UrLocalBanktoad
2017
Statik is a VR puzzle game that does some unique stuff. You play this with a normal controller in hand, but in the game your hands are in a box, and you're pushing buttons and moving the sticks to figure out what does what. Once you figure that out, you then get to solve some cool puzzles. It's a bit on the short side, but the experience you get from playing it makes it worth every penny.
2017
This game was funny for the time it came out and does some cool stuff. If you can tolerate most of the voice acting being done by a domestic abuser, you may enjoy this one!
It's like the creator's first Maze game, but way smaller in scope. Only a few mazes here for you to explore. It's also an easy Platinum trophy and it's really cheap so if you're a Platinum Hunter go snag this one.
2015
An okay first-person maze game with some light platforming. It goes for pretty cheap and it's an easy Platinum trophy, so give it a play if you like mazes.
2017
Knack II's biggest issue is that it is called Knack II, because this entry is nowhere near as bad as the first game was.
Lots of lessons were learned from the first game. Knack now takes more than 3 hits before dying. There are actual combos now. You have a skill tree to unlock new moves. The different forms of Knack are used in interesting ways. The story is mediocre and still kind of racist, but it's also a much better romp than the first game. This game feels like an apology for putting players through Knack, like how Devil May Cry 3 was an apology for Devil May Cry 2.
There's a genuinely great game here that does so much right but the fact that it's named Knack II will make many people hesitant to engage with it, and that truly is a shame. This game goes on sale for dirt cheap often, so pick it up and try it out! It's by no means a groundbreaking game, but it truly is an enjoyable adventure.
Lots of lessons were learned from the first game. Knack now takes more than 3 hits before dying. There are actual combos now. You have a skill tree to unlock new moves. The different forms of Knack are used in interesting ways. The story is mediocre and still kind of racist, but it's also a much better romp than the first game. This game feels like an apology for putting players through Knack, like how Devil May Cry 3 was an apology for Devil May Cry 2.
There's a genuinely great game here that does so much right but the fact that it's named Knack II will make many people hesitant to engage with it, and that truly is a shame. This game goes on sale for dirt cheap often, so pick it up and try it out! It's by no means a groundbreaking game, but it truly is an enjoyable adventure.
You would hope that with this version of the game they'd fix the final boss room, but they didn't! At least you can rewind the game to have an easier time.
This game is still pretty rough with the added assists, though.
This game is still pretty rough with the added assists, though.
2022
This version has some weird issues when you tilt the left analog stick to the right but that's really the only flaw with this port. It's cheap and has trophy support, so go get a platinum!
In fact, the PS4 and PS5 versions of this game have separate trophy lists, and buying the game gives you both, so get the platinum twice! It's really easy!
In fact, the PS4 and PS5 versions of this game have separate trophy lists, and buying the game gives you both, so get the platinum twice! It's really easy!
2022
This is it. This is the version of Pac-Man World that is closest to being a perfect experience of that game.
Honestly, it does almost everything right. The gameplay's great. The boss fights are good now. The music (after the patch) sounds great.
The main problems I have with it are the Ms. Pac-Man erasure (because Namco refuses to just buy the rights to the character 100% of people associate with the Pac-Man brand) and the fact that the cutscenes weirdly don't have voice acting, despite that being a thing in the original and they definitely could've done that again for this!
Oh, well. this is still a great game. It's cheap. Go buy it!
Honestly, it does almost everything right. The gameplay's great. The boss fights are good now. The music (after the patch) sounds great.
The main problems I have with it are the Ms. Pac-Man erasure (because Namco refuses to just buy the rights to the character 100% of people associate with the Pac-Man brand) and the fact that the cutscenes weirdly don't have voice acting, despite that being a thing in the original and they definitely could've done that again for this!
Oh, well. this is still a great game. It's cheap. Go buy it!
2011
Man, I miss seeing the LBP High School levels people would make that would have the most insanely dramatic storylines that would make most TV dramas blush.
You just had to be there.
You just had to be there.
This game has the funniest QTE ever put into a video game
2009
Some of the dungeon design in complete garbage but there's a ton of soul here that makes it a unique romp even in the current year. Give it a shot if ya like weird Zelda-likes.
Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed is a unique spin-off of the Ape Escape series. It takes place in a digital tournament world where characters from the first game along with some new faces compete against each other. You would think that it's just a minigame collection at first glance, but it's actually a bit more involved than that.
There are two things that you do in this game: race, and fight. Races are a simple affair of utilizing your gadgets to reach the finish line. Battles, however, take many forms. You have all-out 3D brawls where you go against 3 others, utilizing your gadgets to rack up damage on opponents and using special moves based on how you set up your loadout. You also have tank fights and fights that limit which gadgets you use to fight. The combat feels pretty good here, and working through the campaign is genuinely a fun time.
You're encouraged to register a file and use it through the entire game, earning bonuses based on how well you perform. You can unlock alternate outfits for characters, variations of your weapons that have unique properties, and even characters from other Ape Escape games that you can use as summons!
On top of that, as you clear matches, you'll be treated to special cutscenes that are different for each character, even using different styles. Some are animated, and some are live-action. No matter who you choose, you'll be treated to some interesting scenes!
Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed is a surprising fighting/racing party game that takes the formula of the gadgets and combat of the Ape Escape series and uses it in ways that shouldn't work, but absolutely do! If you love Ape Escape and want to experience more action with its unique playstyle, look no further than this game!
There are two things that you do in this game: race, and fight. Races are a simple affair of utilizing your gadgets to reach the finish line. Battles, however, take many forms. You have all-out 3D brawls where you go against 3 others, utilizing your gadgets to rack up damage on opponents and using special moves based on how you set up your loadout. You also have tank fights and fights that limit which gadgets you use to fight. The combat feels pretty good here, and working through the campaign is genuinely a fun time.
You're encouraged to register a file and use it through the entire game, earning bonuses based on how well you perform. You can unlock alternate outfits for characters, variations of your weapons that have unique properties, and even characters from other Ape Escape games that you can use as summons!
On top of that, as you clear matches, you'll be treated to special cutscenes that are different for each character, even using different styles. Some are animated, and some are live-action. No matter who you choose, you'll be treated to some interesting scenes!
Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed is a surprising fighting/racing party game that takes the formula of the gadgets and combat of the Ape Escape series and uses it in ways that shouldn't work, but absolutely do! If you love Ape Escape and want to experience more action with its unique playstyle, look no further than this game!
2002
Here it is. Here's the greatest Pac-Man World game. This game is a joy to play, taking the control scheme from the first game and making feel even better to use. The stages are fun romps with great music to accompany them.
While I'll admit that the second half of the game gets a little tedious, I can't help but love this title, despite its flaws. Yeah, the water world is kind of bad, and the lava and ghost island worlds get a little too challenging for their own good, but even as I replay this game, these sections fail to push me away.
Maybe it's the charm of Pac-Man as he's presented here, or how well he feels to control making up for all the questionable stage design of the last chunk of the game. I just can't be mad at it. I genuinely think this game is a joy to play from beginning to end, despite its flaws. Despite the negatives I have with it, I can't help but to encourage fans of 3D platformers to give it a shot. I think you'll find something truly enjoyable here.
While I'll admit that the second half of the game gets a little tedious, I can't help but love this title, despite its flaws. Yeah, the water world is kind of bad, and the lava and ghost island worlds get a little too challenging for their own good, but even as I replay this game, these sections fail to push me away.
Maybe it's the charm of Pac-Man as he's presented here, or how well he feels to control making up for all the questionable stage design of the last chunk of the game. I just can't be mad at it. I genuinely think this game is a joy to play from beginning to end, despite its flaws. Despite the negatives I have with it, I can't help but to encourage fans of 3D platformers to give it a shot. I think you'll find something truly enjoyable here.
1996
This game sure is something. If you've played Rayman, this is basically a version of that with new levels that aim to teach you math, spelling, vocabulary, and other things. However, this game is kind of weird and evil???
Okay, so let's say you're in a stage and the mission is to find the biggest number. There's a ting (think coins from Mario) under each number, and you need to collect the ting that's under the right one. If you collect the correct one, you move on to the next part of the stage and do a little platforming and fight some enemies.
Now, I want you to guess what happens if you answer a question incorrectly. The ESRB rated this game EC, for Early Child. Based on this and the context that this is educational software, you may assume that the game would just have you try again, giving you some kind of penalty like subtracting a health point, since Rayman has a health bar in this game. That makes sense, right?
I am so sorry to inform you that you are wrong. Here's what happens when you answer a question incorrectly in Rayman Brain Games. When you answer a question incorrectly, a number of things can happen, but they all end the same way. The game may spawn a giant red damaging obstacle that kills you instantly. The game may throw you into a bottomless pit. The game may lock you in a room full of invincible enemies that kill you in one hit. THAT'S RIGHT, KIDS! IF YOU GET ANYTHING IN LIFE WRONG, WE GOTTA KILL YA! THEM'S THE RULES IN RAYMAN BRAIN GAMES!
So yeah, this game is harsh when it comes to penalties for being wrong. Surely that's the last of the problems this game has, right?
Well, remember that part I mentioned about what happens when you get a question right? You get to do some platforming and beat up some bad guys like it's a normal video game. That in itself is a problem considering what this game wants to do.
Rayman Brain Games is a game that wants to be both an educational game for small children and a challenging 2D platformer! Between questions, you need to be dodging foes and obstacles, bouncing over bottomless pits, and hoping that you reach a checkpoint so you don't have to re-do whatever questions and platforming bits ALL OVER AGAIN! THIS IS A GAME FOR TODDLERS!
Okay okay, let's look past all this. Yeah, the levels have rough obstacles and ignorance is treated as something worth killing you over in this world. It's kind of like Detroit. Unlike Detroit, however, surely you have unlimited lives to use to reach the end, right? This is literally a game for children surely they couldn't mess this up, right??????
Oh, you poor unfortunate soul. You are so WRONG!
Okay, so each stage is split into 5 acts, and you get a hard checkpoint after clearing 2 acts. If you, for example, get a Game Over in act 3, you resume at the start of Act 3. You can also save whenever you want on the world map to come back to this game whenever you want to try to finish it. That's cool. It would be even cooler if not for this game's final tragic flaw.
When you start out, you begin with 5 lives, which was the standard at the time. When you game over, you'd expect all those lives to be replenished, right? Literally every normal game does that. Well, this game doesn't. When you continue from a game over, you resume with however many lives you had before you lost them all. This means that it is incredibly easy to reach a point where you get past a stage with 1 life left, save, and then game over only to realize that you now only have 1 life to beat this entire game.
Long story short, this is a terrible educational game. The penalties for incorrect answers are way too harsh, and the game itself is way too difficult for the target age demographic to get anything out of it. They'll spend more time frustrated at the game than they will actually learning. Get this game if you're some sick freak who wants to learn what it's like to be challenged by a game made for toddlers.
Okay, so let's say you're in a stage and the mission is to find the biggest number. There's a ting (think coins from Mario) under each number, and you need to collect the ting that's under the right one. If you collect the correct one, you move on to the next part of the stage and do a little platforming and fight some enemies.
Now, I want you to guess what happens if you answer a question incorrectly. The ESRB rated this game EC, for Early Child. Based on this and the context that this is educational software, you may assume that the game would just have you try again, giving you some kind of penalty like subtracting a health point, since Rayman has a health bar in this game. That makes sense, right?
I am so sorry to inform you that you are wrong. Here's what happens when you answer a question incorrectly in Rayman Brain Games. When you answer a question incorrectly, a number of things can happen, but they all end the same way. The game may spawn a giant red damaging obstacle that kills you instantly. The game may throw you into a bottomless pit. The game may lock you in a room full of invincible enemies that kill you in one hit. THAT'S RIGHT, KIDS! IF YOU GET ANYTHING IN LIFE WRONG, WE GOTTA KILL YA! THEM'S THE RULES IN RAYMAN BRAIN GAMES!
So yeah, this game is harsh when it comes to penalties for being wrong. Surely that's the last of the problems this game has, right?
Well, remember that part I mentioned about what happens when you get a question right? You get to do some platforming and beat up some bad guys like it's a normal video game. That in itself is a problem considering what this game wants to do.
Rayman Brain Games is a game that wants to be both an educational game for small children and a challenging 2D platformer! Between questions, you need to be dodging foes and obstacles, bouncing over bottomless pits, and hoping that you reach a checkpoint so you don't have to re-do whatever questions and platforming bits ALL OVER AGAIN! THIS IS A GAME FOR TODDLERS!
Okay okay, let's look past all this. Yeah, the levels have rough obstacles and ignorance is treated as something worth killing you over in this world. It's kind of like Detroit. Unlike Detroit, however, surely you have unlimited lives to use to reach the end, right? This is literally a game for children surely they couldn't mess this up, right??????
Oh, you poor unfortunate soul. You are so WRONG!
Okay, so each stage is split into 5 acts, and you get a hard checkpoint after clearing 2 acts. If you, for example, get a Game Over in act 3, you resume at the start of Act 3. You can also save whenever you want on the world map to come back to this game whenever you want to try to finish it. That's cool. It would be even cooler if not for this game's final tragic flaw.
When you start out, you begin with 5 lives, which was the standard at the time. When you game over, you'd expect all those lives to be replenished, right? Literally every normal game does that. Well, this game doesn't. When you continue from a game over, you resume with however many lives you had before you lost them all. This means that it is incredibly easy to reach a point where you get past a stage with 1 life left, save, and then game over only to realize that you now only have 1 life to beat this entire game.
Long story short, this is a terrible educational game. The penalties for incorrect answers are way too harsh, and the game itself is way too difficult for the target age demographic to get anything out of it. They'll spend more time frustrated at the game than they will actually learning. Get this game if you're some sick freak who wants to learn what it's like to be challenged by a game made for toddlers.
1995
I have some nostalgia bias for the limbless CBT game, but I will acknowledge that it is indeed a CBT game. This game has some punishing level design. If you wanna beat this game, keep those cheat codes handy!
If you're fortunate enough to own the PS1 version physically, then congratulations! That disc is also a CD that includes a majority of the game's soundtrack! Rayman's soundtrack is amazing, so pop that in a CD player and jam out!
If you're fortunate enough to own the PS1 version physically, then congratulations! That disc is also a CD that includes a majority of the game's soundtrack! Rayman's soundtrack is amazing, so pop that in a CD player and jam out!