1992
Honestly, I can't say I have a fully rounded opinion on this game. This "review" is coming from the impressions of playing it for 15 minutes with a friend through SNES Online (which works great btw), so keep that in mind.
So okay- first impressions. This game is, I think, the game that has aged the WORST visually of any game I've ever played. The pseudo-3D effect created by Mode-7 barely adds anything to the experience, instead creating a scan line infested pop-in riddled mess that genuinely caused me physical pain in terms of nausea and headache. I know it was probably impressive for the time, but jesus hell it's awful now.
Also man I suck at this game. I'm pretty solid at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but this game controls NOOOOTHING like the other games in the series. Not only are the gas and item buttons poorly placed on the controller, but there's NO brake or reverse, and the drift is so overly finicky that it's a nightmare to use. I know for a fact that if I played more I could come to grips better with the physics of everything, but from square one I just felt like I was playing on ice with a kart made of butter, and it was infuriating. I spent the entirety of 5 maps with 3 laps each in last place, being lapped by the bots and confused as shit.
That's really all, this game plays bad and looks worse. I dunno what more to say.
So okay- first impressions. This game is, I think, the game that has aged the WORST visually of any game I've ever played. The pseudo-3D effect created by Mode-7 barely adds anything to the experience, instead creating a scan line infested pop-in riddled mess that genuinely caused me physical pain in terms of nausea and headache. I know it was probably impressive for the time, but jesus hell it's awful now.
Also man I suck at this game. I'm pretty solid at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but this game controls NOOOOTHING like the other games in the series. Not only are the gas and item buttons poorly placed on the controller, but there's NO brake or reverse, and the drift is so overly finicky that it's a nightmare to use. I know for a fact that if I played more I could come to grips better with the physics of everything, but from square one I just felt like I was playing on ice with a kart made of butter, and it was infuriating. I spent the entirety of 5 maps with 3 laps each in last place, being lapped by the bots and confused as shit.
That's really all, this game plays bad and looks worse. I dunno what more to say.
1990
Y'know what, this is better than Mega Man 2. It lacks the epic opening intro, but other than that I just find this to be a much more engaging experience than 2. The additions of Rush and Proto Man make the Mega Man world feel more full than before, and boosting your moveset with the slide makes Mega Man himself feel much less like a clunky metal hunk and more like an actual hero who can do badass stuff.
The levels are more detailed, there's a hearty dose of Mega Man 1 and 2 callbacks, and everything just feels more refined. I enjoyed the platforming challenges a lot more than in either of the previous games, and the balance of items is VASSSSSTLY improved.
Not much more to say since this still almost identical to Mega Man 2, but I really do think this is the superior game, though not by a giant margin.
The levels are more detailed, there's a hearty dose of Mega Man 1 and 2 callbacks, and everything just feels more refined. I enjoyed the platforming challenges a lot more than in either of the previous games, and the balance of items is VASSSSSTLY improved.
Not much more to say since this still almost identical to Mega Man 2, but I really do think this is the superior game, though not by a giant margin.
As a fan of Firewatch, Edith Finch and Gone Home, I was excited to jump into another similar game, since it'd been a while since my last experience of this kind.
Initially, I was blown away by the surprisingly gorgeous environments rendered with super high detail textures and lots of organic map design, but after the first few puzzles I realized that it just wasn't going to hook me. The main character isn't particularly interesting, the voice acting on the whole isn't great, and the world is way too open for its own good. You can easily get lost and have a hard time finding the one specific object you have to scan to solve a mystery, which absolutely obliterates the pacing and can lead to some frustrating moments.
The mystery solving gameplay in itself is... fine, but just super basic. By the ending puzzles it starts to feel super repetitive, and unfortunately the story convolutes itself 30 ways from Sunday, which really didn't compel me through the narrative. I didn't care for any of the characters because they all just have one note personalities shown through flashbacks, and the ridiculous amount of strange names and fantasy concepts told in the mini stories just led to confusion. I'm sure there's a more interesting larger meta narrative surrounding that, but if so it completely missed me.
Repetitive gameplay, poor pacing, an empty but gorgeous world and uninteresting story don't lead to a walking sim experience that I think is worth your time. Go play any of the three games I mentioned up at the top of the review if you want a much more unique and streamlined experience in this genre.
Initially, I was blown away by the surprisingly gorgeous environments rendered with super high detail textures and lots of organic map design, but after the first few puzzles I realized that it just wasn't going to hook me. The main character isn't particularly interesting, the voice acting on the whole isn't great, and the world is way too open for its own good. You can easily get lost and have a hard time finding the one specific object you have to scan to solve a mystery, which absolutely obliterates the pacing and can lead to some frustrating moments.
The mystery solving gameplay in itself is... fine, but just super basic. By the ending puzzles it starts to feel super repetitive, and unfortunately the story convolutes itself 30 ways from Sunday, which really didn't compel me through the narrative. I didn't care for any of the characters because they all just have one note personalities shown through flashbacks, and the ridiculous amount of strange names and fantasy concepts told in the mini stories just led to confusion. I'm sure there's a more interesting larger meta narrative surrounding that, but if so it completely missed me.
Repetitive gameplay, poor pacing, an empty but gorgeous world and uninteresting story don't lead to a walking sim experience that I think is worth your time. Go play any of the three games I mentioned up at the top of the review if you want a much more unique and streamlined experience in this genre.
This game honestly really really surprised me. Not only with its quality and creativity, but with just how much damn heart it has. I usually steer away from pure first person shooter campaigns, as I generally feel like they're lacking more depth and nuance that you get out of RPGs or even adventure games. Wolfenstein: The New Order doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to gameplay philosophy, in fact it's kind of the opposite, but it places that classically designed gameplay loop into the context of a game with a great story, well rounded characters and modern production value.
Unfortunately this game starts off on the wrong foot, with a relatively generic opening scene. It introduces the villain and a couple of the side characters as well as the basic mechanics, but on the whole it feels vastly out of place from the rest of the game. I was ready to put it down and write the game off as a base level FPS campaign, but I pushed through that first couple sections and was treated with a wonderful surprise.
There's a moment pretty early on in which you're introduced to the central area of the game, a place that acts as a base to return to throughout the story and introduces you to a whole host of characters that flesh out the cast. This completely recontextualizes your actions and motivation for the rest of the game, and made me connect to the world a lot more.
It's at this point where the game also takes a turn in terms of story creativity, introducing more science fiction type elements that kept me even more engaged when mixed with the historical rewrite of the Nazis winning WWII. The character Set brings with him a whole host of lore expansion that I found to be super fascinating, and wish it had been delved into a little more- or at least wish I was given the opportunity to do side quests and such related to it so I could learn more. The game handles its lore in a great way, laying newspaper article clippings around the environment. This feels so much more natural than random notes I.E. The Last of Us or audiologs in Bioshock (both of which I still LOVE), so I liked that.
The game has great pacing in terms of environments, jumping around incredibly varied locales and set pieces that mean each chapter has their own unique feel. Unfortunately this comes with the side effect of the progression of the story feeling rather convenient at times, with characters like Anya and Caroline just spewing expository dialogue while they tell you exactly where when and how you're going to do your next mission. This is pretty ridiculous when you consider that the Kreisau Circle is going up against essentially the rest of the planet, so it feels a bit underwhelming that they can just figure out how to get into the most secure locations on the planet just by decoding audio or something.
Surprisingly enough, while it's certainly solid and doesn't have any glaring issues, the First Person Shooter gameplay was actually my least favorite aspect of the game. It's fun to run around the unique levels that the game jumps between through the campaign, but I just found myself not caring too much for the gunplay itself. I did enjoy dual-wielding two of the same weapon at the same time, as well as the introduction of the laserkraftwerk, which reminded me a lot of Half-Life. Honestly a lot of this game reminds me of the Half-Life franchise, in terms of pacing, mechanics and level design- though that's a compliment- they learned from the best of the best.
In the end, while I might not LOVE the combat and felt like the progression was convenient at times, the game's strengths lie in the absolutely wonderful cast of supporting characters with incredible performances, it's unique concept of rewritten history, and the variety of locations and set pieces that you blast your way through. It's a dumb, explosion filled romp in some places, but damn does it sure have heart.
Unfortunately this game starts off on the wrong foot, with a relatively generic opening scene. It introduces the villain and a couple of the side characters as well as the basic mechanics, but on the whole it feels vastly out of place from the rest of the game. I was ready to put it down and write the game off as a base level FPS campaign, but I pushed through that first couple sections and was treated with a wonderful surprise.
There's a moment pretty early on in which you're introduced to the central area of the game, a place that acts as a base to return to throughout the story and introduces you to a whole host of characters that flesh out the cast. This completely recontextualizes your actions and motivation for the rest of the game, and made me connect to the world a lot more.
It's at this point where the game also takes a turn in terms of story creativity, introducing more science fiction type elements that kept me even more engaged when mixed with the historical rewrite of the Nazis winning WWII. The character Set brings with him a whole host of lore expansion that I found to be super fascinating, and wish it had been delved into a little more- or at least wish I was given the opportunity to do side quests and such related to it so I could learn more. The game handles its lore in a great way, laying newspaper article clippings around the environment. This feels so much more natural than random notes I.E. The Last of Us or audiologs in Bioshock (both of which I still LOVE), so I liked that.
The game has great pacing in terms of environments, jumping around incredibly varied locales and set pieces that mean each chapter has their own unique feel. Unfortunately this comes with the side effect of the progression of the story feeling rather convenient at times, with characters like Anya and Caroline just spewing expository dialogue while they tell you exactly where when and how you're going to do your next mission. This is pretty ridiculous when you consider that the Kreisau Circle is going up against essentially the rest of the planet, so it feels a bit underwhelming that they can just figure out how to get into the most secure locations on the planet just by decoding audio or something.
Surprisingly enough, while it's certainly solid and doesn't have any glaring issues, the First Person Shooter gameplay was actually my least favorite aspect of the game. It's fun to run around the unique levels that the game jumps between through the campaign, but I just found myself not caring too much for the gunplay itself. I did enjoy dual-wielding two of the same weapon at the same time, as well as the introduction of the laserkraftwerk, which reminded me a lot of Half-Life. Honestly a lot of this game reminds me of the Half-Life franchise, in terms of pacing, mechanics and level design- though that's a compliment- they learned from the best of the best.
In the end, while I might not LOVE the combat and felt like the progression was convenient at times, the game's strengths lie in the absolutely wonderful cast of supporting characters with incredible performances, it's unique concept of rewritten history, and the variety of locations and set pieces that you blast your way through. It's a dumb, explosion filled romp in some places, but damn does it sure have heart.
2011
This is easily the worst 3D Mario. It's still a Mario game, so it's a solid basic gameplay experience, but compared to the wild charm and originality of Odyssey, 64, Sunshine, the Galaxy games and even 3D World, this one has nothing to stand on its own with.
The levels are short, which is of course catered to quick play sessions, but that means that none of the levels are able to stick in your mind much. The vast majority of the levels have no sense of place, even within the vague color theming of the background of the worlds. The worlds are smaller than other games as well, meaning you can blast through a world in about 30-40 minutes. On top of that they're pretty damn easy, with levels that I could beat with all 3 star coins in just 2-3 tries- or sometimes even on my first runthrough.
The game does look pretty damn great for the system, with clean visuals only held back by the low screen resolution. Unfortunately these clean visuals do nothing to differentiate themselves from any other Mario game, leading to the most visually underwhelming and low-key Mario game outside of the New Soup games.
Unfortunately, this is also the worst that Mario has ever controlled in any of his adventures in my opinion. I never felt like I could pick up the amount of speed that I wanted to, and alongside a more limited moveset, I found myself missing jumps by a tiny amount because I felt a lack of control.
There are also these SUPER low budget cutscenes between worlds that boil down to a 10 second animation of Mario dicking around, finding an envelope and looking at a JPG of Peach being screwed over by Bowser.
The boss battles are LITERALLY only Boom Boom and Pom Pom, making them super repetitive and honestly the easiest part of the game, which is saying something. The final Bowser sections are actually decent though, meaning that the game ends on a high note.
I'm also just flabbergasted that the game has so little in terms of powerups and mechanics that could give it its own feel. The main powerup on display here is the Super Leaf from Mario Bros 3, which just makes it feel like they shoehorned in SMB3 nostalgia to grab the kids who grew up with an NES. The Boomerang flower is decently unique, but it doesn't show up till halfway through the game and is essentially a lamer fire flower.
Unfortunately all of this is capped off by an entirely unremarkable soundtrack which is heavily reliant on remixes of older songs (and not even the best ones), and very little tunes to call its own.
All of this contributes to an experience that you feel like you can play with your eyes closed, and with no stand out moments.
Its the New Super Mario Bros. of 3D Mario, but only in the bad ways. I know this was impressive in 2011 when the 3DS had a dry library and no major titles to push the system, but removed from that and with the context of every other 3D Mario game under my belt... I can't really recommend this one.
The levels are short, which is of course catered to quick play sessions, but that means that none of the levels are able to stick in your mind much. The vast majority of the levels have no sense of place, even within the vague color theming of the background of the worlds. The worlds are smaller than other games as well, meaning you can blast through a world in about 30-40 minutes. On top of that they're pretty damn easy, with levels that I could beat with all 3 star coins in just 2-3 tries- or sometimes even on my first runthrough.
The game does look pretty damn great for the system, with clean visuals only held back by the low screen resolution. Unfortunately these clean visuals do nothing to differentiate themselves from any other Mario game, leading to the most visually underwhelming and low-key Mario game outside of the New Soup games.
Unfortunately, this is also the worst that Mario has ever controlled in any of his adventures in my opinion. I never felt like I could pick up the amount of speed that I wanted to, and alongside a more limited moveset, I found myself missing jumps by a tiny amount because I felt a lack of control.
There are also these SUPER low budget cutscenes between worlds that boil down to a 10 second animation of Mario dicking around, finding an envelope and looking at a JPG of Peach being screwed over by Bowser.
The boss battles are LITERALLY only Boom Boom and Pom Pom, making them super repetitive and honestly the easiest part of the game, which is saying something. The final Bowser sections are actually decent though, meaning that the game ends on a high note.
I'm also just flabbergasted that the game has so little in terms of powerups and mechanics that could give it its own feel. The main powerup on display here is the Super Leaf from Mario Bros 3, which just makes it feel like they shoehorned in SMB3 nostalgia to grab the kids who grew up with an NES. The Boomerang flower is decently unique, but it doesn't show up till halfway through the game and is essentially a lamer fire flower.
Unfortunately all of this is capped off by an entirely unremarkable soundtrack which is heavily reliant on remixes of older songs (and not even the best ones), and very little tunes to call its own.
All of this contributes to an experience that you feel like you can play with your eyes closed, and with no stand out moments.
Its the New Super Mario Bros. of 3D Mario, but only in the bad ways. I know this was impressive in 2011 when the 3DS had a dry library and no major titles to push the system, but removed from that and with the context of every other 3D Mario game under my belt... I can't really recommend this one.
1991
Alright- I'm gonna be the one to say it- as the official Yoshi fan of Backloggd (the only one with a rating above 4 stars), this is an absolutely charming and addicting puzzle game that stacks up (pun intended) to Dr. Mario and Tetris, both of with I love. The mechanics of swapping the stacks allows for a lot of precision in how you control the board, the egg sandwiching mechanic is IMMENSELY satisfying, moreso than getting a tetris imo, and both the high score and challenge modes are a ton of fun, and are different enough to warrant playing.
There's also a lot of freedom in how you set your options before starting a game, including playing all of it in competitive multiplayer! Honestly I randomly selected this on NES Online the other day knowing nothing about it before hand, and I instantly was grabbed by the addicting gameplay loop and score systems and had played for well over two hours.
It might not be on the level of impact of Tetris or Dr. Mario, but I really do think Yoshi is great and totally worth putting a few hours into to see if the mechanics grab you like they did with me. Especially now that it's so readily accessible on NES Online, and is free because of that!
There's also a lot of freedom in how you set your options before starting a game, including playing all of it in competitive multiplayer! Honestly I randomly selected this on NES Online the other day knowing nothing about it before hand, and I instantly was grabbed by the addicting gameplay loop and score systems and had played for well over two hours.
It might not be on the level of impact of Tetris or Dr. Mario, but I really do think Yoshi is great and totally worth putting a few hours into to see if the mechanics grab you like they did with me. Especially now that it's so readily accessible on NES Online, and is free because of that!
1987
This game is actually pretty damn solid when you're able to use the rewind functionality to avoid NES era BS level design. Outside of weird difficulty spikes and the aforementioned BS, this is an incredibly forward thinking and influential action platformer with a ton of charm. The designs of the enemies and bosses and the levels they reside in have a lot of personality and variation, which makes each level have its own flavor.
The basic Mega Man ideas of choosing your level order and acquiring new weapons that can be used in different scenarios is super forward thinking, and tbh was handled incredibly well from the very beginning. This carries into Wily's castle, which gives you 4 levels that you have to use all your abilities to conquer- the platforming areas of which are really quite fun.
The only downside to the weapons system is that some boss battles become extreme pushovers if you know the weaknesses, and I just wish they were balanced a bit better to fit in between crap like Fireman's obnoxiously fast attacks and the like 2 hit kill I was able to get on Iceman. I also found some of the Wily's castle bosses to be more frustrating than fun, namely the bubble bots which weren't engaging to fight.
A few final things to mention- the dropping platforms in Guts Man's stage aren't that bad, Yellow Devil is actually a fun boss with rewind because of it's unique mechanic, and the Magnet Beam is a great item that combines excellently with the rest of your arsenal.
7/10
The basic Mega Man ideas of choosing your level order and acquiring new weapons that can be used in different scenarios is super forward thinking, and tbh was handled incredibly well from the very beginning. This carries into Wily's castle, which gives you 4 levels that you have to use all your abilities to conquer- the platforming areas of which are really quite fun.
The only downside to the weapons system is that some boss battles become extreme pushovers if you know the weaknesses, and I just wish they were balanced a bit better to fit in between crap like Fireman's obnoxiously fast attacks and the like 2 hit kill I was able to get on Iceman. I also found some of the Wily's castle bosses to be more frustrating than fun, namely the bubble bots which weren't engaging to fight.
A few final things to mention- the dropping platforms in Guts Man's stage aren't that bad, Yellow Devil is actually a fun boss with rewind because of it's unique mechanic, and the Magnet Beam is a great item that combines excellently with the rest of your arsenal.
7/10
Yoshi's Crafted World is an impossibly special game. The level design, visual style, and gameplay variety is in another UNIVERSE compared to a lot of its contemporaries, I seriously cannot stress this enough.
The game offers so much in terms of collectible content, and while 100% completing the game might stretch the experience a bit thin, going for a lot of them but not pushing it is an incredible experience that rewards you for exploring the levels, learning the tricks of the wonderfully unique environments and soaking in the luxuriously crafted (pun intended) atmosphere.
The soundtrack is a tad grating and lacks variety, but I like the main theme's melody enough to where this wasn't a huge issue for me. Of course the game isn't particularly hard, but looking for all the different types of collectibles in the insane variety of environments that the game provides you is certainly a challenge, because some are hidden damn well. Each level is designed to be played from multiple angles, increasing the amount of detail and bumping the crafts aesthetic up to the umpteenth degree. The souvenir collectibles turn it into a platforming I-Spy game, which works incredibly with the visual style and provides a lot of rich environmental detail.
These environments are also ridiculously varied, as the game is split into well over a dozen smaller worlds each with their own unique theme, and the levels in those worlds are also super varied, meaning that no two levels are alike visually or mechanically, with tons of level-specific mechanics.
On top of the platforming levels having diverse environments, the gameplay is also shaken up quite a few times with mini-game-esque, high score based levels that are entirely too fun. You might go on a monty mole hunt, pilot a plane through an aerial minefield, or even do a solar-powered race in a bottle car (my personal favorite).
I just had a blast with this game from start to finish, and I genuinely cannot recommend it enough.
The game offers so much in terms of collectible content, and while 100% completing the game might stretch the experience a bit thin, going for a lot of them but not pushing it is an incredible experience that rewards you for exploring the levels, learning the tricks of the wonderfully unique environments and soaking in the luxuriously crafted (pun intended) atmosphere.
The soundtrack is a tad grating and lacks variety, but I like the main theme's melody enough to where this wasn't a huge issue for me. Of course the game isn't particularly hard, but looking for all the different types of collectibles in the insane variety of environments that the game provides you is certainly a challenge, because some are hidden damn well. Each level is designed to be played from multiple angles, increasing the amount of detail and bumping the crafts aesthetic up to the umpteenth degree. The souvenir collectibles turn it into a platforming I-Spy game, which works incredibly with the visual style and provides a lot of rich environmental detail.
These environments are also ridiculously varied, as the game is split into well over a dozen smaller worlds each with their own unique theme, and the levels in those worlds are also super varied, meaning that no two levels are alike visually or mechanically, with tons of level-specific mechanics.
On top of the platforming levels having diverse environments, the gameplay is also shaken up quite a few times with mini-game-esque, high score based levels that are entirely too fun. You might go on a monty mole hunt, pilot a plane through an aerial minefield, or even do a solar-powered race in a bottle car (my personal favorite).
I just had a blast with this game from start to finish, and I genuinely cannot recommend it enough.
2020
I can't begin to say how disappointed I am by this game. I will admit that a large share of the issues I have with it come from the performance drop of playing on a base PlayStation 4, but I don't think that should take away from the fact that I DID have these issues.
This game is functionally BORKED on PS4. Texture pop in, impossibly low resolution, visual tears, freezes, crashes, the works. I fortunately haven't had visual bugs with characters and such, but the performance of the game is legitimately worse than honestly any other AAA game I've played, it really isn't even close. When exploring Night City (which is my favorite part of an open world game), I had to avoid combat and areas with lots of NPCs if I wanted the game to run at a reasonable framerate. This is a HUUUUGE issue, because Night City is filled with people chilling and gang members who want your ass beat.
These visual and performance issues take away from the strongest aspect of the game, the world design and fluidity of the experience. Night City is probably the most intricately designed open world I've explored before, with many layers, tunnels and pathways for you to dig through- just in the first area! But unfortunately when the visuals of the world are filtered through a low framerate and sub 720p, it becomes incredibly difficult to enjoy them.
But honestly, low resolution or unstable framerate aside, I'm not sure how much I would like this game. I don't really think the story (what I played of it) is well paced- they throw an absolutely ludicrous number of new characters at you in the first hours of this game that it was impossible for me to feel any genuine connection to them, save for Jackie.
This also feeds into the pacing of the gameplay, which once it leaves the linear opening, is incredibly overwhelming. Gone are the open world design philosophies of games like Red Dead Redemption, Far Cry 3 or even Marvel's Spider-Man, where new side-quest and collectible types are doled out through the main campaign so you are given time to adapt to each one and familiarize yourself with what everything means. You jump into the Watson area of Night City and are instantly bombarded with dozens of map icons, none of which are introduced organically through the story.
I also just think that this game doesn't do anything special as an open world western RPG that hasn't been done before or better in its contemporaries. Painting everything in a slick coat of Cyberpunk-styled paint is all well and good, but if the gameplay feels formulaic there's very little to set it apart as the next evolution in open-world gaming that we were essentially promised through the years of marketing. Unfortunately, Cyberpunk is base level when it comes to its RPG gameplay. It has mediocre gun combat and even worse melee combat, decent driving, shoe-horned in stealth, shallow hacking, okay side-quest formats, and poorly laid out, not very impactful upgrades.
As I was walking around Night City taking in what I could of the world, characters and lore, it just made me want to hop back into other open world RPGs. It doesn't quite have the flexibility of Skyrim, the zaniness of GTA, FarCry or Just Cause or the creativity of Fallout, but falls in an okay middle ground that just comes off as samey.
This game should either A) have not released on the base last gen consoles or B) had another year of development, because there's just blatant levels of polish that aren't applied here, and I have no clue how some of these issues made it past QA testing.
I'm not completely regretting my purchase, because I got to be in the ground floor for the game and its discussion, and I split the price with a friend, making it not a huge financial blow for such an underwhelming product. If you don't have access to a good PC or an Xbox Series X, wait on this game. There are major technical issues on the Series S and PS5 versions as well, though the game looks far better. Price drops, patches, updates and DLC are innevitable, and I hope CDPR can turn this game around in the next few years, but as is this is genuinely not a game worth spending your money on.
This game is functionally BORKED on PS4. Texture pop in, impossibly low resolution, visual tears, freezes, crashes, the works. I fortunately haven't had visual bugs with characters and such, but the performance of the game is legitimately worse than honestly any other AAA game I've played, it really isn't even close. When exploring Night City (which is my favorite part of an open world game), I had to avoid combat and areas with lots of NPCs if I wanted the game to run at a reasonable framerate. This is a HUUUUGE issue, because Night City is filled with people chilling and gang members who want your ass beat.
These visual and performance issues take away from the strongest aspect of the game, the world design and fluidity of the experience. Night City is probably the most intricately designed open world I've explored before, with many layers, tunnels and pathways for you to dig through- just in the first area! But unfortunately when the visuals of the world are filtered through a low framerate and sub 720p, it becomes incredibly difficult to enjoy them.
But honestly, low resolution or unstable framerate aside, I'm not sure how much I would like this game. I don't really think the story (what I played of it) is well paced- they throw an absolutely ludicrous number of new characters at you in the first hours of this game that it was impossible for me to feel any genuine connection to them, save for Jackie.
This also feeds into the pacing of the gameplay, which once it leaves the linear opening, is incredibly overwhelming. Gone are the open world design philosophies of games like Red Dead Redemption, Far Cry 3 or even Marvel's Spider-Man, where new side-quest and collectible types are doled out through the main campaign so you are given time to adapt to each one and familiarize yourself with what everything means. You jump into the Watson area of Night City and are instantly bombarded with dozens of map icons, none of which are introduced organically through the story.
I also just think that this game doesn't do anything special as an open world western RPG that hasn't been done before or better in its contemporaries. Painting everything in a slick coat of Cyberpunk-styled paint is all well and good, but if the gameplay feels formulaic there's very little to set it apart as the next evolution in open-world gaming that we were essentially promised through the years of marketing. Unfortunately, Cyberpunk is base level when it comes to its RPG gameplay. It has mediocre gun combat and even worse melee combat, decent driving, shoe-horned in stealth, shallow hacking, okay side-quest formats, and poorly laid out, not very impactful upgrades.
As I was walking around Night City taking in what I could of the world, characters and lore, it just made me want to hop back into other open world RPGs. It doesn't quite have the flexibility of Skyrim, the zaniness of GTA, FarCry or Just Cause or the creativity of Fallout, but falls in an okay middle ground that just comes off as samey.
This game should either A) have not released on the base last gen consoles or B) had another year of development, because there's just blatant levels of polish that aren't applied here, and I have no clue how some of these issues made it past QA testing.
I'm not completely regretting my purchase, because I got to be in the ground floor for the game and its discussion, and I split the price with a friend, making it not a huge financial blow for such an underwhelming product. If you don't have access to a good PC or an Xbox Series X, wait on this game. There are major technical issues on the Series S and PS5 versions as well, though the game looks far better. Price drops, patches, updates and DLC are innevitable, and I hope CDPR can turn this game around in the next few years, but as is this is genuinely not a game worth spending your money on.
2020
Astro's playroom is the best modern pack-in game ever, no question. It's a tease of what's (hopefully) to come, with charm coming out of every possible nook and cranny, as well as a hearty side helping of nostalgia bait done in the best way.
This game has a fantastic platinum that can be done in 4 hours or so, and it lets you see everything the game has to offer without anything unfair.
Astro has so much potential to become a larger series, and I really hope Team Asobi is given control to make a full length Astro 3D platformer, because I'd be there on day one.
This game has a fantastic platinum that can be done in 4 hours or so, and it lets you see everything the game has to offer without anything unfair.
Astro has so much potential to become a larger series, and I really hope Team Asobi is given control to make a full length Astro 3D platformer, because I'd be there on day one.
1984
Clu Clu Land has barely any reason to exist. It was made to capitalize on the maze game craze that started with Pac-Man, but took such a different approach to that style of game design that it just fell flat in almost every regard.
You're supposed to explore a "maze" of hidden objects between a series of poles and expose these weird Zelda rupee-looking things, which is NOT self explanatory and ends up feeling ridiculously abstract in a distracting way.
The control scheme of swinging yourself around poles is novel, but when combined with the character automatically moving forward and the weird task that you're assigned to do, it just is not fun to play.
This is a weird purple-y blemish on Nintendo's history. It has hardly been revisited or reflected on in any capacity, and there's VERY little incentive to want to check it out in the modern day, since the gameplay is just dwarfed by the games it tried to improve on.
You're supposed to explore a "maze" of hidden objects between a series of poles and expose these weird Zelda rupee-looking things, which is NOT self explanatory and ends up feeling ridiculously abstract in a distracting way.
The control scheme of swinging yourself around poles is novel, but when combined with the character automatically moving forward and the weird task that you're assigned to do, it just is not fun to play.
This is a weird purple-y blemish on Nintendo's history. It has hardly been revisited or reflected on in any capacity, and there's VERY little incentive to want to check it out in the modern day, since the gameplay is just dwarfed by the games it tried to improve on.
2018
I've never liked a rogue-like before Hades, and in fact I was nervous to get into this one since the genre had been such a turn off to me in the past. I tried it for about an hour and was intrigued but not hooked- but when I put another session into trying it, I was pulled in and played for over 4 hours.
This game is a dream to control- you have a whole host of variable weapons that allow you to fit the combat to your liking, and an absolutely LUDICROUS number of upgrades items and ability perks which you can either get purposely before a run or randomly within one. Each run allows you to get just a LITTTTLE bit stronger, collecting just enough gems, darkness or cthonic keys to get to that next unlock, making the gameplay loop immensely addictive. You always feel like you're just on the edge of getting something cool, the drip feed of new mechanics and upgrades to old ones is just delicious.
On top of that, the die-and-start-again nature of rogue-likes actually factors into the story, which makes it incredibly unique. The game features tons of incredible characters to interact with who have some of the best voice acting I've heard in a game, and their relationship with you, other characters and the world around them grows as you slowly become stronger and more intimately connected with the depths of hell.
This game also has BEAUTIFUL art, and the amount of environmental detail is mind-boggling. While you're in combat everything in the background fades away while you engage in super-high speed battles of slashing and dodging, but as soon as that high calms down, you're given the chance to explore the room you just demolished and relish in the art that's presented to you, while Zagreus reflects on his current situation.
This game is just a gem, man. It got me to like a rogue-like, reinterested me in Greek mythology, told me a surprisingly compelling story, and just in general surprised me all around.
I highly recommend everyone give this a shot, especially because if it does hook you, you can use cloud saves to continue the same game across PC, Switch and I think PS4- which is just fucking rad.
This game is a dream to control- you have a whole host of variable weapons that allow you to fit the combat to your liking, and an absolutely LUDICROUS number of upgrades items and ability perks which you can either get purposely before a run or randomly within one. Each run allows you to get just a LITTTTLE bit stronger, collecting just enough gems, darkness or cthonic keys to get to that next unlock, making the gameplay loop immensely addictive. You always feel like you're just on the edge of getting something cool, the drip feed of new mechanics and upgrades to old ones is just delicious.
On top of that, the die-and-start-again nature of rogue-likes actually factors into the story, which makes it incredibly unique. The game features tons of incredible characters to interact with who have some of the best voice acting I've heard in a game, and their relationship with you, other characters and the world around them grows as you slowly become stronger and more intimately connected with the depths of hell.
This game also has BEAUTIFUL art, and the amount of environmental detail is mind-boggling. While you're in combat everything in the background fades away while you engage in super-high speed battles of slashing and dodging, but as soon as that high calms down, you're given the chance to explore the room you just demolished and relish in the art that's presented to you, while Zagreus reflects on his current situation.
This game is just a gem, man. It got me to like a rogue-like, reinterested me in Greek mythology, told me a surprisingly compelling story, and just in general surprised me all around.
I highly recommend everyone give this a shot, especially because if it does hook you, you can use cloud saves to continue the same game across PC, Switch and I think PS4- which is just fucking rad.
1983
This is a peculiar one. Donkey Kong being a mildly obnoxious obstacle is the only reason this is even called a DK game- otherwise its just a really weird Space Invaders/ Galaga knockoff. There are no barrels, bananas, Mario... but honestly that isn't a bad thing. At this point in time the Donkey Kong franchise was known for being experimental and inconsistent, much like most major series at the time, such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.
It's cool to see Nintendo try their hand at an upwards shooter/ defense game, and the skin of being an exterminator, shooting down bugs and snakes while being berated by a flipping GORILLA is just wacky enough to be charming.
Really though, there's very little reason to play this game. The NES version has two- count 'em- TWO stages that cycle with minor variations, and the enemy variety is really piss-poor. I will give credit where credit is due however, the multitasking that you have to do with guarding the flowers, keeping DK at bay and managing the oncoming bug and snake waves is pretty satisfying, I just wish it was placed in a more robust and mechanically interesting package.
It's cool to see Nintendo try their hand at an upwards shooter/ defense game, and the skin of being an exterminator, shooting down bugs and snakes while being berated by a flipping GORILLA is just wacky enough to be charming.
Really though, there's very little reason to play this game. The NES version has two- count 'em- TWO stages that cycle with minor variations, and the enemy variety is really piss-poor. I will give credit where credit is due however, the multitasking that you have to do with guarding the flowers, keeping DK at bay and managing the oncoming bug and snake waves is pretty satisfying, I just wish it was placed in a more robust and mechanically interesting package.
2016
(This review was originally written for my Retrorendum blog, so it is a bit dated in some areas but the review still stands true
Pokémon is a franchise that’s been in my life for pretty much as long as I can remember. Pokémon Pearl was my very first real video game, (so yes I’m a Sinnoh baby) and since then I’ve purchased nearly every new main series game on/ near launch day, or eventually buying them later. The existence and names of the Gen 7 games were leaked by a German copyright website the day before they were officially announced, but how Nintendo and Game Freak released new info on the games in the following months really pumped my hype levels nearly to higher than they’ve ever been. It’s the 20th anniversary of Pokémon as a franchise, so let’s see if the newest games hold up to the impossible standards of quality for this immensely popular series.
Title: Pokémon Moon
Available On: Nintendo 2DS, Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS
Reviewed On: Nintendo 2DS
Info: Game Freak, 2016
WARNING MINOR SPOILERS FOR POKÈMON SUN AND MOON
Story: The tale of a new Pokémon trainer is one that hasn’t developed very much over the years, and it doesn’t deviate a ton in 2016’s iteration. You’re the new kid on the block, arriving to a new region with your mom, at the perfect age to begin your journey as a Pokémon master. Meet the professor and his assistant, choose your starter Pokémon, battle your rival, and get ready to catch em’ all. This time however, it’s a little different. The game opens to a fully rendered 3D cutscene of a young girl with a bag running for her life through a pristine, sterilized compound while being chased by men in white suits. She gets cornered eventually, and when all hope seems lost, her bag begins to glow and she disappears in a flash of colorful light. After an introduction to the regional Professor Kukui, and the Kahuna of Melemele island Hala, you find yourself on the edge of a ravine with a bridge, standing near the young girl from the earlier cutscene. Her bag begins to rustle, and out jumps a small purple Pokémon named Cosmog. Cosmog, or “Nebby” as the girl calls it, floats out onto the bridge, and proceeds to be attacked by a small band of Spearow. You, being the hero you are, dash out onto the bridge to protect Cosmog from harm. As you’re covering Cosmog, it begins to glow like it did in the opening cutscene, and it explodes in a bang of light. The explosion destroys the bridge beneath you, and the two of you plummet into the dark recesses of the ravine, supposedly to your deaths. Right before you hit the ground, a yellow streak appears and whisks you up to safety. The yellow streak turns out to be the legendary Pokémon Tapu Koko, the guardian of Melemele island. It flies away before you can react, leaving behind a magical stone for you to keep. The girl helps you up and introduces herself as Lillie, Professor Kukui’s strange assistant. This chain of events sets you on your course to completing the Island challenge; a child’s right of passage in the Alola region, and thus you begin your journey. The story in Gen 7 scratched that slightly deeper Pokemon lore itch that I’d been craving ever since I played Pokemon Pearl a decade ago, and left me craving more. Story gets a 10/10
Visuals/ Music: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the best looking and sounding entries in the main series franchise to date, and they push the limitations of the 3DS’s hardware to it’s very limits. This push becomes obvious when you enter a double battle, where the DS frame rate slows to a crawl every few seconds. The most impressive aspect of the visuals in the game are the aforementioned 3D cutscenes, which happen every once in a while as you progress through the story. While the constant switching between classic gameplay and unskippable story sequences may get frustrating for some who are just there to catch Pokémon and battle, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace in the games, because lore and plot have always been some of my favorite parts of video games. The cutscenes are detailed eye-candy, and each one contains people and Pokémon acting as though they were in a movie. The sound design is top-notch as well, each route and town has it’s own catchy and recognizable tunes, and occasionally you hear old classic songs from earlier games remixed for a quick burst of nostalgia. The songs are all well mixed as well, with guitars, flutes, and base drums all coming together to create the soundtrack. I don’t think people will be talking about the soundtrack much in the future, at least not compared to the god’s breath that is Kanto, Johto and Sinnoh soundtracks, but we can enjoy it for what it is now. The visuals and music in Sun and Moon get an 9/10
Gameplay: Pokémon’s gameplay is tried and true, whittle down the opponents health in turn based combat and capture and level your monsters to become the very best like no one ever was, and all of that is in Sun and Moon as well. There are just under 100 new creatures to capture, battle, and bond with, and with a national dex 300 strong, the wide variation in Pokémon is apparent from the very beginning. There are also two new types of Pokémon, Ultra Beasts and Alolan Variants. Ultra Beasts are Pokémon from another dimension, and are extremely tough in battle. Alolan Variants feed into the nostalgia the game creates by taking Pokémon from the original 151 in Red and Green, and giving them a new look, new typings, and new abilities. The object of the game is to complete your island challenge, and take on each Trial and their subsequent Trial Captains. The Trials are Sun and Moon’s replacement for the classic Pokémon Gym system, and is a welcome breath of fresh air to veterans and a neat way to bring in newcomers. Each trial is extremely different, from finding ingredients to playing spot the difference in the dancing Pokémon, and as you play you don’t know what to expect next. The trials themselves are pretty simple to complete, some of them are honestly childish, and I wish they could’ve been harder, but the real challenge comes right after you complete the trial. At the end of every trial is a Totem Pokémon, a larger, more powerful version of an already strong monster who has the ability to call upon allies in battle. These battles can be extremely tough if you don’t come prepared for them, so expect to black out a few times before actually moving on in the story. Pokémon Sun and Moon also implement some new gameplay mechanics as well. Pokémon refresh is a mode where you can feed, clean, and pet your Pokémon to bond with them, Poké Pelago is a set of islands each with their own helpful services, and the Festival Plaza is a place where you can meet and interact with the people you have street passed with. Pokémon Sun and Moon also get rid of the archaic and obnoxious HM system, instead using Poké Rides where you can surf on a Lapras, fly on a Charizard, or gallop on a Mudsdale. These games are much more difficult than in past installments, as each trainer uses their own fighting techniques and wild Pokémon can now call for help when they are in danger. All these new gameplay mechanics may not seem like very much to the average gamer or one who hasn’t played much Pokemon, but to hardcore fans like myself, it’s a pleasant surprise that really broke up the formula just enough to feel new, while still retaining the classic Pokemon feel. Sun and Moon’s gameplay gets a 10/10.
Verdict: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the breath of fresh air the franchise has been in desperate need for for years. Delivering a story unparalleled by any in the series, brand new gameplay mechanics and stunning graphics and music, Sun and Moon have the strong potential to become the new best in the Pokémon world. Having been the most preordered game in Nintendo’s history and selling over 10 Million copies in 2 weeks following the launch, the games are already becoming classics. They’ve already become some of my favorite games of all time, I’ve logged 110 hours on my copy of Pokémon Moon and captured all 300 Pokémon available in the Alola dex, and it’s only been a month since release. The game suffers from serious framerate drops in some places and it might not have much in the way of postgame content, but overall Pokémon Sun and Moon are my personal favorite games in the Pokémon series, and are strongly deserving of a 9.5/10.
(Reviewed on June 5th, 2017)
Pokémon is a franchise that’s been in my life for pretty much as long as I can remember. Pokémon Pearl was my very first real video game, (so yes I’m a Sinnoh baby) and since then I’ve purchased nearly every new main series game on/ near launch day, or eventually buying them later. The existence and names of the Gen 7 games were leaked by a German copyright website the day before they were officially announced, but how Nintendo and Game Freak released new info on the games in the following months really pumped my hype levels nearly to higher than they’ve ever been. It’s the 20th anniversary of Pokémon as a franchise, so let’s see if the newest games hold up to the impossible standards of quality for this immensely popular series.
Title: Pokémon Moon
Available On: Nintendo 2DS, Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS
Reviewed On: Nintendo 2DS
Info: Game Freak, 2016
WARNING MINOR SPOILERS FOR POKÈMON SUN AND MOON
Story: The tale of a new Pokémon trainer is one that hasn’t developed very much over the years, and it doesn’t deviate a ton in 2016’s iteration. You’re the new kid on the block, arriving to a new region with your mom, at the perfect age to begin your journey as a Pokémon master. Meet the professor and his assistant, choose your starter Pokémon, battle your rival, and get ready to catch em’ all. This time however, it’s a little different. The game opens to a fully rendered 3D cutscene of a young girl with a bag running for her life through a pristine, sterilized compound while being chased by men in white suits. She gets cornered eventually, and when all hope seems lost, her bag begins to glow and she disappears in a flash of colorful light. After an introduction to the regional Professor Kukui, and the Kahuna of Melemele island Hala, you find yourself on the edge of a ravine with a bridge, standing near the young girl from the earlier cutscene. Her bag begins to rustle, and out jumps a small purple Pokémon named Cosmog. Cosmog, or “Nebby” as the girl calls it, floats out onto the bridge, and proceeds to be attacked by a small band of Spearow. You, being the hero you are, dash out onto the bridge to protect Cosmog from harm. As you’re covering Cosmog, it begins to glow like it did in the opening cutscene, and it explodes in a bang of light. The explosion destroys the bridge beneath you, and the two of you plummet into the dark recesses of the ravine, supposedly to your deaths. Right before you hit the ground, a yellow streak appears and whisks you up to safety. The yellow streak turns out to be the legendary Pokémon Tapu Koko, the guardian of Melemele island. It flies away before you can react, leaving behind a magical stone for you to keep. The girl helps you up and introduces herself as Lillie, Professor Kukui’s strange assistant. This chain of events sets you on your course to completing the Island challenge; a child’s right of passage in the Alola region, and thus you begin your journey. The story in Gen 7 scratched that slightly deeper Pokemon lore itch that I’d been craving ever since I played Pokemon Pearl a decade ago, and left me craving more. Story gets a 10/10
Visuals/ Music: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the best looking and sounding entries in the main series franchise to date, and they push the limitations of the 3DS’s hardware to it’s very limits. This push becomes obvious when you enter a double battle, where the DS frame rate slows to a crawl every few seconds. The most impressive aspect of the visuals in the game are the aforementioned 3D cutscenes, which happen every once in a while as you progress through the story. While the constant switching between classic gameplay and unskippable story sequences may get frustrating for some who are just there to catch Pokémon and battle, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace in the games, because lore and plot have always been some of my favorite parts of video games. The cutscenes are detailed eye-candy, and each one contains people and Pokémon acting as though they were in a movie. The sound design is top-notch as well, each route and town has it’s own catchy and recognizable tunes, and occasionally you hear old classic songs from earlier games remixed for a quick burst of nostalgia. The songs are all well mixed as well, with guitars, flutes, and base drums all coming together to create the soundtrack. I don’t think people will be talking about the soundtrack much in the future, at least not compared to the god’s breath that is Kanto, Johto and Sinnoh soundtracks, but we can enjoy it for what it is now. The visuals and music in Sun and Moon get an 9/10
Gameplay: Pokémon’s gameplay is tried and true, whittle down the opponents health in turn based combat and capture and level your monsters to become the very best like no one ever was, and all of that is in Sun and Moon as well. There are just under 100 new creatures to capture, battle, and bond with, and with a national dex 300 strong, the wide variation in Pokémon is apparent from the very beginning. There are also two new types of Pokémon, Ultra Beasts and Alolan Variants. Ultra Beasts are Pokémon from another dimension, and are extremely tough in battle. Alolan Variants feed into the nostalgia the game creates by taking Pokémon from the original 151 in Red and Green, and giving them a new look, new typings, and new abilities. The object of the game is to complete your island challenge, and take on each Trial and their subsequent Trial Captains. The Trials are Sun and Moon’s replacement for the classic Pokémon Gym system, and is a welcome breath of fresh air to veterans and a neat way to bring in newcomers. Each trial is extremely different, from finding ingredients to playing spot the difference in the dancing Pokémon, and as you play you don’t know what to expect next. The trials themselves are pretty simple to complete, some of them are honestly childish, and I wish they could’ve been harder, but the real challenge comes right after you complete the trial. At the end of every trial is a Totem Pokémon, a larger, more powerful version of an already strong monster who has the ability to call upon allies in battle. These battles can be extremely tough if you don’t come prepared for them, so expect to black out a few times before actually moving on in the story. Pokémon Sun and Moon also implement some new gameplay mechanics as well. Pokémon refresh is a mode where you can feed, clean, and pet your Pokémon to bond with them, Poké Pelago is a set of islands each with their own helpful services, and the Festival Plaza is a place where you can meet and interact with the people you have street passed with. Pokémon Sun and Moon also get rid of the archaic and obnoxious HM system, instead using Poké Rides where you can surf on a Lapras, fly on a Charizard, or gallop on a Mudsdale. These games are much more difficult than in past installments, as each trainer uses their own fighting techniques and wild Pokémon can now call for help when they are in danger. All these new gameplay mechanics may not seem like very much to the average gamer or one who hasn’t played much Pokemon, but to hardcore fans like myself, it’s a pleasant surprise that really broke up the formula just enough to feel new, while still retaining the classic Pokemon feel. Sun and Moon’s gameplay gets a 10/10.
Verdict: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the breath of fresh air the franchise has been in desperate need for for years. Delivering a story unparalleled by any in the series, brand new gameplay mechanics and stunning graphics and music, Sun and Moon have the strong potential to become the new best in the Pokémon world. Having been the most preordered game in Nintendo’s history and selling over 10 Million copies in 2 weeks following the launch, the games are already becoming classics. They’ve already become some of my favorite games of all time, I’ve logged 110 hours on my copy of Pokémon Moon and captured all 300 Pokémon available in the Alola dex, and it’s only been a month since release. The game suffers from serious framerate drops in some places and it might not have much in the way of postgame content, but overall Pokémon Sun and Moon are my personal favorite games in the Pokémon series, and are strongly deserving of a 9.5/10.
(Reviewed on June 5th, 2017)
(This review was originally written for my Retrorendum blog, so it is a bit dated in some areas but the review still stands true)
Title: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
Available On: Playstation 3, Playstation 4
Reviewed on: Playstation 3
Info: Naughty Dog, 2007
WARNING SPOILERS FOR UNCHARTED
Story: Uncharted is one of the few games that manages to feel like more of a blockbuster movie mixed in with interactive game play than a straight up video game, which in itself is impressive. It takes obvious notes from movies such as Indiana Jones and National Treasure, and even games such as Tomb Raider. That being said, this game, as well as the rest of the games in the series, feels like an improvement on those franchises because of the quick and witty humor that Drake himself provides. The story of the Uncharted series follows the adventures of a young-ish man named Nathan Drake, who is fascinated with the past and the treasures it holds. The game starts out with Drake finding the coffin of his ancestor and world-renowned treasure hunter, Sir Francis Drake in the middle of the ocean, only to find out that Drake faked his own death, went on an adventure, and left a series of clues behind to guide his predecessors to the long lost treasure of El Dorado. On his quest to follow in Sir Francis’ footsteps, Drake is joined by the lighthearted and curious blonde reporter Elena Fisher, as well as the grizzly old war man Victor “Sully” Sullivan. Together these characters dodge booby traps, kill pirates, solve puzzles and crawl through crypts to the end of the game, giving the whole thing the feel of a great adventure. The thing that really makes this game shine as a movie-like production is how smooth the cutscene transitions are. Going from playing to watching doesn’t make it feel as if you’re just a passerby, it feels like you become Drake and are there to get him through his obstacles.
Visuals/ Music:Uncharted’s graphics are nothing to write home about, but are good enough to keep you engaged in the story and (somewhat) feel the emotions of the characters as they go along their journey. The contrast of settings you traverse is exquisite, from vibrant jungles and raging rivers, to claustrophobic tombs and dark caves, all of which use the colors they are provided to really make the world of Uncharted come alive. The music on the other hand, is incredible. From the moment you pop in the game, the epic Uncharted theme begins and sets the mood for the grand adventure you will soon embark on. Throughout the game the music makes the levels memorable, matching the diverse levels with equally as unique songs to finally complete the atmosphere of Drake’s Quest. The voice acting for all of the characters is really quite impressive, especially when in a heated conversation. The script is quirky, and the way the actors voiced the characters so well makes them relatable and human. The one thing sound-wise that may interrupt your immersion in the game is Elena, and how she reacts whenever Drake dies. Her exaggerated gasps and wails sound almost forced, and is the one time I would say the game’s voice acting really failed.
Gameplay: The game play of Uncharted isn’t anything unique, but the way that the gameplay archetypes are presented is what makes this game unique. It mixes classic cover based shooting similar to Gears of War with terrain platforming from Tomb Raider, both of which are tried and true. The only problem with these different level types being mixed is how painstakingly obvious it is when you’re about to enter either one. The shootouts are open areas with an insane amount of low walls and broken down buildings to hide behind, and the platforming sections are very vertical and contain tons of ledges to hang from. The combat in the shootout sections is simple enough but the repetition and fast transitions from platforming can be very overwhelming. The shootouts become an all or nothing battle, you with your pistols and grenades versus hordes and hordes of enemy grunts that sometimes feel like it never ends. There’s a good variety of guns to choose from, but most become so situational that it’s almost a chore to use anything but a basic pistol and an AK. The hit detection is also sometimes wonky, as you might get a clear headshot on a grunt from 10 feet away, and it might do nothing but knock his hat off and alert him that you’re there. The game is also plagued by obnoxiously and unnecessarily difficult quick-time events that require you to press circle to roll out of the way, or (and this is the real problem), mash triangle an ungodly number of times to get a gate open. My final complaint about this game is the lack of collectibles. For a game whose focus is on being a treasure hunting adventurer, you might expect there to be chests of gold or figurines around every corner, but the truth is there are only some 60 odd collectibles to find in the entire game, which is kind of a letdown.
Verdict: Uncharted is an incredible game and a hilarious experience, and Drake’s Fortune just leaves you wanting more of Nathan Drake’s witty personality. Luckily you can satiate that craving for cleverness by playing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Uncharted is a must own or a t least a must try for any PS3 or PS4 owner, and I highly recommend it to everyone who enjoys comedy or action. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune gets an 8/10, it might be flawed in some ways, but it’s wit and quick thinking makes up for all of those problems.
(Reviewed on August 12th, 2017)
Title: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
Available On: Playstation 3, Playstation 4
Reviewed on: Playstation 3
Info: Naughty Dog, 2007
WARNING SPOILERS FOR UNCHARTED
Story: Uncharted is one of the few games that manages to feel like more of a blockbuster movie mixed in with interactive game play than a straight up video game, which in itself is impressive. It takes obvious notes from movies such as Indiana Jones and National Treasure, and even games such as Tomb Raider. That being said, this game, as well as the rest of the games in the series, feels like an improvement on those franchises because of the quick and witty humor that Drake himself provides. The story of the Uncharted series follows the adventures of a young-ish man named Nathan Drake, who is fascinated with the past and the treasures it holds. The game starts out with Drake finding the coffin of his ancestor and world-renowned treasure hunter, Sir Francis Drake in the middle of the ocean, only to find out that Drake faked his own death, went on an adventure, and left a series of clues behind to guide his predecessors to the long lost treasure of El Dorado. On his quest to follow in Sir Francis’ footsteps, Drake is joined by the lighthearted and curious blonde reporter Elena Fisher, as well as the grizzly old war man Victor “Sully” Sullivan. Together these characters dodge booby traps, kill pirates, solve puzzles and crawl through crypts to the end of the game, giving the whole thing the feel of a great adventure. The thing that really makes this game shine as a movie-like production is how smooth the cutscene transitions are. Going from playing to watching doesn’t make it feel as if you’re just a passerby, it feels like you become Drake and are there to get him through his obstacles.
Visuals/ Music:Uncharted’s graphics are nothing to write home about, but are good enough to keep you engaged in the story and (somewhat) feel the emotions of the characters as they go along their journey. The contrast of settings you traverse is exquisite, from vibrant jungles and raging rivers, to claustrophobic tombs and dark caves, all of which use the colors they are provided to really make the world of Uncharted come alive. The music on the other hand, is incredible. From the moment you pop in the game, the epic Uncharted theme begins and sets the mood for the grand adventure you will soon embark on. Throughout the game the music makes the levels memorable, matching the diverse levels with equally as unique songs to finally complete the atmosphere of Drake’s Quest. The voice acting for all of the characters is really quite impressive, especially when in a heated conversation. The script is quirky, and the way the actors voiced the characters so well makes them relatable and human. The one thing sound-wise that may interrupt your immersion in the game is Elena, and how she reacts whenever Drake dies. Her exaggerated gasps and wails sound almost forced, and is the one time I would say the game’s voice acting really failed.
Gameplay: The game play of Uncharted isn’t anything unique, but the way that the gameplay archetypes are presented is what makes this game unique. It mixes classic cover based shooting similar to Gears of War with terrain platforming from Tomb Raider, both of which are tried and true. The only problem with these different level types being mixed is how painstakingly obvious it is when you’re about to enter either one. The shootouts are open areas with an insane amount of low walls and broken down buildings to hide behind, and the platforming sections are very vertical and contain tons of ledges to hang from. The combat in the shootout sections is simple enough but the repetition and fast transitions from platforming can be very overwhelming. The shootouts become an all or nothing battle, you with your pistols and grenades versus hordes and hordes of enemy grunts that sometimes feel like it never ends. There’s a good variety of guns to choose from, but most become so situational that it’s almost a chore to use anything but a basic pistol and an AK. The hit detection is also sometimes wonky, as you might get a clear headshot on a grunt from 10 feet away, and it might do nothing but knock his hat off and alert him that you’re there. The game is also plagued by obnoxiously and unnecessarily difficult quick-time events that require you to press circle to roll out of the way, or (and this is the real problem), mash triangle an ungodly number of times to get a gate open. My final complaint about this game is the lack of collectibles. For a game whose focus is on being a treasure hunting adventurer, you might expect there to be chests of gold or figurines around every corner, but the truth is there are only some 60 odd collectibles to find in the entire game, which is kind of a letdown.
Verdict: Uncharted is an incredible game and a hilarious experience, and Drake’s Fortune just leaves you wanting more of Nathan Drake’s witty personality. Luckily you can satiate that craving for cleverness by playing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Uncharted is a must own or a t least a must try for any PS3 or PS4 owner, and I highly recommend it to everyone who enjoys comedy or action. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune gets an 8/10, it might be flawed in some ways, but it’s wit and quick thinking makes up for all of those problems.
(Reviewed on August 12th, 2017)