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Prompto was my least favorite character of the main crew in FFXV, I liked him but I think that they didn't handle his backstory that well, in this episode they have the opportunity to show us more of the character's true feelings and motivations and still, I don't quite like "gritty" Prompto, his character feel cliche and other aspects which at least for me are more interesting weren't used that much.
The gameplay is another issue, it feels empty, your shots don't have weight and also your movement feels clumsy, it sure feels like a game that wasn't meant to be played as a TPS. Now, I don't hate this DLC, as someone who really likes the base game (a game which has its fair trade of negative opinions) I didn't feel bored but I sure wasn't that bothered either.
The gameplay is another issue, it feels empty, your shots don't have weight and also your movement feels clumsy, it sure feels like a game that wasn't meant to be played as a TPS. Now, I don't hate this DLC, as someone who really likes the base game (a game which has its fair trade of negative opinions) I didn't feel bored but I sure wasn't that bothered either.
The highlight of this DLC is the lore within it, the combat is as good as the base game but nothing that different, sure Gladiolus uses a great sword as a normal sword so its a different wielding than Noctis's but you will adapt easily to this one.
The campaign will take you more or less 1 hour and a half, it's easy, save the last boss fight which has a better challenge and is kind of a cool fight, merge that with a nice backstory for Cor and Gladio and you'll have an OK game.
I liked my time within this episode but it felt short and a little underwhelming, my favorite aspect so far was at the save points, where you can ask some questions to Cor about the past, those interactions were pretty great, if you care for the lore of FFXV that is, if not, you can stay away of this DLC.
The campaign will take you more or less 1 hour and a half, it's easy, save the last boss fight which has a better challenge and is kind of a cool fight, merge that with a nice backstory for Cor and Gladio and you'll have an OK game.
I liked my time within this episode but it felt short and a little underwhelming, my favorite aspect so far was at the save points, where you can ask some questions to Cor about the past, those interactions were pretty great, if you care for the lore of FFXV that is, if not, you can stay away of this DLC.
Pretty good game, I liked the plethora of characters and the big twist, decisions felt meaningful, definitely worth jumping into.
«That ending!»
«OST on repeat»
It's an addicting game for sure, but what bugs me is how Nintendo handles it.
Why is the game always online when all the players are CPUs?
Why don't loot boxes disclose the prizes or give me nothing but duplicates?
Why should I pay $2 for only 3 rubies that do absolutely nothing?
Why is Luigi on the title screen but not in the actual game?
Why should I have to pay a monthly fee just for additional content and currency that wouldn't benefit me in the real world anyway?
If Nintendo fixes any of these issues, maybe this would be a really great game. But in its current state, you're better off ignoring the pyramid schemes you call "character packs".
Why is the game always online when all the players are CPUs?
Why don't loot boxes disclose the prizes or give me nothing but duplicates?
Why should I pay $2 for only 3 rubies that do absolutely nothing?
Why is Luigi on the title screen but not in the actual game?
Why should I have to pay a monthly fee just for additional content and currency that wouldn't benefit me in the real world anyway?
If Nintendo fixes any of these issues, maybe this would be a really great game. But in its current state, you're better off ignoring the pyramid schemes you call "character packs".
«Just one more turn»
«Can’t stop playing»
Rise of the Argonauts is an attempt by Liquid Entertainment and publisher, Codemasters, to capitalize on Ancient Greece and Greek mythology in video games. Already, Sony has had a tremendous amount of success and acclaim with the God of War series, so why not try to follow in their footsteps with their own unique take on Greek mythology. The game is a retelling, with a plethora of liberties taken, of Jason and his team of heroes (the Argonauts) as they hunt the mystical Golden Fleece. The objective is the same but the circumstances surrounding the quest are more personal and dire. The voice acting is kind of okay. Nothing really stands out. The music by Tyler Bates is quite good. The atmosphere is very interesting, it is very different from God of War. But some of the movement and gameplay mechanics are incredibly clunky. Roleplaying elements are present but they are very surface level. There are some interesting powers and abilities that you can attribute to different gods. This game has a lot of good ideas, but in execution all of it is very flawed. I remember reading a Game Informer magazine that presented a very different version of the game. For some reason this game got downgraded, which is for some strange reason the nature of the beast in this day and age. Rise of the Argonauts is okay. It’s not the worst game out there, but there are better games that deal with this material and world in comparison. The game is violent (as Greek myths are), the voice acting is okay, the concepts and art design is good but dated with the graphics being deployed. The game is incredibly heavy on dialogue, but a lot of this is just poorly executed and the combat and movement should have been tinkered with first. All in all, it’s an okay game. If you’re looking for a game to sink a lot of time in to and really don’t care about gameplay and mechanics then this should be enough to keep you engaged storywise. Otherwise, I’d give this a hard pass.
Rating: 3/5
Rating: 3/5
Short but spicy and that on every run. Funny how one loop can be so entertaining.
It´s a lot of fun, sadly the quantity of dialogue is bigger than its quality. But the fact that they voiced every line of it is commendable and made even the least interesting conversations bareable. Gameplay is extremely simple and classic Fire Emblem. Great for beginners and veterans.
When someone thinks about shooters and Nintendo the first thing coming to mind is Star Fox, the truth is, the more the time passes, the more I think that Star Fox is a false Messiah and the true king is Sin & Punishment.
The first time I heard of this game was in a Nintendo Magazine back in 2000, it said something along the lines that it was already claimed as one of the best if not the best game of the N64, years later, having played it, I can assure that is one of the best and I can see why someone would consider it the best.
The game has a lot of strong points, especially things that you didn't see a lot in that generation of consoles, the themes they used, the story and even some amazing camera angles, make this game way ahead of its time. The story is cool and a little convoluted, the voice acting is terrible (English only) so maybe when finishing it you would want to check al little bit more on the internet. Going to the gameplay, it is solid but has some clumsiness giving the design of the N64, it functions but is far from perfect, if you play this on the Wii U's Virtual Console, you will want to arrange the buttons for better playability. The challenge is very good, it first starts easy but because this is a fast passing game, also the difficulty spikes a nice chunk in the middle of the story, thankfully the game gives you a lot of continues and is not that hard to attain more, so almost everyone can finish it if they put the right mind to it. The music is not that great but it goes pretty well with the mood of the stages, save from one or two cinemas where serious stuff is happening but the music is kind of upbeat and energic.
As a conclusion, there are certain things that I don't like but they're minimal, compared to the ones that this game brings to the table, If you're considering playing this game, please do it in a legal way, is very cheap and is a precedent to Nintendo that we still want "obscure" Japanese shooting games.
The first time I heard of this game was in a Nintendo Magazine back in 2000, it said something along the lines that it was already claimed as one of the best if not the best game of the N64, years later, having played it, I can assure that is one of the best and I can see why someone would consider it the best.
The game has a lot of strong points, especially things that you didn't see a lot in that generation of consoles, the themes they used, the story and even some amazing camera angles, make this game way ahead of its time. The story is cool and a little convoluted, the voice acting is terrible (English only) so maybe when finishing it you would want to check al little bit more on the internet. Going to the gameplay, it is solid but has some clumsiness giving the design of the N64, it functions but is far from perfect, if you play this on the Wii U's Virtual Console, you will want to arrange the buttons for better playability. The challenge is very good, it first starts easy but because this is a fast passing game, also the difficulty spikes a nice chunk in the middle of the story, thankfully the game gives you a lot of continues and is not that hard to attain more, so almost everyone can finish it if they put the right mind to it. The music is not that great but it goes pretty well with the mood of the stages, save from one or two cinemas where serious stuff is happening but the music is kind of upbeat and energic.
As a conclusion, there are certain things that I don't like but they're minimal, compared to the ones that this game brings to the table, If you're considering playing this game, please do it in a legal way, is very cheap and is a precedent to Nintendo that we still want "obscure" Japanese shooting games.
«Blew my mind»
«Time-tested»
It´s an interesting narrative that ultimately falls flat
[Written on October 16, 2018]
Here’s the thing. I am not a huge “car” guy but I do love racing games and I have loved playing them ever since I was a young child. More specifically - arcade racers. There’s just something about these games with its simple premise combined with the adrenaline rush of “easy to learn but hard to master” controls that really depend on you to just get better and better with the rising difficulty. And most importantly, the sum of its parts leads it to just being pure fun. And it really is all about fun and Forza Horizon 4 understands this to a tee. There is no convoluted unnecessary storyline but the “campaign” - if that’s what you want to call it - consists of one goal: be the best driver at the Horizon Festival.
I must admit, I do not have a long history with the Forza games and to be honest, this is the only real Horizon game I have actually owned since it released with the XBox Game Pass on the PC as well. But this game is the epitome of what I believe a great racing game is and honestly just might be the best racing game I have ever played - hands down. There is a lot to talk about this game from the gorgeous visuals, the vast open world, or even just the sheer amount of content in this game! Everything is top tier when it comes down to quality and it is so apparent how much love Playground Games puts into these titles.
Let me start by talking about the graphics because instantly right when you hop in, it is a fact that this is one of the best looking games in this console generation. This time around, the world you are able to explore is a fictionalized version of Great Britain and it so intricately and beautifully designed. With the day and night cycle, the game feels as if it is truly alive and it is so easy to get lost in the lush open areas while the sun is setting right behind you. The game is just incredibly immersive and with such realistic looking cars and atmosphere, it is hard not to get lost in this game at times. The map includes a variety of different locations such as beaches, cityscapes, vast open farmlands, mountains, forests, and even locations with old british architecture such as castles. Later on, you can buy houses and unlock other fast travel locations in the game by smashing billboards but instead I found myself choosing to drive to each event instead just because it was so much fun.
The one thing I have to say I somewhat dislike in this game are the Drivatars. If you are not aware, Drivatars are the in-game “avatars” that you can choose with a few premade options for both male and female characters. If they really wanted to include this character creation mode, I feel though they could have gone all out with it. Though it is such an insignificant part of the game, I would rather the development team flesh it out more or not include it all. And that’s the thing with racing games that want to include actual people for the cutscenes or for the story or whatever - it all just feels forced in some way. Back in 2008, Burnout Paradise was released and one of my favorite aspects of that game was that they just did not show any people (or even drivers in that matter) because it was just unnecessary. And I do understand that the whole concept of the game is to be attending the Horizon Festival and adding a minimal character creation system may be more immersive, but it wasn’t for me. However I did love the fact that I could have everyone in the game call me “Sausage.” That was fun. And honestly, there is a huge list of hilarious “nicknames” you can choose from such as Munchkin, Brotato, Earthling, or even Brantasaurus Rex. So yeah, if Forza Horizon 4 doesn’t have your name in its list, there are a lot of hilarious nicknames to choose from that honestly kind of makes up for it.
But see that’s the thing - none of that really matters with the actual point of the game: the driving. When it gets down to it, Forza Horizon 4 may be unprecedented as a racing game in its visuals, open world, and variety of events. It took me a little bit but a few hours in, you actually unlock all the online modes and you get to play actual timed events with other players - somewhat like an mmo. This is when I realized the real fun kicks it because even though this truly is a great single player experience, this is the only racing game I have ever actually enjoyed the online maybe just as much due to how integrated it is with the whole game itself. The map is constantly ever changing and with the in-game season changing, the map changes along with it adding new events for every player to take a part in. You can either go head to head with other players or even play a bunch of cooperative challenges that are all pretty unique and fun. “Forzathon” is one of the best parts of this game and I keep going back to actually put my skills to the test against players around the world especially without the use of the “rewind” feature which is a staple at this point. As a side note, the feature is still there online but it only rewinds you, not everyone else, so you do lose a lot of ground because of it. This is the part of the game that will have players coming back for more constantly because everyone knows what they are getting into with a racing game: driving. All that’s left is an actual variety of ever changing events and Forza Horizon 4 has got it down. It’s funny how The Crew 2, a game advertising itself as a Racing MMO game, fails to actually feel online compared to this.
Some of the in-game events in the game are crazy as well, especially the “Showcase Events” that you unlock at the end of each season. The first one you get to play gives you the scope of what they are going for in this game which is pretty much just bonkers. You have to race a giant oversized hovercraft and along with the overall craziness of the event, the music just has you so pumped as well as you try to maneuver your way to the finish line. Having these story missions are great because they are usually, as far I have seen, much wackier than the online missions which is hopefully something change in the future. Seriously, the game has a showcase mission that lets you become Master Chief and race the Warthog from the Halo series. Sure, the actual car costs 850,000 credits later on to compete in more Halo-themed events but that just goes to show how much the developers just want the players to have a good time - all with a gread soundtrack in the background. And let me tell you, Forza Horizon 4 has some of the best selection of music in any racing game I have ever played. There are a few radio stations you can choose from and essentially its like Bass music, EDM, rap, and rock but it is a pretty solid selection featuring songs from Flosstradamus, M83, MGMT, The Killers, A Tribe Called Quest, Duckwrth, Kendrick Lamar, Starset, Chvrches, Papa Roach, Odesza, and so much more.
It’s funny because though this is a racing game, there is so many great aspects to talk about in this game without even talking about the cars. But hey, this game boasts an expansive collection of 450 cars. With a huge selection to choose from, the game also allows you to customize each car and fine tune their features exactly to your liking. It’s a great detail that allows a lot more personability to each player enjoying the game. But also, if you just wanna choose the “auto-upgrade” button and have the game decide what to upgrade for you, that is also an option as well. Each of the cars feel very different and handle exactly how they’re supposed to with cars ranging from 0-999 with the performance index. The performance index takes five factors into account being speed, handling, acceleration, launch, and braking. In many racing games, you cannot really tell a huge difference when these assets are varied - but Forza Horizon 4 makes sure you can really feel the difference. Another amazing feature in the game is that every single car has its own skill tree. Yeah, some of them do repeat some skills but I think its amazing that the developers went in to really add more variety and skills actually pertaining to the car type. Now that is a sign of developers who really care about their product.
Playing this game running at 60 FPS on Ultra settings is absolutely stunning and I actually did get to play the game for a bit on the XBox One as well when it was capped at 30 FPS. Yes, the game still does look and run amazing, but I cannot deny the extra frames really did help me enjoy the game even more.
Forza Horizon 4 is bloody brilliant and if you are a racing fan of any sorts, this is a must-have in your library. You will not regret it.
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 9.5
Story: 8
Sound: 9
Replay Value: 9
Overall: 9
Here’s the thing. I am not a huge “car” guy but I do love racing games and I have loved playing them ever since I was a young child. More specifically - arcade racers. There’s just something about these games with its simple premise combined with the adrenaline rush of “easy to learn but hard to master” controls that really depend on you to just get better and better with the rising difficulty. And most importantly, the sum of its parts leads it to just being pure fun. And it really is all about fun and Forza Horizon 4 understands this to a tee. There is no convoluted unnecessary storyline but the “campaign” - if that’s what you want to call it - consists of one goal: be the best driver at the Horizon Festival.
I must admit, I do not have a long history with the Forza games and to be honest, this is the only real Horizon game I have actually owned since it released with the XBox Game Pass on the PC as well. But this game is the epitome of what I believe a great racing game is and honestly just might be the best racing game I have ever played - hands down. There is a lot to talk about this game from the gorgeous visuals, the vast open world, or even just the sheer amount of content in this game! Everything is top tier when it comes down to quality and it is so apparent how much love Playground Games puts into these titles.
Let me start by talking about the graphics because instantly right when you hop in, it is a fact that this is one of the best looking games in this console generation. This time around, the world you are able to explore is a fictionalized version of Great Britain and it so intricately and beautifully designed. With the day and night cycle, the game feels as if it is truly alive and it is so easy to get lost in the lush open areas while the sun is setting right behind you. The game is just incredibly immersive and with such realistic looking cars and atmosphere, it is hard not to get lost in this game at times. The map includes a variety of different locations such as beaches, cityscapes, vast open farmlands, mountains, forests, and even locations with old british architecture such as castles. Later on, you can buy houses and unlock other fast travel locations in the game by smashing billboards but instead I found myself choosing to drive to each event instead just because it was so much fun.
The one thing I have to say I somewhat dislike in this game are the Drivatars. If you are not aware, Drivatars are the in-game “avatars” that you can choose with a few premade options for both male and female characters. If they really wanted to include this character creation mode, I feel though they could have gone all out with it. Though it is such an insignificant part of the game, I would rather the development team flesh it out more or not include it all. And that’s the thing with racing games that want to include actual people for the cutscenes or for the story or whatever - it all just feels forced in some way. Back in 2008, Burnout Paradise was released and one of my favorite aspects of that game was that they just did not show any people (or even drivers in that matter) because it was just unnecessary. And I do understand that the whole concept of the game is to be attending the Horizon Festival and adding a minimal character creation system may be more immersive, but it wasn’t for me. However I did love the fact that I could have everyone in the game call me “Sausage.” That was fun. And honestly, there is a huge list of hilarious “nicknames” you can choose from such as Munchkin, Brotato, Earthling, or even Brantasaurus Rex. So yeah, if Forza Horizon 4 doesn’t have your name in its list, there are a lot of hilarious nicknames to choose from that honestly kind of makes up for it.
But see that’s the thing - none of that really matters with the actual point of the game: the driving. When it gets down to it, Forza Horizon 4 may be unprecedented as a racing game in its visuals, open world, and variety of events. It took me a little bit but a few hours in, you actually unlock all the online modes and you get to play actual timed events with other players - somewhat like an mmo. This is when I realized the real fun kicks it because even though this truly is a great single player experience, this is the only racing game I have ever actually enjoyed the online maybe just as much due to how integrated it is with the whole game itself. The map is constantly ever changing and with the in-game season changing, the map changes along with it adding new events for every player to take a part in. You can either go head to head with other players or even play a bunch of cooperative challenges that are all pretty unique and fun. “Forzathon” is one of the best parts of this game and I keep going back to actually put my skills to the test against players around the world especially without the use of the “rewind” feature which is a staple at this point. As a side note, the feature is still there online but it only rewinds you, not everyone else, so you do lose a lot of ground because of it. This is the part of the game that will have players coming back for more constantly because everyone knows what they are getting into with a racing game: driving. All that’s left is an actual variety of ever changing events and Forza Horizon 4 has got it down. It’s funny how The Crew 2, a game advertising itself as a Racing MMO game, fails to actually feel online compared to this.
Some of the in-game events in the game are crazy as well, especially the “Showcase Events” that you unlock at the end of each season. The first one you get to play gives you the scope of what they are going for in this game which is pretty much just bonkers. You have to race a giant oversized hovercraft and along with the overall craziness of the event, the music just has you so pumped as well as you try to maneuver your way to the finish line. Having these story missions are great because they are usually, as far I have seen, much wackier than the online missions which is hopefully something change in the future. Seriously, the game has a showcase mission that lets you become Master Chief and race the Warthog from the Halo series. Sure, the actual car costs 850,000 credits later on to compete in more Halo-themed events but that just goes to show how much the developers just want the players to have a good time - all with a gread soundtrack in the background. And let me tell you, Forza Horizon 4 has some of the best selection of music in any racing game I have ever played. There are a few radio stations you can choose from and essentially its like Bass music, EDM, rap, and rock but it is a pretty solid selection featuring songs from Flosstradamus, M83, MGMT, The Killers, A Tribe Called Quest, Duckwrth, Kendrick Lamar, Starset, Chvrches, Papa Roach, Odesza, and so much more.
It’s funny because though this is a racing game, there is so many great aspects to talk about in this game without even talking about the cars. But hey, this game boasts an expansive collection of 450 cars. With a huge selection to choose from, the game also allows you to customize each car and fine tune their features exactly to your liking. It’s a great detail that allows a lot more personability to each player enjoying the game. But also, if you just wanna choose the “auto-upgrade” button and have the game decide what to upgrade for you, that is also an option as well. Each of the cars feel very different and handle exactly how they’re supposed to with cars ranging from 0-999 with the performance index. The performance index takes five factors into account being speed, handling, acceleration, launch, and braking. In many racing games, you cannot really tell a huge difference when these assets are varied - but Forza Horizon 4 makes sure you can really feel the difference. Another amazing feature in the game is that every single car has its own skill tree. Yeah, some of them do repeat some skills but I think its amazing that the developers went in to really add more variety and skills actually pertaining to the car type. Now that is a sign of developers who really care about their product.
Playing this game running at 60 FPS on Ultra settings is absolutely stunning and I actually did get to play the game for a bit on the XBox One as well when it was capped at 30 FPS. Yes, the game still does look and run amazing, but I cannot deny the extra frames really did help me enjoy the game even more.
Forza Horizon 4 is bloody brilliant and if you are a racing fan of any sorts, this is a must-have in your library. You will not regret it.
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 9.5
Story: 8
Sound: 9
Replay Value: 9
Overall: 9
«Blew my mind»
«Can’t stop playing»
[Written on October 16, 2018]
I believe the best asset that superheroes have is that their lore is interchangeable - and therefore, they can live forever. Superhero stories don’t just remain the same throughout the years anymore. The heart of the stories may remain true to thea characters but the way it envelopes these worlds and all the characters you see is constantly evolving. There are new iterations, for better or worse, but when it works - it soars to new heights.
Insomniac doesn’t just make a new Spider-Man game here but it reinvents the superhero himself and makes sure he’s up to date. Not only is this just a brilliant Spider-Man game, it may be one of the best portrayals of the web-slinger that we have ever seen. Insomniac’s take on Spider-Man is fresh and ready to be consumed by this generation. Not only does this Spider-Man take place in modern day, but it is a story of an older Peter Parker in 2018. Yes, I am aware the comics do this, but seeing such a high production interpretation such as this one feels unreal sometimes. The only other superhero game to be funded to this caliber was that of the Arkham series - which this game does take so much inspiration from I cannot deny. In the newest Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, we see a modern take on Spider-Man but we see him as a teenager and that works for the movie in its own sense, but it is truly fresh to see an older Peter Parker in a modern screen reiteration.
From the get-go, Marvel’s Spider-Man is absolutely gorgeous. Even in just the linear introduction to the game, it is apparent how much detail went into designing it. Not only does Spider-Man look incredibly detailed, so do the enemies as well. With every environmental attack, the particle effects flying around is just so visually appealing and it runs fantastically every second of the way. Once you get to swing around New York city is where it looks even more appalling because not only does it look good, it is one of the best looking open worlds I have ever seen. Each building looks completely unique and beautifully textured and for the first time ever, we have reflections on the windows (kinda) in a Spider-Man game! Exciting stuff.
When it comes down to it, thanks to Insomniac Games and Marvel, Spider-Man just got the Sony treatment. The quality of the production is comparable to that of marvels in the Playstation exclusive library such as The Last of Us and even God of War. The voice acting, the cutscenes, and the story are all top notch and really carry the rest of the game when you’re not kicking bad guy butt and wall running all around New York. And the story truly is great; it really feels like a proper modern retelling of Spider-Man that stays true to the original heart of the character. Insomniac writers have gone through years and years of Spider-Man comic book history to concoct this brand new interpretation that feels fresh because of that. There are lots of twists and turns throughout the story and when the stakes keep rising, the world changes along with it. This really allows for another sense of immersion because it really feels as if though the course of events is not just affecting you, the player, but the entire city that you are trying to protect. And as you get into dangerous situation after situation, Spider-Man has many corny quips to go along with every stressful situation. But seriously, some are really corny and I can see some people not really enjoying those moments though being a small part of the game in the overall picture. However, being a Spider-Man fan, I felt it stayed true to the character and I enjoyed these witty remarks quite a bit.
Whenever Spider-Man games have come out as of late, there is always a lack of great Spider-Man villains being present. Insomniac, however, does not hold back when it comes to Spidey’s expansive library of unique baddies. You face incredible foes that haven’t showed up in games nor movies yet for that matter. And Insomniac does a great job at building up the world and the future of these games as well, hinting at possible villains in a very tasteful and unique manner. There are moments in the game that take you out of the normal action of the game and lets the player take control of Mary Jane and even Miles Morales. These parts of the game act as kind of a bridge for the story though what you do as these characters affect the overall plot as well. The game is definitely slower during these segments but it provides a lot of world building elements and once again makes it really feel like a “Sony exclusive.” Once again, some might get bored of these parts and want to jump back into the action as Spider-Man but I appreciated the variety of gameplay Insomniac wanted to input into this title. I do not want to spoil the role Miles Morales plays in this game but I was truly surprised how much of a major role he played in this game and am looking forward to what happens with his story in future installments. The game manages to be a very fun and over the top (as a Spider-Man game should be) as well as really getting serious during many segments as well; It manages to find a very good balance with having an emotional story as well as a fun one. All of this is supported by a great score that keeps you gripped constantly. One gripe I do have about the story though is I really wish that sometimes it would take its time to let the actual impact of the story sink in with the player (The Last of Us and God of War do this incredibly) instead of moving so fast.
Jumping into the gameplay, the combat is very reminiscent to that of the Arkham series so essentially, mashing the attack button and using the counter button when needed. However, the game never fails to remind you are explicitly playing a Spider-Man. With every attack, counter, and dodge everything really feels as if a Spider-Man comic has come out of its pages and you, the player, are in total control. One move that stood that stands out to me is being able to slide under your enemies’ legs to disorient them and come at them from another angle. It all feels so fluid and surprisingly not as floaty as the Arkham games when it comes to the base combat. The web-zip is another really useful and fun move where you can web yourself straight to any enemy in order to take out those pesky snipers and rocket launcher guys. Insomniac always has been known for its unique weapons and gadgets available in the Ratchet & Clank series and that is something they have brought into Marvel’s Spider-Man as well. In your arsenal of Spidey gadgets include spider drones, electric webs, trip mines, web bombs, and more. Each of these replace your normal web shooter when equipped but it is very easy to switch back and forth between them. When it comes down to the web slinging, it feels like a perfect improvement from the Spider-Man 2 video game from 2004 - as well as adding simple parkour elements to make everything feel so much more fluid. Just swinging around New York feels so satisfying and even though I unlocked the fast travel system later in the game, I found myself choosing to ignore it most of the time. The skill tree in this game is fairly basic though the abilities you unlock are all very fun and add a lot more depth to the game when it comes to combat and web swinging. There are a lot of collectibles to find around the city as well, including finding backpacks and catching pigeons. The backpacks are really fun ones to collect because inside are lots of memorabilia referencing years and years of Spider-Man history. There are sidequests scattered throughout the city as well and though they can be humorous and fairly entertaining, some of them obviously have not been given the same care and attention given towards the rest of the game. One that definitely did stand out to me though are the missions when you do trials for Tombstone, an albino notorious crime boss, and end up fighting him as well in a really intense boss battle. Speaking of the boss battles in the game, there are a bunch of them and overall, they kind of do play out in the same manner; they manage to be simple but engaging at the same time. I never really struggled with the difficulty in the game but there are moments where you may be confused on how to beat a boss but once you figure it out, it’s smooth sailing. There are also enemy bases in the game for the different “gangs” taking over the city but they all pretty much consist of the same thing which is fighting six waves of bad guys - getting a little more difficult with each wave. And as much as I love the combat, these base takeovers can get fairly repetitive. All of these side missions allow you to gain points that go towards unlocking new skills, abilities, and even costumes. One element of the gameplay I did not enjoy as much were doing these puzzles when you play as Peter Parker to help Otto Octavius in his lab. These puzzles feel tacky and honestly kind of annoying but it wasn’t till after I finished the game I realized I could have skipped these segments entirely. A huge highlight of this game for me was definitely being able to switch between the various costumes all from different eras of Spider-Man history. Not only do the suits look amazing, they also each come with a different “super ability” that has to be charged up to use. Some of these include being bulletproof, radiating emp blasts, and even having electric punches. Relatively, it is a very small detail in this game but it makes so much of an impact on the overall passion you can see that went into making this game.
All of this just allows Marvel’s Spider-Man to be so much more than the sum of its parts and by the end, you will just be craving more. The story took me about fifteen or so hours to get through but I am still trying to get that 100% completion so I know that I have a few more hours of gameplay left. Insomniac really nailed the portrayal of Spider-Man in this game and sets a new standard for what superhero games have the potential to truly be. All I can do now is count down the days till the new DLC featuring Black Cat and I just can not wait. Props to Sony and Insomniac for making this because it really just reminded me of how much I truly love video games.
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 9.5
Story: 9
Sound: 9
Replay Value: 8.5
Overall: 9
I believe the best asset that superheroes have is that their lore is interchangeable - and therefore, they can live forever. Superhero stories don’t just remain the same throughout the years anymore. The heart of the stories may remain true to thea characters but the way it envelopes these worlds and all the characters you see is constantly evolving. There are new iterations, for better or worse, but when it works - it soars to new heights.
Insomniac doesn’t just make a new Spider-Man game here but it reinvents the superhero himself and makes sure he’s up to date. Not only is this just a brilliant Spider-Man game, it may be one of the best portrayals of the web-slinger that we have ever seen. Insomniac’s take on Spider-Man is fresh and ready to be consumed by this generation. Not only does this Spider-Man take place in modern day, but it is a story of an older Peter Parker in 2018. Yes, I am aware the comics do this, but seeing such a high production interpretation such as this one feels unreal sometimes. The only other superhero game to be funded to this caliber was that of the Arkham series - which this game does take so much inspiration from I cannot deny. In the newest Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, we see a modern take on Spider-Man but we see him as a teenager and that works for the movie in its own sense, but it is truly fresh to see an older Peter Parker in a modern screen reiteration.
From the get-go, Marvel’s Spider-Man is absolutely gorgeous. Even in just the linear introduction to the game, it is apparent how much detail went into designing it. Not only does Spider-Man look incredibly detailed, so do the enemies as well. With every environmental attack, the particle effects flying around is just so visually appealing and it runs fantastically every second of the way. Once you get to swing around New York city is where it looks even more appalling because not only does it look good, it is one of the best looking open worlds I have ever seen. Each building looks completely unique and beautifully textured and for the first time ever, we have reflections on the windows (kinda) in a Spider-Man game! Exciting stuff.
When it comes down to it, thanks to Insomniac Games and Marvel, Spider-Man just got the Sony treatment. The quality of the production is comparable to that of marvels in the Playstation exclusive library such as The Last of Us and even God of War. The voice acting, the cutscenes, and the story are all top notch and really carry the rest of the game when you’re not kicking bad guy butt and wall running all around New York. And the story truly is great; it really feels like a proper modern retelling of Spider-Man that stays true to the original heart of the character. Insomniac writers have gone through years and years of Spider-Man comic book history to concoct this brand new interpretation that feels fresh because of that. There are lots of twists and turns throughout the story and when the stakes keep rising, the world changes along with it. This really allows for another sense of immersion because it really feels as if though the course of events is not just affecting you, the player, but the entire city that you are trying to protect. And as you get into dangerous situation after situation, Spider-Man has many corny quips to go along with every stressful situation. But seriously, some are really corny and I can see some people not really enjoying those moments though being a small part of the game in the overall picture. However, being a Spider-Man fan, I felt it stayed true to the character and I enjoyed these witty remarks quite a bit.
Whenever Spider-Man games have come out as of late, there is always a lack of great Spider-Man villains being present. Insomniac, however, does not hold back when it comes to Spidey’s expansive library of unique baddies. You face incredible foes that haven’t showed up in games nor movies yet for that matter. And Insomniac does a great job at building up the world and the future of these games as well, hinting at possible villains in a very tasteful and unique manner. There are moments in the game that take you out of the normal action of the game and lets the player take control of Mary Jane and even Miles Morales. These parts of the game act as kind of a bridge for the story though what you do as these characters affect the overall plot as well. The game is definitely slower during these segments but it provides a lot of world building elements and once again makes it really feel like a “Sony exclusive.” Once again, some might get bored of these parts and want to jump back into the action as Spider-Man but I appreciated the variety of gameplay Insomniac wanted to input into this title. I do not want to spoil the role Miles Morales plays in this game but I was truly surprised how much of a major role he played in this game and am looking forward to what happens with his story in future installments. The game manages to be a very fun and over the top (as a Spider-Man game should be) as well as really getting serious during many segments as well; It manages to find a very good balance with having an emotional story as well as a fun one. All of this is supported by a great score that keeps you gripped constantly. One gripe I do have about the story though is I really wish that sometimes it would take its time to let the actual impact of the story sink in with the player (The Last of Us and God of War do this incredibly) instead of moving so fast.
Jumping into the gameplay, the combat is very reminiscent to that of the Arkham series so essentially, mashing the attack button and using the counter button when needed. However, the game never fails to remind you are explicitly playing a Spider-Man. With every attack, counter, and dodge everything really feels as if a Spider-Man comic has come out of its pages and you, the player, are in total control. One move that stood that stands out to me is being able to slide under your enemies’ legs to disorient them and come at them from another angle. It all feels so fluid and surprisingly not as floaty as the Arkham games when it comes to the base combat. The web-zip is another really useful and fun move where you can web yourself straight to any enemy in order to take out those pesky snipers and rocket launcher guys. Insomniac always has been known for its unique weapons and gadgets available in the Ratchet & Clank series and that is something they have brought into Marvel’s Spider-Man as well. In your arsenal of Spidey gadgets include spider drones, electric webs, trip mines, web bombs, and more. Each of these replace your normal web shooter when equipped but it is very easy to switch back and forth between them. When it comes down to the web slinging, it feels like a perfect improvement from the Spider-Man 2 video game from 2004 - as well as adding simple parkour elements to make everything feel so much more fluid. Just swinging around New York feels so satisfying and even though I unlocked the fast travel system later in the game, I found myself choosing to ignore it most of the time. The skill tree in this game is fairly basic though the abilities you unlock are all very fun and add a lot more depth to the game when it comes to combat and web swinging. There are a lot of collectibles to find around the city as well, including finding backpacks and catching pigeons. The backpacks are really fun ones to collect because inside are lots of memorabilia referencing years and years of Spider-Man history. There are sidequests scattered throughout the city as well and though they can be humorous and fairly entertaining, some of them obviously have not been given the same care and attention given towards the rest of the game. One that definitely did stand out to me though are the missions when you do trials for Tombstone, an albino notorious crime boss, and end up fighting him as well in a really intense boss battle. Speaking of the boss battles in the game, there are a bunch of them and overall, they kind of do play out in the same manner; they manage to be simple but engaging at the same time. I never really struggled with the difficulty in the game but there are moments where you may be confused on how to beat a boss but once you figure it out, it’s smooth sailing. There are also enemy bases in the game for the different “gangs” taking over the city but they all pretty much consist of the same thing which is fighting six waves of bad guys - getting a little more difficult with each wave. And as much as I love the combat, these base takeovers can get fairly repetitive. All of these side missions allow you to gain points that go towards unlocking new skills, abilities, and even costumes. One element of the gameplay I did not enjoy as much were doing these puzzles when you play as Peter Parker to help Otto Octavius in his lab. These puzzles feel tacky and honestly kind of annoying but it wasn’t till after I finished the game I realized I could have skipped these segments entirely. A huge highlight of this game for me was definitely being able to switch between the various costumes all from different eras of Spider-Man history. Not only do the suits look amazing, they also each come with a different “super ability” that has to be charged up to use. Some of these include being bulletproof, radiating emp blasts, and even having electric punches. Relatively, it is a very small detail in this game but it makes so much of an impact on the overall passion you can see that went into making this game.
All of this just allows Marvel’s Spider-Man to be so much more than the sum of its parts and by the end, you will just be craving more. The story took me about fifteen or so hours to get through but I am still trying to get that 100% completion so I know that I have a few more hours of gameplay left. Insomniac really nailed the portrayal of Spider-Man in this game and sets a new standard for what superhero games have the potential to truly be. All I can do now is count down the days till the new DLC featuring Black Cat and I just can not wait. Props to Sony and Insomniac for making this because it really just reminded me of how much I truly love video games.
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 9.5
Story: 9
Sound: 9
Replay Value: 8.5
Overall: 9
«Blew my mind»
«That ending!»
Favorite Thing: Story-centric horror definitely hits all the right notes for me.
Least Favorite Thing: They really missed the mark with the locomotion. It's so very sluggish.
Date Completed: 2019-10-05
Playtime: ~ 4h
Enjoyment: 7/10
Recommendation: If you like the genre then it's worth a quick playthrough.
I played this game back in 2011 and as I played once more in 2019 I was remembering bit by bit why I liked so much and why It's easily in my top 5 favorite games.
I'm not really into shooters but I'm pretty sure that Treasure was in the zone when making this game because everything is on top and masterfully done: music, gameplay, character design, progression, story, challenge, everything. The story is a little convoluted and you need to play the first game to have the most of it (it's available in the Wii U shop for a very cheap price and is also a great game) and even then you also need to give it several playthroughs in order to organize all its bits and have them to make sense, it has some anime tropes but is really good or at least serviceable to an steller gameplay, and its filled with amazing moments, sometimes over the top and sometimes subtle and calm, yet they go so well with what's happening on screen, also the credits music is relevant to the plot so I'm really thankful that the localization captioned it for us.
About the gameplay and progression, you have a three basic attacks, rapid-fire shots, charge shots and melee attacks and that's it, no power-ups just your basic attacks, what is so brilliant about them it's that you need to use them creatively in distinct scenarios through the stages in order to have the most of them, things like deflecting missiles with your melee attacks, use charge shots in certain instances, you won't miss power-ups because you have plenty with your arsenal. The difficulty have a well-established rhythm and every stage and every boss seems more difficult than the one before, on normal difficulty you'll have a challenging time especially at the final levels but the real fun and punishment starts with the hard difficulty, you'll die a lot but you also will improve a lot, and because there are several checkpoints it's not an impossible task, you only have to apply yourself and study what you're making wrong or what to do in certain situation, and eventually, everything will make sense and you'll be dancing with the bullets, it's very cathartic and you'll truly feel amazing, it's not impossible to finish it in hard mode, because an amateur like me could finish it, the real real challenge might be to finish this game without even dying, good luck with that. There are several control options but the one you need to pick is the default one, nunchuck and wii mote, no matter what you've heard or thought about motion controls, this motion aiming is perfect and I couldn't think of playing it another way.
This game is a masterpiece, simply put, it only requires that you play a very short and cheap game to obtain the best of it, it has a lot of replayability and if you're into shooting arcades or scores this game will be a hit, my only problem and is really a nitpick are the characters faces, they're just uncanny and kind of remind me of Dark Crystal creatures, which is a shame because the concept art is beautiful, hopefully but almost impossible we can have a remaster or something and with some tweaks to the faces that make them look more like they're intended to. I recommend this game to everyone because it reminds me of why I play videogames in the first place. Don't play it on easy mode, at least not your first playthrough, just keep in mind that your resolve will be tested and you'll be punished a lot. Also, if by some miracle this thing has a re-release or any related media to Sin & Punishment, please support the creators, this franchise needs to resurge and everyone needs to have the right to play it.
I'm not really into shooters but I'm pretty sure that Treasure was in the zone when making this game because everything is on top and masterfully done: music, gameplay, character design, progression, story, challenge, everything. The story is a little convoluted and you need to play the first game to have the most of it (it's available in the Wii U shop for a very cheap price and is also a great game) and even then you also need to give it several playthroughs in order to organize all its bits and have them to make sense, it has some anime tropes but is really good or at least serviceable to an steller gameplay, and its filled with amazing moments, sometimes over the top and sometimes subtle and calm, yet they go so well with what's happening on screen, also the credits music is relevant to the plot so I'm really thankful that the localization captioned it for us.
About the gameplay and progression, you have a three basic attacks, rapid-fire shots, charge shots and melee attacks and that's it, no power-ups just your basic attacks, what is so brilliant about them it's that you need to use them creatively in distinct scenarios through the stages in order to have the most of them, things like deflecting missiles with your melee attacks, use charge shots in certain instances, you won't miss power-ups because you have plenty with your arsenal. The difficulty have a well-established rhythm and every stage and every boss seems more difficult than the one before, on normal difficulty you'll have a challenging time especially at the final levels but the real fun and punishment starts with the hard difficulty, you'll die a lot but you also will improve a lot, and because there are several checkpoints it's not an impossible task, you only have to apply yourself and study what you're making wrong or what to do in certain situation, and eventually, everything will make sense and you'll be dancing with the bullets, it's very cathartic and you'll truly feel amazing, it's not impossible to finish it in hard mode, because an amateur like me could finish it, the real real challenge might be to finish this game without even dying, good luck with that. There are several control options but the one you need to pick is the default one, nunchuck and wii mote, no matter what you've heard or thought about motion controls, this motion aiming is perfect and I couldn't think of playing it another way.
This game is a masterpiece, simply put, it only requires that you play a very short and cheap game to obtain the best of it, it has a lot of replayability and if you're into shooting arcades or scores this game will be a hit, my only problem and is really a nitpick are the characters faces, they're just uncanny and kind of remind me of Dark Crystal creatures, which is a shame because the concept art is beautiful, hopefully but almost impossible we can have a remaster or something and with some tweaks to the faces that make them look more like they're intended to. I recommend this game to everyone because it reminds me of why I play videogames in the first place. Don't play it on easy mode, at least not your first playthrough, just keep in mind that your resolve will be tested and you'll be punished a lot. Also, if by some miracle this thing has a re-release or any related media to Sin & Punishment, please support the creators, this franchise needs to resurge and everyone needs to have the right to play it.
«Blew my mind»
«Just one more turn»
this is fun, maybe a little bit repetitive in the long run
Absolutely gorgeous little hack-n-slash with brilliant music, wonderful aesthetic, and a brilliant narrator.
Interesting little explorey mindfυck.
The gameplay is satisfying enough, and the art style is very pretty, but the story is absolute bοllοcks to the point of getting on my wick.
An absolutely fυcking incredible game; I cannot recommend it enough. Gorgeous graphics, amazing soundtrack, original mechanics, and one of the best stories I have ever encountered in gaming. One of my top five games of all time.