it's not awful by any means but all of the yoyo controls being bound to like 1 button made it kinda jank to control - i wanna break something but then i accidentally tap X one too many times and fly off the map, it seems like i could just be more careful when pressing X but still, seems like an oversight.

and with the art style being the way it is, not getting 60FPS on switch seems ridiculous, i bought it on switch and then swiftly pirated it on PC once i found out the switch version is locked at 30FPS lol.

character/world design is pretty cute however, even the UI design is cute and bouncy, similar to mania. it's got a lot of charm, i just think the levels aren't super fun to run through and the lil side quests weren't engaging and the collectibles weren't very well dispersed.

when the controls work, they feel fun but momentum dies really fast which can result in pretty unsatisfying movement. also, again, everything yoyo-related being bound to like 1 button really soured the experience for me. would recommend to people who really really like 3D platformers, otherwise there's not a lot of reason to go out of your way to play this imo. i don't see myself coming back to this ever, really.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion is a remaster of the game originally released for the PSP. It's an action RPG that tells the story before the events of Final Fantasy VII.

As a remaster, I can say it is a really well-done job. Even after 15 years, the developers took the original game and did a great job adapting it to modern days.

The visuals don't look outdated at all. It could easily be a game released today with a slightly smaller budget. It seems like they used some assets from the remake of Final Fantasy VII, although there's a significant difference between this prequel and the main title.

Regarding the gameplay, I can say that the combat is really enjoyable. The regular fights are quite easy, and you may encounter some difficulty with a few bosses, but nothing to worry about. It's almost like a 3D fighting game; you'll be walking through the stage and encounter enemies, triggering battles.

There are some RPG features that could make character development a bit more complex, but they're not necessary to progress in the game. You just need some basic knowledge about this system to enjoy the game.

As for the story, I really liked it. I never had contact with the original release or the original Final Fantasy VII. I only played the Final Fantasy VII remake before, and I can say that Crisis Core will be very important to the upcoming games of this remake era.

The characters are fun and charismatic, and the story kept me invested throughout.

I played on Nintendo Switch, and the developers did an amazing job with this version. I didn't encounter any problems during my gameplay.

In conclusion, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion is a great opportunity to introduce this game to a new audience, like myself. It's a really fun game and probably an important story for the next parts of the remake era of Final Fantasy VII.

Given the touchy subject matter I find it hard to review this game without having proper experience. But it is worth the try. There is room in this for a dialogue to ensue, at length, about mental illness and the role social networks play in how the youth comes up. This is pertinent, it affects us all to varying degrees. We all have our own problems, and the fair share of us can probably relate to having friends or loved ones who’ve gone through so much. Contact information and resources for the suicide prevention lifeline are provided, in the event anyone plans to play this and happens to need it or know someone who does.

As for the game, I’m on the fence about it. On one hand, it is novel, and the fact that there is no entry fee is admirable. It has a strong sense of direction, at least in its artistic intent. The pair in Akira Yamaoka and Masahiro Ito returned and they worked it hard here. The cherry blossom motif that pervades the game is stark and lends to the rest of it, thematically and aesthetically. In the end credits sequence we get to hear “My Heroine,” which is an excellent bookend to the game.

On the other hand, there are parts of this game that actively bring it down. It doesn't try to be subtle about anything it brings up and honestly, it is poorly written at times. I don't know if this is a lost in translation sort of thing, but maybe that wouldn't make much of a difference. Summing it up, this game is worth playing. It may not resonate, it may even make you uncomfortable, but it is an earnest game, it was made with the best intentions in mind and there is enough here that someone out there can take something positive away from it.

Celeste 64 is a pleasant surprise.

To have been made in around a week makes the small foray into 3D platforming extremely impressive and it also makes the clunky camera and movement a bit more forgivable. The game manages to briefly consider similar ideas as the original while offering something new and fun for the series by way of Super Mario 64 and Sunshine.

Give me a full-sized and more polished one of these please. I'm stoked to see this beaten with a sub-5 minute time at SGDQ this year.

It's Celeste, but shorter and in 3D.

That's about it. Still has the introspective writing that Celeste is beloved for, still has the hard but fair gameplay that Celeste is beloved for, and still has the Celeste-ness that Celeste is beloved for. While it's length never gives it a chance to match up to the original, there's no reason to not check it out if you liked it's 2D equivalent.

8/10
Game #9 of 2024, January 30th

Excellently paced and written expansion that channels the best parts of the base game and gets super creative with them. All of the characters are so well-realized, especially Gaunter O'Dimm, who is an absolutely brilliant villain. I just love the plot itself as well, though It is kinda weird how quickly the Ofieri become totally irrelevant to it.

My issues with the gameplay, i.e. the combat, still persist unfortunately - which is mostly why I don't feel comfortable rating this any higher than 8,5/10 for now, maybe a 9/10 in time.

Basically just an extra chapter for the first game. The story is almost as good, but I'd say it's presented to you in a less interesting way. It doesn't really change much from the gameplay, you get a couple of new weapons and enemy types which I thought was cool
The setting is ok, but it got kind of boring exploring the same areas multiple times. There wasn't enough variety/difference each time. I did enjoy playing it, and I think if you're a fan of the first game, you will too. It's a fairly short experience, so I'd recommend people try to get it on sale or something. I know it's only around 10 bucks (at the time of writing this), but it is only 3 hours worth of content.

As soon as I heard that melody, I knew I were in for a ride, and when I finally reach my destination, I will have changed.

This is one of those games that are so good, that I don't even know where to begin. Somehow I'm also at a loss for words.

Had recently been thinking about how I wanted to play an exploration game that doesn't hold your hand too much. Perfect choice. Super satisfying to figure out stuff on your own in this. It just nails the concept of discovery!

The best game that I'll ever drop. Don't get me wrong, I loved this game so much. The visuals, music, combat, and story were all great. However, the game needlessly drags itself out like nothing else I've ever seen before. So much pointless dialogue and needlessly long dungeons that take HOURS screech this game to a halt. It's a shame, because underneath, there's an incredibly polished rpg that I'll never forget. I just can't continue because of how burned out and bored I felt despite being near the end.

TLDR: the pacing will make One Piece look like FLCL

At the risk of sounding unoriginal, Persona 5 has stolen my heart.

The gameplay loop of balancing your social life and heists as a Phantom Thief had me hooked for over 150 hours. The game's UI and style are beautiful. The music is incredible. Battles are fun and the story kept me engaged. I already miss my in-game friends. Although these thoughts have been repeated to death, they couldn't be closer to the truth. This has definitely become one of my all-time favourite games.

I have so much to say about this game and would love to write a more in-depth review, however, the amount of time I've spent playing the damn thing has made me avoid my IRL obligations more times than I'd like to admit...

"Kara Hassan, Match Victory."

A very fun little indie game with tight movement, strong shooting mechanics and a perfect cellshaded artstyle. The blend of a trick-based skating game with a frenetic shooter is ingenious, honestly.

I was absolutely terrible at this game but I had a great time with it.
Thus, I highly recommend it, basically to anyone who likes fast-paced arena shooters.