Alexcicle
BACKER
I can't believe the MCU ripped this game off.
Hyrule Warriors is a wild trip. As a Zelda fan, it's incredible. A perfect trip through the franchises history while still managing to tell a new and satisfying story. However, as an actual game it is WAY too repetitive. That's kind of just the flow of Warriors games to be fair but that doesn't excuse how tiresome this game can get if you play it too long.
As long as you just do the main story you probably won't run into this issue assuming you only do like 2 or 3 missions in each session but dear lord avoid the side content at all cost. This isn't even a criticism of the game. I am genuinely fearful of anyone who has completed even one of the Adventure maps.
This game's plot is surprisingly well done. Its not amazing and most of it happens purely for the sake of fanservice but they very easily could have done worse or just had put no effort into it. I think Cia is a really good villain and oddly tragic. They do the usual trope however, where the really cool new villain is just a servant for Ganon and after you fight them get completed overshadowed by him. This is especially funny because they include Zant and Ghirahim, two of the most glaring examples of this trope, and they don't give them ANY significance beyond being minions for Ganon or Cia.
I do love all the fanservice here. A majority of it is directed to Twilight Princess for some reason. Most Zelda games at least have one character to represent them or an Adventure mode map to reference them. However a lot of the 2D games hardly get representation. A Link to the Past is kind of represented with the Lorule map but not much else that I can rember. The Oracle games literally don't get anything besides a couple character alt outfits and Minish Cap literally gets NOTHING. Real shame because literally ever other mainline game gets some form of recognition.
Thats this game's charm in a nutshell. A whole lot of Zelda fanservice with some pretty mindless, albiet relaxing in the right mindset, gameplay. If you are a fan of Zelda games and do like the Warriors style of games this is more than worth the price. There is so much to do here that I'd argue there's TOO MUCH content. I dread 100% of this game.
Hyrule Warriors is a wild trip. As a Zelda fan, it's incredible. A perfect trip through the franchises history while still managing to tell a new and satisfying story. However, as an actual game it is WAY too repetitive. That's kind of just the flow of Warriors games to be fair but that doesn't excuse how tiresome this game can get if you play it too long.
As long as you just do the main story you probably won't run into this issue assuming you only do like 2 or 3 missions in each session but dear lord avoid the side content at all cost. This isn't even a criticism of the game. I am genuinely fearful of anyone who has completed even one of the Adventure maps.
This game's plot is surprisingly well done. Its not amazing and most of it happens purely for the sake of fanservice but they very easily could have done worse or just had put no effort into it. I think Cia is a really good villain and oddly tragic. They do the usual trope however, where the really cool new villain is just a servant for Ganon and after you fight them get completed overshadowed by him. This is especially funny because they include Zant and Ghirahim, two of the most glaring examples of this trope, and they don't give them ANY significance beyond being minions for Ganon or Cia.
I do love all the fanservice here. A majority of it is directed to Twilight Princess for some reason. Most Zelda games at least have one character to represent them or an Adventure mode map to reference them. However a lot of the 2D games hardly get representation. A Link to the Past is kind of represented with the Lorule map but not much else that I can rember. The Oracle games literally don't get anything besides a couple character alt outfits and Minish Cap literally gets NOTHING. Real shame because literally ever other mainline game gets some form of recognition.
Thats this game's charm in a nutshell. A whole lot of Zelda fanservice with some pretty mindless, albiet relaxing in the right mindset, gameplay. If you are a fan of Zelda games and do like the Warriors style of games this is more than worth the price. There is so much to do here that I'd argue there's TOO MUCH content. I dread 100% of this game.
I wasn't familiar with this series and I literally first heard about it a couple weeks ago, however something about the vibe this game had really pulled me in so I gave it a try.
Something really interesting about this game is that it does the metroidvania style while at the same time having the entire game open to you from the start. (Not counting the final area obviously) From that description alone you're prolly already trying to wrap your head around that concept because that sounds like the exact opposite of a metroidvania but it works.
There's no unique form of platforming here. It's actually very simplistic but the way they make it interesting is the level design and mainly the enemy placements. Kaho is practically made of glass because every enemy will do like a quarter of her health with a single attack so every room kind of turns into a puzzle with the player trying to work out how to get through without taking too much damage. You can not brute force this game. It will make you take your time and strategize. (Unless you get the Red Ring that just allows you to get health for every thing you kill so the strategy just turns into destroying everything in your path.)
The best part of the game in my opinion are the boss fights. I'm not going to spoil most of them but the fights can be pretty cool. Also Lubella, who you beat by smacking her titties... This game knows what I like.
Overall this game pretty nice. The vibe and gameplay are both really unique and cool. It is the definition of a hidden gem.
Something really interesting about this game is that it does the metroidvania style while at the same time having the entire game open to you from the start. (Not counting the final area obviously) From that description alone you're prolly already trying to wrap your head around that concept because that sounds like the exact opposite of a metroidvania but it works.
There's no unique form of platforming here. It's actually very simplistic but the way they make it interesting is the level design and mainly the enemy placements. Kaho is practically made of glass because every enemy will do like a quarter of her health with a single attack so every room kind of turns into a puzzle with the player trying to work out how to get through without taking too much damage. You can not brute force this game. It will make you take your time and strategize. (Unless you get the Red Ring that just allows you to get health for every thing you kill so the strategy just turns into destroying everything in your path.)
The best part of the game in my opinion are the boss fights. I'm not going to spoil most of them but the fights can be pretty cool. Also Lubella, who you beat by smacking her titties... This game knows what I like.
Overall this game pretty nice. The vibe and gameplay are both really unique and cool. It is the definition of a hidden gem.
I've made it expressly clear that I adore all the Insomniac Spider-Man games and seeing as how this is effectively just more game I was almost guaranteed to like it.
The plot of this game isn't as emotional as the main game and I'm honeslty pretty happy about that. The main game felt like the big major comic book arc and this DLC felt like it was just meant to be a quick bonus little Spider-Man story where he fights a threat on a much smaller scale. I really appreciate how they got some lesser known villains for this too. (Whens the last time you've seen Hammerhead appear in anything since Spectacular Spider-Man?) Black Cat making her first physical appearance in this series here too and she's voiced by Erica Lindbeck and I have a crush on every character she plays.
Alot of the plot here is mainly just to set up for Spider-Man 2 and to hint at Peter training Miles for his game. I love the JJJ Episode where he has to go to the hospital at the realization that there are two Spider-Men now. It's a very nice cooldown after all the big drama of the main game. Genuinely just a fun, small scale Spider-Man story to tide the fans over between this and Miles Morales and thats all I wanted it to be.
The issues though come from the side content. Overall I think the side content here is a tad better than the main game. Or at the very least its more story focused than most of the main game ones which I think is neat. However they are kinda bullshit sometimes. Like I appreciate the extra challenge but when the bonus rewards are asking me to get a 100 Combo chain against swarms of the most aggresive enemies in the game I kind of start to get pissed off. But that's not even the problem.
Screwball. Enough said.
Also her challenges are actually kind of fun but when you try to go for the Ultimate Score on some of them they are just actual bullshit and they kind of push me from wanting to play them. (which wouldnt be an issue if they weren't based around Screwball and you had to hear her voice during all of them.)
Anyway yeah this DLC is pretty good. Nothing crazy but a fun side story between the much bigger game releases.
Also Black Cat is sexy as fuck.
The plot of this game isn't as emotional as the main game and I'm honeslty pretty happy about that. The main game felt like the big major comic book arc and this DLC felt like it was just meant to be a quick bonus little Spider-Man story where he fights a threat on a much smaller scale. I really appreciate how they got some lesser known villains for this too. (Whens the last time you've seen Hammerhead appear in anything since Spectacular Spider-Man?) Black Cat making her first physical appearance in this series here too and she's voiced by Erica Lindbeck and I have a crush on every character she plays.
Alot of the plot here is mainly just to set up for Spider-Man 2 and to hint at Peter training Miles for his game. I love the JJJ Episode where he has to go to the hospital at the realization that there are two Spider-Men now. It's a very nice cooldown after all the big drama of the main game. Genuinely just a fun, small scale Spider-Man story to tide the fans over between this and Miles Morales and thats all I wanted it to be.
The issues though come from the side content. Overall I think the side content here is a tad better than the main game. Or at the very least its more story focused than most of the main game ones which I think is neat. However they are kinda bullshit sometimes. Like I appreciate the extra challenge but when the bonus rewards are asking me to get a 100 Combo chain against swarms of the most aggresive enemies in the game I kind of start to get pissed off. But that's not even the problem.
Screwball. Enough said.
Also her challenges are actually kind of fun but when you try to go for the Ultimate Score on some of them they are just actual bullshit and they kind of push me from wanting to play them. (which wouldnt be an issue if they weren't based around Screwball and you had to hear her voice during all of them.)
Anyway yeah this DLC is pretty good. Nothing crazy but a fun side story between the much bigger game releases.
Also Black Cat is sexy as fuck.
Just going to get this out of way. I FUCKING ADORE THIS GAME.
At the time that I first played it, as the first game I bought when I got my PS4 back in 2021, I had no experience with anything Spider-Man. I knew nothing about the franchise and I had almost no interest in Marvel whatsoever. This game changed all of that. Spider-Man has had a major affect on me as a person and it all started from this Spectacular game.
I've never played any of the older Spider-Man games so I don't know if the gameplay is better or worse there but what I do know is that this game is an absolute blast to play. Simply traversing through the city is a fun and oddly relaxing way to pass time and it's so good that I often don't use the fast travel just for the sake of swinging. The combat is infamously very Arkham styled but with a lot of differences that make it clear that this is a Spider-Man game. Fighting groups of enemies is almost always fun however the longer you play the more stale they can get which is an issue I definitely noticed in the sequel. Another issue I find is that the bosses kind of suck. They all basically boil down to dodging attacks until the boss becomes vulnerable then beating on them until the QTEs take over. It's got a lot of spectacle but nothing super engaging.
My favorite part of this game though is the story. It really is the perfect Spider-Man story. A plot that genuinely reflects the mythos of Spider-Man. It's unique without completely straying from the source material and deters from basic Spider-Man plotlines to make something amazing. Its rare for a game to make me cry. It's even more rare for it to leave me on the floor balling. (Maybe Im just a baby idk)
Part of me feels like there is no possible way I can discuss this game without bias. It's just so special to me. I genuinely would be a very different person if not for this game and its themes are thoughts that I carry onto to this day.
Simply Spectacular!
At the time that I first played it, as the first game I bought when I got my PS4 back in 2021, I had no experience with anything Spider-Man. I knew nothing about the franchise and I had almost no interest in Marvel whatsoever. This game changed all of that. Spider-Man has had a major affect on me as a person and it all started from this Spectacular game.
I've never played any of the older Spider-Man games so I don't know if the gameplay is better or worse there but what I do know is that this game is an absolute blast to play. Simply traversing through the city is a fun and oddly relaxing way to pass time and it's so good that I often don't use the fast travel just for the sake of swinging. The combat is infamously very Arkham styled but with a lot of differences that make it clear that this is a Spider-Man game. Fighting groups of enemies is almost always fun however the longer you play the more stale they can get which is an issue I definitely noticed in the sequel. Another issue I find is that the bosses kind of suck. They all basically boil down to dodging attacks until the boss becomes vulnerable then beating on them until the QTEs take over. It's got a lot of spectacle but nothing super engaging.
My favorite part of this game though is the story. It really is the perfect Spider-Man story. A plot that genuinely reflects the mythos of Spider-Man. It's unique without completely straying from the source material and deters from basic Spider-Man plotlines to make something amazing. Its rare for a game to make me cry. It's even more rare for it to leave me on the floor balling. (Maybe Im just a baby idk)
Part of me feels like there is no possible way I can discuss this game without bias. It's just so special to me. I genuinely would be a very different person if not for this game and its themes are thoughts that I carry onto to this day.
Simply Spectacular!
1990
Super Mario World is a follow up of the divisive, yet iconic JRPGs, Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3. Like its predecessors, Super Mario World is basically just series of 25 minute long cutscenes that all follow the same basic structure over and over. And that is its main flaw.
After this game the franchise dove away from the JRPG genre and the mainline games became primarily platforming based. This game however is still a boring JRPG with a rough plot and almost no gameplay,
This time it repeats the idea of the previous games, starring Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad however this time they include the new protagonist Yoshi who is voiced by Andrew Sabiston. Yoshi however doesn't really add much to the plot but to give Mario another character to work off of. Later games would flesh out Yoshi as Mario's mount along with some extra features which I think was for the better.
Most Chapters revolve around a generic plot that they repeat with minor variations over and over and it gets very boring very fast. The entire gameplay can be summed up as the menu that brings you to the level select and everything after that is just cutscenes that go on for too long.
The only redeeming quality of this game is that the characters are kind of fun. Plus every Chapter starts with this groovy little song that sound slike they're trying to emulate cave man noises in reference to Yoshi being prehistoric. Its neat and the cast is fun (yet can sometimes be annoying.) Thats all I have to say about it. I don't understand why this game is so well loved by everyone. Its definitely overrated.
After this game the franchise dove away from the JRPG genre and the mainline games became primarily platforming based. This game however is still a boring JRPG with a rough plot and almost no gameplay,
This time it repeats the idea of the previous games, starring Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad however this time they include the new protagonist Yoshi who is voiced by Andrew Sabiston. Yoshi however doesn't really add much to the plot but to give Mario another character to work off of. Later games would flesh out Yoshi as Mario's mount along with some extra features which I think was for the better.
Most Chapters revolve around a generic plot that they repeat with minor variations over and over and it gets very boring very fast. The entire gameplay can be summed up as the menu that brings you to the level select and everything after that is just cutscenes that go on for too long.
The only redeeming quality of this game is that the characters are kind of fun. Plus every Chapter starts with this groovy little song that sound slike they're trying to emulate cave man noises in reference to Yoshi being prehistoric. Its neat and the cast is fun (yet can sometimes be annoying.) Thats all I have to say about it. I don't understand why this game is so well loved by everyone. Its definitely overrated.
2016
Furi is absolutley dope. Playing as a dope automaton, you must make your way through 9 grueling boss fights that serve as the guards of this futuristic prison built just for you while being aided by mysterious man in a rabbit hood. I love the hidden details in this game's dialogue. Character motivations and backstory are always told to you and never shown.
Albeit, the game is pretty simplistic. Its a bullet-hell boss rush with swordplay. There are no upgrades to worry about or secret collectibles to find. All you are given is a gun and a sword but this simplicity makes it kind of comforting to me. It's a cool game that won't waste your time (unless you suck).
The graphics aren't the best and character animations are limited but if you're playing this game for that and not the gameplay then you're doing it wrong. The OST of this game is amazing. I listen to "You're Mine" literally all the time, sometimes even over other games.
Overall, this game's main appeal is just how fun it is. It's difficult in a great way and not unfairly difficult. You really probably to lost to most bosses at least once and that's the intention. You're meant to learn and study the enemies until dodging their attacks become second nature. Plus there's even an alt character you can play as in the DLC who you can cycle through a mode that prioritizes damage and another that focuses on speed and this character is even more fun to play as then the male protagonist.
This game's plot is also pretty good. It's not amazing but the way it is told to you and how all the pieces slowly get put together by the player is really cool.
All in all this game is purely dope. Definitely play it if you want a quick challenge for your afternoon.
Albeit, the game is pretty simplistic. Its a bullet-hell boss rush with swordplay. There are no upgrades to worry about or secret collectibles to find. All you are given is a gun and a sword but this simplicity makes it kind of comforting to me. It's a cool game that won't waste your time (unless you suck).
The graphics aren't the best and character animations are limited but if you're playing this game for that and not the gameplay then you're doing it wrong. The OST of this game is amazing. I listen to "You're Mine" literally all the time, sometimes even over other games.
Overall, this game's main appeal is just how fun it is. It's difficult in a great way and not unfairly difficult. You really probably to lost to most bosses at least once and that's the intention. You're meant to learn and study the enemies until dodging their attacks become second nature. Plus there's even an alt character you can play as in the DLC who you can cycle through a mode that prioritizes damage and another that focuses on speed and this character is even more fun to play as then the male protagonist.
This game's plot is also pretty good. It's not amazing but the way it is told to you and how all the pieces slowly get put together by the player is really cool.
All in all this game is purely dope. Definitely play it if you want a quick challenge for your afternoon.
This game was 5 hours of nothing. I wasn't expecting anything crazy since this is a remake of a GBA game but man, I was STILL underwhelmed.
The game starts pretty basic and meh which is what you expect, but then you get a couple worlds into it and you realize that you've been so fucking bored that you didn't even notice how bored you were. And it stays that way for the ENTIRE GAME. I've never been genuinley bored to tears like this before and it's a shame that it's stemmed from a Mario game of things.
The ONLY thing that was actually good and not a complete waste of 50 FUCKING DOLLARS was the soundtrack and animations. The OST is way too good and every world has a new unique theme to go with it. Also for some reason they made the most high quality cutscenes ever seen in a Nintendo game which I can only assume had so much effort put in because they needed to distract the player from just nothing this game is. Don't play for your own sake. It's not even worth the time let alone 50 dollars.
The game starts pretty basic and meh which is what you expect, but then you get a couple worlds into it and you realize that you've been so fucking bored that you didn't even notice how bored you were. And it stays that way for the ENTIRE GAME. I've never been genuinley bored to tears like this before and it's a shame that it's stemmed from a Mario game of things.
The ONLY thing that was actually good and not a complete waste of 50 FUCKING DOLLARS was the soundtrack and animations. The OST is way too good and every world has a new unique theme to go with it. Also for some reason they made the most high quality cutscenes ever seen in a Nintendo game which I can only assume had so much effort put in because they needed to distract the player from just nothing this game is. Don't play for your own sake. It's not even worth the time let alone 50 dollars.
This review contains spoilers
There are certain classics that just emanate a kind of magic. The original Final Fantasy VII is definitely one of them and I'm very happy to say that this reimagining of the first few hours of og are able to capture that magic beautifully. Now, I never played much past the plate falling in OG so everything going forward in Rebirth will be completely new to me and if that is able to keep the quality going is completely up in the air for me as of now. (Who knows, I just might play the OG to the end at some point in the near future.)
Final Fantasy has always been a very interesting franchise to me. I'd never played one before so I never understood all the hype but now that I have I think I might be in love. I don't think this game is flawless but with time and research I think it could very easily become one of my favorite series alongside Xenoblade and Zelda. (They already all share the sexy blonde anime dude who I have a crush on as a protagonist so its got a step in already.)
From what I can tell this game is not just a retelling. It's also sort of a critique of what a remake can and should be, and its not subtle with this. I think its actually a very interesting way to handle it and aids the audience in getting an idea of how to story will progress going forward as opposed to the original. And even with this meta subtext the game does not skip out on telling a meaningful story with great characters. Obviously since this is basically just a seventh of the original's plot the entire story hasn't really revealed itself yet but so far I already adore all these characters. Especially Barret! The soft giant dad archetype is always my favorite and Barret is one of the best in the trope.
The combat I'm a bit iffy on. Overall I think it works but I'd be lying if I said I prefer it over the traditional turn-based ATB style that the original used. I think it just feels cozier not having to worry about what the enemy who's off screen is doing while you're wearing down another. Also maybe I'm just bad at the game or I'm not fully grasping the flow of combat but I found this game a lot harder than I expected. Usually in action games, dodging is very often the best way to avoid taking damage but here it sometimes feels like there is no proper way to actually avoid a lot of the attacks so blocking takes priority. I guess that makes sense when you consider the source material but as a modern GOW fan it was really hard to get to grasps with.
Anyway i think I might be obsessed with this game now. I really just want more of it as soon as possible because I adored this. Luckily as of writing this, Rebirth is only a couple weeks away and I've already preordered it. Here's hoping it upholds the quality that was set in motion by this game. Depending on how this trilogy plays out I can easily see this becoming one of my new Top 10 favorite games.
Final Fantasy has always been a very interesting franchise to me. I'd never played one before so I never understood all the hype but now that I have I think I might be in love. I don't think this game is flawless but with time and research I think it could very easily become one of my favorite series alongside Xenoblade and Zelda. (They already all share the sexy blonde anime dude who I have a crush on as a protagonist so its got a step in already.)
From what I can tell this game is not just a retelling. It's also sort of a critique of what a remake can and should be, and its not subtle with this. I think its actually a very interesting way to handle it and aids the audience in getting an idea of how to story will progress going forward as opposed to the original. And even with this meta subtext the game does not skip out on telling a meaningful story with great characters. Obviously since this is basically just a seventh of the original's plot the entire story hasn't really revealed itself yet but so far I already adore all these characters. Especially Barret! The soft giant dad archetype is always my favorite and Barret is one of the best in the trope.
The combat I'm a bit iffy on. Overall I think it works but I'd be lying if I said I prefer it over the traditional turn-based ATB style that the original used. I think it just feels cozier not having to worry about what the enemy who's off screen is doing while you're wearing down another. Also maybe I'm just bad at the game or I'm not fully grasping the flow of combat but I found this game a lot harder than I expected. Usually in action games, dodging is very often the best way to avoid taking damage but here it sometimes feels like there is no proper way to actually avoid a lot of the attacks so blocking takes priority. I guess that makes sense when you consider the source material but as a modern GOW fan it was really hard to get to grasps with.
Anyway i think I might be obsessed with this game now. I really just want more of it as soon as possible because I adored this. Luckily as of writing this, Rebirth is only a couple weeks away and I've already preordered it. Here's hoping it upholds the quality that was set in motion by this game. Depending on how this trilogy plays out I can easily see this becoming one of my new Top 10 favorite games.
The first two Marvel's Spider-Man games are VERY important to me. The first Spider-Man media I ever experienced was Into the Spiderverse and obviously I loved it but it didn't really make me a Spider-Man fan. Marvel's Spider-Man and Miles Morales did. Playing these games introduced to a whole new world or superpowers, fun characters, and genuine heart that I had never experienced anywhere else before. To put it simply, the first game made me fall in love with the Spider-Man franchise.
And now I've seen all the movies, watched multiple of the shows, and even read many comics including the entire Ultimate Spider-Man run. And it's all thanks to the og, so needless to say, it being my second favorite game of all time is well deserved and I was extremely hyped about the sequel.
At the very end of July in 2023 I left home to go to Navy bootcamp. The release date had just been announced for Spider-Man 2 and it was releasing the very same day I was to graduate as long as I wasn't held back for any reason. No matter how bad it got I never stopped trying to make it no matter how difficult it got because I know at the end of it all, when I had made it, this game would be waiting for me at the end. And I did.
So did the game live up to the hype? I think it did.
It's heavily flawed in many ways that stop it from being objectively perfect like the other two were but from a subjective point of view I was always going to love it. I spend a lot of time comparing it to the origianl obviously and in many ways it doesn't stand up next to it.
I think my main issue is that the game doesn't focus as much on telling a really heartfelt and mature story the same way the first game did. While this game doesn't focus as much on the emotion is goes hard on the hype. This game's story is kind of dumb I'll be honest but oh man is it fun. It doesn't feel as much as it trying to tell a compelling superhero story but instead feeding you references, cool character interactions, and just frankly awesome moments. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the heart that the first game had but when the alternative is something that is making me smile this much, I think I'll manage. Plus, These sidequests will give you all the emotion you need. I'm going to talk about Howard in a minute.
The gameplay has also been improved in many ways. Web swinging is crazy fast now and I love it. The web wings at first didn't look like a big deal to me when I first saw the reveal but in practice oh my god are they fun. the traversal in this game is easily the best of the trilogy so far which is a shame bcause I just fast travel everywhere now because DUUUUUUUDE the way you just zoom into the map with NO load screens mid swing makes me melt everytime. It's so cool. The combat however has kind of taken a downgrade. Nothing big but it feels like every interaction as you play becomes either a big horde group fight with too many guys that you just spam the attack button on, or a super difficult boss that will beat the absolute shit out of you because up to this point in the series none of the bosses have ever been that difficult. It's all the same and it gets old quick. Especially when you're in the endgame and all the generic enemies get an insane amount of health. Not bad since it's basically just the same as the previous two with a few big changes that ultimately don't really change all that much.
Time to talk about the sidequests. I really like most of them. The Cleatus Cassidy stuff is cool, the quests where you play as regular Peter Parker are unironically really fun and do a lot for Peter's character, and Miles has stuff to do somewhere I'm sure. But of course the real highlight is Howard. I won't talk about it too much but I lost my dad only days after I played this mission, and the themes it discusses and the song, seabird, helped me through it.
This game isn't perfect. Its no where near as great as the first. But it means a lot to me. I love this game flaws and all. It was obviously rushed in most areas and has a plot that feels incomplete and unsatisfying in ways but in the moments that it doesn't hold back on the emotion its extremely heartfelt. And when it is holding back on the gutpunches, its extremely awesome and just pure fun. And in all honesty, that's all I need it to be. Fun.
Objectivley this game is a 7/10. Subjectivley though its a perfect 10/10.
And now I've seen all the movies, watched multiple of the shows, and even read many comics including the entire Ultimate Spider-Man run. And it's all thanks to the og, so needless to say, it being my second favorite game of all time is well deserved and I was extremely hyped about the sequel.
At the very end of July in 2023 I left home to go to Navy bootcamp. The release date had just been announced for Spider-Man 2 and it was releasing the very same day I was to graduate as long as I wasn't held back for any reason. No matter how bad it got I never stopped trying to make it no matter how difficult it got because I know at the end of it all, when I had made it, this game would be waiting for me at the end. And I did.
So did the game live up to the hype? I think it did.
It's heavily flawed in many ways that stop it from being objectively perfect like the other two were but from a subjective point of view I was always going to love it. I spend a lot of time comparing it to the origianl obviously and in many ways it doesn't stand up next to it.
I think my main issue is that the game doesn't focus as much on telling a really heartfelt and mature story the same way the first game did. While this game doesn't focus as much on the emotion is goes hard on the hype. This game's story is kind of dumb I'll be honest but oh man is it fun. It doesn't feel as much as it trying to tell a compelling superhero story but instead feeding you references, cool character interactions, and just frankly awesome moments. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the heart that the first game had but when the alternative is something that is making me smile this much, I think I'll manage. Plus, These sidequests will give you all the emotion you need. I'm going to talk about Howard in a minute.
The gameplay has also been improved in many ways. Web swinging is crazy fast now and I love it. The web wings at first didn't look like a big deal to me when I first saw the reveal but in practice oh my god are they fun. the traversal in this game is easily the best of the trilogy so far which is a shame bcause I just fast travel everywhere now because DUUUUUUUDE the way you just zoom into the map with NO load screens mid swing makes me melt everytime. It's so cool. The combat however has kind of taken a downgrade. Nothing big but it feels like every interaction as you play becomes either a big horde group fight with too many guys that you just spam the attack button on, or a super difficult boss that will beat the absolute shit out of you because up to this point in the series none of the bosses have ever been that difficult. It's all the same and it gets old quick. Especially when you're in the endgame and all the generic enemies get an insane amount of health. Not bad since it's basically just the same as the previous two with a few big changes that ultimately don't really change all that much.
Time to talk about the sidequests. I really like most of them. The Cleatus Cassidy stuff is cool, the quests where you play as regular Peter Parker are unironically really fun and do a lot for Peter's character, and Miles has stuff to do somewhere I'm sure. But of course the real highlight is Howard. I won't talk about it too much but I lost my dad only days after I played this mission, and the themes it discusses and the song, seabird, helped me through it.
This game isn't perfect. Its no where near as great as the first. But it means a lot to me. I love this game flaws and all. It was obviously rushed in most areas and has a plot that feels incomplete and unsatisfying in ways but in the moments that it doesn't hold back on the emotion its extremely heartfelt. And when it is holding back on the gutpunches, its extremely awesome and just pure fun. And in all honesty, that's all I need it to be. Fun.
Objectivley this game is a 7/10. Subjectivley though its a perfect 10/10.
2007
There's a couple games that I've played that make me fall in love in a way that I struggle greatly to define it in words. Super Mario Galaxy is one of those games.
This game is so much more than a regular 3D platformer. It's pure magic. From an objective point of view this is one of Mario's all time best and while I think other Mario games are more fun to play, none of them can ever hope of experiencing the same love I feel for this absolute Masterpiece.
Obviously, there's a lot of bias here from nostalgia. I won't pretend that there isn't. This game along with the Wii and the rest of it's Mario library defined me as a person. No other game is capable of filling me with as much immense joy no matter how bad a day I've had like this.
I don't really need to go over what makes this game so great because it's clear as day to anyone who's played it. It's emblematic of everything great about Mario, the Wii, and video games as a whole. If not for Xenoblade Chronicles I would have no issue calling this my favorite game on the Wii and even though it comes second place on that front, there is NOTHING between this and being my favorite Mario game. Absolute magic in every way.
There's a reason this is Scott the Woz's favorite video game.
This game is so much more than a regular 3D platformer. It's pure magic. From an objective point of view this is one of Mario's all time best and while I think other Mario games are more fun to play, none of them can ever hope of experiencing the same love I feel for this absolute Masterpiece.
Obviously, there's a lot of bias here from nostalgia. I won't pretend that there isn't. This game along with the Wii and the rest of it's Mario library defined me as a person. No other game is capable of filling me with as much immense joy no matter how bad a day I've had like this.
I don't really need to go over what makes this game so great because it's clear as day to anyone who's played it. It's emblematic of everything great about Mario, the Wii, and video games as a whole. If not for Xenoblade Chronicles I would have no issue calling this my favorite game on the Wii and even though it comes second place on that front, there is NOTHING between this and being my favorite Mario game. Absolute magic in every way.
There's a reason this is Scott the Woz's favorite video game.
I'm completely new to VR and figured this would be the perfect game to adjust to it with. And yeah this game is the perfect first game to experience it with.
Basically just a quirky tech demo featuring multiple minigames.All of the modes were pretty fun except for the mechanic one. Especially since it was the last one of the 4 modes I did and at that point the novelty had worn off and I was just kind of bored by it.
This feels like the perfect kind of game to watch a youtuber who's funnier than me play and its fine on your own but it gets old fast.
In the end though, this was a very charming way to adjust to VR and it has me excited to play other VR games in the future. I'm thinking either Beat Saber or FNAF. Upsettingly, Minecraft wasnt available for PSVR2 and from what i gather online it likely won't be for a while, which is sad because i was really looking forward to playing it in VR.
Basically just a quirky tech demo featuring multiple minigames.All of the modes were pretty fun except for the mechanic one. Especially since it was the last one of the 4 modes I did and at that point the novelty had worn off and I was just kind of bored by it.
This feels like the perfect kind of game to watch a youtuber who's funnier than me play and its fine on your own but it gets old fast.
In the end though, this was a very charming way to adjust to VR and it has me excited to play other VR games in the future. I'm thinking either Beat Saber or FNAF. Upsettingly, Minecraft wasnt available for PSVR2 and from what i gather online it likely won't be for a while, which is sad because i was really looking forward to playing it in VR.
2011
What the actual fuck did I just experience?
1992
I have literally nothing to say about this game. It certainly is a game that I played for 20 minutes and beat without any issues. It's interesting to see te roots of the Kirby franchise but this game on it's own is just not interesting at all. Its a fine platformer for the Game Boy. The controls are very barbaric and outdated but whatever. I don't recommend this to anyone. At all. It's not bad enough to be appalling and it's not good enough to be praised in any way. It is a game that exists.
2017
A common complaint I hear about Mario games is that they are very safe and you always know what you're going to get and I feel it is A Hat in Time's core desire to fix this.
I've never played a game with more charm and life than this. (maaaaaaaaaaaaaybe Mario Odyssey but it's very close) This game just oozes fun with every level and these levels themselves are so diverse that you will never see what's next coming. One moment you'll be racing a Mafia goon riding a rocket and right after you'll be stealing a cruise ship for adorable seals and crashing it into an iceberg.
The game is a clear love letter to classic 3D platformers, mainly from what I can tell Super Mario Sunshine more than anything else. There are even secret levels based on the FLUDDless missions from Sunshine for those who want jump straight up platforming goodness which this game also excels at. The core platforming of the game is extremely fluid and satisfying. There isn't much challenge but there are a few difficulty spikes throughout but nothing that will stop you for very long. If you want a challenge you'll want to check the Seal the Deal DLC which includes 38 extremely difficult challenge levels.
Overall this quirky game serves as an amazing platformer that solely exists just to put a smile on the face of whoever plays it. A definite modern classic.
I've never played a game with more charm and life than this. (maaaaaaaaaaaaaybe Mario Odyssey but it's very close) This game just oozes fun with every level and these levels themselves are so diverse that you will never see what's next coming. One moment you'll be racing a Mafia goon riding a rocket and right after you'll be stealing a cruise ship for adorable seals and crashing it into an iceberg.
The game is a clear love letter to classic 3D platformers, mainly from what I can tell Super Mario Sunshine more than anything else. There are even secret levels based on the FLUDDless missions from Sunshine for those who want jump straight up platforming goodness which this game also excels at. The core platforming of the game is extremely fluid and satisfying. There isn't much challenge but there are a few difficulty spikes throughout but nothing that will stop you for very long. If you want a challenge you'll want to check the Seal the Deal DLC which includes 38 extremely difficult challenge levels.
Overall this quirky game serves as an amazing platformer that solely exists just to put a smile on the face of whoever plays it. A definite modern classic.
This review is discussing Bowser's Fury specifically, not Super Mario 3D World which I did review in the past.
As a port, I think Super Mario 3D World on switch is amazing. 3D World is already one of my favorite games but the port makes it even better with minor gameplay changes that add together to truly perfect the game. So all-in-all, I would have been fine if that was all that was added but no. Nintendo developed an entire new game, albeit a very short one, in addition to the base game.
I described Super Mario 3D World as a glorious combination of New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Bowser's Fury is similarly a magical combination of Super Mario 3D World that plays like Super Mario Odyssey and it works shockingly well.
Everything great about 3D World is here but now with a new gameplay loop and loads of new mechanics including Fury Bowser, who might be genuinely the most intimidating version of Bowser in Mario's history.
Instead of a regular "avoid obstacles and reach the flagpole" style that 3D World has, BF treats itself like a single large Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey full of many unique stages and challenges for you to attempt and it's really refreshing after finishing 3D World.
Another thing that is refreshing after 3D World is the length. Some might argue that it's too short and yes I can see why. (I was able to 100% it in a single afternoon) however that kind of made for a nice change of pace after the gauntlet that the later levels of 3D World became. If Nintendo took this style and turned it into a full game with loads of worlds and gimmicks like Fury Bowser I would absolutely not complain. Everything here works shockingly well.
I'd say even if you played 3D World on Wii U, the switch port is more than worth it for what it adds to the base game but Bowser's Fury pushes it even further to being an absolute must-play for Mario fans.
As a port, I think Super Mario 3D World on switch is amazing. 3D World is already one of my favorite games but the port makes it even better with minor gameplay changes that add together to truly perfect the game. So all-in-all, I would have been fine if that was all that was added but no. Nintendo developed an entire new game, albeit a very short one, in addition to the base game.
I described Super Mario 3D World as a glorious combination of New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Bowser's Fury is similarly a magical combination of Super Mario 3D World that plays like Super Mario Odyssey and it works shockingly well.
Everything great about 3D World is here but now with a new gameplay loop and loads of new mechanics including Fury Bowser, who might be genuinely the most intimidating version of Bowser in Mario's history.
Instead of a regular "avoid obstacles and reach the flagpole" style that 3D World has, BF treats itself like a single large Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey full of many unique stages and challenges for you to attempt and it's really refreshing after finishing 3D World.
Another thing that is refreshing after 3D World is the length. Some might argue that it's too short and yes I can see why. (I was able to 100% it in a single afternoon) however that kind of made for a nice change of pace after the gauntlet that the later levels of 3D World became. If Nintendo took this style and turned it into a full game with loads of worlds and gimmicks like Fury Bowser I would absolutely not complain. Everything here works shockingly well.
I'd say even if you played 3D World on Wii U, the switch port is more than worth it for what it adds to the base game but Bowser's Fury pushes it even further to being an absolute must-play for Mario fans.