amphibious_ReViews

Based on Nick Bostrom's "Paperclip Maximizer" thought experiment, Universal Paperclips  poses the player as an A.I. told to continually make paperclips. The premise is deceptively innocent, seeming as though it may be just another idle game droplet in the sea that genre has become. However, the game's depth continues to increase, both by further complicating the play screen and everything that the player has to balance, as well as weaving a subtle narrative with a satisfyingly sadistic culmination to top it off. Universal Paperclips  is not a game to be played while working (and it is definitely meant to be played on a computer, trust me). The climbing numbers and the strategic management are both engrossing and intoxicating, making it one of the only things that I could think about or focus on, anytime I had it running, even if I meant it to just be racking up numbers in the background. That's where it really shines though, I wasn't just playing the A.I.,

As I was playing around with my copy of Asteroids  for the Gameboy , I began to notice something. I was not having any fun. The game felt like a chore and really didn't seem like it was worth my time. Honestly, I thought about writing a disappointed review right then so that I could be done with it and move on. Fortunately, I decided to get my screenshots from the PC Atari Anniversary Edition  version instead of the Gameboy  version, and I actually found myself having fun! The gameplay was smooth and exciting, with each dodge of an asteroid or evasion of an alien bullet feeling like a huge success. I'm pretty sure that the only real difference between the Gameboy  and PC versions (besides the updated graphics for Gameboy ) was the fact that I could control the ship's direction with the mouse instead of buttons. I felt as though I had more control over the vehicle and and it allowed me to be much more immersed in the title. In the future, I will probably end up playing

Like its counterparts on the NES ,  Zelda II: The Adventure of Link  and Super Mario Bros. 2  ( Super Mario USA ), Final Fantasy II  almost completely ignored what made its predecessor so successful. However, I think it was a much more enjoyable game as a result! Final Fantasy II 's most blaring difference was the implementation of a stat-growth system instead of the traditional leveling system found in the series' other entries. Many found it tedious that you had to repeat an action to improve it (or its associated stats), but I actually enjoyed grinding in this entry because I could focus on new combat strategies in order to improve my target stats, instead of just fighting the same fight repeatedly. FFII  also took a huge step by introducing characters with names, faces, and personalities, over the anonymous heroes of FFI . The interactions between characters through predetermined dialogue sequences and the interactive "ask/learn" system helped to flesh out the

One of my favorite things about geek culture is how often creators come together with their characters, games, etc. and release special collaborations that combine multiple great things into one awesome product. Although Nintendo  is just one company, their willingness to combine their IP's in different games has always excited me. Because of this, I have a deep appreciation for the Smash Bros.  franchise. My introduction to the series was a $25 copy of Melee  that I found at a Gamestop near the end of the GameCube's  lifespan. As the years passed, I still appreciated the franchise, but I rarely sat down to play it anymore (with the exception of pulling out Brawl  with a group of family friends every now and then) because the gameplay felt more catered towards a short playtime, and I didn't feel like it was worthwhile to boot up a console and get everything situated if I wasn't going to play for a significant chunk of time. That's why the portable (yet powerful) 

Every new  Mario Kart  game comes with its own gimmick of sorts, whether its the introduction of motion controls on the  Wii  iteration, or the pairing up of riders on the  Gamecube's Double Dash;  but this new  Switch  release does more than introduce gimmicks, it improves the entire system. Even compared to its previous release on the  Wii U , this game kicks it up a notch! Small improvements including the return of old mystery box items and the ability to carry multiple items at a time are appreciated, but the real fun comes with the major additions -- with my attention immediately gravitating towards the full-fledged battle mode with 5 different battle options and 8 new/returning arenas that allow for some amazing multiplayer mayhem. Beyond the improvements this game boasts,  Mario Kart 8 Deluxe  is a solid entry into the  Nintendo Switch 's growing library. It acts as the perfect pick-up-and-play option, allowing for  Switch  owners like myself to bond with others t

Although I have never really been that good at it, Galaxian  has stood strong as one of my favorite arcade games. Every once in a while I will pull out my Namco  plug'n'play or Namco Museum  on my Gameboy Advance  just to waste some time destroying (or being destroyed by) some aliens. The gameplay is extremely simple with the player controlling a ship that moves from side to side in order to avoid enemy attacks and aim shots at wave upon wave of multi-colored aliens. Although much simpler than its successors,  Galaga  and Gaplus , this game is still quite addicting and always reels me in when I have some time to play it. Unfortunately, I am a pretty garbage pilot and I still need a lot more practice in order to do anything of value when playing, but that doesn't stop me from trying over and over to see if I can beat my last score. Whether or not you are confident that you can single-handedly destroy hordes of bug-like extraterrestrials, Galaxian  is a worthwhile quar

I'm going to start this review by saying that I regard The Legend of Zelda  franchise as my favorite video game series of all time. The story, music, characters, environments, and everything else that comes together in a Zelda  game always seems to make me smile and keep me engaged every second of my playthrough. Because of this, I had extremely high expectations coming into  Breath of the Wild , and I am ecstatic to report that it most definitely delivered! My first step into the world of Hyrule  felt both nostalgic and fresh at the same time - a feeling that the game built upon continuously as I played. Because most of the mechanics in the game were either altered heavily from previous Zelda  titles, or entirely new for this title, I did find myself extremely giddy anytime I found something left in from previous games. The fact that the experience I had in this game was different from the series' roots ensured that references to older games (such as highly recognizable sh

The leader in the toys-to-life genre released another gem with Swap-Force , bringing a lot of upgrades and changes to the game, but maybe a bit too many additions for its own good. Now, I could write an entire doctoral thesis comparing this game to its predecessors and successors, but I won't. Rather, I hope to delve into Swap-Force  almost as if it were a standalone. What I noticed immediately about this game is that it looks and feels gorgeous. Everything blends together seamlessly into one solid world that combines cartoony with colorful, creating a wide variety of aesthetically magnificent levels. The platforming is also quite enjoyable, coupled with a button-mashing combat that stays exciting thanks to a variety of enemies and playable characters. Even the story is worthwhile as multiple humorous cutscenes play during the (unfortunately long) loading times. However, there are flaws, and most come thanks to the franchise's inherent business model. As a game that