FF7 Rebirth continues to redefine what a remake can look like, and the fact that it accomplishes it with one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time places it in a league of its own. Welcome improvements to the ATB systems elevates an already stellar combat experience to new heights, and thoughtful expansions on the characters' personalities and stories cement the FF7 party as one for the ages. Plus with the sheer size of this game's world (filled with some of the trappings of open world design), I was rarely bored thanks to the plethora of rewarding side quests and mini games to engage with
Perhaps giving this game a 9/10 is underselling it? After all, Queen's Blood in itself might be the true GOTY contender :)
Perhaps giving this game a 9/10 is underselling it? After all, Queen's Blood in itself might be the true GOTY contender :)
Uchikoshi kinda lost me a little bit with this sequel... Where this game shines over its predecessor is in its interactive elements like the Somniums, which feel more concise in its execution but creative in their ideas.
What frustrated me was the inherent paradox of the game's narrative structure. Even though it takes a more linear approach to the storytelling by resisting the temptation to explore multiple pathways, Nirvana Initiative feels trapped in its own game of misdirections and loses the plot.
Otherwise, the writing still maintains the blunt charm of the original that kept me playing and it ran surprisingly okay on Switch?!
What frustrated me was the inherent paradox of the game's narrative structure. Even though it takes a more linear approach to the storytelling by resisting the temptation to explore multiple pathways, Nirvana Initiative feels trapped in its own game of misdirections and loses the plot.
Otherwise, the writing still maintains the blunt charm of the original that kept me playing and it ran surprisingly okay on Switch?!
What an incredible experience. One of the few games that requires you to engage actively with its complex story to piece it together, and it does a phenomenal job drip-feeding information amongst all of its character stories. When the narrative becomes overwhelming, the tower-defense sections provide much needed relief. A true storytelling achievement whose existence is mesmerizing
2010
It's broken. That's it. Not even playable. Took me 15 minutes to get through menus. Yikes.
Even Hiroyuki Sawano couldn't save this game for me. Its compromised open-world system stifles exploration and sidequests (which are quite interesting), the user interface is a horrifying mess from top to bottom, and the game just feels lifeless despite the thought put into the flora and fauna.
2006
Admittedly I got a lot more entertainment from this game than the star rating suggests; a number of moments continue to stick with me as genuinely (or unintentionally) hilarious.
The reason I consider this one of my least favorite games of all time, however, is that it represents Sonic's fall from grace. Sonic stumbled and continues to as it struggles with an identity crisis even with a handful of strong outings. In my mind, Sonic '06 is the culprit for this, and it leaves a pit in my stomach.
The reason I consider this one of my least favorite games of all time, however, is that it represents Sonic's fall from grace. Sonic stumbled and continues to as it struggles with an identity crisis even with a handful of strong outings. In my mind, Sonic '06 is the culprit for this, and it leaves a pit in my stomach.
Without exaggeration, Paper Mario: Sticker Star's gameplay system is actually useless; there is literally NO incentive to fight battles since you get no experience and it wastes stickers. Nothing about this game is memorable except for how much it made me hate stickers for a couple years.
I hope whoever thought it was a good idea to merge an action system with a card game got flamed. Kingdom Hearts is already an absurd concept redeemed with fun gameplay, so stripping the gameplay just leaves it in a terrible place.
I'm not even a hardcore Fire Emblem player and it doesn't take a genius to know this game is a permanent stain on the franchise. Ignoring the gimmicky maps, what is left is a vapid curveball of a story that diminishes the already patchy Hoshido/Nohr conflict that renders everything you experienced narratively in the other two games pointless.
2016
One of the most incomplete gaming experiences. After a decade of development hell, Final Fantasy XV was still a hot mess in 2016. An awkward combat system compliments an unnecessarily convoluted story requiring you to read/watch a bunch of other stuff to grasp everything (I didn't because I was bored af). It was so bad that they were patching in CUTSCENES post-launch. If I muster the courage I might see how it all turned out, but the sour aftertaste is strong with this one.
Remember when Epic Mickey was supposed to be somber? In exchange for a potentially rich story that explores the forgotten history of Disney's past, we get shlock with horrendous voice acting and terrible game design that basically requires you to play co-op if you don't want to start pulling your hair out every time Oswald's AI does something stupid.
Up top, the game looks stunning and the user interface is seamless. Making a game with as many choices as it does with hundreds of possibilities is no small feat.
It's a shame that it's associated with Detroit: Become Human. A soulless rendition of Detroit, it has one of the most infuriating stories about androids gaining consciousness ever, what not with some horrible writing choices that drag the entire experience down. I'm glad I got a used copy because I returned this garbage ASAP.
It's a shame that it's associated with Detroit: Become Human. A soulless rendition of Detroit, it has one of the most infuriating stories about androids gaining consciousness ever, what not with some horrible writing choices that drag the entire experience down. I'm glad I got a used copy because I returned this garbage ASAP.
2013
The only redeemable part of this game is Columbia itself. Otherwise this game is a clunky, narrative mess that fumbles from the start to finish. It treads into strange territories for a series like Bioshock, and I'm not even referring to how it halfheartedly portrays racial/social divisions. To go from a masterpiece like Bioshock to Bioshock Infinite within weeks of each other was one of the most jarring experiences ever.
With the lackluster graphics addressed from the Wii/3DS, there is no excuse to sleep on Xenoblade Chronicles. It has one of the grandest stories in modern JRPGs with its expansive scope and grand narrative. An instant classic that belongs in gaming's hall of fame.
2012
A nostalgic experience in its own right, Persona 4 Golden captures the charm of of high school life and capitalizes on it with great social simulation elements. Once you reach out to the truth, you'll understand the masterpiece that is P4G.