Harlequit
This review contains spoilers
Very unremarkable. It has too much of both the shortcomings of Doctor Who (i.e. the cringe is barely tolerable) and the same for Simulacra (I haven't played 2, but the formula with 1 and pipe dreams repeats yet again here).
The puzzles are all very easy, some of them are a bit weird (like listing eye colour but not name for a missing person search? And going out of your way to unsuspiciously lie about the location of your meeting with someone because of the dialogue choices?)
Still, it's somewhat fun to play.
The puzzles are all very easy, some of them are a bit weird (like listing eye colour but not name for a missing person search? And going out of your way to unsuspiciously lie about the location of your meeting with someone because of the dialogue choices?)
Still, it's somewhat fun to play.
Shinobi was not meant to be a platformer. And platformers were never, ever, ever, supposed to do whatever this is doing. It is a match made in the deepest depths of hell.
But everything else is as perfect as any game gets.
But everything else is as perfect as any game gets.
2019
Musashi = Biden?!?!
1993
It's like the original Kid Dracula but good, except that the first already was really good.
A bit difficult at parts, though I think using save states (but only at checkpoints, so it's like infinite lives) makes it much more fun.
Unfortunately the difficulty's increase towards the end feels mostly unfair (another point in favour of save states here), and there's a lot of platforming traps you can be fated into before you even see them, but it's still one of the greatest games out there.
A bit difficult at parts, though I think using save states (but only at checkpoints, so it's like infinite lives) makes it much more fun.
Unfortunately the difficulty's increase towards the end feels mostly unfair (another point in favour of save states here), and there's a lot of platforming traps you can be fated into before you even see them, but it's still one of the greatest games out there.
1998
Very, very good. I definitely need to play more playable text adventures like this (I get the feeling that very, very few will be on the same level though)
1993
The 3D Classics version of this was the first Kirby game I played, though since then Dream Land has become strongly my favourite.
Since Adventure introduced the copy mechanic, among many other changes, I'd thought of this as being the point where it all went downhill, and when I replayed parts of the 3D version, my mind didn't change.
But playing the original (on the Switch) has greatly changed my mind; this is a really, really good successor to Dream Land.
I really like the 3DS' 3D, but, if I'm remembering correctly, that version of it removed the slowdown, which adds a lot imo. Though at some points it really is too slow (especially during inhaling, which unfortunately serves as a reason to just use copy abilities, whereas in Dream Land it worked excellently for encouraging only inhaling when necessary, at the last second).
The bosses are all great, but all of the minibosses are more just annoying. I'm not really sure why that is but the divide seemed very clear. The minibosses don't ruin the game or anything, and the good bosses more than make up for them.
Almost all of the copy abilities are fun to use, which is not something I'd say of many later games. My favourites in particular were the parasol and sword. I think they all had annoying downsides though. Attacking with the sword while moving leads to walking into the enemy if it survives your attack, and it's the same with dropping downwards with the parasol. Neither of these are unfair but they are less fun than they could be as a result.
Being able to run and slide are good new additions. I think this had more powerful stars for when you inhale multiple enemies simultaneously? If so, that's really good also. While I don't like the copy ability much since it comes at the cost of the focus on inhaling and firing enemies, it's perhaps fitting that a major new mechanic like that was added, and it could've been far worse.
Still, the elements that are inferior to Dream Land stand out more to me:
-The field of view feels way too large, making the game feel much slower. I think it also made the level design less enjoyable, with a more open view leading to more space unutilised, though that may also be down to there just being more levels in general
-The increased length means this is nowhere near as replayable (at least not right the way through) as Dream Land is. If there was a truly improved successor to Dream Land of a similar length, it would probably lead to Dream Land being made obsolete, so I'm a little glad it isn't. No part in particular stood out to me as demanding a replay, besides maybe the final boss, so I probably won't be going back to replaying individual sections since I'd need to decide one.
-Water isn't fun.
-Dream Land's only flaw imo was those exploding enemies. They don't stand out anywhere near as much here, since everything else was already slowing you down already, but they're back.
Overall, I think it's about as good a sequel to Dream Land as possible, though it's still not quite as fun.
EDIT FROM A FEW DAYS LATER: I think I've changed my mind actually. For the actual engine, it does play very similarly to Dream Land, and it does have improvements, but the ideal sequel to Dream Land really could be the same length as the first, so long as the gameplay was changed sufficiently in a positive manner.
The copy system here is still the best version of it in the series, but it's still not really that fun. A lot of fluidity is lost in its usage. I'm not sure what kind of system would work, but maybe even the sprinting and kick sliding would make enough difference to differentiate a sequel. Either way, it's incomparable to Dream Land.
Since Adventure introduced the copy mechanic, among many other changes, I'd thought of this as being the point where it all went downhill, and when I replayed parts of the 3D version, my mind didn't change.
But playing the original (on the Switch) has greatly changed my mind; this is a really, really good successor to Dream Land.
I really like the 3DS' 3D, but, if I'm remembering correctly, that version of it removed the slowdown, which adds a lot imo. Though at some points it really is too slow (especially during inhaling, which unfortunately serves as a reason to just use copy abilities, whereas in Dream Land it worked excellently for encouraging only inhaling when necessary, at the last second).
The bosses are all great, but all of the minibosses are more just annoying. I'm not really sure why that is but the divide seemed very clear. The minibosses don't ruin the game or anything, and the good bosses more than make up for them.
Almost all of the copy abilities are fun to use, which is not something I'd say of many later games. My favourites in particular were the parasol and sword. I think they all had annoying downsides though. Attacking with the sword while moving leads to walking into the enemy if it survives your attack, and it's the same with dropping downwards with the parasol. Neither of these are unfair but they are less fun than they could be as a result.
Being able to run and slide are good new additions. I think this had more powerful stars for when you inhale multiple enemies simultaneously? If so, that's really good also. While I don't like the copy ability much since it comes at the cost of the focus on inhaling and firing enemies, it's perhaps fitting that a major new mechanic like that was added, and it could've been far worse.
Still, the elements that are inferior to Dream Land stand out more to me:
-The field of view feels way too large, making the game feel much slower. I think it also made the level design less enjoyable, with a more open view leading to more space unutilised, though that may also be down to there just being more levels in general
-The increased length means this is nowhere near as replayable (at least not right the way through) as Dream Land is. If there was a truly improved successor to Dream Land of a similar length, it would probably lead to Dream Land being made obsolete, so I'm a little glad it isn't. No part in particular stood out to me as demanding a replay, besides maybe the final boss, so I probably won't be going back to replaying individual sections since I'd need to decide one.
-Water isn't fun.
-Dream Land's only flaw imo was those exploding enemies. They don't stand out anywhere near as much here, since everything else was already slowing you down already, but they're back.
Overall, I think it's about as good a sequel to Dream Land as possible, though it's still not quite as fun.
EDIT FROM A FEW DAYS LATER: I think I've changed my mind actually. For the actual engine, it does play very similarly to Dream Land, and it does have improvements, but the ideal sequel to Dream Land really could be the same length as the first, so long as the gameplay was changed sufficiently in a positive manner.
The copy system here is still the best version of it in the series, but it's still not really that fun. A lot of fluidity is lost in its usage. I'm not sure what kind of system would work, but maybe even the sprinting and kick sliding would make enough difference to differentiate a sequel. Either way, it's incomparable to Dream Land.
KEep accidentally pressing z and choosing dialogue options instead of just advancing them but otherwise yeah good
2017
The ideal game for a baby with a massive, massive brain.
Very, very beautiful. I didn't like the gameplay at first, but I warmed up to it over my first playthrough. I'll play it a bit more but it comes with the unavoidable downside of using up several GB of storage, so I don't think it will survive on my Switch much longer. Far from a bad game though.
2013
A lot better than I thought it could be. Too scary, and not intelligently so, but enough people like that for it to not really be a negative. Not sure why though.
2015
"Taichi Kurosu Goes to Sustown" is a 2015 visual novel released by the un-copyrighted equivalent to Kenco. Its gameplay loop is more or less identical to that of the game "Among Us", but the characters are less sus and waaay more human.
While visual novels can sometimes be considered not games, this one tries to show otherwise by having a New Game + mode that recommends you replay it right the way through. Also of note is the inclusion of 2018 image macro "Big Chungus" as one of the characters, albeit in disguise as Tomitake Jirou.
However, not all is perfect. This has, by far, the worst media player option I have ever seen in a game. It's genuinely kind of ridiculous.
Overall, I'd give Taichi Kurosu goes to Sustown a 95/100 rating since it has an interesting story and some things.
While visual novels can sometimes be considered not games, this one tries to show otherwise by having a New Game + mode that recommends you replay it right the way through. Also of note is the inclusion of 2018 image macro "Big Chungus" as one of the characters, albeit in disguise as Tomitake Jirou.
However, not all is perfect. This has, by far, the worst media player option I have ever seen in a game. It's genuinely kind of ridiculous.
Overall, I'd give Taichi Kurosu goes to Sustown a 95/100 rating since it has an interesting story and some things.
1988
First act: Life ruining simulator
Second act: Multiple routes
Third act: You get to type "pan" several hundred times
Definitely never going to California if this is what it's like.
Also the STeam version gives you a trading card that's description is just how the game ends which doesn't seem a good description for a trading card imo
Second act: Multiple routes
Third act: You get to type "pan" several hundred times
Definitely never going to California if this is what it's like.
Also the STeam version gives you a trading card that's description is just how the game ends which doesn't seem a good description for a trading card imo
2020
Surprisingly fun, deserves more attention.
Lots of interesting mechanics introduced throughout, and gameplay remains fresh. The final boss went on too long without checkpoints. It seems there's a bonus world to unlock by getting all the keys, so I might come back to it and try and get the rest of them. They're all hidden by fake visible walls, with one in each of the 20 main levels.
Lots of interesting mechanics introduced throughout, and gameplay remains fresh. The final boss went on too long without checkpoints. It seems there's a bonus world to unlock by getting all the keys, so I might come back to it and try and get the rest of them. They're all hidden by fake visible walls, with one in each of the 20 main levels.
Feels oddly realistic? Wouldn't want to attempt it without save states.
I started playing this in 2017. I got through the first chapter, and almost all of the second, but only just now played the third and fourth. Most of it's really good, but some parts (specifically in 4-3 and 4-4) were absolutely game ruining. This could've been a 9/10, but instead it is a 6-ish/10, and I won't be getting the true ending for fear it could kill me.