Giloplayz
Not really for me but should probably try it out more.
2020
This review contains spoilers
Aside from the Wind Waker remake, this is the best looking game on the Wii U and I believe the best game on the console (BOTW does not count).
It's sound design is exceptionally dynamic and should be the golden standard for every Nintendo release. it ranges from simply effective techniques like instrumentation and tempo changes for every hour of the day and peculiarly polyrhythmic drum patterns during combat that accent attacks, to the constantly shifting boss patterns with their somehow functional time signatures. It's music like this that separates games from any other media as it can feel as if a live band is reacting to your every move and its sensational.
A first playthrough might appear linear but returning to previous areas with new varieties of sentient carrot opens up massive areas you never knew existed. Entirely optional but massively rewarding to 100% with some brilliant puzzles and secrets you could entirely miss if not paying attention.
It's short and the story is incredibly simple, if quite charming (all cutscenes are quickly skippable so not to worry on replay), but both of these work in its favour. If this game overstayed its welcome or was crammed with more collectibles than it needed to be, it'd feel stressful like any of the other real-time strategy games that inspired this series. I've never enjoyed that genre since they're often militaristically uninspired and drab, even advance wars fell a bit flat for me. This game is special as while its predecessors parodied this genre by being undeniably zany, the 3rd instalment is pure zen. A garden of Eden in which you are the gardener, with just enough time pressure to keep you out of boredom and constantly productive.
Which brings me to the final stage. What the fuck is this doing in my cute game about carrots? To be clear, I do mean this in the best possible way. This encounter is alien and off-putting, which in a game that's been mostly all rainbows and butterflies, feels absolutely terrifying. Challenging too. Other than the boss previous to this one, I never really struggled in this game, though difficulty does steadily progress. That is until what seems at first like a relatively small dungeon begins to take you several days and armies to complete, all while being endlessly pursued by an unknown entity. If it was a boss in another game it would make sense. But placed in this, it's almost traumatising.
While I can be left wanting a tiny bit more from this, that's only because it is so utterly perfect at everything it sets out to do.
This review is way too long for this game. I could've returned to its picturesque gardens again in this time instead... so I shall.
It's sound design is exceptionally dynamic and should be the golden standard for every Nintendo release. it ranges from simply effective techniques like instrumentation and tempo changes for every hour of the day and peculiarly polyrhythmic drum patterns during combat that accent attacks, to the constantly shifting boss patterns with their somehow functional time signatures. It's music like this that separates games from any other media as it can feel as if a live band is reacting to your every move and its sensational.
A first playthrough might appear linear but returning to previous areas with new varieties of sentient carrot opens up massive areas you never knew existed. Entirely optional but massively rewarding to 100% with some brilliant puzzles and secrets you could entirely miss if not paying attention.
It's short and the story is incredibly simple, if quite charming (all cutscenes are quickly skippable so not to worry on replay), but both of these work in its favour. If this game overstayed its welcome or was crammed with more collectibles than it needed to be, it'd feel stressful like any of the other real-time strategy games that inspired this series. I've never enjoyed that genre since they're often militaristically uninspired and drab, even advance wars fell a bit flat for me. This game is special as while its predecessors parodied this genre by being undeniably zany, the 3rd instalment is pure zen. A garden of Eden in which you are the gardener, with just enough time pressure to keep you out of boredom and constantly productive.
Which brings me to the final stage. What the fuck is this doing in my cute game about carrots? To be clear, I do mean this in the best possible way. This encounter is alien and off-putting, which in a game that's been mostly all rainbows and butterflies, feels absolutely terrifying. Challenging too. Other than the boss previous to this one, I never really struggled in this game, though difficulty does steadily progress. That is until what seems at first like a relatively small dungeon begins to take you several days and armies to complete, all while being endlessly pursued by an unknown entity. If it was a boss in another game it would make sense. But placed in this, it's almost traumatising.
While I can be left wanting a tiny bit more from this, that's only because it is so utterly perfect at everything it sets out to do.
This review is way too long for this game. I could've returned to its picturesque gardens again in this time instead... so I shall.
2020
More like Neon APISS
seriously though its very mid and quite samey. Doesn't control great, reminds me a bit of a flash game called Nitrome Must Die which is quite frankly more fun and has co-op which this desperately lacks. Go play that instead of wasting money.
seriously though its very mid and quite samey. Doesn't control great, reminds me a bit of a flash game called Nitrome Must Die which is quite frankly more fun and has co-op which this desperately lacks. Go play that instead of wasting money.
2018
I do really and truly enjoy this game and when you realise what's actually at the end of a run you feel so incredibly compelled to get back there. One of the most emotional endings to any game and it inspires you to relive it again and again. Perfectly integrated story and game design. In its favour is that this is by far and away the best written roguelike out there, a genre often completely barren of any semblance of narrative cohesion. Reimagining and recontextualising characters from Greek mythos has been done to death in other media (I really wanted to make a pun and say Medea there), but not video games, other than God of War ofc. So its refreshing to see them actually get pretty creative with it, these would be great characters in any artistic space.
I have to say though its gameplay falls slightly shorter than what I was lead to believe by its critical acclaim. Not a lot, just a little. Runs do become a bit samey and while I could add extra challenges and equip weapons I don't often use, it does not change the fact I am always seeing the same Gods, fighting the same bosses/enemies in the same room layouts, getting the same boons etc.). It could really do with a few more rare surprises to make runs feel unique, because the few it does have such as the various Greek caricatures of each layer and chaos are exemplary
I find the best parts of Hades are when I am not playing it. Instead, taking in the world; chatting at the palace, staring out into the hellscapes' vistas and resting. And once again I will never recover from the ending.
I have to say though its gameplay falls slightly shorter than what I was lead to believe by its critical acclaim. Not a lot, just a little. Runs do become a bit samey and while I could add extra challenges and equip weapons I don't often use, it does not change the fact I am always seeing the same Gods, fighting the same bosses/enemies in the same room layouts, getting the same boons etc.). It could really do with a few more rare surprises to make runs feel unique, because the few it does have such as the various Greek caricatures of each layer and chaos are exemplary
I find the best parts of Hades are when I am not playing it. Instead, taking in the world; chatting at the palace, staring out into the hellscapes' vistas and resting. And once again I will never recover from the ending.
1997
Duh duh duh duh duh duh duh duh
DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA
DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA DADA
2016
I have no idea what is going on.
Take a tab and play it. Maybe it'll make sense.
Take a tab and play it. Maybe it'll make sense.
2016
I give the porn 5 Stars
game is meh.
game is meh.
2017
This review contains spoilers
I do not typically 100% games because the requirements are often tedious, time consuming and I can lose interest quite quickly after the credits have rolled. It is very difficult to make a game that is genuinely enjoyable to 100%, but I did only beat this game to completion... I beat it to 116% completion! I beat the pantheons. I even beat some of its hardest bosses in steel soul mode. It took my blood sweat and tears but I did it. For one simple reason...
Every single interaction in this game is a chance to learn more about its world and lore, and I fucking love Hallownest. It has my favourite lore and history of any game. Yes the gameplay is excellent, the combat and bosses responsive and risky, the metroidvania world is strategically crafted and genius. It could have a little more tight platforming throughout but the path of pain more than makes up for this.
But all of these incredible aspects are just pieces of something greater that they pail in comparison to. Every one of them has its foundation in the lore. For that reason and that reason alone, I don't believe there will ever be another game that remotely surpasses the painstaking attention to detail of this interactive literary artwork.
Except maybe when silk song comes out in 50 years.
Every single interaction in this game is a chance to learn more about its world and lore, and I fucking love Hallownest. It has my favourite lore and history of any game. Yes the gameplay is excellent, the combat and bosses responsive and risky, the metroidvania world is strategically crafted and genius. It could have a little more tight platforming throughout but the path of pain more than makes up for this.
But all of these incredible aspects are just pieces of something greater that they pail in comparison to. Every one of them has its foundation in the lore. For that reason and that reason alone, I don't believe there will ever be another game that remotely surpasses the painstaking attention to detail of this interactive literary artwork.
Except maybe when silk song comes out in 50 years.
2018
I'll say 2 nice things about this game.
The art style is quite pleasing and locations all evoke a different atmosphere well.
The inventory system is actually very clever as well, especially in a game all about retrieving and selling artifacts. I also like that I can use items in chests at the shop from anywhere in town, very convenient. Shame its not in a better game.
Misleading, unresponsive, unsatisfying and generally not fun.
Moonlighter? More like gas-lighter.
The art style is quite pleasing and locations all evoke a different atmosphere well.
The inventory system is actually very clever as well, especially in a game all about retrieving and selling artifacts. I also like that I can use items in chests at the shop from anywhere in town, very convenient. Shame its not in a better game.
Misleading, unresponsive, unsatisfying and generally not fun.
Moonlighter? More like gas-lighter.
2018
I sincerely wish this game had a little more replay value because I absolutely adore it.
The platforming is harsh and intensely precise but fair in death. Every location is vibrant and interesting in 8 and 16 bit, highlights being the elemental sky garden and the terrifying void area.
My main takeaway from it though was just how absolutely hilarious it can be. Possibly the most I have consistently and genuinely laughed at any game (except maybe Sonic Adventure) while still leaving moments for seriousness, which as a result are far more shocking than they would otherwise be. There is a moment around the middle of the game when you think everything is over that is as surprising as it is darkly comic and it puts a smile on my face just to think about the outburst of laughter that proceeded on my first playthrough. You may know what I mean if you've played this.
I desperately need a sequel to this because if you've seen the jokes once you'll always remember, which I suppose speaks volumes to its writers.
The platforming is harsh and intensely precise but fair in death. Every location is vibrant and interesting in 8 and 16 bit, highlights being the elemental sky garden and the terrifying void area.
My main takeaway from it though was just how absolutely hilarious it can be. Possibly the most I have consistently and genuinely laughed at any game (except maybe Sonic Adventure) while still leaving moments for seriousness, which as a result are far more shocking than they would otherwise be. There is a moment around the middle of the game when you think everything is over that is as surprising as it is darkly comic and it puts a smile on my face just to think about the outburst of laughter that proceeded on my first playthrough. You may know what I mean if you've played this.
I desperately need a sequel to this because if you've seen the jokes once you'll always remember, which I suppose speaks volumes to its writers.
2015
Now this is a game that has REALLY been talked about to death.
As a huge fan of the Mother series, of course I love this game. Who doesn't. But there is one thing I hate. I wish the interned hadn't ruined it as much as it did because I would've loved to have actually found all its secrets and endings for myself. I feel like people online have a better understanding of spoiler culture ever since the unavoidable discourse of this game in 2015, I've found it much easier to avoid Tears of the Kingdom content this year for example.
Thanks for ruining this game for me MatPat/Youtube.
As a huge fan of the Mother series, of course I love this game. Who doesn't. But there is one thing I hate. I wish the interned hadn't ruined it as much as it did because I would've loved to have actually found all its secrets and endings for myself. I feel like people online have a better understanding of spoiler culture ever since the unavoidable discourse of this game in 2015, I've found it much easier to avoid Tears of the Kingdom content this year for example.
Thanks for ruining this game for me MatPat/Youtube.
2013
Similar problems to Dead Cells/ Moonlighter. These types of games with upgrade systems really are not for me as it feels like I am not getting any better at the game only my character is. I will say it comes a hell of a lot closer to being a mashup of a metroidvania/roguelite without even claiming to be one and the castle at least slightly interesting to explore.
Bit bland.
Bit bland.
2013
A bit too old and outclassed by everything it inspired now.
2016
Love the music and story, gameplay overall a bit off though.
2021
I shall return to this when I have a gaming PC that can handle its beauty.