ZeeNotZed
This game had immense potential.
The amiibo-like figurine collecting to play more characters was frankly genius of the developers, though rough on the consumer's wallet.
The concept of skill trees for the Skylanders was also so ahead of its time when you consider that games like Overwatch 2 have promised (and failed) to deliver on this kind of concept coupled with PvE gameplay. This game was attempting so many promising things, but unfortunately the actual gameplay was too grounded in this linear story mode that lacked replayability unless you were going in to find one of the hidden unlockables in a level to grant you a new skill for a character. So once you cleared the game you didn't even care much about replaying it with the new Skylanders you just went out and bought and it became more of a collectable gimmick than the great game it could have been. Gameplay gimmicks in the subsequent titles also did very little to invigorate them. As a young teen I remember playing the story perhaps twice before getting bored because beyond it the game offers very little.
If this game re-released with online multiplayer and some new game-modes for more difficult endgame play it could seriously reach new heights.
The amiibo-like figurine collecting to play more characters was frankly genius of the developers, though rough on the consumer's wallet.
The concept of skill trees for the Skylanders was also so ahead of its time when you consider that games like Overwatch 2 have promised (and failed) to deliver on this kind of concept coupled with PvE gameplay. This game was attempting so many promising things, but unfortunately the actual gameplay was too grounded in this linear story mode that lacked replayability unless you were going in to find one of the hidden unlockables in a level to grant you a new skill for a character. So once you cleared the game you didn't even care much about replaying it with the new Skylanders you just went out and bought and it became more of a collectable gimmick than the great game it could have been. Gameplay gimmicks in the subsequent titles also did very little to invigorate them. As a young teen I remember playing the story perhaps twice before getting bored because beyond it the game offers very little.
If this game re-released with online multiplayer and some new game-modes for more difficult endgame play it could seriously reach new heights.
2000
Nothing about this title makes it worth playing over any of the games that would follow. It feels like an extremely unrealised and unfinished version of DW3. Though for the time it was the start of something amazing.
1992
One of my first gaming experiences as a child, so I have a nostalgia bias. That being said, the game is so punishing to play with extremely difficult steering mechanics and a huge amount of downtime when you're hit by a hazard or item. Easily the hardest game in the series and Mario Kart fans who go back to play this one are in for a severe shock because playing this game for the first time is the most "what the f***" experience.
That being said there is an allure and charm to the game's style and characters and its a hilarious time with friends who are particularly competitive as with most MK games. An iconic, foundational beginning for the franchise.
That being said there is an allure and charm to the game's style and characters and its a hilarious time with friends who are particularly competitive as with most MK games. An iconic, foundational beginning for the franchise.
Iconic and memorable only for how dreadful it is. The cutscenes are campy but interesting, and overall it's a fun game to have a laugh at. The actual play experience is mundane at the best of times but mostly frustrating.
2007
A strong contender for the best game in the series. The minigames were very fun and made great use of the unique functionalities of the DS. The map designs, power-ups and objectives felt very streamlined and not as gimmicky or power-imbalanced as most of the other titles making this one a favourable choice to play with friends. Though in a post-DS world any extra brownie points for multiplayer can't really be strongly considered.
2005
While 4 is usually the favourite from what I've seen, for me the clear peak of the musou formula is in DW5 and its expansions. Even further tweaks to gameplay were made that saw the removal of the lock-on effect during combos (the best change) giving you more fluidity in your combos which were extended to like 9 hits or so. This provides more options and a more dynamic gameplay experience which, lets face it, does become a little mundane even for hack and slash enjoyers. The movesets are so tight and feel so unique to each of the characters. The way they're executed is reflected really appropriately for the character's personalities which all feel very fully realised in 5 as well as their look and design. In spite of these gameplay elevations it is really the story that takes centre stage in 5 for me. While it clearly follows the same narrative throughout the franchise over and over again, the presentation of the storyline feels fully realised here.
There are some gimmicks like the god-mode powerup thingy I don't even know what its called, and the joint-musou attack with your bodyguard, that do make this game substantially easier just across the board. Though, I don't mind it as for me bearing witness to this game's iteration of the characters and story always made this Dynasty Warriors the real treat for me.
To discuss some flaws, mounted combat still sucks and going into the arrow shooting mode feels as trivial and pointless as usual. Also the artstyle in this game is great albeit very dusty(?) Honestly if you've played the game before you'll know what I mean. It just looks very dusty all the time lolllll. This will always be my game though <3
There are some gimmicks like the god-mode powerup thingy I don't even know what its called, and the joint-musou attack with your bodyguard, that do make this game substantially easier just across the board. Though, I don't mind it as for me bearing witness to this game's iteration of the characters and story always made this Dynasty Warriors the real treat for me.
To discuss some flaws, mounted combat still sucks and going into the arrow shooting mode feels as trivial and pointless as usual. Also the artstyle in this game is great albeit very dusty(?) Honestly if you've played the game before you'll know what I mean. It just looks very dusty all the time lolllll. This will always be my game though <3
2003
Significant quality of life changes were made coming into the 4th installment of the franchise and the gameplay had become finetuned to a point where it remained fairly consistent for many DW titles to come. The artstyle and music in 4 gives this game a sense of intensity and heavy metal that ignites something in you as you hack away, or get hacked at (as the difficulty in 4 certainly doesn't diminish from 3)
2002
The pacing and classic Micro Machines birds-eye perspective combine to make this a fairly difficult Micro Machines game (though nothing on the level of Turbo Tournament). You can barely see where you're going before falling off somewhere, which was less of an issue I encountered when I played V3. The beauty of the game is it respawns you very quickly and any setback you face gets remedied pretty fast due to the fast pace. The tracks and powerups do feel fairly thoughtless and uninspired even for their time, though some tracks are more fun than others. The characters and their unique vehicles were a fun and campier avenue for the franchise.