Stew12
2022
With the heavy saturation of Souls-likes on the market, I've always wanted to see modernisations of From Soft's extensive past. Lunacid is one such game, taking directly from the King's Field and Shadow Tower series. I was unfamiliar with these games, and therefore was able to enjoy a new kind of gameplay experience.
The exploration is incredibly engrossing. Aided by amazing atmosphere and music(shout out Thor High Heels), it's easy to get lost by design, but this means that the player must be attentive at all times, and build a mental map of each sprawling dungeon. It was satisfying to start each level feeling completely aimless only to get a feel and mastery over the layout.
Combat is also surprisingly fun, despite its simplicity. There's a ton of build, weapon and magic options allowing for various approaches, and while battle can start out relatively difficult it's not hard to build up something that can end up shredding them. Again, the progression feels really nice.
That said, sometimes the game was a little too obtuse for its own good. Overlooking a single easy-to-miss ladder in a dungeon can lead to missing half of it as the rest leads to nowhere. Some dungeons are completely optional, yet I had no way of knowing until I exhausted every corner thinking I had missed something. One door that's mandatory for the rest of the game is very confusing on how to open. Needless to say, I had to resort to a guide more times than I'd like.
Overall though, the obtuse parts of the game weren't enough to ruin my enjoyment, and in some ways did add to its mysterious nature somewhat. I loved Akuma Kira's last game Lost in Vivo, and it seems like he's only improving. I'm very much looking forward to a potential sequel to this game, or trying out some of its inspirations.
The exploration is incredibly engrossing. Aided by amazing atmosphere and music(shout out Thor High Heels), it's easy to get lost by design, but this means that the player must be attentive at all times, and build a mental map of each sprawling dungeon. It was satisfying to start each level feeling completely aimless only to get a feel and mastery over the layout.
Combat is also surprisingly fun, despite its simplicity. There's a ton of build, weapon and magic options allowing for various approaches, and while battle can start out relatively difficult it's not hard to build up something that can end up shredding them. Again, the progression feels really nice.
That said, sometimes the game was a little too obtuse for its own good. Overlooking a single easy-to-miss ladder in a dungeon can lead to missing half of it as the rest leads to nowhere. Some dungeons are completely optional, yet I had no way of knowing until I exhausted every corner thinking I had missed something. One door that's mandatory for the rest of the game is very confusing on how to open. Needless to say, I had to resort to a guide more times than I'd like.
Overall though, the obtuse parts of the game weren't enough to ruin my enjoyment, and in some ways did add to its mysterious nature somewhat. I loved Akuma Kira's last game Lost in Vivo, and it seems like he's only improving. I'm very much looking forward to a potential sequel to this game, or trying out some of its inspirations.
2023
Really cool concept that is executed well, I just wish the gameplay involved more than pressing the A button on things. Even Point-and-Click games often have an inventory system.
Also, at this point I'm a little tired of the whole "oooo this world is super vague and weird and there's defintely a hidden story we swear, it's not like this so people can do our job for us by making up lore!" schtick. The puzzles while interesting aren't particulary challenging, and without much else going on there isn't a lot to motivate me. Still, cool idea I'd love to see expanded on in a more involved style of gameplay.
Also, at this point I'm a little tired of the whole "oooo this world is super vague and weird and there's defintely a hidden story we swear, it's not like this so people can do our job for us by making up lore!" schtick. The puzzles while interesting aren't particulary challenging, and without much else going on there isn't a lot to motivate me. Still, cool idea I'd love to see expanded on in a more involved style of gameplay.
2023
If I had a nickel for every horror-based VN using a black-and-white artstyle centering around the player playing as the male in an incredibly toxic relationship, released in October 2023, that appeals to very specific fetishes, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice.
That said, I feel Slay the Princess achieves what it's going for much better than the Coffin of Andy and Leyley. It feels as if it's trying less hard to be shocking and gross, yet its darker and gorier elements hit so much harder. The atmosphere is incredible, at times making me hang on every word.
And what words they are. This and Scarlet Hollow prove to me Black Tabby Games are incredible writers. The story manages to be impressibly simple and unendingly complex all at once. It took me a few replays to truly get what the game was trying to say, and I recommend you do the same, as you'll only scratch the surface of the dizzying number of branching routes and the memorable experiences they provide.
I won't go much more into specifics, as I feel it's best to go in as blind as possible, and hopefully this review hasn't spoiled too much of that. Just know that this game may seem simple on the surface, but turns into a deep rabbit hole I had a blast diving into.
That said, I feel Slay the Princess achieves what it's going for much better than the Coffin of Andy and Leyley. It feels as if it's trying less hard to be shocking and gross, yet its darker and gorier elements hit so much harder. The atmosphere is incredible, at times making me hang on every word.
And what words they are. This and Scarlet Hollow prove to me Black Tabby Games are incredible writers. The story manages to be impressibly simple and unendingly complex all at once. It took me a few replays to truly get what the game was trying to say, and I recommend you do the same, as you'll only scratch the surface of the dizzying number of branching routes and the memorable experiences they provide.
I won't go much more into specifics, as I feel it's best to go in as blind as possible, and hopefully this review hasn't spoiled too much of that. Just know that this game may seem simple on the surface, but turns into a deep rabbit hole I had a blast diving into.
2023
I vibe a lot with what this game does, the removal of the time limit in exchange for tougher dungeons with limited Pikmin count. For the most part it all works for me.
UNTIL you get to Wistful Wild. Here the game more or less runs out of new things to throw at you and instead makes dungeons as gruelling and lengthy as possible. Combine that with some uneven difficulty and balancing and sadly this game just falls off towards the end and becomes a chore to play.
This definitely has the blueprints for the best Pikmin though, as long as 4 is halfway challenging it might just be the perfect version of this formula.
UNTIL you get to Wistful Wild. Here the game more or less runs out of new things to throw at you and instead makes dungeons as gruelling and lengthy as possible. Combine that with some uneven difficulty and balancing and sadly this game just falls off towards the end and becomes a chore to play.
This definitely has the blueprints for the best Pikmin though, as long as 4 is halfway challenging it might just be the perfect version of this formula.
2023
A surprisingly good port of a small yet very tightly designed classic. I honestly prefer the implementation of the gyro controls to how Pikmin 3 did them, and everything looking much sharper and crisper is just good to have.
I only wish they could have tightened up the Pikmin's ai to prevent them from occasionally getting stuck around walls and falling into water when crossing a bridge. That said, I can definitely see myself coming back to this on the Switch over the Wii version.
I only wish they could have tightened up the Pikmin's ai to prevent them from occasionally getting stuck around walls and falling into water when crossing a bridge. That said, I can definitely see myself coming back to this on the Switch over the Wii version.
2020
A revolution for the genre, no other beat-em-up I've played has managed to come close to its heights. The smoothness of its controls and gameplay without any real extraneous bells and whistles, the enemy variety where almost every one feels fair and fun to fight, the amazing yet tense as hell Specials system. Nothing else can really compare.
With the DLC added, this game just becomes peak. Love the rougelike-esque survival mode and the new characters are a blast. Add the absolutely incredible soundtrack and you've got an action game that's up there with DMCV, it's that damn good.
With the DLC added, this game just becomes peak. Love the rougelike-esque survival mode and the new characters are a blast. Add the absolutely incredible soundtrack and you've got an action game that's up there with DMCV, it's that damn good.
2022
What an ride. The combat is honestly the best I've played in any JRPG. You're restored after every battle, which in means you're able to go all out for every one of them. In turn, the enemies are difficult, allowing almost every encounter to be strategic and engaging. The Sky Armour combat added an extra layer of variety that was much appreciated.
Rarely did battles feel repetitive or tedious which is a trap almost every other turn-based JRPG falls into. It's kind of a miracle just how smooth the experience was.
The story is also pretty great, even if it took a while for it to really grow on me. I was a little lost on a few aspects of the plot by the end, but for the most part the characters and their trials were fun to follow. The world set up was also surprisingly interesting for what appears cookie-cutter fantasy on the surface.
My only real complaints are that the music can be quite repetitive due to a limited number of tracks (though the tracks themselves are excellent!), the UI can be a bit un-user friendly, especially for gem-crafting and the like, and some of the Sky Armour bosses can be a little frustrating.
Otherwise, this is a polished, engaging, content-rich JRPG that soars among the greats that inspired it. To think one person can develop a game better than the majority of AAA of its year.
Rarely did battles feel repetitive or tedious which is a trap almost every other turn-based JRPG falls into. It's kind of a miracle just how smooth the experience was.
The story is also pretty great, even if it took a while for it to really grow on me. I was a little lost on a few aspects of the plot by the end, but for the most part the characters and their trials were fun to follow. The world set up was also surprisingly interesting for what appears cookie-cutter fantasy on the surface.
My only real complaints are that the music can be quite repetitive due to a limited number of tracks (though the tracks themselves are excellent!), the UI can be a bit un-user friendly, especially for gem-crafting and the like, and some of the Sky Armour bosses can be a little frustrating.
Otherwise, this is a polished, engaging, content-rich JRPG that soars among the greats that inspired it. To think one person can develop a game better than the majority of AAA of its year.
2023
Spiderverse meets Baby Driver meets a Platinum game, Hi-Fi Rush is many things, but it's certainly not stale or derivative. It's insane to see a AAA developer, a horror developer no less, put out something with such a unique identity and personality.
Hi-Fi Rush is a solid action game on its own, but the rhythm action element really kicks up the quality. It feels surprisingly natural, and having not only your moves, but the enemies' attacks (as well as the entire world in general) sync to the beat is amazing. It must have taken a considerable amount of effort, yet Tango make it look effortless. Same goes for the stellar animation work.
That said, there's defintely room for improvement, but what it's lacking is pretty understandable for a first attempt at this sort of thing. There's only one weapon type, and the combo list can feel a little lacking in a few areas, particularly in the air. Also, I feel that the partners could use some extra utility in combat, especially Macaron.
The music list is pretty solid, with some forgettable tracks in places to me but others were absolute bangers that really improved the experience. The story is pretty decent too, it has lots of personality though the humour can be a bit eh or annoying in places, and I'm getting really sick of the "boy if this a video game it sure would be dumb" meta type of humour nowadays.
Overall, this game might be elevated a lot by its rhythm game DNA spliced in, but the bones behind is are far from weak. I've been having a great time and intend to replay the game and hone my skills. Here's hoping for a sequel that builds off everything this game does into a true masterpiece that can rival the gods of Character Action games.
Hi-Fi Rush is a solid action game on its own, but the rhythm action element really kicks up the quality. It feels surprisingly natural, and having not only your moves, but the enemies' attacks (as well as the entire world in general) sync to the beat is amazing. It must have taken a considerable amount of effort, yet Tango make it look effortless. Same goes for the stellar animation work.
That said, there's defintely room for improvement, but what it's lacking is pretty understandable for a first attempt at this sort of thing. There's only one weapon type, and the combo list can feel a little lacking in a few areas, particularly in the air. Also, I feel that the partners could use some extra utility in combat, especially Macaron.
The music list is pretty solid, with some forgettable tracks in places to me but others were absolute bangers that really improved the experience. The story is pretty decent too, it has lots of personality though the humour can be a bit eh or annoying in places, and I'm getting really sick of the "boy if this a video game it sure would be dumb" meta type of humour nowadays.
Overall, this game might be elevated a lot by its rhythm game DNA spliced in, but the bones behind is are far from weak. I've been having a great time and intend to replay the game and hone my skills. Here's hoping for a sequel that builds off everything this game does into a true masterpiece that can rival the gods of Character Action games.
2023
My new score attack obsession, I'm currently going through trying to achieve S ranks on every level. It's hard as hell but super rewarding, it feels great to know every level inside and out.
Controls take a little getting used to, you'll likely flop around a bit on your first playthrough, but once mastered, boy do they feel great. The sense of flow is incredible, probably the best of any 2D game I've played.
Also that soundtrack... holy hell. It's honestly one of the best for a game I've heard.
Controls take a little getting used to, you'll likely flop around a bit on your first playthrough, but once mastered, boy do they feel great. The sense of flow is incredible, probably the best of any 2D game I've played.
Also that soundtrack... holy hell. It's honestly one of the best for a game I've heard.
2022
Love the levels, despise the rival battles with massive health bars, and the seven goddamn phase final boss. Game would be so much more fun without them. Also the story is not my thing, a bit too cringy with its dialogue. But I will stress the levels are well designed and fun, and the music is incredible.
2022
I think this might have gotten me into Survival Horror? Like, I finally get what makes it so great?!
This game is pretty much the classic Resis but damn does it do it well, love the resource management and careful inventory management (though I agree the flashlight really shouldn't have taken up a spot).
Enemies are extemely tense to deal with, either sneaking around them or killing them each come with their own risks and costs. Level design is amazing, each one being a sprawling puzzle box that feels great to slowly piece together. Puzzles were the perfect level of difficulty for me, often being decently challenging to solve or keep track of without me ever resorting to looking up a guide (Except for one where I needed a code from hours earlier, because I didn't know how to access the Memories part of the menu due to some UI control inconsistencies).
Also, I live for that the PS1-ish low-poly art style. Especially in the first-person segments, it just looks so nice. Finally, the story is defintely interesting, emotional and maybe even a little avant-garde, though I'm far from fully understanding it. Usually I'm not really a fan of stories that require you to piece everything together with notes and descriptions, but I do want to search around and piece together what's going on, since what I did understand is pretty well-written for what it is.
Overall, this defintely a classic in my eyes, and really deserves your time. I can see some of the old-school horror mechanics not gelling with some people, but roll with its quirks and it'll be well worth the effort- at least in my eyes.
This game is pretty much the classic Resis but damn does it do it well, love the resource management and careful inventory management (though I agree the flashlight really shouldn't have taken up a spot).
Enemies are extemely tense to deal with, either sneaking around them or killing them each come with their own risks and costs. Level design is amazing, each one being a sprawling puzzle box that feels great to slowly piece together. Puzzles were the perfect level of difficulty for me, often being decently challenging to solve or keep track of without me ever resorting to looking up a guide (Except for one where I needed a code from hours earlier, because I didn't know how to access the Memories part of the menu due to some UI control inconsistencies).
Also, I live for that the PS1-ish low-poly art style. Especially in the first-person segments, it just looks so nice. Finally, the story is defintely interesting, emotional and maybe even a little avant-garde, though I'm far from fully understanding it. Usually I'm not really a fan of stories that require you to piece everything together with notes and descriptions, but I do want to search around and piece together what's going on, since what I did understand is pretty well-written for what it is.
Overall, this defintely a classic in my eyes, and really deserves your time. I can see some of the old-school horror mechanics not gelling with some people, but roll with its quirks and it'll be well worth the effort- at least in my eyes.
1999
Great puzzle game that deserves to be known among the greats. I just wish there was an endless mode with 3 lives, it feels weird to cut off arcade mode after a certain depth, and survival only has one life which makes it end a little quickly for me.
1997
Man, no one can make a game like this ever again, not even Nintendo themselves. Rail shooters are sadly a dead genre, seen as 'outdated', which makes no sense to me. 2d shoot em ups are 'on rails' in a sense, and no one ever says they're outdated.
Anyway, what I love so much about this game is that not only is it a near-perfect arcade shooter with brilliant and variety-filled levels, but it also feels like an adventure, with fun characters and team interactions, the cheesy voice acting only adding to the charm for me. The story isn't exactly incredible, but its presense adds to the experience vastly for me.
The only, ONLY gripe I have with the game is the Single Laser. Until you get the Double Laser shooting feels wayy less satisfying, and the difference in power is immense. You revert back to Single Laser on death, which is annoying but fair, except in levels where the upgrade isn't available such as the last battle with Star Wolf. Seriously, on my first go with the upgrade I nearly beat it, only to take 8 more tries with the Single Laser before I could just barely scrape by. The imbalance just felt very frustrating to me.
But yeah, I love this damn game, it's so replayable and engaging with memorable lines I quote quite often. Nintendo will sadly never make a Star Fox that measures up due to their reductive view on the franchise, but I'm hoping someday an indie developer can make something of the same, high quality.
Anyway, what I love so much about this game is that not only is it a near-perfect arcade shooter with brilliant and variety-filled levels, but it also feels like an adventure, with fun characters and team interactions, the cheesy voice acting only adding to the charm for me. The story isn't exactly incredible, but its presense adds to the experience vastly for me.
The only, ONLY gripe I have with the game is the Single Laser. Until you get the Double Laser shooting feels wayy less satisfying, and the difference in power is immense. You revert back to Single Laser on death, which is annoying but fair, except in levels where the upgrade isn't available such as the last battle with Star Wolf. Seriously, on my first go with the upgrade I nearly beat it, only to take 8 more tries with the Single Laser before I could just barely scrape by. The imbalance just felt very frustrating to me.
But yeah, I love this damn game, it's so replayable and engaging with memorable lines I quote quite often. Nintendo will sadly never make a Star Fox that measures up due to their reductive view on the franchise, but I'm hoping someday an indie developer can make something of the same, high quality.
2010
Arguably better than the console version. When it's fun it's fun, but are some pretty gimmicky Wisp levels and annoying time based missions. Would have rathered more acts instead of the missions. And why the heck is Planet Wisp now just one big drilling stage?!
I'll admit it took a little while for me to warm up to Sunbreak. At first, it was a little boring fighting mostly the same monsters again, and the increase in monster attack speed made using slower weapons feel not fun to use.
However, once I adapted and got better at using Wirebugs... yeah this is how Rise should have been on launch. The insane mobility of the hunters works now that the monsters are able to match with their insane aggression. I enjoy the speed of the fights and the increase in difficulty makes a lot of the issues I had with Rise matter very little.
All of the returning and new monsters are very fun to fight, and I hope more will be added with title updates. I still have to jump into the endgame, but I'm excited. Compared to Icebourne I think this is way, way better and makes Rise a greater full package than World overall.
However, once I adapted and got better at using Wirebugs... yeah this is how Rise should have been on launch. The insane mobility of the hunters works now that the monsters are able to match with their insane aggression. I enjoy the speed of the fights and the increase in difficulty makes a lot of the issues I had with Rise matter very little.
All of the returning and new monsters are very fun to fight, and I hope more will be added with title updates. I still have to jump into the endgame, but I'm excited. Compared to Icebourne I think this is way, way better and makes Rise a greater full package than World overall.