This game is a technical marvel and it plays really well too. Taking a horizontal shmup series and putting it into the gameplay of something like Space Harrier is no easy task. The game features lots of spectacle, challenge, and lots of opportunities to get a huge high score. The presentation and audio is still as good as usual for the Cotton series with the only unfortunate absence being the cutscenes for every level now being only for the opening and ending of the game. It’ll probably take you a few attempts to beat the game as it can be pretty hard and you only have one life and a few continues. Try to play well to achieve more life.

While the impressive presentation is an amazing achievement for the system, it comes with the unfortunate problem of the framerate being a bit low. It’s not the worst but it sucks that there will probably never be a good FPS version of the game. With that said however you should definitely try the game out as it’s one of the finest shmups on the system with a lot of replayability. It also has seen a modern rerelease though be warned that make sure you update it as it launched with inaccurate emulation. It also features a new translation but a fan one also exists. Sadly getting an original copy is expensive, especially brand new. Hope you enjoy this incredible game or at least get to enjoy the visuals and fast pace.

Friends, loved ones, we gather here today to remember our good friend Hi-Fi Rush

The cliche saying "life comes at you fast" is apt to describe Hi-Fi Rush. It simultaneously announced and released at the end of what I would generously describe as a very mid Xbox game presentation in January 2023 to the delight of half-asleep gamers watching everywhere.

Hi-Fi Rush is rhythm-based character action game that had unique gameplay. It was forgiving to casual audiences so as to acclimate them to rhythm aspects of the game, but had aspects about it that made it the most hardcore character action game out there if you wanted it to be. If you wanted the highest ranking. If you wanted Chai to be holding a real guitar, you had to earn that shit in blood.

The game embraced a fun cast of characters. Embraced a saturday morning cartoon setting and story. It made Xenogears references when half-jokingly describing running out of budget for the last act of the game. It had licensed music from bands like Nine Inch Nails. Hi-Fi Rush was truly a hi-fi rush that made thousands of people think the game was tailor-made for them. Simply by being more in line with what people actually like. It was nice to see as such cases of personality and life being that it was rare to see such on a major publisher level.

Hi-Fi Rush was pushed out into the world to be loved, and to help boost a rapidly dying gaming platform, but actually mostly that first thing...

But mostly that second thing, actually.

The cancer of corporate consolidation and power, a time when optimal financialization is the only language those unrightfully holding the reigns of the industry speak. That is what killed a moderately successful game studio. Lack of passion or enthusiasm didn't kill Hi-Fi Rush. A financial officer running numbers and determining a sequel would make X amount of dollars less than a Call of Duty skin killed Hi-Fi Rush.

So as we lay them down to rest, we celebrate Hi-Fi Rush as it reminded gamers of a time when all games both big and small were released to be enjoyed unconditionally; with the upfront price tag of exceptional games were the beginning, middle and end of what was asked to own it.

Sadly, those days are snuffed out. You must now rent and subscribe to begin to be pumped with complicit, tedious gameplay trends that feel more diluted with every repackaging. Will we die with capitalism? Probably. Shit crazy out here, b.

Whether or not you cherished the life of Tango, or it's products like Evil Within or Hi-Fi Rush, you must understand that gaming on consoles is dead. Dead until the console platform holders release their own Steam Deck and it's probably going to be lame as fuck compared to a Steam Deck if your name is not Nintendo, but whatever.

Rest in peace, Hi-Fi Rush.

To truly appreciate Guilty Gear Strive, you need to approach it with a certain level of understanding and appreciation for its intricacies. Much like vaping, the game's depth and complexity might not be immediately apparent to everyone. The stunning visuals, tight gameplay, and unique character roster require a level of skill and insight that goes beyond simple button-mashing. Just as vaping enthusiasts have a deep appreciation for the art of blowing clouds, fans of Guilty Gear Strive understand the nuances of its combat system and character interactions. Those who dismiss it as just another fighting game are missing out on something truly special. Guilty Gear Strive is not just a game; it's a statement, a philosophy, a way of life. So, while some may not understand it, for those who do, it's an experience like no other.

Score: 8/10

I was pretty excited to try this one. There are so many military shooters and boring brown open world games on the console. A bright colourful fairy-tale themed hack and slash where you spill the blood of your enemies with 3 friends, sign me up! It's a great idea that we don't really see much on the console, harking back to the good old days of streets of rage and games with some humor. The problem is, this fun lasts for about 5 minutes and then you start to realise how painful this game really is. The levels are colourful, but extremely bland and linear. Most levels have you walking right. That's it. The combat is terrible. It could be due to the awkward controls, which make it difficult, but even if it controlled well, its very basic stuff. You flick the right stick around to slash and link some combos up. This doesn't make for fun gameplay. The coop gameplay doesn't make the game much better. It's difficult to see whats going on with 1 player on the screen, let alone 2 or even 3. One of the most shallow games on the console, don't be fooled by the cute graphics or unique concept.

genuinely dont remember where i found this

its part of the anime girl flying around and shooting shit to death genre, kind of like eXceed or much more notoriously, Touhou, which this game takes a lot of inspiration from when it comes to presentation, from the menus and the soundtrack, to more insignificant details like your characters' (or the boss's) portrait cutting in when a bomb is used, or the way the song title fades into the bottom of the screen at the start of a stage

it seems to feature branching paths for the main campaign, which is nice, but unfortunately i cant read moon runes and I was too lazy to find an english patch when I still cared about playing this so i guess i wont be making any sense of the plot

the gameplay itself is pretty unremarkable for a shmup, probably the easiest ive played, though its very akin to Imperishable Night in that you pick a duo of two characters at the beginning of the game, each with a different shot-type, which i guess adds a hint of depth to this otherwise simplistic game

might replay at some point

The only thing this thing made go Up were my colesterol levels





I remember once as a little, little child, back when I first got my ds, Up for the ds was one of the many games I got on my og R4. "Up, like the movie? Oooh does that mean that I get to play as the dog?"
Turns out you don't. You get a whole ass waterfall stage that can only be surpassed by the chubby kid while the old man hits the nae nae I GUESS
You know something? I got stuck here for WEEKS back then. And I had mario 64 ds as an option. Yeah, turns out I didn't really come back to this shitty ass game in 15 years. Didn't even complete that first level, until recently. HOLY SHIT, NOT EVEN THE MUSIC IS SALVAGEABLE LOL. The only reason I even installed it again was to finally finish that first level.Young me would be both proud and nauseated for even daring to go that far into it. But I did!

Hearing that new video game system you’re about to buy comes with a free title designed to show off its special capabilities likely calls to mind some paltry minigame compilation à la Welcome Park on PS Vita. Sony has actually preloaded their latest home console with a full-fledged 3D collect-a-thon platformer of remarkable quality though! It may not end up being as iconic as Wii Sports, but is a very welcome member of the PS5’s library nonetheless.

It feels like a gleeful celebration of the company’s long history. Not in a supercilious, self-aggrandizing way, but in a manner more akin to sitting down with an old friend and reminiscing fond memories. Everywhere you look there’s an Easter egg or deep cut reference that’s been lovingly placed there to bring a smile to the face of any abiding PlayStation devotee while reminding them of the types of experiences they can’t get anywhere else.

As delightful as all of that is though, it’s the gameplay that matters most and if that didn’t hold up then this package would carry no value. Astro’s Playroom manages to succeed due to spacing out the stages meant to make use of the controller’s unique functions with excellent traditional ones that you can explore and grab things in at your leisure. The levels that see you tilting the DualSense and playing around with its touchpad and adaptive triggers admittedly are a tad gimmicky (especially those dang frog suit sections), but remain fun in spite of that by never outstaying their welcome.

Another aspect that really impressed me was the sheer amount of interactivity. In the starting hub area alone, you can smack all of the little Bots to have them tag along behind you and amass a huge horde of followers. What purpose does this serve? None as far as I can tell! It's just a single example of the many neat little features the devs have included that allow you to find extra amusement in engaging with your surroundings. It's something I wish more games would do.

This might also be the perfect length, striking that nice balance between charming demo you spend a little time with before moving on to the games you actually bought the console for and a more fulfilling offering that can keep you coming back for a few additional hours via the healthy amount of collectibles to hunt down. AP won't be on any top ten of the PS5's lifespan lists when all is said and done, yet is a fantastic freebie regardless that there's absolutely no reason for you to not check out if you own the hardware.

9/10