No Promises Await at Journey’s End
— Exposition —
I wasn’t a fan of Final Fantasy VII Remake. The story felt outdated and confusing, the pacing was all over the place, and the visuals and music were underwhelming. The only standouts that kept me playing were the characters and the combat. The game’s difficulty and balance were also a massive point of pressure for me.
— Introduction —
105 hours later (triple the length of my Remake play through), Rebirth improves and fixes almost every single thing I didn’t enjoy about Remake and then some.
There’s so much I could go into about this game, but I’m gonna try to compress it as much as possible. (Skip to conclusion at bottom for TL;DR)
— The Review —
Over three times the playtime, an open world that rivals some of the biggest I’ve ever seen, and one of the best stories I’ve ever experienced.
From the very start, I was immediately captivated by the story so much more than the original game, and by the end, I was in tears. While it was still huge and confusing, I never truly felt “lost” with the story. And oh my god these characters. I love them all so much and feel every single emotion they go through in this game.
The score is phenomenal though it still doesn’t rival some of Square-Enix’s other games for me. Aerith’s theme though will probably make me cry every time I hear it.
The game’s visuals and art direction are breathtaking, especially in comparison to the first game and the tech advancements behind it are even more impressive.
The open world is one of the largest, most diverse, and fun to explore in all of gaming. Almost all of the side content is really fun and engaging though does lack much in the realm of reward besides experiencing some really cool little side stories. There is a bit of an overabundance of side content in my opinion if you want to 100% complete the game. However, I really think you can skip the large majority of it and not miss out on much.
After all of this, is it a perfect game? Absolutely not. Unfortunately, my number one point that I did not enjoy about the game was one of the biggest issues I had with Remake as well. The difficulty and balance is awful and all over the place. One second I can be walking through enemies left and right, the next second I’m getting one shot by a boss and the only resolution is switching to easy difficulty. I can rant about this topic all day but TL;DR is that I really wish the game had more accessibility settings and more settings in general.
So if the game isn’t perfect, how is it a 5/5? Well, very few pieces of media are ever truly perfect masterpieces. Video games as an art have so many aspects to them that labeling one issue that caused me some minor inconvenience doesn’t negate the fact of how unfathomably good this game was; especially in a game as massive and nuanced as this one. Breath of the Wild’s lackluster narrative doesn’t make it any less of a masterpiece, y’know?
— Conclusion (TL;DR) —
Rebirth is a monumentally incredible sequel. A game that truly capitalizes on its prequel in unprecedented ways. A full package experience with nearly every single aspect nailed. Story, characters, pacing, visuals, game loop, combat, sound design, and score all come together to make for an emotionally devastating, epic, roller coaster of a journey that I will never forget. It’s hard to see how the third and final installment of the VII Remake trilogy could possibly live up to this game’s grandeur. But after the glow-up of Remake to Rebirth, I have faith that Nomura can wrangle the fate of this series and finish it out strong.
— Exposition —
I wasn’t a fan of Final Fantasy VII Remake. The story felt outdated and confusing, the pacing was all over the place, and the visuals and music were underwhelming. The only standouts that kept me playing were the characters and the combat. The game’s difficulty and balance were also a massive point of pressure for me.
— Introduction —
105 hours later (triple the length of my Remake play through), Rebirth improves and fixes almost every single thing I didn’t enjoy about Remake and then some.
There’s so much I could go into about this game, but I’m gonna try to compress it as much as possible. (Skip to conclusion at bottom for TL;DR)
— The Review —
Over three times the playtime, an open world that rivals some of the biggest I’ve ever seen, and one of the best stories I’ve ever experienced.
From the very start, I was immediately captivated by the story so much more than the original game, and by the end, I was in tears. While it was still huge and confusing, I never truly felt “lost” with the story. And oh my god these characters. I love them all so much and feel every single emotion they go through in this game.
The score is phenomenal though it still doesn’t rival some of Square-Enix’s other games for me. Aerith’s theme though will probably make me cry every time I hear it.
The game’s visuals and art direction are breathtaking, especially in comparison to the first game and the tech advancements behind it are even more impressive.
The open world is one of the largest, most diverse, and fun to explore in all of gaming. Almost all of the side content is really fun and engaging though does lack much in the realm of reward besides experiencing some really cool little side stories. There is a bit of an overabundance of side content in my opinion if you want to 100% complete the game. However, I really think you can skip the large majority of it and not miss out on much.
After all of this, is it a perfect game? Absolutely not. Unfortunately, my number one point that I did not enjoy about the game was one of the biggest issues I had with Remake as well. The difficulty and balance is awful and all over the place. One second I can be walking through enemies left and right, the next second I’m getting one shot by a boss and the only resolution is switching to easy difficulty. I can rant about this topic all day but TL;DR is that I really wish the game had more accessibility settings and more settings in general.
So if the game isn’t perfect, how is it a 5/5? Well, very few pieces of media are ever truly perfect masterpieces. Video games as an art have so many aspects to them that labeling one issue that caused me some minor inconvenience doesn’t negate the fact of how unfathomably good this game was; especially in a game as massive and nuanced as this one. Breath of the Wild’s lackluster narrative doesn’t make it any less of a masterpiece, y’know?
— Conclusion (TL;DR) —
Rebirth is a monumentally incredible sequel. A game that truly capitalizes on its prequel in unprecedented ways. A full package experience with nearly every single aspect nailed. Story, characters, pacing, visuals, game loop, combat, sound design, and score all come together to make for an emotionally devastating, epic, roller coaster of a journey that I will never forget. It’s hard to see how the third and final installment of the VII Remake trilogy could possibly live up to this game’s grandeur. But after the glow-up of Remake to Rebirth, I have faith that Nomura can wrangle the fate of this series and finish it out strong.
2021
Brilliant concept, but 2-3 hours is just too long to repeat the same mechanic over and over again. 1 hour would have made this a perfect game.
2022
I’ve tried out quite a few survivors-likes/reverse bullet hells/rogue-lites including having over 100 hours on Vampire Survivors. This is easily my favorite; I’ve been bingeing it every chance I get this week and I’m obsessed.
The progression is so extremely satisfying and continuously expansive and seemingly never ending while still being in early access! I also love the stage format with individual stages and zones. So few games do it this way but it’s so nice to be able to pause and resume wherever rather than having to finish a 30+ minute run.
Also the game is so visually appealing while still maintaining the chaotic bullet hell nature that these games are known for.
It also runs pretty flawlessly on Steam Deck. Obviously when you get to the later stages of progression frame rates start dropping but I suspect that’s true on most PCs. Though it does have a TON of fantastic settings in terms of graphics, gameplay, accessibility, etc. Way more than expected from an indie like this in early access.
It also looks like the developer has been very frequently updating it and putting out huge dev logs.
Adoring this game and I will continue to binge it! Can’t wait to see where it goes in the future.
The progression is so extremely satisfying and continuously expansive and seemingly never ending while still being in early access! I also love the stage format with individual stages and zones. So few games do it this way but it’s so nice to be able to pause and resume wherever rather than having to finish a 30+ minute run.
Also the game is so visually appealing while still maintaining the chaotic bullet hell nature that these games are known for.
It also runs pretty flawlessly on Steam Deck. Obviously when you get to the later stages of progression frame rates start dropping but I suspect that’s true on most PCs. Though it does have a TON of fantastic settings in terms of graphics, gameplay, accessibility, etc. Way more than expected from an indie like this in early access.
It also looks like the developer has been very frequently updating it and putting out huge dev logs.
Adoring this game and I will continue to binge it! Can’t wait to see where it goes in the future.
2022
Beautiful and unforgettable art style and world-building. Great story as well as awesome characters. Really wish it was longer though. Was only about 4.5 hours, would have loved 6-8 imo
One of my favorite games of the year, easily.
One of my favorite games of the year, easily.
2022
Finished #CultoftheLamb last night. As someone who generally isn’t a fan of rogue-like elements in games, this one is definitely different. And the cute but demonic art style and vibe takes it to the next level😅
Genuinely an incredible game and easily one of my favorite games of the year. I’m so happy I gave this game a chance.
Genuinely an incredible game and easily one of my favorite games of the year. I’m so happy I gave this game a chance.
2018
I'm so angry it took me all this time to play this masterpiece.
2022
(Review copied from my Twitter @ZedZedboi)
I finished one of my most anticipated indies of the year a few days ago, and what an amazing experience it was.
This game has so much charm, such a thought-provoking story, and fantastic gameplay.
Calling this game a ‘Portal-like’ doesn’t do it justice in my opinion. It really expands on that idea and adds so much of a cohesive story around it including lots of lore to be missed within the world itself if you’re not looking hard enough; It reminds me a lot of Control in that way.
The characters are relatable and super charming, the sound design and score are great, the visuals are immaculate as well.
It’s so impressive that the entire game was made by essentially one person!
At times I did feel as if there were a few too many puzzles. Yes it’s a puzzle game, but I feel they had something really special with the few action sequences in the game between the movement and rewind systems and wish they used it more!
Overall I had an incredible time with The Entropy Centre. One of my personal games of the year and really think it’s worth checking out for anyone into solo adventure or puzzle games.
I can’t wait to see what @Stubby_Games does next 🙌
I finished one of my most anticipated indies of the year a few days ago, and what an amazing experience it was.
This game has so much charm, such a thought-provoking story, and fantastic gameplay.
Calling this game a ‘Portal-like’ doesn’t do it justice in my opinion. It really expands on that idea and adds so much of a cohesive story around it including lots of lore to be missed within the world itself if you’re not looking hard enough; It reminds me a lot of Control in that way.
The characters are relatable and super charming, the sound design and score are great, the visuals are immaculate as well.
It’s so impressive that the entire game was made by essentially one person!
At times I did feel as if there were a few too many puzzles. Yes it’s a puzzle game, but I feel they had something really special with the few action sequences in the game between the movement and rewind systems and wish they used it more!
Overall I had an incredible time with The Entropy Centre. One of my personal games of the year and really think it’s worth checking out for anyone into solo adventure or puzzle games.
I can’t wait to see what @Stubby_Games does next 🙌
2011
I have no way to track the time I've played officially, but I estimate its easily about 6000+
My favorite game of all time and the game that got me through a lot of my life. I still return back once or twice a year to put another 100-200 hours into my world and never get tired of it. This is the game that I will be playing for the rest of my life and I couldn't be happier.
My favorite game of all time and the game that got me through a lot of my life. I still return back once or twice a year to put another 100-200 hours into my world and never get tired of it. This is the game that I will be playing for the rest of my life and I couldn't be happier.
2022
This game really is a full package honestly. Satisfying automation, wholesome vibes with the art direction and score, a nice little story, and all under the guise of fun VR mechanics.
The puzzles were challenging enough, some were very daunting but ultimately very solvable and satisfying once you completed them.
There’s definitely some room for completionists here too with some of the challenges which were quite fun but start getting exceedingly difficult towards the end.
My only main issue the game had (which only became noticeable towards the last couple of levels) was how inconsistent some of your recordings could act with the physics of the objects in the game. Overall this wasn’t a massive issue but it led to some frustration on a couple of occasions.
Overall a genuinely great game and this studio deserves a lot of praise and support for whatever they decide to do next. One of my favorite games of 2022 now.
The puzzles were challenging enough, some were very daunting but ultimately very solvable and satisfying once you completed them.
There’s definitely some room for completionists here too with some of the challenges which were quite fun but start getting exceedingly difficult towards the end.
My only main issue the game had (which only became noticeable towards the last couple of levels) was how inconsistent some of your recordings could act with the physics of the objects in the game. Overall this wasn’t a massive issue but it led to some frustration on a couple of occasions.
Overall a genuinely great game and this studio deserves a lot of praise and support for whatever they decide to do next. One of my favorite games of 2022 now.
2023
I was really looking forward to this game for a long time. Ever since it was first announced back in 2021.
Overall it was a good experience and I think it did what it set out to do. Though I will say it’s not perfect.
I encountered bugs on multiple occasions that completely halted progression requiring me to restart sections of levels multiple times (or even just back out to the main menu and then go back in).
Another issue: while I feel the majority of the game did a great job with this, the final level really confused me. There were multiple mechanics that just didn’t work the same way as they did in the rest of the game and multiple new mechanics it just didn’t bother to explain. Ultimately this lead to a really bitter ending after getting pretty frustrated by this.
Overall I enjoyed my experience but at the price of $25, it’s hard to justify. I was definitely let down by the short (4-6 hours) of playtime (though if you’re a completionist there is definitely multiple more hours of content for you). I also had some fairly annoying bugs and just general other grievances. I will say, I do love that a portion of the Steam sales (at least at launch) go to a wildlife fund which is awesome and so on brand for this game.
Overall it was a good experience and I think it did what it set out to do. Though I will say it’s not perfect.
I encountered bugs on multiple occasions that completely halted progression requiring me to restart sections of levels multiple times (or even just back out to the main menu and then go back in).
Another issue: while I feel the majority of the game did a great job with this, the final level really confused me. There were multiple mechanics that just didn’t work the same way as they did in the rest of the game and multiple new mechanics it just didn’t bother to explain. Ultimately this lead to a really bitter ending after getting pretty frustrated by this.
Overall I enjoyed my experience but at the price of $25, it’s hard to justify. I was definitely let down by the short (4-6 hours) of playtime (though if you’re a completionist there is definitely multiple more hours of content for you). I also had some fairly annoying bugs and just general other grievances. I will say, I do love that a portion of the Steam sales (at least at launch) go to a wildlife fund which is awesome and so on brand for this game.
2023
Just as everyone else has said — RE4 Remake is simply one of the greatest games of all time, even better. What a god damn good game from start to ending. Perfect pacing, perfect combat, such lovable characters, and such fun camp. Genuinely scary too!
2022
A very uninspiring reboot of an early 2000's action platformer. It might be worth a try if you have nostalgia for that kind of game, but I would watch some gameplay/trailers first. While I am a massive fan of that kind of game myself, I can't say I ever played any of the original Kao games, but overall I would say this one is a very forgettable experience.
Also it had very not solid feeling controls and an odd feeling delay on a lot of the inputs which made it feel like it took a bit too much inspiration from those early 2000's games 😂
Also it had very not solid feeling controls and an odd feeling delay on a lot of the inputs which made it feel like it took a bit too much inspiration from those early 2000's games 😂
2023
This was a very anticipated game for me ever since I saw it at E3 a few years ago and it didn't disappoint!
PLANET OF LANA is an incredibly brilliant game in terms of art direction, music/score, and story.
The art and score blew me away right from the very first trailer I saw. The watercolor paint art style and the ethereal but also sci-fi feeling score is just so unique. Also, some of the music that you hear later in the game is just absolutely BEAUTIFUL, some of the best video game music I've heard in
a while!
The story is very simple as are many games of this genre, but it definitely captures you for the full runtime of the game. From the sheer sense of wonder with how big the world is and the events occurring around you, the affection you feel for your companion, and the sense of horror in later sections of the game. It's breathtaking, horrifying, and heartbreaking throughout and I was really blown away.
I did encounter some frustration with the gameplay here and there. I often found that platforming in general but specifically jumping from one ledge to another, could be very frustrating at times. Some ledges have a few more "inches" of invisible hitbox that aren't represented visually. So I would often find myself jumping too early, then falling to my death or onto whatever was below.
Admittedly, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, but a few puzzles felt quite obtuse and confusing. I ended up looking up a walkthrough video about 3 times throughout which is unfortunate.
Overall, this game is brilliant. PLANET OF LANA is not perfect but for me, it absolutely makes up for its faults in terms of story, art, and score. At times, it definitely wears its inspiration from games that defined the genre, such as INSIDE (2016), on its sleeve. However, it also goes above and beyond elevating the gameplay with in-depth puzzles and stealth mechanics. This game is a worthwhile experience for anyone that is a fan of incredible art direction, subtle storytelling, or just a supporter of fantastic indie experiences in general.
PLANET OF LANA is an incredibly brilliant game in terms of art direction, music/score, and story.
The art and score blew me away right from the very first trailer I saw. The watercolor paint art style and the ethereal but also sci-fi feeling score is just so unique. Also, some of the music that you hear later in the game is just absolutely BEAUTIFUL, some of the best video game music I've heard in
a while!
The story is very simple as are many games of this genre, but it definitely captures you for the full runtime of the game. From the sheer sense of wonder with how big the world is and the events occurring around you, the affection you feel for your companion, and the sense of horror in later sections of the game. It's breathtaking, horrifying, and heartbreaking throughout and I was really blown away.
I did encounter some frustration with the gameplay here and there. I often found that platforming in general but specifically jumping from one ledge to another, could be very frustrating at times. Some ledges have a few more "inches" of invisible hitbox that aren't represented visually. So I would often find myself jumping too early, then falling to my death or onto whatever was below.
Admittedly, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, but a few puzzles felt quite obtuse and confusing. I ended up looking up a walkthrough video about 3 times throughout which is unfortunate.
Overall, this game is brilliant. PLANET OF LANA is not perfect but for me, it absolutely makes up for its faults in terms of story, art, and score. At times, it definitely wears its inspiration from games that defined the genre, such as INSIDE (2016), on its sleeve. However, it also goes above and beyond elevating the gameplay with in-depth puzzles and stealth mechanics. This game is a worthwhile experience for anyone that is a fan of incredible art direction, subtle storytelling, or just a supporter of fantastic indie experiences in general.