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A fun Metroidvania-style platformer with lots of cool abilities and extremely beautiful and vibrant visuals. The game was challenging, sometimes frustrating, but overall a decent balance if you're willing to tough it out. I liked the puzzle sections but I won't lie about some of the solutions being unclear. I had to cheese some of the platformer puzzles to progress in the game lol.
Now let's get down to my skill issues: I had a hard time 100% my save file due to an area that I missed which the map didn't indicate. I guess maybe that can be due to user error but it was literally a small section in the Ginso Tree that I visited but didn't step on. I literally went up and down the whole tree a good half a dozen times and let me tell you, I was about to cry lmao
With that being said, I didn't have as good of a time that I hoped I would with this game. Maybe it's because of the game's reputation and I expected a lot more from it. That's definitely a me problem though. There's various gimmicks throughout the game, especially in the major sections, most involving puzzles and platforming. I enjoyed a lot of them and when I figured out the solution to some of these section I was like "Ohhh, I get it now. That's really that's cool."
I also liked the save anywhere mechanic but I do realize it could be a problem for some. You have to be strategic as it uses your energy but if you're like me then you did lots of the collectibles and abilities to mitigate this problem. Although, I can totally see this being extremely frustrating for younger players.
I liked this game overall. The story was predictable and a little too saccharine for my tastes. It's the visuals and gameplay which I would say are mostly really good. The music was also good but some of the sections where the music is supposed to be emotional didn't really hit for me.
Once you get the full arsenal of movement the game becomes a lot more fun and almost trivial once you get the hang of things. I did have lots of fun zipping around and using enemies as bounce pads. The game rewards exploration and searching every nook and cranny to find something that can make Ori a much more fun character to play as.
I'd say the hardest parts about this game for me was honestly the sections with the owl, especially the last one. I was getting so mad after dying over and over that when the ending of the game occurred I didn't really care. I wish I felt some type of happiness or satisfaction with the ending but I didn't. Again, a lot of my problems boil down to skill issues and minor gripes with gimmicks, puzzles, and difficulty in some parts.
I definitely would recommend this game if you're into platformers and/or metroidvanias. It's challenging and it has lots to offer in it's core gameplay loop. Would I play this again? Maybe but I don't plan on doing so anytime soon. If you're a completionist then this is probably gonna be one of more simpler games that you can 100%. I don't like giving out number scores for things but if I had to then I'd say this is a high 7, low 8. Overall, good game, I liked it but I didn't love it like everyone else.
Now let's get down to my skill issues: I had a hard time 100% my save file due to an area that I missed which the map didn't indicate. I guess maybe that can be due to user error but it was literally a small section in the Ginso Tree that I visited but didn't step on. I literally went up and down the whole tree a good half a dozen times and let me tell you, I was about to cry lmao
With that being said, I didn't have as good of a time that I hoped I would with this game. Maybe it's because of the game's reputation and I expected a lot more from it. That's definitely a me problem though. There's various gimmicks throughout the game, especially in the major sections, most involving puzzles and platforming. I enjoyed a lot of them and when I figured out the solution to some of these section I was like "Ohhh, I get it now. That's really that's cool."
I also liked the save anywhere mechanic but I do realize it could be a problem for some. You have to be strategic as it uses your energy but if you're like me then you did lots of the collectibles and abilities to mitigate this problem. Although, I can totally see this being extremely frustrating for younger players.
I liked this game overall. The story was predictable and a little too saccharine for my tastes. It's the visuals and gameplay which I would say are mostly really good. The music was also good but some of the sections where the music is supposed to be emotional didn't really hit for me.
Once you get the full arsenal of movement the game becomes a lot more fun and almost trivial once you get the hang of things. I did have lots of fun zipping around and using enemies as bounce pads. The game rewards exploration and searching every nook and cranny to find something that can make Ori a much more fun character to play as.
I'd say the hardest parts about this game for me was honestly the sections with the owl, especially the last one. I was getting so mad after dying over and over that when the ending of the game occurred I didn't really care. I wish I felt some type of happiness or satisfaction with the ending but I didn't. Again, a lot of my problems boil down to skill issues and minor gripes with gimmicks, puzzles, and difficulty in some parts.
I definitely would recommend this game if you're into platformers and/or metroidvanias. It's challenging and it has lots to offer in it's core gameplay loop. Would I play this again? Maybe but I don't plan on doing so anytime soon. If you're a completionist then this is probably gonna be one of more simpler games that you can 100%. I don't like giving out number scores for things but if I had to then I'd say this is a high 7, low 8. Overall, good game, I liked it but I didn't love it like everyone else.
2010
Short, sweet, and simple. I can see myself revisiting this game from time to time as it's so unique in it's charm that I just can't help but love it. Mixing surreal horror and surprisingly funny comedy and emotional beats, I just find this little gem to be really comforting. It's thematically heavy but it doesn't overwhelm you with sadness, it's a nice balance, especially for a 1 hour experience like this.
There's not much to say about this neat little visual novel. It's less a game and more an audiovisual experience that I believe has interesting and devastating implications. I'm sure each person's interpretation is different from another but I'm sure most would agree it's about mental illness. The game is funny and a little creepy but I think the overall experience is poignant. Maybe I'm looking too deep into a "game" that for me was 30 minutes long but I thought it was stimulating philosophically. Our relation to the girl is in of itself a product of what you make of it. I'm sure the sequel offers more insight on what all of this means and help flesh out the overall narrative but I quite liked this and if you have half an hour to spare and 99 cents then I'd recommend you check this out. It's definitely not for everyone but if you don't like the game then at the very least you wouldn't be wasting a lot of time or money. Remember to take care of yourself.
2001
Damn. Truly one of the best pieces of media ever. Horror as a genre is punk as hell and this game just elevates that on so many levels. It's not a joke when people say this game is a masterpiece. Like yeah, it may not hold up great gameplay-wise today (I love tank controls, fight me) and while REmake 2002's gameplay is definitely the pinnacle of tank control survival-horror, Silent Hill 2 excels in every other way.
When I was younger I would just watch let's plays of this game because I was too scared to actually play it. I played it all the way through for the first time these past few days and let me say that it was one of the best experience I've ever had with any art form. The game is gut-wrenching, horrifying, beautiful, and depressing.
I'll admit, I haven't been feeling myself for a long time now. Not many other games have really touched me aside from Disco Elysium, TLOU2, and the Mass Effect Trilogy. This game really spoke to me and that could be due to the ending I got for this playthrough (which trust me, I'll continue playing until I get all the endings) but I was entranced by the whole experience.
Yeah, there were moments where I needed a walkthrough but for the most part I managed to get through by myself despite how fucking scared I was the entire time lol. The game is also extremely charming with it's awkward acting (which some would say adds to the uncanny valley, making it even more unsettling), the outdated graphics, and again the archaic tank controls. Some may not be able to look past these things which is fine, I'm sure the remake will be sufficient enough in those departments. However, I highly doubt the remake will capture the magic in this game (if you see the trailer, James' car door is closed. The implications of that alone goes to show that they don't have a clue as to what that means). The story, the atmosphere, the sound effects, the music, oh god the music is so damn good. I'm just utterly in love with Akira Yamaoka's soundtrack.
I could go on and on about how greatly this game affected me but I'll save that for another time. It's no joke when people say this is one of the best games ever made. I think it's possibly the greatest horror game ever made, I don't know, I got to play SH3 which I know is a favorite for many as well. Amazing game, an amazing experience, absolutely stunning, I recommend. I personally played the Enhanced Edition on PC but I'm definitely gonna find a copy to play on my PS2 and buy a CRT tv because this game is worth it. On to get the rest of the endings!
When I was younger I would just watch let's plays of this game because I was too scared to actually play it. I played it all the way through for the first time these past few days and let me say that it was one of the best experience I've ever had with any art form. The game is gut-wrenching, horrifying, beautiful, and depressing.
I'll admit, I haven't been feeling myself for a long time now. Not many other games have really touched me aside from Disco Elysium, TLOU2, and the Mass Effect Trilogy. This game really spoke to me and that could be due to the ending I got for this playthrough (which trust me, I'll continue playing until I get all the endings) but I was entranced by the whole experience.
Yeah, there were moments where I needed a walkthrough but for the most part I managed to get through by myself despite how fucking scared I was the entire time lol. The game is also extremely charming with it's awkward acting (which some would say adds to the uncanny valley, making it even more unsettling), the outdated graphics, and again the archaic tank controls. Some may not be able to look past these things which is fine, I'm sure the remake will be sufficient enough in those departments. However, I highly doubt the remake will capture the magic in this game (if you see the trailer, James' car door is closed. The implications of that alone goes to show that they don't have a clue as to what that means). The story, the atmosphere, the sound effects, the music, oh god the music is so damn good. I'm just utterly in love with Akira Yamaoka's soundtrack.
I could go on and on about how greatly this game affected me but I'll save that for another time. It's no joke when people say this is one of the best games ever made. I think it's possibly the greatest horror game ever made, I don't know, I got to play SH3 which I know is a favorite for many as well. Amazing game, an amazing experience, absolutely stunning, I recommend. I personally played the Enhanced Edition on PC but I'm definitely gonna find a copy to play on my PS2 and buy a CRT tv because this game is worth it. On to get the rest of the endings!
1998
Half-Life is no doubt one of the most influential video games ever. It excels in the less-is-more narrative for this medium as the environmental storytelling is what gives most of the context instead of plot being told to you. You, as Gordon Freeman, are free to approach the game any way you want.
I unfortunately had a couple month long gap between play sessions so I wasn't as immersed as I wanted to be. I went guns blazing and learned the hard way that it was not the ideal way to play the game. For the majority of my playthrough I played like I was Doomguy and not as a theoretical physicist.
Gordon's arsenal are more so tools rather than weapons, although that's definitely what they're used for. The combat encounters are more along the lines of combat puzzles rather than battle arenas. Depending on the enemy type you either have to be on the defensive or setup traps and lure enemies away as to not be below 50% health the entire game like me.
The main problem is that the game doesn't incentivize the more methodical play style, despite it being the most optimal way to play if you're not a FPS god or speedrunner. I learned of different ways to play the game from videos because I found the game too unforgiving. From those videos I learned that a lot of the situations were my fault and I needed to really pay attention to what the game was teaching me.
It's a 90s game so it doesn't hold your hand. I kind of finished this game out of spite rather than enjoyment haha. I was angry because it was so hard but I felt a great sense of relief when I got to take down the helicopter. That section was giving me such a headache and I didn't realize there was a minefield, I thought the chopper was just pulling out hacks lmfao. When I got to Xen it became less so hard but just aggravating due to the platforming sections and the final boss being a little *.
I save-scummed a lot and that bit me in the butt a lot too, especially when I pretty much softlocked myself in a bad situation and didn't have a good save. I had to push through and really come up with a good strategy to get out of a bad situation. Some sections took me well up to an hour just to get past a handful of bad guys. I was so tempted to use cheats but I didn't want to take away from myself the satisfaction of overcoming the insurmountable odds.
The art direction is fantastic and it really comes through in the later sections of being in the Black Mesa complex. I loved the more creepy sections, this game feels like a survival-horror at times with how atmospheric and (for me at least) the resource scarcity really added to the tension and suspense.
While the graphics are dated (I love old game graphics) everything makes sense for the most part. Some things were harder to discern because of the flat textures and weird collision and geometry. I completely missed the aforementioned minefield until I watched a video lol.
The music is superb, it's probably one of my favorite game soundtracks just for how spooky, industrial, funky, and atmospheric it is. It's eclectic and it does it well.
I don't have much else to say. I recommend this game but for the love of Gman, please pay attention to what the game teaches you via it's environmental storytelling. Also go out of your way to explore, the game has little nook and crannies for you to visit. Try to conserve your ammo and use your weapons as tools to lure the enemies so you're in control rather than go guns blazing. It's also okay to not fight everybody (I also learned this the hard way haha). Approach the game as a scientist not a soldier.
I unfortunately had a couple month long gap between play sessions so I wasn't as immersed as I wanted to be. I went guns blazing and learned the hard way that it was not the ideal way to play the game. For the majority of my playthrough I played like I was Doomguy and not as a theoretical physicist.
Gordon's arsenal are more so tools rather than weapons, although that's definitely what they're used for. The combat encounters are more along the lines of combat puzzles rather than battle arenas. Depending on the enemy type you either have to be on the defensive or setup traps and lure enemies away as to not be below 50% health the entire game like me.
The main problem is that the game doesn't incentivize the more methodical play style, despite it being the most optimal way to play if you're not a FPS god or speedrunner. I learned of different ways to play the game from videos because I found the game too unforgiving. From those videos I learned that a lot of the situations were my fault and I needed to really pay attention to what the game was teaching me.
It's a 90s game so it doesn't hold your hand. I kind of finished this game out of spite rather than enjoyment haha. I was angry because it was so hard but I felt a great sense of relief when I got to take down the helicopter. That section was giving me such a headache and I didn't realize there was a minefield, I thought the chopper was just pulling out hacks lmfao. When I got to Xen it became less so hard but just aggravating due to the platforming sections and the final boss being a little *.
I save-scummed a lot and that bit me in the butt a lot too, especially when I pretty much softlocked myself in a bad situation and didn't have a good save. I had to push through and really come up with a good strategy to get out of a bad situation. Some sections took me well up to an hour just to get past a handful of bad guys. I was so tempted to use cheats but I didn't want to take away from myself the satisfaction of overcoming the insurmountable odds.
The art direction is fantastic and it really comes through in the later sections of being in the Black Mesa complex. I loved the more creepy sections, this game feels like a survival-horror at times with how atmospheric and (for me at least) the resource scarcity really added to the tension and suspense.
While the graphics are dated (I love old game graphics) everything makes sense for the most part. Some things were harder to discern because of the flat textures and weird collision and geometry. I completely missed the aforementioned minefield until I watched a video lol.
The music is superb, it's probably one of my favorite game soundtracks just for how spooky, industrial, funky, and atmospheric it is. It's eclectic and it does it well.
I don't have much else to say. I recommend this game but for the love of Gman, please pay attention to what the game teaches you via it's environmental storytelling. Also go out of your way to explore, the game has little nook and crannies for you to visit. Try to conserve your ammo and use your weapons as tools to lure the enemies so you're in control rather than go guns blazing. It's also okay to not fight everybody (I also learned this the hard way haha). Approach the game as a scientist not a soldier.
2007
This review contains spoilers
Decided to revisit this classic after many years. I originally played this on The Orange Box on the 360. Back then, I actually played og Portal after playing Portal 2 and like most people I thought Portal 2 was superior in every way. However, after revisiting this gem I don't think that's necessarily the case. Here me out.
ALSO INCLUDES SPOILERS FOR PORTAL 2:
What I love about Portal 1 is that it's a lonely game. It's creepy and given how it's made by a smaller team with a smaller budget it feels raw and gritty. Replaying this game genuinely had me a little anxious. The only friend you make is a companion cube and once you're done with it, you're forced to dispose of it.
The turrets add to the feelings of melancholy and loneliness. They're just as much victims as Chell is. They're programmed to kill which obviously is a no-no for the player, I just can't help but feel bad when a turret dies. I did not take pleasure in killing the turrets.
Portal established a tone that isn't carried onto it's successor which seems to be a common thing for video game sequels. While both games have humor, I'd say this one is more of a sardonic dark comedy while Portal 2 goes all in with the comedy, not really taking itself that seriously and it suffers for that. I think a good way to put it is that I can see Portal being in the Half-Life universe but I can't say the same for Portal 2. Probably not the best decision to have them all together but I'm not Valve's writing team and I don't know their intentions (please hire me Valve, I love your games).
The way GLaDOS is characterized in Portal 2 makes her way less menacing (same with her design), especially given that her jokes are not in the same vain as the first game. Maybe that's because for the latter half of Portal 2 she's not really the main antagonist but I love when her and Wheatley bounce off each other. Also like others have pointed out, the second game has a lot of disparaging remarks against Chell that are quite fatphobic. So in that regard the game hasn't aged well.
Wheatley for the second game is funny at best and barely tolerable at worst. The second game's atmosphere is fantastic but the mood gets soured because Wheatley makes a quip every five seconds like an MCU character. It doesn't help that his voice is unmodified so you can hear the expensive comedian they got. You get no room to breathe and take in what's going on in the second game but in the original Portal that's not the case.
That's not to say that none of the jokes land in the second game, a lot of them do hit and I quite like the jumping one in the beginning. The implications of that joke alone are hilarious and kinda sad. Also Cave Johnson feels out of place in the sequel; don't get me wrong I love J.K. Simmons, he's one of my favorite actors ever. However, CJ is mainly there for jokes, there's lore stuff to be explored but his presence in the game is relegated to strictly humor. It works for Portal 2 but again, Portal and Portal 2 don't feel like they're a cohesive universe apart from the setting, characters, and the portal mechanic itself.
However, this is not an essay for why Portal 2 is bad because it's not, it's one of the best games of the 2010s. I just prefer the tone, the writing and the atmosphere in the original game more. I think Portal 2 has a lot to offer but having more doesn't equal higher quality in every department. I really like the puzzles in the second game, some being massive brain busters. Although Portal 2 has it moments where it's a railroaded roller coaster ride (albeit a really fun one) with the conversion gel, making some puzzles trivial. That's not to say all the puzzles with the gels are easy, some are actually pretty difficult for your first playthrough or after coming back after a long time.
My criticism against Portal 2 doesn't mean I dislike the game, nowhere close. It's one of my favorite games of all time, I played it on Xbox 360, on PS3, and on Steam. I'd say the community support, the modding scene and co-op in Portal 2 definitely makes it the better overall experience to revisit (I also love watching Portal 2 speedruns). The original Portal doesn't have anywhere close to the amount of replay value that it's successor has and for that I'll concede and say that Portal 2 is the "better" game. As for both of the games' single player campaigns I think the original Portal takes the cake.
ALSO INCLUDES SPOILERS FOR PORTAL 2:
What I love about Portal 1 is that it's a lonely game. It's creepy and given how it's made by a smaller team with a smaller budget it feels raw and gritty. Replaying this game genuinely had me a little anxious. The only friend you make is a companion cube and once you're done with it, you're forced to dispose of it.
The turrets add to the feelings of melancholy and loneliness. They're just as much victims as Chell is. They're programmed to kill which obviously is a no-no for the player, I just can't help but feel bad when a turret dies. I did not take pleasure in killing the turrets.
Portal established a tone that isn't carried onto it's successor which seems to be a common thing for video game sequels. While both games have humor, I'd say this one is more of a sardonic dark comedy while Portal 2 goes all in with the comedy, not really taking itself that seriously and it suffers for that. I think a good way to put it is that I can see Portal being in the Half-Life universe but I can't say the same for Portal 2. Probably not the best decision to have them all together but I'm not Valve's writing team and I don't know their intentions (please hire me Valve, I love your games).
The way GLaDOS is characterized in Portal 2 makes her way less menacing (same with her design), especially given that her jokes are not in the same vain as the first game. Maybe that's because for the latter half of Portal 2 she's not really the main antagonist but I love when her and Wheatley bounce off each other. Also like others have pointed out, the second game has a lot of disparaging remarks against Chell that are quite fatphobic. So in that regard the game hasn't aged well.
Wheatley for the second game is funny at best and barely tolerable at worst. The second game's atmosphere is fantastic but the mood gets soured because Wheatley makes a quip every five seconds like an MCU character. It doesn't help that his voice is unmodified so you can hear the expensive comedian they got. You get no room to breathe and take in what's going on in the second game but in the original Portal that's not the case.
That's not to say that none of the jokes land in the second game, a lot of them do hit and I quite like the jumping one in the beginning. The implications of that joke alone are hilarious and kinda sad. Also Cave Johnson feels out of place in the sequel; don't get me wrong I love J.K. Simmons, he's one of my favorite actors ever. However, CJ is mainly there for jokes, there's lore stuff to be explored but his presence in the game is relegated to strictly humor. It works for Portal 2 but again, Portal and Portal 2 don't feel like they're a cohesive universe apart from the setting, characters, and the portal mechanic itself.
However, this is not an essay for why Portal 2 is bad because it's not, it's one of the best games of the 2010s. I just prefer the tone, the writing and the atmosphere in the original game more. I think Portal 2 has a lot to offer but having more doesn't equal higher quality in every department. I really like the puzzles in the second game, some being massive brain busters. Although Portal 2 has it moments where it's a railroaded roller coaster ride (albeit a really fun one) with the conversion gel, making some puzzles trivial. That's not to say all the puzzles with the gels are easy, some are actually pretty difficult for your first playthrough or after coming back after a long time.
My criticism against Portal 2 doesn't mean I dislike the game, nowhere close. It's one of my favorite games of all time, I played it on Xbox 360, on PS3, and on Steam. I'd say the community support, the modding scene and co-op in Portal 2 definitely makes it the better overall experience to revisit (I also love watching Portal 2 speedruns). The original Portal doesn't have anywhere close to the amount of replay value that it's successor has and for that I'll concede and say that Portal 2 is the "better" game. As for both of the games' single player campaigns I think the original Portal takes the cake.
A neat lil indie where you play as a funny lil dude living underneath somebody's house. It's a point-and-click and a walking simulator with a solidly spooky atmosphere and a simple story. A lot of the artwork is pretty cool, definitely the stuff of nightmares. The game is also pretty funny but even for a short game it's kind of a chore to replay it for the different endings. The dlc has some of the best moments in the game.
It took me around an hour and half to see everything the game had to offer. For three bucks that's not bad, that's still cheaper than renting a movie digitally. So if you got the time to kill and you don't mind a slow-paced point-and-click/walking simulator then do yourself a favor and play in the dark with headphones on.
It took me around an hour and half to see everything the game had to offer. For three bucks that's not bad, that's still cheaper than renting a movie digitally. So if you got the time to kill and you don't mind a slow-paced point-and-click/walking simulator then do yourself a favor and play in the dark with headphones on.
2004
I wrote a whole review for Half-Life 2 and it's story expansions but I scrapped it because I don't think I can adequately describe how awesome this game is. I'm a little emotional, just finished Episode Two, and I'm sitting here amazed by how this game presented itself. The story, the gameplay, mechanics, physics (oh god the physics), the weapons, it's all immaculate.
Some might see the combat sections as a downgrade from it's predecessor and I may be inclined to agree but this game is far larger in scope and I think it did a solid job. I think the episode expansions tried to bring in some more elements from the first game and while I did find the episodes to be good, they could've been better. I enjoyed the stories for both but some of the chapters were lackluster. That however shouldn't deter anyone from playing this amazing game.
Seriously, if you haven't played Half-Life 2 then do it. Right now (as of June 30th, 2023) it's on sale for $2 depending on the bundle you get. For the longest time I've been a Halo kid, thinking that those were the best campaigns that fps' had to offer. Today after finishing Half-Life 2 and it's story expansions for the first time, I will say that Half-Life 2 has the best campaign for a fps. It's the real deal and it's now one of my favorite games of all time. It's a shame that we'll never get a Half-Life 3 because I think the industry, nay, the fans need it right now.
Some might see the combat sections as a downgrade from it's predecessor and I may be inclined to agree but this game is far larger in scope and I think it did a solid job. I think the episode expansions tried to bring in some more elements from the first game and while I did find the episodes to be good, they could've been better. I enjoyed the stories for both but some of the chapters were lackluster. That however shouldn't deter anyone from playing this amazing game.
Seriously, if you haven't played Half-Life 2 then do it. Right now (as of June 30th, 2023) it's on sale for $2 depending on the bundle you get. For the longest time I've been a Halo kid, thinking that those were the best campaigns that fps' had to offer. Today after finishing Half-Life 2 and it's story expansions for the first time, I will say that Half-Life 2 has the best campaign for a fps. It's the real deal and it's now one of my favorite games of all time. It's a shame that we'll never get a Half-Life 3 because I think the industry, nay, the fans need it right now.
2015
Just one of the best pieces of art I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Go into this blind. You’ll thank me later.
Almost as good as The Stanley Parable 3: Atomic Scream
1999
Okay so this game is not perfect by any means, it’s often annoying with how clunky it is and how broken the enhanced edition can be. Quests can break and sometimes you’ll have to reload a previous save to redo a whole section just to see story relevant information. The whole game is outdated but it’s also one of the best written pieces of fiction I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Most of my time playing this game was reading, like others have said this is just a glorified visual novel.
The characters are great and there are really poignant lines of dialogue that I’ll never forget, especially at the end of the game. I played as a mage for this play through and it definitely helped with dialogue because the stats overlap for the “optimal build.” There are definitely parts in the game that I could’ve approached differently, especially some beginning sections but that’s the beauty of rpgs. This game definitely encourages multiple play throughs.
I’m a fan of Dungeons and Dragons so this was both familiar and also new territory. The world of Sigil and the other areas you go to was a delight to explore. I loved the visuals of the game, it was really well made and each area felt distinct from one another.
The rpg mechanics are a little lackluster and the combat irritated me until I learned to actually pause the game and manipulate each party member’s actions individually. It took to me too long to figure that out instead of just having everyone selected and attack one enemy. That was a recipe for disaster from halfway onwards.
However like previously stated the best part about the game is the story. It’s just so captivating, beautiful, poignant, and often times mind-bending. The deep philosophical themes and the fullest use of itself setting to tell a story that not many other fictional settings can is some of the game’s strong suits. The stuff with your companions are great and learning more about this awesome but you gotta go out your way to do that.
I played this on my Steam Deck and despite how unoptimized it was, I actually feel like this is a perfect game to play on the go. I don’t like sitting down for long periods of time so it was a blessing that I could just take this game anywhere and play. I definitely recommend this game if you can handle how old it is, I say the story is more than worth it. The game is glorious. You’ll just have to endure. Endure. In enduring, grow strong.
The characters are great and there are really poignant lines of dialogue that I’ll never forget, especially at the end of the game. I played as a mage for this play through and it definitely helped with dialogue because the stats overlap for the “optimal build.” There are definitely parts in the game that I could’ve approached differently, especially some beginning sections but that’s the beauty of rpgs. This game definitely encourages multiple play throughs.
I’m a fan of Dungeons and Dragons so this was both familiar and also new territory. The world of Sigil and the other areas you go to was a delight to explore. I loved the visuals of the game, it was really well made and each area felt distinct from one another.
The rpg mechanics are a little lackluster and the combat irritated me until I learned to actually pause the game and manipulate each party member’s actions individually. It took to me too long to figure that out instead of just having everyone selected and attack one enemy. That was a recipe for disaster from halfway onwards.
However like previously stated the best part about the game is the story. It’s just so captivating, beautiful, poignant, and often times mind-bending. The deep philosophical themes and the fullest use of itself setting to tell a story that not many other fictional settings can is some of the game’s strong suits. The stuff with your companions are great and learning more about this awesome but you gotta go out your way to do that.
I played this on my Steam Deck and despite how unoptimized it was, I actually feel like this is a perfect game to play on the go. I don’t like sitting down for long periods of time so it was a blessing that I could just take this game anywhere and play. I definitely recommend this game if you can handle how old it is, I say the story is more than worth it. The game is glorious. You’ll just have to endure. Endure. In enduring, grow strong.
1998
A fantastic game that has an interesting story and awesome gameplay mechanics. Main thing that held it down for me was how hard it could be with lack of direction. The codec helps most of the time but sometimes there were moments where I needed to look up a walkthrough. Also that torture sequence was absolute bullshit, took me too long and I needed to use a pen lmao. Overall a great start to what hopefully (for me) will be a great series. Also I love the ending. Choose life.. and then live!
Yeah, this was absolutely bonkers in every way possible. Crazy ass story that’ll make you wish you had whatever drugs Kojima was on when writing this while simultaneously giving you an existential crisis because of how this game gets into your head. This was right up my alley but I do have minor complaints which are basically the boss fights and the crazy amount of long cutscenes with crucial story information (which I heard are staples of this series). Luckily enough for me I was reeled in from the start but I can see this game being exhausting for those who weren’t absolutely sucked in.
Gameplay is fantastic like it’s predecessor and the level design is good for the most part. I liked the weapons and there’s one you get at the end that’s conceptually really cool but it’s a bit finicky especially in the final boss fight. This game overall is probably one of the best ever made, may be overrated to some (I hate using the terms overrated/underrated) but it’s definitely a well appreciated piece of art that more people who consider themselves gamers need to play. Metal Gear Solid 2 is one of my favorite gaming experiences, it had me smiling all throughout and the ending had me tearing up. Definitely a game I’ll come back to every so often. On to Snake Eater!
Gameplay is fantastic like it’s predecessor and the level design is good for the most part. I liked the weapons and there’s one you get at the end that’s conceptually really cool but it’s a bit finicky especially in the final boss fight. This game overall is probably one of the best ever made, may be overrated to some (I hate using the terms overrated/underrated) but it’s definitely a well appreciated piece of art that more people who consider themselves gamers need to play. Metal Gear Solid 2 is one of my favorite gaming experiences, it had me smiling all throughout and the ending had me tearing up. Definitely a game I’ll come back to every so often. On to Snake Eater!
Holy fuck. What a beautiful game. The gameplay is probably the best in the series so far and the story was just so good, like it’s predecessor the twists recontextualize the whole experience.
The ending had me crying like a god damn baby. The ladder sequence also made me cry, such a simple moment but it was so impactful. The theme song is also probably my favorite video game theme song ever. After beating the game I just let it do it’s thing and the theme song played. I sang along and the lyrics were also recontexualized for me as if it were being sung by a true patriot. Like seriously, I just cried trying to sing along to the song. Ugh it’s so fucking good.
I’ve been going through a tough time lately and this game helped me out so fucking much. These games make me want to live! What a masterpiece.
The ending had me crying like a god damn baby. The ladder sequence also made me cry, such a simple moment but it was so impactful. The theme song is also probably my favorite video game theme song ever. After beating the game I just let it do it’s thing and the theme song played. I sang along and the lyrics were also recontexualized for me as if it were being sung by a true patriot. Like seriously, I just cried trying to sing along to the song. Ugh it’s so fucking good.
I’ve been going through a tough time lately and this game helped me out so fucking much. These games make me want to live! What a masterpiece.