Every Games Amazing

Tag: Xbox Series X

Is Fuzion Frenzy Amazing? (Review and Impressions)
Is Fuzion Frenzy Amazing? (Review and Impressions)
Watch this video on YouTube.
Fuzion frenzy came out back in 2001 as Xbox’s competitor to the insanely popular Mario Party.
Back when the original Xbox was the system, I played a lot of Fuzion Frenzy, mainly the Twisted System minigame.
I wear my nostalgia glasses heavily while I replayed a few rounds by jumping back in as my main Zak.
Unravel Video TimeStamps:
Table of Contents
Choose your character, pick up the Duke, login in to Xbox Live and let’s find out if Fuzion Frenzy is amazing all these years later.
It’s a Mini-Game Collection to Be Specific
This is the best a video game menu could get back in 2001
If you’ve ever played a Mario Party or any kind of party game you’ll feel right at home.
Fuzion Frenzy does away with a board or dice rolls and purely focuses on the mini-games.
Rather than collecting items or thinking about the best way to approach a map, you’re tasked with winning the games and collecting crystals for the end-all Fuzion Frenzy.
There are a ton of mini-games, there’s gotta be something in there worth playing!
You pick how many stages you want to play between 2, 4, and 6 then pick your character and you’re in the game.
I always pick Zak as my go-to character, not sure why just always been a Zak fan.
Each stage consists of 3 mini-games than the big final round which is appropriately named Fuzion Frenzy.
Based on how well you play the mini-games you’ll have more orbs to bet
The goal is to have the most orbs at the end of the game and it’s a fun risk-reward system that makes you consider how wisely to bet.
With all that boilerplate out of the way let’s dive into the gameplay of the giant variety of mini-games you’ll get to play.
Mini-Gameplay Collection
Have you played Snake? Have you played multiplayer Snake?
Fuzion Frenzy at its core is all about the gameplay from all the various mini-games packed in.
This is, of course, a two-way street, on one hand, there is a lot of variety, on the other hand, it’s not very fun or original.
Going back to the Mario Party comparison you can look at it and see so much unique, crazy gameplay that keeps you coming back.
With Fuzion Frenzy, sure there’s a lot of mini-games but if they’re copy-pasted then that isn’t very rewarding or fun to sink time into.
Throughout the review, I play several mini-games that are very similar with a few alterations.
There is little difference between them
Take Trailer Blazers for example and then look at Laser Snare, they are pretty much the same mini-game just with one alteration.
The graphics map and everything are identical you’re just circling little icons rather than avoiding the competition’s ever-growing tails.
Then youtube to the big show stopper the final part of the stage, the big grand finale that is always the same just on a slightly different map; Fuzion Frenzy itself.
The Fuzion Frenzy maps are pretty much all the same with a few different obstacles
The idea is to run around the map and collect orbs that match your color.
Take them to the center to cash them in, rinse and repeat until the time runs out.
You can stack orbs to get a bigger payout as well as hit opposing players to take their orbs and get a bigger score, some levels even have traps.
It’s a fun finale but it can get old quickly.
Is Fuzion Frenzy Amazing?
Hunter Armada Fuzion Frenzy Question
Fuzion Frenzy is not amazing, I liked it back when it came out, but it just does not hold up after all this time. Especially when looking at the timeless Mario Party.
With a lot of the mini-games being slight alterations, the city backdrop being boring, and not much replay value when you can just play your favorite mini-games it just doesn’t keep your attention past a few rounds.
I did have fun jumping back into the frenzy, but I’m ready to jump back out and play something that will hold my attention after a quick round or two.
Fuzion Frenzy is not amazing!
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July 20, 2021
Is Peggle 2 Amazing? (Review and Impressions)
Is Peggle 2 Amazing? (Review and Impressions)
Watch this video on YouTube.
Peggle 2 surprises and dazzles with some truly creative gameplay as well as just being pure fun from start to finish.
From the fast-paced levels to the surprising characters you’ll meet along your journey it’s a nonstop puzzle thrill ride that will leave you wanting more.
It’s straightforward, rewarding, and challenging as can be without taking the wind out of your sails.
Unravel Video TimeStamps:
Table of Contents
Let’s grab some balls, pick out our favorite character (Bjorn the unicorn!), and clear some levels in Peggle 2 to find out if it’s amazing.
Would You Look at All Those Colors
From the second you start up Peggle 2 your in a world of colors
Filled with color, life and so much character Peggle 2 isn’t afraid to constantly keep you engaged and entertained.
All the characters in the game have so much personality and keep it entertaining which I truly enjoy.
I have often played a puzzle game that throws you onto the same screen with minor differences and repeatedly asks you to do the same thing.
The main part is the board, but there’s so much to look at and enjoy around the gameplay
There’s a ton of variety here all served up with a rock-solid gameplay style that just keeps the fun coming.
You’ll start at castles with large hills and go all the way to snowy mountains and even underground caverns.
All with their unique spins on the standard gameplay in way of the character chosen.
Every character has a fun short introduction
Taking Gnorman as an example you can see the origin of the character in a nice brief cutscene that introduces you to the upcoming levels.
It all boils down to some great high-quality fluff around the edges of a masterful puzzle game, something you tend to not see in games of this nature.
It’s a welcome surprise to elevate the entire package, but what about the gameplay?
Fun Is the Name of the Puzzle Game
So you have these puzzles and this cannon that shoots balls
The entire point of Peggle 2 is to shoot a ball at the orange-colored dots, once they’re all cleared you move onto the next level.
You have a cannon and aim to help you out, plus the character’s special powers.
For example, the Unicorn (Bjorn the best character) can show you where the ball is going to bounce after it hits its first dot.
That is one focused unicorn I must say
Hitting blue dots gets you points and clears the board.
Hitting orange dots are needed to clear the level and move forward.
Finally, green dots get you the character’s special power to be used for a few turns, they also stack so you can keep it going.
At the bottom, you have a moving bucket that if a ball lands into you get a free ball, you can also get more balls by racking up points.
Each level also has some extra tasks that you can attempt to complete if you’re looking for that extra challenge.
One extra caveat that I will say is that you never feel like you’re bad at the game, this is where I think that the levels are rigged in some way.
I took several shots that just should not have been possible but wow does it feel good when you nail them.
The entire goal of the game is to make you feel special and it hits a home run every single time.
Although the best part of the entire experience is when you beat a level.
The incredible feeling of finishing a level is the best part of the entire experience
Every single time you beat a level the amount of over-the-top hype is crazy real.
Creating explosions, slowing down the ball, playing intense music, fireworks, character hype and everything else comes together in one fireball of a finale.
Bringing style to the forefront and making you feel like a true gaming master each time you complete the next challenge.
Level to level you’re going to be filled with so much excitement it’s hard to put the game down until there’s nothing new for you to play.
It’s a puzzle game that defies expectations but understands fun and does everything it can to keep you engaged.
Is Peggle 2 Amazing?
The level of hype from finishing a level cannot be matched
Peggle 2 is amazing, there is no doubt in my mind from the second I looked at the starting menu I knew I was in for a ride.
Going above and beyond in terms of immersion on a scale that brings fun center stage and keeps you moving forward at a rapid almost crazy pace.
You won’t have any time to put it down as it keeps you engaged, moving forward, and most importantly having fun.
Peggle 2 is amazing!
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July 6, 2021
Is Unravel Amazing? (Review and Impressions)
Is Unravel Amazing? (Review and Impressions)
Watch this video on YouTube.
Unravel is a side scroller with a unique twist starring a wonderful character named Yarny.
Yarny being made of… well, yarn, helps create a nice grounded experience while also making the gameplay engaging and fun.
Traveling to many different locations, getting a sense of the grander world, and solving puzzles is the core idea behind this side scroller.
Unravel Video TimeStamps:
Table of Contents
Grab your favorite colored yarn (green!) and let’s find out if Unravel is amazing!
Want to make your own Yarny like the one in the video? EA has an awesome guide that I would say is worth trying!
The World Brings Streamlined Exploration
The level select is a nice little house where you go through pictures
The world of Unravel is showcased via picture frames that house pictures whose intent is to warp you to all different kinds of locations.
Yarny is on a journey to collect various tiny yarn creations by completing the many levels throughout.
Each level corresponds to the house owner’s life. As you journey you slowly fill out a picture book as Yarny.
It’s chill and says a lot with a little. Yarny has no dialog or voice of any kind, only “talking” with movements.
After every level, you fill out the picture book more and more
In the video, we go through a level titled “Mountain Trek” which is fitting to its name as you go on a trek through some mountainous terrain.
Starting in the tail end of the forest, as each level leads into each other, we slowly go through various mountain trials as one example.
From dangerous wildlife to risky cliffs, this level shows all the different styles of gameplay you can expect throughout your time with Unravel.
Throughout all the levels you’ll collect various memories
Memories are throughout every level. They aren’t hidden collectibles, just nice backdrops to give more life to the levels.
The collectibles in each level are just little puzzles and offscreen trinkets you can find with a bit of extra effort.
Yarny Is a True Explorer
Yarny isn’t held back in any way from traversing the world
Yarny is a force to be reckoned with and isn’t fazed by anything in his path, without a nose or mouth there isn’t much to stop him; other than water.
Water is the big obstacle as you can drown fairly easily, so many of the puzzles revolve around avoiding water.
But you do have ways to traverse despite how hard it may seem at first glance.
Since Yarny is always connected to the starting point you have a limited amount of yarn to work with overall. Use it all up and you’re stuck.
You’re going to have to get creative to solve some of these puzzles
The yarn can be used to create bridges to cross gaps and lift heavy objects. Swing from tree branches, hold onto plastic bags, and even pull down levers.
The amount of creativity on display is impressive and it is always exciting when a simple mechanic is pushed to the limit, always feeling fresh and exciting at every level.
Yarny is a true explorer. The world has a feeling of craftiness at every turn. It feels organic, which is a true joy.
Is Unravel Amazing?
Is Yarny enough to bring this all together?
Unravel is amazing, Yarny is such a fun creation and the level design is incredibly well throughout!
The core gameplay works well with the world created and the yarn limiting mechanic adds a nice weight to all the puzzles, even if there’s one solution.
Yarny is a great character that says a lot with a little, a truly surprising game where you can just take a step back and chill out with some yarn.
Unravel is amazing!
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June 22, 2021
Is The Gardens Between Amazing? (Review)
Is the Gardens Between Amazing? (Review)
Watch this video on YouTube.
The Gardens Between tells a story without any text or dialog, it allows the characters to breathe and bring everything together.
Arina and Frendt are taken from their treehouse and thrown into an unknown world with some puzzles keeping them from returning home.
The way the gameplay is laid out is what makes The Gardens Between stand out.
The Gardens Between Video TimeStamps:
- Time, It’s Confusing (0:00)
- Is The Gardens Between Amazing? (17:50)
Table of Contents
Let’s bunker down in a treehouse and dive into the unknown to see if The Gardens Between is amazing.
The Characters Say a Lot With No Dialog
Two Heros just looking for a way home
Arian and Frendt get transported into another mystical world one day while playing in their treehouse. A simple premise that is conveyed through movement and facial expressions.
There isn’t too much text and no dialog, which I think is a refreshing way to tell a story. One that gets the point across through the graphics and gameplay alone.
You’re in a world and you want to go home, that’s the start and finish of it.
All these questions are answered without a word of dialog
From level to level everything has so much charm as well as character, simply through the design.
There are a lot of questions that anyone would have as soon as you start up the game, but they get answered as you play. Some of the core questions that stood out to me are:
- What happened?
- Why are they in this new world?
- What is going on?
- Why is everything part of this world?
I enjoy a game that takes this approach and has the player guessing as to what the heck is going on.
When the game is paused it shows a nice panoramic view of the level and all the little details that just make it so much fun to look at.
Puzzle Solving Time Control
One thumbstick and a button are all you need to be a puzzle-solving master
As you jump from level to level you’re going to be controlling time to solve every puzzle.
The coolest aspect is that all the character interactions are set ahead of time. It is up to you to change the flow of how they act.
Frendt takes notice of a TV remote and he’ll rewind the tape which plays interestingly into the over dynamic of the puzzle.
From reverting Jenga pieces that have fallen over to taking control of a TV, it’s all front and center. All you need to do is move the thumbstick left and right to forward and rewind time.
The Orb is the most important aspect of every level
From there you can pick up Orbs to create bridges and ultimately solve the level.
The world is filled with everything found in the treehouse and it all loops together to create all the levels.
After you solve all the levels of a set you get a nice cutscene showing the characters sit around and have fun.
It’s a nice reward before going to the next level and doing it all over again.
Is The Gardens Between Amazing?
Time Control is always fun
The Gardens Between is amazing, it’s a truly refreshing take on a puzzle game.
The puzzles are challenging but not overly brutal and each level only lasts a couple of minutes. There’s so much character and visual splendor that you’ll just want to play more and more in that time.
Seeing that each solution brings Arina and Frednt closer and closer to going back home.
It’s a fun time and I highly recommend it, I know I had a ton of fun manipulating time!
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June 8, 2021
Is ClusterTruck Amazing? (Review)
ClusterTruck is a simple premise wrapped in a fun gameplay loop.
Simply jump from one truck to the other until you reach the goal.
Sounds simple until you realize that that there’s a cluster of trucks and a wide variety of obstacles in your path.
Is ClusterTruck Amazing? (Gameplay and Review)
Watch this video on YouTube.
ClusterTruck Video TimeStamps
Table of Contents
Put on some comfortable shoes because we’re about to run across some trucks!
Learning to Ride the Cluster of Trucks
Trust me, this is way more exciting than it looks.
ClusterTruck is all about riding on the top of trucks and making it to the end of the level, over and over.
That’s the core idea and it’s boiled down to a fine gameplay loop that adds on top of the idea without going overboard.
You’d think that simply jumping from truck to truck would easy, but the challenge comes from there being tons of trucks!
Ok, so it’s a cluster of trucks and you need to jump to the goal.
Every level is roughly a few seconds long but the challenge comes from surviving to the goal.
It’s all about managing your momentum and air control.
ClusterTruck is surprisingly forgiving in the fact that you magnetize to the top of the trucks and continue forward with momentum when you jump.
You’re going to see this screen a lot
That doesn’t mean it gives you any leeway however, it has core mechanics but it expects you to learn and adapt on the fly while it changes the game up in clever ways.
Variety is the Spice of Trucks
Just one of the cool mechanics the game throws at you, zero gravity trucks!
The desert or start of the game keeps it pretty basic with the trucks on the ground and a bit of variety here and there.
Once you get to the second world, The Forest is when things get interesting.
From zero gravity to play with how the levels are structured and how the trucks work.
What ClusterTruck does best is keep you guessing every level, whether it’s adding a new obstacle or changing up something you may have been used to.
It’s always fun and exciting to see what’s next and how to tackle it, which is impressive for a game all about riding on top of trucks.
From riding on rocks to avoiding spinning death wheels it never gets dull from beginning to end as there’s always a new obstacle to overcome.
Ahh yes, trucks one weakness
Get even further and you get to some winter gameplay where the trucks hit the ice and it becomes utter mayhem.
The other cool aspect worth pointing out is that the game instantly loads when you lose.
You’re never waiting too long to get back into the action and try again, which is helpful if it’s tough and taking about 50 attempts per level.
Upgrading Your Truck Jumping
Leveling up your jumping is going to cost you
The thing that surprised me about ClusterTruck is how expensive the upgrades are, they feel few and far between.
Every time you complete a level you get points for your style of jumping across the trucks or getting some major air.
The big issue is that you don’t get too many points per level so it can take a while to amass enough points for even one upgrade.
This is especially true when the upgrades cost 15,000 points or more right from the start.
It can feel a tad tedious to have to grind for such a simple upgrade as a double jump, which is honestly a game-changer and makes everything that much easier.
I suppose it’s designed that way but I sort of wish that they came just a bit faster because you can struggle in the early going until you get your first one.
Is ClusterTruck Amazing?
Jumping on trucks is super fun!
ClusterTruck is amazing, I came into this thinking that I didn’t much care for it.
But once I was able to beat the level I was stuck on I was having way more fun playing than when I was struggling to beat a level.
That’s the core of the game though you beat some levels, get stuck and frustrated but when you do finally beat the level the feeling is fantastic.
It’s a great game that does exactly what it sets out to do and does it well, ClusterTruck is a blast and I couldn’t recommend it more!
ClusterTruck is amazing!
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May 18, 2021
Is The Medium Amazing?
The Medium takes a standard approach and does something unique within its gameplay.
Looking at it head-on, your first impression would be that it is Resident Evil without any combat and a dash more puzzle-focused.
The Medium does bring a unique aspect to the table with its otherworld, but is it enough to call it amazing?
Is The Medium Amazing? (Review and Gameplay)
Watch this video on YouTube.
The Medium Video TimeStamps:
Table of Contents
Let’s jump into the otherworld! Make sure you grab a flashlight and as we jump into this deep dive!
Becoming a Medium
The Medium has one hook and it uses it to the fullest!
The basic breakdown is that you are Marianne, a medium who can go between two different worlds.
I like to call it the Otherworld as you spend a fair amount of time between the two: the normal world and the Otherworld.
The aspect that makes this game interesting is that during certain sections of the game you will inhabit both worlds at the same time, or one or the other depending on what the puzzle is asking of you.
This isn’t to say that the puzzles are anything challenging, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
The game takes you to a creepy building called Niwa to investigate the origin of these crazy powers.
I was surprised the game didn’t do the split-screen style during the recording
From here you’ll be solving puzzles, running from monsters, and jumping back and forth to solve everything in your path.
The game is very linear as you do things in a set path, but since you revisit the same area with some small changes it always feels new and consistently gets more terrifying.
There’s a big mystery to unravel and although it can be a bit confusing, you’re almost always pointed in the right direction.
Flickering into the Gameplay
One of the coolest powers is the bubble shield.
Marianne has a lot of powers at her disposal which is incredibly helpful as she needs as much as possible to take on everything trying to brutally murder her.
The name of the game isn’t combat, it’s all about puzzle-solving for survival.
You enter a room, solve the puzzle and move on, not rocket science here. The biggest problem is when you’re asked to do something fast, like run away from a monster.
This is not well done and at 6:05 I tend to die a lot from a running away section that did not feel the least bit polished.
I got stuck in the environment, ran into a door that immediately killed me, the run button didn’t work, yatta, yatta, yatta. The list goes on. Be sure to watch the video to see just how bad it is!
You’re going to be seeing this a lot and it won’t be your fault.
You’re also shown a mechanic to hold your breath to hide from the enemies, but unfortunately, it is not well done.
It feels like an afterthought like it was thrown in towards the end of development to make the game feel longer. There are no stakes here and the way you hide is pretty funny.
Truly Marianne is Master of the Shadows
You spend a lot of time running through a location, picking up everything that has a button prompt, and then mashing it all together to move forward.
Two separate realms make it all seem like one place with one being more or less destroyed.
Some cool moments utilize the mechanics, such as using time manipulation, tuning a radio to hear into the world, and putting masks on dead husks to help them move on.
But it all boils down to the simple actions of moving this thing to the other thing and hoping that A equals B.
Frame Rate Drops and Other Issues
The Frame Rate can never stay consistent in the real or Otherworld
The frame rate dropped a few times throughout the video, and I take a second to point one out at 20:10.
From my perspective, this was supposed to be the crown jewel of the Xbox Series X, a true first-party masterclass. The game was going to showcase its true power by having two different planes of existence be explorable at the same time.
It all feels hollow the more you play and I realize that while it may not be smoke and mirrors, it didn’t get enough time to fully come together.
I know earlier I mentioned that some of the buttons didn’t feel responsive but it snowballs into a big problem in the chase sections. When you add in an action set piece it should complement the gameplay that is already established, not spin it on its head for intense action moments.
The Medium feels as if it doesn’t know what kind of game it wants to be, whether it’s a stealth game, something more action-heavy running, or just puzzle solving.
It juggles all three and doesn’t quite hit any of the marks.
Is The Medium Amazing?
I think this Medium should look for a different profession
The Medium was supposed to be a showcase of the true power of the Xbox Series X and it just fumbles all over itself.
Once you get past the selling point of being in two worlds at once what’s presented to you is fairly hollow.
If I play any more of the game, I just want to see it completed, not because I’m a diehard fan of the gameplay or story.
I just can’t recommend it due to the flaws and the gameplay that is too all over the place. I think it’s time for this medium to retire.
The Medium is not Amazing
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May 11, 2021