game review – Page 6

O tempora: Final Fantasy IX

26/01/2024 26/01/2024

O tempora is a series of retrospective posts where I play games from ages before to see if they stood the test of time.

Well, it finally happened. Barring the online-only entries and Final Fantasy XVI (that is not yet out on PC), I’ve played/replayed all numbered entries in the series. And last one to do was the one that I usually named as my favorite. I was a bit scared about replaying Final Fantasy IX, not just because I knew that the PC port is rather average at best, but also because I had such good memories of the game, yet also remembered that there was a lot about it to get frustrated with. I was afraid that it won’t live up to my memory. But no, while it does indeed have a lot of things to criticize, it remains one of my favorite entries in the series and an easy recommendation.

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Happy about: Timespinner

20/01/2024 23/08/2024

While I love good exploration focused metroidvania titles and Timespinner is one of them, I have not played it until now, more than 5 years since it was released. I don’t even remember what made me doubt it’s worth playing. Maybe reviews that mentioned really poor writing (which turned out to be true, as I’ll cover later). Maybe the amount of metroidvania titles that started going into hard combat focus and all of the still popular “souls-like” elements, something I usually dislike, and I didn’t trust this game to not go that way. Either way, it wasn’t until after the sequel to this game was announced that I’ve decided to give it another look. And wasn’t until I heard someone describe it as “indie Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia” that I got really curious. Either way, I’m glad that I did.

Happy about: Hi-Fi Rush

15/01/2024 15/01/2024

Hi-Fi Rush is a curious attempt at mixing a hack and slash action adventure in the style of Devil May Cry with a rhythm game. It was surprise released at the start of 2023 by Tango Gameworks, with the game project being directed by the same director, who previously managed the wonderful The Evil Within 2. And while I love the game’s style and energy, they are the main reason I’ve enjoyed it. Often in spite of the gameplay, not because of it.

O tempora: Final Fantasy VIII – Remastered

09/01/2024 09/01/2024

O tempora is a series of retrospective posts where I play games from ages before to see if they stood the test of time.

Of the original 9 Final Fantasy games, the “pre-voice acting” era, the “proper overworld” era, Final Fantasy II tends to be most disliked and Final Fantasy VIII most divisive. Pixel Remaster fixes a lot of issues of FF II and in that form, I’d say the game can be worth playing. But there is no version of FF VIII that could fix its countless issues. This is a game I respect and adore a lot. It’s a game I want to love. A game that I’ve completed a few times before, both on PS1 and with the older PC port the Remastered version is based on. But it is ultimately a game that I just do not enjoy playing.

Quick thoughts on: House Flipper 2

03/01/2024 03/01/2024

I rarely, if ever, play any types of “simulator” games, but after playing the PowerWash Simulator at the end of 2022, I got curious about checking out House Flipper 2 at the end of 2023. I’ve seen lots of positive buzz around the first game and saw how it plays in general, so I knew what I was going into. And it’s… fine, I guess? Not that entertaining for someone who doesn’t love the simulation of jobs games and not as mindlessly fun as PowerWash Simulator. But it’s alright.

Happy about: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

31/12/2023 31/12/2023

Weird how I seem to be playing Like a Dragon games more often than I’ve ever played the typical Ubisoft games, but the burnout is far less noticeable… Seriously, though, RGG Studio has been putting out games set in this universe not just annually lately, but often with several games coming out the same year. And in situations like with this game, I’m not sure if there was the point. Not that I disliked Like a Dragon Gaiden, quite the opposite, but it does feel almost unnecessary at points…

Happy about: Ib

25/12/2023 25/12/2023

While there is a numerous amount of horror themed adventure games made on RPG Maker, I’ve never been fond of them usually. There have been some good examples here and there, but more often than not these games leaned too hard either in pure tasteless jumpscare territory or were simply too poorly written, relying on shock value or extreme themes. Due to that, I had no knowledge of Ib when it became an extremely popular free game back in the early 2010s and would have not paid attention to this 2022 updated (and no longer free) remake, if not for catching a few streams and videos on it. I am glad, however, that other people promoted this little gem and that I got to experience it for myself.

Happy about: Lunacid

19/12/2023 19/12/2023

Until Demon’s Souls came out, I haven’t even heard of King’s Field or Shadow Tower games. And in almost 14 years since I have not found time or desire to finally play them. But, I suppose, now I kinda have played them, as Lunacid seems to be a love letter to the titles, draped in the lo-fi aesthetics and cosmic horror references. And I have quite enjoyed it.

Thoughts on: You Will Die Here Tonight

14/12/2023 14/12/2023

It always pains me to see games like You Will Die Here Tonight. Games that aim to do true classic survival horror with some new ideas but fail miserably. Though, at least in the case of You Will Die Here Tonight the end result is still quite serviceable and with some updates and fixes might become slightly better. Though it won’t fix any of the issues that are making this project deeply flawed on a fundamental level. And my experience with the game went from mild curiosity to genuine, though sometimes annoyed, engagement. Only to plummet into frustration as I stopped playing it right during the final sequence of the game and refuse to attempt it again, as it’s horrendously designed.

Happy about: RoboCop: Rogue City

09/12/2023 09/12/2023

Several years ago I’ve played Terminator: Resistance, which was a really neat mid-budget title from Teyon that managed to feel more fun in many ways than the big budget titles it borrowed ideas from. Additionally, it was also neat to see the studio try to capture the mood of the first two movies and find a way to make a game that made sense in the universe. Well, this time they are doing exactly the same thing with RoboCop. And while I don’t think it works as well as it did for Terminator, it’s still a very enjoyable simple game.