Even as someone who was very excited for the game since the demo dropped, I didn't expect to be THIS in love with the final product. It's genuinely unbelievable that it's Shift Up's first console project. This is a technical marvel packed with eyecandy environments, models and effects that still runs at 60fps the whole time at a 30GB file size. In a lot of ways it feels like the first true 9th generation game I've experienced, and finally not a remake or sequel of anything else. So many moments where I was genuinely blown away by what I was seeing and experiencing, like arriving in the main city for the first time. Still shocking that SIE decided to back this so hard in publishing and promotion as it seems to go against everything the company is about in recent years but it's a move I'm thankful for.

Stellar Blade harks back to the PS2 era, unashamed of being a video game and prioritising gameplay above all else, with a ton of unlockable outfits and new game+ free on day one. Not to say that its design is primitive in any way as it incorporates all the best parts of modern gaming too. Areas are a mix of linear setpiece based levels and more open exploration. I liked how the side missions took you to new locations and had actually great rewards, and in general it's not a ridiculous time sink like a lot of modern games. Combat is an absolute blast, a fusion of other great actions like Sekiro, Bayonetta, even Resident Evil at times. Very reflex heavy swordplay wth a variety of different ranged firearms as well. With the amount of skills and specialized equipment you can collect you'd think it would get too easy after a point, but you will still get put in your place by the brutal boss fights at the end of the story. The grotesque monster designs and the elaborate animations for dismembering them are just on another level, every encounter sticks out in my memory. And I've seen criticism of it but I personally loved the parkour and Uncharted style climbing around the world. I felt like there was such a huge variety to what I was doing for my whole 40 hours played and it was mixing multiple genres I love perfectly. Finally if this game doesn't at least take nominations for best OST of the year it will be an absolute crime because it's constantly hitting your ears with objectively heavenly sounds, the most atmospheric emotional vocal songs seamlessly switching to more intense versions when fighting. Combined with the landscapes and art design you just gotta stop and take it all in sometimes.

This achievement has been overshadowed by some REALLY braindead controversies over the last few months and I've also seen a lot of hate from fans of the other series that clearly inspired it. It's a new IP so harsh critics are to be expected but I look forward to more people warming to it and realizing how it's actually a love letter to those things and an amazing game in its own right, and I hope EVE will be respected one day like Bayonetta, 2B etc have come to be. This singlehandedly made me feel less doomer about the game industry, if we can still get stuff like this every once in a while we may be alright. I will be eagerly awaiting whatever these devs make next on console

Apesar da trajetória impecável que a Valve fez nos anos 2000, com jogos como Portal, Left4Dead, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive e Team Fortress 2, foi Half-Life, jogo de 1998, que foi o responsável por pavimentar o caminho dourado que estaria por vir. Portanto, é comum pensarmos que um jogo de estreia funcione como uma mera "fundação", uma primeira aventura dos desenvolvedores, que ainda estão com medo de mergulhar no mar e só põe as pontas dos dedos do pé.

Isso é a pior maneira de descrever Half-Life.

O design de níveis é extraordinário, possibilitando diversas maneiras de você atravessá-lo e recompensando a sua exploração com segredos e mais suprimentos para enfrentar invasores de outra dimensão.

Os inimigos são desafiadores (e um pouco frustrantes, mas isso se dá por conta da idade do jogo) e variados, forçando você a usar o vasto arsenal que conquistará ao longo da sua escapatória.

A história é simples: Você é Gordon Freeman, um físico teórico empregado pela Black Mesa, que é pego em um experimento fracassado que traz seres de outro mundo. É uma premissa boa o suficiente para justificar uma campanha de ação e FPS, mas os cuidados com o storytelling e a preparação para o final são inovadoras para a época e uma maneira interessante de engajar o jogador dentro dos limites de um design linear (Me lembrou muito o que foi feito no primeiro Portal. Preste atenção ao que está ao seu arredor!).

Apesar de alguns maneirismos da época que podem se tornar inconvenientes para o jogador, como a falta de legendas e de feedback na hora do tiroteio (pelo menos, eu achei difícil saber logo de cara quando um inimigo morreu), é um jogo que vale a pena para qualquer amante de games, não só pela fundação que ele representa para a história da Valve, um dos maiores estúdios de videogame de todos os tempos, como pela própria experiência em si.

Realistically this is a 7/10 game with 12/10 moments. However, I do not care because the best parts of the game (characters, bosses, music, story, etc) are the things I care about in video games most and these particular highs of this game are among the best in the entire industry, no contest. Would I have liked better pacing? Yes. Would some more exploration and fun side content make the game better? Of course. But as is this game is still fantastic for me and screw it I don’t care if “objectively” it’s a 7 or 8 out of ten this is my review and my score so I’m going 5 full stars babyyyyyyyy