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WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
What Remains of Edith Finch has been on my to-play list for years. I'd been interested in it since its development stages, and was sure that once I played it, it would be one of my favorite games of all time.
Its genre certainly isn't for everyone; walking simulators are often mocked and ridiculed by a good chunk of the gaming community. I'm just the opposite, though. Gone Home and Tacoma are among my favorite indie games. The former, I've held close to my heart for many years. The latter, I had a similar relationship with to What Remains, and ended up loving just as much as I thought I would. (Fullbright really makes quality content, and I hope they make another game in the future.)
Unfortunately, that didn't QUITE happen with What Remains. Now, that's not to say I didn't enjoy it a lot. I think there are many wonderful aspects to it, and I definitely really liked it. The game is a labor of love, and it's chock-full of creativity. However, I do think there are some flaws that bring it down a little - making it just very good, instead of great.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 3/5
Story: 4.5/5
Gameplay: 2.5/5
Worldbuilding: 4.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 3/5
Overall score: 4/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The graphics look very good for an indie 3D title. The human models serve their purpose in their brief appearances. You can tell the game was made by an actual team of trained developers, and not just one guy making his first indie project.
Now, the real magical thing about What Remains is the setting. When you first see the Finch home in the distance, you'll probably immediately notice the tall tower precariously built into it. [SPOILERS] You learn early on that this is because Edie, Edith's great-grandmother, refuses to repurpose the bedrooms of dead family members. She instead locks them up and leaves them as memorials. [SPOILER END]
You are taken on a journey through the locked-up house using secret passages, which lead you to unique rooms that have been left almost entirely untouched since the death of their occupant. The rooms describe each individual Finch down to a T, showing you their hobbies, their life, and - of course - their death. The game does an incredible job of making each new room feel totally unique to that family member, as well as actually lived-in. I loved exploring the locations carefully to get a full scope of the person whose story I was jumping into.
There are, also, some very creative visuals to accompany the house's exploration (the books that open secret passages, for example) as well as the stories themselves.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
What Remains has a gorgeous, understated soundtrack. It's one of the things that made the game for me. It was lovely, and I'm sure I'll listen to it more on my own time. Every piece fit the mood it wanted to convey perfectly.
The voice acting is passable - definitely not bad, just not anything particularly special. It does what it needs to do.
However, one of my biggest complaints is the writing. It's not awful or anything. In fact, I do really like parts of it. But there were times when I felt like rolling my eyes at the dialogue, and it would break my immersion when it did happen. I think this was partially caused by the occasionally awkward pacing that can't really be helped with the style; and I do give it a bit of leniency, because it is supposed to be a journal being read aloud, but it's still a notable con for me.
Overall, 3/5.
Story:
This is what it's all about for What Remains, isn't it? Telling the tale of a family curse. Of people haunted by death, loss, and immeasurable grief. Each absent family member lingered over the other Finches like shadows - but so did their own eventual, inevitable absence. There are no ghosts in What Remains, but the Finch home is undoubtedly haunted by its history.
It does a beautiful job of showing the different ways in which people cope with grief; by honoring their memory, by hiding away, by placing blame on others. There's something truly remarkable about the way What Remains brings to life a cast of almost entirely dead characters. They're so sympathetic, too - the Finches didn't deserve the tragedy that befell them, especially the many children.
I believe the lingering question, what you're left wondering after the game, is, 'Is the curse real?' Dawn, Edith's mom, believes it's Edie's harmful way of coping with the unfathomable loss their family has endured. She believes that that coping mechanism, in turn, has caused more death to befall them. It's a completely reasonable and logical argument to make, especially by a mother who has lost two children - [SPOILERS] one by disappearance, and one by suicide. [SPOILER END]
And yet, Edie's side of things is not as unreasonable as one might expect. She is, after all, the only family member who survived into old age. A blessing, you would think, until you realize she watched nearly all of her family die - her husband, her children, her grandchildren, not to mention the manners in which she lost her parents and brother. [SPOILERS] Even people who are brought into the family via relationships seem to be subject to the curse, all but one - who divorced out of the family, possibly saving herself - dying or going missing, too. [SPOILER END] Even if the curse isn't a real thing, you cannot blame Edie for coming up with such a story, given everything she has lost. In fact, Edie has a tendency to tell incredulous stories. It's left up to the player to decide whether she's stretching the truth about everything, or if her tales aren't as far-fetched as they seem.
By the credits (which are really cool btw), there's no explanation for why the Finches have such an unfortunate lineage. All you can really do is empathize with them, and with their pain. It's touching and heartbreaking at the same time. I found myself yelling at my TV during a few of the deaths, because of the suddenness and sadness of them.
My one and only complaint in this section is that I just didn't like the execution of some of the individual stories. I didn't like Molly's at first, but I warmed up to it once I realized that it's not supposed to be taken at face value. I didn't like the writing in Barbara's, though the comic book layout was cool. I thought Gus' could have had a little more to it. Most notably, though, I thought Lewis' was disappointing. Lewis is definitely my favorite character, and I do like the overall style of his. [SPOILERS] But I felt like the mental illness aspect was just too vague in some parts. There were no explanations for what had led to his mental state beyond 'sobriety', or how he felt about the loss surrounding him. I also thought his therapist should be fired for being complacent - and even encouraging - his unhealthy coping mechanism. It seems really unrealistic that a licensed professional would do that, lol. [SPOILER END]
Overall, 4.5/5.
Gameplay:
This is probably where the game is lacking the most. I'm sure most people don't expect much from walking sims in the gameplay department... But I still do wish that there was more interaction with the house. It's such a rich and unique setting, that I think is set up perfectly for something like that. The way Gone Home and Tacoma let you pick up things to examine them added a lot to those games. I'm not saying steal that mechanic exactly; I'm just giving an example of a way walking sims can have a bit more engagement. Maybe What Remains could let you interact with certain things, and have Edith comment on them.
Other than that, there are some cool little gameplay tidbits within the stories, but some of them are also very clunky. There's also a few cool parts where the controls imitate what Edith is doing within the game, such as turning a music box handle.
There's some creativity to be commended, for sure. But still, this game was never really about the gameplay.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
Going back to what I said in the visuals section, the house is amazingly detailed and gives a perfect feel for the family members. Despite most having died long before the game takes place, each Finch has left an unmistakable impression on the house. The game does an amazing job of portraying who these people were, and how the other family members felt about them and their passing. Like I said, I do wish you could interact with things more, but that doesn't take away much from the effort put into making the Finch home a magical place to walk through. There are so many cool details, and the world blends perfectly and seamlessly into the story.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
The achievements are all pretty easy, but I like them. I think that simple was the way to go here. It's not a gameplay-based experience, so why make the achievements anything especially difficult, you know? It also lets you select individual chapters after the credits, which takes away a lot of the pain of hunting.
Overall, 3/5.
Overall game score: 4/5. What Remains stands out with its beautiful story and setting. It's certainly worth checking out if you have a few hours to spare (and the patience for the walking sim genre.) I have never played anything exactly like it. It is wonderfully creative, and extremely heart touching. It's still not quite up there with Gone Home and Tacoma for me, but it undoubtedly brings something to the table that even those games don't have - a fantastical whimsy that makes the experience of playing through it feel magical.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
What Remains of Edith Finch has been on my to-play list for years. I'd been interested in it since its development stages, and was sure that once I played it, it would be one of my favorite games of all time.
Its genre certainly isn't for everyone; walking simulators are often mocked and ridiculed by a good chunk of the gaming community. I'm just the opposite, though. Gone Home and Tacoma are among my favorite indie games. The former, I've held close to my heart for many years. The latter, I had a similar relationship with to What Remains, and ended up loving just as much as I thought I would. (Fullbright really makes quality content, and I hope they make another game in the future.)
Unfortunately, that didn't QUITE happen with What Remains. Now, that's not to say I didn't enjoy it a lot. I think there are many wonderful aspects to it, and I definitely really liked it. The game is a labor of love, and it's chock-full of creativity. However, I do think there are some flaws that bring it down a little - making it just very good, instead of great.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 3/5
Story: 4.5/5
Gameplay: 2.5/5
Worldbuilding: 4.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 3/5
Overall score: 4/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The graphics look very good for an indie 3D title. The human models serve their purpose in their brief appearances. You can tell the game was made by an actual team of trained developers, and not just one guy making his first indie project.
Now, the real magical thing about What Remains is the setting. When you first see the Finch home in the distance, you'll probably immediately notice the tall tower precariously built into it. [SPOILERS] You learn early on that this is because Edie, Edith's great-grandmother, refuses to repurpose the bedrooms of dead family members. She instead locks them up and leaves them as memorials. [SPOILER END]
You are taken on a journey through the locked-up house using secret passages, which lead you to unique rooms that have been left almost entirely untouched since the death of their occupant. The rooms describe each individual Finch down to a T, showing you their hobbies, their life, and - of course - their death. The game does an incredible job of making each new room feel totally unique to that family member, as well as actually lived-in. I loved exploring the locations carefully to get a full scope of the person whose story I was jumping into.
There are, also, some very creative visuals to accompany the house's exploration (the books that open secret passages, for example) as well as the stories themselves.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
What Remains has a gorgeous, understated soundtrack. It's one of the things that made the game for me. It was lovely, and I'm sure I'll listen to it more on my own time. Every piece fit the mood it wanted to convey perfectly.
The voice acting is passable - definitely not bad, just not anything particularly special. It does what it needs to do.
However, one of my biggest complaints is the writing. It's not awful or anything. In fact, I do really like parts of it. But there were times when I felt like rolling my eyes at the dialogue, and it would break my immersion when it did happen. I think this was partially caused by the occasionally awkward pacing that can't really be helped with the style; and I do give it a bit of leniency, because it is supposed to be a journal being read aloud, but it's still a notable con for me.
Overall, 3/5.
Story:
This is what it's all about for What Remains, isn't it? Telling the tale of a family curse. Of people haunted by death, loss, and immeasurable grief. Each absent family member lingered over the other Finches like shadows - but so did their own eventual, inevitable absence. There are no ghosts in What Remains, but the Finch home is undoubtedly haunted by its history.
It does a beautiful job of showing the different ways in which people cope with grief; by honoring their memory, by hiding away, by placing blame on others. There's something truly remarkable about the way What Remains brings to life a cast of almost entirely dead characters. They're so sympathetic, too - the Finches didn't deserve the tragedy that befell them, especially the many children.
I believe the lingering question, what you're left wondering after the game, is, 'Is the curse real?' Dawn, Edith's mom, believes it's Edie's harmful way of coping with the unfathomable loss their family has endured. She believes that that coping mechanism, in turn, has caused more death to befall them. It's a completely reasonable and logical argument to make, especially by a mother who has lost two children - [SPOILERS] one by disappearance, and one by suicide. [SPOILER END]
And yet, Edie's side of things is not as unreasonable as one might expect. She is, after all, the only family member who survived into old age. A blessing, you would think, until you realize she watched nearly all of her family die - her husband, her children, her grandchildren, not to mention the manners in which she lost her parents and brother. [SPOILERS] Even people who are brought into the family via relationships seem to be subject to the curse, all but one - who divorced out of the family, possibly saving herself - dying or going missing, too. [SPOILER END] Even if the curse isn't a real thing, you cannot blame Edie for coming up with such a story, given everything she has lost. In fact, Edie has a tendency to tell incredulous stories. It's left up to the player to decide whether she's stretching the truth about everything, or if her tales aren't as far-fetched as they seem.
By the credits (which are really cool btw), there's no explanation for why the Finches have such an unfortunate lineage. All you can really do is empathize with them, and with their pain. It's touching and heartbreaking at the same time. I found myself yelling at my TV during a few of the deaths, because of the suddenness and sadness of them.
My one and only complaint in this section is that I just didn't like the execution of some of the individual stories. I didn't like Molly's at first, but I warmed up to it once I realized that it's not supposed to be taken at face value. I didn't like the writing in Barbara's, though the comic book layout was cool. I thought Gus' could have had a little more to it. Most notably, though, I thought Lewis' was disappointing. Lewis is definitely my favorite character, and I do like the overall style of his. [SPOILERS] But I felt like the mental illness aspect was just too vague in some parts. There were no explanations for what had led to his mental state beyond 'sobriety', or how he felt about the loss surrounding him. I also thought his therapist should be fired for being complacent - and even encouraging - his unhealthy coping mechanism. It seems really unrealistic that a licensed professional would do that, lol. [SPOILER END]
Overall, 4.5/5.
Gameplay:
This is probably where the game is lacking the most. I'm sure most people don't expect much from walking sims in the gameplay department... But I still do wish that there was more interaction with the house. It's such a rich and unique setting, that I think is set up perfectly for something like that. The way Gone Home and Tacoma let you pick up things to examine them added a lot to those games. I'm not saying steal that mechanic exactly; I'm just giving an example of a way walking sims can have a bit more engagement. Maybe What Remains could let you interact with certain things, and have Edith comment on them.
Other than that, there are some cool little gameplay tidbits within the stories, but some of them are also very clunky. There's also a few cool parts where the controls imitate what Edith is doing within the game, such as turning a music box handle.
There's some creativity to be commended, for sure. But still, this game was never really about the gameplay.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
Going back to what I said in the visuals section, the house is amazingly detailed and gives a perfect feel for the family members. Despite most having died long before the game takes place, each Finch has left an unmistakable impression on the house. The game does an amazing job of portraying who these people were, and how the other family members felt about them and their passing. Like I said, I do wish you could interact with things more, but that doesn't take away much from the effort put into making the Finch home a magical place to walk through. There are so many cool details, and the world blends perfectly and seamlessly into the story.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
The achievements are all pretty easy, but I like them. I think that simple was the way to go here. It's not a gameplay-based experience, so why make the achievements anything especially difficult, you know? It also lets you select individual chapters after the credits, which takes away a lot of the pain of hunting.
Overall, 3/5.
Overall game score: 4/5. What Remains stands out with its beautiful story and setting. It's certainly worth checking out if you have a few hours to spare (and the patience for the walking sim genre.) I have never played anything exactly like it. It is wonderfully creative, and extremely heart touching. It's still not quite up there with Gone Home and Tacoma for me, but it undoubtedly brings something to the table that even those games don't have - a fantastical whimsy that makes the experience of playing through it feel magical.
2014
LISA: THE PAINFUL REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
There's so much I could say about LISA. Honestly, I could probably talk about it forever.
I first played it in April of 2017. I then promptly replayed it a second time in May, and recently finished a third run (with a fourth unfinished one in between.) It has been amongst my very favorite games since that first run, and I expect it to remain there... Probably forever.
I truly think it's one of the best of all time, and something everyone should play, if they can stomach it. It certainly isn't a story that everyone will be able to sit through, but it's absolutely worth it if you can - for both the serious moments, and the humorous ones.
Here is a TW guide for LISA that I think people should see before heading in, because it really does deal with a lot of triggering topics. Still, don't let the dark nature deter you, unless you're really not good with that sort of thing. LISA has a lot to say, and it says it exceptionally well.
TW list: Parental abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual. The first two are shown on-screen, the last is implied.) Child rape (implied, talked about, common theme.) Drug usage and addiction (shown on-screen.) Suicide (shown on-screen.) Animal death (shown on-screen, once.)
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 5.5/5
Story: 5.5/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Worldbuilding: 5.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 5/5
Overall score: 5/5 [5.1/5]
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
LISA is a simple 2D pixel game, but I honestly really love the style. I think that, in general, it's an underrated choice (especially with the current trend of AAA studios tending towards hyper-realistic graphics.) It suits LISA perfectly, and it looks great for being made by a single person. It's not anything groundbreaking, but it's really good.
Most of the character designs are great, too. There's so many unique-looking people, both allies and foes. The companions, the human enemies, the joy mutants - they're all so memorable. On the surface, there are many designs that seem like they would feel out of place - but they don't. A guy with a goose head who reads poetry? A spear-wielding tiger man named Tiger Man? Fish people? Angry snowmen with guns? Yeah, that all works. Because the humor and the world of LISA are already so absurd, all of the weird designs it presents you with just work.
(My only complaint with this aspect is that I'm not a fan of how some of the POC are portrayed. It's very stereotypical at times.)
I also love the use of color. Most apocalypse settings will refrain from palettes outside of browns, grays, and maybe reds. LISA doesn't take this road, though. There are lots of colors in the game - both in the locations and in the character designs. It's something that makes the world pop. (Side note, this is something I think Fallout 4 actually did right, too.)
The graphics are simple, yet charming. That, plus the designs and colors, make LISA a memorable visual experience.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
This game has, hands down, one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. I cannot overstate how much the music contributes to the atmosphere, and how good of a job it does. I really can't explain to anyone why it's so good, either - all of the tracks are just so catchy and fun (or unnerving, in some cases.) It's very unique, too. I've never heard any music like it, and I doubt I ever will again.
Besides that, there's not much sound design to review here, minus some audio cues and a few one-off jokes during dialogue. LISA doesn't really need a lot of sound, though. The cues serve their purpose, and the rest of the focus is given to the music (or the absence of it in some parts, which is just as effective.)
Overall, 5.5/5.
Story:
I truly believe that LISA has one of the most tragic, heart wrenching plots in any medium. It's one that you have to experience, instead of just reading about.
LISA has the capability of shifting perfectly between darkly comedic and downright nauseating in a heartbeat - and it often manages to do both at the same time. The world of Olathe is a dark reflection of toxic masculinity. Men who solve their problems with violence. Men who feel entitled. Men who are willing to hurt and traumatize to satisfy their own pleasures.
It's a story of a father chasing after his adoptive daughter, in an effort to keep her safe from the immeasurable danger she faces on her own... But then, the game makes you question whether he does so because he really loves her, or if it's because of his own deep-seated guilt related to his past.
Almost none of the people in LISA are good people, and almost none of them are innocent. There are times where, emotionally, it feels like a hopeless endeavor to continue trying. And yet Brad keeps marching forward, so why shouldn't you? No matter how difficult it gets, he is committed to mowing down every man who stands between him and rescuing Buddy - [SPOILERS] despite the fact that she doesn't WANT to be rescued by him. [SPOILER ENDING]
There are so many different plot threads, all interesting, all which tie together perfectly. Every one of these people are haunted by the death of one girl, years ago; even the title screen is haunted by her. Whether the people knew her or not, it doesn't matter. She's always there, lingering in the background.
The writing is amazing, too. The dialogue between characters is great. All of the serious moments feel natural and real. And the game is so funny. The jokes nearly always land, and are super entertaining.
Lastly, the ending is perfect. It genuinely makes me emotional every time I play through it again.
I will never forget the final words spoken in LISA, or everything leading up to them.
Overall, 5.5/5.
Gameplay:
The combat system is fairly simple. That's a complaint I hear often, but I don't personally see it as a negative. I don't think it NEEDED to be overly-complicated. What it does provide is fun and interesting. There are some cool combinations you can pull off, if you think about who you utilize as companions. There's a few different mechanics in the combat itself, too, such as the status effects (of which there are many), and the use of SP and TP on different characters.
I do think it's notable that, at some point, the combat CAN get pretty easy (minus some of the boss fights.) This largely depends on which route you take. I won't spoil much, but there is a chance to make the fighting much less taxing than it could be, at the cost of other in-game consequences.
There is also a Painful mode, which can add a new layer of difficulty. I've played it once, and it's a fun way to make replays a bit more challenging. I'm sure that when I inevitably play the game again in a year or two, I'll be playing this mode.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
Olathe is such a unique and interesting setting. It perfectly blends the dark aspects of the setting with the humor, creating an experience that no other game can offer. It is chock-full of fascinating characters, both one-off and recurring. There's endless little details, encounters, and jokes to discover. There are a lot of hints toward the plot and what's really going on, but it's left just vague enough to give you something to think about and theorize on even after the credits roll.
There is never a dull moment in LISA. Every in-game location has something to keep your attention and/or make you laugh.
(Side note, I love all of the wrestling jokes and references, given that I'm a huge wrestling nerd.)
Overall, 5.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
This game has 68 Steam achievements total, which is quite a lot. I got the last one I needed for 100% on my last playthrough.
I really like the achievements themselves - the pictures, names, and descriptions are cool and build upon the world a bit. They're also fun to get, ranging from story progression, to simple world exploration, to defeating difficult side bosses.
Overall, 5/5.
Overall score: 5/5. LISA is nearly perfect in my eyes. There's so much to appreciate about it.
I highly recommend playing through it at least once. The story, characters, world, writing, and music will keep you entertained and engrossed from beginning to end. If you play it and enjoy it, I also recommend checking out The Joyful, which is a (much shorter) sequel that builds upon the characters and world further.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
There's so much I could say about LISA. Honestly, I could probably talk about it forever.
I first played it in April of 2017. I then promptly replayed it a second time in May, and recently finished a third run (with a fourth unfinished one in between.) It has been amongst my very favorite games since that first run, and I expect it to remain there... Probably forever.
I truly think it's one of the best of all time, and something everyone should play, if they can stomach it. It certainly isn't a story that everyone will be able to sit through, but it's absolutely worth it if you can - for both the serious moments, and the humorous ones.
Here is a TW guide for LISA that I think people should see before heading in, because it really does deal with a lot of triggering topics. Still, don't let the dark nature deter you, unless you're really not good with that sort of thing. LISA has a lot to say, and it says it exceptionally well.
TW list: Parental abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual. The first two are shown on-screen, the last is implied.) Child rape (implied, talked about, common theme.) Drug usage and addiction (shown on-screen.) Suicide (shown on-screen.) Animal death (shown on-screen, once.)
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 5.5/5
Story: 5.5/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Worldbuilding: 5.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 5/5
Overall score: 5/5 [5.1/5]
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
LISA is a simple 2D pixel game, but I honestly really love the style. I think that, in general, it's an underrated choice (especially with the current trend of AAA studios tending towards hyper-realistic graphics.) It suits LISA perfectly, and it looks great for being made by a single person. It's not anything groundbreaking, but it's really good.
Most of the character designs are great, too. There's so many unique-looking people, both allies and foes. The companions, the human enemies, the joy mutants - they're all so memorable. On the surface, there are many designs that seem like they would feel out of place - but they don't. A guy with a goose head who reads poetry? A spear-wielding tiger man named Tiger Man? Fish people? Angry snowmen with guns? Yeah, that all works. Because the humor and the world of LISA are already so absurd, all of the weird designs it presents you with just work.
(My only complaint with this aspect is that I'm not a fan of how some of the POC are portrayed. It's very stereotypical at times.)
I also love the use of color. Most apocalypse settings will refrain from palettes outside of browns, grays, and maybe reds. LISA doesn't take this road, though. There are lots of colors in the game - both in the locations and in the character designs. It's something that makes the world pop. (Side note, this is something I think Fallout 4 actually did right, too.)
The graphics are simple, yet charming. That, plus the designs and colors, make LISA a memorable visual experience.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
This game has, hands down, one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. I cannot overstate how much the music contributes to the atmosphere, and how good of a job it does. I really can't explain to anyone why it's so good, either - all of the tracks are just so catchy and fun (or unnerving, in some cases.) It's very unique, too. I've never heard any music like it, and I doubt I ever will again.
Besides that, there's not much sound design to review here, minus some audio cues and a few one-off jokes during dialogue. LISA doesn't really need a lot of sound, though. The cues serve their purpose, and the rest of the focus is given to the music (or the absence of it in some parts, which is just as effective.)
Overall, 5.5/5.
Story:
I truly believe that LISA has one of the most tragic, heart wrenching plots in any medium. It's one that you have to experience, instead of just reading about.
LISA has the capability of shifting perfectly between darkly comedic and downright nauseating in a heartbeat - and it often manages to do both at the same time. The world of Olathe is a dark reflection of toxic masculinity. Men who solve their problems with violence. Men who feel entitled. Men who are willing to hurt and traumatize to satisfy their own pleasures.
It's a story of a father chasing after his adoptive daughter, in an effort to keep her safe from the immeasurable danger she faces on her own... But then, the game makes you question whether he does so because he really loves her, or if it's because of his own deep-seated guilt related to his past.
Almost none of the people in LISA are good people, and almost none of them are innocent. There are times where, emotionally, it feels like a hopeless endeavor to continue trying. And yet Brad keeps marching forward, so why shouldn't you? No matter how difficult it gets, he is committed to mowing down every man who stands between him and rescuing Buddy - [SPOILERS] despite the fact that she doesn't WANT to be rescued by him. [SPOILER ENDING]
There are so many different plot threads, all interesting, all which tie together perfectly. Every one of these people are haunted by the death of one girl, years ago; even the title screen is haunted by her. Whether the people knew her or not, it doesn't matter. She's always there, lingering in the background.
The writing is amazing, too. The dialogue between characters is great. All of the serious moments feel natural and real. And the game is so funny. The jokes nearly always land, and are super entertaining.
Lastly, the ending is perfect. It genuinely makes me emotional every time I play through it again.
I will never forget the final words spoken in LISA, or everything leading up to them.
Overall, 5.5/5.
Gameplay:
The combat system is fairly simple. That's a complaint I hear often, but I don't personally see it as a negative. I don't think it NEEDED to be overly-complicated. What it does provide is fun and interesting. There are some cool combinations you can pull off, if you think about who you utilize as companions. There's a few different mechanics in the combat itself, too, such as the status effects (of which there are many), and the use of SP and TP on different characters.
I do think it's notable that, at some point, the combat CAN get pretty easy (minus some of the boss fights.) This largely depends on which route you take. I won't spoil much, but there is a chance to make the fighting much less taxing than it could be, at the cost of other in-game consequences.
There is also a Painful mode, which can add a new layer of difficulty. I've played it once, and it's a fun way to make replays a bit more challenging. I'm sure that when I inevitably play the game again in a year or two, I'll be playing this mode.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
Olathe is such a unique and interesting setting. It perfectly blends the dark aspects of the setting with the humor, creating an experience that no other game can offer. It is chock-full of fascinating characters, both one-off and recurring. There's endless little details, encounters, and jokes to discover. There are a lot of hints toward the plot and what's really going on, but it's left just vague enough to give you something to think about and theorize on even after the credits roll.
There is never a dull moment in LISA. Every in-game location has something to keep your attention and/or make you laugh.
(Side note, I love all of the wrestling jokes and references, given that I'm a huge wrestling nerd.)
Overall, 5.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
This game has 68 Steam achievements total, which is quite a lot. I got the last one I needed for 100% on my last playthrough.
I really like the achievements themselves - the pictures, names, and descriptions are cool and build upon the world a bit. They're also fun to get, ranging from story progression, to simple world exploration, to defeating difficult side bosses.
Overall, 5/5.
Overall score: 5/5. LISA is nearly perfect in my eyes. There's so much to appreciate about it.
I highly recommend playing through it at least once. The story, characters, world, writing, and music will keep you entertained and engrossed from beginning to end. If you play it and enjoy it, I also recommend checking out The Joyful, which is a (much shorter) sequel that builds upon the characters and world further.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
I don't know why, out of all my options, I decided to pick up FNaF last night. Easy achievements, maybe? Its relative shortness? Who knows. (Probably those two things, though.)
I'd played a bit of it when I was a kid, at the peak of its hype, and, well... it definitely had a greater effect on me at the age of 14. It actually managed to be pretty scary back then - but that was indubitably because I was young, and because I hadn't encountered much horror at that point in my life. I just didn't know what was good in the genre yet.
Looking back on FNaF now, after many more years (and scary movies/games), it's safe to say that it's not what 14-year-old me thought it was. Once you get past the jumpscares, there's just nothing going on here. It's a mediocre mess that became undeservedly popular because of novelty and circumstance. It did nothing to earn the sequels, toy lines, and dedicated fanbase that spawned from it. That's easy to see that when you actually play the game... and yet, here we are.
Though it's not nearly as big or talked about as it was in its heyday, there's still hardcore FNaF fans out there. A movie is reportedly in the works. There's more sequels being made. In fact, there's apparently an entire expanded universe now, with in-depth lore and a whole host of animatronic characters. And while it seems weird at first glance that something so throwaway would have such a long-lasting impact, I think it's easy to understand if you really think about it.
To start with, 2014 YouTubers with young, impressionable audiences proclaimed it the "SCARIEST GAME EVER???!!!" - which it obviously isn't, but I think that, like me, this was a lot of the demographic's first brush with the genre. On top of that, the fact that FNaF is so easily digestible makes it easy for both kids and teens to enjoy. There's no deep, convoluted story. The mechanics are simple. The levels are all pretty much identical. It has undeniable novelty value. The edgy + cute animatronics appeal to both age groups. Even if it was unintentional, this was perfectly made to be baby's first horror media. A kid's going to watch a playthrough of this over something like Silent Hill 2 90% of the time.
Now, I'm not saying there's absolutely zero value to be found here, even if the game isn't good. If nothing else, it's an interesting piece of pop culture history. I just do not think it lives up to the hype surrounding it at all - and I think that's even easier to see 6 years after the fact.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 1.5/5
Sound: 3/5
Story: .5/5
Gameplay: 2/5
Worldbuilding: 1.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall score: 1.5/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The graphics are pretty ugly.
The first thing that struck me when I started playing was that the room you're in isn't 3D; it's a 2D projection of a desk and doors that wrap around you, causing some really weird perspective issues. It was very distracting the first few nights, until I got used to it - but by the time I got used to it, I was halfway through the game!
The room designs are pretty empty and uninteresting to look at. This would be fine, if everything else in game wasn't equally uninteresting. The only notable thing about the setting to me are the children's drawings hanging up in some areas. Those add a small bit of personality.
The menus and game over screen are incredibly simple. It feels like words were MS Painted over some decent enough 3D art, and that was that.
It's not the ugliest thing ever, but I was surprised that I'd never seen anyone talk about these flaws. I understand that it's a small indie project (at this point in the series, anyway), and I'm sure sequels improve upon the visuals. That doesn't change the fact that this one looks really bad, though.
I DO think that it does a good job with the positioning of the animatronics on the security cameras. There's definitely some pretty scary visuals in that regard, with them often looking right at the camera as they stalk you. I think the lighting is done pretty well, too, for the most part. The dimness helps create a creepy atmosphere. What I don't like is how lit-up the characters are when they're outside the doors. It takes away a lot of that creepiness.
Now, on to the most important aspect of this section for FNaF. The character design.
The animatronics are supposed to simultaneously be scary enough to be horror antagonists, and charming enough to be mascots for a children's place. I think it's a very interesting concept that COULD be done well, but I feel like FNaF ultimately fails at it.
There is nothing scary to me about the animatronics. They're just... Whatever. The only thing that ever made them scary to people is that they jumpscare you. I do like the colors, and overall they're not awful-looking... But a game like this relies heavily upon the fear factor of its designs, and there is nothing fear-inducing here to me. I think Chica is the only one that gets close, with her human teeth and bib.
I also have to note that Foxy's jumpscare is extremely underwhelming. He just pops into frame in a really boring way. The other ones are okay for what they are - again, they're just whatever. I think it would've been cool if they each had their own jumpscare, killing you in different ways. That's beyond the capability of the first FNaF, though, if we're being honest.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Sound:
I have to hand it to FNaF, I like the sound design. It does a very decent job with the audio cues. They are extremely helpful, while all being fairly creepy. I like the way they integrated ambient "scary noises" in a way that actually means something. Listening for those noises lets the player in on what's going on around them, and makes the game slightly more interesting to play.
Also, Phone Guy's voice actor did a really good job. He was entertaining and delivered the lines well. Thanks for adding a bit of actual fun to this game, Phone Guy!
Overall, 3/5.
Story:
There isn't one. There are a few hints toward possible lore scattered around, and I know that later games expand upon these tidbits. Still, there's not much going on in the first. In fact, nothing in FNaF1 really makes sense or works on a logical level, and I can only suspend my disbelief so much. Most of it is mindless horror for the sake of it.
If FNaF picked up the slack in other categories, I wouldn't hold this against it so much. I understand some games will be more focused on certain aspects than others. This one is much more so meant to be about the visuals and gameplay. Too bad that neither of those are good enough to make up for anything.
Putting aside all of the other entries in the franchise, and just taking this one at face value, there's not much more to even say here. There's almost nothing to review, because a 'story' is almost entirely nonexistent - and what does exist makes little-to-no sense.
Overall, .5/5.
Gameplay:
FNaF is reliant upon 'fun and cool' gameplay mechanics to make players stick with it until the end.
It fails.
The novelty wears off quickly, you realize you're playing nearly identical levels, and it becomes stale and uninteresting.
The mechanics themselves ARE a compelling concept. They're meant to contribute to a feeling of helplessness, which is meant to illicit fear in the player. You instinctively want to keep track of the animatronics, but doing so drains your power, taking you one step closer to certain death. Having the camera open also leaves you vulnerable to jumpscares, the one thing you're fighting to stop.
There are good ideas. It's just not executed well enough to be a full game. It has creepy mechanics that I ultimately think would work better as a sort of minigame in a larger project. It just doesn't work here. It's stretched out, and even though FNaF isn't long, the gameplay just isn't enough to carry it to the finish line. There are titles that make the player feel helpless in much better ways. Outlast comes to mind - even though I don't think that game is particularly great either, it does have some really cool mechanics, and manages to succeed in places where FNaF fails.
FNaF relies on the mechanics, and the mechanics rely on novelty. That novelty will wear off, and you will probably get bored.
It all falls apart anyways when you realize you don't need to keep track of Chica and Bonnie at all. You only need to keep the camera on Freddy and check the lights.
Overall, 2/5.
Worldbuilding:
There's some creepy children's drawing and a few kind-of-cool easter eggs. Since there's almost no story, there's not much to build upon in the first place, leaving the world feeling pretty empty.
Again, I did enjoy Phone Guy and the final phone call [SPOILERS] after he dies. [SPOILER ENDING] The calls gave the nights a slightly different feel from each other - and like I said before, the voice actor did a great job.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
Achievement hunting for this quite literally gave me a headache. I thought it was going to be way easier than it turned out to be. The last one needed - completing the custom night with all animatronics set to 20 - forces you to repeat the same pattern in rapid succession for the entire duration of a night (nearly 9 minutes.) All you can do is hope that you're repeating it fast enough. Hardly intuitive gameplay. Night 6 feels like nothing in comparison to that now.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall, 1.5/5. Going in, I was hoping to be able to give FNaF at least a 2, maybe even a 2.5, but I just can't. The game wants to scare you, but nearly the only way it has to do so is a cheap jumpscare that isn't even scary, because the characters aren't scary. There is some creepy ambience and an okay atmosphere, but it's not enough to make the game good or worth playing. I'd suggest leaving this title in the past and finding something better to pick up.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
I don't know why, out of all my options, I decided to pick up FNaF last night. Easy achievements, maybe? Its relative shortness? Who knows. (Probably those two things, though.)
I'd played a bit of it when I was a kid, at the peak of its hype, and, well... it definitely had a greater effect on me at the age of 14. It actually managed to be pretty scary back then - but that was indubitably because I was young, and because I hadn't encountered much horror at that point in my life. I just didn't know what was good in the genre yet.
Looking back on FNaF now, after many more years (and scary movies/games), it's safe to say that it's not what 14-year-old me thought it was. Once you get past the jumpscares, there's just nothing going on here. It's a mediocre mess that became undeservedly popular because of novelty and circumstance. It did nothing to earn the sequels, toy lines, and dedicated fanbase that spawned from it. That's easy to see that when you actually play the game... and yet, here we are.
Though it's not nearly as big or talked about as it was in its heyday, there's still hardcore FNaF fans out there. A movie is reportedly in the works. There's more sequels being made. In fact, there's apparently an entire expanded universe now, with in-depth lore and a whole host of animatronic characters. And while it seems weird at first glance that something so throwaway would have such a long-lasting impact, I think it's easy to understand if you really think about it.
To start with, 2014 YouTubers with young, impressionable audiences proclaimed it the "SCARIEST GAME EVER???!!!" - which it obviously isn't, but I think that, like me, this was a lot of the demographic's first brush with the genre. On top of that, the fact that FNaF is so easily digestible makes it easy for both kids and teens to enjoy. There's no deep, convoluted story. The mechanics are simple. The levels are all pretty much identical. It has undeniable novelty value. The edgy + cute animatronics appeal to both age groups. Even if it was unintentional, this was perfectly made to be baby's first horror media. A kid's going to watch a playthrough of this over something like Silent Hill 2 90% of the time.
Now, I'm not saying there's absolutely zero value to be found here, even if the game isn't good. If nothing else, it's an interesting piece of pop culture history. I just do not think it lives up to the hype surrounding it at all - and I think that's even easier to see 6 years after the fact.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 1.5/5
Sound: 3/5
Story: .5/5
Gameplay: 2/5
Worldbuilding: 1.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall score: 1.5/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The graphics are pretty ugly.
The first thing that struck me when I started playing was that the room you're in isn't 3D; it's a 2D projection of a desk and doors that wrap around you, causing some really weird perspective issues. It was very distracting the first few nights, until I got used to it - but by the time I got used to it, I was halfway through the game!
The room designs are pretty empty and uninteresting to look at. This would be fine, if everything else in game wasn't equally uninteresting. The only notable thing about the setting to me are the children's drawings hanging up in some areas. Those add a small bit of personality.
The menus and game over screen are incredibly simple. It feels like words were MS Painted over some decent enough 3D art, and that was that.
It's not the ugliest thing ever, but I was surprised that I'd never seen anyone talk about these flaws. I understand that it's a small indie project (at this point in the series, anyway), and I'm sure sequels improve upon the visuals. That doesn't change the fact that this one looks really bad, though.
I DO think that it does a good job with the positioning of the animatronics on the security cameras. There's definitely some pretty scary visuals in that regard, with them often looking right at the camera as they stalk you. I think the lighting is done pretty well, too, for the most part. The dimness helps create a creepy atmosphere. What I don't like is how lit-up the characters are when they're outside the doors. It takes away a lot of that creepiness.
Now, on to the most important aspect of this section for FNaF. The character design.
The animatronics are supposed to simultaneously be scary enough to be horror antagonists, and charming enough to be mascots for a children's place. I think it's a very interesting concept that COULD be done well, but I feel like FNaF ultimately fails at it.
There is nothing scary to me about the animatronics. They're just... Whatever. The only thing that ever made them scary to people is that they jumpscare you. I do like the colors, and overall they're not awful-looking... But a game like this relies heavily upon the fear factor of its designs, and there is nothing fear-inducing here to me. I think Chica is the only one that gets close, with her human teeth and bib.
I also have to note that Foxy's jumpscare is extremely underwhelming. He just pops into frame in a really boring way. The other ones are okay for what they are - again, they're just whatever. I think it would've been cool if they each had their own jumpscare, killing you in different ways. That's beyond the capability of the first FNaF, though, if we're being honest.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Sound:
I have to hand it to FNaF, I like the sound design. It does a very decent job with the audio cues. They are extremely helpful, while all being fairly creepy. I like the way they integrated ambient "scary noises" in a way that actually means something. Listening for those noises lets the player in on what's going on around them, and makes the game slightly more interesting to play.
Also, Phone Guy's voice actor did a really good job. He was entertaining and delivered the lines well. Thanks for adding a bit of actual fun to this game, Phone Guy!
Overall, 3/5.
Story:
There isn't one. There are a few hints toward possible lore scattered around, and I know that later games expand upon these tidbits. Still, there's not much going on in the first. In fact, nothing in FNaF1 really makes sense or works on a logical level, and I can only suspend my disbelief so much. Most of it is mindless horror for the sake of it.
If FNaF picked up the slack in other categories, I wouldn't hold this against it so much. I understand some games will be more focused on certain aspects than others. This one is much more so meant to be about the visuals and gameplay. Too bad that neither of those are good enough to make up for anything.
Putting aside all of the other entries in the franchise, and just taking this one at face value, there's not much more to even say here. There's almost nothing to review, because a 'story' is almost entirely nonexistent - and what does exist makes little-to-no sense.
Overall, .5/5.
Gameplay:
FNaF is reliant upon 'fun and cool' gameplay mechanics to make players stick with it until the end.
It fails.
The novelty wears off quickly, you realize you're playing nearly identical levels, and it becomes stale and uninteresting.
The mechanics themselves ARE a compelling concept. They're meant to contribute to a feeling of helplessness, which is meant to illicit fear in the player. You instinctively want to keep track of the animatronics, but doing so drains your power, taking you one step closer to certain death. Having the camera open also leaves you vulnerable to jumpscares, the one thing you're fighting to stop.
There are good ideas. It's just not executed well enough to be a full game. It has creepy mechanics that I ultimately think would work better as a sort of minigame in a larger project. It just doesn't work here. It's stretched out, and even though FNaF isn't long, the gameplay just isn't enough to carry it to the finish line. There are titles that make the player feel helpless in much better ways. Outlast comes to mind - even though I don't think that game is particularly great either, it does have some really cool mechanics, and manages to succeed in places where FNaF fails.
FNaF relies on the mechanics, and the mechanics rely on novelty. That novelty will wear off, and you will probably get bored.
It all falls apart anyways when you realize you don't need to keep track of Chica and Bonnie at all. You only need to keep the camera on Freddy and check the lights.
Overall, 2/5.
Worldbuilding:
There's some creepy children's drawing and a few kind-of-cool easter eggs. Since there's almost no story, there's not much to build upon in the first place, leaving the world feeling pretty empty.
Again, I did enjoy Phone Guy and the final phone call [SPOILERS] after he dies. [SPOILER ENDING] The calls gave the nights a slightly different feel from each other - and like I said before, the voice actor did a great job.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
Achievement hunting for this quite literally gave me a headache. I thought it was going to be way easier than it turned out to be. The last one needed - completing the custom night with all animatronics set to 20 - forces you to repeat the same pattern in rapid succession for the entire duration of a night (nearly 9 minutes.) All you can do is hope that you're repeating it fast enough. Hardly intuitive gameplay. Night 6 feels like nothing in comparison to that now.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall, 1.5/5. Going in, I was hoping to be able to give FNaF at least a 2, maybe even a 2.5, but I just can't. The game wants to scare you, but nearly the only way it has to do so is a cheap jumpscare that isn't even scary, because the characters aren't scary. There is some creepy ambience and an okay atmosphere, but it's not enough to make the game good or worth playing. I'd suggest leaving this title in the past and finding something better to pick up.
2019
Outer Wilds is very pretty, has a lot of unique and fun mechanics, and boasts a great atmosphere.
Unfortunately all the deep sea imagery makes me want to pass out, and kinda ruined the experience for me. I'd really like to play more of it, but I'm kind of scared to at this rate. I don't hold this against the game at all, of course. It's just a personal issue.
I would recommend this to people who like atmospheric indie games (and don't share my phobia lol), especially anyone who likes space (like I do.) The only complaint I found with it is that some of the mechanics felt kind of clunky, but that doesn't detract from all the positives.
Update: I've picked this game up again and am going to try my best to finish it! Hopefully I can.
Unfortunately all the deep sea imagery makes me want to pass out, and kinda ruined the experience for me. I'd really like to play more of it, but I'm kind of scared to at this rate. I don't hold this against the game at all, of course. It's just a personal issue.
I would recommend this to people who like atmospheric indie games (and don't share my phobia lol), especially anyone who likes space (like I do.) The only complaint I found with it is that some of the mechanics felt kind of clunky, but that doesn't detract from all the positives.
Update: I've picked this game up again and am going to try my best to finish it! Hopefully I can.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2 REVIEW
Why did I let myself play FNaF 2 after giving the first game such a low score? Maybe it's because I thought there was an actual chance of refinement here. After all, there is some groundwork in FNaF 1 which I believe could be implemented into something much better.
I knew that being released only 5 months after the first made this an obvious cashgrab - meaning it probably wouldn't actually be a huge upgrade. And yet, I still found myself curious. So I ignored my better judgment and picked it up.
To my own surprise, I actually do think that there are improvements in FNaF 2 when compared to its predecessor. I feel like this COULD HAVE been average, or maybe even good, if there was more time spent polishing it up. As it stands, the sequel does better than the first in a lot of departments - and yet, goes backwards in the one that really matters (for this type of experience.) Gameplay.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 2.5/5
Sound: 1/5
Story: 1/5
Gameplay: 1.5/5
Worldbuilding: 1.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): .5/5
Overall score: 1.5/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
FNaF 2 does not look much better than the first game. This is definitely contributable to its short development time. In fact, there are assets reused from FNaF 1 - which would be fine, if they weren't so ugly.
The rooms are more interesting to look at, though! There's more filling up the spaces, and it feels like a much more realistic location because of it.
The menus and game over screen are still very simple, but I like the ones here better. They're creepier.
I'm also a fan of the ability they added to use the flashlight in different rooms. It reveals characters you might not see otherwise, and gives creepy imagery for a few of them. However, I prefer the way the animatronics play with the camera angles in FNaF 1. They were often much closer to the camera.
FNaF 2 does succeed where it's most important visuals-wise; the character designs are drastically better. Nearly all of them are creepy, and I love the way that space is utilized to make them even creepier. It's really unsettling to see a giant withered Freddy leaning over your desk, or a withered Chica towering over you, or a toy Chica or withered Foxy standing at the end of the hall. (Again, though, I wish that they were closer to the cameras more often. That's the one thing that made them feel large in the first.)
The toy designs do what FNaF 1 failed to - make characters that manage to be both scary AND charming. The shiny, plastic look and the realistic (yet empty) eyes are what do it.
Mangle is my favorite character. The weirdness of their design and the radio noise that accompanies them is so cool. I really did like a lot of the animatronics, though. In fact, the only one I didn't care for was Balloon Boy. I think they could've taken him out and let Mangle serve a similar purpose. Their radio static could interrupt your security feed, or something like that.
The jumpscares have more variety, which is a complaint I had with FNaF 1 and something I really appreciate them improving on with this one.
FNaF 2 still isn't anything particularly special visually, and a lot of it is still ugly. However, I think it hits the mark much better than the first in a lot of ways, especially the ones that count.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Sound:
I honestly liked the sound design better in the first. It was easier to understand, and played into classic audio horror tropes in interesting ways. There's so much going on (something I will address in gameplay) and the audio doesn't always help to distinguish things. For example, I didn't realize that one of the noises wasn't designated specifically for withered Foxy until later levels; it's just supposed to be for when any animatronic is close by. It's confusing.
Phone Guy's voice actor still does a great job, though.
Overall, 1/5.
Story:
While this game is lacking in similar ways to the first story-wise, it does add a few elements which make it a more interesting experience. The cutscenes after each night and the minigames add a little bit to the lore, and give you something to chew on as you play. Still, they're pretty vague and one-note. I also really hate the 'tell a singular story over the course of an entire franchise' mentality this series has. A plot which could easily be told in one game is stretched out over 5+ of them. It spreads itself way too thin, ruining what would otherwise be interesting lore.
Overall, 1/5.
Gameplay:
Good God, where do I start?
This game is a mess. There is way too much going on. There's ELEVEN animatronics total. On top of that, there is a ridiculous difficulty spike on Night 3. It drove me crazy, to the point where i found myself missing the simplicity and monotony of the first. At least it was over faster.
Now, I don't mind difficulty. In fact, I enjoy difficulty. I don't mind the addition of more animatronics or more mechanics. The thing that makes it all so bad is how obviously rushed it is. There's way too much of it all - there's too many ways you're supposed to keep the animatronics at bay, and too many enemies to keep track of.
It gets so overwhelming, especially on Night 6 and 7. These levels really highlight that there's only one way to win FNaF games, and it's to do exactly what's expected of you, with no room for leniency or creativity.
Related note, I hate how small of a reaction time you have to put on the mask with the withered characters. I got good at it during Night 6 and 7, but it's still a ridiculously tiny window.
Also, why in the world can't you skip the minigames? I had to restart the application entirely after so many deaths solely because of those stupid things. They were cool the first few times, then became a nuisance. Especially because your character slows down halfway through a lot of them.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
There's a lot more going on here than there was in FNaF 1 - the minigames, the cutscenes, the more fleshed-out locations, and Phone Guy's return (yay.) I ALMOST enjoyed what FNaF 2 had to offer in this department, though it's still not anything great. In fact, the minigames and cutscenes get really repetitive after awhile. On top of that, it's all left very unclear - which is fine to an extent, but since this franchise is so boring, it could really use all the help it can get.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
God, don't do it. The Golden Freddy custom night is hell. It took me days to beat it. It was not fun, either. It was just extremely frustrating.
Overall, .5/5.
Overall score, 1.5/5. Like the first, I was hoping to give FNaF 2 a higher score than I ended up giving it. It has better character design, better lore, and better worldbuilding - but it still ends up being a rushed mess with frustrating gameplay. I just can't, in good conscious, recommend it to people anymore than I would FNaF 1.
Why did I let myself play FNaF 2 after giving the first game such a low score? Maybe it's because I thought there was an actual chance of refinement here. After all, there is some groundwork in FNaF 1 which I believe could be implemented into something much better.
I knew that being released only 5 months after the first made this an obvious cashgrab - meaning it probably wouldn't actually be a huge upgrade. And yet, I still found myself curious. So I ignored my better judgment and picked it up.
To my own surprise, I actually do think that there are improvements in FNaF 2 when compared to its predecessor. I feel like this COULD HAVE been average, or maybe even good, if there was more time spent polishing it up. As it stands, the sequel does better than the first in a lot of departments - and yet, goes backwards in the one that really matters (for this type of experience.) Gameplay.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 2.5/5
Sound: 1/5
Story: 1/5
Gameplay: 1.5/5
Worldbuilding: 1.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): .5/5
Overall score: 1.5/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
FNaF 2 does not look much better than the first game. This is definitely contributable to its short development time. In fact, there are assets reused from FNaF 1 - which would be fine, if they weren't so ugly.
The rooms are more interesting to look at, though! There's more filling up the spaces, and it feels like a much more realistic location because of it.
The menus and game over screen are still very simple, but I like the ones here better. They're creepier.
I'm also a fan of the ability they added to use the flashlight in different rooms. It reveals characters you might not see otherwise, and gives creepy imagery for a few of them. However, I prefer the way the animatronics play with the camera angles in FNaF 1. They were often much closer to the camera.
FNaF 2 does succeed where it's most important visuals-wise; the character designs are drastically better. Nearly all of them are creepy, and I love the way that space is utilized to make them even creepier. It's really unsettling to see a giant withered Freddy leaning over your desk, or a withered Chica towering over you, or a toy Chica or withered Foxy standing at the end of the hall. (Again, though, I wish that they were closer to the cameras more often. That's the one thing that made them feel large in the first.)
The toy designs do what FNaF 1 failed to - make characters that manage to be both scary AND charming. The shiny, plastic look and the realistic (yet empty) eyes are what do it.
Mangle is my favorite character. The weirdness of their design and the radio noise that accompanies them is so cool. I really did like a lot of the animatronics, though. In fact, the only one I didn't care for was Balloon Boy. I think they could've taken him out and let Mangle serve a similar purpose. Their radio static could interrupt your security feed, or something like that.
The jumpscares have more variety, which is a complaint I had with FNaF 1 and something I really appreciate them improving on with this one.
FNaF 2 still isn't anything particularly special visually, and a lot of it is still ugly. However, I think it hits the mark much better than the first in a lot of ways, especially the ones that count.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Sound:
I honestly liked the sound design better in the first. It was easier to understand, and played into classic audio horror tropes in interesting ways. There's so much going on (something I will address in gameplay) and the audio doesn't always help to distinguish things. For example, I didn't realize that one of the noises wasn't designated specifically for withered Foxy until later levels; it's just supposed to be for when any animatronic is close by. It's confusing.
Phone Guy's voice actor still does a great job, though.
Overall, 1/5.
Story:
While this game is lacking in similar ways to the first story-wise, it does add a few elements which make it a more interesting experience. The cutscenes after each night and the minigames add a little bit to the lore, and give you something to chew on as you play. Still, they're pretty vague and one-note. I also really hate the 'tell a singular story over the course of an entire franchise' mentality this series has. A plot which could easily be told in one game is stretched out over 5+ of them. It spreads itself way too thin, ruining what would otherwise be interesting lore.
Overall, 1/5.
Gameplay:
Good God, where do I start?
This game is a mess. There is way too much going on. There's ELEVEN animatronics total. On top of that, there is a ridiculous difficulty spike on Night 3. It drove me crazy, to the point where i found myself missing the simplicity and monotony of the first. At least it was over faster.
Now, I don't mind difficulty. In fact, I enjoy difficulty. I don't mind the addition of more animatronics or more mechanics. The thing that makes it all so bad is how obviously rushed it is. There's way too much of it all - there's too many ways you're supposed to keep the animatronics at bay, and too many enemies to keep track of.
It gets so overwhelming, especially on Night 6 and 7. These levels really highlight that there's only one way to win FNaF games, and it's to do exactly what's expected of you, with no room for leniency or creativity.
Related note, I hate how small of a reaction time you have to put on the mask with the withered characters. I got good at it during Night 6 and 7, but it's still a ridiculously tiny window.
Also, why in the world can't you skip the minigames? I had to restart the application entirely after so many deaths solely because of those stupid things. They were cool the first few times, then became a nuisance. Especially because your character slows down halfway through a lot of them.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
There's a lot more going on here than there was in FNaF 1 - the minigames, the cutscenes, the more fleshed-out locations, and Phone Guy's return (yay.) I ALMOST enjoyed what FNaF 2 had to offer in this department, though it's still not anything great. In fact, the minigames and cutscenes get really repetitive after awhile. On top of that, it's all left very unclear - which is fine to an extent, but since this franchise is so boring, it could really use all the help it can get.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
God, don't do it. The Golden Freddy custom night is hell. It took me days to beat it. It was not fun, either. It was just extremely frustrating.
Overall, .5/5.
Overall score, 1.5/5. Like the first, I was hoping to give FNaF 2 a higher score than I ended up giving it. It has better character design, better lore, and better worldbuilding - but it still ends up being a rushed mess with frustrating gameplay. I just can't, in good conscious, recommend it to people anymore than I would FNaF 1.
2017
CUPHEAD REVIEW
As I scrolled through my Xbox library on Christmas Day, my eyes were inexplicably drawn to Cuphead. I was suddenly filled with the sudden urge to not only replay it, but to master it. This was honestly surprising. I had enjoyed the game a lot, but I wouldn't think I'd want to pick it up again so soon.
I'd admittedly had my issues with it the first time around. Don't get me wrong, I love difficult games. And while I don't think Cuphead is QUITE as difficult as it was hyped up to be, it's still very tough. There's a high learning curve, and that curve made me put off finishing the game for 7 months.
But it's, impossible to deny the many merits Cuphead presents. It is amazing in a lot of ways, particularly in its unique 1930s cartoon-esque presentation. The fights get addictive after you spend enough time with it, too. It's a perfect pattern-learning shmup, and I learned to really appreciate that this time around.
I think that replaying it immensely benefited my outlook on it as a whole. I had experience under my belt at that point, after all. I was comfortable with the controls and the reaction times required of me. The bosses weren't nearly as overwhelming, even on expert mode. That's not to say they weren't still difficult, of course - just that it felt like a much more manageable task. Getting over that learning curve made it much easier to fully enjoy and appreciate the game.
It was so rewarding to see my own improvement, too. While going back and playing old bosses, I would often realize how much better I'd gotten, and it's a very satisfying feeling. That's part of what makes it all work so well. There's definitely a hill you have to climb, but it is undeniably gratifying when you do.
If you found yourself feeling lackluster about Cuphead (like I did), give it a second go and replay some of the earlier fights. I think you might find a new appreciation in it!
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 5.5/5
Sound: 5/5
Story: 3.5/5
Gameplay: 5.5/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 4/5
Overall score: 4.5/5 [4.7/5]
Visuals:
What can be said about Cuphead's visual style that hasn't already been said?
It is, far and away, an artistic masterpiece. The animation, the character design, the backgrounds, the colors - it's all perfect. There is love put into every single facet of this category, and it shows. Even if the mechanics aren't for you, I suggest watching a playthrough on YouTube, just to see how impressive the game is in this regard.
For the most part, the character design is kept simple. That simplicity works in its favor, though. All of the bosses are very memorable; they stand out from each other extremely well. And they're noticeably influenced by old cartoons (in the same way the animation itself is.) You can even see inspiration taken from specific real-world characters (such as Tom and Jerry, or Bluto from Popeye), which is really interesting.
Almost all of the boss attacks are easy to read and understand. Things can get a little hectic at times, but you'll always be able to pick out the projectiles quickly, and know what you need to dodge.
The colors used are gorgeous, bright, and fun. Everything pops. This aspect doesn't quite fit the 1930s aesthetics as well as other parts of the game, but I think that's for the better. It only adds to everything in the best possible way.
The backgrounds are gorgeous and alive, but don't take focus away from the fights themselves. It adds a lot to the atmosphere without being distracting.
Other than all of that, I really love the style of the overworld, as well as the grainy screen effect. The inclusion of other color palettes (if you complete certain tasks) was great, too.
And there's so many neat little details throughout the game that add a whole new layer here. For example, interactable objects look noticeably different from non-interactable objects - just like how it used to be in old cartoons. Sometimes Cuphead's gloves will be yellow instead of white, a common error that happened in animation during that time period. It makes a game that's already artistically perfect even more appealing to the observant eye.
I truly believe that Cuphead is one of the most visually impressive games ever made. There's nothing out there like it. It sets the standards very high for titles to follow it.
Overall, 5.5/5.
Sound:
Though the visuals are undoubtedly the first thing you'll notice about Cuphead, the sound design is impressive in its own right. The soundtrack is filled with original jazz music that sets the perfect tone. It fits the vintage feel perfectly, too.
All of the audio cues are distinct and helpful. On top of nearly always signaling form changes, they'll also just help you learn attack patterns much quicker.
The announcer adds a lot too! He helps wonderfully in keeping that old cartoon spirit. It always pumped me up for the fights.
Overall, 5/5.
Story:
The story here isn't really supposed to be super complex or nuanced. It lays good groundwork for the meat and potatoes of the game (the boss fights and the visuals.) It doesn't overcomplicate itself, and lets those really important aspects shine.
It's an interesting enough plot. There's not really any flaws in it (aside from the general simplicity, if you did want to criticize it.) It puts a nice dark spin on old cartoons, too, which is very cool.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Gameplay:
It's honestly very difficult to give a simple rating here.
The toughness of Cuphead immediately turns away a lot of people, and I can't blame them for that. However, I think that the game is (mostly) fair about it. There's not many things that you can't learn to counter or dodge - it'll just take you some time.
That being said, it is also ridiculously punishing at times, and it can get really frustrating. As time goes on, though, that frustration mellows out. It's rewarding when you finally beat a boss you've been stuck on, or get good at dodging a particularly annoying projectile.
I think the only real fault here lies in how quickly you're thrown to the wolves. When replaying the earlier bosses, I find that they're not nearly as difficult, but I still remember them being incredibly annoying my first run. I think the game could have benefitted from one or two more early bosses that aren't quite as arduous, to get new players adjusted better.
As for the mechanics, they're pretty easy to learn and user-friendly. The boss fights themselves add plenty of difficulty. No need to complicate this too.
I do really, really love the parry system. It's a super fun and satisfying mechanic. It's not impossible to beat the game without learning how to use it consistently, but it certainly helps a lot.
I also found a deep appreciation for the variety of weapons in my later playthroughs. I had pretty much exclusively used the default one my first run. However, I discovered - while watching others play and while testing things myself - that the other weapons become super, super helpful for specific bosses. I think that's really neat. I ended up using all of them at least once or twice.
As for the bosses themselves, the game does an outstanding job with its pattern learning. While I do think SOME of the attacks are pretty unfair, it's still fulfilling to learn how to counter it - maybe even more-so. I also really love how you can only view exactly how far you got with a boss after you've died. There's no HP bars to distract you or detract from the aesthetic. During the fight, you have to judge based on form changes alone. It's very unique and very cool.
If there's one thing I don't like about the gameplay, it's the run n' gun sections. It's been said a lot by others, but I wholeheartedly agree - these parts are tedious and not nearly as fun as the bosses. It feels like the devs' hearts just weren't in these. I wish they'd either found a way to improve them, or taken them out entirely.
While I can definitely acknowledge the issues Cuphead has here... God, I love playing this game so much. Maybe it's not 100% perfect, but it's damn near close, at least for me personally. It won't be for everyone, but it's definitely for me. I'm so glad I replayed it.
Overall, 5.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
The overworld has quite a few cool details and extra content within it. There's nothing too deep, but once again, that simplicity benefits it. Things like hidden coins and secret paths add an extra layer, but without modernizing it too much. The NPCs are charming, too. Many of them give fun and straightforward side quests.
There's not much known about this world beyond the little town that Cuphead and Mugman live in, or even how that town itself operates. But that's honestly okay. It's operating on cartoon logic - everything is kept very simple and digestible. What is here is done perfectly, and helps add to the spirit of it all.
Overall, 4/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
Don't do it unless you hate yourself!
It is a fun one to 100%, if you have the dedication. Just really think about whether you want to go through the pain beforehand.
But as I've said, replaying Cuphead made me like it a lot more. I probably wouldn't have for a long time, if not to achievement hunt.
I'm just thankful there's not one for S-ranking more than one boss.
Overall, 4/5.
Overall game score: 4.5/5. I know that the difficulty will scare some people off. However, Cuphead is amazing in a LOT of aspects. I think it's worth trying out, even if you might not be able to finish it. It is a bit taxing to engage with at first, but that's absolutely worth it after all is said and done. It's a lot of fun, both as a game and as an experience.
To me, it's definitely the type of game that you appreciate more and more as time goes on. I expect I'll find myself playing it again in the future.
Don't be afraid to practice on easy!
As I scrolled through my Xbox library on Christmas Day, my eyes were inexplicably drawn to Cuphead. I was suddenly filled with the sudden urge to not only replay it, but to master it. This was honestly surprising. I had enjoyed the game a lot, but I wouldn't think I'd want to pick it up again so soon.
I'd admittedly had my issues with it the first time around. Don't get me wrong, I love difficult games. And while I don't think Cuphead is QUITE as difficult as it was hyped up to be, it's still very tough. There's a high learning curve, and that curve made me put off finishing the game for 7 months.
But it's, impossible to deny the many merits Cuphead presents. It is amazing in a lot of ways, particularly in its unique 1930s cartoon-esque presentation. The fights get addictive after you spend enough time with it, too. It's a perfect pattern-learning shmup, and I learned to really appreciate that this time around.
I think that replaying it immensely benefited my outlook on it as a whole. I had experience under my belt at that point, after all. I was comfortable with the controls and the reaction times required of me. The bosses weren't nearly as overwhelming, even on expert mode. That's not to say they weren't still difficult, of course - just that it felt like a much more manageable task. Getting over that learning curve made it much easier to fully enjoy and appreciate the game.
It was so rewarding to see my own improvement, too. While going back and playing old bosses, I would often realize how much better I'd gotten, and it's a very satisfying feeling. That's part of what makes it all work so well. There's definitely a hill you have to climb, but it is undeniably gratifying when you do.
If you found yourself feeling lackluster about Cuphead (like I did), give it a second go and replay some of the earlier fights. I think you might find a new appreciation in it!
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 5.5/5
Sound: 5/5
Story: 3.5/5
Gameplay: 5.5/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 4/5
Overall score: 4.5/5 [4.7/5]
Visuals:
What can be said about Cuphead's visual style that hasn't already been said?
It is, far and away, an artistic masterpiece. The animation, the character design, the backgrounds, the colors - it's all perfect. There is love put into every single facet of this category, and it shows. Even if the mechanics aren't for you, I suggest watching a playthrough on YouTube, just to see how impressive the game is in this regard.
For the most part, the character design is kept simple. That simplicity works in its favor, though. All of the bosses are very memorable; they stand out from each other extremely well. And they're noticeably influenced by old cartoons (in the same way the animation itself is.) You can even see inspiration taken from specific real-world characters (such as Tom and Jerry, or Bluto from Popeye), which is really interesting.
Almost all of the boss attacks are easy to read and understand. Things can get a little hectic at times, but you'll always be able to pick out the projectiles quickly, and know what you need to dodge.
The colors used are gorgeous, bright, and fun. Everything pops. This aspect doesn't quite fit the 1930s aesthetics as well as other parts of the game, but I think that's for the better. It only adds to everything in the best possible way.
The backgrounds are gorgeous and alive, but don't take focus away from the fights themselves. It adds a lot to the atmosphere without being distracting.
Other than all of that, I really love the style of the overworld, as well as the grainy screen effect. The inclusion of other color palettes (if you complete certain tasks) was great, too.
And there's so many neat little details throughout the game that add a whole new layer here. For example, interactable objects look noticeably different from non-interactable objects - just like how it used to be in old cartoons. Sometimes Cuphead's gloves will be yellow instead of white, a common error that happened in animation during that time period. It makes a game that's already artistically perfect even more appealing to the observant eye.
I truly believe that Cuphead is one of the most visually impressive games ever made. There's nothing out there like it. It sets the standards very high for titles to follow it.
Overall, 5.5/5.
Sound:
Though the visuals are undoubtedly the first thing you'll notice about Cuphead, the sound design is impressive in its own right. The soundtrack is filled with original jazz music that sets the perfect tone. It fits the vintage feel perfectly, too.
All of the audio cues are distinct and helpful. On top of nearly always signaling form changes, they'll also just help you learn attack patterns much quicker.
The announcer adds a lot too! He helps wonderfully in keeping that old cartoon spirit. It always pumped me up for the fights.
Overall, 5/5.
Story:
The story here isn't really supposed to be super complex or nuanced. It lays good groundwork for the meat and potatoes of the game (the boss fights and the visuals.) It doesn't overcomplicate itself, and lets those really important aspects shine.
It's an interesting enough plot. There's not really any flaws in it (aside from the general simplicity, if you did want to criticize it.) It puts a nice dark spin on old cartoons, too, which is very cool.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Gameplay:
It's honestly very difficult to give a simple rating here.
The toughness of Cuphead immediately turns away a lot of people, and I can't blame them for that. However, I think that the game is (mostly) fair about it. There's not many things that you can't learn to counter or dodge - it'll just take you some time.
That being said, it is also ridiculously punishing at times, and it can get really frustrating. As time goes on, though, that frustration mellows out. It's rewarding when you finally beat a boss you've been stuck on, or get good at dodging a particularly annoying projectile.
I think the only real fault here lies in how quickly you're thrown to the wolves. When replaying the earlier bosses, I find that they're not nearly as difficult, but I still remember them being incredibly annoying my first run. I think the game could have benefitted from one or two more early bosses that aren't quite as arduous, to get new players adjusted better.
As for the mechanics, they're pretty easy to learn and user-friendly. The boss fights themselves add plenty of difficulty. No need to complicate this too.
I do really, really love the parry system. It's a super fun and satisfying mechanic. It's not impossible to beat the game without learning how to use it consistently, but it certainly helps a lot.
I also found a deep appreciation for the variety of weapons in my later playthroughs. I had pretty much exclusively used the default one my first run. However, I discovered - while watching others play and while testing things myself - that the other weapons become super, super helpful for specific bosses. I think that's really neat. I ended up using all of them at least once or twice.
As for the bosses themselves, the game does an outstanding job with its pattern learning. While I do think SOME of the attacks are pretty unfair, it's still fulfilling to learn how to counter it - maybe even more-so. I also really love how you can only view exactly how far you got with a boss after you've died. There's no HP bars to distract you or detract from the aesthetic. During the fight, you have to judge based on form changes alone. It's very unique and very cool.
If there's one thing I don't like about the gameplay, it's the run n' gun sections. It's been said a lot by others, but I wholeheartedly agree - these parts are tedious and not nearly as fun as the bosses. It feels like the devs' hearts just weren't in these. I wish they'd either found a way to improve them, or taken them out entirely.
While I can definitely acknowledge the issues Cuphead has here... God, I love playing this game so much. Maybe it's not 100% perfect, but it's damn near close, at least for me personally. It won't be for everyone, but it's definitely for me. I'm so glad I replayed it.
Overall, 5.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
The overworld has quite a few cool details and extra content within it. There's nothing too deep, but once again, that simplicity benefits it. Things like hidden coins and secret paths add an extra layer, but without modernizing it too much. The NPCs are charming, too. Many of them give fun and straightforward side quests.
There's not much known about this world beyond the little town that Cuphead and Mugman live in, or even how that town itself operates. But that's honestly okay. It's operating on cartoon logic - everything is kept very simple and digestible. What is here is done perfectly, and helps add to the spirit of it all.
Overall, 4/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
Don't do it unless you hate yourself!
It is a fun one to 100%, if you have the dedication. Just really think about whether you want to go through the pain beforehand.
But as I've said, replaying Cuphead made me like it a lot more. I probably wouldn't have for a long time, if not to achievement hunt.
I'm just thankful there's not one for S-ranking more than one boss.
Overall, 4/5.
Overall game score: 4.5/5. I know that the difficulty will scare some people off. However, Cuphead is amazing in a LOT of aspects. I think it's worth trying out, even if you might not be able to finish it. It is a bit taxing to engage with at first, but that's absolutely worth it after all is said and done. It's a lot of fun, both as a game and as an experience.
To me, it's definitely the type of game that you appreciate more and more as time goes on. I expect I'll find myself playing it again in the future.
Don't be afraid to practice on easy!
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 3 REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
I think there's something to be said about my own willpower - or perhaps my mental state - that I continue playing (AND reviewing) this franchise. There is absolutely no reason for me to. Yet I trek on, as this is my solemn duty, apparently.
Every time I pick up any FNaF game, I find myself thinking about all the better things I could be playing instead. I think that perfectly summarizes my feelings on the series. It's an absolute time-waster that no one should bother with.
Now, that's not to say that it doesn't have cool lore... But how much does that lore count for, when most of it is completely absent from the games themselves? Why do they insist on barely using their strongest talking point? It baffles me.
FNaF 3 is definitely my least favorite so far. Like the first two, I think that there's some decent groundwork that could have led to something good... But it doesn't. It never does with FNaF. Nothing ever goes anywhere; anything of substance is buried under lackluster worldbuilding and mediocre - or outright bad - mechanics. It's frustrating how something of such low quality became so popular in the mainstream. It's not even like there was one good game, and then terrible sequels to cash in on the success - even the first one wasn't good!
Ugh, thinking about it makes my head hurt.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 1/5
Sound: 1/5
Story: 1/5
Gameplay: 1/5
Worldbuilding: 1.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 1/5
Overall score: 1/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
I'll admit, grittier visuals in a FNaF setting is a neat idea. It is almost immediately ruined, though, by how badly that idea was executed. That's what this series does best, after all.
To start with, FNaF 3 looks so bad. The graphics continue to be barely passable at best, and downright ugly at worst.
That's not even the most atrocious fault here, though - that lays within the cameras. The rooms are ridiculously dark and shadowy. This, along with the staggering amount of static overlay, makes it extremely tough to actually see anything. It was so bad that I had to look up pictures to figure out where Springtrap was in some rooms. On that note, I don't think I need to explain that knowing where the animatronic is is an INTEGRAL part of the gameplay! It makes an already frustrating experience even more difficult to enjoy.
Springtrap's jumpscare is 10x weaker than the ones from the previous games, and those already weren't good. For all the tension FNaF 3 attempts to build up, when he finally jumps out at you, it's so underwhelming that it's laughable. I didn't react at all the first time I died to him. The phantom jumpscares are okay, but get stale quickly, too.
Springtrap has a nifty design, but the phantoms are completely uninteresting and uninspired.
The one other positive thing I will say is that the visual style of the minigames is better.
Overall, 1/5.
Sound:
[SPOILERS] Phone Dude is super annoying. I'm so glad he disappeared after night 2. He says 'like' even more than me, which is an accomplishment. [SPOILER END] Phone Guy continues to be the only actually entertaining and fun part of these games. Even he's nearly ruined in this one, though. His role goes from talking to the player naturally, to reading off pre-written instructions. It takes away a lot of his personality and what makes him enjoyable.
Everything else here is totally unnoteworthy.
Overall, 1/5.
Story:
I will not be swayed to give FNaF games higher scores based on lore that's not actually in the games themselves.
The story as a whole IS interesting. It'S the strong suit in this series, and yet it's barely present at all. It's totally ridiculous. That's is why I think they'd work better as movies. Someone even suggested to me that they're basically an ARG at this point, which I can see. The stupidly hidden lore is much more akin to an ARG than an actual game.
The minigame you play after each completed night is cool at first, but gets stale very quickly. There's never anything new in it.
The 'true ending' is actually pretty good, but I hate the way it's executed. The best part of the franchise's plot so far is buried behind an impossible sequence of inputs that you'd never figure out on your own. That is absolutely counter-productive.
Besides that one hidden ending, FNaF 3 is totally forgettable and unneeded. A single cool thing is not enough to make it good.
Overall, 1/5.
Gameplay:
FNaF continues to get more needlessly complicated and less fun with its gameplay. I really didn't think it could get worse after FNaF 2, but at least there, you could actually understand the patterns of the animatronics. Springtrap seems to be totally random for a majority of the nights. You can learn how to counter him, sure, but I didn't really figure out his AI until I was going for aggressive nightmare. All of my wins before that were literally just dumb luck. Nothing is properly explained, there's way too much to figure out, and it makes for an extremely messy experience.
I will say, that once I had really gotten into the groove of things right at the end, I ALMOST found the gameplay at least average. Still, I cannot give a good rating for how I felt during the last 5 minutes.
Overall, 1/5.
Worldbuilding:
I do really like the idea behind this setting. A horror attraction built around FNaF 1, 30 years later, is just meta enough to be fun. But, of course, it is ruined by doing absolutely nothing of note (aside from the true ending, which again, you'll never discover on your own.)
The night minigames are way more lackluster than 2's. 2's were more annoying to slog through once they got old, but at least there was variety within them.
On their own, the secret minigames do add a little flavor. I actually enjoy them and the way you have to glitch them out. It's cool. Too bad most players will never see them.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
Absolutely not worth it. Still easier than FNaF 2 though, to my surprise. I suppose that's because there's only one animatronic to keep track of. Once you watch playthroughs on YouTube, and learn how to counter Springtrap, it's not nearly as difficult as it seems like it will be. Still, absolutely not worth it.
Overall, 1/5.
Overall game score: 1/5. This series continues to go downhill in terms of gameplay, and also takes a dive here with the visuals, too. Anything that could have been good is underdeveloped or way too secret.
I highly recommend you skip this one, and just watch a YouTube video of the true ending if you care about the lore. That's literally the only thing that slightly matters here.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
I think there's something to be said about my own willpower - or perhaps my mental state - that I continue playing (AND reviewing) this franchise. There is absolutely no reason for me to. Yet I trek on, as this is my solemn duty, apparently.
Every time I pick up any FNaF game, I find myself thinking about all the better things I could be playing instead. I think that perfectly summarizes my feelings on the series. It's an absolute time-waster that no one should bother with.
Now, that's not to say that it doesn't have cool lore... But how much does that lore count for, when most of it is completely absent from the games themselves? Why do they insist on barely using their strongest talking point? It baffles me.
FNaF 3 is definitely my least favorite so far. Like the first two, I think that there's some decent groundwork that could have led to something good... But it doesn't. It never does with FNaF. Nothing ever goes anywhere; anything of substance is buried under lackluster worldbuilding and mediocre - or outright bad - mechanics. It's frustrating how something of such low quality became so popular in the mainstream. It's not even like there was one good game, and then terrible sequels to cash in on the success - even the first one wasn't good!
Ugh, thinking about it makes my head hurt.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 1/5
Sound: 1/5
Story: 1/5
Gameplay: 1/5
Worldbuilding: 1.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 1/5
Overall score: 1/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
I'll admit, grittier visuals in a FNaF setting is a neat idea. It is almost immediately ruined, though, by how badly that idea was executed. That's what this series does best, after all.
To start with, FNaF 3 looks so bad. The graphics continue to be barely passable at best, and downright ugly at worst.
That's not even the most atrocious fault here, though - that lays within the cameras. The rooms are ridiculously dark and shadowy. This, along with the staggering amount of static overlay, makes it extremely tough to actually see anything. It was so bad that I had to look up pictures to figure out where Springtrap was in some rooms. On that note, I don't think I need to explain that knowing where the animatronic is is an INTEGRAL part of the gameplay! It makes an already frustrating experience even more difficult to enjoy.
Springtrap's jumpscare is 10x weaker than the ones from the previous games, and those already weren't good. For all the tension FNaF 3 attempts to build up, when he finally jumps out at you, it's so underwhelming that it's laughable. I didn't react at all the first time I died to him. The phantom jumpscares are okay, but get stale quickly, too.
Springtrap has a nifty design, but the phantoms are completely uninteresting and uninspired.
The one other positive thing I will say is that the visual style of the minigames is better.
Overall, 1/5.
Sound:
[SPOILERS] Phone Dude is super annoying. I'm so glad he disappeared after night 2. He says 'like' even more than me, which is an accomplishment. [SPOILER END] Phone Guy continues to be the only actually entertaining and fun part of these games. Even he's nearly ruined in this one, though. His role goes from talking to the player naturally, to reading off pre-written instructions. It takes away a lot of his personality and what makes him enjoyable.
Everything else here is totally unnoteworthy.
Overall, 1/5.
Story:
I will not be swayed to give FNaF games higher scores based on lore that's not actually in the games themselves.
The story as a whole IS interesting. It'S the strong suit in this series, and yet it's barely present at all. It's totally ridiculous. That's is why I think they'd work better as movies. Someone even suggested to me that they're basically an ARG at this point, which I can see. The stupidly hidden lore is much more akin to an ARG than an actual game.
The minigame you play after each completed night is cool at first, but gets stale very quickly. There's never anything new in it.
The 'true ending' is actually pretty good, but I hate the way it's executed. The best part of the franchise's plot so far is buried behind an impossible sequence of inputs that you'd never figure out on your own. That is absolutely counter-productive.
Besides that one hidden ending, FNaF 3 is totally forgettable and unneeded. A single cool thing is not enough to make it good.
Overall, 1/5.
Gameplay:
FNaF continues to get more needlessly complicated and less fun with its gameplay. I really didn't think it could get worse after FNaF 2, but at least there, you could actually understand the patterns of the animatronics. Springtrap seems to be totally random for a majority of the nights. You can learn how to counter him, sure, but I didn't really figure out his AI until I was going for aggressive nightmare. All of my wins before that were literally just dumb luck. Nothing is properly explained, there's way too much to figure out, and it makes for an extremely messy experience.
I will say, that once I had really gotten into the groove of things right at the end, I ALMOST found the gameplay at least average. Still, I cannot give a good rating for how I felt during the last 5 minutes.
Overall, 1/5.
Worldbuilding:
I do really like the idea behind this setting. A horror attraction built around FNaF 1, 30 years later, is just meta enough to be fun. But, of course, it is ruined by doing absolutely nothing of note (aside from the true ending, which again, you'll never discover on your own.)
The night minigames are way more lackluster than 2's. 2's were more annoying to slog through once they got old, but at least there was variety within them.
On their own, the secret minigames do add a little flavor. I actually enjoy them and the way you have to glitch them out. It's cool. Too bad most players will never see them.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
Absolutely not worth it. Still easier than FNaF 2 though, to my surprise. I suppose that's because there's only one animatronic to keep track of. Once you watch playthroughs on YouTube, and learn how to counter Springtrap, it's not nearly as difficult as it seems like it will be. Still, absolutely not worth it.
Overall, 1/5.
Overall game score: 1/5. This series continues to go downhill in terms of gameplay, and also takes a dive here with the visuals, too. Anything that could have been good is underdeveloped or way too secret.
I highly recommend you skip this one, and just watch a YouTube video of the true ending if you care about the lore. That's literally the only thing that slightly matters here.
2008
DEAD SPACE REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
Completed on Xbox One with backwards compatibility.
Dead Space is often cited as a pretty solid game for 2008, and for the Xbox 360 in general. I'd picked it up in 2016, but abandoned my playthrough only a few chapters in; it's not that I wasn't enjoying myself, it just wasn't clicking quite enough for me to get all the way to the end.
Well, here I am. I've not only completed the game, but I've 100%ed it! And... honestly, I'm left with lukewarm opinions overall. I don't regret my time with it, and I would say it's worth a playthrough or two, but there are a lot of mediocre or downright bad things about it that I'm surprised I don't see more people discuss.
To be fair, I went into Dead Space with the wrong expectations from it - but I had no way of knowing the TYPE of game it was supposed to be. Then, ten or fifteen minutes into my second playthrough, it clicked. It was never meant to be narrative-driven and deep, like other horror titles I've played and love. It is MUCH more-so modeled off of the arcade style - focused on mechanics, replayability, powerups, and getting you from one place/encounter to the next. I think this is an important aspect to understand going in if you want to enjoy your time with Dead Space.
I think it's also important to note that this game honestly wasn't that scary to me. There were some creepy parts, but I mostly only jumped if an enemy surprise attacked me from behind. That's not to say that there aren't disturbing enemies or setting elements, because there definitely are. They just don't mess with me personally.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 2.5/5
Sound: 3.5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 3.5/5
Worldbuilding: 3.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 4/5
Overall score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
Graphics-wise, Dead Space looks good for when it came out. The monsters are modeled well. The human models are decent, if a little stiff and lacking in facial expressions. (That didn't bother me too much, though, given that you're not close to them often.)
I particularly love the HUD setup. It's easy to read, and all of the needed information only takes up a small portion of the screen. It's very smartly designed to not take you out of the gameplay or atmosphere.
There are some fun death animations, though I wish they were skippable.
The monster designs are cool, and they're all unique enough to stand out from each other. You can instantly tell which one you're looking at in combat. They also have really well-executed movement, each being pretty unique in this regard. I do wish there was more variety color palette-wise - some blue, gray, or even purple hues would be neat (and would make sense, too, given what necromorphs are.)
That's all the good stuff - now on to the bad.
One of my biggest gripes with Dead Space is that SO many of the levels run together. The starting room of each chapter is always the same. The corridors often look identical. The locations are always gray. Monsters are always flesh-colored (or black, in the case of the more difficult versions.) While there are a few places that stand out because of their level design, they're still not often particularly fun to look at or explore.
I understand that the overall visuals will be subdued because of the setting and tone, but I still feel like there could've been more variety. For example, my favorite location in the game was the big room and adjacent bedrooms that all had red furniture. It was such a stark contrast to everything else, and was very memorable to me because of that.
I never finished it, but I feel like Prey did a good job of this. It made the space horror setting - which tends to be a visually drab genre as a whole - pop more. Its use of color in specific still stands out to me, even though it's been years since I played it.
All of this honestly contributed in making Dead Space feel like a chore after a certain point, because it was not visually engaging to me. More colors, more views of space, and more diversity to the levels in general would've benefited it greatly.
On a smaller note, I thought Isaac's suit was really ugly. I was hoping it would get cooler as I upgraded it, but it only ever got stupider.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Sound:
The game does a decent job of distinguishing enemies by the sounds they make. There's also some cool ambient noise, most notably the whispering heard throughout the game. The mechanical sounds of the ship add their own sense of atmosphere, too.
The voice acting is good; everyone sounds believable to me. I really liked the VA performances for Kendra and Hammond. They took what were otherwise pretty bland characters and gave them a lot of personality.
The only big criticism I have here is that Isaac's chronic breathing issues really annoyed me. I understand the need to give audio cues for low health and low air, but I wish they'd figured out something less grating.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Story:
The plot is definitely intriguing. However, it (understandably) gets sidelined in favor of those arcade aspects that I mentioned earlier. I feel like it would definitely be expanded on in sequels, and I'm interested to see where it would go. Here, though, you basically just do that chapter's tasks given to you over comms (so you are easily moving from one place/encounter to the next.) You don't have much direct influence over anything happening until the end of the story, and it's never because your character is particularly important. It's because you're basically a vessel for other characters to get tasks done through.
Now, I don't expect grade A character writing with a silent protagonist. I understand that they'll never be fully realized on their own. However, Isaac is very, very basic. He has no importance beyond acting for others. It's another factor that makes the game repetitive.
The other characters are okay. Like I mentioned in sound, if it weren't for their VAs, they'd be very basic. Some of them are annoying at points, honestly, but it's not atrociously bad. There's little backstory given in-game for any of them, but they all serve their purpose to move the story along, at least.
I do have to say that some of the plot is kind of confusing; and not in a fun "think on it" way. Notably, I'm unsure of the relationship between [SPOILERS] the marker and the hivemind. I don't understand how the necromorph infection started, and why the marker harms them. [SPOILER END] There's quite a bit going on in the background, and it all feels underexplained at points. I do think games can be 'vague' in good ways. But again, it has to be fun to try to figure out. This isn't to me.
I will say that I do understand things a bit better after a few more playthroughs, but I'm still going to have to look up stuff online to get a full grasp; which I think is a failing on the game's part, especially given that I've played it multiple times.
The twists were pretty predictable. I feel like some of them were hinted at TOO much, which kind of ruined the reveals.
[SPOILERS] I liked Isaac's face reveal at the end, and the little bit of emotion he showed when the Nicole twist happened in chapter 12. It made me feel like he had a small bit of personality, when he'd been a completely blank slate up to that point. (Note: You actually can see Isaac's face for a short time at the beginning, if you turn the camera. I still count this as a face reveal, though, because I didn't figure this out until my second or third run.) He still isn't a fleshed out character because of those things, but that's what made the moments cool. It was like, "Oh! He DOES care about Nicole!" "Oh! There IS a person with a physical form under the suit!"
[SPOILERS STILL] As for the Nicole jumpscare, I have mixed feelings on it. On the one hand, I was expecting an ending like that - horror media in general loves its ambiguous endings. And yeah, it made sense for this game to have one. I definitely liked the Nicole video popping up on the ship feed and Isaac sending it away. It showed that Isaac is still affected by the "insanity" caused by the marker, but that he has made the personal choice to not drown in his grief. Another small character moment.
[SPOILERS STILL] Then, the jumpscare happens. Now, I'm not against jumpscares if they're done correctly, but I honestly feel it's cheap to end with one (unless it's really good.) This one was... Well, it was okay. It was creepy enough, and the fact that it was Nicole and that it tied into the video popping up was cool. But WHY did it happen? Was it another effect of Isaac's deteriorating mind? Was it actually Nicole's body, in the process of being transformed? If so, how did it get on the ship? I just feel like it was meant to end the game on a high note, without being completely thought out. Or maybe it was simply left ambiguous so that fans could theorize about it until the sequel - I'm guessing it is explained there. [SPOILER END]
Overall, 3/5.
Gameplay:
Combat is fun, with some unique ideas that really carry the game - the limb shooting, the stasis, the kinesis, and the different guns with a wide range of effects (which have secondary fires, too) are all pretty good. I don't think it's anything groundbreaking, but it is enough to make the game enjoyable and worth your time. It's definitely solid groundwork, and I think that it would only be improved upon in sequels.
It does get a bit repetitive, though. The game is basically just a series of enemy encounters stretched out over 12 chapters. Every monster introduced is defeated in the same basic way, and it gets boring by the last quarter.
Replayability is meant to be the bread and butter here - but that repetitiveness, and lack of focus in other areas, brings it down. It is encouraged by the game itself that you start a new game+ after your first playthrough, as it rewards you with power nodes and cash (amongst other things) after the first time. While there are things that make it fundamentally repayable, it all begins to blur together because of the flaws. I could see wanting to come back to it again in a year or two, though - the relatively short playtime and the first few hours of combat make it worth that, at least.
I will say that my first playthrough was plasma cutter only, which I believe affected my opinions a bit. My second playthrough, I experimented with all the guns while achievement hunting. At that point, I had gained the ability to mow down enemies which were previously very difficult, thanks to new game+ keeping all the upgrades and items from your previous playthrough! I love that. I think the latter is a much more enjoyable way of playing the game, so I recommend waiting to get the plasma cutter achievement on a later playthrough if you want to 100% it.
I also appreciate how when you die, it reloads you to a point that's usually very close beforehand (as long as you weren't backtracking.) You do still need to utilize save points though, as these aren't saves.
One thing I noticed, and something I've seen other people say too, is that some of the guns just aren't good. Particularly, I've come across hate for (or personally had issues with) the flamethrower, pulse rifle, and force gun. I personally felt the pulse rifle was okay, not great. I do hate that flamethrower though, it's complete trash. The force gun is good if you're right in their face with it, but otherwise isn't useful. I do understand some weapons just won't be as good as others, but it was something to note.
Another small thing, I personally hate the zero-g sections. They feel clunky and slow, and can get confusing with the perspective changes. The mechanics for them are very counter-intuitive to me, too. You're in space, where everything floats. You see astronauts floating around in media and you're like, "I wanna do that!" But these zero-g sections are just you jumping from one wall to the other at a rapid speed. It doesn't feel 'spacey' to me at all, or like I'm in an area with zero gravity. It just feels like I'm free-falling.
I think the pacing also suffers because of the slow kinesis sections in the later chapters. You're made to move a large object at a snail's pace, with breaks in-between for enemy waves. Not super fun.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
There are very cool details dropped into the world. Survivor encounters, in particular, add a lot to the game's flavor. I honestly wish there were more of them, because I really enjoyed seeing the different ways these people had been affected by their insanity.
There were also some cool points where enemies would show up in unreachable places, or exiting a location just as you entered, to make you anxious. I really liked those.
[SPOILERS] I also really enjoyed the growing signs of Isaac's dementia, such as the whispering and hallucinations. Again, I do wish there were more of them. Maybe chasing Nicole down a dark and/or dangerous hallway, a sub-objective popping up to do so when you spot her. She could lead you to rare items to "help" you, while Kendra or Hammond ask what you're doing. [SPOILER END]
The easter eggs were great, too, such as [SPOILERS] N.I.C.O.L.E I.S D.E.A.D, Nicole's RIG being empty to hint at the big twist, and the alien language actually being decodable. I also loved the way the end screen of the 12th chapter switched to being in the alien language.
Another great detail that stuck out to me was the log of a man cutting his limbs off, and a necromorph that was missing its legs and an arm nearby. I have to mention the red room, again, too, with the multiple pregnants. [SPOILER ENDING]
There was definitely some cool stuff, but I feel like there just wasn't enough of it to warrant too high a score in this section. The game felt so same-y most of the time, and it would have really benefited from more of those great details.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
The achievements do a great job of incentivizing replays. There are some that take effort, but none that are ridiculously difficult or unattainable. I took me three playthroughs total to get everything (one for the impossible difficulty achievement.) I didn't feel stressed or overwhelmed hunting these, but I still felt like I was accomplishing something to get them.
Overall, 4/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. Worth checking out if you're a horror game fan, but not something I'd recommend to someone looking for a horror masterpiece. As previously stated, it's more of an arcade game than a narrative-driven game. There are flaws that can make it a chore after a certain point, but the combat is pretty fun for most of the game's length. I'm definitely interested in the sequels, and to see if they make improvements.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
Completed on Xbox One with backwards compatibility.
Dead Space is often cited as a pretty solid game for 2008, and for the Xbox 360 in general. I'd picked it up in 2016, but abandoned my playthrough only a few chapters in; it's not that I wasn't enjoying myself, it just wasn't clicking quite enough for me to get all the way to the end.
Well, here I am. I've not only completed the game, but I've 100%ed it! And... honestly, I'm left with lukewarm opinions overall. I don't regret my time with it, and I would say it's worth a playthrough or two, but there are a lot of mediocre or downright bad things about it that I'm surprised I don't see more people discuss.
To be fair, I went into Dead Space with the wrong expectations from it - but I had no way of knowing the TYPE of game it was supposed to be. Then, ten or fifteen minutes into my second playthrough, it clicked. It was never meant to be narrative-driven and deep, like other horror titles I've played and love. It is MUCH more-so modeled off of the arcade style - focused on mechanics, replayability, powerups, and getting you from one place/encounter to the next. I think this is an important aspect to understand going in if you want to enjoy your time with Dead Space.
I think it's also important to note that this game honestly wasn't that scary to me. There were some creepy parts, but I mostly only jumped if an enemy surprise attacked me from behind. That's not to say that there aren't disturbing enemies or setting elements, because there definitely are. They just don't mess with me personally.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 2.5/5
Sound: 3.5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 3.5/5
Worldbuilding: 3.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 4/5
Overall score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
Graphics-wise, Dead Space looks good for when it came out. The monsters are modeled well. The human models are decent, if a little stiff and lacking in facial expressions. (That didn't bother me too much, though, given that you're not close to them often.)
I particularly love the HUD setup. It's easy to read, and all of the needed information only takes up a small portion of the screen. It's very smartly designed to not take you out of the gameplay or atmosphere.
There are some fun death animations, though I wish they were skippable.
The monster designs are cool, and they're all unique enough to stand out from each other. You can instantly tell which one you're looking at in combat. They also have really well-executed movement, each being pretty unique in this regard. I do wish there was more variety color palette-wise - some blue, gray, or even purple hues would be neat (and would make sense, too, given what necromorphs are.)
That's all the good stuff - now on to the bad.
One of my biggest gripes with Dead Space is that SO many of the levels run together. The starting room of each chapter is always the same. The corridors often look identical. The locations are always gray. Monsters are always flesh-colored (or black, in the case of the more difficult versions.) While there are a few places that stand out because of their level design, they're still not often particularly fun to look at or explore.
I understand that the overall visuals will be subdued because of the setting and tone, but I still feel like there could've been more variety. For example, my favorite location in the game was the big room and adjacent bedrooms that all had red furniture. It was such a stark contrast to everything else, and was very memorable to me because of that.
I never finished it, but I feel like Prey did a good job of this. It made the space horror setting - which tends to be a visually drab genre as a whole - pop more. Its use of color in specific still stands out to me, even though it's been years since I played it.
All of this honestly contributed in making Dead Space feel like a chore after a certain point, because it was not visually engaging to me. More colors, more views of space, and more diversity to the levels in general would've benefited it greatly.
On a smaller note, I thought Isaac's suit was really ugly. I was hoping it would get cooler as I upgraded it, but it only ever got stupider.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Sound:
The game does a decent job of distinguishing enemies by the sounds they make. There's also some cool ambient noise, most notably the whispering heard throughout the game. The mechanical sounds of the ship add their own sense of atmosphere, too.
The voice acting is good; everyone sounds believable to me. I really liked the VA performances for Kendra and Hammond. They took what were otherwise pretty bland characters and gave them a lot of personality.
The only big criticism I have here is that Isaac's chronic breathing issues really annoyed me. I understand the need to give audio cues for low health and low air, but I wish they'd figured out something less grating.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Story:
The plot is definitely intriguing. However, it (understandably) gets sidelined in favor of those arcade aspects that I mentioned earlier. I feel like it would definitely be expanded on in sequels, and I'm interested to see where it would go. Here, though, you basically just do that chapter's tasks given to you over comms (so you are easily moving from one place/encounter to the next.) You don't have much direct influence over anything happening until the end of the story, and it's never because your character is particularly important. It's because you're basically a vessel for other characters to get tasks done through.
Now, I don't expect grade A character writing with a silent protagonist. I understand that they'll never be fully realized on their own. However, Isaac is very, very basic. He has no importance beyond acting for others. It's another factor that makes the game repetitive.
The other characters are okay. Like I mentioned in sound, if it weren't for their VAs, they'd be very basic. Some of them are annoying at points, honestly, but it's not atrociously bad. There's little backstory given in-game for any of them, but they all serve their purpose to move the story along, at least.
I do have to say that some of the plot is kind of confusing; and not in a fun "think on it" way. Notably, I'm unsure of the relationship between [SPOILERS] the marker and the hivemind. I don't understand how the necromorph infection started, and why the marker harms them. [SPOILER END] There's quite a bit going on in the background, and it all feels underexplained at points. I do think games can be 'vague' in good ways. But again, it has to be fun to try to figure out. This isn't to me.
I will say that I do understand things a bit better after a few more playthroughs, but I'm still going to have to look up stuff online to get a full grasp; which I think is a failing on the game's part, especially given that I've played it multiple times.
The twists were pretty predictable. I feel like some of them were hinted at TOO much, which kind of ruined the reveals.
[SPOILERS] I liked Isaac's face reveal at the end, and the little bit of emotion he showed when the Nicole twist happened in chapter 12. It made me feel like he had a small bit of personality, when he'd been a completely blank slate up to that point. (Note: You actually can see Isaac's face for a short time at the beginning, if you turn the camera. I still count this as a face reveal, though, because I didn't figure this out until my second or third run.) He still isn't a fleshed out character because of those things, but that's what made the moments cool. It was like, "Oh! He DOES care about Nicole!" "Oh! There IS a person with a physical form under the suit!"
[SPOILERS STILL] As for the Nicole jumpscare, I have mixed feelings on it. On the one hand, I was expecting an ending like that - horror media in general loves its ambiguous endings. And yeah, it made sense for this game to have one. I definitely liked the Nicole video popping up on the ship feed and Isaac sending it away. It showed that Isaac is still affected by the "insanity" caused by the marker, but that he has made the personal choice to not drown in his grief. Another small character moment.
[SPOILERS STILL] Then, the jumpscare happens. Now, I'm not against jumpscares if they're done correctly, but I honestly feel it's cheap to end with one (unless it's really good.) This one was... Well, it was okay. It was creepy enough, and the fact that it was Nicole and that it tied into the video popping up was cool. But WHY did it happen? Was it another effect of Isaac's deteriorating mind? Was it actually Nicole's body, in the process of being transformed? If so, how did it get on the ship? I just feel like it was meant to end the game on a high note, without being completely thought out. Or maybe it was simply left ambiguous so that fans could theorize about it until the sequel - I'm guessing it is explained there. [SPOILER END]
Overall, 3/5.
Gameplay:
Combat is fun, with some unique ideas that really carry the game - the limb shooting, the stasis, the kinesis, and the different guns with a wide range of effects (which have secondary fires, too) are all pretty good. I don't think it's anything groundbreaking, but it is enough to make the game enjoyable and worth your time. It's definitely solid groundwork, and I think that it would only be improved upon in sequels.
It does get a bit repetitive, though. The game is basically just a series of enemy encounters stretched out over 12 chapters. Every monster introduced is defeated in the same basic way, and it gets boring by the last quarter.
Replayability is meant to be the bread and butter here - but that repetitiveness, and lack of focus in other areas, brings it down. It is encouraged by the game itself that you start a new game+ after your first playthrough, as it rewards you with power nodes and cash (amongst other things) after the first time. While there are things that make it fundamentally repayable, it all begins to blur together because of the flaws. I could see wanting to come back to it again in a year or two, though - the relatively short playtime and the first few hours of combat make it worth that, at least.
I will say that my first playthrough was plasma cutter only, which I believe affected my opinions a bit. My second playthrough, I experimented with all the guns while achievement hunting. At that point, I had gained the ability to mow down enemies which were previously very difficult, thanks to new game+ keeping all the upgrades and items from your previous playthrough! I love that. I think the latter is a much more enjoyable way of playing the game, so I recommend waiting to get the plasma cutter achievement on a later playthrough if you want to 100% it.
I also appreciate how when you die, it reloads you to a point that's usually very close beforehand (as long as you weren't backtracking.) You do still need to utilize save points though, as these aren't saves.
One thing I noticed, and something I've seen other people say too, is that some of the guns just aren't good. Particularly, I've come across hate for (or personally had issues with) the flamethrower, pulse rifle, and force gun. I personally felt the pulse rifle was okay, not great. I do hate that flamethrower though, it's complete trash. The force gun is good if you're right in their face with it, but otherwise isn't useful. I do understand some weapons just won't be as good as others, but it was something to note.
Another small thing, I personally hate the zero-g sections. They feel clunky and slow, and can get confusing with the perspective changes. The mechanics for them are very counter-intuitive to me, too. You're in space, where everything floats. You see astronauts floating around in media and you're like, "I wanna do that!" But these zero-g sections are just you jumping from one wall to the other at a rapid speed. It doesn't feel 'spacey' to me at all, or like I'm in an area with zero gravity. It just feels like I'm free-falling.
I think the pacing also suffers because of the slow kinesis sections in the later chapters. You're made to move a large object at a snail's pace, with breaks in-between for enemy waves. Not super fun.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
There are very cool details dropped into the world. Survivor encounters, in particular, add a lot to the game's flavor. I honestly wish there were more of them, because I really enjoyed seeing the different ways these people had been affected by their insanity.
There were also some cool points where enemies would show up in unreachable places, or exiting a location just as you entered, to make you anxious. I really liked those.
[SPOILERS] I also really enjoyed the growing signs of Isaac's dementia, such as the whispering and hallucinations. Again, I do wish there were more of them. Maybe chasing Nicole down a dark and/or dangerous hallway, a sub-objective popping up to do so when you spot her. She could lead you to rare items to "help" you, while Kendra or Hammond ask what you're doing. [SPOILER END]
The easter eggs were great, too, such as [SPOILERS] N.I.C.O.L.E I.S D.E.A.D, Nicole's RIG being empty to hint at the big twist, and the alien language actually being decodable. I also loved the way the end screen of the 12th chapter switched to being in the alien language.
Another great detail that stuck out to me was the log of a man cutting his limbs off, and a necromorph that was missing its legs and an arm nearby. I have to mention the red room, again, too, with the multiple pregnants. [SPOILER ENDING]
There was definitely some cool stuff, but I feel like there just wasn't enough of it to warrant too high a score in this section. The game felt so same-y most of the time, and it would have really benefited from more of those great details.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
The achievements do a great job of incentivizing replays. There are some that take effort, but none that are ridiculously difficult or unattainable. I took me three playthroughs total to get everything (one for the impossible difficulty achievement.) I didn't feel stressed or overwhelmed hunting these, but I still felt like I was accomplishing something to get them.
Overall, 4/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. Worth checking out if you're a horror game fan, but not something I'd recommend to someone looking for a horror masterpiece. As previously stated, it's more of an arcade game than a narrative-driven game. There are flaws that can make it a chore after a certain point, but the combat is pretty fun for most of the game's length. I'm definitely interested in the sequels, and to see if they make improvements.
1994
DONKEY KONG COUNTRY REVIEW
Let me start off by being completely transparent. I am most definitely one of those people who have a lot of nostalgia attached to the SNES, and Donkey Kong Country is one of those (along with a lot of the old Marios, The Legend of Zelda, Paperboy, and The Lion King.) While visiting family, I decided it was high time to pull out the old system and play some of my childhood favorites again. There was no doubt in my mind which would be first - of course it would be DKC. Out of the games I had at my disposal, it was the one I expected to hold up the best.
I went in with very high hopes. Besides my own fond memories of it, it is considered a classic by many others. I even told people I was sure it would live up to my expectations. But the question remains... Does it?
Well, kind of. My opinions here ended up being a lot more nuanced than I thought they would.
Let me start off by saying that I DID enjoy it overall, despite my issues. It's also only fair for me to point out that I ruined the experience for myself slightly by crunching for 101%. See, DKC is at its best when you're playing it after school with other kids, taking turns to beat difficult levels and look for secrets. It's not built for 2000s completionists who will cram it into a few afternoons, like I did. I just don't have the time (or monumental patience) required to search for all of the bonuses myself. A lot of them are ridiculously well-hidden - like, "impossible to find without a guide" well-hidden. 101%ing it inorganically ended up taking away a lot of the magic, unfortunately. Instead of enjoying it at a natural pace, taking my time to explore and search, I was left glancing back and forth between a guide and the screen. That's not to mention the annoyance of dying and replaying the same levels again and again, either. It's not nearly as satisfying of an experience as progressing naturally - but because of the impossibility of 101%ing it in a reasonable amount of time that way, completionists (like me) are left in the dust.
This is why I think the game is better left for occasional, casual play on your own time. If you pick it up, don't worry about finding everything like I did. Get to the end (if you're enjoying yourself enough), then continue playing it to search for things if you WANT to.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 5/5
Gameplay: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Replayability: 1.5/5
Overall score: 3.5/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
DKC is, undeniably, a technical marvel for its time. The visual style and pre-rendered graphics were a big reason why it became such a huge success in the 90s. Even in 2021 it looks impressive.
I particularly love the color usage. There's beautiful sky backgrounds, lush green jungles, snowy white peaks, and much more. A good handful of levels feature rain or the aforementioned snow to add to the ambience, too.
The colors, of course, are given their chance to shine because of the diversity in environments present. On top of those jungles and glaciers, there's factories, temples, caves, and more (including a unique setting for the final battle!) It's amazing to see so many radically different places in a platformer this old.
The character design is pretty decent. There's cool little character animations to add to their personality. That's nice.
I don't know why, but I particularly really like Diddy Kong. His design is cute to me, which is funny, because I hate monkeys (and gorillas.) Other than that, they range from average to bad for me personally. Funky Kong and Cranky Kong are okay. Not a big fan of Donkey Kong. I hate Candy Kong with a burning passion, awful female character design, but what do you expect from the 90s?
If you really want to be picky, the graphics ARE a little dated by today's standards. Still, it doesn't take away from how revolutionary DKC was in this regard when it was first released; nor does it denote that it manages to hold up to this day.
(Unfortunately, my copy for the SNES is a little glitchy, leaving it very static-y. Still, I fully enjoyed looking at the game.)
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
On top of the beautiful visuals, DKC boasts a gorgeous soundtrack that is touted by many as one of the best to this day. It really is amazing. Before this playthrough, I could still recall some of those tunes - which I think says something, given I last played it when I was around 11. The amount of atmosphere the music provides in-game is undeniable. This is definitely another reason DKC is still so iconic.
Ice Cave Chant is the most underrated track.
I also absolutely love the sound effects. I don't know why, but they're all incredibly satisfying. It's one of my favorite things about the game as a whole. I love the sound of Rambi hitting enemies head-on, and the clacking of Klaptrap's teeth.
Overall, 5/5.
Gameplay:
A lot of people will probably disagree with me on some of my points in this section, and that's okay. It's important to be thorough, though. Buckle up.
There's good stuff here, but I also think there are flaws that make playing DKC really frustrating.
Let's talk about the good first. I actually believe the idea of the 'life' system is great on paper; you basically have two lives, one with each Kong, which can be replenished by the DK barrels seen throughout levels. I like that, and I'm fine with the added difficulty in this regard.
I also love how, on top of the diverse environments, each and every level is unique in its mechanics. Many of them have things that only appear in the entire game once, or at most a handful of times. It keeps it fresh. There's a good variety with the bonus level minigames, so none of them get old, either.
Another big plus is that each level eases you into whatever you'll be dealing with next - it'll usually have one easy obstacle before getting into the more taxing stuff, as a sort of small tutorial. I'm a big fan of that.
As for the actual controls, despite their burden in execution, a lot of them are actually really simple. You just have to learn the timing. Now, I don't think simple OR complicated controls are automatically good or bad; it depends on the execution in both regards. In the case of DKC, it definitely benefited from simplicity. With how tough everything else is, convoluted controls would make DKC unplayable.
All of this SHOULD add up to exceptional gameplay, but it doesn't. The life system, the unique mechanics, and the deceptively easy controls get exasperating when the game insists on being way too harsh in every other regard. The hitboxes are janky, and it requires way too precise platforming at points for that to be excusable. The levels can begin to drag on, because you have to replay the same parts over and over again. The devs seemed like they WANTED to make children's lives miserable, with how often they put a single obstacle right before exits that you probably won't avoid first time through.
Again, there's a lot of good here. Yet, I cannot excuse the ridiculous difficulty present in this game, and how frustrating it is. It becomes a slog when you have to repeat things that are often very slow and unreliable. It's possible to learn how to flow through levels - and I'll admit, it is satisfying when you occasionally do - but it takes a lot of time and practice. I just didn't enjoy DKC enough to get that good at it.
Like I said before, this might not be such an issue if you play at a slow pace. Don't binge it to 101% in three days like I did.
Overall, 3/5.
Worldbuilding:
DKC has absolutely fantastic environmental design. The settings are all super memorable, with unique music, enemies, and color palettes to make each one stand out. Even when you go back to familiar places you've already been, it doesn't feel repetitive!
There are some charming characters, too. I particularly find Cranky Kong to be delightful. He's very funny, and I love his role - nagging on his grandkid who has taken his place, complaining that he was a better hero (he talks about the game being a game! It's very meta, I love it.) And like I said, I really like Diddy Kong!
Overall, 4.5/5.
Replayability:
There's definitely an addictiveness to DKC that pushed me to 101% it - and the presentation alone makes it a game worth coming back to every now and then. Still, my problems with the gameplay leave me doubtful that I'll pick it up again any time soon. I think it's best left for casual afternoons every few months or so. Otherwise, it'll become frustrating rather than fun.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Overall game score: 3.5/5. I was hoping to come out of this giving DKC a better score - at least a 4 - but I'm still pretty satisfied with what I got out of it. It's solid enough, with particularly beautiful visuals, sound design, and environmental design. However, it is also extremely frustrating and overly difficult in the gameplay department - though there are pros there, too (like the game's simplicity in controls and ability to keep things fresh.) I still wouldn't really recommend DKC to people outside of those nostalgic for it, or people interested in older games. It's an undeniable piece of gaming history, though, and remains a classic. A good way to kick off 2021.
"I gave it a 4/5 because of the hardness, and the experience and gameplay." - My 9-year-old brother's much more concise review.
Let me start off by being completely transparent. I am most definitely one of those people who have a lot of nostalgia attached to the SNES, and Donkey Kong Country is one of those (along with a lot of the old Marios, The Legend of Zelda, Paperboy, and The Lion King.) While visiting family, I decided it was high time to pull out the old system and play some of my childhood favorites again. There was no doubt in my mind which would be first - of course it would be DKC. Out of the games I had at my disposal, it was the one I expected to hold up the best.
I went in with very high hopes. Besides my own fond memories of it, it is considered a classic by many others. I even told people I was sure it would live up to my expectations. But the question remains... Does it?
Well, kind of. My opinions here ended up being a lot more nuanced than I thought they would.
Let me start off by saying that I DID enjoy it overall, despite my issues. It's also only fair for me to point out that I ruined the experience for myself slightly by crunching for 101%. See, DKC is at its best when you're playing it after school with other kids, taking turns to beat difficult levels and look for secrets. It's not built for 2000s completionists who will cram it into a few afternoons, like I did. I just don't have the time (or monumental patience) required to search for all of the bonuses myself. A lot of them are ridiculously well-hidden - like, "impossible to find without a guide" well-hidden. 101%ing it inorganically ended up taking away a lot of the magic, unfortunately. Instead of enjoying it at a natural pace, taking my time to explore and search, I was left glancing back and forth between a guide and the screen. That's not to mention the annoyance of dying and replaying the same levels again and again, either. It's not nearly as satisfying of an experience as progressing naturally - but because of the impossibility of 101%ing it in a reasonable amount of time that way, completionists (like me) are left in the dust.
This is why I think the game is better left for occasional, casual play on your own time. If you pick it up, don't worry about finding everything like I did. Get to the end (if you're enjoying yourself enough), then continue playing it to search for things if you WANT to.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 5/5
Gameplay: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Replayability: 1.5/5
Overall score: 3.5/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
DKC is, undeniably, a technical marvel for its time. The visual style and pre-rendered graphics were a big reason why it became such a huge success in the 90s. Even in 2021 it looks impressive.
I particularly love the color usage. There's beautiful sky backgrounds, lush green jungles, snowy white peaks, and much more. A good handful of levels feature rain or the aforementioned snow to add to the ambience, too.
The colors, of course, are given their chance to shine because of the diversity in environments present. On top of those jungles and glaciers, there's factories, temples, caves, and more (including a unique setting for the final battle!) It's amazing to see so many radically different places in a platformer this old.
The character design is pretty decent. There's cool little character animations to add to their personality. That's nice.
I don't know why, but I particularly really like Diddy Kong. His design is cute to me, which is funny, because I hate monkeys (and gorillas.) Other than that, they range from average to bad for me personally. Funky Kong and Cranky Kong are okay. Not a big fan of Donkey Kong. I hate Candy Kong with a burning passion, awful female character design, but what do you expect from the 90s?
If you really want to be picky, the graphics ARE a little dated by today's standards. Still, it doesn't take away from how revolutionary DKC was in this regard when it was first released; nor does it denote that it manages to hold up to this day.
(Unfortunately, my copy for the SNES is a little glitchy, leaving it very static-y. Still, I fully enjoyed looking at the game.)
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
On top of the beautiful visuals, DKC boasts a gorgeous soundtrack that is touted by many as one of the best to this day. It really is amazing. Before this playthrough, I could still recall some of those tunes - which I think says something, given I last played it when I was around 11. The amount of atmosphere the music provides in-game is undeniable. This is definitely another reason DKC is still so iconic.
Ice Cave Chant is the most underrated track.
I also absolutely love the sound effects. I don't know why, but they're all incredibly satisfying. It's one of my favorite things about the game as a whole. I love the sound of Rambi hitting enemies head-on, and the clacking of Klaptrap's teeth.
Overall, 5/5.
Gameplay:
A lot of people will probably disagree with me on some of my points in this section, and that's okay. It's important to be thorough, though. Buckle up.
There's good stuff here, but I also think there are flaws that make playing DKC really frustrating.
Let's talk about the good first. I actually believe the idea of the 'life' system is great on paper; you basically have two lives, one with each Kong, which can be replenished by the DK barrels seen throughout levels. I like that, and I'm fine with the added difficulty in this regard.
I also love how, on top of the diverse environments, each and every level is unique in its mechanics. Many of them have things that only appear in the entire game once, or at most a handful of times. It keeps it fresh. There's a good variety with the bonus level minigames, so none of them get old, either.
Another big plus is that each level eases you into whatever you'll be dealing with next - it'll usually have one easy obstacle before getting into the more taxing stuff, as a sort of small tutorial. I'm a big fan of that.
As for the actual controls, despite their burden in execution, a lot of them are actually really simple. You just have to learn the timing. Now, I don't think simple OR complicated controls are automatically good or bad; it depends on the execution in both regards. In the case of DKC, it definitely benefited from simplicity. With how tough everything else is, convoluted controls would make DKC unplayable.
All of this SHOULD add up to exceptional gameplay, but it doesn't. The life system, the unique mechanics, and the deceptively easy controls get exasperating when the game insists on being way too harsh in every other regard. The hitboxes are janky, and it requires way too precise platforming at points for that to be excusable. The levels can begin to drag on, because you have to replay the same parts over and over again. The devs seemed like they WANTED to make children's lives miserable, with how often they put a single obstacle right before exits that you probably won't avoid first time through.
Again, there's a lot of good here. Yet, I cannot excuse the ridiculous difficulty present in this game, and how frustrating it is. It becomes a slog when you have to repeat things that are often very slow and unreliable. It's possible to learn how to flow through levels - and I'll admit, it is satisfying when you occasionally do - but it takes a lot of time and practice. I just didn't enjoy DKC enough to get that good at it.
Like I said before, this might not be such an issue if you play at a slow pace. Don't binge it to 101% in three days like I did.
Overall, 3/5.
Worldbuilding:
DKC has absolutely fantastic environmental design. The settings are all super memorable, with unique music, enemies, and color palettes to make each one stand out. Even when you go back to familiar places you've already been, it doesn't feel repetitive!
There are some charming characters, too. I particularly find Cranky Kong to be delightful. He's very funny, and I love his role - nagging on his grandkid who has taken his place, complaining that he was a better hero (he talks about the game being a game! It's very meta, I love it.) And like I said, I really like Diddy Kong!
Overall, 4.5/5.
Replayability:
There's definitely an addictiveness to DKC that pushed me to 101% it - and the presentation alone makes it a game worth coming back to every now and then. Still, my problems with the gameplay leave me doubtful that I'll pick it up again any time soon. I think it's best left for casual afternoons every few months or so. Otherwise, it'll become frustrating rather than fun.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Overall game score: 3.5/5. I was hoping to come out of this giving DKC a better score - at least a 4 - but I'm still pretty satisfied with what I got out of it. It's solid enough, with particularly beautiful visuals, sound design, and environmental design. However, it is also extremely frustrating and overly difficult in the gameplay department - though there are pros there, too (like the game's simplicity in controls and ability to keep things fresh.) I still wouldn't really recommend DKC to people outside of those nostalgic for it, or people interested in older games. It's an undeniable piece of gaming history, though, and remains a classic. A good way to kick off 2021.
"I gave it a 4/5 because of the hardness, and the experience and gameplay." - My 9-year-old brother's much more concise review.
2019
MY FRIEND PEDRO REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
I didn't know much about My Friend Pedro before picking it up; I just saw that it was leaving Gamepass soon, and was drawn in by its undeniably interesting cover. I'd been looking for a good in-between game - a relatively short timesink - which is basically what I expected from it. Well, it definitely turned out to be a timesink! I ended up playing it for days on end last week, struggling to get 100% of the achievements before it was gone. I did it, though, and I'm glad I did. Those hours really helped to refine my opinions of it, both in what it does well, and what it doesn't.
Right off the bat, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon something that scratched my Hotline Miami itch (and I was unsurprised to learn that they were published by the same company.) MFP unashamedly draws a lot of inspiration from that duology - particularly with its gameplay, its music, and its narrative themes. In regards to the former two, it uses that inspiration very well, which is commendable; it's very difficult to live up to HLM, at least in my eyes. However, in the story department - both in what it borrows and in what is original - it completely flops.
I know some people might disagree with me making so many comparisons. I'm of the opinion, though, that when you use something as a blueprint for your own creation, it's completely fair for your work to be held up to it. There will be multiple points throughout this review where I talk about this further.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 3.5/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Story: 1/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Worldbuilding: 2.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The graphics are pretty good, especially by indie standards. The 3D sidescroller aesthetic is really cool. I particularly like the way the game plays with camera angles. Besides that, I don't think there's many particularly memorable things about the art direction. However, I DO think the choices made fit very well with the core mechanics of the game. There's tight passages connected to larger rooms that accentuate the combos and platforming. There's a mundane color scheme that makes the enemies and bullets pop against the gray/brown backgrounds. I nearly always prefer vibrant and/or contrasting settings (I especially love colorful ones), but I do understand why it's more subdued here.
There are some very neat visuals, which are typically reserved for boss fights/final levels. Given the game's relatively short length, I think that's forgivable. You're not going TOO long without seeing something interesting. I especially love [SPOILERS] the level where you've fallen out of a skyscraper and are approaching the ground rapidly, as well as the train level. [SPOILER ENDING]
Overall, 3.5/5.
Sound:
I honestly wasn't paying close attention to the soundtrack my first playthrough. It was often drowned out by noise going on around me, so I simply wrote it off as generic dubstep. While I was collecting s-ranks, though, I realized that the music was a LOT better than I'd given it credit for. It's a tradition for me to listen to the soundtrack of whatever I'm reviewing, and I can definitely see myself coming back to this one in my free time. I wish I had been able to hear it clearly while I played. I feel like I missed out on a real strength of the game because of it. I seriously recommend playing with headphones (or at least without anything else going on around you.)
I also need to compliment the way I feel the soundtrack contributes to the gameplay, too. The inspiration from Hotline Miami shines here - the music is a big atmosphere creator, and a motivating factor in egging you through the levels, just like in HLM.
The gun sound effects are satisfying. I also really like how everything (except the music) distorts when you go into slowmo.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Story:
Oh good lord, I don't even know where to start. Nearly every element at play within the story is executed atrociously bad.
I will say this - there is an interesting foundation. Like I mentioned before, there are definitely some cool moments with the bosses/final levels, but even these are moreso contributable to the visuals, sound, and level design than anything to do with the plot. The last few minutes of the game were done particularly well, too, especially the ones leading up to the final boss. I believe that something really fun could have been done here if put in the hands of competent storytellers.
Before I go any further, I also want to acknowledge that the plot was obviously never meant to be the main focus here. That's absolutely okay. You can still make something great while honing in on specific aspects of it. My problem isn't that the story is simple, or a backdrop, or anything like that. My problem is that what IS here is AWFUL. It makes it even more appalling when you realize that it tries for similar themes that HLM uses. MFP feels like it's trying for 'comedic commentary', but it falls so short of it - in both the 'comedy' and the 'commentary' - that it's sad.
The writing is cringe-worthy. MFP attempts to make up for its lack of serious depth by deploying humor, but that hardly works when your comedy is awful. It's less funny than dad shit. Here's an example:
"I can't believe it's Christmas again already. I didn't buy you any present this year. But I wrote you a poem! Rose are red... Violets are blue... Grass is green... Eggs are white... But yellow inside... ... Weird. It's still a work in progress."
What does this even mean? It's certainly not a joke. You can't qualify something as a joke when there's no punchline! This is just the tip of the iceberg, too. Be prepared to be bombarded with this kind of thing at least every few levels.
There are some minor spoilers in this paragraph, but I promise you that it's all so stupid it won't matter. One of the antagonists is the 'Dictator of the Internet'. Yep, that's her title, and there's no explanation for her character beyond it. In fact, there's almost no explanation for anything going on - in the story or the worldbuilding. Here's another direct quote:
"I guess being the dictator of The Internet is the ultimate power in this day and age. People's world view is built on what content they see online. If you can control what content is shown, you can control the minds of the people."
Wow. Thank you for such amazing social commentary, told to me directly, with no room for smart or nuanced writing.
I specifically want to draw attention to the way HLM and MFP both comment on "violence in video games." Hotline Miami is specifically designed to create discomfort in the player as they murder indiscriminately. Jacket, the protagonist, is actively condemned for his actions. Let's not forget that the most infamous line from the game is him being pointedly asked,"Do you like hurting other people?" HLM has a lot to say about the gore that it's built around, and it says those things exceptionally well. Its themes are one of its greatest strengths.
Now, in contrast, take the way MFP chooses to broach this topic. Again, I know it's not as narrative-driven as HLM is. I also know that since it's comedy-based, it won't handle this the same way. There are good ways to use humor to make observations about serious topics. It just has to be written well, and as I've already said, this game really isn't.
MFP satirizes the larger public's perception of video games in The Sewer levels. Pedro tells you that the 'gamers' you encounter in this area have basically gone insane from the violence they've been exposed to. He also says that they now live in the sewers, because... Well, MFP doesn't even know. Pedro makes a lame joke about how it's probably because of all the sewer levels in video games, so they must feel right at home. Are sewer levels even common?! I feel like they're literally making that up. Let's also not pretend that using "ZOMG" and "n00b", even ironically, is anything but cringy.
Now, I do think it's really cool to talk about the stereotypes associated with a certain type of media within said media. Parodying the way society has portrayed games in the past is certainly a fun idea for a game - making fun of the extreme that people pushed, that gamers would turn into violent murderers, and showing how stupid that extreme actually is. However, the way MFP does it falls completely flat. Again, because the jokes aren't at all funny, but also because the game has nothing smart to say about the topic beyond that. Your own player character is murdering hundreds upon hundreds of people - in fact, you are being influenced to do so by a talking banana. And yet, there's never much said THAT. It's just THERE. The two points could have easily been tied together, but it doesn't even try.
On top of all that, the pacing is all over the place. There's an entire chapter near the middle that just takes a break from the main story for no reason. This was a novel idea for the first two levels that changed things up a bit, but it got old after that. Especially when there's almost nothing going on in the first place.
I want to clarify that this isn't an experience-ruining fault. Thankfully, the dialogue is skippable, and I honestly wouldn't blame someone for not reading one sentence of it. You can completely ignore this trash heap and enjoy what MFP excels at - the music and the gameplay. Speaking of which...
Overall, 1/5.
Gameplay:
Damn, this game is fun though. The fast-paced, combo-based level design and combat are impressively polished. It's really difficult to pull off those long combos, but when you do, it feels amazing. Plus, kicking a skateboard at someone's head or ricocheting bullets off of a frying pan to kill three guys will always be sick.
There are a lot of neat mechanics based around both your character and the environment - slowing down time, swinging from ropes, kicking, riding skateboards, backflipping off enemies, and dodging bullets, for example. That's just breaching the surface. The idea behind them is to kill in creative and flashy ways, which will earn you more points. However, as cool as this idea is, a lot of the mechanics (with the exceptions of slowing time and dodging bullets) become pretty much obsolete when you go for s-ranks. It doesn't matter if you kill everyone in the most mundane way possible, as long as you keep your combo going. The points that a giant combo provide overshadow any extra points you could be getting for all of that stuff. These smaller mechanics DO become more relevant again when you're trying to get to the top of the leaderboard. Every point counts then. Let's be honest, though, with how difficult getting an s-rank is in the first place, I think most people will just be happy to get one at all.
Since the game is a sidescroller, it also chooses to employ platforming and environmental puzzles. I think that, mostly, this is executed very well. I like the platforming, and a majority of the puzzles are fine. However, it's difficult to overlook the way that some of these sections slow down the important part of the gameplay - to put it bluntly, the killing - and mess with the pacing a bit.
On top of that, MFP overstays its welcome for a little bit too long. It's fun, but anything fun can become tiresome after too much of it. They could have definitely cut a few levels toward the end and I would not have missed them. The finished product would have been much more concise if they had.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
None of the lore here makes much sense at all. There's little scope of the world beyond the enemies you encounter and a very small bit of dialogue from Pedro. Politicians are mentioned offhandedly one time, I think, as having argued over a font for a sign.
The environmental design is good most of the time. Despite there not being anything too complicated going on visually, everything does what it needs to. I do think that some of the settings become bland when put next to each other, because of how similar they can be. Like I mentioned before though, the music contributes a lot.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
If you want to 100% MFP, be prepared to invest way more time than just one playthrough would take you. I'm sure it will vary based on your skill level with games like this in general, but it took me over 38 hours to get all of the s-ranks I needed.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. My Friend Pedro is a good timesinker with really fun gameplay and very cool bossfights. The story is atrocious, but that can (mostly) be skipped over in favor of focusing on ridiculous combos and flashy murders. It runs a little too long, and has some pacing issues, but its 4 hour playtime makes that forgivable. It is absolutely worth picking up, despite the faults.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
I didn't know much about My Friend Pedro before picking it up; I just saw that it was leaving Gamepass soon, and was drawn in by its undeniably interesting cover. I'd been looking for a good in-between game - a relatively short timesink - which is basically what I expected from it. Well, it definitely turned out to be a timesink! I ended up playing it for days on end last week, struggling to get 100% of the achievements before it was gone. I did it, though, and I'm glad I did. Those hours really helped to refine my opinions of it, both in what it does well, and what it doesn't.
Right off the bat, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon something that scratched my Hotline Miami itch (and I was unsurprised to learn that they were published by the same company.) MFP unashamedly draws a lot of inspiration from that duology - particularly with its gameplay, its music, and its narrative themes. In regards to the former two, it uses that inspiration very well, which is commendable; it's very difficult to live up to HLM, at least in my eyes. However, in the story department - both in what it borrows and in what is original - it completely flops.
I know some people might disagree with me making so many comparisons. I'm of the opinion, though, that when you use something as a blueprint for your own creation, it's completely fair for your work to be held up to it. There will be multiple points throughout this review where I talk about this further.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 3.5/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Story: 1/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Worldbuilding: 2.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The graphics are pretty good, especially by indie standards. The 3D sidescroller aesthetic is really cool. I particularly like the way the game plays with camera angles. Besides that, I don't think there's many particularly memorable things about the art direction. However, I DO think the choices made fit very well with the core mechanics of the game. There's tight passages connected to larger rooms that accentuate the combos and platforming. There's a mundane color scheme that makes the enemies and bullets pop against the gray/brown backgrounds. I nearly always prefer vibrant and/or contrasting settings (I especially love colorful ones), but I do understand why it's more subdued here.
There are some very neat visuals, which are typically reserved for boss fights/final levels. Given the game's relatively short length, I think that's forgivable. You're not going TOO long without seeing something interesting. I especially love [SPOILERS] the level where you've fallen out of a skyscraper and are approaching the ground rapidly, as well as the train level. [SPOILER ENDING]
Overall, 3.5/5.
Sound:
I honestly wasn't paying close attention to the soundtrack my first playthrough. It was often drowned out by noise going on around me, so I simply wrote it off as generic dubstep. While I was collecting s-ranks, though, I realized that the music was a LOT better than I'd given it credit for. It's a tradition for me to listen to the soundtrack of whatever I'm reviewing, and I can definitely see myself coming back to this one in my free time. I wish I had been able to hear it clearly while I played. I feel like I missed out on a real strength of the game because of it. I seriously recommend playing with headphones (or at least without anything else going on around you.)
I also need to compliment the way I feel the soundtrack contributes to the gameplay, too. The inspiration from Hotline Miami shines here - the music is a big atmosphere creator, and a motivating factor in egging you through the levels, just like in HLM.
The gun sound effects are satisfying. I also really like how everything (except the music) distorts when you go into slowmo.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Story:
Oh good lord, I don't even know where to start. Nearly every element at play within the story is executed atrociously bad.
I will say this - there is an interesting foundation. Like I mentioned before, there are definitely some cool moments with the bosses/final levels, but even these are moreso contributable to the visuals, sound, and level design than anything to do with the plot. The last few minutes of the game were done particularly well, too, especially the ones leading up to the final boss. I believe that something really fun could have been done here if put in the hands of competent storytellers.
Before I go any further, I also want to acknowledge that the plot was obviously never meant to be the main focus here. That's absolutely okay. You can still make something great while honing in on specific aspects of it. My problem isn't that the story is simple, or a backdrop, or anything like that. My problem is that what IS here is AWFUL. It makes it even more appalling when you realize that it tries for similar themes that HLM uses. MFP feels like it's trying for 'comedic commentary', but it falls so short of it - in both the 'comedy' and the 'commentary' - that it's sad.
The writing is cringe-worthy. MFP attempts to make up for its lack of serious depth by deploying humor, but that hardly works when your comedy is awful. It's less funny than dad shit. Here's an example:
"I can't believe it's Christmas again already. I didn't buy you any present this year. But I wrote you a poem! Rose are red... Violets are blue... Grass is green... Eggs are white... But yellow inside... ... Weird. It's still a work in progress."
What does this even mean? It's certainly not a joke. You can't qualify something as a joke when there's no punchline! This is just the tip of the iceberg, too. Be prepared to be bombarded with this kind of thing at least every few levels.
There are some minor spoilers in this paragraph, but I promise you that it's all so stupid it won't matter. One of the antagonists is the 'Dictator of the Internet'. Yep, that's her title, and there's no explanation for her character beyond it. In fact, there's almost no explanation for anything going on - in the story or the worldbuilding. Here's another direct quote:
"I guess being the dictator of The Internet is the ultimate power in this day and age. People's world view is built on what content they see online. If you can control what content is shown, you can control the minds of the people."
Wow. Thank you for such amazing social commentary, told to me directly, with no room for smart or nuanced writing.
I specifically want to draw attention to the way HLM and MFP both comment on "violence in video games." Hotline Miami is specifically designed to create discomfort in the player as they murder indiscriminately. Jacket, the protagonist, is actively condemned for his actions. Let's not forget that the most infamous line from the game is him being pointedly asked,"Do you like hurting other people?" HLM has a lot to say about the gore that it's built around, and it says those things exceptionally well. Its themes are one of its greatest strengths.
Now, in contrast, take the way MFP chooses to broach this topic. Again, I know it's not as narrative-driven as HLM is. I also know that since it's comedy-based, it won't handle this the same way. There are good ways to use humor to make observations about serious topics. It just has to be written well, and as I've already said, this game really isn't.
MFP satirizes the larger public's perception of video games in The Sewer levels. Pedro tells you that the 'gamers' you encounter in this area have basically gone insane from the violence they've been exposed to. He also says that they now live in the sewers, because... Well, MFP doesn't even know. Pedro makes a lame joke about how it's probably because of all the sewer levels in video games, so they must feel right at home. Are sewer levels even common?! I feel like they're literally making that up. Let's also not pretend that using "ZOMG" and "n00b", even ironically, is anything but cringy.
Now, I do think it's really cool to talk about the stereotypes associated with a certain type of media within said media. Parodying the way society has portrayed games in the past is certainly a fun idea for a game - making fun of the extreme that people pushed, that gamers would turn into violent murderers, and showing how stupid that extreme actually is. However, the way MFP does it falls completely flat. Again, because the jokes aren't at all funny, but also because the game has nothing smart to say about the topic beyond that. Your own player character is murdering hundreds upon hundreds of people - in fact, you are being influenced to do so by a talking banana. And yet, there's never much said THAT. It's just THERE. The two points could have easily been tied together, but it doesn't even try.
On top of all that, the pacing is all over the place. There's an entire chapter near the middle that just takes a break from the main story for no reason. This was a novel idea for the first two levels that changed things up a bit, but it got old after that. Especially when there's almost nothing going on in the first place.
I want to clarify that this isn't an experience-ruining fault. Thankfully, the dialogue is skippable, and I honestly wouldn't blame someone for not reading one sentence of it. You can completely ignore this trash heap and enjoy what MFP excels at - the music and the gameplay. Speaking of which...
Overall, 1/5.
Gameplay:
Damn, this game is fun though. The fast-paced, combo-based level design and combat are impressively polished. It's really difficult to pull off those long combos, but when you do, it feels amazing. Plus, kicking a skateboard at someone's head or ricocheting bullets off of a frying pan to kill three guys will always be sick.
There are a lot of neat mechanics based around both your character and the environment - slowing down time, swinging from ropes, kicking, riding skateboards, backflipping off enemies, and dodging bullets, for example. That's just breaching the surface. The idea behind them is to kill in creative and flashy ways, which will earn you more points. However, as cool as this idea is, a lot of the mechanics (with the exceptions of slowing time and dodging bullets) become pretty much obsolete when you go for s-ranks. It doesn't matter if you kill everyone in the most mundane way possible, as long as you keep your combo going. The points that a giant combo provide overshadow any extra points you could be getting for all of that stuff. These smaller mechanics DO become more relevant again when you're trying to get to the top of the leaderboard. Every point counts then. Let's be honest, though, with how difficult getting an s-rank is in the first place, I think most people will just be happy to get one at all.
Since the game is a sidescroller, it also chooses to employ platforming and environmental puzzles. I think that, mostly, this is executed very well. I like the platforming, and a majority of the puzzles are fine. However, it's difficult to overlook the way that some of these sections slow down the important part of the gameplay - to put it bluntly, the killing - and mess with the pacing a bit.
On top of that, MFP overstays its welcome for a little bit too long. It's fun, but anything fun can become tiresome after too much of it. They could have definitely cut a few levels toward the end and I would not have missed them. The finished product would have been much more concise if they had.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
None of the lore here makes much sense at all. There's little scope of the world beyond the enemies you encounter and a very small bit of dialogue from Pedro. Politicians are mentioned offhandedly one time, I think, as having argued over a font for a sign.
The environmental design is good most of the time. Despite there not being anything too complicated going on visually, everything does what it needs to. I do think that some of the settings become bland when put next to each other, because of how similar they can be. Like I mentioned before though, the music contributes a lot.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
If you want to 100% MFP, be prepared to invest way more time than just one playthrough would take you. I'm sure it will vary based on your skill level with games like this in general, but it took me over 38 hours to get all of the s-ranks I needed.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. My Friend Pedro is a good timesinker with really fun gameplay and very cool bossfights. The story is atrocious, but that can (mostly) be skipped over in favor of focusing on ridiculous combos and flashy murders. It runs a little too long, and has some pacing issues, but its 4 hour playtime makes that forgivable. It is absolutely worth picking up, despite the faults.
2019
THE TOURYST REVIEW
The Touryst is a lighthearted, amusing little romp, with a lot of life fit into its short runtime. There's plenty to appreciate here, and it's all fit into a concise 5-or-so hour experience. It's not flawless, of course, but I do think it has stuff going for it. You can easily finish it in one afternoon, anyways. I definitely think it's worth that.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4/5
Sound: 2.5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 3.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 4/5
Overall score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The Touryst boasts a very unique visual style, which is definitely one of the best things about it. It takes a lot of inspiration from old 8bit games - with the added twist of making them 3D. It's nice to look at, and it makes it stand out.
Overall, 4/5.
Sound:
While there is an expansive soundtrack, I feel like it's completely under-utilized; music just seems to be absent for a large majority of the game. I think taking advantage of it more would've added a lot to the atmosphere.
Also, some of the tracks that actually WERE there would become annoying. For example, take the ones for the final room of the dungeons. At first, they added a creepy vibe to these sections, which contrasted the rest of the setting. But that doesn't matter much when they'd just get grating after a few minutes.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Story:
The plot is fairly simple overall, but there are fun mysteries to keep you engaged (as well as a cool ending.) It's a great backdrop for an adventure game which focuses on exploration and puzzle-solving. There's not much that's super memorable about it, but it's entertaining for what it is.
I will say that the dialogue was originally in German, and some of the English translation is off. But honestly, that added to the charm for me.
Overall, 3/5.
Gameplay:
You're rarely bored throughout the runtime, because you almost always have a purpose and a place to go next. There's minigames woven into some of the tasks, too, which I had a lot of fun with. I appreciate how alive the islands are in this regard. I also really liked the to-do list, which makes it easy to keep track of your tasks.
On the flip side, some of the platforming puzzles were downright annoying. They really tampered the experience for me at times. I often found it difficult to navigate them, likely due to the weird controls and camera angles. (Speaking of controls, I particularly wasn't a fan of the mechanic where you have to 'charge up' your dash.) Still, I found pretty much everything except those fun!
Overall, 3/5.
Worldbuilding:
Each of the islands you visit have their own unique look and gimmick. They all stand out from each other pretty well because of it. There's at least one memorable thing about every setting. There's a near-perfect amount of NPCs, too - enough to make the areas feel alive, but not too many that it gets overwhelming.
There's not a lot of it, but you can find small bits of lore, too. It helps you learn a little about the history (and current state) of the places you're visiting. It's an interesting little extra layer.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
All of the achievements are relatively easy to get. Most actually aren't tied to the "main quest"; they're related to side activities instead. I thought that stuff was fun. Plus, it doesn't add too much time to your playthrough.
Overall, 4/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. What a cute little gem. It's not flawless - I particularly take issue with the platforming puzzles and audio direction - but there's plenty to make up for those faults. The visuals are very nice, the settings are well-made, and the other gameplay stuff is fun. I'd love to see a sequel in the future, where they expand things further!
The Touryst is a lighthearted, amusing little romp, with a lot of life fit into its short runtime. There's plenty to appreciate here, and it's all fit into a concise 5-or-so hour experience. It's not flawless, of course, but I do think it has stuff going for it. You can easily finish it in one afternoon, anyways. I definitely think it's worth that.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4/5
Sound: 2.5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 3.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 4/5
Overall score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The Touryst boasts a very unique visual style, which is definitely one of the best things about it. It takes a lot of inspiration from old 8bit games - with the added twist of making them 3D. It's nice to look at, and it makes it stand out.
Overall, 4/5.
Sound:
While there is an expansive soundtrack, I feel like it's completely under-utilized; music just seems to be absent for a large majority of the game. I think taking advantage of it more would've added a lot to the atmosphere.
Also, some of the tracks that actually WERE there would become annoying. For example, take the ones for the final room of the dungeons. At first, they added a creepy vibe to these sections, which contrasted the rest of the setting. But that doesn't matter much when they'd just get grating after a few minutes.
Overall, 2.5/5.
Story:
The plot is fairly simple overall, but there are fun mysteries to keep you engaged (as well as a cool ending.) It's a great backdrop for an adventure game which focuses on exploration and puzzle-solving. There's not much that's super memorable about it, but it's entertaining for what it is.
I will say that the dialogue was originally in German, and some of the English translation is off. But honestly, that added to the charm for me.
Overall, 3/5.
Gameplay:
You're rarely bored throughout the runtime, because you almost always have a purpose and a place to go next. There's minigames woven into some of the tasks, too, which I had a lot of fun with. I appreciate how alive the islands are in this regard. I also really liked the to-do list, which makes it easy to keep track of your tasks.
On the flip side, some of the platforming puzzles were downright annoying. They really tampered the experience for me at times. I often found it difficult to navigate them, likely due to the weird controls and camera angles. (Speaking of controls, I particularly wasn't a fan of the mechanic where you have to 'charge up' your dash.) Still, I found pretty much everything except those fun!
Overall, 3/5.
Worldbuilding:
Each of the islands you visit have their own unique look and gimmick. They all stand out from each other pretty well because of it. There's at least one memorable thing about every setting. There's a near-perfect amount of NPCs, too - enough to make the areas feel alive, but not too many that it gets overwhelming.
There's not a lot of it, but you can find small bits of lore, too. It helps you learn a little about the history (and current state) of the places you're visiting. It's an interesting little extra layer.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
All of the achievements are relatively easy to get. Most actually aren't tied to the "main quest"; they're related to side activities instead. I thought that stuff was fun. Plus, it doesn't add too much time to your playthrough.
Overall, 4/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. What a cute little gem. It's not flawless - I particularly take issue with the platforming puzzles and audio direction - but there's plenty to make up for those faults. The visuals are very nice, the settings are well-made, and the other gameplay stuff is fun. I'd love to see a sequel in the future, where they expand things further!
2015
EMILY IS AWAY REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
When I first played Emily is Away in 2017, I was not a fan. Even to this day, it's remained high on my list of least favorite games (though not as high as its sequel, which I also eventually played.)
I've carried that opinion with me for nearly four years. But if someone had asked me, I don't think I would've been able to articulate why it left such a lasting negative impression - beyond it being story-related issues. For that reason, I recently became interested in trying it again. If nothing else I'd at least be able to explain my exact problems with it afterward. So, while looking for something to power through in one night, it popped into my mind.
... Well, I can soundly say that I still hate it. Maybe not quite as much as I did; I actually do think that there are a few things Emily is Away does decently. For example, it captures early 2000s nostalgia in an appealing way. I also appreciate the sound design. However, neither of these small plusses are even close to enough to make up for the poor writing and lackluster execution.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 1/5
Sound: 3/5
Story: 0.5/5
Gameplay: 0.5/5
Worldbuilding: 1/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 3/5
Overall score: 1/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
It's definitely a niche thing, but I'm actually a big fan of media that simulates computer/phone screens. I think it's a really interesting setup for storytelling that has a lot of potential. This is probably what got me interested in Emily is Away in 2017.
However, I don't think it's done very well in this case. What IS there is mostly fine, but that's the problem - there's barely anything there at all. I'll talk about this more in gameplay, since my points on both go hand-in-hand.
You CAN change your text to lime, though? The description doesn't lie about that part.
Overall, 1/5.
Sound:
I really like the computer noises that accompany each chapter. They're very satisfying and add an atmosphere that would otherwise be completely non-existent. I think simplicity was the right choice here. The game definitely benefits from it.
Overall, 3/5.
Story:
This is where things really fall apart for me. But before I get into all of the negative, let me say the stuff I actually like (even if there isn't much.)
I actually deeply connect with the themes of Emily is Away. Stories of people growing apart or losing each other affect me profoundly. It's one of my biggest personal fears - along with uncomfortable conversations, which Emily also provides aplenty.
One thing here was done right to attempt to nurture that connection, and it's that a good tone was set at times. Despite my many issues with the writing, it still perfectly captured the sheer awkwardness of talking to someone you have a deep history with, but with whom the connection is no longer there. Because of that, I could occasionally feel my own anxieties creeping up. Sometimes things just don't work out. It would have been a wonderful narrative... If it were executed better in all of its other aspects.
[Spoiler warning for events in the game from this point until the end of the story section.]
My main problem with Emily is Away is with... Well, Emily. I do not enjoy interacting with her in the slightest. She's okay at first, but grows increasingly less likable over the course of the game (which is impressive, given it's only 30-60 minutes long.) Because of the lack of any positive emotional attachment to her, the potential impact of the story was tempered a lot for me. It's just difficult to develop fondness for a character with numerous negative traits that go completely unaddressed - especially when you can't tell if it's purposeful, or just the product of bad writing.
I think characters who are deeply flawed, or even downright bad, can be really interesting; in fact, many of my favorites fall into that category. The difference is that I like them because of how well-rounded and well-written they are. Emily just isn't either of those things. What she IS, is extremely clingy, codependent, and emotionally unstable.
She constantly blames you for stuff, both actively and passively. For example, she has harbored a crush on you since high school, yet is apparently unable to ever take action herself. Instead, she chooses to shift the blame for the absence of a relationship solely to you. She'll ask why YOU didn't kiss her, or why YOU didn't go to a party, seemingly forgetting that she was always just as capable of initiating something. It's very immature in my eyes - even more-so when you take into account that these conversations are happening years after the fact, after you have both left for college and drifted apart.
In general, she seems to put a lot of stake into her relationship with the protagonist, despite it being heavily implied that the two of you rarely talk anymore after chapter 2. If you refuse to let her visit in chapter 3 - while she's going through a very difficult time emotionally - she will later ask why you didn't let her. I even got a certain dialogue path where she'll say that she "didn't want to make new friends", that she wanted YOU to be her friend. It's weird to me to care so much about a visit with someone you only talk to a few times a year. Add onto that the facts that it's right after a huge breakup, and that she may still harbor feelings for you, and it becomes apparent that the visit would not have been a good idea at the time. It's unfair to put so much pressure on someone who you don't even consistently make part of your life. Yet, she still holds it against you.
On the flip side, if you DO let her visit, then she'll want to discuss the fact that she and the protag either did or did not hook up. You can refuse to talk about it outright, and in response she'll say that "you should think about someone else for once". That is just so mindbogglingly selfish to me. It's not wrong to set personal boundaries. No one is owed anyone else's time.
If you do talk about it, though, she's upset with you either way. If you did get together, she'll say that she wanted to, that she had fun, and/or that you didn't do anything wrong... Yet, she also implies that she feels you took advantage of either her emotional vulnerability, or of both of you being drunk. If you didn't get together, she'll once again blame YOU for not making a move; she says that she "had a lot of feelings for you" and that she "felt like your lives had finally lined up". Literally no matter what you do, you're put in the wrong and blamed fully.
I particularly don't appreciate the narrative of someone implying to another person that they preyed on her, when in every other instance she'll say it was consensual... And in the other route she's upset at you for it NOT happening! This very delicate plot point is only there to create a superficial conflict to keep the story moving. It's maddening. That's when you know you've failed as a writer.
I understand, in theory, why this happened. The game is ultimately linear (minus a few deviations) and has only one real ending. There needs to be a reason for her to feel so differently after you visit, no matter which route you take. It's just so poorly executed. If you can't make something that has different routes and options, then don't make it. If every route has to lead back to the same outcome, then don't give multiple routes! All it does is make Emily's character incredibly superficial and unlikable. The only consistent part of her comes off as a very emotionally stunted, lonely person who is basically begging for support and attention. As much as I understand that plight, it doesn't make for a fun or appealing deuteragonist.
Even if you liked your first playthrough, I think that the game has absolutely zero replay value. If you do give it another go, you'll most likely notice all these holes in the writing and the flaws in Emily's character. I suspect it would ruin any enjoyment you got out of the game in the first place. Keep in mind that it is advertised as you being able to choose the outcome, so people who care enough very well might replay it to try to get a different ending.
Overall, 0.5/5.
Gameplay:
I do like the idea behind the gameplay. Like I was saying in the visuals section, I love games that simulate phone/computer screens - but it's left REALLY minimal here. There's next to nothing to do aside from talk to Emily. I think it would've benefited a lot from additional things for players to interact with, even if it's just very basic apps on your computer. It would've been a cool way to make the experience feel more full, as well as add more nostalgia points.
Overall, 0.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
Probably my favorite part of the game was reading the statuses and away messages for the people on your friend's list each chapter. It was fun to figure out which character on the list corresponded to whoever I was talking to Emily about. There's not much else to say beyond that.
Overall, 1/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
I achievement hunted this back in 2017, so my memory of it is a bit foggy. It's pretty easy to 100% though. You just have to pull up a guide to unlock the profile icons, then equip each of them and get through the first few lines of dialogue in chapter 1. I feel like more effort went here than into anything else.
Unrelated, but there's a PewDiePie reference I forgot about, so I hate this game more.
You also need to complete each chapter for an unmissable achievement, which honestly might be a more difficult task.
Overall, 3/5.
Overall game score: 1/5. Emily is Away has a pretty interesting setup, but the story isn't executed well at all. The titular character is annoying and inconsistent at best, and actually a bad person at worst. The early 2000s nostalgia factor is novel, but it is not enough to make a good video game. Don't waste your time.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
When I first played Emily is Away in 2017, I was not a fan. Even to this day, it's remained high on my list of least favorite games (though not as high as its sequel, which I also eventually played.)
I've carried that opinion with me for nearly four years. But if someone had asked me, I don't think I would've been able to articulate why it left such a lasting negative impression - beyond it being story-related issues. For that reason, I recently became interested in trying it again. If nothing else I'd at least be able to explain my exact problems with it afterward. So, while looking for something to power through in one night, it popped into my mind.
... Well, I can soundly say that I still hate it. Maybe not quite as much as I did; I actually do think that there are a few things Emily is Away does decently. For example, it captures early 2000s nostalgia in an appealing way. I also appreciate the sound design. However, neither of these small plusses are even close to enough to make up for the poor writing and lackluster execution.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 1/5
Sound: 3/5
Story: 0.5/5
Gameplay: 0.5/5
Worldbuilding: 1/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 3/5
Overall score: 1/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
It's definitely a niche thing, but I'm actually a big fan of media that simulates computer/phone screens. I think it's a really interesting setup for storytelling that has a lot of potential. This is probably what got me interested in Emily is Away in 2017.
However, I don't think it's done very well in this case. What IS there is mostly fine, but that's the problem - there's barely anything there at all. I'll talk about this more in gameplay, since my points on both go hand-in-hand.
You CAN change your text to lime, though? The description doesn't lie about that part.
Overall, 1/5.
Sound:
I really like the computer noises that accompany each chapter. They're very satisfying and add an atmosphere that would otherwise be completely non-existent. I think simplicity was the right choice here. The game definitely benefits from it.
Overall, 3/5.
Story:
This is where things really fall apart for me. But before I get into all of the negative, let me say the stuff I actually like (even if there isn't much.)
I actually deeply connect with the themes of Emily is Away. Stories of people growing apart or losing each other affect me profoundly. It's one of my biggest personal fears - along with uncomfortable conversations, which Emily also provides aplenty.
One thing here was done right to attempt to nurture that connection, and it's that a good tone was set at times. Despite my many issues with the writing, it still perfectly captured the sheer awkwardness of talking to someone you have a deep history with, but with whom the connection is no longer there. Because of that, I could occasionally feel my own anxieties creeping up. Sometimes things just don't work out. It would have been a wonderful narrative... If it were executed better in all of its other aspects.
[Spoiler warning for events in the game from this point until the end of the story section.]
My main problem with Emily is Away is with... Well, Emily. I do not enjoy interacting with her in the slightest. She's okay at first, but grows increasingly less likable over the course of the game (which is impressive, given it's only 30-60 minutes long.) Because of the lack of any positive emotional attachment to her, the potential impact of the story was tempered a lot for me. It's just difficult to develop fondness for a character with numerous negative traits that go completely unaddressed - especially when you can't tell if it's purposeful, or just the product of bad writing.
I think characters who are deeply flawed, or even downright bad, can be really interesting; in fact, many of my favorites fall into that category. The difference is that I like them because of how well-rounded and well-written they are. Emily just isn't either of those things. What she IS, is extremely clingy, codependent, and emotionally unstable.
She constantly blames you for stuff, both actively and passively. For example, she has harbored a crush on you since high school, yet is apparently unable to ever take action herself. Instead, she chooses to shift the blame for the absence of a relationship solely to you. She'll ask why YOU didn't kiss her, or why YOU didn't go to a party, seemingly forgetting that she was always just as capable of initiating something. It's very immature in my eyes - even more-so when you take into account that these conversations are happening years after the fact, after you have both left for college and drifted apart.
In general, she seems to put a lot of stake into her relationship with the protagonist, despite it being heavily implied that the two of you rarely talk anymore after chapter 2. If you refuse to let her visit in chapter 3 - while she's going through a very difficult time emotionally - she will later ask why you didn't let her. I even got a certain dialogue path where she'll say that she "didn't want to make new friends", that she wanted YOU to be her friend. It's weird to me to care so much about a visit with someone you only talk to a few times a year. Add onto that the facts that it's right after a huge breakup, and that she may still harbor feelings for you, and it becomes apparent that the visit would not have been a good idea at the time. It's unfair to put so much pressure on someone who you don't even consistently make part of your life. Yet, she still holds it against you.
On the flip side, if you DO let her visit, then she'll want to discuss the fact that she and the protag either did or did not hook up. You can refuse to talk about it outright, and in response she'll say that "you should think about someone else for once". That is just so mindbogglingly selfish to me. It's not wrong to set personal boundaries. No one is owed anyone else's time.
If you do talk about it, though, she's upset with you either way. If you did get together, she'll say that she wanted to, that she had fun, and/or that you didn't do anything wrong... Yet, she also implies that she feels you took advantage of either her emotional vulnerability, or of both of you being drunk. If you didn't get together, she'll once again blame YOU for not making a move; she says that she "had a lot of feelings for you" and that she "felt like your lives had finally lined up". Literally no matter what you do, you're put in the wrong and blamed fully.
I particularly don't appreciate the narrative of someone implying to another person that they preyed on her, when in every other instance she'll say it was consensual... And in the other route she's upset at you for it NOT happening! This very delicate plot point is only there to create a superficial conflict to keep the story moving. It's maddening. That's when you know you've failed as a writer.
I understand, in theory, why this happened. The game is ultimately linear (minus a few deviations) and has only one real ending. There needs to be a reason for her to feel so differently after you visit, no matter which route you take. It's just so poorly executed. If you can't make something that has different routes and options, then don't make it. If every route has to lead back to the same outcome, then don't give multiple routes! All it does is make Emily's character incredibly superficial and unlikable. The only consistent part of her comes off as a very emotionally stunted, lonely person who is basically begging for support and attention. As much as I understand that plight, it doesn't make for a fun or appealing deuteragonist.
Even if you liked your first playthrough, I think that the game has absolutely zero replay value. If you do give it another go, you'll most likely notice all these holes in the writing and the flaws in Emily's character. I suspect it would ruin any enjoyment you got out of the game in the first place. Keep in mind that it is advertised as you being able to choose the outcome, so people who care enough very well might replay it to try to get a different ending.
Overall, 0.5/5.
Gameplay:
I do like the idea behind the gameplay. Like I was saying in the visuals section, I love games that simulate phone/computer screens - but it's left REALLY minimal here. There's next to nothing to do aside from talk to Emily. I think it would've benefited a lot from additional things for players to interact with, even if it's just very basic apps on your computer. It would've been a cool way to make the experience feel more full, as well as add more nostalgia points.
Overall, 0.5/5.
Worldbuilding:
Probably my favorite part of the game was reading the statuses and away messages for the people on your friend's list each chapter. It was fun to figure out which character on the list corresponded to whoever I was talking to Emily about. There's not much else to say beyond that.
Overall, 1/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
I achievement hunted this back in 2017, so my memory of it is a bit foggy. It's pretty easy to 100% though. You just have to pull up a guide to unlock the profile icons, then equip each of them and get through the first few lines of dialogue in chapter 1. I feel like more effort went here than into anything else.
Unrelated, but there's a PewDiePie reference I forgot about, so I hate this game more.
You also need to complete each chapter for an unmissable achievement, which honestly might be a more difficult task.
Overall, 3/5.
Overall game score: 1/5. Emily is Away has a pretty interesting setup, but the story isn't executed well at all. The titular character is annoying and inconsistent at best, and actually a bad person at worst. The early 2000s nostalgia factor is novel, but it is not enough to make a good video game. Don't waste your time.
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD: THE GAME REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
It sucks when something you devoted time to ends up being bad, even if you anticipated little from it. It's much worse to set high expectations, only for whatever it is to turn out mediocre.
I'd been looking forward to Scott Pilgrim's complete edition since the moment I found out about it. I've never read the comics, but the movie is one of my favorites; the writing is chock full of comedic genius and memorable moments, the visual effects are fun, and the characters are delightful. On top of that adoration for 'vs the World', the game has had the lost media status for years, which fascinated me further and made its re-release feel special. I rarely buy any title on launch - hell, I rarely buy them full price at all - but because of those biases, I couldn't help myself here.
Maybe that influenced my opinion a bit, too. When I do spend the money, it's because I really believe I'll enjoy something. This just didn't turn out to be a right call, unfortunately, even if it was only 15 dollars. I wanted to love it, but it lacks most of what made the movie so amazing - as well as what makes beat 'em ups fun. I suppose it's a lesson learned in setting the bar too high beforehand.
That's not to say it's all bad, of course. There's some strong direction with the art and music, which is what manages to carry the whole thing across the finish line. Still, it fails in so many other areas that it becomes difficult to recommend to anyone, even hardcore fans of the franchise as a whole.
It's important to note before going any further that the developers faced huge time constraints and budget cuts, which I absolutely believe were factors in the final product (both the main game and the DLCs.) If you take the time to examine it, it's easy to see that what we got was a skeleton of what the team really hoped to make. So many aspects are lackluster at best, and downright bad at worst - the environments, the movesets, the story, the worldbuilding. I've found reports of a lot of awesome cut content, such as mid/side bosses (Crash and the Boys, Winifred Hailey) and chase sequences (one on a beach before Roxie's fight, and one on skateboards after Lucas'.) There was even supposed to be a Montreal DLC where you could play as Envy, Lynette, and Todd.
It's honestly depressing to imagine 'what could have been' if the devs were given more freedom. There were a lot of fantastic ideas that had to be scrapped - probably more than we'll ever know about - and I'll forever wish we could've gotten THAT instead.
(Another small note, I think playthroughs are generally much more fun with the online multiplayer. However, connections are extremely unreliable. I was often dropped almost immediately. In a few other cases, I had to quit because of glitches that made it unplayable.)
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Story: 1.5/5
Gameplay: 2/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall game score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
There's definitely a nice visual style here. The pixel art is charming, and it manages to retain the feel of the comics while simultaneously putting a fresh spin on it. This applies even more-so to the little story portions shown after bossfights.
Ultimately, I do think there are better-looking pixel games, but what's here is still really good. The character designs are neat, for the most part (even if that's mostly contributable to the comics.) The overworld map looks nice. The backgrounds are phenomenal. Couple all of that with the awesome animations, and you have a very solid product in this regard.
Speaking of the animations, one of my favorite parts of playing was seeing each character's unique spin on the shared attacks. Even if they're the same moveset at their core, it's fun that everyone's personalities and fighting styles were put into them.
However, that brings me to my first complaint; the Wallace and Knives DLCs are almost entirely made up of reused resources from Stephen and Kim, respectively. This leaves them with very little of their own characterization. There are occasionally reused models/animations in the base game, too - but I can excuse it more there, since it's not often immediately noticeable. It's much less forgivable when it's not only content people were originally asked to pay extra for, but it's specifically meant to be extra playable characters... and those playable characters are basically just reskinned versions of ones you already have! Thankfully, both Knives and Wallace (as well as the online mode, which was originally bundled with Wallace) come with this version. I definitely do not think it would've been worth it otherwise.
It's a pretty small complaint, but I also hate the shop screens. They seem to be designed as counter-intuitively as possible. It's very inconvenient.
My biggest issue with the visual design, though, is the strangely objectifying approach the devs took to a lot of the females. It's difficult not to notice how excessively bouncy nearly all of the women's chests are. A woman will simply move around idly, and her chest will shake with enough force to kill someone. On top of that, Ramona isn't wearing any pants for some inconceivable reason. It's reportedly her 'bikini outfit' from the comics, but even if that's true... WHY? It's wintertime in the game! She has so many cool looks they could have chosen from, but they chose the most impractical one - presumably just so they could sexualize her more!
Kim also sports a ridiculously short skirt with no tights. Way worse than this, though, is that because Knives - a 17 year old - is just a reskinned Kim, she has the "chest" issue in her victory animation. I think they could have taken the time to make one more to avoid that.
But possibly the worst fault in this regard is that Kim's special move is her kissing Knives (like they drunkenly did in the comics.) [SPOILERS] While this is a story issue and not visual, it's also notable in this discussion that Kim's ending is the two getting together. It's presumably meant as a joke, but it's still gross. [SPOILER ENDING] But most egregious is that, in the credits, game screenshots are shown with little boxes next to each character (that display both their name and a comment.) One is shown of these two kissing, and Kim's box says 'Rating: Hot!', while Knives' says '17 years old. Rating: x2 hot!' Good lord, come on, she's a minor. That's disgusting and inexcusable.
I know a lot of people will disagree with me taking such issue here, but I do! It was simultaneously very uncomfortable and very disappointing. On the whole, it's a visually striking product; it's just unfortunate that it falls into the trap of typical media misogyny.
Overall, 4/5.
Sound:
The soundtrack is undeniably one of the best things here, if not the best. Just like the art, the music fits the spirit of the comics perfectly. The 8bit tunes mixed with rock instrumentals add up to something truly wonderful; it combines the band and video game themes present throughout the entire series in a really amazing way. Not only that, but it manages to give a lot of personality to something that desperately needs it.
My only issue is that I wish there was a bit more variety. While there are memorable tracks, a few of them run together, given that they often implement identical instruments and style. Even so, they're all exceptionally good, so I can't make too big of a deal of it.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Story:
The game follows the basis of the comic's plot, except that most of the details are left out. Everything is very minimal; there's little character interaction, only a few short 'scenes', and no dialogue at all. Because of that, there's a complete lack of nearly any jokes - even visual. The game ends up missing out on most of the humor (and by extension, the characterization) that plays a huge part in other versions of Scott Pilgrim. It is absolutely detrimental to the experience as a whole.
I do like how there's a unique ending for each character. However, some of them are REALLY bad. [SPOILERS] I think it's particularly important to break down Scott's. In his, Ramona leaves him and he gets back together with his exes... Including Knives. It's implied he's only pretending to be happy, but it's still super weird.
[SPOILERS STILL] This is what I saw on my first playthrough. I had no prior knowledge of the multiple endings; I just thought this was what happened. Even after I found out, I was still appalled. This was the big moment they chose to give their protagonist? One of the most important parts of his arc - at least, in the movie - is maturing enough to realize dating Knives is wrong. They wasted 4-5 hours of my time to give me 20 seconds of this complete and utter shit.
[SPOILERS STILL] I know there will be people who defend this because it's supposed to be a non-canonical joke. However, it's difficult to take it as such when someone has no way of knowing that. I was totally unhappy with this outcome and nearly retired the game because of it. Also, the "it's a joke" excuse can only get you so far - especially when the jokes aren't even funny. The situation is treated comedically in the movie too, but it's executed well. All of the people around Scott recognize and openly acknowledge that his dating a highschooler is wrong, even if they're going about it in a funny way. The humor is at his expense, not in support of him. None of that is here at all. In fact, sexualization of Knives is treated as a good thing multiple times.
[SPOILERS STILL] I've already mentioned Kim's ending, too, and why I dislike it. Wallace's is also pretty bad, though in a different way. Each conclusion has a picture, with a few sentences summarizing what happens after you defeat Gideon... Except that they didn't give Wallace any summary at all. He only has a piece of art and nothing else. You guys really couldn't even take the time to write one more paragraph? Ugh. [SPOILER ENDING]
There are some neat moments, but only a few. If I'd never seen the movie, and only played the game, I probably would have forgotten the plot. Thankfully, the other iterations have made the story so iconic that this one is helped along slightly.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Gameplay:
The fighting itself is okay. The moves all feel pretty good, and there's a nice bit of variety even though they're all straightforward. I also love that the inputs are simplistic and easy to remember - that's a big plus for me.
When you're put up against either giant waves of enemies, or a few particularly tough ones, the game is pretty enjoyable. There's strategy involved then, and you have to be smarter about when you use specific moves. The combat was quickly ruined for me, though, when it became apparent how unbalanced everything was.
Depending on your difficulty selection, the bosses can range from 'very easy' to 'a little less easy'. The devs decided to counter-act this in the worst possible way, too. Before each boss, you are forced to play two or three levels with no breaks in between. Individual levels can take anywhere from ten to twenty minutes - sometimes even longer if it's your first time going through. As a result, you'll most likely be very low on lives by the time you get to the next ex. That means you'll most likely die to them at least once... And you'll be forced to play all of those levels over again.
[SPOILERS] This is pushed to the max in the very last stretch. You do a level, fight a boss, go through a platforming section, fight another boss, do the most difficult level in the game, then finally fight the final boss. There is only one place during all of this to replenish your health, and it's literally right before the last part. You are not given the chance to get any additional lives during any of this, either. [SPOILER END]
Also, by the time you do make it to the bosses, they generally tend to be pretty disappointing. There's no real sense of progression within most of them (minus Matthew.) They often just feel like stronger regular enemies.
I should mention that there are shops scattered throughout where you can replenish your health and willpower, even if most don't offer 1ups. Even then, though, there is no indication pointing you toward them. I honestly didn't discover there were places you could enter for a long time. I went through my entire first playthrough without knowing about or using these, except for in the shopping district (and I still only found out about those from a guide.) It's more of a visual complaint, but I think that this had such a huge effect on my enjoyment of the gameplay that it's worth mentioning here.
And still, despite that ridiculousness, the entire game becomes an absolute cakewalk once you discover the cheats - of which there are two in particular I want to discuss. The first is a sword which deals incredible amounts of ranged damage; it's difficult to turn that down after playing the same levels so many times. The second is an easy way to grind for money; once you enter the code, you die and use up one life for 50 coins. If you have a snack item onhand, that is consumed instead of a life. After maybe half an hour, you'll have at least 600 dollars. This is more than enough to unlock the most valuable shop in the game. After paying 500 to do so, you are given access to both 1ups (up to 9) and stat boosts, all for 4.95 apiece. If you max all of your stats here, you're basically unstoppable. Keep in mind that these cheats are given to you with no penalty, not even an achievement lock.
That shop is a core issue in and of itself, too. Let's say that instead of using cheats, you save up to unlock it organically... By the time you get enough, you very well could be 3/4ths of the way through the entire game, making it almost useless at that point. If you're NOT far in, it's most likely because you're struggling to progress - which is because you're not spending anything on the other stat boosts made readily available. You'll be stuck grinding in the early levels then, which will extend the game's playtime and might ruin any fun you could otherwise get from the experience.
I do like the RPG elements (such as the stats and the money system) in theory. I just don't feel like they work here, though. The grinding doesn't work because the combat is too repetitive to warrant it. The level system doesn't work because the progression is awful (I was level 12/16 before I beat the first boss in my last playthrough, keeping in mind that I replayed the first world a few times.) The stats don't work because they'll make you overpowered with only a few purchases. Everything is just poorly thought out in my eyes. It's all individual factors that add up to the entire game feeling unbalanced.
That's not to say that the RPG stuff should've been cut. I think the game would be much more bland without them. I just wish more time had went into making them actually good.
By my last playthrough, I had to make my own fun by denying myself cheats and trying to play in a way that was optimized to the mechanics. Even then, there were points where I'd feel like I was cheating only by using the tools readily available to me. I'd beat down a boss with a weapon and think to myself," This is too easy, I'm getting in a million hits right now," and I'd end up throwing the weapon away to try to make it an equal fight. That's how you know you've failed on a fundamental level.
On top of all of that, there's really no point in there being such a wide array of playable characters here. As I've briefly mentioned, all of them have identical movesets, minus one or two special attacks. The unique animations can only get you so far - especially when your DLC characters largely don't have even that. This really hurts the replay value for me.
I do like how a lot of the enemies have their own unique attacks. I didn't even notice that until one of my later playthroughs. For example, one enemy does a chicken taunt which drains your willpower. Another is a thief who knocks some of your money out of you. That's cool.
There is some solid foundation in all of this. However, all of it together just doesn't add up to great gameplay. Nothing fits like it should. While it can be fun at times, the wheels start to fall off at some point or another. I think I could see myself picking this up and enjoying it for about 20 minutes every few months. I probably won't be coming back to it for any extended amount of time, though.
Overall, 2/5.
Worldbuilding:
There is often a distinct void of personality here. A lot of the fun fantasy aspects of Scott Pilgrim's world are kind of shrugged off; the loss of the plot and humor are both big factors in this. I still think they could have done more in the worldbuilding though, even without either of those things.
There is some pretty nice environmental design. The locations are great, in big part thanks to the art and music.
There's quite a bit of references to other video games, too. While I don't think taking stuff from other things makes your thing good, it is undeniably fun to see - and it fits Scott Pilgrim really well.
One other cool thing is that a lot of the background NPCs are characters from the comics. As someone who's only seen the movie, I was still able to recognize a few of them. It's a neat little way to fit in people who would have been completely sidelined otherwise.
Overall, 3/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
I had trouble with achievements glitching out. It happened at least two or three times.
I don't think most of them are that good, or add much to your playthroughs. I dunno, it's not really worth it in my eyes. It just made me stick with the game for a lot longer than I really wanted to.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. Scott Pilgrim has great art and music, but fails in nearly every other area. The combat can be fun, but it's ruined by balance issues. The story and worldbuilding are completely lacking, which is a huge disappointment. Time and budget constraints turned what could have been a fantastic game into an average one. I think nostalgia has really blinded people here.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
It sucks when something you devoted time to ends up being bad, even if you anticipated little from it. It's much worse to set high expectations, only for whatever it is to turn out mediocre.
I'd been looking forward to Scott Pilgrim's complete edition since the moment I found out about it. I've never read the comics, but the movie is one of my favorites; the writing is chock full of comedic genius and memorable moments, the visual effects are fun, and the characters are delightful. On top of that adoration for 'vs the World', the game has had the lost media status for years, which fascinated me further and made its re-release feel special. I rarely buy any title on launch - hell, I rarely buy them full price at all - but because of those biases, I couldn't help myself here.
Maybe that influenced my opinion a bit, too. When I do spend the money, it's because I really believe I'll enjoy something. This just didn't turn out to be a right call, unfortunately, even if it was only 15 dollars. I wanted to love it, but it lacks most of what made the movie so amazing - as well as what makes beat 'em ups fun. I suppose it's a lesson learned in setting the bar too high beforehand.
That's not to say it's all bad, of course. There's some strong direction with the art and music, which is what manages to carry the whole thing across the finish line. Still, it fails in so many other areas that it becomes difficult to recommend to anyone, even hardcore fans of the franchise as a whole.
It's important to note before going any further that the developers faced huge time constraints and budget cuts, which I absolutely believe were factors in the final product (both the main game and the DLCs.) If you take the time to examine it, it's easy to see that what we got was a skeleton of what the team really hoped to make. So many aspects are lackluster at best, and downright bad at worst - the environments, the movesets, the story, the worldbuilding. I've found reports of a lot of awesome cut content, such as mid/side bosses (Crash and the Boys, Winifred Hailey) and chase sequences (one on a beach before Roxie's fight, and one on skateboards after Lucas'.) There was even supposed to be a Montreal DLC where you could play as Envy, Lynette, and Todd.
It's honestly depressing to imagine 'what could have been' if the devs were given more freedom. There were a lot of fantastic ideas that had to be scrapped - probably more than we'll ever know about - and I'll forever wish we could've gotten THAT instead.
(Another small note, I think playthroughs are generally much more fun with the online multiplayer. However, connections are extremely unreliable. I was often dropped almost immediately. In a few other cases, I had to quit because of glitches that made it unplayable.)
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Story: 1.5/5
Gameplay: 2/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall game score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
There's definitely a nice visual style here. The pixel art is charming, and it manages to retain the feel of the comics while simultaneously putting a fresh spin on it. This applies even more-so to the little story portions shown after bossfights.
Ultimately, I do think there are better-looking pixel games, but what's here is still really good. The character designs are neat, for the most part (even if that's mostly contributable to the comics.) The overworld map looks nice. The backgrounds are phenomenal. Couple all of that with the awesome animations, and you have a very solid product in this regard.
Speaking of the animations, one of my favorite parts of playing was seeing each character's unique spin on the shared attacks. Even if they're the same moveset at their core, it's fun that everyone's personalities and fighting styles were put into them.
However, that brings me to my first complaint; the Wallace and Knives DLCs are almost entirely made up of reused resources from Stephen and Kim, respectively. This leaves them with very little of their own characterization. There are occasionally reused models/animations in the base game, too - but I can excuse it more there, since it's not often immediately noticeable. It's much less forgivable when it's not only content people were originally asked to pay extra for, but it's specifically meant to be extra playable characters... and those playable characters are basically just reskinned versions of ones you already have! Thankfully, both Knives and Wallace (as well as the online mode, which was originally bundled with Wallace) come with this version. I definitely do not think it would've been worth it otherwise.
It's a pretty small complaint, but I also hate the shop screens. They seem to be designed as counter-intuitively as possible. It's very inconvenient.
My biggest issue with the visual design, though, is the strangely objectifying approach the devs took to a lot of the females. It's difficult not to notice how excessively bouncy nearly all of the women's chests are. A woman will simply move around idly, and her chest will shake with enough force to kill someone. On top of that, Ramona isn't wearing any pants for some inconceivable reason. It's reportedly her 'bikini outfit' from the comics, but even if that's true... WHY? It's wintertime in the game! She has so many cool looks they could have chosen from, but they chose the most impractical one - presumably just so they could sexualize her more!
Kim also sports a ridiculously short skirt with no tights. Way worse than this, though, is that because Knives - a 17 year old - is just a reskinned Kim, she has the "chest" issue in her victory animation. I think they could have taken the time to make one more to avoid that.
But possibly the worst fault in this regard is that Kim's special move is her kissing Knives (like they drunkenly did in the comics.) [SPOILERS] While this is a story issue and not visual, it's also notable in this discussion that Kim's ending is the two getting together. It's presumably meant as a joke, but it's still gross. [SPOILER ENDING] But most egregious is that, in the credits, game screenshots are shown with little boxes next to each character (that display both their name and a comment.) One is shown of these two kissing, and Kim's box says 'Rating: Hot!', while Knives' says '17 years old. Rating: x2 hot!' Good lord, come on, she's a minor. That's disgusting and inexcusable.
I know a lot of people will disagree with me taking such issue here, but I do! It was simultaneously very uncomfortable and very disappointing. On the whole, it's a visually striking product; it's just unfortunate that it falls into the trap of typical media misogyny.
Overall, 4/5.
Sound:
The soundtrack is undeniably one of the best things here, if not the best. Just like the art, the music fits the spirit of the comics perfectly. The 8bit tunes mixed with rock instrumentals add up to something truly wonderful; it combines the band and video game themes present throughout the entire series in a really amazing way. Not only that, but it manages to give a lot of personality to something that desperately needs it.
My only issue is that I wish there was a bit more variety. While there are memorable tracks, a few of them run together, given that they often implement identical instruments and style. Even so, they're all exceptionally good, so I can't make too big of a deal of it.
Overall, 4.5/5.
Story:
The game follows the basis of the comic's plot, except that most of the details are left out. Everything is very minimal; there's little character interaction, only a few short 'scenes', and no dialogue at all. Because of that, there's a complete lack of nearly any jokes - even visual. The game ends up missing out on most of the humor (and by extension, the characterization) that plays a huge part in other versions of Scott Pilgrim. It is absolutely detrimental to the experience as a whole.
I do like how there's a unique ending for each character. However, some of them are REALLY bad. [SPOILERS] I think it's particularly important to break down Scott's. In his, Ramona leaves him and he gets back together with his exes... Including Knives. It's implied he's only pretending to be happy, but it's still super weird.
[SPOILERS STILL] This is what I saw on my first playthrough. I had no prior knowledge of the multiple endings; I just thought this was what happened. Even after I found out, I was still appalled. This was the big moment they chose to give their protagonist? One of the most important parts of his arc - at least, in the movie - is maturing enough to realize dating Knives is wrong. They wasted 4-5 hours of my time to give me 20 seconds of this complete and utter shit.
[SPOILERS STILL] I know there will be people who defend this because it's supposed to be a non-canonical joke. However, it's difficult to take it as such when someone has no way of knowing that. I was totally unhappy with this outcome and nearly retired the game because of it. Also, the "it's a joke" excuse can only get you so far - especially when the jokes aren't even funny. The situation is treated comedically in the movie too, but it's executed well. All of the people around Scott recognize and openly acknowledge that his dating a highschooler is wrong, even if they're going about it in a funny way. The humor is at his expense, not in support of him. None of that is here at all. In fact, sexualization of Knives is treated as a good thing multiple times.
[SPOILERS STILL] I've already mentioned Kim's ending, too, and why I dislike it. Wallace's is also pretty bad, though in a different way. Each conclusion has a picture, with a few sentences summarizing what happens after you defeat Gideon... Except that they didn't give Wallace any summary at all. He only has a piece of art and nothing else. You guys really couldn't even take the time to write one more paragraph? Ugh. [SPOILER ENDING]
There are some neat moments, but only a few. If I'd never seen the movie, and only played the game, I probably would have forgotten the plot. Thankfully, the other iterations have made the story so iconic that this one is helped along slightly.
Overall, 1.5/5.
Gameplay:
The fighting itself is okay. The moves all feel pretty good, and there's a nice bit of variety even though they're all straightforward. I also love that the inputs are simplistic and easy to remember - that's a big plus for me.
When you're put up against either giant waves of enemies, or a few particularly tough ones, the game is pretty enjoyable. There's strategy involved then, and you have to be smarter about when you use specific moves. The combat was quickly ruined for me, though, when it became apparent how unbalanced everything was.
Depending on your difficulty selection, the bosses can range from 'very easy' to 'a little less easy'. The devs decided to counter-act this in the worst possible way, too. Before each boss, you are forced to play two or three levels with no breaks in between. Individual levels can take anywhere from ten to twenty minutes - sometimes even longer if it's your first time going through. As a result, you'll most likely be very low on lives by the time you get to the next ex. That means you'll most likely die to them at least once... And you'll be forced to play all of those levels over again.
[SPOILERS] This is pushed to the max in the very last stretch. You do a level, fight a boss, go through a platforming section, fight another boss, do the most difficult level in the game, then finally fight the final boss. There is only one place during all of this to replenish your health, and it's literally right before the last part. You are not given the chance to get any additional lives during any of this, either. [SPOILER END]
Also, by the time you do make it to the bosses, they generally tend to be pretty disappointing. There's no real sense of progression within most of them (minus Matthew.) They often just feel like stronger regular enemies.
I should mention that there are shops scattered throughout where you can replenish your health and willpower, even if most don't offer 1ups. Even then, though, there is no indication pointing you toward them. I honestly didn't discover there were places you could enter for a long time. I went through my entire first playthrough without knowing about or using these, except for in the shopping district (and I still only found out about those from a guide.) It's more of a visual complaint, but I think that this had such a huge effect on my enjoyment of the gameplay that it's worth mentioning here.
And still, despite that ridiculousness, the entire game becomes an absolute cakewalk once you discover the cheats - of which there are two in particular I want to discuss. The first is a sword which deals incredible amounts of ranged damage; it's difficult to turn that down after playing the same levels so many times. The second is an easy way to grind for money; once you enter the code, you die and use up one life for 50 coins. If you have a snack item onhand, that is consumed instead of a life. After maybe half an hour, you'll have at least 600 dollars. This is more than enough to unlock the most valuable shop in the game. After paying 500 to do so, you are given access to both 1ups (up to 9) and stat boosts, all for 4.95 apiece. If you max all of your stats here, you're basically unstoppable. Keep in mind that these cheats are given to you with no penalty, not even an achievement lock.
That shop is a core issue in and of itself, too. Let's say that instead of using cheats, you save up to unlock it organically... By the time you get enough, you very well could be 3/4ths of the way through the entire game, making it almost useless at that point. If you're NOT far in, it's most likely because you're struggling to progress - which is because you're not spending anything on the other stat boosts made readily available. You'll be stuck grinding in the early levels then, which will extend the game's playtime and might ruin any fun you could otherwise get from the experience.
I do like the RPG elements (such as the stats and the money system) in theory. I just don't feel like they work here, though. The grinding doesn't work because the combat is too repetitive to warrant it. The level system doesn't work because the progression is awful (I was level 12/16 before I beat the first boss in my last playthrough, keeping in mind that I replayed the first world a few times.) The stats don't work because they'll make you overpowered with only a few purchases. Everything is just poorly thought out in my eyes. It's all individual factors that add up to the entire game feeling unbalanced.
That's not to say that the RPG stuff should've been cut. I think the game would be much more bland without them. I just wish more time had went into making them actually good.
By my last playthrough, I had to make my own fun by denying myself cheats and trying to play in a way that was optimized to the mechanics. Even then, there were points where I'd feel like I was cheating only by using the tools readily available to me. I'd beat down a boss with a weapon and think to myself," This is too easy, I'm getting in a million hits right now," and I'd end up throwing the weapon away to try to make it an equal fight. That's how you know you've failed on a fundamental level.
On top of all of that, there's really no point in there being such a wide array of playable characters here. As I've briefly mentioned, all of them have identical movesets, minus one or two special attacks. The unique animations can only get you so far - especially when your DLC characters largely don't have even that. This really hurts the replay value for me.
I do like how a lot of the enemies have their own unique attacks. I didn't even notice that until one of my later playthroughs. For example, one enemy does a chicken taunt which drains your willpower. Another is a thief who knocks some of your money out of you. That's cool.
There is some solid foundation in all of this. However, all of it together just doesn't add up to great gameplay. Nothing fits like it should. While it can be fun at times, the wheels start to fall off at some point or another. I think I could see myself picking this up and enjoying it for about 20 minutes every few months. I probably won't be coming back to it for any extended amount of time, though.
Overall, 2/5.
Worldbuilding:
There is often a distinct void of personality here. A lot of the fun fantasy aspects of Scott Pilgrim's world are kind of shrugged off; the loss of the plot and humor are both big factors in this. I still think they could have done more in the worldbuilding though, even without either of those things.
There is some pretty nice environmental design. The locations are great, in big part thanks to the art and music.
There's quite a bit of references to other video games, too. While I don't think taking stuff from other things makes your thing good, it is undeniably fun to see - and it fits Scott Pilgrim really well.
One other cool thing is that a lot of the background NPCs are characters from the comics. As someone who's only seen the movie, I was still able to recognize a few of them. It's a neat little way to fit in people who would have been completely sidelined otherwise.
Overall, 3/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
I had trouble with achievements glitching out. It happened at least two or three times.
I don't think most of them are that good, or add much to your playthroughs. I dunno, it's not really worth it in my eyes. It just made me stick with the game for a lot longer than I really wanted to.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. Scott Pilgrim has great art and music, but fails in nearly every other area. The combat can be fun, but it's ruined by balance issues. The story and worldbuilding are completely lacking, which is a huge disappointment. Time and budget constraints turned what could have been a fantastic game into an average one. I think nostalgia has really blinded people here.
2016
SARA IS MISSING (SIM) REVIEW
Sara is Missing is an absolute letdown in every capacity. It's honestly sad, because there's such an interesting concept at the surface. That's why it got so much attention following its release, after all. It's a gimmick game through and through - perfect for YouTubers to make clickbait with. And just like most titles that get popular off of a 'novelty' + 'YouTuber' combination, there's nothing that actually makes it worthwhile.
Anything good SiM might have had going on with its unique presentation is immediately ruined by the awful writing, incoherent story, and cheesy attempts at horror. It's like they closed their eyes, opened a book of bad genre tropes, and pointed randomly - then tried to make one ongoing plot out of them.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 2/5
Sound: 1/5
Story: .5/5
Gameplay: .5/5
Worldbuilding: 1/5
Overall game score: 1/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The execution here is fine, but nothing special by any means. The phone has a pretty realistic layout and decent-looking apps. I like the variety in pictures for the gallery. It's cool to see the characters in candid situations.
I do wish there were more scary things to uncover though. It would have been cool to see pictures where Sara was being stalked in the background leading up to her disappearance.
Overall, 2/5.
Sound:
Not much to say here, given that most of the sound design is just phone noises.
There is ONE song you can play from the music app. I thought that was a neat inclusion at first, but a singular track will get pretty old after the first few times.
Overall, 1/5.
Story:
As I mentioned in the introduction, SiM's story is a Frankenstein's monster of cheesy, tired horror tropes. [SPOILERS] There's a satanic murder cult; there's a mysterious Wiccan gathering; there's a cursed deepweb video; there's a sentient phone A.I. that watches you through your camera; there's a guy in a mask. [SPOILER END] All of this familiar territory is thrown into the same pot, and SiM is too lazy to tie any of it together. Important elements are often left completely unexplained. Nothing has any relation to anything else. And still, the game plods along as if it all makes perfect sense.
[SPOILERS] I think the cult is selecting victims and/or recruits through the death curse video? And that the guy in the mask (who appears once) might be Irizu, the cult's leader? And there are theories that Irizu is somehow controlling Sara's phone, since his name is similar to the A.I.'s (Iris.) But that comes with its own plot holes and inconsistencies. And if he's NOT controlling it, then Iris is an extremely intelligent artificial being - way more intelligent than I can suspend my disbelief for. You are given dialogue early on that acknowledges how strangely human Iris is... But that doesn't fix the fact that it's bad writing. It's just a built-in excuse.
[SPOILERS STILL] Let's quickly explore the other route, and say that the Irizu/Iris thing was intended to be true. Then Iris was MEANT to be overly-human, fine. But the game does an awful job of connecting the dots beyond that. There's no further subtext or events that hint toward it. It's just," Oh, this A.I. is weirdly humanlike in its behaviors. Also, it has a similar name to Irizu." I have no idea if the theory is accurate or not, or if the developers themselves even know one way or another. But it's equally bad writing no matter what. [SPOILER END]
The pacing is all over the place, too. I didn't expect a slowburn plot, given how short SiM is, but the shortness isn't really an excuse; a game can be an hour long and still do well here. This one just... Doesn't. The answer to the big 'mystery' (" What happened to Sara?") is made obvious in the first five minutes. And then there's the fact that it goes from light horror elements to throwing everything at you all at once. And it isn't done in a good way, like, say, The VVitch. It's not purposeful or built up to smartly. It's just one weird plot point after another, all in rapid succession - and before any of it is properly explained, it ends.
Another thing, there are so many plot holes, inconsistencies, and errors that I couldn't list all of them out if I tried. There ARE two glaring ones that I'll briefly discuss though (thanks to Night Mind for pointing these out in his video on SiM.) [SPOILERS] Firstly, Sara gives a different, untrue story to two separate people (her mom and a friend, Buddy) about her breakup. It's made apparent through her texts with Derek (her ex) that she broke up with him. Yet she tells her mom that they mutually decided to end things, and she tells Buddy that Derek dumped her.
[SPOILERS STILL] Secondly, there's a point in time where Sara is having multiple text conversations at once. One is very intense, and she's obviously scared. The other is a conversation with her friend James where she is acting totally normal while he tells her about scary things. I suspect this was an oversight by the devs, and that these were supposed to take place on different days. Generally, there are multiple issues with dates like this. Another example is that one conversation takes place on February 30. [SPOILER END]
There's also multiple typos - excusable at times if it's trying to simulate how people actually type, but even the 'prim and proper' cult leader makes two typos nearly back to back. It feels like they didn't proofread at all.
Lastly, the writing is absolutely egregious. I was cringing nearly the entire game because of how bad it was. The protagonist very rarely, if ever, reads like a realistic person. Your dialogue options almost never make sense or sound like something someone would actually say. [SPOILERS] I think a prime example of this is the line," I feel like god now." I had to pause to process that when I saw it. And there's lots of other lines that are just as shamefully bad.
[SPOILERS STILL] Another small note, but I really, really hate the 'proper sounding character who speaks with fancy words' archetype. They're very rarely written well, and this one certainly isn't. [SPOILER END]
There's only two kind-of positive things I can say here. First off, I like the IDEA behind the choices presented to you. Even if they're not executed much better than anything else, they (and their setup) are interesting. Secondly, I like that there are small plot threads going on beneath the surface - [SPOILERS] Sara's breakup, her strained relationship with her mom, things like that. [SPOILER END] But even then, most of the extra stuff available is completely pointless and not even entertaining. It all feels like it's only there to possibly pad out time.
Overall, .5/5.
Gameplay:
While the game advertises itself as being all about clue-finding and puzzle-solving, SiM largely lacks either of those things. The 'strange happenings' are very easy to find, as they're out of place amongst all of the completely normal things. There's literally one puzzle and it's incredibly easy. Also, the keyboard that it advertises as its entire own feature is completely useless and nearly nonfunctional.
It would have been so cool to see good gameplay for this. I would have loved to play a detective-horror type thing. Unfortunately, it completely fails. Realistically you're not doing much of anything, least of all detective work.
Overall, .5/5.
Worldbuilding:
I do like the inclusion of the extra random pictures and videos, the notes app, and the emails. It all builds up Sara's personal life slightly more. There's a few side characters for you to get to know through her messages, too.
I feel like looking through this extra stuff would help with immersion a lot... If it was even slightly fun to do so. The writing is so bad that it's just embarrassing most of the time. I can't give too much credit for something being there, when it's executed awfully.
Overall, 1/5.
Overall game score: 1/5. Aside from its gimmick, Sara is Missing lacks pretty much any real positives. The writing is bad, the plot makes no sense, and the gameplay is boring. Even though it's free and short, it is absolutely not worth your time. I highly recommend skipping it and finding something else to play.
Sara is Missing is an absolute letdown in every capacity. It's honestly sad, because there's such an interesting concept at the surface. That's why it got so much attention following its release, after all. It's a gimmick game through and through - perfect for YouTubers to make clickbait with. And just like most titles that get popular off of a 'novelty' + 'YouTuber' combination, there's nothing that actually makes it worthwhile.
Anything good SiM might have had going on with its unique presentation is immediately ruined by the awful writing, incoherent story, and cheesy attempts at horror. It's like they closed their eyes, opened a book of bad genre tropes, and pointed randomly - then tried to make one ongoing plot out of them.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 2/5
Sound: 1/5
Story: .5/5
Gameplay: .5/5
Worldbuilding: 1/5
Overall game score: 1/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
The execution here is fine, but nothing special by any means. The phone has a pretty realistic layout and decent-looking apps. I like the variety in pictures for the gallery. It's cool to see the characters in candid situations.
I do wish there were more scary things to uncover though. It would have been cool to see pictures where Sara was being stalked in the background leading up to her disappearance.
Overall, 2/5.
Sound:
Not much to say here, given that most of the sound design is just phone noises.
There is ONE song you can play from the music app. I thought that was a neat inclusion at first, but a singular track will get pretty old after the first few times.
Overall, 1/5.
Story:
As I mentioned in the introduction, SiM's story is a Frankenstein's monster of cheesy, tired horror tropes. [SPOILERS] There's a satanic murder cult; there's a mysterious Wiccan gathering; there's a cursed deepweb video; there's a sentient phone A.I. that watches you through your camera; there's a guy in a mask. [SPOILER END] All of this familiar territory is thrown into the same pot, and SiM is too lazy to tie any of it together. Important elements are often left completely unexplained. Nothing has any relation to anything else. And still, the game plods along as if it all makes perfect sense.
[SPOILERS] I think the cult is selecting victims and/or recruits through the death curse video? And that the guy in the mask (who appears once) might be Irizu, the cult's leader? And there are theories that Irizu is somehow controlling Sara's phone, since his name is similar to the A.I.'s (Iris.) But that comes with its own plot holes and inconsistencies. And if he's NOT controlling it, then Iris is an extremely intelligent artificial being - way more intelligent than I can suspend my disbelief for. You are given dialogue early on that acknowledges how strangely human Iris is... But that doesn't fix the fact that it's bad writing. It's just a built-in excuse.
[SPOILERS STILL] Let's quickly explore the other route, and say that the Irizu/Iris thing was intended to be true. Then Iris was MEANT to be overly-human, fine. But the game does an awful job of connecting the dots beyond that. There's no further subtext or events that hint toward it. It's just," Oh, this A.I. is weirdly humanlike in its behaviors. Also, it has a similar name to Irizu." I have no idea if the theory is accurate or not, or if the developers themselves even know one way or another. But it's equally bad writing no matter what. [SPOILER END]
The pacing is all over the place, too. I didn't expect a slowburn plot, given how short SiM is, but the shortness isn't really an excuse; a game can be an hour long and still do well here. This one just... Doesn't. The answer to the big 'mystery' (" What happened to Sara?") is made obvious in the first five minutes. And then there's the fact that it goes from light horror elements to throwing everything at you all at once. And it isn't done in a good way, like, say, The VVitch. It's not purposeful or built up to smartly. It's just one weird plot point after another, all in rapid succession - and before any of it is properly explained, it ends.
Another thing, there are so many plot holes, inconsistencies, and errors that I couldn't list all of them out if I tried. There ARE two glaring ones that I'll briefly discuss though (thanks to Night Mind for pointing these out in his video on SiM.) [SPOILERS] Firstly, Sara gives a different, untrue story to two separate people (her mom and a friend, Buddy) about her breakup. It's made apparent through her texts with Derek (her ex) that she broke up with him. Yet she tells her mom that they mutually decided to end things, and she tells Buddy that Derek dumped her.
[SPOILERS STILL] Secondly, there's a point in time where Sara is having multiple text conversations at once. One is very intense, and she's obviously scared. The other is a conversation with her friend James where she is acting totally normal while he tells her about scary things. I suspect this was an oversight by the devs, and that these were supposed to take place on different days. Generally, there are multiple issues with dates like this. Another example is that one conversation takes place on February 30. [SPOILER END]
There's also multiple typos - excusable at times if it's trying to simulate how people actually type, but even the 'prim and proper' cult leader makes two typos nearly back to back. It feels like they didn't proofread at all.
Lastly, the writing is absolutely egregious. I was cringing nearly the entire game because of how bad it was. The protagonist very rarely, if ever, reads like a realistic person. Your dialogue options almost never make sense or sound like something someone would actually say. [SPOILERS] I think a prime example of this is the line," I feel like god now." I had to pause to process that when I saw it. And there's lots of other lines that are just as shamefully bad.
[SPOILERS STILL] Another small note, but I really, really hate the 'proper sounding character who speaks with fancy words' archetype. They're very rarely written well, and this one certainly isn't. [SPOILER END]
There's only two kind-of positive things I can say here. First off, I like the IDEA behind the choices presented to you. Even if they're not executed much better than anything else, they (and their setup) are interesting. Secondly, I like that there are small plot threads going on beneath the surface - [SPOILERS] Sara's breakup, her strained relationship with her mom, things like that. [SPOILER END] But even then, most of the extra stuff available is completely pointless and not even entertaining. It all feels like it's only there to possibly pad out time.
Overall, .5/5.
Gameplay:
While the game advertises itself as being all about clue-finding and puzzle-solving, SiM largely lacks either of those things. The 'strange happenings' are very easy to find, as they're out of place amongst all of the completely normal things. There's literally one puzzle and it's incredibly easy. Also, the keyboard that it advertises as its entire own feature is completely useless and nearly nonfunctional.
It would have been so cool to see good gameplay for this. I would have loved to play a detective-horror type thing. Unfortunately, it completely fails. Realistically you're not doing much of anything, least of all detective work.
Overall, .5/5.
Worldbuilding:
I do like the inclusion of the extra random pictures and videos, the notes app, and the emails. It all builds up Sara's personal life slightly more. There's a few side characters for you to get to know through her messages, too.
I feel like looking through this extra stuff would help with immersion a lot... If it was even slightly fun to do so. The writing is so bad that it's just embarrassing most of the time. I can't give too much credit for something being there, when it's executed awfully.
Overall, 1/5.
Overall game score: 1/5. Aside from its gimmick, Sara is Missing lacks pretty much any real positives. The writing is bad, the plot makes no sense, and the gameplay is boring. Even though it's free and short, it is absolutely not worth your time. I highly recommend skipping it and finding something else to play.
2019
MISSED MESSAGES REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
Missed Messages is a short visual novel that deals with very serious topics. The subject matter (suicide and self harm) definitely won't be for everyone. And even if you ARE fine with that stuff, you still might not connect with the way this game discusses it. I managed to a bit, despite having problems with the execution - ultimately, it handles itself in a very genuine and heartfelt manner. I have to appreciate that.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 3.5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 1/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall game score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
MM has an absolutely stunning visual design. Angela He is an extremely talented artist; her style is realistic, but still unique enough to stand out. It's a combination you rarely get to see, especially in games. And the VN medium definitely assists in letting it shine, since each shot in the game is just an individual piece of artwork.
This is, by far, MM's strongest talking point. I only wish that a look this amazing could be implemented into something longer!
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
There's a few different tracks to choose between on the in-game computer (it's cool to be able to toggle them yourself!) I personally like all of them, even if they might be a tad predictable for this type of thing. They aid in creating a good atmosphere, especially the song that's played later on in the darker scenes. It's a perfect mood setter.
Also, it's a small touch, but I really like the writing sound effect that accompanies the chat bubbles. It's very satisfying to me.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Story:
Because of its ~30 minute runtime, Missed Messages ends up being simultaneously dense and simple in its discussion of suicide and depression. It tries to fit an entire story about mental health into half an hour - and while it IS commendable that it does so decently, it's definitely not perfect. The shortness of it means that the game is very digestible, which makes it easy to recommend to people; even if you don't like it, you didn't invest so much time that it feels like a huge loss. However, that runtime also means that only a certain amount of depth can be given to what are inherently very deep topics. There are just too many ups and downs to mental health and recovery to so neatly package it as [SPOILERS] 'committing suicide' vs. 'getting therapy because a friend recommended it'. [SPOILER END]
I think that there are games that deal with this stuff in a much more nuanced and fleshed-out way. The discussion here is very surface-level. But while it may not illustrate the fullness of its themes, it does have good messages behind it; ones of seeking help and talking to loved ones about how you feel. [SPOILERS] I personally really appreciated that it made a point in the 'best' ending to briefly discuss dependency issues. I have struggled with those in the past, and it resonated with me to see it talked about in a way that - while firm - didn't condemn someone for potentially dealing with them.
[SPOILERS STILL] While there's really only a few dark elements (I was surprised to see Junji Ito cited as an inspiration), they are done well to me. The moments of suicide and self harm are very memorable - the artwork, the music, and the tonal shift add up to something disturbing and hard-hitting. Even though you might be expecting it, it's such a stark contrast to the first half that it will probably still have an impact. [SPOILER END]
I do think a big problem with the execution in MM lies with the endings. Another Backloggd user (ghost_girl) made great points about this in their review. There are four in total, but only two of them are really important. You're almost guaranteed to get 'bad' one on the first playthrough, and then the 'best' one on the second. It's just very easy to piece together how to get the latter - the choices are pretty blatant. This leaves the other two endings feeling completely redundant.
As for the secondary story about the airdrop girl... [SPOILERS] It definitely has an interesting role, as it's solely there to distract you during your first playthrough. It's basically a tool to ensure that you get the 'bad' ending before any others. The game relies heavily on the 'multiple playthrough' thing for its impact. After all, it wouldn't mean nearly as much to save May's life if you didn't see the alternative outcome first. I do appreciate the Amy subplot for its assistance in that. But I think it feels far too irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Maybe if you could talk to Amy about May, and get her opinion on her (like you can with May on Amy), that would have helped a lot. You could express concern for May to Amy, or talk about how good of a friend she is. I feel like it would have made the twist hit even more, since it takes place right after meeting Amy. And it definitely would have made the Amy stuff feel more relevant. [SPOILER END]
As for the writing and dialogue, I doubt the gen-z packaging here will appeal to everyone. I'm gen-z, and I still found it eyeroll-inducing at times. I feel that it's pretty accurate to how gen z-ers talk to each other - it doesn't feel like a writer 'faking it' - but that doesn't mean it's not annoying.
In the end, I think that the story in Missed Messages is... Okay. It's not the greatest 'depression' thing out there, but it's not bad either. I think it benefits a lot from its shortness, clarity of message, and being wrapped in a very pretty bow with the art.
Overall, 3/5.
Gameplay:
Even putting aside the standard VN gameplay (a lot of reading and not much else), I don't think the more unique gameplay loop implemented in MM is executed well. It presents itself as having a sort of puzzle element, as you have to play it multiple times to find the 'right choices' for the 'best 'ending. But, as I've mentioned, those choices are all clear-cut. Because of that, the game ends up lacking any mechanics at all (on top of, as I've said, making two of the endings irrelevant.) There's nothing to figure out. There is no puzzle.
I also don't like that you can exhaust nearly all of the dialogue in two playthroughs. Another reason to question why there are four endings. There's absolutely no point in playing after run #2.
On a positive note, I AM a sucker from laptop/phone screen simulations, so I enjoyed that aspect the first time through. Even that got kind of annoying after a bit, though.
Overall, 1/5.
Worldbuilding:
I think the realistic college dorm-room setting is kind of interesting, despite its simplicity. It looks like a place someone could actually live. The art and music help to add a lot too. MM does decently here, despite how short it is.
Overall, 3/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
They're easy to get, since all of them are just for the different endings. However, they don't add any replay value. In all honesty, they kind of ruin the experience by forcing you to play the game an additional two times, after you've probably already seen everything. I wouldn't bother 100%ing it unless you're a completionist.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. Missed Messages is not a perfect game, but it's a decent one that's worth the ~30 minute investment (especially since it's free.) The art is gorgeous, and the story is genuine. I think it could deeply resonate with some people. I may not have been one of them, but I still appreciate the authenticity of it.
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.
Missed Messages is a short visual novel that deals with very serious topics. The subject matter (suicide and self harm) definitely won't be for everyone. And even if you ARE fine with that stuff, you still might not connect with the way this game discusses it. I managed to a bit, despite having problems with the execution - ultimately, it handles itself in a very genuine and heartfelt manner. I have to appreciate that.
SHORT REVIEW
Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 3.5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 1/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 2/5
Overall game score: 3/5
IN-DEPTH REVIEW
Visuals:
MM has an absolutely stunning visual design. Angela He is an extremely talented artist; her style is realistic, but still unique enough to stand out. It's a combination you rarely get to see, especially in games. And the VN medium definitely assists in letting it shine, since each shot in the game is just an individual piece of artwork.
This is, by far, MM's strongest talking point. I only wish that a look this amazing could be implemented into something longer!
Overall, 4.5/5.
Sound:
There's a few different tracks to choose between on the in-game computer (it's cool to be able to toggle them yourself!) I personally like all of them, even if they might be a tad predictable for this type of thing. They aid in creating a good atmosphere, especially the song that's played later on in the darker scenes. It's a perfect mood setter.
Also, it's a small touch, but I really like the writing sound effect that accompanies the chat bubbles. It's very satisfying to me.
Overall, 3.5/5.
Story:
Because of its ~30 minute runtime, Missed Messages ends up being simultaneously dense and simple in its discussion of suicide and depression. It tries to fit an entire story about mental health into half an hour - and while it IS commendable that it does so decently, it's definitely not perfect. The shortness of it means that the game is very digestible, which makes it easy to recommend to people; even if you don't like it, you didn't invest so much time that it feels like a huge loss. However, that runtime also means that only a certain amount of depth can be given to what are inherently very deep topics. There are just too many ups and downs to mental health and recovery to so neatly package it as [SPOILERS] 'committing suicide' vs. 'getting therapy because a friend recommended it'. [SPOILER END]
I think that there are games that deal with this stuff in a much more nuanced and fleshed-out way. The discussion here is very surface-level. But while it may not illustrate the fullness of its themes, it does have good messages behind it; ones of seeking help and talking to loved ones about how you feel. [SPOILERS] I personally really appreciated that it made a point in the 'best' ending to briefly discuss dependency issues. I have struggled with those in the past, and it resonated with me to see it talked about in a way that - while firm - didn't condemn someone for potentially dealing with them.
[SPOILERS STILL] While there's really only a few dark elements (I was surprised to see Junji Ito cited as an inspiration), they are done well to me. The moments of suicide and self harm are very memorable - the artwork, the music, and the tonal shift add up to something disturbing and hard-hitting. Even though you might be expecting it, it's such a stark contrast to the first half that it will probably still have an impact. [SPOILER END]
I do think a big problem with the execution in MM lies with the endings. Another Backloggd user (ghost_girl) made great points about this in their review. There are four in total, but only two of them are really important. You're almost guaranteed to get 'bad' one on the first playthrough, and then the 'best' one on the second. It's just very easy to piece together how to get the latter - the choices are pretty blatant. This leaves the other two endings feeling completely redundant.
As for the secondary story about the airdrop girl... [SPOILERS] It definitely has an interesting role, as it's solely there to distract you during your first playthrough. It's basically a tool to ensure that you get the 'bad' ending before any others. The game relies heavily on the 'multiple playthrough' thing for its impact. After all, it wouldn't mean nearly as much to save May's life if you didn't see the alternative outcome first. I do appreciate the Amy subplot for its assistance in that. But I think it feels far too irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Maybe if you could talk to Amy about May, and get her opinion on her (like you can with May on Amy), that would have helped a lot. You could express concern for May to Amy, or talk about how good of a friend she is. I feel like it would have made the twist hit even more, since it takes place right after meeting Amy. And it definitely would have made the Amy stuff feel more relevant. [SPOILER END]
As for the writing and dialogue, I doubt the gen-z packaging here will appeal to everyone. I'm gen-z, and I still found it eyeroll-inducing at times. I feel that it's pretty accurate to how gen z-ers talk to each other - it doesn't feel like a writer 'faking it' - but that doesn't mean it's not annoying.
In the end, I think that the story in Missed Messages is... Okay. It's not the greatest 'depression' thing out there, but it's not bad either. I think it benefits a lot from its shortness, clarity of message, and being wrapped in a very pretty bow with the art.
Overall, 3/5.
Gameplay:
Even putting aside the standard VN gameplay (a lot of reading and not much else), I don't think the more unique gameplay loop implemented in MM is executed well. It presents itself as having a sort of puzzle element, as you have to play it multiple times to find the 'right choices' for the 'best 'ending. But, as I've mentioned, those choices are all clear-cut. Because of that, the game ends up lacking any mechanics at all (on top of, as I've said, making two of the endings irrelevant.) There's nothing to figure out. There is no puzzle.
I also don't like that you can exhaust nearly all of the dialogue in two playthroughs. Another reason to question why there are four endings. There's absolutely no point in playing after run #2.
On a positive note, I AM a sucker from laptop/phone screen simulations, so I enjoyed that aspect the first time through. Even that got kind of annoying after a bit, though.
Overall, 1/5.
Worldbuilding:
I think the realistic college dorm-room setting is kind of interesting, despite its simplicity. It looks like a place someone could actually live. The art and music help to add a lot too. MM does decently here, despite how short it is.
Overall, 3/5.
Extra Category - Achievements:
They're easy to get, since all of them are just for the different endings. However, they don't add any replay value. In all honesty, they kind of ruin the experience by forcing you to play the game an additional two times, after you've probably already seen everything. I wouldn't bother 100%ing it unless you're a completionist.
Overall, 2/5.
Overall game score: 3/5. Missed Messages is not a perfect game, but it's a decent one that's worth the ~30 minute investment (especially since it's free.) The art is gorgeous, and the story is genuine. I think it could deeply resonate with some people. I may not have been one of them, but I still appreciate the authenticity of it.