10 - It's honestly a crime that I didn't play through Azure this year after how mind-blowing this game was.

10 - I was surprised to see how close I was to finishing this game once I came back to it after having shelved it for years. It's quite possibly my favorite Zelda game, and I curse my younger self for getting stuck in the Wind Temple.

10 - I felt awkward only ranking chapters 6, 7, 8 separately on this list, so I figured the best compromise was to at least rank the Answers Arc as one (Chapters 5-8). Collectively, it's better than the Questions Arc and solidified the Higurashi franchise as some of my favorite pieces of literature I've consumed.

10 - Xenoblade as a whole makes up one of my favorite series in gaming, and ironically it has very little to do with its gameplay systems, but rather its stories. XC3, while not my favorite in the series, contains one of my absolute favorite moments in gaming. I can't go into detail for obvious spoiler reasons. However, it's a scene I think back to often that singlehandedly makes me glad to love the JRPG genre. I feel bad for "cinemabros" who will never experience peak fiction like this.

9.5 - The majority consensus on 8 being a better game is a totally valid argument to be made. However, I'm proud to be in the minority that thinks this outshines its predecessor. The story and music may not be as good, but it's genuinely one of the most fun games I played all year.

9.5 - I can't help but prefer the original's more harrowing and disturbing atmosphere. The cult subplot was also a lot more interesting. However, that's not to say that this game doesn't deserve the praise it gets. I'll admit, my smooth brain didn't quite understand all its themes without further research, but it was a memorable experience, nonetheless.

9.5 - In retrospect, I had some issues with its somewhat grindy progression, but it's not a big deal. This is such a treat for all the fans who stuck through to the end.

9.5 - The second Yakuza game I've completed and the one to convince me that I should probably start marathoning the series. The urge to play 7 and 8 are too great at this point.

9 - My most anticipated game of the year, and it mostly delivered. I completely understand the division this title created within the fanbase. Hell, I've been there... coughbreathofthewildcough Personally, this a step in the right direction for the mainline series, and while the combat could have used deeper mechanics, I think it was a solid foundation; either way, the darker tone of its world and story absolutely carried the experience.

9 - Perhaps I was too harsh on Limbo as a kid? And I've never played Inside, but I really want to now. The vibes were immaculate with this one, and the puzzles were for the most part incredibly fun to figure out.

Strong 8 - It's probably better than Ys 8... just by a hair. Sue me.

Strong 8 - Kinda made me feel more like a therapist than a bartender. It really makes you feel invested in these characters' lives and their struggles.

2 AM, can't sleep, have a drink type vibes fr

Strong 8 - FF 14's first expansion is clearly an improvement over the base game, and while the 2.5 patch had already convinced me to stick with it 'til the end, I still wasn't expecting some of the highs that Heavensward presented. Admittedly, some fluff is still a given with this being an MMO, but unlike a large chunk of the base game, this was actually addicting.

Strong 8 - The story? Peak fiction. The RTS gameplay? BORING Honestly, this could have easily been a 9.5 or even a 10 if it wasn't for the battles. I will still try to convince anyone I meet to play this.

Decent 8 - I tried this game once a few years back and refunded it within like 10 minutes cuz I was a dumb, bad, poopoo gamer. But I'm so glad I came back to it now that I have a newfound appreciation for metroidvanias.

Decent 8 - Short to a fault, and the fact that the ending is clear sequel bait and yet we have still heard nothing about a sequel all these years later is criminal. Tight gameplay. Ultra stylish.

Light 8 - 3 years later, this is still PS5's most impressive tech demo (but not necessarily the best). A super charming, vibrant, and fun interdimensional romp that I expected from the series.

Light 8 - I don't know why, but this remaster based on the Wii version just feels a lot better to play than the original PS1 version. I don't care what the fans say, this is the definitive way to play the game, and I will die on that hill alone if I must.

Light 8 - The battle system? Peak turn-based combat. The presentation? Eh, not the best. And no, I'm not just talking about the English voice acting. A lot about this game just feels kind of awkward in a way I can't exactly explain. That said, it's still a great JRPG, I just don't think this is one of the best in the series, but I'm glad to have finally finished it after all these years.

Light 8 - The year's biggest disappointment, and not for a lack of quality. 2018's Spider-Man is one of my favorite games of all time, but this sequel felt like they were just re-treading old ground instead of innovating. The improved traversal is certainly a plus, but everything else, especially its story, feels slightly stale. Still fun, though.

Decent 7 - This placement is only for A Realm Reborn. The base game certainly offers a warm introduction to the world of Eorzea, but it did take me years to finally sit down and give it a fair shot. The beginning was often overwhelming and confusing, and even after I started getting used to its systems, I started to realize that the game is kind of boring, actually?

However, in retrospect, I have a lot of respect of ARR and what it did to try and breathe new life into a failed MMO. Plus, the story does start to pick up later on. Patch 2.5, anyone?

Decent 7 - The one that started it all was also the first one I ever played. I feel like I made decent progress as a kid, but as usual of my smooth brain, I shelved it at some point and just forgot to go back to it. Coming back to my original save and finally finishing it was one of the most memorable gaming moments I had this year. It felt like a part of my childhood was complete. I still think it holds up well enough today if you are a fan of retro RPGs, programming bugs be damned.

Light 7 - I remember getting the Deluxe edition of this game on release, and yet I never beat it 'til this year. That's on me. I was enjoying it quite a bit back then, but for whatever reason I just got sidetracked and put it off for the longest time. All that time sitting on it made me start to retroactively dislike it. There's a lot of issues here, ranging from the mostly empty open world to the clearly unfinished story, but coming back to it made me realize there's still something endearing about it.

I mean, cruising down the highway with your three bros is quite a vibe (though, admittedly, even that got old quick with how slow the car runs). XV is fun in the moment, but its issues become more apparent for me the more I think of it. Best I stop thinking about it then, huh?

Light 7 - It's no Sonic CD, but it's certainly the most competent one of the original "trilogy" in my opinion. That said, whoever was responsible for that final boss fight deserves a sea of Legos under their feet upon waking up.

Strong 6 - I still can't believe this is a real thing that SEGA put out. It's just a short and silly VN, but the title alone begs context. I'm more so surprised that it's actually kinda good?

Strong 6 - I think the original game is better, and the time travel system and retcon B.S. in this game is a big factor in me disliking this more. The combat is still just as good, if not better, and that alone kind of carries the game. Noel kinda sucks, sorry.

Strong 6 - I consider myself a bit picky when it comes to puzzle games, and unfortunately this one dropped the ball a bit with its puzzles. I was hoping the story would at least carry it, and while I do think it's good, it's nothing more than that. There's a lot of creativity and charm on display here, but I just couldn't fully vibe with it.

Decent 6 - I got spoiled by Hexcells. This one is decent but it's got its issues and it just isn't as fun to figure out.

Decent 6 - The main issue I had with this game was the awkward breakneck pacing the story had and its often questionable (but funny) translation. Still, its combat system is competent, and for a handheld Tales experience, it feels surprisingly complete.

Decent 6 - Besides Air Combat, this is the only other game in the Ace Combat series I had finished up to this point, and so I didn't really have any preconceived biases like so much of the fanbase has against this game. Part of this really do feel like it's trying to be COD, but the standard piloting levels are good arcadey fun.

Light 6 - A charming little indie RPG that feels more like a demo prologue than a full game. It's also quite janky to boot, but it's understandable considering that this is basically a one-man project. I'm looking forward to seeing where episodes 2 and 3 take the story.

Light 6 - I honestly can't remember if I ever beat this game as a kid. I want to assume I did, but either way, it's been so long that the point could be considered moot now. It's a somewhat nostalgic game, and I think it holds up well enough for its era, but you'd best believe I used the Konami Code to beat it.

Light 6 - I remember this supposedly being the big Xbox One exclusive back in the day. The Xbox One really was in a dire situation, huh? A punk-rock Saints Row/Jet Set Radio mash-up that doesn't overstay its welcome with its somewhat breezy campaign length, but still left me wanting something more.

Light 6 - I don't even know how to describe this one. It's weird but kinda cute. I give it a pass.

Strong 5 - The improvements from the original are few. It's basically still the same game I grew up with, but slightly worse. Call it nostalgic bias, but I swear the butt-bounce doesn't feel as bouncy in this one.

Strong 5 - Why are you looking at me like that?... But seriously, it has a decent story, but it could have used more character development and locale variety.

Decent 5 - A "fan disc" containing an epilogue called Saikoroshi, which is honestly pretty good. Unfortunately, it also contains two other bonus episodes that can totally be skipped.

Light 5 - A free browser dungeon crawler that's light on content and mechanics. But I don't know, it was kinda therapeutic, so it kind of gets a pass?

Decent 4 - I don't know how they flubbed this game as bad as they did. I don't think the original Bayonetta was all that good, but 2 was a big improvement, and I was kind of hoping for a similar product in quality with this third game. But alas, we got Viola and one of the worst endings I've ever witnessed in a videogame.

Decent 4 - Thousands of TWEWY fans all gang up on me [...] The collective army: "The world ends... FOR YOU!"

Decent 4 - Going back and playing one of the early versions of Ys 1 really made me appreciate the Chronicles version a bit more. I still think there's some fun to be had here, and it's a decent proof of concept for its time, but it's definitely a janky and somewhat vapid experience nowadays.

Decent 4 - Even as separate games, neither of them are very good. At this point, both of them just kind of blend together in my head anyway. B.S. level design is at the helm here.

Light 4 - Nekopara did it better.

Light 4 - A non-linear narrative made by some fellow Backloggd members. It's a good concept and it tackles some interesting themes, but I'm not big on the delivery. Still, a commendable effort and I have nothing but respect for the creators.

Light 4 - I'm 4 games deep into this franchise and they have all started to blend together for me. Sorry.

Strong 3 - I've said it before and I'll say it again: This is to the Kirby franchise what My Neighbor Totoro is to Ghibli's catalogue.

Decent 3 - Nights of Azzzzzzzzzzz.... zzzzzzzzz.... zzzzzzzzz

Light 3 - The only saving grace here is the humor and characters, because unfortunately this one makes me really motion sick. That's an issue I have with a lot of VR games in general, so I can't really say it's the game's fault, but I can't lie, I was glad when it was over. It's a shame too, cus I love the Psychonauts universe.

2 - I haven't played Valkyrie Profile, but even I'm offended.

2 - Nowadays, this is more so an intriguing curiosity rather than a necessary game to play even for series afficionados. I would not have had the patience to figure out where to go or what to do without a guide, but it was interesting to experience the origins of this legendary series.