andrewnebz
1992
More a 6.5 than a 7. I see this game as the real first Sonic game--the philosophy taken to heart by pretty much all future installments was solidified here far more than it was established in Sonic 1. But like Sonic 1, after its bangers, it has levels that feel antithetical to the very concept of fun.
As a Zelda fan since age 5... This might be the series entry masterful enough to dethrone Twilight Princess as my favorite. I don't say that lightly, especially as a BotW skeptic. Genuine game of all time material.
2023
Yo, this is on here? Tight, it's probably gonna be in my top 10 (maybe 5) games of the year. I love it the way I love Undertale--as a game that feels like an art piece in the best ways possible. This Doom map of all things is the best Silent Hill game since Silent Hill 2. Do make sure to engage with the Google Drive files when you play, it's the clear intent for the full experience.
Revisiting it now, it becomes playable once you unlock Toon Link. Subspace holds up in every way I wanted it to. Future Smash soundtracks are kinda cheating their way to superiority to Brawl's by including all of Brawl's and then some. I pretty much only prefer playing Ultimate because of objectively better game feel and a roster pulled straight out of Mugen.
It was cute. Think I prefer Lego Batman 3. Caught myself wondering why the game was playing itself at numerous points. Lego games have always been good at simple fun, but that shouldn't have to mean dumbing things down to the degree of automated platforming. The efforts to increase depth of combat are appreciated, but I don't think that evolution hit its stride until Skywalker Saga.
Dunno man, just don't really feel like this game offered anything you wouldn't already get out of other more cornerstone-y Lego titles.
Dunno man, just don't really feel like this game offered anything you wouldn't already get out of other more cornerstone-y Lego titles.
2023
The cafeteria sequence alone is probably the single coolest game of 2023. Likely to make my top 5 of the year, easily.
Definitely was interesting to see just how much Lego games have grown up without me. It's an enjoyable experience, though for different reasons than prior Lego Star Wars ventures--this game really feels like playing the movies themselves, where the old ones feel more like an actual adaptation befitting of the video game medium. Which isn't to say this one lacks substance or anything, it's just delivered so differently. And once you've gotten past the story, the game's biggest strength has got to be its open world being yours for the taking as its enormous roster of characters. But alas, it is a kids' game, and my fondness for the old ones comes from the fact I was once the kid they were meant for. Glad these games can still deliver good times to youngsters, but I may stick to games of greater challenge.
A fine baby's first Souls-like, a GREAT isolated Star Wars story. Merrin please DM me.
The original trilogy levels are just the first game again but worse (including a consistent crash point I had on the Wii as a kid so I couldn't finish them even if I wanted to), and the Crystal Skull levels are just lame and boring. Thank god TT figured out what went wrong with their ideas introduced here in time for Harry Potter.
2021
tl;dr - Buy Psychonauts 2 with money.
Just as excellent as the first game for different reasons. Where it lacks the same sharp and relentless sense of humor from long ago, it makes up for it in well-explored poignancy of its characters. Perhaps at the risk of losing some memorability or opportunity for creative puzzle-solving, the gameplay is much more streamlined and will never leave you looking up guides--a lack of obtuseness I welcome after a certain amount of frustration with lack of clarity in the predecessor. And dear god, the presentation. The soundtrack is a standout of the experience (the way the orchestra swells during the late-game combat theme, WEW.) Higher fidelity models and textures are one thing for enhancing the visual style, but the animation is what really gets me--fundamentally, Raz doesn't look too different when standing still, but in motion the kid's got a better energy about him than ever before. Some character designs look more in line with the likes of Broken Age this time around, and I welcome that eclecticism. It shows how much the studio has learned and grown over the years. They did a double fine job on Psychonauts, yet again.
Just as excellent as the first game for different reasons. Where it lacks the same sharp and relentless sense of humor from long ago, it makes up for it in well-explored poignancy of its characters. Perhaps at the risk of losing some memorability or opportunity for creative puzzle-solving, the gameplay is much more streamlined and will never leave you looking up guides--a lack of obtuseness I welcome after a certain amount of frustration with lack of clarity in the predecessor. And dear god, the presentation. The soundtrack is a standout of the experience (the way the orchestra swells during the late-game combat theme, WEW.) Higher fidelity models and textures are one thing for enhancing the visual style, but the animation is what really gets me--fundamentally, Raz doesn't look too different when standing still, but in motion the kid's got a better energy about him than ever before. Some character designs look more in line with the likes of Broken Age this time around, and I welcome that eclecticism. It shows how much the studio has learned and grown over the years. They did a double fine job on Psychonauts, yet again.
Love me some Psychonauts, but I didn't really see any reason that this piece of the puzzle had to be VR, given its fairly low stakes point-and-click format. Enjoyable couple hours though, I just don't think fans who watched playthroughs or skipped it entirely need any guilt weighing on them about it.
2005
Would it be reductive to call this the EarthBound of platformers? Maybe, but the comparisons feel inevitable.
I recommend it as a guide game. Some parts can feel harshly counter-intuitive with gameplay not indicating what to do next. The story, style and characters are all delightful though, and Raz's moveset is plenty of fun to use. Looking forward to playing the next one when I can!
Oh, and let me know if you need any pro-tips for the Meat Circus. There were a handful of moments my sheer spite led me to find skips, LOL
I recommend it as a guide game. Some parts can feel harshly counter-intuitive with gameplay not indicating what to do next. The story, style and characters are all delightful though, and Raz's moveset is plenty of fun to use. Looking forward to playing the next one when I can!
Oh, and let me know if you need any pro-tips for the Meat Circus. There were a handful of moments my sheer spite led me to find skips, LOL
2016
This is the best Doom game because it has all the weapons of Doom 2 with none of the enemies that suck to fight.
2019
How do you even review this game? It's fuckin' DOOM. Uhhh... I guess I wasn't into the rocky start of the first few Inferno levels? That's it, that's like, the only time I wasn't having as much fun. Still as effortlessly "all a video game needs to be" as it ever was. I like the 2016 reboot more from personal preference, but this game is a cornerstone that should be played by anyone that respects video games.
2014
[Played on keyboard and mouse on Normal difficulty; played previously with classic graphics on Easy difficulty--this is mostly a re-review]
Can't really complain about the shiny coat of paint this time, since they really put the work in. Shame about no Breaking Benjamin on the cool new visuals but I understand (and can always press Tab.)
Oh, Halo 2. You beautiful campaign held together by duct tape and dreams, you. All the praise I had to give it my first time around still applies, but the bits that were duds stood out to me more on a second go.
A third or so of the levels feel like they end too suddenly or feel somewhat redundant next to similar ones or the ones that carry on the same story beat. Also, this game's Brutes and their bullet spongey nature can suck a fat one. Maybe it's a bigger concern on higher difficulties, but I didn't struggle much with the fabled sniper Jackals. Generally speaking, I think Halo 2's big issue is the consistency of its execution of concepts and mechanics. Because when it's good, it's really good! But when it isn't, it sticks out.
The standout example of that for me though, is the boss fights. It's really no wonder Bungie didn't really try Halo boss fights again, they're all kind of jokes here. The Heretic Leader just shows in the cutscene which are the holograms and which is his true self, so a well-placed plasma grenade is all that takes. I think the difficulty with the Prophet of Regret encounter is supposed to be his Honor Guards overwhelming you, but they've really not been able to get the better of me, so he always goes down laughably pathetically. And on this playthrough, I wasn't even around to see what happened to Tartarus. Did I beat him with my energy sword attack as he entered the gravity lift? Or was that attack enough to soften him up for an ally to finish him? Nobody can say. I didn't know he was dead until the victory lap of cutscenes kicked in unexpectedly.
Still a good campaign. I find its healthy doses of bullshit are enough to make Easy difficulty the more enjoyable option though, and it averages out to my least favorite of the classic trilogy. The best and most interesting the main Halo story gets, even if 3 is all about cathartic payoff, and ODST pulls the Firefly alumni cheat code.
Can't really complain about the shiny coat of paint this time, since they really put the work in. Shame about no Breaking Benjamin on the cool new visuals but I understand (and can always press Tab.)
Oh, Halo 2. You beautiful campaign held together by duct tape and dreams, you. All the praise I had to give it my first time around still applies, but the bits that were duds stood out to me more on a second go.
A third or so of the levels feel like they end too suddenly or feel somewhat redundant next to similar ones or the ones that carry on the same story beat. Also, this game's Brutes and their bullet spongey nature can suck a fat one. Maybe it's a bigger concern on higher difficulties, but I didn't struggle much with the fabled sniper Jackals. Generally speaking, I think Halo 2's big issue is the consistency of its execution of concepts and mechanics. Because when it's good, it's really good! But when it isn't, it sticks out.
The standout example of that for me though, is the boss fights. It's really no wonder Bungie didn't really try Halo boss fights again, they're all kind of jokes here. The Heretic Leader just shows in the cutscene which are the holograms and which is his true self, so a well-placed plasma grenade is all that takes. I think the difficulty with the Prophet of Regret encounter is supposed to be his Honor Guards overwhelming you, but they've really not been able to get the better of me, so he always goes down laughably pathetically. And on this playthrough, I wasn't even around to see what happened to Tartarus. Did I beat him with my energy sword attack as he entered the gravity lift? Or was that attack enough to soften him up for an ally to finish him? Nobody can say. I didn't know he was dead until the victory lap of cutscenes kicked in unexpectedly.
Still a good campaign. I find its healthy doses of bullshit are enough to make Easy difficulty the more enjoyable option though, and it averages out to my least favorite of the classic trilogy. The best and most interesting the main Halo story gets, even if 3 is all about cathartic payoff, and ODST pulls the Firefly alumni cheat code.