I feel really ambivalent about this one. On one hand, I know this is a completely bastardized version of the original vision for the game. EA did what EA does and turned an incredible innovative horror concept into a mostly generic third person shooter with tough guy protag #8539024. But on the other hand, I kinda like this game in its own right. Like the dialogue is horrible garbage but at some point it started to become kind of endearing. It's short enough that even when the gameplay starts to get stupid it doesn't overstay its welcome. Maybe this is just because I don't play a lot of third person shooters like this, so I'm not desensitized but whatever. At very least a lot of the art direction was fantastic and the soundtrack was phenomenal. Ending was sick also, reminded me a lot of Jeane in NMH1. If the rumors are true and we're getting SOTD 2, I hope that means a lot of the missed potential here is finally able to be followed through on.

The most 2012 video game ever made. A relic of the Bacon Rainbows Zombies XD era. It's interesting to play this and randomly notice that Grasshopper made it. Like, obviously they were the developer, but most of the time this feels like its own thing beside the rest of their library. Specifically a lot of the level design and pacing reminded me of NMH2 (for better or worse). Definitely looking forward to seeing how the remake turns out. It's gonna be fucked up remove Hey Mickey from the soundtrack because I know it's coming.

I really wish I could've beaten this one because I was actually enjoying it quite a bit early on. I love it's weird obtuse combat that does a surprisingly good job replicating the movies, and the janky translation of Matrix visuals to 6th generation hardware. But fuck man, it really throws a non stop stream of the same missions at you midway through. Just stopped being enjoyable at some point and became really grating. I think a lot of this comes down to how I feel in the moment though, when I have a bit more patience I'll pick it back up. Still a pretty cracked video game regardless.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I did. I always figured Katamari was a game that couldn't have a meaningful sequel, like how much more can you do with the concept than what was in the first one. The premise pretty much ran its course from beginning to end. Apparently, all you have to do is just add on more and more crazy shit and hope it sticks (Kinda like a Katamari itself ¯\(ツ)/¯). This game is completely gimmicky but in the best way possible. Every mission just escalates with weirder and weirder conditions that you have to work within that keeps everything from feeling repetitive. It sucks that they scrapped the idea of it all being in a singular map that you see different angles, but this works better for what this game is going for. The aesthetic is even a lot more refined here, it's insane to ask anyone to top Katamari's OST but they actually came pretty damn close (sunbaked savanna & everlasting love goated). Also, I like how they develop the King as a character in this. Good video game, probably not as good as the first one but I had fun so fuck it 10/10.

I have a lot of respect for the overall look of this game, feels like something out of an old ass 80s OVA released on VHS by Manga Entertainment. I sadly can't say the same for the gameplay though, the movement is stiff and unresponsive and all of the different upgrades you get suck shit. Boss fights range from thirty second button mashes to absolutely insufferable. Whoever designed the last level with the vines was smoking crack. Still, it's a neat little oddity that I'd recommend if you've got a thing for the aesthetic. But not to anyone who wants an actual enjoyable video gaming experience.

(Played for my Love-de-lic Marathon: https://www.backloggd.com/u/pkmncrystalpepsi/list/love-de-lic-marathon/)

It's hard to express just how amazed I am with this. Moon is something that I think appeals to a really narrow set of people, but for those people will be one of the most incredible games they'll ever play. It's not about blasting through to 100% completion, TASing every enemy encounter that you come across with zero thought. It's like, about the vibe. You aren't gonna talk to the NPCs just to get into the action, you're gonna want to talk to them like it WAS the action. And that's something I've never quite experienced anywhere else. I collected all of the love not for some end game reward or deep lore dump, I just didn't like the idea of leaving those characters stories unresolved. Especially Gramby, I didn't want to let her down. 10/10. Even with the dogshit fishing contest RNG. One of the rawest video games put to disc. Open the door.

(Played for my Love-de-lic Marathon: https://www.backloggd.com/u/pkmncrystalpepsi/list/love-de-lic-marathon/)

HENTAI WEED PUZZLES is a game about people above anything else. It cuts like a person, absorbs like a person, observes like a person, and moves like a person. To experience Ghost_RUS’s latest is to experience the feeling of sitting still while uncontrollably moving forward. It uses those rare pauses and moments of relief in life to their fullest potential.

This is an incomparable piece of work that exists in its own bubble. A bubble gently floating through the air ready to pop but living in complete tranquility while it still can. This will only get better with time.