Lucas Gordon

This game is such a hidden gem. It is hard to believe this game has such a small following. Don't let the small number of Steam reviews deter you. Above all else, this game is one of those games that just feels *special.* This game has a fantastic, otherworldly, surreal vibe that persists throughout. Everything feels incredibly personal and unique (as it should, with a dev team of 2). It subverts expectations multiple times in fun ways that had me stop to reflect after completing a segment to reflect on how cool it was. It's not without some issues here and there, but the way this game constantly made me wonder what new set piece, story beat, mechanic, and surprise was to come next completely outshines those issues. Absolutely worth the entry price. You do not need to play the first one to play this. There are some thematic connections and a tiny bit of optional lore related to the first game, but this game is completely enjoyable as a standalone title. While not as good, the first game is also great. However, unlike its sequel, it takes a bit to get going. You can play them in whatever order you want, though if you're cautious about whether you'll enjoy it, I'd play this one first. I eagerly await returning to this game in maybe half a decade when I forget enough for the game to feel nearly new. I wish I could play it again for the first time so that I could experience some of those great subversions without any prior knowledge; those are the many parts that are unforgettable. I'd say it's more objectively an 4/5 with many moments that are a true, perfect 5/5, if that makes any sense.

Overhyped, incredibly empty feeling repetitive world. It peaked at the tutorial area and was pretty much all downhill after. Very unfortunate because that first area was really fun, but then after that, nothing evolved. There's very little reason to actually explore. Outside of the main quest and a couple of standouts, the locales aren't very varied; there are very few types of enemies, most of which don't require you to engage them differently; the points of interest blend together into monotony, and the shrines are a mixed bag. Most of the sidequests suck. The tangible rewards you get for exploring quickly stop being interesting. I played for over 150 hours, and it took me that long to realize I hadn't been having sustained fun since the 30-hour mark, which is why I think so many reviews are glowing because those first 30 hours were truly magical. DLC feels like they took content out of the game just to feed it back to you at a price, and even still doesn't make the game not feel empty. If the game were just smaller but more consistently good, it would be absolutely amazing, but for me, this is a 6.5/10. Not an IGN 6.5/10, an actual 6.5/10 where 5 is exactly average.