Far Cry Primal

Post-Launch Review

Far Cry Primal (PC)

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Released: February 2016

Played: story complete, 62% overall in 19h24m

About

Twelve thousand years ago, the fractured Wenja tribe has made its way to the land of Oros, where its people are beset on all sides by the Udam tribe who eat the Wenja and the Izila tribe who burn Wenja in sacrifice. The hunter Takkar, who traveled far seeking his lost Wenja kin, discovers that he can tame and command the vicious predators of Oros and works to unite the tribe and triumph over the threats to to his people.

Wolfenstein: The New Order

Post-Launch Review
Wolfenstein: The New Order (PC)
Developer: MachineGames
Released: May 2014
Played: complete in 11h:24m

About

Suddenly using extraordinary new technology, the Nazis won World War II and took over the entire world. U.S. Army special forces captain William Blazkowicz pulls out of his coma in 1960 and joins the resistance to liberate the world from the overwhelmingly powerful Nazi new order.

Betrayer

Post-Launch Review

Betrayer

Developer: Blackpowder Games

Released: March 2014

Played: complete in 5h:42min

About

You've washed up on shore in colonial Virginia in the 1600s. The colony is deserted; the only people you see are animalistic Spanish conquistadors who attack on sight and a mysterious woman in red who warns you away. As you explore you discover hints of a supernatural force, evil spirits, a shadow world, and the wraiths of the colonists who will slowly lead you to piece together what happened to the colony.

Dishonored

Post-Launch Review

Dishonored (PC)

Developer: Arkane Studios

Released: October 2012

Played: story complete in 12h

About

The empress is assassinated and her bodyguard, Corvo, is framed for her murder by a faction of conspirators intending to use the empress' young daughter Emily to control the throne. Corvo is broken out of prison by a group of loyalists, armed with custom equipment by their scientist and granted mystical powers by the Outsider. Using his new gear and abilities, Corvo sets out to end the conspiracy, clear his name, and save Emily.

Far Cry 3

Post-Launch Review
Far Cry 3 (PC)
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Released: November 2012
Played: story complete with most extras in 19h

About

Jason Brody, his brothers, his girlfriend, and some friends are skydiving while on vacation and land on the wrong island. They're captured by a group of violent pirate slavers led by a charismatic but crazy man named Vaas. Jason manages to escape and is initiated into the native Rakyat tribe. Given a mystical tattoo and guidance to develop his skills as warrior, Jason sets out to save his friends and defeat Vaas.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Post-Launch Review

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (XBox 360)

Developer: Bungie (original) / 343 Industries (Anniversary)

Released: November 2001 (original) / November 2011 (Anniversary)

About

Chased by the aliens known as the Covenant, the human ship Pillar of Autumn crash lands on a mysterious, ancient alien ring-world called Halo. Cybernetically enhanced soldier Master Chief and the artificial intelligence Cortana search for Halo's control room, hoping to use it against the Covenant, but Halo holds dangerous secrets...

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

Post-Launch Review

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin (PC)

Developer: Monolith Productions

Released: February 2009

Played: story complete in 5h:36min (replay)

About

Shortly before the ending of F.E.A.R., an SFOD team was sent to retrieve Genevieve Aristide, president of Armacham, because of her knowledge and involvement in Project Origin. But the team encounters heavy resistance, and Aristide subjects Becket to an experimental procedure to fight back against the now-released Alma. Using his newly-enhanced reflexes, Becket tries to find a way to stop Alma before she overwhelms him...

Metro: Last Light

Post-Launch Review

Metro: Last Light Redux (PC)

Developer: 4A Games

Released: May 14 2013 (original) / August 25 2014 (Redux)

Played: story complete in 13h:30min

About

Recognized as a hero for destroying the nest of the mysterious and dangerous Dark Ones, Artyom was catapulted into the ranks of the rangers defending the Metro. Now, one year later, evidence surfaces of a lone remaining Dark One - a child. Artyom's orders are to find it and kill it before it can hurt anyone, but the mission is not that simple. Others are interested in the young Dark One, and a war is brewing between major factions in the Metro...

F.E.A.R.

Post-Launch Review

F.E.A.R. (PC)

Developer: Monolith Productions

Released: October 2005

Played: story complete in 6h:12min (replay)

About

The First Encounter Assault Recon unit - F.E.A.R. - has received their first assignment. Experimental psychic commander Paxton Fettel has gone rogue, taking control of a battalion of clone soldiers. The mission: take down Fettel to stop the soldiers. But it's not that simple. Fettel has an agenda, and it involves a dangerous research project that was shut down and covered up decades ago...

Condemned: Criminal Origins

Post-Launch Review

Condemned: Criminal Origins (XBox 360)

Developer: Monolith Productions

Released: November 2005 (XBox 360) / April 2006 (PC)

Played: complete in 7h:22min

About

FBI agent Ethan Thomas is in pursuit of a serial killer known as the Match Maker when the situation starts to get out of control. A strange force is killing the areas birds and driving people to violent crime, while a new threat hunts the same murderers as Ethan.

ZombiU

Post-Launch Review

ZombiU

Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier

Released: November 2012

Played: story complete in 12h:37min

About

During the zombie apocalypse in London, the Prepper pulls survivors off the street, instructing and preparing them for the difficult days ahead. As you scavenge supplies, the Prepper and a few other factions compete for your attention as they advance their agendas. To have any hope you'll have to make sure you're prepared and avoid getting cornered... but if you die, the next survivor will push forward.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Post-Launch Review

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Developer: GSC Game World

Released: October 2009 (CIS) / February 2010 (worldwide)

Played: complete in 13h:24min

About

Shortly after Strelok disabled the Brain Scorcher during the events of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, there's a rush to explore and exploit the centre of the mysterious and anomalous Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Military helicopters have gone missing during a scouting mission, and Major Alexander Degtyarev is sent in undercover as an independent stalker to identify the reason for the choppers' disappearance.

Bioshock Infinite

Post-Launch Review

Bioshock Infinite (PC)

Developer: Irrational Games

Released: March 2013
Played: story complete in 11h; Burial at Sea parts 1 and 2 complete in 6h

About

"Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt". Booker DeWitt is in deep but he'll be in the clear if he can finish this job. Sent to Colombia, a miraculous city in the clouds, DeWitt seeks out Elizabeth, who has been locked away in a tower for her strange abilities. But to escape the city, DeWitt and Elizabeth will have to contend with religious fanatics and a city on the verge of civil war - as well as Elizabeth's monstrous guardian, the Songbird.

Sir, You Are Being Hunted

Post-Launch Review

Sir, You Are Being Hunted

Developer: Big Robot

Released: May 2014

Played: complete in 3h:19min; messed around for 30min in second world

About

The experiment has gone terribly wrong. You are trapped on a small archipelago until you can repair the machine by finding the pieces scattered across the islands. But you're not alone - robots patrol the islands, aiming to kill you before you can escape. You are being hunted.

Syndicate

Post-Launch Review

Syndicate (PC)

Developer: Starbreeze Studios

Released: February 2012
Played: story complete in 6 hours

About

As an enhanced Agent equipped with new prototype tech, working for one of the world's most powerful mega-corporations, Miles Kilo is assigned to take down a rival syndicate's biochip scientist to ensure EuroCorp's dominance of the market. But the assignment reveals an unexpected betrayal from within EuroCorp which could send the syndicates to war...

Doom 3: BFG Edition

Post-Launch Review
Doom 3: BFG Edition (PC)
Developer: id Software
Released: August 2004
Played: Doom 3 complete in 9 hours; Resurrection of Evil complete in 3 hours; Lost Mission complete in 1 hour 50 mins

About

As a marine newly stationed at Union Aerospace Corporation's Mars research facility, you have the bad luck to arrive on the day that everything goes to hell. As one of the only survivors of an invasion of horrific monsters, you'll have to fight your way through the base to close the portal and prevent the creatures from reaching Earth.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Post-Launch Review
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
Developer: GSC Game World
Released: August/September 2008
Played: story complete in 20 hours

About

As a prequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky follows the mercenary Scar as he investigates the cause of the recent massive radiation emissions from the centre of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. With the help of a research group called Clear Sky, Scar determines that a stalker has disturbed the balance of the zone - Strelok, the player's character from SoC.

Far Cry 2

Post-Launch Review
Far Cry 2
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Released: October 2008
Played: 42% complete over 13 hours

About

Far Cry 2 is marketed as a sequel but is actually completely unrelated to the first game. The player takes on the role of a mercenary sent into a war-torn country in central Africa to kill an arms dealer known as the Jackal, blamed for destabilizing the region by providing cheap weapons to both sides of many wars.

Aliens: Colonial Marines

Post-Launch Review
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Developer: Gearbox Software / Nerve Software / TimeGate Studios
Released: February 2013
Played: campaign complete in 8 hours; Stasis Interrupted DLC complete in 3 hours (no multiplayer)

About

Set after the events of the film Aliens, Colonial Marines is billed as the "true" sequel to the movie, altering some of the story of Alien 3. A squad of marines is sent to investigate the distress call sent by Corporal Hicks, and arrives at LV-426 to find the Sulaco back in orbit, despite its last recorded position near a distant prison planet. The marines are quickly overwhelmed by aliens and the Weyland-Yutani corporation, and must fight their way off the planet and prevent Weyland-Yutani from taking specimens off world.

Why Medal of Honor Scares Me

I posted my review of the 2010 release of Medal of Honor yesterday. I mentioned that it creeped me out and briefly talked about some of the reasons, but didn't want to go on for too long about things that weren't super important to the conclusion of the review. But here I'll go into detail.