A fun murder mystery visual novel with some Zero Escape-style twists. A few quick-time events were peppered here and there, but the gameplay isn't any drastic departure from your typical visual novel game.

I was invested in the story and its numerous twists. Some of the anime perviness was cringe-inducing, but the story was good enough to look past the minor grievances. Ota's route ending did make me cry a bit.

100%: No achievements that were difficult since they're mostly tied to progressing down the various story branches. The hidden Somnium items can prove to be somewhat tricky.

Supergiant Games's first outing and man...what a game this is. The story is rich, the gameplay is fun, and Logan Cunningham does a phenomenal job of guiding you through the game with his earthy narration. It's short, sweet, and manages to hold your attention the entire time.

The different upgrades, weapons, and shrine idols all help gameplay feel varied and involved. The game allows you to choose how difficult you want your experience to be.

100%: The hardest bunch will be completing the various Dreams with 5+ or all 10 shrine idols invoked. The Score Attack achievement can also be a bit tricky. These achievements do take some practice, but they are certainly doable.

The first of the Arkham games. Arkham Asylum is a more contained experience than its sequels, focusing you along a path so you can experience the story it wants you to. That's not to say it's bad...quite the contrary, in fact. While not all of the big bad villains from Batman's past make a return, the ones that do are beautifully realized.

Combat is fluid and responsive, though it can feel a bit samey at times. Approaching puzzles, stealth sections, and fights in creative ways with your plethora of tools can help the gameplay feel fresh. The enemy AI can act a bit weird sometimes, but they are predictable enough for you to craft a master plan on how to take them all out.

100%: Finding all of the Riddler trophies can be a bit bothersome/confusing. A few puzzles are a bit obtuse, but most are relatively straightforward. The combat and predator medals can also be a point of contention. You may end up restarting the same instance over and over until you finally nail down the sequence of events you need to perform to get all the medals.

A short and simple strategy game. The tactical gameplay, battle systems, and story are all basic - not bad, but not remarkable either.

It's interesting enough to hold your attention for a while, though maybe not long enough to see all of what the game has to offer. Probably a fun pick-up-and-play game for a weekend.

100%: Nothing to write home about. Hard-difficulty story mode may be the only thing to give you some amount of pause.

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.

A trilogy of platformers with everyone's favorite Bandicoot. It's easy to see why these games were so popular when they were first released. Colorful levels, cartoony character designs, and a simple control scheme all bolster the platforming experience.

Some levels can be rather difficult, especially when going for relics. Depth perception can also be an infrequent issue; sometimes, you think a jump is perfect only to flat-out miss the platform. In spite of these rather small grievances, the N. Sane Trilogy provides a wonderful opportunity to reexperience Crash's beginnings.

100%: The gems and relics are going to be what consume most of your time...and patience. Some medal times require you to play nearly perfect, which can prove frustrating on vehicle levels and a few select other levels, such as The Lab.

The first entry in the Darksiders series. War's game focuses more on a God of War style of combat with a few puzzles and platforming elements sprinkled in to keep things somewhat fresh. Liam O'Brien does a wonderful job voicing the stoic War.

Darksiders feels like a mash of multiple games and, thus, can struggle at times to carve out its own identity. The story and setpieces are memorable enough. Combat can feel rigid and fluid at the same time. While the game doesn't do a whole lot to make itself stand out, it is fun for what it is.

100%: Apocalyptic difficulty can be challenging and will require some practice/upgrades to beat. The most annoying achievement by far is riding Ruin (your horse) for 100 miles. There's really not enough space in the main game's map to justify this distance requirement, even with the amount of backtracking you do. Find yourself a rubber band for your controller and save your sanity.

Eldest Souls wears its influences on its sleeve. From its story, to its combat, to the general atmosphere of the world, the game is not afraid to mimic From Software's iconic series. Prepare to die again and again against larger-than-life bosses.

Combat is simple and controls are tight. The Shard and Infusion systems help to create a build that matches your playstyle. The only enemies in the game are the bosses of each location, which can make the overworld feel a bit empty. Eldest Souls is a little on the short side, but it's overall a great experience.

100%: The hardest achievements by far are completing the game deathless and beating each boss hitless. With enough practice, you can get a feel for most attack patterns. Some fights, such as Eos, are absolutely rage-inducing to try and complete without getting hit.

My guilty pleasure and personal favorite of the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy XIII gets a lot of complaints, many rightly so. Most gameplay before reaching Gran Pulse is walking around cramped corridors. The characters can be grating and whiny at times.

The redeeming factor amidst the plethora of complaints is the combat system. The Paradigm system is perhaps my favorite way to engage in ATB-style combat. It's tactical, quick-paced, and allows for a surprising amount of depth.

The game also looks fantastic and features amazing setpieces and locations. It might not be the Final Fantasy game for everyone, but give this game a chance and it can really shine.

100%: Some of the later Cie'th Stone missions can prove rather difficult, especially the final one. The most time-consuming achievement bar none is the Treasure Hunt achievement. Farming Adamantortoises for ingots and trapezohedrons comprised almost 50% of my completion time for this game - certainly not for the faint of heart.

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.

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 Metroidvania masterpiece. Gameplay is sharp. Controls are crisp. The world-building is wonderful. Visuals are beautiful. The soundtrack is to die for.

Hollow Knight tells a compelling story without much dialogue. The world itself invites you to explore every nook and cranny, talk to every character so that you can piece together the story of this world. I only wish I could experience this game for the first time again.

The free DLCs are nothing short of amazing and further solidify Hollow Knight as not only one of the best indie games, but of the best video games ever made. I could blather on and on about how absolutely amazing this game is, but you should honestly just play it for yourself.

100%: In true Metroidvania fashion, you'll be spending a decent amount of time retreading old ground with new abilities to get upgrades and hidden items. The speedrun achievements are fun, and certainly doable once you have a path plotted out. Beating the game in Steel Soul mode is no joke - you're gonna need to practice for this one. The Pantheons can also be maddeningly difficult, but also extremely rewarding to finally conquer.

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.

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.