While i agree with some of your points calling the address disrupter a spin off of the"freeze ray" doesn't give it at all enough credit and almost belittles its concept for the fact that in 9/10 cases when you actually use the address disrupter on enemies it never actually causes them to be frozen or a place to stand on.
I actually thought this game did a rather impressive job of carving out its own identity and being its own thing. It starts out being "Metroid meets Contra", but grows beyond that and does a lot more original things. It has its own creepy atmosphere (I especially liked when Trace started hallucinating), though I still see where you're coming from. I just gotta disagree.
I'm starting to really notice our difference in perspective when it comes to games. I really don't iteration is bad. The mechanics can let a game down. The story can let a game down. But a game's similarity to another game has never affected my enjoyment of it. A game within itself can be repetitive (they basically all are to an extent) but I've never felt like a game's predecessors somehow affect how good the game is.
randomfox Randomfox- I agree with you. Listening to bunnyhop review is so depressing, like HE was the one coming home from work and forced to make this review. After loving this game so much, his review is totally opposite of how I feel and almost everyone else feels about this great title. I'm not saying I don't like his reviews because of his or my opinion, just his monotone, I know everything type of voice tells me to stay away from his biased channel and just watch other game reviewers.
randomfox Oratory shortcomings aside, I think most people watch his reviews because he gives intelligent, well thought-out and clearly articulated reviews of games he has proven you can trust. Markiplier may be more what you are looking for if you want your reviews to serve as an escape too, superbunnyhop in contrast to it's name appeals to a niche of gamers who like thoughtful reviews often possessing insight but devoid of hype.
joope zixzixzix I know your reply wasn't directed towards me, but I agree. I don't think one should relinquish every bit of enthusiasm to deliver a thought-provoking assessment of a product, however. Not that I'm implying you do. I'm not saying he should feign ethusiasm either, but don't review something when it's so obvious your spirits are low.
Hougropvitz To be fair he did sound particularly drowsy in this review, I mean it struck me while I watched it too. Maybe it's just because he tends to give reviews of games he either finds inventive and loves, or hates so much he can still get enthusiastic about it. This however was clearly a review about a game he neither hates nor loves, hence the monotone.
I'll have to disagree as well. Almost everything your saying is truly very very critical. I have been enjoying this game nonstop for the exploration and back tracking. The concept is way different than Metroid and for the visuals, it not like anything else out there. Yes, yes....it's a clone but not every game has to break new ground or innovate a formula that is tried and true. This is a must buy for any "true" 2D platformer fan who has ever played Metroid or Castlevania. When you say Metroid was at a time of critical change in gaming, I agree....so to say this game is nothing more than a clone is a bit harsh. But, I'm not mad "atcha"....it's your opinion and this is mine! In the end, Axiom Verge is money well spent.
You're contradicting yourself when you say "it is not like anything else out there. Yes, yes... it's a clone". It seems to me like you're precisely agreeing with the review: it's great, but fails to be original or improve upon the flaws of the genre, hence it's not 'one of the best'.
As a hardcore Metroid fan, I had a lot of fun with this game. Indeed, for a game made by one man alone, it's an incredible achievement in every way and a fitting love letter to Metroid fans. It's even more valuable to me considering that for the last 10 years Nintendo has been unable to produce a game equivalent to it, unfortunately.
+Jacob R Well from that perspective, it's a great achievement, certainly. We've really come to the point where the subtle and debatable criticism are directed at games made by single people, and triple A titles with million dollar budgets are mediocre by default. Strange market.
Yeah, the comparison to super metroid not perfect. It is way more like the original metroid. Watch someone play Metroid 1 NES blind with no idea where to go or what to do, and it gives you a similar feeling to axiom verge. lost in a big world , uncovering mysteries.
lothrazar Due to its gameplay and level design, I felt it more comparable to Metroid NES, too, rather than Super Metroid, which I appreciated. It is fairly linear and more constrained in level progression compared to Metroid NES, however. To be frank, in terms of gameplay, I don't think Axiom Verge is in the same league as the original Metroid trilogy. I do highly appreciate the game for what it is, though, and its take on the genre. It sends a strong message to Nintendo that the core of what the Metroid series is lies embedded in the framework of its original game, from which many new Metroid games can be built from, rather than from Metroid II or Super Metroid.
Thomas Happ partially recreated the original Metroid for GBA with his own twist on the story called ORN back in 2004 for a college project, this was before Zero Mission was released. I remember thinking it was really cool back when I found it back then. Good to see he's still at it.
Metroidvannias are theoretically my favorite genre. But with such strong entries in the core series of the genre it can be easy to be harsh on the other entries.
I think this critique is pretty interesting. Much as I like the Metroidvania style, some games in the subgenre tend to ape the format and aesthetic a little too much.
So your biggest complaint about a game that is "a love letter" to metriod is that it's too much like metriod? I think your downing demeanor in this video is going to have people think that's a bad thing. Mighty no.9 and bloodstained are funded for this very reason. Yooka laylee also. Freedom planet and this share the same appeal, the appeal of reliving the nostalgia.
Are there any metroidvania games that actually capture the mood, and feeling of Metroid, rather than use the genre's mechanics? I played it more because I like the idea of a Bounty Hunter going on a lonely, and extremely dangerous hunt for one mark, who ends up having to kill literally everything to get there. The atmosphere, art, subtle story, that's why I played Super Metroid. I want that in a sense, not just some familiar mechanics.
***** Metroidvania is a name for a set of mechanics, not for what ends they are used towards. Just like how Strategy RPG is a name for a set of mechanics.
+Vri Vri Well, it's _nothing_ like Super Metroid in atmosphere but the one game that made me understand why I loved Super Metroid so much was Ori and the Blind Forest. A good metroidvania (and I don't consider Castlevania good Metroidvanias) I realized is about making you _want_ to explore the world, about making "backtracking" fun because you just can't get enough of the world and its atmosphere. This is the case with Ori and the Blind Forest but it's not the case with Axiom Verge. Everything looks the same, everything is bland and the only variety comes through the weapons.
***** I respect your opinion but I would seriously recommend you try separating your opinion about a game both from judgements about the person you are talking to _and_ from the person who made the game. As it stands, I remain doubtful whether you maybe are just like the people who will rant about Fez but somehow can't do it without pointing out what a huge dick Phil Fish is.
I'll be sticking with La-Mulana, myself. I've been chipping away at it for a while but haven't gotten far, since the game's immediately get insane once you get into the actual dungeon. Heck, for most players, just getting into the dungeon takes a few minutes due to its obfuscation. I'm still loving the style and overall mystery the game has in it.
Robbie carter It's another Metroid-esque indie platformer. George mentions it in this video. It's very good, and more distinct and unique than most modern sidescrollers can manage.
Robbie carter La-Mulana was showcased in the review. It's a side-scrolling Metroidvania with a lot of cool puzzles and good combat. There's a free version online which was the Steam version was based on.
I really admire people who can make pixel-style games look so good. It must of been an insane amount of work to really polish all the levels, sprites and animations to a shine. From what I see here, it looks amazing and I need to get, regardless of the frustrating level design. I just love old school pixel games like these.
+Ariel Bruce I don't know. I like the old-style, 16-bit pixel art more (see: Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension). It's not too clean but not too "blocky". Just the right amount of frames.
dude, this was little bit harsh. yo listenenrs out there, the game is very good, go out and play it. yeah its a metroid clone. but so what ? it's a good clone with some good innovations and mechanics.
I still don't get how cave story is metroidvania. It's a great game, don't get me wrong, but it has very little exploration, and a metroidvania without exploration is hardly a metroidvania.
I love Axiom Verge and all it represents, but I do agree that it's way too easy for me to get lost lol. Also it's trying to play more on the original NES Metroid, with a few elements from SM here and there. You talk about unoriginality, but I think the address corruptor powerup is one of the most original things in the game. :c
This was a nice enough game, Played this back in 2015, just recently completed ESA (Environmental Station Alpha) and for some reason ESA's lingering in my mind for a significantly longer time. I can't explain/articulate Exactly what I mean but it just stuck with me. Axiom verge made a lot of bold decisions creatively though, very high concept I appreciated that. I also finally played AM2R last year and that was awesome too.
The overall atmosphere of the environments and the intrigue fostered by the little breadcrumbs of lore and story it feeds you is what really shines about Axiom Verge to me and I feel like you did the game a disservice to forgo all of that in favor of pointing out that it isn't the same as a 20+ year old game
just finished this game. great stuff but the few bad moments shine brighter than the constant good. besides the stuff im about to mention, the game was great; the grappling hook felt clunky, i didnt have much control over it even when i got used to the controls. the heat seeker is a bitch to find, there is no good reason why RNG should control a weapon location. the last couple of bosses were pretty boring with no strategy involved compared to the first few bosses which had a nice strategy involved. heres something that i really love about this game, the health alert beep syncs up with the music, i'd say it makes the soundtrack better.
+BaneDain I'm sorry but that's a cop-out. You can try to like things out of sympathy all you want but it's going to slowly exhaust you and truth will win out -- every time.
They really should have given us the ability to teleport b/w save points atleast, the frustration would have massively reduced. The tile does make sense, its an "axiom(established) verge(border)" and you can think of it in more ways than one.
treeghettox That's not really true. The law says you can only own backups you create yourself. Even if the site owns originals, odds are, the admins did not actually create those backups via a backup device themselves.
This game is amazing. It's basically Metroid, what did you expect? Some times there's no need to do anything original otherwise it's not Metroid. It's clearly a clone and I love it
Consolized Axiom Verge 2 will be awesome as well. It will definitely be sponsored this time around and later down the road say 3 years Axiom Verge 3 will probably be released if AV 2 is successful.
Zedek Shadow Complex is the best game that is patterned after the Metroid format and is almost a cross between Super Metriod and the Uncharted series. Guacamelee is also very good and has a lot of charm and humor to go along with it. Aside from that, Axiom Verge is a very good game but doesn't hold your hand like the two mentioned above (and therefore gets a bit of a bad rap). Either way, all three games are good and I'd advise you to play them and decide for yourself before taking anyone's word as authoritative.
While I don't know if I'd go so harsh as you did on the game, I enjoyed my time with it quite a bit and only got lost once before I wrapped my head around the wall-piercing ability, I do agree that it has its flaws and probably could've been more innovative. But certain things it does during the course of the story are really neat.
I had to stop the video at 3 minutes because you were giving too much away and I'm planning on getting it. A review is to let you know if the game is good or bad without giving too much away. It is possible. But then again, it is still your opinion. I've heard this game is really good and being a fan of Super Metroid, I really want to try it out.
Ori and the Blind Forest. If you've got a DS, play Castlevania Order of Ecclesia too.
8 років тому+1
store.steampowered.com/search/?tags=1628&category1=998 ori and the blind Forest, La-Mulana, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Shantae and the Pirates Curse, Axiom Verge, The Swapper, Song of the Deep and much more.
one of the great things about super metroid was its map design. pick any two points on the map and there is most likely a way to get from one to the other in just a handful of minutes. not sure about this game's map design in that regard, but it was one of the reasons that backtracking in super metroid wasn't a major burden.
Dawnemperor1 the great thing was that it felt big though. its such a shame it came out too late to be as big of a financial success as it was a critical success
So I managed to play through this whole game without discovering that giant head quick travel method. Must have tacked on so many hours just running that whole hub section on foot every single time.
I want to play this , but i'm wondering if this is the type of game where you just get absolutely lost? I like exploring but not when i feel like it's a maze.
***** The first few hours are pretty straight-forward. After that you are given upgrades that you need to try out in different areas. If you're good at memorizing rooms and appreciate a little bit of backtracking it's impossible to get lost for more than ~30 minutes. Don't worry, it's not a La-Mulana/NES Metroid type of game.
I thought this was the best metroidvania game I've played yet. granted I never played metroid but I played Symphony of the Night. And Ori and the Blind Forest. It may not be the most original but that's not important to me personally. so if this isnt the best then what is?
Five years as a side project. I can imagine, this is all the developer wanted it to be. Just because its not enough for the player doesn't mean it isn't a fulfilling Project for the creator.
TheSorrel i played freedom planet recently and showel knight both were the best games i played in 2015 yet if it's not trying to innovate to modernizxation it doesn't mean it is anywhere bad or not worthy if 1 reviewer found it just ok that doesn't mean it will not have a fanbase
tsartomato Its less about innovating or modernizing and more about having your own identity. Making a game that is just like Metroid is fine, but its not really its own thing, then. Its a copy, nothing more.
I liked this game for the gameplay alone, I didn't care for the story or the graphics and some of the music is just bizarre. I'm just a sucker for metroid-style 2D exploration games with boss battles.
TehDieder I have played it - I found it quite pretty and atmospheric, but with some very questionable design decisions. I guess the level design was pretty good (barring the malicious puzzles, anyway).
treeghettox I would rail on a number of the puzzles but I don't want to spoil them for people who care (although in my experience the game is impossible without a walkthrough anyway. I can recall least one puzzle where I was focusing on the correct relevant clues seeking the way forward, and would never in a million years have found the correct path. (It involved giants and pots.))
treeghettox For optional objectives, that would be great. There are a ton of crazy ones on the critical path, though. Having to use a walkthrough to progress -- especially in a game that's largely about discovery and exploration -- doesn't really make for a fun game. I'd also argue that most of the puzzles that gave me trouble weren't too 'hard' per se, they were just way out of left field in what the game wanted you to do. You have to make use of random mechanics that aren't introduced or ever mentioned. To be fair, it may be because of translation issues that proper hints weren't given. There are definitely some rough translations in there, and I wouldn't be surprised if vital info got lost by accident.
It's a shame that people remember SM as "that game where you get lost" when it comes to design. SM does an amazing job at keeping you safely on rails until you get Hi-jump, but encourages enough exploration that you know how to handle yourself from then on. Most metroid-alikes seem to lean more on the alleged promise of SM, not the reality.
+Shukterhouse Jive You are right.. The stuck thing was not the thing that made Super metroid good or special.. The level design was Super B that a lot of developers has not managed to create. The game leads you to way with all kinda of Power ups but it does not tell you where to go..'
Ordinarily I'd agree that games should strive to be their own thing, BUT there hasn't been a 2D Metroid in a very long time so in this case I'd be willing to make an exception.
Having only played metroid and super metroid in my childhood, i absolutely love axiom verge because i don't have much to compare it to. I barely remember details of metroid and i think that helps for this game so I'm not stuck comparing the two all the time. The music in axiom verge is AWESOME
Between Shantae: Half Genie Hero and La Mulana 2, there's still interesting projects coming up in the realm of Metroidvanias. I was tempted to play Axiom Verge to tide me over until then, but I suppose I'll pass.
I still haven't played a 'metroidvania' that is better than Shadow Complex. I do wonder how this game will play out and have a strong interest in playing it, and if it plays just like a metroid game I will likely be perfectly happy with it.
Sounds a lot like War for the Underworld which I've been playing since yesterday. It's so in love with Dungeon Keeper 2 that it verges on being a complete clone. I mean I like the game but it's just so much like DK2 that it doesn't feel like its own game.
***** dungeon keeper 1 and 2 are still great games and are playable on modern systems. Hell, I've still got them installed. I don't see why they needed to just straight up clone it rather than do something a little more interesting with the concept.
The main thing that puts me off playing this game is the artstyle. I think I'll be getting Guacamelee instead of this, and maybe purchase this one some time down the road.
So.. um.. this was a "review" I guess.. khmmm... hmmmm.... This was way more harsh than it could have been. This is a really good game. Sure, it is almost a copy of Super Metroid, but that's hardly a Super (get it? ha ha) bad thing.
+pipboysenshi He was basically saying that it doesn't have the emotion and quiet storytelling that Super Metroid had. It's just an art game for arts sake. And some people will like it for that reason while for others that won't be enough and will feel like a little girl trying to wear its mom's high heels. Cute at first, but the appeal eventually wears off. I'm sort of in that group. While I liked Lone Survivor and don't regret playing it, I have to agree with the comparison he used.
I really liked this game, but there are some problems. The map is too big, and the lack of any proper fast travel method makes backtracking and finding how to progress a bit slow; Some pathways can be hard to identify when you need to drill or glitch through; Later enemy and boss encounters felt cheap compared to the first 4 maps; There are too many hidden stuff, like when I've beaten the game at almost 12 hours, I managed to explore only about 80% of the map and find close to 55% of the items.
Agree. Pretty sure he didn't play the game for straight 1-2 hours or finished the game. Probably watched some other youtuber's play-through and jammed up with his own words. Majority of his complains are applicable for the surface level of game-play only.
MarioTGP Oh, sounds like you're talking out of your ass. I guess that's because you are. Talking about a game you obviously haven't played makes you sound like a fucking idiot.
UGOTNUKED Well the game looks very boring. The lack of diverse backgrounds and actions I'm seeing from the playthroughs are nothing to write home about.
The only thing that i got stuck at in the game for hours.... the power bomb ability of this game. Ran from one site to the other... only to find out... wait..... that works?.... Hours later that is.
The programmer used the (konami) code. up up down down left right left right. in main menu. found it is used to open password option. in new game. ass well code. : JUSTIN BAILEY. (from Metroid orig) gives you a swimsuit. Ps Dialog skins will show texture.
Honestly, I have played those other games you mentioned and I felt kinda disapointed with them. Like you said, regardless of wether it has an identity or not, I feel that Axiom, from what I've seen, got the metroid influences right. And it seems like it adds a TON on top of it. Having played Cavestory, La Mulana, Guacamelee, and other indie metroidvanias, even if those games have more identit than Axiom, from gameplay seen alone I feel this one has waaaay more variety and gameplay. I didnt feel Cave Story ever did anything to push forward the genre, backwards rather, but I can get mad at it, t was it's own little thing. As someone very experiemnced with this genre, Axiom gives me all the vibes that it is indeed one of the BEST metroidvanias out there. Cant wait for it to come to PC... and Ghost Song (which imitates Metroid FAAAAAAAAAAR more).
RANT INCOMING Like I said I havent played it. I have been following it for 3 years so I know a feeeww stuff at least. Thing is, I played the other games George mentioned, and I dont see them "moving the genre forward", at best they have more identity because their viual and musical style isnt too aproximated to metroid and castlevania. But regarding that, isnt that comparation pretty much putting style over substance? Considering there hasnt been a 2D metroid game in almost 12 years, how much of a sin is having a "metroid vibe", or even borrow a few metroid mechanics? And we shouldnt talk as if Super Metroid is perfect either, it was far too clunky and the movements too floaty, some stuff from that game dont hold up that well. Honestly, Super Metroid, regardless of the impact it had, doesnt make it to my Top 5 Metroid games. Axiom seems to surpass it at least in the movement department, also seems to have a lot more variety too. I, as a HUUUUGE metroidvania fan, have been craving that. La Mula, Cave Story, Guacamelee and a few others I've played did not scratch that itch, Axiom Verge seems like it does only do that but much more as... I've gotten from other reviews, still have to try for myself to see if it's true or not. My biggest problem with this review is just George's stance on this. As for someone who claimed "Shovel Knight" as being GOTY 2014, I can only get a bad taste in my mouth in this one. Mostly because Axiom Verge seems to do for dark non-linear retro platformers what Shovel Knight did for light hearted linear retro platformers! Spending too much time talking about Axiom Verge not standing out because the pixel art 2D Metroidvanias arent a dying breed on the indie market, instead of talking about the good as well as whats genuinly bad about it, as I've seen far more into detail in other reviews, takes away the focus of the viewer and puts us already in the zone of "this game isnt special", which is bad, even if the game isnt special at all. Shovel Knight got a free pass on that, but many people, like me, didnt grow up on the games that game pays homage to, I grew up playing Metroid, Castlevania (the metroidvania ones) and many other games of the like (hell, even the first Megaman Zero game could be technically a Metroivania), so If I were to play Shovel Knight It'd have to be because it's a genuine good game WHICH I BELIEVE IT IS. I wonder If simply targeting a crowd with a diferent background than the majority is enought to turn a game that is genuinly great into a mere C+ effort. As you can see I've already decided that this game is for me. But due to the change of focues, many people here wont consider twice simply because it was taken out of "The Special Zone" (and I dont consider the metroidvania games mentioned to be very special at all). You can say we dont watch Super BunnyHop for traditional style reviews, but at the same the shift of focus on the subject of actual game criticism, may be final for many people. I personally could see lot's of people getting into metroidvania with this game. Hopefully it does well. Hopefully George does well to, he's one of my favourite UA-camrs, but I feel if I didnt mention some stuff, not many people would.
And yet Chronicles isnt better than Symphony of the Night. Not the same kind of game. One thing I could say about Shovel Knight, well, its whats already been said here by George. It rips off alot of games but not one in particular, Axiom Verge rips off mostly one game, but then again, about aesthetic, it's all peronal taste. I honestly love techno-punk dark sci-fi, I can honestly say I prefer Axioms visuals to that of Shovel Knight. And I dont think Axiom being too similar to Metroid is bad thing... because there hasnt been a 2D Metroid game in about 12 years. For the same reasons I am excited with Ghost Song, agame that is faaaaaaaar closer to Metroid than Axiom is. And it's not like Metroid had the greatest enemies in the first place, they were always kinda lame and overpowered by the enviroment around them (where the game focuses more). Axiom seems to do the same. I am a fan of both games that required skill and metroidvanias that require backtracking... Both this things make Shovel Knight and Axiom Verge absolute oposites. I could easly say Super Metroid was crippled by it's bland enemies, but I'd be lying because they were never the focus, hell if they were they might take away the games atmosphere a little bit. Technical things like stuff getting stuck in the enviroment etc I cant comment. The main character does look bland and the story unrelatable, but I havent played the game to make my own judgement. Seen from far both this games seem to do exactly the same for their genre. Diference is, while Shovel Knight chose it's own aesthtic, Axiom is too close to the source. BUT, my point is, in a day and age where Metroid isnt made anymore, that should not be a huge factor. Hell, tons of great games that came out in the past looked to closely to one another and managed to suceed. If there ever is an Axiom Verge 2 I hope the aesthethics are changed to something more unique. Contextualizing I can see why the game chose to be this way, I dont know if it's exactly because it's in love with it's predecessors, but could also be because, this being a side project, for a single man who I dont think is an artist in the first place, creating a big visually impressively distinct work would be being his capabilities and distract from the core of the game: gameplay mechanics and level design.
treeghettox If the weapon could shoot through walls and maybe ''seek out'' enemies, this game would probably look more fun. Also, make bigger rooms so the enemies actually fit, instead of bumping into walls and not fitting into smaller hallways where you can stand and shoot them from. I haven't played the game though, but it looks like it would need a bit more pollish.
treeghettox A game's challenge should NEVER be lacking because of poor ai. That's when you know that the game should be more about exploration and puzzles than combat. The corridors are obviously too small and cramped for the enemies in the game. I did a quick google search on Risk of Rain, and it looked intressting. Is it atleast a *decent* game or is it underwhelming? Just wondering.
treeghettox It looks intressting enough to me, so I might try it out at a later date. I loved rougelikes like Spelunky and somewhat-enjoyed Binding of Isaac: Rebirth.
I love your channel, im a huge mgs fan and I found your channel accidentally looking for a channel me and my friends just made called mr bunny. Im suscribed. Keep up the awesome reviews.
This game was in desperate need of two things: 1. an item tracker on the map. Maybe you should only unlock it after beating the game, but a simple map icon saying "there is an item here you haven't found" in explored areas would have been greatly appreciated for 100%ers. 2. an ending (and end boss) that didn't suck greasy taint. I thought, for a while, that the plot was going to get smart or interesting in some way. It certainly had a good buildup to it, with your potentially-untrustworthy benefactors, a strangely ruined world, a villain that isn't telling you everything but is at the same time you, and a main character that could have been interesting if he and his motivations were dealt with better. Instead everything ends up being "up for interpretation" and it all falls apart into a mess of garbage that you need a wiki to figure out half of, and the other half is just completely "fill in the gaps yourself". Fuck that. As for the boss himself, it was mostly just a boring DPS race. What a disappointment.
Half life's title has to do with the game... It's in a post apocalyptic dystopian world. 'Half life' refers to the half life of nuclear particles, or in layman's terms, how long until nuclear particles become half as radioactive as their original value. Example: Isotope A's half life is 30 years (It will take 60 years until the isotope is no longer radioactive).
MastaGambit Sure it does. It's a war torn world after a nuclear genocide. Even the citadels are built to withstand nuclear blasts in the event it happened again.
That is... not how radioactive decay works. After 60 years you will have 1/4 the starting amount, it's exponential decay, not linear. And the original game had no nuclear bombs, it just took place in a facility in the New Mexico wastelands. The game really had next to nothing to do with its title (which is fine, really), it was just a cool-sounding name, and lambda made a good icon.
While i agree with some of your points calling the address disrupter a spin off of the"freeze ray" doesn't give it at all enough credit and almost belittles its concept for the fact that in 9/10 cases when you actually use the address disrupter on enemies it never actually causes them to be frozen or a place to stand on.
I actually thought this game did a rather impressive job of carving out its own identity and being its own thing. It starts out being "Metroid meets Contra", but grows beyond that and does a lot more original things. It has its own creepy atmosphere (I especially liked when Trace started hallucinating), though I still see where you're coming from. I just gotta disagree.
The story is trash tho,the dialogue is just weird.
"This game remains... only at the Verge... of greatness."
Said George Weidman while putting on his sunglasses and hi-fiving the wall next to him
This game is so much better than you make it sound.
rofl serious
I thought it was fair. I was super excited to play this game but then felt the gameplay was just a let down.
I'm starting to really notice our difference in perspective when it comes to games. I really don't iteration is bad. The mechanics can let a game down. The story can let a game down. But a game's similarity to another game has never affected my enjoyment of it. A game within itself can be repetitive (they basically all are to an extent) but I've never felt like a game's predecessors somehow affect how good the game is.
George, your videos are such a treat after a really crappy day of work.
Seriously your voice, is like drinking tea for your ears.
randomfox Randomfox- I agree with you. Listening to bunnyhop review is so depressing, like HE was the one coming home from work and forced to make this review. After loving this game so much, his review is totally opposite of how I feel and almost everyone else feels about this great title. I'm not saying I don't like his reviews because of his or my opinion, just his monotone, I know everything type of voice tells me to stay away from his biased channel and just watch other game reviewers.
randomfox I thought I didn't share this sentiment with anyone. He really sounds like hasn't slept for a week or something.
randomfox
Oratory shortcomings aside, I think most people watch his reviews because he gives intelligent, well thought-out and clearly articulated reviews of games he has proven you can trust. Markiplier may be more what you are looking for if you want your reviews to serve as an escape too, superbunnyhop in contrast to it's name appeals to a niche of gamers who like thoughtful reviews often possessing insight but devoid of hype.
joope zixzixzix I know your reply wasn't directed towards me, but I agree. I don't think one should relinquish every bit of enthusiasm to deliver a thought-provoking assessment of a product, however. Not that I'm implying you do. I'm not saying he should feign ethusiasm either, but don't review something when it's so obvious your spirits are low.
Hougropvitz
To be fair he did sound particularly drowsy in this review, I mean it struck me while I watched it too. Maybe it's just because he tends to give reviews of games he either finds inventive and loves, or hates so much he can still get enthusiastic about it. This however was clearly a review about a game he neither hates nor loves, hence the monotone.
I'll have to disagree as well. Almost everything your saying is truly very very critical. I have been enjoying this game nonstop for the exploration and back tracking. The concept is way different than Metroid and for the visuals, it not like anything else out there. Yes, yes....it's a clone but not every game has to break new ground or innovate a formula that is tried and true.
This is a must buy for any "true" 2D platformer fan who has ever played Metroid or Castlevania. When you say Metroid was at a time of critical change in gaming, I agree....so to say this game is nothing more than a clone is a bit harsh. But, I'm not mad "atcha"....it's your opinion and this is mine! In the end, Axiom Verge is money well spent.
You're contradicting yourself when you say "it is not like anything else out there. Yes, yes... it's a clone".
It seems to me like you're precisely agreeing with the review: it's great, but fails to be original or improve upon the flaws of the genre, hence it's not 'one of the best'.
As a hardcore Metroid fan, I had a lot of fun with this game. Indeed, for a game made by one man alone, it's an incredible achievement in every way and a fitting love letter to Metroid fans. It's even more valuable to me considering that for the last 10 years Nintendo has been unable to produce a game equivalent to it, unfortunately.
+Jacob R Well from that perspective, it's a great achievement, certainly.
We've really come to the point where the subtle and debatable criticism are directed at games made by single people, and triple A titles with million dollar budgets are mediocre by default.
Strange market.
Yeah, the comparison to super metroid not perfect. It is way more like the original metroid.
Watch someone play Metroid 1 NES blind with no idea where to go or what to do, and it gives you a similar feeling to axiom verge. lost in a big world , uncovering mysteries.
lothrazar
Due to its gameplay and level design, I felt it more comparable to Metroid NES, too, rather than Super Metroid, which I appreciated. It is fairly linear and more constrained in level progression compared to Metroid NES, however.
To be frank, in terms of gameplay, I don't think Axiom Verge is in the same league as the original Metroid trilogy. I do highly appreciate the game for what it is, though, and its take on the genre. It sends a strong message to Nintendo that the core of what the Metroid series is lies embedded in the framework of its original game, from which many new Metroid games can be built from, rather than from Metroid II or Super Metroid.
"The story makes as much sense as my health insurance"
Hahahah made my day :'D
Thomas Happ partially recreated the original Metroid for GBA with his own twist on the story called ORN back in 2004 for a college project, this was before Zero Mission was released. I remember thinking it was really cool back when I found it back then. Good to see he's still at it.
Metroidvannias are theoretically my favorite genre. But with such strong entries in the core series of the genre it can be easy to be harsh on the other entries.
I think this critique is pretty interesting. Much as I like the Metroidvania style, some games in the subgenre tend to ape the format and aesthetic a little too much.
So your biggest complaint about a game that is "a love letter" to metriod is that it's too much like metriod? I think your downing demeanor in this video is going to have people think that's a bad thing. Mighty no.9 and bloodstained are funded for this very reason. Yooka laylee also. Freedom planet and this share the same appeal, the appeal of reliving the nostalgia.
Now five years later, weren't all those games kinda disapointing?
Are there any metroidvania games that actually capture the mood, and feeling of Metroid, rather than use the genre's mechanics? I played it more because I like the idea of a Bounty Hunter going on a lonely, and extremely dangerous hunt for one mark, who ends up having to kill literally everything to get there. The atmosphere, art, subtle story, that's why I played Super Metroid. I want that in a sense, not just some familiar mechanics.
***** Metroidvania is a name for a set of mechanics, not for what ends they are used towards. Just like how Strategy RPG is a name for a set of mechanics.
***** Ghost Song have an amazing atmosphere, you should look it up it's a very promising project.
EliasFrostMusic Oh, it does look nice, thanks for making me aware of this.
+Vri Vri Well, it's _nothing_ like Super Metroid in atmosphere but the one game that made me understand why I loved Super Metroid so much was Ori and the Blind Forest. A good metroidvania (and I don't consider Castlevania good Metroidvanias) I realized is about making you _want_ to explore the world, about making "backtracking" fun because you just can't get enough of the world and its atmosphere. This is the case with Ori and the Blind Forest but it's not the case with Axiom Verge. Everything looks the same, everything is bland and the only variety comes through the weapons.
***** I respect your opinion but I would seriously recommend you try separating your opinion about a game both from judgements about the person you are talking to _and_ from the person who made the game. As it stands, I remain doubtful whether you maybe are just like the people who will rant about Fez but somehow can't do it without pointing out what a huge dick Phil Fish is.
So, I guess back to pillars of eternity then.
I'll be sticking with La-Mulana, myself. I've been chipping away at it for a while but haven't gotten far, since the game's immediately get insane once you get into the actual dungeon. Heck, for most players, just getting into the dungeon takes a few minutes due to its obfuscation. I'm still loving the style and overall mystery the game has in it.
I can't say I've heard of it. Another top down RPG?
Robbie carter It's another Metroid-esque indie platformer. George mentions it in this video. It's very good, and more distinct and unique than most modern sidescrollers can manage.
Robbie carter La-Mulana was showcased in the review. It's a side-scrolling Metroidvania with a lot of cool puzzles and good combat. There's a free version online which was the Steam version was based on.
Robbie carter La-Mulana is also in current Humble indie bundle for anyone interested.
I really admire people who can make pixel-style games look so good. It must of been an insane amount of work to really polish all the levels, sprites and animations to a shine. From what I see here, it looks amazing and I need to get, regardless of the frustrating level design.
I just love old school pixel games like these.
+Ariel Bruce I don't know. I like the old-style, 16-bit pixel art more (see: Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension). It's not too clean but not too "blocky". Just the right amount of frames.
Ariel Bruce *must have
@@michaeltom637 what do you mean, it is a 16-bit game....
dude, this was little bit harsh. yo listenenrs out there, the game is very good, go out and play it.
yeah its a metroid clone. but so what ? it's a good clone with some good innovations and mechanics.
"..Critical Close-Up is the backbone of this channel..."
-George Weidman 2012
zidus67 but they don't make moneyh that is the problem
zidus67 "Where's the next -Plinkett review- Critical Close-up you hack fraud!?"
I still don't get how cave story is metroidvania. It's a great game, don't get me wrong, but it has very little exploration, and a metroidvania without exploration is hardly a metroidvania.
I love Axiom Verge and all it represents, but I do agree that it's way too easy for me to get lost lol.
Also it's trying to play more on the original NES Metroid, with a few elements from SM here and there.
You talk about unoriginality, but I think the address corruptor powerup is one of the most original things in the game. :c
what are the best metroidstyle games in his opinion? cave story and la-mulana or are there more?
at 0:55
Why is Voranj Gun Spark so big? (Not the spread roots)
How do you make Voranj Spark big like that? I like to know.
This was a nice enough game, Played this back in 2015, just recently completed ESA (Environmental Station Alpha) and for some reason ESA's lingering in my mind for a significantly longer time. I can't explain/articulate Exactly what I mean but it just stuck with me. Axiom verge made a lot of bold decisions creatively though, very high concept I appreciated that.
I also finally played AM2R last year and that was awesome too.
The overall atmosphere of the environments and the intrigue fostered by the little breadcrumbs of lore and story it feeds you is what really shines about Axiom Verge to me and I feel like you did the game a disservice to forgo all of that in favor of pointing out that it isn't the same as a 20+ year old game
just finished this game.
great stuff but the few bad moments shine brighter than the constant good.
besides the stuff im about to mention, the game was great; the grappling hook felt clunky, i didnt have much control over it even when i got used to the controls. the heat seeker is a bitch to find, there is no good reason why RNG should control a weapon location. the last couple of bosses were pretty boring with no strategy involved compared to the first few bosses which had a nice strategy involved.
heres something that i really love about this game, the health alert beep syncs up with the music, i'd say it makes the soundtrack better.
"It makes as much sense as my health insurance" thank you George
But George, Metroid was made by a team. This was all five years of one guy's life.
Im not saying that makes it perfect, just that it should be considered when judging the technical (and nothing else) aspects of the game.
Sure.
BaneDain so what? the same can be said about many indiea games.
+BaneDain I'm sorry but that's a cop-out. You can try to like things out of sympathy all you want but it's going to slowly exhaust you and truth will win out -- every time.
What is the best Metroid clone then?
I would say the story is more in line with games like Out Of This World.
To me the way it was kind of ''bad'' really made sense in the game as a whole, I almost didn't even question it
George, I may be wrong, but I thought you did a Journey Video Review in this channel. I just can't find it!
They really should have given us the ability to teleport b/w save points atleast, the frustration would have massively reduced. The tile does make sense, its an "axiom(established) verge(border)" and you can think of it in more ways than one.
Besides the ones mentioned in this video, like cave story, what are some other good indie metroid-esk games? I know Ghost Song looks promising.
Check out soul of darkness on 3DS
GMBalHajri1990 For those of us who only owns a PC, do you have anything to recommend? Without relying on an emulator.
xentan Sorry, I really don't know anything about PC gaming..
Tomato Broth dust, guacamelee
treeghettox That's not really true. The law says you can only own backups you create yourself. Even if the site owns originals, odds are, the admins did not actually create those backups via a backup device themselves.
Someone help me out. Which games does Lone Survivor pay homage to? Silent Hill? I haven't played too many games in its genre to notice.
This game is amazing. It's basically Metroid, what did you expect? Some times there's no need to do anything original otherwise it's not Metroid. It's clearly a clone and I love it
I look forward to Axion Verge 3
Consolized
It was mostly a half-life 3 joke
Redem10 haha oh so joke such fun much humour wow
Consolized Axiom Verge 2 will be awesome as well. It will definitely be sponsored this time around and later down the road say 3 years Axiom Verge 3 will probably be released if AV 2 is successful.
Are we ever going to get a Harvester review?
very excited for the PC version
thanks for the review super bunnyhop. you mentioned other games that were metroid clones that were better. what are some of those titles?
Could I get a list of the "best" Metroid clones, I'm starved for something like that.
What would you say _is_ the best Metroid clone?
Zedek Shadow Complex is the best game that is patterned after the Metroid format and is almost a cross between Super Metriod and the Uncharted series. Guacamelee is also very good and has a lot of charm and humor to go along with it. Aside from that, Axiom Verge is a very good game but doesn't hold your hand like the two mentioned above (and therefore gets a bit of a bad rap). Either way, all three games are good and I'd advise you to play them and decide for yourself before taking anyone's word as authoritative.
+Zedek Halo :^)
Strider
Been on a Castlevania and Metroid binge lately and i'm searching for more. Any recommendations?
But what are the best metroidvanias?
What are the best Metroid clones out there then?
While I don't know if I'd go so harsh as you did on the game, I enjoyed my time with it quite a bit and only got lost once before I wrapped my head around the wall-piercing ability, I do agree that it has its flaws and probably could've been more innovative. But certain things it does during the course of the story are really neat.
awesome review. What's your relationship with HaasGaming though I'm cuious. It seems both of you use bunny/rabbit as your avatars, coincidence?
I had to stop the video at 3 minutes because you were giving too much away and I'm planning on getting it. A review is to let you know if the game is good or bad without giving too much away. It is possible. But then again, it is still your opinion. I've heard this game is really good and being a fan of Super Metroid, I really want to try it out.
what would you say are the best metroidvanias
Guacamelee and Shadow Complex are up there.
I have been watching game theory too much. I was half expecting you to make the joke about how it is at the verge of greatness, the Axiom Verge!
Soooo SuperBunnyhop is this game good?
What are the best metroid vanias that you can get on PC? I know of castlevania: SOTN but surely there are some more right?
Sorry if im late,but Super Metroid is free on browser.Also, Castlevania 4 and Cave Story.
+Sun Tzu Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is one of my favorites
La-Mulana.
Ori and the Blind Forest. If you've got a DS, play Castlevania Order of Ecclesia too.
store.steampowered.com/search/?tags=1628&category1=998
ori and the blind Forest, La-Mulana, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Shantae and the Pirates Curse, Axiom Verge, The Swapper, Song of the Deep and much more.
I wonder if you'll do a review of the Final Fantasy XV demo.
Though you really raise some valid points, i think your Review is really critical. I Had a blast with this one.
one of the great things about super metroid was its map design. pick any two points on the map and there is most likely a way to get from one to the other in just a handful of minutes. not sure about this game's map design in that regard, but it was one of the reasons that backtracking in super metroid wasn't a major burden.
Indeed, Super Metroid wasn't really about being lost to me. It actually for the most part had a good sense of flow without being too big.
Dawnemperor1
the great thing was that it felt big though. its such a shame it came out too late to be as big of a financial success as it was a critical success
On sale on Playstation 4 atm.
So I managed to play through this whole game without discovering that giant head quick travel method. Must have tacked on so many hours just running that whole hub section on foot every single time.
I want to play this , but i'm wondering if this is the type of game where you just get absolutely lost? I like exploring but not when i feel like it's a maze.
***** The first few hours are pretty straight-forward. After that you are given upgrades that you need to try out in different areas. If you're good at memorizing rooms and appreciate a little bit of backtracking it's impossible to get lost for more than ~30 minutes. Don't worry, it's not a La-Mulana/NES Metroid type of game.
I gave feedback on that cave story mod awhile back, now it's everywhere.
Still no Bloodborne review? Why am I not surprised?
I thought this was the best metroidvania game I've played yet. granted I never played metroid but I played Symphony of the Night. And Ori and the Blind Forest. It may not be the most original but that's not important to me personally. so if this isnt the best then what is?
This is cool, but i can't wait for the Bloodborne review. You've been talking so good about it on Twitter that is getting me pretty hype about it!
You make the developer sad George. Five years man.
Five years as a side project. I can imagine, this is all the developer wanted it to be. Just because its not enough for the player doesn't mean it isn't a fulfilling Project for the creator.
253637zero2 Yeah this is harsh. But reviews are for the consumer. Not the developer. Its post launch and people are paying money for it.
253637zero2 nah. he got a lot of praise elsewhere
like IGC put it in 1st place in her lifetime leaderboard
TheSorrel i played freedom planet recently and showel knight
both were the best games i played in 2015 yet
if it's not trying to innovate to modernizxation it doesn't mean it is anywhere bad or not worthy
if 1 reviewer found it just ok that doesn't mean it will not have a fanbase
tsartomato Its less about innovating or modernizing and more about having your own identity. Making a game that is just like Metroid is fine, but its not really its own thing, then. Its a copy, nothing more.
I do really love Metroid style games, so this game does look very appealing to me, but I will keep your criticisms in mind.
I liked this game for the gameplay alone, I didn't care for the story or the graphics and some of the music is just bizarre. I'm just a sucker for metroid-style 2D exploration games with boss battles.
I'm curious what La-Mulana did to elevate the genre?
Eldiran The level design is just nuts.
You really have to play it, even if it's not for everyone.
TehDieder I have played it - I found it quite pretty and atmospheric, but with some very questionable design decisions.
I guess the level design was pretty good (barring the malicious puzzles, anyway).
treeghettox I feel like if Metroid is pre-school, then La-Mulana is the designer asking "what number am I thinking of between 1 and 1,000,000?"
treeghettox I would rail on a number of the puzzles but I don't want to spoil them for people who care (although in my experience the game is impossible without a walkthrough anyway. I can recall least one puzzle where I was focusing on the correct relevant clues seeking the way forward, and would never in a million years have found the correct path. (It involved giants and pots.))
treeghettox For optional objectives, that would be great. There are a ton of crazy ones on the critical path, though. Having to use a walkthrough to progress -- especially in a game that's largely about discovery and exploration -- doesn't really make for a fun game.
I'd also argue that most of the puzzles that gave me trouble weren't too 'hard' per se, they were just way out of left field in what the game wanted you to do. You have to make use of random mechanics that aren't introduced or ever mentioned.
To be fair, it may be because of translation issues that proper hints weren't given. There are definitely some rough translations in there, and I wouldn't be surprised if vital info got lost by accident.
It's a shame that people remember SM as "that game where you get lost" when it comes to design. SM does an amazing job at keeping you safely on rails until you get Hi-jump, but encourages enough exploration that you know how to handle yourself from then on. Most metroid-alikes seem to lean more on the alleged promise of SM, not the reality.
+Shukterhouse Jive
You are right.. The stuck thing was not the thing that made Super metroid good or special.. The level design was Super B that a lot of developers has not managed to create. The game leads you to way with all kinda of Power ups but it does not tell you where to go..'
Ordinarily I'd agree that games should strive to be their own thing, BUT there hasn't been a 2D Metroid in a very long time so in this case I'd be willing to make an exception.
Having only played metroid and super metroid in my childhood, i absolutely love axiom verge because i don't have much to compare it to. I barely remember details of metroid and i think that helps for this game so I'm not stuck comparing the two all the time. The music in axiom verge is AWESOME
4 videos in 2 weeks? Damn, you are on a roll.
Between Shantae: Half Genie Hero and La Mulana 2, there's still interesting projects coming up in the realm of Metroidvanias. I was tempted to play Axiom Verge to tide me over until then, but I suppose I'll pass.
I still haven't played a 'metroidvania' that is better than Shadow Complex.
I do wonder how this game will play out and have a strong interest in playing it, and if it plays just like a metroid game I will likely be perfectly happy with it.
I can't find this game anywhere
On sale on Steam buddy
Steam. Or PS4 store I think.
Bunnyhop, you need to check out the AM2R project. its gorgeous.
I’m very much stuck on the double plated red laser walls! 😮
Sounds a lot like War for the Underworld which I've been playing since yesterday. It's so in love with Dungeon Keeper 2 that it verges on being a complete clone. I mean I like the game but it's just so much like DK2 that it doesn't feel like its own game.
Max Kemeny that was sole intention
tsartomato "Spiritual Successor" doesn't mean clone. Bioshock was the spiritual successor to System Shock and look how different those games are.
***** dungeon keeper 1 and 2 are still great games and are playable on modern systems. Hell, I've still got them installed. I don't see why they needed to just straight up clone it rather than do something a little more interesting with the concept.
The main thing that puts me off playing this game is the artstyle. I think I'll be getting Guacamelee instead of this, and maybe purchase this one some time down the road.
So.. um.. this was a "review" I guess.. khmmm... hmmmm....
This was way more harsh than it could have been. This is a really good game. Sure, it is almost a copy of Super Metroid, but that's hardly a Super (get it? ha ha) bad thing.
+pipboysenshi He was basically saying that it doesn't have the emotion and quiet storytelling that Super Metroid had. It's just an art game for arts sake. And some people will like it for that reason while for others that won't be enough and will feel like a little girl trying to wear its mom's high heels. Cute at first, but the appeal eventually wears off. I'm sort of in that group.
While I liked Lone Survivor and don't regret playing it, I have to agree with the comparison he used.
I really liked this game, but there are some problems. The map is too big, and the lack of any proper fast travel method makes backtracking and finding how to progress a bit slow; Some pathways can be hard to identify when you need to drill or glitch through; Later enemy and boss encounters felt cheap compared to the first 4 maps; There are too many hidden stuff, like when I've beaten the game at almost 12 hours, I managed to explore only about 80% of the map and find close to 55% of the items.
Best metroidvania and best alien world game so far for me
Agree. Pretty sure he didn't play the game for straight 1-2 hours or finished the game. Probably watched some other youtuber's play-through and jammed up with his own words. Majority of his complains are applicable for the surface level of game-play only.
It's okay, Bloodborne is already out. We can stop making new games now.
MarioTGP Oh, sounds like you're talking out of your ass. I guess that's because you are. Talking about a game you obviously haven't played makes you sound like a fucking idiot.
UGOTNUKED
Well the game looks very boring. The lack of diverse backgrounds and actions I'm seeing from the playthroughs are nothing to write home about.
MarioTGP
Is this /v/?
Bolt of Beef
Only hivemind communities accuse other communities of being a hivemind.
Urtistic
Clearly, you've never browsed /v/ extensively.
Can you do out there smowhere plz
The only thing that i got stuck at in the game for hours.... the power bomb ability of this game. Ran from one site to the other... only to find out... wait..... that works?.... Hours later that is.
The programmer used the (konami) code. up up down down left right left right. in main menu. found it is used to open password option. in new game. ass well code. : JUSTIN BAILEY. (from Metroid orig) gives you a swimsuit. Ps Dialog skins will show texture.
Honestly, I have played those other games you mentioned and I felt kinda disapointed with them. Like you said, regardless of wether it has an identity or not, I feel that Axiom, from what I've seen, got the metroid influences right. And it seems like it adds a TON on top of it. Having played Cavestory, La Mulana, Guacamelee, and other indie metroidvanias, even if those games have more identit than Axiom, from gameplay seen alone I feel this one has waaaay more variety and gameplay. I didnt feel
Cave Story ever did anything to push forward the genre, backwards rather, but I can get mad at it, t was it's own little thing. As someone very experiemnced with this genre, Axiom gives me all the vibes that it is indeed one of the BEST metroidvanias out there.
Cant wait for it to come to PC... and Ghost Song (which imitates Metroid FAAAAAAAAAAR more).
RANT INCOMING
Like I said I havent played it. I have been following it for 3 years so I know a feeeww stuff at least. Thing is, I played the other games George mentioned, and I dont see them "moving the genre forward", at best they have more identity because their viual and musical style isnt too aproximated to metroid and castlevania. But regarding that, isnt that comparation pretty much putting style over substance? Considering there hasnt been a 2D metroid game in almost 12 years, how much of a sin is having a "metroid vibe", or even borrow a few metroid mechanics? And we shouldnt talk as if Super Metroid is perfect either, it was far too clunky and the movements too floaty, some stuff from that game dont hold up that well. Honestly, Super Metroid, regardless of the impact it had, doesnt make it to my Top 5 Metroid games. Axiom seems to surpass it at least in the movement department, also seems to have a lot more variety too. I, as a HUUUUGE metroidvania fan, have been craving that. La Mula, Cave Story, Guacamelee and a few others I've played did not scratch that itch, Axiom Verge seems like it does only do that but much more as... I've gotten from other reviews, still have to try for myself to see if it's true or not.
My biggest problem with this review is just George's stance on this. As for someone who claimed "Shovel Knight" as being GOTY 2014, I can only get a bad taste in my mouth in this one. Mostly because Axiom Verge seems to do for dark non-linear retro platformers what Shovel Knight did for light hearted linear retro platformers! Spending too much time talking about Axiom Verge not standing out because the pixel art 2D Metroidvanias arent a dying breed on the indie market, instead of talking about the good as well as whats genuinly bad about it, as I've seen far more into detail in other reviews, takes away the focus of the viewer and puts us already in the zone of "this game isnt special", which is bad, even if the game isnt special at all.
Shovel Knight got a free pass on that, but many people, like me, didnt grow up on the games that game pays homage to, I grew up playing Metroid, Castlevania (the metroidvania ones) and many other games of the like (hell, even the first Megaman Zero game could be technically a Metroivania), so If I were to play Shovel Knight It'd have to be because it's a genuine good game WHICH I BELIEVE IT IS. I wonder If simply targeting a crowd with a diferent background than the majority is enought to turn a game that is genuinly great into a mere C+ effort.
As you can see I've already decided that this game is for me. But due to the change of focues, many people here wont consider twice simply because it was taken out of "The Special Zone" (and I dont consider the metroidvania games mentioned to be very special at all). You can say we dont watch Super BunnyHop for traditional style reviews, but at the same the shift of focus on the subject of actual game criticism, may be final for many people.
I personally could see lot's of people getting into metroidvania with this game. Hopefully it does well.
Hopefully George does well to, he's one of my favourite UA-camrs, but I feel if I didnt mention some stuff, not many people would.
btw sry for typos and bad engrish :(
BinaryDood And I also thinki this a good structured review. My big text really was mostly nitpicks.
And yet Chronicles isnt better than Symphony of the Night. Not the same kind of game. One thing I could say about Shovel Knight, well, its whats already been said here by George. It rips off alot of games but not one in particular, Axiom Verge rips off mostly one game, but then again, about aesthetic, it's all peronal taste. I honestly love techno-punk dark sci-fi, I can honestly say I prefer Axioms visuals to that of Shovel Knight. And I dont think Axiom being too similar to Metroid is bad thing... because there hasnt been a 2D Metroid game in about 12 years. For the same reasons I am excited with Ghost Song, agame that is faaaaaaaar closer to Metroid than Axiom is. And it's not like Metroid had the greatest enemies in the first place, they were always kinda lame and overpowered by the enviroment around them (where the game focuses more). Axiom seems to do the same.
I am a fan of both games that required skill and metroidvanias that require backtracking... Both this things make Shovel Knight and Axiom Verge absolute oposites. I could easly say Super Metroid was crippled by it's bland enemies, but I'd be lying because they were never the focus, hell if they were they might take away the games atmosphere a little bit. Technical things like stuff getting stuck in the enviroment etc I cant comment. The main character does look bland and the story unrelatable, but I havent played the game to make my own judgement.
Seen from far both this games seem to do exactly the same for their genre. Diference is, while Shovel Knight chose it's own aesthtic, Axiom is too close to the source. BUT, my point is, in a day and age where Metroid isnt made anymore, that should not be a huge factor. Hell, tons of great games that came out in the past looked to closely to one another and managed to suceed. If there ever is an Axiom Verge 2 I hope the aesthethics are changed to something more unique. Contextualizing I can see why the game chose to be this way, I dont know if it's exactly because it's in love with it's predecessors, but could also be because, this being a side project, for a single man who I dont think is an artist in the first place, creating a big visually impressively distinct work would be being his capabilities and distract from the core of the game: gameplay mechanics and level design.
Id have to disagree with you. I dont think the RPG elements made the action of Symphony of the Night worse, they are not to blame.
List of best Metroid clones pls.
This game needs kill streak rewards a class system with perks and weapon attachments and needs a exo suit then it will be good.
the story is much better than metroid.
I dunno, it looks a lot better than what you're saying to me. The art looks great.
So what is a better metroid clone then this? Ive found this game very enjoyable and cant think of another game coming close.dont say shadow complex.
If the enemies could ''phase'' through walls, then the combat might have been more frantic. Also let bullets phase through walls.
treeghettox If the weapon could shoot through walls and maybe ''seek out'' enemies, this game would probably look more fun. Also, make bigger rooms so the enemies actually fit, instead of bumping into walls and not fitting into smaller hallways where you can stand and shoot them from. I haven't played the game though, but it looks like it would need a bit more pollish.
treeghettox A game's challenge should NEVER be lacking because of poor ai. That's when you know that the game should be more about exploration and puzzles than combat. The corridors are obviously too small and cramped for the enemies in the game.
I did a quick google search on Risk of Rain, and it looked intressting. Is it atleast a *decent* game or is it underwhelming? Just wondering.
treeghettox It looks intressting enough to me, so I might try it out at a later date. I loved rougelikes like Spelunky and somewhat-enjoyed Binding of Isaac: Rebirth.
"...one purple jellyfish form bordering on IP infringement" might be my favorite sentence of 2015 thus far.
You reviewed Axiom Verge!!!!! Fucking sick one of my top 5 games of the year.
Speaking of unique indie metroidvania games, Guacamelee is awesome.
What? Who puts spoilers in a game review?...
I love your channel, im a huge mgs fan and I found your channel accidentally looking for a channel me and my friends just made called mr bunny. Im suscribed. Keep up the awesome reviews.
So, a buy it on sale kinda game.
Ashuten its priced at 20 dollars... even on a sale its still overpriced. don't bother with this game.
This game was in desperate need of two things:
1. an item tracker on the map. Maybe you should only unlock it after beating the game, but a simple map icon saying "there is an item here you haven't found" in explored areas would have been greatly appreciated for 100%ers.
2. an ending (and end boss) that didn't suck greasy taint. I thought, for a while, that the plot was going to get smart or interesting in some way. It certainly had a good buildup to it, with your potentially-untrustworthy benefactors, a strangely ruined world, a villain that isn't telling you everything but is at the same time you, and a main character that could have been interesting if he and his motivations were dealt with better. Instead everything ends up being "up for interpretation" and it all falls apart into a mess of garbage that you need a wiki to figure out half of, and the other half is just completely "fill in the gaps yourself". Fuck that. As for the boss himself, it was mostly just a boring DPS race. What a disappointment.
Metroid em up? Omg I love you, thanks for not saying metroidvania and for giving me a new name for the genre
I feel all of these Metroid references you keep dropping in your last few videos is all going to add up to a Metroid Prime review or something.
Half life's title has to do with the game... It's in a post apocalyptic dystopian world. 'Half life' refers to the half life of nuclear particles, or in layman's terms, how long until nuclear particles become half as radioactive as their original value.
Example: Isotope A's half life is 30 years (It will take 60 years until the isotope is no longer radioactive).
+Shmandalf sooo it has nothing to do with the game =|
MastaGambit Sure it does. It's a war torn world after a nuclear genocide. Even the citadels are built to withstand nuclear blasts in the event it happened again.
That is... not how radioactive decay works. After 60 years you will have 1/4 the starting amount, it's exponential decay, not linear.
And the original game had no nuclear bombs, it just took place in a facility in the New Mexico wastelands.
The game really had next to nothing to do with its title (which is fine, really), it was just a cool-sounding name, and lambda made a good icon.
woot? cave story uses finnish song?
i bet it also got praised for it, as if it has created it
(that's Letkajenkka)
tsartomato Apparently there's a character called Jenka whose theme Letkajenkka is.
Tristafeyr i've got up to final boss and forgot everything from that game the next day
I'm pretty sure it's in the grand tradition of Another World, not Half Life, given the genre.