I've only just started getting into the Metroidvania genre (and have mostly played the classics more than I have the more recent crop of indies), so it's possible that what I found unique about this game isn't actually so unique. But for a genre built around exploration, this is the first game of its kind I've played that manages to convey the actual feeling of exploring.

The thrill of breaking open a wall or finding the door a key belongs to and revealing a whole new area to uncover... the anxiety of tepidly venturing into uncharted territory, then skittering back out because the enemies are too powerful and you don't want to risk dying somewhere you might not be able to safely recover your "shade"... the wonder of looking back on the tiny world you began in from the vastness of the world you end up in (the scope of this game is truly incredible)... I never wanted it to end. I wouldn't say I had an emotional investment in this game (certainly not a narrative one: the story is still entirely inscrutable to me), but the atmosphere was enthralling, and the progression, though largely non-linear, was carefully structured to maintain this delicate balance of knowing one's bearings with the joy of discovery and the fear of getting lost.

With something like Castlevania, there always comes a point where the thrill of exploration gives way to the completionist drive to check off every corner of the map, acquire every power-up, defeat every enemy, etc. Here I deliberately avoided the temptation (well... mostly) to look up guides or walkthroughs until I was close to end game. There's a lot to love about Hollow Knight: the combat is smooth, the platforming fun, the boss fights frequently inventive and challenging; the animation is beautiful and the sound design is immersive. But it's that magic of discovery that was for me the game's primary pleasure. And I didn't want to spoil it by turning it into a checklist of achievements.

There is an impressive amount of post-end-game content here – most of it a long succession of souped up old bosses and a few new ones. But it was at the point where there were no areas of the map left to uncover that I began feeling like I wanted to move on. The only sad thing about a game oriented around discovery is that you inevitably run out of things to discover.

[106% completion (out of 112) – might come back to attempt the Trial of the Fool again and beat the rest of the dream bosses, but I don't really see myself going through all the Pantheons]

Wow. Yakuza 0, is the start of one of my favorite franchises of all time. It's really a shame that this is the new "starting point" of the franchise because it's that damn good. I don't want to go on too much of a tangent, but a game this good sets a lot of unreasonable expectations for the franchise as a whole, and it's important to note all the Yakuza games are some level of "good". 0, however, takes the cake as the best, for now.

The gameplay is hard-hitting and unique, as you barrel your way through Kamurocho, a city that's only about 6 blocks wide, and 5 blocks long. Yeah, you heard me. It's a tiny ass map. Yet all the fun substories, missions, minigames, collectibles that actually give you good shit, and a complete list a mile long having you do and see nearly everything in the game? It's perfection, really. Yakuza mixes a collectathon with an inspiring story, fun combat, and so much to do. It's tough to say more without you just picking the game up yourself, and considering I regularly see 0 at 4.99 on PSN, why don't you just take my advice and buy it already?

But if you're not convinced, I get it. It's an open-world game, right? So many of those have boring and bland stories that just lore dump down your throats, and make some super evil big bad taunt you the entire 30 hours. Yakuza 0 isn't like that. Yakuza 0 bosses will try running you over in the fucking sewers with a goddamn motorcycle and a katana. They will make themselves known. You will be fighting tough enemies regularly, and having yourself challenged both as Kiryu and Majima. On top of all this is a story that brought me to tears several times, and an ending that might be one of the most compelling, wonderful pieces of fiction ever. Majima (up to this point) had almost no good character background or development either, and in 0, they fixed almost every fucking thing about his character, giving him the development he needed while also highlighting Kiryu's bond with Nishiki (definitely something you'll want to know before you play Y1/Kiwami 1.)

Yakuza 0 is RGG perfection as it weaves a path through some of the greatest games in history, giving it a perfect story and satisfying combat. For the price most people get for this game as well, the value is insane as you're basically playing one of the best games of all time, and working towards completing it, which can take upwards of 130 hours.

God, I fucking love Yakuza 0.

the video game equivalent of Chris Hemsworth in the 2016 Fembuters reboot wearing reading glasses with no lenses. a himbo reading a book upside down.

BUT, even if it's not as intelligent and put together as it thinks it is, even if there is a gaping chasm where gameplay and narrative should connect, it's still a very pretty game and an entertaining experience in its pure vacuousness.

BioShock as an aesthetic is the tops, imo. the fucking sea green tinted lighting. the art deco architecture. the really fun 40s/50s voice acting. the "environmental storytelling" gimmick here seems more genuine because this feels like one of the first to go this far with it and just paint graffiti over everything and pose corpses everywhere. it's a game world/setting that feels really unique to me still 14 years later.

i wish the writing wasn't so hamfisted and the narrative was maybe more straight up a pulp noir detective story and maybe all the Ayn Rand/objectivism stuff was left a little more unsaid and just used as decoration.

i always put off playing this because I played Infinite at release as my first BioShock and then gradually learned to hate it over the years, and i always presumed 1 would be like homework. I forgot that BioShock is basically call of duty for art kids (the way Nolan is Michael Bay for art kids). love this game's shotgun. the shooting is actually pretty crap all things considered (the way Nolan's action choreography is crap too) but the atmosphere really makes up for it and i always felt like pushing forward to see what new lovingly decorated arena i'd be mindlessly lowing fools away in - which is often all i am looking for at a baseline in a game.

This game. What you are looking at here is one of the few games in its era that accomplished style and flair in a 3d engine. While the quirks of the pivotal grappling movement requires some getting used to, overall you have a very accessible and fun shooter with elements of exploration, platforming, and puzzle solving that all culminate into some fairly memorable and very creative bossfights. Even the ways bosses may end up being reused is extremely fun, adapting to their obvious weaknesses and having more and more witty exchanges with the protagonists.
Also, if you can, grab a controller with a friend to burn through the campaign in co-op, or four controllers for what is possibly some of the silliest versus matches you can get, all owing to some of the creative repurposing of obstacles from the story missions into arenas.
Overall, insanely charming-- However, if there's anything more to consider, it's probably buying the game for that soundtrack alone. Every single song combines the original Bionic Commando's chiptune composition with Simon Viklund's RIDICULOUS skill in merged synth + analog instruments to create total bangers like "Heatwave" or pensive, minimalistic tracks like "Ok, We'll Move".
In the big picture, Rearmed may not be revolutionary, but throw in that artisan soundtrack and standout aesthetic, you'll not only get a fat hidden gem; you're getting a rare inspired miracle from Capcom you just won't ever forget.