NightmareModeGo
BACKER
2020
A real mixed bag. Some cool ideas, a few of which I'm hoping to see get fleshed out into bigger things, and some very poor stuff in there too.
TAL ETH IST ORT
TAL ETH IST ORT
RGG have such a knack for writing the most lovable characters, and Ichiban is some kinda massive step up from even that. A beautiful idiot with a heart of gold. Lost count of the amount of times I audbly went "Yes, brother!" at the screen.
I honestly have barely anything else to say about the game that wouldnae be incoherent praise, other than that the change in combat would have put me right off if the writing and characters hadn't been so stellar. It was fun at first, but quickly felt like a total chore that ruined all feeling of pace and immediacy you get with the real-time stuff. Every single time the wee intro sequence and name drop before a big fight happened I got excited, then quickly remembered I would be doing turn-based and felt deflated again.
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy turn-based combat. Played a million JRPGs in my time. But for me it just doesn't work well in this setting. Having to go grind to fight a boss for the fifth time because your ability to win is based on numbers rather than your own skill is just a very sad feeling in a Yakuza title. There is no tension or moment to moment adrenaline rush when you're chipping away at a health bar, knowing you have all the time in the world to browse menus and make decisions. However, I understand that the game's Dragon Quest inspired themes that I enjoyed so much couldn't have worked without it chasing this kind of fighting system. It's tough, and I don't think anybody could have balanced it without revamping the whole thing.
I should probably shut up now after mentioning that I had barely anything else to say and then typing that essay above. As much as it sounds like I'm ragging on the combat, I loved the game in spite of it.
Ichiban Kasuga is your new best friend.
[EDIT ADDED 2 YEARS LATER]
I kinda hate the game now looking back, haha.
I honestly have barely anything else to say about the game that wouldnae be incoherent praise, other than that the change in combat would have put me right off if the writing and characters hadn't been so stellar. It was fun at first, but quickly felt like a total chore that ruined all feeling of pace and immediacy you get with the real-time stuff. Every single time the wee intro sequence and name drop before a big fight happened I got excited, then quickly remembered I would be doing turn-based and felt deflated again.
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy turn-based combat. Played a million JRPGs in my time. But for me it just doesn't work well in this setting. Having to go grind to fight a boss for the fifth time because your ability to win is based on numbers rather than your own skill is just a very sad feeling in a Yakuza title. There is no tension or moment to moment adrenaline rush when you're chipping away at a health bar, knowing you have all the time in the world to browse menus and make decisions. However, I understand that the game's Dragon Quest inspired themes that I enjoyed so much couldn't have worked without it chasing this kind of fighting system. It's tough, and I don't think anybody could have balanced it without revamping the whole thing.
I should probably shut up now after mentioning that I had barely anything else to say and then typing that essay above. As much as it sounds like I'm ragging on the combat, I loved the game in spite of it.
Ichiban Kasuga is your new best friend.
[EDIT ADDED 2 YEARS LATER]
I kinda hate the game now looking back, haha.
I love it when modern games nail the feel of a PS2 hidden gem so perfectly. When I first saw the trailer back in 2017 I knew in was fully in, and Edelweiss didn't disappoint.
Love to be a wee shithead who gets humbled with the power of friendship and delicious rice. Love to grow food with pals, and juggle bad rabbits with my farm tools. Love to have the duck squad come up every morning to protect the paddy from bugs.
Eat Rice Every Day!
Love to be a wee shithead who gets humbled with the power of friendship and delicious rice. Love to grow food with pals, and juggle bad rabbits with my farm tools. Love to have the duck squad come up every morning to protect the paddy from bugs.
Eat Rice Every Day!
2016
A rare combo of both a tit AND arse game.
Ridiculously tough in places, and an absolute chore to navigate. If there wasn't jiggling flesh to keep my caveman shagger lobe activated I'd have been asleep throughout.
Ridiculously tough in places, and an absolute chore to navigate. If there wasn't jiggling flesh to keep my caveman shagger lobe activated I'd have been asleep throughout.
An extremely unique game filled with wild charm, but often a relic of when it was made.
I found myself regularly feeling like it was pushing back against me. But then that's the point, isn't it?
I found myself regularly feeling like it was pushing back against me. But then that's the point, isn't it?
Really nice to get a bit more insight into what happened before you arrived in Novosibirsk, and how other folks' actions lead to your goal.
Also got to admire 4A games for making this DLC more like the previous entries, and having the balls to increase the claustrophobia by making your arm and weapon take up half the bottom of the screen. Often felt like looking through a small visor, and that on top of the vignette of the helmet and tight corridors made this extremely tense.
Also got to admire 4A games for making this DLC more like the previous entries, and having the balls to increase the claustrophobia by making your arm and weapon take up half the bottom of the screen. Often felt like looking through a small visor, and that on top of the vignette of the helmet and tight corridors made this extremely tense.
A surprisingly long bit of DLC that was gladly welcomed. Sam was a bit of a mystery in the main game, and with him being American he always felt like the outsider of the group. So it was nice to spend more time with him, and really cement that he's a double hard bastard. A genuine action hero.
2017
Played through again for the first time since launch, and for some reason I enjoyed it a lot more on this run.
Maybe I autopiloted my way through last time. But now I was suddenly noticing wee things, and putting theories together, and marvelling at how well it portrays scale.
I am fully on board for the sequel.
Maybe I autopiloted my way through last time. But now I was suddenly noticing wee things, and putting theories together, and marvelling at how well it portrays scale.
I am fully on board for the sequel.
An absolutely ok point and click that gets the job done just fine, except for a chase sequence that touch controls make far more fiddly than it needs to be.
If I'm honest I only played this after coming off a replay of the first game and loving it more than I did before, and wanting more of that setting. I didn't expect to actually get important stuff from it. Went in thinking it was a wee side story with tenuous ties to the main plot. Came away goin' "Oh fuck" and lining up new pieces in my head. It even had me reading the comics afterward.
They've created a great wee world here.
If I'm honest I only played this after coming off a replay of the first game and loving it more than I did before, and wanting more of that setting. I didn't expect to actually get important stuff from it. Went in thinking it was a wee side story with tenuous ties to the main plot. Came away goin' "Oh fuck" and lining up new pieces in my head. It even had me reading the comics afterward.
They've created a great wee world here.
This was a replay. Originally played it on WiiU at release, and it still feels like the perfect wee thing to just jump into for quick fun puzzles.
Felt like they could have changed the cog wheel stuff to work with the thumbsticks instead of still using the touch screen, as it often gets fiddly. But it remains such a lovely wee game.
Felt like they could have changed the cog wheel stuff to work with the thumbsticks instead of still using the touch screen, as it often gets fiddly. But it remains such a lovely wee game.
Tried going back again after bouncing off it hard, and not even a fantastic Mandalorian skin and voice changer mod can make this bland shit hold my attention. It's terminally boring, and safe as fuck.
I only really got into Star Wars in 2017 after years of knowing most of it through cultural osmosis, and it feels like people allow so much shite to slip through the net because it has the big name slapped on it. I like a fair amount in the auld SW world, but it feels like the same problem with every big sci-fi thing where they're desperate to tie new stuff into already known quantities and follow the same paths as everything that came before it. Entire universes and all ye get are some similar stories across the same ten planets over and over. Dogshit. Kill it.
I was only able to type this out because I had the Hamtaro 2000 OP blaring to stop me spitting at the screen.
I only really got into Star Wars in 2017 after years of knowing most of it through cultural osmosis, and it feels like people allow so much shite to slip through the net because it has the big name slapped on it. I like a fair amount in the auld SW world, but it feels like the same problem with every big sci-fi thing where they're desperate to tie new stuff into already known quantities and follow the same paths as everything that came before it. Entire universes and all ye get are some similar stories across the same ten planets over and over. Dogshit. Kill it.
I was only able to type this out because I had the Hamtaro 2000 OP blaring to stop me spitting at the screen.
2005
Nothing incredible, but there's just something about early titles for a new gimmick console that are so cosy. The way they often fire the console itself straight into the game with a slightly different name is really charming.
Stumbled upon this looking for other World of Darkness games and suddenly I'd lost three hours to a crackin' wee interactive audiobook.
A nicely contained Choose Your Own Adventure style thing with choices down certain paths changing what you can do in others.
A nicely contained Choose Your Own Adventure style thing with choices down certain paths changing what you can do in others.
2013
Feels weird doing some kind of review/journal for a game I'll likely still be playing years from now. But I feel safe saying it will remain a fave of mine. The only F2P that's ever clicked with me. The movement, the aesthetic, the systems, the story, all of it just works for my brain.
Sure it's got problems, everything does. The gameplay loop can be confusing for newcomers, but at the same time you're never missing out on anything. Nothing -bar a frame variant for people who bought DLC when it orignally launched- is locked off. Premium currency can even be got for free by grinding out missions and selling the spoils on warframe market.
I'd encourage anyone to give it a go. Become a Ninja, because we play free.
Sure it's got problems, everything does. The gameplay loop can be confusing for newcomers, but at the same time you're never missing out on anything. Nothing -bar a frame variant for people who bought DLC when it orignally launched- is locked off. Premium currency can even be got for free by grinding out missions and selling the spoils on warframe market.
I'd encourage anyone to give it a go. Become a Ninja, because we play free.
This is such a pure arcade brawler, man. What was initially bastard hard became more manageable when I realised that the combat was deeper than I gave something from the NES era credit for. The first time I accidentally did a jump kick while sprinting at a wall only to find it springs you off and back into an enemy had me in awe. I was convinced I had a punch and a kick and that was it. Next thing I know I'm kneeing dudes in the ribs, and throwing them across the screen before mounting them and raining down tiny wee pixel fists into their faces. It's got such a nice feel.
I'm excited to get into the rest of the series. But fuck me is it ever an arcade game designed to rinse you of money. Thank you, save states.
I'm excited to get into the rest of the series. But fuck me is it ever an arcade game designed to rinse you of money. Thank you, save states.