there's often too much emphasis placed on the value of narrative that is intrinsically gamey - stories that 'can only be told within the parameters and constructs of a game'. the idea here is simple: one wants to demonstrate the value their medium can bring to the table, so naturally any stories that can 'only' exist as a game and would face extreme adaptational hurdles presents the most appealing case for games as art.

i think this line of thought is suffocating, though. leaving aside the fact that this thwarts and diminishes the potential and creativity of other mediums in adaptation, the kinds of narratives that are lauded for best-in-class video game storytelling are often entirely subservient to structure or gimmick, or engage in reflexive and banal meta exercises. what's more, i'd posit that most (maybe even all) video game narratives are only feasible within the context of video games. taking play seriously means looking for the syntax linking the abstraction of mechanics to traditional forms of storytelling and presentation and the bearing that the coalescence of the two has on emotion and thought.

all this is to say that 13 sentinels represents another homecoming for the 'stories that are beholden to complex ADV structure' genre, and that it distinguishes itself from the usual suspects with nothing but endearing and unrelenting passion for its subject matter while considering some surprisingly insightful meditations on japans relationship to the media environment its fostered since the post-war era. character interactions are really fun and they're easy to get attached to, its breezy and freeform format makes for some incredibly comfortable gaming, and yes - it takes a lot of skill to hold a narrative this ridiculously convoluted together. 13 sentinels is practically bursting at the seams, but it's pretty sharp in how it chooses to disseminate its key narrative points. i also found it refreshing in that its far more shoujo than it is shonen.

this is really more of a pulpy 3.5 than a 4 - it's pretty scuffed mechanically and even structurally. it loses a significant amount of steam in the last quarter of the game (having exhausted a lot of its appeal and doing itself no favours when the emotional resonance the final battle should have fails to land), its RTS component can be exhilirating but fails to integrate itself as essential within the ADV structure and is often unbalanced to its own detriment, and certain characters get relegated to expository mouthpieces with only the occasional bursts of charm buoying their place within the game (gouto being the primary offender here).

still, how can i argue with a game in which ultimately, the brash and youthful human spirit triumphs over the petty squabbles and needlessly labyrinthine overcomplications of adults?

probably my favourite system mechanics in any fighting game, battle hub perfectly encapsulates the arcade setting as cordial yet caustic, netcode is excellent, this is the best starting roster any of these games has ever had, world tour gets dry after a little bit but finally manages to capture these characters essences in a personable and human way which has been a rarity in SF up to this point, endless quality of life features officially make this the new standard to aspire to for all pending releases, dhalsim sounds like he’s telling opponents to kill themselves whenever i land drive impact. five stars

Chapter 22 of FE5 is a commentary on the idea of a "fair fight" in the context of warfare. Leif is not backed by the force of an army, he's leading a small rebel force to reclaim his homeland and unify Thracia. Up against Reinhardt, who is a top general in one of the continent's strongest military forces, Leif has no chance in a battle that would be seen as fair. As such, he has to use warp staves to kill the commander and end the battle early. This brand of tactic is usually seen as underhanded or as "cheesing the game", but is it? How is it unfair for Leif to use what little resources are available but seemingly fine for Reinhardt to come down on him with the entire force of Freege when Leif's entire army comprises less than 50 people.

To bring this back to the idea that warp strats are the only way for Leif to win, it's worth noting that you get a warp staff from a village right next to your starting position. Because of this citizen giving Leif the warp staff, it becomes possible for any player to beat this map with as little risk of failure as possible. Thracia's freedom from the empire was not won through fair strategy, it was won through the citizens working together to fight back.

“what exactly do you do?”

“oh, i travel— a sort of licensed troubleshooter.” - pat fearing & james bond, goldfinger

frantic, kinetic, and most importantly stylish. assault spy is a frenzy of business cards, suitcases, and fisticuffs skating and spinning around wildly on ice. a short and sweet package that’s purely action to action with no brakes, but with the bells and whistles typically seen in its contemporaries to make it worth challenging yourself to be “japam” and “mamerica”’s top spies. assault spy has a crystalline cynosure on its combat, with much of its familiarity owed to its foundational inspirations but with the consummate professionalism of a career spy, giving it its own distinctive flavor and identity. a fun romp through and through and absolutely worth the price of entry for some solid spy shenanigans.

i’ve actually played (but never finished) this a couple years ago during the wait for devil may cry 5, only to completely forget about it when the golden goose laid that egg, so going back to finish it this late was something i owed it. coincidentally, my full playthrough of this game also coincided with dmc coming back into my consciousness more prominently as of late, and they’ve been great reminders of just how good these kinds of games are. they remind me a lot of fighting games where what you’re willing to put in is what you get out of it. games like these are truly freeing, and proficiency in them is an artform in itself.

i feel like indie-developed character actions are a really underexplored niche; wazen is proving there’s absolutely a place for them, and that they can stand with the time tested giants of the subgenre. assault spy does exactly everything it sets out to do and does it with a business card in bone-white. i’d love more games like these in the indie sphere, can’t get enough of them.

I never been interested in Final Fantasy. Aside from wanting to try out FF7, the series was never really my thing.......until this came along.

Let's talk story. It's campy, its cheesy, its so early 2000s. Supposedly, this is a prequel to the original FF1 but that didn't stop enjoying the story for what it is. The main cast are very straightforward but they're full with a lot soul(Jack my GOAT).

The gameplay was fun. I played this game on Action but it still provided me with a challenge especially in the boss fights. I like the OST, Shadows Rising is such a banger.

It's amazing that this is the second time I've experienced media with such a edgy early 2000s vibe to it and happened to be peak fiction. Video games are real again.

Subdues the simulation and precision edges off golf for a streamlined arcade experience, but bears its teeth through totally vicious course design. Behind its pristine presentation value and razor-sharp control scheme lies a hellhole with violently-stringent O.B. terrain, and endless seas of bunkers and rivers. It's one of the few golf games where the courses have a game-ified difficulty curve instead of a consistent pace across the 18 holes, so you get this tension where holes start really breezy, but become war-torn abominations by the back half. It's amazing. I hate it. This is one of the best video games ever made.