CrossCode

Just can't get into. if there is story it's pacing very poorly. puzzles punish you for doing the exact thing you're supposed to do a few minutes later, but never explain it. combat feels kinda clunky, in a vacuum it's kinda awesome but then a large chunk of enemies require you hit them from a specific side, pretty standard stuff, but that angle is always instantly faced away from you to encourage you the hyper sensitive (for controller) throwing mechanic which shows a nice little aimer to help you out by never following the trail. wishlisted a long while back cause i go the impression of secret of mana and if thats what it's supposed to be, it does a great diservice.

I have to say. This is an underrated gem of a game. I would argue this is likely a genuine 10/10 that's up there with some beautiful games. First is the characters. They're all extremely compelling. The main character Lea having few words to say while being so expressive was very cute but also a great narrative device to not only create a major mystery that we try to uncover with the story, but to also allow the player to immerse themselves with the character. The side characters are also great, each having unique personalities and compelling character growth of their own. The graphics and design support this. The designs are rather simple but each get across a message and you get a good idea of their personalities just from looking at them. The enemy and boss designs are also great, having some of the most unique design I've seen with enemies in a while. The different areas of the game are also very good, Next is the gameplay which is very unique. It's a top down RPG with a heavy emphasis on platforming puzzles, with the main challenge of each major dungeon being how to solve each room rather than going through hordes of enemies taking the design philosophy of Zelda games. Having speedrun achievements where you race your friends is a creative way to add a little bit of pressure when solving these puzzles, but it's mostly just for fun, and I certainly did not obtain them during my first playthrough. The combat in this game is no joke either. The combo system of the open world and the different combat moves you unlock throughout the game. The weapons and gear allow for different playstyles throughout the game And finally the story. I don't wish to spoil much, but lets just say that the plot twists are utterly insane and gut punching. I don't think I was emotionally hit when I learned the truth about Lea as I did most games. I'm not one to get emotional during most stories, but that one hit close to home for me for some reason. Despite the serious moments hitting hard, I'm a big fan of the humor in this game. It's not excessive and constantly in your face in a way that gives you tonal whiplash *cough* FFVII Remake Trilogy. I'll also briefly cover the soundtrack. It's great. It's not my favorite of all time, but it fits the game very well and I did find quite of few tracks to be iconic. A bit underrated in my opinion it's worth a listen. TL;DR: Underrated gem of a game. I'd argue one of the best indie games of all time. Compelling story and characters, amazing gameplay, and definitely worth the price. Note this is only reviewing the base game. I have not touched A New Home DLC

Most polished indie game.

love love love love it. The combat feels fun, complex and original. I'm over 100 hrs in and I'm still not consistently using all the attacks. It's definitely an "easy to learn, hard to master" kind of game. If I had to nitpick, I would say dodging can feel a little clunky. I like soulslike games so I'm pretty familiar with I-frames and dodging through attacks, and I'm absolutely awful at dodging in this game. YMMV though, just because I like them doesn't mean I'm a good player. A lot of people complain about the puzzles, but I think they're incredibly well designed! They're difficult enough that when you walk into a room you think "what is this. how am i supposed to solve this" and then you figure it out and feel like an absolute genius. I honestly didn't think the timing of the puzzles was too "tight" either. The hardest ones only took a few attempts once I figured out the what I needed to do, I don't think I ever "rage quit" a puzzle because it was frustratingly close timing. The story is good, the characters are cute, and the dialog is light and funny, and satisfyingly meta (its a game about a game, you gotta). Do I think it's a literary masterpiece that deeply explores the nature of the human mind? No. Well, okay, a little. Did I cry like a little weanie multiple times? Yes. AM I a little weanie? Also yes. I started the early access of Alabaster Dawn and then played all of this, deeply recommend both. Unless you hate puzzles or complex combat or fun. thank you for your time

Good game. Worth every dollar.

THE best game ever made.

the peakest of all peaks