Goffers
2022
This one appeals to my personal tastes way more than Toree honestly. Just a chill as hell collectathon with great movement in a wonderfully chunky N64 style.
Also can I say that I adore Siactro's approach to weird visuals? Their games don't try overly hard to be creepy or disturbing moments and instead just presents strange things without fanfare. It really helps evoke that feeling of coming across something in a childhood game that inexplicably creeps you out but you're too young to understand why. I wish more developers were willing to be this delightfully strange.
Also can I say that I adore Siactro's approach to weird visuals? Their games don't try overly hard to be creepy or disturbing moments and instead just presents strange things without fanfare. It really helps evoke that feeling of coming across something in a childhood game that inexplicably creeps you out but you're too young to understand why. I wish more developers were willing to be this delightfully strange.
2022
Aesthetically a treat, but the game surrounding it is frustrating.
The weapon feels bad to use and the fact that you lose your projectile unless you're at full health is obnoxious. First person melee almost always feels awful and in a game like this where you're encouraged to strafehop and build up speed it feels awful having to stop to fight enemies at close range, especially since your melee range is pitiful and almost guarantees you'll get hit in the process of trying to melee most enemies. When you actually DO have full health you basically can't afford to be looking forward since you constantly have enemies right behind you that you need to shoot, so you end up running into terrain and taking damage, or you face forward and end up taking damage from an enemy you can't see.
If you manage to live long enough to get to a safe area you can upgrade your character and regain health but the portal to the safe area spawns at random. I had one run where two portals were right next to each other, and another run where I was running around for 5+ minutes with ZERO portal spawns. It seems the game's areas are procedurally generated, which I don't think added to the game at all since the variance is so little for each area.
The other areas were great visually and I liked the new creature designs I encountered, but since most of my runs ended after 5-10 minutes in the first area I lost desire to see the rest of the game.
The weapon feels bad to use and the fact that you lose your projectile unless you're at full health is obnoxious. First person melee almost always feels awful and in a game like this where you're encouraged to strafehop and build up speed it feels awful having to stop to fight enemies at close range, especially since your melee range is pitiful and almost guarantees you'll get hit in the process of trying to melee most enemies. When you actually DO have full health you basically can't afford to be looking forward since you constantly have enemies right behind you that you need to shoot, so you end up running into terrain and taking damage, or you face forward and end up taking damage from an enemy you can't see.
If you manage to live long enough to get to a safe area you can upgrade your character and regain health but the portal to the safe area spawns at random. I had one run where two portals were right next to each other, and another run where I was running around for 5+ minutes with ZERO portal spawns. It seems the game's areas are procedurally generated, which I don't think added to the game at all since the variance is so little for each area.
The other areas were great visually and I liked the new creature designs I encountered, but since most of my runs ended after 5-10 minutes in the first area I lost desire to see the rest of the game.
2018
This review contains spoilers
Excellent aesthetic first of all. The game clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the low-poly, rusted-over look of Silent Hill 1, but I think the creature designs set it apart from that game.
The gameplay loop is pretty simple; you enter an area, read a couple of lore tidbits about the area's monster, and then solve puzzles that amount to "go to one of three rooms and get/activate whatever McGuffin will open the way forward" while being pursued by the area's monster. The areas are often very short, which keeps you from getting too comfortable. Or, at least, it SHOULD keep the player from being too comfortable, but unfortunately, there's a side effect to this pacing...
When I realized this was by the same guys who did Spooky's House of Jumpscares, I was immediately worried that this game would end up falling into the same loop of entering an area, running from a monster for a bit, and then solving a puzzle and going to the next area. I had hoped to be wrong, that this was going to turn out to be another fakeout, but it wasn't. The game sticks with its formula until its rather abrupt end, which is ironic for a game that made a point earlier to be so "subversive". The reality, though, is that the subversiveness of the game is shallow and becomes predictable; there's a fakeout that makes you go "haha they almost had me going there" and then you resume your normal gameplay loop. Nothing truly shakes up the game at all, it's just occasional asides to the core gameplay. The areas are all very similar in length and general structure, which means that the intended effect of keeping the player guessing doesn't actually do that at all, since you always know that you're going to be in a new area ten minutes from now, doing the same thing all over again. The Lost Tapes are a great break from this and are varied and weird enough that they felt like the highlight of the game for me.
There's also apparently a story, but just like with Spooky I didn't care enough to try to piece it together. The game's lightning-fast pacing in terms of introducing areas and enemies gives the game the feeling of a fever dream and reading about the boring SCP-inspired lore not only slows down the gameplay, but also removes a lot of the mystery of the game.
I harped on this game a lot, to the point that my score probably seems inaccurate to my feelings, but the reality is that I enjoyed Lost in Vivo a lot, but I wanted to like it even more. The subversive stuff, while shallow, was still entertaining and fun. The Lost Tapes are excellent mini horror experiences. The creature designs are great, and the aesthetic is ON POINT. It's worth playing for these aspects alone, but it feels like the developers were afraid to try anything too different from what they've already done. It creates an experience that, while creepy and entertaining, ultimately feels a bit too familiar.
The gameplay loop is pretty simple; you enter an area, read a couple of lore tidbits about the area's monster, and then solve puzzles that amount to "go to one of three rooms and get/activate whatever McGuffin will open the way forward" while being pursued by the area's monster. The areas are often very short, which keeps you from getting too comfortable. Or, at least, it SHOULD keep the player from being too comfortable, but unfortunately, there's a side effect to this pacing...
When I realized this was by the same guys who did Spooky's House of Jumpscares, I was immediately worried that this game would end up falling into the same loop of entering an area, running from a monster for a bit, and then solving a puzzle and going to the next area. I had hoped to be wrong, that this was going to turn out to be another fakeout, but it wasn't. The game sticks with its formula until its rather abrupt end, which is ironic for a game that made a point earlier to be so "subversive". The reality, though, is that the subversiveness of the game is shallow and becomes predictable; there's a fakeout that makes you go "haha they almost had me going there" and then you resume your normal gameplay loop. Nothing truly shakes up the game at all, it's just occasional asides to the core gameplay. The areas are all very similar in length and general structure, which means that the intended effect of keeping the player guessing doesn't actually do that at all, since you always know that you're going to be in a new area ten minutes from now, doing the same thing all over again. The Lost Tapes are a great break from this and are varied and weird enough that they felt like the highlight of the game for me.
There's also apparently a story, but just like with Spooky I didn't care enough to try to piece it together. The game's lightning-fast pacing in terms of introducing areas and enemies gives the game the feeling of a fever dream and reading about the boring SCP-inspired lore not only slows down the gameplay, but also removes a lot of the mystery of the game.
I harped on this game a lot, to the point that my score probably seems inaccurate to my feelings, but the reality is that I enjoyed Lost in Vivo a lot, but I wanted to like it even more. The subversive stuff, while shallow, was still entertaining and fun. The Lost Tapes are excellent mini horror experiences. The creature designs are great, and the aesthetic is ON POINT. It's worth playing for these aspects alone, but it feels like the developers were afraid to try anything too different from what they've already done. It creates an experience that, while creepy and entertaining, ultimately feels a bit too familiar.
2022
Excellent horror on a shoestring budget. Introduces its mechanics and gets out just as things start to get boring.
This review contains spoilers
FUCK AMELIE ALL MY HOMIES HATE AMELIE
2022
One of the most finely crafted worlds in the medium, with some visually and mechanically incredible fights to boot.
Would be a genuine masterpiece if not held back by the frankly dogshit last 20% of the game.
Would be a genuine masterpiece if not held back by the frankly dogshit last 20% of the game.
2021
This review contains spoilers
Gameplay is excellent and all the segments taking place within the game itself are a lot of fun. The real life segments were stupid though, and kinda ruined the intrigue I had for the plot. The ending scene with Luke getting shot was stupid and solidified the IRL conspiracy plot as a gigantic waste of time.
Here's hoping some DLC fleshes out the two scrybes that only got a quick moment of gameplay at the end, I think the game itself is a lot of fun and the meta stuff within it is fantastic, but the overarching plot felt like an amateur creepypasta.
Here's hoping some DLC fleshes out the two scrybes that only got a quick moment of gameplay at the end, I think the game itself is a lot of fun and the meta stuff within it is fantastic, but the overarching plot felt like an amateur creepypasta.
2018
Criminally overlooked. This game is a turn-based RPG with a heavy emphasis on survival mechanics in a dark oppressive world. There are some clear inspirations here (one enemy is lifted directly from Demon’s Souls, and an important NPC was no-doubt inspired by Berserk), but the game’s overall aesthetic is wholly unique, visceral, and depraved. The art is equal parts gorgeous and grotesque, and the music, if you can call it music, is oppressive and hair-raising. The whole atmosphere of the game just makes you feel on edge, and stressed about what monstrosity you’ll encounter next.
The dev has a great sense of creating fear and stress through gameplay mechanics as well; attacks from enemies can lead to losing limbs, which makes you unable to hold a two-handed weapon, or a shield. Non-player Party Members will die outright with no way to revive them. Your party can be inflicted with poison, bleeding, tapeworms, and infected wounds, which all require precious resources to treat (and if you can't treat an infected wound, you'll be forced to saw off a limb to stop the infection from killing you outright). You constantly have to scavenge for food to maintain your hunger gauge, and pay attention to your party’s fear gauge, lest they become discouraged and abandon you altogether. All of this is propped up by the coin-toss system, wherein a number of actions in the game require you to pick heads or tails to determine an outcome, such as finding better items while searching chests and bookshelves, or whether you avoid a particularly nasty attack. This system causes you to put more thought into your actions, and play the game a bit more like an adventurer would in real life; being aware of your surroundings and considering the potential risks that your actions carry.
Most importantly, however, the coin toss system is used for saving, which is no doubt going to turn some people away from the game outright. Failing a coin toss while trying to save (done via sleeping in beds) can cause you to be attacked by enemies, or more often than not the game will simply wake you up without saving, and will prevent you from trying again for a bit of time. The game isn't totally heartless, however, and frequently hands out "lucky coins" which can be used to flip a second coin, essentially reducing your chance of failure to 25%, there are also a couple of totally safe save points which won't trigger anything nasty, and there is also a rare, consumable item which lets you save on the spot. What I love about this system is how it forces you to take the rest of the mechanics seriously, something you wouldn’t do if saving was a more available thing. If, for instance, you’ve been a long while without saving, and you lose an arm, or maybe a party member bites the dust, you’ll be much more inclined to press on rather than save-scumming to avoid a bad outcome, which makes your playthrough all the more interesting. Having to deal with a main character losing his arm and becoming less useful, or your favorite party member permanently dying, are memorable experiences that take you by surprise. And when reaching the end of the game, battered, bruised and probably down a man or two, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished the impossible.
I can’t recommend this game enough; it evoked a feeling of helplessness and dread that even the scariest horror games can’t get out of me anymore. It’s tough, often bordering on unfair, but if you’re willing to press on, you’ll be left with an experience unlike any other.
The dev has a great sense of creating fear and stress through gameplay mechanics as well; attacks from enemies can lead to losing limbs, which makes you unable to hold a two-handed weapon, or a shield. Non-player Party Members will die outright with no way to revive them. Your party can be inflicted with poison, bleeding, tapeworms, and infected wounds, which all require precious resources to treat (and if you can't treat an infected wound, you'll be forced to saw off a limb to stop the infection from killing you outright). You constantly have to scavenge for food to maintain your hunger gauge, and pay attention to your party’s fear gauge, lest they become discouraged and abandon you altogether. All of this is propped up by the coin-toss system, wherein a number of actions in the game require you to pick heads or tails to determine an outcome, such as finding better items while searching chests and bookshelves, or whether you avoid a particularly nasty attack. This system causes you to put more thought into your actions, and play the game a bit more like an adventurer would in real life; being aware of your surroundings and considering the potential risks that your actions carry.
Most importantly, however, the coin toss system is used for saving, which is no doubt going to turn some people away from the game outright. Failing a coin toss while trying to save (done via sleeping in beds) can cause you to be attacked by enemies, or more often than not the game will simply wake you up without saving, and will prevent you from trying again for a bit of time. The game isn't totally heartless, however, and frequently hands out "lucky coins" which can be used to flip a second coin, essentially reducing your chance of failure to 25%, there are also a couple of totally safe save points which won't trigger anything nasty, and there is also a rare, consumable item which lets you save on the spot. What I love about this system is how it forces you to take the rest of the mechanics seriously, something you wouldn’t do if saving was a more available thing. If, for instance, you’ve been a long while without saving, and you lose an arm, or maybe a party member bites the dust, you’ll be much more inclined to press on rather than save-scumming to avoid a bad outcome, which makes your playthrough all the more interesting. Having to deal with a main character losing his arm and becoming less useful, or your favorite party member permanently dying, are memorable experiences that take you by surprise. And when reaching the end of the game, battered, bruised and probably down a man or two, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished the impossible.
I can’t recommend this game enough; it evoked a feeling of helplessness and dread that even the scariest horror games can’t get out of me anymore. It’s tough, often bordering on unfair, but if you’re willing to press on, you’ll be left with an experience unlike any other.
Small grievances with this remake aside, this is the definitive version of the game in my eyes. The new combat makes the whole experience less of a chore, and the additional ending, while not strictly necessary, was a treat to experience.
My only wish would be a few more options; the ability to switch to the OG renditions of the soundtrack would've been nice (though I don't fear any of the new arrangements are as bad as others think), and Dad Nier would've been a nice addition as well. Neither are big flaws to me, and I'd still recommend this version to both new and old fans alike.
My only wish would be a few more options; the ability to switch to the OG renditions of the soundtrack would've been nice (though I don't fear any of the new arrangements are as bad as others think), and Dad Nier would've been a nice addition as well. Neither are big flaws to me, and I'd still recommend this version to both new and old fans alike.
Rating applies to KH1, I have no desire to play Chain of Memories and 358/2, while good, is just a movie.
2010
Possibly the tightest platformer of all time. Zero filler and a lot of great optional stuff. Just wish there was more of it.
Every time I play this game I'm blown away by how much Nintendo managed to nail in their FIRST 3D Zelda outting. It's actually pretty telling that this remake only introduces minor gameplay tweaks and a graphical overhaul; because besides the visuals, Ocarina of Time holds up incredibly well.
It may not be the best at any one single thing, but I've yet to play a 3D Zelda that gets so much right. It's a fantastic game, and the fact that this remake is stuck on such dated hardware is a crying shame.
It may not be the best at any one single thing, but I've yet to play a 3D Zelda that gets so much right. It's a fantastic game, and the fact that this remake is stuck on such dated hardware is a crying shame.
2011
I can almost guarantee this would be a 10/10 if not for the frustrating PC port that features fucked up physics above 30 fps, frequent freezes, and crashes.
Base Expansion: 7/10, great content, okay story
Patch Content: 8/10, great gameplay as per usual, and the story actually got really interesting. Looking forward to Shadowbringers even more now.
Patch Content: 8/10, great gameplay as per usual, and the story actually got really interesting. Looking forward to Shadowbringers even more now.
Played with Leoetlino's Project Restoration Mod, this is far and away the definitive version of MM. 10/10
Played without it, it's still great but is also a frustrating regression on many of the aspects that made the N64 original so loved. 8/10
If you're not about playing with mods, just play the N64 version. You can't go wrong since the game is terrific in all forms, but the N64 is the most consistent experience out-of-the-box.
Played without it, it's still great but is also a frustrating regression on many of the aspects that made the N64 original so loved. 8/10
If you're not about playing with mods, just play the N64 version. You can't go wrong since the game is terrific in all forms, but the N64 is the most consistent experience out-of-the-box.