One of those games that dares you to believe anything other then "this is one of the best games I've ever played". It's reputation has become so high over the years and it's completely, 100%, unabashedly earned - so grand in scope, so drenched in character. It's a narrative as personal as it is world ending; the best thing it does is make it's main antagonist mainly an intimate threat disguised as a world-ending one, which gives layers to your hunt for the reclamation of your soul.

I have my personal quibbles about Throne of Bhaal (it's story is mostly just kind of eh) but the journey getting there, the sheer amount of options available to you, the incredible music, phenomenal companion writing, and satisfying conclusion basically overcome any small issues here. One of the all time greats for a reason.

Empathy incarnate. In spite of it's massive scope (or maybe a necessity due to it), Infinite Wealth is as personal and laid back as they come in terms of narratives for the series. A story about finding beauty in the small things in life and moving on from past regrets; we all deserve a second chance, it's just up to the individual to take that extra step. Kiryu's side of the story in particular resonates as a powerful coda for him, and his final moments are impactful and perfectly restrained.

Nice to see on a gameplay level this thing improved from 7 as well. That game already was in the upper tiers of JRPGs but I can't imagine going back to it after this - the simple introduction of movement during your turn changes how the entire game plays and makes combat even more fun. The endless sidequests are some of the best in the series as well, and while it lacks 7's tight, punchy narrative beats, it replaces it with excellent character driven drama. A must play and worth the wait.

I will cut Super Mario 64 a ton of slack since it was literally the first of it's kind in a lot of ways. Normally, a game with a camera this messy and controls this sometimes janky would be an instant hard pass from me, particularly one meant for precise platforming like this one. But it's likely Nintendo knew that, seeing as no other game tried something like this anymore, and because of that Super Mario 64 is basically perfect everywhere else. Maybe some of the best level design in any platformer ever; sandboxes to just explore and traverse at your own leisure.

There is also a timeless quality to the game that's impossible to not mention here. The culture surrounding 64 has outgrown the game itself, but that also means it's a game you go back to and it still feels like you are touching it for the first time again. Everything about it is magical and it's difficult to not smile when talking about it or playing it. Don't care if it's aged, this to me is perfect stuff.