Re-review couple of games that I postponed long time ago and recently finished it.
1. DeadcoreBasically a platformer that designed to be skilled based for speedrun. The goal is to climb tower in 5 different levels. Story pretty much none, but from my understanding it was to reset / restart a dead core for electricity or something, hence the title.
Gameplay wise, this one is FPS that required you to have precise aim while having good sense of timing your jump. At start you only have your gun and simple jump (i forgot if the game give you double jump or not immediately) and it become more complex later on. Another thing, aside from platformer, this game is kinda like puzzle where you need to figure on how to navigate through maze / levels to reach the end point. New skills that you will unlock are air dash, gravity gun (enable switch that allow you to walk on ceiling) and charged attack (allow rocket jump and charging certain switch). You have to manage your gun slightly, unless you managed to find secret to increase your ammo capacity (which i didnt)
Overall, game is quite nice when you mastered the movement / level although it can get frustrating on certain timing of the jump (quite tight). I recommend this game if you are into platforming as I feel like not many game out there (that i already played) that focused a lot of on jumping and navigating through puzzle.
Other recommendation:
1. Seum - Speedrunner from Hell : Another game I finished like recently, tons of small size level but required you to beat certain time limit.
2. Cluster Truck : This one slightly more random as you jump on a moving trucks rather than static platform
3. A Story about my uncle : This one is more about gliding with grapple and largely focused on story, got a lot of beautiful environment.
2. Azure Striker GunvoltLast time I stopped playing this game because I didnt understand the mechanic, so I postponed it until I recently search on youtube about the basic mechanic of the game. Just like megaman and mighty no 9, this game also have its own unique mechanic.
Ok, I admit that I didnt play the game like true hardcore player as you pretty much can grind same level over and over again for challenge completion and getting ingredient to craft your gear. Aside that, you have standard game but emphasize mostly on the character main power electricity. The basic gameplay is shoot to tag enemy, then use that flashfield to zap them to death. Additionally flashfield also allow character to hover slightly although you have to watch carefully for your energy meter.
As for boss variety, it is only 6 here and those boss only reward you with new gun / way to tag your enemy. So it pretty much doesnt feel like you gain any new toy to play around with. One of critic that I can think people will say is the graphic as it looked too low resolution, which is kinda expected as this game was ported from 3ds with dual-screen (hence why sometimes you have this weird setup on the monitor, apparently it was fixed via setting on my side so the game now play nicely on full screen)
Overall, I believe this game is a must have for fan who liked old megaman game as the developer was the one behind couple of megaman in the past. Although the game I feel like kinda lack of depth / mechanic, but it is quite a nice for people who like to aim for high score / grinding / crafting.
Other recommendation:
1. Strider : Similar futuristic world with fast paced combat focused on melee and boss battle, it is metrovania rather than level based game.
2. Valdis Story: Abyssal City : Similar graphic style but it is more like 2D souls game with fast paced combat, boss battle with metrovania world.
3. AragamiI quite love certain design of stealth game, this indie certain is definitely not for everyone. You cant rambo in this game like many other game other there, as generally if you are spotted, you will raise alarm and die in one hit. However, you have one of the powerful tool in the game, which is shadow leap.
If you ever played any other stealth game, you generally will try to play with perfection with quick save / load, however this game used a checkpoint after you reached certain "safe area" or collected certain item. So the game are majorly about you dodging your enemy from one area to another area, with a lot of retries if you are terrible with it. The shadow leap i mentioned before are useful skill that allow you to jump from one area with shadow to another area with shadow, at limited distant. This will allow you to pass level easily. So this game is pretty much like puzzle navigating each level.
Personally, if Im not rushing to finish another game, I would easily 100% this game as the game is quite simple enough once you master it. One of the feature I liked with game that have collectible is the ability to find all hidden object in the level without requiring you to search on the internet. At the end of each level, you also will gain some medal depending on your playstyle of : not trigger any alarm, not kill anyone or kill everyone. The medal system encourage you to replay earlier level for juicy cosmetic or achievements
Overall, again I dont think this game is for everyone as the stealth system is quite rigid, you feel powerless, and it feel it is like budget indie game (which it is) but once you mastered it, you can jump in and out like a ninja.
Other recommendation:
1. Styx Master of Shadow : More polished game and more depth, with more verticality. One of my favourite game I played last year.
2. Dishonored : Again, more AAA game than Aragami that introduced the blink mechanic to game industry.
3. Volume : top view stealth game, feel like similar production value and gameplay, this game have tons of small size level though