𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥

ᵀʰᵉ ˢᵘⁿ ˢʰⁱⁿᵉˢ ᵀʰʳᵒᵘᵍʰ

M̸̮̦͒̆͋̅̊̐͠͝ơ̶̲͕̭̯͆̍͛́͐̂̕s̵̼̹͓̞̒̀̈̑͜ẗ̵̨̛̜͙̝̠̺̤̲̗̓̅̂̐̑̂ ̵̬͕̲̾͌̿C̴̡̧̛͍̖͕̮̯̺͇̎̇̄͐̃͌͜͝͝a̵̩͈̗̦̪̯̭̬̩̒̈́̎̅n̶͍͚̈́ ̵̱̈́̊B̶̰̭͈͔͙̩͚̮̝̑͆̿̎̃́̕u̶̘̫̲͖̘̤̦̬̇̾͑̓͛̀͗̾͂r̴̼̍̐̐̒ņ̷̟͖͓͖̬͆̐̑͊,̴͓̺̺̗͑͑̑̉͠ ̸̢̛͔̠̹̬̼̱̘̞̈B̵̢̧̭̱̝͖͚̬̠̆͐̈́͒͜͠ú̵̮͎̉t̴̢͕̘̺̤̄͆̒̍̈́͆̽͝ ̸̖͂̀̒Ĭ̶̛͈̤͉͈́̾͝ñ̸̜̞̲͍̝̣̳̫͉s̶̳͑̽̅͗̿̋ï̸̧̺̪̱͉͈̲̊̍͗̿̋̍́̃̚d̷̳̰̬͚̙̯̜̣̾̋̀̈͊̌͆̏͝ȅ̵͎̗̙̼͖̠͉͔̈́͐͗̈́ͅ ̷͎̼̜̈́́̓̌͘̚̚͘͝T̵̯̖̙͎̭͈͖̮͔̔̓́̀̿͊̃̑͝h̵̺͓̫̹͊e̵̛̗̻̦̗̣ͅẙ̷̻̥ ̵̧̢͔̯̖̣̭̟͔̳̋́̑̈́̇͒͛C̶̫̰̦̫͍͔̮̲͖͆̀̽͋̉̿́͂͝â̴̫͉̤̠̻̜̭̙͇͗̀̅͑̅̏̎͜͠n̶̖̜̯̗̎̓'̵̡̩͖̹͓̺̳͓̬̠͗̐̚ţ̵͉̱̘̱̝̌͊̒̽̔̅̎͗̕͠ͅ


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Early Access Impressions:

"How disappointing... Even your own history rejects you"

Happy to report Moon Studios follow up to the fantastic Ori games makes a strong first impression in what might just end up being their most valiant and ambitious effort to date. An isometric ARPG Soulslike with elements of life sims like Stardew and Animal Crossing in the beautifully strikingly dark and oppressive world that is Isola Sacra. There's a long road ahead before 1.0 but I've already put in 37 hours of playtime and can't get enough of the world and gameplay loop after already finishing the main story content that's available at the moment. I rarely jump in and gamble on early access releases and even right now I'm not sure if I could recommend this in the state its in as its only really a foundation and the performance issues that have plagued it for me. But the team at Moon has done a great job with player feedback and a number of things I had issue with on the first day have been improved or fixed. I really can't wait to see what's next for the characters of Sacrament and challenges that await me. Rarely do you see a studio take this much of a swing into new territory and still retain a lot of their identity. I can only hope from here on out that Moon delivers on their promise as this could end up being one for the ages.

"Oblivion fades. This tales end has been unwritten"

Dragon's Dogma II is what Evil Dead II is to The Evil Dead. A fully realized reinterpretation of the original while offering up a new refreshing expierence within. A sequel 12 years later that still defiantly holds onto its principles and core design philosophy in never giving the player a streamlined expierence and one that you have to earn by your own trials and tribulations of expedition through countless wandering, brawls and battles with towering giants, monsters and dragons. Not without its caveats (I would have loved more traditional dungeons then the spree of caves in the world) but I can't help but respect Itsuno and the team at Capcom still holding onto the dream they had with Dragons Dogma in 2012 to deliver the definitive version of some of the best Action RPG gameplay the genre has seen to match its colossal sized monster fights while expanding the vast mythos of DD's world. Its as old school adventuring as it gets here.

A sequel that takes a totally new different approach in its design to the first games formula and it mostly pays off incredibly well. I think some of the levels feel padded out which leads to some annoying tedium, the boss fights aren't as dynamic and don't take as much risk as the first games. But the game makes up for it in much smoother gameplay in its platforming, combat, etc. Fantastic presentation and atmosphere in each level bring the world of Sly Cooper to even more life then the first games. Only issue is that the levels don't feel at all well designed for Bentley or Murray to run around in. Another noticeable step up from the first is the games narrative, the core gang each have even wittier and funnier written comradery, it also makes them all feel fleshed out as characters who learn and grow. Murray especially becomes an actual character this time and isn't just the fat one in the group looking for hot dogs like in the first game. Bentley having his moments to take the lead beyond the planning phase and face his fears. Overall a surprisingly great sequel full of surprises and fun even with its rough edges. Another 6th generation PS2 gem.

A game with 10/10 aesthetics and presentation. Absolutely adored the art style, music, and craft. Unfortunately can't say the same for the entire gameplay expierence as its (ahem) paper thin and too long with not enough ideas for the kind of game it is. If its length was cut in half this would have been a significantly more impactful gem of some of Media Molecules strongest flourishes in creativity that are vividly brought to life on its center stage. A shame Mm spent all this time after the fact on Dreams and never took a swing like this again.

(I hear the Vita version is better but not sure by how much)

Deserves much love and reverence as the genres contemporaries at the time of release and even after all these years. While it borrows from your Crash Bandicoot's, Spyros, Ratchet and the likes, Sly Cooper knowingly does so and still shapes out an exciting globe trotting crime caper oozing with style and personality. A great mix of stealthy platforming and rewarding collecting that incentivizes the player to complete the Theivius Raccoonus with new tricks and abilities. A soundtrack and atmosphere that hits nostalgic notes in my brain for a era of games that I still long for. All rounded out with a wonderful cast of characters and rogues gallery of cheeky villains. Sly flirting with the hot cop whos gunning after his ass, he's just like me for real. Easily one of the 6th generations best platformers.

Side note: I love the diegetic bass notes that play when Sly sleuths around. SOUL!!!!