Exellock
Easily one of the greatest games in all of Megaten.
Gameplay-wise, this is easily the best of any of the first person SMT's, and everything from the Story, characters, themes, music, atmosphere, it is all incredible.
Gameplay-wise, this is easily the best of any of the first person SMT's, and everything from the Story, characters, themes, music, atmosphere, it is all incredible.
2007
>Random-ass hobo track driver gets into town.
>Takes any random object in his vicinity.
>Beats up Satan.
>Leaves.
Truly, we have entered the era of American made Silent Hill games.
>Takes any random object in his vicinity.
>Beats up Satan.
>Leaves.
Truly, we have entered the era of American made Silent Hill games.
Easily, the best written Visual Novel I have ever played, every single character arc is so perfectly executed to near perfection, the mystery solving is fun, the music is banging, this is without a doubt one of my absolute favorite games of all time, and it's not even finished!
1992
You know, for a first entry it's pretty neato.
I feel like the short length would've been a pretty big detracting factor back in the day when you actually had to like, PAY to play this crud, but nowadays it's kind just neato being able to get through this whole shindig in like 20 minutes and say that you've experienced Kirby history.
The game is obviously simple but still pretty fun, I like how it really feels like you're on a quest to Dedede's castle rather then just going through a bunch of random levels just because, enemies and bosses are creative, music is iconic, and extra mode gives some fun replay value.
Not much inherently wrong with this one, but also not much that will make you shit your pants from excitement.
I feel like the short length would've been a pretty big detracting factor back in the day when you actually had to like, PAY to play this crud, but nowadays it's kind just neato being able to get through this whole shindig in like 20 minutes and say that you've experienced Kirby history.
The game is obviously simple but still pretty fun, I like how it really feels like you're on a quest to Dedede's castle rather then just going through a bunch of random levels just because, enemies and bosses are creative, music is iconic, and extra mode gives some fun replay value.
Not much inherently wrong with this one, but also not much that will make you shit your pants from excitement.
2003
A completely unhinged and purely unfiltered artistic vision
The gameplay, sucked. Like the onground combat was just NOT fun, yet despite that, I can't really bring myself to dislike this, it was just such an interesting experience with some bold plotpoints
The gameplay, sucked. Like the onground combat was just NOT fun, yet despite that, I can't really bring myself to dislike this, it was just such an interesting experience with some bold plotpoints
This review contains spoilers
The first Ace Attorney title is really as iconic as it gets for me, right off the bat from the first case, the formula is just captivating, there's not much in gaming like the feeling of finding a contradiction in Ace Attorney, and this title has a lot of really clever ones. It’s supported by some great spritework and a banger soundtrack, though I do think compared to most of the series’ later titles, the OST here is a tad overrated, it’s still nevertheless really great
The First Turnabout's story is really not much to write home about storywise, but IMO it does a fantastic job at introducing you to the game’s world, the character relationships, and its rules.
Turnabout Sisters continues on this trajectory, expanding with new characters and mechanics. I do feel like the case itself though is the game’s weakest one though, it’s not “bad” but some moments like the finale feel a tad rashed, though I do enjoy just how pathetic Red White ends up being on the stand, and that he’s taken down via blackmailing him, seeing as how he basically built his whole empire off of blackmail. Of course Mia comes back here via Maya channeling her, and in general I’m not really a fan of supernatural elements like spirit channeling in this series, I tend to prefer Ace Attorney when its rules are more grounded in reality.
Turnabout Samurai is a really underrated one I feel, it lets us see a lot more sides of Wright, Maya, Edgeworth, and Gumshoe, while also having a really cool setting with Global studios, and a surprisingly dark bittersweet conclusion, I like how it’s kept kinda vague whether Jack Hammer actually killed his co-star Manuel, it’s never outright stated, but we do know that he would have it in him seeing as he planned on killing, Vasquez, who is also a really unique villain for this series. The fact that the crime was done in self defense means that, realistically, she could’ve gone out of it with not much reciprocation, but seeing as she had dark ties and secrets, it makes sense she’d rather not get her hands dirty, even if by trying to pin the crime on Powers, she ended up burying her own grave landing her presumably a far worse sentence. Powers is also a pretty standout defendant I feel, this is the first case in the game where it doesn’t spoil who the culprit is in the intro, so I feel a lot of first time players might’ve actually suspected Powers guilty, but throughout the case you slowly form a bit of a bond with the guy and realize he’s kinda just a really nice chill dude, which really highlights the idea of the trust between defense attorney and defendant. Really if it wasn’t for the annoying side characters and long-winded investigation segments, I think this could’ve gone out as an all time classic, albeit a simple one.
Turnabout Goodbyes then IS very much an all time classic though, it starts off with a great fake out depicting the events of the crime in a way that makes it seem as if Edgeworth was the culprit, seeing as the game revealed its killers ahead of time in the first 2 cases, it’s fair to assume most thought at this moments that Edgeworth WOULD be the final culprit, but it’s then subverted when you learn that he’s actually the defendant, allowing him and wright to bond more as the game delves into their past. Edgeworth is easily my favorite character in the series, and one of my favorites ever actually, and he gets a ton of great development here, and the game portrayed his clear emotional turmoil very well, also love how Gumshoe goes from being really rude towards wright at the beginning, to them working together a lot here, their bond is really nice and Gumshoe is also just inherently very likable. I really enjoy a lot of the smaller flourishes here like the mystery of Gourdy that gets thrown into the mix, I know some people don’t really like that weird side stuff, but idk I think needing to solve smaller riddles on the road to eventually solve the whole case is really satisfying, and it also lead to a lot of funny moments. Ace Attorney’s sense of humor has always been one I really enjoyed, and the jokes here like Gumshoe’s secret weapons and cross examining the parrot are great. Edgeworth’s story ties in with the culprit’s tragic past really well, and the game having an asshole defense attorney as the victim here does a good job with making it clear that both sides of the law can be corrupt. The series definitely throw all its eggs in one basket with Von Karma here, having wright take down this legendary prosecutor who never lost a case THIS early on in the series feels kinda odd, even if to be fair Phoenix got INSANELY lucky here. Von Karma being tied to the crime feels a tad contrived, but I don’t really mind seeing as he’s a really fun villain, the main thing that kinda bothers me though is that Von Karma didn’t really have a clear motive to set this whole thing up, feel like that should've been fleshed out a bit more, but other then that this is a really fun one
Finally there’s Rise From the Ashes, which feels a bit weird to talk about alongside the rest of the game seeing as it was a later inclusion. This case is pretty notorious for its slow pacing, and yeah the beginning segments can kinda drag, but honestly as someone who’s been able to bear with some REAL long Visual Novels, it never bothered me all too much, seeing as what it sets up later pays off with some REAL fantastic stuff, Damon Gant is iconic for a reason, he’s not particularly deep in any way, but as a villain he’s really intimidating, and fun to eventually take down. I know a lot of people don’t really fuck with the DS gimmick segments, but idk I still kinda find them novel, and the security tape during the second trial leads to a lot of really fun contradictions. The case adds a lot of fun new characters (and also Meekins), the new music is some of the best in the game, the story is really interesting and well thought out. Really if you overlook the pacing, I do think there’s a ton to love here.
At the end of the day, yeah Ace Attorney 1’s a really fun time! It doesn’t reach the complex and/or emotional highs of most of its sequels and spin-offs, but it still does a fantastic job at introducing new players into this fantastic universe.
The First Turnabout's story is really not much to write home about storywise, but IMO it does a fantastic job at introducing you to the game’s world, the character relationships, and its rules.
Turnabout Sisters continues on this trajectory, expanding with new characters and mechanics. I do feel like the case itself though is the game’s weakest one though, it’s not “bad” but some moments like the finale feel a tad rashed, though I do enjoy just how pathetic Red White ends up being on the stand, and that he’s taken down via blackmailing him, seeing as how he basically built his whole empire off of blackmail. Of course Mia comes back here via Maya channeling her, and in general I’m not really a fan of supernatural elements like spirit channeling in this series, I tend to prefer Ace Attorney when its rules are more grounded in reality.
Turnabout Samurai is a really underrated one I feel, it lets us see a lot more sides of Wright, Maya, Edgeworth, and Gumshoe, while also having a really cool setting with Global studios, and a surprisingly dark bittersweet conclusion, I like how it’s kept kinda vague whether Jack Hammer actually killed his co-star Manuel, it’s never outright stated, but we do know that he would have it in him seeing as he planned on killing, Vasquez, who is also a really unique villain for this series. The fact that the crime was done in self defense means that, realistically, she could’ve gone out of it with not much reciprocation, but seeing as she had dark ties and secrets, it makes sense she’d rather not get her hands dirty, even if by trying to pin the crime on Powers, she ended up burying her own grave landing her presumably a far worse sentence. Powers is also a pretty standout defendant I feel, this is the first case in the game where it doesn’t spoil who the culprit is in the intro, so I feel a lot of first time players might’ve actually suspected Powers guilty, but throughout the case you slowly form a bit of a bond with the guy and realize he’s kinda just a really nice chill dude, which really highlights the idea of the trust between defense attorney and defendant. Really if it wasn’t for the annoying side characters and long-winded investigation segments, I think this could’ve gone out as an all time classic, albeit a simple one.
Turnabout Goodbyes then IS very much an all time classic though, it starts off with a great fake out depicting the events of the crime in a way that makes it seem as if Edgeworth was the culprit, seeing as the game revealed its killers ahead of time in the first 2 cases, it’s fair to assume most thought at this moments that Edgeworth WOULD be the final culprit, but it’s then subverted when you learn that he’s actually the defendant, allowing him and wright to bond more as the game delves into their past. Edgeworth is easily my favorite character in the series, and one of my favorites ever actually, and he gets a ton of great development here, and the game portrayed his clear emotional turmoil very well, also love how Gumshoe goes from being really rude towards wright at the beginning, to them working together a lot here, their bond is really nice and Gumshoe is also just inherently very likable. I really enjoy a lot of the smaller flourishes here like the mystery of Gourdy that gets thrown into the mix, I know some people don’t really like that weird side stuff, but idk I think needing to solve smaller riddles on the road to eventually solve the whole case is really satisfying, and it also lead to a lot of funny moments. Ace Attorney’s sense of humor has always been one I really enjoyed, and the jokes here like Gumshoe’s secret weapons and cross examining the parrot are great. Edgeworth’s story ties in with the culprit’s tragic past really well, and the game having an asshole defense attorney as the victim here does a good job with making it clear that both sides of the law can be corrupt. The series definitely throw all its eggs in one basket with Von Karma here, having wright take down this legendary prosecutor who never lost a case THIS early on in the series feels kinda odd, even if to be fair Phoenix got INSANELY lucky here. Von Karma being tied to the crime feels a tad contrived, but I don’t really mind seeing as he’s a really fun villain, the main thing that kinda bothers me though is that Von Karma didn’t really have a clear motive to set this whole thing up, feel like that should've been fleshed out a bit more, but other then that this is a really fun one
Finally there’s Rise From the Ashes, which feels a bit weird to talk about alongside the rest of the game seeing as it was a later inclusion. This case is pretty notorious for its slow pacing, and yeah the beginning segments can kinda drag, but honestly as someone who’s been able to bear with some REAL long Visual Novels, it never bothered me all too much, seeing as what it sets up later pays off with some REAL fantastic stuff, Damon Gant is iconic for a reason, he’s not particularly deep in any way, but as a villain he’s really intimidating, and fun to eventually take down. I know a lot of people don’t really fuck with the DS gimmick segments, but idk I still kinda find them novel, and the security tape during the second trial leads to a lot of really fun contradictions. The case adds a lot of fun new characters (and also Meekins), the new music is some of the best in the game, the story is really interesting and well thought out. Really if you overlook the pacing, I do think there’s a ton to love here.
At the end of the day, yeah Ace Attorney 1’s a really fun time! It doesn’t reach the complex and/or emotional highs of most of its sequels and spin-offs, but it still does a fantastic job at introducing new players into this fantastic universe.
2008
This is what happens when your father finally comes back home with the milk
I should preface this by saying that I wasn't that much of a fan of the original AI game, while fundamentally solid, I just found most of what it did really annoying and boring, despite most people seeming to love it.
With that being said, I was hesitant coming into Nirvana Initiative, knowing it has a far more mixed reputation, yet somehow, this ended up being my favorite Uchikoshi game SINCE the original 999.
On paper, NI does a lot of stuff I didn't like about the first game, it has some cringy horny writing, and it falls into a lot of similar plot trappings, yet I think the thing that made this one stick with me a lot more is the FAR better cast of characters. In AI 1, I only really liked Aiba and Mizuki, and couldn't stand a lot of the folks like Ota and Iris, who are still in NI, but play a far smaller role.
On paper, characters like lien and Tama should be really annoying to me, yet there's something about them that just made them really enduring, to the point where I did end up feeling for them during some scenes. Not every new character is a winner, but a very solid amount of them are.
Other then that, I also think I preferred the faster pacing, and found the plot to be a lot more interesting, though this is where I think I can see why a lotta folks don't dig this one as much as the first.
AI 1 has one of the tamer "uchikoshi mindfucks" but NI has one of the most extreme. I personally thought it was really neat on reveal, but looking back, I can see why so many think it's total BS, and on top of that, for people who DID really like the first game, this one does kinda shit over a lot of what it did with its characters and retcons. Now thankfully I DIDN'T care for them, so that stuff didn't bother me much, but I can see how it would be a total dealbreaker for many.
At the end of the day, It's kinda hard for me to explain just why I liked this one so much more then AI 1, I guess something with it just happened to click in the way that one didn't. It repeats a lot of the same stuff the first game did even, to a bit of an excessive degree. But while I was rolling my eyes during the credits of AI: The Somnium Files, in Nirvana Initiative, I just had a dumb smile plastered over my face throughout.
With that being said, I was hesitant coming into Nirvana Initiative, knowing it has a far more mixed reputation, yet somehow, this ended up being my favorite Uchikoshi game SINCE the original 999.
On paper, NI does a lot of stuff I didn't like about the first game, it has some cringy horny writing, and it falls into a lot of similar plot trappings, yet I think the thing that made this one stick with me a lot more is the FAR better cast of characters. In AI 1, I only really liked Aiba and Mizuki, and couldn't stand a lot of the folks like Ota and Iris, who are still in NI, but play a far smaller role.
On paper, characters like lien and Tama should be really annoying to me, yet there's something about them that just made them really enduring, to the point where I did end up feeling for them during some scenes. Not every new character is a winner, but a very solid amount of them are.
Other then that, I also think I preferred the faster pacing, and found the plot to be a lot more interesting, though this is where I think I can see why a lotta folks don't dig this one as much as the first.
AI 1 has one of the tamer "uchikoshi mindfucks" but NI has one of the most extreme. I personally thought it was really neat on reveal, but looking back, I can see why so many think it's total BS, and on top of that, for people who DID really like the first game, this one does kinda shit over a lot of what it did with its characters and retcons. Now thankfully I DIDN'T care for them, so that stuff didn't bother me much, but I can see how it would be a total dealbreaker for many.
At the end of the day, It's kinda hard for me to explain just why I liked this one so much more then AI 1, I guess something with it just happened to click in the way that one didn't. It repeats a lot of the same stuff the first game did even, to a bit of an excessive degree. But while I was rolling my eyes during the credits of AI: The Somnium Files, in Nirvana Initiative, I just had a dumb smile plastered over my face throughout.
2021
Yeah, I pretty much agree with most folks' issues with this one unfortunately, though I do feel this has some strong points like the music and gameplay, had a decently fun time with it overall, Even if it is very clearly unfinished
2007
Was insanely cool getting to finally experience this, it's pretty much the same as the original GBA game, but with a few harder versions of the first 6 levels.
A really cool novelty!
A really cool novelty!
1994
A bit overrated IMO, it's good, but not the "hidden masterpiece" every Nintendo Youtuber makes it out to be
One of the most incel ass incel games ever created
2006
Absolutely incredible JRPG, by far the best of the Mother trilogy, has some incredible atmosphere, music, a great battle system, and so many memorable moments ranging from funny, to heartbreaking
For the most part, this is kinda just a boring generic old school JRPG, I sorta had some fun with it, but it was also kinda brainless. I did sorta like how freaking BONKERS it got by the end, with you just randomly killing every god known to man.
Kinda short and easy compared to the first game, but it was really fun to just plow through it with the new abilities, overall was a bit more fun, even if the story isn’t really as funny the second time around