Release trailer
Playstation store link
I don't even have a PS4 but I'm excited as can be about this just hoping it makes it to PC at some point. N, released in 2004, was the original game which I spent dozens (hundreds?) of hours delving into (I never did beat all of the original... 500? 1000? levels. But I was damn close!) late at night and between classes and in class almost anytime I was on a computer with a few spare minutes. Despite being only a few MB big and not having any music and only three buttons for controls I'd be lying if I said it wasn't one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had.
It isn't for everyone. It's hard. It's frustrating. It's unforgiving. You will die. A lot. You will fail levels at the last second in infuriating fashion. But at the same time your palms will sweat and you'll sway in your seat in sync with the ninja, urging him to reach that next ledge or evade the missile quickly closing the gap between you and it. And when you finally perfect that jump and get past something that's broken your little stick figure into a hundred pieces a hundred times over it's a genuine rush.
N exemplifies some of the very best that gaming has to offer - controls that feel perfect, expert love-fueled craftmanship and, to me, prioritizes nothing at the expense of gameplay. I think it has that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater quality - no matter what sort of games you normally like playing it is just the kind of pure fun that crosses genre boundaries and you just don't want to put it down until you've landed that ridiculous combo or beaten that son-of-a-gun level. As long as you can handle it kicking your ass too.
I know this sounds like a sales pitch but there aren't many games that have left such an impression on me or that I harbor such affection for. To this day the original is available for free and I would absolutely recommend anyone at least trying it.
Fingers crossed for a ported edition!
Playstation store link
I don't even have a PS4 but I'm excited as can be about this just hoping it makes it to PC at some point. N, released in 2004, was the original game which I spent dozens (hundreds?) of hours delving into (I never did beat all of the original... 500? 1000? levels. But I was damn close!) late at night and between classes and in class almost anytime I was on a computer with a few spare minutes. Despite being only a few MB big and not having any music and only three buttons for controls I'd be lying if I said it wasn't one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had.
It isn't for everyone. It's hard. It's frustrating. It's unforgiving. You will die. A lot. You will fail levels at the last second in infuriating fashion. But at the same time your palms will sweat and you'll sway in your seat in sync with the ninja, urging him to reach that next ledge or evade the missile quickly closing the gap between you and it. And when you finally perfect that jump and get past something that's broken your little stick figure into a hundred pieces a hundred times over it's a genuine rush.
N exemplifies some of the very best that gaming has to offer - controls that feel perfect, expert love-fueled craftmanship and, to me, prioritizes nothing at the expense of gameplay. I think it has that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater quality - no matter what sort of games you normally like playing it is just the kind of pure fun that crosses genre boundaries and you just don't want to put it down until you've landed that ridiculous combo or beaten that son-of-a-gun level. As long as you can handle it kicking your ass too.
I know this sounds like a sales pitch but there aren't many games that have left such an impression on me or that I harbor such affection for. To this day the original is available for free and I would absolutely recommend anyone at least trying it.
Fingers crossed for a ported edition!
It looks cool though.
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