my favorite game of all time
this game means so much to me. it shaped my taste in so many ways: in music, in video games, and it was the reason for my love for anything resembling the 80s retro style which is why many of my favorite stuff tends to be from that era or set in that era (back to the future for example)
now the game itself may not be the greatest in gameplay or story compared to other gta games but it has the perfect blend of every aspect, any shortcomings it may have are made up by everything positive it has, stellar soundtrack, killer atmosphere, entertaining story, entertaining missions, great open world with great environments, gameplay albeit the same as 3 is much more improved (i cant even explain it, they're literally almost the same but VC plays so much better), mission design that's tight and relatively open ended but admittedly it's a bit weaker than 3's in that aspect but again, everything else makes up for it.
masterpiece. perhaps other games will take this spot as i havent finished many games but regardless of how many games ill finish, this game will always hold a special place in my heart.
masterpiece and one of the most important games of all time.

a masterpiece i never thought i'd like as much as i did.
this game is perfect in all its aspects. its incredible story with some of the most fun characters in a game, with great writing and very entertaining moments. the gameplay itself is super fun and the puzzles are never too hard or too easy, it's always rewarding to solve them and the way it utilizes the DS's dual screen is great. the artstyle is arguably my favorite thing about this game, it oozes charm and it's so aggressively 2000s, alongside the 80s atmosphere i mentioned earlier, this is also an aesthetic i adore.
perfect game, perfect ending

yet another masterpiece!
remember how i mentioned my love for 80s aesthetic? well, i was always bound to love a game like hotline miami.
hotline miami is basically everything i want in a game, it has the 80s atmosphere and aesthetic i adore (albeit not as "strong" as vice city's), it has a great story that's ambiguous and leaves you thinking about it long after you're done with it, the game asks you questions and expects you to sit and think about what has just been told to you (i love ambiguity in stories as evident with twin peaks being my favorite show of all time), the snappy and fast paced gameplay that never gets old and only gets more and more challenging as you go.
absolutely perfect, such an incredible short and sweet game and it never overstays its welcome.

another incredible game, probably the only hotline miami heavily influenced game that managed to have its own identity
i adore this game, sometimes almost as much as the top 3 honestly. it has the same snappy and quick gameplay of hotline miami but, it's even more improved because of the new mechanics such as manipulating time and dodging attacks. the story has a lot of great moments and the concept is gripping.
there is just one problem that prevents me from giving it a 10, it's too short and it ends abruptly, it's even shorter than hotline miami, it needed more time to give a proper ending, to some that might be appeal, to appreciate the ambiguity it has, but for me it was too abrupt.
however, there's a DLC coming out that i assume will complete the story, i will judge the game as a complete experience once that is out and hopefully they manage to outdo themselves.
fantastic game though. short, sweet and forever replayable.

TBoGT > IV >>>>>>>>>>>> TLAD