First off, can I just say how much I LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS GAME?? THIS IS SUCH A COOL LOOKING GAME THAT I'VE NOT SEEN DONE IN A LONG ASS TIME. If you weren't already charmed by this games visuals you'll be happy to hear that it doesn't slack on anything else either, how the fuck is a game that looks better than most Triple A titles on the market only 30 DOLLARS?? But i'm getting ahead of myself here, Hi-Fi Rush is a unique game because instead of following the conventional action game mechanics they decide to have a focus on rhythm based fighting. What does that mean? Well everything in this game is tweaked to sync with the in-game music, so when a beat happens you know exactly when an enemy will strike or move. All you have to do is get with the rhythm of it and plan accordingly, now this may seem like it'd be complicated but I assure you this game is very accessible when it comes to people who suck at rhythm games. So even if you're having trouble the game is not shy to throw you a bone, but once you get it, holy shit it's one of the most satisfying combat systems i've ever had the pleasure of playing with. This games levels aren't just combat though they also like to put a spin on it by having it be like a mini 3D platformer with puzzle elements and I appreciate that a lot. It's not just boss to boss as you'd think.

Main characters are extremely likeable, Chai and the others have some fun interactions between them, the story is pretty enjoyable and for a rhythm based game the music is rad as hell. It uses a lot of licensed music but you have the option to turn that off to listen to this games actual ost which i'd also recommend before you start. This game has endless loads of replayability because for starters its not a long game, so beating it will net you possibly the biggest post-game i've seen especially with the DLC add-ons in the newer versions of this game. I played on the PS5 and it was a perfect experience, no frame drops, everything ran well, and little to no bugs.

Yeah I mean if I haven't made it obvious, just buy this game, if you got a PS5 or an Xbox Series X you're doing yourself a disservice by not playing it, this used to be an Xbox exclusive but then they realized how peak this game is and they NEEDED to bring it to other consoles cause they were missing out on it. So happy it did finally come and I got to experience a new personal favorite game of all time. Will definitely be playing this one for weeks after I finished it.

This is what you're buying the Castlevania Advance Collection for, probably the most solid game in the series because can you believe after 2 attempts with Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance they would give us Aria of Sorrow. Everything about this game just hits and I think the soul mechanic is the best to date, the map is fun, there's tons of customization with Soma and his kits, and the replayability factor is huge because of it. It baffles me how good this game is after the previous 2 like seriously, they really cleaned up their act and locked in when making this one. It's so good it stands toe to toe with Symphony as the best Metroid Castlevania style game. If you were turned off by the previous two entries you gotta play this one, you'll be pleasantly surprised by its quality.

Well it's in every sense of the word a downgraded version of Rondo of Blood, cutscenes are removed, maria is no longer playable, alternate paths are gone, level select is gone, basically anything that made the original rondo so great is gone. What we have is a Richter who has a mid air control jump but also feels pretty stiff to control in general. Level design has seen a big hit in how they spam every level with those spear enemies and if you were to do a drinking game based on how many spear guys they plaster on the levels you'd probably die. The final dracula fight sucks, bottomless pits everywhere for the sake of making the boss challenging when in reality its just annoying.

Yeah this one just kinda sucks maybe don't play it.

I knew from the moment I saw Alucard show up in this nothing game, starting to spout words to a character he never mentions ever again in the series, this game was definitely someone's fan-fiction. Like there's no other way to explain it, no offense to the character herself, I think its great that we have a female protagonist after all these sweaty buff guys, but she really fucked herself over by having a Gameboy game of all things, as we know already those games aren't the greatest, and neither is this one.

Man I don't know what everyone else saw in this game that I didn't but I just hated my overall time playing this one. The map design is so bland and boring, the movement is so limited, the card system is a neat idea if you can actually get enemies to drop the damn things. And while it is their first attempt at a metroidvania on the GBA, it really felt like it. The removal of currency and having no game shop made this game unnecessarily hard. If I weren't playing this one on the emulator I don't think I would've beaten it. I filled out like 90% of the map and even by the end I was struggling. I hear people really enjoy the card system but I could never get these damn things to drop. I feel like drop rates in this game in general are so rare and scuffed that It doesn't matter how well you play, you'll reach a bullshit section due to how underleveled you are and don't have the appropriate armor to take care of the threat.

Also, you can ONLY use a whip in this game, Idk man that's just lame, I get it, he's considered to be a belmont but this just makes him less fun to play as. I think the devs may have realized this so for Aria you actually play as a non belmont, and further down the line if you do play as one they give you the option to use different weapons like with Jonathan in Portrait of Ruin.

Yeah I didn't like this one, at all, I wish I could see what all the 3-4 stars people saw in this one but as it stands this is my least favorite metroidvania i've played.

Here it is, my 100th review. I wanted this one to be very special since ever since I did this gaming cleanse I feel like i've been able to really appreciate and go into a more in-depth look on the way I feel about videos games. Banjo Kazooie is the prime example of what it means to be a strictly fun game with very little fluff in between. Right off the bat you learn of this games world and setting quickly, and when you leave Banjos house it doesn't matter if its your first time playing, the game asks if you know all of banjos moves prompting you to select yes or not, basically meaning you can skip the tutorial. And I mean just something like that really goes a long way in feeling like the devs care about you, they don't treat you like the dumb fuck babies most modern games do, they believe if you've got it down, then why hold you back any further. Get out there and beat that Grunty.

Anyways, Banjo Kazooie is a game that's very near and dear to me, I could easily just do a general review on the game but its all good, like even the quote on quote "Boring" levels are still fun to play through. The music is amazing and the world and the characters are so charming, full of childlike wonder and whimsy. It really is one of those games you just don't find in todays era. I want to specfically mention the bear and bird duo, I love everything about their dynamic, Banjo the calm but sort of naive one, and Kazooie the hot headed and mean one, but both still help each other out at the end of the day. And get this, they're 3D Platforming mascots who TALK. Yep, crazy right, in an era with mostly silent protagonists hearing the characters REACT to their environments and the world around them does wonders for keeping me engaged. And I care about these two goofballs so much.

I'm not sure what else to even say, this may be like my 10th time replaying this game and every replay is as good as the last. If you still haven't experienced Banjo but are a fan of 3D platformers, then what are you waiting for?

What can I say that hasn't been said about this game like 100 times over already, it doesn't even matter what you think of this game, it's peak. This game has flaws yes, but they do very little to hamper my overall experience, the inverted castle is still the weirdest idea for padding out game time but you know what? I don't even care because the game is so fun to play anyways that I don't mind exploring it. And In all honesty, it's not as bad as everyone likes to say it is.

Symphony of the Night was their first attempt at a Metroidvania and by golly did they ever succeed in that. This is one of the most fun games i've ever played and while it isn't my number 1, it is still goddamn fun to replay over again.

I didn't think much of this game when I first played it, years later and after finishing it, I do think there's something I do see now but honestly it doesn't go any further than "oh that's neat" It's basically like Castlevania 3 except it's good, except we already have a Castlevania 3 that's good and that's called Akumajou Densetsu. This one though, idk its just kind of short and not very interesting. I think the multiple pathways for each level kind of feels pointless when only sometimes you'll find a hidden goodie. And with no real way to backtrack after beating the game other than completely altering your save file using the "curse of the moon" rewind feature, it just seems like a very bite sized game with not a lot of substance. Music and Spritework is amazing though.
But this one is just ok.

What a pleasant surprise this was, I actually really enjoyed my time here. For being the 2nd DS Castlevania game they really knocked it out of the park after Dawn of Sorrows admittedly poor experience. But I'm gonna chalk it up to the devs finally understanding how to do a handheld DS Castlevania. Having the areas be segmented with the Castle acting as the hub really makes it difficult for any new player to get lost. Which in my opinion is how this series should be handled when it comes to being on a handheld, Order of Ecclesia does the same and that game is also fantastic. But back to portrait of Ruin, taking the same gimmick from the hit indie 3D platformer game Mario 64, (you may have heard of it) you jump into paintings and then explore the worlds to fight a boss and move back to the hub. It's a fine gameplay loop that just makes sense for the DS. No more bullshit forced touchscreen gimmicks, it's a solid time throughout and one i'd recommend.

You know for a genesis game this aint too bad! In-fact, I'd say this is a great entry in the franchise. It's not too long nor is it too short I think its the right length and difficulty. However if you're playing on anything other than the collection or even switch online then you'll most likely have to deal with the limited continues so that's actually a downside i'd say. Most games had unlimited continues so idk why this one had to revert back. Still, a great game and entry in this long running series, this one is tied with Super Castlevania 4 in my opinion maybe underneath it.

You wanna talk about a good fucking Castlevania game, look no further than this beast. Rondo of Blood is everything you should be looking for in an old-school traditional 2D Castlevania game. Everything about this game is amazing to me. What I really love about it is that the level design is REALLY GOOD. Like I'm talking no more bullshit Castlevania moments that make me want to pull my hair out. The bosses are also a highlight. Them having actual enemy patterns and it just being a test of skill and no bullshit RNG is why I don't mind replaying these levels after a game over. Speaking of which, another thing is that these levels are SHORT and have multiple pathways and secrets to find. Leading to more replayability, and having a stage select really helps when you want to go back and do everything. Game Overs in this game don't carry the same weight as they do in other Castlevanias, you have unlimited continues and the worse it gets is just replaying the stage from the beginning. But again, may I remind you, these levels are not long to begin with. So that is just a non issue in my opinion. Richter may not be as nimble or capable of shit like Simon in Super Castlevania 4 but he doesn't even fucking need it. The level design is built around his moveset. And the music oh my god the music its all bangers. The main theme kicks so much ass and even the weaker levels have the best tunes to listen to. There's even 2D cutscenes with voice acting! A first for this series! The story is just "kill Dracula" but that was always the case with these games so it doesn't matter. Having an actual save file is also a first for this series up to this point. And little things like that you take for granted start to be more appreciative when you're a maniac like me who's marathoned like 8 games right now. I love that you can also play as someone other than a belmont, maria! Maria is like the easy mode of this game but I welcome it since she's just fun to play as. She reminds me of Grant, Sypher, and Alucard from Castlevania 3 except she clears all of them. Really the only flaw I can think of is that there's barely any invincibility frames when getting hit, leading to you getting juggled by enemies easily. But to be honest, I'll take that over any bullshit death from the previous Castlevanias.

Rondo of Blood is a game I think anyone can enjoy, and its definitely one you should be looking out for should you decide to ever get into the Castlevania series, it's the best of its kind.

Is it really a hot take to say that while I do think the improvements made to this game are definitely the highlight of it, the game itself feels like a step back in a few places. I'll start off with that Simon controls amazingly here, he's so capable of doing things he couldn't normally do in any Castlevania game. However, I do think this comes with a downside, because he is so capable now a lot of what made Castlevanias challenge is seemingly gone. Take the sub weapons for example, what purpose does the axe serve now if Simon can just whip up and diagonally? What does the holy water serve if the whip is the best course of action to tackle anything. I feel like they made the whip way too good in this game that in the first few stages the game practically plays itself. While accessibility is not an issue, part of what made the original castlevanias so charming is that they were challenging. Every sub weapon served a purpose and was supposed to be use for the situations at hand because the whip itself was very limiting.
But yeah, that's just what I think, this game at the end of the day can still be fun at times so it's not bad by any means. Just wanted to point it out, while its not my favorite. This one is definitely a good entry in the series.