Comparison of the screens on my RG35XXSP and RGDS. Same brightness level, shader, and custom aspect ratio (as recommended in Russ' shader tutorial).
I think it might be time to officially retire the RG35XXSP. It's served me well, but I barely use it anymore as I much prefer to use my RG40XXV or RGDS for my GBA fix.
I'm trying to downsize and reduce redundancies in my gaming devices. Might gift it to my nephew.
Awesome game. Yes, there are deviations from the first one, but if you wrote this one off because of initial reviews (like I did), I highly suggest you give it a try.
Some of these could definitely overlap, but I tried to pick a unique game for each entry. This is 100% based on personal preferences and experiences, and I don't think any entry is necessarily the "definitive" game.
Salt and Sanctuary is probably my favorite 2D Metroidvania, top 3 at least, so I was super excited when they announced the sequel Salt and Sacrifice.
I remember it didn't get the best reviews on release, and a lot of people were saying they were disappointed. I ended up getting it anyway, but it was banished to the depths of the backlog before I even got a chance to try it.
Fast forward to today, I'm 24 hours in and having a blast. It's not a perfect game, there a few gripes and questionable changes from the first one, but I still think it's very enjoyable if you're into these kinds of games.
Just for some context, I've never played this game before, but figured it's one of those games I had to play eventually just based off of the historical significance.
A few thoughts:
Do I appreciate why it's such a big deal and such a huge impact on gaming? Absolutely. This probably would have blown my mind as a kid in the 90s.
Does it hold up today? Yeah, kinda. Some of the menu design stuff is janky and I played the 3DS version without the right-stick free camera mod, but overall it's pretty solid. The stylized art style and graphics hold up very well.
Did I enjoy my experience? Meh. Again, I appreciate it for what it was, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a slog to get through. Not trying to start anything or shit on anyone's childhood. I just don't have any of the nostalgia factor, and finishing it ended up feeling more like an obligation.
I intend to come back to try out Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess eventually, but I'm gonna take a break from Zelda games and play a few other titles as a palate cleanser first.
Device: Ayn Thor
Game: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (3DS)