An amazing installment for a series that already boasts quite a few gems. The game nails that typical gameplay the franchise is known for, but also revitalize it with new additions that polish certain aspects that didn't age well. The Gear Shift system, specifically, also deepens the experience by giving the player new possibilities on how to traverse the many obstacles laid on the path. The difficulty, while challenging, also never feels unfair, as the solution for most of the hassles you go through is either a matter of which power-ups you have available at the moment or simple pattern recognition. The game does not disappoint in the presentation department as well. The 3D modeled graphics displayed in 2D perspective look wonderful, which helps to bring each of the impeccable designs to life. In addition, the soundtrack dials up the experience to eleven (pun intended), with tunes so catchy they'll stay with you long after you put down the controller. The one complaint I could make against the game is regarding the performance, as I've faced many instances in which the game froze and had to be relaunched - while the computer per se remained unaffected. While something minor in most moments, it became really bothersome during times when the game required more investment, such as hard parts of a level, or even boss fights. However, that did not diminish how well the experience shaped up to be. Regardless of that technical issue, the game was a blast through and through, a true must-play for fans of the franchise and even general fans of good games.
It's always interesting to see when a game takes an already established formula and twists it in a way people haven't really seen before. The Roguelike/Roguelite genre, being one in which a lot of this experimenting usually happens, has become somewhat of a canvas for daring developers to express new concepts and ideas for the gaming landscape. And from these kinds of endeavors, gems like Hades come to be. Supergiant Games managed to create a perfect mix between the Roguelike tropes we're familiar with, and deep storytelling entirely new to the genre. Here, we play as Zagreus, son of the titular Hades, God of the dead and the Underworld of Greek myth. Your objective is to escape your father's realm and reach the world of the living - a task he will not let you achieve so easily. And it is from this simple premise that the whole story unfolds, with masterful execution. Right from the start, you're greeted with a colorful cast of characters originated from different Greek legends and the unique relationships of each one with our protagonist. Then, when you actually attempt an escape and fail on your first couple of tries (as is common practice in Roguelike games), you'll learn that these same characters not only acknowledge your efforts but also have their own thoughts about it if you're willing to listen. As Zagreus advances further in his attempts, your relationship with them will also advance each time you meet. With enough development, you may even become intimate with your favorite characters, and maybe new kinds of relationships will surface... But that is up to the player to discover. But Hades' success wouldn't be complete if the game didn't get the basics right. The actual escapades are filled with action-packed gameplay, where you fight your way through enemies and bosses alike, making your way up the Underworld. To help with that, you're presented with six different weapons to choose from, each one vastly different from the others, and Zagreus' divine family from Mount Olympus will also show up frequently to aid in his task with a plethora of boons to upgrade his skills in unique ways. With such levels of customization and an already enormous enemy variety, you'll hardly ever come to close to having two similar runs. Lastly, the technical standpoint leaves nothing to be desired. The game is gorgeous to look at, each character perfectly expresses their personalities and divinity in their design, the level design and enemies consistently communicate the feeling of each biome of the Underworld, and the soundtrack boosts to whole experience through the roof with pieces that convey emotions from ease to tension to outright bloodlust. Besides that, the game runs smoothly on even an average PC, and the controls feel tightly responsive - can't blame that death on missing inputs now. At the time of writing, Hades has already left Early Access looking like a masterpiece, but Supergiant Games doesn't seem to call it done. The game already packs hundreds of hours' worth of content and a seemingly infinite amount of recorded voice lines, but the team of developers promises to keep support alive and running for a long while before moving on to the next big hit. Given this level of dedication, what the future has in store for Hades sure is nothing short of god-like.
Stealth games usually get a bad rep due to frustrating experiences people have with games that don't handle these types of mechanics with enough care. However, it is undeniable that when a Stealth game knows exactly what it is working with, it provides extremely satisfying moments of gameplay. Dishonored is precisely one of those games. From an artistic standpoint, the game already comes in strong. The world design nicely conveys how crooked and rotten is everything around you. The characters all look like they are either going to stab you in the back or die in your arms - and, if you're not careful enough, they just might. Even the supernatural aspect of the world left more to the subjectivity, is portrayed so perfectly that you can understand it even if you don't really know what it is, which is exactly what the game wants you to know. When it comes to gameplay, the game shows its fangs. Right from very early, you're presented with a myriad of tools to carry on your objectives, and many more are unlocked as you make progress through the story, so it is entirely up to you to decide how to handle the objectives the game gives you - will you leave no eyes around to witness? Get in and out like a shadow? Make it look like an accident? The choice is yours... If you have the skill to back it up, that is. You see, while the gameplay is rather simples, in theory, the ceiling for what you can accomplish with the right combination of skills and gadgets is sky-high. Each player's experience not only varies based on how they create their play-style but also on how much dedication they put in learning the best usage for the tools of their choice. Watching a highly-skilled player carry out a mission is something that floats between incomprehensible to mesmerizing, depending on how well you understand the tools and skill they are using. Even if Stealth games might not be everyone's cup of tea, i'd highly encourage you give Dishonored a try for an hour or two if you have the chance. This game is finely crafted and polished, and it packs a skill level as high as you're willing to put in it. That, in addition to the dirty and aristocratic setup, just might be one of the most unique gaming experiences you've ever had.
Truly remarkable that two decades and a half after the original release of this game, we still see many of the tropes presented in it in the JRPGs of our time. That tells how much of a classic this game is. The game shines storywise. The major plot is interesting to follow, but it also doesn't outshine the side stories and character developments of each member of our colorful cast. The moments of peril are exciting to witness, and the emotional bits will leave you with deep feelings. There are also some plot twists that remain a novelty to this day in regular JRPG storytelling, which is guaranteed to take the player by surprise. The graphic part also still holds up to this day to Pixel Art standards, thanks in great part to the character and world designs, making each person you meet and place you traverse memorable. Also, the concept design by manga legend Akira Toriyama is also an immense plus to leave everything oozing with style. Unfortunately, the experience suffers in regards to gameplay. While the fights manage to still be visually enjoyable with the dynamic movement of the characters, the interactivity per se is not much, and the whole thing might get repetitive when it comes to facing regular monsters. Also, navigating certain areas sometimes can be frustrating due to the limited movement on the overworld. Lastly, the pacing of certain moments with a heavier focus on the story might leave you that feeling of "Okay, can I play now?". In conclusion, despite the design flaws of its time, Chrono Trigger still manages to be a great game and a real classic, as well as really deserving of the remake treatment that many old games are getting in these modern times.
