It looks pretty, and the Pacific island setting is nice, but I wasn't particularly engrossed by either the story or the puzzles. Most puzzles are not very challenging, and Norah, who is both the protagonist and narrator, is very annoying and makes very obvious observations about her surroundings. I didn't hate it, but I don't plan on replaying it either.

Aside from the absolutely stunning graphics, I remember very little else from my time with Owlboy. The setting is mildly interesting, but the story and cast are largely forgettable, while the dungeons offer very little challenge. I got the impression that the D-Pad Studio wanted to recreate the experience of a classic Nintendo adventure game, but unfortunately, what inspired Owlboy remains superior to it, at least in terms of gameplay and story.

While technically a PS3 game, it feels like a PS2 game (in the best way possible). There's an ethereal and otherwordly atmosphere that permeates the entire game, while the combat system is great and was, at the time of release, quite innovative. While some of the boss fights are mediocre in execution, their concepts are at least inventive enough that I still remember them. Overall, a fantastic experience sadly stuck on a now outdated console.

The best of the 5th generation Resident Evil games. The police station's design might not be realistic, but it's incredibly fun to navigate, and considering a playthrough can be completed in just a couple of hours, it's an easy game to return to. The voice acting is still rather clumsy, but it really doesn't matter given how good the game is overall.

Resident Evil 2 may be superior to its predecessor, the first game is still great. Even with the backtracking and awful voice acting, the game's atmosphere is great and it's a lot of fun to explore the mansion. Both playable characters provide differing experiences: Jill's route is definitely easier, as she has access to superior firepower sooner than Chris, and she even gets to skip a boss fight through a puzzle. This adds some good replay value and helps cement the game's status as a classic.

Easily described as "3D Happy Wheels", this game has very little originality in its concept or execution. While there are some good gauntlet-style levels, everything quickly gets very repetitive. The "rocket chair" stages are also utterly excruciating to complete and make me want to uninstall the game ASAP. Stick to Happy Wheels - the user-created levels provide more than enough content.

A really enjoyable fusion of an RPG and a farming sim, and considered by many series fans to be the best installment. The depth of the in-game systems as well as the variety of crops and equipment make Rune Factory 4 a fun rabbithole to get lost in. Admittedly, the combat is rather simplistic and the villain of the main quest is really forgettable. Thankfully, this doesn't take away from the joys of mingling with the locals, fishing and growing giant veg.

The vibe I get from this game is "rent, beat over a weekend, return". It's a relatively short and decent experience (provided you don't play the PS1 version, which is an overall downgrade). I'm not particularly nostalgic for this game, and have no particular incentive to play it again, although if I had a PS2 set up, I would possibly give it another go.

When I think of Oblivion, words like "funny", "nostalgia" and "broken" come to mind, but not "good". I like a lot of the concepts and quests, but the actual execution is spotty. Few voice actors, the Oblivion Gate dungeons are repetitious, the level scaling is weird and there is a high level of jank. I do return to this game periodically, but it's more so to "break" it than "play" it.

A fantastic space exploration game that lets you explore a handcrafted galaxy at your own pace. Slowly uncovering the fate of the Nomai is incredibly engaging, with each planet offering a unique challenge. Some areas are very difficult to reach however, and I found myself dying quite a lot en route to these locations, forcing me to retake the same journey over and over again. Even with this gripe, the Outer Wilds is definitely worth experiencing (ideally without spoilers).

A really enjoyable game of deduction, with good-looking pixel art reminiscent of '90s point-and-click games. With only 12 levels, I wish the game was a bit longer, but what's here is fantastic, and exploring each scenario to hunt for clues is a lot of fun.

A minigame collection underpinned by a wacky story about various objects on a collision course with Earth. Some of the minigames are bland, but it feels like genuine effort went into this given the variety and amount of challenges. Copies are dirt cheap, so it's worth giving a try.

Yes, the shooting sections are dull. Yes, the final reveal and ending are quite forgettable. And yes, the game is so heavily influenced by Blade Runner and Terminator that it leans into plagiarism territory. What matters most is that the game looks cool, and there's some neat interaction to be had.

A great game, and even more impressive when you consider that the whole thing was made in about 9 months. Some content (such as Sulik's questline) is unfinished due to time constraints, but the world and plot are fully fleshed out. A no-brainer if you like CRPGs.

This was my first Tales game, and as it turns out, it wasn't a great starting point. Sorey and his party are boring, while the setting is a generic fanatsy world you've already seen a thousand times before. Add bland combat into the mix and you get a game I lost all interest in finishing.