EldestBrisingr
2010
Shifting gravity is not an uncommon idea in platformers nowadays, but I have never seen it explored as thoroughly as in VVVVVV. Every screen builds on and twists the mechanics with such genius and unpredictability that it's impossible to get bored. The difficulty is high, but made manageable by abundant checkpoints and the platforming being centered around creativity instead of precision. My only nitpick is that there were a few times I was lured into activating a checkpoint that was placed after a trinket, with no easy way to backtrack. This meant I would have to return later and redo some of the platforming to collect it. I don't agree that the game is too short. There's no filler and plenty of replay value with the trinket collecting, time trials, secret achievements, flip and no death modes, and level editor.
When indie platformers are brought up, Shovel Knight and Celeste receive the most attention. VVVVVV should be part of that discussion. It's a perfect example of how a platformer focused on a single mechanic can still surprise players in unexpected ways. I'm shocked indie devs don't do this more often since designing several dozen unique mechanics is not only very demanding, but it also invites comparisons to games that often do it better, like Mario 3 and Yoshi's Island.
When indie platformers are brought up, Shovel Knight and Celeste receive the most attention. VVVVVV should be part of that discussion. It's a perfect example of how a platformer focused on a single mechanic can still surprise players in unexpected ways. I'm shocked indie devs don't do this more often since designing several dozen unique mechanics is not only very demanding, but it also invites comparisons to games that often do it better, like Mario 3 and Yoshi's Island.
2021
Random Rules
While not without its problems, Lost in Random is very underrated. Every part of the world of Random has a unique, self-contained story while still existing as part of a single kingdom corrupted by a ruthless queen. The protagonist Even’s journey to rescue her sister from the despot’s clutches is full of emotional ups and downs, like any good adventure.
The dialogue and voice acting constantly made me smile and for the first time in years, I actually wanted to engage with the side quests. There are two reasons for that. One is restraint. There’s only 4-6 quests in each town, so I was never overwhelmed with tasks. Two is town size. With only one exception, I had no issues getting from one part of a town to the other. This is great since most of the quests are of the fetch type. How are they fun then? Quirky characters.
The combat is unlike anything I’ve played, combining real-time attacks with deck-building. As fun as a round of Solitaire is, I’ve always balked at console games where playing cards is the main draw. I don’t get the appeal of playing a game that would work just fine in real life or on an everyday computer. Thankfully, Lost in Random’s gameplay has more to offer. When a battle begins, you have to shoot crystals on enemies to “charge” a random card in your deck. Upon reaching full charge, that card will be added to your hand. Although your deck can feature up to fifteen cards, you can only draw up to five at a time. To activate cards, you must roll Even’s companion Dicey, an anthropomorphic die. The number you roll is how many action points you have for utilizing your hand. Every card has a number assigned to it, which is how many points you need to activate said card. Time is frozen while you’re deciding what cards to use and time resumes as soon as you attack an enemy or press X. The resulting flow is an undulation of strategic card choices and reactive maneuvers.
Because of how much I enjoyed the world, combat design, and overall adventure, it breaks my heart to mention Lost in Random’s sore spots. The first one I have concerns the story, which I don’t want to spoil. In short, the ending seemed rushed, and was a slight letdown on an otherwise solid premise.
The currency system could have used some more work. Coins are only used to buy cards for your deck. However, if you diligently look around the environments for breakable pots, marked doors, and complete side quests with even slight regularity, you will be able to unlock every card by the game’s halfway point, if not sooner. The only reason you would spend money afterwards is if you wanted multiple copies of specific cards. But you’ll be forced to do that anyway because of how unlocking cards works. You don’t have access to most cards at the beginning, but after you spend a specific amount of coins, you must choose a random collection of cards to add to the shop. The spending requirement is high enough that you need to buy a lot of duplicate cards before all of them are permanently available.
I praised the combat for its uniqueness eleven sentences ago. What’s not unique about it is the enemies you fight. There’s roughly six enemy types total and you will encounter all of them in the first two towns. This leaves the bosses to shake things up, but with only a handful of them, it only helps so much. There are tweaked versions of most enemies that are a bit tougher, but this wasn’t enough incentive for me to change my strategy. I don’t need to explain why having a variety of enemies with their own attack patterns would make battles more interesting, especially for a game that is open to experimentation. This is probably going to be a dealbreaker for some players and I’d be a hypocrite for saying, “It’s no big deal. Please stick with it!” I’ve abandoned games I didn’t enjoy playing. So to those who bought the game and didn’t love the combat, thank you for supporting the passionate developers behind it.
Lost in Random also unfortunately feels low-budget in places. On top of the low enemy variety, NPC models are frequently recycled between towns, looping character animations are used in place of lip-syncing, and I had to do a couple game resets when a battle or side quest wasn’t registered as completed. These issues didn’t damper my enjoyment too much, but they were still sad to see.
In conclusion, Lost in Random is a good 3D action-adventure game that probably would have been great if EA gave Zoink Games a bigger budget and more time for polish. Despite that, I encourage anyone reading this to check it out because of how unique the end product is. Before I played it, I was unaware EA has a program to support indie developers without creative interference. I hope they continue to do that and give future titles the attention they deserve.
While not without its problems, Lost in Random is very underrated. Every part of the world of Random has a unique, self-contained story while still existing as part of a single kingdom corrupted by a ruthless queen. The protagonist Even’s journey to rescue her sister from the despot’s clutches is full of emotional ups and downs, like any good adventure.
The dialogue and voice acting constantly made me smile and for the first time in years, I actually wanted to engage with the side quests. There are two reasons for that. One is restraint. There’s only 4-6 quests in each town, so I was never overwhelmed with tasks. Two is town size. With only one exception, I had no issues getting from one part of a town to the other. This is great since most of the quests are of the fetch type. How are they fun then? Quirky characters.
The combat is unlike anything I’ve played, combining real-time attacks with deck-building. As fun as a round of Solitaire is, I’ve always balked at console games where playing cards is the main draw. I don’t get the appeal of playing a game that would work just fine in real life or on an everyday computer. Thankfully, Lost in Random’s gameplay has more to offer. When a battle begins, you have to shoot crystals on enemies to “charge” a random card in your deck. Upon reaching full charge, that card will be added to your hand. Although your deck can feature up to fifteen cards, you can only draw up to five at a time. To activate cards, you must roll Even’s companion Dicey, an anthropomorphic die. The number you roll is how many action points you have for utilizing your hand. Every card has a number assigned to it, which is how many points you need to activate said card. Time is frozen while you’re deciding what cards to use and time resumes as soon as you attack an enemy or press X. The resulting flow is an undulation of strategic card choices and reactive maneuvers.
Because of how much I enjoyed the world, combat design, and overall adventure, it breaks my heart to mention Lost in Random’s sore spots. The first one I have concerns the story, which I don’t want to spoil. In short, the ending seemed rushed, and was a slight letdown on an otherwise solid premise.
The currency system could have used some more work. Coins are only used to buy cards for your deck. However, if you diligently look around the environments for breakable pots, marked doors, and complete side quests with even slight regularity, you will be able to unlock every card by the game’s halfway point, if not sooner. The only reason you would spend money afterwards is if you wanted multiple copies of specific cards. But you’ll be forced to do that anyway because of how unlocking cards works. You don’t have access to most cards at the beginning, but after you spend a specific amount of coins, you must choose a random collection of cards to add to the shop. The spending requirement is high enough that you need to buy a lot of duplicate cards before all of them are permanently available.
I praised the combat for its uniqueness eleven sentences ago. What’s not unique about it is the enemies you fight. There’s roughly six enemy types total and you will encounter all of them in the first two towns. This leaves the bosses to shake things up, but with only a handful of them, it only helps so much. There are tweaked versions of most enemies that are a bit tougher, but this wasn’t enough incentive for me to change my strategy. I don’t need to explain why having a variety of enemies with their own attack patterns would make battles more interesting, especially for a game that is open to experimentation. This is probably going to be a dealbreaker for some players and I’d be a hypocrite for saying, “It’s no big deal. Please stick with it!” I’ve abandoned games I didn’t enjoy playing. So to those who bought the game and didn’t love the combat, thank you for supporting the passionate developers behind it.
Lost in Random also unfortunately feels low-budget in places. On top of the low enemy variety, NPC models are frequently recycled between towns, looping character animations are used in place of lip-syncing, and I had to do a couple game resets when a battle or side quest wasn’t registered as completed. These issues didn’t damper my enjoyment too much, but they were still sad to see.
In conclusion, Lost in Random is a good 3D action-adventure game that probably would have been great if EA gave Zoink Games a bigger budget and more time for polish. Despite that, I encourage anyone reading this to check it out because of how unique the end product is. Before I played it, I was unaware EA has a program to support indie developers without creative interference. I hope they continue to do that and give future titles the attention they deserve.
2022
This is the conclusion to my three-part retrospective on the Bayonetta trilogy. If you’ve been following it, thank you so much! I hope you found it interesting, either as a long-time fan or someone who wants to check out the series. It’s been a joy to finally play these games. 😄
I was nervous going into Bayonetta 3. For one, the second game, while solid, was a safe investment by Platinum. All they did was fix the obvious issues with the first game and mostly leave the combat untouched. This meant there were hardly any gameplay surprises. I didn’t know if the next sequel would be more of the same. But the biggest reason for my fear was the overwhelming negative reception by fans. Key story details were unfortunately spoiled to me before I got to play the game. And yes, I agree the ending sucks.
Here’s the thing though. I have never enjoyed Bayonetta because of the story. I love her personality and the B-movie dialogue, but the plots in these games are no doubt just an excuse for some of the most epic and outlandish setpieces you will ever see in gaming. Not suggesting the ending shouldn’t have been better. There were a lot of ways Platinum could have accomplished that. My point is that outside of this and a handful of other quibbles, I believe Bayonetta 3 is the Umbra Witch at her best.
Starting with the combat, the previous game’s Umbran Climax was replaced with Demon Slave. This allows Bayonetta to summon a demon mid-fight for assistance. These demons were limited to QTE climax sequences in the first two games, but here you can control one freely. It looks awesome and they can even be summoned at the end of a regular combo to land another attack. This increase in power is balanced by an energy meter that depletes while the demon’s active and Bayonetta being defenseless while controlling it. Engaging enemies with Bayonetta’s regular combat refills the energy meter faster and demons can hit stun most enemies. Both of these quirks encourage players to balance use of Demon Slave and the Umbra Witch’s own toolkit. This amazing mechanic is built on top of the previous games’ combo system, weapon swapping, Witch Time, and Dodge Offset. Top that off with a vast array of demons and badass weapons to choose from, all of which have their own uses, and you have one of the best combat systems ever created.
As incredible as that core gameplay is, it would be difficult to argue Bayonetta has been fun outside of combat. Prior to 3, exploration was heavily limited by the linear environments, platforming was simple, and in the case of 1, unpolished gimmick stages could appear out of nowhere and ruin the pacing. With how much work went into upgrading the combat, Platinum couldn’t possibly flesh out those elements, right? WRONG!
All of the places you visit in each chapter are open sandboxes. Their size is just right, not being overwhelming while still packing a ton of secret items, platforming sections, unique time manipulation puzzles, and the traditional combat verses. What makes all of this so much fun to engage with is the new Demon Masquerade. Replacing Beast Within from the first two games, Bayonetta can transform into a demon corresponding with the weapon set she currently has equipped. All of these transformations have quirks that make them useful in specific situations. For example, Madama Butterfly can glide using her wings, Phantasmaraneae can scale walls since he’s a spider, and Wartrain Gouon has an ultra-fast dash. The platforming and exploration are all designed to take advantage of these demons and you are occasionally required to solve a puzzle using them. Most of this stuff is optional, however, so if you want to jump straight into the combat with only a minute or two of downtime, you can do so. And if you get lost, a waypoint marker can be toggled to point you in the right direction.
Platinum also decided to go all out on gimmicks. These include but are not limited to rail shooting, stealth missions, kaiju battles, and a rhythm game. Not all of them were fun, but there were none I despised. Prior to this, I thought having fewer gimmicks or abandoning them entirely was the way forward, but now I know that with enough polish and good pacing, a ton of gimmicks can work beautifully in Bayonetta.
Now for the flaws. Most of them are minor, but it would be dishonest not to list them. You can’t equip different weapons separately on your hands and feet like in the previous games. You have to use pre-defined weapon sets instead. The depth added through Demon Slave and Masquerade make this change tolerable, but it is still lame to see. I enjoyed Viola’s playstyle despite her limited abilities and emphasis on parrying. However, the window for activating Witch Time with her is too small. Bizzarely, there are two Witch Times the player can activate depending on how early they parry. If it’s done the instant before an attack lands, Witch Time is granted for four seconds. Anything earlier than that gives you Witch Time for only one second. That is too short to provide a tactical advantage. I would prefer the parry having the same amount of wiggle room as Bayonetta’s dodge and removing the one-second Witch Time to prevent confusion. The camera also occasionally positions itself at awkward angles when fighting. And finally, some battles have so much visual pizzazz that it’s difficult to tell what’s even happening. Action games need visual clarity, so it’s annoying when the game forgets that.
In conclusion, I’m blown away by Bayonetta 3. It just might be the most ambitious sequel I’ve played that actually fulfills most of its goals. I look forward to checking out the higher difficulties in the future. If they are enjoyable, I might bump my score up to a 9. For now though, I’m giving this an 8. If you enjoyed one or both of the previous games, this is an absolute must-play. If you haven’t played a Bayonetta game before, warm up with 1 or 2 first. The combat is so mechanically dense in 3 it will be daunting for a newcomer.
I was nervous going into Bayonetta 3. For one, the second game, while solid, was a safe investment by Platinum. All they did was fix the obvious issues with the first game and mostly leave the combat untouched. This meant there were hardly any gameplay surprises. I didn’t know if the next sequel would be more of the same. But the biggest reason for my fear was the overwhelming negative reception by fans. Key story details were unfortunately spoiled to me before I got to play the game. And yes, I agree the ending sucks.
Here’s the thing though. I have never enjoyed Bayonetta because of the story. I love her personality and the B-movie dialogue, but the plots in these games are no doubt just an excuse for some of the most epic and outlandish setpieces you will ever see in gaming. Not suggesting the ending shouldn’t have been better. There were a lot of ways Platinum could have accomplished that. My point is that outside of this and a handful of other quibbles, I believe Bayonetta 3 is the Umbra Witch at her best.
Starting with the combat, the previous game’s Umbran Climax was replaced with Demon Slave. This allows Bayonetta to summon a demon mid-fight for assistance. These demons were limited to QTE climax sequences in the first two games, but here you can control one freely. It looks awesome and they can even be summoned at the end of a regular combo to land another attack. This increase in power is balanced by an energy meter that depletes while the demon’s active and Bayonetta being defenseless while controlling it. Engaging enemies with Bayonetta’s regular combat refills the energy meter faster and demons can hit stun most enemies. Both of these quirks encourage players to balance use of Demon Slave and the Umbra Witch’s own toolkit. This amazing mechanic is built on top of the previous games’ combo system, weapon swapping, Witch Time, and Dodge Offset. Top that off with a vast array of demons and badass weapons to choose from, all of which have their own uses, and you have one of the best combat systems ever created.
As incredible as that core gameplay is, it would be difficult to argue Bayonetta has been fun outside of combat. Prior to 3, exploration was heavily limited by the linear environments, platforming was simple, and in the case of 1, unpolished gimmick stages could appear out of nowhere and ruin the pacing. With how much work went into upgrading the combat, Platinum couldn’t possibly flesh out those elements, right? WRONG!
All of the places you visit in each chapter are open sandboxes. Their size is just right, not being overwhelming while still packing a ton of secret items, platforming sections, unique time manipulation puzzles, and the traditional combat verses. What makes all of this so much fun to engage with is the new Demon Masquerade. Replacing Beast Within from the first two games, Bayonetta can transform into a demon corresponding with the weapon set she currently has equipped. All of these transformations have quirks that make them useful in specific situations. For example, Madama Butterfly can glide using her wings, Phantasmaraneae can scale walls since he’s a spider, and Wartrain Gouon has an ultra-fast dash. The platforming and exploration are all designed to take advantage of these demons and you are occasionally required to solve a puzzle using them. Most of this stuff is optional, however, so if you want to jump straight into the combat with only a minute or two of downtime, you can do so. And if you get lost, a waypoint marker can be toggled to point you in the right direction.
Platinum also decided to go all out on gimmicks. These include but are not limited to rail shooting, stealth missions, kaiju battles, and a rhythm game. Not all of them were fun, but there were none I despised. Prior to this, I thought having fewer gimmicks or abandoning them entirely was the way forward, but now I know that with enough polish and good pacing, a ton of gimmicks can work beautifully in Bayonetta.
Now for the flaws. Most of them are minor, but it would be dishonest not to list them. You can’t equip different weapons separately on your hands and feet like in the previous games. You have to use pre-defined weapon sets instead. The depth added through Demon Slave and Masquerade make this change tolerable, but it is still lame to see. I enjoyed Viola’s playstyle despite her limited abilities and emphasis on parrying. However, the window for activating Witch Time with her is too small. Bizzarely, there are two Witch Times the player can activate depending on how early they parry. If it’s done the instant before an attack lands, Witch Time is granted for four seconds. Anything earlier than that gives you Witch Time for only one second. That is too short to provide a tactical advantage. I would prefer the parry having the same amount of wiggle room as Bayonetta’s dodge and removing the one-second Witch Time to prevent confusion. The camera also occasionally positions itself at awkward angles when fighting. And finally, some battles have so much visual pizzazz that it’s difficult to tell what’s even happening. Action games need visual clarity, so it’s annoying when the game forgets that.
In conclusion, I’m blown away by Bayonetta 3. It just might be the most ambitious sequel I’ve played that actually fulfills most of its goals. I look forward to checking out the higher difficulties in the future. If they are enjoyable, I might bump my score up to a 9. For now though, I’m giving this an 8. If you enjoyed one or both of the previous games, this is an absolute must-play. If you haven’t played a Bayonetta game before, warm up with 1 or 2 first. The combat is so mechanically dense in 3 it will be daunting for a newcomer.
2014
This is the second of a three-part retrospective I’m doing on the Bayonetta trilogy. Stay tuned for my thoughts on the third game!
Whenever a book, movie, or game that resonates with consumers is released, they always seem to desire a follow-up. That is the curse of the sequel and it’s tricky to judge what constitutes a good one. Do you play things safe and create more of the same type of content that fans loved? Do you go in a radically different direction to avoid stagnation, but risk alienating your core audience? Or do you try to find a middle ground between both extremes?
I have enjoyed safe, iterative sequels, but I also believe video games are an art form, so my perspective is twofold. For one, developers should feel free to create the games they’re interested in. And secondly, daring sequels will bear more fruit in the long-term. A straightforward sequel is okay every now and then, but we have to remember that the old games aren’t going anywhere. Gaming can’t evolve without taking risks, so we should be thankful when a developer creates a sequel that won’t necessarily sit right with everyone. I agree that a gaming franchise should hold onto core elements between installments, but this process is not always cut-and-dry. Sonic and Paper Mario, for example, made very controversial changes to freshen things up while attempting to hold onto the original appeal. Whether they were successful is up for debate, but at the end of the day, you would be hard-pressed to argue the newer games never offer a fresh experience.
So, what does this all have to do with Bayonetta 2? Well, it’s a weird sequel. It’s both very similar and different from the first game, and not necessarily in a good way. I’ll explain why, but suffice to say I think it’s merely an okay sequel, especially after playing Bayonetta 3.
To start with the positives, Bayonetta 2’s art direction is stunning. It’s a monumental improvement over the first game’s washed-out colors, which was an unfortunate trend during the seventh generation of consoles. Gimmick levels were toned down and the few we do have are better paced and have slightly more gameplay depth. Muspelheims (the equivalent to Bayonetta 1’s Alfheims) are much easier to find and their challenges more reasonable. The addition of demons to the enemy roster alongside some new angels was great and most of them were very fun to fight. Enemy telegraphing was also a lot better, keeping most fights feeling fair. There are no more gotcha QTEs that can one-shot the player. And finally, the weapons were excellent. The new weapons had even cooler designs than the returning ones and they together allow for even more playstyles.
Bayonetta 2 also tweaks the combat with a powerful attack boost called Umbran Climax and a greater emphasis on Witch Time in the enemy designs. These initially seemed like positive changes, but everything is designed around them to the point the player is no longer dictating the pace of the combat. Enemies have larger health pools so that Umbran Climax doesn’t feel too OP, but individual attacks end up feeling much weaker than the first game. This is best seen on Infinite Climax, where enemies not only take forever to kill, but they hit like trucks. Witch Time is still available, but you’re practically required to use it for defeating bosses like Masked Lumen. These fights are blatantly unfair when playing as Jeanne since the boss almost always blocks or dodges your attacks unless you’re in Witch Time. Her activation window is much smaller than Bayonetta’s, so the challenge really falls apart. It’s disappointing coming off of the first game’s elegant difficulty design.
Now, I could forgive these tweaks if there were way more gameplay additions or overhauls. Sadly, that isn’t the case. I get the impression Platinum didn’t want to change the combat too much because it worked so well before. However, it’s clear Bayonetta 2 both altered and didn’t alter aspects about the first game. This is what I meant when I called it a weird sequel. It improves several things outside of combat, but the core gameplay is both identical and completely different from before. As such, it ends up simply being “more Bayonetta” for me. A follow-up to a great action game is practically guaranteed to be a good time when a lot of its features are still present. Just don’t expect that second climax to hit the same as the first.
Whenever a book, movie, or game that resonates with consumers is released, they always seem to desire a follow-up. That is the curse of the sequel and it’s tricky to judge what constitutes a good one. Do you play things safe and create more of the same type of content that fans loved? Do you go in a radically different direction to avoid stagnation, but risk alienating your core audience? Or do you try to find a middle ground between both extremes?
I have enjoyed safe, iterative sequels, but I also believe video games are an art form, so my perspective is twofold. For one, developers should feel free to create the games they’re interested in. And secondly, daring sequels will bear more fruit in the long-term. A straightforward sequel is okay every now and then, but we have to remember that the old games aren’t going anywhere. Gaming can’t evolve without taking risks, so we should be thankful when a developer creates a sequel that won’t necessarily sit right with everyone. I agree that a gaming franchise should hold onto core elements between installments, but this process is not always cut-and-dry. Sonic and Paper Mario, for example, made very controversial changes to freshen things up while attempting to hold onto the original appeal. Whether they were successful is up for debate, but at the end of the day, you would be hard-pressed to argue the newer games never offer a fresh experience.
So, what does this all have to do with Bayonetta 2? Well, it’s a weird sequel. It’s both very similar and different from the first game, and not necessarily in a good way. I’ll explain why, but suffice to say I think it’s merely an okay sequel, especially after playing Bayonetta 3.
To start with the positives, Bayonetta 2’s art direction is stunning. It’s a monumental improvement over the first game’s washed-out colors, which was an unfortunate trend during the seventh generation of consoles. Gimmick levels were toned down and the few we do have are better paced and have slightly more gameplay depth. Muspelheims (the equivalent to Bayonetta 1’s Alfheims) are much easier to find and their challenges more reasonable. The addition of demons to the enemy roster alongside some new angels was great and most of them were very fun to fight. Enemy telegraphing was also a lot better, keeping most fights feeling fair. There are no more gotcha QTEs that can one-shot the player. And finally, the weapons were excellent. The new weapons had even cooler designs than the returning ones and they together allow for even more playstyles.
Bayonetta 2 also tweaks the combat with a powerful attack boost called Umbran Climax and a greater emphasis on Witch Time in the enemy designs. These initially seemed like positive changes, but everything is designed around them to the point the player is no longer dictating the pace of the combat. Enemies have larger health pools so that Umbran Climax doesn’t feel too OP, but individual attacks end up feeling much weaker than the first game. This is best seen on Infinite Climax, where enemies not only take forever to kill, but they hit like trucks. Witch Time is still available, but you’re practically required to use it for defeating bosses like Masked Lumen. These fights are blatantly unfair when playing as Jeanne since the boss almost always blocks or dodges your attacks unless you’re in Witch Time. Her activation window is much smaller than Bayonetta’s, so the challenge really falls apart. It’s disappointing coming off of the first game’s elegant difficulty design.
Now, I could forgive these tweaks if there were way more gameplay additions or overhauls. Sadly, that isn’t the case. I get the impression Platinum didn’t want to change the combat too much because it worked so well before. However, it’s clear Bayonetta 2 both altered and didn’t alter aspects about the first game. This is what I meant when I called it a weird sequel. It improves several things outside of combat, but the core gameplay is both identical and completely different from before. As such, it ends up simply being “more Bayonetta” for me. A follow-up to a great action game is practically guaranteed to be a good time when a lot of its features are still present. Just don’t expect that second climax to hit the same as the first.
2009
While I am playing Bayonetta 3, I would like to give my thoughts on the first two installments. I will very likely play Cereza and the Lost Demon eventually, but for now, enjoy this first part of my Bayonetta retrospective.
I had a love/hate relationship with this game the first time I finished it. The core combat was immensely satisfying, but I disliked how often you had to perform tasks unrelated to it. The gimmick levels were too long, the environmental puzzles repetitive, and the platforming sections awkward. I thought the game didn’t have enough enemy variety and hated late-game foes like Kinship and especially Grace and Glory. The gotcha QTEs during cutscenes that can instakill you are atrocious and shouldn’t have been included.
I still stand by most of these complaints, but my opinion on Bayonetta changed after beating it on Hard and Non-Stop Infinite Climax (NSIC). You’re probably wondering why I did that considering all my grievances. Well, from what I understood, Bayonetta is meant to be replayed. Your first playthrough is an elaborate tutorial for the “real” game. I still felt rusty with the combat and I also heard the higher difficulties change the experience in interesting ways. I wanted to at least try out Hard mode. Getting past the Prologue was a nightmare without the Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa, which allows you to parry almost any attack with good timing. This item alone made the combat much more enjoyable, but I also got more comfortable using Dodge Offset to unleash Wicked Weaves more often. I am by no means a Bayonetta master, but I was shocked by how fun the higher difficulties were. In most games, the increased challenge would have lead to more frustration. Enemies would simply have more health and deal more damage. Bayonetta, however, bucks this trend. Enemy health and damage remain untouched, but enemy placement is changed up, especially in the early chapters. While I think there was room for improvement, I was very happy to see these changes.
Nothing, however, could have prepared me for NSIC. In a radical twist, Bayonetta’s signature Witch Time is disabled! Although I heard about this prior to reaching NSIC, I was doubtful the game would be fun under that condition. There were a few enemies I found tedious to kill without Witch Time, such as the shape-shifting Golem, but for the most part, it played similarly to Hard mode. It’s a testament to how excellent the combat really is.
Despite the non-combat sections lacking depth and/or polish, Bayonetta is a kick-ass game. It set a new standard for 3D action games and helped to cement Platinum as the king of the genre. Without Bayonetta, we probably wouldn’t have Metal Gear Rising, Nier: Automata, and Astral Chain.
I had a love/hate relationship with this game the first time I finished it. The core combat was immensely satisfying, but I disliked how often you had to perform tasks unrelated to it. The gimmick levels were too long, the environmental puzzles repetitive, and the platforming sections awkward. I thought the game didn’t have enough enemy variety and hated late-game foes like Kinship and especially Grace and Glory. The gotcha QTEs during cutscenes that can instakill you are atrocious and shouldn’t have been included.
I still stand by most of these complaints, but my opinion on Bayonetta changed after beating it on Hard and Non-Stop Infinite Climax (NSIC). You’re probably wondering why I did that considering all my grievances. Well, from what I understood, Bayonetta is meant to be replayed. Your first playthrough is an elaborate tutorial for the “real” game. I still felt rusty with the combat and I also heard the higher difficulties change the experience in interesting ways. I wanted to at least try out Hard mode. Getting past the Prologue was a nightmare without the Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa, which allows you to parry almost any attack with good timing. This item alone made the combat much more enjoyable, but I also got more comfortable using Dodge Offset to unleash Wicked Weaves more often. I am by no means a Bayonetta master, but I was shocked by how fun the higher difficulties were. In most games, the increased challenge would have lead to more frustration. Enemies would simply have more health and deal more damage. Bayonetta, however, bucks this trend. Enemy health and damage remain untouched, but enemy placement is changed up, especially in the early chapters. While I think there was room for improvement, I was very happy to see these changes.
Nothing, however, could have prepared me for NSIC. In a radical twist, Bayonetta’s signature Witch Time is disabled! Although I heard about this prior to reaching NSIC, I was doubtful the game would be fun under that condition. There were a few enemies I found tedious to kill without Witch Time, such as the shape-shifting Golem, but for the most part, it played similarly to Hard mode. It’s a testament to how excellent the combat really is.
Despite the non-combat sections lacking depth and/or polish, Bayonetta is a kick-ass game. It set a new standard for 3D action games and helped to cement Platinum as the king of the genre. Without Bayonetta, we probably wouldn’t have Metal Gear Rising, Nier: Automata, and Astral Chain.
Cadence of Hyrule has a lot to love. The gameplay is unique, the art direction is gorgeous, the remixed music is excellent, and this is one of the few games where you can play as Zelda. Not to mention this is an extraordianry case of Nintendo entrusting one of their flagship IPs to an indie developer. It’s a miracle this game even exists! But before I gush further, I must address its prominent flaw: difficulty balancing.
If you’re like me and never played Crypt of the NecroDancer before, the combat will feel alien and you’ll probably die several times before getting into the groove. I got used to it after about half an hour, but I also got a broadsword that could simultaneously attack all enemies in the horizontal row in front of me. The broadsword is perhaps too useful, as I ended up using it for almost the entirety of my playthrough. I still died here and there, but halfway through I became so powerful I didn’t have to think much to defeat groups of enemies. That really sucks since the enemy variety is actually quite decent. The bosses, however, desperately needed a health buff. Apart from the last two fights, they all died in less than a minute. Not every game should be crushingly difficult, but it’s unfortunate enemies don’t scale with you. I’ll explain why later.
Being a Zelda crossover, it would be natural to expect some puzzle-solving and exploration. Well, I’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is block pushing puzzles are the order of the day. You’ll use them to reach high ledges and that’s it. This is extremely standard for Zelda and it doesn’t get more complex than that. I have a sneaking suspicion why that is and it’s actually tied to the good news.
Cadence of Hyrule has very engaging exploration. In a surprise strength over most Zelda games, you have a TON of freedom in tackling dungeons and acquiring items. There’s very little gatekeeping and many items are completely optional. Furthermore, the dungeons are focused around combat instead of puzzles, which actually solves an issue A Link Between Worlds had. In that game, almost every dungeon required a specific item to enter and since you could tackle dungeons out of order, every dungeon could only be built with that one item in mind, limiting the puzzle complexity. It was a necessary sacrifice for the freedom of exploration, but Cadence of Hyrule offers a better idea. Rather than a necessary key to open an elaborate lock, items mainly exist to help you out in combat. As a result, they became geunine rewards for exploring.
That is why I think enemy scaling would work very well. If stronger enemies appeared over time, item usage would be heavily encouraged. They wouldn’t be required to kill enemies, but they could help during battle and be used to uncover optional secrets. This would avoid ALBW’s pitfall while still preserving the freedom to explore. It also avoids Breath of the Wild’s method of giving you all your abilities at the start, which removed that feeling of finding cool new items throughout the game. The only downside to all of this is that puzzles would have to be very simple or confined to optional areas. Cadence of Hyrule knows this, as there are a lot of bombable walls and hookshot targets for optional goodies. The block puzzles can also be solved faster if you have items like the Power Glove and Rito’s Feather.
It certainly isn’t perfect, but Cadence of Hyrule is intriguing. It has all the ingredients for making an open-world Zelda while preserving the fun of acquiring items in the older games. I will always have a soft spot for the puzzles in past Zelda dungeons, but it’s clear that some kind of sacrifice has to be made if they are to play a prominent role. How much that affects you will depend on your preferences, so if you haven’t already, I recommend checking out Cadence of Hyrule to see for yourself. Don’t worry about the combat being gimmicky. It’s really fun and there’s even an option to make enemies move only when you do, which is perfect for those who struggle with musical rhythm.
If you’re like me and never played Crypt of the NecroDancer before, the combat will feel alien and you’ll probably die several times before getting into the groove. I got used to it after about half an hour, but I also got a broadsword that could simultaneously attack all enemies in the horizontal row in front of me. The broadsword is perhaps too useful, as I ended up using it for almost the entirety of my playthrough. I still died here and there, but halfway through I became so powerful I didn’t have to think much to defeat groups of enemies. That really sucks since the enemy variety is actually quite decent. The bosses, however, desperately needed a health buff. Apart from the last two fights, they all died in less than a minute. Not every game should be crushingly difficult, but it’s unfortunate enemies don’t scale with you. I’ll explain why later.
Being a Zelda crossover, it would be natural to expect some puzzle-solving and exploration. Well, I’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is block pushing puzzles are the order of the day. You’ll use them to reach high ledges and that’s it. This is extremely standard for Zelda and it doesn’t get more complex than that. I have a sneaking suspicion why that is and it’s actually tied to the good news.
Cadence of Hyrule has very engaging exploration. In a surprise strength over most Zelda games, you have a TON of freedom in tackling dungeons and acquiring items. There’s very little gatekeeping and many items are completely optional. Furthermore, the dungeons are focused around combat instead of puzzles, which actually solves an issue A Link Between Worlds had. In that game, almost every dungeon required a specific item to enter and since you could tackle dungeons out of order, every dungeon could only be built with that one item in mind, limiting the puzzle complexity. It was a necessary sacrifice for the freedom of exploration, but Cadence of Hyrule offers a better idea. Rather than a necessary key to open an elaborate lock, items mainly exist to help you out in combat. As a result, they became geunine rewards for exploring.
That is why I think enemy scaling would work very well. If stronger enemies appeared over time, item usage would be heavily encouraged. They wouldn’t be required to kill enemies, but they could help during battle and be used to uncover optional secrets. This would avoid ALBW’s pitfall while still preserving the freedom to explore. It also avoids Breath of the Wild’s method of giving you all your abilities at the start, which removed that feeling of finding cool new items throughout the game. The only downside to all of this is that puzzles would have to be very simple or confined to optional areas. Cadence of Hyrule knows this, as there are a lot of bombable walls and hookshot targets for optional goodies. The block puzzles can also be solved faster if you have items like the Power Glove and Rito’s Feather.
It certainly isn’t perfect, but Cadence of Hyrule is intriguing. It has all the ingredients for making an open-world Zelda while preserving the fun of acquiring items in the older games. I will always have a soft spot for the puzzles in past Zelda dungeons, but it’s clear that some kind of sacrifice has to be made if they are to play a prominent role. How much that affects you will depend on your preferences, so if you haven’t already, I recommend checking out Cadence of Hyrule to see for yourself. Don’t worry about the combat being gimmicky. It’s really fun and there’s even an option to make enemies move only when you do, which is perfect for those who struggle with musical rhythm.
2011
Consistent. It is what Sonic the Hedgehog has struggled to be since his 3D debut. While I haven't played every game in the series, this is certainly the one that comes the closest to that description. As a celebration of the Blue Blur's legacy, Sonic Generations mostly delivers. I really enjoyed the Classic and Modern versions of all nine levels, but I do have issues with several design elements that few people seem to talk about. I’m going to explain them starting with my biggest issue so I can end on a positive note because despite everything I am about to say, this is one of Sonic’s best games.
I was really disappointed with Classic Sonic’s controls. While functional, they are not as responsive as the Genesis games, nor are they built around momentum. Since you don't build speed naturally, you are pushed to use the overclocked spin dash, which sometimes clashes with the level's flow. The spin dash is now a glorified boost button with a delay. Comparing this game's physics to those of the classics is fair in my book because Sonic Team obviously wanted to replicate the latter experience. They don’t even let you use the homing attack with Classic Sonic and it was jarring switching to the character that can.
Modern Sonic functions almost identically to how he did in Colors. I say almost because his handling on the ground is much more slippery. My advice is to not boost unless you are traveling in a straight line with little danger because you have limited control over Sonic. There’s also a lot of 2D sections, which doesn’t bother me in and of itself. I like Colors after all. But now that we have Classic Sonic, shouldn’t Modern Sonic be in full 3D? That feels like a missed opportunity.
Speaking of missed opportunities, the ranking system is laughable. It should demonstrate how much better you could be at the game, yet it wasn’t uncommon for me to get hit or even die multiple times in a level or mission and STILL get an S-rank on my FIRST TRY. Either these weren’t playtested enough or Sonic Team went soft for this game. I’m not saying the ranking system should be as harsh as Bayonetta, but getting an S on your first try shouldn’t be possible.
I’m a little split on the side missions. For one, the time trials are insulting. The ghost is dumb enough that replaying through the level feels no different from the first time. However, the missions where another character helps you out are very good. You’re always doing something different each time and even the weakest ideas are inoffensive at worst. Honestly, I would have liked to see more of these.
The boss quality was the exact inverse of Colors. Instead of only the final boss being memorable, Generations has a great lineup of bosses that are unfortunately capped off with a terrible final boss. Still, this is the best boss lineup in the series by a country mile.
Despite all my nitpicks with the game, the levels were a blast. The way Sonic Team translated the Genesis-inspired levels into 3D and the rest into 2D was nothing short of impressive. Special shoutouts to City Escape and Crisis City. The former's truck chases were INSANE and the latter's music was infectious. I actually listened to both versions while writing this review. The levels are what make Sonic Generations a relatively consistent experience. Normally I would criticize the reliance on past ideas, but it was meant to be an anniversary title. In that regard, Sonic Team succeeded. Play the game if you haven’t already!
I was really disappointed with Classic Sonic’s controls. While functional, they are not as responsive as the Genesis games, nor are they built around momentum. Since you don't build speed naturally, you are pushed to use the overclocked spin dash, which sometimes clashes with the level's flow. The spin dash is now a glorified boost button with a delay. Comparing this game's physics to those of the classics is fair in my book because Sonic Team obviously wanted to replicate the latter experience. They don’t even let you use the homing attack with Classic Sonic and it was jarring switching to the character that can.
Modern Sonic functions almost identically to how he did in Colors. I say almost because his handling on the ground is much more slippery. My advice is to not boost unless you are traveling in a straight line with little danger because you have limited control over Sonic. There’s also a lot of 2D sections, which doesn’t bother me in and of itself. I like Colors after all. But now that we have Classic Sonic, shouldn’t Modern Sonic be in full 3D? That feels like a missed opportunity.
Speaking of missed opportunities, the ranking system is laughable. It should demonstrate how much better you could be at the game, yet it wasn’t uncommon for me to get hit or even die multiple times in a level or mission and STILL get an S-rank on my FIRST TRY. Either these weren’t playtested enough or Sonic Team went soft for this game. I’m not saying the ranking system should be as harsh as Bayonetta, but getting an S on your first try shouldn’t be possible.
I’m a little split on the side missions. For one, the time trials are insulting. The ghost is dumb enough that replaying through the level feels no different from the first time. However, the missions where another character helps you out are very good. You’re always doing something different each time and even the weakest ideas are inoffensive at worst. Honestly, I would have liked to see more of these.
The boss quality was the exact inverse of Colors. Instead of only the final boss being memorable, Generations has a great lineup of bosses that are unfortunately capped off with a terrible final boss. Still, this is the best boss lineup in the series by a country mile.
Despite all my nitpicks with the game, the levels were a blast. The way Sonic Team translated the Genesis-inspired levels into 3D and the rest into 2D was nothing short of impressive. Special shoutouts to City Escape and Crisis City. The former's truck chases were INSANE and the latter's music was infectious. I actually listened to both versions while writing this review. The levels are what make Sonic Generations a relatively consistent experience. Normally I would criticize the reliance on past ideas, but it was meant to be an anniversary title. In that regard, Sonic Team succeeded. Play the game if you haven’t already!
2010
The Sonic storybook games are a guilty pleasure of mine. As a kid with only a Sonic racing game as a reference, I accepted Secret Rings and Black Knight as how Sonic works. That is, until I played Colors.
The Boost games are often criticized for an overreliance on speed and spectacle. In hindsight, this focus resulted in a plethora of short levels or a small collection of large levels. Neither approach is inherently better than the other, but Sonic Colors is the former pushed to the extreme, for better and worse. On the one hand, the stages explore mechanics thoroughly, hide plenty of secrets, and reward you for careful use of the boost and Wisps. The downside is that many stages are too short and insubstantial. The trend I noticed when replaying Colors is that the first act in each world is excellent, and the later acts vary heavily in quality. Some end in two minutes, while others are barely 30 seconds. That is to say nothing about how these acts reuse chunks of stage design and all the bosses being recycled apart from the final battle.
Given these shortcomings, why do I still think the game is good? Because it encompasses everything that makes Sonic special. Speed is earned through mastering the levels instead of holding right or the boost button the whole time and the platforming is not neglected. Colors follows the level design philosophy of Sonic 3 and Knuckles where speed and platforming are segregated throughout stages. Some are not fans of this, but let's face it, it's nearly impossible to platform smoothly in these games while going fast and vice versa. Instead, Colors solves one of the biggest problems the franchise has had since the beginning: the camera. Not only is it consistently reliable, but it actively changes angles and zooms out to give you a better view of what’s happening. Most of the game plays out in 2D, yet the camera never stays in one place for too long. It’s cinematic without being gimmicky, giving each of the game’s creative worlds a ton of charm.
Because of its accessible design, Sonic Colors definitely appeals to casual platforming fans, but series veterans will get a kick out of the optional Red Rings and S-ranks. Unlike the game that would follow, these respect player skill and perseverance by being challenging to acquire. I can’t think of many games nowadays that successfully tow the line between accessibility and depth, but Sonic Colors is one of them. If you’ve never played a Sonic game or platformer before, this is a good starting place.
The Boost games are often criticized for an overreliance on speed and spectacle. In hindsight, this focus resulted in a plethora of short levels or a small collection of large levels. Neither approach is inherently better than the other, but Sonic Colors is the former pushed to the extreme, for better and worse. On the one hand, the stages explore mechanics thoroughly, hide plenty of secrets, and reward you for careful use of the boost and Wisps. The downside is that many stages are too short and insubstantial. The trend I noticed when replaying Colors is that the first act in each world is excellent, and the later acts vary heavily in quality. Some end in two minutes, while others are barely 30 seconds. That is to say nothing about how these acts reuse chunks of stage design and all the bosses being recycled apart from the final battle.
Given these shortcomings, why do I still think the game is good? Because it encompasses everything that makes Sonic special. Speed is earned through mastering the levels instead of holding right or the boost button the whole time and the platforming is not neglected. Colors follows the level design philosophy of Sonic 3 and Knuckles where speed and platforming are segregated throughout stages. Some are not fans of this, but let's face it, it's nearly impossible to platform smoothly in these games while going fast and vice versa. Instead, Colors solves one of the biggest problems the franchise has had since the beginning: the camera. Not only is it consistently reliable, but it actively changes angles and zooms out to give you a better view of what’s happening. Most of the game plays out in 2D, yet the camera never stays in one place for too long. It’s cinematic without being gimmicky, giving each of the game’s creative worlds a ton of charm.
Because of its accessible design, Sonic Colors definitely appeals to casual platforming fans, but series veterans will get a kick out of the optional Red Rings and S-ranks. Unlike the game that would follow, these respect player skill and perseverance by being challenging to acquire. I can’t think of many games nowadays that successfully tow the line between accessibility and depth, but Sonic Colors is one of them. If you’ve never played a Sonic game or platformer before, this is a good starting place.
2017
Dead Cells more than makes up for its nebulous story with some of the best combat, level design, and enemy variety I have ever seen in a video game. This was my first roguelite and I could hardly have asked for a better introduction to the genre.
Every level feels distinct both visually and mechanically. They are technically randomly generated, but each level follows a specific design archetype that remains consistent for every run. The Promenade of the Condemned always has several optional underground pathways to explore, Stilt Village always requires finding keys in large complexes, and the Clock Tower always requires climbing up multiple tall towers. The randomization comes in the form of enemy placement and room layouts, as each room will always be in a different location. Think of it as shuffling around puzzle pieces that fit together in multiple ways. These features are awesome on their own, but Dead Cells also gives you the freedom to pick which levels you want to experience to reach the end. It's like Star Fox 64 where the first level is always the same, but the paths quickly spill out into a massive matrix that eventually condenses as the finale approaches.
Complimenting the levels is amazingly fluid and fast combat. There's a ridiculous number of weapons to unlock, each with their own quirks. You are given two slots for primary weapons (swords, lances, bows, shields, etc.), a backpack for storing a third weapon, and two slots for support items (traps, grenades, summons, and temporary power-ups). Figuring out which weapons and supports go well together is really satisfying. Each of these tools scales with a specific stat (Brutality, Tactics, or Survival), which you increase by picking up scrolls in the levels. Each stat specializes in a general playstyle. Brutality (my favorite) is for melee fighters, Tactics is for ranged fighters, and Survival is for tank fighters.
I could keep going, but hopefully you understand how Dead Cells expertly weaves all of its systems together to create a satisfying gameplay loop. The abundance of systems may sound intimidating, but know that the game gives you as much time as you need to learn. The default difficulty isn't very taxing (I beat it three days after starting the game), so you'll be able to ignore a lot of mechanics there. On higher difficulties, however, Dead Cells will ensure you understand how everything works. It's a great difficulty curve, especially after the Whack-a-Mole update that fixed my complaint about 2 boss cells being a massive difficulty spike. Motion Twin has gone all out with updates for this game. It has changed so much since I started playing it in the summer of 2019. Experiencing the game's evolution since then has been nothing short of unique.
To address the elephant in the room, I understand why many would prefer to play Hades over Dead Cells. I respect the former a great deal for its contributions to the genre, but it didn't keep my attention the way Dead Cells did. I hope that someday we receive a roguelike that inherits the strengths of both games. In other words, one whose story and gameplay are equally amazing.
Every level feels distinct both visually and mechanically. They are technically randomly generated, but each level follows a specific design archetype that remains consistent for every run. The Promenade of the Condemned always has several optional underground pathways to explore, Stilt Village always requires finding keys in large complexes, and the Clock Tower always requires climbing up multiple tall towers. The randomization comes in the form of enemy placement and room layouts, as each room will always be in a different location. Think of it as shuffling around puzzle pieces that fit together in multiple ways. These features are awesome on their own, but Dead Cells also gives you the freedom to pick which levels you want to experience to reach the end. It's like Star Fox 64 where the first level is always the same, but the paths quickly spill out into a massive matrix that eventually condenses as the finale approaches.
Complimenting the levels is amazingly fluid and fast combat. There's a ridiculous number of weapons to unlock, each with their own quirks. You are given two slots for primary weapons (swords, lances, bows, shields, etc.), a backpack for storing a third weapon, and two slots for support items (traps, grenades, summons, and temporary power-ups). Figuring out which weapons and supports go well together is really satisfying. Each of these tools scales with a specific stat (Brutality, Tactics, or Survival), which you increase by picking up scrolls in the levels. Each stat specializes in a general playstyle. Brutality (my favorite) is for melee fighters, Tactics is for ranged fighters, and Survival is for tank fighters.
I could keep going, but hopefully you understand how Dead Cells expertly weaves all of its systems together to create a satisfying gameplay loop. The abundance of systems may sound intimidating, but know that the game gives you as much time as you need to learn. The default difficulty isn't very taxing (I beat it three days after starting the game), so you'll be able to ignore a lot of mechanics there. On higher difficulties, however, Dead Cells will ensure you understand how everything works. It's a great difficulty curve, especially after the Whack-a-Mole update that fixed my complaint about 2 boss cells being a massive difficulty spike. Motion Twin has gone all out with updates for this game. It has changed so much since I started playing it in the summer of 2019. Experiencing the game's evolution since then has been nothing short of unique.
To address the elephant in the room, I understand why many would prefer to play Hades over Dead Cells. I respect the former a great deal for its contributions to the genre, but it didn't keep my attention the way Dead Cells did. I hope that someday we receive a roguelike that inherits the strengths of both games. In other words, one whose story and gameplay are equally amazing.
2001
Sonic Adventure 2 trims a lot of the fat from its predecessor with the removal of Big and Amy's gameplay, more unique stages, and a streamlined stage selection. The cutscenes and voice acting are still heavily outdated, but better than the laughing stock Adventure 1 gave us. The camera, while not perfect, was also a lot better integrated into the stage design. The stages revolve around one of three gameplay styles instead of several, so how do they hold up?
I enjoyed the speed stages with Sonic and Shadow. City Escape in particular is outstanding for its catchy song, memorable set pieces, and breakneck pace. It's so great that it probably spoiled the later stages for me. Metal Harbor, Green Forest, and Radical Highway had their moments, but City Escape is in a league of its own. My only complaint is that a couple of wonky mechanics interfere with the platforming in a few stages. For example, Final Chase has gravity wells that can pull you away from where you intended to jump and lead to your demise. Final Rush and Sky Rail are partially ruined by an overreliance on grind rails. Switching between them or using the homing attack to scale up a vertical rail doesn't always work and will get you killed more times than it should. The Boost games would fix this years later.
Next up is the shooting stages with Tails and Dr. Eggman. In my opinion, Tails has the weaker selection. Mission Street, Hidden Base, and Eternal Engine have a lot of annoying enemy ambushes that are impossible to react to unless you play the stages many times. The platforming is also a touch too precise considering the mech controls are a little stiffer than Gamma. They still feel fine at the end of the day, but precise platforming is not the strength of the playstyle. Dr. Eggman's stages seemed better designed around the mech limitations and I ended up enjoying all of them, especially Cosmic Wall. A surprise highlight of the game for sure.
Lastly, there are the treasure hunting stages with Knuckles and Rouge. These were one step forward and two steps backward from Adventure 1. I like that the hint system doesn't immediately tell you exactly where to go, but there are two other changes that undermine this improvement. The first and most important one is the nerfed radar. Adventure 1 tracked all three emeralds at once, but Adventure 2 only tracks one at a time. If Sonic Team did this to extend the length of the stages, that was the stupidest decision they made while developing this game. It's very frustrating knowing you could be right next to an emerald and have no idea because the radar doesn't want you to find it yet. The second issue is that several stages are enormous. It's tough enough finding a needle in a haystack, but adding more hay to the stack, like in Meteor Herd, Security Hall, and the infamous Mad Space, amplifies the problem. I do not think it is unreasonable to argue the playstyle is ruined by these changes. A real bummer because when these stages work, they are lots of fun.
If Adventure 1 was "more good, more filler," then Adventure 2 is the opposite. As I said at the beginning, it trims a lot of its predecessor's fat, but the stages we got were a mixed bag and it didn't need to be that way. I prefer Adventure 1's stages and worldbuilding, but Adventure 2's focused playstyles was the right call for an iterative sequel. If we got a Sonic Adventure 3 that combined the best of both worlds, then it would probably be a great game.
I enjoyed the speed stages with Sonic and Shadow. City Escape in particular is outstanding for its catchy song, memorable set pieces, and breakneck pace. It's so great that it probably spoiled the later stages for me. Metal Harbor, Green Forest, and Radical Highway had their moments, but City Escape is in a league of its own. My only complaint is that a couple of wonky mechanics interfere with the platforming in a few stages. For example, Final Chase has gravity wells that can pull you away from where you intended to jump and lead to your demise. Final Rush and Sky Rail are partially ruined by an overreliance on grind rails. Switching between them or using the homing attack to scale up a vertical rail doesn't always work and will get you killed more times than it should. The Boost games would fix this years later.
Next up is the shooting stages with Tails and Dr. Eggman. In my opinion, Tails has the weaker selection. Mission Street, Hidden Base, and Eternal Engine have a lot of annoying enemy ambushes that are impossible to react to unless you play the stages many times. The platforming is also a touch too precise considering the mech controls are a little stiffer than Gamma. They still feel fine at the end of the day, but precise platforming is not the strength of the playstyle. Dr. Eggman's stages seemed better designed around the mech limitations and I ended up enjoying all of them, especially Cosmic Wall. A surprise highlight of the game for sure.
Lastly, there are the treasure hunting stages with Knuckles and Rouge. These were one step forward and two steps backward from Adventure 1. I like that the hint system doesn't immediately tell you exactly where to go, but there are two other changes that undermine this improvement. The first and most important one is the nerfed radar. Adventure 1 tracked all three emeralds at once, but Adventure 2 only tracks one at a time. If Sonic Team did this to extend the length of the stages, that was the stupidest decision they made while developing this game. It's very frustrating knowing you could be right next to an emerald and have no idea because the radar doesn't want you to find it yet. The second issue is that several stages are enormous. It's tough enough finding a needle in a haystack, but adding more hay to the stack, like in Meteor Herd, Security Hall, and the infamous Mad Space, amplifies the problem. I do not think it is unreasonable to argue the playstyle is ruined by these changes. A real bummer because when these stages work, they are lots of fun.
If Adventure 1 was "more good, more filler," then Adventure 2 is the opposite. As I said at the beginning, it trims a lot of its predecessor's fat, but the stages we got were a mixed bag and it didn't need to be that way. I prefer Adventure 1's stages and worldbuilding, but Adventure 2's focused playstyles was the right call for an iterative sequel. If we got a Sonic Adventure 3 that combined the best of both worlds, then it would probably be a great game.
2006
I think it is important that I clear my stance on the Mother series before diving in. I completed EarthBound and a good majority of Mother 1 (EarthBound Beginnings) shortly after they were released on Switch, and I completed Mother 3 after taking a break from the series. Despite what I am about to say, I highly respect all of them for their uniqueness and influence on games like Undertale. All of the entries in the series should be experienced by all gamers.
Mother 3 is a very difficult game for me to talk about not just because of its immense cult status, but also because it almost feels divorced from the previous two games. It is much more plot-driven, which works to its benefit and detriment. To start with the characters, most of them were a vehicle for jokes. I laughed at most of these, but the characters themselves did not have any other memorable traits. Even the four main characters felt barebones since you do not spend much time with them until chapter 4, where my issues with the plot begin.
Without spoiling anything, chapters 4-7 lack the emotional weight present in the first three chapters and the finale. There's nothing that really makes you excited for what will happen next. The game appears to switch gears and becomes similar to EarthBound in that the plot is kept simple for the sake of throwing the player into all sorts of bizarre situations, except that very little in these four chapters comes close to that description. I didn't mind the simple plot in EarthBound because it establishes the main conflict right away and was clearly more interested in those aforementioned bizarre moments. Mother 3, however, takes its time developing the plot, which works at first, but I got annoyed when it didn't progress until right before the final chapter.
The story itself is fine, but I think it was a mistake having a three-year time jump after Chapter 3. You are clearly supposed to feel pity for the village since their simple lives become much more complicated with the new capitalist system. Supposedly everyone is happier now, only the game seems to suggest the opposite. While this may sound clever at first, it created a "nature good, industry bad" argument that lacks nuance. It's an argument that a naïve do-gooder would dream up. Capitalism, like any other economic system, is indeed very flawed, but it has a lot of redeeming qualities that anybody who has a decent grasp on modern world history would know. Without a reason to like the new Tazmily Village, there's no opportunity to get invested in how the economic and social changes have benefited the population as much as they hindered.
Okay, now for the features I enjoyed. The quality-of-life improvements from EarthBound, such as saving, exchanging items, and a dedicated run button greatly improved the pacing. As quirky as some of these interactions were in that game, they could have wasted less time.
The music is FANTASTIC! I was exposed to several of the notable songs in Smash Bros., but that didn't change how much I utterly loved what Shogo Sakai composed here. It was also really cool how the game rewarded you for learning the rhythm of each song with the new music note system in battle. Creating compelling songs with such a huge variety of rhythms could not have been an easy task, and it was neat how later battles would feature songs with highly unconventional time signatures that are very difficult to learn, let alone master.
At the end of the day, however, Mother 3 was not the game for me. It's a step-up from EarthBound in several ways, but it also feels like its claim to fame is accomplished by following the standards of conventional RPGs, such as the focus on plot. It honestly comes across as an overcorrection of what its predecessor was doing. Like, if the plot is going to be a major focus, then why does it seem to disappear for half the adventure?
I know my opinions on Mother 3 are in the minority and the last thing I want is to take away the happiness anyone got from it. I'm writing this because I hope to offer an opinion that will make you further reflect on why you love this cult classic. If you loved the game before reading my thoughts and still love it afterwards, then you have my utmost respect. It means it resonated with you on a deep level and that is what video games should do. :)
Mother 3 is a very difficult game for me to talk about not just because of its immense cult status, but also because it almost feels divorced from the previous two games. It is much more plot-driven, which works to its benefit and detriment. To start with the characters, most of them were a vehicle for jokes. I laughed at most of these, but the characters themselves did not have any other memorable traits. Even the four main characters felt barebones since you do not spend much time with them until chapter 4, where my issues with the plot begin.
Without spoiling anything, chapters 4-7 lack the emotional weight present in the first three chapters and the finale. There's nothing that really makes you excited for what will happen next. The game appears to switch gears and becomes similar to EarthBound in that the plot is kept simple for the sake of throwing the player into all sorts of bizarre situations, except that very little in these four chapters comes close to that description. I didn't mind the simple plot in EarthBound because it establishes the main conflict right away and was clearly more interested in those aforementioned bizarre moments. Mother 3, however, takes its time developing the plot, which works at first, but I got annoyed when it didn't progress until right before the final chapter.
The story itself is fine, but I think it was a mistake having a three-year time jump after Chapter 3. You are clearly supposed to feel pity for the village since their simple lives become much more complicated with the new capitalist system. Supposedly everyone is happier now, only the game seems to suggest the opposite. While this may sound clever at first, it created a "nature good, industry bad" argument that lacks nuance. It's an argument that a naïve do-gooder would dream up. Capitalism, like any other economic system, is indeed very flawed, but it has a lot of redeeming qualities that anybody who has a decent grasp on modern world history would know. Without a reason to like the new Tazmily Village, there's no opportunity to get invested in how the economic and social changes have benefited the population as much as they hindered.
Okay, now for the features I enjoyed. The quality-of-life improvements from EarthBound, such as saving, exchanging items, and a dedicated run button greatly improved the pacing. As quirky as some of these interactions were in that game, they could have wasted less time.
The music is FANTASTIC! I was exposed to several of the notable songs in Smash Bros., but that didn't change how much I utterly loved what Shogo Sakai composed here. It was also really cool how the game rewarded you for learning the rhythm of each song with the new music note system in battle. Creating compelling songs with such a huge variety of rhythms could not have been an easy task, and it was neat how later battles would feature songs with highly unconventional time signatures that are very difficult to learn, let alone master.
At the end of the day, however, Mother 3 was not the game for me. It's a step-up from EarthBound in several ways, but it also feels like its claim to fame is accomplished by following the standards of conventional RPGs, such as the focus on plot. It honestly comes across as an overcorrection of what its predecessor was doing. Like, if the plot is going to be a major focus, then why does it seem to disappear for half the adventure?
I know my opinions on Mother 3 are in the minority and the last thing I want is to take away the happiness anyone got from it. I'm writing this because I hope to offer an opinion that will make you further reflect on why you love this cult classic. If you loved the game before reading my thoughts and still love it afterwards, then you have my utmost respect. It means it resonated with you on a deep level and that is what video games should do. :)
I want to get the negatives out of the way immediately, as I enjoyed this game on the whole. The camera is HORRIBLE at times. It’s somehow more annoying than Mario 64’s camera. Big and Amy’s gameplay are not fun and highly underdeveloped. Their de-emphasis on speed would have been tolerable if they were fun to control, but they aren’t. Finally, the cutscenes, dialog, voice acting, and especially the mouth animations are laughably bad. I will, however, give credit to Sonic Team for trying to tell its story through several unique playable characters. This kind of worldbuilding, especially in a platformer, was unheard of at the time.
Ambitious is the best word to describe Sonic Adventure. That can be dangerous, but for the Blue Blur’s first foray into 3D, I was amazed at how much Sonic Team got right. The level design is top-notch for most characters, as they are easy to follow while rewarding curious and skilled players with additional rings, lives, power-ups, and shortcuts through stages. Using Sonic’s spin dash and homing attack never gets old and he is thankfully not the only source of fun to be had here. Tails, Knuckles, and E-102 Gamma recontextualized levels in interesting ways and have fantastic controls.
As Tails, I loved skipping huge chunks of levels by flying though boost rings or dropping to a lower platform. Vertical levels like Speed Highway and Windy Valley really benefit from this playstyle. Knuckles has you hunting emerald shards. A solid idea, though having Tikal point you exactly where to go made a couple levels too easy. E-102 Gamma’s shooting stages under a time limit were conceptually neat, but I never had to worry about running out of time. If you started off with far less time, they would perfectly resemble Mario Galaxy 2’s stressful speedrun levels where you had to keep collecting clocks (or shoot stuff in Gamma’s case) to keep the timer active. This would have worked perfectly for Gamma if you ask me. I also wish these characters had more than five stages to play though each.
Overall, I had a good time with Sonic Adventure. I understand now why fans want more 3D Sonic games to resemble it. It gives you a level of freedom and control that most of the later games lacked. As someone whose first Sonic games were Sonic Riders, Sonic Colors, and the storybook games, I viewed the iconic hedgehog differently growing up. I didn’t even play the Genesis games until last year. However, apart from the subpar storybook games, I really enjoyed all of those 3D titles for various reasons. They each prove that 3D Sonic works and can even support different types of gameplay. The problem is the execution from Sonic Team, which is wildly inconsistent to say the least. As such, it may be difficult to know whether Sonic Adventure is still worth playing. I say it is. It has significant flaws, but a majority of them are a result of it being a product of the early 3D era. The core foundation is still strong.
If you do intend on playing it, buy the PC version and download the SADX Mod Installer. I cannot recommend the installer enough. The setup is very simple and provides a plethora of options that increase the game’s fun factor, the best of which are HD widescreen and a full restoration of the Dreamcast lighting.
Ambitious is the best word to describe Sonic Adventure. That can be dangerous, but for the Blue Blur’s first foray into 3D, I was amazed at how much Sonic Team got right. The level design is top-notch for most characters, as they are easy to follow while rewarding curious and skilled players with additional rings, lives, power-ups, and shortcuts through stages. Using Sonic’s spin dash and homing attack never gets old and he is thankfully not the only source of fun to be had here. Tails, Knuckles, and E-102 Gamma recontextualized levels in interesting ways and have fantastic controls.
As Tails, I loved skipping huge chunks of levels by flying though boost rings or dropping to a lower platform. Vertical levels like Speed Highway and Windy Valley really benefit from this playstyle. Knuckles has you hunting emerald shards. A solid idea, though having Tikal point you exactly where to go made a couple levels too easy. E-102 Gamma’s shooting stages under a time limit were conceptually neat, but I never had to worry about running out of time. If you started off with far less time, they would perfectly resemble Mario Galaxy 2’s stressful speedrun levels where you had to keep collecting clocks (or shoot stuff in Gamma’s case) to keep the timer active. This would have worked perfectly for Gamma if you ask me. I also wish these characters had more than five stages to play though each.
Overall, I had a good time with Sonic Adventure. I understand now why fans want more 3D Sonic games to resemble it. It gives you a level of freedom and control that most of the later games lacked. As someone whose first Sonic games were Sonic Riders, Sonic Colors, and the storybook games, I viewed the iconic hedgehog differently growing up. I didn’t even play the Genesis games until last year. However, apart from the subpar storybook games, I really enjoyed all of those 3D titles for various reasons. They each prove that 3D Sonic works and can even support different types of gameplay. The problem is the execution from Sonic Team, which is wildly inconsistent to say the least. As such, it may be difficult to know whether Sonic Adventure is still worth playing. I say it is. It has significant flaws, but a majority of them are a result of it being a product of the early 3D era. The core foundation is still strong.
If you do intend on playing it, buy the PC version and download the SADX Mod Installer. I cannot recommend the installer enough. The setup is very simple and provides a plethora of options that increase the game’s fun factor, the best of which are HD widescreen and a full restoration of the Dreamcast lighting.
2021
The game was short, but I don't mind this because it's clear Nintendo was testing the design space for an open-world Mario game. I believe the experiment paid off, but I do have some concerns.
Like Mario Odyssey, the objectives for Cat Shines (the equivalent to Odyssey's moons) were repeated too often. It's a bigger problem here since Bowser's Fury is a lot shorter than Odyssey. In addition, the Fury Bowser gimmick wasn't fully fleshed out. It was an interesting idea, but he wasn't as threatening as I imagine Nintendo thought he would be. This is because his attacks are very easy to avoid, the penalty for dying is only 50 coins, and Bowser goes back to sleep after only a couple minutes. Also, screw those Cat Shines behind Bowser blocks! There are nearly a dozen of these (out of 100 total Cat Shines) and they force you to stop doing what you're doing unless you want to wait for Bowser to destroy them. These issues turn Fury Bowser into an annoyance rather than adding suspense to otherwise familiar Mario proceedings.
There is huge potential in this open-world setup, but Nintendo needs to ensure that the novelties don't wear off after a few hours.
Like Mario Odyssey, the objectives for Cat Shines (the equivalent to Odyssey's moons) were repeated too often. It's a bigger problem here since Bowser's Fury is a lot shorter than Odyssey. In addition, the Fury Bowser gimmick wasn't fully fleshed out. It was an interesting idea, but he wasn't as threatening as I imagine Nintendo thought he would be. This is because his attacks are very easy to avoid, the penalty for dying is only 50 coins, and Bowser goes back to sleep after only a couple minutes. Also, screw those Cat Shines behind Bowser blocks! There are nearly a dozen of these (out of 100 total Cat Shines) and they force you to stop doing what you're doing unless you want to wait for Bowser to destroy them. These issues turn Fury Bowser into an annoyance rather than adding suspense to otherwise familiar Mario proceedings.
There is huge potential in this open-world setup, but Nintendo needs to ensure that the novelties don't wear off after a few hours.
2021
This feels like a director’s cut of 3D Land. Slightly more interesting level design, but still boring for a Mario game. The top-down camera not only makes most levels feel samey, but also makes jumping risky due to poor depth perception. I know that was done for the multiplayer, but the levels feel like they were designed for two players at most and online play is prone to lag. The game is definitely better in single-player, but both types of play fall short, which suggests Nintendo had mixed priorities during its development. It’s still fun, but there are better Mario games to choose from.
2019
Baba is You is the most creative game I've played in years. I don't play puzzle games often, but the central concept of manipulating game logic grabbed my attention. In my opinion, a great puzzle game has simple rules that are eventually stretched to their breaking point. Baba is You does this perfectly. The tutorial levels at the start teach players the fundamentals without patronizing them. After this, the island's various biomes build on previously established rules with new variables and syntaxes. The first couple puzzles in each of these biomes are nice and simple to communicate how the new concepts work, but before you know it, they become mind-bogglingly difficult.
Yet despite the intense difficulty, I had a hard time putting down Baba is You. For one, the game always provides multiple different puzzles for you to solve at any time, nor are you required to solve every puzzle in an area to move on. Not only did this take the sting out of being stuck on certain puzzles, but looking at other puzzles sometimes gave me a solution idea for previous ones. Eventually, I took the mental struggle as an opportunity to see difficult puzzles in new ways, leading to countless eureka moments.
The exception to this was after I dove into the game’s deeper secrets. I enjoyed a few of these endgame puzzles, but I doubt I’m smart enough to complete most of them without a guide. I’m glad they exist though. It shows the developer still had fresh ideas when most games of this type would have run their course.
Hempuli is truly an expert at creating puzzles. He has described his design process as thinking of a cool or amusing solution and then reverse-engineering the puzzle so players must discover said solution. Most of my attempts to brute-force solutions led nowhere or only helped me solve part of the puzzle. This means solving a puzzle requires true comprehension of an idea, which the game has in spades. For its originality, razor-sharp design, and eureka moments that are as funny as they are uplifting, Baba is You should be played by all gamers at least once.
Yet despite the intense difficulty, I had a hard time putting down Baba is You. For one, the game always provides multiple different puzzles for you to solve at any time, nor are you required to solve every puzzle in an area to move on. Not only did this take the sting out of being stuck on certain puzzles, but looking at other puzzles sometimes gave me a solution idea for previous ones. Eventually, I took the mental struggle as an opportunity to see difficult puzzles in new ways, leading to countless eureka moments.
The exception to this was after I dove into the game’s deeper secrets. I enjoyed a few of these endgame puzzles, but I doubt I’m smart enough to complete most of them without a guide. I’m glad they exist though. It shows the developer still had fresh ideas when most games of this type would have run their course.
Hempuli is truly an expert at creating puzzles. He has described his design process as thinking of a cool or amusing solution and then reverse-engineering the puzzle so players must discover said solution. Most of my attempts to brute-force solutions led nowhere or only helped me solve part of the puzzle. This means solving a puzzle requires true comprehension of an idea, which the game has in spades. For its originality, razor-sharp design, and eureka moments that are as funny as they are uplifting, Baba is You should be played by all gamers at least once.