I like the second DKC more thematically, but I still love the monster movie vibes this one brings. Its just such a weird aesthetic choice for a Donkey Kong game, it's great. The more varied colors and denser detailing add to a much moodier atmosphere than the other games in the trilogy, also highlighted by Eveline Novakovic's score. Specifically, I adore how the water levels look and sound in this game, with vibrant coral reefs and dark waters brought to life by the ominous track, Water World.

The big improvement here over its predecessor is the completion experience, as its far more standardized as to what to expect in terms of collectibles in each level. The second game ws very spontaneous with its collectible placement, which can be fun but also annoying. My only real gripes with this one is that the field of view for some levels like fucking Kong-Fused Cliffs is really bad and the secret world, Kremetoa, is home to some of the worst levels in the entire trilogy. Granted on that last point, there's only like 3 really bad ones.

This is true for all the DKC games on SNES, but you really can't go wrong with these games if your looking for good and varied challenge paired with unique presentation.

there's some maybe interesting thoughts here but they're held back by an exhaustingly large dungeon and dice rolls upon dice rolls upon dice rolls

admittedly didn't get suuuuuuper far but the slog's gone on long enough i can't see it getting any better, especially with my significant issues with its systems (the large amount of highly random damage, floors being big and uninteresting, heavily encouraging skipping around and thus just... not engaging with the actual gameplay). overall 0/10, play Etrian Odyssey instead

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion is a remaster of the game originally released for the PSP. It's an action RPG that tells the story before the events of Final Fantasy VII.

As a remaster, I can say it is a really well-done job. Even after 15 years, the developers took the original game and did a great job adapting it to modern days.

The visuals don't look outdated at all. It could easily be a game released today with a slightly smaller budget. It seems like they used some assets from the remake of Final Fantasy VII, although there's a significant difference between this prequel and the main title.

Regarding the gameplay, I can say that the combat is really enjoyable. The regular fights are quite easy, and you may encounter some difficulty with a few bosses, but nothing to worry about. It's almost like a 3D fighting game; you'll be walking through the stage and encounter enemies, triggering battles.

There are some RPG features that could make character development a bit more complex, but they're not necessary to progress in the game. You just need some basic knowledge about this system to enjoy the game.

As for the story, I really liked it. I never had contact with the original release or the original Final Fantasy VII. I only played the Final Fantasy VII remake before, and I can say that Crisis Core will be very important to the upcoming games of this remake era.

The characters are fun and charismatic, and the story kept me invested throughout.

I played on Nintendo Switch, and the developers did an amazing job with this version. I didn't encounter any problems during my gameplay.

In conclusion, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion is a great opportunity to introduce this game to a new audience, like myself. It's a really fun game and probably an important story for the next parts of the remake era of Final Fantasy VII.

Trapped in his mortal form, each step taken felt heavier than the last. The planet’s tarry surface was slick from the smothering radiation of a dying star, giving way to the beast’s labored movement. With one final staggered lunge, he rested his eyes upon the sea of fire before him as all the terrain crumbled to pebbles and ash. He felt cheated by life’s cruel hand, the bitterness welled up inside his core. The beast knew it was his destiny to lose, but something about this time felt final. Like all other times, however, he could only meet this fate with outspoken denial. He mustered a final surge of pride and bravado through one final message of desperation:

“ NOOOO! My Galaxy! My empire! This can't be happening...”

this game was epic, y’all.

Definitely on the simpler side for an RPG (though tbqh I'll take this over the more complicated action commands its progeny can have), but still an enjoyable adventure, imo. I like the overhauled mechanics a bit, but the fact that most of the game was not designed with them in mind can make them fall a bit flat...

I think my main complaint is that some of the sidequest stuff still shows its age in being rough and kinda unfun, though I'll admit this is at least partially because I'm not actually the greatest at reflexive stuff.

Game is definitely a treat visually. I feel like they knew when it'd be best to show off the new possible capabilities (ex. boss intros, certain cutscenes) while otherwise still being charmingly faithful.