Revisiting my thoughts on Norco after the recent announcement and demo release of the developer’s next game.

There’s a lot about Norco I don’t quite like — I think the fighting mechanic is silly and out of place, some of the writing is gorgeous but some is awkward and atonal, I bounce back and forth on whether or not I hate the art (with the exception of the aerial and establishing shots, which are stunning throughout,) but this game has Got It. Probably the only videogame I’d call “Humid.” Slam dunk ending. Ostentatious and cool twists. Stuck with me for a long time. Has the feeling of a lesser work of a truly great author, a vibe that is almost unrecognizable in videogames.