It's a really fun game with lots of unlockable variability you may miss in the beginning when you're still bad at it. Be patient, learn the ropes, and it's basically an endless puzzle game of good quality. When things go well, you feel competent and like you've earned the right to feel that. When things go badly, it's the most infuriating thing you can imagine, because it's largely your own fault for positioning yourself without thinking about the next round. I really don't like the fact that you use achievements for unlocking new mech squads, and if you don't want to unlock them blind (you do get to know their name which clues in on their speciality but that doesn't explain much) and potentially lock yourself out of a mech squad you would've enjoyed a whole lot more until you manage to get new achievements, you have to look at the squads online. A weird design choice in an otherwise excellent game.
I find it odd that the game is listed as a roleplaying game in the tags at the moment. It's more of a rogue lite platformer with maybe minor RPG elements in that you unlock more abilities and areas as you progress and steal more money, but platforming stealth action is at its heart. I have the game on another service and I thought it was a good fun with some very annoyng moments. More polish would've been needed but what's rough isn't so rough that it would undermine my enjoyment of the pretty unique combination of elements on offer here.
The game was a very memorable experience, having both some of the most pleasing and the most creepy art I've seen in any game. Didn't expect to feel so uneasy in a hand drawn (or styled as such) world, nor to smile so many times out of pure joy for the world and its presentation. This juxtaposition of both sadness and pain with joy and compassion gives Fran Bow a feel that's pretty lifelike, like the developers wanted to express something out of their own experience with the game. That's a pretty great achievement in any medium, and I warmly recommend Fran Bow to anyone who feels even a bit attracted to it based on the store page. The reason I docked one star is, for one, that there are a few sections where it feels like the game is making you run from one end of an area to the next just to make you spend more time with the game. For example, in one area there are three bodies of water at a fair distance from one another and numerous quests where your only hint is to go find thing x in water, which forces you to check out all of these places and spent a lot of time transitioning. A minor thing but it annoyed me. The other thing is that I felt like the ending had potential to be more if the developers had more time to deliver it - right now it felt a little rushed with how things were developing. Then again, I was playing the end in the wee hours of the morning wanting to see things through before going to bed, so maybe it was just my mental state at that moment. Oh, one more good thing to add: Fran's dialogue and inner dialogue sound like that of a child, which really helped to sell the character for me, and was a nice change of pace for how kids are often written in different stories.
An awesome, colourful, funny, charismatic and original platforming game that takes the classic game design formula of the 8 bit era, perfects it, adds to it and presents it with a charming cast of characters. I was doubtful of it just from the promo materials but it was a nonstop blast once I got done with the first level. If you like platforming this game is worth every cent. Additional props to the devs for giving out the dlcs free with Treasure Trove, and for putting so much thought into the body swap mode. They really listen to the fans and work to fulfill their wishes!
I originally had this game on Xbox, and while I enjoyed the theme, the setting, the characters etc. overall the game was sort of OK. I'd play it when I wanted to be a clone commando, never otherwise. But now that I got this on the PC I have to say this version is SO much better! The character models have all this extra detail I don't remember from the Xbox version, aiming is enjoyable and actually allows you to hit the soft spots of the tougher enemies and the squad mate AI seems to be improved (or I just know how to use it better). Overall it's a nice shooter if you like shooters, and a great game if you want to play as one of the clone troopers, even if it's as a part of a special squad. I enjoy the action when it's there but for someone who doesn't get kick out of Star Wars the less action packed sequences may be a bit boring. If you do enjoy Star Wars, the prequels or just the troopers, this game is well worth your while.
Looking at the screen shots and reviews of this game I was a bit weary: The graphics are kinda blocky, the levels seem a bit weird and the voice acting is cheesy. I ended up getting it on a Star Wars week sale for a few euros, not expecting much more than a nostalgic romp through the SW expanded universe. Oh how I was surprised! When you were a child, did you ever play Star Wars with your friends or in your head? Imagining yourselves as different characters or in different roles, traversing the galaxy on your light hearted and not all that well thought out but super awesome adventures? Jedi Academy is what you imagined in your head made into a game! You can read about the missions somewhere else so I'll not go into them here, as the core of the game is in its action, much like in Jedi Outcast, and it's sublime. You get to wield a light saber, dual light sabers or a double bladed light saber as you swish about on your Jedi missions, cutting down, force pushing, strangling and electrocuting the scum and dark jedi of the galaxy. You'll experiene emergent combat scenarios, like when you force push a dark jedi towards an edge while he resists but for a second almost loses his balance on the edge, giving you the opportunity to cut his hand off and make him fall to his death. Or when soldier jeers "Free target practice!" as you run towards him with a light saber in hand, deflect his shot to his throat and make him fall dead on the ground. Or when a rookie dark jedi miscalculates his jump towards you and falls to his death without you having to do a thing about it. Any fun Jedi combat scenario you have imagined in your mind is a possibility in this game, and it has made me smile with joy more times than I can care to count. The enemies can be quite deadly though: More than once a dark jedi has strangled me while his friend instantly gutted me with his saber. You have to be careful and fast, but that just adds to the fun!
Have you ever wanted to experience Star Wars from the point of view of the old expanded universe? Have you ever wanted to blast storm troopers and alien thugs, cut them down with a light saber, use the force to push people over ledges or suspend them in the air with a force choke? Have you ever wanted to invade imperial installations and star destroyers while dueling with dark jedis? If so, this may just be the game for you! Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first: On several occasions the level design in this game is so abysmal I think Marka Ragnos himself had a hand in it. Don't get me wrong, the levels are very atmospheric and really let you feel like you are in the Star Wars universe and they're pleasently large to explore. However, the game often gives you only the vaguest of clues as to where your mission objectives are located and no indication as to what they look like. This leads you to accidentally running past them obliviously, especially when you have to break video game conventions to reach them. Just check a walktrhough when you're stuck though, and it's alright. The plot isn't all that great either but it's what you'd see in a Star Wars comic or a book: Some guy strong in the Force is evil and mean, aligned with the Imperial Remnant, hurts people the protagonist cares about and has an unlikely plan of doom that slowly unfolds before you as you follow the protagonist through familiar and unfamiliar worlds. Still, it carries the narrative forward and gives you an excuse to get to the meat of the game: The action! Action in Jedi Outcast is second only to Jedi Academy in emulating what doing battle with a light saber and Force powers is all about. You don't get a feel for it from images or even videos, but it's awesome fun. Better than any of the newer titles have managed in my opinion, particularly as the light sabers are as deadly as they're supposed to be: One proper cut and you're dead. If you dream of a light SW adventures, get this game!
