Game Reviews

[Jubal]

This is a forum to post game reviews. Just post the game title, a link, and your review, as a topic, and I'll update this thread every so often. You can post your views of games that have already been reviewed too; having multiple viewpoints on a game is more than fine. 

GAME INDEX

EXILIAN GAMES AND INDIE LABS
Single Player RPGs & Adventure Games
Karaski: What Goes Up... (By Jubal)
The Splitting: Chapter One (By Jubal) [Demo Review]
Vidar (By Jubal) [Demo Review]

Strategy
Axes & Acres (By Jubal)

Abstract, Puzzles, Misc.
Postbug (By Jubal)
Kusodu (By Jubal)

FREE TO PLAY
MMORPG
RuneScape (By Jubal)

Single Player RPGs & Puzzle/RPGs
Peasant's Quest (By Jubal)
The Mystery of Time and Space (By Jubal)

Strategy & RPG/Strategy
Caravaneer 2 (By Jubal)
Flash's Bounty (By Jubal)
Stronghold Kingdoms (By Skull)

Abstract, Puzzles, Misc.
Heroica: The Adventures (By Jubal)
The Doctor and the Dalek (By Jubal)

MISC COMMERCIAL (AND ABANDONWARE)
MMORPG
The Elder Scrolls Online (By Colossus)

Single Player RPG
Dragon Age: Inquisition (By Phoenixguard)
Expeditions: Conquistador (By Colossus)
King's Quest I: The Quest For the Crown (By Jubal)
King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne (By Jubal)
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (By Colossus)
Space Quest: The Sarien Encounter (By Jubal)
Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge (By Jubal)
Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon (By Jubal)

Tactics/Tactics-RPG
Hard West (By Clockwork)
Darkest Dungeon (By Clockwork)

Strategy
Civilisation II (By Jubal)
King of Dragon Pass (By Pentagathus)

Fighting
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate (By Armadillo)

ABOUT THE REVIEWS

Each review provides a few paragraphs of overview, thoughts, and critique of the game, gives useful links to follow to find out more, and also in some cases rates the game though reviewers have the option to not provide ratings if they so wish.

Where ratings are given, they are in four parts, all of them out of five:

The GRAPHICS rating is the simplest, how pretty is the game? In general:
0 - No graphics/graphics extremely buggy
1 - Graphics glitchy, problematic, functional issues
2 - Graphics functional but outdated, dull, or interfere with gameplay a little
3 - Functional/average game graphics, no functional issues at all, runs fine on modern computers
4 - Game is noteworthy for being graphically good, runs fine on modern computers
5 - Top quality, smooth graphics, runs fine on modern computers, a model for excellence in graphic design

The appeal of the graphics is being judged rather than the modernity or realism: a lovingly crafted pixel art game CAN score highly on graphics if they genuinely look nice and appeal to the viewer, though is likely to score lower than more modern games.

The GAMEPLAY rating rates the mechanics of the game - what it feels like to play and how interesting or innovative the mechanics are.
0 - If it scores this it's probably not actually a game.
1 - Playing this game is frustrating or boring in the extreme
2 - The gameplay is functional, but has notable problems and holes that could be very frustrating for the player
3 - A standard gameplay score, with functional gameplay but no spectacular new ideas
4 - Some sort of more interesting mechanics, puzzles or ideas make this game particularly worth playing
5 - A particularly innovative or genre-defining game that really breaks the mould and provides unique ideas and challenges

The IMMERSION rating rates the psychological effects of the game beyond gameplay; how engaged are you with the plot, story, and world? Is there even a plot, story, or world?
0 - No plot/story/world (basically tetris)
1 - Very weak setting that is just used to hang bits of gameplay on.
2 - Some semblance of a decent setting but mostly sidelined
3 - Average. Ideas good but underdeveloped, or developed in a common/predictable way
4 - A properly designed setting that does what it sets out to do and actually provides some interest, engagement, or humour
5 - A deeply immersive and fully thought out idea that achieves its aims with particular flair - either very thought provoking, particularly classic, genre defining, or simply genuinely very funny.

The OVERALL rating is not simply an average of the previous three, though it's usually around that mark; other factors can however be brought in, for example if a game has exceptional mods that are worth playing, or is necessary to understand the plot of a much better sequel. The overall rating is best thought of as a recommendation level, where five is a must play and ratings of 0-1 are actively warning you away from the game.



Template for reviews:

Spoiler

Note: for the ratings, copy the image given from ZERO to FIVE times depending on what score you want to give.

Code Select Expand

[u][b]Name of the Game[/b][/u]

[u][b]Game Type:[/b][/u] Free Online Play, Commercial, Indie, etc
[u][b]Genre:[/b][/u] Where it fits: Single Player RPG, Strategy, FPS, Puzzle, MMORPG, or MMO Strategy

[u][b]Link:[/b][/u] [url=http://urlgoeshere]urlalsogoeshere[/url]

[table]
[tr]
[td][b]Graphics rating: [/b][/td]
[td][img]http://exilian.co.uk/forum/Themes/Exilian/images/staradmin.gif[/img][/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td][b]Gameplay rating: [/b][/td]

[/tr]
[tr]
[td][b]Immersion rating: [/b][/td]

[/tr]
[tr]
[td][b]Overall rating: [/b][/td]

[/tr]
[/table]
2 to 3 paragraphs giving your review here

[comrade_general]

I have a Nintendo.

[Silver Wolf]

But where's the old thread?

Couldn't we just update it?
Makes more sense than having two separate threads concerning the same topic.

[SaidaiSloth]

Merged with old topic.

[Jubal]

Pinned, made a review template, opened it up to commercial games. Anyone fancy writing any reviews?

[Skull]

Well,I can write one if you want it...

[Silver Wolf]

I've played Stronghold Kingdoms a long time ago.

I recommend it too.
At least try it.

Especially if you have a thing for gorgeous 2d graphics. Lots of eye candy in this one.

[Pentagathus]

I'm far too lazy to write a review but The Witcher is by far the best RPG I've ever played. The books are also amazing (game is based off books, not the other way around) although only two of them have been translated into english I think I'll have to learn polish after seeing the release dates of the other books in english.

[Marcus]

I think search engine wise it would be better to have a forum with separate threads for reviews, or at least a thread per game. Having them all in one thread makes them harder for search engines to index and also makes it harder to comment on individual reviews.

[Jubal]

Good shout Marc. I'll set that up soon unless any other admins are free to get round to it first.

[Skull]

OK,so I finished my review. 

[Son of the King]

New board made, topic moved, posts split, good times .

[Jubal]

Added section for Abandonware. 

[Clockwork]

So sorry, did not even see this topic :S

If any mod could move the reviews I've done here then I won't have a constant reminder of my failure to use eyes.

Or don't, I'm not fussed, don't think anyone reads them anyway lol

[Jubal]

Edited so the list is first in the OP. Needs me to add in the newer reviews really.