A Perfectly Fine and Forgettable Time: A Sorrowvirus Preview | FIRST!

The Sorrowvirus: A Faceless Short Story isn't a bad game, but it isn't particularly good either; it rests solely in the middle, falling into a purgatory of its own making as you explore the purgatory of the designer's making. Get it... 'cause it's a game all about purgatory. I played through the game once and dabbled with a second playthrough before hanging my sweater up, taking my shoes off, and calling it a day. It's not that I wasn't enjoying the game--the story is more interesting than expected--but there wasn't enough drawing me in and demanding I keep playing past playthrough number one. The Sorrowvirus is a fine game, but it's never anything more than that and, while that's fine, that doesn't lead to anything other than a forgettable time.

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I Wish I Could Claim Responsibility: A Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? Preview | FIRST!

As someone who's not the biggest FMV fan, I don't have that much experience with the genre; however, and in spite of that, I've played a handful over the last few years and enjoyed my time with most of them. I can't say the same about Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus?. What should have been a fun murder mystery was little more than a prison sentence with a family of nothing but garbage humans. By the time credits roll on your first playthrough, you'll wish you could press mute on the lot of them. Sure, I guess that means it's true to real family life, but, I don't know about you, I play games to escape shit like family drama, not relive it.

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The Most Accessible One to Date: A Monster Energy Supercross 5 Preview | FIRST!

I'm about as far from the motocross fandom as one can get, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy myself a motocross game every now and again; however, I haven't enjoyed one in years thanks to seemingly all of them going down more of a simulation route than an arcade-y route. While Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Video Game 5--it's a mouthful, I know--is still more sim-y than arcade-y, it has a plethora of accessibility options that do what they're supposed to do, making the game enjoyable even for simpletons like me. That said, it does feel a little too easy at times with everything turned on and, gone is any sense of challenge, but if you just want to relax and race some dirt bikes, Monster Energy Supercross 5 will more than get the job done.

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Do You Like Punching Kaiju in the Face?: A Dawn of the Monsters Preview | FIRST!

Do you like beat 'em ups? Do you like kaiju? If you said yes to either question, there's a good chance you'll enjoy Dawn of the Monsters, a fun, if a bit easy, beat 'em up all about beating the shit out of kaiju. You can play as one of four different characters--two robots and two kaiju--all of whom feel unique and can be upgraded and augmented to fit your personal playstyle. The game has a great look, lots of style, and what seems to be a decent amount of content, so if it looks or sounds interesting to you, I highly recommend checking it out.

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It's All Downhill After a Giant Cat Poops You Out Its Butthole | FIRST!

I'll admit, Catie in MeowmeowLand had an uphill battle before I even started playing it. While I love the art of many point-and-click adventure games, I rarely enjoy the puzzling-solving side of them. This is because, so often, the puzzles require a nonsensical way of thinking, don't make sense, or depend more on brute force clicking than creative thinking; Catie is the third of those options, relying on excessive clicking more than anything else. Sure, the game might be pretty and, sure, I love cats more than most things, but not once did I feel smart while playing and, if a puzzle game isn't making me feel smart, what's the point (other than clicking, of course)?

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Princess Farmer’s Gameplay Is a Bit of a Boar, but the Story Has Me Coming Back for More | FIRST!

I love match-3 games. I love them a lot. When I heard Princess Farmer's gameplay was all about match-3, I was immediately interested; however, after spending almost an hour with the game, I left feeling pretty indifferent about the gameplay, but the exact opposite about its story. How did this happen? How did a game about matching vegetables hook me with its story and not its gameplay? All I'll say is, Princess Farmer hints at a story that might have more than a few surprises and, if it delivers on at least some of them, its story will more than make up for its relatively dull gameplay, but this is only a hope and not a confirmation, so, no promises, okay.

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Just 'Cause 3's My Favorite Number Doesn't Mean Just Cause 3's My Favorite Game | Attack the Backlog

On this episode of Attack the Backlog, I blow up everything but dolls in Just Cause 3, a game where you cause mayhem and destruction...just 'cause. This marks a first for Attack the Backlog. This is the first time I've ever gone back into my backlog to finish an old save, instead of restarting a game from the beginning (if it's something I've played before, but never finished). I won't go into further detail here--I have to leave some reason for you to check out the episode (in case my sultry voice isn't enough on its own)--but I will say I 100% made the right decision in choosing to continue my old save instead of starting a new one (and no, not just 'cause).

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35MM Needed More Time in the Darkroom 'Cause It's Seriously Underdeveloped | FIRST!

35MM throws you into post-apocalyptic Russia with just your buddy and a flashlight. In order to survive, you must explore the world in order to find supplies and maybe a few answers at the same time. This all sounds fine, uninspired, but fine; however, everything is lost the second you try and explore and get stopped in your tracks with the game flat out telling you, "No, no, no, no. There's nothing to see here. Please turn around and go back to where you're supposed to be." The game's constant reminders that it's a game and you can't actually do much of anything, takes away from any chance of getting immersed in the world and its story Because of that, I lost interest in 35MM after spending 45 minutes with the game. I can't say everyone will feel the same way, but if you don't like being guided while under the illusion of openness, 35MM won't for you.

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There's Nothing Curious About the Quality of Curious Expedition 2 | FIRST!

Curious Expedition 2 scratches that Oregon Trail itch. Instead of attempting to survive the Oregon trail with your family, you're attempting to survive various expeditions with your crew. Like Oregon Trail, Curious Expedition 2 is heavily reliant on randomization in order to make every playthrough unique; however, in spite of how much was out of my control, I never felt so overwhelmed into believing I was doomed to fail before I even began. I always had hope and that is exactly what I want from games like this. That said, remember that these are only my first impressions, so things may change as I put more time into the game, but, at first blush, Curious Expedition 2 is looking like a worthy game for anyone who likes the thrills that come with any good adventure.

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Super Cyborg Is Maybe a Little Bit Too Contra, but Contra Is Amazing, Soooo... | FIRST!

To say Super Cyborg was inspired by Contra would be putting it mildly when the first level of Super Cyborg is basically the first level of Contra. Now, this isn't a bad thing since Contra is one of the greatest games of all time (and Super Cyborg does a pretty good Contra impression), but it does mean you won't see, and shouldn't expect, much of anything unique in Super Cyborg; if that doesn't bother you, hell, it might even pique your interest, you'll be in for a good and challenging time, and one that won't cost you too many dimes.

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