OvisAries
My survivor, Kyle Reese, set off along with Michael Jackson, Tommy Jarvis, Laurie Strode and Nancy Thompson. Sadly, Michael and Tommy were both taken by zombies early on. Laurie lasted a good while, but bandits grabbed her and Kyle Reese's good-for-nothing ass shot at the sky and she was killed.
And thus, Kyle and Nancy were the only ones left to bumble their way through half the country. Nancy was a real screw up, but at least kept good company, up until she too was taken hostage and slain after Kyle narrowly missed the bandit's head.
With just a couple hundred miles left and Kyle the sole survivor, he drove through the last few days of his journey while having loneliness induced panic attacks. I think he even became delusional, because at some point, a tire broke and the text said "Everyone blamed Kyle Reese".
Safe Haven at last! Unfortunately, Kyle couldn't gather all the fuel without a zombie munching on his ancle, and he desperately dragged himself through the mud. Right when his life was about to be snuffed out by a dismembered zombie, an armed savior shot the brains of the undead. As he reached for Kyle, a gentle smile came over his face, and he said:
"It's all over, you're safe".
And thus, Kyle and Nancy were the only ones left to bumble their way through half the country. Nancy was a real screw up, but at least kept good company, up until she too was taken hostage and slain after Kyle narrowly missed the bandit's head.
With just a couple hundred miles left and Kyle the sole survivor, he drove through the last few days of his journey while having loneliness induced panic attacks. I think he even became delusional, because at some point, a tire broke and the text said "Everyone blamed Kyle Reese".
Safe Haven at last! Unfortunately, Kyle couldn't gather all the fuel without a zombie munching on his ancle, and he desperately dragged himself through the mud. Right when his life was about to be snuffed out by a dismembered zombie, an armed savior shot the brains of the undead. As he reached for Kyle, a gentle smile came over his face, and he said:
"It's all over, you're safe".
2023
Let me preface this by saying that Gravity Circuit is truly special. It has some of the best character control and level design I've seen in a while for a 2D action game, and it really showcases some of the peaks of the genre as a whole. That said, I think there's a good margin for improvement.
For starters, its influences are very clear to see. It's been called a Mega Man clone by some, and though it isn't meant as a negative, I say it's not too accurate. It may have all the trappings of a Mega Man game, but its style of gameplay is very distinctive. No, the aspect in which Gravity Circuit falls short of its inspiration is its narrative. It takes beats primarily from the Zero games, but unlike those games, the story here isn't told in a very organic way. The resistance base stand-in has no interesting characters or much meaningful interaction at all, and the game's second act has very little narrative development. The story's pretty much all told in the opening and in the last few stages. I think the overall story is interesting, but lacks consistency. I'm aware of the popular opinion that story isn't really the focus of these type of games, but I don't see how a better story would result in a worse game, especially when the main cast of characters are already competently written. For as great as the gameplay is, it's always the characters and story that stick in your head.
The other issue I see may sound weird, but I think there's a little too much platformnig. Don't get me wrong, it's all very good, but I can't help but feel like there was a missed oportunity to emphasize combat even further. Sure, bosses showcase it pretty well, but I wish every stage had less pits and spikes and more open areas with lots of enemies to smash into each other. You know, more reasons to try out all burst techniques, instead of sticking to the ones more helpful in platforming. Kai's moveset is begging to be pushed to the max with flashy combos and weaving through enemy attacks, but the opportunities are sparse at best, and enemies usually take a back seat to the environment. I guess the issue isn't helped by the fact that there isn't a great variety of enemies to begin with.
All in all, the few issues I had with the game don't detract from the good already in display. If anything, I'm more hopeful for a sequel to be released some day. It would be a crime to leave this style of gameplay for just a single game.
For starters, its influences are very clear to see. It's been called a Mega Man clone by some, and though it isn't meant as a negative, I say it's not too accurate. It may have all the trappings of a Mega Man game, but its style of gameplay is very distinctive. No, the aspect in which Gravity Circuit falls short of its inspiration is its narrative. It takes beats primarily from the Zero games, but unlike those games, the story here isn't told in a very organic way. The resistance base stand-in has no interesting characters or much meaningful interaction at all, and the game's second act has very little narrative development. The story's pretty much all told in the opening and in the last few stages. I think the overall story is interesting, but lacks consistency. I'm aware of the popular opinion that story isn't really the focus of these type of games, but I don't see how a better story would result in a worse game, especially when the main cast of characters are already competently written. For as great as the gameplay is, it's always the characters and story that stick in your head.
The other issue I see may sound weird, but I think there's a little too much platformnig. Don't get me wrong, it's all very good, but I can't help but feel like there was a missed oportunity to emphasize combat even further. Sure, bosses showcase it pretty well, but I wish every stage had less pits and spikes and more open areas with lots of enemies to smash into each other. You know, more reasons to try out all burst techniques, instead of sticking to the ones more helpful in platforming. Kai's moveset is begging to be pushed to the max with flashy combos and weaving through enemy attacks, but the opportunities are sparse at best, and enemies usually take a back seat to the environment. I guess the issue isn't helped by the fact that there isn't a great variety of enemies to begin with.
All in all, the few issues I had with the game don't detract from the good already in display. If anything, I'm more hopeful for a sequel to be released some day. It would be a crime to leave this style of gameplay for just a single game.
2023
I’m sad that I had to drop this game. I love how simple it is, but the leveling system absolutely breaks the experience. I hadn’t felt so frustrated with a game in years. I usually have a high tolerance for punishing gameplay, but there’s punishment and then there is cruelty. I can’t think of anything more frustrating than finally beating a long and hard level, only to lose the XP on the next one.
2020
Pikmin 3, a brilliant and expansive sequel that is ultimately undone by the ease with which you can defeat its main premise.
I won't dwell too much on positives this time because the improvements are plain to see. The world is gorgeous and fully realised, level and enemy design is outstanding and pretty much everything from the last 2 games (with the exception of caves) is improved and expanded. It's debateable whether the streamlined controls are an overall positive, but they do provide a really smooth experience.
The biggest waste of potential was the fruit collection, which is this game's catalyst for the plot. It's such a non-factor for survival at such an early point of the game that it lacks any real bite. Had they put more thoght into it, it could have potentially been an even better system than the original's 30 day limit. Ideally, it could have been turned into another resource, so the time limit could also have been under the player's control instead of just a hard time limit like in the original. Something like deciding between turning each fruit into juice or saving some for cold storage to send to Koppai would have been interesting. Or better yet, what if the ultra spicy spray had to be made out of the fruits you eat. They could have had more types of sprays for Pikmin, since each fruit has a distinct juice color. This could have brought all kinds of interesting decisions.
These are clearly far from the only or even best solutions to the problem; I'm just putting in my two cents. What's abundantly clear is that Nintendo likely didn't want to limit the game's appeal for a broader audience. Here's hoping they're a little more daring with Pikmin 4, tho I'm not too hopeful, as its demo was rather underwhelming.
I won't dwell too much on positives this time because the improvements are plain to see. The world is gorgeous and fully realised, level and enemy design is outstanding and pretty much everything from the last 2 games (with the exception of caves) is improved and expanded. It's debateable whether the streamlined controls are an overall positive, but they do provide a really smooth experience.
The biggest waste of potential was the fruit collection, which is this game's catalyst for the plot. It's such a non-factor for survival at such an early point of the game that it lacks any real bite. Had they put more thoght into it, it could have potentially been an even better system than the original's 30 day limit. Ideally, it could have been turned into another resource, so the time limit could also have been under the player's control instead of just a hard time limit like in the original. Something like deciding between turning each fruit into juice or saving some for cold storage to send to Koppai would have been interesting. Or better yet, what if the ultra spicy spray had to be made out of the fruits you eat. They could have had more types of sprays for Pikmin, since each fruit has a distinct juice color. This could have brought all kinds of interesting decisions.
These are clearly far from the only or even best solutions to the problem; I'm just putting in my two cents. What's abundantly clear is that Nintendo likely didn't want to limit the game's appeal for a broader audience. Here's hoping they're a little more daring with Pikmin 4, tho I'm not too hopeful, as its demo was rather underwhelming.
2018
I went in expecting to like Sonic Mania more than I actually did. For all it's incredible presentation and music, it still manages to feel dated in its design.
It's without question the best classic Sonic game, but even then, it's not much more than that. Of course, it didn't need to be anything else, but it doesn't do much for anyone who doesn't already love that style. The biggest step forward here arguably is the use of widescreen, which admitedly does make a huge difference, but it's not an innovation as much as it is a necessity.
I may be coming off as negative of the game, but I wanna stress that this really is the very best title you can experience in the franchise on pretty much all regards. However, there are others that further innovate on the genre and generally have more to offer. For all its faults on its story, I'd still take Freedom Planet over Sonic Mania.
It's without question the best classic Sonic game, but even then, it's not much more than that. Of course, it didn't need to be anything else, but it doesn't do much for anyone who doesn't already love that style. The biggest step forward here arguably is the use of widescreen, which admitedly does make a huge difference, but it's not an innovation as much as it is a necessity.
I may be coming off as negative of the game, but I wanna stress that this really is the very best title you can experience in the franchise on pretty much all regards. However, there are others that further innovate on the genre and generally have more to offer. For all its faults on its story, I'd still take Freedom Planet over Sonic Mania.
2023
Amazing sequel. I was initially bothered by its change of tone. The original felt so real and strengely adult thanks to Olimar logs. Thankfully, Pikmin 2's humor makes up for it completely. Every night I looked forward to each email you get from your boss or family, even some good ol' spam.
Gameplaywise, I like the caves. Perhaps they're overemphasized, as they're more than half of the total play time. That said, I like how brutal and cuel they can be some times. They can be very stressful, but that ensures they'll be memorable.
Gameplaywise, I like the caves. Perhaps they're overemphasized, as they're more than half of the total play time. That said, I like how brutal and cuel they can be some times. They can be very stressful, but that ensures they'll be memorable.
2023
FINALLY beat Pikmin 1. It's been 20 years since I first played it.
It's by no means perfect, but it's a stellar game. Tho not often, I experienced and felt things in Totk that I can't say I've done elsewhere. It's a shame that a lot of its main quest leaves me cold when compared to others in the Zelda series.
2023
Bat Boy may have sadly been relegated to be my "Tears of the Kingdom break-game", but I actually had been looking forward to it for a while, and it mostly met my expectations.
The game excells in level design and presentation. Its story may be lacking and its dialogue cringeworthy, but as any other game of its ilk, narrative isn't a priority (at least I can tell it's sincere, if not very competent writing).
I'm a bit mixed on the special abilities you gain throughout the game. They're mostly good and expand your options (even if some are a little redundant), but all of them share the same stamina resource. Imagine if every weapon in a Mega Man game shared the same energy bar, it would suck, right? Now imagine if that energy bar could only be replenished at checkpoins, no energy drops from enemies. I'm aware there are consumables that restore some stamina, but I still think it's needlessly restrictive and reduces the incentive to make the most out of your entire moveset.
Despite my gripes, I had a great time with Bat Boy. It has one of the smoothest and most enjoyable difficulty curves I've experienced in a while, and all its stages are high quality and of decent length. I think it's reasonably priced too, so if anyone is on the fence about buying it, any sale would make it a no brainer.
The game excells in level design and presentation. Its story may be lacking and its dialogue cringeworthy, but as any other game of its ilk, narrative isn't a priority (at least I can tell it's sincere, if not very competent writing).
I'm a bit mixed on the special abilities you gain throughout the game. They're mostly good and expand your options (even if some are a little redundant), but all of them share the same stamina resource. Imagine if every weapon in a Mega Man game shared the same energy bar, it would suck, right? Now imagine if that energy bar could only be replenished at checkpoins, no energy drops from enemies. I'm aware there are consumables that restore some stamina, but I still think it's needlessly restrictive and reduces the incentive to make the most out of your entire moveset.
Despite my gripes, I had a great time with Bat Boy. It has one of the smoothest and most enjoyable difficulty curves I've experienced in a while, and all its stages are high quality and of decent length. I think it's reasonably priced too, so if anyone is on the fence about buying it, any sale would make it a no brainer.
2017
Star Fox 2 seems pretty ambitious at a glance, but it doesn't take long to realize how shallow of an experience it really is. Moreover, it simply doesn't hold up on a technical level. It's fragile and delivers very little feedback as a result of poor performance and unclear graphics.
Its core concept of defending Corneria in a light RTS view is pretty interesting, but the whole afair takes less than an hour to complete, and yet it still manages to feel repetitive in such a short playthrough.
Its core concept of defending Corneria in a light RTS view is pretty interesting, but the whole afair takes less than an hour to complete, and yet it still manages to feel repetitive in such a short playthrough.
2021
It's really good! I generally don't love rouguelite's, but the deckbuilder format is a good fit for the genre.
What stands out here tho is the tone and atmosphere, always dark and ominous, but not without its sense of humor. I just wish I had been able to take the story a bit more seriously. It's told in an interesting way, but the live action sequences have such awkward performances that it sucked me right out.
What stands out here tho is the tone and atmosphere, always dark and ominous, but not without its sense of humor. I just wish I had been able to take the story a bit more seriously. It's told in an interesting way, but the live action sequences have such awkward performances that it sucked me right out.
Pretty recommendable. It takes a fair bit of getting used to the controls, but your Valken suit feels weighty and really cool to handle. I wish there were more weapons available from the beginning tho.
2000
What a pleasent surprise of a game. As other reviews point out, it's hard to get the hang of Wario Land 3 at first, but once you get going, it's pretty wild. It's biggest asset is its unpredictability. I never knew where the game would take me next and that was a great feeling, even if my objective in each stage (getting a new treasure chest) always remained the same. It's a hell of an impressive game for the Gameboy Color, that's for sure.
My only word of warning is that it is best played on emulation with a rewind feature. Since you have no health and don't take damage, the game's concept of penalty for getting hit or falling more often than not is just wasting your time. I think the experience is most fun without the hassle of having to repeat sections of a level just because you got hit.
My only word of warning is that it is best played on emulation with a rewind feature. Since you have no health and don't take damage, the game's concept of penalty for getting hit or falling more often than not is just wasting your time. I think the experience is most fun without the hassle of having to repeat sections of a level just because you got hit.
This game is always mentioned as such an upgrade over the original. It's pretty charming and creative, I'll give it that, but somehow, it's much less challenging and exciting. The camera's so zoomed in that you can never go too fast or reach a state of flow within its plodding level design.
Since you can clear each world in any order you want, there's next to no difficulty curve until the Wario castle, which is jarring.
For as much imagination there is in its visuals when compared to the original, the first Mario Land offered a much more engaging experience.
Since you can clear each world in any order you want, there's next to no difficulty curve until the Wario castle, which is jarring.
For as much imagination there is in its visuals when compared to the original, the first Mario Land offered a much more engaging experience.
I'm giving the game 4 stars because it really did add a lot to the base stablished by BMZ1, but I think the low points were genrally lower. Some of the level design feels cheap with many insta-death obstacles.
My main problem is the final act of the game. It's been a long time since I've played such a distinctly frustrating and boring platforming section. I won't say what happens to avoid spoilers, but they tried to have a mechanical twist for the last hour or so of the game. I wish they hadn't, as it took away a lot of the fun I'd been having up to that point.
My main problem is the final act of the game. It's been a long time since I've played such a distinctly frustrating and boring platforming section. I won't say what happens to avoid spoilers, but they tried to have a mechanical twist for the last hour or so of the game. I wish they hadn't, as it took away a lot of the fun I'd been having up to that point.