ckl1995
BACKER
2022
When I think about my favorite pieces of media from the last few years, my mind mostly comes back to things that moved me in some way. My favorite movies, TV shows, books, games and works of art have all made me feel something intensely, whether that was sadness, joy, empathy, or anger. My memories of them are emotional in nature, and I know that when I feel something deeply after experiencing it, it'll stick with me. God of War Ranarök is one of those experiences.
I feel like I could ramble endlessly about this game and what it did for me, but I won't for the sake of my own sanity and that of anyone who reads this. What initially drew me to God of War 2018, and why I consider it one of the greatest games ever made, was the relationship between Kratos and Atreus. Here, Sony Santa Monica have taken this father-son relationship and absolutely perfected it. The growth of both Kratos and Atreus, both during their time apart and their time together, is remarkable, and truly makes this game shine. Everything else--the exploration, the combat, the direction--is icing on the cake when you have a narrative this fucking good.
This game is remarkable, there's no denying it. I haven't been able to play Elden Ring yet but this is my Game of the Year by a long-shot, and it deserves every scrap of praise it's already been given. After finishing this, I was able to appreciate once again why I play and ultimately love video games as a medium--I'm able to experience these beautiful stories first-hand, and this game provided one of the best ways to experience that sort of moving storytelling.
I feel like I could ramble endlessly about this game and what it did for me, but I won't for the sake of my own sanity and that of anyone who reads this. What initially drew me to God of War 2018, and why I consider it one of the greatest games ever made, was the relationship between Kratos and Atreus. Here, Sony Santa Monica have taken this father-son relationship and absolutely perfected it. The growth of both Kratos and Atreus, both during their time apart and their time together, is remarkable, and truly makes this game shine. Everything else--the exploration, the combat, the direction--is icing on the cake when you have a narrative this fucking good.
This game is remarkable, there's no denying it. I haven't been able to play Elden Ring yet but this is my Game of the Year by a long-shot, and it deserves every scrap of praise it's already been given. After finishing this, I was able to appreciate once again why I play and ultimately love video games as a medium--I'm able to experience these beautiful stories first-hand, and this game provided one of the best ways to experience that sort of moving storytelling.
2012
It took me a few tries to get into this game, but I'm happy to say that I walked away from it really enjoying it.
Although I think Persona 5 Royal slightly edges this out, it's a fantastic game in its own right. The mystery surrounding the plot was well done, and it kept me guessing throughout most of the runtime. The turn-based combat was as fun as ever, although the dungeons were a bit of a slog (I think having P5R as my first Persona game really spoiled me).
Where this game really shined for me, though, was its cast. The characters and the dynamic of the group as a whole was very well done; the banter between them was entertaining and they definitely elevated the experience.
The game did have its drawbacks, however, mainly in the sheer amount of downtime it gives you and the way it affects the pacing. I know the point of the Persona games is to be a mix of a social sim + dungeon crawler, but when you finish the dungeons in one run and then have to spend a month straight socializing, it gets pretty tiring. The social links were mostly enjoyable, but I found myself zipping through most days just to get to the next story beat.
As my second Persona game, I thought this was an extremely solid follow-up to P5R. I think I'll give the series a bit of a break since they're known to be long and then dive into Persona 3 FES.
Although I think Persona 5 Royal slightly edges this out, it's a fantastic game in its own right. The mystery surrounding the plot was well done, and it kept me guessing throughout most of the runtime. The turn-based combat was as fun as ever, although the dungeons were a bit of a slog (I think having P5R as my first Persona game really spoiled me).
Where this game really shined for me, though, was its cast. The characters and the dynamic of the group as a whole was very well done; the banter between them was entertaining and they definitely elevated the experience.
The game did have its drawbacks, however, mainly in the sheer amount of downtime it gives you and the way it affects the pacing. I know the point of the Persona games is to be a mix of a social sim + dungeon crawler, but when you finish the dungeons in one run and then have to spend a month straight socializing, it gets pretty tiring. The social links were mostly enjoyable, but I found myself zipping through most days just to get to the next story beat.
As my second Persona game, I thought this was an extremely solid follow-up to P5R. I think I'll give the series a bit of a break since they're known to be long and then dive into Persona 3 FES.
2018
I don't understand how RGG can maintain this kind of quality in their games time after time.
An excellent spin-off from an already amazing series. The story was well-written and grounded, and genuinely had me surprised a lot of the time with its twists and turns. The detective aspects were solid, although the tailing missions got a bit annoying after a while. The combat was tight, responsive and so much fun once you've built up a few abilities.
Where this game went from really good to excellent for me, though, was the ending. The entire last chapter is near perfection--the narrative pay-offs are huge and the final boss fight is one of the best in the series. It's one of my favorite video game endings in recent memory.
The game isn't without it's issues though, even if my complaints are minor. The mortal wound mechanic is seriously frustrating, as you can only fix it in a very specific place; it's also difficult to stop some of the attacks that cause them when you're fighting in such tight spaces. And the combat encounters that happen in the world feel far too frequent sometimes; I'd need to get from point A to point B and be interrupted 3-4 times by a pack of goons.
Taken together, this was an amazing video game. I loved the detective mystery storyline, the combat is as fun as ever and the ending was just too damn good. I'm already eager to jump into Lost Judgment to keep the experience going.
An excellent spin-off from an already amazing series. The story was well-written and grounded, and genuinely had me surprised a lot of the time with its twists and turns. The detective aspects were solid, although the tailing missions got a bit annoying after a while. The combat was tight, responsive and so much fun once you've built up a few abilities.
Where this game went from really good to excellent for me, though, was the ending. The entire last chapter is near perfection--the narrative pay-offs are huge and the final boss fight is one of the best in the series. It's one of my favorite video game endings in recent memory.
The game isn't without it's issues though, even if my complaints are minor. The mortal wound mechanic is seriously frustrating, as you can only fix it in a very specific place; it's also difficult to stop some of the attacks that cause them when you're fighting in such tight spaces. And the combat encounters that happen in the world feel far too frequent sometimes; I'd need to get from point A to point B and be interrupted 3-4 times by a pack of goons.
Taken together, this was an amazing video game. I loved the detective mystery storyline, the combat is as fun as ever and the ending was just too damn good. I'm already eager to jump into Lost Judgment to keep the experience going.
Was able to play the campaign early with a pre-order so that's what my review will focus on.
This was a very solid campaign overall; the cutscene and voice direction continue to get better, the set pieces are bigger and more elaborate, and the moment-to-moment gameplay feels tight and entertaining. I appreciated the mission variety similar to MW 2019, although the absence of one character in particular as a major player (no spoilers) was noticeable.
Something that really held this game back for me was the multiple instances of forced stealth/being completely powerless against opponents that can fuck you up. I can appreciate that once in a while, but it happens far too often in a game that should have more explosions and bullets flying. A minor gripe, but it definitely made me enjoy the campaign a little less compared to previous entries.
I'm impressed with the way this Modern Warfare reboot has been handled so far. There are some fun call-backs throughout the campaign for fans of the original trilogy, and I'm excited to see how they build on this and MW 2019.
This was a very solid campaign overall; the cutscene and voice direction continue to get better, the set pieces are bigger and more elaborate, and the moment-to-moment gameplay feels tight and entertaining. I appreciated the mission variety similar to MW 2019, although the absence of one character in particular as a major player (no spoilers) was noticeable.
Something that really held this game back for me was the multiple instances of forced stealth/being completely powerless against opponents that can fuck you up. I can appreciate that once in a while, but it happens far too often in a game that should have more explosions and bullets flying. A minor gripe, but it definitely made me enjoy the campaign a little less compared to previous entries.
I'm impressed with the way this Modern Warfare reboot has been handled so far. There are some fun call-backs throughout the campaign for fans of the original trilogy, and I'm excited to see how they build on this and MW 2019.
I feel like I can divide my life into "before I played The Last of Us Part II" and "after I played The Last of Us Part II".
This was, and always will be, a seminal gaming experience for me. Prior to playing the first game, I hadn't had a deep appreciation for the art of storytelling in video games. When I played The Last of Us, I realized that video games could tell stories that were as good as if not better than the best stories in movies, TV or literature. And then I played Part II, and my expectations for a well-told story that could follow-up the first game were absolutely shattered in the best possible way.
I know there's a lot of divisiveness around this game and the decisions it makes in regards to its story, but in my opinion this is one of the greatest stories ever told in fiction, period. I've never seen the cyclical and futile nature of revenge so brutally and honestly portrayed, and while it was hard to stomach at times, I appreciated the fact that this game doesn't pull a single punch throughout its runtime. Everything about this game--it's writing, it's voice + motion capture performances, the music--are expertly done. I absolutely love the first game, and always will, but Part II did something to me that I'll never be able to quite figure out. It's so much greater than the sum of its parts, and I truly believe it's an absolutely vital gaming experience that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.
This was, and always will be, a seminal gaming experience for me. Prior to playing the first game, I hadn't had a deep appreciation for the art of storytelling in video games. When I played The Last of Us, I realized that video games could tell stories that were as good as if not better than the best stories in movies, TV or literature. And then I played Part II, and my expectations for a well-told story that could follow-up the first game were absolutely shattered in the best possible way.
I know there's a lot of divisiveness around this game and the decisions it makes in regards to its story, but in my opinion this is one of the greatest stories ever told in fiction, period. I've never seen the cyclical and futile nature of revenge so brutally and honestly portrayed, and while it was hard to stomach at times, I appreciated the fact that this game doesn't pull a single punch throughout its runtime. Everything about this game--it's writing, it's voice + motion capture performances, the music--are expertly done. I absolutely love the first game, and always will, but Part II did something to me that I'll never be able to quite figure out. It's so much greater than the sum of its parts, and I truly believe it's an absolutely vital gaming experience that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.
Did a campaign replay since MW2 is releasing soon, and I honestly think this might be favorite CoD campaign overall. I've been a fan of this series since CoD4, and I'm often willing to overlook some (most) of the series' major flaws with my rose-tinted glasses. But this game's story feels genuinely gritty and exciting--the gunplay is tight and responsive, some of the levels are genuinely tense and its exploration of geopolitical ideas of terrorism are really poignant. Really excited to see how they up the ante with MW2 soon.
2012
An excellent ending to one of my all-time favorite stories in gaming. I think my appreciation for this game has grown since I last played it almost 10 years ago, as I was better able to connect with the emotional weight of this game as an adult. The ending I chose (with no spoilers) moved me deeply and really made me feel like I had taken this grand space-faring adventure that just came to an end. I remember playing this series as a teenager and appreciating it for its cool sci-fi setting and the (at the time) interesting combat, but now I can appreciate Mass Effect on a deeper level entirely. There's a maturity to the writing and story of this game that I was able to connect with this time around, and I'll be thinking about this game, and this series, for a long time moving forward.
This was so damn good. A funny and nostalgic romp through the Citadel with one of the best cast of characters in gaming and some of the best writing in the series. I felt emotional at the thought of having to say goodbye to them after this much time together. A wonderful bookend to this already incredible trilogy.
First time playing this as part of the Legendary Edition and I gotta say, it didn't disappoint. It provides some crucial lore to the larger ME universe, and is fairly significant for the entire series conflict as a whole. I can see why people were confused as to why it wasn't included as part of the main series, but I'm glad the Legendary Edition packages it into the game nicely. A very solid DLC all around.
Just as good the second time, now with Part 1's upgraded graphics and quality of life improvements. While it may be short, it provides some much needed character development for Ellie and is a beautiful story in its own right. I think this is just as essential to fully appreciating Joel and Ellie's story as Part 1 is, and highly recommend you play this after Part 1 and before Part 2. An absolute gem.
The fact that this game was $70 at release is not great--the PS4 remaster of this game is an excellent game in its own right, and I don't think they changed the game enough to justify that sort of price tag.
That being said--this is easily the best way to play this masterpiece of a game. It's still the best story in gaming to me, period. It looks gorgeous, the movement feels much more fluid, and the enemy AI actually had me sweating a few times. The amount of detail that you can appreciate with these updated graphics is astounding and the use of the DualSense adds another layer of immersion.
It's still The Last of Us you know and love, just with a fresh coat of paint and some minor quality of life improvements. There's an argument to be made that this version should be the way a new player experiences this story but it's hard for me to recommend buying this game at full price when an amazing remaster already exists on the PS4. It's definitely a judgment call as you can't go wrong with either. But to me, this is the definitive way to play The Last of Us.
That being said--this is easily the best way to play this masterpiece of a game. It's still the best story in gaming to me, period. It looks gorgeous, the movement feels much more fluid, and the enemy AI actually had me sweating a few times. The amount of detail that you can appreciate with these updated graphics is astounding and the use of the DualSense adds another layer of immersion.
It's still The Last of Us you know and love, just with a fresh coat of paint and some minor quality of life improvements. There's an argument to be made that this version should be the way a new player experiences this story but it's hard for me to recommend buying this game at full price when an amazing remaster already exists on the PS4. It's definitely a judgment call as you can't go wrong with either. But to me, this is the definitive way to play The Last of Us.
2010
God I forgot how good this game was.
I remember loving this game when I played it back when it released, and I think I love it even more now on a second playthrough. This was the first ever game I played where it really felt like my decisions mattered, and that they weren't just some illusion of choice. Getting to assemble your squad to save the galaxy may seem like a trope nowadays, but this game was groundbreaking in its story-telling, characterization and world-building--and it still is today. So glad I got to give this game another go in the Legendary Edition.
I remember loving this game when I played it back when it released, and I think I love it even more now on a second playthrough. This was the first ever game I played where it really felt like my decisions mattered, and that they weren't just some illusion of choice. Getting to assemble your squad to save the galaxy may seem like a trope nowadays, but this game was groundbreaking in its story-telling, characterization and world-building--and it still is today. So glad I got to give this game another go in the Legendary Edition.
Probably the most interesting Mass Effect DLC I've played so far from a gameplay perspective, the new vehicle was a lot of fun to use.
Short + sweet. I appreciated the ME1 callbacks and the rewards weren't too bad for minimal work.
2007
It's been 10+ years since I've played this game and it honestly is much better than I remember. I think the Legendary Edition has to take some of the credit (this game plays so much better than the original release) but I think I appreciated the story and world-building more this time around. This is an excellent start to the trilogy--it sets the stakes for the larger conflict, introduces us to some key characters and begins to build the large universe that they inhabit. I definitely appreciated the music this time around more as well--the synth is the perfect complement to the sci-fi setting. Already excited to dig into ME2.