Yakuza 3
For the most part I enjoyed this entry. I didn't get it when it came out because by that point, I didn't feel like going through Kamurocho again. In hindsight, I think it was a good decision because a lot of my concerns were made out to be true with this game. Still, what is good is really good. I found myself preferring the story-based Okinawan antics over the tried and true Kamurocho style. In Okinawa, I enjoyed playing as a retired yakuza deciding to settle down with some kids in his brand new orphange. The kids and their stories were very sweet and the game does a great job of keeping you absorbed into their lives. For the first time ever in a Yakuza game, I found myself preferring exploration over combat. According to my stats, my encounter rate is up there, and I've been doing practically the same combos the entire game. Gone is the variety in combo move set from the past Yakuza's that allowed a wide range of evasion, parry, and grab techniques. Gone are the interesting items you'd find littered in alley ways, like the random pair of scissors I'd use to stab people - gruesomely - in past games. Most of the weapons I found in the stores were pretty boring too. It's hard to impress when you've seen this formula done two times before, I guess. The past games had a good sense of progression in Kiryu's moveset. I guess it's just hard to make him more interesting the more games they make. Story-wise, I enjoyed it. I definitely think it's the best story the franchise has come up with that I've experienced at least. It makes me not want to play 4, which I was looking forward to due to the combat complaints listed above. I just don't see the point in continuing Kiryu's story, and buying more would ruin any sense of closure I've gotten from 3. Looking forward to Ishin.
Spelunky HD
After getting through Yakuza 3 by using the same combos over and over, this really is the game I needed. I've died over a 100 times, and I've laughed almost every time. Spelunky is a great game to learn about ones self. Many times if I'm in a rush, I'll die, and chuckle, knowing that it was totally my fault for fucking up. So now, every time I start a level, I grab a rock or a skull, or a rat, and use it to set off traps, kill enemies. I used to run all the time, but not I'm always looking at ceilings, looking below me, for any surprises, and run only when necessary. I used to use up bombs and rope, only to get stuck in areas without supplies. Now I have a rule where I can only use supplies if I need it to get to a Damsel. I'll die sometimes, but I'm dying significantly less and now I can get to the Jungle with relative ease. I can get halfway through the jungle now. Fuck yeah. Spelunky takes the rules of rogue and puts it in a blender of platformer, and masochist gaming and it surprisingly works. Like with The Binding of Isaac and its other contemporaries, Spelunky does a lot of good to reinvent the genre. I think of the modern rogue-esque games one can buy on countless dd stores, Spelunky is by far the best. In addition, the other modes aside from Adventure mode are great too, like the daily challenge, and especially deathmatch. Holy shit, is deathmatch fun. The icing on the cake is that two modes feel like extra, as the adventure mode could completely stands on its own merits. However, their existence forms a great game into a fantastic game. Highly suggested.
Spelunky is another nail in the coffin for AAA gaming and their utter vapidity. So glad we have so many options in 2014.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spelunky shits on Dark/Demons Souls
The ost kicks ass too!
Feels like a lost Genesis soundtrack.
I'd say Spelunky HD has the makings of a modern classic, but I'm going to reserve that for when I beat it.
