izigame.me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjRt-kLBqHg
well, it doesn't actually show much in the way of evolution, but I will admit I enjoyed this one even after marathon-ing his previous three titles; which, at the time, I considered, slightly good, better than good, and a slap back down to boredom and frustrating for each one in turn.
The story for this one: you are 14, a famous artist, a prodigy martial artist, and you are high... seriously, in this one, the main character just does the auteur artist "thing" and gives his own version of "by the power of grey skull" right before he runs off for an appointment or opts to take a side quest. he goes on like this for a while, sometimes going into a huge goth/ anime/ Shakespearean sonnet when he runs into new people. The cosmic horrors don't REALLY show up until the end, and even then, the AI is programmed in such a way that everything looks more deliberate. so I personally choose to believe the ghosts and zombies near the end are actually magicians with flame throwers and homeless people respectively.
My wording may be a bit sardonic, but really it’s a... YOU GUESSED IT... tale about a free runner kid in modern japan, who gets roped into dealing with the mob, and gets stalked by entities of cosmic horror, sort of...
but here's the thing: ITS ACTUALLY GOOD!!!
-the story actually follows a three act structure, with few plot holes (considering), and not only does it make sense, it also doesn't destroy the cannon of a far more deserving game. it's actually most like that of old school RPG's, but while it is a rigid story structure - it is still a giant leap in the right direction
-the game play mechanics are similar to that of the way of the pixelated fist. while animation is less fluid, the really stupid press up or down to block randomly generated/ unpredictable attacks "bull****" is gone. fighting actually feels more like a skirmish with single button attack patterns and limited combos. its good!
-the environments... well the environments still look like Ninjahtic a bit,
-sound track... look smooth jazz in the rain is great, but for some reason it’s really grating here, AND all of the tracks seem to merge together after awhile. And as the game gets more and more tense, the music starts to lul me to sleep, and it just tenses my mind, to the point that I actually had to start listening to classic rock music just to be able to focus... if that makes sense
-the main character (and all of the characters for that matter) actually has a personality. Some characters are all harsh and stern and some never really left Woodstock... but that's just fine and sometimes its wholly enjoyable!
i just take umbridge with 3 things:
1) game-play doesn't inform your story.
out on the street, trying to make a martial arts name for yourself? hey lets have a street gang fight the main character the entire way... instead of steadily getting worse with every poster...
an impostor is hounding you? well lets just bring him up out of context among other anime references and drug addled ramblings... instead of running into him, stealing, and then selling your work a few times...
2) the music, for some reason, doesn't sound as good...
and 3)this isn't a new game play style.
the screens don't scroll, to my knowledge, and the combat and free running elements are back in full swing. sure the pole standing mechanic is a breath of fresh air, and it isn't the same wall jumping, pixel nightmare like the last three, but the whole game is still a 2d/platformer/beat 'em up
branch out, do something more zelda ish, or something more metroidvania, or even try to do something like hyperlight drifter to get out of the usual comfort zone. focus on making a HEARTFELT story and make an RPG, or just experiment with something else entirely different.
i do, However, enjoy this game, and I choose to see it as both a fresh step, and a massive apology for releasing "the way of the pixelated fist" in a broken and unforgiving state.
its good again blaze, just a few minor tweaks and it could really be something... but its all actually starting to feel FLAT. I marveled at "samurai_jazz" and all that was was a zelda dungeon stretched out to a full game all to itself (VERY Broadly speaking, that is) and I liked the sequel, but the sense of immersion has dimmed to less and less with each game; until now, when I see the city in the background as more of a matte painting than the setting of a grand adventure.
if you want to move on, and get better:
design something from scratch and make it a somewhat enjoyable experience, using what you learned as a guideline
if you want to revisit your classics and focus on the past, then let me suggest a script:
"The demon lord has been defeated, and the earth has been fixed by Imp-Fiend (who now has no place to go and is stuck in the mortal plane). after doing the whole ghost/'poltergeist' thing around the world he runs into Dag.
Then, as Dag, you start to follow the advice of some shadow (that we all know as Imp Fiend) and make your own martial arts street gang steal a bunch of art and old weapons. This gets the attention of 'Ninja'.
Ninja starts to notice the drones and cyber punk alien stuff gravitating to one point in the city. 'Ninja' runs about taking out the drones and 'tomb raiding in the catacombs'.
Imp Fiend then uses Dag's gathered tech and ancient weapons, to make a new body. the ancient tech goes haywire, and falls into the control of the aliens.
Dag and Ninja make a break for it into the jungle and meet Imp Fiend who basically says 'sorry, it’s what I do'. everyone has their backs up against the wall as the aliens approach... so Imp Fiend throws open a portal and calls fourth death incarnate.
tons of creatures and ghosts fly out of the portal. they all run again for a short time (all the while cursing this dark ghost (that we all know is Imp Fiend)). at the very end of the path, the 3 are hiding behind cover, from the aliens and malevolent spirits, and the Ronin digs himself from the earth, behind the hoard. As Ronin, you slaughter the alien herd and lead the others to safety.
The final levels take place in the neo 40's Tokyo district; and are equal parts poltergeist -ing, Ninja poof jumping through air ducts to hack computers, Dag directing runners/gang members to secure buildings, and Ronin hack & slashing and stealth killing AND dodging/acrobatically jumping over ghosts and aliens.
When everyone gets to the end of the district, it turns out that 'Ninja' is still under the control of the aliens, and has actually been relaying info to them the whole time. He is beaten back into a coma by Dag. Imp Fiend, Ronin and Dag find the 3 spirit mobsters in the old building and ask them to banish the aliens and demons. the spirits retaliate, Imp Fiend wins his battle, but gets canceled out, Dag wins but gets thrown out of the building to the arms of his gang, and Ronin wins against his own special boss. The three tell him that the only way to banish the wicked spirits is if he dies (since Ronin is the last thing holding open Imp Fiend's portals).
Ronin is assisted in suicide by the ghost of his dead master, as Dag and his gang watches the final honorable rite. cut to a final epilogue with a picture of Dag and his gang carrying Ninja and Ronin's sword back to the mega city all the while, stalked by the alien princess…”