Satjams1
Let's start with the obvious, the game is gorgeous, the envirmoments are breathtaking and the CG cutscenes are absolutely top notch, Can't say much for the soundtrack though, not much is memorable and the one song I can remember is actually annoying.
This is an action adventure game with an emphasis on combat, and has the same spirit as a lot of games from the PS2 era - don't get me wrong that's not a bad thing. Everything is simple but the game is built around that, leading to an experience that does what it wants to do with very little fluff.
The bosses are the most standout aspect, especially the final one which was awesome. They are kinetic as hell and if you die (get this) you respawn outside the boss arena instead of the whole level! Kena 1 - Dark souls 0.
The exploration and platforming are simple, but somewhat rewarding. This is down to the fact almost all rewards are related to customising the rots. If this does nothing for you the your out of luck really, and that was the case for me.
The Story is simple but nice, its got some heartwarming moments, but it feels a little incomplete? I feel like I know very little about Kena by the end, not helped by how surprisingly short the game way.
I still had fun, and its cheaper than most out there, so I recommend it - 7/10
This is an action adventure game with an emphasis on combat, and has the same spirit as a lot of games from the PS2 era - don't get me wrong that's not a bad thing. Everything is simple but the game is built around that, leading to an experience that does what it wants to do with very little fluff.
The bosses are the most standout aspect, especially the final one which was awesome. They are kinetic as hell and if you die (get this) you respawn outside the boss arena instead of the whole level! Kena 1 - Dark souls 0.
The exploration and platforming are simple, but somewhat rewarding. This is down to the fact almost all rewards are related to customising the rots. If this does nothing for you the your out of luck really, and that was the case for me.
The Story is simple but nice, its got some heartwarming moments, but it feels a little incomplete? I feel like I know very little about Kena by the end, not helped by how surprisingly short the game way.
I still had fun, and its cheaper than most out there, so I recommend it - 7/10
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition is a wonderful remaster of the excellent original game, complete with incredible visuals, an updated soundtrack and small changes to make the experieince even better. The story is one of the best of the generation, with alluring characters huge plot twists and emotional moments at every corner. Binding this together is a huge world filled with things to do, awesome real time combat with many options to fit your play style, and a sense of discovery like none other. I don't like to call things perfect, but this is nearly it.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a masterpiece that build upon the battle system of the first to make a truly unforgetting experience in gameplay and story. The game earns its number 2 with mind-blowing revelations and emotional moments delivered through strong storytelling, and foreshadowing. The gameplay is superb and the gatcha system is handled in a way that makes the game constantly exciting. The highest recommendation from me.
I wanted to play this for years, ever since I played the original and really enjoyed it, and it absolutely didn't disappoint. TTYD is an extremely memorable experience.
The partners you gain in the game are very likeable (as is the whole cast) and they make up for the fairly simple plot, though it is Mario what do you expect. I actually think Super Paper Mario has the better storyline. The characters really pick up the slack, though I wish they were given more individual time in the spotlight.
The battle system is so much fun, with the game being a stage play, it's important to appeal to the crowd and learn the timings for stylish attacks. This is very engaging and keeps me immersed in battle, while rewarding you with special moves.
The world is pretty different for Mario, only having those traditonal areas for chapter 1. Beyond that there's a boxing arena, a train murder mystery and Russia!
Main problem is the backtracking - god whether it's for a side quest (which are handled awfully) or just to progress, it's absolutely rampant throughout and kills the pacing at times.
I loved this and I believe it to be the best entry in the Paper Mario series. But I really think that there is so much potential here for an even better game, not that I dislike modern Paper Mario, but from what's here, there could be more - 8/10
The partners you gain in the game are very likeable (as is the whole cast) and they make up for the fairly simple plot, though it is Mario what do you expect. I actually think Super Paper Mario has the better storyline. The characters really pick up the slack, though I wish they were given more individual time in the spotlight.
The battle system is so much fun, with the game being a stage play, it's important to appeal to the crowd and learn the timings for stylish attacks. This is very engaging and keeps me immersed in battle, while rewarding you with special moves.
The world is pretty different for Mario, only having those traditonal areas for chapter 1. Beyond that there's a boxing arena, a train murder mystery and Russia!
Main problem is the backtracking - god whether it's for a side quest (which are handled awfully) or just to progress, it's absolutely rampant throughout and kills the pacing at times.
I loved this and I believe it to be the best entry in the Paper Mario series. But I really think that there is so much potential here for an even better game, not that I dislike modern Paper Mario, but from what's here, there could be more - 8/10
Beating Dark souls, a badge added to the collection, achievement added to the CV.
I really didn't think much of this game, for something so legendary... yeah it's really not that enjoyable. I don't like the levels, I don't like the bosses, I don't like the combat and I don't like the story (because it explains nothing)
It's nice that it runs at 60fps and graphically the remaster holds up really well. The aesthetics are really nice and the models are on point.
But yeah the combat is as you'd expect, brilliant variety in weapons and combat styles, but I don't find it very kinetic, back stabs don't work when they should, but at least parrying seems to be fairly responsive here which was nice.
Nothing really made me feel anything though, very little satisfaction was granted throughout, mostly because the game rips progress away form you with horrible enemies and stupid checkpoint placement (why don't bosses always give you a bonfire)
Mostly bosses weren't the problem, they generally felt pretty fair with their strategies, but the game by far has been the worst for making you walk miles just to have another attempt at the boss, sapping any fun out of the experience for me.
I have a lot to say, but honestly it barely matters, because all in all, I didn't enjoy dark souls. It's not awful and it was important for its time, but it does nothing for me. - 5.4/10
I really didn't think much of this game, for something so legendary... yeah it's really not that enjoyable. I don't like the levels, I don't like the bosses, I don't like the combat and I don't like the story (because it explains nothing)
It's nice that it runs at 60fps and graphically the remaster holds up really well. The aesthetics are really nice and the models are on point.
But yeah the combat is as you'd expect, brilliant variety in weapons and combat styles, but I don't find it very kinetic, back stabs don't work when they should, but at least parrying seems to be fairly responsive here which was nice.
Nothing really made me feel anything though, very little satisfaction was granted throughout, mostly because the game rips progress away form you with horrible enemies and stupid checkpoint placement (why don't bosses always give you a bonfire)
Mostly bosses weren't the problem, they generally felt pretty fair with their strategies, but the game by far has been the worst for making you walk miles just to have another attempt at the boss, sapping any fun out of the experience for me.
I have a lot to say, but honestly it barely matters, because all in all, I didn't enjoy dark souls. It's not awful and it was important for its time, but it does nothing for me. - 5.4/10
1993
I decided to play Star Fox, one of (if not the?) first 3D games on console, and it's a space shooter that has aged significantly.. but is still a fun game in places.
The biggest stickler is of course, the graphical presentation and performance, it felt like it rarely managed to stay above about 10fps, and most objects aren't textured. However the ships and bosses are nicely detailed and look pretty good. You are just dealing with a 3D game on a console before 3D was really a thing. But despite a little bit of unresponsiveness I think the gameplay is satisfying. 3 different routes with varying difficulty, each giving you new levels to play, and levels 1 and 2 are a blast to play.
Bosses are the highlight, and are great to bring down with careful shots and dodging. Assuming you are able to hit your target as there is no aiming reticle.
Level 3 is just too hard though, with the very limited lives and continues the game gives you, and overall it doesn't feel worth it. Stick with routes 1 and 2.
It's an old game, and I can't really reccomend it to anyone who isn't willing to cast their minds back to an older mindset, but if you are, it's so short that it's kind of worth checking out. 5.5/10
The biggest stickler is of course, the graphical presentation and performance, it felt like it rarely managed to stay above about 10fps, and most objects aren't textured. However the ships and bosses are nicely detailed and look pretty good. You are just dealing with a 3D game on a console before 3D was really a thing. But despite a little bit of unresponsiveness I think the gameplay is satisfying. 3 different routes with varying difficulty, each giving you new levels to play, and levels 1 and 2 are a blast to play.
Bosses are the highlight, and are great to bring down with careful shots and dodging. Assuming you are able to hit your target as there is no aiming reticle.
Level 3 is just too hard though, with the very limited lives and continues the game gives you, and overall it doesn't feel worth it. Stick with routes 1 and 2.
It's an old game, and I can't really reccomend it to anyone who isn't willing to cast their minds back to an older mindset, but if you are, it's so short that it's kind of worth checking out. 5.5/10
What a game this is,
Gotta start with the production values are insane, loved the animated opening and the game just looks incredible, especially the indoor stuff which just looks real. Only issue is the pop in, which can get pretty distracting while outside.
The gameplay is extremely solid, with the best gunplay thus far in my opinion - it also easily has. the best item management in RE and I'm glad the map is back to how it used to be in terms of discovery.
Outside of that comes fantastic level design that almost completely eliminates mandatory backtracking and gives us a crafting/cooking system that encourages you to explore, a system that makes just walking around more engaging.
The game isn't nearly as scary as previous entries, and is barely even tense throughout with one huge exception. While I don't mind it not being as scary as 7, this isn't even as scary as 1 on the gamecube.
The action elements are fare more obvious and to be honest, I liked them! It helped how it ties into the very quickly ramping storyline which ended up being fantastic, while tying into the franchise very well.
Bosses are a massive improvement from 7 (although some are still a bit bullet spongey) and the shop mechanic is a great addition. It may not be very scary, but it's damn enjoyable and is up there for this series - 8.7/10
Gotta start with the production values are insane, loved the animated opening and the game just looks incredible, especially the indoor stuff which just looks real. Only issue is the pop in, which can get pretty distracting while outside.
The gameplay is extremely solid, with the best gunplay thus far in my opinion - it also easily has. the best item management in RE and I'm glad the map is back to how it used to be in terms of discovery.
Outside of that comes fantastic level design that almost completely eliminates mandatory backtracking and gives us a crafting/cooking system that encourages you to explore, a system that makes just walking around more engaging.
The game isn't nearly as scary as previous entries, and is barely even tense throughout with one huge exception. While I don't mind it not being as scary as 7, this isn't even as scary as 1 on the gamecube.
The action elements are fare more obvious and to be honest, I liked them! It helped how it ties into the very quickly ramping storyline which ended up being fantastic, while tying into the franchise very well.
Bosses are a massive improvement from 7 (although some are still a bit bullet spongey) and the shop mechanic is a great addition. It may not be very scary, but it's damn enjoyable and is up there for this series - 8.7/10
2024
Damn, as a from the ground up Remake of the first modern Persona game, this is the best version of the game by a country mile.
The story is massively enhanced by strong acting, way more opportunity to get to know the cast, and stellar Presentation for the whole game. They perfectly captured the use of colour and style and gave it a modern makeover, with a UI that itself gives the game points.
The gameplay is modernised to be more similar to P5, and throughout battles or the social Sim, I felt the whole experience was balanced better, less frustration and more to do in the games evening which was originally pretty empty. This includes side quests with the male characters, who outside of P3P, never got as much development as the girls. Such an effective way of making these guys feel like real friends and not just co-workers.
The main thing I wanted to see changed was the 200+ floor dungeon, Tartarus. A randomly generated dungeon where the games RPG elements take place. This was ultimately tedious to climb in the original by the end, but here it is much improved. It’s still repetitive no doubt, but there’s so much added to not only make it less predictable, but also, it’s just all a lot faster. The game moves a lot faster due to quality updates, there’s fast travel over the whole city, and within Tartarus you can warp to the next floor as long as you’ve found the stairs.
This being said, I still think Tartarus is something that may turn people away. It’s the main source of gameplay as the areas you explore during Full Moon’s are normally pretty small, if not completely linear. If you can’t get down with Tartarus, honestly I doubt you’d get through this.
At least the grinding had been all but removed, I never once felt like I had to run up and down Tartarus just to level up, and the game cleverly nudges you to return to Tartarus to complete missing person requests which will naturally increase your level, not to mention the great clock which will catch up party memebers to your level in a single battle.
Even with all of the added content, it took me about the same 70-80 hours to beat, I just couldn’t put it down…
The music is phenomenally updated, such as a great new mix of “Mass Destruction” or new tracks such as “Colour your Night” or the incredible new battle theme “It’s going down now”
This game has left a massive imprint on me, I’ve found a new appreciation for Persona 3, and it’s no doubt one of my favourite games of all time - 9.5/10
The story is massively enhanced by strong acting, way more opportunity to get to know the cast, and stellar Presentation for the whole game. They perfectly captured the use of colour and style and gave it a modern makeover, with a UI that itself gives the game points.
The gameplay is modernised to be more similar to P5, and throughout battles or the social Sim, I felt the whole experience was balanced better, less frustration and more to do in the games evening which was originally pretty empty. This includes side quests with the male characters, who outside of P3P, never got as much development as the girls. Such an effective way of making these guys feel like real friends and not just co-workers.
The main thing I wanted to see changed was the 200+ floor dungeon, Tartarus. A randomly generated dungeon where the games RPG elements take place. This was ultimately tedious to climb in the original by the end, but here it is much improved. It’s still repetitive no doubt, but there’s so much added to not only make it less predictable, but also, it’s just all a lot faster. The game moves a lot faster due to quality updates, there’s fast travel over the whole city, and within Tartarus you can warp to the next floor as long as you’ve found the stairs.
This being said, I still think Tartarus is something that may turn people away. It’s the main source of gameplay as the areas you explore during Full Moon’s are normally pretty small, if not completely linear. If you can’t get down with Tartarus, honestly I doubt you’d get through this.
At least the grinding had been all but removed, I never once felt like I had to run up and down Tartarus just to level up, and the game cleverly nudges you to return to Tartarus to complete missing person requests which will naturally increase your level, not to mention the great clock which will catch up party memebers to your level in a single battle.
Even with all of the added content, it took me about the same 70-80 hours to beat, I just couldn’t put it down…
The music is phenomenally updated, such as a great new mix of “Mass Destruction” or new tracks such as “Colour your Night” or the incredible new battle theme “It’s going down now”
This game has left a massive imprint on me, I’ve found a new appreciation for Persona 3, and it’s no doubt one of my favourite games of all time - 9.5/10
2019
As someone who had never even been interested in Persona untill recently - I can’t believe I missed out for so long, this game is immaculate, and I’m legit sad that it’s over.
It’s a JRPG, so the story matters, and luckily this has a great story, one that taps into the real world issues we all face in a way I’ve never seen before - alongside the best cast of characters I’ve ever met. And I say met like they’re real, they damn near feel real by the end, as you get to know them, help them with problems and help them grow as people, it makes the ending hit harder than you could even believe.
Gameplay is half social simulator story, where you go to school, get a job, have a girlfriend, walk round shibuya city and go to the cinema, it’s all so tightly crafted and works to enhance to world of persona 5.
The other half is a turn based RPG that is hands down the best turn based gameplay I’ve ever experienced. It’s fast, it’s tactical, and every battle can be over in moments if you play well. All helped by the style. Can’t talk this game without talking style, oh my god it’s a treat to the eyes and the battles are the part that style is up the most, assisted by the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard in game.
This gets the highest reccomendation from me, but I will warn you, it’s long, it took me over 100 hours to beat it. And half of that is dialogue. But that’s not a problem, it’s how it is, and it’s near perfect 9.8/10
It’s a JRPG, so the story matters, and luckily this has a great story, one that taps into the real world issues we all face in a way I’ve never seen before - alongside the best cast of characters I’ve ever met. And I say met like they’re real, they damn near feel real by the end, as you get to know them, help them with problems and help them grow as people, it makes the ending hit harder than you could even believe.
Gameplay is half social simulator story, where you go to school, get a job, have a girlfriend, walk round shibuya city and go to the cinema, it’s all so tightly crafted and works to enhance to world of persona 5.
The other half is a turn based RPG that is hands down the best turn based gameplay I’ve ever experienced. It’s fast, it’s tactical, and every battle can be over in moments if you play well. All helped by the style. Can’t talk this game without talking style, oh my god it’s a treat to the eyes and the battles are the part that style is up the most, assisted by the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard in game.
This gets the highest reccomendation from me, but I will warn you, it’s long, it took me over 100 hours to beat it. And half of that is dialogue. But that’s not a problem, it’s how it is, and it’s near perfect 9.8/10
1991
I’ve played this game more times than I can count, Sonic 1 perfectly captures the highs and lows this series can present, that feeling of flow and freedom brought to a crashing halt by a stupid block or strange spring placement. Yet I can play Sonic 1 no problem because despite its age, I still enjoy the gameplay.
The simple controls and momentum based platforming make Sonic a fun character to control, though the lack of the Spindash can lead to getting a bit stuck in certain situations. But when you roll and pick up more and more speed, it’s satisfying.
That is when the game lets you, Green Hill Zone and Starlight Zone are the only stages that really feel like they were built with this design in mind.
The rest all have strange obstacles and structures that cut your speed in an instant, though through experience you can find ways to take shortcuts through momentum. The infamous Labyrinth Zone I think was supposed to simulate the idea of rushing between air pockets, but it doesn’t really work, it’s very slow paced.
The game is hard your first few times through but I think anyone can beat this, and I think you should. The bosses aren’t too taxing and despite the inconsistencies in level design, it’s not a bad game at all.
The music is iconic and the game is vibrant and eye catching, Sonic 1 has aged, but I do really enjoy it.
The simple controls and momentum based platforming make Sonic a fun character to control, though the lack of the Spindash can lead to getting a bit stuck in certain situations. But when you roll and pick up more and more speed, it’s satisfying.
That is when the game lets you, Green Hill Zone and Starlight Zone are the only stages that really feel like they were built with this design in mind.
The rest all have strange obstacles and structures that cut your speed in an instant, though through experience you can find ways to take shortcuts through momentum. The infamous Labyrinth Zone I think was supposed to simulate the idea of rushing between air pockets, but it doesn’t really work, it’s very slow paced.
The game is hard your first few times through but I think anyone can beat this, and I think you should. The bosses aren’t too taxing and despite the inconsistencies in level design, it’s not a bad game at all.
The music is iconic and the game is vibrant and eye catching, Sonic 1 has aged, but I do really enjoy it.
1992
Sonic 2 is basically a perfect sequel, it does almost everything better than the first game, with much improved level design, more stages, better bosses and the Spindash, allowing Sonic to take off from a standstill at top speed and immediately pick up momentum from loops and ramps.
The games story is light, but has a clear sense of scale and unique settings. This game debuts Tails as Sonic’s best friend, and although he plays no different to Sonic, it’s cool to have the option.
Sonic 2 has a breakneck pace that never slows down, especially if you’re ignoring the special stages which honestly I reccomned that you do unless you really care about unlocking Super Sonic. This was his first appearance, but it doesn’t really change much in the ending, in fact I like the original ending of Tails saving Sonic a lot more!
The special stages introduce the half pipe, where you must collect enough rings to pass checkpoints before collecting the emerald. I can do these no problem nowadays, but it took me years to get to this point, do not worry if you can’t get them it doesn’t matter.
Sonic 2 is just a hell of a lot of fun to blast through. I do think it starts to drop off towards the end, I was never a fan of Oil Ocean or Metropolis, and Sky Chase isn’t as exciting as it could be. But the game ends strong and the final boss against the Death Egg Robot is as iconic as it is threatening.
I love Sonic 2, the musics great and the aesthetics are even better. It’s really short, and I’m not a fan of the special stages, but I highly reccomend this one.
The games story is light, but has a clear sense of scale and unique settings. This game debuts Tails as Sonic’s best friend, and although he plays no different to Sonic, it’s cool to have the option.
Sonic 2 has a breakneck pace that never slows down, especially if you’re ignoring the special stages which honestly I reccomned that you do unless you really care about unlocking Super Sonic. This was his first appearance, but it doesn’t really change much in the ending, in fact I like the original ending of Tails saving Sonic a lot more!
The special stages introduce the half pipe, where you must collect enough rings to pass checkpoints before collecting the emerald. I can do these no problem nowadays, but it took me years to get to this point, do not worry if you can’t get them it doesn’t matter.
Sonic 2 is just a hell of a lot of fun to blast through. I do think it starts to drop off towards the end, I was never a fan of Oil Ocean or Metropolis, and Sky Chase isn’t as exciting as it could be. But the game ends strong and the final boss against the Death Egg Robot is as iconic as it is threatening.
I love Sonic 2, the musics great and the aesthetics are even better. It’s really short, and I’m not a fan of the special stages, but I highly reccomend this one.
1992
Sonic 2 8-bit is an oddball in the series, a game that differs completely from its console counterpart, as well as one I strongly reccomend playing a specific version of. The game gear version of this game is horrible. The screen crunch is insane, making the first boss, one of the hardest in the whole series. The game was just not built to be played like this, so if you do, play the Master System version. The increased resolution makes a world of a difference.
I mean I still a really hard game. Level design is very punishing, bosses don’t give you any rings and finding the 6 chaos emeralds hidden in stages can be a quite an undertaking.
All the stages have something to set them apart, whether that gimmick is actually fun.. or works at all is up for debate. But I think it gives Sonic 2 8-bit an identity that most will miss due to how awful the game gear version is.
I don’t really reccomend this game, but I’ve also played a lot worse.
I mean I still a really hard game. Level design is very punishing, bosses don’t give you any rings and finding the 6 chaos emeralds hidden in stages can be a quite an undertaking.
All the stages have something to set them apart, whether that gimmick is actually fun.. or works at all is up for debate. But I think it gives Sonic 2 8-bit an identity that most will miss due to how awful the game gear version is.
I don’t really reccomend this game, but I’ve also played a lot worse.
2001
Sonic Adventure 2 is an iconic game that definitely deserves a lot of the praise, and criticism that have been throw it’s way over the years.
Adventure 2’s story is pretty ambitious, and honestly if you just don’t think too hard about it, it’s entertaining. The acting is pretty good and the animation is a huge step up from SA1. But being honest, there are tons of plot holes surronding newcomer Shadow the Hedgehog, the Militatry who killed his creator Gerald Robotnick, and Shadows motive to destroy the planet. But it is entertaining, if only due to how high the stakes get. It’s not taken too seriously though, so its tone is spot on, and the game is endlessly quotable. For those reasons I think it succeeds at what it tries to do.
The gameplay attempts to refine SA1s most popular gameplay styles, Sonic’s Speed stages, Gamma’s shooting stages and Knuckles’ treasure hunting. Speed stages are just as fun as before, though more linear due to being designed for just Sonic and Shadow. This game introduce grind rails to the series, and while a little janky, they add to the high octane gameplay. The shooting levels with Dr Eggman and Tails are okay, I think the levels themselves can be pretty fun, but the control is very stiff and speed isn’t really a thing, which is so wierd as Gamma didn’t have this problem atall. The treasure hunting with Knuckles and Rouge took the biggest hit, as for some reason the you can only locate one emerald piece at a time, and some of these stages are huge.
It leads to a game that is more focussed, but it definitely has more obvious cracks. I still think overall it’s a fun game, and the boss fights are really good this time, except the Biolizard, not to be controversial, but I always thought this fight was super janky and way too long.
The music is fantastic, with every character getting their own style, as well as their own theme, and the main theme “Live and Learn” is one of the most iconic songs in the series.
SA2 is far from perfect, but if you can look past its cracks, I think it’s a lot of fun.
Adventure 2’s story is pretty ambitious, and honestly if you just don’t think too hard about it, it’s entertaining. The acting is pretty good and the animation is a huge step up from SA1. But being honest, there are tons of plot holes surronding newcomer Shadow the Hedgehog, the Militatry who killed his creator Gerald Robotnick, and Shadows motive to destroy the planet. But it is entertaining, if only due to how high the stakes get. It’s not taken too seriously though, so its tone is spot on, and the game is endlessly quotable. For those reasons I think it succeeds at what it tries to do.
The gameplay attempts to refine SA1s most popular gameplay styles, Sonic’s Speed stages, Gamma’s shooting stages and Knuckles’ treasure hunting. Speed stages are just as fun as before, though more linear due to being designed for just Sonic and Shadow. This game introduce grind rails to the series, and while a little janky, they add to the high octane gameplay. The shooting levels with Dr Eggman and Tails are okay, I think the levels themselves can be pretty fun, but the control is very stiff and speed isn’t really a thing, which is so wierd as Gamma didn’t have this problem atall. The treasure hunting with Knuckles and Rouge took the biggest hit, as for some reason the you can only locate one emerald piece at a time, and some of these stages are huge.
It leads to a game that is more focussed, but it definitely has more obvious cracks. I still think overall it’s a fun game, and the boss fights are really good this time, except the Biolizard, not to be controversial, but I always thought this fight was super janky and way too long.
The music is fantastic, with every character getting their own style, as well as their own theme, and the main theme “Live and Learn” is one of the most iconic songs in the series.
SA2 is far from perfect, but if you can look past its cracks, I think it’s a lot of fun.
2003
Sonic Battle is a game that shouldn’t be stuck on the GBA, as it has so much potential as a simple but fun fighting game.
I love the presentation, the jagged outlines and black borders give it a unique and striking look, and the way the sprites move are a fantastic evolution of the Advance sprites.
Combat wise it does work, every character has a few different options for special moves as well as their own basic attacks and movement. There’s also newcomer Emerl, who can copy other characters abilities through the games story mode, and he can become unbelievably powerful, something that would be fun to play against friends with their own emerls…
But what’s the likelihood of that happening now, you need link cables to play multiplayer and this game never got rereleased. Also levelling up Emerl takes forever, learning good skills is a nightmare, and equipping them requires so many skill points.
You also have to play this games story mode which… is awful. The story itself isn’t bad at all, it’s very similar in tone to the Adventure era, and I like how we see so many perspectives on the plot. But the structure kills it, as you repeat the same battles again and again and again. It’s incredibly tedious and I just can’t ever imagine completing this more than once.
It’s a shame because there’s tons of potential here, but Sonic Battle just ain’t there.
I love the presentation, the jagged outlines and black borders give it a unique and striking look, and the way the sprites move are a fantastic evolution of the Advance sprites.
Combat wise it does work, every character has a few different options for special moves as well as their own basic attacks and movement. There’s also newcomer Emerl, who can copy other characters abilities through the games story mode, and he can become unbelievably powerful, something that would be fun to play against friends with their own emerls…
But what’s the likelihood of that happening now, you need link cables to play multiplayer and this game never got rereleased. Also levelling up Emerl takes forever, learning good skills is a nightmare, and equipping them requires so many skill points.
You also have to play this games story mode which… is awful. The story itself isn’t bad at all, it’s very similar in tone to the Adventure era, and I like how we see so many perspectives on the plot. But the structure kills it, as you repeat the same battles again and again and again. It’s incredibly tedious and I just can’t ever imagine completing this more than once.
It’s a shame because there’s tons of potential here, but Sonic Battle just ain’t there.
2002
Sonic Advance 2 was the first time a sonic game prioritised pure speed over everything else. It’s a precursor to the boost formula while still retaining plenty of what made the previous Sonic Advance so much fun.
There’s not much going in story wise, but the presentation in those comic strip like moments are great, alongside easily one of the coolest Super Sonic transformations ever.
Gameplay is Classic Sonic with a twist, as either Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy (when unlocked) or newcomer Cream, you race to the end of levels designed less to be explored and more to go as fast as possible and keep the speed going. If your able to stay at top speed for a few seconds you enter a boost like state in which you move even faster until you come to a stop, and with the new acrobatic abilities each character have, it’s very fun to just keep moving, honestly I love the levels in this game. Not the boss fights though, the constant movement is energetic but makes most of these fights feel the exact same, unless you’re playing as Cream where nothing can stop you.
This games biggest fault is with the chaos emeralds, collecting them involves hunting down 7 gold medals in a stage, and this requires you to go against the whole games design, forcing you to slow down and explore. Emeralds also aren’t shared between characters so if you want to unlock everything you need to do it with every character, not a fun time let me tell you. The special stages themselves are pretty simply, but it’s really a shame these are so hard to get too.
The game looks great and the OST is ace, Sonic Advance 2 stumbles with its completion process, but as a game to just jump into, it’s fantastic.
There’s not much going in story wise, but the presentation in those comic strip like moments are great, alongside easily one of the coolest Super Sonic transformations ever.
Gameplay is Classic Sonic with a twist, as either Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy (when unlocked) or newcomer Cream, you race to the end of levels designed less to be explored and more to go as fast as possible and keep the speed going. If your able to stay at top speed for a few seconds you enter a boost like state in which you move even faster until you come to a stop, and with the new acrobatic abilities each character have, it’s very fun to just keep moving, honestly I love the levels in this game. Not the boss fights though, the constant movement is energetic but makes most of these fights feel the exact same, unless you’re playing as Cream where nothing can stop you.
This games biggest fault is with the chaos emeralds, collecting them involves hunting down 7 gold medals in a stage, and this requires you to go against the whole games design, forcing you to slow down and explore. Emeralds also aren’t shared between characters so if you want to unlock everything you need to do it with every character, not a fun time let me tell you. The special stages themselves are pretty simply, but it’s really a shame these are so hard to get too.
The game looks great and the OST is ace, Sonic Advance 2 stumbles with its completion process, but as a game to just jump into, it’s fantastic.