skmdy
9 reviews liked by skmdy
Dys4ia
2012
The rapid-fire, WarioWare-style mini-game structure and presentation are really nicely done given that the game ends in like five minutes. This was pretty impressive to come across on NewGrounds over ten years ago.
Loop Hero
2021
I think if a game is going to ask you to be the one to choose how many enemies will spawn it should have some reason to spawn more than zero. and importantly: tell you what that reason is
Balatro
2024
I showed this game to my wife and I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm straight-up addicted to video poker.
This feels like it's missing an x-factor. StS or BoI have this feeling like anything could happen at any time dozens of runs in, and at least so far it feels like the Joker design could have got a little more zany to keep runs fresh or introduce brand new mechanics. They really just revolve around number crunching, and it gets a bit repetitive. Talking it over with a (math major) friend it sounds like the high card strategies are a little one-sided and really the only way to certain success. Standard card packs also suck. It definitely needs some balance tweaking, but as-is the (math major) crunch is still pretty fun. Plus the aesthetic is great. I can't believe the one song is so - wait, am I straight-up addicted to video poker?
This feels like it's missing an x-factor. StS or BoI have this feeling like anything could happen at any time dozens of runs in, and at least so far it feels like the Joker design could have got a little more zany to keep runs fresh or introduce brand new mechanics. They really just revolve around number crunching, and it gets a bit repetitive. Talking it over with a (math major) friend it sounds like the high card strategies are a little one-sided and really the only way to certain success. Standard card packs also suck. It definitely needs some balance tweaking, but as-is the (math major) crunch is still pretty fun. Plus the aesthetic is great. I can't believe the one song is so - wait, am I straight-up addicted to video poker?
Mahjong Soul
2019
I like it when I win.
Card Shark
2022
This game taught me how to do a three-card monty for my 7 year old nephew, which he liked, firmly putting an end to the “fiction doesn’t affect reality” debate.
Silver Grapple
2017
super-tight grappling hook platforming with a good level of challenge and fast, fair checkpoints. grappling hook. an aesthetic and metroidvania-lite structure reminiscent of cave story. grappling hook
Mahjong Soul
2019
Some might go full reddit mode and get mad at the gacha mechanics but this game is how all online matchmaking games should work.
- There is no chat, only emotes.
- You choose the lobbies based on your skill level/comfort.
- Cool graphics, but not overbearing.
- Decent amount of in-game references.
- Akagi
The only issue with this is some of my friends refuse to play it bc it makes their fans spin.
- There is no chat, only emotes.
- You choose the lobbies based on your skill level/comfort.
- Cool graphics, but not overbearing.
- Decent amount of in-game references.
- Akagi
The only issue with this is some of my friends refuse to play it bc it makes their fans spin.
Titanfall 2
2016
Titanfall 2's single-player campaign is beloved by many and I wish I could see what everyone else does. I enjoyed it well enough but it's... fine? The day after finishing, I couldn't tell you much of what happened in the story. I went to lots of places and picked up lots of things, but outside of a single level built around a quite interesting one-off mechanic, none of it stuck with me.
The movement and shooting all feel solid, although the stages are regularly split into "platformer segment" and "shooting arena" and aren't always particularly well integrated. As long as you have a few walls to run on you don't need to do much else during combat. The fast-paced action sequences and parkour platforming are split up with areas where you control the Titan, your robot exo-suit buddy, which unfortunately feels sluggish and unpleasant to control. It's a real shame that every boss fight in the game required you to fight in your Titan.
Titanfall 2 isn't a bad game at all, it's a perfectly reasonable first-person shooter campaign, but I just don't get why it's lauded as one of the best campaigns of the generation.
The movement and shooting all feel solid, although the stages are regularly split into "platformer segment" and "shooting arena" and aren't always particularly well integrated. As long as you have a few walls to run on you don't need to do much else during combat. The fast-paced action sequences and parkour platforming are split up with areas where you control the Titan, your robot exo-suit buddy, which unfortunately feels sluggish and unpleasant to control. It's a real shame that every boss fight in the game required you to fight in your Titan.
Titanfall 2 isn't a bad game at all, it's a perfectly reasonable first-person shooter campaign, but I just don't get why it's lauded as one of the best campaigns of the generation.
Rogue Legacy
2013
An insultingly, hatefully tedious waste of time.
