Sunrysky
Bio
I have to use this website to prove to my friends that I play games other than Among Us!!
(In case it needs to be said, reviews and rankings are entirely subjective)
I have to use this website to prove to my friends that I play games other than Among Us!!
(In case it needs to be said, reviews and rankings are entirely subjective)
Badges
1 Years of Service
Being part of the Backloggd community for 1 year
Full-Time
Journaled games once a day for a month straight
Gone Gold
Received 5+ likes on a review while featured on the front page
Liked
Gained 10+ total review likes
On Schedule
Journaled games once a day for a week straight
Best Friends
Become mutual friends with at least 3 others
Noticed
Gained 3+ followers
Gamer
Played 250+ games
N00b
Played 100+ games
Roadtrip
Voted for at least 3 features on the roadmap
Favorite Games
317
Total Games Played
000
Played in 2024
016
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I ended up enjoying this game was more than I was expecting to! Excellent pacing and sense of progression, a plot with a surprising amount of heavy-hitting moments (admittedly I watched the Netflix adaptation first a couple years prior but had forgotten pretty much everything by the time I actually played the game, probably for the best!), and really fun gameplay aided by the amount of customization you had over your party.
Not every idea introduced nails the landing perfectly. Monster recruitment being up to luck can be frustrating and add a lot of grind to a game that otherwise has none. It's also pretty unfortunate that integral characters like the marriage candidates and children don't get too much individual time to shine, making certain moments lack the impact it felt they should have. Still, what this game accomplishes is really impressive and the way it organizes its structure around the central ideas of family and progression through life is done on a level I've rarely seen in other games.
Not every idea introduced nails the landing perfectly. Monster recruitment being up to luck can be frustrating and add a lot of grind to a game that otherwise has none. It's also pretty unfortunate that integral characters like the marriage candidates and children don't get too much individual time to shine, making certain moments lack the impact it felt they should have. Still, what this game accomplishes is really impressive and the way it organizes its structure around the central ideas of family and progression through life is done on a level I've rarely seen in other games.
As the first two games in the series that essentially created the JRPG genre, these are interesting to check out as a novelty, but unfortunately not much more than that. It's understandably very archaic compared to modern entries, and if you're a fan of that style of game then you'll definitely get a lot more out of these. More often than not, though, the constant necessity to grind and the lack of clear guidance on many objectives proved to be more frustrating than fun, especially in II. I did enjoy the presentational aspects like spritework and music (partially the reason I wanted to play this version over mobile/Switch) and there are rare highlights, but otherwise I wouldn't recommend these entries unless you're seriously adamant about seeing everything the series' history has to offer.
Starts off with an admittedly pretty weak and poorly-paced story mode for Kirby standards (I've tried to replay it once or twice and always drop out at the final world), but I think the side content is where the game really shines. Guest Star and Heroes in Another Dimension both improve on the level design where the story mode falters and the extra attention the Dream Friends get in them is a nice touch. Likewise, The Ultimate Choice is a fun take on the traditional boss rush, and the fact that it tracks which abilities you've completed it with means I got a lot of replay value out of it.
Perhaps the most enjoyable thing about the game, though, especially as a big Kirby fan, is the amount of love and fanservice from across the entire series packed into the game. In that sense, I think Star Allies accomplishes its goal of being an anniversary title that celebrates everything that came before it before moving on to new heights. It might not be as beloved as earlier titles nor is it packed with as much original ideas, but it's a fun romp and great love letter to the series nonetheless.
Perhaps the most enjoyable thing about the game, though, especially as a big Kirby fan, is the amount of love and fanservice from across the entire series packed into the game. In that sense, I think Star Allies accomplishes its goal of being an anniversary title that celebrates everything that came before it before moving on to new heights. It might not be as beloved as earlier titles nor is it packed with as much original ideas, but it's a fun romp and great love letter to the series nonetheless.