This game truly feels like a culmination and celebration of every single Yakuza game to come before it. I can’t express how much I love these characters. Ichiban and Kiryu are, quite simply, the perfect protagonists. Taking a trip down memory lane with Kiryu and seeing all of the people he’s affected throughout his life was such a special experience and had me on the verge of tears multiple times. Ichiban has once again proven how much of an amazing protagonist he is. The Like a Dragon series is in the right hands. As Kiryu said “I'll take on the Yakuza's past. But you... I want you to handle their future.”

I wasn’t as huge on the story in this game compared to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which felt way more personal. Overall, it had much better pacing and a more compelling villain. Everything else though? Unmatched. The combat in this game is spectacular. It takes what was built previously in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and expands on it tenfold. Simply being able to move opens so many more opportunities for dealing with different enemies. Whether it be combos, weapons, or lineups; it lets you be more tactical with your moves. The amount of jobs to choose from adds even more crazy and outlandish attacks that had me dying when I first used them. I literally cooked these Japanese men in a giant wok and then served them on a plate as a move. What other game is doing this? Also, being able to say “fuck this” and break free of the turn-based shackles as Kiryu with Dragons Resurgence is S-tier.

This series holds a special place in my heart and I know whatever RGG cooks up next is going to absolutely destroy me.

Hollow Knight is one of the greatest metroidvanias of all-time. Getting lost in this beautiful world and slowly unravelling the mysteries of Hallownest’s past made me want to never stop exploring. The score and art really elevate the beauty of this game. From the dreary and terrifying depths, to the melancholic and pensive city of tears; each and every area has its own unique and different feel. Finding a new ability or charm is always around the corner and by the end of the game you feel like an absolute beast. Everything from the movement to the combat is so buttery smooth and it makes fighting the endless supply of amazing bosses such a blast. Once you figure out their patterns it’s like an elegant dance between the two of you. This game is incredible and I cannot rave about this game enough. The fact that this game was made by THREE people is beyond impressive. Play this game.

Silksong, I don’t know if you even exist, but I am ready.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game I've been itching to play for a while now. I've heard so many great things about how well written the story and characters all are, and boy were they right.

Every character in this game feels so real and fully fleshed out. It feels like everyone you encounter has lived a full life up until when you meet them. Each mission adds so much depth to both the characters and to of course Arthur Morgan, who is now without a doubt one of the greatest protagonists in all of gaming for me. The journey and arc this game takes him through is on a whole other level. So expertly crafted and was the highlight of this game for sure. The soundtrack is so perfect, some really impactful scenes get brought to fruition through the use of music. Songs like 'Unshaken' and 'That's The Way It Is' hit me like a ton of bricks when they started playing, not to mention, the final song ‘American Venom’ which perfectly concludes the story.

I really enjoyed the story and much like the characters, the story is written excellently making it hard to believe this is a video game at times. But the side content I think really brings to life the arc the Arthur goes through. I loved the way the world was slowly introduced by chapters. It made the open world less overwhelming and let you fully explore each town before introducing you to the next. The world of Red Dead Redemption is so bustling and the attention to detail in every area of the game is genuinely breathtaking.

But with how expansive the world is, there is a LOT of travelling from marker to marker. Not to mention after going across the map to reach the next mission it begins with even more travelling to the ACTUAL location of the mission. There were a few side missions I wanted to do but ended up not completing due to them being in the middle of nowhere. The gameplay I also thought left more to be desired. The controls feel so clunky and outdated. Simple actions like trying to take cover just straight up don't work at times. Even me riding the horse following someone while I have to shoot at enemies chasing me was just so complicated for no reason.

Overall though, I really enjoyed my time with Red Dead Redemption 2 and can see why it gets the praise it does. I just wish the gameplay matched the other aspects of the game.

It’s hard to believe that this is the first JRPG entry in an action beat-em-up franchise with 7 previous entries, but now it’s hard to imagine anything else. The Yakuza series just works so well as a turn-based RPG and while the combat isn’t perfect, this game's wackiness and absurdity makes up for it. I mean what other game can I attack someone with a fucking laser from outer space?

But as goofy as this game gets, it’s never afraid to get personal and make you care about these amazing characters. I just absolutely adore this cast and Ichiban is the perfect protagonist. Ichiban had some pretty big fucking shoes to fill and he is on the same level, if not better, than Kiryu. Which just makes me even more excited for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth coming later this month. They will be unstoppable.

I came into this game blind, knowing absolutely nothing about it and I'm blown away. I'm not the biggest fan of roguelikes, but a deckbuilding game felt like the perfect mix.

This game was so addicting and I could not put it down. I found the first act of this game amazing and it really pulled me in but the later acts definitely weren't as strong or compelling as the first. That's not to say they were necessarily bad, they just pale in comparison to how great the initial gameplay loop was.

It's hard to talk about this game without diving into spoiler territory, but my expectations were consistently being broken and the amount of twists and turns this game took me through was INSANE. Everyone should experience this game like me, knowing absolutely NOTHING. Play this game.

I don't know. Mechanically, Pikmin 2 is the better game, but overall I think I enjoyed my experience with Pikmin 1 more.

At the beginning, I was really enjoying this game. The Pikmin controlled way better, the addition of another captain made management more fun (but fuck you Louie), and I loved the change from ship parts to real world objects. It really adds to the world building and I love all the little Nintendo easter eggs. I truly thought this was going to be my favourite in the series, but as I kept playing I quickly realized how much more the caves took a priority over the overworld in terms of core gameplay and finding treasures.

This was my main gripe I had with Pikmin 4 as I found the caves, while at first were cool, became stale pretty quickly. I would much rather explore the overworld than these damp, dark caves that all look the same. The RNG factor was also something I wasn't a huge fan of as there were a handful of times where I would have 50 of my Pikmin insta-killed by an enemy due spawning right next to it. Fuck you Gatling Groink.

But as much as I complain about the caves, it's still Pikmin. I love exploring this mysterious world with my army of colourful little shits. Now onto Pikmin 3.

This was the year I really dove into not only the Mario RPG series, but RPG's as a whole. It's a genre of games I never really played before but have really come to love. With the Mario games in particular being super approachable for someone like me. Every time I play one I'm reminded why I love these games. It's always peak vibes with its wacky storylines, loveable characters and satisfying input-turn-based combat. So after playing the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series, it's cool to see how the original laid the foundation for these games.

I played the original for a little bit earlier this year, but didn't get very far. So while I don't have the nostalgia for this game like everyone else, I can appreciate the love and care that went into making this remake as faithful to the original as possible while also giving the graphics a much deserved overhaul. This game is genuinely gorgeous and with the addition of cutscenes it's even more apparent. The pivotal moments, triple moves and boss introductions breathe even more life into the game and really expand upon the story, especially with the extended ending. This game is fantastic and is a must play. I'm glad with this remake even more people will get a chance to experience the greatness that is Super Mario RPG.

I hope with this remake and the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake coming later next year it means we're due for a brand new Mario RPG entry that is more faithful to the originals.

Just as impressive as the first game, but it didn't charm me as much as the original. With that being said, it was still a great experience.

This game is still haunting and disgusting as ever. There are some things my eyes cannot un-see. The pixel art is somehow even better than the first game and really pushes the limits of how painterly pixel art can be. The inclusion of two new weapons was fun to experiment with and adds some interesting platforming sequences, although I wish they explored the platforming even more because the new movement upgrades like Double Jump and Mid-Air Dash makes traversal much more satisfying than the first game. All the bosses were all fucking amazing (besides the final boss) and really made me go into nerd neck mode as I kept getting my ass beat.

The change from pixel art to animated cutscenes can be a little jarring at first but that's something that didn't bother me as much as I played the game more. This time around, I did try to 100% the game but it gets to a point where I'm not trying to refer to a guide for hours to find these little babies in floating capsules. I wish this game marked more things on the map after you discover them, maybe then I would go for the 100%.

Overall, great metroidvania. Highly recommend.

This game is pure art. From the mysterious alien setting, to the atmospheric sound effects and music; both work hand in hand to create the perfect backdrop for this amazing game.

Playing in 1080p felt like I was playing in 4K and the fluid animation further enforces how great this game looks. Being able to carry around these orbs and travel between them creates such a cool dynamic with some cool paradox moments. Before collecting each orb, you're faced with a boss to defeat. I was genuinely blown away by how unique and engaging each one was for a puzzle game. The fidelity in this game is insane.

I was surprised to find myself never getting stuck exploring in this game which just goes to show how great the level design is. It's a great balance of leading you where to go but never holding your hand. Solving puzzles just flows so naturally and using music queues to let you know you're on the right path was a great treat.

Once again, my only complaint with these games are how short they are. But this game is all killer no filler, which I can appreciate. This year has been pretty generous with the amount of puzzle games but this is without a doubt my favourite in terms of overall package.

The sprite work in this game is out of this world. Each enemy is so hauntingly beautiful and the bosses were all super fun. Although, I do wish some of the earlier bosses were a bit more difficult. Every area is so masterfully crafted and really gives you a sense of awe. The dark and desolate city of Cvstodia paired with the religious themes makes for a perfect setting.

Unfortunately, I found the controls to be super janky at times with no room for forgiveness. Getting hit by an enemy and getting stuck in a constant loop of damage until you inevitably die or missing a ledge by a pixel and instantly dying to spikes happened way too often. I found the backtracking not as tedious once you unlock fast travel, but a lot of the quality of life features are hidden behind obscurity.

All in all though, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Blasphemous and cannot wait to try out the sequel!

Overall, this is a great puzzle game with the only major things holding it back being the non-puzzle aspects of it. The introduction of the new mechanics were super fun and really brought a new dynamic to the levels, but I felt the ramping of difficulty was handled much better in the first game. There were the occasional headscratchers that took me a bit to get, but for the most part all of the puzzles felt consistently the same difficulty, even on the last level.

This might just be me, but I liked the approach they took in the first game by making the story being told through text logs, making it non-intrusive and being able to engage in it if you want to. In this game, some goofy robot nerd will stop you dead in your tracks if you get within 100 feet of them. I do not want to ponder the meaning of life you. I just want to solve puzzles. Leave me alone.

The game itself is gorgeous and looks incredible, but the amount of running I had to do was just way too much. It took me the same amount of time solving a puzzle as it did running to the next one at times. My complaints aside, this is a fantastic game with very cool puzzles that really challenge you. If you love puzzle games, this is a must-play!