Makeke
2017
Feels good to finally get this off the backlog. Got this for free on Epic a while back. Such an exceptionally cool atmosphere that drips cosmic dread from start to finish. I sort of died a lot (I am terrible at FPS games) but it never really discouraged me because of how much fun the Typhon abilities are to use and how fluid the gunplay feels. The narrative forced me to pause for more than a moment to actually consider the consequences of my actions. It's not something I've done much based on the games I usually play, but's its a feeling that is more than welcome and I'll probably pursue going forward. I guess I can see the fuss about immersive sims now.
It's monster hunter ofc it's fun. I'll probably make a more detailed review once i play through iceborne, but I'm falling in love with this franchise.
2008
Maybe it's because I did all of the additional side quests this time. Maybe it's because I'm graduating this semester and this was the first game I played once I entered college. Or maybe I just really clicked with Chrono Trigger's DNA on this playthrough and came upon this realization.
It's not just one aspect of this game that's outstanding.
It's the flow of the nigh flawless, active turn based mechanics (dual tech and triple tech attacks are soooo cool man).
It's the gorgeous and amazingly aged pixel art that can craft a vibrant, whimsical yet often oppressive world in the player's mind despite the limitations of the style.
It's the music that makes you feel amped for battle, nostalgic for the past, hopeful for the future, tearful for what's lost or even just bust a move while trudging through a dilapidated factory.
It's the tightly written time travel narrative that hosts some of my favorite backstories and character interactions in fiction (I'm looking at you Frog, Robo and Lucca).
Chrono Trigger is pure magic from start to finish and feels like lightning in the bottle in nearly every facet of its production.
And in the heart of its magic it leaves a simple yet enduringly powerful message:
How can we hope to craft a better future without embracing and learning from the mistakes of the past?
It's not just one aspect of this game that's outstanding.
It's the flow of the nigh flawless, active turn based mechanics (dual tech and triple tech attacks are soooo cool man).
It's the gorgeous and amazingly aged pixel art that can craft a vibrant, whimsical yet often oppressive world in the player's mind despite the limitations of the style.
It's the music that makes you feel amped for battle, nostalgic for the past, hopeful for the future, tearful for what's lost or even just bust a move while trudging through a dilapidated factory.
It's the tightly written time travel narrative that hosts some of my favorite backstories and character interactions in fiction (I'm looking at you Frog, Robo and Lucca).
Chrono Trigger is pure magic from start to finish and feels like lightning in the bottle in nearly every facet of its production.
And in the heart of its magic it leaves a simple yet enduringly powerful message:
How can we hope to craft a better future without embracing and learning from the mistakes of the past?
This review contains spoilers
The GBA had quite a few gems didn't it?
I'm gonna start with the aspects that got on my nerves because they're pretty short compared to this list of things Superstar Saga nails:
• The Yoshi Theater beanstar felt like
obvious padding compared to the
other three locations as it mostly
entailed just walking about BeanBean
for a bit for fruits.
• Scaratroopeas (and Joke's End as a
whole) can go fuck themselves.
Now that's out of the way I can gush about how cute Mario and Luigi are in this game. Outside of maybe Luigi's Mansion I don't think their bond as brothers has ever felt so warm and real.
This bond is so strong in fact that it allows you to effectively terrorize any enemy/boss encounter in the game as long as you have quick enough fingers, rhythm, and can easily discern between red and green.
Through the power of Bros Attacks you can render nearly any challenge in this game futile. I say nearly any, because some of the Koopaling fights in the end game as well as Fawful and Cackletta's heart will have you sweating...The power of said Bros Attack though depends on how comfortable you are with the timing of attack of by yourself. I adored how much care and character was put into each of the bros attacks, with unique, charming animations playing for each success and failure.
Above all though, this game is hilarious. Like actually laugh out loud material at points. I'm never gonna get over Luigi pouting over not getting a badge while Mario pushes him into the next scene 😭.
I'm gonna start with the aspects that got on my nerves because they're pretty short compared to this list of things Superstar Saga nails:
• The Yoshi Theater beanstar felt like
obvious padding compared to the
other three locations as it mostly
entailed just walking about BeanBean
for a bit for fruits.
• Scaratroopeas (and Joke's End as a
whole) can go fuck themselves.
Now that's out of the way I can gush about how cute Mario and Luigi are in this game. Outside of maybe Luigi's Mansion I don't think their bond as brothers has ever felt so warm and real.
This bond is so strong in fact that it allows you to effectively terrorize any enemy/boss encounter in the game as long as you have quick enough fingers, rhythm, and can easily discern between red and green.
Through the power of Bros Attacks you can render nearly any challenge in this game futile. I say nearly any, because some of the Koopaling fights in the end game as well as Fawful and Cackletta's heart will have you sweating...The power of said Bros Attack though depends on how comfortable you are with the timing of attack of by yourself. I adored how much care and character was put into each of the bros attacks, with unique, charming animations playing for each success and failure.
Above all though, this game is hilarious. Like actually laugh out loud material at points. I'm never gonna get over Luigi pouting over not getting a badge while Mario pushes him into the next scene 😭.
2022
Not super different from Spla2n based on the battles and salmon run matches I've played so far. At this point it's beating a dead horse but I don't think this game is different enough to justify a new entry. All the changes i've seen between the new specials and salmon run bosses could have easily been implemented into the already very successful prior entry.
It's still fun cuz it's sploon but it just seems like taking advantage of a loyal fanbase when this game has no real hook to differentiate from it the other two entries.
It's still fun cuz it's sploon but it just seems like taking advantage of a loyal fanbase when this game has no real hook to differentiate from it the other two entries.
2006
Is this the gateway drug to rhythm games? I was only supposed to try it out for 5 mins but the 2000s rock kept me locked in for like 2 hours.
2014
This review is just for shovel of hope.
It's fun I guess.
To my knowledge, this game is supposed to pay homage to the NES era of platformers and adventure games. It does a really good job of that, so much so that it includes some of the bullshit enemy placement and level design that turned me off NES games in the first place.
To Shovel Knight's credit though it is a lot more lenient with checkpoints than games of those ilk so I won't babyrage too much about my lack of skill when faceplanting into a spike pit for the billionth time.
I admittedly was not enjoying my playthrough too much until I completed my first Knight lair. The Order of No Quarter are the lifeblood of this game, a colorful assortment of personalities who wear their Robot Masters influences on their sleeves. They vary in difficulty but I appreciate how much thematic attention was put towards each of their levels, dialogue and boss fights.
The narrative itself while basic, does have you care enough about Shovel Knight's journey, with an especially sweet conclusion after the credits roll.
I'm curious how the rest of treasure trove iterates on this formula.
It's fun I guess.
To my knowledge, this game is supposed to pay homage to the NES era of platformers and adventure games. It does a really good job of that, so much so that it includes some of the bullshit enemy placement and level design that turned me off NES games in the first place.
To Shovel Knight's credit though it is a lot more lenient with checkpoints than games of those ilk so I won't babyrage too much about my lack of skill when faceplanting into a spike pit for the billionth time.
I admittedly was not enjoying my playthrough too much until I completed my first Knight lair. The Order of No Quarter are the lifeblood of this game, a colorful assortment of personalities who wear their Robot Masters influences on their sleeves. They vary in difficulty but I appreciate how much thematic attention was put towards each of their levels, dialogue and boss fights.
The narrative itself while basic, does have you care enough about Shovel Knight's journey, with an especially sweet conclusion after the credits roll.
I'm curious how the rest of treasure trove iterates on this formula.
2008
The DS is such a brilliant console when you take advantage of its functionalities man. Every game is so simple yet extremely unique and addictive. I wish I had played this when I was younger. Feels like it might have been a formative experience. Not to mention the added bonus of developing better rhythm.
2011
Growing up is realizing that the pinball minigame is more fun than the main game.
Finished on co-op with friends. I haven't had this much with 2d Mario since the 'new' formula started on ds. There were some levels that felt too easy and straight up filler. Others that were a good challenge. And others that only felt more difficult because of co-op mode. Despite this mixed bag, I was consistently amused by the gimmicks and the stylistic choices introduced by the wonder seeds.
They enhance the game's overall design as it keeps most levels from feeling static or samey like some of the latter 'New Super' entries. Not to mention some levels have some really well hidden wonder seeds you will probably miss on your first go, offering some decent replayability value.
Overall a very solid and snappy return to form for 2d Mario. Opinion will probably improve once I play through It solo.
They enhance the game's overall design as it keeps most levels from feeling static or samey like some of the latter 'New Super' entries. Not to mention some levels have some really well hidden wonder seeds you will probably miss on your first go, offering some decent replayability value.
Overall a very solid and snappy return to form for 2d Mario. Opinion will probably improve once I play through It solo.
2023
I don't think you can say you've experienced true joy until you've heard "I Wanna Kno" blasting in your ear while racking up hard corners and wall runs in Millenium Mall.
You know after thinking about it a little, most of my frustration with this game doesn't really come from the story. I was invested throughout the playthrough. At certain points I was a little lost given how the game jumps back and forth from one protagonist's plotline to the other but I was able to get the gist of it. And I'm still not completely sure what feeling the ending wanted to evoke from me. Nevertheless, the narrative feels a lot more involved than its predecessor and I appreciate its ambition.
What I don't appreciate, however, is how fucking cheap the levels in this game can be. There are a ton of blindspots here compared to the first game which often leads to armed enemies getting the jump on you from half a screen way. The last two acts or so of this game are filled to the brim with lengthy levels that have enemies who can kill you from a screen away. It becomes more "memorize enemy positions and wait" as opposed to the healthy mix of internalizing room layouts and reaction-based improv that allowed you to rack up insane combos, while blasting through levels in the previous entry.
Fortunately, the soundtrack helped repeating these levels over and over a lot more bearable.
What I don't appreciate, however, is how fucking cheap the levels in this game can be. There are a ton of blindspots here compared to the first game which often leads to armed enemies getting the jump on you from half a screen way. The last two acts or so of this game are filled to the brim with lengthy levels that have enemies who can kill you from a screen away. It becomes more "memorize enemy positions and wait" as opposed to the healthy mix of internalizing room layouts and reaction-based improv that allowed you to rack up insane combos, while blasting through levels in the previous entry.
Fortunately, the soundtrack helped repeating these levels over and over a lot more bearable.
I've given TOTK a fair shake. 95 hours in and at this point it just feels like a chore. Still too many repeated and easy boss fights. Still too many samey locations (the sky and the depths are such disappointments after a couple hours). Still too many repeated chores disguised as "content". All glued together with an admittedly innovative but extremely limited building mechanic. And don't even get me started on that excuse for a story...makes BOTW look like William fucking Shakespeare.
I do think the main story dungeons were quite an improvement but these BOTW era games have a serious bloat issue. I guess that's what gamers want these days. They need 'things to do' to keep their thumbs busy and the dopamine rushing. Quality be damned.
I'm a little sad that this is obviously the direction 3D Zelda will take based on the sales and general reception. It's not even an issue of traditional items alongside traditional dungeons for me. I love the ideas of ultrahand, ascend, and fuse. The problem for me lies that 3D Zelda has gone from neat, curated experiences with a strong emotional core in their simple narrative to sprawling, unfocused sandboxes with little focus or reverence to its story or quality of worldbuilding and NPC interactions. That works for a lot of people but it rubs me the wrong way.
I suppose I can only wait till the next top-down installment and hope that doesn't get BOTWified.
I do think the main story dungeons were quite an improvement but these BOTW era games have a serious bloat issue. I guess that's what gamers want these days. They need 'things to do' to keep their thumbs busy and the dopamine rushing. Quality be damned.
I'm a little sad that this is obviously the direction 3D Zelda will take based on the sales and general reception. It's not even an issue of traditional items alongside traditional dungeons for me. I love the ideas of ultrahand, ascend, and fuse. The problem for me lies that 3D Zelda has gone from neat, curated experiences with a strong emotional core in their simple narrative to sprawling, unfocused sandboxes with little focus or reverence to its story or quality of worldbuilding and NPC interactions. That works for a lot of people but it rubs me the wrong way.
I suppose I can only wait till the next top-down installment and hope that doesn't get BOTWified.
2019
It's badass.
Finally getting to pick this up and play feels a bit surreal to me. I've been eyeing this since it originally released. At the time I passed on it, because I was a lame and judgy 17 yr old who wrote it off as too weird and anime. By the time I convinced myself, physical copies started getting somewhat rare in retail but I was able to find an affordable import on ebay. After playing through it, I can't say my initial impressions were wrong but Astral Chain 's over-the-top, seinen-laced DNA is precisely what endeared me to it so much.
I like how the story carries itself with a sincere grace. The game's narrative somehow manages to grip onto you despite its cast of supporting characters feeling somewhat generic. Fortunately, the twins' relationship takes center stage in the latter half of the game and it's all the better for it. It nevers feel quite too serious though and I appreciate that because I am mowing down demons with my funny dog persona after all.
Speaking of mowing down demons... The combat in this game is pure bliss. I love how responsive the dodge feels. Pulling off a row of perfect dodges into a slew of sync attacks against a miniboss/boss injects you with a metric fuck ton of adrenaline and is some of the most satisfying game feel I've ever encountered. The legions are all so varied and fun to use. There are probably some that are just objectively better to use for an entire playthrough but enemy encounters often had me switching legions mid combo depending on the situation. I like that I felt forced to experiment with the strengths of other legions because it leads to combat always feeling fresh even near the end of the game.
As much as Astral Chain tries to cutout the bullshit and throw the player into the thick of action, it also pays an impressive amount of respect to its setting. At the end of the day you are a police officer and the priority is to protect and serve. The inclusion of the IRIS and the investigation notes add an extra layer of immersion that connects you to this world, its people and its history. The game also expresses this through a variety of optional missions within in each "file" outside of the main quest. These missions can range from balancing a tower of ice cream for a snot-nosed kid to destroying a cocky officer's high score in the shooting range with your Arrow legion. Others can be more sprawling side adventures that often end up in you having to save civilians from an Eldritch horror residing in the Astral Plane. I personally think it strikes the right balance of variety and quality of content. I was a little disappointed with the lack of motorbike missions and how much time I spent on that last sliding puzzle (you know the one).
I would be remiss if I didn't throw out a mention to this game's OST. Astral Chain boasts a seamless dynamic soundtrack. The HQ and civilian area themes present moody, serene synths that effortlessly transition into the more frenetic electric guitars and drums once chimeras burst on the scene. The music is a character in itself and cranks some of the most cinematic moments in this game (like the entirety of File 11) from a 7 to a 10.
Anyways this review is already too long. This is easily a top 2 switch game and has converted me to PlatinumGames enjoyer. I hope they can make a sequel granted the funds and material are there. I'm going to go collect the S+ ranks I missed.
Finally getting to pick this up and play feels a bit surreal to me. I've been eyeing this since it originally released. At the time I passed on it, because I was a lame and judgy 17 yr old who wrote it off as too weird and anime. By the time I convinced myself, physical copies started getting somewhat rare in retail but I was able to find an affordable import on ebay. After playing through it, I can't say my initial impressions were wrong but Astral Chain 's over-the-top, seinen-laced DNA is precisely what endeared me to it so much.
I like how the story carries itself with a sincere grace. The game's narrative somehow manages to grip onto you despite its cast of supporting characters feeling somewhat generic. Fortunately, the twins' relationship takes center stage in the latter half of the game and it's all the better for it. It nevers feel quite too serious though and I appreciate that because I am mowing down demons with my funny dog persona after all.
Speaking of mowing down demons... The combat in this game is pure bliss. I love how responsive the dodge feels. Pulling off a row of perfect dodges into a slew of sync attacks against a miniboss/boss injects you with a metric fuck ton of adrenaline and is some of the most satisfying game feel I've ever encountered. The legions are all so varied and fun to use. There are probably some that are just objectively better to use for an entire playthrough but enemy encounters often had me switching legions mid combo depending on the situation. I like that I felt forced to experiment with the strengths of other legions because it leads to combat always feeling fresh even near the end of the game.
As much as Astral Chain tries to cutout the bullshit and throw the player into the thick of action, it also pays an impressive amount of respect to its setting. At the end of the day you are a police officer and the priority is to protect and serve. The inclusion of the IRIS and the investigation notes add an extra layer of immersion that connects you to this world, its people and its history. The game also expresses this through a variety of optional missions within in each "file" outside of the main quest. These missions can range from balancing a tower of ice cream for a snot-nosed kid to destroying a cocky officer's high score in the shooting range with your Arrow legion. Others can be more sprawling side adventures that often end up in you having to save civilians from an Eldritch horror residing in the Astral Plane. I personally think it strikes the right balance of variety and quality of content. I was a little disappointed with the lack of motorbike missions and how much time I spent on that last sliding puzzle (you know the one).
I would be remiss if I didn't throw out a mention to this game's OST. Astral Chain boasts a seamless dynamic soundtrack. The HQ and civilian area themes present moody, serene synths that effortlessly transition into the more frenetic electric guitars and drums once chimeras burst on the scene. The music is a character in itself and cranks some of the most cinematic moments in this game (like the entirety of File 11) from a 7 to a 10.
Anyways this review is already too long. This is easily a top 2 switch game and has converted me to PlatinumGames enjoyer. I hope they can make a sequel granted the funds and material are there. I'm going to go collect the S+ ranks I missed.
I kinda want more fire fighter video games. They're pretty cool chaps