Recent reviews by Sharp

While the combat needs work the story is good and the twist at the end was refreshing

Disappointing. By no means is this a bad game but it all feels very half-baked. Like they were trying to come up with a new and interesting IP but didn't follow through on the execution.

I found the combat repetitive so ended up changing the difficulty to the easiest option so I could spend less time fighting and more time exploring.

The world is interesting but feels sparse. There's plenty to do and much of it is fun enough but none of it connects back into the main story-line to make it worthwhile.

The story had so much potential but it started too slow and ended before it had even begun. The ending especially was disappointing. If you follow what the protagonist would likely have done based on her character then you get a 13 second cutscene and that's it. You pick the other option and you'll never see the protagonist reunited with arguably the best character in the game.

I think if they changed up how the combat worked so that I could use multiple spells without needing to constantly switch between them I would have enjoyed this game a lot more. I actually hope they make a sequel but they spend more time on it, rework the combat, and get Liam O'Brien to play cuff instead.

The Arkham games were some of the best I played when I was younger so when I heard WB were working on a new Batman game I was incredibly excited for it. Unfortunately, Gotham Knights did not deliver. Spoiler-free review ahead.

While I don't have anything bad to say, I also don't have anything good to say. Everything just feels kind of average.

The combat is fine. It doesn't have the same fluidity as the Arkham games. Enemies telegraph their attacks but the indicator is barely noticeable and you can't even counter directly - only dodge. You can use special moves if you fill a meter, but they can be pretty easy to miss or are easily interrupted by other enemies.

There is a story, but so far it has failed to capture my attention. It's a series of short cutscenes followed by go somewhere, beat up some thugs, go somewhere else, beat up some more. Arkham had a lot of this too, but with the variation in the combat, and the occasional distractions they would throw in, the Arkham stories felt a lot more interesting.

My biggest problem with the game is the level design. Gotham is huge, and most of it looks the same making it difficult to know where you are without using your map. Driving around some of the narrow streets can be difficult and you better not drive over a ramp because you're probably going to go head first into a wall. For combat, there are very few vantage points so scoping out enemies or using stealth are rarely an option. Aside from the occasional explosive pipe or barrel there really isn't much you can use in the environment to take down enemies. Secret passageways and vents are all but non-existent. I have come across them occasionally but whether you can make use of them to sneak around really depends on where they go. So far I have only found one that actually proved useful to sneak up behind an enemy.

Stealth leaves a lot to be desired. Most of the components are there: silent take downs, aerial take downs, ledge take downs, smoke bombs, but the lack of detective vision and poor level design make it an inviable strategy in most situations. Detective vision does exist, it's just short ranged and only shows you a few things. You can't use it like you might in the Arkham games to read the room and plan how you were going to take out each enemy.

If you enjoy getting your hands dirty, running straight into the action and beating up a bunch of thugs, and you're a fan of Batman then maybe this game is for you.

If you're looking for the next Arkham game, maybe it is time to dust off that old copy of Asylum or City you have lying around and give it another play through instead. This is not the game for you.

I have done my best to avoid spoilers for True Colors, however there are some spoilers for previous games - You've been warned.

True Colors has reignited my love for the series after the uninspired storytelling of the second installment. While in previous installments the powers were a lot more exciting (telekinesis and time-travel) True Colors easily makes up for that with exceptional storytelling from the get go.

So, here's what I liked:

• Empathy is not an exciting superpower. Yet, it somehow feels just as great as any previous ability we have seen. Alex is able to use this to manipulate situations to her advantage, and we are able to learn so much more about other characters or the plot. It adds a great additional dimension to the game.
  
• Just as the first Life is Strange had Acadia Bay, True Colors has Haven Springs. I think they really made something special in the first game and once more here. Haven Springs is an absolutely beautiful setting which has been so excellently researched and brought to life by the development team. The small setting gives you the opportunity to really connect with not just the environment but everyone in it. All of the people, the places, the tiny little details. They all matter. This is part of the magic of Life is Strange for me.

Here's what I didn't like:

• While the main story definitely feels long enough and well paced it sorely lacked additional content leading to a much shorter play time than previous games. It would have been great if there was more to explore in Haven Springs, characters to interact with and learn about, and opportunities to find out about events of the past.
  
• Wavelengths was a nice extra, but I think it was another missed opportunity for us to learn more about Steph's relationships with other characters.
  
• True Colors is much more expensive than previous installments, and while the quality has definitely improved I'm not convinced the increased cost was worth it. If it's on sale though I would definitely recommend it, the story alone is incredible.

So what am I hoping for in the next installment? Honestly, more of the same. Life is Strange 2 was a huge disappointment to me. The writing was all over the place, poorly paced, and moments were so fleeting that I never got to really feel anything for the characters. True Colors took us back to the magic from the first game albeit with slightly less to do. Also, if anyone out there is taking ability recommendations - Invisibility is pretty emo.

Given this game was by Quantic Dream I was really looking forward to it. I started with Beyond Two Souls on PS3 when I was younger, and recently completed Detroit: Become Human. This game is critically acclaimed for it's excellent narrative and came with many positive reviews from friends who had played it on console. Unfortunately, I do not share this opinion.

Sure, I can see why this game has received so many positive reviews. The story is gripping and the characters are so well developed that you just want to keep digging and finding out more about them. The whole 'whodunit' aspect of this game is excellent and will leave you going back and forth constantly. Ever doubting your own suspicions as you learn more from each arc.

But. This has to be the worst console port I have ever played. If you're happy with a mouse & keyboard then skip this review, you'll love the game. If you want to play with a controller however then you may as well give up now.

To call this game unplayable would be an understatement. Quick-time sequences are fine until you need to press R2, in which case you're screwed because the game won't register it. Some sequences magically switch to keyboard & mouse midway meaning you'll swipe down with your controller and fail because it wanted you to swipe with the mouse. You'll take actions you didn't want to, and fail sequences that would have otherwise been easy to complete. I spent most of the time reloading the game to repeat the sequence with my keyboard. It feels like cheating, but otherwise the sequence would have been impossible. This meant I didn't feel like I was truly getting 'my story'. Would I have otherwise failed some of these sequences regardless? Did reloading give me an unfair advantage? I wanted to just accept it and carry-on, but when the game forces your hand you've no other choice.

So would I recommend this game? Sure, if you're playing with a keyboard and mouse. But if you want to play with a controller, especially a Dualshock (the way the game was intended to be played) then go enjoy one of their other titles.

It's like they took Arkham Origins, ported it to mobile and then back-ported it to PC.

This game does not live up to any of the other titles in the Arkham Franchise. Sure, the story is great but when you realize this is basically the same as every other game so far except they've limited you to moving in 2D you quickly realize why this game has such poor reviews.

If you're going to play this, play it before any of the other games in the series. You'll enjoy it a lot more, and it'll make the other games really stand out as they will have so much more depth (literally) than this game ever could.

Upon attempting to play the game immediately crashes. I have been unable to play this game at all.

Honestly don't have as much money to spend on games as I used to. This was worth every penny. I am so glad I bought this game. I've already racked up over 45 ours and I still haven't completed the main story line. There are hours of replayability in this game too and even with a great story line the side quests teach really bring it all together.

My only criticism is that at first I didn't really know what I was doing and kept dying. The game doesn't really provide a great tutorial in the way of leveling and questing. After realizing side quests were more important than I first thought I found this problem to be quickly overcome.

First game I have ever reviewed on Steam. I am not that far through it yet but I would really recommend it to everyone. Fans of Beyonds two Souls or similar works by Quantic Dream will not be dissapointed by Life is Strange. The story is elegant, the art-style fits perfectly and the game is extremely immersive. Not to mention none of it feels dated, it was nice to see Google Chrome with ad-block on her laptop.