Recent reviews by Hysteresis

Base game was already outstanding, and now they've added the sexiest demon yet just as a treat for me. That's right, Turbo Granny's finally arrived.

Definitely the most incredible game I've played in the last five years. The perfect example of a game in a genre I typically hate but done so well I can't deny how impressive it is. The writing is incredibly on point, there are so many memorable moments that stick out to me. Solving the culprit behind a reckless vehicle accident, making impossible choices in a militia tribunal, disavowing myself from corrupt bureaucrats, sampling a rift in space-time for the bass in a proto-rave track, declaring that "I am the law", choosing between being a fascist, libertarian, or communist, or just getting a little girl inside from the cold. Large and small moments that leave huge impacts.

I'm still struck by an experience at the very end of the game. I won't spoil it, but it was the most transcendental and ethereal experience I've ever witnessed that I still don't have words for the emotions I felt. A tightening in my chest, a rush of celestial grace, a feeling that what I was experiencing was too grand, too great for a human, yet gentle and beautiful. All based off of a skill check I very well could have failed.

Failure is kept interesting in this game. Save scumming is tempting, but most options make sure that failure is a relevant outcome that will shape the rest of the game and your interactions with characters and yourself.

The ending is exceptionally phenomenal, all the choices you've made laid bare, truly a judgement made by a higher power. It's like experiencing the Weighing of the Heart with Anubis, or standing in front of Saint Peter outside the Pearly Gates.

Outstanding masterpiece of a game.

The imaginative environments of the game are all beautifully drawn and distinct from one another, yet seamlessly blur into one another giving exploration a real sense of continuity. The areas are imaginative yet all fit within the central theme of exploring an underground civilization fallen into ruin.

The soundtrack is dynamically tuned to fit the experience with each area, typically employing a more minimalistic, sparse accompaniment to the journey that suits the mood of the game. The soundtrack will hit hard during boss battles, pumping up the adrenaline while not getting in the way of the players focus.

The combat and movement feel tight and fun. There's a relatively low number of weapons/abilities at the players disposal, but each one offers opportunity for mastery. The "less-is-more" approach works very well in this game. The combat feels weighty in sense that each hit matters. One thing in particular this game does that I really like is the response to taking damage. There's a slight pause with a very distinctive audio and visual cue, and in that moment you know you messed up. The game is tough, but mostly fair and for the most part every hit you take is your own fault. That brief pause and sense of weight to the impact give you that moment to realize exactly what you did wrong. There's a large variety of enemies that fit in well with their environments and don't feel out of place. The boss fights are brutal and demanding. Not only does the visual design of each boss give each of them individuality, the audio cues from bosses give each one a sense of presence. However, the only part of this game I outright just don't like is one particular boss why the hell did they think a teleporting boss is a good idea I HATE that fight .

The only other part of the game I didn't care for was when the game decided that to get the true ending you have to load up Super Meat Boy. It was a weird change of pace and crossed the difficulty threshold of being challening and engaging to just being annoying.

The story of this game is for people who enjoy the story of Dark Souls, slowly piecing together the story of a world after it has fallen into ruin from obscure clues hidden throughout the game. Not really my thing but it never detracted from the experience.

Overall, the game is fun. It's engaging, exciting, well-paced, and immersive. The attention to detail really shines through and I am excited to see what Team Cherry does next.