SigleifTheRapper
Fantastic gameplay butchered by the fact that this is horribly optimised and they focused on a fucking IRL cash shop.
A disgrace to the original game, at least on this port.
A disgrace to the original game, at least on this port.
2011
The best entry to the Mario Kart series yet.
No matter how much DLC Mario Kart 8 Deluxe adds, it can never compete with this classic. Somehow, the game that made the gliding and underwater driving mechanics perfected them before 8 could spoil them and boil them down to nothing.
Unfortunately the character roster is lacking, but fortunately my mains are DK and Bowser and both are present. This is an excellent Mario Kart title and unfortunately it went under the radar for me for many years, until I hacked my 3DS, which is surprisingly easy.
No matter how much DLC Mario Kart 8 Deluxe adds, it can never compete with this classic. Somehow, the game that made the gliding and underwater driving mechanics perfected them before 8 could spoil them and boil them down to nothing.
Unfortunately the character roster is lacking, but fortunately my mains are DK and Bowser and both are present. This is an excellent Mario Kart title and unfortunately it went under the radar for me for many years, until I hacked my 3DS, which is surprisingly easy.
A massive improvement in most areas over the first game in this spin-off series, and unfortunately the peak for it too (haven't played Sky but i'm counting that as the peak also presuming its 90% similiar).
Narriative is fantastic with notably less filler trash, though it is still present here and does drag on when you're waiting for the next piece of juicy story to dig into. The peaks of this one manage to outshine even the greatest moments of Blue Rescue Team, which had a high bar to begin with, but the lows are far less offensive.
What it lacks in some areas in charm (no friend zones, not being able to change your party leader in the town, the town area not being as pretty as the firsts), it definitely makes up for in others, such as small things like every evolution having at least one dialogue portrait. Overall it's just a more polished experience and generally a must-play if you had any interest in the original in this spin-off series.
Narriative is fantastic with notably less filler trash, though it is still present here and does drag on when you're waiting for the next piece of juicy story to dig into. The peaks of this one manage to outshine even the greatest moments of Blue Rescue Team, which had a high bar to begin with, but the lows are far less offensive.
What it lacks in some areas in charm (no friend zones, not being able to change your party leader in the town, the town area not being as pretty as the firsts), it definitely makes up for in others, such as small things like every evolution having at least one dialogue portrait. Overall it's just a more polished experience and generally a must-play if you had any interest in the original in this spin-off series.
To quote a scholar; "the ending of this game is where men cried".
The game is unfortunately quite repetitive and the strong narriative moments are spaced quite far apart, padding out the experience with "rescue missions" that are just randomly generated, as far as i'm aware. The roguelike gameplay is fun, but as a compliment to the narriative - it doesn't do alot to hold the game up on its own.
The plot points are where this game truly shines. Played the everliving shit out of this as a kid.
The game is unfortunately quite repetitive and the strong narriative moments are spaced quite far apart, padding out the experience with "rescue missions" that are just randomly generated, as far as i'm aware. The roguelike gameplay is fun, but as a compliment to the narriative - it doesn't do alot to hold the game up on its own.
The plot points are where this game truly shines. Played the everliving shit out of this as a kid.
1997
Emulated (bite me, nintendo).
This is my wife's favourite game, or one of them at least, and it's very wholesome to watch. She gets really excited and happy, loves the music of the levels.
I have to admit, the game has good music, and a very cutesie art style that mostly holds up.
But fuck this game. I don't care that its skill issue, this game incites a particular fury within me that makes my balls feel funny when i play it and keep missing platforms. She makes it look so easy and fun and then when I play it I lose 3 yoshis to a boo.
I am impressed however by how fluid the water controls are. They unironically are more fun than the regular gameplay.
This is my wife's favourite game, or one of them at least, and it's very wholesome to watch. She gets really excited and happy, loves the music of the levels.
I have to admit, the game has good music, and a very cutesie art style that mostly holds up.
But fuck this game. I don't care that its skill issue, this game incites a particular fury within me that makes my balls feel funny when i play it and keep missing platforms. She makes it look so easy and fun and then when I play it I lose 3 yoshis to a boo.
I am impressed however by how fluid the water controls are. They unironically are more fun than the regular gameplay.
2023
Stealing this from my fiancee because she said it right about as I was about to write this review, and its true: it feels like the start of something that could be really good. At the moment, it's just a whole lot of nothing. It feels like an alpha build. We had fun playing it, but you quite quickly reach the point where you feel like you've seen everything without actually having done alot.
There's this feeling of "Oh, you need this to go to the cold area, and you need this from the cold area to go to the hot area", but beyond just going there, there's not really any reason to besides the change of scenery. The progression seems to be very minimal.
There's this feeling of "Oh, you need this to go to the cold area, and you need this from the cold area to go to the hot area", but beyond just going there, there's not really any reason to besides the change of scenery. The progression seems to be very minimal.
2023
02/01/2024 - Day VII, Act II: It has been exactly one week since I began my journey through Sanctuary. I'll admit, my journey began with a reduction in price and a hint of skepticism - ready to be dissapointed by the Archdevil, Bobby, once again - my first journal entry spoke of Baldur and his Gate, and the lack of microtransactions, as a jest. The battle pass and shop left a distinct, poor first impression, especially when coupled with some issues I had at startup (turn off ultra textures for the love of god).
What I did not foresee is the level at which I would become engrossed in my journey. At every turn, I have been faced with cryptic warnings; "Diablo IV bad", "Trash game no content (reviewed by someone with over 200 hours)", and yet... in spite of this, I can't help but be drawn in, immersed by the immaculate, perfected Diablo combat - the beautifully, so disgustingly beautifully, presented world and environment, and the sound design that compliments it. Flies buzzing around rotting viscera, a somber, melancholic instrumental for every area of the game thus far, with a sinister, deep, thrumming bassline that counters it especially when the tension picks up. Cutscenes are fantastic, voice lines are impressive, and the fact that this game right now for me is competing for my time with Baldur's Gate 3 is a testament to how much I am currently enjoying it. I will continue to write in my journal as I venture forth toward Lillith.
What I did not foresee is the level at which I would become engrossed in my journey. At every turn, I have been faced with cryptic warnings; "Diablo IV bad", "Trash game no content (reviewed by someone with over 200 hours)", and yet... in spite of this, I can't help but be drawn in, immersed by the immaculate, perfected Diablo combat - the beautifully, so disgustingly beautifully, presented world and environment, and the sound design that compliments it. Flies buzzing around rotting viscera, a somber, melancholic instrumental for every area of the game thus far, with a sinister, deep, thrumming bassline that counters it especially when the tension picks up. Cutscenes are fantastic, voice lines are impressive, and the fact that this game right now for me is competing for my time with Baldur's Gate 3 is a testament to how much I am currently enjoying it. I will continue to write in my journal as I venture forth toward Lillith.
2023
From the moment I started playing Baldur's Gate 3, I was absolutely captivated. The depth of the story, the complexity of the characters, and the richness of the world are unparalleled. It's like stepping into a high-fantasy novel where every choice feels impactful and every character interaction is meaningful.
The combat system is a thing of beauty. It's turn-based strategy at its finest, allowing for thoughtful and tactical decisions without feeling slow or cumbersome. The way magic weaves into combat, and the environment plays a role in battles, is nothing short of genius.
One of the things I really appreciate about Baldur's Gate 3 is the lack of an in-game shop. It's refreshing to play a game where the focus is purely on the experience and story, rather than being nudged towards microtransactions. I'd say it's a breath of fresh air to play a game where my wallet isn't constantly under siege.
The voice acting and dialogue in Baldur's Gate 3 are top-notch. The characters are so well-realized that I found myself genuinely caring about their stories and dilemmas. This isn't your run-of-the-mill RPG dialogue; it's cinematic, immersive, and utterly compelling.
In conclusion, Baldur's Gate 3 is a masterpiece. It's a game that respects its players, offering a rich, immersive experience without the distraction of an in-game shop. It's not just a game; it's an epic journey.
The combat system is a thing of beauty. It's turn-based strategy at its finest, allowing for thoughtful and tactical decisions without feeling slow or cumbersome. The way magic weaves into combat, and the environment plays a role in battles, is nothing short of genius.
One of the things I really appreciate about Baldur's Gate 3 is the lack of an in-game shop. It's refreshing to play a game where the focus is purely on the experience and story, rather than being nudged towards microtransactions. I'd say it's a breath of fresh air to play a game where my wallet isn't constantly under siege.
The voice acting and dialogue in Baldur's Gate 3 are top-notch. The characters are so well-realized that I found myself genuinely caring about their stories and dilemmas. This isn't your run-of-the-mill RPG dialogue; it's cinematic, immersive, and utterly compelling.
In conclusion, Baldur's Gate 3 is a masterpiece. It's a game that respects its players, offering a rich, immersive experience without the distraction of an in-game shop. It's not just a game; it's an epic journey.
This review contains spoilers
Well, what an interesting ride this was. Usually, when a game is this much of a mess, I usually just deem it not worth my time and drop it. Honestly? It really does REEK of Triple A laziness, right out of the gate; really glaring low resolution textures and images amidst beautiful shading and lighting effects, atrociously low framerates at points, robots that move at like 15fps or something (think similiar to background enemies in Bloodborne when theres too many on screen - except that was a PS4 game in 2014, and this is a 2021 Playstation 5 release, and there can be only one enemy on the screen and they still do this), and the first thing that came to my head was "Oh god, I wasted my money".
For context, I bought this game for £30-something off the playstation store following my autistic hype from the FNAF movie, which I personally thought was excellent (perhaps that take will decide for you whether to trust my opinion on this game).
I am pleased to report that despite the less than stellar first impressions, this game was definitely worth my time and I enjoyed my experience. Whether you too will enjoy the game in spite of its problems will be entirely weighing on your patience, what kind of games you enjoy, and how willing you are to excuse the issues you do encounter (and trust me, there will be some. I refuse to believe this game can be completed on a first time run without encountering a single bug).
Beyond this point there will be spoilers for the story - you have been warned.
Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach is a strong departure from the series' typical style of gameplay (at least from my understanding). I personally have been following the lore of Five Nights at Freddy's on and off since the beginning of the franchise but have just never been able to get into it through the games, because I do not like the gameplay they have to offer. Over recent years I have become a fan of horror games, with Resident Evil 2 Remake being the first true horror game I had played to completion and still being one of my favourites - but regardless I would never touch Five Nights at Freddy's. The style of gameplay those games bring to the table is not what I consider fun - pure stress, tension, with barely any squeeze and release. Just constantly sitting and waiting for something to scare you. No way to fight back, run away, nothing - it's incredibly well done for what it is, don't get me wrong - but I hate enduring it. I'll proudly admit it's too scary for me.
That's why Security Breach caught my interest. This is a Stealth Game that feels so drastically different that it could well be considered a spin off, though I hope this is just the direction the series takes from this point forward.
You can definitely feel the passion that went into making this game when you play it - despite being a "Triple A Title" (as the Triple A Fazbear tag would lead you to believe), it feels like a decently solid fan game, in terms of its performance and stability. The story is intriguing, and you're always waiting to see what happens next, so it does make your playthrough hard to put down - unfortunately, what is dissapointing is that for most players, this will ultimately lead you nowhere. If you were hoping for a ton of exposition on the lore of Five Nights at Freddy's, you won't find it here - there is plenty of worldbuilding scattered throughout the notes, but you don't really get any answers from just playing.
Five of the six available endings are very lackluster - one of which is so frustrating to get (the william afton ending), because of the way the game locks the save sites. In some ways, I respect what the game did when it left you with only the atrium - it really does make you force yourself to get better at navigating the pizzaria, but the problems come when you do big heaps of progress and then die because you didn't get chance to save. This isn't a problem if you know to go back and save at the atrium constantly, but you learn that the hard way. I learned it the hard way by getting seen by chica toward the end of the game on one of the final puzzles, hiding from her, and having her bug out on me. She just stood outside my hiding spot for (legit) 20 minutes whilst I went to go make some food, refusing to move until I left the spot at which point I died instantly.
All in all, the game honestly sets up a far more spectacular ending to the game than you actually get. You start to reach a point as you close in on 6 oclock where you think to yourself "Huh, theres alot to wrap up in the time I have left", and unfortunately that's because it doesn't get wrapped up. At least not in a satisfying way.
There is sort of an exception to this; you do get more of a satisfying end IF you go for the secret ending, which is so obscure that you probably won't get it without looking it up (I had to). So, if past 6am you go to Roxy's Raceway and go to the second section of it, which is like a smaller cut off area that you need to go through a different shutter door to reach, there is a beauty salon. If you go inside the beauty salon, you will find an arcade machine called Princess Quest 1 - for those with a keen eye, you will recognise that this game has been mentioned quite a few times throughout the game and shows up during significant story beats.
The problem I have with it, is that they show up in the reverse order, with the first cabinet (the last one you would come across) being completely hidden - which means, when you first see the 3rd and 2nd machine, earlier in the game, you think, "Oh they must be important", try to use them, but you cant, because you haven't played the first yet, and the game gives you no hint that you need to use it later, you just presume it's part of the environment. Due to the non-linear progression system in this game and the fact you can choose which animatronic to deal with first, it's possible this could be an issue with the order I chose to do things in, but I feel like I took the most obvious path to completion and it seems to be the common route, from what I see online (Chica, Roxy, Monty, in that order).
Enough with the complaints though; the Princess Quest ending is, from a gameplay perspective? Fantastic. I was so shocked to turn on this arcade machine and be given a beautiful, simple, yet rather chilling short horror trilogy to wrap the game up and shed some light on Vanessa's backstory, even if it is metaphorical and vague. The game is retro in style, not buggy at all from what I could tell (which is refreshing especially after 30+ hours of gameplay). I honestly did not expect that a, what, 32 bit(?) retro style game could be eerie, but it really does its job well and the atmosphere often rivals or excels the main game. I just wish that this was used more throughout the game and also given as a forced story beat, though I will admit it is a satisfying secret ending to complete, even if I didn't find it without help from a guide. It also gives you the most satisfying ending cutscene (if you can call these comic book segments cutscenes), at least in terms of answers and what it implies.
To wrap up this review, I will say this:
The atmosphere in this game is often thick, even if inconsistent. There are times where buggy AI will break your immersion, and yet sometimes you may even be thankful for it because it saves you from what feels like a poor / unfair game design choice rather than a genuine mistake. If you are a fan of stealth games (presuming that being a fan of them would mean you have some high level of patience, since as you know there is typically a lot of stop / start waiting around), and are interested in getting into the Five Nights at Freddy's universe, this is a fantastic game to start with, and I can give it a solid 6/10 from that perspective. Is it perfect? Absolutely not, but it is fun and I do consider it worth the money I paid for it, even if it may have been cutting it close. You may even have a better time than I did if you are someone who really enjoys headscratcher puzzles and a lot of looking around for the next place to go (I find it irritating personally, but there are people that love this).
If this game had just a bit more time in the oven, it would've almost been up there with the greats of horror like Resident Evil 2 for me, possibly looking at a 7 or an 8. To reach this, the game would've needed to have its AI ironed out and made more consistent with no frustrating, unfair moments, better hitboxes etc., less visual bugs and more stable performance, some more satisfying ending cinematics, and way, WAY more use of Vanny as an antagonist - I literally saw her TWICE the entire game? She is easily the scariest part of the game and she never shows up, it's absolutely criminal.
Is the game close to achieving these higher ratings? Absolutely not, it would require a lot of work to get there. However, I do believe that the team responsible for this game will eventually reach the level they need to be able to pull it off. Whilst it does fall short of greatness, it does leave you with hope that the next one will meet the bar.
I would like to leave a note here, as of the time of me playing this, the game also has bundled in free with it the RUIN DLC, which may patch up some of these issues (this I am yet to see), but I am reviewing this as the base game only, as for two years this was all anyone had to go off of. I will leave an edit note at the top of this review to let you know if the DLC makes a significant impact on whether you should purchase this game or not.
For context, I bought this game for £30-something off the playstation store following my autistic hype from the FNAF movie, which I personally thought was excellent (perhaps that take will decide for you whether to trust my opinion on this game).
I am pleased to report that despite the less than stellar first impressions, this game was definitely worth my time and I enjoyed my experience. Whether you too will enjoy the game in spite of its problems will be entirely weighing on your patience, what kind of games you enjoy, and how willing you are to excuse the issues you do encounter (and trust me, there will be some. I refuse to believe this game can be completed on a first time run without encountering a single bug).
Beyond this point there will be spoilers for the story - you have been warned.
Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach is a strong departure from the series' typical style of gameplay (at least from my understanding). I personally have been following the lore of Five Nights at Freddy's on and off since the beginning of the franchise but have just never been able to get into it through the games, because I do not like the gameplay they have to offer. Over recent years I have become a fan of horror games, with Resident Evil 2 Remake being the first true horror game I had played to completion and still being one of my favourites - but regardless I would never touch Five Nights at Freddy's. The style of gameplay those games bring to the table is not what I consider fun - pure stress, tension, with barely any squeeze and release. Just constantly sitting and waiting for something to scare you. No way to fight back, run away, nothing - it's incredibly well done for what it is, don't get me wrong - but I hate enduring it. I'll proudly admit it's too scary for me.
That's why Security Breach caught my interest. This is a Stealth Game that feels so drastically different that it could well be considered a spin off, though I hope this is just the direction the series takes from this point forward.
You can definitely feel the passion that went into making this game when you play it - despite being a "Triple A Title" (as the Triple A Fazbear tag would lead you to believe), it feels like a decently solid fan game, in terms of its performance and stability. The story is intriguing, and you're always waiting to see what happens next, so it does make your playthrough hard to put down - unfortunately, what is dissapointing is that for most players, this will ultimately lead you nowhere. If you were hoping for a ton of exposition on the lore of Five Nights at Freddy's, you won't find it here - there is plenty of worldbuilding scattered throughout the notes, but you don't really get any answers from just playing.
Five of the six available endings are very lackluster - one of which is so frustrating to get (the william afton ending), because of the way the game locks the save sites. In some ways, I respect what the game did when it left you with only the atrium - it really does make you force yourself to get better at navigating the pizzaria, but the problems come when you do big heaps of progress and then die because you didn't get chance to save. This isn't a problem if you know to go back and save at the atrium constantly, but you learn that the hard way. I learned it the hard way by getting seen by chica toward the end of the game on one of the final puzzles, hiding from her, and having her bug out on me. She just stood outside my hiding spot for (legit) 20 minutes whilst I went to go make some food, refusing to move until I left the spot at which point I died instantly.
All in all, the game honestly sets up a far more spectacular ending to the game than you actually get. You start to reach a point as you close in on 6 oclock where you think to yourself "Huh, theres alot to wrap up in the time I have left", and unfortunately that's because it doesn't get wrapped up. At least not in a satisfying way.
There is sort of an exception to this; you do get more of a satisfying end IF you go for the secret ending, which is so obscure that you probably won't get it without looking it up (I had to). So, if past 6am you go to Roxy's Raceway and go to the second section of it, which is like a smaller cut off area that you need to go through a different shutter door to reach, there is a beauty salon. If you go inside the beauty salon, you will find an arcade machine called Princess Quest 1 - for those with a keen eye, you will recognise that this game has been mentioned quite a few times throughout the game and shows up during significant story beats.
The problem I have with it, is that they show up in the reverse order, with the first cabinet (the last one you would come across) being completely hidden - which means, when you first see the 3rd and 2nd machine, earlier in the game, you think, "Oh they must be important", try to use them, but you cant, because you haven't played the first yet, and the game gives you no hint that you need to use it later, you just presume it's part of the environment. Due to the non-linear progression system in this game and the fact you can choose which animatronic to deal with first, it's possible this could be an issue with the order I chose to do things in, but I feel like I took the most obvious path to completion and it seems to be the common route, from what I see online (Chica, Roxy, Monty, in that order).
Enough with the complaints though; the Princess Quest ending is, from a gameplay perspective? Fantastic. I was so shocked to turn on this arcade machine and be given a beautiful, simple, yet rather chilling short horror trilogy to wrap the game up and shed some light on Vanessa's backstory, even if it is metaphorical and vague. The game is retro in style, not buggy at all from what I could tell (which is refreshing especially after 30+ hours of gameplay). I honestly did not expect that a, what, 32 bit(?) retro style game could be eerie, but it really does its job well and the atmosphere often rivals or excels the main game. I just wish that this was used more throughout the game and also given as a forced story beat, though I will admit it is a satisfying secret ending to complete, even if I didn't find it without help from a guide. It also gives you the most satisfying ending cutscene (if you can call these comic book segments cutscenes), at least in terms of answers and what it implies.
To wrap up this review, I will say this:
The atmosphere in this game is often thick, even if inconsistent. There are times where buggy AI will break your immersion, and yet sometimes you may even be thankful for it because it saves you from what feels like a poor / unfair game design choice rather than a genuine mistake. If you are a fan of stealth games (presuming that being a fan of them would mean you have some high level of patience, since as you know there is typically a lot of stop / start waiting around), and are interested in getting into the Five Nights at Freddy's universe, this is a fantastic game to start with, and I can give it a solid 6/10 from that perspective. Is it perfect? Absolutely not, but it is fun and I do consider it worth the money I paid for it, even if it may have been cutting it close. You may even have a better time than I did if you are someone who really enjoys headscratcher puzzles and a lot of looking around for the next place to go (I find it irritating personally, but there are people that love this).
If this game had just a bit more time in the oven, it would've almost been up there with the greats of horror like Resident Evil 2 for me, possibly looking at a 7 or an 8. To reach this, the game would've needed to have its AI ironed out and made more consistent with no frustrating, unfair moments, better hitboxes etc., less visual bugs and more stable performance, some more satisfying ending cinematics, and way, WAY more use of Vanny as an antagonist - I literally saw her TWICE the entire game? She is easily the scariest part of the game and she never shows up, it's absolutely criminal.
Is the game close to achieving these higher ratings? Absolutely not, it would require a lot of work to get there. However, I do believe that the team responsible for this game will eventually reach the level they need to be able to pull it off. Whilst it does fall short of greatness, it does leave you with hope that the next one will meet the bar.
I would like to leave a note here, as of the time of me playing this, the game also has bundled in free with it the RUIN DLC, which may patch up some of these issues (this I am yet to see), but I am reviewing this as the base game only, as for two years this was all anyone had to go off of. I will leave an edit note at the top of this review to let you know if the DLC makes a significant impact on whether you should purchase this game or not.
2023
What the fuck were they cooking?
No but like seriously, on a serious note.
What the actual fuck where they cooking?
This game is so atrocious. Every remotely good review is obviously single player mode which completely defeats the point. This game was obviously intended as a multiplayer experience given how it was marketed heavily as one. So my mate bought it for me - "hey, i dont mind mate, itll be fun for all of us, itll be awesome, ill be happy to".
And so with controllers in hand you set out to game on the first of its kind 4 player sonic game (although we were only 3).
And then you see it, and my heart sank a little.
"Made in Unity."
I felt like the uncanny face meme.
You start the game and the in game intro cutscene is atrocious - poorly rendered in 3d with no fucking shadows. They unironically shipped this game as a finished experience. You have to bare this in mind as your mate flies off to the right toward the end of the level, and you think, "oh wow haha we got to catch up to them, theyre blasting through!" But because they ran ahead of the group in a game where you get sent on loops and ramps out of your control they actually die and get forced to respawn with the rest of the group, who are also on a set of springs so you respawn and immediately fall to their death. I think in total over the two hours we played and managed to get halfway through the game, each of us played a collective amount of like 10 minutes each if that. We just kept putting down the controllers we were that fed up of going off screen and dying. Theres also a respawn limit. WhaT the fuck were they cooking?
But the best part is the bosses, they are so epic. They take 1 trillion hours to complete cause of cool waiting mechanics but youre not allowed to respawn so if you died, fuck you, you have to watch your mate play. And then you beat the boss and it throws you in a solo level so the rest of your friends cant do anything.
A hard 2 out of 10. I offered to do chores at his house because I felt so bad that he spent his money on this dogshit. "WOW GUYS, HE RUNS IN THIS ONE!" Except you barely even get to do that becahse youre flying off screen constantly.
EDIT: This game is a 2/10 because it might be more enjoyable if the games framerate didnt grind to a halt every 2 seconds, and the only reason its not a 1 is because for about an hour the travesty of a game is rather funny, so if it was on sale for like 3 quid ljke most sonic games inevitably do, then it woyld be worth it if only for that. But not 55 quid.
No but like seriously, on a serious note.
What the actual fuck where they cooking?
This game is so atrocious. Every remotely good review is obviously single player mode which completely defeats the point. This game was obviously intended as a multiplayer experience given how it was marketed heavily as one. So my mate bought it for me - "hey, i dont mind mate, itll be fun for all of us, itll be awesome, ill be happy to".
And so with controllers in hand you set out to game on the first of its kind 4 player sonic game (although we were only 3).
And then you see it, and my heart sank a little.
"Made in Unity."
I felt like the uncanny face meme.
You start the game and the in game intro cutscene is atrocious - poorly rendered in 3d with no fucking shadows. They unironically shipped this game as a finished experience. You have to bare this in mind as your mate flies off to the right toward the end of the level, and you think, "oh wow haha we got to catch up to them, theyre blasting through!" But because they ran ahead of the group in a game where you get sent on loops and ramps out of your control they actually die and get forced to respawn with the rest of the group, who are also on a set of springs so you respawn and immediately fall to their death. I think in total over the two hours we played and managed to get halfway through the game, each of us played a collective amount of like 10 minutes each if that. We just kept putting down the controllers we were that fed up of going off screen and dying. Theres also a respawn limit. WhaT the fuck were they cooking?
But the best part is the bosses, they are so epic. They take 1 trillion hours to complete cause of cool waiting mechanics but youre not allowed to respawn so if you died, fuck you, you have to watch your mate play. And then you beat the boss and it throws you in a solo level so the rest of your friends cant do anything.
A hard 2 out of 10. I offered to do chores at his house because I felt so bad that he spent his money on this dogshit. "WOW GUYS, HE RUNS IN THIS ONE!" Except you barely even get to do that becahse youre flying off screen constantly.
EDIT: This game is a 2/10 because it might be more enjoyable if the games framerate didnt grind to a halt every 2 seconds, and the only reason its not a 1 is because for about an hour the travesty of a game is rather funny, so if it was on sale for like 3 quid ljke most sonic games inevitably do, then it woyld be worth it if only for that. But not 55 quid.
2004
World of Warcraft is a strange case of a video game because depending on the perspective, how it lands in terms of score can vary wildly.
This is not a rating of no particular expansion, but of the entire game as a whole. This game for years has been a game I can reliably return to and there is always something that takes me back that I can play for more than just nostalgia - there's always something fun you haven't completed yet, or a class / race combination you haven't tried.
From my perspective, I am someone who mostly enjoys Player Versus Player, which is next to perfect (especially for someone in the casual - very good experience range, perhaps not so much for the top one percentile, but then what game is?). The lens that I view this game through is a Player Versus Player game firstly with an expansive, almost limitless RPG game surrounding it, which is why in my opinion it's a nigh-impossible game to dethrone.
The game has had more than its fair share of flaws, sloppy writing and storytelling, but above all for me the content I have enjoyed most has almost always been fun for the large majority of the games lifespan - hell, even when I wasn't having fun with the game in those areas, it wasn't because of the gameplay itself, but outside issues with the matchmaking.
In general, this game is excellent to enjoy as an RPG, for the countless hours of content within it - hell, you'll never ever finish it. But just know that it's essentially outgrown its MMO roots and if you're looking for a multiplayer experience you're not going to get a good one. New lore added to the game is also mediocre, but that doesn't take away from the thousands of hours of decent lore already present.
This is not a rating of no particular expansion, but of the entire game as a whole. This game for years has been a game I can reliably return to and there is always something that takes me back that I can play for more than just nostalgia - there's always something fun you haven't completed yet, or a class / race combination you haven't tried.
From my perspective, I am someone who mostly enjoys Player Versus Player, which is next to perfect (especially for someone in the casual - very good experience range, perhaps not so much for the top one percentile, but then what game is?). The lens that I view this game through is a Player Versus Player game firstly with an expansive, almost limitless RPG game surrounding it, which is why in my opinion it's a nigh-impossible game to dethrone.
The game has had more than its fair share of flaws, sloppy writing and storytelling, but above all for me the content I have enjoyed most has almost always been fun for the large majority of the games lifespan - hell, even when I wasn't having fun with the game in those areas, it wasn't because of the gameplay itself, but outside issues with the matchmaking.
In general, this game is excellent to enjoy as an RPG, for the countless hours of content within it - hell, you'll never ever finish it. But just know that it's essentially outgrown its MMO roots and if you're looking for a multiplayer experience you're not going to get a good one. New lore added to the game is also mediocre, but that doesn't take away from the thousands of hours of decent lore already present.
2019
This review contains spoilers
A 6/10 for this game is not an insult - in truth, this is the perfect goose experience for goose fans.
Me and my partner played this game (we are both huge fans of geese) and being able to do goose things in such an authentic way was a big eye opener. Definitely one of the geese games of all time.
The game is a good chuckle when played coop. I'm not sure if it would offer me much if I were playing it alone - in fact it almost feels like the game was designed with coop in mind, distracting villagers so you can goose about undetected.
It's definitely a meme game, but for a meme game there are plenty of genuine moments that get you thinking on how to progress (my face when I had to google a couple times about how to progress in goose game). The game knows what it's trying to be, and it does it well.
The game does not overstay its welcome - most of the length will be from you solving puzzles, you could probably shave hours off of this on repeat playthroughs, which I dont think is a bad thing. It has a satisfying conclusion and an end that really does almost give you a NieR: Automata feel sense of existentialism when you reach the climax of the story (it really is just THAT good).
It's definitely a game about a goose. Whilst its not going up there with the all time gaming greats like Bloodborne, the developers should be proud of themselves for doing a better job than most triple A devs.
Me and my partner played this game (we are both huge fans of geese) and being able to do goose things in such an authentic way was a big eye opener. Definitely one of the geese games of all time.
The game is a good chuckle when played coop. I'm not sure if it would offer me much if I were playing it alone - in fact it almost feels like the game was designed with coop in mind, distracting villagers so you can goose about undetected.
It's definitely a meme game, but for a meme game there are plenty of genuine moments that get you thinking on how to progress (my face when I had to google a couple times about how to progress in goose game). The game knows what it's trying to be, and it does it well.
The game does not overstay its welcome - most of the length will be from you solving puzzles, you could probably shave hours off of this on repeat playthroughs, which I dont think is a bad thing. It has a satisfying conclusion and an end that really does almost give you a NieR: Automata feel sense of existentialism when you reach the climax of the story (it really is just THAT good).
It's definitely a game about a goose. Whilst its not going up there with the all time gaming greats like Bloodborne, the developers should be proud of themselves for doing a better job than most triple A devs.
This review contains spoilers
Wow, what a game. I am pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this one.
Borrowed this one from an in-law, and I just finished the main story on standard today. I -so- desperately want to rate this game higher than an 8, but being critical I don't think I can. Once I am finished with getting the plat (provided I dont get bored), I may be able to bump the score up provided the Village of Shadows difficulty is a fun challenge and well executed. Real reasons to replay a game are always appreciated.
The pacing of this games story is pretty much perfect. I can't say I can think of a story driven game that does the narrative pacing quite as well as this, besides Resident Evil 2, though granted I feel that in terms of story this game had a little more meat to its bones. Honestly, in the best way possible, this game feels like you are playing a movie. Even in terms of gameplay sections, Capcom really knew exactly when to hold on to an idea and then when to give it its climax and move on (as opposed to the overhyped mess which is RE4make, looking at you, overdone gauntlet sections).
I have heard the criticism before that Lady Dimitrescu shouldn't have died as early as she did in the story - and granted, in some alternate dimension where she was the second coming of Mr. X or Nemesis and stalked you the entire game, the game may have been better, I honestly cant say. However, I can safely say I had no moment during this game where I was reminiscing on the good bits. I was always looking forward to what came next, right till the end, which is a fantastic feeling.
As a father myself, the games story was just fantastic. I can completely understand not relating to Ethan as a character for non parents, but the motivation really is about as good as it gets. He is such a relatable character - just the sheer emotion of events during the story, especially in the finale, really hit home. When Rose appeared after the final boss fight, I got goosebumps imagining how being in that situation would feel. Hell, even at the truly terrifying segments such as the beginning sequence, there was times were I pushed through with the mindset of getting Rose back for Ethan - the kind of thinking an actual parent has for their child.
Also worth a mention, his quirky lines are entertaining, either giving a small eyeroll or a chuckle. What I like however, is that unlike Leon (in 4), he saves his one liners for after the fight, as to not ruin the tension or atmosphere. He makes his quip once the tension has been released, rather than during the squeeze before the fight starts.
The game is split into multiple segments, each with rather drastically different themes, but it keeps you guessing as to what will come next. One particular segment in the second area of the game, where you are lead into what seems like a haunted house, is especially disturbing. In fact it was so effective and well paced that, because the baby sounds were making me feel stressed etc, I actually looked up what was going to happen midway through the section because I didnt want any surprises. Luckily, I was right at the end of the segment so I didnt spoil it for myself. I would seriously suggest doing it blind, its truly fantasic. It was scarier than 99% of the horror films that ive seen.
What I also appreciated, was that the game knew what it set out to do. To start, the game is heavily reminiscent of the 2 remake in terms of its thick atmosphere and puzzle solving. It was a breath of fresh air and I was glad to see 2 wasnt a fluke after all. Then, toward the back end of the game, it becomes more and more action focused, but at no point does it ever let you off your toes. There are always slight scares, (and some big scares, if youre a wimp like me), to keep your blood pumping. By the end of the game, you feel like the protagonist of a revenge movie, and it feels awesome. Especially just being able to rip through hoards of the scary bastards thatve been jumping you the entire game with almost endless ammo.
As a foot note, the plot twist at the end caught me completely off guard - it was fantastic and I couldnt have asked for a better executed story. Every question I had got answered in a satisfying way with plenty of lore to connect this to the existing world of Resi, in spite of how different it is in its style.
Highlights:
- Opening sequence
- The castle
- Lady Dimitrescu (especially her boss fight - the best in the series in my opinion).
- Baby
- Heisenberg boss fight
- Chris Blast
- The finale
- Lore snippets through the entire game
Borrowed this one from an in-law, and I just finished the main story on standard today. I -so- desperately want to rate this game higher than an 8, but being critical I don't think I can. Once I am finished with getting the plat (provided I dont get bored), I may be able to bump the score up provided the Village of Shadows difficulty is a fun challenge and well executed. Real reasons to replay a game are always appreciated.
The pacing of this games story is pretty much perfect. I can't say I can think of a story driven game that does the narrative pacing quite as well as this, besides Resident Evil 2, though granted I feel that in terms of story this game had a little more meat to its bones. Honestly, in the best way possible, this game feels like you are playing a movie. Even in terms of gameplay sections, Capcom really knew exactly when to hold on to an idea and then when to give it its climax and move on (as opposed to the overhyped mess which is RE4make, looking at you, overdone gauntlet sections).
I have heard the criticism before that Lady Dimitrescu shouldn't have died as early as she did in the story - and granted, in some alternate dimension where she was the second coming of Mr. X or Nemesis and stalked you the entire game, the game may have been better, I honestly cant say. However, I can safely say I had no moment during this game where I was reminiscing on the good bits. I was always looking forward to what came next, right till the end, which is a fantastic feeling.
As a father myself, the games story was just fantastic. I can completely understand not relating to Ethan as a character for non parents, but the motivation really is about as good as it gets. He is such a relatable character - just the sheer emotion of events during the story, especially in the finale, really hit home. When Rose appeared after the final boss fight, I got goosebumps imagining how being in that situation would feel. Hell, even at the truly terrifying segments such as the beginning sequence, there was times were I pushed through with the mindset of getting Rose back for Ethan - the kind of thinking an actual parent has for their child.
Also worth a mention, his quirky lines are entertaining, either giving a small eyeroll or a chuckle. What I like however, is that unlike Leon (in 4), he saves his one liners for after the fight, as to not ruin the tension or atmosphere. He makes his quip once the tension has been released, rather than during the squeeze before the fight starts.
The game is split into multiple segments, each with rather drastically different themes, but it keeps you guessing as to what will come next. One particular segment in the second area of the game, where you are lead into what seems like a haunted house, is especially disturbing. In fact it was so effective and well paced that, because the baby sounds were making me feel stressed etc, I actually looked up what was going to happen midway through the section because I didnt want any surprises. Luckily, I was right at the end of the segment so I didnt spoil it for myself. I would seriously suggest doing it blind, its truly fantasic. It was scarier than 99% of the horror films that ive seen.
What I also appreciated, was that the game knew what it set out to do. To start, the game is heavily reminiscent of the 2 remake in terms of its thick atmosphere and puzzle solving. It was a breath of fresh air and I was glad to see 2 wasnt a fluke after all. Then, toward the back end of the game, it becomes more and more action focused, but at no point does it ever let you off your toes. There are always slight scares, (and some big scares, if youre a wimp like me), to keep your blood pumping. By the end of the game, you feel like the protagonist of a revenge movie, and it feels awesome. Especially just being able to rip through hoards of the scary bastards thatve been jumping you the entire game with almost endless ammo.
As a foot note, the plot twist at the end caught me completely off guard - it was fantastic and I couldnt have asked for a better executed story. Every question I had got answered in a satisfying way with plenty of lore to connect this to the existing world of Resi, in spite of how different it is in its style.
Highlights:
- Opening sequence
- The castle
- Lady Dimitrescu (especially her boss fight - the best in the series in my opinion).
- Baby
- Heisenberg boss fight
- Chris Blast
- The finale
- Lore snippets through the entire game
2019
This review contains spoilers
Absolutely incredible and solid game.
Why is mr. x always so sexy?
Why is mr. x always so sexy?
Its a shame that this game has some huge balancing issues and a really lackluster Riku story, as well as being a complete retread of KH1, because the later levels and story are more compelling and the gameplay has its moments. Overall i'd say the combat is better than KH1 substantially.