SwitSwat
BACKER
1993
Here I am, at the end of my NES MM journey. I was hoping this game would be a great conclusion to the hexalogy, but sadly, it wasn't. With this being my 2nd least favorite, I still found enough to enjoy here, but nothing really stood out. Yep, it's just more of the same. You get your classic MM gameplay with the ocassional annoying stage antics and boss shenanigans. Also, this time, the story takes a bit of a turn as the mysterious Mr.X informs you that he was the one pulling the strings the whole time and that Dr. Wily was just a pawn... But in a shocking twist that literally everyone saw coming, Mr.X was just Wily in disguise. Honestly, Wily should have retired long ago. This is just embarassing.
One cool update in this game is that Rush powers are no longer tied to a depletable meter that you need to refill. Now, Rush can fuse with Mega Man like armor. You only get 2, one of which lets you smash blocks or enemies, and a jetpack which you can use for a couple of seconds, followed by a negligeable cooldown.
Oh yeah, Beat is in this game again. He got nerfed, though. The letters, or plates as they are called here, that you need to collect to spell out BEAT and unlock him are also harder to obtain here than in the previous game, if you're playing blind, as they are tied to progressing through alternate routes in certain stages. I went out of my way to get them just to realize he got nerfed to the point where he doesn't even attack bosses now. I guess he's there if you wanna breeze through stages, but for the most part, I feel like levels in this game are easy enough as is. Kinda makes me wish he wasn't even on the cover. Thankfully, unlike MM5, the final boss is piss easy. Just keep chucking that Silver Tomahawk at Wily, and you're golden.
One cool update in this game is that Rush powers are no longer tied to a depletable meter that you need to refill. Now, Rush can fuse with Mega Man like armor. You only get 2, one of which lets you smash blocks or enemies, and a jetpack which you can use for a couple of seconds, followed by a negligeable cooldown.
Oh yeah, Beat is in this game again. He got nerfed, though. The letters, or plates as they are called here, that you need to collect to spell out BEAT and unlock him are also harder to obtain here than in the previous game, if you're playing blind, as they are tied to progressing through alternate routes in certain stages. I went out of my way to get them just to realize he got nerfed to the point where he doesn't even attack bosses now. I guess he's there if you wanna breeze through stages, but for the most part, I feel like levels in this game are easy enough as is. Kinda makes me wish he wasn't even on the cover. Thankfully, unlike MM5, the final boss is piss easy. Just keep chucking that Silver Tomahawk at Wily, and you're golden.
This review contains spoilers
First, a preface. It's nice that all the patches recently got added to the database. I'll call that great timing on my part. I figured I'd log these as I go, mainly to keep track of my progress through this massive game, but also to share some brief thoughts on the main story, which is what I'll be basing my scores on.
Moving on; after the ending of ARR's base game absolutely convinced me to see this story to its conclusion, how does the first post-game patch hook you in? Well, it really doesn't. A Realm Awoken is a transition of sorts. With the Scions of the Seventh Dawn moving their base of operations from the Wakings Sands to the Rising Stones, it really does feel symbolic of the group's progression, but also, of the player. Nothing particularly exciting happens here, but I'm not one to typically hate on some set-up for better things to come, especially after I already pushed through ARR.
Minfilia's reunion with her adoptive mother was cute, and also, this is the first time in the main story where you get a chance to experience an 8-player trial (nowadays at least); this one particularly, in the form of a giant moogle. That was kinda fun.
Moving on; after the ending of ARR's base game absolutely convinced me to see this story to its conclusion, how does the first post-game patch hook you in? Well, it really doesn't. A Realm Awoken is a transition of sorts. With the Scions of the Seventh Dawn moving their base of operations from the Wakings Sands to the Rising Stones, it really does feel symbolic of the group's progression, but also, of the player. Nothing particularly exciting happens here, but I'm not one to typically hate on some set-up for better things to come, especially after I already pushed through ARR.
Minfilia's reunion with her adoptive mother was cute, and also, this is the first time in the main story where you get a chance to experience an 8-player trial (nowadays at least); this one particularly, in the form of a giant moogle. That was kinda fun.
1990
As a Mega Man copycat, it gets the job done. You get a new special ability after completing each stage, some of which are necessary to traverse certain obstacles and make some bosses easier (most of which are easy enough as is, though). You can also find heart containers to increase your hit points from 3 to a maximum of 5. The game overall is fairly easy until you get to Stage 7, and that's where you really start to notice the cracks in the level design and mechanics.
Stage 7 is straight up broken. A vertically scrolling level of platform jumping that seems longer than it actually is because of annoyingly difficult it is. Like with a lot of other platformers of this era, there is a knockback effect when you take damage, which basically requires you to get through this level without getting hit because that knockback will just knock you off the platform and out of bounds. Trying to hit enemies while making some of these jumps is way harder than it should be. To add insult to injury, they later add these rockets that come from below which explode and also damage you. If you somehow manage to make it to the top without save states, prepare to do it all over again, because the boss will probably destroy you on your first few attempts as you try to learn its attack patterns. There's a password system, but it only takes you to level 7, so good luck trying to beat this game legit. Losing to the final boss in Stage 9 just takes you back to the start of the level, which is probably the second hardest stage in the game. So yeah, fun... But what about lives?
This game has a very strange way of earning lives. Instead of having them placed in certain spots in each level like Mega Man, you have to win them in these mini games at the end of each stage. Sounds simple in concept, but you can only take a crack at these mini games if you have enough coins. These coins can only be earned from defeating enemies with a charged shot. You basically just gotta play each stage holding that fire button waiting for an enemy to pop up. And playing these mini games doesn't guarantee that you will win anything. It's just a gambling system and it sucks. I only ever managed to play any of these mini games three times. The first two times won me nothing. Then I got 6 lives on my third attempt. I would have had more coins to try more times, but I was too busy trying to survive by spamming my attack sometimes that I didn't want to risk trying to land charged shots on most enemies.
Also tangent, but why in the unholy mother of Alucard does touching any surface when in bat form cause you to revert back? I can't tell you how many times I died just trying to fly over some obstacles only to touch a wall and fall to my death because bat form controls like you're on invisible ice. Also, would have been nice to select abilities from a pause menu like Mega Man, because sometimes you want to switch in the middle of battle, and you'll take damage trying to scroll through it.
At least levels 1-6 are mostly fair. Some still have some annoying sections, but nothing too bad. I would say I enjoyed these levels. They're not great, but they're competent enough. But all the issues I had with its design, along with the rage factor that comes with the stages afterwards, downgrades this game from what would otherwise be a solid Mega Man clone to a mediocre platformer.
Stage 7 is straight up broken. A vertically scrolling level of platform jumping that seems longer than it actually is because of annoyingly difficult it is. Like with a lot of other platformers of this era, there is a knockback effect when you take damage, which basically requires you to get through this level without getting hit because that knockback will just knock you off the platform and out of bounds. Trying to hit enemies while making some of these jumps is way harder than it should be. To add insult to injury, they later add these rockets that come from below which explode and also damage you. If you somehow manage to make it to the top without save states, prepare to do it all over again, because the boss will probably destroy you on your first few attempts as you try to learn its attack patterns. There's a password system, but it only takes you to level 7, so good luck trying to beat this game legit. Losing to the final boss in Stage 9 just takes you back to the start of the level, which is probably the second hardest stage in the game. So yeah, fun... But what about lives?
This game has a very strange way of earning lives. Instead of having them placed in certain spots in each level like Mega Man, you have to win them in these mini games at the end of each stage. Sounds simple in concept, but you can only take a crack at these mini games if you have enough coins. These coins can only be earned from defeating enemies with a charged shot. You basically just gotta play each stage holding that fire button waiting for an enemy to pop up. And playing these mini games doesn't guarantee that you will win anything. It's just a gambling system and it sucks. I only ever managed to play any of these mini games three times. The first two times won me nothing. Then I got 6 lives on my third attempt. I would have had more coins to try more times, but I was too busy trying to survive by spamming my attack sometimes that I didn't want to risk trying to land charged shots on most enemies.
Also tangent, but why in the unholy mother of Alucard does touching any surface when in bat form cause you to revert back? I can't tell you how many times I died just trying to fly over some obstacles only to touch a wall and fall to my death because bat form controls like you're on invisible ice. Also, would have been nice to select abilities from a pause menu like Mega Man, because sometimes you want to switch in the middle of battle, and you'll take damage trying to scroll through it.
At least levels 1-6 are mostly fair. Some still have some annoying sections, but nothing too bad. I would say I enjoyed these levels. They're not great, but they're competent enough. But all the issues I had with its design, along with the rage factor that comes with the stages afterwards, downgrades this game from what would otherwise be a solid Mega Man clone to a mediocre platformer.
Imagine having to wait 16 years for a "proper" sequel and you get this instead. A visual eyesore with some truly cynical level design that tests the player's patience despite its relatively short length. People tend to forget this game even exists, and for good reason. Still, I wanted to try it for myself. After all, I'm on a quest to finish every Sonic game because pointless goals are the spice of life!
But yeah, it's bad. The momentum physics are atrocious, with Sonic accelerating at a snail's pace and feeling extremely heavy to control. Maybe spending 16 years in hibernation left him severely out of shape. And why, oh WHY, are there PUZZLES in a Sonic game?? Let alone a 2D one. "Lost Labyrinth Zone Act 2" had me stuck for 4 minutes trying to figure out this one puzzle where you have to light torches in a specific order and with a specific timing in order to reach a platform to progress. There's plenty of examples of tedious bullshit I can conjure up from my experience, but it's not worth the effort to remember. You already know it's bad, everyone else and their mother knows it's bad. Really, this review is pointless.
Oh, you're wondering why my score isn't lower. Probably because I'm a masochist and still kind of enjoyed it to an extent. Also, I'm still high on adrenaline after beating the final boss on my very last life. SUCK AN EGG, EGGMAN!
P.S. The soundtracks is balls.
But yeah, it's bad. The momentum physics are atrocious, with Sonic accelerating at a snail's pace and feeling extremely heavy to control. Maybe spending 16 years in hibernation left him severely out of shape. And why, oh WHY, are there PUZZLES in a Sonic game?? Let alone a 2D one. "Lost Labyrinth Zone Act 2" had me stuck for 4 minutes trying to figure out this one puzzle where you have to light torches in a specific order and with a specific timing in order to reach a platform to progress. There's plenty of examples of tedious bullshit I can conjure up from my experience, but it's not worth the effort to remember. You already know it's bad, everyone else and their mother knows it's bad. Really, this review is pointless.
Oh, you're wondering why my score isn't lower. Probably because I'm a masochist and still kind of enjoyed it to an extent. Also, I'm still high on adrenaline after beating the final boss on my very last life. SUCK AN EGG, EGGMAN!
P.S. The soundtracks is balls.
This review contains spoilers
After about 85 hours (maybe less, as I'm just guestimating due to innacurate Steam times mainly caused by updates), the curtain doth close on this first leg of my FFXIV journey. The prior patches kept hinting at our eventual trek into Ishgard, and I'm glad it's finally coming. There's a lot to unpack here, and quite frankly, I don't think I have the energy or mental capacity to do so in writing after that absolutely killer ending. For the ending alone, I'd rate this patch a 10, but I have to be objective.
The first third of the MSQs here (patch 2.5 proper) are alright aside from the fun dungeon and trial (which is something I've come to expect all the time now). The loss of Moenbryda was a shame, but I felt like I barely got a chance to grow attached to her. Patch 2.55 is where I became more invested; and right as I get near the end... I get hit with the mandatory Crystal Tower quests/raids. I know this wasn't always mandatory, and it's something that was already introduced in one of the earlier patches, so I'm not counting it against this patch's score; I just don't see where else I'd get the chance to talk about it. I might have liked it better if I had played FF3, but as of writing this, I have not, which made for some somewhat insipid backstory and an underwhelming introduction to alliance raids.
But once that was out of the way and I progressed a bit more, I got stabbed with so many emotional daggers that I couldn't even process it. I literally sounded like a dying dog as I took a fetal position in my chair watching the absolutely unhinged clusterfuck that was unfolding before my eyes.
I'm angry. I'm depressed. I'm flabbergasted. I might hate Yoshi P.
But you know what? At least Teledji finally got what he deserved. Burn in hell, bitch. You won't be missed.
P.S. - Yugiri and Yda are hot. What a surprise...
The first third of the MSQs here (patch 2.5 proper) are alright aside from the fun dungeon and trial (which is something I've come to expect all the time now). The loss of Moenbryda was a shame, but I felt like I barely got a chance to grow attached to her. Patch 2.55 is where I became more invested; and right as I get near the end... I get hit with the mandatory Crystal Tower quests/raids. I know this wasn't always mandatory, and it's something that was already introduced in one of the earlier patches, so I'm not counting it against this patch's score; I just don't see where else I'd get the chance to talk about it. I might have liked it better if I had played FF3, but as of writing this, I have not, which made for some somewhat insipid backstory and an underwhelming introduction to alliance raids.
But once that was out of the way and I progressed a bit more, I got stabbed with so many emotional daggers that I couldn't even process it. I literally sounded like a dying dog as I took a fetal position in my chair watching the absolutely unhinged clusterfuck that was unfolding before my eyes.
I'm angry. I'm depressed. I'm flabbergasted. I might hate Yoshi P.
But you know what? At least Teledji finally got what he deserved. Burn in hell, bitch. You won't be missed.
P.S. - Yugiri and Yda are hot. What a surprise...
This game taught me that I'm a "failure of a person," but it's also the first Touhou game to actually play like one. Even though I still enjoyed the first game, it still felt somewhat awkward, especially going in with foresight on what the series would become. Despite its relative simplicity, Touhou 2 actually feels like a cohesive product, and one which really showcases the potential of the series formula. I'm still a relative newbie when it comes to bullet-hell/danmaku games, I'm still a complete newbie, and some frustrate me to no end, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one, and its relative simplicity probably proved to be a plus for someone like me who's still trying to get into the genre. If this is considered a mediocre Touhou game, then I'm in for a real treat with this franchise.
They say that Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles are solid games on their own, but combined, they form what may very well be the greatest game of the classic series. Honestly, this doesn't make much sense to me. Two lukewarm beers do not make a cold and refreshing one.
Both halves of this game have some admittedly solid zones (I'd argue that Sonic & Knuckles more-so), and some really vibrant backgrounds that makes it stand out from the previous two games. Unfortunately, the attractive package is severely hampered by plenty of other subpar, and even downright terrible zones (I'm looking at you Carnival Night). The problem is made even worse by the fact that most of the zones are just too damn long. I actually ran out of time while doing one of the Acts in Carnival Night. That has never happened to me before in a Sonic game.
Y'all can laugh all you want and say it's skill issue (hell, I didn't even know you could jump in the special stages until someone pointed it out), but I still beat it, didn't I? I just really don't think the level design is up to par with what I expect from a good Sonic game. It's ambitious, I'll give it that. And you certainly get a lot more content than your average classic Sonic title. This game is like crab legs, though. If you wanna enjoy the meaty bits, you gotta really work for it, and I honestly don't think it's very much worth it. I'll just go back to the superior game: Sonic 2.
P.S. I'm not a big fan of seafood.
Both halves of this game have some admittedly solid zones (I'd argue that Sonic & Knuckles more-so), and some really vibrant backgrounds that makes it stand out from the previous two games. Unfortunately, the attractive package is severely hampered by plenty of other subpar, and even downright terrible zones (I'm looking at you Carnival Night). The problem is made even worse by the fact that most of the zones are just too damn long. I actually ran out of time while doing one of the Acts in Carnival Night. That has never happened to me before in a Sonic game.
Y'all can laugh all you want and say it's skill issue (hell, I didn't even know you could jump in the special stages until someone pointed it out), but I still beat it, didn't I? I just really don't think the level design is up to par with what I expect from a good Sonic game. It's ambitious, I'll give it that. And you certainly get a lot more content than your average classic Sonic title. This game is like crab legs, though. If you wanna enjoy the meaty bits, you gotta really work for it, and I honestly don't think it's very much worth it. I'll just go back to the superior game: Sonic 2.
Imagine Breakout, but the ball kills you if you don't parry it with a button press. I beat the Makai route on Easy with nearly 100 continues mainly because of the final boss. I felt like I was hot shit. But apparently, you have to beat the game without using a single continue for the two possible true endings. I thought people being scared of Touhou players was just a meme. But now I understand completely. Some people really do be out here doing no damage runs on these games at the highest difficulty. Apparently, this is one of the easier games too. I'm terrified of what awaits me with the proper bullet hell games...
2012
It's crazy to think that it's been a decade since this game came out. Indies were starting to gain a lot more traction and attention and Hotline Miami had its time in the spotlight. I attempted to get into it back then, but I found it frustratingly difficult to the point that I shelved it within the first half hour.
As part of someone's suggestion, I decided to revisit it again with an open mind. I certainly got farther this time, and I will say, I was actually enjoying it. But the satisfaction that came with the fast-paced mayhem did not last. Even as early as Chapter 3, the game's difficulty started to rear its ugly head again. And yeah, I know a lot of people will just say "get gud," but as someone who enjoys a good challenge from time to time, I don't feel like this game does it fairly.
Maybe it's just me, but aiming is a constant struggle in this game. Even when I try to sneak behind an enemy to line up my shot perfectly, I still somehow miss half the time. Spraying and praying is not an option either because that usually leads to every enemy being alerted of my position, and one of them is bound to kill me. And even if I manage to down a large group, it's hard to tell if one of them survived among the pile of bodies until it's too late and you have no time to react. Apart from that, you also have the really aggressive AI which often comes for you off screen...
I spent almost half an hour trying to beat Chapter 4 and when I got close to clearing the first area, some enemy sniped me from the very edge of the screen through a window. I didn't even know it was a window at first. That was pretty much when I threw in the towel. I just couldn't stand to persevere through the frustration.
Hotline Miami is definitely a game which shows its appeal. But between the janky aim controls and ridiculous difficulty, I find it hard to enjoy. I might never finish it, but I don't mind admitting that I'm probably just not good enough at its mechanics.
As part of someone's suggestion, I decided to revisit it again with an open mind. I certainly got farther this time, and I will say, I was actually enjoying it. But the satisfaction that came with the fast-paced mayhem did not last. Even as early as Chapter 3, the game's difficulty started to rear its ugly head again. And yeah, I know a lot of people will just say "get gud," but as someone who enjoys a good challenge from time to time, I don't feel like this game does it fairly.
Maybe it's just me, but aiming is a constant struggle in this game. Even when I try to sneak behind an enemy to line up my shot perfectly, I still somehow miss half the time. Spraying and praying is not an option either because that usually leads to every enemy being alerted of my position, and one of them is bound to kill me. And even if I manage to down a large group, it's hard to tell if one of them survived among the pile of bodies until it's too late and you have no time to react. Apart from that, you also have the really aggressive AI which often comes for you off screen...
I spent almost half an hour trying to beat Chapter 4 and when I got close to clearing the first area, some enemy sniped me from the very edge of the screen through a window. I didn't even know it was a window at first. That was pretty much when I threw in the towel. I just couldn't stand to persevere through the frustration.
Hotline Miami is definitely a game which shows its appeal. But between the janky aim controls and ridiculous difficulty, I find it hard to enjoy. I might never finish it, but I don't mind admitting that I'm probably just not good enough at its mechanics.
This review contains spoilers
As multiple threads continue to be woven, this patch feels like a direct response to my main complaint for the last patch, which was tonal whiplash; a problem which also resulted in a boring first half. This patch is consistently interesting, and granted, I have enjoyed the previous patches, but this is the first one to truly get me excited for Heavensward; more specifically, the narrative highs that said first expansion can possibly provide.
To break away from the prior patches' tradition, we finally get a MSQ dungeon in the form of Snowcloak, and while I don't usually like snow-themed "levels" much, this one was good, especially its boss. But the real highlight was the Shiva trial. The music bro... THE MUSIC!
Anyway, my boiling hatred for Teledji continues, and Ul'dah is honestly so corrupt at this point, that I'm lowkey wishing for a Sodom and Gomorrah style cataclysm on this joint if things don't get better. Raubahn and the Sultana deserve better and I just want to give them the biggest hug; I weep for my two precious friends. I'm eager to see the rammifications of The Sultana's decision to step down as monarch, both in relation to what that means for Ul'dah's government moving forward, and also the general populace's reaction.
To break away from the prior patches' tradition, we finally get a MSQ dungeon in the form of Snowcloak, and while I don't usually like snow-themed "levels" much, this one was good, especially its boss. But the real highlight was the Shiva trial. The music bro... THE MUSIC!
Anyway, my boiling hatred for Teledji continues, and Ul'dah is honestly so corrupt at this point, that I'm lowkey wishing for a Sodom and Gomorrah style cataclysm on this joint if things don't get better. Raubahn and the Sultana deserve better and I just want to give them the biggest hug; I weep for my two precious friends. I'm eager to see the rammifications of The Sultana's decision to step down as monarch, both in relation to what that means for Ul'dah's government moving forward, and also the general populace's reaction.
2012
Burst is technically 2 games in one (Skirting Shadows and Crimson Girls), with both being pretty much identical in terms of gameplay. The first tells the story through the perspective of the girls from the Hanzo National Academy, and the latter from the perspective of the girls from the Hebijo Clandestine's Girls' Academy. It's kind of neat to be able to see the story from opposing perspectives, but really, if you've played through one arc, you've pretty much experienced the other one as well.
As the first couple of games in the series, it's quite a rough start. Gameplay consists of missions which occur in a 2.5D sort of space where you will either be fighting hordes of enemies, or a 1-on-1 battle with another character. Movement is limited, as you will mainly be running either left or right with only some space to move vertically. All throughout these missions, you will just be button mashing 24/7. There's really no strategy involved in most missions besides spamming the Y and X buttons. Yes, there's combos and aerial attacks, but they are about as basic as they can be. Even on the more difficult later missions, there are cheap ways to spam and win as long as you did some really light grinding.
Granted, the simplistic gameplay could have been fine... if it wasn't for the atrocious framerate issues. I couldn't tell you exactly how many frames you'll be getting on average, but it's pretty bad. After a while, you do get kind of used to it, but it does make the game more of a slog than it should be. What kept me going was mainly the characters, as I have come to develop a soft spot for the series as a whole, and I enjoy the silly dialogue and story to a certain extent. Also, as lame as I think the gameplay is, it's still kind of satisfying to beat up these gals. Still, if you must know the story, I recommend playing Burst Re:Newal instead.
As the first couple of games in the series, it's quite a rough start. Gameplay consists of missions which occur in a 2.5D sort of space where you will either be fighting hordes of enemies, or a 1-on-1 battle with another character. Movement is limited, as you will mainly be running either left or right with only some space to move vertically. All throughout these missions, you will just be button mashing 24/7. There's really no strategy involved in most missions besides spamming the Y and X buttons. Yes, there's combos and aerial attacks, but they are about as basic as they can be. Even on the more difficult later missions, there are cheap ways to spam and win as long as you did some really light grinding.
Granted, the simplistic gameplay could have been fine... if it wasn't for the atrocious framerate issues. I couldn't tell you exactly how many frames you'll be getting on average, but it's pretty bad. After a while, you do get kind of used to it, but it does make the game more of a slog than it should be. What kept me going was mainly the characters, as I have come to develop a soft spot for the series as a whole, and I enjoy the silly dialogue and story to a certain extent. Also, as lame as I think the gameplay is, it's still kind of satisfying to beat up these gals. Still, if you must know the story, I recommend playing Burst Re:Newal instead.
This review contains spoilers
Patch 3.3 presents a new standard in quality for future patches. This is the true ending to Heavensward, bringing a resolution to the Dragonsong War, and ushering in a new era for Ishgard proper. I'll admit, I was somewhat adamant at first, with the first couple of MSQs meandering a bit, but once I got to the dungeon, it did not let up.
The trial against Nidhogg was the best in the game up to this point, and my first attemot was a pretty hilarious party wipe. Epic fight. And when Ysayle and Haurchefant showed up to help from the beyond? Oh man, I almost bawled. Just beautiful.
Oh... and was that Alisaie I saw near the end? It's about time!
The trial against Nidhogg was the best in the game up to this point, and my first attemot was a pretty hilarious party wipe. Epic fight. And when Ysayle and Haurchefant showed up to help from the beyond? Oh man, I almost bawled. Just beautiful.
Oh... and was that Alisaie I saw near the end? It's about time!
1989
The original Mega Man is the only one in the series I really have any nostalgia for. Finishing it as a kid with no save states is still probably my proudest achievement in gaming. Still, its easy to see how its difficulty and general unpolish keeps it from being a fan favorite. On the other hand, it seems that MM2 tends to always get brought up on the topic of "best Mega Man games," and it's easy to see why.
Gameplay remains relatively unchanged, but the difficulty (save for a few late games sections) has been greatly reduced through better enemy placement/spawns and less tedious level design. The boss count has also been increased, though most of them were perhaps too easy, I think.
It may shock you, but I still prefer MM1 on an overall first playthrough. However, first impressions aren't everything, and while I appreciate the hours of fun that MM1 provided me as a kid, I'm not sure I can stomach another playthrough of it (without save states) anytime soon. On the other hand, I have just finished MM2 for a second time shortly before typing up this review, and I can safely say that it has great replay value. It's just an overall breezy, fun platformer; one which I can definitely understand its enduring appeal.
Gameplay remains relatively unchanged, but the difficulty (save for a few late games sections) has been greatly reduced through better enemy placement/spawns and less tedious level design. The boss count has also been increased, though most of them were perhaps too easy, I think.
It may shock you, but I still prefer MM1 on an overall first playthrough. However, first impressions aren't everything, and while I appreciate the hours of fun that MM1 provided me as a kid, I'm not sure I can stomach another playthrough of it (without save states) anytime soon. On the other hand, I have just finished MM2 for a second time shortly before typing up this review, and I can safely say that it has great replay value. It's just an overall breezy, fun platformer; one which I can definitely understand its enduring appeal.
I started playing CSGO around 2013. The game was still very much in its infancy, and at the time I had no prior experience with the series in general. To say that I got hooked is an understatement. As of typing this out, I have accumulated about 3800 hours of playtime, which is not something I'm proud of, but it shows just how much I loved it. Sure, there was a lot of toxicity, hacking, griefing, and just generally unpleasant company in your team sometimes, but the core gameplay and genuinely good matches one could have outweighed most of the negativity to be found here.
Unfortunately, we are witnessing the end of an era here. September 27, 2023: CS2 has just released as a massive overhaul to CSGO. New engine, new physics, new graphics. On paper it all sounds great, and there are indeed a lot of great additions and improvements; likewise, there are plenty of negatives to come of this as well, but lest I start dissecting it too much, I'll save it for the actual CS2 review. The fact of the matter is that the original CSGO holds an incredible amount of sentimental value and got me through much of my adolescent free time. I sincerely hope Valve someday brings back CSGO in some capacity for those who will forever remain nostalgic for it. Personally, this was and still is the golden standard for online competitive shooters.
Unfortunately, we are witnessing the end of an era here. September 27, 2023: CS2 has just released as a massive overhaul to CSGO. New engine, new physics, new graphics. On paper it all sounds great, and there are indeed a lot of great additions and improvements; likewise, there are plenty of negatives to come of this as well, but lest I start dissecting it too much, I'll save it for the actual CS2 review. The fact of the matter is that the original CSGO holds an incredible amount of sentimental value and got me through much of my adolescent free time. I sincerely hope Valve someday brings back CSGO in some capacity for those who will forever remain nostalgic for it. Personally, this was and still is the golden standard for online competitive shooters.
2018
Now that I've finished both routes, I have to commend the developer for mostly succeeding at making a DMC-style action game that feels competent enough to be fun despite some janky movement. But that's mainly all this game has going for it.
Story? Throwaway drivel.
Level design? Pretty much nonexistent.
Enemy variety? Severely lacking.
I can't say that the developer didn't try but, playing through this just made me wish I was playing DMC instead, or even Bayonetta. If you can ignore the plot and are looking for something to scratch that hack-n-slash itch, I can just barely recommend it at a heavy discount.
P.S. The second to last boss of Amelia's route is built different. I'd rather beat Orphan of Kos again.
Story? Throwaway drivel.
Level design? Pretty much nonexistent.
Enemy variety? Severely lacking.
I can't say that the developer didn't try but, playing through this just made me wish I was playing DMC instead, or even Bayonetta. If you can ignore the plot and are looking for something to scratch that hack-n-slash itch, I can just barely recommend it at a heavy discount.
P.S. The second to last boss of Amelia's route is built different. I'd rather beat Orphan of Kos again.