TevhoBend
One of my favorite games I had on for my GameBoy as a kid. I owned Pokémon Blue, Ruby, FireRed, as well as a few Hal Laboratory pinball games and a few Super Mario games including this one.
The game has really bad screen crunch but when your 7 or 8, you don't care because it reminds you of Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 2 (Games I also had on my GameBoy). The overworld added an absurd level of entertainment and the mini games like the coin flip and Valentine's game are great, especially when they were expanded in New Super Mario Bros. DS.
Not only that, but when you beat the game, you unlocked Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels and a "Race Boo" mini game, which if you managed to make it past 2-4 on this game, you're officially better than 8 year old me at this game.
I know the screen cropping and the terrible audio quality turn this into a deal breaker for most, but I do think it's the best version of both Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels.
Rating: B/A
Genre(s): 2d platformer, mini game collection
The game has really bad screen crunch but when your 7 or 8, you don't care because it reminds you of Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 2 (Games I also had on my GameBoy). The overworld added an absurd level of entertainment and the mini games like the coin flip and Valentine's game are great, especially when they were expanded in New Super Mario Bros. DS.
Not only that, but when you beat the game, you unlocked Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels and a "Race Boo" mini game, which if you managed to make it past 2-4 on this game, you're officially better than 8 year old me at this game.
I know the screen cropping and the terrible audio quality turn this into a deal breaker for most, but I do think it's the best version of both Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels.
Rating: B/A
Genre(s): 2d platformer, mini game collection
2013
The Last of Us is widely regarded to be one of the greatest video games ever made. The characters in this desperate post Apocalyptic world feel like your acting out a movie where you play the grieving father Joel and he escorts a daughter figure across the country. Yeah, it's a trope Sony's done a million times before, but The Last of Us did it first and best.
The gameplay of The Last of Us is both a survival horror shooter and third person cover based shooter, with puzzles scattered in between each chapter to change the pace of the game. There are multiple different weapons, some of which are better against certain enemies than others. You can also craft items such as med kits, nail bombs, and Molotov Cocktails, as well as gears which allows you to upgrade items at workbenches with extended clips, scopes, and silencers. The game can be absurdly difficult, even on the easier difficulties which makes the satisfaction of finishing a shootout section so you can experience this world even more rewarding.
You also have the option of stealth throughout most of the game. Certain enemies react differently to stealth, such as humans being manic but observative or “Clickers,” enemies who are extremely aggressive but will only react to noise. However you approach the game, there are collectables called “Supplements” which allow you to upgrade your stealth or combat abilities in a similar way to gears.
The gameplay is really simple but the amount of depth and planning that goes into every single encounter isn't something you find in even the most observational of games. You need to be on your toes because one missed bullet or the mere crunching of glass can send you back 5 minutes.
I mentioned at the beginning of the game the main character Joel and his daughter of sorts Ellie. Joel loses his daughter Sara in the first 20 minutes of the game before it skips 20 years into the future. In this world, fungus has advanced to a point where it takes control of a human host and puts them into a dangerous, zombie-like state. You play the outbreak of the apocalypse during the prologue before being out 20 years in the future with your friend Tess in a survival camp run by the US Government. You are told through a hit that there's a request of urban matter before meeting up with by a woman named Marlene that you are required to travel a teenage girl named Ellie across the country to a Fireflies outpost, which are essentially remnants of an organized government that seizes control of areas in order to make them safe and inhabitable through supply camps, agriculture, etc. The camp is run by Joel’s Brother Tommy and you, Tess, and Ellie set off to travel her safely to the firefly outpost.
Along the way you meet many interesting characters like Bill, a business partner of Joel who is schizophrenic and suffering from paranoid delusions, as well as Harry and Sam, a group of Brothers attempting to survive after their Mother's passing, and David… let's just NOT talk about David so I don't have to incorporate a nervous breakdown into my review.
The game’s premise has been seen a million times in other media but The Last of Us nails it through character interactions, voice acting, and the moment to moment gameplay. Like I said, the gameplay is rather easy to understand but extremely complicated to maneuver through on even the easier difficulties, let alone “Grounded Mode,” difficulty introduced in the PlayStation 4 remaster as well as the PlayStation 5 direct recreation entitled The Last of Us Part I.
The game also features the greatest piece of DLC in any single player console game ever that I would like to review separately rather soon, but besides that, there's not much to say besides what I have been trying to get across this entire review, that being The Last of Us’ unique style of storytelling mixed with its amazing character writing makes it feel like your playing a film. I know that's an insult for video games nowadays, but The Last of Us is essentially an interactive art piece of the greatest horror movie that doesn't exist.
If you're reading this, you have already either played the game or read up on it. If you have, you most certainly have an opinion on the game. But if you're by chance reading my review without knowing what The Last of Us is, first of all, hey, thanks for reading, second, go do yourself a favor and play this one of a kind masterpiece.
The sequel to The Last of Us called The Last of Us Part II just got a direct remaster which I already reviewed alongside the original game. If you're even slightly interested in checking out The Last of Us even if you know every detail about it, please still do yourself the favor and experience this game. It's one of my favorites of all time and while everyone has praised it for over a decade, it deserves all the awards it has received. A magnum opus of not just film, gaming, and literature, but art as a medium itself
Rating: S
Genre(s): Third person shooter, survival horror
The gameplay of The Last of Us is both a survival horror shooter and third person cover based shooter, with puzzles scattered in between each chapter to change the pace of the game. There are multiple different weapons, some of which are better against certain enemies than others. You can also craft items such as med kits, nail bombs, and Molotov Cocktails, as well as gears which allows you to upgrade items at workbenches with extended clips, scopes, and silencers. The game can be absurdly difficult, even on the easier difficulties which makes the satisfaction of finishing a shootout section so you can experience this world even more rewarding.
You also have the option of stealth throughout most of the game. Certain enemies react differently to stealth, such as humans being manic but observative or “Clickers,” enemies who are extremely aggressive but will only react to noise. However you approach the game, there are collectables called “Supplements” which allow you to upgrade your stealth or combat abilities in a similar way to gears.
The gameplay is really simple but the amount of depth and planning that goes into every single encounter isn't something you find in even the most observational of games. You need to be on your toes because one missed bullet or the mere crunching of glass can send you back 5 minutes.
I mentioned at the beginning of the game the main character Joel and his daughter of sorts Ellie. Joel loses his daughter Sara in the first 20 minutes of the game before it skips 20 years into the future. In this world, fungus has advanced to a point where it takes control of a human host and puts them into a dangerous, zombie-like state. You play the outbreak of the apocalypse during the prologue before being out 20 years in the future with your friend Tess in a survival camp run by the US Government. You are told through a hit that there's a request of urban matter before meeting up with by a woman named Marlene that you are required to travel a teenage girl named Ellie across the country to a Fireflies outpost, which are essentially remnants of an organized government that seizes control of areas in order to make them safe and inhabitable through supply camps, agriculture, etc. The camp is run by Joel’s Brother Tommy and you, Tess, and Ellie set off to travel her safely to the firefly outpost.
Along the way you meet many interesting characters like Bill, a business partner of Joel who is schizophrenic and suffering from paranoid delusions, as well as Harry and Sam, a group of Brothers attempting to survive after their Mother's passing, and David… let's just NOT talk about David so I don't have to incorporate a nervous breakdown into my review.
The game’s premise has been seen a million times in other media but The Last of Us nails it through character interactions, voice acting, and the moment to moment gameplay. Like I said, the gameplay is rather easy to understand but extremely complicated to maneuver through on even the easier difficulties, let alone “Grounded Mode,” difficulty introduced in the PlayStation 4 remaster as well as the PlayStation 5 direct recreation entitled The Last of Us Part I.
The game also features the greatest piece of DLC in any single player console game ever that I would like to review separately rather soon, but besides that, there's not much to say besides what I have been trying to get across this entire review, that being The Last of Us’ unique style of storytelling mixed with its amazing character writing makes it feel like your playing a film. I know that's an insult for video games nowadays, but The Last of Us is essentially an interactive art piece of the greatest horror movie that doesn't exist.
If you're reading this, you have already either played the game or read up on it. If you have, you most certainly have an opinion on the game. But if you're by chance reading my review without knowing what The Last of Us is, first of all, hey, thanks for reading, second, go do yourself a favor and play this one of a kind masterpiece.
The sequel to The Last of Us called The Last of Us Part II just got a direct remaster which I already reviewed alongside the original game. If you're even slightly interested in checking out The Last of Us even if you know every detail about it, please still do yourself the favor and experience this game. It's one of my favorites of all time and while everyone has praised it for over a decade, it deserves all the awards it has received. A magnum opus of not just film, gaming, and literature, but art as a medium itself
Rating: S
Genre(s): Third person shooter, survival horror
So, I actually played Part II: Remastered. I'm going to be 100% transparent in saying that when The Last of Us Part II came out and after finishing it, I declared it my least favorite game of all time. If you want the reasons in depth, I suggest you read my original review, but to sum it up, the narrative was a mess and the hypocritical nature of a linear game preaching this type of revenge story with no subtly despite trying to add some made Part II unforgivable due in part for my love of The Last of Us Part I.
The Last of Us Part II: Remastered realistically doesn't add much. The narrative is still as hypocritical as ever and the game is still way too long for its own good, but there are changes that make this version of the game a warranted remaster, first and most importantly, its price, $50 for this game, as well as the new side story "No Return" and the promise of a multiplayer akin to The Last of Us Remastered's multiplayer isn't something to be slept on, especially with the new quality of life changes.
First of all, you can make your recital a simple dot. I could end the review there and bump it up as high as I did, but they also included higher resolution visuals and a better frame rate which are actually really noticeable. The load times are no longer atrocious, so you're not waiting 8 seconds after you die to see the tip screen before getting back to the action. On top of that, the new shootout segments that were cut from the original are so good that they feel like completely different games.
Well, what does The Last of Us Part II: Remastered do to fix the narrative issues of the original release. Sadly, not much. The "No Return" free expansion shines light on some of the more cryptic parts of the game, as well as added voice clips during Abby's gameplay portion making her goals more clear made the game better, but it's still the flawed mess that I cannot critique without either being called an SJW or a Nazi depending on if you watch Keffals or TheQuartering.
With that being said, I do feel the new changes and cheap price tag do justify the remaster, especially because Part II came out when the PS4 was already out the door so not as many people got to play it. Is it recommended? Yes. Is it good? lmao
Rating: D
Genre(s): 3rd person shooter, survival horror
The Last of Us Part II: Remastered realistically doesn't add much. The narrative is still as hypocritical as ever and the game is still way too long for its own good, but there are changes that make this version of the game a warranted remaster, first and most importantly, its price, $50 for this game, as well as the new side story "No Return" and the promise of a multiplayer akin to The Last of Us Remastered's multiplayer isn't something to be slept on, especially with the new quality of life changes.
First of all, you can make your recital a simple dot. I could end the review there and bump it up as high as I did, but they also included higher resolution visuals and a better frame rate which are actually really noticeable. The load times are no longer atrocious, so you're not waiting 8 seconds after you die to see the tip screen before getting back to the action. On top of that, the new shootout segments that were cut from the original are so good that they feel like completely different games.
Well, what does The Last of Us Part II: Remastered do to fix the narrative issues of the original release. Sadly, not much. The "No Return" free expansion shines light on some of the more cryptic parts of the game, as well as added voice clips during Abby's gameplay portion making her goals more clear made the game better, but it's still the flawed mess that I cannot critique without either being called an SJW or a Nazi depending on if you watch Keffals or TheQuartering.
With that being said, I do feel the new changes and cheap price tag do justify the remaster, especially because Part II came out when the PS4 was already out the door so not as many people got to play it. Is it recommended? Yes. Is it good? lmao
Rating: D
Genre(s): 3rd person shooter, survival horror
1987
You might think to yourself "Wow, for someone who doesn't really play retro games, you sure do love Contra" and yes, I very much do. I have managed to beat the game twice without using the Konami code when a lot of my friends can't make it past the first level inputting it. I love this game and being able to play it on an actual NES hooked up to a CRT for the very first game made me realize how much I truly love this game. It's absurdly difficult and I'm good at it and nothing beats that feeling yeah?
Rating: S
Genre(s): 2D platformer, run and gun
Rating: S
Genre(s): 2D platformer, run and gun
2021
I've played this game on and off for about six months and maybe have 8-10 of game time that wasn't spent in the pause menu while I was away from my controller making supper, so maybe I'm not "qualified" to talk about this game, but I like it. I actually love it.
I can't explain why I love it besides it's just relaxing to play. It's my Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, if that makes sense. I know it's a gatcha game designed to steal your money because of cute anime boys and girls, but I'm not tempted by that, so just slashing monsters in a field and not playing the main quest is fine for me.
But as I mentioned, I'm not the best at this game and I don't ever play the main quest, I just slash monsters in the field and make my character look cool. I'm not playing for any reason besides to unwind once every other week for 30 minutes.
Does that qualify me to rate this game this highly? I dunno, but I will gladly give this game praise because I like it. Simple as that.
Rating: A-
Genre(s): Gatcha, Open World, JRPG
I can't explain why I love it besides it's just relaxing to play. It's my Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, if that makes sense. I know it's a gatcha game designed to steal your money because of cute anime boys and girls, but I'm not tempted by that, so just slashing monsters in a field and not playing the main quest is fine for me.
But as I mentioned, I'm not the best at this game and I don't ever play the main quest, I just slash monsters in the field and make my character look cool. I'm not playing for any reason besides to unwind once every other week for 30 minutes.
Does that qualify me to rate this game this highly? I dunno, but I will gladly give this game praise because I like it. Simple as that.
Rating: A-
Genre(s): Gatcha, Open World, JRPG
1997
There are video game offenders out there and they are everywhere.
They’re the ones that drive with the Wii Wheel in Mario Kart Wii
They’re the ones that still believe in console wars going into the PS5/XBSX generation
They’re the ones who believe Street Fighter Third Strike is a perfect game despite never playing it
They’re the gen Z kids who believe the Xbox 360 was the golden age of online gaming
They’re the ones who hate metal but love Crush 40.
They’re the ones who based their political ideologies off of factions from Western RPGs
They’re the ones who top three games are The Last of Us Remastered, The Last of Us Part II, and The Last of Us: Left Behind
They’re the ones who think Super Mario 64 DS' controls "aren't that bad"
They’re the ones who hate Pokémon but buy the double pack of each new game
They’re the ones who enjoy Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Subspace Emissary
They’re the ones who keep their discs on a spindle
They’re the ones who can keep up with the Kingdom Hearts' storyline
They’re the ones to recommend a Japan only, untranslated Shin Megami Tensei game to someone who wants to try a JRPG for the first time
They’re the ones who claim Super Mario RPG is a "babies RPG"
They’re the ones who like the feel of the the Six Axis and Dualshock 3 more than the Dualshock 4
They’re the ones who think Guilty Gear: Strive is "Babies first fighting game" with 1000+ hours in Guilty Gear: Xrd REV 2 on Steam
They’re the ones who own every amiibo
They’re the ones who think Dishonored is a “First person shooter”
They’re the ones who grade their video games
They’re the ones who watch MetalJesusRocks' hidden gems videos
They’re the ones who still joke about Valve being unable to "count to 3"
They’re the ones who quote “A man chooses, a slave obeys” all the time
They’re the ones who like to tell people about video game trivia such as that Super Mario Bros. 2 is actually a Japanese only Famicom game titled Doki Doki Panic repackaged in America because the original Super Mario Bros. 2 was considered too difficult for American audiences
They’re the ones who put end labels on their Nintendo 64 cartridges
They’re the ones who watch JaidenAnimations because “She’s hot”
They’re the ones who claim Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fundamentally flawed game at Melee locals
They’re the ones who hate Kirby
They’re the ones who had a dream job of becoming a Team Fortress 2 shitposter when they were younger
They’re the ones who alphabetize their video game collection, from Rise of the Tomb Raider to Tomb Raider PS4
They’re the ones who instantly offended or outright scared at the mention of Danganronpa
They’re the ones who own every Ben 10 game on the PSP (I know a guy like this)
They’re the ones who who memorized Castlevania: Symphony of the Nights map
They’re the ones who play Metal Gear Solid games for the gameplay
They’re the ones who try not to get blocked by Hideki Kamiya
They’re the ones who made Miiverse posts on Splatoon
They’re the ones who did the the default dance
They’re the ones who prefer Mega Man X1 to Mega Man X4
They’re the ones who want to hear more from videogamedunkey
They’re the ones who know the lyrics to the DK Rap verbatim
They’re the ones who are in middle school but joke about the PlayStation 2 receiving three Grand Theft Auto games
You know that one Sonic Adventure dub? The one about pissing on the moon? They are the ones who quoted that at the The Sonic the Hedgehog Movie
They’re the ones who still make that Crash Bandicoot "Woah" sound bit online
They’re the ones who bought a Nintendo Switch for Metroid Prime 4 (My sincerest condolences)
They’re the ones who own every console port of DOOM (1993)
They’re the ones who write off every JPRG as boring, nonsensical trash. They just so happen to have Persona 5 in their top five games of all time.
They’re the ones who still believe that Mother 3 will get an official English translation
They’re the ones who watch Fallout challenge runs on YouTube
They’re the ones who hate Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts because Jontron said to
They’re the ones who refused to buy Fire Emblem Fates because they removed the ability to pet your wife
They’re the ones who play Skyrim without mods
They’re the ones that own the Super Mario Bros. + Duck Hunt combo cartridge
They‘re the ones who still scream the chorus to Breaking Benjamin's "Blow Me Away" in Halo Infinite lobbies
They’re the ones who love Dragon Quest but have only played Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
They’re the ones who defend Nintendo Switch Online
They’re the ones who have 80k+ karma on reddit purely based on making fun of Fortnite and talking about loving Minecraft
They’re the ones who lie and say never have said a slur in a Call of Duty lobby
They’re the ones who hold up Final Fantasy VII as the crowning jewel of their (and anyone else’s) video game journey.
Edit:
I guess the message was either not understood because it was obscure or lost in translation but it is a joke copypasta I spent, like, two years adding to meant to mock this RYM review. I just choose Final Fantasy VII because I think the game is overhyped.
https://rateyourmusic.com/music-review/Kevvy/u2/the-joshua-tree-2/38307
They’re the ones that drive with the Wii Wheel in Mario Kart Wii
They’re the ones that still believe in console wars going into the PS5/XBSX generation
They’re the ones who believe Street Fighter Third Strike is a perfect game despite never playing it
They’re the gen Z kids who believe the Xbox 360 was the golden age of online gaming
They’re the ones who hate metal but love Crush 40.
They’re the ones who based their political ideologies off of factions from Western RPGs
They’re the ones who top three games are The Last of Us Remastered, The Last of Us Part II, and The Last of Us: Left Behind
They’re the ones who think Super Mario 64 DS' controls "aren't that bad"
They’re the ones who hate Pokémon but buy the double pack of each new game
They’re the ones who enjoy Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Subspace Emissary
They’re the ones who keep their discs on a spindle
They’re the ones who can keep up with the Kingdom Hearts' storyline
They’re the ones to recommend a Japan only, untranslated Shin Megami Tensei game to someone who wants to try a JRPG for the first time
They’re the ones who claim Super Mario RPG is a "babies RPG"
They’re the ones who like the feel of the the Six Axis and Dualshock 3 more than the Dualshock 4
They’re the ones who think Guilty Gear: Strive is "Babies first fighting game" with 1000+ hours in Guilty Gear: Xrd REV 2 on Steam
They’re the ones who own every amiibo
They’re the ones who think Dishonored is a “First person shooter”
They’re the ones who grade their video games
They’re the ones who watch MetalJesusRocks' hidden gems videos
They’re the ones who still joke about Valve being unable to "count to 3"
They’re the ones who quote “A man chooses, a slave obeys” all the time
They’re the ones who like to tell people about video game trivia such as that Super Mario Bros. 2 is actually a Japanese only Famicom game titled Doki Doki Panic repackaged in America because the original Super Mario Bros. 2 was considered too difficult for American audiences
They’re the ones who put end labels on their Nintendo 64 cartridges
They’re the ones who watch JaidenAnimations because “She’s hot”
They’re the ones who claim Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fundamentally flawed game at Melee locals
They’re the ones who hate Kirby
They’re the ones who had a dream job of becoming a Team Fortress 2 shitposter when they were younger
They’re the ones who alphabetize their video game collection, from Rise of the Tomb Raider to Tomb Raider PS4
They’re the ones who instantly offended or outright scared at the mention of Danganronpa
They’re the ones who own every Ben 10 game on the PSP (I know a guy like this)
They’re the ones who who memorized Castlevania: Symphony of the Nights map
They’re the ones who play Metal Gear Solid games for the gameplay
They’re the ones who try not to get blocked by Hideki Kamiya
They’re the ones who made Miiverse posts on Splatoon
They’re the ones who did the the default dance
They’re the ones who prefer Mega Man X1 to Mega Man X4
They’re the ones who want to hear more from videogamedunkey
They’re the ones who know the lyrics to the DK Rap verbatim
They’re the ones who are in middle school but joke about the PlayStation 2 receiving three Grand Theft Auto games
You know that one Sonic Adventure dub? The one about pissing on the moon? They are the ones who quoted that at the The Sonic the Hedgehog Movie
They’re the ones who still make that Crash Bandicoot "Woah" sound bit online
They’re the ones who bought a Nintendo Switch for Metroid Prime 4 (My sincerest condolences)
They’re the ones who own every console port of DOOM (1993)
They’re the ones who write off every JPRG as boring, nonsensical trash. They just so happen to have Persona 5 in their top five games of all time.
They’re the ones who still believe that Mother 3 will get an official English translation
They’re the ones who watch Fallout challenge runs on YouTube
They’re the ones who hate Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts because Jontron said to
They’re the ones who refused to buy Fire Emblem Fates because they removed the ability to pet your wife
They’re the ones who play Skyrim without mods
They’re the ones that own the Super Mario Bros. + Duck Hunt combo cartridge
They‘re the ones who still scream the chorus to Breaking Benjamin's "Blow Me Away" in Halo Infinite lobbies
They’re the ones who love Dragon Quest but have only played Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
They’re the ones who defend Nintendo Switch Online
They’re the ones who have 80k+ karma on reddit purely based on making fun of Fortnite and talking about loving Minecraft
They’re the ones who lie and say never have said a slur in a Call of Duty lobby
They’re the ones who hold up Final Fantasy VII as the crowning jewel of their (and anyone else’s) video game journey.
Edit:
I guess the message was either not understood because it was obscure or lost in translation but it is a joke copypasta I spent, like, two years adding to meant to mock this RYM review. I just choose Final Fantasy VII because I think the game is overhyped.
https://rateyourmusic.com/music-review/Kevvy/u2/the-joshua-tree-2/38307
"'I'm not like other video game critic, you see. I have an appreciation for the more obscure narrative driven JRPGs. So frankly, I've never understood the popularity of Persona 5. It is a poorly made set of events happening overtime to pretend to create a cohesive narrative' Twitter user @MommyMisato59 types in the Discord server of some let's play channel with 400 subscriber server. Pondering life, she exhales as she reaches past her Testament Nendroid to grab her limited edition Dragon Quest Monsters themed PlayStation Vita 2000. She thinks about what she will do after she clocks out from her shift at Burger King tomorrow while Depeche Mode's 'Enjoy the Silence' plays through her Sennheiser HD 800 S headset. 'Maybe I'll get back to my save in Koudelka' she says softly to herself out loud, before interrupting her words with a thought to practice some more on Slippy netplay. No matter what she does tomorrow, she can revel in the fact that only her and her fellow users on /V/ have such a deep, emotional understanding of video games. Truly a humble life for a next generation Nardwuar, wouldn't you say."
Rating: C
Genre(s): JRPG, SRPG
Rating: C
Genre(s): JRPG, SRPG
This review contains spoilers
I don't think people realize just how many time Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair's script was rewritten. Like, there's trivia that is well known amongst Danganronpa fans like how Fuyuhiko was originally going to be Mikan's second victim and Hiyoko was going to get the redemption arc that makes Fuyuhiko the greatest character in the series. It was changed so late in development that in the final game, their is an oversight about Hiyoko's murder, that being there was no murder weapon.
But that just scratches the surface of what the original vision for Danganronpa 2 was. For example, during the leadup to the games launch, Akane was featured prominently in marketing alongside Hajime, Chiaki, and Komaeda. Not only that, there are screenshots from some early version of the game which features Akane interjecting one of Hajime's arguments during a class trial.
Why am I bringing this up? Well, the same reason I bring up the unused content and narrative driven side quests in Fallout: New Vegas. It makes you wonder "How did they manage to pull off so much with so much left on the cutting room floor?" Though, I'd argue that reason Fallout: New Vegas is a masterpiece is because of the talented developers. Danganronpa 2 on the other hand is lighting in a bottle. Every other Danganronpa game fails as not only a detective game, but a narrative driven visual novel. Danganronpa 2, though? Yes and no.
What makes Danganornpa: Trigger Happy Havoc memorable is just how novel its concept was. With Danganronpa 2, the novelty wasn't there. But somehow the game has some of the greatest written character in detective fiction with a setting that raises the stakes with each passing chapter until the final chapter where you learn that one of the most dire consciences to failing to finish the Island Killing Game was just a ruse. Call me crazy, but the bomb in the center of Jabbawock Island being there to simply bring tension amongst the students is such an amazing "GOTCHA" moment that I believe that there was a bigger purpose for it that was cut out. Much in a way a film like Ghostbusters unused narrative elements being filled by narrative Gorilla Glue, I feel whatever ideas they had for the bomb would have never been as good as the final outcome.
Oh right, I'm five paragraphs into a review of a Danganronpa game and I haven't assessed the characters. Well, to be fair, that's because, well... uh... that's because there's nothing worth noting for most of them. Sonia and Akane are survivors but contribute very little to helping the surviving crew finish the Island Killing Game. Other characters like Teruteru, Ultimate Imposter, and Hiyoko clearly had something more that just wasn't delved in on. Even the new mascot character Monomi doesn't really do all too much Though, I will admit that when Monomi randomly mentions that she has a house on the island in chapter 4 but if you come over, you have to leave the door open because Monomi's parents don't like when she brings boys over, I broke. Like, it's so out of left field and never even brought up again... much like actual important, narrative pushing conversations aren't ever brought up again.
To talk about the characters that are well written, well look no further than Fuyuhiko. He exists in the prologue and first chapter to be nothing more a guy who occasionally gets verbally aggressive with the rest of the students. Than a majority of the way through the second trial... everything changes. You learn about his relationship with Peko and you see him breaking down as Monokuma announces Peko's punishment. The over the course of 25 hours, you get to watch this man absolutely torture himself over a death he believes he caused. You also have to remember that Fuyuhiko Ultimate class status is the Ultimate Yukaza, so you can only imagine what he did to himself off screen if on screen he slits open his stomach in front of HIyoko as a sign of sincere apology. Then when characters learn that Jabbawock is a simulation and they could possibly return home with the other students, everyone is excited... except Fuyuhiko, who's very first concern is asking something along the lines of "Peko is okay?" It really doesn't get much more than that.
I'm sure if you're reading this review, it sounds like I'm very unsure what to think of this game, but that's not true. I think that Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is a game that by nothing more than the stars aligning ended up being one of my favorite games of all time. This game is flawed to its very core, but I'm willing to look through the fault and fractures of the game much in the same way the game does its own. I understand why people hate this series. The games are nonsensical and the class trials takes themselves so seriously with solutions that seem asinine to any normal reader. That's not even counting its fandom which I will not go into it, nope, you can't make me, LALALAICANTHEARYO-
Danganronpa 2 is an inherently flawed game. But it makes up for it with its moments of genius sprinkled thinly throughout the 40 hour runtime. I do recommend you check out this game if you have played the first game or watched a lets play of it. This game is something else, man.
Rating: S
Genre(s): Visual novel, puzzle
But that just scratches the surface of what the original vision for Danganronpa 2 was. For example, during the leadup to the games launch, Akane was featured prominently in marketing alongside Hajime, Chiaki, and Komaeda. Not only that, there are screenshots from some early version of the game which features Akane interjecting one of Hajime's arguments during a class trial.
Why am I bringing this up? Well, the same reason I bring up the unused content and narrative driven side quests in Fallout: New Vegas. It makes you wonder "How did they manage to pull off so much with so much left on the cutting room floor?" Though, I'd argue that reason Fallout: New Vegas is a masterpiece is because of the talented developers. Danganronpa 2 on the other hand is lighting in a bottle. Every other Danganronpa game fails as not only a detective game, but a narrative driven visual novel. Danganronpa 2, though? Yes and no.
What makes Danganornpa: Trigger Happy Havoc memorable is just how novel its concept was. With Danganronpa 2, the novelty wasn't there. But somehow the game has some of the greatest written character in detective fiction with a setting that raises the stakes with each passing chapter until the final chapter where you learn that one of the most dire consciences to failing to finish the Island Killing Game was just a ruse. Call me crazy, but the bomb in the center of Jabbawock Island being there to simply bring tension amongst the students is such an amazing "GOTCHA" moment that I believe that there was a bigger purpose for it that was cut out. Much in a way a film like Ghostbusters unused narrative elements being filled by narrative Gorilla Glue, I feel whatever ideas they had for the bomb would have never been as good as the final outcome.
Oh right, I'm five paragraphs into a review of a Danganronpa game and I haven't assessed the characters. Well, to be fair, that's because, well... uh... that's because there's nothing worth noting for most of them. Sonia and Akane are survivors but contribute very little to helping the surviving crew finish the Island Killing Game. Other characters like Teruteru, Ultimate Imposter, and Hiyoko clearly had something more that just wasn't delved in on. Even the new mascot character Monomi doesn't really do all too much Though, I will admit that when Monomi randomly mentions that she has a house on the island in chapter 4 but if you come over, you have to leave the door open because Monomi's parents don't like when she brings boys over, I broke. Like, it's so out of left field and never even brought up again... much like actual important, narrative pushing conversations aren't ever brought up again.
To talk about the characters that are well written, well look no further than Fuyuhiko. He exists in the prologue and first chapter to be nothing more a guy who occasionally gets verbally aggressive with the rest of the students. Than a majority of the way through the second trial... everything changes. You learn about his relationship with Peko and you see him breaking down as Monokuma announces Peko's punishment. The over the course of 25 hours, you get to watch this man absolutely torture himself over a death he believes he caused. You also have to remember that Fuyuhiko Ultimate class status is the Ultimate Yukaza, so you can only imagine what he did to himself off screen if on screen he slits open his stomach in front of HIyoko as a sign of sincere apology. Then when characters learn that Jabbawock is a simulation and they could possibly return home with the other students, everyone is excited... except Fuyuhiko, who's very first concern is asking something along the lines of "Peko is okay?" It really doesn't get much more than that.
I'm sure if you're reading this review, it sounds like I'm very unsure what to think of this game, but that's not true. I think that Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is a game that by nothing more than the stars aligning ended up being one of my favorite games of all time. This game is flawed to its very core, but I'm willing to look through the fault and fractures of the game much in the same way the game does its own. I understand why people hate this series. The games are nonsensical and the class trials takes themselves so seriously with solutions that seem asinine to any normal reader. That's not even counting its fandom which I will not go into it, nope, you can't make me, LALALAICANTHEARYO-
Danganronpa 2 is an inherently flawed game. But it makes up for it with its moments of genius sprinkled thinly throughout the 40 hour runtime. I do recommend you check out this game if you have played the first game or watched a lets play of it. This game is something else, man.
Rating: S
Genre(s): Visual novel, puzzle
This game exists in a weird purgatory of simple mediocrity. I'm not a fan of Mortal Kombat, so it was a given that playing a video game which biggest accomplishment is it functions at a base level was going to be just as enjoyable as the time I drank bong water for $50.
Mortal Kombat Advance lacks everything that gives fighting gives an identity. There are total of zero fluid combat strings you can pull off amongst the entire cast of pallet swapped sprites that have voice lines from characters that don't appear its roster. It's gameplay loop is so exploitable that it makes me pulling off Sol Badguy's infinite in Guilty Gear: The Missing Link look just as jawdropping as Daigo vs Justin's set in Evo 2004. The "soundtrack" makes my nephew slamming his saliva caked hands on his Fisher Price keyboard sound just as introspective as Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence." I go could go on for hours, but there's no point.
I don't think it is right to even refer to Mortal Kombat Advance as a "video game," not even because of its design, but because it is just a sad reminder of what corporate greed looks like. It was a quick port of a pretty alright game with cult following made so kids could throw tantrums in Target until their Mom's bought them it. "Life is like Monopoly; You are not old, you are obsolete" as Justin Trosper once said.
I think that the only positive takeaway from this game is that some epitome of Reddit told me this game was better than Guilty Gear -Strive- because posting nonsensical bait on Twitter dot come makes you George Carlin, I guess. Remember kids, if you ever feel like you're a disappoint, just look up handles of gamers like LoliLover59 or some other made up username on Twitter and remember that it could always be worse
Rating: Z
Genre(s): 2D fighter, novelty game
Mortal Kombat Advance lacks everything that gives fighting gives an identity. There are total of zero fluid combat strings you can pull off amongst the entire cast of pallet swapped sprites that have voice lines from characters that don't appear its roster. It's gameplay loop is so exploitable that it makes me pulling off Sol Badguy's infinite in Guilty Gear: The Missing Link look just as jawdropping as Daigo vs Justin's set in Evo 2004. The "soundtrack" makes my nephew slamming his saliva caked hands on his Fisher Price keyboard sound just as introspective as Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence." I go could go on for hours, but there's no point.
I don't think it is right to even refer to Mortal Kombat Advance as a "video game," not even because of its design, but because it is just a sad reminder of what corporate greed looks like. It was a quick port of a pretty alright game with cult following made so kids could throw tantrums in Target until their Mom's bought them it. "Life is like Monopoly; You are not old, you are obsolete" as Justin Trosper once said.
I think that the only positive takeaway from this game is that some epitome of Reddit told me this game was better than Guilty Gear -Strive- because posting nonsensical bait on Twitter dot come makes you George Carlin, I guess. Remember kids, if you ever feel like you're a disappoint, just look up handles of gamers like LoliLover59 or some other made up username on Twitter and remember that it could always be worse
Rating: Z
Genre(s): 2D fighter, novelty game
2020
Cyberpunk 2077 isn't something I expected to enjoy at all. I am not really into futuristic setting presented in media like this, but Cyberpunk handles it so well. It feels so dystopian while remaining so exciting and exhilarating. The combat is so fluid with the skill tree giving you so much room to make the character YOU want. I absolutely love using shotguns in this game. It gives me the same joy I get walking into Quarry Junction in Fallout: New Vegas with armour piercing shells in a riot shotgun and battering the Deathclaws with a combination of the Shotgun Surgeon, Piercing Strike, and Super Slam! perks.
I haven't even gotten to the narrative yet. I haven't played the DLC, so I don't think I'm qualified to talk on the main quest quite yet, but I will say that Johnny Silverhand is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in gaming. Since he's planted in your brain, you can't escape him, he's always there, quipping about your actions. It is a really cool way to always have a character that pushes along the story.
What I will praise in depth is the message of the game. I recently wrote a review of Call of Duty: Black Ops III and absolutely thrashed it because of its romanticized portrayal of a world where humans are so technologically advanced, that they exist more as an iconography for rebels who miss the days of when the world was better. Going "Cyber Psycho" is honestly such a scarily poetic way to show how little is left in this world of technological advances. It is honestly kind of beautiful in a very morbid way that people would rather go out in a blaze of glory with Cyber Psychosis than rot in their body and die a normal, healthy way. If you don't know what I mean, watch Edgerunners and you'll understand (Maine and David are the best characters, don't @ me).
Overall, Cyberpunk 2077 amazes me with how it manages to be an open world western RPG that actually gave me reason to care and ponder the world around me. Now only if we had more games like Fallout: New Vegas and Cyberpunk 2077.
Also, on a COMPLETELY unrelated note, I'm astonished that people thought this game was remain unplayable for the rest of time. You guys seem to forget that games like South Park: The Stick of Truth, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Fallout: New Vegas was just as, if not, more unstable when it launched (The latter two still being nearly unplayable on PS3 (It started off so good, now it runs at 6FPS max)). Am I excusing the launch of Cyberpunk 2077? No, that would be ridiculous. I just think it's strange how people tend to react so harshly at games when they release, thinking they will forever be bad.
Rating: S
Genre(s): First person shooter, RPG
I haven't even gotten to the narrative yet. I haven't played the DLC, so I don't think I'm qualified to talk on the main quest quite yet, but I will say that Johnny Silverhand is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in gaming. Since he's planted in your brain, you can't escape him, he's always there, quipping about your actions. It is a really cool way to always have a character that pushes along the story.
What I will praise in depth is the message of the game. I recently wrote a review of Call of Duty: Black Ops III and absolutely thrashed it because of its romanticized portrayal of a world where humans are so technologically advanced, that they exist more as an iconography for rebels who miss the days of when the world was better. Going "Cyber Psycho" is honestly such a scarily poetic way to show how little is left in this world of technological advances. It is honestly kind of beautiful in a very morbid way that people would rather go out in a blaze of glory with Cyber Psychosis than rot in their body and die a normal, healthy way. If you don't know what I mean, watch Edgerunners and you'll understand (Maine and David are the best characters, don't @ me).
Overall, Cyberpunk 2077 amazes me with how it manages to be an open world western RPG that actually gave me reason to care and ponder the world around me. Now only if we had more games like Fallout: New Vegas and Cyberpunk 2077.
Also, on a COMPLETELY unrelated note, I'm astonished that people thought this game was remain unplayable for the rest of time. You guys seem to forget that games like South Park: The Stick of Truth, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Fallout: New Vegas was just as, if not, more unstable when it launched (The latter two still being nearly unplayable on PS3 (It started off so good, now it runs at 6FPS max)). Am I excusing the launch of Cyberpunk 2077? No, that would be ridiculous. I just think it's strange how people tend to react so harshly at games when they release, thinking they will forever be bad.
Rating: S
Genre(s): First person shooter, RPG
Black Ops 3 campaign is the best campaign according to that one guy you knew at Community College who thinks Soundtrack of the Blind by Swans is a masterpiece because of its runtime. It’s not. It’s a social commentary that romanticizes a portrayal of a world so detached from empathy and meaning that humans are nothing more than mechanical beings who serve as iconography for a time when individuality mattered. It is a game that delivers its message so badly that serves as an accidental explanation for the title of the franchise.
Answer me this: What does Call of Duty’s title mean?
Does the title Call of Duty play on the people who were drafted to fight honorably when they were called for duty?
Or is Call of Duty a meta and social commentary on how governing bodies will enforce people to fight in conflicts as pawns in chess?
Maybe I’m reading too deep and Call of Duty is a reminder of what it means to be a cultural phenomenon.
Or it could literally just be that Call of Duty is a nice sounding title.
It also answers another very simple yes or no question as if it needs to recite a story as gripping as Romeo and Juliet. It asks you “Is war good or bad?” then makes you go through an acid trip of insulting and pretentious nothing statements for 8 hours to say “No, I think that war is bad.”
I’m glad it did answer what title Call of Duty means though. It means when it’s available to purchase, some 26 year old Taco Bell manager is going to put $100 on the preorder of the deluxe edition so he has a game to play when he puts his son to bed.
Rating: It’s asinine to assess this game like it’s even entertainment.
Genre(s): A frivolous reminder of how greed and success of a $60 video game can warp the integrity of an entire art form for an entire console generation.
NOTE: I played the Zombies and Der Eisendrache and Gorod Krovi, as well as the Chronicles remasters of most maps, are easily the best maps in Zombies history. But if I was ranking it on that alone, it still would only be a C because I hate it's multiplayer and despise its campaign.
NOTE 2: I beat the campaign again to see if I missed something and I didn't. There's nothing to it. It wants you to fall for its allusion of an ocean of metaphors but it is as basic as "War is bad" which any number of people can tell you with the same level of profoundness as this campaign, just without eight hours of time wasted. The map design fucking sucks, too. There is nothing to it. The game just fucking sucks except for Zombies which doesn't save the experience.
Answer me this: What does Call of Duty’s title mean?
Does the title Call of Duty play on the people who were drafted to fight honorably when they were called for duty?
Or is Call of Duty a meta and social commentary on how governing bodies will enforce people to fight in conflicts as pawns in chess?
Maybe I’m reading too deep and Call of Duty is a reminder of what it means to be a cultural phenomenon.
Or it could literally just be that Call of Duty is a nice sounding title.
It also answers another very simple yes or no question as if it needs to recite a story as gripping as Romeo and Juliet. It asks you “Is war good or bad?” then makes you go through an acid trip of insulting and pretentious nothing statements for 8 hours to say “No, I think that war is bad.”
I’m glad it did answer what title Call of Duty means though. It means when it’s available to purchase, some 26 year old Taco Bell manager is going to put $100 on the preorder of the deluxe edition so he has a game to play when he puts his son to bed.
Rating: It’s asinine to assess this game like it’s even entertainment.
Genre(s): A frivolous reminder of how greed and success of a $60 video game can warp the integrity of an entire art form for an entire console generation.
NOTE: I played the Zombies and Der Eisendrache and Gorod Krovi, as well as the Chronicles remasters of most maps, are easily the best maps in Zombies history. But if I was ranking it on that alone, it still would only be a C because I hate it's multiplayer and despise its campaign.
NOTE 2: I beat the campaign again to see if I missed something and I didn't. There's nothing to it. It wants you to fall for its allusion of an ocean of metaphors but it is as basic as "War is bad" which any number of people can tell you with the same level of profoundness as this campaign, just without eight hours of time wasted. The map design fucking sucks, too. There is nothing to it. The game just fucking sucks except for Zombies which doesn't save the experience.
NOTE: This is part one in an ongoing retrospective where I dissect each Uncharted game and talk about my experiences, joys, and qualms in regards to each game. Today we will be looking at Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. If you enjoy this review, please check out each new part when they are released. With that being said, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.
So when I started playing Uncharted last Spring, I never expected to get so heavily invested in the series. My only exposure with the series prior was beating Uncharted 2 the week I got my PS4 in 2015 because it came with a bundle that had a download code for Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. But here I am almost a year and a half removed from finishing the first game and I’ve now played each entry and fallen head over heels for this series. The series mixes third person cover shooter gunplay with bombastic action set pieces and ambitious story telling. Yeah, sure, not every game lands (Which we will be getting to in this review), but every game is at least competently made and worth at least one playthrough. So given how amazing the series is, how does the first entry hold up? Does it feature that amazing cover based gameplay with huge landmarks around you all while telling a deep story about learning when to cut your losses and call your heyday quits? Well, uh… no, it doesn’t.
Now, I’m making Drake’s Fortune sound like a bad game when it's not. It is a competently made third person shooter with the plot of a B list action movie and that’s all it really needs to be. The story follows the protagonist Drake, his friend Sullivan, and a photographer met in the first chapter named Elena. They all go on an adventure to retrieve famous nomad Sir Francis Drake’s treasure and end up crashing in a Spanish fortress. There, Drake climbs rocky cliff sides and crumbling ruins all while trying to retrieve the treasure. There’s also a supernatural element featured in the last three chapters, but I forgot everything about it, so I won’t be covering it. While, yes, the plot is really bare bones and by the numbers, it holds its own and ends up being a memorable experience because of the landmarks you see while adventuring. The Uncharted series is known for its excellent action set pieces and while not as boisterous as the third or fourth game, Drake’s Fortune still has tons of memorable moments like when you first crash in the castle and see the stunning cliff sides or while you explore an abandoned sea vessel while paranormal creatures attack you.
So if the set pieces hold up in comparison to the rest of the series, does the gameplay? Ehhh… it is hard to explain. To be honest, the only game where I liked the shooting was Uncharted: Golden Abyss and that was because of the gyro aiming. Besides that, I’m not a fan of any cover shooters that aren’t Call of Duty or Halo and I have a special distaste for cover shooters of the third person shooter variety. While the combat is competent, each section feels like it lasts too long and the guns feel like plastic. Combine that with the janky platforming and mediocre puzzles, and the gameplay is just sort of a blur that carried me from Chapter 1 to the Epilogue.
You might think because of this review I dislike Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, but that’s far from the case. I just feel the game shows its age more than any other game in the series and that it isn’t anywhere near as strong as most of the games that would follow it. I still recommend Drake’s Fortune if you’re looking to get into Uncharted because you just don’t appreciate the transition from silly action movie stories to the gorgeous narrative of Uncharted 4: A Thieve’s End without it. With that being said, I firmly place this game in a C tier and if I could rate it among the rest of the Uncharted games, I’d say it goes towards the bottom. Where at the bottom will remain a mystery til we reach further entries. Please check out Uncharted, though. It’s a phenomenal series and I’m looking forward to reviewing each entry in a retrospective styled review series.
Rating: C
Genre(s): Action adventure puzzle, third person shooter
So when I started playing Uncharted last Spring, I never expected to get so heavily invested in the series. My only exposure with the series prior was beating Uncharted 2 the week I got my PS4 in 2015 because it came with a bundle that had a download code for Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. But here I am almost a year and a half removed from finishing the first game and I’ve now played each entry and fallen head over heels for this series. The series mixes third person cover shooter gunplay with bombastic action set pieces and ambitious story telling. Yeah, sure, not every game lands (Which we will be getting to in this review), but every game is at least competently made and worth at least one playthrough. So given how amazing the series is, how does the first entry hold up? Does it feature that amazing cover based gameplay with huge landmarks around you all while telling a deep story about learning when to cut your losses and call your heyday quits? Well, uh… no, it doesn’t.
Now, I’m making Drake’s Fortune sound like a bad game when it's not. It is a competently made third person shooter with the plot of a B list action movie and that’s all it really needs to be. The story follows the protagonist Drake, his friend Sullivan, and a photographer met in the first chapter named Elena. They all go on an adventure to retrieve famous nomad Sir Francis Drake’s treasure and end up crashing in a Spanish fortress. There, Drake climbs rocky cliff sides and crumbling ruins all while trying to retrieve the treasure. There’s also a supernatural element featured in the last three chapters, but I forgot everything about it, so I won’t be covering it. While, yes, the plot is really bare bones and by the numbers, it holds its own and ends up being a memorable experience because of the landmarks you see while adventuring. The Uncharted series is known for its excellent action set pieces and while not as boisterous as the third or fourth game, Drake’s Fortune still has tons of memorable moments like when you first crash in the castle and see the stunning cliff sides or while you explore an abandoned sea vessel while paranormal creatures attack you.
So if the set pieces hold up in comparison to the rest of the series, does the gameplay? Ehhh… it is hard to explain. To be honest, the only game where I liked the shooting was Uncharted: Golden Abyss and that was because of the gyro aiming. Besides that, I’m not a fan of any cover shooters that aren’t Call of Duty or Halo and I have a special distaste for cover shooters of the third person shooter variety. While the combat is competent, each section feels like it lasts too long and the guns feel like plastic. Combine that with the janky platforming and mediocre puzzles, and the gameplay is just sort of a blur that carried me from Chapter 1 to the Epilogue.
You might think because of this review I dislike Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, but that’s far from the case. I just feel the game shows its age more than any other game in the series and that it isn’t anywhere near as strong as most of the games that would follow it. I still recommend Drake’s Fortune if you’re looking to get into Uncharted because you just don’t appreciate the transition from silly action movie stories to the gorgeous narrative of Uncharted 4: A Thieve’s End without it. With that being said, I firmly place this game in a C tier and if I could rate it among the rest of the Uncharted games, I’d say it goes towards the bottom. Where at the bottom will remain a mystery til we reach further entries. Please check out Uncharted, though. It’s a phenomenal series and I’m looking forward to reviewing each entry in a retrospective styled review series.
Rating: C
Genre(s): Action adventure puzzle, third person shooter
I am being completely sincere when I say that this is my personal favorite game in the Musou genre. The stages are generally fun, introducing you to 10 different playstyles that you can use at your own leisure after you finish one. The character creator is in depth with tons of different outfits, hairstyles, and even really subtle things like being able to make your character have tan lines where their outfits would go because that's probably someone's fetish.
Not only that but the story is actually pretty charming, even if it has the depth of a fucking hentai (Which I guarantee you is most certainly intentional). I personally really liked Mirai, I thinks she's cute. The other characters are pretty likable too, even when considering the fact they have a total of two personality traits and three discernable emotions.
Now if you'll go excuse me, I've rated a generally disliked piece of media highly, so I am now officially a proper Video Game Critic(TM), I must celebrate by hopping on Twitter and arguing null points with teenagers.
Rating: A
Genre(s): Hack n' slash, Musou
Not only that but the story is actually pretty charming, even if it has the depth of a fucking hentai (Which I guarantee you is most certainly intentional). I personally really liked Mirai, I thinks she's cute. The other characters are pretty likable too, even when considering the fact they have a total of two personality traits and three discernable emotions.
Now if you'll go excuse me, I've rated a generally disliked piece of media highly, so I am now officially a proper Video Game Critic(TM), I must celebrate by hopping on Twitter and arguing null points with teenagers.
Rating: A
Genre(s): Hack n' slash, Musou
2012
Yeah, I know, The Darkness II isn't the most high brow first person shooter. It is just an angst ridden mess with janky gameplay. The story is shit and it shouldn't be rated higher than a 3/5... but you see, I don't care.
This year has been awful for me so far. I'm not going to get into details, but I have just wanted to give up at so many different points. There hasn't been much bringing me from one objective in life to another. The Darkness II is easily the most pleasure and joy I've had so far this year. Just a game I could turn my brain off to and play before and after work. Something that made me forget about bills and my Grandma's death. It just distracted me from life and to give it anything below a 5/5 doesn't seem right to me.
I can't necessarily say I recommend this game, but I will say that if you ever are in a rough spot, remember to pick up a game and enjoy it despite what critical reception might say of it.
Rating: S
Genre(s): First person shooter
This year has been awful for me so far. I'm not going to get into details, but I have just wanted to give up at so many different points. There hasn't been much bringing me from one objective in life to another. The Darkness II is easily the most pleasure and joy I've had so far this year. Just a game I could turn my brain off to and play before and after work. Something that made me forget about bills and my Grandma's death. It just distracted me from life and to give it anything below a 5/5 doesn't seem right to me.
I can't necessarily say I recommend this game, but I will say that if you ever are in a rough spot, remember to pick up a game and enjoy it despite what critical reception might say of it.
Rating: S
Genre(s): First person shooter
An improvement over The Last of Us Remastered in just about every single way. The updated engine and the overhauled models makes the game seem even more lively and the improved AI for clickers made combat feel truly life or death. My only issue is the initial price tag of $70, but I bought it off a guy on Facebook Marketplace with used needles in his yard for $10, so I'm not complaining.
Rating: S
Genre(s): Third person shooter, survival horror
Rating: S
Genre(s): Third person shooter, survival horror