Arcade perfection. The Tetris of racing games. Tight controls, finely tuned difficulty, and some really fun level design. Crisp pixelart, with amazing use of scaling to convey depth. A small, yet aurally engaging soundtrack, and some fantastic sound design that is both satisfying, and useful to the player. OutRun is timeless, and if you've never played this one, its absolutely worth your time.

I've played a couple of versions of OutRun over the years. The arcade original is still completely serviceable, and worth going back to. The 3DS and Switch versions are fantastic, and come with a lot of QOL tweaks. Though overall, I feel the Saturn version is my favorite. It has a 60fps mode, like the modern conversions, and comes with an arranged version of the soundtrack. Though, however you decide to play this one, you're going to have a good time.

The best 2D Mario game in decades? Yes. Does it rank right next to Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World overall? I personally didn't think so. However, I'm also old, so nostalgia may play a big part in that take. I will say, not counting Yoshi's Island, the art style is literally the best it's ever been in a 2D Mario game. Never before have they looked this vibrant and lively. The colors pop. The animation is immaculate. The creativity here is through the roof, standing toe to toe with Super Mario Land 2, and nearing the heights of, dare I say, the Mario and Luigi series. Level design is great. The new powerups are a delight. Mario's controls are fine-tuned to perfection.

I'm only going to mention one complaint; at seven hours, it's a bit too long for me to want to replay. I think the beauty of Mario platformers before the New era is that you can beat them in about two sittings if you're dedicated. Which is a vital reason as to why I love those games so dearly! I can hop back in, revisit these worlds, and reach the end without making a huge time commitment. Wonder took me about four days to complete; these weren't short sessions, either. I think, even with replays, that gap can only be shortened so much, with the Wonder Seed locks on vital paths. I'm working on 100%, but after that, who knows when I'll touch this game again?

All in all, I really liked Super Mario Bros. Wonder. I'm just not sure if I loved it. It might just be that I'm growing out of this series, but I doubt it. Odyssey still managed to wow the child deep down inside me, the kid who would spend hours playing Super Mario 64, despite my gripes with it. While I absolutely enjoyed my time with Wonder, I unfortunately didn't come out head over heels for it. It's a great platformer, but I wouldn't say it raised the bar, at least not in every aspect. Though I digress. Maybe this wasn't a home run in my heart, but it's headed the right direction. I like this step forward for 2D Mario. I hope the team at Nintendo gives us a couple more of these, and I absolutely recommend it.

Blood is an absolute treat. Armed with a massive selection of weapons, you're tasked with surviving a legion of killer cultists and hell-spawn, as protagonist Caleb makes his way to get revenge on his master. The level design is some of the best in the genre, with some jaw-dropping setpieces, especially for 1997. Character art and texture work is bursting with detail. Every weapon is useful and satisfying, only further complimented by the diverse rogue's gallery.

Is this the best classic shooter of all time? I think so! Personally, this feels like the Super Mario World to DOOM's Super Mario Bros. 3. If you haven't played this yet, what are you waiting for? For your first playthrough, I'd highly recommend enemy damage at "Pink on the Inside", and everything else at "Lightly Broiled". Enemies will still punish you when you're careless, but you won't have the weakest fodder devouring your entire health bar with a stick of dynamite every few minutes.

A puzzler disguised as a first person shooter, SUPERHOT asks you to pierce through ruby foes with whatever you can find, while managing your position to avoid getting shredded by bullets. Time is frozen when you aren't in motion, and while you'd be fooled to think this makes it easy, its honestly a saving grace. Enemies are relentless, and your character is as fragile as a vase.

This game mixes the brevity of Hotline Miami's gameplay with the clean, corporate aesthetic of Mirror's Edge. However, it manages to come out feeling wholly unique. Despite its seeming inspirations, its story is practically nonexistent. I mean, there is one present, but it doesn't amount to anything. Its honestly a shame, because the cutscenes are incredibly stylish, and fun to watch.

The game keeps things short, and manages to sit under two hours. I honestly loved this, as it means the game does not overstay its welcome. That said, I do feel as if more could've been done with the level design. There are a few twists here and there, but overall the gameplay loop doesn't really evolve beyond the first chunk of levels. I'd almost say this is style over substance, as the sharp art direction and killer sound design kept me completely engaged throughout my playthrough.

I missed this one upon its initial release, and though I don't regret skipping out on it for so long, I can see why its so beloved. SUPERHOT has its flaws, but overall, it manages to be a unique, memorable, entertaining experience. You'll know if this one is for you.

I'm going to be honest; I'm not a fan of alien abduction stories. I've just never been sold on the idea itself. However, when a piece of media is centered around this subject, I still can enjoy it when it's executed well. Incident at Grove Lake does such a great job at world-building, and setting up tension, that I still had a really good time with it, regardless of my predisposition.

This is a collection of several separate, but related vignettes revolving around alien abduction. There is a lot of care and attention put into the game world, which helps to keep the player going. Near the start, there's a radio playing a couple of broadcasts that you can choose to ignore, or sit around and listen to for a couple of minutes. There's a scene in a café with NPCs sitting about, and though not much is going on, the space feels lived in.

As I said earlier, alien abduction media doesn't do much for me on its own. However, Incident at Grove Lake succeeds at being genuinely unsettling, regardless of context. There is one particular scene right at the end where the visual on display, paired with the vocal performance, genuinely got under my skin, despite how abstract it mostly was.

It's twenty minutes long, it's free, and it's a great time. I wouldn't say it's innovative, I wouldn't say it's a must play, but I can easily recommend this one, especially if you are into the subject at hand. McGrath knocked it out of the park.

It is a crime that Nintendo has let this one fade to obscurity. Wario Land '95 isn't just one of the best games on the Virtual Boy, I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best games in the series. An incredible platformer with astounding presentation, fantastic level design, tight controls, and a sharp runtime of about two hours. The art direction is top-notch, with wonderful pixel-art and detailed animation. The stereoscopic 3D is masterfully executed, and hasn't aged a day. If you have hardware that lets you experience this game as intended, don't miss out. It transforms an already gorgeous game into a visual dessert.

I've always had a weird relationship with the first Wario Land. There were things I enjoyed about it. Though I found it OK overall, and always wanted to like it more than I did. Wario Land VB cleans up the majority of its issues, tightens up the runtime, and elevates the visual presentation, resulting in a really solid, quirky platformer. It gives me the measured delight that a game like the first Kirby's Dreamland does. It's a shame Nintendo hasn't preserved this wonderful experience on any of their more recent hardware, but it's absolutely their loss. If you're a fan of platformers, find any way to experience this gem.

An incredibly fun retro-styled shooter soaked in 90s American pop-culture. The level design is solid, and somehow manages to abstain from becoming labyrinthian, the bestiary is finely tuned to make every combat encounter interesting, the sprite-work makes great use of neon colors, and is overall striking, the soundtrack is crunchy and catchy as hell (I cannot stop listening to the final boss theme "Roadkilla"), its sense of humor is charming... I could go on.

Thinking about complaints, it really comes down to the fact that its missing some QOL touches that shooters have had for decades. For example, there's no weapon switch buffer coded in; weapon keys only work if Zane is finished firing his current weapon. I'm used to hitting the next weapon I want to use pre-emptively, so I had to get used to this. Key re-binding is also severely limited, and some actions are hard-coded. Though none of this was enough to ruin my experience.

All in all, I loved this game. That said, I can't help but feel it might not resonate with you if you weren't born in the late 80s, or early 90s. Maybe I'm wrong, though! For me, it really did feel like if that loud edgy kid from high school did eventually finish that game idea he kept pitching to you, and it's... honestly super charming. I can tell people are going to either love or hate this one. As for me? Slayers X stole my heart.

A fantastic little romp through an abandoned facility, as you avoid a scientific abomination out for blood, in a search to save your dog. The monster in question is a very unique concept; I'm surprised I haven't seen it done before. There's also world-building done through in-game text, to let the fear boil in your mind.

The game itself strikes a great balance of stress and release. The AI itself is no pushover, but it also isn't constantly on your neck, giving you time to catch your breath, and plan your next move. The visuals, despite being low-poly, are gorgeous, and clearly had a lot of care put into them. The soundtrack is also great, with a mix of chilling and soothing tracks to set the mood.

I can't recommend Canine enough to any fan of indie horror. Definitely worth it for the heartfelt ending alone. I wasn't expecting it, and I don't want to spoil it; hopefully you give it a chance, and discover it for yourself.

One of the best arcade racers ever made. Released in 2006, this sticks to a more traditional mechanical ethos, but still manages to sit on top of its contemporaries. Drifting down tight curves at almost 200 MPH, avoiding traffic, while driving some of the best feeling cars in video games. Just the right amount of weight in every vehicle, where they aren't a chore to drive, yet they feel like they inhabit a physical space.

Aesthetically, OutRun 2 is choice. The music selection? Catchy as hell. The visuals? A bit dated by today's standards, but stylized just enough that they stand the test of time. Sound design? Incredibly convincing, only complimented by the solid force feedback. The artists on staff did an incredible job giving this game a vibe wholly unique to itself.

There are fifteen different locales you can visit on your road trip, each with a distinct aesthetic based on a real life location, and they all feel fully realized, and brimming with life. You're only seeing five out of the fifteen on any given run, so there's a good amount of potential variety on each playthrough. Not to mention, traffic patterns are never the same, and will always add a bit of spice to your drive.

The first OutRun has a timeless legacy that was well earned, and its so great to say OutRun 2 improves on its predecessor in every way imaginable. I do believe the former is still superior due to less complexity, and in turn, a broader accessibility, but once you've mastered the first game, and look for something more, 2 will be waiting for you. I see this one talked about a bit less, and I imagine its availability has a lot to do with it. Regardless, this game is absolutely incredible, and if you can find a way to take it for a ride, don't miss out.

This is about two hours of extra content if you were good at Cuphead, likely four or five otherwise. Though overall, I would say it was easier than the last half of the base game, so for people who never beat it, I'd recommend the Delicious Last Course. The addition of Ms. Chalice mitigates the difficulty, but the dodge roll and double jump feel organic to the experience; Its as if they've always been a part of the game. Plus, of course, you can always play through the new stages without her. Some jaw-dropping animation and art is sitting inside this expansion. Immersive perspective shifts, clay models, fully animated cutscenes... In my opinion, the work put into the visuals by the team is worth the price of admission alone.

An incredible rhythm-based character-action game. It's great to see this genre get a fresh addition in the form of a new IP. I feel like these sort of 3D action games generally have a reputation for being overly difficult, and I loved that throughout my playthrough, I had a really chill time, and mostly spent it soaking in the gorgeous artwork, and the catchy music. The writing could've used some work, and I don't feel its narrative comes together to present anything compelling, despite its fantastic premise. Which is a shame. Regardless, Hi-Fi Rush is a blast, and worth your time if you're a fan of the genre.

DOOM Eternal is a good shooter, with some incredible visuals, some solid gameplay, and satisfying sound design. Expanding on its predecessors, you go through the tried and true merry-go-round of shifting through your arsenal to take out waves of incoming demons, while trying to keep your head on. Level design is even more engaging than any DOOM game before it, with segments that feel like they're ripped out of a Zelda dungeon. Enemies are introduced that keep you from just holding left click and running around until they fall over. It's a frenetic, intense time, and I was engaged throughout its runtime.

If I were to think of issues I had with this game, it mostly boils down to some of the combat areas being a little too tight for my liking? On Ultra Violence, enemies litter the screen, and it is incredibly easy to get stuck while dancing around your foes. Some enemy waves feel a little poorly thought out. You really do only have so much chainsaw ammo, and though I think I got through encounters pretty smoothly overall, they just weren't fun to sit through, at times.

Being chased around by two Cyber-Mancubi and a Fireborne Baron at the same time, while trying to find a chance to saw an Imp for bullets and plasma, is one of the many moments that left me scratching my head. It does, at some point, feel like they're just throwing everything at you without a second thought. I think I would've rather the designers extend the number of waves with some of the last encounters, rather than bloat up singular waves. There are plenty of options within these scenarios to cheese it altogether, with both the BFG and the Crucible, but it just feels like lazy design when they are my only choice out of a situation. These are supposed to be Get-out-of-Jail-Free cards, after all.

I only argue this because ammo does feel like a finite resource, but unlike the original games, it doesn't really work, here. At the end of the day, the powerful weapons reserved for heavy hitters eat out ammo from your base weapons, so once you've taken out the big guys, you're going to have to go hunting for ammo, which I felt breaks the flow of combat. If you go about it vice versa, you won't have anyone to slice for ammo. I think even just increasing ammo reserves, or making ammo drop naturally from enemies, would've been enough to remedy this. I was playing on Ultra-Violence, so maybe this game feels a little more balanced on lower difficulties, but its definitely something I caught during my playthrough.

The less said about the story, the better. Of course, these games aren't really about the story, but the team clearly cared about it with this entry, and tried their best to flesh out the world. I think 2016 left a good basis within its critique of corporate greed, but this one gets a little too self-indulgent in the mythos of a great warrior, that will selflessly save humanity. In the original games, the Doom Marine was just a soldier who, unfortunately, got wrapped up in a bad situation, and is trying his best to get out of it. Since 2016, he's been painted more and more as this great hero who is dedicated to his people, yet in the moments where he interacts with others, he seems like the most vacant, cold individual imaginable.

Obviously, someone like him would hollow theirselves out to cope with everything going on, and I guess that's why I don't enjoy these sort of characters. Just own up to the fact that you're having your players play as an asshole, instead of hyping him up. I have no room in my heart for the Slayer. He's just a blood hungry man taking advantage of a bad situation to satisfy his penchant for violence. I wouldn't really be reading into this so much if the game wasn't regularly asking me to, but my whole time through Eternal, I felt like the game wanted me to feel some reverance for him.

There's also moments in here where the game tries to criticize things such as corporations co-opting the language of the marginalized to further their bottom line, and while its obviously a point well-made, I just don't see what's the point of having it in here. Much like the game Bioshock Infinite, it wants to critique our society, despite it not having the tact to do so in any meaningful way. id really should just leave this sort of thing for MachineGames, and put all its energy into making a stupid, pulpy, entertaining tale.

Complaints aside, I did enjoy my time with DOOM Eternal. It's gorgeous, it's engaging, and does iterate on its predecessor in fantastic ways. I just can't look the other way and say I loved everything about it. One last thing I do want to add is, its too long for its own good. 8 to 10 hours would've been perfect, but for me, it started to drag 3/4ths of the way in. I would recommend playing it on Hurt Me Plenty. You will probably end up having a better time with it.

Razor sharp first-person platforming, marinated in devilish TF2 jump maps, drenched in hip anime from the 2000s, and seasoned lightly with the PAR-obsessed design of Lovely Planet. The game's vibe is on the same level as Nomura-style gaudy necklaces and belt buckles, in the sense that it's hard not to look away if you're completely alienated from what it's going for, but makes you feel right at home if you spent time growing up with its inspirations.

There's some admittedly embarrassing writing in this game occasionally thrown around by its cast, but it is done in a self-aware fashion, and is sparse within the whole of the script. Overall, the dialogue is not only authentic to its peers, but honestly manages to do some clever things with its setting, and builds up typical character cliches in its own unique, loveable way. There's a heart of gold underneath it all that makes it come together nicely.

Those familiar with this style of gameplay will find its mechanics fitting them like a glove. However, there are plenty of twists and turns within this game's arsenal and maps, enough to keep one on their toes until the very end. Reaching the credits is manageable, though going for side-content will put your reaction time and spacial awareness to the test. Tough as nails, but satisfying to master, Neon White is a fantastic addition to the genre, and it excites me for what's to come.

DOOM 3 is a difficult game to assess. It absolutely has its flaws, but not all of it is bad. Visually impressive for its time, and in some ways, still stunning to this day. Its atmosphere is consistently intimidating. Its combat is a neat push and pull of survival horror and frenetic action. Despite this, it does have its fair share of issues, more so than many of the landmark titles released around the same time. I wonder it its perhaps looked back on so critically, not because it isn't a good game, but because it isn't a great one, in a time where the bar was set so high.

In some ways, this game is ugly. Though overall, it looks fantastic, and still holds up to this day. Honestly, if they had just spent more time ironing out character models, the humans in particular, I wouldn't be complaining. The level design is admittedly average, mostly held up by the well-crafted environments. This game's cold steel corridors honestly reminded me of MGS2, of which I think both games do an incredible job with. Still, visuals can only do so much when about two-thirds of the game are just stretches of tech-base. Both Hell and the Excavation Site are a nice change of scenery, but they come and go so quickly. I don't even think this game needed more diversity in areas; if they had just expanded these segments, and cut out some of the repetitive stretches of laboratory hallway, it would've been enough.

The combat wont be for everyone, but I personally appreciated the way this game makes you take advantage of your entire arsenal. I made constant use of all my tools; even the slippery grenades. The shotgun in particular gets a lot of flack, and while its spread is unbelievably loose, it is honestly overpowered in the right situations. With proper usage, it even can make mince-meat out of Hell Knights. The weapons have their kinks, but since it is a horror game, I'm going to take these as deliberate decision, especially considering they aren't objectively terrible, just quirky. I will admit, there are way too many ammo types. They should've at least consolidated pistol ammo with the chain-gun.

I did appreciate the expanded narrative the game provides, and some of the flavor text is fun, but the pace of the game is so fast, it really demotivates me from reading any of it. Most of the time, I was skimming through logs, worried about getting ambushed by a monster closet (it doesn't seem like the game pauses while your PDA is out, though I may be wrong). When I'd have an audio log play in the background, half of the time, the loud combat would drown out everything that the characters were saying. My only other option would be stopping entirely listen to it for about one or two minutes. So, neat idea, but I don't think this game quite pulls it off.

As a horror game, it isn't necessarily scary, but it is undeniably tense. As mentioned earlier, weapons aren't always reliable, and this definitely adds pressure while playing. Having played through the original release, I had to deal with the flashlight, and while it was definitely stressful, it never felt unfair. This game is absolutely littered with monster closets, but they're always filled with fodder, and as long as you aren't going in guns blazing in the earlier areas, you shouldn't be seeing any unfair deaths. I felt like mentioning, Dead Space clearly takes a ton of inspiration from this game, but I think when it comes to horror atmosphere, DOOM 3 does it better (than the 2008 release; I haven't played the remake). I hate to say it, but I think the former mostly takes from this game's least effective scares.

It's hard to ignore the fact that future DOOM titles take so much from this game. I was completely surprised by this, honestly! In some ways, they definitely make it their own, but this game is where the foundation was built, in a lot of ways. DOOM 3 is a vital part of the series. It definitely doesn't feel like Classic DOOM, but in a lot of ways, Modern DOOM feels like 3. Love it or hate it, you have to respect the roadwork this game laid down for what was to come. Either way, not everything this game delivered is bad; this game surprisingly does a lot of things well. Though I came out with a good amount of complaints, I can overall appreciate it for what it is, and I'm glad I managed to get to this one.