Why don't people talk about inFAMOUS much anymore? The game definitely had its problems but man this game is cool and one of the defining open-world action games for the PS3.

Zipping around the city as Cole and blasting foes with electricity played excellently and it I liked all of the different abilities you unlock throughout the story. There is of course the decision to play the good or evil path which affects what you can do and encourages two play-throughs.

I really liked the story of inFAMOUS too which takes some massive swings that mostly pay off. I really didn't see the twist coming and while the story feels a little overconvoluted at times it maintained my interest to the credits and blew me away with the twist.

Now the gameplay did have some issues particularly with the traversal which could've been polished up but overall this was a good time. Sidenote- I played this as my free "apology game" after the PSN hack which took down the servers for like a month. Who remembers that?

There was a time where The Force Unleashed was the one of the most anticipated releases of the year which is wild to reflect back on. While not without its charms, the game has a lot of drawbacks and proves too repetitive has it goes on.

The Force Unleashed features Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice who hunts down the remaining Jedi across the galaxy after the events of Revenge of the Sith (the most popular time for Star Wars stories it seems). This is a pretty ludicrous concept but the game does its best to fit into canon and at the time was considered an official piece of the narrative. The story is passable and I don’t mind the good ending, but it’s definitely shoehorned into the mythos.

The hack and slash gameplay is fun for a while but lacks any depth whatsoever and definitely grows stale, especially as you start returning to the same planets. More environments and variations in the samey boss battles would’ve went a long way in making this a better experience.

The Wii version had some special features that made it standout from other versions. The Darth Vader level at the beginning where you tear up Wookiees I’m pretty sure is exclusive to this version. There is also a (fairly clunky) multiplayer dueling mode where you and a friend can piss each other off by force throwing each other into pits.

The Force Unleashed is fun for a while and definitely has its fans, but probably isn’t in the upper echelon of Star Wars titles.

I feel like a lot of cutesy indie games are trying to capture the exact feel of A Short Hike, often to less success. This excellent title is a compact little adventure with a fantastic sense of progression as your character, a little penguin named Claire, decides to hike up Hawk Peak.

Despite having a short runtime, this game manages to feel like you went on a journey all the same, meeting lots of different characters and participating in fun little activities to earn feathers, which let you flap your wings and get up cliffs of increasing size. At no point in A Short Hike did I feel lost or frustrated, not knowing how to progress, but always enjoyed exploring around and finding all sorts of little details.

The writing is mostly whimsical and humorously quirky, and even gets a touch sentimental toward the end. Without giving anything away, that payoff at the end of your hike feels like the ultimate reward for your efforts and a splendid ending to a cute little game. This was my second time visiting A Short Time after having already experiencing it on the Switch, and I'm sure I will be back at some point to enjoy it again.

Whelp, this game was polarizing to say the least. Right off the bat some fans decided that The Last of Us Part II was a disgraceful sequel to the first game, mostly because of one major plot point early in the game's narrative. While of course some gamers took it way too far with the death threats and all of that, it's not too surprising to me reactions went this far. They knew this was going to be polarizing and ultimately hoped it would be worth it for the sake of an effective story.

The Last of Us Part II is another technical showcase but a gruesome and bleak title, even moreso than its ultimately somewhat optimistic predecessor. At times the violence here is so extreme that Naughty Dog seems to be pushing toward tastelessness, partly to prove their point but also for the fun and intense combat encounters.

A million things have been said about this game and it's story direction and ultimately I landed somewhere on the spectrum of liking it. It's definitely not a homerun the way the last two Naughty Dog titles were and lacks the subtlety it thinks it has but it gives you a lot to think about despite its flaws.

Mostly I just love this sort of super-AAA experience where everything is super refined and cinematic. The Last of Us Part II is very much that and therefore made for a pretty enjoyable 25 hours or so it took to finish the story. I don't see myself returning to this one as much as I did many other Naughty Dog titles but still think it's a noble effort that mostly hits its marks.

This game should be better. Its heart is in the right place but it seemed to be lacking the budget and resources it needed to be a standout and accomplish what it set out to do. The roster is too small and missing some key characters everybody wanted to see, hardcore fighting game fans are displeased with the mechanics, and the game overall lacks personality (at least finally adding voice acting was a step in the right direction). It was fun for a few rounds but let's be honest- Multiversus really showed this game how it should be done.

I wasn't really sure whether I should review this as simply how The Last of Us holds up in 2023, or based on the value of buying this new PS5 version of a PS3 game. It's pretty ridiculous that Sony decided to charge $70 for this version when base level PlayStation Plus subscribers can play the PS4 version for free. This was actually my first time playing any version other than the original PS3 release (shoutout to my friend Matt for letting me borrow his copy), and when I replayed that in 2020 I really didn't have any issues with the way it looked. Obviously this new version is a significant visual upgrade but, like it usually goes, once you really settle in the prettier graphics don't really matter so much.

Naughty Dog has pitched this as a remake of the original game but outside of some very modest tweaks here and there (I noticed bow mechanics more akin to Part II), the gameplay is very largely the same. You won't see the added movement options from the second game here, or redesigned combat encounters. There's a commentary track that's weirdly locked behind game completion- I would've liked this right off the bat considering I've already beaten The Last of Us maybe five or six times.

While it's not an impressive remake, The Last of Us is still the incredible game we all fell in love with in 2013. Sure, the Naughty Dog environment traversal feels a bit silly at times with repetitive situations like "Ellie jumps on the pallet to cross the water", but the combat, stealth, and crafting systems are just as solid as they were when the game first came out. While I've challenged myself on more recent runs by stealthing my way through the higher difficulties, this time I set the game to normal and just had a good time being more aggressive and letting loose in combat.

The game has a great propulsive pace to it that has you feeling like you went on a whole journey with these characters, but it at the same time its hard to put down. I really like the way the narrative handles its time jumps as Joel and Ellie move across the country toward their goal.

The Last of Us is one of the most powerful and effective post-apocalyptic narratives ever told, and while it leans heavily into tropes it brings a depth that is frankly still ahead of most narrative-driven video games ten years later.

Credit also has to go to Gustavo Santaolalla's soundtrack for really giving this game its distinct personality. At this point it's easy to take his work for granted but I'm stoked that they've got him back for the promising television series about to debut at the time of this writing.

The Last of Us: Part 1 is only a package I can recommend for diehard fans or with those with plenty of funds to spend on games- but at the same time it's the new best way to play one of the greatest video games. While it might not be my personal favorite Naughty Dog title, I think that it is probably their best and a game everybody should experience. It's just that you'll probably be fine with the PS4 version.

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The Switch seems to be nearing the end of its console cycle, but that didn't stop Nintendo from putting out a buzzy proper 2D Mario title for this holiday season. I've enjoyed all of the New Super Mario Bros. games to some extent. The DS and Wii games are nostalgic classics for me and I replayed a bunch of the Wii U one a couple of months ago with my friend Jack and it was better than I remembered. I can't believe it's been a decade since the last title, and Wonder does a good job of freshening up the formula with some fun new additions.

Right off the bat, I enjoyed the expanded roster. Finally you can play as Daisy in a Super Mario Bros. game- that's pretty fun (especially after she got shafted from the initial Mario Strikers roster last year hmph). Several of the characters make the game a bit easier for younger players which is a fun idea.

There are a couple of new power-ups, most notably the silly elephant suit, but the big twist on the classic platforming fun are the wonder flowers in every level. If you find them, the level will somehow transform into something entirely different. You might change forms into a different character entirely, or the landscape around you can change. You never really know what to expect from a wonder flower and they keep every level feeling fresh and exciting.

Mario Wonder also adds badges which are special abilities that you can equip for each level. I liked trying each of them in the special stage, but you get the glider very early on and it was nearly impossible for me to go without this badge for the rest of the game because it just felt so great to use. It might make the game a little easier than need be but it made platforming fun and fast which is what I was looking for.

Mario Wonder doesn't take too long to complete, but there are special levels to unlock as well which I haven't tackled yet but I hear offer up a respectable challenge. These should be fun to try out and make for good post-game offerings.

I played this game in local co-op with my sister and we had some trouble getting used to the camera. They've implemented a system where someone gets crowned at the end of a level and then they are the leader in the next level. That's a smart balance because it's frustrating to not have control of the camera. I am at least happy that you aren't actively running into your friend, bouncing on their head by accident and whatnot like in the previous games. That's definitely an improvement. The ghost multiplayer mode is an interesting implementation, too.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a respectable entry in the franchise for Mario. I think it might be getting a bit overhyped, but it's definitely some decent platforming fun and feels more exciting and fresh than previous 2D Mario games.

My first experience with Melee was at a McDonalds on the drive up to my grandparents house where they had a bunch of Gamecube consoles in the play area. At the time, the only character I was familiar with was Donkey Kong from my Donkey Kong Country games for the GBA. The game nevertheless left a huge impression on me, and would only continue to blow my mind a couple of years later when I got my hands on a Gamecube.

Melee expands on the first entry in the series so extensively that it's easily the greatest leap in the franchise so far. It's still a massively popular esports game thanks to its razor tight gameplay, speed, and mechanical depth. It was so much fun turning the items on their highest setting and just going wild on some of the craziest stages, but the fact Melee can also be taken so competitively is at the core of its excellence.

Melee adds a ton of new modes. There's a crack at an Adventure Mode though it's really just a variation on Classic. More exciting are the challenges which are all creative and get genuinely very tough to make your way through. Generally there's so much to do from collecting trophies, playing the home run derby, or running 64-player tournaments.

There are complaints to be had with the roster, which has more "echo fighters" than you'd want to see. Still, it's a much expanded group of characters from the first game and there still feels like there are plenty to choose from. Melee really brought it with the stages though, which included many of the very best of the whole series. There's a reason Temple comes back in every single Smash Bros. release.

As a near-launch title for the console, Melee was the absolute system seller for the Gamecube and a must-have title for literally anybody who owned the console.

The first Remnant was a super fun surprise for me when I played all the way through on PlayStation Plus a few years back. The sequel expands upon what made that first game great in just about every way, and while it still has some shortcomings, it's an absolute blast to explore with friends.

Remnant II doesn't rewrite the style of the first game. You'll still be exploring several different worlds, unlocking new weapons and fighting bosses as you go and filling in your randomized/procedurally generated map as you go. Like the first game, the story is nothing to write home about and it quickly becomes tempting to skip through dialogue and ignore what's going on. The real fun lies in defeating the various bosses and finding all the secrets scattered throughout the world.

As with the first game, things start out pretty tough but the game gets much easier as you go and start to level up and upgrade your gear faster than the game keeps up with you. There are still some hard bosses here and there to keep you on your toes, and then the final boss is a real doozy that took my friends and I a couple of hours to finally take down. At times Remnant II feels like the easiest game ever and at others you might be banging your head against a wall at the challenge. It really depends.

I don't think Remnant II would be nearly as fun to play by yourself and is definitely best experienced with two friends. We each had our own character archetypes that complimented each other nicely, and I liked how we could split up in the less intimidating wide open areas and explore of our own volition, and then come back together when one of us discovered a portal door to another section.

Remnant II looks and runs great, and the environments offer a lot of variety. I could've gone for one or two more worlds, and it was disappointing that the first DLC that came out in December recycles one of the already used worlds.

Remnant II is a real blast and the sleeper hit of the summer that I'd recommend to anyone who might enjoy a dodge roll shooter type of game. Give it a spin.

Wii Fit was kind of rude to make your Mii fat like that. I was a really skinny kid and yet here they were telling me I was at risk of being overweight. This was a very in-demand title when it first dropped and seemed meant to be taken seriously for its exercise benefits.

The balance board was a silly concept but novel- if a little gross, it wasn't the best feeling to hear that stick after a while when you weren't the only one playing. The balance-based games were the most fun to be had with Wii Fit and where I played the most. It's not a bad package and perhaps a few people out there actually exercised with it but I don't think most people stuck with this one for too long. Also, Wii Fit Trainer is a baddie I don't make the rules.

In rougher times for Alan Wake, fans were left with this downloadable chapter that feels somewhere in between a tacked-on expansion and a sequel. The tone is a lot different for one thing as this is even more action-oriented for the first game, but more disappointingly it relies on a time loop conceit to reuse sections across an already very short runtime.

The story is absolute nonsense at this point and I couldn't find myself caring about Alan's evil alter ego Mr. Scratch because it was impossible to put together what even was happening in the Alan Wake lore at this point. With Alan Wake II coming out, I'm not even sure if American Nightmare is canon or just a weird alternate world hallucination or what.

I still had some fun with this because the combat is still pretty fun and this game gives you some really powerful weapons that let you tear through enemies like never before. It feels like a combat victory lap more than anything and ignoring the story it was fun just for that. Definitely skippable except for the biggest Wake/Remedy fans.

This one was a hidden gem for the Gamecube and really understood the value of gameplay variety. In Madagascar it always feels like you're doing something new and unique, especially in the earlier levels. From Marty's stealth sections to escape the zoo to the penguins' FPS boss battle, it's never a game that overstays its welcome even if it does lose some of that steam when it starts to settle down in the Madagascar setting.

Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria all play somewhat differently and you face different fun challenges with each of them. There are funny cosmetics to unlock with coins you collect in the levels, and playable arcade games to find tucked away.

Honestly my favorite part of Madagascar might have been the minigames. Mini-golf has a massive learning curve and not knowing what you're doing can prove infuriating. I had a great time mastering it along with intense rounds of shuffleboard against my cousin.

Madagascar is one of the better movie games out there and even though I have nostalgia for it, it's definitely worth checking out nonetheless.

A worthy sequel to the first game, God of War II was a PS2 exclusive that interestingly came out several months after the PS3 was already out. I think it might be the last really good exclusive title to the best-selling console of all time.

God of War II wastes no time at all getting going, throwing Kratos into a cinematic battle against the Colossus of Rhodes that serves as a lengthy and genuinely thrilling cold open. Like the first game, this sequel never lets up on the momentum, a constant sturdy blend of combat encounters and intuitive environmental puzzle-solving that gives the game a great flow and pace. I could see some players not enjoying the puzzles, but I think they're important for shaking up the gameplay since players would get battle fatigue if it was all just hacking and slashing. I will say that I wish the puzzles seemed a little more natural in the environment sometimes and not so gamey- with levers, blocks, and buttons feeling like they exist just for the sake of the puzzle rather than organically in the environment. Meanwhile, the platforming has been made less frustrating. Any part that requires some accuracy has a checkpoint nearby this time around so you won't get too frustrated with the traversal.

Not a lot has changed from the first game's sturdy combat foundation, though there are definitely some subtle improvements. For one, enemies aren't the frustrating damage sponges like in the first game. There was definitely some tedium in waiting forever for some of the enemies to go down, but that's definitely cut down some here. God of War II is a little less challenging as a result, but it makes for a more fun and less tedious experience.

Since the game is a bit less punishing this time out, I found myself experimenting with the different combos and magic abilities more and getting a pretty solid handle on the combat system. The game doesn't give you enough experience to level up too many of your abilities in one play-through, but the new combos I did unlock for my primary weapon were fun to try out. I also really liked the new timed counter move, which takes some getting used to but proves really powerful once you get to using it regularly and effectively.

This game also just moves along a little better overall, even though it follows the same progression system as the first game (and has that lame "stripped of your powers" trope that a lot of game sequels use). There are still a few frustrating moments- I'm probably not going to forget the damn skeleton elevator sequence late in the game anytime soon- but they are much fewer this time out. I always felt like I was visiting an exciting new vista, or facing off against a new powerful foe.

The story is still very basic and extremely cheesy, and honestly is even more shallow than the first game which at least tried a little with its tragic backstory for Kratos. It gets the job done but is definitely one area where the franchise could've been greater at this juncture, especially because its presentation is so cinematic. Despite that simplicity, it's still fun to take on another rage-fueled, blood-soaked journey for revenge with Kratos. The adventure builds to a cliffhanger that no doubt had fans chomping at the bit for the third and "final" chapter.