nathanguia
Joined May 2016
Welcome to the new profile
Our updates are still in development. While the previous version of the profile is no longer accessible, we're actively working on improvements, and some of the missing features will be returning soon! Stay tuned for their return. In the meantime, the Ratings Analysis is still available on our iOS and Android apps, found on the profile page. To view your Rating Distribution(s) by Year and Genre, please refer to our new Help guide.
Badges2
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Reviews5
nathanguia's rating
I feel like a lot of people give this game a lot of flack without really understanding the context of its release. As a sequel released mere MONTHS after the original, the amount of content and unique *stuff* they were able to incorporate while sticking to their limited game engine is honestly fascinating.
Everyone complains about the difficulty, but that was the whole game's draw. Advertisements showcased the brutal level design, and hell, even its title doesn't shy away: "Super Mario Bros. 2: For Super Players." (The Japanese title)
This was a game meant for those who had mastered the original game and were looking for a challenge, and it's apparent right out of the gate. While the game certainly looks and feels like the first Super Mario Bros., the developers have tweaked the design to expect much more from the player. Poison mushrooms with a darker palette being the only distinguishing feature from the original variety, the frequent appearance of platforms that quickly lower as Mario touches them, hazards like wind that can either help the player make difficult jumps or throw off their sense of balance; minor elements in the grand scheme of things, but the game becomes an entirely different beast when these concepts are combined with one other.
One of the standout levels in the game is a sky-themed stage featuring harsh winds and springs which launch Mario high above the screen for several seconds. The player must use their intuition to halt their forward momentum at the right times to safely land on each platform. It's difficult, yes, but it's incredibly unique and perfectly shows the developers' creativity while working with such a limited game engine.
The real staying power of the game comes from repeat playthroughs and the hunt for the Warp Zones. These are significantly more well-hidden than in the first game, which incentivizes exploration and experimentation in the worlds. Hell, there are even BACKWARDS warps which send you to earlier worlds, which can be surprisingly useful for collecting extra lives, which are still very useful despite the infinite continues.
The true masters of the game play "warp-less"; if the game is cleared without using any Warp Zones, the player is rewarded with a bonus ninth world featuring strange level concepts including outdoor castles, underwater stages with normal overworld enemies, and developer messages spelled out with blocks. Combined with the main game's eight worlds, this adds up to 36 stages in total, surpassing the first game's level count. But that's not all; clearing the game eight times, which only the most determined players could accomplish, FOUR additional worlds open up, featuring even more challenging stages and a true final stage for a grand total of 52 levels, now far surpassing the original Super Mario Bros.
At the end of the day, whether this game is better than its predecessor is up to the player and their tolerance for high difficulty. However, taking into account the crazy amount of content and replayability for such an early Famicom release, I must give it up for Super Mario Bros. 2. Those with patience and determination can brave one of Nintendo's best.
Everyone complains about the difficulty, but that was the whole game's draw. Advertisements showcased the brutal level design, and hell, even its title doesn't shy away: "Super Mario Bros. 2: For Super Players." (The Japanese title)
This was a game meant for those who had mastered the original game and were looking for a challenge, and it's apparent right out of the gate. While the game certainly looks and feels like the first Super Mario Bros., the developers have tweaked the design to expect much more from the player. Poison mushrooms with a darker palette being the only distinguishing feature from the original variety, the frequent appearance of platforms that quickly lower as Mario touches them, hazards like wind that can either help the player make difficult jumps or throw off their sense of balance; minor elements in the grand scheme of things, but the game becomes an entirely different beast when these concepts are combined with one other.
One of the standout levels in the game is a sky-themed stage featuring harsh winds and springs which launch Mario high above the screen for several seconds. The player must use their intuition to halt their forward momentum at the right times to safely land on each platform. It's difficult, yes, but it's incredibly unique and perfectly shows the developers' creativity while working with such a limited game engine.
The real staying power of the game comes from repeat playthroughs and the hunt for the Warp Zones. These are significantly more well-hidden than in the first game, which incentivizes exploration and experimentation in the worlds. Hell, there are even BACKWARDS warps which send you to earlier worlds, which can be surprisingly useful for collecting extra lives, which are still very useful despite the infinite continues.
The true masters of the game play "warp-less"; if the game is cleared without using any Warp Zones, the player is rewarded with a bonus ninth world featuring strange level concepts including outdoor castles, underwater stages with normal overworld enemies, and developer messages spelled out with blocks. Combined with the main game's eight worlds, this adds up to 36 stages in total, surpassing the first game's level count. But that's not all; clearing the game eight times, which only the most determined players could accomplish, FOUR additional worlds open up, featuring even more challenging stages and a true final stage for a grand total of 52 levels, now far surpassing the original Super Mario Bros.
At the end of the day, whether this game is better than its predecessor is up to the player and their tolerance for high difficulty. However, taking into account the crazy amount of content and replayability for such an early Famicom release, I must give it up for Super Mario Bros. 2. Those with patience and determination can brave one of Nintendo's best.
Thirty dollars. This is the asking price for Seven Sirens. If the game had the production value to back up the high asking price, I would be more forgiving, but it doesn't.
Let's get the positives out the way. Seven Sirens' biggest gameplay innovation is the makeover of the transformation system. No longer do you need to sit through cutscenes to use your other abilities, just press a button and watch them go. It's an elegant solution that had been solved with Pirate's Curse, yes, but nicely incorporates Shantae's animal transformations in a non-intrusive way.
Animated cutscenes are a nice addition, and the hand-drawn sprite art is nice, but other aspects of the presentation suffer. Voice acting is awkward and grating, which is unfortunately nothing new with WayForward's catalog as of late. Inconsistencies are far too common; some lines of dialogue are fully voiced, sometimes it's single phrases or words, and oftentimes it's completely silent. There's no sense of flow to dialogue scenes, and putting in the extra work to get it fully voiced would've gone a long way.
Gone are the beautiful 3D backgrounds seen in previous WayForward titles like Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, DuckTales: Remastered, and Mighty Switch Force HD. Instead, it's all 2D. This isn't inherently bad, but WF has proven themselves to be capable of much more. Seven Sirens comes across as flat and lifeless, with samey, dull environments that feel less natural and ingrained with the world, and more like "video game level".
The music has taken a hit as well. Previous WayForward projects have featured wonderful music by Jake Kaufman with his signature style, which has basically become synonymous with the Shantae games. He's completely absent from Seven Sirens, which leaves a void that's begging to be filled. The first half of the game feels noticeably off, lacking the strong melodies and rich and vibrant instrumentals of the previous games. While the second half's soundtrack is very solid, it still pales in comparison to Kaufman's score.
Most disappointing about Seven Sirens is the level design. This has to be one of the most forgettable maps in a search action game I've ever played. Repetitive and samey level design coupled with the bland aesthetic lead to a lot of areas looking the same and lacking an identity beyond the music. There's no flavor to the world outside of the towns, which is a major problem in a Metroid-type game where the meticulously crafted environments are one of the most crucial aspect.
Finally, thirty dollars. You can do so much better with that money. Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest are two good games at twenty bucks or less with much better level design and presentation. Spend the same amount as Seven Sirens to get Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which has some design issues but is still an ultimately more fulfilling experience.
After Half-Genie Hero, I expected something on par in terms of production value, but I'm not sure what I expected when it was initially confirmed for Apple Arcade. Is it being a mobile exclusive for nine months the reason why it was designed the way it was? All I know is, this ain't it.
Let's get the positives out the way. Seven Sirens' biggest gameplay innovation is the makeover of the transformation system. No longer do you need to sit through cutscenes to use your other abilities, just press a button and watch them go. It's an elegant solution that had been solved with Pirate's Curse, yes, but nicely incorporates Shantae's animal transformations in a non-intrusive way.
Animated cutscenes are a nice addition, and the hand-drawn sprite art is nice, but other aspects of the presentation suffer. Voice acting is awkward and grating, which is unfortunately nothing new with WayForward's catalog as of late. Inconsistencies are far too common; some lines of dialogue are fully voiced, sometimes it's single phrases or words, and oftentimes it's completely silent. There's no sense of flow to dialogue scenes, and putting in the extra work to get it fully voiced would've gone a long way.
Gone are the beautiful 3D backgrounds seen in previous WayForward titles like Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, DuckTales: Remastered, and Mighty Switch Force HD. Instead, it's all 2D. This isn't inherently bad, but WF has proven themselves to be capable of much more. Seven Sirens comes across as flat and lifeless, with samey, dull environments that feel less natural and ingrained with the world, and more like "video game level".
The music has taken a hit as well. Previous WayForward projects have featured wonderful music by Jake Kaufman with his signature style, which has basically become synonymous with the Shantae games. He's completely absent from Seven Sirens, which leaves a void that's begging to be filled. The first half of the game feels noticeably off, lacking the strong melodies and rich and vibrant instrumentals of the previous games. While the second half's soundtrack is very solid, it still pales in comparison to Kaufman's score.
Most disappointing about Seven Sirens is the level design. This has to be one of the most forgettable maps in a search action game I've ever played. Repetitive and samey level design coupled with the bland aesthetic lead to a lot of areas looking the same and lacking an identity beyond the music. There's no flavor to the world outside of the towns, which is a major problem in a Metroid-type game where the meticulously crafted environments are one of the most crucial aspect.
Finally, thirty dollars. You can do so much better with that money. Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest are two good games at twenty bucks or less with much better level design and presentation. Spend the same amount as Seven Sirens to get Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which has some design issues but is still an ultimately more fulfilling experience.
After Half-Genie Hero, I expected something on par in terms of production value, but I'm not sure what I expected when it was initially confirmed for Apple Arcade. Is it being a mobile exclusive for nine months the reason why it was designed the way it was? All I know is, this ain't it.
