Skriak 最近的评测

This game allowed me to thoroughly escape reality during a heatwave, bravo.

I think the joys of good co-op often get overlooked in this age of widespread multiplayer deathmatches. The best part of Portal 2 was the co-op mode, for instance, since it took the established gameplay and spun it into something fresh with a reliance on teamwork. PixelJunk Shooter is a fairly obscure game with a fairly terrible name, but it might offer some of the most polished and fun co-op of its generation.

It’s a twin-stick 2D shooter where you control little ships and navigate underground caverns filled with lava, water and other hazards while rescuing colonists and collecting diamonds. The fun comes from how the different elements interact and the inevitable hijinks that ensue when two players try to work together only to end up setting each other on fire. This is one of those games where failing can be utterly hilarious rather than aggravating, especially since most of the challenge comes from the need for teamwork rather than the levels being particularly hard in themselves. So many times we had to restart a checkpoint because one of us managed to kill the colonist we were trying to rescue while clearing an obstacle.

The environmental puzzles in each level start simple and get gradually more complex, effectively teaching you each new mechanic in sequence while still allowing some freedom as to how a level is approached. Then lessons you’ve learned get flipped on you, most obviously when you find the reversal module for your ship that makes you vulnerable to water but safe in lava. The fact that your life bar is a measure of how hot your ship is getting also makes for some nice risk-and-reward gameplay, because firing weapons or getting too close to heat sources will quickly overheat your ship until it crashes to the floor and explodes, but you can save yourself before impact by steering into something cold. Those near-miss moments are another big part of the fun, since your victories are usually snatched from the jaws of defeat.


You need a certain number of diamonds in order to unlock each level, and these are fun to collect because they’re often cunningly hidden under the one pile of rubble you wouldn’t otherwise have bothered shooting, although it is annoying that diamonds can hide under the tiniest pixel of scenery, meaning that you need to thoroughly destroy every last bit of rock to be sure you haven’t missed one of the precious stones. Still, it’s a fun challenge to aim for, and I like these kind of games that cater to both casual and experienced players by offering an optional goal that’s not necessary to enjoy yourself.

I was delighted to find that both PixelJunk Shooter 1 and 2 can be nabbed on Steam for less than a tenner, as part of the confusingly-named PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate, which is even stranger given that you can also buy the original game by itself for the same price. So make sure to only buy PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate, since there doesn’t seem to be any reason whatsoever to buy the first game separately. Just remember that the co-op seems to be local-only, but you’d lose something without the simple pleasure of hitting your friend when they accidentally drown your ship in lava. Or at least, they said it was an accident…

PROS:

- Nice to see a big-budget game break out of the AAA industry’s increasingly rigid mould.
- Above-average script elevates a straightforward story.
- Exploring to find weird little characters and creepy ghost stories is weirdly enjoyable.

CONS:

- Utterly terrible stealth sections that clash completely with the rest of the game.
- Puzzles often appear interesting only to phrase themselves strangely, resulting in answers that don’t seem to make a lot of sense.

SUMMARY:

A mild experiment that’s neither particularly great nor notably bad. Definitely not worth considering for anything near full price, but a pleasant enough diversion if you fancy something laid back. Still, it’s a bit sad that the most interesting thing about this game is that it’s anything other than a brown shooter. Like complimenting someone for only breaking one of your legs rather than both.

This almost manages to be a fun experience with some decent shooting and above-average dialogue, but levels quickly descend into tedious corridor shootouts and the story never really develops beyond its simple premise. Not utterly terrible, but tragically unremarkable and not worth trying when there are so many better options. Shame.

If the horror stories are to be believed, Dark Souls is a punishing game that only those with infinite patience will ever see the end of. As with so many legends, there’s a grain of truth to these claims that’s been exaggerated out of proportion; yes, Dark Souls is a merciless beast whose demanding nature will put off a lot of people. But is it insurmountable for the average gaming enthusiast? I’d argue no.

After a cryptic intro that raises more questions than it answers, Dark Souls places you in a prison cell armed with only a broken sword. On top of that, your character died before you even had a say in their life. All this sets the tone for an adventure that pulls no punches, and by the time you find a decent weapon you’ll have already run into some lethal creatures. But there’s nothing inherently unreasonable about the opening segment of gameplay; you’re told what buttons do what, then given a weapon and left to figure out the most efficient means of killing stuff with it. The result is a game that trains you to approach new areas with caution, never underestimate an opponent, and always have an escape route if things go tits-up. It’s an intriguing hybrid of old and new game design, sans most of the cryptic bollocks your nostalgia doesn’t let you remember.

The combat is the dominant gameplay feature, of course, and I don’t hesitate to call it some of the best I’ve seen: a dagger feels completely different from a giant hammer, and neither can be called definitively better than the other. Dodging attacks and getting backstabs is a legitimate tactic, but so is tanking damage and punching through blocks with heavy weapons, not to mention the abundance of magical options I was too scared to try for a long time. It’s a strategic experience that something like Skyrim can barely dream of unless modded up the wazoo.

Speaking of strategy, Dark Souls is one of precious few games that actually give meaningful penalties for death. Every time you die, you lose your accumulated points and have precisely one chance to retrieve them. If you ♥♥♥♥ that up, the points are gone forever. It’s harsh, to be sure, but checkpoints are never obscenely far apart and I learned early on that if you know your downfall is imminent, you might as well try and die in a spot that can be reached easily. It’s just another system to use to your advantage and will only screw you over if you push your luck: know when to retreat and spend your points, rather than lose them deep in enemy territory. That the entire world respawns when you use a checkpoint is bizarre at first, yet makes a lot of sense to me; sitting at a bonfire becomes a tactical decision, since it provides safety at the cost of undoing your progress elsewhere. And as crushing as it is to lose your hard-earned points, those moments are also the best times to throw yourself at a boss or speed through a tough area to grab items.

Navigating the metroidvania landscape is the other great art of Dark Souls. Locales are varied (along with their inhabitants) and frequently bigger than they first appear, overflowing with hidden loot, shortcuts and even optional bosses. Backtracking does become a nuisance beyond a certain point, and the teleport option is hard-earned, but the only places I truly dislike are the handful suffering from framerate dips (on consoles) and finicky platform segments. Other than that, I find the game’s setup enjoyable, not least due to its role in one of Dark Souls’ most surprising triumphs: storytelling.

There’s a wealth of lore to be found in subtle background details and item descriptions, and it really felt like I was piecing together the world’s history from the clues left behind. The slow realisation of just how boned the land is fits perfectly with the sense of dread pervading the gameplay, and even your character’s ability to rise after death is contextually justified. For a game that could’ve relied solely on its combat, I find it doubly impressive that Dark Souls manages to have a memorable world, and with a minimalistic style that’s refreshing in an industry whose attempts at storytelling often rely on overwritten cutscenes.

Another remarkable aspect of Dark Souls is the online integration: players can leave messages that randomly pop up in people’s worlds. Some are helpful, some are amusing, and some are outright lies. Then you have a clunky but workable co-op mechanic, along with the danger of being invaded by other guys whenever you de-zombify yourself. The whole arrangement is seemingly unique to the Souls franchise, and has created a profound sense of community while also reminding you that nobody can be trusted.

At its core, Dark Souls represents a raw yet fair challenge where death is almost never anyone’s fault but the player’s. And while your initial perception may be one of cruel chaos, dig deep enough and you’ll find a sense of order. By almost any measure, I think Dark Souls must be called an impressive piece of work. The only question is whether you’ll enjoy an action game which requires you to be methodical and treat every fight like a matter of life and death. Unlike some parts of the fanbase, I understand that it’s possible to not like something for reasons other than sucking at it.

Tomb Raider is a polished bit of mindless action. But its attempts at telling an origin story clash constantly with its gung-ho gameplay and almost nothing about the characters or setting manages to be memorable. It's certainly functional, not to mention beautiful, but it lacks much in the way of personality and so probably won't warrant a revisit. Grab it cheap if you fancy some inoffensive AAA fun. Otherwise, you'd be better off elsewhere.

Though daunting to look at, SpaceChem introduces elements slowly and doesn't drop the challenge on you until you've proven yourself capable. This is without question the most rage-inducing yet ultimately satisfying puzzler I've ever played and if you're remotely tempted, you have no reason not to try the generous demo.

The demo was probably the best I'd ever seen, and the full game has made me laugh more than any other game in a very long time. In a medium that so rarely achieves intelligent comedy, The Stanley Parable drips with wit. Try the demo and if you like what you see, the full game is better still. Thoroughly recommended.

Without question one of my favourite stealth games in recent years. Sizeable levels leave room for varied approaches, and trying to complete missions without a soul suspecting you were there is a welcome optional challenge. My only real criticism is the occasional confusion of having several context-sensitive actions bound to a single button, leading to a few cheap deaths. But anybody after satisfying stealth can't go far wrong here. Easily at least as good as Gunpoint, another recent stealth success.

Easily the highlight has to be some of the most inventive and satisfying bosses I've seen in years. The bits in-between are still fun, but stand out less because the bosses are just so damn nifty. Probably the biggest issue is that the physics, while entertaining, have a habit of trapping items in awkward places. Still a charming romp well worth some fiddly bits and certainly replayable.