Gunstar Green wrote:Speaking of overdone, every other game does not need to be a "rogue-like."
I cannot agree with this more. I roll my eyes when I see the term these days.
As for "Metroidvania", though, I love those. But there's no question that, if executed poorly, it just makes the game kinda boring. The last "linear" platformer that really struck me as amazing was Freedom Planet. Not bad for something that started as a Sonic fan game.
How about Minecraft-style graphics? I've noticed quite a few games crib Minecraft's visual aesthetic these days.
I don't like Minecraft's aesthetic at all. I mean, I know it's intentional, but it just makes me think of the old PSX-era stuff. And while some of those games look okay today, most are terrible. If there's any look I have nostalgia for, it's NES-to-Saturn/PSX 2D.
I've always hated Minecraft's art style, but Minecraft itself is a brilliant game (and especially when it was first released). I REALLY hate when other games use that style because with the exception of Uncraft Me (which is a $1 Xbox 360 indie game for those who don't know), no game has been enjoyable enough for me get past the art style.
Freedom Planet, however, is a BIG exception to my loathing for the "retro" art styled indie because that game is god damn amazing.
I don't have any problems with the retro aesthetic, it's just that folks don't necessarily use it well. It's also easier for people to use and get a product that looks somewhat reasonable. It takes a lot of artistic skill to do something more high-resolution.
Freedom Planet actually recalls mostly the Saturn era for me. I almost imagine it could be a long-lost Sonic spinoff for the Saturn or 32X... like a Knuckles Chaotix that actually turned out super-awesome.
The strangest thing about the game is that I'm not a huge Sonic fan. It's the non-Sonic elements that really cinch it for me. I like the melee combat in particular, it feels really good. And I love that both of the main characters feel very different in capabilities and approach. (And that's not counting Milla, who is really different.)
Personally, I love modern "retro" games. Even the bad ones are better than a lot of the dross we got during the 8- and 16-bit eras. As Bone put it, I'd take They Bleed Pixels over Bubsy any day.
As Bone put it, I'd take They Bleed Pixels over Bubsy any day.
