icepotato
2020
On the one hand I think Gita really nailed the issue with D&D - reloading when i didn't Perceive correctly over and over in a cavern full of traps set me off the game for a month, easy.
On the other hand, when the game plays with you, it's glorious. TK'ing an enemy mage into their own AOE so hard they stop concentrating, kicking someone into a chasm, exploding barrels - I cackled the first time and I cackled the last time.
Some of the big combat setpieces are so clever and fun, and I really wish there was more of them! Too many of them were dime a dozen "here fight some guys, they all have no resistances and no weaknesses and there's nothing interesting about the environment".
So, you know. Big fun. Loved the characters. Dragged my feet a little in the last act. It's hard to put a number on that. I think Larian's great and I want them to keep making great, funny, fun games.
On the other hand, when the game plays with you, it's glorious. TK'ing an enemy mage into their own AOE so hard they stop concentrating, kicking someone into a chasm, exploding barrels - I cackled the first time and I cackled the last time.
Some of the big combat setpieces are so clever and fun, and I really wish there was more of them! Too many of them were dime a dozen "here fight some guys, they all have no resistances and no weaknesses and there's nothing interesting about the environment".
So, you know. Big fun. Loved the characters. Dragged my feet a little in the last act. It's hard to put a number on that. I think Larian's great and I want them to keep making great, funny, fun games.
2023
you wouldn't use a FLAMETHROWER on a SKELETON
a great vampire survivorsalike! a little tougher and less likely to yield to your immediate will in the endgame, but has some fun character-specific builds. it picks up on the right lessons from VS (achievement-based progression to unlock new stuff) without succumbing to the tedium many of the other clones tend towards.
a great vampire survivorsalike! a little tougher and less likely to yield to your immediate will in the endgame, but has some fun character-specific builds. it picks up on the right lessons from VS (achievement-based progression to unlock new stuff) without succumbing to the tedium many of the other clones tend towards.
what's fun for me is when the levelling system presses me into trying new gear I wouldn't otherwise try because otherwise I can't make a dent in the fully scaled enemies. that + some genuinely great level design, ranging from tighly packed sewers where enemies pop up as you charge forward to spread out arenas where you are desperately seeking cover against an onrush and quite a few clever variations in between + some pretty good drop-in multiplayer is fun.
what's not fun for me is when you max out on level, need to min-max on build or miss out on metaprogression, and so you pick One Build and if you want to choose another you are essentially starting over from scratch (or at least that's how it feels).
also the story absolutely sucks ass ("when the pandemic happened, everyone turned to murderous jackals" checks release date: march 2019. (expansion release date: march 2020 set in : pandemic ravaged NYC)). i kept thinking i could ignore it or turn the other cheek and then shit like "shoot these guys, the survivors of a FEMA prison camp" or "here come the Rikers, who were left to die as the pandemic took NYC, and they're really mad for some reason! better shoot them!" hits you pretty unavoidably. and then you're like "wow this graffitti sucks ass". "wow these protest slogans are terrible" "nobody's even calling the virus a hoax? c'mon now". "why are all these cars piled up?". even as an ideological horror show its a lazy one, like the real enemy was zombies and they just pasted "pandemic" over it to seem more Realistic.
anyway. great level design, fun progression until you stall out at max level (which, i get it, some people like that), terrible theming mostly caused by an accident of fate.
what's not fun for me is when you max out on level, need to min-max on build or miss out on metaprogression, and so you pick One Build and if you want to choose another you are essentially starting over from scratch (or at least that's how it feels).
also the story absolutely sucks ass ("when the pandemic happened, everyone turned to murderous jackals" checks release date: march 2019. (expansion release date: march 2020 set in : pandemic ravaged NYC)). i kept thinking i could ignore it or turn the other cheek and then shit like "shoot these guys, the survivors of a FEMA prison camp" or "here come the Rikers, who were left to die as the pandemic took NYC, and they're really mad for some reason! better shoot them!" hits you pretty unavoidably. and then you're like "wow this graffitti sucks ass". "wow these protest slogans are terrible" "nobody's even calling the virus a hoax? c'mon now". "why are all these cars piled up?". even as an ideological horror show its a lazy one, like the real enemy was zombies and they just pasted "pandemic" over it to seem more Realistic.
anyway. great level design, fun progression until you stall out at max level (which, i get it, some people like that), terrible theming mostly caused by an accident of fate.
2022
wow-ee! a metroid game with souls inspiration featuring backbreaking combat that doesn't even give you a dodge button to start? where do i sign up?
2021
i appreciate the flex of "no, really, grind up these herbs and stir the pot and pump the bellows". in theory. not so much in practice.
2022
spent a bunch of time fighting the interface, and then spent a bunch more time looking at ambiguous drawings and trying to guess which characteristic matched. i can totally understand this being someone's thing, it is not mine.
2022
having spells be the keys to unlock the gates seems cool but the spell system giving you random spells from your "deck" so that it could call itself a "deckbuilder" is extremely ????
2022
absolutely fine
2012
i can say i have never really encountered a game exactly like this before or since, and that goes a long way. it's a great idea.
unfortunately... it is a bit janky. it needs a bit of tlc to run on steam. sheparding floating seeds to specific places is frustrating, some rooms need very specific setups to succeed and there's no "reset" button, and bouncing from hazard to hazard kind of ruins the vibes.
that said, the dialogue and characterization is top notch. and again, the ecosystem you maintain is very cool.
unfortunately... it is a bit janky. it needs a bit of tlc to run on steam. sheparding floating seeds to specific places is frustrating, some rooms need very specific setups to succeed and there's no "reset" button, and bouncing from hazard to hazard kind of ruins the vibes.
that said, the dialogue and characterization is top notch. and again, the ecosystem you maintain is very cool.
you wouldn't think pinball and platforming would mix but yoku makes it work. sure there are going to be times you miss a shot and need to try ten or twenty times but that's pinball baby!!!! and its not dissimilar to missing a jump in a platformer and needing to clamber back up.
great soundtrack, fun writing.
some of the collectibles are a little fussy but they're entirely optional. i would rush to buy a sequel on day 1
great soundtrack, fun writing.
some of the collectibles are a little fussy but they're entirely optional. i would rush to buy a sequel on day 1
ok sorry this is a full on masterpiece. russian cosmonauts + steppes mysticism + airplane zoomies.
its fascinating what this game gives its attention to and what it doesn't. the story is great sci fi and the music is absolutely killer.
the second chapter, "given time", then does a bunch of open world puzzle stuff that technically completes the story which i am choosing not to engage with l o l
its fascinating what this game gives its attention to and what it doesn't. the story is great sci fi and the music is absolutely killer.
the second chapter, "given time", then does a bunch of open world puzzle stuff that technically completes the story which i am choosing not to engage with l o l
still my favorite zelda. what a great remake that adds just enough without taking away too much (ok, i wanted the picture mode from DX back. and to be able to throw the boomerang while holding the rooster and have a whirling circle of death under me). what a treat to get fuller sound and better animation. the story has a light touch that still hits hard, and its just the right length.
2022
the thing that irritates me the most about open world stuff at this point is locking interesting abilities behind skill trees and plot gates.
cutscenes felt interminable so i skipped 'em, then i felt a sense of dread about the next mission i had to go on, then i felt dread about the combat encounters (and i was on easy) and i realized this game was just not for me at all.
there was some cool stuff playing around with the ghostly interactions between worlds during plot sequences i guess.
cutscenes felt interminable so i skipped 'em, then i felt a sense of dread about the next mission i had to go on, then i felt dread about the combat encounters (and i was on easy) and i realized this game was just not for me at all.
there was some cool stuff playing around with the ghostly interactions between worlds during plot sequences i guess.
2023
it was a combo brawler with platforming and some rhythm stuff baked in, i dunno. i liked the writing but didn't like the combat or platforming. i liked the music but not the rhythm minigames. i got to the base and looked at the list of unlockable combos and just sighed and turned the game off forever.
2023
super interesting, want to come back to it, but its just in early access and i would love to see some interface improvements (undo buttons, clearer labelling of buildings, maybe some better radius previews).
basically dorf with a campaign mode. it has challenges to teach you the game (except for the incredibly important merge units!!!) and a little progression through some biomes. the buildings all have fun and memorable synergies and bombing your church to repeatedly replace it and gain the high bonus for its perfect location so you can cash in for your next draw is ...an interesting emotion to evoke.
it's neat! it's good! i hope it continues to get the polish it needs to be a really easy recommend to anyone.
basically dorf with a campaign mode. it has challenges to teach you the game (except for the incredibly important merge units!!!) and a little progression through some biomes. the buildings all have fun and memorable synergies and bombing your church to repeatedly replace it and gain the high bonus for its perfect location so you can cash in for your next draw is ...an interesting emotion to evoke.
it's neat! it's good! i hope it continues to get the polish it needs to be a really easy recommend to anyone.