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Being part of the Backloggd community for 1 year

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Played 100+ games

Favorite Games

Devil May Cry 5
Devil May Cry 5
Bloodborne
Bloodborne
Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition
Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition
Elden Ring
Elden Ring
A Hat in Time
A Hat in Time

224

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000

Played in 2024

112

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Recently Reviewed See More

Castlevania Bloodlines is a game often forgotten among the 'Classicvania' lineup, but I feel that it might secretly be one of the best.

I've always been a big fan of the Castlevania series, though I generally prefer the 'Metroidvania' titles to the 'Classicvania' ones. When I was stuck on a long car ride, I ended up seeing Bloodlines in the NSO Sega Genesis app, and remembering that I've never actually played it for myself, I decided to give it a shot. One of the first things I noticed is that this game is pretty brutal and unforgiving in its health and continue systems, even for a classic Castlevania title, so newer or casual players will probably feel more comfortable playing on an emulator with save states (like Nintendo Switch Online) than dealing with Bloodlines' somewhat dated password save system. Personally, I feel that it's best to use those in moderation, such as between levels, as the game's individual levels have a pretty solid level of challenge that feels rewarding to overcome naturally.

Both playable characters, John Morris and Eric Lecarde, are fun in their own ways, and are differentiated really well while still being equipped to handle the game's individual challenges. Morris will be more familiar for Castlevania veterans, but I played most of the game with Eric for a fresher and more unique experience, and found him to be breezier, with his longer reach and anti-air pokes.

Like every Castlevania at the time, this game has some really impressive and varied art across its six levels and large enemy roster, and a great soundtrack. Even prior to playing the game myself, Sinking Old Sanctuary has been one of my favorite tracks in the series for a while. They do some really awesome 3D effects with the Genesis that are very impressive for the time... at the cost of some pretty unfortunate performance tanks.

I'd personally put Bloodlines above the original trilogy on the NES. If you're a Castlevania fan like I am, and have also been looking over this game for the longest time, give it a shot. It's more accessible now than it's ever been.

Metroid Fusion isn't dethroning Metroid Dread any time soon as my favorite 2D Metroid title, but it's a damn good contender for second place.

Metroid Fusion is a game that I first tried many years ago, but never quite got around to finishing, despite its short length. While on a trip with a friend for New Years, I decided on a whim to start Metroid Fusion through the NSO GBA app, and ended up pretty glad that I did.

Metroid Fusion is one of the best 2D Metroid titles in terms of control and game feel. Samus feels great to move around as, and the Power Grip (and Samus' ability to pull herself up into tight corridors and instantly transition into Morph Ball mode) is a great addition to the series' gameplay. Visually, the game looks fantastic for a GBA title, and while the arrangements of the OST are held back by the GBA sound chip, the game's compositions are great-sounding too.

I feel that this game struck a great balance of linear story-based set-pieces and the open-ended explorative gameplay you'd expect from Metroid. While I wouldn't consider it to be the ideal standard for Metroid's lore/gameplay balance, it succeeds in its goal of a more story-driven Metroid very well.

I will note, however, that I wasn't a big fan of the majority of the game's bosses, most of which have extremely awkward weak points or are difficult to maneuver around. In addition, I felt that the game's hidden upgrades (and even some mandatory progression points) had a few too many hidden pathways or secret areas that didn't do a great job of signposting their existence to the player, like fake walls covering morph ball tunnels, or bombable ground to raise platforms being indistinguishable from the rest of the floor,

Overall, though, I felt that Metroid Fusion was a really strong Metroidvania experience, and while I wouldn't recommend it as an entry point, it's an easy recommendation to anyone who's played and enjoyed a 2D Metroid title before.

Super Mario RPG (2023) is a great remake of a great game. It's a short, but sweet turn-based RPG that's a solid introduction point to the genre.

Super Mario RPG is a game that's always had a history with me. Listening to Rawest Forest and hearing YouTubers praise Super Mario RPG as a kid was part of my gateway into Smash speculation and retro gaming, a gateway that ended up having a massive snowball effect on my life and helped me develop the taste in games that I have now. Though, if you'd asked me this time last year, it wasn't a game that would rank anywhere near my top favorites. In the near-decade since I first played Super Mario RPG (1996), I had convinced myself that the game wasn't as good as it had been held up to be. It was a belief that had been bolstered by years of surrounding myself with Smash fans, creating a negative stigma that associated "Mario RPGs" with "bland RPGs for people who dislike most other RPGs".

I'm happy to announce that I had convinced myself wrong. Playing this game felt like animorphing into Anton Ego during that one Ratatouille scene. Super Mario RPG is still as charming and fun as when I first played it. In fact, having gotten properly into the RPG genre in the years since I first played it, when my only proper RPG experiences were Pokémon and the Mario and Luigi games, I believe that I appreciate it much more than I did back then.

This is not a good RPG for those who are seeking a challenge, or a particularly engaging story with gripping or interesting characters. What it is, instead, is a great, short RPG for anyone who wants a deeply charming and highly replayable turn-based game to play on-the-go. This remake is gorgeous, with a great remastered soundtrack courtesy of the legendary original composer Yoko Shimomura, and every detail shines with love and affection towards the original classic that is downright lavish.

It's simple, but fun. It's short, but sweet. It's Super Mario RPG, not the way it was, but the way that you remember it.