alinsane2000
2023
+ A silky smooth and nicely polished adventure that looks great and doesn't outstay its welcome.
- Offers nothing original and, even though I appreciated its bitesize experience, it's extremely shallow and lacks any kind of challenge.
- Offers nothing original and, even though I appreciated its bitesize experience, it's extremely shallow and lacks any kind of challenge.
2023
+ Perfectly blends the nostalgia of 16-bit era RPGs with modern sensibilities, resulting in a mix that is the best of both worlds.
+ The removal of features that always irritated me with old turn-based RPGs such as random encounters, grinding, and having to juggle party members, means there can be more focus on a tight gameplay experience that doesn't feel too drawn out.
+ Stating the obvious but stunning pixel artwork that elevates both world and character design.
- The story is serviceable but the writing and grammar is fairly poor, with the main characters being incredibly vanilla.
+ The removal of features that always irritated me with old turn-based RPGs such as random encounters, grinding, and having to juggle party members, means there can be more focus on a tight gameplay experience that doesn't feel too drawn out.
+ Stating the obvious but stunning pixel artwork that elevates both world and character design.
- The story is serviceable but the writing and grammar is fairly poor, with the main characters being incredibly vanilla.
2023
+ From an aesthetic perspective it ticks almost every box – stunning artwork, interesting character design, beautiful animation.
+ Cleverly manages to use excellent audio design as both one of the main narrative devices and in its puzzles.
- Far too often relies on simple, overused puzzle designs such as pushing boxes and waiting for enemy sight lines to move. There are occasional clever puzzles that make better use of sound and environment, but these are few and far between.
+ Cleverly manages to use excellent audio design as both one of the main narrative devices and in its puzzles.
- Far too often relies on simple, overused puzzle designs such as pushing boxes and waiting for enemy sight lines to move. There are occasional clever puzzles that make better use of sound and environment, but these are few and far between.
+ Gorgeous art style and some really interesting environmental design
- Unfortunately, the rest of the experience is severely impacted by incredibly frustrating gameplay and exploration. A Metroidvania with wonky platforming, annoying combat and a lack of direction is simply doomed to fail.
- Occasional technical hiccups are annoying, but an end of game bug that almost made it impossible for me to finish the game destroyed any goodwill the game had left.
- Unfortunately, the rest of the experience is severely impacted by incredibly frustrating gameplay and exploration. A Metroidvania with wonky platforming, annoying combat and a lack of direction is simply doomed to fail.
- Occasional technical hiccups are annoying, but an end of game bug that almost made it impossible for me to finish the game destroyed any goodwill the game had left.
2023
+ Unbelievably satisfying core puzzle loop, where you genuinely feel like the smartest person in the world when figuring things out.
+ Complex while never feeling overwhelming, and is neither too short nor drags on for too long.
+ Gorgeous minimalist artstyle.
- Slightly irritating and out-of-place stealth/action sequences.
- The final minutes of the game don't really land and are a strange diversion away from what makes the rest of the experience so good.
+ Complex while never feeling overwhelming, and is neither too short nor drags on for too long.
+ Gorgeous minimalist artstyle.
- Slightly irritating and out-of-place stealth/action sequences.
- The final minutes of the game don't really land and are a strange diversion away from what makes the rest of the experience so good.
+ Incredibly inventive and never stops surprising you with new ideas. Not knowing what's going to happen every time you pick up a Wonder Flower is a joy throughout.
+ While the art style isn't revolutionary, it's an improvement over the bland 'New' series, with the small 2D flourishes on collecting a power-up a particular highlight.
- An unpopular opinion I'm sure, but I've never been the biggest fan of the controls in 2D Mario games and this is no exception. Having to hold down the run button for 95% of the playtime is awkward and annoying.
- While the Wonder elements are incredible as mentioned above, the structure of the game is still largely unchanged from how the series was 30 years ago and is becoming a bit too formulaic.
+ While the art style isn't revolutionary, it's an improvement over the bland 'New' series, with the small 2D flourishes on collecting a power-up a particular highlight.
- An unpopular opinion I'm sure, but I've never been the biggest fan of the controls in 2D Mario games and this is no exception. Having to hold down the run button for 95% of the playtime is awkward and annoying.
- While the Wonder elements are incredible as mentioned above, the structure of the game is still largely unchanged from how the series was 30 years ago and is becoming a bit too formulaic.
2023
+ For a studio with little experience in the AAA space, the production values are remarkable. Attention to detail, visualsm sound and overall level of polish are all extremely impressive.
+ Well thought-out and interesting world and character design elevate it above other Soulslikes.
+ For the most part, the gameplay feels tight and satisfying, and (for the most part) relatively fair.
- A handful of bosses feel particularly egregious in their design, where it seems the solution ends up being trying to find a way to survive through brute force rather than skill.
- Still commits the same old sins that annoy me about all Soulslikes (tedious runbacks, multi-stage bosses, consumables being expendable and therefore largely redundant), although I understand this can be an unpopular opinion!
+ Well thought-out and interesting world and character design elevate it above other Soulslikes.
+ For the most part, the gameplay feels tight and satisfying, and (for the most part) relatively fair.
- A handful of bosses feel particularly egregious in their design, where it seems the solution ends up being trying to find a way to survive through brute force rather than skill.
- Still commits the same old sins that annoy me about all Soulslikes (tedious runbacks, multi-stage bosses, consumables being expendable and therefore largely redundant), although I understand this can be an unpopular opinion!
2022
+ Graphically impressive with beautiful world design.
+ Exploring the world is both fun, thanks to clever implementation of auto-platforming, and rewarding thanks to an abudance of secrets and hidden lore.
- Some frustrating 'chase' and 'combat' sequences that feel slightly out of place.
+ Exploring the world is both fun, thanks to clever implementation of auto-platforming, and rewarding thanks to an abudance of secrets and hidden lore.
- Some frustrating 'chase' and 'combat' sequences that feel slightly out of place.
2024
+ Very well voice acted, with a couple of interesting twists at the end of the story.
+ The overlay of the hand drawn characters is a nice touch which I would've liked to have seen the game lean more into.
- There's not enough to engage with from a gameplay level, and the minimal level of interaction hurts the experience.
- While there is a reasonably satisfying conclusion, the story as a whole isn't particularly interesting, and the level of mystery probably won't be enough for most people to see it through.
+ The overlay of the hand drawn characters is a nice touch which I would've liked to have seen the game lean more into.
- There's not enough to engage with from a gameplay level, and the minimal level of interaction hurts the experience.
- While there is a reasonably satisfying conclusion, the story as a whole isn't particularly interesting, and the level of mystery probably won't be enough for most people to see it through.
2023
+ Beautiful watercolour aesthetic gives a really nice sense of atmosphere and place.
- Exploring the world can feel a little bit tedious and awkward.
- While the story is nostalgic and occasionally heartwarming, it never really has any impact and ends far too suddenly to have any kind of effect.
- Exploring the world can feel a little bit tedious and awkward.
- While the story is nostalgic and occasionally heartwarming, it never really has any impact and ends far too suddenly to have any kind of effect.
2023
+ As tight and refined a Metroidvania experience as you'll find, even if it doesn't do anything particularly inventive.
+ Fantastic pixel art combined with grotesquely brilliant world and character design make one hell of a visual impression.
- Story and characters that left little to no impression on me.
- Frustrating difficulty spikes that felt like a turn off rather than a satisfying challenge.
+ Fantastic pixel art combined with grotesquely brilliant world and character design make one hell of a visual impression.
- Story and characters that left little to no impression on me.
- Frustrating difficulty spikes that felt like a turn off rather than a satisfying challenge.
+ Most importantly, the quality of puzzle design is still great. While minor gripes could be thrown at the rollercoaster level of difficulty when moving between areas, for the most part it really hits the sweet spot of making your brain work while rarely being frustrating.
+ Regardless of quality, an escalation in scale that could be compared to the giant leap between the two Portal games – the way the game has evolved from the original in so many ways is truly notable.
+ Absolutely stunning graphics and world design that make arriving in each new area a real joy.
+ An engaging story with interesting characters, strong dialogue and pretty great voice acting.
- Swaps out the more open-ended philosophical nature of the first for more of a mystery-style adventure which some fans of the first game might not like.
- The massive scale can get a little bit tedious towards the end when you are sprinting around for minutes at a time trying to cross off the last few puzzles.
+ Regardless of quality, an escalation in scale that could be compared to the giant leap between the two Portal games – the way the game has evolved from the original in so many ways is truly notable.
+ Absolutely stunning graphics and world design that make arriving in each new area a real joy.
+ An engaging story with interesting characters, strong dialogue and pretty great voice acting.
- Swaps out the more open-ended philosophical nature of the first for more of a mystery-style adventure which some fans of the first game might not like.
- The massive scale can get a little bit tedious towards the end when you are sprinting around for minutes at a time trying to cross off the last few puzzles.
2023
+ An RPG that wastes absolutely no time – never demanding any unnecessary backtracking or grinding.
+ A beautiful visual overhaul that also keeps the essence of the original.
- If anything, it's perhaps a little too straightforward, requiring very little thought or strategy to get through even a lot of the harder battles.
- All of the "mini-games" feel horrible to play and isometric platforming very rarely works.
+ A beautiful visual overhaul that also keeps the essence of the original.
- If anything, it's perhaps a little too straightforward, requiring very little thought or strategy to get through even a lot of the harder battles.
- All of the "mini-games" feel horrible to play and isometric platforming very rarely works.
+ Tight Metroidvania gameplay and satisfying melee combat make exploring the world and filling out the map seem compelling and rewarding.
+ Impressive world design and level of graphic fidelity from an independent first-timer developer.
- Completely forgettable story, poorly translated dialogue and ropey voice acting make any cutscenes a chore to get through.
+ Impressive world design and level of graphic fidelity from an independent first-timer developer.
- Completely forgettable story, poorly translated dialogue and ropey voice acting make any cutscenes a chore to get through.
2023
+ One of the best 'loops' I can think of that doesn't rely on being a roguelike. Catching fish and organising your storage is just as satisfying the 1000th time as the 1st.
+ Vibes, atmosphere and visuals work flawlessly together to create an uneasy and mysterious world that just demands to be explored.
- There's not a whole lot of time dedicated to what there is of a story, which means the ending feeling a bit flat.
- Also, once the story was completed, I felt there wasn't enough motivation to carry on and finish all the research/abberations etc.
+ Vibes, atmosphere and visuals work flawlessly together to create an uneasy and mysterious world that just demands to be explored.
- There's not a whole lot of time dedicated to what there is of a story, which means the ending feeling a bit flat.
- Also, once the story was completed, I felt there wasn't enough motivation to carry on and finish all the research/abberations etc.