Recent reviews by Sccorpy

Beautiful, beautiful game.

I'd been looking forward to Wadjet Eye's 'Old Skies' ever since it was first announced in development. A very brief summary;

Time Travel is a commodity that the very rich pay for. Whether its a nostalgic walk or to make a slight change in history (as long as it doesn't change major events), they can pay to have an agent take them to the 'when' of their choosing. Fia Quinn is one of these agents. The agents themselves are time-locked. Their memories and personalities stay the same, yet with every travel, things can be 'chrono-shifted'. Friends you once knew and loved, may hate you or might not even exist anymore. Yet while everything changes, people like Fia, stay the same. Everything changes, except them.

The World Building into how the agents deal with this on a personal level is wonderful and has a fantastic message and question to both the characters and the players witnessing the stories unfold. The dialogue is superb and I see other people liking it to a visual novel, I would disagree.

There is still a ton of puzzle solving to be done, it is STILL a point and click though it is streamlined. You don't need to click on everything to get a description. Hovering over something just gives you a quick description instead without characters having to say what things are. Making objects easier to notice and making it faster to get through 'areas' so to speak.

The use of time travel itself, is used in many instances which I loved. Especially when 'loops' happen and the character is self-aware of them and becomes just fed up at the situation. That got a good laugh or two out of me.

The art style to me, reminds me of a Cel-Shaded Graphic Novel come to life, simple in design yet very effective for the game itself. Another World meets Jet Set Radio if you will (at least that's what it put me in mind of).

The VA's as with all Wadjet Eye games, were incredible. Huge fan of Noz and think he may have been my favourite character. Though Sally (as Fia) and Abe (as Duffy) are always on point with their characters.

Music was so fitting for me and I found it really relaxing when you're just taking in the sights and scenery before whatever events happen that mean you need to get to work and get to puzzle solving.

Just as I said, a beautiful game that had me staring as the credits rolled and a lot of nice introspective questions to ask yourself upon completing it. A Wadjet Eye adventure that once again, doesn't disappoint.

I've only just recently got myself back into single player gaming very recently. This for me started, when I dug out my old retro consoles and gave some old games another go. Having so much fun visiting old worlds, I thought about visiting some new ones? I remembered I had games bought from ages ago that I loved the look of and Ori was one of them.

This. Did. Not. Disappoint.

This game is pure art (so much so that the background art is never once repeated, they are all their own individual drawings) as much as it is pure joy to play. I've seen reviews singing the games praises and I'll be another to do so, but I have also seen other reviews talk about how frustrating and such the game is and giving a thumbs down because of the game's perceived difficulty. To which, I'll say this; I'm a new player to Metroidvania games, I never played them growing up and the ones I've touched on have felt far too daunting or unforgiving. Ori is a breath of fresh air in comparison to the ones I have touched on and I was hooked. The difficulty is not with the game itself as it gives you all the tools you need to get through from one part to the other. While providing some easy ways to use your abilities first before you get to really have fun with them.

As for travelling and not knowing where to go, the game points in the direction of where your next task lies and should you head left or right continuously towards it, you will get there. There are ways to see the map and plan your route ahead of time so you can be certain but to do that... well that's the fun of Metroidvania style games, its emphasis on exploration and discovering while finding your way. With Ori, the exploration is gorgeous.

For the completionists out there, this game does have some areas that become locked off and you cannot return to them. Thus, if you miss any items in those areas after they close, then you'll either have to hope you have a save file handy that isn't too far back or you may need to start again... which to be honest. I didn't mind. It give me time to figure out new routes or discover one or two different tricks to get to places faster. Though if you don't agree, the Definitive Edition does allow you to backtrack (as well as adding new content such as new areas and abilities, but I can't comment on that since I got the original ages ago and had it sitting on the back burner until now).

Taking inspiration and influences from the likes of the 90's animated movies, The Lion King and The Iron Giant as well as from the works of Hayao Miyazaki, this truly is a game that you would have thought was made as a collaboration between Disney and Studio Ghibli if they were Video Game Companies.

A fair challenge, a fantastic World, beautiful art, wonderful music, mechanics that are simple but feel so satisfying when you execute them perfectly are all rolled together to create a masterpiece of a game.

10/10.

No game is perfect but to me, this is close as you can possibly get in terms of platformers.