willhal
Fun little bit of extra content that seems to set up the second game pretty well. Yuffie is goofy and lovable, and super fun to control in battle. Her relationship with Sonon is impactful for the short length of this DLC. Also she's the goat of whatever that Midgar version of Clash Royale is
This review contains spoilers
Really interesting reimagining of the original game. I personally liked the new twist on the story. The characters were all super fun too- I really liked all the party dynamics, and it was cool to see the original members of Avalanche get fleshed out and have a bit more screen time. The environments were really well-done as well, they succeeded in making Midgar feel absolutely massive. Combat felt really smooth, it's a turn-based system disguised as real-time because if you don't time your attacks well you will get fucked. The materia system rules, I really love that amount of customization depth.
The main flaw here is the pacing. I like how they integrated the side quests, because there's no way in hell I'm doing any side quests in an old FF game. However, the pacing was kind of weird as a result, with the main party members encouraging Cloud to go do random shit after discussing how dire the main storyline was. I had fun with them at first, but I ignored the last batch because I was not interested in them at all. I feel like the Chocobo fast travel system is a relic of the old game that they could have reworked, but by the time that was even an option I had stopped giving a shit about side quests to go set it up or use it. I also feel like the last few chapters were really drawn out, particularly Hojo's lab. Lastly, I wish there was more party customization and less of the gimmick where they took away characters all the time. Multiple times I was stuck without healing materia because the game would split the party or remove Tifa or Aerith without warning, and the only reason I had a chance at beating Sephiroth was because I equipped it on Cloud. Not getting to use Aerith at all at the end kind of sucked, and Red XIII not being playable kind of faked me out with how far away the ending was. I enjoyed most of the dialogue but there were times where I came to appreciate how pithy the original was.
Overall I enjoyed this a lot. The middle portion of the game is some of the most fun I've had in an RPG, but I'm hoping these flaws are at least addressed in Rebirth, whenever I get around to it.
The main flaw here is the pacing. I like how they integrated the side quests, because there's no way in hell I'm doing any side quests in an old FF game. However, the pacing was kind of weird as a result, with the main party members encouraging Cloud to go do random shit after discussing how dire the main storyline was. I had fun with them at first, but I ignored the last batch because I was not interested in them at all. I feel like the Chocobo fast travel system is a relic of the old game that they could have reworked, but by the time that was even an option I had stopped giving a shit about side quests to go set it up or use it. I also feel like the last few chapters were really drawn out, particularly Hojo's lab. Lastly, I wish there was more party customization and less of the gimmick where they took away characters all the time. Multiple times I was stuck without healing materia because the game would split the party or remove Tifa or Aerith without warning, and the only reason I had a chance at beating Sephiroth was because I equipped it on Cloud. Not getting to use Aerith at all at the end kind of sucked, and Red XIII not being playable kind of faked me out with how far away the ending was. I enjoyed most of the dialogue but there were times where I came to appreciate how pithy the original was.
Overall I enjoyed this a lot. The middle portion of the game is some of the most fun I've had in an RPG, but I'm hoping these flaws are at least addressed in Rebirth, whenever I get around to it.
I reviewed each of the games individually, so this is just a composite rating of all four. This is a really solid collection of platformers that was made with a lot of love and care. One of my favorite indie games/series out there
Weakest entry in the series but still quite enjoyable. I love when games ask the bold question: what if there was a stupid little card game? Joustus is kind of fun, but it's kind of like if Gwent was not as good. I suck total ass at it so I stopped engaging with it about 1/3 of the way through. The levels are much shorter in favor of adding lots of joustus content and several ways to traverse the overworld. They are still challenging though, and despite this I actually spent the most time completing this game out of all four. At its core, its still the same old Shovel Knight, there's just less of the content that I'm in it for. King Knight's story might be the funniest of the four, and the flying ship is a great hub world. If I liked joustus more? This game might be a 5. But I don't.
This visual novel has incredible vibes. Each character is really memorable and well-written, I really enjoyed seeing how Jill interacted with each of the bar's customers. The soundtrack is incredible, and it's really cool how you get to pick the playlist for each day. I had my favorites by the end but at the beginning I would always mix it up to see which tracks I liked best. The artwork is also great. This pixel art style brings each character to life and paints a lively background. This was the perfect evening relaxation game
The best entry in the series. It's the easiest one but also the most fun. Specter Knight feels amazing to control, and while the customization is not as in depth as Plague Knight's, it still has a big impact on the game. All the stage remixes are awesome, and the new music helps re-contextualize each stage in this new light. The rail grinding mechanic is so badass and I think made for the best levels. This game also has the first good water level in a 2D platformer (can't discount my goat Buoy Base Galaxy). Specter Knight's story is also really compelling, and it gives his character new meaning in the context of the series. This game is peak Shovel Knight and I enjoyed it a ton
2001
Wasn't expecting this game to be as good as it was, just didn't enjoy it as much as the other platformers I've been into lately. The areas are cohesive, and the level design and gameplay loop is pretty neat: explore each level as linearly as you want, get all four gem pieces, and trigger the timer and escape before it runs out. This game is super weird and full of charm. The main turnoff for me was that I didn't love how Wario controlled, but I'll chalk that up to hardware limitations. I would definitely play a modern entry to this series if one were to be announced.
Pretty fun remix of the original game. One of the most creative platformers I've played from a movement standpoint. The bomb customization allows for a lot freedom on how you want to tackle each problem. I felt my gear having a significantly greater impact on my play style than in the original game, which is definitely an improvement. At times, however, it felt a little like Shovel Knight With Extra Bullshit. The boss fights are pretty free, at the cost of screens that were simpler in the original becoming much more difficult. While frustrating sometimes, it does mean that they did a good job differentiating the two characters. This game is also way funnier than the original, which already had a good bit of charm. This was a fun challenge and I enjoyed this game a lot
2013
Fun survival crafting game to play with friends, but the game asks a little too much of the player. It's fun to go around and loot stuff, but the most exciting part of the game is the horde night, where every 7 days an increasingly difficult zombie horde descends on your location. I enjoy this part a lot and I wish it was more frequent. The crafting system is also extensive and there are so many ways to customize your base, structurally or aesthetically, and is another one of this game's strengths.
If that were all the game was, I think it would be much better and more accessible, but it locks most of the crafting system behind a randomized loot system. You have to find magazines for certain item types within randomized loot containers in order to rank up those item categories enough to craft useful items, but the amount of this you need to do to get even one rank up is staggering. A somewhat cool idea on paper, allowing players to customize their roles in the group, but in practice it is massively prohibitive. If you play this game very often, this probably isn't an issue, but for a casual 1-2 hour session every now and then, this task is insurmountable. When I play this with my gf, we just eat glass or kill each other whenever someone gets thirsty because preparing drinkable water is locked behind dozens of hours of progress in multiple item categories. Overall, a fun game that is a bit too realistic for its own good.
If that were all the game was, I think it would be much better and more accessible, but it locks most of the crafting system behind a randomized loot system. You have to find magazines for certain item types within randomized loot containers in order to rank up those item categories enough to craft useful items, but the amount of this you need to do to get even one rank up is staggering. A somewhat cool idea on paper, allowing players to customize their roles in the group, but in practice it is massively prohibitive. If you play this game very often, this probably isn't an issue, but for a casual 1-2 hour session every now and then, this task is insurmountable. When I play this with my gf, we just eat glass or kill each other whenever someone gets thirsty because preparing drinkable water is locked behind dozens of hours of progress in multiple item categories. Overall, a fun game that is a bit too realistic for its own good.
2020
This game is absolute crack cocaine and it's awesome- easily the best roguelike I've ever played. Having a good build is among the coolest feelings you can get from a game. The characters have lots of personality and each feel unique with their play styles. A winning strategy tends to converge on one or two deck archetypes, but even that can feel different depending on the character you choose. The skill ceiling is super high and mastering each character feels rewarding
2021
One of the best metroidvania experiences I've had. ZDR is a fascinating place to explore and you need to be clever with your skills to get around and defeat bosses. Running from the EMMIs was terrifying each time, and it felt so cool each time I could finally defeat one. Samus got stronger with each upgrade, and I felt myself get stronger as I mastered how to use each of them. The final boss was at least 15% of my play time tho, phase 3 was stupid hard. This was a difficult game, but one that wanted you to succeed- all the tools are there, but it's up to you to figure out how to use them
2014
Lost access to this after my 3DS broke, so I bought Treasure Trove on Steam last week, and wanted to replay the original before trying the other campaigns. Frustrating at times, but the music is bangin and it's about as fun as I remember. Lots of charm packed into this little game
2024
This review contains spoilers
This game came at the exact right time for me. What a fulfilling experience. The themes and emotions of the narrative are told so well through the characters, environment, and music. SEES is such a great ensemble cast, it was great to watch them interact and grow closer. Each social link was meaningful and added to the overall story. You really got to watch every character grow. The ending was so powerful, and brings home what the game has been saying from the start. Time passes slowly, then all at once; but the bonds you make will last forever despite time, distance, or even death
2012
Really wanted to like this game but couldn't get into it. Pretty funny to watch your character get put through a Rube Goldberg death machine every time you fuck up though. I understand the appeal to this game, just isn't for me.
2014
Cute little platformer, enjoyed the art a lot and provided a nice challenge while being a really brief experience