MarioBalls
1998
Here’s a cool video game hot take: I don’t love the RE2 remake. I like this one much MUCH more.
The level design and methodical exploration is near-perfect. The soundtrack is absolutely perfect. I love the tank controls. I love the fixed camera angles. I love the pre-rendered backgrounds. I love the zapping system (although, it is woefully underdeveloped). Force feed this shit to me. It’s so good.
Btw, this is another comfort game for me, which, like with Killer7, makes me very cool and worthy of praise.
The level design and methodical exploration is near-perfect. The soundtrack is absolutely perfect. I love the tank controls. I love the fixed camera angles. I love the pre-rendered backgrounds. I love the zapping system (although, it is woefully underdeveloped). Force feed this shit to me. It’s so good.
Btw, this is another comfort game for me, which, like with Killer7, makes me very cool and worthy of praise.
2010
Also one of my favourites. Does a lot of things better than 1. Everyone else has probably talked about all the things I love about the game in a more articulate manner than I could so I wanna share something I realised the last time I played this that I haven’t seen many other people mention.
I LOVE how simple the story is here. Almost immediately from the outset you know what your end goal is; the suicide mission. The entire game is building towards that goal, constantly reminding you of the severity of that mission. It’s really lean and very effective. It leaves things open for more intimate stories throughout the rest of the game, and it stresses the importance of the suicide mission. I love it, so.
One more thing; I genuinely like the mining mini game. It’s very therapeutic.
I LOVE how simple the story is here. Almost immediately from the outset you know what your end goal is; the suicide mission. The entire game is building towards that goal, constantly reminding you of the severity of that mission. It’s really lean and very effective. It leaves things open for more intimate stories throughout the rest of the game, and it stresses the importance of the suicide mission. I love it, so.
One more thing; I genuinely like the mining mini game. It’s very therapeutic.
I’m a little torn on this game. On the one hand, the writing is fantastic, quite possibly some of the best I’ve seen in a game. But its reluctance to commit wholeheartedly to its survival mechanics brings it way down for me.
I was initially very excited by the prospect of having to wear different outfits depending on the weather, having to store larger items on your horse, maintaining a healthy weight, methodically searching for supplies in drawers and such, however, it quickly becomes clear that you don’t actually NEED to do any of this. It has all these great ideas, but due to its nature as a mainstream AAA game, it lacks the confidence to make any of these mechanics important. I’ve seen a lot of people say that the sluggishness of the game is a problem, but I would argue the true problem is that it doesn’t lean into it harder.
Another thing; the world is beautifully realised, undoubtedly, though I don’t think it’s as well designed as the first game’s map. In RDR 1, there are tons of smartly placed landmarks to guide you through the world, so much so that observant players will be able to navigate the map without having to rely on a mini map. Best of all, 1 manages to do this without making its world feel all that video game-y. It’s pretty organic. In 2, I frequently found myself getting lost and having to rely on the map and mini map to guide my way. Maybe it’s more realistic? I didn’t have as much fun traversing it, though. Still, it is very pretty, so getting lost in it isn’t the worst thing.
Oh, and the soundtrack is fucking amazing. Modern games made in the west don’t tend to have particularly memorable soundtracks imo, but I would say this one stands toe-to-toe with a lot of Japanese games even. Insanely good.
I was initially very excited by the prospect of having to wear different outfits depending on the weather, having to store larger items on your horse, maintaining a healthy weight, methodically searching for supplies in drawers and such, however, it quickly becomes clear that you don’t actually NEED to do any of this. It has all these great ideas, but due to its nature as a mainstream AAA game, it lacks the confidence to make any of these mechanics important. I’ve seen a lot of people say that the sluggishness of the game is a problem, but I would argue the true problem is that it doesn’t lean into it harder.
Another thing; the world is beautifully realised, undoubtedly, though I don’t think it’s as well designed as the first game’s map. In RDR 1, there are tons of smartly placed landmarks to guide you through the world, so much so that observant players will be able to navigate the map without having to rely on a mini map. Best of all, 1 manages to do this without making its world feel all that video game-y. It’s pretty organic. In 2, I frequently found myself getting lost and having to rely on the map and mini map to guide my way. Maybe it’s more realistic? I didn’t have as much fun traversing it, though. Still, it is very pretty, so getting lost in it isn’t the worst thing.
Oh, and the soundtrack is fucking amazing. Modern games made in the west don’t tend to have particularly memorable soundtracks imo, but I would say this one stands toe-to-toe with a lot of Japanese games even. Insanely good.
2005
It’s not a stretch to say this is one of the most influential games ever. It still possibly has the best gunplay of any third person shooter. The pacing is excellent. There’s tons of variety. It still looks really nice. The story is really fun. This shit is firing on all cylinders. It’s also perfect for when you can’t think of anything else to play. It gets a little weaker at some points on the island, but given how consistently brilliant the village and castle sections are, I can excuse those faults. And the island is still mostly really good, anyhow.
Good game.
Good game.
2014
Neat little run-n-gun, with a bit more focus on the platforming compared to other run-n-gun games. All the weapons are fun to use, and the game makes great use of all of them. It’s got a very charming style, and a nice, simple story with a well-communicated point. The unlockable hard mode that dramatically redesigns every level in the game is genius. It feels more like an expansion or a sequel than a simple change in difficulty. However, the real star here is the level design. Daisuke Amaya freed himself of level design duties, leaving that responsibility to Kiyoko Kanekawa, and it shows. It’s simple, but everything that should be conveyed to the player in a game like this, is done masterfully.
One of my favourite games I’ve played in the last couple years. I believe it’s quite cheap as well, so give it a shot.
One of my favourite games I’ve played in the last couple years. I believe it’s quite cheap as well, so give it a shot.
1992
I swear you can just chuck this on and do a quick run through the game no matter where you are or what you’re doing. Not too hard, not too easy, short, and the levels have a ton of paths through them. Sonic 2 is one of the most replayable games ever.
This game has all the stuff I love about 1, particularly the comfort of the bad, embarrassing writing — now with an added, thick layer of teen angst — combined with a surprisingly fantastic combat system.
Square’s approach to real-time combat tends to be really unsatisfying imo, so I question how much of KHII’s combat is intentionally designed to be as good as it is, but everything clicks together so neatly that I’m inclined to believe it was intentional. It almost doesn’t feel like it was made by Square, as a result. The addition of Critical mode in this version of the game makes you realise how well thought out the combat is. It’s so good, I now feel that it’s the only way to play the game. The new optional content in the Final Mix version of this game is also amazing.
I’m not sure how I feel about the level design in this game compared to the first. On the one hand, KH1’s attempts at platforming and light puzzle solving are awful and not having to worry about that in 2 is nice. On the other hand, 2 doesn’t even try to be anything more than running through hallways. Progression in 2 is much more linear. Another case where 1 is maybe executed a little worse, but at least it was making an effort. Lastly, 2’s story is horribly paced. It starts off intriguing , meanders for a very long time, gets a bit more exciting in the middle, goes back to meandering, and then ends with one of my favourite climaxes in a video game. It almost rivals a Platinum games climax for me. It’s not enough to save the terrible pacing, though.
I do love this game, so.
Square’s approach to real-time combat tends to be really unsatisfying imo, so I question how much of KHII’s combat is intentionally designed to be as good as it is, but everything clicks together so neatly that I’m inclined to believe it was intentional. It almost doesn’t feel like it was made by Square, as a result. The addition of Critical mode in this version of the game makes you realise how well thought out the combat is. It’s so good, I now feel that it’s the only way to play the game. The new optional content in the Final Mix version of this game is also amazing.
I’m not sure how I feel about the level design in this game compared to the first. On the one hand, KH1’s attempts at platforming and light puzzle solving are awful and not having to worry about that in 2 is nice. On the other hand, 2 doesn’t even try to be anything more than running through hallways. Progression in 2 is much more linear. Another case where 1 is maybe executed a little worse, but at least it was making an effort. Lastly, 2’s story is horribly paced. It starts off intriguing , meanders for a very long time, gets a bit more exciting in the middle, goes back to meandering, and then ends with one of my favourite climaxes in a video game. It almost rivals a Platinum games climax for me. It’s not enough to save the terrible pacing, though.
I do love this game, so.
1998
I think I actually like this one a little more than the first game—mainly due to its writing and, what felt like to me, more variety in general—but I have little desire to come back to it. I’m sure I’ll find the urge again someday, but it’s so long and a little more railroad-y than Fallout 1, thus making the prospect of a replay really unappealing—not something you want in a CRPG.
My ideal way to play the original. You get some quality of life tweaks, plus, if you’re so inclined, the rebirth mode is a nice little extra for when you want something different. 2 is better, but 1 still holds up quite well.
2020
Is it blasphemy to like this one more than 2 Remake?
I consider myself a pretty strong opposer to rereleases in all forms. What I like about this one is that it feels almost nothing like the original; a common, and valid point of criticism happens to be the primary reason why I like it so much. It’s much harder for me to compare it to the original, unlike 2 Remake.
Instead of a faithful remake, you get a pretty dramatic reimagining of it as an action game. It’s well-paced, looks great, the boss fights are really fun. It’s just a really good time.
I can see why this one is not very well liked, but given this current era of gaming where creativity is exceedingly rare, and rereleases keep our heads buried in the past-sand, it’s actually kinda nice to have one of those rereleases be nothing like the original. That’s my two cents.
I consider myself a pretty strong opposer to rereleases in all forms. What I like about this one is that it feels almost nothing like the original; a common, and valid point of criticism happens to be the primary reason why I like it so much. It’s much harder for me to compare it to the original, unlike 2 Remake.
Instead of a faithful remake, you get a pretty dramatic reimagining of it as an action game. It’s well-paced, looks great, the boss fights are really fun. It’s just a really good time.
I can see why this one is not very well liked, but given this current era of gaming where creativity is exceedingly rare, and rereleases keep our heads buried in the past-sand, it’s actually kinda nice to have one of those rereleases be nothing like the original. That’s my two cents.
This really feels like it shines on repeat playthroughs, and I’ve only beaten it once, so I don’t think I have enough authority to say much about this game. I do remember the believability of the puzzles being especially egregious in this one. RE puzzles are well known for being absurd, but the fact that any of these puzzles would just be found in very public areas is fucking insane.
Eager to try it again at some point, though.
Eager to try it again at some point, though.
1997
This review contains spoilers
Just about to wrap up my third or fourth run of this one. I would probably relentlessly harass anyone who said this was their favourite FF/game in general because I got that contrarian blood in me, but, deep down, I’d have to agree. It’s one of my all-time favourites — one of my most cherished comfort games. It would take too long to explain everything I like, and I’m bad at explaining things so this will probably be very unorganised.
The story is great. I do think that some of its greatness can be attributed to limitations of the hardware, leaving you to fill in the blanks with your mind, thereby making it feel more subtle than it probably is. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, though. I love how somber it is, especially after Aerith’s death. Even as the heroes regain their hope towards the end, there’s always a lingering doubt about whether or not they’ll succeed.
A slight tangent: I’ve always felt that the plot is vaguely Twin Peaks-y, mainly in regards to Aerith. I would liken her to Laura Palmer; a normal girl who, seemingly to her dismay, is destined to play a vital role in a great conflict, which takes her life. Much like Laura, Aerith’s presence can be felt even after she dies. It’s quite beautiful. I’m glad that they really stuck the landing with a risk this big. I normally hate the dumb waifu wars bullshit that dominates a lot of the discussion around games like this, but I’m all in on Aerith. I love literally everything about her. The interactions between her and Cloud are so sweet and charming. She’s an amazing character.
Besides the plot, my favourite thing about FFVII is the materia system. It’s very creative and super flexible. In the end game, especially, you can come up with some ungodly, fucked up shit. It’s so much fun just figuring out new ways to steamroll everything each playthrough. I had a lot of fun experimenting with different methods to beat Emerald and Ruby Weapon without Knights of the Round on this run.
I feel like people don’t mention how well paced the game is, too. It starts quick and knows exactly when to dial it back and when to crank it back up. I have a decently high tolerance for how slow JRPGs are, but I don’t think I’d be too upset if they were all paced like this.
Biggest con is that it’s absurdly easy. I’m always taken aback by how easy it is every time I decide to replay it. Another con, albeit less dramatic as it relates to optional content, is that, while Ruby Weapon CAN be defeated without using KotR, it’s clear that the fight is designed with it in mind, as its (to my knowledge) one of the few multi-hitting pierce attacks in the game.
Anyway, this review is a fucking mess, but consider the messy nature of it as a symbol of how much I love this game.
The story is great. I do think that some of its greatness can be attributed to limitations of the hardware, leaving you to fill in the blanks with your mind, thereby making it feel more subtle than it probably is. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, though. I love how somber it is, especially after Aerith’s death. Even as the heroes regain their hope towards the end, there’s always a lingering doubt about whether or not they’ll succeed.
A slight tangent: I’ve always felt that the plot is vaguely Twin Peaks-y, mainly in regards to Aerith. I would liken her to Laura Palmer; a normal girl who, seemingly to her dismay, is destined to play a vital role in a great conflict, which takes her life. Much like Laura, Aerith’s presence can be felt even after she dies. It’s quite beautiful. I’m glad that they really stuck the landing with a risk this big. I normally hate the dumb waifu wars bullshit that dominates a lot of the discussion around games like this, but I’m all in on Aerith. I love literally everything about her. The interactions between her and Cloud are so sweet and charming. She’s an amazing character.
Besides the plot, my favourite thing about FFVII is the materia system. It’s very creative and super flexible. In the end game, especially, you can come up with some ungodly, fucked up shit. It’s so much fun just figuring out new ways to steamroll everything each playthrough. I had a lot of fun experimenting with different methods to beat Emerald and Ruby Weapon without Knights of the Round on this run.
I feel like people don’t mention how well paced the game is, too. It starts quick and knows exactly when to dial it back and when to crank it back up. I have a decently high tolerance for how slow JRPGs are, but I don’t think I’d be too upset if they were all paced like this.
Biggest con is that it’s absurdly easy. I’m always taken aback by how easy it is every time I decide to replay it. Another con, albeit less dramatic as it relates to optional content, is that, while Ruby Weapon CAN be defeated without using KotR, it’s clear that the fight is designed with it in mind, as its (to my knowledge) one of the few multi-hitting pierce attacks in the game.
Anyway, this review is a fucking mess, but consider the messy nature of it as a symbol of how much I love this game.
1994
This is the only Contra game I’ve finished so I’m not the best authority here, but this game fucking rocks. Aside from the boring auto scroller fight, it’s so well paced and has a few points where you can select between branching paths that make every playthrough feel unique. It’s not absurdly difficult; there’s never too much to manage at once. It’s got a fantastic soundtrack. It looks very pretty. It just rocks, man. That auto scroller fight IS quite boring tho. Probably the only blemish here.
2009
Actually my favourite Halo game.
Take the polish, variety, and pacing of 3, throw in a modestly sized, immersive open-world, and smother it in layer upon layer of moody atmosphere, and you have a Halo game that feels like it was made for me. It’s only crime is its length.
Also the best soundtrack in the series, bar none.
Take the polish, variety, and pacing of 3, throw in a modestly sized, immersive open-world, and smother it in layer upon layer of moody atmosphere, and you have a Halo game that feels like it was made for me. It’s only crime is its length.
Also the best soundtrack in the series, bar none.
Combat is quite shallow, and the job system is so simplistic, it’s inclusion feels like more of an obligation than a creative decision, but goddamn if this shit ain’t one of the most charming things I’ve ever played.
Basically, everything you expect a Yakuza game to do, is done here, and with flying colours. The secret ingredient is its cast of middle-aged losers trying to find their place in the world, and their contagious, unerringly positive energy that seems to infect not only the characters they interact with, but the very video game—Yakuza: Like a Dragon—itself. (Ichiban might seriously be one of the greatest video game characters ever).
While its flaws are noticeable, even with a cursory glance, it exudes so much charm, and is put together with so much love, that I can’t help but give it a big, figurative hug and let it know, figuratively, that it’s beautiful as is.
Basically, everything you expect a Yakuza game to do, is done here, and with flying colours. The secret ingredient is its cast of middle-aged losers trying to find their place in the world, and their contagious, unerringly positive energy that seems to infect not only the characters they interact with, but the very video game—Yakuza: Like a Dragon—itself. (Ichiban might seriously be one of the greatest video game characters ever).
While its flaws are noticeable, even with a cursory glance, it exudes so much charm, and is put together with so much love, that I can’t help but give it a big, figurative hug and let it know, figuratively, that it’s beautiful as is.