xenorbits
2005
Super inventive platformer with some really cool character designs. Some of the psychic abilities are a bit clunky to use/lack utility, and the middle portion of the game kinda drags, but otherwise I had a fun time with this.
2005
Absolutely wonderful game. The sheer variety of things you can do during combat and the greater sense of fluidity make the gameplay loop genuinely addicting. Drive forms were definitely my favorite new addition, but limits were awesome too as they help the guest characters stand out more.
The story was pretty great in this entry, with the particular highlight for me being the prologue and the payoff for it from later in the game. Roxas’s story made such an impact despite how short his time seems in the grand scheme. Also Auron joining you for a world and basically being almost the exact same from FFX had me goin wild.
Definitely found a new favorite here. The original game left me feeling a bit underwhelmed in a few regards and it feels like this game took that foundation and improved upon it tenfold.
The story was pretty great in this entry, with the particular highlight for me being the prologue and the payoff for it from later in the game. Roxas’s story made such an impact despite how short his time seems in the grand scheme. Also Auron joining you for a world and basically being almost the exact same from FFX had me goin wild.
Definitely found a new favorite here. The original game left me feeling a bit underwhelmed in a few regards and it feels like this game took that foundation and improved upon it tenfold.
2002
There’s an extremely solid foundation here that is soooo close to being something I love rather than something I merely like decently enough.
The Disney + Final Fantasy stuff seems odd on paper but I feel like it works great in practice and it kept me engaged, especially as it dove into some weirder stuff toward the end.
Gameplay was easily the worst aspect. I found movement to be sluggish, and combat felt both too repetitive and too stiff. There were countless instances where I just was not engaged with what I was doing. Summons and AP abilities spice up the gameplay and serve as bandages to my issues but there are too many fights (especially in the endgame) that strip both of these away from you and they become slogs to get through.
Generally I thought the story was fun and entertaining and I can’t wait to see how it evolves over future games!
Sora is an amazing protagonist, the music was incredible, and Cloud’s design in this rules.
The Disney + Final Fantasy stuff seems odd on paper but I feel like it works great in practice and it kept me engaged, especially as it dove into some weirder stuff toward the end.
Gameplay was easily the worst aspect. I found movement to be sluggish, and combat felt both too repetitive and too stiff. There were countless instances where I just was not engaged with what I was doing. Summons and AP abilities spice up the gameplay and serve as bandages to my issues but there are too many fights (especially in the endgame) that strip both of these away from you and they become slogs to get through.
Generally I thought the story was fun and entertaining and I can’t wait to see how it evolves over future games!
Sora is an amazing protagonist, the music was incredible, and Cloud’s design in this rules.
Masterful puzzle game with an excellent narrative that kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time. The story had a ton of characters and I think the narrative does an effective job at making me care about nearly all of them.
Ghost tricks were fun to mess with and led to a ton of a-ha moments that were very satisfying for me.
No joke Missile might just be one of the best characters from any game ever.
Ghost tricks were fun to mess with and led to a ton of a-ha moments that were very satisfying for me.
No joke Missile might just be one of the best characters from any game ever.
2021
COUNTER
COUNTER
COUNTER
COUNTER
SLASH
COUNTER
COUNTER
COUNTER
SLASH
2023
Pikmin 4 feels like almost exactly what I had been dreaming another Pikmin game would be.
The refinement of the cave system, the inclusion of every single Pikmin type (with plentiful moments to shine for each), the stellar gameplay variety (missions, battles, night expeditions, [SPOILER]), Oatchi, and the excellent return of the Piklopedia after its somewhat half baked inclusion in 3DX; There’s so much for me to love.
Glow Pikmin GOATTTT but I did miss the Bulbmin.
The refinement of the cave system, the inclusion of every single Pikmin type (with plentiful moments to shine for each), the stellar gameplay variety (missions, battles, night expeditions, [SPOILER]), Oatchi, and the excellent return of the Piklopedia after its somewhat half baked inclusion in 3DX; There’s so much for me to love.
Glow Pikmin GOATTTT but I did miss the Bulbmin.
2023
It’s an addicting fighting game with a wealth of satisfying mechanics like drive rush, quick/fluid online matches, fun single player modes like world tour, and a great presentation/aesthetic. Love it so far. I can’t wait to learn more and rank up online.
Kimberly bros rise up.
Kimberly bros rise up.
This review contains spoilers
Found a lot to love, and a decent amount to mildly dislike.
Dungeon items were better utilized here than in most Zelda games. I found myself reusing older items constantly throughout islands and later dungeons, whereas in previous games I would grab an item, use it in its dungeon, and never use it again. I liked how connected it felt in that way.
Everybody speaks on the art style and the soundtrack, and yeah they’d be right. Both elements were great! I can see why the toon style kept returning.
I think this entry has a fairly great narrative! I think it does an excellent job stringing together story events and continuity from OOT. I found this incarnation of Ganondorf far more compelling than other versions of him. I like how they tie his country to his motivations and how he’s a little more than just “I was born evil” and that’s that.
The ending of this game might actually be my favorite in the series. Between what happens narratively, thematically and the excellent final
showdown with Ganondorf, the final few hours of the game left me on a constant high. The flooding, waterfall arena was so kino.
The game isn’t all great though. I think sailing is a cool mechanic on paper but in practice I found myself sort of meandering from Point A to be B for a large part of the game until i got the Ballad of Gales. Sure I had fast sailing but it still felt like I wasn’t very engaged with gameplay during those moments. There are islands to stop on but not many of them are very interesting and I found exploration to be not very satisfying.
The infamous triforce hunt is probably not as bad as it in the original but i did find it to ruin the pacing of the final chunk of the game, with repetitive enemy combat sections and tedious map chasing.
The highs are extremely high, yet the lows are definitely present.
Dungeon items were better utilized here than in most Zelda games. I found myself reusing older items constantly throughout islands and later dungeons, whereas in previous games I would grab an item, use it in its dungeon, and never use it again. I liked how connected it felt in that way.
Everybody speaks on the art style and the soundtrack, and yeah they’d be right. Both elements were great! I can see why the toon style kept returning.
I think this entry has a fairly great narrative! I think it does an excellent job stringing together story events and continuity from OOT. I found this incarnation of Ganondorf far more compelling than other versions of him. I like how they tie his country to his motivations and how he’s a little more than just “I was born evil” and that’s that.
The ending of this game might actually be my favorite in the series. Between what happens narratively, thematically and the excellent final
showdown with Ganondorf, the final few hours of the game left me on a constant high. The flooding, waterfall arena was so kino.
The game isn’t all great though. I think sailing is a cool mechanic on paper but in practice I found myself sort of meandering from Point A to be B for a large part of the game until i got the Ballad of Gales. Sure I had fast sailing but it still felt like I wasn’t very engaged with gameplay during those moments. There are islands to stop on but not many of them are very interesting and I found exploration to be not very satisfying.
The infamous triforce hunt is probably not as bad as it in the original but i did find it to ruin the pacing of the final chunk of the game, with repetitive enemy combat sections and tedious map chasing.
The highs are extremely high, yet the lows are definitely present.
2009
Had a really fun time learning the movesets and timings of each opposing boxer. It was incredibly satisfying to go from getting knocked out pretty quickly in the later circuits to winning without much struggle after trying time and time again to learn each pattern, when stars can be obtained, etc.
short, yet very fulfilling.
short, yet very fulfilling.
I don’t think the narrative is as compelling or tight as the original but I found the gameplay loop far more enjoyable. The venom powers didn’t really add much depth to the combat but they were satisfying to use. Plus using them for traversal was really fun to do.
2001
Such a delightful little game.
Lays the basic groundwork down for the rest of the series to build upon, yet its simplicity and its charming dialogue help it stand tall.
I think the 30 day time limit is a bit generous but it helps provide a unique element of pressure that the rest of the series never recaptures.
Lays the basic groundwork down for the rest of the series to build upon, yet its simplicity and its charming dialogue help it stand tall.
I think the 30 day time limit is a bit generous but it helps provide a unique element of pressure that the rest of the series never recaptures.
2008
This has the perfect recipe to be my favorite sonic game but I feel like it stumbled with just too many elements to be ignored.
Medal hunting is an absolute pace breaker, some werehog sections drag on and on, and the final chunk of the game from eggmanland onward was incredibly frustrating.
That said, I absolutely love so much about this game. Everything from its world design, soundtrack, vibe; it all works so well for me. Jason Griffith’s performance in this game is probably my favorite for Sonic in general.
Daytime stages are still some of the best bits of gameplay in the entire series, and Endless Possibility is my favorite vocal track in the series.
Lots of good, bit of bad, solid all around.
Medal hunting is an absolute pace breaker, some werehog sections drag on and on, and the final chunk of the game from eggmanland onward was incredibly frustrating.
That said, I absolutely love so much about this game. Everything from its world design, soundtrack, vibe; it all works so well for me. Jason Griffith’s performance in this game is probably my favorite for Sonic in general.
Daytime stages are still some of the best bits of gameplay in the entire series, and Endless Possibility is my favorite vocal track in the series.
Lots of good, bit of bad, solid all around.
2022
as time has gone on i’ve found that i haven’t gone back to this one quite the way i did with the first and second games.
i think the gameplay is much better at its core but..idk something’s not right..
might be the tetris block maps or the really boring specials.
i think the gameplay is much better at its core but..idk something’s not right..
might be the tetris block maps or the really boring specials.
Combat is mashy and it lacks impact, and the game is full to the brim of absolutely mindless filler content and pace breaking stealth sequences…but man it’s Spider-Man it ruled.
They nailed the traversal so hard I spent the first few hours grabbing every backpack and tower solely because I found exploring New York so fun.
Really hoping the sequel streamlines content and improves the combat.
They nailed the traversal so hard I spent the first few hours grabbing every backpack and tower solely because I found exploring New York so fun.
Really hoping the sequel streamlines content and improves the combat.
Everything about this game just clicked so well for me; fantastically written characters reflecting upon their own morality, engaging side quests that often intersect with one another, well-crafted dungeons, and one of the most effective and unique gameplay mechanics i've ever experienced.
the feelings of dread that envelope termina during those final few hours are as haunting as they are melancholy.
grabbed every mask throughout my quest, with the payoff of fierce deity link being that final cherry on top.
the feelings of dread that envelope termina during those final few hours are as haunting as they are melancholy.
grabbed every mask throughout my quest, with the payoff of fierce deity link being that final cherry on top.