Metro Exodus Review

By: Logan Manfredi on PC

Overview
       From the outside looking in Metro Exodus may seem like just another triple-A game, hidden within it though maybe some of the best character design I've seen this generation. The game world isn't exactly what I would call open, but it allows for an ample amount of exploration. The lack of size of the world makes every stop between main quests completely worth it. Each location on the map offers insight into the lore of Metro, and there's a massive number of NPCs each with unique motivations and shockingly detailed design. The main cast of characters are voiced excellently, and I found myself almost caring for them like my own family. All these hyper-detailed characters make it possible for some intense moments that I did not see coming. Going in, I assumed shooting things would be the focus of the big-budget shooter, and man was I wrong. The beauty of Metros design is that it creates incredibly human moments, moments that often invoked the post-apocalyptic debate of survival VS retaining one's humanity. Artoyms' (the players' character) decisions have lasting effects on the newly developing post-war world. I often found myself reloading checkpoints so that I could handle a conflict nonviolently. Such efforts were rewarded in new cutscenes or chunks of dialogue that would offer insight into how your actions affected different groups in the world. The gunplay is on par with most modern shooters, but with a haunting level of realism that made me question using lethal levels of force. 

Minimal HUD

        Health bars and other HUD elements are non-existent and instead replaced with a compass and hyper-realistic bullet damage. If an enemy spots you in the open, you will rarely survive. Most guns are a one shit kill, and all are with the proper aim. Another notable mechanic is the enemy A.I. In Metro, enemies don't just try and shoot you from cover or rush at you as soon as they spawn. Instead, the enemies react to how you form your attack. Some even have unique voice lines that tell were they or looking or what they think is happening. Their intelligence goes as far as to show self-preservation in enemies. From giant cat monsters to the many different bandit tribes, specific shared characteristics are present. Killing multiple enemies causes a direct reaction that can range from surrendering to charging in to attack in a rage, or even just panicking and running out of fear. These many nuanced details mesh together perfectly to deliver an experience that feels like a step forward in terms of storytelling in games.

The details
        The level of immersion present makes it easy to forget you're playing a video game. Almost every location and character are fully fleshed out. All NPC's have a purpose, something they are working towards. Each is entirely free of such video-gamey tropes as repeating voice lines or standing aimlessly doing nothing waiting for the player to progress. The environments themselves have as much to do with the worldbuilding as the NPCs living in it. Each zone is drastically different from the prior and offers new and unique looks as to how that region has adjusted to life after the war.

The Caspian Sea

 From the frozen wastelands of Moscow to the scorching deserts of the Caspian Sea. Each location has its own unique population, climate and day/night cycles that all interact simultaneously to immerse the player further in the game. From the second level, the player has the option to continue at night or during the day. Each option offers a different experience in the same local, and individual objectives are easier or harder to tackle depending on the time of day. The differences of day versus night can vary wildly. During the day, other humans in the world are awake and going about their daily tasks; this leads to more interactions with NPC's, violent or not. The night is a different beast in that there are far fewer humans to deal with and sneaking into locations is much easier, but the mutated beasts of the wasteland are everywhere. This freedom in decision making doesn't have significant effects on the story of the game but offers variances in gameplay that feels refreshing. These decisions helped make me feel more connected to the main character as a player.

Caspian Sea Night 

My favorite thing

        The thing that made me fall in love with this game was the world itself and the characters in it.  For the first time in my long gaming career, I wanted to complete every side quest. I found my self doing quests not just to "level up" but because I cared for the characters and wanted to spend as much time with the game world as I could. Side quests differ from other games in that they are not just icons on the map, but instead, they're personal requests made by your companions. The rewards for these quests in place of items are cut scenes or optional dialogue with the character you helped. What blew me away was the gargantuan amount of detail that's present in these scenes that only a small percentage of players might see.  Often, I found myself waiting for the dialogue to end and the NPC to stand there and wait, but that moment never came. Every chance I had, I would listen, sometimes for fifteen minutes or more, and there would still be new non-repeating voice lines. Each extra scene I experienced not only added another layer to the story but also made me feel that much more connected to my companions. I was and still, am shocked at the sheer amount of time the dev team and voice actors must have spent in the studio. Smaller details like the way you pass items to other characters or the fact that your radio can be heard by enemies when sneaking around may seem insignificant. Truthfully though there are so many of them that work together perfectly that they give the game a level of polish I've rarely seen. Often, I found myself trying wild things like shooting lanterns to set enemies on fire and being surprised by it working. 

In the end
        Saying Metro shocked me would be putting it mildly; in the end, the game was beyond a pleasant surprise to play. The level of detail and polish present is near impossible to capture in a trailer. Although I was skeptical if I would finish the game before starting it, 5 minutes in and I knew I was hooked. The lack of HUD elements and incredibly real-feeling characters make it one of the most immersive games I've played this year. Vibrant and passionate performances from the voice cast make every scene a joy to watch. The numerous optional dialogues offer as much insight into the game world as any player could ask for and, graphically speaking Metro looks as good as any game this generation. The addition of Metro to Xbox Gamepass is massive and if you have and Xbox or pc capable of playing it, there is no reason to skip this game. I would consider it a hidden gem of this generation and recommend it to anyone. I give Metro Exodus 4.5 out of 5 Snails.

Here's a bonus montage video I made of some of my favorite moments from the game with a song from a side quest. 

Danger Crew Review

 By Logan Manfredi on PC

Overview
        Danger Crew is precisely the type of game I had in mind when I started this website. A passionate work of art that clearly encapsulates the developers love for games. Every moment in the game has a tremendous amount of care put into it, and it shows. I wanted more of it as soon as I was done. Danger Crew is a turn-based RPG set in the fast-paced world of computer programming. The developers have no problem poking fun at themselves and other devs, and the result is a hilarious experience full of witty one-liners and a vibrant environment worth exploring. 

As far as RPG elements go the story and combat stood out the most to me.  Combat feels great and is extremely polished. There is a multitude of attacks and abilities that take the form of "Scripts" each with their own name and effect that relate back to the "development" theme. The story, while somewhat short, is jam-packed with content. Side quests flow effortlessly into the main narrative and offer a more in-depth look into the characters and game world. Every NPC has something to say, and most provide helpful information for completing quests. The map is full of places to explore and items that can significantly change the course of combat. The level design has a flow to it that encourages the player to see what happens next. I could easily see players tackling Danger Crew in one or a few long gaming sessions.

The details
        Players will create their own character at the start of the game and have eight different appearances to choose from. Each is quite different from the rest and allows for players to pick an avatar that feels like them.

As the new guy at the job, it's your goal to prove yourself to your coworkers by completing tasks around the office. These tasks can range from finding items scattered in the building, to participating in hack battles. Hack battles are how Danger Crew handles combat. When two developers in the game decide to do battle, they will whip out their laptops and get to coding. Attacks and abilities take the form of "Scripts" and items such as Battery packs, and Password resets replace the standard potions or antidotes found in most RPGs. These small changes work together with the theme of the game to create a level of immersion I wasn't expecting in a 2d game. The art style reminded me of a Pokémon game crossed with Funko pop, and I loved it. While Danger Crew is more retro graphically speaking the animations and level design are clean and as modern as can be. The music, complete with accompanying battle sounds reminded me of the golden days of Gameboy Advanced. The sounds are simple enough to convey what's going on without being so basic they drive you insane like some other retro-styled games. By the 4th or 5th battle, I started humming the victory music every time it was played, and I really want it as my ringtone now.   

That good music.

My favorite thing
        My favorite thing about the game is the depth of combat. Numerous different Scripts, upgrades, and items flow together and add levels to the gameplay. At first, I was able to dispatch of enemies quickly, but as my character grew more powerful, so did the NPC's. The pacing is perfect, the rate at which difficulty increases allows the player to learn as much as possible before they meet a challenge. This creates a super rewarding feeling later in the game and a level of difficulty that I enjoyed. After some time, players will be joined by companions they can also create and customize. The addition of teammates in combat busts the game wide open. Battles go from 1v1 to 3v3, and the enemies take a significant step up in terms of difficulty. There is a wide range of status effects in the game, such as "Lagged out," "Deadline," or "Hacked" each with the ability to drastically change the course of a battle. My favorite being Deadline because it gives the affected player an extra turn in combat. I would use the ability on a player who could also use Deadline and be able to have my whole team taking two turns by the second round of combat.

 I'll admit when I first figured this out, I felt unstoppable. That was until I ran into an enemy with the ability "Scope Stab," a Script that does critical damage to players affected by Deadline. That's when I saw just how detailed the combat is. To complete the game, I needed more than just that one combination of abilities. Boss fights pushed the combat even further and showed just how in-depth battles could be. With each new boss came the exciting challenge of finding a new build of abilities that will succeed. 

Puzzle elements help to fill out the game world

In the end
        Danger crew is fun, the combat feels great, and the story and characters are as charming as can be. The campaign will probably take you less than 10 hours to complete, and honestly, the only thing I'd change with the game is the length. The combat is designed with such depth and care that I could easily see it having more endgame content in the future. In fact, Danger Crew has already been updated with more battles. These updates feature such bosses as the Hacker King and even a showdown with the developers themselves. The passion of the developers is present everywhere in the game, and I know I'll be coming back to play Danger Crew again with each new update. If you have ever studied web development, the game will make you laugh out loud, and for me personally, I found the game incredibly inspiring. On sale on Steam until the 5th of August, there is no reason to skip this game. Any fan of classic RPG's will love it, and Danger Crew is the perfect weekend game to finish in a couple longer gaming sessions.

 I give Danger Crew 4.5 out of 5 Snails!

Steam World Heist Review

By Logan Manfredi

on Nintendo Switch 

Overview

        The Steamworld games from Image and Form are some of the most interesting in modern gaming. We, as players, often see sequels and game series that update graphics or add a few new mechanics, but virtually the games stay the same. While the first two games in the series Steamworld Dig 1 & 2 follow that pattern, the third installment, Steamworld Heist flips the series on its head in a completely different way, and it’s magical. The third game in the franchise takes a 180-degree turn from its Metroidvania roots and finds itself as turn-based strategy game instead. Procedurally generated tunnels are traded for spaceships in the sci-fi continuation of the Steamworld universe. Heist is unique, 2d graphics and turn-based gameplay haven’t worked this well since the SNES. The core loop of the game is boarding ships, getting loot, and evacuating, and it feels different every time. Never was I bored being a space pirate. Heist follows a crew of Steambots who until now were just trying to get by. Circumstances beyond their control force the team into a daring quest that will determine the very fate of Steambot kind. Along the way, they will meet a charming cast of characters each with unique motivations entirely their own.

The story itself is minimal in exposition, but that doesn’t take away from the connection between the player and playable characters. These connections are made possible by the detailed dialogues that take place between missions on your home ship. Each time the player returns home, the crew from the previous mission will be waiting with an optional conversation that will either reference what just happened in the story or reveal a pivotal moment in the characters past. The most shocking thing about this game for me was the length of the campaign. Typically for twenty dollars, you don’t expect games to extend past the ten or twelve-hour mark. Heist shatters this expectation with a heap of content that will take the average player close to twenty hours just to complete the story. Beyond that, the game offers tons of replayability with a four-star ranking system for each quest and a new game+ mode that allows for players to max out each character and find all of the items and weapons available in the game. For twenty dollars few games hold up to Steamworld Heist in terms of content alone.    

The Details

        Cerebral would be a kind word to describe Steamworld Heist. The game at times feels more like chess than a video game, and that’s something I was not mad about. Incredible detail in character and level design allows for rewarding combinations of character abilities that can play out over multiple turns making the player feel like a strategic genius. That being said, there are some things I found that the game could do without, but nothing significant enough to stop me from enjoying my time with it. At the end of missions, once everything has been done, players must walk around and grab loot, being that the game is turn based this takes more time than I would like. Without enemies having their turns the act of taking endless turns to move slowly towards loot and back feels quite tedious. A simple fix would be if just after completing a mission you could get all the loot still left on the ground. In all reality, there is no need for an excess four or five turns just to run around and grab loot with no risk. 

item descriptions are hilarious and worth reading.

        Another excellent detail of the game is how the playable characters progress. Typically, in a game that’s this long by the end, the characters would be in the high double digits in terms of level with numerous passive and active abilities. Where Heist stands out is with its slow and methodical leveling that makes each level-up have a drastic effect on gameplay. Every new ability changes the core strategy of said character and allows for new and exciting ways to tackle missions. The game has a little bit of a dip towards the middle portion, but new characters and the wildly varying types of missions make the end of the game feel incredibly fresh and rewarding. The specific addition of Billy, the deep space diver, drastically changes the pace and style of the game, and after about 11 hours, he was just what I needed to remain invested.  On a lighter note, the game has some enjoyable features available on the Switch. The HD rumble of the Joycons makes the joining of airlocks and recoil of firearms feel great, and the addition of full touch controls not only makes aiming much easier but allows for a certain level of comfort when playing the game. I’ve been recovering from surgery as of late and was able to complete the game almost entirely with one hand. 

My favorite thing

        My favorite thing about Heist is the abundant variance in mission structure. No two missions are the same. From size and layout to number and type of enemies, every mission is uniquely its own. On top of that, depending on what characters the player decides to take on the mission, the same exact quest could have multiple different outcomes and paths to completion. Some missions require a single character, while others could require up to four, this allows for precise leveling of certain characters and creates a wonderful sense of variety throughout the game.

Variety in crew size.

Like most players, I found myself gravitating towards a specific crew and taking the same four characters out on most missions. It wasn’t until about eleven hours in that I started to experiment with mixing up my team and the way I played the game changed completely. Each crew member has specific skills such as self-healing, increased movement range, or becoming invincible for a turn. Combing different crewmates skills allowed for wildly different strategies and helped to keep the longer than average campaign from getting stale. Typically, I spend about a week reviewing a game, but the sheer variance in playstyles of Steamworld had me solely playing it for about two weeks. Every time I thought I was at the end of the game, I was pleasantly surprised by the addition of a new crewmate, items, or even entirely new zones to explore. 

Example of cutscene 

 In the end

        Steamworld Heist is an exciting new take on an already stellar franchise. The charisma of Steamworld and its characters match that of the others in the series perfectly. Entirely new gameplay mechanics introduce fans new and old to an exciting and fresh way to play this beast of a strategy game. Variety in gameplay is where this game shines, and no two players could expect to have the same crew. While the length of the game could deter some, I highly recommend switching up your team as often as possible because it creates fun and exciting new ways to play the game and the story is worth experiencing. The game is also often on sale, and at the already budget price of $19.99 few others match it in terms of content. I recommend it for any fan of strategy games like X-com, or Divinity or to anyone looking to mix up their gaming habits. 

I give Steamworld Heist 3 and a half snails out of 5.

The Way Reviewed

By: Logan Manfredi 
on Nintendo Switch

"A beautiful journey into the unknown"

***Mild spoilers ahead, nothing major just some examples of the design***

Overview

        The Way is as much of a novel as it is a video game. There is a level of detail present within the game world that offers a sense of immersion more attune to Tolkien than Nintendo. Subtitles present in the environment offer nuanced yet critical information to the overall narrative. Much like a book, The Way is not about killing a boss or a bad guy. The game focuses on Tom, a scientist/astronaut who recently lost his wife and is unable to cope with it. This is so refreshing because it's telling a story, not just feeding a gameplay loop. Moments like a giant alien beast chasing you until you, unfortunately, have to slay it, then seeing its young pup and immediately feeling guilty for your actions give this game an exquisite sense of immersion and refreshing look at character development that makes the player more easily relate. There are multiple times in the game where the narrative, along with the mechanics, take a drastic shift and flip the story and the player's expectations on their head. After making the decision to raise the animal you orphaned and losing your gun, the game redesigns its past mechanics and further progresses the story by now having you, the player coexist with nature rather than destroy it to get what you want. This is just one example of the many times the development of the main character directly affects gameplay. Shifts like this allow for the story to have a more significant impact on the player because the consequences of the story have a direct effect on subsequent game mechanics. 

Another thing the game handles uniquely and beautifully is time. I enjoy the long stretches of time that pass in The Way because it adds to the realism and emphasizes the story that much more. It would take months or even years to decode an alien language or repair broken equipment, so the fact that the hero loses such essential time on his journey makes the player feel the same wear and weight that the quest has had on him. This connection between player and narrative is what makes this game stand out to me, and the reason I would recommend playing it. The gameplay itself is of quality and feels good, but doesn't hold up to the story in the latter half of the game. 
        Towards the end of the game, the quality of puzzles takes a sharp decline, and the player is expected to know things that only the developer could see. A large part of this I think is because the first two-thirds of the game has beautiful alien worlds and lots of contrasting colors helping puzzle elements stand out and make the player feel like they discovered the solution on their own. 

In the third act, each "generator" is a colorless pit that hides things like ladders and switches by being too dark and using an only grey color pallet.

Dark levels drove me mad.

Puzzles before were fun and trial and error would reveal the solution eventually. Later in act 3, puzzles expect players to know or remember long detailed sequences that are hidden in a shadow on the wall or not even mentioned period. Every room in act three feels exceedingly similar, and players are not introduced to a new puzzle mechanic for hours, rather subject to just doing more complicated versions of old puzzles in what feels like the dark. This was disappointing because until then the game was an incredible experience that required zero walkthroughs or guide help, but baring some luck (I did solve one puzzle by madness and just spinning the joystick in frustration) I see this game as impossible to get through without checking a guide at least once. 

Video Overview 

The Details
        The mechanics and narrative in The Way are continually performing a delicate dance, interweaving with each other and having direct cause and effect allows for both to shine brilliantly. Moments like, losing your weapon or getting injured would usually reset a checkpoint in a video game, but not in The Way. Facing such adversity is what pushes the player forward and advances the mechanics at the same time. Being a primarily puzzle based game progressive difficulty is harder to establish because there are not enemies with HP or damage to multiply. Increasing difficulty instead must be designed into each subsequent puzzles and always be in the developers' mind. That's where the narrative comes into play. By having a direct effect on how the hero has to overcome adversity, new mechanics can be introduced without tutorials or need for explanation. The lack of tutorials is a marvelous thing in that it makes the game more of an immersive experience. The gameplay itself is how the player learns exactly what's possible mechanically and it paces itself perfectly with the overall story.  Mechanics like The Sphere (alien tech that interacts with the world) replace your gun and are outstanding because they remove the cliché of the first step in every puzzle being shoot this or shoot that. A large part of what makes me like this game so much is how it's always changing and evolving from a gameplay perspective that runs parallel to the narrative. 

a stunning alien village 

My Favorite thing
        This game constantly makes me feel smarter than I am. It does so by having the progression in the game tied in perfect unison with the story so that it feels more like living it than playing a game. Generally, if I'm stuck in a video game for more than a day I break down and check a guide, but I never felt the need to with The Way (except once), each attempt felt like part of the journey, and I was glad to be experiencing it. The vibrant level design lends itself perfectly to the puzzles, and the diverse color pallet allows for information to be communicated almost subconsciously. What I mean by that is the sheer amount of colors in the world forces the players to take in more information and see patterns present even when not looking for or directly acknowledging them. A brilliant design like this makes it, so when the player does finally solve a puzzle, the success feels completely their own. This was my favorite part of the game and a large part of why I enjoyed it so much.

I could look at this game all day.

In the end
        The Way made me feel like I was reading a great book. The narrative is the core of this game and works perfectly as a pillar to support all other aspects of its design. Solutions to puzzles feel earned, and the art direction is stunning. Emotional set pieces trigger drastic turns in gameplay and give the story a sense of urgency that makes the player crave to see it finish. Towards the latter half of the game, a feeling of redundancy creeps up but is kept from becoming a significant issue with help from the compelling narrative. That being said, this game and its story are 100% worth experiencing for any fan of sci-fi. 

I give The Way Remastered 3.5 out of 5 snails. 

Super Mario Bros Review

By: Logan Manfredi

" An 8-bit titan that will stand the test of time."

Overview
        Super Mario Bros is the classic game. Countless iterations across numerous generations have made it the single most recognizable video game in pop culture. From arcade bars to jail-broken iPhones, Mario is everywhere, but how many people have really played the game? Sure world 1-1 is iconic, and I've personally played it probably ten thousand times, but it wasn't until recently that I dove in and experienced what the game had to offer. Immediately in world two, the game springs open, difficulty spikes up, and new enemies with entirely new patterns begin to test the players on the fly decision making. Even now, almost 35 years later, the level design and ramping difficulty are near perfectly paced and result in an outstanding platformer.

Example of variety in levels.

Currently available with the Nintendo Switch online service the game is more accessible than ever and should be played by every fan of the plumber. The version on Switch is a kinder experience than the original NES or arcade cabinet, but I think it's the ideal way to experience the game. The main addition being the ability to create save states at any point in time while playing. Now I know some people might say "That breaks the game," or "that's not how its meant to be played," while I agree with them somewhat I enjoy Save States because I feel they give the player the option to adjust difficulty without taking away from the game. Save states are as good or as bad as the player makes them, I used them to save before each world, or if I had a specific place, I wanted a clip from. This made getting through the game much easier because I wouldn't have to restart from 1-1 when I ran out of lives rather just the start of the world. Doing so did make the game more accessible, but didn't change any of the design choices or challenges I had to overcome. The diversity in levels even in the same world is years before it's time, and gives the player the feeling of always wanting to see what's next. The end of the game is as tricky as any platformer and will test a player's skill and patience to this day, which helps make it one of the most satisfying games I ever completed.

                                            "Seriously where did that block come from?!"

The Details
        There is a rhythm to Super Mario Bros that when found gives one the most satisfying gameplay experiences ever. This is accomplished by the brilliant level design and pacing of the developers. Each mechanic is so perfectly fine-tuned and complementary to it's accompanying features that the game feels like an instrument to be played. A few worlds in the player discovers an entirely new feel for the game. No longer needing to stop before the next enemy or imposing jump the gameplay becomes fluid and much more fast-paced. Moments like the bridge full of swarming fish reveal the rhythm I mentioned before and capture the brilliance of design perfectly. Panic would be a pleasant way to describe how I felt the first time I had to cross what I call the fish bridge.

I totally didn't die there

Fish come flying from every direction, and so fast that if you stop you'll succumb to the swarm. The momentum and pattern of the fish are designed perfectly in that it forces the player the move before they think and get past the obstacle using their new Mario sixth sense. The effect is made possible by the brilliant level design where the fish themselves and the stage around them force the player into taking the correct path, and when done correctly feels incredibly rewarding. Moments like this are abundant in the game and are a large part of why I think it's one of the greatest games of all times. 

Secrets like this Warp Zone and hidden vine are abundant.

My Favorite Thing
  My absolute favorite thing about this game is the ramping difficulty and the sense of accomplishment it makes the player feel simply by progressing in the game. From world 1-2 the game begins to test the player's decision making with a few moving platforms and new enemy types such as the Piranha plant hiding in the pipe. Easy enough to figure out on the first or second try, the real reason they are there is to teach the player the mechanic before testing them on a similar, but more advanced obstacle later on. Mechanics like this allows for the magic moment of seeing a daunting task in the game and knowing that you can get past it. This attention to detail in level design and difficulty has set a standard in the video game industry that many strive to match to this day. Never in the eight worlds is the player faced with a mechanic they weren’t first taught in a more manageable fashion, and that’s one of the key reasons this game is and will always be a classic.

Exept for the water levels, they are evil.

In the end
        A shining pillar of video game history, Super Mario Bros, laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most popular gaming genres in existence. Giants of the industry refer to it as "the reason they got into gaming," and the game has been enjoyed by countless people of all walks of life. To this day, it remains a fun and rewarding platformer and offers an exciting insight into the birth of the industry as a whole. With numerous iterations available across a wide range of platforms, there is no reason to skip this game. My advice to you the player is this, take your time with it and save Princess Peach. All eight worlds of this game have so much to offer it would be a shame to stop before getting the full experience. If you have not played this game, I highly recommend it.

Super Mario Bros for NES gets 5 out of 5snails.

Mario Tennis Aces Review

By Logan Manfredi

“A swing and a……… half miss?” 

Overview
        Let me preface this by saying that I love tennis, so much so that I’ve played competitively for a good chunk of my life. Mario Tennis Aces, I do not love. The next step in a series that has seen success in the past falls short of its predecessors. The critical and I think most massive flaw with this game is the price point of 59.99, now 49.99. If the game was say priced at 39.99 or lower, I would be much more accepting in the repetitiveness, and lack of polish. The problem is games like Breath of the Wild, and FIFA exist at the same price point, and the sheer difference in the amount of content is astonishing. Mario Tennis at its core is a good tennis game. In classic mode, without Star-shots or any of the extra trimmings that make it "Mario," the game is quite enjoyable. What drove me to stop playing the game was the campaign and its insane difficulty spikes built using redundancy rather than skilled game design. For example, say a challenge required you to volley the ball 15 times with Shy guy, the next challenge would be to volley 30 with a Koopa Troopa, and so on until you reached 100. Problems like these just bore the player and don’t offer any real reward or gratification. The campaign, in general, was just too long for a sports game. The redundant challenges and lack of depth could have easily been avoided by shortening the campaign and focusing on what the game does best, which is tennis. It took me probably 10-15 hours to complete, and I was over it after about six. I'm sure if I skipped as much as I could and only did the minimum to progress that I could've beat it faster, but that's not how I play games. 

        The core gameplay itself is detailed, and anytime I wasn't playing the campaign I was having a great time. Characters in the game are unlocked through online play, which I like as a new take on unlockable items for Nintendo games. The most refreshing aspect is that each month there is a unique online tournament and by participating players can unlock the new character that comes with it. The more you play online, win or lose, the more characters, and costumes you can unlock. The online play itself isn’t perfect, but despite waiting for some lengthy searches to find opponents, it still works. The solid core mechanics combined with frequent updates have given the game longevity that not standard with a Mario title and I appreciate it greatly.


The Details
        There are six game modes in total, and all of them besides Adventure mode was unique and a blast to play. Tournament mode is a typical tournament setup and honestly would be my preferred campaign, all it would need would be some unlockable items and varying difficulty in the CPU. Both mechanics are already present in the game.  Online tournaments add depth and longevity past the content that comes in the box. Co-op challenge, and swing mode both offer multiplayer fun typical of a Nintendo title. Co-op challenge being more mini-game and less tennis focused, while swing mode is a glorious tribute to the Wii sports tennis days of old. Ring shot mode takes the core idea of tennis and flips it on its head by making it a completely different game. In Ring shot games, players will compete, or work together to hit as many rings as possible when rallying the ball back and forth. This was especially interesting to me because I see it as I way to help younger gamers or people who don't want to invest the time to learn the rules of tennis enjoy the game. Beyond that, facing off against friends in Ring Shot mode added another layer of depth and almost a meta game to the multiplayer experience. Lastly, Free play is the classic tennis experience that will allow for any variation of the game to be played with any of the many unlockable characters, items, and courts.

            The aesthetics of each zone are as true to Mario as it gets, from piranha plants to Shy-guys the game is full with the Nintendo spirit that makes their games great. The same Nintendo magic extends to the boss encounters, which are the best part of the campaign. Each boss was different enough to make me want to see what the next had in store but similar enough that I felt I knew how to beat each already. The bosses worked because there were just enough of them, one more boss fight and it would have been too much. While the overview of the map looks fantastic, its sheer size speaks to the main issue with the game — too much content. Nintendo has been crushing it since the Switch came out, and I think that actually had an adverse effect on the development of Mario Tennis. When it was released, the Switch still had a relatively small library of games. I believe this combined with the success of early titles on the Switch lead the development team to push themselves more than they had too. I could easily see how wanting to live up to the hype of Super Mario Odyssey, or Breath of the Wild would cause them to keep adding content to the game hoping to be on that level. The truth of the matter is that Mario Tennis Aces isn't the same caliber as other first-party Nintendo titles, but that's not a bad thing. If the game would have embraced it’s sub AAA status and delivered the polished product it is without the extraneous bells and whistles at a respectable price point it could have been a must-have on the Switch.

My favorite thing
        The thing I found most enjoyable with this game was the online and COM tournaments. The COM tournaments served as the campaign that I expected from the game and continued to be fun through countless replays. The addition of Toad commentators and intro graphics capture the essence of competition and add brilliantly to the overall tournament experience.

        Online there are multiple forms of tournaments from co-op to simple rules, and while matchmaking takes some time, I've never had an issue with a match once connected to my opponent. Frequent updates and the addition of new characters and courts make the online an experience worth coming back to. There are also monthly tournaments where you can compete with your friends and people all across to world to test your tennis skills and redeem cosmetic rewards such as different costumes for Toad and other characters. I spent the majority of my time with the game playing tournaments, and to this day stay excited about new updates, and check in monthly to get my tournament rewards. 

In the end 
        
        At the end of the day, Mario Tennis Aces is not a bad game. Unfortunately, it’s not a great game either. Somewhere along the way the game lost what it was and fell short striving to become something more. That doesn't mean it should be skipped. As a title in the extended Mario universe, it's still a game with a ton to offer. The overall experience will be enjoyable for any Nintendo fan, and the game has the expected amount of Easter eggs and nods to other Nintendo titles. The length and quality of the campaign or Adventure mode, however, can take away from the overall experience, so I suggest skipping it or just playing the main missions needed to progress. If you can find the game on sale, or if its MSRP ever drops below 39.99 it is 100% worth picking up and a great addition to any Switch users library.

I give Mario Tennis Aces 3 out of 5 Snails.

Messenger Review (Spoiler free)

The Messenger in Review
By Logan Manfredi
***Picnic Panic DLC update video***

         "The last time a time traveler was this badass he became the Governator, and I can only hope this ninja takes a stab at politics when he's done saving the world."

        The Messenger is a beautiful tribute to classic games that have shaped the platformer, Metroidvania, and side-scrolling genres into what they are today, and how it stayed true to that formula without feeling repetitive won my heart. So often today with 2d games I find developers are trying to make their game standout by adding mechanics that can more often than not distract from what at the core makes us love games in the first place, an engaging story with likable characters that make the player keep coming back. That is where The Messenger truly shines, booting the game up for the first time that wasn't what I was expecting, but almost immediately I was met with a story vibrant and humorous enough to reel me in. The shopkeeper delivers a majority of the narrative, and his sense of humor is on par with many of the video game greats. His witty quips and occasional breaking of the 4th wall was the first time, in years, a game audibly made me laugh, and it did it more than once. I found myself more and more eager to find checkpoints just so that I could see what hilarious story or piece of information would be waiting with the Shopkeeper. In-between checkpoints and the witty prose of the shopkeeper is a responsive and rewarding platformer. The controls feel familiar, like something out of a 16-bit childhood, but not repetitive and the level design is that of a modern game.

        When I was in school for game design, the teachers taught us that a good tutorial would inform the player how to play the game, but a great tutorial will show them. The ladder is the case for the Messenger and one of the key reasons I would call it an instant classic. From the first obstacle, the game instills a sense of determination rather than a challenge. Typically when I fall in a pit ten times in a row, I start to question if the level design has trouble conveying difficulty or if I'm just trash at video games. Luckily I was never faced with that question during my playthrough of The Messenger.  Each death was so clearly a learning experience, and the level design lent to that perfectly by edging the player forward with every try. Every time I fell in a pit or landed on a patch of spikes it wasn't to punish me or make the game feel extra challenging, it was slowly teaching me each obstacle merely by doing. Now full disclosure I died about 970 times before completing the game so safe to say there is a ton to figure out, but it never felt like a chore. Unlike most modern games death has consequences to the player beyond a simple game over screen. Consequences made evident by the brilliant addition of Quarble. He is a demon with the ability to control time and a hunger for time shards (the currency used to purchase skills).

     When Quarble saves The Messenger from death, he expects payment accordingly. That's where the cost of death takes its toll. For after each "death" Quarble will follow the player until he has been fed enough time shards and will disappear until the very moment he is needed again. Every obstacle felt rewarding to conquer and made each subsequent obstacle more intriguing by teaching you a new way to look at it. By the end of the third level, I was already noticing multiple ways to complete puzzles by merely using solutions the game had already shown me in the past. Each death felt brutal, but not spirit breaking because I knew of the consequences, and there were multiple times where I found myself on my last leg sweating to make it to a checkpoint and buy the upgrades I'd been saving for.

Here's an example of Quarble in Action from my second playthrough:

(Mild Spoiler warning, like 2 out 10)

        The Messenger is a not so hidden gem that personifies what gaming is all about. A golden tribute to the greats of old and a heavy hitter in today's ever populated indie market. The developers had a passion for this project, and it is evident every step of the way, whether it's poking fun at themselves or the genre as a whole you can tell these people had fun making it and want you to have fun playing it. The Messenger is an absolute blast, and it can not be missed by anyone who enjoys rewarding gameplay and an original comedic story.

5 out of 5 Snails!