J__R
Ghost of Tsushima is what happens when style and passion collides with safe, bland, AAA gaming.
I can’t comment on whether or not the upgrade from PS4 is worth it as this release was my first experience with Ghost of Tsushima. Although I can say that the Iki Island expansion is just more of the same.
Ghost of Tsushima commits the same sins as a lot of other recent games - open world with a bunch of unnecessary, uninspired side activities, side missions, resource collecting, upgrades, light RPG stuff, collectables and camps to clear. Basically it’s a big map that’s really a repetitive checklist. It is bloated, goes on too long and does not respect the player’s time.
The gameplay is fun, especially in the early hours of play, but it doesn’t have enough depth or variety to last the games run time. Standoffs are cool at first but get old. Combat is simple but satisfying and they give you just enough options to keep things fun for a while. Stealth is shallow and enemy AI is poor. For some reason there is too much linear, tedious climbing and you feel too floaty when jumping about. Exploration doesn’t feel very rewarding and riding about starts to drag.
The story is enjoyable but doesn’t really do anything interesting or get you heavily invested. The game starts off and ends pretty well but of course most of the game is drawn out. The characters are good but not super memorable. I enjoyed that the game had some humour from time to time which certainly helped break things up a bit.
So what really elevates Ghost of Tsushima above the competition? First of all I think people really wanted an open world, historical, Japanese, Samurai game and this definitely got my attention. Then there is the style. This game looks beautiful and not because it tries to push the limits of technology. It’s the art direction, the colours, the constant beautiful views, the wind and weather, the commitment to the time period while also not being dedicated to realism.
The other thing that comes across is the developer’s passion for the location, time period, Samurai culture and other media that has done this before. It’s clear that a lot of research was done when creating this game. I enjoyed it so much that I found myself looking up Tsushima, Iki and Mongol and Japanese history. The inspiration from Samurai films shines through as well and I appreciated the visual options. I played this in Japanese with English subtitles and had a good time soaking it all in.
Overall I enjoyed my time playing Ghost of Tsushima but there was plenty of monotony. I am not in any hurry to play it again or get a sequel. If you’re looking for an open world, AAA, PS4 era game I would probably recommend Ghost of Tsushima over the competition.
7.3/10
I can’t comment on whether or not the upgrade from PS4 is worth it as this release was my first experience with Ghost of Tsushima. Although I can say that the Iki Island expansion is just more of the same.
Ghost of Tsushima commits the same sins as a lot of other recent games - open world with a bunch of unnecessary, uninspired side activities, side missions, resource collecting, upgrades, light RPG stuff, collectables and camps to clear. Basically it’s a big map that’s really a repetitive checklist. It is bloated, goes on too long and does not respect the player’s time.
The gameplay is fun, especially in the early hours of play, but it doesn’t have enough depth or variety to last the games run time. Standoffs are cool at first but get old. Combat is simple but satisfying and they give you just enough options to keep things fun for a while. Stealth is shallow and enemy AI is poor. For some reason there is too much linear, tedious climbing and you feel too floaty when jumping about. Exploration doesn’t feel very rewarding and riding about starts to drag.
The story is enjoyable but doesn’t really do anything interesting or get you heavily invested. The game starts off and ends pretty well but of course most of the game is drawn out. The characters are good but not super memorable. I enjoyed that the game had some humour from time to time which certainly helped break things up a bit.
So what really elevates Ghost of Tsushima above the competition? First of all I think people really wanted an open world, historical, Japanese, Samurai game and this definitely got my attention. Then there is the style. This game looks beautiful and not because it tries to push the limits of technology. It’s the art direction, the colours, the constant beautiful views, the wind and weather, the commitment to the time period while also not being dedicated to realism.
The other thing that comes across is the developer’s passion for the location, time period, Samurai culture and other media that has done this before. It’s clear that a lot of research was done when creating this game. I enjoyed it so much that I found myself looking up Tsushima, Iki and Mongol and Japanese history. The inspiration from Samurai films shines through as well and I appreciated the visual options. I played this in Japanese with English subtitles and had a good time soaking it all in.
Overall I enjoyed my time playing Ghost of Tsushima but there was plenty of monotony. I am not in any hurry to play it again or get a sequel. If you’re looking for an open world, AAA, PS4 era game I would probably recommend Ghost of Tsushima over the competition.
7.3/10
The good
I like the 30s setting and they did a good job with it.
The story and characters are just good enough to stop you skipping cut scenes.
There are good options for difficulty, driving and aiming.
The driving feels good. The cars have a good sense of speed and a real weight and momentum to them. You can slide and spin the wheels in the more powerful cars.
The bad
Basic third person shooter gameplay and very simple melee combat.
The whole game outside driving feels a bit awkward and clunky.
It doesn’t look that good.
The open world is just a set to drive through.
The very bad
Weird visual issues.
It crashed once.
Sometimes loading would randomly take much longer.
Mafia: Definitive Edition isn’t very good but it’s worth a play through if it looks like your type of game.
5.7/10
I like the 30s setting and they did a good job with it.
The story and characters are just good enough to stop you skipping cut scenes.
There are good options for difficulty, driving and aiming.
The driving feels good. The cars have a good sense of speed and a real weight and momentum to them. You can slide and spin the wheels in the more powerful cars.
The bad
Basic third person shooter gameplay and very simple melee combat.
The whole game outside driving feels a bit awkward and clunky.
It doesn’t look that good.
The open world is just a set to drive through.
The very bad
Weird visual issues.
It crashed once.
Sometimes loading would randomly take much longer.
Mafia: Definitive Edition isn’t very good but it’s worth a play through if it looks like your type of game.
5.7/10
2017
What is the best PS4 game? Bloodborne? The Witcher 3? Persona 5? Red Dead Redemption 2? Rocket League? 13 Sentinels? Resident Evil 2? Devil May Cry 5? God of War? Uncharted 4? Nope it’s none of these, it is Nier: Automata, and it isn’t even that hard of a choice. Nier: Automata achieves what many games should be trying to achieve – A perfect marriage of gameplay, visuals, story and sound.
You should go into this knowing as little as possible so I’ll keep things brief. The story is one of the best ever. It is phenomenal and so effective. It’s the type of story that can only be done properly in video games. The soundtrack is beautiful and one of the best ever. The game doesn’t have the biggest budget visuals but the art direction more than makes up for it. The game play is great. It is an action RPG inspired by hack n slash games with lite shump sections and regular perspective shifts. It’s made by Platinum Games, the developers of Bayonetta, Vanquish and Astral Chain.
So why am I not giving this a high 9? Unfortunately due to the way the game plays and how the story is told there is too much repetition. You fight the same enemies and see the same locations often. Then on top of this the side quests can be bland and add to the repetition. But of course all of this is really nothing compared to how good this game is.
Are video games art? Yes, Nier: Automata proves this. Are video games on the same level as great literature and films? Yes, Nier: Automata proves this. If Roger Ebert was still with us Nier: Automata could have changed his mind on video games. Nier: Automata has the power to change you or at the very least be thought provoking and moving. Yoko Taro, the games writer and director, is a genius.
Yeah I know this review sounds hyperbolic but Nier: Automata deserves it and if this little review convinces one person to play Nier: Automata then it has been more than worth it. If you love this medium then you need to play this.
9.4/10
You should go into this knowing as little as possible so I’ll keep things brief. The story is one of the best ever. It is phenomenal and so effective. It’s the type of story that can only be done properly in video games. The soundtrack is beautiful and one of the best ever. The game doesn’t have the biggest budget visuals but the art direction more than makes up for it. The game play is great. It is an action RPG inspired by hack n slash games with lite shump sections and regular perspective shifts. It’s made by Platinum Games, the developers of Bayonetta, Vanquish and Astral Chain.
So why am I not giving this a high 9? Unfortunately due to the way the game plays and how the story is told there is too much repetition. You fight the same enemies and see the same locations often. Then on top of this the side quests can be bland and add to the repetition. But of course all of this is really nothing compared to how good this game is.
Are video games art? Yes, Nier: Automata proves this. Are video games on the same level as great literature and films? Yes, Nier: Automata proves this. If Roger Ebert was still with us Nier: Automata could have changed his mind on video games. Nier: Automata has the power to change you or at the very least be thought provoking and moving. Yoko Taro, the games writer and director, is a genius.
Yeah I know this review sounds hyperbolic but Nier: Automata deserves it and if this little review convinces one person to play Nier: Automata then it has been more than worth it. If you love this medium then you need to play this.
9.4/10
2022
Unfortunately I found Grid Legends to be very bland which is surprising as I enjoyed Grid and Grid 2 on PS3. I also liked Dirt 1-4 and Dirt Rally. I'm not sure what's going on at Codemasters but this, Dirt 5 and Onrush have been really underwhelming.
First off the good. It works, looks decent, runs fine and I got it from PS Plus. There is a good amount of tracks and cars. It's kind of fun just driving with reckless abandon, smashing into other cars and clipping walls.
The biggest problem this game has is the way cars feel to drive, which is a massive issue for a racing game. They don't behave at all like you expect a car to, the physics are just weird. Driving feels stiff and simple, you really need to try hard to lose control. For example you can drive a RWD car in the wet with no traction control and just floor it without any concern for wheel spin. It's like the developers didn't want you to be able to fail. So it's not realistic at all but it also doesn't deliver arcade fun. It also does not find a balance between realism and arcade thrills. It is just bland.
The story mode was thoroughly boring and I quickly started skipping cut scenes. The career mode is grindy and you get tired as one dull race bleeds into another. You can try to keep things fresh by constantly changing the type of vehicle you are racing. I found the stadium trucks to be the highlight. There is also drifting which they also somehow made kind of boring. It's like the whole game was made as safe and uninspired as possible. They didn't want to allow players to suck at it.
It's not very good but doesn't do enough to make me hate it. I can't recommend Grid Legends unless you got it with PS Plus or are desperate for another racing game.
5.8/10
First off the good. It works, looks decent, runs fine and I got it from PS Plus. There is a good amount of tracks and cars. It's kind of fun just driving with reckless abandon, smashing into other cars and clipping walls.
The biggest problem this game has is the way cars feel to drive, which is a massive issue for a racing game. They don't behave at all like you expect a car to, the physics are just weird. Driving feels stiff and simple, you really need to try hard to lose control. For example you can drive a RWD car in the wet with no traction control and just floor it without any concern for wheel spin. It's like the developers didn't want you to be able to fail. So it's not realistic at all but it also doesn't deliver arcade fun. It also does not find a balance between realism and arcade thrills. It is just bland.
The story mode was thoroughly boring and I quickly started skipping cut scenes. The career mode is grindy and you get tired as one dull race bleeds into another. You can try to keep things fresh by constantly changing the type of vehicle you are racing. I found the stadium trucks to be the highlight. There is also drifting which they also somehow made kind of boring. It's like the whole game was made as safe and uninspired as possible. They didn't want to allow players to suck at it.
It's not very good but doesn't do enough to make me hate it. I can't recommend Grid Legends unless you got it with PS Plus or are desperate for another racing game.
5.8/10
2022
A stylish, old school inspired, science fiction, psychological, survival horror game at an affordable price point. Yes please and thank you!
Signalis plays how you would expect a survival horror to and is heavily inspired by Resident Evil and Silent Hill. You have a limited inventory space, which means considering what to pick up and planning your trips to the item box. You use the map to get around and see what needs to be explored next. Every enemy encounter needs consideration as you have limited health, ammo and items and you will probably need to back track through each location again too. There are good puzzles to solve which are not too easy but not too obtuse. The game does not hold your hand either and there are no constant check points. It’s all very satisfying to play and it is the type of game that is hard to put down. I found myself saying “I’ll just check out these two rooms” or “I’ll just see what this key opens.” Then another hour would fly by and I’m still playing.
The combat is the weakest part. The way the enemies move, look and sound is creepy but they don’t really pose a threat on their own. One or two enemies can usually be easily dodged around or put down. The way the game ups the difficulty is by throwing small groups at you and/or heavily restricting space. It would have been cool if the enemies were a challenge on their own and a greater variety in enemies and how they attack would have been good too. I found the combat definitely got tiresome by the start of a second play through. There are also some first person sections which felt too slow and tedious.
The story, world and lore of Signalis is interesting and I really enjoyed it. It’s not told in a direct way and there is room for interpretation. There are multiple endings as well which are all valid. The art direction and sound all fit perfectly with this story and world. It looks somewhat like a PS1 era game but has so much of its own personality and style which I am a big fan of.
Signalis was easily one of the best games released in 2022. The very small development team are absolute legends and I can’t wait to see what they do next. If you have any interest in survival horror then you need to play this or even if you just like good games in general then I recommend Signalis.
8.3/10
Signalis plays how you would expect a survival horror to and is heavily inspired by Resident Evil and Silent Hill. You have a limited inventory space, which means considering what to pick up and planning your trips to the item box. You use the map to get around and see what needs to be explored next. Every enemy encounter needs consideration as you have limited health, ammo and items and you will probably need to back track through each location again too. There are good puzzles to solve which are not too easy but not too obtuse. The game does not hold your hand either and there are no constant check points. It’s all very satisfying to play and it is the type of game that is hard to put down. I found myself saying “I’ll just check out these two rooms” or “I’ll just see what this key opens.” Then another hour would fly by and I’m still playing.
The combat is the weakest part. The way the enemies move, look and sound is creepy but they don’t really pose a threat on their own. One or two enemies can usually be easily dodged around or put down. The way the game ups the difficulty is by throwing small groups at you and/or heavily restricting space. It would have been cool if the enemies were a challenge on their own and a greater variety in enemies and how they attack would have been good too. I found the combat definitely got tiresome by the start of a second play through. There are also some first person sections which felt too slow and tedious.
The story, world and lore of Signalis is interesting and I really enjoyed it. It’s not told in a direct way and there is room for interpretation. There are multiple endings as well which are all valid. The art direction and sound all fit perfectly with this story and world. It looks somewhat like a PS1 era game but has so much of its own personality and style which I am a big fan of.
Signalis was easily one of the best games released in 2022. The very small development team are absolute legends and I can’t wait to see what they do next. If you have any interest in survival horror then you need to play this or even if you just like good games in general then I recommend Signalis.
8.3/10
2022
This is the first Bayonetta game I didn't immediately start a second play through after finishing it. I actually haven't even bothered to go back and play it again.
Pretty much everything here feels like a big step backwards from Bayonetta 1 and 2. Gameplay is like two steps sideways and one step backwards (maybe this isn't even harsh enough). Cut scenes, dialogue and characters are less entertaining. Story is meh. Some parts of the game don't look that great and it doesn't always run smoothly. It's bloated and feels like it drags on way too long.
Bayonetta 3 honestly confuses me. Why did they make locations so big and open? Why did gameplay pull focus away from the core combat? What happened to Bayonetta's personality and dialogue? The voice actress stuff is sad and the new actor definitely is not even close to Bayonetta. Why do mainstream critics seem to like this game so much? Bayonetta got neutered.
Bayonetta 3 is worth playing through and it's still fun and engaging just nowhere near much as it was in the previous two games.
7.1/10
Pretty much everything here feels like a big step backwards from Bayonetta 1 and 2. Gameplay is like two steps sideways and one step backwards (maybe this isn't even harsh enough). Cut scenes, dialogue and characters are less entertaining. Story is meh. Some parts of the game don't look that great and it doesn't always run smoothly. It's bloated and feels like it drags on way too long.
Bayonetta 3 honestly confuses me. Why did they make locations so big and open? Why did gameplay pull focus away from the core combat? What happened to Bayonetta's personality and dialogue? The voice actress stuff is sad and the new actor definitely is not even close to Bayonetta. Why do mainstream critics seem to like this game so much? Bayonetta got neutered.
Bayonetta 3 is worth playing through and it's still fun and engaging just nowhere near much as it was in the previous two games.
7.1/10
13 Sentinels is one of my favorite pieces of science fiction ever, across any medium.
Go into this as blind as you can. This one of those games you want to experience with very little knowledge of it before hand, so I don't want to say too much.
The story is one of the best in gaming history. The characters are excellent and all shine brightly despite the large cast. It's looks and sounds absolutely beautiful. If you've ever played a Vanillaware game you'll know what to expect.
Unfortunately I can't praise the gameplay as highly. The gameplay isn't bad, it's just not as compelling as the narrative, art, characters, etc. It's fun but not interesting enough and lacks challenge.
I highly recommend 13 Sentinels and it's one of those games that everyone who loves this medium should at least try. It definitely deserves more love and attention than it has currently received.
9.0/10
Go into this as blind as you can. This one of those games you want to experience with very little knowledge of it before hand, so I don't want to say too much.
The story is one of the best in gaming history. The characters are excellent and all shine brightly despite the large cast. It's looks and sounds absolutely beautiful. If you've ever played a Vanillaware game you'll know what to expect.
Unfortunately I can't praise the gameplay as highly. The gameplay isn't bad, it's just not as compelling as the narrative, art, characters, etc. It's fun but not interesting enough and lacks challenge.
I highly recommend 13 Sentinels and it's one of those games that everyone who loves this medium should at least try. It definitely deserves more love and attention than it has currently received.
9.0/10
2023
Wanted: Dead is another game unfairly thrown under the bus or ignored by main stream videogame reviewers. Things have been like this for a long time now but it’s still sad to see and getting worse. Mainstream videogame reviews are hurting games, the gaming industry and gamers. The importance placed on game review scores and the metacritic number is not a good thing as it causes developers to create safe games that appeal to the mainstream game reviewers. And we all know how good the big game reviewers opinions are – weak, ignorant, shallow first impressions, pushed out quickly to get clicks, written by people that didn’t pay for it, didn’t have enough time to learn to play it properly, or didn’t care and are in a position where they can’t be too critical as it may affect their access to the industry, advertising spending and connections with their peers. So then along comes a game like Wanted: Dead that they can ‘safely’ shit on or ignore or do a really bad job reviewing and most people won’t care but it hurts the game, the developers, the industry and gamers. (Obviously this is a generalisation and gamers aren’t much better.)
Wanted: Dead is not a 4 out of 10 or worse. Wanted: Dead is lower budget and rough around the edges but it is a really solid action game with plenty of personality. I honestly think it is an enjoyable, charismatic game made by developers earnestly trying to make something fun and challenging in their own style.
First let’s get the bad out of the way. The two big negatives I see in reviews are low production values/ lack of polish and difficulty. There is plenty of truth to the first point. The graphics are not the best and the frame rate does drop at times. Objects and environments are not super detailed and the character models look dated. The enemies pass though surfaces they shouldn’t occasionally and the camera doesn’t always do a perfect job. During my second play through I had multiple crashes and I think one of the trophies may not be unlocking. However none of this is bad enough to make me stop playing or dislike the game but of course it does lower my opinion and I wish the experience was smoother and better looking. The difficulty on the other hand is a deliberate part of the game. If you don’t want to learn how to play and you don’t give yourself some time to get decent at it then you’re in for a frustrating time. Once you get the hang of things and unlock some skills the game becomes pretty great. Don’t get me wrong the game still throws some really hard sections your way, especially in the final stage, but the only part of the game that feels bulls**t hard is those damn minigames, which are generally optional.
The story and characters of Wanted: Dead was something I didn’t think I was going to care for at first but overtime I got more into it. Especially the quirky cast of characters, they grew on me so much and by the end I was left wanting more. What helps a lot is that the game doesn’t take itself too seriously and has you regularly changing from one thing to another. One minute you’re watching a cutscene, then some ultra violent gameplay, then to the crane game, then an anime cutscene, then karaoke, then live action cooking lessons, etc. It’s a fun, wild time but the humour and style won’t be for everyone. Wanted: Dead may not have a ‘good’ story or ‘deep’ characters but that isn’t a problem. It is totally fine to make something that is just kind of cool and fun.
Visually as I already said Wanted: Dead is not very technically impressive. I still like the look of it though because of the style, direction and character designs. The soundtrack was pretty cool and l liked the voice acting. It suited the characters and tone of the game.
Now we’re at the meat of the game, the excellent hack n slash/third person shooter hybrid combat. The problem with this is you don’t get the depth of a hack n slash or a TPS but you do gain the fun, interesting gameplay of mixing the two. Your main gun, second gun, grenades and cover work like a TPS. Your pistol is for counters, light hits and interrupting enemies. Your sword is for heavier hits, basic combos and charge attacks. You also have a block, parry, counter hit, side step, dodge roll, sprint, slide and sometimes a chainsaw. On top of that you have executions, slow mo and slow mo handgun attack all earned by playing well. You gain health back by hurting enemies too so it’s the type of game that rewards good play and encourages aggressive play. These elements mix so well together and once you get good and are in the zone it is a blast that looks so freaking cool. There is depth here or you can just get good enough to enjoy and finish it. Yeah it’s hard but worth it.
Wanted: Dead’s flaws are not enough to drag down the fun too much. I was swearing and laughing throughout and it will be a cult classic, if it’s not already. If it were slightly longer, had higher production values and was more highly polished it would be a game of the year contender for me. It is really important to support games like this. If people didn’t buy and appreciate King’s field, Lost kingdoms and Demon’s souls we wouldn’t have Elden Ring and Bloodborne. I would strongly recommend Wanted: Dead to anyone that enjoys Japanese action games.
7.4/10
Just wanted to add a little extra to this:
Since I first typed up this review I have played it two more times, including on Japanese hard mode and I fell more in love with it. I also didn’t give the story enough credit in my review. It’s still not something super deep or anything but there are obviously very deliberate choices that went into the this and are there for a reason. I’ll have to pull things apart or just get lazy and look for a good YouTube video on it. Part of me wants to raise this score even higher but I can’t ignore those flaws.
Wanted: Dead is not a 4 out of 10 or worse. Wanted: Dead is lower budget and rough around the edges but it is a really solid action game with plenty of personality. I honestly think it is an enjoyable, charismatic game made by developers earnestly trying to make something fun and challenging in their own style.
First let’s get the bad out of the way. The two big negatives I see in reviews are low production values/ lack of polish and difficulty. There is plenty of truth to the first point. The graphics are not the best and the frame rate does drop at times. Objects and environments are not super detailed and the character models look dated. The enemies pass though surfaces they shouldn’t occasionally and the camera doesn’t always do a perfect job. During my second play through I had multiple crashes and I think one of the trophies may not be unlocking. However none of this is bad enough to make me stop playing or dislike the game but of course it does lower my opinion and I wish the experience was smoother and better looking. The difficulty on the other hand is a deliberate part of the game. If you don’t want to learn how to play and you don’t give yourself some time to get decent at it then you’re in for a frustrating time. Once you get the hang of things and unlock some skills the game becomes pretty great. Don’t get me wrong the game still throws some really hard sections your way, especially in the final stage, but the only part of the game that feels bulls**t hard is those damn minigames, which are generally optional.
The story and characters of Wanted: Dead was something I didn’t think I was going to care for at first but overtime I got more into it. Especially the quirky cast of characters, they grew on me so much and by the end I was left wanting more. What helps a lot is that the game doesn’t take itself too seriously and has you regularly changing from one thing to another. One minute you’re watching a cutscene, then some ultra violent gameplay, then to the crane game, then an anime cutscene, then karaoke, then live action cooking lessons, etc. It’s a fun, wild time but the humour and style won’t be for everyone. Wanted: Dead may not have a ‘good’ story or ‘deep’ characters but that isn’t a problem. It is totally fine to make something that is just kind of cool and fun.
Visually as I already said Wanted: Dead is not very technically impressive. I still like the look of it though because of the style, direction and character designs. The soundtrack was pretty cool and l liked the voice acting. It suited the characters and tone of the game.
Now we’re at the meat of the game, the excellent hack n slash/third person shooter hybrid combat. The problem with this is you don’t get the depth of a hack n slash or a TPS but you do gain the fun, interesting gameplay of mixing the two. Your main gun, second gun, grenades and cover work like a TPS. Your pistol is for counters, light hits and interrupting enemies. Your sword is for heavier hits, basic combos and charge attacks. You also have a block, parry, counter hit, side step, dodge roll, sprint, slide and sometimes a chainsaw. On top of that you have executions, slow mo and slow mo handgun attack all earned by playing well. You gain health back by hurting enemies too so it’s the type of game that rewards good play and encourages aggressive play. These elements mix so well together and once you get good and are in the zone it is a blast that looks so freaking cool. There is depth here or you can just get good enough to enjoy and finish it. Yeah it’s hard but worth it.
Wanted: Dead’s flaws are not enough to drag down the fun too much. I was swearing and laughing throughout and it will be a cult classic, if it’s not already. If it were slightly longer, had higher production values and was more highly polished it would be a game of the year contender for me. It is really important to support games like this. If people didn’t buy and appreciate King’s field, Lost kingdoms and Demon’s souls we wouldn’t have Elden Ring and Bloodborne. I would strongly recommend Wanted: Dead to anyone that enjoys Japanese action games.
7.4/10
Just wanted to add a little extra to this:
Since I first typed up this review I have played it two more times, including on Japanese hard mode and I fell more in love with it. I also didn’t give the story enough credit in my review. It’s still not something super deep or anything but there are obviously very deliberate choices that went into the this and are there for a reason. I’ll have to pull things apart or just get lazy and look for a good YouTube video on it. Part of me wants to raise this score even higher but I can’t ignore those flaws.
2002
The pinnacle of survival horror and one of the greatest games ever made. It's been over 20 years and I still love it just as much if not more.
Survival horror gameplay is so satisfying, especially in Resident Evil Remake. When you start out you feel like a mouse trapped in a violent maze. Then you start to learn the map, figure things out, get better and make your way through. Then the replays begin. You go from fumbling your way through to attempting things like harder difficulties, speed runs, no save runs, no hit runs, etc. It is so enjoyable, rewarding and fun. If there was any game I could forget and experience all over again it would probably be this.
Every enemy encounter is meaningful because they don’t go down quickly and you have to consider the risk, limited resources, item management and backtracking. When you approach a zombie or hear one around the corner you need to stop and make a decision. Do I take it out or try to run past? Is there another way to go? How much health and/or ammo do I have? How much health and ammo is back in the item box? When am I going back to the item box? How often am I going to come back here? If I put it down will I come back and burn it so it doesn’t get back up? What do I do if I get hit? Do I have any self defence items? How much progress will I lose if I die? The game allows you to screw yourself and never holds your hand but this makes overcoming it so much sweeter. It is utterly fantastic.
Then on top of this there is enjoyable exploration through creepy, atmospheric environments that you slowly unlock your way further into. With tense action against tough, scary enemies that forces you to stand your ground or run. The weapons hit hard and can produce graphic headshots and you can die just as horrifically. And the puzzles that are just right. Nasty traps, horror, gore and jump scares. This game recipe is f**king exquisite.
The presentation is stellar. The fixed camera angles allow the developers to perfectly frame the whole game to increase the atmosphere, horror and player discomfort, and to highlight or hide things for the player. The visuals and art direction are excellent. The environments are gorgeous and detailed or dirty and gruesome when needed. The mansion is stunning and has so much atmosphere. It is my favourite video game location ever, it’s that good. The character and enemy models are great. The game is getting old now but still looks so good. Of course the audio is top notch too. The music, sound effects and ambient noises are so well done but they also knew when to have restraint and it’s all such a big part of the game's unnerving atmosphere.
I love the characters, story, lore and dialogue too. The history of the mansion, Umbrella and the experiments is fun to dive into and all the notes/diaries/documents are worth reading. Jill, Chris, Barry, Rebecca, Wesker, even poor Richard, I love them all. The famous dialogue is a joy as is the B horror movie vibe.
The only thing I can think of that is wrong is that I wish there was more of it and that we still got games like this regularly. A little bit longer, more options, more unlockables, more variety on further playthroughs. But I’m probably just being greedy, this game is near perfect. The only other issue is that the cave and laboratory areas are not as memorable as the mansion and residence for me.
It improves on everything from the original while staying true to that vision. It doesn’t really throw anything away or remix stuff too much. It just makes it better and the new additions fit in so well it’s like they were always meant to be there.
Go play this now if you've never tried it. I’m serious, I don’t care what your plans are. If you’ve never played Resident Evil Remake, fix that as soon as possible. I’m jealous that you get to experience this for the first time and wish I could again. Give it some time, you will get used to the older gameplay style and find it really works for this type of game. I hope as many people as possible enjoy this. Resident Evil Remake is how remakes should be done and how well games in general should be done.
9.7/10
Survival horror gameplay is so satisfying, especially in Resident Evil Remake. When you start out you feel like a mouse trapped in a violent maze. Then you start to learn the map, figure things out, get better and make your way through. Then the replays begin. You go from fumbling your way through to attempting things like harder difficulties, speed runs, no save runs, no hit runs, etc. It is so enjoyable, rewarding and fun. If there was any game I could forget and experience all over again it would probably be this.
Every enemy encounter is meaningful because they don’t go down quickly and you have to consider the risk, limited resources, item management and backtracking. When you approach a zombie or hear one around the corner you need to stop and make a decision. Do I take it out or try to run past? Is there another way to go? How much health and/or ammo do I have? How much health and ammo is back in the item box? When am I going back to the item box? How often am I going to come back here? If I put it down will I come back and burn it so it doesn’t get back up? What do I do if I get hit? Do I have any self defence items? How much progress will I lose if I die? The game allows you to screw yourself and never holds your hand but this makes overcoming it so much sweeter. It is utterly fantastic.
Then on top of this there is enjoyable exploration through creepy, atmospheric environments that you slowly unlock your way further into. With tense action against tough, scary enemies that forces you to stand your ground or run. The weapons hit hard and can produce graphic headshots and you can die just as horrifically. And the puzzles that are just right. Nasty traps, horror, gore and jump scares. This game recipe is f**king exquisite.
The presentation is stellar. The fixed camera angles allow the developers to perfectly frame the whole game to increase the atmosphere, horror and player discomfort, and to highlight or hide things for the player. The visuals and art direction are excellent. The environments are gorgeous and detailed or dirty and gruesome when needed. The mansion is stunning and has so much atmosphere. It is my favourite video game location ever, it’s that good. The character and enemy models are great. The game is getting old now but still looks so good. Of course the audio is top notch too. The music, sound effects and ambient noises are so well done but they also knew when to have restraint and it’s all such a big part of the game's unnerving atmosphere.
I love the characters, story, lore and dialogue too. The history of the mansion, Umbrella and the experiments is fun to dive into and all the notes/diaries/documents are worth reading. Jill, Chris, Barry, Rebecca, Wesker, even poor Richard, I love them all. The famous dialogue is a joy as is the B horror movie vibe.
The only thing I can think of that is wrong is that I wish there was more of it and that we still got games like this regularly. A little bit longer, more options, more unlockables, more variety on further playthroughs. But I’m probably just being greedy, this game is near perfect. The only other issue is that the cave and laboratory areas are not as memorable as the mansion and residence for me.
It improves on everything from the original while staying true to that vision. It doesn’t really throw anything away or remix stuff too much. It just makes it better and the new additions fit in so well it’s like they were always meant to be there.
Go play this now if you've never tried it. I’m serious, I don’t care what your plans are. If you’ve never played Resident Evil Remake, fix that as soon as possible. I’m jealous that you get to experience this for the first time and wish I could again. Give it some time, you will get used to the older gameplay style and find it really works for this type of game. I hope as many people as possible enjoy this. Resident Evil Remake is how remakes should be done and how well games in general should be done.
9.7/10
2023
RE4 R is a safe, unfinished, inferior re-imagining of one of the greatest games ever made that has unnecessary monetization (day one DLC plus more added after reviews) and doesn't need to exist. However I still really enjoy it and recommend it.
The crazy level of mainstream praise this game has received is bad for the future of the medium. The dismissal of the original, the claims that the original needed modernizing and that this new version of RE4 is better or on par with the original is awful. I thought video games were a medium deserving respect. Doesn't the gaming community get pissed off anytime someone from TV or film makes an ignorant comment about games. So why are we treating one of our classics like this because there is a shiny new but inferior version out. Could you imagine this happening to a classic film, TV show, book etc? Are video games disposable toys that we get rid of when new ones come out or are they art?
The way the original plays is so good. The combination of the way Leon moves/controls, standing your ground, accurate shooting, melee attacks, knife, repositioning when needed and using the environment to your advantage with the way enemies move/attack/behave/react, enemy variety, level design, the weaponry and set pieces just works so damn well. It doesn't have any right to be this good but it is. It is near perfect. This re-imagining takes this gameplay and tries to modernize it, make it more realistic and play similar to other modern 3rd person shooters. In doing so they upset the near perfect balance. So they tried adding new things and re-balancing to get it near perfect again but failed. What we are left with is a game that is good to play but less fun and more frustrating than a game made almost 20 years ago. Nearly every part of the gameplay needs adjusting. But I think with further tweaking it could play different but maybe as good as the original.
The re-imagining does do a better job with the story and lore but loses so much of what made the original special. The characters have more depth now but lose almost everything that made them so entertaining. Why focus on these changes? It's not what RE4 needed, this is RE4 not The Last of Us. The original story and characters were about fun and entertainment and serving the gameplay. There is so much cut from this game and none of the changes or additions make up for it. The pacing is also worse. How did this re-imagining drag on longer than the original when it has less content? Why do the merchants side missions and back tracking for treasures feel like unnecessary bloat?
It does look quite good after turning off lens distortion and chromatic aberration but I still prefer the originals art direction by far. The original was surreal, bleak, unnerving and gruesome. The re-imagining is overtly 'horror,' dark and clichéd. The original character and enemy designs were better too. I do like the new brute enemies swapped for JJ though, this was a good idea. It runs well and I only noticed a little jankiness and the frame rate only dipped a little when things got busy in the rain. There was a little pop in too.
Why was Mercenaries not at launch and why does that mode feel underdone? Why are there little things I need to pay extra for? (Like the original soundtrack) Why have they added more little things to pay for? Are these going to make the game easier? Did they deliberately make the game harder/more frustrating/grindy hoping to push some to buy these? (Please don't buy them). Why wasn't all this at launch during the review window? What dlc is coming and how much are they going to charge for it? Why are so many people just okay with this?
Why am I already tired of this game while looking forward to continuing to replay the original for another 18 years? It is just such a huge missed opportunity. Capcom took something brilliant and instead of remaking it, building on it, trying to improve it and leaning more into what made it one of the best ever they decided to make it something different. But not different or bold and fresh enough to stand on it's own.
This game and the original are not survival horror, stop calling every horror game survival horror. It sucks seeing one of your favourite genres being erased by mislabeling and wilful ignorance.
This is a re-imagining not a remake. A remake is the same again but hopefully better. A re-imagining is a reinterpretation or adaptation which is very familiar but different.
Now this re-imagining exists it means there will never be an official remake or high quality remaster.
The original Resident Evil 4 is affordable, available everywhere and comes with all the content and no microtransactions.
I'm still giving this game a high 7, even though this has been a pretty negative review, because even an inferior re-imagining of RE4 is still RE4, which is unbelievably good. There's still plenty of fun to be had here, there are some good moments and ideas and it's a pretty polished game.
So go play the original if you haven't or replay it again if it's been a while. But still check out this new version just don't take the mainstream reviews seriously, keep your expectations reasonable, enjoy it for what it is and it'll be a good time. I paid full price day one, got the platinum trophy on PS5 and I don't regret it.
7.8/10
The crazy level of mainstream praise this game has received is bad for the future of the medium. The dismissal of the original, the claims that the original needed modernizing and that this new version of RE4 is better or on par with the original is awful. I thought video games were a medium deserving respect. Doesn't the gaming community get pissed off anytime someone from TV or film makes an ignorant comment about games. So why are we treating one of our classics like this because there is a shiny new but inferior version out. Could you imagine this happening to a classic film, TV show, book etc? Are video games disposable toys that we get rid of when new ones come out or are they art?
The way the original plays is so good. The combination of the way Leon moves/controls, standing your ground, accurate shooting, melee attacks, knife, repositioning when needed and using the environment to your advantage with the way enemies move/attack/behave/react, enemy variety, level design, the weaponry and set pieces just works so damn well. It doesn't have any right to be this good but it is. It is near perfect. This re-imagining takes this gameplay and tries to modernize it, make it more realistic and play similar to other modern 3rd person shooters. In doing so they upset the near perfect balance. So they tried adding new things and re-balancing to get it near perfect again but failed. What we are left with is a game that is good to play but less fun and more frustrating than a game made almost 20 years ago. Nearly every part of the gameplay needs adjusting. But I think with further tweaking it could play different but maybe as good as the original.
The re-imagining does do a better job with the story and lore but loses so much of what made the original special. The characters have more depth now but lose almost everything that made them so entertaining. Why focus on these changes? It's not what RE4 needed, this is RE4 not The Last of Us. The original story and characters were about fun and entertainment and serving the gameplay. There is so much cut from this game and none of the changes or additions make up for it. The pacing is also worse. How did this re-imagining drag on longer than the original when it has less content? Why do the merchants side missions and back tracking for treasures feel like unnecessary bloat?
It does look quite good after turning off lens distortion and chromatic aberration but I still prefer the originals art direction by far. The original was surreal, bleak, unnerving and gruesome. The re-imagining is overtly 'horror,' dark and clichéd. The original character and enemy designs were better too. I do like the new brute enemies swapped for JJ though, this was a good idea. It runs well and I only noticed a little jankiness and the frame rate only dipped a little when things got busy in the rain. There was a little pop in too.
Why was Mercenaries not at launch and why does that mode feel underdone? Why are there little things I need to pay extra for? (Like the original soundtrack) Why have they added more little things to pay for? Are these going to make the game easier? Did they deliberately make the game harder/more frustrating/grindy hoping to push some to buy these? (Please don't buy them). Why wasn't all this at launch during the review window? What dlc is coming and how much are they going to charge for it? Why are so many people just okay with this?
Why am I already tired of this game while looking forward to continuing to replay the original for another 18 years? It is just such a huge missed opportunity. Capcom took something brilliant and instead of remaking it, building on it, trying to improve it and leaning more into what made it one of the best ever they decided to make it something different. But not different or bold and fresh enough to stand on it's own.
This game and the original are not survival horror, stop calling every horror game survival horror. It sucks seeing one of your favourite genres being erased by mislabeling and wilful ignorance.
This is a re-imagining not a remake. A remake is the same again but hopefully better. A re-imagining is a reinterpretation or adaptation which is very familiar but different.
Now this re-imagining exists it means there will never be an official remake or high quality remaster.
The original Resident Evil 4 is affordable, available everywhere and comes with all the content and no microtransactions.
I'm still giving this game a high 7, even though this has been a pretty negative review, because even an inferior re-imagining of RE4 is still RE4, which is unbelievably good. There's still plenty of fun to be had here, there are some good moments and ideas and it's a pretty polished game.
So go play the original if you haven't or replay it again if it's been a while. But still check out this new version just don't take the mainstream reviews seriously, keep your expectations reasonable, enjoy it for what it is and it'll be a good time. I paid full price day one, got the platinum trophy on PS5 and I don't regret it.
7.8/10
2005
Resident Evil 4 is pretty much as good as gaming gets. It is the pinnacle of action-horror. It was an absolute revolution for 3rd person shooters, action games and gaming in general.
The gameplay is near perfect. The controls are excellent because the whole game is designed around them. The over the shoulder camera keeps the action at the perfect distance. The weapons using laser sights and having so much punch to them. Fast, accurate aiming with just enough weapon sway, inaccuracy and enemy threat to keep you on your toes and trying to hit your shots. The way enemies consistently react to getting shot and the incredibly satisfying headshots. Following up with a kick or suplex. The game just constantly rewards you for playing well. Taking on enemies with just a knife whether it's for fun or to save ammo or to slash projectiles out the air. Watching enemies fall off edges after being shot. Pushing the ladders while enemies try to climb it. Shooting through doors. kicking doors open to damage enemies on the other side. Getting enemies to group together and throwing an incendiary grenade into them. Leaping out windows. The set pieces and bosses. Crowd control. Repositioning when needed and not knowing exactly what's behind you while doing so. Using the environment to your advantage. Getting your head taken off in one horrific hit. The enemy variety. The weapon variety. They somehow made you not hate escorting another character. The list goes on and on and god damn it's all so good. The pacing is so well done as well with the game constantly throwing cool new things at you but also knowing when to slow things down a bit. The developers didn't even stop after creating a brilliant, lengthy, highly re-playable main story, they went and did more. The Mercenaries mode is really addictive. Then there's Separate Ways and unlockables too.
The story, characters, dialogue and cut scenes are ridiculously entertaining and well directed. It's so goofy and fun. God damn it's all so fun, remember FUN? It's like the only questions asked when making this game were - Is it fun? Is it entertaining? Does it play well? Does it fit in? If yes, then put it in the game. It's like they had no fear of risks and were just totally confident in what they were making, which is surprising if you know the story of this games development. The tone and atmosphere is handled perfectly. Seriously how did they do this? The game can be silly and/or over the top one minute and then have no problem being more serious the next. It also can be genuinely creepy at times, or surreal or bleak. It definitely delivers on the body horror and gore too.
The game looks and sounds top notch as well. It was one of the best looking games available when it came out. The art direction is fantastic. The village is cold, bleak, isolated and hostile with something gruesome around every turn. The castle is surreal, sinister and uncomfortable. It's so opulent and ornate but something is very off about it and there are traps everywhere. It kind of reminds me of the mansion from the RE 1 remake. The Island is grimy, dirty and industrial and does have some great creepy sections but it's visually more generic and forgettable unfortunately. They nailed the character and enemy designs too. The voice acting is exactly what was needed. The enemies sound harsh and scary. The guns hit hard and all the gross noises are spot on. The soundtrack is superb and so are the ambient sounds.
However no game is perfect and Resident Evil 4 is no exception. The worst thing about this game is that it wasn't survival horror and it put an end to Resident Evil being a survival horror franchise as they went down the action-horror path from here on wards. The puzzles are also not the best but I guess really good puzzles would have bogged down this games action focus and pace. The Island is also not as good as the first two locations. I think this is mostly due to the first two areas setting such a high bar, the industrial setting feeling more generic and maybe being a little too action heavy at times. Looking back at the game now I think it did overuse the quick time events as well. As cool and well done as they are it gets a bit much, especially when your on like the 20th play through.
If you have never played it before do yourself a favour and play it now. I highly, highly recommend Resident Evil 4. I still remember buying my collector's edition just after launch, which is still on my shelf, and playing it all day. Then I bought the Wii version and played it to death again. Then the PS3 and then the PS4. I think I am going to be playing this once every five years or so until I die. Some people try to dismiss this game's high praise with statements like "It's just nostalgia" or "You just think old good, new bad." But they are wrong, Resident Evil 4 really is just that good. This is what lightning in a bottle looks like.
9.8/10
Extra notes:
I think it comes across in the review but just to make things clear. This is a general review of Resident Evil 4 and not for any specific release.
Here are a few thoughts on the different versions
The GameCube release is special for me because that was my first experience and the game was built for the GameCube and that controller. I think the GameCube version is harder too; I’m not sure if they messed with the games balance or if it’s just me but the original feels more challenging. I also have the collector’s edition which came with a very cool bonus disc with behind the scenes stuff. But this version misses out on the extras added later and it is on two discs.
The Wii release is my favourite because it’s the same RE4 but with the extra content and Wii controls. Playing with the Wii remote makes an already incredibly fun game even more enjoyable. Aiming feels great and shaking the controller is a nice change from the button pressing QTEs.
The PS3 and PS4 HD releases are the same awesome RE4 and I loved them but I think they should have put more time and attention into them. Capcom could have done a much more thorough remaster.
The gameplay is near perfect. The controls are excellent because the whole game is designed around them. The over the shoulder camera keeps the action at the perfect distance. The weapons using laser sights and having so much punch to them. Fast, accurate aiming with just enough weapon sway, inaccuracy and enemy threat to keep you on your toes and trying to hit your shots. The way enemies consistently react to getting shot and the incredibly satisfying headshots. Following up with a kick or suplex. The game just constantly rewards you for playing well. Taking on enemies with just a knife whether it's for fun or to save ammo or to slash projectiles out the air. Watching enemies fall off edges after being shot. Pushing the ladders while enemies try to climb it. Shooting through doors. kicking doors open to damage enemies on the other side. Getting enemies to group together and throwing an incendiary grenade into them. Leaping out windows. The set pieces and bosses. Crowd control. Repositioning when needed and not knowing exactly what's behind you while doing so. Using the environment to your advantage. Getting your head taken off in one horrific hit. The enemy variety. The weapon variety. They somehow made you not hate escorting another character. The list goes on and on and god damn it's all so good. The pacing is so well done as well with the game constantly throwing cool new things at you but also knowing when to slow things down a bit. The developers didn't even stop after creating a brilliant, lengthy, highly re-playable main story, they went and did more. The Mercenaries mode is really addictive. Then there's Separate Ways and unlockables too.
The story, characters, dialogue and cut scenes are ridiculously entertaining and well directed. It's so goofy and fun. God damn it's all so fun, remember FUN? It's like the only questions asked when making this game were - Is it fun? Is it entertaining? Does it play well? Does it fit in? If yes, then put it in the game. It's like they had no fear of risks and were just totally confident in what they were making, which is surprising if you know the story of this games development. The tone and atmosphere is handled perfectly. Seriously how did they do this? The game can be silly and/or over the top one minute and then have no problem being more serious the next. It also can be genuinely creepy at times, or surreal or bleak. It definitely delivers on the body horror and gore too.
The game looks and sounds top notch as well. It was one of the best looking games available when it came out. The art direction is fantastic. The village is cold, bleak, isolated and hostile with something gruesome around every turn. The castle is surreal, sinister and uncomfortable. It's so opulent and ornate but something is very off about it and there are traps everywhere. It kind of reminds me of the mansion from the RE 1 remake. The Island is grimy, dirty and industrial and does have some great creepy sections but it's visually more generic and forgettable unfortunately. They nailed the character and enemy designs too. The voice acting is exactly what was needed. The enemies sound harsh and scary. The guns hit hard and all the gross noises are spot on. The soundtrack is superb and so are the ambient sounds.
However no game is perfect and Resident Evil 4 is no exception. The worst thing about this game is that it wasn't survival horror and it put an end to Resident Evil being a survival horror franchise as they went down the action-horror path from here on wards. The puzzles are also not the best but I guess really good puzzles would have bogged down this games action focus and pace. The Island is also not as good as the first two locations. I think this is mostly due to the first two areas setting such a high bar, the industrial setting feeling more generic and maybe being a little too action heavy at times. Looking back at the game now I think it did overuse the quick time events as well. As cool and well done as they are it gets a bit much, especially when your on like the 20th play through.
If you have never played it before do yourself a favour and play it now. I highly, highly recommend Resident Evil 4. I still remember buying my collector's edition just after launch, which is still on my shelf, and playing it all day. Then I bought the Wii version and played it to death again. Then the PS3 and then the PS4. I think I am going to be playing this once every five years or so until I die. Some people try to dismiss this game's high praise with statements like "It's just nostalgia" or "You just think old good, new bad." But they are wrong, Resident Evil 4 really is just that good. This is what lightning in a bottle looks like.
9.8/10
Extra notes:
I think it comes across in the review but just to make things clear. This is a general review of Resident Evil 4 and not for any specific release.
Here are a few thoughts on the different versions
The GameCube release is special for me because that was my first experience and the game was built for the GameCube and that controller. I think the GameCube version is harder too; I’m not sure if they messed with the games balance or if it’s just me but the original feels more challenging. I also have the collector’s edition which came with a very cool bonus disc with behind the scenes stuff. But this version misses out on the extras added later and it is on two discs.
The Wii release is my favourite because it’s the same RE4 but with the extra content and Wii controls. Playing with the Wii remote makes an already incredibly fun game even more enjoyable. Aiming feels great and shaking the controller is a nice change from the button pressing QTEs.
The PS3 and PS4 HD releases are the same awesome RE4 and I loved them but I think they should have put more time and attention into them. Capcom could have done a much more thorough remaster.
Not much needs to be said about Zelda: Link’s Awakening. It’s a traditional Zelda experience with a healthy dose of quirkiness and a charming art style. It has satisfying puzzles and progression. Exploration and curiosity is constantly rewarded. It’s also got beautiful, classic Zelda music and sounds. The story is simple but really enjoyable. It was originally a Gameboy game but this kind of makes it even more impressive. They did a great job with this remake. It looks modern and has modern conveniences but feels and plays old school.
Maybe the price point is about $10 too much. There are some minor technical/performance issues. Also working out what to do or where to go can at times lean towards being a little too obtuse, especially if you gave this to a younger gamer. But it is mostly just a great time.
Zelda: Link’s Awakening is an easy recommendation. It is a must play for every Zelda fan and is a great entry point for newcomers.
9.0/10
Maybe the price point is about $10 too much. There are some minor technical/performance issues. Also working out what to do or where to go can at times lean towards being a little too obtuse, especially if you gave this to a younger gamer. But it is mostly just a great time.
Zelda: Link’s Awakening is an easy recommendation. It is a must play for every Zelda fan and is a great entry point for newcomers.
9.0/10