Aleyceps
BACKER
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.
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
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.
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.
2014
It’s been a while since a game made me excited to keep playing. I’m always looking for that feeling when I choose what game to play next, and I wasn’t certain before but sure enough Resident Evil was a perfect fit. Basically one giant zelda dungeon themed to a zombie thriller. I love the careful and meticulous nature it encourages you to play as on the first go. I’m not sure how the hell anyone says survival horror is a “comfort genre” for them because this game had me stressed out until the last few hours. Excited to play RE2 soon
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.
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."
2010
I and many others consider Mario Galaxy to be one of the greatest games of all time. It is still wonderful to play and a beast in the 3D Mario lineup. But there were many concepts that didn't make it into the first installment, perfect to put in a sequel. Amazing ideas that can be found all around Galaxy 2. In the music, sound design, creative ass levels, powerups, and even the front cover which shows off the most significant of them all- Yoshi.
Yoshi opened up many gameplay and level opportunities. Even his own power ups which are distinct from Mario's. His power ups are used for entire levels that are designed with it at the core. Yoshi breathes life into every level he is a part of. The kicker is that Yoshi only shows up in a handful of the galaxies, somewhat disappointing because he literally takes up more space on the cover than Mario. Still, the majority of galaxies he is absent in are great.
Moving into the unfortunate regressions of Galaxy 2, first I want to mention the story and atmosphere. Upon the opening It is slowly realized that this will be a retelling of its predecessor's plot. A real shame after what an amazing job Galaxy 1 did with it, they could have taken many other approaches especially since the first game had very recently come out. It feels lazy for them to not find any other drive for this game to occur. With a full view of the story post-credit-roll it is very much an abridged version of the first. Most people may not find issue with that as story has never exactly been the focus of Mario, however I think it limits this game's potential in many areas that could have been switched up between the two.
A great part of Galaxy 1 is the lonely wonder that is perfectly instilled in the cosmos you are exploring. Galaxy 2 leaves that behind for an atmosphere more akin to your average Mario game. There are less starry-skies filled with various planets and more blue cloudy skies inhabited by stages. Even the progression system switched from themed domes at Rosalina's comet observatory to a linear world map designed for quick access. I found myself sorely missing the original's atmosphere, which wonderfully distinguished Galaxy from the other Mario games.
Despite it's fallbacks the level design in Galaxy 2 is still stellar and keeps the action packed fun. It absolutely holds a candle to the first game. My favorites in no particular order were
-Boo Moon
-Tall Trunk
-Bowser's Galaxy Generator
-Chompworks
-Melty Monster
-Cosmic Cove
I may soon try to 100% this game, something I haven't really thought of doing for Galaxy 1
Yoshi opened up many gameplay and level opportunities. Even his own power ups which are distinct from Mario's. His power ups are used for entire levels that are designed with it at the core. Yoshi breathes life into every level he is a part of. The kicker is that Yoshi only shows up in a handful of the galaxies, somewhat disappointing because he literally takes up more space on the cover than Mario. Still, the majority of galaxies he is absent in are great.
Moving into the unfortunate regressions of Galaxy 2, first I want to mention the story and atmosphere. Upon the opening It is slowly realized that this will be a retelling of its predecessor's plot. A real shame after what an amazing job Galaxy 1 did with it, they could have taken many other approaches especially since the first game had very recently come out. It feels lazy for them to not find any other drive for this game to occur. With a full view of the story post-credit-roll it is very much an abridged version of the first. Most people may not find issue with that as story has never exactly been the focus of Mario, however I think it limits this game's potential in many areas that could have been switched up between the two.
A great part of Galaxy 1 is the lonely wonder that is perfectly instilled in the cosmos you are exploring. Galaxy 2 leaves that behind for an atmosphere more akin to your average Mario game. There are less starry-skies filled with various planets and more blue cloudy skies inhabited by stages. Even the progression system switched from themed domes at Rosalina's comet observatory to a linear world map designed for quick access. I found myself sorely missing the original's atmosphere, which wonderfully distinguished Galaxy from the other Mario games.
Despite it's fallbacks the level design in Galaxy 2 is still stellar and keeps the action packed fun. It absolutely holds a candle to the first game. My favorites in no particular order were
-Boo Moon
-Tall Trunk
-Bowser's Galaxy Generator
-Chompworks
-Melty Monster
-Cosmic Cove
I may soon try to 100% this game, something I haven't really thought of doing for Galaxy 1
I loved playing Breath of the Wild, it has arguably the most fun gameplay of any Zelda game. But it screwed up in very important ways.
It is undeniable, Half of this story feels like it is missing to me. Everything before link's awakening in the shrine of resurrection is gone aside from some cutscenes. I am not attached to these NPCs, they do not matter because I don't get to know them. I do not care about curing this Hyrule because I don't know what it was like before. The game simply tells you that you should care instead of showing you why.
The dungeons are also severely lacking. All dungeons operate with the same gimmick where you open your map in order to move a room of the divine beast. I almost don’t want to call them dungeons because the beasts are nowhere near the sprawling systems of traditional Zelda dungeons.
Every divine beast, shrine, and boss looks the same. Each of them is made with the ancient tech of Hyrule, which follows the story being told but it makes for incredibly repetitive dungeon experiences.
Another large issue is that the experiences of the open world don’t vary enough. It’s certain that behind every mysterious cave and cliff will be either a shrine or a korok seed. Adventuring after long enough loses some of it’s charm because you know what lies at every corner.
A few small notes as well:
Bosses should be much harder
Performance issues on the switch
Favorite Dungeon: Hyrule Castle
It is undeniable, Half of this story feels like it is missing to me. Everything before link's awakening in the shrine of resurrection is gone aside from some cutscenes. I am not attached to these NPCs, they do not matter because I don't get to know them. I do not care about curing this Hyrule because I don't know what it was like before. The game simply tells you that you should care instead of showing you why.
The dungeons are also severely lacking. All dungeons operate with the same gimmick where you open your map in order to move a room of the divine beast. I almost don’t want to call them dungeons because the beasts are nowhere near the sprawling systems of traditional Zelda dungeons.
Every divine beast, shrine, and boss looks the same. Each of them is made with the ancient tech of Hyrule, which follows the story being told but it makes for incredibly repetitive dungeon experiences.
Another large issue is that the experiences of the open world don’t vary enough. It’s certain that behind every mysterious cave and cliff will be either a shrine or a korok seed. Adventuring after long enough loses some of it’s charm because you know what lies at every corner.
A few small notes as well:
Bosses should be much harder
Performance issues on the switch
Favorite Dungeon: Hyrule Castle
2023
It was rare that I enjoyed playing Starfield, it had some short lived moments. While absolutely just a novelty, the sandwich tracking does make for some personality. Uber-customizable ships. Some cool sound design.
But it is lacking both the solid base and real expanse it deserves. There is little roleplaying to be found in this RPG, choices are incredibly limited and don't matter. Characters are written and performed like milquetoast. Conversations are often a chore to get through. Planets are the least interesting I have seen from a game, and as everyone says exploration is practically non-existent. Due to a genuine inability to create atmosphere, starfield substitutes that with filters. The use of filters is glaring and ugly. There are more than a few times where bugs lead to soft-locking quests. Far too much fast travel and too many quest markers. Performance is sub-par, no matter what Phil Spencer says, otherwise why would they need to lock a full price AAA game to 30fps on consoles. On a 3070 and sub-par settings, I was still experiencing severe performance issues on locations like New Atlantis.
It is hard to think of a single thing in Starfield that is not done vastly better by 5 other games. A shame it couldn't get the same care that previous Bethesda games seem to have had, even though I have never liked Bethesda's style. I don't see them getting out of this hole easy. After Fallout 76 and the clear divisiveness of this new universe I do not see Elder Scrolls VI getting close to expectations. Then again so many blind news outlets give this game a 9-10 purely for existing.
But it is lacking both the solid base and real expanse it deserves. There is little roleplaying to be found in this RPG, choices are incredibly limited and don't matter. Characters are written and performed like milquetoast. Conversations are often a chore to get through. Planets are the least interesting I have seen from a game, and as everyone says exploration is practically non-existent. Due to a genuine inability to create atmosphere, starfield substitutes that with filters. The use of filters is glaring and ugly. There are more than a few times where bugs lead to soft-locking quests. Far too much fast travel and too many quest markers. Performance is sub-par, no matter what Phil Spencer says, otherwise why would they need to lock a full price AAA game to 30fps on consoles. On a 3070 and sub-par settings, I was still experiencing severe performance issues on locations like New Atlantis.
It is hard to think of a single thing in Starfield that is not done vastly better by 5 other games. A shame it couldn't get the same care that previous Bethesda games seem to have had, even though I have never liked Bethesda's style. I don't see them getting out of this hole easy. After Fallout 76 and the clear divisiveness of this new universe I do not see Elder Scrolls VI getting close to expectations. Then again so many blind news outlets give this game a 9-10 purely for existing.
2020
I really still don’t know if i love this game or am disappointed by it. I might have to play it again, but at the same time I don't really want to. At the twist i was ready to hate it, really i thought it was ruined because it completely changed what the story was supposed to be about.
Maybe this is one of the most profound stories about friendship, growing up, trauma, and fear. Or maybe it's a heartless game, which abandons the topics it builds for the sake of shock horror. I shouldn’t tell you which, you should play it for yourself. So many people love it, but I haven't seen a good defense for its insensitive treatment of mental health.
All I am certain of in Omori is: the combat could use some work. Certain dialogue and actions can take a long time to deliver a small point. Side quests aren’t that interesting. And this group of characters is incredible, each of them is built so well the the point you start to really think you KNOW these kids. I found myself caring deeply for all of them and it is the sole reason I stuck around to the credits.
Maybe this is one of the most profound stories about friendship, growing up, trauma, and fear. Or maybe it's a heartless game, which abandons the topics it builds for the sake of shock horror. I shouldn’t tell you which, you should play it for yourself. So many people love it, but I haven't seen a good defense for its insensitive treatment of mental health.
All I am certain of in Omori is: the combat could use some work. Certain dialogue and actions can take a long time to deliver a small point. Side quests aren’t that interesting. And this group of characters is incredible, each of them is built so well the the point you start to really think you KNOW these kids. I found myself caring deeply for all of them and it is the sole reason I stuck around to the credits.
2012
At times this game is very sleepy. There are a lot of time-wasters in the gameplay, often times they are interactables that don't offer any reaction from the character, Lee just looks at the thing and says nothing. I wasn't into the dialogue, it can feel stale with some characters. The saving grace is that this is actually a super good story. Every episode has a distinct story beat, location, and problems which makes every sitting feel vastly different from the last. It does feel somewhat episodic however it all is fueled by a common goal.
Favorite episode: 5- No Time Left
Least favorite episode: 3- Long Road Ahead
Favorite episode: 5- No Time Left
Least favorite episode: 3- Long Road Ahead
2023
The fact that this is made on an almost 30 year old game amazes me. Expected nothing going in, just saw a stream of the house and decided to try it. Absolutely worth the chance, If you have 3 hours to kill keep it in mind.
The Original Post
The Original Post
2022
I played Scorn through game pass for pc, and i’m not sure if its xbox’s fault or not but it was riddled with technical and performance issues. Every time it loaded a new area it began to stutter tremendously, cutscenes stuttered and audio cut out, several times I couldn’t interact with a pillar and was forced to quit to the main menu and reload. I will note that the themes surprised me, and the atmosphere was stellar. Despite the problems I still find it lingering in my head, somehow I found some fun in the mess. There should have been more puzzles, the combat should have been better, but there was certainly S C O R N.
There were so many more technical problems I had to talk about while playing Scorn, however after finishing it I came across ProtoBozo 's review. They summed it up absolutely perfectly and I see no reason to repeat what has already been said so please go read it!
There were so many more technical problems I had to talk about while playing Scorn, however after finishing it I came across ProtoBozo 's review. They summed it up absolutely perfectly and I see no reason to repeat what has already been said so please go read it!
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