Has its bursts of fun but it can be really tiresome. I think part of this is the game is just too long. The levels are incredibly same-y, all procedurally generated so you're more or less experiencing the same level several times in a row. There are 3 chapters, each of those has like 9 sections, and each of those has 3 levels. I don't think it's the best format for a "roguelite" because it lowers the stakes, there are no runs, and if you find one really good weapon it will carry you through the entire game.

Within Cruelty Squad lies everything I want in the medium; unique vision, player trust and freedom, unobtrusive design, and risk. It's such a special game because what it offers cannot be found anywhere else, in any other media, or even any other game. It's a game that begs you to break it, to shape it into something that is yours while it surrounds you in the oppressive structure of a hyper-capitalist state. It is all built on such a precise illogic. It rides a line between "this is just cobbled together" and "this is absolutely brilliant game design." It's overwhelming at first but the longer you play, the more layers you peel back, and the better it gets.

Has any other game given you a tool with as many uses as the Grappendix? If I had any gripes about Cruelty Squad it's that there is no other tool more useful than the Grappendix and so I never even used any of the other arm equipment options.

Easily the most well-rounded of these first three King's Field titles, really broadening the scope both narratively and physically. The environs blend into each other naturally and each area has a more distinct feel than areas in previous games. The combat remains unchanged, but the model work on enemies, weapons, armor, and spells are improved which gives it more weight. I've really loved the scores and this is no different. Each area has its own theme, giving you a better sense of its history or pumping you up for battles to come. A very solid RPG all around with the best sense of exploration so far. It was neat revisiting a couple of floors from the first title, a slightly nostalgic stroll for anyone who played that one and a nice interlude for those who had only played the US releases. One of my favorite aspects of playing these is seeing that From's design principles have stayed true for decades.

Part demo for King's Field III, part prequel to fill in a small gap between it and it's predecessor. A quick 30 or so minute one-shot King's Field that really encapsulates its whole deal in a short amount of time, which offers a great opportunity for someone to jump in and see if this series is for them. Kinda wild to have almost the whole thing take place outside, feels so much more open than the last two games.

Played via Vimm's online hosting, for some reason the downloaded bin wouldn't go past Press Start.

Solid and atmospheric, also only maybe 5 or so hours long. I don't think it helped that I played King's Field II first (mistakenly as it was released as King's Field I in the US), but there's a lot here that was built upon to make King's Field II more robust. This one is a tad more obtuse in comparison, but the combat loop is mostly the same. These aren't games with a combat focus which is okay, the adventure is the real draw. You are completely inside on this one and the further you go into it's mazes the more claustrophobic and tense it becomes. By the end of the game you're practically an unkillable god and it's very satisfying to just one shot all the things that gave you so much trouble before.

It's really cool to play From's first game because all the groundwork is there for what would turn them into a juggernaut following Demon's Souls. A hands-off approach with a mixture of player trust and frankly obtuse design make these singular works. Finally used the very first iteration of the Moonlight Sword and it's neat.

What begins as insurmountable odds, fighting against the controls and difficulty with sparse saves, eventually gives way to a satisfying and almost addictive metroidvania adventure. The island feels massive at first, you wonder how you will ever survive it, but then you find a slightly better sword, maybe pick up a piece of magic, and then the rest of the game snowballs until you are bowling over every enemy.

The only things that really hold it back from being great for me are the too-similar environments and a frankly near-impossible penultimate boss fight that I can really only see defeating by cheesing. The whole game has a claustrophobic and elegiac look that seeps in over time, and when you do find yourself outside under the stars it feels like a real fresh breath of air. You will run into other people here and there who feel so trapped in this world, it can be haunting just how hopeless it feels. The score does a lot of lifting and perfectly matches the visuals and style. A pretty fantastic game overall and is the kind that I'd really like to see a fresh perspective on if From were to ever return to this series. A remake could do wonders.