Chobby
2017
A perfectly pleasant game to play through. Very short, occasionally mildly frustrating. Elevated by some cute concepts and designs and fun boss fights.
Utterly odd game. Captivating at points. A complete mess of a story once you reach the mid-point. World building is confused mixture of concepts, but not unappealing. Fun to play for the most part and fairly forgiving (while still having some challenge).
Search for Reptar is a clunky but charming platformer based on the Rugrats IP. Lots of variety to the levels in settings and gameplay. One of the biggest appeals is simply seeing the areas from the show realised in 3d to be explored - which the game capitalises on by making the home a hub world for levels.
Relatively simple - the game has replay value by simply not allowing you to 100% it, as you finish the game once the reptar puzzle completes. It's an unusual approach, but it provides an interesting replay-ability as you can choose alternate pathways through the levels.
Was a great game for kids on release, though now it's more likely to be nostalgia-bait for an older audience.
Useless fact of the day: as a musician the soundtrack in this game is my point of reference for the whole-tone scale. Thanks Rugrats.
Relatively simple - the game has replay value by simply not allowing you to 100% it, as you finish the game once the reptar puzzle completes. It's an unusual approach, but it provides an interesting replay-ability as you can choose alternate pathways through the levels.
Was a great game for kids on release, though now it's more likely to be nostalgia-bait for an older audience.
Useless fact of the day: as a musician the soundtrack in this game is my point of reference for the whole-tone scale. Thanks Rugrats.
2003
Gregory Horror Show is a survival horror with an exceptionally unique aesthetic. Based on a bunch of Japanese shorts, I believe this is the best part of the whole Gregory Horror franchise.
Your time in Gregory house is spent observing the residents, chronicling their schedules and looking to exploit moments of weakness in order to steal their (presumably additional) souls.
The residents are charismatic and beautiful and the blocky style translates perfectly to the ps2.
The only lesser part of this game is an unfortunate board game style minigame, where you can fall victim to unforgiving randomness. Other frustration can come from not knowing what to do. On the whole, however, the game is successful in pointing you in the right direction and minimising this.
A real gem in my opinion and one I've revisited many times over the years.
Your time in Gregory house is spent observing the residents, chronicling their schedules and looking to exploit moments of weakness in order to steal their (presumably additional) souls.
The residents are charismatic and beautiful and the blocky style translates perfectly to the ps2.
The only lesser part of this game is an unfortunate board game style minigame, where you can fall victim to unforgiving randomness. Other frustration can come from not knowing what to do. On the whole, however, the game is successful in pointing you in the right direction and minimising this.
A real gem in my opinion and one I've revisited many times over the years.
2001
Mister mosquito is a complete outsider when it comes to ratings.
It's a little clunky and sometimes the execution is very unfocussed. However it has charm in abundance - the voice acting is utterly unique, and while far from objectively good, has remained in my brain for years since playing it. The presentation of the cutscenes is also unbelievably basic and unusual - adopting this quite static close up of the families faces. The fact this game has a story at all is already somewhat telling - it's a strange hybrid of arcade title feel with a more linear narrative.
The presentation of the game sometimes feels a little bland and flat - but these contradictions lend a very surreal feel to the mosquito title that is somehow wholly appropriate. Moving from a quite basic representation of a mosquito irritating a family into family members busting out anime-style special moves in order to take you down.
Grinding up extra stats is very tedious and unfulfilling. The final levels are too difficult. There's a lot to be said about this games shortcomings.
But on the whole, I'm just so glad it exists that I cant help but have a lot of love for this title. A triumph of forced experimentation and a win for weirdness.
It's a little clunky and sometimes the execution is very unfocussed. However it has charm in abundance - the voice acting is utterly unique, and while far from objectively good, has remained in my brain for years since playing it. The presentation of the cutscenes is also unbelievably basic and unusual - adopting this quite static close up of the families faces. The fact this game has a story at all is already somewhat telling - it's a strange hybrid of arcade title feel with a more linear narrative.
The presentation of the game sometimes feels a little bland and flat - but these contradictions lend a very surreal feel to the mosquito title that is somehow wholly appropriate. Moving from a quite basic representation of a mosquito irritating a family into family members busting out anime-style special moves in order to take you down.
Grinding up extra stats is very tedious and unfulfilling. The final levels are too difficult. There's a lot to be said about this games shortcomings.
But on the whole, I'm just so glad it exists that I cant help but have a lot of love for this title. A triumph of forced experimentation and a win for weirdness.
1994
A perfectly acceptable game for single player, but an absolute gem for multiplayer. The Vs mode is absolutely compelling - the Dr mario music is also just absolutely nuts: the glitchy repetition of the dog barking for the Dr mario soundtrack is something else.
What would otherwise be a fairly run of the mill port is elevated by an absolutely glorious multiplayer experience. The chaotic energy is almost unlike anything else I can think of.
2019
I wish I loved this game. It's unique, charming and funny. Unfortunately, it's also very slow and becomes boring to play quite quickly. The puzzles are simplistic, though sometimes fun to resolve.
2010
Very easy, but endlessly charming trick or treat themed RPG with a ton of fun costumes that effect the moves available in battle.
Well worth the short play time if you're happy with RPGs that are more of a conduit to humour and charm than a challenge.
Also, I just love this kind of Halloween aesthetic
Well worth the short play time if you're happy with RPGs that are more of a conduit to humour and charm than a challenge.
Also, I just love this kind of Halloween aesthetic
2015
Mini metro is a simple and utterly enthralling game. An excellent soundtrack that's highly responsive to the in game events underpins an addictive puzzle/management game of trying to maximise the number of passengers a line carries without ever overburdening a single stop.
The game feels especially cohesive with this visual/gameplay tie.
The game feels especially cohesive with this visual/gameplay tie.
The Simpsons had a relatively rocky relationship with video game adaptations (beyond maybe virtual Springfield on the pc and the arcade game) before the ps2, but with road rage released it seemed a little as if the Simpsons might be able to carve a niche of playable and charming (if derivative) titles.
As a huge fan of the tony hawk series, Simpsons skateboarding was exceedingly disappointing. Outside of the school, it contains relatively poor choices & designs for skateparks and the gameplay just feels bad. Similarly, it looks ugly and posseses little of the charm and wit of the series.
Fortunately, the tides would turn when hit n run would release later - but skateboarding will forever be a disappointing stain on Simpsons history.
For skateboarding and license tie in needs, check out Disney skate adventure - which is on the same platform and generally excellent.
As a huge fan of the tony hawk series, Simpsons skateboarding was exceedingly disappointing. Outside of the school, it contains relatively poor choices & designs for skateparks and the gameplay just feels bad. Similarly, it looks ugly and posseses little of the charm and wit of the series.
Fortunately, the tides would turn when hit n run would release later - but skateboarding will forever be a disappointing stain on Simpsons history.
For skateboarding and license tie in needs, check out Disney skate adventure - which is on the same platform and generally excellent.
2005
Endlessly inventive and charming 3d adventure platformer. Collecting all figments for 100% is frustrating, but otherwise there is a lot to find, some great humour and fantastic, wacky 90/00s cartoon aesthetics (especially in the character designs).
One of my absolute favourites.
One of my absolute favourites.
2017
Great looking game with fantastic writing and characters.
Unfortunately the overall direction of the plot (and particularly the ending) felt hugely anti-climactic to me - but it still doesn't detract from the joy that is the rest of the game.
Unfortunately the overall direction of the plot (and particularly the ending) felt hugely anti-climactic to me - but it still doesn't detract from the joy that is the rest of the game.
2016
When it works, the witness is gloriously rewarding. When it doesn't: it's bloated, frustrating and dull.
I can see why this is divisive - but it's hard not to admire the design that's gone into this.
I can see why this is divisive - but it's hard not to admire the design that's gone into this.
Sly raccoon is an utter joy to play.
I remember booting it up and becoming absolutely enthralled - powering through the majority of the game in a single sitting and nearly losing a whole day to it.
Charming graphics, some good humour and a satisfying challenge curve. The series would later become less of a spiritual successor to the crash bandicoot games and open up into a more 3d action/adventure platform feel (fortunately something that it also did excellently). If you happened to love level based platforming and have somehow missed this one, though, it's a fantastic mix of nostalgia and growth of the formula.
I remember booting it up and becoming absolutely enthralled - powering through the majority of the game in a single sitting and nearly losing a whole day to it.
Charming graphics, some good humour and a satisfying challenge curve. The series would later become less of a spiritual successor to the crash bandicoot games and open up into a more 3d action/adventure platform feel (fortunately something that it also did excellently). If you happened to love level based platforming and have somehow missed this one, though, it's a fantastic mix of nostalgia and growth of the formula.