ChillaxingJay

I didn't know what to expect when I started to play this game, so I was pleasantly surprised when 13 Sentinels decided to take me on a wild rollercoaster ride. Despite the game essentially being one half visual novel and the other half being a tactics battle simulator, it's a genuinely amazing game. The painterly artstyle and various shading techniques makes the game look like an immaculate moving painting, surpassing any other visual novel I've played. But probably the game's strongest asset is the absolutely insane story and the fantastically unique, varied, and memorable cast of main characters. The story is a convoluted blend of sci-fi and anime tropes that somehow manages to constantly subvert all expectations and has a series of never-ending twists that are more puzzling yet exciting than the last. But I will say, the story can seem needlessly complicated at times, and by the end of the game my brain felt fried. But the journey is completely worth it since the game delivers an ending that perfectly wraps up everything with a nice little bow. It's honestly impressive how this game was able to create 13 different protagonists that are all memorable in their own way. I'll admit I preferred some characters storylines much more than others, but each character has a very compelling story that end up being entertaining in their own right. Stellar voice cast too. Shout out to Hijiyama, Minami and Yakushiji for having my personal favorite storylines. I've never wanted to try Yakisoba Pan as much as I did after this game. The battle system is pretty fun as well and I found myself thoroughly enjoying planning out my Sentinel units' attacks on a virtual battlefield. Although I'll admit, some missions can be very overwhelming at times and have some crazy difficulty spikes. But it's not too much of a problem since the battle difficulty can be changed at any time. Overall, this is a game I would highly recommend to anyone as it's an unforgettable gaming experience.

So I had heard for years about the fascinating series that is the DrakeNier series and how insane Yoko Taro is. And when Nier Automata came out, I heard nothing but great things about the game, and after seeing 2B, I can tell you I was hooked on checking out the game. However, I never had a PS4 so I went years unable to play it. Thankfully, unbeknownst to me, the game got a Switch port a few years ago and when I discovered that, I immediately bought the game. I even did my homework, watching playthroughs of Drakengard 1, 3, and Nier (I know I would've hated playing those games myself) so I could better appreciate Nier Automata's but also get acquainted with the insane lore of the Yoko Taro-verse, which I found to be endlessly fascinating. I even indulged in the Nier-related side content like reading the novellas, listening to the audio dramas, and watching a stage play, that's how deep I got in there. Needless to say, once I finally started to play Nier Automata, I instantly fell in love with the game, being a huge Platinum Games fan, the game was just so damn fun to play. I was enthralled by the super depressing story and learning about the events of post-Nier, which the game had a ton of great callbacks to, making my investment in familiarizing myself with Nier specifically all worth it. One of my favorite characters from Nier returns just to show how even more painfully tragic his life has gotten, making me feel so bad for them. It's great! Do I even need to mention how this has some of the best music in all of gaming, which isn't surprising since Nier did as well, but they really went out to make some immaculate music that is art at its finest. I spent over 50 hours doing tons of side content and upgrading my weapons before finally reaching Ending E, and I won't spoil anything, but that was such an amazing moment that signified Nier Automata as one the best games ever made. I would say this is a perfect game with good graphics, tragic characters, a gripping narrative, immaculate music, and incredibly enjoyable action gameplay. However, my only gripes are the aerial battles going on for too long and becoming boring at times, and a few hacking puzzles being infuriating at times. But I would say those are minor nitpicks when looking at the game as an overall package, and like I said before, this is one the greatest games I have ever played. I applaud Yoko Taro and Platinum Games for delivering a masterpiece like this.

I actually played the first ⅛ of the original P5 on the PS3, enjoying it very much. But due to sudden changes in my life, I had to pack my PS3 and P5 in storage for a while. And while it was in storage, someone decided to break into my storage unit and steal my PS3 along with my games and P5. So I spent years waiting for my chance to get back into Persona 5 so I could finish it. However, during that time, Atlus released Persona 5 Royal which contained tons of new content and quality of life improvements, just as they had done with Persona 3 FES and Persona 4 Golden. I still didn't have a PS3 or PS4 at this point, but I eventually got a Nintendo Switch. And my prayers were finally answered when Persona 5 Royal got a Switch port, which meant I could complete Persona 5 once and for all, making my efforts to avoid spoiling the entirety of P5 by watching a playthrough on YouTube. I honestly got very lucky that it all worked out this way since I got the DEFINITIVE Persona 5 experience and I wouldn't have it any other way. I know I'm late to the party and it's very obvious, but this game is absolutely incredible. Easily the most fun and stylish JRPG I have ever played, nothing has ever and will probably never top just how much style and elegance they put into Persona 5. From the outstanding UI, to the cool battle animations, and of course the undeniably catchy and spunky music by Shoji Meguro; this game is just oozing with swagger. The story and main cast of characters are certainly strong in their own right as well. I really like a lot of the dynamics between the Phantom Thieves and enjoyed all of the countless funny and wholesome moments of the gang hanging out together. My only issue being that some characters kinda got shafted in terms of screen time and character development, with Haru (best girl) being a prime example. And in Royal, they added another member who feels so disconnected from the main cast until the very tail-end of the game. I've heard people joke that Marie's addition from P4 Golden felt like Poochie from the Simpsons, but I would say the Poochie in this game is the Poochie-est Poochie of them all. Unfortunately, I did get spoiled on some things like who the traitor is and the fact that a certain important narrative character ends up getting their own palace and boss fight. But thankfully, there was a few twists I had no idea about which was a pleasant surprise. It's hard to tell what they added and improved from Persona 5 since I played so little of it, but I can certainly feel Atlus using all that Persona money in the budget of this game. It's a massive whopper **** with at least a hundred hour time commitment to the game just to beat it. And I'll even admit, I was starting to feel burned out during the last month of the game. But I'm glad I powered through it and didn't give up because the finale of Royal truly knocked it out of the park. There's a single moment during the last boss fight that sold me on how much I truly enjoyed this fantastic gem ****. I will admit though, as spectacular as Persona 5 Royal is, I can't deny that I still enjoy Persona 3 much more. It's probably because it was my first Persona game and I just really enjoyed the moody emo vibes of that game more than the brighter tone in both P4 and P5. And it's kinda impossible to surpass the climax and ending of Persona 3 in my eyes, but this game is definitely a worthy contender as I liked the final confrontation way more than the one from Persona 4. Regardless, Persona 5 Royal is still one of the most stylish games ever made and deserves all the praise and recognition it received. I should honestly thank Persona 5 because if it didn't blow up upon release, I would've missed out on what would become one of my favorite game series of all time. Persona 5 Royal easily stole my heart just like everyone else. Also **** whoever made that STUPID color puzzle in the last dungeon, I almost gave up beating the game because it annoyed me so badly.

So, this is probably my most decisive game in the series for me. On one hand: the game looks amazing and at the time was the pinnacle of videogame graphics, the gameplay is the most refined its ever been and the most enjoyable to play, and the last act of the game is an amazing end to the Metal Gear Series. But on the other hand: the story kinda gets too ridiculous at some points (even for Metal Gear), I have mixed feelings about the fate of many characters from the series, and the Beauty and the Beast bosses are the creepiest parts of the game, like they legit made me feel uncomfortable with how proactive the gratuitous camera angles were. And some of the cutscenes go on for WAY too long. It feels like nobody reigned in Kojima and he kinda a George Lucas moment. However, like I said, he nails the landing in the last act of the game. There are three moments in particular, one of them being the final boss fight, that are some of the most iconic moments in videogame history. So, despite its flaws, I more or less enjoyed the final game in the Metal Gear series. Kojima, you're pretty good.

So, when I finally beat MGS1 and got to this game I was legitimately curious how my feelings for it would be. The only thing I knew about this game is the fact you play as a new character for most of the game instead of the one we truly wanted to play as. But once I got to this game, I loved it even more than the first game in every way. The gameplay mechanics were so much better and made my experience through the game much more enjoyable than the first. The graphics look incredible for a PS2 game and hold up exceptionally well to this day in my opinion. The story is such **** and legitimately insane, but I still love it for that reason. And, man, it's eerie how Kojima was able to predict the way society today would become with the advancement of technology and the introduction of the internet. In regards to Raiden, I believe he was way too overhated, I personally think he's a great character and a good videogame protagonist. While I too would've loved to play as Snake the entire time, Raiden still adds a lot to the story by being a different character. With all the technological advancements provided by the upgrade to PS2 software, you can really see Kojima and his team pushing the boundaries of gaming once again. Also, that last third of the game is one of the most unforgettable experiences while playing a game I ever went through, it's honestly worth playing on that moment alone. So, if you have already played the first game, I highly recommend playing through this fantastic game, especially if you love Metal Gear.

I finally got around to this series after hearing so much praise about it for years. I eneded up buying the Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection for my PS3 and played each game back to back. Starting off with this one, despite how dated it could be at times, I was still able to recognize just how amazing this game was upon release. It's incredibly ambitious in the way that it successfully feels like you are playing a game that is essentially one long movie. The music, the voice acting, the writing and dialouge, the cutscenes, all of it is top notch, especially for a PS1 game. And I enjoy how meta the game can be at times, especially in the boss fight with Psycho Mantis and the code you have to look for on the back of the box of the physical game case. However, it did have some glaring flaws for me, mostly being the outdated gameplay. Some of the battles and certain enemy encounters were incredibly difficult for me, not because of the game's difficulty but the game's controls; with some of the bosses, and last few final bosses being the prime examples. Also, I wasn't a fan of the torture sequence that forced me to nearly break my hand by mashing my controller (I thought KH2's final boss was bad with that but this easily took the cake). Despite the few flaws, I absolutely believe this is the best PS1 game ever made, truly pushing the limits of what could be achieved both in the PS1 hardware but also just the gaming medium in general. And the story itself is not only amazing for a video game, but it's an amazing story just in general with many a truth found beneath its layers and topics that are still relevant to this day. This is definitely a game that is worth playing as it, and this series in general, is an experience like no other.

One of the most hilarious takes on a videogame I've ever played, which should be expected from the South Park creators. Loved how the game felt like an actual episode of the show while still being a fun gaming experience. And I enjoyed the ability to travel through the world of South Park. There were a few segments of the game where the gameplay was janky and annoying and there were a few bugs. But other than that, it's a hilarious experience especially if you're a South Park fan.

Unfortunately, the fandom has ruined my open appreciation of Undertale, but I still really love the game. Playing through Undertale at the time of its release before it blew up was such an experience. I had never played a game that made me feel the way Undertale did. And I honestly wish I was able to relive the experience time and time again as it was so fun. I really liked many of the main cast of characters, especially Papyrus and Undyne. And the meta story is so unique that I legit enjoy it. The sprite work isn't amazing or anything, but the incredible story and killer OST help carry the game. Seriously, Toby Fox is a musical genius and the Undertale OST is definitely up there as one of my favorite gaming OSTs of all time. Also, as someone who hopes to one day perhaps make a game of my own, I actually admire Toby Fox as an indie dev, considering how successful this game became.

I honestly think this was the first game that made me feel like I was playing a movie, or more aptly, a moving painting. A legendary tale of a small boy taking down godlike colossi. At the time this game came out and I played it, I was legitimately blown away by the stunning graphics, mysterious setting, and intriguing story. And the amazing OST just brings this masterpiece **** together beautifully. If someone were to ask, "Are videogames art?" I would show them his game as the perfect example of videogames as an art form. A game like this only comes once in a lifetime and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who hasn't played it to experience this artistic gem. Also Aggro is a real one, definitely the most loyal horse in all of gaming.

I missed out on the MGS hypetrain for a good chunk of my life, but I had always heard high praise of this series for the longest time. I eventually got to play the whole series back to back a couple years ago after picking the MGS collection for PS3. Personally, it kinda got overhyped for me, but I was still able to enjoy them enough. But the game I liked the most was Snake Eater. I definitely found it to be the most fun MGS game to play. From the tight and innovative stealth gameplay to the long ass movie-like cutscenes, it was a legit blast to play through. And whenever I feel like playing an MGS game (other than Revengeance) I usually play this one. I also found the story of this one the most easy to understand compared to some of the other MGS games (like seriously, MGS2's third half is wild) And I wont forget to mention that "Snake Eater" is **** stellar and is one of the great videogame soundtracks to ever be made. Honestly feels like this was peak MGS and none of the games that were made afterwards ever surpassed it. It's also my favorite Genius Kojumbo game.

Funnily enough, DMC2 was my first DMC game. And after reaching that boss that was a weird building with a face, I quit and sold the game, thinking this series was lame. And it wasn't until someone told me I had played the worst DMC in the series that I gave it a second shot with DMC3. And I'm sure glad I did, because as my first intro to a legit character action game (idk if KH2 counts) it was so much fun. I love Dante as a character and thought his introduction in the game with the Pizza and demons was the coolest **** ever, even if it's ridiculously over the top. But that's what made me really love the story, especially the cutscenes. And I thought the rival battles with Dante and Vergil were the sickest boss fights ever, and in many ways they still are. I also love the overtly edgy metal music of this game, and Devils Never Cry is still kickass regardless. I still play this game all the time as it's definitely my favorite DMC game (even tho I've yet to play 4 or 5 )

While not my first Pokémon game (Diamond is my first which was also goated, tho Platinum was a better version for sure), this is definitely my favorite. As a fan who grew up on the Gen 1 & 2 anime, I was very excited to play this game when I finally did. I had never played the original GB games so it was awesome discovering things like Johto and Kanto being connected in one game and how you battle Red as the game's final boss. Plus I always liked Lugia's design which is why I chose this version over HeartGold. And probably my favorite feature of the game was the ability to let one of your Pokémon follow you in the overworld like the way Ash's Pikachu did. Not to mention the OST is kickass. This was also the game where I tried completing the Pokédex and catching every Pokémon I could legitimately, without having any friends to trade with or using hacks. Ironically enough tho, I tried using a friend's Action Replay to get legendaries but it corrupted my save file, losing years of progress. Which led my dumbass to sell my original copy. And seeing how expensive it is to buy a legit copy of SoulSilver now, I deeply regret doing that…

This is such a beautiful game and probably my favorite JRPG of all time. I really liked Earthbound too, but Mother 3 is on a whole other level. The story is emotional and incredibly heartbreaking but still can be very silly and cute. The characters are fun, memorable, and super relatable. Making sad moments even more depressing. And I'll even admit this game made me teary eyed multiple times. I even cried during the game's final hours (I mean how can you not?) The music is very catchy and is filled with countless bangers (Master Porky's Theme goes hard but Theme of Love is my favorite ) and the game even has a unique battle system where you get additional hits on enemies if you time your button presses to the battle song's beat. Which I find really fun and I wish more games did that. I understand why it will probably never get an official NA release considering some of the themes in this game but I still would highly recommend everyone play this game with an emulator and English patch. It's definitely worth playing even if you never played Earthbound or Mother 1.

This game was my first Persona game and it's still my favorite in the series. As a JRPG fan, this blew me away with unique qualities I rarely saw in the JRPGs I had played so far. From the stylistic menus and unique anime artstyle to the kickass OST that even had a dude rapping over sick beats, I got hooked pretty easily. The cast is super memorable and endearing as you see them grow over the story. With the narrative also being very interesting and pretty dark at times. The day cycle that takes place over a year and all the social links were really cool to me as I had never played a game like this before (closest example at the time being TWEWY). And I also liked the fact that not only do you summon Personas in battle to fight for you (which are basically just Stands, which I really enjoy being a JoJo fan) but that those summons are characters from various regions and folklore, which I thought was neat. I'm very happy I played this game because not only did it introduce me to Persona, but the SMT series as a whole which quickly became my favorite JRPG series of all time.

My intro to the Fallout series was F3. I had never played anything like it before so it blew my mind. Plus I really loved the post-apocalyptic setting. So when I discovered New Vegas was a thing and it was just a massively better version of F3, I absolutely adored the game. I loved the setting of the Mojave way more than the Capital Wasteland; the characters and party members were super memorable (I even used that Veronica glitch where you can essentially have the whole squad with you, breaking the game); the fantastic dialog and player choice options; the banger radio soundtrack (Jingle Jangle being my favorite song); and the super fun side quests made it a game I could play for hundreds of hours and never get bored of. I've yet to complete this game to this day (a long story) but I am always happy to play it. Hopefully to completion someday.

As someone who grew up on the PS2 GTA games, this is definitely my favorite GTA game of all time. Being a Cali resident my whole life, I love the setting immensely. Plus this game felt like it had the biggest map with three different cities in one GTA game. Not to mention CJ is the best protag. And as a fan of classic hood movies, I loved the story of this game as well. Not to mention, they really brought all the bangers for their Radio stations in this one. Even if it looks a bit rough nowadays, San Andreas still holds up super well and is peak GTA for me. Also, my Dad and I used to play this game together when I was a kid, so I have some sentimental attachment to this GTA in particular.

This is probably nostalgia bias, but not only is this my favorite childhood game, it's my favorite game of all time. From the super fun action gameplay (especially the boss battles) to the godlike OST (all the boss tracks were sick too), Kingdom Hearts II is the best KH game and the series peaked here honestly. The story is even easy to follow in this one (for the most part), especially compared to games that'd come after this one. Plus the game's final boss battle is one of the most epic moments from my childhood. I've replayed this game countless times over the years and it looks pretty impressive for a PS2 game. I'll never get tired of this timeless classic.

Very fun and cute game. Only issue is that even on hard mode its a pretty easy game. Still enjoyed it regardless. 7.5/10