"Something Beautiful is Going to Happen."
For only the second time in my life, I had the profound experience of being a Moralistic Honorable Doomsday Superstar Art Cop. An incredible sense of awe washed over me, being able to see myself in the gaming medium. Pure skepticism would seep out of the brains of most when hearing this sort of tale. Not I though, I know thy self. Disco Elysium is a homage to the days of pen and papers role-playing. In this complex gritty story, you are an officer of the law, no longer familiar with themselves, and it is up to you to solve a grotesque hanging. Was it a homicide, murder, or something even far more abstract that one couldn't simply describe in a few solemn words? What kind of person do you want to be? Committed to the bottle, deliriously afraid of the apocalypse, or possibly just plain, boring, and mundane? The mystery of the rotting hanged man and the mystery of yourself are all one and the same. You craft a path of a deeply personalized journey as you come to know the denizens of Revachol, delightfully flawed people, all living their lives amongst this tide of death. As rich as the sweetest pie, the writing will whisk you away unto profoundly intriguing conversation. What you make of this case, the people surrounding it, and your adventure, well....those are solely in your hands. Just like life, things can be unexpected, but when you dig in your heels, lift up your head, and try to be the person you want to be, amazing things can happen. So, I ask you, what kind of cop do you want to be?
We hereby award: The Purple Seal of Honor
For only the second time in my life, I had the profound experience of being a Moralistic Honorable Doomsday Superstar Art Cop. An incredible sense of awe washed over me, being able to see myself in the gaming medium. Pure skepticism would seep out of the brains of most when hearing this sort of tale. Not I though, I know thy self. Disco Elysium is a homage to the days of pen and papers role-playing. In this complex gritty story, you are an officer of the law, no longer familiar with themselves, and it is up to you to solve a grotesque hanging. Was it a homicide, murder, or something even far more abstract that one couldn't simply describe in a few solemn words? What kind of person do you want to be? Committed to the bottle, deliriously afraid of the apocalypse, or possibly just plain, boring, and mundane? The mystery of the rotting hanged man and the mystery of yourself are all one and the same. You craft a path of a deeply personalized journey as you come to know the denizens of Revachol, delightfully flawed people, all living their lives amongst this tide of death. As rich as the sweetest pie, the writing will whisk you away unto profoundly intriguing conversation. What you make of this case, the people surrounding it, and your adventure, well....those are solely in your hands. Just like life, things can be unexpected, but when you dig in your heels, lift up your head, and try to be the person you want to be, amazing things can happen. So, I ask you, what kind of cop do you want to be?
We hereby award: The Purple Seal of Honor
2005
"Sometimes the closer you are to someone....the more it hurts."
If anything, the DS library is filled with unique bite-sized experiences to whet the palette for someone such as myself. Trace Memory is a point-and-click adventure game that follows a young girl named Ashley Robbins. Her goal is simple enough to follow. She is looking into a mystery revolved around her missing parents and hopes to find clarity on the island where the game takes place. Through exploration, and a number of environmental puzzles solved through inventory management you will progress steadily towards the conclusion. It is a short, yet charming time that gets most of its strongest value out of the protagonist herself. The puzzles are satisfying enough to itch your brain, and the mystery itself has some fun turns, but Ashley is the best thing it has going for it. She is sassy, smart, inquisitive, and most importantly relatable. A far too common fallacy with many writers is squandering their character potential because they just don't understand the person they are trying to create. This is what makes Ashley so fantastically engaging, and by far the heart of not only this game but the sequel. There aren't a lot of other characters present, and with a short run time, if you don't nail what you put on the table, well it is going to stand out terribly. Ashley brings the most worthwhile content present, and she would be my number one reason to recommend this to any newcomers. Oh, and the puzzles are fun enough with the DS gimmicks as well if that matters to you at all.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
If anything, the DS library is filled with unique bite-sized experiences to whet the palette for someone such as myself. Trace Memory is a point-and-click adventure game that follows a young girl named Ashley Robbins. Her goal is simple enough to follow. She is looking into a mystery revolved around her missing parents and hopes to find clarity on the island where the game takes place. Through exploration, and a number of environmental puzzles solved through inventory management you will progress steadily towards the conclusion. It is a short, yet charming time that gets most of its strongest value out of the protagonist herself. The puzzles are satisfying enough to itch your brain, and the mystery itself has some fun turns, but Ashley is the best thing it has going for it. She is sassy, smart, inquisitive, and most importantly relatable. A far too common fallacy with many writers is squandering their character potential because they just don't understand the person they are trying to create. This is what makes Ashley so fantastically engaging, and by far the heart of not only this game but the sequel. There aren't a lot of other characters present, and with a short run time, if you don't nail what you put on the table, well it is going to stand out terribly. Ashley brings the most worthwhile content present, and she would be my number one reason to recommend this to any newcomers. Oh, and the puzzles are fun enough with the DS gimmicks as well if that matters to you at all.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
"Things sometimes feel dark, child, but there is always light somewhere to be found."
As I grow older a simple temptation calls out to be in the night, stirring my very existence. To discover something new that harkens back to the days of old. Many a video game exist in this age, and many of them clearly inspired by the works that drove those developers into the industry in the first place. It is a shame though, how often, they fail to capture the same magic of what they were bewitched by. Ara Fell is a success story out of the mass of forgettable indie titles trying to be the next Earthbound or Chrono Trigger. It holds steadfast by keeping itself straightforward, with a dash of flair. You have elements like magic, vampires, a floating world, and hundreds-year-old mysteries as classic motifs to recognize and easily comprehend. This game doesn't try to reinvent metanarratives, RPGs, or anything as grandiose as that. It's just a simple tale of a girl named Lita who gets caught up in something far bigger and greater than she could have ever imagined she would. You have 4 party members, each with specific classes, who all aid in ways necessary to prevail against the mightiest foes. Through them, a take turn battle system, and your wit you shall persevere to see the end of these mysteries before you! Everything manages to come together to make a complete narrative experience, and on the hardest mode, you get properly challenged to explore the full depth of the battle system. It's not overly taxing, but it is constantly rewarding and more importantly enjoyable. I went in wanting a small indie adventure that was an RPG and left finding one of the best little hidden gems I've played in the past few years. The game is rough around the edges in production value(art, music, scale), but when the credits began to roll, I could only feel immeasurable satisfaction by the journey.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
As I grow older a simple temptation calls out to be in the night, stirring my very existence. To discover something new that harkens back to the days of old. Many a video game exist in this age, and many of them clearly inspired by the works that drove those developers into the industry in the first place. It is a shame though, how often, they fail to capture the same magic of what they were bewitched by. Ara Fell is a success story out of the mass of forgettable indie titles trying to be the next Earthbound or Chrono Trigger. It holds steadfast by keeping itself straightforward, with a dash of flair. You have elements like magic, vampires, a floating world, and hundreds-year-old mysteries as classic motifs to recognize and easily comprehend. This game doesn't try to reinvent metanarratives, RPGs, or anything as grandiose as that. It's just a simple tale of a girl named Lita who gets caught up in something far bigger and greater than she could have ever imagined she would. You have 4 party members, each with specific classes, who all aid in ways necessary to prevail against the mightiest foes. Through them, a take turn battle system, and your wit you shall persevere to see the end of these mysteries before you! Everything manages to come together to make a complete narrative experience, and on the hardest mode, you get properly challenged to explore the full depth of the battle system. It's not overly taxing, but it is constantly rewarding and more importantly enjoyable. I went in wanting a small indie adventure that was an RPG and left finding one of the best little hidden gems I've played in the past few years. The game is rough around the edges in production value(art, music, scale), but when the credits began to roll, I could only feel immeasurable satisfaction by the journey.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
2016
“Our world, with its rules of causality, has trained us to be miserly with forgiveness. By forgiving too readily, we can be badly hurt."
There are a rare number of games that manage to make me feel ultimately conflicted. The Witness manages this throughout the duration of its playtime. It is somehow flirting between being simultaneously creative and frustrating. Is it brilliance or pretention? Who can say really, all I know is this game was equally both with its various challenges and ideas. While I laud the ability to use a single concept in such a multi-faceted manner as to make hundreds of possible puzzles out of, I must say it comes with a drawback as well. A simplicity that can be boiled down to it being the same idea over and over just repackaged. Combined with inadequate conveyance of the rules, or clearly interfering with the rules to just make things complicated, asinine, and more tedious than clever. This Witness struggles to stay consistent. For every A-hah moment you have, you will be trumped by nonsensical clues that take far longer to work out yourself than is enjoyable. While I wholly respect the intention, I felt the execution wasn't up to snuff. The thread of your experience will hinge on these purposeful choices. I found it to be a headache from a logical design aspect, and normally when I came to what conclusion was the correct one, I just felt bitter. The beauty of simplicity is lost when you decisively overcomplicate it for needless padding and roadblocks. For every solution only more, and more and more. No great reward lies beyond it all, unless the answer is your greatest satisfaction.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
There are a rare number of games that manage to make me feel ultimately conflicted. The Witness manages this throughout the duration of its playtime. It is somehow flirting between being simultaneously creative and frustrating. Is it brilliance or pretention? Who can say really, all I know is this game was equally both with its various challenges and ideas. While I laud the ability to use a single concept in such a multi-faceted manner as to make hundreds of possible puzzles out of, I must say it comes with a drawback as well. A simplicity that can be boiled down to it being the same idea over and over just repackaged. Combined with inadequate conveyance of the rules, or clearly interfering with the rules to just make things complicated, asinine, and more tedious than clever. This Witness struggles to stay consistent. For every A-hah moment you have, you will be trumped by nonsensical clues that take far longer to work out yourself than is enjoyable. While I wholly respect the intention, I felt the execution wasn't up to snuff. The thread of your experience will hinge on these purposeful choices. I found it to be a headache from a logical design aspect, and normally when I came to what conclusion was the correct one, I just felt bitter. The beauty of simplicity is lost when you decisively overcomplicate it for needless padding and roadblocks. For every solution only more, and more and more. No great reward lies beyond it all, unless the answer is your greatest satisfaction.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
"On this day, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends."
11-11 is an interactive narrative based game that aims to tell a multi-focused narrative about the first great world war. You play two characters in this game, a young Canadian photographer(voiced by the ever charming Elijah Wood) trying to impress the girl of his dreams with his bravery, and a German father trying to locate his missing son by joining the front lines. The game is broken up into different sections of controlling both characters with minimal puzzles as your only obstacle to overcome. Everything else around you is optional and meant to enrich world building based on player individuality and interaction. It bolsters a very unique artstyle that looks like a blotch painting filter. This was my initial reason for playing and at the end one of the most noteworthy aspects of it all. 11-11 tries to tell a story that doesn't take sides in the war, but a human story of conflict and perseverance. The main issue is how neither character is really all that worth investing into, and despite there being almost 10 endings, none of them leave you satisfied with the journey at all. While interesting in concept it fails to deliver on the promise it sets out to create, and for that I can only recommend it to those who are massively curious by war stories or unique indies. It won't impress with it's minimal gameplay nor its misfire on handling an iconic time in history. If you want a better version of this same idea, may I suggest the movie Joyeux Noel. It is shorter and more worth your time, investment, and will be a much more pleasing endeavor.
No Seal Awarded
11-11 is an interactive narrative based game that aims to tell a multi-focused narrative about the first great world war. You play two characters in this game, a young Canadian photographer(voiced by the ever charming Elijah Wood) trying to impress the girl of his dreams with his bravery, and a German father trying to locate his missing son by joining the front lines. The game is broken up into different sections of controlling both characters with minimal puzzles as your only obstacle to overcome. Everything else around you is optional and meant to enrich world building based on player individuality and interaction. It bolsters a very unique artstyle that looks like a blotch painting filter. This was my initial reason for playing and at the end one of the most noteworthy aspects of it all. 11-11 tries to tell a story that doesn't take sides in the war, but a human story of conflict and perseverance. The main issue is how neither character is really all that worth investing into, and despite there being almost 10 endings, none of them leave you satisfied with the journey at all. While interesting in concept it fails to deliver on the promise it sets out to create, and for that I can only recommend it to those who are massively curious by war stories or unique indies. It won't impress with it's minimal gameplay nor its misfire on handling an iconic time in history. If you want a better version of this same idea, may I suggest the movie Joyeux Noel. It is shorter and more worth your time, investment, and will be a much more pleasing endeavor.
No Seal Awarded
"There are so many things I don't understand, but I have to get started!"
The Dusk Trilogy begins dripping in fantastical wonder. A young girl named Ayesha goes on an adventure to solve the mystery of her sister who was spirited away. Presumed to be dead, Ayesha only has her will, and those who believe in her to find her before it is too late. In standard Atelier fashion, this game is a mix of two key components. You are tasked with adventuring, and producing useful items through the power that is alchemy. Unlike many other Atelier stories, this game's time limit is built upon a very serious, and driving force. With the backdrop of the mystical dark fantasy world all around you, Ayesha gives off the presentation of a far more investing narrative. However, all the classic tropes of comfortable characters, and silly hijinks remain between the key story moments. It creates a balance between a serene yet terrifying world behind the veil and just that same old everyday slapstick goodness that makes the series so charming. Like the majority of the franchise, the star of the show is the main cast though. The reason anyone loves these games generally comes down to the lovable characters, all with their own sense of flair and worthwhile storylines to pursue. It allows you to craft an experience that is all your own. The harmony of implementing a timed calendar system to create tension, yet allowing players freedom of choice on how they spend it. While this could be a stressful idea to some, I find it one of the greatest skills of the franchise. Weight to your decisions allows a massive amount of gratification as progression naturally occurs through playtime. This makes it feel like yours, and yours alone. And when I traveled through the mysterious world of Ayesha, solving the conundrums before me, laughing with my friends, basking in the gorgeous score, and finally seeing it all through to the end, I came out with a satisfaction. A blissful sentiment of happiness and fulfillment.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
The Dusk Trilogy begins dripping in fantastical wonder. A young girl named Ayesha goes on an adventure to solve the mystery of her sister who was spirited away. Presumed to be dead, Ayesha only has her will, and those who believe in her to find her before it is too late. In standard Atelier fashion, this game is a mix of two key components. You are tasked with adventuring, and producing useful items through the power that is alchemy. Unlike many other Atelier stories, this game's time limit is built upon a very serious, and driving force. With the backdrop of the mystical dark fantasy world all around you, Ayesha gives off the presentation of a far more investing narrative. However, all the classic tropes of comfortable characters, and silly hijinks remain between the key story moments. It creates a balance between a serene yet terrifying world behind the veil and just that same old everyday slapstick goodness that makes the series so charming. Like the majority of the franchise, the star of the show is the main cast though. The reason anyone loves these games generally comes down to the lovable characters, all with their own sense of flair and worthwhile storylines to pursue. It allows you to craft an experience that is all your own. The harmony of implementing a timed calendar system to create tension, yet allowing players freedom of choice on how they spend it. While this could be a stressful idea to some, I find it one of the greatest skills of the franchise. Weight to your decisions allows a massive amount of gratification as progression naturally occurs through playtime. This makes it feel like yours, and yours alone. And when I traveled through the mysterious world of Ayesha, solving the conundrums before me, laughing with my friends, basking in the gorgeous score, and finally seeing it all through to the end, I came out with a satisfaction. A blissful sentiment of happiness and fulfillment.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
2020
"Live in Your World. Play in Ours"
Astro's Playroom is a new-age tech demo that memorializes the history of PlayStation. Just like the games that defined the first home video console, it is a collect-a-thon platformer with an infectiously adorable mascot and style. While it could have been a simple 20 minutes demo showcasing the ways the dual sense functions, it instead transcends that to make a full game experience. It is about as long in length as a classic PS1 title, yet basks the player in new inventive ideas like adaptive triggers and audio/visual haptic feedback. It's a charming take on a freebie bundled in-game that manages to be a marriage of everything you could ask for. It has something new, something old, and something borrowed. From the rich futuristic features in the gamepad, to hundreds of references to characters and electronics that defined the previous four generations, to the classic try and true genre that kickstarted it all. A well-rounded and realized experience is here for all players who get this new console, utterly delightful in all of its ideas and implementations. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
Astro's Playroom is a new-age tech demo that memorializes the history of PlayStation. Just like the games that defined the first home video console, it is a collect-a-thon platformer with an infectiously adorable mascot and style. While it could have been a simple 20 minutes demo showcasing the ways the dual sense functions, it instead transcends that to make a full game experience. It is about as long in length as a classic PS1 title, yet basks the player in new inventive ideas like adaptive triggers and audio/visual haptic feedback. It's a charming take on a freebie bundled in-game that manages to be a marriage of everything you could ask for. It has something new, something old, and something borrowed. From the rich futuristic features in the gamepad, to hundreds of references to characters and electronics that defined the previous four generations, to the classic try and true genre that kickstarted it all. A well-rounded and realized experience is here for all players who get this new console, utterly delightful in all of its ideas and implementations. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
"Nothing's ever been as fun as baseball."
The final iteration of the glorious romp before it quickly tumbled downhill, Backyard Baseball 2003 was also the best of the bunch. After several years of not only making other games centered around the likes of soccer, football, and basketball, the final hurrah of this franchise was with the same sport that kickstarted it all. With a larger cast of MLB superstars, and the classic group of neighborhood ruffians returning as the usual suspects, 2003 was the tightest the series ever was. A smarter A.I. balancing, more accurate batting and pitching mechanics, and just nicer looking U.I., in general, made it the definitive Backyard experience. While it didn't innovate or change up the formula all that much, it tightened the bolts around the frame and made it as crisp as you could desire. It was truly possible to have a competitive little league franchise mode with the size of the roster and better-designed backend components to challenge us kids as we started to mature. And in the end, nothing beats the pure satisfaction of trying to strike out 21 opponents in a single game and hit for the cycle with the legend that is Pablo Sanchez. The greatest kid to ever play the game.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
The final iteration of the glorious romp before it quickly tumbled downhill, Backyard Baseball 2003 was also the best of the bunch. After several years of not only making other games centered around the likes of soccer, football, and basketball, the final hurrah of this franchise was with the same sport that kickstarted it all. With a larger cast of MLB superstars, and the classic group of neighborhood ruffians returning as the usual suspects, 2003 was the tightest the series ever was. A smarter A.I. balancing, more accurate batting and pitching mechanics, and just nicer looking U.I., in general, made it the definitive Backyard experience. While it didn't innovate or change up the formula all that much, it tightened the bolts around the frame and made it as crisp as you could desire. It was truly possible to have a competitive little league franchise mode with the size of the roster and better-designed backend components to challenge us kids as we started to mature. And in the end, nothing beats the pure satisfaction of trying to strike out 21 opponents in a single game and hit for the cycle with the legend that is Pablo Sanchez. The greatest kid to ever play the game.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
"You could be a kid for as long as you want when you play baseball."
Ever since I first stepped upon the sandy diamond, squared my feet, and make contact with the ball, I've loved baseball. As a kid, we played video games, watched live games, and even did pick-up games on the sandlot. Always wondering what it would be like if you could play with the pros when they were young like you are. Backyard sports was a wish-fulfillment of sorts. It allowed you to play America's greatest pastime with pro players at your age. Mix that with a diverse and charming group of other potential players and you have yourself one of the most enjoyable pc experiences for a young baseball fan. Whether you built your team around rockin' Achmed or mini Babe Ruth in the making Pablo Sanchez, you had an eclectic club of super children to play baseball with. Backyard Baseball was the start of a love affair between the sporting world and our imaginations. No other depiction of the world of baseball was as colorful and delightful as the one crafted here by Humongous Entertainment. It wasn't the best of the genre, but it was the one that most closely resembled what it felt like to play the game at that age. You can't relive your childhood, but sometimes when I boot this up to play 9 innings with my favorite groups, it almost feels like I am.
We hereby award: The bronze seal of recognition
Ever since I first stepped upon the sandy diamond, squared my feet, and make contact with the ball, I've loved baseball. As a kid, we played video games, watched live games, and even did pick-up games on the sandlot. Always wondering what it would be like if you could play with the pros when they were young like you are. Backyard sports was a wish-fulfillment of sorts. It allowed you to play America's greatest pastime with pro players at your age. Mix that with a diverse and charming group of other potential players and you have yourself one of the most enjoyable pc experiences for a young baseball fan. Whether you built your team around rockin' Achmed or mini Babe Ruth in the making Pablo Sanchez, you had an eclectic club of super children to play baseball with. Backyard Baseball was the start of a love affair between the sporting world and our imaginations. No other depiction of the world of baseball was as colorful and delightful as the one crafted here by Humongous Entertainment. It wasn't the best of the genre, but it was the one that most closely resembled what it felt like to play the game at that age. You can't relive your childhood, but sometimes when I boot this up to play 9 innings with my favorite groups, it almost feels like I am.
We hereby award: The bronze seal of recognition
2022
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy doughnuts, and that's sort of the same thing."
Simple, sweet, and irresistible fun in a package perfectly suited for a dozen of your favorite offerings. Freshly Frosted is that puzzle game hardly anyone will go out of their way to talk about, but those who take on the order, and help sort the infinite loop of doughnut factories within our head are bound to be pleased. An oh so pleasant narration kickstarts every level as you come across the toughest of conundrums. Do I still play this game or leave my house to get a nice pastry? It's the little things in life that bring the most joy, and this game takes all the time it can to relax you into a void of pure relaxation and comfort. Now excuse me as I curiously wonder to myself what venue will be my next target for an order of their finest delicious baked doughnuts.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
Simple, sweet, and irresistible fun in a package perfectly suited for a dozen of your favorite offerings. Freshly Frosted is that puzzle game hardly anyone will go out of their way to talk about, but those who take on the order, and help sort the infinite loop of doughnut factories within our head are bound to be pleased. An oh so pleasant narration kickstarts every level as you come across the toughest of conundrums. Do I still play this game or leave my house to get a nice pastry? It's the little things in life that bring the most joy, and this game takes all the time it can to relax you into a void of pure relaxation and comfort. Now excuse me as I curiously wonder to myself what venue will be my next target for an order of their finest delicious baked doughnuts.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
1996
“One of the great gifts of the arcade was the way it put us all on the same level.”
This is merely a compilation of classic games from the bygone era of the Arcade cabinet. The truly despicable sight of it all though? None of them are superior to their original version, and so this slapdash effort of a celebration doesn't warrant a purchase, play, or even existing. That's right I said it! I say we go back in our time machine and delete it from ever even happening! You are saying that would be paradoxical? That by doing so, this very review wouldn't exist, and the very foundation of our space-time continuum could be altered? Well in that case.....I SAY I AM THE LAW....DO IT RIGHT NOW YOU COWARD AND SAVE US ALL THE HASSLE!
No Seal Awarded.
This is merely a compilation of classic games from the bygone era of the Arcade cabinet. The truly despicable sight of it all though? None of them are superior to their original version, and so this slapdash effort of a celebration doesn't warrant a purchase, play, or even existing. That's right I said it! I say we go back in our time machine and delete it from ever even happening! You are saying that would be paradoxical? That by doing so, this very review wouldn't exist, and the very foundation of our space-time continuum could be altered? Well in that case.....I SAY I AM THE LAW....DO IT RIGHT NOW YOU COWARD AND SAVE US ALL THE HASSLE!
No Seal Awarded.
2009
"Wanting Something Does Not Give You The Right To Have It."
The toils of their work now bear the most succulent of fruit. AC2 is the progression so heavily desired, and the backbone on which a franchise was truly born. With the inclusion of an everyman transforming into the fear of the corrupted world, AC2 solidified a most magnanimous future for us all. The scale of the world, the gameplay modifications, the heroically tragic lead. The joys of being the assassin of our dreams was now reality, and my goodness did it feel good. Ezio Auditore Firenze charmed his way into our hearts with his gallant behavior and badassery skill. Capturing a magic, all too addicting for a gamer to resist. Roaming through the streets, rooftops, and alleys of a gorgeously detailed Italy, you were the most dangerous man in the world, and you damn well knew it. From Venice to Florence and beyond, you were in the process of creating a legend. Instead of an established warrior of renown, you were just a man, looking for how to right this world of wrongs. A vibrant world come to life from the past, you were making history while living it. All this game needed to do was add the plaster to fill in the cracks to show what could be. Instead, it built a city, and said, "Are you not entertained!?". A dynasty would spring from what was done so right. The impact, passion, and evolution of what would be one of the most defining franchises in the past 15 years, it owes it to here. To Ezio, to Italy, to caring about improvement.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
The toils of their work now bear the most succulent of fruit. AC2 is the progression so heavily desired, and the backbone on which a franchise was truly born. With the inclusion of an everyman transforming into the fear of the corrupted world, AC2 solidified a most magnanimous future for us all. The scale of the world, the gameplay modifications, the heroically tragic lead. The joys of being the assassin of our dreams was now reality, and my goodness did it feel good. Ezio Auditore Firenze charmed his way into our hearts with his gallant behavior and badassery skill. Capturing a magic, all too addicting for a gamer to resist. Roaming through the streets, rooftops, and alleys of a gorgeously detailed Italy, you were the most dangerous man in the world, and you damn well knew it. From Venice to Florence and beyond, you were in the process of creating a legend. Instead of an established warrior of renown, you were just a man, looking for how to right this world of wrongs. A vibrant world come to life from the past, you were making history while living it. All this game needed to do was add the plaster to fill in the cracks to show what could be. Instead, it built a city, and said, "Are you not entertained!?". A dynasty would spring from what was done so right. The impact, passion, and evolution of what would be one of the most defining franchises in the past 15 years, it owes it to here. To Ezio, to Italy, to caring about improvement.
We hereby award: The Silver Seal of Merit
1979
"If the Earth gets hit by an asteroid, it's game over."
Drifting through the nothingness that is space, your ship must at all costs avoid the hurdles before it. Gargantuan-sized rock clusters with enough force and impact to shatter your very being. As counterintuitive, and dangerous as it might seem, your only true line of defense in this perilous situation? Blow the obstacles out of your way and navigate around the shards with precision, and deft flight. The absolute plight of constant danger and your very life in the balance is what pushes you forward. A simple task, sure it is, yet you are more than aware that if you fail, everything you have ever known could come to a stop. Asteroids are the greatest thrill you've ever known, even in the face of death itself. How you handle this task, and the subsequent success of it, all of it rests on your skill and determination to stay focused on the task at hand. It may not seem as lofty or great as things you've seen others do, but this is your job, and god damn it, you are gonna blast some rocks away.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
Drifting through the nothingness that is space, your ship must at all costs avoid the hurdles before it. Gargantuan-sized rock clusters with enough force and impact to shatter your very being. As counterintuitive, and dangerous as it might seem, your only true line of defense in this perilous situation? Blow the obstacles out of your way and navigate around the shards with precision, and deft flight. The absolute plight of constant danger and your very life in the balance is what pushes you forward. A simple task, sure it is, yet you are more than aware that if you fail, everything you have ever known could come to a stop. Asteroids are the greatest thrill you've ever known, even in the face of death itself. How you handle this task, and the subsequent success of it, all of it rests on your skill and determination to stay focused on the task at hand. It may not seem as lofty or great as things you've seen others do, but this is your job, and god damn it, you are gonna blast some rocks away.
We hereby award: The Bronze Seal of Recognition
"What didja expect, a waffle?"
After a decently prepared and surprising breakfast, the Life is Strange universe gave us a snack. While I do fervently enjoy a midday consumption, it does always lack the same sort of gravitas of a proper meal. You can see the appeal, hell you knowingly chose the snack not expecting to be filled up, but you still find yourself forgetting about it soon thereafter. It is just fluff content for the main course, and now you just can't wait til your next breakfast. A satisfaction level that you know could be replicated if you actually fully fleshed out everything you enjoyed last time you ate. No special sauce to elevate a unique feature, or complexity to make you savor it even after it is consumed. Just a light appetizer that doesn't fill the same spot in your stomach. Would I eat it again? Sure, I guess I would, I mean it wasn't all bad, I liked the idea of it at least, and it didn't cost me anything but a little bit of my time. But geez, I really just want some proper waffles with syrup drizzled all over it even more. The hunger grows within me, and a snack just isn't enough. I'm a growing boy you know?
No seal awarded.
After a decently prepared and surprising breakfast, the Life is Strange universe gave us a snack. While I do fervently enjoy a midday consumption, it does always lack the same sort of gravitas of a proper meal. You can see the appeal, hell you knowingly chose the snack not expecting to be filled up, but you still find yourself forgetting about it soon thereafter. It is just fluff content for the main course, and now you just can't wait til your next breakfast. A satisfaction level that you know could be replicated if you actually fully fleshed out everything you enjoyed last time you ate. No special sauce to elevate a unique feature, or complexity to make you savor it even after it is consumed. Just a light appetizer that doesn't fill the same spot in your stomach. Would I eat it again? Sure, I guess I would, I mean it wasn't all bad, I liked the idea of it at least, and it didn't cost me anything but a little bit of my time. But geez, I really just want some proper waffles with syrup drizzled all over it even more. The hunger grows within me, and a snack just isn't enough. I'm a growing boy you know?
No seal awarded.
"These are our lives here, they aren't just some toys you can play with!"
After almost ten years, and two disappointing follow-ups, Xenoblade 3 manages to succeed as a proper sequel to the original Xenoblade Chronicles. It uses the more powerful console and many lessons learned from development to bring a deeply rich experience. The combat system is flexible, yet not overly cumbersome, taking queues from both mainline games before it. The cast is as thoroughly characterized as anything in the genre period. The incredible scope and music that has always been present, show up once again with absolute splendor. This game almost transcends and overtakes its predecessors in almost every single category from visual fidelity to side quest depth. The world of Aionisis is rich with lore, history, and struggle, and all of it sets a bleak yet riveting tone from the initial moments of the narrative's start.
Unfortunately, the only thing this game does not manage to stick to is the landing at the very end. After a tremendous build-up that capitalizes on every core component, the story then stumbles and never quite finds a solution to this. Mostly at fault are two things of note. The first is the exposition required to truly grasp all the missing details from key story characters you work so hard to reach. Their moments are brief, almost for cameo's sake rather than blissful fusion of everything into one incredible sweeping motion. The latter problem is the ending takes away what is the hope of the players. It may give back the future to its denizens but it takes away the time invested into this world, the people we came to so closely align ourselves with, and all of those cherished memories built through those relationships. I love this game in most regards and would say it manages to do almost everything correctly, and the ending while it doesn't betray the themes and ideas presented beforehand, just leaves a notion of regret onto me. If you've ever seen the series Crash Landing onto You, this reminds me heavily of that journey. An uncertain beginning that forms into a spectacular ride, that leaves me absolutely gobsmacked by conflicted feelings as the credits roll.
I can say with certainty this game is utterly engrossing with a dense massive world of interest and charming characters that feel so real you want to be friends with them yourself. I can't quite ignore my own struggle with the lasting effect the final choices made and how they left me at three in the morning feeling troubled. I shan't forget my time, and will look forward to what the future holds with this series, the DLC, and of course my own path that I will decide upon.
We hereby award: Platinum Seal of Transcendence
After almost ten years, and two disappointing follow-ups, Xenoblade 3 manages to succeed as a proper sequel to the original Xenoblade Chronicles. It uses the more powerful console and many lessons learned from development to bring a deeply rich experience. The combat system is flexible, yet not overly cumbersome, taking queues from both mainline games before it. The cast is as thoroughly characterized as anything in the genre period. The incredible scope and music that has always been present, show up once again with absolute splendor. This game almost transcends and overtakes its predecessors in almost every single category from visual fidelity to side quest depth. The world of Aionisis is rich with lore, history, and struggle, and all of it sets a bleak yet riveting tone from the initial moments of the narrative's start.
Unfortunately, the only thing this game does not manage to stick to is the landing at the very end. After a tremendous build-up that capitalizes on every core component, the story then stumbles and never quite finds a solution to this. Mostly at fault are two things of note. The first is the exposition required to truly grasp all the missing details from key story characters you work so hard to reach. Their moments are brief, almost for cameo's sake rather than blissful fusion of everything into one incredible sweeping motion. The latter problem is the ending takes away what is the hope of the players. It may give back the future to its denizens but it takes away the time invested into this world, the people we came to so closely align ourselves with, and all of those cherished memories built through those relationships. I love this game in most regards and would say it manages to do almost everything correctly, and the ending while it doesn't betray the themes and ideas presented beforehand, just leaves a notion of regret onto me. If you've ever seen the series Crash Landing onto You, this reminds me heavily of that journey. An uncertain beginning that forms into a spectacular ride, that leaves me absolutely gobsmacked by conflicted feelings as the credits roll.
I can say with certainty this game is utterly engrossing with a dense massive world of interest and charming characters that feel so real you want to be friends with them yourself. I can't quite ignore my own struggle with the lasting effect the final choices made and how they left me at three in the morning feeling troubled. I shan't forget my time, and will look forward to what the future holds with this series, the DLC, and of course my own path that I will decide upon.
We hereby award: Platinum Seal of Transcendence