Full of emotional and poignant, seamless storytelling from start to finish. The game resonated with me through the displays of companionship, perseverance, loss and life. It was genuinely beautiful and bittersweet. While it was quite a departure from the games I'm used to, I would love to see more games carry this level of hope and optimism.

I thought the gameplay was pretty good. There was a nice blend of platforming, combat, exploration and stealth. Maybe the game would've benefitted from honing in on one specific genre, but the way things were done certainly made it feel like more of a journey. There's not much I would change - mainly just trimming down on the fetchquests in favour of more player engagement.

When it comes to the score, this game was majestic. The ambient, nostalgic tunes complemented the cyberpunk atmosphere very well. Some stunning music to go alongside the enchanting visuals.

When it comes to creativity, this game does not disappoint. I know it's the cat owner within me speaking, but it was such a delight to utilise all the things that make cats special for me. From meowing to scratching to hiding. I honestly think I've come out of this game appreciating my cat even more.

Overall, I thought this game was very good. It has its issues, but delivers a touching experience within the few hours that it lasts. Really, I just wish there was more to it, but I'm sure a potential sequel is more than capable of doing that.

I give Stray a 7.5/10.

TTYD is a one-of-a-kind experience and definitely my favourite Paper Mario game. There are a few things preventing it from being perfect, but I really enjoyed it.

The combat is easy to learn and hard to master. It has several improvements over PM64 to keep you on your toes. Experimenting with badges, getting a feel for guarding and coming up with new tactics as the game progresses was a blast. I was also a fan of the revamped partner system. A lot of little things went into keeping the game fresh, and it paid off. I never felt that it got stale at all.

Exploration was pretty fun as well. I was fond of how the game makes you use the newfound paper mechanics to your advantage, discovering new areas and uncovering new secrets. The dungeons might not be the most challenging, and the backtracking could be a bit much, but it overall felt great to roam Rogueport and all the various areas I uncovered on my travels.

The story was pretty much as good as it gets in a Mario game. The major and minor characters alike were all so charming, with their own little stories and motivations. Out of the partner characters, it's hard to choose a favourite, but all of them had a nice growth in their resolve. The structure of the chapters meant that there was always something coming next, always something to look forward to. Whether that was taking down a dragon, or fighting through a gladiator ring, or solving mysteries on a train, each and every chapter had whimsical and creative quests on the journey to the crystal stars. I was also a fan of the Peach and Bowser intermissions; they built their characters quite well and gave some much-needed exposition. I do think that the game's original villains are a bit weak, and could've done with some more screentime, but that's made up for with their unforgettable personalities and memorable moments. My only real issue was the whole "power of friendship" stuff towards the end, but it's still nice to have an uplifting story.

I found the game to be really cute as well. The artstyle was colourful and vibrant, with many beautiful environments and setpieces to witness. Music-wise, the game doesn't miss either. From the jovial theme of Rogueport, to the techno X-Naut Fortress, it's clear that this game had a lot of heart and soul put into it.

All in all, this is one of my favourite Mario spin-offs, and perhaps one of my favourite Mario games in general. It was an absolute delight from start to finish, and I'd love to play it again. My final rating would be a strong 9/10. Just wish I played it sooner, like I did with the first and third games.