opoona
2022
Unbelievable.
2016
This game is pretty cool in the first half! I really like the concept of taking down evil people by infiltrating a physical manifestation of their being. However, I think the story backpedals on itself far too often, leading to characters being mistreated by the narrative. In a game so character-centric, it's pretty disappointing to see that happen.
These are some pretty decent remasters! I would say some of the atmosphere from the original two titles are missing, especially without the FMV movies from the first title, but you can tell a lot of love was put into these.
2019
Genuinely delightful. This is another one of my favorite games. It's a little bite-sized open world with a little flying bird name Claire who controls like a dream. With Mark Sparling's incredibly relaxing and catchy score, this is a game you'd likely finish in an afternoon and feel all warm and fuzzy by the end of it.
I'm a little disappointed with this one. That isn't to say this expansion is not good - I had a lot of fun with it, but I think the writing just doesn't really measure up with what the main games were setting up. Matthew and A have my fave protagonist dynamic in the franchise though - which the lack thereof in the second half was pretty underwhelming. I wish there was a little more closure to their story, rather than the broader story. The broader connection to the rest of Xeno is really cool though, looking forward to what's in store for the future!
Fantastic RPG on its own, a must-play if you've already played the first one. Although I have issues with the pacing of the story and some major plot points, this game (in my opinion!) has some of the strongest characters in the franchise. The music is also just phenomenal. Just listen to something like Uraya or Walking With You. I'm a little iffy on some of the music implementation, as many times it's tonally inconsistent with the circumstances, but it's nothing too bad. This game's awesome!
2007
Why on earth did I play this game. Why. WHY. It's filled to the brim with infuriating 2000s RPG design, unclear objectives, and outright insane random encounter rates.
But I love this game. I don't know why it stuck so much with me. Maybe it's the simple yet poignant story about how adults manipulate children. Maybe it's the half-apocalyptic setting, with stunning juxtaposition of the natural and the manmade. Maybe it's the worldbuilding - Landroll is occupied by a great many people you can befriend and talk to, a place where art installations have their own history with their creator. Maybe it's the DOWNRIGHT INCREDIBLE soundtrack that the wonderful composers at Basiscape managed to create for this game. (Listen to "The Village Without Memories" or "Tokione." Please.)
I'm 90% sure you'll hate this game. But if that 10% is true, I guarantee you're going to have a great time.
But I love this game. I don't know why it stuck so much with me. Maybe it's the simple yet poignant story about how adults manipulate children. Maybe it's the half-apocalyptic setting, with stunning juxtaposition of the natural and the manmade. Maybe it's the worldbuilding - Landroll is occupied by a great many people you can befriend and talk to, a place where art installations have their own history with their creator. Maybe it's the DOWNRIGHT INCREDIBLE soundtrack that the wonderful composers at Basiscape managed to create for this game. (Listen to "The Village Without Memories" or "Tokione." Please.)
I'm 90% sure you'll hate this game. But if that 10% is true, I guarantee you're going to have a great time.
2004
Not much I can say. There's no such thing as a perfect game, but this one is the closest one I've experienced so far. It's so unabashedly silly, fun, and downright strange that I genuinely felt emotional by the end of it.
Despite all the chaos, it's a game about everyone and everything coming together. That's pretty cool
Despite all the chaos, it's a game about everyone and everything coming together. That's pretty cool
One of my favorite games. I don't know how they were able to do it given the creative limitations, but I guess it's a testament to how creative a piece of media can be WITH limitations. The world is a joy to explore - and while I wish they did more with the ring-based battle system, coins and the satisfaction of solving a puzzle were incentive enough for me to keep playing. It's just so addicting! The art direction is also stunning - the world feels so alive and practical, despite the obvious paper aesthetic. Autumn Mountain and the Great Sea were highlights. I also love the story, which gets surprisingly emotional at points. But I feel these all take a backseat to the music - a soundtrack that encompasses SO many styles (a lot of rock/metal!) yet feels so comprehensively "Mario" as a result. The team's use of leitmotifs and instruments associated with characters boosts the experience so much that I can say for certain I wouldn't have enjoyed this game as much without the soundtrack. (e.g. Olivia and Olly are associated with the toy piano, which is utilized extensively to deal some fatal emotional punches.)
Seriously. This game is fantastic.
Seriously. This game is fantastic.
2001
pick ed man
2010
This is what started the Blade saga of the Xeno series. And it's one hell of a way to start it! I love that this game immediately thrusts you into conflict about 30 minutes after the game starts - and the stakes just keep getting higher. In tandem with the music, gameplay, and sprawling landscapes, this is an experience that no RPG player should miss out on. I do feel it could be about 10 hours shorter, and that the grinding barriers are a bit much sometimes, but other than that, so good.
This is my personal favorite Xenoblade game. The worldbuilding and lore takes a backseat (arguably what makes Xeno for a lot of people!), but delivers in an incredibly touching story with unbelievable moments for all the characters to shine. It has many of the issues that I had with earlier Xenoblade titles, like the sometimes middling implementation of a great soundtrack, character monologues that drag a bit too long, and the "tell, not show" approach. However, that is not to discredit the incredible work that the people at Monolith Soft have done for this game. It's wonderful!!
This is the definitive Klonoa experience. Whereas Door to Phantomile set an incredible foundation (and expectations!) for a sequel, Lunatea's Veil continues perfectly through virtually every aspect. The setpieces are unbelievably unique and colorful (Volk and the Ark are personal favorites), the music has taken on a more orchestral approach while still retaining the driving synths of the original, and the story is heartbreaking with the context of DtP. Play this, but play the original Klonoa first!
Fantastic game with very tight level design + surprising puzzle bits! The music and story have got to be some of my favorite parts of this game, though - Untamed Heart is a real stickout in the soundtrack. Story also has some very blindsiding moments. Play it!!