hoboka's Ratings and Reviews
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V I T A L I T Y by Digital_Mantra [SM Exploration], rated by hoboka on Apr 09, 2024 (Star Star Star Star Star )
85% in 12:30
IMO, the best hack on this site so far. Definitely a bold claim, but it's my personal favourite...

Man, VITALITY is creepy, fun and a fair challenge, but not unreasonable like say Redesign... It's about the ATMOSPHERE, horror and psychological thrills! The tilework and thematic tone is quite similar to Eris, but also different - maybe less campy? Anyways, I really digged the art and story progression. Also, watched MST's LP of VITALITY after beating it and had a good laugh or two. Good times.

PS: I even have the V I T A L I T Y poster as my desktop wallpaper.

(Also, shout out to Super Junkoid, which just came out, another GREAT hack I recommend you guys try out!)
Super Metroid: Subversion by TestRunner and AmoebaOfDoom [SM Exploration], rated by hoboka on Jun 27, 2023 (Star Star Star Star Star )
86% in 13:30
NOTE: Play time is probably closer to 35 hours, but I chose to restart my run, this time on Easy Mode. I had a certain vendetta on a certain Switch/Laser Beam puzzle that I HAD to beat. Lmao. Don't think there is any animals* to save.

--PROS--
-Level Design feels like a Metroid Prime game. There is even information on every area, item and boss. I enjoyed the flavor texts very much!!

-Level design is mostly good.

-The 'infrared' visor you get, coinciding with dark rooms is neat. Wish you could use it with the X-Ray scope. Oh well.

-New music and 'soft' remixes of existing material. Most of them click. But this is subjective stuff. Nice use of Fusion music too!

-Grappling Beam has a use and is even required for some interesting "lever switches", rather than just spamming it on broken blocks and seeing what's behind em.

-You get to use the Hyper Beam CONTEXTUALLY and is required for item % and progression IRRC.

-Mission objectives to help sort you out...until the very end.

-Cool Laser Beam puzzles, which also tie into a new suit and beam :D

-Boss fights feel fresh and not too difficult, whether it is Easy or Normal. Getting to them is the hard part, naturally.

-Looks amazing. Nice blend of vanilla and new tile work.

-Speedball and Jumpball are blended into one.

-All auxilary weps share same ammo type and you find a LOT of ammo!!

-An "Item Map" is available towards the endgame, when you take down the Space Station.


--CONS--
-'Subversion' has what I like to call "Z-Factor-Itis". It kinda drags towards the end and is labyrinthine and huge, so you're apt to forget that there is "screw attack" or "Spazer-Beam" blocks for hidden rooms etc.

-At the very end, you may be stumped as to where to go, since there is no objective to tell you. Did I mention there are objectives? Would've been neat if the objectives carried through to the $@*%ing end >:3

-An important Progression Item is hidden behind a very cumbersome puzzle. A Switch/Laser Beam puzzle that forces you to go back and forth at least 20 times, fighting 4-6 mocktroids and 4-6 invincible wall-faces that can at least be frozen, but still, it gets old after the tenth time or so... Just NO NO NO NO. That is NOT how you design a puzzle!! At least put the Switches in the same room as reflector blocks or number them!! ((If the item in question for it was not required for Progression I wouldn't be so bothered. But there it is.))

--TL;DR--
Good but not perfect. I enjoyed Eris, Ascent, Phazon and VITALITY a bit more. But much less frustrating than the likes of Axiel Edition, Hyper Metroid or Z-Factor. (I'm gonna catch flak for that opinion hehe)