Panzerbrand
2020
Calling this game out for being derivative is besides the point really, it makes no secret of its main inspiration. Indeed, it is in all likelihood to be the game's biggest draw, as it certainly was for me.
Unfortunately I did not enjoy anything about the game besides some visual design elements.
There's clearly a team of passionate and talented people behind this, I just hope they find some fresh inspiration for their next title. I'm completely aware of the contradiction I'm making in criticising a game for being the thing that drew me to it, but it I really did not enjoy the gameplay or structure. On paper, the 'harden' mechanic is just interesting enough to give the game some pull, but the execution is lumpen and offers scarcely any advantage.
After finding all the shells and slaying a few bosses I put it off for the last time. While my experience was unsatisfactory, I still look forward to seeing what the studio come up with next.
Unfortunately I did not enjoy anything about the game besides some visual design elements.
There's clearly a team of passionate and talented people behind this, I just hope they find some fresh inspiration for their next title. I'm completely aware of the contradiction I'm making in criticising a game for being the thing that drew me to it, but it I really did not enjoy the gameplay or structure. On paper, the 'harden' mechanic is just interesting enough to give the game some pull, but the execution is lumpen and offers scarcely any advantage.
After finding all the shells and slaying a few bosses I put it off for the last time. While my experience was unsatisfactory, I still look forward to seeing what the studio come up with next.
1992
A solid little shmup with fantastic audio and visual presentation.
Plenty of weapon variety to experiment with and satisfying upgrade paths for each that culminate in colourful screen filling pyrotechnics. Each level is distinct, memorable, and well paced with some really creative use of the Mode 7 chip.
Despite being somewhat overlooked and put down by genre elitists, it's a blast to cruise through in an afternon as it's not too demanding for newcomers, and also tons of fun for veterans alike.
Easily my favourite SNES shmup, and developed by Compile who also made Devil's Crush, a uniquely styled and addictive occult-themed pinball game that also happens to be a personal favourite.
Plenty of weapon variety to experiment with and satisfying upgrade paths for each that culminate in colourful screen filling pyrotechnics. Each level is distinct, memorable, and well paced with some really creative use of the Mode 7 chip.
Despite being somewhat overlooked and put down by genre elitists, it's a blast to cruise through in an afternon as it's not too demanding for newcomers, and also tons of fun for veterans alike.
Easily my favourite SNES shmup, and developed by Compile who also made Devil's Crush, a uniquely styled and addictive occult-themed pinball game that also happens to be a personal favourite.
1994
Back when I was collecting Japanese Saturn games on eBay, as I didn't have the millions needed to crack the PAL market, I bought this on a whim simply because of the cover art.
This is an example of being able to judge something by its cover and receiveing something exactly as outrageously brilliant as it looks.
I totally fell in love with its mad aquatic aesthetics and complimentary strange Zuntata soundtrack immediately.
I had played a few shmups growing up but never really clicked with the genre until Darius Gaiden. I was an overnight convert, racketboy.com my bible.
I've since played countless shmups across many platforms, but the first cut is truly the deepest, although I still won't go near Zone M.
This is an example of being able to judge something by its cover and receiveing something exactly as outrageously brilliant as it looks.
I totally fell in love with its mad aquatic aesthetics and complimentary strange Zuntata soundtrack immediately.
I had played a few shmups growing up but never really clicked with the genre until Darius Gaiden. I was an overnight convert, racketboy.com my bible.
I've since played countless shmups across many platforms, but the first cut is truly the deepest, although I still won't go near Zone M.
2018
This is a game for the stealth assassin connoisseur. A formula so highly refined and polished by now that Agent 47 is, in my cold, dead eyes, the Mario of elaborately conceived execution simulators.
Each level presents so many creative possibilities within their clockwork deathboxes that I've spent other games' entire runtimes on single levels alone.
IOI's imagination seems endless and I keenly anticipate how and if they'll outdo the virtual perfection on offer here.
Each level presents so many creative possibilities within their clockwork deathboxes that I've spent other games' entire runtimes on single levels alone.
IOI's imagination seems endless and I keenly anticipate how and if they'll outdo the virtual perfection on offer here.
2015
When I'm ruining my friends' casual conversations about games by being a crushing bore, I often praise the 'Physicality' of certain games, usually attributed to their respective engines (RE Engine, Decima, Ego, Northlight).
When I say 'Physical', I'm referencing the look and feel of material and weight, the influence on player feedback to present a tangible space. Often it's in the little details - recently I was mesmerised by the way neon street light reflected upon the metal of Jill's handgun in R3Make.
Dirt Rally (as any good rally game should be) is extremely 'Physical', in its sense of weighted movement and resistant feedback, but also in the very literal sense of what it's doing to my body. I'm convinced this game is giving me cobblestone abs, shredded glutes, and Kenshiro finger strength as my body twists, contorts, and contracts harmoniously while wrestling my metal round meticulously rendered gauntlets of no remorse.
When I'm holding my breath, buttocks clenched, toes curled into the carpet to anchor my stiffening torso as I hammer the brakes a second late on a hidden hairpin, I'm THERE, MAN.
The presentation is spartan, the game is mechanically ruthless.
This is 100% pure rally simulation for masochists, and I love it.
When I say 'Physical', I'm referencing the look and feel of material and weight, the influence on player feedback to present a tangible space. Often it's in the little details - recently I was mesmerised by the way neon street light reflected upon the metal of Jill's handgun in R3Make.
Dirt Rally (as any good rally game should be) is extremely 'Physical', in its sense of weighted movement and resistant feedback, but also in the very literal sense of what it's doing to my body. I'm convinced this game is giving me cobblestone abs, shredded glutes, and Kenshiro finger strength as my body twists, contorts, and contracts harmoniously while wrestling my metal round meticulously rendered gauntlets of no remorse.
When I'm holding my breath, buttocks clenched, toes curled into the carpet to anchor my stiffening torso as I hammer the brakes a second late on a hidden hairpin, I'm THERE, MAN.
The presentation is spartan, the game is mechanically ruthless.
This is 100% pure rally simulation for masochists, and I love it.
Recently I bought a Japanese PS2 Slim with the Sega Rally Championship & Sega Rally 2006 double set just to experience an arcade perfect port of the original, and it was worth every penny. Diamonds are priceless, and hard as fuck.
1998
Project Soul so utterly smashed it the 1st time round that everything afterward just felt like a cute little bonus.
Speaking of cute little bonuses, the unlockable fan art is a joy to behold.
A part of my brain is still as impressed by the graphics and overall presentation as it was when I first booted up the disc in the Dreamcast about 20 years ago.
Speaking of cute little bonuses, the unlockable fan art is a joy to behold.
A part of my brain is still as impressed by the graphics and overall presentation as it was when I first booted up the disc in the Dreamcast about 20 years ago.