007 First Light – An Update of Despair

I’m actually taken aback a little by how I feel about 007 First Light, and usually I’m pretty lenient towards these movie‑type games. Let’s just say if the story and the presentation dazzle me (jingle keys!) with a semi-competent gameplay loop, I’m essentially sold. So, while 007 First Light sure has the presentation down, and most of the moment-to-moment action gameplay—I’m having a serious issue motivating myself to continue Bond’s adventure.

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007 First Light – First Impressions

007 First Light is here and, technically, it’s a marvel of programming engineering and semi-competent gameplay design (at least half the time). It runs like a dream and looks the part too. However, as with all dreams, it’s easy to wake up and be ripped out of the state of bliss—meaning: it’s got problems.

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Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia – Borscht for the Masses

It’s time for the final game in the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles series. We are now in Russia, and we will get to stick our bayonet into both proto-commies and Brotherhood members. A welcome change, indeed. Unfortunately, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia is probably the worst of the lot, despite it having the coolest setting, and probably the best narrative. It starts out relatively well, but then it embraces all the painful mechanics of the other titles in the series, and turns it up to eleven.

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Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream – Demo Impressions

My next title on the Steam NextFest repertoire is Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream. It’s a beautiful stealth game viewed from an isometric viewpoint. The premise and setting reminds me of A Plague Tale: Requiem, but with a brother sidekick that isn’t the bearer of rat demons – yet. The visuals and the story are very charming, and detailed. But what about the gameplay?

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Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India – Punjab Adventures

The Assassin’s Creed Chronicles continues with Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India. While it’s a better game on a technical, story and gameplay level, I’m not sure if I appreciated the added difficulty in the form of assassination immune units, multiple timed events, and forced stealth segments. Specifically the last one, which I think ruined a unique aspect of Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China. The mechanic that lets you continue despite your failures, but punishes you with a lower score. Now, that is still a thing, yet, way too many levels suffer from insta-restart if you make the tiniest mistake.

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