Crosswhen
2012
Don't use items on anything but the final boss. This is not an easy game but if you can get into the rhythm and flow of the combat you can really perform some very satisfying combos. Maybe not to the level of later DMC entries but as the game that started it all, its something special and unique worth seeing.
The modders responsible for this touch up of an absolute classic like Silent Hill 2 deserve all the praise they can get. Truly an incredible project that helps preserve an absolutely legendary entry in the survival horror genre that Konami has failed to preserve themselves over the years.
2016
A horror game for people who do not want to feel scared at all because there is a complete lack of any tension the moment you realize there is no real threat and its a pretty linear journey forward. Art and vibes are nice but just not really my thing.
2006
Yakuza: Kiwami 2 does not do justice to the original game. Much of the experience here holds up and you can see the early bones of what side content would look like in the franchise for years to come playing something like this. I love my boy Ryuji and despite some story and character beats being slightly off when placed alongside the rest of the franchise, this is a very strong entry in the Yakuza universe.
2022
The Bioshock Infinite of Bayonetta games, an incredibly disappointing game in certain areas while also having some redeemable elements. Personally don't have plans to return to this one in the future, I think in terms of gameplay I'd rather play Bayo 1 or 2. The summon gameplay is interesting and its cool to see what probably was Scalebound through this game but that's not what I come to Bayonetta for. Viola also seems like an afterthought and riding off the heels of the amazing torch pass to Nero in DMC 5, this game just did not hit its mark in making me look forward to future games in the franchise.
2016
Banger party competitive game. Some of the funniest, most fast-paced action you can drop into with friends anytime with a unique style of gameplay focused on momentum and racing through levels against your friends.
2010
The soundtrack and story elements of this game linger in my mind all these years later after playing it for the first time. The worldbuilding includes some of my favorite tropes that I won't dive into here because it is pretty late game spoilers. I'm uncertain if I would call this a must play given the rough edges when it comes to gameplay and requirements for seeing all endings being quite tedious at times. The primary difference between this version of NieR and the remake (Called Replicant ver.1.22474487139...) is the protagonist. While this version you play as a father attempting to save his daughter, the remake features brother Nier trying to save his sister. I find the former more compelling but do believe that Replicant is probably the version to seek out for a modern audience who may be coming to this game off the heels of a Nier Automata playthrough.
2007
A classic to end all classics, just an extremely special game. I don't know why this game's comedy holds up for me while other games that try very hard to be funny don't. One thing that is funny is that after all these years the game is kind of a cakewalk, I beat it in one sitting in just over an hour. If you haven't played this, do yourself a favor and seek this and its sequel out.
Genuinely an incredible mod for Terraria with so much additional content that even on a full completion I feel like I haven't scratched the surface. If I had to point out some downsides it'd be how dependent this mod feels on wiki diving or having some external source to help with your gear and weapon progression. As someone playing completely blind initially the amount of use certain items had in future crafting recipes meant that I was spending a good chunk of my time double checking what I could do with crap weapons I had already moved on from hours earlier. For me that led to a lot of clutter but that's not a major issue. My other issue with the game comes from coop where the bullet hell elements of the game become far more difficult and hard to dodge as hundred more projectiles from different classes and weapons clutter the screen. I'll have to do a proper replay solo to experience certain bosses as I feel they were intended to be seen. Fantastic mod though, anyone looking for more Terraria should look here.
Good DLC but I don't really care for the microwavable ghosts. Cool mechanic but I hate having a single solution for enemies. The encounters are great here but I do think the challenge here makes me feel a lot more pigeonholed into finding the correct solution to each individual enemy rather than expressing myself more freely. Not a downside but just a vibe I got while playing.
That final boss really brought this down and I think by this point the Eternal encounter design started to wear on me.
Banger DLC unfortunately priced way too highly. Playable Kaito is fantastic and its a real treat to see the return of two styles from Yakuza 0 allowed to shine in the Dragon engine.
Hard carried by the coop experience. The level design is fun stuff from Arkane but heavily brought down by the repetition.
2020
Incredibly fun game. Just hits right sometimes when I want to jump into some rally racing. An absolute vibe with a strong art style and surprisingly deep control over your difficulty and realism. One of my favorite racing games although part of me really wishes there was more potential to see or maybe even race against actual vehicles on these tracks rather than just racing against the clock.
2019
Absolutely criminal what happened to the original creatives behind this game. I'm not sure I can recommend financially supporting the game given what happened with this game and the developer behind it but its also a must experience game for anyone interested in the ways a game can let you run wild and express yourself. One of the most fun experiences I've had in years with witty and creative writing that fundamentally influenced me and the way I think about both how I express myself in other RPGs and in reality.