literally, the greatest game I have ever played. the experience of playing this through for the first time is something I will cherish for the rest of my life

pure, pure comfort. something I won't touch for ages, then end up playing straight through from dusk til dawn.

great DLC (technically only the first half but it's vastly superior to Brigmore Witches and I rarely ever continue once I'm done) because of that total shift in perspective from Corvo to Daud. killer to assassin. whilst Corvo sneaks around lush cathouses and upper-crust parties, Daud wades through the gore-soaked ground level of Dunwall, and while Corvo has to explore the underworld, Daud is already right at home. adds a huge amount to the already tight atmosphere and world-building in the base game. also very cool.

it's not terrible, but definitely a step down from its predecessor. maybe it's just me but the game's aesthetic thrives more in the city and its dilapidated underbelly than in the green and grey swamps.

probably the best atmosphere in the entire series and boasts the second-best level, Traditions of the Trade. (the best is Blood Money's A House of Cards. Hitman has always nailed hotels.)

impossible to give it the full 5/5 because it is literally unfinished but Act 1 is probably the best MGS material we'd gotten since Snake Eater. like, fuck dude.

cannot put into words how excited I was after finishing it. even if MGS V ended up letting everyone down, that year of speculation and the fucking trailers was more than worth it. here's to you.

entirely hollow and a shell of what it could've (should've) been. however, it appeals to my unabashed love of wiseguys and gangster movies so I can hardly give it a bad score -- and for what it's worth, it is genuinely enjoyable.

2016

no clue what it's about, but it's very pretty.