Voodsood
wtf jesser
1998
much worse than bug's life
2003
my favorite game on the super monkey ball engine
I went into this game expecting a burglary simulator, what I got was more like DnD thief simulator. You do break into people's houses and steal their stuff, but just as often you'll do things like raid tombs infested with traps and monsters.
From a gameplay standpoint I would say the dungeon-y stuff reminded me of something like Doom or other retro FPS games, while the more stealth-focused levels reminded me more of modern Imsims that Thief inspired.
The more dungeon-focused levels lead to some really memorable atmosphere and imagery. I generally enjoyed exploring them, and atmospherically they're borderline horror at times which was pretty awesome. With this said, I'd be lying if I didn't say the most fun part of the game, gameplay-wise, wasn't the parts where you're just robbing places full of humans. I did enjoy the more dungeon-y stuff but some of it could get a little tedious, and it took too much of the game. I wouldn't want to remove them from the game, but maybe I'd loosen the loot requirements in those levels just so they don't take so long to finish.
The more stealth-focused levels where you're sneaking around humans were the gameplay highlight, but I'll point out that I do think that the AI in this game could be smarter. They feel a little oblivious towards other NPCs. Like, I'll accidentally make one guard suspicious and he'll be searching for me, and like 3 other guards will just pass right by without even noticing this. Sometimes they'll team up and work together but this felt inconsistent.
This isn't as much of a problem as it could be, as even one guard looking for you is a real threat in this game. Garrett's not a badass assassin, he's not a soldier, he's basically just some guy. One guy with a sword can kill him. For this reason I still think the stealth is pretty fun, despite the guards sometimes being a bit dense.
Pretty solid game, looking forward to playing Thief 2.
From a gameplay standpoint I would say the dungeon-y stuff reminded me of something like Doom or other retro FPS games, while the more stealth-focused levels reminded me more of modern Imsims that Thief inspired.
The more dungeon-focused levels lead to some really memorable atmosphere and imagery. I generally enjoyed exploring them, and atmospherically they're borderline horror at times which was pretty awesome. With this said, I'd be lying if I didn't say the most fun part of the game, gameplay-wise, wasn't the parts where you're just robbing places full of humans. I did enjoy the more dungeon-y stuff but some of it could get a little tedious, and it took too much of the game. I wouldn't want to remove them from the game, but maybe I'd loosen the loot requirements in those levels just so they don't take so long to finish.
The more stealth-focused levels where you're sneaking around humans were the gameplay highlight, but I'll point out that I do think that the AI in this game could be smarter. They feel a little oblivious towards other NPCs. Like, I'll accidentally make one guard suspicious and he'll be searching for me, and like 3 other guards will just pass right by without even noticing this. Sometimes they'll team up and work together but this felt inconsistent.
This isn't as much of a problem as it could be, as even one guard looking for you is a real threat in this game. Garrett's not a badass assassin, he's not a soldier, he's basically just some guy. One guy with a sword can kill him. For this reason I still think the stealth is pretty fun, despite the guards sometimes being a bit dense.
Pretty solid game, looking forward to playing Thief 2.
2013
i mean it helped me pick up a new hobby so that was pretty cool
2010
WHY THE FUCK IS SHINJI MIKAMI SO MUCH BETTER AT THIRD PERSON SHOOTING GAMES THAN EVERYONE ELSE
2023
what the fuck a good EA game
2012
pretty solid gameplay but it's really dumb that a game that's so insistent that you should "play your way" punishes you for using like half of your options. you get a worse ending for using a pretty huge chunk of the abilities you have and that is quite dumb. to be clear, i don't mind the idea of alternate endings, but if you're gonna literally label one of them as the "correct" one and if you're gonna market your game as one that gives you a lot of choices i'm gonna be annoyed.
With that said there is a lot to like here. The level design is actually quite good. The areas all have a really tangible sense of being real places and the game does a good job of providing a lot of ways to accomplish your goals. The really key thing here is that it does this by letting you do things that make logical sense given the areas you're in rather than just giving you multiple rigid routes with little room for creative play.
It's a shame that stealth loses a lot of its tension by how powerful your combat powers are but it hardly ruins the game
It's worth playing if it interests you but do yourself a favor and ignore the part where the game tells you killing bad and just play in the way you enjoy instead.
Or, y'know, play deus ex, because a lot of stuff this game does well is stuff deus ex did first.
With that said there is a lot to like here. The level design is actually quite good. The areas all have a really tangible sense of being real places and the game does a good job of providing a lot of ways to accomplish your goals. The really key thing here is that it does this by letting you do things that make logical sense given the areas you're in rather than just giving you multiple rigid routes with little room for creative play.
It's a shame that stealth loses a lot of its tension by how powerful your combat powers are but it hardly ruins the game
It's worth playing if it interests you but do yourself a favor and ignore the part where the game tells you killing bad and just play in the way you enjoy instead.
Or, y'know, play deus ex, because a lot of stuff this game does well is stuff deus ex did first.
2017
probably arkane's best game at this point. They've had better combat systems in the past but they recontextualized their usual style of non-linear level design within an interconnected map and it works really well. the atmosphere and art direction are great and i particularly like the music by mick gordon.
it feels somewhere between metroid and deus ex and i think that is a wonderful combination.
the story is really nothing worth caring about but i do recommend the game, it's highly enjoyable.
it feels somewhere between metroid and deus ex and i think that is a wonderful combination.
the story is really nothing worth caring about but i do recommend the game, it's highly enjoyable.
pretty fantastic. I really enjoyed the AI and the emphasis on light and darkness. In terms of raw stealth mechanics this might be the best stealth game ever made. Some of the levels are designed better than others (the bank is a particular highlight), but overall it's an enjoyable ride. I'd be remiss not to also mention the fantastic original soundtrack by Amon Tobin.
It's frustrating that ubisoft won't make more games in this series. If you ask me, they don't have far to go from this game if they wanted to make pretty much the best execution of this premise possible. Make a game like this, but with more emphasis on non-linear objective-based levels like the bank. hitman already did the same thing with blood money, and now it's one of the most successful stealth game series.
It's frustrating that ubisoft won't make more games in this series. If you ask me, they don't have far to go from this game if they wanted to make pretty much the best execution of this premise possible. Make a game like this, but with more emphasis on non-linear objective-based levels like the bank. hitman already did the same thing with blood money, and now it's one of the most successful stealth game series.
There's very little to complain about here. There's a few obtuse (optional) secrets and I'm not really fond of the cutscenes and voice acting, but the gameplay is very refined and enjoyable. Konami was really at the top of their game here. Even in the modern age, with so many good indie action-platformers releasing every day, this game's level design and action holds up astoundingly well.
Occasional obtuseness aside I appreciate that it's willing to hide such major chunks of content from the player, I wish more games would do this. Like half the game's content is secret levels and it's awesome.
Occasional obtuseness aside I appreciate that it's willing to hide such major chunks of content from the player, I wish more games would do this. Like half the game's content is secret levels and it's awesome.
2020
like doom 2016 if it snorted like 5 lines of meth mixed with cocaine with 3 heroin needles in its arm and then it fucking died of an OD at 3am
It's interesting in how it essentially intensifies both the flaws and the strengths of the 2016 game. the combat is genuinely very fun, and the increased emphasis on keeping your resources stocked is nice. it does a good job of making you constantly pay attention to your health, your ammo, and your armor.
the game has some truly fantastic intense combat encounters, and they're in some truly obnoxious levels. the platforming, exploration, and progression systems have an increased focus here, and they're even worse than they were in doom 2016.
I'll also add that the weak point system doesn't really work too well. You're never really incentivized not to go for an enemy's weak points, so it's less a new way to fight enemies and more the only way to effectively deal with them. You're not given a new option to consider, you're given a win button.
I have a lot of complaints in this review but I did enjoy the game. In fact, I probably enjoyed it more than doom 2016. I just hope Id software pulls the focus back onto their more interesting elements in their future games.
It's interesting in how it essentially intensifies both the flaws and the strengths of the 2016 game. the combat is genuinely very fun, and the increased emphasis on keeping your resources stocked is nice. it does a good job of making you constantly pay attention to your health, your ammo, and your armor.
the game has some truly fantastic intense combat encounters, and they're in some truly obnoxious levels. the platforming, exploration, and progression systems have an increased focus here, and they're even worse than they were in doom 2016.
I'll also add that the weak point system doesn't really work too well. You're never really incentivized not to go for an enemy's weak points, so it's less a new way to fight enemies and more the only way to effectively deal with them. You're not given a new option to consider, you're given a win button.
I have a lot of complaints in this review but I did enjoy the game. In fact, I probably enjoyed it more than doom 2016. I just hope Id software pulls the focus back onto their more interesting elements in their future games.
1994
probably the best-presented snes game i've played. the visuals and sound design are fantastic. the map design is also much better than most metroidvanias. i could do with samus being a bit less floaty but that's a minor issue all things considered.
2000
soy food
2023
Mixed feelings on this one. Before I get into it more, I just wanna add the context that I did enjoy the game and thought it was worth the time I spent on it.
I think the tone is a fair bit worse compared to the original, it felt a bit confused as to whether it wanted to be campy fun like the OG or if it wanted to be more grounded like RE2R.
I'll also say that (with the risk of minor spoilers) some of the villains get a fair bit less screentime and I think that's a shame.
With that being said I could easily see the gameplay being preferable to a lot of people. The enemies are a lot more aggressive which is a good change, there are new enemy types and most of them are fun to fight, and the game does an excellent job of giving you just enough ammo and no more. It keeps you on your toes which is what I wanted. Of course, the original was good at this too, but I felt that the remake was, even if just a little, more successful at this. I enjoy that they even brought the knife into this. None of your attacks are disposable, everything draws from a finite resource, and I think that adds a lot to the game.
I wish they hadn't buffed Leon's defensive abilities so much, his movement is a lot less restricted with the ability to move and shoot, and to turn instantly without regard to where the camera faces. This isn't a huge issue on its own but it's very easy to notice in a game that invites so many comparisons to the original. The enemy aggressiveness offsets this somewhat, but in general I think the game would be a lot more tense if you didn't have as many tools to avoid getting overwhelmed. It's less a flaw and more a missed opportunity.
In general, it feels you're a little less incentivized to put yourself at risk, and you have an easier time escaping if you do. Leon's kicks feel like they have a smaller hitbox, which means they're not quite as effective as a means of crowd control. The shotgun's blast also feels less wide than it once did. You're more encouraged than you previously were to keep your distance, and Leon's new defensive options make this easier to do. The parry in particular was a bit too powerful if you ask me. I also dislike how easy it is to trigger without proper timing, if you just mash the knife button when you think you're about to be attacked.
None of this is to say the game is easy. I actually found the game refreshingly difficult. The aforementioned increased enemy aggression adds a lot, and I did feel the enemies were generally more numerous too. I just think it could've been all the more thrilling if they changed these small things.
I felt the pacing to be a bit preferable in the OG although it really depends on what you value. This version of the game, while still very combat-heavy, falls back onto exploration and puzzles a little more often than the OG. These diversions aren't bad by any means but I think the original had a bit more forward momentum. I could easily see this being a positive for a lot of people, though. Of course, I do appreciate that at the very least, its downtime doesn't feel like an unfun waste of time. A lot of current games have an understanding that you need downtime to make the action more intense but they insist on filling downtime with the most boring pieces of content possible.
I'd also like to add that I very much appreciate that they were faithful in how quickly the action starts. Within less than ten minutes the player is thrust into the iconic village fight, and that sequence is still genuinely intense even on a repeated playthrough.
I tend to spend a lot of time in these reviews complaining, but as I said before, the game is fun, and worth playing if you're into the genre. It's not a replacement for the original by any means if you ask me, but I don't regret playing it and I'm glad it exists. I just hope Capcom keeps both this, and the original available in future console generations. The only versions of RE1-3 on current platforms are the remakes. I think that's a real shame, and I hope the same doesn't happen with 4.
I think the tone is a fair bit worse compared to the original, it felt a bit confused as to whether it wanted to be campy fun like the OG or if it wanted to be more grounded like RE2R.
I'll also say that (with the risk of minor spoilers) some of the villains get a fair bit less screentime and I think that's a shame.
With that being said I could easily see the gameplay being preferable to a lot of people. The enemies are a lot more aggressive which is a good change, there are new enemy types and most of them are fun to fight, and the game does an excellent job of giving you just enough ammo and no more. It keeps you on your toes which is what I wanted. Of course, the original was good at this too, but I felt that the remake was, even if just a little, more successful at this. I enjoy that they even brought the knife into this. None of your attacks are disposable, everything draws from a finite resource, and I think that adds a lot to the game.
I wish they hadn't buffed Leon's defensive abilities so much, his movement is a lot less restricted with the ability to move and shoot, and to turn instantly without regard to where the camera faces. This isn't a huge issue on its own but it's very easy to notice in a game that invites so many comparisons to the original. The enemy aggressiveness offsets this somewhat, but in general I think the game would be a lot more tense if you didn't have as many tools to avoid getting overwhelmed. It's less a flaw and more a missed opportunity.
In general, it feels you're a little less incentivized to put yourself at risk, and you have an easier time escaping if you do. Leon's kicks feel like they have a smaller hitbox, which means they're not quite as effective as a means of crowd control. The shotgun's blast also feels less wide than it once did. You're more encouraged than you previously were to keep your distance, and Leon's new defensive options make this easier to do. The parry in particular was a bit too powerful if you ask me. I also dislike how easy it is to trigger without proper timing, if you just mash the knife button when you think you're about to be attacked.
None of this is to say the game is easy. I actually found the game refreshingly difficult. The aforementioned increased enemy aggression adds a lot, and I did feel the enemies were generally more numerous too. I just think it could've been all the more thrilling if they changed these small things.
I felt the pacing to be a bit preferable in the OG although it really depends on what you value. This version of the game, while still very combat-heavy, falls back onto exploration and puzzles a little more often than the OG. These diversions aren't bad by any means but I think the original had a bit more forward momentum. I could easily see this being a positive for a lot of people, though. Of course, I do appreciate that at the very least, its downtime doesn't feel like an unfun waste of time. A lot of current games have an understanding that you need downtime to make the action more intense but they insist on filling downtime with the most boring pieces of content possible.
I'd also like to add that I very much appreciate that they were faithful in how quickly the action starts. Within less than ten minutes the player is thrust into the iconic village fight, and that sequence is still genuinely intense even on a repeated playthrough.
I tend to spend a lot of time in these reviews complaining, but as I said before, the game is fun, and worth playing if you're into the genre. It's not a replacement for the original by any means if you ask me, but I don't regret playing it and I'm glad it exists. I just hope Capcom keeps both this, and the original available in future console generations. The only versions of RE1-3 on current platforms are the remakes. I think that's a real shame, and I hope the same doesn't happen with 4.