Jojo07
I could never beat this as a kid, so spent today powering through the game and managed to prevail.
One of the quintessential 90s platformers. That's all I'll say.
One of the quintessential 90s platformers. That's all I'll say.
Raidou 1 was a nice surprise; I didn't go in with high expectations, but I ended up enjoying it.
The game definitely shines in its story. I really liked the episodic format it was told in, with each new chapter having twists and turns that impeded Raidou's investigation. I really felt like a true detective at times, so the game nailed things in that department. Overall, an enjoyable detective story, with a memorable cast of characters and an unforgettable setting to go with it. Having a MegaTen game set in the 1930s is something I never knew I needed or wanted. Seeing how the turn of the 20th century was affecting the characters, was something you can't get anywhere else within these games. This game also continued the trend of Devil Summoner having both fun and foreboding villains, which is something I really appreciate. I think my favourite episode was 12, for all the little details it had and for how it wrapped up the conflicts that had been looming since the start of the game. I was also fond of 4 and 8-10.
Gameplay-wise, the game has its fair share of pros and cons. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it - the combat was dull throughout the game. I found it to be incredibly rudimentary and repetitive, with the game hardly encouraging you to experiment with new techniques and demons. I honestly felt like I was just mashing Square to win sometimes. The fusion mechanics were also not that great, it definitely feels better in the other games I've played. That being said, there were some things I liked. The dungeons were pretty nice and compact, which was a good change of pace from the more sprawling ones of Nocturne and DDS. The mechanic of being able to send your demons out on solo investigations and use them on the field was also neat, although I don't think the game innovated with this idea enough. All in all, I can't say it's that great gameplay-wise, but seeing Atlus try something new was pretty commendable. Hopefully the sequel refines some of the issues I had.
Raidou 1 does atmosphere pretty well. The soundtrack was a treat, favouring quality over quantity. All of the battle themes are still stuck in my head, as are the overworld themes. I also felt like the artstyle was a good evolution of Nocturne's, this era of Kaneko art feels truly realised compared to how it was from 1999-2002.
To summarise, the game had its problems - mostly with gameplay - but it was still more good than bad. I'm excited to see where Raidou's journey goes next, and to see how Atlus delivers more engaging and intense battles in the sequel. I would give Raidou 1 a 7/10. Not one of my favourite MegaTen games, but it definitely had a lot of soul (despite its name).
The game definitely shines in its story. I really liked the episodic format it was told in, with each new chapter having twists and turns that impeded Raidou's investigation. I really felt like a true detective at times, so the game nailed things in that department. Overall, an enjoyable detective story, with a memorable cast of characters and an unforgettable setting to go with it. Having a MegaTen game set in the 1930s is something I never knew I needed or wanted. Seeing how the turn of the 20th century was affecting the characters, was something you can't get anywhere else within these games. This game also continued the trend of Devil Summoner having both fun and foreboding villains, which is something I really appreciate. I think my favourite episode was 12, for all the little details it had and for how it wrapped up the conflicts that had been looming since the start of the game. I was also fond of 4 and 8-10.
Gameplay-wise, the game has its fair share of pros and cons. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it - the combat was dull throughout the game. I found it to be incredibly rudimentary and repetitive, with the game hardly encouraging you to experiment with new techniques and demons. I honestly felt like I was just mashing Square to win sometimes. The fusion mechanics were also not that great, it definitely feels better in the other games I've played. That being said, there were some things I liked. The dungeons were pretty nice and compact, which was a good change of pace from the more sprawling ones of Nocturne and DDS. The mechanic of being able to send your demons out on solo investigations and use them on the field was also neat, although I don't think the game innovated with this idea enough. All in all, I can't say it's that great gameplay-wise, but seeing Atlus try something new was pretty commendable. Hopefully the sequel refines some of the issues I had.
Raidou 1 does atmosphere pretty well. The soundtrack was a treat, favouring quality over quantity. All of the battle themes are still stuck in my head, as are the overworld themes. I also felt like the artstyle was a good evolution of Nocturne's, this era of Kaneko art feels truly realised compared to how it was from 1999-2002.
To summarise, the game had its problems - mostly with gameplay - but it was still more good than bad. I'm excited to see where Raidou's journey goes next, and to see how Atlus delivers more engaging and intense battles in the sequel. I would give Raidou 1 a 7/10. Not one of my favourite MegaTen games, but it definitely had a lot of soul (despite its name).
Good music, challenging levels, funny dialogue.
You don't know what I would give to be able to play this for the first time again
A few tracks are stinkers, but otherwise I would honestly call this the ultimate Mario Kart experience. Item Rain turns the chaos up to 11, and with over 200 new and old tracks, as well as Wiimmfi integration, you'll never get bored. And if that wasn't enough, you can always use custom music and textures via MyStuff. Overall this is one of my favourite video game mods.
2020
I have nothing to say about this.
2013
I've heard people call this one of the better NSMB games, but I just don't see it.
It's pretty much a carbon copy of NSMBU, which itself is a carbon copy of NSMBW. The game is pretty uninspired, and the Luigi physics and strict time limits really didn't add much to the challenge.
However, it's fine as some mindless fun, especially with friends or family.
It's pretty much a carbon copy of NSMBU, which itself is a carbon copy of NSMBW. The game is pretty uninspired, and the Luigi physics and strict time limits really didn't add much to the challenge.
However, it's fine as some mindless fun, especially with friends or family.
Pros:
•Sam Lake does it again, with a really engaging story that leaves you raring for more.
•The game nailed its paranormal atmosphere, the main setting had a lot of mysterious vibes and non-Euclidean design. The various files and items that you find around the Oldest House add to this.
•I really liked the lore and how it connects with Alan Wake.
•The gameplay was intuitive, with great utilisation of the mechanics like telekinesis and levitation to give you several approaches to enemy encounters. The customisation aspect was good also.
•Graphically impressive, the amount of detail in the game shows a lot of intricacy.
•Breaks the mould that Alan Wake had regarding linearity, by giving you a range of different sidequests to tackle at your leisure.
•The final act of the game was immaculate in its presentation.
Cons:
•The characters were pretty boring and not very memorable. I wish they had more screentime or development or anything.
•The navigation in the game didn't feel particularly good. I don't mind getting lost in games, but I just found the map to be really unhelpful, with me often wandering around aimlessly.
•I still think Remedy needs to get a better grip on designing shooters. The game could get frustrating at times, and the way the checkpoint system worked didn't help.
•I experienced a couple of crashes.
Overall rating: 7.9/10
•Sam Lake does it again, with a really engaging story that leaves you raring for more.
•The game nailed its paranormal atmosphere, the main setting had a lot of mysterious vibes and non-Euclidean design. The various files and items that you find around the Oldest House add to this.
•I really liked the lore and how it connects with Alan Wake.
•The gameplay was intuitive, with great utilisation of the mechanics like telekinesis and levitation to give you several approaches to enemy encounters. The customisation aspect was good also.
•Graphically impressive, the amount of detail in the game shows a lot of intricacy.
•Breaks the mould that Alan Wake had regarding linearity, by giving you a range of different sidequests to tackle at your leisure.
•The final act of the game was immaculate in its presentation.
Cons:
•The characters were pretty boring and not very memorable. I wish they had more screentime or development or anything.
•The navigation in the game didn't feel particularly good. I don't mind getting lost in games, but I just found the map to be really unhelpful, with me often wandering around aimlessly.
•I still think Remedy needs to get a better grip on designing shooters. The game could get frustrating at times, and the way the checkpoint system worked didn't help.
•I experienced a couple of crashes.
Overall rating: 7.9/10
2021
Not really my thing, but I admire all the care that went into making this game.
2014
I really enjoyed this WAD, speaking as someone who usually sticks to vanilla maps. The compact level design was great, with some really tight fights packed into them. The bizarre (yet distinct) soundtrack, and the way it creates an unforgettable aesthetic out of Doom II makes it feel full of character. Overall, I just found it to be really creative and funny, with no truly dull moments. Conceptually genius.
In particular, I enjoyed maps 5, 9, 15, 20, 25, 26 and 28. I won't spoil them, but they're all unforgettable.
In particular, I enjoyed maps 5, 9, 15, 20, 25, 26 and 28. I won't spoil them, but they're all unforgettable.
This review contains spoilers
I really like the dichotomy between Wake and Scratch. I think he's a pretty interesting antagonist, who certainly helped to drive up the game's conflict and give Alan more of a motivation to escape. Probably the highlight of the game.
The time loop mechanic is pretty cool. It gives the game a unique identity and a distinct narrative force. Meeting the same characters again and doing things differently helps to showcase the progression of events well. But, it comes off as a bit of a novelty? Idk.
I don't have much to say about the gameplay, but I like how it's more intense than the original game without feeling like unfair BS. The new guns, and stuff like the Taken being able to split up, are quite fun and make the game feel a lot more dire. It's still quite repetitive and linear, though.
Even with its asset reuse, the game manages to take the foreboding nature of the first game and apply it to this new scenario pretty well. Seeing how other characters fare in the Dark Place is another piece of exposition that I appreciate, as is learning what's going on in the real world. However, I'd be lying if I said it was nearly as engaging as the first game. It didn't have me on the edge of my seat or anything this time, even with the open ending.
Overall, it's a decent expansion pack, but not particularly memorable. The slight improvements to the game's formula don't make up for the comparatively underwhelming narrative. There were some neat ideas, but I'd give it a 6.5/10. (The extra .5 is because the game is like £3)
The time loop mechanic is pretty cool. It gives the game a unique identity and a distinct narrative force. Meeting the same characters again and doing things differently helps to showcase the progression of events well. But, it comes off as a bit of a novelty? Idk.
I don't have much to say about the gameplay, but I like how it's more intense than the original game without feeling like unfair BS. The new guns, and stuff like the Taken being able to split up, are quite fun and make the game feel a lot more dire. It's still quite repetitive and linear, though.
Even with its asset reuse, the game manages to take the foreboding nature of the first game and apply it to this new scenario pretty well. Seeing how other characters fare in the Dark Place is another piece of exposition that I appreciate, as is learning what's going on in the real world. However, I'd be lying if I said it was nearly as engaging as the first game. It didn't have me on the edge of my seat or anything this time, even with the open ending.
Overall, it's a decent expansion pack, but not particularly memorable. The slight improvements to the game's formula don't make up for the comparatively underwhelming narrative. There were some neat ideas, but I'd give it a 6.5/10. (The extra .5 is because the game is like £3)
Ranking is for the e-Reader levels only.
2011
Generations was an amazing experience, a celebration of what Sonic's all about.
Similar to Mania, I had a lot of fun exploring zones from the series' history. They retained their distinctive identities while also having fresh new spins put on them. It felt great to jump through them as Classic, and to rush through them as Modern. The controls were fluid, the mechanics were refined, and the action was a blast. From start to finish, I really enjoyed my time with the game, with not much dragging the experience down. I also enjoyed mixing and matching the special skills to build something that worked in my favour.
The side content in the game is much appreciated. The side missions give the game a lot of replayability and increase the amount of stuff to do by a lot. They were really cool, with my favourites being the ones that use Sonic's friends to completely reshape how you approach the levels. The museum showcasing 20 years of the series' history is a testament to how long-lasting the series has been, touching people across the world. And of course, the ability to play Sonic 1 on a whim is great as well. I think this game is a great hopping-on point.
Presentation goes a long way. I liked seeing the stages from earlier entries fully realised on newer technology, with the music, graphics and bosses just oozing with energy. The remixes of old tracks, and the re-imaginings of iconic bosses were just heavenly.
The plot of the game was very campy. It didn't try to do anything flashy, just give the player a good time and show off the lively cast of Sonic I've come to love. Some people would've preferred something grander, but to me, it's a nice little special, another page in Sonic's book.
I really don't have many criticisms for the game. I did feel that it retained some of Unleashed's jank regarding the camera and homing attack, but these seldom got in the way of me enjoying the game. Other than that, I just wish the game had more/harder bosses and maybe some handheld rep.
To summarise, Sonic Generations encompasses what I love about Sonic the Hedgehog, and is definitely one of my favourite entries thus far. 8/10.
Similar to Mania, I had a lot of fun exploring zones from the series' history. They retained their distinctive identities while also having fresh new spins put on them. It felt great to jump through them as Classic, and to rush through them as Modern. The controls were fluid, the mechanics were refined, and the action was a blast. From start to finish, I really enjoyed my time with the game, with not much dragging the experience down. I also enjoyed mixing and matching the special skills to build something that worked in my favour.
The side content in the game is much appreciated. The side missions give the game a lot of replayability and increase the amount of stuff to do by a lot. They were really cool, with my favourites being the ones that use Sonic's friends to completely reshape how you approach the levels. The museum showcasing 20 years of the series' history is a testament to how long-lasting the series has been, touching people across the world. And of course, the ability to play Sonic 1 on a whim is great as well. I think this game is a great hopping-on point.
Presentation goes a long way. I liked seeing the stages from earlier entries fully realised on newer technology, with the music, graphics and bosses just oozing with energy. The remixes of old tracks, and the re-imaginings of iconic bosses were just heavenly.
The plot of the game was very campy. It didn't try to do anything flashy, just give the player a good time and show off the lively cast of Sonic I've come to love. Some people would've preferred something grander, but to me, it's a nice little special, another page in Sonic's book.
I really don't have many criticisms for the game. I did feel that it retained some of Unleashed's jank regarding the camera and homing attack, but these seldom got in the way of me enjoying the game. Other than that, I just wish the game had more/harder bosses and maybe some handheld rep.
To summarise, Sonic Generations encompasses what I love about Sonic the Hedgehog, and is definitely one of my favourite entries thus far. 8/10.
2017
A conceptually cool game, but not compelling enough to keep me coming back to it.
2001
A short and sweet, no-nonsense Sonic experience.