Bigg
2023
Dead Space 1 and 2 were formative games for me. I tend to liken them to the video game equivalent of Alien and Aliens: The first game is slower paced and creepy while DS2 is more actiony but still incredibly tense. Unfortunately, that gives Dead Space 3 the desgination of being the Alien3 of the franchise - a mess of legitimately good ideas ruined by executive mandates. The intro of Dead Space 3 bummed me out so much I didn't even play the rest (yes, I've heard the ship graveyard section is good, still not interested). So when EA announced they were remaking Dead Space, I had one thought: "Please, for the love of God, don't fuck this up."
And I have good news: They didn't fuck it up!
Dead Space splits the diffrence between complete reimaginings like Resident Evil 2 2019 and 1:1 recreations like The Last of Us Part 1. I would say the split comes to about 70% old content versus 30% new, which totally works for me. The biggest moments in the game remain largely unchanged, but a lot of content around the margins has been adjusted to create a more cohesive experience.
Speaking of cohesiveness, the biggest change is that the Ishimura is now one interconnected ship you can navigate freely instead of a series of linear levels. Personally, I think this is the best change they could have made: the Ishimura is as much of a character in the game as Isaac Clarke, and now it truly feels like a real ship that you can explore at your leisure. The dev team at EA Motive also added side quests to help encourage more backtracking and exploration: none of these feel necessary but they're a nice bonus that help flesh out the story as a treat for those who seek them out.
I wrote in my Callisto Protocol review that my biggest issue with that game was the weapon balance, since melee was way better than anything else. In contrast, I was impressed at how the Dead Space remake rebalances the weapons so that they all feel useful in some way. In the original, it was a running joke among players that the Plasma Cutter might as well be the only weapon since it was so strong and practical. In the remake, it's still good but takes way more ammo to kill enemies unless you're extremely precise. As a result I found myself running out of Plasma Cutter ammo and using weapons I mostly ignored in the original, like the contact beam or the force gun. You're encouraged to use every part of the buffalo in a way that feels natural.
Believe it or not, I don't really have any issues with Isaac talking this time; it makes sense from a consistency standpoint since he talks in the other two, and the devs have said in interviews that they purposefully didn't make Isaac talk more than he had to in order to keep the core gameplay immersive (a smart move). I also think making Hammond and Daniels more sympathetic is understandable in order to strengthen the impact of the later story twists.
However, there's one story change I don't like, and this might just be a personal nitpick since I haven't seen anyone else mention it: In Dead Space 2008, the Unitology aspects of the plot don't become prominent until the second half, when it becomes clear that the huge Unitologist presence on the ship was far bigger than initially presumed. In comparison, DS 2023 front-loads the Unitology elements of the plot and tells the player from the very beginning why Isaac doesn't like them (something that isn't revealed in 2008 until New Game +). I don't think it's entirely a bad thing, and I get that Unitology is synonomous with Dead Space now so it's not exactly a secret anymore, but I really liked how the initial game treated Unitology as an actual cult, quietly working behind the scenes and slowly taking over before anyone else realized it. The later Dead Space media kinda leaned into Unitologists as cartoon villains and I kind of hope Motive fights back against that impulse assuming they remake the other two.
My other complaint is that I actually wish they changed the last couple chapters more than they did. They were always my least favorite part of the original and it just feels like they throw out a ton of enemy encounters to pad out the run time.
Having said that, this is still a fantastic remake of an already fantastic game. Highly recommended for both fans of the original and people who missed out the first time.
And I have good news: They didn't fuck it up!
Dead Space splits the diffrence between complete reimaginings like Resident Evil 2 2019 and 1:1 recreations like The Last of Us Part 1. I would say the split comes to about 70% old content versus 30% new, which totally works for me. The biggest moments in the game remain largely unchanged, but a lot of content around the margins has been adjusted to create a more cohesive experience.
Speaking of cohesiveness, the biggest change is that the Ishimura is now one interconnected ship you can navigate freely instead of a series of linear levels. Personally, I think this is the best change they could have made: the Ishimura is as much of a character in the game as Isaac Clarke, and now it truly feels like a real ship that you can explore at your leisure. The dev team at EA Motive also added side quests to help encourage more backtracking and exploration: none of these feel necessary but they're a nice bonus that help flesh out the story as a treat for those who seek them out.
I wrote in my Callisto Protocol review that my biggest issue with that game was the weapon balance, since melee was way better than anything else. In contrast, I was impressed at how the Dead Space remake rebalances the weapons so that they all feel useful in some way. In the original, it was a running joke among players that the Plasma Cutter might as well be the only weapon since it was so strong and practical. In the remake, it's still good but takes way more ammo to kill enemies unless you're extremely precise. As a result I found myself running out of Plasma Cutter ammo and using weapons I mostly ignored in the original, like the contact beam or the force gun. You're encouraged to use every part of the buffalo in a way that feels natural.
Believe it or not, I don't really have any issues with Isaac talking this time; it makes sense from a consistency standpoint since he talks in the other two, and the devs have said in interviews that they purposefully didn't make Isaac talk more than he had to in order to keep the core gameplay immersive (a smart move). I also think making Hammond and Daniels more sympathetic is understandable in order to strengthen the impact of the later story twists.
However, there's one story change I don't like, and this might just be a personal nitpick since I haven't seen anyone else mention it: In Dead Space 2008, the Unitology aspects of the plot don't become prominent until the second half, when it becomes clear that the huge Unitologist presence on the ship was far bigger than initially presumed. In comparison, DS 2023 front-loads the Unitology elements of the plot and tells the player from the very beginning why Isaac doesn't like them (something that isn't revealed in 2008 until New Game +). I don't think it's entirely a bad thing, and I get that Unitology is synonomous with Dead Space now so it's not exactly a secret anymore, but I really liked how the initial game treated Unitology as an actual cult, quietly working behind the scenes and slowly taking over before anyone else realized it. The later Dead Space media kinda leaned into Unitologists as cartoon villains and I kind of hope Motive fights back against that impulse assuming they remake the other two.
My other complaint is that I actually wish they changed the last couple chapters more than they did. They were always my least favorite part of the original and it just feels like they throw out a ton of enemy encounters to pad out the run time.
Having said that, this is still a fantastic remake of an already fantastic game. Highly recommended for both fans of the original and people who missed out the first time.
2023
Gorgeous visuals and art direction completely ruined by bizarre pacing and god-awful dialogue that is weirdly sexist on top of being incredibly grating.
There's so many scripted sequences without player control that it feels like the game is trying to force me to remark on how pretty it is. Yes, it's pretty. Now please stop removing player control every two minutes because something exploded or my character fell down a hole.
This is a game trying so hard to be Bioshock that it forgot to have any semblance of its own identity. What a disappointment.
There's so many scripted sequences without player control that it feels like the game is trying to force me to remark on how pretty it is. Yes, it's pretty. Now please stop removing player control every two minutes because something exploded or my character fell down a hole.
This is a game trying so hard to be Bioshock that it forgot to have any semblance of its own identity. What a disappointment.
2023
Hi Fi Rush feels like the first season of a really solid action anime. The writing isn't always amazing, and you can tell where they had to skimp on budget, but the parts that are good are really, really good and keep you wanting more.
To get this out of the way: I love character action games, and I also love rhythm games. Unfortunately I'm pretty bad at both of them. Thankfully, Hi Fi Rush goes to great lengths to ease the player into the rhythm and combat mechanics so that it never feels overwhelming, and the difficulty on Normal felt pretty reasonable while also rewarding constant use of parries and tag assists. Honestly, character action games are all about getting into a rhythm to begin with, so once you get into a fight, following the beat feels shockingly natural.
I feel too many people underestimate the strength of an amazing soundtrack in a high energy action game, so I'm glad Tango decided to put that element at the forefront. While I will admit I don't fully share game director John Johanas' love of 2000s-era pop rock, it absolutely fits the fantastic cel-shaded pop-art aesthetic and the upbeat vibes of Chai's adventure.
The writing is a bit hit or miss for me. I get that they were trying to do the Scott Pilgrim thing where the main character goes from a cocky asshole to a considerate friend over the course of the story, but the game isn't really long enough to give that arc justice and the amount of trust the team puts in Chai by the end doesn't really feel earned. The humor is also very much in the Airplane! style of "throwing seven million jokes at the wall and seeing what sticks," which means a few gags got a chuckle out of me while a lot of them felt like they leaned a bit too hard into making meta jokes about the absurd nature of video games. Yes, I know hitting a big button to open a door doesn't really make sense, but also pointing that out isn't really funny to me?
Along those lines, the game's writing isn't subtle about the game being limited by budget, including an extended gag referencing another game that very famously had the same problem. While I think the team at Tango did a great job with the resources they had, I can't help but think how much could be expanded in a sequel. I would absolutely love to be able to fully control Peppermint, Macaron and [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] to get a different spin on the rhythm combat. A bit more stage variety would be appreciated too - the outdoor sections are neat but a lot of the game's indoor factories feel pretty samey.
I realize a lot of people are already declaring HFR GOTY material, and while I wouldn't go that far, I can't deny that I'm impressed with Tango's first attempt at a character action game, and I really hope they build on the solid foundation they already have for a potentially incredible sequel.
The biggest surprise out of everything, beyond even the surprise announcement and release, is that I've now realized I actually really like That One Joy Formidable Song. You win this round, Johanas.
To get this out of the way: I love character action games, and I also love rhythm games. Unfortunately I'm pretty bad at both of them. Thankfully, Hi Fi Rush goes to great lengths to ease the player into the rhythm and combat mechanics so that it never feels overwhelming, and the difficulty on Normal felt pretty reasonable while also rewarding constant use of parries and tag assists. Honestly, character action games are all about getting into a rhythm to begin with, so once you get into a fight, following the beat feels shockingly natural.
I feel too many people underestimate the strength of an amazing soundtrack in a high energy action game, so I'm glad Tango decided to put that element at the forefront. While I will admit I don't fully share game director John Johanas' love of 2000s-era pop rock, it absolutely fits the fantastic cel-shaded pop-art aesthetic and the upbeat vibes of Chai's adventure.
The writing is a bit hit or miss for me. I get that they were trying to do the Scott Pilgrim thing where the main character goes from a cocky asshole to a considerate friend over the course of the story, but the game isn't really long enough to give that arc justice and the amount of trust the team puts in Chai by the end doesn't really feel earned. The humor is also very much in the Airplane! style of "throwing seven million jokes at the wall and seeing what sticks," which means a few gags got a chuckle out of me while a lot of them felt like they leaned a bit too hard into making meta jokes about the absurd nature of video games. Yes, I know hitting a big button to open a door doesn't really make sense, but also pointing that out isn't really funny to me?
Along those lines, the game's writing isn't subtle about the game being limited by budget, including an extended gag referencing another game that very famously had the same problem. While I think the team at Tango did a great job with the resources they had, I can't help but think how much could be expanded in a sequel. I would absolutely love to be able to fully control Peppermint, Macaron and [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] to get a different spin on the rhythm combat. A bit more stage variety would be appreciated too - the outdoor sections are neat but a lot of the game's indoor factories feel pretty samey.
I realize a lot of people are already declaring HFR GOTY material, and while I wouldn't go that far, I can't deny that I'm impressed with Tango's first attempt at a character action game, and I really hope they build on the solid foundation they already have for a potentially incredible sequel.
The biggest surprise out of everything, beyond even the surprise announcement and release, is that I've now realized I actually really like That One Joy Formidable Song. You win this round, Johanas.
2001
Okay, so: Remember those old mazes you could get as a kid where you'd have to navigate a metal stick through a metal maze and if you hit the sides you got a little shock? And how it was weirdly addicting despite being way too hard for little kids? I had one of those that literally came with a headband that had bells attached to it so if you messed up it would set the bells off and make your whole head rattle. I have no idea how it made it past product testing because it probably gave some poor kids actual head trauma. If anyone reading this knows what I'm talking about let me know because I've been trying to find this thing online for ages and I can't remember the name of it.
Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because Kurukuru Kururin is basically one of those games but with a little more depth and a very charming visual presentation. You're still a stick trying to avoid hitting the edges, but the gimmick is that the stick rotates either clockwise or counterclockwise - you can also hit springs spread out throughout the level to change the rotation. It has a little bit of a learning cuvre, but once you get the hang of timing the stick movement to coincide with juuuust the right angle to make it through a curved path, it's pretty dang satisfying.
Also, the visuals and aesthetic in this game add a lot to it. Your character is a cute little bird in a silly little airship and you're going around saving your lost siblings. The music is catchy and the pastel visuals are easy on the eyes.
However, a massive caveat for anyone playing this game: it gets fucking hard. I went into this thinking "well, the art style is clearly kid-friendly, I have to imagine they leave the actually hard stuff for the postgame, right?" Folks, I was wrong. The last two worlds in the main campaign got so stressful that I nearly stopped playing (and honestly, that's the only reason I'm giving this 3.5 instead of 4). By the end of the game I was still glad I played it but you'd have to pay me to get perfects in every stage to unlock the postgame content.
Kurukuru Kururin is a game of contrasts: It is simultaneously a pleasant romp through colorful worlds and a hell game designed by Satan from which no one can escape. If nothing else, I would say give it a shot on the GBA NSO if you enjoy a puzzle game that's easy to pick up but hard to master.
Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because Kurukuru Kururin is basically one of those games but with a little more depth and a very charming visual presentation. You're still a stick trying to avoid hitting the edges, but the gimmick is that the stick rotates either clockwise or counterclockwise - you can also hit springs spread out throughout the level to change the rotation. It has a little bit of a learning cuvre, but once you get the hang of timing the stick movement to coincide with juuuust the right angle to make it through a curved path, it's pretty dang satisfying.
Also, the visuals and aesthetic in this game add a lot to it. Your character is a cute little bird in a silly little airship and you're going around saving your lost siblings. The music is catchy and the pastel visuals are easy on the eyes.
However, a massive caveat for anyone playing this game: it gets fucking hard. I went into this thinking "well, the art style is clearly kid-friendly, I have to imagine they leave the actually hard stuff for the postgame, right?" Folks, I was wrong. The last two worlds in the main campaign got so stressful that I nearly stopped playing (and honestly, that's the only reason I'm giving this 3.5 instead of 4). By the end of the game I was still glad I played it but you'd have to pay me to get perfects in every stage to unlock the postgame content.
Kurukuru Kururin is a game of contrasts: It is simultaneously a pleasant romp through colorful worlds and a hell game designed by Satan from which no one can escape. If nothing else, I would say give it a shot on the GBA NSO if you enjoy a puzzle game that's easy to pick up but hard to master.
When I tell people I'm a Sonic fan, the first question is, unsurprisingly, "Why?" That's not an easy question to answer, but a big reason I've always loved Sonic is the characters. I've loved this cast, for better or worse, before I even had a way to play the games; I voraciously read the Archie Sonic comics as a SNES/N64 kid.
I can't say that I've always agreed with Sega's depiction of Sonic's cast, though. For a long time, it felt like Sonic Team was at odds with the fandom's interpretation of their characters. For example: fans love the dynamic of Shadow, Rouge and Omega, aka Team Dark, depicting them as a dysfunctional odd trio. Despite this, Sonic Team claimed Team Dark were never friends and would never hang out. Fans loved Tails' plucky resourcefulness, yet he spends like an hour in Sonic Forces crying in a corner wondering where Sonic is. For years, it felt like Sega couldn't figure out what to do with Amy Rose except make her a creepy stalker obsessed with marriage and having kids.
All of this is to say that The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, a mystery visual novel released on April Fools by the Sonic social media team, is full of the kind of character moments and interactions I've wanted Sonic games to have for years. It's very clear this game was written by fans for fans, and all of the characterizations are on-point. Amy is emotional and passionate, so of course she'd get a bit too invested in a murder mystery game; Tails is a little naive but kind and strong willed, immediately befriending the protagonist; And Shadow, despite constantly keeping up appearances as a gruff loner, still cares about his friends when no one is looking. A+, no notes.
As for the game itself, it's a very charming little adventure clearly inspired by the Phoenix Wright series. The gameplay is mostly just a vehicle to get to the dialogue, but it never feels obtrusive. Even the little endless runner minigame that happens during climactic moments is surprisingly competent and helped with the pacing even if there isn't much to it. And it's cool that the player character (canonically nonbinary!) has their own personality and eccentricities, including their steadfast belief that there's always a secret in the garbage can. They're the perfect little weirdo to fit right into a cast of lovable weirdos.
While Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is explicitly not a Sonic Team game, the fact that Sega greenlit it as an official Sonic product is a genuinely heartening development. Between this and the character writing in Sonic Frontiers, it feels like Sega finally understands why people love these characters so much, and it's made me considerably more optimistic about whatever happens next. We're one step closer to that comic about Rouge being angry at Shadow for making Kraft Dinner wrong becoming canon.
I can't say that I've always agreed with Sega's depiction of Sonic's cast, though. For a long time, it felt like Sonic Team was at odds with the fandom's interpretation of their characters. For example: fans love the dynamic of Shadow, Rouge and Omega, aka Team Dark, depicting them as a dysfunctional odd trio. Despite this, Sonic Team claimed Team Dark were never friends and would never hang out. Fans loved Tails' plucky resourcefulness, yet he spends like an hour in Sonic Forces crying in a corner wondering where Sonic is. For years, it felt like Sega couldn't figure out what to do with Amy Rose except make her a creepy stalker obsessed with marriage and having kids.
All of this is to say that The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, a mystery visual novel released on April Fools by the Sonic social media team, is full of the kind of character moments and interactions I've wanted Sonic games to have for years. It's very clear this game was written by fans for fans, and all of the characterizations are on-point. Amy is emotional and passionate, so of course she'd get a bit too invested in a murder mystery game; Tails is a little naive but kind and strong willed, immediately befriending the protagonist; And Shadow, despite constantly keeping up appearances as a gruff loner, still cares about his friends when no one is looking. A+, no notes.
As for the game itself, it's a very charming little adventure clearly inspired by the Phoenix Wright series. The gameplay is mostly just a vehicle to get to the dialogue, but it never feels obtrusive. Even the little endless runner minigame that happens during climactic moments is surprisingly competent and helped with the pacing even if there isn't much to it. And it's cool that the player character (canonically nonbinary!) has their own personality and eccentricities, including their steadfast belief that there's always a secret in the garbage can. They're the perfect little weirdo to fit right into a cast of lovable weirdos.
While Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is explicitly not a Sonic Team game, the fact that Sega greenlit it as an official Sonic product is a genuinely heartening development. Between this and the character writing in Sonic Frontiers, it feels like Sega finally understands why people love these characters so much, and it's made me considerably more optimistic about whatever happens next. We're one step closer to that comic about Rouge being angry at Shadow for making Kraft Dinner wrong becoming canon.
2023
I've struggled with what to write about this game for a while because I have mixed opinions on remakes. On one hand, I'd rather there be more original ideas in gaming than recycled versions of old ones. However, if every remake was as good as the Resident Evil 4 remake, I don't think I'd have a issue playing any of them.
A lot of people argue RE4 didn't have to be remade, and I do think the original still stands on its own. Having said that, I think RE4 absolutely benefits from a more modern control scheme, and the developers were clearly very careful to not drastically change the parts of RE4 everyone loved (the village) and instead tweaked the parts of the game that were generally less liked (the castle and the island). Re4make does an excellent job of reminding you why the original RE4 was so good while sanding down the parts that haven't aged as well, and I don't think there's a better way to remake a game like this.
When I was 15, I remember playing RE4 at my parents house on a tiny CRT TV. I got to the boss fight against Mendez (aka The Village Chief), and once I saw the entire farmhouse engulfed in flames, I remember being amazed that a game could look this good. Flash foward to this year - I'm 33, playing RE4make at my own place in 4K, and during the Mendez fight I'm just as amazed at the setpiece as I was when I played the original over 15 years ago. The fact that Capcom was able to replicate the same feelings I had with the original but with modern visuals and presentation is an enormous accomplishment that shouldn't be understated.
A lot of people argue RE4 didn't have to be remade, and I do think the original still stands on its own. Having said that, I think RE4 absolutely benefits from a more modern control scheme, and the developers were clearly very careful to not drastically change the parts of RE4 everyone loved (the village) and instead tweaked the parts of the game that were generally less liked (the castle and the island). Re4make does an excellent job of reminding you why the original RE4 was so good while sanding down the parts that haven't aged as well, and I don't think there's a better way to remake a game like this.
When I was 15, I remember playing RE4 at my parents house on a tiny CRT TV. I got to the boss fight against Mendez (aka The Village Chief), and once I saw the entire farmhouse engulfed in flames, I remember being amazed that a game could look this good. Flash foward to this year - I'm 33, playing RE4make at my own place in 4K, and during the Mendez fight I'm just as amazed at the setpiece as I was when I played the original over 15 years ago. The fact that Capcom was able to replicate the same feelings I had with the original but with modern visuals and presentation is an enormous accomplishment that shouldn't be understated.
2022
What a pleasant and cute surprise. I got this game on a whim as something to play on my Steam Deck and I kind of fell in love with the light-hearted charm and whimsy of it.
There have been a few games that have tried to make a game styled like Breath of the Wild but with less combat, and I think this is my favorite of the ones I've played. The traversal just feels fun, and I never got tired of exploring. I also came away impressed by the surprisingly heartfelt story about getting older and how easy it is to forget to just have fun once in a while.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in a short but sweet game that doesn't overstay its welcome.
There have been a few games that have tried to make a game styled like Breath of the Wild but with less combat, and I think this is my favorite of the ones I've played. The traversal just feels fun, and I never got tired of exploring. I also came away impressed by the surprisingly heartfelt story about getting older and how easy it is to forget to just have fun once in a while.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in a short but sweet game that doesn't overstay its welcome.
2023
I have a real love/hate relationship with Mortal Kombat. I enjoyed both MKX and MK11 enough to put 80 hours into each of them, and yet my memories of them often involve why I got frustrated with both of them instead of why I had fun with them.
I tried to go into MK1 with an open mind, but I think I've settled on the conclusion that this game isn't for me. And that's fine. And it doesn't mean the game is bad, either! It’s certainly a gorgeous game, with a far more varied color palette than X or 11 ever had. And I’m glad the fatalities lean more into over-the-top absurdity this time rather than realistic depictions of torture, as the former was always the main appeal of Fatalities for me anyway. But I just can’t click with MK1’s combat system in the way others have.
If you've been following Fighting Game Community circles lately, you'll find that the topic du jour lately has been "player expression," or the idea that players should have freedom to play how they want instead of being limited to a single linear gameplan. But it feels like the common opinion these days is that longer combos means more opportunities for player expression, and….I don't exactly agree.
The argument in favor of MK1 is that longer combos compared to MK11 means more opportunities for improvisation, and yet if you play any ranked MK1, you'll find many players using the same assists (get ready to see Cyrax and Sareena a lot!!!!) with the same optimal combos. I think way too many people immediately blamed short combos for MK11's frustrating competitive play when I think the far bigger problems were the stale meta due to short-sighted balance changes and the inevitable mess that came from NRS changing their minds on allowing Custom Variations midway through the game's life cycle.
This doesn't mean I hate MK1's combo system, though. I admit that trying out combo strings in training and figuring out the best way to tie them together provides the same satisfaction one gets when building Legos into a cool starship. It's fun to see how a series of smaller combos along with kameo assists can come together into 40% damage. But being expected to do these kinds of combos in every match feels exhausting to me - I’d much rather focus on spacing and mindgames, but these combos are so important to the game that they take precedence. And while the mechanics are clearly borrowing a lot from “tag fighters” like Marvel vs Capcom, the slower pace of the matches means the chaotic, kinetic energy that makes a game like MvC3 so exciting isn’t really here.
Even people who dislike MK as a fighting game can admit that the games have always had a solid feature set, and while MK1 is no different, I feel like it’s less of a selling point now that its competition is finally catching up on the single player side. Outside of the story, there’s the usual ladders and the new Invasions mode, which is basically World of Light from Smash Bros. I’m sure some people will love the grindy nature of Invasions but I personally find it feels like busywork. But that’s a minor quibble, as anyone who has played a recent MK knows the main single player mode is the story.
The story mode has been the crown jewel of MK for a while, and 1's is no different. I genuinely enjoyed seeing the new spin on classic MK characters and lore; I'm glad Baraka and Reptile actually have solid backstories now instead of just being Shao Khan's lackeys (Reiko didn't get so lucky, unfortunately; sorry, Reiko fans!), and there's some really fun character moments like Johnny and Kenshi's hilarious bromance. My only real complaint is that the last few chapters feel like they came from another game; the story just kind of stops in service of an (admittedly entertaining) over the top fanservice climax. I hope the next story, whether it's dlc or in the next installment, is a little more cohesive and focuses more on having a satisfying beginning, middle and end instead of just a series of cool moments.
At the end of the day, I really can't say MK1 is bad. It's solidly made, looks great, and has plenty of winks and nods for longtime fans. It's just not what I want out of Mortal Kombat, and that's okay.
I tried to go into MK1 with an open mind, but I think I've settled on the conclusion that this game isn't for me. And that's fine. And it doesn't mean the game is bad, either! It’s certainly a gorgeous game, with a far more varied color palette than X or 11 ever had. And I’m glad the fatalities lean more into over-the-top absurdity this time rather than realistic depictions of torture, as the former was always the main appeal of Fatalities for me anyway. But I just can’t click with MK1’s combat system in the way others have.
If you've been following Fighting Game Community circles lately, you'll find that the topic du jour lately has been "player expression," or the idea that players should have freedom to play how they want instead of being limited to a single linear gameplan. But it feels like the common opinion these days is that longer combos means more opportunities for player expression, and….I don't exactly agree.
The argument in favor of MK1 is that longer combos compared to MK11 means more opportunities for improvisation, and yet if you play any ranked MK1, you'll find many players using the same assists (get ready to see Cyrax and Sareena a lot!!!!) with the same optimal combos. I think way too many people immediately blamed short combos for MK11's frustrating competitive play when I think the far bigger problems were the stale meta due to short-sighted balance changes and the inevitable mess that came from NRS changing their minds on allowing Custom Variations midway through the game's life cycle.
This doesn't mean I hate MK1's combo system, though. I admit that trying out combo strings in training and figuring out the best way to tie them together provides the same satisfaction one gets when building Legos into a cool starship. It's fun to see how a series of smaller combos along with kameo assists can come together into 40% damage. But being expected to do these kinds of combos in every match feels exhausting to me - I’d much rather focus on spacing and mindgames, but these combos are so important to the game that they take precedence. And while the mechanics are clearly borrowing a lot from “tag fighters” like Marvel vs Capcom, the slower pace of the matches means the chaotic, kinetic energy that makes a game like MvC3 so exciting isn’t really here.
Even people who dislike MK as a fighting game can admit that the games have always had a solid feature set, and while MK1 is no different, I feel like it’s less of a selling point now that its competition is finally catching up on the single player side. Outside of the story, there’s the usual ladders and the new Invasions mode, which is basically World of Light from Smash Bros. I’m sure some people will love the grindy nature of Invasions but I personally find it feels like busywork. But that’s a minor quibble, as anyone who has played a recent MK knows the main single player mode is the story.
The story mode has been the crown jewel of MK for a while, and 1's is no different. I genuinely enjoyed seeing the new spin on classic MK characters and lore; I'm glad Baraka and Reptile actually have solid backstories now instead of just being Shao Khan's lackeys (Reiko didn't get so lucky, unfortunately; sorry, Reiko fans!), and there's some really fun character moments like Johnny and Kenshi's hilarious bromance. My only real complaint is that the last few chapters feel like they came from another game; the story just kind of stops in service of an (admittedly entertaining) over the top fanservice climax. I hope the next story, whether it's dlc or in the next installment, is a little more cohesive and focuses more on having a satisfying beginning, middle and end instead of just a series of cool moments.
At the end of the day, I really can't say MK1 is bad. It's solidly made, looks great, and has plenty of winks and nods for longtime fans. It's just not what I want out of Mortal Kombat, and that's okay.
I revisited this game for the first time in at least 15 years when I got my Analogue Pocket and I swear this is the most underrated Panel De Pon/Puzzle League installment.
The fact that IntSys managed to make a Puzzle League game on the Game Boy Color that feels nearly identical gameplay-wise compared to the console games is a colossal achievement (especially compared to Game Boy Tetris Attack). Nothing about the moment-to-moment gameplay feels compromised at all. And I love how vibrant the game is - the Analogue Pocket really makes this game's visuals shine through.
The only real change from the console versions is that you don't actually see your opponent's field in Challenge mode but it plays functionally the same - fend off the opponent's garbage attacks long enough to defeat them. I'm not someone who ever really looked at my opponent's playing field in Puzzle League anyway, so this never really bothered me.
My only real complaint with this game is that some of the character unlocks feel downright unreasonable. I'm supposed to get 100,000 on Garbage mode to unlock Magby??? How???? I can only get to level 50 or so in Garbage and even then my score is like 25000 or something.
Anyway, game's good. Revisiting this game honestly makes me glad I bought an Analogue Pocket.
The fact that IntSys managed to make a Puzzle League game on the Game Boy Color that feels nearly identical gameplay-wise compared to the console games is a colossal achievement (especially compared to Game Boy Tetris Attack). Nothing about the moment-to-moment gameplay feels compromised at all. And I love how vibrant the game is - the Analogue Pocket really makes this game's visuals shine through.
The only real change from the console versions is that you don't actually see your opponent's field in Challenge mode but it plays functionally the same - fend off the opponent's garbage attacks long enough to defeat them. I'm not someone who ever really looked at my opponent's playing field in Puzzle League anyway, so this never really bothered me.
My only real complaint with this game is that some of the character unlocks feel downright unreasonable. I'm supposed to get 100,000 on Garbage mode to unlock Magby??? How???? I can only get to level 50 or so in Garbage and even then my score is like 25000 or something.
Anyway, game's good. Revisiting this game honestly makes me glad I bought an Analogue Pocket.
There’s always a few questions that everyone asks other people to get to know them. What’s your favorite color? What’s your favorite film? It’s no surprise that in the age of the MCU, another question has become commonplace: “What’s your favorite superhero?”
When I was younger I used to go back and forth on this question, but these days, it’s no debate: It’s Peter Parker, Spider-Man, with Miles Morales as a close second. And the reason for that is simple: At the end of the day, both Peter and Miles are just regular dudes who want to help other people less fortunate than them in any way they can. And naturally, they can’t help everyone, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to try.
Spider-Man 2 works for me because it truly understands that being Spider-Man means helping others and not giving up if things don’t go the way you expect them to. It’s not only a story about Peter and Miles helping the people closest to them, but it also explores how Peter and Miles’ friendship brings out the best in themselves. And, hot damn, if that’s not Spider-Man in a nutshell, I don’t know what is.
Gameplay wise, Insomniac thankfully didn’t fix anything that wasn’t broken and added more cool stuff on top of the existing cool stuff. I wasn’t sure what to think of the web wings at first, but once you get the hang of them they complement the web swinging (which is as fun as ever) surprisingly well. Traversal is extremely important to making an open world game compelling to me, and the combination of swinging and gliding makes NYC a joy to explore.
The combat still feels intuitive while having more depth; I’m absolutely dogshit at parries in every single video game, but the parries in this game have a generous timing window while adding a bit more complexity to the “dodge, hit, repeat” mechanics. And Peter’s new symbiote abilities feel appropriately powerful and brutal. While I don’t quite agree with the developers that SM2 is as much a Miles Morales story as it is a Peter Parker story (I’d say it’s 60/40 in favor of Peter), I appreciate that Miles doesn’t just feel like a Peter reskin and has his own personal issues to sort through while Peter is dealing with the symbiote.
My only real complaint with the game is the same problem I had with the first one: The pacing. The first act is a lot of exposition, with several missions that are mostly walking and talking, and then the other two acts feel like it rushes from one big moment to another until the very end. I really wish they would space out the action-heavy missions between the story heavy ones more often. I will say Acts 2 and 3 feeling rushed is mitigated somewhat by the side content, which I highly recommend - some of the side missions in this game are incredible and the game would be lesser without them. I also have to give credit to Insomniac for The Flame side missions, where they managed to turn a villain I’ve never liked into a compelling threat.
Overall, I’m just glad this game reaffirms that Insomniac truly gets Spider-Man, and why Peter’s character has survived so many decades. It’s simple, but true; helping others helps yourself.
When I was younger I used to go back and forth on this question, but these days, it’s no debate: It’s Peter Parker, Spider-Man, with Miles Morales as a close second. And the reason for that is simple: At the end of the day, both Peter and Miles are just regular dudes who want to help other people less fortunate than them in any way they can. And naturally, they can’t help everyone, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to try.
Spider-Man 2 works for me because it truly understands that being Spider-Man means helping others and not giving up if things don’t go the way you expect them to. It’s not only a story about Peter and Miles helping the people closest to them, but it also explores how Peter and Miles’ friendship brings out the best in themselves. And, hot damn, if that’s not Spider-Man in a nutshell, I don’t know what is.
Gameplay wise, Insomniac thankfully didn’t fix anything that wasn’t broken and added more cool stuff on top of the existing cool stuff. I wasn’t sure what to think of the web wings at first, but once you get the hang of them they complement the web swinging (which is as fun as ever) surprisingly well. Traversal is extremely important to making an open world game compelling to me, and the combination of swinging and gliding makes NYC a joy to explore.
The combat still feels intuitive while having more depth; I’m absolutely dogshit at parries in every single video game, but the parries in this game have a generous timing window while adding a bit more complexity to the “dodge, hit, repeat” mechanics. And Peter’s new symbiote abilities feel appropriately powerful and brutal. While I don’t quite agree with the developers that SM2 is as much a Miles Morales story as it is a Peter Parker story (I’d say it’s 60/40 in favor of Peter), I appreciate that Miles doesn’t just feel like a Peter reskin and has his own personal issues to sort through while Peter is dealing with the symbiote.
My only real complaint with the game is the same problem I had with the first one: The pacing. The first act is a lot of exposition, with several missions that are mostly walking and talking, and then the other two acts feel like it rushes from one big moment to another until the very end. I really wish they would space out the action-heavy missions between the story heavy ones more often. I will say Acts 2 and 3 feeling rushed is mitigated somewhat by the side content, which I highly recommend - some of the side missions in this game are incredible and the game would be lesser without them. I also have to give credit to Insomniac for The Flame side missions, where they managed to turn a villain I’ve never liked into a compelling threat.
Overall, I’m just glad this game reaffirms that Insomniac truly gets Spider-Man, and why Peter’s character has survived so many decades. It’s simple, but true; helping others helps yourself.
1999
I’ll be frank here: I think pinball gets a bad rap. I’ve seen a bunch of reviews of this game on Backloggd where people talk about how much they love this game but only give it a 3.5/5, and I don’t really get it. I think there’s a bit of a stigma behind pinball where it’s considered too shallow or simplistic to compete with other genres, and I simply don’t think that’s true at all. Pinball, when it’s done right, can be an exhilarating game of timing and precision.
Having said that, I think a lot of pinball video games aren’t very good compared to the real thing. The problem is simple - pinball is really hard! It’s no secret that arcade machines are difficult on purpose to drain all the spare change in your pockets. But any time a pinball video game tweaks the physics to make the game easier, it just doesn’t feel right to me. It’s kind of like when some console FPSes have such generous auto-aim that you can be looking in another direction and aiming down sights will still lock you on to the closest enemy’s head.
I think Pokemon Pinball rectifies this problem with a surprisingly effective compromise - keep the physics similar to real pinball but provide generous “Ball Saver” periods during catch and evolution events so novice and intermediate players still have a chance. It’s still reasonably difficult without feeling horribly unforgiving like physical pinball is a lot of the time. And the progression is compelling! The better you do, the rarer Pokémon you can catch, and, well…we all know you gotta catch em all.
So basically what I’m saying is that Pokémon Pinball is more than just a very good pinball game, it’s a very good video game, period.
Having said that, I think a lot of pinball video games aren’t very good compared to the real thing. The problem is simple - pinball is really hard! It’s no secret that arcade machines are difficult on purpose to drain all the spare change in your pockets. But any time a pinball video game tweaks the physics to make the game easier, it just doesn’t feel right to me. It’s kind of like when some console FPSes have such generous auto-aim that you can be looking in another direction and aiming down sights will still lock you on to the closest enemy’s head.
I think Pokemon Pinball rectifies this problem with a surprisingly effective compromise - keep the physics similar to real pinball but provide generous “Ball Saver” periods during catch and evolution events so novice and intermediate players still have a chance. It’s still reasonably difficult without feeling horribly unforgiving like physical pinball is a lot of the time. And the progression is compelling! The better you do, the rarer Pokémon you can catch, and, well…we all know you gotta catch em all.
So basically what I’m saying is that Pokémon Pinball is more than just a very good pinball game, it’s a very good video game, period.