siddhass26
11 reviews liked by siddhass26
Some of the most impressively structured storytelling I think I've ever seen. The game does a perfect job of giving you just enough information to feel confident in making the wrong assumptions about where the story is going.
Really enjoyed the RTS portions, too, charmingly arcade-y and frantic without ever feeling especially difficult.
I feel like even the most hyperbolic praise is kind of useless when describing this game. It's special, but in a way that sounds kind of lifeless on paper. Nobody really cares about "revitalizing stale tropes" or "finding genuine novelty through familiar cliches" but when you see just how confidently, stylishly and joyfully this game does it, it really knocks you out. I loved it.
Really enjoyed the RTS portions, too, charmingly arcade-y and frantic without ever feeling especially difficult.
I feel like even the most hyperbolic praise is kind of useless when describing this game. It's special, but in a way that sounds kind of lifeless on paper. Nobody really cares about "revitalizing stale tropes" or "finding genuine novelty through familiar cliches" but when you see just how confidently, stylishly and joyfully this game does it, it really knocks you out. I loved it.
imo DDLC does a pretty tasteless interpretation of depression and suicide. It relies on creepy-pasta tier shock value to get across its themes, and doesn't provide any nuanced exploration as a result. It falls into the trap of being just edgy enough to seem interesting, but not enough to make any meaningful statements. I get that the characters are intentionally one dimensional, but then they are given a complex problem like mental illness to deal with, it just doesn't feel real. I could never get invested in the characters, which made the big moments kinda lose their impact.
Soul Hackers 2
2022
Most of the gameplay is tedious for no reason.
Recruitments are awful: you either get a dupe demon or "fuck you, your level is too low" every damn time. After your level is high and you get no exp devs expect you to grind specific demons for materials for shitty upgrade system.
Did I mention soul matrix? They called this shit Vision Quests and it's insulting for SH1 released in 1997. Good luck with filler 3 filler same-looking dungeons with constant progress lock, btw you need to CLEAR EVERYTHING!!! to get true ending. I consider myself a patient person but I noped tf out when it turned into teleporter maze. To heal you need to seat through five 10 seconds long loading screens, fuck you, Tokyo Mirage Sessions did it better.
Hub areas are useless and cause 10 seconds loading times.
The story sucked, no cool concepts explored, one good dungeon out of 6. 2 storehouse districts, one building, 2 fucking subway areas and weird underwater ass in a soul hackers game?? SH1 had iconic and memorable dungeons.
Soul Hackers 2 will be forgotten and called a shitty game in the future for sure. Forgot to mention 60$ price tag, Denuvo and day one DLCs. Do yourself a favor and play Digimon Cyber Sleuth, a better game.
Waiting for Simply Dad's toxic video, cheers.
Recruitments are awful: you either get a dupe demon or "fuck you, your level is too low" every damn time. After your level is high and you get no exp devs expect you to grind specific demons for materials for shitty upgrade system.
Did I mention soul matrix? They called this shit Vision Quests and it's insulting for SH1 released in 1997. Good luck with filler 3 filler same-looking dungeons with constant progress lock, btw you need to CLEAR EVERYTHING!!! to get true ending. I consider myself a patient person but I noped tf out when it turned into teleporter maze. To heal you need to seat through five 10 seconds long loading screens, fuck you, Tokyo Mirage Sessions did it better.
Hub areas are useless and cause 10 seconds loading times.
The story sucked, no cool concepts explored, one good dungeon out of 6. 2 storehouse districts, one building, 2 fucking subway areas and weird underwater ass in a soul hackers game?? SH1 had iconic and memorable dungeons.
Soul Hackers 2 will be forgotten and called a shitty game in the future for sure. Forgot to mention 60$ price tag, Denuvo and day one DLCs. Do yourself a favor and play Digimon Cyber Sleuth, a better game.
Waiting for Simply Dad's toxic video, cheers.
it really metals my gears
Drakengard 3
2013
masterclass shitpost by yoko taro đź—żđź—żđź—ż
Asura's Wrath
2012
Asura's Wrath is a culmination of a ton of shit I hate in video games, and specific tropes that started to rear their ugly heads during the hellscape that was the 7th gen. A combay system that feels weighty and satisfying but is ultimately just another CyberConnect2 arena fighter, cooldown timers on basic moves, jarring gameplay shifts and Quick Time Events all over the place, it's a hodgepodge of different .
And yet, the story the title tells and the sheer spectacle that's used to push the narrative forward is basically second to none, making for the most insanely delightful batshit insane games around, to the point that I don't regret experiencing it despite its issues. A true interactive anime, that I'd say is worth a try if you're curious to see the closest thing we'll probably ever get to a video game adaptation of Gurren Lagann, or if you've exhausted all the DBZ games out there. The entire experience was worth it for getting to Jack Garland 3 different bosses upon hitting the circle button.
And yet, the story the title tells and the sheer spectacle that's used to push the narrative forward is basically second to none, making for the most insanely delightful batshit insane games around, to the point that I don't regret experiencing it despite its issues. A true interactive anime, that I'd say is worth a try if you're curious to see the closest thing we'll probably ever get to a video game adaptation of Gurren Lagann, or if you've exhausted all the DBZ games out there. The entire experience was worth it for getting to Jack Garland 3 different bosses upon hitting the circle button.
Soul Hackers 2
2022
This review was written before the game released
this must be what it feels like to be a comic book fan when they, iunno, make thor gay or some shit
Virgin Spider-Man (2018):
– Mindless automated swinging where you don't have to think of anything other than having tall structures near you. No care for trajectory and momentum. Traversal is totally separated from combat.
– Mashy arkham combat that practically plays itself as you react to prompts on the screen. Doesn't even feel good since hits have zero punch.
– Ubisoft mush of checklists on the map with objectives as creative as "press A near the icon" or "defeat waves of generic enemies".
– Peter Parker fixes police surveillance network, larps as a cop and unquestionably trusts authority. Blatant copaganda that wants you be a part of status quo.
Chad Bionic Commando (2009):
– Detailed traversal where you have to consider trajectory and momentum of motion, not to mention the objects to swing on. Satisfying to get a grip on and use in combat encounters.
– Competent acrobatic TPS that requires mastery of movement mechanics to succeed. Pulling yourself to enemies to send them with a flying kick is peak instant gratification.
– Concise linear campaign encompassing a good variation of combat encounters and traversal challenges, alternating between action set pieces and moments of quiet exploration.
– Nathan Spencer despises every order from the government that marginalizes him despite making him a monstrous weapon in the first place. Proven to be right when it's revealed that his direct authority is behind the attacks.
Bionic Commando solos.
– Mindless automated swinging where you don't have to think of anything other than having tall structures near you. No care for trajectory and momentum. Traversal is totally separated from combat.
– Mashy arkham combat that practically plays itself as you react to prompts on the screen. Doesn't even feel good since hits have zero punch.
– Ubisoft mush of checklists on the map with objectives as creative as "press A near the icon" or "defeat waves of generic enemies".
– Peter Parker fixes police surveillance network, larps as a cop and unquestionably trusts authority. Blatant copaganda that wants you be a part of status quo.
Chad Bionic Commando (2009):
– Detailed traversal where you have to consider trajectory and momentum of motion, not to mention the objects to swing on. Satisfying to get a grip on and use in combat encounters.
– Competent acrobatic TPS that requires mastery of movement mechanics to succeed. Pulling yourself to enemies to send them with a flying kick is peak instant gratification.
– Concise linear campaign encompassing a good variation of combat encounters and traversal challenges, alternating between action set pieces and moments of quiet exploration.
– Nathan Spencer despises every order from the government that marginalizes him despite making him a monstrous weapon in the first place. Proven to be right when it's revealed that his direct authority is behind the attacks.
Bionic Commando solos.
Metroid Fusion
2002
Coming to terms with the fact that I just don't like 2D Metroid all that much :(
I liked the vibes and exploration in Super enough to 100% it, but Zero Mission was decent-to-mediocre, and though at times I could see why this game is so revered it just did not click with me. The story was great but by the time I got to the little morsels of exposition the game deems fit to dose out every two hours or so I was so frustrated with actually playing the game that it barely made an impact. Movement and combat felt stiff at all the worst times, ESPECIALLY during boss fights. Super had this problem too, but the ratio of exploration to fighting was such that it was only ever a short roadblock during an otherwise chill and vibey experience. Fusion just fucking throws bosses at you nonstop and the difficulty ramps up so quickly. Screen space wasn't as much of an issue as it was in Zero Mission, though there were a few times (especially in the bigger boss arenas) where I was just getting sniped from off-screen constantly with no time to perceive the threat, much less to dodge. Also found the soundtrack incredibly grating which just added to my frustration most of the time--and this is coming from someone who LOVES the GBA soundchip skung!!!--though I'm sure that was more a result of already being frustrated.
I still wanna give Dread a shot because I keep hearing great things about it and it looks significantly less stiff than the older ones but for now I think I just have to accept that these games aren't for me. :(
I liked the vibes and exploration in Super enough to 100% it, but Zero Mission was decent-to-mediocre, and though at times I could see why this game is so revered it just did not click with me. The story was great but by the time I got to the little morsels of exposition the game deems fit to dose out every two hours or so I was so frustrated with actually playing the game that it barely made an impact. Movement and combat felt stiff at all the worst times, ESPECIALLY during boss fights. Super had this problem too, but the ratio of exploration to fighting was such that it was only ever a short roadblock during an otherwise chill and vibey experience. Fusion just fucking throws bosses at you nonstop and the difficulty ramps up so quickly. Screen space wasn't as much of an issue as it was in Zero Mission, though there were a few times (especially in the bigger boss arenas) where I was just getting sniped from off-screen constantly with no time to perceive the threat, much less to dodge. Also found the soundtrack incredibly grating which just added to my frustration most of the time--and this is coming from someone who LOVES the GBA soundchip skung!!!--though I'm sure that was more a result of already being frustrated.
I still wanna give Dread a shot because I keep hearing great things about it and it looks significantly less stiff than the older ones but for now I think I just have to accept that these games aren't for me. :(
NieR: Automata
2017
This review contains spoilers
The purpose of a critique is to take something apart to reveal a flawed construction or a shaky foundation, so it’s with some reluctance that I take on a modern classic with only an arm full of rocks to break the windows. I may have personally found this game to be a slog, but its straightforward action doesn’t actually have any fundamental problems. It tells a story with a lot of twists and turns, it develops its characters, there really doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with it. So, here’s the brick I intend to throw at it:
What is Nier: Automata about? Not in terms of plot, what are its themes and core ideas?
This question probably sounds insane. How could you not pick up on its absurdist ideas? How could you not notice how existentialism is core to its central conflict? Well obviously, I did, but the ridiculousness of the question is exactly my point. Nier: Automata leaves so little to the imagination, so little for you to wonder about and consider on your own that it ultimately works against its own interests. Naming someone “2B” in an existential game is a pretty cheeky move, and naming a traitor character “A2” starts to get into eye-rolling territory. When the two protagonists who work for an inscrutable authority wear blindfolds, and the one who left the organization has her eyes open, it's just painfully on the nose. Introducing the machine-fighting heroes as androids themselves, and having them state “There’s no actual meaning behind anything machines do” within the first thirty minutes signposts the direction of the plot so clearly that it kills the intrigue. Examples like these are dotted all over the game, like how the moral absoluteness of Yorha has literally made their base viewable only in black and white, and how most secondary characters are named after philosophers who tangentially relate to the game’s themes. These details don’t draw you in and spark your imagination, but simply highlight how this was written by someone who didn’t want the time they spent reading philosophy to be wasted on people who wouldn’t pick up on messages less subtle than a chainsaw.
This sort of approach affects the gameplay just as much, with the most notable example being how the endings are paced. The first “ending” takes about ten hours to reach, but this is more of an intro than anything. The plot goes on to be resolved in the subsequent endings B through E, with the B ending being the second longest with a run time of six hours. During this time, you play as the sidekick 9S instead of 2B, and essentially replay the entire game with minimal changes other than a repetitive hacking minigame. The purpose was to force players into recognizing all the plot/character details they may have missed the first time around, grinding players’ faces into the story to ensure that they did not miss absolutely anything. Replaying games can be great, and picking up on details you missed is fun, but hiding the resolution to the story behind a boring replay is excessively self-indulgent on the behalf of the developers. This is incredibly damaging to its overall replay value, even when there wasn’t much to begin with, considering how the combat is similarly concerned with ensuring even the least attentive players see everything. The action is very simplistic, and the combination of strong upgrade chips and consumable items only incentivizes players to thoughtlessly break through the game rather than mentally engage with it.
That’s really what all these little nitpicky rocks pile up to become. I may have loved its style, its fashion, its sense of humor, and how it actually tried to do something philosophical, but a game that tries to be about philosophy, yet doesn’t let players think on their own, has an unavoidably detrimental irony. It’s a game that misses its own point, not letting people uncover meaning in a game about uncovering meaning. Even so, the character drama still works. The combat is still fun to watch, and for people who haven’t been exposed to this sort of topic, it wouldn’t feel as patronizing. Most people don’t replay games at all, so even the repetition I found to be so gratuitous could have been an eye-opening experience. Nier: Automata still stands tall in spite of my little complaints, but it’s not exactly a house I want to live in. Some asshole broke all the windows.
What is Nier: Automata about? Not in terms of plot, what are its themes and core ideas?
This question probably sounds insane. How could you not pick up on its absurdist ideas? How could you not notice how existentialism is core to its central conflict? Well obviously, I did, but the ridiculousness of the question is exactly my point. Nier: Automata leaves so little to the imagination, so little for you to wonder about and consider on your own that it ultimately works against its own interests. Naming someone “2B” in an existential game is a pretty cheeky move, and naming a traitor character “A2” starts to get into eye-rolling territory. When the two protagonists who work for an inscrutable authority wear blindfolds, and the one who left the organization has her eyes open, it's just painfully on the nose. Introducing the machine-fighting heroes as androids themselves, and having them state “There’s no actual meaning behind anything machines do” within the first thirty minutes signposts the direction of the plot so clearly that it kills the intrigue. Examples like these are dotted all over the game, like how the moral absoluteness of Yorha has literally made their base viewable only in black and white, and how most secondary characters are named after philosophers who tangentially relate to the game’s themes. These details don’t draw you in and spark your imagination, but simply highlight how this was written by someone who didn’t want the time they spent reading philosophy to be wasted on people who wouldn’t pick up on messages less subtle than a chainsaw.
This sort of approach affects the gameplay just as much, with the most notable example being how the endings are paced. The first “ending” takes about ten hours to reach, but this is more of an intro than anything. The plot goes on to be resolved in the subsequent endings B through E, with the B ending being the second longest with a run time of six hours. During this time, you play as the sidekick 9S instead of 2B, and essentially replay the entire game with minimal changes other than a repetitive hacking minigame. The purpose was to force players into recognizing all the plot/character details they may have missed the first time around, grinding players’ faces into the story to ensure that they did not miss absolutely anything. Replaying games can be great, and picking up on details you missed is fun, but hiding the resolution to the story behind a boring replay is excessively self-indulgent on the behalf of the developers. This is incredibly damaging to its overall replay value, even when there wasn’t much to begin with, considering how the combat is similarly concerned with ensuring even the least attentive players see everything. The action is very simplistic, and the combination of strong upgrade chips and consumable items only incentivizes players to thoughtlessly break through the game rather than mentally engage with it.
That’s really what all these little nitpicky rocks pile up to become. I may have loved its style, its fashion, its sense of humor, and how it actually tried to do something philosophical, but a game that tries to be about philosophy, yet doesn’t let players think on their own, has an unavoidably detrimental irony. It’s a game that misses its own point, not letting people uncover meaning in a game about uncovering meaning. Even so, the character drama still works. The combat is still fun to watch, and for people who haven’t been exposed to this sort of topic, it wouldn’t feel as patronizing. Most people don’t replay games at all, so even the repetition I found to be so gratuitous could have been an eye-opening experience. Nier: Automata still stands tall in spite of my little complaints, but it’s not exactly a house I want to live in. Some asshole broke all the windows.
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