Crossing Souls is a game filled with good ideas that are never fully realized. It is a linear (to a fault) action adventure story driven game. It's filled with 80s nostalgia and a sense of preciousness but never seems to be able to develop characters or a narrative that feel all that rich or compelling. Humorless flat cardboard characters and the stock 'bring-balance-to-the-world,' narrative makes moving through the story more a chore than an enticing discovery. The gameplay itself is a mix of hack and slash, puzzle solving, and platforming. The platforming elements are mostly annoying and some sections are downright frustrating (you will absolutely NEED TO PLAY with a CONTROLLER). So where then are the good ideas and why weren't they realized? Well one interesting element is the 80s inspired animated cutscenes. The problem here is that they are typically about 5-10secs, not enough to convey much story or feel substantial. In fact they feel like they get in the way most of the time. It would have been more compelling if these sequences were longer (30-90sec) chunks between act breaks instead of cut into as many pieces as there are. Further the game's linearity holds it back. Had I been able to explore the town and interact with NPCs in a substantive way (as quest givers, puzzle hint providers, item sellers etc.) it could have gone a long way to making the game more immersive and compelling. Lastly what collectibles there are in the game are totally meaningless and have no impact on the gameplay - again another wasted opportunity. Ultimately Crossing Souls is a nicely rendered retro-game whose soul is little more than wallpaper for a bygone era, without the depth one would hope for.
Here's what's good: the graphics (and art style), the voice acting, the puzzles, the gameplay (especially as you get further in), and its stability (no issues). Less than good is: the story (a bit thin and cliche), the load times (painfully long), the default keybinds (feels like a mess - though all of them can be remaped thankfully) and while multiple approaches to each map is valid there is a feeling of having to connect the dots and find the exact right guard to start with. Some may enjoy this, for me it was a bit of mix. Sometimes I didn't mind, at others it felt like a drag and I wished there was more consistent gameplay flow without needing to wait for vision cones to disappear and constantly reload a previous save to get past a section. Conclusion: there's a lot to be admired at how well polished and solid much of this game is. If there's another iteration of Shadow Tactics it could be a classic. With this initial entry you may end up with some grievances but overall it's hard to argue that it's not a worthwhile experience if stealth gameplay, strategy and puzzles are your thing. If you're on the fence wait for a sale and you'll more than likely be satisfied.
I was looking forward to this game for the longest time. The art direction is amazing. The gameplay, story, and music - not so much. At every turn I just wanted something more, a combat system, a gripping in-depth story, a multi-dimensional score - anything that would make it feel bigger and more interesting than it actually is. Rime boils down to one word - precious. Any potential dynamism tonally has been sucked out in service of this one word. The score never goes through any range of emotions. The story is so thread-bare you'll have to lean forward to figure out what's going on and even then you'll likely not care as you shotgun your way through to the next puzzle. There's no levity, no humor - just a cutesy fox to follow and some puzzles to do. Had this game taken a slightly larger scope (while maybe remaining short). Had it been more Zelda like or story focused (e.g. Portal 2) it could have been a classic. As is, the puzzles and asethetic are simply not compelling or enchanting enough on their own to allow the game to be called anything but mediocre.
Hotline Miami 2 continues HM1's hypnotic, meditative, pulse pounding, shoot-em up action. Compared to HM1, I can't be sure if I've gotten better with HM2 or if it's just slightly easier. It might be the latter, which is welcome considering some of the nightmares I had on one boss and a few levels from HM1. HM2 is a smoother gameplay experience overall compared to HM1. I never felt stuck or at an impass to the point of tedium (that's not to say you won't but the likelihood is probably less than with HM1). The music is once again killer with great headbobbing tunes. The story however, is indecipherable the first time through, but a game like this is all about the gameplay so it's of little detriment to the overall enjoyment. Many of the bugs people are complaining about in the reviews seem to have been addressed. I had zero crashes or issues on my machine (win7-64bit). My only qualm with the game and reason for removing 1 star is the save system needs improvement. The game will only save after you finish a chapter which is usually about 3-4maps. Each map might take about 20+mins if you're having difficulty which then puts the full time between saves at an hour or more. This is just unacceptable for a game that requires so much skill to get through. People should be able to finish a map and put the game down if they're getting frustrated without the punishment of having to start from the beginning of the chapter. Lastly some of the maps are wide open which requires you to 'look' (via the camera) off screen to see if enemies are outside of your view. Many times they are and end up shooting you which can feel like a cheap loss. Some added AI that prevents this would have been worthwhile to keep the game feeling fair. Overall though HM2 is fun, engaging and a worthy addition to your games library.
Limbo is a puzzle game in a richly atmospheric world. It's a refreshing title that gives you just enough (about 3hrs for a first run through - though I cheated on a few answers) but doesn't overstay its welcome. The puzzles range in difficulty, some are straightforward while others may have you looking them up online. This is the kind of indie game that should be rewarded and apart of your library, thoughtful design in gameplay, music, and graphics. The only small gripe I have is towards a small portion of the gameplay design. Since some tight platforming is required to solve certain puzzles, you might end up banging your head against the wall thinking it is needed for other solutions as well.
If you're on the fence with retro games as I am - this game will not disappoint. Initially I thought this was just a boring retro 8bit version of Contra. In fact it shares more with Super Metroid or Castlevania than Contra (without the open world to explore). There's a power up dynamic you access by finding and freeing prisoners across each map. Each prisoner is a different 'bro' with new abilities and a special attack. The short cutscenes and voice over are hilarious as are the names of each bro. The game is essentially a satire of action movies, and American jingoism. It's a genuinely fun game that once you pick up you'll have a hard time putting down. With the map editor and the ability to play with friends via online co-op this is a solid package for an indie game and well worth your money & time.
If you are interested in PID it's probably worth picking up despite its flaws. It has a vivid and unique art style (something not enough games value these days). The soundtrack is solid all the way through and some of the gameplay (specifically the puzzle element) is entertaining and relaxing - mostly towards the beginning. Also PID's code seems especially polished as I had zero issues during my time with the game. I commend the developers on this, as I see too many indies become critical or popular darlings but retain buggy code (Hotline Miami), something that should be inexcusable. The bad part: unfortunately PID is slow in introducing new gameplay elements, making it feel repetitive and at times frustrating which is why I think you see many reviews describing it as too easy or too hard. There are stealth sections for example that feel unending simply because the gameplay does not progress or change for several maps. Conversely there are sections and gameplay elements that seem all too brief (seeds that uncover secret stairs and space jumping towards the end). There are also several time gated sections that regardless of your difficulty setting are the same and feel obnoxiously punishing to get through. I played the game on normal most of the way through and it took me 10.5hrs to finish with about 350 deaths. Unlike other indies that make death "just part of the game" without feeling especially punishing (Gucamelee! Hotline Miami) PID resets the section you die on taking you out of the flow of the game and wearing on you over time. Lastly, although the story could be worthwhile, it is hamstrung by banal writing that is expositional, lacking much flavor, humor, or character. There's a lot of unrealized potential in PID. There are many things to like about the game, but too many grievances that prevent me from really falling in love with it. One hopes the developers do a sequel simply to realize the greatness this game has but can't deliver.
This game has too many bugs to recommend wholeheartedly. Within the first 10mins of gameplay I had two crashes - within the first hour I had 3. Things seemed a bit more stable after that with only about 4-6 more crashes for the remainder of the game but it was enough to dampen my enthusiasm - especially when it happens towards the end of a difficult level you end up needing to repeat. As someone who is not a fan of exceedingly difficult games I found the gameplay fun even though there is a lot of death and repeated effort. There are only 2 spots in the entire game (towards the mid-end sections) that I felt were a bit too harsh due to the level design starting with a few enemies that make survival luck of the draw. Aside from this, I didn't find the game frustrating or boring. I was engaged and felt rewarded when finally finishing off a level. I would recommend this for anyone as it is broadly appealing. I really didn't think I would find much to enjoy in a retro top down action game but the gameplay and soundtrack proved me wrong. Again my biggest complaint is the outstanding issue of bugs causing crashes. Given the success of Hotline Miami there's no excuse for the sloppiness of code that allows this problem to continue to be an issue. Had the technical problems been resolved by now I would have no reservations about picking up the sequel now that I've finished the first game. However due to the bugs in this game and the likelihood I would face something similar or worse in the sequel I simply can't justify paying full price in good conscience. If you're interested in Hotline Miami you'll probably find it worth picking up just be prepared for some random crashes.
