drawingtoptarp
2021
Ehh...I gave this game a chance and played it for like 2 hours. I got this game for free on Epic and I think the art style and design caught my eye, as well as it being a metriodvania. Once I started it up, the intro cutscene made me curious on how this game was going to go about with a story and I was ready to see what happens.
After playing it for a bit, I just couldn't really get into it. I've played a few metriodvanias by now that were all really good, so maybe I've just been spoiled with them or something (yes, I've played and enjoyed Hollow Knight). Something about the level design of this game felt off and I didn't really feel like exploring a lot because of it. It was also hard to tell when I was going the right direction in order to reach a boss and advance in the game, which has actually not happened to me in the other metriodvanias that I've enjoyed.
I also wasn't really a fan of needing to worry about having a ton of items to care about in my inventory, as well as needing to equip weapons and armor and consumables and whatever else. It made the act of collecting and using items feel a bit too complicated and clunky for me. The combat was fine, I suppose. Some enemies were annoying to deal with. But I did enjoy using that counter-attack thing that sucks them up, but there were a few times that it seemed to not last long enough or I would get hurt when I wasn't really in the range of the attack from the enemy.
I could see how someone could like this game, but I suppose it's just not for me. Maybe I just picked this up since I'm still itching for Silksong, idk.
After playing it for a bit, I just couldn't really get into it. I've played a few metriodvanias by now that were all really good, so maybe I've just been spoiled with them or something (yes, I've played and enjoyed Hollow Knight). Something about the level design of this game felt off and I didn't really feel like exploring a lot because of it. It was also hard to tell when I was going the right direction in order to reach a boss and advance in the game, which has actually not happened to me in the other metriodvanias that I've enjoyed.
I also wasn't really a fan of needing to worry about having a ton of items to care about in my inventory, as well as needing to equip weapons and armor and consumables and whatever else. It made the act of collecting and using items feel a bit too complicated and clunky for me. The combat was fine, I suppose. Some enemies were annoying to deal with. But I did enjoy using that counter-attack thing that sucks them up, but there were a few times that it seemed to not last long enough or I would get hurt when I wasn't really in the range of the attack from the enemy.
I could see how someone could like this game, but I suppose it's just not for me. Maybe I just picked this up since I'm still itching for Silksong, idk.
2020
After owning this game for years, starting it once before and stopping after like 3 chapters, and basically killing my laptop, I finally beat this game. Also, that laptop thing wasn’t a joke. My laptop was like 5 years old by this point and was a decent machine that could basically run anything except the really high-end stuff, but I think this game might have burned out 2 laptop chargers and overheated the laptop more than once. I ended up just buying a new laptop.
This game was quite the experience to say the least and I’m certain I won’t forget it anytime soon. Making it a VR game instead of a normal PC game was interesting and I initially wasn’t a fan of it, but it gave me an excuse to try an actual VR game instead of something like Beat Saber. From what I’ve heard and seen from other VR games, this seems to be the best one on the market, and I feel like I don’t even need to play anything else to know that. The fact that it is VR makes it so much more immersive, for better or for worse.
First of all, I think the gravity gloves help this game feel a lot better than it would if they weren’t included. One drawback to VR is that you can’t always move around too much wherever you’re playing the game, and while there is still plenty of moving around in the game, the concept of pulling small items to your hands instead of having to walk over and actually pick them up was a huge quality-of-life feature.
Second, the VR immersion was almost too good at some points in the game. I am a weenie who can’t even play a FNAF game without feeling like a kid who just noticed their closet is cracked open in the middle of the night. I do not play horror games and don’t enjoy really any horror or scary media at all. The fact that I got through Ravenholm in HL2 was a miracle, but this game liked to really push me at some points. Whenever the area was super dark and the flashlight activated, I instantly broke into a sweat, knowing that there will most likely be several zombies and head crabs to deal with. And I’m sure I don’t need to mention that one chapter that I won’t spoil but you know which one I’m referring to if you’ve played it. This game is not for the faint-of-heart.
The combat was interesting and quite different than anything I’ve played before. While this is indeed a shooter game, the VR once again makes it feel unique. The fact that you can’t just line up a crosshair in the middle of the screen with an enemy and kill them easily from any distance was a huge adjustment for me. You actually had to aim the guns as if you were aiming a real gun, making the combat a lot harder at mid-to-long range. While there are several gun upgrades designed to make it easier to aim and fight, it is still not as easy as you would expect it to be. Speaking of guns and combat, I felt like I was stressing about ammo for like the entire game. I wasn’t going around just spamming my guns and wasting ammo when I didn’t need to, but I still felt like the game gave you just enough ammo and just the right rate to make you want to cherish every single bullet you had. Since there was no melee or other ammo-less equivalent in this game, I was always nervous of running out of shots and not knowing what to do at that point. I never fully ran out of ammo, but there was one point where I emptied 2 of the 3 guns before finding more ammo for them all. I could count on one hand the amount of times in this game where I felt like I had a good supply of ammo, only for it to be half used within the next 5 minutes in some big fight.
As for the story, I liked it. It all felt like a natural progression from each story beat to the next and fit comfortably within the Half Life world. I was invested during most if not all of the game and was eager to see what happened next. The buildup to the end was really well-done and made me super excited to see how it ended, even though I already knew the ending. I looked up the ending for myself over a year ago just to see what happens and I really wish I didn’t since I think my mind would have been blown if I saw it all fresh. As for how it connects with the story in the rest of the games, I’m a bit confused. This is a prequel to HL2, but the ending of this game seems to muddle with the ending of Episode 2, as well as Episode 1 and HL2 if you think about it a certain way. Maybe I just need to watch an explanation on Youtube or something, but I’m just a bit confused on how it all fits together. It’s also funny how Valve saw people asking for HL3 for YEARS and YEARS since Episode 2 was such a huge cliffhanger, and instead made a prequel that answers literally no questions and just makes you ask more. I’m still holding out hope for HL3…
A very fun game that I quite enjoyed and used as an excuse to seriously try out some real VR stuff. While VR might not really be for me, I’m glad I tried it and actually finished the game. When HL3 eventually comes out (cope), I ask that it be a regular PC game.
This game was quite the experience to say the least and I’m certain I won’t forget it anytime soon. Making it a VR game instead of a normal PC game was interesting and I initially wasn’t a fan of it, but it gave me an excuse to try an actual VR game instead of something like Beat Saber. From what I’ve heard and seen from other VR games, this seems to be the best one on the market, and I feel like I don’t even need to play anything else to know that. The fact that it is VR makes it so much more immersive, for better or for worse.
First of all, I think the gravity gloves help this game feel a lot better than it would if they weren’t included. One drawback to VR is that you can’t always move around too much wherever you’re playing the game, and while there is still plenty of moving around in the game, the concept of pulling small items to your hands instead of having to walk over and actually pick them up was a huge quality-of-life feature.
Second, the VR immersion was almost too good at some points in the game. I am a weenie who can’t even play a FNAF game without feeling like a kid who just noticed their closet is cracked open in the middle of the night. I do not play horror games and don’t enjoy really any horror or scary media at all. The fact that I got through Ravenholm in HL2 was a miracle, but this game liked to really push me at some points. Whenever the area was super dark and the flashlight activated, I instantly broke into a sweat, knowing that there will most likely be several zombies and head crabs to deal with. And I’m sure I don’t need to mention that one chapter that I won’t spoil but you know which one I’m referring to if you’ve played it. This game is not for the faint-of-heart.
The combat was interesting and quite different than anything I’ve played before. While this is indeed a shooter game, the VR once again makes it feel unique. The fact that you can’t just line up a crosshair in the middle of the screen with an enemy and kill them easily from any distance was a huge adjustment for me. You actually had to aim the guns as if you were aiming a real gun, making the combat a lot harder at mid-to-long range. While there are several gun upgrades designed to make it easier to aim and fight, it is still not as easy as you would expect it to be. Speaking of guns and combat, I felt like I was stressing about ammo for like the entire game. I wasn’t going around just spamming my guns and wasting ammo when I didn’t need to, but I still felt like the game gave you just enough ammo and just the right rate to make you want to cherish every single bullet you had. Since there was no melee or other ammo-less equivalent in this game, I was always nervous of running out of shots and not knowing what to do at that point. I never fully ran out of ammo, but there was one point where I emptied 2 of the 3 guns before finding more ammo for them all. I could count on one hand the amount of times in this game where I felt like I had a good supply of ammo, only for it to be half used within the next 5 minutes in some big fight.
As for the story, I liked it. It all felt like a natural progression from each story beat to the next and fit comfortably within the Half Life world. I was invested during most if not all of the game and was eager to see what happened next. The buildup to the end was really well-done and made me super excited to see how it ended, even though I already knew the ending. I looked up the ending for myself over a year ago just to see what happens and I really wish I didn’t since I think my mind would have been blown if I saw it all fresh. As for how it connects with the story in the rest of the games, I’m a bit confused. This is a prequel to HL2, but the ending of this game seems to muddle with the ending of Episode 2, as well as Episode 1 and HL2 if you think about it a certain way. Maybe I just need to watch an explanation on Youtube or something, but I’m just a bit confused on how it all fits together. It’s also funny how Valve saw people asking for HL3 for YEARS and YEARS since Episode 2 was such a huge cliffhanger, and instead made a prequel that answers literally no questions and just makes you ask more. I’m still holding out hope for HL3…
A very fun game that I quite enjoyed and used as an excuse to seriously try out some real VR stuff. While VR might not really be for me, I’m glad I tried it and actually finished the game. When HL3 eventually comes out (cope), I ask that it be a regular PC game.
2017
Fine enough but the physics felt too weird and the game didn’t feel right because of it
Way too many features for what should be a simple arcade game. There’s like 15 buttons in the main menu. I’m not a huge fan of having levels with challenges in a game like this.
Also, I might just be a freak about this, but why is the name of the game making it sound like it’s bowling and a board game when it’s just Skee-Ball?
Also, I might just be a freak about this, but why is the name of the game making it sound like it’s bowling and a board game when it’s just Skee-Ball?
Played one song and lost even though I got all the way through!!!
The original version of this game was one of my favorite games when I was younger, so playing the remake was like a trip down memory lane after the lane had some work done. The story is great and still holds up today. The humor and wittiness that I remember from this series and original release is still just as good. The visual style is pretty good and not as bad as some people would have you believe, but I'm not sure if they are better than the original pixel art, but that might just be me being nostalgic.
The combat was interesting. In the early game, for the bros especially, combat balancing felt really off. For the first bit of time, the bros feel really underpowered and weak, despite me being at or above the recommended level for most if not all enemies throughout the game. Specifically, there was one boss from pretty early in the game that took me over a half hour to defeat simply because I was not doing enough damage with my attacks and the boss also had a method of healing. But by the late game, the bros feel a bit overpowered and dealing what feels like too much damage per attack, despite me still being slightly above the recommended level. Bowser was fine and felt balanced throughout the game, so not much to say there. Bowser was by far the best part of the game and was easily more enjoyable to play as over the bros.
The Bowser Jr side mode was fine, just like the one from the Superstar saga remake. This one was slightly better since there was more customization for the army you use. I also liked the story of this one a bit better, too. The koopaling interactions were fun to watch since it showed their different personalities and the ways they interacted with each other. The villains for this mode were kind of boring and lacking in depth, but then again, I didn’t expect that much from a side mode like this. Nice fun for those who like this type of game, but not really my thing.
The combat was interesting. In the early game, for the bros especially, combat balancing felt really off. For the first bit of time, the bros feel really underpowered and weak, despite me being at or above the recommended level for most if not all enemies throughout the game. Specifically, there was one boss from pretty early in the game that took me over a half hour to defeat simply because I was not doing enough damage with my attacks and the boss also had a method of healing. But by the late game, the bros feel a bit overpowered and dealing what feels like too much damage per attack, despite me still being slightly above the recommended level. Bowser was fine and felt balanced throughout the game, so not much to say there. Bowser was by far the best part of the game and was easily more enjoyable to play as over the bros.
The Bowser Jr side mode was fine, just like the one from the Superstar saga remake. This one was slightly better since there was more customization for the army you use. I also liked the story of this one a bit better, too. The koopaling interactions were fun to watch since it showed their different personalities and the ways they interacted with each other. The villains for this mode were kind of boring and lacking in depth, but then again, I didn’t expect that much from a side mode like this. Nice fun for those who like this type of game, but not really my thing.
2017
A decently fun game to pass the time when you have nothing else to do. Makes you feel like a real wizard battling the forces of evil and darkness!
Essentially controlling a rag doll, which is funny for the first 5 minutes. After that, it is just annoying to play
1993
Until a few weeks ago, I thought this was the first Kirby game. This game was pretty good, albeit a bit short with small levels that are easy to rush through. The addition of the copy ability was great for the series, and was fine in this game.
The only thing that was annoying was the lag that the game was full of. I don’t know if the original game is like this or if it’s just because I was playing on the Kirby anniversary game for the Wii, but there is a lot of pretty bad lag when there are a few things on the screen at once.
The only thing that was annoying was the lag that the game was full of. I don’t know if the original game is like this or if it’s just because I was playing on the Kirby anniversary game for the Wii, but there is a lot of pretty bad lag when there are a few things on the screen at once.
2019
Gameplay loop isn’t even fun and there is very little else offered
Essentially an idle game but it’s hidden under this cute hamster theme. The constant resetting to move to the next factory was annoying but I guess it gives you something to do after all stations are automated.
2019
I’ve never understood why people like playing games where the point is to essentially not play the game
Somehow made a tower defense game that sucks because they combined it with that annoying merge mechanic that was (and probably still is) really big in mobile games at the time
2019
Simple puzzle game that I literally have nothing to say about. Gets boring and repetitive after only a few levels
This rating is an average of the bundled games. I haven't really messed with anything other than the campaigns.
Halo Reach: https://www.backloggd.com/u/drawingtoptarp/review/1661204/
Halo CE: not yet reviewed
Halo 2: not yet reviewed
Halo 3: not yet reviewed
Halo 3 ODST: not yet reviewed
Halo 4: not yet reviewed
Halo Reach: https://www.backloggd.com/u/drawingtoptarp/review/1661204/
Halo CE: not yet reviewed
Halo 2: not yet reviewed
Halo 3: not yet reviewed
Halo 3 ODST: not yet reviewed
Halo 4: not yet reviewed