I really wanted to enjoy this game and gave it several chances throughout my short time playing it but it really didn’t click well with me.

Taking the already decent combat from KH1 and grinding the entire flow of it to a halt with several mechanics you need to micromanage was horrible to try and play. The card mechanics could have been a cool idea as Square Enix have done good card games before but having to juggle what cards your opponents use, sifting through 20 plus cards just to get to the right ones and worry about the spacing of you and your opponents attacks in real time was to much layered on at once.

The combat just feels very restrictive and doesn’t flow well at all. The game also doesn’t do itself any favours since you can choose which world you want to go to first. This may end up meaning you pick one that you are way too under levelled for and end up needing to either reload a save because the boss has jumped up to 3 health bars or grind it out for several hours, both of which I wasn’t willing to do.

It’s not like I picked a late game world considering I based it off what worlds you go to in KH1 first so I chose Wonderland. Speaking of the Disney worlds near all of their story’s in this game are rehashed plot lines from KH1 with the addition of characters going “damn I don’t remember you but you’re called Sora” and that’s about it.

There was potential to have a cool setting with the Disney worlds becoming distorted and merging in their presentation to represent Soras memories being changed but the Disney worlds ended up not serving much purpose and only the Kingdom Hearts original worlds mattered in this game.

I have to preface that because I really couldn’t enjoy this gameplay I did watch all the cutscenes for the game as I am aware it is crucial to know these details for KH2 and a story summary didn’t really cut it.

This game gets any rating at all because of its story. It’s a really strong set up towards KH2 and all the new characters they introduced are extremely interesting and unique. Organisation XIII is a great group of villains so far and was what this series needed after KH1. As much as the Disney worlds are and feel like fun side adventures for the characters to go on the main crux of what makes these games interesting so far is the main cast and story that they have going on so an introduction to a primary villain group is welcome.

After trying to play this game I can see why it’s so polarising but if you really can’t stand its gameplay like me then I highly recommend watching the cutscenes, they only amount to 3 hours so it’s a much better use of your time than trying to slog through this game for 25.

4/10

The first milestone on my path to playing all the Borderlands games + DLC in order thanks to that offer on the Pandora's Box bundle. Haven't played this one since it first came out back in 2009. I remembered that I wasn't a fan of it back then, didn't like the ending and the game felt a little too hard. Of course this was because I didn't take the time to level up properly.

Skip to 15 years later and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I took the time to do the side quests and level up so I was able to blast my way through the latter half of the game. A strategy I didn't really follow the first time around and paid for it dearly with one tough fight after another. The ending is still a bit of a dud I found but now with the sequels it doesn't seem that bad, just another link in the narrative chain.

The DLC was pretty fun all around too. Other than Underdome which I didn't play as it's not a campaign DLC. A few narrative threads here and there like Athena, whom I never knew the backstory of when playing the pre sequel as this is my first time playing the DLC.

The world was a lot of fun as well, a bit more barren when compared to 2 and 3 but still has character. This is also explained in the sequel in a way as before the opening of the vault this planet was of little interest to anyone.

This game and a few of the era are the games that give rise to my "concept game" theory. The first entry in a given series is usually a sample of what that game can be, Assassin's Creed, Watch Dogs etc. With the sequel being the one people remember.

I know this is probably a weird opinion to have, but Borderlands 1 is the best Borderlands game. I mean its only really in a competition with 2, since pre-sequel and 3 are ass, but after playing all of them, this is still the one I have the most fond memories of, and the one I feel outshines the others.

For one, I like the setting and environmental design in this game the best. I feel like the sequels get a little bit too space-tech for my liking, so I really enjoy the post-apocalyptic badlands vibe that this game has to offer. This game also has the best cast of characters out of all of the games (except Zero). All four characters feel very focused and complete, and when you get them upgraded they feel extremely powerful. There's nothing better than sending Mordecai's bird out, covered in acid, to go kill five guys in one shot.

The story is the most simple out of all of the games, but I think its to its benefit. I will say 2 does have a better story, but I like this one just fine enough. Its fine all the way through until the end. And of course the art style of this game, with its stylized comic book textures, is gorgeous, and really helps the game stand out from other shooters. The remaster makes this game just look incredible, it improves on the original in every way.

The gunplay is super refined, and feels great especially with this remaster. Like I said before, each character just feels so unique and complete, you can pick anyone and feel powerful playing them. All of the gun types feel great to use, especially snipers, and there's plenty of variety on everything that you'll never get bored. The game is even better with friends, too.

I only have a couple of issues with the game. One, the final boss fight is kind of disappointing. The ending is supposed to be a twist, but I'm not a huge fan of it, since the game was building up a final boss the entire time, just to have a switch at the last second with a bland, boring tentacle monster. And the worst part is that the fight is extremely easy. So the ending was a bit of a letdown, but I enjoy the core gameplay of this game too much to let the ending ruin the experience.

The other thing is that, while I enjoy the environment of this game the best, I can recognize that it does get pretty boring after a while, with some areas looking kind of similar to others, and some areas feeling a bit empty. Not having great music tracks playing during gameplay and travel doesn't help with that, either. But, in the end, those are minor gripes that I have, and I still love this game.

This is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. I still need to finish getting all of the DLC achievements I'm missing, but I completed the game on Xbox 360 and now am almost done completing it again. Borderlands 1 is a very comfortable game that I'm always happy to come back to.

Genuinely my favourite Fire Emblem game. Its a game known for being janky as hell and that's pretty true, with wack units, low hit rates, gimmicky and annoying gaiden chapters, and there's probably more that can be said.

In spite of that, it has really solid maps and those shaky hit rates and gaiden chapter requirements force you to think a lot. I find a lot of fun in using the game's wack ass nobody characters like Dorothy or even Sophia because you can find ways to level them up or give them a purpose in a chapter. Even with very strong units like Rutger, Perceval and Melady available there is still room for other characters to contribute. Roy is infamously bad, but he becomes more like a king on a chess board where you need to think carefully to keep him alive and that ties really well into his character. Not for everyone but he isn't without merit.

Story is simple and could use more characters for Roy to interact with but it does its job. Elibe is a well realised setting, with each country having a distinct and memorable role. Supports were introduced in this game, and while they can be too short and simple at times the game has a lot of good ones. Roy, Shanna, Sue, Lugh, Igrene, Echidna, and Dorothy just to name a few. Just read them on an FE wiki tho, the GBA support system sucks.

Before getting into Trails from Zero properly, I think it’s necessary to dive into its history in the West a little. The game was originally released in Japan in 2010 on PSP and due to how long localisation was taking with the Sky games, it was skipped over in favour of bringing over the Cold Steel games first. However due to Reverie acting as a finale to both the Crossbell and Cold Steel games, Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure were both quickly localised before the Western release of Reverie to allow fans to catch up. The localisation uses the extremely well done fan translation from Geofront as a base for its work and unfortunately skipped out being dubbed into English which is a shame having played the Sky games which had the battle dialogue dubbed. Knowing the reasoning behind this though does make it a lot easier to swallow so it’s not something I’m too hung up about and the Japanese cast are fantastic, it’s just a shame we miss out on the battle dialogue.

So, after the Sky trilogy Trails from Zero takes place in a new setting with a new cast of characters, acting as a brand new arc for the longer running narrative that the series has. There’s familiar faces and mentions of past events but otherwise the story here is very much focused on new protagonist Lloyd and the Special Support Squad he has become a part of in Crossbell City. The SSS act as a rookie branch of police who have come under fire from the public after not doing their jobs while the Bracer Guild have been gaining all the plaudits because they have actually been helping people. The SSS are basically the police version of the Guild, taking up requests to help people in need while also trying to solve crimes that the wider police force have been letting slip. While the core gameplay loop of solving requests and main story plot points is very similar to how the first two Sky games played, it’s also pretty cool seeing a rivalry form between the SSS and the Guild as well as the little differences in what both sides are allowed to do under their rules.

The SSS squad consists of four members: Lloyd, Elie, Randy, and Tio. Unlike Sky that had a constantly rotating cast outside of Estelle and Joshua for the most part, Zero starts you off with these four immediately and has a few rotating guest party members. It’s a nice approach as the main focus is on the four SSS members and their growth together as they try to take on bigger and bigger jobs to help unravel the corruption that Crossbell is drowning in. Zero has a more focused approach to its narrative dealing with a small party in a much smaller State and it works well with this. In true Trails fashion, the slow burn is real here. The game takes its time to slowly unravel more and more about each of its characters to ensure everyone gets their own moments to shine. Lloyd is the glue that keeps everyone together, often giving cheesy speeches to help lift the others up in their times of need. He’s optimistic and there’s a lovable charm about him as he overcomes the barriers he faces. Elie works hard and is serious about her job but also faces many doubts about the path she chose. Randy is our flirt of the group and is very fun loving, especially with gambling but as you start to uncover his past you grow to understand how hard his life has been. Tio is extremely reserved with her emotions but also incredibly smart with technology. She’s a character who has suffered much in her past so it hits hard when you see her growing more and more comfortable with the group. Together the SSS squad make a fantastic little family of characters and there’s a lot to love as you watch them grow closer throughout the game. However there is a minor nitpick with a new mechanic introduced in this game - bonding. Throughout the game there’s several events and ways for Lloyd to build up his bond with each member of the SSS, including three story events where you can choose a character to accompany him. Once you reach max bond with a character you’ll be able to view a special scene between them and Lloyd towards the end of the game, however you can only do this with one character per playthrough. These events include some important stuff for each character, including Lloyd, so it sucks that you have to be very particular with how you raise bond levels and maintain multiple saves if you want to see everything without replaying the game multiple times. Apart from that the character development is really good and it’s really easy to love each member of the SSS team, especially with how much time you’ll spend with them.

Crossbell State is an interesting setting. Instead of going round in a loop like you did in Liberl, your main hub area is smack bang in the centre known as Crossbell City with routes to the four compass directions leading to towns and other important locations. Because of this you spend a lot of time in Crossbell City and it’s easy to become attached to the place as you explore its various districts and meet its wonderful citizens. Whether it’s the nosy reporter Grace, or the eccentric gangs that grow to respect you, or the wonderful performers of the Arc de Ciel, Crossbell is a very homely place and one you’ll grow into wanting to protect. However Crossbell is also full of corruption and seedy dealings. It’s home to a unique political situation having been born from both the Empire of Erebonia and the Republic of Calvard. Due to this it’s political set up is balanced between those in support of the Empire or the Republic and they prevent any reforms from the Mayor coming through due to their need to not cede ground to the other. This is further emphasised by both sides having a mafia associated with them, Revache for the Empire and Heiyue for the Republic. Due to this, the government members are able to get corrupt dealings done while also having the power to put pressure on the justice system to look the other way. It leads to a wonderful dichotomy where there’s a lot of people who love Crossbell but there’s a house of cards ready to be blown over at any moment that could see the place crumble. It’s a state that is independent in name only as two forces struggle to gain control over it.
Crossbell is also a financially well off place, with Zemuria’s central bank being located here and technology being advanced enough for Orbal vehicles like cars available for the richest members of public and mobile communication being available through Orbments. It might be a small state but there’s a lot going on and it’s a fantastic setting for the game.

If you’ve played the Sky games then you will be aware of a few characters that had mentioned their intentions to go to Crossbell. Well a few familiar faces show up in this game and play a role in a secondary plot that runs alongside the main narrative. Without going too much into spoiler territory, Zero does an incredible job managing these two plot threads and superbly gets them to lead towards the same conclusion in a thrilling finale with a huge payoff for those who have been playing through all the games. I have seen people say you can start with Zero as it’s a new arc and features one of the more standalone stories in the series, which it does, it manages to wrap up with no huge cliffhanger and a few plot threads that the sequel can explore but at the same time, if you haven’t played the Sky games, you’re missing out on a lot of context for the secondary plot and losing out on a lot of impactful moments from seeing characters that you would’ve grown attached to or recognise from those games. I can understand the huge barrier a long running narrative can bring and wanting to find a starting point that doesn’t require a huge time sink but ideally you should probably play these games in release order for the best impact possible.

So Zero features another wonderful cast with a plot that slowly builds up into an epic finale and a supporting cast that are memorable in their own ways, leading to another fantastic experience. On the gameplay side of things this is a minor evolution on what came before it. You now have the ability to attack and stun enemies on the overworld allowing you to gain a better advantage in battle. New turn bonuses have been added, like the team attack where you get a Persona style all out attack sequence where everybody beats the crap out of the enemies on field. Some stuff from Sky the 3rd pops up in certain locations but otherwise it’s the same old Trails you know and love at its core with minor tweaks and adjustments. On the music side of things you’ve got another great soundtrack. I adore the hospital theme as it reminds me a little of the National Park theme in Pokemon Gen 2 and there’s an incredible track during the final day of Crossbell’s anniversary celebrations, so yeah the music side of things is excellent.

Zero is a wonderful start to a new arc, freshening up the cast and setting just as it was feeling a little needed. It manages to balance plot threads old and new and delivers another incredible experience carefully built up that explodes in a stunning finale. The focused approach on a smaller main cast and setting delivers a very cosy and heartwarming adventure where the found family and being accepted despite your past are the order of the day and it works so well. It doesn’t quite manage to hit the highs I had during Sky SC but it does deliver yet another brilliant RPG game to add to the library of Trails bangers.