L3stuardo
1998
I'd be remiss for saying I didn't get the hype around this game while I was playing it, but then again, my Steam account says I've been playing it for around 70 hours or so.
I played through it twice: my first playthrough was with the HD graphics on normal difficulty, and I was absolutely terrified by the Nihilanth. The second one was with the original graphics, which were so much better and immersive, and I almost crapped myself by the original Nihilanth WHICH JESUS CHRIST, WHAT IS THAT THING?
It's a really fun game. Maybe in 1998 the story and the way it was presented was very new and innovative, but I actually thought it was rather just there. I did really like there were no cutscenes and everything happened in real time while you were playing, which is pretty neat and makes me wonder why more modern games don't do that more often.
I was definitely not made to play with WASD and mouse, tho. I feel so odd when not using controllers.
Overall, I'm really glad I finally got around to play this one. I'll try to complete the entire franchise - sans Alyx because no VR -. I'll probably leave the Source remake last since I don't feel like threading the same path again with better graphics, so...
I played through it twice: my first playthrough was with the HD graphics on normal difficulty, and I was absolutely terrified by the Nihilanth. The second one was with the original graphics, which were so much better and immersive, and I almost crapped myself by the original Nihilanth WHICH JESUS CHRIST, WHAT IS THAT THING?
It's a really fun game. Maybe in 1998 the story and the way it was presented was very new and innovative, but I actually thought it was rather just there. I did really like there were no cutscenes and everything happened in real time while you were playing, which is pretty neat and makes me wonder why more modern games don't do that more often.
I was definitely not made to play with WASD and mouse, tho. I feel so odd when not using controllers.
Overall, I'm really glad I finally got around to play this one. I'll try to complete the entire franchise - sans Alyx because no VR -. I'll probably leave the Source remake last since I don't feel like threading the same path again with better graphics, so...
2023
- All Steam Achievements
Gotta be honest, I found out about this one on a WhatCulture video, and they said basically nothing about it. Me, being curious AF, decided to instantly download the thing and start playing it without any information whatsoever.
For a minute there, I thought it'd be a screamer or something like that.
Glad to report it isn't.
Excellent music, tho.
Gotta be honest, I found out about this one on a WhatCulture video, and they said basically nothing about it. Me, being curious AF, decided to instantly download the thing and start playing it without any information whatsoever.
For a minute there, I thought it'd be a screamer or something like that.
Glad to report it isn't.
Excellent music, tho.
2005
PLATINUM TROPHY
I was honestly not expecting to enjoy this game as much as I actually did. I mean, some of its mechanics and whatnots, especially the godforsaken camera, feel very archaic and have not aged well, but it more than makes it up for it with its really fun characters and dialogue. I was actually surprised at how mature (for a kids game) this thing could actually be at tackling some heavier themes and ideas. Like, I wasn't expecting suicide to be a recurring gag that is both haunting and well-established at the same time. Excellent script, character design and voice acting. Even if I didn't love every interaction or character, I loved the care behind their creation.
I was honestly not expecting to enjoy this game as much as I actually did. I mean, some of its mechanics and whatnots, especially the godforsaken camera, feel very archaic and have not aged well, but it more than makes it up for it with its really fun characters and dialogue. I was actually surprised at how mature (for a kids game) this thing could actually be at tackling some heavier themes and ideas. Like, I wasn't expecting suicide to be a recurring gag that is both haunting and well-established at the same time. Excellent script, character design and voice acting. Even if I didn't love every interaction or character, I loved the care behind their creation.
2016
100%
Look, I am overwhelmingly scared of the deep sea and its depictions in videogames - and this one game managed to make me actually desire to travel all the way down there and simply breathe in the beauty of the ocean as a whole. I would never do it, nor would I be able to breathe in anything other than dead and fear down there, but I had an amazing time vibing with this game, its gameplay and soundtrack. It just really easy to chill and just be, while at the same time actually having objectives to do. Would definitely play again.
Look, I am overwhelmingly scared of the deep sea and its depictions in videogames - and this one game managed to make me actually desire to travel all the way down there and simply breathe in the beauty of the ocean as a whole. I would never do it, nor would I be able to breathe in anything other than dead and fear down there, but I had an amazing time vibing with this game, its gameplay and soundtrack. It just really easy to chill and just be, while at the same time actually having objectives to do. Would definitely play again.
2007
100%
- Beat All Templars
- Found All High Points
- Collected All Flags
Listen, my knowledge of Assassin's Creed prior to playing this one, other than the myriad of glitches and memes made by AC: Unity, was watching a friend play the final moments of this game on her XBox 360 way back in 2008 and remembering how she said "wait, that was it?" when she got access to the hidden marks that appear on the walls when you finish the game. From then on, I always thought AC games were underwhelming and kinda avoided them.
Jump to about 10 years later, when a friend said we should both start playing the original AC on our PCs and just see who finished it first. I lost. Hard. Mainly because I'm a completionist and I just HAD to collect all those godforsaken flags scattered across the map.
But did I enjoy myself? Yeah. Wasn't particularly mind-blown, and the thing I remember most about my experience was my ability to fuck around on cutscenes, but it's a neat game. I'd play it again some day, maybe, but it's far from a masterpiece. It's alright. Pretty good, even. It's way better than that crappy Michael Fassbender movie I saw when it came out, hated, and then hated even more AFTER playing the game it was supposedly based on (or was that dung based on AC2? Can't remember).
- Beat All Templars
- Found All High Points
- Collected All Flags
Listen, my knowledge of Assassin's Creed prior to playing this one, other than the myriad of glitches and memes made by AC: Unity, was watching a friend play the final moments of this game on her XBox 360 way back in 2008 and remembering how she said "wait, that was it?" when she got access to the hidden marks that appear on the walls when you finish the game. From then on, I always thought AC games were underwhelming and kinda avoided them.
Jump to about 10 years later, when a friend said we should both start playing the original AC on our PCs and just see who finished it first. I lost. Hard. Mainly because I'm a completionist and I just HAD to collect all those godforsaken flags scattered across the map.
But did I enjoy myself? Yeah. Wasn't particularly mind-blown, and the thing I remember most about my experience was my ability to fuck around on cutscenes, but it's a neat game. I'd play it again some day, maybe, but it's far from a masterpiece. It's alright. Pretty good, even. It's way better than that crappy Michael Fassbender movie I saw when it came out, hated, and then hated even more AFTER playing the game it was supposedly based on (or was that dung based on AC2? Can't remember).
2017
PLATINUM TROPHY
- All 27 Platinum Relics obtained... including Stormy Ascent, which, Geez...
I loved playing the original Crash Bandicoot as my first ever PlayStation game way back when, and I loved it the same with better graphics and the little improvements made by Vicarious Visions all these years later.
If my muscle memory is to be believed, this has to be one of my favourite games ever. Or one of the games I've completed the most in my lifetime. One of the two.
- All 27 Platinum Relics obtained... including Stormy Ascent, which, Geez...
I loved playing the original Crash Bandicoot as my first ever PlayStation game way back when, and I loved it the same with better graphics and the little improvements made by Vicarious Visions all these years later.
If my muscle memory is to be believed, this has to be one of my favourite games ever. Or one of the games I've completed the most in my lifetime. One of the two.
2001
- Completed in Hard and S-Hard
- All CDs, gold crowns and chests obtained in both.
Only Nintendo could come up with a game where you play as a character that is disgusting to look at, disgusting in his personality and has close to zero redeeming qualities to his name, and make it one of the more compelling and fun side-scrolling adventures on a handheld. Like, every aspect of this game oozes with charm and love, as well as being tailor-made for someone like Wario. From the musique concrète goodies you have to scour through on each level, to the entire way Wario moves and sounds, to the character designs as well as the themes on each level, I just wasn't able to either stop smiling or thinking "yup, that's a Wario thing".
No wonder this franchise went up to number 4 - people just couldn't stop buying and playing the games starring that ugly-looking-Mario-clone guy.
- All CDs, gold crowns and chests obtained in both.
Only Nintendo could come up with a game where you play as a character that is disgusting to look at, disgusting in his personality and has close to zero redeeming qualities to his name, and make it one of the more compelling and fun side-scrolling adventures on a handheld. Like, every aspect of this game oozes with charm and love, as well as being tailor-made for someone like Wario. From the musique concrète goodies you have to scour through on each level, to the entire way Wario moves and sounds, to the character designs as well as the themes on each level, I just wasn't able to either stop smiling or thinking "yup, that's a Wario thing".
No wonder this franchise went up to number 4 - people just couldn't stop buying and playing the games starring that ugly-looking-Mario-clone guy.
1999
100%
I'd been wanting to play this one for AGES. I hadn't such luck since, back in the day, I was one of the few PSX owners in my city (or country, maybe?) that didn't mod their console to read pirated games. I never saw an original version of this floating out in the wild, so I thought I'd missed out for good. Thank God for emulation!
Took me a while to get used to the twin-stick control scheme, trying to approach it with a "any other game would play like this" mindset, but it set in a couple minutes. I barely even had to look at my controller for a second when in a rush. It makes sense once your head wraps around it. Thank ye gods for that, because once you get into the groove of this thing, it's an amazing game that doesn't really feel like it takes a toll on you or forces you to grind, and it doesn't take itself seriously to boot. I mean, it's basically a controller tech demo about a super smart albino monkey that decides to enhance other apes' minds and liberates them through time portals and your main weapon is a literal time-machine-net. It's very very Japanese, and also very very ridiculous. I love me those two descriptors combined, tho.
I really enjoyed it and I could see myself playing it again some time soon.
Except for the mini-games. Those I didn't really enjoy. They weren't bad, they were just gimmicks I just couldn't care less about.
I'd been wanting to play this one for AGES. I hadn't such luck since, back in the day, I was one of the few PSX owners in my city (or country, maybe?) that didn't mod their console to read pirated games. I never saw an original version of this floating out in the wild, so I thought I'd missed out for good. Thank God for emulation!
Took me a while to get used to the twin-stick control scheme, trying to approach it with a "any other game would play like this" mindset, but it set in a couple minutes. I barely even had to look at my controller for a second when in a rush. It makes sense once your head wraps around it. Thank ye gods for that, because once you get into the groove of this thing, it's an amazing game that doesn't really feel like it takes a toll on you or forces you to grind, and it doesn't take itself seriously to boot. I mean, it's basically a controller tech demo about a super smart albino monkey that decides to enhance other apes' minds and liberates them through time portals and your main weapon is a literal time-machine-net. It's very very Japanese, and also very very ridiculous. I love me those two descriptors combined, tho.
I really enjoyed it and I could see myself playing it again some time soon.
Except for the mini-games. Those I didn't really enjoy. They weren't bad, they were just gimmicks I just couldn't care less about.
2020
-PLATINUM TROPHY
- All non-timed mission chains beaten EXCEPT for the last step of Winter Kill because the matchmaking is broken. I might attempt to finish that later on.
- Missing 36% of Comic Books and about 20% of Codex Intelligence Audio Files.
So, for some reason, I decided to play this one right after I finished Anthem, which makes it two dead live service games that people said were terrible back to back. Geez. I also played it WAY after they announced it was dead and most of its most egregious mechanics had been already course-corrected.
However, I also really enjoyed this? Again, the single player campaign was really fun, had interesting concepts and set-pieces. While the story was really basic and bare-bones, it was mostly told interestingly. Until they decided to break it into multiplayer levels or levels that were seemingly scattered throughout the map with no rhyme or reason or sense of progression. Once again, the combat loop was fun, the many characters where unique enough to not feel that repetitive and have a bit of variety while grinding away for trophies, but the ENTIRE multiplayer bullcrap is boring and broken, the gear farming is the single most unnecessary aspect of the whole game, since it changes zero visual aspects of the heroes and the skins are mostly HORRIBLE drabs of gray and brown messes that are extremelt unappealing. Same goes for character designs and enemy variety: boring and plain.
But, damn, the gameplay was fun. I can see me returning to farm out the missing codex files and leveling up my characters.
Just really sad someone decided this could be a good games-as-a-live-service thing. It just neutered the possibilities, the story and everything.
- All non-timed mission chains beaten EXCEPT for the last step of Winter Kill because the matchmaking is broken. I might attempt to finish that later on.
- Missing 36% of Comic Books and about 20% of Codex Intelligence Audio Files.
So, for some reason, I decided to play this one right after I finished Anthem, which makes it two dead live service games that people said were terrible back to back. Geez. I also played it WAY after they announced it was dead and most of its most egregious mechanics had been already course-corrected.
However, I also really enjoyed this? Again, the single player campaign was really fun, had interesting concepts and set-pieces. While the story was really basic and bare-bones, it was mostly told interestingly. Until they decided to break it into multiplayer levels or levels that were seemingly scattered throughout the map with no rhyme or reason or sense of progression. Once again, the combat loop was fun, the many characters where unique enough to not feel that repetitive and have a bit of variety while grinding away for trophies, but the ENTIRE multiplayer bullcrap is boring and broken, the gear farming is the single most unnecessary aspect of the whole game, since it changes zero visual aspects of the heroes and the skins are mostly HORRIBLE drabs of gray and brown messes that are extremelt unappealing. Same goes for character designs and enemy variety: boring and plain.
But, damn, the gameplay was fun. I can see me returning to farm out the missing codex files and leveling up my characters.
Just really sad someone decided this could be a good games-as-a-live-service thing. It just neutered the possibilities, the story and everything.
PLATINUM TROPHY
- All 79 Enlightenment Coins found.
I think this is a pretty good game. I have never played the original version, but I think I could see why the hype around this thing happened way back when. However, the gameplay and environments didn't actually make me want to explore the world, question Wanderer's actions or breathe the beautiful backdrop in instead of zipping from colossus to colossus. I enjoyed the calm moments, and the environmental storytelling and all. I just accepted Wanderer was the bad guy all along and was like cool, cool. Maybe years of YouTube videos spoiling the point kinda ruined the experience?
- All 79 Enlightenment Coins found.
I think this is a pretty good game. I have never played the original version, but I think I could see why the hype around this thing happened way back when. However, the gameplay and environments didn't actually make me want to explore the world, question Wanderer's actions or breathe the beautiful backdrop in instead of zipping from colossus to colossus. I enjoyed the calm moments, and the environmental storytelling and all. I just accepted Wanderer was the bad guy all along and was like cool, cool. Maybe years of YouTube videos spoiling the point kinda ruined the experience?
2009
[Round 1]
- All Umbran Tears/LPs found
- Rodin weapon obtained
- All characters unlocked
Took me a while to actually enjoy this brown-filtered mess. It just looked so drab and uninteresting to look at, that I just couldn't get into it. The first few cutscenes where also a bit too odd and lore-filled to capture my attention, but once it clicked, it clicked. This thing's as fun as it is ridiculous.
I refuse to platinum every stage on every difficulty, tho. Even if I'm a completionist I have my limits.
- All Umbran Tears/LPs found
- Rodin weapon obtained
- All characters unlocked
Took me a while to actually enjoy this brown-filtered mess. It just looked so drab and uninteresting to look at, that I just couldn't get into it. The first few cutscenes where also a bit too odd and lore-filled to capture my attention, but once it clicked, it clicked. This thing's as fun as it is ridiculous.
I refuse to platinum every stage on every difficulty, tho. Even if I'm a completionist I have my limits.
2019
PLATINUM TROPHY
Look, I get the hate, especially for people who pre-ordered or started playing on release date. I get it. I'd be pretty pissed as well, I suppose. But, playing this on 2023, after all the updates have been implemented and knowing there isn't gonna be another "story-relevant update" that'd force me to play this thing until I die, I really enjoyed it.
The single-player story had its potential squandered thanks to the live service bullshit EA wanted to implement, and it was left with so many incomplete threads - Owen's evolution felt so out of left field.
But I enjoyed the mechanics, I enjoyed the game play loop, and getting all trophies wasn't that much of a grind.
Yeah, it could've (and should've) been WAY better. Like WAAAAAY better, but what we got was alright. It's just the live service and multiplayer thing... it's just garbage. I had like two missions butchered by random high level guys walking into my session, killing everything before I arrived and ruining the momentum. But when I was the only player in my story missions, or when I encountered people on the open world, it was nice. Just wish I could turn the multiplayer thing off.
Also, I wasn't really part of the hype train so I had absolutely zero expectations, and just bought it for like 2 bucks after a year of hearing this was horrible, so I can't really say I was let down.
Look, I get the hate, especially for people who pre-ordered or started playing on release date. I get it. I'd be pretty pissed as well, I suppose. But, playing this on 2023, after all the updates have been implemented and knowing there isn't gonna be another "story-relevant update" that'd force me to play this thing until I die, I really enjoyed it.
The single-player story had its potential squandered thanks to the live service bullshit EA wanted to implement, and it was left with so many incomplete threads - Owen's evolution felt so out of left field.
But I enjoyed the mechanics, I enjoyed the game play loop, and getting all trophies wasn't that much of a grind.
Yeah, it could've (and should've) been WAY better. Like WAAAAAY better, but what we got was alright. It's just the live service and multiplayer thing... it's just garbage. I had like two missions butchered by random high level guys walking into my session, killing everything before I arrived and ruining the momentum. But when I was the only player in my story missions, or when I encountered people on the open world, it was nice. Just wish I could turn the multiplayer thing off.
Also, I wasn't really part of the hype train so I had absolutely zero expectations, and just bought it for like 2 bucks after a year of hearing this was horrible, so I can't really say I was let down.
- File with six stars on top
- Used 228 Yoshis to complete
The SNES version is definitely better in both visuals and sound, but I do believe this is a very faithful remake with a couple new things thrown in, like secret stages and some Quality-Of-Life improvements. Plus, it's portable, so there's that. Soundtrack still slaps, even when crunching through the GBA speakers.
- Used 228 Yoshis to complete
The SNES version is definitely better in both visuals and sound, but I do believe this is a very faithful remake with a couple new things thrown in, like secret stages and some Quality-Of-Life improvements. Plus, it's portable, so there's that. Soundtrack still slaps, even when crunching through the GBA speakers.
- Complete Collection Room.
- All map tiles cleared.
- Boss Endurance cleared.
Ok, I was not expecting a Kirby metroidvania game. Now that was an interesting approach. Also, I think this the first time I've actually felt a Kirby game was challenging - I never got a Game Over, but was pretty close a couple times. Thank god for the cell phone mechanic that let me heal when in a pinch. Pretty cool game😔👌
Will probably not replay this one soon, tho.
- All map tiles cleared.
- Boss Endurance cleared.
Ok, I was not expecting a Kirby metroidvania game. Now that was an interesting approach. Also, I think this the first time I've actually felt a Kirby game was challenging - I never got a Game Over, but was pretty close a couple times. Thank god for the cell phone mechanic that let me heal when in a pinch. Pretty cool game😔👌
Will probably not replay this one soon, tho.
PLATINUM TROPHY
It feels like an old game - which it is. But it also feels like the devs took every bug, every imperfection, every antique mechanic, and did absolutely nothing with it except paint over it with shiny new textures. They didn't even bother to actually hire the voice actors that weren't available at the time to re-record their characters lines - I was so not a fan of dollar-store Mr. Krabs.
Maybe if I either had played the original before or actually played the PS2 version prior to this, I'd enjoy it for what it is, but coming in without prior knowledge other than tons of people praising it was maybe not the best approach...
It feels like an old game - which it is. But it also feels like the devs took every bug, every imperfection, every antique mechanic, and did absolutely nothing with it except paint over it with shiny new textures. They didn't even bother to actually hire the voice actors that weren't available at the time to re-record their characters lines - I was so not a fan of dollar-store Mr. Krabs.
Maybe if I either had played the original before or actually played the PS2 version prior to this, I'd enjoy it for what it is, but coming in without prior knowledge other than tons of people praising it was maybe not the best approach...