I just began Harvest Moon: Magical Melody for the Wii, and while there are things I really like, there are also things I don't. Case in point: the controls. Oh dear LORD. The control in this game is horrendous. They are SO over sensitive, so making precise actions is IMPOSSIBLE.! Just AIMING YOUR CHARACTER is frustrating and bad. Even when I press down, the slightest tilt to the right or left will steer my character in that direction, making my aiming off and WASTING the already limited stamina (which is another big problem.) I can't stand the control thus far. It's really ruining the experience.

So, I started playing Epic Mickey today, and beat the first boss. Here are my impressions. I will bascially just list Pros and Cons, since I am lazy today.

Pros

+ Great atmosphere

+ Clever platforming

+ Great level design

+ Fun projector levels, reminiscent of the classic 2D mickey mouse games

+ Interesting brush mechanic can be fun at times

+ Great morality system that can help or hurt you later on

+ Nice music that fits the tone

+ Fun sidequests

+ Great visuals

 

Cons

- Aiming the paintbrush can be clunky

- Frustrating combat

- Platforming is unpolished

- Annoying hit detection

 

Keep in mind that I haven't beat the game, and I'm only at the beginning. These are just my thoughts so far.

Letter Grade so far: B-

Number Grade so far: 7.5/10

I am sick and tired of hearing stupid arguments as to why people think this game is bad, so now I'm stepping up and giving my opinions on the game. Let's see what kind of things people seem to hate it for and I'll give my views on them. 1. Neku is emo. If you made this complaint, you haven't beaten the game. If you had beaten the game, you would have realized that they purposely made him emo and an unlikable asshole so that they could develop him into a likable character who sees the value in life. It's part of the message the game is trying to get across. Neku hates being around people and doesn't understand them, so Shiki shows him the world around them and explains what he is missing out on. It's a valuable life lesson. 2.The combat system is weird. The combat is different. But that's what makes it so GOOD. It presents itself in such a way that it's intuitive and easy to learn the basics of but REALLY hard to master. It's also strategic and challenging on a level not a lot of action RPGs are able to accomplish. It feels polished and natural. The incorporation of the touchscreen was added in so fluently and masterfully that you can just tell the game was designed specifically for the system. 3. The art style sucks. Just because you don't like it doesn't make it bad. The art direction is very japanese, I know, but I love it. I like the almost perfect representation of shibuya and the quirky and unique characters arts and expressions. It brings the game to life gloriously. 4. The characters are one- dimensional. NO THEY AREN'T. Every important character in the game goes through some kind of change in the end. Neku learns to accept society and build his world from different viewpoints. Shiki learns that loving herself is important but a little envy isn't necessarily bad. Beat learns to be grateful for the things he has like family. Joshua learns that.... Well he was the SPOILER ALERT game master so he was the one teaching the lessons in the first place. I guess he learned that there is more to life than cheap thrills. Rhyme was part of Beats life lesson so she doesn't count. Bottom line: These characters are not one dimensional at all. 5. The Game is too easy. Have you even TRIED ultimate mode? That crap is INSANE. 6. The game is too short. That's what all the replay value in the game is for, silly. Overall, most of the hate for this game is mainly due to the fact that either it isn't the right game for someone, or they never gave the game a chance in the first place, in which case shame on you. Anyway, I'm done now, so... Bye!

I am so frustrated right now. Don't get me wrong- I am LOVING Kingdom Hearts 2. However, there are some major problems I have with this particular area, and it's called those FREAKIN' Tron Cycles.

Example 1: The pillars. Ok, to start off, this world is AWESOME. However, it is sadly one of the more poorly designed parts of the game. For example, if you get hit by a pillar that is placed anywhere near the left or right turn, then chances are you will get hit by the wall while recovering from the hit, which not only takes a lot of damage, but also gives yet another chance for heartless to kill you off. This is the most effective way to piss you off while playing this piss-poor attempt at a different style of gameplay to keep the game fresh. Let's move to another example.

Example 2: The attack range and damage. Now, this may be partly because I am underleveled, but I'll be damned if I have to level grind to 30 from 25, because that is probably the most boring thing you can do in this game. However, the range isn't my fault. Seriously, if you aren't DIRECTLY next to an enemy, your keyblade won't hit, and getting that close puts you in MAJOR danger. Also, if two enemies are on either side of you, your screwed, big time. Just one more example of bad design. Now to my final example.

Example 3: Enemy and Obstacle Placement. Now, this last example is pretty obvious, especially the obstacles. These are placed in ways that you're almost GUARANTEED to get hit by them, especially when you are surrounded by enemies, which is where their placement comes in. Sometimes, there will be 1 or 2 enemies at a time, but more times than not, there is 3 or 4, which makes keeping track of everything around you while avoiding and destroying enemies a nightmare. I am seriously steamed right now, and I hope at least SOMEONE is sharing my pain. Thanks for listening to my little rant, and I hope to post more of these in the future. See ya!