Gunkario
2024
This review contains spoilers
One of a kind. I can appreciate a game that knows exactly what it is, but the fact that Animal Well goes out of its way to differentiate itself from other Metroidvanias aesthetically, mechanically, and structurally in pursuing its vision really floors me. I mean, how many other games involve a puzzle that can only be solved through the cooperation of 50 real life people?
This review contains spoilers
Insomniac has figured out Spider-Man, with every game gradually tuning the mechanics from what came before. It's absurd that the traversal mechanics are so good, people will be getting this for web-swinging alone. The player has been given new tools to play with, at the cost of losing some of the exciting gadgets from the first two games. Insomniac also knows how to do a set-piece, with moments like controlling Venom being some of my favorite in the entire game. The story between these moments is pretty entertaining, if not sometimes messy, especially compared to the first two games. My biggest gripe comes from the game's open world and performance. The city of New York still has similar missions to that of the past decade of open world games. The amount of bugs and glitches during my time playing were very high compared to the first two games, and I think I encountered at least 6 that required me to restart the game. With all of this mind, Spider-Man 2 is still very fun, and I'm looking forward to Insomniac's take on my favorite canucklehead.
Kind of like if my favorite game I played last year, Hades, and my favorite game I played this year had a really cool baby
2020
Pretty fun for something intended to bide time until your actual game installs.
2013
Tomodachi Life is a weird game, with quirky interactions between player-created Miis being the main appeal. The game serves as some sort of exhibit for the player to observe. Maybe you'll feed someone potato chips and watch them melt, or look at the park at the wrong time and see Hatsune Miku brutally attacking another inhabitant with the baseball bat you just gifted her. These absurd situations is what makes the game fun, but the lack of player activity really makes it feel more of a passive experience rather than an interactive one. The mechanics at play don't provoke the player to stay, and eventually the funny payoff doesn't warrant the chores necessary to reach it. However, the game play loop encourages returning in the long run, and I'm looking forward to checking on my islanders again sometime in the near future, just as I have for years now. Tomodachi Life is a unique step, and its one I don't see Nintendo making again anytime soon.
Also the soundtrack is criminally underrated, we need to talk about it more.
Also the soundtrack is criminally underrated, we need to talk about it more.