GroovyMatt
This review contains spoilers
Sooo I got to 'that' story moment in episode 2 and erm... yeah.
I absolutely love Assassin's Creed Odyssey. But this first DLC is a bizarre betrayal of your character and the base game's mechanics.
After being given freedom to choose which characters you get together with romantically, and decide the sexual orientation of your character, the DLC forces you into a poorly written hetronormative relationship with a wet blanket, who you then settle down(!) have a baby(!!) with.
It's an absolutely bizarre choice just to try and tie the lineage of your character into that of Origins' characters.
The attempt to retroactively give in-character conversation choices for those who didn't want to pursue the relationship are stilted and slapdash, And I can totally understand the fan outcry over it.
I absolutely love Assassin's Creed Odyssey. But this first DLC is a bizarre betrayal of your character and the base game's mechanics.
After being given freedom to choose which characters you get together with romantically, and decide the sexual orientation of your character, the DLC forces you into a poorly written hetronormative relationship with a wet blanket, who you then settle down(!) have a baby(!!) with.
It's an absolutely bizarre choice just to try and tie the lineage of your character into that of Origins' characters.
The attempt to retroactively give in-character conversation choices for those who didn't want to pursue the relationship are stilted and slapdash, And I can totally understand the fan outcry over it.
🎵And we keep driiiiving into the night
It's a late gooooodbye
Such a late goooooodbyeeeeeeee🎵
It's a late gooooodbye
Such a late goooooodbyeeeeeeee🎵
1997
11 year-old me thought it was the greatest video game in the world and parts of it are forever embedded in my subconscious.
The Dam level. The music. The watch pause screen. Facility multiplayer map. Guns going 'off screen' when you reloaded which at the time was the most realistic thing I'd ever seen. Spamming proximity mines when I played my dad in multiplayer. The weird big head enemies you could find on the snow level. The sound of the silenced pistol. Throwing knives.
I haven't played it since I was at least 14 and I'm not sure I'd want to as I can't imagine time has been kind to a lot of it (things like 'Hold R to stand still and aim' must feel archaic).
But for a brief unrepeatable moment, in time 11 year-old me got to play the greatest video game ever.
The Dam level. The music. The watch pause screen. Facility multiplayer map. Guns going 'off screen' when you reloaded which at the time was the most realistic thing I'd ever seen. Spamming proximity mines when I played my dad in multiplayer. The weird big head enemies you could find on the snow level. The sound of the silenced pistol. Throwing knives.
I haven't played it since I was at least 14 and I'm not sure I'd want to as I can't imagine time has been kind to a lot of it (things like 'Hold R to stand still and aim' must feel archaic).
But for a brief unrepeatable moment, in time 11 year-old me got to play the greatest video game ever.
1994
Looks gorgeous, great soundtrack, lots of creative "let's throw a new gameplay mechanic at you for 1 level".
However it's got a brutal difficulty spike and I only finishes it thanks to the Switch 'pause and rewind' feature on SNES games.
However it's got a brutal difficulty spike and I only finishes it thanks to the Switch 'pause and rewind' feature on SNES games.
2020
The best Nintendo game of 2020.
It's more CONTROL lore, which is good.
But the caves are about a 1000 times less interesting visually than the rest of the Oldest House.
But the caves are about a 1000 times less interesting visually than the rest of the Oldest House.
I liked getting to spend more time with Kassandra (Layla I'm... less sure on) and the size of each expansion - from the new additions to combat to the actual new worlds - was impressive.
However I found myself really trudging through a lot of this. The new enemies/powers start to really stretch the combat to its breaking point, the storylines are 'important' to the meta-story but ultimately kinda pointless at a character level, and I found that, after 150 hours, I'd had enough of the gameplay.
What a great character Kassandra is though, shout out to her voice actor.
However I found myself really trudging through a lot of this. The new enemies/powers start to really stretch the combat to its breaking point, the storylines are 'important' to the meta-story but ultimately kinda pointless at a character level, and I found that, after 150 hours, I'd had enough of the gameplay.
What a great character Kassandra is though, shout out to her voice actor.
Love the music and the backgrounds are gorgeous.
The platforming is good but feels a little bit floaty in some places, and there were several moments where I felt "that's not fair" in a way I didn't in Hollow Knight or Celeste.
I never quite gelled with the combat either, the enemies have an odd rhythm and the button mashing electricity/spirit(?) attack is really unsatisfying.
The platforming is good but feels a little bit floaty in some places, and there were several moments where I felt "that's not fair" in a way I didn't in Hollow Knight or Celeste.
I never quite gelled with the combat either, the enemies have an odd rhythm and the button mashing electricity/spirit(?) attack is really unsatisfying.
The Iki Island content reminded me that
A) the combat in this game is extremely satisfying
B) Sucker Punch have done really solid character work with GoT plot lines with strong 'characters get what they need, not what they want' conclusions.
A) the combat in this game is extremely satisfying
B) Sucker Punch have done really solid character work with GoT plot lines with strong 'characters get what they need, not what they want' conclusions.
Often hilarious, often charming, often heartfelt - the script and voice acting are fantastic. The banter between the characters is never
The location and world designs are wonderful, with a lean towards colourful and fantastical flora and fauna.
Unfortunately the combat lets it down. Conceptually it's a fun idea - controlling the other characters special abilities to emphasise teamwork - but the action is so frantic that pausing to select the right move constantly feels awkward. And instead you end up spamming every character move. It does improve as the game goes on and you unlock more things, but it never quite clicks.
However every other part of the game just absolutely bangs that I can oversee the poor combat.
The location and world designs are wonderful, with a lean towards colourful and fantastical flora and fauna.
Unfortunately the combat lets it down. Conceptually it's a fun idea - controlling the other characters special abilities to emphasise teamwork - but the action is so frantic that pausing to select the right move constantly feels awkward. And instead you end up spamming every character move. It does improve as the game goes on and you unlock more things, but it never quite clicks.
However every other part of the game just absolutely bangs that I can oversee the poor combat.
It's a 'Good but...' game.
Looks great, an interesting melancholy story, & combat feels good (on Easy).
But there's odd gameplay choices - a brutal parry window, health sponge enemies & unfair platforming.
Looks great, an interesting melancholy story, & combat feels good (on Easy).
But there's odd gameplay choices - a brutal parry window, health sponge enemies & unfair platforming.
2021
Sometimes all a game needs to do is entertain you for X amount of hours until you're ready to move on from it.
I played Riders Republic for about 30 hours at the start of 2022. I didn't complete it or unlock everything, but the hours I spent biking, skiing, boarding around the map were satisfying, calming, and fun.
I might dip back into it at some point, I might not. Sometimes you just need the right game at the right time, and that's what Republic was for me at the start of the year.
I played Riders Republic for about 30 hours at the start of 2022. I didn't complete it or unlock everything, but the hours I spent biking, skiing, boarding around the map were satisfying, calming, and fun.
I might dip back into it at some point, I might not. Sometimes you just need the right game at the right time, and that's what Republic was for me at the start of the year.
2022
Gotta go fast (and resurrect god)
2023
A lovely way to spend 5 hours.
2023
It's not as 'pure' a speed-running experience as the first game and some of the open world-y segments don't vibe with the character traversal. But overall it's a strong 'more of the same but bigger and better' sequel.