Yub
While you were getting a degree, I studied the keyboard.
2003
Incredibly underwhelming tbh.
The gameplay isn't unbearably frustrating like some other games, but it's just so boring and repetitive. I was able to get through the game but I think I'd just reached the point where I never wanna play it again. The story and characters really aren't anything special either. There's striking imagery and the game is certainly dark, but none of the characters really get any significant development. Inuart is probably the most interesting character, but his arc is still straightforward and predictable. The most disappointing aspect of the game is Caim. I can see where they were going with Caim’s depiction, but I think making him mute was a big mistake. Because of it, every other character just keeps telling you how terrible of a person Caim is while he just makes the same uncaring expression. I feel that this game would’ve been incredibly impactful if I played it during its initial release. By today’s standards however, it comes across as loud and edgy for the sake of just upsetting the player. As someone who likes getting the perspective of a series, I’m not mad I played it, but I also wouldn’t really recommend it. Having played NieR Automata prior, I know how great Taro can be as a director. Unfortunately, his first outing didn't really work for me.
The gameplay isn't unbearably frustrating like some other games, but it's just so boring and repetitive. I was able to get through the game but I think I'd just reached the point where I never wanna play it again. The story and characters really aren't anything special either. There's striking imagery and the game is certainly dark, but none of the characters really get any significant development. Inuart is probably the most interesting character, but his arc is still straightforward and predictable. The most disappointing aspect of the game is Caim. I can see where they were going with Caim’s depiction, but I think making him mute was a big mistake. Because of it, every other character just keeps telling you how terrible of a person Caim is while he just makes the same uncaring expression. I feel that this game would’ve been incredibly impactful if I played it during its initial release. By today’s standards however, it comes across as loud and edgy for the sake of just upsetting the player. As someone who likes getting the perspective of a series, I’m not mad I played it, but I also wouldn’t really recommend it. Having played NieR Automata prior, I know how great Taro can be as a director. Unfortunately, his first outing didn't really work for me.
1998
The empty, snow-covered New York is a really well-realized setting. It alongside the soundtrack makes for a great, eerie atmosphere. The plot is insane and the characters are pretty cool. Combat is definitely unique but it gets pretty repetitive in the late game. Would’ve been a lot better if they cut most of the museum level.
2007
As someone who's never played Portal until now, I'm actually shocked how seamlessly the central mechanic works.
2008
Was much more RE4 inspired than I was expecting, although that isn't a bad thing. While a little lacking in map design, it's made up for with great combat and the Ishimura's atmosphere.
2011
The original had a much more heavy setting, but Dead Space 2 improves on so much. The game's atmosphere is still strong, but in a more psychological way. The plot is more fleshed out and even makes up for lacking parts of the first game's story by making Isaac a character. Improvements to the game's speed and controls make for a decidedly action-focused, but more fun game overall.
If this game had a less tedious structure and the combat was a little more refined, this would be in my top 10.
2017
A better game overall than Replicant. Combat is better, pacing is better, side-quests are less tedious, and the story is more insane. And yet, Replicant's characters and music stick with me more than Automata's. I prefer Replicant but play both though, they're each incredible.
1999
Amazed at the stuff this game is able to display on the PS1. The presentation is one of my favorites on the console and the actual survival horror gameplay is surprisingly great as well. Having no map with very identical looking hallways brought down the endgame though.
2001
Quite possibly the best atmosphere of any video game I’ve ever played. From the uncanny voice acting to the static filter over the entire game, the constant descent this game sends you down is something special. This game showed me that the genre doesn’t need to stop at just great gameplay and a strong atmosphere, as it can also have memorable music and incredible storytelling that meld together perfectly.
2022
Good friend recommended this telling me only that it's free and 20 minutes long. Those 20 minutes provided horror, heartbreak, and something to think about.
2005
This has everything going for it to be amazing. The unique setting, over the top characters, and awesome moveset means this should be an incredible action game. Unfortunately, it’s got a major problem that brings down the entire experience for me. So many enemies shrug off your attacks and are constantly staggering you. It doesn’t help that they're massive damage sponges that take forever to kill. The finale is the perfect culmination of this, with cool set pieces bogged down by incredibly frustrating fights.
2007
A definite improvement over the original. As one of the last games for the PS2, it's a technical swansong with some truly impressive visuals. Most of the enemies aren’t nearly as annoying as the first game’s and small changes to the moveset are welcome. Despite a few enemies (especially near the end) retaining the annoying properties from the first game and a bit too many puzzles, God of War II is an overall improvement.
Ended up enjoying it more than God of War II. Despite being a PSP game, the gameplay and controls are even better than the PS2 games. The issues with the enemy design finally feel fixed here and the game’s length is also incredibly short. This means the game is just fun to fly through and never really gets too boring or exhausting. Even if the story and scale don’t match either of the PS2 games, I’d say the gameplay’s lack of jank or frustration give it the edge.
2011
Everything I want out of a memorable video game story