polarsken
2019
[Biased review warning]
Perhaps not the most acclaimed Pokémon game in the franchise, but it is my favourite! Me and my best friend have this tradition where we play this game every new year; we start when the clock hits 12:00, and we don't stop playing until we've beaten the champion. It's a tradition that I keep close and dear to my heart.
All the towns have a gorgeous visual aesthetic, and they feel unique. The wild area they introduced here is also a welcome addition, as it breaks up the game a bit, and lets the player roam freely, on bike or on foot, and chill out and take in the stunning landscapes. The pokémon dens which reside here are really fun, as well!
The broad assortment of clothing and customisation options here are entertaining to play around with. Each town has a boutique with a unique set of clothes, so it's fun to collect them whenever you visit the location for the first time!
Overall, a fun experience, definitely one of the better pokémon games in recent memory.
Perhaps not the most acclaimed Pokémon game in the franchise, but it is my favourite! Me and my best friend have this tradition where we play this game every new year; we start when the clock hits 12:00, and we don't stop playing until we've beaten the champion. It's a tradition that I keep close and dear to my heart.
All the towns have a gorgeous visual aesthetic, and they feel unique. The wild area they introduced here is also a welcome addition, as it breaks up the game a bit, and lets the player roam freely, on bike or on foot, and chill out and take in the stunning landscapes. The pokémon dens which reside here are really fun, as well!
The broad assortment of clothing and customisation options here are entertaining to play around with. Each town has a boutique with a unique set of clothes, so it's fun to collect them whenever you visit the location for the first time!
Overall, a fun experience, definitely one of the better pokémon games in recent memory.
1986
I had heard of the game before, but the first time I saw gameplay of it was from a speedrun at ADGQ 2012. Speedrunner Funkdoc's playing the game (obviously..), and he's accompanied by a fellow runner Kareshi, who plays piano renditions of all the songs. Great watch, highly recommended!
Great game to watch, and a great game to play. It takes a bit to get comfortable with the controls, but once you do, it's an enjoyable experience.
Great game to watch, and a great game to play. It takes a bit to get comfortable with the controls, but once you do, it's an enjoyable experience.
2011
I first played this game way back on the 3DS. It must've been around 2013-ish. I never finished it, probably because of the difficulty in the later "chapters" and I had math homework to do or something...
Anyways! Revisiting the game on PC in the catastrophic year of 2023; I can tell you that I am very impressed with the game! Platforming feels tight, and the controls (although sometimes clunky and unresponsive; this is most likely not the game's fault, but Steam being weird with my PS4 controller which lead me down a sorrowful path of trying to figure it out) feel smooth and easy to learn.
Some levels, though few and far between, made me red in the face with anger and really tested my "pro gamer" abilities. But in the end, every level, easy or painstakingly hard, felt satisfying to play and finish. Oh yeah, and there's TWO water chapters. TWO?! Even if a game's water physics are smooth like butter on buns, no game should have two fucking water chapters. That's absurd.
The soundtrack is beautiful and oftentimes funny, which is a welcome surprise. It doesn't hold up to the greats of other platforming soundtracks, but it definitely does what a soundtrack is meant to do: evoke whatever emotion the level's trying to convey. It does get a bit annoying on the chess-chase(?) levels. Especially if you're a slow learner (like yours truly...).
The conclusion here is that if you like fast platformers with smooth controls, this is most likely the perfect game for you. But that probably also means that you've already played it. Good on you! Now go play something else.
Anyways! Revisiting the game on PC in the catastrophic year of 2023; I can tell you that I am very impressed with the game! Platforming feels tight, and the controls (although sometimes clunky and unresponsive; this is most likely not the game's fault, but Steam being weird with my PS4 controller which lead me down a sorrowful path of trying to figure it out) feel smooth and easy to learn.
Some levels, though few and far between, made me red in the face with anger and really tested my "pro gamer" abilities. But in the end, every level, easy or painstakingly hard, felt satisfying to play and finish. Oh yeah, and there's TWO water chapters. TWO?! Even if a game's water physics are smooth like butter on buns, no game should have two fucking water chapters. That's absurd.
The soundtrack is beautiful and oftentimes funny, which is a welcome surprise. It doesn't hold up to the greats of other platforming soundtracks, but it definitely does what a soundtrack is meant to do: evoke whatever emotion the level's trying to convey. It does get a bit annoying on the chess-chase(?) levels. Especially if you're a slow learner (like yours truly...).
The conclusion here is that if you like fast platformers with smooth controls, this is most likely the perfect game for you. But that probably also means that you've already played it. Good on you! Now go play something else.
2012
Amazing game, with amazing visuals and an amazing soundtrack. Amazing? Amazing!
It doesn't sound or look like a word anymore, right? Not just me?
I think I got halfway through the game, and stuff happened away from the keyboard (I guess gamepad, but you get what I mean...) and I stopped playing. Now I'm sluggishly plowing my way through P5. After that, I'm definitely returning to Inaba for another go!
It doesn't sound or look like a word anymore, right? Not just me?
I think I got halfway through the game, and stuff happened away from the keyboard (I guess gamepad, but you get what I mean...) and I stopped playing. Now I'm sluggishly plowing my way through P5. After that, I'm definitely returning to Inaba for another go!
My go-to escape-from-reality game. I remember playing this a lot around one or two years ago when a bunch of shit was happening in my life. It was nice to just turn off the ol' brain, put on music, and drive through Scandinavia. Especially Bergen! Such a gorgeous part of Norway. So even though the game concept kinda sounds boring to most (like, how fun can driving a truck be, right?), it's actually really fun and calming! Recommended, especially if you suffer from a lot of stress and stuff.
2019
Blasphemous was the first Metroidvania I fully completed and the game that made me fall in love with the genre. Fantastic story and visuals, and actually fun to complete. This game deserves much more justice than I am giving it, so instead of reading my dumb review, you should just buy it! If it's on sale, try to get the digital artbook as well, it's a treat!
My favourite MMORPG! Beats WoW mostly because fuck Blizzard, put also gorgeous visuals and... I mean... Final Fantasy's incredible!
The best Elder Scrolls, and I'll die on that hill
This is my Pokémon. Everyone has their go-to Pokémon and favourite gen. My childhood self would say this is the best. I don't really agree with that statement anymore, but there's a soft spot in my heart for Gen 4. Turtwig will always be up there as one of the best starters. Even though grass types kinda suck, they are always the cutest and coolest.
2016
Dare I say; better than Diablo!
Although a niche genre, it's the best cooking game out there. It's really fun to learn the combos. Charming visuals and a cute soundtrack as well!
2014
Charming, challenging but not overly so, and an all-around delightful game! I bought a SNES controller with USB capabilities just to play this game, which really was the cherry on top!
2009
Now THIS brings me back! Forget whatever I've said about Rayman or Donkey Kong, THIS is the pinnacle of 2D platforming. Every level has such a unique concept that you could base a whole game franchise upon just one level idea! And I hear you say:
"b-b-but it only has one song.... ☝️🤓 it gets pretty annoying after a while, doesn't it-"
SHUT THE FUCK YOU! The game doesn't need 50 zabillion songs like Final Fantasy, or Runescape. It only needs ONE. And it so happens that the "Red Ball Theme" is one of the best character themes of all time! Just listen to that funky, crispy, slinky bass tone. They placed those SM57s juuuust right on the bass cab. And that drum groove?! Don't even get me started. I can't even recall how many times I've ripped that groove off when I started playing as a studio musician. Eventually, Warner Bros. and Capitol Records caught on to my shenanigans and had to burn a bunch of the demo reels. But it was too late. Michael Jackson had already risen to the top of the charts with 'Someone's Squeezin' My Love For You', and I bought fifty cruise ships and lifetime supply of wine gums.
Now, you must be thinking; how come I don't remember Michael Jackson releasing a song called "Someone's Squeezin' My Love For You"?
The Illuminati. They're real. You heard it hear first. After this review, I am permanently going into hiding in an undisclosed location in north-north Sweden. Any review I may write after this is an impersonator... most likely Tom Cruise. We are quite alike, after all.
"b-b-but it only has one song.... ☝️🤓 it gets pretty annoying after a while, doesn't it-"
SHUT THE FUCK YOU! The game doesn't need 50 zabillion songs like Final Fantasy, or Runescape. It only needs ONE. And it so happens that the "Red Ball Theme" is one of the best character themes of all time! Just listen to that funky, crispy, slinky bass tone. They placed those SM57s juuuust right on the bass cab. And that drum groove?! Don't even get me started. I can't even recall how many times I've ripped that groove off when I started playing as a studio musician. Eventually, Warner Bros. and Capitol Records caught on to my shenanigans and had to burn a bunch of the demo reels. But it was too late. Michael Jackson had already risen to the top of the charts with 'Someone's Squeezin' My Love For You', and I bought fifty cruise ships and lifetime supply of wine gums.
Now, you must be thinking; how come I don't remember Michael Jackson releasing a song called "Someone's Squeezin' My Love For You"?
The Illuminati. They're real. You heard it hear first. After this review, I am permanently going into hiding in an undisclosed location in north-north Sweden. Any review I may write after this is an impersonator... most likely Tom Cruise. We are quite alike, after all.
2016
When I was a kid I thought Nikki was a real person... Not only was I a very lonely kid starved of social interactions with peers, but I was also very stupid.
Okay, I'm going to set the scene real quick for you, in the form of a 4chan greentext:
> be me
> have an older brother with bipolar disorder
> he invites me over for some dinner, beers, and vidya
> tell him I've wanted to play SotC for the longest time
> he tells me he has it on his PS5
> pogchamp.jpg
> I install the game and launch it
> commence beer
...
> credits roll
> it's 6 am
> we go to bed
> I wake up at 11 am
> I don't remember anything
8/10, I really enjoyed it!
> be me
> have an older brother with bipolar disorder
> he invites me over for some dinner, beers, and vidya
> tell him I've wanted to play SotC for the longest time
> he tells me he has it on his PS5
> pogchamp.jpg
> I install the game and launch it
> commence beer
...
> credits roll
> it's 6 am
> we go to bed
> I wake up at 11 am
> I don't remember anything
8/10, I really enjoyed it!