what a delight. this game is just so condensed with joy; i'm so glad evening star's first project turned out this great.

great mechanics that make for an excellent sense of flow, and really tempt me, even as someone who usually doesn't, to go back and master all the levels. speaking of those levels, they're loads of fun and packed with great ideas that are developed really well.

also, that music, man. Tee Lopes and Sean Bialo absolutely BRING IT! love to see it.

i did encounter some of the bugs that people complained about, so it is kinda clear this could have used a few more months or so of bugfixing and polish, but it wasn't enough to hamper my experience 99% of the time.

this game rules and you should play it!

so sick.

the vibes are so cool, the upgrades are fun to get and use to improve your build every run, and there's just so much more i could say. probably not the most amazing roguelite if you're into them, but if you're into roguelites and splatoon i think this does a great job.

also, the Splatoon team ALWAYS cooks with their finales. hell yeah bro

This game is overall a solid ass time. I honestly am surprised by how negative the conversation around it has gotten because it's really quite enjoyable for the most part.

The levels are packed with interesting gimmicks and ideas, the controls are spot on, and the visuals are insanely charming (the main cast looks so good here).

My biggest gripe is honestly the music, which saddens me to say. There are some absolute BANGERS in here, but there are also a few too many certified stinkers for a Sonic soundtrack imo. Somebody please lock away Jun Senoue's synths and access to that Genesis drum sample forever please.

I understand some of the distaste for the bosses, as some of them really can drag and take far too long, but I also think there are some good ones and they didn't ruin my experience by any means.

This game is far from perfect but it's still a good 2D Sonic game! I liked it.

bro, i JUST CAN'T GET ENUF.

i was so beyond hyped when this game first got announced and i'm so, so happy it turned out this well. it succeeds at its goal of bringing back the Jet Set Radio vibes with absolute flying colors, and it improves on so many of the problems JSR had itself.

almost everything in this game is so satisfying. movement feels like a dream, tagging spots makes you feel cool as hell, even navigating the phone menu has such a nice feel to it. the commitment to making it so your character can have their phone out at literally any time and be looking at it while still doing all their normal actions is insane and i love it.

you gotta mention the absolutely stellar soundtrack of course; it's great that they got a wide array of artists to contribute to the soundtrack, really captures the vibrant diversity that's seen everywhere else in the game. that said, the Hideki Naganuma songs in this soundtrack are probably some of my favorite work by him.

at first i wasn't sure if i was into the structure of the game, but as i played more i got pretty into it. the lack of levels with time limits like Jet Set had was absolutely the right move. i feel so much more at ease in this game without that timer being a constant worry.

i also really dig how this game gives you more ability to actually deal with enemies, and that they don't chase you everywhere around the damn map. they're so much less obtrusive in this game, but still provide a challenge when needed.

i was also pretty impressed by the story; in what i played of JSR (haven't played Future so can't speak on that), the story had some interesting mystery going on, but it's not really what you remember about that game. BRC, on the other hand, has a really character-driven narrative with a decently interesting arc and beats that grab your attention. the ending is also really fun and satisfying.

my only major criticism is that i felt like building combos didn't feel quite rewarding enough outside of the actual combo challenges. they do build up your boost meter, but it didn't feel quite enough, so i think there should have been something more in that regard.

my other complaints are super minor; i think the hit sound effects in combat could be a lot better, they're not nearly punchy and satisfying enough. i know the combat isn't a main draw of the game, but it would make everything just a bit better by improving that small thing.

i'm also very confused as to why there's no music on the title screen; feels very odd for a game as in-your-face and full of energy as this game, but maybe they were going for a different way of starting you off.

massive props to Team Reptile for making a game that both brings back everything people loved about a currently-dormant series and adds a ton more to chew on to create an even better experience at the same time.

this is the first time i've written and posted an actual comprehensive review for a game because i just had to talk about all this. thanks for a rad as hell game that i'm definitely gonna be playing more of, guys!

A really adorable and cozy game with great characters and frankly really entertaining writing. Feels mostly good to play with some hiccups. Started to feel a bit repetitive towards the end, but it doesn't last too long, so luckily there wasn't too much more to get through. I haven't gotten the true ending yet, not sure if/when I will.

But really what it comes down to is how damn charming this game is. I was amazed by how much I loved all the characters and interactions. You can feel all the love put into it. A great little time

A beautiful game the whole way through, with a beautiful story and poignant message that I think can apply to just about anyone. The standout quality that captivated me from when the game was first revealed was of course the animation; so much life and attention to detail in every movement these characters make, and it really draws you in to the world.
Mechanically there's not really anything that will blow you away, but what's there is quite solid and well-executed. It all feels good to play and control, and all the areas are quite smartly-designed, pulling from the mechanics that they introduce in interesting ways.
Honestly, the only thing that really bothered me somewhat was the difficulty options; it felt like Normal was a good bit too easy, but Hard was way too much for me. I feel like if Normal was an Easy mode and there was a difficulty in between the two we have now, that would have been perfect. Minor complaint, though. Really enjoyed this one and is an easy recommend for someone who wants to relax with a good old fashioned traditional Gamecube/PS2-era style action-adventure.