Aleyceps
BACKER
Bungie always does their best work when they're on the ropes. When Curse of Osiris brought D2 one bad step from closure they started to impress past what anyone expected. Little things began bringing back hope during Warmind; such as the Whisper mission and weapon sandbox rework shortly before Forsaken launched. Forsaken wowed the community to no end, sparing no expense to create the best expansion we would ever see. Arguably, Lightfall has brought community sentiment even lower than it was in Osiris. Sentiment was already bad since season of Plunder, and Lightfall expectations were sky high. Lightfall was the peak steam player count on D2 because of the promise that this was their "Infinity War moment." But bungie fumbled a bag so big that it seemed they needed a miracle to solve it. The following seasons struggled, unable to bring back the players lost in Lightfall. But Bungie always cooks when they're on the verge of defeat.
With the delay to Final Shape came 2 promises: We would get a free update in the empty space, and Final Shape would deliver additional content made to Wow again. Into the Light has launched and seemingly done the impossible, welcoming back players who left while delivering free content which has been unanimously enjoyed.
Onslaught- The new wave-based activity compared to tower defense and CoD Zombies. Pretty fun on Legend difficulty and feels highly rewarding. The Brave weapons are a great selection of reprised fan favorite weapons, however I have to mention 3 in particular are bad choices. Succession and Forbearance are CURRENTLY AVAILABLE in their respective raids and have no reason to be in the brave arsenal. Hung jury is also currently available and has been reprised 3 previous times, making this the 4th version of hung jury in D2. Those weapon slots could have been used for far more deserving weapons such as Breachlight and Dust Rock Blues. Perhaps they could have used some D1 weapons like Longbow Synthesis, The Wormwood, LDR 5001, The Hacksaw, Grasp of Malok, Party Crasher +1 and so many more.
Pantheon- A raid boss gauntlet activity to test teams on their skills in a slightly more difficult environment than the usual raid. Some small changes are made to each encounter, mostly adding new threats while doing mechanics. Rewards mostly chalk up to free adepts on a weekly lockout and an emblem for doing each version. I like it, but I'm waiting for harder weeks where difficulty gets up to the contest modifier. I do not recommend this for players who have not done the full raids, as it breaks up the way raids are intended to be played and doesn't give the best first experience.
Map Pack- This is what I was excited for the most, and these maps delivered hard. Super fun to play on some new maps, and they're all made far better than the ultra-huge maps we've been rarely getting. Europa, a Pyramid, and Neomuna were all long overdue for maps, their environments are gorgeous and needed to be added to the crucible. All of them flow really nicely and bring a breath of fresh air to crucible. It's hard to pick a favorite between them because I like them all for different reasons. This is going to keep me entertained for a good while.
Returning Exotic Missions- The Whisper and Zero Hour missions are back, and while I won't be doing them too often, it's fun to revisit. Having Whisper return at this moment is really fitting, as it was the mission which brought back hope during Warmind and now it is returning at another pivotal moment. SO glad they are showing some work into bringing back vaulted content. This is great for players who never got to run these amazing missions.
On top of all of this there are some great announcements. Most expansion and seasonal content is currently free to all players. Weapon sunsetting is being un-done, making all weapons available to be used again. A new enemy faction and a new subclass are also being added to final shape, making it seem much more likely to be an amazing expansion.
Into the Light is the first time I have been given substantial enjoyment in Destiny in... a loooong time. And to think all of this is completely free. Super happy to see positive community sentiment surrounding the health of destiny. Let's hope bungie can keep this up without reaching the low points in curse of osiris and lightfall again. I urge you to try out the game again if you are interested, this is absolutely the time to do it.
With the delay to Final Shape came 2 promises: We would get a free update in the empty space, and Final Shape would deliver additional content made to Wow again. Into the Light has launched and seemingly done the impossible, welcoming back players who left while delivering free content which has been unanimously enjoyed.
Onslaught- The new wave-based activity compared to tower defense and CoD Zombies. Pretty fun on Legend difficulty and feels highly rewarding. The Brave weapons are a great selection of reprised fan favorite weapons, however I have to mention 3 in particular are bad choices. Succession and Forbearance are CURRENTLY AVAILABLE in their respective raids and have no reason to be in the brave arsenal. Hung jury is also currently available and has been reprised 3 previous times, making this the 4th version of hung jury in D2. Those weapon slots could have been used for far more deserving weapons such as Breachlight and Dust Rock Blues. Perhaps they could have used some D1 weapons like Longbow Synthesis, The Wormwood, LDR 5001, The Hacksaw, Grasp of Malok, Party Crasher +1 and so many more.
Pantheon- A raid boss gauntlet activity to test teams on their skills in a slightly more difficult environment than the usual raid. Some small changes are made to each encounter, mostly adding new threats while doing mechanics. Rewards mostly chalk up to free adepts on a weekly lockout and an emblem for doing each version. I like it, but I'm waiting for harder weeks where difficulty gets up to the contest modifier. I do not recommend this for players who have not done the full raids, as it breaks up the way raids are intended to be played and doesn't give the best first experience.
Map Pack- This is what I was excited for the most, and these maps delivered hard. Super fun to play on some new maps, and they're all made far better than the ultra-huge maps we've been rarely getting. Europa, a Pyramid, and Neomuna were all long overdue for maps, their environments are gorgeous and needed to be added to the crucible. All of them flow really nicely and bring a breath of fresh air to crucible. It's hard to pick a favorite between them because I like them all for different reasons. This is going to keep me entertained for a good while.
Returning Exotic Missions- The Whisper and Zero Hour missions are back, and while I won't be doing them too often, it's fun to revisit. Having Whisper return at this moment is really fitting, as it was the mission which brought back hope during Warmind and now it is returning at another pivotal moment. SO glad they are showing some work into bringing back vaulted content. This is great for players who never got to run these amazing missions.
On top of all of this there are some great announcements. Most expansion and seasonal content is currently free to all players. Weapon sunsetting is being un-done, making all weapons available to be used again. A new enemy faction and a new subclass are also being added to final shape, making it seem much more likely to be an amazing expansion.
Into the Light is the first time I have been given substantial enjoyment in Destiny in... a loooong time. And to think all of this is completely free. Super happy to see positive community sentiment surrounding the health of destiny. Let's hope bungie can keep this up without reaching the low points in curse of osiris and lightfall again. I urge you to try out the game again if you are interested, this is absolutely the time to do it.
2024
I found Ultros through Skillup's weekly news video, where in the "Put this on your radar" segment he talked about playing its demo. It's a metroidvania with so called "psychedelics visuals." The vibrant art style got me interested and he said that the demo was a lot of fun. When looking into this game that word "psychedelic" was repeated over and over, which did set of a bit of a red flag since that was about the most anyone said. When the full game released I got it on steam, and enjoyed the first hour or so same as I expected. However from there my enjoyment really went downhill. At some point I remember thinking "This game's shortcomings remind me of Scorn" and sure enough when I checked, it was the same publisher (different studio though). Unlike scorn however, I don't really recommend Ultros.
The great stuff in Ultros really starts and ends with the pretty visuals. It is far too easy to feel confused, lost, and like you are doing something wrong. Like scorn, Ultros seems to not understand some of the "Language of videogames." Most issues seem like they could be fixed with a little playtesting and feedback. There are a lot of times you'll be running back and forth constantly opening the map with no clue as to what you should be doing. The exploration aspects started to frustrate after the first hour, that frustration only got worse as time went on. Combat felt too janky to pull off a smooth kill, but other people may take to it better than I did. The story and characters are boringly shallow, never giving enough info to push the story beyond "look at all this pretty stuff, is the music convincing you this is impactful?"
Very Minor Spoilers Below
The time loop angle is questionable, I don't feel like it ever improved the game and only was an annoyance to make you re-earn skills and gear. I didn't click with the gardening mechanics, usually only planting when necessary to make progress. I really don't get what they were going for with it, usually you have the correct seed on you to do any task and seeds are just sort of spread out on the map randomly so it didn't change the way I played. And I literally never had to feed a monster to make a planting location. I got early on that they wanted to do a "You are the bad guy for killing all these bugs" angle but it failed miserably. There is a weird lack of emotion to everything this game says. Once I got to the bad ending the gardener guy said that it's okay to leave and there really isn't any more for you to do. I was so relieved that I could stop there, and just watched the other ending on YouTube. If you like the visuals enough maybe this is worth a try for you, but I won't be recommending it to anyone which is pretty rare for me.
The great stuff in Ultros really starts and ends with the pretty visuals. It is far too easy to feel confused, lost, and like you are doing something wrong. Like scorn, Ultros seems to not understand some of the "Language of videogames." Most issues seem like they could be fixed with a little playtesting and feedback. There are a lot of times you'll be running back and forth constantly opening the map with no clue as to what you should be doing. The exploration aspects started to frustrate after the first hour, that frustration only got worse as time went on. Combat felt too janky to pull off a smooth kill, but other people may take to it better than I did. The story and characters are boringly shallow, never giving enough info to push the story beyond "look at all this pretty stuff, is the music convincing you this is impactful?"
Very Minor Spoilers Below
The time loop angle is questionable, I don't feel like it ever improved the game and only was an annoyance to make you re-earn skills and gear. I didn't click with the gardening mechanics, usually only planting when necessary to make progress. I really don't get what they were going for with it, usually you have the correct seed on you to do any task and seeds are just sort of spread out on the map randomly so it didn't change the way I played. And I literally never had to feed a monster to make a planting location. I got early on that they wanted to do a "You are the bad guy for killing all these bugs" angle but it failed miserably. There is a weird lack of emotion to everything this game says. Once I got to the bad ending the gardener guy said that it's okay to leave and there really isn't any more for you to do. I was so relieved that I could stop there, and just watched the other ending on YouTube. If you like the visuals enough maybe this is worth a try for you, but I won't be recommending it to anyone which is pretty rare for me.
2011
The sky streaks with incandescence, and the air is dragons and embers. A crackle from the dying kiln, a Lord of Cinder awaiting thee.
I remember being at GameStop years ago, I was picking out a game to buy and it was between a series I was familiar with and Dark Souls. It seems obvious now that I made the wrong decision then, but It's never too late to start. I think now was the perfect time for me. There's not much to say that hasn't been repeated a thousand times. Everything about Dark Souls is stellar. The story, world, music, art, gameplay, atmosphere, sound design, and so much more all leave me speechless. There is a slight washout of execution in the latter half of the game. Even still, those areas are a ton of fun. I can not consciously give this any less than 5 stars, Bed of Chaos and all. "Stay safe friend, and don't you dare go hollow"
Favorite area: Undead Burg | Honorable mention: Ash Lake
Favorite boss: O&S | Honorable mention: Artorias
I remember being at GameStop years ago, I was picking out a game to buy and it was between a series I was familiar with and Dark Souls. It seems obvious now that I made the wrong decision then, but It's never too late to start. I think now was the perfect time for me. There's not much to say that hasn't been repeated a thousand times. Everything about Dark Souls is stellar. The story, world, music, art, gameplay, atmosphere, sound design, and so much more all leave me speechless. There is a slight washout of execution in the latter half of the game. Even still, those areas are a ton of fun. I can not consciously give this any less than 5 stars, Bed of Chaos and all. "Stay safe friend, and don't you dare go hollow"
Favorite area: Undead Burg | Honorable mention: Ash Lake
Favorite boss: O&S | Honorable mention: Artorias
Heartgold and Soulsilver are great Pokémon games, unfortunately stuck in the shadow of Kanto. Johto does many things better than Kanto. The story is slightly improved with cute little quests, the art style is charming, your first slot Pokémon follows you around, and there are a ton of little quirks that build out this game. It's only real issue is that Gen 1 Pokémon are so much more prioritized than Gen 2. So many routes are exclusively Kanto mon, half of the gym leaders use no Johto Pokémon, some great Johto mon are locked to the post-game in Kanto. It's really unfortunate because Johto has some really amazing Pokémon designs that just don't get to shine here. That being said it's a serviceable sequel to Kanto, although I wish it had it's own identity in terms of Pokémon variety. Raikou, Entei and Suicune are a cool change up from the legendary birds which stuck to one location. The time system makes for a nice environment when playing at certain times of day but didn't impact Pokémon spawning enough to make it very in depth. Sunset is particularly beautiful when surfing. The music is amazing as always. A little thing is that the opening cutscene is one of my favorites. Despite my complaint, out of any Pokémon game this is the one I have revisited the most, Johto is a classic.
This review contains spoilers
The Last of Us Part II is a difficult play. As great as so many people say it is, it left a poor first impression online. After elements of the game leaked out of context it was already on mighty thin ice with skeptics, so the risky narrative decisions which fueled the game left a bad taste. After the storm calmed down online some valid criticism was left on the table. This is just some thoughts on why I really enjoyed Part II, and hopefully I can explain my perspective on some of the more controversial elements. It may be the most important game I've ever had the pleasure to experience. It challenged my view of this medium, the way stories can be told, and most importantly it tested my own emotions and understanding of them. This replay made me realize that I would not trade this experience for any other version of the story.
A large part of the conversation around this game revolves around two things: Joel's death and the perspective switch to Abby. Naughty Dog was so successful in creating characters that people truly loved, and that brought backlash with this decision. I believe Joel's death not only was the natural next step this story would take, but it was also a very powerful way to trigger multiple connected stories we see. It sparks Ellie's revenge, what she thinks will bring her closure after the loss of her chance to forgive Joel. And Abby's desire to find closure with her own father, after her revenge failed to bring any sort of peace. Characters in The Last of Us are authentically flawed, they are practically made to be disagreed with. Characters I once despised slowly grow on me until a moment of suspense when I catch myself realizing I've grown to care for them. As Abby struggles to rediscover her humanity in the face of carrying out a deplorable act, we do the same. Growing to learn the person she is inside, the person she wants to be again. As that same act befalls Ellie we follow her plot of revenge, each step into the darkness she takes disconnecting us (and her) from the person she once was. While you watch their many internal struggles, you may find your own. Understanding or even forgiving those who have wronged you is a difficult task, especially when it is someone you love.
In regards to the ending, I simply cannot understand the sentiment that sparing Abby was a mistake. Just the same as Part I, the end of this game subverts the surface level plot for the real backbone of the story it was telling. In Part I the goal is to create a cure, to deliver Ellie to the fireflies and end the outbreak. Right at the finish line Joel abandons that goal in favor of the story the game was always really about, the unconditional love of a parent for their child. In Part II Ellie's goal is to get revenge against Abby, and at the finish line she does the same, this time for the story of forgiveness, not forgiving Abby, but forgiving Joel. That's not to say that this forgiveness narrative was the big point it was trying to tell you, the story of these games are very complex. Trying to unwind all of the subtext and underlying narratives is part of what makes these games so interesting to talk about. They are interwoven with many different driving forces. And with how much more complex Part II is than the first, there are so many different reasons Ellie could have chosen to spare Abby. At least part of it has to do with remembering that the finial conversation she had with Joel was hopeful and good, Ellie accepting that she didn't need to do all of this for Joel because he did truly love her unconditionally. Had Ellie killed Abby at the coast, I don't think she could have found the light again. Ellie was never Joel, she couldn't do the interrogations he did, after torturing Nora she was shaken and killing Mel left her in an even worse state. On the inside she was still the girl we knew, even after all she did to get to Abby.
I don't think we'll be able to find this divisiveness around a story decision with many other games. When we lost Joel and are later forced to play as his killer there's a real tension. The discourse that came out of Part II was a lot of suggestion around how Naughty Dog could have chosen to structure these two perspectives differently. A majority of videos and criticism talking about how if they had moved segments it would make for an easier experience. At the time of my first playthrough I loved the game, but I agreed that the switch in particular was a poor choice. Yet I've changed to believe that playing the full 3 days as both Ellie and Abby allows us to become fully engrossed in both of their journeys separately. I think if we were to switch between the two it would make for a more comfortable experience, but we would never be able to fully enter either character's point of view. If it were structured any different I believe it would lessen the impact of what I understand they were trying to do. To Naughty Dog's credit, they do a great job of making Abby's sections worthwhile for those who struggle to warm up to her. Her gameplay sections are far more bombastic and her set pieces are something special. If I could I wouldn't change a thing, even though I struggled with it on my first playthrough. And I think that's the point, we shouldn't fear struggle and discomfort because that is were so many impactful stories lie. We've created a culture that games are a comfortable escape, so when something is uncomfortable we tend to reject it. But if we can welcome that discomfort I think we can grow into better people.
Apart from the story though, nobody is arguing. The Environment of Seattle is uniquely overcast and wet. A great location for the blossoming nature which grows from a broken city. Gustavo Santaolalla's soundtrack is mesmerizing, and perfectly placed to elicit memories associated with each track. Combat is disgustingly realistic, it flows fabulously in both stealth and aggression. The AI is criminally underdiscussed, Stalkers are absolutely terrifying, Humans are super dynamic always keeping you on your toes. Remastered's inclusion of the new mode "No Return" is far more fun and repayable than the combat encounters available in the original. Dialogue is authentic, it can feel messy just like any real conversation. Performances from the actors shine through with their little nuances from highly detailed capture. Ashley Johnson and Laura Bailey gave it their fucking all and you can see it in every second. The art direction is also top-notch. This remaster doesn't do much to improve the visuals, which isn't bad but I feel like they could have called it a "Director's Cut" or "Definitive Edition". The remaster is more about the new content than any visual upgrades. Lost Levels are a fun insight for those who like a look into pieces of the development (I also highly recommend the Grounded II doc on YouTube). I hope we can all agree that even if it did not land for you, Naughty Dog were ambitious this narrative. Something rarely ever seen in the AAA space, they looked at the formulaic stories coming from other large studios and scoffed.
I'm grateful we have studios like Naughty Dog that take risks. We need developers who reach for heights never gone, who want to do things that challenge you and the way you think about games. If The Last of Us Part II didn't work for you, that's okay. At the end of the day it's divisive for a reason, Naughty Dog took a risk that they knew would be polarizing for a portion of their fans. I'm glad it worked for me, both parts have meant so much to me over the last few years. I'm patiently awaiting their next game. If anything is clear to me it's that Naughty Dog and Neil Druckman care about telling stories, they understand the power this medium has to tell unique stories. I'm okay with the pain and heartbreak this story brings, because it is also full of hope, love, and humanity. "Beyond faith in pain, I want faith through pain."
A large part of the conversation around this game revolves around two things: Joel's death and the perspective switch to Abby. Naughty Dog was so successful in creating characters that people truly loved, and that brought backlash with this decision. I believe Joel's death not only was the natural next step this story would take, but it was also a very powerful way to trigger multiple connected stories we see. It sparks Ellie's revenge, what she thinks will bring her closure after the loss of her chance to forgive Joel. And Abby's desire to find closure with her own father, after her revenge failed to bring any sort of peace. Characters in The Last of Us are authentically flawed, they are practically made to be disagreed with. Characters I once despised slowly grow on me until a moment of suspense when I catch myself realizing I've grown to care for them. As Abby struggles to rediscover her humanity in the face of carrying out a deplorable act, we do the same. Growing to learn the person she is inside, the person she wants to be again. As that same act befalls Ellie we follow her plot of revenge, each step into the darkness she takes disconnecting us (and her) from the person she once was. While you watch their many internal struggles, you may find your own. Understanding or even forgiving those who have wronged you is a difficult task, especially when it is someone you love.
In regards to the ending, I simply cannot understand the sentiment that sparing Abby was a mistake. Just the same as Part I, the end of this game subverts the surface level plot for the real backbone of the story it was telling. In Part I the goal is to create a cure, to deliver Ellie to the fireflies and end the outbreak. Right at the finish line Joel abandons that goal in favor of the story the game was always really about, the unconditional love of a parent for their child. In Part II Ellie's goal is to get revenge against Abby, and at the finish line she does the same, this time for the story of forgiveness, not forgiving Abby, but forgiving Joel. That's not to say that this forgiveness narrative was the big point it was trying to tell you, the story of these games are very complex. Trying to unwind all of the subtext and underlying narratives is part of what makes these games so interesting to talk about. They are interwoven with many different driving forces. And with how much more complex Part II is than the first, there are so many different reasons Ellie could have chosen to spare Abby. At least part of it has to do with remembering that the finial conversation she had with Joel was hopeful and good, Ellie accepting that she didn't need to do all of this for Joel because he did truly love her unconditionally. Had Ellie killed Abby at the coast, I don't think she could have found the light again. Ellie was never Joel, she couldn't do the interrogations he did, after torturing Nora she was shaken and killing Mel left her in an even worse state. On the inside she was still the girl we knew, even after all she did to get to Abby.
I don't think we'll be able to find this divisiveness around a story decision with many other games. When we lost Joel and are later forced to play as his killer there's a real tension. The discourse that came out of Part II was a lot of suggestion around how Naughty Dog could have chosen to structure these two perspectives differently. A majority of videos and criticism talking about how if they had moved segments it would make for an easier experience. At the time of my first playthrough I loved the game, but I agreed that the switch in particular was a poor choice. Yet I've changed to believe that playing the full 3 days as both Ellie and Abby allows us to become fully engrossed in both of their journeys separately. I think if we were to switch between the two it would make for a more comfortable experience, but we would never be able to fully enter either character's point of view. If it were structured any different I believe it would lessen the impact of what I understand they were trying to do. To Naughty Dog's credit, they do a great job of making Abby's sections worthwhile for those who struggle to warm up to her. Her gameplay sections are far more bombastic and her set pieces are something special. If I could I wouldn't change a thing, even though I struggled with it on my first playthrough. And I think that's the point, we shouldn't fear struggle and discomfort because that is were so many impactful stories lie. We've created a culture that games are a comfortable escape, so when something is uncomfortable we tend to reject it. But if we can welcome that discomfort I think we can grow into better people.
Apart from the story though, nobody is arguing. The Environment of Seattle is uniquely overcast and wet. A great location for the blossoming nature which grows from a broken city. Gustavo Santaolalla's soundtrack is mesmerizing, and perfectly placed to elicit memories associated with each track. Combat is disgustingly realistic, it flows fabulously in both stealth and aggression. The AI is criminally underdiscussed, Stalkers are absolutely terrifying, Humans are super dynamic always keeping you on your toes. Remastered's inclusion of the new mode "No Return" is far more fun and repayable than the combat encounters available in the original. Dialogue is authentic, it can feel messy just like any real conversation. Performances from the actors shine through with their little nuances from highly detailed capture. Ashley Johnson and Laura Bailey gave it their fucking all and you can see it in every second. The art direction is also top-notch. This remaster doesn't do much to improve the visuals, which isn't bad but I feel like they could have called it a "Director's Cut" or "Definitive Edition". The remaster is more about the new content than any visual upgrades. Lost Levels are a fun insight for those who like a look into pieces of the development (I also highly recommend the Grounded II doc on YouTube). I hope we can all agree that even if it did not land for you, Naughty Dog were ambitious this narrative. Something rarely ever seen in the AAA space, they looked at the formulaic stories coming from other large studios and scoffed.
I'm grateful we have studios like Naughty Dog that take risks. We need developers who reach for heights never gone, who want to do things that challenge you and the way you think about games. If The Last of Us Part II didn't work for you, that's okay. At the end of the day it's divisive for a reason, Naughty Dog took a risk that they knew would be polarizing for a portion of their fans. I'm glad it worked for me, both parts have meant so much to me over the last few years. I'm patiently awaiting their next game. If anything is clear to me it's that Naughty Dog and Neil Druckman care about telling stories, they understand the power this medium has to tell unique stories. I'm okay with the pain and heartbreak this story brings, because it is also full of hope, love, and humanity. "Beyond faith in pain, I want faith through pain."
2023
I keep asking myself why i play these free indie games with retro graphics. There are a ton of revered titles sitting in my backlog untouched. None of them have been particularly worth my time, despite the fact that they are so short. My Eyes Deceive is no different. The only compliment i can give is that the visuals were interesting at times. While the gameplay is appropriate for the topic, it is still entirely lifeless. The worst bit is the use of CSA as a literal punchline in a horror mystery, with no suitable warning. Maybe someday i'll find one of these free games thats actually worth a damn, but i don't see myself playing any more until then.
2005
In the hands of a younger me any Mario Kart game was a guaranteed time sink. Especially on the DS, it was portable so I could take it wherever I wanted, It held a charge for hours, and Mario Kart was one of few games I enjoyed on the console.
Before it was mine, my DS was my mom's, I remember her gifting it to me in a carrying case with all her games. In that case, to name a few, were Mario Party DS, New Super Mario Bros, Duck Amuck, Lego Star Wars, and Mario Kart DS. Those games were the only ones on DS I gave much attention, and this was before I got into Pokémon. I enjoyed Mario Kart DS a lot during the time I played it. After beating the Grand Prix what held my attention was the time trials. Racing against myself could have me entranced for hours, just the same as it did on Super Circuit, and as it would today on 8 Deluxe.
I haven't touched Mario Kart DS in a long ass time, but I still have that same copy, and the same DS. Recently I've had the itch to revisit it with the end of 8 Deluxe's booster course pass. Over the past week I've been routinely playing MKDS before bed. I replayed the Grand Prix and afterwards have been trying to beat my old time trials. I'm surprised how well MKDS has held up, I was a little worried that it wouldn't have aged well but I found the opposite. This game really has an enduring appeal, I constantly get the urge to pick it up and keep playing. Drifting is still just as satisfying as I remember, tracks are as beautiful as ever, the music is absolutely classic, and the Nitro tracks are some of the most consistent in the series.
Unfortunately, the Retro tracks really don't live up to the Nitro tracks. That's the main problem with this game in my opinion. The Retro tracks just didn't get the love they needed to thrive on the DS. They often feel bland and lifeless compared to the new courses. The worst of the retro courses are just terrible picks, they chose some of the least interesting tracks possible. Retro tracks make up half of all courses in the game, dooming that half to always be the last pick. I'm also not a big fan of the system which determines your Grand Prix ranking. The system has a large weight to how many times your kart gets hit, and how many items you use to hit other players. Its just not fun to try to get 3 stars on any track in this game.
I've had so much fun revisiting Mario Kart DS, every lap has been a testament to how brilliant the DS and handheld Mario Kart is.
Favorite tracks:
Waluigi Pinball, Shroom Ridge, Rainbow Road
Before it was mine, my DS was my mom's, I remember her gifting it to me in a carrying case with all her games. In that case, to name a few, were Mario Party DS, New Super Mario Bros, Duck Amuck, Lego Star Wars, and Mario Kart DS. Those games were the only ones on DS I gave much attention, and this was before I got into Pokémon. I enjoyed Mario Kart DS a lot during the time I played it. After beating the Grand Prix what held my attention was the time trials. Racing against myself could have me entranced for hours, just the same as it did on Super Circuit, and as it would today on 8 Deluxe.
I haven't touched Mario Kart DS in a long ass time, but I still have that same copy, and the same DS. Recently I've had the itch to revisit it with the end of 8 Deluxe's booster course pass. Over the past week I've been routinely playing MKDS before bed. I replayed the Grand Prix and afterwards have been trying to beat my old time trials. I'm surprised how well MKDS has held up, I was a little worried that it wouldn't have aged well but I found the opposite. This game really has an enduring appeal, I constantly get the urge to pick it up and keep playing. Drifting is still just as satisfying as I remember, tracks are as beautiful as ever, the music is absolutely classic, and the Nitro tracks are some of the most consistent in the series.
Unfortunately, the Retro tracks really don't live up to the Nitro tracks. That's the main problem with this game in my opinion. The Retro tracks just didn't get the love they needed to thrive on the DS. They often feel bland and lifeless compared to the new courses. The worst of the retro courses are just terrible picks, they chose some of the least interesting tracks possible. Retro tracks make up half of all courses in the game, dooming that half to always be the last pick. I'm also not a big fan of the system which determines your Grand Prix ranking. The system has a large weight to how many times your kart gets hit, and how many items you use to hit other players. Its just not fun to try to get 3 stars on any track in this game.
I've had so much fun revisiting Mario Kart DS, every lap has been a testament to how brilliant the DS and handheld Mario Kart is.
Favorite tracks:
Waluigi Pinball, Shroom Ridge, Rainbow Road
A great addition to MK8D no matter how you look at it. There are some bad tracks, but the sheer number of additional content really rounds out the base game. New and returning courses, characters, and additional balancing brought 8 Deluxe to a higher standard. What was once another Mario Kart gimmick game on the Wii U has become the go-to Mario Kart.
I don't see a point to this game. The Complex shows off areas which are either completely ripped from other "Liminal" media or heavily based on it. It has nearly nothing new to show. That being said, it is free, only 30 minutes long, and has some elements I liked. I like the sound design, It fits camcorder audio well. The sound for running is startling and sounds stressful.
Spoilers Below
-------------------------
It seems nice that this game doesn't have monsters to run from, however near the start it shows a head peek around the corner. It hurt the rest of the experience because I was waiting for the monster which it clearly showed and yet never came. A setup with no payoff does not feel good.
Spoilers Below
-------------------------
It seems nice that this game doesn't have monsters to run from, however near the start it shows a head peek around the corner. It hurt the rest of the experience because I was waiting for the monster which it clearly showed and yet never came. A setup with no payoff does not feel good.
1998
Didn't play OG Resident Evil 1 so I can't compare RE2 to that, and I will be careful comparing it to REmake. I have issues with RE2, but don't get me wrong this is still some good old survival horror. A lot of what I liked in RE 1 is still great here, continuing the same aspects which I loved about the first. However RE 2 sometimes feels like it retreads moments from the first. I was wishing it had its own identity more often. The RPD has to be my favorite change, at first I was a little salty because I preferred the mansion but now I really like the new vibe. I actually think RE 2 has a better soundtrack than the first, so many memorable tracks in this one where 1's was just a good backing for the spooky vibes.
For the most part I didn't feel its age until there was dialogue or a pre-rendered cutscene. The pre-rendered cutscenes are laughable and always took me out of the moment. Re2's story is less mysterious, more campy, and at times comes across as a shit-post. Some of the line delivery is very fun though, it reminds me of old anime Dubs. I can't help but think that the static camera was utilized much better in REmake, it isn't used in many creative ways to craft a scare in this one. I liked playing Claire's A route, but I don't think it has quite enough replayability to go in for the B plot right away. Leon's B run has a good change of story but it feels like a bit of a chore, retreading so much that I've done before does not feel good whatsoever. The best example is Leon's part in the lab, it is an abridged version of Claire's lab with all the same running around but for no reason that makes sense of Leon doing the same. Unless you really particularly loved this game I suggest looking up a video of the second character's playthrough, it didn't feel worth the time to me.
For the most part I didn't feel its age until there was dialogue or a pre-rendered cutscene. The pre-rendered cutscenes are laughable and always took me out of the moment. Re2's story is less mysterious, more campy, and at times comes across as a shit-post. Some of the line delivery is very fun though, it reminds me of old anime Dubs. I can't help but think that the static camera was utilized much better in REmake, it isn't used in many creative ways to craft a scare in this one. I liked playing Claire's A route, but I don't think it has quite enough replayability to go in for the B plot right away. Leon's B run has a good change of story but it feels like a bit of a chore, retreading so much that I've done before does not feel good whatsoever. The best example is Leon's part in the lab, it is an abridged version of Claire's lab with all the same running around but for no reason that makes sense of Leon doing the same. Unless you really particularly loved this game I suggest looking up a video of the second character's playthrough, it didn't feel worth the time to me.
2018
For what Gris sets out to do, It sticks the landing on almost every front. The art, soundtrack, and sound design are all absolutely beautiful. The Puzzles are fun but simple. It is Disciplined in its wordless approach. Gris shows the potential of Indie titles as an Audio & Visual experience, however as a narrative I feel it has largely failed to leave me with much of anything to think on. While unique in its delivery, the story itself is nothing more than a barebones depiction of something that is muddy and complicated.
2023
With so many games for me to catch up on right now I opted to play the Dead Space remake without the original. Not my usual way of doing things, but I think I still got the full experience.
I'm all about this game. The atmosphere, gameplay, mechanics, are all first-rate. I'm not often disturbed by gore but some sequences had me cringing, there are so many unique ways this takes body horror to new levels. I like how each area on the ship has a unique visual style, Hydroponics is my favorite. Other visual details make the world feel grounded like the frost that builds up when entering space, which melts when you return to the ship. Even the UI is designed to make you feel as immersed as possible, its an object that floats in front of Isaac and doesn't pause the game. There is no title screen, instead it is just the pause screen which takes you right in. I ran into few technical issues and it ran great, a few times it soft locked on me but had a quick solution.
The ripper is now one of my all time favorite weapons from a game. I love the monster mechanic which requires you to dismember it rather than go for headshots. Each weapon serves that system and all of them are really fun. The zero g effects are too clunky for my liking, so many times I wish there was an up-down control.
The story definitely feels like a product of its time, and I wasn't a fan of a few story choices. Some twists are too predictable and the whole "Uh oh our plan failed again" thing gets old. I know they need a reason for the game to keep going but eventually it's pretty obvious that plan D won't work either.
I'm all about this game. The atmosphere, gameplay, mechanics, are all first-rate. I'm not often disturbed by gore but some sequences had me cringing, there are so many unique ways this takes body horror to new levels. I like how each area on the ship has a unique visual style, Hydroponics is my favorite. Other visual details make the world feel grounded like the frost that builds up when entering space, which melts when you return to the ship. Even the UI is designed to make you feel as immersed as possible, its an object that floats in front of Isaac and doesn't pause the game. There is no title screen, instead it is just the pause screen which takes you right in. I ran into few technical issues and it ran great, a few times it soft locked on me but had a quick solution.
The ripper is now one of my all time favorite weapons from a game. I love the monster mechanic which requires you to dismember it rather than go for headshots. Each weapon serves that system and all of them are really fun. The zero g effects are too clunky for my liking, so many times I wish there was an up-down control.
The story definitely feels like a product of its time, and I wasn't a fan of a few story choices. Some twists are too predictable and the whole "Uh oh our plan failed again" thing gets old. I know they need a reason for the game to keep going but eventually it's pretty obvious that plan D won't work either.
2023
Lethal Company is everything horror multiplayer should be. Easy to play, fast to get in, scary, and funny as hell. Still need to play the harder levels sometime soon. This is unbelievably hilarious and deserves some time with you and your friends.
2021
This review contains spoilers
This is supposed to be a horror game, right? Alan loved saying his book was "turning into a horror story" but nothing about this game was even a little spooky. It was more silly than it was intense.
The gameplay hurts Alan Wake the most. Flashlight before damage gimmick gets old after enough fighting, and a lot of the gameplay relies on constant shooting.
Something which I find such an obviously terrible decision is the camera. It switches shoulders constantly while playing and defaults to the left side. There is a button to switch the camera to the opposite side it is on, and having to constantly move it to the right shoulder got irritating quick. It baffles me that there is not a setting to keep the camera from moving.
I'd expect that option to be in a 2021 remaster. This being such a recent remaster is quite insane to me, it is missing so much that could potentially make this more justified. The graphics aren't terribly better than the original and animations were just not changed at all, including the odd facial animations.
Each episode often repeats itself in both layout and environment. It has a starting location and an end goal to reach, with a forest somewhere between. The forests all feel the same, almost never with defining set pieces. The exception is the last episode, which throws in many random things to make it feel special like a junk yard or a random monster truck encounter.
The pacing is slow, each episode feels same-y, just going through the motions until it tells you a new piece of information. Fortunately the core story has an interesting premise, enough to keep me engaged while slogging through endless combat. The dialogue is sloppy and is almost never delivered like a real person is speaking. I didn't find myself interested in a single character except for Alan himself.
Surprisingly my favorite thing about Alan Wake was the sweeping B-roll of the wilderness. It plays regularly and really gave a sense of how vast the nature surrounding Bright Falls was.
Rolling credits with 'Space Oddity' really did have me laughing at first but after a minute it made more sense. To me it hinted at what is happening with Alan after the game ends, likely stranded in cauldron lake awaiting an unlikely rescue (knowing Alan Wake 2 exists does kill this mystery a bit). The lyrics sorta fit but the vibe of the song definitely does not.
The gameplay hurts Alan Wake the most. Flashlight before damage gimmick gets old after enough fighting, and a lot of the gameplay relies on constant shooting.
Something which I find such an obviously terrible decision is the camera. It switches shoulders constantly while playing and defaults to the left side. There is a button to switch the camera to the opposite side it is on, and having to constantly move it to the right shoulder got irritating quick. It baffles me that there is not a setting to keep the camera from moving.
I'd expect that option to be in a 2021 remaster. This being such a recent remaster is quite insane to me, it is missing so much that could potentially make this more justified. The graphics aren't terribly better than the original and animations were just not changed at all, including the odd facial animations.
Each episode often repeats itself in both layout and environment. It has a starting location and an end goal to reach, with a forest somewhere between. The forests all feel the same, almost never with defining set pieces. The exception is the last episode, which throws in many random things to make it feel special like a junk yard or a random monster truck encounter.
The pacing is slow, each episode feels same-y, just going through the motions until it tells you a new piece of information. Fortunately the core story has an interesting premise, enough to keep me engaged while slogging through endless combat. The dialogue is sloppy and is almost never delivered like a real person is speaking. I didn't find myself interested in a single character except for Alan himself.
Surprisingly my favorite thing about Alan Wake was the sweeping B-roll of the wilderness. It plays regularly and really gave a sense of how vast the nature surrounding Bright Falls was.
Rolling credits with 'Space Oddity' really did have me laughing at first but after a minute it made more sense. To me it hinted at what is happening with Alan after the game ends, likely stranded in cauldron lake awaiting an unlikely rescue (knowing Alan Wake 2 exists does kill this mystery a bit). The lyrics sorta fit but the vibe of the song definitely does not.
I suspect this game will be revered as a quintessential Spider-Man story, along with Raimi's movies and the comics which inspired this take on them. Insomniac was able to fit together many iconic stories together without making any of them feel under-developed or shoved in, and at the same time perfectly set up their next big villain.
As a fan of the recent Venom comics, seeing elements taken from Absolute Carnage and King in Black show up was exciting. With the news that Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman (creators of the new venom run) didn't get compensated for their work appearing in this game is very disappointing.
The new gameplay gimmicks are a good branch of the first game. The symbiote suit feels really powerful without sacrificing the new increase in difficulty. I like these stealth sections better, making a web in the rafters to capture prey feels and looks cool, and now if you are caught you can't just swing around until they lose you. Web Wings are great if you don't abuse them.
My main and only real complaint is that Miles once again does not have an interesting enough story. It doesn't condemn the game because he's a bit of a secondary character for this story, but its disappointing to see writers disservice him every time its not from the spider-verse team. More of a personal issue of mine is that I don't think insomniac is good at making original Spider-Man suits. A lot of them are just odd, and at their worst they can actually be nasty to look at.
Spoilers Below
That second end credits scene has me worried for Spider-Man 3, I feel like silk will draw away from peter and miles' story. Hopefully it doesn't complicate the main narrative.
The mid game twist was surprising, getting to play as Venom and then so quickly killing Kraven was staggering. The second half really feels like a different story.
Harry fits right in and quickly became a favorite character of mine. He feels really important to the friend group dynamic that I didn't see in the first game. I think he actually works better for this story than Eddie Brock as Venom. Norman grows into an intimidating character, I'm glad they planted seeds for the goblin.
The final fight with Venom is my favorite boss fight in a while. The music, multiple stages, and cutscenes make for an amazing climax.
As a fan of the recent Venom comics, seeing elements taken from Absolute Carnage and King in Black show up was exciting. With the news that Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman (creators of the new venom run) didn't get compensated for their work appearing in this game is very disappointing.
The new gameplay gimmicks are a good branch of the first game. The symbiote suit feels really powerful without sacrificing the new increase in difficulty. I like these stealth sections better, making a web in the rafters to capture prey feels and looks cool, and now if you are caught you can't just swing around until they lose you. Web Wings are great if you don't abuse them.
My main and only real complaint is that Miles once again does not have an interesting enough story. It doesn't condemn the game because he's a bit of a secondary character for this story, but its disappointing to see writers disservice him every time its not from the spider-verse team. More of a personal issue of mine is that I don't think insomniac is good at making original Spider-Man suits. A lot of them are just odd, and at their worst they can actually be nasty to look at.
Spoilers Below
That second end credits scene has me worried for Spider-Man 3, I feel like silk will draw away from peter and miles' story. Hopefully it doesn't complicate the main narrative.
The mid game twist was surprising, getting to play as Venom and then so quickly killing Kraven was staggering. The second half really feels like a different story.
Harry fits right in and quickly became a favorite character of mine. He feels really important to the friend group dynamic that I didn't see in the first game. I think he actually works better for this story than Eddie Brock as Venom. Norman grows into an intimidating character, I'm glad they planted seeds for the goblin.
The final fight with Venom is my favorite boss fight in a while. The music, multiple stages, and cutscenes make for an amazing climax.