Beesidia
I preferred BG1's villain, and BG2 has evil beginner's traps, but otherwise, this game is the superior sequel. The sidequests, clever writing, gear, and level design have all been improved on an already well-made formula. The addition of gender-specific interactions is a welcome change. Few RPGs get it done this well.
A spiritual journey. The level design is great, but the platforming demands even higher precision than its predecessor. My SMB1 skills definitely improved after playing this. The custom music was dope, and the sprite art was gorgeous. My only main issue is that a handful of textures blend in with the background.
2020
A satisfying, but challenging SMB romhack. While the first 4 levels mostly show the ropes, the kid gloves come off soon after. Each level is clearly made with speedrunning in mind, save for 3-2, which is a psuedo-autoscroller with very tight jumps (it's also my favorite level for being so distinct). The last level is fun but evil.
2017
Decent semi-sequel to MN9, but flawed. MGB occasionally spawns enemies that will quickly attack you during tight platforming, making for some evil deaths. The ability customization is cool, but you can make yourself OP, and since several bosses lack defensive moves, they fold to this system very quickly.
2016
Deceptively fun. MN9 is more X than Classic Mega Man. I was iffy on the Dash-to-Kill idea at first, but it grew on me once I saw that it isn't a boon on pacing (it often makes the game faster). It's an Inti game, which means both its level and boss design can be demanding. Unfortunately, the game has occasional performance issues.
2023
An interesting Quake experience. While I have no reference for the original Deathmatch maps, the level design is full of surprises, especially in the second half. The more objective-driven focus is a nice change of pace, and the build-up to big battles is satisfying. My only gripe is that you go a while without seeing the Rocket Launcher, which could definitely be useful for some of those earlier levels.
2005
The meanest of the four. The Cyber-Elf's give-and-take philosophy is dope. The recipe system is restrictive, but rewarding. While not necessarily harder than previous entries, MMZ4 has the lowest tolerance for mindless play: from levels having spikes and pits in meaner locations, to bosses quickly following up after each attack.
Unhinged. TMMC takes Zelda 1's movement, combat, and even level design philosophy and adapts it into a fast-paced hack-and-slash arcade game. The flow is excellent, but the game is insanely difficult, especially concerning castles 3 and 4 (screw the white ninjas). Strangely enough, the last castle is quite easy.
2004
2003
Banger sequel. Giving the player forms helps further diversify playstyles. Reducing Cyber Elf feed costs helps it feel properly utilized. The only issues I had were the Crystal Cave with all of those blind-spot spikes, and the game's "Late-Game Final Fantasy Syndrome" where you can get REALLY OP by the end.
2022
Great movement and snappy combat. My only issues are the secret skulls which really hurt the game's flow, the enemies looking too similar to each other, and the content being a bit bloated. Sadly, I'll be on-and-off with this game, because getting good at Warstride genuinely hurts my hands (which isn't the game's fault).
2002
2023
Strange, but really good. The combat, though a bit unconventional, is solid once you get used to it. Levels can get long, but they never feel like they're wasting your time. My only two major complaints is that a few enemies are too tanky, and that the Flamethrower is useless in most scenarios (save for killing the bug enemies).
1997
Painful. The gun balancing is poor and/or just plain strange. The hitreg feels like a dice roll. The enemy variety is too low. The level design is exceptionally unintuitive - from puzzles with obscure solutions, to keys you can barely see. When I think of great hidden gems on the Build Engine, I think of Powerslave, not this.