The format of these posts is simple: let's discuss a specific game or series!
Let’s discuss the Ori series. What is your favorite entry? Are there any moments or mechanics that stand out to you? What aspects of the games do you like most? What are areas that could be improved or don't work for you? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Metal Gear, Slay the Spire
I keep picking this game up and putting it back down. It's beautiful but I just can't get into it.
I finally tried the first one not long ago and went in super excited. I had the same experience, though.. I think for me what caught me off guard the most was how hard it was. I've played a lot of platformers and metroidvanias, and I found Ori to be punishingly difficult. The "escape the area" sections were the killers ultimately. The first one in the tree took me dozens of tries, and it turned a very cool and cinematic moment into a frustrating slog that I couldn't wait to put behind me. I got as far as the next one of these in the ice area and it was even more intense, and finally I just threw in the towel. It's a shame because there was a lot to like, but the difficulty was a bit too much for my enjoyment.
i think this is what made it unfun, not the difficulty but the fact that you have to die a few times to even see what you're supposed to do and it was aggravating way early in the game. Also I'm not a fan of the difficulty stemming from the controls being hard to use, like when you're carrying stuff.
After I tried Hollow Knight for the 3rd time I finally had the realization that I just don't like metroidvanias. Tunic, Ori, HK, Guacamelee. Bounced off every single one of them despite wanting to like them. The closest I've ever gotten to liking one was Death's Door, but that took some work to get through. Not really a metroidvania but it sort of feels like one? Ultimately the music and vibe/combat kept me going and you don't really need to return to locations if you don't want to, so you can keep marching forward for 90% of the game.
I do like this genre but I had the same experience with hollow knight. I wanted to like it, but something about the way it controlled felt really off to me, and I didn't enjoy the punishing death mechanics.
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asdfasdfsadfasfasdfFor me personally I've never liked combining hard challenges with infrequent saves. I don't mind things to be hard if I'm allowed to get right back to the same spot after, but I don't like having to get back to the hard thing from far away just to try again.
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asdfasdfsadfasfasdfI'm in the same boat: Hollow Knight frustrated me so much that I never finished it, even though I really liked the lore and the world and the non-boss fights. Celeste on the other hand might be even "harder", but as you respawn on every screen literally instantly, you can fail and retry hard parts a hundred times until you make it.
Oh that's good to know! That's another one I still haven't played, but this is a strong recommendation.
Not that my opinion matters any more than the next person's, but I also can't recommend Celeste enough.
It does so many things so very right.
The pure gameplay is crisp and responsive platforming.
Like any good platfmorer it has some specific mechanics that make it unique, but every one is intuitive enough to pick up easily enough. I have heard it called something like "the hardest platformer that everyone can finish."
And it is true. I could never finish some of the harder SMB levels but I never got too frustrated with Celeste.
And if I were, there would have been accessibility options to make the game more approachable.
But it also caters to the hardcore crowd with completely optional collectibles that are organically included into the gorgeous level design.
It is speedrunnable for those folks.
And as if that wasn't enough to make a good platformer it also tells a heartwarming story supported by a beautiful soundtrack.
Sorry I am rambling, but Celeste is fucking awesome.
Thanks for the ramble!
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asdfasdfsadfasfasdfSame for me. I don't understand why, I should love it but I don't.