I've been waiting for a sequel to Ori and the Blind forest practically the moment I was looking at it's credits rolling. I knew a second part of this masterful game would double down on its strength and introduce us to another awe-inspiring world.
There is so much "good" in this game, it deserves the highest praise possible. But I want to focus on two things, that in my opinion make this game the best of its genre. The Art-Direction and the gameplay itself.

Anyone who remotely heard of the first part, probably knows what to expect. The level design is out of this world, literally. Every area or biome looks completely different, giving you the feeling you are exploring something new up until the very end. Every stage has so many very detailed layers, that reach far in the background to give it depth. Everything moves, breathes, reacts... just lives. The characters are often times cute and their stories heartfelt, sometimes sad and always a joy to follow, even though all you get is a few lines here and there. The sound design underlines everything perfectly and adds a beautiful soundtrack on top.

What makes this game the best of its kind though, is the way gameplay progression is paced and placed very carefully. What I mean by that, is, that from the beginning up until the very last moment of the game, you get new abilities and upgrades, that make you feel stronger. Every area introduces something new, just at the right moment, so that you had enough time to master all previous abilities. It's just perfectly timed. Nothing beats the moment though, were you start to combine these abilities, some complementing each other so well, that you start to breeze through the world like a ninja, making you feel like a pro. Traversal and fighting in this game is perfection and you won't get bored at any time, that's a promise.

I also feel the game arrives at a perfect time, as the villainy of the games antagonist roots in the fear and anger and discrimination we see ever so often in the real world. It is in contrast to the "good side" which thrives through collaboration and inclusiveness. There is a reason for the evil in the world and we can change that, one step at a time.

I love games that give you a set of mechanics to play around with and don't set any arbitrary restrictions on what is/isn't allowed and allow you to explore to your heart's content with ample rewards for """""wasting""""" time seeing the sights. I love exploring and I love cheesing the shit out of puzzles that are so intuitive I don't even realize how good I've become at the game. I know it's a joke to say "every copy of X is personalized" but it genuinely does feel like it here with the attention to detail both in writing and level design. 29 hours in 4 days I have never fallen this hard for a game in my life.

The strengths of this game have been talked to death about so i wanted to be a bit more critical.
Its a terrific experience for sure but after letting it sit with me for a while and after afew replays, some cracks in the experience begin to appear, i think my main issue with the game is the power scaling issues that can become very apparent in the late game and the late game in general. Late game areas are nowhere near as enjoyable and as deep as early game ones, like low-key i kinda think the game peaks at its middle section when you get to leyndell. I think bloodborne and sekiro were more enjoyable for me, the core gameplay is stronger in both of those games and i dont think the general story writing is as interesting as its previously been in this series, the world is super intriguing but i dont think it is as believable or as immersive as say, Yharnam or Lordran.

Seemed pretty cool for the 30 or so minutes I could stand playing before the severe hand cramps set in. Fuck me for being left-handed, I suppose. I know, I know, original complaint and all, but I still feel immense disappointment for being physically unable to enjoy this game because I love Sakurai's work and really wanted to experience what Uprising had to offer. But sometimes you need people to step in and go "Maybe you're going too far in a few places" and the point this should have happened was when they realized they needed to ship a damn stand with the game just to help people play it.

It's been almost a decade since this game was released and I'm still a little bitter about it, and probably always will be until Nintendo ports this to a more lefty-friendly console with improved controls. Not going to hold my breath on that, though.

A good standalone, and its iconicness(pretend thats a real word) is not to be understated. It's got a great atmosphere/aesthetic and the story can be quite hilarious, but unfortunately for me after having 100% completed it (despite two trophies glitching -_-) in the end it just fell a bit samey, which I know everyone says for every Far Cry game but I've felt it the most so far in this one. All there really is to do outside of the short story is collectibles, the same two types of side missions and outposts (garrisons in this). Which is perfectly fine, It's a short standalone i got for like 12 bucks but it holds it back from being anything more than a good experience. Theres also a sad lack of boss fights in the main story and as funny as Rex's one-liners are, there are not enough of them for how often they repeat. All that negativity aside, its a fun distraction for someone wanting a few laughs and to have a good time killing people with lasers. What more could you ask for really?

Trophy Completion - 90%
In Game Completion - 100%
Time Played - 11 hours
Rating - 75/100
Completion #18 of 2022

someone who commented on my list told me to make a review for this game in 15 words:

A game boy and you!
10 more words, oh what to do?
a kirby haiku!

Yes yes yes. This game is a nearly a masterpiece. It breaks down what a Zelda game is and rebuilds into something new and refreshing. Open-ended combat that allow a player to experiment with different weapons and using the environment to your advantage. The dungeons, I'll admit, are a weaker aspect of the game however I wouldn't say they're are bad by any stretch. It can take a few hours for someone to get into who wasn't already into Zelda however once you're off the Great Plateau and the game properly opens up and is an absolute treat. That total freedom it gives of how you want to play makes the game so much fun. Both of my pLay through on Wii U and then Switch were both so much fun. Would easily recommend this to anyone.

Really short and unique (especially at the time) game that doesnt overstay its welcome. Gameplay is very much like a less refined, snappy Hades, which still makes it really enjoyable, with the iconic constant narration by Logan Cunningham still being one of the best executions of the concept imo. Soundtrack is still off the freaking rails
Maybe the game that influenced me as a person the most, for multiple reasons... holds an absolutely special place in my heart and Ive been a Supergiant Games fan ever since

one of the best games ever made is in here somewhere, but as it stands, it's just... good. REALLY good, even, but with a project as wildly ambitious as this, it's only natural that it would get in its own way by trying to do too much. it's a free-roam open-world experience in which you're at liberty to explore at more or less your own pace and approach difficult scenarios as you see fit, BUT ALSO it's a restrictive cinematic experience that you can't influence at all, largely comprised of cutscenes in which stilted side characters exposition at you about overwrought plot bullshit that happened off-screen while you sit there wondering how long before you'll get to pick up your controller again.

for a game about the importance of people connecting and forming bonds with one another in the face of existential loneliness, it's a shame that its best moments are when the characters you're supposed to feel connected to finally shut the fuck up and let you out into the world to freely roam, alone.

Ding ding ding dong!

The one that started an amazing series.

Asylum might be surpassed by City and Knight but damn, it still holds a soft spot for me. Exploring Arkham Island, awesome boss fights and a really fun story. Its everything you'd want out of a Batman game and I love it.

I always revisit this every year because of how fun it is. Hats off to Rocksteady. This is a masterpiece. Also very horrifying. Croc still gives me PTSD lol.