XenoVerezi
2022
GhostWire: Tokyo is yet another big budget Ubisoft style sandbox but it's Ubisoft sandbox, Japan so it's better
That description already paints a decent picture of what to expect. It's an open world game in Shibuya with an unremarkable story, basic combat, light stealth mechanics, and way too many collectables. Junk food gaming, basically. A fundamental video game that adequately does what you'd want from it with a few exceptional elements that aren't enough to lift the game from the purgatory of mid. It’s not fulfilling, it’s not interesting, it’s not very remarkable.
But sometimes you just really want junk food.
If you're in the mood for this style of game, I don't think GhostWire is a bad option. The big thing is it has great, genuinely creative aesthetics that give it an edge over competition. The enemies, effects, collectables, and antagonists are beautifully stylish and keep the game's spiritual elements at the forefront, making GhostWire's vibes stand out among both open world games and the many other titles taking place in Tokyo. On top of that, many effects have a layer of digital theming mixed in, accentuating the technological meets mythological motif that permeates the title to a wonderful degree. It’s especially noticeable with the backdrop of a hauntingly empty nighttime Shibuya. Shooting magic at ghosts outside 7/11 works surprisingly well. To keep up the theming, the city also inhabits a variety of colourful yokai that range from more collectables to unique enemies to the stupid fucking cat shopkeeper who won't stop making cat puns. I enjoyed seeing so many interesting creatures in the world even as someone who doesn't know Japanese folklore. It's a very pretty and enjoyable environment as far as sandboxes go.
The main story isn't too long (took me 15 hours and that includes some side content) which is a good length for a game with this type of combat. There are just a few types of attacks, each with their own attributes, and a few talismans that offer supportive effects you can mix in. It's a simple selection of skills that's varied enough to keep battles fun for a short FPS campaign. If you decide you want more after that, there are a good few side missions to tackle where you can spend more time trying to make the most out of combining all your different options while helping solve people's problems. I didn’t bother with many because they seemed like more of the same but they’re there. It’s a fun enough little story with magic shooter mechanics that make up for the few annoying parts.
Don’t be tricked by any silly positivity, though. This is still a cautious and conditional recommendation that most people shouldn't bother with. GhostWire: Tokyo's great setting and unique aesthetics are held back by being in a repetitive, formulaic title that showcases little more than competency in most other areas, leaving its genuinely exceptional highlights stuck in a mid experience that I can't wholeheartedly suggest. Play it if you really want to play an Ubisoft style sandbox, pass if you contribute to society. I know which one I chose.
That description already paints a decent picture of what to expect. It's an open world game in Shibuya with an unremarkable story, basic combat, light stealth mechanics, and way too many collectables. Junk food gaming, basically. A fundamental video game that adequately does what you'd want from it with a few exceptional elements that aren't enough to lift the game from the purgatory of mid. It’s not fulfilling, it’s not interesting, it’s not very remarkable.
But sometimes you just really want junk food.
If you're in the mood for this style of game, I don't think GhostWire is a bad option. The big thing is it has great, genuinely creative aesthetics that give it an edge over competition. The enemies, effects, collectables, and antagonists are beautifully stylish and keep the game's spiritual elements at the forefront, making GhostWire's vibes stand out among both open world games and the many other titles taking place in Tokyo. On top of that, many effects have a layer of digital theming mixed in, accentuating the technological meets mythological motif that permeates the title to a wonderful degree. It’s especially noticeable with the backdrop of a hauntingly empty nighttime Shibuya. Shooting magic at ghosts outside 7/11 works surprisingly well. To keep up the theming, the city also inhabits a variety of colourful yokai that range from more collectables to unique enemies to the stupid fucking cat shopkeeper who won't stop making cat puns. I enjoyed seeing so many interesting creatures in the world even as someone who doesn't know Japanese folklore. It's a very pretty and enjoyable environment as far as sandboxes go.
The main story isn't too long (took me 15 hours and that includes some side content) which is a good length for a game with this type of combat. There are just a few types of attacks, each with their own attributes, and a few talismans that offer supportive effects you can mix in. It's a simple selection of skills that's varied enough to keep battles fun for a short FPS campaign. If you decide you want more after that, there are a good few side missions to tackle where you can spend more time trying to make the most out of combining all your different options while helping solve people's problems. I didn’t bother with many because they seemed like more of the same but they’re there. It’s a fun enough little story with magic shooter mechanics that make up for the few annoying parts.
Don’t be tricked by any silly positivity, though. This is still a cautious and conditional recommendation that most people shouldn't bother with. GhostWire: Tokyo's great setting and unique aesthetics are held back by being in a repetitive, formulaic title that showcases little more than competency in most other areas, leaving its genuinely exceptional highlights stuck in a mid experience that I can't wholeheartedly suggest. Play it if you really want to play an Ubisoft style sandbox, pass if you contribute to society. I know which one I chose.
1987
people just played anything back then huh
2019
Need For Speed: Heat is pretty much what you would expect from a modern EA game; a competent, decently looking title with somewhat enjoyable gameplay and a lack of content, depth, originality, or purpose. You'll have fun with it if you try it but the game's too mediocre for me to recommend to anyone but diehard NFS fans and people who are desperate for a open world racing game with no other options.
Bravely Second is a Black & White 2 situation of just being the first game again but a bit better and also it's one of the best turn-based RPGs ever
If you're reading this you've probably played the first game so I refuse to explain the mechanics. You know what it's like. You know what the fuck is up. That also means you understand this game because the battle and job systems are basically the exact same as the first game but with new jobs. That sounds bitter but I promise that's a good thing. The brave/default mechanics combined with FF5 jobs/abilities already created one of the most fun combat systems in the genre's history and it's only better in Second with the introduction of several creative classes that can completely change how you build your party. The most fun and broken job ability in the game is from the first job you get after freelancer, it's awesome. That alone radically changes how you play. I think you'd get burnt out if you played it right after the first but overall it's still some of the best combat in RPG history.
The writing is also very faithful to the original by being bad. It has the exact same qualities as Default while falling into the same pitfalls. That means half the party is too unremarkable to mention, the story likes to spend a lot of time accomplishing nothing, and there's a cacophony of underdeveloped themes and messages that make you question what the game is trying to say first and foremost. There was a funny cowgirl though so it's 9/10 overall. Many of the asterisk holders are wonderfully colourful bastards who offset the plot's failings by being entertaining enough to carry their scenes. I think you should just assume your opinion on the first's plot will apply to the second's.
Most other aspects are too similar to Default to be worth explaining to you. The menus are lifted directly from the first so you already know what you think of them. Much of the music is reused and the new tracks are in the same style and of similar quality as the original score. The graphics are identical so we get to keep low-res towns my beloved.
Really you don't have to play Second if you've played Default. You're already good to go when it comes to arguing with strangers about it so there's no point :3
If you're reading this you've probably played the first game so I refuse to explain the mechanics. You know what it's like. You know what the fuck is up. That also means you understand this game because the battle and job systems are basically the exact same as the first game but with new jobs. That sounds bitter but I promise that's a good thing. The brave/default mechanics combined with FF5 jobs/abilities already created one of the most fun combat systems in the genre's history and it's only better in Second with the introduction of several creative classes that can completely change how you build your party. The most fun and broken job ability in the game is from the first job you get after freelancer, it's awesome. That alone radically changes how you play. I think you'd get burnt out if you played it right after the first but overall it's still some of the best combat in RPG history.
The writing is also very faithful to the original by being bad. It has the exact same qualities as Default while falling into the same pitfalls. That means half the party is too unremarkable to mention, the story likes to spend a lot of time accomplishing nothing, and there's a cacophony of underdeveloped themes and messages that make you question what the game is trying to say first and foremost. There was a funny cowgirl though so it's 9/10 overall. Many of the asterisk holders are wonderfully colourful bastards who offset the plot's failings by being entertaining enough to carry their scenes. I think you should just assume your opinion on the first's plot will apply to the second's.
Most other aspects are too similar to Default to be worth explaining to you. The menus are lifted directly from the first so you already know what you think of them. Much of the music is reused and the new tracks are in the same style and of similar quality as the original score. The graphics are identical so we get to keep low-res towns my beloved.
Really you don't have to play Second if you've played Default. You're already good to go when it comes to arguing with strangers about it so there's no point :3