SolumWasTaken
2022
One Memory ending later I still have only the faintest idea what's going on with this story apart from 'doomed yuri'. Still, as far as Silent Hill-likes go this was as good as it gets!
What a game!
+ The FF7R combat system is still one of my favorites in the genre, and this game expands on it in a variety of interesting ways
+ The open world is gigantic, but very few of its activities made me feel like my time was being wasted
+ The main and supporting cast is extremely likable
+ The ending is nearly incomprehensible, as expected
FF7R went way off the rails already, and this game takes it further in ways I didn't expect. Which will make it even harder for the third game to stick the landing with its ending! But even if this wild ride ends up crashing and burning you can bet on me being there to watch the carnage.
+ The FF7R combat system is still one of my favorites in the genre, and this game expands on it in a variety of interesting ways
+ The open world is gigantic, but very few of its activities made me feel like my time was being wasted
+ The main and supporting cast is extremely likable
+ The ending is nearly incomprehensible, as expected
FF7R went way off the rails already, and this game takes it further in ways I didn't expect. Which will make it even harder for the third game to stick the landing with its ending! But even if this wild ride ends up crashing and burning you can bet on me being there to watch the carnage.
2019
I needed a bit of a palate cleanser from all the massive JRPGs I've been playing lately, and this 2-hour Portal-like puzzler was perfect for that! Fun core mechanics, lots of neat ideas and doesn't overstay its welcome. One or two puzzles felt a bit far-fetched, but I still had a good time overall!
Probably the best top-down Zelda game i've played!
+ A decently sized overworld that's fun to explore
+ Original and thoughtful alterations to the usual Zelda formula
+ A central gameplay gimmick that fundamentally changes how you engage with the environment in a compelling way
+ Dungeon design that challenges your spatial thinking skills
I have some nitpicks of course, but overall this was a really fun adventure!
+ A decently sized overworld that's fun to explore
+ Original and thoughtful alterations to the usual Zelda formula
+ A central gameplay gimmick that fundamentally changes how you engage with the environment in a compelling way
+ Dungeon design that challenges your spatial thinking skills
I have some nitpicks of course, but overall this was a really fun adventure!
A promising opening act! Lots of interesting setup being done in the story, here's hoping it actually has a satisfying payoff this time. Also, the map design and visuals are about as surreal as a dream world should be, which is a nice surprise.
2024
I almost never cry over a piece of media, and yet the rooftop scene made me choke up all over again somehow.
This isn't an exceptional remake (i have many nitpicks with it, and without FeMC and the Answer it's nowhere near complete). However, it's a pretty good remake of an exceptional game.
🎵 I will never leave you... 🎵
This isn't an exceptional remake (i have many nitpicks with it, and without FeMC and the Answer it's nowhere near complete). However, it's a pretty good remake of an exceptional game.
🎵 I will never leave you... 🎵
What a fun little 3D platformer! Sort of felt like a Bowser's Fury to Celeste. The platforming is solid overall, BUT Madeline is way too eager to climb the ledges of spiked platforms which made some sections way more annoying than they needed to be. Still, as a freeware 3D experiment this game is a treat!
I don't think I've ever bounced off a critically acclaimed game in one of my favorite genres this hard, and I'm having a hard time explaining why that is?
I think what it ultimately comes down to is that every Metroidvania these days has to measure up against the reigning champion of the genre, Hollow Knight, and this game doesn't fare well in that comparison. It's bigger and subjectively prettier, yes, but also clunkier, less polished and introduces many problems that HK already solved.
I kept waiting for the moment where The Lost Crown pulls back the curtain and reveals what earned it all those 9/10 reviews, but that moment never really came. Instead I just kept finding things to nitpick, like the less cohesive map design, lack of a minimap, combat stunlock, frustrating boss design, incoherent narrative and so on.
I really wanted to love this game, but crossed the finish line with more mixed feelings than I expected. I still had fun, but can't see myself replaying this game anytime soon.
I think what it ultimately comes down to is that every Metroidvania these days has to measure up against the reigning champion of the genre, Hollow Knight, and this game doesn't fare well in that comparison. It's bigger and subjectively prettier, yes, but also clunkier, less polished and introduces many problems that HK already solved.
I kept waiting for the moment where The Lost Crown pulls back the curtain and reveals what earned it all those 9/10 reviews, but that moment never really came. Instead I just kept finding things to nitpick, like the less cohesive map design, lack of a minimap, combat stunlock, frustrating boss design, incoherent narrative and so on.
I really wanted to love this game, but crossed the finish line with more mixed feelings than I expected. I still had fun, but can't see myself replaying this game anytime soon.
This game joins Momodora RutM in my list of favorite bite-sized metroidvanias! Short and sweet, even if it doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel.
2023
A short, but very fun little game of russian roulette But There's A Twist. Could very easily be expanded with multiplayer and some bonus rules or items, but as is this game already achieves what it set out to do and is well worth the asking price!
2023
Man, I really wanted to love this one! And if this game was just its story then it'd get 5 stars from me by a comfortable margin too. But much like Alan Wake 1 the gameplay just gets in the way of the experience way too often. This is one game that I wish was less of a game, or at least had chosen a genre that suits it better.
Man, I wish I could have loved this game. It's extremely good at what it wants to do, but what it wants to do and what I'm looking for in a platformer are two very different things, and the gap between the two is large enough for me to get hitstunned into by a flying rat. Maybe the other Treasure Trove campaigns will win me over?
2022
Very solid roguelite-meets-management sim, more than the sum of its parts, but the parts would need some fine-tuning to make it truly outstanding.
+ The basic gameplay loop is super satisfying
+ Combat feels nice and snappy
+ Time management is interesting
+ The Happy Tree Friends-ish aesthetic choice works far better than it should
- Run variety is a bit lacking
- Difficulty needs to be higher to create more friction within the management systems
- Mechanical cohesion could be better
Overall definitely worth playing!
+ The basic gameplay loop is super satisfying
+ Combat feels nice and snappy
+ Time management is interesting
+ The Happy Tree Friends-ish aesthetic choice works far better than it should
- Run variety is a bit lacking
- Difficulty needs to be higher to create more friction within the management systems
- Mechanical cohesion could be better
Overall definitely worth playing!
This review contains spoilers
It's taken me a while to sort out my feelings about this game because it's a game i really want to love.
The gameplay is easily the best in the series, taking mechanics and ideas from 1 and 2 and polishing them to near perfection. The combat is complex and engaging, the exploration feels rewarding and the class system is amazing overall.
There are still some annoyances here and there (terrible equipment menus, level lowering being a postgame unlock, Healer AI being pretty bad to name a few), but overall this is one of very few JRPGs i can see myself replaying just for the gameplay.
The story on the other hand can best be described as "wasted potential". It's great up until Chapter 6, where the narrative reaches the most memorable emotional climax in the series and then stumbles the rest of the way to an oddly unsatisfying conclusion that fails to wrap up both the lingering plot threads left over from the previous games and most of the open questions within its own arc. It wasn't enough to ruin the experience for me, but it was still disappointing to say the least. It almost feels rushed.
Here's hoping the DLC story can turn it back around, because XB3 really is a fantastic game otherwise!
The gameplay is easily the best in the series, taking mechanics and ideas from 1 and 2 and polishing them to near perfection. The combat is complex and engaging, the exploration feels rewarding and the class system is amazing overall.
There are still some annoyances here and there (terrible equipment menus, level lowering being a postgame unlock, Healer AI being pretty bad to name a few), but overall this is one of very few JRPGs i can see myself replaying just for the gameplay.
The story on the other hand can best be described as "wasted potential". It's great up until Chapter 6, where the narrative reaches the most memorable emotional climax in the series and then stumbles the rest of the way to an oddly unsatisfying conclusion that fails to wrap up both the lingering plot threads left over from the previous games and most of the open questions within its own arc. It wasn't enough to ruin the experience for me, but it was still disappointing to say the least. It almost feels rushed.
Here's hoping the DLC story can turn it back around, because XB3 really is a fantastic game otherwise!
A very short and sweet free puzzle game with charming art. Great for when you have 15 minutes to kill!