1996
Genuine helplessness, noises in the dark, the knowledge that you could be at any time one second away from death from monsters you cannot see...
There are fewer games more compelling in their ability to make you feel terrified than "Enemy Zero." While it may not offer narrative surprises that make one stare in awe, the game already does that by creating an atmosphere of trodding through dark corridors on pins and needles. The lone piano chime as your only cue that something dangerous is nearby kicks the senses into overdrive, and with only a limited number of saves and loads allowed per file, you cannot abuse them. The intent is about pure sensation within the player, horror that derives from primal science-fiction.
There are fewer games more compelling in their ability to make you feel terrified than "Enemy Zero." While it may not offer narrative surprises that make one stare in awe, the game already does that by creating an atmosphere of trodding through dark corridors on pins and needles. The lone piano chime as your only cue that something dangerous is nearby kicks the senses into overdrive, and with only a limited number of saves and loads allowed per file, you cannot abuse them. The intent is about pure sensation within the player, horror that derives from primal science-fiction.
2023
Derivative without being void of its own ideas, tongue-in-cheek without taking away from its own sense of story, and easy to grasp mechanics-wise while allowing some creativity and sticky situations. It feels far more sincere as a fan letter to early RPG-era aesthetic, gameplay, and sensibility than other games like "Breath of Death VII" or "Cthulhu Saves the World," managing the careful balancing act without tipping over. The occasional cinematic or extended sequence adds a lovely splash, and some of its sidequests like Wheels are a fun time-killer. A solid soundtrack helps solidify the sense of atmosphere surprisingly well.
Despite its reach, some ways in which the characters (antagonist or otherwise) fit into the overall story is rather wanting, and the asinine "collectibles = getting the best ending" system is still one of my least-favorite narrative mechanics. Even though the changes the narrative undergoes as a result are satisfying, I don't appreciate needing 10 extra steps to see "the good ending."
Don't leave an area without exploring the entire landscape and getting all the Rainbow Conches. You'll thank me later.
Despite its reach, some ways in which the characters (antagonist or otherwise) fit into the overall story is rather wanting, and the asinine "collectibles = getting the best ending" system is still one of my least-favorite narrative mechanics. Even though the changes the narrative undergoes as a result are satisfying, I don't appreciate needing 10 extra steps to see "the good ending."
Don't leave an area without exploring the entire landscape and getting all the Rainbow Conches. You'll thank me later.
This is not a game. This is a pain simulator.
The music played, my eyes were heavy. The wind whipped behind me. I turned to listen to the rapping rain. I drew the sigil of wind.
For a time, I could not tell my own breath. I lost myself in the swirl. I drew the sigil of air.
I washed my arm clean. I felt sick. The sensation mattered - no picture would have captured that. In my heart, I drew the sigil of "With Those We Love Alive."
Why did I draw these things?
"Because I am alive."
For a time, I could not tell my own breath. I lost myself in the swirl. I drew the sigil of air.
I washed my arm clean. I felt sick. The sensation mattered - no picture would have captured that. In my heart, I drew the sigil of "With Those We Love Alive."
Why did I draw these things?
"Because I am alive."
2023
Honestly better than Wordle or other recent word games. It forces you to think more laterally about the words to find how they all relate to one another. If Wordle is about testing "What words do you know?" as its conceit, Connections is about testing "How do you use them?" instead.
The hack is good, but it does not fix the underlying problem that Kanto in the game is bad aside from "OMG higher levels." The game throws everything that it can at you in prep for the Elite Four, and thus any challenge beyond that is just beefier stats rather than fundamental changes in strategy.
2020
The same "Doom 64" as before, but now with the benefit of being able to save in the middle of levels, which makes the game far less frustrating. Aubrey Hodges's soundtrack is wonderfully atmospheric.
Lost Souls are still the absolute worst.
Lost Souls are still the absolute worst.
The inability to switch between Yuffie and Sonon unfortunately limits the amount of control you can have over a battle, but it reimagines Fort Condor in a fun way and has enough narrative significance to give Yuffie a real sense of importance in the battle against Shinra.
2014
I'll never forget when Mountain divorced me, took my kids, life savings, car, and WiFi. Now I live on a mountain.
The most-preferable way to play these two games. The difficulty is reduced to something far more manageable (especially for the first game), greatly cutting down on grinding and frustrating features in the original game that aged like milk.
While the games are still definitely the product of early JRPGs and subjected to the same general sense of jank both narrative and gameplay-wise, this is a remake made with sincerity.
While the games are still definitely the product of early JRPGs and subjected to the same general sense of jank both narrative and gameplay-wise, this is a remake made with sincerity.
2015
A terrible port of the original game, markedly slower and more clunky, and graphically less detailed and interesting. The Steam version also is glitched where the Mirror Machine will not show the proper reflection, and the game will freeze when placing mirrors on the platforms at random times for no discernible reason.
2010
A surprisingly fun mod that makes for a rather unique challenge. Fat Sonic is funniest Sonic. Good luck getting through Hilltop Zone on your first time through.
Show me a better plot twist than finding out that Santa grilled and ate Rudolph. I'll wait.
Sun. Sun. Sun. Sunny day.
Sun. Sun. Sun. Sunny day.
1993
"Your dinosaur just walked away."
Have you collected 25 beans?