Cess007
2023
Sea of Stars is an interesting game. It is clearly influenced by the 16-bit era of RPGs, specially Chrono Trigger but it just doesn't reach the same highs.
While you have several characters, their interactions feel a bit rushed and in need of being explored a bit more in order for you to care more about them.
The gameplay can turn a bit repetitive by the end, specially as the "lock" mechanic can feel a bit cheap when enemies give you almost no-time to break their sequence. The repetition can be felt a bit more if you try to go for the True Ending as you are forced to grind to complete certain objectives.
However, the game is still a good, sweet throwback to the SNES era of JRPGs. Sea of Starts does nothing groundbreaking, but manages to pay good homage of what we loved of the games of that era. And it look gorgeous!
While you have several characters, their interactions feel a bit rushed and in need of being explored a bit more in order for you to care more about them.
The gameplay can turn a bit repetitive by the end, specially as the "lock" mechanic can feel a bit cheap when enemies give you almost no-time to break their sequence. The repetition can be felt a bit more if you try to go for the True Ending as you are forced to grind to complete certain objectives.
However, the game is still a good, sweet throwback to the SNES era of JRPGs. Sea of Starts does nothing groundbreaking, but manages to pay good homage of what we loved of the games of that era. And it look gorgeous!
I have a history with this game. Back when I was around 13, and just starting to learn English at school, we had a special class that let us use the PC Lab. On there, we took some tests during the last hour class and if we completed the test quickly, we were allowed to play the games that came pre-installed on the PC.
One of those games, was the Demo version of Dark Forces that included only the first level. I must have played that demo hundred of times. I must have explored ever nook and cranny of that level and found every secret. Up to this day I know that level like the palm of my hand.
Now, almost 24 years I was finally able to buy and complete the full game. And it was a fun and amazing as my younger self imagined it to be.
The game is not without its quirks, and the level design is totally 90's style of design (meaning, sometimes is incredible obtuse and completing a puzzle is something a matter of luck), but the pace, the action and everything else is still fantastic. I can only assume it was even more amazing back then.
Many years later, I finally beat this game, and the wait was worth it.
One of those games, was the Demo version of Dark Forces that included only the first level. I must have played that demo hundred of times. I must have explored ever nook and cranny of that level and found every secret. Up to this day I know that level like the palm of my hand.
Now, almost 24 years I was finally able to buy and complete the full game. And it was a fun and amazing as my younger self imagined it to be.
The game is not without its quirks, and the level design is totally 90's style of design (meaning, sometimes is incredible obtuse and completing a puzzle is something a matter of luck), but the pace, the action and everything else is still fantastic. I can only assume it was even more amazing back then.
Many years later, I finally beat this game, and the wait was worth it.
The Crossbell arc has been completed, and I cannot express enough how much I have fallen in love with these games.
Lloyd and the gang can fall sometimes in lots of cliches (power of friendship and all that jazz), but the cast is extremely likeable and the games made a honest effort of develop all the characters and have them interact. My only complain is that for being the ending of an arc, the finale felt a bit rushed and anti-climatic.
The gameplay is basically unchanged from previous entries with the exception of the addition of Burst and Master Quarts that shake the formula enough to make it still feel fresh.
I cannot wait to continue my journey through this series and see some of the gang once again in the future.
Lloyd and the gang can fall sometimes in lots of cliches (power of friendship and all that jazz), but the cast is extremely likeable and the games made a honest effort of develop all the characters and have them interact. My only complain is that for being the ending of an arc, the finale felt a bit rushed and anti-climatic.
The gameplay is basically unchanged from previous entries with the exception of the addition of Burst and Master Quarts that shake the formula enough to make it still feel fresh.
I cannot wait to continue my journey through this series and see some of the gang once again in the future.
I have some mixed feelings about Jedi Survivor. On one hand, I really enjoyed seeing Cal again, even if the novelty of the original game is a bit lost. The gameplay loops is still as fun as in the original, and I enjoyed most of the conversation and exploration of the game.
On the other hand, the game retreads on some elements of the original and certain scenes feels more fanservice than anything. Darth Vader appearance on the original was a bit of fanservice, but it kinda worked as a last boss due the plot. In Jedi Survivor, he appears for one fight and then goes away for the rest of the game. So, his appearance felt less impactful.
And the bugs. Its hard to deny that game really needed another round of polish. The game suffer from minor (and funny) glitches and bugs, to major crashes during boss fights. I had no issue with the performance, but the amount of visual glitches the game has is kinda amazing.
Overall it is still a great experience and a fun game, but I wish Respawn really focused on delivering a less jankier experience.
On the other hand, the game retreads on some elements of the original and certain scenes feels more fanservice than anything. Darth Vader appearance on the original was a bit of fanservice, but it kinda worked as a last boss due the plot. In Jedi Survivor, he appears for one fight and then goes away for the rest of the game. So, his appearance felt less impactful.
And the bugs. Its hard to deny that game really needed another round of polish. The game suffer from minor (and funny) glitches and bugs, to major crashes during boss fights. I had no issue with the performance, but the amount of visual glitches the game has is kinda amazing.
Overall it is still a great experience and a fun game, but I wish Respawn really focused on delivering a less jankier experience.
These 2 games hold a special place in my heart, so I am the first to admit I am very biased to like this collection.
On the bad side, I gotta admit that this collection fails to completely capture the feeling and mood of the original 2 games. There is something lost in translation in this remake, and it may as well be the puzzles or some of the DS capabilities, but I found this game kinda underwhelming on the gameplay departament.
On the other side, I loved the art style and the atmosphere on both games (specially Another Code R). As a graphic novel, this nothing ground-breaking, but it such a delightful and upbeat adventure that you never care much about following the adventures and exploits of Ashley Robbins.
As a fan of CING, it warms my heart to have a final farewell to Ashley and maybe, someday in the future, get an Hotel Dusk collection as well.
On the bad side, I gotta admit that this collection fails to completely capture the feeling and mood of the original 2 games. There is something lost in translation in this remake, and it may as well be the puzzles or some of the DS capabilities, but I found this game kinda underwhelming on the gameplay departament.
On the other side, I loved the art style and the atmosphere on both games (specially Another Code R). As a graphic novel, this nothing ground-breaking, but it such a delightful and upbeat adventure that you never care much about following the adventures and exploits of Ashley Robbins.
As a fan of CING, it warms my heart to have a final farewell to Ashley and maybe, someday in the future, get an Hotel Dusk collection as well.
2023
After the hype and the years of hearing about this legendary RPG, I gotta say I am incredible disappointed in this game.
Its not that is a bad game, its just very basic in every aspect. I know that at its core, this is still an Snes RPG, but there are plenty of Snes RPG from that time that are miles better than Super Mario RPG in almost every aspect.
The difficult is almost non-existent, there is absolutely no engaging story or characters and the gameplay is very simple. I was also not a fan of the art style neither. I don't know why Nintendo loves this plastic look on some of his games.
Its not that is a bad game, its just very basic in every aspect. I know that at its core, this is still an Snes RPG, but there are plenty of Snes RPG from that time that are miles better than Super Mario RPG in almost every aspect.
The difficult is almost non-existent, there is absolutely no engaging story or characters and the gameplay is very simple. I was also not a fan of the art style neither. I don't know why Nintendo loves this plastic look on some of his games.
2016
A very basic but otherwise fun VR shooter. I played this with a friend and it was a silly good time. We might even get the sequels so we can play it too.
The game does nothing extraordinary and it this was a flat game, it would be incredible generic. But the VR perspective really gives the game a fresh spin and popping head-shots never turns boring.
This is obviously helped by the fact that is an otherwise short game. We may have finished on 3 o 4 session, tallying at 6hrs at best.
With little extras to unlock or reasons to play it again, this is a one-and-done kind of game. For the sequel I am hoping it has a little more of creativity in-game and it gives us more reasons to keep playing after the ending.
The game does nothing extraordinary and it this was a flat game, it would be incredible generic. But the VR perspective really gives the game a fresh spin and popping head-shots never turns boring.
This is obviously helped by the fact that is an otherwise short game. We may have finished on 3 o 4 session, tallying at 6hrs at best.
With little extras to unlock or reasons to play it again, this is a one-and-done kind of game. For the sequel I am hoping it has a little more of creativity in-game and it gives us more reasons to keep playing after the ending.
I feel a little conflicted with this game.
In paper, its an improvement on almost every sense over the original. More powers, more characters to control, more enemies and a bigger map.
But as it tends to be with the latest Sony games, maybe there is too much of a good thing. By the end, I felt like as if the story and the combat has been stretched thin and some of the boss battles have become tedious (Every boss battle is always 3 or more phases that just drag on by the end).
It is still an amazing game, but I feel a shorter experience would have been better overall.
In paper, its an improvement on almost every sense over the original. More powers, more characters to control, more enemies and a bigger map.
But as it tends to be with the latest Sony games, maybe there is too much of a good thing. By the end, I felt like as if the story and the combat has been stretched thin and some of the boss battles have become tedious (Every boss battle is always 3 or more phases that just drag on by the end).
It is still an amazing game, but I feel a shorter experience would have been better overall.
Played it on Quest 3 and it was perfectly fine experience.
It is a shame the game never evolves past some shot outs because there is potential here. The story never makes too much sense and following the missions can be quite confusing.
But the experience overall its pretty good. I get the feeling that a sequel expanding upon most of the mechanics could be incredible.
It is a shame the game never evolves past some shot outs because there is potential here. The story never makes too much sense and following the missions can be quite confusing.
But the experience overall its pretty good. I get the feeling that a sequel expanding upon most of the mechanics could be incredible.
2023
Absolutely delightful and content-filled adventure.
I have not played a Pikmin game since the original in the GameCube and this was an amazing experience to get back in the series. The game has way more creativity and content than I expected.
The only complains would be that managing large numbers of Pikmins can be a little cumbersome and that some boss are really annoying with insta-kill powers.
Other than that, its amazing game full of charisma, fun and things to do.
I have not played a Pikmin game since the original in the GameCube and this was an amazing experience to get back in the series. The game has way more creativity and content than I expected.
The only complains would be that managing large numbers of Pikmins can be a little cumbersome and that some boss are really annoying with insta-kill powers.
Other than that, its amazing game full of charisma, fun and things to do.
While it felt like a shorter adventure, it actually was a very good +40hrs rpg.
It took a while to get used to the new cast, but everyone was very likeable and seeing the final resolution to Renne arc was nice to see.
The gameplay wasn't a revolution but it was still very good (if a bit simpler now), but otherwise it is still a good game and good first half to this new arc.
It took a while to get used to the new cast, but everyone was very likeable and seeing the final resolution to Renne arc was nice to see.
The gameplay wasn't a revolution but it was still very good (if a bit simpler now), but otherwise it is still a good game and good first half to this new arc.
2021
While the main story never reaches the highs of the previous entry, Lost Judgment is still a good entry in the series. However, I did find myself rooting more for the anti-hero than with Takuya.
The school stories are a lot of fun and you can end up in some whacky yet emotional stories. And as someone who missed the original Yakuza gameplay, I really appreciated the brawler style of gameplay. Tho, I gotta admit, the Snake style is kinda broken during battles.
On the not-so-good side: I didn't like how much how the changed the approach to side stories (now you gotta use a phone app in order to search for side missions) and the stealth and chasing sections are still not good.
Overall, it is still a good game and I am sure I will end up purchasing and playing the DLC.
The school stories are a lot of fun and you can end up in some whacky yet emotional stories. And as someone who missed the original Yakuza gameplay, I really appreciated the brawler style of gameplay. Tho, I gotta admit, the Snake style is kinda broken during battles.
On the not-so-good side: I didn't like how much how the changed the approach to side stories (now you gotta use a phone app in order to search for side missions) and the stealth and chasing sections are still not good.
Overall, it is still a good game and I am sure I will end up purchasing and playing the DLC.
A more action-focused game than Oracle of Ages and I think its better game for it. Of this duology, this is the one that I played back in the 2000's and the game really holds up to this day.
Good gameplay and exploration, only certain progression quests are a little obtuse but overall is still a very good Zelda. Having finished and linked Oracle of Ages, this is the firs time I got the real ending, and I gotta say, I was a bit disappointed. I expected a bit more.
Other than that, having the full experience was very fun, and I am happy I was able to revisit and finally complete this games.
Good gameplay and exploration, only certain progression quests are a little obtuse but overall is still a very good Zelda. Having finished and linked Oracle of Ages, this is the firs time I got the real ending, and I gotta say, I was a bit disappointed. I expected a bit more.
Other than that, having the full experience was very fun, and I am happy I was able to revisit and finally complete this games.
Having never played Oracle of Ages and hearing that its was more puzzle based I decided to start with it. And I think it was a wise decision. Some of the puzzles require more patience that I would have it if I was playing the Linked game.
JFC, whoever designed those color-based Puzzles deserves a place in hell.
Regardless, I had a lot of fun with Ages and this reinforces my idea that Oracle games are underrated. Yes, the map is kinda small and nothing here is revolutionary for the Zelda formula, but Ages is still an incredible fun adventure worth having.
JFC, whoever designed those color-based Puzzles deserves a place in hell.
Regardless, I had a lot of fun with Ages and this reinforces my idea that Oracle games are underrated. Yes, the map is kinda small and nothing here is revolutionary for the Zelda formula, but Ages is still an incredible fun adventure worth having.
I was looking for a kinda mindless FPS game in which I didn't have to think and just had fun gunning down enemies, and Cold War offers exactly that.
There is a plot-twist and some attempt to serious storytelling but its hard to take anything serious where all your enemies do is stand before you waiting to be shot at.
Still, I enjoyed the game for what it is, and loved the Cold War aspect of the narrative.
There is a plot-twist and some attempt to serious storytelling but its hard to take anything serious where all your enemies do is stand before you waiting to be shot at.
Still, I enjoyed the game for what it is, and loved the Cold War aspect of the narrative.