Way too much of this game is based on trial and error. I mean, you really can't actually see what's coming up quickly enough to respond before memorizing what's going on a lot of the time. But aside from that, I've been trying to get 100% with all the relics, and I've died SO MANY TIMES in ways that seem to go against expectations of game mechanics; In other words, the game wasn't programmed well enough for the level of difficulty that's implied. I have a library of videos from this game where my deaths clearly shouldn't have happened. It's not as big of a deal if you're just doing gems or playing casually, but when you're playing a 4 minute long level (when played fast) where dying means starting the whole level over, and the physics or hit detection randomly wigs out, it leads to playing the first half of a level about 10 times more than the rest of the level, leading to a mind-numbing level of repetition, and a seriously uneven playing experience.
I just saw the swinging grapple pole reset while I was in the middle of jumping to it... On a casual first playthrough, this game was overall pretty fun, albeit loaded with deaths as you keep figuring things out that you can't see.
Ugh, and that's another major flaw is that level boundaries aren't indicated in a clear fashion, so there are a LOT of deaths from just figuring out where those boundaries are. One clear example: Nitro Processing level. There's one spot where sharp gears are at the borders, seemingly to indicate where to not go, and yet there are spots where you can go past them, and other spots where you die before hitting it... There's very little consistency. Another obvious example is in Crash Landed, in the side-scrolling section of the gravity-switch mask; There's one spot where you have to invert gravity to get a box, but if you do the same thing right next to that box, it's instant death. As a long-time gamer, I feel like these choices don't respect the necessity of clearly defining game mechanics for the gamer. I shouldn't have to die every time I figure out what the developer actually meant. This game was made for serious gamers to throw their controllers. Shame on me for being a completionist. Heed my warning; Getting 100% isn't about getting good at this game as much as it is a test of tolerance. Don't try getting the platinum. It's not going to feel like a prize after you've let this game occupy that degree of your mind and time. Casual playthrough: 9/10
100% playthrough: 5/10
I put off playing this game for way too long.
This is how you're supposed to do an RPG.
Despite how you could sort of tell they put it together in 18 months, somehow everything is perfectly in place and intricately intertwined while offering a wonderful fictional reality to explore in an open world.
They do not pull punches with harsh realism here, and it's refreshingly unbiased (or rather extremely aware of biases) in how it presents this matter.
The way leveling works here is the most balanced in any game like this that I've played, giving you a reason to keep replaying with different approaches, which is rewarded with vastly different story paths.
It seems like every single action you can do in the game is accounted for, with an invigorating range of choices in dialogue, which is inherently charismatically written; It's honestly enjoyable to see speech checks fail once in a while. This game truly has style without being overstated, and whatever rough edges it has adds to its charm in this post-apocalyptic desert. The finesse to the characters and encounters and lore has a way about it that's unassumingly interesting, which directly rewards your curiosity with intrigue for the duration of exploring literally every location. The rewards for some quests is literally as quaint as a positive reputation or just finishing that part of the story, and it's legitimately not disappointing because the game gives you exactly the resolve you're looking for, so you don't always need additional experience points to be satisfied with an outcome, as the game is already well-balanced in handling risk/reward. The combat loop is logical, fun, and challenging. Same for the map. You would think a desert could be wide open and monotonous, but they actually do an amazing job of using plateaus, hills, other terrain, and landmarks to direct the player into different aspects of gameplay.
The systems of leveling up are incredibly well-suited for RPGS, and specifically well-paced. Every perk really feels like it matters, and you don't necessarily feel totally overpowered by the end of the game. Skills have uses in dialogue, which adds to the charm of how the dialogue is set up, and how immersive role-playing can be.
I really can't give enough praise to this game. Don't delay with this one. I'm not even kidding; Thinking about how the dialogue choices in New Vegas would apply to my own life feels kind of enlightening.
My only complaint is that the beginning of gameplay is a little bit tutorial-heavy and they expect you to grasp a lot of context you don't have yet in making these decisions, but at least they let you redo stats upon exiting the first town. Once you get past the initial getting used to the game, this is a pretty tight and immersive open world experience that I think pretty clearly demands a replay. Btw, I haven't had any technical issues playing on a PS3 yet. I did get stuck in some busted metal beams at one point, but it wasn't a glitch, it was just "damn, why did they let me get stuck here?" I'm sure there are plenty of glitches in this game, but I haven't noticed the "quirky" glitches I usually see in massive open world Bethesda games (like brahmin randomly spawning and falling in Fallout 4). Actually, I think they might've used load-ins to their advantage when setting up deathclaw ambushes on that one road going up to The Strip, because I kept trudging along next to the road along a mountainside, I noticed two deathclaws out in the distance down a rocky slope on my right, and so I try to keep distance and get around them, notice one death claw coming from my back-left, so I turn to lock on to it, and then like 5 more start popping up from behind things, and it definitely got across the deathclaw experience properly, because those things are predatory abominations of radiation, and you learn how they hunt through experience, which is way more immersive than walking into a scripted event.
There are countless scenarios that are worth talking about here. I'm done raving. You could try to argue that this game isn't perfect, but it's coupled with the self-awareness of understanding that perfection cannot exist, so that's not very much of an argument at all.
The first Unravel was one of my favorite video game experiences because it told a very personal story in an immersive environment and gave me the feels. This sequel doesn't quite hit the same spot emotionally, but it is better at being a platforming game. I do like what the themes in the story represent. This is a co-op game, but it works perfectly fine in single player. The gameplay is a little more nuanced with the dynamic of having two characters tethered to each other making an effective use of physics. I did get stuck a handful of times, particularly in the bonus challenge levels. The vast majority of the time, the challenges are fair, though there are maybe 4 bonus challenges that made me have to take a break because my hands were starting to hurt and my mind was getting a bit numb from restarting repeatedly just to get stuck on the same few bits... I really don't mind a challenge, but it does feel kind of cheap to make the first part of a bonus level take a minute of precise platforming just to give us two more parts of that same level that we don't get a checkpoint for. There are a few times where I can't actually see what's coming up until I reach it and then I die, which is definitely the fault of the designers (they could've just panned the camera back for a moment). That all said, everything does flow very smoothly, with a good range of puzzles that continuously demand new approaches. Most of the challenges are invigorating to solve. Overall recommended, but definitely play the first game first.
This game is personal and beautiful, especially with the meaning it effectively conveys through visual storytelling and scrapbook entries. While I wouldn't call this a contender for best platformer regarding design, I would call it one of the best story-driven platformers. The level design is engaging and clever with how they utilize the gameplay mechanics with the environment. The reason this gets a 10/10 is because the ending made me cry and cherish people in my life more. It gives you something to take with you that's more important than a number rating.
The general consensus is that this game is a return to form for Resident Evil, as in it brings the creeping survival horror element back to the forefront. While this game is memorable and definitely a great reference point for the series going forward (hopefully they remake the original game to be more like this), I do feel like the story didn't draw me in right away because the rational part of my brain kept going "literally none of this needs to happen." But that said, once it gets going, ya get locked into it. The one particular complaint I want to include here is that the VR mode is better at most points, but then there are other points where I just flat-out wasn't looking at the right area for certain jump scares like I would've in non-VR and it actually confused me. That and the sound design is a little over-reactive to Ethan's footsteps; I kept thinking someone was right near me when it was literally just Ethan brushing up against some tiny object. Overall, great game, though. The story is more believable than most Resident Evil titles. The grittiness in the atmosphere makes the environment feel somewhat less fictional, which makes the scares from abnormal circumstances remain engaging, even when it gets ridiculous. Comes off a little bit like an homage to multiple classic horror movies, but it ties it all together organically enough to not feel like fan service. Definitely a worthwhile title for fans of horror games.
This game, like too many well-regarded games from this time, is both addicting and absolutely frustrating. The hack and slash gameplay is clearly the selling point along with the apocalyptic comic-style visuals and story. The gameplay mechanics do work pretty decently in a God of War type manner, and the characters did have a good amount of detail put into them. The environments leave a little bit to be desired. A lot of the areas border between seeming inspired and formulaic, and that's a lot of my take-away here. I don't like being forced into arena settings when the objectives are occasionally more nuanced than the controls. I don't like fighting droves of tanky flying enemies when they have frequent ranged attacks that aren't stuttered by my incredibly weak ranged attack. It's needlessly time consuming and makes angels look insufferable compared to demons. To say it's a game made by gamers for gamers is to say it isn't actually all that inviting unless you're addicted to game mechanics and art direction is enough to get you by. I don't mean to be needlessly harsh, but then again, the angels in this game sure do, so screw em. The wrath abilities aren't very evenly useful either. Honestly, it's not a bad game, but it also feels a little too aged for its year. The story doesn't really do anything for me past "oh cool, they let the character do that. Well, it'd be disappointing if he didn't, I suppose." It's like "hey, here's some cool demon stuff." If that's good enough for you, try it out. I personally feel like the story doesn't give enough rationalization or relatable characterization, making some of the creatures who interact with you kind of just seem like ****, including the guy who follows you around, berating you when you mess up. Whoever thought that was an enjoyable choice for a video game probably has emotional issues. lol The cross blade has an animation like it's grinding through enemies' insides, but how little damage it does against angels makes me feel like I'm using a fidget spinner on a gang of bullies.
Not a bad game. Actually pretty addicting and can be fun at points. But it does go on for a while without having that much variation in the dungeons, the story doesn't feel particularly well defined, and... there's an exploit where you can get infinite money by buying and selling clubs, if I remember properly.
Either you want the same thing as the original and this remake is pointless, or you want continuity in the RE remake series. This game is arguably the best entry in the whole series. If you break down the reasoning for all the bad ratings, everything together does not undo the quality of this game. If you're trashing this, you just flat out don't like Resident Evil, or you need some therapy. As far as PS4 version goes, this actually works really well. Graphics are great for PS4. I think I saw a frame rate drop on two enemies (out of hundreds), the map screen occasionally lags, and the voice acting can occasionally be a little too dramatic, but to act like these things ruin a fantastic game is 100% just acting like a kid throwing a tantrum because their new toy didn't say the voice line they wanted to hear.
I feel like at this point in time, it's more of an 8/10. At the time it came out, it probably felt like a 10/10. And in retrospective, considering the limitations at the time, I'll give it a 9/10. In terms of what they did right, this game seems pretty clearly the best one from this era of GTA. The story is pretty well-done. Characters are all memorable. Voice acting fits really well and has some unforgettable actors involved, like Samuel Jackson, David Cross, and Ice-T. The dialogue brings up a lot of social commentary, which I feel like is an underappreciated aspect of these games, and this game does it exceptionally well, referencing the LA riots from 1992, among plenty of topics here and there. Plus, this game can be funny. "All you men think about is ****ing! **** this! **** that!" "I'm sorry, baby!" The map is relatively huge and well-made. Everything flows really well, with loading times only being for building interiors / missions. You can swim, use a jetpack, and all the other normal GTA stuff like use tanks, planes, military helicopters, parachute from anywhere, take the train... You can date multiple girlfriends, who provide perks, vehicles, and outfits as you progress. Worth it for the two girls who let you keep your stuff when you die or get arrested. The added mechanics and different stats do make this a pretty immersive game. Gang territories are actually pretty fun, despite being somewhat repetitive. However, we must admit there are a few problems with this thing that can be pretty hard to overlook. First, it is incredibly frustrating to lose certain weapons after doing missions. It's weird, some missions will end with you have 50 rockets, and then after other missions, you'll lose like all your ammo for a couple weapons. Second, flying is such a pain in the ass to get used to sometimes. I feel like it adds some weight of realism, but the reason these GTA games are so fun is because they get ridiculous, and it comes across as more clunky. Third, buying clothes takes SO LONG. It takes like a full minute just to try on and buy 4 articles of clothing. I watched unrelated videos online to fill the time so I can buy everything, which is also kind of an issue: There isn't a big thing to buy. I can buy everything out well before the game is over. Fourth, I was not warned that I would lose the option of gang territories after about 30% of the story was done. This made me keep waiting for when they'd bring it back and it made me start to get a little impatient with the story, which did get a little bit tangential after that. That all said, it's still a really fun and addictive experience. The game's got a lot of personality, it does a lot of things right, despite its flaws, and I would consider it a top-tier PS2 game.
Just based on the first chapter:
There's a comical amount of gore in this game. I can't take the horror element seriously. There's a frickin blood-drenched slip n slide 10 minutes in. Honestly, I find this game to simply be more unpleasant than horrific. The slow pace of moving around the environment isn't really setting a mood for me. Hiding just makes this feel like Outlast. The guy with the chainsaw bounces around like a kid throwing a tantrum. While I'm sure it'd be a "wtf" moment in real life, it doesn't translate into the game. Yet somehow, I have to watch the camera bounce with Sebastian as he limps. Odd what they choose to emphasize. Speaking of, the characters are so lacking in character that they pretty much fit the role of meatbags which the bad guys treat you as. So it doesn't really feel like much is at stake. Just a whole bunch of trial and error. Might as well call it Trial And Error: The Game (Soaked in Blood edition).
There isn't any way to revert to the last checkpoint without dying so you're literally just going to stand there taking 5 chainsaw slashes waiting to die, meanwhile the first guy you see auto kills you? I don't understand the pacing choices. The grainy filters are really monotonous, btw. That actually references the overarching issue here: it's just a mix of random horror elements thrown into an action game without much explanation. Okay, he just limped for a while, and then something pounded on the ceiling and he started running. Umm... Why? Did the vibration somehow heal him? You know what, I'm just going to accept that this game makes zero sense. I'll update my review as I continue to play, but this isn't looking very promising. Really don't see what the hype is about.
Ahh yes... The game of climbing and stabbing. And baiting. And exploring. To cut straight to the chase, this game does have a very cinematic feel while having very little dialogue or character interaction. And honestly, that's a big part of the game's charm. That, and these large, beautiful environments it would be a dream to be able to visit. The dynamic of exploring a peaceful landscape and then trying to slay a mountainous creature does feel quite epic; Sort of a calm before the storm on repeat. Personally, I don't have a problem with the controls most of the time, and I do think this is a very engaging experience that's worth playing all the way through once (which can take 5-10 hours if you aren't trying to speed-run it). Personally, I recommend doing hard mode right away as it just simply adds more weak points and lowers your attack power, so you may need to apply more strategies that you wouldn't in normal mode. Overall, each of these colossi is a very distinct, and mostly well-done boss fight. While they all require stabbing weak points repeatedly while holding on, trying to anticipate the next major movement that may attempt to shake you off like a flee on a dog, actually reaching these points requires unique strategies to be able to reach. To top off the praise for this game, the orchestral music is very fitting, and the ending gave me some feels in a very unique and memorable way. Now the downsides... There are definitely some major downsides that make this game occasionally very frustrating, particularly if you're trying to play it in Time Attack on Hard mode, which reveals the singular overarching issue here: This game is better at being an interactive experience rather than a traditional game. The difficulty curve is generally okay, but there're a handful of bosses that are just frustrating to try to manipulate properly, VERY SPECIFICALLY: #9 (where you need to make a hot spring hit its belly), #4 (where you need to bait a giant horse to lower it's head), and #12, because I just watched this guy go all the way to the opposite end of the map while I was firing arrows at him, like wtf... Also #10 requires shooting arrows while riding away from it, which isn't very intuitive since I can easily run into a pillar without realizing it's there (I do still think it's fun despite this). Aside from those handful of errors, I generally enjoy finagling my way through these, it just gets VERY frustrating when it doesn't want to work with you in Time Attack. To top off the negative aspects of this game, they really should just call the main character Stumble instead of Wander, considering how the slightest movements can make him fall over (which cuts into grip regen time). Momentum manipulation can lead to some interesting speed-run tactics, but there're a good few times where I really don't think my character should've gone the way they did. Plus, there aren't really enough grip points in the normal map. And lastly, I actually think being able to press a button to focus the camera on either the colossus or your horse Agro is exactly the way the camera should function, BUT sometimes it just gets caught in inconvenient locations, like: In #12, while I'm trying to get on top of it's head, half the time the camera gets stuck on its shoulder and I can't actually tell if I'm at the right angle to pull myself up. Still, it's nowhere near as bad as Super Mario 64, and people love that game. Most of these issues may seem big, but they're ultimately minor in that they don't actually break the game or totally ruin the gameplay experience. This is still strongly recommended for anyone still interested after reading this. I would not recommend this to someone who's only interested in action-heavy, grindy games, though.
While this game does have many flaws, there are also many reasons it's worth the time investment. In comparison with the other Fallout games, this may not be the best at doing what they do. But in terms of what this specific game offers, I think it does it pretty well. I have a lot of different playthroughs with different playstyles and story choices. The add-ons really add a lot of depth to the story. I do wish they could be more thoroughly integrated into the main map instead of being totally separate locations. Mainly, after playing it for so long, I'm roughly 98% sure that the main character is supposed to be a synth. It's definitely more interesting to think of it this way when you realize just how advanced technology is becoming in contrast to the wasteland that still exists. Overall, the story itself is ambiguous enough to be interesting, though the dialogue can occasionally be more engaging than it is. The settlement building isn't bad, but I feel like it breaks the gameplay flow a little bit to be so focused on junk. Overall, I had a lot of fun sinking into this character, especially in Survival mode. If you play this, you must play it on Survival mode! It makes the role-playing aspect much more engaging as you need to eat, drink, and sleep, you can get ill, and ammo has weight so you have to be strategic with what you carry. It's honestly fun to be scared of half the creatures at low levels. I definitely recommend this, though it may not be for everyone. But I'm enjoying my no-VATS, anti-factions playthrough... P.S. The lore is still great if you pay attention to details.
This game can be a lot of fun and very addicting, especially in co-op... but there's a HUGE design flaw in that you can basically just circle every enemy and whittle their health down. Kind of ruins any sense of strategy. Also, certain characters and abilities are clearly more useful than others. Still fun, though.
Anyone complaining about microtransactions is being completely foolish because you can unlock everything in the game by playing it. Nobody's demanding extra money for you to enjoy this game. It controls almost identical to the original, with updated graphics, and includes all of the original levels and main game from CTR, as well as many levels from Nitro Kart, and a ton of added levels that are easily some of the most fun in the series. So basically it's almost three times as many levels as the original, with just about every crash character available to play, including an unlockable crate character. They even added a couple more vehicle specs, which can be adjusted for any vehicle / character. I do have some complaints: Some of the newer characters are forgettable and unnecessary. Getting all of the coolest looking stuff is a bit grindy. And the out-of-bounds is occasionally a bit of a hard line, feeling unnecessarily strict occasionally. But aside from that, this is far from a disappointing version of CTR and I'm glad I bought it. HAIL KING CHICKEN.
This is honestly my favorite 3D Mario game, next to Super Mario Galaxy 2. In a genre that is all about movement, this one has the most maneuverability, and manages to turn an iffy idea into pure fun. The only downside to the whole game is that you have to replay multiple versions of the same level to get everything (8 main stars per level), but on the upside, they are very memorable levels that manage to do very different things in each version. The overall layout feels like a place to get settled into. The rocket jump and turbo attachments are super fun.
It really needs to be said: The Gamecube version of this game was actually better. I played the two versions back-to-back and the GC version somehow has better graphics and is more difficult, even on easy. As for this version, there are updated controls that make it way easier to move; No revolving turning, just point in the direction relative to the camera angle, and if you want to keep running in that direction, don't deviate on your left stick and you'll keep running straight, no problem. It might take a second to get used to, but realistically, it takes less time to get used to this version than it did to the original game. Multiple game modes and accomplishments make this replayable. My only real complaint, aside from this having brighter lighting and smoother textures than the GC version (which was grittier, better for horror), is that they eventually replace certain zombies with self-destructing zombies you can't shoot after you unlock an infinite ammo gun, and it's just really annoying that you can't turn it off because I've played for 40+ minutes without saving before just to accidentally lock on, hit the trigger, and BOOM, game over. Aside from that, this is absolutely a worthy version of the game. Let's just hope for an FPS version some day.
This version was my first experience with Skyrim, and honestly, I couldn't really get that immersed in it or stay committed to it for that long. I did actually put a good amount of time into the game, but the flaws were too significant. Mainly: The combat's clunky, the loading times are sleep-inducingly long, and... the nature of this game is to collect, but the more stuff you collect, the more lag there is. So one of the core aspects of the game just doesn't really work that great because of the system limitations. Once I played Skyrim VR, I realized just how good this game can actually be. Literally every flaw disappeared in that version, leaving only minor complaints. Try that, or a Special Edition version instead. This game gets more interesting with add-ons.
Why are Russians coming here to review bomb a game from an indie studio that listens to fans? You could just communicate with them directly instead of making yourself look bad to everyone else. Sorry they aren't better salesmen? Shouldn't you rate them on the actual quality of the game? I see ratings with 0 and 1 that say they enjoyed the game... You don't think it might be a little unhealthy to act like extreme behavior is normal? This game is the essence of what I look for in life. Games like this change my thinking for the better. If I could help people the way they do in this game, the world would be a much better place. I really want to give a full, honest review, but it almost seems insulting to associate with this ratings page now. At least people who see the rating average know they'll either love the game, or they're angry Russians. That seems promising.
I tried to get into this, and there's some intense action and decent backdrops and graphics... I personally couldn't get into the platforming portions, as the actual design of the levels seemed excessively rigid; Every time I considered I might be able to do something clever to reach an unlockable, it turned out I was overthinking. There're more times than I could keep track of where I should've been able to reach something, but the game just decided I was out-of-bounds despite clearly being within reach. This game is not really about thinking as much as reacting. Just get your adrenaline pumping and get ready for shooty gory goodness. Personally, I preferred the other modern Doom title over this one, as the flaws I perceive here weren't flaws in the other game. The closed off gauntlet-style portions are both good and bad; Being locked into an area that randomly feels like a deathmatch map sectioned off can make the intensity more personal, but it also makes the level lay-outs seem either formulaic or simplistic. Kind of comes off like being in a hellish playground. If that's what you want, then this game is absolutely for you.
I've never played the original, but I can tell how this would've felt like an OG Resident Evil game with alternate camera angles. Controls, enemy and level design, graphics, gameplay... all fantastic. Mr. X gets my heart pumping. (I just realized he can potentially smash through the wall at the back of the Press Room.) Ammo synthesis helps your playstyle without making ammo excessive. Extra modes offer more action-packed sequences. This game flows very naturally from start to finish in a classic Resident Evil fashion, starting in an impressive police station that eventually branches into a massive underground lab. My only real complaint is that it can be easy to manipulate safe rooms to hide from enemies, mainly the guy who relentlessly chases you for a solid portion of the game, Mr. X. It would honestly be pretty fantastic if there was an option to allow him to chase you everywhere, as I consider his presence part of the peak thrill of this experience; It compliments the fluent movements between rooms rather nicely. This is essentially the definitive Resident Evil experience.
This game makes me occasionally yell "Are you ****ing kidding me?" This is a good thing. The physics, puzzles, and difficulty curve are all well done and thought out. Controls seem simple, but are nuanced. Different characters offer alternate abilities. Tons of content. It has its own personality. The challenge is consistently daring, sometimes intimidating. An ode to challenging platformers, original in its own right.
