TheGreenViper8
This review contains spoilers
A bittersweet ending to the Kiryu saga. Since most players will play this after Kiwami 2, it's worth mentioning that the combat is even more rough here than it was there due to this being the first game to switch to the Dragon Engine. Heat moves are completely overpowered, spam them and you won't be break a sweat.
The story might not be to everyone's tastes, but once it gets going I found myself really engaged. But for most players, the opening hook will be enticing, then the game won't do anything with it for the next 10 or so hours unless you really find yourself engaged in the goings-on of a sleepy town with little in the way of crime activity. Some good laughs and feels are to be had, but it's a definite shift in tone and plot from the previous couple of Yakuza titles.
The third act and the ending are worth all it takes to get to them though, if you didn't feel a knife being repeatedly twisted over and over again in your chest, you'd be lying. A little anticlimatic if you know what happens in Yakuza 7 though, but with no knowledge of that or no context behind the events of Y7, it's a completely killer ending.
The story might not be to everyone's tastes, but once it gets going I found myself really engaged. But for most players, the opening hook will be enticing, then the game won't do anything with it for the next 10 or so hours unless you really find yourself engaged in the goings-on of a sleepy town with little in the way of crime activity. Some good laughs and feels are to be had, but it's a definite shift in tone and plot from the previous couple of Yakuza titles.
The third act and the ending are worth all it takes to get to them though, if you didn't feel a knife being repeatedly twisted over and over again in your chest, you'd be lying. A little anticlimatic if you know what happens in Yakuza 7 though, but with no knowledge of that or no context behind the events of Y7, it's a completely killer ending.
[Klonoa 2]
What a game. Klonoa 1 is a great game but comparatively a very safe one. While Klonoa 2 doesn't always nail the execution of everything, it's a significantly more ambitious game in every aspect, and therefore holds my interest and commands my respect far more than the first game, for as brilliant as it was.
Glorious visual design behind each stunning level, lots of interesting setpieces and spectacle moments and a really engaging story that kept me emotional the whole way through. I adore Klonoa 2, the numerous spectacular highs far outside the few clumsy lows.
Give this game a proper shot if you enjoyed 1, I went in expecting a downgrade as I was told to, and instead received a game that far supercedes it and rightfully claims its crown. A must play for platforming fans.
What a game. Klonoa 1 is a great game but comparatively a very safe one. While Klonoa 2 doesn't always nail the execution of everything, it's a significantly more ambitious game in every aspect, and therefore holds my interest and commands my respect far more than the first game, for as brilliant as it was.
Glorious visual design behind each stunning level, lots of interesting setpieces and spectacle moments and a really engaging story that kept me emotional the whole way through. I adore Klonoa 2, the numerous spectacular highs far outside the few clumsy lows.
Give this game a proper shot if you enjoyed 1, I went in expecting a downgrade as I was told to, and instead received a game that far supercedes it and rightfully claims its crown. A must play for platforming fans.
Really enjoyed my time with this game. Sure, as a newer Pokémon fan I really missed a lot of quality of life changes from future games but I can't deny how much fun I had playing through this one. I was completely glued to my DS until I saw the journey through, hopefully I'll manage to say the same for the postgame too...
[Klonoa 1]
devastated wahoo noises
A fantastic and charming platformer with plenty of fresh ideas to bring to the genre. A pretty good remake all round too. Only issue was some occasional wonkyness with the 2.5D perspective, but otherwise an incredible game that platforming fans owe it to themselves to experience, even if they'll be an emotional wreck of a human being afterwards.
devastated wahoo noises
A fantastic and charming platformer with plenty of fresh ideas to bring to the genre. A pretty good remake all round too. Only issue was some occasional wonkyness with the 2.5D perspective, but otherwise an incredible game that platforming fans owe it to themselves to experience, even if they'll be an emotional wreck of a human being afterwards.
This is one of the worst rhythm games I've ever played. Bland and confusing presentation, mostly dull music selection and an infuriating gameplay system that's difficult to read and has poor hit detection. Also the game is only an hour long due to how (poorly) cut down the songs are.
I'm sure this game could've been something great, but on the roadmap of "clone Project DIVA", they forgot to actually include any of the good bits that people liked. What resulted is a confused, corporate cashgrab of a game that has no identity of its own.
GUMI deserves better.
I'm sure this game could've been something great, but on the roadmap of "clone Project DIVA", they forgot to actually include any of the good bits that people liked. What resulted is a confused, corporate cashgrab of a game that has no identity of its own.
GUMI deserves better.
2009
I'm aware of how pedantic it is to mark a clock application as an actual game and to hold it to such standards, but it can be played and completed so ehhhh?
A fantastic digital clock if you find yourself trapped in 2009, otherwise if you choose to pick up the DS and play it, it's just a loop of autorunning Super Mario Bros. until you can make 1500 coins, at which point the game ends in all of about 15 minutes. Really not much substance here, but then again why the hell am I even reviewing this as an actual game.
A fantastic digital clock if you find yourself trapped in 2009, otherwise if you choose to pick up the DS and play it, it's just a loop of autorunning Super Mario Bros. until you can make 1500 coins, at which point the game ends in all of about 15 minutes. Really not much substance here, but then again why the hell am I even reviewing this as an actual game.
2022
Freedom Planet is always a series I've felt a lot of peer pressure to find enjoyment in and while I had my moments with the first game, the 2nd game has just really lead me to the conclusion that the series isn't for me honestly. Gameplay-wise, it mashes together a lot of games I love, but in doing so it combines them into one bland, meaningless mess which just gives me no satisfaction to play. The time I spent with 2 was mostly trying to dash over as much of the level design as I could, and when I sat down and thought about that, it was pretty clear it was because subconsciously I just wasn't enjoying the experience.
Can't say I'm much of a fan of the narrative of this one either (still finding the dialogue just about as obnoxious as the OG) and with how tied it is to progression in comparison to the first game, I can't skip or ignore, I'd need to force myself to sit through hours of obnoxious cutscenes to screw about trying to skip over the level design in a game I'm getting no enjoyment out of at all.
The presentation is seriously top notch and the music kicks so much ass, I can say that much, but the rest of the package just isn't for me, as much as I've tried to swallow my pride and just get on with it. I know this game will absolutely be the majority's jam, but I'm happy to go against the current with my opinion on this one. Have fun.
Can't say I'm much of a fan of the narrative of this one either (still finding the dialogue just about as obnoxious as the OG) and with how tied it is to progression in comparison to the first game, I can't skip or ignore, I'd need to force myself to sit through hours of obnoxious cutscenes to screw about trying to skip over the level design in a game I'm getting no enjoyment out of at all.
The presentation is seriously top notch and the music kicks so much ass, I can say that much, but the rest of the package just isn't for me, as much as I've tried to swallow my pride and just get on with it. I know this game will absolutely be the majority's jam, but I'm happy to go against the current with my opinion on this one. Have fun.
I just love Brawl as a whole, but (as this review is meant to somewhat be about it) Subspace is fantastic and glad to have replayed it again. It deserves a proper follow up all these years later because World of Light was so mid.
As a whole though, Brawl's a game I have a ton of love for. Even though the fighting mechanics themselves aren't as good as past and future titles, it stands on its own as a unique experience and the single player content is second to none.
As a whole though, Brawl's a game I have a ton of love for. Even though the fighting mechanics themselves aren't as good as past and future titles, it stands on its own as a unique experience and the single player content is second to none.
2001
Banger
2018
Far and away the best version of the original OutRun. This is the 3DS port but with additional music and widescreen support, so all of the great changes made there remain great here. I love the addition of stat changes, which help to add a little bit of replayability to an infinitely replayable arcade classic.
2011
Still goated with the sauce even in Origins.
1996
A little bit of a coin guzzler the further along you go, sure, but what a package. Amazing presentation, varied game design and a killer soundtrack. This game is so pretty in a number of ways. Probably the definitive maze based Pac-Man experience. One you should absolutely give a go, especially with the newly released MUSEUM+.
While not perfect, Episode 2 brings a lot of interesting ideas to the Classic Sonic formula that I really wish had been revised or revisited in the years since. Better has come and gone, but I've still got a softspot for this one thanks to the creativity on display, even despite its flaws.
An overly-convoluted, poorly explained mess of a metroidvania. I've really tried to get along with this game, especially due to loving the title it's built on top of and The Great Cave/Maze, but I just don't find myself getting any enjoyment out of it, only confusion at the awful branching web of a map which isn't ever properly explained and frustration at the poor enemy placement.
2017
Takes all of the best bits of 64, Galaxy and 3D World and blends them together and cooks the mixture into small, bitesized chunks. Absolutely phenominal game, the Switch's must have exclusive.