Very conflicted with this; I enjoyed my time with it and am in love with the aesthetic but it may be too derivative for its own good. The save points, Nowhere location, even the general plot outline are virtually ripped straight from Silent Hill with little variation. I'm very familiar with the genre but the 6 item limit here feels restrictive and poorly designed to tedium, especially with the addition of re-spawning enemies (who are annoying obstacles more than tension ratchets), and very limited full-kill items ala REmake.

The game clearly wants you to replay it to make better use of this tool kit, I just didn't really have any desire to jump back in after one playthrough. In the end, I'll take any well produced retro survival horror we can get, and Signalis is definitely on the better end despite my issues with it.

I remember renting this game from Blockbuster back in 2008 when it came out, and on the way home I had to shit so fucking bad that I was begging my Mom to drive home faster. I literally was in a half-standing stance in the backseat pleading with God. A moment that makes you truly realize time is a construct and that 5 minutes isn't always just 5 minutes. It was the kind of sweaty, painful, and restless experience that you never forget; I couldn't believe I didn't shit my pants.

Anyway, I remember that experience more than this game because it was so bad. You know a game sucks if even as a Sonic-obsessed kid you just have no interest in it.

I'm not usually too big on retro FPS/boomer shooters but Cultic blew me away and stands on its own amidst the comparisons to Blood. It facilitates slower, strategic play, and really encourages switching through weapons, playing to their strengths. The level design is top notch and never overstays its welcome. After warming up to the mechanics, you can continue playing slow and deliberate, or you have the freedom to go full Doom Eternal, strafing through the levels to a gorgeous soundtrack while being encouraged to flip through your diverse arsenal, accompanied by the screams of burning robed cultists left behind in your wake.

The controls are tight, and enemy targeting isn't hitscan, which encourages you to take advantage of the fluid movement baked into the game. It really is whatever you want to make of it, but it's always at the very least badass and great to look at.

One of the most enjoyable gacha I've played, with a story that is surprisingly good for the genre. The art is gorgeous, and the active chess-like gameplay is addicting, especially when you add in real-time PVP. Unfortunately, extreme power and feature creep make it just too expensive to feel gratifying to keep up with.

Always feels bad to drop a game permanently after putting 200+ hours into it, but C:S started to feel like it was trying to fleece me despite feeling relatively fair and generous for so long.

Haak cements itself firmly in the upper echelon of metroidvanias. The level design may seem uninspired visually, but the absolute confidence and fluidity with which the gameplay is executed lends well to the simple 2D world. It just feels good to play, with snappy mechanics and movement, both of which are so important in a 2D platformer of this scale, as you'll be spending close to 25 hours to achieve 100%.

There's a stellar map system, progressive upgrades, and a proper teleport system that leave you with close to zero secrets left to find after the final boss, which is a massive plus in my book. The game respects your time, and by the last leg of it you have and are able to utilize Haak's entire toolkit to its fullest, rather than snagging the final upgrade or two when there's nothing left to do. Bosses, enemy variety, and combat in general aren't particularly satisfying, nor where the game shines. Enemies are to be looked at more as platforming obstacles, and there isn't a single difficult fight to be found. The exploration, platforming, and engagement with the tools provided to you are where Haak really shows its prowess.

The UI is entirely readable and follows general common sense design, and there are close to zero bugs. There is a story here and it's not uninteresting, but the translation is incredibly stifled, which ended up being the only other detractor in my experience; there is no word of mouth at all in English for Haak. It's readable, but you're almost better off skipping the text unless it's improved; just let the gameplay speak for itself. Some may not be able to overlook this but the atmosphere, world building, and superb execution of mechanics are more than enough to wash down the lackluster translation.

Not that bad honestly. It's enjoyable if you go in with an open mind and the side stories are actually decent and add some legitimate depth that was needed to make the characters more than walking tropes and themes. I don't think this was ever supposed to be some damming deconstruction of VNs like some argued, but I see how it could hurt perception of the medium for first time readers (of which Doki Doki had many of).

For a first foray into the medium, I think Dan Salvato did a pretty solid job. The writing can be a little too tongue-in-cheek but it never REALLY tries to hide or act like something different than what it is despite the cute veneer; a short story with some meta horror aspects and a slight focus on mental health. Honestly, I do still think it would have been a much better story if the meta stuff never kicked in and it stayed a genuine story on handling grief and recognizing mental illness.

Silent Hill 2 is a classic that I don't think can ever be trumped for me. This is my top "Games as Art", and a large part of that is because it exists in such a poorly aged time capsule. So much of the game's charm comes from clunky controls, technical limitations, and unintentionally bad CGI. These things just can't be replicated in the same earnest way on modern hardware. But here? They all work together in a cacophonous harmony to create the most beautiful and cinematic nightmare you've ever experienced.

It's such a haunting and melancholic ride that takes advantage of the medium; you being in control is integral to the dread, sadness, and confusion of the journey. Everything is so horrifying yet painfully heartbreaking, all wrapped in an atmosphere that never gives, accompanied by a wonderfully unique soundtrack. Masahiro Ito's art direction here is top of the line in this industry and in my opinion, hasn't been met head on since. The entire game from start to finish is lightning in a bottle. It's never subtle with its thematic musing on guilt and punishment, but that lack of subtlety is by design and so, so stylish, integrated perfectly into the aesthetic of the town.

The Enhanced Edition on PC is legendary, and absolutely the best way to currently play the game if you aren't just opting for accurate PS2 emulation or the original game on a CRT.

X is a near perfect platformer. It moves along with an absolutely astounding soundtrack, phenomenal theming, and progression-based upgrades driving the game. The weapons all feel fun and useful, which is something the classic series really struggled with on the NES.

X is a game all about improving, and the player growing alongside X feels so fluid and natural that it's hard to beat. Sigma is difficult final boss that leads to the kind of catharsis you can only get from games like this once you finally get that last hit in. My only change would be to have the dash be default.