TheBluejay
Review #2 - 2021
One of the most memorable edutainment experiences I ever had. I can't really explain why. Something about the pre-rendered environments, the ambient music, and witty characters, make for a wonderful time. Unlike previous Jump Start entries, this one has you embarking on an adventure, hence the title. This isn't just "Jump Start 3rd Grade", this is "Jump Start ADVENTURES 3rd Grade", which has you ordering around Botley, a robot who's trying to stop the Professor's daughter, Polly, from rearranging history in order to pass her history test. It's a goofy premise, that has you exploring the Professor's magnificent castle, filled to the brim with areas all inspired by different subjects, ranging from math, science, art, and more. Each area has its own set of minigames to educate and test your knowledge of said subjects. You are rewarded items for playing those games, that will help you on your quest to save history as we know it, which is quite a clever way to make learning fun. It helped me a lot as a kid, and I hope there are programs out there just like this for the children of today. Knowledge Adventure's "Jump Start" franchise really was a masterclass on how to do edutainment right.
One of the most memorable edutainment experiences I ever had. I can't really explain why. Something about the pre-rendered environments, the ambient music, and witty characters, make for a wonderful time. Unlike previous Jump Start entries, this one has you embarking on an adventure, hence the title. This isn't just "Jump Start 3rd Grade", this is "Jump Start ADVENTURES 3rd Grade", which has you ordering around Botley, a robot who's trying to stop the Professor's daughter, Polly, from rearranging history in order to pass her history test. It's a goofy premise, that has you exploring the Professor's magnificent castle, filled to the brim with areas all inspired by different subjects, ranging from math, science, art, and more. Each area has its own set of minigames to educate and test your knowledge of said subjects. You are rewarded items for playing those games, that will help you on your quest to save history as we know it, which is quite a clever way to make learning fun. It helped me a lot as a kid, and I hope there are programs out there just like this for the children of today. Knowledge Adventure's "Jump Start" franchise really was a masterclass on how to do edutainment right.
2021
Review #1 - 2021
https://www.potioncraft.com/
This is a delightfully comfortable game that I always fall back on when I tire of the other games I'm playing. Once you burn through the tutorials, it becomes an easy game to pick up and play, as you explore your map by mixing ingredients gathered from your garden (or purchased from merchants), in order to discover new potions to brew and gain XP. What's the goal? There are many to achieve, but the main premise, is that you are an alchemist who opens a potion shop, helping patrons with their everyday problems, from noble, to perhaps even evil. They ask for a specific potion, and it's your job to make it. Don't have the potion they are looking for? Then it's time to get back to the drawing board, and explore your map in order to find new potions. It's a routine that has you playing through in game "days", as you wake up, gather your ingredients, and open your shop. It's a lovely game, with beautiful Celtic inspired music and artwork to immerse you into its enchanting world of potion crafting. $15 well spent!
https://www.potioncraft.com/
This is a delightfully comfortable game that I always fall back on when I tire of the other games I'm playing. Once you burn through the tutorials, it becomes an easy game to pick up and play, as you explore your map by mixing ingredients gathered from your garden (or purchased from merchants), in order to discover new potions to brew and gain XP. What's the goal? There are many to achieve, but the main premise, is that you are an alchemist who opens a potion shop, helping patrons with their everyday problems, from noble, to perhaps even evil. They ask for a specific potion, and it's your job to make it. Don't have the potion they are looking for? Then it's time to get back to the drawing board, and explore your map in order to find new potions. It's a routine that has you playing through in game "days", as you wake up, gather your ingredients, and open your shop. It's a lovely game, with beautiful Celtic inspired music and artwork to immerse you into its enchanting world of potion crafting. $15 well spent!
By Request Review #3 - 2021
This is a landmark piece of storytelling that has the intensity and rawness that makes the early seasons of "The Walking Dead" so effective. It builds a bond between these two characters that leaves you winded and on edge when things start getting incredibly threatening. That's a great word to describe this gameplay experience: "threatening". There are few games that make me feel like every step I take, and every bullet I spend, could drastically make or break my playthrough. It could be that it's because my first playthrough of this game was on "grounded" mode, but truly, I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're looking to just enjoy the story without many obstacles, certainly hit up the easier difficulties. If you're like me, and are looking to immerse yourself in a world that's visceral and deadly, then crank the difficulty way up to "grounded". It forced me to slow down, strategize, and treat my session as if I only had one life to live. It made me feel the story even more, as I grew exhausted along side Joel and Ellie on their year long cross-country journey to find hope in a hopeless world dying from a horrifying viral outbreak.
The only negatives I experienced had a lot to do with this Remastered version's lack of perfect polish. Although very rare, glitches are capable of ruining your playthrough. Enemies clipping through walls, or even the game deciding to restart your session were very discouraging when they happened. That link leads to a clip of that moment, where I spent over an hour on that very tough section, only to have my progress yoinked away from me due to this very rare glitch. I never saw it again, but it was horrifying to have to go through that section all over again, and the playthrough from that point forward felt like a roll of the dice. I'm not sure how the PS3 version is, but hopefully it doesn't experience these problems. Otherwise, this would be a 4 star game for me.
This is a landmark piece of storytelling that has the intensity and rawness that makes the early seasons of "The Walking Dead" so effective. It builds a bond between these two characters that leaves you winded and on edge when things start getting incredibly threatening. That's a great word to describe this gameplay experience: "threatening". There are few games that make me feel like every step I take, and every bullet I spend, could drastically make or break my playthrough. It could be that it's because my first playthrough of this game was on "grounded" mode, but truly, I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're looking to just enjoy the story without many obstacles, certainly hit up the easier difficulties. If you're like me, and are looking to immerse yourself in a world that's visceral and deadly, then crank the difficulty way up to "grounded". It forced me to slow down, strategize, and treat my session as if I only had one life to live. It made me feel the story even more, as I grew exhausted along side Joel and Ellie on their year long cross-country journey to find hope in a hopeless world dying from a horrifying viral outbreak.
The only negatives I experienced had a lot to do with this Remastered version's lack of perfect polish. Although very rare, glitches are capable of ruining your playthrough. Enemies clipping through walls, or even the game deciding to restart your session were very discouraging when they happened. That link leads to a clip of that moment, where I spent over an hour on that very tough section, only to have my progress yoinked away from me due to this very rare glitch. I never saw it again, but it was horrifying to have to go through that section all over again, and the playthrough from that point forward felt like a roll of the dice. I'm not sure how the PS3 version is, but hopefully it doesn't experience these problems. Otherwise, this would be a 4 star game for me.
2020
By Request Review #2 - 2021
On the surface, this is a game where you capture and collect "Bugsnax", a delicious species of creature that resembles all kinds of food items, from burgers, to fruits, to bags of chips. You capture them using different tools and tricks depending on the creature, which means you have to study their habits, while using your handy dandy journal to keep up with their likes and dislikes in order to better capture them. It's quite fun going around to each world seeing what bugsnack you'll come across next, though it can get a bit sleepy at times due to repetition.
What held up my interest though, was the story crazy enough. Again, from the surface, it looks like a game that is just about capturing these silly critters, but it's MUCH more than that. It's a character drama, that only gets more dramatic as the game goes on. It actually has a lot of heart put into its story, being more than just about trying to find a character who has gone missing. It's about relationships of all kinds, and learning to work together as a community. In a time of great division among people, this is a beautiful story to be told.
On the surface, this is a game where you capture and collect "Bugsnax", a delicious species of creature that resembles all kinds of food items, from burgers, to fruits, to bags of chips. You capture them using different tools and tricks depending on the creature, which means you have to study their habits, while using your handy dandy journal to keep up with their likes and dislikes in order to better capture them. It's quite fun going around to each world seeing what bugsnack you'll come across next, though it can get a bit sleepy at times due to repetition.
What held up my interest though, was the story crazy enough. Again, from the surface, it looks like a game that is just about capturing these silly critters, but it's MUCH more than that. It's a character drama, that only gets more dramatic as the game goes on. It actually has a lot of heart put into its story, being more than just about trying to find a character who has gone missing. It's about relationships of all kinds, and learning to work together as a community. In a time of great division among people, this is a beautiful story to be told.
2018
Bluejay's Choice Review #1 - 2021
The story isn't much, and nor is the gameplay. You follow a strict path of point A to point B, and really, that's the point of the game. It's meant to be played in a short bit of time, and is meant to be a quick story to be experienced with a friend, and nothing more than that. Gameplay consists of short bouts of shooting, doing tasks, moments of stealth, and car chases. It's basically an interactive movie, and in that regard, is pretty neat. It's dripping in cheese though, for I found serious moments to be ridiculously hilarious. Ultimately, it's a great game to play with a friend, especially with the story twist near the end. This game made me a fan of Hazelight, and I'm looking forward to more co-op adventures from them soon.
The story isn't much, and nor is the gameplay. You follow a strict path of point A to point B, and really, that's the point of the game. It's meant to be played in a short bit of time, and is meant to be a quick story to be experienced with a friend, and nothing more than that. Gameplay consists of short bouts of shooting, doing tasks, moments of stealth, and car chases. It's basically an interactive movie, and in that regard, is pretty neat. It's dripping in cheese though, for I found serious moments to be ridiculously hilarious. Ultimately, it's a great game to play with a friend, especially with the story twist near the end. This game made me a fan of Hazelight, and I'm looking forward to more co-op adventures from them soon.
By Request Review #1 - 2021
It's a really clever game, ruined by unpatched game breaking glitches that kept me from progressing. I've had people say nothing happened to them on their playthroughs, and others say they did. Unfortunately, it happened so many times, I had to just set it aside. It's a shame, because I love the idea of a ghostly detective having to solve his own murder. I'd love to return to it in order to see what happens and give it a proper review, but until then, shelved. Hopefully all that gets fixed, but I'm not confident given Square Enix probably has no interest in funding the devs to patch a game from 2014.
It's a really clever game, ruined by unpatched game breaking glitches that kept me from progressing. I've had people say nothing happened to them on their playthroughs, and others say they did. Unfortunately, it happened so many times, I had to just set it aside. It's a shame, because I love the idea of a ghostly detective having to solve his own murder. I'd love to return to it in order to see what happens and give it a proper review, but until then, shelved. Hopefully all that gets fixed, but I'm not confident given Square Enix probably has no interest in funding the devs to patch a game from 2014.
Review #29 - 2020
My absolute all time favorite "Grand Theft Auto" title, simply due to how it manages to nail 1980s Miami in a way that's caricatured, yet accurate. I'm a big "Miami Vice" fan, and you can see the influence that show had on this game BIG time. The influence is strong, but its doing the "Miami Vice" thing the GTA way. It basks in the vices of 1980s Miami with reckless abandon, and doesn't hold back on the satire either.
The story is like experiencing "Miami Vice" from the perspective of the coke dealers, as you play through the life and times of Tommy Vercetti. Your drug deal went sour, and you need to get the money back before your kingpin loses his head and takes yours. Once the opening cutscene finishes, you are free to explore the 80s inspired world before you. Play the storyline, or cruise the streets to an incredible soundtrack of real 80s music, with radio hits we all know and love like "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson. Maybe discover something that hasn't been heard on the radio in years like René & Angela's "I'll Be Good".
The gunplay is the game's weakest point, but then again, Rockstar isn't necessarily known for having amazing 3rd person gunplay controls. Their wheelhouse resides in recreating places and times, and letting you explore them to a chaotic storyline, that satirizes the real world problems the game is inspired by. It's a wild romp through a fictionalized 1980s beach side city, and no other game has been able to pull that off the way "Vice City" has.
My absolute all time favorite "Grand Theft Auto" title, simply due to how it manages to nail 1980s Miami in a way that's caricatured, yet accurate. I'm a big "Miami Vice" fan, and you can see the influence that show had on this game BIG time. The influence is strong, but its doing the "Miami Vice" thing the GTA way. It basks in the vices of 1980s Miami with reckless abandon, and doesn't hold back on the satire either.
The story is like experiencing "Miami Vice" from the perspective of the coke dealers, as you play through the life and times of Tommy Vercetti. Your drug deal went sour, and you need to get the money back before your kingpin loses his head and takes yours. Once the opening cutscene finishes, you are free to explore the 80s inspired world before you. Play the storyline, or cruise the streets to an incredible soundtrack of real 80s music, with radio hits we all know and love like "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson. Maybe discover something that hasn't been heard on the radio in years like René & Angela's "I'll Be Good".
The gunplay is the game's weakest point, but then again, Rockstar isn't necessarily known for having amazing 3rd person gunplay controls. Their wheelhouse resides in recreating places and times, and letting you explore them to a chaotic storyline, that satirizes the real world problems the game is inspired by. It's a wild romp through a fictionalized 1980s beach side city, and no other game has been able to pull that off the way "Vice City" has.
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.
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.
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 #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.
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 #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.
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.
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.