Cytus II vs Past Cure
Cytus II
Cytus II is the sequel to the highly popular action-rhythm game, Cytus, but it's the fourth music game title from the developer, Rayark Games. Set once again in a futuristic, sci-fi society where a mega virtual world exists in the internet space known as Cytus, a mysterious DJ legend called Æsir emerged. His music sold like hot cakes and people fell madly in love with his work. Like Daft Punk (at least while they are performing), no one has ever seen this DJ's actual face, but one day, he suddenly announced a concert where he purportedly will be showing up in person (digital-wise since it's in Cytus). What will go down at this event? Well, no spoilers - Go play the game and you can eventually piece together the story to find out the ending yourself!That said, the game features the same intuitive gameplay but this time around, the game uses a unique "Active Judgement Line" system that makes the actual scan line to move rather than having the notes move. You'll only tap on the notes when the line reaches them, preferably when it's right in the middle. The game also contains a ton of high-quality music (over 50 of them, in fact) featuring composers from all around the world. The genres of the music vary widely as well, from electronic to rock.
Cytus II is an amazing addition to the Cytus series and is a must-play for fans of the original, but even if you have not played Cytus before, you can still appreciate the brilliance in combining immersive storytelling, excellent music, and an intense tapping-based gameplay.
Past Cure
Past Cure is a story-driven thriller/adventure game where you play as a Syrian ex-army veteran, Ian, who was kidnapped and subjected to horrific, and very much illegal, scientific experiments. As a result, Ian has gained superhuman mental capabilities, including the ability to conjure astral projections and use mind bashes to destroy objects, in addition to his already intensive military training from being a soldier. However, all of this comes at a terrible cost - Ian's mind is destabilized and only the effects of an experimental yet powerful drug called Blue is able to help him keep his mental demons at bay.Although the game contains game mechanics like shooting, melee combat (boxing) and stealth, Past Cure is still primarily a story-oriented adventure game. Progression here is pretty linear, as most single narrative games are, and there aren't a lot of depth when it comes to its game features, with the sole exception of its intriguing storyline and several puzzle-like scenarios. The atmosphere generated in the game is astounding though! The music, especially during creepy scenes, makes your skin crawl, and the game features plenty of brilliantly edited cutscenes with some cool cinematographic effects.
So, despite the negative reviews on Steam, Past Cure is a really well-made interactive experience, story-wise. However, if you're expecting anything else, such as a hardcore stealth-based game, then you might feel like the game's a huge let-down. At least now you know what you can expect before you purchase the game!