Never have I felt so conflicted over a game more than this one. On one hand, when you solely focus on the gameplay aspect, it's fantastic. The combat is fun and the side content is enjoyable. You can easily make the argument that this is a game-of-the-year contender. On the other hand, the story is horrible and easily bogs down an otherwise great game.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth vastly improved its combat system over its predecessor's, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. While it was fine for a first attempt in the last game, it was rough around the edges. This game smooths over the edges and adds some nice additions to the combat. You can move the characters around in combat, strategically placing them so you can deal extra damage to enemies, do combo attacks with party members, and use the weapons that are lying around. All in all, it's a great system. There is only one thing I can complain about. Admittedly, this is mostly a nitpick but characters still have some pathfinding issues during combat sections. It's an improvement over the previous installment, but characters getting stuck behind objects happened often enough to be annoying.

The side content was fantastic in this game. There is so much to do here that one can easily get overwhelmed by it. The new mini-games they introduced were great. I especially liked the Dondoko Island game. The substories were thoroughly enjoyable here. The karaoke selection was also amazing. Bringing back fan favorites and introducing some new (and great) songs easily makes this the best karaoke selection in the series to date. I did have some problems with Kiryu's bucket list side quest, but I'll discuss that later.

I must say, I enjoyed the Hawaii map they introduced. Admittedly, I was skeptical about having the game set in America (mainly because I wanted them to explore other Asian countries before coming to the US) but they handled it well. Hawaii would have been my first choice for the series to take place in America and the Honolulu map was great. The atmosphere was so cheerful despite some plot points.

While I did enjoy all of those things, there's no dodging the game's story. It's a huge mess. Many plot points were seemingly forgotten, only to be brought back up again at the last minute. There were so many odd decisions/plot holes in this story. While I admit there were moments that I enjoyed, they mainly involved Kiryu. It feels like Ichiban got sidelined in his own game. Perhaps the reasoning behind that was the game was trying to be two things at once: a grand, emotional adventure for Ichiban while simultaneously being an epic sendoff for Kiryu. One was going to overshadow the other. Maybe handling the dual protagonists similarly to Yakuza 0, where you switch between the two near the start, could have helped prevent that since Ichiban and Kiryu don't split off until the midpoint of the game. Then again, other plot points in this game left me scratching my head. Were they making stuff as they went along the writing process (which wouldn't be the first time RGG did something similar) or were there a lot of script rewires? Either way, it's not a good look.

As I mentioned, one thing that bugged me was Kiryu's bucket list. I love the concept of it but the execution was so odd to me. It wouldn't bother me that much if most of them happened before a certain plot point in the game, but they happen after it. It's such an odd decision since these moments feel so disassociated from the plot because of their placement. I don't get it.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth certainly is a game. It has some fantastic gameplay and side content, but the story left a lot to be desired.

Lost Judgment is a vast improvement over its already great predecessor in every aspect except for the story. The combat and side content are far more enjoyable this time around. And while the story isn't as good as Judgement's, it's still pretty good.

This game easily has the best combat in the series to date. It's very fluid with little to no delays between switching among the different fighting styles. Besides that, the attacks feel great to lash out against a horde of enemies (and pretty fun too I might add).

What steals the show for me is the side content. While it is imperfect, Lost Judgment's side content is much better than Judgement's. The side cases are a bit more memorable this time around. Many of the mini-games are also excellent, like the dance club one. It's far from perfect, the robotics club could use some work, but the side content here is top-notch.

The only thing that Lost Judgement could work on is its story. Again, it's not bad, but it's weak compared to Judgement's. They did fix the pacing issues, but I can't say this game's story captivated me the same way the previous game's did. I kind of zoned out of it after the midway point. I will say it does send a good message to its audience.

Lost Judgment is a great game with some of the best gameplay RGG Studio has developed. While the story isn't amazing, it's still good.

Oh yeah, the Kaito Files expansion is so good. Go play it.

It's rather impressive how RGG Studios can consistently think of gripping narratives for their games. Judgment is a detective spinoff of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, and like those games, it delivers a gripping and emotional narrative. This is easily one of the best stories they have created yet. All the new characters the game introduces are great additions as well. However, while I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the pacing was abysmal. The plot would start moving only for it to take the longest pause for you to complete a mandatory side case. That's fine as long as the side cases are at least entertaining, but more often than not, they're rather boring. It felt like filler for a game that honestly doesn't need it.

The combat in this game allows you to switch between two styles: Crane and Tiger. Crane Style is more for a group of enemies while Tiger primarily focuses on one. The combat is fun but needs some work. A great song to listen to while playing this game is Tubthumping by Chumbawamba. Yagami gets knocked down, but he gets up again. The enemies will never keep him down (only for Yagami to get knocked down again). It's all too easy for enemies to knock Yagami out during combat sections.

This being a detective game, there's going to be investigations and trailing missions. The investigation missions are harmless, just look around the crime scene for clues. Nothing major. The trailing missions on the other hand are a different story. They're not annoying or overly frustrating, they're just boring. I also found the camera angles during these sections to be pretty bad. You could be hiding behind a wall to avoid being spotted, but the way the camera is positioned might prevent the target from being seen. Because of that, a countdown will start saying you're losing the target (even though they're right there). You would either have to stay there and hope the target starts moving before the countdown reaches zero or leave the hiding spot and hope you don't get spotted. It's a lose-lose situation.

The side content is okay at best. None of the minigames caught my attention, except for the VR one. The majority of side cases are rather forgettable. I found the friendship system to be rather tedious after a while. All in all, they could have done a lot better.

Judgment is a great introduction to a new spinoff series. The characters are great as well as its story despite some pacing issues. The combat is flawed but fun. Definitely check this game out if you are a Yakuza fan.

Sonic Superstars is like the Devil May Cry 2 of Classic Sonic games. The game is unforgivably dull and so poorly designed that it often overshadows the few highlights it does have. Only one or two levels stood out to me. The rest felt rather generic (props to the team for creating new zone locations instead of reusing old ones though). As for the design, this game likes to blindside you all the time. They'll hide enemies behind a wall with the sole purpose of screwing you over.

Nothing demonstrates the game's poor design more than the boss fights. These are easily some of the worst boss fights in the series. The amount of waiting around you must do (in a Sonic game mind you) is ridiculous. Also, some boss fights in the past allowed you to attack the boss multiple times given the chance. Not here though. That aspect is completely gone. If you have the chance to attack the boss again, it will not do any damage. Moreover, the attacks the bosses throw at you are quite frankly stupid. I'm fine with difficult boss fights, but these are borderline unfair in many regards.

I'll keep this section brief but the special stages are another thing that's poorly designed. It wouldn't be as bad if the lock-on system was good, but it's not. You could be right beside the Chaos Emerald and it will not pick it up. Instead, it'll lock on one of the blue orbs that is far away. Some work needs to be done with these special stages.

I've seen a lot of people complain about the game's soundtrack and yeah, it is rather disappointing for the Sonic series. Since many people have discussed this topic, I want to focus on another aspect I think is going unnoticed: the sound design. This game made me fully realize how good sound design usually is in Sonic games. Even the more lackluster titles have some nice sound effects. I can't say the same with Sonic Superstars. Yes, it has some of the iconic sounds fans have come to know, but then there are some questionable decisions with the sounds.

There are some positives to this game. Sonic and the gang feel great to play as. The physics feels like the classic games (mostly). I also enjoyed playing with the different characters and trying out their abilities. Trip was a nice addition to the cast though I didn't bother that much with her unlockable story after beating the game. I just played the first level and stopped when I realized it was going to be the same thing again, only with slight changes in the level design that fit her abilities.

The one thing I'm the most conflicted about is the new Emerald Powers. For the record, I think this is a great idea in concept. Exploring more powers of the Chaos Emeralds will always be a welcomed addition. However, the game doesn't properly utilize the new abilities. Not once did I ever feel like I needed to use these powers during the stages. I know this game has a lot of mixed opinions, but Sonic Colors handled its new powers well because I felt like I needed to use them in one way or another. I can't say the same about Sonic Superstars.

There was a lot of potential in this game and it didn't live up to it. Some good ideas aren't executed properly and the negatives outweigh the few positives that are present.

This being my first ever Resident Evil game, I must say it was a mighty fine introduction. The gameplay was excellent. The controls were very responsive and all of the characters felt great to play as. The story was pretty good too (I must say, I preferred Claire's story over Leon's, but both were good). The characters were great. All these elements are great, but the game's atmosphere steals the show. My goodness, it's phenomenal. It sucks you in from start to finish. The lighting and sound effects drive this point home. This remake was a nice introduction (for me anyway) and a great game all the way around.

I struggled to rate this game. A part of me wanted to give it five stars as it has a great story (when they decide to move the plot forward) and some fun combat. Ultimately, I decided to give the game four stars because the side content is rather lackluster and the story takes the longest pause.

When the writers move the plot along, the story is great. It nicely ties up with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The ending is one of the best in the series. The new cast of characters it introduces is also great. However, the number of things they added to pad the runtime was ridiculous. Padding the runtime is nothing new with this series, but this game just pauses so it can introduce all the side content all at once.

The side content was also rather disappointing. There were some highlights: the new karaoke song is great, I loved the Coliseum, and it's always nice to have pocket circuit racing back. However, that's all the noteworthy things for the side content. Most of the substories were rather dull (with a few exceptions) and I wasn't a big fan of the live-action hostesses. Props to the team for trying something different, but they missed the mark with that decision.

RGG did finally manage to nail Kiryu's combat in the Dragon Engine. In the past titles, Kiryu's combat was a bit rough with this particular engine. Now it's very smooth. I also like the Agent Style they introduced in this game. It was fun and the gadgets were neat.

All in all, Gaiden is an enjoyable title. While not the best Yakuza/Like a Dragon game, it's definitely worth checking out.

A great follow-up to Arkham Asylum. The story is fantastic and the gameplay is much more refined than its predecessor. While Batman could feel a bit difficult to control at times during Arkham Asylum, I can't say the same here. Both the combat and overall movement received significant upgrades. Arkham City is a cool map, though it lacks the atmosphere that Asylum had. Traversing through the city is as fun as Batman. This edition included the Catwoman DLC and while she was fun to play, navigating through Arkham as her wasn't. I do wish we got more sections with Catwoman though. I realize that she was DLC originally, but the game opens up with the player switching between her and Batman. Then you play as Batman through the majority of it, which is not a bad thing, it just sets a false precedent and showcases a missed opportunity. The DLC with Harley Quinn and Robin was fine. Nothing too noteworthy, though it was cool playing as Tim Drake. All in all, Batman: Arkham City is a fantastic game.

It's a great Batman game. Exploring Arkham Asylum was fun and all of Batman's gadgets were neat. The characters are all a joy with some fantastic voice work. The combat is enjoyable, but a bit inconsistent. Sometimes I would press the counterattack button and it felt like a coin flip to see if the game would pick it up. Enemy detection varied widely, especially during the stealth sections. The game was also annoying when deciding if I meant sprint, dodge, or jump since they share the same button. Let's just say it almost always picked the wrong option. Batman: Arkham Asylum is still a fun game, despite its flaws.

This right here is the best game in the Uncharted series. While there is an aspect of the story I don't like, it's still solid. It was a very worthy sendoff for Nathan Drake and crew.

The gameplay is at its best. The controls are as crisped as ever. This is the best Nate felt to control in the series. He wasn't too stiff or too slick. The guns felt great to aim and the melee combat was also great. For a first in the series, you can drive a multitude of vehicles like cars and boats (there have been vehicle levels in past entries, but you did not have full control of them). Driving is fun and not too difficult to get the hang of.

A new addition to the gameplay is a grappling hook. It's nothing major, but it's a nice addition to have.

This game is great. I have only one issue thing (and in all honesty, it's a nitpick). I hate the long-lost family that's never been mentioned before until now trope. It's not that Sam is a bad character, I just find the trope a little lazy. But this doesn't prevent the game from being great. It's easily the best Uncharted title.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception took what Uncharted 2 improved and destroyed it. Take, for example, the stealth mechanics. With Uncharted 2, the enemies didn't detect you within .5 seconds behind cover like they did in the first game. This game decided to go back to its roots and now the enemies can spot Nate behind cover in no time flat. Perhaps I just suck at video games, but a lot of the combat sections felt overly tedious. You could be almost done with one section and then it would feel like the game would spawn an enemy right next to you they would instantly kill you.

On a more positive note about the game's combat, it does feel good (for the most part). Both shooting and melee combat felt great, with the melee being the best in the series so far. Though, I can't 100% say shooting was fantastic in this game. At first, I thought I was crazy but the more I played the more I realized I was right. It's like enemies would absorb the shots and not take any damage. I'm not talking about the enemy types that are designed for that sort of thing, I'm talking about low-level grunts. I could headshot these guys and they wouldn't flinch.

Overall controls for Nate were all over the place. Sometimes, Nate felt great to play as. Other times, it felt like he had ice skates on. There is no in-between.

The story starts strong, but I lost interest in it about halfway through. To be honest, it feels like two different games after a certain point. The ending felt very rushed.

That's a good word to describe this game: rushed. Other aspects outside of the ending felt very rushed. For example, some cutscene glitches that were present here weren't present during the first Uncharted game. Little things like that could have been avoided if this game had a bit longer development time.

Uncharted 3 had the potential to be great but in the end, it was kind of a dud.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a fantastic sequel. Like its predecessor, Uncharted 2's story is great. It once again harkens back to the adventure movies of old which is an enjoyable ride. The new cast of characters the game introduces is nice. While the first game feels a bit dated in some areas, the same can't be said with this installment. The controls here are very crisp and responsive, whereas they felt sluggish in Uncharted 1. Though they are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Controls for both "roll" and "duck for cover" are on the same button which can cause some frustration. There were times I wanted Nate to duck and he would instead roll out of the way and vice-versa. Despite that though, gameplay is fun. Uncharted 2 delivers on all fronts.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is a solid introduction if a bit dated in some aspects. The characters are delightful and the atmosphere is fantastic despite the dated graphics. The story is one big callback to adventure movies of old, which I adored. The gameplay is fun but hasn't aged that well. Regarding some platforming sections, it felt like Nate's ledge detection was working against you. While gun gameplay is fine, it can be a bit annoying sometimes. For example, enemies would spot Nate while he was completely hidden and I didn't even move him. Melee combat wasn't all that engaging either. I actively avoided using it unless necessary. All in all, it's not a bad first game, just a bit dated.

I hate this game because the gameplay and the soundtrack are top-notch. That may sound like a conflicting statement, but let me explain. The gameplay and soundtrack deserve to be a part of a much better game than this one.

It's no secret that this game is rather disrespectful to the other Devil May Cry titles. It took the charm of the original games and chucked it out the window in an attempt to appear more "cool." Instead of good ol' fun, DmC: Devil May Cry has an early 2000s edge to it that was beyond dated by 2013.

Both the story and characters are bland as all could be. In an attempt to make Dante "cool," they failed miserably as they removed most of the traits that made him likable. He does have slightly more personality than DMC 2 Dante though, I'll give them that much. Everyone else is just forgettable, even Vergil. The same goes for the story. It wasn't engaging and left a lot to be desired.

Boss fights weren't that great either. They were either overly simple or downright annoying.

Outside of the occasional bad boss, the gameplay is solid. The combat is extremely fun. Switching between weapons is a breeze, creating a satisfying experience. The level design is also really solid. Platforming was enjoyable throughout the game.

And like most Devil May Cry titles, the music is solid. Sure, the boss fights are horrible. However, they at least have some nice music to go along with it to make the player's time with them more bearable.

People claim that this game would receive a better reception if it wasn't a part of the DMC franchise. It's probably a true statement, however, only slightly. Sure the gameplay and soundtrack are great, but the same can't be said for the rest of it.

This game was incredible. While the story isn't something I would consider groundbreaking, it's still enjoyable. That being said, it does tend to jump around a lot, causing it to be confusing at some moments.

The one thing Devil May Cry 5 nails is the combat. There are three playable characters in this game and all their styles are fun. Dante's style is a great evolution from the previous installments (and finally getting to use a motorcycle, thank god).

Nero's is fun, but probably my least favorite to play as. He plays similarly to how he played in DMC 4 but lacks a demonic arm this time around (and no Devil Trigger for the majority of it too). To compensate for this change, Nero now has a variety of cybernetic arms to fight with. They're serviceable. I'm just glad they kept the retractable arm gimmick during combat.

While Dante and Nero fight similarly in a lot of aspects, the same cannot be said about V. V doesn't do most of his fighting. Instead, he uses enemies from the first game. I was apprehensive of this style at first but ended up thoroughly enjoying it. I loved seeing those enemies again and using them in battle was so fun.

Another thing this game nails is its soundtrack. Oh my lord, it is glorious. It's been stated many times before and I'll be another person on a long list who said this, but Devil Trigger is an amazing song (and so are the other battle themes).

The characters were great (for the most part). The returning cast is amazing as always. As for the new characters, V is cool. As I stated, his playstyle is fun and his character was neat. Nico (another new character) is the only member of the cast I had mixed feelings about. I sometimes found her annoying, other times she was funny. She's okay I guess.

Devil May Cry 5 is a great title. With great gameplay and a nice story to boot, a person can easily have a great time playing through it.