Kez
2022
Charming game, with a good sense of humour. The photography mechanics are very well done, locating all the birds and figuring out how to get a shot of them is satisfying. Most of them aren't too difficult but a few are a bit of a challenge, either by being well-hidden or just mechanically quite difficult. A nice introduction to the Playdate ecosystem.
Klonoa: The Door to Phantomile is a fairly breezy game. It took me a while to warm up to it, but after a couple levels I was on board. The style of the game is beautiful, personally I prefer it to any of the later remakes. The 2D sprites look great, and the environments are simple but very evocative when combined with the competent score. It's a game that just feels great to play.
Klonoa really only has one main mechanic, you can grab enemies and use them to double jump or as a projectile. Combine this with a sort of fly/float you can do to maintain height in a jump for a few seconds and that's pretty much all your options. The game explores these mechanics very thoroughly, and whie the difficulty ramps up toward the end I never really found it too difficult even in the bonus level.
For me, the length was about perfect. When credits rolled I was satisfied, and surprisingly even quite invested in story, world and characters. Looking forward to playing the sequel!
Klonoa really only has one main mechanic, you can grab enemies and use them to double jump or as a projectile. Combine this with a sort of fly/float you can do to maintain height in a jump for a few seconds and that's pretty much all your options. The game explores these mechanics very thoroughly, and whie the difficulty ramps up toward the end I never really found it too difficult even in the bonus level.
For me, the length was about perfect. When credits rolled I was satisfied, and surprisingly even quite invested in story, world and characters. Looking forward to playing the sequel!
I enjoyed this game a lot more than I thought I would. The classic Prince of Persia DNA is still mostly present here. I welcome the increased production values, with a more compelling (but still basic) story compared to the original game. The fully voiced cutscenes, midi music and unique animations are all very well done and add a lot to the experience. The narrator really did a great job reading the voiceover. Compared to the first game, there is much more variety in the visual design of the areas you pass through and the quality of the art is very good.
In terms of the game itself, it's really just more Prince of Persia. There is very little in terms of innovation here, rather just minor variations on the gameplay elements of the original. Combat plays a much larger role and is perhaps the most frustrating aspect, but it can be mastered with practice. Still, the clever platforming and puzzle solving is mostly present so if you love the first game there is a lot to enjoy.
In terms of the game itself, it's really just more Prince of Persia. There is very little in terms of innovation here, rather just minor variations on the gameplay elements of the original. Combat plays a much larger role and is perhaps the most frustrating aspect, but it can be mastered with practice. Still, the clever platforming and puzzle solving is mostly present so if you love the first game there is a lot to enjoy.
1989
This game is a classic for a reason, truly deserving of its success and legacy. Although it can feel very alien coming from a more twitchy platformer like Mario, the slow and deliberate style of Prince of Persia works very well once you're calibrated to it. The controls are consistent and reliable, which is crucial. The rotoscoped animation is timelessly beautiful, the puzzles and exploration are satisfying without being unreasonably difficult. Great stuff.
As adventure games from this period go, this is a fine one. It certainly has some of the trappings of the genre, like a few puzzles with tenuous logic. I only had to look up a handful of them in the end, though. Conversely most of the puzzles made a lot of sense, and I had a few satisying "A-ha!" moments throughout my playthrough.
The real star of this game is the writing - consistently funny and witty, with amusing callback gags and wordplay. The characters are likeable and funny, the story arc broadly makes sense and the conclusion is satisfying. Easy to recommend!
The real star of this game is the writing - consistently funny and witty, with amusing callback gags and wordplay. The characters are likeable and funny, the story arc broadly makes sense and the conclusion is satisfying. Easy to recommend!
Castlevania II is a surprisingly solid game overall, brought down by several frustrating aspects - most of which have been discussed at length many times over. Yes, the night transition message is annoying. The fake blocks are annoying. The obtuse progression and useless, cryptic messages are also annoying.
Honestly, I assumed that these factors combined would be enough to completely ruin the game but it didn't for me - not entirely. The moment-to-moment gameplay is largely quite satisfying, with responsive controls, good movement and a nice sense of progression as you gain more items and upgrades. The music is also top notch, though perhaps still the weakest of the original trilogy.
It doesn't stack up against Castlevania or Castlevania 3, but it's cool to see this early attempt to move away from level based action platforming toward the "metroidvania" style the series would eventually be known for and I ultimately had a good time with it.
Honestly, I assumed that these factors combined would be enough to completely ruin the game but it didn't for me - not entirely. The moment-to-moment gameplay is largely quite satisfying, with responsive controls, good movement and a nice sense of progression as you gain more items and upgrades. The music is also top notch, though perhaps still the weakest of the original trilogy.
It doesn't stack up against Castlevania or Castlevania 3, but it's cool to see this early attempt to move away from level based action platforming toward the "metroidvania" style the series would eventually be known for and I ultimately had a good time with it.
1993
Excellent little shooter - huge improvement over the first game, adds a nice challenge but not crazy difficult. Good music, good variation in levels and the runs are just the right length for a portable game.
Excellent arcade romp, nicely captures the spirit of the original OutRun. Cruising through paradise in an incredibly fast car with catchy music - a wonderful vibe that never gets old!
This version introduces unlockables and a campaign style mode with various challenges and races, and unlockable cars, music, etc. Some of the challenges are frustrating at times but it's a great way to make your time with the game more purposeful, though ultimately I think the best experience can be found in the arcade style modes.
This version introduces unlockables and a campaign style mode with various challenges and races, and unlockable cars, music, etc. Some of the challenges are frustrating at times but it's a great way to make your time with the game more purposeful, though ultimately I think the best experience can be found in the arcade style modes.
1995
Interesting early PS1 game, long before a lot of 3D game design was truly codified. The controls are functional, but sluggish and I felt like wrestling with the controls (particularly the time taken to change direction) comprised almost all of the challenge the game offered. It would really have benefitted from responsive analogue stick controls - unfortunately the PS1 didn't have analogue controllers at this time.
The atmosphere and presentation of the game is charming, the music is with a couple of standout tracks and I really like the visual style and character design.
The platforming works well enough, and most the boss battles were just about the right difficulty for me (I finished most of them with a sliver of health on the first attempt).
The game clocks in at only an hour or so if you don't dawdle, which, though short, I certainly feel like I'd played enough after the second loop!
The atmosphere and presentation of the game is charming, the music is with a couple of standout tracks and I really like the visual style and character design.
The platforming works well enough, and most the boss battles were just about the right difficulty for me (I finished most of them with a sliver of health on the first attempt).
The game clocks in at only an hour or so if you don't dawdle, which, though short, I certainly feel like I'd played enough after the second loop!
2011
Always an excellent series, loads of stuff to do, great music and an immense sense of satisfaction when things go well!
Not my favourite Rhythm Heaven game - some of the mini games were a bit irritating and my favourites are in other games but this is a solid entry all around.
Not my favourite Rhythm Heaven game - some of the mini games were a bit irritating and my favourites are in other games but this is a solid entry all around.
2002
Really atmospheric game with a ton of detail, so many impressive little touches. It seems like almost anything you explore or poke around at has some hidden depth. There are different food items you can cook, secret magic spells, hidden quests, secret tunnels, it goes on and on!
The combat feels a bit clunky, but honestly not that much more than Skyrim does and standard for the time/genre. The magic rune system is novel if a bit frustrating at times.
The combat feels a bit clunky, but honestly not that much more than Skyrim does and standard for the time/genre. The magic rune system is novel if a bit frustrating at times.
Graphically stunning game, easily one of the best looking games of all time - even in 60fps mode on PS5. Incredible!
As an evolution of the first game, which I liked a lot, this one floundered slightly for me. I like a sequel that focuses on what made the first game good, and tightens up that experience while removing/improving elements that were criticized. Instead this game is just... more of everything. More items, more skills, more machines, etc. It just feels bloated to me, like no one aspect of the gameplay received enough polish to really be satisfying.
As an evolution of the first game, which I liked a lot, this one floundered slightly for me. I like a sequel that focuses on what made the first game good, and tightens up that experience while removing/improving elements that were criticized. Instead this game is just... more of everything. More items, more skills, more machines, etc. It just feels bloated to me, like no one aspect of the gameplay received enough polish to really be satisfying.
1990
Excellent little RPG for the NES. Satisfying combat, great power-up progression, a decent story and killer music! Easy to recommend.
Surprisingly enjoyed this more than the PS2 games.. I think just because it's quite fast paced and a bit more relaxed than those games. The graphics look great on a small screen and the story was serviceable.
2005
I enjoyed the atmosphere a lot, the music was nice if forgettable. Having a little hub town that you keep coming back to throughout the game was really nice - discovering a new shortcut that leads back to it is always a joy. I think this game’s world is structured fairly well, and that the routes you unlock broadly make sense and enhanced the sense of place. I would have loved if there was more going on in the town - the NPCs are mostly quite dull and I stopped talking to them after a while. Small personal dramas unfolding in the hub town as you progress the story, with some more charismatic characters and maybe a bit more of you seeing your actions help people out would have been some things I would have enjoyed.