This has been the most conflicting game I’ve played so far this year. There’s so many things that I can appreciate about the game but there’s also a lot of things that just didn’t stick with me. I will say though, I like how focused this game is on its purpose. It knows it’s supposed to be a fun game first and I can feel that even though theres plenty of flaws. I saw this game on Game Pass and tried it on a whim, expecting to play something sort of like a mix of Evil Dead or Van Helsing. That’s what I got and it’s decently enjoyable, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t struggle to finish the game a few times.

For starters, I fucking love the entire aesthetic of it. It’s like I said earlier about feeling like a mix of Evil Dead and Van Helsing, and I’d even say it sort of reminds me of Darkwatch in some areas. I wasn't super immersed in the world, but it feels like they actually put passion into making it all interesting to traverse through. Not to mention, Jesse and Edgar’s designs look badass too. I can’t remember much from the soundtrack but I thought it fit most of what was going on decently enough. The visual presentation alone is strong enough to probably draw some people to this game and rightfully so. In fact, I don’t think they ever dropped the ball on the environments this whole time.

Okay, so when playing the game I thought it would be a lot more focused on the gun play, but surprisingly the melee combat is what they introduce first. It’s simple as shit but I appreciate that they made Jesse capable all around instead of making him a sitting duck without ammo. Speaking of which, there is no ammo. It’s a choice I welcome because with this combat I feel like it would be a slog trying to scavenge for ammo on top of managing the enemies. Now you could do a decent amount of mix-ups with your abilities to juggle and lay heavy damage on foes, but it’s honestly not as DMC-ish as I heard. I don’t feel like the juggling ever really advances past how it’s introduced. Also I gotta talk about the leveling system because my god it’s fucking atrocious. This alone makes the middle game feel so awkward to get through because you earn perks at this weirdly slow, yet not slow, pace that feels unnatural. This is where I put down the controller for multiple days just because it was like playing through mud. It should feel like you’re gradually getting stronger overall but instead it feels more like you’re still Jesse from the start but with a new trick. Granted, when you have most of your abilities towards the end game, the combat starts to feel natural again. It’s really satisfying holding crowds of enemies back while laying into a larger enemy then immediately shifting back towards other threats to take care of. Although this also brings about another issue where some of these enemies are spongey as hell, and it’s worse when they make you fight multiple of these large enemies at once because you’re just chipping all of their health bars away until they die. It’s better when they give you enough changes to get energy charges so you can mitigate this issue. The combat just feels like it’s taking both a step backwards and forwards, but I personally enjoy it more than I don’t.

Now for the part where I have issue finding what to say. To be honest, I didn’t have an interest on the story. It felt like they did try, but it all just comes out feeling flat with the dialogue, the characters, and the pacing. The pacing is something I noticed the most because it’s also sort of awkward to me. I know the game is very focused on being a game, but it just felt weird being dropped straight into every level after one or two scenes of exploring a mostly empty location. I wanted to like the characters more too but I feel like some of them don’t get enough time that they need, or the others are just characters that have mostly been done before but better. I would’ve loved to see Jesse and Edgar go back and forth more often since they’re long time friends but Edgar is one character that I don’t think is in the story as often as he should be. Felicity just feels like she has the same flat note of being the creepy little girl and I honestly couldn’t have been bothered to pay too much attention to her.

Evil West is a decently enjoyable time but my god it had some places where it should have grown a bit. I wanted to like it more than I did but I still liked it enough that I wouldn’t mind seeing Evil West come back in some way. If they ever did a sequel for this game that fixes the issues and polishes everything, then I’d gladly pick it up and play it. As it is now though, give it a cautious attempt through Game Pass or borrowing it if you can. It’s an interesting game that I think warrants a try, if at least so you can form your opinion on it and see if it’s something you’re interested in.

I want to start off saying that I’ve never “actually” played a Star Fox game before. My first exposure to Star Fox was playing Star Fox Assault multiplayer with a friend from when I was in elementary school. 2 days ago I was over at a friend’s house and we got on the topic of 3DS games we’ve played, and when I mentioned that I want to try Star Fox 64 3D someday, he pulled out his copy of the game and instantly gave it to me and told me to play it. A day later when I finally had free time, I started up the game and I was astonished by the fact such a simple and short game could be so damn captivating. By now I’ve beaten every level and have gotten both endings multiple times and I enjoyed almost every minute of it.

When I started playing the first level I was loving the art style and design of pretty much everything. It all had a good amount of spectacle to it which made me look forward to the next level so I can see the artistic design of everything. Star Fox 64 looked damn good already for a Nintendo 64 game but this version really improved the visuals that I think it would warrant another play through even if you’ve already played it. Not to mention that the sound design is amazing. There’s a lot of sounds that are iconic from the series and in mixture with the amazing soundtrack made it a beautiful experience the whole way through. Occasionally the draw distance can bother me with obstacles just sort of popping up out of nowhere but it’s not enough to put me off. The character designs are also iconic too despite them being sort of simple at a basic level. Everyone is so distinct and memorable in design which extends to their personalities too which I’ll get into. Overall, Star Fox 64 3D will guarantee a strong impression on you with how clean and flashy it all looks.

The gameplay is really simple too but I never really got bored of it because there’s enough changes with each level that the simplicity isn’t a problem. Never have I felt like I was struggling against the Arwing because it’s a really smooth controlling vehicle. The only moments I’ve had difficulties with it are when you take too much damage to the wings, causing it to handle a little worse. It’s sort of a whatever kind of feature to me. I don’t mind it but I don’t think I would’ve cared if it wasn’t in the game either. The Blue Marine controlled really decently too even if I didn’t like the level it was in. That brings me to the Landmaster, which at first I didn’t like how it felt because the aiming was weird that it was controlled by moving up and down on the stick. Over time I got used to it though and welcome the change of pace that the Landmaster brings. As I was saying earlier too, each level really brings out the simple gameplay. Sure you could just play it as a typical space shooter by dodging, shooting, and boosting through the level, but each level has their own environmental hazards that fit right in. The bonus objectives so you can take alternate paths is also welcome, even if some of the requirements for the alternate path aren’t clear sometimes. I do wish that there was more to do outside of the main story though because there really isn’t a lot else. The last thing I want to mention about the gameplay is the bosses, because this is honestly something that I wish I could give a simpler answer too. There’s a decent amount of bosses that I enjoy but there will be some that are a pain in the ass for no reason, or sort of a nothing boss. The boss as the end of blue marine just feels annoying, I can’t reliably dodge Vulcain’s dive attack even though everything else about him is a pushover, and the Macbeth boss fight is better off being ignored. Hell I also though Andross was disappointing. His first phase is easy and then his second just won’t get off your ass, making you perform some awkward maneuvers to get decent shots. I loved all the Star Wolf fights though with how you’re given chances to use your environment or simply out-maneuver your opponents.

Now moving on, the story is also decently intriguing. It’s not very deep at all but in all honesty it doesn’t need to be. Andross is waging war to try to take over the Lylat system and you’re sent to go stop him and his forces. There’s a few extra details that I won’t mention that do give it a bit more depth and helps add a bit more to certain characters. It’s very direct in what is going on and what you’re supposed to be doing and I can appreciate a game that takes a simple approach. I think more people actually remember the characters more than they remember the story itself and for good reason. Just like their designs, everyone has a distinct personality which makes their moments of banter with other characters that much better. As much as everyone shits on Slippy, I feel for the guy for trying his best to be useful to the team while Falco occasionally gives him a hard time for his shortcomings. I’ve always liked Falco’s personality too where he’s just a lovable asshole. Everyone included in the story feels like they have a proper role instead of having some that might as well be replaced with dead air. There’s nothing overly convoluted but it also isn’t too simple that the game might as well have not even tried to have a story. It hits just the right spot to be enjoyable.

This whole game was really enjoyable even when I had to replay some of the stages I’ve already done. I think that this was a damn good way to start the Star Fox series. The game can be beaten within just a few hours if you’re trying to see everything. There’s no harm in trying the game if you get the chance since it’s not gonna be a massive time sink. In fact I can see why my friend was so eager for me to try the game because it’s very well done and a lot of fun. It feels like a game that knew exactly what it wanted to be from the start. If you ever get a chance to play it, I honestly think you should.

I have never had a game absolutely beat me repeatedly as much as the Ninja Gaiden games. Many are most likely going to be put off by the difficulty but I think if you have the will to put your foot down and dedicate yourself to conquering the game then you’ll be in for an unforgettable experience. Although this is a simpler hack n’ slash to understand, the rest of the game makes sure that you learn these mechanics and utilize them to its absolute best if you want to beat the game. This was a decent collection to bring the series to modern consoles and I think is worth looking into.

As soon as you take control of Ryu you’ll realize that controlling him feels fluid. These controls feel smooth and responsive enough that when it comes down to moments where your inputs matter, it will always feel like it’s because of you instead of a bullshit delay or janky response. It doesn’t take much to get accustomed to them even without reading Ayane’s notes in the first game. Hell if you want to review the controls or combo inputs, it lays it all out for you in the weapons screen too on all three games. Something I do think should’ve had more emphasis though is the fact that blocking works right after making attacks instead of when you carry out the whole animation. This made me feel weird at first thinking I wouldn’t be able to block attacks until Ryu’s in position. I don’t feel like that takes too long to realize either though on your first time playing.

Every game I think also has a decently good presentation. The lighting I thought looked kind of weird in NG3:RE but can be adjusted a bit to make it less awkward. The level design in the first two games are really interesting and feel memorable enough that you’ll be able to enjoy traversing through them. In NG3:RE I felt like they were a bit too linear and slightly blander to the point some of them kind of blended in with each other. NG2 is linear as well but the environments were more distinct in my opinion.

As for the combat, it’s easy to learn but difficult to master. It gives you a lot of variety with the weapons, ninpo, and enemies that you’ll be satisfied enough experimenting and learning how each of these function. Most weapons feel unique enough that you can start finding out which one is more effective and comfortable for certain encounters. I wish I could say the same about the ninpo since I feel like in every game there’s always a worst and best ninpo, and they don’t have as much versatility as the weapons. I felt like in NG3:RE it was emphasized a bit more due to the recharge meters varying in length so I ended up neglecting every other ninpo except one just because I could use it faster than the rest; which I think fucking sucks because I would’ve liked the ninpo meter more in 3 than the other games if you could store multiple ninpo attacks and if the recharge didn’t make it obvious to stick to the ones with the shortest recharge time. In the end though I really liked being able to strategically position enemies and then destroy all of them with a good ninpo attack. As for the enemies, most of them are fair and fun to fight but some of them are sort of bullshit or annoying. The ghost fish and the larger enemies in 3 are the ones that come to mind but other than that, the rest I have no issue with. It’s satisfying to learn when to dodge and attack every enemy and then take what you learned and use it to get through the combat encounters with multiple different enemies. In 3 I really liked the Steel on Bone mechanic where I can chain together kills. The power I felt slicing through groups of enemies felt exhilarating. I think maybe there should have been a wider camera view, or an indicator of enemies that are going to attack off screen but this wasn’t as much of an issue as I thought it would be. It’s mostly fun from beginning to end.

Moving on to the bosses, my god this trilogy of games has both some of the best and worst bosses I’ve ever fought against. Getting the bad ones out of the way first, second form Alma is so annoying to fight just because you can’t reliably damage her and her grab attack isn’t telegraphed at all before she takes out of a chunk of your health bar. The final boss of NG3:RE is definitely the worst boss in any game I’ve ever played though just because you’re overloaded with too many attacks to reliably build up your ninpo meter that’s required to even get past her first phase. Not to mention I had to mute the game too because of the constant shrieking. As I said earlier though, some of these bosses are extremely fun. Doku and the final boss of NG1 made me feel like a badass when I beat them. Especially Doku, at that point he felt like the only one on Ryu Hayabusa’s level so it felt amazing fighting an enemy that is supposed to be the immovable object while you’re the unstoppable force. The Ryu clones were also a great fight too. In NG2 Vulf and Genshin were the two that stood out to me the most. They both followed that cycle that makes the combat fun of understanding your opponent, capitalizing on their weaknesses, and staying vigilant so you don’t end up getting killed either. I didn’t really care too much about the bosses in NG3:RE though. Most of them weren’t too bad but I just didn’t feel strongly about any of them except the goddess for a bad reason. There’s a lot of enjoyment to get out of a good amount of these bosses though.

Now for the story, to be honest I don’t have a lot to say about the actual story.l itself. They’re pretty straightforward in all of the games and I never really got too invested in any of the stories. Most of my amusement from the story just came from how ridiculous it can get. Ryu storms a military base to fight tanks and helicopters, beats the shit out of the devil in hell, and also destroys a goddess. I cannot recall most of the things that led up to those moments but the ideas alone entertain me. As for the characters themselves, they’re hit or miss. Some might think Ryu’s a boring protagonist since he’s so serious and focused but I’ve always felt like that seemed appropriate for him. He’s not completely devoid of character either since he has some brief interactions with other characters throughout the series that show a bit of what he’s like. In the third game he gets a lot more interaction with other people and the only issue to me was just that they tried to make him sort of regretful of killing people as if he already hasn’t killed thousands before. Nonetheless, I liked Ryu. I liked Ayane too since she’s almost the same case as Ryu but with a bit more sass. Rachel and Sonia/Irene are set up to seem very connected to Ryu even though they really don’t have any moments that would warrant them being close so it ended up feeling hollow. It made sense with Mizuki since she had the most interaction with Ryu but in the end he ends up with Sonia/Irene anyways. The villains all were intriguing too although in NG2 I didn’t really like most of them except Alexei, Vulf, and Genshin. I’m sure that others can say more about the actual story but for me it just came down to the characters and absurdity.

I’ve had a lot of things to say about the Ninja Gaiden trilogy and it has some very serious flaws but I still think that everything about it was memorable and fun enough to warrant a generous score. All 3 of the games were worth playing, even NG3:RE as much as I singled it out for being the weakest part of the trilogy. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun to play through it though. If you are going to play the games though I’d recommend checking Ninja Gaiden Black to see if it’s more in tune with what you prefer, but I’d argue NGB and Sigma are interchangeable. It all comes down to personal preference. I do think that for the other 2 games you should stick with the original NG2 and Razor’s Edge. The Ninja Gaiden trilogy is very flawed and difficult but you will not get many other experiences like this. You can get so much enjoyment and gratification from these games when you actually decide to give it a go. The Ninja Gaiden trilogy is something I can gladly recommend to people who love hack n slash games.