TheBluejay
2007
Review #15 - 2020
https://osu.ppy.sh/home
My first experience with a rhythm game involving circles was "Elite Beat Agents" on the Nintendo DS back in middle school. Use your touch screen and stylus to hit the circles to the beat of the song. A simple concept, that can get challenging really quick.
Then in high school, I discovered "osu!", and I instantly fell in love. User curated, "osu!" delivers that same experience of hitting circles to the beat, but with an even bigger challenge since using the mouse allows for faster hits. You can either go solo, or play along with up to 15 other players as a team, or competitively as you play to see who can get a higher score. I have great memories playing with a large group of friends as we shared beatmaps we loved and played them together. It was like a playlist that turned into a game. I've been getting back into it lately, and it's still as fun as it was a little over 10 years ago.
https://osu.ppy.sh/home
My first experience with a rhythm game involving circles was "Elite Beat Agents" on the Nintendo DS back in middle school. Use your touch screen and stylus to hit the circles to the beat of the song. A simple concept, that can get challenging really quick.
Then in high school, I discovered "osu!", and I instantly fell in love. User curated, "osu!" delivers that same experience of hitting circles to the beat, but with an even bigger challenge since using the mouse allows for faster hits. You can either go solo, or play along with up to 15 other players as a team, or competitively as you play to see who can get a higher score. I have great memories playing with a large group of friends as we shared beatmaps we loved and played them together. It was like a playlist that turned into a game. I've been getting back into it lately, and it's still as fun as it was a little over 10 years ago.
2001
Review #16 - 2020
I started very late into this series with 2016's update to "New Leaf" on the Nintendo DS. I remember seeing this very first game in the store as a child, and for some reason my Dad never let me get this one. Maybe he knew I'd get extremely hooked on it, or maybe not. Regardless, I finally took a dive into playing this game for the first time, and my oh my, it's wild playing the first game of a series. You see a lot of features that are still around in more recent releases, and a few that never went forward. It's that wonderful "Animal Crossing" gameplay we know and love, and although nearly 20 years old, it doesn't feel like it's in its infancy stage here. Don't underestimate this first entry. It feels COMPLETELY realized, and it's FULL of things to do and look forward to!
Something I wasn't prepared for, was how harsh the villagers are in this one. Oh man, that was definitely jarring seeing a villager that's usually chill and kind in "New Leaf", to then be extremely snarky and standoffish in this one. Not really a bad thing, it's kinda funny, but I can see why they lightened up these little critters later on down the line.
This is where it all began, and it's still going strong, garnering more and more players with its latest entry, "New Horizons". This game may seem like a game that isn't fully realized since it's a first entry, but again, don't underestimate this one. You may find it has more than recent entries, and you may fall in love with this one more than you think.
I started very late into this series with 2016's update to "New Leaf" on the Nintendo DS. I remember seeing this very first game in the store as a child, and for some reason my Dad never let me get this one. Maybe he knew I'd get extremely hooked on it, or maybe not. Regardless, I finally took a dive into playing this game for the first time, and my oh my, it's wild playing the first game of a series. You see a lot of features that are still around in more recent releases, and a few that never went forward. It's that wonderful "Animal Crossing" gameplay we know and love, and although nearly 20 years old, it doesn't feel like it's in its infancy stage here. Don't underestimate this first entry. It feels COMPLETELY realized, and it's FULL of things to do and look forward to!
Something I wasn't prepared for, was how harsh the villagers are in this one. Oh man, that was definitely jarring seeing a villager that's usually chill and kind in "New Leaf", to then be extremely snarky and standoffish in this one. Not really a bad thing, it's kinda funny, but I can see why they lightened up these little critters later on down the line.
This is where it all began, and it's still going strong, garnering more and more players with its latest entry, "New Horizons". This game may seem like a game that isn't fully realized since it's a first entry, but again, don't underestimate this one. You may find it has more than recent entries, and you may fall in love with this one more than you think.
2002
Review #17 - 2020
Taking a traditionally side scrolling action game and translating it into a cinematic FPS makes for one captivating experience. I didn't own an Xbox growing up, but I had a GameCube, and to me, this gave me the same chills and thrills I felt playing "Combat Evolved" at my friend's house.
Exploration built tension as you ventured through various alien landscapes. You'd be greeted by smaller enemies that aren't as daunting, but the more you traverse the land, the more terrifying and challenging the creatures became. There's a bit of a survival horror aspect in this game that made me take pause before turning a corner or opening a door. The atmospheric soundtrack certainly added to that feeling of dread and awe.
My favorite aspect of the game was how you discovered lore. You'd scan each and every little thing, from grass, to the creatures themselves, and you'd receive a TON of flavor text that I absolutely enjoyed reading through. It shaped my love for discovering lore in video games, and encouraged me to take in and appreciate every aspect of a game's design.
This is the best application of an FPS title on the GameCube I can think of. They utilized the GameCube controller well, and in terms of graphics, is one of the best looking GameCube titles as well. Given we've found a standard for how FPS games should be controlled, playing this one for the first time may be strange, but you'll quickly get used to it. The "Prime" trilogy is heavily slept on, and I think it's worth giving it a try. Hopefully they port the trilogy to the Switch very soon.
Taking a traditionally side scrolling action game and translating it into a cinematic FPS makes for one captivating experience. I didn't own an Xbox growing up, but I had a GameCube, and to me, this gave me the same chills and thrills I felt playing "Combat Evolved" at my friend's house.
Exploration built tension as you ventured through various alien landscapes. You'd be greeted by smaller enemies that aren't as daunting, but the more you traverse the land, the more terrifying and challenging the creatures became. There's a bit of a survival horror aspect in this game that made me take pause before turning a corner or opening a door. The atmospheric soundtrack certainly added to that feeling of dread and awe.
My favorite aspect of the game was how you discovered lore. You'd scan each and every little thing, from grass, to the creatures themselves, and you'd receive a TON of flavor text that I absolutely enjoyed reading through. It shaped my love for discovering lore in video games, and encouraged me to take in and appreciate every aspect of a game's design.
This is the best application of an FPS title on the GameCube I can think of. They utilized the GameCube controller well, and in terms of graphics, is one of the best looking GameCube titles as well. Given we've found a standard for how FPS games should be controlled, playing this one for the first time may be strange, but you'll quickly get used to it. The "Prime" trilogy is heavily slept on, and I think it's worth giving it a try. Hopefully they port the trilogy to the Switch very soon.
2004
Review #18 - 2020
See the game in action!
https://youtu.be/4aB7FFIqtCE
Having been used to playing flash games that were primarily 2D back in the early 2000s, seeing this game on Miniclip absolutely blew me away. Not many 3D web games looked as polished as this one did, and with 8 great and challenging levels to play, it was an absolute favorite to return to. Think Monkey Ball, but with a little marble that you move across platforms to reach a goal.
I finally did something I always wanted to do as a child, and purchased the full license that was only $10, which gave you access to all 50 levels. FIFTY. I still haven't beaten this game, for it gets harder and harder, but that should say something about how wonderful this little game really is. I doubt many got to experience the full package, and I wish it was still on sale for those to buy. Now with flash dead and gone, I wish the game was at the very least playable. Thank goodness I still have that old file, but there is a chance you could be able to play this game even now...
Check this video's description!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5zZf7f6I_Q
If that doesn't work, at least the demo might!
https://web.archive.org/web/20040803075158/http://www.catalystpics.co.uk/games/rollondemo.zip
See the game in action!
https://youtu.be/4aB7FFIqtCE
Having been used to playing flash games that were primarily 2D back in the early 2000s, seeing this game on Miniclip absolutely blew me away. Not many 3D web games looked as polished as this one did, and with 8 great and challenging levels to play, it was an absolute favorite to return to. Think Monkey Ball, but with a little marble that you move across platforms to reach a goal.
I finally did something I always wanted to do as a child, and purchased the full license that was only $10, which gave you access to all 50 levels. FIFTY. I still haven't beaten this game, for it gets harder and harder, but that should say something about how wonderful this little game really is. I doubt many got to experience the full package, and I wish it was still on sale for those to buy. Now with flash dead and gone, I wish the game was at the very least playable. Thank goodness I still have that old file, but there is a chance you could be able to play this game even now...
Check this video's description!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5zZf7f6I_Q
If that doesn't work, at least the demo might!
https://web.archive.org/web/20040803075158/http://www.catalystpics.co.uk/games/rollondemo.zip
2020
Review #19 - 2020
https://varietyishope.itch.io/vinerealms
This is a game that may be lost on those who aren't familiar with the Vinesauce team, but to summarize it plainly, it's a game developed by members of the Vinesauce community as a means to hype up the community's annual charity stream benefiting PCRF (Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation). It is lovingly crafted, filled to the brim with references and memes surrounding not only the main team members of Vinesauce, but their mods and other iconic individuals within the community as well. It's essentially a collectathon, as you traverse various realms each themed around a particular set of streamers and their memes, and collect stickers and emotes. It's free, simple, and a delightful love letter to the Vinesauce community.
https://varietyishope.itch.io/vinerealms
This is a game that may be lost on those who aren't familiar with the Vinesauce team, but to summarize it plainly, it's a game developed by members of the Vinesauce community as a means to hype up the community's annual charity stream benefiting PCRF (Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation). It is lovingly crafted, filled to the brim with references and memes surrounding not only the main team members of Vinesauce, but their mods and other iconic individuals within the community as well. It's essentially a collectathon, as you traverse various realms each themed around a particular set of streamers and their memes, and collect stickers and emotes. It's free, simple, and a delightful love letter to the Vinesauce community.
1995
Review #20 - 2020
https://winworldpc.com/product/multimedia-cats/10
Found this one at a Goodwill! This came out right at the start of the multimedia boom of the mid 90s, when software developers began to take advantage of the new optical drives that were allowing for, well, multimedia: audio, video, text, and interactive graphics. Some were shlocky attempts at making money, and some were like this one, designed with the purpose to educate, and nothing more.
"Multimedia Cats" is a resource for people interested in looking for a cat to take in as a pet, or as a way to learn about the animal, and their various breeds, relatives, and ancestors. It's extremely comprehensive, full of text and charts giving you deep details about things such as a breed's temperament level, how good they are with children, grooming difficulty, and more. It includes pictures of the breed, as well as videos showing the cats in action.
Not only can you learn about domestics, you can also learn about their wild relatives and ancestors, with the same amount of information and media, which is not only great for the curious adult, but great for kids as well. There's even a few quiz games to test your knowledge, and some easter eggs involving a silly little mouse fella.
It has been almost 30 years, so I'm sure at this point some of the information may be outdated, but at the time, this may have been a great resource for cat owners, or those interested in getting a cat. I believe they even had one of these for dogs as well! "Multimedia Cats" is a wholesome piece of software, that does the very thing it has set out to do: inform the buyer about cats, utilizing multimedia as a tool to enrich the minds of the user. It's practical, professional, and all sorts of wholesome.
https://winworldpc.com/product/multimedia-cats/10
Found this one at a Goodwill! This came out right at the start of the multimedia boom of the mid 90s, when software developers began to take advantage of the new optical drives that were allowing for, well, multimedia: audio, video, text, and interactive graphics. Some were shlocky attempts at making money, and some were like this one, designed with the purpose to educate, and nothing more.
"Multimedia Cats" is a resource for people interested in looking for a cat to take in as a pet, or as a way to learn about the animal, and their various breeds, relatives, and ancestors. It's extremely comprehensive, full of text and charts giving you deep details about things such as a breed's temperament level, how good they are with children, grooming difficulty, and more. It includes pictures of the breed, as well as videos showing the cats in action.
Not only can you learn about domestics, you can also learn about their wild relatives and ancestors, with the same amount of information and media, which is not only great for the curious adult, but great for kids as well. There's even a few quiz games to test your knowledge, and some easter eggs involving a silly little mouse fella.
It has been almost 30 years, so I'm sure at this point some of the information may be outdated, but at the time, this may have been a great resource for cat owners, or those interested in getting a cat. I believe they even had one of these for dogs as well! "Multimedia Cats" is a wholesome piece of software, that does the very thing it has set out to do: inform the buyer about cats, utilizing multimedia as a tool to enrich the minds of the user. It's practical, professional, and all sorts of wholesome.
2016
Review #21 - 2020
One run through and I was instantly hooked. This was a game I saw a streamer do often. They would include their chat members by making them NPCs that join your party as you journey your way to Canada, defeating hoards of zombies along the way. Scenarios are so varied, you never really know what will happen to you each run. You meet strange characters along the way, that can greatly effect the way your run will go. Are they to be trusted? Sometimes they are, other times, not so much. The game is silly, varied, and VERY fun. Combat gets insane and overwhelming at times, making you really consider how you want to go about the decisions you make regarding whether or not you should explore a town, or keep moving. Goodness, sometimes choosing to keep moving can ruin a run. I love how random this game can be. So yeah, definitely worth your time, and if you're a streamer, I HIGHLY recommend including your chat in your live runs by making characters based on them. Makes the game interactive for streams, and you can see if a chat member will either make your run, or break it. Makes for great post stream conversations with your community. Such a blast this game is.
One run through and I was instantly hooked. This was a game I saw a streamer do often. They would include their chat members by making them NPCs that join your party as you journey your way to Canada, defeating hoards of zombies along the way. Scenarios are so varied, you never really know what will happen to you each run. You meet strange characters along the way, that can greatly effect the way your run will go. Are they to be trusted? Sometimes they are, other times, not so much. The game is silly, varied, and VERY fun. Combat gets insane and overwhelming at times, making you really consider how you want to go about the decisions you make regarding whether or not you should explore a town, or keep moving. Goodness, sometimes choosing to keep moving can ruin a run. I love how random this game can be. So yeah, definitely worth your time, and if you're a streamer, I HIGHLY recommend including your chat in your live runs by making characters based on them. Makes the game interactive for streams, and you can see if a chat member will either make your run, or break it. Makes for great post stream conversations with your community. Such a blast this game is.
2001
This review contains spoilers
Bluejay's Choice Review #6 - 2020
This was my first experience with a "Final Fantasy" title, and I'm so glad that this is the one I started with. I had never seen a world like this before, nor have I experienced a story told in this way. Truly, I was gripped by the character Tidus, and the struggles he endured and continued to deal with in terms of the relationship he had with his father. I related to that in a big way, and with how the game ended, I found this game to be a gateway of reconciliation, as it helped me work through some of the struggles I had with my own father, since he is no longer with us. I never got to experience true closure with him, so the way things resolved in this story allowed me to not only work through that, but helped me cry a real good cry for the first time in years since his passing. I cried at the marvelous beauty of this game. I cried at the grace and radiance of Yuna's character, and how her story came to a close. I cried at the reconciliation shared between Tidus and his father Jecht. I cried at the completion of an amazing journey, and an impactful story. I hope that the next time I play through this title, I can feel the exact same feelings I felt playing through it the first time, and I hope I can finish it feeling just as impacted, if not more so. I'm so blessed to have played it now, as opposed to before. I was able to experience it blind with a very unique and heavy perspective, and from that, it brought healing and light into my life.
This was my first experience with a "Final Fantasy" title, and I'm so glad that this is the one I started with. I had never seen a world like this before, nor have I experienced a story told in this way. Truly, I was gripped by the character Tidus, and the struggles he endured and continued to deal with in terms of the relationship he had with his father. I related to that in a big way, and with how the game ended, I found this game to be a gateway of reconciliation, as it helped me work through some of the struggles I had with my own father, since he is no longer with us. I never got to experience true closure with him, so the way things resolved in this story allowed me to not only work through that, but helped me cry a real good cry for the first time in years since his passing. I cried at the marvelous beauty of this game. I cried at the grace and radiance of Yuna's character, and how her story came to a close. I cried at the reconciliation shared between Tidus and his father Jecht. I cried at the completion of an amazing journey, and an impactful story. I hope that the next time I play through this title, I can feel the exact same feelings I felt playing through it the first time, and I hope I can finish it feeling just as impacted, if not more so. I'm so blessed to have played it now, as opposed to before. I was able to experience it blind with a very unique and heavy perspective, and from that, it brought healing and light into my life.
2018
Review #22 - 2020
Who is the imposter among us? That's for you and your crewmates to discover, as you and up to 10 players explore your ship, carefully carrying out tasks, until one of up to 3 imposters start to murder the crew. When that happens, and a body is discovered, it's all hands on deck to figure out which one of you is the imposter. Accusations fly, and trust is thrown out the window as you and your friends begin interrogating one another. Will you be able to work together and discover the imposter, or will you all go at each other's throats, as the imposter manages to get away with murder? It's a simple game, made complicated by the people who play it, and that's what makes this little game so brilliant.
Who is the imposter among us? That's for you and your crewmates to discover, as you and up to 10 players explore your ship, carefully carrying out tasks, until one of up to 3 imposters start to murder the crew. When that happens, and a body is discovered, it's all hands on deck to figure out which one of you is the imposter. Accusations fly, and trust is thrown out the window as you and your friends begin interrogating one another. Will you be able to work together and discover the imposter, or will you all go at each other's throats, as the imposter manages to get away with murder? It's a simple game, made complicated by the people who play it, and that's what makes this little game so brilliant.
Review #23 - 2020
Not as intricate as Elder Scrolls games of the past in terms of its RPG elements and gameplay, but it's still a wonderful game to get lost in, which is ultimately my favorite thing about the Elder Scrolls games. Even after 10 years, I still find myself astonished and surprised by this game, even if the game gets a bit broken the further you go along. It's a beautiful mess, but don't let Todd Howard read that, he may release the next Elder Scrolls game broken on purpose.
Not as intricate as Elder Scrolls games of the past in terms of its RPG elements and gameplay, but it's still a wonderful game to get lost in, which is ultimately my favorite thing about the Elder Scrolls games. Even after 10 years, I still find myself astonished and surprised by this game, even if the game gets a bit broken the further you go along. It's a beautiful mess, but don't let Todd Howard read that, he may release the next Elder Scrolls game broken on purpose.
Review #24 - 2020
Download In Video Description:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teSdNmD_AZM
You haven't truly experienced "Super Mario 64" until you've played this brilliant little rom hack. Been playing this game for ages and need to spice it up a bit? This hack will do the trick, and more! Much, much more. Give it a go if you're looking for a nice change of pace. Takes the game we know and love, and gives it a twist!
Download In Video Description:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teSdNmD_AZM
You haven't truly experienced "Super Mario 64" until you've played this brilliant little rom hack. Been playing this game for ages and need to spice it up a bit? This hack will do the trick, and more! Much, much more. Give it a go if you're looking for a nice change of pace. Takes the game we know and love, and gives it a twist!
Review #25 - 2020
A game so silly, you'd be shocked to find out it's one of the reasons why the ESRB exists. Originally released in 1992, this 25th anniversary edition of "Night Trap" is the optimal way to experience this piece of video game history. It packs in not only the game and several ways to play it, but it also includes a documentary and other behind the scenes footage, giving you a look in how games like this were made back when FMV games were all the rage. It's quirky. It's challenging. It's an early 90s time capsule.
A game so silly, you'd be shocked to find out it's one of the reasons why the ESRB exists. Originally released in 1992, this 25th anniversary edition of "Night Trap" is the optimal way to experience this piece of video game history. It packs in not only the game and several ways to play it, but it also includes a documentary and other behind the scenes footage, giving you a look in how games like this were made back when FMV games were all the rage. It's quirky. It's challenging. It's an early 90s time capsule.
2001
Review #26 - 2020
A game that is terrifying at first, but very quickly begins to feel repetitive. I need to give this game a second opinion, though I've heard the 2nd and 3rd titles are where it's at. I'll say, my favorite thing about this game's concept is the ghost encounters, as you have to put yourself in a compromising position (i.e., you stand still and aim the camera) to exorcise the ghosts pursuing you. It can get your blood pumping coming face to face with the ghosts, especially with the more disturbing looking apparitions. If the later titles get this concept right, then I'm really looking forward to experiencing more of this series.
A game that is terrifying at first, but very quickly begins to feel repetitive. I need to give this game a second opinion, though I've heard the 2nd and 3rd titles are where it's at. I'll say, my favorite thing about this game's concept is the ghost encounters, as you have to put yourself in a compromising position (i.e., you stand still and aim the camera) to exorcise the ghosts pursuing you. It can get your blood pumping coming face to face with the ghosts, especially with the more disturbing looking apparitions. If the later titles get this concept right, then I'm really looking forward to experiencing more of this series.
Review #27 - 2020
http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/
A flash game site unlike any other, that unfortunately due to flash being removed from the internet, is no longer functional. If you experienced it, you know how special this site truly was, delivering serene works of art in the form of browser games. They all had a distinct theme setting each game apart, from the look, to the characters, to the music. What tied each game together, was the beautiful art style that was glowing and warm, like playing a game from a delightful dream, with backdrops like watercolored paintings.
If you haven't experienced it, the best way you can is by proxy, through videos on YouTube. I have recorded gameplay myself, and am intending on making a mini documentary about the games, and how they effected me. I've reached out to Ferry Halim, and they might be able to make a new site using HTML5, but we'll just have to wait and see. Until then, Orisinal lives on in my heart, and in my soul, for bringing me peace during my hardest days as a child, and as an adult. I miss it dearly.
http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/
A flash game site unlike any other, that unfortunately due to flash being removed from the internet, is no longer functional. If you experienced it, you know how special this site truly was, delivering serene works of art in the form of browser games. They all had a distinct theme setting each game apart, from the look, to the characters, to the music. What tied each game together, was the beautiful art style that was glowing and warm, like playing a game from a delightful dream, with backdrops like watercolored paintings.
If you haven't experienced it, the best way you can is by proxy, through videos on YouTube. I have recorded gameplay myself, and am intending on making a mini documentary about the games, and how they effected me. I've reached out to Ferry Halim, and they might be able to make a new site using HTML5, but we'll just have to wait and see. Until then, Orisinal lives on in my heart, and in my soul, for bringing me peace during my hardest days as a child, and as an adult. I miss it dearly.
2004
Review #28 - 2020
This is one of those games I've always wanted to dedicate myself to, but the subscription fee alone is enough to keep me from diving in too deep. Whenever I have played it though, it's given me everything I could ever want to see in a high fantasy setting video game. The world is beautiful, the lore is deep, and the gameplay is delightful, where exploration is a key part of your questing experience. I usually play solo, for I love adventuring on my own so I can take in all the nuances and enjoy at my own pace. Maybe someday when I'm made of money, I'll be able to afford paying for this game regularly, so me and my wife can embark on adventures together, and create amazing memories in this world of warcraft.
This is one of those games I've always wanted to dedicate myself to, but the subscription fee alone is enough to keep me from diving in too deep. Whenever I have played it though, it's given me everything I could ever want to see in a high fantasy setting video game. The world is beautiful, the lore is deep, and the gameplay is delightful, where exploration is a key part of your questing experience. I usually play solo, for I love adventuring on my own so I can take in all the nuances and enjoy at my own pace. Maybe someday when I'm made of money, I'll be able to afford paying for this game regularly, so me and my wife can embark on adventures together, and create amazing memories in this world of warcraft.