Toronikus
Not gonna give this any stars yet. But there are things that DEFINITELY need to be tweaked here.
The most pressing issue is the tutorial. I went through this tutorial thinking this was gonna be one of the most technical Kart Racers I ever played, to realizing that a good chunk of the mechanics here aren't going to be utilized in a major way. For example, there are only a few courses, from what I've played so far, that actually employ the air trick bumpers.
The most important mechanic to come out of that needlessly tedious tutorial is the ring system. I think this is a great game changer, giving the game more of an emphasis on momentum with slopes, by having a resource you need to expend to keep your speed consistent.
The sheer polish and content in this is ABSOLUTELY INSANE, and it goes to show that there's definitely five years of work here.
Now to the OTHER big issue. The extra unlockables are fun, with extra colors to unlock, and little animal buddies to accompany you during races. But the problem with this is that Online and Addons are locked from the get-go.
I can kind of understand the decision to lock Online behind the 1st Cup in singleplayer, because it's hoping the player has actually gained experience from a few beginner friendly races, before delving into matches with real players. What does NOT make ANY sense at all, is the idea to completely lock addons, until one of the later cups. It's a very weird decision, and I can't seem to understand why it's in place.
Hopefully those issues get tweaked a bit. But from what I've played of the main game and the multiplayer, it is absolutely worth the five year wait, and is an extremely commendable effort.
Definitely gonna sink a lot of time into this, it's so much fun.
The most pressing issue is the tutorial. I went through this tutorial thinking this was gonna be one of the most technical Kart Racers I ever played, to realizing that a good chunk of the mechanics here aren't going to be utilized in a major way. For example, there are only a few courses, from what I've played so far, that actually employ the air trick bumpers.
The most important mechanic to come out of that needlessly tedious tutorial is the ring system. I think this is a great game changer, giving the game more of an emphasis on momentum with slopes, by having a resource you need to expend to keep your speed consistent.
The sheer polish and content in this is ABSOLUTELY INSANE, and it goes to show that there's definitely five years of work here.
Now to the OTHER big issue. The extra unlockables are fun, with extra colors to unlock, and little animal buddies to accompany you during races. But the problem with this is that Online and Addons are locked from the get-go.
I can kind of understand the decision to lock Online behind the 1st Cup in singleplayer, because it's hoping the player has actually gained experience from a few beginner friendly races, before delving into matches with real players. What does NOT make ANY sense at all, is the idea to completely lock addons, until one of the later cups. It's a very weird decision, and I can't seem to understand why it's in place.
Hopefully those issues get tweaked a bit. But from what I've played of the main game and the multiplayer, it is absolutely worth the five year wait, and is an extremely commendable effort.
Definitely gonna sink a lot of time into this, it's so much fun.
Utter insanity that this is a Doom mod, derived from ANOTHER Doom mod. I remember when this first came out, and didn't think it was gonna be very good, because it's a kart racer in the Doom engine. I thought it was completely absurd.
I was the absolutely blown away by how great the driving feels, and how great the power-ups are. This game has a blue shell equivalent, but it's genius that if you manage to maintain enough speed and boosts, you can outrun it for the entire race.
It's little stuff like that which sets it apart from other kart-racers like Mario Kart. But what truly makes it stand out is the ginormous modding community. Infinite map possibilites, characters, and gameplay tweaks.
The only thing to be desired is a proper Grand Prix mode...but that's what the sequel aims to deliver on.
It's a good thing that finally came out today.
But don't shy away from this one. Until the modding scene blows up for Ring Racers, the community for this will be what makes it worth coming back to.
I was the absolutely blown away by how great the driving feels, and how great the power-ups are. This game has a blue shell equivalent, but it's genius that if you manage to maintain enough speed and boosts, you can outrun it for the entire race.
It's little stuff like that which sets it apart from other kart-racers like Mario Kart. But what truly makes it stand out is the ginormous modding community. Infinite map possibilites, characters, and gameplay tweaks.
The only thing to be desired is a proper Grand Prix mode...but that's what the sequel aims to deliver on.
It's a good thing that finally came out today.
But don't shy away from this one. Until the modding scene blows up for Ring Racers, the community for this will be what makes it worth coming back to.
One of the most batshit games I've ever played, but the story ended up making complete sense by the end, and turned out to be surprisingly awesome.
The delivery gameplay is actually quite fun, and relaxing. You can use your carrier as a fucking hoverboard!
But fuck any combat-heavy encounters, genuinely some of the worst I've experienced in a game in a very long time.
It's not perfect, but this game is definitely a work of art. From the character designs, to the vastly original setting, this game is something that should absolutely be experienced.
But if the beginning turns you away, from how much of a litmus test it is at driving away the people that can't handle how unbelievably weird and stupid it is, then you're likely not going to enjoy the rest of what the game offers.
Can't wait for the sequel to HOPEFULLY improve the combat.
The delivery gameplay is actually quite fun, and relaxing. You can use your carrier as a fucking hoverboard!
But fuck any combat-heavy encounters, genuinely some of the worst I've experienced in a game in a very long time.
It's not perfect, but this game is definitely a work of art. From the character designs, to the vastly original setting, this game is something that should absolutely be experienced.
But if the beginning turns you away, from how much of a litmus test it is at driving away the people that can't handle how unbelievably weird and stupid it is, then you're likely not going to enjoy the rest of what the game offers.
Can't wait for the sequel to HOPEFULLY improve the combat.
Best way to play this game. Definitely top 3 Sonic games ever, and in my opinion, just a fun game to replay from time to time. Whenever I just want to wind down, and relax, I just throw this on and listen to a video essay, or lecture in the background. Multiple characters with their own playstyle, and mods to create the best Sonic 3 you want, you can't go wrong with this version.
If you can, though, support the official release. Origin's version of Sonic 3 is a good alternative, thanks to the Ultrafix mod, so if you're willing to throw down some cash, get it on Steam and install that mod.
This, and Sonic Mania, are 2D Sonic at it's finest.
If you can, though, support the official release. Origin's version of Sonic 3 is a good alternative, thanks to the Ultrafix mod, so if you're willing to throw down some cash, get it on Steam and install that mod.
This, and Sonic Mania, are 2D Sonic at it's finest.
2012
Wrote this review a little over 3 years ago on Steam, after just getting the true ending of the game. Reposting it on here because this is where all my reviews are.
You start the game, you die, repeat, but this time the layout's different. This can be said for a lot of roguelikes, and I am no stranger to them. I've played my fair share of games from this particular genre, and to note, the games are Dead Cells, Noita, Downwell, Enter the Gungeon, and many others.
Now, they're all great games on their own merit, but personally, the moment I first decided to try out Spelunky on my PSVita a few months ago, I was surprised by how simple, and straight to the point the premise was, especially compared to the roguelikes I just mentioned. I've heard many praises for this game over the years, knew very little about it, and only realized just recently how long ago this game came out, August 8th, 2013. It's considered among many as a roguelike classic, and possibly one of THE hardest games ever. So let me tell you why I thought it was so good, that I had to finish it on PC.
So, did I love it? ABSOLUTELY! I only sunk about two hours into it my first time through, and pretty much felt how difficult this game was going to be immediately after the tutorial. The tutorial in a way pretty much serves to tell you what you're capable of, merely showing you the basics like the controls, and the logistics that go into how you use your items. The game presents itself as a simple platformer, you start from the top of the level, and you try to progress to the bottom, hopefully, to find fortune and glory. You got ropes, bombs, and they're all yours. You even figure out there are shopkeepers that can give you more items. The tutorial does a great job at setting up what's ahead, but the main thing I took away from it, is how misleading the level design of it is compared to the actual challenge.
The tutorial is preset, and what I mean by that is, when you die, the layout's the same. Each time you die in the tutorial, you're given the luxury to learn from your mistakes, and repeat what you need to do...just more efficiently, due to the level remaining the same. The main game is NOTHING like this. It's stated near the end of the tutorial that each time you die, the caves shift around, creating new layouts. You don't know truly how tough that makes things until you reach Caves 1-1 for the very first time. You may have died to an arrow trap, a pile of spikes, or you may have been caught off guard by reanimated skeletons, possibly enemies being freed from the very pots you smashed. You may die over and over too, and this is most likely due to the levels being different every time. But then...after about a dozen deaths, you may begin to learn something. While stuff gets randomized each time you die, each area in the game will always remain the same. It may sound complicated, but you only really notice it after a couple of deaths. Each area will always have a certain set of enemies, with specific patterns almost every time. You may even find certain items that you can get from said enemies. You learn what the tutorial actually taught you.
Probably the very best thing about this game is the way it's designed. It's randomized, and while that may sound chaotic like I mentioned, each area has something that will always remain the same. This teaches you, the player, to learn each quirk an area has to offer, and if you're successful, you'll use that to pass onto the next area, descending deeper into the labyrinth that is Spelunky. Derek Yu, the guy that made the game, is what I consider to be a genius when it comes to level design. The game, while being randomized, is carefully designed to not exactly be bullshit, or in other words, make the game difficult via artificial means. So in a way, there's no real reason to get mad every time you die, because every death is probably your fault. It's meant to be that way. That's the beauty of Spelunky, learning to make sense of the chaos being thrown at you in each area, level after level.
Derek Yu and the team at Mossmouth knew how to recapture the old-school difficulty of Nintendo's NES titles and improve upon their philosophy, where the only way to get better is to learn from why you failed. So get better, or else, you're gonna be stuck at a certain part for quite a while. I've sunk about 77 hours into this game and managed to get the true ending after 508 attempts, and I am writing this review right after finishing it. This game deserves the status of being a true classic, because this game is immensely rewarding, and not solely because you made it to the end of a really hard game, but because that while being chaotic in it's nature, is fair towards the player, subtly teaching them how to master every mechanic, find every secret, and eventually achieve the ultimate run. I won't mention how it ends, but the game's message is there in the end, the journey is what matters, not the destination.
I highly recommend this game to anyone searching for a challenging, truly difficult game, with a rewarding satisfaction when you finish it for the very first time. It's a game that I'll compare to future games when it comes to level design, and how to scale difficulty while managing its progression throughout the runtime. Make sure to look for items that may connect to a set piece in a corresponding area, because it's satisfying finding all of them, on your own. Don't play this game with a "git gud" mindset, really go at your own pace, and you'll experience everything in no time. It's no doubt one of THE hardest games ever in my opinion, and honestly...it's probably in my Top 10. I've never felt this sure about a game in a long while, and it's the first game I've given a proper review, I just had to. Can't wait to get right into the sequel, and hopefully review that in the near future. Good luck future and current Spelunkers, hopefully, you will have, and maybe had as much fun as I did!
10/10
You start the game, you die, repeat, but this time the layout's different. This can be said for a lot of roguelikes, and I am no stranger to them. I've played my fair share of games from this particular genre, and to note, the games are Dead Cells, Noita, Downwell, Enter the Gungeon, and many others.
Now, they're all great games on their own merit, but personally, the moment I first decided to try out Spelunky on my PSVita a few months ago, I was surprised by how simple, and straight to the point the premise was, especially compared to the roguelikes I just mentioned. I've heard many praises for this game over the years, knew very little about it, and only realized just recently how long ago this game came out, August 8th, 2013. It's considered among many as a roguelike classic, and possibly one of THE hardest games ever. So let me tell you why I thought it was so good, that I had to finish it on PC.
So, did I love it? ABSOLUTELY! I only sunk about two hours into it my first time through, and pretty much felt how difficult this game was going to be immediately after the tutorial. The tutorial in a way pretty much serves to tell you what you're capable of, merely showing you the basics like the controls, and the logistics that go into how you use your items. The game presents itself as a simple platformer, you start from the top of the level, and you try to progress to the bottom, hopefully, to find fortune and glory. You got ropes, bombs, and they're all yours. You even figure out there are shopkeepers that can give you more items. The tutorial does a great job at setting up what's ahead, but the main thing I took away from it, is how misleading the level design of it is compared to the actual challenge.
The tutorial is preset, and what I mean by that is, when you die, the layout's the same. Each time you die in the tutorial, you're given the luxury to learn from your mistakes, and repeat what you need to do...just more efficiently, due to the level remaining the same. The main game is NOTHING like this. It's stated near the end of the tutorial that each time you die, the caves shift around, creating new layouts. You don't know truly how tough that makes things until you reach Caves 1-1 for the very first time. You may have died to an arrow trap, a pile of spikes, or you may have been caught off guard by reanimated skeletons, possibly enemies being freed from the very pots you smashed. You may die over and over too, and this is most likely due to the levels being different every time. But then...after about a dozen deaths, you may begin to learn something. While stuff gets randomized each time you die, each area in the game will always remain the same. It may sound complicated, but you only really notice it after a couple of deaths. Each area will always have a certain set of enemies, with specific patterns almost every time. You may even find certain items that you can get from said enemies. You learn what the tutorial actually taught you.
Probably the very best thing about this game is the way it's designed. It's randomized, and while that may sound chaotic like I mentioned, each area has something that will always remain the same. This teaches you, the player, to learn each quirk an area has to offer, and if you're successful, you'll use that to pass onto the next area, descending deeper into the labyrinth that is Spelunky. Derek Yu, the guy that made the game, is what I consider to be a genius when it comes to level design. The game, while being randomized, is carefully designed to not exactly be bullshit, or in other words, make the game difficult via artificial means. So in a way, there's no real reason to get mad every time you die, because every death is probably your fault. It's meant to be that way. That's the beauty of Spelunky, learning to make sense of the chaos being thrown at you in each area, level after level.
Derek Yu and the team at Mossmouth knew how to recapture the old-school difficulty of Nintendo's NES titles and improve upon their philosophy, where the only way to get better is to learn from why you failed. So get better, or else, you're gonna be stuck at a certain part for quite a while. I've sunk about 77 hours into this game and managed to get the true ending after 508 attempts, and I am writing this review right after finishing it. This game deserves the status of being a true classic, because this game is immensely rewarding, and not solely because you made it to the end of a really hard game, but because that while being chaotic in it's nature, is fair towards the player, subtly teaching them how to master every mechanic, find every secret, and eventually achieve the ultimate run. I won't mention how it ends, but the game's message is there in the end, the journey is what matters, not the destination.
I highly recommend this game to anyone searching for a challenging, truly difficult game, with a rewarding satisfaction when you finish it for the very first time. It's a game that I'll compare to future games when it comes to level design, and how to scale difficulty while managing its progression throughout the runtime. Make sure to look for items that may connect to a set piece in a corresponding area, because it's satisfying finding all of them, on your own. Don't play this game with a "git gud" mindset, really go at your own pace, and you'll experience everything in no time. It's no doubt one of THE hardest games ever in my opinion, and honestly...it's probably in my Top 10. I've never felt this sure about a game in a long while, and it's the first game I've given a proper review, I just had to. Can't wait to get right into the sequel, and hopefully review that in the near future. Good luck future and current Spelunkers, hopefully, you will have, and maybe had as much fun as I did!
10/10
No other game like this exists. Up there with Katamari Damacy where the gameplay defies genres. Best way to explain it: It's like a Sonic game, except you can fly, and it's also a racing game?
One of the most charming games ever made. Probably not for everyone, but it's definitely worth a try.
I thank Sonic Adventure for introducing me to this series, hope it returns one day.
Iconic Track: https://youtu.be/Iodeu8VVK2U?si=bI3ol39swuNm5fNy
One of the most charming games ever made. Probably not for everyone, but it's definitely worth a try.
I thank Sonic Adventure for introducing me to this series, hope it returns one day.
Iconic Track: https://youtu.be/Iodeu8VVK2U?si=bI3ol39swuNm5fNy
2023
Honestly, the best remake I've ever played. All the other reviews on give the game enough justice, such as this and this. It manages to keep everything from the original intact, unless I'm forgetting an obscure secret. It does this, while also PERFECTLY replicating the visual style; I was particularly blown away with how they accurately nailed every area visually, and mechanically. The soundtrack is god-tier, even more so with it being remastered by the one and only original composer, Yoko Shimomura, of Kingdom Hearts fame.
If there's one thing I'll chip on in, though, from what I personally experienced from all of it, the writing of this game truly is simple, yet effective. The main party is surprisingly well-explored, specifically when reaching a scene near the middle of the game, where you finally get everyone, and they discuss about their reasons for reaching the game's ultimate goal. Even though a lot of the characters don't seem to entirely line up with what the Mario series eventually became, they still look effortlessly cool (looking at you Jonathan Jones). They managed to create Mario-looking characters, with an added Square-flair to it, y'know?
While the new additions to gameplay make it arguably easier, they're a MUCH welcome change, and honestly make it hard to return to the original's combat system. The slightly easier foray is definitely made up for with the post-game content. They are welcome additions to the game, and do a great job at slightly adding on to the story, with seeing all the major villains one final time with new scenes. The difficulty spike with all of them was also extremely surprising, but served as excellent boss fights that shake up the gameplay.
Only complaint I have with this is that the framerate can drop at points where it makes animations jittery. There's a certain cave section that's a little hard to look at in some parts, because of this. Still, it's a section you can EASILY breeze through, so it's not major. It's really the only problem regarding the framerate I had, specifically.
It's an exceptionally well-made RPG, through and through. It's paced beautifully, and it doesn't take long to complete, but the ending will definitely make you miss all the unique characters once it's over. Guess I just got lost in a phase, playing through all of it. ¯\(ツ)/¯
Favorite Track: https://youtu.be/ofKb-v1-OB8?si=x84oiYk_GuShVITk
If there's one thing I'll chip on in, though, from what I personally experienced from all of it, the writing of this game truly is simple, yet effective. The main party is surprisingly well-explored, specifically when reaching a scene near the middle of the game, where you finally get everyone, and they discuss about their reasons for reaching the game's ultimate goal. Even though a lot of the characters don't seem to entirely line up with what the Mario series eventually became, they still look effortlessly cool (looking at you Jonathan Jones). They managed to create Mario-looking characters, with an added Square-flair to it, y'know?
While the new additions to gameplay make it arguably easier, they're a MUCH welcome change, and honestly make it hard to return to the original's combat system. The slightly easier foray is definitely made up for with the post-game content. They are welcome additions to the game, and do a great job at slightly adding on to the story, with seeing all the major villains one final time with new scenes. The difficulty spike with all of them was also extremely surprising, but served as excellent boss fights that shake up the gameplay.
Only complaint I have with this is that the framerate can drop at points where it makes animations jittery. There's a certain cave section that's a little hard to look at in some parts, because of this. Still, it's a section you can EASILY breeze through, so it's not major. It's really the only problem regarding the framerate I had, specifically.
It's an exceptionally well-made RPG, through and through. It's paced beautifully, and it doesn't take long to complete, but the ending will definitely make you miss all the unique characters once it's over. Guess I just got lost in a phase, playing through all of it. ¯\(ツ)/¯
Favorite Track: https://youtu.be/ofKb-v1-OB8?si=x84oiYk_GuShVITk
1998
One of the best survival horror games ever made.
Surpasses the original Resident Evil in almost every way, and has one of the coolest examples of multiple storylines coming together to converge into one plot. The mechanic just described is the sole reason why I prefer the original over RE2 REmake, (although I greatly enjoyed that as well).
The Classic REbirth patch is what I used to go through my recent playthrough, and is in my opinion, the definitive way to play. The ability to quickturn, and use HD backgrounds is a game changer.
Will you enter the world of survival horror?
Surpasses the original Resident Evil in almost every way, and has one of the coolest examples of multiple storylines coming together to converge into one plot. The mechanic just described is the sole reason why I prefer the original over RE2 REmake, (although I greatly enjoyed that as well).
The Classic REbirth patch is what I used to go through my recent playthrough, and is in my opinion, the definitive way to play. The ability to quickturn, and use HD backgrounds is a game changer.
Will you enter the world of survival horror?
2D platforming at it's finest.
Nintendo managed to nail it once again this year, by revitalizing 2D Mario not through nostalgia, but through new innovative means. To be fair, though, it's not THAT innovative, but I think where this game truly shines is it's effortless flourish of new idea after new idea. I don't exaggerate when I say that I couldn't find a single level in this game I disliked; Every idea presented in each level was new, carefully thought out, and polished to a mirror sheen.
A lot of it reminded me of Galaxy 2, where each level is so incredibly well designed, but offers something new to the player at every turn. While the game IS quite short, this particular strength nullifies that would-be "flaw" almost entirely. Going back to New Super Mario Bros. will indeed be a slog, when speaking of presentation and gameplay.
The controls are precise, and while the game may not have as many power ups as let's say...Super Mario Bros. 3, it makes up for it in spades with the badge system. These badges adding abilities like an enhanced crouch jump, and grapple hook offer enjoyable player freedom in how one would want to tackle a level.
I can gladly say this is definitely what the series needed, and is potentially going to be one of the defining platformers of the decade. While it doesn't dethrone DK: Tropical Freeze for me as best modern 2D platformer, it's definitely on-par in most aspects. The backgrounds are beautifully designed, and the characters ooze so much expression and charm that honestly sell the game with that facet alone. The colorful ecstasy Nintendo managed to craft with an unhindered dev time is remarkable, and I hope they take this philosophy forward with future Mario titles, because they can clearly create fine-tuned ideas and experiences with this format of dev time.
It's a Switch classic that has enough inventiveness and charm of a Rayman Origins/Legends. Pick this up whenever you can, because it's just pure infectious fun.
Nintendo managed to nail it once again this year, by revitalizing 2D Mario not through nostalgia, but through new innovative means. To be fair, though, it's not THAT innovative, but I think where this game truly shines is it's effortless flourish of new idea after new idea. I don't exaggerate when I say that I couldn't find a single level in this game I disliked; Every idea presented in each level was new, carefully thought out, and polished to a mirror sheen.
A lot of it reminded me of Galaxy 2, where each level is so incredibly well designed, but offers something new to the player at every turn. While the game IS quite short, this particular strength nullifies that would-be "flaw" almost entirely. Going back to New Super Mario Bros. will indeed be a slog, when speaking of presentation and gameplay.
The controls are precise, and while the game may not have as many power ups as let's say...Super Mario Bros. 3, it makes up for it in spades with the badge system. These badges adding abilities like an enhanced crouch jump, and grapple hook offer enjoyable player freedom in how one would want to tackle a level.
I can gladly say this is definitely what the series needed, and is potentially going to be one of the defining platformers of the decade. While it doesn't dethrone DK: Tropical Freeze for me as best modern 2D platformer, it's definitely on-par in most aspects. The backgrounds are beautifully designed, and the characters ooze so much expression and charm that honestly sell the game with that facet alone. The colorful ecstasy Nintendo managed to craft with an unhindered dev time is remarkable, and I hope they take this philosophy forward with future Mario titles, because they can clearly create fine-tuned ideas and experiences with this format of dev time.
It's a Switch classic that has enough inventiveness and charm of a Rayman Origins/Legends. Pick this up whenever you can, because it's just pure infectious fun.
2023
This is a game so simple, and straight to the point with it's concept, I find it a little hard to criticize. It sets out exactly what it wants to do, being somewhat of a mini commentary of the "immersive sim" genre. The game proposes a potential issue with immersive sims; While encouraging complete emergent gameplay freedom towards the player, those games still have a set amount of choices and options you can tackle. Mosa Lina completely rectifies this issue by making everything completely randomized, down to the tools/items given to you, along with the stages presented to you.
It's in this randomness that the game could potentially be facing an even bigger issue. This can be having levels becoming completely unsolvable, with no real solution at all because you fail to have the right items and tools that suit the design of the particular level. However, while this issue may seem pressing, I believe that it's Mosa Lina's most intriguing, unique, and most ingenious idea out of all the games I've played this year.
Only issue I can find here is that if you're someone who doesn't often find a lot of intrinsic motivation in games, and doesn't like accepting that you have to lose a lot of scenarios to learn, this may not be for you. The sheer beauty of the way this game works comes from the inner motivation to push through whatever challenge a level throws at you. This forces you to use tools such as boxes, anti-gravity fields, and even a frog to craft such a roundabout solution to achieving your goal. The game's almost like an anti-Spelunky in a way, but in the best possible outcome. It's because of the lack of real curated hand-crafted design that the game truly becomes a creative puzzle box to get from point A to point B.
Overall, in a sea of incredible games to come out this year, Mosa Lina may be the most unique thing I'll have played. The fact that the creator itself claims to have not seen every possible outcome is what intrigued me, and I hope it intrigues you. For $4.99, Mosa Lina's a steal. Won't hurt the wallet to give it a try.
It's in this randomness that the game could potentially be facing an even bigger issue. This can be having levels becoming completely unsolvable, with no real solution at all because you fail to have the right items and tools that suit the design of the particular level. However, while this issue may seem pressing, I believe that it's Mosa Lina's most intriguing, unique, and most ingenious idea out of all the games I've played this year.
Only issue I can find here is that if you're someone who doesn't often find a lot of intrinsic motivation in games, and doesn't like accepting that you have to lose a lot of scenarios to learn, this may not be for you. The sheer beauty of the way this game works comes from the inner motivation to push through whatever challenge a level throws at you. This forces you to use tools such as boxes, anti-gravity fields, and even a frog to craft such a roundabout solution to achieving your goal. The game's almost like an anti-Spelunky in a way, but in the best possible outcome. It's because of the lack of real curated hand-crafted design that the game truly becomes a creative puzzle box to get from point A to point B.
Overall, in a sea of incredible games to come out this year, Mosa Lina may be the most unique thing I'll have played. The fact that the creator itself claims to have not seen every possible outcome is what intrigued me, and I hope it intrigues you. For $4.99, Mosa Lina's a steal. Won't hurt the wallet to give it a try.
2009
Character action game perfection. This is PlatinumGames' golden child that put them on the map, and it shows. The gameplay's buttery smooth, the visuals are spectacular, and the writing and characters are batshit insane.
Is gud, go play it.
Is gud, go play it.
2008
Definitive version to the greatest 3D collect-a-thon platformer ever made. Rare was such an incredibly talented developer during the 90's. Any genre they touched, they were almost certainly adept at nearly perfecting it. To convey how impressive this game was for the time, keep in mind, Super Mario 64 was released in 1996, this came out in 1998, ONLY TWO YEARS LATER.
While the movement is arguably not as incredibly satisfying, the amount of moves and abilities the game offers you makes up for it. On top of that, instead of having the collectables be segmented one at a time throughout a world, they managed to create some of the best level design to make it so you can collect every Jiggy in one go within a single world. The sheer ambition, and charm this game oozes helps it to surpass Super Mario 64, and still hold up to this very day.
With the 360 port, this game honestly still holds up. The writing is fantastic, the art is fantastic, everything about it is perfection to me. Banjo and Kazooie prove to be a truly iconic duo within the 3D platformer genre, even securing a spot in Smash Bros. which is something I'm still in disbelief about to this day.
If you've got an Xbox, or a NSO membership, give it a shot. It's objectively Rare's magnum opus. Although, personally, I'd still give that title to Conker's Bad Fur Day any day.
While the movement is arguably not as incredibly satisfying, the amount of moves and abilities the game offers you makes up for it. On top of that, instead of having the collectables be segmented one at a time throughout a world, they managed to create some of the best level design to make it so you can collect every Jiggy in one go within a single world. The sheer ambition, and charm this game oozes helps it to surpass Super Mario 64, and still hold up to this very day.
With the 360 port, this game honestly still holds up. The writing is fantastic, the art is fantastic, everything about it is perfection to me. Banjo and Kazooie prove to be a truly iconic duo within the 3D platformer genre, even securing a spot in Smash Bros. which is something I'm still in disbelief about to this day.
If you've got an Xbox, or a NSO membership, give it a shot. It's objectively Rare's magnum opus. Although, personally, I'd still give that title to Conker's Bad Fur Day any day.
Kind of hilarious that this ended up being the same level of quality as RE3 Remake, perhaps even higher.
It perfectly adapts the original mode by filling in story additions from Ada's point of view, WHILE adding in content from the original RE4 that didn't make it into RE4 Remake's main campaign. Definitely worth the $10; I also respect that CAPCOM decided to make the new Mercenaries content free along with the launch of the DLC. If you loved RE4 Remake's campaign, this'll serve as an excellent compliment.
Please CAPCOM, remake Code Veronica before RE5.
It perfectly adapts the original mode by filling in story additions from Ada's point of view, WHILE adding in content from the original RE4 that didn't make it into RE4 Remake's main campaign. Definitely worth the $10; I also respect that CAPCOM decided to make the new Mercenaries content free along with the launch of the DLC. If you loved RE4 Remake's campaign, this'll serve as an excellent compliment.
Please CAPCOM, remake Code Veronica before RE5.
2023
This review contains spoilers
Got it on Game Pass because I have not trusted Bethesda with creating a quality product for years, so I sure as hell wasn't going to throw all my money at them. So, were my suspicions correct? Not exactly, I don't think the game is terrible, but I don't think it's good either. It's your run of the mill Bethesda RPG experience with loads of quests, and places to explore. What you're getting here however, is AGGRESSIVELY similar to what they've been doing with games like Fallout 4, and Skyrim for over ten years. Little to nothing on the formula has improved from what I played; Even though I put a little over two hours, I couldn't bring myself to playing it more to evaluate it better. It aggravates me that they could've done more with this, especially as someone who used to be really excited for this title when it was announced all those years ago. As we all know, though, Bethesda's reputation in the industry has shifted DRASTICALLY over the last few years. But enough of that, let's get into the details.
You start off in a shitty environment, and slowly have the world open up to you, except the world of this game compared to Bethesda's other settings is staggeringly stale. Most of the planets are just stretches of barren wastelands, with the occasional scannable ore, and buildings littered throughout. I've been told there are fauna planets, but there's only a FEW.
The story is also very by the book for Bethesda. You start off being a typical nobody, who eventually is thrust into this quest that becomes more and more grandiose as it goes on. It COULD have been more interesting, and different, and I honestly thought they would stick with the somewhat grounded setting they presented in the trailers predating the release. I do dig the aesthetic they went for, by taking NASA ships and propelling them centuries into the future, to present us with the look of the spacecraft we see in-game. Best way I can describe the presentation, it is a slightly less interesting Interstellar when talking about the look of the machinery.
What really aggravated me was seeing later gameplay footage, where you learn you're the STARBORN, and have the ability to do space FUS-RO-DAH's like it's fucking Skyrim. By the time they got to that point it's like they stopped trying, and I knew there wasn't going to be anything decent that I could look forward to, besides the ship-building system.
Overall, to conclude this, it's best to get this game as cheap as possible, or play through Game Pass. It is NOT worth the $70 price tag, and I'm not surprised that Bethesda didn't deliver anything stellar. It's definitely the least buggy experience I've had with a Bethesda RPG, but that doesn't mean it wasn't exempt from jank. This includes stuff like enemy AI getting stuck in a corner, or wall, but that's all I've seen.
What I'm trying to say is, if you haven't played Outer Wilds, you're missing out on a truly EXCELLENT experience involving a sci-fi narrative in space. It's MUCH cheaper, but it's quality outshines this, and a lot of new releases I've seen the past few years. Do me a solid and play that instead of this, okay?
should probably write that review for it, though...
You start off in a shitty environment, and slowly have the world open up to you, except the world of this game compared to Bethesda's other settings is staggeringly stale. Most of the planets are just stretches of barren wastelands, with the occasional scannable ore, and buildings littered throughout. I've been told there are fauna planets, but there's only a FEW.
The story is also very by the book for Bethesda. You start off being a typical nobody, who eventually is thrust into this quest that becomes more and more grandiose as it goes on. It COULD have been more interesting, and different, and I honestly thought they would stick with the somewhat grounded setting they presented in the trailers predating the release. I do dig the aesthetic they went for, by taking NASA ships and propelling them centuries into the future, to present us with the look of the spacecraft we see in-game. Best way I can describe the presentation, it is a slightly less interesting Interstellar when talking about the look of the machinery.
What really aggravated me was seeing later gameplay footage, where you learn you're the STARBORN, and have the ability to do space FUS-RO-DAH's like it's fucking Skyrim. By the time they got to that point it's like they stopped trying, and I knew there wasn't going to be anything decent that I could look forward to, besides the ship-building system.
Overall, to conclude this, it's best to get this game as cheap as possible, or play through Game Pass. It is NOT worth the $70 price tag, and I'm not surprised that Bethesda didn't deliver anything stellar. It's definitely the least buggy experience I've had with a Bethesda RPG, but that doesn't mean it wasn't exempt from jank. This includes stuff like enemy AI getting stuck in a corner, or wall, but that's all I've seen.
What I'm trying to say is, if you haven't played Outer Wilds, you're missing out on a truly EXCELLENT experience involving a sci-fi narrative in space. It's MUCH cheaper, but it's quality outshines this, and a lot of new releases I've seen the past few years. Do me a solid and play that instead of this, okay?
should probably write that review for it, though...
Kirby at it's best.
The "compilation of multiple games" structure works nicely as an excuse for the developers to try out different ideas and objectives that become the center of each scenario presented in each main mode. While Spring Breeze is your typical Kirby fare, Revenge of Meta Knight takes that level design and ups the ante with a timer on each section. Stuff like this keeps the game consistently fresh and different with each main mode you unlock; Nothing is quite the same as the one before, and I think that's Super Star Ultra's greatest strength.
This is a truly perfect remake in the same vein as something like Metroid: Zero Mission, where everything from the original is intact, but enhanced with some quality of life, and entirely new modes that make it feel like a completely new experience. It outshines the original in absolutely every way, and stands on it's own as potentially the best game in the series. If you've never played a Kirby game before, this one's got everything you could love from the series.
The "compilation of multiple games" structure works nicely as an excuse for the developers to try out different ideas and objectives that become the center of each scenario presented in each main mode. While Spring Breeze is your typical Kirby fare, Revenge of Meta Knight takes that level design and ups the ante with a timer on each section. Stuff like this keeps the game consistently fresh and different with each main mode you unlock; Nothing is quite the same as the one before, and I think that's Super Star Ultra's greatest strength.
This is a truly perfect remake in the same vein as something like Metroid: Zero Mission, where everything from the original is intact, but enhanced with some quality of life, and entirely new modes that make it feel like a completely new experience. It outshines the original in absolutely every way, and stands on it's own as potentially the best game in the series. If you've never played a Kirby game before, this one's got everything you could love from the series.