Games PLAYED in 2023 Ranked
This list is spoiler-free and contains my brief thoughts on each game. Full reviews can be found on my profile.
In 2023, rather than having a girlfriend, I played a lot of video games. I decided that I would catalog and rank a list of games I've played throughout the year. Overall I had a fantastic year of gaming; maybe my best ever! There were duds, but only a few. There were a ton of good to great games, a few fantastic games, and not one, but two 10/10 Masterpieces that I added to my all-timers list. My love for gaming was resparked in mid-2022 and I've been gaming non-stop since.
This list includes any game that I started and completed for the first time during 2023, NOT exclusively games released in 2023. There are a few games on this list that I did not complete (which I have marked accordingly) but I feel as though I put enough time into them to formulate a valid opinion. There were other games that I played for a short time and did not complete that I did not include in this list because I didn't feel as though I played it enough (mostly because they were unenjoyable). Also, I played a handful of Game Jam games that I did not include in this list because they're usually so short, and honestly not worth much serious critique. I also did not include DLCs, i.e. God of War Rangarok: Valhalla. All of these I also started in 2023, except for Inscryption which I started in 2022. These were all finished in 2023 except for Mario Wonder, which I finished on January 1st 2024.
I like to grade games out of 100:
00-49 Not enjoyable / I did not like it
50-59 Mediocre / It wasn't good or bad
60-69 Fair / It was fine
70-79 Good / I liked it
80-89 Great / I loved it
90-99 Fantastic / I thought it was amazing
100 Masterpiece / All-Timer
In 2023, rather than having a girlfriend, I played a lot of video games. I decided that I would catalog and rank a list of games I've played throughout the year. Overall I had a fantastic year of gaming; maybe my best ever! There were duds, but only a few. There were a ton of good to great games, a few fantastic games, and not one, but two 10/10 Masterpieces that I added to my all-timers list. My love for gaming was resparked in mid-2022 and I've been gaming non-stop since.
This list includes any game that I started and completed for the first time during 2023, NOT exclusively games released in 2023. There are a few games on this list that I did not complete (which I have marked accordingly) but I feel as though I put enough time into them to formulate a valid opinion. There were other games that I played for a short time and did not complete that I did not include in this list because I didn't feel as though I played it enough (mostly because they were unenjoyable). Also, I played a handful of Game Jam games that I did not include in this list because they're usually so short, and honestly not worth much serious critique. I also did not include DLCs, i.e. God of War Rangarok: Valhalla. All of these I also started in 2023, except for Inscryption which I started in 2022. These were all finished in 2023 except for Mario Wonder, which I finished on January 1st 2024.
I like to grade games out of 100:
00-49 Not enjoyable / I did not like it
50-59 Mediocre / It wasn't good or bad
60-69 Fair / It was fine
70-79 Good / I liked it
80-89 Great / I loved it
90-99 Fantastic / I thought it was amazing
100 Masterpiece / All-Timer
62 Games
Kill zombies, upgrade gear, kill more zombies, upgrade more gear, blah blah blah.
15/100
15/100
Played this with a friend once and we never talked about it again. It just didn't do it for me. And it had a very steep learning curve that I wasn't interested in tackling.
22/100
22/100
Did not complete
This game features distinct, Burton-inspired visuals, but that's the only positive I have to say about it. The story was boring and the characters were bland. The combat system had a unique design that could have been cool, but it was poorly optimized and wasn’t realized to its full potential. Gameplay wise, there wasn't anything to do outside of the subpar combat. I got bored quick and didn't finish it.
28/100
This game features distinct, Burton-inspired visuals, but that's the only positive I have to say about it. The story was boring and the characters were bland. The combat system had a unique design that could have been cool, but it was poorly optimized and wasn’t realized to its full potential. Gameplay wise, there wasn't anything to do outside of the subpar combat. I got bored quick and didn't finish it.
28/100
Did not complete
Ehh, I couldn't get into this one. It had a nice peaceful presence and some soothing music, but the gameplay never evolved. Even the maps were getting redundant. There are betting relaxation games out there.
30/100
Ehh, I couldn't get into this one. It had a nice peaceful presence and some soothing music, but the gameplay never evolved. Even the maps were getting redundant. There are betting relaxation games out there.
30/100
The story had touching moments and there was some clever, subtle world-building, but ultimately this game was held back by monotonous gameplay and worn out thematic tropes. This game was trying to be deep but wasn't contributing anything new to the conversation it's talking about.
35/100
35/100
Did not complete
I couldn't finish this one. I like the aesthetics and the story was intriguing, I just can't do Pokémon gameplay anymore. It's too grindy. It did do some things better than Pokémon, but it wasn't enough to keep me going for the long term. There are far more compelling turn based battle games out there that aren't giant collectathons. It wasn't a bad game, it just wasn't for me.
38/100
I couldn't finish this one. I like the aesthetics and the story was intriguing, I just can't do Pokémon gameplay anymore. It's too grindy. It did do some things better than Pokémon, but it wasn't enough to keep me going for the long term. There are far more compelling turn based battle games out there that aren't giant collectathons. It wasn't a bad game, it just wasn't for me.
38/100
Gameplay was fun, but the roguelike elements weren't deep enough to keep me interested for the long term. There was a huge emphasis on meta-progression but very little in-run decision making and I don't think they balanced the relationship of those two systems well. Also the lack of a procedurally generated map was a huge whiff.
39/100
39/100
55
Maybe I'm just picky. This game did not grab me at all. I played this after Rouge Legacy 2 and had high hopes since it's so well reviewed. It's kind of the opposite of Rogue Legacy; less meta-progression and more in-run roguelike choices, but the gameplay didn't feel as fun. Also I didn't really care for the style. If only I could mix the good elements of both of these side-scrolling roguelikes then maybe it would appease my unfairly high standards.
40/100
40/100
Did not complete
It had funny moments, but it got a little grindy. For whatever reason it didn't grab me like the older ones did. Maybe I'm just... too old for Lego games? A scary thought. Playing with a friend was fun and the only reason I kept going; I probably would've ranked this worse if I had played solo. We burnt out quick and didn't have a desire to finish it. Also Star Wars as a whole is losing its romanticism as the years are passing.
41/100
It had funny moments, but it got a little grindy. For whatever reason it didn't grab me like the older ones did. Maybe I'm just... too old for Lego games? A scary thought. Playing with a friend was fun and the only reason I kept going; I probably would've ranked this worse if I had played solo. We burnt out quick and didn't have a desire to finish it. Also Star Wars as a whole is losing its romanticism as the years are passing.
41/100
53
For some reason I was craving a high speed, F-Zero like racing game and this game was it. However, after playing it for a few hours I remembered I don't care about this genre. I did have fun learning it's high-difficulty racing mechanics, though.
48/100
48/100
A heartfelt story about death and dealing with grief, with some beautiful hand-drawn art. But it wasn't really exactly my type of game. It was way too artsy; some of the symbolism was lost on me, and the puzzles felt inconsistent with the world the game was set in. Still, the ending made me feel good about some personal things and for that, I appreciate this game.
49/1000
49/1000
It is objectively Monopoly.
50/100
50/100
50
Did not complete
Man, this is usually the exact kind of game I like; a challenging, co-op platformer is right up my alley. But this was a little too challenging for my roommate and I. It was unforgivingly punishing, wiping out half an hours work with just one little mistake. I still appreciate games like this, and am glad they're being made, but this one wasn't quite for me.
51/100
Man, this is usually the exact kind of game I like; a challenging, co-op platformer is right up my alley. But this was a little too challenging for my roommate and I. It was unforgivingly punishing, wiping out half an hours work with just one little mistake. I still appreciate games like this, and am glad they're being made, but this one wasn't quite for me.
51/100
49
I didn't really get this game. The gameplay pacing was inconsistent, the design of it didn't work for me, and the story, if there was one, was nonsensical. It wasn't completely lacking in merit, though. It might've had the best music of the year and the boss fights were well designed. It also had a good sense of humor. But overall, ehh, my standards for sidecrolling platformers are very high and this did not meet them.
52/100
52/100
48
Did not complete
I could not get into this game, but I think that's my fault. This game was a labor of love and you could tell the devs really cared for this project. It was cute and genuinely funny. It was off-putting to me because the gameplay was too similar to Tears of the Kingdom, but Tears did literally everything better and I had just finished it before starting Tchia. I feel bad though, because this game was really sweet. I wish it came out a year earlier.
52/100
I could not get into this game, but I think that's my fault. This game was a labor of love and you could tell the devs really cared for this project. It was cute and genuinely funny. It was off-putting to me because the gameplay was too similar to Tears of the Kingdom, but Tears did literally everything better and I had just finished it before starting Tchia. I feel bad though, because this game was really sweet. I wish it came out a year earlier.
52/100
47
First of the series. Great foundation and intriguing game concept, but could use improvements.
55/100
55/100
As a fan-made game, there is a lot to be proud of here. Returning to the gen 3 design and seeing all the newer Pokémon with gen 3 style was really cool. I hated that there were no move animations though. I just.. don't think I like playing Pokémon anymore and it's such a shame. I lamented way too long about this in my review of the game.
55/100
55/100
What a peculiar little game. I had a free afternoon and picked it up for some reason and beat it in one sitting. In hindsight, it feels like a fever dream. Gameplay was meh, bosses were meh, platforming was meh. The story was complete nonsense. But it was kooky, outlandish, had a good sense of humor, and didn't overstay its welcome.
56/100
56/100
Second of the series. An improvement on the first. Better graphics, story, puzzles, and controls. Still doesn't feel as good as it can be, but it was unique enough to keep us interested in the series.
61/100
61/100
A pretty cute game to play with friends. I wouldn't say it had a tremendous amount of depth, at least at the surface level, but me and my roommates had some good laughs at some of the ridiculous moments that spawned from this game.
61/100*
61/100*
Good Star Wars story with likable characters held back by clunky, unsatisfying combat and a map layout design that I absolutely despised. And boring "platforming." Playing this game felt like Star Wars homework rather than for the purpose of having fun. Also it had performance issues on my PS5 (which were apparently even worse on PC). I just don't understand how this game is getting as good of reviews as it is. Only reason I have it rated this high is because I feel like it does contribute a lot of really cool things to the Star Wars lore. If it weren't for it being Star Wars flavored, I'm not sure I would've even finished this game.
62/100
62/100
41
This game was a love letter to both Slay the Spire and FTL, two of the greatest roguelikes of all time. But... it didn't do enough to make me want to play it over its ancestors. After about 7 hours of playing I just wanted to go back to Slay the Spire. It has cute writing and good jokes but the story didn't captivate me enough. Ahh well, back to slaying the spire for me.
62/100
62/100
40
This is usually the exact kind of game that I look for. It’s weird, inventive, and pushes video game boundaries. But… this game didn’t grab me like I wish it would have. The core gameplay got stale quick and by the end I was only having fun with the boss fights. The story had heart, humor, and was the highlight of the game for me. The meta mechanics were neat, but I’ve seen them done better (though, to be fair, in hindsight, some of these other games I’m referring to were obviously influenced by Undertale.) I get all the hype, I just wish I played this in 2015 when I was still new in the indie-gaming scene. I think it would've blown my inexperienced mind back then. But overall I still had a good time.
62/100
62/100
I love finding hidden gems like this. The games story leaves much to be desired but the platforming is absolutely flames, especially when you unlock more abilities. The retro style of graphics made me feel like I was in the 90's again. This game was close, but I had a few issues. Not having a map was a big L and the combat was boring. I can forgive those, but I cannot forgive the Underbelly sequence. It was so frustrating and unfun it bumps this game down by almost 20 points. I'm so bummed about that, because before that sequence I was having a great time with this game. But still, this is one of the most impressive game-jam games I've ever played.
64/100
64/100
38
I think my favorite story settings are nautical salty sea tales. I am smitten with traversing waters, pirates, and anything sea related and this game scratched that itch. But I did feel that the game couldn't decide if it wanted to be a cozy management game or a spooky narrative game. There was a weird clash between both feelings and I felt like I couldn't "settle in" to the game because it kept going back and forth. I would've prefer them commit to one aesthetic or the other. For spookiness I much prefer Sunless Sea and for coziness I much prefer Spiritfarer. The writing also wasn't as strong as either of those two games. I enjoyed most of my time playing this game, but I wasn't sad when it was over.
64/100
64/100
I always love finding little games like this on itch.io and this one had a lot of buzz. This is just an early version of the game, but even in its early state there's plenty to like here. My monkey accountant brain is amused by this type of inventory management gameplay and I think it does cool things with it that I haven’t seen before. I plan on checking it out again when it hits full release in 2024. Until then it's hard to give this game a higher rating, but it is fun!
65/100
65/100
A delightful little murder mystery point-and-click adventure. It won't leave a lasting impression on me, but it was cute and gave me a few chuckles. It only took a couple hours to beat and it was worth the time. It's also really funny that this was released for free on April Fool's Day without a single announcement of it prior.
68/100
68/100
35
A nice, easygoing, wholesome game. I've played better games in this niche genre, but I still thought this one was worth the very short runtime. I probably would've rated it higher had the camera not been as uncontrollable as it was. That was a frustrating design flaw of the game.
68/100
68/100
34
Played this with friends and had a fun time. Story was good if not a little generic and corny at times. The main investment in the story comes from the characters; it's fun rooting for or against characters you like or dislike. Ending was a tad anti-climatic. Production quality was excellent. My enjoyment of the game was carried by the fact that I was playing with friends, though. This isn't the type of game I would enjoy playing by myself.
69/100
69/100
What a fun time this was! I love a good tower defense game and this game scratched that itch. I thought the game balanced passive defense systems with active combat really well. Stylistically, it reminded of old WoW and gave me a good nostalgic feeling. The individual tower balancing seemed a bit off as some felt really strong, and some maps were better than others. But it was fun enough to make me want to buy the sequels.
70/100
70/100
32
Playing this game made me feel warm and cozy. It features elegant, Ghibli-inspired aesthetics, writing that made me cry several times, and soothing management gameplay. Extra brownie points for the nautical setting. Unfortunately, though, this game is too long; the gameplay loop got stale 2/3 of the way through and started to feel like a chore, and the story progresses too slowly. If they trimmed off about 30% of the fat it could've been one of my favorites of the year. But despite that, the aesthetics, the characters, and the visuals were all beautiful enough to carry me to the end.
71/100
71/100
The third game of the series, NOW they're getting serious. Puzzles are getting more and more in-depth and challenging, and the story is expanding.
71/100
71/100
As an unannounced, free bonus game, this met my friend and I's expectations! It was short and only had 3 puzzles, but they were neatly designed and gave us that satisfying feeling this series excels at. Quality over quantity. It wasn't as good as the 4th game (seen later on this list) but the puzzles were just as good as any of the other games.
72/100
72/100
Technically I've played this before, but it was so long ago that this felt like the first time all over again (and I wanted to write about it). I played this on an emulator at work during slow days. The two GBA Fire Emblem games are my favorite in the franchise; the style and aesthetics are unmatched compared to the later installments. The story in this one is also good, probably my favorite of the franchise, even if the writing is a bit cheesy at times. It isn't afraid to get dark or "go there" with some things. I did a no-save challenge, meaning I never loaded a previous save and had to live with my mistakes, and found this challenge to be fun, although this wasn't the hardest FE game.
72/100
72/100
Once you get used to controlling both brothers at once, the game opens up and presents you with unique puzzles. I was NOT expecting the world-building to be as deep as it was. Cried a little at the end. Josef Fares may be my favorite video game director.
72/100
72/100
27
Sometimes my brain just needs a break from other high concept games or from a mentally taxing day at work. There is some thinking to its roguelike choices, but only just enough to keep you involved and not so much that it requires a lot of brainpower. Overall this game is good to pick up when you want some mindless fun. A silly theme adds the enjoyment of it. Everyone loved Vampire Survivors, but I couldn't get into that one. This was way more fun.
73/100
73/100
A good old-fashioned fun time. What's not to love about killing hordes of enemies with a pal in co-op? This game was better than the 1st (didn't play the 2nd) with enhanced graphics and even a fun story with silly cinematics sprinkled in throughout. The style and humor remind me of when World of Warcraft has fun with itself.
74/100
74/100
25
Mostly a decent co-op experience, but with an unexpected twist ending that was so good it bumped this up several spots. However, It Takes Two does everything this game does but better. I feel like I would've rated this higher had I played this first. Is that fair? I don't know. Go play It Takes Two.
74/100
74/100
24
How the hell did I not know this existed?! I’ve been playing RCT for my whole life, and this open source mod makes it even better by adding a ton of content to one of the greatest video games of its genre. I truly love the original two RCT’s and this game resparked my love of it. Even though this is technically superior to playing the base game, I feel like I can’t rank it higher than it since it did most of the heavy lifting.
75/100
75/100
Yeah, this game had the sauce. The gameplay (combat and platforming) schmoved and the boss fights were well designed. The story was uncomplicated but not uninteresting. The horror elements were also really cool, although I wish they would've committed to the horror harder. The metroidvania map mostly flowed with the story but the layout wasn't perfect and I got lost a few times. This game was too short to be $60; thankfully I borrowed it from a friend. Oh, and the double jump system was terribly designed.
75/100
75/100
Okay, okay, I know I just said I dislike Pokémon gameplay in my Cassette Beasts and Pokémon Island reviews because it's too grindy. But when I heard there was a roguelike Pokémon fan-made game using my favorite game of the series (Emerald) as a host, I had to give it try. It's a little raw, but also surprisingly in-depth and a true testament to the Pokémon fan-made and ROM hacking community. It's different than every other Pokémon game I've experienced. Pokabbie (the creator) eliminated a lot of the annoying, grindy elements of the core Pokémon games that I despise and focused to make battling more engaging (and challenging). It felt like all of my problems with Pokémon were shared with Pokabbie and she fixed most of them. You can tell she is a true Pokémon and Roguelike fan. As far as pure mechanics go, this is now my favorite Pokémon game. This game perfectly mixes my childhood nostalgia for Pokémon and my adulthood passion for Roguelikes. I played this game way too much over a two-week span until I finally beat it and put it down. Maybe someday I'll pick it back up.
75/100
75/100
After playing Sea of Stars, I wanted to give Sabotage Studios another run. The Messenger had a great sense of humor, but fell a little flat when it took itself seriously. The platforming gameplay was fluid, but didn't do anything I haven't seen before. The coolest part of this game was the time-travel portals. Going from 8-bit to 16-bit was so freaking cool. The gameplay twist after the 1st act was unexpected, and almost took me out of it, but in the end I'm really glad I stuck with it. Sabotage Studios has a niche that I enjoy and I hope they stick with it!
76/100
76/100
Adorable game about dealing with anxiety, with afterlife metaphors not-so-subtly sprinkled in throughout. Gameplay and puzzles were fine; it was the themes and the story that carried this game for me. It's interpretable and could mean something different to everyone. I can't believe this was the same studio that made No Man's Sky.
76/100
76/100
19
This game features fantastically designed puzzles and truly unique boss fights. The story was absurd but wasn't meant to be taken too seriously. This is the kind of weird puzzle game that usually hooks me immediately. The puzzles did sometimes get a little frustrating and had inconsistent difficulties, but that's my only major critique of this bizarre little game.
76/100
76/100
18
This kind of game is like my catnip. I just gobble this stuff up. What starts off as a quirky, seemingly innocent puzzle solver evolves into a life lesson that really challenges your... perception. Puns aside, this felt like it was influenced a lot by Portal with its inventive puzzles and kooky sense of humor.
76/100
76/100
17
As video games are becoming increasingly more sophisticated over the generations, one thing I've been valuing more and more is atmosphere and ambience. In my opinion, this was Controls strongest aspect. It had a memorable setting, great immersion, and a sophisticated engine. The gameplay was unfortunately pretty mid and the ending didn't land as satisfyingly as I would've liked, but I still enjoyed the ride. I played this in preparation of Alan Wake II, and felt rewarded for doing so.
77/100
77/100
16
This game is a little too long, has a generic story, and the main two characters lack any depth. And yet, despite its flaws... it is wholeheartedly charming, it is fun, and it is visually breathtaking. There is just something magical about it that's hard to put into words. I enjoyed it the same way I enjoy the Kingdom Hearts games; by forgiving some its cheesy dialogue, questionable character motivations, and unexplained plot points and instead accepting those as part of the charm and innocence of the game. Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives and I feel satisfied with my experience with this game. I feel like if I had played this as a kid it would've left a huge impression on me.
79/100
79/100
Nintendo just knows how to put a smile on my face. I've been playing Mario for my entire gaming life, since the 90's, and I can't believe they are still finding ways to make this series of games unique and inventive. This game oozes creativity. It was quirky and didn't take itself seriously and was just there to have a good time. Once again, I am leaving this Mario game with a smile on my face, and I think it's special that this series can continue to do so after all this time.
80/100
80/100
This games strongest aspect is its incredible atmosphere; I was in love with the visuals, the music, and the feeling this world was giving. I relished in mediating with Kena and playing with my merry band of Rots. I'm not usually a fan of soulslike combat, but this grew on me over time. I also appreciate the simplicity of the skill tree and the lack of gear upgrade management. The boss fights were fantastically designed, with the final boss being particularly and memorably epic. It could've used a bit more depth in its worldbuilding, and the story started off too slow. But it picked up, and a 3rd act crescendo stuck the landing in a great way to make it all worthwhile. I really hope they made a sequel.
80/100
80/100
13
This game disarranged my 29 year old brain the same way that Inception did to my 19 year old brain; a puzzle inside of a puzzle inside of a puzzle. This game had some of the most memorable puzzles of the year and was also one of the most beautiful games. I was constantly taken aback by the creativity of it's visuals; it was just dripping with style and originality. And the engine somehow ran it so smoothly even though it felt like the game was throwing a lot at you. God, I love when video games don't have any loading screens. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the story, but I'm not sure I'll ever have a clear cut answer on what the message is. Maybe that was the point.
81/100
81/100
Unironically the best showcase of what the PS5 can do that I've seen so far. I was blown away by the quality of this game. As far as gameplay goes, the movement was fluid and the combat was smooth but had little challenge outside of the optional end-game tournaments. Still, it was really fun. Good quality and good old fashioned fun gameplay seem to be something Insomniac excels at. The story was easily digestible and endearing and was carried by the wonderfully eccentric cast of characters. I love Ratchet and Rivet.
81/100
81/100
Each game got better than the last, and they honed in their craft with the 4th game. This was a one-of-a-kind puzzle solver. Me and my friend were dazzled by the creativity of the puzzles presented in this game. A few puzzles glitched on us, but other than that the quality was the best of the series. I haven't played anything else quite like this.
83/100
83/100
This adorable game was developed by 1 person and was made as a love letter to Zelda. I felt their heart, soul, and love of the medium poured into this game, and it gave me those same nostalgic memories of running around Hyrule solving puzzles as a kid. I genuinely laughed out loud throughout my play time and the ending hit me in the feels. It was a tad short to justify a $20 price tag, but I don't regret buying it. This game made me feel like a kid again in the most genuine way and may be the most wholesome game I've ever played.
85/100
85/100
The best video games make you feel a desire to live inside of them. In this game, I didn't just want to be Spider-Man, I was Spider-Man. This game transported me inside of its setting and protagonist like few others do. I felt like Spider-Man while slinging through New York, quipping at bad guys, and helping those I cared for. I also felt like Spider-Man during the hard times of loss and of pain. This game excelled in immersion with the support of good writing, convincing acting, an otherworldly game engine, and addicting gameplay. Insomniac has once again proven to be one of the mightiest developers of this generation.
86/100
86/100
Smooth precision platforming, challenging puzzle solving, and a heartfelt story? This kind of game is my bread and butter. Sprinkle in incredible visuals and a bewitching score and you got yourself an easy A+ from me.
87/100
87/100
This kind of detail oriented, bureaucratic, deadline enforced puzzle solving is exactly what my monkey accountant-brain excels at. I loved the aesthetics and the subtle world building that encourages you to piece things together through various small hints. There were some legitimate moral quarrels I felt throughout the game which added to the stress of it all. This game is also oozing with style. I wish there weren't so many insta-lose scenarios, but other than that I have almost no critiques. Glory to Arstotzka!
88/100
88/100
Deckbuilding roguelike escape room puzzle solving 4th wall meta breaking creepy spooky funny wtfwtfwtf was this game!? Haunting aesthetics, excellent card gameplay, and an original story delivered in a clever fashion. Daniel Mullins is an absolute maniac for putting as much depth into the hidden story as he did. This was a one-of-a-kind experience that I will not ever forget.
95/100
95/100
Oh my god this game is so good. It tells a remarkable story about family, loss, and accepting who you are while featuring a beautifully designed world with a transcending aesthetic that I got lost in. I loved that the game just let me relax, write haikus, and reflect on life in hot springs. But the thing that will stick with me most about this game is how smooth, realized, and extensive (but accessible) the combat system is. Sword dueling has never felt so satisfying and clean as it has in this game; the combat is better than Arkham, Spider-Man, or any of the Assassin Creed games. Oh, and the Siege of Yarikawa was a top-3 gaming moment ever and I will never forget how epic the entire sequence was. I get chills just thinking about it.
96/100
96/100
WHAT THE F**K WAS THIS GAME?! This is proof that video games can be as effective of a storytelling device as any other form of media, if not more so. You could not possibly get as deep of an experience from a book or movie. This is one of the most well written pieces of media I've ever consumed. It has absolutely engulfing world-building and some of the greatest RPG elements of all-time. This game could be studied not just for video game theory, but worldbuilding theory in general. I could see why this game wouldn't be your cup of tea, but when it's written as well as this game is, I can't get enough of this kind of overly in-depth worldbuilding; it's very Tolkien-esque. If there's one bad thing I would dare say, it is that my standards are now indefinitely raised for RPGs. I will be thinking about this game for the rest of my life.
97/100
97/100
Man, I'm not sure what to say about this. Zelda just means so much to me. This game improved nearly every aspect of its already phenomenal predecessor, a seemingly impossible feat. It is unquestionably my new 2nd favorite Zelda title behind only the masterpiece that is Ocarina of Time. This series means so much to me.
98/100
98/100
Holy... I cannot believe something this cool exists. I'm a sucker for salty sea tales, and this was a perfect example of why. Within the first few minutes of playing this game I knew it was going to resonate hard with me. It's one of those games that I became obsessed with and couldn't sleep at night because my thoughts wouldn't leave it alone. The aesthetics and 1-bit design were bold. The puzzle solving is outrageously addicting, intricate, unique, and fulfilling. The presentation of the story is in a class of its own. The notebook system was effective and unique but still felt appropriately minimalist. And the way this game combined all of these elements together was just perfect. This game is a bloody masterpiece and feels like it was made specifically for my personal taste. This is the greatest detective game I’ve ever played and it isn't close.
100/100
100/100
We've officially reach a point where video games have surpassed all other forms of media entertainment in terms of storytelling potential, at least for me. When crafted as masterfully as this game, and when consuming it properly, video games can deliver a more engaging experience than a movie, a book, an attraction, etc. Alan Wake II is a masterpiece. An absolute tour de force of gamemaking the likes of which I've never seen. Initially I didn't have this game listed with a perfect rating because I had a hard time having "fun" with it. It isn't relaxing, I was stressed out during play sessions, and it took a lot of energy out of me. It took me several weeks to beat because I couldn't play for more than an hour at a time without being worn out. But I think these aspects of my experience are actually a testament to how masterfully crafted this survival-horror game is, and in hindsight made me appreciate it is a perfect game. These powerful feelings are what art is supposed to invoke, and this game sure as hell achieves it. I love big swings; this game takes a lot of them and they nailed a grand slam. Alan Wake II is my new Golden Standard for the survival-horror genre and one of the best video games I've ever played.
100/100
100/100