IriidaV
2011
EU release played on a Nintendo 3DS XL.
This was a highly enjoyable platformer of the time, really highlighting the processing power of the 3DS in terms of 3D gameplay. It feels a little too easy at times if I'm being honest but it's a fairly comforting level of difficulty and you know what you're getting into with Mario titles from this time.
This was a highly enjoyable platformer of the time, really highlighting the processing power of the 3DS in terms of 3D gameplay. It feels a little too easy at times if I'm being honest but it's a fairly comforting level of difficulty and you know what you're getting into with Mario titles from this time.
2013
EU copy played on a Nintendo 3DS XL.
In my opinion, the best Dimps Sonic title, and probably because it feels so far removed from their previous efforts. Little to no 2D-only gameplay and in-keeping with the core design of the Wii U version, this feels almost like the real thing. It does have a case of rather boring level design and repeated music tracks which made it rather boring to play at times but it was extremely cool to see a handheld Sonic title in 3D that wasn't restricted to two dimensions.
In my opinion, the best Dimps Sonic title, and probably because it feels so far removed from their previous efforts. Little to no 2D-only gameplay and in-keeping with the core design of the Wii U version, this feels almost like the real thing. It does have a case of rather boring level design and repeated music tracks which made it rather boring to play at times but it was extremely cool to see a handheld Sonic title in 3D that wasn't restricted to two dimensions.
EU copy played on a PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
In hindsight this feels like a back to basics attempt after the rather lookwarm receptions to Spider-Man 3 and (the admittedly fun but extremely edgy) Web of Shadows. The lack of open or hub world to swing around and have fun in is the biggest elephant in the room and also an explanation as to why traversal just doesn't feel as fun. That all being said this is an enjoyable game, with Dan Slott as the writer and kind of serving as a precursor to his Spider-Verse storyline in the comics and the later Into The Spider-Verse movie, so it has a fun sense of character and plot. The gameplay, aforementioned disappointment aside, is enjoyable, with a strong influence from the beat 'em up genre and a healthy amount of character upgrades to keep things fresh. Gameplay itself tends to feel rather samey between the 4 Spider-Men with the standout being Noir's levels being rather shamelessly ripped from Arkham Asylum.
All in all, this is a fun Spidey title and probably the most well-rounded since Ultimate SM in the PS2/GC/Xbox days.
In hindsight this feels like a back to basics attempt after the rather lookwarm receptions to Spider-Man 3 and (the admittedly fun but extremely edgy) Web of Shadows. The lack of open or hub world to swing around and have fun in is the biggest elephant in the room and also an explanation as to why traversal just doesn't feel as fun. That all being said this is an enjoyable game, with Dan Slott as the writer and kind of serving as a precursor to his Spider-Verse storyline in the comics and the later Into The Spider-Verse movie, so it has a fun sense of character and plot. The gameplay, aforementioned disappointment aside, is enjoyable, with a strong influence from the beat 'em up genre and a healthy amount of character upgrades to keep things fresh. Gameplay itself tends to feel rather samey between the 4 Spider-Men with the standout being Noir's levels being rather shamelessly ripped from Arkham Asylum.
All in all, this is a fun Spidey title and probably the most well-rounded since Ultimate SM in the PS2/GC/Xbox days.
EU copy played on a PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
The best version of the game (platform-dependant) with all the DLC and challenge maps included. Still the best Batman game, probably always will be to me.
The best version of the game (platform-dependant) with all the DLC and challenge maps included. Still the best Batman game, probably always will be to me.
2011
EU copy played on a Xbox 360.
A strong follow up to Asylum, but while most claim it to be the best of the Arkham series I personally don't quite agree. Rocksteady manage to do almost everything far better in City with a great new selection of gadgets, a larger open world to explore and traverse through, and a wide array of challenges to lose yourself trying to complete. The story is also a lot stronger this time around with good pulls on the comic characters and a genuinely bold ending.
City does lose a little of Asylum's charm though and that's really my personal gripe with it. Opening up the world ends up making the game feel less claustrophic and horror-inducing than the original. There's still that feeling of spookiness there with my favourite area revolving around the old Gotham "City of the Future!!!" business ripped straight out of Mask of the Phantasm, but due to the game now being set right in Gotham itself instead of a dillapidated gothic castle, it's just not quite the same.
Still, a strong second entry to the Arkham series.
A strong follow up to Asylum, but while most claim it to be the best of the Arkham series I personally don't quite agree. Rocksteady manage to do almost everything far better in City with a great new selection of gadgets, a larger open world to explore and traverse through, and a wide array of challenges to lose yourself trying to complete. The story is also a lot stronger this time around with good pulls on the comic characters and a genuinely bold ending.
City does lose a little of Asylum's charm though and that's really my personal gripe with it. Opening up the world ends up making the game feel less claustrophic and horror-inducing than the original. There's still that feeling of spookiness there with my favourite area revolving around the old Gotham "City of the Future!!!" business ripped straight out of Mask of the Phantasm, but due to the game now being set right in Gotham itself instead of a dillapidated gothic castle, it's just not quite the same.
Still, a strong second entry to the Arkham series.
2013
EU release played via Steam on a Fujitsu Lifebook A532.
After the success of Portal 2's whitty, character driven dialogue and at the height of the "walking sim" craze, it's kind of amazing more games like The Stanley Parable aren't around. The power of the narrator's irony-dripping voice coupled with the Winchester House-style of a maze-like office building was fairly entertaining and managed to keep that level of laughable insanity pretty much for the entirety of its play time. It gets a little tiresome once you're certain you've discovered all the little secrets and endings (an in-game check list might have been appropriate since finding those things was the sole driver of the gameplay) but for a 2-3 hour experience this was addicting.
After the success of Portal 2's whitty, character driven dialogue and at the height of the "walking sim" craze, it's kind of amazing more games like The Stanley Parable aren't around. The power of the narrator's irony-dripping voice coupled with the Winchester House-style of a maze-like office building was fairly entertaining and managed to keep that level of laughable insanity pretty much for the entirety of its play time. It gets a little tiresome once you're certain you've discovered all the little secrets and endings (an in-game check list might have been appropriate since finding those things was the sole driver of the gameplay) but for a 2-3 hour experience this was addicting.
EU release played via Steam on a Fujitsu Lifebook A532.
I only ever did one playthrough of this game - I wasn't quite into the whole text adventure genre at the time so was never certain how much I'd get out of subsequent experiences - but this was a fun little game. Very much reminiscent of the Skullduggery Pleasant series of YA novels due to the player character's situation and world built around it.
I only ever did one playthrough of this game - I wasn't quite into the whole text adventure genre at the time so was never certain how much I'd get out of subsequent experiences - but this was a fun little game. Very much reminiscent of the Skullduggery Pleasant series of YA novels due to the player character's situation and world built around it.
EU copy played on a Nintendo 3DS XL.
This is an excellent rhythm game - even if you're totally unfamiliar with the FF games and their plots like I am, there's absolutely no denying that the franchise has some of the best, most recogniseable and iconic music of the video-game medium. Even the titles past Nobuo Uematsu's involvement have a fairly solid score of catchy melodies and beautiful harmonies.
The gameplay itself is split into three modes but all pretty much boil down to the same way to play, with taps, swipes and holds being the only method of inputs. It sounds like it would get stale fast, especially in comparison to other rhythm games' methods but the variation of speeds and input requirements coupled with the difficulty options keep your attention span longer than it has any right to. Unlocking your favourite characters and levelling them up is satisfying, even if I never quite figured out the item system and there's a solid pick of tunes you play along the way.
Honestly this is a must-own for the 3DS system.
This is an excellent rhythm game - even if you're totally unfamiliar with the FF games and their plots like I am, there's absolutely no denying that the franchise has some of the best, most recogniseable and iconic music of the video-game medium. Even the titles past Nobuo Uematsu's involvement have a fairly solid score of catchy melodies and beautiful harmonies.
The gameplay itself is split into three modes but all pretty much boil down to the same way to play, with taps, swipes and holds being the only method of inputs. It sounds like it would get stale fast, especially in comparison to other rhythm games' methods but the variation of speeds and input requirements coupled with the difficulty options keep your attention span longer than it has any right to. Unlocking your favourite characters and levelling them up is satisfying, even if I never quite figured out the item system and there's a solid pick of tunes you play along the way.
Honestly this is a must-own for the 3DS system.
2013
EU release played via Steam on a Fujitsu Lifebook A532.
Proteus is such an odd game. During the craze of walking sims and people questioning their validity as "real video-games" (yes this was a real argument the internet was split over), there was a real wealth of unique experiences that had never been capitalised on before with the main attraction ultimately being to lose yourself in a artistically-specific environment with the possibility of no violence whatsoever.
I like to believe we've come a long way since those days but in comparison to titles such as "Gone Home" or "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter", Proteus is almost a non-game. There is no goal, that I could find anyway, and so while there are triggers to change the scenery and colours around you, there is no end either. Where other games demand you to get to checkpoint A while killing enemies in order to progress the plot, Proteus asks you to just chill out and wonder for a bit, soaking in the atmosphere and sounds it provides you.
It really is a beautiful experience and it's nice to just relax to for up to an hour, but you'll realise you've seen everything it has to offer fairly quickly which prevented me from enjoying it as much as I could have.
Proteus is such an odd game. During the craze of walking sims and people questioning their validity as "real video-games" (yes this was a real argument the internet was split over), there was a real wealth of unique experiences that had never been capitalised on before with the main attraction ultimately being to lose yourself in a artistically-specific environment with the possibility of no violence whatsoever.
I like to believe we've come a long way since those days but in comparison to titles such as "Gone Home" or "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter", Proteus is almost a non-game. There is no goal, that I could find anyway, and so while there are triggers to change the scenery and colours around you, there is no end either. Where other games demand you to get to checkpoint A while killing enemies in order to progress the plot, Proteus asks you to just chill out and wonder for a bit, soaking in the atmosphere and sounds it provides you.
It really is a beautiful experience and it's nice to just relax to for up to an hour, but you'll realise you've seen everything it has to offer fairly quickly which prevented me from enjoying it as much as I could have.
2012
EU release played via Steam on a Lenovo Y50-70.
The Walking Dead: Season One really hit the video-game landscape at exactly te right time. Point and click games had been dead in the water for quite a number of years, despite Telltale's own attempts at the genre, but securing the rights to make a game within the universe of the (then) incredibly popular tv series of TWD, alongside having an incredibly well-written script was the shot in the arm this company, and by extent this genre, needed.
I won't go into this game too much - it's puzzles, story, and even soundtrack have all been (deserrvedly) highly-lauded for nearly a decade now - but I will argue it's probably one of the most important video-games of its era, setting a new standard for story-telling within the medium and garning attention of an audience that wouldn't normally play games, let alone point and click ones.
The Walking Dead: Season One really hit the video-game landscape at exactly te right time. Point and click games had been dead in the water for quite a number of years, despite Telltale's own attempts at the genre, but securing the rights to make a game within the universe of the (then) incredibly popular tv series of TWD, alongside having an incredibly well-written script was the shot in the arm this company, and by extent this genre, needed.
I won't go into this game too much - it's puzzles, story, and even soundtrack have all been (deserrvedly) highly-lauded for nearly a decade now - but I will argue it's probably one of the most important video-games of its era, setting a new standard for story-telling within the medium and garning attention of an audience that wouldn't normally play games, let alone point and click ones.
2010
EU copy played on a PlayStation 3 Slim.
On your own, Heavy Rain is not a gripping game - it's a depressing slog of a story that telegraphs its twists in an unremarkably obvious way with a control scheme that is downright frustrating at the best of times.
In a party setting though? Like the slasher movie, this game takes on a whole life of its own. Assigning a person to a character for the entire playthrough in one sitting is an experience I'll never forget, and with a healthy dose of alcohol and snacks this game become so much more entertaining than the developers intended.
I will take the revelation of discovering I had been the killer all along and rolling with it to try and kill my friends in the finale to my final days.
On your own, Heavy Rain is not a gripping game - it's a depressing slog of a story that telegraphs its twists in an unremarkably obvious way with a control scheme that is downright frustrating at the best of times.
In a party setting though? Like the slasher movie, this game takes on a whole life of its own. Assigning a person to a character for the entire playthrough in one sitting is an experience I'll never forget, and with a healthy dose of alcohol and snacks this game become so much more entertaining than the developers intended.
I will take the revelation of discovering I had been the killer all along and rolling with it to try and kill my friends in the finale to my final days.
EU copy played on a PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
This is a fun trilogy of games that was absolutely marred in this release. Out of sync audio, clipping models and issues with the overall presentation really distracted from the boost to resolution.
This is a fun trilogy of games that was absolutely marred in this release. Out of sync audio, clipping models and issues with the overall presentation really distracted from the boost to resolution.
2008
EU copy played via the Complete Edition on a PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
GTAIII changed the gaming landscape forever; Vice City expanded on the entertaining gameplay; San Andreas provided a compelling story. So what did Grand Theft Auto IV do?
Well, all of the above all over again really, albeit to a lesser extent in comparison to the combined trilogy. GTA had a reputation of being THE open-world satirical crime drama with real violence, which over the course of the PlayStation 2's life cycle slowly morphed into "with cartoonish violence". Not that the violence on display was any less shocking, but in comparison to other games around San Andreas' release, Rockstar's engine was beginning to show its age a little.
So when GTAIV dropped on the scene, with a new art direction more grounded in realism, it was quite the shock to many people. Movement felt less arcadey, with a real sense of weight and delay to character animations and driving maneuvability. The story itself expanded on the tone SA had already established but also pushed itself by focussing in the here and now. There was no glorification of past time periods here, it was very much a depressing look at the situation modern immigrants can find themselves in whilst moving to America, and GTAIV held no punches.
Mission design felt a lot more seemless, with the huge expanse of a city made of various islands alongside multiple buildings you would traverse on top of and through throughout the story and the lack of required loading screens making the game feel more natural.
The core gamplay itself was fun, with the classic playground exploration still being encouraged via secrets and extra activities, and the overall story of Nico arriving in an America completely devoid of the expectations he had was incredibly compelling. GTAIV marked a huge turning point in the franchise's overall style and presentation but it never quite felt like the wrong turn to me.
GTAIII changed the gaming landscape forever; Vice City expanded on the entertaining gameplay; San Andreas provided a compelling story. So what did Grand Theft Auto IV do?
Well, all of the above all over again really, albeit to a lesser extent in comparison to the combined trilogy. GTA had a reputation of being THE open-world satirical crime drama with real violence, which over the course of the PlayStation 2's life cycle slowly morphed into "with cartoonish violence". Not that the violence on display was any less shocking, but in comparison to other games around San Andreas' release, Rockstar's engine was beginning to show its age a little.
So when GTAIV dropped on the scene, with a new art direction more grounded in realism, it was quite the shock to many people. Movement felt less arcadey, with a real sense of weight and delay to character animations and driving maneuvability. The story itself expanded on the tone SA had already established but also pushed itself by focussing in the here and now. There was no glorification of past time periods here, it was very much a depressing look at the situation modern immigrants can find themselves in whilst moving to America, and GTAIV held no punches.
Mission design felt a lot more seemless, with the huge expanse of a city made of various islands alongside multiple buildings you would traverse on top of and through throughout the story and the lack of required loading screens making the game feel more natural.
The core gamplay itself was fun, with the classic playground exploration still being encouraged via secrets and extra activities, and the overall story of Nico arriving in an America completely devoid of the expectations he had was incredibly compelling. GTAIV marked a huge turning point in the franchise's overall style and presentation but it never quite felt like the wrong turn to me.
EU copy played on a PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
Alice: Madness Returns very much assumes you have not played American McGee's Alice, and while that original game was usually bundled as a free download, this is very much a good thing. The original Alice is a clunky title on the 360 and PS3 and while it's third-person Unreal Engine action was fairly attractive back in the day it can be a slog to play, being heavily reliant on save scumming to make any progress.
Madness Returns however is a complete joy in comparison. Perfect? God no, it suffers a bit in that what was once a novel concept of "what if Alice in Wonderland but edgy?" has been tapped bone dry by other forms of media, with Madness Returns offering nothing new to say. But the gameplay? Leaps and bounds better by far. Platforming feels a lot more fluid and in line with modern design sensibilities and the array of weapons at your disposal feel incredibly satisfying to use. The variety of art styles within the different worlds can be incredibly gorgeous and creative too with Alice adopting a new dress to fit in with her surroundings.
American McGee obviously has a lot of love for this idea he's built for himself and you can see that in every part of this game. It's a shame Spicy Horse didn't really survive long after this and the rights for the property remain with EA, but after the lukewarm reaction to Alice: Otherlands it's a little difficult to see what the future of this franchise will be.
Alice: Madness Returns very much assumes you have not played American McGee's Alice, and while that original game was usually bundled as a free download, this is very much a good thing. The original Alice is a clunky title on the 360 and PS3 and while it's third-person Unreal Engine action was fairly attractive back in the day it can be a slog to play, being heavily reliant on save scumming to make any progress.
Madness Returns however is a complete joy in comparison. Perfect? God no, it suffers a bit in that what was once a novel concept of "what if Alice in Wonderland but edgy?" has been tapped bone dry by other forms of media, with Madness Returns offering nothing new to say. But the gameplay? Leaps and bounds better by far. Platforming feels a lot more fluid and in line with modern design sensibilities and the array of weapons at your disposal feel incredibly satisfying to use. The variety of art styles within the different worlds can be incredibly gorgeous and creative too with Alice adopting a new dress to fit in with her surroundings.
American McGee obviously has a lot of love for this idea he's built for himself and you can see that in every part of this game. It's a shame Spicy Horse didn't really survive long after this and the rights for the property remain with EA, but after the lukewarm reaction to Alice: Otherlands it's a little difficult to see what the future of this franchise will be.
EU copy played on a PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is not a very good game. It attempts to be a Devil May Cry-esque action game with combos and the unique gimmick of stealing enemies' weapons to use against them. The controls can be kinda floaty at times and take a while to get accustomed to. The story is bat-shit insane and kinda difficult to follow due to the lack of any real substantial exposition.
That being said I kinda love this game. The artstyle is the first to pop out at you - it does it's best to feel like what the forces of heaven and hell imagine the mortal plane of existance to look like and it does a damn good job at that with a mixture of harmonising, light colours and incredibly abstract environments and character designs. The design of the player character and the angel helping him feels jarring at first but when you realise they're agents of heaven just wearing some jeans and a shirt with some plate armour, the intent of all these design choices all kind of clicks in your head.
The flow of combat takes a while to get used to and honestly is probably the weaker parts of the game. Stealing enemy weapons and cleansing them feels satisfying but it can be easy in some of the later stages to get overwhelmed and some bosses will intentionally kick your ass with little to no explanation that it was supposed to happen.
The story itself can be very hit or miss depending on how literal and expository you like your plots to be - you play as Enoch, the biblical scribe before the flood, and your task is to hunt down seven fallen angels to stop the flood from destroying the world. On your first play through there is absolutely no way you're going to catch all of that and it feels like the game is being intentionally vague and hand wavy at the best of times. However, if old biblical lore through a modern Japanese lense is your kind of jam then I'd recommend you at least check this game out. If nothing else your eyes will enjoy what they're looking at.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is not a very good game. It attempts to be a Devil May Cry-esque action game with combos and the unique gimmick of stealing enemies' weapons to use against them. The controls can be kinda floaty at times and take a while to get accustomed to. The story is bat-shit insane and kinda difficult to follow due to the lack of any real substantial exposition.
That being said I kinda love this game. The artstyle is the first to pop out at you - it does it's best to feel like what the forces of heaven and hell imagine the mortal plane of existance to look like and it does a damn good job at that with a mixture of harmonising, light colours and incredibly abstract environments and character designs. The design of the player character and the angel helping him feels jarring at first but when you realise they're agents of heaven just wearing some jeans and a shirt with some plate armour, the intent of all these design choices all kind of clicks in your head.
The flow of combat takes a while to get used to and honestly is probably the weaker parts of the game. Stealing enemy weapons and cleansing them feels satisfying but it can be easy in some of the later stages to get overwhelmed and some bosses will intentionally kick your ass with little to no explanation that it was supposed to happen.
The story itself can be very hit or miss depending on how literal and expository you like your plots to be - you play as Enoch, the biblical scribe before the flood, and your task is to hunt down seven fallen angels to stop the flood from destroying the world. On your first play through there is absolutely no way you're going to catch all of that and it feels like the game is being intentionally vague and hand wavy at the best of times. However, if old biblical lore through a modern Japanese lense is your kind of jam then I'd recommend you at least check this game out. If nothing else your eyes will enjoy what they're looking at.