starfoxa
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Cute for a holiday bonus game, but lacking in any real substance and not particularly compelling in any way.
2021
While this game is absolutely gorgeous visually (most of the time), it doesn't have much going for it otherwise. The story is pretty obtuse, with the dialogue often coming off as more pretentious than thought-provoking. The gameplay is totally barebones, much more akin to a walking simulator than a platformer or a rhythm game. The art is striking most of the time, but I also didn't particularly like the 2D models for characters and how they animated -- it looked more like an object being manipulated in PhotoShop than an actual animated character model.
2017
One of the best open world games I've played in a long time. The gameplay loop is so engaging, as each enemy type is unique and requires different strategies to take down. The story is interesting, with an amazing world and fascinating lore, as well as a likeable main character. Some of the supporting cast is a bit forgetable, but it doesn't detract greatly from the game. Just an excellent game all around.
This is perhaps the most wholesome game that I've ever played. It has some adorable characters, endearing dialogue, and an incredibly wholesome message. It tackles issues like depression & handles them gracefully. The game itself has some interesting puzzles and fun gameplay bits, but it is a bit shallow and would've been interesting to see the painting concept developed into something with some more depth. Overall, however, a really cute game which I enjoyed a good deal!
Everything, and I mean everything comes together in this expansion. It's the pinnacle of Final Fantasy storytelling and the culmination of a decade of world building and storytelling. The writing is stellar, the dungeons and trials are exciting and unique, the music is amazing. Everything comes together perfectly.
At this point in time, if you've played one Pokémon game, you've played pretty much all of them. As a remake, this game was more valuable for nostalgia than gameplay twists, story, or any other real reason. The nostalgia coupled with time-tested gameplay produces an enjoyable entry, though it's not anything particularly special.
Nothing spectacular about this Call of Duty campaign, though I still do enjoy a ~4-6 hour AAA shoot-em-up. The campaign was high production value, bombastic, and obviously expensive, everything I'd expect out of a Call of Duty campaign, but there's not much here that will be memorable down the line, with the exception of Dominic Monaghan and a frustrating flying mission. Pretty much what I've come to expect out of Call of Duty, and I'm not dissatisifed with what this game offered.
2019
This game was cute. Although there's no real failure state and the challenge is largely self-controlled, it makes for a nice zen game. It would've been nice for the gameplay to evolve some more as the game progressed, but the simplistic gameplay was enough to carry it relatively well throughout.
One of the most curious side stories in the Final Fantasy series, and additionally the most convoluted story I've experienced yet in the series. The game has a lot of unique and interesting ideas, and the execution is all over the place. Not much is explained, and it's my understanding that a lot of plot is left out of the game for subsequent playthroughs. I don't feel as though this lends itself well to this particular game, as a game like Nier is more streamlined & replayable than this mission-based game. However, this one playthrough was still enjoyable, as the core gameplay offers up enough excitement and entertainment to carry the game.
Final game in the Castlevania GBA trilogy and it's definitely the best. It's really interesting how different each of the games feels while still retaining the same basic formula. Aria of Sorrow introduces the soul absorption mechanic that Dawn of Sorrow refines, and it's a blast to use here. The game also pumps up the story, introducing a cast of characters that carry on into the sequel. It's nothing particularly special, but improved over the previous two games. Great game!
2021
This one was a real surprise. I didn't expect too much out of it, but the writing was absolutely astounding. The time loop concept is executed beautifully, the dialogue is introspective and illuminating, the mysteries are intriguing, and the characters are likeable and memorable. It's rare to see a game ponder moral quandries effectively, and The Forgotten City does just that with ease. Greatly enjoyed my time with this one, left completely satisfied!
I'd expected the GBA Castlevania games to all feel very similar, but this is not the case. This game is quite different from Circle of the Moon, and really feels much more like a Symphony of the Night inspired game than the former. I enjoyed its departure from the card-based system of its predecessor, and focus on more straightforward whip-slinging gameplay. Its music is a bit weak and the map is challenging to traverse due to its dual castle nature, but otherwise it's a solid Dracula slayin' adventure.
2021
Really feels like Arkane has nailed this formula. Dishonored can feel a little bit like it's forcing you to play in a particular way, so having the time loop as a gameplay concept opens it up to a lot more experimentation. Had a blast looping around and killin' Eternalists. Great game.
Not a terrible RTS. The controls on PC are a bit awkward because it's clear this was developed with a controller in mind, so it would have been nice to have touched that up for PC. Some of the units are pretty obviously overpowered, and the campaign's story wasn't all that interesting, but it was fun as a coop campaign.
While it felt a bit stiffer than other Castlevania games I've played (at least of the Metroidvania variety), this one was still solid and definitely holds up well. I can see the roots that became the later Nintendo DS games, and it's clear that they have a winning formula. Had a blast with this one, could hardly put it down!