Oracle of Seasons is a remarkable game for the 2D branch of the franchise. Of the pair of games released for the GBC, the focus of this one is towards a sense of adventure at its purest, setting simple puzzles to solve, but with sections focused on challenge and discovery, making it a highly enjoyable experience.

The novelty that distinguishes this title from the rest, is that here we will travel through a land in which the seasons have gone out of control, so that it can be winter, but from one moment to another can also be spring, summer or autumn, which is not only an aesthetic change for the map, for example, in winter there can be a mountain of snow or frozen rivers, which we can take advantage of to reach places that otherwise would be impossible to reach, but in summer for example, vines grow on some cliffs which allows us to climb them. It's an idea that although not as ambitious as the parallel worlds of A Link to the Past, it's still pretty cool for making exploration more entertaining and interesting, not to mention that exploring Holodrum in different climates/states of the year has its charm. I feel this in turn is also a creative way to expose the difference it makes to have color in a game versus not having it, as in the original GB a concept like this would have been somewhat impossible to execute just having the green/gray scale.

This game takes place in the kingdom of Holodrum, where Din lives, the oracle of the seasons, but after an event is kidnapped and thus the different seasons of the year lose control, so it will be our duty to get the 8 essences of nature of the 8 temples scattered around the kingdom to rescue Din.

The temples generally present a very good and creative design, almost always being quite intuitive for the player, mostly with simple puzzles, but that are still quite entertaining and will require from your part a little ingenuity to be solved, presenting this game also some pretty cool items that have become some of my favorites, such as the magnetic gloves. I especially like the fact how in this game hearts do matter, as unlike most Zelda games, the enemies and boss battles can be a bit challenging, not that it's a difficult game, but if you get overconfident you could end up seeing the Game Over screen on more than one occasion.

Something I love is that the exploration and discovery factor of the early Zelda games is very present in this title. It pays to be curious and attentive, as many times some puzzles or secrets are revealed when we go to a place with a certain season. There are a lot of references to the first Zelda game, like some of the temples, bosses or even some caves with old people inside that have strange dialogues and sometimes can be tremendous trolls, and curiously, there are also references and inspiration from games like Mega Man, which we can notice especially in those 2D platforming type sections. If you played Mega Man X, the final boss will look familiar.

Conclusion
It's certainly a game with a very good design and pacing, it never feels boring, and the mechanics of switching between seasons made the mere fact of exploring more engaging. If you're wondering where the inspiration from the Mega Man games and the references to the first game in the franchise came from, it's because this game was made by Capcom, and started out being developed as a remake of the first title, but then evolved into a completely different game, and in retrospect, I think it was for the best, as it has become one of my favorites.

Secret 1: backloggd.com/u/M----------------

→ The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages - Review

This is a game for Suda51 fans, and literally no one else.

Narratively speaking, this game goes beyond what we've come to expect from the No More Heroes series, and I think it does an excellent job really showing Travis as a character and expanding more on the world he inhabits. I also think this game does a great job appealing to long-time fans of both No More Heroes as well as all of Suda51's titles, both through extensive cameos and great references, the crossover aspect and the build up to the third game was really the driving force that kept me playing. The DLC level is easily the best section as well, and features some really amazing tracks and actual fun level design.

However, where I think this game is fundamentally flawed is through it's gameplay. It hurts me to say that the top down perspective mixed with the hack in slack gameplay is a total slog to get through, and I found myself being unable to play for long sessions at a time due to actually becoming so bored I was uninterested in playing. Combine that with an effectively useless currency system and a slow and lackluster character progression, this game's hardest challenge is trying to not give up playing it.

If you really like the series and Suda as a creator check this game out, otherwise probably just look up a playthrough on youtube.

Worth the price of the Castlevania Advance Collection alone. I had a fantastic time playing through this. I couldn't put it down. My favourite game in the series so far.

There's something magic about those GBA sprites, and although the environments are somewhat basic compared to the later versions, I thought they were great, with the backgrounds and scrolling really adding to it. The way the game opens up with each new ability is great, and the lack of sign posting and hand holding adds an extra degree of challenge.

Excellent game and I am dead keen to crack on with the rest of the Castlevania Advance Collection.

I purchased Gear.Club Unlimited on the Nintendo Switch at the weekend. It was definitely worth the 89 gold points I spent to get it, although something about its structure feels very mobile game. I've been on bit of racing thing recently and playing it made me realise something I normally say in jest but genuinely mean this time around. They don't make them like they used to.

OutRun C2C is a game I've wanted for years but I just never got round to it. A couple of months ago I finally bit the bullet and bought it off eBay. I'm absolutely glad I did because it turns out it's one of the most exhilarating racing games I've ever played, and goes to further prove, the genre peaked with the PS2. Yes, there's a lot of very good racing games on contemporary systems, but nothing can compare to the sheer fun and arcade style on offer here (see also Ridge Racer V).

From the fantastic visuals, excellent track design and awesome music arrangement, this game is just 100% fun. Incorporating the original aspects of OutRun, as well as building on the game modes, play style and overall presentation. It's not hyperbole when it's said this is one of the best arcade racing games ever made. This is sheer joy on a disc.

I almost marked it down for the game making you have the psp version to unlock everything that's on offer, but I can't be mad when it's already this good before you get to in game unlockable items. And heck, I'm tempted to buy a psp with this on it anyway, just to get even more of a fix. If only I didn't sell mine 15 years ago. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I hate just about everything about this. A shallow, vapid "critique" on a genre the developer clearly knows nothing about.

The only thing it has going for it is the shock value, but it can't even do that right. It warns you at the start how totally scary it will be, so the whole "cute but actually not" gimmick doesn't work at all, you just expect it. And even then, nothing here is anywhere close to as unnerving as say, Saya no Uta. It's safe, cynical pandering to streamers and people who think they're too cool to unironically enjoy actual stories.