Ostatnie recenzje napisane przez użytkownika Seeks

tl;dr, it's like Simon's Quest with modern sensibilities, but an authentic game feel for Classicvania's style. Including being married to your jump arcs. And it's not just a carbon copy of Castlevania 2 with the serial numbers filed off, much like the free Classic Mode was with the OG Castlevania.

In other worlds? It's the quality, gameplay and challenge you'd expect from Curse of the Moon 1 & 2. Mostly. At the time of my writing this, the game could seriously use a bugfix patch. I didn't encounter anything game-breaking, but I do sincerely hope that this final update to Bloodstained: RotN won't be literally the final update.

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one. Given what happened in the main story with Dominique, I thought I was going to hate her guts and hate playing an edgelord villain like her. As an unexpected gift from a friend, I decided to boot it up anyway and... I had way more fun than I'd expected. Like the rest of Bloodstained, you can feel the core of its inspirations as a spiritual successor to Castlevania, and yet it stands on its own as something unique. Dominique's Curse is a fair challenge in my mind, but don't expect it to be a breeze either. And if you know bits and pieces about Simon's Quest, that knowledge may still prove useful here, too.

Innovations? Of course. You can carry up to three of various consumable items to use from the pause menu: HP, MP, turning the clock to day or night (or Limbo's equivalent), better drops temporarily, and more. Even then, three of each item is a soft cap; if you find one of those items as treasure and have a full stock, picking them up lets you temporarily break the limit of three per item. You just can't buy any more of them till you dip below 3+ of that item.

Classic subweapons from Castlevania return, as well as a few new moves. Being able to backtrack is necessary, but having Waystones makes this much easier. Any and all hints you get from NPCs will also be recorded in a pause menu journal of sorts, and most of their advice is actually useful. Though, considering all the NPCs are demons who will totally try to kill you during "nighttime", it's wise not to trust certain advice at face value. Trust me, you'll know.

Death is a lot more forgiving here, too -- losing a life returns Dominique to the last door she'd been to in a dungeon, and a Game Over only cuts her coinage in half. Even better, a secondary currency are Remains, which can be exchanged for Gold with specific NPCs. Remains are commonly dropped from enemies, and there is no way to lose them unless you exchange them for money. This adds a sense of security that you don't have with the Hearts of Simon's Quest, even when some merchants will only deal in Remains.

Even as someone who sucks at Classicvanias, I never felt that frustrated with this DLC adventure. It's entirely possible to play it blind, and I recommend you do. I only got stuck at one point in the late game, though by now there are resources like YouTube playthroughs and the Bloodstained subreddit to gain advice. The final dungeon is ruthless, though if you get that far, I implore you to hold onto your items as best you can till the final fight.

If you're willing to give this side-story a shot, perhaps you may lead Dominique to get something much more than the revenge she seeks.

Fun little game that emulates the feel of an adventure game well, for better or for worse. Stats are simple, room descriptions are succinct yet evocative. There's a few nitpicks, but overall an enjoyable time. Fights are a bit RNG-reliant. Being able to quick-jump to certain areas is a godsend feature, and getting new weapons and armor pieces helps improve your odds.

The ending seems... underwhelming though, as if I got a bad ending in an Igavania game. Feels as if it may keep things ambiguous, perhaps for a sequel.

Tell me if you've heard this story before. Big megadungeon castle filled to the brim with monsters and demons arises. A lone monster hunter with superhuman and supernatural powers, with a wide array of weapons and spells at their disposal, goes forth to fight the lord of said castle alone. They'll have to uncover the secrets of who's really in control of the castle and its devilish plot along the way. Until then, they'll have to find different ways to navigate the stronghold, returning to older areas to progress in ways they hadn't been able to before.

If you're a fan and veteran of the Castlevania series, especially the so-called "Igavania" platformer-RPG entries, this concept should sound familiar. Thanks to the marvelous team lead under Igarashi himself, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night does more than merely give us a new Igavania with the serial numbers filed off.

In the base game you'll guide Miriam, a guinea pig of the Alchemist's Guild during the days of the Industrial Revolution, fresh out of a ten-year stasis from an unholy ritual that should have killed her. The only other survivor of the Guild's diabolist ritual and her old friend, Gebel, seems to have declared himself keeper of the castle and set forth fiends to take revenge against the world. But during the first time Gebel reveals himself as the villain, something is... amiss about the encounter. And to skirt around spoilers as much as I can: the foreshadowing for the true master of the Hellhold is a pleasant surprise to realize for repeat playthroughs, I'll say that much...

As one plays, they'll find bits and pieces of the Castlevania games Koji Igarashi led, all woven together into something new and amazing. The classic 2D platformer-RPG gameplay is there. The classic animation cancel exploit is here, and even hinted at in one of the loading screen tips.

Emulating the Souls system from Aria and Dawn of Sorrow are Shards, fragments of the demons' power that grant spells and passive powers for Miriam to equip. Much like Symphony of the Night, some of those Shards grant Miriam a familiar who can assist her when equipped, even leveling up. Much like in Curse of Darkness, you're able to transmute together different bits of loot from enemies to make most of your equipment. Let alone cook up food that heals, and also grant permanent stat boosts the first time you eat a specific dish.

Like in Order of Ecclesia, there are sidequests to fulfill for the survivors of the town, just outside the Hellhold. Similar to Portrait of Ruin, specific weapons allow Miriam to use techniques by inputting fighting game button combos... and can be mastered, allowing her to wield them with weapons of a similar type. Speaking of OoE, it's not hard to see Miriam as an evolution of Shanoa.

And a personal thrill of mine from the Igavania games -- harrowing fights against a Belmont -- returns with bouts of a reluctant frienemy, the Japanese Nipponese exorcist Zangetsu. And those are just some of the more clear references and concepts. There's more, but I'll leave you to discover them for yourself. :)

A wide range of weapons exist and feel just right for the game's style. Laterally-swung swords and maces; mighty greatswords and battleaxes swung overhead; quickly-jabbed daggers and rapiers; spears and other polearms to thrust forward.

Whips make a comeback too, but have a new circular "cracking" arc to them. Katanas also return and, while not wielded in an iaijutsu draw-cut like Soma might've done, are still swung upward in a similar fashion. Two new weapon types also help complete the arsenal. Shoes and boots replace punching weapons, and their damage boosts stack with slides (and potentially falling kicks too, but am unsure). Firearms (this *does* take place in the 1700s) are totally new and pack a serious punch, but require a wide range of diverse ammunition to shoot them.

If you think the fun stops with the main quest, you'd be quite wrong. Over the years since the release of Ritual of the Night, the dev team has been putting out update after update of new features. Only now, as of May 2024, are the last of these free additions coming forth in the near future. Ever happy to honor fellow indies, Iga's included references to other games -- Shovel Knight, Child of Light and recently Shantae come to mind. Zangetsu Mode lets you rush through and kick demon hide with the same quasi-open-world thrill of Belmont Modes before it -- Richter (with or without Maria), Julius and Trevor would be proud. As with the Child of Light crossover, an alt mode starring the protagonist Aurora is also available.

There's a Classic Mode done up in a Classicvania way, a challenging side-scroller like Rondo of Blood and all Castlevanias before it... maybe emulating the stages too well at times, but I'm all for it. There's a randomizer and a speedrun mode each, because those are some modern fun. A "Boss Revenge" mode lets you play as some of the most notorious demonic bosses from the castle, pitting their skillsets against the heroes.

Recently a Versus Mode has been added, pitting you against other players to see who survives the longest in an arena against an endless onslaught of monsters. But of course, messing with your opponent is key to survival. Chaos Mode is a favorite of mine that came with it -- whether by yourself or co-op, you'll fight through various challenges set in different rooms from the main game, sandwiched between boss fights, while trying to get upgraded equips and Shards to survive as long as you can.

Few bits of paid DLC exist, but all are optional fun. Iga's Back, originally a Kickstarter reward, unlocks a later-game boss fight against the madlad himself to obtain a very Castlevanian weapon. The gorgeous soundtrack, composed by none other than Iga's old 'Vania flame Michiru Yamane, is also available for sale. Cosmetic outfit packs come with new equipment that can be upgraded via Transmuting to scale with different points in the game, and even have a Shard and a weapon or two to go with it. Shantae's pack, much to my joy, is a free update.

Lastly, while the final update will be a paid DLC, it's one I'm very interested in. Classic Mode 2: Dominique's Curse, is an expanded side-story adventure that is canon to the main story. And I mention canon because, as a Kickstarter stretch goal with a sequel after RotN was released, there is another Bloodstained game that seems to be within its own canon: Curse of the Moon. This one imitates the style of the Classicvanias, complete with 8-bit graphics and chiptune music... but that's a review for another game.

As in-depth as my review is, there are also plenty more secrets to be found. ;)

All in all? I adore this game. It absolutely scratches an Igavania itch left after Konami all but retired the Castlevania series. We'd seen the flop that happened with a certain other NES classic's spiritual successor, also by its director. Even then, I'm hoping the unnamed dev is able to make his idea work after all, and perhaps fittingly so -- the sequel to his original game with Capcom, after all, is legendary.

Still waiting for your turn, Kojima.

Igarashi and his team, however, are not that sort. They've proven, again and again, that a jilted developer kicked out of his role and whose game series was all but killed off, can make something amazing. The sheer devotion of all involved with Ritual of the Night goes above and beyond the call of duty. And without the fans, whether having backed the game on Kickstarter, adding their own touches to the experience with builder rewards, or purchasing and adoring the game after the fact? All of this wouldn't have been possible.

The elements of the inspiring game series I love, combined with new innovations and the dev team's astounding labor of love, all make the perfect formula for something much greater than the sum of its parts.

As a preteen of the 00s with the rosiest of tinted glasses, I seriously adored this. In some ways this reminds me of the kinds of people I left behind after I graduated high school, for better or for worse. Regardless, the game managed to capture the vibe of those days well, while also telling a story that tugs the heart strings. Simple but effective puzzles that require some thought to figure out, but will make you feel clever when they click. Let alone a pretty nice horror vibe.

Short but sweet, the dev did a really great job with the presentation. My only qualm is having to Alt + F4 to leave the game, or alt-tab and close it that way.

Also? The first achievement is totally the kind I'd put into a game. I approve. :p

Wacky stick figure RPG that lampoons Old West TTRPGs like Boot Hill, Deadlands, and so on. Let alone other spaghetti western tropes and more. What more is there to say that hasn't been said already? I didn't stick with the devs' browser game, Kingdom of Loathing for long, but this game was up my alley. I really dug into it.

The combat isn't particularly challenging till the very late game, but that's not the point. The point is hilarious dialogue (including fourth wall breaking with the "Game Master"), silly scenarios that will keep you guessing what you're up to next, and the occasional brain-busting puzzles. Plus, there's always unlocking the Hard Mode early on, and self-imposed challenges. The main campaign's short and sweet enough that it doesn't feel like it overstays its welcome. The last chunk of the map feels a bit abrupt to rush you toward the ending, but there's nothing stopping you from continuing where you left off.

Other than a couple screenshots I posted, I don't want to spoil too much. My only bit of advice is to consider how to sequence-breaking the tutorial area, Boring Springs... but really, it's 100% optional if you do. Something you can enjoy on future playthroughs. All other quests in the West proper let you take your time, juggling them and seeing them to the finish at your leisure. Some of them are designed to return to later, depending on where you go and when. There's multiple ways to solve a good number of the quests.

The fun is seeing the game in action. If this seems like something that interests you, I highly implore you not to reveal too much of the content for yourself. Maybe just enough to see if the game's sense of humor is to your liking. Otherwise... saddle up, pardner, you're in for a good time.

...also Doc Alice is the best pardner, don't @ me

It's a fun game, and a good entry point for newbies to the Wizardry series. Not perfect, but a 7 / 10 and pretty laid back to chip away at. It gets kinda zen to delve down and explore or grind.

Gameplay is the essential Wizardry experience. Make a party of six, enter the dungeon, grind a little bit to be competent. Go in and explore, killing monsters and claiming loot, deciding when to turn back (or doing so if a character gets taken down). Return to town, rest and recover, then go back to the dungeons to explore and slay s'more.

All the best items are found by exploring and as monster drops; after a certain point, those pricey items at the shop will become purchasable, only to be resold back once you find duplicates, or items that outclass them. There is a certain rush of endorphins when you identify a cool new weapon or armor that gives your characters the boost they need. There's a little story here and there, but nothing special. Just set dressing to give you a reason to dungeon crawl. All in all, it's the quissential dungeon crawling blobber experience.

Labyrinth of Lost Souls (LoLS, if you will) does some stuff to stand out compared to the classics, however. You can tithe excess gold at the church to get XP on a 1:1 ratio, kinda like old-school D&D. Useful to aid grinding, or help a recently-revived character get back up to speed. Either way, a good use for gold that would otherwise do nothing. There are item trades that show up now and again at the tavern, as well as some sidequests to do there. The inn also holds a bestiary to peek at monster stats, art and lore. and also item collection records.

You'll also notice that each of the ten characters (male and female each for the five races) also act as their own save file each. These heroes each have their own specific quest in the game, and IIRC items in the shop can be bought and stocked across these heroes' journeys. Be warned that if your main character is permakilled for any reason, it's game over.

That said, LoLS is surprisingly forgiving for a Wizardry game because it doesn't auto-save. This means that if reviving a character fails and they'd be gone for good, you can reload your save. Just don't forget to save periodically from the pause menu, and be warned that each hero can only have one version of their save file at once. There's no saving in multiple slots this way.

Now, some personal gripes. The dungeons are pretty basic compared to others in the series, or with other spinoffs. No real puzzles, other than finding switches to open gated rooms. Mages' spell lists feel a little too Final Fantasy Black Mage -- that is, mostly elemental spells and that status ailment spells are pointless. Classic Wizardry gave the mages more varied spells. Likewise, priest spells are also mostly pointless tiers heals, and the first half of their light-elemental damaging spells are utterly pathetic.

If you encounter a treasure chest in the dungeon that isn't a monster drop? Be prepared to run into the same lame pairs of shoes and torches. The optional sidequests are very RNG-based, having to do with drops from specific enemies (albeit, more than one enemy can drop the needed items). Those optional ones are mostly for extra gold though, so they aren't urgent. The dungeons themselves don't have puzzles or riddles to speak of, either. Pretty barebones, though the later levels in the Dungeon of Trials start to feel like a proper maze. Shiin's Dungeon is fairly challenging and labyrinthine from the get-go.

I also cannot stand the Japanese voice acting, particularly the female voices. The screams and shrieks of running into shock floors, shock walls, bumping into walls or getting hit in battle make me want to claw my eardrums out. I always turn Voice Volume down to 0% in the menu immediately.

Lastly, the game has something of a W-shaped difficulty curve. Most blobbers start out hard, forcing you to grind for a little while before things get easy. Around the middle floors of the Dungeon of Trials, things get stupidly easy before long. Once you get to the later floors there, the challenge returns. Shiin's Dungeon is usually one you chip away at, and is tied to the plot. It's one you venture to after getting your feet wet in the Dungeon of Trials first. And unless you have a death wish, avoid the Deeper Levels until you're in late-to-postgame content. Those levels were a DLC expansion that are included for free in the PC version.

Oh yeah, you also get five "growth fruits" as free DLC as well, built into this version. They give a stupidly good boost of stats when creating a character. Once each fruit is used up though, it's gone for good and cannot be restored.

All in all? Like I said, it's not perfect, but is a good starting game for the fledgling Wizardry fan. A pretty fun labyrinth to get lost in.

This remake reminds me of why I first loved JRPGs in the first place. It's also the first time I beat FF5.

The sheer amount of character customization is top-notch, even compared to other Final Fantasies where you pick your classes. The story is lighthearted and fun, and there are plenty of creative and interesting mechanics in both random battles and boss fights. The game script is very similar to the GBA release of Final Fantasy 5. And of course, the remastered songs are still amazing, like in the rest of the FF Pixel Remasters.

Final Fantasy 5 is also the game where a few series staples debuted. Time Magic and Blue Magic are rather potent here, and the Chemist's ability to mix two items is lowkey powerful. Let alone the debut of classes such as the Samurai, Bard and Dancer. Git gud and grind enough, and you may be able to master the Red Mage's Dualcast (also debuting here) and the Ninja's Dual Wield. It's entirely possible to break the game's difficulty over one's knee, with enough devotion and the right combinations... which is also why not one, but two superbosses can also be found in the final dungeon.

Those who have played FF5 Advance on the GBA, or the now-defunct mobile port, may be disappointed to know the added content and four bonus classes aren't here. This is standard for the Pixel Remasters beyond FF1 PR -- they're a more purist experience in terms of content. Other than some minor quality of life tweaks, nothing changed a whole lot in this one.

But that's not a problem for me, because the original FF5 is where the series first got really, really good. It's hard to polish up perfection, right? ;)

My gifted word is Proud.

Dang, a few of these questions made me second-guess myself. One of the ones where you pick "would you rather" dang near tore my heart out. I don't know how Randumb Studios keeps pulling these off. Stick around after your gifted word is presented for a post-game scene, too. ;)

I want to love this game, and for much of it I do. It's probably one of the best Digimon RPGs I've played. Still, I cannot quite recommend Cyber Sleuth to everyone. For many of the good things the game does, it feels like it has something flawed about it. Regardless, if one is willing to fight through, there is a whole lot in this game that's worth the trouble.

Maybe the other game in this pack, Hacker's Memory, alleviates some of the problems I will present? For now, I need a break from the experience. Once again, bear in mind that these apply to specifically Cyber Sleuth, not the sequel Hacker's Memory. I haven't gotten to HM yet, but both games are full-length JRPGs that will likely take 60+ hours each. If and when I clear Hacker's Memory, I may update this review.

THE PROS
+ Tells a more mature and heartfelt Digimon story (no pun intended) reflecting modern technology, its good and bad sides. Its tone is similar to Digimon Tamers, if you've seen the anime. The first half of the game mostly revolves around episodic side quests, while painting the picture of the heroes' mysterious predicaments. By the second half when the "sludge" hits the fan, I was invested from the slice-of-life adventures and wanted to see the heroes succeed.

+ A wide range of recruitable Digimon, including many fan favorites. It's fairly easy to get the team you want with enough time, and you're... mostly able to play with your favorites and do well. Mostly. We'll get to the fine print soon enough.

+ Being able to have more than the three "active" Digimon, and that a defeated active party is immediately swapped out for any backups and the fight continues. I prefer systems like these in JRPGs, where the whole party travels with you and the active team's defeat isn't an instant game over. Looking at you, Final Fantasy 10, where your backups just seem to pick up their Blitzball and go home when your current trio all get taken out.

+ Great soundtrack with various electronica tunes, with wide ranges of tones and emotions. Some of my top faves are the two main boss themes for much of the game: "Confront The Enemy" for standard Digimon boss battles, and "Something Eroding" against the digital entities known as Eaters. Other beloved tracks of mine include "Farewell", "Spiritual Boy" and "Wandering In A Mayohiga".

+ Character-driven storyline where you're bound to love the main characters. The main cast kinda grows on you, and subverts negative expectations. This is a huge plus for me, and what kept pulling me back into the game even when it frustrated me. The tsundere Nokia is a classic anime style one and a ditz, but not as obnoxious all the time as one might first worry. Arata comes off as an edgelord at first, but is secretly a pretty fun geek and has the skill to back up his mask of a cool and uncaring hacker. Kyoko is certainly the eccentric detective with mythical lore to spare, and isn't quite as she seems herself in a rather intriguing turn of events...

+ All DLC packs for both Cyber Sleuth and Hacker's Memory are built-in, and for free. Fun outfits can be bought and swapped between. :3 ...oh yeah, and chibi versions of the Royal Knights, which can be early-game ringers if you decide to use them. Or good Digifeed.

THE CONS
- ABI is a stupid mechanic. To access some of the most powerful Digimon at later stages, you'll need to devolve and re-evolve your Digimon. Which leads to grinding. Which can be a chore. The problem is that a lot of fan favorites are also locked behind a high ABI prerequisite, though not all are.

- As a friend of mine would put it, the game has a W-shaped difficulty curve. Early battles, even bosses, are laughably easy and a slog at early levels. Certain points of the game, usually unlocking Ultimate and Mega stage Digimon, will have the difficulty suddenly spike before it evens out. The late-to-endgame battles almost require a maxed-out level of 99 as a price of admission, though the game does have build-in grinding assistance available (look into PlatinumSukamon strategies if you need the boost).

- The translation can be really off at times. Grammar problems, incorrect pronoun use, dialogue choices that are actually just a paragraph of dialogue, and just plain weird translation errors. One of them is how Arata uses the term "Bakemon", referring to a specific ghost Digimon, to refer to Eaters; I suspect the writers meant calling Eaters phantoms, demons, yokai or ordinary monsters. It reminds me of classic JRPGs, in an odd way.

- WARNING TO THOSE PLAYING BLIND. Around the halfway point, a DLC side quest (purple pin) will be added to your whiteboard, titled "A Villainous Cinematic Case". Up till now, it seems a possible mission, though it has a high difficulty? How to handle it? Step one: DON'T. Not for a long while. You must be very high level to bust through the boss fight's brick walls of healing and damage. Even then, you practically need a Virus Digimon to wipe out the healer, or you'll never beat it.

THE "YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY" POINTS
~ The story can get convoluted at times. They do explain everything in due time, but that doesn't excuse some plot points being ah, "creative" at times.

~ Remember when I said Level 99 is a prerequisite for the endgame? It's natural to reach that in regular play. The battle mechanics seem to reward skill and luck over the avatar strength of high stats by then. This is a double-edged sword. It can work for SMT and Persona fans I'm sure, but it's not for everyone.

~ The game really, really acts like it wants you to always have a Data, Vaccine and Virus Digimon in your team at all times. Different hacker powers for traversal in dungeons requires different Digimon categories like these. After the halfway point, Virus in particular is needed for its own hacker power. And some of the most difficult battles in the game are just unwinnable unless you bring the right categories with you, because a maxed-out level will not save you.

~ The DigiFarm. Unless you really want to break grinding over your knee, and only if you know specifically how to get the EXP-boosting items, I didn't find this feature useful. When I play monster taming games like these, I usually solidify a team I want for the rest of the game before too long. On top of not using extras, the only other utility I found useful were Digimon-related sidequests that you can choose to have your farm Digis investigate and find. At least half of them are irritating, randomized fetch quests. Not worth it, personally.

~ Consumable items are nearly pointless for 2/3rds of the game. As Digimon heal to full HP and SP when they level up, they hardly seem necessary. When items do become useful, however, it becomes possible to do well without a dedicated healer Digimon. Medical Sprays and Revival Capsules (regular and DX) will become your friends by then.

Adorable, macabre, funny and sad all in one. The game's got plenty of surprises up its sleeve. I felt bad by the ending, but it's a bittersweet story and a great journey.

I don't wanna spoil things given the nature of this game, so I'll leave it at this. Give this buddy a chance.