Was initially worried this was a little redundant after Village and questioned if 4 really needed an update. Ultimately I found this a great time. The combat (once I got a handle on the melee mechanics) is consistently tense and tangible, with the chaotic shifting from crowd control to one-on-one parrying. I loved the almost immersive-sim interactions between enemies causing emergent chaos.

I cared little about the narrative changes as I literally played the PS2 release, so all is a foggy memory, but from what I could recall, I was consistently surprised by moments rearranged, recontextualised. Yes, the island is serviceable compared to the village/castle, but I enjoyed the grungy interiors and the big-boi regenerador sequence. Of all the boss changes, Krauser was a big standout, a metal-gear tier fight.

A few changes I was less happy with (most are hangovers from the recent REmakes): the lack of laser targeting for all weapons, the change from the semi-detached aiming system & less variety of interactive objects u could shoot. RE4 felt so revolutionary as a horror/shooter at the time due to how the gun felt like a tactile tool, taking out doors, knees & plucking weapons from the air. Much of this is still here, but a little stripped down (tho with some new additions, including rampaging farm animals).

Where does Resi go now? Village and R4MAKE have converged, and hopefully they don’t just fall back down into the slump of 5 & 6 (though 5 remake is inevitable lol) Hopefully a complete rebirth like 7 is on the cards. Capcom pls.

This game is great, don't get me wrong, but the abundance of content everywhere (and ones that are quite repetitive) bring the greatest moments of this game down. I loved the depths but I loathed how empty it was, empty as in copy pasted content all over. The story was surprisingly very good and had me hooked all the way to the end, I especially liked the last boss fight when it was a one-on-one. But for me, Breath of the Wild will still be the better game from this series; even though it may feel like an early access game after playing this one, TOTK takes content too far and fills the world with too many activities (most of which I did not want to partake in).

Final Fantasy XV is a gorgeous mess. It manages to be an enjoyable game despite itself. It is extremely obvious that FFXV languished in development hell. The story content feels totally unfinished and deeply awkward. Combat is... adequate, but feels half baked. The ending, while emotionally effective, left me frustrated and angry. I felt cheated by it, and even if that was the intention, it wasn't a good experience. In the interest of fairness, I will say that my interpretation of numerous details of said ending was far, FAR more grim than what is apparently intended. All that aside... I can't possibly deny the special memories I have of running around this world with The Boys(tm). I remember running down highways in the dark on Chocobo-back and being utterly at peace. I remember the breathtaking vistas and how attached I became to my little boy band. It is a uniquely cathartic experience, and the DLC has, in its roundabout way, helped the package even further. These days I have no difficulty recommending FFXV, not as one of the best games of all time or the best game of its year, but as something valuable and unique among both its franchise and the medium at large.