At the end of Lego Skywalker Saga, I'm conflicted. On the one hand, the gameplay is far better than previous Lego SW titles, the visuals and sounds are fantastic, the roster is immense, and there are a truly vast amount of things to do.

On the other hand, I had to experience Episode IX again.

Personal grievances with J.J. Abrams aside, this is a really good Lego game! It's gratifying to see what a Lego title can be when it's not strictly adhering to the same mechanics we've had since 2005. Simply being able to freely move the camera around feels like a revelation, and is something they should have been doing long ago. The split-screen works fantastically too, and not having to stay near your co-op partner makes exploring the various featured planets stress-free. The way unlocks and cheats are handled is the best it's ever been, and if my wife and I hadn't felt so bleak after ending on TRoS, we probably would have 100%ed the whole thing.

If you're looking for a comprehensive Star Wars game that lets you explore practically every planet we've seen in the 9 episodic movies, this is about as good as you're likely to get. But if you're looking for deep-dives on the movies themselves, this game is a bit light on content. Levels in the original two Lego Star Wars games are significantly longer than what you'll find here, with some of the larger story beats consigned to cutscenes. But hey, you can fire your blaster with modern third-shooter controls, so STOP COMPLAINING

Seriously though, the game is solid. If you think you might like it, you're probably right! But if you've got Sequel Trilogy hangups, this doesn't do anything to make those movies any more endearing. Ghost Luke still off-handedly confirms that both he and Leia always knew Rey's heritage, Lando still magically wrangles up the largest Space Posse the Galaxy has ever seen after no one listened to Leia's transmission in TLJ, and giant planet-killing lasers are still showing up constantly. I had hoped that this game would rehabilitate the 2019 ending to this series, much like how Episode I: Racer, Battle for Naboo, and Jedi Power Battles helped me to fall in love with The Phantom Menace. Unfortunately, the sequels are portrayed in a rather dire tone most of the time, and the humor rarely works as well as it did in the older games.

It's a good game! But as this is the first time The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker are playable, any baggage you might have with those divisive films may very well taint the whole experience.

Now go read this graphic novel adaptation of the leaked Duel of the Fates script where Finn leads a Stormtrooper rebellion on Coruscant, then pine for a better world: https://awinegarner.squarespace.com/duel-of-the-fates

Uncharted 4 is a near perfect end to the series. The three games before it all led to this, and its a very satisfying conclusion. The story is great and it is very fun to play, there's not really much more you could ask from a game.

Firstly I really love the story in this. There are a lot of parallels between Nate, his brother Sam and the antagonist Rafe as well as the story of Libertalia - a long lost pirate utopia - and how obsession and greed can cause you to lose sight of what's really important. Uncharted has never been known for great villains, but I think Rafe is undeniably the most compelling one, even if in the end he's a bit underused. Nadine is also quite the badass, and I look forward to seeing more of her again when I replay Lost Legacy. Sully makes yet another return, and while I wish he was in the games more than he is, he's still one of the most lovable old bastards in gaming. The addition of Sam is great, it does lead to a few inconsistencies from previous games but him and Nate play off of each other very well. But what really sells this game for me is the relationship between Nate and Elena. Its been a budding on again off again thing across the series, but now they're married and attempting to lead a simple life. The interactions between them are fantastic, and the exploration of who they are, through their highs and lows is what makes this game so good for me as well as such a fitting conclusion especially with its wholesome ending. This is all brought together because of the really incredible performances by the entire cast across the board. The attention to detail and facial expressions add so much. The graphics are beautiful and help bring each character to life, while still sticking to the charm of the older games. Naughty dog is always great at writing banter and I think the dialogue in this is their best work yet, even moreso than The Last of Us, but some times when characters don't say a thing at all is when they say the most, which again is just another testament to the quality and care put in by everyone involved. Impressive all around, zero complaints in this department.

The gameplay is a big improvement too. I never had any problems with the shooting in this series but most can agree its a step up from the original trilogy. The melee combat in this compared to what they tried to introduce in 3 is like comparing getting fucked in the ass to getting fucked in the ass with lube. Its a night and day difference, and even if its not always viable it just feels so much better. They also do what every good sequel should do, and add in a grappling hook which adds both to standard traversal and combat. There's also a lot less linearity in this game that the others. There's a lot to explore, and quite a few open ended levels that are a good change of pace. There's also the return of the outright fantastic set-pieces the series is known for, and In my opinion the entirety of Chapter 12 is the absolute best part of the series. It showcases all of Uncharted's strengths and is a joy to play the whole way through, even ending with a fantastic story beat contrasting all the fun you just had. Anyone wants to know what this series is all about, show them that sequence.

Alas, as every game goes, it is not perfect. There are a few things that drag this game down. The climbing is fun for the most part, but there are a few chapters, namely the one taking place in Scotland that just go on way too fucking long. There's always great banter between characters, and the long segments are usually rewarded with a fun action set piece, but there is at least 3 or 4 sections in this game where you do nothing but climbing or puzzling for entirely too long, and instead of helping the pacing like it should it destroys it. I don't know why these sections are so long, it's one of the only things that stops this game from being perfect in my eyes. Adding onto this is just the sheer abundance of collectibles. If you like getting trophies like I do, I implore you to not bother looking at the trophy list until you've finished your first playthrough. This game has a legitimately absurd amount of collectibles that if you go out of your way for will make the slow moments of this feel like an eternity.

Despite a few complaints, I hope this review gives a good idea bout the overall quality of everything about this. No game is without its flaws, but Uncharted 4 more than makes up for that.

Playthrough Time - 12 hours 4 minutes
Nancymeter - 95/100
Game Completion #101 of 2022
August completion #21

Superhot VR is proof that VR is good for more than just porn. Its a must play and definitely the most fun I've had with the system so far.

The main game was fun, and to this date is the rarest and possibly hardest platinum I have. But after playing this, I can't imagine ever wanting to go back. It translates so well to VR its incredible. Dodging bullets in slow mo is both the coolest thing ever and also a great workout. Your enjoyment with this is probably gonna vary a lot with how much space you have and how active you are. You can beat this game stationary pretty fine, but it is at its absolute most fun when you are diving behind cover yourself or dropping to the floor like wannabe Max Payne.

The game is a bit short and can be beaten under two hours, but for an early VR game thats not really a big deal. Any longer might have overstayed its welcome. Plus if you want more out of it, completing the main missions unlocks quite a few modes, namely endless and alternate takes on the main campaign with harder challenges like one life or headshots only - so theres quite a lot to get out of this.

The game can be quite hard, and having to restart a level completely if you die can be frustrating. You'll be moving around a lot in this and might find yourself having to recenter when you jump to a new section a lot which led to a handful of deaths but ultimately is the only real negative I have about this. I do wish they added more campaigns or levels but as is I can't recommend it enough

Nancymeter - 90/100
Game Completion #110 of 2022
August Completion #30