Hardcore Gamer
HomepageHardcore Gamer's Reviews
Saturday Morning RPG has a few issues, but none are glaring. The writing occasionally falls flat, and at several points a glitch caused my view to be obstructed while using a timed button-press attack in combat, but the game remains wholesomely charming and fun throughout. The jokes may not have draw a guffaw, but the pure innocence of the writing and the world does exactly what it intends to: remind you of those great lost Saturday mornings. And at that, Saturday Morning RPG is quite successful.
Doing the impossible by topping its predecessor, Rayman Legends is one of the best gaming experiences this year. It takes everything fun about classic platforming and puts it in a visually stunning environment.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Ultimate Edition is a solid package for anyone who didn't get to play the game back in 2010, but at this point, it just feels like a stepping stone that allows the sequel to be released on the platform.
Those who missed out on the XBLA release of Spelunky and want a good tough rogue-like should pick it up from Steam. It's a little more based on reflexes than most rogue-likes, but even if you find out you're not that good at it, it is still a riot to watch friends try to get as far as the can before making the wrong step and getting crushed by a boulder.
Rogue Legacy is just about as close to perfect as a randomized action platformer could hope to be. The constantly changing challenge, and character to face it with, make every game feel different.
Even with all of its glamour and polish, the story of young Jerry Hazelnut is weighed down by disappointing shortcomings. Offering an appealing world resembling that of Alice and Wonderland, it’s not that The Night of the Rabbit is a bad game by any means, but the inconsistent puzzle complexities and dull main character drags this adventure down farther than the rabbit should go. With that said, the visuals are absolutely spectacular and the soundtrack has some of the most memorable orchestrated tracks this year. It breaks my heart to even talk about The Night of the Rabbit in a negative manner because, while it has its issues, it’s still an imaginative experience.
The novelty wears thin when you realize that you've actually been playing Tower Offense games for a very long time as "Real Time Strategy" games. Here Anomaly 2 is trying to reinvent its own wheel with little tiny incremental upgrades instead of taking the same drastic approach that gained it such praise in the first place.
Fez was one of the most enjoyable and entertaining games I've experienced last year and the same thing applies with the PC version. It's a charming, charismatic adventure that will leave you with a smile across your face for the duration of your play. It's also incredibly cryptic and is far more than skin deep, introducing a deceivingly vague world. I can't decide if Phil Fish and his team are geniuses or completely out of their minds.