Acquiescence
2013
In a just world, this would've been a PS4 launch title, it would've been 60fps, it would've been mildly successful and it would've had a sequel.
We don't live in a just world.
We don't live in a just world.
1999
Christmas Day, 1999. I had just unwrapped my Dreamcast and this was the first game I popped in... it was magical. The technicolours that popped off the screen, how every tune was a crazy catchy earworm, the eccentric (and frankly awesome) cast of characters that spanned the whole world. Power Stone is a pure joy. Best of all, it managed to straddle the line between being a legit fighting game with depth and being a mindless party game that let you fling tables at your opponent with wanton glee. Capcom nailed that balance with this underappreciated masterpiece. I wish they'd make another.
It's a remastered collection of two of the best platformers ever created, so you can't really go wrong. But is it the definitive way to play Klonoa? Well, as for the second game... maybe. Honestly, it's been a long while now since I played the PS2 original, much as I cherish it. The way I see it though, this version of the first game lacks a little something of the original. Call it 'soul' perhaps. All the cutscenes in this collection are all rendered in-game. That means that the beautiful FMV sequences of the first game have been redone using the less expressive in-game character models, and as such a lot of the emotional impact has been lost. The infamously gut-wrenching ending of Klonoa 1 loses a lot of its power in the Reverie Series, and because of this, the PS1 original remains king in my opinion.
There's also some fuckery going on with the audio mix. The glorious music is offensively low in the mix, while the vocal samples of the original games have been included, resulting in some aural discordance. Music and SFX sounds crisp, but in cutscenes the characters' voices are incredibly tinny. It's quite distracting.
This is still a must play for any Klonoa fan though. Or even just platforming fans in general. Buy this so that we can be blessed with Klonoa 3 in the future.
There's also some fuckery going on with the audio mix. The glorious music is offensively low in the mix, while the vocal samples of the original games have been included, resulting in some aural discordance. Music and SFX sounds crisp, but in cutscenes the characters' voices are incredibly tinny. It's quite distracting.
This is still a must play for any Klonoa fan though. Or even just platforming fans in general. Buy this so that we can be blessed with Klonoa 3 in the future.
2020
Wow. That may well have been the longest video game I've ever played in my life. Now that I'm watching the end credits scroll up, I feel like I've closed the chapter on a part of my life. It's going to be weird not playing Baldur's Gate 3 anymore.
I'll keep this review brief, because if I don't, I'll be up all night writing some lengthy treatise instead, when all I want to do is move on to the next game in my backlog and play something different! Does Baldur's Gate 3 deserve its surprise reputation as 2023's best game? After all, up until August, we all expected Tears of the Kingdom to be a shoe-in for the title. In my opinion, yes. It is a game of almost awe-inspiring scope and ambition. The amount of customisation is astonishing, as are the myriad of different narrative threads and outcomes. There are so many varying ways the story can go, and yet it always manages to be tethered by phenomenal writing, no matter dialogue option you choose. The game also serves as a reminder of how thrilling turn-based combat can be. In an industry where turn-based is seen as outdated and real-time combat is the more viable way to go in the AAA realm, Larian have nailed how gripping, brain-teasing and downright rewarding a slower method of combat is when game designers bring their A-game. I hope big publishers take notice of BG3's monumental success and maybe reconsider that not all AAA RPGs in this day and age have to play like something designed for a teenager afflicted with ADHD.
The reason I didn't give Baldur's Gate 3 a perfect score is that it felt like it was starting to come apart at the seams by Act 3. I was encountering a fair few bugs at that point. Performance was taking a dip, texture pop in kept rearing its ugly head, the inventory would lag something awful, so on and so forth. Act 3 was such a huge part of the game, and it felt like the team had maybe bit off more than it could chew with that portion of the game. As such, my playthrough did feel like it went on a bit longer than was necessary.
But I digress. For the absurd amount of hours I put into Baldur's Gate 3 and the relief I feel now that it's over, the truth is that some part of me will miss it. I put in a lot of effort to ensure I would get the best ending for everyone. And why? Ultimately because I cared. I loved my companions and truly wanted the best for them. Hence why I did every side quest that was available to me, obsessed over passing ability checks and scoured every square inch of the maps. And when you're that invested in the events of a video game... what higher praise can you offer?
I'll keep this review brief, because if I don't, I'll be up all night writing some lengthy treatise instead, when all I want to do is move on to the next game in my backlog and play something different! Does Baldur's Gate 3 deserve its surprise reputation as 2023's best game? After all, up until August, we all expected Tears of the Kingdom to be a shoe-in for the title. In my opinion, yes. It is a game of almost awe-inspiring scope and ambition. The amount of customisation is astonishing, as are the myriad of different narrative threads and outcomes. There are so many varying ways the story can go, and yet it always manages to be tethered by phenomenal writing, no matter dialogue option you choose. The game also serves as a reminder of how thrilling turn-based combat can be. In an industry where turn-based is seen as outdated and real-time combat is the more viable way to go in the AAA realm, Larian have nailed how gripping, brain-teasing and downright rewarding a slower method of combat is when game designers bring their A-game. I hope big publishers take notice of BG3's monumental success and maybe reconsider that not all AAA RPGs in this day and age have to play like something designed for a teenager afflicted with ADHD.
The reason I didn't give Baldur's Gate 3 a perfect score is that it felt like it was starting to come apart at the seams by Act 3. I was encountering a fair few bugs at that point. Performance was taking a dip, texture pop in kept rearing its ugly head, the inventory would lag something awful, so on and so forth. Act 3 was such a huge part of the game, and it felt like the team had maybe bit off more than it could chew with that portion of the game. As such, my playthrough did feel like it went on a bit longer than was necessary.
But I digress. For the absurd amount of hours I put into Baldur's Gate 3 and the relief I feel now that it's over, the truth is that some part of me will miss it. I put in a lot of effort to ensure I would get the best ending for everyone. And why? Ultimately because I cared. I loved my companions and truly wanted the best for them. Hence why I did every side quest that was available to me, obsessed over passing ability checks and scoured every square inch of the maps. And when you're that invested in the events of a video game... what higher praise can you offer?
2022
I have two big issues with SIGNALIS. Otherwise, it's mostly excellent.
Those two big issues are...
1. The inventory system. I can't believe at no point does the game offer the player the opportunity to upgrade the amount of inventory slots. You get a measly six, and you always have to carry your flashlight, a weapon and some ammo, so you tend to only have three slots to play around with. And it stays that way, THE WHOLE GAME! The last segment has enemies everywhere, in tight rooms where you simply can't run past them. Often, you have to go to the store cabinet, pick out a weapon fit for the situation, run off and use it, run back to the save room and switch weapons. And that's not even mentioning the many many times I ran out of room to store items, so I'd have to run back to a save room, dump what I had and then run back. It's a pain in the arse and gets really grating towards the end. I understand the devs are trying to mimic the old-school survival horror games of the PS1 era, but the funny part is that early Resident Evil did a better and more balanced job of creating tension through limited inventory space than SIGNALIS does.
2. The story suffers from a typical case of being overly cryptic and vague. You see this all the time in indie games. Developers will often opt for a storytelling aesthetic that leaves most of the events up to the interpretation of the player, but the main reason they do this is to create less work for themselves. Which, y'know, I get, because if only two people are working on a game then obviously money is going to be tight, but the fact of the matter is, SIGNALIS is too ambiguous for its own damn good. By the end credits, I felt like I was none-the-wiser as to what was going on. I had to look up theories on Reddit. This means I was nowhere near as invested as I wanted to be. Silent Hill 2 this ain't.
That's a lot of complaining for a positive score I know. Sorry to focus so much on the negatives, but SIGNALIS could so easily have been a mini-masterpiece. It gets pretty much everything else right. It's a love letter to the classic survival horror games in (mostly) all the right ways. It looks great, it sounds great, it's deeply oppressive (although not particularly scary) and the puzzles are varied, well balanced and satisfying to solve. I had a great time with it.
But it could have been perfect.
Those two big issues are...
1. The inventory system. I can't believe at no point does the game offer the player the opportunity to upgrade the amount of inventory slots. You get a measly six, and you always have to carry your flashlight, a weapon and some ammo, so you tend to only have three slots to play around with. And it stays that way, THE WHOLE GAME! The last segment has enemies everywhere, in tight rooms where you simply can't run past them. Often, you have to go to the store cabinet, pick out a weapon fit for the situation, run off and use it, run back to the save room and switch weapons. And that's not even mentioning the many many times I ran out of room to store items, so I'd have to run back to a save room, dump what I had and then run back. It's a pain in the arse and gets really grating towards the end. I understand the devs are trying to mimic the old-school survival horror games of the PS1 era, but the funny part is that early Resident Evil did a better and more balanced job of creating tension through limited inventory space than SIGNALIS does.
2. The story suffers from a typical case of being overly cryptic and vague. You see this all the time in indie games. Developers will often opt for a storytelling aesthetic that leaves most of the events up to the interpretation of the player, but the main reason they do this is to create less work for themselves. Which, y'know, I get, because if only two people are working on a game then obviously money is going to be tight, but the fact of the matter is, SIGNALIS is too ambiguous for its own damn good. By the end credits, I felt like I was none-the-wiser as to what was going on. I had to look up theories on Reddit. This means I was nowhere near as invested as I wanted to be. Silent Hill 2 this ain't.
That's a lot of complaining for a positive score I know. Sorry to focus so much on the negatives, but SIGNALIS could so easily have been a mini-masterpiece. It gets pretty much everything else right. It's a love letter to the classic survival horror games in (mostly) all the right ways. It looks great, it sounds great, it's deeply oppressive (although not particularly scary) and the puzzles are varied, well balanced and satisfying to solve. I had a great time with it.
But it could have been perfect.
2023
Man, this game just perfectly exemplifies how big the divide is between a 4 star score and a 4 ½ star score, because Lies of P is slap bang right in the middle. Too good for the former, but not quite hitting the heady heights that one would attribute to the latter. The quintessential 8.5 outta 10 if you will.
Lies of P takes heavy inspiration from From Software and the Soulslike genre that Miyazaki and co are recognised for creating. I say "inspiration," but really, that's just a polite way of saying that developer Neowiz have copied the Bloodborne formula wholesale, added a pinch of Sekiro, and used their own nonsensical retelling of Pinocchio as the main means of distinguishing their game from its forebearers. In terms of story, this dark fairytale aesthetic is some bobbins that can safely be glossed over from the onset. NPCs have several longwinded (and very one-sided) conversations with the titular 'P', often droning on long after the player's attention has drifted elsewhere. I was quite happy to ignore the narrative stuff for the most part. Where that aesthetic really comes into its own though is in the visuals and locations. Lies of P has a level of polish and fidelity scarcely seen in a From game. There's little of the technical inadequacies like Bloodborne's infamous frame-pacing issue blighting the experience here. The city of Krat is often handsome to behold, from the glossy and Art Deco-esque hub location to the atmospheric, Parisian cityscapes of the initial chapters. Without resorting to hyperbole, Lies of P could pass as a generation ahead of Elden Ring, but maybe that's not the most fair of comparisons. Point being, it looks pretty dang tight for a game of this genre.
But where the game truly shines is, unsurprisingly, in its core gameplay. As established, Lies of P is cribbing from a long-established formula, but we've seen other developers try and fail to capture that From magic before. Neowiz don't fall victim to being a pale imitator however, and have managed to replicate the much-adored Souls experience to a tee. It's a game that feels inherently satisfying to play on all levels. There's a myriad of different mechanics here, and they all feel good to use after sufficient time spent in the trenches, from the Fable Arts to the Legion Arms to the overall movement. The parrying system is less forgiving than the one found in Sekiro, and the player will quickly realise that spamming the block button isn't a fast track to victory, but put in the practice and learn the enemy combos and it becomes a very viable way of removing huge chunks from your opponent's health bar. It's a tough game, but it's fair (mostly), and in true Souls fashion, it's the boss fights are the undisputed highpoint, frequently straddling the line between exhilarating and stress-inducing and delivering that huge dopamine rush that only comes after toppling a big baddie and removing the barrier to progressing onwards.
It's enough to make you quickly forgive the fact that Lies of P barely has an original bone in its entire body. Rather, there's something oddly heart-warming about a studio, with an unproven track record and hailing from a country that's more known for its MMOs than strong single-player experiences, tackling a genre that's new to them and absolutely knocking it out of the park. South Korea's gaming industry appears to be an emerging international market at this particular point in time, and Lies of P gives me hope that Stellar Blade and Little Devil Inside (and hopefully more of their ilk) will deliver on the expectations set by their strong promotional material once they finally see the light of day.
But seriously though, Little Devil Inside is so cancelled.
Lies of P takes heavy inspiration from From Software and the Soulslike genre that Miyazaki and co are recognised for creating. I say "inspiration," but really, that's just a polite way of saying that developer Neowiz have copied the Bloodborne formula wholesale, added a pinch of Sekiro, and used their own nonsensical retelling of Pinocchio as the main means of distinguishing their game from its forebearers. In terms of story, this dark fairytale aesthetic is some bobbins that can safely be glossed over from the onset. NPCs have several longwinded (and very one-sided) conversations with the titular 'P', often droning on long after the player's attention has drifted elsewhere. I was quite happy to ignore the narrative stuff for the most part. Where that aesthetic really comes into its own though is in the visuals and locations. Lies of P has a level of polish and fidelity scarcely seen in a From game. There's little of the technical inadequacies like Bloodborne's infamous frame-pacing issue blighting the experience here. The city of Krat is often handsome to behold, from the glossy and Art Deco-esque hub location to the atmospheric, Parisian cityscapes of the initial chapters. Without resorting to hyperbole, Lies of P could pass as a generation ahead of Elden Ring, but maybe that's not the most fair of comparisons. Point being, it looks pretty dang tight for a game of this genre.
But where the game truly shines is, unsurprisingly, in its core gameplay. As established, Lies of P is cribbing from a long-established formula, but we've seen other developers try and fail to capture that From magic before. Neowiz don't fall victim to being a pale imitator however, and have managed to replicate the much-adored Souls experience to a tee. It's a game that feels inherently satisfying to play on all levels. There's a myriad of different mechanics here, and they all feel good to use after sufficient time spent in the trenches, from the Fable Arts to the Legion Arms to the overall movement. The parrying system is less forgiving than the one found in Sekiro, and the player will quickly realise that spamming the block button isn't a fast track to victory, but put in the practice and learn the enemy combos and it becomes a very viable way of removing huge chunks from your opponent's health bar. It's a tough game, but it's fair (mostly), and in true Souls fashion, it's the boss fights are the undisputed highpoint, frequently straddling the line between exhilarating and stress-inducing and delivering that huge dopamine rush that only comes after toppling a big baddie and removing the barrier to progressing onwards.
It's enough to make you quickly forgive the fact that Lies of P barely has an original bone in its entire body. Rather, there's something oddly heart-warming about a studio, with an unproven track record and hailing from a country that's more known for its MMOs than strong single-player experiences, tackling a genre that's new to them and absolutely knocking it out of the park. South Korea's gaming industry appears to be an emerging international market at this particular point in time, and Lies of P gives me hope that Stellar Blade and Little Devil Inside (and hopefully more of their ilk) will deliver on the expectations set by their strong promotional material once they finally see the light of day.
But seriously though, Little Devil Inside is so cancelled.
2023
I know the original Resi 4 was considered a game-changer back in the day and caused a storm among anyone with even a passing interest in survival horror, but I wasn't one to heap praise on to it. I did like it, it was a solid 8 outta 10 for me, but its kitchen sink approach to storytelling and tonal whiplash really worked against it for me. It was a game that wanted to be a legit horror experience and a batshit Looney Tunes cartoon at the same time, and that didn't sit right with me. I came for the gameplay, but I sure as hell didn't stay for all the nonsense surrounding it.
This remake goes some way to legitimising Resident Evil 4's core story. While the goofiness remains in places, it manages to be a lot more cohesive in tone. The acting performances across the board are far stronger (with one notable exception), and there are some moments of genuine pathos to be found; a rarity in a franchise that often demands to be taken seriously, but is far easier to laugh at. The adrenaline-pumping second fight against Krauser, the uneasy bromance between Leon and Luis, the mutual respect that Leon and Ashley gradually find for each other - it's all unequivocally improved here. The horror works better, the comedy works better, and the silly absurdities that remain are easier to forgive.
In terms of pure gameplay, it's hard to think of a survival horror that plays better. The original was no slouch in this department, but the remake manages to take everything that worked before and refine it to perfection. Tackling the hordes of enemies that swamp Leon from all directions, the strangely addictive inventory management mini-game that is Leon's suitcase, the shooting gallery that showcases just how fundamentally satisfying the controls are... REmake 4 really is a joy to play from start to finish.
If I have any qualms, it's that Ada and Leon don't have near the same kind of chemistry in this that they had in REmake 2. How much of that is specifically down to the much-maligned acting performance of Ada's new actress I don't know. Maybe she received bad direction during recording. Maybe the devs missed an opportunity to flesh out her character more this time around. I get that Ada Wong is meant to be a morally-dubious ice queen, but all her lines are delivered with a wooden, almost lifeless quality. It's a shame, because the interplay between Leon and Ada was an undeniable highlight of REmake 2, and I would've liked to see that built upon. Also, the merchant never shuts up. He just keeps on prattling on, and by the second half of the game I had enough of hearing him repeat the same lines over and over again.
Those are mere nit-picks though. If REmake 4 doesn't quite represent the high-water mark of the entire franchise (that honour is still bestowed upon REmake 2), then it comes incredibly close at least.
This remake goes some way to legitimising Resident Evil 4's core story. While the goofiness remains in places, it manages to be a lot more cohesive in tone. The acting performances across the board are far stronger (with one notable exception), and there are some moments of genuine pathos to be found; a rarity in a franchise that often demands to be taken seriously, but is far easier to laugh at. The adrenaline-pumping second fight against Krauser, the uneasy bromance between Leon and Luis, the mutual respect that Leon and Ashley gradually find for each other - it's all unequivocally improved here. The horror works better, the comedy works better, and the silly absurdities that remain are easier to forgive.
In terms of pure gameplay, it's hard to think of a survival horror that plays better. The original was no slouch in this department, but the remake manages to take everything that worked before and refine it to perfection. Tackling the hordes of enemies that swamp Leon from all directions, the strangely addictive inventory management mini-game that is Leon's suitcase, the shooting gallery that showcases just how fundamentally satisfying the controls are... REmake 4 really is a joy to play from start to finish.
If I have any qualms, it's that Ada and Leon don't have near the same kind of chemistry in this that they had in REmake 2. How much of that is specifically down to the much-maligned acting performance of Ada's new actress I don't know. Maybe she received bad direction during recording. Maybe the devs missed an opportunity to flesh out her character more this time around. I get that Ada Wong is meant to be a morally-dubious ice queen, but all her lines are delivered with a wooden, almost lifeless quality. It's a shame, because the interplay between Leon and Ada was an undeniable highlight of REmake 2, and I would've liked to see that built upon. Also, the merchant never shuts up. He just keeps on prattling on, and by the second half of the game I had enough of hearing him repeat the same lines over and over again.
Those are mere nit-picks though. If REmake 4 doesn't quite represent the high-water mark of the entire franchise (that honour is still bestowed upon REmake 2), then it comes incredibly close at least.
Peak stealth gameplay. Maybe the best all-time espionage video game. It feels great to slink about in the shadows trying your best to be a ghost and Michael Ironside is effortlessly entertaining as Sam Fisher.
Ubisoft don't make 'em like this anymore.
Ubisoft don't make 'em like this anymore.
1998
Sometimes the true beauty of something is revealed in its simplicity. The first Spyro didn't have minigames and it didn't have a revolving cast of shitty friends. You freed your dragon elders and you collected gems. That was pretty much it. And it worked. The visuals are gorgeous and vibrant (for a PS1 game), Stewart Copeland's score is transfixing, and the whole thing has a magical and relaxed air to it. It's safe and comfy and cosy and everything has a warm hue to it.
A game that does so much with relatively little.
A game that does so much with relatively little.
Absolute rubbish. It's not remotely scary, the themes and execution are heavy-handed as hell, and the writing across the board is juvenile at best. Worst of all are the live-action cutscenes that feature the worst dubbing I've seen since watching a VHS copy of John Woo's Hard Boiled back in the 90s as a wee nipper. Konami's attempt at reviving the Silent Hill IP is going to fall flat on its face if this, Ascension and that trailer for SH2 at the SoP are anything to go by.
Actually no, worst of all is the final chase sequence that elicits raw frustration more than anything resembling fear or panic. You have to run around in a maze avoiding the world's unscariest monster, and collect five random mahoojiggies in order to open the way forward. It is awful.
P.T. this ain't.
Actually no, worst of all is the final chase sequence that elicits raw frustration more than anything resembling fear or panic. You have to run around in a maze avoiding the world's unscariest monster, and collect five random mahoojiggies in order to open the way forward. It is awful.
P.T. this ain't.
If you're going into this thinking it'll be a chill underwater simulator along the lines of Aquanaut's Holiday or Endless Ocean, then I have some advice for you... don't! B.L.U.E. Legend of Water is an adventure game that has you alternating between wandering around a base that's out in the middle of the ocean and chatting with its denizens, and investigating a series of 'dungeons' in which you solve puzzles, dodge environmental hazards and generally try to avoid drowning by using air pockets to fill your lungs full of precious oxygen. It's a very silly game. The main character never brings any equipment with her on these underwater expeditions. She just relies entirely on her lungs to save her from drowning. The archaeological ruins that serve as the core of the game's exploration tend to be found just half a minute's swim from the surface. And the last hour of the campaign? Don't get me started. Remember the utter stupidity that Quantic Dream's Fahrenheit devolves into in the last act of its story? B.L.U.E. does something similar. It goes full sci-fi and in doing so, it goes full r...idiculous.
I think this game would've benefited a lot from toning down the more dramatic elements and just going for a more slice-of-life angle to its story.
I think this game would've benefited a lot from toning down the more dramatic elements and just going for a more slice-of-life angle to its story.
2017
Wore out its welcome long before the end for me. The simplistic combat mechanics didn't justify playing beyond Route A. And Route B relies on a hacking mini-game that is zero fun to play, not to mention the heaps of repeated content to slog through. The story grows increasingly scattershot and has a lack of focus. By Route C it's just a bunch of nonsense flying out in all directions.
Bobbins game. It's nowhere near as good as Yoko Taro's acolytes would have you believe.
Bobbins game. It's nowhere near as good as Yoko Taro's acolytes would have you believe.
2000
Fear Effect is probably my all-time favourite survival horror. Experiencing it back in the year it came out was such a trip. Just an utterly bonkers story that veers into places you would never expect based on the first hour or so. And at that point, I don't think I had ever played a game with multiple protagonists where very bad things happen to some of them during the course of the story. There's a scene involving one of the main characters, the villain and a sword that had my jaw on the floor my first playthrough.
Had a really interesting brand of horror all of its own as well. Wasn't campy like Resi and wasn't deeply psychological like Silent Hill. It was more... mondo. Insanely gory and borderline nihilistic. Wasn't exactly a scary game per se, but the cartoonish visuals and violent content created such a fucked up and eerie discordance.
Great sequel as well. Shame the franchise went to hell since then. No pun intended.
Had a really interesting brand of horror all of its own as well. Wasn't campy like Resi and wasn't deeply psychological like Silent Hill. It was more... mondo. Insanely gory and borderline nihilistic. Wasn't exactly a scary game per se, but the cartoonish visuals and violent content created such a fucked up and eerie discordance.
Great sequel as well. Shame the franchise went to hell since then. No pun intended.
2006
Brisk, wholesome, cute, sporadically funny and about as deep as a puddle. A fun, if superficial, rhythm game that commits the cardinal sin of not having its own original music and instead relies on lesser cover versions of well known songs. Can't say I was thrilled about that.
2001
In my opinion, the scariest game ever made. There's a vibe to this game that's unexplainable. It feels inherently evil and unholy. Like Insane Clown Posse say in their post-modern hit song 'Miracles' - it's just there in the air. Sure, the gameplay is nothing to ring home about, some of the puzzles are overly obtuse and the acting can occasionally be unintentionally amusing. But this game has it where it counts and in spades, and that's seriously unsettling vibes. The part where you step outside and the entire town is covered in pitch black darkness still fucks me up to this day.