caelohm
BACKER
2016
I'm so unbelievably split on this game. It is made for a specific type of person, the type of person who wants a very chill game play experience, enjoys trial and error, and doesn't mind there being no end to their play through. All of those things sound very boring to me, but I suppose that's my preference. Nevertheless, I will rate the game even though it's not made for me.
I can see how co-op with your significant other in this game is popular because it is in my opinion a game that appeals more to women. It's like a way to get them to play video games with you even if it's your not your first choice (speaking from a male perspective).
I can't help but feel after looking at this new 1.6 update for the game that the creator is sort of lost on what people are looking for as new features. This game has so many crazy cool mods that it is straight up 2x better with mods. Having a game with tons of mods is not a great sign imo. I will never hold back a low rating because "the mods save it". People shouldn't be expected to mod something to make the best version of the game.
It seems to me that players know what they want more than the creator, or have more ambition than the creator because it's one person who made this entire game. That's a lot of responsibility it's mind boggling to me.
Browse the mods for this game and you'll see what I mean.
https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/?BH=0
One I would never be able to play this game without is movement speed increase, the slow movement speed is really annoying. https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/2736
Yeah I get that you get a horse with a stable but that takes quite a while when you don't know what you're doing. And yes I know that you can drink coffee or eat food for a speed boost too.
Another issue I have is there are lots of wiki lookup moments because the game doesn't do a good job of explaining it's mechanics naturally through game play. For example how you have no idea what gifts npcs like or don't like. For that I use this mod https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/6564
The entire game is framed around either not caring what is most efficient or relying on the player to figure it out on your own. A methodology I hate to endorse.
The other thing I don't like which is again part of the appeal that doesn't appeal, is the game is so jam packed with shit, and a lot of the shit I don't really care about. The thing that does appeal to me in this game is variety in aesthetics, mechanics, and storytelling. Like oh I talk to this specific seller in the game to get this exotic plant, and now it is treated differently because it's a different plant. Or I chose this relationship and that led to a interesting event. Or I can make my house japanese themed. Or now since I neglected this relationship, something bad happened. Or I can have a ton of crazy animals and they all need to be cared for differently.
This game kind of just gives you options and you're left to draw your own conclusions, and my interpretation is then there is no conclusion/lesson/reason.
This game doesn't commit all the way, it holds back because the scope of what I am talking about is complicated. Or because it's made by one person. Or because it wants to be simple. Either way I wish it was different.
I can see how co-op with your significant other in this game is popular because it is in my opinion a game that appeals more to women. It's like a way to get them to play video games with you even if it's your not your first choice (speaking from a male perspective).
I can't help but feel after looking at this new 1.6 update for the game that the creator is sort of lost on what people are looking for as new features. This game has so many crazy cool mods that it is straight up 2x better with mods. Having a game with tons of mods is not a great sign imo. I will never hold back a low rating because "the mods save it". People shouldn't be expected to mod something to make the best version of the game.
It seems to me that players know what they want more than the creator, or have more ambition than the creator because it's one person who made this entire game. That's a lot of responsibility it's mind boggling to me.
Browse the mods for this game and you'll see what I mean.
https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/?BH=0
One I would never be able to play this game without is movement speed increase, the slow movement speed is really annoying. https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/2736
Yeah I get that you get a horse with a stable but that takes quite a while when you don't know what you're doing. And yes I know that you can drink coffee or eat food for a speed boost too.
Another issue I have is there are lots of wiki lookup moments because the game doesn't do a good job of explaining it's mechanics naturally through game play. For example how you have no idea what gifts npcs like or don't like. For that I use this mod https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/6564
The entire game is framed around either not caring what is most efficient or relying on the player to figure it out on your own. A methodology I hate to endorse.
The other thing I don't like which is again part of the appeal that doesn't appeal, is the game is so jam packed with shit, and a lot of the shit I don't really care about. The thing that does appeal to me in this game is variety in aesthetics, mechanics, and storytelling. Like oh I talk to this specific seller in the game to get this exotic plant, and now it is treated differently because it's a different plant. Or I chose this relationship and that led to a interesting event. Or I can make my house japanese themed. Or now since I neglected this relationship, something bad happened. Or I can have a ton of crazy animals and they all need to be cared for differently.
This game kind of just gives you options and you're left to draw your own conclusions, and my interpretation is then there is no conclusion/lesson/reason.
This game doesn't commit all the way, it holds back because the scope of what I am talking about is complicated. Or because it's made by one person. Or because it wants to be simple. Either way I wish it was different.
2023
stunlock city
2024
Now you REALLY have no excuse to play real poker and lose thousands of dollars.
Nevermind just play the gamecube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK4zrJwYtSk
8/10 for mere concept and thorough execution. This gimmick makes so much sense, it feels like pokemon was designed to be played like this. Pokemon has always suffered from misguided goals. "Beat the pokemon league", "catch 'em all", "Be the very best". What some pokemon hacks fail to realize is those goals are easy when you're given unlimited combat options and unlimited documentation. On top of that how god damn tedious their game is because pokemon was designed to be an absolute slog to play.
Pokemon Emerald Rogue narrows your focus and limits your options. It bridges the gap between using (basically) unlimited combat items + pokemon to cheese the game and playing on set mode with self-imposed nuzlocke rules.
Lots of things in pokemon are up to chance, and it makes more sense that way. Having a chance to find a legendary or permanent buff instead of always getting that every single playthrough keeps things fair and forces you to try new things. Most people only use what they have always used because why would you not choose the most powerful option? Why would you not make an unbeatable team? If you don't, you're just gonna have to grind your life away to make another.
It all becomes very monotonous. This hack plays to pokemon's own strengths. You have hundreds of pokemon to choose from who are all very interesting with their own mechanics, randomize the pokemon to prevent them from using the same party. This also helps you become familiar with each pokemon's traits so when you face a pokemon you've already used, you don't need to look it up or guess. Force the player to adapt instead of feeding them the same experience over and over is what pokemon has been missing and what people ultimately chase for when playing vanilla pokemon. You have to go through all these hoops to make the game you want to play. This one just did all the work for you and said "be free".
On top of that, this adds all the features you could ever want without all the logistics. "Where do I get that mega stone? oh great now I have to use these 3 HMs." Or "How do I evolve this pokemon again? Oh great I have to wait for nighttime." Or "I don't want to play gen 3 pokemon, I love gen 4 too much." Or "Great now I have to walk cause I haven't learned fly yet". This is not why people play the game, they play it for the strategy! Strategy is not looking something up and spending hours to get what you want to win, strategy is not having what you need and dealing with it.
And then putting an extra RNG twist so that when you lose, you can just blame it on the game and that keeps you playing because now you avoided the responsibility that you just misplayed it. You keep playing and naturally get better.
The only thing this is really missing is great graphics (like gen 4 or 5) and traversal mechanics that aren't teleporting you to a new map. Something extra to make it make sense, some story, stage design, unique character interactions. Although, as you introduce that, you have to be careful. Making a roguelite means you want to keep repeated interaction to a minimum.
Pokemon Emerald Rogue narrows your focus and limits your options. It bridges the gap between using (basically) unlimited combat items + pokemon to cheese the game and playing on set mode with self-imposed nuzlocke rules.
Lots of things in pokemon are up to chance, and it makes more sense that way. Having a chance to find a legendary or permanent buff instead of always getting that every single playthrough keeps things fair and forces you to try new things. Most people only use what they have always used because why would you not choose the most powerful option? Why would you not make an unbeatable team? If you don't, you're just gonna have to grind your life away to make another.
It all becomes very monotonous. This hack plays to pokemon's own strengths. You have hundreds of pokemon to choose from who are all very interesting with their own mechanics, randomize the pokemon to prevent them from using the same party. This also helps you become familiar with each pokemon's traits so when you face a pokemon you've already used, you don't need to look it up or guess. Force the player to adapt instead of feeding them the same experience over and over is what pokemon has been missing and what people ultimately chase for when playing vanilla pokemon. You have to go through all these hoops to make the game you want to play. This one just did all the work for you and said "be free".
On top of that, this adds all the features you could ever want without all the logistics. "Where do I get that mega stone? oh great now I have to use these 3 HMs." Or "How do I evolve this pokemon again? Oh great I have to wait for nighttime." Or "I don't want to play gen 3 pokemon, I love gen 4 too much." Or "Great now I have to walk cause I haven't learned fly yet". This is not why people play the game, they play it for the strategy! Strategy is not looking something up and spending hours to get what you want to win, strategy is not having what you need and dealing with it.
And then putting an extra RNG twist so that when you lose, you can just blame it on the game and that keeps you playing because now you avoided the responsibility that you just misplayed it. You keep playing and naturally get better.
The only thing this is really missing is great graphics (like gen 4 or 5) and traversal mechanics that aren't teleporting you to a new map. Something extra to make it make sense, some story, stage design, unique character interactions. Although, as you introduce that, you have to be careful. Making a roguelite means you want to keep repeated interaction to a minimum.
2023
I kinda like the original more. The story and casting changes did more hurt than help. They removed the hilarious pulse rifle secondary fire, and the minigame section is just worse.
The only thing I can say is better in this game is obviously the graphics, but that is not really a selling point to me ever. I feel like the new graphics just made things less scary. Great, now I need a crazy graphics card to play this. Yippie.
They added some cool combat cutscenes, and reworked the space sections, but in my opinion it's not a drastic change, and the flying makes it difficult for the enemies to get near you. They just jump at you or shoot projectiles, I feel invincible flying around.
There were times where I had to watch the same cutscene I already watched because it autosaves outside the unskipable cutscene. Annoying.
I played this on hard, and I kinda wish they just ditched the easy-hard difficulty model. There are more bells and whistles with the upgrade trees, something I didn't really wish was there.
I can't tell if it's not scary to me because I've played the game already and know what's coming/am really good at the combat, or if it's just the design of this remake. Probably a combination of both.
I remember playing the original all day Saturday and Sunday, this game is longer with no sort of payoff.
I get that they tried to make things make more sense, but part of the appeal of the game to me is that shit doesn't make sense. It makes it scarier and more interesting to me.
The only thing I can say is better in this game is obviously the graphics, but that is not really a selling point to me ever. I feel like the new graphics just made things less scary. Great, now I need a crazy graphics card to play this. Yippie.
They added some cool combat cutscenes, and reworked the space sections, but in my opinion it's not a drastic change, and the flying makes it difficult for the enemies to get near you. They just jump at you or shoot projectiles, I feel invincible flying around.
There were times where I had to watch the same cutscene I already watched because it autosaves outside the unskipable cutscene. Annoying.
I played this on hard, and I kinda wish they just ditched the easy-hard difficulty model. There are more bells and whistles with the upgrade trees, something I didn't really wish was there.
I can't tell if it's not scary to me because I've played the game already and know what's coming/am really good at the combat, or if it's just the design of this remake. Probably a combination of both.
I remember playing the original all day Saturday and Sunday, this game is longer with no sort of payoff.
I get that they tried to make things make more sense, but part of the appeal of the game to me is that shit doesn't make sense. It makes it scarier and more interesting to me.
2023
Pretty funny with friends and unique, which is very important given how saturated the game market is.
The number of games I can play with friends that doesn't make me want to shoot my brains out is pretty small compared to the list of single player games I could be playing.
A game needs to stand out, and lethal company stands out with it's simple gameplay loop that anyone can pick up with a horror twist. The items up for sale are valuable and fun although the world is unassuming enough for you to believe you don't need them until you die over and over.
The terminal is interesting and a good tutorial paired with scanning. The terminal and in-game proximity voice chat gives you that hacker industrial mechanic feeling.
One complaint I would give is how you can't type "buy [item]" twice, you have to confirm for every item you want to purchase.
There is no ending to the game which is a shame because every time I play it I have no idea what I'm playing it for.
The number of games I can play with friends that doesn't make me want to shoot my brains out is pretty small compared to the list of single player games I could be playing.
A game needs to stand out, and lethal company stands out with it's simple gameplay loop that anyone can pick up with a horror twist. The items up for sale are valuable and fun although the world is unassuming enough for you to believe you don't need them until you die over and over.
The terminal is interesting and a good tutorial paired with scanning. The terminal and in-game proximity voice chat gives you that hacker industrial mechanic feeling.
One complaint I would give is how you can't type "buy [item]" twice, you have to confirm for every item you want to purchase.
There is no ending to the game which is a shame because every time I play it I have no idea what I'm playing it for.
2016
I'm about 25 hours in and already this is one of my favorite games ever. If you want a game where strategy is the most important part of the game, look no further.
In order to do things efficiently, there is an optimal solution, but doing what is optimal is not necessary to enjoy yourself. The solution you create can be unique to you and your base.
I love how the positioning of your assemblers, trains, turrets, inserters, conveyor belts etc. are so important. How much clarity there is visually, making it very easy to understand what is going wrong. How the pollution you create pisses off the wildlife. The creator(s) made it really easy not to sympathize with the environment, so don't take the lessons of this game to heart lol. Trees are always in your way, the creatures are ugly as fuck, and polluting the world is extremely fun.
Despite the theme of the game, the artstyle I think is phenomenal. Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress, and many other 2D Strategy games like Planescape Torment, Roller Coaster Tycoon, or Starcraft have nothing on this. Especially when you factor in mods like Space Exploration and Alien Biomes. Obviously there are better 2D artstyles but for games that focus on 2D isometric worlds with sort of level builder assets, this one takes the cake for me.
The 50 hour minimum playtime may seem daunting, but every second I play this game I feel like I'm making giant progress. When I compare that to other resource dependent games like Minecraft and Terraria, you can get shit done so fucking fast in this game.
The only hiccup of factorio is also a strength. It is complicated, there is a learning curve for each and every mechanic. It's a lot like Terraria but with less of an emphasis on combat and more of an emphasis on automation. Yeah you can automate things in Terraria like enemy farms for example, but it's not really necessary unless you are looking for a rare item. It is 100% necessary to automate and think about scalability in Factorio.
I hate Terraria rare items. RNG is gross, ewe yucky no. As far as I can tell, this game is largely about your skill. Yes there are luck elements like getting a good world seed and apparently there is a quality feature for things being produced, but those are minor luck factors. You don't need luck if you know what you're doing. Luck in my mind is bullshit to prolong the playtime of a game.
If you know what you're doing, you can also play with other people and teach them how to play which is amazing because there's a lot to teach.
The other thing that really sets this game over the edge is in comparison to Terraria, each mechanic is distinct from one another and I can't really say Terraria is like that. Terraria kind of sticks to a formula that makes it monotonous or tiring. That is not the case here.
Every challenge I have faced is completely do-able and fair vanilla, no mods. There has very clearly been a lot of effort put into Quality of Life features. And then turns out mods are built into the game even though you don't need them, based and red pilled.
It is no wonder this is a game loved by engineers. Engineering is oftentimes convoluted and confusing, and once you get a grasp on one part of the picture, 10 more confusing logistics arise. In real life there is always more work to be done and always something you should understand when you don't. Unlike real engineering, this game ends and it is possible for you to have a complete grasp on every facet of this game. To me, that is what makes it appealing. It feels just as complicated as real engineering without being an infinite chasm.
EDIT:
I do NOT endorse playing this game with overhaul mods before you complete the base game. Terrible idea, don't do it. I have 225 hours in the game now, and I haven't completed the base game after starting a space exploration and then krastorio 2 play through on my own. This game already has enough complexity in the base game to make you satisfied. All the overhaul mods do is add unnecessary playtime, all I really learned from doing the overhaul mods is how to make sushi belts. https://youtu.be/dCqpkF3xx0U?si=uFTK29OaU21tfIpm
The problem with making this game too complicated is your builds need to be bulletproof. No bad building practices can exist when you start the overhaul mods. Otherwise you'll be doing some dumb shit that takes forever.
The worst thing you can do playing this game is make too much of a resource just to play it safe for the future, or ponder over the smallest efficiency at low volume, then realize that you didn't need to do any of that for the late game and regretting how you spent your time.
In order to do things efficiently, there is an optimal solution, but doing what is optimal is not necessary to enjoy yourself. The solution you create can be unique to you and your base.
I love how the positioning of your assemblers, trains, turrets, inserters, conveyor belts etc. are so important. How much clarity there is visually, making it very easy to understand what is going wrong. How the pollution you create pisses off the wildlife. The creator(s) made it really easy not to sympathize with the environment, so don't take the lessons of this game to heart lol. Trees are always in your way, the creatures are ugly as fuck, and polluting the world is extremely fun.
Despite the theme of the game, the artstyle I think is phenomenal. Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress, and many other 2D Strategy games like Planescape Torment, Roller Coaster Tycoon, or Starcraft have nothing on this. Especially when you factor in mods like Space Exploration and Alien Biomes. Obviously there are better 2D artstyles but for games that focus on 2D isometric worlds with sort of level builder assets, this one takes the cake for me.
The 50 hour minimum playtime may seem daunting, but every second I play this game I feel like I'm making giant progress. When I compare that to other resource dependent games like Minecraft and Terraria, you can get shit done so fucking fast in this game.
The only hiccup of factorio is also a strength. It is complicated, there is a learning curve for each and every mechanic. It's a lot like Terraria but with less of an emphasis on combat and more of an emphasis on automation. Yeah you can automate things in Terraria like enemy farms for example, but it's not really necessary unless you are looking for a rare item. It is 100% necessary to automate and think about scalability in Factorio.
I hate Terraria rare items. RNG is gross, ewe yucky no. As far as I can tell, this game is largely about your skill. Yes there are luck elements like getting a good world seed and apparently there is a quality feature for things being produced, but those are minor luck factors. You don't need luck if you know what you're doing. Luck in my mind is bullshit to prolong the playtime of a game.
If you know what you're doing, you can also play with other people and teach them how to play which is amazing because there's a lot to teach.
The other thing that really sets this game over the edge is in comparison to Terraria, each mechanic is distinct from one another and I can't really say Terraria is like that. Terraria kind of sticks to a formula that makes it monotonous or tiring. That is not the case here.
Every challenge I have faced is completely do-able and fair vanilla, no mods. There has very clearly been a lot of effort put into Quality of Life features. And then turns out mods are built into the game even though you don't need them, based and red pilled.
It is no wonder this is a game loved by engineers. Engineering is oftentimes convoluted and confusing, and once you get a grasp on one part of the picture, 10 more confusing logistics arise. In real life there is always more work to be done and always something you should understand when you don't. Unlike real engineering, this game ends and it is possible for you to have a complete grasp on every facet of this game. To me, that is what makes it appealing. It feels just as complicated as real engineering without being an infinite chasm.
EDIT:
I do NOT endorse playing this game with overhaul mods before you complete the base game. Terrible idea, don't do it. I have 225 hours in the game now, and I haven't completed the base game after starting a space exploration and then krastorio 2 play through on my own. This game already has enough complexity in the base game to make you satisfied. All the overhaul mods do is add unnecessary playtime, all I really learned from doing the overhaul mods is how to make sushi belts. https://youtu.be/dCqpkF3xx0U?si=uFTK29OaU21tfIpm
The problem with making this game too complicated is your builds need to be bulletproof. No bad building practices can exist when you start the overhaul mods. Otherwise you'll be doing some dumb shit that takes forever.
The worst thing you can do playing this game is make too much of a resource just to play it safe for the future, or ponder over the smallest efficiency at low volume, then realize that you didn't need to do any of that for the late game and regretting how you spent your time.
2001
It was annoying not knowing that the yellow pikmin pick up explosive rocks and that you can throw them further than other pikmin. Maybe it teaches you this but I missed the memo.
I hate how yellow pikmin drop the bomb when you call them back after throwing them. I blew up my pikmin so many times because dropping the bomb is not mapped to a separate button.
Once I figured out that the C-stick isn't useless and helps you move around, the game got a lot easier.
All of my gripes with this game are fundamental gameplay elements, like pikmin getting stuck on the environment because they're getting in each other's way. Or farming gold blobs to make the pikmin faster and stronger (which I feel is mandatory because otherwise they are way too hard to control). Or feeling helpless when your pikmin get eaten. Or how pikmin pick grass or pick certain things up when you don't ask them to, and you have to call them back every fucking time. Or you can't see 5 feet in front of you because the map is pitch black. Or how it takes forever to break a wall or make a bridge.
It's all tied to that in game timer, eh. I get why people like the in game timer, it requires you to play efficiently, but I just don't play the game like that. I go from one part to the next, and I think that's how most people play it. I don't think that is because people don't want to multitask, it's just that it's caked in difficult to multitask.
This game to me is what it's like in nature, animals die just as a pre-requisite to combat. The combat is very loosely controlled, it is difficult to save every pikmin when facing a large foe. The ways in which it is possible to save every pikmin in an encounter I don't really find enjoyable, I wish the combat and maneuvering was more fleshed out and you had more control.
I can see why there are sequels, and I'm curious to see how they changed the formula. The difficulty balance of this game is kind of weird, on one hand it's super easy because you can just re-load a save when you mess up, but messing up is so easy.
It is a solid foundation, I like the general concept. It's just executed to be annoying.
I hate how yellow pikmin drop the bomb when you call them back after throwing them. I blew up my pikmin so many times because dropping the bomb is not mapped to a separate button.
Once I figured out that the C-stick isn't useless and helps you move around, the game got a lot easier.
All of my gripes with this game are fundamental gameplay elements, like pikmin getting stuck on the environment because they're getting in each other's way. Or farming gold blobs to make the pikmin faster and stronger (which I feel is mandatory because otherwise they are way too hard to control). Or feeling helpless when your pikmin get eaten. Or how pikmin pick grass or pick certain things up when you don't ask them to, and you have to call them back every fucking time. Or you can't see 5 feet in front of you because the map is pitch black. Or how it takes forever to break a wall or make a bridge.
It's all tied to that in game timer, eh. I get why people like the in game timer, it requires you to play efficiently, but I just don't play the game like that. I go from one part to the next, and I think that's how most people play it. I don't think that is because people don't want to multitask, it's just that it's caked in difficult to multitask.
This game to me is what it's like in nature, animals die just as a pre-requisite to combat. The combat is very loosely controlled, it is difficult to save every pikmin when facing a large foe. The ways in which it is possible to save every pikmin in an encounter I don't really find enjoyable, I wish the combat and maneuvering was more fleshed out and you had more control.
I can see why there are sequels, and I'm curious to see how they changed the formula. The difficulty balance of this game is kind of weird, on one hand it's super easy because you can just re-load a save when you mess up, but messing up is so easy.
It is a solid foundation, I like the general concept. It's just executed to be annoying.
People who think this is a rhythm game have never played a rhythm game
This review contains spoilers
Depression: the game
I was holding my breath from the first act to the last, waiting for the moment where people started complaining about the game but it never came. This game takes the reality of war and morally questionable actions to an extreme I've never before experienced. Granted I haven't watched game of thrones, (which I assume is exactly like this but with politics instead of a global zombie infection). I'll watch it eventually.
To get it out of the way the game looks phenomenal, the gameplay has a lot more depth than the first game, and it's executed pretty damn well. All you need to know is you want more items and options in combat? Look opposite the story path. Fight some enemies, the more stealth or running away you do, the more resources you have leading into the next battle. One thing I don't like is how the real-time cutscenes have lag time, things can take a while to happen. Now, onto the story.
I honestly didn't particularly like Ellie at the end of last of us 1, and went from hating Ellie and Abby to loving them both. It had me pressing nothing in the finishing fight scene because I didn't want Abby to die, and I think if that's the case they have succeeded as storytellers + actors. The last 2 hours of the game made me cry real good and it will probably go down as one of the most iconic endings in any game period.
I love the sequence they decided to display the events in this game, so much is withheld from the player in the first half of the game. Although, once Ellie went on a killing rampage and saw the aftermath of Tommy's professional manslaughter, I realized what this game was trying to do. Show two sides of the coin, much like the last game, but to an even greater degree. Funny enough, you collect coins IN THE GAME. There's a tragedy in every state. :D
I didn't expect Abby to betray the Wolves AT ALL. Like I just said the game hides things from you. Both Ellie and Abby's stories are heartbreaking, there is really no winners. Everybody dies inside including you second hand.
I really couldn't understand either Ellie or Abby's perspective in the beginning. It seems so obvious, just... don't kill people?? Maybe you could make the case that needing to kill to live makes you more prone to killing just to get your way, that was all I had to bite on in the beginning.
Then I got even MORE confused when it seemed like Ellie hated Joel too, and how hap-hazard the Wolves/Abby were when killing Joel. But in the end, the pieces came together.
1. The whole chain of events in the game is more or less "this person did this because they loved this person that got killed like this". Kinda one dimensional, but I still enjoyed the story.
2. Abby wasn't just killing Joel, she was killing her father's killer, and, it is very rational for anyone to want Joel dead. Joel was selfish, but it's hard to hate him for it. I could have him alive or dead. The killing was hap-hazard just like Ellie's was afterwards. You lose someone, want revenge, and take drastic measures because the emotion that comes from losing someone has to go somewhere.
3. Ellie had mixed feelings about Joel but still loved him for his compassion. Ultimately, she had already forgiven him by the time he dies as shown by her immediate emotional violent lazer-focused reaction.
4. Abby is not a saint in her own right, she was selfish similar to Joel. Prioritizing her love over the "common good". Yes, there is debate if it was "common good" in Abby's story, but you see what I mean. Joel has no excuse, Abby probably does, but is still betraying a larger group for her selfish desires. She has no explanation to Owen for her sudden friendship to the enemy other than "they saved my life". Yeah, but they're now a burden to you, so why sacrifice so much? That is just who she is as a character.
5. My interpretation of the ending is, Ellie realized the endless cycle of torture, agony, exploitation when she set foot in the Santa Barbara "Resort". She wanted closure for good reason, but while she was choking Abby out, she felt that feeling killing Nora, Owen, pregnant Mel. The final scene with Joel pops into frame as she bawls her eyes out. She gives up her beautiful relationship to murder a starving enslaved lover and killer, selfishly. At least Abby wasn't a slave owner. At least she didn't kill Tommy just for the hell of it, to justify her father's death. Have some perspective! The reality is, she loved Joel that much. Abby may as well have killed all her friends. Joel was everything to her. Ellie grew up in that one moment. To forgive your enemy is to end the cycle. To know you could have killed them but didn't, that is true enlightenment.
I imagine this game to be a very accurate portrayal of what it feels like to lose someone you love more than anyone. And to have it happen brutally in front of your own eyes, that will definitely give you serious PTSD.
.............................................. Fuck Mel, least favorite character, and game gets a trophy for fastest sex scene I've ever seen lmao.
I was holding my breath from the first act to the last, waiting for the moment where people started complaining about the game but it never came. This game takes the reality of war and morally questionable actions to an extreme I've never before experienced. Granted I haven't watched game of thrones, (which I assume is exactly like this but with politics instead of a global zombie infection). I'll watch it eventually.
To get it out of the way the game looks phenomenal, the gameplay has a lot more depth than the first game, and it's executed pretty damn well. All you need to know is you want more items and options in combat? Look opposite the story path. Fight some enemies, the more stealth or running away you do, the more resources you have leading into the next battle. One thing I don't like is how the real-time cutscenes have lag time, things can take a while to happen. Now, onto the story.
I honestly didn't particularly like Ellie at the end of last of us 1, and went from hating Ellie and Abby to loving them both. It had me pressing nothing in the finishing fight scene because I didn't want Abby to die, and I think if that's the case they have succeeded as storytellers + actors. The last 2 hours of the game made me cry real good and it will probably go down as one of the most iconic endings in any game period.
I love the sequence they decided to display the events in this game, so much is withheld from the player in the first half of the game. Although, once Ellie went on a killing rampage and saw the aftermath of Tommy's professional manslaughter, I realized what this game was trying to do. Show two sides of the coin, much like the last game, but to an even greater degree. Funny enough, you collect coins IN THE GAME. There's a tragedy in every state. :D
I didn't expect Abby to betray the Wolves AT ALL. Like I just said the game hides things from you. Both Ellie and Abby's stories are heartbreaking, there is really no winners. Everybody dies inside including you second hand.
I really couldn't understand either Ellie or Abby's perspective in the beginning. It seems so obvious, just... don't kill people?? Maybe you could make the case that needing to kill to live makes you more prone to killing just to get your way, that was all I had to bite on in the beginning.
Then I got even MORE confused when it seemed like Ellie hated Joel too, and how hap-hazard the Wolves/Abby were when killing Joel. But in the end, the pieces came together.
1. The whole chain of events in the game is more or less "this person did this because they loved this person that got killed like this". Kinda one dimensional, but I still enjoyed the story.
2. Abby wasn't just killing Joel, she was killing her father's killer, and, it is very rational for anyone to want Joel dead. Joel was selfish, but it's hard to hate him for it. I could have him alive or dead. The killing was hap-hazard just like Ellie's was afterwards. You lose someone, want revenge, and take drastic measures because the emotion that comes from losing someone has to go somewhere.
3. Ellie had mixed feelings about Joel but still loved him for his compassion. Ultimately, she had already forgiven him by the time he dies as shown by her immediate emotional violent lazer-focused reaction.
4. Abby is not a saint in her own right, she was selfish similar to Joel. Prioritizing her love over the "common good". Yes, there is debate if it was "common good" in Abby's story, but you see what I mean. Joel has no excuse, Abby probably does, but is still betraying a larger group for her selfish desires. She has no explanation to Owen for her sudden friendship to the enemy other than "they saved my life". Yeah, but they're now a burden to you, so why sacrifice so much? That is just who she is as a character.
5. My interpretation of the ending is, Ellie realized the endless cycle of torture, agony, exploitation when she set foot in the Santa Barbara "Resort". She wanted closure for good reason, but while she was choking Abby out, she felt that feeling killing Nora, Owen, pregnant Mel. The final scene with Joel pops into frame as she bawls her eyes out. She gives up her beautiful relationship to murder a starving enslaved lover and killer, selfishly. At least Abby wasn't a slave owner. At least she didn't kill Tommy just for the hell of it, to justify her father's death. Have some perspective! The reality is, she loved Joel that much. Abby may as well have killed all her friends. Joel was everything to her. Ellie grew up in that one moment. To forgive your enemy is to end the cycle. To know you could have killed them but didn't, that is true enlightenment.
I imagine this game to be a very accurate portrayal of what it feels like to lose someone you love more than anyone. And to have it happen brutally in front of your own eyes, that will definitely give you serious PTSD.
.............................................. Fuck Mel, least favorite character, and game gets a trophy for fastest sex scene I've ever seen lmao.
2020
I'm giving this game a pass on being difficult for me to set up because I think it's a lot of fun and is worth the praise.
The current method to play it on the wii without a disc is so jank I can only really recommend people play the game if they have a powerful pc and emulate it through dolphin or if you have a brawl disc + sdhc sd card + wii because the hack method is so much easier.
To play it on original hardware without a brawl disc means you need the iso on a flash drive plugged into the usb next to the corner of the wii at the back and you need a SDHC sd card (NOT AN SDXC sd card) AND you need a hacked wii (which isn't that difficult, hacking a wii is one of the easiest console hacks you can do). I have been using an SDXC sd card because it is not limited to 32 gb and I can load 30+ wii and gamecube games with it. So, in order for me to play it I need a separate sd card and flash drive. You can't launch it from USB loader GX (where I launch all my iso's), you have to launch it from the homebrew menu. Annoying. It takes longer to load than any other game on my hacked wii, probably cause its compiling something, getting things set up that are already ready for an officially licensed game. I wish they could just patch the iso but apparently it doesn't work like that/isn't possible.
If you need a pitch for playing this, the pitch is brawl but with custom stages, costumes, and major balance + moveset changes for almost every character. For example, Bowser's neutral B is now a chomp or fireball instead of breathing fire. Look up the tier list for brawl and compare it to the project+ tier list, they did a good job.
Also, I know it sounds weird, but I prefer the slower playstyle of these game in comparison to smash ultimate. The moves feel very deliberate, and you can't just input some crazy move combination to destroy your opponent like in smash ultimate. There is less of a barrier to entry. Yes, you can go insane in these games too, but casually the gap between players is much lower than in smash ultimate.
Premium balancing is very hard to do and it's refreshing after playing games like rivals of aether where it is fun to play custom characters, but balancing is basically a free for all.
The current method to play it on the wii without a disc is so jank I can only really recommend people play the game if they have a powerful pc and emulate it through dolphin or if you have a brawl disc + sdhc sd card + wii because the hack method is so much easier.
To play it on original hardware without a brawl disc means you need the iso on a flash drive plugged into the usb next to the corner of the wii at the back and you need a SDHC sd card (NOT AN SDXC sd card) AND you need a hacked wii (which isn't that difficult, hacking a wii is one of the easiest console hacks you can do). I have been using an SDXC sd card because it is not limited to 32 gb and I can load 30+ wii and gamecube games with it. So, in order for me to play it I need a separate sd card and flash drive. You can't launch it from USB loader GX (where I launch all my iso's), you have to launch it from the homebrew menu. Annoying. It takes longer to load than any other game on my hacked wii, probably cause its compiling something, getting things set up that are already ready for an officially licensed game. I wish they could just patch the iso but apparently it doesn't work like that/isn't possible.
If you need a pitch for playing this, the pitch is brawl but with custom stages, costumes, and major balance + moveset changes for almost every character. For example, Bowser's neutral B is now a chomp or fireball instead of breathing fire. Look up the tier list for brawl and compare it to the project+ tier list, they did a good job.
Also, I know it sounds weird, but I prefer the slower playstyle of these game in comparison to smash ultimate. The moves feel very deliberate, and you can't just input some crazy move combination to destroy your opponent like in smash ultimate. There is less of a barrier to entry. Yes, you can go insane in these games too, but casually the gap between players is much lower than in smash ultimate.
Premium balancing is very hard to do and it's refreshing after playing games like rivals of aether where it is fun to play custom characters, but balancing is basically a free for all.
2000
Very annoying control scheme. Hey, lets make a game where pinpoint accuracy is important... Then we should have the control scheme be pinpoint, right? NOPE. Make the player aim with the n64 analog stick! That should work...
Honestly just play star successor, you're not really missing much here. I want to be very clear: If this game had a PC port/wasn't released on the N64, it would be a 7 or 8/10. The negatives of this game are completely attributed to the system it was released on. The gameplay is a solid foundation but I honestly can't recommend people play this, especially with N64 emulators being hard to set up and this game not having plug and play mouse or wii pointer support.
I have issues saving controller configs on N64 emulators, what the hell man. BASIC FEATURE MISSING ALERT. I've spent hours tweaking GlideN64 so I'm not dropping frames... What is the deal with N64 emulators and their plugins???
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor literally feels like the Wii was made for it, not the other way around, AND you can play it on dolphin which is one of the best emulators period.
To play devil's advocate, you're not really going through that much pain by playing this game because it has such a short playtime. I just hate the controls to pieces.
Honestly just play star successor, you're not really missing much here. I want to be very clear: If this game had a PC port/wasn't released on the N64, it would be a 7 or 8/10. The negatives of this game are completely attributed to the system it was released on. The gameplay is a solid foundation but I honestly can't recommend people play this, especially with N64 emulators being hard to set up and this game not having plug and play mouse or wii pointer support.
I have issues saving controller configs on N64 emulators, what the hell man. BASIC FEATURE MISSING ALERT. I've spent hours tweaking GlideN64 so I'm not dropping frames... What is the deal with N64 emulators and their plugins???
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor literally feels like the Wii was made for it, not the other way around, AND you can play it on dolphin which is one of the best emulators period.
To play devil's advocate, you're not really going through that much pain by playing this game because it has such a short playtime. I just hate the controls to pieces.
Great game for children, the combat is very simple.
What the game lacks in depth it makes up for in aesthetics/personality. The art, animations, movies, scene switches, music, mood, characters, and features are great. One of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time. You can play as meta knight and all of the side character powers if you play it enough.
big brownie points for that Gradius inspired shooter section :D.
I don't like how the game forces you to replay sections, I kinda wish they just worked the extra stuff into the game, like allowed you to play as meta knight instead of kirby in the main sequence. The side characters are cosmetic so you really could have just made it like oh you can switch to the side characters any time from the start. I would also say the power-ups could have used more moves, like the plazma power only has one move while other ones are more interesting. Other than that great game that thankfully doesn't have a crazy long playtime.
What the game lacks in depth it makes up for in aesthetics/personality. The art, animations, movies, scene switches, music, mood, characters, and features are great. One of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time. You can play as meta knight and all of the side character powers if you play it enough.
big brownie points for that Gradius inspired shooter section :D.
I don't like how the game forces you to replay sections, I kinda wish they just worked the extra stuff into the game, like allowed you to play as meta knight instead of kirby in the main sequence. The side characters are cosmetic so you really could have just made it like oh you can switch to the side characters any time from the start. I would also say the power-ups could have used more moves, like the plazma power only has one move while other ones are more interesting. Other than that great game that thankfully doesn't have a crazy long playtime.
2015
This review contains spoilers
SOMA: "the body as distinct from the soul, mind, or psyche."
Jesus christ what a profound experience.
I can't believe how ambitious they decided to make this story. It keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through. A brain scan in 2015 on a desperate patient preserved for 100 years awakened in a desolate deep sea research facility infected by an artificial intelligence that has destroyed the last remnants of humanity after a comet collided with earth leaving the surface uninhabitable. That is the pitch of this game.
The insane existential questions that prioritize simulation over reality, machine over humanity, eternal life over suffering, mind over body. The biggest question the game poses you with is... is making a clone worth it if the clone lives a better life? Is it ethical to kill someone if all hope is lost? Is there any value to a human if that human can just be preserved in a computer? Who's to say the cloning is a perfect copy? Really, there is no right answer and it's a very interesting hypothetical that could happen in the future, no one knows if it will be possible.
I'm very happy that the buddy in this game (Catherine) didn't double cross you or was pulling the strings as some contrived plot point. The friends and enemies are very defined, and she feels like a real person with the incredible voice acting in this game.
The gameplay elements tie into the story quite well, you cannot die because the WAU (AI) is preserving humanity in it's own sick demented way. The horror elements are very subdued in that way, and this game does a very careful job with it's horror sections, spreading them out between peaceful and story driven moments.
The puzzles are interesting enough and the horror sections challenge you even though there is no real punishment for dying. It is challenge enough for people to play horror games period, tacking on rpg elements or punishments for dying increases the barrier to entry dramatically, so I think this is a good design decision.
Something I particularly liked was the character background given throughout the game, poking at your imagination by giving you an idea of what happened without showing you first hand. I also really enjoyed the visual effects and the ocean sections. The research lab designs were pretty generic art direction that I've seen before.
Jesus christ what a profound experience.
I can't believe how ambitious they decided to make this story. It keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through. A brain scan in 2015 on a desperate patient preserved for 100 years awakened in a desolate deep sea research facility infected by an artificial intelligence that has destroyed the last remnants of humanity after a comet collided with earth leaving the surface uninhabitable. That is the pitch of this game.
The insane existential questions that prioritize simulation over reality, machine over humanity, eternal life over suffering, mind over body. The biggest question the game poses you with is... is making a clone worth it if the clone lives a better life? Is it ethical to kill someone if all hope is lost? Is there any value to a human if that human can just be preserved in a computer? Who's to say the cloning is a perfect copy? Really, there is no right answer and it's a very interesting hypothetical that could happen in the future, no one knows if it will be possible.
I'm very happy that the buddy in this game (Catherine) didn't double cross you or was pulling the strings as some contrived plot point. The friends and enemies are very defined, and she feels like a real person with the incredible voice acting in this game.
The gameplay elements tie into the story quite well, you cannot die because the WAU (AI) is preserving humanity in it's own sick demented way. The horror elements are very subdued in that way, and this game does a very careful job with it's horror sections, spreading them out between peaceful and story driven moments.
The puzzles are interesting enough and the horror sections challenge you even though there is no real punishment for dying. It is challenge enough for people to play horror games period, tacking on rpg elements or punishments for dying increases the barrier to entry dramatically, so I think this is a good design decision.
Something I particularly liked was the character background given throughout the game, poking at your imagination by giving you an idea of what happened without showing you first hand. I also really enjoyed the visual effects and the ocean sections. The research lab designs were pretty generic art direction that I've seen before.