Third GOTM finished for March 2024. I wasn't necessarily blow away by this game - the graphics were good and the weapon options and variety were fun, but the story was barely serviceable and some of the platforming bits and enemies were quite annoying - but I am extremely impressed by the fact that I played a PC game on a Genesis emulator. I've been hearing about this one for a while, so I'm glad to have finally gotten around to experiencing it, but there isn't enough here for me to want to come back for a better ending (mind you, I got the "Normal" ending). Music did kick ass though!

Second GOTM finished for March 2024. For the amount of effort put into this remake alone, this game is phenomenal. I can't remember the last time I played a "remake" or "remaster" and truly felt myself in awe while playing. Not only is it stunning to look at, but the QOL and accessibility features are outstanding. The gameplay loop, while easily broken, was also really fun and diving into the skills and combat mechanics was enjoyable. Top-to-bottom excellent remake!

However, this one isn't without its faults. The story felt pretty weak at times, especially since the main antagonists aren't introduced until about halfway through the game - briefly - and then you don't really see them again until the final dungeon. Some of the story beats felt truly geared towards the Claude and Rena interacting and being together, and every other interaction that might've deviated from that goal felt mechanical and forced. While I enjoyed interacting with many of the other characters (especially with the great voice acting), none of them really felt all that necessary to the plot and the story did its damndest to remind you of that fact. It wasn't a bad story, but it was certainly the weak spot of this game for me.

A really great game with an excellent remake, but when the core story of a game comes off this weak there isn't a whole lot a remake can do without fundamentally changing the game. I really enjoyed it, and will eventually play it again for the other protag's storyline, but it lacked just that little bit extra to make it something truly special.

Tenth GOTW finished for 2024. A clunky, bumpy, sloppy-camera riddled mess that I absolutely loved. This is objectively not a great game, but it feels like it's more indicative of the state of early 3D platformers and less because of a lack of effort on the part of the developers. There's a ton of love behind this game, packed with references and nods to the show, the actual voice actors playing a part, and lots of fun ideas that were poorly executed. To be honest, due to the poor camera control, the house often felt like the greatest adversary in this game. Most of the levels I enjoyed were played outside/away from the house, while the ones I didn't involved navigating this enormous space full of crevices, obstacles, and multiple doorways that made actually completing them a nightmare. Still, I can feel the care that went into this game, despite all its flaws, and for that I still had a good time. Gotta love that wave of nostalgia!

First Dragon Quest I've ever played, and boy was it a good one! Branching storylines across multiple generations, multiple paths/endings, a surprisingly heart wrenching story and fun characters. The dialogue was great - if often a little cheesy in some places - and the graphics were absolutely stunning with the cross-screen scenes. The monster recruitment was really cool, and added an extra layer of depth not often found in an RPG. The last dungeon was a crock and I don't understand why there wasn't a save or zoom point placed in there somewhere besides the entrance, and forcing me to choose between the canon familial party characters (which I did) or the carefully cultivated monster characters I'd been honing throughout the game (which I ultimately didn't) about 2/3 through the game left me wondering why the monster recruiting mechanic was even present at all. Those two points aside, this was an absolute treat and I'm honestly anticipating coming back to this one in a few years and trying a different story path.

First GOTM finished for March 2024. What the devs were able to do with this game in terms of visual effects and gimmicks is borderline astounding. It looks incredible, it sounds incredible, I just wish it felt incredible to play. The platforming is awfully stiff, and needing to be precise and anticipatory with many of the inputs was a big 'ol pain. It wasn't brutal in its requirements, per se, but I don't know how many times I fell down because I didn't push up on the D-pad at the right time or in the right context when trying to go up stairs. Bosses were fun and mostly unique in their mechanics, and while the level design was a little dull it was still fun to explore the spaces. Had a good time with this one overall!