DuChomp
2011
I accidentally bought some lifetime membership thing for like $100 and when I called support, they refunded me and forgot to remove my membership, so I basically got to be a super player for free. It was still really boring though, so it goes to show that the real content wasn’t hidden behind a paywall, it just sucked to play at its core
A shift in the Bethesda formula
I started getting into Bethesda games around Oblivion (sorry Morrowind fans) and I absolutely loved all the games I played by the studio. The vastness of the worlds mixed with the amount of microadjustments you could make on almost every tiny bit of your equipment made replaying the game as a whole different build all the more enjoyable. But once Skyrim came out, the crazy complex systems were removed, focusing more on a simpler and more streamlined action experience. I enjoyed my time while playing the game, but I never found myself wanting to revisit it in a new playthrough like I had done before. The campiness I enjoyed when playing Oblivion was lost to a mediocre realism approach that I found to have less memorable encounters.
I started getting into Bethesda games around Oblivion (sorry Morrowind fans) and I absolutely loved all the games I played by the studio. The vastness of the worlds mixed with the amount of microadjustments you could make on almost every tiny bit of your equipment made replaying the game as a whole different build all the more enjoyable. But once Skyrim came out, the crazy complex systems were removed, focusing more on a simpler and more streamlined action experience. I enjoyed my time while playing the game, but I never found myself wanting to revisit it in a new playthrough like I had done before. The campiness I enjoyed when playing Oblivion was lost to a mediocre realism approach that I found to have less memorable encounters.
2019
It somewhat satisfies the Advance War hunger you had when it came out
Plenty of extra content to entertain you from story to bonus challenges to test your skill. It also has some of the most insane multiplayer features ever: crossplay, custom map support, email notification for when it's your turn, who the hell looks at their email while their gaming??
Plenty of extra content to entertain you from story to bonus challenges to test your skill. It also has some of the most insane multiplayer features ever: crossplay, custom map support, email notification for when it's your turn, who the hell looks at their email while their gaming??
This review contains spoilers
It makes you feel like a le epic jedi sith assassin
Its got all your Star Wars elements: Lightsabers, Stormtroopers, the Force, Darth Vader. You have combos and abilities you progressively unlock that you can mix and match with force abilities and it all feels very satisfying to use. The best feeling in the world is taking a person or item and using force grab to launch them down a hallway, I still think about it all these years later. It has some jankiness to how the physics feel on all the of the environments, but in a "video gamey" way that doesn't ruin how the experience feels, it just reminds you of the time it came out.
It's biggest letdown is a very niche issue. If you bought the game and looked at the back of the case, you saw your character using the Force to bring down a Star Destroyer; the sickest thing ever (I was also like 13). This event happens in the game, and it is the WORST segment in the whole game, it's very slow and you have annoying enemies pestering you the whole time.
Its got all your Star Wars elements: Lightsabers, Stormtroopers, the Force, Darth Vader. You have combos and abilities you progressively unlock that you can mix and match with force abilities and it all feels very satisfying to use. The best feeling in the world is taking a person or item and using force grab to launch them down a hallway, I still think about it all these years later. It has some jankiness to how the physics feel on all the of the environments, but in a "video gamey" way that doesn't ruin how the experience feels, it just reminds you of the time it came out.
It's biggest letdown is a very niche issue. If you bought the game and looked at the back of the case, you saw your character using the Force to bring down a Star Destroyer; the sickest thing ever (I was also like 13). This event happens in the game, and it is the WORST segment in the whole game, it's very slow and you have annoying enemies pestering you the whole time.
2008
More of what you loved in the previous game
It take's its prequel and just adds more on top. More weapons, more customizations. Plot is as surface level as it's prequel, nothing much to remember. New side mission types are added and equally as enjoyable as before, still with satisfying rewards for completing.
It take's its prequel and just adds more on top. More weapons, more customizations. Plot is as surface level as it's prequel, nothing much to remember. New side mission types are added and equally as enjoyable as before, still with satisfying rewards for completing.
2006
An overall great GTA Clone
At a time when GTA was more about immersion features that caused the game to feel real but clunky, this game decided to lean more into being a video game. Many quality-of-life features added to make gameplay less frustrating than its inspiration by being more smooth and highly customizable. The story is just surface level with being a gangster taking out rival gangs, not very memorable. You'll find most enjoyment from the side missions that are more like minigames that give satisfying rewards for completing.
At a time when GTA was more about immersion features that caused the game to feel real but clunky, this game decided to lean more into being a video game. Many quality-of-life features added to make gameplay less frustrating than its inspiration by being more smooth and highly customizable. The story is just surface level with being a gangster taking out rival gangs, not very memorable. You'll find most enjoyment from the side missions that are more like minigames that give satisfying rewards for completing.
1999
Great foundation, but aged like milk
A unique fighting game concept that gives more satisfaction to the players landing hits as the match continues; you aren’t just chipping away at a health bar until the game says “WINNER,” you are flinging your enemy from one side to the other until he is launching into the stratosphere.
This game only looks bad when in comparison to every game that comes after it. The original is clunky, slow, and not a whole lot of variety in game modes. The roster gave a lot of play-style variety for what it offered.
A unique fighting game concept that gives more satisfaction to the players landing hits as the match continues; you aren’t just chipping away at a health bar until the game says “WINNER,” you are flinging your enemy from one side to the other until he is launching into the stratosphere.
This game only looks bad when in comparison to every game that comes after it. The original is clunky, slow, and not a whole lot of variety in game modes. The roster gave a lot of play-style variety for what it offered.
2003
Lost the charm of Mario Party
This is the game I mark as a decline in quality for this series. Maps have just generic themes like “Toy Land” or “Space Land” with only a handful of familiar characters populating them.
There is the addition of capsules that replaced the standard items, becoming something you place on the board rather than using instantly. The strategy of placing capsules becomes unsatisfying since you have to rely on the randomness of a player rolling to even land on that space, and by that point, you had forgotten what you even put there.
Minigames are also less enjoyable, with either complicated controls or just boring gameplay.
Where this game surprisingly shines is the singleplayer content, with a neat solo partyboard mode designed with unique minigames and a battle-vehicle mode where you can customize your rig to dominate an opponent.
This is the game I mark as a decline in quality for this series. Maps have just generic themes like “Toy Land” or “Space Land” with only a handful of familiar characters populating them.
There is the addition of capsules that replaced the standard items, becoming something you place on the board rather than using instantly. The strategy of placing capsules becomes unsatisfying since you have to rely on the randomness of a player rolling to even land on that space, and by that point, you had forgotten what you even put there.
Minigames are also less enjoyable, with either complicated controls or just boring gameplay.
Where this game surprisingly shines is the singleplayer content, with a neat solo partyboard mode designed with unique minigames and a battle-vehicle mode where you can customize your rig to dominate an opponent.
2004
An ok entry in the series
The minigame selection is great, some of the best in the series. The map gimmicks feel like your playing the worst maps from other Mario Party games, relying on RNG during other players turns and the day-night mechanic. You will probably have 1 or 2 maps you actually like playing on.
The minigame selection is great, some of the best in the series. The map gimmicks feel like your playing the worst maps from other Mario Party games, relying on RNG during other players turns and the day-night mechanic. You will probably have 1 or 2 maps you actually like playing on.
2013
The best kind of mediocre
This game doesn’t have a lot going on; it’s just point-and-click grinding for a bunch of stats with tedious mechanics and traveling while you do it. Where the game shines is on how you micromanage that grind; optimizing what quests you do for specific rewards, burning all the wood you just chopped to increase both 2 stats at once, even watching the Grand Exchange market prices to maximize profits for your next planned armor set for a raid. You should have a goal when going into a session of this game because the satisfaction of creating a checklist and slowly working towards an end goal feels great.
This game doesn’t have a lot going on; it’s just point-and-click grinding for a bunch of stats with tedious mechanics and traveling while you do it. Where the game shines is on how you micromanage that grind; optimizing what quests you do for specific rewards, burning all the wood you just chopped to increase both 2 stats at once, even watching the Grand Exchange market prices to maximize profits for your next planned armor set for a raid. You should have a goal when going into a session of this game because the satisfaction of creating a checklist and slowly working towards an end goal feels great.
2023
I abandoned this game and tried to review it on here before it officially released
It feels like a very uninspired game. All the mechanics and gameplay you have seen before. Farming similar to Stardew Valley, characters you can talk to for puddle-deep personalities and give gifts like in Stardew Valley, even crafting like every game made after 2012, including Stardew Valley but somehow worse. The movement even feels taken from Breath of the Wild (the entire beginning is just the Shrine of Ressurection) but with how barren and empty the world is, you’ll honestly forget you can even climb walls or paraglide.
The game bottlenecks your pace with time-waster mechanics like leveling and a serverwide day-night cycle that acts more of an inconvenience with NPCs and stores closing off to go to bed because it’s very hard being a computer working a digital job. Nothing comes out at night to make it worth exploring, or if they do, it’s too subtle to even notice; it’s just a block of time that the game becomes less enjoyable.
This is a little rant, but the characters in this game are the most bland thing I have ever felt in a game. You have the shy nerd who underestimates herself, the edgy lone wolf who acts tough and distant but really has a soft side, or a gentle giant robot who doesn’t fully understand humans but tries her best to coexist. You’ve seen these characters as like 1-time quest givers in 100 other games. Mixed in with every single person going “hohoho I’m so glad I met you stranger, here’s a bunch of items, go do my quest now” puts you in a constant loop of meeting new characters who just feel like a chore checklist. That’s another thing, the whole plot is your are some weird outsider who is so interesting but the race of people that you encounter are just purple humans?? They think we don’t have generic grasslands like New Zealand?? I guarantee in 3 years you will not be able to name a single one of these characters, they will have no lasting impression on you.
The online also feels completely pointless, all you can really do is talk in a server chat and you can all chop down a tree that requires more than 1 person, that’s it as far as being a community game goes. You can invite people into your farm but you can’t do anything, just look at the dollhouse you made and go “that’s pretty.” It’s also an online only game so you have to be logged in to even play, just to do a bunch of things all by yourself.
Picking up this game felt more like adding another list of chores for you to add to your every day than it did to feel good while unwinding from a real day’s work by playing. I played from when the beta opened up until it’s first event where you had to grind for literal days to get exclusive items only available during it and I really didn’t get an impression that I would want to come back even if they improved the game, it just feels bland to its core.
It feels like a very uninspired game. All the mechanics and gameplay you have seen before. Farming similar to Stardew Valley, characters you can talk to for puddle-deep personalities and give gifts like in Stardew Valley, even crafting like every game made after 2012, including Stardew Valley but somehow worse. The movement even feels taken from Breath of the Wild (the entire beginning is just the Shrine of Ressurection) but with how barren and empty the world is, you’ll honestly forget you can even climb walls or paraglide.
The game bottlenecks your pace with time-waster mechanics like leveling and a serverwide day-night cycle that acts more of an inconvenience with NPCs and stores closing off to go to bed because it’s very hard being a computer working a digital job. Nothing comes out at night to make it worth exploring, or if they do, it’s too subtle to even notice; it’s just a block of time that the game becomes less enjoyable.
This is a little rant, but the characters in this game are the most bland thing I have ever felt in a game. You have the shy nerd who underestimates herself, the edgy lone wolf who acts tough and distant but really has a soft side, or a gentle giant robot who doesn’t fully understand humans but tries her best to coexist. You’ve seen these characters as like 1-time quest givers in 100 other games. Mixed in with every single person going “hohoho I’m so glad I met you stranger, here’s a bunch of items, go do my quest now” puts you in a constant loop of meeting new characters who just feel like a chore checklist. That’s another thing, the whole plot is your are some weird outsider who is so interesting but the race of people that you encounter are just purple humans?? They think we don’t have generic grasslands like New Zealand?? I guarantee in 3 years you will not be able to name a single one of these characters, they will have no lasting impression on you.
The online also feels completely pointless, all you can really do is talk in a server chat and you can all chop down a tree that requires more than 1 person, that’s it as far as being a community game goes. You can invite people into your farm but you can’t do anything, just look at the dollhouse you made and go “that’s pretty.” It’s also an online only game so you have to be logged in to even play, just to do a bunch of things all by yourself.
Picking up this game felt more like adding another list of chores for you to add to your every day than it did to feel good while unwinding from a real day’s work by playing. I played from when the beta opened up until it’s first event where you had to grind for literal days to get exclusive items only available during it and I really didn’t get an impression that I would want to come back even if they improved the game, it just feels bland to its core.
1998
Probably my least preferred Mario Party of the traditional style (1-8)
A lot of the minigames have a sluggish, janky feeling to the controls that stop them from being as fun. Lots of waiting while someone plays a solo minigame that extend the game's length way longer than needed. All the good minigames are taken and put into the sequel with a cleaner experience.
Most maps have path blockages or hazards that feel out of your control and just make it annoying to take your turn. Weird mushroom hazard space that acts as a "Go Again" or "Miss Your Next Turn" that sucks watching someone get and sucks getting.
Still a great party game though, worth a play with friends
A lot of the minigames have a sluggish, janky feeling to the controls that stop them from being as fun. Lots of waiting while someone plays a solo minigame that extend the game's length way longer than needed. All the good minigames are taken and put into the sequel with a cleaner experience.
Most maps have path blockages or hazards that feel out of your control and just make it annoying to take your turn. Weird mushroom hazard space that acts as a "Go Again" or "Miss Your Next Turn" that sucks watching someone get and sucks getting.
Still a great party game though, worth a play with friends
2023
I replayed this with 5 people instead of 2 (using mods) and it was significantly better. Still needs alot of quality of life improvements to be a go-to game for friends night. Only recommend with 4+ people with the mod, only way to consistently finish the day without losing all loot.
This game is elevated to a 5/5 through the use of mods and the dedicated community behind them; so many that change the game in its entirety or fix any issue you had with the base game
This game is elevated to a 5/5 through the use of mods and the dedicated community behind them; so many that change the game in its entirety or fix any issue you had with the base game
Fantastic Mario entry, up there with the classics
Gimmicky levels all fun to play and intense challenge levels for thrill seekers. The online multiplayer is a unique experience but does not compare to couch co-op. Easy mode characters to play as if you have inebriated friends who can’t even sit without falling on their ass.
It’s biggest flaw is lack of ending fanfare. The bosses at the end of worlds was really lackluster and some worlds just straight up didn’t have a boss, just a handshake for beating it and then shoving you off to the next. Completing the special stages doesn’t even feel that gratifying, just a pat on the head for spending $60 on the game
Gimmicky levels all fun to play and intense challenge levels for thrill seekers. The online multiplayer is a unique experience but does not compare to couch co-op. Easy mode characters to play as if you have inebriated friends who can’t even sit without falling on their ass.
It’s biggest flaw is lack of ending fanfare. The bosses at the end of worlds was really lackluster and some worlds just straight up didn’t have a boss, just a handshake for beating it and then shoving you off to the next. Completing the special stages doesn’t even feel that gratifying, just a pat on the head for spending $60 on the game
1993
I don't even like basketball and this was so fun with a friend