Greak: Memories of Azur vs Kingdom Hearts 2
Greak: Memories of Azur
Greak: Memories of Azur is a gorgeous action-adventure game featuring a young boy in search of his sister in a world engulfed in turmoil, no thanks to the bloodthirsty Uglars. Playing as the boy Greak, you’ll venture across various regions in Azur, exploring every inch of it for hidden stashes, completing quests, and battling enemies along the way.The game starts off like a relatively regular action platformer, where you’ll get to jump, swing your sword around, and solve relatively simple puzzles by switching characters once you manage to reunite him with his sister. This part is actually pretty similar to the gameplay in Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, a favorite of mine.
In fact, you’ll get to control both characters at the same time, which is interesting, though it does complicate things a bit during combat especially considering that the sister is a magic user and deals damage from afar while the brother is a sword-wielder and does best dealing damage from a much closer range.
In a way, Greak: Memories of Azur also feels a bit like a Metroidvania in the sense that the game hides secret chests and rare flowers in places that you, if you don’t pay too much attention, might miss. Even if you spotted the items, you will still need to figure out a way to get to them, which usually involves some creative and sometimes very precise jumping. Expect to get frustrated… a lot!
The gorgeous hand-drawn art in Greak is definitely one of the highlights of the game as well. The out-of-focus background in the distance matches well with the stuff at the front too.
In a nutshell, not only is Greak: Memories of Azur a gorgeous action-adventure game with a heartwarming story about a brother trying to reunite with his sister in a world embroiled in war and infested with dangerous creatures, it also comes with a fun gameplay that's perfectly "midcore". So, if you're into story-driven platformers, you'll want to check out this one!
Kingdom Hearts 2
Kingdom Hearts 2 is a pretty old game but it is still very well-received sequel to the original Kingdom Hearts game. In this game, you play as Sora as he, Donald and Goofy continued their quest, starting from the small and quiet Twilight Town which straddles between night and day. Aside from the usual Disney worlds, you'll be treated to brand-new ones such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Beauty and the Beast, and Mulan. The game even boasts of having a much advanced and flexible combat system, allowing for powerful new combos and cooperative attacks. Not to mention, Sora now has a new "Drive" command that can change him into an array of new forms, modifying his skills and abilities as he morphs. Travel from world to world in style through the game's brilliant theme park-styled rides too!Kingdom Hearts 2 is an amazing game in its own right, and despite its age, the game still stands really well on its own until today. If you love the Kingdom Hearts games, you might want to check out this one as well.