Recent reviews by AcidIced

I like gambling now

No.

Imperialism is fun. I see why they do it.

Void dlc? More like Roid dlc amirite

Discount phasmophobia but fun

Weaved into the hack and slash, roguelite gameplay is an intricate well scripted story line that deserves praise in and of itself. The back and forth between the rich, diverse cast of ancient greek gods, goddesses, heroes and the like, each of which have lots of depth and character thanks to the expert voice acting and carefully structured dialogue sequences, makes for a truly refreshing take on the roguelite genre. The transition between gameplay and dialogue is seamless and your actions have some level of impact on the same.

All that is reinforced by well balanced weapons, boons, foes, level design, art style... so many aspects, each with some sort of history behind them, that have all been made almost flawlessly. Not one thing overshadows the other, which makes for an engaging game that does particularly well at not falling into a repetitive loop as many other games in this genre does.

Usually it's just the progression and build strategies that push me through the loop but for Hades, you barely feel like you're stuck on repeat since the ever evolving plot keeps on going and so do your relationships with the various characters in Hades. And that feels different. It seems like there is a purpose to keep moving forward which, to me, makes all the difference.

I love roguelites. There's no doubt about that. I also love a world that has lots of lore, history and one that's shrouded in mystery, which is exactly what Rynoka offers. Better yet, it's a refreshing take on the usual dungeon crawling hero adventurer trope where instead you play as a merchant, albeit an ambitious one. The combat isn't anything special and the same goes for most aspects of the game but fortunately, Moonlighter is much more than the sum of it's parts.

Exploring the depths of the dungeon, grinding for materials, upgrading your gear while you manage your shop, set the right prices and amass enough fortune to bring Rynoka back to it's former glory, all of this goes so well together to immerse you in your role as Will, the shopkeeper/ secretly a small time adventurer with dreams of his own. Moonlighter brings together a simplistic version of each of it's gameplay elements and gorgeous pixel art into one cohesive package that just works. And that, deserves some appreciation in and of itself.

I'm just really surprised that so many have dropped this game. It's not the best roguelite out there but it's far from not being note worthy. This game is FUN okay.

Celeste is one of those games that you'll probably love and hate at the same time. Helping Madeline climb the mysterious Celeste mountain as she tries to come to terms with herself never feels repetitive thanks to each Chapter in the story line being completely fresh and different from the one before it, bringing new obstacles and mechanics to utilise as you make your way through the mountain. The story and characters feel unique and will keep you invested in the climb, which can be quite complex at times as you get used to the seemingly simple controls. There are multiple ways in which you can clear the platforming puzzles which makes it quite fun to experiment with different paths and solutions, and finally reaching the summit makes it all worth the effort.

While the main levels (A-Side) feel like a satisfying balance of story and interesting level design, you can find Cassettes to unlock the B-Side and C-Side for each Chapter, which are basically challenge routes for those who want something much more difficult. However, to me, most of the platforming in these routes felt quite unappealing since there is usually a single correct timing and precise sequence to be followed that has to be committed to muscle memory so as to clear these routes through trial and error. It pretty much devolved into a sort of rhythm game with extra steps which doesn't exactly scream "fun" for me. You do have Assist Options to be used to relax the difficulty but that being said, the alternative challenge sides are not my cup of tea and would be something that's more so targeted to dedicated speedrunners.

Extras aside, Celeste is challenging with a story that has quite a bit of mystery and heart. As long as you won't feel like you're missing out if you don't commit to the hardcore challenge routes, this platformer is an easy recommend.

Spooky