DeltaWDunn
Castlevania 3 is my favorite NES game and my second favorite Castlevania game. It perfected the series on the NES and is honestly a must-play for any gamer. It retains everything good about the first, but also has better level design, more replay value, and 3 extra characters. While these characters aren't as beautifully balanced as the Belmont Subweapons, they are balanced pretty well and offer the aforementioned replay value alongside two splitting paths. The level design is more varied as well, and it feels like a perfect blend between the action and platforming, and that includes many bosses.
Not only that, but the audiovisuals are also improved, which might sound crazy considering the excellent sound design of the first, but seriously. They made an entire sound chip and stuff, and the visuals are pushing the NES to its limits.
You should absolutely play this game. I'd recommend the Castlevania Collection, not only because of its value, but because it's the only official release of the Japanese version, which is what I played. The North American version was not only made much harder, but the sound isn't as good. Play the Japanese version.
Not only that, but the audiovisuals are also improved, which might sound crazy considering the excellent sound design of the first, but seriously. They made an entire sound chip and stuff, and the visuals are pushing the NES to its limits.
You should absolutely play this game. I'd recommend the Castlevania Collection, not only because of its value, but because it's the only official release of the Japanese version, which is what I played. The North American version was not only made much harder, but the sound isn't as good. Play the Japanese version.
(Outdated review, will make a new one eventually)
I have played many games, and as such, it took me a while to find a game that I could say was truly my favorite of all time. However, after deciding to give the sequel of Anodyne (a game I was lukewarm on due to some underdeveloped gameplay despite having incredible audio and atmosphere) a chance, I found it.
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a culmination of everything Analgesic Productions learned in the years after making Anodyne, and it shows. This is a game that draws you in from the title screen alone, and keeps surprising you until the very end. The crux of the game is, of course, the gameplay, and it's outstanding for the most part. There is much more going on than Anodyne 1, yet it still feels simple at its core in terms of controls. You play as a Nanocleaner, who shrinks inside people to remove toxic dust from them. The gameplay is split into two sections: The overworld, which is adventure-oriented with PS1 styled graphics, which you use to find people who need to a Nanocleaning. The Nanocleaning is done in a top-down Zelda style with 16-bit visuals. The dust removed is used to open up new areas along with cards collected from various sources (As a side note, I love how when you shrink, the resolution of the game shrinks from 32-bit to 16-bit styles). The overworld is pretty fun to explore. There's no battles, and you'll mostly just be looking for collectibles. It does have a problem which I'll get to, but the Nano sections really shine. Each level introduces new mechanics that are excessively creative, and many levels do things you would never expect. I don't want to spoil any of it, but it will make you rethink how you play games. I haven't played a game with such a variation of levels that are both interesting and well designed.
There's also the story, which is pretty good, but is elevated by the atmosphere and some subversions. You work for a deity called 'The Center', which supposedly created all life, and the dust you clean sullies the sanctity of life, but this sanctity is seemingly extremely strict. The story is essentially about meaning in life and nihilism, and does some interesting things with your preconcieved notions of videogame stories (Although not on the level of Undertale or the like). As I said, the atmosphere and direction really elevate this aspect, and there was a particularly disturbing moment halfway through. There's also the contained stories of all the people you jump inside to nanoclean. Some are basic, but some are very interesting and are reflected in the levels themselves. The game also has a very meta sense of humor, and can be pretty funny. Another interesting aspect of this game is that it has lore. While you can play this without having played the first, there is a post-game section tied to the first game, and it hints to a possible origin of the world the second game takes place in, New Theland. The next paragraph will be a spoiler, because there's some interesting things I want to talk about.
As I said, the story is about finding meaning and freedom in the world, but halfway through the game, something very interesting happens. You meet a seemingly glitched character named Desert-NPC, and when you try to dive into him, you're sucked in. You then go to this more realistic-looking world where you play as Nora, a normal person working a 9-5 job who is tired of the monotony. It's suggested Anodyne 2 may be a game Nora is playing. Eventually, she is chased by a giant Griffon creature, and the only way to get away is to start playing Anodyne 2 again. Some may see this as nonsense, but I think it's a hyperbolic symbol of escapism, as if to say Nora is avoiding her problems by playing games, and she is rejecting nihilism by thinking that she has purpose in this game world. That's an element of videogames that isn't touched on a lot, so I thought it was a great extra message.
Of course, any great game needs to give reason to keep playing and replaying, and Anodyne 2 has an extensive and interesting post-game, although it may be the one aspect the first Anodyne trumps it in. You have to collect meta coins that are hidden in the overworld, and here's the kicker: Many of the (seemingly) 585 are hidden out of bounds and in level geometry. It's a very cool side quest, and the rewards are great, but it has one big problem: Did you notice that "seemingly"? Well, I actually don't know how many there are in the game. There's an NPC that says I have ALMOST every metacoin, so I guess I'm missing some. There's a metacoin tracker, but it doesn't work in the nanolevels, and there are a select few hidden in some nanolevels. If they would patch the metacoin tracker working in nanolevels, that would be great, because this is the biggest problem with the game. However, there is seemingly no award for collecting them all, and the developers are known to troll, so it's possible I do have them all, especially since I can't find anyone online with more than 585.
The audio and visuals are pretty great too. I already mentioned the meaning behind the visual changes when shrinking, but both styles can be beautiful in their own right. The Pastel Horizon and Outer Sands East stick out especially, and I like how the overworld integrated modern lighting into its retro style. The audio contributes a lot to that atmosphere, and most of the tracks are ambient ones, but there's still a decent amount of variety here.
Overall, Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a game that hits pretty much every mark. It's a once in a lifetime experience that you need to play, and my favorite game of all time.
I have played many games, and as such, it took me a while to find a game that I could say was truly my favorite of all time. However, after deciding to give the sequel of Anodyne (a game I was lukewarm on due to some underdeveloped gameplay despite having incredible audio and atmosphere) a chance, I found it.
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a culmination of everything Analgesic Productions learned in the years after making Anodyne, and it shows. This is a game that draws you in from the title screen alone, and keeps surprising you until the very end. The crux of the game is, of course, the gameplay, and it's outstanding for the most part. There is much more going on than Anodyne 1, yet it still feels simple at its core in terms of controls. You play as a Nanocleaner, who shrinks inside people to remove toxic dust from them. The gameplay is split into two sections: The overworld, which is adventure-oriented with PS1 styled graphics, which you use to find people who need to a Nanocleaning. The Nanocleaning is done in a top-down Zelda style with 16-bit visuals. The dust removed is used to open up new areas along with cards collected from various sources (As a side note, I love how when you shrink, the resolution of the game shrinks from 32-bit to 16-bit styles). The overworld is pretty fun to explore. There's no battles, and you'll mostly just be looking for collectibles. It does have a problem which I'll get to, but the Nano sections really shine. Each level introduces new mechanics that are excessively creative, and many levels do things you would never expect. I don't want to spoil any of it, but it will make you rethink how you play games. I haven't played a game with such a variation of levels that are both interesting and well designed.
There's also the story, which is pretty good, but is elevated by the atmosphere and some subversions. You work for a deity called 'The Center', which supposedly created all life, and the dust you clean sullies the sanctity of life, but this sanctity is seemingly extremely strict. The story is essentially about meaning in life and nihilism, and does some interesting things with your preconcieved notions of videogame stories (Although not on the level of Undertale or the like). As I said, the atmosphere and direction really elevate this aspect, and there was a particularly disturbing moment halfway through. There's also the contained stories of all the people you jump inside to nanoclean. Some are basic, but some are very interesting and are reflected in the levels themselves. The game also has a very meta sense of humor, and can be pretty funny. Another interesting aspect of this game is that it has lore. While you can play this without having played the first, there is a post-game section tied to the first game, and it hints to a possible origin of the world the second game takes place in, New Theland. The next paragraph will be a spoiler, because there's some interesting things I want to talk about.
As I said, the story is about finding meaning and freedom in the world, but halfway through the game, something very interesting happens. You meet a seemingly glitched character named Desert-NPC, and when you try to dive into him, you're sucked in. You then go to this more realistic-looking world where you play as Nora, a normal person working a 9-5 job who is tired of the monotony. It's suggested Anodyne 2 may be a game Nora is playing. Eventually, she is chased by a giant Griffon creature, and the only way to get away is to start playing Anodyne 2 again. Some may see this as nonsense, but I think it's a hyperbolic symbol of escapism, as if to say Nora is avoiding her problems by playing games, and she is rejecting nihilism by thinking that she has purpose in this game world. That's an element of videogames that isn't touched on a lot, so I thought it was a great extra message.
Of course, any great game needs to give reason to keep playing and replaying, and Anodyne 2 has an extensive and interesting post-game, although it may be the one aspect the first Anodyne trumps it in. You have to collect meta coins that are hidden in the overworld, and here's the kicker: Many of the (seemingly) 585 are hidden out of bounds and in level geometry. It's a very cool side quest, and the rewards are great, but it has one big problem: Did you notice that "seemingly"? Well, I actually don't know how many there are in the game. There's an NPC that says I have ALMOST every metacoin, so I guess I'm missing some. There's a metacoin tracker, but it doesn't work in the nanolevels, and there are a select few hidden in some nanolevels. If they would patch the metacoin tracker working in nanolevels, that would be great, because this is the biggest problem with the game. However, there is seemingly no award for collecting them all, and the developers are known to troll, so it's possible I do have them all, especially since I can't find anyone online with more than 585.
The audio and visuals are pretty great too. I already mentioned the meaning behind the visual changes when shrinking, but both styles can be beautiful in their own right. The Pastel Horizon and Outer Sands East stick out especially, and I like how the overworld integrated modern lighting into its retro style. The audio contributes a lot to that atmosphere, and most of the tracks are ambient ones, but there's still a decent amount of variety here.
Overall, Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a game that hits pretty much every mark. It's a once in a lifetime experience that you need to play, and my favorite game of all time.
You climb a giant Mario statue and the level on his crotch is filled with balls.
7/10
7/10
2018
This review contains spoilers
It's upsetting to me that barely anyone is talking about this game, because it's honestly quite great. I think this game represents a design philosophy that is unfortunately dying.
What do I mean? Well, look at the three biggest Metroidvanias: Symphony of the Night, Super Metroid, and Hollow Knight. When you fight a boss in each of these games, it's very simple: Hit the boss and don't get hit. There are some exceptions in each game, and this isn't a bad design, but it can be tiring when each game, despite how different they are, aim to accomplish the same thing. Iconoclasts is different, because of how puzzle oriented the game is. Not only are there environmental puzzles, but the bosses are also puzzles. This game might just have the best bosses I've seen in any game, because they push the mechanics to their absolute limit and make you think.
As a result, there are some uncharacteristic elements of a Metroidvania here. One is that there are very little powerups in. Along with your base moveset, you get 2 extra guns and an electricity mechanic. That's it. You also get optional upgrades called twinks made of simple crafting materials. You can only equip 3, and I wish there were a few more, but the ones that are here are pretty useful. I think this scaled-back design works because, once again, each mechanic is used to great potential.
Now, you may be wondering, 'Hey DeltaWDunn, if there's so few upgrades, what motivates you to explore?' Well, that's the thing: There's not much exploration. This is actually a pretty linear game, and while you can backtrack to collect some tweak parts, You'll usually be going to brand new locations. It's hard to even call it a Metroidvania because of that; It's more of an interconnected puzzle-platformer. However, I urge you to not skip this game purely because of its linearity. Some of the greatest games ever made are linear, and linearity has its strengths, such as letting the story shine, and... Oh boy.
(This paragraph and the next is a spoiler) The story of this game is unexpectedly great, and I love almost all of the characters. The exception is the protagonist Robin because she's the stock silent protagonist. Other than her, every character is pretty good. My favorite is Royal, who is clearly good-natured, but is somewhat Narcissistic and brainwashed. The story focuses on environmentalism and religion, and different characters focus on different elements of this. Spoilers coming up, because I have to discuss an incredible moment in the game.
So, Royal kind of dooms the world to ruin by freeing some eye monsters. However, he and Robin go to the moon to get Royal's god to help. Unfortunately, the deity doesn't, and Royal is left broken. He has doomed the world, and the god he so admired did nothing to help, and left him injured. The moon is going to explode. You pick up Royal and head to the escape pod. However, the door, which is activated by sensors, won't open because the sensor is hanging from a wire to the side. you realized that there's no way to progress without leaving Royal with the sensor. You search for another way, but there is no other way. What makes this moment so impactful is because you choose to leave Royal there, and you choose to keep going. This moment broke me, because all the growth Royal experienced was gone. This was one of the best moments in the game.
Visually and Musically, this game is great. It's not particularly unique, except for certain motifs and color choices, but it is good nonetheless.
So you're probably wondering what's wrong with the game. Well, while the boss fights are excellent, the normal enemies are mixed. Some are good, and some are tedious. Obviously, that's something very common to be spotty and still contribute to a good end product, but I think that just shows how great everything else is. If the moment-to-moment combat was better, the game would have potential for at least a 9/10. There's also this one section in the game where you're exploring a tower with two elevators, which was made tedious by the other elevator not moving to the floor you're on. It's annoying. I know people hate that one stealth section, but it was pretty easy and short so I didn't care.
Overall, Iconoclasts is a well-designed game that challenges you to think with both its story and combat. I highly recommend it.
What do I mean? Well, look at the three biggest Metroidvanias: Symphony of the Night, Super Metroid, and Hollow Knight. When you fight a boss in each of these games, it's very simple: Hit the boss and don't get hit. There are some exceptions in each game, and this isn't a bad design, but it can be tiring when each game, despite how different they are, aim to accomplish the same thing. Iconoclasts is different, because of how puzzle oriented the game is. Not only are there environmental puzzles, but the bosses are also puzzles. This game might just have the best bosses I've seen in any game, because they push the mechanics to their absolute limit and make you think.
As a result, there are some uncharacteristic elements of a Metroidvania here. One is that there are very little powerups in. Along with your base moveset, you get 2 extra guns and an electricity mechanic. That's it. You also get optional upgrades called twinks made of simple crafting materials. You can only equip 3, and I wish there were a few more, but the ones that are here are pretty useful. I think this scaled-back design works because, once again, each mechanic is used to great potential.
Now, you may be wondering, 'Hey DeltaWDunn, if there's so few upgrades, what motivates you to explore?' Well, that's the thing: There's not much exploration. This is actually a pretty linear game, and while you can backtrack to collect some tweak parts, You'll usually be going to brand new locations. It's hard to even call it a Metroidvania because of that; It's more of an interconnected puzzle-platformer. However, I urge you to not skip this game purely because of its linearity. Some of the greatest games ever made are linear, and linearity has its strengths, such as letting the story shine, and... Oh boy.
(This paragraph and the next is a spoiler) The story of this game is unexpectedly great, and I love almost all of the characters. The exception is the protagonist Robin because she's the stock silent protagonist. Other than her, every character is pretty good. My favorite is Royal, who is clearly good-natured, but is somewhat Narcissistic and brainwashed. The story focuses on environmentalism and religion, and different characters focus on different elements of this. Spoilers coming up, because I have to discuss an incredible moment in the game.
So, Royal kind of dooms the world to ruin by freeing some eye monsters. However, he and Robin go to the moon to get Royal's god to help. Unfortunately, the deity doesn't, and Royal is left broken. He has doomed the world, and the god he so admired did nothing to help, and left him injured. The moon is going to explode. You pick up Royal and head to the escape pod. However, the door, which is activated by sensors, won't open because the sensor is hanging from a wire to the side. you realized that there's no way to progress without leaving Royal with the sensor. You search for another way, but there is no other way. What makes this moment so impactful is because you choose to leave Royal there, and you choose to keep going. This moment broke me, because all the growth Royal experienced was gone. This was one of the best moments in the game.
Visually and Musically, this game is great. It's not particularly unique, except for certain motifs and color choices, but it is good nonetheless.
So you're probably wondering what's wrong with the game. Well, while the boss fights are excellent, the normal enemies are mixed. Some are good, and some are tedious. Obviously, that's something very common to be spotty and still contribute to a good end product, but I think that just shows how great everything else is. If the moment-to-moment combat was better, the game would have potential for at least a 9/10. There's also this one section in the game where you're exploring a tower with two elevators, which was made tedious by the other elevator not moving to the floor you're on. It's annoying. I know people hate that one stealth section, but it was pretty easy and short so I didn't care.
Overall, Iconoclasts is a well-designed game that challenges you to think with both its story and combat. I highly recommend it.
1998
Glover is certainly the magnum opus of humanity. It is a work of art which is simultaneously very enjoyable and deep.
Glover himself is a statement on the upper middle class. He works personally for the wizard, and while powerful, is not nearly as strong as his boss. He also has no mouth, which signifies the fact that despite being richer than most, he is still silenced by the 1%.
Cross-Stitch is a symbol of the statement "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". One could argue that he is victim to circumstance, but if that's the case, the potion the wizard was making was inherently evil, proving the wizard isn't as good as he says. Regardless, Cross-Stitch has a mouth with his new transformation, showing he is making a statement. He wants to give the rest of the world the crystals the wizard has been hoarding, and he has no choice to fight Glover.
The world of glover is by far one of the densest in all of storytelling. Each world represents the past, both the distant and unknown and the very recent. Each world has been reformed, with Cross-Stitch giving power back to the demonized and hated groups. Frankenstein's monster is the best example of this. He is constantly called the monster in fiction, despite the fact he is victim to his evil creator who wanted to play God. However, it's clear that the world has been turned worse because of Cross-Stitch's revolution. Things must be destroyed before they're rebuilt, but is what Cross-Stitch is doing right? That is ultimately left up to the player; Glover only poses the question, it asks the player to answer.
Visually, this is one of the most intelligently designed works of art. I already mentioned the genius character designs, but there's also the draw distance. Many might say this is due to hardware limitations, but in reality it shows how near-sighted Glover truly is, and how he needs to overcome that to become better. The music is just the same. Beautiful orchestras are in every level, and each tell a story themselves, and the seagull rap is still one of the greatest solos in musical history.
The ending is extremely divisive, but the thing is, you as the player ultimately decide it. If you believe Glover is right, you will continue until you bring the future he desires; If you don't think he's right, you simply stop before the ending. This is the true strength of Glover.
Overall, Glover is one of the greatest creations in modern history. I highly recommend it. It will change your life. 10/10
Glover himself is a statement on the upper middle class. He works personally for the wizard, and while powerful, is not nearly as strong as his boss. He also has no mouth, which signifies the fact that despite being richer than most, he is still silenced by the 1%.
Cross-Stitch is a symbol of the statement "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". One could argue that he is victim to circumstance, but if that's the case, the potion the wizard was making was inherently evil, proving the wizard isn't as good as he says. Regardless, Cross-Stitch has a mouth with his new transformation, showing he is making a statement. He wants to give the rest of the world the crystals the wizard has been hoarding, and he has no choice to fight Glover.
The world of glover is by far one of the densest in all of storytelling. Each world represents the past, both the distant and unknown and the very recent. Each world has been reformed, with Cross-Stitch giving power back to the demonized and hated groups. Frankenstein's monster is the best example of this. He is constantly called the monster in fiction, despite the fact he is victim to his evil creator who wanted to play God. However, it's clear that the world has been turned worse because of Cross-Stitch's revolution. Things must be destroyed before they're rebuilt, but is what Cross-Stitch is doing right? That is ultimately left up to the player; Glover only poses the question, it asks the player to answer.
Visually, this is one of the most intelligently designed works of art. I already mentioned the genius character designs, but there's also the draw distance. Many might say this is due to hardware limitations, but in reality it shows how near-sighted Glover truly is, and how he needs to overcome that to become better. The music is just the same. Beautiful orchestras are in every level, and each tell a story themselves, and the seagull rap is still one of the greatest solos in musical history.
The ending is extremely divisive, but the thing is, you as the player ultimately decide it. If you believe Glover is right, you will continue until you bring the future he desires; If you don't think he's right, you simply stop before the ending. This is the true strength of Glover.
Overall, Glover is one of the greatest creations in modern history. I highly recommend it. It will change your life. 10/10