I quite enjoyed this game! This is the title that started it all for this franchise, and in spite of some aged mechanics, I can see why it is an absolute classic. Although I am visiting from years and years (less than 2000 mind you) after its original 1987 release date... I can see why it was so special for its time. The pixel-remaster refurbishing is admirable, and I think the game can be broached by folks who might not be well acquainted with RPGs should they choose to use the new boost features. This game might be light on deep narrative threads, but the whimsical world of the original Final Fantasy is certainly worth the venture. Although I am new to this beloved game, I am appreciative of its clear influence on many of my favorite games in both my formative years and in the modern day.

Pentiment is a phenomenal achievement in narrative presentation and depth. Josh Sawyer's passion project is filled with unrivaled respect for the many practices, pitfalls, and perspectives that contribute to historical interpretation.

The title of the game itself invokes its thematic nature. Masterfully, Pentiment peels back the layers of Tassing's complicated past over the course of its expertly paced story, just as one might peel back the superficial layer of a painting only to discover a concealed image beneath it. This fictional town could not be better realized and serves as a perfect backdrop for the disturbing series of events that break its apparent peace. Art, music, costume, dialogue and customs of 16th century Bavaria are lovingly brought to life in Pentiment. The lives of Tassing's townsfolk feels organically contextualized and believable, whether they be clergy, peasants, nobles, hermits or professionals. The attention to detail in this game is frankly staggering. Whether it be the encyclopedia of readily accessible historical information or subtle changes in font Pentiment employs to indicate the perceived intelligence of a speaker, there is an impressive effort to constantly teach the player more about the world they are exploring. Andreas Maler serves as the primary protagonist for this game. Beginning as a journeyman artist, you follow him throughout his lifetime as Tassing progresses through time, hardship, and mystery. His perspective is often purposefully equivocal, allowing room for the player to bring their own interpretations to the narrative that unfolds. Additional player agency is delivered via various "backgrounds" and "studies" we can ascribe to Maler. These provide a surprising variety of interesting tools for navigating conversations throughout Pentiment. However, Maler's core beliefs are realized in such a way where it grows easy to become attached to this complicated, imperfect character.

Pentiment pushes the player forward on a compelling narrative path that gives ample space for personal reflection. Thematically, this game is wonderfully ambiguous. It delves into the nuance of meaningful decision-making and the impossible choices perfectly ordinary humans may be faced with, shattering perspectives of "good vs. bad" that we so often see in video game narratives. Assuredly, players will see the profound downstream effects of their actions and choices. The uncertainty behind every answer the player provides is reflective of the time period it is set, and for the uninitiated Pentiment strives to give context to the great social upheavals seen in 16th century Europe. The intricacies of social class, religion, tradition and other integral aspects of society are not spoken of in concrete terms. Pentiment speaks to the human condition as it relates to the faithful interpretation of the historical setting in which it is set. It explores personal legacy by questioning how we develop, pursue or define our dreams, ambitions and happiness. Most uniquely, Pentiment challenges how we view history… it asks us to think more critically about how the history of a place or a group of people becomes known. It asks us to consider how the interpretation of that history alters over time. Of course, it also inquires about how and to what extent our history should be preserved for future generations.

Although not a historian myself, I hold a Bachelor's of Art in History and have a great deal of love for the frameworks we utilize to study the past. Pentiment, in my opinion, is a near-perfect love letter to the subject's strengths, challenges, and values to society. It won't be a game that appeals to everyone, as is the case with most side-scrolling narrative adventures void of combat encounters or striking 3D visuals. For me, it provided what might just be one of my favorite gaming experiences I've ever had.

Ghostwire Tokyo is a good open world jaunt that has memorable atmosphere, stylish combat, and pays great homage to Japanese folklore. Perhaps the biggest flaw of Ghostwire Tokyo is that there is simply "too much" of it. Tokyo's emptiness is haunting and serves the tone of the game, but the copy-pasted open world activities within it reach a point of being laborious, non-contributory bloat. The combat, which is overall very enjoyable, also suffers from "too much" - encounters are dragged out by bullet sponging enemies (especially DLC ones) and long animations. Still, many of the side quests are actually quite interesting. The story too is enjoyable enough, and the overall package is easy to recommend. The Spiders-Thread Update adds an excellent side quest chain in the game (starting with "Fear the Children"). This quest chain was amongst my favorites that Ghostwire offered me, and served as a reminder that although Ghostwire is not a horror game... Tango still can do horror well. The second side quest added is a forgettable collectathon type mission.

Ghostwire Tokyo does not evolve the Ubisoft-style open world formula, however it is a worthy adventure for fans of the genre. The experience is elevated by an intriguing realization of Japanese folklore, a unique premise, and flashy hand-weaving combat.

Final Fantasy XVI is an absolute triumph. This franchise's glorious return is marked by phenomenal action combat, scrupulous attention to world-building, an impeccable OST, and a grandiloquent celebration of all things "Final Fantasy." Although light on the qualities that we would typically attribute to a role-playing game, make no mistake about the veracity of that last assertion. This game, outstanding in its own right, serves as a love letter to the many Final Fantasy games that came before it. Within a new world, with new lore, there is a slew of creatures, names, weapons, themes, and icons of the franchise realized in a reverential manner. The kinetic combat is naturally a departure from previous Final Fantasy games, but it is a terrific venture. Fast-paced, evolving, responsive and flashy… FF XVI's combat provides a power-fantasy that is unapologetically fun. It truly shines in the grandiose boss battles that mark the most iconic moments in Clive Rosfield's journey. Speaking of Clive, he is perhaps one of the best realized protagonists in a video game of recent memory. Ben Starr delivers a superb performance as Clive. The supporting cast of Ralph Ineson, Susannah Fielding, Logan Hannan, and others deliver fantastic efforts as well. Clive's closest companion, Torgal, is of course an absolute standout. In fact, Torgal might just be one of the greatest canine companions in all of video games. It is exceedingly difficult not to be enamored with the cast of Final Fantasy XVI. While some of the earlier side quests feel relatively bland, there are some absolutely phenomenal efforts in the later goings that congeal the complexities of the supporting cast and prompt stronger understandings of their motivations or relationships. I will not delve into the intricacies of these side tales or the main story and overarching narrative here with these thoughts, as inadvertently spoiling what I found to be a special experience is not something I want to risk. Suffice to say, FF XVI embarks players on an emotional and captivating journey.

Clive's journey is truly an epic one: it defined only in part by the before said boss encounters, the thoughtful motivations for the main crew's actions, the stunning locales the game brings you to, and the complexities of a deeply divided society. Final Fantasy XVI's shortcomings are minimal in nature. Difficulty settings aren't particularly well-realized, electing to make enemies more "spongy" rather than tweak the challenge through more meaningful implementations. Performance leaves something to be desired when traversing from mission to mission, generally not holding up in its 60fps performance mode, although more consistent in combat. The last reasonable complaint would be the presence of some filler content, with some side and main quests disrupting pacing and not contributing meaningfully to otherwise wonderful world-building. It cannot be emphasized enough how complex and deeply thought out this world is too. "Active Time Lore" and designated NPCs assure that players may always keep up with the rapid pacing by which you learn more about this world, making it quite approachable in spite of its richness. Further adding to the realization of this world is superb visual fidelity and art direction. By the end of my two playthroughs, my PS5 harddrive was laden with screenshots of FF XVI - it is simply stunning. All of this is packaged together with a moving, transcendent original sound track befitting of the epic nature of the tale FF XVI seeks to tell. Final Fantasy XVI is a phenomenal title that I would recommend to nearly anyone. It represents an inspired return for this beloved franchise, supported by incredible performances and a loving veneration for Final Fantasy's 36 year history.

FFXVI is, without doubt, a fantasy worth witnessing.

Not Breath of the Wild, but certainly a breath of fresh air for this franchise. This game provided a well-realized, albeit technically limited, hub-based world that gave individual Pokémon personality like they've never had before. It was a fascinating game of 'exploration,' where the pure turn-based combat of the series takes a bit of a backburner. There was a solid sense of danger with exploration, also novel for the series, and the Pokédex challenge never before felt so rewarding for those curious enough to tackle it

Pokémon Violet (and thus, Scarlet as well) was a truly surprising video game. I consider that to be a huge compliment, given how unsurprising Pokémon games have been in recent years. Pokémon Violet might just be my favorite mainline game since Black 2 / White 2. These games shined with gorgeous pixel art, progressive gameplay design, QoL features galore, and a continuation of the most compelling narrative of any mainline Pokémon game. Game Freak's transition away from their pixel art days to the world of 3D animation has been… rough. Since the advent of Pokémon X and Y on the 3DS, the mainline games have consistently looked horrendous and at times suffered in performance as well. While Pokémon and character depictions are charming enough in Scarlet/Violet, make no mistake: this is not a good looking video game. The first true "open world" Pokémon game is impressive in its scope but it is marred by horrendous environmental texturing, stuttering frame rate, and subjugation to tediously long animations. On so many levels, this game would generally thrive under whatever conditions could make it run faster and with more consistency. In all honesty, crummy looking shrubbery doesn't harm my enjoyment of a Pokémon game, but boxes in the Pokémon PC staggering the loading of sprites or prolonged animation times do diminish the experience.

A "two steps forward, one step back" formula has followed the series since X and Y. Some QoL improvements arrive, others go away, and so on. Scarlet and Violet shattered this pattern in fairly splendid fashion. These games feel like a true love letter to the franchise, one that was written with the fans' years of feedback largely in-mind. Yes, the dev cycle for these games remains way too constrained, and there are many technical consequences for that. However, these are unequivocally "fun" video games. An expansive open world with 400ish Pokémon littered throughout, an interesting twist of the traditional Pokémon story with a fantastic conclusion, a stellar OST, and countless improvements made in QoL make these standout titles in the series. VGC (the competitive doubles format for the series) and casual audiences are serviced well by a number of these QoL changes, but Singles competitive players still must contend with an obnoxious in-game timer as seen in Sword/Shield. Overall most improvements to the tried and true battle system are appreciated in this game, with subtle buffs provided to Ice Pokémon being one such example.

Catching Pokémon and interacting with them continues to receive streamlining improvements, and the "Let's Go" feature for auto-battles is certainly a nice addition to the franchise. Creature design for the new Pokémon is fantastic, and once again it was wonderful to see old Pokémon revisited through changes to their move- sets, as well as the addition of new forms or evolutions. They are well animated and bustling with personality in and out of the open world. The transition to having all the catchable Pokémon appear in the overworld, as seen with Legends: Arceus earlier this year, is one we can never turn back on. It further adds to the liveliness of Paldea (the fictional region based largely off Spain), and I never grew bored of uncovering new creatures gallivanting about their respective ecosystems. The initial fantasy of these games, sparked for many of us back in the 90s and into the early 2000s, has never felt closer to becoming realized than it does with Scarlet/Violet.

This was a game I truly treasured, although I would never dispute its glaring technical flaws in presentation and performance. I eagerly anticipate DLC, which might give me another chance to spend some time exploring and catching away in the adjunct regions of Paldea.

Had a nightmare the first night I tried this. Still got a Bulbasaur the next morning, which was kinda neat. Funny idea this game, but it asks for too much time.. the systems are a bit convoluted and the tutorial dialogues drag out. It also kind of gives your phone too much of a workout. As far as sleep tracking accuracy goes? There are better options, albeit less gamified. Also, this game weirdly stipulates that "8.5 hours" is the ideal sleep length for a young adult... and this is needed for maximum "points" on a given night, which is strange. Overall, this is an odd package that would have ironically benefited from being more simple.

"DEATHLOOP" is a unique experience built on a wonderfully weird sandbox crafted by Arkane Lyon. The game is linear in nature, but encourages player exploration and exploitation of the many sandbox goodies provided to accomplish an established set of goals. The progression of one's personal familiarity as well as their loot or abilities is satisfying throughout. The "loop" does struggle with some repetitiveness, especially compounded by at-times confusing puzzles or the lack of enemy variety. The repetitive levels are a double-edged sword, in that my familiarity with them actually did lead to genuine enjoyment as I began to master and optimize my routes.

The game is aesthetically top-notch. Quintessential Arkane art direction was on full-display on the island of Blackreef, forgoing AAA hyper-realism in favor of depicting a flamboyant and variegated dystopia. Music and sound both worked to further sell Blackreef's 1960s setting. The OST for the game was solid, with the few songs featuring lyrics also being enjoyable when they appeared in game. Audio queues were often incredibly helpful when engaging with the game's stealth mechanics, but the footstep audio was all over the place in its consistency. One item that was improved in comparison to previous Arkane games was technical performance - the game felt smooth in performance mode and I did not appreciate any notable hiccups. My bugs were minimal, and mostly were associated with the already obtuse UI between missions. I did have one crash in my 33.5 hours with DEATHLOOP (played entirely on my Xbox Series X).

Ultimately, I really enjoyed my time with DEATHLOOP. I continue to believe the folks at both the main Arkane Studios are wicked talented. I loved seeing them adapt some of their unique gameplay mechanics from the Dishonored series into a completely different setting. The abilities in this game are fun and satisfying to wreak havoc (pun-intended) with on the undying Eternalists of Blackreef. The world is weird, wacky, and inundated with many secrets that serve both player intrigue as well as provide practical tools to "end the loop." The game is fairly forgiving, with abundant access to permanent loot preservation early on, so I always felt encouraged go thoroughly explore the many corners of Blackreef. Juliana and Colt's bickering dialogue can be at times exhausting, but I overall enjoyed the zaniness of the game's cast. The game could do with a little more consolidation in its mission structure, as I imagine certain threads in the narrative might be perceived as repetitive or unnecessarily fragmented. Both the menus’ busy UI and the title's aggressive explanation of gameplay mechanics (essentially a prolonged tutorial) will also be to the distaste of some players. Lastly, the scope of this game might feel limited to folks who were big fans of some of Arkane's previous works. DEATHLOOP felt less concerned with providing consistent choice/consequence or branching narratives that evolved based off player behavior (as compared to 2017's "Prey" or the Dishonored series). DEATHLOOP is probably not the game for people looking for an experience that provides player agency to influence the bulk of its narrative.

I will also add that this is a great game for achievement and trophy hunters, with an interesting list that encourages player engagement with the game's many sandbox and narrative offerings. Nothing is missable, and I experienced only one glitched achievement in my play-through that resolved with a replay of the short 5-10min level.

Modern Warfare II pulls on nostalgic strings while bringing the franchise to new, exceedingly bombastic heights in terms of spectacle. Its campaign is filled with the action set-pieces we've grown to expect of the franchise, while also bringing back iconic cast members such as General Shepherd, John "Soap" MacTavish, and Simon "Ghost" Riley. At its best, MWII slows things down and invites a playstyle more akin to a tactical shooter. Smart stealth sequences, including a lovely callback to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare's "All Ghillied Up." Perhaps to its fault, MWII does take great inspiration from the original Modern Warfare Trilogy (which featured games releasing in 2007, 2009, 2011) and hardcore fans of all the 'Modern Warfare' games will appreciate the subtle and obvious callbacks that litter this entry.

The story if for the most part an enjoyable, well-paced romp. The campaign is not quite as intriguing as the one we saw in its 2019 predecessor. This campaign outing does not speak to the gravity of war and conflict to the same extent we saw in CoD: Modern Warfare (2019). It also struggles to develop its protagonists in a meaningful capacity, despite them being interesting characters at baseline. However, Modern Warfare II excels in other departments. The setting is dynamic and provides unprecedented environmental diversity with breathtaking visual fidelity and care. Even the shortest of mission sequences have a blockbuster levels of tenacious detail. Multifarious mission design invites players to explore and traverse this campaign utilizing many different mechanics. This does result in some peaks and valleys in the overall experience, in my opinion. Not all facets of MW II's game design are equal in fun factor or quality. For example, I found some of the water traversal sequences to be excellent, but my experience was contrastingly marred by questionable vehicular encounters. Sound design feels incredibly high budget, further serving to sell the immersion already offered by the game's stunning visuals. The gunplay and performance has never been better. Modern console hardware runs this game at a smooth, responsive 120fps and offers a much appreciated FoV slider.

This franchise is nearly two decades old, but MW II has managed to deliver a truly contemporary first-person shooter that's core gameplay that outclasses all of its predecessors in its core gameplay and technical performance. Prior to 2019, it felt as though Call of Duty was on the downtrend, but MW II serves as a zestful reminder that this franchise is bigger and more relevant than ever. I fully expect MW II to captivate the masses and dominate the FPS space for the next couple years. Spec Ops, core multiplayer, and Warzone 2.0 should only further solidify MW II as the most definitive Call of Duty experience to date.

Campaign Review: 8.0 / 10.0 ★★★★ - Great
Multiplayer / Spec Ops Review: TBD

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will go down as one of the finest action-adventure games of recent memory and earns its spot as one of the best AAA Star Wars games. It is filled with heart, joy, sorrow and a resolute respect for the universe it takes place in. Cal Kestis is better fleshed out in this sequel, and the supporting cast are fantastic. As a sequel, Survivor improves upon its predecessor in almost every way. Exploration and level-design are elevated, with worlds that are truly stunning. The combat is refined, rewarding and well realized. The level of customization in this game is truly admirable, from cosmetics to accessibility. This game's greatest flaw, in my eyes, will likely be a transient one. As of the time of this writing, the game does have notable performance issues. On Koboh, the main hub world in which Survivor takes place, performance absolutely chugs in the open world… screen tearing and jarring fluctuations in frame rate hurt the experience but ultimately the game shines through in face of these issues. There is a certain level of swashbuckling adventure to this game, like one might expect from the Uncharted games. However this is accompanied by the Metroidvania-style roots established by Jedi: Fallen Order and a stellar combat system that outshines any prior attempt at depicting the Jedi power fantasy in the gaming medium. Jedi: Survivor is a special game that admirably carries on one of the best Star Wars stories in the past couple decades. Should Respawn pursue a "Star Wars: Jedi" trilogy, the third game will have gargantuan shoes to fill… and I will once again be there to greet it, day one.

This is a pretty awesome season so far. The content cadence has been great, with events and meaningful playlist updates being made quite regularly. Infection made a triumphant return with interesting tweaks to its base mode. New maps, both from Forge creators and 343i have largely been great. "Squad Battle" 8v8 is a resounding success... this is some of the most fun I have had playing Halo Infinite since launch. If you ever wondered if adding Infinite's sandbox to Rat's Nest and Valhalla would be awesome, the answer is "yes." Troublesome bugs have been quashed with this season, including settings resets. However, de-sync remains an issue. Other complaints include the slow rollout of "cross-core" cosmetics, the banshee continuing to feel like a papier-mâché plane (desperately needs a defensive and offensive buff), and missing modes (griffball, assault, etc).

Upon completing the S4 battlepass, I was at the Gold Cadet Grade III Career Rank. The career system is a welcomed addition to Halo Infinite. The custom games browser is also a reliable source of a great time. I aim to continue to play this season, working towards platinum career tier, and am eager to see "Husky Raid" return as 343i promised. The new live service leadership has Halo going in the right direction.

A truly wonderful, triumphant reimagining of an absolute classic. Without having played the original FF7, I may only comment so much on how this game evolved and pivoted away from its original story, but I can at least say I am hooked. The characters are brought to life fantastically, with superb performances throughout. The combat system, a mix of turn-based as well as fast paced action, is sublime. In proceeding through the "hard" difficulty play-through, I grew to appreciate just how complex and refined this system truly is. It is especially important to commend the visuals and soundtrack on display here, as they are truly masterful at times. There is naturally some room for improvement in the second part of the FF7 remake trilogy, "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth." FF7 Remake is held back ever-so-slightly by some uninspired side quests in the early goings, dips in the pacing, and slowdowns in the gameplay whether deriving from forced walking at 0.2x speed or the classic video game shimmy and wall squeeze. Minor nitpicks aside, this was an absolutely phenomenal experience that demanded engrossment... I am now "all in" on Final Fantasy 7, fully intending to play updated port of the original PlayStation experience as well as the recent "Crisis Core" remaster.