• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Guacamelee! |OT| ¡Mexicovania - Olé!

B-Genius

Unconfirmed Member
This will be one of my top 5 games this year, I just know it. I've fallen so in love with it, I can't see enough games at this level coming out to bump it down.

The soundtrack is super SUPER addictive. I'm humming it all day every day. The living world versions are so bright and cheerful, and then the dead versions can be so sad and haunting. For whatever reason, the little girl with the luchador doll kind of bums me out.

Love the references. They don't beat you over the head with them, really. People are over-reacting and being too cool for school about this shit. Its charming and not at all the focus of the game.

Combat is awesome. Scratches that Capcom fighting game itch and makes you feel really powerful when you wipe out like 6 enemies at once with your power move combos. Feels tight which is especially important for a system like this as well.

I've got like 70% of the trophies now and I'm thinking about going for all 100% just because its kind of been fun hunting them down. Normally I'm not a trophy hound at all, but its like a reason to keep coming back after the 9 hours I've got in so far.

Really love this game. I hope it sells a ton because it surely deserves to. One of the best digital-only games of the entire generation and surely one of the top games of the year.

Just wanted to re-post this for anyone still on the fence about getting this.
The soundtrack is indeed perfect, and I love how you get the much "richer", more authentic sounds from the living world while the dead versions give you a bit of old-school chip-tunes love along with their darker tone.

Re: references as well - they really aren't a big deal for anyone who's worried. Unlike Retro City Rampage (which does tend to beat you over the head with them), the nods in the dialogue will raise a smile, or at worst, you won't register them. Some of the nods in the environment are fun to spot, and never get in the way of enjoyment.

Like many people here, I played exclusively on my Vita, and the combat/platforming really flowed beautifully. My only problem was was a weird bug where the end of an encounter didn't register, leaving me stuck in a sealed room, forced to quit and retry from the last checkpoint. Checkpoints are managed well, but this occasionally happened after a tough fight (including during
Caverna de Pollo
...) Only happened during my hard playthrough, and certainly didn't make me want to put it down, but just be warned.
 

jamsy

Member
So I'm really trying to love this game but I just really can't. Which is weird because there's so much I like about it - the graphics, music, combat, humor, etc.

But so many parts of it are just fucking frustrating. Especially all the platforming bits where you need to change between the planes, and time everything exactly right to the millisecond.

Just got to Javier Jaguar, and come the fuck on. Maybe I "suck" or whatever, but dying over and over and only getting him down to 70% health isn't my idea of fun.
 

Number45

Member
So I'm really trying to love this game but I just really can't. Which is weird because there's so much I like about it - the graphics, music, combat, humor, etc.

But so many parts of it are just fucking frustrating. Especially all the platforming bits where you need to change between the planes, and time everything exactly right to the millisecond.

Just got to Javier Jaguar, and come the fuck on. Maybe I "suck" or whatever, but dying over and over and only getting him down to 70% health isn't my idea of fun.
Without wanting to be overly harsh, you're obviously struggling to come to terms with both the combat and platforming mechanics. I struggled at parts of my first run through that I breezed through on hard though, at some point it all came together.

For the combat, checking out the gym gives you an appreciation for some of the systems. You don't need to use many/any of the combos, but it forces you to get comfortable with the attacks and how to use the special moves within them.

The platforming can be punishing, but in a fair way in my opinion. It's just incredibly tight, which is necessary when they're asking you to do some of the insane things you're asked to do in the game.
 

Maxwood

Oh rock of ages, do not crumble, love is breathing still. Oh lady moon shine down, a little people magic if you will.
I didn't really pay attention to combo's at all. Just punch, roll, (die and get better) and try some special moves in between. Don't think to much and play agressive. :)
 

Gandara

Member
Did that many people have trouble with Javier Jaguar? Headbutt works on him and other then the red charge and burst attacks using the roll button avoids his other attacks. He was't that hard even on hard. I had more trouble with the mobs of yellow skeltons with different colored shields.

I can't believe I didn't know I could duck until someone pointed it out on the last boss. :)

There are some really odd glitches like getting trapped in a room that won't unlock and I had one of the floating skeltons (the ones that float on electricity) go into stun animation and float diagonally of screen (which also trapped me in the room).

I also had one glitch happen after I beat the last boss. The orb went under, not towards me and the game froze since I never really got the orb. Note that this was one the vita version.

At least it was easy to reset and start over.

I'm wondering how the heck are people beating the game in under 2 hours let alone 100% it as well.

Anyway, overall enjoyable game. I wonder what there next game will be?
 

Zemm

Member
Reading this thread I'm surprised so many had problems with Jaguar, think I killed him on the 2nd try, on the otherhand I died a ton to the final boss. What a fantastic game though, personally I found the platforming and the way you had to combine skills to get from one screen to another the best part, followed by the brilliant combat.
 
Just bought the game yesterday and I'm overall very impressed. There are a couple really frustrating parts where you have to switch to the dead world and back at like a fraction of a second to land the platforms properly that are frustrating. Was playing late last night and got stuck and just went to sleep, lmao. Looking forward to playing later tonight.
 
If you ain't playing this game on Hard you ain't playing SHIT.

Hard Mode is absolutely amazing. It's how the game was Meant to be Played(TM).

Now, killing JJ on Hard is another story :lol
 

Duffyside

Banned
Also got the Platinum today, and I only go after Platinums in games I love (it's a badge of honor), so kudos to Drinkbox for making something really special. I think that's my 19th?


I dunno what it will be, but I know there's a store button on the main menu.
 
DLC needs:

- one insane level with incredibly hard traps and platforming (think of the special levels in Super Mario Sunshine). And I mean insane: on the difficulty of Tree Tops + Sierra Orb.
- a new boss at the end of it
- 4th stage in Caverna de Pollo
- 0 story
 

Sintoid

Member
BJPWBmpCcAESdAf.jpg



Yosp tweeted this - Lol
 

Duffyside

Banned
DLC needs:

- one insane level with incredibly hard traps and platforming (think of the special levels in Super Mario Sunshine). And I mean insane: on the difficulty of Tree Tops + Sierra Orb.
- a new boss at the end of it
- 4th stage in Caverna de Pollo
- 0 story

Eh, I don't think the game needs any DLC. I think they made a really great experience that doesn't need any more fluff. None of what you listed sounds like something I'd really love to play, and I can't think of anything sensible for them to do either.
 

fionel

Member
I really wanna get my hands on this game, but having a main JP psn account on my vita is really holding me back. I wonder if it would be released in JP at all..
 
Anyone else found the Jaguar Javier battle (especially on Hard) the pinnacle of this game?

It is such an awesome fight. Top of a snowy mountain... you even have to learn to fly to get there. The set up for this encounter is second to none.

The battle itself is so clean: no lava, no spikes, no traps, no ranged attacks, no bullshit. Old-school mano-a-mano beating. Very hard, very challenging and VERY satisfying once you down him.
 

Carl

Member
Eh, I don't think the game needs any DLC. I think they made a really great experience that doesn't need any more fluff. None of what you listed sounds like something I'd really love to play, and I can't think of anything sensible for them to do either.

They pretty much confirmed DLC on twitter
 
Anyone else found the Jaguar Javier battle (especially on Hard) the pinnacle of this game?

It is such an awesome fight. Top of a snowy mountain... you even have to learn to fly to get there. The set up for this encounter is second to none.

The battle itself is so clean: no lava, no spikes, no traps, no ranged attacks, no bullshit. Old-school mano-a-mano beating. Very hard, very challenging and VERY satisfying once you down him.

I died about 15 times fighting him on hard, then I beat him without getting hit once.
I felt pretty almighty after that^^ But only a few minutes later I came into a room where a lot of yellow skelletons showed me that I'm not almighty :D
 
Got the plat yesterday. It's a really great game. I loved pretty much everything about it. The Metroid part is by the book but there's also some pretty technical and creative platforming and the boss battles can be infuriating at first until you man up, see the pattern and stop being careless. Which is pretty much a Mega Man approach.

A perfect example of a game that is greater than the sum of its already great parts.

Bonus points for all the stupid jokes!
 

B-Genius

Unconfirmed Member
The battle itself is so clean: no lava, no spikes, no traps, no ranged attacks, no bullshit. Old-school mano-a-mano beating. Very hard, very challenging and VERY satisfying once you down him.

Yeah, this. I love how by the end he seems to take even more of a beating and gets even more aggressive. Dodging all his feints, then finally landing the counter blow and going into a juggle is so satisfying. I would have liked his backstory to be fleshed out a bit more, as at first he seemed like someone important to Juan's past, but he was just another henchman really.

Once you've beaten him, I dare you to keep talking to him...
It's times like that when I realise people out there still have fun making games.
 

Wonko_C

Member
Jaguar Javier's name looks like a play on Tiger Tony's. (Tigre Toño as we know it in Mexico, and probably all other Spanish speaking countries.)

Has anyone made a topic documenting the references?
 

Duffyside

Banned
Jaguar Javier's name looks like a play on Tiger Tony's. (Tigre Toño as we know it in Mexico, and probably all other Spanish speaking countries.)

Has anyone made a topic documenting the references?

Not that I know of, but I'd be very interested in reading about them.
 

Labadal

Member
Finally beat Jaguar Javier. I think I tried 10-15 times on normal. When I actually managed to defeat him, I played with patience. Turns out that you'll almost never get hit if you take your time and wait him out. I wonder what the upcoming boss battles will be like.
 
Finally beat Jaguar Javier. I think I tried 10-15 times on normal. When I actually managed to defeat him, I played with patience. Turns out that you'll almost never get hit if you take your time and wait him out. I wonder what the upcoming boss battles will be like.

As I mentioned earlier - for me beating JJ on normal was all about NOT being patient. I could not beat him untill I went full retard and bum rushed him.

On Hard things are not that different - keep on rolling around him and *always* Olmec headbutt him into walls then repeat. Fun begins when he brings up the white shields... you have to destroy them first and Olmec's move can't help ya with it.

On normal it took me 10-12 battles to beat him, on hard 6. Pretty good progress :)

EDIT: I'd love to play as Javier in the DLC. Show his training in the Forest and in the Sierras.
 

XenoRaven

Member
Just beat my first playthrough on Normal. What a great game. Possibly the best I've played on my Vita. Maybe the best I've played this year. Not sure. Really fun though.

Dat red card.
 

yurinka

Member
BJPWBmpCcAESdAf.jpg



Yosp tweeted this - Lol
xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD I love this game. It has a lot of 'hidden' jokes about videogame characters and internet memes. And it's a great and fun game.

The only 2 bad things I found (I still didn't completed it) it's a couple of songs, some of the first ones. Other than that it's awesome
 

flowsnake

Member
Finally beat Jaguar Javier. I think I tried 10-15 times on normal. When I actually managed to defeat him, I played with patience. Turns out that you'll almost never get hit if you take your time and wait him out. I wonder what the upcoming boss battles will be like.

This was how it was for me. It was much better when I took my time, just taking out his shield and ducking away, going for a combo if he went flying but not deliberately trying to force that to happen.
 

Wonko_C

Member
I love the Mexican colloquial expressions when you pull off multi-hit combos. Trivia incoming:

20 Hits: "Vientos"
This is a word play on "bien" (fine), instead using the word "vientos" (winds). Normally used as a greeting to show joy.

40 Hits: "¡Órale!"
Same as above in the game's case, but this expression is used in a lot of different ways, sometimes as surprise, encouragement, agreement, or to emphasize something. It's often compared to "OK".

80 Hits: "¡Toma perro!"
I haven't heard this one often, but there are a lot of variations of it depending on where one lives. I can picture myself saying it while doing a fist pump in celebration, "Hell yeah!" or "Take that, (dog?)!". (Not a literal dog.)

100 Hits: "Macizo"
To be honest, I've never heard it used like this, so I'm going to have to weasel my way around this one. Macizo is used to describe something sturdy, firm, solid. Personally I would have this one switched places with "¡Órale!" in the game.

120 Hits: "Pa'su mecha"
This is a classic, I've heard it since I was born. There are variations like "Pa'su madre" but that's considered profanity so don't use it around kids. :p This is the equivalent to "Holy sh*t!" in my opinion.
 

Mik_Pad

Banned
I love the Mexican colloquial expressions when you pull off multi-hit combos. Trivia incoming:

20 Hits: "Vientos"
This is a word play on "bien" (fine), instead using the word "vientos" (winds). Normally used as a greeting to show joy.

40 Hits: "¡Órale!"
Same as above in the game's case, but this expression is used in a lot of different ways, sometimes as surprise, encouragement, agreement, or to emphasize something. It's often compared to "OK".

80 Hits: "¡Toma perro!"
I haven't heard this one often, but there are a lot of variations of it depending on where one lives. I can picture myself saying it while doing a fist pump in celebration, "Hell yeah!" or "Take that, (dog?)!". (Not a literal dog.)

100 Hits: "Macizo"
To be honest, I've never heard it used like this, so I'm going to have to weasel my way around this one. Macizo is used to describe something sturdy, firm, solid. Personally I would have this one switched places with "¡Órale!" in the game.

120 Hits: "Pa'su mecha"
This is a classic, I've heard it since I was born. There are variations like "Pa'su madre" but that's considered profanity so don't use it around kids. :p This is the equivalent to "Holy sh*t!" in my opinion.
Great post, "Macizo" in my country is often refered as "Cool".
 

Number45

Member
I tried flying across the entire level from that high "tower" to try to get in there but I just couldn't do it.
Yeah I messed around up there for ages as well. I'd have a good root around in the catacombs. Do you have the one in the top left of the vine area?
 
Top Bottom