That’s cool, were you at Double Fine or EA? Was there a reason why they weren’t so open about the RTS? StarCraft 2 was just around the corner so I don’t think it was an issue with the genre.

I got used to Raiden during my MGS2 playthrough, since he still plays similarly to Snake. Brütal Legend was more drastic with a complete change in genre.

The story definitely felt like it was aiming to cover all the hot-button political issues in the U.S. at the time, such as immigration, racism, police violence, drug counterculture, and religious extremism. But I feel the developers’ French background limited them to a more surface-level treatment of these themes. The cult subplot, in particular, comes across as how a more secular European perspective might view the American evangelical movement as a sinister threat in the same category as the other societal ills the game covers.

Yes, Portal and The Stanley Parable are definitely high bars, but I feel Superliminal actively invites those comparisons through its similarities in structure, tone, and presentation. When a game so closely follows in the footsteps of its influences, I think it’s fair to examine where it succeeds and where it falls short in comparison.

That said, I get that my review may come across as a bit harsh, which is why my final score still places it toward the upper end of my 4-7 range for mid games—I do think it’s a worthwhile experience for fans of puzzlers despite its flaws.

I would strongly recommend Disco Elysium, which is a very unique RPG with excellent writing.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/632470/Disco_Elysium__The_Final_Cut/

I enjoy playing mid games, and while I don’t regret the time I spent playing, they are less enjoyable on a moment to moment basis than truly good games.

I thought the sequel was a logical progression with how Alice would still have PTSD from the trauma she went through and how Victorian era London was not the best environment for someone with such mental issues.