DeviantPuppy
163 Reviews liked by DeviantPuppy
Sifu
2022
Robbed of attention in the shadow of Elden Rings release, Sifu is a Sekiro-Class experience with an (imo) revolutionary checkpoint system that makes practice a thoughtful and stimulating activity, encouraging you to develop resourceful and cunning martial artistry against increasingly unfair odds, versus enemies that will use every dirty trick they have in the book. Were talkin some Sun Tzu type shit.
Sifu
2022
Call of Duty: Ghosts
2013
Hi-Fi Rush
2023
The Devil May Cry format, set up as a rhythm game - and while its not uncommon for the game to fail you for QTEs, the real magic lies in how Hi Fi ties every aspect of the game to the beat. Encouraging (instead of strictly requiring) rhythm promotes a groove within players, a sense that with every action they take they are jamming along with the game - achieving a potent and unbelievably addictive sense of flow when synchronized.
Frankly, I think Hi Fi’s aesthetic would otherwise be a liability for me. Garish color palettes, generic and undiverse enemy design, even the music selection is not my favorite. The supreme, engrossing nature of the combat puts me on a wavelength that elevates every other aspect of the game, I can forgive significant holes in the character writing because I am actually, literally vibing. Any mission thats mostly a gauntlet of enemies is a great time - the opposite of how I usually feel about the genre.
Frankly, I think Hi Fi’s aesthetic would otherwise be a liability for me. Garish color palettes, generic and undiverse enemy design, even the music selection is not my favorite. The supreme, engrossing nature of the combat puts me on a wavelength that elevates every other aspect of the game, I can forgive significant holes in the character writing because I am actually, literally vibing. Any mission thats mostly a gauntlet of enemies is a great time - the opposite of how I usually feel about the genre.