Recent reviews by Z

OneShot debe jugarse sin spoilers previos; conocer su propuesta de antemano le quita impacto a los puntos más fuertes que tiene el juego.

Sus mecánicas metanarrativas junto a la exploración y los puzles son, sin duda, lo más atractivo y creativo del juego.

Dicho esto, y en mi opinión, el juego es muy corto, tiene una rejugabilidad nula (una vez te has visto todos los finales), y su narrativa es insulsa si no conectas con Niko.
Eso sí, su arte y música le dan al juego un toque melancólico que acompaña perfectamente a la aventura.

Es difícil recomendar este juego a todo el mundo, pero si quieres una experiencia corta y distinta, vale la pena probarlo.

First things first: if you haven't played Hades, you should probably play that before this game... unless you are a big Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. That's the one major exception.

Now, let's get to the point:

This is a TMNT roguelike with some seriously impressive art that reminds me of the old Mirage Studios comics, mixed with the style of the newer IDW series. In my opinion, the visual design is just sublime.

Originally, the game was meant to be a single-player experience (like Hades), but it eventually evolved into a co-op game, which makes it way more appealing if you like playing with others.

The story draws inspiration from different TMNT generations and series, but it is not tied to any specific version you might know. You will run into some iconic characters, all brought to life with that amazing art style I mentioned earlier.

As for gameplay, everything feels smooth (though there are a few minor bugs here and there), and there is a good variety of abilities to mess around with. I highly recommend playing with a controller.

One of the strongest aspects of this game is the dev team. If you hop into the official Discord, it won't take long to notice: these devs love TMNT, and they clearly love their own game. They are constantly updating it, listening to the community, and best of all, if an ingame build is OP, they don't nerf it, they just buff the others to make everything more fun!

That said, not everything is perfect. Some things just didn't land for me, even if they are subjective:

The game starts off pretty tough, but once you have unlocked everything, it barely offers a challenge. I think an Endless Mode would help fix this.

You will be fighting the same enemies over and over. Even with the Casey DLC, they are basically the same mobs with punk wigs. Not bad, but I wish there were more enemy types and bosses too.

There are some annoying bugs (like super long load times), though most of them affect co-op mode specifically.

Do I recommend the game?
Yes, I do, mainly because it is still evolving. Just don't go in expecting to be blown away if you have already played Hades. Think of this as a solid co-op roguelike set in the TMNT universe, and you will have a good time!

Buy it on sale. The game is challenging and fun. It's completely playable, and I haven't encountered any bugs. It keeps the essence of the OG while adding QoL features. Some graphics are a bit ugly.

⚠️ You can't Family Share this game (even though the store page says otherwise) because it forces you to use the crappy Rockstar Launcher. I hate launchers, especially this one.

This was my first PS2 game as a kid. Later, I played it a lot on PC with mods.
I still prefer the OG for some minor details, but let's be honest: the OG is practically unplayable without over 15 mods.

The game is no longer a mess; Rockstar has fixed most of the release bugs and graphical issues.

So the remaster is great. It keeps the OG spirit and significantly improves the gameplay. Some improvements I've noticed include:

• No loading screens between islands (you can see everything from far away!)
  
• Fixed the controls (trust me, the OG PC controls were a nightmare)
  
• Purple 9 bug fix (this bug would prevent you from completing certain missions)
  
• They added a map (yeah, the OG didn't have a map)
  
• GTA V style weapon wheel (it's useful)
  
• Checkpoints/Autosave (a bit useless, imho, if you save often)

Things I DON'T like:

• The game forces you to use the Rockstar launcher (it's a crap)
  
• They removed the Portland gray atmosphere (everything is way too colorful now, instead of the moody, sad vibe)
  
• They removed some minor environmental details
  
• You can't change the controls
  
• The map/minimap doesn't display narrow streets properly
  
• Family Share doesn't work: THE STORE PAGE IS MISLEADING

The game was released in 2001, and in 2002 we got Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. As you might expect, Grand Theft Auto III served as a testing ground for what would come next in the series.

It's a pretty basic game: there are no motorbikes (in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, they explain this by saying that motorbikes are banned, so within the lore it makes sense, though it's still kind of funny). And the story is pretty simple. Plus, most of the QoL seen in later releases are missing.

Because of all this, people complain that it's an incomplete remaster, but honestly, I think it's a smart choice. It PRESERVES the essence of the OG, just with modern controls. Remember, this is a REMASTER, not a REMAKE.

Also for me, this game is even harder than San Andreas.
The gangs will punish you severely, so it's highly recommended to complete most side objectives (like hidden packages or paramedic) before progressing with the main story.
I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like this remaster has a lot more gang NPC roaming around.

Your car will explode with just a few random shots. Even water kills you! Some missions, like "Kingdom Come" or "S.A.M.", will mostly make newcomers cry or even uninstall the game.

I definitely recommend this game, but only if it's on sale. It's challenging and fun, with some of the most iconic NPC quotes in the whole franchise. If you enjoy tough, oldschool gameplay and memorable moments, you'll have a blast.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the game, just for the lulz:

• “Somebody call a ME-dic?!” — Triad
  
• “No money, mo' problems” — Triad
  
• “My mother is my sister” — Man in the olive coat
  
• “You think that's bad? I've been revived 240 times” — Guy in the blue shirt and cap
  
• “What are you doing, giving birth?” — Man in the olive coat
  
• “Yep, I've been drinking again” — Man in the olive coat
  
• “It's baby fat; I haven't lost it yet” — Lady with pink hair and blue dress
  
• “In the navy” — Construction worker

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3418070479

I am not good at farming simulator games, so on the 1st day (Spring), I had no idea how the farm worked (there is no tutorial and my IQ is very low). I spent my time rummaging through the villagers' trash. Apparently, they didn't like me going through their junk.

On the 2nd day (Spring), a guy named Willy gave me a fishing rod. What a cool man. I started fishing like a madman, collecting more trash and a few fish. I tried to talk to the villagers, but I always ended up gifting them junk by mistake, which made them even angrier.

This went on until the 5th day (Spring). The mines were unlocked, and I got a cool sword. I went inside, and my busy schedule (digging through trash, talking to villagers, and fishing) suddenly changed; I had to make room for my new hobby: SLAYING MONSTERS

In the mines, I found a slingshot. While practicing with it, I accidentally shot Pierre (the guy who sells seeds) in the face, and of course, he got mad (on top of the anger he already had).

Every time I came home, I felt bad. My whole farm was full of rocks, weeds, logs, and trash. My chests were packed with fish, monster materials, and even more trash. It's safe to say that the villagers didn't have a very good impression of me. My farm looked worse than a dump.

One morning, I woke up, and the trash was blocking my path (literally), so I had to clean up the farm a bit. I got so carried away that I made the place spotless. I decided to try out the other tools to see what they do and ended up planting my first parsnip seed (hell yeah).

Days went by, but it did not grow. Thanks to the rain, I realized it needed water. I never imagined that planting something could be so complex and tricky.

Unfortunately, I never got to harvest that parsnip. Just when it was about to sprout, Summer came, and it died. Thanks, scorching sun.

I recommend the game even though my days as an amateur farmer are tough.
Everyone in Pelican Town hates me, but honestly, I don't care. Why should I worry about being hated by people who believe that Earth is inside a Giant Tomato (according to what I read about their religion while digging through their junk) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

⚠️ Beware of some reviews! DO NOT FALL INTO THE TRAP! The game is VERY GOOD but it is not for everyone!

Many people will tell you that Chrono Ark is way better than Slay the Spire… The truth is, IT DEPENDS:

Slay the Spire (A20) is easy to learn. The cards are simple, and you will quickly understand what to do. You know the enemies’ intentions and you can easily counter them. Plus, you can finish your runs in under 20 minutes, and the game autosaves during the run.

Chrono Ark, on the other hand, is hard to learn. Most skills are complex with a bunch of synergies, so you will need to invest TIME AND PATIENCE to know what is going on.

You will have to learn how to fight each enemy, as there are no clues about their actions, and each enemy has different mechanics.

The biggest downside, in my opinion, is that the runs in Chrono Ark are longer: my fastest run, rushing like madman, took 55 minutes. Most runs will take over an hour to finish, and you have to manually save.

So, if you want quick runs with friendly mechanics, Slay the Spire is better.
If you want a complex and challenging game with waifus/husbandos, deep strategy, a story and longer runs, Chrono Ark is the choice.

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I initially hated this game. I even opened a thread on the official forums to understand how to read the f*****g skills. But once I managed to understand the game, I loved it.

You can choose from 20 characters and form a party of 4. Each character has unique card sets (skills), roles and passives.

At the start of a run (and depending on the mode), you can only choose 2 characters from the pool to form your team. You will recruit the rest randomly during the run.

You will also get each character’s skills randomly, that’s the deckbuilding part. Likewise, you can equip each character with 2 pieces of gear (some with special perks) that you will obtain randomly from events or shops.

In those events/shops, you can also get Relics. Relics passively enhance the party. Unlike in Slay the Spire, Relics must be placed on a Stand to take effect, and there are limited slots!

Also everything happens in a randomly generated map full of secrets! So yeah, it is quite likely that each run will be unique.

You will not always face the same enemies or bosses. There are many, and each has their own mechanics. Often, you will not win by brute force; if you ignore the mechanics, you will wipe and cry. All of this comes with a wonderful combat soundtrack!

Generally, the combat is like a JRPG: turn-based. Although this is not entirely true, because depending on the skills, passives, and enemies, EVERYTHING CAN VARY A LOT.

Most combats might seem unfair at first and even completely unbalanced. And that is true. But the game usually gives you enough resources to compensate it, you just need knowledge. Although let’s be honest, if you have had bad luck, some battles are impossible to win, lol

There are also multiple game modes and challenges to raise the difficulty, and if you get bored, you can always install mods with new characters, enemies, difficulties and a lot of stuff!

The game has a story, and it is okay. However, there is a lot of text… Most of the stuff that takes over 30 minutes of reading can be summarized in 5 lines…

You will gradually discover what is happening as you play naturally. You will also unlock some CDs that, when you watch them at home, will complement the story details quite well.

While the story is not a masterpiece, it is quite interesting. However, as I have mentioned, it can feel quite overwhelming because it doesn’t know how to summarize the information (just like this review, lol). Anyway, if you don't like to read, you can skip it.

I recommend buying this game if you meet most of these points:

• You are a waifu lover
  
• You enjoy playing complex games
  
• You love JRPGs
  
• You like deckbuilders
  
• You have fun reading a lot of text

I don’t recommend this game if:

• It is not on sale
  
• You hate fanservice
  
• You are looking for a simple game
  
• You cry when an enemy unfairly wipes your entire party
  
• You don’t have enough time to play (you want fast runs)

This remaster is an absolute masterpiece, a love letter to the fans of Tomb Raider classics.

Classic Lara returns with graphics improvements, exuding her iconic badassery with short shorts, dual pistols and dinosaurs (yeah, all the stuff that Crystal Dynamics removed in the newer ones).
That’s the Lara we all love (I guess that’s why the game was released on Valentine’s Day).

If I were to nitpick, one aspect that I don’t like of this game is that the cinematics did not receive a proper remaster and feel somewhat out of place when using the updated graphics.

If you are a newcomer, a returning player or transitioning from the newer entries, you will likely struggle with the controls.
Keep an open mind and try to learn how to use the tank controls, in 1-2 hours you will be an expert (trust me, I was struggling too: If I could nail them, anyone can).

You can play with modern controls, but in my opinion, they are way harder and not worth learning. Instead, during that time invested, you could become proficient with tank controls (>ᴗ•)

Do you think that it’s not worth it to learn? Mastering them can unlock a treasure trove of classic games like Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, Silent Hill and many more. Also, you will get the satisfaction of beating the game like a real OG. Are you a worse player than someone from ancient times? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gameplay-wise, it’s fantastic! It retains the controls from the originals while implementing many improvements (like adding the jump roll in Tomb Raider 1). I have not played these games since I was a fetid child, so experiencing them again feels like a breath of fresh air. Also, you can toggle back to the older graphics for an extra dose of nostalgia.

The games are not easy; they are not just a simple platform games. Everything is a puzzle, even the jumps. So take your time to calculate your next step and good luck! If it’s your first time, using a guide will ruin part of the experience but it’s ok, I recommend using Stella’s Tomb Raider guides, if you are stuck in some place.

Furthermore, the game includes all the expansions (which I have never played before) and a lot of achievements that will provide ample challenges to keep you hooked.

This remaster was developed by Aspyr and Saber (not Crystal Dynamics), and the Saber team hired numerous Tomb Raider Classic community modders (such as the Open Lara developer) to work on this game.
Basically, this game was made by fans for fans. Also, though I am not entirely sure, it seems like the game was developed using the original source code.

There has been some controversy surrounding a woke warning added by Crystal Dynamics, disrespecting the original developers of the game. My advice? Simply ignore that warning and play the game. After all, this remaster was not even developed by Crystal Dynamics. The only thing they did was putting that warning in the game!

The best way to counter such a warning? PURCHASE THIS GAME AND SHOW LOVE TO THE CLASSIC LARA.

Also, many people are complaining because apparently Epic Games (which only has 2 customers X’D) received “an improved” (which is actually a debug) version at release. Please, ignore them; the game is receiving constant updates, people love to cry about everything!

PS. There is also a polemic about censoring a nipple in Pierre’s Jacket ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My apologies for the overwhelming wall-text. I have segmented the review, so you can read only what you want.

Note that my experience with the Yakuza series is limited to Yakuza 7 because I’m a JRPG enthusiast, but if you are a fan of the Yakuza series, I am sure that you will greatly enjoy the game.

After completing the game with all the achievements, I can confidently say that it is not a bad game. However, there are numerous areas where I feel like it could improve.

It is important to consider that this is my opinion, though it is worth mentioning that Famitsu awarded it a perfect score of 40/40, deeming it a FLAWLESS game.

In general, the story is a flat ok, but by no means is it up to the level of Yakuza 7:

The story starts slow… very slow… So take a deep breath and keep playing.

Also Ichiban’s story is chaotic. As you progress, your interest wanes. You will meet interesting characters like Yamai, and you will also witness some great scenes and twists. But, you will soon realize that the main objective loses coherence, with too many elements thrown into the mix.

Early on, the narrative emphasizes the language barrier (Ichiban’s inability to speak English in Hawaii). For unknown reasons, as the game progresses, everyone in Hawaii magically learns Japanese ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Initially, this doesn’t appear like an issue, but it shattered the immersion for me. It could have been easily fixed with anything, such as implanting a language chip in Ichiban’s head that automatically translates English to Japanese…

The combat system has undergone significant improvement and is vastly superior to that of Yakuza 7.

While in most encounters (even on the highest difficulty settings), you may find yourself spamming AoE abilities, you will also enjoy visually stunning combos with your friends.

Additionally, there is a wide variety of new jobs available for your characters, and you can transfer skills from your other jobs to your main one (although you are restricted by a limited number of slots). This feature is particularly appealing as it allows for extensive character customization.

The mini-games are extremely fun:

Among the most noteworthy are the game’s unique take on Animal Crossing (which, personally, I’m not a fan of that genre…) and the Pokémon-style battles (surprisingly entertaining, lol). If only the game included Yakuza 7’s Dragon Kart, it would be flawless…

Furthermore, there is a wide array of mini-games to discover, including a Dating App!

As you explore, you will find enemies with a crown above their heads, indicating that they are mini-bosses. This feature significantly enhances the allure of exploration, as the rewards you usually receive are great.

Besides that, the game introduces several mechanics, that will keep you engrossed for hours. No complaints, the exploration in this game is brilliant.

The post-game content of Yakuza 7 is far superior:

As you know, the base game lacks from post-game content (although it includes Premium Adventure), which is gated behind a DLC Paywall ($EGA?).

Unfortunately, the DLC doesn’t offer much, merely introducing a new, unexciting, and uninspired dungeon (which is essentially a duplicate of the free one) and the option to engage in New Game+.

Is it worth it? Well, if you have come this far and you like the game, yes. Otherwise, you are not missing out too much. However, if you are aiming for the 100% of the achievements, the DLC is necessary…

As mentioned, this feature is locked behind a DLC paywall, but it’s important to understand what carries over from the Normal mode to New Game+. Because it screwed me so hard T_T

Anything outside this list is reset!

• Character/Job Levels
  
• Items/Equipment/Money
  
• Traits/Bonds
  
• Minigame Progress/Currency
  
• Sujimon Team/Levels (but the story progress is reset!)
  
• Dondoko Items and Money (but the island is reset!)

Also, be aware that if you complete New Game+ in Legendary difficulty, you won’t unlock the Hard achievement simultaneously! You will need to save your game before the final boss, then reload it and lower the difficulty to beat the final boss again and obtain the achievement. Alternatively, you can complete the game for a third time… lol

It is a solid game, but the price is extremely high for a game that is not even full (since you are “forced” to buy the DLC if you want to enjoy everything). If you can get it on sale, it is totally worth.

In my opinion: While it excels in certain aspects, it also disappoints in others, ultimately leaving it somewhat uneven compared to Yakuza 7.

Somehow I managed to play Portal for the first time in 2024 avoiding spoilers since its release.

The sterile yet captivating environments, coupled with GLaDOS’s sarcastic commentary, created an unforgettable experience. Despite its age, Portal is a timeless classic with enduring appeal, captivating new players even years after its initial release.

Still shocked because the song ‘Still Alive’, despite never having heard it before, evoked an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

Para mí, es una obra maestra de Shu Takumi, donde la trama se erige como el componente más importante del juego.
Si eres la típica persona que suele saltarse los diálogos, este juego no te va a gustar, ya que los puzles sirven como mero vehículo para la narrativa, la cual está habilidosamente muy bien entrelazada.

Pese a que es una remasterización de la versión de Nintendo DS, Capcom ha sabido abordar muy bien el problema de la doble pantalla y pantalla táctil. Ha quedado un juego impoluto y sin ningún problema en la jugabilidad. Además, el juego no ha envejecido nada mal.

Guardo especial cariño a este juego, porque siempre fue uno de mis favoritos de Nintendo DS, pero si quisiera sacarle pegas, serían las siguientes:

⟡ El DLC no sirve para absolutamente nada: Contiene 4 imágenes y 2 músicas.
⟡ Falta contenido extra real: Están los puzles fantasma, pero no es suficiente… son puzles 5x5 típicos…
⟡ Precio elevado: Quizás esto depende del bolsillo de cada persona, pero a mí me parece un juego caro.

Con estos puntos, puedes fácilmente concluir que, si has jugado recientemente a la versión de Nintendo DS, no tiene mucho sentido jugar a esta, ya que no aporta nada nuevo, solo ofrece mejores gráficos y banda sonora.

Te recomiendo este juego si disfrutas resolviendo puzles y te encantan las historias paranormales, de detectives y ciencia ficción. Si adoras a los pomerania, es un plus. Aunque a mí siempre me dieron asco, salvo Missile, a quien rindo devoción.

Por lo que, si está en oferta, nunca lo has jugado y te gusta todo lo que ya he comentado: cómpralo sin dudar.

A perfect game if you enjoy exploring, scavenging, annihilating zombies, farming, crafting, and building stuff. It has infinite replayability thanks to the vast amount of mods provided by the community.

The price has recently increased disproportionately under the pretext of leaving Early Access. If you manage to get it at a good price, it's definitely worth it