Goldfield
2018
Ironically enough, I enjoyed what most people (in my point of view) dislike about Yakuza 3 — the slice of life content with the orphanage.
What I didn’t enjoy were its janky controls, its sluggish boss fights and the premise of its story. The substories were beautifully written as always, the soundtrack is fire and I loved the new characters.
What I didn’t enjoy were its janky controls, its sluggish boss fights and the premise of its story. The substories were beautifully written as always, the soundtrack is fire and I loved the new characters.
2017
This review contains spoilers
The final credits are overwhelming. Accepting the help of other players made me feel connected with the whole entire world and the singing choir to the credits’ song supported that feeling. It made me weep for joy. It made me happy and literally cured some of my depressing thoughts and supported my positive thoughts as well. It proved me once more that life is worth to be experienced, that we need each other to get through and that we can create meaning out of nothing. It changed my life irreversibly and I experienced the most powerful catharsis possible.
The more I think about NieR: Automata, the happier I get. Therefore, this game is not only my favorite game of all time but my favorite piece of media.
The more I think about NieR: Automata, the happier I get. Therefore, this game is not only my favorite game of all time but my favorite piece of media.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is not only my favorite Xenoblade game, but my favorite entry in the entire “Xeno franchise”.
One of my favorite elements of the game is its playful, experimental and serene soundtrack composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, also known for the soundtrack of Attack on Titan. It’s a bliss listening to it while exploring X’s massive open world afoot or in a mech, doing engaging side quests, defeating tyrants and following the thrilling story of the game and its lovely characters.
Unfortunately, the story progression is locked behind side quests which is the only reason this game does not get the full score. Since Xenoblade Chronicles X is more gameplay-driven than story-driven, this isn’t too big of a negative.
One of my favorite elements of the game is its playful, experimental and serene soundtrack composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, also known for the soundtrack of Attack on Titan. It’s a bliss listening to it while exploring X’s massive open world afoot or in a mech, doing engaging side quests, defeating tyrants and following the thrilling story of the game and its lovely characters.
Unfortunately, the story progression is locked behind side quests which is the only reason this game does not get the full score. Since Xenoblade Chronicles X is more gameplay-driven than story-driven, this isn’t too big of a negative.
A video game like a huge fantasy novel and the end of an epic tale. The Witcher 3 imposes with marvelously written quests, numerous endings based on your decisions, interesting characters you may know from the books and the previous titles and an astonishing finale for Geralt and Ciri. For a story-driven game, it offers a sufficient gameplay that unfolds on the death march difficulty setting and one of the finest bosses in history, the Caretaker.
The Dragon Quest series puts the feelgood factor at maximum. Dialogues, art style and gameplay reached a new climax. Dragon Quest XI S offers a traditional old school battle system without feeling outdated and extends the game with additional character arcs, new challenges, an orchestrated soundtrack and marriage options. It’s one of the most beautiful JRPGs I’ve ever played.
2012
This open world first-person shooter uses the typical Ubisoft formula, but it works surprisingly fantastic. The vast freedom and chaotic fury in the jungle are quite intoxicating. While the enemies might be easy to read most of the time, sometimes they act totally random and create unique and hilarious moments worth telling your friends.
If there is one ingenious game that defined modern RPGs in the right direction, it’s Dark Souls. It finds an irresistible sweet spot of most punishing and most rewarding experiences you could ever witness and there are not many games capable of doing the same. Some people may tell you this game is too hard, but most current games are too easy. A massive interconnected world, a masterful soundtrack, immersive sound design and well-designed enemies and bosses are waiting to be experienced.
2016
As a result of the brilliant level design, the loss of an interconnected world does no harm to the trilogy’s seminal conclusion. The sense of architectural aesthetics is more fascinating than ever before. Prevailing over colossal bosses while listening to the celestial soundtracks is one of the most hair-raising and fulfilling experiences in a video game. The lore of Dark Souls III is as deep as the deepest depths of the world sea and serves as a banquet for longtime devotees.
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth is the finest Digimon RPG of all time and surprised me with an exciting evolution and de-evolution mechanic and unexpected mature and deep storylines. The lovely characters are designed by Suzuhito Yasuda, known for Durarara!! and Shin Megami Tensei. Each of the 341 Digimon has at least one signature skill with its own unique animation in the turn-based combat system. While random encounters could actually become annoying, you will be able to turn them off very early. The Complete Edition features both games, Cyber Sleuth and Hacker’s Memory, and allows you to transfer your progress from one game to the other.
Skyward Sword made full use of the Nintendo Wii’s hardware and even today, it just looks absolutely graceful. This gem has one of the best designed dungeons in the entire series and it’s a shame they’re remembered poorly, just because people were too ignorant to deal with the motion controls, although they were totally justified for implementing interesting gameplay and dungeon mechanics. I really loved the relationship between Link and Zelda in this title, but its linearity and frequent recalibration prevent me from giving this game a higher score.
My jaw dropped when I realized how well this strategic JRPG treats the horrors and crimes of World War II without being too morbid, tacky or melodramatic. It addresses and references the Holocaust a lot stronger than any other video game, even more than Valkyria Chronicles which already was a milestone, in this regard. I need to praise the synergy of narrative and gameplay, since the racial hatred has influence on the mood of some characters during battle, positive and negative.
Although some textures remained untouched, this remaster heavily improved the visuals of the original and greatly remixed or even re-orchestrated the original soundtrack. Xenoblade Chronicles‘ partly inconsistent story offers an intense revenge plot filled with mysteries and plot twists whereas many of them are meant to be predicted. Quality of life additions may have improved the experience with this games’ tedious side quests and its sluggish and broken combat system, but these are only fighting the symptoms rather than the causes.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a grand adventure including a fine story and lovely characters. The story is filled with subplots and fan service distracting from the main plot and the story gets incredibly focused after 70% of story progression. Its sluggish combat system feels like a long wait for bureaucrats finally doing their job, but once you finally understand the deep mechanics, it feels like getting a revelation from the Architect himself. The inconsistent tonality of this game is awful and the game design is anything but good: Field Skills and Gacha are slowing down the progress and exploration. Many characters are massively, unnecessarily and questionably over-sexualized which would not be a problem if these were optional costumes, but they are not.
I also want to mention its fantastic soundtrack. It’s probably one of the best video game soundtracks my ears have ever experienced. It carries a lot.
I also want to mention its fantastic soundtrack. It’s probably one of the best video game soundtracks my ears have ever experienced. It carries a lot.
2019
This game is a farting horse corpse that deserves to be poked at with a knot. Can you name a game worse than that? Well, I can, probably Fallout 76 or Superman 64. Continuing this way, this contemptible game offers nothing, but horrific graphics, dreadful and unbalanced gameplay and uninspired areas that are way too linear. There is no exploration, no difficulty, no adventure, no story, not the full compendium of monsters, not a full game. But you can buy the Pokéball Plus for 50 bucks to get access to Mew, I suppose.
Another Metroid 2 Remake is a prime example of how many skilled fan developers exist. Milton Guasti proficiently crafted one of the best — if not the best — remakes and fan games in existence.
AM2R is an expanded and faithful 16-bit remake of “Metroid II: Return of Samus”, technically based on Metroid: Zero Mission and amazes with fresh and new ideas, areas, puzzles, bosses, quick travel and a diary to register levels and enemies automatically, so you can always take a look for more lore details.
Its colorful and beautiful 2D pixel retro look is mesmerizing and its sound design is as atmospheric and metroid-ish as it can be, but the best part of this remake is its thoughtful level design: nothing feels unfair, the item and enemy placements are on point and its level design teaches you how to make use of your abilities.
Without a doubt, AM2R is the best way to experience Metroid 2.
AM2R is an expanded and faithful 16-bit remake of “Metroid II: Return of Samus”, technically based on Metroid: Zero Mission and amazes with fresh and new ideas, areas, puzzles, bosses, quick travel and a diary to register levels and enemies automatically, so you can always take a look for more lore details.
Its colorful and beautiful 2D pixel retro look is mesmerizing and its sound design is as atmospheric and metroid-ish as it can be, but the best part of this remake is its thoughtful level design: nothing feels unfair, the item and enemy placements are on point and its level design teaches you how to make use of your abilities.
Without a doubt, AM2R is the best way to experience Metroid 2.