Xenobased
This game is a mess.
But it is my favorite game to come out in the last ten years.
How did it do it?
It’s hard to say.
A mixture of deep themes, vibrant locales, incredibly multidimensional characters, a story I couldn’t put down, and anime shenanigans just resonated with me in a way that no other game has in my life.
It can be buggy.
It can be unpolished.
The voice direction desperately needed work.
And yet year after year, I come back to this piece of comfort JRPG for another round, again and again.
I understand people not being enamored with it, I understand others being put off by little things.
But letting those little subjective things keep you away from such an enthralling experience is a disservice to yourself and to the developers who put so much love into every inch of this game.
But it is my favorite game to come out in the last ten years.
How did it do it?
It’s hard to say.
A mixture of deep themes, vibrant locales, incredibly multidimensional characters, a story I couldn’t put down, and anime shenanigans just resonated with me in a way that no other game has in my life.
It can be buggy.
It can be unpolished.
The voice direction desperately needed work.
And yet year after year, I come back to this piece of comfort JRPG for another round, again and again.
I understand people not being enamored with it, I understand others being put off by little things.
But letting those little subjective things keep you away from such an enthralling experience is a disservice to yourself and to the developers who put so much love into every inch of this game.
I fell in love with this series with Xenoblade Chronicles 2. That is something I need to say to preface what comes next here.
I enjoyed my time with Xenoblade 3. Quite a bit, actually. The sheer quality-of-life improvements are many.
While it didn’t resonate with me character or story-wise as much as its predecessors, I still loved this game, and will recommend it to anyone who enjoys gripping stories, fun characters, anime shenanigans, deep themes, and manly crying.
I enjoyed my time with Xenoblade 3. Quite a bit, actually. The sheer quality-of-life improvements are many.
While it didn’t resonate with me character or story-wise as much as its predecessors, I still loved this game, and will recommend it to anyone who enjoys gripping stories, fun characters, anime shenanigans, deep themes, and manly crying.
2017
It’s odd, really. Many people have turned on this game since it’s release.
I am not one of those people. This game is pure dopamine injected right into my veins. Everything I could want from a 3D Mario platformer is here.
An uninterrupted gameplay loop of platforming challenges featuring one of the smoothest control schemes Mario has ever had.
My only desire?
More.
More worlds, more locales, more everything! The biggest issue with Mario Odyssey is that it ends.
I am not one of those people. This game is pure dopamine injected right into my veins. Everything I could want from a 3D Mario platformer is here.
An uninterrupted gameplay loop of platforming challenges featuring one of the smoothest control schemes Mario has ever had.
My only desire?
More.
More worlds, more locales, more everything! The biggest issue with Mario Odyssey is that it ends.
I’m not gonna sit here and tell you this is the best Pokémon game of all time.
But it’s easily one of ny favorites, containing everything an older fan could want out of this franchise: Nostalgic monsters, fascinating story, acceptable visuals, excellent new mechanics.
I’d have traded the entirety of BDSP if it meant this game would have gotten the attention it deserves.
But it’s easily one of ny favorites, containing everything an older fan could want out of this franchise: Nostalgic monsters, fascinating story, acceptable visuals, excellent new mechanics.
I’d have traded the entirety of BDSP if it meant this game would have gotten the attention it deserves.
2018
If you like platformer games, play Celeste.
If you like relatable themes and characters, play Celeste.
If you like gorgeous pixel art, play Celeste.
If you like to feel really good after finishing something really difficult: Play. Celeste.
If you like relatable themes and characters, play Celeste.
If you like gorgeous pixel art, play Celeste.
If you like to feel really good after finishing something really difficult: Play. Celeste.
2019
Let no one tell you otherwise: If you like a gripping story, likeable characters, anime nonsense, and snappy turn-based rpg combat mixed in with a life simulator, you cannot possibly go wrong with a Persona game.
And Persona 5 Royal is easily the most polished of the lot. While every fan has their favorite Persona, this one is mine. It was my introduction to this franchise.
And what an introduction it was.
And Persona 5 Royal is easily the most polished of the lot. While every fan has their favorite Persona, this one is mine. It was my introduction to this franchise.
And what an introduction it was.
2015
Oh Undertale… Undertale Undertale Undertale.
Taking everything surrounding this game aside: It leaves its mark. I have zero regrets having played through and completed this game.
My only gripe that the spritework could stand to be a little more expressive and/or.. idk, detailed?
But beyond that, I can’t think of much else to complain about. It was a really good experience for anyone who likes witty writing, rpgs, and bullet hell games smashed into one fun little package.
Taking everything surrounding this game aside: It leaves its mark. I have zero regrets having played through and completed this game.
My only gripe that the spritework could stand to be a little more expressive and/or.. idk, detailed?
But beyond that, I can’t think of much else to complain about. It was a really good experience for anyone who likes witty writing, rpgs, and bullet hell games smashed into one fun little package.
2021
This game is just incredible. I was only recently a Metroid fan when it was announced, and having played through the entire saga— Dread is the pinnacle. If you are a fan of this type of game: The platforming-action-exploration insanity that is Metroidvania, this is the peak of that genre.
The only complaint I can wager is a personal one— the EMMI encounters got old real quick.
But that doesn’t even matter, they end right after they start getting old!
I adore this game, I resonate with this game, and I’ll always always recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a hell of a good time on the Switch.
The only complaint I can wager is a personal one— the EMMI encounters got old real quick.
But that doesn’t even matter, they end right after they start getting old!
I adore this game, I resonate with this game, and I’ll always always recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a hell of a good time on the Switch.
Breath of the Wild is amazing. After years of Zelda consistently feeling very much like the same game with a new coat of paint, it brings the series back to its original premise: Explore the world, fight the monsters, find secret caves, and rescue the Princess.
This isn’t a game with glaring flaws or anything I would call truly detrimental to a casual runthrough. But it does have some things to improve on to make it truly perfect.
My only complaints are the lack of enemy variety (you can only fight so many Guardians, Bokoblins, Moblins, Lizalfos, and Lynels without getting a little bored), and a lack of truly unique-feeling dungeon design.
All in all, a solid 9.5 out of 10 for me, I have no regrets for the 300+ hours I put into this one.
This isn’t a game with glaring flaws or anything I would call truly detrimental to a casual runthrough. But it does have some things to improve on to make it truly perfect.
My only complaints are the lack of enemy variety (you can only fight so many Guardians, Bokoblins, Moblins, Lizalfos, and Lynels without getting a little bored), and a lack of truly unique-feeling dungeon design.
All in all, a solid 9.5 out of 10 for me, I have no regrets for the 300+ hours I put into this one.