Recent reviews by Telesto

Boring

This is definitely the best game I have ever played before. Not because I have this Chinese root deep down in my heart, but also because of the beautiful story telling.

I grown up reading the Journey to the West, and among the years, I've been reading stories, listening to musics, watching movies, even seeing people cosplay into this character. I always have this question in my heart: why is Sun Wukong one of the greatest character of all time?

The answer is simple yet complicated: Sun Wukong has a heart of justice. He is always fighting for righteousness. He is brave, intelligent, and has a strong love of life. He embodies the heroic spirit in traditional Chinese culture.

But when I look into this question deeper, the answers I found surprised me. Sun Wukong can freely fly through the heavens and earth, it actually demonstrates the boundless potential of individual power. His daring to challenge authority and pursue freedom reflects the Chinese people's aspiration for self-liberation and freedom.

The fact is, we may not have self-liberation and freedom now. But that, it's for the greater good.

10/10

The ninth art

---------- Yip Kwok Yin

Where do I even begin with this one...

Man, back in the days, coming from NBA Live from uh.. some other big gaming publisher, I discovered the NBA 2k series back in 2006 and it was...a revelation. Miles ahead already back then in terms of both presentation and gameplay.
I've kept in touch over the years until NBA 2k16. After that, I merely watched the yearly trainwreck unfold on social media when thousands, no millions of people again flocked around the yearly NBA 2k Update.

The core of the game is still there. The animations are mostly good, the gameplay is mostly solid, apart from when it's not. Overall, on the court, you still can't find a better virtual Basketball experience to this day.
Maybe that's part of the problem.
Lack of competition makes things stale. Uninspired. Atriously bad. Oh my god, so bad.

I've always loved the idea of playing my own character and getting a feeling for how an NBA career might feel like. My go-to fantasy was always: Simon Jordan, a nephew of the great His Airness. Same family name, huge burden. He understands the implications and he's not a copy of the original, he's a great player in his own right. No, he grows into one.

This is what I am looking for, by the way, Visual Concepts, if you are reading this. The journey, the growth from a talented rookie with clear weaknesses, into a hall of fame candidate.

What are you giving me here?
The weirdest, pointless, annoying, mood-killing cut-scenes I have ever had to endure in any game. They're so bad, you can hardly even meme on them.
My player, young Mister Jordan is already in some big fancy apartment somewhere, clearly a millionaire. Surrounded by an annoying manager, girlfriend and social media lady.
"That's why your fans hate you probably, lol", my rival Shep tells me. I didn't ask btw. No idea why this douche is my rival at all, why he seems like he is about to stab me on the way to the lockerroom. Or why my player first shrugs it off with a coolness, until my "rival" says: "ha, the sun even shines on a dog's ass sometime!" - and oh boy, suddenly my character gives him a look that should kill him, but sadly doesn't.

What the ♥♥♥♥ am I watching? Skip.

I play my first game. My player has an average rating of 70. Not great, not terrible. I somehow shoot 70 % from mid-range, but I don't know why. There is very little shot-feedback. Clearly, a step back. Let alone the fact that I am being benched for most of the 4th quarter despite having scored the most points on my team.

After the game, the season is supposed to start! Yay!
Except, no, first, I am being invited to a special club, of which only the best players can be a part of. Clearly, that's me... Mister draftpick number 18! This is where I can satisfy all my shopping needs!
...My dudes, I just want to play Basketball and have a succesful season. What is this? Metabook?
Disgusted, I try to upgrade my first ability with the 850 Virtual Coins I have earned.
There is no real money involved, yet I feel like I just got my lunch money taken from me.

I feel... disillusioned. NBA 2k 23 is a pale shadow of it's former gloryful self. The music, the menus, the lack of meaningful improvements in gameplay, a backstory that could have been done better for 5 $ by some guy/gal from Fiverr in 10 minutes.

I really really wanted to like this game, I really wanted to play some virtual basketball in 2022 (btw after 2k Games made 2k16 literally obsolete and unplayable even offline!) but I just can not stand this piece of ♥♥♥♥ garbage. For the love of Kobe Bryant please stop buying this garbage game, show the developers that this is not what we want in a game!

Or maybe it is me? Am I so out of touch? No, it's the children who are wrong!

One of the best games that I ever played. 10/10 in every aspect.

Finished the game few years ago and decided to pick it up again in 2024.

It's only that I feel more about Geralt. His struggle and his pain.

I guess I will come back to edit this review after I finish this game again this year. Let's see.

You didn't just pay for this game, you paid for a great story my friend.

Haven't tried it out entirely, expecting for further updates

My steam account is ♥♥♥♥, my cs inventory is ♥♥♥♥, my 2k skills are ♥♥♥♥, but this game is way beyond ♥♥♥♥, it's the ♥♥♥♥ of ♥♥♥♥. No words in this world can describe how awful this game is, don't buy it.

138.6 hrs last two weeks speaks all. Last time I play a game in such a hardcore way was 4 years ago, borderlands 2. Both of them are looting and grinding type of games, and I don't regret one single second playing them.

Pros: 1 Rich story. The story itself covers thousands of years, along with some really attractive characters. Yes I am referring to Cayde-6.

2 wonderful graphic. If you want to chill for a while and walk around in different planets in the universe, this game is gonna give you what you always wanted.

3 Nice music. My favourite is Gambit theme and the Riven's heart theme. I ACTUALLY feel peaceful listening to the bgm when I floating upon Earth.

4 And... the best optimization I have ever seen. Hard to believe my potato laptop can run such a game.

Cons: 1, kinda unplayable if you don't purchase DLCs, and probably lose some advantages when engaging those who own DLCs coz' some of the nice weapons and exotics are exclusive to DLC owners.

2, Some ornaments are really ugly, especially starting from Year 3. It's feels like Bungie changed their design/art team or something. Hopefully its gonna become better soon.

Anyway, that's most likely it. 9/10 so far.

Put a few extra hours to this game since the time I posted this review.

Pros:

Beautiful views

Great soundtrack

Cons:

The story is too linear

9/10 so far, for idle