Anon
2015
great Remake, incredible visuals that push the Source Engine to it's limit, good gameplay and attention to detail, the stakes during the Black Mesa incident was never been higher as it is here.
Xen is an mixed bag, it's definitely better than in the original game and it looks gorgeous, it feels like an alien planet this time around but I felt it relied heavily on boring plug puzzles and some of the chapters lasted for too long notably Interloper.
the gunplay could have felt more tighter, enemies are either frustating to fight or were too easy, some of the weapons such as the shotgun don't feel satisfying enough to shoot, definitely still fun to play but HL2 and even the original game's combat are more satisfying and tighter to engage with.
overall an lovingly made Remake by passionate fans, must-play to anyone who enjoys the HL series.
Xen is an mixed bag, it's definitely better than in the original game and it looks gorgeous, it feels like an alien planet this time around but I felt it relied heavily on boring plug puzzles and some of the chapters lasted for too long notably Interloper.
the gunplay could have felt more tighter, enemies are either frustating to fight or were too easy, some of the weapons such as the shotgun don't feel satisfying enough to shoot, definitely still fun to play but HL2 and even the original game's combat are more satisfying and tighter to engage with.
overall an lovingly made Remake by passionate fans, must-play to anyone who enjoys the HL series.
solid side-campaign, fills out unresolved questions of the main story while featuring new areas and boss fights, like the base game the combat and pacing is utterly impecabble, Ada's grapple hook can be used to engage with enemies something that was not possible in the original version while also expanding the overall mobility, she really feels an different character to control than Leon unlike the original whereas the two characters are pretty much the same just changing the animations and skins, the two new weapons are fun and many of the setpieces that was removed in Leon's campaign are back with new twists which is by far RE4 Remake's greatest strength, it's willing to feature the same old areas but with new stuff to spice it up.
the storyline is about as good as the base campaign, Ada is an great character as usual and Luis/Wesker gets more screen time which is always an plus, it may feel a bit simplistic in some places especially compared to the original version's overall lore bits with Krauser, Wesker and The Organization but overall great, most of these lore aspects were quickly abandoned in the series after 4 anyways.
overall this is an fantastic expansion pack, it lasts enough time and you can come back to it very frequently thanks to the awesome replayability, there is weapons to upgrade and new unlockables for each playthrough, the price tag of 10 dollars is an steal considering the amount of stuff and quality that come with this, I would say that this is an must buy if you already own the base game and wants more of RE4 Remake's greatness, one of the best story DLCs ever made for sure and makes me miss how much prevelent these were before.
the storyline is about as good as the base campaign, Ada is an great character as usual and Luis/Wesker gets more screen time which is always an plus, it may feel a bit simplistic in some places especially compared to the original version's overall lore bits with Krauser, Wesker and The Organization but overall great, most of these lore aspects were quickly abandoned in the series after 4 anyways.
overall this is an fantastic expansion pack, it lasts enough time and you can come back to it very frequently thanks to the awesome replayability, there is weapons to upgrade and new unlockables for each playthrough, the price tag of 10 dollars is an steal considering the amount of stuff and quality that come with this, I would say that this is an must buy if you already own the base game and wants more of RE4 Remake's greatness, one of the best story DLCs ever made for sure and makes me miss how much prevelent these were before.
2011
I still prefer Asylum's atmosphere, presentation and overall structure in terms of game design but this is an undeniable improvement over the previous game in most of the other fronts, combat, stealth, movement, boss fights, enemy variety, soundtrack, expansion of the overall universe with even more characters and storylines.
the narrative, voice acting and the pacing are still killer.
one of the best if not the best superhero game ever made and an must-play for anyone who enjoys the character.
the narrative, voice acting and the pacing are still killer.
one of the best if not the best superhero game ever made and an must-play for anyone who enjoys the character.
2005
now this is how you make an sequel, take account of every misstep of the predecessor and improve it in every concivable way, the combat-system is a lot more expansive and smoother and every addition is great, the Drive form and reaction command mechanics especially are really fun to engage with, it's just an blast to play through and through.
the Gummi Ship sections also saw some substantial improvements, it's faster and more exciting although the actual building mechanic is somewhat useless now since the game gives you better ships after each segment.
presentation-wise is still mostly the same, slightly better visuals, great art-style and fantastic soundtrack, you can't go wrong with Yoko Shimomura.
the storyline is once again compelling but overly convoluted, the game pretty much expects that you already played the two previous games (358/2 Days and especially Chain of Memories) to fully understand it to it's fullest, I didn't played any of these two so it was indeed pretty confusing and difficult to follow but nonetheless solid.
overall this is one of the best action RPGs I ever played, the improvements on the combat system are an blast, good storyline and fantastic music, absolute must play.
the Gummi Ship sections also saw some substantial improvements, it's faster and more exciting although the actual building mechanic is somewhat useless now since the game gives you better ships after each segment.
presentation-wise is still mostly the same, slightly better visuals, great art-style and fantastic soundtrack, you can't go wrong with Yoko Shimomura.
the storyline is once again compelling but overly convoluted, the game pretty much expects that you already played the two previous games (358/2 Days and especially Chain of Memories) to fully understand it to it's fullest, I didn't played any of these two so it was indeed pretty confusing and difficult to follow but nonetheless solid.
overall this is one of the best action RPGs I ever played, the improvements on the combat system are an blast, good storyline and fantastic music, absolute must play.
2002
fun Action RPG, good combat system and interesting premise/themes, the sountrack is fantastic and I liked the art-style.
the Gummi Ship mechanic and some of the level-designs can be a bit clunky but nonetheless an solid title, was entertained during my whole 25 hour playthrough, looking forward to the sequels!
the Gummi Ship mechanic and some of the level-designs can be a bit clunky but nonetheless an solid title, was entertained during my whole 25 hour playthrough, looking forward to the sequels!
2019
it's kino, fantastic game design and themes that compliments the narrative, incredible animation and soundtrack, just an freaking blast to play and enjoy the storyline.
it's a bit short though, you can finish in one sitting if you keep it up and the ending is a bit abrupt but nonetheless this is one of the best indies that came out in the last decade, I hope the DLC isn't far off.
it's a bit short though, you can finish in one sitting if you keep it up and the ending is a bit abrupt but nonetheless this is one of the best indies that came out in the last decade, I hope the DLC isn't far off.
the best action game ever made, combat is so insanely deep and cathers to both veterans and newcomers, fantastic presentation, there is nothing that beats what this game does to the genre in terms of polish and mechanics.
this Special Edition is probably the weakest in the series, Turbo Mode, enhanced visuals, all the released DLC available, 120 FPS cap and new difficulty levels are solid additions but the lack of additional costumes (which was an already an issue in the original 2019 version), lack of an PC version, new characters outside of Vergil and features are really lame, Capcom didn't even tried to give the game some more sauce to justify the release of an new version like an online co-op function or being able to freely select any character in each level in the main campaign.
because of this I wouldn't call this the definitive version especially if we compare to DMC3, 4 and DmC's Special Editions, the PC version on Steam with mods seems to be the right choice if you want features, costumes and other stuff, I would say to grab this only if you have an next-gen console and nothing else.
this Special Edition is probably the weakest in the series, Turbo Mode, enhanced visuals, all the released DLC available, 120 FPS cap and new difficulty levels are solid additions but the lack of additional costumes (which was an already an issue in the original 2019 version), lack of an PC version, new characters outside of Vergil and features are really lame, Capcom didn't even tried to give the game some more sauce to justify the release of an new version like an online co-op function or being able to freely select any character in each level in the main campaign.
because of this I wouldn't call this the definitive version especially if we compare to DMC3, 4 and DmC's Special Editions, the PC version on Steam with mods seems to be the right choice if you want features, costumes and other stuff, I would say to grab this only if you have an next-gen console and nothing else.
2015
it's okay, the visuals are fantastic, some of the most crisp animation, character models, texture work and lighting you will see on the console, it's an impressive technical work considering the hardware, the shooting felt great and some of the weapon and character designs are really cool, decent writing and voice-acting but that's about it.
the actual "gameplay" outside of the shooting is mediocre since there is barely of it, intrusive QTEs, inspecting objects, walking segments and full-on cutscenes with some of them lasting entire chapters brings this game down in terms of pacing and overall enjoyment, the replay-value is pretty much non-existent, there is no reason to get back and play the game one more time after completing the story.
I can definitely see the potential on it and it's an shame it never received an sequel and probably never will considering that Ready at Dawn is with Meta now working with VR technology but this was an neat attempt on an new IP and incredibly ambitious in an technical standpoint, I would say to grab this if one is looking for an easy and short platinum trophy, it goes on sale a lot and you can do it in one playthrough very easily.
the actual "gameplay" outside of the shooting is mediocre since there is barely of it, intrusive QTEs, inspecting objects, walking segments and full-on cutscenes with some of them lasting entire chapters brings this game down in terms of pacing and overall enjoyment, the replay-value is pretty much non-existent, there is no reason to get back and play the game one more time after completing the story.
I can definitely see the potential on it and it's an shame it never received an sequel and probably never will considering that Ready at Dawn is with Meta now working with VR technology but this was an neat attempt on an new IP and incredibly ambitious in an technical standpoint, I would say to grab this if one is looking for an easy and short platinum trophy, it goes on sale a lot and you can do it in one playthrough very easily.
the culmination of the SSB series, an large roster consisting of every single character the series has had up to that point, fantastic presentation and lots of content.
the gameplay is excellent as always, I think they struck an nice feel to it that feels unique and fun to play unlike the previous games, the feedback during the battles is much more punchier than ever and this one of the most satisfying fighting games I ever played, landing KOs and special moves always felt amazing.
some of the modes are the best it's ever been in the series, Classic Mode is a lot better now that each character has it's own unique route and boss battles, the Bonus Game is a bit ass though, every character has the exact same layout and after 3 or 4 runs it will likely become an shore to get through, I miss Break the Targets and Board the Platforms mini-games as they were an nice way to teach the player a lot of the basics of SSB's movement.
this game unlike Smash 4 also has an story mode called World of Light, this mode is an somewhat mixed bag amongst players and I do get why, the gigantic map, overly long playtime and the overall pace of the game mode is not for everyone, some of the spirit encounters are really frustating and not properly balanced, I did enjoyed the exploration elements and the thematic mini dungeon areas you can uncover in the map, they were easily the most exciting parts for me, the boss fights are also very cool and surprisingly challenging especially the final two boss fights if you follow the true ending route.
overall Ultimate is probably the best game in the series, every fighter is here and the overall choice of newcomers and DLC characters was great, the presentation is fantastic and thousands of hours worth of content, definitely an must-have for every Switch owner.
the gameplay is excellent as always, I think they struck an nice feel to it that feels unique and fun to play unlike the previous games, the feedback during the battles is much more punchier than ever and this one of the most satisfying fighting games I ever played, landing KOs and special moves always felt amazing.
some of the modes are the best it's ever been in the series, Classic Mode is a lot better now that each character has it's own unique route and boss battles, the Bonus Game is a bit ass though, every character has the exact same layout and after 3 or 4 runs it will likely become an shore to get through, I miss Break the Targets and Board the Platforms mini-games as they were an nice way to teach the player a lot of the basics of SSB's movement.
this game unlike Smash 4 also has an story mode called World of Light, this mode is an somewhat mixed bag amongst players and I do get why, the gigantic map, overly long playtime and the overall pace of the game mode is not for everyone, some of the spirit encounters are really frustating and not properly balanced, I did enjoyed the exploration elements and the thematic mini dungeon areas you can uncover in the map, they were easily the most exciting parts for me, the boss fights are also very cool and surprisingly challenging especially the final two boss fights if you follow the true ending route.
overall Ultimate is probably the best game in the series, every fighter is here and the overall choice of newcomers and DLC characters was great, the presentation is fantastic and thousands of hours worth of content, definitely an must-have for every Switch owner.
2022
an addicting and charming roguelike/base builder, the whole gameplay loop of dungeon crawling and building your cult stronghold is engaging and satisfying although the shallow and simplistic combat system can be an issue.
the presentation and themes are also very creative and interesting.
unfortunely the game doesn't perform too well on the Switch, it's playable and from what I heard it was wayyy worse last year when this first released but it still have some issues with stutters, long loading times and of course the 30 FPS cap.
it's also not as challenging compared to other roguelikes though especially if you already played similar games such as Hades or the Binding of Isaac, I finished the whole game in 10 hours without much of an sweat even in the Hard difficulty, it can be an solid first game in the genre if you didn't played any roguelikes and the base building aspects can even cather to other audiences, overall an good game that I throughly enjoyed playing.
the presentation and themes are also very creative and interesting.
unfortunely the game doesn't perform too well on the Switch, it's playable and from what I heard it was wayyy worse last year when this first released but it still have some issues with stutters, long loading times and of course the 30 FPS cap.
it's also not as challenging compared to other roguelikes though especially if you already played similar games such as Hades or the Binding of Isaac, I finished the whole game in 10 hours without much of an sweat even in the Hard difficulty, it can be an solid first game in the genre if you didn't played any roguelikes and the base building aspects can even cather to other audiences, overall an good game that I throughly enjoyed playing.
one of the best 2D platformers ever made, fantastic presentation, responsive controls, incredibly varied and creative level-design and packed with content even including the predecessor's levels, real shame that Ubisoft will probably not top it if they ever make a sequel.
2010
an classic and still holds up, incredibly tight controls and movement, satisfying difficulty and great presentation.
some of the later worlds can be a bit too much in terms of difficulty (especially chapter 4 and 5) but overall it was an enjoyable ride, the new soundtrack by Ridiculon is definitely not as memorable compared to Danny B's music but it's not that bad.
some of the later worlds can be a bit too much in terms of difficulty (especially chapter 4 and 5) but overall it was an enjoyable ride, the new soundtrack by Ridiculon is definitely not as memorable compared to Danny B's music but it's not that bad.
2023
genuinely one of the best games in 2023 and it came out of nowhere, Gravity Circuit has some of the most perfect controls and game feel in the genre, just moving around with Kai feels fast and satisfying, the combat is equally great and I love how customizable the entire moveset is.
the presentation is also fantastic, banger soundtrack and beautiful pixel-art graphics.
the level design is also pretty good although not perfect, some of the platforming sections felt a bit out of place and odd to get through in some of the levels (especially the final levels) but it was almost always an pleasure playing through them thanks to how varied they are across the board.
the Switch version has some long loading screens and slowdowns here and there but it's still an smooth salling if you want to grab it on this console.
overall I can't think on other major issues I had with this game, it's one of the best 2D platformers I ever played in my entire life, everyone should try this, shame that it's not getting the attention it deserves.
the presentation is also fantastic, banger soundtrack and beautiful pixel-art graphics.
the level design is also pretty good although not perfect, some of the platforming sections felt a bit out of place and odd to get through in some of the levels (especially the final levels) but it was almost always an pleasure playing through them thanks to how varied they are across the board.
the Switch version has some long loading screens and slowdowns here and there but it's still an smooth salling if you want to grab it on this console.
overall I can't think on other major issues I had with this game, it's one of the best 2D platformers I ever played in my entire life, everyone should try this, shame that it's not getting the attention it deserves.
2017
after nearly 10 months since playing through almost all of the mainline Super Mario games I finally got the chance to grab an Switch and play this game, it was really worth the wait.
Super Mario Odyssey is nearly perfect in terms of game feel, Mario's movement is such an joy to mess around, the controls are incredibly tight and fluid.
Cappy is an great new addition for the series, the hat has a lot of movement/attack options and the capture mechanic screams Nintendo's inventiveness and creativity when creating these games.
the presentation is equally phenomenal, looks gorgeous and amazing music as usual.
speaking about some of the issues I felt that some of the moon collectibles were a bit too easy to collect, a lot of them can be simply be bought from a shop or simply scattered in the open without any challenge, boss fights were in the easy side as well but I still enjoyed them.
overall Super Mario Odyssey has some of the most perfect controls and movement I ever seen in an 3D platformer, fantastic presentation, great level-design and exploration, it's such an complete and polished package all around, 3D platforming fans and Switch owners can't miss this.
Super Mario Odyssey is nearly perfect in terms of game feel, Mario's movement is such an joy to mess around, the controls are incredibly tight and fluid.
Cappy is an great new addition for the series, the hat has a lot of movement/attack options and the capture mechanic screams Nintendo's inventiveness and creativity when creating these games.
the presentation is equally phenomenal, looks gorgeous and amazing music as usual.
speaking about some of the issues I felt that some of the moon collectibles were a bit too easy to collect, a lot of them can be simply be bought from a shop or simply scattered in the open without any challenge, boss fights were in the easy side as well but I still enjoyed them.
overall Super Mario Odyssey has some of the most perfect controls and movement I ever seen in an 3D platformer, fantastic presentation, great level-design and exploration, it's such an complete and polished package all around, 3D platforming fans and Switch owners can't miss this.
good follow-up, moving around as Spider-Man in New York is still an blast and the combat is more enjoyable than ever thanks to the newly added Venom abilities.
the storyline is a bit forgettable though, painfully generic villans and lack of interesting characters, had potential but felt rushed probably because of the overall short length of this whole game.
it's an good offering and an must-play if you enjoy the previous game, an sweet and short platinum trophy as well.
the storyline is a bit forgettable though, painfully generic villans and lack of interesting characters, had potential but felt rushed probably because of the overall short length of this whole game.
it's an good offering and an must-play if you enjoy the previous game, an sweet and short platinum trophy as well.