Portal is a puzzle game classic. A bit on the short side, but each and every one of the puzzles is clever and makes you feel smart.

The humor is cheeky and the story is enticing. The challenge maps are fun, though the game does lack content compared to its sequel. Regardless, Portal is an experience with all the fat trimmed so you get a focused, fun playthrough.

100%: Some of the gold medals prove to be a bit tricky, but with enough brainpower can be overcome.

The first of the Final Fantasies remastered to show off all of its pixel glory. The pixel remasters are part of Square's attempt to bring the classic games in the FF series to modern audiences. With polished graphics and some nice QoL features, Final Fantasy 1 is a short, yet enjoyable introduction to one of the most recognizable franchises today.

Some level of "old-game design" still exists, so you may still find yourself looking up a walkthrough on where to go next. These games were certainly not designed to have the player beat all random encounters they come across, so it can be easy to overlevel important fights just by playing the game normally. If you can look past a few inconveniences, there's a magical adventure waiting in store.

100%: Finding all of the monsters for the 100% Bestiary can be tricky and time-consuming due to random spawns. The level 50 achievement may seem somewhat difficult, but you'll likely grind up to that by attempting to find the secret boss of this game.

The Messenger is a positively fantastic experience. It manages to evoke the feeling and style of retro platformers/metroidvanias while developing its own unique story and gameplay loop.

Each area in the game has an 8-bit version and a 16-bit version, each with its own colorful visuals and killer soundtrack. Swapping from a platformer to a metroidvania partway through the story is not something I thought a game could do, but The Messenger pulls it off effortlessly. Do yourself a favor and play this game.

100%: Making it through the Queen of Quills without dying can be challenging, but is completely possible with enough practice. Winning the DLC race with a perfect score can also prove tricky.

Supergiant Games's 4th game. Hades came along and showed every roguelite on the market how to do an effective story in a roguelite format. Stellar music, an amazing art style, and tons of customization wrap around every corner of this game.

Combat is fluid, varied, and as challenging as you want it to be. Characters are beautifully narrated and compelling individuals. At the end of a run, you'll think "just one more" and realize it's 4 in the morning. This game can entertain you for as long as you want it to.

100%: The infinite grinding system is purely cosmetic and has no impact on gameplay. Earning Skelly's second prize can be somewhat challenging - be sure to choose Heat modifiers you're comfortable with and have practiced. Reaching the epilogue and upgrading the Mirror of Night/Weapon Aspects is mostly just a matter of continued playing.

A beautiful tapestry of adventure filled with engaging combat and a heartwrenching story. I never thought it would be possible to be so invested in the story of a wolf, but this game stands as one of my all-time favorites.

Combat and exploration are very Zelda-esque. Every character in the game has their own enticing story to discover. Okami is an experience that you won't want to miss.

100%: Completing the various compendiums will take some time, but aren't overly difficult. Some of the late-game battles can be challenging.

Turtle Rock's solo foray into the horde shooter genre was always destined to fall short. With promotional material constantly spouting "From the Developers of Left 4 Dead 2," people had intense expectations for what Back 4 Blood would be when it was released. And while the game never quite reaches the peaks of the Left 4 Dead series, Back 4 Blood is a serviceable, even fun game to play with friends.

The DLC inarguably makes the experience better - more card options, new enemies, and two story acts that stand out with impressive setpieces and locations. It's fun to make a 15-card deck and build your Ridden-slayer how you want to play, though the "roguelite" features that the game advertised in trailers are limited to random cards you find in a campaign and the detrimental cards at the start of each map. Still, the game is "fun enough" and kept me coming back for more with friends.

100%: You'll need to have both DLCs to get all achievements. Clearing Acts 5 and 6 on No Hope is challenging, but doable. The PvP Swarm mode achievement can be done in a private lobby, so no need to worry about finding random players trying to play a very inactive game mode. Killing 53,600 Ridden will certainly take you the longest - after completing all other achievements, I still had about 30k to go.

Roboquest is a game for the FPS adrenaline junkies. High-octane encounters with 6 different classes and tons of guns to choose from make for an incredibly fun experience. Controls are smooth and fluid meaning you can jump, grapple, and jetpack your way out of any sticky situation you might find yourself in. Classes are just different enough that they feel familiar while allowing each run to feel unique. Oh, did I mention the absolutely killer soundtrack?

100%: Completing the Museum will be the longest stretch, but luckily you can use golden wrenches to buy any weapon/enemy cards that you're having trouble finding. There are a couple of co-op achievements you'll need a bro-bot for, too.

The second game in the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. A massive departure from the first game in terms of level design - every area is now much more open and feels less claustrophobic. The story can be a bit odd at points due to its time-travel nature, but it is overall solid enough.

Serah and Noel are a great duo throughout the story. Bolstering your third party slot are a slew of monsters you can collect Pokemon style. The same stellar Paradigm system is present for combat, as well as stunning visuals and a killer soundtrack.

The PC port is a bit of a wreck and can be a real deterrent to experiencing this game. Most issues can be corrected with fan-made mods, though it is a shame to see Square drop the ball with this port. The DLC additions, such as fighting past Final Fantasy bosses in an arena, are unquestionably cool.

If you had issues with the first game, but were still interested in the world/gameplay, give Final Fantasy XIII-2 a shot. It may be a sequel, but it certainly stands on its own.

100%: You'll be spending a decent amount of time trekking through all the different locations to get all of the Paradox endings. Not as much time is spent mindlessly grinding currency in this game compared to its predecessor.

Celeste isn't just an excellently made platformer, it's also an extremely personal experience. The challenging gameplay makes it easy to empathize with the struggles that Madeline faces as she climbs the mountain. And once you finally reach the top, you feel elated, as though a great weight has been lifted from your shoulders.

Celeste effortlessly weaves themes of depression and self-acceptance into its story. You may cry because you're deeply invested in the story...or because you've restarted a room for the 200th time. Tight controls, clever secrets, and fantastic level design all combine to create an unforgettable game.

100%: Prepare for practice and punishment. Getting all strawberries isn't too bad. The B-sides and C-sides can be particularly challenging. Farewell and the Moon Berry are the ultimate tests of everything you've learned in the game.

Immortal Redneck is not the flashiest roguelike, but it is a mostly solid experience. Movement feels fluid and weapon choices are varied enough to keep your runs fresh. The meta-progression system is helpful, though the amount of gold needed to unlock everything can feel a bit steep.

My experience with the game was dying repeatedly in runs until everything started to click. Not sure if it was a better understanding of the game itself or if I reached a critical threshold with upgrades, but deaths became extremely rare after that point. I wouldn't write home about Immortal Redneck, but I wouldn't write it off, either.

100%: Completing pyramids with no weapons or scrolls can prove difficult until you have enough upgrades from meta-progression. The Plague Medallion will take the most practice and attempts to overcome.

One of the best puzzle games to date...with co-op! It's amazing how having a friend along for the ride can make the Portal experience that much more fun. The same charm and wit from the first game return, refined to an even higher degree.

More puzzles to solve and Steam Workshop integration means you can play Portal 2 for an incredibly long time, not to mention P-body, ATLAS, and GLaDOS's hilarious interactions. Give this game a shot with a friend and prepare for an unforgettable experience.

100%: Unsurprisingly, there are numerous co-op achievements that you will need a partner to help complete.

An incredibly fun puzzle-solving experience with a friend. Easy enough to pick up and play with anyone you can think of. Puzzles are creative and clever. The world itself is colorful and vibrant.

From military squirrels to giant plants to a talking book of romance, It Takes Two is a fantastic experience with your duo partner of choice.

100%: Nothing overly challenging. Finding all the minigames can be a bit hard since some of them are hidden well.