KostasSpirou101
2009
Honestly, I didn't expect to enjoy this game as much as I did.
Final Fantasy XIII is often regarded as one of the weakest games in the Final Fantasy franchise, and I understand why, this game suffers from many problems, with the biggest problem being the main story, the writing is bad, the pacing is very monotonous, and the linear corridor levels can be boring, but everything else about it managed to surprise me.
The visuals are amazing, and easily the best part of the game, I love the art-style, the graphics, the details and the cutscenes, this whole game feels like a playable movie.
The soundtrack is great too just as I expected.
As for the gameplay, at first, it was kind of repetitive but it got better as I progressed, and even though there aren't any deep RPG mechanics, it's servicable and fun.
I really like the Paradigm Shift system, swapping through different roles and creating your own combinations is very satisfying, and I enjoyed upgrading my characters in the Crystarium. Also, I loved using the Eidolons, they all have their own movesets and unique attacks, and they look cool.
Another thing I like is how the game can be difficult at times and requires strategy to beat it, the boss fights are challenging, and the game wants you to be prepared every time you face a formidable foe.
Where the game fails specifically, is the way it tells its story.
The game starts and the player has no idea what's happening, the characters talk about random things, and mention names that you don't know yet, and the game doesn't help you understand. This forces you to use the in-game datalog and read in order to understand some things, which is a ridiculous way to tell a story in my opinion.
Also, I have mixed feelings about the characters, while some of them are likeable and interesting, most of them are forgettable or straight up infuriating. I really appreciate how the game tries to make the player either relate or understand the characters by giving them backstories, and reasons to do what they do, and some times it works, but overall it just feels a bit forced.
Having said all that, I still like this game. It's a mess and I totally understand why it gets some hate, but even with all its flaws, it's a decent game at its core, and I had a lot of fun playing it.
Final Rating: "Almost Good" ~ 6.5/10.
Final Fantasy XIII is often regarded as one of the weakest games in the Final Fantasy franchise, and I understand why, this game suffers from many problems, with the biggest problem being the main story, the writing is bad, the pacing is very monotonous, and the linear corridor levels can be boring, but everything else about it managed to surprise me.
The visuals are amazing, and easily the best part of the game, I love the art-style, the graphics, the details and the cutscenes, this whole game feels like a playable movie.
The soundtrack is great too just as I expected.
As for the gameplay, at first, it was kind of repetitive but it got better as I progressed, and even though there aren't any deep RPG mechanics, it's servicable and fun.
I really like the Paradigm Shift system, swapping through different roles and creating your own combinations is very satisfying, and I enjoyed upgrading my characters in the Crystarium. Also, I loved using the Eidolons, they all have their own movesets and unique attacks, and they look cool.
Another thing I like is how the game can be difficult at times and requires strategy to beat it, the boss fights are challenging, and the game wants you to be prepared every time you face a formidable foe.
Where the game fails specifically, is the way it tells its story.
The game starts and the player has no idea what's happening, the characters talk about random things, and mention names that you don't know yet, and the game doesn't help you understand. This forces you to use the in-game datalog and read in order to understand some things, which is a ridiculous way to tell a story in my opinion.
Also, I have mixed feelings about the characters, while some of them are likeable and interesting, most of them are forgettable or straight up infuriating. I really appreciate how the game tries to make the player either relate or understand the characters by giving them backstories, and reasons to do what they do, and some times it works, but overall it just feels a bit forced.
Having said all that, I still like this game. It's a mess and I totally understand why it gets some hate, but even with all its flaws, it's a decent game at its core, and I had a lot of fun playing it.
Final Rating: "Almost Good" ~ 6.5/10.
This is a legendary classic that everyone needs to play, it's a fun yet depressing adventure, and a truly unique videogame experience.
I don't like Post Apocalyptic Survival games but The Last of Us is something more than that.
Joel is one of the most complex protagonists I've ever seen, sometimes his actions are villainous and selfish but he's so well written, you can definitely see where he's coming from, his loss impacts the story a lot and you feel his pain throughout the whole game.
Ellie on the other hand, is the perfect deuteragonist, she is a deep character with a tragic past but she's represented as sweet, happy and quirky, which shows that she is still a kid after all. In terms of gameplay, she never gets in your way and helps in combat as much as she can.
The story itself is pretty simple on paper but it's very well written, and the pacing is absolutely perfect.
Now for the negatives, the game is very linear, and the secondary characters are forgettable.
That being said, despite some minor flaws, I think that this game is absolutely timeless and definitely deserves to be in PlayStation's Hall of Fame.
Final Rating: "Amazing" ~ 9/10.
I don't like Post Apocalyptic Survival games but The Last of Us is something more than that.
Joel is one of the most complex protagonists I've ever seen, sometimes his actions are villainous and selfish but he's so well written, you can definitely see where he's coming from, his loss impacts the story a lot and you feel his pain throughout the whole game.
Ellie on the other hand, is the perfect deuteragonist, she is a deep character with a tragic past but she's represented as sweet, happy and quirky, which shows that she is still a kid after all. In terms of gameplay, she never gets in your way and helps in combat as much as she can.
The story itself is pretty simple on paper but it's very well written, and the pacing is absolutely perfect.
Now for the negatives, the game is very linear, and the secondary characters are forgettable.
That being said, despite some minor flaws, I think that this game is absolutely timeless and definitely deserves to be in PlayStation's Hall of Fame.
Final Rating: "Amazing" ~ 9/10.
The Remastered version makes this game one of the most newcomer friendly games in the series, the ideal way to begin your Final Fantasy journey.
One of the best old Final Fantasy games, Tidus is a very charming character, and his romance with Yuna is done perfectly.
The story is incredible with some tear-jerking moments, and the music is fantastic and fits well with the game.
The gameplay mechanics are solid but a little bit outdated, and the grinding can be a very annoying. Also there are many difficulty spikes which make some parts of the game frustrating.
Still, the game holds up pretty well for a turn based JRPG, and if you're a fan of the genre this is pretty much a must-play.
Final Rating: "Amazing" ~ 9/10.
One of the best old Final Fantasy games, Tidus is a very charming character, and his romance with Yuna is done perfectly.
The story is incredible with some tear-jerking moments, and the music is fantastic and fits well with the game.
The gameplay mechanics are solid but a little bit outdated, and the grinding can be a very annoying. Also there are many difficulty spikes which make some parts of the game frustrating.
Still, the game holds up pretty well for a turn based JRPG, and if you're a fan of the genre this is pretty much a must-play.
Final Rating: "Amazing" ~ 9/10.
2001
One of the best old Final Fantasy games, Tidus is a very charming character, and his romance with Yuna is done perfectly.
The story is incredible with some tear-jerking moments, and the music is fantastic and fits well with the game.
The gameplay mechanics are solid but a little bit outdated, and the grinding can be a very annoying. Also there are many difficulty spikes which make some parts of the game frustrating.
Still, the game holds up pretty well for a turn based JRPG, and if you're a fan of the genre this is pretty much a must-play.
Final Rating: "Amazing" ~ 9/10.
The story is incredible with some tear-jerking moments, and the music is fantastic and fits well with the game.
The gameplay mechanics are solid but a little bit outdated, and the grinding can be a very annoying. Also there are many difficulty spikes which make some parts of the game frustrating.
Still, the game holds up pretty well for a turn based JRPG, and if you're a fan of the genre this is pretty much a must-play.
Final Rating: "Amazing" ~ 9/10.
This has to be the clunkiest racing game I've ever played. The controls are slow and the gameplay feels like you're sliding on the street's surface.
The story is nonsensical and very dumb, I don't even understand why they bothered writing a story to begin with. Also, the Quick Time Events are such a pain, they ruin the entire game.
The car customization isn't good but it just exists, you can paint your car and select between few body kit parts which I find lazy, I wish I had more control over my car.
The challenges are decent but could've been better. This game desperately needed more content, because it feels pretty bland.
I don't recommend this game at all.
This is probably the worst game I've ever played that I can remember.
Final Rating: "Horrible" ~ 2/10.
The story is nonsensical and very dumb, I don't even understand why they bothered writing a story to begin with. Also, the Quick Time Events are such a pain, they ruin the entire game.
The car customization isn't good but it just exists, you can paint your car and select between few body kit parts which I find lazy, I wish I had more control over my car.
The challenges are decent but could've been better. This game desperately needed more content, because it feels pretty bland.
I don't recommend this game at all.
This is probably the worst game I've ever played that I can remember.
Final Rating: "Horrible" ~ 2/10.
This game is very bizarre, it's a mess and even though it has some redeeming qualities, my first impressions with it were absolutely horrible.
The career mode is okay and there's a decent amount of gamemodes to choose from.
Also the soundtrack is actually... pretty great, I never expected a racing game to have music this good, what a surprise!
Unfortunately that's all the praise I have to give to this game, because everything else about just doesn't work.
My biggest complaint is that the controls aren't genuinely atrocious, it feels like there's a slight input lag all the time.
As for the car customization, it needed more body kit options because there's no depth to it, it just exists so you can make your car perform a little bit better.
Also, the long races are so boring, and the multiple challenges are a chore to play through, there are so many of them.
Overall it's just a disappointing racing game that could've been so much better, but it's so bad that it's somewhat fun.
Final Rating: "Bad" ~ 3/10.
The career mode is okay and there's a decent amount of gamemodes to choose from.
Also the soundtrack is actually... pretty great, I never expected a racing game to have music this good, what a surprise!
Unfortunately that's all the praise I have to give to this game, because everything else about just doesn't work.
My biggest complaint is that the controls aren't genuinely atrocious, it feels like there's a slight input lag all the time.
As for the car customization, it needed more body kit options because there's no depth to it, it just exists so you can make your car perform a little bit better.
Also, the long races are so boring, and the multiple challenges are a chore to play through, there are so many of them.
Overall it's just a disappointing racing game that could've been so much better, but it's so bad that it's somewhat fun.
Final Rating: "Bad" ~ 3/10.
2021
Well it's not really a bad game but personally I'm disappointed to say the least.
The game plays fine, the cars look great and collecting cars is satisfying, but there's so much paid content, the game literally feels unfinished.
Some of the mechanics don't work well either, tilting the car mid-air, or drifting, the handling just doesn't feel good.
Also there isn't enough content, every race feels the same, even the boss races are just normal races but longer.
As for the stages, I really like how they look, and the stage builder is a nice addition.
Final Rating: "Weak" ~ 4/10.
The game plays fine, the cars look great and collecting cars is satisfying, but there's so much paid content, the game literally feels unfinished.
Some of the mechanics don't work well either, tilting the car mid-air, or drifting, the handling just doesn't feel good.
Also there isn't enough content, every race feels the same, even the boss races are just normal races but longer.
As for the stages, I really like how they look, and the stage builder is a nice addition.
Final Rating: "Weak" ~ 4/10.
2016
What a disappointment, this game is nothing more than an underwhelming "Remake" of the original game, that feels very lazy and rushed.
It honestly plays like an outdated PlayStation 2 game, the visuals are beautiful, but the controls and core gameplay are bland. Even though it gets better as you unlock more weapons, something feels off, the movement is kind of clunky and doesn't match well with how fast paced the action is.
The story is incredibly boring, it's the most basic and uninteresting story that tries to be something bigger but ultimately falls flat by the very choppy pacing, and what the hell is wrong with these cutscenes that were taken from the movie, they are so out of place and very abrupt, it's like they don't even belong in the game.
The planets look great but there's not much to do in them, there are some mini games and I did enjoy few of them but I never felt motivated to genuinely explore and get lost, it's a very linear experience.
The best thing about the game is the environment and the graphics, the game looks really good for most of the time like an animated movie for children, but that's the only thing that truly impressed me.
As for the puzzles... uhhh well, nope, I didn't really enjoy them, fortunately there aren't many of them, it's just that they could've been shorter because they slow down the action.
Also I just wanna point out that I didn't even laugh a single time throughout the entirety of the game, in fact I forgot I was supposed to laugh, the jokes don't land at all, they're embarrassing and very cringe.
It's barely a mediocre game in my opinion, it's right below average with few redeeming qualities, but it could have been significantly better. It's just not fun for me, and I can't help but feel unsatisfied, granted I do think that some people might enjoy it more than I did, because I was left severely disappointed.
Final Rating: "Weak" ~ 4/10.
It honestly plays like an outdated PlayStation 2 game, the visuals are beautiful, but the controls and core gameplay are bland. Even though it gets better as you unlock more weapons, something feels off, the movement is kind of clunky and doesn't match well with how fast paced the action is.
The story is incredibly boring, it's the most basic and uninteresting story that tries to be something bigger but ultimately falls flat by the very choppy pacing, and what the hell is wrong with these cutscenes that were taken from the movie, they are so out of place and very abrupt, it's like they don't even belong in the game.
The planets look great but there's not much to do in them, there are some mini games and I did enjoy few of them but I never felt motivated to genuinely explore and get lost, it's a very linear experience.
The best thing about the game is the environment and the graphics, the game looks really good for most of the time like an animated movie for children, but that's the only thing that truly impressed me.
As for the puzzles... uhhh well, nope, I didn't really enjoy them, fortunately there aren't many of them, it's just that they could've been shorter because they slow down the action.
Also I just wanna point out that I didn't even laugh a single time throughout the entirety of the game, in fact I forgot I was supposed to laugh, the jokes don't land at all, they're embarrassing and very cringe.
It's barely a mediocre game in my opinion, it's right below average with few redeeming qualities, but it could have been significantly better. It's just not fun for me, and I can't help but feel unsatisfied, granted I do think that some people might enjoy it more than I did, because I was left severely disappointed.
Final Rating: "Weak" ~ 4/10.
As someone who used to love the Cars franchise when I was younger, this game is pretty okay.
The gameplay is fine, it's enjoyable, but one thing I don't like is how the game heavily relies on the nitro, otherwise the cars feel slow and sluggish.
The variety of gamemodes is nice, but this game requires so much grinding in order to unlock new stages and cars, to the point where it gets boring.
As for the car selection, unfortunately there is a lack of racing cars, there are so many old cars or dirty trucks, most of the cars just don't seem interesting.
It's a fun game but it gets boring pretty quickly.
Final Rating: "Average" ~ 5/10.
The gameplay is fine, it's enjoyable, but one thing I don't like is how the game heavily relies on the nitro, otherwise the cars feel slow and sluggish.
The variety of gamemodes is nice, but this game requires so much grinding in order to unlock new stages and cars, to the point where it gets boring.
As for the car selection, unfortunately there is a lack of racing cars, there are so many old cars or dirty trucks, most of the cars just don't seem interesting.
It's a fun game but it gets boring pretty quickly.
Final Rating: "Average" ~ 5/10.
2015
I really like the concept of High School and Murder Mystery, and I think this game mixes both settings pretty well.
The story is interesting and there are some good moments in it, but there's one point in the story where the game takes a turn that changes everything and it gets very messy, unexplained plot holes, a very boring antagonist, time travel powers that do not make sense and an ending that makes all of your choices throughout the game completely pointless.
I did enjoy the first half of the game, because everything felt fresh, and the story was easy to follow, but the gameplay got more and more repetitive, and in the end I was left with more questions than answers.
Not a bad game by any means, but the great first half cannot save the lucklaster second half.
Final Rating: "Average" ~ 5/10.
The story is interesting and there are some good moments in it, but there's one point in the story where the game takes a turn that changes everything and it gets very messy, unexplained plot holes, a very boring antagonist, time travel powers that do not make sense and an ending that makes all of your choices throughout the game completely pointless.
I did enjoy the first half of the game, because everything felt fresh, and the story was easy to follow, but the gameplay got more and more repetitive, and in the end I was left with more questions than answers.
Not a bad game by any means, but the great first half cannot save the lucklaster second half.
Final Rating: "Average" ~ 5/10.
Personally I don't like the whole "cops against racers" theme but this game managed to pull it off well.
The most exciting thing in racing games in my opinion is the car customization, and unfortunately this game doesn't have car customization at all, which is a shame because everything else about it is pretty good.
The gameplay is fun and I liked the power-ups.
I also think the fact that you can play as a cop is pretty cool.
The graphics are ahead of their time, this game looks absolutely great even for todays standards.
And lastly, there's a decent amount of cars but the progression system is a mess.
Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10.
The most exciting thing in racing games in my opinion is the car customization, and unfortunately this game doesn't have car customization at all, which is a shame because everything else about it is pretty good.
The gameplay is fun and I liked the power-ups.
I also think the fact that you can play as a cop is pretty cool.
The graphics are ahead of their time, this game looks absolutely great even for todays standards.
And lastly, there's a decent amount of cars but the progression system is a mess.
Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10.
A nice attempt to bring Crash Bandicoot back for another adventure.
Unfortunately though, the game plays just like the older games, it's outdated and has some rough edges regarding the gameplay.
It's not bad by any means, infact it's quite enjoyable, and there are some additional new gameplay mechanics, but it does nothing new, and nothing about it is special.
The Quantum Masks are very creative, each one of them has its own unique ability, and they're very fun to use.
The multiple playable characters are all great, Tawna is by far the best character, she has the best levels, her moveset is very smooth and her tools are well implemented. Dingodile is fun aswell, being able to shoot things and fly feels good.
Most levels are alright, but some of them are just straight up frustrating, mechanics not working correctly, movement being clunky, weird hitboxes and just overall unfair.
The boss fights are... whatever, some of them are lame while others are artificially difficult, what a letdown.
And finally I just want to talk a little bit about the new art style, long story short, it's ugly, the animations are awkward, and most characters look off.
This one is a weird case, I like Crash Bandicoot, but the gameplay was cool many years ago, now it's just not on par with other modern platformers, it feels and plays the same after all these years.
Also, no split-screen couch co-op? No actual multiplayer? Really?
Well, that was disappointing.
Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10.
Unfortunately though, the game plays just like the older games, it's outdated and has some rough edges regarding the gameplay.
It's not bad by any means, infact it's quite enjoyable, and there are some additional new gameplay mechanics, but it does nothing new, and nothing about it is special.
The Quantum Masks are very creative, each one of them has its own unique ability, and they're very fun to use.
The multiple playable characters are all great, Tawna is by far the best character, she has the best levels, her moveset is very smooth and her tools are well implemented. Dingodile is fun aswell, being able to shoot things and fly feels good.
Most levels are alright, but some of them are just straight up frustrating, mechanics not working correctly, movement being clunky, weird hitboxes and just overall unfair.
The boss fights are... whatever, some of them are lame while others are artificially difficult, what a letdown.
And finally I just want to talk a little bit about the new art style, long story short, it's ugly, the animations are awkward, and most characters look off.
This one is a weird case, I like Crash Bandicoot, but the gameplay was cool many years ago, now it's just not on par with other modern platformers, it feels and plays the same after all these years.
Also, no split-screen couch co-op? No actual multiplayer? Really?
Well, that was disappointing.
Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10.
Despite the hate the game got because of its futuristic setting, I personally enjoyed it, I thought it was okay.
The gameplay is smooth, some guns are overpowered but fun to use, and the exo suit mechanics are very satisfying.
The story had some good moments here and there, great amount of action and suspense, but it's relatively short and very forgettable.
Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10.
The gameplay is smooth, some guns are overpowered but fun to use, and the exo suit mechanics are very satisfying.
The story had some good moments here and there, great amount of action and suspense, but it's relatively short and very forgettable.
Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10.
2012
A very unique Journey.
I can't even call this a game, it's more of a short playable visual spectacle.
Honestly, I don't really know how to review it, because it really is a one-of-a-kind experience that depends on the player.
Personally, I didn't find it particularly fun, but the subtle soundtrack and the beauty of its world engaged me a lot.
It really is a weird experience overall, it's not an enjoyable videogame but it definitely achieves what it sets out to do, and I truly respect it for that.
Play it.
Final Rating: "Good" ~ 7/10.
I can't even call this a game, it's more of a short playable visual spectacle.
Honestly, I don't really know how to review it, because it really is a one-of-a-kind experience that depends on the player.
Personally, I didn't find it particularly fun, but the subtle soundtrack and the beauty of its world engaged me a lot.
It really is a weird experience overall, it's not an enjoyable videogame but it definitely achieves what it sets out to do, and I truly respect it for that.
Play it.
Final Rating: "Good" ~ 7/10.
2023
To keep it short, I actually enjoyed this game, it's simple, fun, inoffensive and a good way to pass your time.
It does have few issues, for example the combos are short, many characters are somewhat similar to each other, there aren't many game modes, and the game crashes from time to time (rarely, but it does happen), but other than that, the gameplay overall is okay, and there are some interesting mechanics that work well.
Last but not least, I don't really like the gacha systems, rolling for skins and emotes, unlocking characters is very randomly generated, even though I do appreciate the fact that you can still play characters you don't have with the help of some coins that you can use up to 3 times per day, and you can also unlock some characters by leveling up, which is great!
As for the customization, it's quite underwhelming to be honest, there's barely anything worth unlocking. Also the User Interface is absolutely terrible, very clunky and messy for no reason.
That being said, it's a free-to-play game so it's worth trying out, give it a shot!
Final Rating: "Average" ~ 5/10.
It does have few issues, for example the combos are short, many characters are somewhat similar to each other, there aren't many game modes, and the game crashes from time to time (rarely, but it does happen), but other than that, the gameplay overall is okay, and there are some interesting mechanics that work well.
Last but not least, I don't really like the gacha systems, rolling for skins and emotes, unlocking characters is very randomly generated, even though I do appreciate the fact that you can still play characters you don't have with the help of some coins that you can use up to 3 times per day, and you can also unlock some characters by leveling up, which is great!
As for the customization, it's quite underwhelming to be honest, there's barely anything worth unlocking. Also the User Interface is absolutely terrible, very clunky and messy for no reason.
That being said, it's a free-to-play game so it's worth trying out, give it a shot!
Final Rating: "Average" ~ 5/10.