thealexmott
BACKER
1985
Have you ever heard people talk about a classic game or movie for 10+ years, to the point that you assume it's one of the all-time greats, despite never having actually tried it?
By the mid-2000s, I had heard people wax nostalgic for Paperboy dozens upon dozens of times. It felt like it was in the same conversation as arcade classics like Galaga or Donkey Kong. Around 2005 I finally got my hands on it.
Guess what! It was terrible!
I have tried one version or another of this awful game every couple of years since then, and every time I wonder the same thing: "What is there to enjoy here?!?" It's such a frustrating, miserable experience, and it blows me away that people ever sank quarters into this hellspawn's arcade cabinet.
I hate this game so much.
By the mid-2000s, I had heard people wax nostalgic for Paperboy dozens upon dozens of times. It felt like it was in the same conversation as arcade classics like Galaga or Donkey Kong. Around 2005 I finally got my hands on it.
Guess what! It was terrible!
I have tried one version or another of this awful game every couple of years since then, and every time I wonder the same thing: "What is there to enjoy here?!?" It's such a frustrating, miserable experience, and it blows me away that people ever sank quarters into this hellspawn's arcade cabinet.
I hate this game so much.
1998
The very first game to ever make me notice fog and draw distance on the N64
What absolute doofus decided to make the music so quiet
The devs shelled out for these killer tunes, but I've got to not only max out the music volume in the settings to hear it, but I've also got to decrease the SFX volume??? Like, I appreciate that you got the actual skaters to do their own grunts and growls, but my ears are here for Lagwagon and Rage Against the Machine, not Bob Burnquist saying "owie"
Anyhow, great game! Set the Music to 10 and the Sound to 3, and get skating if you haven't already. Play on next-gen if possible, this is smooooooth as butter on my PS5.
The devs shelled out for these killer tunes, but I've got to not only max out the music volume in the settings to hear it, but I've also got to decrease the SFX volume??? Like, I appreciate that you got the actual skaters to do their own grunts and growls, but my ears are here for Lagwagon and Rage Against the Machine, not Bob Burnquist saying "owie"
Anyhow, great game! Set the Music to 10 and the Sound to 3, and get skating if you haven't already. Play on next-gen if possible, this is smooooooth as butter on my PS5.
2021
Your enjoyment of this game will ultimately depend on how much you love cats.
Fisti-Fluffs is a simple game. In single player, you're able to dress and play with cats, but it's about as deep as the camping elements of Pokemon Sword/Shield. Everything else must be 2-4 players, and there's no option for bots.
The multiplayer consists of three modes. "Tussle" is a basic 3D arena fighter with overly simple controls and way too much health. Fights drag on for quite a while, and they're not exactly engaging. The cutesy style and relaxed music do make for an interesting contrast with cats mauling each other to death (or rather, to "sleep").
The second mode, "Crown Control", is nearly identical, but instead of wearing down HP meters, you're fighting for possession time of a crown. This plays much better than Tussle as the cat mechanics are better for fleeing and chasing than straight-up fighting, but I found it quite difficult to get anyone to actually lose their crown once wearing it. Good mode idea, but doesn't always work well.
In the vein of the Burnout series' Crash Mode, the third and best mode is "Destruction". Your cats are placed in a small area filled with stuff, and whoever racks up the most costly property damage wins. Tussle seems to be positioned as the main feature here, but this is clearly the superior part of the game.
I don't think Fisti-Fluffs does enough to set itself apart from other wacky indie fighters like Duck Game or Stick Fight in terms of gameplay. But the presentation is charming, the music and sound is great (like Duck Game's quack button, "A" always meows here), and there's a solid amount of customization for your cats. If you just can't get enough cats in your life and have other cat-lovers to play with, you could have a great time with this!
Be advised though, the performance gets pretty rough on Switch. When 3 or 4 cats are rushing around crashing into things, the frame rate stutters can be enough to make your attacks miss.
Fisti-Fluffs is a simple game. In single player, you're able to dress and play with cats, but it's about as deep as the camping elements of Pokemon Sword/Shield. Everything else must be 2-4 players, and there's no option for bots.
The multiplayer consists of three modes. "Tussle" is a basic 3D arena fighter with overly simple controls and way too much health. Fights drag on for quite a while, and they're not exactly engaging. The cutesy style and relaxed music do make for an interesting contrast with cats mauling each other to death (or rather, to "sleep").
The second mode, "Crown Control", is nearly identical, but instead of wearing down HP meters, you're fighting for possession time of a crown. This plays much better than Tussle as the cat mechanics are better for fleeing and chasing than straight-up fighting, but I found it quite difficult to get anyone to actually lose their crown once wearing it. Good mode idea, but doesn't always work well.
In the vein of the Burnout series' Crash Mode, the third and best mode is "Destruction". Your cats are placed in a small area filled with stuff, and whoever racks up the most costly property damage wins. Tussle seems to be positioned as the main feature here, but this is clearly the superior part of the game.
I don't think Fisti-Fluffs does enough to set itself apart from other wacky indie fighters like Duck Game or Stick Fight in terms of gameplay. But the presentation is charming, the music and sound is great (like Duck Game's quack button, "A" always meows here), and there's a solid amount of customization for your cats. If you just can't get enough cats in your life and have other cat-lovers to play with, you could have a great time with this!
Be advised though, the performance gets pretty rough on Switch. When 3 or 4 cats are rushing around crashing into things, the frame rate stutters can be enough to make your attacks miss.
2021
In a game about killing your husband and pinning the murder on someone else, I did NOT expect God to be the best character
2021
I've seen a lot of takes comparing Bowser's Fury to Super Mario Odyssey, claiming that this new open-world approach to Mario is the future of the franchise, and I gotta say:
...why?
Bowser's Fury is fine! It's better than most 3D platformers, without a doubt. But comparing this to Super Mario Odyssey is like comparing a tasty little tapas plate to a Michelin Star 5-course meal.
In Bowser's Fury, you gradually open up the world by uncovering islands which have been hidden by Bowser's goop, which seems rooted in the same base concept as Ganon's Malice goop in Breath of the Wild. Collecting Cat Shines powers up Giga Bells and lighthouse towers which lead to giant-sized boss fights and the clearing away of the aforementioned goop. Each new group of islands is quite small, with Cat Coins and Cat Shines densely packed. Size-wise, they're smaller than your average Super Mario Galaxy level. This means the game is itty-bitty and you'll likely be finished in a couple of hours. (I 100%ed the game in just under 4)
Unfortunately, many of the Cat Shines recycle identical challenges across each of the islands you encounter. This was a major letdown for me, and reminded me of Yooka-Laylee more than anything else. You're gonna chase a goopy Luigi a lot. You're gonna bait Bowser into breaking big silver blocks. You're gonna collect a handful of blue coins within a time limit. The back half of the game was mostly filled with disappointment, as the game settled into rinsing and repeating Cat Shines. Don't get me wrong, when you first reach a new area, the challenges are diverse and enjoyable! But after the main Shines have been collected, the game pads the content with these repeated filler Shines. If you notice that you're missing 2 or 3 shines on each island, you can probably guess what they're gonna be without even going there.
When the trailers showed Super Saiyan Furry Mario fighting Fury Bowser, I was excited to give that a shot. It does end up being fun, but it still boils down to a classic "jump on them three-ish times" Mario boss battle. I'd say the final boss battle is moderately satisfying, though 100% completion doesn't offer anything new in terms of the boss fight mechanics or the ending cutscene. (The first ending occurs with half of the game's Cat Shines)
All in all, Bowser's Fury is a fun way to spend 2-4 hours, but I cannot for the LIFE of me fathom why so many people are touting this as the future of Mario. There is nothing that this game does exceptionally well. Everything falls somewhere in the vicinity of "pretty good". I doubt there are any challenges or set pieces besides the repeated boss fights that will stand out in players' memories in a few months' time. Maybe I can't see past the game's small scope and repetitive challenges, but Super Mario Odyssey does literally everything better than Bowser's Fury. If the next mainline Mario game takes after this instead of SMO, it will be a huge missed opportunity.
Bowser's Fury is fine. If you're buying 3D World anyway, play BF too! But don't drop $60 just for the new content.
...why?
Bowser's Fury is fine! It's better than most 3D platformers, without a doubt. But comparing this to Super Mario Odyssey is like comparing a tasty little tapas plate to a Michelin Star 5-course meal.
In Bowser's Fury, you gradually open up the world by uncovering islands which have been hidden by Bowser's goop, which seems rooted in the same base concept as Ganon's Malice goop in Breath of the Wild. Collecting Cat Shines powers up Giga Bells and lighthouse towers which lead to giant-sized boss fights and the clearing away of the aforementioned goop. Each new group of islands is quite small, with Cat Coins and Cat Shines densely packed. Size-wise, they're smaller than your average Super Mario Galaxy level. This means the game is itty-bitty and you'll likely be finished in a couple of hours. (I 100%ed the game in just under 4)
Unfortunately, many of the Cat Shines recycle identical challenges across each of the islands you encounter. This was a major letdown for me, and reminded me of Yooka-Laylee more than anything else. You're gonna chase a goopy Luigi a lot. You're gonna bait Bowser into breaking big silver blocks. You're gonna collect a handful of blue coins within a time limit. The back half of the game was mostly filled with disappointment, as the game settled into rinsing and repeating Cat Shines. Don't get me wrong, when you first reach a new area, the challenges are diverse and enjoyable! But after the main Shines have been collected, the game pads the content with these repeated filler Shines. If you notice that you're missing 2 or 3 shines on each island, you can probably guess what they're gonna be without even going there.
When the trailers showed Super Saiyan Furry Mario fighting Fury Bowser, I was excited to give that a shot. It does end up being fun, but it still boils down to a classic "jump on them three-ish times" Mario boss battle. I'd say the final boss battle is moderately satisfying, though 100% completion doesn't offer anything new in terms of the boss fight mechanics or the ending cutscene. (The first ending occurs with half of the game's Cat Shines)
All in all, Bowser's Fury is a fun way to spend 2-4 hours, but I cannot for the LIFE of me fathom why so many people are touting this as the future of Mario. There is nothing that this game does exceptionally well. Everything falls somewhere in the vicinity of "pretty good". I doubt there are any challenges or set pieces besides the repeated boss fights that will stand out in players' memories in a few months' time. Maybe I can't see past the game's small scope and repetitive challenges, but Super Mario Odyssey does literally everything better than Bowser's Fury. If the next mainline Mario game takes after this instead of SMO, it will be a huge missed opportunity.
Bowser's Fury is fine. If you're buying 3D World anyway, play BF too! But don't drop $60 just for the new content.
2020
Castle on the Coast has a charming aesthetic and some decent level ideas, but it's overly simple and has a significant amount of jank. If you view this as a student project or even a first effort from a small indie dev, it's promising for their future. But it never reached the point of actually being "fun" for me. My 5 year old loves it though, for whatever that's worth.
Absolutely stunning.
Ever since my jaw dropped in 1996 when I first saw Super Mario 64, I have loved that first moment when new hardware really shows off what this console generation can do. The Matrix: Awakens was that moment for me, chronologically following SM64, Metroid Prime, Halo 3, and Uncharted 4.
It's very important to go into this knowing exactly what it is beforehand though: a tech demo. This is not a game, so don't expect any compelling gameplay of any kind. But when the latter half of the demo started, I was breathless. I could not believe what I was seeing and exploring.
Most of the time, I was thinking "My PS5 is rendering this???" though that was occasionally interrupted by bleak thoughts of how many high-res assets and textures are needed for any game on this scale, and that it will likely increase development time and be more grueling for employees. But it was hard to stay focused on that when there was such an immense, gorgeous cityscape to gawk at!!
Ever since my jaw dropped in 1996 when I first saw Super Mario 64, I have loved that first moment when new hardware really shows off what this console generation can do. The Matrix: Awakens was that moment for me, chronologically following SM64, Metroid Prime, Halo 3, and Uncharted 4.
It's very important to go into this knowing exactly what it is beforehand though: a tech demo. This is not a game, so don't expect any compelling gameplay of any kind. But when the latter half of the demo started, I was breathless. I could not believe what I was seeing and exploring.
Most of the time, I was thinking "My PS5 is rendering this???" though that was occasionally interrupted by bleak thoughts of how many high-res assets and textures are needed for any game on this scale, and that it will likely increase development time and be more grueling for employees. But it was hard to stay focused on that when there was such an immense, gorgeous cityscape to gawk at!!
2020
Couch vs. Couch is honestly great. Knowing that your group is actually playing against another batch of people somewhere out there is a fun time!
Unfortunately, NO ONE is playing this, so it's gonna take a lot of luck and waiting to get matched up.
Unfortunately, NO ONE is playing this, so it's gonna take a lot of luck and waiting to get matched up.
I've had a handful of lost gaming Holy Grails over the years, games that once existed, but never saw the light of day. Cancelled projects that I desperately wanted to be revived. My top 3 all happened to be based on the work of David Doak and Steve Ellis, and all three of them recently had some glimmer of hope.
TimeSplitters 4 was cancelled, but Ellis has been brought back on to revive the franchise. Star Wars Battlefront III was cancelled, but the new Battlefront II ended up being pretty good after all the updates and changes. Both of those were enough for me to stop feeling that yearning for their respective disposed-of predecessors. But the XBLA HD port of GoldenEye? Barbara Broccoli wasn't gonna let that see the light of day. Knowing that it had been nearly finished only made it worse.
Imagine my surprise when in February of 2021, the game just... showed up. It's still not clear where it came from, but some unsung hero dropped the game in its entirety onto the internet. Unfortunately, I only had a 7-year-old MacBook (Xenia doesn't run on Mac) and no 360 to play it on. When I finally decided to buy a PC this year, the VERY first game I tried on it was the GoldenEye Remaster.
It was fantastic.
It's everything it needed to be! Smooth framerate, better textures and models, better controls. It even does that thing Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary did in 2011 where you can push a button to swap between the old and new visuals on the fly, and this was meant to come out in '07! The only thing that stings about this is thinking of how fantastic it would have been to have this when I was a freshman in college, when it was originally planned to launch. The online multiplayer would have been truly incredible, but honestly I'm just glad to have it now.
This game will very likely never see a formal release. (EDIT Sep. 13 2022: I can't believe Xbox is getting GoldenEye, and it's not even this version!) I don't think there are any moral implications about acquiring a game that never had a price tag. If you liked GoldenEye on N64 and have hardware to run this, get your hands on this game.
TimeSplitters 4 was cancelled, but Ellis has been brought back on to revive the franchise. Star Wars Battlefront III was cancelled, but the new Battlefront II ended up being pretty good after all the updates and changes. Both of those were enough for me to stop feeling that yearning for their respective disposed-of predecessors. But the XBLA HD port of GoldenEye? Barbara Broccoli wasn't gonna let that see the light of day. Knowing that it had been nearly finished only made it worse.
Imagine my surprise when in February of 2021, the game just... showed up. It's still not clear where it came from, but some unsung hero dropped the game in its entirety onto the internet. Unfortunately, I only had a 7-year-old MacBook (Xenia doesn't run on Mac) and no 360 to play it on. When I finally decided to buy a PC this year, the VERY first game I tried on it was the GoldenEye Remaster.
It was fantastic.
It's everything it needed to be! Smooth framerate, better textures and models, better controls. It even does that thing Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary did in 2011 where you can push a button to swap between the old and new visuals on the fly, and this was meant to come out in '07! The only thing that stings about this is thinking of how fantastic it would have been to have this when I was a freshman in college, when it was originally planned to launch. The online multiplayer would have been truly incredible, but honestly I'm just glad to have it now.
This game will very likely never see a formal release. (EDIT Sep. 13 2022: I can't believe Xbox is getting GoldenEye, and it's not even this version!) I don't think there are any moral implications about acquiring a game that never had a price tag. If you liked GoldenEye on N64 and have hardware to run this, get your hands on this game.
2021
MILD SPOILERS:
The scene with the elephant is THE WORST thing a game has ever made me do.
Did anyone struggle to view Rose as an actual child? Being vapidly stone-faced and voiced by an adult certainly didn't help, but her dialogue didn't exactly feel like a kid either. Was she 5? 11? Human? Android? A metaphorical manifestation of the two protagonists' faults? Who's to say.
It's really interesting how this miserable couple leaves a trail of destruction and suffering everywhere they go until they begin to emotionally reconnect near the end, and suddenly they start having a more positive effect on those around them.
It's a solid game with plenty of variety, and it nails the core concept of cooperation. But even though my wife and I had a great time playing it together, I was never itching to pick it back up. It's a very good game full of references to other games (some of these are REALLY overt) but I didn't find anything to be exceptional.
Except Dr. Hakim. That guy rules.
The scene with the elephant is THE WORST thing a game has ever made me do.
Did anyone struggle to view Rose as an actual child? Being vapidly stone-faced and voiced by an adult certainly didn't help, but her dialogue didn't exactly feel like a kid either. Was she 5? 11? Human? Android? A metaphorical manifestation of the two protagonists' faults? Who's to say.
It's really interesting how this miserable couple leaves a trail of destruction and suffering everywhere they go until they begin to emotionally reconnect near the end, and suddenly they start having a more positive effect on those around them.
It's a solid game with plenty of variety, and it nails the core concept of cooperation. But even though my wife and I had a great time playing it together, I was never itching to pick it back up. It's a very good game full of references to other games (some of these are REALLY overt) but I didn't find anything to be exceptional.
Except Dr. Hakim. That guy rules.
2020
As someone who was lucky enough to secure a PS5 pre-order at launch, I forced myself to wait to open and play it until Christmas 2020. Playing Astro's Playroom during the Holidays was quite possibly the best experience I've ever had with a launch game.
Over the past year, I've kept looking back on how blissful the experience was. The controls are absolutely incredible. Mario Odyssey-tier. The vibe of this game is what I want every 3D platformer to feel like. The joyous, lighthearted adventure and exploration was EXACTLY what I needed at that point in time.
I probably don't have to tell you that the star of this game is the controller. The absolutely incredible haptics instantly made the Dualsense into my favorite controller of all time. Feeling the water, rain, hail, etc. was more engrossing than any VR experience I've ever tried.
I've heard people talk about how the PS5 might not be "worth it" yet, but playing Astro's Playroom and Bugsnax with the Dualsense just after launch literally prevents me from feeling that way. Just a couple of absolute masterpieces.
Over the past year, I've kept looking back on how blissful the experience was. The controls are absolutely incredible. Mario Odyssey-tier. The vibe of this game is what I want every 3D platformer to feel like. The joyous, lighthearted adventure and exploration was EXACTLY what I needed at that point in time.
I probably don't have to tell you that the star of this game is the controller. The absolutely incredible haptics instantly made the Dualsense into my favorite controller of all time. Feeling the water, rain, hail, etc. was more engrossing than any VR experience I've ever tried.
I've heard people talk about how the PS5 might not be "worth it" yet, but playing Astro's Playroom and Bugsnax with the Dualsense just after launch literally prevents me from feeling that way. Just a couple of absolute masterpieces.
2021
There is very little in gaming that bums me out more than starting a game because of gorgeous visuals and a cool premise, then realizing it's practically a visual novel, putting presentation and famous actors over gameplay.
The only thing worse is starting a cool action game, dying, and realizing it's a Roguelike.
It's gorgeous! Charming! But very, very much not for me.
DO try this if you're into games like Oxenfree, Afterparty, or visual novels.
MAYBE DON'T spend money on this if you're into the aesthetic and setting, but need more engaging gameplay. Doesn't hurt to try it on Game Pass though!
The only thing worse is starting a cool action game, dying, and realizing it's a Roguelike.
It's gorgeous! Charming! But very, very much not for me.
DO try this if you're into games like Oxenfree, Afterparty, or visual novels.
MAYBE DON'T spend money on this if you're into the aesthetic and setting, but need more engaging gameplay. Doesn't hurt to try it on Game Pass though!
2021
Environmental Storytelling: The Game
I am SHOCKED at the feelings that Unpacking made me feel simply by observing an invisible character's living spaces and figuring out how to fit her possessions (and her life) in there.
The game sounds absolutely amazing. A killer score informs the vibe of each transitionary period in the protag's life, but the sound design is the real star. Every item sounds different depending on where it's placed, and subconsciously gives weight to the simple choices of where to set things down.
It's a nice short game, so beat it before you read the following spoilery word vomit:
--------
- I am SO UPSET with invisible ex-boyfriend. THERE WAS NO SPACE FOR HER ART SUPPLIES, and the correct place for her degree certificate was BRUTAL
- While the protagonist exclusively had Nintendo hardware, the BF had a 360. Maybe that was the real indicator that they weren't going to work out
- When I saw the lower back medication patches I was like "aww poor baby" but when I saw the WALKING STICK/CANE I was immediately upset. Hasn't she suffered enough?!?
- The song at the end sure was... something. Like the rest of the game, the music is fantastic! But the lyrics felt like someone performing an original composition at a Junior High Talent show.
- Love that the childhood drawings became characters in a published book! But do all the extra copies mean it didn't sell very well??? Or are they just extras and it's the new "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"??? PLEASE LET HER SUCCEED
I am SHOCKED at the feelings that Unpacking made me feel simply by observing an invisible character's living spaces and figuring out how to fit her possessions (and her life) in there.
The game sounds absolutely amazing. A killer score informs the vibe of each transitionary period in the protag's life, but the sound design is the real star. Every item sounds different depending on where it's placed, and subconsciously gives weight to the simple choices of where to set things down.
It's a nice short game, so beat it before you read the following spoilery word vomit:
--------
- I am SO UPSET with invisible ex-boyfriend. THERE WAS NO SPACE FOR HER ART SUPPLIES, and the correct place for her degree certificate was BRUTAL
- While the protagonist exclusively had Nintendo hardware, the BF had a 360. Maybe that was the real indicator that they weren't going to work out
- When I saw the lower back medication patches I was like "aww poor baby" but when I saw the WALKING STICK/CANE I was immediately upset. Hasn't she suffered enough?!?
- The song at the end sure was... something. Like the rest of the game, the music is fantastic! But the lyrics felt like someone performing an original composition at a Junior High Talent show.
- Love that the childhood drawings became characters in a published book! But do all the extra copies mean it didn't sell very well??? Or are they just extras and it's the new "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"??? PLEASE LET HER SUCCEED
2010
Easily the most appropriate game to finish on Halloween!
There's a fantastic amount of charm to a game all about Trick-or-Treating. I also loved that the costumes can be changed at any time, so it feels like your party is much larger than it really is.
My biggest take from this game was that more RPGs should have a finite amount of enemies, completely eliminating grind. Apart from making a game about being kids on Halloween, that specific feature is the game's best concept.
There's a fantastic amount of charm to a game all about Trick-or-Treating. I also loved that the costumes can be changed at any time, so it feels like your party is much larger than it really is.
My biggest take from this game was that more RPGs should have a finite amount of enemies, completely eliminating grind. Apart from making a game about being kids on Halloween, that specific feature is the game's best concept.