ReadyandRaiding
869 Reviews liked by ReadyandRaiding
Nidhogg 2
2017
Nidhogg 2 is a blatant cash grab that tarnishes the legacy of the original game. The developers have completely missed the mark with this sequel, opting for a shovelware approach that prioritizes pandering to the audience over delivering a quality gaming experience. The new art style is a jarring departure from the original game's minimalist aesthetic, and the gameplay changes feel forced and unnecessary. It's clear that Messhof has lost touch with what made the original Nidhogg so special, and Nidhogg 2 is a disappointing reminder of that fact.
Score: 2/10
Score: 2/10
Hades II
2024
A haunted forest where countless shades roam; a series of pool-filled chambers with bronze pipes, steam tanks and fish-shaped faucets; a never-ending landscape of wheat and golden trees; then, back to a familiar place. But nothing is as it was.
Hades II's atmosphere does the impossible by surpassing its predecessor: a game with so much charm that it posed the question of whether a possible sequel could come close to the house of Hades' familiarity and comfort, the intense heat of Asphodelus or the heroic dignity of Elysium. Roaming through the desolated streets of Ephyra, getting into the buildings and seeing carts of corpses and baskets of rotting fish, sailing in phantom boats and docking in the shores of Mount Olympus has the impact of something big: a war is raging, and you can feel it in each step you take.
The artistic aspect of Hades and Hades II has been one of the key elements in their success. The cast of characters is diverse and colourful, and brings new, fresh ideas to the table when it comes to a story that has been told time and again throughout the centuries. But the level design is where everything comes together for me. In the first game, the scenarios were really pretty and detailed, but the sequel takes it up a notch. I can't help but finding myself excited when I get to Oceanus. Being in those chambers seems to transport me to another age and place, and the humming of the sirens draws me in deeper each time.
The new mechanics are still being worked on, of course: the combat feels both familiar and fresh, and the new implementations like the tools, the crafting and the familiars are all fun to use and bring a new sense of progression to not only the story but also the gameplay. Progression is a big word in Hades II. Even if the game is a roguelite at its core, the progression in the story feels impactful, and every run brings out new dialogue and new unlocks. It doesn't even feel like you're just playing for a run, you're actually progressing, getting better and thus getting closer to your objectives both below and above.
We'll see how the game keeps changing through the early access, but even as I'm writing this review in version 0.90912 , with many changes to come, it really feels like the evolution of its predecessor in all aspects. There's no doubt in my mind that the areas to come will be filled with details and really fit into the narrative. Much like the Odyssey, Hades II is shaping up to be an epic poem full of exotic locations rooted in mythology and both warm and sharp characters that FEEL real. So, Time will tell.
Hades II's atmosphere does the impossible by surpassing its predecessor: a game with so much charm that it posed the question of whether a possible sequel could come close to the house of Hades' familiarity and comfort, the intense heat of Asphodelus or the heroic dignity of Elysium. Roaming through the desolated streets of Ephyra, getting into the buildings and seeing carts of corpses and baskets of rotting fish, sailing in phantom boats and docking in the shores of Mount Olympus has the impact of something big: a war is raging, and you can feel it in each step you take.
The artistic aspect of Hades and Hades II has been one of the key elements in their success. The cast of characters is diverse and colourful, and brings new, fresh ideas to the table when it comes to a story that has been told time and again throughout the centuries. But the level design is where everything comes together for me. In the first game, the scenarios were really pretty and detailed, but the sequel takes it up a notch. I can't help but finding myself excited when I get to Oceanus. Being in those chambers seems to transport me to another age and place, and the humming of the sirens draws me in deeper each time.
The new mechanics are still being worked on, of course: the combat feels both familiar and fresh, and the new implementations like the tools, the crafting and the familiars are all fun to use and bring a new sense of progression to not only the story but also the gameplay. Progression is a big word in Hades II. Even if the game is a roguelite at its core, the progression in the story feels impactful, and every run brings out new dialogue and new unlocks. It doesn't even feel like you're just playing for a run, you're actually progressing, getting better and thus getting closer to your objectives both below and above.
We'll see how the game keeps changing through the early access, but even as I'm writing this review in version 0.90912 , with many changes to come, it really feels like the evolution of its predecessor in all aspects. There's no doubt in my mind that the areas to come will be filled with details and really fit into the narrative. Much like the Odyssey, Hades II is shaping up to be an epic poem full of exotic locations rooted in mythology and both warm and sharp characters that FEEL real. So, Time will tell.
Trigger : " i need an AWACS to kiss "
Count : " do you think that just because youre captain it makes that sentence any less pathetic? "
Count : " do you think that just because youre captain it makes that sentence any less pathetic? "
Blood Wake
2001
Seriously underrated game. Many liken it to Twisted Metal, but it takes more from Crimson Skies than it does that game. Combat is extremely well done and the mission variety is perfectly done. The lack of animated cutscenes is the only major bummer.
Blood Wake
2001
All I can say is younger me was pleased they gave Hydro Thunder guns.
Blood Wake
2001
Water physics are pretty impressive for a launch title. Other than that it's a Twisted Metal ripoff where you'll be slamming to a halt and slowly reversing over a repair crate you just barely missed far too often.
Night in the Woods
2017
im so good at bass
Night in the Woods
2017
It’s why my name is Mae this game has such a strong grip on me I hold it very dear
Night in the Woods
2017
Great for college dropouts. A story that attempts to combine the personal story of a directionless millennial youth with the setting of an economically declining rustbelt town nostalgic for the good old days. The central mystery driving the plot almost immediately takes a back seat for most of the game in favor of the actual main focus of the game, which is just hanging out with friends, reading witty dialogue, and awkwardly trying to avoid talking about why you dropped out of college. As much as I enjoyed the fun and riffy interactions between Mae and her friends, I would have liked just a bit more focus on the actual mystery side of the plot. But overall, the game still offers a heartfelt and quirky experience. Would definitely recommend to my fellow disaffected Midwesterners in their 20s.
Human or Not?
2023
So, I'll admit, I did, a couple nights ago as of writing this, briefly play Human or Not? despite knowing it was AI and, although I wasn't certain, I could guess it probably would contribute to teaching the AI, which by itself can lead to unsavory consequences. I should have known better and shouldn't have contributed. If it makes you feel better, it wasn't even fun and was overall underwhelming; whether it's a bot or a human, it was super easy to figure it out, it was incredibly easy to confuse the bot and make it not respond, leading to around 40 seconds of time wasted, and it's rare to find a fellow human. My score (if I were to give it one) would be negative anyway.
However, I recently found out that, as stated in their own Terms of Use page (that link is to a Twitter thread with a bit more information on the matter) that it is an Israel-based website, and they openly support Israel. On top of that, they share personal data collected from the website to third parties who can sell the data. I'll be honest, I don't really understand all the ins and outs of it, but I do know that I don't want my time playing a silly game in any way contributing to ongoing ethnic cleansing, inadvertently supporting the government directly responsible, and allowing them to share and sell my personal information.
Consider this a PSA to avoid this game and site. Do your clicks, support the people of Palestine, and FREE PALESTINE
However, I recently found out that, as stated in their own Terms of Use page (that link is to a Twitter thread with a bit more information on the matter) that it is an Israel-based website, and they openly support Israel. On top of that, they share personal data collected from the website to third parties who can sell the data. I'll be honest, I don't really understand all the ins and outs of it, but I do know that I don't want my time playing a silly game in any way contributing to ongoing ethnic cleansing, inadvertently supporting the government directly responsible, and allowing them to share and sell my personal information.
Consider this a PSA to avoid this game and site. Do your clicks, support the people of Palestine, and FREE PALESTINE
Halo 3: ODST
2009
Jazz and a lowkey halo experience heh... sign me up
Double Jump NFT
2022
on one hand, this is a sub-roblox obby platformer game with incredibly generic art and physics that feel like ass. on the other hand, you do earn NFTs when you play, so its impossible to determine whether or not this game is good
i was the literal only person online playing this
i was the literal only person online playing this
" Remember, it's only a war crime if you lose the war " - AWACS SkyEye comforting Mobius 1 after he tells them that he pours the milk before cereal
All the things he said
All the things he said
Running through my head
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things he said
All the things he said
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things he said (all the things he said)
This is not enough (enough, enough, enough)
This is not enough
Buddy
All the things he said
Running through my head
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things he said
All the things he said
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things he said (all the things he said)
This is not enough (enough, enough, enough)
This is not enough
Buddy
Mata Nui Online Game
2001
This is a toy commercial flash game from 2001 why's it go so hard?????????
It's kinda unreal how this is a thing that exists. It's a very simple point-and-click adventure, but it has some perfect art direction and atmosphere to soak in. Most of the visuals still stand up to this day. Like they really were so confident that they've made such an interesting world here that they made a game for kids that expects them to read and study the lore of something. And given a lot of "toy commercial" games have nowhere near this much scope, MNOG here is such a once-in-a-lifetime piece of art. Something like MNOG's probably never gonna happen again.
It's kinda unreal how this is a thing that exists. It's a very simple point-and-click adventure, but it has some perfect art direction and atmosphere to soak in. Most of the visuals still stand up to this day. Like they really were so confident that they've made such an interesting world here that they made a game for kids that expects them to read and study the lore of something. And given a lot of "toy commercial" games have nowhere near this much scope, MNOG here is such a once-in-a-lifetime piece of art. Something like MNOG's probably never gonna happen again.