This is a game that I hold near and dear to my heart. I got it when I was around 10 or 11 for Christmas morning, and I played...most of it. I never actually beat the game until high school, and never completed it until now. This game reminds me the most of what I love about video games: gameplay that feels like a dream to master and control, a setting that you can get lost in, a score that immerses you into the world and sways your emotion, and an escape from a trying world that does its best to hammer us down. This game is my favorite of all time because it's a piece of media that has influenced me in my childhood and in my currently blossoming adulthood. I won't lie and say tears were shed when I beat the game not only because it holds such heavy nostalgia, but it also is a complete vision and package that everyone and I mean EVERYONE should play at least once in their lifetime. What else can I say? It's fantastic. Give it a shot when you get the chance.

DOOM 2016 a really solid entry in the series that brought back the franchise to the spotlight through overhauling the gameplay that many games try to emulate with varying degrees of success. The gunplay is crafted to perfection, the level design is very atmospheric and desolate, and the story is pretty neat. However, it's hard to say it's my favorite because we live in a post-Eternal world. 2016 feels slower in comparison and the level design can feel very samey (even though it's kind of the point since it's stuck to Mars and Hell locations). Secrets feel less fun to find because it feels like there's less inclination to find them with the barebones map and signals they give you, but I can see the appeal in terms of how it is harder to find them and incentivize replay value. I can appreciate the crowd that likes 2016 over Eternal because both games are excellent in their own ways while sharing similar DNA. Good game, I highly recommend if you're looking to get into boomer shooters or just really good FPS games in general.

The FPS game that made the genre explode to the point where other FPS games were called "DOOM Clones." How does it hold up? I am happy to report that it does in an excellent matter. The combat is fast-paced and frantic, where one wrong move could spell the end of your run (until you pull up your convenient save state anyway). The weapons all feel awesome to use (except the pistol but that's kind of the point), the enemies are fun to fight (sometimes), and the puzzle elements are engaging. I didn't expect that last element to be very important coming as a 2016 and Eternal player, but it was satisfying to pick apart and could be real brain teasers if you didn't pay attention. I will say that the major flaw is that Thy Flesh Consumed is a very frustrating difficulty spike to handle, but give it enough time and you'll come out on top. The Doom Slayer's humble beginnings are an explosive and fun game to come back to even 30 years later, and worth checking out.

A decent sequel that adds more cars to play with and makes the gameplay a little deeper thanks to the introduction of the jump and bump mechanics. They utilize the same resource as your boost so you actively keep track of how much meter or nodes of boost you have in order to not miss an important jump or bump an opponent off the road. I think that the lack of change outside of the bigger lineup and couple of mechanics is what drags it down because this is really just an updated and better version of the original with little changes...but it's still very fun to play (Sol-Aire CX4 my beloved). Also what the hell was the story and why did they show off the features of the one lady? That doesn't matter. Had a good time with this one. Not exceptional, but still a good arcade racer. It's a point above the original for me.

An intriguing puzzle game that holds a profound message. I knew going in that it radiated Stanley Parable energy (which I love), but I wasn't expecting the gameplay to be deeper than Stanley Parable's walking around. I would argue that the writing alone causes Stanley Parable to be excellent, but Superliminal takes it a step further by adding deeper gameplay to the mix. The story is a bit more in the background but it's still ties the concept together excellently. I love the idea of messing around with perspective from a mechanical standpoint and how it plays into the real themes of understanding other perspectives in your own life. Excellent game that hit me with the feels at the end.

Now THIS is how you do a sequel. Literally expand upon every element from the first one and make it better. This feels like the 2016 game on crack, and it shares a similar level of addiction. I have replayed this game quite a few times, 100%ing it every time. It continues the lore that is intriguing for newer fans like myself while also being rewarding for older fans. The weapons all feel amazing to use and play around with. The movement has been made faster and each encounter fills you with adrenaline and a thirst for blood. The Ancient Gods 1 and 2 were solid additions to the campaign in terms of story content, but the phantoms can suck an egg. It's an amazing first person shooter, probably the best in terms of campaign and what I believe to be the peak of the franchise. Please do yourself a favor and check it out when you get a chance.

I remember being weirdly hyped for this when it was fully announced and it felt rewarding to get a licensed game with some level of care and passion put into it. The gameplay is solid, the lineup of cars makes the inner 7-year-old in me froth at the mouth, and the amount of customization in there makes my head spin. However, loot boxes, not great online and heavy reliance on DLC is pretty much what killed long-term interest. And now that the sequel is out and is pretty much agreed to be the superior game, there really isn't a need to return to this one.