patmeharder
2022
the mainstream fps scene has been missing a high paced shooter for a while (that gets support) and this definitely scratches that itch. albeit everything surrounding the gameplay seems to be the issue.
the quality of life gameplay changes have definitely changed the game for the better; reducing team size, class based passives, altered tools on each heroes, less stuns, more understandable design choices for a character's tools. the direction they're aiming for seems way more competitive focused and honestly feels a millions times better to play and you feel like you actually have agency in a fight.
i feel like most complaints about this game are outside of the gameplay unfortunately. terrible monetisation, unattractive ranking system, no lootboxes, free to play grind being ridiculous, no pve, a sequel but not much new content/changes... i personally pay no heed, but i can definitely see why it bothers people tho.
honestly, i've been wanting to play a shooter where i can just shoot things and go wild. this game enables the unga bunga in me and i couldn't ask for more so i'm loving it so far. plus its free!
the quality of life gameplay changes have definitely changed the game for the better; reducing team size, class based passives, altered tools on each heroes, less stuns, more understandable design choices for a character's tools. the direction they're aiming for seems way more competitive focused and honestly feels a millions times better to play and you feel like you actually have agency in a fight.
i feel like most complaints about this game are outside of the gameplay unfortunately. terrible monetisation, unattractive ranking system, no lootboxes, free to play grind being ridiculous, no pve, a sequel but not much new content/changes... i personally pay no heed, but i can definitely see why it bothers people tho.
honestly, i've been wanting to play a shooter where i can just shoot things and go wild. this game enables the unga bunga in me and i couldn't ask for more so i'm loving it so far. plus its free!
2022
as much as i wanted to hate this game, it's actually pretty good. i was sceptical with the game when it was first announced; will the game feel fun to play, will the ftp make or break, who exactly is this game targeted at? this game looked and seemed like the biggest cash grab. but im pleasantly surprised is the short answer.
i've had my fair share of learning platform fighters. i entered my first tournament for SBBU when it first came out and got my ass handed to me, despite practicing against bots and looking up guides online for hours.. who would have thought i'd lose. i think the hardest part for me was actually getting passed the learning phase of the game, because platform fighters are so unique and different to most fighting games, just getting to learn and understand all the mechanics is a hike and a half, which i believe multiversus tackles very well and lowers the barrier of entry almost flawlessly. quirks like fast falling, landing lag, the ledge, shielding, air dodging, free fall, input delay and movement in general were either neutered or changed to be more simple, which in turn means less to learn. not to say learning the game itself can't be fun, melee is a great example of having an insane learning wall but still being popular. but most players just want to jump right into the meat of the action, and usually for most people that is playing the mind games. there is however a learning curve with the perks, but at least it's somewhat optional.
making it 2v2 was an interesting design choice and makes it for an interesting dynamic, where in most cases both the old and new player are both learning (since more people aren't familiar with 2v2s). i think its an interesting design choice, because of accountability or rather lack of. if you lose a game most will blame outside factors rather than themselves. unsure if it was intentional to make it 2v2, but its a common mindset among most popular multiplayer games on the market, league being the perfect example, having all these factors outside of your control such as team mates, counter picks, etc, lead to not being accountable, sometimes leads to the "just one more game" mentality. making the game 2v2 does exactly that, so either brilliant planning on their end or maybe just a desire to be a little different from the rest. im glad they stuck with the 2v2 format because its a fresh idea that isn't normally seen and it's exciting to see the direction of the competitive scene.
on a side note, because its 2v2 focused they've added "roles" to each character. some characters can be support, tank, assassin, etc but some characters just simply aren't designed outside of 2v2. take that as you will. i think i like it this way since it enforces the idea that 2v2's are the main focus, but some other people don't and i totally get that. 1v1s are still there but the meta is definitely different due to enforced roles.
the ftp model works as well as it needs to. battlepass + character unlockables encourages grinding, with ftp character rotations fortnightly. honestly, ftp + battlepass is probably my favourite model since if i like the game i get rewarded just for playing. online works as well as it needs to using dedicated servers with rollback. i've had some issues with servers struggling but those things should be ironed out by now.
also doesn't wb just seem like the perfect company to pull off the whole crossover theme, all things considered? they have plenty of fun and interesting ip's to work with that i'm kind of excited to see what they have in store.
this game is unexpectedly fun, from a company that has never made a game before, it just seemed like a recipe for disaster, but i am pleasantly surprised and this game does deliver. with constant developer support and a passion to make something cool with fun ips, i can definitely see the potential.
i've had my fair share of learning platform fighters. i entered my first tournament for SBBU when it first came out and got my ass handed to me, despite practicing against bots and looking up guides online for hours.. who would have thought i'd lose. i think the hardest part for me was actually getting passed the learning phase of the game, because platform fighters are so unique and different to most fighting games, just getting to learn and understand all the mechanics is a hike and a half, which i believe multiversus tackles very well and lowers the barrier of entry almost flawlessly. quirks like fast falling, landing lag, the ledge, shielding, air dodging, free fall, input delay and movement in general were either neutered or changed to be more simple, which in turn means less to learn. not to say learning the game itself can't be fun, melee is a great example of having an insane learning wall but still being popular. but most players just want to jump right into the meat of the action, and usually for most people that is playing the mind games. there is however a learning curve with the perks, but at least it's somewhat optional.
making it 2v2 was an interesting design choice and makes it for an interesting dynamic, where in most cases both the old and new player are both learning (since more people aren't familiar with 2v2s). i think its an interesting design choice, because of accountability or rather lack of. if you lose a game most will blame outside factors rather than themselves. unsure if it was intentional to make it 2v2, but its a common mindset among most popular multiplayer games on the market, league being the perfect example, having all these factors outside of your control such as team mates, counter picks, etc, lead to not being accountable, sometimes leads to the "just one more game" mentality. making the game 2v2 does exactly that, so either brilliant planning on their end or maybe just a desire to be a little different from the rest. im glad they stuck with the 2v2 format because its a fresh idea that isn't normally seen and it's exciting to see the direction of the competitive scene.
on a side note, because its 2v2 focused they've added "roles" to each character. some characters can be support, tank, assassin, etc but some characters just simply aren't designed outside of 2v2. take that as you will. i think i like it this way since it enforces the idea that 2v2's are the main focus, but some other people don't and i totally get that. 1v1s are still there but the meta is definitely different due to enforced roles.
the ftp model works as well as it needs to. battlepass + character unlockables encourages grinding, with ftp character rotations fortnightly. honestly, ftp + battlepass is probably my favourite model since if i like the game i get rewarded just for playing. online works as well as it needs to using dedicated servers with rollback. i've had some issues with servers struggling but those things should be ironed out by now.
also doesn't wb just seem like the perfect company to pull off the whole crossover theme, all things considered? they have plenty of fun and interesting ip's to work with that i'm kind of excited to see what they have in store.
this game is unexpectedly fun, from a company that has never made a game before, it just seemed like a recipe for disaster, but i am pleasantly surprised and this game does deliver. with constant developer support and a passion to make something cool with fun ips, i can definitely see the potential.
2020
having a feel of the ps5 controller's capabilities in action for first time is really an eye opening experience. the adaptive triggers are the best things about it and honestly none of the other stuff even comes close.
oh yeah i guess the game is pretty cool as well.
oh yeah i guess the game is pretty cool as well.
2020
on first reactions the game is just pure fun. it's got cute charming visuals and silly physics that make it a fun party game with your friends, and its hilarious to watch stupid guys fall over, which i guess is the appeal since its in the name. not only that but the collab costumes are amazing and it honestly feels like im the demographic since i love most if not all of the collabs they do.
i think the game loses its charm relatively quickly; the minimal map selection can ruin replay-ability and some maps rely mainly on rng which feels shit to lose to. movement is relatively simple with little room for movement tech (there are but very situational). there has been a significant bump in the variety of maps since it's launch but it honestly doesn't help since it feels like the rotation rng isn't organic. the gimmicks however introduced in each season are pretty fun and engaging so ill give it that.
just play the game when you feel like it and you'll probably have a good time. its not worth grinding the battle pass if you fear of missing out on limited costumes, is my best advice.
i think the game loses its charm relatively quickly; the minimal map selection can ruin replay-ability and some maps rely mainly on rng which feels shit to lose to. movement is relatively simple with little room for movement tech (there are but very situational). there has been a significant bump in the variety of maps since it's launch but it honestly doesn't help since it feels like the rotation rng isn't organic. the gimmicks however introduced in each season are pretty fun and engaging so ill give it that.
just play the game when you feel like it and you'll probably have a good time. its not worth grinding the battle pass if you fear of missing out on limited costumes, is my best advice.
2022
i was drawn to the speedrun/fast paced nature of the game and i figured i'd at least give it a shot. the most fun from the game was competing with friend's highscores and figuring out levels on the fly, you really feel like a pro. that was however a little shortlived, levels get too convoluted and uninteresting and you start to slow down because of that, and that kinda just makes me want to stop playing, its just not the game i was looking for and i personally don't enjoy how it was executed.
i came to the conclusion that this game isn't meant to be a full out speedrun platformer but a puzzle platformer that can be fast at times, which is furthered by collecting the presents and the later level design which becomes too convoluted where you actually have to slow down and think. and the floaty, unsatisfying movement seems to compliment this puzzle solving play style to make a more accessible speedrun-esque game by limiting movement tech, benefitting those who want to dip their feet into the genre or are playing on controller or switch.
despite being a little mislead the game is still fun. guns having multiple uses is a cool concept and feels engaging to play with, the aesthetics are pretty neat i guess and going fast is enjoyable albeit mediocre. only thing i didn't care for were the voice acting and story which are really cringe at times, i appreciate the nicely implemented text skip (its honestly the best feature in the game). ill probs refrain from giving a score since i didn't finish, but from where i left off i'd probably give it a 3/5.
i came to the conclusion that this game isn't meant to be a full out speedrun platformer but a puzzle platformer that can be fast at times, which is furthered by collecting the presents and the later level design which becomes too convoluted where you actually have to slow down and think. and the floaty, unsatisfying movement seems to compliment this puzzle solving play style to make a more accessible speedrun-esque game by limiting movement tech, benefitting those who want to dip their feet into the genre or are playing on controller or switch.
despite being a little mislead the game is still fun. guns having multiple uses is a cool concept and feels engaging to play with, the aesthetics are pretty neat i guess and going fast is enjoyable albeit mediocre. only thing i didn't care for were the voice acting and story which are really cringe at times, i appreciate the nicely implemented text skip (its honestly the best feature in the game). ill probs refrain from giving a score since i didn't finish, but from where i left off i'd probably give it a 3/5.
2010
transformice made my childhood. this game ticked every box for me as a kid; free to play, 2d platformer with a high skill ceiling, online multiplayer with an active fanbase, simple and charming aesthetics, this was pretty much everything i could ask for. its one hell of a game for the time and a huge nostalgia trip. the many modes they introduced over the years really what make this game, any type of mood you might be in you'll most likely be treated nicely. started off with just conglomeration of maps on rotation in every room, then slowly branched off into their own things like racing, bootcamp, survival, the points minigame, shaman focused maps, heck even just social rooms. i think what i find most impressive is a lot of the cool ideas originated from the bot community and some of them managed to become a main stay, and ill always appreciate that kind of love and support from the devs (personal favourites were racing and bootcamp). i owe this game a lot to my taste in games and taught me a lot about myself; it taught me games can be played seriously and sparked my competitive side, it taught me how to socialise and make friends on the internet, and taught me buying cosmetics with real money is never worth it. can't say this game is worth playing today with all the games available nowadays but back in the day this was real shit.
1998
im impressed how immersive this game is despite the aged looks and the raw movement and gun play. i wasn't expecting to have this much fun with the game, the way the story unravels purely through game play is incredible and something worthy of praise. however the grueling difficulty in some of the later levels can be exhausting and sometimes overstays their welcome.
honestly the game is something everyone should play at some point if you're any bit interested in valve's history. its incredible at the time and even now
honestly the game is something everyone should play at some point if you're any bit interested in valve's history. its incredible at the time and even now
2022
first game i've played by these guys so not familiar with their previous works but i really do appreciate them filling in the niche of interactive horror films. judging more on the story (since this isn't really a "game" per se) its your typical night out in the woods horror movie with poor writing, unbearable characters and cringe dialogue, whats more to love about it. scary movies don't need to be perfect as long as it does its job. it's a fun teen horror flick, keeps you engaged enough to finish and its a great game to play with friends to laugh at or even enjoy on a night when you have nothing better to do.
2022
it's fantastic, i haven't finished it, probably around 60+ hours in and don't plan to since i believe i have exhausted my fun from the game. i'm at a point where all new things feel the same. hot take but i don't think i need to finish it, i'm already satisfied to be honest.
i've always disliked souls games because sometimes you're seeing the same bosses over and over until you beat it, im sure some might think its rewarding when you eventually beat that one boss but i find it boring and frustrating more so than fun (which is the whole reason i play games surprisingly). mixing open world and souls like gameplay make it a pleasant and more accessible experience since you are given the ability to choose your fights and to take things at your own pace. being able to leave a fight when you believe you're not ready or to fight when you're clearly not high enough level provides for both new and veteran players.
the game is gorgeous and breathtaking, the world building is fascinating to say the least with a crazy amount of content, places to visit and story, the messages and bloodstains create an interesting hint system which you can choose to read or ignore for tips and sometimes provide fun interactions amongst fellow players and overall the "soulslike" design is just top notch. theres way more that i could talk about, but the game has insane highs and we'll just leave it at that.
i've always disliked souls games because sometimes you're seeing the same bosses over and over until you beat it, im sure some might think its rewarding when you eventually beat that one boss but i find it boring and frustrating more so than fun (which is the whole reason i play games surprisingly). mixing open world and souls like gameplay make it a pleasant and more accessible experience since you are given the ability to choose your fights and to take things at your own pace. being able to leave a fight when you believe you're not ready or to fight when you're clearly not high enough level provides for both new and veteran players.
the game is gorgeous and breathtaking, the world building is fascinating to say the least with a crazy amount of content, places to visit and story, the messages and bloodstains create an interesting hint system which you can choose to read or ignore for tips and sometimes provide fun interactions amongst fellow players and overall the "soulslike" design is just top notch. theres way more that i could talk about, but the game has insane highs and we'll just leave it at that.
2020
i don't think it's that bad to be honest. for a "mobile game" it has some incredible moments. the story is charming but tropey, and they know when to let loose and to make fun of itself. early on in the story has some crazy rpg nonsense that you can tell the developers were just having fun with it. the exploration in mondstadt and liyue we're magical, almost breath of the wild-esque. inazuma was similar. you see something cool and you wanna go and explore? you can do it and you will most likely be rewarded for it. theory crafting team compositions in regards to character elements, weapons, artifacts are all fun before you reach the time/pay wall. combat is a little subpar, but they did well all things considered. quick swapping and auto attacks feel fun, the whole elemental stuff makes it more interesting and in depth. but i still prefer honkai combat, animations and game feel, in other words it could have been better.
but ahh, the predatory gacha system. i'm sure it's fine if you don't pay much attention to it, but the temptation is still there, especially when you've dumped so much time into it. the brain numbing ending game is hilariously slow but in turn becomes a great time waster. it at least feels fun to do big damage so there is still a payoff, but just getting there is the hellishly long and spending money will get you there faster which is already a red flag if you're bad with money (couldn't be me).
this game felt like a free to play, open world breath of the wild with online content FIRST, and a gacha game second. but once you reach end game it all starts to make sense. play for the content and thats it, its never worth doing the dailies and hoping for a chance to get the character you want, it's just a rabbit hole with literally zero payoff.
but ahh, the predatory gacha system. i'm sure it's fine if you don't pay much attention to it, but the temptation is still there, especially when you've dumped so much time into it. the brain numbing ending game is hilariously slow but in turn becomes a great time waster. it at least feels fun to do big damage so there is still a payoff, but just getting there is the hellishly long and spending money will get you there faster which is already a red flag if you're bad with money (couldn't be me).
this game felt like a free to play, open world breath of the wild with online content FIRST, and a gacha game second. but once you reach end game it all starts to make sense. play for the content and thats it, its never worth doing the dailies and hoping for a chance to get the character you want, it's just a rabbit hole with literally zero payoff.
2021
man does this game feel like a top class nintendo game, in terms of polish, quality and performance. im impressed they came out with this after so long and still satisfied both old fans and new comers. i had a lot of fun with this, it's great!
2020
its a fun rhythm game that caters to both casuals and sweats and still has on-going dev support so you'll always have a reason to play it, albeit expensive, is the short review.
long review: gameplay is simple, a typical vertical scrolling rhythm game with very lax timing, multiple game modes/layouts and has all the game mods you need as a sweaty gamer, along with some cool, unique and crazy ones for the casuals. has a few notable things missing, like no fast/slow, inability to select hard timing (which is already in the game) to name the big ones. has a decently interesting online system than most rhythm games, with ranked, private lobbies, "air" mode aka just play to chill mode, they're all fleshed out and polished finely that any type mood you're in you'll be treated nicely, and probably the best thing about it is being able to play different difficulties in lobbies (why do more games not have this..). also the single player game modes aren't that interesting but they're a nice addition if you're learning the game or if you just want a break from the norm. i think the obvious down side is the huge paywall for dlc songs. i don't want to pay like $15AUD for only like 5-10 songs, but i guess thats just the nature of rhythm games nowadays. the free song selection however is decently sized, not the biggest fan of the library but thats just my taste. there's also a battle pass system for cosmetics like profile decor, emotes, titles, etc to keep you playing which i find is a neat system for a rhythm game.
it's a solid game, as long as you have some interest in rhythm games this game will most likely deliver, fat stacks will make it more enjoyable doe.
long review: gameplay is simple, a typical vertical scrolling rhythm game with very lax timing, multiple game modes/layouts and has all the game mods you need as a sweaty gamer, along with some cool, unique and crazy ones for the casuals. has a few notable things missing, like no fast/slow, inability to select hard timing (which is already in the game) to name the big ones. has a decently interesting online system than most rhythm games, with ranked, private lobbies, "air" mode aka just play to chill mode, they're all fleshed out and polished finely that any type mood you're in you'll be treated nicely, and probably the best thing about it is being able to play different difficulties in lobbies (why do more games not have this..). also the single player game modes aren't that interesting but they're a nice addition if you're learning the game or if you just want a break from the norm. i think the obvious down side is the huge paywall for dlc songs. i don't want to pay like $15AUD for only like 5-10 songs, but i guess thats just the nature of rhythm games nowadays. the free song selection however is decently sized, not the biggest fan of the library but thats just my taste. there's also a battle pass system for cosmetics like profile decor, emotes, titles, etc to keep you playing which i find is a neat system for a rhythm game.
it's a solid game, as long as you have some interest in rhythm games this game will most likely deliver, fat stacks will make it more enjoyable doe.
2021
This review contains spoilers
theres a lot to unpack with this game, and how it made me feel. i think its quite a mixed bag, it was solid at the start where a lot of the fun comes from your curiosity, but unfortunately slowly drops off in quality once the pace starts to pick up and the curtain unveils. i will preface that i did enjoy the game, i finished it on hard and i went in blind.
lets address the elephant, i don't understand why they tried to stylise it like undertale. so many themes, aesthetic choices and ideas seemed to stem from undertale. the ui, the character designs, the whole "meta" gaming theme, to name a few obvious ones. it's off putting, it makes you want to compare everything to undertale when it could have easily taken it's own approach. for me it felt familiar and easier to digest, albeit losing a lot of it's own identity in the process.
the psychedelic, trippy visuals and the synth, groovy and ambient soundtrack give this game a lot of spirit. some of the effects they pull off during gameplay is honestly orgasmic for lack of better term, its a trip without having to trip and i loved every minute of it. the "anti-rhythm game" gameplay was interesting, unique and fun while it lasted, never felt stale. but i think just by design it just doesn't feel good to dodge things to the "rhythm" since you're reacting to beats that are already in the past, i think it probably wasn't the most solid idea to begin with but they did an amazing job despite the shortcomings. the game design/game flow was solid in the first half. the first 50 minutes were incredible for me, interesting staging, strange mysteries to unpack, fun dialogue and characters, a lot of the set pieces throughout the first half were just really fun tongue in cheek rpg nonsense. the psychedelic mushroom forest fight, the contemplative long walk in the desert, the hilariously out of place yet fitting 3d models, the absurd and fun dnd game, the insanely fast driving sequence, the train tracks battle to name a few, just the whole first half was solid rpg fun. oh and the build up to getting your arm back was probably the strongest moment in the game in my opinion, you realise this whole game was building up to the very moment you realise the credits were fake and then suddently you have the ability to deflect and to kill. everything before that was just a tutorial, now you're playing the real game, is how i viewed it.
now heres what i didn't like about this game. story and world building is lacking, pacing was too fast in the early half and there were too many characters being introduced at once to even understand any of them or even care for, the world does not feel lived in at all, and this is a huge problem because the second half of the game relies too heavily on the attachment to all the characters. it ruins the core theme of being in control of everyone's fate, which i thought was kinda too "obvious". they literally spell it out for you, "stop playing the game, you dont have to do this"... seriously? to be fair, all power to the devs, they made it clear what their intentions for the game were at the end, it's simply a game made solely to be a fun ride and to just have fun with it and not to think too much about it, but lines like these ruin immersion. the whole ending "sequence" was the biggest cock tease of my life, i literally just wanted to finish the game but after every single oh man is this finally the end? they throw you back in, and when it finally does end it was not satisfying at all. small details like the unpolished audio mixing, fights sometimes unbalanced either feeling too easy for the difficulty or flawed and not fully thought out for combat, the tedious backtracking, in your face meta themes, no control rebindings, the lack of thought put into some of checkpoints in important/story focused battle sequences, the forgettable battle themes and character designs, the short length, it all weighs down on the experience.
i feel like i still haven't spoken my peace, maybe i'll write an essay about it, but the highs in this game are insanely high while the lows are pretty down there. despite all i said, i loved the game and i do recommend it. the game understands that you can just play it at your own pace, you don't have to take your hand back, you don't have to backtrack, you don't have to force yourself to kill anyone. you can simply just finish playing where you want to finish. the only thing stopping you is yourself, it's all up to you, and i think thats the right way to play this game and i find it brilliant that the game conveys this message through its gameplay (despite being too obvious about it). go play it, its great!
lets address the elephant, i don't understand why they tried to stylise it like undertale. so many themes, aesthetic choices and ideas seemed to stem from undertale. the ui, the character designs, the whole "meta" gaming theme, to name a few obvious ones. it's off putting, it makes you want to compare everything to undertale when it could have easily taken it's own approach. for me it felt familiar and easier to digest, albeit losing a lot of it's own identity in the process.
the psychedelic, trippy visuals and the synth, groovy and ambient soundtrack give this game a lot of spirit. some of the effects they pull off during gameplay is honestly orgasmic for lack of better term, its a trip without having to trip and i loved every minute of it. the "anti-rhythm game" gameplay was interesting, unique and fun while it lasted, never felt stale. but i think just by design it just doesn't feel good to dodge things to the "rhythm" since you're reacting to beats that are already in the past, i think it probably wasn't the most solid idea to begin with but they did an amazing job despite the shortcomings. the game design/game flow was solid in the first half. the first 50 minutes were incredible for me, interesting staging, strange mysteries to unpack, fun dialogue and characters, a lot of the set pieces throughout the first half were just really fun tongue in cheek rpg nonsense. the psychedelic mushroom forest fight, the contemplative long walk in the desert, the hilariously out of place yet fitting 3d models, the absurd and fun dnd game, the insanely fast driving sequence, the train tracks battle to name a few, just the whole first half was solid rpg fun. oh and the build up to getting your arm back was probably the strongest moment in the game in my opinion, you realise this whole game was building up to the very moment you realise the credits were fake and then suddently you have the ability to deflect and to kill. everything before that was just a tutorial, now you're playing the real game, is how i viewed it.
now heres what i didn't like about this game. story and world building is lacking, pacing was too fast in the early half and there were too many characters being introduced at once to even understand any of them or even care for, the world does not feel lived in at all, and this is a huge problem because the second half of the game relies too heavily on the attachment to all the characters. it ruins the core theme of being in control of everyone's fate, which i thought was kinda too "obvious". they literally spell it out for you, "stop playing the game, you dont have to do this"... seriously? to be fair, all power to the devs, they made it clear what their intentions for the game were at the end, it's simply a game made solely to be a fun ride and to just have fun with it and not to think too much about it, but lines like these ruin immersion. the whole ending "sequence" was the biggest cock tease of my life, i literally just wanted to finish the game but after every single oh man is this finally the end? they throw you back in, and when it finally does end it was not satisfying at all. small details like the unpolished audio mixing, fights sometimes unbalanced either feeling too easy for the difficulty or flawed and not fully thought out for combat, the tedious backtracking, in your face meta themes, no control rebindings, the lack of thought put into some of checkpoints in important/story focused battle sequences, the forgettable battle themes and character designs, the short length, it all weighs down on the experience.
i feel like i still haven't spoken my peace, maybe i'll write an essay about it, but the highs in this game are insanely high while the lows are pretty down there. despite all i said, i loved the game and i do recommend it. the game understands that you can just play it at your own pace, you don't have to take your hand back, you don't have to backtrack, you don't have to force yourself to kill anyone. you can simply just finish playing where you want to finish. the only thing stopping you is yourself, it's all up to you, and i think thats the right way to play this game and i find it brilliant that the game conveys this message through its gameplay (despite being too obvious about it). go play it, its great!
2018
i like to go into games looking for cool, unique experiences that only games as a medium can offer. so by saying that, what's so special about this game? it's an artsy game akin to a short film. it has a beautiful, moody and expressive hand drawn and watercolour aesthetic that captures it's mood's perfectly. the same can be said about the music. the story is simple easily understood and does well for one that doesn't use words. and the scenery is fitting and feeds well into your imagination on the world that you explore.
thats honestly it, i felt a little disappointed when i finished with how much this game leaves to be desired. i really wanted this game to be good, i contemplated writing something nice but i guess i realised how strongly i feel about how disappointed in this game i am. this could have been a short film, an animation, or a picture book even with it's beautiful frames. but a game? maybe not as well suited. telling a story using games should at least have some amount of "gameplay", it's a barebones platformer with auto-pilot puzzles. like maybe the player should be part of the story, this is the only medium that allows the audience to actively control the pace and direction of the story, but this game has little player involvement and little gameplay to go around so at that point was making this a game necessary? i know its bad to go into a game with super high expectations but when people nominate this game of the year it kinda makes it hard.
that being said, i did enjoy this game and it's aesthetics. i think it was sweet and eye candy all the way through, although a bit of a drag and dare i say a bit on the boring side.
thats honestly it, i felt a little disappointed when i finished with how much this game leaves to be desired. i really wanted this game to be good, i contemplated writing something nice but i guess i realised how strongly i feel about how disappointed in this game i am. this could have been a short film, an animation, or a picture book even with it's beautiful frames. but a game? maybe not as well suited. telling a story using games should at least have some amount of "gameplay", it's a barebones platformer with auto-pilot puzzles. like maybe the player should be part of the story, this is the only medium that allows the audience to actively control the pace and direction of the story, but this game has little player involvement and little gameplay to go around so at that point was making this a game necessary? i know its bad to go into a game with super high expectations but when people nominate this game of the year it kinda makes it hard.
that being said, i did enjoy this game and it's aesthetics. i think it was sweet and eye candy all the way through, although a bit of a drag and dare i say a bit on the boring side.
2019
a free barebones RPGMaker game with a short but grounded, bittersweet story about loss and moving on. a game that can make me tear up and be free is few and far between so props to this game.