Dizzy
295 Reviews liked by Dizzy
Sonic Adventure 2
2001
Perhaps one of the most relentlessly optimistic games ever made, crossing the threshold of the new millennium while wearing a bleeding heart on its sleeve. Never skipping a beat to encourage growth and confidence. Both within its rich cast of characters, and those willing to immerse themselves within the experience.
Sonic Superstars
2023
i had higher hopes than most. i don't mind the visuals (most of the time), the bosses or the chaos powers. what i do mind is the sheer lack of energy that carries this whole game
superstars is the negative extreme of what a sonic detractor perceives the series as. there's little to no thought or challenge throughout. you're just constantly going with the motions and holding right - sometimes left - occasionally making some precise jumps - but then it's back to going through the motions
almost every zone bleeds together design-wise. the camera really doesn't help - it's too damn close. i have no desire to revisit and explore the majority of these zones because:
a.) i have no fucking idea where i'm going in them half the time
b.) spatial awareness is unimportant anyway because there's no real upside to being on the skilled path vs the baby road
there's stage gimmicks everywhere, but they largely amount to wasted momentum. the game's constantly moving onto new thing after new thing at a pace more rapid than the tiktok algorithm, but for every attempt at variety there's little to no commitment or follow-through. almost every idea feels half-baked. case in point: one of the final stages being a half-assed shmup segment; or THE final act just being the second-to-last but backwards
ironically the bosses were the highlight for me. they're the only points throughout where you're forced to stop and think for a moment. there's a few annoying ones, but generally they reward efficiency and offer more opportunities for damage than they initially let on. i'd say that's a success as far as sonic fights go
what kills me here is i don't think that sonic team's heart is really in the wrong place - trip's a great newcomer and it's nice to see mostly original zones, but i really hope the next outing isn't so painfully safe. this series is always at its best when it's being bold and confident - neither of which i can call superstars in any capacity
also ditch that garbage ass soundfont pronto
superstars is the negative extreme of what a sonic detractor perceives the series as. there's little to no thought or challenge throughout. you're just constantly going with the motions and holding right - sometimes left - occasionally making some precise jumps - but then it's back to going through the motions
almost every zone bleeds together design-wise. the camera really doesn't help - it's too damn close. i have no desire to revisit and explore the majority of these zones because:
a.) i have no fucking idea where i'm going in them half the time
b.) spatial awareness is unimportant anyway because there's no real upside to being on the skilled path vs the baby road
there's stage gimmicks everywhere, but they largely amount to wasted momentum. the game's constantly moving onto new thing after new thing at a pace more rapid than the tiktok algorithm, but for every attempt at variety there's little to no commitment or follow-through. almost every idea feels half-baked. case in point: one of the final stages being a half-assed shmup segment; or THE final act just being the second-to-last but backwards
ironically the bosses were the highlight for me. they're the only points throughout where you're forced to stop and think for a moment. there's a few annoying ones, but generally they reward efficiency and offer more opportunities for damage than they initially let on. i'd say that's a success as far as sonic fights go
what kills me here is i don't think that sonic team's heart is really in the wrong place - trip's a great newcomer and it's nice to see mostly original zones, but i really hope the next outing isn't so painfully safe. this series is always at its best when it's being bold and confident - neither of which i can call superstars in any capacity
also ditch that garbage ass soundfont pronto
Persona 4 Golden
2012
i got nothin funny to say. you can tell P Studio were bummed the fuck out after persona 3 because its the opposite of that game in every way but still great because of how strongly it distinctifies itself. had me smilin' and laughin the whole time because its a game that is above all else filled with joy and love. there is some intense shit here but it gets to that point because the rest of it is so damn wonderful. truly special little thing
Dropped out of boredom, I just couldn't enjoy this game no matter how hard I tried.
Putting aside the plot and characters (which I absolutely didn't like, but not necessarily found bad), since those are probably personal preferences that many could argue being stupid, I think even those who loved this game could not argue on how the gameplay was repetitive and boring, the enemy design uninspired and how some design choices could have been implemented better (such as forcing the player to play through the same story three times).
Long story short, the gameplay SUCKS. It really does.
I would have probably enjoyed the story when I was a sci-fi obsessed 15 years old tho.
Yoko Taro fans will say shit like "You need to play 16 games prior to this, read 4 novels, 6 mangas, listen to a concert and the lore he wrote on a piece of toiler paper" and I just couldn't care less.
What a huge disappointment...
Putting aside the plot and characters (which I absolutely didn't like, but not necessarily found bad), since those are probably personal preferences that many could argue being stupid, I think even those who loved this game could not argue on how the gameplay was repetitive and boring, the enemy design uninspired and how some design choices could have been implemented better (such as forcing the player to play through the same story three times).
Long story short, the gameplay SUCKS. It really does.
I would have probably enjoyed the story when I was a sci-fi obsessed 15 years old tho.
Yoko Taro fans will say shit like "You need to play 16 games prior to this, read 4 novels, 6 mangas, listen to a concert and the lore he wrote on a piece of toiler paper" and I just couldn't care less.
What a huge disappointment...
Dragon Quest
2004
Currently, this remake is the best way to experience the first Dragon Quest.
Considering this was first release for flip phones, there's actually a lot of quality here. The pixel art is good and the world Is small enough to make it approachable on mobile without feeling lost.
The only things I did dislike were the soundtrack (only 6 songs) and the ancient english used on NPCs. But overall, nothing that would mine this experience.
Considering this was first release for flip phones, there's actually a lot of quality here. The pixel art is good and the world Is small enough to make it approachable on mobile without feeling lost.
The only things I did dislike were the soundtrack (only 6 songs) and the ancient english used on NPCs. But overall, nothing that would mine this experience.
Ninja Gaiden
1988
FUCK
Presentable Liberty
2014
Who is delivering these letters? How are you still getting letters when everyone is dead? Where do you go to the bathroom? Other than nitpicks like this the game was definitely an experience and a vibe. Being cooped up in a prison with nothing to do but play unfair gameboy games really made time feel longer than it actually was and the twist was kind of interesting if not a bit forced. RIP Mr. Smiley. Also RIP to the Dev. This really shows how much potential they (and by extension all of us) have.
This review contains spoilers
Wasn't a huge fan of this one, unfortunately. I'll start off with what I liked. The presentation is fantastic, as to be expected from Final Fantasy, the music and sprite art were very pretty. I think that this version of the game is the best-looking 2D version. The sprites are all very detailed while keeping the aesthetic of the original game. In regards to the music, I did prefer the original SFC compositions to the arranged ones, but luckily you can switch to the original game's music.
Now what disappointed me, I felt like the characters were kind of shallow and the writing was a little basic. Like the game will introduce characters that have compelling set-ups like Kaine and Rydia and do nothing with them. Rydia espcially dissapointed me. The fact that a big character development moment for Rydia happens off-screen drives me crazy. It just feels like the game was kind of speeding through story beats, there weren't a lot of moments where characters chilled and talked about their lives. I don't feel like I really got to know the party, I guess. And maybe that was expecting too much from this game, but that's the kind of thing I was expecting from a game that's so highly regarded.
I wasn't having a ton of fun with actual gameplay either by the end. The game has the first iteration of the ATB style of gameplay. And there's nothing wrong with it but there wasn't a lot of player choice when it came to party members or gameplay styles. I don't want to hold that against the game too much because it's old and I'm usually able to forgive JRPGS being a little basic with build options. But in a game like this, my enjoyment of the gameplay does have a lot to do with the characters and if I don't enjoy any of them the entire thing just kind of feels bland to me. I did like the ending at least, it was cute. And I think Golbez and Cecil's relationship was kind of compelling but like most things there wasn't a lot to it. It's possible I went into this game with the wrong mindset, it is an older game. And I don't want to act like this game's existence isn't really important to a ton of games I like. But what I played disappointed me, sadly. Bleh
Now what disappointed me, I felt like the characters were kind of shallow and the writing was a little basic. Like the game will introduce characters that have compelling set-ups like Kaine and Rydia and do nothing with them. Rydia espcially dissapointed me. The fact that a big character development moment for Rydia happens off-screen drives me crazy. It just feels like the game was kind of speeding through story beats, there weren't a lot of moments where characters chilled and talked about their lives. I don't feel like I really got to know the party, I guess. And maybe that was expecting too much from this game, but that's the kind of thing I was expecting from a game that's so highly regarded.
I wasn't having a ton of fun with actual gameplay either by the end. The game has the first iteration of the ATB style of gameplay. And there's nothing wrong with it but there wasn't a lot of player choice when it came to party members or gameplay styles. I don't want to hold that against the game too much because it's old and I'm usually able to forgive JRPGS being a little basic with build options. But in a game like this, my enjoyment of the gameplay does have a lot to do with the characters and if I don't enjoy any of them the entire thing just kind of feels bland to me. I did like the ending at least, it was cute. And I think Golbez and Cecil's relationship was kind of compelling but like most things there wasn't a lot to it. It's possible I went into this game with the wrong mindset, it is an older game. And I don't want to act like this game's existence isn't really important to a ton of games I like. But what I played disappointed me, sadly. Bleh
when there's hope there's the music of now
flowing through my head symphony presense
mindful sung sweetly
making your voice, your spirit
my ground to center on
not out of time same songs repeat, singing
you were all "hope you're doing well in your own hell"
light through the white window wood
s p e l l i n g out no, i'm really here
flowing through my head symphony presense
mindful sung sweetly
making your voice, your spirit
my ground to center on
not out of time same songs repeat, singing
you were all "hope you're doing well in your own hell"
light through the white window wood
s p e l l i n g out no, i'm really here
Bloodborne
2015
i refuse to be beaten by a game that arin hanson can complete
Shadow the Hedgehog
2005
i've had a rocky relationship with this one to say the least
it may go without saying, but i'm the kind of person who thoroughly adores absolutely everything about this game's initial concept and presentation. i didn't grow out of my 'edgy phase' - it wasn't one. this shit's cool as fuck. it was cool as fuck 20 years ago, it still is today and it will be forever
shadow the hedgehog is a game carried by ideas, but they're executed to mixed results. this permeates the plot, script and gameplay. nothing's completely unscathed
narratively, it's incredibly ambitious - especially for such an obviously rushed game. the route structure is somewhat insane, even if the endings do split into 3-4 similar templates - almost all of which have really awkward line deliveries (shout out to 'journey to nihility' though - that one goes hard)
scriptwise... man, it's a mess. black doom is the biggest issue. he's effectively a caricature of a shounen antagonist who never shuts the fuck up. conversations tend to be pretty stilted across the board, but this dude just amps it to fucking 13. i contemplated dropping a half star here just because of how annoying his presence was during the final episode. in fact, i better stop fucking talking about black doom or else this game might be a 2/10 by the time i'm done
...on the contrary, shadow himself is thankfully as strong of a character as ever and the ability to constantly jump between routes really suits his whole mysterious/badass/what-the-fuck-is-he-thinking demeanor. that said, his stages could easily give you a positive or negative impression depending on which of those paths you end up on
personally, i started with the pure dark route... then after a neutral-only palate cleanser, pure hero - this was a fucking mistake! depending on your whims as a player your first run could consist of varied but mostly straightforward objectives, or menial tasks such as combing through multi-pathed environments for torchs to light and killing exactly specified quantities of enemies (it'll be a cold day in hell when i replay lost impact)
at his best, shadow disappoints as the star of a sonic game but actually excels as a shooter more akin to gamma's role in sa1, boasting faster movement and a solid variety of weapons that all feel fun to shoot - which is especially important because this game wants bullets to rain constantly, as it actively rewards killing enemies of both alignments, encouraging the ambivalent carnage no matter which route you're aiming for
in fact - i feel like this game would've likely gone over better with some fans if its A-ranks were stricter in places. you can basically hold forward and pass any normal mission with flying colors, but beyond that there's tons of room to optimize runs via effective usage of shadow's chaos blast and especially control powers. definitely a missed opportunity here!
with a few more months in the oven, some slower bits axed and some added speed to shadow's spindashing, homing and walljumping, this'd be a classic for sure
as it stands, it's pretty confused. i've come to enjoy the chaos quite a bit, but i'd only recommend it to someone who wished gamma had more of a presence in sa1. if you go in expecting sa3, then everything's all over before it can even start
the soundtrack, however, i can - and will - recommend to literally anyone with or without a pulse
it may go without saying, but i'm the kind of person who thoroughly adores absolutely everything about this game's initial concept and presentation. i didn't grow out of my 'edgy phase' - it wasn't one. this shit's cool as fuck. it was cool as fuck 20 years ago, it still is today and it will be forever
shadow the hedgehog is a game carried by ideas, but they're executed to mixed results. this permeates the plot, script and gameplay. nothing's completely unscathed
narratively, it's incredibly ambitious - especially for such an obviously rushed game. the route structure is somewhat insane, even if the endings do split into 3-4 similar templates - almost all of which have really awkward line deliveries (shout out to 'journey to nihility' though - that one goes hard)
scriptwise... man, it's a mess. black doom is the biggest issue. he's effectively a caricature of a shounen antagonist who never shuts the fuck up. conversations tend to be pretty stilted across the board, but this dude just amps it to fucking 13. i contemplated dropping a half star here just because of how annoying his presence was during the final episode. in fact, i better stop fucking talking about black doom or else this game might be a 2/10 by the time i'm done
...on the contrary, shadow himself is thankfully as strong of a character as ever and the ability to constantly jump between routes really suits his whole mysterious/badass/what-the-fuck-is-he-thinking demeanor. that said, his stages could easily give you a positive or negative impression depending on which of those paths you end up on
personally, i started with the pure dark route... then after a neutral-only palate cleanser, pure hero - this was a fucking mistake! depending on your whims as a player your first run could consist of varied but mostly straightforward objectives, or menial tasks such as combing through multi-pathed environments for torchs to light and killing exactly specified quantities of enemies (it'll be a cold day in hell when i replay lost impact)
at his best, shadow disappoints as the star of a sonic game but actually excels as a shooter more akin to gamma's role in sa1, boasting faster movement and a solid variety of weapons that all feel fun to shoot - which is especially important because this game wants bullets to rain constantly, as it actively rewards killing enemies of both alignments, encouraging the ambivalent carnage no matter which route you're aiming for
in fact - i feel like this game would've likely gone over better with some fans if its A-ranks were stricter in places. you can basically hold forward and pass any normal mission with flying colors, but beyond that there's tons of room to optimize runs via effective usage of shadow's chaos blast and especially control powers. definitely a missed opportunity here!
with a few more months in the oven, some slower bits axed and some added speed to shadow's spindashing, homing and walljumping, this'd be a classic for sure
as it stands, it's pretty confused. i've come to enjoy the chaos quite a bit, but i'd only recommend it to someone who wished gamma had more of a presence in sa1. if you go in expecting sa3, then everything's all over before it can even start
the soundtrack, however, i can - and will - recommend to literally anyone with or without a pulse
would be a 9/10 if not for that nightmare level
Sonic Heroes
2003
pretty easily the most bafflingly received 3d sonic i've played. i find it unfathomable this is the one that's so polarizing - even to the point of frequently being compared to its successor for some inane reason
sure, the slipperiness takes getting used to and there's some occasionally janky hit detection... but what else?
i suppose there's something to be said about the more impersonal and back-to-basics narrative. it's a far cry from the sheer ambition sa2 put on display just two years prior, but i don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. heroes instead opts for being a straightforward, fun, gamey-ass video game
what's presented here is what most sa1/2 detractors claim to wish those games were - almost nonstop, high class speed stages. seaside hill? grand metropolis? frog forest? egg fleet? these are some of the best zones in the series - and casino park is EASILY the coolest take on that running theme without question. what, you gonna tell me you prefer casinopolis? are you stupid?
i'm not gonna deny there are stinkers in the mission count - the chaotix variant of mystic mansion is fucking abysmal, team dark's enemy rush segments are especially tedious and racing for chaos emeralds frankly feels like complete dog shit no matter who you're controlling - but these sections all amount to a footnote in contrast to what heroes does right - everything else
sick final boss as per usual too. neo metal is so fucking cool and "what i'm made of" is easily a top 5 crush 40 track
...speaking of top tier crush 40 tracks
sure, the slipperiness takes getting used to and there's some occasionally janky hit detection... but what else?
i suppose there's something to be said about the more impersonal and back-to-basics narrative. it's a far cry from the sheer ambition sa2 put on display just two years prior, but i don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. heroes instead opts for being a straightforward, fun, gamey-ass video game
what's presented here is what most sa1/2 detractors claim to wish those games were - almost nonstop, high class speed stages. seaside hill? grand metropolis? frog forest? egg fleet? these are some of the best zones in the series - and casino park is EASILY the coolest take on that running theme without question. what, you gonna tell me you prefer casinopolis? are you stupid?
i'm not gonna deny there are stinkers in the mission count - the chaotix variant of mystic mansion is fucking abysmal, team dark's enemy rush segments are especially tedious and racing for chaos emeralds frankly feels like complete dog shit no matter who you're controlling - but these sections all amount to a footnote in contrast to what heroes does right - everything else
sick final boss as per usual too. neo metal is so fucking cool and "what i'm made of" is easily a top 5 crush 40 track
...speaking of top tier crush 40 tracks
"That brief hesitation was all it took to spawn a great evil. It crawled through the fields, ran through the hills, and spread disaster in the skies above. Book of Ezer, Verse 2, 'Disaster Unleashed.'"
An epilogue to a finale. The bridge which leads to the next story arc for this legendary series as well as one that is filled with context of the past, present, and future of this story.
Trails in the Sky the 3rd is massively different from its predecessors and ones that follow it. A dungeon crawler with Visual Novelesque side stories that are apart of its own door system. There is a requirement for every door and whoever fulfills it gets granted a flashback to the past. On how this is handled it is easily one of the best side story concepts I have seen in a video game. I am definitely going to miss doors like Moon Door 4, Star Door 8, and Star Door 15. Obviously there are more but those are ones that stood out to me or are the most memorable.
Although I have seen people who dislike the gameplay in this game, I personally love it. I think it was a very different change of pace considering how you're done with Estelle and Joshua's magnificent journey, and Kevin motherfuckin Graham takes over.
Kevin Graham's story is something that will stick with me for a LONG time. I thought Estelle would never be topped or let alone matched when it comes to a main character standpoint in this series and it did not take long for my expectations to be shattered. Now I don't know where I stand in the comparison between the two, but I can confidently say I love them both.
The soundtrack is somehow on par or arguably better than the last. I really don't know how this is even possible but man it is something special. When I first started the game and this track was the first thing I heard I knew we were in for something special.
Unlike SC, this game had me invested from beginning to end. There were several times where I just audibly said "wow." At this point I can just say that this is one of the best video game trilogies ever. Like each game of this trilogy just sets a high bar for the rest of the genre after experiencing it.
The Trails in the Sky trilogy has truly been an emotional and special journey and I just can't wait what future games has in store waiting for me.
Lastly although I was absolutely loving this game while playing, there was a line by Kevin himself that really stuck with me and solidified this game as an all timer.
"It's why it gave me the strength to move forward, even knowing how many hardships awaited. Because for every hardship, there'll be just as much joy waiting for me."
An epilogue to a finale. The bridge which leads to the next story arc for this legendary series as well as one that is filled with context of the past, present, and future of this story.
Trails in the Sky the 3rd is massively different from its predecessors and ones that follow it. A dungeon crawler with Visual Novelesque side stories that are apart of its own door system. There is a requirement for every door and whoever fulfills it gets granted a flashback to the past. On how this is handled it is easily one of the best side story concepts I have seen in a video game. I am definitely going to miss doors like Moon Door 4, Star Door 8, and Star Door 15. Obviously there are more but those are ones that stood out to me or are the most memorable.
Although I have seen people who dislike the gameplay in this game, I personally love it. I think it was a very different change of pace considering how you're done with Estelle and Joshua's magnificent journey, and Kevin motherfuckin Graham takes over.
Kevin Graham's story is something that will stick with me for a LONG time. I thought Estelle would never be topped or let alone matched when it comes to a main character standpoint in this series and it did not take long for my expectations to be shattered. Now I don't know where I stand in the comparison between the two, but I can confidently say I love them both.
The soundtrack is somehow on par or arguably better than the last. I really don't know how this is even possible but man it is something special. When I first started the game and this track was the first thing I heard I knew we were in for something special.
Unlike SC, this game had me invested from beginning to end. There were several times where I just audibly said "wow." At this point I can just say that this is one of the best video game trilogies ever. Like each game of this trilogy just sets a high bar for the rest of the genre after experiencing it.
The Trails in the Sky trilogy has truly been an emotional and special journey and I just can't wait what future games has in store waiting for me.
Lastly although I was absolutely loving this game while playing, there was a line by Kevin himself that really stuck with me and solidified this game as an all timer.
"It's why it gave me the strength to move forward, even knowing how many hardships awaited. Because for every hardship, there'll be just as much joy waiting for me."
Balatro
2024
what the hell does balatro mean