icepotato
2020
i really appreciated the visual aesthetic and the soundtrack, i really appreciated the slow burn of the story that gets told. i really appreciated that this is first and foremost a game about photography, about lining up a great photo.
i did not appreciate the controls, i did not appreciate the opaque objectives, i did not appreciate the time pressure, and let's be honest even though i'm the biggest doomer of them all, i'm gonna go ahead and say it: i don't think the game spoke to me along those lines (except for the very last line of the game) nearly as strongly as it did some other people. i spent more time hunting down "the word boomer" or "a kiwi" than i did coming to terms with being "the last generation" (who, let's be real, seemed to be having plenty of dance parties)
i did not appreciate the controls, i did not appreciate the opaque objectives, i did not appreciate the time pressure, and let's be honest even though i'm the biggest doomer of them all, i'm gonna go ahead and say it: i don't think the game spoke to me along those lines (except for the very last line of the game) nearly as strongly as it did some other people. i spent more time hunting down "the word boomer" or "a kiwi" than i did coming to terms with being "the last generation" (who, let's be real, seemed to be having plenty of dance parties)
2018
i have GOT to stop setting myself up with high expectations for arcade shooters.
like, yes, it's good, it's fun, the way you unlock additional continues by getting high scores is neat, the fact that replaying levels to get more weapons on level select is neat, and it does that "vague worldbuilding in interstitials" stuff pretty ok, and also i'm just not good enough or dedicated enough to see the endgame, so.
like, yes, it's good, it's fun, the way you unlock additional continues by getting high scores is neat, the fact that replaying levels to get more weapons on level select is neat, and it does that "vague worldbuilding in interstitials" stuff pretty ok, and also i'm just not good enough or dedicated enough to see the endgame, so.
2021
i didn't really expect the slapstick comedy (which works beautifully!) or the occasionally tensely poetic line delivery. i kind of expected good music but was blown away by some of the best musical sequences i've played in a game - a shame they came so late! other than that, this is an adventure game. it has puzzles. it has a story. what's unusual is the style, but you can tell from the screenshots that style is like top 5. also, i am not totally sure i tracked the story aside from the deeply metaphorical asides to, uh, astrophysics. does that mean the story was bull, or does it mean i'm just not properly attuned to vague cosmic spiritualism? idk! it only mildly interfered with my ability to enjoy the game though.
some minor problems playing with a controller, switching between controller and mouse worked best.
some minor problems playing with a controller, switching between controller and mouse worked best.
2019
An incredible setting, fun sailing, amazingly compelling translation mechanic, and mystifyingly bug-filled experience
2019
at least i felt like someone was having fun, even if it wasn't always me. i loved the way the very simple idea of rolling a dice gets reinterpreted by all the different abilities, from the "split this into smaller parts" to "roll this exact number" and etc. killer music, too.
i'd grind this during my commute if i still had a commute.
i'd grind this during my commute if i still had a commute.
2020
yes mega man battle network had an extremely dope combat system. it also had a plot, and interplay between the physical world and the cyberworld, and neat little things like packing special abilities into a grid, and cameos from characters we still find reasons to care about somehow.
this is a by-the-numbers roguelike with an admittedly dope battle system that unfortunately invites comparisons to a greater game. choose your route on a map. hyper-optimize your deck. weigh every choice like it's the last one you're going to make. repeat x1000 to learn a boss pattern.
it was neat seeing some of the bosses join me after fighting them, but gosh, once again: nothing like pulling out a GUTSMAN card!
sorry bud! i was rooting for you! i just can't stand the roguelike run structure!
this is a by-the-numbers roguelike with an admittedly dope battle system that unfortunately invites comparisons to a greater game. choose your route on a map. hyper-optimize your deck. weigh every choice like it's the last one you're going to make. repeat x1000 to learn a boss pattern.
it was neat seeing some of the bosses join me after fighting them, but gosh, once again: nothing like pulling out a GUTSMAN card!
sorry bud! i was rooting for you! i just can't stand the roguelike run structure!
2022
I don't know. I kind of like it, but also if i want to unlock the next power I need to collect like 800 of whatever resource and then wait for the planks and then wait for the sun to set and make sure I sucked the right kind and quality of blood. I can appreciate the setting and theme, and the danger the sun poses, but also: I'd rather just play a different game, at this point.
2020
i really like some of the ideas it brings to the table; i do not like it enough to actually finish a game.
2018
honestly, kind of perfect? great balance - i had to retry a few times but never felt stretched beyond my breaking point, although i did feel FULLY immersed in the chaos, and quite clever after getting myself out of a few jams. not mindless, but not so intricate that i felt myself bogged down in decision making. and just delightfully weird and silly in a way that didn't take up too much time. a fair amount of secrets, some hidden depths, and ended with me wanting juuuust a little bit more.
an extremely well-produced, colorful, fully fleshed out beat-em-up that stays exactly a beat-em-up. yes i recognize the callbacks. yes its nice to be pandered to. yes its still a beat em up.