Recent reviews by treespeaker

there's more than what appears to be. do yourself a favor and give this visual novel a try, but beware as you might sit there post-completion and sulk for what seems to be a few hours. chances are, you may end up thinking for too long and it's gonna stick for days instead

wish I could say a lot about the story but that'd straight up spoil the whole thing. major props goes towards the characterization and dialogue. our protagonist's internal thoughts are, as what i described to people as being 'marred with juvenile, awkward behaviours' that actually feel quite endearing (unhinged at times too). ZATO progresses its story through the character interactions, which enriches the dimensions and layers of the cast and the world that they live in. it may seem like 'dilly dallying', but in the long-term, the realization of how important these were to the overarching story will hit you and you will end up sentimental for them. that's why it works so well.

the primary messages that i interpreted from ZATO is belonging, love and balance. imagine my shock when the bits and pieces of dialogue that my mind seemingly neglected far earlier came back to bite me hours later. the connection reroutes itself and recontextualizes through the reader's epiphanies. the matter is interpretation. i can be wrong, but i can at least understand. its layered enough for you to create your own unique personal interpretation of it.

i love the artstyle btw im surprised i never mentioned that wtf. it evokes nostalgia in a very strange way

i've stated this elsewhere, but the words that best describe how i felt post-completion were:
"sentimentality / dread / gratefulness / content"

i dont often play visual novels, but im glad i chose this one. it was more than what i expected it to be, and going in blind was the best way i could've experienced something in its most raw & honest form. my own thoughts, my own experience and on my own time

not to be overly edgy and performative but there's questions i'd like to leave this on:
what matters to you? does it matter at all?

(at the time of this review, I have not yet played Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth)

For what is described to be a short spin-off game, LAD Gaiden definitely packs a lot of content in to make the hours worth it. I had plenty of fun messing around with the agent style and learning to style-switch better, and engaging in stroll'n'patrols. Lots of opportunities to experiment with play-style, for sure. I found myself experimenting with crowd control utilising the spider gadget. Couldn't seem to do well with firefly, though. Serpent is fun until you get shot and you fall on your butt.

The cast was absolutely brilliant, and the primary antagonist is reminiscent of Yakuza 5's final antagonist, although, written much better with a fleshed out motive. I really hope to see Akame more in future instalments as First Summer Uika stole a bit of the show for me. A really charming and unique character. Hanawa and Kiryu's camaraderie dynamic was executed well and I liked the eventual rounding of Tsuruno's character.

This is definitely the LAD game where Kiryu is at his most vulnerable. I feel like this game dove deep into his key characteristics and fleshed it out into a full story / dissection. The consequences and rewards of selflessness or selfishness. Acts of necessary evil and optional good to maintain a societal harmony. Conflicting ideologies. All that jazz. The story addressed these beats regarding Kiryu's flawed heroic mentality despite his good hearted intentions.

Definitely worth the money. It feels like I've played this game for more than 19 hours, though.

I Crashed

a fast paced game where the story beats also feel that way. for a first-timer, I didn't expect it to be, but even so I had a lot of fun trying to figure out ways to get from one place to another. the level design leaves enough in certain parts so you can approach obstacles in multiple ways, while making certain parts a one-way solution. honestly, i wasn't too good at the game, but i felt proud being able to figure things out on my own
as for the story, i wish they expanded more on this iteration of mirror's edge with a proper sequel because the art style, themes / topics and overall feel felt unique. grime beneath a marble slab, the metaphorical representation of free-flowing information, the hypothetical idealised 'utopia', themes of surviving vs living. the way the game is structured feels as if this is a part of something much larger. unfortunately, we may never get elaboration on what was implied. its a shame

I Like the Game

this game make u thinking. u thinking a lot. head looong beacause thinking... lot of thinkeing game.....

Great Game

not my kind of game but it is very enjoyable
although you may be frustrated at times and it is completely understandable considering the predicament you are in when it comes to the situation in the game
this is a game that allows versatility in your play style, with a large arsenal of weapons to choose from as you progress
you'll have to be smart about how you go about defeating certain enemy types

overall it is fun

destructive and fun, with a bit of difficulty to maintain a challenge for the player. has a straightforward unfolding story that may appear short, but with enough engagement in the side content, you'll get the necessary amount of narrative that strengthens the world-building. side content is plentiful to keep the player engaged and may feel padded at times, but it's still very fun.

I like Control

It's ok.

fun game
miss seeing sam lake's face though

would require some modding to fix, and you may encounter several issues that'll require some continuous configuration

very enjoyable game despite its age, and holds up very well today through its gritty story and explosive action. however, I was forced to play with a micro fps stutter throughout the entire thing, and it was the most I could do to get it to run properly

feel da payne