Higloman
1999
Genre: Platformer Collect-a-Thon
Released: November 22nd, 1999
Platform: Nintendo 64 (original), Wii U
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
Language: English, but available in French, German, Spanish and Japanese with first party translations.
Length: 20-30 hours, but 35+ for the 101% completion (don’t do that, I beg you). I rolled credits a little after 21 hours. I will never go back.
Difficulty: Easy-Medium, but extraordinarily frustrating. You will finish it, it’s just a question of how much you are willing to take.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, this is a stand alone game. There are nods to the Super Nintendo and Arcade games, but no previous games are needed.
Accessibility Options: None. There are subtitles built into the game, but the player is extremely limited in what they can change. Fast responses are required, two handed play is required, full sight is required. Some collectibles and enemy attacks are primarily based on audio cues. If played via an emulator on a PC game speed can be controlled, but you may need a co-player to finish this game.
How Did You Play It: On original N64 hardware via a flashcart with a modified copy of the game that allowed me to change characters whenever I wanted to. The Mod is called DK64 - Tag Anywhere.
Is It Good: No. It’s terrible. Which is why it’s great. But bad. It’s really bad.
Just finished Donkey Kong 64 because I hate myself.
Why Donkey Kong 64 was actually the worst Nintendo Game of the 90’s
How and Why DK64 is so awful.
Bad Game Design – Donkey Kong 64
These are just the top headlines, message boards, or other modern internet musings when discussing Donkey Kong 64, the famous (or infamous) Rare developed yellow cartridge ‘collect-a-thon’ released in 1999. Stating that DK64 in not that great a game is not a particularly scalding opinion. It’s a bloated, poorly optimized, often boring, tedious, and obtusely designed game so bizarre in some of its design choices it boggled my mind. Given its notorious reputation on the internet, one could be forgiven for assuming the game was equally reviled upon its release.
“Donkey Kong 64 deserves the fanfare of being the most eagerly-awaited game since Zelda.”
“This is Rare's War and Peace, it's that simple.”
“I can ill refute the fact that the game is still remarkable. Had this title come from any other game developer in the world I'd be doing back flips raving about how great it is.”
“It's one of those Rare games that makes you remember why you liked video games so much in the first place.”
These quotes are not from some alternate mirror universe, but reviews when DK64 was originally released (although calling DK64 the ‘War and Peace’ of the gaming world is very funny to me). DK64 was critically acclaimed upon its release, praised for its graphics, art, gameplay and length.
I can certainly confirm this positive sentiment since I was a child when the game came out, and I thought DK64 was the coolest thing ever. I remember playing the demo display at McDonalds with a limp sticked, sticky N64 controller and feeling like the game was filled with endless sights and adventures. I remember going to a friend’s house who showed me a later level in the and my being astonished by just how. Much. Stuff. There was to do, to see, to collect, to play.
The game was also gorgeous, with lush jungles and creepy castles, advanced lighting effects (I remember lights moving around Donkey Kong being particularly impressive), all in a seamless world that without any obvious loading screens. But beyond its technical prowess DK64 has an strong artistic identity that is so cohesive and well executed you can still feel it’s influences today.
You can find DK64 sound effects in tiktok videos, people are STILL parodying the DK Rap, the music is loving layered in the background of youtube game discussion videos, and for such a ‘hated’ game Donkey Kong 64 has such a pernicious relevance decades later it is obviously clearly so much more than just an awful Nintendo 64 game from the 90’s.
Donkey Kong 64 is more then a game to be judged on its mechanical gameplay. Because the gameplay is bad. Just… So bad.
But DK64 is not about the gameplay, in fact: the gameplay does not matter at all.
The gameplay was not the focus of this games development, it was not the focus of the critics praise of the game, and is not why people are still playing it today.
Let’s get the gameplay discussion out of the way. In Donkey Kong 64, your goal is simple: collect enough bananas so you can feed Scoff the blue hippopotamus so he gets fat and jumps on a lever to bounce up Troff the pink pig high enough to turn a key to unlock a door so you can fight a boss to get a bigger golden key which then you can use to unlock the cage trapping K. Lumsy the giant green lizard who is locked behind 8 locks so you need to collect enough bigger golden bananas so you can show them to B. Locker to get more bananas to feed Scoff the blue hippopotamus.
…Also please remember to pick up enough weapon blueprints so you have enough time in the final level, banana coins (so you can unlock guns, abilities, musical instruments, and inventory space), a Nintendo coin, a Rare coin, and at least 4 battle crowns. Or you won’t be able to do the last level.
It’s a convoluted mess, and this design philosophy permeates nearly every aspect of the game. Levels are massive, sprawling confusing mazes. There is a car racing minigame, a mine cart minigame, a hide and seek mini game, a beaver herding mini game (which I HATED), a fly swatting mini game, and dozens more. There are two fully emulated OTHER GAMES in Donkey Kong 64 which are mandatory to play. There is an optional photography mechanic. And 3,821 collectibles to acquire.
It's staggering in its scope and suffers deeply for it. Because nearly every mechanic feels like a first draft, and incomplete idea thrown in just to make the game longer and bigger. The minigames are repeated, the bosses are repeated, the platforming is floaty and unresponsive, the levels are filled with almost identical hallways, and there are huge areas of open space with nothing to do. Most damningly a great deal of the actual collecting (arguably the point of the game) is boring and as insulting simple as walk to one place, hit a switch, walk to another, get banana.
And the crown jewel is the fact that essentially every collectable item in the game is tied to a unique Kong. There are five playable characters in the game, and each can only collect their own specific item colour.
See a red banana but are playing as Donkey Kong? You need to walk back to a barrel, swap to Diddy Kong, and walk back. This character switching becomes so extreme I though the designers were playing a joke on me. I would often have to change Kong’s more than three times just to walk down a hallway, a process that required walking all the way back to a barrel each time.
Donkey Kong 64 does so many things, but none of them well. Platforming? Acceptable at best, but a nauseating, stuttering, inaccurate mess at worst. Shooting? Barely fleshed out and clunky. Mini games? Simple, repetitive, and often infuriating (RE: herding beaver). Level Design? Occasionally brilliant, but mostly empty, boring and meandering.
Collecting, the main point the game? Dull, confusing and repetitive.
Even the developers wished they had done differently. In a Games Rader interview from 2019 the games creative director George Andrea states “There's a lot I would do differently. We would scale things down, make things look sharper, and focus on fewer things. I would have unified the banana system. That would have made it much easier for players to play through. I'd also promote more swapping between characters at regular intervals, but just having a consistent banana count, rather than multiple colours, would have improved things.”
So if even the directors lament DK64’s obtuse and unfocused design, and the gameplay lacks any real strong mechanics, why are people still playing this game? Why are there still discussion boards, YouTube videos, memes, and articles still written. Simply bad games are forgotten, and despite some grievous faults DK64 is not unplayable.
I think it’s because DK64 thrives on everything other than being, well, an interactive game. And it is exclusively because of those very flaws that DK64 remains part of the cultural zeitgeist today.
DK64 oozes charm and personality, and carries itself with such a confident artistic vision it easily differentiates itself from the games of its time and those of today. The moment the clear deep “OK!” Donkey Kong exclaims on first powering the game on, the game begins tunneling a space for itself in your brain.
Monkey chirps, cries, and hoots fill the soundscape both as digenetic environmental sounds and becoming musical instruments themselves, which blend seamlessly with the soundtrack. Then the game starts to rap at you, with lyrics such as “his coconut gun can fire in spurts, if he shoots ya it’s gonna hurt!”. It’s so joyful, fully embracing its bizarre and ridiculous nature without a hint of sarcasm.
DK64 powerfully establishes in its first 15 seconds its here to have a great time. Each tune the game throws at you bounces between is an intoxicating mix of jazz, animal sounds, tribal drums, and silly ear worms you can’t help but smile whenever you hear it. The soundtrack deserves all the praise it has received over the years, both on its competent musical composition but also how it affirms the identity of Donkey Kong 64.
Every piece of art, animation, and music feed each other into forming the wacky, colourful and strange ambiance that is uniquely its own. While having five different Kongs mechanically hurts the game, the Kongs themselves are incredibly well designed and presented. The majority of the cast made both their first and last appearance in DK64, yet are still fondly remembered and easily identifiable decades later.
The Kongs strong and clear personalities, no frame of animation or sound effect is wasted as an opportunity to demonstrate character. Just looking at Tiny Kong’s care free walk cycle is enough for one to understand who she is as a character. Or how Chunky Kong bashfully tries to point you to anyone else but him if you try to select him in the menu. Or just hearing Lanky’s hoots and hollers let you know the he has no style, and no grace.
Every pixel and sound bite are squeezed into creating a masterclass in presentation. It is an excellent example of how videos are so much more than their mechanical parts. Donkey Kong 64 is an incredible experience and holds a shared mind space so unique because there is nothing like it. It is charming, funny, strange, and utterly memorable.
Much is said about the graphics, sound, and score (which are exceptional) but I was most impressed with the animation. Not from a gameplay perspective (which again… sucks), but how flowing and expressive every piece is. Characters squash and stretch, scurry, skitter and scramble with such strong performances its impressive even compared to modern games.
The second part is the shared cultural story and experience playing Donkey Kong 64 occupies. Complaining about Donkey Kong 64 is fun. It’s fun to tell our friends how infuriating finding that last banana was, or how we almost gave up when the game asked us to complete the arcade game for a SECOND TIME!
My friends tell me about they time they tried to collect every banana in every level, despite there being no reason or in game reward to do such a terrible thing. Or how people proudly post they got the infamous 101% completion rating. Was it fun? No, they say, but I did it.
People climb Everest because it’s there.
A few house cleaning notes before closing. I played a modified Donkey Kong 64 on a Nintendo 64 via a flash cart. This mod is called ‘Donkey Kong 64 – Tag Anywhere’ and allows you to change to any Kong at any point in the game without needing to backtrack to a barrel. I HIGHLY recommend this modification, and I do not feel it distracts from the ‘vanilla’ experience in any meaningful way. Some will argue that the games backtracking and obtuseness is part of the games charm, to which I would reply ‘don’t worry, the game is still incredibly annoying with the mod’. I would even go further and suggest for first time players to play with the mod on an emulator so you can use save states, but that may be too far for some.
I do not recommend Donkey Kong 64. I did not like playing this game, and had to force myself to continue.
But I loved complaining about it with my friends who had finished it. I loved sharing screenshots and asking for hints. I loved the atmosphere, the characters, and the music.
And I am so very glad I finally finished this game, so many years later.
Please, save yourself some pain and don’t play Donkey Kong 64.
But when you do play it, make sure to write about how terrible it is on the internet.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Released: November 22nd, 1999
Platform: Nintendo 64 (original), Wii U
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Nintendo
Language: English, but available in French, German, Spanish and Japanese with first party translations.
Length: 20-30 hours, but 35+ for the 101% completion (don’t do that, I beg you). I rolled credits a little after 21 hours. I will never go back.
Difficulty: Easy-Medium, but extraordinarily frustrating. You will finish it, it’s just a question of how much you are willing to take.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, this is a stand alone game. There are nods to the Super Nintendo and Arcade games, but no previous games are needed.
Accessibility Options: None. There are subtitles built into the game, but the player is extremely limited in what they can change. Fast responses are required, two handed play is required, full sight is required. Some collectibles and enemy attacks are primarily based on audio cues. If played via an emulator on a PC game speed can be controlled, but you may need a co-player to finish this game.
How Did You Play It: On original N64 hardware via a flashcart with a modified copy of the game that allowed me to change characters whenever I wanted to. The Mod is called DK64 - Tag Anywhere.
Is It Good: No. It’s terrible. Which is why it’s great. But bad. It’s really bad.
Just finished Donkey Kong 64 because I hate myself.
Why Donkey Kong 64 was actually the worst Nintendo Game of the 90’s
How and Why DK64 is so awful.
Bad Game Design – Donkey Kong 64
These are just the top headlines, message boards, or other modern internet musings when discussing Donkey Kong 64, the famous (or infamous) Rare developed yellow cartridge ‘collect-a-thon’ released in 1999. Stating that DK64 in not that great a game is not a particularly scalding opinion. It’s a bloated, poorly optimized, often boring, tedious, and obtusely designed game so bizarre in some of its design choices it boggled my mind. Given its notorious reputation on the internet, one could be forgiven for assuming the game was equally reviled upon its release.
“Donkey Kong 64 deserves the fanfare of being the most eagerly-awaited game since Zelda.”
“This is Rare's War and Peace, it's that simple.”
“I can ill refute the fact that the game is still remarkable. Had this title come from any other game developer in the world I'd be doing back flips raving about how great it is.”
“It's one of those Rare games that makes you remember why you liked video games so much in the first place.”
These quotes are not from some alternate mirror universe, but reviews when DK64 was originally released (although calling DK64 the ‘War and Peace’ of the gaming world is very funny to me). DK64 was critically acclaimed upon its release, praised for its graphics, art, gameplay and length.
I can certainly confirm this positive sentiment since I was a child when the game came out, and I thought DK64 was the coolest thing ever. I remember playing the demo display at McDonalds with a limp sticked, sticky N64 controller and feeling like the game was filled with endless sights and adventures. I remember going to a friend’s house who showed me a later level in the and my being astonished by just how. Much. Stuff. There was to do, to see, to collect, to play.
The game was also gorgeous, with lush jungles and creepy castles, advanced lighting effects (I remember lights moving around Donkey Kong being particularly impressive), all in a seamless world that without any obvious loading screens. But beyond its technical prowess DK64 has an strong artistic identity that is so cohesive and well executed you can still feel it’s influences today.
You can find DK64 sound effects in tiktok videos, people are STILL parodying the DK Rap, the music is loving layered in the background of youtube game discussion videos, and for such a ‘hated’ game Donkey Kong 64 has such a pernicious relevance decades later it is obviously clearly so much more than just an awful Nintendo 64 game from the 90’s.
Donkey Kong 64 is more then a game to be judged on its mechanical gameplay. Because the gameplay is bad. Just… So bad.
But DK64 is not about the gameplay, in fact: the gameplay does not matter at all.
The gameplay was not the focus of this games development, it was not the focus of the critics praise of the game, and is not why people are still playing it today.
Let’s get the gameplay discussion out of the way. In Donkey Kong 64, your goal is simple: collect enough bananas so you can feed Scoff the blue hippopotamus so he gets fat and jumps on a lever to bounce up Troff the pink pig high enough to turn a key to unlock a door so you can fight a boss to get a bigger golden key which then you can use to unlock the cage trapping K. Lumsy the giant green lizard who is locked behind 8 locks so you need to collect enough bigger golden bananas so you can show them to B. Locker to get more bananas to feed Scoff the blue hippopotamus.
…Also please remember to pick up enough weapon blueprints so you have enough time in the final level, banana coins (so you can unlock guns, abilities, musical instruments, and inventory space), a Nintendo coin, a Rare coin, and at least 4 battle crowns. Or you won’t be able to do the last level.
It’s a convoluted mess, and this design philosophy permeates nearly every aspect of the game. Levels are massive, sprawling confusing mazes. There is a car racing minigame, a mine cart minigame, a hide and seek mini game, a beaver herding mini game (which I HATED), a fly swatting mini game, and dozens more. There are two fully emulated OTHER GAMES in Donkey Kong 64 which are mandatory to play. There is an optional photography mechanic. And 3,821 collectibles to acquire.
It's staggering in its scope and suffers deeply for it. Because nearly every mechanic feels like a first draft, and incomplete idea thrown in just to make the game longer and bigger. The minigames are repeated, the bosses are repeated, the platforming is floaty and unresponsive, the levels are filled with almost identical hallways, and there are huge areas of open space with nothing to do. Most damningly a great deal of the actual collecting (arguably the point of the game) is boring and as insulting simple as walk to one place, hit a switch, walk to another, get banana.
And the crown jewel is the fact that essentially every collectable item in the game is tied to a unique Kong. There are five playable characters in the game, and each can only collect their own specific item colour.
See a red banana but are playing as Donkey Kong? You need to walk back to a barrel, swap to Diddy Kong, and walk back. This character switching becomes so extreme I though the designers were playing a joke on me. I would often have to change Kong’s more than three times just to walk down a hallway, a process that required walking all the way back to a barrel each time.
Donkey Kong 64 does so many things, but none of them well. Platforming? Acceptable at best, but a nauseating, stuttering, inaccurate mess at worst. Shooting? Barely fleshed out and clunky. Mini games? Simple, repetitive, and often infuriating (RE: herding beaver). Level Design? Occasionally brilliant, but mostly empty, boring and meandering.
Collecting, the main point the game? Dull, confusing and repetitive.
Even the developers wished they had done differently. In a Games Rader interview from 2019 the games creative director George Andrea states “There's a lot I would do differently. We would scale things down, make things look sharper, and focus on fewer things. I would have unified the banana system. That would have made it much easier for players to play through. I'd also promote more swapping between characters at regular intervals, but just having a consistent banana count, rather than multiple colours, would have improved things.”
So if even the directors lament DK64’s obtuse and unfocused design, and the gameplay lacks any real strong mechanics, why are people still playing this game? Why are there still discussion boards, YouTube videos, memes, and articles still written. Simply bad games are forgotten, and despite some grievous faults DK64 is not unplayable.
I think it’s because DK64 thrives on everything other than being, well, an interactive game. And it is exclusively because of those very flaws that DK64 remains part of the cultural zeitgeist today.
DK64 oozes charm and personality, and carries itself with such a confident artistic vision it easily differentiates itself from the games of its time and those of today. The moment the clear deep “OK!” Donkey Kong exclaims on first powering the game on, the game begins tunneling a space for itself in your brain.
Monkey chirps, cries, and hoots fill the soundscape both as digenetic environmental sounds and becoming musical instruments themselves, which blend seamlessly with the soundtrack. Then the game starts to rap at you, with lyrics such as “his coconut gun can fire in spurts, if he shoots ya it’s gonna hurt!”. It’s so joyful, fully embracing its bizarre and ridiculous nature without a hint of sarcasm.
DK64 powerfully establishes in its first 15 seconds its here to have a great time. Each tune the game throws at you bounces between is an intoxicating mix of jazz, animal sounds, tribal drums, and silly ear worms you can’t help but smile whenever you hear it. The soundtrack deserves all the praise it has received over the years, both on its competent musical composition but also how it affirms the identity of Donkey Kong 64.
Every piece of art, animation, and music feed each other into forming the wacky, colourful and strange ambiance that is uniquely its own. While having five different Kongs mechanically hurts the game, the Kongs themselves are incredibly well designed and presented. The majority of the cast made both their first and last appearance in DK64, yet are still fondly remembered and easily identifiable decades later.
The Kongs strong and clear personalities, no frame of animation or sound effect is wasted as an opportunity to demonstrate character. Just looking at Tiny Kong’s care free walk cycle is enough for one to understand who she is as a character. Or how Chunky Kong bashfully tries to point you to anyone else but him if you try to select him in the menu. Or just hearing Lanky’s hoots and hollers let you know the he has no style, and no grace.
Every pixel and sound bite are squeezed into creating a masterclass in presentation. It is an excellent example of how videos are so much more than their mechanical parts. Donkey Kong 64 is an incredible experience and holds a shared mind space so unique because there is nothing like it. It is charming, funny, strange, and utterly memorable.
Much is said about the graphics, sound, and score (which are exceptional) but I was most impressed with the animation. Not from a gameplay perspective (which again… sucks), but how flowing and expressive every piece is. Characters squash and stretch, scurry, skitter and scramble with such strong performances its impressive even compared to modern games.
The second part is the shared cultural story and experience playing Donkey Kong 64 occupies. Complaining about Donkey Kong 64 is fun. It’s fun to tell our friends how infuriating finding that last banana was, or how we almost gave up when the game asked us to complete the arcade game for a SECOND TIME!
My friends tell me about they time they tried to collect every banana in every level, despite there being no reason or in game reward to do such a terrible thing. Or how people proudly post they got the infamous 101% completion rating. Was it fun? No, they say, but I did it.
People climb Everest because it’s there.
A few house cleaning notes before closing. I played a modified Donkey Kong 64 on a Nintendo 64 via a flash cart. This mod is called ‘Donkey Kong 64 – Tag Anywhere’ and allows you to change to any Kong at any point in the game without needing to backtrack to a barrel. I HIGHLY recommend this modification, and I do not feel it distracts from the ‘vanilla’ experience in any meaningful way. Some will argue that the games backtracking and obtuseness is part of the games charm, to which I would reply ‘don’t worry, the game is still incredibly annoying with the mod’. I would even go further and suggest for first time players to play with the mod on an emulator so you can use save states, but that may be too far for some.
I do not recommend Donkey Kong 64. I did not like playing this game, and had to force myself to continue.
But I loved complaining about it with my friends who had finished it. I loved sharing screenshots and asking for hints. I loved the atmosphere, the characters, and the music.
And I am so very glad I finally finished this game, so many years later.
Please, save yourself some pain and don’t play Donkey Kong 64.
But when you do play it, make sure to write about how terrible it is on the internet.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
2022
Genre: Combat Heavy Cinematic Action Adventure
Released: November 9th, 2022
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Publisher: Sony
Language: English, but there are extensive supported languages. See HERE for complete list.
Length: 25+ hours. I rolled credits at the 70 hour mark, and am desperate to go back and play more optional content.
Difficulty: Players choice, this game can be as easy or as difficult as you want. I played on Give Me God of War and found the game to be extremely punishing but fair.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Absolutely, God of War (2018) is required. However the other God of War games are not needed. I have never played them, and I had a great time.
Accessibility Options: Industry leading, see HERE for a breakdown. Can I Play That calls it a “A masterclass in accessibility”.
How Did You Play It: On a PS5 set to performance mode.
Is It Good: It’s a masterpiece
Ragnarök is one of the best games I have ever played. It is a towering achievement for the team at Santa Monica Studio’s, and represents literally hundreds of best-in-class artists, designers, engineers, programmers, directors, actors, writers, musicians, and a plethora of other fields all working at the bleeding edge of their mediums to produce a masterclass in entertainment.
It’s also kinda bland.
And that’s okay! Ragnarök is 2018’s God of War, but more. More enemies, locations, characters, side quests, gear. And it really works. God of War 2018 was a revolution, a bold and risky way to change nearly everything that the series has been since 2005. I loved it, but I had some complaints: mainly I thought the side quests were bland, the enemies repetitive, and parts of the game felt rushed and unpolished.
Ragnarök is so sharp, so polished, and so laser focused on pushing every idea the first game had to its best self that it’s hard to critique it. It’s not a perfect game, but it is a perfect sequel. Unlike other sequels which can feel stuffed and bloated with unneeded features or mechanics, everything in Ragnarök is intelligently expanded and flushed out to be the best version of itself.
There are more side quests, but each side quest fleshes out the characters and world. They don’t feel like check points, they feel like opportunities to explore the incredible combat and interesting people inside the world. I often did side quests mainly to hear what my companions would say, that’s how invested I felt inside the narrative. Plus I wanted to actually PLAY more, the combat system is tuned to perfection. It’s meaty, tactical and fun, deftly balancing challenge are frustration.
Ragnarök is an incredibly hard game, but I never once felt it was unfair. The checkpoints or forgiving, you get all your health back on death, enemy attacks are clear to read, it’s visual flashy yet always easy to understand what it happening. The sceptical is incredible, but you always feel in control (barring brief story moments, which I feel are rare enough to be earned). This is the most fun I’ve had in a AAA big budget game release. I loved it.
Ragnarök also trusts you to play in the way you want to? Too hard? Turn down the difficulty and turn on midpoint boss checkpoints. The accessibility options are astounding, it’s hard to imagine a person who could not play this game. Whether you have mobility, visual, physical impairments (or are just new to video games) you can play and enjoy this game at the pace and in the way you want to. It’s abundantly clear the studio had accessibility at the forefront of development, and I am incredibly impressed by the abundance of options. Games are only better when more people can play them. Kudos to the team for making that dream a reality.
Ragnarök brings nearly nothing new to the table, but it is so confident and focused that does not matter. It really feels like the culmination of the last 10 years of AAA game design. Open world, RPG elements, set piece battles, epic stories, third person over the shoulder camera, and crafting systems galore. But instead of feeling suffocating and like a CEO mandate list of feature (it’s what the kids want, I dunno), Ragnarök’s mechanical systems are an ecosystem that feed and strengthen each other. There is nothing here that I have not seen before, but good food is good food. And mechanically, you will eat well.
The story is bland too.
I feel a great deal of it is disappointing, almost a let-down. It’s basic, not particularly complex, and easy to see what is going to happen. It does nothing interesting, at least to me.
But who cares? I love these characters, and would pay money to watch them eat dinner together. If fact they sometimes do eat dinner together in the game, and it’s wonderful. The plot does not matter. When the writing needs to pull its weight, it easily supports the entire game. The emotional moments are beautiful and poignant, the camera work is impeccable, the performances are rifting. It is so clear everyone is giving 1000%, and I just want more. I loved spending time with Kratoms, Atreus, Brock, Sindri, Freya, and Odin (especially Odin).
Sometimes I did sometimes feel like the side quest dialogue felt as though the B-tier team was writing it, veering into a quippy snarky more modern banter style I felt did not fit with the rest of the game, but it’s a small complaint and rarely bothered me. Characters talk A LOT, and sometimes they are so eager to blurt out their dialogue they’ll spoil puzzles or feel out of character.
But I still stopped every time someone said something, not wanting to miss a single word.
And while the level design is pretty simple (and often empty feeling), the art and visuals are awe inspiring. Yes, it’s technically incredible and runs like a dream, but the art direction will make this game stand the test of time. The environments are just littered with details, from paintings, plants, jewelry, and architecture. And it doesn’t just look pretty, it all tells a story. I would often stop just to stare at things. The number of assets in this game boggle the mind.
The enemy variety is exemplary, each one is fun to fight and interesting to look at. There are so many mini bosses and large scale encounters it makes other games look small. It is hard to fathom how much quality is stuffed into this video game.
Ragnarök is filled with truly awesome moments, I laughed, cried, shouted in surprise, wringed my hands in dismay and pumped my fists with joy. Any niggling issue I have is overshadowed by the sheer quality of what is presented.
Ragnarök is a better game than 2018 God of War, but only because of the phenomenal foundation laid down by the first game. And comparison is not important anyway, because you MUST play the first one before this one. You will not have a good time otherwise.
I don’t really have anything else to say. This is the best example of what a big budget, $90 should be game should be. There are no micro transactions, the mechanics make sense and strengthen the game instead of bloating it, its technologically incredible, and fabulously entertaining. It is a sequel that deserves to exist.
Ragnarök will not be remembered on the same level as the ground breaking first game (both 2018 or 2005).
But it will be remembered for being a damn fine video game.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Released: November 9th, 2022
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Publisher: Sony
Language: English, but there are extensive supported languages. See HERE for complete list.
Length: 25+ hours. I rolled credits at the 70 hour mark, and am desperate to go back and play more optional content.
Difficulty: Players choice, this game can be as easy or as difficult as you want. I played on Give Me God of War and found the game to be extremely punishing but fair.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Absolutely, God of War (2018) is required. However the other God of War games are not needed. I have never played them, and I had a great time.
Accessibility Options: Industry leading, see HERE for a breakdown. Can I Play That calls it a “A masterclass in accessibility”.
How Did You Play It: On a PS5 set to performance mode.
Is It Good: It’s a masterpiece
Ragnarök is one of the best games I have ever played. It is a towering achievement for the team at Santa Monica Studio’s, and represents literally hundreds of best-in-class artists, designers, engineers, programmers, directors, actors, writers, musicians, and a plethora of other fields all working at the bleeding edge of their mediums to produce a masterclass in entertainment.
It’s also kinda bland.
And that’s okay! Ragnarök is 2018’s God of War, but more. More enemies, locations, characters, side quests, gear. And it really works. God of War 2018 was a revolution, a bold and risky way to change nearly everything that the series has been since 2005. I loved it, but I had some complaints: mainly I thought the side quests were bland, the enemies repetitive, and parts of the game felt rushed and unpolished.
Ragnarök is so sharp, so polished, and so laser focused on pushing every idea the first game had to its best self that it’s hard to critique it. It’s not a perfect game, but it is a perfect sequel. Unlike other sequels which can feel stuffed and bloated with unneeded features or mechanics, everything in Ragnarök is intelligently expanded and flushed out to be the best version of itself.
There are more side quests, but each side quest fleshes out the characters and world. They don’t feel like check points, they feel like opportunities to explore the incredible combat and interesting people inside the world. I often did side quests mainly to hear what my companions would say, that’s how invested I felt inside the narrative. Plus I wanted to actually PLAY more, the combat system is tuned to perfection. It’s meaty, tactical and fun, deftly balancing challenge are frustration.
Ragnarök is an incredibly hard game, but I never once felt it was unfair. The checkpoints or forgiving, you get all your health back on death, enemy attacks are clear to read, it’s visual flashy yet always easy to understand what it happening. The sceptical is incredible, but you always feel in control (barring brief story moments, which I feel are rare enough to be earned). This is the most fun I’ve had in a AAA big budget game release. I loved it.
Ragnarök also trusts you to play in the way you want to? Too hard? Turn down the difficulty and turn on midpoint boss checkpoints. The accessibility options are astounding, it’s hard to imagine a person who could not play this game. Whether you have mobility, visual, physical impairments (or are just new to video games) you can play and enjoy this game at the pace and in the way you want to. It’s abundantly clear the studio had accessibility at the forefront of development, and I am incredibly impressed by the abundance of options. Games are only better when more people can play them. Kudos to the team for making that dream a reality.
Ragnarök brings nearly nothing new to the table, but it is so confident and focused that does not matter. It really feels like the culmination of the last 10 years of AAA game design. Open world, RPG elements, set piece battles, epic stories, third person over the shoulder camera, and crafting systems galore. But instead of feeling suffocating and like a CEO mandate list of feature (it’s what the kids want, I dunno), Ragnarök’s mechanical systems are an ecosystem that feed and strengthen each other. There is nothing here that I have not seen before, but good food is good food. And mechanically, you will eat well.
The story is bland too.
I feel a great deal of it is disappointing, almost a let-down. It’s basic, not particularly complex, and easy to see what is going to happen. It does nothing interesting, at least to me.
But who cares? I love these characters, and would pay money to watch them eat dinner together. If fact they sometimes do eat dinner together in the game, and it’s wonderful. The plot does not matter. When the writing needs to pull its weight, it easily supports the entire game. The emotional moments are beautiful and poignant, the camera work is impeccable, the performances are rifting. It is so clear everyone is giving 1000%, and I just want more. I loved spending time with Kratoms, Atreus, Brock, Sindri, Freya, and Odin (especially Odin).
Sometimes I did sometimes feel like the side quest dialogue felt as though the B-tier team was writing it, veering into a quippy snarky more modern banter style I felt did not fit with the rest of the game, but it’s a small complaint and rarely bothered me. Characters talk A LOT, and sometimes they are so eager to blurt out their dialogue they’ll spoil puzzles or feel out of character.
But I still stopped every time someone said something, not wanting to miss a single word.
And while the level design is pretty simple (and often empty feeling), the art and visuals are awe inspiring. Yes, it’s technically incredible and runs like a dream, but the art direction will make this game stand the test of time. The environments are just littered with details, from paintings, plants, jewelry, and architecture. And it doesn’t just look pretty, it all tells a story. I would often stop just to stare at things. The number of assets in this game boggle the mind.
The enemy variety is exemplary, each one is fun to fight and interesting to look at. There are so many mini bosses and large scale encounters it makes other games look small. It is hard to fathom how much quality is stuffed into this video game.
Ragnarök is filled with truly awesome moments, I laughed, cried, shouted in surprise, wringed my hands in dismay and pumped my fists with joy. Any niggling issue I have is overshadowed by the sheer quality of what is presented.
Ragnarök is a better game than 2018 God of War, but only because of the phenomenal foundation laid down by the first game. And comparison is not important anyway, because you MUST play the first one before this one. You will not have a good time otherwise.
I don’t really have anything else to say. This is the best example of what a big budget, $90 should be game should be. There are no micro transactions, the mechanics make sense and strengthen the game instead of bloating it, its technologically incredible, and fabulously entertaining. It is a sequel that deserves to exist.
Ragnarök will not be remembered on the same level as the ground breaking first game (both 2018 or 2005).
But it will be remembered for being a damn fine video game.
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Genre: Puzzle, narrative mystery, unlike anything else | Released: October 2018 | Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Developer: Lucas Pope | Publisher: 3909 LLC | Language: English | Length: 8-12 hours | Difficulty: Moderate to Hard | Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: Singe Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Violence, Death, Gore, disturbing imagery and themes | Parenting Guide: I’d say 16 and up | How Did You Play It: On my Xbox | Did you need a guide: Do not use a guide, you are running the entire purpose of the game. However, I did not clarification on some of the labels as to whether something was considered a beast or not. | Mods: None
Is It Good: Fantastic. It is essentially perfect, I have no notes.
Back of the Box: The only insurance investigator game you’ll ever like.
This is brilliant. Play it.
You play as an insurance investigator trying to discover what happened to the crew of the Obra Dinn, a 19th century ship that had been thought lost for years. You have one magical ability: with a mysterious pocket watch you can move back into time to observe the moment of death for anyone who was on board. Your job it to identify and record every crew members fate.
This is not an easy game, but with determination and observation you can figure out the fate of every crew member. Some may find this frustrating, but I really, REALLY liked this. This is an exceptionally well designed game, remarkably restrained, and polished to a mirror shine. I can not imagine how difficult creating a puzzle box like this would be.
10/10
Is It Good: Fantastic. It is essentially perfect, I have no notes.
Back of the Box: The only insurance investigator game you’ll ever like.
This is brilliant. Play it.
You play as an insurance investigator trying to discover what happened to the crew of the Obra Dinn, a 19th century ship that had been thought lost for years. You have one magical ability: with a mysterious pocket watch you can move back into time to observe the moment of death for anyone who was on board. Your job it to identify and record every crew members fate.
This is not an easy game, but with determination and observation you can figure out the fate of every crew member. Some may find this frustrating, but I really, REALLY liked this. This is an exceptionally well designed game, remarkably restrained, and polished to a mirror shine. I can not imagine how difficult creating a puzzle box like this would be.
10/10
2015
Genre: Funny, Sweet, Indie Game Released: 2023 | Platform: Web (not very mobile friendly) | Developer: Nicky Case (ncasenmare) | Publisher: indie | Language: English | Length: ONE MINUTE | Difficulty: Zero | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: FREE | Microtransaction: FREE | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Warm fuzzy feelings | Parenting Guide: For anyone | How Did You Play It: On my web browser| Did you need a guide: No | Mods: None
Is It Good: It’s charming and lovely.
Back of the Box: a one-minute minigame. What do you have to lose?
Play it here: https://ncase.me/door/
This game is one-minute long. I thought it was super charming and sent it to all my friends. You should try it. Click the link.
Is It Good: It’s charming and lovely.
Back of the Box: a one-minute minigame. What do you have to lose?
Play it here: https://ncase.me/door/
This game is one-minute long. I thought it was super charming and sent it to all my friends. You should try it. Click the link.
Genre: Arcade Light Whip (gun) action shooter | Released: 2009 | Platform: Arcade | Developer: Konami (boo) | Publisher: Konami (BOO!) | Language: English | Length: 30-45 minutes | Difficulty: Moderate to VERY HARD | Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: Quarters, feed me quarters | Microtransaction: QUARTERS! | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Violence, blood, horror themes | Parenting Guide: The game is 15 and up, but I found it pretty tame personally. | How Did You Play It: On my PC with a Wii remote | Did you need a guide: No | Mods: Several, Guide 1, Guide 2, and this discord group will help https://discord.gg/ufTAfzqZYS
Is It Good: It’s fine, has good moments
Back of the Box: One of the rarest Castlevania games is now playable in your home!
So... It’s fine. Using a light gun as a whip to attack ghouls and skeletons is fun, but I found the game really hard in a not fun way. The music is catchy, but I felt the game overstayed its welcome and was glad when it ended.
A fun novelty, but there are WAY better Castlevania games more worth your time.
Is It Good: It’s fine, has good moments
Back of the Box: One of the rarest Castlevania games is now playable in your home!
So... It’s fine. Using a light gun as a whip to attack ghouls and skeletons is fun, but I found the game really hard in a not fun way. The music is catchy, but I felt the game overstayed its welcome and was glad when it ended.
A fun novelty, but there are WAY better Castlevania games more worth your time.
1998
Genre: Lonely Dragon Riding RPG | Released: 1998 | Platform: Sega Saturn (sigh) | Developer: Team Andromeda | Publisher: Sega | Language: English | Length: 18 hours | Difficulty: Moderate | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, I this is the first Panzer Dragoon Game I have played | Accessibility Options: Zilch | Monetization: Single Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Very mild violence and mild substance references | Parenting Guide: 13 and up for sure | How Did You Play It: On a Sega Saturn. And I totally bought a legit copy and not a knock off, for sure yes yes | Did you need a guide: Yes, I could not for the love of god find a hallway hidden behind a building | Mods: None
Is It Good: Yes, it’s excellent.
Back of the Box: Hey, it’s that game on eBay for $900.
Legend has it that only 10,000 copies of Panzer Dragoon Saga were made for the English world. Plus it’s exclusive to the Sega Saturn which, well, did not sell very well. Given its frankly insane current market value most people have not played this game, nor have they heard of it (unless you are a filthy pirate, which I know none of you are).
This is a shame as Panzer Dragoon Saga a landmark RPG that deserves a spot along in the pantheon of fantastic Japanese Role-Playing games. This is lean, exciting, no fluff RPG with a fantastic battle system, fun plot (Which is fully voiced), great cinematics, and outstanding art design. I loved that battle system, a fascinating combination of a rail shooter and turn-based combat.
This is no hidden gem, it’s a full-on JRPG crown. Wear it if you can.
Is It Good: Yes, it’s excellent.
Back of the Box: Hey, it’s that game on eBay for $900.
Legend has it that only 10,000 copies of Panzer Dragoon Saga were made for the English world. Plus it’s exclusive to the Sega Saturn which, well, did not sell very well. Given its frankly insane current market value most people have not played this game, nor have they heard of it (unless you are a filthy pirate, which I know none of you are).
This is a shame as Panzer Dragoon Saga a landmark RPG that deserves a spot along in the pantheon of fantastic Japanese Role-Playing games. This is lean, exciting, no fluff RPG with a fantastic battle system, fun plot (Which is fully voiced), great cinematics, and outstanding art design. I loved that battle system, a fascinating combination of a rail shooter and turn-based combat.
This is no hidden gem, it’s a full-on JRPG crown. Wear it if you can.
2018
Genre: Adventure with light detective elements | Released: 2018 | Platform: Nintendo 3DS | Developer: Creatures | Publisher: Nintendo | Language: English | Length: 10 ish hours | Difficulty: EASY | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, but you probably should have some knowledge of the Pokémon world | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: Single purchase | Microtransaction: none | Gambling Elements: none | Content Warning: none | Parenting Guide: mild peril and mild cartoon violence, good for everyone | How Did You Play It: On my Nintendo 3DS | Did you need a guide: Gosh no | Mods: None
Is It Good: It’s fine.
Back of the Box: What Pokémon games should be. Or at least look like.
Detective Pikachu is an average to dull detective game, buoyed by frankly insane presentation and style. This game captures what a world of Pokemon would be like, and for that I enjoyed myself. I have always wanted to play a game as a person in a what feels like a living world, and this game gets closer to that then most. The story is fun in a Saturday cartoon kinda way, butttttt: the movie is better.
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Is It Good: It’s fine.
Back of the Box: What Pokémon games should be. Or at least look like.
Detective Pikachu is an average to dull detective game, buoyed by frankly insane presentation and style. This game captures what a world of Pokemon would be like, and for that I enjoyed myself. I have always wanted to play a game as a person in a what feels like a living world, and this game gets closer to that then most. The story is fun in a Saturday cartoon kinda way, butttttt: the movie is better.
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1994
Genre: Robot Beat’em up | Released: 1994 | Platform: Arcade | Developer: Capcom | Publisher: Capcom | Language: English | Length: 1 hour | Difficulty: moderate to hard | Do I Need To Play Anything First: Naw Dawg | Accessibility Options: None, like most arcade games | Monetization: Insert Quarter Now | Microtransaction: Please, give me more quarters | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Cartoon violence | Parenting Guide: Cartoon Robot Warfare, so as long as you don’t think about it it’s fine for 10 and up | How Did You Play It: Via my MAME set up | Did you need a guide: Nope | Mods: None
Is It Good: Easy breezy fun.
Back of the Box: Like mechs? Like fighting robots? Got quarters?
Armored Warriors is a Capcom brawler through and through. Bombastic combat, wonderful spritework, excitingly brisk pacing, and so hungry for quarters.
I booted it up in mild curiosity, and unintentionally ended up playing all the way through. Then I played it again a few days later. It’s just great classic arcade fun.
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Is It Good: Easy breezy fun.
Back of the Box: Like mechs? Like fighting robots? Got quarters?
Armored Warriors is a Capcom brawler through and through. Bombastic combat, wonderful spritework, excitingly brisk pacing, and so hungry for quarters.
I booted it up in mild curiosity, and unintentionally ended up playing all the way through. Then I played it again a few days later. It’s just great classic arcade fun.
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2000
Genre: immersive sim, fps | Released: June 2000 | Platform: PC, PS2 (but like, don’t play this version) | Developer: Ion Storm | Publisher: Eidos Interactive | Language: English | Length: 25-40 hours | Difficulty: Medium, but you can make it much harder | Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope | Accessibility Options: You can turn on auto aim, but there are limited options | Monetization: Single purchase (often goes on sale for like a buck) | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Language, drug use, violence | Parenting Guide: Rated M for mature, and I agree | How Did You Play It: On my PC, with a modded version of the Game of the Year edition | Did you need a guide: Once, I could not for the life of me find a data pad which ended up being on a shelf. I felt… not smart| Mods: I started with his guide from PC gamer and played GMDX
Is It Good: It’s a classic, and I grew to love it.
Back of the Box: See the game that changed the world.
I’m going to tell you to play Deus Ex. It’s one of the most important games released, and earns its place among the pantheon of classics. BUT, please note it is an old PC game from the year 2000, and temper your expectations accordingly. This game expects you to save scum, and be prepared for CLUNKY game play.
But past that, you will find an astoundingly deep game with expansive levels, interesting choices, and a huge amount of player freedom. Each level feels like its own world, and I loved exploring rooms, streets, and hallways while reading other people's emails. This was great, and I now understand why people have such reverence for this game.
Is It Good: It’s a classic, and I grew to love it.
Back of the Box: See the game that changed the world.
I’m going to tell you to play Deus Ex. It’s one of the most important games released, and earns its place among the pantheon of classics. BUT, please note it is an old PC game from the year 2000, and temper your expectations accordingly. This game expects you to save scum, and be prepared for CLUNKY game play.
But past that, you will find an astoundingly deep game with expansive levels, interesting choices, and a huge amount of player freedom. Each level feels like its own world, and I loved exploring rooms, streets, and hallways while reading other people's emails. This was great, and I now understand why people have such reverence for this game.
2020
Genre: Genre-defining adventure shooter puzzle thingy | Released: March 2020 | Platform: PC | Developer: Crowbar Collective | Publisher: Crowbar Collective | Language: English | Length: 15 hours | Difficulty: Easy | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, this is a remake of the original Half-Life game with added and changed content. It does not replace the first game, nor is the first game required. I have not played the original and had a fantastic time | Accessibility Options: Fast reactions required | Monetization: Single Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Violence, gore, gross… stuff | Parenting Guide: M for mature, adults-only | How Did You Play It: Via steam | Did you need a guide: No, and don’t use one unless you really need one | Mods: None
Is It Good: It’s mesmerizing and I can’t wait to boot up the original. A must-play.
Back of the Box: Quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there, I am impressed.
Black Mesa is an odd game, as it’s a fan remake of the first Half-Life fully supported and sold by Valve on their own storefront. This is a fantastic way to experience the original, and I can’t recommend it enough. The new content the team has added to the last levels is fantastic, and I would not have known it was never part of the original game unless told.
It’s an excellent game that is based on one of the greatest games ever made. It’s very, very good. Play it.
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Is It Good: It’s mesmerizing and I can’t wait to boot up the original. A must-play.
Back of the Box: Quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there, I am impressed.
Black Mesa is an odd game, as it’s a fan remake of the first Half-Life fully supported and sold by Valve on their own storefront. This is a fantastic way to experience the original, and I can’t recommend it enough. The new content the team has added to the last levels is fantastic, and I would not have known it was never part of the original game unless told.
It’s an excellent game that is based on one of the greatest games ever made. It’s very, very good. Play it.
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1995
I’ve been travelling quite a bit, so I’m once again grateful for God’s gift to his chosen people: The Game Boy. Which I did not use this time in the car, instead I blasphemed and played my first Sega Game Gear game.
The Game Gear (or God’s mistake) is the 1990 plastic brick that needs SIX AA batteries for 4 hours of play. I could not dirty my hands with such a thing (also I don’t own one) and thus used an Analogue Pocket to play Sylvan Tale.
Sylvan Tale is a Japanese exclusive that never came to west, and is currently only playable in English by a fan translation effort.
I love fan translations, because it means that at least one person, somewhere, REALLY like a game. And Aeon Genesis, the fan translator, really liked this game. According to them:
You know, every once in a while, Game Gear games can be pretty damn sweet. Take this here Sylvan Tale game for example. Action RPGs (such as this one) are rare, and GOOD action RPGs are rare indeed. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to why Sylvan Tale is cool. Actually it’s pretty much the entire reason; it’s a damn fine action RPG. The music is simply awesome, especially considering the system (with one small exception!), the graphics are very well done, and the gameplay’s there. It’s ALL there. There’s a plot too, but it doesn’t matter. Who cares? Swing your sword around and kill things! That’s what life’s all about goddammit!
Wow, okay, I’ll give it a go.
Sylvan Tale (シルヴァン テイル) is a 1995 Japanese exclusive Game Gear game published and developed by Sega. Think Zelda, but average in every sense of the word: something that represents a middle point.
It’s fine, short, and has enjoyable moments with a nice art style and painfully basic gameplay. I played the English fan translation by Aeon Genesis (which was seamless) on an Analogue Pocket. This is a rare action RPG, and I enjoyed playing it. It took me six hours and I used a guide twice when I got really stuck (and I’m glad I did as the answer was ridiculous).
Its ‘fun’, but there are a lot of problems. My primary complaint is around the stubby little sword I’m given. Look, the game gear screen is 3.2 inches, why is the sword so small. I often had to get so close to enemies I would bounce into them and take damage. I got used to it, but even near the end I would be swinging at things that I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIT UGH THIS IS SO DUMB I HATE VIDEO GAMES WHO DESIGNED THIS COME ONE.
Sylvan Tale is enjoyable in the curiosity of being a Sega Zelda clone. It never comes close to its aspirations, but I do feel like I’m being very hard on it. I enjoyed parts of what I played, and never once thought about quitting. The game is incredibly easy, although sometimes it was a bit unclear what the game wanted me to do next. I needed a guide twice.
Once because I have jello for brains, and once because the game wanted me to do something that I would have never guessed in a million years.
I personally would not recommend Sylvan Tale to anybody, and my back of the box quote would be “You could do worse”.
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The Game Gear (or God’s mistake) is the 1990 plastic brick that needs SIX AA batteries for 4 hours of play. I could not dirty my hands with such a thing (also I don’t own one) and thus used an Analogue Pocket to play Sylvan Tale.
Sylvan Tale is a Japanese exclusive that never came to west, and is currently only playable in English by a fan translation effort.
I love fan translations, because it means that at least one person, somewhere, REALLY like a game. And Aeon Genesis, the fan translator, really liked this game. According to them:
You know, every once in a while, Game Gear games can be pretty damn sweet. Take this here Sylvan Tale game for example. Action RPGs (such as this one) are rare, and GOOD action RPGs are rare indeed. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to why Sylvan Tale is cool. Actually it’s pretty much the entire reason; it’s a damn fine action RPG. The music is simply awesome, especially considering the system (with one small exception!), the graphics are very well done, and the gameplay’s there. It’s ALL there. There’s a plot too, but it doesn’t matter. Who cares? Swing your sword around and kill things! That’s what life’s all about goddammit!
Wow, okay, I’ll give it a go.
Sylvan Tale (シルヴァン テイル) is a 1995 Japanese exclusive Game Gear game published and developed by Sega. Think Zelda, but average in every sense of the word: something that represents a middle point.
It’s fine, short, and has enjoyable moments with a nice art style and painfully basic gameplay. I played the English fan translation by Aeon Genesis (which was seamless) on an Analogue Pocket. This is a rare action RPG, and I enjoyed playing it. It took me six hours and I used a guide twice when I got really stuck (and I’m glad I did as the answer was ridiculous).
Its ‘fun’, but there are a lot of problems. My primary complaint is around the stubby little sword I’m given. Look, the game gear screen is 3.2 inches, why is the sword so small. I often had to get so close to enemies I would bounce into them and take damage. I got used to it, but even near the end I would be swinging at things that I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIT UGH THIS IS SO DUMB I HATE VIDEO GAMES WHO DESIGNED THIS COME ONE.
Sylvan Tale is enjoyable in the curiosity of being a Sega Zelda clone. It never comes close to its aspirations, but I do feel like I’m being very hard on it. I enjoyed parts of what I played, and never once thought about quitting. The game is incredibly easy, although sometimes it was a bit unclear what the game wanted me to do next. I needed a guide twice.
Once because I have jello for brains, and once because the game wanted me to do something that I would have never guessed in a million years.
I personally would not recommend Sylvan Tale to anybody, and my back of the box quote would be “You could do worse”.
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2022
Genre: Collectible Card Game and Grid Tactics
Released: August 19, 2022
Platform: PC
Developer: Dream Sloth Games
Language: English
Length: As long as you want. I’ve probably played for 40+ hours, and put a TON of time into the original.
Difficulty: Medium-Expert (if you want to be the best). For most players, this is a easy to understand game with a lower skill floor and a very high skill ceiling.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope.
Accessibility Options: None, which is disappointing.
Monetization: Skins and Cards
Microtransaction: Yes. Two currencies, and annoying conversions. It feels icky, and it is. Free currency can be used to buy cards, but not cosmetics.
Gambling Elements: Yes. You get random cards when you buy a pack (which can be bought with the free currency) which leads to luck playing a large role in pushing you to buy more.
Content Warning: mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: 10 years and up. Online elements, and be aware that a credit card is used to buy cards (but not necessary to play the game. However, players can only interact with each other via predetermined stickers, thus abuse is unlikely.
How Did You Play It: Via steam.
Did you need a guide: I use websites to help build my decks (and by that I mean I just copy what people say is good).
Is It Good: It’s really, really fun. It’s my favourite quick pick up game, and I plan to keep playing it for a long time.
You know what sucks? Missing.
Painstakingly moving your units into position, only for Gordo the barbarian to whiff trying to hit an enemy literally the size of a barn.
Or Charizard blasting a literal flame hurricane out of their mouth, and yet cannot hit A GOD DAMN WEEDLE THREE INCHES IN FRONT OF THEIR STUPID DROOLING MUG!
But what if life could be better?
Allow me to introduce Duelyst 2, the greatest thing since Wendy’s sliced, sliced bread. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiwD79mkLn4&ab_channel=Wendy%27s)
Look, yes, Duelyst 1 technically failed and was removed from life support by the developer in 2020. And yes, it is a collectible trading card game with micro-transactions - Hey wait come back! Wait please, listen to me!
I loved Duelyst 1, and was really sad to see it close down. I think Duelyst is something special, and I’m thrilled to find out that I’m not alone. There are dozens of us. Dozens!
See, when Duelyst was closed down, the developer took the unprecedented step of later releasing everything to the public. The art, the code, the engine, everything is in the public domain. You can even go and play the original right now in your browser, with all the cards unlocked for free hosted by fans!
https://duelyst.gg/
In an age where companies have no interest in preserving their own games, it’s really incredible for Counter Play games to release everything after they closed it down.
And because of this exemplary choice, a group of fans have banded together to make Duelyst 2, a continuation of the old game with a few minor (or major if you’re hardcore) changes. And I looovvveee it.
First the elevator pitch for those not down with the lingo, Duelyst 2 is both a collectible battle card game (like Hearthstone or Magic the Gathering) AND a tactical grid-based strategy game (like Fire Emblem… or other games like Fire Emblem). While neither the cards nor the grid-based gameplay is new, the combination of these two elements creates something not only original but better than the sum of its parts.
Genre definitions are growing less and less useful, with it being more and more common for genres to be smashed together in search of a new and refreshing take. Just look at the renaissance the rhythm/music beat genre is undergoing with all the rhythm first-person shooters, rhythm dungeon crawlers, and beat-based brawlers (alliteration is fun!). It’s exciting to see designers explore new combinations, but it can also be tiring as more and more games get extra mechanics bolted onto their sides in an effort to reinvent themselves. Remember the ‘everything must have multiplayer’ age. That was… bad. Metroid Prime 2 deathmatch anyone? How about a game of Dragon Age: Inquisition? (yes, it’s real). And lord save us from the RPG/Loot mechanics being forced into every game under the sun.
The card game is going through a similar phase, it seems every game has card-like elements, be them tower defense, RPG, strategy games, narrative adventures, first-person shooters, and the list goes on and on. So I can forgive you if you are not exactly jumping for joy at the idea of another genre but WITH CARDS. But in this case, cards make EVERYTHING better.
Why do games have stats? Why does my elite sniper in x-com have a 95% chance of hitting something? It’s to add unpredictability to the game and make things more dynamic. But missing feels awful, because you had a plan and random numbers prevented you from executing upon it. It feels like something has been taken away from you, and that’s infuriating.
Deck building fixes this. The nature of drawing cards adds enough random chance to prevent you from doing the same thing over and over again, so if you do draw the unit you wanted, got him on the board, in position, and able to attack there is no reason for some dice to roll. The random nature of the cards already added that mechanic, which means you never, ever miss. It feels so good, trust me.
Plus Duelyst 2 is incredibly forgiving, as each turn you can swap out a card for a random new card at no cost (plus you get 2 new cards at the end of each turn). This ensures at every turn, no matter what you nearly always have at least one interesting choice to make. Should you hang on to the card you have, or swap it for the chance of getting something better? Cards add luck elements without the pain of watching freaking GORDO THE DODO MISS AGAIN!
Then there’s the grid itself, which adds a fantastic dimension to playing cards. In most card games the choice is what card to play at what time. If a unit has a taunt or defense, you play it when it’s needed. But in Duelyst, choosing a card is the first half of making a choice. You also have to consider WHERE you put the unit, which leads to some incredible opportunities for synergies, strategies, and any other ‘ies you could want.
Battles are fast, dynamic, challenging, and filled with nail-baiting gambits, faints, charges, retreats, and spells flying back and forth. A round usually lasts 5 minutes, 10 at the most. And the tactical options are truly huge.
One of my favorite modes is the weekly puzzle, where you are presented a game in mid match and have to try and win in one turn. You quickly see there are so many interesting ways cards and units can interact with each other, from teleporting, buffing, morphing, egg laying, taunting, and so much more. Plus, none of it feels overwhelming, there are simple rules and each mechanic is easy to understand. If a game is supposed to be a series of interesting decisions, then Duelyst 2 is a shining example of said mantra.
It feels balanced, with lots of removal options preventing players from sweeping games, and the different hero armies feel unique from each other and fun to play. There is a great deal of fun to have with experimentation, right now I’m rocking Vetruvian and focusing on summoning obelisks that spit out low-level minions at the start of each turn. And then I can buff them and… it’s… it’s all just great stuff.
In addition to being mechanically enjoyable, the game has this really beautiful pixel art mixed with watercolor backgrounds that really sells a vision for the game. It looks very different from other card games, and the units all have fantastic crunchy animations when fighting which I love.
I am not good enough to speak to balance, or if the changes the fan team have made to the meta are either the best thing ever or the literal death of the game. I dunno. It’s fun for me…
And I have a lot of respect for the new team for trying to modernize and bring new ideas and speed to Duelyst 2.
I hear the complaints, and there are complaints. One, the microtransactions. There is annoyance at the idea of a fan team selling cards they themselves did not make (although they are changing them for balance), especially if you bought cards for the first game. And I also wish there was a way to pay for a one-time purchase of the game.
I have personally not found the need to buy any cards, but I also don’t play this as my only game. I do a few quests, buy a pack or two, and craft what I need. I’ve seen better monetization sure, but it’s certainly not a black stain on the game.
This is a small team, not some mega-corporation trying to bleed you. And live games have server costs, in addition to the team working on developing a mobile version, new cards, new skins, and working on a new ranking system.
Plus they are adding a rouglight mode! Everything must have a rouglight mode.
Now, obviously none of this (minus the balance and the new ranking system) has actually happened yet, and promises are easy to make. But the game has just released in beta, and days are early still. I’m extremely excited for the future, and just jazzed one of my favorite games is back.
My only real complaint is the new music is… mid (as the kids would say). But the team seems to recognize this, as there is a slider to just play the original music only. I clicked that and have never gone back, so no complaints here.
The community is lovely, and there is a real effort to try and make the game friendly to people. I love being able to ‘tip gold’ (the games currency) to a player you beat, just as a thank you for a great game.
This is an excellent game. Don’t sit on it (it may disappear, who knows). It deserves a seat at the table. It’s free, give it a go.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
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Released: August 19, 2022
Platform: PC
Developer: Dream Sloth Games
Language: English
Length: As long as you want. I’ve probably played for 40+ hours, and put a TON of time into the original.
Difficulty: Medium-Expert (if you want to be the best). For most players, this is a easy to understand game with a lower skill floor and a very high skill ceiling.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope.
Accessibility Options: None, which is disappointing.
Monetization: Skins and Cards
Microtransaction: Yes. Two currencies, and annoying conversions. It feels icky, and it is. Free currency can be used to buy cards, but not cosmetics.
Gambling Elements: Yes. You get random cards when you buy a pack (which can be bought with the free currency) which leads to luck playing a large role in pushing you to buy more.
Content Warning: mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: 10 years and up. Online elements, and be aware that a credit card is used to buy cards (but not necessary to play the game. However, players can only interact with each other via predetermined stickers, thus abuse is unlikely.
How Did You Play It: Via steam.
Did you need a guide: I use websites to help build my decks (and by that I mean I just copy what people say is good).
Is It Good: It’s really, really fun. It’s my favourite quick pick up game, and I plan to keep playing it for a long time.
You know what sucks? Missing.
Painstakingly moving your units into position, only for Gordo the barbarian to whiff trying to hit an enemy literally the size of a barn.
Or Charizard blasting a literal flame hurricane out of their mouth, and yet cannot hit A GOD DAMN WEEDLE THREE INCHES IN FRONT OF THEIR STUPID DROOLING MUG!
But what if life could be better?
Allow me to introduce Duelyst 2, the greatest thing since Wendy’s sliced, sliced bread. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiwD79mkLn4&ab_channel=Wendy%27s)
Look, yes, Duelyst 1 technically failed and was removed from life support by the developer in 2020. And yes, it is a collectible trading card game with micro-transactions - Hey wait come back! Wait please, listen to me!
I loved Duelyst 1, and was really sad to see it close down. I think Duelyst is something special, and I’m thrilled to find out that I’m not alone. There are dozens of us. Dozens!
See, when Duelyst was closed down, the developer took the unprecedented step of later releasing everything to the public. The art, the code, the engine, everything is in the public domain. You can even go and play the original right now in your browser, with all the cards unlocked for free hosted by fans!
https://duelyst.gg/
In an age where companies have no interest in preserving their own games, it’s really incredible for Counter Play games to release everything after they closed it down.
And because of this exemplary choice, a group of fans have banded together to make Duelyst 2, a continuation of the old game with a few minor (or major if you’re hardcore) changes. And I looovvveee it.
First the elevator pitch for those not down with the lingo, Duelyst 2 is both a collectible battle card game (like Hearthstone or Magic the Gathering) AND a tactical grid-based strategy game (like Fire Emblem… or other games like Fire Emblem). While neither the cards nor the grid-based gameplay is new, the combination of these two elements creates something not only original but better than the sum of its parts.
Genre definitions are growing less and less useful, with it being more and more common for genres to be smashed together in search of a new and refreshing take. Just look at the renaissance the rhythm/music beat genre is undergoing with all the rhythm first-person shooters, rhythm dungeon crawlers, and beat-based brawlers (alliteration is fun!). It’s exciting to see designers explore new combinations, but it can also be tiring as more and more games get extra mechanics bolted onto their sides in an effort to reinvent themselves. Remember the ‘everything must have multiplayer’ age. That was… bad. Metroid Prime 2 deathmatch anyone? How about a game of Dragon Age: Inquisition? (yes, it’s real). And lord save us from the RPG/Loot mechanics being forced into every game under the sun.
The card game is going through a similar phase, it seems every game has card-like elements, be them tower defense, RPG, strategy games, narrative adventures, first-person shooters, and the list goes on and on. So I can forgive you if you are not exactly jumping for joy at the idea of another genre but WITH CARDS. But in this case, cards make EVERYTHING better.
Why do games have stats? Why does my elite sniper in x-com have a 95% chance of hitting something? It’s to add unpredictability to the game and make things more dynamic. But missing feels awful, because you had a plan and random numbers prevented you from executing upon it. It feels like something has been taken away from you, and that’s infuriating.
Deck building fixes this. The nature of drawing cards adds enough random chance to prevent you from doing the same thing over and over again, so if you do draw the unit you wanted, got him on the board, in position, and able to attack there is no reason for some dice to roll. The random nature of the cards already added that mechanic, which means you never, ever miss. It feels so good, trust me.
Plus Duelyst 2 is incredibly forgiving, as each turn you can swap out a card for a random new card at no cost (plus you get 2 new cards at the end of each turn). This ensures at every turn, no matter what you nearly always have at least one interesting choice to make. Should you hang on to the card you have, or swap it for the chance of getting something better? Cards add luck elements without the pain of watching freaking GORDO THE DODO MISS AGAIN!
Then there’s the grid itself, which adds a fantastic dimension to playing cards. In most card games the choice is what card to play at what time. If a unit has a taunt or defense, you play it when it’s needed. But in Duelyst, choosing a card is the first half of making a choice. You also have to consider WHERE you put the unit, which leads to some incredible opportunities for synergies, strategies, and any other ‘ies you could want.
Battles are fast, dynamic, challenging, and filled with nail-baiting gambits, faints, charges, retreats, and spells flying back and forth. A round usually lasts 5 minutes, 10 at the most. And the tactical options are truly huge.
One of my favorite modes is the weekly puzzle, where you are presented a game in mid match and have to try and win in one turn. You quickly see there are so many interesting ways cards and units can interact with each other, from teleporting, buffing, morphing, egg laying, taunting, and so much more. Plus, none of it feels overwhelming, there are simple rules and each mechanic is easy to understand. If a game is supposed to be a series of interesting decisions, then Duelyst 2 is a shining example of said mantra.
It feels balanced, with lots of removal options preventing players from sweeping games, and the different hero armies feel unique from each other and fun to play. There is a great deal of fun to have with experimentation, right now I’m rocking Vetruvian and focusing on summoning obelisks that spit out low-level minions at the start of each turn. And then I can buff them and… it’s… it’s all just great stuff.
In addition to being mechanically enjoyable, the game has this really beautiful pixel art mixed with watercolor backgrounds that really sells a vision for the game. It looks very different from other card games, and the units all have fantastic crunchy animations when fighting which I love.
I am not good enough to speak to balance, or if the changes the fan team have made to the meta are either the best thing ever or the literal death of the game. I dunno. It’s fun for me…
And I have a lot of respect for the new team for trying to modernize and bring new ideas and speed to Duelyst 2.
I hear the complaints, and there are complaints. One, the microtransactions. There is annoyance at the idea of a fan team selling cards they themselves did not make (although they are changing them for balance), especially if you bought cards for the first game. And I also wish there was a way to pay for a one-time purchase of the game.
I have personally not found the need to buy any cards, but I also don’t play this as my only game. I do a few quests, buy a pack or two, and craft what I need. I’ve seen better monetization sure, but it’s certainly not a black stain on the game.
This is a small team, not some mega-corporation trying to bleed you. And live games have server costs, in addition to the team working on developing a mobile version, new cards, new skins, and working on a new ranking system.
Plus they are adding a rouglight mode! Everything must have a rouglight mode.
Now, obviously none of this (minus the balance and the new ranking system) has actually happened yet, and promises are easy to make. But the game has just released in beta, and days are early still. I’m extremely excited for the future, and just jazzed one of my favorite games is back.
My only real complaint is the new music is… mid (as the kids would say). But the team seems to recognize this, as there is a slider to just play the original music only. I clicked that and have never gone back, so no complaints here.
The community is lovely, and there is a real effort to try and make the game friendly to people. I love being able to ‘tip gold’ (the games currency) to a player you beat, just as a thank you for a great game.
This is an excellent game. Don’t sit on it (it may disappear, who knows). It deserves a seat at the table. It’s free, give it a go.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
2021
Genre: Narrative Experience
Released: April 1st, 2021
Platforms: PC, MacOS, Android, iOS
Developer: GoodbyeWorld Games
Publisher: Skybound Games
Language: English Audio, but but text is available for French, German, Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Korean, and Simplified/Traditional Chinese.
Length: 1.5-2 hours. I rolled credits under 2 hours. About 4 hours for a completionist run.
Difficulty: None, this is a narrative expereince.
Accessibility Options: Good, see HERE for a breakdown by Family Gaming Database.
How Did You Play It: On my iPad via my Netflix subscription.
Is It Good: It’s messy and not perfect, but it can be a moving experience for many. For those looking for something different.
I found myself not enjoying the first… 75% of Before Your Eyes. The story felt more like fan fiction than professional writing, and I only kept going because the game is so short I figured I may as well finish.
The game came with my Netflix subscription, it worked on my iPad, and I had just finished God of War and was looking for a pallet cleanser, I had nothing planned that Saturday morning, and the game is a little over an hour long. Plus it’s central mechanic intrigued me.
See, Before Your Eyes is played by blinking. Like, your eyes. Your real life eyes. You point the webcam at your face, and… blink. Often time passes after you blink, it could be five seconds or five years, or you make menu selections by pointing at an object and blinking.
It’s a cool idea, but honestly, I did not get why on earth you would do something like this for most of the game. Firstly, I had technical issues, which I think was due to the game being on my iPad. Having to touch the screen sometimes I risked moving the camera, and I had to be very careful to try and keep my iPad as still as possible. I imagine this would not be as great an issue on a PC, but on my iPad I did have a few missed blinks or times the game thought I blinked but I did not.
Secondly it just seemed silly, and I wished I could just push a button instead. The mechanic seemed more annoying than anything, and an unnecessary barrier between me and making the game do what I wanted. There is as option to play without blinking, and I often considered turning the blinking off.
I am so glad I didn’t.
Because near the end I wanted to linger in the moments the story was presenting me, the plot clicking together that was much more emotional than I had anticipated. But I had to blink, and so these moments of pain, laughter, or joy must pass you by, right before your eyes.
I cried, I laughed, and I got it. I understood why the developers choose to tell this story in this way.
I don’t think they pulled it off flawlessly, and often to me it felt more like a gimmick. But when it matters, it blends interaction and story telling in a unique and powerful way that affected me and stayed with me long after the credits rolled.
Before Your Eyes is a remarkable piece of interactive fiction. There is little reason to play it again, but it if any it sounds interesting to you I suggest you try it.
It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
Wink
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Released: April 1st, 2021
Platforms: PC, MacOS, Android, iOS
Developer: GoodbyeWorld Games
Publisher: Skybound Games
Language: English Audio, but but text is available for French, German, Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Korean, and Simplified/Traditional Chinese.
Length: 1.5-2 hours. I rolled credits under 2 hours. About 4 hours for a completionist run.
Difficulty: None, this is a narrative expereince.
Accessibility Options: Good, see HERE for a breakdown by Family Gaming Database.
How Did You Play It: On my iPad via my Netflix subscription.
Is It Good: It’s messy and not perfect, but it can be a moving experience for many. For those looking for something different.
I found myself not enjoying the first… 75% of Before Your Eyes. The story felt more like fan fiction than professional writing, and I only kept going because the game is so short I figured I may as well finish.
The game came with my Netflix subscription, it worked on my iPad, and I had just finished God of War and was looking for a pallet cleanser, I had nothing planned that Saturday morning, and the game is a little over an hour long. Plus it’s central mechanic intrigued me.
See, Before Your Eyes is played by blinking. Like, your eyes. Your real life eyes. You point the webcam at your face, and… blink. Often time passes after you blink, it could be five seconds or five years, or you make menu selections by pointing at an object and blinking.
It’s a cool idea, but honestly, I did not get why on earth you would do something like this for most of the game. Firstly, I had technical issues, which I think was due to the game being on my iPad. Having to touch the screen sometimes I risked moving the camera, and I had to be very careful to try and keep my iPad as still as possible. I imagine this would not be as great an issue on a PC, but on my iPad I did have a few missed blinks or times the game thought I blinked but I did not.
Secondly it just seemed silly, and I wished I could just push a button instead. The mechanic seemed more annoying than anything, and an unnecessary barrier between me and making the game do what I wanted. There is as option to play without blinking, and I often considered turning the blinking off.
I am so glad I didn’t.
Because near the end I wanted to linger in the moments the story was presenting me, the plot clicking together that was much more emotional than I had anticipated. But I had to blink, and so these moments of pain, laughter, or joy must pass you by, right before your eyes.
I cried, I laughed, and I got it. I understood why the developers choose to tell this story in this way.
I don’t think they pulled it off flawlessly, and often to me it felt more like a gimmick. But when it matters, it blends interaction and story telling in a unique and powerful way that affected me and stayed with me long after the credits rolled.
Before Your Eyes is a remarkable piece of interactive fiction. There is little reason to play it again, but it if any it sounds interesting to you I suggest you try it.
It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
Wink
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https://thepile.substack.com/
Genre: Experimental Political Message | Released: October 2016 | Platform: Web browser | Developer: Nicky Case! | Publisher: Nicky Case! | Language: English | Length: 15 minutues | Difficulty: None | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: It’s free | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Graphic, cartoon blood and gore. Extreme violence | Parenting Guide: Just… No. | How Did You Play It: On PC | Did you need a guide: No | Mods: None
Is It Good: It’s… something. Interesting?
Back of the Box: I think there may be a political message in this video game.
Play It Here: https://ncase.itch.io/wbwwb
We Become What We Behold is a 2016 web game about news cycles, vicious cycles, and infinite cycles according to the creator. It’s very simple, not at all subtle, and is more an art piece than a game. I thought it was neat.
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Is It Good: It’s… something. Interesting?
Back of the Box: I think there may be a political message in this video game.
Play It Here: https://ncase.itch.io/wbwwb
We Become What We Behold is a 2016 web game about news cycles, vicious cycles, and infinite cycles according to the creator. It’s very simple, not at all subtle, and is more an art piece than a game. I thought it was neat.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Genre: Beat ‘em up | Released: December 2003 | Platform: Game Boy Advanced | Developer: Treasure, Hitmaker | Publisher: Sega | Language: English | Length: 2-4 hours | Difficulty: Medium | Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope, but you will be lost if you don’t know anything about Astro Boy | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: Single Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Mild cartoon violence | Parenting Guide: 10 and up I’d say | How Did You Play It: On an Analogue Pocket | Did you need a guide: Naw | Mods: Nope
Is It Good: It’s enjoyable. Easy breezy, as the kids say.
Back of the Box: Is this… Child warfare?
Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a 2003 short and sweet beat ‘em up that I liked. It’s a little-known gem for the GBA.
I know nothing about Astro Boy and was lost the entire time. But I had a blast!
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Is It Good: It’s enjoyable. Easy breezy, as the kids say.
Back of the Box: Is this… Child warfare?
Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a 2003 short and sweet beat ‘em up that I liked. It’s a little-known gem for the GBA.
I know nothing about Astro Boy and was lost the entire time. But I had a blast!
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/