NeverBlink
This review contains spoilers
Excellent story, memorable characters, solid but flawed gameplay with nearly perfect Lightsaber combat, Vader & Saw Gerrera cameos, expounding of lore and solid traversal/platforming mechanics.
Mafia Definitive Edition attempts to replicate what Red Dead Redemption 2 did with its gameplay, storytelling, characters, dialogue and polish that the later perfected. Instead it comes up short in all those aspects and comes off as more of a cheap dated imitation. Personally I haven't played the original Mafia so I can't speak on how accurate and faithful of an adaptation the definitive edition is. For my playthrough I played the game on the hard difficulty setting, despite this there are some ludicrous difficulty spikes that can potentially lockout easily frustrated and less experienced players alike. The gameplay (more specifically the cover and shooting mechanics) are very mediocre compared to other contemporary third person shooters. Driving is weighty yet still arcadey and closer to most open world games than racing sims. The graphical presentation is definitely Mafia's strength, the time period accurate vehicles, collectibles, radio stations, news headlines and setting are very immersive although left me wishing for more exploration options and possibly side content outside the linear main story. The story and characters albeit a bit bland and cliche even as far as mob stories go can be entertaining and show glimpses of solid storytelling. This leads to some very cinematic missions throughout the story especially near the end of the game. Overall Mafia Definitive Edition feels like a semblance of a potentially great narrative driven 1930's mob action game but unfortunately doesn't excel at any gameplay or storytelling elements that some of the genre's best entires (that came before it) are known for. All that said I still found the game to be enjoyable for what it is rather than what it tries and fails to be.
2020
Despite the common criticisms about the cut content (from the original) and the game's length Capcom has proven once again that little to no other video game companies come close to faithfully reimagining their beloved franchises the way they do. Albeit being almost identical to the Resident Evil 2 remake with a bit more gameplay mechanics; including a fantastic new dodge mechanic, RE3 focuses more on action based combat and set pieces. Despite that there are still sections that can invoke true panic and scares. My biggest complaint is that enemy variation is lacking and Nemesis is used scarcely considering how much at the forefront he was in the original game. Everything considered, Resident Evil 3 is another impressive update to the pinnacle of survival horror franchises.
This review contains spoilers
The penultimate entry in the Final Fantasy 7 remake series improves on almost every element of "Remake" and adds considerably much more content for better or worse. Without a doubt Remake might have some of best combat you'll find in any action RPG and Rebirth does everything to bolster it without overburdening the player, unlike other parts of the game. The mini-games seem to be a common source of ire among a vocal group of players and understandingly so. Although I personally didn't mind them, even the worst mini-games are worth dealing with just so I could experience Fort Condor and Queen's Blood which are quite addictive and fun. There's always the option to completely ignore a majority of the side-content and jump right into the story without being held back from obtaining great materia or weapons which are mostly tied to the main story.
The ending of the game which controversially subverted expectations and despite still following thru with the original's iconic moment seemed to confound on what exactly I was supposed to take away from the game's resolution. I don't mind an open ended ending that allows for different interpretations but even so I find an issue that I had with the previous entry (Remake) as well. The weight and severity of the moment seemed to be undercut by the complete tonal shift from Cloud as he seems to brush over his own emotions which could either be a result of sheer cognitive dissonance or manipulation by Sephiroth. I understand the original did the same but it also handled the death scene and climax a lot better as well. I feel like Aerith's death should've been given a bit more finality, given the gravity of the situation.
That being said I won't go so far as to say that the developers bungled the ending and I'll be reserving my judgement until I play the final entry in the series as it might expound on the unanswered questions that the finale left us with.
The ending of the game which controversially subverted expectations and despite still following thru with the original's iconic moment seemed to confound on what exactly I was supposed to take away from the game's resolution. I don't mind an open ended ending that allows for different interpretations but even so I find an issue that I had with the previous entry (Remake) as well. The weight and severity of the moment seemed to be undercut by the complete tonal shift from Cloud as he seems to brush over his own emotions which could either be a result of sheer cognitive dissonance or manipulation by Sephiroth. I understand the original did the same but it also handled the death scene and climax a lot better as well. I feel like Aerith's death should've been given a bit more finality, given the gravity of the situation.
That being said I won't go so far as to say that the developers bungled the ending and I'll be reserving my judgement until I play the final entry in the series as it might expound on the unanswered questions that the finale left us with.
2019
Initially the similarities to The Last of Us is apparent but unlike other dull copycats, Days Gone succeeds in creating an experience that sets itself apart. Days Gone rides the wave of third person narrative driven games that have been in the forefront of the gaming zeitgeist for the past decade and personally I can feel jaded when it comes to these type of games. That being said Days Gone is in a class of its own with its incredible voice acting, polished gameplay, stunning graphics, excellent story and overall refinement from its developers. Combat is fast and fluid, the driving which can feel overemphasized a bit in the earlier part of the game feels tight and responsive regardless. The storyline which is the backbone (of the game) at times can seem to drag only slightly but in the end finds its footing and comes to a satisfying conclusion. I can understand if some might criticize the mission selection as a bit repetitive especially once you enter a specific part of the game but the satisfying gameplay mechanics and varying environments make up for that lack of depth. It's easy to label Days Gone as a carbon copy of The Last Us and even with that onerous expectation the game still finds its own place in the gaming world and solidifies itself as an incredibly addictive and memorable experience.