Gandheezy22
2023
I would like to score this game higher, but I can't think of a lot of other games that have outstayed their welcome this much. Humanity is a brilliant study of the evolution of humankind from a thought to a society, and it is very impressive in how it ropes together the themes of what makes us human with the designs of the puzzles.
Unfortunately, and I'm not exaggerating, this 15-hour game is 10 hours too long. I get it. You don't have to hammer in the same point 13 times before letting us move on to the next stage of humanity; Just two or three would have sufficed. I am exhausted and tired and wish to never look at this game again. At the same time it was extremely thought-provoking, and the readiness of the hint system is a must for people like me who are very stupid. I would also like to clarify there is no way I would have made it more than 2 or 3 hours into this game without the hints . It feels absolutely impossible at times.
I actually think if this was about a third of the length it is it might be on par with Portal - however I don't know that I fully recommend this game. It is truly genius in its design and the ending had me almost tearing up as humans were finally created, but also more than half the puzzles in this game could have easily been scrapped without changing a single thing about the quality or narrative. So a reluctant hurrah for this one, and let's move on.
Unfortunately, and I'm not exaggerating, this 15-hour game is 10 hours too long. I get it. You don't have to hammer in the same point 13 times before letting us move on to the next stage of humanity; Just two or three would have sufficed. I am exhausted and tired and wish to never look at this game again. At the same time it was extremely thought-provoking, and the readiness of the hint system is a must for people like me who are very stupid. I would also like to clarify there is no way I would have made it more than 2 or 3 hours into this game without the hints . It feels absolutely impossible at times.
I actually think if this was about a third of the length it is it might be on par with Portal - however I don't know that I fully recommend this game. It is truly genius in its design and the ending had me almost tearing up as humans were finally created, but also more than half the puzzles in this game could have easily been scrapped without changing a single thing about the quality or narrative. So a reluctant hurrah for this one, and let's move on.
2024
Full review here: https://gameluster.com/botany-manor-review-a-garden-to-root-for/
There are times when I think Botany Manor asks too much of its players in terms of brainpower, and a few more hints and more easily manageable clues would have made a huge difference. However, I had an amazing time regardless learning about a litany of plants too fantastic to be real, and feeling the ultimate satisfaction of figuring out the solution and then executing it perfectly.
Botany Manor will be on Game Pass day one as well as for purchase, which is a huge get. Fans of escape room-like puzzles, gardening, and especially fans of both will no doubt fall in love with all the manor has to offer. The narrative is satisfying and paced extremely well, and I completed Botany Manor with a genuine smile on my face. And now, it is time to tend to my few real plants, and maybe try and replant those geraniums. After all, won’t it feel nice to help guide new life into this world?
There are times when I think Botany Manor asks too much of its players in terms of brainpower, and a few more hints and more easily manageable clues would have made a huge difference. However, I had an amazing time regardless learning about a litany of plants too fantastic to be real, and feeling the ultimate satisfaction of figuring out the solution and then executing it perfectly.
Botany Manor will be on Game Pass day one as well as for purchase, which is a huge get. Fans of escape room-like puzzles, gardening, and especially fans of both will no doubt fall in love with all the manor has to offer. The narrative is satisfying and paced extremely well, and I completed Botany Manor with a genuine smile on my face. And now, it is time to tend to my few real plants, and maybe try and replant those geraniums. After all, won’t it feel nice to help guide new life into this world?
2024
Despite The hand painted art being some of the most beautiful I've seen in a video game ever, and honestly it looks even better in motion, this game features some of the most miserable platforming and poorly designed puzzles I can remember. It is legitimately awful to play and spouts nonsense at the player, shaming them for killing the creatures that they meet despite that being the only way to progress through the game. I'm just very tired of getting yelled at for playing the video game I'm playing by that video game. No more please. I'm tired, boss.
I'm starting to suspect this might not be the final fantasy
2024
"Ma'am, I'm afraid you've got a severe case of Neighbor Door. You're gonna want to see a doctor for that."
Lazarus Herst? More like Lazarus worst
Excerpt of full review: https://gameluster.com/?p=101209&preview=true
When you’ve been in the video game review business for over four years, as I have, it’s hard not to compare a game you’re reviewing to other games you’ve played. It’s something I try (and usually fail) to avoid, because ultimately my goal is to inform you, the reader, if the game in question is worth your valuable time and hard-earned money. So, sometimes that means saying a new game is like Dark Souls meets The Legend of Zelda; if only someone would be brave enough to be inspired by these games! So here I am, hat in hand, unable to find a way to succinctly tell you about Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth purely by its own merits. Infinite Wealth is a love letter to the entire medium of video games.
The latest entry in the Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series is at once fifteen other games you’ve already played, but better, carefully sewn into one of the best games I have ever had the joy of playing. But even ignoring all that, Infinite Wealth stands on its own story and gameplay among the best RPGs ever. I also don’t want to bury the lede here – ignore the pulse-pounding narrative, intelligent mechanics, amazing graphics, and best-in-class music for a moment. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is fun.
With no repeating quests or grinding, it’s over 70 hours long – there’s just that much game to play. I’m so excited for players to discover what it has to offer; perhaps both the best story and combat in video games. That said, I want to make an earnest recommendation to play Yakuza: Like a Dragon before dipping into Infinite Wealth; you will not be able to follow the story otherwise. It happens to be one of the best games of all time too, so that’s just a bonus for you. I am simultaneously awestruck, confused, and enamored with what RGG has done with Infinite Wealth. With gameplay this good, a narrative this gripping, and punches that will hit you straight in the heart, this is the apex of gaming as I know it. Echoing Kiryu and Ichiban’s struggles, Infinite Wealth keeps one eye firmly focused on gaming’s past, with the other on a bright horizon for its future.
When you’ve been in the video game review business for over four years, as I have, it’s hard not to compare a game you’re reviewing to other games you’ve played. It’s something I try (and usually fail) to avoid, because ultimately my goal is to inform you, the reader, if the game in question is worth your valuable time and hard-earned money. So, sometimes that means saying a new game is like Dark Souls meets The Legend of Zelda; if only someone would be brave enough to be inspired by these games! So here I am, hat in hand, unable to find a way to succinctly tell you about Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth purely by its own merits. Infinite Wealth is a love letter to the entire medium of video games.
The latest entry in the Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series is at once fifteen other games you’ve already played, but better, carefully sewn into one of the best games I have ever had the joy of playing. But even ignoring all that, Infinite Wealth stands on its own story and gameplay among the best RPGs ever. I also don’t want to bury the lede here – ignore the pulse-pounding narrative, intelligent mechanics, amazing graphics, and best-in-class music for a moment. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is fun.
With no repeating quests or grinding, it’s over 70 hours long – there’s just that much game to play. I’m so excited for players to discover what it has to offer; perhaps both the best story and combat in video games. That said, I want to make an earnest recommendation to play Yakuza: Like a Dragon before dipping into Infinite Wealth; you will not be able to follow the story otherwise. It happens to be one of the best games of all time too, so that’s just a bonus for you. I am simultaneously awestruck, confused, and enamored with what RGG has done with Infinite Wealth. With gameplay this good, a narrative this gripping, and punches that will hit you straight in the heart, this is the apex of gaming as I know it. Echoing Kiryu and Ichiban’s struggles, Infinite Wealth keeps one eye firmly focused on gaming’s past, with the other on a bright horizon for its future.
I am so disappointed in this game. I really was hoping for something in the vein of Little Nightmares based on reviews, but this is some of the worst platforming and jankiest controls I've ever felt. The story wasn't compelling, the monsters were largely boring, most of the environments are boring, and your character moves so slowly through huge environments it's tough not to tear out your hair. Also features three of the worst boss fights I can remember experiencing in the last few years. I really liked the art and loved the music, however, which saved the whole thing from being a complete waste of time. Don't recommend.
Great gameplay, fantastic tech, and amazing music is hampered yet again by a story that constantly drags, protagonists that act irrationally, and a game that forces you to kill people berating you for killing people. On top of that, Asobo can't seem to land an ending to save their lives, but I had a great time along the way.
2023
A snooping maid stumbles upon the secrets of her guests while casually rifling through their belongings and must solve a murder in a 50s noir upscale Montreal hotel - you got me on the aesthetic alone. We had a great time using deductive reasoning, figuring out the puzzles, and cracking codes while discussing our many, many incorrect theories. I highly recommend you play this with a friend. However, some of the puzzles are a bit too obtuse and we needed to consult a guide, and I found the answers very unintuitive. I also was a bit dissatisfied with the bad ending we got, and after looking at all the dozens of decisions we'd have needed to make to reach the good ending I'm confident it's impossible without a guide. The story is great tho, and the voice acting as well. I love the art, the music, and style of the whole presentation. Highly recommend to anyone seeking a good old fashioned mystery that actually tests your brain.
2023
My brother and I used to mess around with Pikmin as kids, and I always loved the little guys, but I think I was not prepared for the level of challenge it brings when I was 8 years old - I'm not sure we got past the second world. Pikmin 3 is one of my favorite games of all time, and Pikmin 4 is not far behind, so I thought I'd head back to the roots of this franchise now that they've made their way to Switch.
Pikmin is held back only by the AI, which I am sure is the best we had available back in 2001. The fact that you can effectively control 100 soldiers on a map for an RTS game with a controller was already a miracle. Pikmin 1 is best described as a well-executed proof of concept - over time, this basic idea blossomed into a masterpiece in later titles. I was thoroughly addicted and stuck to the screen for the 8 hour adventure, looking for new strats and racing the clock to retrieve all my rocket parts. I'm so glad this game exists and existed when it did, and it holds up quite well on its own.
Pikmin 1 is brutal and tests your survival abilities in a way that has faded out of the series, and it's something I think I can live without. The racing clock is stressful, with the threat of permadeath looming over you, but I managed to escape with all 30 parts on day 28 due to careful planning and knowing when to replay the day once or twice (or eight times). I wish the Pikmin were smart enough not to constantly drown themselves, or know when to pick up items, or even know the shortest way back to camp, or understand they can't dive into pits of fire, but that's just life innit. It's interesting to see how Pikmin evolved in this game from mindless, expendable drones that you're expected to lose hundreds of to cherished friends you'll die protecting in Pikmin 4. I can't wait for Pikmin 2! Coming soon.
Pikmin is held back only by the AI, which I am sure is the best we had available back in 2001. The fact that you can effectively control 100 soldiers on a map for an RTS game with a controller was already a miracle. Pikmin 1 is best described as a well-executed proof of concept - over time, this basic idea blossomed into a masterpiece in later titles. I was thoroughly addicted and stuck to the screen for the 8 hour adventure, looking for new strats and racing the clock to retrieve all my rocket parts. I'm so glad this game exists and existed when it did, and it holds up quite well on its own.
Pikmin 1 is brutal and tests your survival abilities in a way that has faded out of the series, and it's something I think I can live without. The racing clock is stressful, with the threat of permadeath looming over you, but I managed to escape with all 30 parts on day 28 due to careful planning and knowing when to replay the day once or twice (or eight times). I wish the Pikmin were smart enough not to constantly drown themselves, or know when to pick up items, or even know the shortest way back to camp, or understand they can't dive into pits of fire, but that's just life innit. It's interesting to see how Pikmin evolved in this game from mindless, expendable drones that you're expected to lose hundreds of to cherished friends you'll die protecting in Pikmin 4. I can't wait for Pikmin 2! Coming soon.
2020
I was in a strange head space and was looking for something that just me just explore a world that was weird without meaning and explanation, and talk to some weird people. I got exactly what I wanted from this game. It feels similar in tone to Majora's Mask where none of it is really scary, it just is so weird you're not sure what to make of it. Had a great time and my only comment is please alter the UI of the save/load screen, I loaded over my own save several times and lost a lot of progress.
Dredge was and still is my favorite indie game of the year, but this new DLC was pretty disappointing in comparison. I 100% completed this new area in less than two hours, but the lack of scares and interesting narrative bothered me more than the lack of content. I would probably recommend waiting until all the expansion are out to revisit Dredge, because I finished this in one sitting before my tea got cold and was left feeling a little disappointed. I still enjoyed The Pale Reach, but if I had to rank every island in Dredge this one would be dead last.
2023
Enjoy the Diner is whimsical, brutal, existential, confusing, strange, and comforting all at once. It's a lot of emotions to pack into 3 hours, but hey, there's a soda fountain, and that's nice.
This review contains spoilers
This is maybe the best narrative adaptation of the Spider-Man comics source material I've ever seen. Spider-Man is also extremely precious to my heart and I kind of tend to overjudge and over criticize some of the narrative stuff but this one blew me away. However I don't feel that it necessarily integrated into the gameplay the right way.
I think the venom enemies everywhere was a dumb mistake and I hated fighting them, because even though the attacks were reskinned they are the same enemies I've been fighting the whole time but it's just a glob instead of a big electric sword. I think some of the boss fights were also way too long, and I'm also unhappy with how some of the bosses I don't believe telegraph their attacks making them unblockable for me. But then some of the boss fights were like I'm going to remember this forever, scream was definitely my favorite. And that dialogue between Peter and MJ during that whole thing was heart-wrenching. I don't like any of the collectible stuff they set up in the city, I tried every single thing and I did one of each thing and never did another thing again. Like who tf can be bothered. I hate the collectibles so much.
I was blown away by how they did venom taking over Harry and integrated that into the plot about him being sick, it makes so much sense, and it was cool to play as venom for a little bit - That took me by complete surprise. I feel like the symbiote taking over everybody in the city makes me care a lot less about what it's doing to Harry though. And I know it's there because they want to give you new monsters to fight.
I liked the venom fight at the end but I also don't feel like they paced it properly and they actually had a cutscene deliver the final blow? I don't know that really dissatisfied me even though the fight itself was great. I know this is something that probably won't matter to most people but I feel like having Miles do the final part of the fight with venom takes a lot of the oomph out of it narratively. Like I know Peter does deliver that final blow in the cutscene like he should but it's been 45 minutes since you've played as him by that time
MJ sections were a lot better than the last game but I still didn't really like them, and when it turned into a third person shooter at the end I was just like what the hell are we doing here. I don't like this and I don't feel like it jives with the rest of the gameplay at all.
I also feel like having first Harry and then MJ fall victim to the symbiote, only after fighting scream you would watch that the entire world is beginning to be covered in the venom vines and would rush to stop him then. I think having all these goons around town doing random crimes as venom minions is kind of garbage to that narrative thread.
Overall better than the first but still basically plagued with every issue every other Sony game suffers from.
I think the venom enemies everywhere was a dumb mistake and I hated fighting them, because even though the attacks were reskinned they are the same enemies I've been fighting the whole time but it's just a glob instead of a big electric sword. I think some of the boss fights were also way too long, and I'm also unhappy with how some of the bosses I don't believe telegraph their attacks making them unblockable for me. But then some of the boss fights were like I'm going to remember this forever, scream was definitely my favorite. And that dialogue between Peter and MJ during that whole thing was heart-wrenching. I don't like any of the collectible stuff they set up in the city, I tried every single thing and I did one of each thing and never did another thing again. Like who tf can be bothered. I hate the collectibles so much.
I was blown away by how they did venom taking over Harry and integrated that into the plot about him being sick, it makes so much sense, and it was cool to play as venom for a little bit - That took me by complete surprise. I feel like the symbiote taking over everybody in the city makes me care a lot less about what it's doing to Harry though. And I know it's there because they want to give you new monsters to fight.
I liked the venom fight at the end but I also don't feel like they paced it properly and they actually had a cutscene deliver the final blow? I don't know that really dissatisfied me even though the fight itself was great. I know this is something that probably won't matter to most people but I feel like having Miles do the final part of the fight with venom takes a lot of the oomph out of it narratively. Like I know Peter does deliver that final blow in the cutscene like he should but it's been 45 minutes since you've played as him by that time
MJ sections were a lot better than the last game but I still didn't really like them, and when it turned into a third person shooter at the end I was just like what the hell are we doing here. I don't like this and I don't feel like it jives with the rest of the gameplay at all.
I also feel like having first Harry and then MJ fall victim to the symbiote, only after fighting scream you would watch that the entire world is beginning to be covered in the venom vines and would rush to stop him then. I think having all these goons around town doing random crimes as venom minions is kind of garbage to that narrative thread.
Overall better than the first but still basically plagued with every issue every other Sony game suffers from.