they don't make them like this anymore, man. everything about final fantasy x bleeds unfettered confidence and an uncontrollable optimism for games as a medium of art and entertainment alike; not only did kitase and his posse clearly believe video games could Be More but they were doing everything in their power to make those dreams corporeal, to make the future of games become a "here and now" rather than some distant aspiration that video games could one day hope to touch. it's really funny how hallmark western titles like braid or the last of us that would come in the ballpark of a decade later were lauded as "games finally being art," or kojima's insistent and insensitive portrayals of sexual assault in metal gear solid v to apparently "validate" games as art suggest an insecurity in the form, a need to prove itself, when squaresoft in their prime knew games were something special and were putting in all the legwork they could to make people see that and had been doing that since the eighties.

though i treasure final fantasy xvi, i can't help but look at it as having fallen to the same insecurity i alluded to in the aforementioned western titles - which makes ffx's confidence in itself and celebration of its own achievements all the more commanding of respect and admiration. yoshi-p wanted a return to a more conventional fantasy setting so he neutered a lot of the whimsy and off-the-wall wackiness from final fantasy for a grim-and-grisly dark fantasy setting inspired by the hot-button fantasy stories of the era such as game of thrones and god of war. what did kitase do whenever his fanbase demanded a return to a traditional european fantasy setting? he acted in direct defiance of that and instead looked to the folklore, customs, cultures and traditions of east and southeast asia (in particular okinawa) and started from the ground up, sculpting every aspect of the game to make something unlike anything final fantasy had ever seen or would ever see again. that even bleeds into its storytelling - sure, final fantasy x gets a lot of flak as the "goofy" one due to tidus's infamous laugh (fuck you it's one of the best romance scenes in all of final fantasy) or its loud-and-proud nature as a product of the turn of the millenia, but i think this is probably final fantasy's most gripping and eloquent political narrative... even and especially in comparison to the more "serious" political final fantasy games such as tactics, xii and (again) xvi. while a lot of political narratives in jrpgs tend to more broadly broach abstract ideas about classism, imperialism and war, final fantasy x's politics are rooted firmly in okinawa's historical relationship with mainland japan and the ties therein with institutional religion in modern-day japan. it's an aggressively japanese game in just about every manner, to the point where i can't help but wonder if there's a tie between ffx being the laughingstock of the series in the mid-to-late 00s and the really racist hatred of japanese games in the west during the seventh console gen... hmm

speaking of the seventh gen and onward it feels like every single way that developers try to flex the power of their hardware and their grasp over it is just graphics, graphics, graphics, to the point where we're getting diminishing returns and the games just flatly don't look all that great because they're bereft of visual direction and identity. i'm not really gonna do much talking about x's graphics (although this is STILL probably one of the best-looking ps2 games, especially those fmvs - oh my god!)... again, compensating for something, forgetting what makes games what they are. like yeah, games are a medium of art capable of conveying powerful messages and emotions like any other medium, but games are fun too! and man, what a better way to flex the capabilities of the recently-launched playstation 2 by making final fantasy x a GAME's game on top of all the shit it has to say as a story. there's so much shit to do in this game, man. it seems like every other nook and cranny has some minigame, sidequest or post-game content for you to sink your teeth into, squaresoft just packing all this random bullshit into this game because they COULD. like fuck, did you know there's a butterfly hunting minigame in the macalania lake? i sure as hell didn't until this playthrough!

i can't help but mourn what games have become and the state of the industry over the past decade and some change. square enix is a shell of its former self between its unbelievably slimy business practices and the increasingly-cynical nature of its output and middling quality of its games. final fantasy x seems like a relic of a bygone era that we can never return to, a reminder of better times, and a testament to the potential that video games in the AAA sphere have broadly failed to live up to.

but - true to the game's main message - final fantasy x also acts as a reminder of what games can be, what we can hope for and expect out of games, and a reminder that games are not inherently as rotten as the industry nowadays would lead you to believe. who knows? i certainly don't, but i also don't want to just give up and accept the stagnation that games have broadly been reduced to, or resign myself that this spiral of cynical corporate product-pushing is all that there is.

and i don't have to, really. the glory days of the aaa sphere might be over, but making games (and sharing them) is easier than ever. the titans of tomorrow are getting their start now with nothing more than their passion for the medium and a desire to connect with people whose passion matches theirs. ultimately, that's what brings people together to begin with: shared convictions, shared faith, shared ideals and shared love for their favorite things in the world.

and when that love brings people together and unites them in a common belief, thus enabling them to exert their will upon the world at whatever scale their numbers and determination allow for... things change. isn't it wonderful?

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 throws its player in the most lively version of NYC we’ve ever gotten to swing around. And to keep up with the hustle and bustle of it all, we’re given some new unique abilities to get around just as fast as you’d need to as the city’s hero.

Theres a ton of new mechanics to unpack, in addition to more than a few changes to its combat. I love all of the new traversal mechanics. Not only do they feel organic to use, but they make getting around more exhilarating than it was in the first game… which is wild considering how fantastic it was to begin with.

The combat is still incredible. The skill trees are wonderful. I loved using the Symbiote suits. The combat feels friggin awesome. I can also understand why they chose to replace or change certain elements of the combat mechanics to fit with the way the new suits work. I can’t deny that I do still miss the old web mechanic. Choosing which webs I wanted to use while fighting my enemies was really nice.

But hey, if I want that combat mechanic so bad I can just go play the other two amazing games instead. I love that I can play as Peter or Miles at almost anytime. There’s just enough different about the two of them to keep the combat distinguishable. I do wish the story had more Miles involved, as it was very Peter heavy… but considering the direction it looks like they’re taking, I probably won’t have that complaint forever.

They try juggling so much here, and while so much of it is fun, I do think the narrative lacks some substance as a result. It’s a real shame considering how strong of an emotional core both of the other two games have. I think it also suffers from an over abundance of cliché character writing. I couldn’t buy into certain character emotions as they felt like a hard left turn from what we’d been seeing throughout the game… and the buildup didn’t necessitate the changes.

It also worries me for the future as there’s a lot that’s been set up going forward… and I’d love if they stripped things back a little bit and focus on a more singular character driven story the next time around. Not to pretend like this wasn’t character driven. Just a little unfocused.

The pacing isn’t the best either. There’s like, no boss battles in the first half of the game, and nothing but boss battles in the back half. It was really strange. But shiiiit. Every one of them was really damn good. There’s so much goddamn potential for this to reach the narrative heights of the first game… I just think it gets in its own way of doing so. Regardless, it’s a hell of an experience. One that I feel lucky, and honored to have been through.

I have so many thoughts and feelings that I’m having a difficult time putting into words, so I’ll keep it short. While it’s got its issues, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 does get enough right between its gameplay and story to be a memorable and thrilling experience for any fan of the character, along with those who just want to play a great video game.

On one hand, this game is an absolute mess. The mechanics are either explained poorly or not explained at all, battles mostly come down to spamming recovery items, moving between screens has a chance of having a hostile Digimon walk into you and initiate a battle before the screen fades back in, the translation is rough to say the least, et cetera et cetera. I can absolutely see how this could be called a bad game, and why it reviewed relatively poorly at release and is still seen as an incomprehensible chore to those outside its cult following.

However, having just finished it for the first time as a relatively new Digimon fan with zero childhood nostalgia for this game or this franchise, I must say that Digimon World is one of the most charming games I've ever played. The process of raising Digimon is cryptic, yes, but it is incredibly rewarding once you understand it (or, like me, are using a guide). The Digimon themselves are modeled very well by PS1 standards, there's a lot of personality behind their animations and sounds. Mojyamon's increasingly happy dances as you trade with him, Muchomon's confident little strut, Airdramon adorably curling up to sleep, all these little touches that add such life to these creatures without a single word of dialogue. But even then, the Digimon that do talk are equally charming. From little things like how Tanemon and Palmon remark about how relaxed they are sitting in their little plant pots, or Patamon's sudden curt and near monosyllabic way of speaking to you after getting a job as a shopkeeper, to larger quests such as Myotismon becoming so caught up in his research that he forgets to eat - nearly passing out in the process, or Ogremon trying to seek forgiveness after his game-long rivalry with you. These characters aren't the most fleshed-out ever written or anything, but they are definitely oozing with personality.
The main hub area, File City starts out pretty empty. Just a run-down house for Jijimon, an empty item bank, a toilet, a gym and a garden. But slowly, as you recruit more Digimon to the City, more buildings and NPCs are added. I tell you, few things in video games are as satisfying as coming back from a tough journey and finding out someone you met on said journey has opened up a new shop. Watching File City grow into a true haven is incredibly rewarding, to the point that I went out of my way to recruit every Digimon in the game to reach 100 prosperity points. Adding to that, the scenarios in which you recruit the Digimon to the city are all incredibly memorable. Some are a chore, namely the 5% chance encounters and Monochromon's godforsaken store minigame, but for the most part it's fun. Storming the Ogremon's numerous bases, Exploring the Grey Lord Mansion, Liberating Toy Town from the villainous WaruMonzaemon, going Curling with Penguinmon, there's hardly a dull moment.

I also want to give credit to the excellent atmosphere. The areas you explore feel simultaneously natural and unnatural. The dense jungles, open savannas, rocky cliffs and vast lakes are all filled with bizarre tech anachronisms. LED Signs built into the ground, outlets coming out of rocks, a mysterious invisible bridge, random PC terminals littered around, it's just so unusual and intriguing. These visuals combined with a soundtrack that ranges from environmental ambience to upbeat techno leads to a world that feels truly unique to explore.

Highly recommended, with a guide and a good amount of patience.

-IN MEMORIAM: THE DIGIMON WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES TO HELP SAVE FILE ISLAND-
Grimbo the MetalMamemon (2022-2023)
Flipsy the Megadramon (2023-2023)
Donut the HerculesKabuterimon (2023-2023)
Frank the Monzaemon (2023-2023)
Chili the MetalGreymon (2023- ) (he is still alive)