Guacamelee
Guacamelee released way back in April 9, 2013 on the Playstation 3 if you can imagine it. It was released on Steam in August 8, 2013. It was apparent they made some modifications to the game over time but I couldn't tell what besides more levels and challenges. I can't believe the game is still marked at $15. That's why I was pleasantly surprised that Humble Bundle was offering the game for free this weekend. Maybe it was a way to promote Guacamelee 2. I only wished that I knew more Spanish as the game reflects a lot on "Day of the Dead" Mexican holiday. You can freshen up on The Book of Life movie that came out in 2014 (or Coco in 2017).
The heart of the game is what is hidden in the background. Little easter eggs like a silhouette of Mega Man or a poster of Castle Crashers can be found at various hubs. Certain video game jabs can also be found within the dialogue. The game gets progressively harder as you continue to combine new skills and abilities to combat insane enemies. This really dragged me down as a fun button-masher gradually turned into trial-and-error. A lot of the puzzles demand you to "die" just to see what not to do. Then came the final boss where I almost rage quit. I think after the 10th death, I finally learned the exact moves to complete the game. But I still ended with a bitter-sweet ending. If you want to save the girl, you have to find and complete all the challenge rooms.
And that's where my experience of the game ultimately failed. Little things overtime just soured what could have been a great game. I felt like half the game was secret areas tucked away in various spots all over the map. For example, you won't be able to access some located within the first five minutes of the game until you gain super moves three hours down the road. The music was a little rough around the edges with the irritating sounds of men moaning and dogs barking that persist even when you aren't moving. Map design got ridiculous when going above the sky and deep underground. I never was able to complete my chicken training because the move sets never connected right. My combos were constantly interrupted mostly because I never properly learned to dodge roll with the right analog stick. Ironically, I think things would have went a lot smoother if I found someone else to play alongside with. Still, it wasn't that bad for a free game.
Summary: Although not built as well as Ori and the Blind Forest or Hollow Knight, Guacamelee is worth trying out for its chaotic humor and level design. It is riddled with video game references galore. If by off-chance you can grab this game in some sort of bundle, go right ahead and enjoy what you can out of it.
5-19-2019