Recent reviews by Cyclops

This sequel is a massive improvement on an already nearly perfect game. Rebirth is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

THE GOOD:

-First thing you'll notice after playing the original is the updated graphical style, which are a vast improvement. It's now become hard for me to believe that I used to think that the original Isaac graphics were so great when they pale in comparison to Rebirth's.
-The new enemies, bosses, floors, characters, and items are all extremely unique, and add so much to this game. The amount of content in this game just feels never ending, not to mention what comes with Afterbirth and Afterbirth+.
-Many of the new synergies and transformations add so much to this game. The strategy you use totally changes depending on which character you pick, which items & devil/angel deals you take, and other various factors from each room.
-Rebirth runs so much smoother than the original. Trust me, it definitely shows.
-There are many smaller quality of life features, such as trinkets, runes, seeds, and game modes that make this game so much more expansive.

THE BAD:
-I struggle to find anything I'd complain about, but if I had to choose something, it'd likely be the curses. (Most of which are originally from the Wrath of the Lamb DLC from the original Isaac.) I still don't feel like the curses really add much to this game in the way of challenge. They often end up feeling more like a minor unnecessary hindrance than anything.

The Binding of Isaac at its' core will always be a classic indie game. But if you're completely new to the franchise, definitely pick up Rebirth instead. Rebirth feels like it was everything that the original game was meant to be. This game is great for a good challenge in a slight bullet hell environment. It's also great for a casual player just trying to kill some time. This game isn't hard for most computers to run. Seriously, I mostly play it on my Macbook.

Rebirth is endlessly replayable. But more than that, it's become one of my all time favorite games. I'd recommend it 1,000,000 times over to pretty much anyone.

10/10

There's a huge difference between a challenging game and one that's just poorly made, and this game shows that perfectly. There isn't a tutorial or any explanation on anything in this game. No story, lore, explanation of the different types of infected enemies in the game. Nothing. You spawn and start off with your ammo being half full, and then you're expected to use their god awful in game computer system to locate items. The enemies are near invincible, save for a fully charged melee attack. (Good luck charging that up though! ;) )

This game was clearly intended to be played with a full party of 4 people. Perhaps I'd've had a better experience if I knew 2 other people who had this game. The sound design, level design, and the enemies are all interesting. (So much so that those were the reason I bought the game in the first place.) So I'd like to say that there's some potential for this game in the future, but based on the very little content there is in this game, I don't think I can. I understand that this game is in early access, but this game is ultimately worth nowhere near the $28 that I paid for it, let alone the usual full price of $35.

2/10

Vermintide 2 is a decent co-op game with a moderate level of replay value. However, this is really marred by the fact that the devs really only seem to care about publishing meaningless/pointless DLC rather than delivering on promises made on release. The devs also cannot seem to take any criticism at all, which is evidenced by how they've handled backlash to their shortcomings on /r/Vermintide. Many bugs that have been a problem since release are still a problem several months on. Also, game breaking bugs that were previously fixed (such as when a ratling gunner spawns behind a wall, but is still able to shoot you in hunger in the dark) are now once again an issue.

So in short, Vermintide 2 is a good game to pick up to play mostly in the backround with friends. But don't pick this game up expecting any frequent updates from the devs, who really haven't shown much care at all towards the community.

4/10

One of the most overhyped & unenjoyable games I've ever had the misfortune to have purchased. I struggle to find even one positive aspect about this game. My experience with this game & its' community has been as follows: absolutely unbearable.

Save yourself the $15. You won't have fun playing this, despite what you've heard or been told. Even purchasing $15 worth of shovelware is a better use of your wallet funds than this tumor of a "game."

(inb4gitgud)

0/10

Super meat boy is a beloved platformer that isn't for everyone.

THE GOOD:

-World 1 is challenging, yet mostly fun.
-The feature which shows a ghost for each time you've attempted & died in the level is a nice touch.

THE BAD:

-World 2 is absolutely dreadful. I've been stuck in it for a majority of my ~4 in-game time. In that amount of time, any aspect of fun was totally sucked out of this game, and it just became totally infuriating to the point where I simply gave up.
-It's essentially required to play with a controller in this. While I typically use controllers for games anyway, this just seemed more than a little restrictive.
-The design is a bit dull, even for an indie game. "Meat boy" is now an iconic character, but the overall design of this game is just a bit lackluster.

Super Meat Boy just doesn't do it for me. It's somewhat tolerable in short bursts as a time killer, but even then, I find myself more drawn to Binding of Isaac. I'm well aware that this is marketed as a hard game, but it just really is far more infuriating than entertaining. This game is not at all worth the $15 to me. I've had the game for years after getting it on sale for less than $5, but even for that price point, I couldn't reccommend this game. There's just so many better and overall more enjoyable platformers on the market than SMB.

3/10

Cuphead is a blast from the past, delivering as one of the best games in 2017.

THE GOOD:

-This game is stunningly beautiful. I can't even stress enough how amazing the artwork in this game is. It's honestly even more incredible when you realize that each frame was drawn by hand.
-The score of this game is just as amazing as the artwork. Each piece of music was originally composed for this game.
-There is a vast array of weapons in this game.
-Many of the boss fights and run & gun levels are just flat-out fun as hell, specifically King Dice. I find myself enjoying the gimmicks of a lot of the different levels in this game.
-There are plenty of hidden shortcuts, miniature Easter eggs, and coins placed throughout the 4 worlds.

THE BAD:

-This game is EXTREMELY difficult, and I think that's been stressed enough in these reviews. But to put it simply, a few of the bosses in this game are overly difficult and unfair. (Take for instance Grim Matchstick, or his final form specifically. Or even Beppi the Clown.)
-I found parrying to be a bit dreadful at times. Given that you have a very small time window to execute a parry, it's very easy to get damaged and be forced to redo an entire level because of a jump made too early, or a parry attempted to early.

Overall, if you know what you're getting into (as far as difficulty goes), Cuphead is a very enjoyable game that is absolutely worth the $20 pricetag. The retry button will be your 2nd best friend after Mugman, and be prepared to smash your head into the keyboard many a times in this experience.

9/10

This game is hard, and could definitely be the hardest game I've ever played. But this game is very, VERY rewarding and satisfying. Dying is an integral part of this game. Dark Souls 3 is definitely the front runner for game of the year this year for me.


✪PROS:✪

+The combat in this game is easy to get the hang of, even for new players.

+The enemies in this game are very diverse.

+This game ALWAYS keeps you at the edge of your seat. Enemies can (AND WILL!) pop up around every corner.

+The design of the characters in this game is simply phenomenal. I find myself dying sometimes simply because I'm admiring how stunning, intimidating, or even grotesque some of the enemies/characters are.

+The design of the world in this game always stays ominous & dreary, yet remains visually stunning.

+Upgrading armor was removed in this game. This change I definitely welcomed with open arms, as there is such a wide array of armor in this game. I also found upgrading armor to be a bit daunting in DS2 in the little time I played it.

+There is a wide array of weapons in this game. Swords, fireballs, magic, crossbows. You name it, it's probably in here.

+The voice acting in this game is simply well done.


✪CONS:✪

-This game can be extremely frustrating and difficult. While many (including myself) enjoy a good challenge, there are plenty of bosses, mini-bosses, and regular enemies in this game that just seem to be overly hard. (inb4GITGUD!)

-The AI in this game can be a bit lacking. Enemies frequently get stuck below staircases or on terrain. You can actually use this to your advantage sometimes, but I find this to be an extreme annoyance. This issue has even caused me a great deal of headache in many cases. For example, an enemy may fall down a hole because they're charging in a straight line at you, and as a result, you will now have to fight an extra enemy in an already difficult floor.

-Enemy attacks can hit you through walls & other obstacles.

-Co-op, from what I've seen and from the little I've played, is an absolute mess.


Buyer beware, you are in for a very, VERY difficult game. If that's not what you're looking for, definitely buy the Witcher 3 instead, which is an incredible game in its' own right. If you are looking for that difficult & daunting game, however, definitely pick this one up. Dark souls is an experience, and shines through its' few shortcomings.

9.5/10

One of the most replayable games ever. Period. If you like side scrollers, then this game is for you. If you like indie games, then this game is for you. If you're looking for an easy to pick up game to kill time, this game is also for you. This indie classic does justice by paying homage to games like the original Legend of Zelda, games which it takes direct influence from. The enemies are unsettling, yet still intriguing. The multitude of powerups and the randomized floors make every single experience with this game different.

9/10

What you see is what you get. If you've ever played RTC on any platform, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find this as an unabridged version of that game. With that being said, I find this to be one of the most essential and iconic video games ever created. Chris Sawyer delivered upon us a true masterpiece with this endlessly replayable tycoon game. In my entire life, I've probably logged over 1,000 hours into this game. Graphically, a small minority of first time players may call this "dated" or "old.' That small minority of players would instantly be shut down by anyone, as even though this game was released in the 90's, one could definitely still see that these visuals have stood the test of time. The replay value on this is literally endless. Once you complete every scenario in the game (which is an achievement in its' own right), you can create your own scenarios! You can also create a hyper realistic park, or even a death trap park to sadistically kill your guests & employees, if you're so inclined.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be up at 2:37 AM perfecting the scenery around your custom roller coaster to get even a slightly higher excitement rating on your ride. If I could reccomend only one game to someone, on a budget or otherwise, it would definitely be this one. For $5.99, you simply cannot get any more replay value out of any game ever, hands down. This is a true classic. If video games are to be considered art, then this game would be on display at the virtual Louvre.

10/10

This game is certainly an improvement upon SFIV, which is saying a lot for me, as my favorite character is not included in this game. (Abel... ;_;)

I thoroughly enjoy the critical arts and fighting mechanics of this installment. While many hardcore players (which I would not define myself as, so take my opinion for what you will) would write off this game due to the increased skill gap, I think this is a very good thing for casual players. The entire reason why fighting games haven't had the largest market (compared to that of FPS) is because of the sheer difficulty & complexity involved in executing a good combo. With SFV, it's rather obvious that Capcom is trying to make Street Fighter more accessible, and it really shows. At the same time, I think there is plenty of skill still involved in Street Fighter.

Moving on from the technical point of this game, the roster in this game is comparatively small compared to that of SFIV right now. They are progressively adding more DLC characters, and at the time of writing this, there are 27 playable characters with Menat being the newest. But if you are to buy this game now after playing SFIV, this will be an immediate issue you notice. With the characters that ARE currently in the game, they play great! The range and diversity of moves is large. Many returning characters have stayed true to their original abilities (with the exception of Juri...), and many new characters bring plenty of new styles to the table, specifically Laura.

From a graphical & design standpoint, it should pretty much go without saying that SFV is the best installment. The level design is crisp, and the characters each have a great design. Abigail, a new character, would probably be an exception to this statement for many players, and I can definitely see why. He is by far the biggest character in the game, towering at 8'0 according to the wiki! He is a behemoth the likes of which we've never seen. I don't think he's completely irredeemable as far as design, but that's completely subjective. Visually, this game is just beautiful.

As far as the story mode goes, this game is definitely lacking. Of course, I doubt anyone really came to a Street Fighter game hoping for a riveting story mode, but it is just so cheesey and even cringeworthy at some points. The dialogue is just so corny for many characters, and the setting jumps from country to country for no other reason than so they can change up the background for every one of 3-5 fights in a specific character's story mode. If you're looking for the arcade mode many people loved in the other Street Fighter games, at the time of this review, it just isn't in this game yet. Survival mode is in the game, and it is largely very entertaining, as it progressively gets more and more difficult as the stages go on. But it will likely be a few months before arcade mode is implemented.

In short, if you are looking for a very technical, complex, and skill-oriented Street Fighter, SFV may not be for you. If you're a new player, and you're looking for something more accessible and easy to pick up, SFV is definitely what you'd want.

8/10