Recent reviews by Murphy's Lawyer

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Sea of Thieves
  
• Original Release: 2020
  
• Genre Tags: Sand Box, Instanced Servers, Progression Grind, PvEvP, Pirate Fantasy
  
• My Overall Grade: B+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): N/A
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: Primary
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre;

I’ll admit: I didn’t really like this game for a long time. Sea of Thieves has always been a game I wanted to love. Over the years, I’ve tried multiple times to dive into Rare’s vibrant, pirate-filled sandbox, and each time I found myself unamused. The world is gorgeous, the ship mechanics are some of the best in gaming, and the sense of adventure is undeniable, but actually getting hooked proved harder than I thought.

The biggest hurdle? For new players: playing alone just isn’t where Sea of Thieves shines. As a solo-first player, even in multiplayer-centric games, this was an obstacle.

While the game technically supports solo play, so much of its design assumes teamwork: hoisting sails, managing navigation, repairing hull damage, or coordinating during ship battles. Doing all that solo often turns thrilling encounters into exhausting chores. You’re steering, navigating, repairing, fighting, bailing water, and yelling at the wind for not cooperating. It’s exhausting. The magic of Sea of Thieves isn’t in the tasks themselves, but in the chaos, laughter, and coordination that happens when you’re sharing a ship with others.

I’ve always had pretty decent experiences using public MM systems in most games I play, so naturally, I turned to the game’s solution: Open Crew—the mechanic fully designed to pair you with fellow adventurers and definitely not designed to fill your crew with chaos, trolling, or players who go AFK before the ship even leaves the dock.

Open Crew is basically a pirate-themed slot machine. You pull the lever, and you either get a chill crewmate who communicates… or someone who immediately grabs a gunpowder barrel and turns your ship into modern art. 90% of the time players leave instantly, and the other 10% they just stand around the docks and don’t communicate. You keep asking: WHAT DOES EVERYONE WANT TO DO? No response.

After years of trying to make it work, I finally reached enlightenment: Sea of Thieves only shines when you have an actual crew you can rely on.

And the best place to find that? Discord. I actually never used Discord in all my years of gaming, but it is imperative to the enjoyment of Sea of Thieves. And I didn't even have much luck in the general SoT discord - it's mostly PVP sweats. But find yourself a clan/community to join and you will be golden to do all the game has to offer.

Once I found a Discord community, the whole game changed. Suddenly storms were hilarious instead of terrifying. PvP battles became thrilling instead of an immediate trip to the nearest respawn screen. And every chaotic moment became exciting instead of stressful (well maybe still a little stressful). I got sunk a few times and lost some loot which was a bummer, but one day I set out with some guildmates and we sunk 3 ships all with stacks and stacks of loot and got my turn. I even have grown to enjoy some gameplay playing solo on my sloop: Sloop de Jour

It wasn’t clicking for me at first, even after multiple attempts. But once I found like-minded players to sail with, I was finally able to catch on to the enjoyment of the gameplay loop and I was hooked. Pun intended.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Final Fantasy Tactics” The Ivalice Chronicles
  
• Original Release: 1997/1998 (2025 IC Version)
  
• Genre Tags: JRPG; Turn-Based RPG; Action; Tactical Turn-Based; Industry Jewel
  
• My Overall Grade: A+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 40-80 hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: None (Maybe future mods)
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre; Fans of the intellectual property; Nostalgia chasers; Strong narrative advocates; Gaming industry aficionado

This has always been one of my favorite games since I was a kid. Something about the heart and soul of this game just hasn’t been matched often in the video-game medium.

If you scroll down the (serious) positive reviews for this game, you no doubt see many people expressing their nostalgic love for this legendary piece of their childhood. I stand among these people. For many of us who were kids in the 90s, Final Fantasy Tactics was the first taste of a tactical RPG that we experienced and has ingratiated itself as a timeless classic for those of us who experienced this in our youth.

As I mentioned, I have loved this game since I was a little kid. I don’t even think the 10-year old me ever beat the game. I repurchased, redownloaded, and replayed this game probably 3 or 4 times since I was that 10-year old kid. When I saw it was coming out on Steam, complete with achievements and Steam-integration, I was excited to do it again.

As a kid, on my first playthrough, I got hardlocked at the end of Chapter 3, which was an infamous situation that is still mentioned on forums today, but that has been amended in this release due to some upgraded features. Such as: being able to back out and grind in between levels of multi-stage missions. There are also mid-battle saves and auto-saves that help modernize the game and can effectively give you extra lives if you make a mistake without having to restart the entire mission.

Some other updates in this version include: fully voiced dialogue, a revamped UI, modernized graphics, fast-forward battle speed, and customizable difficulty.

For purists, there is also the “original version” of the game packed in here. I put the quotations because I believe that there might be some things different, which I’m sure the cry-babies in the negative reviews can highlight for you. However, if you want to play something closer to the original 1997/1998 release that is an option.
The story itself, full of betrayal, honor, sacrifice, and political machinations, remains just as gripping today as it was back then. The emotional weight of Ramza’s journey, the betrayals and moral dilemmas, still land hard and make you care deeply about the fates of the characters. The voice acting is pretty excellent and very fitting to the soul of the game. Some occasional cringe not-withstanding.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles feels like a freshly polished antique— familiar enough to satisfy longtime fans, yet refined and accessible enough to win over a new generation. If you care about tactical RPGs, compelling stories, or just want a rich RPG experience, this remake is absolutely worth your time.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Deep Rock Galactic
  
• Original Release: 2020
  
• Genre Tags: FPS; Cooperative Horde Shooter; Round-Based; Character Class Progression Grind; Multiplayer
  
• My Overall Grade: A+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): Not Applicable
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: Primary
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre
  
• Similar To: Killing Floor, Vermintide, Warframe, Left 4 Dead, Payday

As someone who loves FPS-Cooperative-Horde-Shooters, Deep Rock Galactic immediately showed itself to be a top-tier installment in the genre. It is light-hearted, easy to jump into, and extremely noob-friendly. This might be one of the least toxic communities I have ever seen in an online game. Being a PvE game makes that an easy accomplishment, but the camaraderie in DRG is almost unparalleled.

And all of that is probably the most important consideration of a game in this genre. What makes it so great is that anyone can fire it up and get the hang of it quickly, and then hop into pubs and start having fun churning missions and pumping dopamine into your brain as you slowly progress your character-classes and open up the map/levels/weapons/customizations.

The biggest learning curve (at least for me) was getting used to the navigation, especially the vertical aspects. But the general gameplay loop is pretty quick to figure out, and the character-class interactions as well. To help you choose who and what to play, there are “assignment missions” and there are plenty of objectives to track and hunt to give you that sense of pride-and-accomplishment™ we gamers yearn for.

And to tie-in perfectly with the casual attitude of the game, the “Season-Passes” in this game are permanent and switchable at any time. Also they are free. So plenty of customizations and dopamine to chase in those if that is what suits you.

I feel like this game is an easy recommendation to any gamer who likes FPS and multiplayer aspects without toxicity or sweating. Moreover, if you are someone who happens to specifically enjoy this genre of game, then you can rest easy knowing this will be a top-tier addition to your Cooperative Horde Shooter collection.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

The same company that monetizes "achievement showcases" will just go and delete your achievements in the very game they publish? Interesting business model.

So after not even playing CS:GO for years, I come to find that instead of just launching CS:2 with a separate APP ID and letting CS:GO remain in everyone's libraries, they just "changed" the same APP ID and decided to up and remove 150+ achievements that I spend 100+ hours earning.

There are literally dozens of other ways they could have launched CS:2 while carrying over everyone's "inventory" while not totally dismantling the accomplishments people earned in CS:GO.

Instead, whatever genius is running this operation decided the best decision would be to use the same APP ID and just demolish everyone's achievements they had for years.

There is no way anyone with a working brain could think this is a good idea. It has no benefit to either group of people:

People who do care about achievements have now just been absolutely robbed of their memories and will have zero interest in trusting that any time/money spent on any future games on this platform would be worth it, as it has been proven that they will just take it away.

People who don't care about achievements... well: they don't care either way.

The one area that Steam continues to lose out to consoles: Achievements. And now Valve themselves reinforce that Steam is not the gaming platform for achievement hunters.

I don't see why anyone would want to give money to a company that has proven they will take away your things. Achievements cost time, not money-- something more valuable. I am very disappointed.

This game has the worst matchmaking I have ever experienced in 35+ years of life (and gaming).

I play a lot of Multiplayer games which are similar to this and I get wrecked sometimes and do OK sometimes, ya know, like how it should be.

I am old and slow and I like to play games after getting blazed-up and yet almost every game I play in OW2 is against the sweatiest, twitchiest, little 13 year old pro-gamers and I get wrecked while I can't even land a single shot as they bounce around my screen.

Is there really no one else playing this in my skill range that the game can match me against?

Maybe anyone who isn't a sweaty, twitchy pre-teen already quit and that's why matchmaking can't find me a single decent match?

Maybe ranked would be less of a miss-match, but I have to win 50 games in this ♥♥♥♥-show that is "quickplay" to even unlock that mode to even try to play with other bronze trash like myself. Is it worth the investment?

Either way, if you are reading this and wondering if this game is for you, I recommend you try Paladins instead. Its basically like this, but just better. Not a perfect game either, but definitely better than this while being practically the same exact formula with basically the same heroes.

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Bioshock (Remastered)
  
• Original Release: 2007
  
• Genre Tags: FPS; Atmospheric; Action; Story Rich
  
• My Overall Grade: A+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 8-16 hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: None
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre; Aesthetes; Strong narrative advocates; Game atmosphere connoisseurs

Bioshock Remastered is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished in the realm of video games when great design meets great execution. A FPS at its core, and the spiritual successor of the System Shock series, Bioshock is rooted in a strong and established foundation. But it isn’t just any other FPS game that will be mildly fun and then quickly forgotten. It is so much more than that. The fantastic gameworld design, the gripping atmosphere, the mysterious narrative, the idiosyncratic characters, and the uniquely identifying combat system all contribute to propelling this game into the elite caste. It is a legendary masterwork of gaming culture, and I posit: anyone who has yet to experience it would be wise to change that.

With the high quality of all of the aspects of the game, it is difficult to name one as the “best.” But I would have to argue the most defining and inspired aspect is the wondrous and mystical gameworld atmosphere. The captivating atmosphere will grab hold of you from the opening scene and not let go until the ending credits. The world of Rapture is an absolute pleasure to explore and the ominous, dystopian ambiance is splendidly engaging. And it isn’t just the obvious things, but also the little subtleties and minute details that really elevate the gameworld atmosphere to elite status. The attention to detail is outstanding. Bioshock has an undeniably “A+” presentation.

The narrative elements of the game are also exquisite. There is a main storyline that unfolds as you play and there is also a clouded history of lore that slowly becomes clear as you progress the game and discover the collectibles (which provide backstory). This multidirectional storytelling will keep you curious to learn more at all times, adroitly holding your interest as you make your way through the campaign. Moreover, the well-designed character development leads to interesting and idiosyncratic NPCs that are infinitely more intriguing than the usual forgettable clichés. It all amounts to an overall experience that will keep you engaged and entertained.

As for the actual gameplay and combat, it is quite unique and variable. Nevertheless, I will admit that it isn’t necessarily the most riveting combat system around. But, as you are part gunslinger and part spellcaster, you can wreak havoc on your foes in a wide variety of ways. That, and the ability to purchase upgrades for your gear and abilities will keep the combat fresh and interesting throughout a playthrough. Aside from that, there are also many collectibles to search for, there is loot hidden all over, and there are hundreds of interesting little things to look at. There is a lot going on.

The last thing I’ll specifically mention regarding Bioshock is that I believe a large reason as to why it is so well received in the gaming community is because of all of the little things that were done right in allowing the player to decide how he/she wants to play the game. For instance, there is a great autosave/checkpoint system that won’t screw you over if you mess up and there is also an option for unlimited respawns (if you choose to use it). On top of that, you are free to manually save whenever you want. Or you can turn off respawns and never manually save if that’s your preference. Also, there is a large amount of lore, backstory, and narrative elements, but there isn’t hours of forced dialogue or unskippable cutscenes. You are mostly free to choose how much you want to learn or how much you want to plow through the game. This fundamentally open design allows for a wide audience to easily enjoy the game.

Bioshock is a great game. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you would be wise to make time. It will definitely appeal to most gamers, especially fans of FPS games, RPGs, and strong narrative elements.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Warframe
  
• Original Release: 2013
  
• Genre Tags: Looter-Shooter, Horde Slayer, Cooperative, Action
  
• My Overall Grade: A+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 300+ hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: Optional
  
• Recommended To: Everyone

This game has been an on-and-off staple of my (gaming) life for nearly a decade as I write this review. Even after taking month-long and even year-long breaks, I come back to the game and get sucked in all over again...

Warframe makes for excellent looter-shooter action gameplay that is relaxing and rewarding. It is a power-fantasy game and therefore pretty easy in general. The “challenge” aspect of the game comes in the form of surmounting the grind and collecting all the gear to level your Mastery Rank.

The gameplay consists of layers and layers of reward loops that will keep your dopamine flowing as you slaughter hordes of foes and collect dozens of resource types to craft hundreds (and hundreds) of different weapons that you will use to slaughter hordes of foes and collect... Well, you get the idea.

And while one of my favorite things about this game is how you can half-mindlessly grind towards a goal while unwinding after a long day, there’s also some epic storylines and tons of lore to enjoy if you’re in the mood for that as well.

All of the details of this game are well done.

The graphics are very pleasant and the developers have continued to update them over the years to keep the game looking beautiful.

The movement system is fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable. Most other games will feel slow as molasses after switching from Warframe.

All of the different characters/classes (Warframes) can be collected and used on one account, no need for alts. You can switch your Arsenal at any time from mission to mission to keep things interesting and optimized.

The grind can be daunting at times. It is often best to stay clear of the most-brand-newest content’s biggest grinds as they are usually reduced when the next brand-newest content comes out.

One of the best and most intriguing things about Warframe, though, is the economy. You can play Warframe as a free-to-play game and basically do everything the game has to offer without spending a dime. You may just have to spend a lot of time grinding. You can also get a ton of the premium currency without spending any real life Earth dollars.

Platinum is the premium currency and the only way to generate ‘plat’ in the game world is to use money in the real world. However Platinum can be traded among players. Therefore you can amass a lot of 'plat' by grinding for items that other players want to “buy” with their platinum. So you can get a lot of premium currency without spending any actual money (although someone, somewhere, spent money to generate that ‘plat’).

As of the end of 2021, the developers are continuing to update, improve, and expand this glorious game. It is definitely NOT too late to get up into this.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered
  
• Original Release: 2005 (2015 Remastered Steam Version)
  
• Genre Tags: Story-Driven; QTE; Mature; Noir; Adventure; Casual
  
• My Overall Grade: B+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 5-12 hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: None
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre; Nostalgia chasers; Strong narrative advocates; Game atmosphere connoisseurs; Casual gamers

I saw a number of other reviews on the store page mentioning bugs, crashing, and other such technical difficulties. That is unfortunate; however, I didn’t experience any serious issues. Did the game work flawlessly? No. But it certainly worked sufficiently for me to enjoy the experience. Actually, I didn’t experience any problems that affected my enjoyment of the game at all, only insignificant things like the screen resizing a few times on start up. As such, I’m going to review the actual game experience. I’m sure this will bother some people. Oh well.

So I never heard of Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy in the past, so the nostalgic aspect is lost on me personally. But I really enjoyed playing it and the unique identity that it offered. Even though it is an older game, I found it to be a refreshing experience.

Whether or not you’ve played this in the past, I would imagine most fans of story-driven games with QTE action will enjoy the experience. The core gameplay involves moving around your characters and interacting with the environment to unravel a mystery. There is a lot of freedom to discover or ignore certain things, but the core arc of the story can’t be affected. The narrative is pretty interesting and the atmosphere is well developed. It felt like the mid-late game is a bit rushed, but I suppose too much filler would have caused it to grow boring anyway. Regardless, the best part of the narrative is the characters. They have some actual depth, which many game developers still overlook this many years later. And the voice acting is mostly pretty good with very few cringe-worthy parts. If I was going to nitpick then I would point out that a few lines bothered me as a New Yorker because they weren’t natural (like how the cops say “New York Police” all the time and never say “NYPD”). But who likes a nitpicker? Not me.

The “action” boils down to QTE segments that are actually fast paced and can be challenging on the high difficulties. Obviously, it can only be as exciting as QTEs can be (not very); but I would say it’s some of the most exciting QTE action I’ve experienced. No worries though, it is a breeze on easy if you just want to enjoy the story and exploration/investigation aspects. Furthermore, you’ll probably want to play with a controller if you can; I found it significantly more comfortable to execute the QTEs.

My main, and basically only, gripe with the game is the ridiculous camera action. It has one of those weird camera situations where sometimes “right” becomes “left” and “up” becomes “♥♥♥♥ you.” I never understood what value this adds to a game, and I remember hating the old Resident Evil games as a kid for this very reason. Luckily, in Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy, you can quickly reset the camera with one button to make all directions make sense again, but I really wish it wasn’t necessary.

But the real reason to play this game is the sex-scene. Not because “HAHA SEX,” or even because “HAHA VIDEO GAME SEX,” but because they turned the scene into a QTE minigame where you flick the joystick up in rhythm to your pelvic thrusts. And it feels preposterously (and splendidly) out of place in an otherwise serious game. Everyone should experience it.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Grey Cubes
  
• Original Release: 2015
  
• Genre Tags: Casual; Puzzle; Block-Breaker; Simple; Indie
  
• My Overall Grade: A-
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 3 hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: None
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre; Nostalgia chasers; Casual gamers; Puzzle gamers; Arcade gamers

Grey Cubes is a game that delivers exactly what it is meant to. It is a casual experience that is truly casual; unlike the myriad of indie games that appear “casual” only to reveal themselves to be frustrating due to poor design/mechanics. If you are looking for something relaxing to play after a long day, you’ll find that here. The only down side being that it isn’t a very long game; there are only 60 total levels. But it is very reasonably priced and there is good replay value.

I grew up playing block-breaker games in the early 90s at the local pub. While my parents had their after-dinner drinks, I would pump quarters into the little touch-screen machine at the corner of the bar. So when I saw Grey Cubes for less loose change than I had in my pocket, I had to pick it up. And I’m glad I did.

Grey Cubes is a very simple and enjoyable modern imagining of the block-breaker genre. It offers a nice blend of nostalgic charm and simple, relaxing gameplay. It is an excellent game to zone out to when you just need to unwind for a bit. But the best feature of Grey Cubes is how it remains pleasantly minimalist and simple while offering a nice array of unique and individualized takes on the long established genre.

It is also worth noting that the soundtrack is highly enjoyable and works perfectly to encapsulate the feel of the game. This soundscape helps create a very relaxing and “Zen” atmosphere that is easy to zone out to. If music is an important part of your relaxing game choices, you should be pleased with what you find here.

Lastly, just be sure to note that Grey Cubes is a very short and minimal game. It won’t appeal to everyone; especially “hardcore” gamers. But if you like having a go-to-list of simple, relaxing games for those days you’re too tired to play something mentally taxing, then you should consider this strongly as a candidate.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Ryse: Son of Rome
  
• Original Release: 2014
  
• Genre Tags: Cinematic; Story-Driven; Aesthetic; Atmospheric; QTE Action; Sword & Sandal Violence; Cooperative Multiplayer
  
• My Overall Grade: A
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 7-12 hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: Auxiliary
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Aesthetes; Strong narrative advocates; Game atmosphere enthusiasts; Fans of cinematic gaming; Action gamers

The campaign of Ryse: Son of Rome is very story-driven. And, as with many of the modern, graphics-intense, high-budget games these days, it is very cinematic. There are many cutscenes before, after, and during every level. This cinematic experience is arguably the main aspect of the game, even taking the lead over gameplay. So if you’re someone who clicks through cutscenes, you would be missing out on a major aspect of the game. But if you enjoy gaming experiences that are aesthetic and movielike, this is a great choice for you.

As someone who is a huge fan of cinematic games, the first thing that jumped out at me while playing this was how noticeably intricate the facial expressions were during the cutscenes. The advanced animations bring the immersive experience to a much higher level and really allow you to empathize with characters’ emotions at a level you would normally find only in film. This feature greatly elevates the overall quality of the cinematic experience, and allows the game to find a unique identity through its characters.

The stunning graphics and effects also contribute to elevate the quality of the cinematic experience, and allow for an awesome visual experience during live gameplay. The bloody, gore-filled animations during combat will satisfy anyone’s desire for graphic sword-and-sandal violence. And the various gorgeous landscapes provide ambient, vivid, and diverse settings for the different levels to create an enjoyable atmospheric experience while you traverse through the campaign.

The narrative is decently interesting, well-written and well-acted. The story itself is admittedly pretty cliché with the Roman warrior tropes and it was extremely easy to see the “twists” coming. Nonetheless, I found many individual scenes throughout the campaign to be extremely well done. Overall, it is an enjoyable narrative experience and most fans of the genre should find it easy to appreciate the story in Ryse.

And the actual gameplay is pretty fun, especially at first, but it does get repetitive eventually. A lot of it has to do with timing, and patience; you’ll often be outnumbered, so you’ll want to defend-and-counter most of the time. After a few well-timed hits on an enemy, you will able to finish him off with a QTE execution. That is more or less the total depth of the combat; so while pretty entertaining, you can see how it could have benefitted from a little more complexity. Nevertheless, the spectacular animations and intricate execution sequences are pretty sweet to witness. Ultimately the combat is very fitting with the cinematic soul of the game.

Ancillary to the campaign, there is “Gladiator Mode”. You can play some maps solo, but it is really designed with multiplayer in mind. Luckily, the multiplayer mode in Ryse only requires 2 people to play, so you only need to find one person to join you. You and your partner work in concert to complete objectives or survive a horde mode for as long as possible. It is actually pretty fun. So, this is one of the rare cases where the multiplayer mode adds some significant value to an otherwise singleplayer focused game.

So Ryse is a really good game, but it definitely fills a niche. It has a lot going for it if you are into cinematic, visually intense games with reactionary combat. But if you hate cutscenes and like fast paced slasher gameplay, you will likely be disappointed. If you are the former, then this is definitely worth your consideration.

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!