Top 50 Favorites: #25

A masterclass in medieval gothic pop style. I'll be honest, I thought this was just kind of okay when I first played it - a little mid of a remake in a way that feels hollow (even cheap), not unlike Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated. But boy does this thing know how to sit with you and settle right on in... you'd really have to try hard to forget any of these luxurious-looking levels (of course that would ultimately be a futile fight anyway). Sir Daniel is such a lovable lead character despite (perhaps - in part - because of) having zero audible lines of dialogue, and like the rest of this game is designed to soaring standards. There's also something satisfyingly squishy about the combat here, nothing beats busting out that big ole' mallet and going to town on zombies, imps, pumpkin plants, and fish monsters and whatnot. An aura of authenticity coats this entire thing corner-to-corner, what initially might seem thin ends up seeming so lovingly crafted - so lived-in. So charming and freakish, it's even a shade creepy at some points - it being hard to deduce whether that's unintentionally so or otherwise makes it even moreso imo. Essential adventure game that's refreshing in its simplicity. Love, love, love it.