Gorgar
11 reviews liked by Gorgar
If I played through this whole game blind and someone told me it's one of those bootleg games stuffed into cartridges that were sold across Spain or some shit, the only thing that'd stop me from believing them is the amount of polish this game has. What I mean by this, is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The HyperStone Heist is a watered down, poor substitute for Turtles In Time on SNES.
The core gameplay is fine, albeit feels a bit less precise than said SNES game. That alone is what separates this from that bizarre Mario bootleg derived from the "Super Mario 9" or the "Speedy Gonzalez: Los Gatos Bandidos" hack that replaced his character sprites with Sonic. Because the presentation of this game is awful. I'm willing to bet production for this was heavily rushed, as much of the environment was considerably drab, almost lifeless (when that wasn't the point).
There's so few bosses as well, the only one that wasn't a recycling of an older TMNT game being Tatsu. Yeah, remember Tatsu? The master of the foot clan in the first film, who was known for his expertise in hand-to-hand combat? Well, in this game, his only form of attacking is shooting arrows. He literally has no melee attacks. It's just really bizarre and kinda tells me the developers involved had no funds nor time to actually create anything new for this demake of Turtles In Time SNES.
I don't really understand why this game came out so ugly, when I know the Genesis was capable of great visuals that easily rivaled SNES classics most of the time. Again, might've just been a budget issue. I'm sure back in 1992, this game sufficed for people that only had a Sega Genesis. But in this modern age of being able to emulate SNES or Genesis with a paperclip's worth of technology, there's no real reason to play through this game.
The core gameplay is fine, albeit feels a bit less precise than said SNES game. That alone is what separates this from that bizarre Mario bootleg derived from the "Super Mario 9" or the "Speedy Gonzalez: Los Gatos Bandidos" hack that replaced his character sprites with Sonic. Because the presentation of this game is awful. I'm willing to bet production for this was heavily rushed, as much of the environment was considerably drab, almost lifeless (when that wasn't the point).
There's so few bosses as well, the only one that wasn't a recycling of an older TMNT game being Tatsu. Yeah, remember Tatsu? The master of the foot clan in the first film, who was known for his expertise in hand-to-hand combat? Well, in this game, his only form of attacking is shooting arrows. He literally has no melee attacks. It's just really bizarre and kinda tells me the developers involved had no funds nor time to actually create anything new for this demake of Turtles In Time SNES.
I don't really understand why this game came out so ugly, when I know the Genesis was capable of great visuals that easily rivaled SNES classics most of the time. Again, might've just been a budget issue. I'm sure back in 1992, this game sufficed for people that only had a Sega Genesis. But in this modern age of being able to emulate SNES or Genesis with a paperclip's worth of technology, there's no real reason to play through this game.
NightCry
2016
There's this inexplicable phenomenon in cinema where an undeniably horrible film will end up being loved by a devoted following in part because it's so terrible. It's what's responsible for the old saying "so bad, it's good," and might be the only medium of entertainment where such a thing is truly possible. The closest approximation we've had in gaming is Deadly Premonition, which managed to overcome its various faults and deficiencies to earn itself a strong reputation as a well-respected flawed masterpiece due to the strength of its charmingly quirky vision and writing. That's what was I hoping to get out of NightCry, but while seemingly all the right (wrong?) elements were in place they never came together to create something as endearing.
At first glance this looks like an old-school PS2 era horror throwback what with its fixed camera angles and awkward controls (O is select and X is back for some inexplicable reason), but in reality it's more of a point-and-click adventure title. Which makes sense when you consider that it's coming from Hifumi Kono with the intention of serving as a spiritual successor to his legendary Clock Tower series. In a similar manner to the games it is taking direct inspiration from, there are a lot of unique ideas in regards to how players can influence the narrative and its outcomes. Unfortunately, the apparent lack of technical proficiency from the team at Nude Maker prevents any of them from ever taking off, and I'm not just talking about how the graphics are ugly as sin or the whole thing is riddled with bizarre, frustrating bugs and glitches either. There are some genuine issues with their actual implementation that don't allow them to live up to their interesting potential.
Case in point, you do ANYTHING to deviate from the path of key actions that lead to the true conclusion and the story will come to an abrupt, anticlimactic end out of nowhere. You'll be left baffled on top of unfulfilled when this happens since the expectations placed on you in this regard are sometimes painfully undefined. Entire crucial processes can be missed completely because you didn't somehow magically intuit that you, say, needed to loot a cash register near the start of the game for quarters to use at a very specific vending machine in order to collect the wedding ring off the severed hand that comes out in place of a soda (yeah, a lot of weird stuff happens...) so that it can be given to a character hidden away in the back of a previously visited room several chapters later. The flowchart style screen you'll visit to pick up where you left off or revisit an earlier section that chronicles your progress offers vague hints on what the main tasks necessary to stay on the right track are, but no insight on what must be done to actually accomplish them. How anyone was supposed to figure any of this out without resorting to a walkthrough I have no idea, and I'm fully convinced that most of the people you'll see with a more positive outlook on NightCry only have such an opinion because they used one to bypass experiencing the inherently irritating aspects of its design.
Flaws don't only put a damper on the developer's loftier, more ambitious mechanics however, but the moment-to-moment gameplay as well. There's a ridiculously awful element of trial and error to things. Hope you enjoy instantly dying upon entering a room because you didn't know you were supposed to turn on your phone's flashlight or make a post on the in-game social media app (an action that's required of you maybe only twice, if that) beforehand. The chase sequences that comprise the majority of the action sequences outside of the occasional QTE are exciting in theory as you have no traditional means of defending yourself, forcing you find a hiding spot or tool to temporarily fend off your pursuer, but do little to instill an air of tension once you realize the killer's appearances are entirely scripted after the first level. By far the most tedious problem though is that you often have to interact with people or objects multiple times in a row to progress. I get that's not unheard of for this genre, but I bet the majority of them didn't force you to sit through a loading screen following every click.
Going back to the analogy I began this review with, when it comes to cult classic disasterpiece movies you'd be hard pressed to find one of more renown than Tommy Wiseau's The Room, which lives on in a sort of ironically celebrated infamy that still drives rowdy crowds to midnight screenings for a bit of energetic mockery during the viewing. NightCry may just be the video game equivalent. Like the aforementioned cinematic travesty, it's too bad to legitimately recommend, but if you were to pick it up regardless you'd certainly uncover plenty to laugh at. The plot is so full of holes and missing information that it makes an almost comical lack of sense, and you can be killed in a number of absurdly hilarious ways (death by flying babydoll, anyone?). The save system, sadly the best feature, even makes it relatively easy to witness every goofy, jank, or downright broken inch of this mess for the platinum trophy. The hours it will take from your life however, are likely better spent elsewhere.
4/10
At first glance this looks like an old-school PS2 era horror throwback what with its fixed camera angles and awkward controls (O is select and X is back for some inexplicable reason), but in reality it's more of a point-and-click adventure title. Which makes sense when you consider that it's coming from Hifumi Kono with the intention of serving as a spiritual successor to his legendary Clock Tower series. In a similar manner to the games it is taking direct inspiration from, there are a lot of unique ideas in regards to how players can influence the narrative and its outcomes. Unfortunately, the apparent lack of technical proficiency from the team at Nude Maker prevents any of them from ever taking off, and I'm not just talking about how the graphics are ugly as sin or the whole thing is riddled with bizarre, frustrating bugs and glitches either. There are some genuine issues with their actual implementation that don't allow them to live up to their interesting potential.
Case in point, you do ANYTHING to deviate from the path of key actions that lead to the true conclusion and the story will come to an abrupt, anticlimactic end out of nowhere. You'll be left baffled on top of unfulfilled when this happens since the expectations placed on you in this regard are sometimes painfully undefined. Entire crucial processes can be missed completely because you didn't somehow magically intuit that you, say, needed to loot a cash register near the start of the game for quarters to use at a very specific vending machine in order to collect the wedding ring off the severed hand that comes out in place of a soda (yeah, a lot of weird stuff happens...) so that it can be given to a character hidden away in the back of a previously visited room several chapters later. The flowchart style screen you'll visit to pick up where you left off or revisit an earlier section that chronicles your progress offers vague hints on what the main tasks necessary to stay on the right track are, but no insight on what must be done to actually accomplish them. How anyone was supposed to figure any of this out without resorting to a walkthrough I have no idea, and I'm fully convinced that most of the people you'll see with a more positive outlook on NightCry only have such an opinion because they used one to bypass experiencing the inherently irritating aspects of its design.
Flaws don't only put a damper on the developer's loftier, more ambitious mechanics however, but the moment-to-moment gameplay as well. There's a ridiculously awful element of trial and error to things. Hope you enjoy instantly dying upon entering a room because you didn't know you were supposed to turn on your phone's flashlight or make a post on the in-game social media app (an action that's required of you maybe only twice, if that) beforehand. The chase sequences that comprise the majority of the action sequences outside of the occasional QTE are exciting in theory as you have no traditional means of defending yourself, forcing you find a hiding spot or tool to temporarily fend off your pursuer, but do little to instill an air of tension once you realize the killer's appearances are entirely scripted after the first level. By far the most tedious problem though is that you often have to interact with people or objects multiple times in a row to progress. I get that's not unheard of for this genre, but I bet the majority of them didn't force you to sit through a loading screen following every click.
Going back to the analogy I began this review with, when it comes to cult classic disasterpiece movies you'd be hard pressed to find one of more renown than Tommy Wiseau's The Room, which lives on in a sort of ironically celebrated infamy that still drives rowdy crowds to midnight screenings for a bit of energetic mockery during the viewing. NightCry may just be the video game equivalent. Like the aforementioned cinematic travesty, it's too bad to legitimately recommend, but if you were to pick it up regardless you'd certainly uncover plenty to laugh at. The plot is so full of holes and missing information that it makes an almost comical lack of sense, and you can be killed in a number of absurdly hilarious ways (death by flying babydoll, anyone?). The save system, sadly the best feature, even makes it relatively easy to witness every goofy, jank, or downright broken inch of this mess for the platinum trophy. The hours it will take from your life however, are likely better spent elsewhere.
4/10
By Request Review #3 - 2021
This is a landmark piece of storytelling that has the intensity and rawness that makes the early seasons of "The Walking Dead" so effective. It builds a bond between these two characters that leaves you winded and on edge when things start getting incredibly threatening. That's a great word to describe this gameplay experience: "threatening". There are few games that make me feel like every step I take, and every bullet I spend, could drastically make or break my playthrough. It could be that it's because my first playthrough of this game was on "grounded" mode, but truly, I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're looking to just enjoy the story without many obstacles, certainly hit up the easier difficulties. If you're like me, and are looking to immerse yourself in a world that's visceral and deadly, then crank the difficulty way up to "grounded". It forced me to slow down, strategize, and treat my session as if I only had one life to live. It made me feel the story even more, as I grew exhausted along side Joel and Ellie on their year long cross-country journey to find hope in a hopeless world dying from a horrifying viral outbreak.
The only negatives I experienced had a lot to do with this Remastered version's lack of perfect polish. Although very rare, glitches are capable of ruining your playthrough. Enemies clipping through walls, or even the game deciding to restart your session were very discouraging when they happened. That link leads to a clip of that moment, where I spent over an hour on that very tough section, only to have my progress yoinked away from me due to this very rare glitch. I never saw it again, but it was horrifying to have to go through that section all over again, and the playthrough from that point forward felt like a roll of the dice. I'm not sure how the PS3 version is, but hopefully it doesn't experience these problems. Otherwise, this would be a 4 star game for me.
This is a landmark piece of storytelling that has the intensity and rawness that makes the early seasons of "The Walking Dead" so effective. It builds a bond between these two characters that leaves you winded and on edge when things start getting incredibly threatening. That's a great word to describe this gameplay experience: "threatening". There are few games that make me feel like every step I take, and every bullet I spend, could drastically make or break my playthrough. It could be that it's because my first playthrough of this game was on "grounded" mode, but truly, I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're looking to just enjoy the story without many obstacles, certainly hit up the easier difficulties. If you're like me, and are looking to immerse yourself in a world that's visceral and deadly, then crank the difficulty way up to "grounded". It forced me to slow down, strategize, and treat my session as if I only had one life to live. It made me feel the story even more, as I grew exhausted along side Joel and Ellie on their year long cross-country journey to find hope in a hopeless world dying from a horrifying viral outbreak.
The only negatives I experienced had a lot to do with this Remastered version's lack of perfect polish. Although very rare, glitches are capable of ruining your playthrough. Enemies clipping through walls, or even the game deciding to restart your session were very discouraging when they happened. That link leads to a clip of that moment, where I spent over an hour on that very tough section, only to have my progress yoinked away from me due to this very rare glitch. I never saw it again, but it was horrifying to have to go through that section all over again, and the playthrough from that point forward felt like a roll of the dice. I'm not sure how the PS3 version is, but hopefully it doesn't experience these problems. Otherwise, this would be a 4 star game for me.
007 Legends
2012
On paper, 007 Legends sounds like the perfect concept. Using a period of unconsciousness that functioned as a break for title credits in a film, a game's worth of story is presented to the player as though it were 007’s life flashing before his eyes. This simple conceit allows for a game that briefly touches on a handful of standout moments throughout the entire Bond franchise.
As a person that grew up in a home where James Bond was an embarrassingly large portion of our re-playable film rotation, the proposition of ‘The Best of Bond, James Bond’ sounded irresistible to my ears. Looking at the films touched upon, it became apparent that the developers wanted to give each different Bond actor a time to shine with respect to the franchise’s history. My personal favorite Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, mostly remembered as ‘the one with that one-time James Bond actor,’ would finally be getting the recognition that had until now escaped it.
Jumping into the game, it quickly became apparent that the novelty of the broad concept was the only redeeming factor. If you don’t come to the game with a prior adoration or nostalgia for these films, there isn’t much to keep you invested.
There are a few things that must be reckoned with. First, the game quickly lets the player know that it has a formula, and it will not be deviating from it. Each film is broken down into a loop that consists of entering the facility, finding the villain’s lair, investigating briefly, getting out of there. The game makes you do this five times, once for each film touched upon, and then it is over. Any sort of variety really feels like window dressing that doesn’t meaningfully distinguish each film from one another. To further detract from any attempt to distinguish these experiences, the game used Daniel Craig’s likeness for each separate era of the series, the same gadgets are available to you throughout each segment, and the weapons stay the same. One caveat to all of this is the final Moonraker segment, which feels like a breath of fresh air at the final moments of the game, but even that stage is ultimately bogged down by the chunky mechanics persistent throughout the entirety of the 007 Legends experience. By the end, it is clear that what was meant to stand as a testament to fifty years of quality entertainment instead operates as a suggestion that maybe you’ve been watching the same movie in different clothes over and over for the past fifty years. If instead, they embraced the differences of these films, whether it be showcasing each era, styles in clothing, different Bond actors, or different weaponry and technology; it may have felt more like a celebration than an obligation.
Okay, so the story is presented poorly, and the levels blend together. Maybe the game-play could still entice someone to press on. Unfortunately, this too falls short of a compelling experience. The game is clearly a product of its time, presenting a James Bond story within what is essentially a Call of Duty clone. This is not necessarily a bad thing on its own. Call of Duty games have earned their reputation for a reason. Great sound work, careful weapon design that focuses on weaponry that feels good to operate, and some levels that break out of the typical first person presentation to allow the game to feel fresh as it progresses. Here, again, the execution in 007 Legends falls flat. The gun-play is not satisfactory, a lot of the enemies feel like bullet sponges, the weapons simply don’t feel good to use. An added perplexity is presented in the weapon modification system, that allows you to buy ‘upgrades’ that fail to distinguish your arsenal from that which you may find abandoned on the ground. The Q-Branch gadgetry also feels unnecessary and is generally unpleasant to interact with. The odd exception is a spy-pen that is somehow more powerful than any of the other weapons throughout the entire game.
Another bit worth noting are the segments that attempt to break the mold, whether it be the vehicle segments, a skiing segment, or the boss encounters. Each serves to underscore the poor execution of concept, and further distances the player from experiencing life as the titular character, a suave intellectual that always emerges unscathed despite the most impossible of circumstances. The clearest example of these failures at work are in the boss encounters. It is clear that the designers were uncertain how to present a ‘boss’ in a satisfying way. Each of the boss fights are presented through a QTE-esque fist fight that follows the same progression. Through matching your joystick placement with the one displayed on screen, James Bond engages in a fist fight with each villain. After a few punches are exchanged, the villain will appear to be losing. The villain will then pick up a blunt object. Through your matching exercise, James Bond will disarm the villain, and then continue to punch them until their health bar is depleted. This same boss encounter is consistent throughout each level and is only distinguishable by the character you are looking at as you complete the matching exercise.
In the end, as a fan I must say I was very disappointed in this game. Now that I’m done with the experience, I can only help but wonder how this game would hold up for someone with no prior attachment. Without any interest in references to the films, I can’t see a person lasting beyond a level or two. Even as a die-hard, I can’t help but feel I wasted my time. Now as I’m sitting here writing this, I’m also realizing that the game fails to revisit the opening concept: James Bond, unconscious, reliving these memories. Instead of suggesting that something was learned as he comes out of his unconscious state, the game simply ends and we never even learn if he awakens again. This lack of consideration for even the most basic of narrative considerations speaks to the inattention on display throughout 007 Legends.
As I reflect on James Bond as a character, and consider the characteristics that have lead to his status as a cultural icon. I realize that the James Bond contained within 007 Legends fails to capture almost any of the appealing aspects of one of the longest running film franchises of all time. It's honestly impressive.
As a person that grew up in a home where James Bond was an embarrassingly large portion of our re-playable film rotation, the proposition of ‘The Best of Bond, James Bond’ sounded irresistible to my ears. Looking at the films touched upon, it became apparent that the developers wanted to give each different Bond actor a time to shine with respect to the franchise’s history. My personal favorite Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, mostly remembered as ‘the one with that one-time James Bond actor,’ would finally be getting the recognition that had until now escaped it.
Jumping into the game, it quickly became apparent that the novelty of the broad concept was the only redeeming factor. If you don’t come to the game with a prior adoration or nostalgia for these films, there isn’t much to keep you invested.
There are a few things that must be reckoned with. First, the game quickly lets the player know that it has a formula, and it will not be deviating from it. Each film is broken down into a loop that consists of entering the facility, finding the villain’s lair, investigating briefly, getting out of there. The game makes you do this five times, once for each film touched upon, and then it is over. Any sort of variety really feels like window dressing that doesn’t meaningfully distinguish each film from one another. To further detract from any attempt to distinguish these experiences, the game used Daniel Craig’s likeness for each separate era of the series, the same gadgets are available to you throughout each segment, and the weapons stay the same. One caveat to all of this is the final Moonraker segment, which feels like a breath of fresh air at the final moments of the game, but even that stage is ultimately bogged down by the chunky mechanics persistent throughout the entirety of the 007 Legends experience. By the end, it is clear that what was meant to stand as a testament to fifty years of quality entertainment instead operates as a suggestion that maybe you’ve been watching the same movie in different clothes over and over for the past fifty years. If instead, they embraced the differences of these films, whether it be showcasing each era, styles in clothing, different Bond actors, or different weaponry and technology; it may have felt more like a celebration than an obligation.
Okay, so the story is presented poorly, and the levels blend together. Maybe the game-play could still entice someone to press on. Unfortunately, this too falls short of a compelling experience. The game is clearly a product of its time, presenting a James Bond story within what is essentially a Call of Duty clone. This is not necessarily a bad thing on its own. Call of Duty games have earned their reputation for a reason. Great sound work, careful weapon design that focuses on weaponry that feels good to operate, and some levels that break out of the typical first person presentation to allow the game to feel fresh as it progresses. Here, again, the execution in 007 Legends falls flat. The gun-play is not satisfactory, a lot of the enemies feel like bullet sponges, the weapons simply don’t feel good to use. An added perplexity is presented in the weapon modification system, that allows you to buy ‘upgrades’ that fail to distinguish your arsenal from that which you may find abandoned on the ground. The Q-Branch gadgetry also feels unnecessary and is generally unpleasant to interact with. The odd exception is a spy-pen that is somehow more powerful than any of the other weapons throughout the entire game.
Another bit worth noting are the segments that attempt to break the mold, whether it be the vehicle segments, a skiing segment, or the boss encounters. Each serves to underscore the poor execution of concept, and further distances the player from experiencing life as the titular character, a suave intellectual that always emerges unscathed despite the most impossible of circumstances. The clearest example of these failures at work are in the boss encounters. It is clear that the designers were uncertain how to present a ‘boss’ in a satisfying way. Each of the boss fights are presented through a QTE-esque fist fight that follows the same progression. Through matching your joystick placement with the one displayed on screen, James Bond engages in a fist fight with each villain. After a few punches are exchanged, the villain will appear to be losing. The villain will then pick up a blunt object. Through your matching exercise, James Bond will disarm the villain, and then continue to punch them until their health bar is depleted. This same boss encounter is consistent throughout each level and is only distinguishable by the character you are looking at as you complete the matching exercise.
In the end, as a fan I must say I was very disappointed in this game. Now that I’m done with the experience, I can only help but wonder how this game would hold up for someone with no prior attachment. Without any interest in references to the films, I can’t see a person lasting beyond a level or two. Even as a die-hard, I can’t help but feel I wasted my time. Now as I’m sitting here writing this, I’m also realizing that the game fails to revisit the opening concept: James Bond, unconscious, reliving these memories. Instead of suggesting that something was learned as he comes out of his unconscious state, the game simply ends and we never even learn if he awakens again. This lack of consideration for even the most basic of narrative considerations speaks to the inattention on display throughout 007 Legends.
As I reflect on James Bond as a character, and consider the characteristics that have lead to his status as a cultural icon. I realize that the James Bond contained within 007 Legends fails to capture almost any of the appealing aspects of one of the longest running film franchises of all time. It's honestly impressive.
A collection of the three of the most notable Mario titles from the N64, GameCube, and Wii eras upscaled in HD. It doesn't offer anything in the way of improvements or new content, so the only the only real bonus you'll get from the package is the option to listen to each game's full soundtrack in its entirety any time you want. This understandably makes it a hard sell for those who have already experienced these games, but if you're like me and never played them before it's not so much of a big deal. Especially since each one still carries the distinctive feel of its original console even on this new hardware.
I was surprised how well Super Mario 64 still holds up after all these years. The restrictive camera is a constant source of frustration, but with a few exceptions (those dang slides...) the level design and puzzles are still some of the best in the genre. It's easy to see why this is considered one of the best platformers ever made. Plus it might be more playable than ever here on the Switch because you don't have to put up with the Nintendo 64's awkward M-shaped controller.
9/10
Shockingly the title that's aged the worst is Sunshine which originally came out on the GameCube back in 2002 making it a full 6 years younger than the game I just got finished talking about! On top of the controls being somewhat loose, Mario's movements feel too unwieldy in design for the level of precision required to make it past some obstacles. This leads to a portion of the challenges being an absolute nightmare to complete and to make matters worse this is the only game where you don't have the freedom to skip certain stages if you want to. Meaning that you have to suffer through its worst moments to see the end. The majority of the time it's still an excellent experience and I absolutely loved the visual style and bright, colorful island environments. Yet, the way it frequently shifts between being a masterpiece to reaching 3D Sonic levels of bad makes it easily the worst Mario I've played to date. Which at the end of the day is still actually pretty great.
8.3/10
Galaxy, being the newest and therefore the most refined, of course stands out as the best part of the package. It's unique gravity mechanics turn the platforming quite literally on its head allowing for one of a kind scenarios that remarkably haven't been replicated anywhere other than in the game's own sequel since. Plus it has so much content that in order to fully complete everything you have to play through it more than once, and nearly every aspect has been so meticulously crafted that it's genuinely worth doing so. The one quibble I have is with the motion controls. I can't attest to their quality on the Wii as I never tried that version, but I feel fairly confident in saying they didn't make the jump over to the Switch very well. Those playing in handheld mode or who own the "Lite" model must often make unsatisfactory use of the touchscreen and at its lowest points resort to things like tilting or rotating the actual console itself. Far from game breaking, but are nonetheless elements of an otherwise incredible game that I would have rather not experienced.
9.2/10
Due to it's time-limited release (which as of this writing has already passed) 3D All-Stars will one day make a nice collector's item, and if you've never played the games before this is probably the best way to do so as it's likely going to be cheaper the hunting them all three down individually. My overall score for the compilation itself is based on an average of the scores you can see listed above that I gave to each of the included titles themselves.
8.8/10
I was surprised how well Super Mario 64 still holds up after all these years. The restrictive camera is a constant source of frustration, but with a few exceptions (those dang slides...) the level design and puzzles are still some of the best in the genre. It's easy to see why this is considered one of the best platformers ever made. Plus it might be more playable than ever here on the Switch because you don't have to put up with the Nintendo 64's awkward M-shaped controller.
9/10
Shockingly the title that's aged the worst is Sunshine which originally came out on the GameCube back in 2002 making it a full 6 years younger than the game I just got finished talking about! On top of the controls being somewhat loose, Mario's movements feel too unwieldy in design for the level of precision required to make it past some obstacles. This leads to a portion of the challenges being an absolute nightmare to complete and to make matters worse this is the only game where you don't have the freedom to skip certain stages if you want to. Meaning that you have to suffer through its worst moments to see the end. The majority of the time it's still an excellent experience and I absolutely loved the visual style and bright, colorful island environments. Yet, the way it frequently shifts between being a masterpiece to reaching 3D Sonic levels of bad makes it easily the worst Mario I've played to date. Which at the end of the day is still actually pretty great.
8.3/10
Galaxy, being the newest and therefore the most refined, of course stands out as the best part of the package. It's unique gravity mechanics turn the platforming quite literally on its head allowing for one of a kind scenarios that remarkably haven't been replicated anywhere other than in the game's own sequel since. Plus it has so much content that in order to fully complete everything you have to play through it more than once, and nearly every aspect has been so meticulously crafted that it's genuinely worth doing so. The one quibble I have is with the motion controls. I can't attest to their quality on the Wii as I never tried that version, but I feel fairly confident in saying they didn't make the jump over to the Switch very well. Those playing in handheld mode or who own the "Lite" model must often make unsatisfactory use of the touchscreen and at its lowest points resort to things like tilting or rotating the actual console itself. Far from game breaking, but are nonetheless elements of an otherwise incredible game that I would have rather not experienced.
9.2/10
Due to it's time-limited release (which as of this writing has already passed) 3D All-Stars will one day make a nice collector's item, and if you've never played the games before this is probably the best way to do so as it's likely going to be cheaper the hunting them all three down individually. My overall score for the compilation itself is based on an average of the scores you can see listed above that I gave to each of the included titles themselves.
8.8/10
Vampyr
2018
I'm a sucker for a flawed RPG and Vampyr has all the makings of a pre-GreedFall Spiders game, many of which have stolen my heart. Like most double-A productions you'll notice things like dated graphics and some technical issues that stem from having been made on a middling budget. However, developer DONTNOD Entertainment shows once again that they are one of the most creative names working in the industry today, and the unique ideas and compelling world they've crafted here make this title worth playing in spite of its faults.
Set in a plague-ridden London during the 1900s, this is a vampiric power fantasy mixed with a detective simulator (quests are even called "investigations") that lets you play doctor on the side. As you search for a cure for the epidemic that's sweeping the continent you'll be faced with a lot of morally gray decisions that will have serious impacts on the world around you. For example, a choice I made relatively early on in the story that seemed solid inadvertently led to an entire district descending into chaos, with a portion of its inhabitants either going missing, joining a gang, or turning into hideous monsters.
By far the most intriguing decisions you'll grapple with though are directly tied to the game's main hook. Every non-hostile NPC you come across can be fed on for a massive boost in experience points at the cost of their lives. While uncovering their secrets, healing them when they're sick, and completing side-quests for them offers a meager amount of EXP on its own, it also serves the purpose of enriching their blood and making it more profitable for you turn them into your next meal later on down the line. This mechanic creates an interesting dynamic where you can either help people out of the goodness of your own heart or raise them like cattle for the slaughter in order to get more powerful.
This is a significant feature because it essentially allows you to pick your own difficulty level. Choosing not to feed on people will ensure the world remains stable, but will make the overall game harder as enemies will always be at higher levels than you. Meanwhile, taking the alternative path and killing the locals for their blood will cause the city's status to deteriorate, but will allow you to unlock the most powerful abilities and can make combat a breeze. You can also strike a balance between the two options and only devour a portion of the population you deem unworthy of life.
In an impressive move DONTNOD put a lot of work into ensuring each character you encounter has a fully fleshed out backstory and set of motives. I met everyone from heartless serial killers to selfless hospital workers and plenty of types in-between. You can decide if the city would be better off without someone or not if you want to and that's a really cool feature. My one issue with it is that I never found talking to any of them to be all that interesting as your relationships with them never really go anywhere unless they are significant to the main story. So the only reason I ever bothered interacting with and learning about anyone was to get stronger, and even then I found myself skipping through most of the dialogue.
As far as issues go, this is far from the prettiest title on the market, but even the plastic looking character models can't rob this moody, gothic version of London of its personality and atmosphere. Load screens are long and you can even run into some random ones while exploring. I also experienced a few crashes. The biggest problems though are the lack of a fast travel system which leads to a lot of backtracking to and fro across the city and some trouble with the balancing at the very beginning and tail end of the game that are the result of enemies being too highly scaled above you. Part of this is intentional though to goad you into draining the NPCs of life as a means of somewhat simulating for you the protagonist's struggle with his constant thirst for blood. Which is creative, but frustrating nonetheless. There is a "story mode" where you won't have to worry about difficulty at all and can solely focus on the narrative, but playing that way locks you out of being able to get a certain trophy.
While known more today for their episodic, Telltale style adventure games, Vampyr like Remember Me before it makes a strong case for why DONTNOD should break out of their comfort zone more often. While they still weren't able to find the same level of critical acclaim here as they were with their Life is Strange series, they still created an exciting RPG based on original concepts that's worth looking at. Especially since its faults this time are more technical in nature rather than inherent to the actual design itself.
8/10
Set in a plague-ridden London during the 1900s, this is a vampiric power fantasy mixed with a detective simulator (quests are even called "investigations") that lets you play doctor on the side. As you search for a cure for the epidemic that's sweeping the continent you'll be faced with a lot of morally gray decisions that will have serious impacts on the world around you. For example, a choice I made relatively early on in the story that seemed solid inadvertently led to an entire district descending into chaos, with a portion of its inhabitants either going missing, joining a gang, or turning into hideous monsters.
By far the most intriguing decisions you'll grapple with though are directly tied to the game's main hook. Every non-hostile NPC you come across can be fed on for a massive boost in experience points at the cost of their lives. While uncovering their secrets, healing them when they're sick, and completing side-quests for them offers a meager amount of EXP on its own, it also serves the purpose of enriching their blood and making it more profitable for you turn them into your next meal later on down the line. This mechanic creates an interesting dynamic where you can either help people out of the goodness of your own heart or raise them like cattle for the slaughter in order to get more powerful.
This is a significant feature because it essentially allows you to pick your own difficulty level. Choosing not to feed on people will ensure the world remains stable, but will make the overall game harder as enemies will always be at higher levels than you. Meanwhile, taking the alternative path and killing the locals for their blood will cause the city's status to deteriorate, but will allow you to unlock the most powerful abilities and can make combat a breeze. You can also strike a balance between the two options and only devour a portion of the population you deem unworthy of life.
In an impressive move DONTNOD put a lot of work into ensuring each character you encounter has a fully fleshed out backstory and set of motives. I met everyone from heartless serial killers to selfless hospital workers and plenty of types in-between. You can decide if the city would be better off without someone or not if you want to and that's a really cool feature. My one issue with it is that I never found talking to any of them to be all that interesting as your relationships with them never really go anywhere unless they are significant to the main story. So the only reason I ever bothered interacting with and learning about anyone was to get stronger, and even then I found myself skipping through most of the dialogue.
As far as issues go, this is far from the prettiest title on the market, but even the plastic looking character models can't rob this moody, gothic version of London of its personality and atmosphere. Load screens are long and you can even run into some random ones while exploring. I also experienced a few crashes. The biggest problems though are the lack of a fast travel system which leads to a lot of backtracking to and fro across the city and some trouble with the balancing at the very beginning and tail end of the game that are the result of enemies being too highly scaled above you. Part of this is intentional though to goad you into draining the NPCs of life as a means of somewhat simulating for you the protagonist's struggle with his constant thirst for blood. Which is creative, but frustrating nonetheless. There is a "story mode" where you won't have to worry about difficulty at all and can solely focus on the narrative, but playing that way locks you out of being able to get a certain trophy.
While known more today for their episodic, Telltale style adventure games, Vampyr like Remember Me before it makes a strong case for why DONTNOD should break out of their comfort zone more often. While they still weren't able to find the same level of critical acclaim here as they were with their Life is Strange series, they still created an exciting RPG based on original concepts that's worth looking at. Especially since its faults this time are more technical in nature rather than inherent to the actual design itself.
8/10
Rayman Legends
2013
Rayman Legends is a gorgeous, content-rich 2D platformer. There's so much to do it's actually a little overwhelming at first as you are repeatedly informed of newly unlocked content. Once you begin to decipher what all of those notifications mean you'll find a smooth experience with a lot of variety and only the most minor of flaws.
The game's charming water color graphics are remarkably detailed and very pleasing to the eye. This is fantastic looking. Longtime fans and newcomers alike can take pleasure in knowing the series' ear for memorable tunes is still in place. On top of being pretty, Legends is an aural delight as well.
The platforming and controls are spot on. There is a lot to see and do in the game. With so many unlockables and side-challenges to overcome it will take even the most skilled of players some time to fully complete everything Legends has to offer. I was regularly caught off guard by the game's ability to constantly change up the action. It seems like each stage has it's own unique twist to help shake things up. The amount of imaginative scenarios is impressive, ensuring that there's never a dull moment and new challenge to overcome around every corner. While usually a masterfully designed platformer, there are some flaws to take note of. Some stages have less than stellar checkpoint placement. Something that will cause you to have to replay lengthier sections of a stage than is desirable. I also had the achievement for completing the game's last painting/world fail to unlock. Small these issues may be, but they are noticeable nonetheless.
Overall, Legends has just about everything you could want from a platformer. Tons of content, top-notch level design, and first rate production all help it stand amongst the best of what the genre has to offer. The action is even more fun when you bring up to three friends with you for some incredibly chaotic cooperative gaming. Just know you'll have to be able to get together in person. For whatever reason Ubisoft left out any online options. Regardless of whether you play couch co-op or solo though, this might just be Rayman's standout adventure.
9/10
The game's charming water color graphics are remarkably detailed and very pleasing to the eye. This is fantastic looking. Longtime fans and newcomers alike can take pleasure in knowing the series' ear for memorable tunes is still in place. On top of being pretty, Legends is an aural delight as well.
The platforming and controls are spot on. There is a lot to see and do in the game. With so many unlockables and side-challenges to overcome it will take even the most skilled of players some time to fully complete everything Legends has to offer. I was regularly caught off guard by the game's ability to constantly change up the action. It seems like each stage has it's own unique twist to help shake things up. The amount of imaginative scenarios is impressive, ensuring that there's never a dull moment and new challenge to overcome around every corner. While usually a masterfully designed platformer, there are some flaws to take note of. Some stages have less than stellar checkpoint placement. Something that will cause you to have to replay lengthier sections of a stage than is desirable. I also had the achievement for completing the game's last painting/world fail to unlock. Small these issues may be, but they are noticeable nonetheless.
Overall, Legends has just about everything you could want from a platformer. Tons of content, top-notch level design, and first rate production all help it stand amongst the best of what the genre has to offer. The action is even more fun when you bring up to three friends with you for some incredibly chaotic cooperative gaming. Just know you'll have to be able to get together in person. For whatever reason Ubisoft left out any online options. Regardless of whether you play couch co-op or solo though, this might just be Rayman's standout adventure.
9/10
The people at Black Forest Games are no strangers to reviving long dormant platforming franchises with less than stellar reputations. Just look at what they did with the Giana Sisters. So who better to resurrect Bubsy? While they succeeded in giving him his best game, the series is just as bad as ever.
The first thing that becomes noticeable is how few one-liners the bobcat has. I heard everything he had to say by the time I reached the second level. As a result I quickly made use of the option in the menus to decrease the amount of talking he did. Given that the characters personality is supposed to be such a big part of the experience, shouldn't they have tried harder at giving him more dialog?
It is not hard to see why they thought it might have been a possibility to get away with the verbal repetition. There is remarkably little content in the game. There are fourteen levels in total including the tutorial and boss stages. While there are collectible yarn balls and T-shirts throughout, there isn't enough here to justify the price tag. Perhaps this would have been better off as a $10 downloadable game. Even then it wouldn't have been good.
Serviceable platforming and tight controls make this much more playable than any of the previous Bubsy titles, but the shoddy hit detection and frustrating boss fights bring things down. Your pounce move is completely useless for anything other than breaking through certain walls. Even the simple act of jumping on the enemies' heads is unreliable. This partly due to the hit detection issues, and partly due to the weird physical design of the enemies themselves. This can be especially annoying when jumping on foes is necessary as a part of a platforming challenge to reach a collectible.
When all is said and done, I think it's safe to say that Bubsy can be retired again. The time wasn't taken to make this a truly memorable comeback. If anything the lack of wit and variety in the one-liners and the poor gameplay are a reminder of why some series should just stay dead. Maybe someone will come along again in the next 20 years or so and finally do Bubsy right. Until then, I don't think he should be showing his face around these parts anymore.
4/10
The first thing that becomes noticeable is how few one-liners the bobcat has. I heard everything he had to say by the time I reached the second level. As a result I quickly made use of the option in the menus to decrease the amount of talking he did. Given that the characters personality is supposed to be such a big part of the experience, shouldn't they have tried harder at giving him more dialog?
It is not hard to see why they thought it might have been a possibility to get away with the verbal repetition. There is remarkably little content in the game. There are fourteen levels in total including the tutorial and boss stages. While there are collectible yarn balls and T-shirts throughout, there isn't enough here to justify the price tag. Perhaps this would have been better off as a $10 downloadable game. Even then it wouldn't have been good.
Serviceable platforming and tight controls make this much more playable than any of the previous Bubsy titles, but the shoddy hit detection and frustrating boss fights bring things down. Your pounce move is completely useless for anything other than breaking through certain walls. Even the simple act of jumping on the enemies' heads is unreliable. This partly due to the hit detection issues, and partly due to the weird physical design of the enemies themselves. This can be especially annoying when jumping on foes is necessary as a part of a platforming challenge to reach a collectible.
When all is said and done, I think it's safe to say that Bubsy can be retired again. The time wasn't taken to make this a truly memorable comeback. If anything the lack of wit and variety in the one-liners and the poor gameplay are a reminder of why some series should just stay dead. Maybe someone will come along again in the next 20 years or so and finally do Bubsy right. Until then, I don't think he should be showing his face around these parts anymore.
4/10
A pre-Walking Dead era Telltale game make its return with some updated graphics and a new behind the scenes video. The additions are minor, so those hoping this "30th Anniversary Edition" would offer something substantially different will find themselves disappointed. While its age shows in some areas, this game still proves to be worth checking out for those Back to the Future fans who have still yet to experience it. It's easily the Back to the Future: Part IV we always wanted.
It's a much more traditional adventure game than what Telltale has been delivering as of late. The puzzles, while far from rocket science, are more open-ended and require much more head-scratching for one. The solution isn't always so linear or right in front of you. You'll have to interact with just about every part of an environment before even beginning to get an idea of what you need to do. Making it through a section often requires completing several different puzzles that all tie in together. There also isn't as much of an emphasis on player choice. It's very rare to have your own personal effect on the story or scenes. This can make all of those dialog choices seem kind of pointless. Especially during the sections where the only way to progress is through conversation. Why are there so many useless options?
The occasional technical issue may pop up from time to time, but never anything that's going to effect gameplay. It's the controls that cause the real problems. Even then it's incredibly rare. You may have trouble selecting what you want to in the more crowded scenes and moving to a new area where the camera angle changes causes the analog sticks to change the direction your character will walk in. These are all worth putting up with though for those eureka moments and the great story.
They got quite a few of the original actors to reprise their roles here. The ones that didn't return have extremely competent sound-alikes. The person they got to voice Marty blew me away with how much he sounded like Michael J. Fox. While there are plenty of references and throwbacks to the films, the game has much more to offer than simple fan-service. It's a really great continuation from where the third movie left off.
Telltale's revival of one of their pre-mainstream appeal titles shows that they pretty much always knew how to add onto an existing, beloved franchise by capturing what made them so great in the first place. The gameplay side of things is much deeper than their more recent offerings, so it's likely to have more appeal to hardcore adventure game fans. Some pacing issues aside, it's a well-told tale that fits into the Back to the Future series perfectly. So if you're a fan of the movies, give this a go. If you just like Telltale games and have to try this one out, watch the movies then play it. The film trilogy is good enough to make it worth playing catch-up.
8/10
It's a much more traditional adventure game than what Telltale has been delivering as of late. The puzzles, while far from rocket science, are more open-ended and require much more head-scratching for one. The solution isn't always so linear or right in front of you. You'll have to interact with just about every part of an environment before even beginning to get an idea of what you need to do. Making it through a section often requires completing several different puzzles that all tie in together. There also isn't as much of an emphasis on player choice. It's very rare to have your own personal effect on the story or scenes. This can make all of those dialog choices seem kind of pointless. Especially during the sections where the only way to progress is through conversation. Why are there so many useless options?
The occasional technical issue may pop up from time to time, but never anything that's going to effect gameplay. It's the controls that cause the real problems. Even then it's incredibly rare. You may have trouble selecting what you want to in the more crowded scenes and moving to a new area where the camera angle changes causes the analog sticks to change the direction your character will walk in. These are all worth putting up with though for those eureka moments and the great story.
They got quite a few of the original actors to reprise their roles here. The ones that didn't return have extremely competent sound-alikes. The person they got to voice Marty blew me away with how much he sounded like Michael J. Fox. While there are plenty of references and throwbacks to the films, the game has much more to offer than simple fan-service. It's a really great continuation from where the third movie left off.
Telltale's revival of one of their pre-mainstream appeal titles shows that they pretty much always knew how to add onto an existing, beloved franchise by capturing what made them so great in the first place. The gameplay side of things is much deeper than their more recent offerings, so it's likely to have more appeal to hardcore adventure game fans. Some pacing issues aside, it's a well-told tale that fits into the Back to the Future series perfectly. So if you're a fan of the movies, give this a go. If you just like Telltale games and have to try this one out, watch the movies then play it. The film trilogy is good enough to make it worth playing catch-up.
8/10
Telltale Games teamed up with Gearbox Software to deliver an original tale set in the Borderlands universe. They went all out and delivered one of their best games thus far. Second only to the critically acclaimed first season of their Walking Dead series. From the very first episode you can see the improvements made to the presentation brought on by the more cinematic camera angles and how the essence of the Borderlands series was perfectly captured, even with such a wild change in genres taking place.
We may be interacting with Pandora point-and-click style as opposed to the usual FPS/RPG structure the franchise is known for, but that doesn't mean the action is gone. These are the best quick-time events, set pieces, and action sequences of any Telltale title I've played thus far. They wouldn't seem out of place in a big-budget film and are backed by the absurdity one would expect from Borderlands.
What really makes this such a special and memorable experience though is primarily the writing. The story is great and the decisions you make here actually have real, complex consequences. Once again there is a set ending, but the path you take to get there could look quite a bit different than someone else's. There are several moments where I struggled with what choice to make. The majority of your time though is dedicated to managing your relationships with the other characters. The people who make up the cast were forced to work together when their schemes to get ahead in life failed right before their eyes. You can choose to keep up the mistrust or come together and become family. These are hands down the best characters Telltale has ever created and I would be hard-pressed to believe we'll see them come up with others this good in the future. The voice acting is nothing short of flawless.
This being Borderlands, expect plenty of familiar faces and plenty of laughter. This is one of the funniest games I have played to date. It's's sense of humor is varied and befitting of the Gearbox series. There's also no lack of sentimentality because of this. You grow to love this group of swindlers, and while it's a much happier game than Telltale's previous efforts with The Walking Dead and Fables brands, there are moments of heartbreak. You'll go through a whole range of emotions. It's an incredible ride.
Not everything is perfect. The game uses a two protagonist system where you'll jump back and forth between different perspectives throughout the course of the game. The issue arises from the fact that I only took to one of the playable characters. I loved Rhys right from the get go. Fiona on the other hand often left me irritated. I was fine with her when I was allowed to flesh her out and control her actions, as I could make her much more likable. When I wasn't in control she could be quite the jerk. There are also the occasional technical issues. While quite less frequent than other Telltale games, we still get a few glitches here and there, as well as those awkward loading times that lead to choppy scene transitions.
Outside of those flaws, which feel quite minor when actually playing it, this is one heck of an excellent experience. Telltale really took some efforts to challenge themselves here and they really paid off. Before I conclude this review I have to take a second to praise each episodes opening credits. They are incredibly clever and backed by licensed music. They serve as just one example of the little treasures in store for you that add up to the wonderful adventure available to you. You may not be hunting down rare guns and other loot, but the story, characters, and humor all provide more than enough of a reason to return to Pandora. So I highly recommend that you do.
9/10
We may be interacting with Pandora point-and-click style as opposed to the usual FPS/RPG structure the franchise is known for, but that doesn't mean the action is gone. These are the best quick-time events, set pieces, and action sequences of any Telltale title I've played thus far. They wouldn't seem out of place in a big-budget film and are backed by the absurdity one would expect from Borderlands.
What really makes this such a special and memorable experience though is primarily the writing. The story is great and the decisions you make here actually have real, complex consequences. Once again there is a set ending, but the path you take to get there could look quite a bit different than someone else's. There are several moments where I struggled with what choice to make. The majority of your time though is dedicated to managing your relationships with the other characters. The people who make up the cast were forced to work together when their schemes to get ahead in life failed right before their eyes. You can choose to keep up the mistrust or come together and become family. These are hands down the best characters Telltale has ever created and I would be hard-pressed to believe we'll see them come up with others this good in the future. The voice acting is nothing short of flawless.
This being Borderlands, expect plenty of familiar faces and plenty of laughter. This is one of the funniest games I have played to date. It's's sense of humor is varied and befitting of the Gearbox series. There's also no lack of sentimentality because of this. You grow to love this group of swindlers, and while it's a much happier game than Telltale's previous efforts with The Walking Dead and Fables brands, there are moments of heartbreak. You'll go through a whole range of emotions. It's an incredible ride.
Not everything is perfect. The game uses a two protagonist system where you'll jump back and forth between different perspectives throughout the course of the game. The issue arises from the fact that I only took to one of the playable characters. I loved Rhys right from the get go. Fiona on the other hand often left me irritated. I was fine with her when I was allowed to flesh her out and control her actions, as I could make her much more likable. When I wasn't in control she could be quite the jerk. There are also the occasional technical issues. While quite less frequent than other Telltale games, we still get a few glitches here and there, as well as those awkward loading times that lead to choppy scene transitions.
Outside of those flaws, which feel quite minor when actually playing it, this is one heck of an excellent experience. Telltale really took some efforts to challenge themselves here and they really paid off. Before I conclude this review I have to take a second to praise each episodes opening credits. They are incredibly clever and backed by licensed music. They serve as just one example of the little treasures in store for you that add up to the wonderful adventure available to you. You may not be hunting down rare guns and other loot, but the story, characters, and humor all provide more than enough of a reason to return to Pandora. So I highly recommend that you do.
9/10