#but the 360 was a pretty cool console

[mischiefmaverick]

RIP Xbox 360 Store 🫡

[oddygaul]

Zenless Zone Zero

Well, I’ve been playing the shit out of this game, so fair warning, there will be significant brainrot ahead.

Overall, I really dig it. I’m a huge mark for character action games, and well-done life sims tend to suck me in; Zenless Zone Zero is nailing both those aspects pretty damn well. In fact, it’s nailing them well enough that… how do I put this… it starts to slip into the territory of being A Good Game Generally, rather than just a gacha. And while this is a big accomplishment for ZZZ, this also puts it into direct conversation with other full-price games, resulting in its gacha elements causing more friction than Honkai Star Rail’s ever did*.

*I’ll be comparing this to HSR a lot, because I play way too much of both and they’re made by the same developer. I recognize that it is pretty odd and potentially even problematic to A / B compare them when I could be looking at the game through the lens of, you know, Gaming At Large. But hey, that’s why this is a subjective journal and not a holistic review blog! It is what it is.

So, the aesthetic of this game fuckin rules - it’s like, late 90s to early 2000s VHS-core. The main characters run a Blockbuster, for Christ’s sake. Presentation-wise (and systems-wise, and, hell, music-wise), ZZZ is obviously borrowing a lot from the Persona series, but like… great? I’d love it if more things cribbed that style and made it their own, from the confidant hangouts, to the small but comfy explorable areas, to the dynamic menus with edgy character poses. The character design itself is all superb, all the way down to the crowd NPCs - some the shopkeepers here have cooler designs than the main characters of some other games. Even aside from the designs, ZZZ is doing a lot with lighting and color desaturation that really lends it its own unique vibe. They actually have a cohesive artstyle in here! wild.

The presentation of the story is also killer. Sure, a decent chunk of the conversations are just models lip-flapping at each other - although they at least emote and pose a bit here, unlike the Star Rail dialogue scenes with their demure princess waves. In the main story, though, we get not only a heap of fairly lengthy cutscenes, but also this really cool comic panel-style presentation.

I feel like there was a bit of a trend in the PS3/360 era of games to present a game’s story in this comic panel / storyboard style. I understood the motivation: games increasingly demanded a more involved, consistent storytelling approach, rather than the ‘One big rendered cutscene at the beginning and end’ they used to get away with, and the generation’s increased visual fidelity meant that doing even basic, in-engine cutscenes took a lot more resources to make something half-decent. In Spyro the Dragon on PS1 you could get away with a fun little 15-second gag with a barely animated polygonal yeti or whatever; in the PS3 era, you were going up against tryhards like Metal Gear Solid 4. Amidst this landscape, the pitch of having your illustrators pretty up some storyboards and put them in the game sounds like it’d save a lot of work - plus, consoles were finally outputting a high enough resolution that this sort of flat image wouldn’t be compressed to hell.

Thing is, I always kinda hated that approach. In some cases, I think that’s the popular opinion - I fuckin love Bayonetta, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone defend its weird slideshow cutscenes. Even in games where the execution is perfectly fine, though, it rubbed me the wrong way. I think of Infamous - objectively, the art’s solid and fits the tone of the game, and the motion graphics aim to capture some of the dynamism typical cutscenes would provide. Despite all that, it still feels cheap to me - all of the panning, effects, and graphic imagery feel like they’re trying to polish up something that inherently doesn’t fit.

In ZZZ, though, I’m loving every one I come across. It’s obviously still done for efficiency reasons - there’s already a handful of characters that exist only in these panel scenes, saving the team the effort of having to model and rig them. But the freedom this allows for staging and storytelling is huge; the characters are more expressive here than anywhere else in the game, and we’re able to see situations with huge crowds and new locales much more often than would be possible in typical cinematics. And the illustrations are genuinely good, too - full of character, cool poses and creative compositions/angles.

if everything actually had to be modeled, there's no way we would've gotten Legally Blonde Nicole

Plus, the cutscenes are constant, and boy do I love the animation here. It feels so rare nowadays for a high-budget game to do stylized 3D animation of this ilk. Your biggest budget games are all going for the cinematic look, and pushing realism as much as they can - and while I know an immense amount of work and craft goes into animating something like The Last of Us, boy, I just could not care less about something so lacking in flair*. Even bigger properties that use a stylized artstyle these days, like Breath of the Wild, still tend to lean towards fairly naturalistic animation. Zenless Zone Zero’s cutscenes, on the other hand, spin and stretch motherfuckers around like we’re back on the PS2, are filled with forced perspective, and I am absolutely living for it. It’s not even reserved only for bombastic action scenes, either - we get honest to god character acting-focused conversation cutscenes.

*Seriously, take me back to the Naughty Dog that animated Jak & Daxter. Jak’s hero animation is top tier to this day

Of course, the combat animation slaps too; each of the playable agents is absolutely dripping with character. Even characters whose designs initially left me cold won me over once I saw the amount of care put into their movement and combo strings. It’s honestly shocking to me that this is the same studio that made Genshin Impact, a game I dropped after about 2 hours because of how lifeless all the animation felt*. Unique run cycles for every character, actual non-human designs, the flourishes everyone has when stopping mid-combo to snap them back to idle, the absolute synergistic audiovisual bliss of the parry… it’s really impressive stuff from a young team.

*Same studio in name only, totally different team, I know, but still

Mechanically, I have some mixed feelings about the combat as a whole. Zenless Zone Zero is, without a doubt, aiming to present complexity and depth as a team battler - that is to say, it’s more about team synergy, tag combos, and knowing who to use when, rather than soloing as any particular character. Nonetheless, I really would’ve appreciated individual characters having a bit more depth to their movesets; a jump, a launcher, cancels, anything. As outstanding as all the animation work is, there’s some characters that only have a normal attack string on square and one special attack on triangle. Like, sub-Dynasty Warriors level of complexity here. It’s rough.

This is where ZZZ’s gacha nature gets a bit ugly: so far, more complex kits and skill expression are mostly locked behind rarity, which is kind of scummy. In Star Rail, for the most part, 4-star characters are defined as such due to their numbers: they still have mechanics and complexity, they just aren’t tuned as high as the limited characters. Hell, in some cases they have more complexity. Ruan Mei is an almost incomparably stronger unit than Asta, but Ruan Mei’s play pattern is fucking boring: you use skill every three turns when it runs out. Asta, meanwhile, basically has her own risk & reward minigame that demands more thoughtful SP management.

In ZZZ, on the other hand, the lower-rank characters straight up have less going on in their kits. Nicole has like… one tech, sorta. Anby has one single animation cancel to chain her normal into her special quicker. Lucy’s only skill expression is choosing whether to tap special or hold special. Meanwhile, Zhu Yuan, a limited character, has a normal string that bounces between melee and ranged attacks, can be dodge-canceled at any point in the combo to branch into variations of the string, and a hold-normal attack string that’s completely different and has the same branching dodge-cancel tech.

It’s one thing to lock raw damage and meta viability behind a gacha, but locking the characters that are mechanically more interesting to play straight up sucks. If I hadn’t been lucky enough on the standard banner to pull exactly the two characters I find the most mechanically satisfying, I don’t know that I’d still be playing - and this is the point where ZZZ begs comparison to other, non-live service character action games. Sure, it’s probably not fair to compare a random A-rank’s moveset to Devil May Cry V’s iteration of Dante, a feature-creeped nightmare of a kit 3 console generations in the making. But what about Sengoku Basara Sumeragi, my personal character-action GOAT? By all accounts a mid-budget title, yet it offers 40 full characters chock-full of more unique mechanics and animation cancels than you can shake a stick at.

Fuck, can we please get a new Sengoku Basara? Please? I’m desperate out here. I’ll take anything, y’all.

There’s also the inherent issue that plagues every action RPG (usually deftly avoided by the character action genre), which is the delicate balance of player success depending on the numbers vs actual mechanical skill - a balancing act made even more noticeable due to the gacha genre-standard of characters taking weeks of grinding to level up. This is a topic for another day, but suffice to say, a big part of the reason Honkai Star Rail works for me as a very pretty version of Cookie Clicker is because of the Autoplay option. In Zenless Zone Zero, if you’re not willing to grind out the same mob fight for a week or two, you’re gonna hit an endgame roadblock of doing chip damage to a boss you’ve mechanically mastered because you’re underleveled, and boy, that never feels good.

For all those issues stemming from the gacha, I will say, it’s great that the story missions let you use the characters that are actually supposed to be present for those missions, even if you don’t own them. Aside from how nice it is to have an opportunity to put the whole roster through their paces, it goes a long way for actually getting invested in the story. Honkai Star Rail’s storytelling is a hot mess for many reasons, but it’s always particularly jarring rolling up to a sidequest at like, a local theater troupe with a wanted space criminal, the sitting president of a completely different planet, a ten year old child, and a shirtless cyborg cowboy, none of whom have canonically met each other; ZZZ’s approach sidesteps this issue. The proxy angle even provides a pretty valid diegetic explanation for why agents that don’t know each other might be working together.

Now that we’ve sort of meandered back to the story after talking about animation led us on a long detour - the story is surprisingly solid. In particular, I really appreciate how straightforward the writing is. I don’t know if the issue lies with the original text or the localization, but Star Rail’s dialogue, even in simple missions, tends to be incredibly meandering and overstuffed; ZZZ is a lot better about letting all its characters talk like actual humans. It also helps that the plot so far is a lot more grounded, and spends more time focusing on each faction’s group dynamics rather than the overarching plot. These games live and die by their characters, so leaning into those strengths is a smart move.

Zenless Zone Zero is, unfortunately, fully in line with Hoyo’s weird conservative politics - in particular, 1.0 and 1.1 are absolutely stuffed full of copaganda. With how many safety regulation jokes they made at the construction company, I initially hoped they’d lampoon the police faction a bit, or make a commentary on how comically heavily armed New Eridu’s police force are. In a vacuum, Zhu Yuan shouting combat lines like “Stop resisting!” or “Freeze, hands up!” while blasting someone with her gigantic, ‘JUSTICE’-emblazoned rocket launcher shotgun feels like it ought to be satire. Every time we talk to the officers, though, it’s just line after line about their solemn duty to protect the people of the city, how essential and important they are for the community, and so on and so on.

This wholehearted embrace of the world’s current power structure is something Zenless Zone Zero approaches in nearly the exact same way as Star Rail. In both games, your playable character is someone that’s sort of operating outside the law - in Star Rail, as the maverick organization that is the Astral Express, while in ZZZ you work as an illegal proxy. Despite this setup, any time the protagonists come into contact with a governing body, they are no less than thrilled to help them enforce the will of the law.

In Star Rail, you aid the local governments (one of which is an undemocratic monarchy) in committing massive cover-ups to hide their failures from the populace not once but twice. In ZZZ, you aid the police to an obsequious degree - playing along with them to not arouse suspicion is one thing, but helping them organize a fucking community day on Sixth Street? Fuck that. Hell, said community day is even shown to initially be DOA because none of the local residents trust the police - and you best believe we get two full scenes of the MCs changing the resident’s minds, resulting in them spouting shit about “Oh, it was our fault for judging the police too harshly - they really do have our best interests at heart!”

is it tho

There’s an argument to be made that the N.E.P.S. are a little different, given that they exist in a post-apocalyptic world with monsters popping up every day - and ZZZ’s copaganda is certainly a little less flagrant than something like Spider-Man helping the NYPD install civilian surveillance networks in Insomniac’s Spider-Man. And, sure, perhaps this can help excuse why they post fully armored, rifle-wielding soldiers in the Lumina Square DMV, and provides some justification that their existence is more helpful than the real world’s civilian-murdering property guards.

Thing is, though, at every turn you’re hit with dialogue and situations which make it clear that, no, they’re the normal cops. Every other sidequest seems to involve calling the N.E.P.S. in on somebody or helping with an investigation, and for every time we see them handle ethereal activity, there’s two instances of them being called in for petty property theft or something similarly minor - even the playable character has heaps of dialogue choices threatening to call the police on someone*. Much like Star Rail’s reactionary politics were strangely at odds with the ‘blazing a new path’ ideals of the trailblaze, Zenless Zone Zero’s obsession with the police puts a damper on its underground, counterculture aesthetic.

*Including a case where both options threatened this, leaving me without a non-narc dialogue choice.

illustration by Lv01KOKUEN

And finally… I don’t know where to fit this in, so I guess it just goes in its own little section at the end here. Lots of people, myself included, have touched on the Persona inspirations - and they’re certainly significant. One thing I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone mention as a huge influence is Yasuhiro Nightow’s Kekkai Sensen / Blood Blockade Battlefront. From its sense of style to its worldbuilding, ZZZ damn near feels like fanfic to me. Hell, it’s right in the name - BBB? ZZZ? And this is on top of the dimensional crossover / big city vibe, the retro fashion, the different factions. Victoria Housekeeping might as well be Libra 2.0 - Von Lycaon is a damn near perfect 50/50 expy of Klaus and Stephen Starphase. And then Belle / Wise, who assist these powerful fighters in a noncombat role just like Leo, also turn out to have some sort of special magical eyes granted to them by untold powers from within the dimensional rift??

I’m here for it, don’t get me wrong - love Nightow. But that can’t be coincidence, right?

[satoshi-mochida]

Some games that are currently stuck on older consoles that I hope get rereleased in some way, Part 3:

Part 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

Yakuza/Like a Dragon: Black Panther 1 and 2/Kurohyo: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho and Kurohyo 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura hen(both do have fan translations, though).

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 1-3(all three are on Steam, but it'd be good to have them on consoles, too).

Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand

Legend of Legaia

The Legend of Dragoon

Ape Escape 3(it was supposed to be part of the PS2onPS4 set of games, but never materialized)

Devil Survivor 1 and 2.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers

Shin Megami Tensei IV/IV Apocalypse

Bravely Default/Bravely Second

Project X Zone 1 and 2

Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha Vs the Souless Army and Raidou Kuzunoha Vs King Abaddon(I think both are on the PS3 PSN)

Tail Concerto

Clash at Demonhead

Pokemon Ranger series

Golden Sun series

Viva Piñata series

Steambot Chronicles

Sakura Wars series

Ar Tonelico series

Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon

Tears to Tiara series

Sonic Heroes and Sonic Unleashed

Star Ocean: Blue Sphere

Devil May Cry 4(it is on Steam, but is otherwise stuck on the PS3/Xbox 360, I think).

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine(I don't know much about Warhammer 40K, but I watched someone play this and it looked pretty cool)

Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! series(and Elite Beat Agents, too).

Whiplash

Shining series(both the Shining Force games and the post-Shining Force games that have Tony Taka or Noizi Ito as the artist)

[no-sabo]

Alexander's Top 10 Games of 2023

#10: Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is landing on my list de panzazo because I didn't play enough of Baldur's Gate to include it. Act 1 gang, rise up!

It's tough trying to find the same hype that I had playing Street Fighter IV on the Xbox 360. I don't think I ever put as much hours trying to get good at a fighting game since and I don't think I ever will. This isn't to say that I don't think 6 is as good. My main thing is that I don't think I'll ever be in that kind of place in my life, or have the same friends with the same free time. Getting older is so wack. Street Fighter 6 is cool as hell, though.

#9: Venba

I think for immigrants Venba's themes are well worn ground. Food is perhaps the most powerful anchor to one's culture. Venba is beautiful, touching, and deeply relatable to me as a first born child of immigrant parents.

Make sure you eat something before jumping into this one. I'm pretty sure I ordered Indian food the day after.

#8: A Space for the Unbound

I don't think there's a game on my list with such a stark difference with the level of enjoyment I had between the narrative and the actual play. At times A Space for the Unbound can be extremely tedious.

A lot of the play involves solving puzzles, usually with a pen and paper at hand. That stuff can be nice, however the brief but constant loading in between areas really strained my patience. There's also empty calories in the form of fetch quests that trip up the pacing.

In the end, once credits rolled, those complaints melted away. It's a gripping fantasy story about community, bullying, domestic abuse, anxiety, and depression wrapped in gorgeous, detailed pixel art. And there's an achievement for petting all the cats.

#7: Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush feels like the remake to a long lost Sega game that they developed for the Xbox during their messy Dreamcast console exit. It's tough for me to describe why it's on here. I think I just genuinely miss this tier of game existing. Like, this game had fucking music from Zwan in it. Zwan.

I don't know, man. It's a vibe. It's really well animated, the characters are bright and goofy, and the rhythm infused third person action combat smacks.

I think this was the first game I completed on my Steam Deck in 2023. Actually, I think it's the first game I beaten front to back on it period?

#6: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

I know it's in to trash the New Super Mario Bros. games but I genuinely never had any strong positive feelings for that first DS game and it only lead to further my resentment for that series. They just made so damn many of them.

Mario Wonder, with its Wile E. the Coyote ass animations is so damn refreshing. I think this is probably the best implementation of the self governed difficulty levels, too. A kid can breeze through a lot of these levels, but being a completionist can get brutal in a satisfying kind of way. It's just so nice to be excited for a 2D Mario game again.

#5: Mediterranea Inferno

Part visual novel, part art-house movie, Mediterranea Inferno takes you on vacation with three Italian twinks trying to move past their Covid-19 lock-down trauma. It's funny at times, but quickly veers into some deeply uncomfortable situations. Also, it can get spooky.

It's an important game, but please heed the content warnings.

#4: Eternights

There's something alluring to me about the Persona Social Link system and any time a game decides to mess with that kind of thing I'm game to give it a shot. Eternights' main sell was "dating action game", so, there it is.

The gist here is there's an apocalypse and your player character gets his arm cut off and replaced with a magical one that can transform into, I think, anything? It's a sword for 98% of the game that you use to kill monsters. It's in third person and for the most part it's an OK action game. You get a skill tree and all that and your buds help you fight, though I think the combat truly shines in the back quarter of the game.

The game's whole thing is that you've got a time limit for when a dungeon has to be completed and you can either choose to progress through it or spend time with your friends, who are mostly female.

Now, to my surprise there is a male character that joins your crew late in game who can serve as a love interest and I was curious to see how that would play out given the homophobia present in the games with which it was inspired by.

The same sex story is, I feel, the most interesting route. It flips the corny harem trope on its head and you get what I believe is the most touching and fulfilling end given that character's relationship to the plot. It's respectful in a way the rest of the game wouldn't suggest it.

At some point in the story your characters are falling from up high and to save everyone the player character turns his arm into a bra parachute because in a quick panic he remembers seeing them on one of the girls in your group. It's childish as hell to be sure, but there's a lot of heart here and I can't wait to see what this one man studio does next.

And I'd like to request for more RPGs to be sub-20 hours like this one. It does wonders for pacing.

#3: Jusant

I kinda' just melted into Jusant. This game is gorgeous and the danger free climbing was so meditative during some really dark and ongoing political unrest. It feels selfish to even say this but it felt good to get home and get lost in something that provided very little consequence.

Fuck Joe Biden and free Palestine.

#2: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Sega can keep Jet Set Radio. Team Reptile understood the assignment.

Look, there's a lot you can do to modernize Jet Set and I'm sure Sega's got their top engineers on it but fuck all that. This shit with its simplified graphics runs at 90 FPS on my Steam Deck. It's got all the vibes down and it manages to improve on the mobility and graffiti systems.

Like Hi-Fi Rush I just miss this tier of game but, like, x10 for this specific series. It improves on the concepts of the games that inspired it. I was eating here.

#1: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

I don't think I have the capacity to express what Breathe of the Wild meant to me when I first played that game back in 2017. It's gotta' be my favorite game of all time. At least, it was? Still is? It's a toss up. Both Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild have surprisingly different philosophies and it sort of depends on how I'm feeling. All this to say that Tears of the Kingdom is a genuine master piece.

I'm sitting here trying to think of where to even begin. Is it the physics driven world that doesn't seem to break no matter what nonsense you throw at it? Do I talk about the fact that this is the most touching Zelda story to date? How about how the Colgera boss fight theme smacks? Why does this game look so good off like 2011 hardware?

Tears of the Kingdom embodies play. It begs you to be curious and creative. A sanbox with a capital S. My favorite game of 2023 and favorite game period?

Best Games of 2022 in 2023

2023 was stacked, but I had to make room for some stuff that I missed the previous year. If I do this list again the 2023 in 2024 section is gonna' be a damn mess.

Melatonin

I played Melatonin in December of 2023 and it came out December of 2022. i'm so sad it took me a whole year to check it out.

It's got cozy little Rhythm Heaven-like micro games that take place within an insomniac's melatonin infused dreams. It's dripping in pastels and good vibes.

Each level, or "night", has 4 or 5 stages that you navigate kind of like a Mario overworld. You'll walk to, say, the "Work" stage where it runs you through a brief tutorial. There you get a feel for the song and the beats you need to match with button presses. Once you get through that it begins your real run. Rinse, wash, repeat.

I like it a lot. The visuals are super pleasant and it's really satisfying when you nail those perfectly timed button presses to the beat of the music. I only just started it but felt compelled to throw it on here.

He Fucked the Girl Out of Me

This one's tough to talk about. I feel like I don't need to be taking up oxygen in this conversation.

He Fucked the Girl Out of Me is a short Game Boy game about sex work and trauma. This game isn't enjoyable, but it is profound and important.

Again, please heed the content warnings.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

If this game had come out in 2023 it would be my number 2.

You begin life on a colony as a 10 year old. You, your parents, and the other colonists escape an Earth on the brink of collapse and crash land on a barely habitable planet. From there you live your life through to adulthood, making choices along the way that affect you, your friends, and the overall colony.

There's a card system that carries a lot of your decision making as a sort of stand in for something like a skill check or a random dice roll. You obtain cards through specific actions and relationships. It's not the greatest mechanic but it's serviceable and feeds well into the gameplay loop.

The game ends when your character turns 20 where your story concludes in one of many different outcomes, but that's not where it stops. The game has a time loop mechanic. You're meant to roll back in on a NG+ and see a lot of the different ways the game could end where you're meant to "fix" mistakes you made in your first playthrough. It works really well and is a core part of the experience.

I binged this game for a whole weekend. I could not put my Steam Deck down. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is Young Adult fiction at its peak and in a year full of platitudes, "one of my all time favorites" feels like it has very little meaning, but man this one of my all time favorites.

[devilcat3d]

Top 5 video game consoles?

this is a great question!! i havent been into game console collection for a very long time due to not having money and i havent played with that many consoles but i have some!! also i dont have experience with every console so i might have very seemingly weird or strange picks cause they are what i grew up with lol

here's the list!! in no particular order hehe

1: playstation 2 - i played so much baldurs gate/champions of norath on this fucking console and recently ive been playing silent hill 2 on it and its easily one of my most nostalgic consoles

2: xbox 360 - this is a console that i spent so much time on playing minecraft and halo reach and other cute multiplayer games. i played this nonstop when i was a kid until i eventually bought a...

3: playstation 4 - my console with the most hours on it since i spent a whopping 4548 hours playing the original destiny since the day it dropped. i love this console. this has since been replaced by my awesome ps5 which i love tho hehe

4: nintendo ds lite - i played on the lite version of the ds and so i never played with a 3ds or anything like that but it was still fun!! i played a lot of pokemon and mario kart and stuff like that when i was pretty young but i kind of dropped this console after i got an xbox sadly (i also have a gameboy that i got for $1 at a thrift store but i havent played a lot with it hehe)

5: gamecube - this console is amazing and cool and i love the game selection on it. i still own mario sunshine (my fav gamecube game) and mario kart double dash. i wish i still had my copy of melee and gamecube but im pretty sure my parents sold my gamecube and copy of melee and lied to me about it but oh well what can you do

so yeah thats my current list i havent played a lot with a bunch of old consoles i used a n64 for a while and it was really fun and nostalgic but i didn't play enough with it to have much of an opinion hehe

[blazehedgehog]

Since they are 17 years old, are the Wii, PS3, and the 18 year old 360 now retro consoles?

If you're trying to make me feel old, I am slowly becoming immune to this feeling.

Actually, I find it comforting! There was a guy at work like five years ago who caught me emulating the SNES version of Final Fantasy 5 on my Android tablet. He was like, at least ten years younger than me, but he's like "Wow, you're a gamer???" and asked what games I was currently playing.

The list I gave him happened to be, at the time, mostly, like, SNES, Dreamcast, and maybe some PS2 games. I don't remember which. I may have even just rattled off a list of my favorite games of all time rather than simply saying what I was currently playing.

But he kind of smiled and went "Ah, so you're a retro gamer. That's pretty cool."

And there was a part of my brain SCREAMING like "No! I have a somewhat modern PC! I own new games from THIS YEAR! I play a little bit of everything!!!! I'm just playing a lot of older games right now!!!!!!"

But then another part of my brain was like "Dude shut up, what if this borderline-teenager like, wants to know your Steam account name so he can send you a friend request? That could get awkward."

So I just kind of nodded and went "yeah I guess"

Nothing anyone says to me about old games can make me feel more awkward than having to swallow that

The Xbox 360 being retro is cool because there were a lot of good games on the Xbox 360, imo.

[z-raven]

Various thoughts on Gundam

Kira in Gundam Seed clearly fills the Reluctant Hero type, he seems to really not like piloting the Gundam and doing battle.

I feel Kira will grow into the true hero by the end of the series, as that tends to be the way anime goes.

Just like in the original Gundam the main character gets into a Gundam when he isn't supposed to and then gets tied to it and somehow knows exactly how to use it and becomes the hero

Honestly, I prefer my main hero in Gundam to be someone that the Gundam was always for that character and they didn't stumble upon it, I guess that is why personally I still think that the main dude from 08th Team is still my fav protag so far

Uraki is not bad either, however I honestly can never remember what that Gundam from that anime even looks like without looking at a picture of it.

Though my fav character in that anime was the scientist girl that worked on that Gundam

At least Kira in Seed I like more than the main character of Iron Blooded Orphans, I just didn't like that character due to basically his entire personality revolves around what does Orga want

Then you got Heero which kinda is like Squall and Releena is kinda like Rinoah, which of course I am biased because I do like FFVIII, so yea

Speaking of Gundam it is pretty sad that the SD game that was originally a mobile game is my fav Gundam game I own, like the one with full sized Gundams is the one that I like the least

Yea, I know a Zaku is supposed to be heavy and not move very quickly, but for a video game that isn't very fun tbh, like Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy has such cool looking characters and I love the artstyle, but the gameplay is the worst aspect of it

New Gundam Breaker was a lot more fun than that game and it had the problem of you can only carry a certain amount of parts and you had to deposit them, so it got annoying going back and forth to your chest thing every few kills

Gundam doesn't have many good games that are great for single player that are easily available for modern consoles.

Like, from what I have heard the best Gundam games are like on the PS2 with that RPG game

Also PS3/360 had the Dynasty Warrior Gundam games which did badly with general audiences due to people finding Dynasty Warriors repetitive and boring, but look at the opinion now, Hyrule Warriors games, Fire Emblem Warriors, and Dragon Quest Heroes games were great, so I think people just wrote off Warriors games due to Dynasty Warriors and people not really liking the same Feudal Japan setting over and over, so maybe it is like Lego games in that just get the ones of the theme that you like and don't get every single one of them

Wish I could go back in time to get the Dynasty Warriors Gundam games, I heard the last one was pretty good, however I barely was into Gundam at the time, so I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I would now

[bahamutgames]

ENCHANTED AFTERTHOUGHTS

Game: Enchanted Arms (January 12, 2006)

Console: Xbox 360

Rough day so far. Trying to unwind a little bit by taking care of some non-work related stuff. So I figure this is the perfect time to talk about Enchanted Arms! I beat this game on the first of September, but even 5 days later I can't stop thinking about it. There's something really special about this game and I want to be the one to tell YOU why you should check it out... Although maybe not cause I'll be talking about some spoilers I guess. Oops.

As always, this isn't a review yadda yadda ect ect. I'm just spilling my thoughts about how I felt from playing through it. Not meant to be a guide for if you should play, it's just me talking about video games. Always try ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I talk about here if it interests you at all.

SOME ENCHANTED ARMS SPOILERS AHEAD, IF YOU EVEN CARE U_U

Opening

I'm not 100% sure how I found out about this game. It was on youtube I believe. Either a video for underrated or bad RPGs I genuinely cannot recall lol. But I remember thinking it actually looked really cool! And last year I managed to find a copy for under $10 on ebay and decided, hey why the heck not? And gave it a shot. I made slow progress on it through August but FINALLY managed to wrap it up in September. Like I said earlier, I haven't stopped thinking about it since. It's a janky little game but I think it's a special game too.

Stuff I liked

So, first and foremost. This is an XBOX 360 JRPG. Which is a very odd era for turnbased RPGs to exist in just in general. They tend to be kinda janky and feel a little cheap in some ways? But this just makes them extremely charming in my opinion. They're so few and far in between on 7th generation consoles but ESPECIALLY 360. So I find them all to be extremely charming in spite of their flaws. And this applies to Enchanted Arms as well. All the weirdness and jank just kinda makes it more endearing.

You play as Atsuma, a hot blooded anime-protagonist type guy (who is also an honorary edgy badboy made in a lab! You love to see it.) As he goes on a quest to save his 2 best friends who vanished after a powerful devil golems is freed. He meets new friends and discovers a lot about himself while finding a way to save the world. Kinda basic stuff but the story does manage to do some VERY interesting things. It has a big moral on relying on others, not doing things alone, sticking to what you believe in no matter what, but also some tougher stuff like when helping others just becomes about helping yourself, ect ect. It's a lot of themes I really love and love seeing tackled and I think Enchanted Arms really does a good job with a lot of the ideas! I really loved seeing how the 4 main teammates grow and come to really trust each other. And I thought the whole finale and concept of Infinity was SUPER cool. Infinity was such a freaky and interesting final boss. And while I won't spoil it completely, the way you kill him was very cool.

The characters are certainly a high point in my opinion. Again, I LOVE Atsuma. I'm a huge sucker for protagonists and he has pretty much everything I love. Stupid? Check. Edgy badboy made in a lab? Check. Happy-go-lucky? Check. Has to do some soul searching through the game? Check. Evil fucked up arm that does crazy shit he can't explain? Check check check! But the other characters are good too! I liked Karin is a little annoying but generally I'd say her mean attitude is funny more than it is off putting. Plus the cooking scene was very good. Raigar is cool and I used him a TON during the game. And Yuki is hilarious, she may have been one of the funniest next to Atsuma. And they all have great chemistry, I loved how they tease each other but also help and comfort each other. It's a small party but I think focusing on just 4 teammates really helped the game out in the long run!

Even other things like just the world concept. The lore behind the golem wars is cool, I like the different city concepts and how they're based on real world locations. And even small world building details like how everyone hates Atsuma at school, to the point where there's an afterschool club for hating on him. Or how everyone loves Toya. There's neat concepts like a girl in another city who knows Atsuma, but you don't really know her unless you actually read the tie in comic. There's small world building stuff like that, which you'd expect from an RPG probably. But still! It's neat!

Outside of just the story, the gameplay is really interesting. The overworld is pretty standard walking around dungeons type stuff. But in combat is where it gets really interesting. It's turnbased, but rather than being just regular turnbased combat, it has strategy elements infused into it. So you actually move your characters around a grid, and your attacks only attack certain tiles on the enemy grid (if you've ever played Ikenfell, it's VERY similar to that!) So fights require a little bit more strategy and thinking than just mashing through them. Even basic enemy encounters can topple you if you're not playing smart. While this can make some encounters a total pain, believe me, ultimately I think it benefits the game more than hurts it.

And its not just the combat itself that's unique. The way stats work and characters upgrade is pretty interesting. You have all the usual stats and level ups you'd expect. But where most of your stat increases come from is actually a skill currency you get from battles that you can spend on upgrading stats or learning new moves. It's interesting! And allows you to customize your team how you see fit to match your playstyle! Which is nice! There's some other stuff like friendship points, combos, and overdrive attacks. But I'll be perfectly honest, I never got a grasp on what these were lol. But I think they all play into eachother and helping you build meter for super powerful EX attacks?

And then, something that kinda surprised me about this game. It has a small monster collection aspect to it? As you progress you can find golems to fight in the overworld who will join your team if you beat them, as well as golems you can buy from shops to join you. Golems act as additional teammates who all have their own unique attacks with unique tile layouts they can hit. You can also upgrade them with their skillpoints uniquely. So while they don't learn new skills, they can still be useful and serve to help fill holes in your team composition. For example, I got HUGE use out of the first golem you get in the story, Taigalion, because they can power up 2 teammates without having to waste those teammates turns. Or Eternity, a later game golem, who could use Gravity on some bosses to help me cheese the fights. It's neat!

Outside of all that? I'd say the highlights are the graphics and especially the music! The graphics aren't AMAZING but sometimes I think they can look REALLY good. Particularly in the environments! The Ice Castle, the Marsh, the Woods, even just the overworld field all look INCREDIBLE in my opinion! And relistening to the OST now, it's SO good! I forgot how many good songs were in this. Towards Reconstruction, Day at the Academy, and Reborn are all good ones. And the final boss theme was so haunting. And there's more I could praise about the visuals like the cool menu designs, that equipment shows up on your character (which is always a plus) and how cool all the different golems can look! But I think it might be time to move on!

Stuff I didn't like

Yeah it's not perfect. Starting with smaller stuff, there's a bit to be desired on the characters. Reading the manga that came with the game made me really wish they had opted for a more anime look for the humans than the slightly more realistic approach the game has.

And while I DO like the outfits of the main 4 teammates for the most part. I think Raigar's outfit is a little weird. And Makoto (we'll get to him) and Toya, Atsuma's 2 best friends, are just totally dripless. Toya mostly just cause of his rat tail, a better hair cut to fix it. But Makoto. He wears clogs what more do I gotta say?

Okay I'll go into it really quick cause Makoto is kind of a mess. He's a huge homophobic stereotype, I think having a gay teammates RULES! And having him be in love with another team mate is great. But now like this. He's the one with the blonde hair + exposed midriff on the right on the bottom image if you wanna go peek. But he's like, almost a sexual harasser in some ways and he's ABSOLUTELY played as like "ew gross he's GAY zomg 0_o" Even having a stereotype gay voice and GENUINELY saying "YAAAAAAAAAAAS" super high pitched during some of his attacks which is... So nuts that anyone thought this was a good idea. Spoilers but he returns later in the game with a new disguise that's supposed to be straight but has his chest fully exposed revealing a big scar. You failed this so hard, FromSoftware. Like. How? How did you fuck this up?

ANYWAY! outside of that there's some smaller gripes like the voice acting being not super great. Again a lot of the human designs are kinda meh. Stuff like that. But I think I really need to wrap this up by complaining about some serious gameplay issues I have.

So first off, the golems are totally underused. Once I got 4 teammates I VERY rarely found myself ever pulling out my golems again. Which is a shame cause that's such a big mechanic. While I don't totally mind I think being able to upgrade and customize the golems further would have made me care about them in the second act of the game. But even if I were still using them by that point, I doubt I would have been able to OBTAIN much more. I tried to get every golem I found in the overworld. But partway through the game the fights just become such bullshit. ALWAYS letting the golems go first, then wipe your team with instakill attacks. It's so stupid. So a lot of the golems got left behind in my playthrough anyway.

Then there's the gravity status. This becomes less of an issue later when Karin learns a status ailment curing move. But Gravity is a status ailment that means you can no longer move on the grid. EVER AGAIN. Unless you can cure yourself, status ailments never go away. Meaning if someone gets hit by gravity, even an enemy, they are STUCK until they die. Which is great cause it lets you cheese some fights if you get a boss stuck where they can't hit you. But if that happens to you? You're done! Game over!

But where this game really struggles is with balancing. Some fights are INSANELY easy. Letting you breeze through them with no issues. While some fights are insane slogs that take FOREVER to finish. Some big examples are 1-on-1 fights, which usually devolve into whoever goes first (which is ALWAYS the enemy in these cases) winning so you just have to spam health items. But there are more specific cases of weird balancing too. Such as the Warlord of Earth who randomly deals INSANE damage and takes minimal damage themselves. Dragging the fight out FOREVER. Or the first of 8 (YES 8) final boss phases which can only be hit by Atsuma but also instakills Atsuma? So I had to go grind in the fucking casino for HOURS just to build up the money to buy him enough skill points to raise his health high enough to survive that stupid instakill attack (I did 3000 but people were suggesting 7000 hp. It takes FOREVER to do the casino grind by the way. I won't describe it here but good lord.) And it'll always be just for stupid little reasons that you get totally knee capped during a fight like this. It's frustrating. You wanna save your money for weapons and skills but ultimately you kinda need to spend tons of money on items just to be able to survive tons of bullshit.

Now I will say, for all the bullshit with balancing and just roadblocking you with bullshit. Enchanted Arms does a good job at making sure the enemies play the same game as you. Which is something a lot of games struggle to do. Enemies are all susceptible to status ailments, even most bosses. Enemies ALSO have to manage how many attacks they can do before they must recharge like you do. They're susceptible to the same weaknesses you are. Which is nice. Again a lot of games don't do that. But Enchanted Arms does which makes the game just that tiny bit easier thankfully.

I have some other complaints, like, it's an expensive ass game to clear. Requiring TONS of money to buy everything you need, which leads me to believe the casino is required in a weird way which sucks. Or how there's a weakness system but it kind of makes no sense? (If you're weak to something, it means they're also weak to YOU so it's kind of pointless imo). Or the insane amount of tutorials the game tries to give you which ALL devolve into "go here, press A. Done." It's actually more insane than a Mario & Luigi game lmao. But I think we're done here.

Final Thoughts

As I kept writing more and more things to praise and criticize just kept popping into my brain! There's just SO much to say about Enchanted Arms. I'm kind of shocked. There were times I genuinely wanted to snap the disc in half. But now that all is said and done. I really can't help but look back on the adventure fondly. I still feel like I have more to say. I feel like this game is weirdly influential but no one realizes it cause no one played it. I feel like it's such a good game and deserves more attention (IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE XBOX STORE BOOOOO BRING IT BACK) but at the same time it is a clunky game with a lot of short comings. But I still liked it a lot! I'dunno! It's a game that gave me a lot to think about and I think I'll be thinking about it for a long time coming.

At this point I've played 4 Xbox 360 JRPGs. Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Enchanted Arms, and Tales of Vesperia (which I played the Definitive Version but still it started as a 360 game lol) and honestly excluding Lost Odyssey which I hated despite popular opinion. They've all been VERY good. Even Lost Odyssey had high points when it wanted to. So I'm honestly kind of tempted to try and track down and play every 360 JRPG I can get my hands on. Again, it's just a fascinating era for a genre I love. We'll see!

===

Thank you for reading! This one feels SO messy but my brain is so filled with this game that I really had to write about it and get it out of my head aha. I appreciate you even just skimming through or even just scrolling all the way to the bottom. Look, if you clicked the link, I appreciate it, okay?

I'm having a rough day at the moment, but honestly I'm so fed up and used to "the bullshit" as it were that I'm genuinely struggling to build up the emotions needed to be upset about the constant downpour of nonstop bullshit that keeps happening to me. So I'll just take that as a good sign and just try to ignore it. What happened can be fixed for a fee but like, GOD DAMN why do I ALWAYS have to do such massive clean ups for things just arbitrarily happening to me.

ANYWAY sorry to vent on gaming tumblr. I'm just a little heated like the Hot Blooded Atsuma! Am I right fellow Enchanters? (That's what we Enchanted Arms fans call ourselves.) Well, anyway. As always, you're welcome to follow me on twitter where I talk more about games I'm currently playing and thinking about!

That's all I got for you today! Go out and play a hidden gem!

[cake-warlock]

What’s some of your favourite RPGs cause I finished starfield and now I got nothing. Help a fellow gamer gal out

ALRIGHT here’s a few of my personal recommendations

Baldur’s Gate 3

Available On: PS5 and PC (you’ll need a fairly decent setup)

Game Type: Open World Fantasy Turn-Based CRPG

WHY IT’S GOOD: Honestly, this game blew me out of the fucking water. The amount of freedom they give you to do shenanigans is bonkers. I carried two barrels full of drunken lizard men halfway through the game and released them in a prison to create a distraction, and the game was just cool with me doing that! The characters are also just so beautifully written and so unique. There isn’t a single companion I don’t totally adore.

Fable 2 (and Fable 3)

Available on: any XB since the 360

Game Type: Semi-Open world fantasy RPG

WHY IT’S GOOD: These games are pretty dated, don’t get me wrong. Don’t go into these expecting mechanics as smooth as what you get nowadays, but these games have charm that is unparalleled. The storylines are funny, the characters are a delight, and beneath the veneer of irreverent humor is a deeply sincere and tragic story about loss.

Resident Evil Village

Available on: all modern consoles

Game Type: First Person Survival Horror

WHY IT’S GOOD: This rec may seem unlike the others purely because of the game type, but trust me, this game has some of the most superb character writing I’ve experienced. Yes, it’s survival horror and no you don’t get any choices, but if you want a game where you can sink so deep into the characters that you feel like you’re right there with them, play this game. I have played it like five times and I cry at the ending every time. Bonus: all of the environments are just visually stunning. I could stay in Castle Dimetrescu for hours staring at everything.

Wasteland 3

Available on: All modern consoles (except the Switch)

Game Type: Open World Post Apocalypse Turn Based CRPG

WHY IT’S GOOD: You’ve heard of Fallout, well meet the BETTER Fallout. Wasteland 3 is funny, tragic, challenging, and surprisingly full of heart for a lot of its more cynical gags. All of the characters you meet are wonderfully written. The world is interesting and unique, especially in a time where we’re kind of inundated with post-apocalypse games. There’s a man dressed like Dracula who runs a mafia-esque trading hub. Robot Ronald Regan leads a cult who controls all the oil in the state. A gang of homicidal clowns roams the countryside. It’s fucking awesome.

Outer Worlds

Available On: Any modern console

Game Type: Open World First Person Scifi RPG

WHY IT’S GOOD: Dear god this game is beautiful. There are so many games that are so dull and lifeless these days, but not this one! Every single environment is packed with color and unique flora and fauna. The aesthetics are based on 1920s Art Nouveau meets science fiction. The folks you gather to serve as your crew feel like family. And all of this is wrapped in a pretty funny criticism of modern capitalism.

[egg-emperor]

we're gaming tonight!!!

somehow managed to replay and beat Eggmanland and now beat my time record of Egg Beetle on this Unleashed 360 save while tipsy when my reaction time is usually worse on this when sober somehow lol. I have it on every console and this isn't my only save so Idk if it's the highest record on it ever but it's pretty cool

[sonknuxadow]

Which version of Sonic unleashed do you prefer and why? The Xbox 360/PS3 version or the Wii/PS2 version? Or are you original and prefer the mobile phone version?

i own and have played the wii version and the xbox 360 version, i played the wii version first because it was all i had access to at the time since i didnt have an xbox 360. and i didnt have a playstation at all. but as soon as they made unleashed backwards compatible for the xbox one in. i wanna say it was 2018 because i remember this happening around the games 10th anniversary. i immediately rushed to walmart (which still had brand new copies of xbox unleashed at the time for some reason) to get it and play it . as for which i prefer its probably the xbox version, a big part of the reason for that is that i really like the hub worlds and how you get to really explore the cities that sonic visits and have to walk around to find certain people or locations, it really sells the feeling that theyre going on a big world adventure. also fancy graphics arent everything i adore the graphics of a lot of the very obviously older sonic games and think they add to the charm but i do think it should be noted that the graphics of xbox unleashed are gorgeous and still hold up a decade and a half later

but i do like both versions... and there are some things in the wii version that i think are cool like the motion controls are pretty fun (though i did often find myself plugging in my gamecube controller to get a break from it because my arms were getting tired lmao) and the ability to walk around and solve puzzles inside the gaia temples is neat.. i think it would be cool if they made an unleashed port for modern consoles that took features like that and added them to the xbox/ps3 version

[miloscat]

[Review] Child of Eden (PS3)

The cooler Rez.

After United Game Artists (the studio behind Rez) was dissolved into Sonic Team, Tetsuya Mizuguchi left Sega and founded Q Entertainment. They made other games with his signature flashy light show style, like Lumines and Every Extend, but in 2011 they followed up his original "synaesthetic" game with another rail shooter, Child of Eden. If you ask me it's a more successful expression of Rez's aims, and a more engaging shooter as well.

In addition to Rez's eight-target homing shot (which can now get multiple locks on stronger enemies like Kachi's shot in Sin & Punishment 2), there's a new rapid-fire shot which is specifically for destroying projectiles and damaging certain enemies. A strong use of colour coding helps with gameplay readability, so it's clear when there are hazards to shoot down or targets to lock on to, and responding with the right choice of weapon is satisfying. There's also a score multiplier system that turns CoE into a true rhythm hybrid game, as you're rewarded with a score combo when you get full target locks that are released to the beat of the backing track.

You will want to get good scores as this grants you stars which are necessary to unlock new levels. Again there are only five, plus a unique bonus marathon challenge unlocked after you clear them; I couldn't get more than a third of the way through this but it's a nice extra that hearkens back to Rez's more abstracted visual style. Luckily the unlock stars are cumulative, so you don't have to perfect stages to open up later ones, simply play them through a few times. This felt like a chore at first but I did get into improving my score as I flew through the rich virtual environments.

While the setting is similar to Rez (a cyberspace world vaguely under attack, an avatar character to save) the levels have memorably stronger theming, such as evolution or technology, and the bump in console generation certainly helps to make more fleshed-out and visually impressive worlds and setpieces. I also found the music landed better with more of a pop and vocal tinge, especially given the story.

You see, Child of Eden is something of a tie-in to Mizuguchi's house-pop band Genki Rockets, who needless to say handled the soundtrack. Their virtual frontwoman Lumi, played in their shows and this game by Rei Yasuda, is the central character, an AI recreation of a woman born in the far-future year of 2019. Lumi has a constant presence in the game as a live-action integrated FMV character, appearing on menu screens, in gameplay, and in the intro movie as a white-dress-clad personality-less object of innocence soon imperilled.

I'm not keen on the damsel-in-distress imagery, and I thought the concept would have landed better if she had been rendered in the cool sketchy "Take On Me" rotoscope style as seen in the unlockable music videos (well, you can only watch partial clips of them in the gallery, for some strange reason...). Either way, she provides a central figure to hang the game around which works well enough, especially because the implied player character has reduced presence as the game is presented from the first person perspective.

While I was underwhelmed by Rez, I found Child of Eden genuinely impressive; it actually is what I was hoping that Rez would be. It's a shame that it's now a lot less accessible than Rez. I suppose it's also worth mentioning that just as Rez Infinite has its VR support, Child of Eden is compatible with the flash-in-the-pan 3DTV technology, as well as having optional Playstation Move motion controls, which seems like it would work pretty well (the 360 version instead has Kinect support, which probably doesn't work as well). I still found it plenty immersive without the gimmicks, playing on a 2D telly with a stock Dualshock 3. Good stuff.

[darksouls2yuri]

so, I have a question that I figured I needed expert advice for: would you recommend the original ds2 or scholar of the first sin?

hi!! imo for an overall better pve experience play vanilla ds2. sotfs has a more active pvp scene if youre interested in that (but if youre pirating then it doesnt matter), and some qol improvements for pve like increased npc summons for bosses or cool additions like forlorn invasions and the pursuer chasing you, but i think the increased amount of enemies and dlc key scavenger hunt are too major cons for me.

my friend @metalgearsolidyaoi probably has some good sotfs opinions to compare with bc she's played it more than me, i stopped sotfs to switch to vanilla because it was too frustrating for me.

if youre playing on PC i reccomend vanilla over sotfs, but if youre on console sotfs is pretty much your only option anyway (unless youre going to buy a secondhand vanilla disk for ps3/360)

[blueberry-lemon]

Sonic x Shadow Generations Mini-Review

Not a big formal thing, but I have the toxic trait of being a Sonic fan so I feel like I need to get my thoughts down in writing...

The “Sonic Generations” Part

Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, and I know people have really varying opinions on favorite Sonic games, but it always surprises me when people list Generations as “one of the best ones.”

I remember playing through the whole thing on Xbox 360 and thinking it was alright. This time, I’m not even sure whether I’ll finish it.

It’s just not for me. The physics, handling, and level design just feel really clunky to me and I don’t enjoy playing it. The side-scrolling levels kind of make me motion sick. 

The idea of being able to equip different Passive Skills is cool (I loved that in Sonic and the Secret Rings) but I feel like they didn’t really get creative about what the skills would be.

I didn’t really like the cutscenes in the original and I don’t really like them now despite them doing some re-writing and re-dubbing. It just feels really stilted and stiff to me.

Either way, it’s great that it’s available on modern consoles.

The “Shadow Generations” Part

As people have said already, this is the reason to try the game.

Liked it much more than the Sonic half. I’m really happy with how it came together and the stuff that they’re experimenting with.

Right off the bat, the physics and handling feel much more Dreamcast/Gamecube-era Sonic than “Boost Era” Sonic. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but I have more interest seeing them try to get the old handling right. It’s funny that Shadow handles differently in this than Sonic does in the same game release. It’s like they still haven’t, after all these years, decided how they want these games to control.

When it comes to Shadow’s gameplay, guns and motorcycles are out and superpowers are in. I think it’s a great idea, from both a mechanic standpoint and branding standpoint. I like Shadow starting off with Chaos Emerald -ish powers and ending with weird Venom Symbiote powers.

The new mechanics are silly but are also the spice that really brings this all together. Being able to slow down time is a natural fit for these games. The weird lock-on charge shot thing from Star Fox is also interesting, as it gives you “something to do” while you’re running in a straight line or grinding on a rail.

The hub world is interesting but, honestly, not for me. It feels too convoluted to get from point A to be point B. I got lost a few times and also felt a bit motion sick from whipping the camera around.

Writing-wise…I love that it’s campy and silly and angsty. That said…I don’t know why, but Sonic game writing (even with writers like Ian Flynn taking turns on it) just does not land for me pretty much ever. I don’t know why, it just always feels so forced and unnatural.

I absolutely love the writing in the Sonic comics (IDW and late-Archie), and I think the writing in the cartoons and web shorts are also good. I don’t know why it just never seems to click in the games. Maybe something about having to be sandwiched in between gameplay, or having to be localized into multiple languages, makes it feel all sanded down?

I also think the game is trying to be a big recap or “start here” point for Shadow as a character, but they present it a little too confusingly for its own good.

So sadly, for me, the writing was a low point.

In terms of visuals I think it looks pretty good. I like it. I don’t really understand why they use certain textures on the characters though (like Shadow’s “fur” and Gerald’s nose skin??)

We are living in an age of Maria looking way way waaaaay better than she did with her Sonic Adventure 2 model.

Anyway, end of review! Pretty decent game.

Although I like Sonic as a media franchise, I very rarely can get into the games. They’re just really not for me, especially because of the physics, controls, and level design.

Even when I have a bit of fun with one, like I did with Shadow Generations, I’m not sure I can earnestly put it in the same tier as other 3D platformers.

That said, I hope this is a bright sign for the future. If they took another crack at the Shadow Generations gameplay I think it’d be really nice.

Sadly, Sonic Team has always had this bizarre habit of just giving up on stuff and not iterating on it, so we’ll see what happens.

[kissbeginswithkay]

using social media on my computer after my phone got dropped in the river is just making me sad like am I seriously waiting 10 seconds for every TikTok that's either an AI reading off a tumblr post or something worse about the cybertruck? what am I doing with my life.

thank god I go back to college tomorrow, I need something to occupy my time other than scrolling on my app of choice

I am sad that I could end up losing a lot of my photos though :(, I finally started making art again after a while of really bad art block and now I can't even draw on it anymore.

On the flip side, charged up my pink DSi and my fucking ZTE phone with 8 GB on it. DSi is pretty great cause it has more photos of me as a child than my parents do, plus it's got So many photos of the shows I used to watch (almost naked animals, fetch! with ruff ruffman, adventure time, steven universe)

I literally have like, 43 pictures on it. But it's literally a time capsule because all my messages are from 2017-2018. My lock screen and homescreen are stolen photos from when you search up "pink aesthetic" in Google, and my profile photo is stolen art of Frisk because I loved Undertale so much despite never playing it (I was on Undertale Amino when I was 12-14....yes I'm still weird)

I don't even have the heart to delete Episode off my phone despite it not even getting past the loading screen because it can't connect to the server from 6 years ago. It's the only app I have on it.

I'm trying to find my pink 3DS because not only does it have memories but I modded it too, and I think it could be cool to have with me :).

My garage is just full of memories that I thought were lost, we still have a fucking NES where me and my sister played super mario bro's 3 (still love that game by the way), and an Xbox 360 where my dad would play call of duty: ghosts daily.

I'm not gonna call the late 2000's-2010's the golden era cause everyone does that but I do think it's kinda the last time when gaming consoles had much more thoughtful intent on making stuff meaningful and fun for children, whereas nowadays that's what indie game developers are doing. I'm gonna see if I can find my 3DS now, thanks for reading.

[deadspace2411]

Innovative Visuals and Gruesome Gameplay in Dead Space

Playing the Dead Space remake by EA Motive hit me right in the feels, bringing back all those vibes from way back when, making me want to browse and buy Xbox games like never before. They’ve definitely spruced up the visuals, audio, and gameplay, but that OG essence from the Xbox 360 and PS3 days? Still intact, and man, it's something else. Dead Space is still an epic ride—from touching down on the Ishimura clueless about its dark secrets, to exploring creepy spots and facing horrifying monsters, to those eerie quiet moments. The survival horror genre has evolved a ton since the OG Dead Space, but dang, it’s still hella gripping and fresh, even on this replay. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this Dead Space to be this good after all the upgrades Motive threw in. EA reviving an old gem like this could've gone south, but every tweak they made feels like they’re honoring the original, not watering it down. Sure, it’s not cutting-edge like games made just for the latest consoles, but Dead Space is still a looker. The Ishimura’s environments are next-level detailed and gruesome—way more alive (or undead) than before. The lighting? Killer. And those necromorphs? Gross in all the right ways. Oh, and the new peel system? When I blasted a necromorph with the Force Gun and saw its skin peel off, I was shook. Pretty dope stuff, if you ask me.

Expanded Exploration Opportunities

The weapons in the game are mostly the same at their core, with the Plasma Cutter still reigning as one of gaming’s top default guns. Players often seek enhancements for their arsenal, such as when they look to buy PS5 games, to elevate their gaming experience further. But now, each has new secondary functions that amp up their utility. Upgrading your weapons is different too, thank goodness—they’ve done away with those annoying empty upgrade nodes. The game’s core mechanics have seen tweaks all over, like Isaac now being able to fully navigate zero-G areas instead of just hopping around, swapping the punch and stomp buttons (way more intuitive), fixing the asteroid-shooting minigame, and reworking puzzles. They’ve also added some cool new stuff, like circuit breakers, which I think are a brilliant addition. Sometimes you’ll need to redirect power from one part of the area to another, and your choice can have serious consequences. For example, in one spot, you have to decide between turning off the lights or the life support—either face enemies you can’t see in the dark, or deal with dwindling oxygen while you fight them off. The Ishimura itself got a major makeover that might split the OG fans. Now, it’s this massive interconnected space where you can revisit old areas almost anytime. There’s a new security clearance system too, locking doors, lockers, or item boxes until Isaac levels up. Plus, there are more side missions digging into the ship’s fate and its crew, but you’ll only unlock those by straying from the main path and revisiting areas you might’ve skipped.

Thrilling Journey Through Space

Considering how Dead Space originally nailed the linear storytelling by guiding you through the ship’s sections, I get why some might not vibe with how different the remake is in that respect. Personally, though, I’m all for the freedom to revisit old spots whenever, especially since the Ishimura’s such a captivating setting. And hey, if you’re not keen on backtracking, you can skip most of it—just know you might miss out on some gear. But if you embrace the game’s more open vibe, watch out: Dead Space now throws in an “intensity director” that tosses random scares your way. Areas you thought were safe? Not anymore. That familiar hallway? Could be crawling with nightmares next time you pass through. I used to love the OG Dead Space back in the day, but honestly, I’d kinda forgotten about it until this remake. Even leading up to the review, I wasn’t all that hyped about EA Motive’s take. But diving back into the USG Ishimura, reliving its greatness with all these upgrades? I’m regretting not being more pumped. Sure, it’s not maxed out for today’s hardware, but man, it’s still a killer journey through space’s darkest horrors.

Remake Revives Survival Horror

Dead Space is a total OG in survival horror, and EA Motive’s remake does it justice and then some. They’ve kept the heart and soul of the original intact while adding awesome new stuff and tweaks. Sure, the visuals might not be top-tier technically, but artistically and vibe-wise, it’s spot-on. This remake nails the balance between nostalgia and fresh surprises.