Detectivefail
22852 Reviews liked by Detectivefail
This review contains spoilers
I have my compliants. Too much open space after the first area especially for one boss in particular. Too many scadutree blessings it takes too long to collect them. Performance could be better. Many reskins.
I still really enjoyed my time with this DLC and I like the direction the lore of the game went. I just wish there were more options beyond murdering every boss that could unlock unique endings, like opting into Miquella's Age of Compassion. I do feel a bit bad murdering all of Marika's kids when they don't all have to die.
I wish the DLC impacted the main game in some way or was acknowledged. I also wish the DLC ending had more of an impact. All the build up and he just dies. Something like this should unlock a new ending to the game, or a special ending.
It also feels a little lonely with no Melina in the DLC or a maiden of any sort.
Alternative review:
Gameplay wise: Too much empty space in some areas especially for Midra. Scadutree blessings were a complaint before but it looks like that has already been fixed. The bosses were solid in my opinion. There's a lot of the reskins and repetitive enemies but that is just a result of the open world so it is what it is.
Story wise: I wish the DLC impacted the main game in some way or was acknowledged. This was their biggest DLC ever so it would have been cool if it unlocked a different ending or something because the end felt kind of anticlimactic after beating all those insane bosses. In the gameplay trailer at the end you can see there is a cinematic with Miquella that didn't make it into the game which sucks. That's sort of a complaint I have with the whole game though I would like more unique endings and this was an opportunity to add to that and they didn't.
So I'll give it a 9/10, very good dlc.
I still really enjoyed my time with this DLC and I like the direction the lore of the game went. I just wish there were more options beyond murdering every boss that could unlock unique endings, like opting into Miquella's Age of Compassion. I do feel a bit bad murdering all of Marika's kids when they don't all have to die.
I wish the DLC impacted the main game in some way or was acknowledged. I also wish the DLC ending had more of an impact. All the build up and he just dies. Something like this should unlock a new ending to the game, or a special ending.
It also feels a little lonely with no Melina in the DLC or a maiden of any sort.
Alternative review:
Gameplay wise: Too much empty space in some areas especially for Midra. Scadutree blessings were a complaint before but it looks like that has already been fixed. The bosses were solid in my opinion. There's a lot of the reskins and repetitive enemies but that is just a result of the open world so it is what it is.
Story wise: I wish the DLC impacted the main game in some way or was acknowledged. This was their biggest DLC ever so it would have been cool if it unlocked a different ending or something because the end felt kind of anticlimactic after beating all those insane bosses. In the gameplay trailer at the end you can see there is a cinematic with Miquella that didn't make it into the game which sucks. That's sort of a complaint I have with the whole game though I would like more unique endings and this was an opportunity to add to that and they didn't.
So I'll give it a 9/10, very good dlc.
Portal 2
2011
Space!
Full package: The Game. To me, Portal 2 has everything a game should have, since the first time I've beat it on X360 I got instantly hooked by its universe.
This took everything that worked in the first game and raised to a new, the main mechanic was explored in so many ways that there's no chance for boredom, Valve nailed it on the creativity.
The lore did not need to be expanded to absolutely cinema, characters are excellently written, and GLaDos is one of the most iconic villains in all gaming.
Graphics and music, although not very distinct from the first game, work perfectly with the entire game's ecosystem, nothing to complain here.
Overall, I will always come back to this masterpiece, the atmosphere here is something I do not find anywhere, too many good feelings. It truly deserves all the praise it gets.
It's just a shame that each revisit I last less time on the challenges, finishing the game a bit faster, but it's always great to come back. I plan to finally try the coop mode soon because there nothing else to go from 2, besides mods.
Full package: The Game. To me, Portal 2 has everything a game should have, since the first time I've beat it on X360 I got instantly hooked by its universe.
This took everything that worked in the first game and raised to a new, the main mechanic was explored in so many ways that there's no chance for boredom, Valve nailed it on the creativity.
The lore did not need to be expanded to absolutely cinema, characters are excellently written, and GLaDos is one of the most iconic villains in all gaming.
Graphics and music, although not very distinct from the first game, work perfectly with the entire game's ecosystem, nothing to complain here.
Overall, I will always come back to this masterpiece, the atmosphere here is something I do not find anywhere, too many good feelings. It truly deserves all the praise it gets.
It's just a shame that each revisit I last less time on the challenges, finishing the game a bit faster, but it's always great to come back. I plan to finally try the coop mode soon because there nothing else to go from 2, besides mods.
Einhänder
1997
Einhänder is one the most difficult games I've ever played. In addition, it is different in most of the aspects from the other Shoot'em up games. At first, it has a story! And a good one, especially when explained by YouTubers.
In the second hand we have a great music.
In addition there is a really well-done Graphics and design... I don't know how to explain but it's really good. I was enjoying the atmosphere, colors and light in between of a hell of bullets.
And the gameplay... What the creators thinking when they've been making the difficulty options... Normal Easy Hard doesn't matter, you gonna see your ship slowly drowning in the air a lot of time! First three missions are not that hard but after that you will cry loud as f...
In the second hand we have a great music.
In addition there is a really well-done Graphics and design... I don't know how to explain but it's really good. I was enjoying the atmosphere, colors and light in between of a hell of bullets.
And the gameplay... What the creators thinking when they've been making the difficulty options... Normal Easy Hard doesn't matter, you gonna see your ship slowly drowning in the air a lot of time! First three missions are not that hard but after that you will cry loud as f...
Portal
2007
Well, I only played Portal because my copy of RDR1 got delayed, but that was still great! I had a lot of fun with Portal. The portal mechanic is pretty neat. Glad I was finally able to play this iconic experience.
Eu gostei muito de jogar com o Sam, mas sinto que falta algo a mais, talvez muito pelo fato do mapa continuar igual, mesmo assim é uma boa dlc.
In Stars and Time
2023
This review contains spoilers
I appreciate how gay and online this is as someone who's also those things and it's cute enough. I don't know that the time loop gimmick did much mechanically except induce frustration, which was clearly intentional but I don't know if that excuses it. It did undeniably make me feel what Siffrin felt though.
What really bothers me the most though is that the combination of intensely self-loathing protagonist and unbelievably accepting and ideal friends comes across to me as an unintentionally narcissistic fantasy. Mirabelle allegedly struggles with anxiety as well, but while this never seems to manifest in a way that really hinders anyone, Siffrin's issues are so immense that they trap everyone in an endless recursion of time, for which the solution is his friends' uncritical love for him. I would have been much more positive on this if it had ended differently, but this isn't nearly as thoughtful as a story of this nature ought to be. In retrospect I have similar thoughts about Omori and have to wonder if there's something about these indie RPGs that results in these stories, or if this took inspiration from that.
What really bothers me the most though is that the combination of intensely self-loathing protagonist and unbelievably accepting and ideal friends comes across to me as an unintentionally narcissistic fantasy. Mirabelle allegedly struggles with anxiety as well, but while this never seems to manifest in a way that really hinders anyone, Siffrin's issues are so immense that they trap everyone in an endless recursion of time, for which the solution is his friends' uncritical love for him. I would have been much more positive on this if it had ended differently, but this isn't nearly as thoughtful as a story of this nature ought to be. In retrospect I have similar thoughts about Omori and have to wonder if there's something about these indie RPGs that results in these stories, or if this took inspiration from that.
Messmer was an extremely cool fight, easily the best in Elden Ring and maybe best in any of these games. I don't think anything else reached that high but they were all pretty neat and felt reasonable enough for the most part with the exception of the final boss as it stands right now. I avoided summoning for the rest of the playthrough but ended up doing so after spending a while on the final boss, which immediately made it very easy and reminded me why I wasn't using them, but I wasn't especially enjoying the fight anyway. A lot of bosses also have some wonky hitboxes on grab attacks but that's nothing new.
I understand the intention with the Scadutree Fragments but I don't know why you'd tie the new progression system entirely to items you find sitting around on the map such that it hardly feels like you grow stronger from winning fights anymore, given you're not really getting enough out of additional levels for the runes to feel like much at this point. Could they not have dropped from bosses? Just doing it like the Memories in Sekiro seems to me like it would've worked fine.
I understand the intention with the Scadutree Fragments but I don't know why you'd tie the new progression system entirely to items you find sitting around on the map such that it hardly feels like you grow stronger from winning fights anymore, given you're not really getting enough out of additional levels for the runes to feel like much at this point. Could they not have dropped from bosses? Just doing it like the Memories in Sekiro seems to me like it would've worked fine.
What a masterpiece.
The amount of themes it tackles and how much it still relates to today. From personal themes to society themes. How digitized information from one person carry a tremendous amount of power. Also how censorship is (maybe) not all bad. Because of how many there are false information, half truths, brainrot information and content and how it regresses us. Individual has so much power to control the masses because the information is not validated. People dont want to find the truth, they stick with the 'truth' they want to hear. and because of that they fell into their little ponds. The digitized world is a doubled edged sword.
Raiden as a character is also well fleshed out with his problems and all. It talks about facing your past, and stop hiding behind 'false truths' that we use to not face the real problem ourselves.
Kojima is a fucking genius. He really is a visionary. The game is weird, controversial, funny, and profound at the same time.
The amount of themes it tackles and how much it still relates to today. From personal themes to society themes. How digitized information from one person carry a tremendous amount of power. Also how censorship is (maybe) not all bad. Because of how many there are false information, half truths, brainrot information and content and how it regresses us. Individual has so much power to control the masses because the information is not validated. People dont want to find the truth, they stick with the 'truth' they want to hear. and because of that they fell into their little ponds. The digitized world is a doubled edged sword.
Raiden as a character is also well fleshed out with his problems and all. It talks about facing your past, and stop hiding behind 'false truths' that we use to not face the real problem ourselves.
Kojima is a fucking genius. He really is a visionary. The game is weird, controversial, funny, and profound at the same time.
This review contains spoilers
A pretty short but fun episode with a lot of variety on the stories and characters you can control, and it's crazy when you realize all of them are interconnected in a way that might surprise you. However, some of the stories themselves are not really all that polished as they have some serious plotholes like Vince's, or they have an unsatisfying ending like Russell's.
SPOILER ZONE
And then you feel guilty about wanting all of them to go with Tavia when you find out in Season 2 that they end up working for FUCKING CARVER OF ALL PEOPLE. Worse than that, all of them (except for Bonnie) only get a single line each during Clem's stay AND we don't even get to know what was of them at the end of that episode. Why couldn't they all just join the season 2 group, especially since Bonnie was the one to bail them out in the first place??
SPOILER ZONE
And then you feel guilty about wanting all of them to go with Tavia when you find out in Season 2 that they end up working for FUCKING CARVER OF ALL PEOPLE. Worse than that, all of them (except for Bonnie) only get a single line each during Clem's stay AND we don't even get to know what was of them at the end of that episode. Why couldn't they all just join the season 2 group, especially since Bonnie was the one to bail them out in the first place??
UnderMine
2020
I enjoyed it at first but ended up getting way too grindy. Runs would take like an hour and all the money I would gain from that run would get me one upgrade if I was lucky. Think I gave up at the dragon boss because I was tired of getting all the way down to him just to die and come back .5% stronger
Harrier Attack!
1983
Coming in hot on the heels of the Falkland's Crisis, Durell software decide to grace our speccys with a kid-friendly, home version of the war, and unleash a cheap^ and cheerful shoot-em-up with more cyan than they know what to do with.
Their first release for the home micro, it doesn't have a lot of gameplay to speak of beyond the zipping back and forth à la Defender, and can get boring very quickly.
^It wasn't cheap. The game cost £5.50 in 1983, which works out to around £17 in today's money,
Their first release for the home micro, it doesn't have a lot of gameplay to speak of beyond the zipping back and forth à la Defender, and can get boring very quickly.
^It wasn't cheap. The game cost £5.50 in 1983, which works out to around £17 in today's money,
Atomic Heart
2023
The game has some great ideas but falls short with basic weapon play and clunky movement. The game has some amazing art and sound direction.
Would recommend it on sale and if you are interested in games with different takes on the world
6/10 not enough of the twins
Would recommend it on sale and if you are interested in games with different takes on the world
6/10 not enough of the twins
Onimusha: Warlords
2001
The controls and the camerawork are a stroke of genius, though there are times when they don't get along with the otherwise enjoyable level design. Everything else seems kinda bland for now, and I partially blame the bad english translation for that, since it unintentionally robs the narrative of any seriousness, drama, heart, and sometimes even readability!
Yakuza 3 Remastered
2018
this game is broken, the story makes no sense, the boss fights are miserable
i fucking loved it
i fucking loved it
Policenauts
1994
Considered putting this on equal terms with Snatcher but in the end I liked it a bit more. Its Snatcher but More: longer, more characters, more content, and unfortunately more of what didn't work about Snatcher as well. Kojima takes the lessons from that game and Metal Gear 2's newfound cinematography to make a more interesting story than Snatcher, but he still hasn't quite figured out how to end a game of this ilk without doing a hacked on light gun mode. The pervert stuff is also much worse here; optional thankfully but still extremely puerile.
Despite all that though, there's more good stuff than bad. The characters are way more memorable, the soundtrack is fantastic and while its still a series of film pastiches its a bit more cohesive than Snatcher (which was already impressively cohesive on its own.) Its got a lot of fun little touches like when characters voices echo in an empty room or when it comes up with a weird little puzzle for you at the right moment. An important game in Kojima's development as a creator which was soon to hit its peak with MGS1.
also critically important is this game served as the engine and backbone for the tokimeki memorial drama series games so i have to rate it higher than snatcher by default
Despite all that though, there's more good stuff than bad. The characters are way more memorable, the soundtrack is fantastic and while its still a series of film pastiches its a bit more cohesive than Snatcher (which was already impressively cohesive on its own.) Its got a lot of fun little touches like when characters voices echo in an empty room or when it comes up with a weird little puzzle for you at the right moment. An important game in Kojima's development as a creator which was soon to hit its peak with MGS1.
also critically important is this game served as the engine and backbone for the tokimeki memorial drama series games so i have to rate it higher than snatcher by default