Metro Exodus Review

By: Logan Manfredi on PC

Overview
       From the outside looking in Metro Exodus may seem like just another triple-A game, hidden within it though maybe some of the best character design I've seen this generation. The game world isn't exactly what I would call open, but it allows for an ample amount of exploration. The lack of size of the world makes every stop between main quests completely worth it. Each location on the map offers insight into the lore of Metro, and there's a massive number of NPCs each with unique motivations and shockingly detailed design. The main cast of characters are voiced excellently, and I found myself almost caring for them like my own family. All these hyper-detailed characters make it possible for some intense moments that I did not see coming. Going in, I assumed shooting things would be the focus of the big-budget shooter, and man was I wrong. The beauty of Metros design is that it creates incredibly human moments, moments that often invoked the post-apocalyptic debate of survival VS retaining one's humanity. Artoyms' (the players' character) decisions have lasting effects on the newly developing post-war world. I often found myself reloading checkpoints so that I could handle a conflict nonviolently. Such efforts were rewarded in new cutscenes or chunks of dialogue that would offer insight into how your actions affected different groups in the world. The gunplay is on par with most modern shooters, but with a haunting level of realism that made me question using lethal levels of force. 

Minimal HUD

        Health bars and other HUD elements are non-existent and instead replaced with a compass and hyper-realistic bullet damage. If an enemy spots you in the open, you will rarely survive. Most guns are a one shit kill, and all are with the proper aim. Another notable mechanic is the enemy A.I. In Metro, enemies don't just try and shoot you from cover or rush at you as soon as they spawn. Instead, the enemies react to how you form your attack. Some even have unique voice lines that tell were they or looking or what they think is happening. Their intelligence goes as far as to show self-preservation in enemies. From giant cat monsters to the many different bandit tribes, specific shared characteristics are present. Killing multiple enemies causes a direct reaction that can range from surrendering to charging in to attack in a rage, or even just panicking and running out of fear. These many nuanced details mesh together perfectly to deliver an experience that feels like a step forward in terms of storytelling in games.

The details
        The level of immersion present makes it easy to forget you're playing a video game. Almost every location and character are fully fleshed out. All NPC's have a purpose, something they are working towards. Each is entirely free of such video-gamey tropes as repeating voice lines or standing aimlessly doing nothing waiting for the player to progress. The environments themselves have as much to do with the worldbuilding as the NPCs living in it. Each zone is drastically different from the prior and offers new and unique looks as to how that region has adjusted to life after the war.

The Caspian Sea

 From the frozen wastelands of Moscow to the scorching deserts of the Caspian Sea. Each location has its own unique population, climate and day/night cycles that all interact simultaneously to immerse the player further in the game. From the second level, the player has the option to continue at night or during the day. Each option offers a different experience in the same local, and individual objectives are easier or harder to tackle depending on the time of day. The differences of day versus night can vary wildly. During the day, other humans in the world are awake and going about their daily tasks; this leads to more interactions with NPC's, violent or not. The night is a different beast in that there are far fewer humans to deal with and sneaking into locations is much easier, but the mutated beasts of the wasteland are everywhere. This freedom in decision making doesn't have significant effects on the story of the game but offers variances in gameplay that feels refreshing. These decisions helped make me feel more connected to the main character as a player.

Caspian Sea Night 

My favorite thing

        The thing that made me fall in love with this game was the world itself and the characters in it.  For the first time in my long gaming career, I wanted to complete every side quest. I found my self doing quests not just to "level up" but because I cared for the characters and wanted to spend as much time with the game world as I could. Side quests differ from other games in that they are not just icons on the map, but instead, they're personal requests made by your companions. The rewards for these quests in place of items are cut scenes or optional dialogue with the character you helped. What blew me away was the gargantuan amount of detail that's present in these scenes that only a small percentage of players might see.  Often, I found myself waiting for the dialogue to end and the NPC to stand there and wait, but that moment never came. Every chance I had, I would listen, sometimes for fifteen minutes or more, and there would still be new non-repeating voice lines. Each extra scene I experienced not only added another layer to the story but also made me feel that much more connected to my companions. I was and still, am shocked at the sheer amount of time the dev team and voice actors must have spent in the studio. Smaller details like the way you pass items to other characters or the fact that your radio can be heard by enemies when sneaking around may seem insignificant. Truthfully though there are so many of them that work together perfectly that they give the game a level of polish I've rarely seen. Often, I found myself trying wild things like shooting lanterns to set enemies on fire and being surprised by it working. 

In the end
        Saying Metro shocked me would be putting it mildly; in the end, the game was beyond a pleasant surprise to play. The level of detail and polish present is near impossible to capture in a trailer. Although I was skeptical if I would finish the game before starting it, 5 minutes in and I knew I was hooked. The lack of HUD elements and incredibly real-feeling characters make it one of the most immersive games I've played this year. Vibrant and passionate performances from the voice cast make every scene a joy to watch. The numerous optional dialogues offer as much insight into the game world as any player could ask for and, graphically speaking Metro looks as good as any game this generation. The addition of Metro to Xbox Gamepass is massive and if you have and Xbox or pc capable of playing it, there is no reason to skip this game. I would consider it a hidden gem of this generation and recommend it to anyone. I give Metro Exodus 4.5 out of 5 Snails.

Here's a bonus montage video I made of some of my favorite moments from the game with a song from a side quest. 

Danger Crew Review

 By Logan Manfredi on PC

Overview
        Danger Crew is precisely the type of game I had in mind when I started this website. A passionate work of art that clearly encapsulates the developers love for games. Every moment in the game has a tremendous amount of care put into it, and it shows. I wanted more of it as soon as I was done. Danger Crew is a turn-based RPG set in the fast-paced world of computer programming. The developers have no problem poking fun at themselves and other devs, and the result is a hilarious experience full of witty one-liners and a vibrant environment worth exploring. 

As far as RPG elements go the story and combat stood out the most to me.  Combat feels great and is extremely polished. There is a multitude of attacks and abilities that take the form of "Scripts" each with their own name and effect that relate back to the "development" theme. The story, while somewhat short, is jam-packed with content. Side quests flow effortlessly into the main narrative and offer a more in-depth look into the characters and game world. Every NPC has something to say, and most provide helpful information for completing quests. The map is full of places to explore and items that can significantly change the course of combat. The level design has a flow to it that encourages the player to see what happens next. I could easily see players tackling Danger Crew in one or a few long gaming sessions.

The details
        Players will create their own character at the start of the game and have eight different appearances to choose from. Each is quite different from the rest and allows for players to pick an avatar that feels like them.

As the new guy at the job, it's your goal to prove yourself to your coworkers by completing tasks around the office. These tasks can range from finding items scattered in the building, to participating in hack battles. Hack battles are how Danger Crew handles combat. When two developers in the game decide to do battle, they will whip out their laptops and get to coding. Attacks and abilities take the form of "Scripts" and items such as Battery packs, and Password resets replace the standard potions or antidotes found in most RPGs. These small changes work together with the theme of the game to create a level of immersion I wasn't expecting in a 2d game. The art style reminded me of a Pokémon game crossed with Funko pop, and I loved it. While Danger Crew is more retro graphically speaking the animations and level design are clean and as modern as can be. The music, complete with accompanying battle sounds reminded me of the golden days of Gameboy Advanced. The sounds are simple enough to convey what's going on without being so basic they drive you insane like some other retro-styled games. By the 4th or 5th battle, I started humming the victory music every time it was played, and I really want it as my ringtone now.   

That good music.

My favorite thing
        My favorite thing about the game is the depth of combat. Numerous different Scripts, upgrades, and items flow together and add levels to the gameplay. At first, I was able to dispatch of enemies quickly, but as my character grew more powerful, so did the NPC's. The pacing is perfect, the rate at which difficulty increases allows the player to learn as much as possible before they meet a challenge. This creates a super rewarding feeling later in the game and a level of difficulty that I enjoyed. After some time, players will be joined by companions they can also create and customize. The addition of teammates in combat busts the game wide open. Battles go from 1v1 to 3v3, and the enemies take a significant step up in terms of difficulty. There is a wide range of status effects in the game, such as "Lagged out," "Deadline," or "Hacked" each with the ability to drastically change the course of a battle. My favorite being Deadline because it gives the affected player an extra turn in combat. I would use the ability on a player who could also use Deadline and be able to have my whole team taking two turns by the second round of combat.

 I'll admit when I first figured this out, I felt unstoppable. That was until I ran into an enemy with the ability "Scope Stab," a Script that does critical damage to players affected by Deadline. That's when I saw just how detailed the combat is. To complete the game, I needed more than just that one combination of abilities. Boss fights pushed the combat even further and showed just how in-depth battles could be. With each new boss came the exciting challenge of finding a new build of abilities that will succeed. 

Puzzle elements help to fill out the game world

In the end
        Danger crew is fun, the combat feels great, and the story and characters are as charming as can be. The campaign will probably take you less than 10 hours to complete, and honestly, the only thing I'd change with the game is the length. The combat is designed with such depth and care that I could easily see it having more endgame content in the future. In fact, Danger Crew has already been updated with more battles. These updates feature such bosses as the Hacker King and even a showdown with the developers themselves. The passion of the developers is present everywhere in the game, and I know I'll be coming back to play Danger Crew again with each new update. If you have ever studied web development, the game will make you laugh out loud, and for me personally, I found the game incredibly inspiring. On sale on Steam until the 5th of August, there is no reason to skip this game. Any fan of classic RPG's will love it, and Danger Crew is the perfect weekend game to finish in a couple longer gaming sessions.

 I give Danger Crew 4.5 out of 5 Snails!