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What are the best games where dialog choices heavily affects the gameplay?

21

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Considered

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May 23, 2023

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21 Games Considered

Best games where dialog choices heavily affects the gameplay	Price	Genre	Platforms
-- Mass Effect	$19.99	Action Role-Playing, Third-Person Shooter	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows
-- Mass Effect 2	$19.99	Action Role-Playing, Third-Person Shooter	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows
-- Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines	$19.99	-	-
-- Life is Strange: Before the Storm	$16.99	Adventure, Narrative	Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
-- Planescape: Torment	$19.99	-	-

Mass Effect

Top Pro

Calm and thoughtful atmosphere

There's something calming about Mass Effect's atmosphere that really gives you the space to think and reflect. Exploring places like the indoor trade port Noveria feels special because of the cool blue color scheme, the blizzard blowing outside the full pane windows, and the ambient, yet quietly emotional synth music looping in the background. Even the title screen has a thoughtful song playing over the beautiful sight of Earth from orbit. The atmosphere is wonderful in a way that's almost nostalgic, making you feel right at home each time you start up the game. See More

Top Con

Vehicle controls with the Mako are absolutely terrible

Driving around on planets to get from place to place in the Mako is awful. Controls aren't as responsive as they should be and the vehicle's physics are all over the place. Just trying to make basic turns is bad enough; roving up a rocky mountain, for example, makes the Mako bounce and spin around like it's in zero gravity. These driving parts are mandatory and unskippable, so there's no way around them. It's so bad that the developers got rid of the Mako in Mass Effect 2 and 3, but you unfortunately still have to deal with it here. See More

Specs

Genre:Action Role-Playing, Third-Person Shooter

Top Pro

Your choices have true consequences on the story

Your choices have direct consequences on how the story plays out, not only in this game but also across the rest of the Mass Effect trilogy. You get to choose between options like sparing or killing off an entire race of potentially dangerous enemies, saving or sacrificing one of your own squad members to finish an operation, and dealing with an enraged teammate who feels betrayed by your actions. How you handle certain side objectives during story missions can also have an impact on how the galaxy at large reacts to you. Each of your decisions, big and small, carry over through your save files to Mass Effect 2 and 3, opening things up for many different playthroughs to see how things turn out with other choices. See More

Top Con

Clunky third-person shooting combat

The third-person shooting part of Mass Effect isn't that fun because of how janky it is. Your character gets glued to cover whenever you're close to a wall instead of letting you press a button to enter cover whenever you want. The actual shooting mechanics are slow and heavy, and with guns that overheat if you keep firing them for too long. Suicidal squadmates run around getting killed unless you remember to keep directing them to hide behind cover everywhere you go. The combat is just unsatisfying, clearly taking a backseat to the game's story and characters. See More

Top Pro

Memorable cast of authentic characters

Mass Effect has an amazing cast of both human and alien characters who feel like real people. While just about any NPC you meet is fantastic, your squad members are the ones that stand out the most. They all have backstories and traits that are believable and natural. Ashley is a human soldier who joins your team early on. As you chat with her in between missions, you get to learn about her history with her family and religious faith back on Earth. But then as you explore the Citadel, the game's main hub area, she makes snide comments about all the aliens around, keying you in on her true feelings about non-humans. By contrast, your scientist team member Liara is an asari: Mass Effect's species of blue female-only aliens. Despite being reserved and shy, Liara often jumps at the chance to gush about her research. Talking to her gives you the chance to learn more about the asari and why exactly she's so devoted to her academic studies. Getting to know everyone through dialogue and squad banter is a lot of fun, making it easy to grow attached to your favorite characters. See More

Top Con

Tedious inventory management

The game overloads your inventory with weapon upgrades, modifiers, equipment, and all sorts of duplicates of those items. Clearing out your inventory can take several minutes at a time since there's no quick way to select the things you don't want and get rid of them. If you're diligent enough to trek to a store to sell things off every single time you're low on inventory space, you can make quite a bit of money, but it's not always convenient to do this, like when you're out in the middle of a remote planet. It takes a lot of patience to not get annoyed with managing all of your items and components. See More

Top Pro

You can customize your protagonist Commander Shepard

There are lots of ways to make Commander Shepard feel like your own character. The character creator at the start of a new game lets you change all sorts of options, from your hair, to your skin color, the shape of your nose, mouth, and ears, and so much more. Or, if you prefer, you can simply stick with the default male or female Shepard. You also get to pick which class you want to be for combat: soldier, infiltrator, vanguard, adept, or sentinel, each with their own unique abilities, like the adept's helpful "magic spells" and the infiltrator's specialty with sniper rifles. You can role-play as Shepard however you want, with plenty of options to customize your looks and your combat specialties for whichever role suits you the most. See More

Top Pro

Good romance subplots

The romance subplots in Mass Effect are great. Playing as male Shepard, you can romance either Liara or Ashley, while female Shepard can romance Liara or Kaidan, your human male squadmate. There are certain consequences for being unfaithful where your partner will confront you or the person you're cheating with in a heated showdown. Sticking with one person for the whole game rewards you with a romantic scene near the end of the story. A lot of care and attention went into these subplots, giving you the chance to see each of the characters in a new light. See More

Mass Effect 2

Top Pro

Your choices have true consequences on the story

Your choices have direct consequences on how the story plays out, not only in this game but also across the rest of the Mass Effect trilogy. In Mass Effect 2, you get to choose between options like keeping or destroying inhumane scientific research that could help an entire galactic race, or exposing the dark truth about a squadmates' family for the greater good or keeping it hidden. Who you bring along for the final mission and how you lead your team has a huge impact on the ending. Each of your decisions, big and small, carry over into Mass Effect 3, opening things up for many different playthroughs to see how things turn out with other choices. See More

Top Con

The main enemies, the Collectors, feel misplaced in the trilogy

The Mass Effect trilogy's story is about stopping the Reapers -- ancient, unknowable beings who destroy all life -- but this gets interrupted in Mass Effect 2 by the Collectors who are more like minions of the Reapers. The Collectors are dangerous because they harvest humans, though this is not as important as the Reapers who seek to end all life in the galaxy in Mass Effect 3. It would have made sense for Mass Effect 2 to focus on the Reapers instead of the Collectors, since they're more of a secondary problem. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mixed

Genre:Action Role-Playing, Third-Person Shooter

Top Pro

Improved third-person shooting combat from the first game

The combat in Mass Effect 2 is much better than its predecessor in every way possible. You can enter cover and vault over it whenever you want this time around instead of your body magnetically sticking to whichever surface you stand next to. Guns use expendable thermal clips, which are like bullet clips, meaning you're no longer held back by your weapons overheating if you fire them too much. They also feel more satisfying to shoot with a real kick to them, especially the meatier shotguns and sniper rifles. Your squadmates are smarter this time around, like how you can order them to use their own abilities to chain them with yours for cool bonuses like melting armor with fire powers. The combat is actually fun in Mass Effect 2 and stands on its own next to the great story and characters. See More

Top Con

Levels are very linear

Mass Effect 2's levels are more like winding corridors with the occasional wide open space here and there. You always have a clear sense of where to go next, but there isn't much room for exploration. It's also obvious when enemies are about to show up, since you'll come to a place with a bunch of chest-high walls conveniently spread around the area for you to take cover behind. It's unimaginative, making missions feel like you're only going from point A to B. See More

Top Pro

Good romance subplots

The romance subplots in Mass Effect 2 are great. Playing as male Shepard, you can romance most of your female squadmates, while female Shepard can romance most of the male squadmates. If you romanced someone in the first Mass Effect, then that story continues here in Mass Effect 2. There are certain consequences for being unfaithful where your partner will confront you or the person you're cheating with in a heated showdown. Sticking with one person for the whole game rewards you with a romantic scene near the end of the story. A lot of care and attention went into these subplots, giving you the chance to see each of the characters in a new light. See More

Top Pro

You can customize your protagonist Commander Shepard

There are lots of ways to make Commander Shepard feel like your own character. The character creator at the start of a new game lets you change all sorts of options, from your hair, to your skin color, the shape of your nose, mouth, and ears, and so much more. Or, if you prefer, you can simply stick with the default male or female Shepard. You also get to pick which class you want to be for combat: soldier, infiltrator, vanguard, adept, or sentinel, each with their own unique abilities, like the adept's helpful "magic spells" and the infiltrator's specialty with sniper rifles. You can role-play as Shepard however you want, with plenty of options to customize your looks and your combat specialties for whichever role suits you the most. See More

Top Pro

Memorable cast of authentic characters

Mass Effect 2 has an amazing cast of both human and alien characters who feel like real people. While just about any NPC you meet is fantastic, your squad members are the ones that stand out the most. You have about ten squadmates to choose from, not including DLC characters. They all have backstories and traits that are believable and natural. Their personalities shine through the most during their optional loyalty missions where you help them complete certain personal tasks separate from the main story. One of your human squadmates, Miranda, is cold and intimidating at first, since she distrusts you for her own reasons. Her loyalty mission is unexpectedly emotional, showing Miranda as more flawed and caring than she lets on. There's also Garrus, one of your returning squadmates from the first Mass Effect. He's a turian that looks somewhat bird-like in design, but his easygoing personality is very cool, making him feel relatable and reliable. His loyalty mission shows his darker side as you help him tie up loose ends from his past. Getting to know everyone through dialogue and squad banter is a lot of fun, making it easy to grow attached to your favorite characters. See More

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

Top Con

Has to be modded heavily, otherwise buggy

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Top Pro

Chloe is more likable this time

In the first Life is Strange, many players complained that Chloe was insufferable and selfish as Max's best friend, complaining in order to have more of her time when she might not have deserved it. This time around, watching the events of Before the Storm unfold from Chloe's eyes is enjoyable, largely thanks to how easygoing she is with Rachel--for the most part--and how far she's willing to go to sacrifice for her throughout the plot. Chloe makes dorky jokes that don't always land and back-talks school staff at Blackwell Academy with harmless ease, making her a much warmer, sillier character compared to her prickly, temperamental self in Max's adventure. See More

Top Con

Limited exploration

With much of the focus on the storytelling, it's still unfortunate that Chloe can't leave the designated story areas without turning around and repeating the same line about how she's supposed to focus on her objective. The limited areas to walk around in are understandable, yet disappointing, with missed opportunities for Chloe to walk down the street from her home and see what her neighbors are up to, or for her and Rachel to hang out in more places around Arcadia Bay together. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Adventure, Narrative

Top Pro

Improved writing over the first game

The original Life is Strange suffered from some instances of awkward lines that sounded like a middle-aged adult trying to emulate how teenagers speak; thankfully, Before the Storm has a much clearer, down-to-earth script that helps the characters sound more authentic and real. Rachel's use of "hella" is more amusing this time around, as it gives context as to why Chloe picked up on it and used it frequently in the first game. Overall, each of the characters in the game are more well-rounded across the three episodes thanks to the smooth writing. See More

Top Con

Third episode falls flat in some areas

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an all-around stand-out title, with the first and second episodes building up to an impactful third installment that feels lacking in certain aspects. Without getting into spoilers, there are a few plot holes that aren't wrapped up by the end, and much of the tension in the episode falls flat because of these glaring holes that none of the characters bother to address. See More

Top Pro

Great soundtrack

Daughter, the indie folk band from England, worked on the tracks for Before the Storm, pulling together many of the game's great moments with thoughtful acoustic tunes and moody piano tracks. The more upbeat, hopeful tracks fit in incredibly well with Chloe's adventurous scenes with Rachel, giving a sense of wonder as the two explore Arcadia Bay together. One song in particular, 'All I Wanted', is a memorable, catchy folk track that captures the feeling of Chloe and Rachel supporting one another through their struggles, which is what Life is Strange: Before the Storm is all about. See More

Top Pro

Choices have consequences

Much like in the first game, Before the Storm features several choices throughout the game that have an impact on future plot points across the three episodes. How these choices end up impacting the ending are debatable, but there are still a myriad of choices that change the outcome of a single playthrough, such as Chloe's decision to handle certain sums of money, or whether or not she's willing to accept her mother's unlikable new boyfriend. Chloe and Rachel's interactions can also be limited to friendship or expanded into a romantic relationship through player choice. See More

Planescape: Torment

Top Pro

Dialogue choices that affect you without even touching lines of code, which affects how you play

Top Con

The game slows down after you leave the first dungeon

It also takes some exploring to find the next plot thread. See More

IndependentApoLaki's Experience

Waaay ahead of its time in this regard. Or is everything else after this game simply failing to live up to the bar that it set? You don't feel like you're watching some protagonist make these choices in the 3rd person -- you feel like you're making them yourself. The dialogue options in many instances are... frightening, in a soul-searching, gut-wrenching way. The evil options are not evil because they are "kill 'em all, ha ha ha" like many RPG's handle them. They are evil because they are cruel, dark, pragmatic, and believable. Many times you are posed a question with dozens of responses, and the answer does not affect a single line of code... but the answer is your answer, and it will affect how you think, and thus how you play the rest of the game. That is true power in storytelling. See More

Top Pro

A dark, engaging setting

Planetscape: Torment has a dark setting where zombies and scary creatures are the focus, making for a game that is themed to be more scary over a traditional fantasy game. So for those interested in a darker themed fantasy setting this should appeal to their interests. See More

Top Con

Traditional fantasy fans may find the game daunting or too dark

Unlike most CRPG games the fantasy setting is not very Tolkeinesque, there are no dwarves or elves to be seen. All of the traditional fantasy tropes will not be found here as the game focuses on a much darker setting with undead and other scarier creatures. This may not be intriguing to some and too dark a game for those that normally enjoy the CRPG genre. See More

Top Pro

Spiritual precursor of Torment: Tides of Numenera

inXile Entertainment said they were going to make a spiritual successor of Planescape: Torment called Torment: Tides of Numenera through kickstarter, it actually beat the record for hitting the $1 million mark at the time of the kickstarter which had a kickstarter goal of $900k that was planned for a month. The goal was hit in 6 hours. Total, Tides of Numenera has hit almost $5 million, more than 5 times than the original goal, and hit their goal in just six hours. This easy backing shows just how popular Planetscape: Torment was and still is. See More

Heavy Rain

Top Pro

Great soundtrack that hits the right emotional notes

Heavy Rain's soundtrack fits well with the game's dramatic and emotional plot. The quiet, sorrowful piano songs reflect some of the characters' moments of loss. Other, more powerful tracks with blaring brass instruments compliment the action-heavy moments. The thoughtful, slow-moving pieces set the tone for all the mystery surrounding the Origami Killer and how careful everyone has to be while investigating them. The composer Normand Corbeil hit the right tone for any given scene, making the story even more memorable. See More

Top Con

The multiple endings aren't all that different

Despite the amount of multiple endings, none of them fundamentally change the outcome of the story. They are mostly some type of fail state where you don't figure out who the Origami Killer is, or where you do figure out who it is but you don't manage to stop them. There is also a happy ending where everything works out, but it just seems like there should have been more types of endings, considering the sheer amount of decisions you get to make across the story. See More

Specs

Genre:Interactive Narrative, Action-Adventure

Top Pro

Your choices have a big impact on the murder mystery story

Each choice you make, no matter how small, affects how the story plays out in some way. There are the bigger decisions, like pressing a QTE in time to keep your character from dying, or making the right dialog choices during encounters with the game's mysterious Origami Killer in order to outsmart them. But there are also smaller decisions, like taking care of a pet or choosing to spend time with one of the character's sons, and the unexpected ways these choices get taken into account down the line. The best part is that everything leads up to multiple endings depending on which path your choices take you. See More

Top Con

The harder difficulties are more frustrating than challenging

Increasing the difficulty in Heavy Rain is supposed to give you a harder experience, but it only ends up being more frustrating than anything. All it does is increase the difficulty of the QTE sequences, like during action scenes, by making them more convoluted. They essentially force you to move your hands in unnatural and uncomfortable ways to reach all of the buttons. During tense moments where you have to react quickly, this might end up making you rage if you miss the correct inputs. It's a bad design decision. See More

Top Pro

Each character you play as has their own believable history

All four playable characters have believable backstories and motivations. You initially play as a father trying to keep his family together after a great loss, and then a private investigator working to find clues about the game's Origami Killer, a cop struggling with a drug addiction while on the job, and finally a journalist dealing with insomnia while chasing after leads for stories. Everyone, if kept alive by the player, ends up meeting each other in some form as their individual stories intertwine throughout the plot. It's a realistic and grounded approach that still manages to provide plenty of twists and turns as you learn more about the characters. See More

Top Pro

Plenty of tense and exciting action moments

Even though the game is like an interactive movie, there are still some action scenes with more involved gameplay. There are moments where you're attacked by an antagonist and have to escape, or you have to navigate a dangerous road, or your senses are impaired and you have to try to keep yourself together in a pinch. You then have to press buttons in time or navigate your analog sticks in certain ways to stay in control of the scene. The game does rely a lot on button presses with QTEs to keep you involved in the gameplay, but as long as you feel engrossed in the game and the overall plot, you probably won't mind too much. See More

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition

Top Pro

Three new playable characters

A mage a monk and a half orc are the three new playable characters in the game which also have expanded stories over the original characters. See More

Top Con

New missions are buggy

Bugs do appear in the new missions which can easily be solved by reloading the game, but still is quite an annoyance to do so. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Pro

Enhanced resolution support with new zoom ability

The enhanced edition now supports any resolution one may have on their PC as well as has a new addition of being able to zoom in and out, making it much easier to see what is going on in the game. See More

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Top Pro

Unique blend of different gameplay concepts

Filled with heated debates, character bonding and relationships, whodunit murder mysteries, along with mini-games and dungeon-crawling, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is a blend of ideas and mechanics that manage to work as an unexpected, yet cohesive package. This is a game that sounds impossible on paper, but everything fits together as a package surprisingly well. See More

Top Con

Polarizing ending

Love it or hate it, the ending is undoubtedly polarizing, with some fans enjoying the conclusion to the game's many twists and turns, with others left feeling disappointed or annoyed. Your experience will vary, so be prepared to fall on either end of the spectrum once you reach the end of your 30+ hour series of investigations. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mostly Positive

Genre:Adventure, Visual Novel

Top Pro

Great music

DRV3's soundtrack encompasses many genres, allowing you to enjoy a wide variety of instruments, which includes guitars, drums, brass instruments, synths and many others. The end result is a gritty, futuristic soundtrack with punchy, energetic songs that make the proceedings feel action-packed while also making key story moments memorable. See More

Top Con

Questionable mid-story pacing

Unfortunately, things begin to drag on toward the middle of the story, where the plot begins to feel tedious and repetitive. These crimes in the middle are more tedious and repetitive than anything, lacking the finesse and enjoyment of other parts of the game. See More

Top Pro

Eccentric cast of characters

The sixteen main characters in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony are all at the "ultimate" level of their specialties, such as the ultimate detective, the ultimate tennis-player-turned-convict, the ultimate artist, and many more. Their personalities shine through during debates as they argue their points of view, some with no shortage of pointed vulgarities, with other outright lying in order to keep the player on-edge. The localization's many pop culture references to "alternative facts" and misinformation campaigns helps the characters feel relevant and real. See More

Top Pro

Quirky storytelling

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is a mish-mash of a visual novel, an adventure game, a colorful cast of anime characters like talking bears with varied creepy designs and a host of high school characters solving a murder mystery, all packed together as a competition of wits to investigate each crime scene and figure out what happened. Getting fellow classmates to believe the player's version of events involves stylish debates with text flying across the screen, where the other characters can be swayed by the correct answers or timely lies that risk the chance of perjury. See More

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition

Top Pro

Online and LAN co-op

Users can connect over LAN or TCP/IP for up to 6 player co-op. See More

Top Con

Modded original can offer better experience

Depending on if one want to go through the trouble, but modding the original game can offer a better experience over this enhanced edition. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Top Pro

New NPCs to choose from

There are two or three new NPCs your PC encounters, and can add one or more to your adventuring party. See More

Top Pro

Plays like original with more portraits available for PCs and the Black Pits arena combat module

Plays just like the original game with the same hidden treasures. When creating PCs, you have more available portraits to choose from. Black Pits Arena combat module is awesome, but gets really deadly in the later rounds. See More

Undertale

Top Pro

Your choices lead you down different story paths

Depending on your choices, your playthrough can change in drastic ways. If you don't want to kill enemies in battle, you can choose to have a dialog with them instead. Doing this consistently is basically a pacifist playthrough where you don't kill anyone, and characters respond to you in certain ways based on that. Or you can go for a genocide playthrough, which is basically what it sounds like, where you kill everyone you come across whenever you get the chance. This can have serious consequences, since the game does its best to make you feel bad about this approach, by having certain characters hate you. It's an interesting way to get to see the world and story from different angles. See More

Top Con

Replaying can be a chore

The first time going through the game it's a nice experience, especially when you know nothing about the characters, story, mechanics, etc.. By your next playthrough, you already know all the jokes and plot points. Even when taking a new route, it can take a while for you to notice anything different from one playthrough to the next, making things feel like a drag. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre:Role-Playing

Co-Op:Single Player

Top Pro

Amazing characters

The characters in the game are written well, each with their own unique personalities. Some may be too shy, and will lower their hit points when you attack them in battle, just to avoid offending you. Others are deeply caring and do their best to help and protect their friends and family, including you as the player. Many of the characters are quite funny in their dialog and the unexpected choices they make throughout the story, including the ways they react to your choices. Almost every character is incredibly memorable and enjoyable to get to know better. See More

Top Pro

Incredible soundtrack

Just like the simple but pleasant graphics in the game, the music matches this with a retro-sounding score that fits right in with the art style. There are a lot of catchy tunes that only use a few sounds to make up memorable songs. The simplicity really adds to the charm, with some of the songs easily able to get stuck in your head for days at a time. It's nostalgic enough for older gamers who grew up in the early eras of gaming, while still having enough to pull in newer gamers who aren't as familiar with games from the 1980s and 90s. There's something here for everyone. See More

Disco Elysium

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Narrative, RPG

Deus Ex GotY Edition

Specs

Co-Op:Single Player

The Walking Dead: Season 2

Top Pro

Dynamic and impactful decisions

Surviving in the midst of a zombie apocalypse is hard, and oftentimes decisions will require you to make heart-wrenching choices to progress the story. In most cases, there are no easy or pleasant solutions to most of the scenarios the story places you in. However every choice you make, be it through dialogue or an action, will influence the story playing out in a new way. Characters will also remember your past interactions with them, which results in the story playing out in dynamic ways. For example, at times you can choose whether or not to help other characters. If you do, they may remember your kindness later in the game. If you don't, they may not trust you in the long run. Characters also remember your dialogue choices, and it will always influence later events. See More

Top Con

May distress some people

There is a lot of violence, gore, and very disturbing situations. Some people may not react well to some of the scenes. Despite the fact that the main character in this game is a young girl, this is a game for adults. See More

Specs

Genre:Adventure, Narrative, Survival Horror

Top Pro

Gripping and emotional story

TWD: Season 2 continues the story about the struggle to survive during a brutal zombie apocalypse. You play as Clementine, a young girl from the first season, who is growing up in a cruel world. Food and resources are scarce, and people will do whatever they feel they must do to survive. Not only are the hordes of zombies a constant threat, but people are also dangerous with hidden motives. The story does a really good job showcasing the lengths people will go to to survive, and constantly offers up interesting and tough decisions for you to make. It hits on every emotional level. There are moments of horror, sadness, tragedy, and even a little humor thrown in. Through meaningful dialogue and character interactions, the game is able to flawlessly switch gears between them creating a very gripping and emotional story. See More

Top Con

Some obnoxious quicktime events

While this game is almost fully story based, there are still some fairly long and annoying quicktime events during action sequences. There are a few in particular that feel like they drag on a bit too long, and if you hit the wrong key/button at any point, you'll have to restart the event. See More

Top Pro

A huge amount of replayability

Resembling an interactive novel, TWD: S2 plays out as a series of dialogue choices or decisions that result in specific actions. It's pretty interesting to replay the game many times and choose all the different ways of handling situations just to see how they play out. See More

Top Pro

Stellar voice acting brings the characters to life

Voice actors deliver their lines with a lot of emotion, never feeling forced or fake. This excellent acting really helps draw you into the story and its characters. There's a lot of great chemistry between the various voice actors as well, resulting in conversations that flow well and sound very natural. See More

Top Pro

Standlone story makes it accessible for all

Even if you don't read the comic or watch the TV show, you can still play and enjoy this game. It's a completely standalone story. While there are some mild easter eggs for fans of the show/comic, you can still understand the game just fine without any prior knowledge of The Walking Dead. See More

Top Pro

Choice of protagonist increases emotional impact

Viewing the story through the eyes of Clementine, a young child from the first season, is an interesting choice and makes some of the decisions you have to make even more heartbreaking. Not only is she growing up, she is growing up in the midst of a brutal zombie apocalypse where survival is rough, and life or death choices have to be made on the fly. Experiencing some of the game's situations from the viewpoint a young girl make them even more disturbing and troubling, increasing their emotional impact. See More

L.A. Noire

Top Pro

Interrogating witnesses and suspects is a fun challenge

During investigations, you interrogate suspects in a cool, interactive way. After collecting clues, you use your notebook to decide which questions to ask witnesses and suspects. You read their facial expressions, body language, and their tone of voice to judge if they're telling the truth or not. Using your instincts to guess correctly gets the person to open up more, giving you the information you need. If you get it wrong, they shut you down and you're out of luck. The technology used for facial expressions gives you a lot of leeway to truly spot the shifty-eyed or nervous liars just like in real life. See More

Top Con

Not a lot to do in the big open world

L.A. Noire's open world in Los Angeles is huge, but there isn't much to do in it. There's a bunch of space that's just there for the sake of it. Sure, you can take on really short cases as side missions that you find around the map, like taking out bad guys that are about to rob a place, though that's about all you can do. Including period piece locations like jazzy clubs or laid-back diners to visit whenever could have been a lot of fun. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Detective Action-Adventure

Top Pro

Detailed crime investigation gameplay

Investigating crime scenes is great because of the attention to detail in each mission. Looking over murder victims for patterns in their wounds, for example, gives you an idea of how or why they might have died, which you then jot down in your handy notebook that keeps track of all the information you collect. Observing tire tracks, bloody murder weapons, business cards, and even picking through trash cans leads you to new clues to find and paths to follow. It's up to you to pick out which details may or may not be important, keeping you in control of where each investigation leads. See More

Top Con

No real consequences for failing to solve cases

Even if you continually mess up with the cases, you still get promoted in the police force. You could be the worst cop ever, making terrible decisions and getting yelled at by your superiors. But then in the next cutscene, your bosses tell you what a great job you did and that you're moving up to a more important department. It doesn't make any sense and gives you no reason to do your best during investigations. See More

Top Pro

Incredibly realistic facial expressions

Every single character in the game looks true-to-life because of how their faces look and move. The developers used some neat motion scanning technology to capture the voice actors' faces as they gave their lines. You get to see every wrinkle, every shift of their jaw lines, and every twitch of their mouths as they speak and emote. There's so much attention to detail that it looks like you're watching a movie with real people. It's really stunning and stands out as a great example of advancing technology in video games. See More

Top Con

The finale is bland

After all the excitement and gritty realism in the story, the final mission and the ending are a real drag in comparison. The momentum from the plot gets sucked out at the end as you play through an uninspired and predictable sequence of events. It looks too much like the developers phoned this part in for the sake of having an ending that wraps up everything nicely. See More

Top Pro

Great story set in 1940s Los Angeles

The detective drama in L.A. Noire is creative and intriguing. Playing as an honest cop named Cole, you get to see the magnitude of crime and racial tension in Los Angeles in the years after World War II, told through the stories of the authentic cast of characters you meet. As a cop, you solve crimes and nail crooks, moving up the ladder in the police department. Each of your investigations take you all around the great rendition of the city in the 1940s, rich with the styles of cars, fashion, and music from the time period. It's a unique experience and setting that not many other games explore. See More

Mass Effect 3

Top Pro

Good romance subplots

The romance subplots in Mass Effect 3 are very well-done. If you romanced someone in the first Mass Effect and/or in Mass Effect 2, then those stories continue here in Mass Effect 3. There are certain consequences for being unfaithful where your partner will confront you or the person you're cheating with in a heated showdown. Sticking with one person for the whole game -- or perhaps the whole trilogy -- rewards you with a romantic scene near the end of the story. There are also more scenes that you get with them right before the final battle and in some of the game's DLC that are really special and memorable. A lot of care and attention went into these subplots, giving you the chance to see each of the characters in a new light. See More

Top Con

The ending is unsatisfying and lacks closure

Even with the free Extended Cut DLC that expands on the ending, Mass Effect 3's conclusion still falls short of expectations. Commander Shepard and his/her squad are denied a satisfying ending no matter which path you choose. For a series that features such incredible characters, it really stings that you don't get to see everyone have a proper farewell. See More

Specs

Genre:Action Role-Playing, Third-Person Shooter

Co-Op:4 Player Online

Top Pro

Great third-person shooting combat and gun variety

The combat in Mass Effect 3 feels great to play. Taking out groups of enemies is fun because of all the ways you can change up your gameplay. There are lots of different loadouts to choose from and ways to customize your build with components, such as having an assault rifle that tears through armor, or adding elemental effects like ice to your shotgun to freeze enemies in place. Customizing your sniper rifle just right, for example, to decapitate an enemy from as far away as possible is very satisfying. Combat here is the best it's ever been in the trilogy, improving a lot over the clunky and unresponsive mechanics from the first game. See More

Top Con

Horde mode multiplayer can quickly get stale

The multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 is a lot of fun at first, but this doesn't last for long. You play with a team of up to three other players against AI of the different enemy factions from single player. Even though you get to unlock lots of unique characters and weapons, it's the same type of horde mode gameplay over and over. You may find yourself getting bored of the ten waves of enemies after a while. See More

Top Pro

Memorable cast of authentic characters

Mass Effect 3 has an amazing cast of both human and alien characters who feel like real people. While just about any NPC you meet is fantastic, your squad members are the ones that stand out the most. They all have backstories and traits that are believable and natural. Their personalities shine through the most during story missions that are relevant to their own personal arcs, where you get to help them reach their longtime goals. Your engineer squadmate, Tali, returns in Mass Effect 3 to join your team. She's a quarian: an alien species forced to wear full-body suits to survive environments other than their home planet. During missions with Tali, you help her reclaim her home planet from dangerous robotic enemies called the geth. This once-impossible goal of hers culminates into an emotional conclusion that changes depending on what you decide. Another returning character is Liara, your asari scientist teammate who offers helpful advice for your missions. She's more certain of herself in Mass Effect 3, having grown out of her shell and matured from her shy, socially awkward traits in the first game. You also get to see a finale with what happens with Liara's home planet, along with all the ways this affects her character for better or for worse. Getting to know everyone through dialogue, squad banter, and story moments is great on its own, but seeing how they've all grown and changed across the trilogy is a truly unique experience. See More

Top Con

Story leans too heavily on an unimaginative plot device

It's disappointing that the big finale to defeat the all-powerful Reapers relies on a plot device. This MacGuffin-like device is boring and feels way too convenient, like the writers ran out of better ideas. It's not all that creative and feels anti-climactic, mostly because it comes out of nowhere in Mass Effect 3 with no mention of it whatsoever in the first two games. See More

Top Pro

Your choices have true consequences on the story

Your choices have direct consequences on how the story plays out. If you carried over your save files from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, then you get to see how each of your decisions impact the finale here in Mass Effect 3. Even if you haven't played the first two games, the choices in this game are still impressive because their large scale and high stakes. It's up to you to choose between groups of your comrades who oppose each other, to stop or to encourage your longtime team members to sacrifice themselves for a good cause, and to decide the fates of entire galactic species, Your choices truly matter and manage to leave long-lasting emotional impacts, encouraging you to play the game again to see what happens with different outcomes. See More

Top Con

The human villains are poorly-written

Mass Effect 3's human villains are more of a joke than anything. Their motivations don't always make sense and they only seem to keep getting in your way for the sake of drama. This is most annoying during scripted story moments where they're suddenly able to overpower you and your team for no real reason. The game's story would have been better off without these certain villains altogether. See More

Top Pro

You can customize your protagonist Commander Shepard

There are lots of ways to make Commander Shepard feel like your own character. The character creator at the start of a new game lets you change all sorts of options, from your hair, to your skin color, the shape of your nose, mouth, and ears, and so much more. Or, if you prefer, you can simply stick with the default male or female Shepard. You also get to pick which class you want to be for combat: soldier, infiltrator, vanguard, adept, or sentinel, each with their own unique abilities, like the adept's helpful "magic spells" and the infiltrator's specialty with sniper rifles. You can role-play as Shepard however you want, with plenty of options to customize your looks and your combat specialties for whichever role suits you the most. See More

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Alpha Protocol

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Dragon Age II

Top Pro

Well-implemented action combat with some elements of strategy

The combat gameplay is great, featuring a few different classes and a key way for you to control the flow of battle. The different battle classes -- warrior, mage, and rogue -- all play differently, though they each offer a similar fast-paced type of action combat in real-time. You can also pause the game to bring up a radial menu to pick which abilities to use and specific enemies to target, meaning you can take your time in battle and not get overwhelmed by everything. Getting used to the speedy combat and using the radial menu to your advantage gives the combat a lot of strategic depth. See More

Top Con

Most of your narrative choices from Dragon Age: Origins don't matter

If you played the first Dragon Age, all of those decisions you made get watered down here. You only see the effects of some smaller things, such as who ends up on a certain throne by the end, or how you chose to defeat the final boss. Your decisions get commemorated in some ways, but it's not all that obvious or overt. Since Dragon Age II takes place with a whole new character and setting, you previous narrative decisions don't get a lot of attention. It's unfortunate in that it doesn't give the sense that your actions have an impact across the franchise. See More

Specs

Genre:Action Role-Playing

Top Pro

Lots of interesting characters and lore

The characters in Dragon Age II are great, with intriguing backstories that delve into the game's lore. Your party members and other NPCs are all written quite well. There are the fan-favorites like the sassy pirate named Isabela who never minces words and is always up for a good time, and the honorable Temple Knight named Cullen who helps fight against the corruption in the city of Kirkwall where you reside. These characters are also tied to the Dragon Age history in various ways, such as having even a minor presence in the previous game, Dragon Age: Origins, and influencing the events of the story. All of the characters have layered personalities that fit with the lore surrounding them. See More

Top Con

Stiff and repetitive character animations during cutscenes

Character animations are incredibly stiff in ways that look robotic. During cutscenes, you'll see the same types of movements over and over, like a character shifting their waist back and bobbing their head to seem important or defiant, or moving their head down with their words to make a point. If there were more variation with the animations instead, then the stiff delivery might not be all that bad. See More

Top Pro

Building relationships with companions is enjoyable

You can build relationships with your party members to get to know them better and to romance them. Improving your approval rating with characters comes down to picking certain dialog options, either to flirt with them or agree with their worldview. After building up enough approval, you get a special scene with your romance option or friend, and afterward you can return whenever you want to spend more time with them. It's a really good system that lets you feel like the characters are your actual comrades, helping you grow more attached to them throughout the game's long story. See More

Top Con

Too many reused environment assets

Dragon Age II was a rushed job. In the beginning, you'll take note of the dungeons you explore and the way they look. A couple of hours later, you may notice that even though you're in a different dungeon, that the walls look strangely similar to earlier locations. This ends up happening again and again, with environments copy-pasted all over the place. Considering the game was developed in such a short time, this would have been okay if it only happened in a few places here and there. It's sadly way too common. See More

Top Pro

You can customize your protagonist Hawke

There are lots of ways to make Hawke feel like your own character. The character creator at the start of a new game lets you change all sorts of options, from your hair, to your skin color, the shape of your nose, mouth, and ears, and so much more. Or, if you prefer, you can simply stick with the default male or female Hawke. You also get to pick which class you want to be for combat, and throughout the game, the dialog options you pick determines if your Hawke is sarcastic, compassionate, or has more of a mean streak overall. You can role-play as Hawke however you want, with plenty of options to customize your looks and your combat specialties for whichever role suits you the most. See More

Top Con

Rushed story

The story in Dragon Age II lacks the high stakes and epic fantasy elements from its predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins. It focuses more on you as the protagonist Hawke, who is more of an everyday person that gets swept up in the conflict of the mages versus the templars in the city of Kirkwall. The narrower scope would have worked just fine if there had been more depth to the story, instead of relying on the shallow and predictable premise of the mages rising up against the templars. There are some redeeming parts, like the corruption within the templar ranks, but this only gives the player a tropey resolution toward the end. The story overall lacks nuance and depth, ending up as a big disappointment, especially if you're a fan of the first game. See More

Top Pro

Tons of content

There's lots of content in Dragon Age II to keep you playing for a long time. The game offers a very long main story, with even more side quests and hidden areas that can take many hours to complete. The main story has plenty of branching decisions that affect how your playthrough turns out, encouraging you to play the game twice or more to see the different outcomes. For those looking for a game to sink 60+ hours into, this is a good choice. See More

Top Con

The whole game is unpolished

Dragon Age II as a whole lacks quality. The visuals are muddled and janky, even for a game from the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era. Even though the combat itself is fun and engaging in the way it plays, it doesn't feel fluid, and it can get repetitive, like when bandits rush at you at every turn whenever you wander Kirkwall at night. The bigger issues of the rushed story and reused assets also speak to how messy the game is. These issues could have been avoided with some extra development time to polish things up. See More

The Age of Decadence

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

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