When I was a kid, around fall my family would always plan big camping trips up north. After a decade and a half, the exact locales blur, all dirt campsites and sleepy towns, cut by endless drives down quiet backroads. Connecting every single trip, however, is the same singular image: laying in the backseat, staring to the sky as the pine, beech and maple trees ebbed and flowed with the breeze, a shimmer of greens, golds and reds against a still, cloudless ether.

Despite its northwestern setting, Alan Wake is a game that feels like home. Beyond the woodsy vibes, the spirit of the game keeps that same autumnal energy I associate with those countless trips, down to the same Halloween haunts that filled hours of my life. Alan Wake is read through the lens of Steven King and The Twilight Zone, a sort of contemporary / old school horror fusion, and the game makes it's infatuation with these influences blatant, to the point of embarrassment.

Horror molds the story and setting, leaning into a gun-toting Twin Peaks atmosphere, but the mold is not the full experience. Despite billing itself as a horror game, it feels more aligned with being an acknowledgement of horror's influence. In a sense, Alan Wake isn't a horror game; it's a game about horror, where horror itself is light and breezy.

Alan Wake is a beautiful game, a picturesque capturing of the woods and towns I spent much of my childhood in. To imply the game is mechanical deep or systematically unique would be disingenuous, but as a reflection of some of the most calming, perfect moments of my life, it's flawless. I love this game.

Audiovisual hyperbombast coated in that sweet, sweet Sega Dreamcast slime, a synesthesia-induced trip through techno-dreamland sculpted in wireframe and cast in the chromatic sheen of neofuture web-scapes. Following the steps of an allegorical hackerman, you annihilate endless waves of antivirus battalions as you fast track your way to each area’s AI boss battle. Along the way, beats mix with the game's pseudo-experimental approach to sound design, to form a rich sound system of eclectic cadences tightly wired in orchestra hits and synth crashes.

Themed broadly on icons of civilization and humanities broader evolution, each level leading up to Area 5 is a tease at what the game represents, a build to the game’s grander view of humanity and the inevitable future of human life. Speaking less pretentiously: You are here for Area 5, backed by the flawless masterpiece “Fear”. A crescendo on the themes the game is throwing down, the level spins a tale on the birth of human life, rising from the oceans as millions of species ebb and flow with the tide of time, culminating with the final step of live, another evolution to the afterlife, the void, the Other.

Weightlessness and audiophilia are the key components of Rez, in design and in execution. Flawlessly, the game encapsulates this ephemeral bliss I can only associate with Detroit Techno and 90s Hollywood Hacker pop culture, a flashpoint reflecting on a prior decade’s genre evolution, razed to the ground and resurrected as a new, hi-tech, form. A crisp single-hour runtime packs in a feeling that can only be associated with the era it comes from, inseparable from the past while looking to the future in cautious optimism.

Speaking as simple as possible: Rez rips. Play Rez. It’s on so many things. Go for it. Mess around with Area X too; such a fun addition.

Well, he ain't my boy, but the brother is heavy
Gave away my possessions and moved in to a Chevy (van
Yeah, that's the master plan)
(Drive to woods and eat corn out the can)
Yeah I gave it all away, the hard rock band
The groupies, the booze, the all-night jams
Now all these fans, askin' "Where did he go?"
(Meditating on a rock lettin' go of the ego)
So rapping with the squirrels is the way of the mountain
They took half my nuts and berries and riddled "Who's countin'?"
Bit my finger with the truth, the blood was spoutin'
Now my cup overfloweth, just like a fountain
Seen birds in the sky, trees in between
Grubs in the ground, it was so serene
The sky was blue, yeah the grass was green
(And that's three square meals if you know what I mean!)
So now I wake up every morning with a fat cup of piss
My third eye's open, so give me some Swiss Miss
Saw a thirty foot fairy walking down your street
Thought I was down with God, I had to yell "Retreat!"


Because I gone guru so cut the ballyhoo
Rock the tambourines and the didgeridoo
Set the animals free from the pimpin' zoo
And I'll elevate your mind like airplane glue

Out in the desert on a three-day stint
I had a revelation and I made a mint
So take a hit and won't you join the club
Send your wives to my hut for the body rub
Mental guru in the Subaru
Four-wheel drive to the commune
Pick up the crew
And we out to the zen monastery on the prairie
Where I milk the holy cow, but quit the dairy
So run with the yeti eatin' veggie spaghetti
Don't have to live like no refugee, peace to Tom Petty
Ready, steady, spiritually grow
Til I found out my boy worked for the COINTELPRO
Graham, damn, now I gots to scram
And start handin' out my leaflets in Bethlehem
Cause the Bible's played out, so I'm writing a new text
(We are all one, so what's the problem with group sex?)
And so many children want to join the fold
(Mike Love on line two) Put that sucker on hold
And shine, to thine own self be true
They can't tell you what to do when you've gone guru
(Yeah, shine, to thine own self be true
They can't tell you what to do when you've gone guru!)
(You got to shine, to thine own self be true
They can't tell you what to do when you've gone guru)

Gone guru, I'm the new Nehru
So rock the tambourines and didgeridoo
I'll deliver who-ever pays what's due
That's nine for me, and one for you

Awwwwwwwww yeah, we got it going on and it's strong up in here tonight!
We got that incense burning! We got them peacock feathers, tickling!
We got all that cuckoo karma connection, that you can use
So come on, people, get with the program!
We can get this together...
Tonight!

Too many wives for Ohio, they were looking to try me
So I got twelve divorces said aloha, Hawaii
Arrived without traveling, they lost the bags
Another trial for my people, don't scratch the Jag
(They might say hang loose, but they really don't mean it!)
Deported me to Rio and you watched it on CNET
News chumps had me singing the blues
Til thirty thousand showed up with the right to choose
Rose petals in bed, milk in my bath
And now Harrison Ford wants my autograph
I laughed when we met, cause he busted a sweat
Then I stuck out my tongue, he donated a jet
(Stole the spotlight from the Dali Lama
Cause my crews coming tight in the orange pajamas)
(Got 16 Caddies and 29 Rolls
Fuck the shoes, I transcend through soles)
With constant expansion, I live in a mansion
Getting jiggy with Madonna and Marilyn Manson
60 Minutes exposé, taxes you never paid
Papparazzi, Code Blue! Down toupee!
Yes I'm starting to age, I can feel it in my bones
My advisers tell me (Start thinking 'bout clones)
Found out! Heaven is a place on earth!
I cut off my head, it cost all I was worth
Cryogenic robot, now my head can spin
(I'll be around a million years, so let the party begin)
PARTY ROBOT!!! (Now my head can spin
I'll be around a million years, let the party begin)

Gone guru, new Nehru
Rock tambourine and didgeridoo
Must free animals from pimpin' zoo
Deliver who, two plus two
Gone gone gone-gone, gone gone, gone gone gone-gone gone gone
Gone gone gone-gone, gone gone, gone gone gone-gone gone guru

It's a text-free (in fact, language free) point and click adventure starring a gross weird clown. A misunderstood freak with a tragic past, a hugging button, animal companions, and all the sidequests revolving around making people happy, all these come together in a perfect storm for making me cry. This game is about big simple strong feelings, and it is as heartwarming as it is sad. I think it's underrated, I still think about it and I still get the small-yet-excellent soundtrack stuck in my head.

I was going to give it 4 stars but the final song that served as the slideshow was so fucking good and so full of charm I just needed to give it five stars.
A labor of love, this game must be the most well made CRPG I have played. Almost everything I found boring or weird about Wasteland 2 is gone, replaced with pure charm and well tought mechanics. Not once did I think "that doesn't make sense" or "that quest is so boring". The story might not have blown my mind but it's incredibly well tought with lots and lots of layers of complexity and freedom of choice. A must play for CRPG lovers, if you ask me.

Wow.
It's been years since a new game has gripped me like Yakuza 0 did; rarely anymore do I fall in love with one in every way. But Y0 is something incredibly, undeniably special.
It's debated amongst fans of the series whether 0 is a valid point of entry for newcomers. As one of those newcomers, I have to say that I found it to be a perfect starting place. 0 absolutely hooked me.
It has a spectacular story shown through beautiful cutscenes. It's told against one of the best, most gorgeous settings in video game history. It's built on wonderful characters and gut-punching voice acting. And that's not to mention the incredible depth in the gameplay, both combat-wise and within the world. There's so many things to love about Y0 that it's difficult to feel like I can fit all of it into a single review. But I'm up for the challenge.


SHORT REVIEW

Visuals: 5.5/5
Sound: 5.5/5
Story: 5.5/5
Gameplay: 5/5
Worldbuilding: 5.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 4/5
Overall Score: 5/5 [5.4/5]


IN-DEPTH REVIEW

Visuals:
In an industry where every new product is striving to be as hyper-realistic as possible, Y0 may not be at the very top of that particular list. It's six years old at this point, after all. But hyper-realism isn't the most important thing in games - in fact, I think it's far from it. Y0 DOES manage to look realistic, while also having a distinct visual style in its slightly exaggerated character design.
Kiryu has a wider build and a young face set in a permanent grimace. You can tell that, despite his outward toughness, he's not yet consumed by the violence surrounding him. He's relatively innocent compared to many other members of the cast.
Majima is slimmer and sports a neat ponytail and an expensive black suit, but also an eyepatch and a grizzled face. He looks exactly like what he is - a man who's (temporarily) left behind a violent, dark life to join the world of the rich and extravagant.
Wei Han Lee is an intimidating, hulking brute with full tattoo sleeves. He's initially presented as - and made to look like - a dangerous man. But while he does have a dark past, and isn't above doing bad things, he's also protective, loyal, and fatherly toward Makoto. I appreciate this role flip, and his look plays a pivotal role in its effectiveness.
As you can see, each and every member of the main cast are visually distinct. There’s so much love and thought put into each of them. Their badass tattoos, their (often colorful and/or patterned) suits, their unique faces and hairstyles. I could honestly go on and on. Even the casts for the side stories are purposefully made, so that their charm and goofiness shine through.
And the world has a ridiculous level of attention to detail, too. Sotenbori and Kamurocho are filled with trash, cars, NPCs, posters, and unique storefronts. The two cities feel completely alive and are endlessly fun to explore - not only because of how much there is to do, but how much there is to LOOK at, too. I was constantly noticing new things while running through the streets.
Finally, these thought-out design aspects culminate in gorgeous cutscenes. Every time one came on, I gave it my full, undivided attention. To start with, the lighting and camera positions are so well-directed that it genuinely feels like a movie. There are some truly film-quality shots. But just as important are the emotive expressions and animations that bring the characters to life. They move (and talk) like real people, much more so than the majority of video game characters. Even when the focus is over-the-top violence (such as the awesome heat actions and QTEs), it feels realistic in regards to the movement, which always remains smooth and perfectly choreographed.
Overall, 5.5/5.

Sound:
Speaking of, the voice acting in Y0 is next level - which plays just as big a role in making the characters authentic. The language barrier poses no issue, because the performances will assuredly capture anyone who listens, whether they speak Japanese or not. I doubt this game would have made me cry so many times if it weren’t for the work of the VAs.
The soundtrack rules, too. Electric guitar, drums, and electronic influences combine into fun, energetic, and memorable music that easily gets you into the Yakuza spirit. Not only are the combat tracks notably good, but the songs for the karaoke and disco minigames are such pure joy to listen to. Just like everything else in Y0, the soundtrack perfectly balances its serious and silly tones.
Even the smaller details, such as the sound effects, are given attention. Starting a new substory, pausing, scrolling through the menu - it all sticks out in my mind, because of the sounds accompanying them. Y0 is so good at being memorable in these tiny ways that most games might neglect.
Overall, 5.5/5.

Story:
I wholeheartedly believe that Y0 has one of the most compelling stories ever told in a video game. It’s not absolutely perfect - namely, side characters and b plots that don’t feel quite important enough - but the brilliant writing and carefully woven narrative make up for any flaws tenfold. The action of the crime underworld and the emotional storytelling of the cast are perfectly interweaved; not only is there never a dull moment, but there are many that are forever ingrained in my mind because of how powerful they are.
Really, anything you could ask for, Y0 delivers. There’s nonstop violence and exciting twists to keep you engaged. There are beautiful character interactions and interesting motivations to keep you emotionally invested. There are even a plethora of lighthearted, wacky substories for when you need a break from the heaviness of the main plot.
But while everything else is amazing in its own right, it’s really the characters that tie it all together. You might expect a cast largely made up of Yakuza to be one-note, but that’s far from the case here. Many of them do share some penchant for violence and crime, but they all go about it in their own ways; each one is so unique in their convictions and personality.
[SPOILERS] Not only that, but most of them go through truly astounding arcs, many of which head in completely unexpected directions. I’ve already discussed Wei Han Lee, one of my favorite characters. I love his clashing personality. On the one hand, he’s willing to murder a random, innocent girl to solve a problem - on the other hand, that ‘problem’ is protecting another innocent girl whom he’s taken a paternal role for (not to mention that he looks out for other vulnerable women who need help.) So, instead of discussing him in-depth any further, let’s take that ‘someone’ as an example instead. Makoto Makimura.
[SPOILERS STILL] If I’m being honest, I was not fond of Makoto at first. On top of being the single female member of the main cast, she’s initially presented as a textbook damsel in distress. However, while she does remain reliant on others for most of the story, she eventually becomes determined to gain her independence - and successfully does so. Not only does she have a great arc, but she is very sympathetic and strongly written. She became someone I could personally relate to; her sort of trauma is not one readily touched on in most games, at least not so directly. I think it was handled in a surprisingly heartfelt manner, too. By the end of the game, she was one of my favorites, despite any prior hesitation towards her. [SPOILER ENDING]
And while characters such as Wei Han Lee and Makoto Makimura are already great, it’s the interactions between the cast that make them fully realized. Unlikely friendships and alliances, heated rivalries and deep-rooted hatred, people showing care for each other in their world which is haunted by pain and misery. It’s beautiful.
[SPOILERS] A perfect illustration of what I mean is Majima and Makoto. They’re amazing on their own, but it’s their relationship that completely draws you in. Despite how different they are in personality, they’re stark reflections of each other. Both were tortured to the point of becoming visually impaired. Both lost brothers they cared for deeply. Both form a strong reliance on the other. The way their relationship evolves - and the buildup to a truly heart-wrenching series of final interactions - is undoubtedly one of the best parts of the game. [SPOILER ENDING]
But - as I’ve mentioned - whenever you do need a break from all of that, Y0 consistently provides. You are often given the opportunity to instead focus on the light, often downright hilarious, substories. You can have a chicken manage your real estate firm. You can make friends with the horniest man alive. You can pretend to be a movie producer. You can protect Michael Jackson from zombies. There are so many wacky adventures for you to partake in. It ensures that there’s never any downtime in Y0, even when you’re just messing around.
Particularly great, in the case of the side content, are the cabaret club and real estate plotlines. They stand well on their own, with a charming and goofy cast that tell heartfelt little stories. The insanity and humor of these bring a much-needed balance to the main plot.
Ultimately, it would be a disservice to say that I’ve covered everything that makes Y0’s story so breathtaking. There’s so much nuance and emotion in every aspect of it. Maybe it’s not perfect on a beat-for-beat level, but it’s perfect in nearly every other way. As such, it would be a crime for me to reward anything lower than a 5 here.
Overall, 5.5/5.

Gameplay:
This is where I struggle to speak definitively, since I’m not huge on the brawler genre; not because I don’t see the appeal, but because I’m honestly just not very good at it. Y0 made an honest attempt to get thoughtful gameplay out of me, but at the end of the day, I still struggled to do little more than button mash. Of course, this was entirely a fault of my own, so it doesn’t mean the combat isn’t good. I just don’t know enough to say how good it REALLY is.
What I will say, though, is that I did find it to be fun. There’s a variety of different techniques for both characters, with radically different fighting styles that you can switch between on a whim. Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses - none of them feel totally outclassed by the others. And there’s tons of possible combos to execute, all of which are visually exciting, too. That’s not to mention the plethora of cool new abilities to unlock through the money system.
Speaking of, while this type of ‘leveling up’ through money might not be for everyone, I personally love it. It adds a lot more value to the cash than simply buying items or playing minigames. It also feels much more in-tune with the tone and style of the game, as opposed to something more traditional.
But I think my favorite part of the combat is the heat action system. Each one is a cinematic little slice of violence that never gets old. Their existence makes the fights ten times more entertaining in my book.
Not only that, but this is one of the few games where I actually LOVE the QTEs. Even if you fail one, you still get to watch a cool little cinematic instead of auto-losing. They’re just as cool as the heat actions.
Both of these features are a testament to how amazing the animations in Y0 are, too; they’re so smooth and perfectly executed, demanding your attention each time they’re on-screen. It’s a perfect combination of fun visuals and engaging mechanics.
Of course, the combat is only half the gameplay. Sitting on the other side of the fence are the minigames and substories.
Giving a blanket opinion for those proves just as difficult, though. Since there’s such a ridiculous amount of quality content, I can’t rightly hold the few bad things against the game too much. And unless you’re a lunatic who tries to 100% the completion list (like me), you can easily ignore almost anything you don’t like. The karaoke, the disco, the real estate agency and cabaret club, the circuit racing, the arcades, the mahjong, the hilarious substories... all of this had me coming back for more. Maybe there is an occasional cat fight club or batting cage that aren’t up to par, but the bad is far outweighed by the good.
At the end of the day, there’s an endless amount of fun content to sift through here; I doubt you wouldn’t find at least a few things you enjoy, no matter who you are.
Overall, 5/5.

Worldbuilding:
The settings and lore of Y0 are absolutely enthralling. As I’ve already discussed, Kamurocho and Sotenbori are packed to the brim with tiny details that bring them to life, to the point that they both genuinely feel like real places. On top of that, they’re fleshed out even further by the side content and the unique characters created for it. Around every corner is a possibility of running into a new substory or minigame.
And the depth within the main plot gives an incredibly rich history to the Yakuza clans. The factions and hierarchies, and how they interact with each other, are made important early on. The character’s backstories and the way they tie together are just as important, too. But it’s honestly not surprising that things like this are so well-thought-out in Y0, given how old the Yakuza series is. As I briefly mentioned, I do think there are characters and subplots within the main plot that don’t feel important enough. But, on the flip side, their existence makes the world feel even bigger. Having the story remain TOO self-contained would have been just as harmful, if not more.
At the end of the day, the visuals, the story, the characters, and the writing add up to some truly wonderful worldbuilding in Y0. It’s just one of an infinite amount of things that the game executes pretty much flawlessly.
Overall, 5.5/5.

Extra Category - Achievements:
It’s an insane choice to attempt mastering, but I found it still fun minus a few frustrating minigames. It’s rewarding to whittle away at the cities and learn them inside and out!
Overall, 4/5.

Overall Game Score: 5/5. There are so few games that I believe are 99% perfect; Yakuza 0 has joined those few. It’s an action-packed and thrilling experience from beginning to end, one that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys RPGs. The beautifully crafted world and story, the gorgeous cutscenes, the vibrant characters, the entertaining side content, the grandiose presentation - everything here adds up to something really, truly special. Every time this game wanted to tell me something, I listened. I hope that many more people choose to listen to it too. Please give Yakuza 0 your time.

of all the changes in my life that occurred in 2020 one of the most positive was me finally deleting this from my phone after playing it every single day for 7 years straight. i had long stopped enjoying it and was only keeping up my streak out of some bizarre sense of pride about having never spent any money on it.
it's kind of a shame because once upon a time i really was getting a lot of fun out of it! they had creative events! they were adding cool characters and buildings and entire new areas at times (they once had a whole thing just for the Monorail)! the writing wasn't Amazing by any standard but it was more often than not funnier than the show's been in close to 20 years now.
then at some point it all just kinda... fizzled out. they'd mined the show for as much content as they could, having to rely on one-off gag characters and unloved later season episodes for new events. it was likely an inevitable decline but still a disappointing one to experience in real time. this, coupled with how poorly the game ran, and then Double Coupled with the ridiculous storage demands of each update, turned the game from a kind of breezy daily ritual into a self-inflicted Sisyphean torment.

also: Milhouse didn't have any voice lines for some reason! why would you leave out Milhouse?!

"Kill the past."

SUDA51 is a well-renown figure in the gaming industry. A revolutionary auteur with a unique voice and interesting stories to tell, his games receive critical acclaim and recognition as masterful works of both art and gameplay. But until now, that's never been the case for me personally. For the longest time, I only knew of SUDA51 as some Japanese weirdo who made games about weeaboos with lightsabers or cheerleaders fighting zombies: games that struck me as shallow and obnoxiously quirky. It didn't help the only exposure I had to SUDA51's oeuvre was surface-level commentary by outlets and gamers that reduced his work to "Woah, so wacky!" and completely missed whatever messages his works tried to convey. So it was quite the culture shock to join this website and see SUDA51 not only be critically acclaimed, but revered by the user base, who sung the man's praises to high heaven. This served as the impetus for me to finally give the man a second chance with The Silver Case, and the only thing I have to say is I wish that I had done it sooner!

The Silver Case is a visual novel/adventure game hybrid following two protagonists: An unnamed Heinous Crimes Unit agent, and jaded chain-smoking journalist/carnivorous plant enthusiast Tokio Morishima, both of whom are investigating infamous serial killer Kamui Uehara, a recently escaped mental hospital patient and the man behind the titular Silver Case. Over the course of two parallel storylines, the plot soon reveals itself to be more complex than it initially seemed, and this is where The Silver Case's strengths come to the forefront. Covering themes of political intrigue, the internet and its effects in real life, the nature of crime and its relation to the media, the desire for change in society, and most importantly: what it means to kill the past, and move on from the chains that bind you to it. Everyone in the plot is chained in some way to the past, whether it be their own or the past of powers beyond their comprehension, and the heart of the story lies not in the conspiracies or exposition, but in seeing how the people involved in this metaphorical game of 4th dimensional chess either face, kill or succumb to their own history.

As a visual novel, your strengths are gonna be your aesthetics and your writing, and The Silver Case knocks it out of the ballpark on both accounts. The presentation is unique and visually striking: A multimedia mix of animation, live-action FMV and CGI, taking place in these bizarre yet intimate low-poly liminal spaces, all viewed through a Y2K-evocative UI framed much like a comic/manga, with varying screen sizes and orientations and unique illustrations for events in-game. The way each Chapter closes out like the end of a TV episode is just the cherry on top honestly. On the writing end, the way our protagonists are written as diametrically opposed opposites is interesting. The silent HCU agent; a borderline non-entity, an empty shell with no defined past or personality for the player to experience the story, and frequently commented on as being a ghoulish, silent weirdo, someone who's status in story mirrors that of the player: a mere vessel for events bigger and more intricate than him. Morishima in contrast, is a defined character, with a past, a goal, a strong personality and a much smaller scale plot-wise than our HCU Agent, and yet the two end up so intimately entwined with each other's stories that we realize how similar they are and how they move the plot along. It's very well done, even if the need to alternate stories isn't explained very well in-game.

The preconceived notions I had about SUDA51's work in the past have been shattered with naught but a single game, and in a way, it mirrors the message of The Silver Case: Kill the past, and free yourself from your burdens. By killing my prejudice by playing The Silver Case, I've opened myself to a whole new world of entertainment I'd've never given the light of day before. Maybe it's something you too should look into.