baldur
you just have to respect how much this game goes for it. they went beast mode on this one. the gameplay is improved in pretty much every way from the first game. ai receives the biggest upgrade which is enough by itself to elevate this game over the first for me. enemy designs are also more varied and interesting, and the levels more spacious and creative. unfortunately, this game suffers fairly heavily from the constant narrative interruptions, especially the flashbacks and perspective shifts. i don't know if this story is ultimately all that well suited to this medium, which has kind of become a persistent issue with naughty dog's recent outings, including the first last of us. that being said, i found the narrative here, taken on its own merits, to be very engaging. and there's certainly a lot more congruity with the gameplay this time around since the story is so thematically occupied with the violence that you spend the bulk of your time performing. it's not perfect, of course - it's definitely a bloated story (and there are some rather questionable political undertones to the seraphite v WLF stuff) - but i'm prepared to forgive a number of missteps when it's so willing to take risks. i have nothing but praise to heap onto the voice actors, especially ashley johnson who gives what genuinely might be one of my favorite performances ever (?). just devastating stuff.
it all ultimately boils down to high highs and low lows. i found this game very mechanically satisfying to play, but there's an excess of barely interactable sequences that drag the gameplay down. likewise, i really enjoyed how audacious and transgressive the story was without ever feeling insincere or (entirely) misanthropic to me, but some of those swings miss, and it probably overstays its welcome. the reception that this game got is hilarious though. shoutout to naughty dog for proving beyond the shadow of a doubt that gamers are whiny, bigoted philistines
it all ultimately boils down to high highs and low lows. i found this game very mechanically satisfying to play, but there's an excess of barely interactable sequences that drag the gameplay down. likewise, i really enjoyed how audacious and transgressive the story was without ever feeling insincere or (entirely) misanthropic to me, but some of those swings miss, and it probably overstays its welcome. the reception that this game got is hilarious though. shoutout to naughty dog for proving beyond the shadow of a doubt that gamers are whiny, bigoted philistines
1988
honestly hilarious how much of a breeze this game is after playing through resurrection on legend difficulty. just a pleasant, relaxing experience.
1985
starts out pretty fun, quickly devolves into what can only be described as utter nonsense. no shame in playing this one with save states. gets some credit for being the starting point of a great series, but only really worth playing as a curiosity.
unfortunately not quite as great as the original ghouls 'n ghosts. the relative lack of offensive options is perplexing, the double jump feels gimmicky (and much of the platforming that accompanies it is frankly just bad), the autoscrollers go on for way too long, and the slowdown is unbearable at points. beneath all that, though, it's still ghouls 'n ghosts, and ghouls 'n ghosts is good.
1989
soundtrack's an absolute slapper
easily the hardest game in the series (on legend difficulty) - that is perhaps with the exception of the original ghosts n goblins, but the crucial difference there is that this game achieves its difficulty through grueling yet mostly fair obstacles that you can learn to overcome with time and effort, while the original ghosts n goblins just decides to throw a bunch of bullshit at you after the second level. going back to that game made me appreciate all the more how intricately crafted this one is, how it takes something from every prior title in the series to create something special.
typing this out, i'm reminded of another game from this year that represented the revival of a classic franchise: metroid dread. while i initially really liked that game (and still do), i've been somewhat souring on it as time has passed, and that's mostly because i came to the realization that while the reverence it has for the legacy of its series is certainly apparent, it didn't actually meaningfully improve on the formula. for the most part it walks into the same pitfalls as the gba titles, and remains completely outclassed by super metroid. resurrection is a stark contrast; it actually takes lessons from its series history and not only manages to translate the gameplay faithfully to a modern era but improves on its design by leaps and bounds. it's a game that stays true not just to the iconography of the series but its spirit and design as well, while simultaneously not being afraid to make alterations where needed. needless to say, i think it's a great game. it went pretty underlooked, which is a shame, because i think the industry really needs more games like this.
typing this out, i'm reminded of another game from this year that represented the revival of a classic franchise: metroid dread. while i initially really liked that game (and still do), i've been somewhat souring on it as time has passed, and that's mostly because i came to the realization that while the reverence it has for the legacy of its series is certainly apparent, it didn't actually meaningfully improve on the formula. for the most part it walks into the same pitfalls as the gba titles, and remains completely outclassed by super metroid. resurrection is a stark contrast; it actually takes lessons from its series history and not only manages to translate the gameplay faithfully to a modern era but improves on its design by leaps and bounds. it's a game that stays true not just to the iconography of the series but its spirit and design as well, while simultaneously not being afraid to make alterations where needed. needless to say, i think it's a great game. it went pretty underlooked, which is a shame, because i think the industry really needs more games like this.
1991
weakest castlevania i've played so far. while not outright terrible it feels like it was designed pretty haphazardly, which leads to a lot of frustration. the platforming can get really obtuse and irritating, and the insta-kill hazards were the primary reason for most of my deaths. bosses are either far too easy or straight up unfair. simon takes up way too much space on the screen and whipping in all directions completely trivializes sub-weapons, as many have noted. the garish visuals and generally cheesy presentation has charm, but is not really my cup of tea; ditto for the soundtrack. i'm very thankful bloodlines walked back on many of the changes this game made to the formula - i have even more respect for that game now.
2019
more of whatever this genre is please
This review contains spoilers
the whole conceit here is misguided in that it barely feels like outer wilds, even if a lot of the individual components are good. i like the added focus on horror, though the stealth sections were pushing it for me - the ways you learn to bypass said sections were a highlight, but by the time you make those discoveries they've kind of outlived their usefulness, which feels like a missed opportunity. the slide reels were unequivocally great, though, and honestly a more interesting way of conveying information than the translated text of the base game. really, a lot of stuff here is quite good and intriguing once you manage to let go of your expectations of it being an outer wilds expansion, but i feel like that kind of gets at the heart of the problem. there's just an inescapable tension between what this expansion is trying to do and what the base game is, a tension that you feel every time the time loop (the central mechanic of the game!) rips you out of the experience and forces you to slog your way back to the stranger.
i'm a bit of an apologist for this game as it was my introduction to the series, but i frankly wonder if this is even a good entry point - the first two hours are good at easing new players in difficulty-wise, but the songs are so bland that it really fails to make a strong impression, especially in comparison to the other games. really doesn't help that remixes are completely absent to begin with either (and when they finally do arrive most of them are only just fine). and my god, were the added story elements that force you to sit through an avalanche of text a misstep, even if tibby is endearing in his own little way. so yeah, lots of misguided stuff here but once you get through those opening hours the game really starts to pick up.
there are some interesting changes to the formula that shouldn't be overlooked - the bottom screen that visualizes your timing is a welcome addition as far as i'm concerned, as are the skill stars. i'm of two minds when it comes to the new rating system; it's probably a little too lenient, but the old system which centered mostly around one or two tricky moments in a song was definitely in need of updating as well (the skill stars are, at least conceptually, a better substitute for rewarding this sort of mastery).
ultimately, this is a game full of classic rhythm heaven content, along with new content that is mostly up to par, so it's still a pretty damn solid package all things considered. the main issue is just that design-wise it's not really appealing to either beginners or veterans.
there are some interesting changes to the formula that shouldn't be overlooked - the bottom screen that visualizes your timing is a welcome addition as far as i'm concerned, as are the skill stars. i'm of two minds when it comes to the new rating system; it's probably a little too lenient, but the old system which centered mostly around one or two tricky moments in a song was definitely in need of updating as well (the skill stars are, at least conceptually, a better substitute for rewarding this sort of mastery).
ultimately, this is a game full of classic rhythm heaven content, along with new content that is mostly up to par, so it's still a pretty damn solid package all things considered. the main issue is just that design-wise it's not really appealing to either beginners or veterans.
2022
2021
This review contains spoilers
i have a feeling this will be an unpopular take, but honestly? i think this game is held back by its art game ambitions and attempts at meta trickery. the first act is wonderfully atmospheric and full of intrigue, but its mysteries prove to be more interesting than the answers provided in the coming two acts.
the surprise of the second act's visual switch-up isn't enough to make up for how aesthetically boring it is in comparison. gameplay also takes a nosedive when it ditches roguelike tension for increasingly bloated mechanics. to its credit, the game manages to pick itself up a little in the third act, but by that point the charm has largely worn off. i also cannot emphasise how much everything about luke carder is just a total misfire.
that being said, inscryption is still pretty neat. the game earns itself a lot of goodwill with its first act, and there are memorable moments later on as well, especially in the third act. i enjoyed my time with it, but anything that peaks as early as this does can't help but leave you feeling bitter for the rest of it.
the surprise of the second act's visual switch-up isn't enough to make up for how aesthetically boring it is in comparison. gameplay also takes a nosedive when it ditches roguelike tension for increasingly bloated mechanics. to its credit, the game manages to pick itself up a little in the third act, but by that point the charm has largely worn off. i also cannot emphasise how much everything about luke carder is just a total misfire.
that being said, inscryption is still pretty neat. the game earns itself a lot of goodwill with its first act, and there are memorable moments later on as well, especially in the third act. i enjoyed my time with it, but anything that peaks as early as this does can't help but leave you feeling bitter for the rest of it.
a game that makes up for its numerous flaws - dull environments, half-baked stealth, terrible menu navigation, janky levels, lack of mechanical depth, scuffed difficulty balancing and STICK WAGGLING - by reaching some of the most brain-melting highs in the history of its medium. this game really needed a sequel man
2011
no other game has ever come close to occupying my brain space as thoroughly as this one has. by far the best selection of games and remixes in the series, not a single dud here
2014
love this one, and i wish i still had a viable avenue to replay it. what starts out as seeming like a fairly innocuous babby's first psychological horror quickly evolves into something utterly deranged, oblique and unique; i still remember when this first came out, playing this home alone - save for my friend who was also with me - lights turned off in a juvenile attempt at proving our bravery to each other, frantically wading through the frenzied online discussion and vague, contradictory instructions on how to progress. in a cultural era obsessed with haunted game cartridges and creepypastas, this thing frightened and thrilled me like nothing else. to this day i dont think any game captured that zeitgeist as effectively and elegantly as this did, and 8 years later i still find the horror impressive. in hindsight, i think this was a pretty formative game for me. it's a shame that it was denied the opportunity to blossom into something greater.