DynamicDonut
An incredibly charming experience through and through. There's such an incredible amount of care and intentional design put towards its transition to 3D levels and platforming, that it feels incredibly natural and you'd think Kirby games always played like this.
My main (but very minor) gripe so far would be the ability roster in this title - while the Ability Upgrade system is one of the best additions to the series easily, it doesn't make up for still feeling like 10 abilities (+ Crash and Sleep) is somewhat short for a Kirby title. While probably not my absolute favorite Kirby game, I can absolutely put this in my Top 5 without reservations.
My main (but very minor) gripe so far would be the ability roster in this title - while the Ability Upgrade system is one of the best additions to the series easily, it doesn't make up for still feeling like 10 abilities (+ Crash and Sleep) is somewhat short for a Kirby title. While probably not my absolute favorite Kirby game, I can absolutely put this in my Top 5 without reservations.
Enjoyable and short! I enjoyed the story and gags much more than the combat, but it wasn't too bad either.
The roguelite DLC isn't really worth it, but a neat addition nonetheless.
The roguelite DLC isn't really worth it, but a neat addition nonetheless.
Ultimately made me decide I'm not a fan of DKC-style games.
From other reviews, this sounds like a sloppier version of those, but at its core I absolutely did not like the loop of redoing multiple sections to complete one jump solely cause you wanted to stick to 1 checkpoint per level for whatever reason.
From other reviews, this sounds like a sloppier version of those, but at its core I absolutely did not like the loop of redoing multiple sections to complete one jump solely cause you wanted to stick to 1 checkpoint per level for whatever reason.
2012
Really lovely puzzles and I can see the innovation it brought to the table in a 2012 mobile game landscape.
Nowadays? It's just a pretty good and solid "escape room" puzzler.
Nowadays? It's just a pretty good and solid "escape room" puzzler.
I've always poked at this game but never put in a full playthrough of it - who knew it's such a short and sweet beat 'em up! Really feasible to get through, amazing music and just enough changed from Turtles in Time to have the enjoyment of that but feel like a breathe of fresh air on its own.
I get why people like SNES Turtles in Time more, but I think this is probably my favorite iteration to come back to.
I get why people like SNES Turtles in Time more, but I think this is probably my favorite iteration to come back to.
1992
What an incredibly charming shmup. Actually a really great intro shooter for those (such as I) who are not that great at them, it also is very straightforward and doesn't have a ton as far as unique or defining systems - you're absolutely playing this for the Hudson Soft and PC Engine references and charm.
I don't regreat doing it with Bomberman, but playing at him made it a bit tougher versus PC-Engine-Kun(?)'s homing powerups. Either way, a blast to play!
I don't regreat doing it with Bomberman, but playing at him made it a bit tougher versus PC-Engine-Kun(?)'s homing powerups. Either way, a blast to play!
Severely underrated kart racer, one I wasn't expecting to be as enamored with its driving physics as I did. The learning curve is absolutely rewarding in a way that you don't really get out of Mario Kart 64 or Diddy Kong Racing.
That said, it's still marred by some really uninteresting items (not awful since the racing's great but still), the game's slower CCs being painfully boring to play after increasing difficulty and some really rough rubberbanding. Absolutely still worth a playthrough if you have the time though.
That said, it's still marred by some really uninteresting items (not awful since the racing's great but still), the game's slower CCs being painfully boring to play after increasing difficulty and some really rough rubberbanding. Absolutely still worth a playthrough if you have the time though.
I'm not a Tetris master, but I'd like to think I'm okay at it. There's not much to say about Tetris Effect Connected, beyond the fact that it's solidly the best way to experience Tetris for 99% of players.
Maybe if you want odd offshoots or you're looking for the hardest of challenges or maybe the art direction isn't your thing, there are definitely other options. If you're looking to just play Tetris? This is absolutely it.
Maybe if you want odd offshoots or you're looking for the hardest of challenges or maybe the art direction isn't your thing, there are definitely other options. If you're looking to just play Tetris? This is absolutely it.
2021
What a lovely but also really frustrating experience at times. I went through this with a friend over a couple weekends and it's at times one of my favorite "Overcooked-like" game experiences but also has so many tiny issues that hinder the experience.
I think its charm, setting and characters shine through exceptionally - even for smaller characters like the octopus Zoey and the cassowaries. I was initially worried 2 players might make for a weaker experience compared to most 4 player titles in this genre, but if anything that made the minigame variations and styles feel miles more directed and purposeful when they swapped between seasons.
The two complaints I have are likely gonna be the same as everyone else - the online experience is hindered by its bugs and the difficulty can be jolting at times. There were many times that any sense of flow state or energy we had going into a challenge was immediately ruined by important pickups just not displaying on one player's screen. More importantly however, the timing tasks in some of the challenges (buttslam at the same time, etc) could be more lenient to deal with iffy connections. Finally, the times/scores to get gold can be brutal. The scores for them feel less on playing optimally with impromptu tasks, but more playing 2 steps ahead of an existing flowchart - which ruins the magic of feeling like two workers solving mailroom tasks given to you to the best of your ability.
If the trailer or art style for this has already charmed you, you should absolutely give this game a shot. Every moment of frustration was still followed by a smile or burst of excitement - even for a game that is better suited for the couch than online. If only I had gotten to this game sooner!
I think its charm, setting and characters shine through exceptionally - even for smaller characters like the octopus Zoey and the cassowaries. I was initially worried 2 players might make for a weaker experience compared to most 4 player titles in this genre, but if anything that made the minigame variations and styles feel miles more directed and purposeful when they swapped between seasons.
The two complaints I have are likely gonna be the same as everyone else - the online experience is hindered by its bugs and the difficulty can be jolting at times. There were many times that any sense of flow state or energy we had going into a challenge was immediately ruined by important pickups just not displaying on one player's screen. More importantly however, the timing tasks in some of the challenges (buttslam at the same time, etc) could be more lenient to deal with iffy connections. Finally, the times/scores to get gold can be brutal. The scores for them feel less on playing optimally with impromptu tasks, but more playing 2 steps ahead of an existing flowchart - which ruins the magic of feeling like two workers solving mailroom tasks given to you to the best of your ability.
If the trailer or art style for this has already charmed you, you should absolutely give this game a shot. Every moment of frustration was still followed by a smile or burst of excitement - even for a game that is better suited for the couch than online. If only I had gotten to this game sooner!
2011
This review contains spoilers
It was an amazing playthrough - even a decade later. I can see aspects that would even later influence Hades, but the portion of this game I find more engaging is the storytelling and music.
My main frustration was probably the intensity it asks you to change or use new weapons. Making a weapon loadout for a level, only to have to swap to something new immediately after to be tutorialized was annoying at first until it became really aggravating. This is really notable with the Calamity Cannon, which feels poignant as a final weapon - to only then use a battering ram for the level after (and only that level) and not speak more on the cannon's existence or creation.
That said, everything else is stellar though, I really respect how well it used its relatively low number of assets and its art style to good storytelling effect. Really enjoy the hub world and how it felt to slowly grow it over time. It didn't feel as much in the second half of the game but the defending section while keeping my creature friends safe was an incredibly tense and unexpected moment. Lastly, the soundtrack is good as mentioned but the last two vocal tracks near the end of the game are REALLY good. Such a great and well played finale.
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1350977987605356545
My main frustration was probably the intensity it asks you to change or use new weapons. Making a weapon loadout for a level, only to have to swap to something new immediately after to be tutorialized was annoying at first until it became really aggravating. This is really notable with the Calamity Cannon, which feels poignant as a final weapon - to only then use a battering ram for the level after (and only that level) and not speak more on the cannon's existence or creation.
That said, everything else is stellar though, I really respect how well it used its relatively low number of assets and its art style to good storytelling effect. Really enjoy the hub world and how it felt to slowly grow it over time. It didn't feel as much in the second half of the game but the defending section while keeping my creature friends safe was an incredibly tense and unexpected moment. Lastly, the soundtrack is good as mentioned but the last two vocal tracks near the end of the game are REALLY good. Such a great and well played finale.
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1350977987605356545
It's really nice I finally played this classic, even if it's both more and less polished than the original. This remake holds up the art direction of the original amazingly well - but small bugs like the screen tearing and slightly weird textures always kept pulling me out of the experience.
That said, the gameplay itself still holds up great - the 360 degree firing mechanic makes this feel way more interesting and fresher than Star Fox has in some time and makes me only more excited to play the sequels.
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1358646866553012232
That said, the gameplay itself still holds up great - the 360 degree firing mechanic makes this feel way more interesting and fresher than Star Fox has in some time and makes me only more excited to play the sequels.
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1358646866553012232
1999
I beat this once YEARS ago as a rental, so it's nice to finally own it and play through it again. It's surprisingly arcade-y and I love how short but incredibly memorable of an experience it is. Really surprised more games didn't do something with a score system around taking pictures.
Tweet Opinion (+ PokePictures!): https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1360851907334590466
Tweet Opinion (+ PokePictures!): https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1360851907334590466
2019
What an amazing game and soundtrack. The highlights of the entire experience are the boss fights for sure, but the short bits of everything else in-between did feel the tinest bit lackluster. After coming off other music games, the timing for music notes in this feels kind of annoying to nail, but it's not trying to be a music game in the way Beatmania or Taiko is, moreso a musical experience that has some challenge to overcome. Absolutely worth a purchase and a playthrough.
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1371625502109224961
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1371625502109224961
2021
I want to like this so bad, but geez does the visual clutter make playing this so much harder than it needs to be.
There's bits of issues that pop up throughout, like the partner design (the first unlockable partner feels far and away your best) and unfortunate bugs blocking me from experimenting much with the Armory system. At its core however, is such a good feeling run-and-gun.
There's tons of other nitpicks that I could go on about but what ultimately makes this less than 5 stars is just not being able to see enemy bullets in chaotic firefights. This is always the core problem to make sure is a solved quandary when it comes to the genre (and shooters too), but I don't feel like this one got it 100% there.
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1404249791220039680
There's bits of issues that pop up throughout, like the partner design (the first unlockable partner feels far and away your best) and unfortunate bugs blocking me from experimenting much with the Armory system. At its core however, is such a good feeling run-and-gun.
There's tons of other nitpicks that I could go on about but what ultimately makes this less than 5 stars is just not being able to see enemy bullets in chaotic firefights. This is always the core problem to make sure is a solved quandary when it comes to the genre (and shooters too), but I don't feel like this one got it 100% there.
Tweet Opinion: https://twitter.com/EmperialDonut/status/1404249791220039680
2020
While I was mostly carried into a win, this is still a really fun loot shooter roguelike. There's a lot of UI jank that gets under my skin (it absolutely feels like a game that had controller UI support on the backburner, among other small things), but it doesn't get too much in the way of the enjoyment thankfully.
All the guns and characters are really fun to explore and work into builds, although I don't have much interest at all about the storyline. Definitely a good multiplayer game to run with people for sure.
All the guns and characters are really fun to explore and work into builds, although I don't have much interest at all about the storyline. Definitely a good multiplayer game to run with people for sure.