Anon
2012
another solid Suda51 game, pretty stylized with an great art-style and soundtrack, decent hack'n slash centric combat, extremely fun boss encounters with the sole exception being the final boss, fun humor and storyline.
the game does get a bit repetitive later on but thankfully the experience is not very long to make things tiring, I finished it in 5 hours.
overall an great time, it's nice that this is getting ported to more platforms very soon, more people should definitely play it.
the game does get a bit repetitive later on but thankfully the experience is not very long to make things tiring, I finished it in 5 hours.
overall an great time, it's nice that this is getting ported to more platforms very soon, more people should definitely play it.
2018
pretty solid little Metroidvania, the gameplay that takes cues from Order of Eclessia works well, gorgeous pixel-art graphics and good enough soundtrack, great exploration that feels rewarding and fun boss encounters, everything that an good Metroidvania needs is right here and fans of the genre will feel right at home.
it's a bit too short though, having played other Metroidvania games I finished this in 4 hours with most of the endings done without breaking much of an sweat, the story was decent enough but difficult to follow, lots of time travelling nothingburgers.
nonetheless an solid game, I am excited for the sequel now, hopefully it comes out this year.
it's a bit too short though, having played other Metroidvania games I finished this in 4 hours with most of the endings done without breaking much of an sweat, the story was decent enough but difficult to follow, lots of time travelling nothingburgers.
nonetheless an solid game, I am excited for the sequel now, hopefully it comes out this year.
definitely an PS2 classic but damn is this game tiring, the gameplay is well realized, the combat is really fun with a lot of variety considering the different weapon classes. the "Innocent Devil" system is incredibly cool, it's engaging to try out each helper and see their evolutions and abilities.
the soundtrack slaps as usual for the series, the story is surprisingly good for an Castlevania game, I liked the characters and even the dialogue, PS2 era games have that cheesy and exaggerated acting that I really enjoy and this game does it perfectly, the cutscene direction and mocap are really good too.
unfortunely the rest is marred down by a lot of slogness and repetition, there are some Castlevania games that are known for their piss poor map designs, the GBA titles such as Circle of the Moon or Harmony of Dissonance are the top contenders but Curse of Darkness might be the worst when it comes to this, each area is designed the same way, roads leading to doors with more roads that are filled with the same copy pasted enemies, different pathways that are there just to slow down the player, lots of time there is nothing in the end to properly reward the player for exploring these massive and repetitive areas, the incredibly slow movement speed that Hector has doesn't help either.
play Curse of Darkness in short bursts otherwise most players will probably bounce off on this in an hour or two, Igarashi and his team probably felt that the variety of helpers and weapons would compensate for the overall simplistic and boring exploration elements but this is not how I felt during my nearly 10 hour playtime, going for an more linear approach would have been better choice in terms of structure.
the soundtrack slaps as usual for the series, the story is surprisingly good for an Castlevania game, I liked the characters and even the dialogue, PS2 era games have that cheesy and exaggerated acting that I really enjoy and this game does it perfectly, the cutscene direction and mocap are really good too.
unfortunely the rest is marred down by a lot of slogness and repetition, there are some Castlevania games that are known for their piss poor map designs, the GBA titles such as Circle of the Moon or Harmony of Dissonance are the top contenders but Curse of Darkness might be the worst when it comes to this, each area is designed the same way, roads leading to doors with more roads that are filled with the same copy pasted enemies, different pathways that are there just to slow down the player, lots of time there is nothing in the end to properly reward the player for exploring these massive and repetitive areas, the incredibly slow movement speed that Hector has doesn't help either.
play Curse of Darkness in short bursts otherwise most players will probably bounce off on this in an hour or two, Igarashi and his team probably felt that the variety of helpers and weapons would compensate for the overall simplistic and boring exploration elements but this is not how I felt during my nearly 10 hour playtime, going for an more linear approach would have been better choice in terms of structure.
pretty solid action-adventure game considering it's troublesome development cycle, the combat is really fun, great weapons that feel good to shoot, responsive controls too. the upgrade system works really well and there is an substantial variety of enemies present in the whole campaign.
this also goes to the game's levels too especially during Act 4, I know these segments are not the best part of the game but I thought they were pretty enjoyable at least when the 2D segments are concerned.
the presentation is also good, the visuals aged well and I enjoyed the character design and soundtrack, sound design is also top-notch.
the story is fine, I really enjoyed Garcia and Johnson's banters, some jokes aged badly while others were genuinely funny, the storybooks that you can find throughout the game are hilarious.
overall an solid time, you can definitely tell that this game was widely affected by executive meddling and it's previous vision was way more interesting that what we got but I still think this is worth playing, it's consistently fun to play and this is what matters in the end at least for me. I am glad that this game will be no longer stuck on the PS3 and X360 consoles with the Remaster coming in the near future, until then if you don't own either of these consoles playing on an emulator works flawlessly.
this also goes to the game's levels too especially during Act 4, I know these segments are not the best part of the game but I thought they were pretty enjoyable at least when the 2D segments are concerned.
the presentation is also good, the visuals aged well and I enjoyed the character design and soundtrack, sound design is also top-notch.
the story is fine, I really enjoyed Garcia and Johnson's banters, some jokes aged badly while others were genuinely funny, the storybooks that you can find throughout the game are hilarious.
overall an solid time, you can definitely tell that this game was widely affected by executive meddling and it's previous vision was way more interesting that what we got but I still think this is worth playing, it's consistently fun to play and this is what matters in the end at least for me. I am glad that this game will be no longer stuck on the PS3 and X360 consoles with the Remaster coming in the near future, until then if you don't own either of these consoles playing on an emulator works flawlessly.
pretty competent tie-in game, fun and varied combat with tons of different abilities to use that all feel very useful, decent visuals and the rail shooter flight segments adds some variety to spice some of the levels.
the combat tends to have it's sluggish aspects though, the player often gets stunlocked out of nowhere and evade moves could have felt a lot more smoother and responsive not to mention that it does have it's signs of low budget here and there as expected from most tie-in games but honestly this is a lot of fun, definitely would recommend it if someone is looking for an sweet and short hack'n slash with an fun combat to enjoy, had to emulate it on the Steam Deck to play it since this HD version never got released outside of the PS3 and X360.
the combat tends to have it's sluggish aspects though, the player often gets stunlocked out of nowhere and evade moves could have felt a lot more smoother and responsive not to mention that it does have it's signs of low budget here and there as expected from most tie-in games but honestly this is a lot of fun, definitely would recommend it if someone is looking for an sweet and short hack'n slash with an fun combat to enjoy, had to emulate it on the Steam Deck to play it since this HD version never got released outside of the PS3 and X360.
easy contender for the best Kirby game and one of the best modern 3D platformers, everything here oozes quality and the transition from 2D to 3D was perfectly made.
the new movement and combat were great, the copy abilities are fewer in number compared to previous Kirby titles and they also have less movesets tied to them but they include just enough to make it work on the new 3D space, you can also upgrade those copy abilities to change their functionality a little bit. overall the combat has less going on compared to the previous game (Star Allies) but this is still an very competent 3D action game as a whole, the boss fights and combat arenas showcase that perfectly. the only thing that may be held it back for some players might be the difficutly, I pretty much blasted through the main levels without breaking a sweat, it definitely has some tricky spots especially if the side content is concerned though.
the presentation is pretty much flawless as usual, beautiful visuals and incredible soundtrack, one of the best if not the best on series's history.
the level-design in this is honestly impressive, every level is an blast, full of different ideas and creativity especially in regards to enviroments and the new Mouthful mechanic, I thought that this mechanic was just an simple gimmick that would get old the more you get through the game kinda like the Super Abilities from Return to Dream Land or the Hypernova from Triple Deluxe but I was very happy to be wrong, the ways they utilize the mechanic is fresh every time you use it, an incredible achievement in terms of game design.
overall an fantastic time, play this if you got the chance to do so, absolute must-play for platformer fans and Switch owners.
the new movement and combat were great, the copy abilities are fewer in number compared to previous Kirby titles and they also have less movesets tied to them but they include just enough to make it work on the new 3D space, you can also upgrade those copy abilities to change their functionality a little bit. overall the combat has less going on compared to the previous game (Star Allies) but this is still an very competent 3D action game as a whole, the boss fights and combat arenas showcase that perfectly. the only thing that may be held it back for some players might be the difficutly, I pretty much blasted through the main levels without breaking a sweat, it definitely has some tricky spots especially if the side content is concerned though.
the presentation is pretty much flawless as usual, beautiful visuals and incredible soundtrack, one of the best if not the best on series's history.
the level-design in this is honestly impressive, every level is an blast, full of different ideas and creativity especially in regards to enviroments and the new Mouthful mechanic, I thought that this mechanic was just an simple gimmick that would get old the more you get through the game kinda like the Super Abilities from Return to Dream Land or the Hypernova from Triple Deluxe but I was very happy to be wrong, the ways they utilize the mechanic is fresh every time you use it, an incredible achievement in terms of game design.
overall an fantastic time, play this if you got the chance to do so, absolute must-play for platformer fans and Switch owners.
2018
fairly standard Kirby game, good combat as always and set of copy abilities to use, new mechanics with the elements and the return of buddies helping you are both interesting, really fun boss-fights, the visuals and music are still fantastic, very colorful and full of charm like any previous Kirby game.
the level-design is a bit basic though and the game is extremely easy, way more than an Kirby game usually is, if you want an challenge I think it's generally better to not rely on your Helpers through the game, maybe just 1 helping you is enough even if that means that some puzzles will be impossible to complete without an group of 3.
I still think it's worth playing especially if you are looking for an enjoyable action platformer to play with your friends and family, it's the perfect game for that but in comparison to previous Kirby games such as Triple Deluxe or Planet Robobot but even more so after Forgotten Land, Star Allies is nowhere in the same level as those 3 games as whole.
the level-design is a bit basic though and the game is extremely easy, way more than an Kirby game usually is, if you want an challenge I think it's generally better to not rely on your Helpers through the game, maybe just 1 helping you is enough even if that means that some puzzles will be impossible to complete without an group of 3.
I still think it's worth playing especially if you are looking for an enjoyable action platformer to play with your friends and family, it's the perfect game for that but in comparison to previous Kirby games such as Triple Deluxe or Planet Robobot but even more so after Forgotten Land, Star Allies is nowhere in the same level as those 3 games as whole.
very original horror game, interesting investigation mechanics. lighting, atmosphere and sound-design are superb, compelling plot and voice acting, melee and firearm combat feels crunchy and satisfying, Monolith was cooking some serious heat back in 2005/06.
there is some ocassional jank regarding the blocking and investigation mechanics though, my first few hours were a bit frustating because of these two things.
unfortunely the game does get repetitive rather quickly, the combat while enjoyable falls into the strike/block loop, movement speed is slow considering the often large levels, the level design itself doesn't offer enough variety to keep the player entertained after a long while of play.
I still recommend giving an shot, I miss when Monolith was still around to create these original games with good gameplay, influences and technical prowess instead of being stuck with estabilished IPs, shame that the sequel is not on PC but I will definitely try it once I get the chance.
there is some ocassional jank regarding the blocking and investigation mechanics though, my first few hours were a bit frustating because of these two things.
unfortunely the game does get repetitive rather quickly, the combat while enjoyable falls into the strike/block loop, movement speed is slow considering the often large levels, the level design itself doesn't offer enough variety to keep the player entertained after a long while of play.
I still recommend giving an shot, I miss when Monolith was still around to create these original games with good gameplay, influences and technical prowess instead of being stuck with estabilished IPs, shame that the sequel is not on PC but I will definitely try it once I get the chance.
2013
very unique single-player horror game, unsettling atmosphere, strong sound design, the survival horror gameplay works really well with some painful decision making regarding it's inventory system which will please or annoy certain players, I am in the boat that enjoy it especially the dual wielding system.
the combat system works fine although it can be unsatisfying sometimes especially regarding it's melee combat, there is an severe lack of feedback and hit detection which can be frustating when taking down enemies.
in terms of visuals, Cry of Fear is an very gorgeous game considering the engine this has been built, the team used the GoldSrc engine which was first used on the first Half-Life, it's an night and day difference when comparing these two games in regards to it's lighting and other visual effects.
the animations are also pretty damn good, weapons are very well animated and the main character is very expressive on his moves, the cutscenes and monsters's movements in the other hand are not that great but for an mod it gets the job done.
overall Cry of Fear is an good time for those looking for an unsettling and scary horror game, the gameplay can be clumsy and janky sometimes but there is a lot to like here, anyone can pick this up and play since it is available for free on Steam and it doesn't require any other games to be playable, for an free to play game there is a lot of quality in here and is on par with the best in the genre if we are comparing survival horror games.
the combat system works fine although it can be unsatisfying sometimes especially regarding it's melee combat, there is an severe lack of feedback and hit detection which can be frustating when taking down enemies.
in terms of visuals, Cry of Fear is an very gorgeous game considering the engine this has been built, the team used the GoldSrc engine which was first used on the first Half-Life, it's an night and day difference when comparing these two games in regards to it's lighting and other visual effects.
the animations are also pretty damn good, weapons are very well animated and the main character is very expressive on his moves, the cutscenes and monsters's movements in the other hand are not that great but for an mod it gets the job done.
overall Cry of Fear is an good time for those looking for an unsettling and scary horror game, the gameplay can be clumsy and janky sometimes but there is a lot to like here, anyone can pick this up and play since it is available for free on Steam and it doesn't require any other games to be playable, for an free to play game there is a lot of quality in here and is on par with the best in the genre if we are comparing survival horror games.
2010
one of the best horror mods for Half-Life 2, great atmosphere and presentation, it's really ambitious especially for an mod, I always constantly surprised by the level of quality here, Source Engine is an different beast.
the scares are honestly the best part, they don't rely on cheap jumpscares or anything like that but through the game's enviroment, it constantly plays with the player by messing with the flashlight or your character suddently getting damaged, it's essential to get you panicked while playing, my favorite section was in Chapter 5 with the mannequins.
has some really nice combat setpieces as well, the gunplay is the same as in HL2 so it works great, enemies are fun to fight and there is just enough combat to be enjoyable.
overall an solid horror/action game, worth playing it if you are looking towards an scary atmosphere and fun gameplay, lasts 1:30 to 2 hours.
the scares are honestly the best part, they don't rely on cheap jumpscares or anything like that but through the game's enviroment, it constantly plays with the player by messing with the flashlight or your character suddently getting damaged, it's essential to get you panicked while playing, my favorite section was in Chapter 5 with the mannequins.
has some really nice combat setpieces as well, the gunplay is the same as in HL2 so it works great, enemies are fun to fight and there is just enough combat to be enjoyable.
overall an solid horror/action game, worth playing it if you are looking towards an scary atmosphere and fun gameplay, lasts 1:30 to 2 hours.
2023
this is the best Vampire Survivors clone on Steam right now, the gear system and manual aiming are very solid additions that feel great to engage with, lots of build variety, the aesthetic is fresh and nostalgic, the sound design is crunchy and satisfying which makes every skill feel impactful and pleasent to your ears while you are slaying those monsters during an 30 minute run.
an solid time, definitely recommend grabbing it if you enjoy this kind of game.
an solid time, definitely recommend grabbing it if you enjoy this kind of game.
2009
an true classic, the idea is very creative and everything just works so well, the gameplay mechanics are very straightforward and simple in the tower defense genre, the music, sound-design and visuals just screams charm and personality, goes a lot harder than I remember.
the only gripes I have is that it's a bit too long and it tends to be a bit slow sometimes, nothing that harsh though.
definitely one of the best games in the genre, it's an shame that the franchise lost his footing so quickly after this.
the only gripes I have is that it's a bit too long and it tends to be a bit slow sometimes, nothing that harsh though.
definitely one of the best games in the genre, it's an shame that the franchise lost his footing so quickly after this.
2023
pretty serviciable ARPG, good combat and classes to choose, great visuals, after Diablo 3's more lighthearted tone and aesthetics this one felt really refreshing and somewhat reminscent of the first two Diablo games, the narrative also saw some substantial improvements.
unfortunely I am not an huge fan of the open-world structure, the world is not interesting visually-wise and clearing same-y dungeons and grind side missions gets a bit old after a while, Diablo in nature can be very repetitive and having to traverse huge distances especially before getting an mount (which by itself takes a little while to get) is tiresome.
the game's live service natures also leaves a lot to be desired especially for people who are seeking to playing this for an long time, updates just makes everything worse and Blizzard doesn't even try to fix some of the game's issues, the microtransactions are also very aggressive.
overall it's an good time, fun combat when played in bursts and really good visuals/narrative, I would say to play this strictly for the campaign.
unfortunely I am not an huge fan of the open-world structure, the world is not interesting visually-wise and clearing same-y dungeons and grind side missions gets a bit old after a while, Diablo in nature can be very repetitive and having to traverse huge distances especially before getting an mount (which by itself takes a little while to get) is tiresome.
the game's live service natures also leaves a lot to be desired especially for people who are seeking to playing this for an long time, updates just makes everything worse and Blizzard doesn't even try to fix some of the game's issues, the microtransactions are also very aggressive.
overall it's an good time, fun combat when played in bursts and really good visuals/narrative, I would say to play this strictly for the campaign.
pretty inventive and straight to point finale, incredibly fun gameplay loop, the addition of stealth kills and the more urban enviroment fits very nicely into Prince of Persia, interesting variety too ranging from carriage races or the addition of an transformation for the Prince which brings even more spice to the gameplay, the tight pacing and narrative are also great changes of pace after Warrior Within that felt lacking on those departments.
unfortunely the game still lacks a bit of polish and I dunno if it was the engine being old or because Ubisoft had only an year to develop this, the visuals are still very dry just like Warrior Within, weird animations especially on cutscenes, sound design is awful and the PC version has lots of different problems which can thankfully be solved by implementing fan-made fixes.
overall an gem on the overaching array of the PS2's incredibly rich library, everything is really solid and consistently fun to play.
unfortunely the game still lacks a bit of polish and I dunno if it was the engine being old or because Ubisoft had only an year to develop this, the visuals are still very dry just like Warrior Within, weird animations especially on cutscenes, sound design is awful and the PC version has lots of different problems which can thankfully be solved by implementing fan-made fixes.
overall an gem on the overaching array of the PS2's incredibly rich library, everything is really solid and consistently fun to play.
one of the best Metroidvanias I ever played and is miles above it's predecessor, the art is somehow even better than the first game, every frame and location in this thing is completely unique and creative, the music continues to be stellar, the artistry on these games is impressive, an powerful art-style and music can do wonders for your game.
the gameplay saw some much needed improvements coming from the first game specifically the combat system, fighting enemies is no longer an slog and the action is way more exciting thanks to the wide variety of different weapons and more varied enemy designs, the game has actual boss-fights now.
the game also uses auto-saving too as opposed to having to create manual saves like in the first game, this leads to an better gameplay flow overall and less frustating deaths.
the platforming and exploration continues to be immaculate, Ori's physics and momentum while jumping around feels incredible, the level-design is downright impressive.
overall this is an sequel that improves in just about everything that made the previous game good while taking account on it's downsides, must-play especially for those who enjoys Metroidvanias and platforming games, one of the top contenders of 2020 for sure.
the gameplay saw some much needed improvements coming from the first game specifically the combat system, fighting enemies is no longer an slog and the action is way more exciting thanks to the wide variety of different weapons and more varied enemy designs, the game has actual boss-fights now.
the game also uses auto-saving too as opposed to having to create manual saves like in the first game, this leads to an better gameplay flow overall and less frustating deaths.
the platforming and exploration continues to be immaculate, Ori's physics and momentum while jumping around feels incredible, the level-design is downright impressive.
overall this is an sequel that improves in just about everything that made the previous game good while taking account on it's downsides, must-play especially for those who enjoys Metroidvanias and platforming games, one of the top contenders of 2020 for sure.