AlexTheGerman
Pros:
+ the overworld has a clean design and traversal is mostly seamless
+ the prologue is an intriguing counterpoint to the fantasy setting
+ very stable technical performance that vastly improves on the original
+ the character design is memorable, even if Kainé is hyper-sexualized
+ great voice acting by a fitting cast that is even better than the Japanese version
+ overworld dialogue is humorous and perfectly tailored to each specific event
+ items are limited to only useful ones and using them in combat is quick and easy
+ the camera changing to 2D in buildings is a great idea and well implemented
+ the changes in perspective and playstyles liven up the gameplay
+ combat is a unique combination of physical and magical attack options
+ missable side quests can be obtained from an NPC in the main hub town
+ boss fights are true highlights and range from bullet hell to puzzle challenges
+ the various endings recontextualise the story in sometimes revealing ways
+ the new ending in this version wraps up the plot in a creative and satisfying way
+ the voiced soundtrack is unique and most tracks will stay with you ...
Cons:
- ... but their constant presence is tedious and the vocals can get grating
- the color palette tends towards brownish grey and the general look is washed out
- the story is good but told in a convulted and incomplete style
- characters have great moments but no arcs: conflicts are introduced and solved simultaneously
- character memories are walls of text that talk about instead of showing the action
- the urgency of the story is at odds with the leisurely gameplay and pacing
- dialogue during boss fights cannot be skipped and boss's health pools are artificially extended
- diary entries on loading screen are a nice idea but repeat too frequently
- side quests sometimes lead to moral conundrums but are mostly boring fetch quests
- dungeons and landscapes are incredibly boring and lack suprises, loot or secrets
- the general difficulty is far too low and no battle feels actually challenging
- the combat system is fluid but shallow and common fights drag on forever
- weapon types make no functional difference in combat
- leveling up has no baring on gameplay and allows for absolutely no customisation
- there are only three towns with mostly mindless inhabitants
- invisible walls are arbitrary and render navigation in towns confusing
- fishing is joyless but takes forever and is far too important for too many quests
- gardening is tedious and tied to a real-world countdown
- tutorials are two-line sentences that just appear randomly during combat
- party members are useless in combat, but at least they are invincible
- the mid-game time jump comes out of nowhere and makes solving early quests impossible
- time jump changes nothing substantial about the world (even the rubble in town is still there)
- not all dialogue, cutscenes and none of the credit sequences are skippable on later runs
- the more revealing endings are locked behind expensive and/or missable items
- there is no indication for what scenes and elements are new to each playthrough and ending
- taken as a whole, the endings offer little value for the amount of time they require
- some trophy descriptions spoil later parts of the game
Best Character: It has to be Kainé and her foul mouth, even if her design is blatantly sexist.
Best Setpiece: The haunted ship and the subsequent fight. Especially on later playthroughs.Magic Moments: The true ending. Entering the haunted ship for the first time and actually being surprised by the dense atmosphere and change in style. Entering the Junk Heap for the 10th time, questioning my life choices and feeling a single outstretched hand: "You already have optained the item Memory Alloy".
Blahgic Moment: Seeing the additonal scenes again and again on subsequent playthroughs and realizing that I need to learn how to effectively button mash.
Playtime: 26 hours at level 32 for all quests, all possible weapons, and some farming and upgrading for the first playthrough. Roughly 2,5-3 additional hours for each subsequent playthrough. 40 hours at level 40 combined for all endings and quests except that one shitty farming quest.
Verdict:
Like its lead designer, NieR has a reputation as an odd game, and rightfully so. In fact, it's perhaps one of the oddest that I have ever played and reviewed. At times, it feels like Yoko Taro and his team set out to make a modern epic but never found the time to play a recent Zelda; Ocarina of Time basically does everything better than this game, including the mid-game twist and its effect on the world, but that game came out 12 years prior. In many ways, Toylogic shot for the moon before working on the basics of their game; instead of designing progress around exploration, puzzle solving and increasingly complex combat options, they chose to design all elements of their game around mindless repetition and bland action. It cannot be overstated that the combat is shallow and wholly unsatisfying, the gameplay is limited to a handful of verbs, the quests are tedious and forgettable, the story is good but badly told and the overworld is quite possibly the most barren, unfun hub area created during the 2010s. And yet, the slow revelation of the story through the multiple endings, various heartfelt character moments, a dense atmosphere, and some incredible voice acting frequently converge into weirdly satisfying moments of awe and emotional depth.
However, all elements considered, the bad aspects sadly outhweigh the good ones, and it is very difficult to recommend anyone to sit through hours upon hours of running forwards for a few remarkable moments per playthrough (which can easily be looked up on online). The guys from "Watch Out For Fireballs" called the game a "gemmed flaw" instead of a flawed gem because of this severe imbalance, and that is why I argue against playing this.
If you feel like you have to play this regardless to spite me or because you are a fan of NieR Automata, this is my strongly recommended way of playing:
1. Ignore the trophies.
2. Avoid spoilers at all costs. There is absolutely no point in playing this if you know the twists.
3. Play on easy difficulty. It changes nothing about the story or the trophies but speeds up progress, and the game is far too easy at every difficulty.
4. Follow a guide to spend as little time as possible to get all endings. Shuffle around the save files for maximum efficiency.
5. Memorize which scenes to skip on subsequent playthroughs and develop a sense for whenever new elements are introduced.
6. Ignore most, if not all side quests. You need money for late game progress, but there are combat options available at a certain point.
7. Don't upgrade your weapons. Don't spend time on fishing or gardening. In fact, ignore everything not related to the main quest.
8. Memorize the quickest way through areas like the Junk Heap. Don't pick up collectibles aside from weapons. Look up their locations.
9. Use your items and edit your words as soon as get them to get through fights quicker. Memorize the answers and grasp the logic of the text riddles.
10. Seriously, ignore the damn trophies! Don't be the guy who farmed for materials for 20 hours on end for a blinking icon. Time is short and you will die one day.
+ the overworld has a clean design and traversal is mostly seamless
+ the prologue is an intriguing counterpoint to the fantasy setting
+ very stable technical performance that vastly improves on the original
+ the character design is memorable, even if Kainé is hyper-sexualized
+ great voice acting by a fitting cast that is even better than the Japanese version
+ overworld dialogue is humorous and perfectly tailored to each specific event
+ items are limited to only useful ones and using them in combat is quick and easy
+ the camera changing to 2D in buildings is a great idea and well implemented
+ the changes in perspective and playstyles liven up the gameplay
+ combat is a unique combination of physical and magical attack options
+ missable side quests can be obtained from an NPC in the main hub town
+ boss fights are true highlights and range from bullet hell to puzzle challenges
+ the various endings recontextualise the story in sometimes revealing ways
+ the new ending in this version wraps up the plot in a creative and satisfying way
+ the voiced soundtrack is unique and most tracks will stay with you ...
Cons:
- ... but their constant presence is tedious and the vocals can get grating
- the color palette tends towards brownish grey and the general look is washed out
- the story is good but told in a convulted and incomplete style
- characters have great moments but no arcs: conflicts are introduced and solved simultaneously
- character memories are walls of text that talk about instead of showing the action
- the urgency of the story is at odds with the leisurely gameplay and pacing
- dialogue during boss fights cannot be skipped and boss's health pools are artificially extended
- diary entries on loading screen are a nice idea but repeat too frequently
- side quests sometimes lead to moral conundrums but are mostly boring fetch quests
- dungeons and landscapes are incredibly boring and lack suprises, loot or secrets
- the general difficulty is far too low and no battle feels actually challenging
- the combat system is fluid but shallow and common fights drag on forever
- weapon types make no functional difference in combat
- leveling up has no baring on gameplay and allows for absolutely no customisation
- there are only three towns with mostly mindless inhabitants
- invisible walls are arbitrary and render navigation in towns confusing
- fishing is joyless but takes forever and is far too important for too many quests
- gardening is tedious and tied to a real-world countdown
- tutorials are two-line sentences that just appear randomly during combat
- party members are useless in combat, but at least they are invincible
- the mid-game time jump comes out of nowhere and makes solving early quests impossible
- time jump changes nothing substantial about the world (even the rubble in town is still there)
- not all dialogue, cutscenes and none of the credit sequences are skippable on later runs
- the more revealing endings are locked behind expensive and/or missable items
- there is no indication for what scenes and elements are new to each playthrough and ending
- taken as a whole, the endings offer little value for the amount of time they require
- some trophy descriptions spoil later parts of the game
Best Character: It has to be Kainé and her foul mouth, even if her design is blatantly sexist.
Best Setpiece: The haunted ship and the subsequent fight. Especially on later playthroughs.Magic Moments: The true ending. Entering the haunted ship for the first time and actually being surprised by the dense atmosphere and change in style. Entering the Junk Heap for the 10th time, questioning my life choices and feeling a single outstretched hand: "You already have optained the item Memory Alloy".
Blahgic Moment: Seeing the additonal scenes again and again on subsequent playthroughs and realizing that I need to learn how to effectively button mash.
Playtime: 26 hours at level 32 for all quests, all possible weapons, and some farming and upgrading for the first playthrough. Roughly 2,5-3 additional hours for each subsequent playthrough. 40 hours at level 40 combined for all endings and quests except that one shitty farming quest.
Verdict:
Like its lead designer, NieR has a reputation as an odd game, and rightfully so. In fact, it's perhaps one of the oddest that I have ever played and reviewed. At times, it feels like Yoko Taro and his team set out to make a modern epic but never found the time to play a recent Zelda; Ocarina of Time basically does everything better than this game, including the mid-game twist and its effect on the world, but that game came out 12 years prior. In many ways, Toylogic shot for the moon before working on the basics of their game; instead of designing progress around exploration, puzzle solving and increasingly complex combat options, they chose to design all elements of their game around mindless repetition and bland action. It cannot be overstated that the combat is shallow and wholly unsatisfying, the gameplay is limited to a handful of verbs, the quests are tedious and forgettable, the story is good but badly told and the overworld is quite possibly the most barren, unfun hub area created during the 2010s. And yet, the slow revelation of the story through the multiple endings, various heartfelt character moments, a dense atmosphere, and some incredible voice acting frequently converge into weirdly satisfying moments of awe and emotional depth.
However, all elements considered, the bad aspects sadly outhweigh the good ones, and it is very difficult to recommend anyone to sit through hours upon hours of running forwards for a few remarkable moments per playthrough (which can easily be looked up on online). The guys from "Watch Out For Fireballs" called the game a "gemmed flaw" instead of a flawed gem because of this severe imbalance, and that is why I argue against playing this.
If you feel like you have to play this regardless to spite me or because you are a fan of NieR Automata, this is my strongly recommended way of playing:
1. Ignore the trophies.
2. Avoid spoilers at all costs. There is absolutely no point in playing this if you know the twists.
3. Play on easy difficulty. It changes nothing about the story or the trophies but speeds up progress, and the game is far too easy at every difficulty.
4. Follow a guide to spend as little time as possible to get all endings. Shuffle around the save files for maximum efficiency.
5. Memorize which scenes to skip on subsequent playthroughs and develop a sense for whenever new elements are introduced.
6. Ignore most, if not all side quests. You need money for late game progress, but there are combat options available at a certain point.
7. Don't upgrade your weapons. Don't spend time on fishing or gardening. In fact, ignore everything not related to the main quest.
8. Memorize the quickest way through areas like the Junk Heap. Don't pick up collectibles aside from weapons. Look up their locations.
9. Use your items and edit your words as soon as get them to get through fights quicker. Memorize the answers and grasp the logic of the text riddles.
10. Seriously, ignore the damn trophies! Don't be the guy who farmed for materials for 20 hours on end for a blinking icon. Time is short and you will die one day.
1988
Pros:
+ a huge overworld with hidden secrets and a revolutionary approach to progression
+ three-fold gameplay of tank, on foot and overhead action is unique and seamless
+ all levels have their own visual character and hold specific challenges
+ equipment upgrades noticeably change the gameplay and movement options
+ enemies do not respawn and pickups do not disappear after exiting a screen
+ re-entering areas and upgrading weapons as needed is possible
+ health of the main character can be replenished by entering the tank
+ boss fights can be retried again right away
+ controls on foot as well as in the tank are tight and even make strafing possible ...
Cons:
- ... except for the one-hit fall damage on foot that leads to cheap deaths
- continues are secretely limited and their amount is kept from the player
- no save or password system leads to a lot of frustration on death
- losing health and gun power on hit is a frustrating double punishment
- navigating the overworld and knowing where to go is difficult
- entering non-boss areas on foot for upgrades is basically a waste of time
- chances for finding hover and health pickups is not equally distributed
- backgrounds are lifeless and not animated
- grenades are apparently useless (this might be an issue with my emulator)
- late stage bosses appear to have RNG attacks
Magic Moment: Returning to the first screen of the game and realizing that progress was always in plain sight.
Playtime: Roughly 5 hours before dying in the final level and deciding that I was satisfied. Played on a shoddy NES emulator without save states originally released on Playstation 1 but repackaged for Playstation 4. I know.
Verdict:
As someone who grew up without a NES, this is one of those classic games that seems to have become synonymous with the success of Nintendo's first console. From a contemporary perspective, that fascination is easily understood: the controls are tight, the action is difficult without ever becoming unfair, the overworld traversal is engaging and the progression through a complex overworld in search of permanent upgrades predated the modern codification of Metroidvanias. At the same time, the lack of a save feature and the severe punishment of being hit by an enemy leads to a lot of frustration and requires memorisation of level layouts and enemy behaviors (at least when playing this without save states). Despite this criticism, playing Blaster Master still holds a lot of entertainment and gives insights into the origin of what would become an entire series of action games that is till going strong to this day.
Play this once if you want to know what the fuss is about, but an emulator is mandatory.
+ a huge overworld with hidden secrets and a revolutionary approach to progression
+ three-fold gameplay of tank, on foot and overhead action is unique and seamless
+ all levels have their own visual character and hold specific challenges
+ equipment upgrades noticeably change the gameplay and movement options
+ enemies do not respawn and pickups do not disappear after exiting a screen
+ re-entering areas and upgrading weapons as needed is possible
+ health of the main character can be replenished by entering the tank
+ boss fights can be retried again right away
+ controls on foot as well as in the tank are tight and even make strafing possible ...
Cons:
- ... except for the one-hit fall damage on foot that leads to cheap deaths
- continues are secretely limited and their amount is kept from the player
- no save or password system leads to a lot of frustration on death
- losing health and gun power on hit is a frustrating double punishment
- navigating the overworld and knowing where to go is difficult
- entering non-boss areas on foot for upgrades is basically a waste of time
- chances for finding hover and health pickups is not equally distributed
- backgrounds are lifeless and not animated
- grenades are apparently useless (this might be an issue with my emulator)
- late stage bosses appear to have RNG attacks
Magic Moment: Returning to the first screen of the game and realizing that progress was always in plain sight.
Playtime: Roughly 5 hours before dying in the final level and deciding that I was satisfied. Played on a shoddy NES emulator without save states originally released on Playstation 1 but repackaged for Playstation 4. I know.
Verdict:
As someone who grew up without a NES, this is one of those classic games that seems to have become synonymous with the success of Nintendo's first console. From a contemporary perspective, that fascination is easily understood: the controls are tight, the action is difficult without ever becoming unfair, the overworld traversal is engaging and the progression through a complex overworld in search of permanent upgrades predated the modern codification of Metroidvanias. At the same time, the lack of a save feature and the severe punishment of being hit by an enemy leads to a lot of frustration and requires memorisation of level layouts and enemy behaviors (at least when playing this without save states). Despite this criticism, playing Blaster Master still holds a lot of entertainment and gives insights into the origin of what would become an entire series of action games that is till going strong to this day.
Play this once if you want to know what the fuss is about, but an emulator is mandatory.
2014
Pros:
+ fresh central idea with unique puzzle designs
+ interface and controls are clean and transparent
+ art style and architecture never detract from the puzzles
+ a well-tampered difficulty curve steadily introduces new elements
+ many puzzles have various solutions (and some can be brute forced)
+ anti-frustration features like placement icons are perfectly implemented
+ not all puzzles have to be solved at any given time to progress
+ hint system is rooted in the story as well as the world design
+ a lot of hidden puzzles and easter eggs to uncover
+ bite-sized reveal of the story is engaging and motivating
+ music never gets annoying, even after hours of play
+ voice of Elohim is perfectly cast and sparingly guides the player
+ story is intricate and lots of food for thought
+ the QR code leaflets throughout the world tell their own story
+ Alexandra Drennan audiologs are amazingly written and acted
+ the final quest to ascend is exhilarating and brings all elements together
+ backup system allows to explore more endings after beating the game
Cons:
- not all endings are equally satisfying and one important Milton variant is not telegraphed
- not all elements of the puzzles are adequately introduced (boxes on orbs?)
- some of the final puzzles require pixel perfect placement
- puzzles involving the recording mechanism are often mind-bendingly difficult
- 2D Tetris puzzles can only be brute forced and get tedious fast
- the amount of texts and documents in the terminals can get overwhelming
- terminal discussions with Milton often lead to annoying "gotcha" moments
- the DLC is just more of the same but with a brutal difficulty
Magic Moment: Finding a hidden element behind wooden planks in the hub area and realizing how much there is to explore.
Best Puzzle element: The trusty jammer (in combination with the turrets).
Playtime: 16 Hours. All main puzzles, 50% of stars, a handful of solutions looked up online and two main endings explored. DLC explored for some time but shortly abandoned.
Verdict:
Who would have guessed that CroTeam, famous for creating one of the most mindless FPS series and protagonists in Serious Sam, would one day create one of the best 3D puzzle games in recent memory? Not only are the presentation, controls, interface, and world design perfectly tailored to emphasize the puzzles and their solutions, the team have also created an engaging science-fiction story about the nature and fate of our species that is not only told in text form, but also with the help of incredible audiologs that stayed with me long after the credits had rolled. This technique of slowly revealing the truth at the heart of the tale is engaging enough to overcome even the most difficult challenges, and the hint system and possibility to enter and leave puzzles at any time preclude any lasting frustration. Finally, The Talos Principle never overstays its welcome, while also holding enough secrets and optional puzzles for anyone interested in exploring this world beyond solving its main puzzles.
These perfectly tailored systems converge into an entertaining and ultimately human experience that should be played by everyone interested not only in 3D puzzles, but also the philosophy of mind and the ultimate fate of humanity in light of our craving for creation and destruction.
+ fresh central idea with unique puzzle designs
+ interface and controls are clean and transparent
+ art style and architecture never detract from the puzzles
+ a well-tampered difficulty curve steadily introduces new elements
+ many puzzles have various solutions (and some can be brute forced)
+ anti-frustration features like placement icons are perfectly implemented
+ not all puzzles have to be solved at any given time to progress
+ hint system is rooted in the story as well as the world design
+ a lot of hidden puzzles and easter eggs to uncover
+ bite-sized reveal of the story is engaging and motivating
+ music never gets annoying, even after hours of play
+ voice of Elohim is perfectly cast and sparingly guides the player
+ story is intricate and lots of food for thought
+ the QR code leaflets throughout the world tell their own story
+ Alexandra Drennan audiologs are amazingly written and acted
+ the final quest to ascend is exhilarating and brings all elements together
+ backup system allows to explore more endings after beating the game
Cons:
- not all endings are equally satisfying and one important Milton variant is not telegraphed
- not all elements of the puzzles are adequately introduced (boxes on orbs?)
- some of the final puzzles require pixel perfect placement
- puzzles involving the recording mechanism are often mind-bendingly difficult
- 2D Tetris puzzles can only be brute forced and get tedious fast
- the amount of texts and documents in the terminals can get overwhelming
- terminal discussions with Milton often lead to annoying "gotcha" moments
- the DLC is just more of the same but with a brutal difficulty
Magic Moment: Finding a hidden element behind wooden planks in the hub area and realizing how much there is to explore.
Best Puzzle element: The trusty jammer (in combination with the turrets).
Playtime: 16 Hours. All main puzzles, 50% of stars, a handful of solutions looked up online and two main endings explored. DLC explored for some time but shortly abandoned.
Verdict:
Who would have guessed that CroTeam, famous for creating one of the most mindless FPS series and protagonists in Serious Sam, would one day create one of the best 3D puzzle games in recent memory? Not only are the presentation, controls, interface, and world design perfectly tailored to emphasize the puzzles and their solutions, the team have also created an engaging science-fiction story about the nature and fate of our species that is not only told in text form, but also with the help of incredible audiologs that stayed with me long after the credits had rolled. This technique of slowly revealing the truth at the heart of the tale is engaging enough to overcome even the most difficult challenges, and the hint system and possibility to enter and leave puzzles at any time preclude any lasting frustration. Finally, The Talos Principle never overstays its welcome, while also holding enough secrets and optional puzzles for anyone interested in exploring this world beyond solving its main puzzles.
These perfectly tailored systems converge into an entertaining and ultimately human experience that should be played by everyone interested not only in 3D puzzles, but also the philosophy of mind and the ultimate fate of humanity in light of our craving for creation and destruction.
1997
Pros:
+ tells a consequential story full of existential themes
+ timeless pixel art style with beautiful effects and pretty sprites
+ the overworld is smartly designed to be incrementally explored
+ progress in the overworld is always explicitely tied to progress in the story
+ main dungeons are long, complex, and intricately designed
+ relation between internal and external architecture of dungeons feels organic
+ dream exploration element is unique and carries surprising psychological depth
+ dream scenarios are tailored to their respective events and characters in the story
+ combat feels punchy and weapon effect are varied
+ bosses are diverse and their designs are memorable
+ puzzles are difficult but varied, ranging from logic to time based puzzles and beyond
+ collectable equipment is actually worth it and makes the game noticeably easier
+ the central town is constantly changing and its inhabitants are evolving with the story
+ fortune teller in town offers an organic guidance system
+ the outro movie is a fun send off and feels like an actual prize for beating the game
Cons:
- the difficulty of all gameplay elements is infamously brutal
- progress in dungeons is sometimes tied to imperceptible elements of the scenery
- perspective can be confusing and some jumping challenges require pixel perfect timing
- dialogue is extensive, slow and can only be fast forwarded with a button press ...
- ... while finished dialogue windows close by themselves, even if they explain puzzles
- bombs are the most effective weapon for large parts of the game
- there is no (easily acessable) map of the overworld
- the warp system is pretty well hidden and usually saves little time
- bosses are damage sponges and take forever to kill
- some collectables are missable without warning
- shops and their economy do not work: items are either too cheap or too expensive
- soundtrack is so-so, with tracks like the overworld theme becoming grating quickly
- sound effect design is awful; weapons have no punch and enemy grunts sound terrible
- Alundra himself is a boring silent protagonist with the most 90s anime design
- Working Design translation is full of awful pop-culture references, blunders and non-sequiturs
- vague English puzzle descriptions makes solving them more difficult
- translation team was arrogant enough to put themselves first in the credits
Best Dungeon: Lake Shrine / Exterior. Much more intricate than it seems at first.
Worst Dungeon: Fairy Shrine. The underwater jump mechanics are cool but navigation gets tedious.
Worst Puzzle: The famous "saints order" puzzle in the crypt early on. Almost impossible to discern due to the terrible translation.
Magic Moment: Finally solving one of the tough ice pillar puzzles and getting a powerful weapon as a prize.
Playtime: 27 Hours with all dungeons and 45 Falcons, played in PS1 emulator on PS4.
Verdict:
Even after over 20 years, Alundra has lost almost nothing of its initial appeal: its puzzles are challenging and varied as ever, the action is brutally difficult but always engaging, and the story offers enough twists and turns to keep at it for the extensive playtime of almost 30 hours. Even to people like me, who played it shortly after it came out, this is still an involving experience, that - not least thanks to its timeless pixel charme and character design - has lost nothing of its quality, and is still one of the best Zelda-likes you can play on any Sony console. You should consider turning off the sound, though, because that particular element of the game has certainly not aged well and is a definitive flaw in an otherwise great package.
Playing this once is a treat for any fan of the action-adventure genre. Considering the brutal difficulty of the game as a whole, however, playing this on an emulator with the rewind feature or save states at close hand is highly recommended (unless you really want to test the limits of your patience).
+ tells a consequential story full of existential themes
+ timeless pixel art style with beautiful effects and pretty sprites
+ the overworld is smartly designed to be incrementally explored
+ progress in the overworld is always explicitely tied to progress in the story
+ main dungeons are long, complex, and intricately designed
+ relation between internal and external architecture of dungeons feels organic
+ dream exploration element is unique and carries surprising psychological depth
+ dream scenarios are tailored to their respective events and characters in the story
+ combat feels punchy and weapon effect are varied
+ bosses are diverse and their designs are memorable
+ puzzles are difficult but varied, ranging from logic to time based puzzles and beyond
+ collectable equipment is actually worth it and makes the game noticeably easier
+ the central town is constantly changing and its inhabitants are evolving with the story
+ fortune teller in town offers an organic guidance system
+ the outro movie is a fun send off and feels like an actual prize for beating the game
Cons:
- the difficulty of all gameplay elements is infamously brutal
- progress in dungeons is sometimes tied to imperceptible elements of the scenery
- perspective can be confusing and some jumping challenges require pixel perfect timing
- dialogue is extensive, slow and can only be fast forwarded with a button press ...
- ... while finished dialogue windows close by themselves, even if they explain puzzles
- bombs are the most effective weapon for large parts of the game
- there is no (easily acessable) map of the overworld
- the warp system is pretty well hidden and usually saves little time
- bosses are damage sponges and take forever to kill
- some collectables are missable without warning
- shops and their economy do not work: items are either too cheap or too expensive
- soundtrack is so-so, with tracks like the overworld theme becoming grating quickly
- sound effect design is awful; weapons have no punch and enemy grunts sound terrible
- Alundra himself is a boring silent protagonist with the most 90s anime design
- Working Design translation is full of awful pop-culture references, blunders and non-sequiturs
- vague English puzzle descriptions makes solving them more difficult
- translation team was arrogant enough to put themselves first in the credits
Best Dungeon: Lake Shrine / Exterior. Much more intricate than it seems at first.
Worst Dungeon: Fairy Shrine. The underwater jump mechanics are cool but navigation gets tedious.
Worst Puzzle: The famous "saints order" puzzle in the crypt early on. Almost impossible to discern due to the terrible translation.
Magic Moment: Finally solving one of the tough ice pillar puzzles and getting a powerful weapon as a prize.
Playtime: 27 Hours with all dungeons and 45 Falcons, played in PS1 emulator on PS4.
Verdict:
Even after over 20 years, Alundra has lost almost nothing of its initial appeal: its puzzles are challenging and varied as ever, the action is brutally difficult but always engaging, and the story offers enough twists and turns to keep at it for the extensive playtime of almost 30 hours. Even to people like me, who played it shortly after it came out, this is still an involving experience, that - not least thanks to its timeless pixel charme and character design - has lost nothing of its quality, and is still one of the best Zelda-likes you can play on any Sony console. You should consider turning off the sound, though, because that particular element of the game has certainly not aged well and is a definitive flaw in an otherwise great package.
Playing this once is a treat for any fan of the action-adventure genre. Considering the brutal difficulty of the game as a whole, however, playing this on an emulator with the rewind feature or save states at close hand is highly recommended (unless you really want to test the limits of your patience).
2019
Pros:
+ the progenitor of the modern deck builder roguelike
+ addictive gameplay loop of risk and reward
+ card based system allows for building infinitely novel decks and strategies
+ systems and interactions are quick to learn but hard to master
+ energy system is an inspired choice for the combat design
+ map generation system usually creates a number of viable routes
+ bosses of each floor are visible from the beginning and allow for preparation
+ information on the map and all card piles are available at any moment
+ the four chracters play entirely differently and have their own decks
+ unlockable cards and reclics are motivating elements
+ card interactions are visually emphasized
+ relics and potions can modify all elements of gameplay
+ event rooms are always interesting and rich in variety
+ one event room in particular allows interactions between runs
+ requisites needed to unlock the final boss are smartly implemented
+ trophies are used to imply different ways of playing
+ enemy behavior is not entirely random, making preparation for fights possible
+ relation between randomness and strategical action is smartly designed ...
Cons:
- ... but the general difficulty is frustratingly high throughout
- low-quality watercolor graphics and enemy designs lack polish
- animations and the visual impact of cards on enemies are either non-existent or subpar
- runs can suddenly end because of a lost coin flip
- one relic draw can make or break a run
- some boss relics are useless and make winning effectively impossible
- relics and potions cannot be sold, relics cannot be discarded
- keeping track of relic effects often gets too complex and confusing
- upgrading cards is often not all that effective
- due to enemies' damage increase, fights are effectively on a timer
- some enemies can use two actions in a single turn
- small mistakes at the beginning can cascade to unwinnable boss fight
- unlocking the final boss is time consuming and artificially extends the playtime
- not all characters are equally effective in defeating specific challenges
- at over 70-80 minutes, runs often feel too long
- glitches in internal logic: relic attacks don't trigger proper enemy response (see birds in Act 2)
- technical performance is choopy, including frequent slowdowns when using or getting certain cards
- the music is not made for hours of playing at a time, but you will probably turn it off anyway
Magic Moment: Using a potion to use an attack card twice and just obliterating a tough enemy in a single turn.
Best Character: The Watcher, the tactical options provided by the stance system are rich and satisfying.
Playtime: More than I would like to admit, beat the full game at base difficulty with 2 out of 4 characters.
Verdict:
Slay the Spire is without doubt a phenomenon. As perhaps the first major deck builder roguelike, the team practically invented the card based combat system that countless others have copied since the game's release in 2019. The different decks for the four characters allow for an astronomical amount of combat strategies and interactions, and the makers managed to create the feeling of being in control of the action despite the inherent randomness of a card based system. Still, even when the "one more run" loop kicks in, the generally brutal difficulty of Slay the Spire and the constant influence of the butterfly effect leads to a lot of frustration and wasted runs that are also too much dependent on relics and specific potions.
Sure, some copycats might have improved on the design of Slay the Spire and especially on its subpar presentation, but cannot go wrong with the granddaddy of the genre and should absolutely play this if you want something to consume your life for a few weeks. Still, you should absolutely stop when you are not having fun anymore, and one playthrough is certainly enough.
+ the progenitor of the modern deck builder roguelike
+ addictive gameplay loop of risk and reward
+ card based system allows for building infinitely novel decks and strategies
+ systems and interactions are quick to learn but hard to master
+ energy system is an inspired choice for the combat design
+ map generation system usually creates a number of viable routes
+ bosses of each floor are visible from the beginning and allow for preparation
+ information on the map and all card piles are available at any moment
+ the four chracters play entirely differently and have their own decks
+ unlockable cards and reclics are motivating elements
+ card interactions are visually emphasized
+ relics and potions can modify all elements of gameplay
+ event rooms are always interesting and rich in variety
+ one event room in particular allows interactions between runs
+ requisites needed to unlock the final boss are smartly implemented
+ trophies are used to imply different ways of playing
+ enemy behavior is not entirely random, making preparation for fights possible
+ relation between randomness and strategical action is smartly designed ...
Cons:
- ... but the general difficulty is frustratingly high throughout
- low-quality watercolor graphics and enemy designs lack polish
- animations and the visual impact of cards on enemies are either non-existent or subpar
- runs can suddenly end because of a lost coin flip
- one relic draw can make or break a run
- some boss relics are useless and make winning effectively impossible
- relics and potions cannot be sold, relics cannot be discarded
- keeping track of relic effects often gets too complex and confusing
- upgrading cards is often not all that effective
- due to enemies' damage increase, fights are effectively on a timer
- some enemies can use two actions in a single turn
- small mistakes at the beginning can cascade to unwinnable boss fight
- unlocking the final boss is time consuming and artificially extends the playtime
- not all characters are equally effective in defeating specific challenges
- at over 70-80 minutes, runs often feel too long
- glitches in internal logic: relic attacks don't trigger proper enemy response (see birds in Act 2)
- technical performance is choopy, including frequent slowdowns when using or getting certain cards
- the music is not made for hours of playing at a time, but you will probably turn it off anyway
Magic Moment: Using a potion to use an attack card twice and just obliterating a tough enemy in a single turn.
Best Character: The Watcher, the tactical options provided by the stance system are rich and satisfying.
Playtime: More than I would like to admit, beat the full game at base difficulty with 2 out of 4 characters.
Verdict:
Slay the Spire is without doubt a phenomenon. As perhaps the first major deck builder roguelike, the team practically invented the card based combat system that countless others have copied since the game's release in 2019. The different decks for the four characters allow for an astronomical amount of combat strategies and interactions, and the makers managed to create the feeling of being in control of the action despite the inherent randomness of a card based system. Still, even when the "one more run" loop kicks in, the generally brutal difficulty of Slay the Spire and the constant influence of the butterfly effect leads to a lot of frustration and wasted runs that are also too much dependent on relics and specific potions.
Sure, some copycats might have improved on the design of Slay the Spire and especially on its subpar presentation, but cannot go wrong with the granddaddy of the genre and should absolutely play this if you want something to consume your life for a few weeks. Still, you should absolutely stop when you are not having fun anymore, and one playthrough is certainly enough.
2021
Pros:
- unique art style and great visual presentation
- character design is creative and animated expressions are charming
- overworld and dungeons are well-designed and hide secrets in plain sight
- puzzle writing is smart and effective
- bosses are fun and have secret weaknesses
- checkpoints are frequent and backtracking is generally fast
Cons:
- the difficulty is unforgiving and the death screen is aggravating
- health recovery system is unique to a fault and at odds with the exploratory design
- music is hit and miss, with most tracks getting grating quickly
- not all movement and attack options are explained in the tutorials
- hub area is confusing and has little bearing on the gameplay as a whole
- collectable weapons are interchangeable and barely affect combat
- combat is unfair: enemies don't get staggered, attacks are barely telegraphed
- movement speed is far too low and there is no practical dash or sprint move
- roll has practically no I-frames and is useless for avoiding damage
- upgrades are far too expensive and have no noticeable effect on gameplay
- final boss is a tedious trial-and-error challenge and a huge letdown compared to his peers
- collectathon requirements for the true ending are laughably high
- true ending is basically just more text and not worth the trouble
- the story is far too prominent for what it tries to achieve
Blahgic Moment: Dying to the final boss, only to repeat a prior platforming section again. And again. And Again.
Playtime: 10,5 Hours, with 89% completion.
Verdict:
Death's Door is the perfect example of a high-class dazzler: At first, the presentation, character design and promising overworld pull you in with their impeccable design; then, after a short while, the unfair combat system and unforgiving difficulty slap you in the face and dare you not to throw the controller against the nearest wall. The upgrade system and collectable weapons promise a variety in playstyles that never manifests, and the starting weapon emerges as a boring but workable choice for an entire playthrough. Even after a few expensive upgrades, enemies still take forever to kill, and bosses have tiny punishment windows that will aggravate you just like the annoying "wroom" sound and splash screen after each death. Because of this, exploration of the overworld and hunting for secrets becomes senseless, as the loot does not make the combat challenges any easier and is never actually worth the effort. The post-game makes this experience even worse, as it turns the game into a terrible collectathon for masochists who, after hours of tedium, are gifted quite probably the worst hidden ending in the recent past (that you can easily watch online of you actually care about it).
In conclusion, Death's Door is a huge disappointment that overpromises on its presentation and underdelivers in all of its most essential gameplay elements. Even if you like how it looks, you shouldn't play this and certainly shouldn't buy it - and don't go for all the endings or achievements under any circumstances.
- unique art style and great visual presentation
- character design is creative and animated expressions are charming
- overworld and dungeons are well-designed and hide secrets in plain sight
- puzzle writing is smart and effective
- bosses are fun and have secret weaknesses
- checkpoints are frequent and backtracking is generally fast
Cons:
- the difficulty is unforgiving and the death screen is aggravating
- health recovery system is unique to a fault and at odds with the exploratory design
- music is hit and miss, with most tracks getting grating quickly
- not all movement and attack options are explained in the tutorials
- hub area is confusing and has little bearing on the gameplay as a whole
- collectable weapons are interchangeable and barely affect combat
- combat is unfair: enemies don't get staggered, attacks are barely telegraphed
- movement speed is far too low and there is no practical dash or sprint move
- roll has practically no I-frames and is useless for avoiding damage
- upgrades are far too expensive and have no noticeable effect on gameplay
- final boss is a tedious trial-and-error challenge and a huge letdown compared to his peers
- collectathon requirements for the true ending are laughably high
- true ending is basically just more text and not worth the trouble
- the story is far too prominent for what it tries to achieve
Blahgic Moment: Dying to the final boss, only to repeat a prior platforming section again. And again. And Again.
Playtime: 10,5 Hours, with 89% completion.
Verdict:
Death's Door is the perfect example of a high-class dazzler: At first, the presentation, character design and promising overworld pull you in with their impeccable design; then, after a short while, the unfair combat system and unforgiving difficulty slap you in the face and dare you not to throw the controller against the nearest wall. The upgrade system and collectable weapons promise a variety in playstyles that never manifests, and the starting weapon emerges as a boring but workable choice for an entire playthrough. Even after a few expensive upgrades, enemies still take forever to kill, and bosses have tiny punishment windows that will aggravate you just like the annoying "wroom" sound and splash screen after each death. Because of this, exploration of the overworld and hunting for secrets becomes senseless, as the loot does not make the combat challenges any easier and is never actually worth the effort. The post-game makes this experience even worse, as it turns the game into a terrible collectathon for masochists who, after hours of tedium, are gifted quite probably the worst hidden ending in the recent past (that you can easily watch online of you actually care about it).
In conclusion, Death's Door is a huge disappointment that overpromises on its presentation and underdelivers in all of its most essential gameplay elements. Even if you like how it looks, you shouldn't play this and certainly shouldn't buy it - and don't go for all the endings or achievements under any circumstances.
2022
Pros:
+ it's more Dark Souls
+ incredibly realized gameplay loop of exploration, combat, item collecting and leveling up
+ the open world is huge, intricately designed, constantly surprising and changes over time
+ most environments and biomes tell a story and converge in a believable, lived-in world
+ the visual design is outstanding and the atmosphere is involving
+ architecture and dungeon design are on par with the best of the series
+ hub area is small but effective and a counterbalance to the open world
+ huge draw distance makes identifying items, buildings and enemies from a distance possible
+ lack of loading zones gives the overworld a unified appeal
+ progress on the overworld is not tied to specific routes or boss battles
+ sites of grace serve a triple function as waypoints, save zones and guiding lights
+ large variety of playstyles, builds and character customization options
+ combat feels difficult but fair, with perfect hitboxes and feedback
+ Ashes of War and Summoning Bells are smart additions that deeply affect combat
+ Flask of Wondrous Physick provides fresh options for approaching challenges
+ huge amount of diverse loot to collect at every turn
+ new gameplay elements such as sneaking and jumping liven up the DS formula
+ anti-frustration features are welcome additions: tool tips, stamina system, Stakes of Marika etc.
+ compass and map are necessary and helpful tools for traversal
+ items can be picked up from the horse
+ most of the jank and physics issues from previous entries have finally been fixed
+ dynamic soundtrack adequately accentuates each moment
+ most boss battles feel grand and carry true weight
+ NPCs are beautifully voiced and designed with great care ...
Cons:
- ... but their quests, journeys and arcs often seem random and lead to narrative dead-ends
- the obfuscating storytelling is still a hot mess that you either hate or love
- late game progress makes completing most quests impossible without warning
- reused assets, systems, weapons and enemies make the world feel smaller than it is
- controls are frequently cumbersome, especially two handing and swapping weapons on horseback
- legacy dungeons feel small and simpler in comparisons to previous Souls games
- catacomb dungeons and caves are copy-pasted and lack identity
- Great Rune system provides new gameplay options but is explained badly
- enemy attacks clipping through walls is still present after all these years
- invisible floors (and walls) fly against the logic of the architecture design
- overworld teleporters seem misplaced and make the overworld seem less coherent
- map and crafting menu cannot be accessed while in combat
- crafting system is inconsequential to the game at large
- item management is still pretty cumbersome and time consuming
- poise stat has practically no effect on gameplay and makes some builds unviable
- horse mechanics are clumsy: health cannot be checked, boost is useless, gravity deaths are frequent
- horseback combat is overpowered and trivializes most overworld challenges
- boss fights suffer from input reading and short reaction times (see Joseph Anderson on this)
- not all builds are viable with all late-stage bosses (such as Malenia)
- soundtrack can get annoying with its near-constant epicness
- final stretch of areas overstays its welcome and feels overlong
- final bosses are underwhelming compared to their peers
- ending sequences feel like afterthoughts and not adequate considering the hard work they required
Playtime: 130 hours for one playthrough. Single player only, with all main bosses and almost all optional bosses killed.
Build: Dexterity build with some bestial incantations and my trusty crossbow.
Best Boss Fights: Radahn, for its apocalyptic feel and huge stage. Astel, for its grandiose attacks.
Worst Boss Fights: Any repeating ones, especially Godskin and Dragonkin soldiers.
Best Area: Miquella's Haligtree. A true successor to the best dungeons of the series.
Best Ashes: Marionette Soldiers, my best buddies throughout the game.
Verdict:
With Elden Ring, FromSoftware once again defend their title of one the best studios around and releases another incredible addition to their roster of action RPGs. As an open world action game, its breadth and width is remarkable, with a constantly motivating gameplay loop that emphasizes exploration and the constant struggle between risk and reward. The overworld is a giant, complex area with surprises and secrets at every turn and undoubtedly stands among the best ever created. The possibilities of approaching bosses and dungeons are effectiveley endless, thanks to a wide range of physical and magical combat options that make diverse builds possible. As an RPG and an epic journey through a war-torn world, however, the game shares all of the problems that plagued the Souls series since its inception: it not only suffers from weak, unclear quest design with obfuscating dialogue, but also from fragmented storytelling and unsatisfying, abreviated endings. Even though some of the characters and their designs are memorable, their journeys seldom intersect with the players' in meaningful or comprehensible ways, and watching hours of explanation videos should not be mandatory to fully enjoy the arcs of NPCs or the story of a game.
However, beyond any mere criticisms of its gameplay and narrative design, the impact of Elden Ring on the industry and its practices cannot be understated. FromSoftware again proves that games can still be fully realized, complete works of art and entertainment without reaching into players' pockets at every turn, and for that alone, it should be recognized and cherished. Play it, love it, hope for a DLC.
+ it's more Dark Souls
+ incredibly realized gameplay loop of exploration, combat, item collecting and leveling up
+ the open world is huge, intricately designed, constantly surprising and changes over time
+ most environments and biomes tell a story and converge in a believable, lived-in world
+ the visual design is outstanding and the atmosphere is involving
+ architecture and dungeon design are on par with the best of the series
+ hub area is small but effective and a counterbalance to the open world
+ huge draw distance makes identifying items, buildings and enemies from a distance possible
+ lack of loading zones gives the overworld a unified appeal
+ progress on the overworld is not tied to specific routes or boss battles
+ sites of grace serve a triple function as waypoints, save zones and guiding lights
+ large variety of playstyles, builds and character customization options
+ combat feels difficult but fair, with perfect hitboxes and feedback
+ Ashes of War and Summoning Bells are smart additions that deeply affect combat
+ Flask of Wondrous Physick provides fresh options for approaching challenges
+ huge amount of diverse loot to collect at every turn
+ new gameplay elements such as sneaking and jumping liven up the DS formula
+ anti-frustration features are welcome additions: tool tips, stamina system, Stakes of Marika etc.
+ compass and map are necessary and helpful tools for traversal
+ items can be picked up from the horse
+ most of the jank and physics issues from previous entries have finally been fixed
+ dynamic soundtrack adequately accentuates each moment
+ most boss battles feel grand and carry true weight
+ NPCs are beautifully voiced and designed with great care ...
Cons:
- ... but their quests, journeys and arcs often seem random and lead to narrative dead-ends
- the obfuscating storytelling is still a hot mess that you either hate or love
- late game progress makes completing most quests impossible without warning
- reused assets, systems, weapons and enemies make the world feel smaller than it is
- controls are frequently cumbersome, especially two handing and swapping weapons on horseback
- legacy dungeons feel small and simpler in comparisons to previous Souls games
- catacomb dungeons and caves are copy-pasted and lack identity
- Great Rune system provides new gameplay options but is explained badly
- enemy attacks clipping through walls is still present after all these years
- invisible floors (and walls) fly against the logic of the architecture design
- overworld teleporters seem misplaced and make the overworld seem less coherent
- map and crafting menu cannot be accessed while in combat
- crafting system is inconsequential to the game at large
- item management is still pretty cumbersome and time consuming
- poise stat has practically no effect on gameplay and makes some builds unviable
- horse mechanics are clumsy: health cannot be checked, boost is useless, gravity deaths are frequent
- horseback combat is overpowered and trivializes most overworld challenges
- boss fights suffer from input reading and short reaction times (see Joseph Anderson on this)
- not all builds are viable with all late-stage bosses (such as Malenia)
- soundtrack can get annoying with its near-constant epicness
- final stretch of areas overstays its welcome and feels overlong
- final bosses are underwhelming compared to their peers
- ending sequences feel like afterthoughts and not adequate considering the hard work they required
Playtime: 130 hours for one playthrough. Single player only, with all main bosses and almost all optional bosses killed.
Build: Dexterity build with some bestial incantations and my trusty crossbow.
Best Boss Fights: Radahn, for its apocalyptic feel and huge stage. Astel, for its grandiose attacks.
Worst Boss Fights: Any repeating ones, especially Godskin and Dragonkin soldiers.
Best Area: Miquella's Haligtree. A true successor to the best dungeons of the series.
Best Ashes: Marionette Soldiers, my best buddies throughout the game.
Verdict:
With Elden Ring, FromSoftware once again defend their title of one the best studios around and releases another incredible addition to their roster of action RPGs. As an open world action game, its breadth and width is remarkable, with a constantly motivating gameplay loop that emphasizes exploration and the constant struggle between risk and reward. The overworld is a giant, complex area with surprises and secrets at every turn and undoubtedly stands among the best ever created. The possibilities of approaching bosses and dungeons are effectiveley endless, thanks to a wide range of physical and magical combat options that make diverse builds possible. As an RPG and an epic journey through a war-torn world, however, the game shares all of the problems that plagued the Souls series since its inception: it not only suffers from weak, unclear quest design with obfuscating dialogue, but also from fragmented storytelling and unsatisfying, abreviated endings. Even though some of the characters and their designs are memorable, their journeys seldom intersect with the players' in meaningful or comprehensible ways, and watching hours of explanation videos should not be mandatory to fully enjoy the arcs of NPCs or the story of a game.
However, beyond any mere criticisms of its gameplay and narrative design, the impact of Elden Ring on the industry and its practices cannot be understated. FromSoftware again proves that games can still be fully realized, complete works of art and entertainment without reaching into players' pockets at every turn, and for that alone, it should be recognized and cherished. Play it, love it, hope for a DLC.
Pros:
+ looting and leveling up never gets old
+ streamlined interface and controls on consoles work splendidly
+ dodge move is a welcome addition to the vocabulary
+ trap kills and other environmental elements are smart innovations
+ the quality of the loot is roughly estimated before pickup
+ the sound design and music are as great as ever
+ incredible technical performance on PS4 Pro
Cons:
- comic art style is unbefitting of the series and setting
- single player feels unfinished and generally neglected
- story mode and endless audio logs are forced upon first time players
- settings are mostly recycled from D2
- quests are mostly fetch quests and offer no variety
- no build variety and RPG elements are locked behind the level cap
- difficulty level is generally far too low, with options locked behind progress
- life restoration equipment and reworked potions make combat mostly trivial
- item durability has basically been made redundant, removing strategy from the gameplay
- most passive skills are just entirely useless
- damage number inflation is silly and breaks the immersion
- item management has been dumped down and is unrewarding (especially compared to the PC version)
- bosses are recycled from previous games and have become talky parodies of themselves
- final boss of Act V is a brick wall with cheap attacks
- animations are choppy and feel unfinished (attacks into thin air, rolling recovery etc.)
Blahgic Moment: Entering the same old desert from D2 and almost falling asleep from the boredom.
My Class: Crusader, finished at level 70 with a few Paragon levels.
Playtime: One long, tedious weekend in April, single player only.
Verdict:
Long before the spineless betrayal that was Diablo Immortal, Diablo 3 already watered down the core tenets of the franchise and chose mainstream appeal over quality: its streamlined approach to the classic gameplay loop and fantastic atmosphere created by the first Diablo and perfected by the second has been turned into a casual, tedious experience for the masses. Even with greedy ideas like the auction house removed from the console version, the game appears to be solely designed around multiplayer and the endless repetition of a handful of dungeon ideas, with solo players able to get through the entire campaign in a weekend. The laughably low difficulty makes suicidal runs into enemy positions a viable strategy, and with the exception of some of the later bosses, mindlessly circle-pushing the skill buttons will win you the game without even looking at the screen. In fact, I used my first potion at the end of Act I by accident, died for the first time at the end of Act IV because I wasn't paying attention and only ever got stuck on the boss of Act V because it is flatout badly designed. Additionally, there are no memorable set pieces or boss areas to be found, and the events on the overworld are rare and not worth discussing.
It's no wonder that this game is mostly ignored by the fanbase, which has largely opted to stay faithful to Diablo 2 instead, and I don't think there is any reason to play this ever again... or even once. What a fall from grace for this series.
+ looting and leveling up never gets old
+ streamlined interface and controls on consoles work splendidly
+ dodge move is a welcome addition to the vocabulary
+ trap kills and other environmental elements are smart innovations
+ the quality of the loot is roughly estimated before pickup
+ the sound design and music are as great as ever
+ incredible technical performance on PS4 Pro
Cons:
- comic art style is unbefitting of the series and setting
- single player feels unfinished and generally neglected
- story mode and endless audio logs are forced upon first time players
- settings are mostly recycled from D2
- quests are mostly fetch quests and offer no variety
- no build variety and RPG elements are locked behind the level cap
- difficulty level is generally far too low, with options locked behind progress
- life restoration equipment and reworked potions make combat mostly trivial
- item durability has basically been made redundant, removing strategy from the gameplay
- most passive skills are just entirely useless
- damage number inflation is silly and breaks the immersion
- item management has been dumped down and is unrewarding (especially compared to the PC version)
- bosses are recycled from previous games and have become talky parodies of themselves
- final boss of Act V is a brick wall with cheap attacks
- animations are choppy and feel unfinished (attacks into thin air, rolling recovery etc.)
Blahgic Moment: Entering the same old desert from D2 and almost falling asleep from the boredom.
My Class: Crusader, finished at level 70 with a few Paragon levels.
Playtime: One long, tedious weekend in April, single player only.
Verdict:
Long before the spineless betrayal that was Diablo Immortal, Diablo 3 already watered down the core tenets of the franchise and chose mainstream appeal over quality: its streamlined approach to the classic gameplay loop and fantastic atmosphere created by the first Diablo and perfected by the second has been turned into a casual, tedious experience for the masses. Even with greedy ideas like the auction house removed from the console version, the game appears to be solely designed around multiplayer and the endless repetition of a handful of dungeon ideas, with solo players able to get through the entire campaign in a weekend. The laughably low difficulty makes suicidal runs into enemy positions a viable strategy, and with the exception of some of the later bosses, mindlessly circle-pushing the skill buttons will win you the game without even looking at the screen. In fact, I used my first potion at the end of Act I by accident, died for the first time at the end of Act IV because I wasn't paying attention and only ever got stuck on the boss of Act V because it is flatout badly designed. Additionally, there are no memorable set pieces or boss areas to be found, and the events on the overworld are rare and not worth discussing.
It's no wonder that this game is mostly ignored by the fanbase, which has largely opted to stay faithful to Diablo 2 instead, and I don't think there is any reason to play this ever again... or even once. What a fall from grace for this series.
2022
Pros:
+ the writing is often funny and remarkably irreverent
+ stripped down combat leads to smart inversions of RPG tropes
+ soundtrack is colorful and the final fight track slaps hard
+ original Final Fantasy sprites are a cute homage (but don't tell Square...)
+ Three Man fight is the best
+ battle sprites have a distinct style ...
Cons:
- ... but the character portraits are rough
- unwinnable fights cannot be skipped
- sprite layer issues and scrolling is choppy
- a word map would have been nice
- late stage story twists are pretty silly and lack cohesion
Magic Bit of Writing: "I see the makings of an autocracy, and have been branded a dissident."
Verdict:
This is clearly a labor of love by creatr Samanthuel Louise Gillson, who released this for free for anyone to enjoy. The homages to and inversion of 2D RPGs of the past will make fans of the genre rejoice and the attention to detail and just plain love for the genre is felt at every turn and every new suprise, of which there are plenty. However, as great as some of the early writing is, the ending feels like a missed opportunity to actually say something about the genre and its tropes and felt like a missed opportunity. If you can look past that, Franken is certainly worth a quick, 30+ minute playthrough.
+ the writing is often funny and remarkably irreverent
+ stripped down combat leads to smart inversions of RPG tropes
+ soundtrack is colorful and the final fight track slaps hard
+ original Final Fantasy sprites are a cute homage (but don't tell Square...)
+ Three Man fight is the best
+ battle sprites have a distinct style ...
Cons:
- ... but the character portraits are rough
- unwinnable fights cannot be skipped
- sprite layer issues and scrolling is choppy
- a word map would have been nice
- late stage story twists are pretty silly and lack cohesion
Magic Bit of Writing: "I see the makings of an autocracy, and have been branded a dissident."
Verdict:
This is clearly a labor of love by creatr Samanthuel Louise Gillson, who released this for free for anyone to enjoy. The homages to and inversion of 2D RPGs of the past will make fans of the genre rejoice and the attention to detail and just plain love for the genre is felt at every turn and every new suprise, of which there are plenty. However, as great as some of the early writing is, the ending feels like a missed opportunity to actually say something about the genre and its tropes and felt like a missed opportunity. If you can look past that, Franken is certainly worth a quick, 30+ minute playthrough.
2013
Pros:
+ one of the progenitors of the modern Roguelite genre
+ movement is fast and combat is tight
+ magic is fun to use and varied
+ some funny and unique character traits
+ meta-upgrades are plentiful and highly motivating
+ map is useful and well-implemented
+ progress is felt in any moment-to-moment action
+ unlockable classes change up the gameplay
+ final story reveals are surprisingly good
Cons:
- sprite work is only passable
- no weapon variety
- hitboxes have serious issues
- challenge rooms that are tied to specific runes are frustrating
- camera not being movable verticably makes combat situations often unfair
- no quick restart after dying
- huge difficulty spikes in the later two stages
- hostile projectiles follow no clear rule of going or not going through walls
- collectible items are not explained and serve no apparent function
- final boss is simplistic and feels unfinished
- pop culture references were already dated when it came out (e.g.The Matrix)
- some tasteless and annoying traits (e.g. dementia)
Playtime: 8 Hours with 102 "children"
Magic Moments: Connecting the dots on the way to the final boss. Using a class-specific ability to clear a challenge room for the first (and only time) in a playthrough.
Verdict:
One of the progenitors of the contemporary Roguelite craze is still an enjoyable experience after all these years. Even though combat situations are frequently frustrating and the imperfect dungeon and enemy creation algorithms continually lead to cheap deaths, the meta-upgrades are motivating and keep you coming back for more pain.
Rogue Legacy is a quick and dirty experience with enough charm to warrant a a quick (re-)play and helps you understand how independent gaming and Roguelites in particular evolved in the past few years.
+ one of the progenitors of the modern Roguelite genre
+ movement is fast and combat is tight
+ magic is fun to use and varied
+ some funny and unique character traits
+ meta-upgrades are plentiful and highly motivating
+ map is useful and well-implemented
+ progress is felt in any moment-to-moment action
+ unlockable classes change up the gameplay
+ final story reveals are surprisingly good
Cons:
- sprite work is only passable
- no weapon variety
- hitboxes have serious issues
- challenge rooms that are tied to specific runes are frustrating
- camera not being movable verticably makes combat situations often unfair
- no quick restart after dying
- huge difficulty spikes in the later two stages
- hostile projectiles follow no clear rule of going or not going through walls
- collectible items are not explained and serve no apparent function
- final boss is simplistic and feels unfinished
- pop culture references were already dated when it came out (e.g.The Matrix)
- some tasteless and annoying traits (e.g. dementia)
Playtime: 8 Hours with 102 "children"
Magic Moments: Connecting the dots on the way to the final boss. Using a class-specific ability to clear a challenge room for the first (and only time) in a playthrough.
Verdict:
One of the progenitors of the contemporary Roguelite craze is still an enjoyable experience after all these years. Even though combat situations are frequently frustrating and the imperfect dungeon and enemy creation algorithms continually lead to cheap deaths, the meta-upgrades are motivating and keep you coming back for more pain.
Rogue Legacy is a quick and dirty experience with enough charm to warrant a a quick (re-)play and helps you understand how independent gaming and Roguelites in particular evolved in the past few years.
Pros:
+ fresh setting with a unique swap mechanic
+ combat system is varied and transform mechanic offers a large variety of options
+ visuals are perfectly fine and the music is okay
+ some memorable NPCs and funny writing
Cons:
- economy is completely busted: meta-upgrades take forever to unlock
- bosses are brick walls that can only be beaten by grinding for meta-upgrades
- bosses have no variety, you will fight the first boss more times than you can count
- action frequently gets confusing
- difficulty is generally high but differs wildly between stages
- head upgrade mechanic is often useless due to lack of resources
- usefulness of heads differs wildly, with many being unfit for boss fights
- important mechanics are largely unexplained ingame (inscriptions, gate codings, buffs)
- skills don't reset between maps
- status screen is cluttered and confusing to navigate
- "enemy gained XP from your defeat" message is just plain idiotic
Playtime: Roughly 8 hour, which is really more than enough.
Blagic Moment: Not playing for a few days and realizing that you only return for more grinding and little else.
Best Head: Werewolve. One of the more useful ones.
Verdict:
Although Skul tries hard to add something fresh to the genre, this rogue-lite is a middling, time-consuming affair that will frustrate you far more than it will reward you. The endless repetition of stages, level set-ups and bosses combined with brick wall bosses make for a huge slog, and the innovative head swapping mechanic and exciting combat are simply not enough to elevate this one from the deluge of similar - and often better - games of the past few years.
I decided to abandon this after reaching the penultimate boss and felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Only play this if you have the time for it, because this game does not respect it - or better yet, chose a better game from the dozens of options out.
+ fresh setting with a unique swap mechanic
+ combat system is varied and transform mechanic offers a large variety of options
+ visuals are perfectly fine and the music is okay
+ some memorable NPCs and funny writing
Cons:
- economy is completely busted: meta-upgrades take forever to unlock
- bosses are brick walls that can only be beaten by grinding for meta-upgrades
- bosses have no variety, you will fight the first boss more times than you can count
- action frequently gets confusing
- difficulty is generally high but differs wildly between stages
- head upgrade mechanic is often useless due to lack of resources
- usefulness of heads differs wildly, with many being unfit for boss fights
- important mechanics are largely unexplained ingame (inscriptions, gate codings, buffs)
- skills don't reset between maps
- status screen is cluttered and confusing to navigate
- "enemy gained XP from your defeat" message is just plain idiotic
Playtime: Roughly 8 hour, which is really more than enough.
Blagic Moment: Not playing for a few days and realizing that you only return for more grinding and little else.
Best Head: Werewolve. One of the more useful ones.
Verdict:
Although Skul tries hard to add something fresh to the genre, this rogue-lite is a middling, time-consuming affair that will frustrate you far more than it will reward you. The endless repetition of stages, level set-ups and bosses combined with brick wall bosses make for a huge slog, and the innovative head swapping mechanic and exciting combat are simply not enough to elevate this one from the deluge of similar - and often better - games of the past few years.
I decided to abandon this after reaching the penultimate boss and felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Only play this if you have the time for it, because this game does not respect it - or better yet, chose a better game from the dozens of options out.
2019
Pros:
+ puzzle design in the veign of Heart of Darkness
+ moody color palette
+ multiple playable characters too keep gameplay fresh
+ large variety of context-sensitive animations
+ fitting sound design and music
+ multi-perspectival approach to the narrative
Cons
- glitches may hinder progress
- merciless platforming
- no hint system
- busy visual space with no indicators for interactions
- intransparent morality choices
- interface taken over from mobile release
- invisible collectibles with little incentive
- short runtime (which might be a plus)
Weird Moment(s): When you push a cat down accidentally and plunge her into an identity crisis, only to find out that you saved her from death.
Verdict: You can tell that the creators were in this with their heart and have a story to tell, but the difficulty and intransparent interactions made me abandon this. Also, you are never quite sure whether progress is hindered by glitches or an obscure puzzle that you can't figure out. The lack of a hint system then drives you to watch a YT Let's Play - which you might be better off watching anyway.
+ puzzle design in the veign of Heart of Darkness
+ moody color palette
+ multiple playable characters too keep gameplay fresh
+ large variety of context-sensitive animations
+ fitting sound design and music
+ multi-perspectival approach to the narrative
Cons
- glitches may hinder progress
- merciless platforming
- no hint system
- busy visual space with no indicators for interactions
- intransparent morality choices
- interface taken over from mobile release
- invisible collectibles with little incentive
- short runtime (which might be a plus)
Weird Moment(s): When you push a cat down accidentally and plunge her into an identity crisis, only to find out that you saved her from death.
Verdict: You can tell that the creators were in this with their heart and have a story to tell, but the difficulty and intransparent interactions made me abandon this. Also, you are never quite sure whether progress is hindered by glitches or an obscure puzzle that you can't figure out. The lack of a hint system then drives you to watch a YT Let's Play - which you might be better off watching anyway.
2022
Pros:
+ a respectful homage to the glory 8-bit days
+ fitting art style with nasty gore effect
+ awesome full-screen splash pages
+ a wide variety of spells and upgrades
+ combat system is tough but fair
+ context-specific death animations ...
Cons
- ... that take entirely too long to skip
- too tough in the beginning, too easy in the end
- unskippable day/night sequence
- enemies spawn in architecture
- keys are not tied to dungeons and can become an issue
- quest log is basically useless; no quest markers on NPCs
- major quests and final boss locked behind morality system
- morality system is too obscure and without indicators
- enemies' and items' hitboxes are wonky
- camera is not movable downwards or upwards
- platforming challenges are often unfair
- weak dungeon design with superfluous objects, platforms etc.
- missing checkpoint system makes leaving dungeons to save necessary
- bosses are boring and can be tanked easily
- INNs are copy pasted and mostly useless
- weak writing with inconsistent voice and tenor
- dialogue in general is not context-specific
- role-playing elements clash with the Metroidvania design
Bullshit Moments: Redoing an entire dungeon for the first time because a platform challenge was cut short by the camera or architecture. Finding out that the final challenges are locked behind a different ending than the one you got.
Verdict: This is clearly a labor of love by fans of old-school action platformers of yore. However, even though the presentation and combat system are commendable, the quest and platforming design are simply weak and the final challenges being locked away behind certain morality paths are unforgivable. Playing this with a guide would probably eliminate most of the frustration but would also eliminate the fun of exploring the world. A missed opportunity with more style than substance that you should probably pass on.
+ a respectful homage to the glory 8-bit days
+ fitting art style with nasty gore effect
+ awesome full-screen splash pages
+ a wide variety of spells and upgrades
+ combat system is tough but fair
+ context-specific death animations ...
Cons
- ... that take entirely too long to skip
- too tough in the beginning, too easy in the end
- unskippable day/night sequence
- enemies spawn in architecture
- keys are not tied to dungeons and can become an issue
- quest log is basically useless; no quest markers on NPCs
- major quests and final boss locked behind morality system
- morality system is too obscure and without indicators
- enemies' and items' hitboxes are wonky
- camera is not movable downwards or upwards
- platforming challenges are often unfair
- weak dungeon design with superfluous objects, platforms etc.
- missing checkpoint system makes leaving dungeons to save necessary
- bosses are boring and can be tanked easily
- INNs are copy pasted and mostly useless
- weak writing with inconsistent voice and tenor
- dialogue in general is not context-specific
- role-playing elements clash with the Metroidvania design
Bullshit Moments: Redoing an entire dungeon for the first time because a platform challenge was cut short by the camera or architecture. Finding out that the final challenges are locked behind a different ending than the one you got.
Verdict: This is clearly a labor of love by fans of old-school action platformers of yore. However, even though the presentation and combat system are commendable, the quest and platforming design are simply weak and the final challenges being locked away behind certain morality paths are unforgivable. Playing this with a guide would probably eliminate most of the frustration but would also eliminate the fun of exploring the world. A missed opportunity with more style than substance that you should probably pass on.
Pros:
+ a huge Metroidvania that rewards curiosity and effort
+ sequence breaking is encouraged and rewarded with a variety of possible pathways
+ sign system offers helpful, wordless hints for traversal
+ soul trade-off system is a genuine innovation and perfectly executed
+ large variety of items and collectibles
+ combat system is perfectly executed and satisfactory
+ large variety of memorable, kick-ass boss fights that are tough but fair
+ a beautifully melancholic atmosphere with a distinct, hand-crafted art style
+ amazing soundtrack that changes depending on the context of the action (low health)
+ most NPCs have a life of their own and a story to tell
Cons:
- screen shake effect when taking damage is overdone
- Crystal Dash cannot be canceled
- foremost front layer tends to get in the way of the action
- world map unlock system is an acquired taste
- map marker is tied to a charme
- dreamnail waypoint system is tied to progress
- resource retrieval system after death is antithetical to the exploratory approach
- checkpoints are too rare and not placed well
- main character is a hollow vessel and completely uninteresting
- obscurantist writing in the DS style is played out and tiresome
- missing contours and outlines of the map are needlessly confusing
- notch system for charms feels limiting and some are simply useless
- spells are too weak in the beginning and too strong in the end
- in-game economy is not balanced well and superfluous by the half-way point
- story and the endings feel like fluff and not worth the hassle
- lackluster DLC that add little to the game as a whole (except for masochists)
- final boss is a disappointment
- Path of Pain is bullshit (although I completed it!)
Magic Moment(s): Entering Greenpath for the first time and falling in love with the music. Climbing up the path to the Colosseum.
Best Boss: Mantis Lords. A perfectly designed boss with clear tells, attacks and weaknesses.
Worst Boss: Nigtmare King Grimm. It just isn't worth it, and the amazing music is wasted on a boss that kills you in seconds.
Verdict: Hollow Knight is a great addition to its genre and a polished, exciting experience. It offers a huge, beautiful world full of secrets and rewards you for exploring it, thus helping you to improve and overcome the manifold tough challenges as you explore. The combat just works and the playstyle options are genuinely innovative and well-implemented. However, while being exceedingly difficult in parts, most of the frustration is not caused by the tough enemies and unique bosses, but by the lackluster implementation of the checkpoint system. Having to reclaim you resources after a death might work in Souslikes, but here, it becomes an unnecessary obstacle in traversing and exploring the world on your own accord. Despite these shortcomings, however, Hollow Knight is a great effort by Team Cherry and a must-play for every fan of the genre.
+ a huge Metroidvania that rewards curiosity and effort
+ sequence breaking is encouraged and rewarded with a variety of possible pathways
+ sign system offers helpful, wordless hints for traversal
+ soul trade-off system is a genuine innovation and perfectly executed
+ large variety of items and collectibles
+ combat system is perfectly executed and satisfactory
+ large variety of memorable, kick-ass boss fights that are tough but fair
+ a beautifully melancholic atmosphere with a distinct, hand-crafted art style
+ amazing soundtrack that changes depending on the context of the action (low health)
+ most NPCs have a life of their own and a story to tell
Cons:
- screen shake effect when taking damage is overdone
- Crystal Dash cannot be canceled
- foremost front layer tends to get in the way of the action
- world map unlock system is an acquired taste
- map marker is tied to a charme
- dreamnail waypoint system is tied to progress
- resource retrieval system after death is antithetical to the exploratory approach
- checkpoints are too rare and not placed well
- main character is a hollow vessel and completely uninteresting
- obscurantist writing in the DS style is played out and tiresome
- missing contours and outlines of the map are needlessly confusing
- notch system for charms feels limiting and some are simply useless
- spells are too weak in the beginning and too strong in the end
- in-game economy is not balanced well and superfluous by the half-way point
- story and the endings feel like fluff and not worth the hassle
- lackluster DLC that add little to the game as a whole (except for masochists)
- final boss is a disappointment
- Path of Pain is bullshit (although I completed it!)
Magic Moment(s): Entering Greenpath for the first time and falling in love with the music. Climbing up the path to the Colosseum.
Best Boss: Mantis Lords. A perfectly designed boss with clear tells, attacks and weaknesses.
Worst Boss: Nigtmare King Grimm. It just isn't worth it, and the amazing music is wasted on a boss that kills you in seconds.
Verdict: Hollow Knight is a great addition to its genre and a polished, exciting experience. It offers a huge, beautiful world full of secrets and rewards you for exploring it, thus helping you to improve and overcome the manifold tough challenges as you explore. The combat just works and the playstyle options are genuinely innovative and well-implemented. However, while being exceedingly difficult in parts, most of the frustration is not caused by the tough enemies and unique bosses, but by the lackluster implementation of the checkpoint system. Having to reclaim you resources after a death might work in Souslikes, but here, it becomes an unnecessary obstacle in traversing and exploring the world on your own accord. Despite these shortcomings, however, Hollow Knight is a great effort by Team Cherry and a must-play for every fan of the genre.
Pros:
+ cute art style in the spirit of the series
+ adds a new twist to the Minecraft formula
+ building system is mostly smooth
+ permanence to the world makes it feel alive
+ items and dungeons can be seen from a distance
+ some unique side-quests
+ transparent construction trees
+ constantly growing home base
+ diverse NPCs with cute personalities
+ tutorials are quick and easy
Cons:
- starting each episode over again at zero is deeply frustrating
- the entire game is basically a fetch quest
- traversal is slow and teleportation is limited
- awful, simply unfun combat with few to no offensive or defensive options
- tough boss fights feel out of place
- item retrieval after death is aggravating
- item storage system is cumbersome
- enemies can destroy your home for no reason
- created rooms are sometimes ignored for unknown reasons
- blueprint building is finicky and not context-sensitive
- midi-tracks are low-quality that get grating really fast
- in-game achievements are hidden from you until the end of an episode
- speed-run ingame achievement is antithetical to the core gameplay loop
Worst Moment: Having to say goodby to the home and friends you made and starting over in a dark, poison swamp to do it all over gain.
Verdict: Word is the sequel is the much better game and fixes most the issues apparent here, so I abandoned this game at the half-way point. As an adult, I was not the intended audience for this, and I can can accept that. However, even to children who are fans of Minecraft and Dragon Quest, the combat is simply too shallow and the quests too samey to make the time spent worthwhile. The episodic structure punishes you for taking your time to build your home by forcing you to reset with each new episode, and the hidden achievements incentivize players to rush instead of stopping to take in the scenery and experiment. You should probably pass on this in favor of the sequel, which I am very interested to play.
+ cute art style in the spirit of the series
+ adds a new twist to the Minecraft formula
+ building system is mostly smooth
+ permanence to the world makes it feel alive
+ items and dungeons can be seen from a distance
+ some unique side-quests
+ transparent construction trees
+ constantly growing home base
+ diverse NPCs with cute personalities
+ tutorials are quick and easy
Cons:
- starting each episode over again at zero is deeply frustrating
- the entire game is basically a fetch quest
- traversal is slow and teleportation is limited
- awful, simply unfun combat with few to no offensive or defensive options
- tough boss fights feel out of place
- item retrieval after death is aggravating
- item storage system is cumbersome
- enemies can destroy your home for no reason
- created rooms are sometimes ignored for unknown reasons
- blueprint building is finicky and not context-sensitive
- midi-tracks are low-quality that get grating really fast
- in-game achievements are hidden from you until the end of an episode
- speed-run ingame achievement is antithetical to the core gameplay loop
Worst Moment: Having to say goodby to the home and friends you made and starting over in a dark, poison swamp to do it all over gain.
Verdict: Word is the sequel is the much better game and fixes most the issues apparent here, so I abandoned this game at the half-way point. As an adult, I was not the intended audience for this, and I can can accept that. However, even to children who are fans of Minecraft and Dragon Quest, the combat is simply too shallow and the quests too samey to make the time spent worthwhile. The episodic structure punishes you for taking your time to build your home by forcing you to reset with each new episode, and the hidden achievements incentivize players to rush instead of stopping to take in the scenery and experiment. You should probably pass on this in favor of the sequel, which I am very interested to play.