TheBarrylad
2022
One of those games I respect more than I like. It's doing some off-the-wall stuff and has a neat sense of style, but solving its mysteries in and of themselves wasn't enough to keep me coming back. I think a part of that is also the combat just didn't feel satisfying on any level.
2023
Despite this genre of character-action not really being my type of thing, this is a thoroughly excellent game in almost every way. Innovative music-fused combat, wonderful soundtrack, gorgeous visuals, and a surprisingly heartfelt story. For such a departure form what Tango typically does, this seems like the type of thing they were formed to make.
Got a handheld emulator and chose this as my first injection of raw nostalgia. It holds up surprisingly well. It lacks the challenge of your real top tier Mario games but is still satisfying to control, and the audio visual package is great! In hindsight it's even more impressive given how much a lot of stuff on the original Game Boy... Well... Sucked.
Too hard, man. TOO DAMN HARD!
It may seem salty to knock this game solely for its difficulty, but in the closing few hours I really found myself playing purely to satisfy the completionist in me and not just give up. There wasn't a drive to learn it's nuances and master them; I just hate being beaten.
It lacks the 'thats on me, not the game' quality that something like a Super Meat Boy or Hotline Miami has. While there are some genuinely great levels here that walk the line a bit better (boss battles in particular are all really good), so much of this feels like a chaotic Mario Maker level, where the user has just added one or two more enemies than needed -- just to be a dick. To that end, a lot of this game feels like trying to get jumps absolutely pixel-perfect (shades of the very first Crash game) and not very fluid or satisfying in a meaningful way, despite the bevy of cool tricks it has (time manipulation, gravity flipping etc).
Groussing aside, Crash 4 gets a lot right, and does feel like a more worthy sequel to the original Naughty Dog games than anything that came sinse. A great art style and fun writing channel the Saturday morning cartoon vibe that first made Crash one of my childhood favourites. There's a bevy of optional and replayable content if you're a sadist - although non-Crash playable characters are better on paper than in practice. Tawna boasts a wall jump and grappling hook, two of the sweetest traits a video game character can have, but both are stiff as all hell and not any more fun to use than the basic actions Crash can do. The same goes for the unique traits of other side characters I won't spoil here.
It may seem salty to knock this game solely for its difficulty, but in the closing few hours I really found myself playing purely to satisfy the completionist in me and not just give up. There wasn't a drive to learn it's nuances and master them; I just hate being beaten.
It lacks the 'thats on me, not the game' quality that something like a Super Meat Boy or Hotline Miami has. While there are some genuinely great levels here that walk the line a bit better (boss battles in particular are all really good), so much of this feels like a chaotic Mario Maker level, where the user has just added one or two more enemies than needed -- just to be a dick. To that end, a lot of this game feels like trying to get jumps absolutely pixel-perfect (shades of the very first Crash game) and not very fluid or satisfying in a meaningful way, despite the bevy of cool tricks it has (time manipulation, gravity flipping etc).
Groussing aside, Crash 4 gets a lot right, and does feel like a more worthy sequel to the original Naughty Dog games than anything that came sinse. A great art style and fun writing channel the Saturday morning cartoon vibe that first made Crash one of my childhood favourites. There's a bevy of optional and replayable content if you're a sadist - although non-Crash playable characters are better on paper than in practice. Tawna boasts a wall jump and grappling hook, two of the sweetest traits a video game character can have, but both are stiff as all hell and not any more fun to use than the basic actions Crash can do. The same goes for the unique traits of other side characters I won't spoil here.
2022
A really fun fusion of city management and rogue-like action, let down by really terrible performance and glitches. I've bounced off it various times due to little frustrations but when jumping back into it this most recent time, I was immediately met with a bug where I had to quit a run because the exit to the very first room didn't open. I think this is the stage where call quits on this, and I'm really disappointed I couldn't see it through to final credits.
1986
[emulated]
It is very funny how enemy movement in 1986 was relatively smooth and dynamic but the player movement was insanely stiff and limited.
By no real standard is this a great platformer with modern eyes; it's just very cheap and frustrating. But you can't deny that music and the general ~vibe~ which is impressive even with technical limitations.
It is very funny how enemy movement in 1986 was relatively smooth and dynamic but the player movement was insanely stiff and limited.
By no real standard is this a great platformer with modern eyes; it's just very cheap and frustrating. But you can't deny that music and the general ~vibe~ which is impressive even with technical limitations.
2022
A tremendously atmospheric sci-fi adventure. One of the best stylistic presentations of the year. Story was gripping throughout although I'm sure the ending will be divisive.
I was recently playing this on an emulator but then found myself at a barcade that had it, so me and my pal Andrew played it to completion for real. This is literally only possible when you have an adults disposable income. I think we both spent six quid to make it to the end.
I'm definitely of the belief that these games lost a little bit of magic as their open world settings expanded; Arkham Asylum is a wonderfully designed, intricate setting for a Metroidvaniya. It's loaded with atmosphere and Easter eggs and the main campaign is wonderfully paced.
But it's also hard to ignore the way the sequels improved on this game, and it does feel quite old in some ways (I mean... It is literally 15 years old now). While the combat would become a little over stuffed in future entries, they definitely improved on it, and Asylum's feels somewhat basic. Enemies take turns attacking you, animations are fairly limited and the free flow combat just doesn't flow as freely as it would later on. But nonetheless it's still tight and satisfying.
The other big issue is the story, which is mostly fun and wonderfully performed (RIP the GOAT, Mr Conroy) -- but TITAN just isn't a compelling angle, and the big Joker finale is so lame, along with most of the other boss fights.
I was going to 100% this, because I've been meaning to for a decade -- but I remembered just how tedious that is, even in this - the smallest game.
Steam Deck notes: despite an unsupported rating from Valve, this is an excellent Deck game.
But it's also hard to ignore the way the sequels improved on this game, and it does feel quite old in some ways (I mean... It is literally 15 years old now). While the combat would become a little over stuffed in future entries, they definitely improved on it, and Asylum's feels somewhat basic. Enemies take turns attacking you, animations are fairly limited and the free flow combat just doesn't flow as freely as it would later on. But nonetheless it's still tight and satisfying.
The other big issue is the story, which is mostly fun and wonderfully performed (RIP the GOAT, Mr Conroy) -- but TITAN just isn't a compelling angle, and the big Joker finale is so lame, along with most of the other boss fights.
I was going to 100% this, because I've been meaning to for a decade -- but I remembered just how tedious that is, even in this - the smallest game.
Steam Deck notes: despite an unsupported rating from Valve, this is an excellent Deck game.
2001
Despite starting Max Payne a dozen times, I realized about 3/4s through it on this occasion that I've never actually beaten it. And what better way to finally see credits on this classic than in beautiful 720p and widescreen, as allowed by the power of the PC port!
While it's still a nicer version than the console counterparts, there is some hoops you need to jump through to get this one going -- in my case for the Steam Deck but based on my research most modern devices require some tinkering.
Regardless, this is still a gem. It's definitely dated and in particular the hardboiled story is fairly boilerplate. I think the overdose on noir stylings wowed people to such a degree that it didn't really matter how little characterisation is there or, well, the lack of any truly interesting story beats. But who cares! It's a grimy New York undercover cop tale through subways and crack dens, with smack talking cronies and cheesy soap operas on the wood panelled CRTs. It rocks, and the slow motion gunplay, while occasionally interrupted by an overambitious dream sequence of clunky platforming, still hits the spot.
While it's still a nicer version than the console counterparts, there is some hoops you need to jump through to get this one going -- in my case for the Steam Deck but based on my research most modern devices require some tinkering.
Regardless, this is still a gem. It's definitely dated and in particular the hardboiled story is fairly boilerplate. I think the overdose on noir stylings wowed people to such a degree that it didn't really matter how little characterisation is there or, well, the lack of any truly interesting story beats. But who cares! It's a grimy New York undercover cop tale through subways and crack dens, with smack talking cronies and cheesy soap operas on the wood panelled CRTs. It rocks, and the slow motion gunplay, while occasionally interrupted by an overambitious dream sequence of clunky platforming, still hits the spot.
Black Ops has never been my flavour of choice for Call of Duty; the story just never did anything for me (I didn't even finish this one -- but what I played was okay), and I have NO time for zombies, at all.
BUT! After buying and getting my money's worth out of two battle passes in Cold War, I can safely say it was a perfectly fun suite of multiplayer maps and modes. Some of the tweaks from Modern Warfare (2019), one of my favourite FPS games ever, were kind of annoying, but it was a tough act to follow.
BUT! After buying and getting my money's worth out of two battle passes in Cold War, I can safely say it was a perfectly fun suite of multiplayer maps and modes. Some of the tweaks from Modern Warfare (2019), one of my favourite FPS games ever, were kind of annoying, but it was a tough act to follow.
2022
A gorgeous, fascinating game that really makes you feel like a card cheat. It perhaps asks too much of you at some points, but the frustrations are worth bearing for such a fun, unique puzzler.
I just wish the checkpointing was a bit better though. Having to button through reams of dialogue after each failure is more of a punishment than the actual death or money lost.
I just wish the checkpointing was a bit better though. Having to button through reams of dialogue after each failure is more of a punishment than the actual death or money lost.
2020
A fantastic adventure game that delivers a very satisfying sleuthing experience. I'd be curious to play again (or, ya know, watch someone else's playthrough) to see how much things can change based on what you do or don't find. You can't really get any of the conversation choices wrong per se, but there is plenty to miss if you don't scour the island with a fine tooth comb. Really awesome universe and collection of characters; visually distinct and all with their own motives and secrets.
2002
[single player only, emulated on Steam Deck]
A big leap over the first game, but still fairly frustrating. Obviously not playing it in its moment, with pals doing local multiplayer, hurts a bit. It looks and feels great but the checkpointing is frustrating and despite attempts to put a few gimmicks into some levels; the core gameplay feels fairly basic.
A big leap over the first game, but still fairly frustrating. Obviously not playing it in its moment, with pals doing local multiplayer, hurts a bit. It looks and feels great but the checkpointing is frustrating and despite attempts to put a few gimmicks into some levels; the core gameplay feels fairly basic.
2022
A super fun, stylised continuation of the OlliOlli series -- although the dialogue and characters are a bit grating.
Haven't finished it, but may return at some stage.
Haven't finished it, but may return at some stage.