BorealPaella
2023
Very much style over substance with a very simple battle system which makes most characters behave and have the exact same role in teams but with different animations. The story starts out interesting but quickly loses it's steam (up to where I got when I played, which isn't current)
I think this game surpasses the original Half-Life for the fact that you're weak and struggling from start to finish. Which I loved the start of the original game for. It also feels like a horror game from start to finish. Unlike the original and Half-Life Opposing Force, which turn into power fantasies real quick, despite starting impressions.
2014
Characters all almost behave exactly the same with slightly different hitboxes and animations and different choices of weapons, which all have the same basic attacks on all characters. The game's fun, but characters having no identity outside of their design and animation ruins this for me.
1997
The most confusing map design I've seen in a game ever.
Turn based RPG with an alchemy system where you make your own usable items, armor, weapons for use in battles. Also crafting items to fulfill requests.
If that concept sounds interesting, this game is super simple in the best way imaginable on top of having great characters. The Atelier games after might be better, but this game has such charm and simplicity that I can't not give it a 5/5.
If that concept sounds interesting, this game is super simple in the best way imaginable on top of having great characters. The Atelier games after might be better, but this game has such charm and simplicity that I can't not give it a 5/5.
2015
I'll assume anyone reading has played/watched the original Steins;Gate. With that being said, this game is a grief and trauma story with a science fiction twist. Which I think is done really well. It's less focused, but because the writing is better, I think it goes to higher highs than the original often. And I find it more interesting than just "time travel story that is really good and has consequence" which the original goes for.
Main characters aren't just fun tropes anymore. The game shifting between perspectives is an amazing addition. The non-canon endings don't just diverge into "For this ending, you partner up with this woman" like in the original. One ending doesn't even have Okabe in it.
If you like the idea of characters sharing grief and trauma and overcoming it together, I highly recommend it. It was a pleasant surprise for me, especially after hearing how "it's worse than the original".
Main characters aren't just fun tropes anymore. The game shifting between perspectives is an amazing addition. The non-canon endings don't just diverge into "For this ending, you partner up with this woman" like in the original. One ending doesn't even have Okabe in it.
If you like the idea of characters sharing grief and trauma and overcoming it together, I highly recommend it. It was a pleasant surprise for me, especially after hearing how "it's worse than the original".
I'm starting to feel like you need nostalgia to enjoy Zelda games. Which I have none. Tried multiple of them and I simply never care.
This is very much an action RPG. But apart from puzzles and music, it feels lacking in all it's components. Story, writing, combat, characters. I don't care about any of it.
When taken as a whole experience and not just puzzles, it's just not satisfying to me. I don't care about this game's importance in my rating. I acknowledge importance but I judge a game based on how I feel at the time I play. Because I'm not doing a gaming history thesis.
This is very much an action RPG. But apart from puzzles and music, it feels lacking in all it's components. Story, writing, combat, characters. I don't care about any of it.
When taken as a whole experience and not just puzzles, it's just not satisfying to me. I don't care about this game's importance in my rating. I acknowledge importance but I judge a game based on how I feel at the time I play. Because I'm not doing a gaming history thesis.
Amazing map design and gameplay. All I can really say. The only issue is how, unlike other classic Castlevania games, you have a limited number of continues for every run. I wish more people played it to see how amazing it is.
2014
Very competent little roguelike FPS. They took great advantage of enemy synergy despite randomization and different weapon types are better at dealing with certain enemies. So, ideally, you want to have an arsenal equipped for dealing with most things.
It's not going to blow anyone's mind in any department, but it's obviously so well designed that I can't rate it any lower. And I also have a soft spot for wizard themed FPS games.
It's not going to blow anyone's mind in any department, but it's obviously so well designed that I can't rate it any lower. And I also have a soft spot for wizard themed FPS games.
2016
I'm not a fan. The farming, fishing and foraging system are fun. The community center is great fun too. So is the customization. But the huge town, short days and slow walking speed make the social aspect really difficult to engage with. The social aspect is the most important aspect of a farming sim to me.
The villagers in this game are just boring to top it off. They don't hold a candle to something like the villagers in Rune Factory 3-5. Them being more "realistic" NPCs doesn't excuse the fact there's little dialogue and most of it is uninteresting.
The combat and dungeons also are serviceable and nothing more.
The villagers in this game are just boring to top it off. They don't hold a candle to something like the villagers in Rune Factory 3-5. Them being more "realistic" NPCs doesn't excuse the fact there's little dialogue and most of it is uninteresting.
The combat and dungeons also are serviceable and nothing more.
1993
Has better enemy synergy, movement, map design and environmental storytelling than many modern FPS games which have a far easier time implementing it.
Amazing atmosphere and music. Some of the worst combat I've ever seen. Somehow, you're expected to postpone fun missing all of your attacks for 20 hours and to run at a snail's pace for 30. Even then, the dungeons are fewer in number than the following games and a lot more simplistic.
I also don't buy the "dice roll systems were how it was back then" excuse. I played a few older PC RPGs (including The Elder Scrolls Arena) and somehow the miss rates in those games are less abysmal.
I'm not fond of the "realism" excuse for mediocre quests either. People seem to find a way to turn any criticism for this game into a positive.
I really want to love this game (it has my favorite setting from the series) but I don't like it when I'm expected to go into a game thinking it's going to suck for 20 hours before it gets going. I can finish a game or more in that time and have fun for all 20 hours.
I also don't buy the "dice roll systems were how it was back then" excuse. I played a few older PC RPGs (including The Elder Scrolls Arena) and somehow the miss rates in those games are less abysmal.
I'm not fond of the "realism" excuse for mediocre quests either. People seem to find a way to turn any criticism for this game into a positive.
I really want to love this game (it has my favorite setting from the series) but I don't like it when I'm expected to go into a game thinking it's going to suck for 20 hours before it gets going. I can finish a game or more in that time and have fun for all 20 hours.
2020
The gameplay is a major improvement over Serious Sam 3. For those not in the know, Serious Sam always had great enemy synergy, which I think is what takes an FPS game from good to great. I feel like this game has the best bosses since Serious Sam 2.
Music is great as always. From my understanding, many people hate the characters they added to it. I personally think they're a fine addition and make the game silly in a pleasant way. Their dialogue is great, mostly. The "side quests" are also an interesting addition. They kind of ruin the pacing but some of them are really fun.
Music is great as always. From my understanding, many people hate the characters they added to it. I personally think they're a fine addition and make the game silly in a pleasant way. Their dialogue is great, mostly. The "side quests" are also an interesting addition. They kind of ruin the pacing but some of them are really fun.
Feels like eating a slice of white bread and calling it a sandwich
I enjoyed my time with the game and greatly enjoyed the story dungeons and atmosphere, especially with such a fun soundtrack to back it up. The dungeons have a lot of gimmicks that keep things interesting. The issue is that you must read the manual and play a spellcaster or a hybrid. There's a shield spell trick that you must use if you want to have fun with the game. With that, the balancing issues are mostly done with. (I'll explain it at the end for anyone who might be interested)
The actual fighting is just serviceable. The main reason the score isn't higher. You should play this game only if you like first person dungeon crawling. It doesn't have anything in common with Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim. I didn't play Daggerfall yet to comment on that.
As for the shield trick, you need to do this. You go to the wizard's store in any town and create a spell that uses up almost all your mana to create a shield. You use it before you go into dungeons and rest in town. Inside dungeons, once the shield breaks, whenever you're in a safe area where you can rest, you use said shield spell again and rest fully. When you can't rest safely, you use weaker shield spells when it breaks or heal spells.
The actual fighting is just serviceable. The main reason the score isn't higher. You should play this game only if you like first person dungeon crawling. It doesn't have anything in common with Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim. I didn't play Daggerfall yet to comment on that.
As for the shield trick, you need to do this. You go to the wizard's store in any town and create a spell that uses up almost all your mana to create a shield. You use it before you go into dungeons and rest in town. Inside dungeons, once the shield breaks, whenever you're in a safe area where you can rest, you use said shield spell again and rest fully. When you can't rest safely, you use weaker shield spells when it breaks or heal spells.