Ragoon
2022
The game has a winning formula on paper just sadly other things in the concoction hold it back.
You have a solid roster with beloved characters (and Black Adam) and they're voiced so you have fun interactions between them. You just also need to excessively grind or spend real money to get most of them, and be careful as you can't use characters you don't own in training mode so you won't be able to test if you actually like playing as them.
The gameplay's slow but it does feel better than it looks. Hits feel really satisfying to me and I do think they were very creative with the moveset of most characters in here. The game however is just really clunky right now too with infinites and grab glitches everywhere. As I'm writing this right now, Iron Giant is not selectable because he was just busted (he was also one of the few characters I actually own...).
Would like them to keep improving this game as I do still think it has potential, and I am excited with characters that have gotten leaked so I will probably come back. Sadly though the game's business model does make me feel like that will always hold it back for me.
Why does Velma fight with word bubbles, has she ever done that before in any SD media?
You have a solid roster with beloved characters (and Black Adam) and they're voiced so you have fun interactions between them. You just also need to excessively grind or spend real money to get most of them, and be careful as you can't use characters you don't own in training mode so you won't be able to test if you actually like playing as them.
The gameplay's slow but it does feel better than it looks. Hits feel really satisfying to me and I do think they were very creative with the moveset of most characters in here. The game however is just really clunky right now too with infinites and grab glitches everywhere. As I'm writing this right now, Iron Giant is not selectable because he was just busted (he was also one of the few characters I actually own...).
Would like them to keep improving this game as I do still think it has potential, and I am excited with characters that have gotten leaked so I will probably come back. Sadly though the game's business model does make me feel like that will always hold it back for me.
Why does Velma fight with word bubbles, has she ever done that before in any SD media?
The developers are true to their name, they are called Good Feel and I found myself very often feeling good while playing this.
It's just so pleasant, filled with "it's the little things" moments every other minute because it's pouring with cute details. Never got dull for me either because of all the different gameplay types through Peach's many forms in this game, though I wish you got to play more of them as I felt you're actually not really given that much time with them.
Game's not hard, like whatsoever, but that's okay mostly, the levels are still charming to go through. I do wish enemies put a bit more effort into hitting you though. It does however have a large amount of collectibles hidden throughout the levels to keep you busy, that's the full extent of a challenge you're going to get here and hey it can actually be tricky.
I do wish the rewards for getting all the collectibles were a bit more interesting as it's mostly just other dresses for Peach and Stella but said dresses are more just changes in colors and patterns, would've been more visually rewarding if they got outfits based on the levels you go through.
Overall, just a lovely time, nothing crazy but something that had me smiling plenty during my time with it. It feels like it has the soul of a Kirby game so honestly if you're a fan of those, you may enjoy this quite a bit too.
It's just so pleasant, filled with "it's the little things" moments every other minute because it's pouring with cute details. Never got dull for me either because of all the different gameplay types through Peach's many forms in this game, though I wish you got to play more of them as I felt you're actually not really given that much time with them.
Game's not hard, like whatsoever, but that's okay mostly, the levels are still charming to go through. I do wish enemies put a bit more effort into hitting you though. It does however have a large amount of collectibles hidden throughout the levels to keep you busy, that's the full extent of a challenge you're going to get here and hey it can actually be tricky.
I do wish the rewards for getting all the collectibles were a bit more interesting as it's mostly just other dresses for Peach and Stella but said dresses are more just changes in colors and patterns, would've been more visually rewarding if they got outfits based on the levels you go through.
Overall, just a lovely time, nothing crazy but something that had me smiling plenty during my time with it. It feels like it has the soul of a Kirby game so honestly if you're a fan of those, you may enjoy this quite a bit too.
How did they make this game in 2009 bro, it's art direction and attention to detail in the environments all still hold up really well today.
Combat is satisfying for the most part, especially when trying to see how high your combo number can get then it encourages you to think quickly but also constantly be aware of your surroundings. It's tricky but fun.
Where the game comes short for me are the boss fights being underwhelming, the lack of mini map so you have to keep opening up the map menu, and limited options to take out enemies during the stealth sections which is strange considering how many of those this game has.
Officer Boles.
Combat is satisfying for the most part, especially when trying to see how high your combo number can get then it encourages you to think quickly but also constantly be aware of your surroundings. It's tricky but fun.
Where the game comes short for me are the boss fights being underwhelming, the lack of mini map so you have to keep opening up the map menu, and limited options to take out enemies during the stealth sections which is strange considering how many of those this game has.
Officer Boles.
I normally don't rate DLCs separately from the main game (unless it's an Expansion that's basically it's own game) as I tend to consider them as part of the overall package, but Prince of Persia 2008 is a memorable and fun albeit flawed journey that doesn't deserve this DLC bringing it down.
The DLC's just genuinely a whole lot of nothing pretending to be any sort of continuation to the main game's story. Nothing introduced within it has any pay off and after it gives you all that nothing, it abruptly ends on another cliffhanger. Atleast the main game's cliffhanger was actually thought provoking and even works as an ambiguous ending, but this is just and I sound like a broken record but...nothing. I don't even think the DS sequel references anything that happens here PROBABLY BECAUSE THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOMETHING TO ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO REFERENCE.
Elika and the Prince's chemistry in the main game is one of it's main highlights, so it's just WONDERFUL that this DLC has them on not speaking terms with no longer any dynamic. Don't get me wrong, it makes sense given how the main game ends that Elika would be mad at the Prince, and it would make for an interesting short story where the Prince regains Elika's trust. No pay off at all in this DLC though, their relationship doesn't improve at all by the end and then they separate abruptly.
Epilogue takes place in one dungeon, it's not as visually nice or interesting as locations in the main game, and offers you boss fights that you've already fought before in the main game. Including the Warrior who was probably the worst boss in the main game so it's real nice that you deal with him again multiple times.
The PC version of this game is apparently missing this DLC and honestly I now consider it the definitive version for that.
The DLC's just genuinely a whole lot of nothing pretending to be any sort of continuation to the main game's story. Nothing introduced within it has any pay off and after it gives you all that nothing, it abruptly ends on another cliffhanger. Atleast the main game's cliffhanger was actually thought provoking and even works as an ambiguous ending, but this is just and I sound like a broken record but...nothing. I don't even think the DS sequel references anything that happens here PROBABLY BECAUSE THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOMETHING TO ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO REFERENCE.
Elika and the Prince's chemistry in the main game is one of it's main highlights, so it's just WONDERFUL that this DLC has them on not speaking terms with no longer any dynamic. Don't get me wrong, it makes sense given how the main game ends that Elika would be mad at the Prince, and it would make for an interesting short story where the Prince regains Elika's trust. No pay off at all in this DLC though, their relationship doesn't improve at all by the end and then they separate abruptly.
Epilogue takes place in one dungeon, it's not as visually nice or interesting as locations in the main game, and offers you boss fights that you've already fought before in the main game. Including the Warrior who was probably the worst boss in the main game so it's real nice that you deal with him again multiple times.
The PC version of this game is apparently missing this DLC and honestly I now consider it the definitive version for that.