Recent reviews by Phranc

This remake is something special. Resident Evil 4 Remake does not invalidate the original like other remasters and remakes. Quite the contrary, both the remake and the original have their own unique traits that the other one cannot replace. The more detailed art style certainly enhances the horror elements in the remake. The hilarious tone of the original also has its charm. In fact it is more engaging to play through the two of them back to back to see where the game's fame came from and how the remake has done it justice. That being said, this remake is amazing. Ever since the RE2R Capcom has been consistently delivering the best experience in remaking old games. I look forward to whatever comes next.


1. Overall Enhancement
Certainly a glow-up in comparison to the brownish palette, the remake has provided quite the atmosphere. The darker tone of color conveys a sense of uncertainty. The improved audio and the sound effects bring anxiety whenever there are enemies nearby and you can't see them. Although I never buy into the horror aspect of Resident Evil 4, there are some scenes in the game genuinely catch me off guard. Some iconic figures, like Dr. Salvador and the Regenerator, get such polish and redesign that even just looking at them is more stress-inducing than their original version. And the boss fights are incredible. Most of them receive complex movesets. Some even contain secret second phase that will certainly surprise you. Don't worry. Nothing a roundhouse kick and suplex can't fix.

2. Parry
Never will I ever imagine a parry system(and Perfect Parry too) in a Resident Evil game. Yet here we are. Whatever attacks those nightmarish creatures throw at you, Leon can simply raise his knife at the right time and swipe them away like nothing. Throwing hatchets? Leon can block them. Melee attacks? Leon swipes them aside and offers a free roundhouse kick. Three tendril strike? Leon deflects them for breakfast. Even the most well-known one shot chainsaw attack in the series is no match to parry. Leon holds his knife up and takes it like a champion. It is hilarious to see the animation play out every single time. Of course there is a catch to this power. Knives now have durability and need to be repaired at the merchant. It may be hard to get used to the new design especially for veteran, since the knife is always the best way to conserve ammo but now even the normal attack depletes the gauge. Good things the developer has added some other knives in the game that can be looted on the road.

3. Other Compliments
→Luis' story has been properly delivered.
→Inventory management and gem inlay system are back.
→Cases now have color variation and three charm slots, all of which can provide small buff.
→Good old easter eggs from the original are also in the remake.
→To quote Yahtzee "The Bingo line is still in the game. Dismantle the pyre!"


Other Complaints
→I miss the original voice actors of Luis and the merchant.
→Especially the "ballistic" line.
→I wish there is a more organic way to bridge the side quests into the progression instead of out-of-place posters.
→Martinico, the monstrosity Ada faces in the lab, is a disappointing encounter for its length.

中文小簡評
→這才是重製版該有的樣子，新版不只完美舊作的遺憾，更是讓原版的魅力無限上升。
→玩完重製再回去玩原版別有一番風味。
→惡靈古堡4重製氛圍更上一層樓，晦暗的用色、傑出的音效及新的角色模組無一不讓遊戲體驗更加刺激好玩。
→各個Boss都有再重新設計過，擁有更現代的複雜性及驚喜二階段，印象令人深刻。
→這輩子從來沒想過「架招」會出現在惡靈古堡遊戲裡，而且葦名抖刀術適用喔！
→架招本身是個非常強大的工具，不只能抵銷攻擊，甚至連一些系列知名即死攻擊(電鋸)都能擋下，因此製作團隊用耐久度去平衡。或許一開始會不習慣，畢竟原版的刀子一直都是省子彈利器，現在新版連普通攻擊都會消耗耐久度，但路上都能撿到替代用刀子因此不適感沒那麼嚴重。
→路易斯的故事在新版有了更完整的過程。
→惡靈古堡4當然少不了整理皮箱和鑲嵌寶石的滿足感啊!
→皮箱有了新的客製化系統，不同顏色有不同機率加成。皮箱也能掛三個吊飾，每種掛飾都有一個小額度增益。
→原版的彩蛋新版都有保留。
→里昂的名言歷久不衰。
→還是覺得原版路易斯和商人的配音聽來順耳。
→希望支線任務能有更順暢的流程。
→艾達在實驗室裡遇到的那隻怪看起來這麼有壓迫性，結果一下就沒了...

I want to like this game. Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has such a gorgeous pixel art style. Combat has some solid ideas, and the story starts off with an interesting premise. Yet when you peel back the flashy surface, the game falls apart in many ways. The hub town is surprisingly empty, full of buildings devoid of NPCs. The combat mechanic just keeps contradicting itself. Not to mention the later half the story is full of abrupt revelations. The final nail in the coffin is that this game only qualifies as a metroidvania on a superficial level. Gating-abilities are the generic trope. The world is way too small and linear. Exploration is often unsatisfying, and the rewards are wanting.


Compliments
→Merging trinkets to create a powerful one that encompasses all the good traits is a nice idea.
→Again, I love the wonderful pixel art style.
→The sprite work and the animation are amazing.
→No contact damage, hell yeah!
→You can destroy projectiles with your sword.
→You can pet 25 corgis in this game.


1. Combat
This is a major issue of the game. Combat in Gestalt: Steam & Cinder does not feel good at all. Enemies can stagger you easily. There is no cool-down between each attack so the enemies can keep attacking even if you roll through them. None of your flashy moves has hyper armor to help you withstand their assaults. You can only stagger them consistently with a specific attack. The whole posture system just feels misused. This system makes the regular mobs unreasonably tanky. You kill the enemies way faster than you can deplete their posture meter. Gun is simply better than your sword even with how limiting it is. Sure you can shoot them first with tesla bullets and deal some real damage with your sword, but just shooting them with regular bullets also takes away a chunk of their HP. This renders swordplay just a way to replenish energy. What's worse, because how easily the enemies can stagger you, most of the unlockable skills become useless unless you aim to trade hits with them.

2. Aspects of Metroidvania
→Dual-purposed Abilities: I am more upset that Gestalt: Steam & Cinder skips weaponizing double jump. Any other abilities you unlock can help you explore more places and can be used offensively. Air dash has an upgrade which lets you damage enemies within its duration. Charge shot allows you to break through barriers and potentially gives your gun a massive damage boost. Even rolling can be enhanced with a follow-up attack. And so I ask, what is the reason for skipping double jump? This is such a missed opportunity. Simple things like damaging enemies with the animation(the protagonist shoots downward to double jump) or making it an attack-canceling tool(pressing jump to cancel the attack animation and somersault behind the enemies) would make the combat slightly better.
→Linear Nature: this why I said Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a metroidvania on the surface level. The progression is linear. There's no room for sequence break with how loosely the map connects. Backtracking exists solely for the sake of backtracking. Exploration in general feels less rewarding comparing to other games in the same genre release recently. This game overall shares more similarities with those 3D action platformers in the early 2005s.

3. Other Complaints
→The town is surprisingly empty. You can enter a lot of buildings but there's nothing for you in all of them.
→It seems to me that originally there would be more than two merchants in the game, but they had to be scrapped or repurposed into a simpler role because of time or budget.
→For the love of God it's 2024 now, stop using the box map system please....

中文小簡評
→看起來很讚但玩起來很糟的遊戲特別傷我的心。
→一款只有擦到表面的類銀河系惡魔城，整體遊戲體驗更像早期的動作跳台遊戲。
→特愛這種點陣畫風，尤其是場景和人物動畫。
→可以將多樣飾品融合在一起的設定還不錯。
→沒有接觸傷害，又能破壞敵人遠程攻擊真的太棒了。
→可以摸25隻柯基。
→戰鬥體驗很糟，敵人隨便就能打斷你的攻擊、敵人可以無縫接軌的攻擊、錯用體幹系統讓小怪莫名坦、各種弱勢讓劍淪落成回能量的道具、解鎖的相關技能也因敵人設計而變的雞肋。
→其他關鍵技能都有辦法拿來攻擊，為何二段跳沒有呢??那個動畫怎麼看都覺得可以傷害敵人啊。
→流程相對單一，地圖也是草草連接起來，毫無跳關可能。探索也沒啥驚喜感，獎勵更是不吸引人。
→小鎮異常空蕩，有很多空房可以進，但毫無意義，裡面既沒有NPC可以對話也沒有道具可撿。
→感覺原先設計有好幾個商人，但因為時間和資金有限所以遭到棄置，亦或是變成簡單的支線。
→天啊都已經2024了還在用這種箱型地圖....

A single scoring game about poker has no way to be this good, but here it is! Draining me dozen of hours and more to go.


1. Addicting gameplay
Balatro is a simple roguelike deck-builder. Jokers apply chips, multipliers, or even some hand-altering effects. Tarot cards allow you to alter the poker cards to your ideal playstyle. Planet cards enhance Poker Hand's score multiplier. Skipping blind also gives you some bonus tag. Boss Blinds offer unique rules to challenge your scoring method.

2. Build Variety
This is where the fun begin. Like every other roguelike deck-builder, Balatro lets you build your scoring method on the go. Purchase the right jokers that can both benefit your score and also synergize with others. The build variety is really interesting. You can focus on two suits and play specifically with Flush. You can also find some jokers that have infinite-scaling mechanic, following their rules and stacking them up. Some hand-altering jokers and Hex cards allow you to take shortcuts for Straight, Flush, and Straight Flush.

3. Many starting deck condition and difficulty to choose from.

4. It's hard to explain in words. This is such a mechanic-heavy game. Just go for it. You won't regret this purchase.

中文小簡評
→非常簡單卻容易讓人沉癮的卡牌roguelike，我上班都在想他...
→撲克牌牌型得分機制、鬼牌能增加籌碼加成及改變牌型、塔羅牌能強化撲克牌、星球牌能強化牌型分數。
→跳過中小盲注可以直接獲得卡包或其他獎勵，Boss盲注則會下一些得分規則增加挑戰性。
→跟其他roguelike卡牌遊戲一樣，這款有很多流派可以玩：人頭卡洗錢流、跳格順子、狂刷/疊塔羅牌、4變2同花等。
→開局有多樣規則及難度可選。
→其實文字很難解釋這款重機制的遊戲有多好玩，買就對了，不會後悔的！
→毒藥，沒事真的別碰！

Initially, I didn't think highly of Afterimage. The talent tree design turned me off. The levels were arranged in such a limited and linear nature. And the voice-acting, no shame to the voice actors though, killed my vibe for the game. Yes, the art style looks great, but at the time it only made me think Afterimage was all about looks and no substance. I am glad I was wrong. Once I unlock the essential abilities, the game becomes way more interesting. Equipment piles up. There are tons of secrets hidden through each level. With just wall-climb and double-jump, you can explore the whole game without hindrance. Exploration feels rewarding not only because of the secret treasures but also because of the great platforming. In other words, this metroidvania requires you to be patient at the start.


1. Platforming
To be fair, in terms of novelty the gating-abilities in Afterimage doesn't shake the world much. They are the usual trope you can see in most of the metroidvania. It's fine to follow the tradition, but the other parts of the game need to pick up the slack. I am glad that this game does the platforming well. Every level encourages you to use all of your abilities to the fullest. Hidden rooms with subtle hints? Check. Sections of platforming challenges? Check. Levels aren't barricaded with hard locks? Check. Like I said, with just wall-climb and double-jump(and stepping on enemies too which comes with double-jump for some reason), you can access almost every level in the game in whatever order that pleases you. I have a great time jumping on enemies to reach places that are way over my character's level and get immediately one-shot.

2. Main/Sub Weapon Interaction
I wouldn't dedicate a section for this kind of old-school weapon system were it not for that one special feature. When equipping weapons with special passives in the main slot, the sub weapons will inherit that passives should you perform any weapon skills. Since the game hasn't patched it for a whole year after release, I am listing this interaction as a feature. This design opens up a new way to customize your load out. You can equip a weapon which causes bleed in successive hits in the main slot, and a weapon that has multi-hit skills in the sub slot to benefit from that passive. This effect only works with weapon skills and doesn't work in reverse. This is fine because you can still take advantage of other passives in the sub slot with normal attack. Take my load out for example: a poison scythe in main hand and a bleed whip in sub. Both weapons have rather fast and multi-hit attacks, so applying those status effects is a breeze.

3. Other Compliments
→Art style is great. The colors are pleasant to the eyes.
→Quite several equipment and weapons with special effects.
→Meals all have a permanent upgrade for first consumption and temporary buff.
→Love that Hollow Knight easter egg.


1. Talent Tree
I am not saying it's bad but it certainly doesn't feel good when it comes to talent upgrade, especially at the start. Afterimage puts a rather restricting condition(requiring lv25, etc.) on the simplest upgrades such as minor health boost and defense increase. This design simplifies the branching paths and in a way encourages players to level up. However, the feeling of getting slightly stronger after each level-up is lost. Players either have to hold up to the points until they reach the level or choose some upgrades that are unrelated to their prefer playstyles. For better reference, take a look at Salt and Sanctuary. That game also has a similar skill tree and upgrade currency. It feels way more rewarding to invest in upgrades since you can easily tailor your build with no limitation.

2. Other Complaints
→100% map exploration is literal. It doesn't matter if you get all the important items. You really need to clear out all the grey area in a level to be considered 100%.
→English translation contains a lot of errors, and weird to read.
→Items can get stuck when you kill an enemy in sliding section.
→Story to me feels rather incoherent.

中文小簡評
→內容豐富，但你得先撐過前期有些枯燥的流程。
→如果你能撐過去，這款便是個體感不錯、探索有趣、跳台好玩的類銀河系惡魔城。
→畫風亮麗，用色舒適。
→雖然關鍵技能了無新意，但各個關卡設計能夠讓你充分利用這些技能進行探索。
→多數地區並沒有太多硬性障礙物，因此只靠爬牆和二段跳可以去很多地方。
→很多裝備和武器有特殊被動及加成。
→主武器的被動能套用在副武器的戰技上，這項設計讓配裝上多了點小巧思。
→餐點類消耗品有首次食用永久升級及時效性buff。
→空洞騎士彩蛋~~
→前期技能樹限制太多，玩家不容易感受到升等的快感，要不點些無關緊要的強化，要不存起來等角色達到相對應等級。
→100%地圖探索是字面上的意思，就算你撿完所有隱藏寶物，只要該地區還有灰色地帶，就表示你並沒有100%探索完.....
→英文譯本有很多文法上的錯誤，讀起來也很奇怪。
→故事...不知道怎麼講，很跳tone很亂。

I like the idea of taking a sport, adding some interesting upgrades, and turns it into a roguelike game. Cursed to Golf has some nice designs to make the long and boring golf course into a challenging and fun run. It can certainly keep you interested for the first few hours. However, the roguelike structure is lacking. Some of the core features are missing in this game, easily making repeated runs rather tedious.


Interesting Twists to Gameplay
→Swing Counter: Single-handedly turning the boring golf course into stress-inducing experience. You only have five swings for each hole(more if you can get the Pin upgrade or Ace cards). Use up all the swings and you are out of the picture. Every swing counts. You need to observe the course to see where you should go, what obstacles are in your way, and where the golden statues are. Take advantages the Ace Cards offer you. Carefully deduce which golf clubs to use against the ever-changing platforms.
→Ace Cards: Easily the best part of the game. Ace Cards are your "no you" response to the arduous course on the field. Using these cards properly can easily turn the tide, skipping through a lot of troubles. Portals and Driller let you skip a lair of the course. U-turn allows you to redirect the trajectory. Ice ball freezes the water for easier platforming. Rockets straight-up flies through all the sands and spikes, etc.


Roguelike Is Lacking
→Encounter Is Severely Lacking: The game has a Slay The Spire roadmap, except it is far from interesting. The encounter is lacking in variety. The crossroad doesn't lead to anything interesting. Most of the time it's just a cursed Hole and a non-cursed one. There are no special events. There are no custom challenges.
→Pins Need Some Rework: Currently the Pin system just feels like reuseable Ace Cards. Most of the Pin upgrades are copy-paste Ace Cards. The truly new ones trivialized the challenges the game presents to you. 100 swings just throw the curveball Swing Counter offers away, and the one that just remove Curses completely is ridiculous.
→Maybe cut down on the length of some levels. I know a real life golf course are vast and long, but one run is just way too long for this kind of gameplay.

中文小簡評
→高爾夫我沒興趣，加點有趣的設計變成roguelike遊戲我就很有興趣。
→好玩歸好玩，可惜這款就roguelike而言十分不及格。
→一洞五桿，需要好好觀察場地，找出適合的路線，運用手中三種球桿及卡牌通關。
→卡牌式消耗品非常有趣，諸多一次性升級能讓你的球克服各種難題，運用得道甚至可以跳關。
→殺戮尖塔式路線，可惜路線毫無多樣性，沒有特殊挑戰，沒有其他事件。
→別針系統大多數都只是重複利用卡片的效果，真正新的別針反而非常破壞平衡，直接讓玩家忽略遊戲九成的挑戰。
→一些關卡的長度需要稍微修短點，這大概是我玩過一輪最長的rogulike了...

I have never played any entries in the Armor Core series, and I am not really a huge fan mechas. Yet, would you believe me if I say Armor Core 6 is probably my favorite mech game? I know this sounds contradicting but this game gradually wins me over with the sheer variety of tools you can put together to make your own mech, the adrenaline-pumping mech-v-mech combats, and the cinematic shots of the scenery and the moment of victory. Be warned though, these great features are locked behind a steep learning curve, or a vertical line if you know nothing about this series just like me. This is Fromsoft we are talking about after all. You will struggle with the frantic multi-fingers-button-mashing. You will struggle with the third-person bullet-hell patterns from the bosses. You will struggle to comprehend all the stat and what it means. It will be arduous road ahead, but the satisfaction that will surely entail makes it worthwhile. You will become the walking powerhouse full of ammunition and explosives, laying waste to those stand before you.


1. Build Variety and Versatility
The customization of Armor Core 6 is ridiculous. Your mech comprises seven parts: head, core, arms, legs, booster, FCS, and a generator. Each part is essential to your performance. Head determines your tracking ability, scan radius and weapon accuracy; Core serves as Armor Points or HP in simpler term, and various defensive stats; Arms allow you to carry four weapons, two in your hands, two on your shoulders; Legs function like anchor. It dictates how much weight you can take, as well as the mobility options you have; Booster enables you to perform various evasive measures and how fast you can close distance with your foes; FCS affects your the lock-on speed on your missiles and weapons; and finally Generator offers you energy for boosting and mid-air maneuver. Too much to take in? Well, we're only through half of the way. Now you have to choose to four weapons to equip, guns for both arm units(melee for left arm unit) while missile launchers and cannon for shoulder units. There's also an upgrade which allows you to carry four guns. This is way too much to take in for beginners. I was awe-struck when I saw all these options. But don't be afraid. The game encourages you to try new things. There is a little showcase video for every weapon. There is AC training ground for you to test your build against various enemies. Even if you don't have any money to buy things, just sell whatever you don't like. You sell them for exactly the same price as you bought them. Experiment, and see what suits you. You can be a hovering menace, raining hellfire from above. You can be quad-cannon tank brute-forcing through anything in front you. You can also be a nimble grasshopper arming with explosive ordnances.

2. Boss Fights
Another highlight of the game for me. Boss fights in this game feel way more blood-pumping than it should be. Duels between two ACs are battles of elegance and swiftness. Your mastery of the fire arms of your choice means life and death. Accuracy matters as much as evasion. However, the real eye-opener is the non-humanoid boss. These fights are the true highlights for me. I still vividly remember the missiles hell and fire blades of Balteus; Smart Cleaner just btch slaps me off the air with its grinder arm; Sea Spider fricking one-shot me with its stomping legs and the helicopter move during second phase is nothing short of amazement. Not to forget about the Ice Worm. Gimmick fight it may be, but the grandeur of a giant ice worm fighting against four ACs is breathtaking. Busting down the beast with rail cannon shots is nothing short of satisfaction. The impact, the visuals, and the sound effects make this fight way more memorable than it should be.

3. Other Compliments
→As always, the VAs in Fromsoft's game are really talented. Allowing players to grow attached to someone without a visage is a big deal.
→NG+ and NG++ have some interesting lore division.
→Various color customization for your mech.
→Thank god you can kill inactive enemies in advance with escort mission.


1. Mission-based Open Field
I feel like the idea of a mission-based open field is conflicting, especially when the developers like to hide things in those fields. You have an objective to complete. You have a limited amount of ammo and repair kits. Why would you deviate from the main path to go find that one random tetrapod roaming around? This is the main problem for me when I replay the missions. Some battle logs are hidden way, way off the road, to the point I even question the deliberation of the design. The logic, however, works in favor with the studio's previous title Elden Ring. I think the team is trying to recreate the same magic, the wonderful sense of discovery that works for Elden Ring, but to me the idea fails from the beginning. Maybe the decisive point is that Elden Ring is an open world game. You do not have any urgency to do things. You can explore at your own leisure. Pick a direction and go, you will find something eventually. In Armor Core 6, quite the contrary, it's mission-based. Players are tasked with a mission, a single path, and limited supply. There really isn't any incentive to go around and explore a bit. Or maybe it's just me. The completionist side of me feels annoyed I can't just find these things naturally as you progress through the mission. Instead I have to redo the same mission several times from start to finish if I miss any of them.

2. Mid-mission Assembly Without Dying
This is another issue I have about the game. For a game that encourages build diversity, it is strange to see that there is no option to change load out mid-mission. The only way you can change your build is to die in the mission. Then the Assembly option will be available to you. This design is helpful for the first time since you are expecting the unexpected. And yet for repeated runs, it feels rather inconvenient. I have to die first to change my build. Why can't there be a small assembly attached to the supply surpa? This issue is especially prominent when you take the S rank condition into discussion. You cannot qualify S rank if you restart from checkpoint, which means you cannot change load out, which means you have to design a generalist build that is good at everything but excels at none, which works against the encouragement of build variety.

3. Other Complaints
→You can't upgrade weapons. It's not always about stat boost. Sometimes it's about sentimental value.
→Wish there were shoulder-mounted flamethrowers and hammer melees.

中文小簡評
→好友贈禮~
→即使對機甲冷感，AC6的機甲組合及Fromsoft的功力絕對值得你一試。
→我沒玩過任何機戰傭兵系列，更是對機甲一點興趣也沒有，但是這款刺激的對戰、多樣的機甲配置及壯麗的Boss戰讓我逐漸喜歡上AC6。
→一無所知的新手肯定會被複雜的配置嚇跑，再加上手忙腳亂機甲操作，勸退程度不輸魂系。
→七個部位、四個武器格子、多樣的槍枝及導彈發射器，光是搞配置就要花好幾個小時了。
→遊戲極力鼓勵玩家嘗試新玩具，每把武器都有簡單的示範短片、內建AC模擬能夠隨時測試，即使錢不夠你也能以原價將不要配件賣掉。
→浮空戰甲天降火舌、四管大砲戰車直接暴力突進、或是當一隻敏捷的蝗蟲跳來跳去。
→Boss戰絕對是遊戲的焦點。尤其是那些非人形的大型機甲，對我來說絕對是令人印象深刻的戰鬥。
→Fromsoft選配音的功力真的不容質疑，能夠讓玩家對完全沒露過臉的角色產生聯繫絕非易事。
→二、三周目有不同的分支與劇情發展。
→謝天謝地護送任務可以讓你先把閒置敵人幹掉，不然那個過程有夠拖沓的。
→任務制的開放空間我覺得不適合藏東西，有清楚目標、明確路線及有限的彈藥，實在找不到理由分心亂跑。我知道製作團隊想要效仿法環創造一個值得探索的環境，然而兩款遊戲的架構截然不同，藏東西的手法需要再調整。
→任務中需要死後才能換裝，一周目遊玩的時候或許覺得很便民，但是隨後幾次反而覺得這個設計不太符合遊戲宗旨(鼓勵換裝)，應該在補給站附近設立一個小型的組裝台。
→裝備無法升級，有時候求的不只是數值的增加，而是一種情懷。
→希望有肩掛式火焰噴射器或是槌子近戰武器。

1. Stylish artstyle and pure dopamine-inducing shootout.

2. Music is just amazing, especially the one played in title screen.

3. Speed and style are the essence of this game. Don't just go fast, shoot the bots with style too!

4. Interesting roguelite structure and upgrades.

5. Peace Corp Gal is the real princess to me!.


Floors don't have much variety. It becomes rather obvious that the pattern of each room is recycled multiple time within the ten-floors-structure.

中文小簡評
→90年代動漫畫風快節奏Roguelite射擊遊戲。
→風格強烈、色彩鮮明的畫風配上刺激的槍戰。
→音樂真的是有夠好聽的，特別是主畫面的音樂，那個薩克斯風超讚。
→速度與招式需要兼顧，不要一味地衝，抓到自己的節奏、運用環境殺敵才能走得更遠。
→有趣的Roguelite架構及升級。
→對我來說直播的那位才是真公主阿！
→樓層變化不多，就每十層一關的設計，很明顯看得出來就是那幾個房間重複利用。

I seldom write a review about a game's DLC, but this time I have quite some things to say about Shadow of the Erdtree. Yes, it is a top quality DLC comparing to the other ones Fromsoft had released. Yes, it is a wonderful reason to revisit the magical open world of Elden Ring. Yes, it is a great way to challenge oneself since according to Fromsoft's track record: DLC always has the hardest bosses. And yet, all of these come with a price. While most of Shadow of the Erdtree keeps a lot of the pros from base game, it also creates some new problem and even worse, never resolves the old issues the base game already has.


1. Gorgeous World
Remember the first time you take your first step into the Lands Between? A vast world lays in front of you. A lot of places to mark, a lot of locations to explore, and the best of all, a lot of points of interest unbeknownst to you waiting patiently to surprise you. Well, the Realm of Shadow certainly is holding back with its beauty. The world-building here is spectacular. No matter where you go, you will be amazed by how gorgeous Fromsoft had created here - the golden field of Gravesite Plain, the haunting color of Cerulean Coast, and the beautiful backyard garden of Scaduview, etc. Seriously, turn off the UI and take a stroll. Every location is a great wallpaper material.

2. Other Compliments
→I know many bosses have over-done their "spin-to-win" strategy, but I still find them enjoyable to fight.
→New armors are cool to wear. New weapons are fun to play around.


Scadutree Fragments And Revered Spirit Ash
→Like: for players like me who enjoy running around, these two additions are just cherries on top. Getting steadily stronger while exploring has always been the core feature of Elden Ring. I am glad Fromsoft find another way to reward adventurous players instead of keep giving more runes to pump up the levels.
→Dislike: but I can easily see why some may dislike about these two additions. Fromsoft makes gaining them a necessity in the Realm of Shadow. Everything there is going to two-shot you and you deal way, WAY less damage even with end-game build. There is no other way around it. You have to collect Scadutree Fragments to ensure your survivability and a meaningful way to fight back whether you like it or not, which I believe goes against the core feature of the base game.


1. For Once, Quantity Over Quality
I cannot count how many time I go down the little pathway along the cliff expecting to find a cave at the end of the road, only to be disappointed to find nothing at all. This is one of the main issues I have about this DLC, and this one especially really makes me feel contradicted. Don't get me wrong. I love all the caves and catacombs I find so far. Each one of them is deliberately crafted and memorable. However, my disappoint on exploration almost rivals over my enjoyment. In the base game, you can find a lot of secret caves and catacombs behind waterfalls, alongside a giant cliff, at the end of the coastline, etc. It is not the case with the Realm of Shadow. Many nooks and crannies in the DLC are dead ends. There are no secret caves or catacombs at the end of road. This bothers me a lot, and for the first time I might consider quantity over quality a good thing.

2. Other Complaints
→Reusing DLC enemies is one thing, recycling base game enemies is another.
→Number inflation is off the chart. It makes the game feel like a MMORPG instead of souls game.

中文小簡評
→我很少寫DLC評論，但是黃金樹幽影讓我有很多想法。
→老實說，我覺得DLC評價褒貶不一十分恰當。
→的確如英高所言，他想讓用DLC讓玩家重新體會法環的壯麗及驚喜。這點他做到了，但也產生不少問題。
→幽影之地真的很美，無論你去哪裡都會被Fromsoft的鬼斧神工震撼到，每個地方都是完美的桌布素材。
→新Boss非常有特色，也很會轉，克服起來特別爽快。
→新的武器及裝備很酷很好玩。
→幽影樹碎片和新的靈灰升級是不錯的蒐集要素，讓探索更有方向性及樂趣；然而Fromsoft為了維持終局難度，將這項額外升級變成玩家通關必備道具，幽影之地隨便一隻怪都能兩下秒你，唯有蒐集幽影樹碎片你才有一點生存空間。
→數不清有多少次走小路及不起眼的岔路以為能發現新洞窟和陵墓，結果撲了個空，啥都沒找到，光是這點我就覺得DLC的探索樂趣不如本篇。
→複製貼上DLC新敵人我沒意見，但複製貼上本篇的敵人到DLC裡就覺得不太OK，尤其這些敵人完全沒有招式上的差異。
→DLC傷害數值嚴重膨脹，打起來跟MMORPG沒啥兩樣。

I still find it hard to believe that Red Candle, the dev team behind Detention and Devotion, creates one of the most polished, most competent metroidvania. In the sea of new releases being a bunch of buggy messes, Nine Sols not only feels good to play on release, the feedback, the sound effect, and the visual of each action performed is finely tuned. The art style may be a far cry from what Red Candle is known for, but the disturbing nature remains in this new "Tao-punk" style. I would even go further and say if you still have some doubt about buying this game, just buy it. This is the best remedy for the syndrome commonly known as "waiting for the release of Silksong".


1. Fluency And Consistency
Again, I feel like the effort the developers put into Nine Sols cannot be overstated enough. Yi's movement control feels smooth and responsive. Perfect Parry just feels wonderful to pull off, from the satisfying sound effects to the carefully-designed parrying window. The level design is nothing short of creative. Each section follows a clear design philosophy and a strong theme. Platforming is snappy, and the gimmicks each level has is fun to play around. The prison has a scary stealth section, the warehouse has a sniping mega-structure, and the power reservoir has a ringing-bell gimmick that corresponds to the area boss fight, etc. The developers always keep gating abilities in check and design the following levels accordingly without immediately resorting to double jump. Players are encouraged to use their platforming skills and exploration is often rewarding, more rewarding for those with a pair of keen eyes. I know many of these good features also occur in other metroidvania, but rarely do those have the same level of fluency and consistency like Nine Sols on release.

2. Boss Fights
Nine Sols' boss fights can be summarized as "impossible at first glance, satisfying to learn". To me this is where the souls-like tag really shines. Drawing obvious inspiration from Sekiro's combat, every boss in the game often feels impossible because of fast combo and multiple phases. Players need to learn how to perfect parry everything the boss throws at them. Of course this forced playstyle can easily overwhelm those who aren't prepared and can cause frustration. Yet, once you get into the rhythm, these fights become elegant, well-organized dances between you and your foes. The tempo of answering each furious attack with a perfect-timed parry will always be satisfying to pull off. Nine Sols is also creative for the design of the nine major antagonists, except one. The theme and the backstory are well-developed, and the gameplay is nothing short of amazement: Yanlao's fight is a giant claw machine that flails around, and Lady Ethereal is just phenomenal from her presentation to phases evolution.

3. Other Compliments
→Pavilion gradually changes as you give more things to Shuanshuan, making the place more lively.
→Collectibles unlock more dialogues and reveal more things about Yi.
→Jades enhance different aspects of combat.
→Love me some furry characters~


Other Complaints
→Still on the fence of whether putting key abilities at certain save points is a good idea or not.
→Wish you can teleport from any save point.
→The beginning hours may be a little dry considering a lot of things are locked behind an in-game-currency pay wall.
→Why don't the Red Tiger Elites have any move set variant between the four of them?
→The English version still feel a bit awkward to read.

中文小簡評
→無庸置疑，上乘的類銀河系惡魔城。
→老實說我還是很難相信做返校與還願的赤燭跨領域做動作遊戲，能夠做得如此流暢。
→整體遊戲體驗非常流暢、架招直覺爽快、跳台精準有趣、關卡設計邏輯清楚。
→不落俗套直接給二段跳，反而運用不同關卡機制來讓探索更有趣。
→Boss戰打起來特別有感，一開始可能會覺得很難應付，實則節奏分明。
→九位Boss設計很有創意，無論是打法還是呈現手法都令人印象深刻。
→四季閣會因為你給軒軒禮物而產生變化，給得越多變化越大。
→諸多道具可供蒐集。
→不同玉能強化不同戰法。
→不獸控制是無法避免的事實。
→還是不確定把關鍵技能放在特定存檔點是個好主意。
→只能從四季閣快傳到其他地方，反過來只能回四季閣。
→剛開始可能會覺得很乾，畢竟很多道具都藏在商店內。
→為啥四位赤虎都沒有一些攻擊上的不同勒....
→英文譯本還是有點怪怪的。

1. A wonderful 3D metroidvania with the emphasis on platforming.

2. One ability hidden in each level. You can even sequence-break a lot of levels with just high jump and wall jump.

3. Timed challenges to unlock additional outfits.

4. Oh lord, she thicc, she dummy thicc, she stupid thicc!


1. Some places are unusually dark, to the point that you cannot even see where you are supposed to jump.

2. While I don't have this problem, but I can certainly see some players getting lost in this game. Pesudoregalia doesn't have a clear instruction on where to go.

中文小簡評
→一開始被兔姐騙進來，沒想到是一款不錯的3D類銀河系惡魔城。
→每一個關卡都藏有一個關鍵技能，如果你操作風騷，甚至可以只靠兩個技能強制跳關啊。
→完成計時挑戰可以解鎖新服飾。
→看看那個蜜大腿，太讚啦啦啦啦~~~
→一些地區太暗，已經到了無法看清前方跳台的程度。
→個人是沒有這個問題，如果你不喜歡到處跑的話會很容易迷路卡關，這款遊戲並沒有明確說明你該去哪裡。