Recent reviews by Yobi

Primero que todo, OneShot tiene un encanto indescriptible, el tráiler cumple con lo que promete y te muestra de forma concisa un objetivo que de buenas a primeras parece ser algo cliché, salvar un mundo que intenta todo lo que puede para sobrevivir sin su sol, pero ojo, que no serás tú. El encargado de hacerlo será un niño de entre 8 y 10 años, y tú serás su "guía", divinidad, o como quieras denominarte.

Debo reconocer que los primeros minutos fueron muy confusos, llegué a pensar en que el glorioso y divertido mundo que mostraba el tráiler no correspondía con mi imaginación y la emoción que llegaba a encarnar este juego. Cuán equivocado estaba al darme cuenta que apenas era el umbral de una gran aventura que literalmente nos esperaba.

OneShot no se basa en combates ni luchas físicas, no hay nada de esto presente durante todo el juego. En cambio, se basa en explorar un vasto mundo, resolviendo puzzles (¡fuera del juego!) mientras vas desenmarañando e hilando la historia que hay presente en este título.

Pero nada de esto sería posible sin dos novedades que hicieron que este videojuego sobresaliera por allá en Navidades de 2016, los cuales son los siguientes.

OneShot juega con el ordenador del usuario, tu propia máquina: Como mencioné anteriormente, en determinados momentos del juego se nos pide abrir nuestra propia carpeta de Documentos para llegar a usar las claves o pistas que nos vaya dejando en el transcurso del tiempo. La respuesta nunca estará en el propio juego, si no que simplemente estará alojado en nuestra computadora. De hecho, Undertale también tiene esas "habilidades", pero no se basa completamente en esa mecánica, como si lo hace OneShot.

Nuestro querido protagonista: No soy fanático de los niños sinceramente. Pero Niko, nuestro "niño gato" se ha robado mi corazón, es muy difícil estar neutral ante las ocurrencias de este simpático protagonista, Niko no está en este mundo sin ton ni son, despierta en un lugar completamente diferente, asustado ante el abrupto cambio de la atmósfera. Luego comprendes que es solo un niño que quiere volver con su mamá a comer tortitas, mientras toma el peso de salvar todo un mundo destruido.

El OST que ofrece OneShot es inmersivo, si bien no son los típicos "up-beat" de combates, si acompañan bien cada escena importante, es muy probable que al terminar el juego y escuches este soundtrack una vez más, te dará una nostalgia indescriptible.

OneShot es una experiencia increíble, que no te dejará nunca fuera del momento, ya que te "conoce" por tu nombre real, y te hace partícipe de salvar este mundo, mientras guías y cuidas de Niko.

PD: Sé que el juego empezará lento, pero dale una oportunidad, lo más interesante está más adelante.

We are without a leader... will you take his place?

Disclaimer: I've never played any other AoE before, so this review will not have the nostalgia factor.

Other Disclaimer: If you don't have much time to read, go straight to the bottom of the review, there are the very well summarised points of the game, which I explain in detail in the rest of the review.

For first-time AoE players

Age of Empires II is a strategy game set in a vast timeline from the year 410 to the year 1600, in which you will lead different civilizations around the world.

You start with an Urban Centre, and a handful of villagers to build an Empire over the course of several games. The villagers will collect four primary resources, wood, food, gold and stone, with which you will build and recruit more people.

Once you have collected enough resources, you can move up to the next Age (of which there are 4), which means you can develop more buildings, technologies, and more.

After you have established a good economic base, you will be able to develop the military side of the game. Through specific buildings you will be able to recruit infantry, archers, cavalry and siege weapons. In addition, through the castle, you will have access to a unique unit from each civilization.

Once you have assembled an army, you can attack your enemy and claim victory. But this is not the only way to win a game, there are many more options to play and discover different experiences.

Now that you have understood the concept of the game, you will notice that other strategy games (Hey, StarCraft!) have a similar way of working - collect resources, build an army and attack the opponent.

In conclusion, Age of Empires is easy to learn, but difficult to master.

Highlights of this edition

Because Age of Empires II Definitive Edition does not stop there, we are going to see the playable changes and improvements that we have in this version, as they are important and you can see the love that Microsoft, Forgotten Empires and others responsible for the game have put into it.

New Civilizations

For in addition to the Franks, Celts, Chinese and Aztecs, there is a good range of civilizations from around the world, namely Indians, Berbers, Incas, Portuguese, Vietnamese and many more, which together with their unique units and play styles will enrich the gameplay much more.

In addition to the civilizations, there are customised campaigns for almost all of them, so you will get to know that little piece of human history that will make you discover the best-known moments in relation to each of these factions.

New Multiplayer Game Modes

In addition to the classic one-on-one, team or all-against-all games, there are a couple of formats that ensure that the game does not become repetitive. These are the battle royale mode and the cooperative campaigns.

Battle Camp is a battle royale style of play, i.e. you start with a couple of characters on a random map and have to capture settlements that produce units, thus saving you from building. Now, the map gets smaller and smaller, forcing players to fight each other until only one player is left alive.

Co-op campaigns are the latest addition to the game, allowing two players to enjoy Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition's quests and stories in a different way. Together with a friend you can overcome historical challenges, emerge victorious in classic battles and much more.

Technical Characteristics

Graphics

With an isometric perspective, the graphics are pleasing. They have all been revamped from the previous version, with improved lighting and shadows. It feels less pixelated, with repetitive but pleasant animations. The destruction of buildings is simply a delight.

Gameplay

The learning curve is very simple, so in a matter of four or five games you will have got to grips with most of the game dynamics. Then you just have to learn which units are better against others, choose civilizations that have rules that suit your play style, and enjoy.

Duration

Indefinite? I mean, it's one of those games that, with the right company, you'll never get bored. The campaigns do have a beginning and an end, but in the multiplayer mode you'll find countless hours of enjoyment.

Difficulty

Unless you're really into competitive, or at least multiplayer, Age of Empires 2 DE isn't very difficult. In matches against the machine, you can set different levels that allow you to comfortably learn and try out new strategies.

All in all, the game has a lot of positive things, especially compared to previous versions. Some of them are:

The great thing about Age of Empires 2 DE

• Improved graphics, even though the isometric perspective is old, it helps to have a better playability and is visually appealing.
  
• Constant updates regarding new content and bug fixes.
  
• New civilizations, with their different campaigns and game modes.
  
• Possibility to use mods that enhance the game experience.
  
• The usual Age of Empires 2 but compatible with today's computers.

The bad thing about Age of Empires 2 DE

• To get access to new content, you don't just need the base game, you have to buy DLC.
  
• As much as they try to balance the game well, there are civilizations and unique units that you will try once and never again.
  
• The graphics can give problems such as slowdown and lag when too many units are gathered in a game.
  
• If you want to collect 100% of the achievements, you will have to buy the game's DLC to unlock them.

Is Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition worth buying?

For those who have never played Age of Empires, it's perfect to get to know a classic game, updated but with very simple mechanics. You'll quickly learn all about it, because if you've played other real-time strategy games you'll realise that it's one of the least complex games out there.

All in all, Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition is a game that has to be one of your must-have games. Whether it's for killing time when you're alone or having a laugh with your friends, you'll learn a bit more about the incredible history of mankind while having fun at the same time.

Celeste... The perfect example that a great game doesn't always need to be AAA. With a few moves that introduce you to parts of the game, challenging levels, memorable characters and some delicious strawberries (The breath of the game) you can recreate what Celeste has become.

This game is not meant to be a self-therapy to anxiety or depression, it simply captures these issues in a wonderful way, along with some wonderful levels and places you are passing through. What do you want to know about the interpretation of the places you will pass/passed through? No problem! The game leaves it completely up to your imagination.

Don't be intimidated by the difficulty of the levels, no one forces you to do the variants if you don't want to, the story is 5 stars whether you're just a player who wants to pass the mountain, or one who wants to explore every corner of it.

What can I say about the music? Just express that Lena Raine, a composer of whom I have listened to several of her soundtracks, simply put all the courage and desire with each of her compositions. Really people, the levels may be challenging and difficult, I know, but the music just keeps you going until you get there. Ah, what a wonderful feeling of having beaten levels and certain variants of the game.

The graphics are very nice and well done, you can tell that they have put love to Celeste and they have committed more than they could have done. Pretty good job. Now looking at the characters, they are not perfect, and that's what complements the charm to Celeste! They have their own problems and fears, but they work on them and while they accept that they won't be able to change, they harness that for their good.

Now, not everything can be perfect, and Celeste is no exception, as much as I like her, she has some things that could change.

• Eye-friendly mode: there are certain levels where the brightness or colors are so vibrant that it hurts and tires the eyes. I know that with the "Lower the Brightness" on the screen or device it fixes that. But it doesn't fix the problem for color blind gamers, who may be stunned with some designs or color palette of some sites.
  
  
• I personally haven't experienced it, but I've seen that with some controls they betray you when you're with the controller. And more so when you're doing certain steps to get past a site.

Outside of those points, which I think are important details to add and make a good feedback. Celeste is a gem that you find yourself looking for here and there. I would recommend it to anyone who wants and likes difficulty.

9/10.

No puedo decir que Aseprite es el mejor software en el ámbito de crear y animar pixel art, ya que esta es una opinión sumamente y únicamente subjetiva. Pero si puedo decir, que es uno de los mejores para trabajar con ellos, había usado unos pocos programas, pero me decanté por Aseprite. Las razones son muy variadas y cada una de ellas comprobadas en el tiempo que he usado esto.

- Su facilidad para hacer animaciones: Muy autoexplicativo, como si no fuera suficiente, incluye una opción de Papel Cebolla u "Onion Skin", por lo cual puedes ver algunos fotogramas delante y atrás, y trabajar para perfeccionar más sus movimientos.

- Literalmente (casi) todo está aquí: Me refiero a esas opciones y add-ons que si bien la mayoría de los usuarios usará unas pocas veces, los usuarios más experimentados usarán en unas cuantas ocasiones. Vamos, que Aseprite es para todos, ofrece complementos para los usuarios promedio, y opciones muy específicas para fotogramas muy específicos.

- ¡No hay suscripción! Photoshop como se sabe, tienes que pagar mensualmente, o anualmente para seguir usando sus servicios, también es muy recomendable, pero su licencia hace que la gente se eche para atrás la mayoría de las veces.

Este no es el caso de Aseprite. Quien solo tienes que adquirir el programa para conseguir una licencia de "por vida", por llamarlo de alguna manera. ¿Funciones de pago? ¡Eso no existe acá!

- Creado especialmente para Pixel Art: Ugh, ¿acaso esto no es obvio? | Si, sé que es evidente. Pero esto resalta más que es expresamente desarrollado y pensado en los ilustradores de pixel art.

- Creado con amor: Sé que suena cursi. Pero me remito al punto de arriba, el software tiene tantas cosas y opciones por hacer, que es indiscutible que fue creado con cierto cariño para todos por igual, para los curiosos, los usuarios generales, los más especializados, todos y cada uno de ellos tienen su lugar aquí.

Juntando y sacando conclusiones, puedo decir que Aseprite merece un 10/10.

Enough words to introduce you to the world of Stardew Valley. Here you play a worker who, tired of being "pigeon-holed" in a capitalist company and being just one of the crowd, decides to open a letter given to you by your grandfather.

In it, he inherits you his old farm plot (Which by the way eh... is in pretty bad shape for a farmer, what was grandpa doing all this time?) and you decide to go to the Stardew Valley region. Thus starting a new life.


Let's look at the gameplay, Stardew Valley has a lot of content to offer, even leading to countless hours in this game. You can do many activities, participate in events, marry someone, get to know more about the inhabitants, their schedules, and of course, make a well-developed farm.

It has many ways to play, there is no "right" way to do it, and the game does not punish you for being late in doing a certain task or not having barn in a certain month. What that doesn't mean is that it doesn't reward you for the hard work you put into the farm.

It is very replayable, if you get tired of playing alone or the vanilla way, you can play multiplayer with up to four people at once, or play with mods that increase the game experience and add more hours (Stardew Valley Expanded).


Look, I'll tell you something as we get to the end of this review. I know there are many other farm games out there, both on social media and other platforms. But trust me, Stardew Valley has a special charm, which makes it different from other farm games.

It's even more special when you realise that in its early development (up to version 1.3) Stardew Valley was developed by a single person, Eric Barone aka ConcernedApe. Story, gameplay, music...

Buy Stardew Valley, either at its original price or on sale if you wish. But it's a decision you won't regret if you find it a game to invest hours in.

Up Stardew Valley, thanks ConcernedApe team!