Causer21
This certainly isn't one of Naughty Dog's best endeavours, it seems the transition to PS2 hardware wasn't smooth for even these veteran developers, with this first instalment not quite reaching the highs of their PS1 counterparts. In spite of how famous Crash Bandicoot is for its platforming mechanics, Jak's platforming just feels off by a mite. There are frequent occurrences of Jak's movement feeling slippy, with the player camera also suffering this issue. Most often are the occasions when Jak's double jump simply doesn't work, or the player camera literally just shifts off to the side for no reason, and it can't be recentered behind Jak without it doing the same thing again. Frustratingly this leads to many deaths that are simply of no fault by the player. More than anything else, these faults make Jak & Daxter an absolute chore to play.
The following is a small personal gripe I have, but I'm just not a big fan of platformers or collectathons that have that really open world feel. When playing a platformer or collectathon, I prefer separated levels with a clear beginning and end point, instead of one long area. It's an issue I held with Spyro: A Hero's Tail, and it's an issue I hold here too. Open world games are great, but I just don't think I like them in this genre. Call me a traditionalist but if it worked for years for Spyro, Crash and Mario, there's no reason it can't still work here. I admire ND for trying something a little different with the open world but it's not for me.
Further to this, for a large portion of the game, Jak's only motivation to continue with his adventure is to transform Daxter back into a person - but this motivation comes crashing down for the player very quickly because the very 'person' that we're trying to help is one of the most annoying player companions to ever disgrace a video game. I mean jheeze does Daxter ever shut up?!
Sure, there are some elements of this game that I liked. Some of the minigames are pretty fun, the level design is pretty enough, but also pretty bland and certainly directionless. Unfortunately, any bright spot that this game shines is just dwarfed, not only by its many faults, but by its many superior contemporaries like Ratchet & Clank.
I have to say I'm not sad to see the back of this game, I couldn't even find it in myself to collect the remaining power cells, I only completed the story out of obligation. I don't believe I'll ever revisit this game, and based on what I've heard about its sequels, I'll be giving those a miss too. Trust me, if you skip this game, you won't be missing much either.
The following is a small personal gripe I have, but I'm just not a big fan of platformers or collectathons that have that really open world feel. When playing a platformer or collectathon, I prefer separated levels with a clear beginning and end point, instead of one long area. It's an issue I held with Spyro: A Hero's Tail, and it's an issue I hold here too. Open world games are great, but I just don't think I like them in this genre. Call me a traditionalist but if it worked for years for Spyro, Crash and Mario, there's no reason it can't still work here. I admire ND for trying something a little different with the open world but it's not for me.
Further to this, for a large portion of the game, Jak's only motivation to continue with his adventure is to transform Daxter back into a person - but this motivation comes crashing down for the player very quickly because the very 'person' that we're trying to help is one of the most annoying player companions to ever disgrace a video game. I mean jheeze does Daxter ever shut up?!
Sure, there are some elements of this game that I liked. Some of the minigames are pretty fun, the level design is pretty enough, but also pretty bland and certainly directionless. Unfortunately, any bright spot that this game shines is just dwarfed, not only by its many faults, but by its many superior contemporaries like Ratchet & Clank.
I have to say I'm not sad to see the back of this game, I couldn't even find it in myself to collect the remaining power cells, I only completed the story out of obligation. I don't believe I'll ever revisit this game, and based on what I've heard about its sequels, I'll be giving those a miss too. Trust me, if you skip this game, you won't be missing much either.
2019
This review contains spoilers
As a preface I just want to outline that this is only a review of the remake itself.
That being said - God damn, this is one of the greatest remakes of all time. It is practically beat for beat perfect to the original PS1 classic, down to even using the same voice clips from the 1998 Medievil. This might just be the definitive way to play Medievil, hell you could just go throw away your PS1 copy, but we'll get to that later.
It's clear that this remake was crafted with such a love and reverence to the original that it practically bleeds into every level. The puzzles, while sometimes simplistic, still hold up really well and often require a good thinking about, the familiar hack'n'slash combat is as great as ever, and the new multi-weapon system is an absolute lifesaver. Where the original required the player to scroll dolefully through the weapon menu to change weapons, the remake not only allows for quick access through the weapon menu, but it also has added a two-slot weapon system, allowing the player to quickly switch between two weapons. This is great for encouraging the player to use more of the wide variety of weapons that can be unlocked through gameplay. The orchestral soundtrack is as beautiful as it is chilling, and the gameplay is smooth as butter. Sir Dan controls even better than in the original, with perfect running speed, and pinpoint accurate platforming - both great improvements to the original, where Dan would control somewhat clumsily.
On the other hand, barring this remake from being a perfect 10 are a couple of small issues, for example the actual way that the game plays - there are framerate drops that can affect gameplay, but not to a great degree. The slightly larger problem exists within the graphics and atmosphere of the remake. Don't get me wrong, Medievil 2019 looks absolutely incredible, and the graphics and art style are flawless. However, Medievil loses a special something in its translation to the modern day - it just doesn't have the same creepy atmosphere running throughout the game. Medievil 1998 is the first game I ever remember scaring me - the weird uncanny way that the undead moved, the darkness of the sky and the general colour palette. There was something about the pixel-y graphics that gave the 1998 original a certain charm, but to a larger degree, a terrifying gothic undercurrent that ran throughout the game, that is just missing from Medievil 2019. While this doesn't take away from the quality of the remake, it does just subtract from the atmosphere, and makes that tension noticeably absent.
In spite of this, the developers should be proud of Medievil 2019 - and I think they are, because they literally put the original game as an additional unlockable bonus within the remake, as if to demonstrate how well the remake stands up to Medievil 1998. Finding and putting to rest all 19 of the lost souls throughout the game allows the player to play the original Medievil in its entirety from the main menu. Not only does this provide extra replay value within the main game, but it gives the opportunity to directly compare the remake to the original and see how perfectly it was crafted.
OtherOcean have truly set a standard here in terms of classic videogame remakes. While it is not a perfect remake, it certainly has given Sir Daniel Fortesque a chance to rise again, and show players why Medievil is such a cult classic, and how its quality remains alive and well to this day.
That being said - God damn, this is one of the greatest remakes of all time. It is practically beat for beat perfect to the original PS1 classic, down to even using the same voice clips from the 1998 Medievil. This might just be the definitive way to play Medievil, hell you could just go throw away your PS1 copy, but we'll get to that later.
It's clear that this remake was crafted with such a love and reverence to the original that it practically bleeds into every level. The puzzles, while sometimes simplistic, still hold up really well and often require a good thinking about, the familiar hack'n'slash combat is as great as ever, and the new multi-weapon system is an absolute lifesaver. Where the original required the player to scroll dolefully through the weapon menu to change weapons, the remake not only allows for quick access through the weapon menu, but it also has added a two-slot weapon system, allowing the player to quickly switch between two weapons. This is great for encouraging the player to use more of the wide variety of weapons that can be unlocked through gameplay. The orchestral soundtrack is as beautiful as it is chilling, and the gameplay is smooth as butter. Sir Dan controls even better than in the original, with perfect running speed, and pinpoint accurate platforming - both great improvements to the original, where Dan would control somewhat clumsily.
On the other hand, barring this remake from being a perfect 10 are a couple of small issues, for example the actual way that the game plays - there are framerate drops that can affect gameplay, but not to a great degree. The slightly larger problem exists within the graphics and atmosphere of the remake. Don't get me wrong, Medievil 2019 looks absolutely incredible, and the graphics and art style are flawless. However, Medievil loses a special something in its translation to the modern day - it just doesn't have the same creepy atmosphere running throughout the game. Medievil 1998 is the first game I ever remember scaring me - the weird uncanny way that the undead moved, the darkness of the sky and the general colour palette. There was something about the pixel-y graphics that gave the 1998 original a certain charm, but to a larger degree, a terrifying gothic undercurrent that ran throughout the game, that is just missing from Medievil 2019. While this doesn't take away from the quality of the remake, it does just subtract from the atmosphere, and makes that tension noticeably absent.
In spite of this, the developers should be proud of Medievil 2019 - and I think they are, because they literally put the original game as an additional unlockable bonus within the remake, as if to demonstrate how well the remake stands up to Medievil 1998. Finding and putting to rest all 19 of the lost souls throughout the game allows the player to play the original Medievil in its entirety from the main menu. Not only does this provide extra replay value within the main game, but it gives the opportunity to directly compare the remake to the original and see how perfectly it was crafted.
OtherOcean have truly set a standard here in terms of classic videogame remakes. While it is not a perfect remake, it certainly has given Sir Daniel Fortesque a chance to rise again, and show players why Medievil is such a cult classic, and how its quality remains alive and well to this day.
2010
Some of the most fun you could have with a group of friends online in 2010, incredible memories attached to this one
Where some games boast complexity and impactful narratives as their primary selling point, The Legend of Jack Sparrow sails by on familiar hack'n'slash combos, refreshingly simplistic gameplay, and the immortal charisma of Johnny Depp.
Based on the reviews, I really didn't think I was going to enjoy this game, but it really is just a fun PS2 era game during which you can switch off and just wail on some pirates and other, more fantastical beings. At the end of the day, it's got a relatively satisfying narrative in which it retells the events of The Curse of the Black Pearl - with some tweaks and embellishments for good measure. These embellishments are clearly factored in for extended gameplay, but I really enjoyed the way they worked it into the narrative. It reaches certain points wherein Jack is telling a story within a story, and Will gets increasingly meta and frustrated wondering why he seems to be in all of Jack's stories. It's purely to allow for co-operative multiplayer but hot damn if it isn't entertaining.
Don't get me wrong, I never said this game is a work of art; it is prone to light frame rate drops, and the voice acting isn't exactly top tier, even with the inclusion of Johnny Depp. The gameplay can be somewhat repetitive and simplistic, but for a light rip off of God of War, you get what you pay for, and I only paid £00.50 - besides, it sure is fun for when you want to game for short periods at a time.
I actually owned this game as a kid, but I got stuck halfway through and sold it off. I bought it once again for the sake of finally beating it, and found something of a buried treasure that I think should be enjoyed just for what it is - a witty, accessible action game that you don't have to take seriously at all.
(Also on the PS2, every time the game gives you a new objective, it makes a sound that resembles Borat saying "wawaweewa" and that's all I heard throughout the whole game, you're welcome)
Based on the reviews, I really didn't think I was going to enjoy this game, but it really is just a fun PS2 era game during which you can switch off and just wail on some pirates and other, more fantastical beings. At the end of the day, it's got a relatively satisfying narrative in which it retells the events of The Curse of the Black Pearl - with some tweaks and embellishments for good measure. These embellishments are clearly factored in for extended gameplay, but I really enjoyed the way they worked it into the narrative. It reaches certain points wherein Jack is telling a story within a story, and Will gets increasingly meta and frustrated wondering why he seems to be in all of Jack's stories. It's purely to allow for co-operative multiplayer but hot damn if it isn't entertaining.
Don't get me wrong, I never said this game is a work of art; it is prone to light frame rate drops, and the voice acting isn't exactly top tier, even with the inclusion of Johnny Depp. The gameplay can be somewhat repetitive and simplistic, but for a light rip off of God of War, you get what you pay for, and I only paid £00.50 - besides, it sure is fun for when you want to game for short periods at a time.
I actually owned this game as a kid, but I got stuck halfway through and sold it off. I bought it once again for the sake of finally beating it, and found something of a buried treasure that I think should be enjoyed just for what it is - a witty, accessible action game that you don't have to take seriously at all.
(Also on the PS2, every time the game gives you a new objective, it makes a sound that resembles Borat saying "wawaweewa" and that's all I heard throughout the whole game, you're welcome)
2006
It's a glorified tech demo but it came with another Wiimote so, swings and roundabouts I guess
For everything that this game lacks in terms of gameplay, and the fact that it doesn't hold up amazingly well today, this game was like a cultural phenomenon in 2012.
It was my own introduction into the world of survival horror, the basis for the easiest Halloween costume anybody ever had that year, and I really do have fond memories of playing this at the time (I'm pretty sure I still have it installed on my computer).
It's one of those games you give the credit it's due, and then inwardly note to never play again.
It was my own introduction into the world of survival horror, the basis for the easiest Halloween costume anybody ever had that year, and I really do have fond memories of playing this at the time (I'm pretty sure I still have it installed on my computer).
It's one of those games you give the credit it's due, and then inwardly note to never play again.
2010
Quite possibly the ultimate challenge for a Platformer - the satisfaction upon completing that final level is unparalleled. A fantastic level that I will never play again lmao
1988
This game seriously tests your mettle as as platformer, and it definitely makes for a fun time...right up until about halfway through World 8. It was at this point it stopped being fun and I just kinda got frustrated instead - gonna have to shelve this one for now and hopefully come back to it later when I've more time and patience!
This game, perhaps more than most others, is so personal to me. It's one of the first videogames I ever remember owning as a child, I even remember the day my Mother surprised me with this present on a holiday. I spent the rest of the holiday reading the little PS1 manual cover to cover and looking over the box, itching to get home and play it.
And that's exactly what this game feels like to me - home. The soundtrack, the sound effects, even the wonky dialogue, it all feels so comforting and familiar to me.
I know this game is no work of art; I know it hasn't aged in the grandest of ways, and that it can be beaten in like four hours, but there isn't a bad word I could truly say about this game, it's too close to my heart for that.
I will always love this game, jank and all.
And that's exactly what this game feels like to me - home. The soundtrack, the sound effects, even the wonky dialogue, it all feels so comforting and familiar to me.
I know this game is no work of art; I know it hasn't aged in the grandest of ways, and that it can be beaten in like four hours, but there isn't a bad word I could truly say about this game, it's too close to my heart for that.
I will always love this game, jank and all.
1996
I'm sorry to everyone out there who will call me a heathen, but I just don't have the time for a game where I can lose potentially hours of playtime because of an arbitrary limit on how many times you can save your progress.
I know that this game is good, and I love me some horror, but I don't understand why I should have to potentially never finish this game just because of the high difficulty and unforgiving save system.
I want to enjoy this game so bad, but if the save system was better, I honestly would; Silent Hill lets you save as many times as needed, and at least when you lose your progress due to the difficulty on Dark Souls, the game automatically saves AND you can regain everything you dropped. If you die on this game, you gain literally nothing and lose everything - that is not a system that makes me want to come back for more, it is frustrating and makes me want to quit.
I know that this game is good, and I love me some horror, but I don't understand why I should have to potentially never finish this game just because of the high difficulty and unforgiving save system.
I want to enjoy this game so bad, but if the save system was better, I honestly would; Silent Hill lets you save as many times as needed, and at least when you lose your progress due to the difficulty on Dark Souls, the game automatically saves AND you can regain everything you dropped. If you die on this game, you gain literally nothing and lose everything - that is not a system that makes me want to come back for more, it is frustrating and makes me want to quit.
I mean it's Soul Calibur IV but you can take it on the go, what more could you want?
Well, for one thing, a story mode
or a morsel of single player content
or perhaps some unlockable content
or literally anything that made the previous games so beloved
You can literally only fight against random custom characters, or play online, what the hell happened with this game?
Well, for one thing, a story mode
or a morsel of single player content
or perhaps some unlockable content
or literally anything that made the previous games so beloved
You can literally only fight against random custom characters, or play online, what the hell happened with this game?
The only things that sports games and fighting games have in common is that I really enjoy playing them no matter how God awful I am at pulling off combos
Copy and paste this review for every sport/fighting game I play that has over 2.5 stars
For real though, this game was the original, set the template for everything to improve over it, and will always hold a special place in my heart, no matter how bad it may look by today's standards
Copy and paste this review for every sport/fighting game I play that has over 2.5 stars
For real though, this game was the original, set the template for everything to improve over it, and will always hold a special place in my heart, no matter how bad it may look by today's standards
I spent so much time playing Jedi Power Battles as a kid that it's hard to separate the nostalgia, so I will say that the opening cutscene never fails to excite, and the co-op play is always fun with a friend - it certainly helps you to forget all of the classic PlayStation jank that accompanies this game. Playing alone, you have to deal with all of the more irritating elements on your own, and the game absolutely begs for a friend to experience this game with.
It's a rather barebones hack and slash game at its core, with some very janky platforming included for good measure, and I don't know how worth it is revisiting this game 20 years later, but I know I sure had fun playing this, and probably will anytime I find myself loading it up.
It's a rather barebones hack and slash game at its core, with some very janky platforming included for good measure, and I don't know how worth it is revisiting this game 20 years later, but I know I sure had fun playing this, and probably will anytime I find myself loading it up.
On a console filled with as many exhilarating highs, as sickening lows, this godforsaken game surely marks a low point, not only in gaming, but in humanity also...and I actually owned it shudder
I don't know why this game exists
The Doctor Who franchise is ripe with potential for a great game, and we get games like this
The Doctor Who franchise is ripe with potential for a great game, and we get games like this