tobemayr

A good collection for fans, emulating the old games with some options to adjust display and sound. However, it falls short on a critical factor: the frame rate is not nearly as good as the 50fps that made the originals stand out.

Gorgeous and fun at the same time, this game is immensely entertaining. Even when chance awards you a bad set of rules, dying and trying again is fun. The combat mechanics and intertwined progression are as subtile as the writing. On a personal note: I didn't enjoy Transistor and Pyre, this feels much better.

This game is much better than it's individual parts. The setting and story might sometimes steer close to oriental romanticized stereotypes, but that doesn't matter: Moment-to-moment game play is _always_ rewarding, a merit that cannot be overstated enough in a time of topic-heavy games that fall short in interaction. If you like open world and feudal Japan, you will be entertained. Regarding the criticism that it doesn't capture Kurosawas artistry: how could it, his camera work was never in the audience's hands. You get to make the game look as close to the movies as you can. -1 for nearly complete lack of humor.

Great writing, never a dull moment. The game play varies between suspenseful stealth and real time panic masterfully, never unfair, always challenging. Extra kudos for great accessibility options, a landmark for the games industry.

By removing most tactical options concerning armament and character build, the main focus is on the attack-and-deflect combat. The stealth element similar to From Software's previous Tenchuu series makes a weak comeback, and the action/sword combat doesn't have much room for personal expression. Level artwork and setting is atmospheric, storytelling interesting. Overall, a lot of impact is sacrificed at the cost of high replay and practice demand.

This game has wonderful meta- and main game loops. Whatever you do affects and changes the game world, in a plausible and more importantly, in an entertaining way. Handling and style are great as always, the story refreshingly lighthearted in between more serious writing. Last but not least also this part doesn't take itself too seriously, one even wonders how much fun Kojima had putting his name all over the place.

Feels very dated. From the 4:3 screen ratio with the pointless frame, to the clunky handling and timing, everything shouts 'I wish it was more like Spelunky' Too bad as the adventure aspect definitely draws you in.

This is an amazing upgrade on Enemy Unkown; Game play has not changed, but your additional buildings and unit options elevate the game to a even more diverse experience. The new maps and missions are more challenging and diverse than the already great originals. The story line has changed not in terms of outcome, but what happens in between. Combined with the customizable game options, the experience feels intense and never unfair.

Quite a fresh take on the Shmup genre, this game has a lot to offer: gorgeous graphics, a wide range of unlockable ships & weapons, grand boss fights. It also comes with sloppy foreground - background separation, way too small target collision and a negative feedback loop that borders on unfair.

What a fantastic experience! This game set's itself apart from other contemporary RPG's by one major thing: game play. There's so much to find, so much to vary in terms of equipment and customization, that makes you wonder why it all went missing in other current generation games. Even the presentation looks vivid and uses the capabilities of the Wii, which is technically sub par with other platforms, to it's limits. Everything moves, changes, the world comes alive in a vast continuous stream. Day and night cycles included. Personally, I found the british speakers refreshing and the dialogue well written, not what you'd expect from a japanese RPG. Last but ultimately the most rewarding is the actual combat and rpg battle system: you'll feel at home if you've played either WoW or Final Fantasy XII, the combat just flows in realtime, tactical options always more important than hack n slash tactics. Make no mistake though: this game urges you to pay attention to the moment-to-moment proceedings, in order to maximize your attacks. Tons of monsters with different weaknesses and tactics, sub-bosses and challenges on the way make combat worthwhile.

This is fun! Neat physics that complement, not hinder gameplay. Detailed artwork, ironic backgrounds and a fitting soundtrack makes this a well rounded package. For that price, a no-brainer.

This game features one of the most amazing stories and the most interesting characters ever. It has gorgeous vistas, intense new interactive sections, loads of new creative ways of moving through brilliant and never-before featured locations. But it also has really tiresome fistfights, problematic gun play and annoying sudden death moments that make you long for a "skip this scene" button, just to get back to the brilliant story. You will find yourself remembering the fun in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and wonder why it doesn't really work this time.

Bastion comes as a surprise, and it doesn't let up. Players immediately feel the amount of quality and polishing that has gone into the game play. It is novel, well balanced, beautifully rendered, oozes attention to detail and love. Above all that, the audiovisual style is unique enough to give the genre a refreshing twist. The Story has been treat with equal respect, starts up nice but quickly evolves into a much more subtle and layered world that leaves you wanting for more games to play there. One can only applaud the team for leaving the mainstream industry and becoming founding their own studio, as this level of artisanship will hardly ever be reached by large developers.