I feel rather conflicted on this game as a whole.
I love the atmosphere this game has. It's super cozy. While the game has world-ending stakes, it never really feels like it. It's like this fun fantasy romp coming across a colorful cast of characters, solving problems and getting ever so close to the desired goal. It's just really warm and cozy. I love the skill points and upgrading skills to gain new abilities, and I like how it personalizes your journey. There's a whole lot here I think is really damn good.
But then it gets brought down by some really bad pet peeves I have with this genre of games. For one, the grind is abysmal. I love level grinding, but when grinding against regular enemies take like an hour just to gain a single level, it goes from fun repetitive action to long tedium. And even though you don't have to level grind often in this game, I did have to a couple times, and they took FOREVER. Sure, I did eventually switch to grinding on Metal Slimes, but then that gets into the luck of encountering them, hitting them, and then hoping they dont run away on the first turn, before you can even act. It becomes far more annoying than it really should be. I also hate when you can fail running away from a fight, it's one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to JRPGs. And especially with how common it seemed to run into battles with 5-7 enemies, I had to watch 5-7 enemies attack me before I can attempt to run away again. It just became more frustrating than anything else, especially in late game where it feels like you have to try 2-3 times before a flee attempt is successful. Maybe I just had poor luck? I don't really know.
Though even through all of that, I don't hate this game at all, and I still really liked it. I just think this game would be even better if those issues I had just, weren't there. The combat is great, the story is fun, and I really like the main 4 playable characters especially. I just think maybe this should not have been my first Dragon Quest.

I mean, what else do I have to say, it's fucking Breath of the Wild.
After all this time, aside from a small handful of things, I knew practically nothing about Breath of the Wild. And I have been meaning to play this game for a long time now, and only now I've finally gotten to. And this was one of the most just, memorable games I've played in a while.
To begin, easily my favorite aspect of this game is how just... open ended it is. Coming up with unique solutions to problems, or just somehow stumbling upon some of the most important items early on. I remember my friends being absolutely baffled by how I decided to try and solve puzzles, and how it actually worked. This Open Ended-ness of the game is absolutely addictive, and the more I played and experimented, the more I fell in love with the game.
I love the open world, and this game is probably the first like, fully open world game I've really played. I loved exploring, finding shrines, or any just secret little alcove. And because my brain isn't capable of comprehending a map this big, I always feel like I'm finding new things, it's amazing. I can't imagine ever 100%ing this game, there's just seemingly that much to do.
There's a few minor issues I had, I didn't care for a specific boss, the durability system could be a bit better, etc, etc. But the issues I had were drowned out by all of the positives, I haven't played them all, but this one has become my new favorite Zelda title by far. This is definitely a game I should've gotten to way sooner.

I'm mesmerized by Signalis.
Not only was this just one of the most fun Survival Horrors I've played is the last while, but I can't stop thinking about the plot, and how confusingly engaging it is.
Genuinely, I think Signalis is what made my brain understand survival horror. I've played other ones, mainly Resident Evil, and the first Silent Hill, but I think Signalis finally made me figure out how I'm actually supposed to approach survival horror, which is really commendable. That idea of saving resources, and oftentimes avoiding enemies instead of killing them, I played so much more recklessly before this. It's funny that after all I've played, I only now got it. But aside from that, this game's puzzles are great. I got stuck on maybe one, but so many of them I had "Aha!" moments with, it was amazing. And each puzzle felt like it was just one small piece of a much larger puzzle, and that idea of making progress to finally complete the full puzzle was one of the most satisfying things I've felt in a while.
Signalis I love both its aesthetic and atmosphere. It combines aspects of lovecraftian horror with sci-fi horror, and this constantly feeling of dread and loneliness I absolutely adore it. I love how it attempts to follow a more PS1 type style, but still being unique in its own way. There's so much personality to it all, and I absolutely love it.
Now the story I think is where I'm most baffled, but I think that's supposed to be the case. I have ideas of what's happening, but I've also seen ones that go in other directions, and I think I really like that. There's so many different angles to take this game, and its story, and the want to try and piece it all together is really great. I will say I was reminded a lot of the first Silent Hill while playing through it, but that's only one layer in a far greater narrative being spun here. And even then, while it is reminiscent of Silent Hill, I wouldn't say it's copying it.
I was debating for a long time whether or not Signalis should be a 4.5/5 or a 5/5, but I think with how much it impressed me with all that it did, I'm leaning more towards the full 5.

It's hard to really describe this game, and how I feel on it.
I mean, I really enjoyed my time with it, and I think the game is really damn good, but at the end of the day, I'm just so confused. But I think that's the point.
First off, I really love the puzzles that this game has. They're definitely an acquired taste I feel, but they appeal to my brain, and reading through a journal to find clues that solve puzzles is really fun. Also, there's a lot of math, and I was a kid, so that's absolutely perfect for me.
The story is so interesting. I see a lot of themes and ideas being discussed, and much like with other of Suda's works, I really wont divulge much into it, as I think it's best left to experience for yourself. But I think the game is meant to be confusing, don't get me wrong, the game answers some questions, but the answered questions are minuscule in comparison to the unanswered ones. And even still, there's other aspects of the game that I think adds to the confusing nature of the game.
While it's not my favorite of Suda's works, I really enjoyed Flower, Sun, and Rain. There's a lot to love here, and I'm glad to finally get around to it.

No words I can write here can do this game justice, but I will at least make an attempt to sing its praises.
In the past couple months, I had played through the two other Xenosaga games, and while they had their flaws, I still really enjoyed them. I was scared to start this game, not only was I afraid this game wouldn't live up to the hype I accidentally built up for it, but I was scared of finishing this series for good. Xenosaga Episode 3 is the culmination of everything that came before it, creating something beautiful.
The gameplay is easily the best in the series. Though I did enjoy Xenosaga 1's gameplay, it at times felt overly complicated, and in turn, I feel like Xenosaga 2 did the opposite, oversimplifying everything. The gameplay of Xenosaga Episode 3 hits a good balance, featuring the customizability of Xenosaga 1, while having a lot of the simplifications of 2. I really liked the break system, and by far this game has the best mech combat of the entire series, hands down. But by far the best change Xenosaga 3 did was the fact that characters in the reserve gain skill points! It actually allows for every character to grow evenly at the same time.
The story, like with any Xenosaga game, is its shining aspect, and yet again Xenosaga 3 goes above and beyond. I did find that there was slight pacing issues, as I found the second act (chapters 4-7) to drag on a bit, but the entirety of Xenosaga 3's disc 2 makes up for it entirely. The fact that I don't want to spoil anything is painful because the story and its themes are AMAZING! The character writing is still on point, and not only does this game's new characters work really well, but it also made me care for characters I didn't really care about prior to this game. The themes are so impactful, especially to me particularly, as some of these themes have really been a part of my life experience. I definitely attached to KOS-MOS the most because of it. Xenosaga Episode 3's story is simply just a masterpiece in storytelling.
I love this game, without any shred of doubt. But. I'm sad to see it go. Sure, I can always replay it whenever I want, but the initial, blind experience can only occur once. But honestly, with a game like this, I think that's the point.

This game has no right being this good.
This game is easily one of the best 3D platformers I've played. The movement is amazing, and platforming through each level was super satisfying. Even the hardest level, Domino Dungeon, was super fun. I love how each level silently directs the player, helping the player find their way through without necessarily saying anything.
God, the humor in this game is really fun. There's so many nods and references to other games, and I'm a sucker for stupid puns, which happens so often, I love it. The fact there's a dab button, and you can dab at any point in the game is stupid and I love it.
The only real issue I had is that the final boss' mechanics are a little finicky, but aside from that, this game is absolutely amazing. But just, it's absolutely absurd that a game about the goddamn Noid is THIS. GOOD. It has so much love and effort put into it. I want a pizza now.

This game is really cute, and I love the idea behind it.
The idea that you have only a minute the figure stuff out before the game "resets" is a really novel idea! It's a fun way to do a sort of adventure game, and I think it's executed rather well. I like the monochromatic pixel work, there's character in the game's minimalism.
I wish the game was a little bit longer though. This game is definitely meant to be short, but I think for me it was too short. I beat it in less than an hour, and when I saw the credits I was like "huh, that's it?". I don't know, I've played many short games and thought their length was excellent but something about Minit just made me wish there was more to it.
But aside from its length, the game is really fun and I love the puzzles that come with it. As mentioned, it's a rather short game, so it's definitely worth making the time to play it!

I've been meaning to get to this game for a good while now, I know a good amount of people who love this game, and now I see why.
There's so much I love about this game. From unique puzzles that I can't bring myself to spoil, charming characters, and an ending that left me tearing up. There's just so much I want to say, but I think it better if I not. OneShot did get kinda popular so I imagine a lot of people probably know its major twists, but in case people don't know what they are, I'll avoid them altogether.
If you ever get a chance to play this, please do, it's not that long of a game anyway, and it's such a worthwhile experience, I feel.

I understand why people like Splatoon now.
When it comes to what I'm reviewing here, I mainly played the campaign and Octo Expansion, so my review will be based upon that. I've never played Splatoon before, and conveniently I had this game with my switch already, so I thought I just actually try it out.
Gameplay was a bit of a struggle at first, but I got used to it rather quickly. I really liked how movement worked, switching between the squid and kid forms was all really fun. And the weapons themselves proved for a nice variety of ways to tackle obstacles. I definitely think some weapons felt much better to use than others, but I think that's sort of the point. Finding what works best for you, y'know.
The game's main campaign was really good. I was told that it's basically the same as Splatoon 1's campaign, but I suppose since I never played that one, I was never really bothered at all. The level design though is top notch, for the most part each level felt intricately designed, and I love it. The only real issue I have is that it locks you into using specific weapons, especially the ones I didn't like using.
The Octo Expansion though is amazing. Take that level design of the base campaign, and crank it up 8-fold. Interesting level ideas, new objectives, and also Agent 8. Octo Expansion for me at least was really difficult, but it was that type of difficult that made you want to try again and get better. But it's forgiving to, as you are able to skip levels if you fail too much, but I avoided it as much as possible.
It sucks though that I probably won't ever have the true experience of Splatoon 2. Since I got my Switch so late, I had already missed out on every single Splatfest and major event Splatoon 2 had to offer. I am hoping to get Splatoon 3 so maybe I'll be able to experience it there. But with what I was able to play of Splatoon 2, I really enjoyed it.

Wow... just... wow.
The game starts out as this silly and sometimes goofy point-n-click game about solving people's problems to help them smile. The puzzles and solutions were all really fun, and aside from maybe one singular puzzle, I was able to solve them all relatively easily. The whole cast was amazing, and I enjoyed helping solving all of their problems.
I feel the game's length is absolutely perfect, it's about 3-ish hours for a blind run. It's not long enough to overstay its welcome, but not short enough to where you're asking for more.
But where the game stands out especially is its ending. Tears were welling in my eyes, and I can't help but love any game that's able to succeed in that. And because of that, I can't help but recommend this game.

I'm not sure how to feel on this game.
Illusion of Gaia is far from a bad game, but to me it definitely feels like the weakest of the Quintet Trilogy.
To start with the positives, traveling through dungeons in this game is amazing. Clearing out rooms to unlock upgrades, and being able to switch forms to solve a handful of puzzles. It's definitely really fun! Though there were definite noticeable spikes of difficulty, the dungeon exploration never felt too frustrating, and no dungeon feels poorly designed.
But, man, the story suffers so much. Its ending is great, but the journey to get there doesn't really feel deserved. I read from another review that it was an issue of translation, and I hope that's the case. I can see how the story wants to go somewhere, and make you care for the main cast, but at least for me, it just doesn't seem to do that. I also think some of the early bosses were just... not good. The later half were all really good and fun bosses, but the first half just felt terrible. Which, is a bit odd y'know, since you'd expect the first half to be easier then the second half.
Now one last note is that this game has what can only really be called a lives system? It's odd, and I don't think it works all that well, because it doesn't actually feel worthwhile to gain new lives.
This game, even with its strengths, is probably my least favorite of the Quintet Trilogy. Which sucks because I see a whole lot of potential within it. Yet again Illusion of Gaia is far from bad, but I wish I could like it more.

The best mysteries are the ones that make me have to write notes on my thoughts and theories. And The Silver Case made me write multiple pages worth of it.
I haven't played many of them, but The Silver Case probably has to be one of my favorite Visual Novels so far. I love mysteries, and trying to solve them, and this game's mysteries were so addicting to try and figure it out. As with all of Suda51's works that I've play thus far, the presentation is outstanding, presenting its story in such a unique way. It's as if every little image is on a separate window on a computer.
The story I don't really want to mention much as all as I feel mentioning anything of note could potentially spoil parts of this story. But god, it's so worth reading it, it's absolutely amazing. I'm not sure if it's my favorite story of Suda's work so far, as I loved Killer7's story so much, but this is easily a close second.
I was a bit uncertain how much I would like The Silver Case going in, but I mean. Look at my rating, you can probably imagine from that alone that my uncertainty was proved incorrect. This game is absolutely outstanding, and definitely worth the read.

Not many games have left me as awestruck as this.
I already knew I would probably love it going in, I've absolutely loved every Hack 'n Slash game I've ever played, so it was easy for me to assume that this would be no exception. And let me say, I think I can say with confidence that this is my current favorite of the genre.
The game's aesthetics are absolutely amazing. I love the art-style, and the fact that every single thing moves to the beat of the music is outstanding. The combat as well is just. so good. The fact that attacking, dodging, jumping, etc, if you do them to the music there's better results, it makes the combat even more just, fun.
The story itself is executed so well, it may not be anything mindblowing, but with how well its written, I can't help but love it. The characters are written so well, and there's no weak link in the entire cast.
And of course the music. God, the music is so amazing. The music fits so well, especially during the boss fights. Bosses having lyrical tracks as their music is so amazing, and god, I love the music they chose. Not only is it amazing, but it fits the bosses as well, which is amazing.
Overall, this game is a genuine masterpiece, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I need to play more Hack 'N Slashes, as this one has made me love the genre even more.

This game was a genuinely just, great experience. The platforming segments are great, and for the most part are really well designed, though some areas not so much. I love the 2.5D style, and how the levels bend and intersect, it creates quite a unique aesthetic that I love.
The game overall, while challenging at times, very rarely gets annoying or frustrating, which I'm very happy with. And honestly, I'd say a solid 70ish percent of the game I had no difficulty at all. I found some of the late game bosses to be some of my favorite parts of the entire game. I really love the puzzles as well, yet again they're really well designed.
I think the only issue I had, and this isn't even necessarily an issue with the game, is that I had bad depth perception, so sometimes I can't really tell how far away a thing is, if it's not on the same plane as Klonoa. But aside from that, this game was an absolute blast to play, and its ending is definitely worth it.