chovyle
An amazing game, a cultural milestone, and a good victory lap for the franchise.
That being said, I can't stress enough how the online mode killed my desire to get into it more. I'm not exactly surrounded by people who play Smash, and the few people in my life who do aren't always in close proximity. The only ways I can maybe get some practice are either through really choppy PvP matches OR through CPU battles, and those aren't exactly the best options.
That being said, I can't stress enough how the online mode killed my desire to get into it more. I'm not exactly surrounded by people who play Smash, and the few people in my life who do aren't always in close proximity. The only ways I can maybe get some practice are either through really choppy PvP matches OR through CPU battles, and those aren't exactly the best options.
2005
Played this as a kid and was captivated by its many quirks. At the same time, I remember those very quirks (battery life, gears, combat, etc.) making the game feel slightly tedious, but still can't wait to get back to it someday.
2023
In terms of gameplay, this is one of the best games in the series. Taking cues from previous entries in the series, the mechanics (emblems, classes, chain attacks, break system, etc.) are both fun to use and well-balanced, all while having a lot of mechanical depth behind them. Things get particularly spicy once the game starts using these systems against you.
Story-wise, it leaves a lot to be desired. Although a few characters end up being quite endearing, I don't know if I'd ever come back to the game for story moments/RP-ing.
Story-wise, it leaves a lot to be desired. Although a few characters end up being quite endearing, I don't know if I'd ever come back to the game for story moments/RP-ing.
2023
This game is like a good punk song. It's short, fun, and simple, but deceptively intricate. I could (and probably will) go into why I think this game has some genius mechanical designs at length, but long story short, hard recommend.
This game is my comfort game. Six playthroughs in, I am snoozing through it. And yet, consider the fact that I have played through this long-ass game six times through.
2019
It's been a while since a game made me laugh out loud multiple times. Looking forward to more.
This review contains spoilers
I wasn't expecting one of my favorite boss fights of all time to be from this game... BUT HERE WE ARE.
I have never quite understood the hype behind this game. Maybe it's because I was too young to understand what was going on when I first played it. Maybe it's because I stopped playing Pokemon games for a good long while afterwards. Maybe I just need to revisit it. Maybe I feel this way because I haven't played the sequels, but then again, shouldn't a game be judged by its own merits?
Even in retrospect, I don't really find B/W to be as strong an entry as most others make it out to be. The gym challenges aren't anything to write home about. The themes introduced are interesting, but severely underexplored. The postgame is non-existent. Mechanically, it's much of the same. I had some good times playing it, and the pixel art and new Pokemon were pretty cool, but at the end of the day, it felt like Gen 4.5.
Even in retrospect, I don't really find B/W to be as strong an entry as most others make it out to be. The gym challenges aren't anything to write home about. The themes introduced are interesting, but severely underexplored. The postgame is non-existent. Mechanically, it's much of the same. I had some good times playing it, and the pixel art and new Pokemon were pretty cool, but at the end of the day, it felt like Gen 4.5.
2019
This review contains spoilers
Ah, yes. One of the most reviled Pokemon games to date. A game deemed one of the franchise's low points, as well as a sign of bad things to come. It's everything wrong with modern Pokemon and more.
The flaws of this game have been discussed in great detail by a good number of people. I won't repeat them here.
Despite its flaws, I feel this game does some things better than other entries in the franchise. The gym challenge actually feels like a part of the world. It's not just a random series of challenges introduced for the sake of a gameplay loop, it's part of Galar's culture. The story actually feels like your story; you are competing with others in an event important to the world you live in. You can see your competitors dwindling as you progress through the challenge. You can see the people testing you, their personalities and daily lives. If Gen 7 tried to integrate the main campaign's challenge into world by rejecting tradition, Gen 8 does so by embracing it.
That being said, this game is far from perfect. But it's also far from being my least favorite entry in the franchise.
The flaws of this game have been discussed in great detail by a good number of people. I won't repeat them here.
Despite its flaws, I feel this game does some things better than other entries in the franchise. The gym challenge actually feels like a part of the world. It's not just a random series of challenges introduced for the sake of a gameplay loop, it's part of Galar's culture. The story actually feels like your story; you are competing with others in an event important to the world you live in. You can see your competitors dwindling as you progress through the challenge. You can see the people testing you, their personalities and daily lives. If Gen 7 tried to integrate the main campaign's challenge into world by rejecting tradition, Gen 8 does so by embracing it.
That being said, this game is far from perfect. But it's also far from being my least favorite entry in the franchise.
2021
(Disclaimer: My experience with the Metroid franchise is limited to the first two levels of the first two Prime games. Maybe add in a few matches as Dark Samus in Smash, if you really want to be generous.)
This game will taunt you. It will wave collectable after collectable in front of your face, only to slap you with some sort of obstacle that can't immediately overcomed. This game will haunt you. You will dread going through every EMMI room. You will jump down a rabbit hole, only to learn, in horror, that you have walked straight into a boss room. The bosses will kill you without a second thought, all the while refusing to die themselves. You will die, over and over again.
You will learn. You will survive. You will prevail.
This game is infuriating, daunting, exhausting, at times. But at the same time, it is rewarding.
This game will taunt you. It will wave collectable after collectable in front of your face, only to slap you with some sort of obstacle that can't immediately overcomed. This game will haunt you. You will dread going through every EMMI room. You will jump down a rabbit hole, only to learn, in horror, that you have walked straight into a boss room. The bosses will kill you without a second thought, all the while refusing to die themselves. You will die, over and over again.
You will learn. You will survive. You will prevail.
This game is infuriating, daunting, exhausting, at times. But at the same time, it is rewarding.
2019
I really want to like this game more. It's pretty, has an interesting combat system that differentiates itself from most turn-based RPGs, and draws inspiration from some interesting sources.
That being said, actually playing the game can be... frustrating at times. The combat, though interesting on paper, tends to drag. The platforming is... not great. Also, for the sheer amount of promising characters that the game presents, the cast feels mostly under-utilized within the games save for a few select characters.
That being said, actually playing the game can be... frustrating at times. The combat, though interesting on paper, tends to drag. The platforming is... not great. Also, for the sheer amount of promising characters that the game presents, the cast feels mostly under-utilized within the games save for a few select characters.
2019
Beautiful game, with some minor points of friction. Regardless of the score, this game will always hold a special place in my heart.
2023
After such a long hiatus, you'd think the series would have lost its touch by now. After three stellar entries, each with their own quirks and gimmicks, you'd think there'd be nowhere else for Pikmin to go.
You'd also be mistaken. Pikmin 4 somehow takes the parts of its predecessors (yes, even Hey! Pikmin) as well as some modern game design cues and manages to put them together into a nice little goodie basket, all while adding a few quirks of its own. It's a title that stays faithful to the franchise's roots while taking it into new horizons.
In short, it's the best Pikmin game thus far.
You'd also be mistaken. Pikmin 4 somehow takes the parts of its predecessors (yes, even Hey! Pikmin) as well as some modern game design cues and manages to put them together into a nice little goodie basket, all while adding a few quirks of its own. It's a title that stays faithful to the franchise's roots while taking it into new horizons.
In short, it's the best Pikmin game thus far.
2013
A nice little homage to the first game, with just the right amount of polish both in terms of gameplay and visuals. There were some challenges that felt less challenging and more infuriating, and as someone who doesn't really do multiple runs, the amount of content in the main campaign was slightly disappointing. Still a very good game overall, and another solid entry in the series.