Prime Gaming 17 March 2025

Oops, I'm a day late with this post. I'm supposed to be doing them
every other week, and today is two-weeks-plus-a-day. Don't tell the
boss; I don't wanna get fired.

Here's what we get this time around



* Syberia: The World Before (via GOG)
    I've sort of lost track of the Syberia games. I played the
    first two through, gave up shortly into the third one and
    --quite honestly-- didn't even know this game even existed
    until Amazon offered it as a freebie today. Reviews are more
    positive towards this game than its predecessor, but what
    with this being the fourth game in the series and with my
    not really caring about the story that has led up to this
    game, I can't get too excited about it. I guess maybe I'll
    give it a try... eventually.


* Dark Deity - Complete Edition (via GOG)
    Another game I know nothing about, but if I'm to judge it
    solely by its screenshots, I'm going to guess it's a modern
    interpretation of classic console JRPGs ("Final Fantasy",
    "Legend of Zelda", etc.), which never were my thing. It uses
    turn-based combat reminiscent of the old Ultima games, but
    everything I've seen of the storyline and setting is much
    more JRPG than I care for. Plus, I think you all know my general
    opinion on games that rely on nostalgia-laced retro-graphics
    already! Reviews are generally positive so maybe, for what
    it is, the game's fine... but it's nothing I want to play.


* Mafia II: Definitive Edition (via GOG)
    It's "Mafia 2", with a shinier coat.  The sequel to the 2002
    game didn't really compare to the original, but it wasn't
    really bad; it just felt like a game with a lot of wasted
    potential. The story was generally interesting and the
    missions had a lot of variety, but the open-world was wasted
    at best and obtrusive at worst. If you've never played the
    game, and want to try another crime-themed open-world game,
    then this one may satisfy, but if you've already had the
    experience the definitive edition doesn't really merit
    a replay.


* Saints Row The Third: Remastered (via GOG)
    It's the goofier kid-brother of Grand Theft Auto. I can't
    say I really ever got into the Saints Row games; its humor
    and my mine don't really coincide that much, and the weirdness
    got cranked up just a bit too high with the third game. Still,
    the gameplay is fairly solid, and if you can stomach the
    irreverently adolescent attitude, the character, story and
    setting are imaginative and novel. I appreciate the Saints
    Row games for doing what I want from so many other games:
    taking chances and doing something new. I just don't actually,
    you know, like playing them. ;-)


* Crime Boss: Rockay City (via Epic)
    As far as I can tell, this game is basically a "Payday" clone.
    Or is it? Its not really clear from the trailers. It's a
    first-person shooter anyway, and it involves criminal heists.
    Not my favorite genre (the criminal heists bit, I mean; I'm
    fond the FPS games) but it appeals to me more than the last
    three games anyway. If you don't grab this game here, don't
    worry; I'm sure it will make it to the Epic Thursday freebie
    list some day soon. ;-P


* Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master (via Amazon)
    I guess this one is aiming to be a modern take on "Dungeon
    Keeper" (the classic Bullfrog games from the late 90s). Alas,
    unentertaining gameplay, unfunny humor and a heap of technical
    issues make this a game that you struggles to keep playing. It
    was shoved out the gate too early, and then abandoned by its
    publisher.


So.... nothing too exciting this time around, although there are a few
games I'm not unhappy to add to the library. And at least no new games
that require me to use Microsoft's XBox service to claim. So I'm not
disappointed.

See you all in two weeks!*


















* unless you tattled and made me lose this job ;-)