"If you could edit games like a film and stitch only the good parts together, you might be able to make a really good game out of this" - Some guy on the internet, probably.

Gungrave G.O.R.E is frustrating. Not because I didn't enjoy the game, quite the contrary, I think its the most fun game I've played all year. It is frustrating because of how much I fundamentally disagree with the common consensus while simultaneously understanding where those frustrations are coming from.

I think this game is a painfully misunderstood gem that highlights an era and style of game design that we never see a lot of these days, now that every game is polished to a mirror sheen and asks so little of its players. It is precisely because of how much Gungrave G.O.R.E asks of its players that I feel the game is misunderstood. Because the game has a steep difficulty and an even steeper learning curve. But at the same time, it is the mastery of that learning curve and skill that makes the game so satisfying.

I think so many people are too quick to give up on G.O.R.E and blame the game designers for every single thing that frustrates them instead of attempting to get better at the game and improve. That type of game design that doesn't hold your hand and challenges you to try harder is a lost art and Gungrave G.O.R.E highlights some of the best parts of it... and also the worst of it at the same time.

Despite my praise to the game's core design and skillfully implemented core mechanics, I cannot deny that there is a massive lack of consistency in the quality of the level-to-level, moment-to-moment design of the game. Some parts are amazing at testing your skill while simultaneously giving you a good time. Some parts just feel like they weren't play-tested in any capacity. And I have to admit that it can be perfectly unfair that the developers ask so much of its player to adapt to the difficulty, while at the same time not being able to ensure that the player is able to adapt in the first place.

Yet, at the same time, knowing the development history of this game, I can't help but root for Iggymob at the end of the day. They made one of the most unique games released in the past year and a true love letter to this genre and era of game design, all the while struggling to set up shop in a place where its even more difficult to secure funding while at the same time working with a very niche IP. The fact that the game is as polished as it is compared to more expensive AAA releases really says something about their passion.

And despite all the parts that weren't fun to play, I still want to play Gungrave G.O.R.E many times over because the good of what they gave us I think far outshines the few moments where it perhaps took me more time than I'd like to in order to adapt to the more difficult and downright unfair sections.

But that does come with the territory. At the end of the day, I'd rather have a game that's this satisfying on a sheer mechanical level that has a handful of frustrating levels or portions, than a game that is polished to a mirror sheen and has nothing unique to say or offer.

So I leave my review with this. Maybe next time you feel so frustrated at Gungrave G.O.R.E and want to turn the game off, ask yourself to do better. Learn better. Try better. For all its worth, this game is designed for people who can master that learning curve. If the gaming equivalent of a trial by fire doesn't sound like its for you, then yeah, maybe you shouldn't play it at all. It is what it is.

P.S: My actual rating is closer to 3.5 or 4 stars, but I'm giving it 5 stars to counteract the insane review bombing this game is getting. Seriously, this game doesn't deserve such a low score.

It's been a hot minute since I've been as conflicted about a game like this!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this game! The combat is a lot of fun, I love the demon summoning, the level design stands out as being more fun and consistent to explore compared to prior entries, and I think this game has the best gimmick non traditional gameplay segments of the trilogy. (Chapter 12 Boss I love you)

But man, I feel so torn up about this story. Everything feels so rushed despite this being the longest Bayonetta game by far, character motivation and development feels so sparse, and the game's ending goes for a somber tone that is totally unearned by the writing of the entire game up to that point. I think I hate how this game ends, and not just because of my obvious gay little bias.

I just don't know! Despite its strengths this game ends up the most tragically uneven Bayonetta.

To call God of War Ragnarok a flawless masterpiece is overselling things a touch. Hell, I'd even say it falls short of it's predecessor. It does little to shake up the formula established by God of War 2018, at times feeling like Santa Monica is too afraid of failure to mess with their award-winning success. The story is also far more grand and expansive than the previous game's, but at the same time loses that simple character-driven excellence and perfectly paced storyline that made 2018's the best in gaming.

However, if you can look past these flaws (and make it through a horrifically slow first third), you'll find that Ragnarok is a truly excellent game, one well worth your time. The excellent combat from the first game returns, this time with a much richer enemy variety for you to sink your blades into. Plus, although there are plenty of issues with the story, the epic finale to the Norse tale that began four years ago is ultimately very satisfying, bolstered by an incredibly stellar voice cast and giving many moments that will give fans plenty to laugh and cry over. In the end, I think this is a game that will only improve when revisited, as the things that shine brightest will continue to be loved, while the game's problems may fade into the background.

Stray is a game where you assume the role of a cat. This is the entire promise of its outward appearance. You control a сute furball navigating in a world proportionally large for your light presence. You can press B to meow and Y to cuddle with other cats. You can take a nap in allotted by game designer places. The cat mannerisms are meticulously animated and instantly gifable for twitter. An instant crowd pleaser of a concept, as Twitch and Steam numbers immediately suggest.

One of the first big puzzles you solve involves power outlets. You have to scout a room to find 4 cube-shaped batteries. You have to grab them with a floating button prompt and bring them to a computer. You have to MANUALLY (with paws?) plug them in power sockets. Surely, you already see a problem.

Stray takes place in a society of robots mimicking the images and idiosyncrasies of humans. Robots wear clothes, robots eat food, robots live in a police state – not because they need to, that’s just what we tend to do. The greatest irony of Stray is how it’s no different from the robots it portrays. It’s caught up in appearances, stupefied by feline oddness – and completely misses the essence of dubious little being.

Do you want to be a small rascal bumbling the way through, guided only by the most primal of instincts? Wrong game! And it’s mind-boggling to me how attentively every unique keynote of the whole premise is impaired here to create the most nothing hodgepodge of a modern action-adventure. You are pulled through a cat-sized theme park with the main attractions made up of the lightest of puzzles, dullest stealth sections and unlosable chase sequences. Traversal, which must pop with cats’ preciseness and unlimited agility, suddenly turns into a chore, because you can’t have a cat failing a jump, right? Even the animal inaudibility which opens the door for interesting environmental storytelling and silent interactions is undercut by the introduction of a companion drone acting as a translation layer between the feline friend and basically everything else in the world.

There are absolutely glints of creativity and good vibes here, and I decently enjoyed exploring the little hub levels where the game matches its title the best by letting the cat go a little astray. These bright moments though are far and between in this hugely underwhelming affair. Rain World: Downpour can’t honestly come soon enough.