I just beat __

FOTONICA (PC)

Also available on: Mobile

This game is an auto-runner with a cool graphical style. The art style is basically an empty void with minimal background objects, all rendered in vector similar to the vector games of the late 70's/early 80's like Asteroids and Battle Zone. One can vaguely make out what kind of place the character is running, although the fact that they are facing forward means that they cannot really check their surroundings.

Anyway, it's time to talk about the game. This game is first-person, so your character will always be facing forward, giving it a very cool perspective unlike anything I've ever seen. Like any common auto-runner, there is only one input and the way the input works is rather unique. Unlike most auto-runners, the character doesn't run if you don't hold the key. In fact, you have to hold it to make them run. Now what about jumping, which is the most common action? You see, you need to release the key while running if you want to jump. Unlike other runners, you can cancel your jump, making it so that you can land on platforms earlier.

The game has three modes: Arcade, Endless and Multiplayer. Arcade contains finite levels, Endless has endless levels and Multiplayer allows up to four people to compete to the finish. Since this game only uses one input, it's possible for every person to share a keyboard to play. In each of these games, there are four difficulties, which determine the speed in which the character travels. Think of it like Mario Kart, where the difficulty is tied to the kart speed (CPU difficulty too, but since this game doesn't have CPU opponents...). You can tell which is the slowest and the fastest by the Roman numeral, for "I Agile" is the slowest while "IV Impetuoso" is the fastest. This game's levels has Italian terms, but no, I do not know what they each mean.

Because of the minimalistic visuals, soothing techno music, sensation of running along a corridor and simple running controls, this game is a blast to play! However, I didn't quite finish the game 100%, for I only unlocked all the levels and be done with it. The only level I didn't unlock is Romolo (the final Arcade level) in Impetuoso, which is the only level where you need to individually unlock in every difficulty, though playing it in the most difficult unlocks the easier ones, similar to how Mario Kart 8 rewards the same trophies on lower difficulties if you achieve them.

I can see this game being suitable for VR, though it doesn't seem to have support for them (it's a 2011 game, after all).

Thank you for reading.
 
Adventures of Pip (Wii U)

Also available on: PC, PS4, XBO, iOS

The premise of the game is that the princess Adeline is kidnapped by the evil queen DeRezzia, while the evil entity herself casted a curse on the citizens to make them different forms, between pixel, low-res and high-res. And so, the young hero Pip has to set out to rescue her. The plot is totally unoriginal, but I guess it will have to do. Along the way you can rescue hostages in each level, with three being placed within the level. There are five worlds: Grasslands, Swamp, Caves, Lava and Castle. The first four has 8 levels each, but the final one only has 4.

As with any platformer, this game has something to differentiate itself from the crowd. Basically, the character you control has three forms: pixel form, low-res form and high-res form. Each form has their strengths and weaknesses, which are required to make use of in the game. Downgrading only requires a button press and the character will let out an explosion, while upgrading requires defeating shiny light blue enemies. Basically the characteristics of each form are:
1) Pixel form: Can move through narrow passageways due to size, has low weight, but can't do much
2) Low-res form: Moves the fastest, can wall cling and jump, perform punches, but is not powerful
3) High-res form: Has a sword that can break blocks and defeat enemies that can't be touched, has high weight

However, the most ideal form is the low-res form, due to the speed in which low-res Pip travels, and there's the fact that wall-climbing is very useful. Pip could even purchase an upgrade that allows him to destroy the blocks that only his high-res form can destroy, making the low-res form a very good pick for speed-running.

Speaking of upgrades, the game doesn't require them, but it makes the whole game a whole lot easier, since the upgrades help a lot. Not only is there an upgrade to let the low-res form destroy sword-only blocks, there's one that cause enemies to do half damage, one that doubles currency, one that attracts currency and finally, one that cause the high-res's sword to shoot fireballs if at full HP. Naturally for me, I went for the currency-based upgrades since it makes the other upgrades speedier to get, and as a result, this game is a cakewalk, though the bosses can be quite troublesome until I have figured out the way to beat them (Lava boss is probably the toughest).

Suffice to say, a finished game is a finished game, no matter if it's easy.

Thank you for reading.
 
Super Mario 3D Land
Beat this game last night. The final level was just so climatic, and has stolen a place as one of my favorites. Since I also got all the Star Medals, I have two stars on my save file.
 
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Pan-Pan (PC)

Also available on: Switch, iOS

Pan-Pan was on my radar because it was not only on the Nintendo Switch, but it's also a very colourful and simple game, graphically. This means the game can be easy to understand, making it an easy game to go through. However, I also found out that it's also available on the PC, so I got it there since it's cheaper on the PC in Malaysia, thanks to Steam's lower price despite the fact that the Nintendo Switch version actually has the lower price ($13 on Steam vs $5 on Switch). You might be wondering: why? Well you see, Pan-Pan was on PC longer, so it also has a deeper discount during the Steam Summer Sale. Since Steam's USD to MYR price is generous, the PC version is a lot sweeter to get after the discount (since it will be a long while before the Switch version will have this kind of discount anyway).

Enough of price talk, now let's get to the meat of this game. As I have mentioned before, the game is graphically simple, utilising 3D with flat textures to make for an impressive world. In some ways, it difficult to understand because of how minimalistic this game in conveying hints. It usually doesn't take long to fully understand what is going on, especially because for everything in this game, the solution is usually in plain sight. The world is not totally barren either, since there are a few characters like the men who help repair the main character's ship, a bird that will take back its eggs when you take it away, and a frog that won't budge until you offer something it wants.

The game can best be described as a top-down adventure game, with a gameplay structure not dissimilar to Metroid since it involves exploration and finding new equipment to advance in the game. In this game, the main character (presumably named Pan-Pan) had a malfunctioning flying ship and crashed on an island, and you have to gather five necessary components so that the men on the island can help repair the main character's ship. The game is more puzzle-oriented since there is nothing in the game that causes the main character to die (though the manual alludes that they could do so if the player tries hard enough). This game's puzzles are rather simple though.

Moreover this game can be completed in a rather short time, as going through with it in 2 hours is not uncommon. There aren't many things to do in this game anyway, so once you gone through with it, a second experience might not hold the same discoverability factor one would get the first time they played it. I would even say that this game is child-friendly for the lack of danger and overall charming aesthetic it has.

The next game to tackle is another Might & Delight game called Pid, another game I got in the same bundle as Pan-Pan, which is probably less child-friendly for the bleaker world it is set in.

Thank you for reading.
 
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Pid (PC)

Also available on: X360, PS3

The title is strange, but it stands for "Planet in distress". As you can guess, this game is about how one planet is in chaos, and the player character Kurt managed to get stranded on while on a space bus ride. The boy went on a journey to find out what happened and why he was brought to the place. On his way, he got the power to throw beams that will repel any non-blue object, which means they can levitate in it. Based on the premise that the player character can throw levitating beams, the player naturally needs to make use of it to go through the levels, and occasionally he needs other tools to make the job easier. Most of the other power-ups have limited supply, which is what makes them felt too precious to use, despite the fact that the very same power-ups are strewn everywhere.

The game is a linear adventure. It might look like an exploratory adventure game like Metroid or Castlevania games that take after Metroid, but it's a linear game akin to games with a linear level structure. This means that there's no backtracking in a way that require you travel to past levels, which is great since the main character has no options to move faster horizontally.

On the graphical side of things, the game is on the plain side, where everything appears blocky and lacking in animation. This might be the reason most of the characters are robots, with the notable exception of Kurt. Music-wise, it's alright since the music is quite good, but it's lacking in catchy tunes since I can't remember a tune from this game. Still, it looks decent and sound decent, so there's no complaint here.

One thing that I noticed about this game is the difficulty. Oh yes, because of how rigid everything is, this is a difficult game to conquer. One of the game's way of signifying that the player is skilled is Souvenirs, which are collectibles that are located in difficult platforming challenges. I have seen about 5, but only collected 2. At one point, I have to switch the game to Easy because the second boss was rather tough, although there is a noticeable difficulty reduction for the rest of the bosses, which are a lot easier and fun. This made it easier to enjoy what the game has to offer without the frustration of repeating the same spot over and over. While taking the straightforward approach to the end is not difficult, it's tough if the player wants to get all the collectibles and power-ups, since there are spots where precision is required, and a keen eye for secrets.

This is an alright game, though nothing special since the game felt lifeless. Therefore, it's great that the developers improved their skills, since one of their future games Pan-Pan has a better environment despite being a much shorter game.

Thank you for reading.
 
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door -- I had an old file that had been sitting there for years, and I happened to be right near the end (Palace of Shadow), so I wrapped that up at long last.
 
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Super Mario Galaxy

As one of the most famous Mario games, this game needs no introduction. I have beaten this game as Mario a few days ago, meaning I have also unlocked the ability to play as Luigi. Since I was just basically beginning with Luigi, getting only 8 Stars, I will just be detailing my run with Mario. What I can say for sure is that, I can imagine that the most annoying Stars to get as Mario will be even more annoying to get as Luigi.

Being a game based around an unfixed gravity, moving around takes some getting used to, especially when Mario's not moving downwards. This is especially true in 3D levels where Mario can be upside-down, such as riding the ship in Battlerock Galaxy. For the most part, moving Mario along 3D space is quite fantastic, because it forms an anticipation on the later levels to see what the developers have in store. Sure some level themes are very similar (Battlerock and Dreadnought, for example), but they also play differently.

Oh, and there are also motion-controlled levels. I have taken a long break at 41 Stars, and when I came back I didn't remember how to handle the controls, especially the Manta Ray, which when playing as Luigi, I only know you are supposed to point the Wii Remote to the TV and not use it like a joystick. I do wish that they remind you how to control the motion-controlled levels because they aren't as obvious as button-pressing.

The majority of this game is simple to conquer, which I am guessing is to make sure that people who lack experience with platformers could conquer them. That's not to say that this game is easy, because it gets difficult at points. The first obstacle in my progress that caused me to stop for a long time is the Daredevil Comet in Ghostly Galaxy, which is a battle with Bouldergeist but with 1HP. Other challenging Stars to collect include Fiery Dino Piranha, the Trial Galaxies, Toy Time Galaxy's Purple Coins and the last two Cosmic Mario Stars. I am grateful that the developers didn't make Prankster Comets on certain Stars, like Daredevil Dino Piranha (that would have been nightmarish)

While I have been annoyed by the challenging Stars, I can't fault the game's presentation, which is very cool and features lovely music. My personal favourite is Melty Molten Galaxy, which is the second-final level in terms of how many Stars it takes to unlock. Travelling in space is also made easy by the fact that this is a course clear game, similar to the 2D Super Mario games and the Super Mario 3D games, which makes it more streamlined and less tedious.

Perhaps when I completed more games I will return to do Luigi's run, which will probably be next year.

Thank you for reading
 
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CHIP (Coatsink Games)

Based on what I read on this game's official website, this game is exclusive to Steam. This is peculiar, because this game is mobile-friendly due to only requiring the mouse and one button. I guess this game is not fully complete going by the game's HUD, since the game mentioned that there are 100 levels, yet only 80 are in the main game. Moreover, the developers seem to have other commitments since they released a few games after CHIP (2014), in addition to having an unrelated game in development (it's a game about conjoined dogs: think CatDog except it's two dogs, but also they have no legs), so them returning to this game to complete it is unlikely at this point.

As for the game, this is a grid-based puzzle game where you have to revive a robot with some blue electricity. The electricity is supplied through a cannon, and there are object to consider: some objects redirect the orb, some turns the orb into a different colour, some blocks the orb and extinguish it, and there are magnets that will magnetise anything that can be affected. There are even areas where the objects can be moved from one place to another. Some puzzles as simple as making a few moves, but some are rather complex that requires a lot of steps.

Every level has three lightbulbs, which are basically how well you do. The first lightbulb is awarded by simply solving the puzzle, the second is achieved by completing the level within the allocated time, while the third is rewarded if the puzzle is solved within the allocated number of moves. The thing to note here is that they don't need to be collected all in one go, so one can just complete the level quickly, and then play the level again with careful movement.

This puzzle game is also timing-based. For one, the game rewards you if you complete a puzzle within the allocated time. Another reason is due to how some puzzles cannot be methodically solved within the number of moves. What I mean is the way this game works, if you move an object they move in real time, and the orb can interact with the moving object. This essentially means that what seems like using two moves could only be done in one, by the game's rules. It's probably tough to explain, so if you are interested I might need to show a solution of one of the game's puzzle and explain it a bit better.

By the way, this game also have character dress up, where one can buy clothes and stuff to decorate the character. It's just aesthetic stuff, so there's no real impact anyway. It's just a nice little touch to make the character look good.

The game has a story, where the main character Chip (red robot) is separated from his love Pin (blue robot), so they make their way to be reunited. Rust (the devil robot) have his reason for kidnapping Chip, which is why Chip was taken in the first place. Sadly, this game's ending will never be seen since the developer has abandoned the game for other games, so I will consider this game done on the assumption that it's all the game has to offer.

Thank you for reading.
 
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Nova-111 (Wii U)

Also available on: PC, PS3, PS4, PSV, XBONE

This game is described as an Adventure game, which is not inaccurate since technically you are going on an adventure. In actuality, this game is both turn-based and real-time elements, though it's more turn-based. What I mean is, every time the character's ship moves, enemies will also move. However, there are a few elements that operate in real-time, such as falling debris and certain enemies. Oh, and by the way, the ship moves on a grid-like structure in a 2D plane (not top-down).

I have only completed the regular game, since the percentage doesn't account for if all the level's secrets are discovered or if all the scientists are rescued. Moreover, once the game is completed, there is a New Game+, which puts you in control of a different yet identical looking character. Based on the percentage clearance, New Game+ will have 20 levels in contrast to New Game's 18 levels. Also, it appears that New Game+ will have 4 sub-levels each, while New Game only has 3 sub-levels each, discounting bosses. Therefore, it appears that there will be more to this game than just the game, but I consider this game completed for the time being.

The ship attacks by bumping into other creatures or blocks, but there are other moves this ship can do, which are acquired as you progress. One ability will allow the character to shoot a laser, which is short ranged but it beats bumping. Another ability allows the ship to phase, allowing it to go through certain obstacles. Finally, there is an ability that stops time, making everything else stop while the ship can keep moving, which means it's technically a free turn for a limited time. Naturally in New Game+, these abilities are naturally available, but I am not sure if there will be more later.

All in all, it's a really neat game and if I have the time I will go through New Game+ to discover what else this game has to offer.

Thank you for reading.
 
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Costume Quest (PC)

Also available on: PS3, X360, Mobile

At a glance, the art style would remind one of Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, due to the characters' large eyes and exaggerated body proportions. It's fair to say that that is one of the inspirations, but I would say that the series has more in common with Earthbound, which is an RPG that takes place during the contemporary times, in addition to having turn-based battles. During battles, the art style shifts to a more realistic tone, where characters have more realistic proportions (except the final boss).

The theme of this game is Halloween, so given that, one could expect to see lots of Halloween traditions. The game has candy, which is this game's currency and can be found in various places, like mailboxes, trashcans or fragile rocks. Trick-or-treating is another element this game has, and the player either encounter a civilian or a monster! It's like a random encounter, but I suspect it's predetermined so it's not that random. Anyway, monsters are another tradition for Halloween, and looks more intimidating while in battle. And then of course, there are the costumes, in which the game's name is based on.

The costumes are the main draw of this game, as every costume comes with their perks. For example, the Robot costume allows the main character to skate, providing a speed boost. In battle, the character transforms into a more realistic version of what they are wearing, so a robot costumed character turns into a giant mech. It's pretty cool to see how the costumes affect the character. Every costume has their own timed commands for attacking and defending, so it's similar to Super Mario RPG in that respect. Finally, the character can use a powerful move after three turns, which all have great effects. The robot, as an example, fires missiles on all enemies. In other words, costumes are the "jobs" of this game, to put it in Final Fantasy terms.

That game is lighthearted all around, as the scenarios that arose during the game are generally comical, not to mention the commentary the characters give while in those types of situation. One example of a scenario is the excuses given by the NPCs that host the "bobbing for apples" event, excusing that they are not thrilled about candy being readily available, yet they encourage the characters to play them so that they can reward the characters candy. The final boss might have elements of horror, but there are certain elements regarding the boss that makes him comical. I won't spoil how it is, but let's just say that the candy that the final boss wants very much catches up with him.

This RPG is quite delightful, not only because of its humour, but it's also very simple to get into. The battle system have simple commands, every character can equip one stamp to enhance their battle potential and there's the fact that there's no item management, which might have removed some strategy, but it also removed extraneous stuff to keep track of (even though they might be nice to have). More important, it's a short RPG. Not only did I finished the main game, I also finished the DLC, which has another area and tougher battles. The final boss in the DLC is quite tough though, and took me a few attempts before I finally beaten it.

I might go through the sequel later on, but I guess I will tackle another game before I continue on with the second game.

Thank you for reading.
 
Just beat an old favourite!

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Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 is a modern millitary third-person shooter with tactical elements. You play as Scott Mitchell, the captain of an US spec ops unit called the "Ghosts" sent to Juarez for operations against Mexican rebels looking to sabotage a joint-millitary treaty between the US, Canada and Mexico. Things go bad to worse when it is soon found Panaman mercenaries backing the insurection have given stolen russian nukes to the rebellion they intend to launch at major US cities. GRAW 2's story is neocon nonsense, but highly entertaining one, and the French localization and voice acting is excellent.


GRAW 2 is quite far removed from the series thinking man's shooter roots with a far more forgiving health system, plenty of opportunities to reanimate downed allies, and a generous heaping of visual aids to lotate and ascertain the condition of enemy forces, but it does retain some of the tactical gameplay. You play exclusively as Scott Mitchell but you can order up to three support elements: either a squad of soldiers, a drone, a MULE (basically a wheeled armory) or various combat vehicles, although the orders you can give them are limited ("regroup on me" or "go there" for soldiers, "forward", "go back" and "stop" for vehicles". GRAW 2's big gimmick is the "Cross Com", which not only allow you to switch between your assets, but also see from their POV and order them from there. This is highly useful: in the final mission, I was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire, but I was able to use the crosscom to get my M1 Abrams support to where I was and kill the enemies. As Mitchell is slow and can't take much punishment, your typical encounter involve sneaking around enemy positions collecting intel, position your allies and surprise your enemies.

The overall controls and feel of GRAW 2 is excellent. All the controls you need are intelligently laid out and responsive. You can switch shoulder, which is a rare feature in third-person shooters but very appreciated here. Mitchel feels good to move and when you crouch and go prone while running, he does a very satisfying dive.

The sound design is also excellent: the explosion sound never fails to make me grin and all your fellow ghosts have distinct voices and personalities. They'll also be able to shout precise information (ex: "behind the red car") and will be more than happy to tell you if you didn't position them intelligently. The soundtrack by the underrated Tom Salta perfectly underscore the moment wheter it's a moody stealth section or a holding a position against overwhelming enemy odds, while retaining an identity often lacking from modern millitary shooter scores







GRAW 2 really comes together in the climatic Act 2 mission "Who the hell are these guys?". After sneaking around destroying anti-aircraft positions, you're summoned to the enemy HQ to hold the line while a fellow spec-ops team look for the nukes. As you defend the position, the other team finds and destroy one of the nuke (and with it, the second floor of the building) but find the other is missing. Intense street to street fighting ensues (where you're given command of not just a Little Bird chopper, but also a M1 Abrams), culminating in (an admitelly braindead and heavily scripted) helicopter duel with the leader of the rebellion, all that while the leader of the other team and your general are yelling about the whereabouts of the stolen nukes. It's nail-bitting and intense stuff, a truly great level.


So yeah, lots of gushing but not all is perfect with GRAW 2. The customisation is pretty lousy with many of the guns being arbitrarily unavailable for large chunks of the game. Telling your allies to go somewhere can be pretty wonky as they'll often go the sides or in front of the cover you want them to take. The framerate on the PS3 version is not great.. But pound-for-pound, this is easily the best millitary shooter I ever played (though I have yet to play its predecessor).
 
Sonic Mania
 
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Fractal: Make Blooms Not War

This is a simple arcade puzzle game, which is a genre that brings to mind Puzzle Bobble, Puyo Puyo and Panel de Pon, which means that it's a game that you can easily learn the rules of the game and jump into the action. For this game, there is a hexagonal grid. Adding a hexagon, called fractals in this game, requires clicking next to existing fractals so that it pushes the existing fractals further. To clear, the player have to make at least a 7-hexagon pattern laid out like a hexagon, and the bigger the shape, the more points scored.

There are three modes in this game: Campaign, Arcade and Puzzle. Campaign is a series of levels with a limited number of moves, Arcade has a timer and the player needs to clear as many fractals as possible within the time period, while Puzzle has a limited number of moves to clear the objectives. I have cleared Campaign, and most of the Puzzle levels.

Unfortunately, this is an unpopular puzzle game, which means that there aren't any solutions online for Puzzle mode except for one that covers the later levels. Each set has 10 levels, and the player needs to clear 7 levels to unlock the next set. Fortunately for me, I managed to get the bare minimum for the fourth set, since the solutions are for the fifth and the sixth set. Meaning, I have cleared 55 out of 60 puzzles, which is good enough for me. Based on this, I felt like the developers aren't supportive enough for this game since there exists no solutions online to help clear the rest, and one level is impossible to clear.

Otherwise, the gameplay is very solid, and it helps that the music is really good. Sadly, there aren't any soundtracks available to listen the music on its own, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers.

Thank you for reading.
 
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Four Sided Fantasy (PC)

Also available on: PS4, XB1

This is a Kickstarter-backed game that started back in 2014, and since its funding was secured, it was released back in 2017. This is a pretty short game, so I completed it quickly.

This is a simple platformer, but with the added twist of the character's ability to travel by warping across the screen. With a button press, the screen will be slightly modified as though it's been recorded on video, and in this mode, the character can warp from one side to the other. It's kind of mind-bending in a way, since there are obstacles in the game that require this ability to bypass. As an example, if there is a wall between the way, activate the warping to go to the left side and emerge from the right. The main hazards in the game are the static areas, where one touch and the character resets to a checkpoint.

For some reason, there is a lady character and a gentleman character, and they will alternate when warping between screens. I suppose the game's premise explains this nicely, but it's not clear when playing the game. There are a few levels where both characters abide by different rules, such as one level where the lady character has regular gravity, while the gentleman has upside-down gravity.

This game features a New Game+, which changes the camera's point of view from locking the screen to locking the character, effectively making the whole thing trippier than I thought. Otherwise, it's the same game.

Thank you for reading.
 
Super Mario 3D Land (100% completion)

I finally managed to get five stars, and beat the crown level as both Mario and Luigi!

Looking back on this game...it was fun. Although my enjoyment of the game was reduced a bit because I played 3D World first, this isn't a bad game at all! It may not be as good as the other 3D Mario games, but it's still a great game! I thoroughly recommend this game to any 3DS owner.
 
Kirby of the Stars said:
Super Mario 3D Land (100% completion)

I finally managed to get five stars, and beat the crown level as both Mario and Luigi!

Looking back on this game...it was fun. Although my enjoyment of the game was reduced a bit because I played 3D World first, this isn't a bad game at all! It may not be as good as the other 3D Mario games, but it's still a great game! I thoroughly recommend this game to any 3DS owner.
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That's funny because I played 3D World before 3D Land and determined that 3D Land was better.
 
Czario said:
Kirby of the Stars said:
Super Mario 3D Land (100% completion)

I finally managed to get five stars, and beat the crown level as both Mario and Luigi!

Looking back on this game...it was fun. Although my enjoyment of the game was reduced a bit because I played 3D World first, this isn't a bad game at all! It may not be as good as the other 3D Mario games, but it's still a great game! I thoroughly recommend this game to any 3DS owner.
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That's funny because I played 3D World before 3D Land and determined that 3D Land was better.
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Well, that may be because the multiplayer in 3D World is pretty poorly designed. My advice for playing 3D World:

-Use at least two save files: one for solo play and one for multiplayer.

-In multiplayer, let players new to the game have some practice on the earlier levels.

-If you simply can't bear this game's multiplayer, leave multiplayer to NSMBU and play this game solo.

-Be sure to play solo from time to time. It's a very different experience.

-Don't attempt a 100% run in solo play unless you're a serious completionist. If you just want to play every level, you can easily unlock Champion's Road without any five-character nonsense. Of course, if you're me, you'll just ignore this and go for 100% anyway.

-Most importantly, learn from my mistakes. I have reckless siblings who broke my game disc. Keep your game safe and don't let it break.

You may still like 3D Land better, but hopefully this will at least improve your enjoyment of the game. It's best played solo with occasional party play, but most of the time, multiplayer should be left to NSMBU.
 
I did play through World 1 of 3D World in single-player once, but I didn't enjoy it that much. That could be partially because I had already played those levels in multiplayer, but they also felt kind of empty in single-player. So the dilemma is that the levels are designed for multiplayer but the multiplayer itself is badly designed and frustrating at times. Meanwhile, 3D Land was single-player exclusive and so its levels were designed for one person, which makes it work a lot better than 3D World.

Anyway, I think your advice might help enhance the game, but I'm probably not gonna replay it anytime soon.
 
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Wii U)

Also available on: Amazon Fire TV, PC, 3DS, Switch, PS3, PS4, Vita, XB1 (amazed that this game is unavailable on the XBox 360)

This was a Kickstarter game, and a fairly successful and exemplary one at that. That is because not only did it get funded, but it delivered the goods big time. Given its status as a Kickstarter game, it expanded quite naturally, where it started on PC and the two Nintendo platforms at that time, before it received a couple of expansions: it was ported to more platforms and it has extra character campaigns. When the game expanded, it is renamed Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, which I didn't know until the game received a huge update that added several features to the game. I got a Wii U physical disc because I wanted to support them and I also know they were going to give this game a huge expansion, and it comes with a nice (though a bit torn) manual which is good. Still though, this would likely be the last time I will get a physical version of a primarily digital game, save for possibly Sonic Mania, since the digital versions always ended up being cheaper and thus more affordable. Compare this game to another Kickstarter game Mighty No. 9, which handled the project development and IP expansion improperly, so one could say that that game is the antithesis of Shovel Knight.

This game takes a lot of cues from Mega Man, which is a combat-based platformer. Indeed, the main character can not only jump and run, but comes with an attack that will be required to defeat foes. In Shovel Knight's case, he can use his shovel like a sword and even wedge beneath him while in the air (similar to how Cranky Kong uses his cane in Tropical Freeze). This is complemented by the great level design in which the character must travel through before reaching the boss of each stage, which like Mega Man, have a theme. Mega Man has Robot Master, but Shovel Knight have various knights of different talents. For example, we have Plague Knight who has explosive bombs and even beakers that explode when exposed to those bombs. Unlike Mega Man, the player doesn't earn the Robot Master's special ability when they are defeated. Instead, the special ability is earned in the stage after paying some money, so for example, in Propeller Knight's stage the Flying Machine, Shovel Knight can buy a rapier that allows him to move forward in the air. Also, unlike Mega Man, Shovel Knight doesn't have lives, but instead whenever the hero runs out of HP, then they will lose money: the more money he has, the more he loses (25% of cash).

I like that this game is quite challenging, yet forgiving all the same. It's challenging in a way that makes beating the challenges quite rewarding, so for example in Propeller Knight's boss fight, it's challenging because there are gaps where the hero can fall into, but knowing how he operate and working around him makes things better. The graphical style is quite good, where it's clearly a throwback to the 8-bit era where every character has a limited palette, yet it's more modern with things like being in wide screen and having a wider amount of control than the NES or Master System could handle. Of course, there's also the music, which is really great and I am looking forward to re-hearing the tracks if I go through some of the other campaigns. I am hoping that the Wii U version will still have the King of Cards expansion included, which I think they would do anyway.

As of now, I only finished Shovel Knight's campaign with all the musical sheets and even beaten the Hall of Champions (I suspect the portraits are based on people who Kickstarted this game), but I feel I haven't quite taken on the entire game yet, since I only recently started Plague Knight's campaign. Besides, I am curious to see what the Second Quest in the main game entailed.

Thank you for reading.
 
Kirby Star Allies

While the game was very short, it was more than fun. The final boss was Super Epic!

My favourite part was when Kirby was blasting Void Termina to his death before hiring every friend in the game.
 
I've beaten

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Medal of Honor Vanguard is a WWII FPS released in 2007. You play as James Keegan, a member of the 82nd Airborne as you take part in the various operations the real Airborne underwent during the war.

Vanguard was conceived as a cheap side game for the lucrative PS2/Wii market while the A-Team worked on (the fucking amazing) Moh Airborne so both games share a lot of similarities. Both game stars the Airborne and feature most of the same campaigns (though as the real Aiborne didn't participate in a lot of missions, this was inevitable), both have the mechanic of jumping out of a plane and sterring your parachute - but while Airborne has this for every missions and it had genuine depth in allowing you to land anywhere and complete objectives in any order, Vanguard only has it in three levels out of nine and its very linear level structure means it doesn't add much beside hunting for the one secret spot. Like Airborne, you have weapon upgrades - but while Airborne has three levels of upgrades for each weapons, including each three types of grenades, Vanguard only has two upgrades period (a drum magazine for the Thompson or a sniper scope for the M1 Garand), which don't persist between levels.



One thing Vanguard has Airborne doesn't is the medal system [well technically it does but not in the same way]. For each missions, you have achievements for a variety of task (using every weapons available in a given missions, getting X numbers of headshots, beating a level without dying, etc.) and some of them actually grant you very slight bonuses to your health level, sprint recovery and health regeneration speed. I found this a pretty addictive mechanic and it's rare FPS incentivise completing a level without dying so that's pretty neat.

The game is a very typical modern FPS: you carry two weapons of your choice and grenades, you have regenerating health, and you can lean and crouch/go prone. Levels are very linear and have you doing typical millitary shooter stuff like clearing room of enemies or planting charges on anti-aircraft guns (you do a LOT of explosive planting). None of the missions until the last two are very long or difficult. There are some vaguely inspired scenarios like one part where you have to run around streets scavening ammo for your bazooka while a Tiger tank takes potshot at you, but few and far in-between. If you've played any WWII shooter, you've played this.

Ultimately I enjoyed Vanguard despite its lack of amibition. It plays pretty smooth. The controls do the job and the leaning mechanic is well-implemented: being able to peek out of corners and raise your head slightly while prone without exposing yourself is something often lacking for WWII shooters and it's appreciated here. For Kraut-killing fun times you could do a lot worse - and a lot better.
 
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

That was honestly way better than what I was expecting. It's in my top three favorite platformers now.
 
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