Serbrethren
i could marry this game fr
but also there's some bullshit in there
but also there's some bullshit in there
2022
a snacky experience that i'm looking forward to being fully completed. the ost by +TEK drew me in, and the gameplay doesn't disappoint! it's not complicated or groundbreaking (or very long, for that matter), its just a solid, fun time.
2007
you'll have to forgive me for lying a bit by putting "mastered" here, i didn't do super luigi galaxy because i love this game but not enough to do the whole game again a second time in a row
anyways i love this game despite the hiccups, and i think most people already know it slaps. gameplay is great, atmosphere is great, music is great, rest in peace to whoever wrote the story since he clearly got shot to death by miyamoto after giving rosalina a backstory
so instead im gonna rank the bosses (based on prosafia gaming's video i guess)! enjoy:
21) mandibug stack: this is not a boss, get outta here
20) topmaniac #2: this one is identical to the first one but it happens in the literal penultimate galaxy so i hate it
19) baron brrr: of all the things to make a boss of, why these enemies?? idk
18) topmaniac #1: uhhhh
17) bugaboom: kinda lame and really easy
16) tarantox: i forgot this was a boss
15) undergrunt gunner #2: undergrunt gunner (this one is worse because it made me use spring mario)
14) undergrunt gunner #1 and #3: undergrunt gunner
13) kamella #2: doesn't feel rehashed like some of the other bosses but the new setting doesnt do much to make this boss any harder
12) major burrows: pretty easy but neat. i got scared by him trying to claw at you as a kid.
11) kamella #1: pretty fun for the part of the game you fight her in. im not sure why she wasnt the one that sent mario flying in the intro though
10) dino piranha: good first boss. easy but it's a nice introduction
9) king kaliente #1: slaps
8) king kaliente #2: a good evolution of the first fight but really weird as a grand star battle. still, its a good fight.
7) bowser jr.: why do you fight him second, i don get it
6) bowser #1 and #2: these fights feel the same, they're both good
5) megaleg: ok this one is easy but the spectacle and the music really save it
4) fiery dino piranha: actually not a rehash. it's cool to fight a souped up version of the first boss that's legitimately challenging
3) bowser #3: really good finale but i wish the final phase took three hits instead of two so i could hear the theme longer. its always sad when its over too fast
2) bouldergeist: this boss is so cool!!! the daredevil variant is honestly pretty tricky if you arent careful, and the normal variant is just hard enough for where its placed in the game
1) kingfin: absolute peak. love this terrifying bastard. this has the stage presence of megaleg with more difficulty to match. easily my favorite.
0) bubble blast galaxy
anyways i love this game despite the hiccups, and i think most people already know it slaps. gameplay is great, atmosphere is great, music is great, rest in peace to whoever wrote the story since he clearly got shot to death by miyamoto after giving rosalina a backstory
so instead im gonna rank the bosses (based on prosafia gaming's video i guess)! enjoy:
21) mandibug stack: this is not a boss, get outta here
20) topmaniac #2: this one is identical to the first one but it happens in the literal penultimate galaxy so i hate it
19) baron brrr: of all the things to make a boss of, why these enemies?? idk
18) topmaniac #1: uhhhh
17) bugaboom: kinda lame and really easy
16) tarantox: i forgot this was a boss
15) undergrunt gunner #2: undergrunt gunner (this one is worse because it made me use spring mario)
14) undergrunt gunner #1 and #3: undergrunt gunner
13) kamella #2: doesn't feel rehashed like some of the other bosses but the new setting doesnt do much to make this boss any harder
12) major burrows: pretty easy but neat. i got scared by him trying to claw at you as a kid.
11) kamella #1: pretty fun for the part of the game you fight her in. im not sure why she wasnt the one that sent mario flying in the intro though
10) dino piranha: good first boss. easy but it's a nice introduction
9) king kaliente #1: slaps
8) king kaliente #2: a good evolution of the first fight but really weird as a grand star battle. still, its a good fight.
7) bowser jr.: why do you fight him second, i don get it
6) bowser #1 and #2: these fights feel the same, they're both good
5) megaleg: ok this one is easy but the spectacle and the music really save it
4) fiery dino piranha: actually not a rehash. it's cool to fight a souped up version of the first boss that's legitimately challenging
3) bowser #3: really good finale but i wish the final phase took three hits instead of two so i could hear the theme longer. its always sad when its over too fast
2) bouldergeist: this boss is so cool!!! the daredevil variant is honestly pretty tricky if you arent careful, and the normal variant is just hard enough for where its placed in the game
1) kingfin: absolute peak. love this terrifying bastard. this has the stage presence of megaleg with more difficulty to match. easily my favorite.
0) bubble blast galaxy
2010
you'll have to forgive me for lying a bit by putting "mastered" here, there is no way to master this game. it just breaks you until you just wanna stop playing
anyways i have a hard time loving this game despite the positives, and i think most people already know it has problems. gameplay is great, atmosphere is, music is amazing, rest in peace to whoever wrote the first game's story since he clearly got shot to death by miyamoto after giving rosalina a backstory
so instead im gonna rank the bosses (based on prosafia gaming's video i guess)! enjoy:
17) mandibug stack: fucking why
16) bowser #3: okay so the first phase is fine but the true final battle is so insulting that i can't rank this highly at all. are you fucking kidding me? you're gonna make one of the greatest final boss tracks play during THIS fight? holy hell what a letdown
15) squizzard: this boss isnt technically as bad as some of the others but im legitimately offended they gave THIS boss the daredevil comet. it's pathetically easy and has really lame animations. what the fuck is a squizzard, dude
14) sorbetti: zzzzz
13) bugaboom: this is one of the more unusual choices for "bosses we really gotta bring back." it's basically the same fight idk
12) gobblegut: Ohhhhh, Gobblegut... Dinner's on! Don't forget to protect your bellyache bulges!
11) rollodillo: weirdly this boss is a lot harder to hit the first time and then after that its really really easy. weird, but i like using the rock mushroom
10) peewee piranha: basically the same as dino piranha despite the differences? i guess its fine
9) fire gobblegut: unlike fiery dino piranha this recolor mostly just makes the boss more confusing. it's fine, though, and is definitely more difficult
8) prince pikante: a cute reference to the first game. real easy, though, especially for taking place this late into the game
7) whomp king: this one's a cute reference to super mario 64. simple by design, it's perfectly functional as a boss, even if its real late into the game
6) giga lakitu: not difficult but aiming the shells can be a little tricky. i like the drum beat he does when doing the lightning attack
5) glamdozer: psyching this boss out is actually pretty fun. just a good, solid boss fight
4) digga leg: fun little callback to the first game. nowhere near as cool, but its lots of fun for an early game boss
3) bowser jr.'s boomsday machine: this is the megaleg of galaxy 2. the tank reveal is still awesome even after all these years
2) bowser #1 and #2: i actually like these a bit more than the bowser fights in 1. wasn't expecting that.
1) megahammer: the absolute PEAK of this game. amazing ost and boss design. i only wish the fight could've lasted longer. this shit's so cool
0) bubble blast galaxy (is not in this game)
anyways i have a hard time loving this game despite the positives, and i think most people already know it has problems. gameplay is great, atmosphere is, music is amazing, rest in peace to whoever wrote the first game's story since he clearly got shot to death by miyamoto after giving rosalina a backstory
so instead im gonna rank the bosses (based on prosafia gaming's video i guess)! enjoy:
17) mandibug stack: fucking why
16) bowser #3: okay so the first phase is fine but the true final battle is so insulting that i can't rank this highly at all. are you fucking kidding me? you're gonna make one of the greatest final boss tracks play during THIS fight? holy hell what a letdown
15) squizzard: this boss isnt technically as bad as some of the others but im legitimately offended they gave THIS boss the daredevil comet. it's pathetically easy and has really lame animations. what the fuck is a squizzard, dude
14) sorbetti: zzzzz
13) bugaboom: this is one of the more unusual choices for "bosses we really gotta bring back." it's basically the same fight idk
12) gobblegut: Ohhhhh, Gobblegut... Dinner's on! Don't forget to protect your bellyache bulges!
11) rollodillo: weirdly this boss is a lot harder to hit the first time and then after that its really really easy. weird, but i like using the rock mushroom
10) peewee piranha: basically the same as dino piranha despite the differences? i guess its fine
9) fire gobblegut: unlike fiery dino piranha this recolor mostly just makes the boss more confusing. it's fine, though, and is definitely more difficult
8) prince pikante: a cute reference to the first game. real easy, though, especially for taking place this late into the game
7) whomp king: this one's a cute reference to super mario 64. simple by design, it's perfectly functional as a boss, even if its real late into the game
6) giga lakitu: not difficult but aiming the shells can be a little tricky. i like the drum beat he does when doing the lightning attack
5) glamdozer: psyching this boss out is actually pretty fun. just a good, solid boss fight
4) digga leg: fun little callback to the first game. nowhere near as cool, but its lots of fun for an early game boss
3) bowser jr.'s boomsday machine: this is the megaleg of galaxy 2. the tank reveal is still awesome even after all these years
2) bowser #1 and #2: i actually like these a bit more than the bowser fights in 1. wasn't expecting that.
1) megahammer: the absolute PEAK of this game. amazing ost and boss design. i only wish the fight could've lasted longer. this shit's so cool
0) bubble blast galaxy (is not in this game)
2021
(Logging ratings from glitchwave.com)
Really good! It's incredibly unique, both the gameplay and aesthetics, and its got a banger soundtrack. Highly recommend.
Really good! It's incredibly unique, both the gameplay and aesthetics, and its got a banger soundtrack. Highly recommend.
the epitome of "barebones, but fun," since most of the game is a rock-paper-scissors system with hard counters. it's like a couple steps above an idle game, but its not bad at all! i like setting landmines down and watching platoons of vikings eat shit and die
the only real shakeups usually happen if i'm playing on a flat island, i get attacked on three or more fronts, or if there are elite archers (seriously i hate those guys)
the only real shakeups usually happen if i'm playing on a flat island, i get attacked on three or more fronts, or if there are elite archers (seriously i hate those guys)
2023
it's about what you'd expect for $1.20 length-wise, but it was surprisingly engaging
i could see this working as a proper game in tabletop simulator. the grimy visual aesthetics, all the little animations, and the persistent club music gives this game one hell of an atmosphere, and i don't regret dying and coming back to life a couple dozen times for it
i could see this working as a proper game in tabletop simulator. the grimy visual aesthetics, all the little animations, and the persistent club music gives this game one hell of an atmosphere, and i don't regret dying and coming back to life a couple dozen times for it
oh yeah i played this one too
its basically three episodes of new content for the three poster characters. warrior is basically more of the same, and i quite liked the inventor's gimmick, and i liked that the witch basically just focuses on puzzles (although the witch's last puzzle was way too hard without a guide)
its basically three episodes of new content for the three poster characters. warrior is basically more of the same, and i quite liked the inventor's gimmick, and i liked that the witch basically just focuses on puzzles (although the witch's last puzzle was way too hard without a guide)
i think ive played enough dicey dungeons for a good year or two, but this was a nice final episode with some cool new gimmicks for all the characters. some better than others.
enemy changes are mostly unremarkable, but some enemies have new equipment that help them feel more balanced. others i wish remained as they were originally, but i don't mind. i was hoping for at least a couple new enemies but im not gonna get pissy about a free update not having a bunch of new enemies. the new music and areas were fun enough.
most of what's interesting are the changes made to characters, whom i'll rank from least favorite to favorite!
6) jester - probably the biggest downgrade, unfortunately. their gimmick isn't terrible but it has a similar problem to base game witch where you can't build too far into a niche until you know which of the "equipable items" are going to show up in the shop. it sucks upgrading your electric equipment too early and not getting the battery item, or upgrading your mana dependent items and not getting the mana pendant. it's not terrible but i hated feeling pigeonholed into a playstyle depending on the shop items.
5) robot - a very interesting gimmick for sure, but one that doesn't strike the appeal of robot that they had in the base game. coin flips being wholly 50/50 means that there's a lot less methods to manipulate the jackpot in your favor, and replacing autoroll with fury is just puzzling to me. it's not terrible and there are ways to work around it, but it wasn't that fun for me compared to some of the others.
4) witch - pretty much the same as her halloween special, albeit easier on average. nothing as bad as the pumpkin spice puzzle, for sure. honestly my biggest complaint here is the music gets repetitive because it takes place over the entirety of one fight. still, inoffensive.
3) thief - thief feels the most "standard" out of any of the characters, but he's definitely not bad for a warmup character. it's sort of a mix between his first two episodes and the enemies have enough interesting equipment that thief can get some very fun builds going. i particularly enjoyed stealing singer's "return a good dice" equipment. it's basic, but fun.
2) inventor - this one's also interesting! it's a spin on her scrapping mechanic where instead of replacing equipment after every fight, equipment are all limited use. inventor in this episode actually felt a lot like robot in that you can either lean into the spontaneity of her constantly changing equipment or focus on using an item like whetstone that helps keep your build more consistent. this feels like the most improved character from the original game.
1) warrior - not only is the "workout" spin on warrior hilarious, but it makes for some really interesting and surprisingly challenging runs! the workout system is really fun as a delicate balance between longer term rewards from workouts such as max hp or building up to omnislash, and between doing direct attacks to end fights before they get too lethal. it's a limitation that makes warrior far more engaging and challenging despite still retaining a number of his old tricks.
so yeah! im definitely burnt out on the game at this point, but it was an incredibly fun ride and i dont regret having spent so much time with it. i hope terry cavanagh's next game is just as fun!
enemy changes are mostly unremarkable, but some enemies have new equipment that help them feel more balanced. others i wish remained as they were originally, but i don't mind. i was hoping for at least a couple new enemies but im not gonna get pissy about a free update not having a bunch of new enemies. the new music and areas were fun enough.
most of what's interesting are the changes made to characters, whom i'll rank from least favorite to favorite!
6) jester - probably the biggest downgrade, unfortunately. their gimmick isn't terrible but it has a similar problem to base game witch where you can't build too far into a niche until you know which of the "equipable items" are going to show up in the shop. it sucks upgrading your electric equipment too early and not getting the battery item, or upgrading your mana dependent items and not getting the mana pendant. it's not terrible but i hated feeling pigeonholed into a playstyle depending on the shop items.
5) robot - a very interesting gimmick for sure, but one that doesn't strike the appeal of robot that they had in the base game. coin flips being wholly 50/50 means that there's a lot less methods to manipulate the jackpot in your favor, and replacing autoroll with fury is just puzzling to me. it's not terrible and there are ways to work around it, but it wasn't that fun for me compared to some of the others.
4) witch - pretty much the same as her halloween special, albeit easier on average. nothing as bad as the pumpkin spice puzzle, for sure. honestly my biggest complaint here is the music gets repetitive because it takes place over the entirety of one fight. still, inoffensive.
3) thief - thief feels the most "standard" out of any of the characters, but he's definitely not bad for a warmup character. it's sort of a mix between his first two episodes and the enemies have enough interesting equipment that thief can get some very fun builds going. i particularly enjoyed stealing singer's "return a good dice" equipment. it's basic, but fun.
2) inventor - this one's also interesting! it's a spin on her scrapping mechanic where instead of replacing equipment after every fight, equipment are all limited use. inventor in this episode actually felt a lot like robot in that you can either lean into the spontaneity of her constantly changing equipment or focus on using an item like whetstone that helps keep your build more consistent. this feels like the most improved character from the original game.
1) warrior - not only is the "workout" spin on warrior hilarious, but it makes for some really interesting and surprisingly challenging runs! the workout system is really fun as a delicate balance between longer term rewards from workouts such as max hp or building up to omnislash, and between doing direct attacks to end fights before they get too lethal. it's a limitation that makes warrior far more engaging and challenging despite still retaining a number of his old tricks.
so yeah! im definitely burnt out on the game at this point, but it was an incredibly fun ride and i dont regret having spent so much time with it. i hope terry cavanagh's next game is just as fun!
1998
This review contains spoilers
two notes:
- not that into fpses to begin with (though i did quite like ultrakill)
- i somehow never played half life for real until now and only recently learned the specifics of the cultural and mechanical impact this had on video games
so from the perspective of someone who never played half-life, how does this game age?
there are certainly games that have aged worse than this. aspects of this game's design are relics, while others are clearly limitations of the time. these limitations can work in the game's favor and provide it some of its charm.
what pleasantly surprised me is how much of the game does age well. obviously not talking about the first person platforming sections, but the unbroken first person perspective and the intro to the game are incredible at setting a tone. the early hours of the game are genuinely unforgettable. i can imagine someone complaining about how long the intro is, but i'm here for it.
the way gordon evolves from "hapless dude with a crowbar trying to figure out what the fuck is going on" to "guy who can take on the government and alien conquerors" is surprisingly natural, and i love small details such as the hevc soldiers and even the aliens beginning to call you out by name after a certain point in the game. these elements are honestly timeless.
some aspects don't age as well. something about how fast your character moves makes playing the game disorienting for long periods. this might just be a "me problem," but it forced me to stop playing at certain points due to genuinely getting nauseous.
divorced from the topic of "does this age well" lies an aspect that most fans seem to agree wasn't good from the very start: xen.
xen and its four levels are incongruous with the rest of the game in a bad way. it suddenly grinds the tension to a halt and has you wandering aimlessly through an hour and a half of poorly designed alien worlds before finally going up against the nihilanth, which feels like the world's most annoying sleepwalk.
frankly, i wish the entirety of xen was just a climactic boss fight against the nihilanth (also i wish the nihilanth was better, thanks <3). there were only a handful of memorable setpieces on xen, and most of them for the wrong reasons.
but im complaining a bit. the game's actual ending leaves a strong impression, and the majority of the game is pretty good, even great. the problems drag it down for me, personally.
it's still a game that i respect for what it has done for the medium, but if i ever replay the game, i'll probably only play about two-thirds of it.
- not that into fpses to begin with (though i did quite like ultrakill)
- i somehow never played half life for real until now and only recently learned the specifics of the cultural and mechanical impact this had on video games
so from the perspective of someone who never played half-life, how does this game age?
there are certainly games that have aged worse than this. aspects of this game's design are relics, while others are clearly limitations of the time. these limitations can work in the game's favor and provide it some of its charm.
what pleasantly surprised me is how much of the game does age well. obviously not talking about the first person platforming sections, but the unbroken first person perspective and the intro to the game are incredible at setting a tone. the early hours of the game are genuinely unforgettable. i can imagine someone complaining about how long the intro is, but i'm here for it.
the way gordon evolves from "hapless dude with a crowbar trying to figure out what the fuck is going on" to "guy who can take on the government and alien conquerors" is surprisingly natural, and i love small details such as the hevc soldiers and even the aliens beginning to call you out by name after a certain point in the game. these elements are honestly timeless.
some aspects don't age as well. something about how fast your character moves makes playing the game disorienting for long periods. this might just be a "me problem," but it forced me to stop playing at certain points due to genuinely getting nauseous.
divorced from the topic of "does this age well" lies an aspect that most fans seem to agree wasn't good from the very start: xen.
xen and its four levels are incongruous with the rest of the game in a bad way. it suddenly grinds the tension to a halt and has you wandering aimlessly through an hour and a half of poorly designed alien worlds before finally going up against the nihilanth, which feels like the world's most annoying sleepwalk.
frankly, i wish the entirety of xen was just a climactic boss fight against the nihilanth (also i wish the nihilanth was better, thanks <3). there were only a handful of memorable setpieces on xen, and most of them for the wrong reasons.
but im complaining a bit. the game's actual ending leaves a strong impression, and the majority of the game is pretty good, even great. the problems drag it down for me, personally.
it's still a game that i respect for what it has done for the medium, but if i ever replay the game, i'll probably only play about two-thirds of it.
2024
MICHAEL
DON'T LEAVE ME HERE
-cough-
MICHAEL
MICHAAAAAAAEL
-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-
HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEE
DON'T LEAVE ME HERE
-cough-
MICHAEL
MICHAAAAAAAEL
-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-
HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEE