T0M196
2022
There is nothing better than the sense of accomplishment you get when completing a FromSoft game. At this point we all know FromSoft games for their unforgiving difficulty and Elden Ring is no exception. However, it never feels cheap or unfair. No death is a failure and is instead a lesson. Despite being stuck at certain points for a significant amount of time, each death motivated me to improve and come back stronger until I finally came out victorious. It's these personal experiences and the stories/memories I now have from overcoming these brutal challenges that makes Elden Ring and other games like it so special. It is a perfect example how video games have the ability to tell a story in a way that a book or film can't. There is nothing like the storytelling in these games and I thank Elden Ring for reminding me why I fell in love with video games in the first place.
2002
At its best, RE0 is an enjoyable game with challenging puzzles and stunning visuals that match the beauty of the RE1 Remake. At its worst, it is an absolute slog with constant backtracking and a frustrating inventory system.
You can't talk about Resident Evil 0 without bringing up its biggest issue. It's lack of item boxes. I must admit it didn't bother me to begin with. However, the more I played, the more annoying I found it. Having to constantly return to your designated room (or dumping ground) to rummage through the pile of crap you've left on the floor gets old very quickly. Controlling 2 characters doesn't solve this issue either. The many herbs, ammo, weapons (some taking up 2 slots) and key items you find while exploring can be overwhelming and as a result, RE0 can feel tedious instead of tense.
I wouldn't say RE0 is a bad game. It's just held back massively by its faults. It also probably didn't help that this was released between 2 masterpieces. The removal of key features of previous titles will unfortunately forever tarnish RE0's reputation. Even as a huge fan of the classic RE games, I can't see myself returning to RE0 anytime soon.
You can't talk about Resident Evil 0 without bringing up its biggest issue. It's lack of item boxes. I must admit it didn't bother me to begin with. However, the more I played, the more annoying I found it. Having to constantly return to your designated room (or dumping ground) to rummage through the pile of crap you've left on the floor gets old very quickly. Controlling 2 characters doesn't solve this issue either. The many herbs, ammo, weapons (some taking up 2 slots) and key items you find while exploring can be overwhelming and as a result, RE0 can feel tedious instead of tense.
I wouldn't say RE0 is a bad game. It's just held back massively by its faults. It also probably didn't help that this was released between 2 masterpieces. The removal of key features of previous titles will unfortunately forever tarnish RE0's reputation. Even as a huge fan of the classic RE games, I can't see myself returning to RE0 anytime soon.
2008
Why did I stop playing this back when it first came out? Dead Space is a phenomenal game. Not only is it a terrifying experience with its setting and tense atmosphere. It is also an amazing shooter with satisfying gameplay and unique mechanics.
Interested to see what the remake adds to Dead Space because I already consider the original a masterpiece. A must play for gamers.
Interested to see what the remake adds to Dead Space because I already consider the original a masterpiece. A must play for gamers.
2023
Maybe the real Crispy Critters were the friends we made along the way.
Really interesting and unique world Mundfish have created. Unfortunately the gameplay doesn't do it for me.
Really interesting and unique world Mundfish have created. Unfortunately the gameplay doesn't do it for me.
2022
Well that was painful.
Wait a minute! Do you think that was the point? The main character goes on a murderous rampage seconds after being exposed to the humour. If that's not a perfect example of ludonarrative harmony, I don't know what is.
Wait a minute! Do you think that was the point? The main character goes on a murderous rampage seconds after being exposed to the humour. If that's not a perfect example of ludonarrative harmony, I don't know what is.
1997
We need more kart racers with an adventure mode. I would love to see future kart racers try to bulid on this formula as we've seen very little of it in the genre.
2002
Open-world crime game set in London. Oh go on then. Apparently The Getaway did well on its release, however I can't say I had ever heard of it until recently.
I live in the UK and spend a lot of time in London as it is only a short journey on the train for me. Naturally I was eager to see what a game set in London would look like. Honestly they did an amazing job recreating the streets of London and its impressive how good it looks considering it came out in 2002. All of the landmarks are there as well as so many smaller details. While in London the other week I visited Covent Gardens as it is always a nice place to visit this time of year. While there I grabbed a coffee from a nearby Starbucks. Later that week I went down the same road in The Getaway and was amazed to see a Starbucks pretty much in the same place. This is probably a massive coincidence but I couldn't help but find this hilarious. Apart from making me laugh I'd say this is the main reason why the game feels so immersive and a joy to play. I was also surprised to find out that all of the cars are real car models from that time. There must be around 30 plus official car manufacturers in the game. Again I found this hilarious when the police were chasing me in my Fiat Punto.
What sets The Getaway apart from other games is the lack of a HUD and using alternate methods to explain to the player what is going on. The lack of a HUD does make the game feel more immersive and I do think overall it was the right choice but it does have its problems. Apart from a few hints in the pause menu and a mission brief, you are given very little information when starting the game. For example The Getaway's lack of a HUD means there is no map to look at, so how do you know where to go? The Getaway solves this problem by using the indicators on the car to tell you what direction you need to be going. This is a pretty cool mechanic but it can be hard to follow especially when you're being chased by the police or rival gangs. It also isn't explained to you so I ended up failing the first mission several times before I noticed this. While I'm talking about the driving I should also mention how weak the cars are in this game. It only takes a few crashes to destroy a car. Some missions I ended up stealing 4-5 cars just to get to my destination as they kept breaking down. At certain points in the game you are required to get somewhere within a time limit so taking your time isn't an option, expect to crash a lot.
The other half of the gameplay is the shooting and I found this more enjoyable, once I worked out all of the mechanics that is. Again The Getaway uses different ways to deal with no HUD. For example if you run out of ammo your character will simply drop the weapon and then pick up another automatically if you walk over one on the floor. How much damage you have taken is indicated by the blood on the player and your character will start to limp on low health. It is little details like this that I enjoy in a game. That being said, like the driving sections, it still has its issues… well for me anyway. I found myself hating the shooting sections at first because to my knowledge I thought you could not heal. I thought every shooting section was way too hard as you can't take many hits before dying. It was not until I got about half-way through the game that I realised you could heal. Simply stand next to a wall and your character will lean up against it and regain health. I know I'm probably an idiot as there is a tip on the pause menu telling you this but I still think this is another example why The Getaway can be a bit confusing for new players.
I didn't want to talk too much about the story but I did find it engaging and found the cutscenes to be well-acted. It's nothing to write home about but if you're a fan of the films it's based on you will probably enjoy it.
I was struggling to decide if this is worth recommending or not. Despite my gripes I still had a great time. I wanted to write this review because I think The Getaway is worth your time, however if you do want to give this a go be patient with it and make sure you learn all of the mechanics.
I live in the UK and spend a lot of time in London as it is only a short journey on the train for me. Naturally I was eager to see what a game set in London would look like. Honestly they did an amazing job recreating the streets of London and its impressive how good it looks considering it came out in 2002. All of the landmarks are there as well as so many smaller details. While in London the other week I visited Covent Gardens as it is always a nice place to visit this time of year. While there I grabbed a coffee from a nearby Starbucks. Later that week I went down the same road in The Getaway and was amazed to see a Starbucks pretty much in the same place. This is probably a massive coincidence but I couldn't help but find this hilarious. Apart from making me laugh I'd say this is the main reason why the game feels so immersive and a joy to play. I was also surprised to find out that all of the cars are real car models from that time. There must be around 30 plus official car manufacturers in the game. Again I found this hilarious when the police were chasing me in my Fiat Punto.
What sets The Getaway apart from other games is the lack of a HUD and using alternate methods to explain to the player what is going on. The lack of a HUD does make the game feel more immersive and I do think overall it was the right choice but it does have its problems. Apart from a few hints in the pause menu and a mission brief, you are given very little information when starting the game. For example The Getaway's lack of a HUD means there is no map to look at, so how do you know where to go? The Getaway solves this problem by using the indicators on the car to tell you what direction you need to be going. This is a pretty cool mechanic but it can be hard to follow especially when you're being chased by the police or rival gangs. It also isn't explained to you so I ended up failing the first mission several times before I noticed this. While I'm talking about the driving I should also mention how weak the cars are in this game. It only takes a few crashes to destroy a car. Some missions I ended up stealing 4-5 cars just to get to my destination as they kept breaking down. At certain points in the game you are required to get somewhere within a time limit so taking your time isn't an option, expect to crash a lot.
The other half of the gameplay is the shooting and I found this more enjoyable, once I worked out all of the mechanics that is. Again The Getaway uses different ways to deal with no HUD. For example if you run out of ammo your character will simply drop the weapon and then pick up another automatically if you walk over one on the floor. How much damage you have taken is indicated by the blood on the player and your character will start to limp on low health. It is little details like this that I enjoy in a game. That being said, like the driving sections, it still has its issues… well for me anyway. I found myself hating the shooting sections at first because to my knowledge I thought you could not heal. I thought every shooting section was way too hard as you can't take many hits before dying. It was not until I got about half-way through the game that I realised you could heal. Simply stand next to a wall and your character will lean up against it and regain health. I know I'm probably an idiot as there is a tip on the pause menu telling you this but I still think this is another example why The Getaway can be a bit confusing for new players.
I didn't want to talk too much about the story but I did find it engaging and found the cutscenes to be well-acted. It's nothing to write home about but if you're a fan of the films it's based on you will probably enjoy it.
I was struggling to decide if this is worth recommending or not. Despite my gripes I still had a great time. I wanted to write this review because I think The Getaway is worth your time, however if you do want to give this a go be patient with it and make sure you learn all of the mechanics.
2019
Thank you raccoons4444 for the recommendation.
Not usually interested in Rouge-like/lites, but this one caught my attention. Dicey Dungeons oozes charm with its absurd setting and characters. I always enjoy it when a game has a crazy premise and just runs with it. Great fun mixing and matching different decks and each playable character feel completely different adding even more depth to the gameplay. Perfect game to play if you have a bit of time to kill. I will definitely be coming back to it every now and then.
Not usually interested in Rouge-like/lites, but this one caught my attention. Dicey Dungeons oozes charm with its absurd setting and characters. I always enjoy it when a game has a crazy premise and just runs with it. Great fun mixing and matching different decks and each playable character feel completely different adding even more depth to the gameplay. Perfect game to play if you have a bit of time to kill. I will definitely be coming back to it every now and then.
2021
In Sound Mind is an extremely creative game that my brother and I stumbled across this Halloween. I wouldn't class it as a horror game, instead I'd say it has some horror elements. There are definitely moments that will make you jump as the game likes to mess with you. Just don't go into it expecting a pure horror experience as you might be disappointed.
The majority of the game focuses on puzzles and does a pretty good job with them for the most part. I didn't find any of them too hard but at the same time they weren't too hand holdy either. I thought the lengh was just right. New tools are introduced throughout the game which help keep the gameplay fresh so I never found myself getting bored. In Sound Mind also has a unique spin when it comes to it's bosses. Instead of just fighting a boss at the end of an area, they stalk you at times during the level, keeping you on edge the whole time.
Expected very little going into this but it has ended up being one of the top games I've played this year. Definitely give it a go.
The majority of the game focuses on puzzles and does a pretty good job with them for the most part. I didn't find any of them too hard but at the same time they weren't too hand holdy either. I thought the lengh was just right. New tools are introduced throughout the game which help keep the gameplay fresh so I never found myself getting bored. In Sound Mind also has a unique spin when it comes to it's bosses. Instead of just fighting a boss at the end of an area, they stalk you at times during the level, keeping you on edge the whole time.
Expected very little going into this but it has ended up being one of the top games I've played this year. Definitely give it a go.
2001
Oh, Luigi came too. Super.
I loved playing the Gamecube when I was younger, my brother and I spent countless hours playing Double Dash and Sunshine. I also had my first real taste of the Resident Evil games, not playing them myself but watching my stepdad play the RE1 remake and then later RE4. Despite all of these great memories, my experience of the gamecube pretty much ends there. We had quite a few of the exclusives for the console, but I only wanted to play the Mario games. There was one game in particular that I remember completely ignoring at the time and that was Luigi's Mansion.
Luigi's Masion is another example why I and so many other people love Nintendo. Ghost Hunting in a spooky mansion while trying to collect as much cash as possible. Why not? Nintendo are so good at coming up with fun ideas. Luigi's Masion is a short game but it uses this to its advantage. Every action is rewarded with cash and all goes towards your final score at the end of the game. This paired with the short time to beat creates a fun arcade-like experience with so much replayability. I rarely want to revisit a game once I've finished it, but after receiving a terrible rating at the end of the game, Ive decided I need to give it another go.
Luigi's Mansion is a game full of personality. I love atmospheric games and I can happily say that Luigi's Mansion nails it. What makes this game special for me though is how much love has gone into giving Luigi a personality of his own. From nervously humming along to the music to his calls for Mario becoming more desperate when his health is low. All these little details help give Luigi his own identity.
It's sad that Luigi's Mansion is so hard to play these days. This and so many other Gamecube games need to be more accessible. I can see why this game has such a big following. I will definitely be coming back to Luigi's Mansion every October to try and beat my score.
I'm sorry I took you for granted Luigi, it's taken me a while to realise it. I'm glad I finally gave you a chance.
I loved playing the Gamecube when I was younger, my brother and I spent countless hours playing Double Dash and Sunshine. I also had my first real taste of the Resident Evil games, not playing them myself but watching my stepdad play the RE1 remake and then later RE4. Despite all of these great memories, my experience of the gamecube pretty much ends there. We had quite a few of the exclusives for the console, but I only wanted to play the Mario games. There was one game in particular that I remember completely ignoring at the time and that was Luigi's Mansion.
Luigi's Masion is another example why I and so many other people love Nintendo. Ghost Hunting in a spooky mansion while trying to collect as much cash as possible. Why not? Nintendo are so good at coming up with fun ideas. Luigi's Masion is a short game but it uses this to its advantage. Every action is rewarded with cash and all goes towards your final score at the end of the game. This paired with the short time to beat creates a fun arcade-like experience with so much replayability. I rarely want to revisit a game once I've finished it, but after receiving a terrible rating at the end of the game, Ive decided I need to give it another go.
Luigi's Mansion is a game full of personality. I love atmospheric games and I can happily say that Luigi's Mansion nails it. What makes this game special for me though is how much love has gone into giving Luigi a personality of his own. From nervously humming along to the music to his calls for Mario becoming more desperate when his health is low. All these little details help give Luigi his own identity.
It's sad that Luigi's Mansion is so hard to play these days. This and so many other Gamecube games need to be more accessible. I can see why this game has such a big following. I will definitely be coming back to Luigi's Mansion every October to try and beat my score.
I'm sorry I took you for granted Luigi, it's taken me a while to realise it. I'm glad I finally gave you a chance.
2016
Thanks Azumarrill for the recommendation.
Titanfall 2 is one of the best shooters that I have played in recent years. I have always heard good things about it but I did not expect to enjoy it this much.
The campaign is short and can be completed in an afternoon. However, they still managed to cram so much in it. There are so many interesting mechanics introduced throughout the game that help keep the gameplay fresh. I do not want to spoil anything but one level genuinely shocked me with how crazy it was.
I can see now how Titanfall had such an impact on shooters at the time. I can't believe it's taken me this long to play it. Hopefully we will see more Titanfall games in the future.
Titanfall 2 is one of the best shooters that I have played in recent years. I have always heard good things about it but I did not expect to enjoy it this much.
The campaign is short and can be completed in an afternoon. However, they still managed to cram so much in it. There are so many interesting mechanics introduced throughout the game that help keep the gameplay fresh. I do not want to spoil anything but one level genuinely shocked me with how crazy it was.
I can see now how Titanfall had such an impact on shooters at the time. I can't believe it's taken me this long to play it. Hopefully we will see more Titanfall games in the future.
Motorsiege: Warriors of Primetime is a televised game show where you battle against other competitors in futuristic vehicles for the chance to challenge the champion of the region.
What I love most is how over the top all of the champions are. Watching all of their speeches at the start and end of an event are so entertaining. My personal favourite is Ultra Ape. The characters and general theme reminded me of the champions and the game show in The Running Man.
Motorsiege plays very similar to something like Twisted Metal. There are multiple gamemodes to play like Deathmatch, Survival (Last man standing) and Siege. It can get repetitive at times but it doesn't take too long to complete so it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Motorsiege isn't the best in its genre but I still had fun with it and I think it deserves a bit more love. As the first play and review on Backloggd, it would be pretty cool if at least one person gave it a go.
What I love most is how over the top all of the champions are. Watching all of their speeches at the start and end of an event are so entertaining. My personal favourite is Ultra Ape. The characters and general theme reminded me of the champions and the game show in The Running Man.
Motorsiege plays very similar to something like Twisted Metal. There are multiple gamemodes to play like Deathmatch, Survival (Last man standing) and Siege. It can get repetitive at times but it doesn't take too long to complete so it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Motorsiege isn't the best in its genre but I still had fun with it and I think it deserves a bit more love. As the first play and review on Backloggd, it would be pretty cool if at least one person gave it a go.
2002
Had a lot of fun at the start. Once I got around half way however, I started to notice its flaws. Crazy difficulty spikes, cheap deaths, a lot of jank and a constant fight with the camera make it a frustrating experience. It's a shame because I really wanted to like this game, sadly its many flaws stopped that from happening.
Also that's not Clyde it's Blinky!
Also that's not Clyde it's Blinky!
I always enjoy returning to games I failed to complete when I was a kid. Out of all of these games Toy Story 2 was certainly at the top of this list.
There is something about exploring normal locations as a toy that I love, the way you use everyday objects to navigate each level is so much fun. All of the areas are full of creativity and charm but still manage to feel real and believable.
Graphics in video games have improved remarkably since the release of Toy Story 2 but for a PS1 game it still looks great. It manages to capture the magic of the Toy Story world perfectly. I still have no idea why but the copy we had back in the day was for some reason in black and white. If you've played the game you'll know there is a paint mixing puzzle early on and yes this was painful to complete without any colour! Being able to replay it all these years later with colour made me appreciate it even more.
I'd argue this is one of the best movie tie-in games, that doesn't mean I think it's perfect but for a movie tie-in game on the PS1 it does everything it needs to and so much more. I know the main complaint is its awkward platforming at times but for me I enjoyed the challenge. Managing to complete these sections and the whole game for the first time made it so much more satisfying as I could never do it all those years ago. I enjoyed returning to Toy Story 2, I can happily tick this one off the list. Definitely give it a go if you haven't already.
There is something about exploring normal locations as a toy that I love, the way you use everyday objects to navigate each level is so much fun. All of the areas are full of creativity and charm but still manage to feel real and believable.
Graphics in video games have improved remarkably since the release of Toy Story 2 but for a PS1 game it still looks great. It manages to capture the magic of the Toy Story world perfectly. I still have no idea why but the copy we had back in the day was for some reason in black and white. If you've played the game you'll know there is a paint mixing puzzle early on and yes this was painful to complete without any colour! Being able to replay it all these years later with colour made me appreciate it even more.
I'd argue this is one of the best movie tie-in games, that doesn't mean I think it's perfect but for a movie tie-in game on the PS1 it does everything it needs to and so much more. I know the main complaint is its awkward platforming at times but for me I enjoyed the challenge. Managing to complete these sections and the whole game for the first time made it so much more satisfying as I could never do it all those years ago. I enjoyed returning to Toy Story 2, I can happily tick this one off the list. Definitely give it a go if you haven't already.
2022
Well this is a remake I thought I'd never see! The original Pac-man World means so much to me, I have so many happy memories playing it and I still play it to this day. Finding out that it was getting a remake made me both excited and worried. We have seen so many remakes and remasters come out in recent times. Some succeeding, others... not so much.
Pac-man World Re-Pac is exactly what you want from a remake. It fixes a lot of issues and does a great job modernising it for modern consoles. My only complaint is I didn't enjoy the new cutscenes. The original cutscenes has such an odd charm that I loved, but that's just my preference and it's such a minor issue.
Overall, Pac-man World Re-Pac is a blast to play and looks better than ever with its beautiful artstyle. I'm so happy to see Pac-man World get a remake and I really hope more people give it a go. It's going to be interesting to see what the future holds for Pac-man.
I almost forgot. They fixed Anubis Rex!
Pac-man World Re-Pac is exactly what you want from a remake. It fixes a lot of issues and does a great job modernising it for modern consoles. My only complaint is I didn't enjoy the new cutscenes. The original cutscenes has such an odd charm that I loved, but that's just my preference and it's such a minor issue.
Overall, Pac-man World Re-Pac is a blast to play and looks better than ever with its beautiful artstyle. I'm so happy to see Pac-man World get a remake and I really hope more people give it a go. It's going to be interesting to see what the future holds for Pac-man.
I almost forgot. They fixed Anubis Rex!