Razalhague
2022
Lacks originality, but otherwise feels quite polished and high quality.
2022
Overall not bad, but nothing special either. My main criticism is that it lacks depth in combat, story, and level design.
I did quite like the bullet-hell bosses and the way re-attaching the islands opened access to new paths. But simultaneously I was disappointed because I had gotten the impression that the islands could be combined in multiple different ways, opening some routes and closing others.
Minor complaints: I didn't like the lack of healing. It seemed like your three options when you got an upgrade were random? Not a fan. Teleport arrow felt underutilized. Some of the late-game platforming challenges seemed to forget cloud arrow was a thing.
Also, fuck Snoot.
I did quite like the bullet-hell bosses and the way re-attaching the islands opened access to new paths. But simultaneously I was disappointed because I had gotten the impression that the islands could be combined in multiple different ways, opening some routes and closing others.
Minor complaints: I didn't like the lack of healing. It seemed like your three options when you got an upgrade were random? Not a fan. Teleport arrow felt underutilized. Some of the late-game platforming challenges seemed to forget cloud arrow was a thing.
Also, fuck Snoot.
2020
It's a pretty good game that I would characterize as puzzle/stealth. My main complaints are the length (4.5 hours for me) and that it doesn't explore the potential within its mechanics enough. There's a decent variety of abilities, but it felt like the game breezed through them too fast. I would've also liked more variety in enemy encounters.
2022
Very cool idea. I wish I liked this more, but between the mediocre writing/worldbuilding and kinda frustrating gameplay I just can't.
2023
Now, there's going to be a lot of complaining in this review, but that doesn't really reflect how much I liked the game. There's many things that could be improved, but none of these are major issues and the core gameplay is solid. Overall, this was quite a nice metroidvania.
First and foremost, the game suffers a bit from having slightly too many abilities and upgrades, and would probably have been a better game if a few had been removed and more time and polish were spent on each of the remaining ones.
Map is large and fairly good, though backtracking is a bit of a chore. There's a bit too many long and windy passages without any shortcuts, and the fast travel system wasn't good enough for most of the game.
Save points are also a little sparse and not discoverable enough. That is compensated somewhat by the lives-system, but it feels a bit out of place and like a band-aid solution. The sparseness is also a problem because by default, the map only updates when you visit a save point. Now, this behaviour is easy to change, but I wish the game had just committed to one and designed the map to suit that one.
The optional platforming challenges remind me of Celeste and I liked many of them, but also disliked many because of how fiddly the timings are.
First and foremost, the game suffers a bit from having slightly too many abilities and upgrades, and would probably have been a better game if a few had been removed and more time and polish were spent on each of the remaining ones.
Map is large and fairly good, though backtracking is a bit of a chore. There's a bit too many long and windy passages without any shortcuts, and the fast travel system wasn't good enough for most of the game.
Save points are also a little sparse and not discoverable enough. That is compensated somewhat by the lives-system, but it feels a bit out of place and like a band-aid solution. The sparseness is also a problem because by default, the map only updates when you visit a save point. Now, this behaviour is easy to change, but I wish the game had just committed to one and designed the map to suit that one.
The optional platforming challenges remind me of Celeste and I liked many of them, but also disliked many because of how fiddly the timings are.
2023
While the game does have some fairly big problems, it is like catnip for me. Exploration, gradual accumulation and organizing of resources, an early 1900s occult setting, flavour text that's borderline purple prose... mmmmm, delicious.
It's a long game and definitely not for everyone, but if it hits you like it did me then it's almost not long enough. I could've reached an ending about 50 hours in, but I kept on playing for a more ambitious one. My first playthrough was 120 hours, and what did I do immediately on finishing? I started a second playthrough, and I'm probably going to do a third when the DLC drops later this year.
My main complaints are the obtuse and inconvenient crafting system, the lack of any danger, and having no interaction with the outside world. Though the interaction-part seems to be getting fixed with the coming DLC.
It's a long game and definitely not for everyone, but if it hits you like it did me then it's almost not long enough. I could've reached an ending about 50 hours in, but I kept on playing for a more ambitious one. My first playthrough was 120 hours, and what did I do immediately on finishing? I started a second playthrough, and I'm probably going to do a third when the DLC drops later this year.
My main complaints are the obtuse and inconvenient crafting system, the lack of any danger, and having no interaction with the outside world. Though the interaction-part seems to be getting fixed with the coming DLC.
2002
I don't like the controls or the combat, but that is nothing new when it comes to me and Metroid games. But combine that with the handholding and linearity of this title, and I couldn't be arsed to finish.
2019
Overall I liked the game, biggest complaints are lack of map (had to draw one myself) and anticlimactic ending.
I enjoyed the gameplay and atmosphere a lot. The slow and methodical combat was nice and made me feel like learning to play Dark Souls for the first time. The stun mechanic was interesting.
The NG+ changes enemies, how rooms connect, and the order in which you get items. That last one in particular makes the replay worth the time, it does change how you approach things and made me use certain items that I didn't really use the first time around (force field and SMG).
I enjoyed the gameplay and atmosphere a lot. The slow and methodical combat was nice and made me feel like learning to play Dark Souls for the first time. The stun mechanic was interesting.
The NG+ changes enemies, how rooms connect, and the order in which you get items. That last one in particular makes the replay worth the time, it does change how you approach things and made me use certain items that I didn't really use the first time around (force field and SMG).
A fun little co-op game. Biggest downside is that some levels were not well designed for three people.
2020
This review contains spoilers
Overall it's a good game. There's a decent amount of things in here that I disliked to varying degrees, but I couldn't call any of them straight up bad, just a matter of taste.
Most notably, many of the areas were too gimmicky and linear for me, not much room for exploration.
Using orbs to unlock spell upgrades was an interesting experiment, but by the end of the game I'd come to resent the mechanic. Once I got to around 20 orbs and could see what all the upgrades were, they turned from a source of excitement into a hassle since I couldn't afford to have them all enabled at once. So when I saw a spot where I'd have to use them, I usually headed back to town, re-allocated orbs, and then come back to the spot. Another problem was that I often forgot about the upgrades because they didn't get the "here's a place with a bunch of challenges involving that power" treatment. Also, I ended up accidentally bypassing some puzzles/platforming sections with the upgrades.
The rechargeable abilities were pretty underwhelming, only the teleport felt like a proper ability that saw use outside of the one dungeon where I got it. I forgot the time-stop ability after finishing the dungeon where it was mandatory, and the spinning orbs ability I forgot immediately after getting it. I used the spike-protection ability the most, but it still felt unnecessary. Also, I was very annoyed that there were insta-kill spikes in the game that it didn't protect you from.
I think the game could've been a lot better if they'd just cut down the number of powers/upgrades and put more focus on the remaining ones. Also, I vastly prefer finding my abilities over purchasing them.
Most notably, many of the areas were too gimmicky and linear for me, not much room for exploration.
Using orbs to unlock spell upgrades was an interesting experiment, but by the end of the game I'd come to resent the mechanic. Once I got to around 20 orbs and could see what all the upgrades were, they turned from a source of excitement into a hassle since I couldn't afford to have them all enabled at once. So when I saw a spot where I'd have to use them, I usually headed back to town, re-allocated orbs, and then come back to the spot. Another problem was that I often forgot about the upgrades because they didn't get the "here's a place with a bunch of challenges involving that power" treatment. Also, I ended up accidentally bypassing some puzzles/platforming sections with the upgrades.
The rechargeable abilities were pretty underwhelming, only the teleport felt like a proper ability that saw use outside of the one dungeon where I got it. I forgot the time-stop ability after finishing the dungeon where it was mandatory, and the spinning orbs ability I forgot immediately after getting it. I used the spike-protection ability the most, but it still felt unnecessary. Also, I was very annoyed that there were insta-kill spikes in the game that it didn't protect you from.
I think the game could've been a lot better if they'd just cut down the number of powers/upgrades and put more focus on the remaining ones. Also, I vastly prefer finding my abilities over purchasing them.
A fun investigation game about digging through the archives. I just wish there was more, it's not even two hours long.
One of the best investigation games I've ever played. Had a lot of fun figuring things out.
The game is very hands-off when it comes to investigating. There's no "detective mode" that highlights important things, no evidence log, no deduction mechanic where you combine clues. What you have is a bunch of faces that you have to assign a name and a fate to. Once you manage to fill in the correct details for any three people, the game locks in those answers and gives you a little pat on the head. The lack of guidance is rather freeing, but it also means that you really have to use your own eyes and brain.
I expected this to have basically no replay-value, but was pleasantly surprised when I played it again about two years after my first time. The story is the same so you won't get the same experience of uncovering that, but the investigative part was still fun since there's enough people on board that I had forgotten most of their names and exact fates by the time I replayed this.
The game is very hands-off when it comes to investigating. There's no "detective mode" that highlights important things, no evidence log, no deduction mechanic where you combine clues. What you have is a bunch of faces that you have to assign a name and a fate to. Once you manage to fill in the correct details for any three people, the game locks in those answers and gives you a little pat on the head. The lack of guidance is rather freeing, but it also means that you really have to use your own eyes and brain.
I expected this to have basically no replay-value, but was pleasantly surprised when I played it again about two years after my first time. The story is the same so you won't get the same experience of uncovering that, but the investigative part was still fun since there's enough people on board that I had forgotten most of their names and exact fates by the time I replayed this.
2016
Nowadays people act like OW1 was a perfect game and OW2 made everything worse.
But I remember pirateships. I remember Paris, Horizon, and Anubis. I remember shield-watch: shooting at Orisa's shield until it broke, only to be replaced by Sigma's shield, and vice versa, until the thing that broke was me. I remember... and amid the grief for all that was lost, I am grateful that these things are no more.
But I remember pirateships. I remember Paris, Horizon, and Anubis. I remember shield-watch: shooting at Orisa's shield until it broke, only to be replaced by Sigma's shield, and vice versa, until the thing that broke was me. I remember... and amid the grief for all that was lost, I am grateful that these things are no more.
2013
The game's difficulty comes mainly from: A) old style jump controls (ie. you can't change trajectory once in the air, except with the double jump), B) somewhat newbie-hostile level design that results in plenty of trial-and-error gameplay, C) unforgiving health system where you lose gear when you take damage, and D) long distances between checkpoints.
And yet... this isn't as rage-inducing as I would've expected.
It kind of reminds me of Celeste, in the way that you first need to figure out a sequence of actions, and then execute it with little room for improvization or mistakes. Also in the way that you will die a lot. The difference is that Celeste has waaay more checkpoints, an interesting story, and actually enjoyable fluid movement.
While I've never beaten this and have uninstalled it several times, it has never made me go "I'm never playing this again".
And yet... this isn't as rage-inducing as I would've expected.
It kind of reminds me of Celeste, in the way that you first need to figure out a sequence of actions, and then execute it with little room for improvization or mistakes. Also in the way that you will die a lot. The difference is that Celeste has waaay more checkpoints, an interesting story, and actually enjoyable fluid movement.
While I've never beaten this and have uninstalled it several times, it has never made me go "I'm never playing this again".
2018
The gun crafting is absolutely the best part of this game. The rest is somewhat mediocre and repetitive, so I wouldn't recommend this if the crafting (and fighting with your crafted guns) doesn't interest you.
Once you figure out what works for you, I'd advice against rebuilding the same two guns over and over for every single mission, as that is just going to bring the mediocrity and repetitiveness into focus.
Once you figure out what works for you, I'd advice against rebuilding the same two guns over and over for every single mission, as that is just going to bring the mediocrity and repetitiveness into focus.