justinsdrown
2002
Highly questionable design choices and difficulty balancing drag this one down. I WANT to love this game. The environment art design is 10/10. The music fantastic. The story is bonkers but fun. The problem here is that devs were intent on busting your balls to the point of tedium. The difficulty doesn’t even bother me. I have all achievements for REmake on steam. It’s that the difficulty change ups here just make the second half of the game a total slog.
2003
Manhunt is a game that gets a bad wrap based on expectations. Due to its reputation people expect this game that is going to twist their stomach in knots. Since the game is ostensibly a “stealth” game it gets lost in superior mechanics presented in Metal Gear Solid or Tenchu. The thing that makes Manhunt special is the sum of its parts. It’s a gritty b movie based in the world of snuff that is a hybrid stealth/survivor horror and it pulls it off with few flaws.
Are the mechanics tanky? Yes. But that is to the advantage of the game. Great games are a product of their limitations. If that wasn’t the case we’d no clip to the end goal and call it a day. The limitations here are a part of the point and surviving each scenario under these limitations are what makes the themes work. Once you wrap your head around the tanky stealth mechanics you become a killing machine. Each forced section of melee or gunfight are like mini boss fights. Unless forced you should NOT be engaging in melee and gun fights and the forced fights work to illustrate this point.
The violence in the game Is indeed edgy and extreme but self-aware and a part of the game. The snuff film aspect works well. A lot of the segments work as classic Rockstar flavored satire. Beyond the satire the character design of some of the bosses are just straight up fantastic. I won’t spoil the boss designs here but the character designers really flex their creative muscles.
It’s not perfect. The scoring system doesn’t work in the game mechanics’ favor. Hardcore mode is poorly balanced. Taking away the player’s radar could work but having the five-star system tied into play time means that a five star rating is reduced to simple map memorization. Getting five stars is not flexible and genuinely makes the game a slog/grind to play. If I were to recommend anything to a new player I would say aim for three stars and only play on the default difficulty.
It's a shame the media killed this series. Rockstar has shied away from experimental games in recent years. Considering the blowback from press and fans alike it’s hard to blame them. Still, a modern Manhunt is a dream game scenario. That and Banjo Threeie.
Are the mechanics tanky? Yes. But that is to the advantage of the game. Great games are a product of their limitations. If that wasn’t the case we’d no clip to the end goal and call it a day. The limitations here are a part of the point and surviving each scenario under these limitations are what makes the themes work. Once you wrap your head around the tanky stealth mechanics you become a killing machine. Each forced section of melee or gunfight are like mini boss fights. Unless forced you should NOT be engaging in melee and gun fights and the forced fights work to illustrate this point.
The violence in the game Is indeed edgy and extreme but self-aware and a part of the game. The snuff film aspect works well. A lot of the segments work as classic Rockstar flavored satire. Beyond the satire the character design of some of the bosses are just straight up fantastic. I won’t spoil the boss designs here but the character designers really flex their creative muscles.
It’s not perfect. The scoring system doesn’t work in the game mechanics’ favor. Hardcore mode is poorly balanced. Taking away the player’s radar could work but having the five-star system tied into play time means that a five star rating is reduced to simple map memorization. Getting five stars is not flexible and genuinely makes the game a slog/grind to play. If I were to recommend anything to a new player I would say aim for three stars and only play on the default difficulty.
It's a shame the media killed this series. Rockstar has shied away from experimental games in recent years. Considering the blowback from press and fans alike it’s hard to blame them. Still, a modern Manhunt is a dream game scenario. That and Banjo Threeie.
1996
An enjoyable start to a great series of games. The issue here is lack of content. It’s not long before the game has shown you everything it has to offer. Still, the music is a must listen. High energy and catchy. The soundtrack is a must listen.
I finished both parts of the game. Including the upside down castle. I had a great time with the game. Though I don’t consider it flawless like some. The game does overstay it’s welcome at the end and balance is thrown out the window. Overall though it’s still worthy of its legendary status.
1998
I had a fun time with this one! Though it’s the most flawed game I’ve played recently. The camera REALLY fights against you. I took a lot of damage in the game simply down to bad angles or straight up not being to see. Also, the final boss is surprisingly easy. Still, the audio and visuals are fantastic here. They set the mood so well. Oh and I LOVE the story in this. The idea of your quest being earning your unearned glory is cool as hell.
I REALLY enjoyed my time with this one. The music, the atmosphere, and right stealth gameplay is all top tier. The issue is that the devs frequently didn’t play to their strengths. Why am I forced into sword combat boss fights? Why aren’t there stealth alternatives to dealing with them? Why is the voice acting so bad by even 1998 standards? Why are their long sections and even entire levels that take away your verticality?
So many head scratching decisions. Still what’s here as a foundation is incredible for the time. And that last level’s track is a banger. Should you play Tenchu? Absolutely. Just go in expecting some level of frustration. Oh and fuck the final boss. Seriously.
So many head scratching decisions. Still what’s here as a foundation is incredible for the time. And that last level’s track is a banger. Should you play Tenchu? Absolutely. Just go in expecting some level of frustration. Oh and fuck the final boss. Seriously.
When that game from your childhood is actually a cynical asset flip of an abandoned Yoshi game. I can deal with the control. I enjoy the liminal spaces. The problem is that the game doesn’t play to its strengths. Should have been less combat 3D platformer and more puzzle platformer.
1997
This game is a masterpiece. The controls aren’t bad. You are. No joke. There is a learning curve that people think is PSX jank. It is not. This is truly an innovative game by FromSoftware. It even has a unique dying mechanic most won’t discover that predates Demon’s Souls. If you have the guts give this a spin. You may find a new favorite game.
Almost everything here is perfect for a PSX JRPG! The atmosphere, story, music, and art design is right up my alley. The issue is that that gameplay is dull. It plays itself. It's super easy to the point that you legit don't have to think.
1999
Pure bliss!
1993
One of the worst games of all time. I had it as a child. Worse than Superman 64.
Before it was even a meme... this was purchased for my 12th birthday :(
1998
A perfect home console fighting game release. It’s hard to overstate how incredible this was at the time. It genuinely felt like the arcade at home.
This is the only one of the three PSX BAT titles I can imagine returning to.
It feels like fighting in the moon.