telekinesticman
2024
This review contains spoilers
Very minor spoilers, but I've tagged this with a warning because this game is best played blind. Just know that there's more to it than meets the eye.
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Some of the coolest Metroidvania mechanics I've ever seen, married wonderfully with a slightly "Outer Wilds"-style sense of discovery that's very addicting. Unlike Outer Wilds, this is a game I could actually replay without being completely robbed of the experience, although I don't think any of the reveals here hit quite as hard as the kind of gameplay/narrative cohesion you get in Outer Wilds. Don't get me wrong though, there were several times my jaw hit the floor after shouting "no way!" when learning something new. You can bet I immediately attempted the equivalent of Metroid's bomb-jumping and shinesparking upon unlocking some of the movement-focused upgrades early on. The implementation of power-ups can so easily feel like a "lock and key" type of design, but most of the tools in Animal Well are so handy and multipurpose that you'll be using them constantly.
Gorgeous artwork and atmosphere, I was consistently impressed by the volumetrics and reflections. The technical wizardry on display here is beyond my comprehension.
This game runs deep. Every time you find something new, you peel back another layer. I've completed most of the "second layer", by which I mean I've gotten the second ending and already have 4 of the final late-game collectables required for what I can assume is the final "true" ending of the game. I'd like to keep going, but I think I'm a little burnt out. Hunting down all of the secret eggs took a lot out of me, as I was constantly searching the map over and over again to find a single clue towards the next bit of progression.
The game flows wonderfully at the beginning, in the "first layer". Progression feels swift and very open-ended. The second layer has a lot of moments that feel much more arbitrary and unnatural. You get something that only has a few specific uses, unlike the early game items that feel so much more versatile.
I really appreciate the lack of direction and heavy trust placed upon the player, it's probably this game's greatest overall strength. But that doesn't change the fact that hunting down some of these final secrets without any hints or minor guidance can get pretty boring and obtuse. I do want to uncover more, but after all that tedium in the final stretch, I'm not quite feeling it right now. Massive respect to the players who can invest the time into learning all this stuff, I don't know how much I want to see online at the risk of robbing myself of my own discoveries later down the line. Granted, once we reach some of this "third layer" stuff, I think I'm out by that point.
Highly recommended overall, no question. It's commendable to see a modern title so focused on secrets and discovery, even in the age of the internet and instant access to spoilers and guides. Jump in blind, and see how deep you can go.
- - -
Some of the coolest Metroidvania mechanics I've ever seen, married wonderfully with a slightly "Outer Wilds"-style sense of discovery that's very addicting. Unlike Outer Wilds, this is a game I could actually replay without being completely robbed of the experience, although I don't think any of the reveals here hit quite as hard as the kind of gameplay/narrative cohesion you get in Outer Wilds. Don't get me wrong though, there were several times my jaw hit the floor after shouting "no way!" when learning something new. You can bet I immediately attempted the equivalent of Metroid's bomb-jumping and shinesparking upon unlocking some of the movement-focused upgrades early on. The implementation of power-ups can so easily feel like a "lock and key" type of design, but most of the tools in Animal Well are so handy and multipurpose that you'll be using them constantly.
Gorgeous artwork and atmosphere, I was consistently impressed by the volumetrics and reflections. The technical wizardry on display here is beyond my comprehension.
This game runs deep. Every time you find something new, you peel back another layer. I've completed most of the "second layer", by which I mean I've gotten the second ending and already have 4 of the final late-game collectables required for what I can assume is the final "true" ending of the game. I'd like to keep going, but I think I'm a little burnt out. Hunting down all of the secret eggs took a lot out of me, as I was constantly searching the map over and over again to find a single clue towards the next bit of progression.
The game flows wonderfully at the beginning, in the "first layer". Progression feels swift and very open-ended. The second layer has a lot of moments that feel much more arbitrary and unnatural. You get something that only has a few specific uses, unlike the early game items that feel so much more versatile.
I really appreciate the lack of direction and heavy trust placed upon the player, it's probably this game's greatest overall strength. But that doesn't change the fact that hunting down some of these final secrets without any hints or minor guidance can get pretty boring and obtuse. I do want to uncover more, but after all that tedium in the final stretch, I'm not quite feeling it right now. Massive respect to the players who can invest the time into learning all this stuff, I don't know how much I want to see online at the risk of robbing myself of my own discoveries later down the line. Granted, once we reach some of this "third layer" stuff, I think I'm out by that point.
Highly recommended overall, no question. It's commendable to see a modern title so focused on secrets and discovery, even in the age of the internet and instant access to spoilers and guides. Jump in blind, and see how deep you can go.
Video review - https://youtu.be/SGt0XlHGOW4
I'll be blunt - it could use some more polish, and the bosses aren't very good. I sincerely hope this gets a few patches to address the occasionally weird collision detection, inputs not registering, sound effect desync in cutscenes, and other things, but at its core, this is an incredibly solid momentum-based platformer.
Chaining together dashes, swings and rolling across these wavy, sloped levels is a blast. I think this is the first game I've truly wanted to try and time attack an entire game since Sonic Generations. It took me a little bit to truly "get" the movement, but once I did, I was loving every second of it. I think I'll be aiming for all the achievements in this one too. Why not?
Of course, the music is fantastic as always from Tee Lopes. Presentation is a little lacking in the visual department, especially in cutscenes, but I feel like the developers are probably even more frustrated than I am at some of these shortcomings, so I don't think it's worthwhile to point them all out.
I highly recommend this, but maybe wait a little wait for some patches if you're on the fence. Evening Star have proven their ability to make great stuff on their own, and I hope this game is enough of a success for them to continue their vision across new projects. Well done to the entire team!
I'll be blunt - it could use some more polish, and the bosses aren't very good. I sincerely hope this gets a few patches to address the occasionally weird collision detection, inputs not registering, sound effect desync in cutscenes, and other things, but at its core, this is an incredibly solid momentum-based platformer.
Chaining together dashes, swings and rolling across these wavy, sloped levels is a blast. I think this is the first game I've truly wanted to try and time attack an entire game since Sonic Generations. It took me a little bit to truly "get" the movement, but once I did, I was loving every second of it. I think I'll be aiming for all the achievements in this one too. Why not?
Of course, the music is fantastic as always from Tee Lopes. Presentation is a little lacking in the visual department, especially in cutscenes, but I feel like the developers are probably even more frustrated than I am at some of these shortcomings, so I don't think it's worthwhile to point them all out.
I highly recommend this, but maybe wait a little wait for some patches if you're on the fence. Evening Star have proven their ability to make great stuff on their own, and I hope this game is enough of a success for them to continue their vision across new projects. Well done to the entire team!
2021
It's alright. Unfortunately not as great as I was expecting. Core movement is solid but feels like it needs more, as you only really have a dash and a jump. I kept hoping I'd unlock more moves, or reach areas with a greater focus on building speed down slopes, but it never really happened. Maybe I'll watch a speedrun and realise I was missing out on some fun movement tech.
Early levels are way too basic and boring, but the later ones start getting more interesting, thanks to their smaller platforms, more frequent hazards, and funky gravity manipulation. The "bosses" are thankfully just more intense platforming, which I greatly approve of, but they still feel too simple.
Combat is just plain bad, and I started skipping through all narrative elements pretty quickly, which I don't do in most games. The main character is cursed with obnoxious game protagonist dialogue - "huh, I wonder what's over there. Better check it out..." That kind of stuff. It sucks, and I wasn't really interested in sitting through long conversations and audio logs to learn more about the world. Outer Wilds this ain't.
Again, it's alright. Oddly similar to Sonic Frontiers, but still better in every way.
Early levels are way too basic and boring, but the later ones start getting more interesting, thanks to their smaller platforms, more frequent hazards, and funky gravity manipulation. The "bosses" are thankfully just more intense platforming, which I greatly approve of, but they still feel too simple.
Combat is just plain bad, and I started skipping through all narrative elements pretty quickly, which I don't do in most games. The main character is cursed with obnoxious game protagonist dialogue - "huh, I wonder what's over there. Better check it out..." That kind of stuff. It sucks, and I wasn't really interested in sitting through long conversations and audio logs to learn more about the world. Outer Wilds this ain't.
Again, it's alright. Oddly similar to Sonic Frontiers, but still better in every way.
2022
I made it all the way to the final boss (and Malenia) and just couldn't be bothered anymore. Sekiro is still the best of these games, but the legacy dungeon areas are awesome. The open world is mostly meaningless, but I appreciate how it adds a little bit of downtime between each major area.
RPG mechanics continue to ruin this series. Game became way too easy later on, but then the bosses suddenly spiked in aggression and became super annoying to beat. Hard, yes, but mostly just annoying.
Maybe I'll go back and finish this when the DLC comes out. At the moment, I'm just so burnt out, and those final bosses just feel like a waste of my time. It's very rare for me to shelve a game like this, especially when I'm this close to finishing. I suppose that says a lot.
RPG mechanics continue to ruin this series. Game became way too easy later on, but then the bosses suddenly spiked in aggression and became super annoying to beat. Hard, yes, but mostly just annoying.
Maybe I'll go back and finish this when the DLC comes out. At the moment, I'm just so burnt out, and those final bosses just feel like a waste of my time. It's very rare for me to shelve a game like this, especially when I'm this close to finishing. I suppose that says a lot.
2023
Shockingly excellent movement-based Metroidvania that I hope to see expanded into an even better sequel. Combat could use some work but it's thankfully very brief. Camera is wonky at a few points but seeing your character's silhouette through walls is a huge help.
I appreciate the trust in the player to find their own way forward, but I think a map of some kind would have been handy. It's a bit too easy to wander around between the same few rooms because I can't quite tell them apart. Aesthetics are my main grievance with this game, not the low-poly style or low-framerate animation, but the dreary, repetitive music and the bland environmental design.
But to be clear, the movement and exploration shine through, and I can't imagine how amazing this must be for speedrunning and sequence-breaking. The wall kick and long jump were such wonderful inclusions in the early game, I just wish I had more places to utilise the enemy bounce and wallrun as well, since they're a bit later in the adventure.
Highly recommend this, but I think there's a lot of things to improve for a sequel. Also, I immediately switched to Pants On, because I didn't want to look at that the whole time.
I appreciate the trust in the player to find their own way forward, but I think a map of some kind would have been handy. It's a bit too easy to wander around between the same few rooms because I can't quite tell them apart. Aesthetics are my main grievance with this game, not the low-poly style or low-framerate animation, but the dreary, repetitive music and the bland environmental design.
But to be clear, the movement and exploration shine through, and I can't imagine how amazing this must be for speedrunning and sequence-breaking. The wall kick and long jump were such wonderful inclusions in the early game, I just wish I had more places to utilise the enemy bounce and wallrun as well, since they're a bit later in the adventure.
Highly recommend this, but I think there's a lot of things to improve for a sequel. Also, I immediately switched to Pants On, because I didn't want to look at that the whole time.
2023
Great movement and music. Consistently funny and extremely charming. I've never played Wario Land, so this made me think a lot of Sonic and Metroid instead.
Only major issues are that I found it a little difficult at first to know when the bosses were vulnerable, and that the levels can feel a bit long when searching for the secrets. I'm definitely interested in going back for some higher ranks to see more of the game at (what I assume to be) its best.
Only major issues are that I found it a little difficult at first to know when the bosses were vulnerable, and that the levels can feel a bit long when searching for the secrets. I'm definitely interested in going back for some higher ranks to see more of the game at (what I assume to be) its best.
2022
Really solid survival-horror game that reminded me strongly of REmake, although I'm sure there's a lot of influence from other horror classics that I've never played myself.
Puzzles felt consistently clever and balanced, the analogue aesthetic creates a lovely spooky atmosphere, and the inventory limitations are always keeping you on your toes, forcing you to make important decisions.
I probably shouldn't have played this on the hardest difficulty with the limited inventory on my first playthrough, because the enemies just became annoying after the halfway point. I found it to drag a bit around this same part, although again, this is probably because I had the difficulty cranked up too high because I was worried the defaults would be too forgiving. A good chunk of my deaths were on purpose so I could reset back to my last save after I made a tiny mistake, or I'd just quit to menu and reload to wipe away the bullets I might have just wasted.
The aiming can also feel a bit off sometimes, like I can't target the enemy I'm pointing at. I played with a controller, for the record. I would definitely recommend the "Revised" inventory option, which I switched to maybe 80% through the game once I realised it just saved me having to re-equip my two modules all the time. It doesn't take away from the strict inventory, as all other key items, weapons and ammo still take up space.
Glad I finally got to experience this for myself after hearing nothing but good things for over a year now. I'd sooner revisit REmake though, but that's a high bar to clear.
Puzzles felt consistently clever and balanced, the analogue aesthetic creates a lovely spooky atmosphere, and the inventory limitations are always keeping you on your toes, forcing you to make important decisions.
I probably shouldn't have played this on the hardest difficulty with the limited inventory on my first playthrough, because the enemies just became annoying after the halfway point. I found it to drag a bit around this same part, although again, this is probably because I had the difficulty cranked up too high because I was worried the defaults would be too forgiving. A good chunk of my deaths were on purpose so I could reset back to my last save after I made a tiny mistake, or I'd just quit to menu and reload to wipe away the bullets I might have just wasted.
The aiming can also feel a bit off sometimes, like I can't target the enemy I'm pointing at. I played with a controller, for the record. I would definitely recommend the "Revised" inventory option, which I switched to maybe 80% through the game once I realised it just saved me having to re-equip my two modules all the time. It doesn't take away from the strict inventory, as all other key items, weapons and ammo still take up space.
Glad I finally got to experience this for myself after hearing nothing but good things for over a year now. I'd sooner revisit REmake though, but that's a high bar to clear.
This review contains spoilers
This is a low 4/5 for me. Music is pretty weak which is really sad to say for a Mario game. Bosses aren't great either, lots of waiting around. Core level design is mostly great although there are times that the co-op camera really could have used some zooming out. I played most of this co-op with my brother and my partner and we all had a great time, but the way the camera works can feel counterintuitive. Some hidden secrets are also a little bit more obtuse than they needed to be, and the Special World is a little disappointing. The hardest level is easily the rhythmic wall-jump one, purely because the wall-jump input is really fuzzy to perform. Celeste this ain't. Getting all the seeds feels worth it just for the sake of completing all the unique stages, but I don't think I'll be going back for all the flags and star coins.
Maybe worse than the lame soundtrack is the lack of Rosalina, both in appearance and playability. Nintendo is dead to me!!
Maybe worse than the lame soundtrack is the lack of Rosalina, both in appearance and playability. Nintendo is dead to me!!
2020
Fun little momentum-based platformer! The later levels drop off a bit in terms of quality and are a bit too long, but this is a great gauntlet of fun ideas that I'd love to see expanded into a more fully-realised game. I wish the swinging in those new Spider-Man games was as good as this.
2023
Bland, frustrating and sloppy. Poor presentation and level design sours the authentic feeling of Classic 2D Sonic movement mechanics. Bosses waste your time for minutes on end, and while I've yet to try the co-op, it seems to be completely broken. It's criminal that this is being sold for $95 AUD.
Emerald powers feel borderline useless outside of a few exceptions, and the Special Stages are just awful. They're a cool idea on paper - swinging around to build momentum towards the Emerald, but are just a chore to play.
Oh and also, the spindash doesn't work properly if your refresh rate is set to above 60FPS, so I had to turn off Vsync and change it manually in the options, only to suffer from screen-tearing. Very cool! And it's just running from an Epic Games Store version within Steam, I guess? Freaking epic.
Go buy Sonic Mania instead - it looks, sounds and plays better in every way. Even the reused levels are more original than just about anything in Superstars, except for maybe its final act. Glad I didn't buy this.
Emerald powers feel borderline useless outside of a few exceptions, and the Special Stages are just awful. They're a cool idea on paper - swinging around to build momentum towards the Emerald, but are just a chore to play.
Oh and also, the spindash doesn't work properly if your refresh rate is set to above 60FPS, so I had to turn off Vsync and change it manually in the options, only to suffer from screen-tearing. Very cool! And it's just running from an Epic Games Store version within Steam, I guess? Freaking epic.
Go buy Sonic Mania instead - it looks, sounds and plays better in every way. Even the reused levels are more original than just about anything in Superstars, except for maybe its final act. Glad I didn't buy this.
2016
Would have been nice to see more polish and a longer campaign, but the movement here is better than just about every 3D Sonic game. The sense of speed is exhilarating, I really enjoyed it. Wouldn't mind jumping back in for more time trials.
2022
Levels are a bit too long and I think the game could have done a bit more to encourage players to use advanced strategies, but if you're already an experienced movement-shooter fan like me, you're in the perfect position to love this game.
The ability to slide anywhere - even in midair - for huge boosts of speed doesn't really get old. The weapons are mostly fantastic and versatile, but this still doesn't quite have that masterful, slick "dance" feeling of DOOM Eternal. I know this is extreme competition, but it's just how I feel.
I'm sure this would be amazing after a few repeat runs on even higher difficulties (I played on Hard, but there are two more above that), but again, the pacing of the levels kind of turns me off from wanting to do that anytime soon. Sometimes it's a bit hard to tell where I'm going, or where I've already been, too.
Overall excellent game that I'd highly recommend to any fans of intense movement and weapon-swap combos, I just hope any future games from this developer have some stronger level design.
The ability to slide anywhere - even in midair - for huge boosts of speed doesn't really get old. The weapons are mostly fantastic and versatile, but this still doesn't quite have that masterful, slick "dance" feeling of DOOM Eternal. I know this is extreme competition, but it's just how I feel.
I'm sure this would be amazing after a few repeat runs on even higher difficulties (I played on Hard, but there are two more above that), but again, the pacing of the levels kind of turns me off from wanting to do that anytime soon. Sometimes it's a bit hard to tell where I'm going, or where I've already been, too.
Overall excellent game that I'd highly recommend to any fans of intense movement and weapon-swap combos, I just hope any future games from this developer have some stronger level design.
Gets better the more it goes, but lacks the incredible pacing and strong encounter design of the main game. I didn't feel like I had much more context in Ada's involvement in the story, either. She would just kind of show up for the scenes she appears in with Leon quite coincidentally. Grapple hook is fun though, and she's great in Mercenaries.
2016
I can definitely see why this is instalment isn't as impactful as Dark Souls 1 or as controversial as 2. It's still really good, but it's missing a little bit of that magic. At the same time, I like the lower amounts of jank compared to DS1.
Closer to a 3.5/5 than a 4.5/5 I guess, but still enjoyed myself. Sekiro is the best of these games for sure, although I've yet to play Bloodborne, Elden Ring, and Demon's Souls.
Closer to a 3.5/5 than a 4.5/5 I guess, but still enjoyed myself. Sekiro is the best of these games for sure, although I've yet to play Bloodborne, Elden Ring, and Demon's Souls.
2022
Can't stress how much I hate roguelikes, but this game is really fun. At its worst, the roguelike elements can be a bit annoying or unfair, but it has yet to make me outwardly frustrated. At its best, your upgrades form a beautiful synergy allowing for complex and stylish movement options to help you shred through enemies. I just wish my fun wasn't dictated by luck every run.
Video review hopefully coming sometime soon.
Video review hopefully coming sometime soon.