Rushmore0Miles
BACKER
1981
This is one of the first horizontal shmups of all time... released on a vertical screen, at least they tried.
Some of these older games really are too hard to review.
I mean it's certainly fun for about 30 seconds. I'm sure if you encounter a scramble machine in the wild it'd be a fascinating case of nostalgia for something you've never played before.
Some of these older games really are too hard to review.
I mean it's certainly fun for about 30 seconds. I'm sure if you encounter a scramble machine in the wild it'd be a fascinating case of nostalgia for something you've never played before.
2021
I found beetle
2014
A vignette of an alien world, made of liminal spaces and visual characters.
Pure atmosphere and imagination.
Pure atmosphere and imagination.
2023
Essential pico-8 title.
1990
One of the coolest games on NES.
2015
I've been digging into stealth platformers as its slowly becoming my favorite genre, this isn't one.
It's an insanely basic concept for a puzzle platformer that's more infuriating than anything.
It's really only stealth in the presentation, the reality of gameplay is more akin to those precision platformers like super-meatboy.
I'm sure it's for somebody, but it wasn't for me.
It's an insanely basic concept for a puzzle platformer that's more infuriating than anything.
It's really only stealth in the presentation, the reality of gameplay is more akin to those precision platformers like super-meatboy.
I'm sure it's for somebody, but it wasn't for me.
1989
Probably the best shmup for beginners, most players will see themselves reach the final level within a reasonable number of attempts. It's forgiving and helps you grow, but still tests you before offering up the victory.
1992
Not the greatest shmup ever, but a good entry-level one with solid presentation and at least one idea that I quite liked.
You carry three powerups at a time and can spend them for powered attacks instead of having traditional bombs.
You carry three powerups at a time and can spend them for powered attacks instead of having traditional bombs.
1992
Really underrated shmup with killer presentation.
Has a sort of proto-euro-shmup content where you level up throughout the game and gain a permanent damage increase for your run.
Most of the level design is boss-oriented, so if you loved level 3 in R-type you're going to have a whale of a time here.
Has a sort of proto-euro-shmup content where you level up throughout the game and gain a permanent damage increase for your run.
Most of the level design is boss-oriented, so if you loved level 3 in R-type you're going to have a whale of a time here.
2017
A great execution that's failed by a bad idea.
I may be biased against horror games in general since I think the concept is flawed, but this doesn't work as horror anyway.
The story is crap, there's no way to be nice about it, you get a dozen lines of dialogue awkwardly typed into the upper right-hand corner that do absolutely nothing of value for the gameplay loop.
It's a pity because that core loop really is excellent. The kind of game that almost deserves to be played in VR. The idea of scanning your environment like a low-fi flashlight is excellent, and the cave setting is a great fit for it.
There are some genuinely good puzzles here too, if it weren't for the cheap attempts to startle the player you'd have a great atmospheric puzzle-platformer with horror elements crafted solely through loneliness and the player's imagination.
Instead, the game is interrupted by a useless jumpscare that works once and then kills all the tension for the rest of the game. You died, respawned, and were fine. That's kinda why horror doesn't work in games, failure is the end of the tension, once it happens you're no longer tense about it.
If anything, I'd rather the glitches happen more organically, and be left in the water glitching out, thinking something's going to happen, only for it to never actually come. It almost feels like the dev didn't want to have to deal with figuring out the backtracking and so killed the player upon going somewhere they shouldn't have.
I'm only annoyed with this game because it had a lot of potential in it's core mechanic, and I feel that ALOT more could have been done here.
Still play it, it's worth seeing the idea.
I may be biased against horror games in general since I think the concept is flawed, but this doesn't work as horror anyway.
The story is crap, there's no way to be nice about it, you get a dozen lines of dialogue awkwardly typed into the upper right-hand corner that do absolutely nothing of value for the gameplay loop.
It's a pity because that core loop really is excellent. The kind of game that almost deserves to be played in VR. The idea of scanning your environment like a low-fi flashlight is excellent, and the cave setting is a great fit for it.
There are some genuinely good puzzles here too, if it weren't for the cheap attempts to startle the player you'd have a great atmospheric puzzle-platformer with horror elements crafted solely through loneliness and the player's imagination.
Instead, the game is interrupted by a useless jumpscare that works once and then kills all the tension for the rest of the game. You died, respawned, and were fine. That's kinda why horror doesn't work in games, failure is the end of the tension, once it happens you're no longer tense about it.
If anything, I'd rather the glitches happen more organically, and be left in the water glitching out, thinking something's going to happen, only for it to never actually come. It almost feels like the dev didn't want to have to deal with figuring out the backtracking and so killed the player upon going somewhere they shouldn't have.
I'm only annoyed with this game because it had a lot of potential in it's core mechanic, and I feel that ALOT more could have been done here.
Still play it, it's worth seeing the idea.
2022
A very short game, more about exploring a very strange place than it is about finishing the game.
there is a story... sort of... stuff happens, you get a train ticket and leave.
More importantly, you visit Babbdi, a place you probably shouldn't want to be... but you'll probably like anyway.
there is a story... sort of... stuff happens, you get a train ticket and leave.
More importantly, you visit Babbdi, a place you probably shouldn't want to be... but you'll probably like anyway.
Oh boy...
So it seems this has become a cult classic. I deeply wish I could recommend this game but too many things get in its way.
The presentation is fairly superb, but the visuals make it near impossible to gauge jumps while platforming.
The seamless gameplay helps keep you engaged, but the lack of menus and UI make some aspects of the game obtuse to interact with, I'm also fairly sure it caused a lot of my crashes.
The storytelling is unique and the characters interesting, but the story itself is bizarre to understand.
The list goes on and on.
There were moments I loved playing this game, scenes that were a treat to traverse, The gameplay never suspends during load times, what there was to the plot kept me going, and the bossfights while repetitive were fun.
BUT
The gameplay is endlessly repetitive, the platforming is awful, a number of mechanics fully broke, a bunch of scenes completely dragged on, the combat lacked variety, enemies are way too spongey, the games absolute refusal to give on screen info makes a number of encounters feel awful...
oh boy,
This game has a lot going on, but a lot feels unfinished or worse, intentionally bad ideas.
When I weigh it all up... I honestly find it shocking I even finished this game. Yet, some part of me kept going, kept defending it.
Something about this game is unique, some of it ideas could have been worth something, too many incomplete and poorly designed ideas stand between the player and the good stuff.
I don't recommend playing El Shaddai, watch a playthrough on youtube, you'll get the good stuff without having to suffer through actually playing it.
So it seems this has become a cult classic. I deeply wish I could recommend this game but too many things get in its way.
The presentation is fairly superb, but the visuals make it near impossible to gauge jumps while platforming.
The seamless gameplay helps keep you engaged, but the lack of menus and UI make some aspects of the game obtuse to interact with, I'm also fairly sure it caused a lot of my crashes.
The storytelling is unique and the characters interesting, but the story itself is bizarre to understand.
The list goes on and on.
There were moments I loved playing this game, scenes that were a treat to traverse, The gameplay never suspends during load times, what there was to the plot kept me going, and the bossfights while repetitive were fun.
BUT
The gameplay is endlessly repetitive, the platforming is awful, a number of mechanics fully broke, a bunch of scenes completely dragged on, the combat lacked variety, enemies are way too spongey, the games absolute refusal to give on screen info makes a number of encounters feel awful...
oh boy,
This game has a lot going on, but a lot feels unfinished or worse, intentionally bad ideas.
When I weigh it all up... I honestly find it shocking I even finished this game. Yet, some part of me kept going, kept defending it.
Something about this game is unique, some of it ideas could have been worth something, too many incomplete and poorly designed ideas stand between the player and the good stuff.
I don't recommend playing El Shaddai, watch a playthrough on youtube, you'll get the good stuff without having to suffer through actually playing it.
2011
A massive improvement over the original with both remastered and 3D graphics.
I couldn't tell you if the game ObJeCtIvElY benefits from the 3D but I always love it. It's because of the 3D and gyro controls that I feel the 3DS is the only way to fully enjoy this game now.
The game holds up extraordinarily well and has excellent replay value.
I couldn't tell you if the game ObJeCtIvElY benefits from the 3D but I always love it. It's because of the 3D and gyro controls that I feel the 3DS is the only way to fully enjoy this game now.
The game holds up extraordinarily well and has excellent replay value.
1986
One of those super early polygonal 3d games, it's a bit like the original star fox but with a bit more going on. More of a shmup than a rail shooter.
Some wild stuff going on around you, most of it comprehensible.
honestly just fun to play.
Some wild stuff going on around you, most of it comprehensible.
honestly just fun to play.
1981
I've played about a dozen random flash versions of this before playing the Taito original. It's certainly one of all time arcade greats but I gotta say, the concept was better served by sped up flash clones.