Anon
2020
genuinely one of the best beat'n up games I ever played, everything oozes polish in almost every single aspect especially on the combat and presentation.
the combat might the best in the series and in the genre as a whole, they incorporated fighting game mechanics to the recipe with wall bounces, juggles and an free-form combo system, the controls are smooth and intuitive making combat an joy throughout.
the presentation is also great, the new art direction is slick and full of style, the music is equally great, maybe not on the level of the second game but still memorable and full of bangers.
the extras are also great, costumes for characters and an good replay-value if you want to beat the campaign with all the characters since all of them has their special unique abilities and traits, there is also an full-fledged training mode in the game which is fantastic to learn it's mechanics and combos thanks to the practice options for each character.
the difficulty is once again tough like in the rest of the series but this is by far the easiest I played coming from 3 harder titles, I found the more fairer difficulty to be welcoming though, the levels are short and well-paced and most of the difficulty was fun to overcome.
overall Streets of Rage 4 is an gold standard for the genre and an example on how to bring back an old IP in my opinion, definitely an must-play.
the combat might the best in the series and in the genre as a whole, they incorporated fighting game mechanics to the recipe with wall bounces, juggles and an free-form combo system, the controls are smooth and intuitive making combat an joy throughout.
the presentation is also great, the new art direction is slick and full of style, the music is equally great, maybe not on the level of the second game but still memorable and full of bangers.
the extras are also great, costumes for characters and an good replay-value if you want to beat the campaign with all the characters since all of them has their special unique abilities and traits, there is also an full-fledged training mode in the game which is fantastic to learn it's mechanics and combos thanks to the practice options for each character.
the difficulty is once again tough like in the rest of the series but this is by far the easiest I played coming from 3 harder titles, I found the more fairer difficulty to be welcoming though, the levels are short and well-paced and most of the difficulty was fun to overcome.
overall Streets of Rage 4 is an gold standard for the genre and an example on how to bring back an old IP in my opinion, definitely an must-play.
1992
such an upgrade over the first game, refined combat mechanics with each character having unique special attacks, fantastic presentation with some of the best pixel-art graphics and music on the Genesis and great pacing.
the difficulty and some boss encounters are still frustating though, prepare to be patient if you want to beat the game without infinite continues.
the difficulty and some boss encounters are still frustating though, prepare to be patient if you want to beat the game without infinite continues.
1989
completed it through Street Fighter 6's arcade machines on the World Tour/Battle Hub modes, undeniable classic beat'n up and it still does well in the genre, combat and controls feels good (suplexing and throwing bad guys never gets old) and good presentation at the time.
it has the bullshit difficulty you can expect from Arcade games though, prepare to die a LOT and hit that continue button if you are playing with infinite credits like SF6 offers.
it has the bullshit difficulty you can expect from Arcade games though, prepare to die a LOT and hit that continue button if you are playing with infinite credits like SF6 offers.
good follow-up to previous games.
the gameplay was mostly fine on most of my playthrough, the combat felt more slower and a bit clumsy than DA2 since it lacks a lot of the speed that game had but overall it was mostly good, skills were interesting to use and the build diversity was pretty fun at least by playing with an Archer most of the time.
the presentation is great, BioWare used the Frostbite engine to power the game, the maps are beautiful and the perfomance on the PC version was mostly great, the soundtrack rocks too.
the game's writing and the cast of characters were pretty solid, the voice-acting was great and I really liked the companions in the game though some of them were not really that engaging or particularly memorable like Sera or Vivienne for example.
the main quest was forgettable though, if it was not because of the new mandatory Power currency the whole story would probably be the shortest and most bland narrative BioWare ever brought to us, Corypheus is easily the most forgettable antagonist in all of the BioWare's games I played up to this point, the final battle against him was solved pretty easily and just anticlimatic, it seems like something was off after the battle but the game just ends after it without an proper setup.
the game's overall structure is pretty interesting on paper but it is by far the game's major flaw, there is now multiple mini open-worlds to explore with an set of objectives and landmarks which rewards the player not only with the XP/Loot but also the new "Power" currency which can be used to unlock new areas and story quests, exploring these mini open-worlds felt mostly rewarding in the beginning stages of the game but after it only gets worse, traversing these maps is slow even if you are using an mount and most of the later exploration areas were just an shore to explore and quite repetitive, pretty much every area in the game features the exact same layout of objectives (clearing Rifts, set up camps, landmarks to place Inquisition flags and fetch quests) and things to do that gets old really fast and the worst part about it is that it was absolutely mandatory to set out and explore these maps in order to progress through the game.
the new War Table gimmick not only felt really subpar later in the game but they also included an Mobile game style timer to it so you have to wait hours to complete an objective sometimes and the reward is often lame.
overall Inquisition is a good game, genuinely great writing and the gameplay clicked with me after a while, the main quest and structure is definitely the weakest on BioWare's portfolio though it does compete with Mass Effect Andromeda for that title, I will still play the Trespasser DLC later since it seems like an fitting end to these characters and story.
the gameplay was mostly fine on most of my playthrough, the combat felt more slower and a bit clumsy than DA2 since it lacks a lot of the speed that game had but overall it was mostly good, skills were interesting to use and the build diversity was pretty fun at least by playing with an Archer most of the time.
the presentation is great, BioWare used the Frostbite engine to power the game, the maps are beautiful and the perfomance on the PC version was mostly great, the soundtrack rocks too.
the game's writing and the cast of characters were pretty solid, the voice-acting was great and I really liked the companions in the game though some of them were not really that engaging or particularly memorable like Sera or Vivienne for example.
the main quest was forgettable though, if it was not because of the new mandatory Power currency the whole story would probably be the shortest and most bland narrative BioWare ever brought to us, Corypheus is easily the most forgettable antagonist in all of the BioWare's games I played up to this point, the final battle against him was solved pretty easily and just anticlimatic, it seems like something was off after the battle but the game just ends after it without an proper setup.
the game's overall structure is pretty interesting on paper but it is by far the game's major flaw, there is now multiple mini open-worlds to explore with an set of objectives and landmarks which rewards the player not only with the XP/Loot but also the new "Power" currency which can be used to unlock new areas and story quests, exploring these mini open-worlds felt mostly rewarding in the beginning stages of the game but after it only gets worse, traversing these maps is slow even if you are using an mount and most of the later exploration areas were just an shore to explore and quite repetitive, pretty much every area in the game features the exact same layout of objectives (clearing Rifts, set up camps, landmarks to place Inquisition flags and fetch quests) and things to do that gets old really fast and the worst part about it is that it was absolutely mandatory to set out and explore these maps in order to progress through the game.
the new War Table gimmick not only felt really subpar later in the game but they also included an Mobile game style timer to it so you have to wait hours to complete an objective sometimes and the reward is often lame.
overall Inquisition is a good game, genuinely great writing and the gameplay clicked with me after a while, the main quest and structure is definitely the weakest on BioWare's portfolio though it does compete with Mass Effect Andromeda for that title, I will still play the Trespasser DLC later since it seems like an fitting end to these characters and story.
2009
banger music, art presentation is top-notch, impressive boss-encounters and some good combat mechanics, I can understand why it is considered one of the best "character-action" games out there.
the QTEs really sucks, mashing buttons is not fun and many of my deaths were for cheap QTEs that came out of nowhere.
some of the more non-traditional chapters (Chapter 8 motorcycle section and 14's shoot 'em up gameplay) and platforming sections are a bit boring and somewhat frustating though, it was an attempt to do some variety in the game but I don't think it was really necessary because the combat and enemy-designs are varied enough through all the main story.
definitely worth an try for any fan of non-stop action games, the sequel seems to improve it even more.
the QTEs really sucks, mashing buttons is not fun and many of my deaths were for cheap QTEs that came out of nowhere.
some of the more non-traditional chapters (Chapter 8 motorcycle section and 14's shoot 'em up gameplay) and platforming sections are a bit boring and somewhat frustating though, it was an attempt to do some variety in the game but I don't think it was really necessary because the combat and enemy-designs are varied enough through all the main story.
definitely worth an try for any fan of non-stop action games, the sequel seems to improve it even more.
one of the better games in the series, much more fleshed-out combat and RPG customization thanks to the new Glyph system which allows an extensive number of different abilities and builds to be created, fantastic music and an good storyline to boot, Shanoa is a very good female lead as well.
unfortunely the structure is a bit barebones, I appreciate the inclusion of the world map and multiple areas to choose from but most of the exploration areas felt the same kinda? there is a lot of recycling and themes being constantly used here which can be a bit repetitive fairly early on, I do appreciate the variety in some of the areas though such as in the Prison area where you have to be careful of the upcoming lights or the explosives to blow up some debris in the underwater cave areas, the game does have the central major exploration area you expect in the series through the game's last hours of playtime which is good I guess.
the balancing is not that great neither, there is simply no reason to use any of the melee Glyphs once you get the most powerful magic even if you invest a lot on them not to mention the absurd amount of damage Shanoa takes from most enemies which can feel a bit cheap considering the game's already high difficulty level.
overall an great game, the gameplay loop of combat and platforming gets extremely fun once you have all of your deadly magic in disposal, fantastic music and genuinely good story carried it, this is also one of the most challenging games in the series, it took an good amount of tries for me to get through most of the enemies and bosses in the game not to mention the more scarce healing items and save rooms, I would definitely recommend playing other games in the series if you never tried it before because this one will eat you alive pretty early if you go into it as an entry point but nonetheless I enjoyed a more difficult take on the IGAvania formula.
unfortunely the structure is a bit barebones, I appreciate the inclusion of the world map and multiple areas to choose from but most of the exploration areas felt the same kinda? there is a lot of recycling and themes being constantly used here which can be a bit repetitive fairly early on, I do appreciate the variety in some of the areas though such as in the Prison area where you have to be careful of the upcoming lights or the explosives to blow up some debris in the underwater cave areas, the game does have the central major exploration area you expect in the series through the game's last hours of playtime which is good I guess.
the balancing is not that great neither, there is simply no reason to use any of the melee Glyphs once you get the most powerful magic even if you invest a lot on them not to mention the absurd amount of damage Shanoa takes from most enemies which can feel a bit cheap considering the game's already high difficulty level.
overall an great game, the gameplay loop of combat and platforming gets extremely fun once you have all of your deadly magic in disposal, fantastic music and genuinely good story carried it, this is also one of the most challenging games in the series, it took an good amount of tries for me to get through most of the enemies and bosses in the game not to mention the more scarce healing items and save rooms, I would definitely recommend playing other games in the series if you never tried it before because this one will eat you alive pretty early if you go into it as an entry point but nonetheless I enjoyed a more difficult take on the IGAvania formula.
another great beat'n up by Capcom, I think they never miss when it comes at this genre at the time, brawling is satisfying alongside the great presentation makes it up for an good time.
1990
landmark for 2D platformers, rewarding level-design and interconnected world-map with lots of secret levels and routes to discover, fluid controls and banger presentation, a timeless classic that every kind of player can pick up and play at any period of time.
2014
really solid entry, tight controls, great level-design and incredible visuals for the 3DS.
the Hypernova ability might get a bit repetitive later in the game but it manages to deliver some really good puzzles with it which is nice.
overall an must-play if you like platformers, Planet Robobot looks even better.
the Hypernova ability might get a bit repetitive later in the game but it manages to deliver some really good puzzles with it which is nice.
overall an must-play if you like platformers, Planet Robobot looks even better.
2020
replayed, still is one of the best shooters ever made.
satisfying combat-system, incredibly responsive movement and controls, superb level-design and music.
fuck the Marauder tho still hate him so much.
satisfying combat-system, incredibly responsive movement and controls, superb level-design and music.
fuck the Marauder tho still hate him so much.
replayed and finished with 4 hours + Inverted Castle.
masterful atmosphere and graphics, god-tier music, smooth controls and fantastic pacing/level-design throughout make it an joy to play and I don't think this game will age at this point.
I still have some issues related to the Inverted Castle though, the idea of having an second exploration segment is great and greatly increases the value of the game but the horrendous upside down level-design and difficulty spikes are easily the most annoying things in this game and in the whole series by far.
overall Symphony still helds up his position in the throne alongside Super Metroid and Hollow Knight for me, this is one of the best starting points if one never played an Metroidvania before and wants an introduction in the genre.
masterful atmosphere and graphics, god-tier music, smooth controls and fantastic pacing/level-design throughout make it an joy to play and I don't think this game will age at this point.
I still have some issues related to the Inverted Castle though, the idea of having an second exploration segment is great and greatly increases the value of the game but the horrendous upside down level-design and difficulty spikes are easily the most annoying things in this game and in the whole series by far.
overall Symphony still helds up his position in the throne alongside Super Metroid and Hollow Knight for me, this is one of the best starting points if one never played an Metroidvania before and wants an introduction in the genre.
1991
pretty good reimagining of the original Castlevania.
good controls, improved moment to moment gameplay largely because of the new Whip mechanics and one button Sub-Weapons, really good presentation and Mode 7 usage.
the level-design though fine most of the time heavily uses traps/platforms that kill you instantly and I am not much of an fan of the new Grappling Hook mechanic which is very finnicky and not that polished like the rest of the game.
overall this is an very good starting game if you want to play the original side-scroller Castlevania titles.
good controls, improved moment to moment gameplay largely because of the new Whip mechanics and one button Sub-Weapons, really good presentation and Mode 7 usage.
the level-design though fine most of the time heavily uses traps/platforms that kill you instantly and I am not much of an fan of the new Grappling Hook mechanic which is very finnicky and not that polished like the rest of the game.
overall this is an very good starting game if you want to play the original side-scroller Castlevania titles.
2015
another good title from the Amnesia/Penumbra series creators Frictional Games, SOMA's great perfomances, writing and storytelling is definitely one of the most solid amongst the genre, those who likes an good set of thoughtful themes and great story can't miss this.
the atmosphere and visuals are also pretty good, this game captures the feeling of loneliness of the ocean perfectly and is genuinely terrifying if you are afraid of it like me, sound-design is also great and it runs pretty well on PC.
the actual gameplay is not really that special though, the game still has the satisfying sense of immersion Frictional is known to put out in their games with the physical interaction with the world and everything, I really like messing around with the enviroment but that's about it, they essentially removed every element of interesting gameplay found in their previous games such as inventory management or Sanity meters leaving only behind an walking-sim style of game where you just walk forward and interact with some stuff while hiding from enemies.
overall SOMA doesn't do anything great in terms of gameplay and the encounters of monsters turns into a shore and it simply doens't anything new to the experience, I think the best way to enjoy this is by playing on Safe Mode which cuts all the monster encounters, the game does lose the challenge but if you want a more tighter, better paced and story-focused experience this is the way to go.
the atmosphere and visuals are also pretty good, this game captures the feeling of loneliness of the ocean perfectly and is genuinely terrifying if you are afraid of it like me, sound-design is also great and it runs pretty well on PC.
the actual gameplay is not really that special though, the game still has the satisfying sense of immersion Frictional is known to put out in their games with the physical interaction with the world and everything, I really like messing around with the enviroment but that's about it, they essentially removed every element of interesting gameplay found in their previous games such as inventory management or Sanity meters leaving only behind an walking-sim style of game where you just walk forward and interact with some stuff while hiding from enemies.
overall SOMA doesn't do anything great in terms of gameplay and the encounters of monsters turns into a shore and it simply doens't anything new to the experience, I think the best way to enjoy this is by playing on Safe Mode which cuts all the monster encounters, the game does lose the challenge but if you want a more tighter, better paced and story-focused experience this is the way to go.
Breath of the Wild is an strange game to evaluate on how I feel about it, it's issues with the many copy-pasted and tiring shrines, lack of enemy variety, Divine Beasts being lame replacements to the traditional dungeons on design and visual aesthetics, lack of interesting quests, empty map in some regions, not having many thoughtful additions to the combat system (even Skyward Sword's controversial motion controls centered combat somehow felt more unique and interesting than what BOTW offers even if it lacks the multiple weapon classes) are all disappointing but even with those shortcomings I somehow was eager to boot it up everyday and I didn't put it down until I finished it.
the gameplay is really smooth in terms of controls, moving around with Link feels great and responsive, jumping and climbing were all solid additions, Skyward Sword's stamina system has an purpose now considering the large cliffs and mountains of the game world, you can mess with the game world in countless ways and I really love how Nintendo designed the game to encourage the player in experimenting through creative solutions and abilities, the presentation is also fantastic, beautiful looking landscapes, art-style and music.
Breath of the Wild has it's issues and it's probably my least favorite 3D Zelda game to date (it will likely be the least replayable to me as well) but I still enjoyed my 40 hour playthrough, I do get why it's an favorite amongst open-world games and I am eager to play Tears of the Kingdom if I got the chance to do so someday, it seems like an really good improvement to what BOTW does better and taking account on things it don't.
the gameplay is really smooth in terms of controls, moving around with Link feels great and responsive, jumping and climbing were all solid additions, Skyward Sword's stamina system has an purpose now considering the large cliffs and mountains of the game world, you can mess with the game world in countless ways and I really love how Nintendo designed the game to encourage the player in experimenting through creative solutions and abilities, the presentation is also fantastic, beautiful looking landscapes, art-style and music.
Breath of the Wild has it's issues and it's probably my least favorite 3D Zelda game to date (it will likely be the least replayable to me as well) but I still enjoyed my 40 hour playthrough, I do get why it's an favorite amongst open-world games and I am eager to play Tears of the Kingdom if I got the chance to do so someday, it seems like an really good improvement to what BOTW does better and taking account on things it don't.
2008
pretty high-quality Sonic game with an fantastic presentation, great gameplay across the 2 characters and generally good narrative
the Night Stages might be the most polarizing thing about Unleashed, I honestly think they are fairly good and Werehog's combat mechanics are quite satisfying and have an great punch to them and the platforming sections are not bad neither apart from god-awful ledge grabbing mechanics. the length of these stages and the extremely ANNOYING battle music of his stages are easily the worst aspects in these sections.
the Sun/Moon Medals collection is also fairly annoying since you need to gather nearly 120 Sun and 80 Moon to at least finish the main story and this can be very annoying because of the fast-paced nature of the Daytime stages.
the Night Stages might be the most polarizing thing about Unleashed, I honestly think they are fairly good and Werehog's combat mechanics are quite satisfying and have an great punch to them and the platforming sections are not bad neither apart from god-awful ledge grabbing mechanics. the length of these stages and the extremely ANNOYING battle music of his stages are easily the worst aspects in these sections.
the Sun/Moon Medals collection is also fairly annoying since you need to gather nearly 120 Sun and 80 Moon to at least finish the main story and this can be very annoying because of the fast-paced nature of the Daytime stages.