DerekExMachina
2021
Definitely a product of its time in many ways. The dungeon design is clearly the most dated aspect of this game, with there being far too many dead ends to count. Thankfully with the quality of life upgrades in the Pixel Remaster and the constant sense of progression, this game manages to be an okay time. Definitely the weakest mainline Final Fantasy and in many ways a downgrade from FF1, but still a worthwhile experience.
2014
Kirby continues to have some of the strongest, most effective level design in the market. If you want to study levels that effectively teach mechanics and reward exploration while still being generally accessible, this game is a great teaching tool.
Good boss fights, good music, good aesthetics, good blend of stage gimmicks, good variety...everything here is quite good! Nothing sticks out and is absolutely exceptional - Forgotten Land and (to my understanding) Planet Robobot improve upon this game's foundation significantly, but this is a fun time nonetheless.
Great 2D platforming, if lacking in any sauce that would elevate it to excellence.
Good boss fights, good music, good aesthetics, good blend of stage gimmicks, good variety...everything here is quite good! Nothing sticks out and is absolutely exceptional - Forgotten Land and (to my understanding) Planet Robobot improve upon this game's foundation significantly, but this is a fun time nonetheless.
Great 2D platforming, if lacking in any sauce that would elevate it to excellence.
2024
Genuinely the best gameplay Tekken has ever had, with incredibly strong stages, presentation, and online. Banger.
2011
I would be very mad if I paid $40 for this, but as a casual challenge game, this is a fun time! Also a great showcase for the 3DS, given that this was a launch title.
Some of the best controls and level design for any 2D platformer. Banger.
Banger conclusion to a great trilogy of games. The Metroidvania elements are definitely the most understated here out of the three games, but it's still a wonderful time with great pacing, puzzles, and action.
Community system kinda stinks, but everything is so good that it doesn't really matter.
This game changed my life. This was my most anticipated game for almost three years, and yet it still somehow exceeded all my expectations. I don't expect to experience anything like that in my life ever again.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is an incredibly special game. Two years before Breath of the Wild popularized open-air game design fueled by player curiosity, Xenoblade X invites players to explore a world so bizarre, intriguing, and inviting that you won't help but be able to become enamored with the freedom Monolith Soft has given you.
The world itself is the key ingredient that makes this game work so well. Each of the game's continents feel distinct and visually captivating, yet manage to tell a cohesive story about this world and the hostility it has towards human life. When you acquire Skells and the flight module, exploring the world becomes so seamless and immersive that hours will evaporate by.
The music, while maybe cheesy on a first listen, makes for one of the greatest soundtracks of all time. From epic orchestral to arrangements to modern pop music, this soundtrack is some of Sawano's very best work.
The combat system is incredibly versatile and addictive. While Overdrive does admittedly break the game in half and throws balance out the window, keeping an Overdrive going becomes a minigame unto itself, akin to how Chain Attacks work in other Xenoblade games.
Quests often tell intriguing stories and/or do what they need to - get you out into the world and consistently ignite your curiosity. There will be hours-long instances where you get distracted by so many different things that quests will get put on the backburner for dozens of hours, and yet, everything you do in this game is so compelling and rewarding.
I absolutely love this game and, with a modern port/remaster, I think many people will see that it's one of the greatest games of all time.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is an incredibly special game. Two years before Breath of the Wild popularized open-air game design fueled by player curiosity, Xenoblade X invites players to explore a world so bizarre, intriguing, and inviting that you won't help but be able to become enamored with the freedom Monolith Soft has given you.
The world itself is the key ingredient that makes this game work so well. Each of the game's continents feel distinct and visually captivating, yet manage to tell a cohesive story about this world and the hostility it has towards human life. When you acquire Skells and the flight module, exploring the world becomes so seamless and immersive that hours will evaporate by.
The music, while maybe cheesy on a first listen, makes for one of the greatest soundtracks of all time. From epic orchestral to arrangements to modern pop music, this soundtrack is some of Sawano's very best work.
The combat system is incredibly versatile and addictive. While Overdrive does admittedly break the game in half and throws balance out the window, keeping an Overdrive going becomes a minigame unto itself, akin to how Chain Attacks work in other Xenoblade games.
Quests often tell intriguing stories and/or do what they need to - get you out into the world and consistently ignite your curiosity. There will be hours-long instances where you get distracted by so many different things that quests will get put on the backburner for dozens of hours, and yet, everything you do in this game is so compelling and rewarding.
I absolutely love this game and, with a modern port/remaster, I think many people will see that it's one of the greatest games of all time.
2019
Fun-ass game until you get cooked by RNG. Then you just want to play it again!
If there was a bit less RNG and more control over survivability, this'd be a masterpiece.
If there was a bit less RNG and more control over survivability, this'd be a masterpiece.
There is a reason this has become the highest rated FF game since Final Fantasy X. FF7 Rebirth feels like it takes the right lessons from modern JRPG contemporaries - namely the likes of Xenoblade and Tales of, and fuses those systems with the incredible production value and large-scale storytelling of Final Fantasy to make something special.
From combat to Queen's Blood to the thoughtfully designed open areas and the bustling towns, FF7 Rebirth depicts a world that's as alive as it is fun to complete activities in. It enters the rare collection of JRPGs that features over 100 hours of content and yet never feels exhausting or that it overstays its welcome.
A fantastic video game that any RPG fan should consider playing.
From combat to Queen's Blood to the thoughtfully designed open areas and the bustling towns, FF7 Rebirth depicts a world that's as alive as it is fun to complete activities in. It enters the rare collection of JRPGs that features over 100 hours of content and yet never feels exhausting or that it overstays its welcome.
A fantastic video game that any RPG fan should consider playing.