optimized.

[@EastyyBlogspot]

Bioshock 2 was one of those games where i thought...if they had not put resources into multiplayer and put it all in the single player imagine what it could have been

[@homword]

Yeah those were the time when every AAA publishers shoved multiplayer crap into every single game they released. But with Minerva's Den DLC, I would say Bioshock 2 is worthy of its name.

[@Walamonga1313]

Bioshock 2 was better than 1 and Infinite though

[@DrayLoco]

The multiplayer was really fun though

[@paulatreides9096]

I like the multiplayer and still play on PC. Good times

[@darren591]

Bioshock 2 is great! Never even touched the multiplayer.

[@HisShadow]

BioShock 2 was my favorite of the franchise. The moral system was really well done. It had one of the most heartwarming endings I've experienced in a game.

[@nicholasbrooks3997]

Just had to drop by and show Mortym some love and give some engagement. This channel has done more for my gaming backlog than any other. Keep up the good work and take care Mort 😌

[@zebwiz1900]

Something special about Aliens dark descent. After 2 decades of gaming rarely surprises me. But this one felt so new it was like trying a new genre for the first time.

[@ghifarysyauqi]

Glad AC6 surpassed your expectations and many new players who understand the appeal enjoy it, hope they raise the assembly complexity and tactical difficulty for missions in the next entry

[@W1Robur]

It's my first AC6 and my personal GOTY. I really like BG3 but AC6 just scratches that ITCH

[@petrivanzyl3106]

A game surprisingly good to me was Riftbreaker. It's a base building, tower defense type of game, but its so good I keep going back to it an giving it another playthrough

[@kn0bhe4d]

0:38 Exactly what a machine-form AI would say.

[@noukan42]

Dark Sun shattered land. Played for archeological interest in how the genre was and in the dark sun setting. I quickly went "ehy, this shit is actually, unironically, good". The beginning in particular is very, very strong.

[@Vargrave]

Man, when I was a kid I played Shattered Land and the sequel Wake of the Ravager through to completion dozens of times. Great games.

[@Balkanbeer]

For me it was Wartales, Aliens dark descent and Spellforce: Conquest of Eo. Was interested in all three but each of them executed what they set up to do so well they very much surpassed my expectations.

[@nicholasbarrett6890]

I know it’s on a lot of people list but bg3!! Never got into CRPG and never played Baldur gate. But because the great reviews when it released I took a chance and the first 5 hours hooked me and over the last couple months I put in over 100+ hours on my first play through and started my second play through. One of the best games I have ever played!!

[@peddroelm]

still nothing on dungeon of naheulbeuk on your channel .. You're missing out !

[@petersonfamily6223]

Thanks, Glad to hear your thoughts on Armoured Core 6.

[@wumborat3669]

Alan Wake was a big surprise to me when I played it last summer because I had really low expectations going into it (the only game I had played by Remedy previously was Max Payne, which I had a lot of gripes with), but by the final hours of the game it became all I could think about when I wasn't playing it. I found myself thinking about where the story would go and wondering about things that they left unexplained. The soundtrack for the game just really spoke to me, and, while it's not a game everyone would like, it turned out to be one of my favorite games. I was really excited for the sequel, but they released the system requirements and I am not gonna be able to run it 😭

[@talideon]

The only "bad" thing about Bioshock 2 is that it lacks the wow-factor of the first as the world of Rapture was already established in the first one as well as the relationship between the big daddies and little sisters. Discounting the gameplay improvements, this at least means the storytelling is somewhat less uneven than the first game of where the whole Fontaine/Ryan thing meant the first game has a much weaker second half. And then there's, of course, Minerva's Den. It's the most underrated of the three, and while it has less to say about the world than the first and third games, it does a better job of saying it and weaves gameplay and story together better than the others.

[@SpuddMacgyver]

Kudos man Bioshock 2 is my favorite as well. Really wish they would have expanded on that ending in a sequel.

[@lukaszzylik4437]

For me it's Immortals of Aveum. It feels like someone at the EA office had an idea for a new universe and was quitley writing it on the side then some executive found it and was like "Hey lets make a game out of this!" The credits have the same guys name on most of the creative positions so i think it was one guys creative and cohesive vision. The lore, story and characters are all great. The game has a reason why everyone talks like modern times as well.I enjoyed the gameplay and Metroid Prime like exploration. Everyones sleeping on it, but once it goes on sale a highly recommend it to everyone. (I think its worth the $70)

[@spacechemsol4288]

0:38 thats exactly what a machine would say!

[@thomasrankin6867]

Armored Core VI absolutely blew me away. Don’t feel bad. I felt the exact same. If it wasn’t FromSoftware, I wouldn’t have even thought about trying it.

[@gavinadams4572]

Ive never fully got into the bioshock games even though there in my steam library,you have have put me in the mood to go through them.

[@adpbobcat]

Thanks for mentioning atlas fallen. I thoroughly enjoyed it, a solid AA game! Great list, subbed Try Robocop Rogue City!

[@MizzterFu]

Lords of the Fallen for me. Absolutely fell in love with the game and that soundtrack is god tier

[@jesseberg3271]

Ultimately, Balder's Gate was not even on my radar 10 months ago. I saw the trailer which was basically the opening sequence awhile back, and was like _That's a neat cutscene_ and then moved on and forgot about it. I think it was when I heard about Rouge Trader (I'm into 40k) that that led me to BG3. Someone said something, and I thought, _Well, I'll take a look._ I've been playing it non-stop since launch. I've gotten my friends and kid brother into it. It's easily my game of the year, and it beat out other games I was very excited about to get there.

[@titolovely8237]

alien dark descent was my sleeper hit of the year. i had 0 interest in it prior to release but reviews made me try it and man oh man was i pleasantly surprised. it was one of those games that just made me go "where dafuq did this come from".

[@siyzerix]

Also, you might wanna check out the game called distance. Its something like a mix of mirror's edge + portal. You basically do car parkouring, and use any means possible to beat tracks. Its probably the most innovative gameplay i've seen to date. Puts other arcade racing games to shame. And unlike most aaa dev's, including some of the more respectable ones like fromsoft, distance isn't half baked or half finished or runs like crap. Its properly balanced. And the difficulty is fair. Its also purely skill based,

[@bigego503]

Good list. I hadn't planned on playing AC6 but will give it a try. Good vid

[@Justanotherguy83]

I question you being human the way you pump out reviews for us! I'm sure others won't mind me saying we are greatful for the honesty in your reviews and helping me anyway make good buying decisions in a time even at the best of time money is tight. Thank you Mortim for all you do for the community and gaming as a whole. I try to refer you much as I can to ppl. I know k I know I'm sounding a like a simp. I think I'll shut up avd sit down now lol

[@jarraddesmond7987]

I was so stoked when you said you would be reviewing Aliens Dark Descent

[@ceno10101]

finally playing Aliens Dark Descent right now, on your recommend. I had it installed but Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield came out and took my main focus.

[@cmdr.jabozerstorer3968]

Mars: War Logs I went into it not expecting much but really enjoyed it. Yes it's AA and Eurojank but it's fun and easy to play. I just enjoyed rolling about and hitting people with my melee weapons way too much. I completed it not long ago. No 100% yet though. Just the "good" ending so far.

[@mattpenix8438]

Good to hear about Atlas Fallen. So many similar AA games in this vein this year that I thought looked cool but didn’t light up the world ( Immortals of Avelon, Lords of Fallen) Def going to pick Atlas Fallen up. I feel like it’s something I’d like and I’m sure if you think you’d like it, probably will. Armored Core is on list too. Hey Black Friday!

[@alexDD-j6e]

Atlas Fallen? That IS unexpected. Ok thanks for the tip!

[@TylrMrshll]

I love how much AC6 won you over. Such an amazing game.

[@NoMereRanger73]

Heck yes Bioshock 2 is my favorite as well!

[@dragonriderabens9761]

IDK if I would say it was better than I expected but one game that came out this year that I am shocked at how much I enjoyed it was Baldur's Gate 3 I'm not normally a fan of story heavy, character driven, turn based combat games. which is why I found how much I loved the game so surprising

[@uppermost865]

Bioshock 1 & 2 are alltime favourites. Amazing games.

[@snowpereira]

Showgunners was nice but some puzzles are really tough for me.. Got stuck at a laser puzzle at almost end of campaign and just gave up after multiple attempts

[@O-D-X]

I don't actually like Potterverse at all. Not a fan of the books or movies. Don't care for any of the characters, but I am at least aware of most of what it is about. So when I saw Hogwart's Legacy, game looks cool, but I am sure on Potter nerds will like it. However I saw a video showcasing the spell battles and I was like ... what the hell, lets give it a chance. I really expected to hate the story and most of the characters. And while it was some instant classic, this game was the first time I truly enjoyed any Potter story. And the combat was everything I hoped for and more. But what really surprised me was the exploration. Most of the mini games were fun and showed you lots of the world, the collection stuff was even mostly enjoyable. Also going to the different locations and meeting all the interesting characters was a blast. So for a game that I expected to be roughly a 5 or 6 out of 10, I got a game that was for me nearly a 9 out of 10, better than Starfield not as good as BG3 though.

[@Morellen]

I liked Atlas Fallen. It was pretty quick to 100% (Took me around 15-20 hours) and it was a fun game. The combat worked well once you got the hang of it but I do remember having some issues with the camera which made some fights annoying, but the general feel and sand-sliding around the map was fun. Has some very weird issue with the frame-timing's though. You have to lock it to 60fps otherwise the game will just feel horrible at anything higher, even if the framerate is stable, the frame-pacing won't be.

[@shock12345671]

Bio 2 is goated. The fact that i got to experience the universe via 2 first was amazing. 1 was still enjoyable after.

[@CJ-wh7ik]

Hey Mortisal, there's this gem of a game on steam called library of ruina. It's a Korean story driven deck builder and dice game set in sci-fi dystopian world. I think it's an amazing game no one is talking about. It has quite the cult following tho 😅 Anyways, If you have time check it out, not even for review purposes. From the list here AC6 was the game I definitely enjoyed more that I'd expected I would. Completed it twice

[@Van-qp7eh]

I was looking for a solid double-A experience for a while now, so Atlas Fallen seems right up my alley.

[@lukaszzylik4437]

I would highly recommend Immortals of Aveum. Everyones sleeping on it but it's such a good game. If you want a first person AA action game with light RPG elements and Metroid Prime like exploration and a great story and characters.

[@sodapopinksi667]

Anyone played Red Solstice 2? It felt like a hidden gem to me since I never heard of the series. Enjoyed Days Gone more than expected. That game seems polarizing online.

[@nicodimus2222]

Star Renegades surprised the hell out of me with how good it was. I feel like a lot of the best gameplay is found in indie titles lately.

[@joel5956]

This year was loaded with games I expected to be good so not a lot of room for surprises there but I liked Steel Rising last year. Spiders normally makes games in genres I like...they just haven't been great examples of those genres, especially when you look at the combat systems. I was definitely wary when they announced a souls-like. And while Steel Rising didn't play as well as Nioh 2 or Elden Ring, the poke-and-roll build I ran played just fine. The level design was also a pleasant surprise.

[@kaidorade1317]

The game that surprised me: well this year it’s Lies of P. I thought it was going to be another souls rip off. But man it’s so much more! If you want a spiritual successor to Bloodborne, this is it! It’s almost my GOTY

[@kevinsayers5985]

Wild frost. Can't stop playing it daily

[@peterdbrwsk]

Great video!

[@glennojard230]

It'll probably never make this channel but "Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion" was one of the most joy inducing games I've ever played.

[@q306005]

Your review of Atlas Fallen was the only positive review I saw at release. Most people called it mid at best, and claimed the gameplay was slow and clunky. The funny thing is that watching those people's gameplay footage and watching the gameplay in your review is like watching two completely different games. I feel like it's a game that requires an understanding of the mechanics in order to fully enjoy the game, which definitely makes it a game that's not for everyone.

[@traviseicher9118]

I loved Showgunners. Id love some DLC missions for it.

[@motivateddad]

I am way surprised Atlas Fallen is in here. Was gonna buy it but keep hearing bad things about it. Might give it another chance.

[@battousaix4263]

Yeah for me its such a middling game. I loved the Surge 2 so when I found out Deck 13 developed Atlas Fallen I was hyped but the combat is very floaty and unsatisfying. Its not clunky imo, it has a good flow to its combat and I like the way it integrates grounded and aerial combat but it just doesn't feel good to play. Way different to how crunchy and weighty Surge felt. I love character action games, but the combat in Atlas just wasn't feeling right anytime. The world, narrative, characters, and progression didn't hook me as well so I dropped it after about 10 hours I think. Its not a bad game I would say, its decent enough and I feel like other people are definitely going to enjoy it but I wouldn't give it anything higher than a 6.

[@SolidSnake240]

I've watched enough gameplay and livestreams to conclude that Atlas Fallen is mid. Its just boring, the movement is floaty and the story is bad. Disappointing cuz the Surge games were pretty solid.

[@midnight4669]

Fuck these guys. Atlas Fallen surprised the hell out of me. Even upon completing the game, you can still unlock new stones and armor sets. The game isn't floaty, they are just stupid and some people need to hear that. You literally recharge your dash upon hitting an enemy. You then can unlock multiple dashes. OH AND ITS COOP. NO BIG DEAL. YOU CAN JUST PLAY WITH A FRIEND. The playstyles are so fluid. The game has massive exploration and combat wrapped up into a story about Gods battling over choice. Fuck yeah.

[@Walamonga1313]

Bioshock 2 and Armored Core 6 were so good Edit: also another game I played this year that was amazing was Stranger of Paradise. I tried the demo on PS4 last year and even as a FF and Nioh enjoyer I didn't really think much of it. But now that I finally had it on Steam the game consumed my life for a while

[@JinzoTK]

Bioshock 2 was also my favourite. I played it before 1 and enjoyed 2's story and gameplay more.

[@soohz]

Graze Counter GM is fantastic.

[@Toma-621]

I was surprised to see Atlas Fallen on here. I was in the same boat as you when I originally saw the game trailers; it didn't incite any excitement nor was I looking forward to it. Though now I might have to pick it up when it goes on sale :)

[@derheadbanger9039]

I loved Showgunners - and it didn't take much effort to get 100%. Also, there is a free DLC (I hate it when games don't just include "free DLC" in a regular update...)!

[@TheBestTacoCat]

Atlas Fallen kind of reminds me of Too Human. Which i felt was great Xbox game but had some quirky mechanics. I think ill pick it up! thank you for highlight.

[@stuartmorley6894]

Bioshock 2 is my favourite of the series. It builds on 1 without chucking everything out like 3. I think its aged particularly well compared to the other two. Im not slagging off the others, just personal preference.

[@lucianzobie]

Thanks for the advice

[@MashingP]

Curious Mortym, have you played Troubleshooter's. It's a system dense tactical RPG in an modern X-Com style presentation. If you have I'd be curious what your thoughts are on it.

[@MortismalGaming]

Played and reviewed, it was great yeah

[@SpecShadow]

For me that would be Arx Fatalis - completely forgot about it after early announcement in random gaming mag. Then bought in on local eBay (it was added to the same gaming mag as full game) and was amazed. Another would be Ultima Underworld - really old game, but completely playable with source ports(?). And funny that Arx was kinda like UU 3 but as usual EA know no good and rejected the project.

[@kbar4462]

Hmm...so Mort is actually human CONFIRMED

[@Paul_McSeol]

I finally gave Hades a try this year. I normally hate rogue likes but this game is fantastic. Supergiant doesn’t miss.

[@AngelXterror]

It's not out yet and if it doesn't get overly greedy, Foam stars should be a great game. I played the beta and at first was like "I hate this splatoon rip off!" But after a couple matches was like "Man, I kind of dig this games vibe, it's a rip off, but a very fun one!"

[@JuanAMatos-zx4ub]

FromSoft has been on a roll since Demon's Souls and have only gotten better. AC6 is next on my list as soon as I finish Cyberpunk

[@samuraigaming3042]

I'm confused. is the opening painting gameplay of witcher 3 or just art?

[@armelior4610]

I'm pretty sure eveybody has already forgotten about Atlas fallen, even though it is an action-RPG that is NOT a souls-like which is super original these days.

[@thefunkyogre]

Sorry to say that, but i´m addicted to the first 5 seconds of your videos :D

[@rotony1]

I know I'm bias towards the Bioschock 2 because I played the game at the release but man that game is legendary.

[@bchristian2088]

If you like hard fighting games, you could try Wo Long, by the team that made last Ninja Gaiden games.

[@MortismalGaming]

Played and reviewed when it released

[@Kaine777999]

Have you ever played Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes/The Crusaders? I only ask because we seem to have played a lot of the same games, and they have always stuck out in my mind as really enjoyable games. They are a rts/3rd person rpg hybrid. Probably a bit dated now, but I think well worth a try if you haven't played them already.

[@sodapopinksi667]

I played it on old Xbox. Really liked it. I remember just picking it up randomly.

[@Juan.Maciel]

Dave the diver, was the Game that I enjoyed the most this year, but it's a indie.

[@javierper3z]

Still don’t believe you are human Mort. Fairly certain you are some kind of video game reviewing rogue AI, a synthesis sentient intelligence that doesn’t need to sleep, eat or go to the bathroom, just 100% games in record time. And I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords

[@mertgulgun6830]

Disfigure... It is a small project made by one person (I think), which is also free on Steam... I've thought I'd take a gander and just uninstall and forget about it but the game loop just was so great that I cannot stop playing now... and I've played 80+ hours, for a bullet hell game it is great

[@Nolasco.]

I have been aching for the Aliens game altho I am not good at all at rts games but always loved that kind of worlds and story telling. I played pillar's of eternity one and two on story difficulty..... blasphemous by them real pros but nevertheless, I am having fun 😅 Thanks for the video bro 😊👍

[@2009jonb]

Get Aliens....my first RTS and it's brilliant

[@Nolasco.]

@@2009jonb will do 😁👍

[@migz5480]

“I won’t miss” -FromSoft when they decided to make AC6 probably

[@lukaszzylik4437]

Bioshock 2... I just dont remember it. I can vividly remember Bioshock 1 and Infinite and the DLC where you play as the diver. The main game i just dont remember anything, except thinking it was wholly unremarkable.

[@breakfasttaco]

Armored. Core. 6!!!!! I cannot simp enough for this game.

[@midnight4669]

I just played Romancelvania for ... hours straight. Man, that game is so full of personality.

[@MortismalGaming]

I saw someone play that recently and it looks hilarious

[@midnight4669]

@MortismalGaming The offbeat humor gets you interested, while the very well written characters, interactions, and episode/upgrade pacing has been keeping me very invested. Sure, it's a sidescroller - nothing special there, but similar to Midnight Suns, the game offers many side activities or dates that start to get under the player's skin. These characters aren't just pinups, they have depth. For example, there was a conversation that took place between the pumpkin and the genie that involved slavery that really got me thinking. I know thier names, but am keeping things as spoiler free as possible. The voice acting is absolutely awesome and you know what? Not every game needs to be Baldir's Gate 3 or Red Dead Redemption 2. I am into episode 3 and have to say, the replay potential is insane on this one.

[@crossout42]

Never played a crpg are there any good free ones?

[@corey2232]

How you described your expectations going into Bioshock 2 are pretty much the exact same thing I felt with Starfield. I know we all like to say reviews don't REALLY matter & that ultimately it's our own experience that determines how we feel about a game, I'll admit seeing a bunch of 7's & 8's made me think the game was just going to be "ho-hum" & kind of killed my interest. I'd been reading online chatter for months prior to release, and a large, vocal portion of the gaming community was already disecting every little detail & breaking down why Starfield is going to be bad, or why Bethesda games aren't actually that good. I knew some of it was just disingenious, bad-faith arguments coming from people wanting it to fail for some console wars nonsense, but it also put it in the back of my mind that Starfield/Bethesda were passed up years ago by better/more talented developers. So when reviews came out, this just confirmed to me the online discussions were probably right. We gamers like to mock IGN all the time, yet for whatever reason most people (aside from Xbox diehards) seemed to accept & be satisfied with a 7.0... including me. But after putting 200+ hours into BG3 (now about 400 hours), I wanted something else to play in between. So I picked up Game Pass on PC, installed Starfield not expecting much, then was pleasantly surprised almost instantly upon seeing the visuals. I know graphics aren't everything, but c'mon... the shared screen shots people were passing around as memes made it out like the game was sporting 360 era visuals, yet what I was seeing looked super cool! I continued to play for several hours, then came back to the main story over a couple days & started realizing I was actually getting into it! Now it feels like I flipped a switch & everything is way more fun, and find myself doing things I only do in games I enjoy - seek out every little thing I can do to extend the game even longer. And even though I'm still playing Baldur's Gate more than this, I can't help but think back to those reviews & realize "oh yeah... 7's & 8's actually mean GOOD and GREAT, and I ignored any scores outside of that." I'm just guilty of attributing anything below a 9.0 score as "ok," and placing too much value on games that score highly on certain websites. I also have a tendency to let myself be unknowingly influenced by the more negative & dramatic takes on KZbin or elsewhere. Even saying all of that, I actually fully understand & accept the criticisms found in those reviews. They're not wrong at all. It's just that those reviewers might place more value on certain things than I do, and I'm finding myself having way more fun than I expected. Anyway, sorry for the Ted Talk... I feel like I had a weird epiphany with this game & am in a reflective mood. Your video just triggered it, sooooo yeah 😅