This just slaps so hard dude - absolutely love how it unravels in scope while still being so contained and effectively simple in its mechanics throughout.

Everything it influenced from the over-the-shoulder action to the inventory management still seems so fresh and the gameplay feels tight in all the right ways with moments of shifting creativity that only add to the enthralling stress of it all.

The village was super impressive with its immediate relentlessness (and has the best fight with Mendez), however, the castle was where the game truly shined at its best for me - just so memorable in its set-piece design (the water levels!!) and cult-like atmosphere. The Island was a fitting way to conclude the game too, stacked with killer bosses throughout and overflowing with urgency. I'm also a sucker for mutation/scientific alteration in video games (just look at my favorites) and that regenerator section with its bodies was just top-tier horror.

So satisfied with this and I can't wait to try the remake when I find more time, an amazing introduction to a series I've been meaning to check for ages.

Also riot gun best gun 💪💪

Did not plan to complete this on March 5th but I'll take it lol

No way is this remotely close to P5R or as good as P4G (there is literally nothing to do at night most of the time!!!) but nonetheless still a banger.

Even if a lot of the cognitive elements feel like a blueprint, the concept of the dark hour and its backstory are brilliant and I didn't even find Tartarus as tedious as I initially thought it would be - it has some really cool designs in its higher blocks (especially Harabah and Adamah). The overarching theme of death is beautifully explored too, especially in the more blissful moments of acceptance, and the animations of the cutscenes are so well directed it's a shame Portable doesn't include them.

A bit split on the party members: Ken, Fuuka, and Junpei are just really underwhelming despite the attempts to flesh them out (Chidori, Shinjiro, etc.); however, Mitsuru, Aigis (incredible VA), and Akihiko are all some of the best characters in the series, and I love Yukari a lot too.

So glad I've finally gotten to this one, intrigued to see how much Portable's FEMC route changes things too. Love this series to pieces :)))

Now this is more like it. A leap from its predecessor in every way, but also a beautifully realized game in general too. With an unforgettable introduction as Hugo Strange's voice looms “Wake up Mr. Wayne we have much to discuss” in full knowledge of Batman’s identity, Arkham City commences right in the heat of tension with Wayne taken by mercenaries as he voices political aspirations and forced to escape prison. Once he does, enter the Batman.

An urgency beats here throughout, whether it be the rampant criminal activity or the consistently moving pace, there’s almost never a moment to breathe in between the main events and it works so well as it communicates the rapid pace of Gotham’s decline. Gotham City’s darkness has never felt more immersive. The corruption is so evident from its gleamingly superficial towers to the abundance of rotting filth that corrodes on the surface. Atmosphere oozes throughout as you grapple and glide with Batman, taking in all of the game’s mesmerizing scope and carefully planning takedown’s on the overflowing scum. It’s truly evident how much the Gotham has been eviscerated by their activity and that turmoil combined with the constant surveillance of inmates’ voices that summarise the Batman’s presence make this one of the liveliest locations I’ve encountered in a video game. The visual palette is also exactly what I’d always wanted to see Gotham envisioned as and that was so satisfying to experience.

This is hands down the best I’ve seen Batman. His meticulous detective work is on full display but also a real ferocity to his determination. One of my big flaws with Arkham Asylum is that Batman lacked a real personality, but here its clarity is painful as Batman battles with illness to uphold his conflicting morals. It’s a testament to Kevin Conroy’s brilliant voice acting in how effectively his consistent struggle is evoked.

But perhaps even more impressive is how so many villains from the lore of Batman are integrated here to create a story that functions as a fantastic balance of realism and the supernatural. As Hugo Strange's threat overarches throughout in the ambiance, a taste of the Joker (Mark Hamill MVP always), Two-Face, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and Ra’s Al Ghoul just reveal the extent of Gotham’s villainous network in the most memorable way. Their locations just match that perfectly too. I loved traversing through the details of the museum and was in awe as the Wonder City’s mythos oozed especially. I definitely won’t be forgetting the Ra’s and Mr. Freeze boss fights anytime soon. The former is a truly special example of combining surrealism with action and the latter really marks just how much the understanding of stealth has improved as so many abilities have to be used while Freeze’s aura is the embodiment of sinister.

All my problems with Arkham Asylum’s combat are gone here. It feels so fluid both with Batman’s and Catwoman’s respective mechanics, and combo takedowns are so deliciously satisfying. The difficulty increases worked naturally too as I found myself much more pleasingly reliant on strategy for the later boss fights and stealth sequences, in particular very rewarding to see how effective snipers are and how that meant cautiously eliminating them was the only way past.

Arkham City was a game I had heard only great things about from my beloved friends and while I tried to keep my expectations in check, it honestly surpassed them. This is a game that absolutely has me eager to explore more of its world over time and that is one of the most satisfying feelings a game can give you.

It’s just so cool that this exists. Feels like a holiday experience for the phantom thieves but also very much a fleshed-out follow-up to the original’s game events where the two new main characters Sophia and Zenkichi have such beautifully realized emotional arcs.

The levels of intensity this got into narratively really felt so earned and just reminded me of how immersive the Persona games can be once the stakes start to amplify because it truly evokes a deep spirit within each member of the thieves that highlights their growth. This is especially portrayed once the members come to terms with the antagonists' traumas that form the root of their detailed, if slightly unevenly laid out, jails.

I do miss the balance of the social links, however, Strikers still retains so much of the characters’ charm (BEST VA CAST EVER FR) in its breather moments including an amazing sequence that shows a maturation for the phantom thieves as they truly interact with the impressionable impact they have on the youth.

Conceptually there’s a super interesting exploration of artificial intelligence in working with the cognitive world as well as both its befriending and manipulative sides. It did take me a while to used to the hack and slash combat (Nier: Automata becoming a huge favorite probably helped a lot with this) that is prevalent with these warrior games, however, once I did I felt super satisfied with how seamlessly the elements from the Persona games were able to work here (even if it drained my SP a lot lol).

And god the sound team does not miss, love all the Strikers versions of the original songs while Daredevil, Singularity and Counter-Strike are absolutely new all-timer tracks.

Holy shit this won me so much emotionally by the end. I was always captivated by its post-apocalyptic air of melancholy, incredibly fluid combat, and stunning soundtrack but I had my initial limitations with the story and pacing. Safe to say those were completely gone once I overcame those early frustrations (can’t believe I forgot to upgrade my weapons lol). By the end of Route B I was utterly numb to my core with its deconstructive power and knew that this was something truly special. Route C elevated the level of emotional weight, taking the android hopelessness rooted within humanity’s desolation into another level of ferocity, creating such a brilliant tonal contrast as a result while maintaining that undeniable atmosphere. Yoko Taro’s sense of humor (and horny lmao) bleeds so brilliantly into all of it in a way that always keeps it lively. Slant Magazine named this as their favorite game of the 2010s and honestly it’s so easy to see why. This is now absolutely my favorite piece of science-fiction from the last decade.

On so many levels Persona 5 Royal is such a beautifully realized work of art that goes above and beyond as it progresses. Story-wise it not only takes bold turns that build so much character but also cuts into the meat of its psychologically driven themes in a way feels so natural to its vital rebellion motif. All of its vision is even further fleshed out through the endlessly creative designs of its supernatural elements that paint a bigger picture of sin.

While I didn't play the original Persona 5, I know that I definitely would have had a few major issues with it. With Royal, I have none. Not only is mementos completely revamped, it's a grinding heaven that offers a much-needed breather in between the palaces. Akechi's originally rushed character arc is also fleshed out unbelievably well, and the new third semester has such a refreshingly mature outlook on morality and trauma that just floored me - recontextualizing every single bit of the thieves' journey up to this point and emphasizing the importance of their growth in such an emotional light.

Yes 100+ hours is a huge amount of time to dedicate oneself to anything, but honestly I didn't feel a tenth of that time even with several playthroughs. It just strikes the perfect balance of everything that I want in a game to the point where I genuinely struggle to think of things that feel more investing.

So yeah, I unabashedly adore this

[Edit: here's a big ramble that I wrote cause I couldn't sleep]

Simply put, this is my favorite game and tied favorite piece of art of all-time.

The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that there is nothing as uniquely balanced as it. For a game with a lengthy set-up rooted in trauma and injustice as well as consistent urgency prevalent with life-threatening deadlines, it’s extraordinary how seamlessly it contrasts this with the most captivating art style and abundance of fun in its gameplay elements - as if it knows exactly when to reign it in and when to let all just fucking go gloriously berserk (Robbie Daymond’s unmatched voice acting alone captures this). And yes I know it’s around 120 hours long for one play through, however, it has the best pay-off I’ve ever experienced to make it worth such a length - culminating in the most bittersweet perfection imaginable as it shapes the journey of everything that’s been built towards.

Alongside this, it provides the most refreshing breathing space through its social interactions. I love so many of these characters with my all heart and all the little slice of life moments that occur as I build my bonds with them in the game just have so much memorability. The initial formation of the Phantom Thieves feels like a real breakthrough of youthful rebellion and their journey with the international fame and infamy that comes alongside has such a palpable motivation to it that persists. The game’s use of time brings a real authenticity to the interactions as well. It highlights the importance of taking one’s time but also how certain decisions affect certain traits more earlier or later down the line. It seems obvious yet the way its presented here has stuck with me beyond measure.

Royal has also completely altered the way I view dungeons in games because of how it presents them as palaces. These palaces are layered manifestations of the distorted cognitions of increasingly corrupt members of society. The more I explore them, the more I’m blown away by how much detail lies in their surrealism even within just the background elements. Almost all of the palaces are masterpieces in of themselves (god the Tomb and Casino palaces are such a genius constructions it gives me goosebumps just thinking of them) but Royal’s additional palace takes the cake for my favorite as it taps into another realm psychologically.

The Persona series’ overarching conceptual link of improving social elements to heighten combat abilities has always been super fascinating to me and Royal absolutely has the best presentation of that foundational idea. Turn-based combat has never been smoother nor with such a functionality that adds to the game’s overall depth. The staple Velvet Room where the player can fuse, summon or strengthen their personas always has both a sinister and playful aura with how it is evoked subconsciously through a lack of control. Royal heightens this within the lore that lies in the personas themselves, evoking an otherworldly presence alongside the grounded stuff.

For all of these big elements, the little things stick with me just as much. A few examples: I love the goofy voice lines the shadows taunt in combat and even say them out loud myself a fair bit now just to have a laugh. I also can’t get enough of the little social media blurbs that happen after the Thieves do something and how on the nose the public’s fickleness is conveyed. The calling cards are also just the best fuck you ever to the villains, I go crazy in their announcements so much haha.

I gotta mention the soundtrack as well, Life Will Change, The Whims of Fate, Beneath the Mask, Ideal and the Real…this thing is loaded with endless, endless unstoppable bangers, but it's also the more subtle stuff like Sunset Bridge that plays at just the right moments of reflection that hit home so hard. Shoji Meguro is too OP.

Yeah I’ve been rambling way too hard but god there is so much I can gush about it here it’s honestly insane, truly the most exhilarating thing in the world.