The Metal Gear Solid series is iconic, but I've always felt that the 2D titles (Metal Gear 1, Metal Gear 2, Ghost Babel) don't get enough love--thankfully this game is both a love letter to the Metal Gear Solid series and a perfect successor to what those 2D Metal Gears did so well. There's a lot of "trial and error" in here which some players might find frustrating, but the stealth gameplay is brilliantly done and the humor keeps you laughing once you get past a particularly challenging bit. The humor in this game isn't top-brow writing wise, yet it's cleverly implemented into the gameplay. The entire story being told in the past-tense as Jesse Fox is explaining how everything went down. At certain points, the game will prompt you to fill in minor story details such as explaining how many guards there were when you entered a room. This leads to some hilarious situations, and it also directly influences your gameplay. I loved these parts, and I'd love to see more games use this system. UnMetal's not exactly punishing on Normal difficulty--if you're seen, you can realistically evade your pusuers and find a hiding spot. But you're given less experience points which balances the whole thing out. I love this mechanic, and once again I'd like to see the idea added to more games. Lastly, every stealth takedown option is balanced: your best bet is to knock an enemy out with your hands which is always my first option, but your gun is just as handy--and necessary at times. Overall, this is a brilliant game that I only had a few minor nitpicks with, nitpicks that I feel don't even matter in the long run. If you love stealth games--especially Metal Gear--buy this game. And love it.
The title sums up my feelings about this game, it's a comforting experience that is quick but will stick with you. I really enjoyed how this game used simple interactivity, such as connecting puzzle pieces, to reflect the mood of a scene. There's only a few segments with actual dialogue written out, but you're left to experience most of the story visually, auditorily, and physically. The game doesn't quite pull on your heartstrings, nor does it really aim to do that, it just wants you to enjoy the ride. And I do think it's very enjoyable, well worth anyone's time, and it made me wonder what other games could do with the "digital comic meets point-and-click" approach found here in Florence. I'll keep an eye out for other games like this, that's for sure!
I thoroughly enjoyed this game despite it looking-- and sometimes outright playing like-- a job. Some bits are particularly frustrating, I don't really understand why you need to fiddle around with random controls when an alarm goes off when the core appeal of this game is the silly FMVs you can flip through, but I guess that does make you feel a bit more like an active participant. I can't seem to find out where your choices actually matter in this game which is good, but it also makes me wonder how the game decides which of the fourteen endings you get. The story really does hammer you over the head with its political commentary at times, but I don't think you need to be subtle to make a point. The campy acting is fun, and I found Jeremy Donaldson to be a rather charming character. Overall, the game is fun, and is a good satire on our current political climate.
This game is absolutely beautiful. There's an immediate "Wow!" factor to this game that is rarely found in other racing games, especially indie-made racing games. Everything about this game is gorgeous. Including the cars, which handle just as beautifully as they look. Each car feels different from the last, and you're able to tweak the way each car handles to your liking. Some cars may need more steering assist, personally I prefer to crank assists down to make my cars as slippery as I can handle. That occasionally has me sliding off-road, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it-- I'm only 4 hours in, after all. I suck at this game, that much is true. I started the career mode on normal and I barely got 1st place in one race, albeit only by a few milliseconds. But that's how this game earns the "Art" in its title: you're expected to fail, it's how you get better. Racing right in this game feels amazing. There's nothing quite like it, especially at this price range, when you've mastered a car and can hit every turn without having to completely slow down. The free roam is my favorite aspect of Art of Rally. The environments pair so well with the game's stellar, relaxing soundtrack that it successfully activates my Zen mode. Driving around aimlessly in this game feels just like meditating. The best piece of advice I can give for this game is "Don't think, feel". Feeling is where this game shines, and I feel that's why this game is a cut above the rest.
While other retro-style platformers like Shovel Knight and The Messenger paid homage to the games they were inspired from while also learning from their mistakes, Cyber Shadow feels like it wants to hit every frustrating beat from the retro platformers we love so much. For starters, yes the game is pretty frustrating... even in the beginning. I'm over an hour in and my problem is how the character feels to control. I don't quite know why you're a ninja who's unable to wall jump... or at the very least crouch, but that already bogs the game down. Limited movement brings limited fun. While in a game like The Messenger where a central mechanic is being able to hit enemy projectiles and having infinite jumps off said abilities, Cyber Shadow doesn't really give you anything special off the bat. The music is great, and the presentation is a huge plus, but this game really left a bad first impression on me. As you continue you get more abilities that are your standard platformer fare, but I don't quite know why they'd want to limit your movement options dramatically from the go-get. The most fun part about a platformer is how your character feels. To me, Cyber Shadow feels sluggish. I heard someone point out the BS in this game as a positive and, sure, if you want a purely retro game this is right up your alley. To me, this game is pretty meh. I give it a 2 because I keep going back to the same question: "Would I play this over other retro style platformers?" and I can't say I want to. It just feels less satisfying to play than the classics that came before it and the indie darlings like Shovel Knight.
