silverbackmonky
2021
A direct improvement over the first game in practically every way. Still super short but the levels are much speedier and thrilling to play through. I would really love if this series eventually got a more full experience, this game is absolutely worth the price of admission with how cheap it is but it feels like it just barely taps into its potential.
2021
Real short but a fun 3D platformer while it lasts. The sequel improves on it in almost every way.
Really high highs but even lower lows. This game should be way better than it actually is, so much love was clearly put into it but it shoots itself in the foot so many times that it’s practically crippled.
The boss fights, music, and visuals are the highlights. All of them work well and are still memorable over a year later. The writing doesn’t do it for me but it doesn’t make me wanna blow my head off like the two previous games. Exploration is pretty fun at times, at other times it’s a slog.
The combat and story are both a huge mess. There’s two types of enemy combat in the game but they’re both deep as a puddle, rarely offering up something that actually puts a unique spin on the base combat or catches you off guard. The story pretends to be more than it is with a lot of moments that feel really forced. The story is at its best when it isn’t trying really hard to force a feeling out of you or replicate why the narratives in previous games worked without understanding why they worked. There’s a handful of super charming characters and when it’s just them interacting with one another without taking itself too seriously it works really well.
These devs are really talented and I wish they’d either return to the old formula or just do their own thing entirely without any limitations, they’ve done both in the past and it was way more enjoyable than this awkward middle ground.
The boss fights, music, and visuals are the highlights. All of them work well and are still memorable over a year later. The writing doesn’t do it for me but it doesn’t make me wanna blow my head off like the two previous games. Exploration is pretty fun at times, at other times it’s a slog.
The combat and story are both a huge mess. There’s two types of enemy combat in the game but they’re both deep as a puddle, rarely offering up something that actually puts a unique spin on the base combat or catches you off guard. The story pretends to be more than it is with a lot of moments that feel really forced. The story is at its best when it isn’t trying really hard to force a feeling out of you or replicate why the narratives in previous games worked without understanding why they worked. There’s a handful of super charming characters and when it’s just them interacting with one another without taking itself too seriously it works really well.
These devs are really talented and I wish they’d either return to the old formula or just do their own thing entirely without any limitations, they’ve done both in the past and it was way more enjoyable than this awkward middle ground.
2011
I’ve gotten more worthwhile hours out of this game than any other, it isn’t even close. It’s hard to pinpoint why it does so much for me but I think the main appeals are the freedom to create, the multiplayer, and the atmosphere. The game can be molded into so many different forms.
Whether you just wanna build some cool shit with no risks, play some minigames with your friends, or have a tense playthrough where one death means you’re out is up to you. It provides you with so many outlets to create granted you have the time to execute them in a world that can be peaceful, mysterious, or unsettling depending on the time of day and where you are.
Whether you just wanna build some cool shit with no risks, play some minigames with your friends, or have a tense playthrough where one death means you’re out is up to you. It provides you with so many outlets to create granted you have the time to execute them in a world that can be peaceful, mysterious, or unsettling depending on the time of day and where you are.
2017
There’s some really fun combat buried beneath all of the issues open world games are usually plagued by plus some new ones. It gets better after the miserable opening act but it never really got “good” for me.
2007
This is the 3D Mario that left the biggest impact on me growing up so I’m biased but it’s such a great game. The gameplay is great as always but what’s always brought this game over the others for me are the presentation and soundtrack. It feels like way more than just another run of the mill Mario adventure, it’s always had an awe-inspiring vibe to it. It’s just as fun as other 3D Mario games but it’s also not afraid to quiet down and let you take in your surroundings or take things a bit more seriously either. It offers up a wide range of moods instead of just one continuous feeling of light fun, and I think that’s when Mario as a franchise is at its best.
You can tell some aspects of the expansion were cut or rushed along but it’s still jam packed with content. It was and still is so awesome to finally get the expansion that Rebirth always deserved.
2021
The Fall Guys Killer
The game itself isn’t all that good but the proximity chat and the fact that it’s free boost it hard. 95% of this game’s appeal comes from player interaction.
The game itself isn’t all that good but the proximity chat and the fact that it’s free boost it hard. 95% of this game’s appeal comes from player interaction.
2019
nope
2005
Psychonauts is pretty rough in some areas even for its time but what saves it is its inventiveness and attention to detail which are still unrivaled by most games even to this day.
2000
Absolute banger that has aged like a fine wine compared to most N64 games. It’s amazing just how consistently engaging the game is despite its simplicity and it’s a testament to how skillfully it was put together. It created a lot of the tropes found in later Mario RPGs but they still feel fresh here because of how well executed it all is.
2021
It’s a shame this game was destined to suck because it has good ideas. It’s impossible to defend with all the manipulative tactics and pay to win garbage that was implemented. The poor balancing just rubs salt in the wound.
2020
Bought this at launch and it still ain’t worth the price of admission after over a year’s worth of updates.
The music and visuals are some of the best on the GBA, sadly the dungeon roster is super lacking and the overworld exploration is just completely fucked because of the kinstones and some really dumb progression gates.
2002
There's a shocking amount of sections in that are completely unfinished and I'm sad that this game was so blatantly rushed out the door, but at the same time it's Mario Sunshine.