KingBug
2022
I’m probably underqualified to rate Splatoon 3, but a lack of intelligence has never stopped anyone on the internet before so here goes. This review is most helpful for a Splatoon newbie.
The theming and aesthetic of Splatoon both make me cringe so hard I turn inside out. The resulting hospital bills have been ugly, but worth it to play a unique first person shooter. The concept is a breath of fresh (oh god why did I say that) air for an otherwise stale genre. I love robust objective-based shooter modes, probably from my childhood Halo days, and Splatoon is all objective-based. It makes every game mode unique, and I appreciate that. There are entire weapon classes in Splatoon which can only exist in this game. You won’t mistake it for CoD or BF, that’s for sure. I genuinely enjoy this different take on the genre.
That difference, and the related Nintendo flair, require players to accept a lot of weird stuff which players can see as a positive or a negative, like the 2-map rotation system (I actually like this, at least this early in my time with the game), complete necessity of gyro controls (also a plus for me in aggregate, and an idiosyncratic feature of a Switch-only shooter), or RNG/locked loadout selections (why on earth would they do this, just balance your game better). Some stuff is outright bad, like the servers and matchmaking system, which frequently breaks in a 4-minute game session and pairs brand-new players against 1000-hour veterans. Both are unacceptable. This game also has an extremely steep learning curve in your first 10ish hours, which Splatoon solves by doing literally nothing whatsoever lol. You sink or swim. Play the single player first, as the multiplayer provides 0 training wheels. My hunch is the connectivity issues also prevent this game from having more in-depth game modes. However, I also know many of these shortcomings are somehow actually QoL improvements over previous iterations—I played a bit of Splatoon 2 which had atrocious matchmaking systems, so many things are a step up from that baseline. Other features are downright laudable—Splatoon is maybe a bit light on content, but is also a full-fledged AAA FPS without a battle pass or other micro transaction farm built in to further scalp players, and is a complete game which doesn’t happen often in 2022.
In the end, what matters is how fun the game is to play. Splatoon is a multiplayer-first experience, and that experience is largely fun (though my review of it is a work in progress). Beyond the matchmaking hell you see when starting out, the array of weapons and their respective gameplay styles are great. I’ve stuck to Turf Wars so far, and it’s fun! Big swings can happen in a short game, and players can find creative ways to make an impact. I’m not as big of a hater on the map designs in 3 vs 2 as others—I actually think a more linear map style is better for this game in aggregate than the maps in 2, though it does hurt to get snowballed by the aforementioned veterans or a 4-stack and never leave your base. Luckily, the bite-sized game times mean I’m never so crushed by a loss that I stop playing, but can be thrilled to win. Basically, you always want to play more. Plus, it’s just fun. Frenetic gameplay, crazy plays can swing games, a huge skill ceiling capped off by a total lack of auto-aim make your best moments feel like you’re a god, etc. Splatoon is fun.
SINGLE PLAYER: it’s serviceable, if you approach it with the mindset of a tutorial. It exists to get you used to the Frankenstein control scheme which enables an FPS on the Switch. The campaign does this well! I was much less pathetic in online matches after running the campaign, and I found some fun new weapons I might like to unlock, so thank you Alterna. The bite-sized levels and choose-your-own-adventure-style progression allow you to try things you saw in your first Turf War which murdered you instantly. The single player is not, however, a compelling experience alone. I wouldn’t spend 10% of Splatoon’s sticker price for this campaign without other features. It is entirely a tutorial. The story is boilerplate, the acting/writing is bad, and the whole gameplay experience melts down the second a semi-traditional gameplay experience is attempted. The only time this happens in earnest is the final boss sequence, which is utterly horrible. You leave it wondering how the same dev house which made Super Mario Odyssey also made what you just played, and if that logical discrepancy was a result of a large-scale identity-theft scheme. It lays bare to the player that Splatoon is designed first and foremost for multiplayer games, which is where I will be spending 100% of the rest of my time with the game. Thank you, Gramps, and good riddance.
In sum… I dunno? You have to accept a lot of dumb stuff to play this game, but it’s the only place you can have this particular type of fun experience. None of the caveats are dealbreakers, and the positives are big ones.
EDIT: after playing the multiplayer pretty regularly for a month, I can confirm that it slaps. Weapon variety, fast paced and exciting game modes, the cool spectacle of splatfests, etc., etc. It’s everything I could want from a multiplayer mode I can jump into for 5 mins or 5 hours at a time, without the drawbacks of a modern F2P game (except the hosting issues and occasional matchmaking massacre). It is truly, very fun to play. I also can’t main a paint roller or windshield wiper in any other game, big monopoly on that market.
The theming and aesthetic of Splatoon both make me cringe so hard I turn inside out. The resulting hospital bills have been ugly, but worth it to play a unique first person shooter. The concept is a breath of fresh (oh god why did I say that) air for an otherwise stale genre. I love robust objective-based shooter modes, probably from my childhood Halo days, and Splatoon is all objective-based. It makes every game mode unique, and I appreciate that. There are entire weapon classes in Splatoon which can only exist in this game. You won’t mistake it for CoD or BF, that’s for sure. I genuinely enjoy this different take on the genre.
That difference, and the related Nintendo flair, require players to accept a lot of weird stuff which players can see as a positive or a negative, like the 2-map rotation system (I actually like this, at least this early in my time with the game), complete necessity of gyro controls (also a plus for me in aggregate, and an idiosyncratic feature of a Switch-only shooter), or RNG/locked loadout selections (why on earth would they do this, just balance your game better). Some stuff is outright bad, like the servers and matchmaking system, which frequently breaks in a 4-minute game session and pairs brand-new players against 1000-hour veterans. Both are unacceptable. This game also has an extremely steep learning curve in your first 10ish hours, which Splatoon solves by doing literally nothing whatsoever lol. You sink or swim. Play the single player first, as the multiplayer provides 0 training wheels. My hunch is the connectivity issues also prevent this game from having more in-depth game modes. However, I also know many of these shortcomings are somehow actually QoL improvements over previous iterations—I played a bit of Splatoon 2 which had atrocious matchmaking systems, so many things are a step up from that baseline. Other features are downright laudable—Splatoon is maybe a bit light on content, but is also a full-fledged AAA FPS without a battle pass or other micro transaction farm built in to further scalp players, and is a complete game which doesn’t happen often in 2022.
In the end, what matters is how fun the game is to play. Splatoon is a multiplayer-first experience, and that experience is largely fun (though my review of it is a work in progress). Beyond the matchmaking hell you see when starting out, the array of weapons and their respective gameplay styles are great. I’ve stuck to Turf Wars so far, and it’s fun! Big swings can happen in a short game, and players can find creative ways to make an impact. I’m not as big of a hater on the map designs in 3 vs 2 as others—I actually think a more linear map style is better for this game in aggregate than the maps in 2, though it does hurt to get snowballed by the aforementioned veterans or a 4-stack and never leave your base. Luckily, the bite-sized game times mean I’m never so crushed by a loss that I stop playing, but can be thrilled to win. Basically, you always want to play more. Plus, it’s just fun. Frenetic gameplay, crazy plays can swing games, a huge skill ceiling capped off by a total lack of auto-aim make your best moments feel like you’re a god, etc. Splatoon is fun.
SINGLE PLAYER: it’s serviceable, if you approach it with the mindset of a tutorial. It exists to get you used to the Frankenstein control scheme which enables an FPS on the Switch. The campaign does this well! I was much less pathetic in online matches after running the campaign, and I found some fun new weapons I might like to unlock, so thank you Alterna. The bite-sized levels and choose-your-own-adventure-style progression allow you to try things you saw in your first Turf War which murdered you instantly. The single player is not, however, a compelling experience alone. I wouldn’t spend 10% of Splatoon’s sticker price for this campaign without other features. It is entirely a tutorial. The story is boilerplate, the acting/writing is bad, and the whole gameplay experience melts down the second a semi-traditional gameplay experience is attempted. The only time this happens in earnest is the final boss sequence, which is utterly horrible. You leave it wondering how the same dev house which made Super Mario Odyssey also made what you just played, and if that logical discrepancy was a result of a large-scale identity-theft scheme. It lays bare to the player that Splatoon is designed first and foremost for multiplayer games, which is where I will be spending 100% of the rest of my time with the game. Thank you, Gramps, and good riddance.
In sum… I dunno? You have to accept a lot of dumb stuff to play this game, but it’s the only place you can have this particular type of fun experience. None of the caveats are dealbreakers, and the positives are big ones.
EDIT: after playing the multiplayer pretty regularly for a month, I can confirm that it slaps. Weapon variety, fast paced and exciting game modes, the cool spectacle of splatfests, etc., etc. It’s everything I could want from a multiplayer mode I can jump into for 5 mins or 5 hours at a time, without the drawbacks of a modern F2P game (except the hosting issues and occasional matchmaking massacre). It is truly, very fun to play. I also can’t main a paint roller or windshield wiper in any other game, big monopoly on that market.
2020
Lightning in a bottle. (Lighting in a Zeus boon?) Hades is video game brilliance. Taking a millennia-old story and converting it into a game with a format so suited for it seems like it shouldn't be possible, yet Supergiant executed that effect to perfection. If there's one rougelite you try, it should be this (source: me, because this is the only rougelite I've ever really gotten into lol).
There is so much to like about this game. The art is generally so pleasing. The soundtrack is as unique as it is gnarly, setting the stage for every encounter deftly. Bosses are usually high quality and varied. There's so much room for experimentation. The available upgrades on each run are nearly all unique and satisfying. Your progression over time is tangible, without ever getting to a point where difficulty escapes those who seek it. It's genuinely funny, especially as time goes on. Everyone is hot, both the in-Asphodel-and-literally-on-fire kind and the art-team-was-ludicrously-horny-for-the-whole-development-process kind. I could go on and on, but there's two major things that make this game so good to me.
MAJOR THING #1: the integration of story into the gameplay loop is magic. Again, it feels like the universe made a mistake in allowing this thing to exist, because perfection at this scale shouldn't be possible. Especially as your progress through your eventual first clear, the tale of the House of Hades is magnetic. The best way to understand how well this story fits into the rougelite genre is to play it. The execution is excellent, and I was sold the whole way. You want to know what happens! You want to discover new secrets, slowly get stronger and smarter, prepare for new challenges and develop relationships along the way.
And, inevitably, you will die. Sometimes you expect it, sometimes you deserve it, sometimes you thought you finally were going to beat [REDACTED] and lose it at the last second. I have been livid emerging from the River Styx more than once, yet the pacing of the gameplay loop gives you a second or two to regain your bearings, listen to old friends or purchase an upgrade, make sure your weapon is ready to go... and bam, you're excited to dive into a new run and see if you can tackle that challenge this time. I have never been this, fine, addicted (first step is admitting the problem!) to a single-player game before. The pull for one more run can be impossible to resist at times. Then, when that urge finally led to my first full clear, I... quit.
I basically thought the appeal of Hades was gone once I fully cleared once. I played over a holiday break and beat it just before returning to classes, so it was a natural time to move on. On a whim, I recently picked it back up again, which leads to MAJOR THING #2: playing this game is so damn fun. I played until the credits this last play period. On the way, I realized all I had missed underlying sheen of the story and overarching gameplay loop.
The weapons and their variants. The boons. The strategy and tactics Supergiant employed in creating their series of chambers. The insanity which can result from that foresight, both random and intentional on your part. The video game underlying this experience is awesome, and the randomness leads to the best experiences. For example: for no reason at all, I decided to save all of my money (Obols) on a run a few days ago. In one of the final rooms, I randomly rolled a Daedalus upgrade boosting my base attack damage by a % of my gold balance, and thus walked into the [REDACTED] fight with a 3x base attack damage. That damage, boosted by 2 or 3 percentage boons, totally mopped the floor with the poor boss. That never should've happened, and probably never will again for me, but was so fun. It's probably even better when you plan to do some cool new thing and it works, but I can't get over the violence I inflicted with the base sword on that run lol.
I would say Hades is a masterclass, but nobody can learn from that class because the idea can't be replicated. This story, this genre, and the gameplay weaving it all together is wholly one of a kind. Which is probably an inaccurate way to describe a game with a confirmed sequel in the works but oh well. It's really that good, and I really do love it. Can pet the dog, 5/5.
There is so much to like about this game. The art is generally so pleasing. The soundtrack is as unique as it is gnarly, setting the stage for every encounter deftly. Bosses are usually high quality and varied. There's so much room for experimentation. The available upgrades on each run are nearly all unique and satisfying. Your progression over time is tangible, without ever getting to a point where difficulty escapes those who seek it. It's genuinely funny, especially as time goes on. Everyone is hot, both the in-Asphodel-and-literally-on-fire kind and the art-team-was-ludicrously-horny-for-the-whole-development-process kind. I could go on and on, but there's two major things that make this game so good to me.
MAJOR THING #1: the integration of story into the gameplay loop is magic. Again, it feels like the universe made a mistake in allowing this thing to exist, because perfection at this scale shouldn't be possible. Especially as your progress through your eventual first clear, the tale of the House of Hades is magnetic. The best way to understand how well this story fits into the rougelite genre is to play it. The execution is excellent, and I was sold the whole way. You want to know what happens! You want to discover new secrets, slowly get stronger and smarter, prepare for new challenges and develop relationships along the way.
And, inevitably, you will die. Sometimes you expect it, sometimes you deserve it, sometimes you thought you finally were going to beat [REDACTED] and lose it at the last second. I have been livid emerging from the River Styx more than once, yet the pacing of the gameplay loop gives you a second or two to regain your bearings, listen to old friends or purchase an upgrade, make sure your weapon is ready to go... and bam, you're excited to dive into a new run and see if you can tackle that challenge this time. I have never been this, fine, addicted (first step is admitting the problem!) to a single-player game before. The pull for one more run can be impossible to resist at times. Then, when that urge finally led to my first full clear, I... quit.
I basically thought the appeal of Hades was gone once I fully cleared once. I played over a holiday break and beat it just before returning to classes, so it was a natural time to move on. On a whim, I recently picked it back up again, which leads to MAJOR THING #2: playing this game is so damn fun. I played until the credits this last play period. On the way, I realized all I had missed underlying sheen of the story and overarching gameplay loop.
The weapons and their variants. The boons. The strategy and tactics Supergiant employed in creating their series of chambers. The insanity which can result from that foresight, both random and intentional on your part. The video game underlying this experience is awesome, and the randomness leads to the best experiences. For example: for no reason at all, I decided to save all of my money (Obols) on a run a few days ago. In one of the final rooms, I randomly rolled a Daedalus upgrade boosting my base attack damage by a % of my gold balance, and thus walked into the [REDACTED] fight with a 3x base attack damage. That damage, boosted by 2 or 3 percentage boons, totally mopped the floor with the poor boss. That never should've happened, and probably never will again for me, but was so fun. It's probably even better when you plan to do some cool new thing and it works, but I can't get over the violence I inflicted with the base sword on that run lol.
I would say Hades is a masterclass, but nobody can learn from that class because the idea can't be replicated. This story, this genre, and the gameplay weaving it all together is wholly one of a kind. Which is probably an inaccurate way to describe a game with a confirmed sequel in the works but oh well. It's really that good, and I really do love it. Can pet the dog, 5/5.
2011
Meh. I can see how it would’ve been well received when it came out, and the narration bit is cool. For a first play in 2022 though, Hades (very understandably) runs circles around this game mechanically, so I’d need the story to be compelling, and I’m not feeling that either. Would rather be playing the younger sibling.
2018
Y'know what? This one lives up to the hype. Celeste is fantastic, seamlessly mixing punishing platforming with sharp storytelling for an excellent indie package.
From the gameplay perspective, it is fantastic. The control set is simple to learn, nearly impossible to master, and the game never ceases to push you as it introduces ever-more-creative ways to utilize your new skillset. Nearly all of my 1338(!) deaths in my first campaign run were due to my lack of execution. I'll blame the last few on the d pad, which I forced myself to switch to for the first time ever to capitalize on Madeline's razor-sharp directional abilities. I quickly learned why the Switch Pro Controller's tape mod exists, and it seemed to help. Anyways, Madeline feels amazing to control on the d pad, aside from a few situational mechanics which the analog stick is definitely better for.
The level design complements these controls with excellent world-building. The pixel art is stunning, each level has a unique atmosphere, and complements it with at least one unique platforming component in each. I felt I had barely scratched the surface of each stage as I pushed on in my quest for the summit, and found myself yearning for my favorite mechanics from earlier stages as I approached the end. Frankly, I might've gone back before the story's conclusion if the later levels weren't among the best in the game, but I'll settle for looking forward to replaying because (1) I was garbage the first time through, (2) I only did the occasional (outstanding) strawberry challenge on the first run to keep the story going, and (3) I didn't even unlock the array of additional rooms/content/etc. from the other unlockables hidden in the levels. I am so excited to return to them someday, but my hands currently hurt from smacking the dash button so I need a break lol.
Celeste becomes, to reuse the phrase, outright punishing by the end. The levels demand excellence from the player, and a few places left my controller in danger of anger-induced destruction. Luckily for it, playing Celeste is so damn fun, even in frustrating sections, because you know that (1) you're in total control of everything you do, even if that control is leading to hundreds of deaths at the moment, and (2) your control has gotten you through every challenge up to that point and is helping you unravel the challenge ahead every time you fail. Beating difficult sections in Celeste feels great, and is often rewarded by story development. Before touching on that story, I think my favorite gameplay element of Celeste is this: the game proves to you that you're capable of doing things you never thought you could. This is certainly the hardest platformer I've played or even attempted, and I was intimidated as I approached the end levels in particular. Some rooms looked outright impossible, yet I prevailed and improved from each of them. It feels amazing.
All of these elements would add up to a great gaming experience on their own, but Celeste goes a step further with that story. It is so integrated into the experience, so tastefully implemented and written, and truly helps the player succeed in the game while provoking thoughts about it long after the credits roll. The added story element is what makes this game a must-play to me. Yes, it's a bit heavy-handed at times, but I also died 1300 times so I wasn't exactly going for a masterclass in subtlety as a player myself, either. You learn the game is about climbing a mountain in the first like 2 seconds, so don't expect it to ease off after that. Do expect it, however, to be uncharacteristically timely, challenging, and wholesome for a platformer.
This game is a beautiful package, and one every gamer should complete. Don't let the difficulty deter you. The game convinced me I could do it. And that I need a therapist.
From the gameplay perspective, it is fantastic. The control set is simple to learn, nearly impossible to master, and the game never ceases to push you as it introduces ever-more-creative ways to utilize your new skillset. Nearly all of my 1338(!) deaths in my first campaign run were due to my lack of execution. I'll blame the last few on the d pad, which I forced myself to switch to for the first time ever to capitalize on Madeline's razor-sharp directional abilities. I quickly learned why the Switch Pro Controller's tape mod exists, and it seemed to help. Anyways, Madeline feels amazing to control on the d pad, aside from a few situational mechanics which the analog stick is definitely better for.
The level design complements these controls with excellent world-building. The pixel art is stunning, each level has a unique atmosphere, and complements it with at least one unique platforming component in each. I felt I had barely scratched the surface of each stage as I pushed on in my quest for the summit, and found myself yearning for my favorite mechanics from earlier stages as I approached the end. Frankly, I might've gone back before the story's conclusion if the later levels weren't among the best in the game, but I'll settle for looking forward to replaying because (1) I was garbage the first time through, (2) I only did the occasional (outstanding) strawberry challenge on the first run to keep the story going, and (3) I didn't even unlock the array of additional rooms/content/etc. from the other unlockables hidden in the levels. I am so excited to return to them someday, but my hands currently hurt from smacking the dash button so I need a break lol.
Celeste becomes, to reuse the phrase, outright punishing by the end. The levels demand excellence from the player, and a few places left my controller in danger of anger-induced destruction. Luckily for it, playing Celeste is so damn fun, even in frustrating sections, because you know that (1) you're in total control of everything you do, even if that control is leading to hundreds of deaths at the moment, and (2) your control has gotten you through every challenge up to that point and is helping you unravel the challenge ahead every time you fail. Beating difficult sections in Celeste feels great, and is often rewarded by story development. Before touching on that story, I think my favorite gameplay element of Celeste is this: the game proves to you that you're capable of doing things you never thought you could. This is certainly the hardest platformer I've played or even attempted, and I was intimidated as I approached the end levels in particular. Some rooms looked outright impossible, yet I prevailed and improved from each of them. It feels amazing.
All of these elements would add up to a great gaming experience on their own, but Celeste goes a step further with that story. It is so integrated into the experience, so tastefully implemented and written, and truly helps the player succeed in the game while provoking thoughts about it long after the credits roll. The added story element is what makes this game a must-play to me. Yes, it's a bit heavy-handed at times, but I also died 1300 times so I wasn't exactly going for a masterclass in subtlety as a player myself, either. You learn the game is about climbing a mountain in the first like 2 seconds, so don't expect it to ease off after that. Do expect it, however, to be uncharacteristically timely, challenging, and wholesome for a platformer.
This game is a beautiful package, and one every gamer should complete. Don't let the difficulty deter you. The game convinced me I could do it. And that I need a therapist.
My heart would give this game 0 stars. My head knows it's better than that based on the (very good) visuals, soundtrack, etc., so I'm caving to the Metacritic mob a bit here but still. /s
I enjoyed no more than 5% of my time playing OBF. I spent another 15% ambivalent, and the other 80% was some combination of frustration and anger. Expectations were admittedly high, and I just came from Hollow Knight so that skews impressions as well. But with that said, a few general grievances I will note and pass by, either because they're well-covered or I know I was a baby about it:
(a) not a metroidvania in practice;
(b) low health and saving mechanism combination, which is generally fine though aggravating in escape sequences;
(c) story is bland and predictable, I didn't have enough time to connect with the characters to feel the heartstrings tug like the game hoped;
(d) why can't I aim my attacks;
(e) why can't I use the R stick to look up and down.
As for the unforgivable:
1. Good god, this game handles poorly. Area, the mathematical concept, means nothing in Nibel. The damage area of hazards are way bigger or smaller than they appear on screen. The range of Ori's abilities feel nonsensical and unpredictable, and the jump does nothing. Everything has a ludicrous amount of... inertia, I suppose, rubber-banding dramatically in an effort to make things look like a real set of physics is at work. Some of these points could be stylistic, others maybe just poor implementation; regardless, they combine to require Ori to face-check every surface and enemy to see what happens. Sometimes, you'll see surfaces which killed you in the past, think "I can't touch that or I die," and it turns out that's the only way forward on the rails of the story. Other times, necessary platforms and insta-death zones have imperceptible boundaries. All of these factors become unreasonably punishing because of point (b) above. I understand the devs don't want players to be good/successful/masters or something on run 1, but you literally can't be good on run 1. At best, you have to be slow and careful, which sucks because
2. OBF is so, so slow. The story moves fast, at under 8 hours, but promo materials and your early sense of the scope of the game make it seem like Ori rips around the map in some zen-like flow state. Ori looks fast, too. This couldn't be further from the truth. Flawless execution in a handful of late-game platforming segments give off the illusion of quick movement, but in truth even then you're stuck reacting to the unpredictability and inconsistency of the world as it wants you to, not as you want to. Beyond those segments, Ori has to be timid in order to not be obliterated 2 seconds and progress the story. I tried so hard to be fast--I even pretended it was a metroidvania and went to find the last two abilities at around halfway to get stronger than I should be at that point in the story. Voila, they were useless, and usually outright detrimental to use because the storyline areas are designed to be platformed in 1 single way which doesn't include those abilities.
Look, I wish I liked this game. I know I'm still unreasonably mad at it while writing this. My score for it is probably unreasonably low as a result, but it's my opinion at the end of the day. The OST and art are amazing, and I appreciate the unique product and that some may be compelled by the story. I want more games to be less doom and gloom, more pretty colors. The forest is also a good setting overall--the audiovisual orchestration makes it feel alive, no small feat. Also, I know hard platforming can be frustrating--also concurrently playing Celeste, which I do not hate and actually quite like. Mechanical platforming might be my kink, idk. I think what I ultimately couldn't forgive while playing this game is how much game was sacrificed to create the world. It is beautiful, yes, but the experience of playing OBF is compromised at every turn by how beautiful it is. I can get over game design I don't like to enjoy an overarching product (seriously, R-stick, we could be friends if you were the only problem), but OBF puts the conceptual product miles ahead of the game I just spent 7 hours not enjoying between cutscenes. I hope WotW addresses these concerns, but I won't be pulling it from the backlog until my newfound hatred for orbs of light has subsided.
I enjoyed no more than 5% of my time playing OBF. I spent another 15% ambivalent, and the other 80% was some combination of frustration and anger. Expectations were admittedly high, and I just came from Hollow Knight so that skews impressions as well. But with that said, a few general grievances I will note and pass by, either because they're well-covered or I know I was a baby about it:
(a) not a metroidvania in practice;
(b) low health and saving mechanism combination, which is generally fine though aggravating in escape sequences;
(c) story is bland and predictable, I didn't have enough time to connect with the characters to feel the heartstrings tug like the game hoped;
(d) why can't I aim my attacks;
(e) why can't I use the R stick to look up and down.
As for the unforgivable:
1. Good god, this game handles poorly. Area, the mathematical concept, means nothing in Nibel. The damage area of hazards are way bigger or smaller than they appear on screen. The range of Ori's abilities feel nonsensical and unpredictable, and the jump does nothing. Everything has a ludicrous amount of... inertia, I suppose, rubber-banding dramatically in an effort to make things look like a real set of physics is at work. Some of these points could be stylistic, others maybe just poor implementation; regardless, they combine to require Ori to face-check every surface and enemy to see what happens. Sometimes, you'll see surfaces which killed you in the past, think "I can't touch that or I die," and it turns out that's the only way forward on the rails of the story. Other times, necessary platforms and insta-death zones have imperceptible boundaries. All of these factors become unreasonably punishing because of point (b) above. I understand the devs don't want players to be good/successful/masters or something on run 1, but you literally can't be good on run 1. At best, you have to be slow and careful, which sucks because
2. OBF is so, so slow. The story moves fast, at under 8 hours, but promo materials and your early sense of the scope of the game make it seem like Ori rips around the map in some zen-like flow state. Ori looks fast, too. This couldn't be further from the truth. Flawless execution in a handful of late-game platforming segments give off the illusion of quick movement, but in truth even then you're stuck reacting to the unpredictability and inconsistency of the world as it wants you to, not as you want to. Beyond those segments, Ori has to be timid in order to not be obliterated 2 seconds and progress the story. I tried so hard to be fast--I even pretended it was a metroidvania and went to find the last two abilities at around halfway to get stronger than I should be at that point in the story. Voila, they were useless, and usually outright detrimental to use because the storyline areas are designed to be platformed in 1 single way which doesn't include those abilities.
Look, I wish I liked this game. I know I'm still unreasonably mad at it while writing this. My score for it is probably unreasonably low as a result, but it's my opinion at the end of the day. The OST and art are amazing, and I appreciate the unique product and that some may be compelled by the story. I want more games to be less doom and gloom, more pretty colors. The forest is also a good setting overall--the audiovisual orchestration makes it feel alive, no small feat. Also, I know hard platforming can be frustrating--also concurrently playing Celeste, which I do not hate and actually quite like. Mechanical platforming might be my kink, idk. I think what I ultimately couldn't forgive while playing this game is how much game was sacrificed to create the world. It is beautiful, yes, but the experience of playing OBF is compromised at every turn by how beautiful it is. I can get over game design I don't like to enjoy an overarching product (seriously, R-stick, we could be friends if you were the only problem), but OBF puts the conceptual product miles ahead of the game I just spent 7 hours not enjoying between cutscenes. I hope WotW addresses these concerns, but I won't be pulling it from the backlog until my newfound hatred for orbs of light has subsided.
2017
Honestly, I bought this game 8 months ago, played for 10 hours, and was so confused that I shelved it.
It is now my favorite video game I've ever played.
Hollow Knight, my first Metroidvania, is certainly cryptic and refuses to hold your hand, but if you can find enough interest in exploring, seeking clues re: what the hell is happening, and getting a handle on how the game controls for a few hours, you will be rewarded exponentially. The story is good at face value, but becomes immensely interesting with a bit more effort invested by the player to draw connections for yourself (or watch a YouTube video explaining everything). By the finale, I found myself emotionally invested in the world of Hallownest, and would've regretted sparring with some of the many excellent bosses if not for their quality (ranging from decent to utterly brilliant) and difficulty (hoo boy, a few of them whooped me, but if you come back to an impassable one in a few hours chances are you will obliterate them).
Combat and platforming are oh-so-crispy. It feels amazing, and by endgame I could only ever blame my own ineptitude for mistakes (and for getting used to the analog sticks--if you're new, consider using the D-pad for added precision). This foundation is paired with customization which gives you room to tweak without becoming overwhelming (and thus unapproachable, which is a problem I have with massive RPGs). To be clear, I've seen combat, platforming, and customization done better on their own elsewhere. Charm balancing isn't perfect, combat could be deeper, god I hate pogoing on analog sticks, etc. But the combination of elements is stewed perfectly here. It scratches a satisfying-video-game itch I didn't know my brain had. And the best part is, your improvements and upgrades are only gained after earning it. This game is so rewarding for the player: beating hard bosses or obtaining long-needed mobility upgrades both just feel so good.
Hallownest is also gorgeous. The many, many areas in this game were almost all unique, with beautiful hand-drawn art and subdued colors accentuating the otherwise dark and gloomy world/story (seriously, there is apparently lore written in bug-language on the backgrounds of many rooms). Moments of intense color in Hollow Knight are few and far between, but feel well-earned and refreshing upon encountering them. The settings, amazing soundtrack, characters I grew to love, and integration of those elements into the story and journey combine to create a one-of-a-kind world. It is wholly immersive, and I found it borderline magical.
After 30+ hours of wandering, getting lost on side quests, and dreading the end of my experience, I finally bit the bullet and reached the credits. Thankfully, I had only finished about 2/3 of the game at that point, and the end encouraged me to dive back in for another 15 hours to complete the entire base game and some DLC content as well, my first ever 100%. I had to cut myself off from the bulk of the (apparently endlessly replayable) DLC content so I don't fail out of law school.
I counted at least 4 or 5 moments in Hollow Knight which actively made me grin ear to ear as I realized what was going on/that I just kicked some ass/both. For me, there is simply nothing quite like this game, which is a damn shame because I would give anything to experience it blind from the start again. Top 2, and it ain't 2.
It is now my favorite video game I've ever played.
Hollow Knight, my first Metroidvania, is certainly cryptic and refuses to hold your hand, but if you can find enough interest in exploring, seeking clues re: what the hell is happening, and getting a handle on how the game controls for a few hours, you will be rewarded exponentially. The story is good at face value, but becomes immensely interesting with a bit more effort invested by the player to draw connections for yourself (or watch a YouTube video explaining everything). By the finale, I found myself emotionally invested in the world of Hallownest, and would've regretted sparring with some of the many excellent bosses if not for their quality (ranging from decent to utterly brilliant) and difficulty (hoo boy, a few of them whooped me, but if you come back to an impassable one in a few hours chances are you will obliterate them).
Combat and platforming are oh-so-crispy. It feels amazing, and by endgame I could only ever blame my own ineptitude for mistakes (and for getting used to the analog sticks--if you're new, consider using the D-pad for added precision). This foundation is paired with customization which gives you room to tweak without becoming overwhelming (and thus unapproachable, which is a problem I have with massive RPGs). To be clear, I've seen combat, platforming, and customization done better on their own elsewhere. Charm balancing isn't perfect, combat could be deeper, god I hate pogoing on analog sticks, etc. But the combination of elements is stewed perfectly here. It scratches a satisfying-video-game itch I didn't know my brain had. And the best part is, your improvements and upgrades are only gained after earning it. This game is so rewarding for the player: beating hard bosses or obtaining long-needed mobility upgrades both just feel so good.
Hallownest is also gorgeous. The many, many areas in this game were almost all unique, with beautiful hand-drawn art and subdued colors accentuating the otherwise dark and gloomy world/story (seriously, there is apparently lore written in bug-language on the backgrounds of many rooms). Moments of intense color in Hollow Knight are few and far between, but feel well-earned and refreshing upon encountering them. The settings, amazing soundtrack, characters I grew to love, and integration of those elements into the story and journey combine to create a one-of-a-kind world. It is wholly immersive, and I found it borderline magical.
After 30+ hours of wandering, getting lost on side quests, and dreading the end of my experience, I finally bit the bullet and reached the credits. Thankfully, I had only finished about 2/3 of the game at that point, and the end encouraged me to dive back in for another 15 hours to complete the entire base game and some DLC content as well, my first ever 100%. I had to cut myself off from the bulk of the (apparently endlessly replayable) DLC content so I don't fail out of law school.
I counted at least 4 or 5 moments in Hollow Knight which actively made me grin ear to ear as I realized what was going on/that I just kicked some ass/both. For me, there is simply nothing quite like this game, which is a damn shame because I would give anything to experience it blind from the start again. Top 2, and it ain't 2.