Actr

Metal Gear bsky.app/profile/actr...

However, even with these problems, I think this game is kinda underrated as a metroidvania type experience. It's worth a try if you like those.

Plus you have to constantly switch between cards and try different items and call your friends. Gets tedious. And the worst part is that there's at least one item that I don't even know how you are supposed to find. Maybe I missed a clue, but I found it by pure chance.

It's a shame cause most of the game is smooth as long as you are paying attention until you hit one of these roadblocks and now you have to explore the whole place again to see what you missed. This is specially annoying cause enemies respawn everytime you leave a room.

Metal Gear was cool. It has similar appeal to Zelda 1. It's all about exploring, finding tools and solving the "world puzzle". It expects you to take notes and remember important info which I really like. Sadly a few of the items are a bit too hidden imo which can be frustrating.

Super Castlevania IV bsky.app/profile/actr...

It's more about just getting good at the core combat and that's fine. I think I had an overall better time playing this game but I do miss the feeling of perfecting a level and destroying a boss with your subweapon. That was pretty exciting.

If you do manage to get to the boss with an upgraded subweapon, you will pulverize it but doing this is both unlikely and unnecessary. Abundance of instakill hazards makes it pretty hard to keep your subweapon and the bosses are fairly doable with the whip anyways.

Castlevania IV is like a better version of Castlevania in lots of ways. Better controls, you can whip in 8 directions, the levels are more interesting, etc. But it's a shame that planning has been deemphasized. Your subweapon or level of upgrade is not that relevant.

Castlevania bsky.app/profile/actr...

Oh yeah game has a banger soundtrack.

The last level feels a bit bullshit for me but the good thing is that you don't have to repeat it once you reach Dracula so you can comfortably practice his fight.

This is the part I enjoyed the most. Bosses that feel impossible with just the whip can become a joke. Wish the manual was more clear about how to get this upgrades though. You are supposed to hit 10 objects with the sub weapon.

It's a fair challenge for the most part but it does have its moments where it feels unmanageable, some bosses in particular. That's where stragedy comes in however. Choosing the right sub weapon and reaching the boss with shot upgrades.

Took me a bit to get used to it but ultimately it was fun. The delay on the whip, the lack of air control and some of the enemies did had me frustrated for some time but eventually I figured it out. It's not only a game of skill but also about correctly planning each stage.

Sonic Colors bsky.app/profile/actr...

Side note: holy shit they never fully fixed this remaster. It's still crashing.

So yeah, I think Colors is the game that's easiest to enjoy casually. I had a fun time playing it normally but when trying to dig for more, it left me thinking that it could've been better.

It might be the ranking system with less focus on speed. Gettting an S rank is not a matter of skillful fast execution of a level. Instead you are supposed to farm as many points as you can in the level and you don't need to do it particularly fast. It's just not that fun for me.

They have cool abilities but you can only use them when the game gives you one so they don't really add that much the gameplay. They are ocasional minigames. But what's really disappointing to me is the ranking system.

Sonic can double jump now which is gives you better control and now boost and homing attack are on different buttons which is cool but others mechanics like drifting and side stepping have sadly become purely contextual. The real big addition to the game are the wisps.

The levels are fun but less demanding and engaging than the ones in Unleashed and it feels a bit more automatized and restrictive. A lot of the game are 2D sections that are fine but are less fun than more dedicated 2D games like Rush.

Colors it's one of the most no nonsense just fun Sonic games out there. Pretty visuals, great music and set of fun levels with almost nothing interrupting you. Gameplay is not improved over its prequel tho. In fact, it leans into some of the least appealing aspects of that game.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 bsky.app/profile/actr...

At the end the main problem is that it doesn't live up to its name. It's not a cool new adventure after the events Sonic 3. It's a shallow attempt at fanservice by remaking classic levels but now they look uglier and have a forgettable soundtrack. It's uninspired and unexciting.

Episode 2 is an improvement however. It looks nicer, has a bit more story and more importantly, it brings tag actions back. Advance 3 had more and I also liked them more there but these ones are still cool and useful.

Sonic 4 is disappointing as a follow up to Sonic 3. More than a sequel it feels like a weird remake with almost all the level themes coming from the classic games. The gameplay and levels are fine but didn't interest me much. It's not bad, just unremarkable. It offers little new.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing bsky.app/profile/actr...

It's sad that Riders was replaced by this less unique series but it's hard to be too mad at this entry. This is more of a Sega All Stars game. It's a simple party game for people who like Sega. It probably wasn't meant as a replacement until the spectacular failure of Free Riders

All Star Racing is a karting game. Drfiting feels nice. Tracks are good. But it basically does nothing to differentiate itself. It a functional but bare bones karting game. Don't see a reason to play it unless you like Sega characters.