Goldfield
Damn, I miss the times when we just unlocked more content by playing the game, now I have to wait for Nintendo feeling ready to release more content via updates. And I need to hope it’s good and worth the money too.
Gameplay is amazing, but it lacks content, because Nintendo decided to release an unfinished half-baked version of this game, instead of giving it a bit more time. I might change my rating when all the content is released… if I come back to this.
I’m just not a fan of this kind of direction. Just let me play the full game, let me unlock characters, stages, costumes and more. Reward me for playing this game. This is just not it.
Gameplay is amazing, but it lacks content, because Nintendo decided to release an unfinished half-baked version of this game, instead of giving it a bit more time. I might change my rating when all the content is released… if I come back to this.
I’m just not a fan of this kind of direction. Just let me play the full game, let me unlock characters, stages, costumes and more. Reward me for playing this game. This is just not it.
This game is literally unplayable due to the incredible amount of bugs and glitches and the game’s story is not even ashamed to admit it.
2022
Unplayable mess and a scam. Don’t need to play it honestly, I’ve seen enough. If this wouldn’t be Pokémon or a popular Nintendo IP, this would cause a massive scandal like Cyberpunk 2077 at launch.
Edit:
Played it at my friend’s home for a few hours now. And it’s even worse experiencing it for myself.
Edit:
Played it at my friend’s home for a few hours now. And it’s even worse experiencing it for myself.
2021
I finished Shin Megami Tensei V on Hard. I fused and got as many demons as possible in a first run. I aligned with “chaos”.
I always enjoy the ideology-based narrative in SMT, the hilarious humor when talking to demons, the harsh and satirical criticism on mankind and hierarchies, the most interesting symbolism, the world building and lore, the challenging combat and yes, the exploration.
The cutscenes are amazing, better than ever in the MegaTen series. It does have some qualities even a most modern JRPG like Persona 5 Royal did not have. In general, this game looks great, but suffers from performance issues a bit.
My biggest complaint is how same-y the four major areas are. The same assets everywhere: the same buildings, the same ruins, the same cars, the same sand, the same trees and the same streets. Almost no sights or points of interest. They just use different filter effects for each area.
Ginza is a commercial district, but you won’t recognize it as such, not even a little bit. Even after the apocalypse and destruction, you should be able to see that it once was a shopping district. But it looks like any other area in this game. It’s so normal that video games look varied in different areas that I’m actually baffled, disappointed and even a bit angry that a game taking place in Tokyo lacks variation. Honestly, that’s an imposition!
I also think that this game gets a lot easier after the Hydra boss battle. The Essence system, some Miracles and Magatsuhi are too broken. You are literally able to create an almost invincible Nahobino and almost invincible demons early on.
And while this game has two dungeons, I wish they would’ve given us some more for subquests and story. It’s a shame that we can’t enter the Tokyo Tower for example, one of the very very few known sights of Tokyo being in this game.
Sigh… I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, me saying this, but I even like SMT IV: Apocalypse more than SMT V.
I always enjoy the ideology-based narrative in SMT, the hilarious humor when talking to demons, the harsh and satirical criticism on mankind and hierarchies, the most interesting symbolism, the world building and lore, the challenging combat and yes, the exploration.
The cutscenes are amazing, better than ever in the MegaTen series. It does have some qualities even a most modern JRPG like Persona 5 Royal did not have. In general, this game looks great, but suffers from performance issues a bit.
My biggest complaint is how same-y the four major areas are. The same assets everywhere: the same buildings, the same ruins, the same cars, the same sand, the same trees and the same streets. Almost no sights or points of interest. They just use different filter effects for each area.
Ginza is a commercial district, but you won’t recognize it as such, not even a little bit. Even after the apocalypse and destruction, you should be able to see that it once was a shopping district. But it looks like any other area in this game. It’s so normal that video games look varied in different areas that I’m actually baffled, disappointed and even a bit angry that a game taking place in Tokyo lacks variation. Honestly, that’s an imposition!
I also think that this game gets a lot easier after the Hydra boss battle. The Essence system, some Miracles and Magatsuhi are too broken. You are literally able to create an almost invincible Nahobino and almost invincible demons early on.
And while this game has two dungeons, I wish they would’ve given us some more for subquests and story. It’s a shame that we can’t enter the Tokyo Tower for example, one of the very very few known sights of Tokyo being in this game.
Sigh… I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, me saying this, but I even like SMT IV: Apocalypse more than SMT V.
2022
Platinum Games’ new low, holy sh-
2016
As a result of the brilliant level design, the loss of an interconnected world does no harm to the trilogy’s seminal conclusion. The sense of architectural aesthetics is more fascinating than ever before. Prevailing over colossal bosses while listening to the celestial soundtracks is one of the most hair-raising and fulfilling experiences in a video game. The lore of Dark Souls III is as deep as the deepest depths of the world sea and serves as a banquet for longtime devotees.
2019
Every time I think about Astral Chain, I think of how this game manages to be mid and great at the same time.
This game’s story is not too impressive, the main character is unnecessarily silent, too many story information are just poorly presented text files and stealth sequences are horrible. And yet, Platinum Games created a new and innovative action combat system with the legions. Satoshi Igarashi composed one of the most impressing soundtracks I’ve ever listened to, the art style and graphics are beautiful, the character and legion designs are absolutely fantastic, the premise is really interesting, the lore is incredibly deep (if you read through the text files) and I’m an absolute fan of the change of pace and the investigation sequences in this game!
Astral Chain does so many things right and so many things wrong. It’s mid and great at the same time. It has a lot of unused potential and I hope Astral Chain 2 will fix a lot of my complaints. Oh yeah, give us a dedicated jump button. It truly has the potential to become one of the best games of all time and I really want to see that happen!
I highly recommend to play this game if you want to experience something you have never seen before!
This game’s story is not too impressive, the main character is unnecessarily silent, too many story information are just poorly presented text files and stealth sequences are horrible. And yet, Platinum Games created a new and innovative action combat system with the legions. Satoshi Igarashi composed one of the most impressing soundtracks I’ve ever listened to, the art style and graphics are beautiful, the character and legion designs are absolutely fantastic, the premise is really interesting, the lore is incredibly deep (if you read through the text files) and I’m an absolute fan of the change of pace and the investigation sequences in this game!
Astral Chain does so many things right and so many things wrong. It’s mid and great at the same time. It has a lot of unused potential and I hope Astral Chain 2 will fix a lot of my complaints. Oh yeah, give us a dedicated jump button. It truly has the potential to become one of the best games of all time and I really want to see that happen!
I highly recommend to play this game if you want to experience something you have never seen before!
Knights of the Old Republic will probably always be the best Star Wars narrative and one of the best narratives of all time. The world building, the societies, the fractions, the quests, the characters, the plot, the twists, the soundtrack and the atmosphere. Impeccable.
2022
The cutest gaming experience you can get. The movement is pretty much limited and the levels are very linear, but the game looks gorgeous, you can meow, drink, meow, throw objects down, meow, solve little puzzles, meow, speedrun it, meow, interact with another cats and robots, meow, hiss and meow.
Atelier Ryza’s small scaled world and short paced story are a refreshing touch and way to experience JRPGs. It’s a small game, but every single corner is gorgeous and beautifully detailed and decorated. Small but excellent, in the truest sense possible.
There is hardly a game that makes gathering ingredients as useful and meaningful as Atelier Ryza or the Atelier series in general. It’s this game’s essence and I enjoy how you can create anything from these ingredients: weapons, combat and healing items, tools and anything that’s essentially needed in a JRPG. That drives the motivation to explore its beautiful and interconnected world.
Its original soundtrack is a serene and atmospherical experience at any point of the game and with a free DLC, you’re able to listen to the series’ entire soundtrack and assign your favorite tracks to any area and any type of battle. The Japanese voice acting is flawlessly executed. However, it does not contain an English voice over.
Photo mode and accessibility are two additional plus points I want to mention.
In conclusion, thick thighs save lives.
There is hardly a game that makes gathering ingredients as useful and meaningful as Atelier Ryza or the Atelier series in general. It’s this game’s essence and I enjoy how you can create anything from these ingredients: weapons, combat and healing items, tools and anything that’s essentially needed in a JRPG. That drives the motivation to explore its beautiful and interconnected world.
Its original soundtrack is a serene and atmospherical experience at any point of the game and with a free DLC, you’re able to listen to the series’ entire soundtrack and assign your favorite tracks to any area and any type of battle. The Japanese voice acting is flawlessly executed. However, it does not contain an English voice over.
Photo mode and accessibility are two additional plus points I want to mention.
In conclusion, thick thighs save lives.
NieR Replicant 1.22474487139 is an extraordinary remaster that not only vastly improves the original Nier in terms of graphics, gameplay, performance, content, voice acting or soundtrack, but also manages to enhance the NieR: Automata experience, due to Replicant’s new ending, ending E, which is a contextualization of Automata’s ending E. The weight of loss might be allegedly lost, but the outcome is ABSOLUTELY worthwhile.
The Last of Us Part II is a technical wonder. Naughty Dog made full use of the PlayStation 4’s and Pro’s power!
The voice acting is incredibly strong, the motion capture is pure quality, the graphics and animations are on top and the soundtrack is bombastic.
Most importantly, the story didn’t completely resonate with me, personally. Some directions felt like they were forced and a few characters were written out of character. Sometimes, when they brought up some topics like Lev being a transgender, they didn’t even scratch the surface and I think that is wasted potential.
The gameplay was rather simple and easy, not exactly my cup of tea, but it’s still fun.
One of the best things of this game is its accessibility. It was possible for a blind player to platinum this game and I think that is something each and every single game should at least TRY to accomplish.
EDIT after a replay:
The story resonated with me a lot more, so I’ll give this game 1.5 extra stars.
The voice acting is incredibly strong, the motion capture is pure quality, the graphics and animations are on top and the soundtrack is bombastic.
Most importantly, the story didn’t completely resonate with me, personally. Some directions felt like they were forced and a few characters were written out of character. Sometimes, when they brought up some topics like Lev being a transgender, they didn’t even scratch the surface and I think that is wasted potential.
The gameplay was rather simple and easy, not exactly my cup of tea, but it’s still fun.
One of the best things of this game is its accessibility. It was possible for a blind player to platinum this game and I think that is something each and every single game should at least TRY to accomplish.
EDIT after a replay:
The story resonated with me a lot more, so I’ll give this game 1.5 extra stars.
2018
Celeste is peak 2D platforming art on an impossibly high standard without getting monotonous or frustrating, because of its instant respawns and dynamic and wonderfully composed soundtrack by Lena Raine.
Each room and each level is a feast; every jump, every dash is a bliss. B sides and C sides crown their original levels and require everything you’ve learned before. The Farewell DLC is the absolute climax and the best platforming level I’ve ever played. I needed more than five hours to just finish it.
However, the point that makes Celeste so special is the way how it connects gameplay and story: challenging jumping and climbing act as an analogy of coping with depression. With just a few lines of dialogue, Celeste is able to trigger more and stronger emotions than Read Dead Redemption 2 and its script of 2,000 pages. Celeste shows what the video game medium is capable of, even without becoming cinema: interactivity amplifies the simple story in a way that no written or spoken dialogue could ever do.
I need to mention Celeste’s accessibility. You can activate an assist mode if this game is too hard for you. Plus, this game got an update recently which allows you to customize your own button layout and more. More games need to try to become more accessible.
Each room and each level is a feast; every jump, every dash is a bliss. B sides and C sides crown their original levels and require everything you’ve learned before. The Farewell DLC is the absolute climax and the best platforming level I’ve ever played. I needed more than five hours to just finish it.
However, the point that makes Celeste so special is the way how it connects gameplay and story: challenging jumping and climbing act as an analogy of coping with depression. With just a few lines of dialogue, Celeste is able to trigger more and stronger emotions than Read Dead Redemption 2 and its script of 2,000 pages. Celeste shows what the video game medium is capable of, even without becoming cinema: interactivity amplifies the simple story in a way that no written or spoken dialogue could ever do.
I need to mention Celeste’s accessibility. You can activate an assist mode if this game is too hard for you. Plus, this game got an update recently which allows you to customize your own button layout and more. More games need to try to become more accessible.
Communism wins once again!
2011
Infinitely inferior to Rayman Legends in each and every aspect.
Rayman Origins convinced me with amazing level design, smooth controls, an inspiring score and charming visuals, but it failed to overwhelm me like Rayman Legends did. Whenever I thought “Rayman Legends reached a climax, it’s impossible to top that”, Rayman Legends proved me wrong. That wasn’t the case with Origins, however.
While its level design is almost god tier, Origins’ stages do not offer much variety and the from room to room thing heavily interrupted the flow. The mosquito levels are fun, though not as powerful as they are in Cuphead. They lack of escalation and climax. The Treasure Chest levels aren’t as spectacular as the music stages in Rayman Legends, but they are still entertaining, since the gameplay flow is incredibly smooth. The “bosses” were unbelievably disappointing. The letdown of this game.
Although I criticized this game more than I praised it, because comparison was unavoidable — it’s an amazing game. I’d recommend this game, but since 40 of its best stages are in Rayman Legends, I don’t see a reason to not recommend Legends first. And if you’ve played Legends already, I don’t see many reasons to pay 20 bucks for 20 new levels you haven’t experienced. Origins lost a lot of its value due to the existence of Legends.
Rayman Origins convinced me with amazing level design, smooth controls, an inspiring score and charming visuals, but it failed to overwhelm me like Rayman Legends did. Whenever I thought “Rayman Legends reached a climax, it’s impossible to top that”, Rayman Legends proved me wrong. That wasn’t the case with Origins, however.
While its level design is almost god tier, Origins’ stages do not offer much variety and the from room to room thing heavily interrupted the flow. The mosquito levels are fun, though not as powerful as they are in Cuphead. They lack of escalation and climax. The Treasure Chest levels aren’t as spectacular as the music stages in Rayman Legends, but they are still entertaining, since the gameplay flow is incredibly smooth. The “bosses” were unbelievably disappointing. The letdown of this game.
Although I criticized this game more than I praised it, because comparison was unavoidable — it’s an amazing game. I’d recommend this game, but since 40 of its best stages are in Rayman Legends, I don’t see a reason to not recommend Legends first. And if you’ve played Legends already, I don’t see many reasons to pay 20 bucks for 20 new levels you haven’t experienced. Origins lost a lot of its value due to the existence of Legends.