Holy shit this won me so much emotionally by the end. I was always captivated by its post-apocalyptic air of melancholy, incredibly fluid combat, and stunning soundtrack but I had my initial limitations with the story and pacing. Safe to say those were completely gone once I overcame those early frustrations (can’t believe I forgot to upgrade my weapons lol). By the end of Route B I was utterly numb to my core with its deconstructive power and knew that this was something truly special. Route C elevated the level of emotional weight, taking the android hopelessness rooted within humanity’s desolation into another level of ferocity, creating such a brilliant tonal contrast as a result while maintaining that undeniable atmosphere. Yoko Taro’s sense of humor (and horny lmao) bleeds so brilliantly into all of it in a way that always keeps it lively. Slant Magazine named this as their favorite game of the 2010s and honestly it’s so easy to see why. This is now absolutely my favorite piece of science-fiction from the last decade.