sadisticservant
2006
Started on May 31, 2023
The game introduces many major and not-so-major characters to the plot, and the game just expects us to already know about them and their relationship with Lara. Now, since this is my first old school style TR game, I might probably be missing a few info about the characters, however, considering that this is supposed to be a reboot, I highly doubt it.
Controlling Lara feels weightless and floaty, and the camera often gets in the way of platforming.
The motor driving sections also drag on for far too long, and it's not helped by the fact that the maps that you drive through are pretty much just looped to extend their length, with it being prevalent in the very first driving segment of the game.
Boss fights aren't that much better either, with them repeating the same two dialogues all over again. And the loops aren't even that spread out, the same dialogue get repeated just about 2 seconds apart from each other.
As for the tomb raiding, well, it does feel fun to explore a few locales, however, the puzzle solving which is a very prevalent mechanic when exploring the tombs, kind of dampers the experience. Many of the solutions are hard to discover and are just not that clear at all, often times obscured by the terribly lit environment and awful camera. I'm not ashamed to say that I've looked at a few solutions for the puzzles online in some occassions.
This PC port also includes the ability to play between the original PS2 graphics and PS3 graphics. With the PS2 options leaning more on the cartoony artstyle while the PS3 options provides more realism to the environments, although little to no improvements were done to the character models. I'm just not that fond of the cartoony artstyle at all, many if not all characters look like they were created using the Sims 3.
Throughout the entire duration of the game I used the PS3 graphics option although there were a few instances were I forced to use the older graphics style due to the game crashing in many levels that uses it.
Most reviews I found for the game were positive so it does make me wonder whether all of the technical jank that I've encountered were only the result of this PC port.
Despite the name, Tomb Raider: Legend is no legendary game.
The game introduces many major and not-so-major characters to the plot, and the game just expects us to already know about them and their relationship with Lara. Now, since this is my first old school style TR game, I might probably be missing a few info about the characters, however, considering that this is supposed to be a reboot, I highly doubt it.
Controlling Lara feels weightless and floaty, and the camera often gets in the way of platforming.
The motor driving sections also drag on for far too long, and it's not helped by the fact that the maps that you drive through are pretty much just looped to extend their length, with it being prevalent in the very first driving segment of the game.
Boss fights aren't that much better either, with them repeating the same two dialogues all over again. And the loops aren't even that spread out, the same dialogue get repeated just about 2 seconds apart from each other.
As for the tomb raiding, well, it does feel fun to explore a few locales, however, the puzzle solving which is a very prevalent mechanic when exploring the tombs, kind of dampers the experience. Many of the solutions are hard to discover and are just not that clear at all, often times obscured by the terribly lit environment and awful camera. I'm not ashamed to say that I've looked at a few solutions for the puzzles online in some occassions.
This PC port also includes the ability to play between the original PS2 graphics and PS3 graphics. With the PS2 options leaning more on the cartoony artstyle while the PS3 options provides more realism to the environments, although little to no improvements were done to the character models. I'm just not that fond of the cartoony artstyle at all, many if not all characters look like they were created using the Sims 3.
Throughout the entire duration of the game I used the PS3 graphics option although there were a few instances were I forced to use the older graphics style due to the game crashing in many levels that uses it.
Most reviews I found for the game were positive so it does make me wonder whether all of the technical jank that I've encountered were only the result of this PC port.
Despite the name, Tomb Raider: Legend is no legendary game.
While the first MGS game may be considered as the better game for many, I actually vastly prefer MGS 2.
The gameplay has seen some additional quality improvement, especially with the inclusion of first person aiming, and there's also fewer frustrating creative decisions in the game that makes playing it incredibly fun and tense.
One thing that I think the first game did better though was its story and characters. There's fewer and shorter cutscenes here, instead, the game prefers using codec calls when it comes to telling its story. Sometimes, this often feels like a cheap and lazy way of telling the story as the character still uses codec calls despite being in the same room as each other. As for the characters, Raiden is just isn't as badass as Solid Snake, and the bosses are nowhere near as intriguing as from the first game. However, their enccentric traits does go along way in making them memorable. With Fortune being my personal favorite due to her melodrama.
And ugh, that ending theme slaps though.
The gameplay has seen some additional quality improvement, especially with the inclusion of first person aiming, and there's also fewer frustrating creative decisions in the game that makes playing it incredibly fun and tense.
One thing that I think the first game did better though was its story and characters. There's fewer and shorter cutscenes here, instead, the game prefers using codec calls when it comes to telling its story. Sometimes, this often feels like a cheap and lazy way of telling the story as the character still uses codec calls despite being in the same room as each other. As for the characters, Raiden is just isn't as badass as Solid Snake, and the bosses are nowhere near as intriguing as from the first game. However, their enccentric traits does go along way in making them memorable. With Fortune being my personal favorite due to her melodrama.
And ugh, that ending theme slaps though.
After playing through Batman and Robin's campaign, there are still two episodes left to experience, and this is where you'll be fighting other iconic Batman adversaries such as the Penguin and the Joker. Aside from those, however, there's also a separate campaign for the villains that you face in the game, depicting how they managed to get to where they were in Batman's campaign. Essentially, the game gives you six massive campaigns, all with original stories.
And what's so great about playing through the villain's campaign, aside from being able to use their unique abilities, is that the levels aren't repeated at all, and most of the time, takes place within a different part of the level that Batman and Robin went through.
After playing through both sides of the campaign, I only managed to finish about 57% percent of the game, which speaks largely to the game's size.
The gameplay consists of fighting and destroying lego bricks with only the use of a single button. While it may seem repetitive, the sound of destroying lego bricks is satisfying enough that it's pretty much hard to stop it.
I do find the AI companion kind of useless, however, as I think it doesn't do any damage to any of the enemies that it's fighting with, and sometimes the enemies doesn't even attack it.
And what's so great about playing through the villain's campaign, aside from being able to use their unique abilities, is that the levels aren't repeated at all, and most of the time, takes place within a different part of the level that Batman and Robin went through.
After playing through both sides of the campaign, I only managed to finish about 57% percent of the game, which speaks largely to the game's size.
The gameplay consists of fighting and destroying lego bricks with only the use of a single button. While it may seem repetitive, the sound of destroying lego bricks is satisfying enough that it's pretty much hard to stop it.
I do find the AI companion kind of useless, however, as I think it doesn't do any damage to any of the enemies that it's fighting with, and sometimes the enemies doesn't even attack it.
(Review in Progress)
This is not only the GTA game, but THE game, that defined my childhood. And I'm happy to say that it's still fun as ever.
San Andreas is one massive city to explore, twice the size of Liberty and Vice City combined. Every town you visit, there's always an activity to partake in, and every nook and cranny holds a collectible just waiting to be discovered.
There's also a wide variety of missions to do. No mission will feel the same as the previous ones.
While I never really saw any use for some of the RPG-esque mechanics that the game offers, they do play a huge part in making the world feel much more alive.
The game holds a strong lineup of radio stations, from country music to rock. Though while it certainly isn't as lively as Vice City's stations, what's here is still incredible.
This is not only the GTA game, but THE game, that defined my childhood. And I'm happy to say that it's still fun as ever.
San Andreas is one massive city to explore, twice the size of Liberty and Vice City combined. Every town you visit, there's always an activity to partake in, and every nook and cranny holds a collectible just waiting to be discovered.
There's also a wide variety of missions to do. No mission will feel the same as the previous ones.
While I never really saw any use for some of the RPG-esque mechanics that the game offers, they do play a huge part in making the world feel much more alive.
The game holds a strong lineup of radio stations, from country music to rock. Though while it certainly isn't as lively as Vice City's stations, what's here is still incredible.
2001
I like the concept of each night, there's different set of victims that the story focuses. However, I found the main story to be fairly weak and it's not helped by the fact that the game's ending was just plain stupid.
The entire game takes place inside a single mansion, told within three separate nights. Now, this is a great setting especially for the game's genre. Supernatural adversaries and haunted mansions are simply the perfect mix. However, the game stumble with this in execution. Since the mansion is not as big as the one seen in Resident Evil, almost every single nook and cranny of the setting could be explored in its first chapter, and leaves little to no new rooms to discover for the remaining chapters to following. This means that there's pretty much no progression felt in the game, and it's a shame considering how much a potential the Himuro mansion have.
The game provides a variety of creepy ghosts to take picture of, however, this variety could barely even be felt due to the game's baffling decision of forcing you to fight off the same ghost models right after finishing it off in literally the room before where you are. Sometimes you'll even face off the same ghost three times in a row!
The game never provides a sense of progression due to its absurd amount of repetition of areas and enemies. And the puzzles in the game doesn't help either, with many of them not providing any kind of rewards after completion and instead just puts you back into the beginning with you trying to solve another puzzle because the first puzzle had nothing to provide.
Healing items are also quite rare to come by which kind of feel absurd considering how high the damage output of almost every single ghosts. Not to mention, many encounters take place within a small room with no breathing room, making it so damage is pretty much inevitable.
This game probably contains some of the, if not, the most jankiest controls ever implemented in a video game. Controlling your character is so stiff and rigid that you can actually feel the character stop with each step. It's also incredibly easy for the character to stick to the walls, making the already awful movements, pretty excruciating.
I find it to be difficult to progress through the game in some instances without depending on online walkthroughs. The hints for some of the puzzle solutions, especially with the photograph hints, are so vague that the game could pretty much do away with them and it wouldn't impact the game substantially at all.
The game desperately needs more time in the oven. Just every time about the game feels so under polished that it makes playing through the game such a slog. And this is a shame because the game is actually scary too bad the gameplay hampers everything.
The entire game takes place inside a single mansion, told within three separate nights. Now, this is a great setting especially for the game's genre. Supernatural adversaries and haunted mansions are simply the perfect mix. However, the game stumble with this in execution. Since the mansion is not as big as the one seen in Resident Evil, almost every single nook and cranny of the setting could be explored in its first chapter, and leaves little to no new rooms to discover for the remaining chapters to following. This means that there's pretty much no progression felt in the game, and it's a shame considering how much a potential the Himuro mansion have.
The game provides a variety of creepy ghosts to take picture of, however, this variety could barely even be felt due to the game's baffling decision of forcing you to fight off the same ghost models right after finishing it off in literally the room before where you are. Sometimes you'll even face off the same ghost three times in a row!
The game never provides a sense of progression due to its absurd amount of repetition of areas and enemies. And the puzzles in the game doesn't help either, with many of them not providing any kind of rewards after completion and instead just puts you back into the beginning with you trying to solve another puzzle because the first puzzle had nothing to provide.
Healing items are also quite rare to come by which kind of feel absurd considering how high the damage output of almost every single ghosts. Not to mention, many encounters take place within a small room with no breathing room, making it so damage is pretty much inevitable.
This game probably contains some of the, if not, the most jankiest controls ever implemented in a video game. Controlling your character is so stiff and rigid that you can actually feel the character stop with each step. It's also incredibly easy for the character to stick to the walls, making the already awful movements, pretty excruciating.
I find it to be difficult to progress through the game in some instances without depending on online walkthroughs. The hints for some of the puzzle solutions, especially with the photograph hints, are so vague that the game could pretty much do away with them and it wouldn't impact the game substantially at all.
The game desperately needs more time in the oven. Just every time about the game feels so under polished that it makes playing through the game such a slog. And this is a shame because the game is actually scary too bad the gameplay hampers everything.
2017
Yooka-Laylee is a colorful throwback to collect-a-thon games of the past. However, it seems to forget to bring innovation, making the experience a bit tedious in the process.
While it seems to have been inspired by Rare's classic, Banjo-Kazooie, I never actually played it yet to make a direct comparison, although I did find Yooka-Laylee's gameplay style to be similar to Jak & Daxter's, another collect-a-thon game.
From collecting many of the game's precious rewards, currency, and even explorations to its huge and sprawling worlds, the two games are one for one.
What's surprising here is that a game made in 2002 somehow approaches the collect-a-thon genre, much better than a game made in 2017, as it lets you keep track of which side activities you still need to clear up. Instead, in Yooka-Laylee, there's a lot of wandering around aimlessly, as it's difficult to figure out which activity you've already finished.
This is further made challenging due to the game's massive and complicated open levels that's easy to get lost in. The game desperately needs a map or mini-map of sorts where you can see where you are, and the objective that still needs to be done.
The game also keeps making jokes about how this is the new game generation and that old games should update themselves, but funnily enough, this game never felt modern.
Many of the abilities that you learn are also quite underutilized. You could bypass many puzzle challenges with the use of your wide array of abilities, but the game limits you to using only a specific ability, essentially removing experimentation.
The final boss is also an awful encounter as it demands you to fight Capital B's 7 phases without any health pickups and unskippable cutscenes. Truly awful and tedious.
While most of my comments about the game may have all been negative, I did quite enjoy the game. But the lack of contemporary changes to the genre is just not that easy to shrug off.
While it seems to have been inspired by Rare's classic, Banjo-Kazooie, I never actually played it yet to make a direct comparison, although I did find Yooka-Laylee's gameplay style to be similar to Jak & Daxter's, another collect-a-thon game.
From collecting many of the game's precious rewards, currency, and even explorations to its huge and sprawling worlds, the two games are one for one.
What's surprising here is that a game made in 2002 somehow approaches the collect-a-thon genre, much better than a game made in 2017, as it lets you keep track of which side activities you still need to clear up. Instead, in Yooka-Laylee, there's a lot of wandering around aimlessly, as it's difficult to figure out which activity you've already finished.
This is further made challenging due to the game's massive and complicated open levels that's easy to get lost in. The game desperately needs a map or mini-map of sorts where you can see where you are, and the objective that still needs to be done.
The game also keeps making jokes about how this is the new game generation and that old games should update themselves, but funnily enough, this game never felt modern.
Many of the abilities that you learn are also quite underutilized. You could bypass many puzzle challenges with the use of your wide array of abilities, but the game limits you to using only a specific ability, essentially removing experimentation.
The final boss is also an awful encounter as it demands you to fight Capital B's 7 phases without any health pickups and unskippable cutscenes. Truly awful and tedious.
While most of my comments about the game may have all been negative, I did quite enjoy the game. But the lack of contemporary changes to the genre is just not that easy to shrug off.
The first Ratchet and Clank game is one of my favorite platformer games of all time, and this sequel further improves upon its predecessor in such a significant way that it makes it an almost perfect game.
Going Commando introduced so many features to the table that would later become staples of the franchise, such as the weapon and character leveling system, strafing, and many simple but effective quality of life improvements.
The game also includes many engaging puzzles and side activities like arena battles, the infiltrator, and space dogfight missions. All of these serve as nice diversions from the incredible platforming to avoid tediousness.
The game even managed to surprise with a sudden plot twist during the game's second half about its villain.
Although while it may be an incredible game, there are still a few flaws that managed to crack in with the inclusion of the electrolyzer puzzles which look and play dull, terrible checkpoint systems, a weak story that never feels like a galactic-level treat, and an abrupt ending that feels anticlimactic.
Going Commando introduced so many features to the table that would later become staples of the franchise, such as the weapon and character leveling system, strafing, and many simple but effective quality of life improvements.
The game also includes many engaging puzzles and side activities like arena battles, the infiltrator, and space dogfight missions. All of these serve as nice diversions from the incredible platforming to avoid tediousness.
The game even managed to surprise with a sudden plot twist during the game's second half about its villain.
Although while it may be an incredible game, there are still a few flaws that managed to crack in with the inclusion of the electrolyzer puzzles which look and play dull, terrible checkpoint systems, a weak story that never feels like a galactic-level treat, and an abrupt ending that feels anticlimactic.
2012
The DMC franchise has always been considered by many as one of the top action games of all time, and this first outing, while a bit rough around the edges, certainly delivers on high octane action.
The combat is both flashy and satisfying. Stringing together many combos to achieve an S rank is ever so addicting, and the same goes for the game's missions.
I wouldn't be lying if I said that this game managed to creep me out. The game just has this incredible atmosphere made even better by its gothic setting and creepy enemy designs. As for Dante, he's a really cool protagonist though he's not reached yet the same level of "coolness" as his newer iterations.
The game does stumble a bit during its latter half as it recycles many bosses and locations. The platforming is also a futile inclusion that highly clashes with the fixed camera angles.
The combat is both flashy and satisfying. Stringing together many combos to achieve an S rank is ever so addicting, and the same goes for the game's missions.
I wouldn't be lying if I said that this game managed to creep me out. The game just has this incredible atmosphere made even better by its gothic setting and creepy enemy designs. As for Dante, he's a really cool protagonist though he's not reached yet the same level of "coolness" as his newer iterations.
The game does stumble a bit during its latter half as it recycles many bosses and locations. The platforming is also a futile inclusion that highly clashes with the fixed camera angles.
2016
I used to have a love/hate relationship with this game due to its premise that pits every horror icon in the ultimate slasher fantasy but the numerous game breaking bugs definitely made the game frustrating and unplayable.
Now, I tried going back in the game and was surprised just how better it is than before. There are fewer bugs than ever and more iconic licensed characters to play as.
I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for the definitive slasher game.
Now, I tried going back in the game and was surprised just how better it is than before. There are fewer bugs than ever and more iconic licensed characters to play as.
I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for the definitive slasher game.
2019
While I've never really been good at fighting games, I've always been interested in playing them. Mortal Kombat 11 is a game that I decided to try out, and I was surprised just how different it was compared to other fighting games that I've played so far.
MK 11 is my introduction to the franchise, and from start to finish, I was engaged with its story and characters, despite it not being an easy entry to get into for newcomers. It's fighting system was also something that took me a while to actually get the hang of due to its complexity and variety of options.
What turned me off about the game, though, was its Nintendo Switch port. It's a port so terrible that it makes an incredible game such an unbearable experience.
From its menus alone, everything was such a slog to go through, as everything controlled and moved at such a snail's pace. The visuals doesn't fare much better either, with its pixelated visuals that's such a sight for sore eyes.
I would have loved to experience Mortal Kombat 11 once again for the first time, but not on the Nintendo Switch.
MK 11 is my introduction to the franchise, and from start to finish, I was engaged with its story and characters, despite it not being an easy entry to get into for newcomers. It's fighting system was also something that took me a while to actually get the hang of due to its complexity and variety of options.
What turned me off about the game, though, was its Nintendo Switch port. It's a port so terrible that it makes an incredible game such an unbearable experience.
From its menus alone, everything was such a slog to go through, as everything controlled and moved at such a snail's pace. The visuals doesn't fare much better either, with its pixelated visuals that's such a sight for sore eyes.
I would have loved to experience Mortal Kombat 11 once again for the first time, but not on the Nintendo Switch.
In my first few hours with the game, I found Up Your Arsenal to be nothing more than a disappointing entry in an otherwise strong franchise, as it seemed to have removed more features rather than improved upon what had been set up by its predecessors. However, it didn't take long for the game to change my mind.
Up Your Arsenal features some of the best, well, features that the franchise has ever seen. From the action, platforming, weapons, and many many more!
Although platforming has been relegated to being an optional obstacle that the player has to go through as multiple routes have been removed, this game features some of the most challenging platforming in the trilogy.
And just when I thought Going Commando had finally managed to make the Clank segments finally fun, here comes Up Your Arsenal which makes those segments even more enjoyable to play through. It's a shame, though, that the puzzles remains as mind numbingly terrible.
Although, of course, Going Commando still had more features, I do think that Up Your Arsenal is slightly better than what came before it due to its sheer enjoyment.
Up Your Arsenal features some of the best, well, features that the franchise has ever seen. From the action, platforming, weapons, and many many more!
Although platforming has been relegated to being an optional obstacle that the player has to go through as multiple routes have been removed, this game features some of the most challenging platforming in the trilogy.
And just when I thought Going Commando had finally managed to make the Clank segments finally fun, here comes Up Your Arsenal which makes those segments even more enjoyable to play through. It's a shame, though, that the puzzles remains as mind numbingly terrible.
Although, of course, Going Commando still had more features, I do think that Up Your Arsenal is slightly better than what came before it due to its sheer enjoyment.
Considered by many to be not only one of the best Resident Evil games, but also one of THE best video games of all time, Resident Evil 4 brings the iconic franchise to a new territory, one that is filled with tension and bombastic action that remains a golden standard in the genre.
This incredible sequel brought so many features and improvements to the table, from overhauling the traditional combat and enemies of the franchise, turning the horror atmosphere into action, and so much more!
There are just so many things to love about this entry! One thing that robs it out of a perfect star, however, is the terrible port that does nothing to improve upon the graphics despite the name "Ultimate HD Edition" and a poor performance that often makes it feel like you're playing the game in slow motion.
This incredible sequel brought so many features and improvements to the table, from overhauling the traditional combat and enemies of the franchise, turning the horror atmosphere into action, and so much more!
There are just so many things to love about this entry! One thing that robs it out of a perfect star, however, is the terrible port that does nothing to improve upon the graphics despite the name "Ultimate HD Edition" and a poor performance that often makes it feel like you're playing the game in slow motion.
Naughty Dog is one of the most prolific developers of all time, with such classics dating back to 1996. In 2007, we were introduced to one of the most charismatic raiders in gaming, Nathan Drake, in his debut, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.
A game so intense and beautiful that I immediately fell in love with it. From its story that feels like you're watching a blockbuster film, and endearing trio of characters, to its grandiose yet challenging combat, there's simply way too many things to love about this game.
And although the encounters with some of the adversaries can be a bit repetitive due to their numbers that often feels like the fight just never ends, the gameplay was simply way too stellar to look past this minor issue. Not to mention how the game plays relatively the same as the two Tomb Raider reboot games, making it easy for me to get a hold of the game's mechanics.
And despite the game's age, it still looks incredible, especially with this remaster!
Uncharted hooked me from start to finish, and I can't wait to play its sequels.
A game so intense and beautiful that I immediately fell in love with it. From its story that feels like you're watching a blockbuster film, and endearing trio of characters, to its grandiose yet challenging combat, there's simply way too many things to love about this game.
And although the encounters with some of the adversaries can be a bit repetitive due to their numbers that often feels like the fight just never ends, the gameplay was simply way too stellar to look past this minor issue. Not to mention how the game plays relatively the same as the two Tomb Raider reboot games, making it easy for me to get a hold of the game's mechanics.
And despite the game's age, it still looks incredible, especially with this remaster!
Uncharted hooked me from start to finish, and I can't wait to play its sequels.
2016
Not a sequel or remake but rather a reboot of the original Ratchet & Clank game from 2002, this entry is a stellar modernization of the game that started the entire franchise, bringing with it many of the refinements that later entries would introduce.
One such refinement that has been included in the game is the arsenal that has been brought over from previous installments. Each weapon was such a joy to use, with not a single one feeling like an unnecessary inclusion. One thing I'd like to point out, though, is that weapons feel like they pack less of a punch than in any of the entries in the original trilogy, though it never really got in the way of enjoyment.
And the game is simply jaw-dropping. There's so much going on in every single area of the game! It was such a treat to be able to walk through the same planets as in the original game, but in HD and in so much detail.
Speaking of planets, a few minor changes have been made to them, including the characters that you meet there, to make the galactic journey feel more cohesive.
With it being a reboot, of course, we can expect a few changes from its predecessor, with relatively mixed results.
This re-telling also puts a huge emphasis on story this time around, with many characters even interacting during gameplay segments. It's a shame, though, that the new element of the story, which is the Galactic Rangers, doesn't really do anything in the game at all and barely even has any in-game appearance outside of cutscenes.
And that's probably the game's major flaw, with it trying to connect its story with the tie-in movie. Many of the pre-rendered cutscenes that had been pulled from the movie don't even transition well with what's going on with the game, and it even managed to cause a plot hole in the game where we are told that Drek had already managed to blow up five planets despite not being able to see a single one of them or being told about it prior to the revelation.
And the humor is also not quite the same as seen in the original, with the game dialing down on zany and adult humor, and along with it, the game's personality has also been removed. This is mostly seen in many of the interactions with the game's various NPCs, as Ratchet speaks to them with his soulless eyes and stiff animations.
One such refinement that has been included in the game is the arsenal that has been brought over from previous installments. Each weapon was such a joy to use, with not a single one feeling like an unnecessary inclusion. One thing I'd like to point out, though, is that weapons feel like they pack less of a punch than in any of the entries in the original trilogy, though it never really got in the way of enjoyment.
And the game is simply jaw-dropping. There's so much going on in every single area of the game! It was such a treat to be able to walk through the same planets as in the original game, but in HD and in so much detail.
Speaking of planets, a few minor changes have been made to them, including the characters that you meet there, to make the galactic journey feel more cohesive.
With it being a reboot, of course, we can expect a few changes from its predecessor, with relatively mixed results.
This re-telling also puts a huge emphasis on story this time around, with many characters even interacting during gameplay segments. It's a shame, though, that the new element of the story, which is the Galactic Rangers, doesn't really do anything in the game at all and barely even has any in-game appearance outside of cutscenes.
And that's probably the game's major flaw, with it trying to connect its story with the tie-in movie. Many of the pre-rendered cutscenes that had been pulled from the movie don't even transition well with what's going on with the game, and it even managed to cause a plot hole in the game where we are told that Drek had already managed to blow up five planets despite not being able to see a single one of them or being told about it prior to the revelation.
And the humor is also not quite the same as seen in the original, with the game dialing down on zany and adult humor, and along with it, the game's personality has also been removed. This is mostly seen in many of the interactions with the game's various NPCs, as Ratchet speaks to them with his soulless eyes and stiff animations.
The first Uncharted game blew me away with its captivating story and stunning visuals, along with its challenging gameplay. This sequel then takes everything that made its predecessor such a great game and further improves upon it, delivering us one of the best games of all time.
As I booted up the game and started my playthrough, the first thing that grabbed my attention was its beautiful graphics. Sure, the first Uncharted looked great as well, but this sequel brought it to a whole new level, with each corner and area rich with detail.
And the graphics aren't the only thing that has been touched up in this sequel; even the already stellar gameplay has seen minor tweaks that polish everything up as well as fix some minor issues that its predecessor had. Fixes include the stealth mechanics, which prove to be so much more useful for this sequel compared to its predecessor, where I found it to be working against its aggressive enemies, the sudden difficulty spike has also been toned down, making for a more balanced action, and puzzle solving and platforming have also been refined, feeling less automated.
As for the story, oh god, it has an immensely gripping plot filled with frenetic action, taking place in numerous diverse settings that will keep you glued to your seat.
While I loved the first Uncharted game, this sequel simply surpasses it on every single front. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will remain unmatched for years to come.
As I booted up the game and started my playthrough, the first thing that grabbed my attention was its beautiful graphics. Sure, the first Uncharted looked great as well, but this sequel brought it to a whole new level, with each corner and area rich with detail.
And the graphics aren't the only thing that has been touched up in this sequel; even the already stellar gameplay has seen minor tweaks that polish everything up as well as fix some minor issues that its predecessor had. Fixes include the stealth mechanics, which prove to be so much more useful for this sequel compared to its predecessor, where I found it to be working against its aggressive enemies, the sudden difficulty spike has also been toned down, making for a more balanced action, and puzzle solving and platforming have also been refined, feeling less automated.
As for the story, oh god, it has an immensely gripping plot filled with frenetic action, taking place in numerous diverse settings that will keep you glued to your seat.
While I loved the first Uncharted game, this sequel simply surpasses it on every single front. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will remain unmatched for years to come.