MarioBalls
2005
Killer7 is so utterly singular. A shining example of the magic that can come from not just subverting expectations, but ignoring them completely. I’ve played through it twice now and I STILL get excited by the creativity on display, from the gameplay, to the writing, to the presentation; I feel an intense wave of inspiration whenever I so much as think about Killer7. It rules. Also, it’s a comfort game for me, which makes me cool and I should be praised for it.
Another comfort game. Much like all of Suda51’s games, I feel inspired whenever I play Flower, Sun, and Rain. Makes for a great summertime romp, at least for me. Its willingness to intentionally annoy the player will probably frustrate most people but I love it. It’s part of what makes it so interesting. I can’t think of many other examples where the gameplay and writing are this effective at putting the player on the same page as the player character. When you have to repeatedly walk through several large, empty areas, you understand why the protagonist is so grumpy all the time. One of the funniest games I’ve played too. The protagonist punches a child at one point. That alone is worth a perfect score.
2005
Yet another comfort game. I can’t be in a bad mood when I play it. It’s a near perfect sequel. Almost every issue with the original is ironed out. The main thing is that it’s more varied, but it’s also got better level design, is more stylish in its presentation, has better writing, a better soundtrack (I would argue it’s better, at least). Has one of my favourite manuals too. I’ll cherish this game forever.
2000
One of my most favourite games. When I first finished Vagrant Story, I immediately replayed it. That’s a good sign. As much as I like the gameplay and how weird and layered and obtuse it is mechanically, the crushing atmosphere, as well as the still great cutscene direction (it’s funny to think that this game that came out in 2000 has better cutscene direction than a lot of games that would come out over the next 10+ years), my favourite thing about it is the writing. I’m a big fan of Yasumi Matsuno’s games and especially his writing. They’re often devoid of a lot of the melodrama/anime-ness that you expect in a JRPG. Vagrant Story’s script (brilliantly translated by Alexander O. Smith) features very little exposition. This is the key, I think. It’s saved for when the characters themselves need something to be explained to them. It helps it feel so much more immersive. You end up having to piece together a lot of the finer details yourself. As such, it probably has some of my favourite video game writing ever. Unfortunately, it’s not all so amazing. Menu navigation sucks, level design is pretty repetitive and it feels like there isn’t much flexibility in regards to builds given how vital it is to exploit enemy weaknesses. Maybe I just need to experiment more? Excellent otherwise, though.
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.
2003
Another of my most favourites. Probably my favourite racing game of all time. It’s very fun to play casually but there’s a ton of (maybe unintentional) mechanics that establish a surprisingly high skill ceiling. That’s when the game really starts to shine imo. The eccentric cast of characters, the cool setting, the exciting soundtrack and the gritty art direction are all the icing on top. So good.
It’s always saddened me that FFXII isn’t talked about very often. It’s one of my favourite FF games and maybe one of my favourite RPGs.
The zodiac job system offers a dizzying degree of customisation, greatly rewarding those willing to plunge into its depths. A lot of people seem to dislike the more passive combat, but when you finally figure out good builds and gambit loadouts to compliment those builds, watching your strategy succeed is so satisfying.
The Ivalice setting is as well realised as it always is. The writing is far more subdued than typical FFs and features another great localisation by Alexander O. Smith. I’ve seen a lot of people say it’s boring; I love it, personally. I can’t deny it does get much weaker towards the end; its development troubles end up being quite apparent. And I do agree that Vaan and Penelo are bad.
Love Hitoshi Sakimoto’s cinematic soundtrack. Love the detailed towns. Love the voice acting. Love the cutscene direction (much like Vagrant Story, a game developed by a lot of the same key players as FFXII, it has better cutscene direction than most FF games). Love this game.
The zodiac job system offers a dizzying degree of customisation, greatly rewarding those willing to plunge into its depths. A lot of people seem to dislike the more passive combat, but when you finally figure out good builds and gambit loadouts to compliment those builds, watching your strategy succeed is so satisfying.
The Ivalice setting is as well realised as it always is. The writing is far more subdued than typical FFs and features another great localisation by Alexander O. Smith. I’ve seen a lot of people say it’s boring; I love it, personally. I can’t deny it does get much weaker towards the end; its development troubles end up being quite apparent. And I do agree that Vaan and Penelo are bad.
Love Hitoshi Sakimoto’s cinematic soundtrack. Love the detailed towns. Love the voice acting. Love the cutscene direction (much like Vagrant Story, a game developed by a lot of the same key players as FFXII, it has better cutscene direction than most FF games). Love this game.
2002
Chulip quickly became one of my favourite games after I finished it. I live for these chill, small town Japan vibes. It’s a very slow, sometimes sadistic game that offers little guidance to the player. I can kinda see why it was so poorly received. But if you can get on its wavelength, you’re treated to one of the most relaxing and charming experiences you could have with a game. It features some surprisingly pointed social commentary too. It never gets too dark but it hits pretty hard as an adult.
I’m a big fan of the Japanese approach to open world design where the maps tend to be much smaller and far more dense than western open world games, and are focused on creating an experience that is closer to a simulation. Chulip achieves this perfectly and is its greatest strength. Its greatest weakness is that it does occasionally get a tad too obtuse, however, for the most part I don’t think it’s anywhere near as perplexing as people say it is. I 100%’d it and I’d say roughly 80% I did without a guide, maybe a little less. Anyway, game rules.
I’m a big fan of the Japanese approach to open world design where the maps tend to be much smaller and far more dense than western open world games, and are focused on creating an experience that is closer to a simulation. Chulip achieves this perfectly and is its greatest strength. Its greatest weakness is that it does occasionally get a tad too obtuse, however, for the most part I don’t think it’s anywhere near as perplexing as people say it is. I 100%’d it and I’d say roughly 80% I did without a guide, maybe a little less. Anyway, game rules.
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.
2002
Honestly, it’s not that good. However, I vividly recall hijacking my cousin’s PS2 to play this when I was a wee lad. I never got very far, but I loved it. I wouldn’t finish it until I was in high school. I hold that memory close to my chest.
These days I like it because it’s such a clumsy, embarrassing mess. It just enhances the comfy factor for me. Yet another game that never fails to put me in a good mood. An all-time favourite of mine. It kinda sucks and I love it.
These days I like it because it’s such a clumsy, embarrassing mess. It just enhances the comfy factor for me. Yet another game that never fails to put me in a good mood. An all-time favourite of mine. It kinda sucks and I love it.
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
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.
2001
One of the most stylish games ever. That’s the game’s top priority, so, if you think about it, it’s pretty much perfect.
2001
Due to its pliability and its die hard fanbase, I don’t have much to add to the discussion on this one. It’s subtle, sensitive, depressing, terrifying, dreamy. The full letter reading at the end still brings me to tears, even after hearing it many times. No other horror game hits quite like Silent Hill 2.
2007
I think this is the Halo formula perfected. Halo 1 & 2, as great as they are, are host to some pretty severe problems, I would argue. Those problems are almost completely ironed out in 3. I never really get the feeling that they were running short on time and/or money like with the first 2 games. It feels very complete. It’s very well paced. There’s a nice variety of set-pieces. There’s much less flood fighting. It has one of the best soundtracks. It’s so fucking good.