My expectations, needless to day, were greatly exceeded. In short, this is one of the best outings Final Fantasy has had in nearly two decades. The combat is both stylish and substantive, granting an amount of ability customization, balance, and option-selecting that I did not anticipate, while also just being damn fun. The story, unlike most recent mainline FFs (especially 13 and 15), is fairly simple, but I found it very compelling, and the characters to be extremely likable and well-acted (this game's English dub is spectacular). Some of the best boss fights in any game I've ever played, too, with a great balance of substantive challenge and jaw-dropping spectacle.
There are flaws to be sure - the world design is fairly constrained, the frame rate is a bit inconsistent, and some side quests are decidedly dull - but the holistic experience is one I won't soon forget. Easily my favorite FF since the PS2 era.

"Elden Ring" captivated me with its stellar visuals and rich, intricate lore, prompting extensive exploration and deep dives into its complex narratives. The meticulously crafted environments and engaging combat system, albeit familiar and souls-like, offered a rewarding, albeit occasionally forgiving, challenge, particularly during memorable boss fights like the 11-hour battle with Malenia. While the exploration and accessibility catered notably to newcomers, it sometimes allowed for unintended overleveling, and the recurrence of certain bosses felt somewhat repetitive. Despite minor, subjective reservations, the immense joy derived from exploring and interacting within this expansive world earns "Elden Ring" a well-deserved 5/5, standing as an undeniable masterpiece in my gaming experiences.

This might be the second best main series Pokémon game. Only behind B&W.

They took it in a fun direction, finally getting the open world the people have been begging for. The story is also sub-linear instead of just straight up same as the other games, which is a step in the right direction, but if they do this again I pray they just do level scaling.

The performance is very below average, I get that it’s an ambitious game especially for the Switch, it still runs poorly. Luckily at least for me, this barely hindered my experience and I enjoyed this game a lot.