Maybe making 3d platformers is kinda hard?

But for the Sonic Mania team, they make it look so easy. Penny's Big Rig Racing is a bit of an anomaly for me. On one hand, there's a ton of stuff to praise in this game. So much so, that I could put this in my list of one of the best 3D platformers I've ever played. On the other hand, the game is ROUGH. And I mean, this game needs like 6 more months of polish type rough. I tend to be a bit more lenient when comes to indie developers, but when glitches and weird visual mess-ups start to hinder my experience, I feel like I have to incorporate into how I feel about the game. With this preface, I can now ramble about Penny's Biggie Bag.

The movement in this game rivals Mario Odyssey. That is the most praise that I think I can give to a 3D platformer. This game is about moving! Moving in style, moving in grace, moving with momentum, and chaining dashes, swings, and rolling on your Yo-Yo to create your own path in each level. This game, although it does not play like Sonic at all, reminds me of what I like about the older Sonic games: momentum-based speed is peak! Every time I do a dash into a momentum-filled swing, to boost myself, followed up by a wheelie on an edge, I'm a kid again: spin-dashing in Sonic Advance, watching Sonic zoom through the screen, to blast off in the air with not a care in the world. Penny's Big Bonanza knows how good it feels, and captures it with every inch of its level design. The levels all feel like suggestions rather than paths in this game, clearly motivating players to experiment as much as possible with the movement mechanics. Entire sections can be skipped through clever use of the yo-yo's swing and a wall jump; insane amounts of speed can be gained by a well-timed wheelie on a ramp, leading to new paths to uncover. There is no correct path. It's up to how well you can manipulate the system to get to where you need to be. There's something special about going against the "intended" path in these games, and being rewarded for it. The developers recognize that their levels are supposed to be motivators for creativity, rather than hard-coded progression lines, and I can't praise them enough for putting that control in the player's hands. There's always something worth trying, and the sheer amount of ideas they put out to compliment the movement mechanics heighten quite a lot in the end game. Unfortunately, this makes the first few worlds feel lacking, but never boring. It's like they were a bit afraid to really show off how creative this game can get, so they went with more common themes and ideas that you'd see your standard 3D Platformer. At the half point, they throw that all away, introducing some rad environmental designs, and just excellent sandboxes to Tony Hawk your way through. It also helps that the soundtrack is unsurprisingly fire. You go from a Circus-y pop soundtrack, to rock/techno, to all sorts of mixing and matching to make such a funky soundtrack. I mean, even the main menu theme is undeniably sick, so you know the soundtrack is good. My favorite song is Palace Sneaktime Swing. It's the synthy-swing mix combined with the bombastic horns that just warms my heart. Tee Lopes never disappoints.

With the above praise, it makes it seem like Penny's Big Ole Adventure must be my GOTY, and a perfect evolution of the 3D Platforming genre. In my heart, yeah. But, the roughness can't go unnoticed. I don't know if I like how this game looks. I like how the environments transform throughout the game, each level feeling like an insane dream. There's never any visual clutter, and the art style is unique. However, some of the environments' colors and designs can start to feel same-y. By the end of the game, a lot of levels started to blend together in my mind, especially within each world. I had to question if I hit Retry by accident on certain levels, only to quickly notice that I had progressed to the next level. In addition, the character models are kinda ugly? Sometimes? I don't know if it's the lighting or just how the backdrops make them stand-out, but they look kinda like unfinished rigs of a character. I understand that the game is going for a more minimalistic clay-like look, but it's not stylized enough like Jet Set Radio or detailed enough like Mario. It's this weird in-between that just comes off as unfinished for me. It's odd. And it's not always like this. The 2D animation is beautiful, and I wish they leaned heavier into that expressive style, but you only have so much time. The combo system as well, is a great motivating factor for mastering the movement, but I don't think the game really adheres to its rules? For one, there are too many combo enders in levels, where in order to progress you pretty much need to end your combo (or glitch your way through). It is fun trying to find creative ways to keep a combo going, but it's weird that you kinda have to fight the game rather than master it just to have a combo stay consistent. The spin twirl is far too inconsistent for it to be a reliable combo extender. And finally, some environments have some strange object properties leading to combo's randomly dropping. This leads to my biggest complaint. The lack of polish. This game is buggy. Not your average one-off funny glitch-buggy, but your clipping through objects, almost getting soft-locked, and Penny floating on objects forever type buggy. Every level was something new. I had to question if how I interacted with things was just how the game was designed, or if it was indeed a bug. My favorite is Penny's weird tumble animation. It will consistently happen on anything cylindrical, as I think she's programmed to loop on these object's maybe? You'll walk into them and lose all control of your character, as Penny drifts to the side, spinning in mid-air. Additionally, I've fallen out of the map too many times to count. Some collision just doesn't exist yet. I have no doubt these will be patched eventually, as the developers have already put out 3 patches for the game, but it doesn't change how much it impacted me. But, I know speedrunners must be having a blast, so more power to them.

The bosses are okay. Some are good, but they are mostly okay.

Penny's Prison Break will be a hidden gem, no doubt. It packs a punch with its charm-filled, and whimsical character and environmental design, and it knocks you out with its near-perfect momentum-based goodness. It just needs a loooot more time to polish up its right hook, and it could or maybe will be a contender for one of the best 3D platformers out there. Do not pass on this game

8/10 :)

It's been a while since I said, "Wow this fighting game is a video game". For years, we've been given the most sweaty, esports-driven, live-servicey fighting games that have plagued the industry. Don't get me wrong, I love to dump 300+ hours into the competitive multiplayer of a fighting game (Strive, I'm looking at you), but I long for the days when fighting games were video games first then stressful online day-ruiners second. Sf6 is the closest the industry has gotten to the former, I think. It's not all perfect, but god is it refreshing to have some content in my fighting game. So not only are the game's balance, mechanics, and roster incredibly well done for a launch, there is more video game in this game than the past 8 years of fighting games. Hopefully future seasons and the Capcom's shady microtransaction plans don't soil this game, because this is everything I ever wanted! If this game came out in 2008 instead of SF4, I don't think I would play anything else ever. I would play world tour and create the ultimate avatar, and mess around in the battle-hub forever. Glad video games are back on the menu.

9.5/10* (SUBJECT TO CHANGE. I know how you operate Capcom)

It feels weird to review a game like this, a game so clearly unfinished and scrapped together in its second half, that I wish the developers got a chance to do it all again. In the current year, games can completely change a year after their launch, but DMC4 does not get that luxury. If the game was solely Nero, provided a harder difficulty at the start, and got rid of the boss rush at the end of the game, I think this would have been my favorite DMC. Mechanically, Nero is the perfect balance of simple but stylish gameplay, and if he was given more flexibility through more weapons or even Dante's style swapping, he would be perfect. Dante seems incredibly out of place mechanically, as he can just dominate fights, and his playstyle is ridiculously hard to learn yet DMC4 is not a hard game. On normal, I only died once and that was due to the Secret missions not refilling your health. I wish there was more to be said about this game, but all my complaints come from odd design choices that scream padding and development trouble. Despite this, this game is still 75% a blast to play through, and it no doubt should get better as you dive into the advanced techniques hidden within this game. However, a first playthrough feels underwhelming at parts and incredible in others. The pacing halts while you backtrack through the game as Dante, causing a character swap that should be amazing feel redundant and unfinished. Enemy designs are hit-or-miss, and are clearly designed around Nero. Levels are visually impressive but lack the interesting layouts and exploration from the earlier games, and the bosses are cool but far too easy which defeats the learning process that I loved in DMC3.

DMC4 is still a fun time. I just wished the developers had more time to make it the best it could be.

7.5/10

Probably the most polished souls like to date. Nails it in presentation, and mechanics (most of the time) but the world-building can be a bit lackluster. My engagement of Souls games comes from a sense of exploration and wonder, and finding out how people survive and operate in the screwed-up worlds they live in. Lies of P doesn't really make me question a whole lot. Everything is laid out, there are no real discoveries to have, and the story is very much in your face. You can't miss it. There's no real room to interpret or ruminate on what the journey meant, which I think is the biggest letdown. Quests have a very user-friendly design which I think is a positive and negative. They actually can be completed without a wiki on hand (thank god!!) but on the other hand, they feel too gamey now? Like, time to go here. Deliver this to that person. Time to talk to this person, didn't you see the face on the level screen? It's the one thing that made Soul's game create that sense of discovery and that the world is alive; organically interacting with NPCs on their own journeys. Regardless, it's a shining achievement for a team like this to hit so many correct notes from FromSoft's design, while still trying to establish their own identity and justify their game's existence. I may not be 100% on board with all the decisions made in the game, but man was I thoroughly impressed. Solid game, and I can't wait for the sequel.

8/10 :)

I cried at the end of the game. It's the ultimate conclusion to one of the most dreadful, terrifying, thoughtful, emotionally driven gaming experiences that I have ever played. And to think that this is also a fantastic survival horror game under the layers of fantastic storytelling, and heart-wrenching themes of death, and depression. I kinda never want to play this game again, because of how it made me feel. But, it's an unforgettable experience that's filled with so much to digest.

Silent Hill 2 is the definition of dread, but it's a good dread.

The game Platinum Games was always destined to make. Maybe the most interesting action game I've ever played, and the ultimate Platinum package. It's such a bombastic journey from start to finish, and finally allows the over-the-top set pieces and genre-bending mechanics and levels to be the meat of the game rather than a distraction. It's by no means perfect, but it may be the perfect Platinum Game's game. Also, the finale is probably Platinum's best final act in any of their games. Thank you Kamiya for making really weird games.

101/10

The first Assaisin's Creed game. Or should I say the game that built the basis for the Sly-like genre leading to the wildly successful game series known as Assasin's Creed. This game is such an enormous step up from Sly 1, creating an entirely new identity and focusing on the stealth platforming mechanics that made the first game so unique. The story is elevated, the animations and style are even better, and the overall progression (albeit repetitive) is fun to blast through. I think some levels are much more defined and memorable than others. The more experimental environments unlike what we usually see in 3D platformers (Contesas's Prison, the Blimp) are what I wanted more of. And I think the game reusing environmental themes as a Part 2 for certain levels also didn't sit well with me. But the level design is crafted too damn well to really complain. It feels good to traverse in Sly 2. You are always in control, and you the environments are your playground for that control, rather than an obstacle like in Sly 1. The story captivated me more than I expected, and now I am obsessed with these characters. I love their chemistry, and I'm so glad the game let them grow not only showing their growth as a team, but also growth as individuals. The ending is perfect for the journey they endured.

The mini-games though.... At least they feel more grounded to the "heist" premise of the game, and they don't overstay their welcome. However, I still think the game could do without turret sections, and 15 different hacking mini-games. Regardless, Suckerpunch knocked it out of the park with this title. To think this was a PS2 title as well.

8.5/10

It's kinda unfair reviewing Portal I think. I started with the second game first, fell in love with it, played it 10+ times, and finally decided 11 years after portal 2's release that maybe I should try out the first. And of course, it is not as good as its sequel, but god is it charming.

The biggest takeaway from this game was how dark it is in comparison to its successor. The identical-looking chambers combined with a lack of music make it feel like you are trapped in a box, forced to do tests for a being that may or may not exist. Still to this day am I amazed by how novel the idea of Portal really is. A design so simple resulted in endless ideas and creativity, but in 2007, of course, they needed to ease players into this brand-new experience. The puzzles are tight, and not too complex, making the game feel like a presentation of what you can do in Portal. All that was needed was to push the game further. But, I am glad it was made.

"Sly, before you can progress in this game about sneaking around, platforming, and avoiding lasers and guards, you NEEED to light these 30 candles with your flamethrower, Sly! You neeed to in order to get the key! And, your flamethrower is fueled by piranahas, Sly! Light the 30 candles with your piranha-fueled flamethrower to progress, SLYYY!"

Easily, my favorite of the PS2 3d Platformers by far. Just wished it let me play the fun parts for 100% of the game.

7.5/10