Retreading familiar territory with an uninspired main character, this return to Rapture is only saved by its DLC.
The story feels like a bunch of multiplayer gameplay loops strung together. Protect the Little Sister from waves of slicers, rinse, repeat. The whole game comes across rushed with boring level designs and one note side characters. But a surprisingly stellar DLC stops this from falling into the trench of mediocrity.
The story feels like a bunch of multiplayer gameplay loops strung together. Protect the Little Sister from waves of slicers, rinse, repeat. The whole game comes across rushed with boring level designs and one note side characters. But a surprisingly stellar DLC stops this from falling into the trench of mediocrity.
2020
A side-story with a little narrative push and a Big Boss character development.
The context it gives may not seem major on the surface, but it feels vital and very much appreciated. With new game mechanics introduced and a ton of new faces, this entry brings a strategic element to the series that, if not yet fully realized, offers a decent proof of concept.
The context it gives may not seem major on the surface, but it feels vital and very much appreciated. With new game mechanics introduced and a ton of new faces, this entry brings a strategic element to the series that, if not yet fully realized, offers a decent proof of concept.
2002
2003
Is it worth it for the episode? No.
A decent script and fun easter eggs are bogged down by bad controls that actively work against your enjoyment of the game. Repetitive, unimaginative, and bored with itself, this feels like someone tossed it to the cheapest developers available just to write it off for taxes.
A decent script and fun easter eggs are bogged down by bad controls that actively work against your enjoyment of the game. Repetitive, unimaginative, and bored with itself, this feels like someone tossed it to the cheapest developers available just to write it off for taxes.
2017
Quality of life improvements and tight controls pave the way for one of the most creative Mario games to date but it's the attention paid to previous entries that prove the most rewarding. You won't be able to shake the feeling you're playing not just the best the Nintendo Switch has to offer, but possibly the greatest Mario game ever made! Like a celebration of all that came before while pushing the franchise ever forward.
1991
A shoot'em up that would be remembered as one of the greats if it wasn't so watered down for the home release.
Unfortunately, that flicker of what makes the game special ends up stampeding off a cliff. Fun stages and powerups are hit with the limitations of consoles as a unique entry in the genre is reduced to a bare minimum Contra clone.
Unfortunately, that flicker of what makes the game special ends up stampeding off a cliff. Fun stages and powerups are hit with the limitations of consoles as a unique entry in the genre is reduced to a bare minimum Contra clone.
1994
One of the best kept secrets of the Super Nintendo!
Unicycles. 2D racing. Ugly menus. It’s not something that screams hidden gem right away. But the more you play, the more the influences it had on future games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or SSX Tricky start to seep in. It may not be polished. It may not be pretty. But its solid gameplay and skill ceiling will surprise you.
Unicycles. 2D racing. Ugly menus. It’s not something that screams hidden gem right away. But the more you play, the more the influences it had on future games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or SSX Tricky start to seep in. It may not be polished. It may not be pretty. But its solid gameplay and skill ceiling will surprise you.
Not all fighting games are made equal.
It’s not really a fighting game, is it? Sure. If you have someone to play against, you might unlock the actual game hidden underneath. The AI in single player towers are simply input mirrors. They read and counter your moves so fast, you’re forced to use cheap exploits to progress inch by inch until you reach a climax that feels as hollow as it does pointless. Do that to me in the arcade. Not in my home.
It’s not really a fighting game, is it? Sure. If you have someone to play against, you might unlock the actual game hidden underneath. The AI in single player towers are simply input mirrors. They read and counter your moves so fast, you’re forced to use cheap exploits to progress inch by inch until you reach a climax that feels as hollow as it does pointless. Do that to me in the arcade. Not in my home.
1990
Were games back then harder than they are now? Yes!
It sports a simple control scheme but proves less is more. Strategizing enemy positions, controlling traffic with your special attack, and bosses that make a lasting impression. Difficulty used to be a part of our games and not just an optional afterthought.
It sports a simple control scheme but proves less is more. Strategizing enemy positions, controlling traffic with your special attack, and bosses that make a lasting impression. Difficulty used to be a part of our games and not just an optional afterthought.
The gameplay is as fun as the first with an emphasis on stealth this time around. It was smart of them to switch the usual origin story we already know to Miles while making sure to give him enough of a distinction to stand apart. It would be fair to say the only thing holding this back from being on the same level as its predecessor is the length. Had this given you more side missions and story, you could hold a better direct comparison.
It looks better. It plays better. But it’s not better. How does that work? Kojima wasn’t heavily involved in the development. This lead to cutscenes dialed up to insane levels of camp, generic techno replacing iconic music, and tonal changes that bring it closer to The Matrix sequels. On paper, this should be the remake we all wanted. An entry point the fans could direct newcomers to for years to come. As it stands, you’d be better off taking the plunge into the harder sell of the original.
This isn't a platformer for the faint of heart. It's hard! I think that's important to mention upfront because there's a lot here that's done right. The music, animation, level design, it all feels reminiscent of the SNES games with some nice little additions. Not enough to reinvent the franchise but do we really want that? Sometimes it's nice to just jump on things!
1999