Recent reviews by {~[TT]~} Epic

It seemed a sure thing that Team Cherry would surpass their previous work, which already stood at the top of its genre. We didn't really understand what that meant until it arrived: This game is a masterclass in all applicable fields. Its level design and platforming, its combat and movement, the world and story and art and music that frames it all; This won't be surpassed in the metroidvania space for a long, long time.

I'm leaving a positive review because this game is definitely good, and I don't think I'm even halfway done;
However,
The only reason I'm leaving a review before finishing the game in the first place is because I want an outlet for the only frustration I've had with it: It is possible for RNG to FULLY shut you down from making any progress for Literal Hours.
Multiple runs in a row that flounder and die because you try to route yourself away from what you've already built, only to have RNG fail to give you room layouts that go anywhere helpful, making you dead-end against a pre-existing room in the first four ranks.
Runs that you think you're about to make progress with, but, nope! That "finish line" you barely crossed was just step one, and you used all your resources to get there, so you're forced to start over.
Runs where the ONLY thing holding you back is a lack of ONE specific resource that the game seems to suddenly ABHOR giving you, so no matter how much head-bashing you do at the wall, the run is stymied and it's back to square one.

All that said, I am going to finish this game. I can try as many times as I need, so it won't ever be able to stop me, but having SEVERAL hours of my as-of-now meager playtime feel like a waste isn't something that should be ignored.

UPDATE: I've heard this game's equivalent track to Outer Wild's "Final Voyage" (iykyk) twice now. BOTH runs got screwed over by RNG, DNF, start back over. Go ♥♥♥♥ yourself

Update: I rolled credits on this game on Day 50. It took a lot of the sting out of the previous frustration at not being able to make it to that milestone, but it didn't negate it. Besides, there's still a heaping pile of puzzles to get through. And what's more? I have to go through the rigamaroll of getting to Room 46 AGAIN to actually see what's inside properly, because the first time cuts the run off after rolling credits. Even if it's only mildly annoying now, it's still back to square one...

This game is fantastic.
An advancement in the Godot Engine's capabilities allowed torcado to think "outside the box" to innovate on the twin-stick shooter, and the resulting twist on the genre adds an engaging depth to the game's gameplay loop. Moreover, its gimmick allows for bosses to bend or even break the newly-established rules of engagement, forcing you to think on your feet to survive.
A simple but stylized artstyle "frames" the action, allowing for clear visual readability while Keestak's smooth breakcore OST hones your focus.
A myriad of unlockables including characters, backgrounds, music, and alternate gamemodes keep things fresh as you shake up your playstyle and push for new achievements.
There's even Steam Workshop support, letting you mod the game however you wish!
Really, this game has it all. I didn't think it could get any cooler, and then it updated with a new character, enemy, and boss while I wasn't looking.
And it's only $5.

Review will be changed to positive when the bot crisis has been meaningfully addressed.

All 73 of my hours, at time of writing, were made prior to the announcement of Sony's post-launch interjection of a PSN account requirement for this game.
I'll keep my thoughts brief; I am not from a country that would have been impacted by PSN's limited availability, and as well I am no stranger to other games that require other accounts (~300hrs in Sea of Thieves), but I take issue with the corporate arrogance that presumes it can not only impose such a requirement well after the fact, but also for a "service" that they can't even bother to protect properly. I don't need a PSN account, so I'm not going to put myself at risk by making one.

That said, not but a couple hours ago, Sony made an announcement that they will not be imposing this requirement, due to the outpouring tide of negativity from the community. As such, I'm writing this positive review to reflect my support for the developers at Arrowhead as they continue supporting the game I have already thoroughly enjoyed. I'm doing my part.

I'll return to active play once the game is once again able to be purchased and played in countries outside PSN's availability. We dive together, or not at all.
Helldivers never die.

A fantastic successor to an already-engaging story-rich puzzle game, just a little heavy on the hardware.

• Building directly off the first game, a suite of newly-innovated 3D puzzle mechanics take the core gameplay to creative and complicated new heights.
• The thought and philosophy behind the now-series is even stronger as the story tackles the same core dichotomy, but ever more complex with a wealth of characters and perspectives in a new setting, both social and circumstantial.
• While the environments are GORGEOUS, with some truly imaginative and beautifully rendered locations as backdrop for the puzzles and philosophy, the game is FAR larger than its predecessor (~70gb unpacked vs the prior game's ~5gb) for all of the custom, high resolution environments and models, and QUITE taxing on my computer for exactly that reason.

If you're already a fan of what The Talos Principle had to offer, and you have faith in your setup to hold the weight of the world, it is ABSOLUTELY worth it.

the tension of the battlefield, where the the tide can turn in a fraction of a second...
hone your moves, read your opponent, and HUSTLE!!

Game's a little rough around the edges still (currently 1.0.0) but I'm certain there will be no lack of updates going forward.
The main valid complaints you can level against it are a lack of proper tutorialization and bugs in the prediction feature or replays, so beware; the negative reviews are a pit of scrubquotes. There's still things to be done even while on the receiving end of a combo, namely adjusting your DI to worm your way out, and a core tenet of this game is the mental battle the fighting game layman hasn't considered; Prediction of your opponent's moves, and the unpredictability of one's own moves, through misdirection and chaos.
Solid fighting game worth more than $5, for those who can appreciate the acquired taste of reduced fighting game essence.

I'm going to be honest. I don't think I'll forget this game for the rest of my life.
Go in blind. Keep a notepad nearby, and use it. Do it all yourself instead of just looking up the answers and it will give you some of the most revelatory and satisfying "A-ha" moments you'll ever have, on top of its tense combat, beautiful atmosphere, indie charm, and respectful nostalgia.
Even if it doesn't have the infinite replayability of Elden Ring. Even if it can't match the cinematic gravitas of God of War. Even if its world doesn't have the wide open sprawl of Horizon or Xenoblade. Game of the Year 2022.

I was kind of annoyed, at first, at the unskippable sequences the game puts you through at the beginning to teach you stuff and set everything up. But I played along to get to the gameplay.
I got a little greedy on my first real run and died instead of warping out, which would have been fine, but the game rubbed it in by giving me an achievement for dying with a full backpack.
Quit out of annoyance that night, 40 minutes in.
When I came back to it the next day, I erased my file to start over, to feel better about myself. Since I knew how everything worked, I skipped all the dialogue and set up my shop early (at the first opportunity), but upon returning from the dungeon, all the items I put up had gotten wiped because it was still in Tutorial Mode and had reset the shop, not thinking the player would change anything, even if it allowed you to.
Thoroughly annoyed at this game. I don't hate it, but I'm sending it to the bottom of the list.

Okay this review was originally a funny "From the ashes of depravity rises the phoenix of quality.", etc, etc.

However. Something rather unique happened to me completely coincidentally, and I had to come back here and comment on the time and care that obviously went into this project if one can stumble into hidden, custom dialogue like that, designed specifically to reach out and poke the very few people that will meet the requirements to see it.

The game was fantastic back in 2013 and they've only improved in every way.