Izzy's 2022

[isthatallyougot]

7) Undertale (PC)



Some games are so popular that even if you aren't looking out for them or following them in any way, they seep into your awareness through osmosis by virtue of being a part of the gaming community. Undertale is one such game for me. I had never watched any videos or read anything intentionally about the game, but it was so well-known and loved that I knew of it. I don't even remember how or when I purchased it. I think it was on sale ridiculously cheap in a Steam sale, and recognizing it, I figured I'd give it a chance, so into my backlog it went. And even when finally firing it up in 2022, I knew as close to nothing as possible about it. I just knew it was an unusual RPG, or at least that's what I thought I had absorbed via random encounters with conversation of the game on random message board posts.

It's always nice to go into things fresh, with no preconceived notions, well, other than knowing something is very popular, I suppose. What I found in Undertale was a retro-themed RPG with some charming pixel art, a great deal of humor, a wonderfully catchy soundtrack, some memorable characters, unique gameplay (for the genre) and just a lot of heart. The central premise is that there was a rift between humans and monsters and the humans cast some magic to force the monsters underground, where they are trapped behind a barrier. “Monsters," in the context of Undertale, may be interpreted in different ways. Of course, there's just the surface level idea, but as you play, it becomes apparent that there are references to class differences as possible dividing lines, or perhaps the idea that the "monsters" of the world are simply wearing protective masks, covering their own pain and insecurities. I don't want to spoil anything, but there's a bit of subtlety in the delivery of the narrative that made me question the themes of the game I was playing. I found it absorbing in that ambiguous way and I ended up looking for subtext throughout. There were some really funny characters and dialogue as well. There was a hilarious robot that had been programmed to destroy humans, but really just wanted to be famous. I've since learned that Sans, a skeleton - one of two brothers you encounter numerous times, has become quite a meme, apparently, and his delivery of dialogue in text-boxes was accompanied by funny sound blips that played like laughter as he “talked". There were lots of little touches like that which added a great deal of charm and a unique flavor to everything. I won't go into more, but rest assured that there's a great deal of personality infused from beginning to end, and if you appreciate oddball characters and little touches like those mentioned, you'll be pleased. And the sound, in general, from effects to the music, was simply top-notch. There were plenty of catchy and vibrant tracks to enjoy throughout that imparted a memorable flavor. The mechanics of the game were turn-based and when you battled, you were represented as a heart inside a green box and had to dodge enemy patterns, reminiscent of bullet-hell games, to avoid damage. On offense, you could perform a variety of actions other than simply attacking. You could talk to your opponent, insulting or charming them, and you could offer mercy to a foe who was about to fall, in addition to some other options. It was not your typical, kill-all-foes-indiscriminately RPG. The alternatives to traditional combat made you question the nature of the game by their presence alone, suggesting another layer to things. There's apparently multiple endings too, and at least one of them is tied to a pacifist approach to your "opposition". Some of the bullet-hell combat could be quite challenging, but as with all RPGs, there were items to regain your health and so on. I only had to replay a couple of fights on my way to the end, and I'm no expert in the (bullet-hell) genre, so that means of combat shouldn't dissuade. There were also some mildly challenging, but fun, puzzles thrown into the mix and overall, the pacing was very snappy, and I never felt like things dragged in my roughly eight hours with the game. There was always something new and interesting going on, and you never knew what absurdity to expect next in this consistently captivating and imaginative world. I don't really have much in the way of negatives to express. I had fun from beginning to end. It's an incredibly unique take on old-school RPGs with a very quirky charm, and everything just has this playful, happy and innocent vibe with a wonderful sense of love and inclusion underpinning the overall experience. It just carried this optimistic and hopeful tone that's hard for me to properly articulate, but I loved the sensation it conveyed. If you're open to something different that is full of its own style and which also pays homage to the old-school in some respects, you ought to give it a shot. 4/5.

[isthatallyougot]

6) Psychonauts 2 (PC)



The original Psychonauts was one of those games that felt both doomed to obscurity as well as treasured by those who were drawn to it. It didn't carry a mainstream appeal visually, went through development and publishing hell, and was a departure for Tim Schafer, both in terms of company - having started his own for this venture with Double Fine as his new label, and in terms of genre as he left the point and click/adventure world behind for a collectathon, mascot platformer. There were plenty of things working against it, and in fact it did bomb upon landing on the PS2 and original Xbox back in 2005, selling under a hundred thousand on the former and just over that on the latter, ultimately killing publisher Majesco in the process. It must be crushing to see something you've poured your heart and soul into being met with such indifference, at least commercially. Thankfully, through digital distribution via Steam, Psychonauts eventually gained a larger audience, selling an estimated 1.7 million copies in total, 1.2 million of which occurred after Double Fine reacquired the rights and positioned it on digital storefronts, gaining a new audience to appreciate the unique work that had languished in the shadows for far too long. With the increase in sales and associated audience, the possibility for a sequel became viable so long after the first game's release, and in 2021, 16 years afterwards, the small crowd who had patiently waited since the launch of the original were treated with a follow up, and quite the curtain call it has turned out to be.

Of course, anyone who is familiar with Tim Schafer's work broadly, and Double Fine more specifically, knows that you're going to be dealing with something that is uniquely flavored. A reputation has been cultivated for the bizarre and the interpretive - creations that draw from reality to reassemble experience anew, presenting worlds that reference common situations, ideas and deeper themes while simultaneously bending the lens of perception through those windows in order to entertain while exploring some more meaningful concepts in an amusing and disarming way. And with those expectations in hand, I found my expectations met as Psychonauts 2 has that same essence at its core.

Of course, the central premise of Psyconauts lends itself to the abstract. When your focal point is venturing into the psyches of twisted and broken minds, delving into the dark corners that are often hidden from even the owners of these organs, you've got a foundation that allows to twist and distort in imaginative ways. And Double Fine takes full advantage of this premise, as in the original, bringing us worlds that are not only visually captivating and deliciously diverse in their strangeness, but are also funky and ethereal reflections of the subconscious worlds belonging to the respective characters we explore, mirrors that are integrated with the conscious minds to whom they belong, but dream-like in their expression and function in attempts to cope with wounds and challenges that have overwhelmed the waking mind at some point in time. These concealed levels of consciousness co-exist in the background of awareness, yet dictate behavior and responses to the world of “reality” in unknown and/or unexpected ways. As the main character Raz inhabits these realms, as he did in the first game, we are treated to so much variety with every new mind feeling like a new game unto itself, at least from the standpoint of presentation. There is so much breadth in terms of color usage, geometry, perspective, theming and inhabitants that I found myself in awe at my surroundings much of the time. Each mind was its own distinct adventure, both visually and narratively, and kept things fresh from beginning to end. I was always excited to see what wild distortions of perception awaited as I ventured into another new brain.

Structurally, the core of the game feels very much like a template of the first, with the bulk of the familiar elements carried over into this new entry. You'll be collecting figments, memory vaults, PSI cards, emotional baggage and the like. You'll be leveling up, earning merit badges that grant powers like the original - abilities like telekinesis, clairvoyance, levitation, and so on. Things are not an exact duplicate, but anyone who has played the first will find things very familiar. Of course, you'll be enjoying new environments in this sequel, but there is nevertheless a comfortably familiar flavor to the whole. And having so many collectibles does run the risk of becoming tedious, but there's no requirement to get everything, and there is incentive to not only accumulate the common and abundant doo-dads, but also to seek out the rarer items. And the game does a good job of hiding some things in hard to reach places, both due to geometry and as a result of awaiting new abilities, so it makes revisiting areas worthwhile and fun as you progress through the adventure. And navigating was always a pleasure. Raz moves with a light and bouncy responsiveness whether you're running, jumping, rail-grinding, tight-rope walking and gliding or hopping and bopping on your levitation ball. The moment to moment traversal felt good, and that always goes a long way to making any game enjoyable. If it's fun to simply move around, half the battle is already won, and Psychonauts 2 was engaging on a fundamental kinetic level, making gameplay a joy.

Narratively, things were a bit of a mixed bag for me. I love the essential idea that we're all kind of broken and in need of healing on some level. There's a beautiful tone of inclusion, forgiveness and oneness in the idea that we all could use a little help and that we're all just doing the best we can to cope with life that has damaged and disillusioned somewhere along the line, at least to a certain degree. We're all, despite being fractured in different ways, doing the best we can with the hand we've been dealt, and that beautiful sensation pervades the experience here. And the characters were full of personality and quirky expressiveness, reflecting the unique ways in which they were "broken", with everyone being voiced on the scale from good to excellent. I particularly liked the way Raz's family was explored and expanded upon. Raz is also incredibly likeable. If you've ever felt like a misfit/outcast/misunderstood at any point within your own family or in life/society in general, he's very easy to root for. He's got an infectious combination of humility, enthusiasm and curiosity, despite being relatively ostracized, that I find magnetic. However, I did find the narrative to be a bit long-winded, and it did drag a bit for me towards the end. I also thought it could have been pared down a little and more tightly focused as it meandered and mushroomed in a bit of an awkward and messy way for me as things progressed. But there were plenty of highs and lots of fun points of engagement along the way, despite a little clumsiness.

There were some other minor problems with some invisible walls, where it seemed like you should be able to explore where you weren't. The combat, while perfectly functional, never really elevated to the level of exciting, despite your myriad abilities. It was fun enough, but lacking some variety, depth and “juice” that I would have liked to see. We're introduced to Raz's peers early on, but the relationships are left to the side mostly as you go about your business, with only sporadic and limited reconnection through most of the adventure, despite the initial feeling that this was going to be a concerted group effort. And being a collectathon platformer, there were, as mentioned, tons of things to accumulate, and while they had a reason to exist and served their greater purposes, it sometimes felt like a bit much in the way of endless trash littered about. And one final gripe. Early on we're introduced to the concept of establishing mental links to manipulate a character's thoughts via word associations as you connect various ideas in the mind to push new ways of looking at situations, and I thought that was really fun and creative, but aside from the navigational component of zipping around to physical points in the air, the concept is essentially dropped right after its introduction, and I thought that was a shame to have such an interesting idea feel really underutilized.

In all though, I had a great time with Psychonauts 2. It was so full of color and variety, thematically and visually bursting with more personality and character than dozens of high-profile AAA games combined. I think hearing Jack Black sing ‘Cosmic I' is probably one of my singular favorite moments in gaming this year as everything came together in a spectacular intersection of thematic and audiovisual splendor. Orgasmic! Anyone who has a fondness for the original or just likes good games that lean into the off-beat should be happy with this sequel. Given the heritage, it's a minor miracle that this game exists at all, and I'm very grateful to have been able to play it. A strong 4/5.

[canedaddy]

Finally some games I've heard of and even played!

I agree with you on both Undertale and Psychonauts 2. Both were special experiences. Looking forward to seeing the top 5!

Also, A Short Hike is on sale on PSN (just $4.79 rather than the outrageous $7.99 ) if anyone else, like me, is drawn to it by izzy's review.

[isthatallyougot]

Finally some games I've heard of and even played!

I agree with you on both Undertale and Psychonauts 2. Both were special experiences. Looking forward to seeing the top 5!

Also, A Short Hike is on sale on PSN (just $4.79 rather than the outrageous $7.99 ) if anyone else, like me, is drawn to it by izzy's review.

Ha, I know. What can I say, I don't swim with the other fishes.

And if I tell you what I paid for A Short Hike, I may turn you into a PC gamer. It was literally less than a penny. (in an itch.io bundle - $5 for hundreds and hundreds of games) They're not all worth it of course, but I've enjoyed many of them and it's always fun (for me) to explore the fringes of gaming.

Let us know if you pick it up and what you think of it.

[isthatallyougot]

5) Tesla vs Lovecraft (PC)



One of my favorite gaming genres, dating back to 1982 and Robotron 2084 in the arcades, is the top-down twin-stick shooter. When they're well crafted, few gaming experiences provide the same kind of rush. Last year I played my first 10tons game in Crimsonland, a 20-year old twin-stick shooter, and I really enjoyed it. Noticing Tesla vs Lovecraft (from 2018) was also a twin-stick shooter by the same developer and in my backlog already, I couldn't resist firing it up to see what 10tons had learned over the years. First things first, the game looks significantly better than Crimsonland, but that's to be expected, given the 15+ year gap. The lighting, particle effects and on-screen chaos is really ramped up, giving a real fest for the senses. (Don't play if you're epileptic or want a period of stress free gaming. ) There are hundreds of enemies on-screen at most times and when you add in the weapon effects and all the movement from the monsters and your own, it really becomes a frantic affair visually. Everything also has a really appealing teal and purple color palate that I found attractive. All of this is not to say that it's a technical marvel. It could run on very modest hardware, but that doesn't detract from the spectacle on offer.

The basic premise revolves around a feud between, of course, Tesla and Lovecraft. Lovecraft warns Tesla that all his meddling with things he “doesn't understand” in the world of science will open up things that should remain locked away, and Lovecraft attempts to thwart Tesla's research. There's really not much to the narrative, if you even want to call it that. It's really just a few static panels at a few intervals with some dialogue to give things some flavor. And while I appreciated the effort, not much was done with it. And that was a shame because the premise really lent itself to being fleshed out in greater detail. Granted, this is generally not the genre to incorporate an in-depth story, but the potential was there for something interesting if developed, and I wanted to see more of this conflict play out in a narrative fashion.

But, narrative is not why I picked up TvL to begin with. Action is the name of this game, and whoa boy does it deliver! From the moment you are dropped into a level, beginning each in a Mech of Tesla's creation, you are swarmed with enemies coming from all directions and you find yourself simply overwhelmed in the fracas. This powerful mech eventually explodes, scattering pieces across the level, pieces which can be regathered in order to initiate another limited run in this metallic "monster" of science, and it was always fun to get that extra boost of power from doing so. There are enemies that move fast, enemies that are slow but powerful, enemies that shoot projectiles, enemies that leave areas of damage upon their death, tentacles that rise from the earth and try to crush you, among others, and so there are just a variety of ever-changing circumstances to contend with, and it's usually happening at a breakneck pace, leaving you no time to think. And levels are not endless in size, so you can find yourself cornered with no other choice but to let ‘er rip as you stare death in the eye. But, thankfully, you are granted a plethora of tools at your disposal to fight back this literal tidal wave of opposition. One of the most interesting is the ability to teleport short distances, both through monsters and over gaps and obstacles. This ability can get you out of hopeless situations, but it has limited uses before a cool-down period kicks in, so you have to be judicious with its employ. And there are plenty of perks and weapons to add throughout a level to aid you in your struggle to stay alive and move on to the next challenge. There are (stackable) perks that allow your weapon to shoot extra projectiles, diminish reload time, grant you slowly regenerating health, allow your weapon to fire both forwards and backwards, increase your weapon damage, make the monsters move slower, among many others. And as you play a level, you gain experience for defeating enemies, and with each level gained, you are allowed to pick a new perk to help you. (Each level is self-contained, in effect, so you have to start all over from zero perks, when you begin the next level. So each level is its own sort of isolated game within the game.) When you are able to assemble the right combination of weapon and perks, it’s just an absolute sensory overload and an adrenaline surge that is unique to the better twin-sticks. Get blessed with an epic-weapon spawn (in the “For Science” DLC), upgrade damage with a few perks, get lucky on an epic perk that grants unlimited teleporting with no cool down or endless use of secondary abilities (limited use damage pickups), and whoa boy. In the words of the great Mike Singletary, “I like this kinda party!” My god is it addicting! It gets me into this frenzied state where I literally cannot stop playing as it taps into my ancient, fight-or-flight reptilian brain, and I'm running on pure instincts and reaction with no room for thought. It's kind of Zen in that way. And to top it all off, there is this absolutely thumping, rocking, pulse-pounding soundtrack to further drown and overwhelm in the mood. And there is plenty of replayability. There are three main difficulties, each containing 20 or so levels, there's infinite mode where you can try to stay alive as long as possible on a single level and compete for high-scores in online leader boards, there are unlimited new-game+ “Dreamland” difficulties (in the DLC), and there's an overarching progression layered on top of everything as you develop persistent upgrades to your character via the acquisition of crystals in stages that, when spent, grant you improvements that remain in effect across levels/difficulties/modes - things like being able to shuffle randomized available perks on each level-up multiple times (or have more possible perks to choose from), more teleports, a greater chance to see “epic perks” and so on. There are just plenty of reasons to stay invested, if you enjoy the core gameplay, which I most certainly did.

On the other side of the coin, I do have to acknowledge that it can be pretty difficult outside the lowest “normal” difficulty, but it does give you something to work for - get those crystals, upgrade and just get better. And sometimes things can feel a bit luck dependent. Your run in a level can feel at least mildly tied to whether or not you get a good selection of perks at those chances to upgrade, but that can be mitigated a bit by upgrading your number of chances at recycling the list of perks offered and/or upgrading your chances at epic perks (as mentioned). Also, the infinite mode, while certainly fun, didn't have the lasting appeal that the same mode in Crimsonland did for me. I prefer Tesla vs Lovecraft overall, but that mode didn't feel as varied in possible outcomes here. It felt like there was a "best" strategy, if that makes sense. I played it for a while and ended up getting a rank in the 500's overall, but I didn't feel compelled to plug away in that mode. Game bosses could have also been better. They often felt like nothing more than simply intimidating larger versions of other basic enemies for the most part. Another thing that could be quite annoying, although both a blessing and a curse, was the fact that weapons could spawn at any time, and sometimes right beside you. You might have this epic weapon and in the chaos, you teleport right over an inferior weapon and your joyous run of maniacal carnage is brought to a screeching halt. And finally, my biggest complaint was a technical issue I had. I took a screen capture one time that somehow froze the game, and after quitting and restarting, I couldn't teleport more than a single time to start a level. I uninstalled and reinstalled, I deleted all save information, and bizarrely still no fix. Without teleporting, the game is unplayable. So I contacted 10tons' support to see if they could offer me any guidance and they didn't reply. So I waited a week and contacted them again, and again, not even a courtesy response after a couple of weeks. (They finally replied long after I had written this review with very little in the way of assistance.) I don't have an issue with tech support that can't help, but I do have an issue with a company that will not even respond to customer request for assistance, and that left a bitter taste in my mouth. Thankfully, I eventually figured out how to fix the problem on my own - if you want something done right... But in the bigger picture, I can't deny how much fun I had with Tesla vs Lovecraft. It felt like an evolution of Crimsonland and was a genuine improvement in most every regard. I played more than 30 hours, beat all the main difficulties, got all the achievements without even trying, and there's still meat on the bone for persistent upgrades and the endless “Dreamlands” difficulties, of which I finished another whole two runs. Overall, it was a fine game and a wonderful example of the genre. I'm twitching. A very strong 4/5.

[isthatallyougot]

4) Celeste (PC)



Sometimes games stun you, which is a rare and wonderful thing to a person who has been gaming since the inception of the medium. I always hope to have that sensation when I play a game, but it's a rare unicorn of an experience that makes it a special treat when it does occur. I was aware that a game called Celeste had a very positive reputation, and I was aware that it was a “precision platformer" - a sub-genre which I had never really delved into. I was aware of the Cloudberry Kingdom's of the world and they always just looked like a torturous genre reserved for autistic savants, a genre that was far more work than fun. And yet I have several in my Steam backlog, games like VVVVVV, Dust Force DX, Super Meat Boy, N++, They Bleed Pixels, and even the aforementioned Cloudberry Kingdom on PS3 digitally, among others. I was never really strongly drawn to them despite my admiration for those with the skills and/or patience to play them well, but all the positive reviews resulted in me picking them up on sales anyway, with the idea that I might one day venture into these difficult waters to see if the juice was worth the squeeze. I suppose that I'd already dipped my toes in the water, if only hesitantly, with BIT.TRIP Presents... Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, where I did pretty much everything that you could. Although, I suppose you could classify that as more of a rhythm platformer or auto/forced runner, despite the higher level of challenges on offer at the upper end. But I did very much enjoy the tougher elements within that game, even if they probably don't get anywhere near the levels of the really punishing precision platformers out there, and so I suppose I held out a small ember of hope that I might enjoy the challenges present in the broader genre of difficult platformers. I've also enjoyed Spelunky and some other platformers that are considered fairly hard, but games that offer a really high level of difficulty must walk a fine line of challenge to frustration, making sure that there's a smooth gradient to progression and learning or they risk quickly alienating the average (non-savant ) player. Well, I went into Celeste with modest expectations, thinking that it might tilt too heavily to the frustration side of that equation for me, but I still went in, as I always try to do, with an open mind and a hopeful attitude.

The initial impressions were immediately positive. The movement is very tight and precise, which is a must for any game that is going to task the player with reaching a high-level of skill against tough obstacles. There are only a few simple actions available to the player. You can run, jump, dash (both on the ground or in the air), and grab/climb, a move which is limited by a fatigue element that will see you lose your grip if climbing or held in place too long. As expected, all of these fundamental movements were very responsive and intuitive, something you'd expect in a good game in this niche. In the beginning, things are obviously somewhat challenging, but everything seemed mostly doable, so I wasn't dissuaded from continuing this journey. But the way that these simple and responsive controls are implemented just flowered into something incredible. There is a continuous stream of new concepts and methods for traversing environments and challenges that are introduced in such a wonderfully paced way that you always feel like you're being shown something fresh and that the possibilities of what can be done are ever-expanding. And all of this depth is introduced without any tedious explanation. It's simply integrated organically into the levels and is (eventually) obvious as you interact via gameplay. I lost count of how many times I entered a screen with a set of challenges that made me ask myself, “How in the heck am I going to do THAT?” Sometimes I felt that way due to the mechanical interactions that were required and other times I simply had no idea how to proceed. But it was so well designed that I wanted to rise to its challenges, not only because the moment to moment gameplay was so satisfying but also because, again, the learning curve was so beautifully crafted, always testing you just a little further and in new ways that built upon what you had already learned. And that concept of getting better and rising above was mirrored wonderfully in a narrative about a character climbing a mountain to overcome her own personal challenges and demons. That marriage of gameplay and metaphor synchronized into a type of symmetry that brought such a smile to my face as I witnessed an elegant creative expression that felt like a cohesive whole, with all things working together harmoniously as if they always naturally belonged together.

Graphically, there was a very nice use of color and the animations were smooth and attractive. I wasn't necessarily a big fan of the style - at least in part. It's got a “big-pixel” look without much detail - character faces are blank outside of dialogue boxes, for example, and I generally like retro-styled games to carry a bit more visual definition. But that's not to say it necessarily looked bad to me. It's just a stylistic preference for more detail than the chunky-pixel look provides. There's still plenty of personality conveyed despite the blunt visual design. The audio was a real highlight, full of tracks that seemed to fit the action, from high-intensity pieces to lively expressions of euphoria at critical moments, with some more reflective arrangements at appropriate junctures. And the sound effects in general were crisp and seemed to add weight and impact to the movement and environmental interactions, as well as emphasizing the non-verbal instruction that persisted throughout. Despite some reservations mentioned, the overall audio-visual presentation was very well done and an excellent example of “modern-retro".

And as tough as the base game was for me, there's tons of post-game content for those who want to dig in and push themselves even higher. There are special “tapes” you can collect that offer you B-side levels which are much tougher. There are strawberries to collect - think Mario's stars or shines - many of which can be a real challenge to attain or even find. There's a "core of the mountain" stage if you unlock its requirements, as well as its B-side. There are also even harder C-sides as well as golden strawberries to be earned for finishing levels without dying at all, whew! (what sickos do this?!) And it keeps stats for everything you've done - things like time spent on each level, number of deaths per level, collectibles, and so on. It's probably a speed-runners dream. There's so much layering that it feels practically endless, and I'm sure much of it is out of my reach. But I love that feeling when a game has so much to offer, even if I'm not fully able to plumb its depths. It shows a love for the player and the creative process to say to the player, “I'll give you as much or more than you can handle.” while still making it optional beyond the primary experience. I've heard people say that the base game is just the tutorial, and as intimidating as that sounds, I get that perspective. There's this sense of incredibly stratified complexity that is built on a foundation of simplicity, and that sort of thing just gets my juices pumping. As of this writing, I've only completed the main quest, but I surely love this game enough to consider going back and trying the extra challenges at some point. And on the topic of difficulty, there is an “assist” mode that allows you to tweak various factors to make things easier. I never used it, and it seems like it would terribly undermine the overall experience, but I suppose it's nice that it's there for anyone who finds it too challenging and just wants to enjoy the narrative journey. And finally, in terms of the narrative, Madeline, the protagonist, was of a demographic that is of a controversial nature to some. You're not bludgeoned over the head with the details of her personal struggles, but the references are clear, even if only brief and limited. Personally, I have no malice towards anyone or group - I've got love for all, but if you are of a more narrow-minded persuasion, you may not enjoy some small elements of the story. For me, I found the story very relatable. We all have our own personal mountains to climb in life, whatever they may be, and the theme of tackling those challenges and doing your best with the lot you're given is something that should be resonant for all, and that was the essence of the tone present, in my experience.

In the end, I was absolutely blown away with Celeste. I got it in an itch.io bundle with hundreds of other games for $5.00 (for everything), and it's easily among the best bargains I've ever enjoyed with this hobby. It's worth more than full retail asking price in my view. It's what I would call gameplay purity. It's tight, refined and nuanced, challenging and deep. I felt pushed consistently, and it was a pleasant sort of prodding that made me want to get better. From beginning to end, things were simply thrilling mechanically. And narratively, it carried this wonderfully hopeful, you-can-do-this vibe as well as the sentiment that even if you can't, it's ok because what really matters is that you tried your best - such a beautiful energy. I mentioned the idea of the main game simply being the tutorial for Celeste and in that vein, I feel like all the platformers I've played until now were simply the tutorial for this game. (I'm not necessarily saying Celeste is my favorite platformer ever - just the idea of mechanics and challenge. Miyamoto would surely have been proud had this been his own creation.) If you have any affinity for the essence of platformers - for the running, jumping, dashing, momentum and simple joy of movement, you MUST play Celeste. An easy all-time classic. 5/5.

[canedaddy]

And finally, in terms of the narrative, Madeline, the protagonist, was of a demographic that is of a controversial nature to some. You're not bludgeoned over the head with the details of her personal struggles, but the references are clear, even if only brief and limited. Personally, I have no malice towards anyone or group - I've got love for all, but if you are of a more narrow-minded persuasion, you may not enjoy some small elements of the story.

I feel seen.

I already own that one. I also just grabbed A Short Hike and Tesla vs. Lovecraft, both on sale on PSN (though not for the pennies that PC neckbeards enjoy ).

[isthatallyougot]

I feel seen.

I already own that one. I also just grabbed A Short Hike and Tesla vs. Lovecraft, both on sale on PSN (though not for the pennies that PC neckbeards enjoy ).

Seen, as in you belong to said demographic or seen as in having a more narrow-minded perspective on the myriad colors of life?

Is this you:





Let us know what you think of those two whenever you get around to it.

[isthatallyougot]

3) Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age S (PC)



Dragon Quest is a series for which I've always held a great deal of curiosity, both because of its fundamental qualities, being a turned based RPG with a lengthy heritage and because of the rabid following born from such a long run, suggesting a warranted devotion. Yet as much as I love some entries, turn-based RPGs can be very hit or miss for me, so whenever I decided to explore this series, I expected to either find myself a newly dedicated fan or turned off altogether. So that uncertainty along with the lengthy nature of (many of) the games within the franchise caused a bit of hesitancy, I suppose, and I put off playing a series I was quite drawn to for a very long time. But all that changed in 2022 when I decided to finally find out if I was going to be slimed with a viscous attachment to this venerated franchise or if I'd forever flee from this series of battles.

With so many games in this franchise over such a long time, there's naturally been a technological evolution that has impacted things, and this most recent mainline entry has benefited in some obvious ways, having a far different and higher-fidelity appearance technically than what was possible in the roots of the series. Presentation is the most obvious first impression to note in any game, and the first taste here was of a visually vibrant and colorful set of stylized and well-animated characters, monsters and world that I found immediately appealing. The monsters were of particular note, having a playful, yet sometimes intimidating - within the context of the whole - appearance. They were wonderfully varied, creative and often amusing, and seeing all the new foes as they were introduced was a consistent treat. And the general visuals overall, having an anime Dragon Ball-ish style (appropriately enough, given Akira Toriyama's creative touch), were both close enough to and, simultaneously, far enough removed from reality to facilitate embracing a fantasy epic without any mental labor. That, combined with a very traditional set of high-fantasy themes, made it easy to slide into the world and my role within. I love classical medieval elements - kings, royalty, swords and sorcery and the like. So there was very little barrier to my initial investment, and I found myself pulled in by Dragon Quest's charms right away. As things unfolded, I found myself treated to a wonderfully large world full of diverse locales, many of which mirrored real-world counterparts, like Sniflheim and its Scandinavian reproduction, for example. These approximations of familiar settings did a nice job in adding a layer of relatability to the fantasy setting, delicately tilting things into the realm of the "real" while still being at a comfortable distance. And having so many varied regions, geographical environments and cultures facilitated the sense of scope, making things feel like a grand, globe-spanning adventure that was very immersive. The voice work was almost universally well-done and really brought the narrative and wide selection of interesting and likeable characters, both party members and otherwise, to vibrant life. I also appreciated the fact that the protagonist, in contrast, was silent, which is usually preferable to me in a game where I'm to embody the hero. I thought the music was really well done for the most part as well. I'd heard some complaints about the soundtrack - something about the original release being a midi score if I'm not mistaken, but I played the “S” version, which was fully orchestrated, and it had a nice selection of sweeping and dramatic pieces mixed in with some more thoughtful and subdued arrangements in areas and situations that called for a shift in mood. All the surface elements came together in a strong package and I really wanted to get to know this place and its inhabitants because of that strong audiovisual foundation, and that enticing blend of characteristics spurred me on with great interest as I came to familiarize myself with the world of Erdrea, its history, inhabitants, conflict and my role within. One other little thing to note that pleased me with the presentation was the commonalities across series entries. I became more curious about the roots of the series from my time with XI, and I watched some videos and did a bit of research and was surprised to find so many consistencies spanning 30+ years. Monster designs, sounds/music, lore and history, items and collectibles, and the fundamentals and mechanics seem to have a great deal of carry-over from one entry to the next. Dragon Quest seems to truly be Dragon Quest, and I can imagine the anticipation longtime fans must feel with each new entry, knowing that a familiar “hominess” awaits on an all new adventure. There are very few gaming franchises that have such a persistent set of characteristics over such a long run, and there's something nice about that sense of tradition in my opinion.

The narrative was a pleasant surprise for me in some ways as well. While the foundations of being the “chosen one” to save the world treads on well-worn territory, the execution was so adept that it compensated for any sense of been-there-done-that. And that was in large part due to the excellent cast of characters. The variety of backgrounds and personal histories to which these (party) characters belonged added to the flavor of a motley group coming together in a battle against a great and formidable evil. And the way this group of characters intersected, both within your allies and otherwise, and how their roles influenced and related to each other and the overarching conflict just brought things to life in a compelling manner. There were some real moments of drama and intimacy due to the thoughtful nature of character development and world creation that surprised me with their impact. I also really appreciated the optional world building on offer. The ability to chat up so many NPCs in different regions as well as your companions at campfires or at any other time in “party chat” showcased and reflected the changing circumstances of the world and its inhabitants due to their contextually appropriate responses, and I found myself talking to most everyone in every area throughout as the story unfolded to further immerse myself in the overall sense of things as they developed. These interactions were usually brief, but these little snippets fleshed out a sense of time, place and circumstance that really added to my ongoing engagement with everything, giving a very dynamic and living flavor to the world of Erdrea. Furthermore, in addition to all the recipe books, there were many little “world flavor” books that added to the overall sense of place, and I happily read each one that I came across. I also appreciated the narrative recap that was offered every time you loaded your save, as it did a nice job of framing your experience and allowing you to hit the ground running again. There was a nice blend of voiced exposition mixed with traditional RPG reading, although I was a bit surprised with the amount and quality (as mentioned) of the voice work. Finally, I'm always a sucker for “nature equals good” theming, and while it might be over-used, I really love the concept of the "sacred tree" as a representation of the natural flow of existence and I thought that metaphor was nicely implemented here in the form of the familiar Yggdrasil mythology. I'll avoid going into any major spoiler territory, so I'll just say that overall, In terms of story, I found things very appealing and involving in both premise and execution, even if the nuts and bolts walked some familiar paths much of the time.

In terms of gameplay and design, there was a good amount to appreciate here too. The turn-based mechanics were familiar, of course, but there was a nice degree of flexibility in how you approached both party and character builds. I thought the way you could assign skills in a variety of disciplines added a nice layer of depth when considering how to best optimize your party for battle. There were lots of variables to consider in terms of how they combined with weapon and magic usage, and finding the most enjoyable mix of traits and abilities was satisfying, both in terms of individual and group construction. You could get a nice synchronization of traits where characters played off of each other to great effect. For example, Erik and Sylvando had a nice combination where one could put an enemy to sleep or poison them with a blade strike and the other could use their ability to do exponential damage to an enemy suffering from those conditions. It was fun finding those mixes to deploy your team to maximum effect. I also appreciated the fact that you could easily respec any or all builds - if you paid the funds. It made experimentation easy and fun, even if it did remove a bit of the sense of consequence from your decisions. I also liked the option of having a free moving camera and moveable characters within encounters. It didn't impact things in a practical sense, but it was fun maneuvering your vantage point within the context of the otherwise usually rigid presentation of turn-based battles. Another thing I really enjoyed was the ability to acquire and utilize “pep” powers, special abilities that worked in combination with one or more party members. They were visually very satisfying, if not always quite as practically powerful as the scenes might suggest, and they were rare enough that they didn't feel overused - they felt special whenever you had the option to break one out. Also, the fact that enemies were always visible, negating random encounters, was very appreciated. I'm not the biggest fan of that element in many turn-based RPGs. It can be done fairly well, but more often than not, it just becomes tedious as you are constantly interrupted while trying to get somewhere, and only causes disorientation or distraction when you're just looking to be in "navigation mode". In terms of roaming the world, there was plenty of incentive to engage as well as you searched for hidden treasure chests, “sparkly” things, mini medals, recipe books for better gear, and so on. There were many little things tucked away that kept me scouring the world for valuables throughout, and I always enjoy that push to explore thoroughly. Finally, I really enjoyed the mini-forge. It was fun using the materials you'd gathered to craft new gear, and applying the associated abilities you'd acquired (as you gained experience) to get things just right with your limited strikes (points) to get a perfect item. It wasn't overly complex, but was well executed and fun throughout. Lastly, one thing I must mention is the incredible bonus of being able to play the entire game in old-school 2D. I don't know how much extra work must have gone into this, but I'm sure it wasn't minimal, and just having that option made it feel like the developers really cared about their work and wanted to go the extra mile, and that was certainly appreciated on my part. If I ever play it again, I'd consider doing a run that way.

There were also some things that didn't really hit the mark for me. My first complaint about the game is just how incredibly easy it is. I didn't know this going in, and playing the S version, there were plenty of difficulty modifiers available, but I was expecting a normal difficulty by just leaving things at their default. Normal should be “normal”, no? Big mistake. Throughout my 80+ hour play time, I had a single, yes ONE, game over screen. And that wasn't even at the final boss. It was around mid-game when I was forced to confront Rab and was given instructions about how to fight him by his master Pang, and I wasn't paying close enough attention to the fight preamble and just tried to fight normally without the special power and so I lost. But that was it. Throughout all the conflicts, and various bosses, that was the only time I failed, and it was simply a matter of not listening to the particular instructions for that fight. So, for all practical purposes, I played the default difficulty without a single death, and I certainly didn't try to over-level or grind regularly. I just played and explored, fighting along the way here and there. I still enjoyed the combat, and everything was fun nonetheless, but I wish I had known that there was going to be no challenge at the default difficulty going in. On the bright side, I guess it's a reason to play again sometime down the road, but this is not a short game to just pop in and replay, so I feel my experience was mildly tainted by the lack of resistance. In terms of narrative and as mentioned, I mostly loved it. The characters, various conflicts and dynamics made for a fun ride, and I loved the sprawling story, but sometimes it could feel just a bit long-winded and overly expansive for the sake of scope alone rather than adding anything of real merit. There were some moments where things felt unnecessarily drawn out, however those were the exception rather than the rule. There were also a couple of plot holes as well, although it didn't really hurt things too much for me. There was, however, one particular (but small) moment that frustrated me with the narrative, and I'll try to be as spoiler free as I can. It was a situation when a group of leaders gathered to a meeting, and in the course of this meeting they were discussing the important issues of the world. And as they were discussing the Luminary, it was suggested that he is the cause of the calamity, the bringer of the “Dark One”. There was an acknowledgment of the inherent balance of all things, the yin/yang duality of nature where all things cast their shadow and are bound to their polarities, and I was salivating at the suggested complexity and nuance being added to the overall story. But a moment later it was like, “Nah, good is good and the Luminary is GREAT!” and they all held hands and did a metaphorical happily-ever-after dance. I realize this game not going for some deep and thought-provoking, philosophical narrative, but I was frustrated at the suggestion of some deeper musings, and it felt like a missed opportunity left on the table. Things quickly reverted to “Disney”, and I felt personally teased and mocked in that moment, lol. I also didn't really care for the visual design of the main character. I get the idea, though. They were looking for the most generic, nondescript expression of an individual to make it easier for the player to write themselves into the role. I understand. But they could have spruced him up a bit in appearance or, better yet, allowed you to create his appearance yourself. He was just so utterly bland looking and not memorable at all from a visual standpoint. I also thought his grunts of agreement with party members and NPCs were really dumb sounding. He's a silent protagonist (except for one instance, strangely), so just let him nod and be silent rather than going, “Uh!" whenever he agrees with someone. It just sounded silly. Another minor annoyance was the presence of some very low invisible walls that blocked exploration where, visually, it seemed very reasonable to expect to be able to continue moving. There was some repetition in NPC designs across regions that lessened the sense of immersion a bit too. While I mostly enjoyed the soundtrack, it could sometimes feel a bit overly dramatic due to its consistently sweeping mood. There was variance, but the peppy, up-beat, epic swells while exploring were sometimes a bit heavy and overbearing in their persistence. Finally, and this is not a complaint with the game directly, but rather how I experienced it. I played via game pass, and of course that means no ownership, even digitally, unless you want to buy there. I had already decided that I would enjoy all I could in my 3 months for $1 sub and then let it go unless I got another really good offer like that. I MUCH prefer owning my games to any sort of subscription type model so that I can play and revisit games at my own leisure. And so I felt a little rushed as I was playing it towards the end of my subscription. I don't care to keep saves for shorter games much of the time, but with really long RPGs that have plenty of post-game content, I like to have access to that journey as I had undertaken it. With Steam, it's no issue, but with Game Pass I felt like I was losing something I had worked for and wanted to keep, given that I had already decided to end my subscription. I still plan to eventually pick it up on Steam, but 80+ hours to go through the same experience again is something I may be reluctant to do. (Apparently there's a way to transfer Game Pass saves to Steam, so maybe I'll look into that if and when I ever pick it up on Steam.)

But despite my variety of smaller complaints, I really had a great time with Dragon Quest XI. The game walks a nice balance of fun/playful and serious in terms of tone and presentation, and I love that contrast. And the presentation in general was just delicious. There was an epic and expansive world and tale and that sense of scale really made your role within the conflict feel important, and I was genuinely engaged. And there seems to be plenty of post-game content that I didn't get to experience in full, and I love that feeling when a game just seems to want to keep giving you more, and I certainly had that sensation here. In the end, I find myself a new fan of this long running franchise, and most definitely plan to visit some other entries because of my love for this one. Crivens! What a great game! 5/5

[canedaddy]

Very glad that you enjoyed your first dip into the DQ pool. It's a very special series for me because of the adherence to tradition (so many things carry over from the very first game) and the overall charm... I can't help but smile when I see a slime.

DQ8 is probably my favorite, but all of them are worth playing. You'll miss some of the quality-of-life improvements they've made over the years, but the older ones make up for that in other ways.