Recent reviews by Colem

A lovely journey

Viewfinder is one of 2023's gems. Sad Owl perfectly balances length, difficulty, and exploration of the mechanics for a near-perfectly paced experience. The writing is good even if the plot itself is lacking some punch and feels a little detached from the rest of the game.

That said, the mechanics alone make this game worth playing. Viewfinder is a technical marvel, and the creativity with which the studio has implemented and explored the mechanics is downright amazing. In terms of difficulty, the game is fairly easy. The choice to not challenge the player enough may turn some people off, but it allows Viewfinder to not overstay its welcome with repetitive puzzles.

Viewfinder is one of the tightest, most impressive, and enjoyable gaming experiences I've had in a long time.

Neon White is goofy, dead serious, quick, and intense.

It's mechanically tight enough for high-octane speedrunning while still being forgiving enough for those just looking to experience the story without giving themselves RSI. While the plot isn't be for everyone, it has a charm that is appealing enough even if you aren't in the target demographic (2000's anime fans, probably).

Progression is broken into a series of maps or chapters. Each map/chapter requires completion of all the levels it contains. Each level involves zipping around Heaven, completing objectives (usually killing demons) and getting out. The quicker you do that, the better the medal you'll be awarded at the finish. Moving to the next map requires all levels in the set be completed as well as a certain number gold (or better) medals.

Every level is, at its most basic, a puzzle. Early on, the solutions are quite simple, and will typically just involve using abilities as they're given to you with wide margins for error. As the game progresses, the window for making mistakes closes somewhat, but never becomes tight enough to become unbearable.

It's fine to walk around, admire the scenery, and casually shoot some demons, but I'd argue the real fun of Neon White comes from chasing the fastest possible times. The real puzzle is looking at every level as a miniature speedrun, and it completely changes the feel and pace of the game. Most of your decisions will come down to pathing through a level and card usage. When you pick up a card, you can either fire it (like a weapon) or discard it to gain some ability. These discard abilities offer an additional way to move around the level. Be it an extra jump or a midair dash, using your discards at the right time is critical to breaking out of the "normal" routes.

While the game is nominally a first person shooter, at its best a "well executed" run will look almost like a platformer - you'll be barely looking at enemies before pulling the trigger and flying off to the next spot; ignoring the "intended" route to shave fractions of a second off every movement. Every time you enter a new level, you'll be looking for corners to cut and areas to skip in the pursuit of the quickest time. Enemy locations are static, so your final run through a level will likely be a highly choreographed and practiced dance around the stage. This is where the game shines, and in this regard the game is practically flawless.

Where it may fall a bit short is the aforementioned plot and some of the dialog (both text and voice-acted). The voice acting itself is good for what it is. The lines match each character's archetype, and the voice actors do a good job given the over-the-top personalities they're meant to portray. However, in the sections in between chapters, there is a distinct lack of voice acting and character lines are repeated each time you speak to them in a given chapter. It doesn't matter too much, but when you give 3 or 4 gifts (a collectible you can usually find pretty easily in levels that are used to advance some subplots) in a single chapter, you'll see the same text each time. Usually it won't be voice acted, and if it is it'll be the typical reused anime gasp or grunt. It's a minor nit, but it's noticeable. The asymmetry of subplot progression with main story also can lead to some minor dissonance in character interactions, but it's not a major issue. For what it's worth, all cutscenes are skippable and it's well worth a playthrough even if you skipped all the plot.

To round things out, Neon White's got a great soundtrack courtesy of Machine Girl, and a solid art style both in-game and in the visual novel sections. The game also has a leaderboard for global and friend times to add some competition if chasing medals doesn't quite do it for you.

It's not for everyone, but it perfectly fills its niche. If the concept appeals to you, it's definitely worth a shot. It was one of the best gaming experiences I had all year, and I'm sure I'll be back someday to chip away a few tenths off some of my records.

If you're someone who's really going to enjoy One Step From Eden (OSFE), it'll probably be the mechanics that draw you in and keep you coming back for more. That being said, gameplay depth isn't all it has to offer. The soundtrack is great, and the presentation and polish are quite good. Little things like playing card "demos" in real time make you realize the time and effort that went into the player experience. OSFE does have some issues but, if you like the gameplay, the good far outweighs bad.

You'll see many references in other reviews to Mega Man Battle Network (MMBN) and, while it certainly wears this inspiration on its sleeve, OSFE is also its own entity. To address the first point many people make about the game: It's hard. Combat is faster than MMBN, and a new player that doesn't have some innate feel for enemy attacks will struggle to keep up. Add in unfamiliarity with the deckbuilding/casting mechanics, and it may take quite a while to reach the end. Your wins will come from knowing enemy patterns and building better decks, but a certain degree of mechanical skill will always be required. Without trying to make it sound too "hardcore", it doesn't get easier mechanically. I honestly believe most people can achieve a victory, but it may take some time, dexterity, and luck. Depending on your situation, the effort you need to put in might not be worth what you get out (and that's fine). Even if you aren't going for wins, I think the base combat is fun and the game is worth checking out if it's in your wheelhouse.

The roguelite elements are obviously a major part of the game, and runs are certainly shaped by card/artifact drops. The way you construct your deck will absolutely how you play progress through a run, and how you approach each encounter. There is a (poorly explained) mechanic that allows you to select "focuses" that increase the drop rate of certain card types, allowing you to nudge the run in a certain direction. At the end of the day, you are still at the mercy of the drops and there's no guarantee you'll get the card you "need". While this limits certain builds that hinge on very specific mechanics, it also encourages the you to experiment with mixing card families.

This part of the game is when it's at its best. You'll be constantly unlocking new cards and characters that can drastically change your playstyle from run to run. You'll be facing new bosses (which are almost all excellent, by the way) and enemies, and be forced to learn their movesets to make it further. Your decks will be cobbled-together messes that are barely functional, but somehow still manage to get you just that little bit further than your last attempt. I encourage you to at least give every character a couple shots, even if they seem like they might not be your style at first. You may discover an entirely new playstyle you'd never considered. Whether it's trying to reach a new level, or unlock a new character/skin, this discovery phase is the true Eden experience.

Once you've unlocked everything and played dozens of runs (and tens of hours), the game does lose some of its shine. If you stop here, you can rest assured that you've seen most of what the game has to offer. The zaniness that kept things interesting in the beginning is still there, but it's taught you that certain cards, builds, and playstyles are more efficient than others. Building towards these will almost always result in a win. Like most roguelites, runs can become samey unless you spice them up yourself. This can become especially true in the challenge modes (Hell Modes), where the game becomes more challenging and small mechanical or strategic mistakes are punished more heavily.

There is still plenty of room to have fun, but you'll need to put in a little work yourself. Purposely trying new build and characters that push you outside your comfort zone keeps the experience fresh, even if you're retreading a lot of the old tracks. This is probably the 40+ hour mark, and by now you've gotten your money's worth and then some. This isn't an indictment of the game, but a reference point for people's expectations for replayability. OSFE is a fantastic roguelite, but in my opinion doesn't have enough variety to be nigh infinitely replayable the way some roguelites are.


The moment-to-moment gameplay of OSFE is the core and, in my mind, excuses the small issues it has in other areas. There are some minor problems that probably won't be deal-breakers for someone invested in the core, but are worth mentioning.

The art style does feel slightly incoherent at times. The mixture of shaded, round, stylized art in "cutscenes" and some card art doesn't always mesh with the low-res sprites of the main combat. It isn't jarring, or even noticeable in normal gameplay, but is present. There are a couple mechanics that could be explained better, like "focuses" and the removal of artifacts using removal items. Artifact removal and the changing of character kits are both also a bit of a pain using keyboard-only controls. This won't really be noticeable when using M+KB or controller though. Enemy variety also could be better, but is good enough for most of the game.


TL;DR - The game is mechanically challenging, but probably manageable for most. The "discovery" phase of the game, where you're constantly trying and discovering new things, is fantastic. Boss and soundtrack quality is at least good, and often great, although enemy variety is a little lacking. If the combat grabs you, the game is absolutely worth it, and the minor issues won't detract from the game in a meaningful way. If One Step From Eden looks like something you'd like, I'd absolutely encourage you to try it out.

Mods - I haven't played many mods. In my experience, they massively vary in quality. It's possible some boss/enemy mods could bring even more content to the game. For me, having played about 80 hours of OSFE, I've had my fill and am happy with what I've gotten from it without extending it with mods.

Drawn Down Abyss is a solid little game with an interesting premise but flawed execution. The art is good and the music is fittingly mysterious/wild, if a bit repetitive. The world art does get a bit old, and there aren't that many unique layouts, but it's enough for the length of time you'll probably be playing.

The core gameplay loop has a lot of potential. Your first run has you starting a new "deck" that will persist between runs. From this deck, you will be dealt a handful of cards at the beginning of each floor. More cards can be added to you hand from your deck by either picking them up off the ground or playing a "draw" card. The goal of each floor is to simply survive until the trapdoor to the next opens. At the start of a new floor, you can choose to change your deck using one to two cards "dropped" from the previous roundd.

There are three general types of cards that enhance your character: movement, combat, or defense. Movement cards will usually add jumps, dashes, or teleports. Combat cards will be either permanent or timed damage-dealing attacks. Defense cards could be healing or shields. Cards are played by from your hand and cost different amount of mana. You can get more mana either via timed regeneration or combat.

The issues start to appear with the enemy AI and placement. At the start of a new floor, it seems like a fixed number of enemies spawn. Their variety is fairly good, but they can broadly categorized into two types: ground based, and air based. Air based enemies will usually fly directly at you or hover, while ground based enemies will typically fire projectiles or leap if within range. The problem with this is that once ground enemies reach the bottom of the map, they're basically stuck there until they die. Air-based enemies will follow the player, but are typically pretty easy to dodge. It's fairly simple to abuse this mechanic to just wait out the timer and hop to the next floor.

To make things more interesting, you may be tempted to try the combat route instead. The issue with this is that there doesn't seem to be any reason to kill enemies and, in some cases, you're actively punished for doing so. Releasing a 5 mana attack will almost never get you a return of more than 5 mana, causing most offensive tactics to be net losses. Additionally, a fixed number of enemies are present at all times. Enemies spawned at the start of the floor won't despawn unless killed, regardless of if they're on the screen. The moment an enemy dies, another will take its place in your field of view. This leads to chains where you unleash a couple attacks only to be beaten down by a never-ending stream of monster spawning near you. This leads to either running out of cards, mana, or health. Enemies will also sometimes spawn directly on top of you, or in your path, causing (seemingly) unavoidable damage.

There seems to be an end goal after about 20-30 floors, with floors taking around 90 seconds. The unavoidable damage from combat requires luck of the draw and decent defensive cards to have any real success. This cuts down on specialization, and makes for very slow hit-and-run gameplay.

Drawn Down Abyss is worth a look as a curiosity, and I appreciate the commitment to the concept. At some point I may try to see what's at the bottom of the abyss. Unfortunately, I have a feeling the run that does it will involve a lot of standing around waiting for the door to open while I kite enemies far away from the floor of the map. Edit: Having played a bit more, things do get more chaotic. The same issues still apply with enemies spawning on you.

Technical stuff: It ran well enough at 1440p, although only in fullscreen (1080p is the highest resolution I saw windowed). There's no ingame sound option. It doesn't like to be alt-tabbed. The menus can only be navigated using keyboard (untested with a controller). The way the window is displayed stopped both Nvidia and Steam overlays from showing.

It's a beautiful 2D action sidescroller. Both the soundtrack and the animation quality are top notch. The frequent comparisons to Hotline Miami are warranted when taking the music and premise into account, but the two games are fundamentally different in terms of gameplay. The story of Katana Zero certainly is more grounded than HM, but that's not to say it doesn't have its own wild moments. It's certainly not a story-driven game, and your choices throughout feel like they make little impact, but the experience as a whole is enjoyable.

The levels don't give the same freedom as HM (the first, at least) and the design doesn't change much throughout the game. However, the environment art is good enough to keep the setting from getting dull. Every screen has its own checkpoint, which cuts down on frustration. There is also a robust replay system that makes it easy to jump back and replay the game from nearly any point.

It does feel more could be done with the character's moveset, although there is something to be said for the sheer simplicity of the combat. The slow-motion effect feels good, even if it isn't always useful. Your limited abilities mean that even when slowing time you'll only be able to execute a handful of actions in one burst. What seems like a mechanic that should allow you to pull off SUPERHOT-esque combos is relegated to role of mere a panic-button.

The aforementioned issue with slow motion frequently makes the end-of-level reenactment a 1:1 recreation of the run you just completed. These can be skipped, so it's not a huge issue, but it does remind you that the system could be better.

Overall, it's definitely worth a playthrough, especially if great music, art, and neon vibes are enough to keep you entertained for a few hours.

or, at least, that's what I thought when I began playing the sequel to Hotline Miami.

On the surface, the game is much the same: the same one-hit-kills/deaths, the same weapon variety, the same goofy AI, and the same kick-ass music style and aesthetic. But, after a while, one begins to realize it is much more.

NOTE: The last paragraph of each long section is a bit of a TL:DR.

LEVEL DESIGN: (HM1 vs HM2)

The level design I knew (and loved) in HM1 was completely changed. In HM2, gone are the floors of nothing but tight hallways and plentiful corners. While they still exist to an extent, HM2 incorporates a much more open level design with long ranges of sight and wide open spaces.

While the game was panned (by some) at launch for this fact, I (and many other HM1 fans) began to see the merit of the layouts. Frankly, the floor plans of HM1 were easy. They were exploitable. With quick enough reflexes and decent knowledge of AI, a “veteran” of the franchise can/could complete them with no problems. For some, this made the game what it was. HM1 would have been a far worse game if it had the same level design style as HM2. But it didn't, and the HM2 level design, while harder, less fluid, and (to some) less “fun”, makes the game what it is. In HM1, one could be a veritable GOD, easily cutting through the waves of dumb, slow henchmen. In HM2 the bar is raised.

Despite the harder level design, it is nothing if not fair. Sure, you will sometimes be killed from an enemy off screen, ending an otherwise perfect run in a frustrating manner. But, next time, you won't. Or maybe you will. Either way, it is up to the player. With decent reflexes and knowledge, you can “master” HM2 in much the same way you could HM1. It's just much harder.

Essentially, HM2's levels will feel unfair at first and, if you haven't played HM1, may seem difficult. But the same level of fluidity will come with time. It's not impossible to achieve HM1-like gameplay in HM2, it just takes more skill.

DIFFICULTY:

Although HM1 was known for its unforgiving gameplay, few would classify it as a “hard” game. If one played it slow enough, any level could be beaten with ease. True skill was shone in the WAY a player completed a floor/level, not in whether or not they could do it. In HM2, it is much the same, but the skill cap is quite a bit higher. For most HM1 “veterans”, the first 5-10 levels of HM2 should be fairly easy. But from there on out, new heights must be reached. Anyone who says otherwise, simply go back to HM1 and tell me it's harder. HM1 is a veritable cakewalk compared to HM2's later levels.

Enter hard mode, the masochist's way to increase playtime. Levels are mirrored, have many more enemies, and every time a weapon is picked up, its ammo is halved. Enemy reflexes are also much faster, although their AI I not much better. Hard mode, for a mediocre player like myself, is tough. There's no other way to say it. It will, once again, require you to reach new heights, and going back to normal mode (or HM1) after completing hard mode will make you wonder how you ever struggled in the first place. It will take much more time, but it is rewarding.

HM2's normal mode is significantly harder than HM1, and hardmode is much harder than both.

MUSIC:

The music is just as good as the first. While not as many songs resonate with me personally (I will never forget M O O N's Paris or Hydrogen, and Scattle's Knock Knock), the beats are as sick as ever, and the soundtrack is genuinely fantastic. If you even remotely liked HM1's soundtrack, I'd recommend picking up HM2's as well.


GAMEPLAY:

Sure, some masks were cut out, and you are restricted in some levels, but the new system is still extremely fun. Without going too in depth and spoiling any story, there are four sets of masks/powers that one may choose, depending on the level. Each has its own challenge, and overall the system is still fun, although in a different way than HM1. Let's be honest, most of HM1's masks were pretty dull in the first place, with some masks having little effect on the gameplay. HM2 condenses the system, with each mask having bringing a wildly different playstyle.

REPLAYABILITY/Expected gameplay time:

HM2 is, in my opinion, less replayable than the first. I'd often load up HM1 to just play a few levels and revel in fluidity of the run, and put at least 100 hours in, beating the game multiple times (I played on a DRM free copy before being given the game on Steam, hence my lack of hours on here). However. HM2 is still well worth the money. As a fairly experienced HM1 player, It took approximately 5-6 hours to complete the game on normal, and around 8-10 hours on hardmode (One level (not Dead Ahead) took around 2.5 hours). Some may complete it more quickly, other more slowly. Either way, I consider it worth the money considering the amount of content you receive, especially with hardmode.

CONCLUSION:

Overall, HM2 is a fantastic sequel to HM1. It is challenging but fair, frantic but tactical, and, above all, fun. I'd 100% recommend to anyone who's played the first game (I'd recommend HM1 first to anyone new to HM). It may not have had the warmest welcome on launch, but in this HM fan's eyes, its flaws are easily overlooked.

Hopefully this review was helpful. Feel free to add/comment to ask any questions. I'd be glad to help anyone enjoy HM as much as I do.

To me one of the best games of this year, Tower of Guns has far exceeded my expectations. Although I saw some early gameplay on YouTube, I wasn't sure how well the roguelike/lite gameplay would fit in a FPS. Needless to say, it worked beautifully. 


Overview

Essentially, Tower of Guns is about fighting your way up a tower filled with automatons all hell-bent on your death. You begin by choosing a weapon and a perk. As you complete the game, you will unlock other guns/ perks which can be used on different playthroughs. On your way up, you'll also collect power ups, such as additional jumps, damage, luck, jump height, and difficulty increases or decreases. Additionally, you may replenish health and experience (more on that later) via pickups.


Graphical Quality

Overall, the graphical quality of the game is fairly good. I personally think he style fits the game well, although the enemy design is sometimes a bit lackluster. The homogeneous nature of the early environment (a lot of brown/yellow) meshes well with the mechanical killing of automatons, and the cartoony style is quite interesting.


Gameplay

Sometimes criticized for a lack of variety in the gunplay, the each run revolves around the weapon you choose. There are about a dozen weapons to choose from, presuming you've unlocked them, and each fits a different style of play. Occasionally, the player may find a second weapon in a run, although it is fairly uncommon. These secondary weapons are often extremely powerful when leveled up, and can save a run on their own if used correctly. As you defeat enemies, you'll pick up “blue exp” to make your weapon stronger, changing the size, color, and effects of your bullets/projectiles. The max level (assuming you don’t use a certain perk to increase it) is 5, and once the cap is reached, you can no longer pick up exp. 

However, level 5 does not guarantee a victory. As you take damage, and your health decreases, the weapon you are using also loses exp. Even if you survive a rough room, you may still have difficulty in the coming levels, as your weapon may have lost numerous levels. This adds an extra level of complexity to the game, and often your weapon de-leveling can spell disaster to an otherwise perfect run. There are also "use items" which can be recharged by collecting "yellow exp." Weapon mods are also sometimes available, and can change the nature of your weapons projectiles, adding effects such as explosive shots or rapid fire.

The level design overall is quite good. Each “floor” is made up of multiple rooms. The rooms you encounter are randomized, but after numerous playthroughs you are bound to see most/ all of them. However, I've yet to see, or remember, the order of the rooms ever be the same. Additionally, most rooms have “secrets” which the player often can stumble upon simply by moving through a room in a different way. It's not uncommon to visit a room 10 times across many plathroughs, only to find a secret you never knew existed on the 11th visit. At the end of each floor there is a boss fight. Once the boss is defeated, the door to the next room will open and the player can move to the next floor. 

If there is one thing that separates this particular FPS roguelike/lite from others at the time of writing (I won't mention names, but I'm sure there's one that most are thinking of), it's the mobility of the character. Additional jumps make the game a blast, and sometime ludicrous speeds can be reached by the end of a playthrough (if the player fins enough speed++ powerups). 


Story

There isn't much of a story to speak of. If it is toggled on in the options menu, the player will see a small text box conversation at the beginning of each floor, expanding on an (often humorous) little tale about the protagonist. Interestingly, the story itself is random in the sense that each run will portray the main character (you) as a different person. While the different perspectives/stories have no appreciable affect on gameplay, and can be turned off, they are often quite funny, and add a bit of spice to each level.


Difficulty

I personally didn't find the “base” game to be tremendously difficult. Within five or so hours I had beaten it once or twice. However, the game definitely warrants multiple playthroughs, and there are some ways of increasing the difficulty. On perk, for example, causes the game to be much harder (the player starts with difficulty ++ cards) and all enemies to spawn as elite. Additionally, in a normal run, difficulty ++ cards can be picked up to make the game somewhat harder.


Options/ Issues

The options menu is alright. There are a number of resolution options, as well as fullscreen. Motion blur, bloom, and MSAA are also available. Mouse smoothing (acceleration) is also toggle-able. There are some issues, however. For one, there is no borderless windowed mode. Additionally, if run in windowed mode, the game defaults to the base resolution (1152x864) each time. For some reason, the game also doesn't seem to like 1920x1080 in windowed, and will default to a slightly lower resolution. Keep in mind this may be a personal problem. It didn't affect gameplay, however. 


Overall

Buy this game. It's a fantastic time killer, with a solid difficulty curve and rewarding gameplay. If you can get get past the fact that you use one gun for the entirety of the run, the interesting shooting mechanics, excellent movement, and randomized nature of each run will keep you playing for hours.