Overall 8.9 Graphics 9 Sound 9 Addictive 8.8 Story 7.5 Depth 9 Difficulty 7.3
8.4
Castle Crashers: Starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn kabenon007
Castle Crashers is one of those odd games that comes along every so often that you absolutely love, and yet love to hate. I go back and I play it often, but only for short bursts of time, because while it makes me very happy with what it does right, it makes me very angry with what I believe it does wrong.
We'll try going with the good/bad/good routine. What works for this game is hard to describe, because it is not just one thing that stands out, it is the overall cohesiveness of the game. The combat mechanics, a side-scrolling beat-em-up pulled straight out of the old school quarter arcades, is responsive and most importantly fun. The story is wonderfully silly. Not just funny, it is absolutely insane, gut-wrenchingly funny. There are not many games that actually make me laugh out loud, but this was certainly one of them, whether it is little characters doing crazy stuff in the background, or the insanely funny (and difficult) bosses, or lots and lots of bathroom humor. Also, the idea of a consistent character throughout your game, leveling up your abilities and finding new tools (some more useful than others) is a welcome change to the standard beat-em-up formula, in which your character really doesn't change throughout the game. These gradual changes give a great sense of progression throughout the game; you really feel like you are going somewhere in this game. Revisiting earlier levels with your suped up characters and absolutely destroying the enemies that once gave you difficulties is oh-so-satisfying. The magic system, when I first used it, seemed to be useless and pitifully weak, but when you put skill points into it it quickly becomes the go-to attack most of the time.
But it is these incredible assets that also prove to be some of the game's greatest downfalls. Remember those tools I was talking about? Most of them are wonderful additions to the game. The bombs allow for room clearing explosions, the sandwich is... well... monstrous, and everyone needs health potions every so often. But the other tools? The bow? Easily replaced with magic. While it is useful early on when your long range magic attacks are as powerful as Luke Skywalker when he first fights Darth Vader, once you put just a few points into your magic ability, the bow quickly becomes obsolete, yet you still have to waste time cycling through it searching for what you really need (sandwich). Additionally, the shovel. I'm sorry, Mr. Programmer who designed the shovel, because I am sure that no one really used that shovel, and here he put all that work into programming it to make just the right shovel sound at just the right time. But it serves no real purpose. It can dig up food, only if used in the right place. And in this fast paced game, you really don't have a lot of time or desire to sit there with a shovel and dig through the ground when you could be spending that time cutting through goblins/knights/wizards/fuzzies. Also, there are an absolute ton of characters to unlock in this game, along with a ton of weapons to use. And while the characters are wonderful to see, it takes an exorbitant amount of time (usually a full playthrough) to unlock one new character. So, despite there being a ton of creative characters, most players will not see many of them because it is simply too much to do to unlock them all.
And then there's the ending. Throughout the game, the characters you control are attempting to rescue four princesses. Very classic side-scrolling territory there. At the end of each section, you rescue one princess (and a very fun mini-game ensues in which the surviving players fight for the obligatory kiss). This was great; there were occasional rewards for getting through various parts of the game. It kept me coming back, to get to that next princess, to see that new location, that new boss. But then, once everything is done, you've conquered every boss, surmounted every obstacle, and you are expecting to receive the "ultimate" reward. Not that, you dirty little bugger! Just satisfaction. Closure. Such a long, difficult journey (and it is delightfully long and difficult) deserves a similar reward. But the ending of this game... I cannot spoil anything based on principle, but suffice to say I not only felt let down, I felt insulted. The ending of this game, instead of even being remotely considered to be a reward, made me feel like the time I had just invested was a joke. Basically, this game is the biggest RickRoll in history. It makes me rage so hard whenever I go back to play it, because with every fun level I beat, I know I am inching ever closer to that ending. Just thinking about it makes me as mad as people who maintain the Han Solo shot first.
And yet I keep coming back! Why? Why do I continue to torture myself? Because, truth be told, it's not really torture. Think about the things I counted against this game. The useless tools. The excessive amount of characters. The ending. All of these are actually easily avoidable. I simply just don't pay attention to the shovel. I am content in my next unlockable character, not all the unlockable characters. I simply through the Xbox through the window during the ending sequence. All of these so called problems are easily overshadowed by what works, and what works is a solid game built around a solid concept that not only succeeds at being a fun to play slash-em up but also is hilarious to play, especially if you play with friends. And perhaps there are players out there who are masters with the shovel and bow. If you are, I salute you, because you are most certainly a more understanding player than I. Or maybe you are just a glutton for punishment. But then again, I review video games. And I continue to play this game. Maybe I am too. Let's start a club.
Graphics 9 Sound 9 Addictive 8 Story 10 Depth 10 Difficulty 9
Review Rating: 5/5
Submitted: 07-15-12
Updated: 07-15-12
Review Replies: 2
8.9
Castle Crashers Review XxEzraxX
Castle Crashers is an interesting and fresh side scrolling beat 'em up adventure game that I find truly one of a kind. I didn't know anything about this game until a few weeks ago, I was visiting a friend of mine and he had it downloaded on his 360 and from there we began our journey together. This game seems like it would be good if it were just one player, but really takes the cake when it comes to multi player mode. You must fight your way through different levels with your partner in order to save princesses from these strange people who can fly around on crystals, and every so often after a boss you will have to fight each other for the princesses kiss (which honestly looks more like making out to me).
Rating this game was kind of hard for me, but after long thought and careful consideration I rated it an 8.9. It was a great game, and has to be the best beat 'em up game I have ever played, so far. Everything about this game will catch your attention, the way you use your character, the animation style and the creatures that you face not to mention the design of your characters. As you start you must choose from a small list of colorful characters, each having different magical abilities and as you play more characters can be unlocked.
The graphic style of this game, to me where fantastic I love the way it is animated with the childish styled looked added with a comic bookish imagery. I rated the graphics a 9. Even the animated animals and blood...and poop look amazing. Yes there is actually a bit of pooping in this game as you go through a level a few deer and an owl poop. Anyway, as far as sound goes the music was pretty good nothing really worth noting, or anything but I rated the sound an 8. I liked how the music went with the game it was pretty well, but nothing really got stuck in my head or popped out at me. As for the sounds of the character they weren't overly annoying like most games so this was okay in my book.
As far as addictiveness goes 10, easily a 10. My friend and I started the game and didn't stop until we had beaten it about three or four hours later. It is very addicting and very fun. I loved trying to figure out all of the cool things my character could do with his magic and his arrows and once I leveled him up enough the combos were pretty awesome. As far as story goes it was pretty standard just defeat a few bosses and save princesses so I rated it a 5. I don't even really know if there was exactly a story, due to the fact that the game doesn't really tell you much.
As for depth I gave this game a 7, there was a lot of content in this game. First off you have unlockable characters, then there are different combos that you can pick up along the way as you level up and not only that but the map is pretty big there are so many places you go and check out. There are also a ton of weapons, once you have discovered a weapon you can use it whenever you want however, you have to travel around the map to a blacksmith who holds them for you. You also can find these creatures known as pets that have different abilities and just like the weapons can be used anytime as long as you go to pick one up. Hmm is that everything? Oh right stats, as you level up you get the choice as to what you want your stats to look like. You are given a number and can chose which of your stats you want to boost up. Now I think that is everything. As far as the difficulty of this game, it is kind of tricky you may find yourself being amazing one minute only to completely fail the next so this game is pretty hard. I rated the difficulty an 8. My friend and I have replayed many of the same levels over and over again trying to just progress through to the next level.
I would say that if you have an Xbox 360 and the Internet get Castle Crashers, I'm not entirely sure if you have to pay for it or not. But if you do it is worth it. The game is great and I think a lot of people will really enjoy playing it. Well that is it for this review I hope you all enjoyed it and will consider Castle Crashers the next time you don't know what to play. Until next review.
Graphics 9 Sound 8 Addictive 10 Story 5 Depth 7 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 4.5/5
Submitted: 01-26-13
Review Replies: 5
9.3
Crash some castles ender44
Castle Crashers is the best game for the XBOX Live Arcade that I have ever played. It has an intense amount of replay value, awesome gameplay, amazing music, funny jokes and characters, and much more. This game revived the Beat 'em Up franchise, and I've never had more fun on a Beat 'em Up game since "Turtles in Time" back in 1992! Yeah, I love this game. Made by a small team of game designers, this game is a gem for the system, and like Halo 4, its a great reason to buy and XBOX360. And here's why I think this way.
Humor: Some of the jokes in this game are pretty funny, yet there is some toilet humor. Even in the most serious parts of the game, it made me laugh with the jokes.
Gameplay: This is one of the strong points of this game. You will fight enemies across the entire country, and you will fight some interesting bosses.
The controls are some of the best I've experienced, not only with a Beat 'em Up game, but with any game I've played. The attacks are solid and the combos are easy to perform, its definitely a game you can pick up and play. Running, jumping, and attacking are smooth and operate well. Y uses a strong attack, X uses a quick attack. Holding down the right trigger makes you use magic, which uses the same controls. RT+Y uses a magic attack that hits multiple people in front of you does damage, RT+B uses an attack that has infinite range and does more damage, but can only hit one person. Jumping is done by pressing a, you can cycle through items with RB, and B uses the item you have selected.
The combat is easy to do and incredibly fun. You choose from over 50 weapons, each with varying abilities, a bow and arrow, and magic, to fight your enemies. As you level up, you get a real sense of change, as each level makes you noticeably stronger in what you choose to specialize in. You gain more and more combos as you level up that allow you to do more damage in one fell swoop, if you can use them correctly. The combos are easy to learn and use, the game tells you when you get them and how to use them. You can specialize in strength, magic, defense, and agility. Strength makes your quick attack and strong attack more powerful, magic gives you more magic spells and improves the ones you have, defense gives you more health and makes it so you take less damage when hit, and agility makes you fun faster and makes it so your arrows fly faster, do more damage, and can be used quicker.
Graphics: This game actually looks really good. It has a sort of cel shaded look to it, and I'm a big fan. The characters all have interesting designs. The levels and environments are probably the best looking parts of the game. They have action going on everywhere, and they really took time to make good-looking levels.
Sound: For a fun-spirited Beat 'em Up game, this game has a really epic soundtrack. The music at the title screen is something I turned on while I was playing Two-Worlds, its great to listen to. The music also has some silly songs to play, as this game does have some silly parts. During the levels, the music matches the environment very well, and its great to listen to.
Addictiveness: This games replay value is more than I have ever experienced. There are over 50 weapons, some of which have to be found in game, which encourages you to play more. There are over 40 characters which have to be unlocked, each has their own special abilities, so its rewarding to get them all. The one downside is that the game can be beaten in about 4 hours if you try, though the replay value makes up for it. This game is incredibly fun to play, and I rarely wanted to put it down. There are also extra modes that make a fun multiplayer experience. You can connect four players for this adventure, and it is one of the best multiplayer experiences I have had, get some friends over and the game is even more fun.
Story: This Beat 'em Up actually has a story. An evil wizard has taken the magic crystal from the king and kidnapped the four princesses. You travel across the country saving the princesses. You travel through the thieves forest, the Cyclops's kingdom, volcano land, a desert, and snowy world, and then you face off with the wizard and his cohorts at a giant mountain. You eventually save the last princess and kill the wizard. This leads to a hilarious ending.
Depth: This game has the most depth of an arcade game that ive played. There are tons of characters to unlock, each offering a unique experience, there are tons of weapons to find, each with special abilities, and there are pets you can acquire, each giving the owner a special boost. There are special modes. In "All you can quaff" you race against friends or computers to eat the most food. In "Arena" you participate in special events with player characters that are incredibly fun.
Difficulty: The first time I played this game, I died a few times. Though I did specialize in strength with the character who has the worst strength specialty in the game, so that's probably it. Since then, I might die once during my playthough. But if you have a friend or two over, its very hard to die, as friends can resurrect you if you run out of health.
So that's Castle Crashers, its a great game and I would encourage you to check it out. "Heavy Rain" is a good reason to buy a Ps3, and castle crashers is a good reason to check out an XBOX360, though castle crashers is on the PS3, what I'm trying to say is that its good.
Thanks for reading.
Graphics 8 Sound 9 Addictive 10 Story 5 Depth 9 Difficulty 6
Review Rating: 3/5
Submitted: 07-04-13
Review Replies: 2
8.8
Castle crashers xbox vrexkiller222
Castle crasher what a fun game overall the game was a success and I rate it a 8.8
I would say the graphics for the game was a 10 because if you have played most new ground games you can understand how the graphics should be and I think they excelled on it.
The sound in the game was excellent and on the level when you fly up to the final castle it plays the turtle tosser music if you don't know turtle toss go play it (Toss the Turtle - Newgrounds.com — Everything, By Everyone) also the noises when you fight so I rate it a 10.
The game is pretty addicting until you beat it then its like a toy you had as a baby and don't play with anymore so I rate it a 7 or a 6 I couldn't decide.
There is a story it is just a bit messed up but the base of it is you are trying to save all 4 princesses but the animals in it are kind of gross and the last princess is a I'm not going to say that would be a really big spoiler alert its just funny and that's why I rated it a 10.
The game does have a lot to do and it is a very well made multiplayer game it is long and provides a lot of entertaining hours of game play so I rate it a 10.
The game is difficult at the begining until you find really good weapons and if you go to DLC I recommend you get the free pink knight I am a male but the pink knight is very strong and like I said he is free he gives you more weapons and some of the weapons are like walking through candy land but for difficulty its hard when your solo so I recommend you play with more than one person I rate difficulty 6.
like I said overall the game is a very good 8.8
I hope I convinced you that the game is very well done and I will be doing more reviews this summer.
Graphics 10 Sound 10 Addictive 7 Story 10 Depth 10 Difficulty 6
Review Rating: 3/5
Submitted: 06-29-13
Review Replies: 1
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