xenorbits
This review contains spoilers
Builds upon the foundation set by the previous two games to create something truly incredible.
While it doesn't reinvent the wheel on any of the mechanics from its predecessors, it makes a variety of small yet impactful changes that improve the overall feel of the experience. Changes to traversal such as increased speed, slingshot, web wings, and corner tether make moving around New York the most fun it’s been in this series.
I also found the combat to be way more enjoyable than previously. With a new parry mechanic and several enemy moves requiring different types of defensive maneuvers, I found it to be more challenging yet more involved. Plus, the addition of some extensions to aerial combat and the symbiote abilities just make the flow more satisfying.
Also really enjoyed the story in this entry. While not as tight as the original, it does a lot that kept me invested with the ongoing conflict. The highlights for me being the resolution between Miles and Li, and the entire section between Peter gaining and losing the symbiote suit.
Insomniac did something really amazing with this game, and it gets me excited to see where they will take this series in the future.
While it doesn't reinvent the wheel on any of the mechanics from its predecessors, it makes a variety of small yet impactful changes that improve the overall feel of the experience. Changes to traversal such as increased speed, slingshot, web wings, and corner tether make moving around New York the most fun it’s been in this series.
I also found the combat to be way more enjoyable than previously. With a new parry mechanic and several enemy moves requiring different types of defensive maneuvers, I found it to be more challenging yet more involved. Plus, the addition of some extensions to aerial combat and the symbiote abilities just make the flow more satisfying.
Also really enjoyed the story in this entry. While not as tight as the original, it does a lot that kept me invested with the ongoing conflict. The highlights for me being the resolution between Miles and Li, and the entire section between Peter gaining and losing the symbiote suit.
Insomniac did something really amazing with this game, and it gets me excited to see where they will take this series in the future.
An absolute triumph of a Mario game.
While not the most mechanically in-depth 2D platformer I’ve played, Wonder successfully breathes new life into 2D Mario. With an expressive, vivid art style, delightfully creative level gimmicks, and surprisingly enjoyable online mechanics, Wonder was a joy to play from start till finish.
The Wonder flower mechanic was absolutely the highlight of the game, with my favorite Wonder effects being all the music based sections that appeared throughout.
Really, it's just held back by some really bland and forgettable boss encounters (which just feels like missed potential given what could've been done with the Wonder effects).
Can’t wait to play it again with some friends in the future.
While not the most mechanically in-depth 2D platformer I’ve played, Wonder successfully breathes new life into 2D Mario. With an expressive, vivid art style, delightfully creative level gimmicks, and surprisingly enjoyable online mechanics, Wonder was a joy to play from start till finish.
The Wonder flower mechanic was absolutely the highlight of the game, with my favorite Wonder effects being all the music based sections that appeared throughout.
Really, it's just held back by some really bland and forgettable boss encounters (which just feels like missed potential given what could've been done with the Wonder effects).
Can’t wait to play it again with some friends in the future.
2023
played this with my girlfriend and had a great time whenever we weren't plummeting 100 feet to our doom.
2023
"sleeping at the wheel" the sonic game
2016
kinda gets outshined by ultra these days but I find some value here with its story being marginally better than ultra's.
wonderfully unique game that in many regards feels like it was far ahead of its time.
it’s whole “anti-rpg” shtick is definitely something that’s been done to death in today’s climate, but I think there’s much to take away and appreciate from moon’s approach to the deconstruction of the genre, particularly with its theme of love.
Love is all around us. Love is this and that. We find love in those who bring us comfort, and love in mementos of time long past. I wouldn’t say this exploration of love is particularly groundbreaking, but moon’s continued emphasis on the different sizes and shapes love can take drives home just how full of love the world is.
Please be patient with this game. Under a layer of obtuse puzzles, initially confusing mechanics, and long periods of waiting lies a world with something to say.
Did you find Love?
it’s whole “anti-rpg” shtick is definitely something that’s been done to death in today’s climate, but I think there’s much to take away and appreciate from moon’s approach to the deconstruction of the genre, particularly with its theme of love.
Love is all around us. Love is this and that. We find love in those who bring us comfort, and love in mementos of time long past. I wouldn’t say this exploration of love is particularly groundbreaking, but moon’s continued emphasis on the different sizes and shapes love can take drives home just how full of love the world is.
Please be patient with this game. Under a layer of obtuse puzzles, initially confusing mechanics, and long periods of waiting lies a world with something to say.
Did you find Love?
There's a lot of ideas here that definitely work on paper far better than they do in practice.
I had fun for portions of it but the gameplay really loses its luster by the midway point and from that point forward I was stuck doing repetitive missions with painfully basic gunplay.
Aside from the bits of the story that delved a bit further into Vincent and Lucrecia, the narrative here was dry, lifeless, and worst of all: boring. Found myself constantly checking out during the myriad of endless cutscenes, especially towards the back end of the game.
Now, I won't lie, the final chunk of the game was actually pretty kino.
I had fun for portions of it but the gameplay really loses its luster by the midway point and from that point forward I was stuck doing repetitive missions with painfully basic gunplay.
Aside from the bits of the story that delved a bit further into Vincent and Lucrecia, the narrative here was dry, lifeless, and worst of all: boring. Found myself constantly checking out during the myriad of endless cutscenes, especially towards the back end of the game.
Now, I won't lie, the final chunk of the game was actually pretty kino.
2016
been playing this on and off with my girlfriend over the past year and i still feel like i haven't scratched the surface of it.
2007
mostly paraphrasing what one of my buds observed when playing this because i agree but i think luck based party games work best when play sessions are like 2-3 hours max and one night long and not 20+ hour long multiple session grindfests where the gap between players becomes so vast by hour 15 you know there’s no hope.
there’s fun to be had, and i absolutely love the concept behind this game, but multiple nights of being beaten down by poor luck robbed every ounce of joy my group had when playing.
didn’t finish this session because most of if not all of us were just tired of it by the end.
there’s fun to be had, and i absolutely love the concept behind this game, but multiple nights of being beaten down by poor luck robbed every ounce of joy my group had when playing.
didn’t finish this session because most of if not all of us were just tired of it by the end.
2022
After replaying it earlier this year, and playing the new content updates dropped since, I think this became my new favorite sonic game.
Probably the most fun i’ve had with Frontiers yet.
The Trial Towers are challenging yet satisfying to scale, the extra characters are generally pretty fun to play (barring some weird delay on a few of their moves), and it gives Frontiers the final boss it deserved.
Props to the cyberspace stages here. I wasn't fond of them much in the main game, but they felt far more well designed and interesting here.
The final boss itself felt a bit obtuse, but once I figured out how to beat it, I was on cloud 9. The music that accompanies the fight is a strong contender for best music track in the series too.
Sonic has never been cooler than this.
The Trial Towers are challenging yet satisfying to scale, the extra characters are generally pretty fun to play (barring some weird delay on a few of their moves), and it gives Frontiers the final boss it deserved.
Props to the cyberspace stages here. I wasn't fond of them much in the main game, but they felt far more well designed and interesting here.
The final boss itself felt a bit obtuse, but once I figured out how to beat it, I was on cloud 9. The music that accompanies the fight is a strong contender for best music track in the series too.
Sonic has never been cooler than this.
The surplus of overworld abilities makes exploration clunky in the later half of the game, and combat could sometimes feel unresponsive, but overall I had a great time with this. That Mario RPG charm just can't be beat sometimes. From the charming dialogue, the catchy music, and the expressive spritework, it's hard not to like this game.
You can absolutely feel that this was the first entry in the series, and I'm glad some of the clunkier elements get smoothed out a bit in later entries.
Prince Peasley goated with the sauce.
You can absolutely feel that this was the first entry in the series, and I'm glad some of the clunkier elements get smoothed out a bit in later entries.
Prince Peasley goated with the sauce.
wasn’t hugely fond of some of the brand new story additions and the combat got REAL stale at times, but otherwise this was a great prequel to a game I love.
the dmw sometimes playing a cute little scene of zack and whichever character it rolled was pretty charming i feel like it gave a bit of soul to a combat system that felt a bit flat otherwise.
despite knowing how it would play out the ending was still emotionally impactful and zack was such a good protag. there was a bit of awkward charm in the way he interacting with pretty much every other character, which i adored. definitely enjoyed seeing his relationship with aerith blossom but i wish we saw slightly more of that.
also the music was fantastic the battle themes never disappointed.
the dmw sometimes playing a cute little scene of zack and whichever character it rolled was pretty charming i feel like it gave a bit of soul to a combat system that felt a bit flat otherwise.
despite knowing how it would play out the ending was still emotionally impactful and zack was such a good protag. there was a bit of awkward charm in the way he interacting with pretty much every other character, which i adored. definitely enjoyed seeing his relationship with aerith blossom but i wish we saw slightly more of that.
also the music was fantastic the battle themes never disappointed.
2021
Despite losing the grunge that I think defines the first game, this game felt like a fairly direct improvement in almost every aspect.
Level designs are continuously fun and creative, psychic abilities felt far better utilized, upgrades and pins helped to freshen up gameplay, and I felt like I vastly prefer the narrative and its themes in this entry compared to the first.
Small complaint though I did feel like the side cast I loved from the first game got sidelined for most of it. Also the combat is definitely more varied than in the first game but it ultimately still felt a bit stiff and bland.
Level designs are continuously fun and creative, psychic abilities felt far better utilized, upgrades and pins helped to freshen up gameplay, and I felt like I vastly prefer the narrative and its themes in this entry compared to the first.
Small complaint though I did feel like the side cast I loved from the first game got sidelined for most of it. Also the combat is definitely more varied than in the first game but it ultimately still felt a bit stiff and bland.
2023
Definitely nails the soundtrack, visual style, and movement system, but I think it does stumble over a few other aspects of the gameplay. The dream sections were definitely the highlight for me.