Nicnac
1995
More like Mega Man X3/10 heyoooo
Such a step down from X and X2 in basically every way imaginable. Weapons are worse, the plot is worse, the music is worse and the unlockable armour is less satisfying to use. Worst of all, the game's difficulty feels fake. Clever enemy placement and tight platforming has been abandoned in exchange for making everything deal too much damage until you get the overpowered chest armour which halves all damage, so the game is either too easy or unfair without it. Even with the armour, the last Sigma fight does absurd damage even for a final boss.
Zero is done so dirty in X3, being a call-in feature that only has one life across the entire game- and if you waste that life you won't be able to get the utterly broken Z-Saber that the game gives no indication of being able to obtain. Explore the game for a cool upgrade like every other bit of gear? No thank you, walk into the only miniboss/boss room Zero is able to go into with no prior hint.
Such a disappointment after the masterpiece of X1 and the solid follow-up of X2.
Such a step down from X and X2 in basically every way imaginable. Weapons are worse, the plot is worse, the music is worse and the unlockable armour is less satisfying to use. Worst of all, the game's difficulty feels fake. Clever enemy placement and tight platforming has been abandoned in exchange for making everything deal too much damage until you get the overpowered chest armour which halves all damage, so the game is either too easy or unfair without it. Even with the armour, the last Sigma fight does absurd damage even for a final boss.
Zero is done so dirty in X3, being a call-in feature that only has one life across the entire game- and if you waste that life you won't be able to get the utterly broken Z-Saber that the game gives no indication of being able to obtain. Explore the game for a cool upgrade like every other bit of gear? No thank you, walk into the only miniboss/boss room Zero is able to go into with no prior hint.
Such a disappointment after the masterpiece of X1 and the solid follow-up of X2.
Very daring of Konami to ask the question "What if we made Rondo of Blood again- but worse?"
1986
ZELDA MARATHON- 1/20
The NES era as a whole didn't age very well (with some notable exceptions) and this is excellent proof. Not bad but the series doesn't really come alive until the SNES era.
Next- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
The NES era as a whole didn't age very well (with some notable exceptions) and this is excellent proof. Not bad but the series doesn't really come alive until the SNES era.
Next- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
ZELDA MARATHON- 2/20
There was some weird fixation in the NES era for a sequel to be substantially different to the first one- SMB 2, Castlevania 2 and Zelda 2 are all noticeably very different from their premier instalment, and all 3 go back to the formula of the first one after an attempted shakeup. It's interesting to think about what would have happened if Zelda 2 took off and became the template of the series, but I'm happy it didn't.
I admire the ambition of Zelda II but it just isn't very good. The 2D combat is a little wonky, the 3D sections are less visually appealing than the first game, and the game is just really damn hard. Was happy to finish up with this one.
Next- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Previous- The Legend of Zelda
There was some weird fixation in the NES era for a sequel to be substantially different to the first one- SMB 2, Castlevania 2 and Zelda 2 are all noticeably very different from their premier instalment, and all 3 go back to the formula of the first one after an attempted shakeup. It's interesting to think about what would have happened if Zelda 2 took off and became the template of the series, but I'm happy it didn't.
I admire the ambition of Zelda II but it just isn't very good. The 2D combat is a little wonky, the 3D sections are less visually appealing than the first game, and the game is just really damn hard. Was happy to finish up with this one.
Next- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Previous- The Legend of Zelda
ZELDA MARATHON- 3/20
The jump from the NES Zelda games to A Link to the Past is like a 5-year-old gaining consciousness for the first time and realising it's alive.
Everything in ALttP is a massive step up. The game looks leagues better due to the SNES' hardware upgrade, the music is much smoother (and there are more than a handful of tracks), the story is told beyond the manual and a poorly translated intro screen, and the gameplay is just better in every regard.
The Light World/Dark World switching is a fun gimmick, the bosses are mostly much better (The worm from the Tower of Hera can eat shit though) and the game actually tells you where dungeons are on a map that's more than a grey grid with a white dot on it.
In fact, telling the player anything at all is probably the biggest improvement from NES Zelda that I could ask for. It's not like the game tells you everything, though- Hyrule is absolutely crammed full of secrets just waiting for the player to dig up- Pieces of Heart, multiple secret items, item upgrade stations (one of which you need to find to kill Ganon) and more. Despite laying out the foundations of where you need to go sooner or later, in terms of collectables ALttP plays its cards pretty close to the chest and is all the better for it.
Pretty much every issue I had with the first Zelda is rectified in ALttP. Unfortunately I think it suffers a little bit from having 11 whole dungeons (12 if you count the opening castle crawl), which means the game feels like it's spinning its wheels a little in the last two or three dungeons, but it's not really an issue- the Ice Palace and Misery Mire are the only dungeons I really dislike.
A real standout of the already-fantastic SNES library and sets an excellent template for the rest of the series to follow.
Next- The Legend of Zelda- Link's Awakening DX
Previous- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
The jump from the NES Zelda games to A Link to the Past is like a 5-year-old gaining consciousness for the first time and realising it's alive.
Everything in ALttP is a massive step up. The game looks leagues better due to the SNES' hardware upgrade, the music is much smoother (and there are more than a handful of tracks), the story is told beyond the manual and a poorly translated intro screen, and the gameplay is just better in every regard.
The Light World/Dark World switching is a fun gimmick, the bosses are mostly much better (The worm from the Tower of Hera can eat shit though) and the game actually tells you where dungeons are on a map that's more than a grey grid with a white dot on it.
In fact, telling the player anything at all is probably the biggest improvement from NES Zelda that I could ask for. It's not like the game tells you everything, though- Hyrule is absolutely crammed full of secrets just waiting for the player to dig up- Pieces of Heart, multiple secret items, item upgrade stations (one of which you need to find to kill Ganon) and more. Despite laying out the foundations of where you need to go sooner or later, in terms of collectables ALttP plays its cards pretty close to the chest and is all the better for it.
Pretty much every issue I had with the first Zelda is rectified in ALttP. Unfortunately I think it suffers a little bit from having 11 whole dungeons (12 if you count the opening castle crawl), which means the game feels like it's spinning its wheels a little in the last two or three dungeons, but it's not really an issue- the Ice Palace and Misery Mire are the only dungeons I really dislike.
A real standout of the already-fantastic SNES library and sets an excellent template for the rest of the series to follow.
Next- The Legend of Zelda- Link's Awakening DX
Previous- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
ZELDA MARATHON- 4/20
One step forward and 2 steps back from A Link to the Past still makes a very good game.
The main progression that Link's Awakening has over A Link to the Past is the story. ALttP tells a pretty basic story of "Oh, shit! Aghanim is fucking shit up! Go stop him!", which is by all means fine, but Link's Awakening goes for a surprisingly mature story from a mid-90s Gameboy Zelda game.
It starts out with Link just trying to get off of Koholint Island, but as you crawl through the dungeons the bosses start letting on more and more- the island is all the dream of the Wind Fish, and to wake him is to doom the island to nonexistance. After you wake the Wind Fish at the end of the game, you're treated to shots of the entire island vanishing bit by bit. Two children playing with a ball in front of the town library, a woman and her two pet chain chomps (by the way, there are so many Mario enemies in this game, it's so bizarre) and the girl that rescues Link at the start of the game are all shown to be vanishing as the island is destroyed. The ending of Link's Awakening isn't triumphant like its predecessors, it's bittersweet and ends up being the type of the story that the series would follow more often than not in its mainline entries- and the darker, more mature stories that pop up in Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild owe a lot to Link's Awakening.
As much as I praise the story though, the gameplay is two steps back from A Link to the Past. For one, Link's Awakening is considerably more cryptic in direction than its direct predecessor- sure, there are telephone lines to call if you get stuck, but ideally I shouldn't be hemming and hawing over where to go next- the map being filled in square-by-square instead of being presented in full is an extension of this problem. The "Where do I go?" problem isn't enough to make the game unsatisfying, but nobody can blame you for consulting a guide during your playthrough.
Another issue I have with Link's Awakening is that the items you pick up over your journey, especially in the latter half of the game, just aren't used after their initial showing- the L-2 Power Bracelet, Bow, Mirror Shield, Shovel and even the Pegasus Boots just aren't used that much, while Bombs and the Roc Feather (both of which I love, mind you) hog all the screentime. It's a shame.
The dungeons themselves, while a huge step up from Zelda 1, fall short of the excellence present in ALttP. A lot of them are slogs with more backtracking than I would like, and the bosses aren't memorable like the previous three games' rosters are. A notable exception to this is the final boss of the game, Nightmare, who takes the form of some of Link's greatest fears throughout the fight. You get a rematch with Aghanim, Ganon, and that fucking worm boss from the Tower of Hera (Link's so real for that one).
Overall, despite me not enjoying it as much as its direct predecessor (What a shocker that a SNES game is better than a Gameboy game of the same series, I know), Link's Awakening is the crown jewel of the Game Boy's library and is more than a worthy instalment in the franchise.
(The DX version is by far the definitive one, by the way- not only is the game IN COLOUR YEAAAHHHH but it has a brand-spanking new extra dungeon that fully takes advantage of it.)
Next- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Previous- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
One step forward and 2 steps back from A Link to the Past still makes a very good game.
The main progression that Link's Awakening has over A Link to the Past is the story. ALttP tells a pretty basic story of "Oh, shit! Aghanim is fucking shit up! Go stop him!", which is by all means fine, but Link's Awakening goes for a surprisingly mature story from a mid-90s Gameboy Zelda game.
It starts out with Link just trying to get off of Koholint Island, but as you crawl through the dungeons the bosses start letting on more and more- the island is all the dream of the Wind Fish, and to wake him is to doom the island to nonexistance. After you wake the Wind Fish at the end of the game, you're treated to shots of the entire island vanishing bit by bit. Two children playing with a ball in front of the town library, a woman and her two pet chain chomps (by the way, there are so many Mario enemies in this game, it's so bizarre) and the girl that rescues Link at the start of the game are all shown to be vanishing as the island is destroyed. The ending of Link's Awakening isn't triumphant like its predecessors, it's bittersweet and ends up being the type of the story that the series would follow more often than not in its mainline entries- and the darker, more mature stories that pop up in Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild owe a lot to Link's Awakening.
As much as I praise the story though, the gameplay is two steps back from A Link to the Past. For one, Link's Awakening is considerably more cryptic in direction than its direct predecessor- sure, there are telephone lines to call if you get stuck, but ideally I shouldn't be hemming and hawing over where to go next- the map being filled in square-by-square instead of being presented in full is an extension of this problem. The "Where do I go?" problem isn't enough to make the game unsatisfying, but nobody can blame you for consulting a guide during your playthrough.
Another issue I have with Link's Awakening is that the items you pick up over your journey, especially in the latter half of the game, just aren't used after their initial showing- the L-2 Power Bracelet, Bow, Mirror Shield, Shovel and even the Pegasus Boots just aren't used that much, while Bombs and the Roc Feather (both of which I love, mind you) hog all the screentime. It's a shame.
The dungeons themselves, while a huge step up from Zelda 1, fall short of the excellence present in ALttP. A lot of them are slogs with more backtracking than I would like, and the bosses aren't memorable like the previous three games' rosters are. A notable exception to this is the final boss of the game, Nightmare, who takes the form of some of Link's greatest fears throughout the fight. You get a rematch with Aghanim, Ganon, and that fucking worm boss from the Tower of Hera (Link's so real for that one).
Overall, despite me not enjoying it as much as its direct predecessor (What a shocker that a SNES game is better than a Gameboy game of the same series, I know), Link's Awakening is the crown jewel of the Game Boy's library and is more than a worthy instalment in the franchise.
(The DX version is by far the definitive one, by the way- not only is the game IN COLOUR YEAAAHHHH but it has a brand-spanking new extra dungeon that fully takes advantage of it.)
Next- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Previous- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
ZELDA MARATHON- 5/20
What is there to say about Ocarina of Time that hasn't already been said? It's one of the most influential games ever made, brought one of Nintendo's biggest franchises into the 3D era with a near-flawless transition and holds up nearly 25 years later.
OoT's shadow looms large over the Zelda series, and for nearly 20 years the franchise's big console releases were based on the template of Ocarina. Majora's Mask was only made because of the runaway success of it. Wind Waker was a deliberate departure from the style of it. Twilight Princess is a step further, directly following on from the story of Ocarina, developing on the game's art style with a more powerful system and even having the Link from OoT as a side character. Ocarina of Time is the lynchpin of the infamously complicated Zelda timeline- the only game that can reasonably be argued as more important is Skyward Sword (the game designed to be the first instalment chronologically, setting up future entries). Characters properly established in Ocarina of Time such as Impa and Ganondorf (the humanoid form of the beast fought in previous games) become series mainstays. It's only with Breath of the Wild that Zelda was able to break away from the formula that Ocarina of Time knocked it out of the park with, 4 console generations and 20 years later.
So why did Ocarina of Time resonate so deeply back then, and why does it still hold up so well today?
Let's start with the biggie- the change to three dimensions. A Link to the Past was a phenomenal game with a large open world just waiting for the player to be explored, and OoT takes that winning formula and translates it perfectly into 3D. Hyrule remains a large land packed with charming characters ,secrets and collectibles that reward exploration. The identity of the series kept totally intact, the graphical leap from ALttP to OoT is outstanding. The fantasy aesthetic of older games kept perfectly but just shifted to three dimensions is incredibly impressive.
Hyrule's open world is less of the big grid with rough zones from other games and more of individual areas connected by the central hub of Hyrule Field. Fast travel and the welcome addition of Epona allow for quick trips between varied areas like Death Mountain and Zora's Domain. The huge world of Hyrule feels connected in a way it just hasn't before thanks to being able to take Epona back and forth across Hyrule Field to visit different areas. You could fast travel in A Link to the Past, but the addition of a defined companion who takes you across Hyrule is a significant improvement over having some random bird just scoop you up.
The world design's upgrade has come with the side benefit of better dungeon design. Translation of the top-down dungeon crawling to the in-the-action camera in a 3D environment is flawless- the halls and chambers that make up the dungeons feel just like a natural evolution of the classic dungeons. Earlier Zelda games' dungeons all feel kinda samey- central gimmicks carry across different dungeons and don't have a distinct identity for the most part. In Ocarina of Time the series establishes a winning formula that gets used and reused for the majority of the series' lifespan. Each dungeon has a central gimmick that an item revolves around- the Lens of Truth and Hover Boots in the Shadow Temple, the Boomerang in Jabu Jabu's Belly, the Mirror Shield in the Spirit Temple (which also has the blessing of jumping between past and future). These item gimmicks are also the only way to tackle the bosses in each dungeon, which utilise the items in a way that every boss has a different strategy beyond "hit it with your sword a lot".
The combat in Ocarina is also massively improved as a direct result of being moved to the third dimension. Less relentless sword swinging and more an interesting proto-Dark Souls combat. Targeting one enemy with the Z button and waiting for openings becomes the core combat loop for big enemies. It's a little rough in comparison to most modern games, but gets the job done without feeling too dated- the combat system's DNA is felt all across the gaming landscape which makes it all the more impressive that OoT's combat system has stood the test of time relatively well.
Ocarina's plot has a notable advantage over most of its predecessors with the child-adult twist. About a third of your way into the game, Link sleeps for seven years and becomes a full-grown adult. In this time, Ganondorf conquers Hyrule, and Link sets out to stop him. The core plot isn't as engaging as Link's Awakening, but more than makes up for it by having the narrative directly impact the overworld. The overworld is the same in design in the future, but every area has changed because of Ganondorf's reign- Zora's domain is frozen over, Goron City is empty and bleak, Kokiri Village is filled with monsters, its residents not leaving their homes. Jumping back to the past and causing actions that have ripples in the future is engaging and invites a sense of wanting to explore the whole world in both timelines.
The part of Ocarina of Time that I would argue has held up best is the soundtrack. Zelda games' soundtracks are often packed with iconic songs, but OoT takes it to the next level in a way that only Wind Waker is really able to match. Tracks such as the beautiful and melancholy main theme (which contains a cute reference to Zelda 1's flute track), Gerudo Valley, Song of Storms, Lost Woods, Forest Temple and Lon Lon Ranch are all some of the most iconic pieces of gaming music ever composed (the last one being my personal favourite song from the series), all stemming from OoT. Even tracks that make a return from older games, such as the Great Fairy Fountain music and Ganondorf's theme are more recognised from their OoT covers than the original tracks.
There are a scant few games able to match Ocarina of Time's legacy- there's a reason it's still considered one of the best games of all time nearly a quarter-century after its release. It shaped the gaming landscape that only a handful of other games have ever really done before or since, built off of A Link to the Past's foundations to make an even greater entry that defined the series for years and, along with Mario 64, proved that Nintendo's juggernaut franchises did far more than simply work in three dimensions- they excelled in it.
Ocarina of Time is, to me, the definitive Zelda. All of the series' hallmarks either start here or are improved here from previous entries and it strikes the tonal balance between childlike and a little more mature that the series is known for. An absolutely outstanding game in pretty much every aspect.
The Water Temple still kinda sucks, though.
Next- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Previous- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
What is there to say about Ocarina of Time that hasn't already been said? It's one of the most influential games ever made, brought one of Nintendo's biggest franchises into the 3D era with a near-flawless transition and holds up nearly 25 years later.
OoT's shadow looms large over the Zelda series, and for nearly 20 years the franchise's big console releases were based on the template of Ocarina. Majora's Mask was only made because of the runaway success of it. Wind Waker was a deliberate departure from the style of it. Twilight Princess is a step further, directly following on from the story of Ocarina, developing on the game's art style with a more powerful system and even having the Link from OoT as a side character. Ocarina of Time is the lynchpin of the infamously complicated Zelda timeline- the only game that can reasonably be argued as more important is Skyward Sword (the game designed to be the first instalment chronologically, setting up future entries). Characters properly established in Ocarina of Time such as Impa and Ganondorf (the humanoid form of the beast fought in previous games) become series mainstays. It's only with Breath of the Wild that Zelda was able to break away from the formula that Ocarina of Time knocked it out of the park with, 4 console generations and 20 years later.
So why did Ocarina of Time resonate so deeply back then, and why does it still hold up so well today?
Let's start with the biggie- the change to three dimensions. A Link to the Past was a phenomenal game with a large open world just waiting for the player to be explored, and OoT takes that winning formula and translates it perfectly into 3D. Hyrule remains a large land packed with charming characters ,secrets and collectibles that reward exploration. The identity of the series kept totally intact, the graphical leap from ALttP to OoT is outstanding. The fantasy aesthetic of older games kept perfectly but just shifted to three dimensions is incredibly impressive.
Hyrule's open world is less of the big grid with rough zones from other games and more of individual areas connected by the central hub of Hyrule Field. Fast travel and the welcome addition of Epona allow for quick trips between varied areas like Death Mountain and Zora's Domain. The huge world of Hyrule feels connected in a way it just hasn't before thanks to being able to take Epona back and forth across Hyrule Field to visit different areas. You could fast travel in A Link to the Past, but the addition of a defined companion who takes you across Hyrule is a significant improvement over having some random bird just scoop you up.
The world design's upgrade has come with the side benefit of better dungeon design. Translation of the top-down dungeon crawling to the in-the-action camera in a 3D environment is flawless- the halls and chambers that make up the dungeons feel just like a natural evolution of the classic dungeons. Earlier Zelda games' dungeons all feel kinda samey- central gimmicks carry across different dungeons and don't have a distinct identity for the most part. In Ocarina of Time the series establishes a winning formula that gets used and reused for the majority of the series' lifespan. Each dungeon has a central gimmick that an item revolves around- the Lens of Truth and Hover Boots in the Shadow Temple, the Boomerang in Jabu Jabu's Belly, the Mirror Shield in the Spirit Temple (which also has the blessing of jumping between past and future). These item gimmicks are also the only way to tackle the bosses in each dungeon, which utilise the items in a way that every boss has a different strategy beyond "hit it with your sword a lot".
The combat in Ocarina is also massively improved as a direct result of being moved to the third dimension. Less relentless sword swinging and more an interesting proto-Dark Souls combat. Targeting one enemy with the Z button and waiting for openings becomes the core combat loop for big enemies. It's a little rough in comparison to most modern games, but gets the job done without feeling too dated- the combat system's DNA is felt all across the gaming landscape which makes it all the more impressive that OoT's combat system has stood the test of time relatively well.
Ocarina's plot has a notable advantage over most of its predecessors with the child-adult twist. About a third of your way into the game, Link sleeps for seven years and becomes a full-grown adult. In this time, Ganondorf conquers Hyrule, and Link sets out to stop him. The core plot isn't as engaging as Link's Awakening, but more than makes up for it by having the narrative directly impact the overworld. The overworld is the same in design in the future, but every area has changed because of Ganondorf's reign- Zora's domain is frozen over, Goron City is empty and bleak, Kokiri Village is filled with monsters, its residents not leaving their homes. Jumping back to the past and causing actions that have ripples in the future is engaging and invites a sense of wanting to explore the whole world in both timelines.
The part of Ocarina of Time that I would argue has held up best is the soundtrack. Zelda games' soundtracks are often packed with iconic songs, but OoT takes it to the next level in a way that only Wind Waker is really able to match. Tracks such as the beautiful and melancholy main theme (which contains a cute reference to Zelda 1's flute track), Gerudo Valley, Song of Storms, Lost Woods, Forest Temple and Lon Lon Ranch are all some of the most iconic pieces of gaming music ever composed (the last one being my personal favourite song from the series), all stemming from OoT. Even tracks that make a return from older games, such as the Great Fairy Fountain music and Ganondorf's theme are more recognised from their OoT covers than the original tracks.
There are a scant few games able to match Ocarina of Time's legacy- there's a reason it's still considered one of the best games of all time nearly a quarter-century after its release. It shaped the gaming landscape that only a handful of other games have ever really done before or since, built off of A Link to the Past's foundations to make an even greater entry that defined the series for years and, along with Mario 64, proved that Nintendo's juggernaut franchises did far more than simply work in three dimensions- they excelled in it.
Ocarina of Time is, to me, the definitive Zelda. All of the series' hallmarks either start here or are improved here from previous entries and it strikes the tonal balance between childlike and a little more mature that the series is known for. An absolutely outstanding game in pretty much every aspect.
The Water Temple still kinda sucks, though.
Next- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Previous- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
2017
I don’t think sonic games are developed any more, to be honest. I think there’s a demon under SEGA HQ that gets fed the souls of interns and every 5ish years coughs up a new Sonic game (of wildly varying quality) and a banger OST.
Fist Bump is good enough to keep this from being a 1/10.
Fist Bump is good enough to keep this from being a 1/10.
i beat this dlc with ten minutes of gametime. pathetic little epilogue to a pathetic little game.
at least finding out infinite went crazy because shadow the hedgehog called him a loser is one of the funniest things i’ve ever seen
at least finding out infinite went crazy because shadow the hedgehog called him a loser is one of the funniest things i’ve ever seen
ganondorf when he has to fight the korok i’ve strapped to a faithful recreation of an Evangelion: 😦😦😦
2022
OW2 was a work-in-progress game even by live service game standards for its entire run. For months Blizzard said "yeah we know we kinda fumbled the PvP buuuuttt the PvE is on its way and that's the big selling point!".
They just cancelled the bulk of the PvE. The game's purpose isn't a PvE mode any more, but a monetisation shift. Battle Passes and absurdly priced shop cosmetics instead of free loot boxes that mean players can get all cosmetics without emptying their wallets. So absurdly scummy.
I'm tapping out on OW for now, what a fucking joke. It's gotta be the biggest fumble in gaming history. The golden goose of OW1 died due to negligence, and then when given a second chance Blizzard categorically fumbled every single thing so badly. Unreal.
They just cancelled the bulk of the PvE. The game's purpose isn't a PvE mode any more, but a monetisation shift. Battle Passes and absurdly priced shop cosmetics instead of free loot boxes that mean players can get all cosmetics without emptying their wallets. So absurdly scummy.
I'm tapping out on OW for now, what a fucking joke. It's gotta be the biggest fumble in gaming history. The golden goose of OW1 died due to negligence, and then when given a second chance Blizzard categorically fumbled every single thing so badly. Unreal.
This game does to BotW what BotW did for almost every other open-world game I’ve ever played.
Having literally just finished it before this little write-up I need to collect my thoughts a little but FUCK this game is good. Expands on BotW in pretty much every way I could have asked for. Genuinely exceptional.
Having literally just finished it before this little write-up I need to collect my thoughts a little but FUCK this game is good. Expands on BotW in pretty much every way I could have asked for. Genuinely exceptional.
1986
CASTLEVANIA MARATHON- 1/22
The first Castlevania is one of the few NES games that I would say not only holds up alright today but is still actually fun even by modern standards and sensibilities.
The controls are super tight, the levels and bosses are all pretty well designed (apart from the fucking cruel corridor just before Death) and the music is outstanding.
Next- Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
The first Castlevania is one of the few NES games that I would say not only holds up alright today but is still actually fun even by modern standards and sensibilities.
The controls are super tight, the levels and bosses are all pretty well designed (apart from the fucking cruel corridor just before Death) and the music is outstanding.
Next- Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
CASTLEVANIA MARATHON- 2/22
Not great, I gotta be honest. While I can appreciate the attempt to branch out into a more non-linear format that would later become the series standard, the game is overly cryptic which makes it really inaccessible without a guide (very common for nonlinear NES games) and lacks the compact and brilliant level design of its predecessor. The music still goes incredibly hard though- you could make a case for Simon's Quest having a better OST than the original and I wouldn't blame you. Still, Bloody Tears and Dwellings of Doom don't make the game good,unfortunately.
Next- Castlevania: The Adventure
Previous- Castlevania
Not great, I gotta be honest. While I can appreciate the attempt to branch out into a more non-linear format that would later become the series standard, the game is overly cryptic which makes it really inaccessible without a guide (very common for nonlinear NES games) and lacks the compact and brilliant level design of its predecessor. The music still goes incredibly hard though- you could make a case for Simon's Quest having a better OST than the original and I wouldn't blame you. Still, Bloody Tears and Dwellings of Doom don't make the game good,unfortunately.
Next- Castlevania: The Adventure
Previous- Castlevania
CASTLEVANIA MARATHON- 3/22
Icky as fuck, I can't lie. Ugly by already low Game Boy standards, Christopher Belmont walks like there's cement in his shoes even more than other Belmonts (seriously, it's like someone broke his fucking legs about ten minutes before the game started) and the soundtrack is cheeks.
At least it's mercifully short, you can beat this game in like half an hour if you know what you're doing.
Next- Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Previous- Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Icky as fuck, I can't lie. Ugly by already low Game Boy standards, Christopher Belmont walks like there's cement in his shoes even more than other Belmonts (seriously, it's like someone broke his fucking legs about ten minutes before the game started) and the soundtrack is cheeks.
At least it's mercifully short, you can beat this game in like half an hour if you know what you're doing.
Next- Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Previous- Castlevania II: Simon's Quest