139 Reviews liked by Zark
Salt and Sanctuary
2016
I found out that I don't like restrictive and slow movement on sidescrollers.
For me, the Soulslike formula does not translate directly to a platformer. I think platformers can have soulslike elements, but S&S really tries to just be Dark Souls, but 2D. Enemies are tough, bosses are huge and very hard, and movement is purposefully slow and plodding. I just find that losing that extra dimension of moveable space really feels like a hinderence.
For me, the Soulslike formula does not translate directly to a platformer. I think platformers can have soulslike elements, but S&S really tries to just be Dark Souls, but 2D. Enemies are tough, bosses are huge and very hard, and movement is purposefully slow and plodding. I just find that losing that extra dimension of moveable space really feels like a hinderence.
I heard a lot of good things about Hollow Knight prior to picking it up. It's some of my closest friends top 10 games so I had to give it a try.
The combat and movement in this game is extremely fluid and fun, mastering it was the best part once retrieving all the movement options, I felt like I could fly around the screen hacking and slashing as I went.
I have slightly mixed feelings about the exploration aspect, but that might come from a personal like of having SOME direction, which in Hollow Knight you're given almost none at all.
Difficulty levels throughout the game felt really random. Some stuff earlier on is way way harder than the final boss (which I beat first try, not bragging as I didn't beat any other boss first try).
The high quality art style, animations, expansiveness, and characters in Hollow Knight are something any game dev would wish to get a fraction of, and the gameplay is almost unmatched in this genre.
I'm only on 56% completion as of writing this but I fully expect to return and tack on another bunch of hours in the future
The combat and movement in this game is extremely fluid and fun, mastering it was the best part once retrieving all the movement options, I felt like I could fly around the screen hacking and slashing as I went.
I have slightly mixed feelings about the exploration aspect, but that might come from a personal like of having SOME direction, which in Hollow Knight you're given almost none at all.
Difficulty levels throughout the game felt really random. Some stuff earlier on is way way harder than the final boss (which I beat first try, not bragging as I didn't beat any other boss first try).
The high quality art style, animations, expansiveness, and characters in Hollow Knight are something any game dev would wish to get a fraction of, and the gameplay is almost unmatched in this genre.
I'm only on 56% completion as of writing this but I fully expect to return and tack on another bunch of hours in the future
Resident Evil 2
2019
The game that began the great Capcom Renaissance. They really, really put their money where their mouth was with this release. What a complete and utter joy of a remake. Except for when Mr X was right behind you. There was no joy to be found in those distant footsteps.
Silent Hill
1999
i need to go back in time and kick younger me in the head for thinking "survival horror doesn't seem like my kind of genre so i'll never try it" shut the fuck up what do you know you still think you're a boy. also this is one of, if not THE, best video game ost i've heard in my life holy shit, i cannot stress enough how excited i am to play silent hill 2.