VanceValors
2008
One of the greatest game experiences of all time, and there's plenty of bias when making that claim, I'm sure.
I just couldn't believe how immersive and engaging the story and gameplay was for this game. I know the pixel art style is all the rage these days, but still, don't let it discourage you a bit from picking this up.
It's well-known now that this game was a passion project between Nintendo and Square (now Square-Enix), back in the day when they were experimenting collaborating (Super Mario RPG was another rare collaboration between them). The music was composed mostly by Yasunori Mitsuda, and his senior the legendary Nabuo Uematsu helped on a few other tracks. Most notably the style of the character and creature art was made by Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball and Dragon Quest fame.
The concept of the game is "traveling through time". Not just forward but backwards as well. The game pulls this off in such thoughtful ways, that you can't help but be drawn in. It never gets too complicated, either. It has a story to tell and it tells it in a way that touches you.
The gameplay is easy to understand and handling equipment/weapons is as simple as it gets. It feels really good leveling up, and the game presents plenty of optional challenges that will leave you wanting to grind at least a little bit to see if you can beat it (not to mention the rewards for beating optional bosses are quite good as well).
It's also pretty well known by now that this was one or if not The first game to have the "new game plus" feature, where when you beat the game you can start a new game with the level you were at previously and all of your equipment and special attacks. Not to mention, there's a boss you can fight in the early game and they put it there intentionally for new game plus characters (good luck!).
All this to say this game is definitely worth your time.
I just couldn't believe how immersive and engaging the story and gameplay was for this game. I know the pixel art style is all the rage these days, but still, don't let it discourage you a bit from picking this up.
It's well-known now that this game was a passion project between Nintendo and Square (now Square-Enix), back in the day when they were experimenting collaborating (Super Mario RPG was another rare collaboration between them). The music was composed mostly by Yasunori Mitsuda, and his senior the legendary Nabuo Uematsu helped on a few other tracks. Most notably the style of the character and creature art was made by Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball and Dragon Quest fame.
The concept of the game is "traveling through time". Not just forward but backwards as well. The game pulls this off in such thoughtful ways, that you can't help but be drawn in. It never gets too complicated, either. It has a story to tell and it tells it in a way that touches you.
The gameplay is easy to understand and handling equipment/weapons is as simple as it gets. It feels really good leveling up, and the game presents plenty of optional challenges that will leave you wanting to grind at least a little bit to see if you can beat it (not to mention the rewards for beating optional bosses are quite good as well).
It's also pretty well known by now that this was one or if not The first game to have the "new game plus" feature, where when you beat the game you can start a new game with the level you were at previously and all of your equipment and special attacks. Not to mention, there's a boss you can fight in the early game and they put it there intentionally for new game plus characters (good luck!).
All this to say this game is definitely worth your time.
This review contains spoilers
Unfortunately, this was my very first farming sim game and I loved it terribly. Yep, this was it back in 2003 and its kind of unbelievable farming sims have evolved so much since then.
This game has tons of jank. But I love it. The balance of selling crops/produce is still really tilted. But I adored it. The dialogue gets repetitive but my heart still skipped a beat when I would accidentally trigger a cutscene.
Something you absolutely need to know though is that (spoilers) you do actually die at the "end" of the game. I was pretty shocked as a kid and I can see why it would disappoint most people, but also I dont know many other farming sim games where you get to have a kid that actually grows up! That was a big deal back then. I'm surprised I dont hear more of that in farming sims nowadays. I have to say its pretty ballsy to have your farming sim actually end. I loved it, to be honest.
Raising your child is probably the most interesting and fun part of the game. You can influence what they'll be interested in and it does impact the end of the game! (also its hilarious how even the "old" people that live in your town will even outlive you when you're old and grey. Galen....Romana.....Sebastian.... I don't know what you're eating to stay alive but KEEP EATING IT)
This game kind of sucks but it absolutely has charm. The music, even as limited in tracks as it is, is really memorable and catchy and... warm? Yeah. Nothing but happy memories with this game. I've played it many many times. I honestly can't really recommend it to others but I'll always love it.
This game has tons of jank. But I love it. The balance of selling crops/produce is still really tilted. But I adored it. The dialogue gets repetitive but my heart still skipped a beat when I would accidentally trigger a cutscene.
Something you absolutely need to know though is that (spoilers) you do actually die at the "end" of the game. I was pretty shocked as a kid and I can see why it would disappoint most people, but also I dont know many other farming sim games where you get to have a kid that actually grows up! That was a big deal back then. I'm surprised I dont hear more of that in farming sims nowadays. I have to say its pretty ballsy to have your farming sim actually end. I loved it, to be honest.
Raising your child is probably the most interesting and fun part of the game. You can influence what they'll be interested in and it does impact the end of the game! (also its hilarious how even the "old" people that live in your town will even outlive you when you're old and grey. Galen....Romana.....Sebastian.... I don't know what you're eating to stay alive but KEEP EATING IT)
This game kind of sucks but it absolutely has charm. The music, even as limited in tracks as it is, is really memorable and catchy and... warm? Yeah. Nothing but happy memories with this game. I've played it many many times. I honestly can't really recommend it to others but I'll always love it.
This review contains spoilers
BEST IMPROVEMENT EVER
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life on the GameCube was the very first farming sim I ever played. I was a young teen in 2003 when the original came out, so I was cautiously optimistic when I heard they were remaking this game.
Marvelous! entertainment knocked it out of the park with this one, seriously. It made every quality of life improvement they could possibly make while keeping the charm of the original. I think its hilarious that they still kept some massive jank in it though (like, the animations of the characters when they're moving is almost exactly the same as the original... I guess its pretty lazy to keep it that way but I was kind of charmed with it.... it was very nostalgic)
One thing I have to say is that this version of A Wonderful Life goes FAST!!! Seriously! The original on the GameCube felt pretty long, as you would spend at least two "years" at each stage of your life (Single, Married, Parent, and so on). In this game, you get a single year for each which makes me feel like I'm speedrunning the whole thing, haha. They really streamlined this game to go faster. I can't really tell yet if I prefer it that way, but at least the game doesn't drag too badly. Having a routine in this game is really satisfying.
Also, protip for those wanting to make money since it's kind of hard to do: sheep. Fill your barn with like two cows, a goat, and the rest ONLY SHEEP. Their wool sells for a ton, and dont forget to always haggle prices with Van. There ya go.
I really love how they said "to hell with it" and let you marry anyone in this game, with whatever pronouns you want. Finally. I cant wait to play this game again and marry a different spouse, since its nice there's so many to choose from now.
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life on the GameCube was the very first farming sim I ever played. I was a young teen in 2003 when the original came out, so I was cautiously optimistic when I heard they were remaking this game.
Marvelous! entertainment knocked it out of the park with this one, seriously. It made every quality of life improvement they could possibly make while keeping the charm of the original. I think its hilarious that they still kept some massive jank in it though (like, the animations of the characters when they're moving is almost exactly the same as the original... I guess its pretty lazy to keep it that way but I was kind of charmed with it.... it was very nostalgic)
One thing I have to say is that this version of A Wonderful Life goes FAST!!! Seriously! The original on the GameCube felt pretty long, as you would spend at least two "years" at each stage of your life (Single, Married, Parent, and so on). In this game, you get a single year for each which makes me feel like I'm speedrunning the whole thing, haha. They really streamlined this game to go faster. I can't really tell yet if I prefer it that way, but at least the game doesn't drag too badly. Having a routine in this game is really satisfying.
Also, protip for those wanting to make money since it's kind of hard to do: sheep. Fill your barn with like two cows, a goat, and the rest ONLY SHEEP. Their wool sells for a ton, and dont forget to always haggle prices with Van. There ya go.
I really love how they said "to hell with it" and let you marry anyone in this game, with whatever pronouns you want. Finally. I cant wait to play this game again and marry a different spouse, since its nice there's so many to choose from now.
The first game I played at a young age and became obsessed with. Unfortunately, I'm biased. I saw rainbow-haired anime characters when I saw this as a thirteen year old after seeing Marth and Roy in Smash Bros. Melee, and I instantly wanted to know what it was all about.
This game is golden to me. But it's also a classic Fire Emblem game: its hard. Even on it's normal difficulty, it can be a grueling experience on certain chapters. This game is for people who enjoy some challenge.
It's always fun putting together your own army and choosing the units you like the most to push against the enemy army. Hector is the best lord. You can unlock his story mode after beating Eliwood's.
The writing isn't exactly Shakespeare, but I always enjoyed the tone of it. It's moody sometimes, but the characters have a sense of humor, too. I was really drawn into the story it was telling, and although it starts out small the stakes get high!
Part of the fun is watching the animations of the sprites in battle. It's seriously amazing and impressive! Watching a unit land a crit will ALWAYS be so satisfying. Crits do 3x damage.
Yes, there's no way to get your units back after they die; there's no "phoenix" mode here. Resetting a chapter when you lose a unit you like is part of the process, trust me. You want to keep all your units. Failure is a key part of this game! :) It's all trial and error, and it feels really good when you come back to a map and beat it into the ground.
I've finished this game over thirty times. I like it too much. It makes me happy that Fire Emblem managed to not get canned thanks to Awakening. I'm not a big fan of the newer titles, but the series will always be near and dear to my heart anyway. You always remember your first Fire Emblem game, and this one is mine.
This game is golden to me. But it's also a classic Fire Emblem game: its hard. Even on it's normal difficulty, it can be a grueling experience on certain chapters. This game is for people who enjoy some challenge.
It's always fun putting together your own army and choosing the units you like the most to push against the enemy army. Hector is the best lord. You can unlock his story mode after beating Eliwood's.
The writing isn't exactly Shakespeare, but I always enjoyed the tone of it. It's moody sometimes, but the characters have a sense of humor, too. I was really drawn into the story it was telling, and although it starts out small the stakes get high!
Part of the fun is watching the animations of the sprites in battle. It's seriously amazing and impressive! Watching a unit land a crit will ALWAYS be so satisfying. Crits do 3x damage.
Yes, there's no way to get your units back after they die; there's no "phoenix" mode here. Resetting a chapter when you lose a unit you like is part of the process, trust me. You want to keep all your units. Failure is a key part of this game! :) It's all trial and error, and it feels really good when you come back to a map and beat it into the ground.
I've finished this game over thirty times. I like it too much. It makes me happy that Fire Emblem managed to not get canned thanks to Awakening. I'm not a big fan of the newer titles, but the series will always be near and dear to my heart anyway. You always remember your first Fire Emblem game, and this one is mine.
2014
worst Yoshi game I ever played. I havent picked up a Yoshi game since in fear that it'll bring back the painful memory of blowing $40 on this game when it was new and i was excited to play it. when im low on money i think about this game. hate it.
sorry to say I'm the only person on earth who liked this game. it sucks so much but it got me through a bad spot so unfortunately i love it.
its repetitive and its nothing like Mario Party (WHICH IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN... like how do you mess that up)
anyway.
its repetitive and its nothing like Mario Party (WHICH IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN... like how do you mess that up)
anyway.
the only thing I remember was them eating pizza at the very end..... I think I liked it? I couldn't tell you what the plot was about, I seemed to have thrown it out of my memory.
2014
I would love to finish this game someday, since I stopped playing at the very last level and got stuck (I suffer from skill issues pretty severely lol)
This game is just so beautiful and perfect. It brought back the pixel art game craze in a big way. The music and sound design leaves you wanting to keep going and play more!
This game is just so beautiful and perfect. It brought back the pixel art game craze in a big way. The music and sound design leaves you wanting to keep going and play more!
1999
A really cute game that works on a simple mechanic. Its fun to pick up and play it casually for sure! Though I remember being a little lost on how to progress to new levels at times. Its plenty satisfying to figure it out on your own, though.
This was pretty much the perfect rental game (along with Pokemon Stadium) back when physical rentals were a thing!
This was pretty much the perfect rental game (along with Pokemon Stadium) back when physical rentals were a thing!
2003
This game is in my top 5 favorites of all time.
Incredible story, amazingly thoughtful character writing with depth, fascinating lore, and the stakes are as high as they get. "Tales of" games always lure you in with what seems like a simple story at first, but then eventually spirals into earth-shattering revelations that makes the cast re-evaluate their place in the world. Its honestly very gripping.
That being said, as much as I love this game it has its issues; namely the pacing. You'll have to be willing to stick with the story and see where it goes. It does take a hot minute for it to kick in. Though I think it's worth it, some people might be impatient with that and I understand that.
People have said the voice acting is cringe but I truly just don't get that at all (if anything its having such talented voice actors say their lines with barely emotive half-chibi avatars that's the REALLY jarring thing about it). Scott Menville as Lloyd Irving is his best role, in my opinion. I think the writing in general balances silly with serious pretty well, for the most part (you'll really want those little silly moments after some of the heavy things this game will throw at you... woof)
This game is not short; its one of the longest rpg's out there. But if you're looking to get immersed in a world and want something deeper in your rpg's, this is what you want to pick up!
Incredible story, amazingly thoughtful character writing with depth, fascinating lore, and the stakes are as high as they get. "Tales of" games always lure you in with what seems like a simple story at first, but then eventually spirals into earth-shattering revelations that makes the cast re-evaluate their place in the world. Its honestly very gripping.
That being said, as much as I love this game it has its issues; namely the pacing. You'll have to be willing to stick with the story and see where it goes. It does take a hot minute for it to kick in. Though I think it's worth it, some people might be impatient with that and I understand that.
People have said the voice acting is cringe but I truly just don't get that at all (if anything its having such talented voice actors say their lines with barely emotive half-chibi avatars that's the REALLY jarring thing about it). Scott Menville as Lloyd Irving is his best role, in my opinion. I think the writing in general balances silly with serious pretty well, for the most part (you'll really want those little silly moments after some of the heavy things this game will throw at you... woof)
This game is not short; its one of the longest rpg's out there. But if you're looking to get immersed in a world and want something deeper in your rpg's, this is what you want to pick up!
2019
One of the most addicting games to play! When you've got a little time to kill, it's the perfect game to hop on for a few rounds.
This was my introduction to Tetris, as I was picking up things to learn during the lockdown in 2020. This game being a battle royale really is where the fun is at! Its thrilling to try your best to aim for the top, even beginners like I was will find it really fun to figure out your strategy for holding out as long as you can! As often as I've played, I've haven't managed to snag that #1 yet. And its still fun to keep trying anyway.
This was my introduction to Tetris, as I was picking up things to learn during the lockdown in 2020. This game being a battle royale really is where the fun is at! Its thrilling to try your best to aim for the top, even beginners like I was will find it really fun to figure out your strategy for holding out as long as you can! As often as I've played, I've haven't managed to snag that #1 yet. And its still fun to keep trying anyway.
I played both Birthright and Conquest. This game is a bit below Conquest for me.
The story wasn't very compelling, and it was really difficult to like the characters beyond their design. Fire Emblem as a franchise does have difficulty fleshing out their characters usually (because there's so many as always), and the cast from the entire Fates games seemed like caricatures of tropes.
The only reason why this game doesn't get a 1 star is because the art is so beautiful. Yusuke Kozaki's art style really elevates what's going on here.
Other than that, I don't know... I suppose this game may be good for very young Fire Emblem players. But then again, having the option to marry your siblings is...... uh.... why did they do that.
I don't even want to start talking about how lazy the baby dimension was.
Anyway. 2 stars.
The story wasn't very compelling, and it was really difficult to like the characters beyond their design. Fire Emblem as a franchise does have difficulty fleshing out their characters usually (because there's so many as always), and the cast from the entire Fates games seemed like caricatures of tropes.
The only reason why this game doesn't get a 1 star is because the art is so beautiful. Yusuke Kozaki's art style really elevates what's going on here.
Other than that, I don't know... I suppose this game may be good for very young Fire Emblem players. But then again, having the option to marry your siblings is...... uh.... why did they do that.
I don't even want to start talking about how lazy the baby dimension was.
Anyway. 2 stars.
1999
This was the ultimate game to rent back in the day; JUST Pokemon battles and a few minigames to play with your friends!
I'd say its "quick fun" but the battles do take a minute with all the swooping cameras. It was crazy to see Pokemon with 3D models back then.... so we all ate it up and didn't mind the wait, I think.
I think this game shows its age now, but it's still good fun. I think it's fun for younger Pokemon fans to just grab a bunch of Pokemon and have them battle it out!
And I mentioned it briefly above but the mini games are awesome. Play them!!
I'd say its "quick fun" but the battles do take a minute with all the swooping cameras. It was crazy to see Pokemon with 3D models back then.... so we all ate it up and didn't mind the wait, I think.
I think this game shows its age now, but it's still good fun. I think it's fun for younger Pokemon fans to just grab a bunch of Pokemon and have them battle it out!
And I mentioned it briefly above but the mini games are awesome. Play them!!
The better of the two games, in my opinion.
....but only slightly. I really didn't care for the writing in this game (or in Birthright). I thought it was an interesting stroke for Intelligent Systems to try the Pokemon way of things to boost sales in having one of two games to play with different sides of one story.
But it just wasn't very interesting. They say Conquest was the "harder and darker" story. I suppose that's true, but the dark elements of the story didn't really feel earned. Just sad things happening for the sake of sad things happening. That's how I remembered it, anyway....
Also I'll say it again from my Birthright review; why. can. you. marry. your. siblings. (bUt thEYre yOuR adOPteD sibLI--I do not care) Leave that to the doujinshi's to make...... I'm serious! I'm laughing while writing this... fans will always make the content they want to make. I don't think we needed incestuous relationships in this already struggling plot. This is why people started calling Fire Emblem a waifu simulator (something that irks the older fans like me of the franchise). Sure, marrying your blorbo is great.... but I want a good story with that, too.
Am I asking for too much? Maybe so.
....but only slightly. I really didn't care for the writing in this game (or in Birthright). I thought it was an interesting stroke for Intelligent Systems to try the Pokemon way of things to boost sales in having one of two games to play with different sides of one story.
But it just wasn't very interesting. They say Conquest was the "harder and darker" story. I suppose that's true, but the dark elements of the story didn't really feel earned. Just sad things happening for the sake of sad things happening. That's how I remembered it, anyway....
Also I'll say it again from my Birthright review; why. can. you. marry. your. siblings. (bUt thEYre yOuR adOPteD sibLI--I do not care) Leave that to the doujinshi's to make...... I'm serious! I'm laughing while writing this... fans will always make the content they want to make. I don't think we needed incestuous relationships in this already struggling plot. This is why people started calling Fire Emblem a waifu simulator (something that irks the older fans like me of the franchise). Sure, marrying your blorbo is great.... but I want a good story with that, too.
Am I asking for too much? Maybe so.
I adored every minute of this game.
I was actually really surprised most people don't seem to like this installment in the franchise, so I'm chalking my experience up to the fact that this is the very first Ace Attorney game I've played.
The thing I loved most is the look of this game. The 3D models and animated mocap looks incredible, and gives SO much life to these characters on screen. I was playing with anticipation wondering how people would break down in crazy ways when you have them cornered in a lie!
I adored the cast, and I like how you'd play as different defense attorneys. I liked each of the stories and found it all gripping. Made me fall in love with the Ace Attorney series and I've been playing more of them since.
My wife owns the art/concept book for this game, and while flipping through it I was so intrigued by the character design that I instantly wanted to pick up the game and play it.
I was actually really surprised most people don't seem to like this installment in the franchise, so I'm chalking my experience up to the fact that this is the very first Ace Attorney game I've played.
The thing I loved most is the look of this game. The 3D models and animated mocap looks incredible, and gives SO much life to these characters on screen. I was playing with anticipation wondering how people would break down in crazy ways when you have them cornered in a lie!
I adored the cast, and I like how you'd play as different defense attorneys. I liked each of the stories and found it all gripping. Made me fall in love with the Ace Attorney series and I've been playing more of them since.
My wife owns the art/concept book for this game, and while flipping through it I was so intrigued by the character design that I instantly wanted to pick up the game and play it.