Everybody likes to sling around "this looks like a PS2 game" as a (frankly misplaced) derision, but I propose we start countering with "this feels like a PS2 game" as its positive counterbalance.

For real though, this game's unhinged and wacky corporate satire reminded me of my favorite aspects of the early Ratchet & Clank games, and the feel-good team banter called to mind moments from Sly Cooper and Jak & Daxter. The whole package is just so charming and joyous from top to bottom, and I wish more games approached their subject matter with such gleeful sincerity. I will not soon forget the good vibes of Hi-Fi Rush's main campaign and characters.

And that's saying nothing about the gameplay, which kicks mad ass: think Devil May Cry or Bayonetta mashed with Dance Dance Revolution. Everything is sync'd to the soundtrack (which whips), and the feedback for grooving your inputs to the beat is so goddamn satisfying. Beating the piss out of the game's bosses while some of my favorite Nine Inch Nails tunes pulsed throughout the arenas is as novel as it is awesome.

I hope we see more of this series, or at least this concept, since the whole thing is just a refreshing splash of comedy and fun in the current gaming landscape.

My first playthrough on Normal, did a 100% run and unlocked most achievements
Speedrun on One Life mode without using any ability points, to get more achievements
Last playthrough on Hard mode to get the last two achievements

Such a gorgeous but sadly short game, with a very emotional soundtrack, and a story that makes me cry everytime I watch it. This game is the embodiment of a beautiful slap in the face

You awaken in the dungeons of a world covered in darkness and suffering from Blight brought on by the Rain of Death, a once beautiful world now slowly beginning to rot. Towns, people, the kingdom, the wildlife all driven mad and cursed into warped beasts and form unrecognizable to man.
It is up to you, to find out why this happened, and purify what the Rain brought in to ruin.

None of this I knew before playing this game. I had bought it on the fact it was a Metroidvania type of game and it uses my favorite mechanic of summoning as it's lore and reasoning for combat. This was all I needed to get this game and I enjoyed it.

The story as told at the top is really good, it leads you along at a peace that if you're into it then you'll keep up and be ready for whatever lore is dumped onto you next. If you don't care about the story, then no problem, it's not front and center at all times so you can enjoy it as just the game.

The gameplay is pretty simple to explain. Find relics that act as your equipment, your "spirits" that act as your skills and weapons are closer to say MegaMan since it's bosses that give you these and not like Castlevania where you get them from most enemies or treasure chests or what have you. Platforming is your standard affair in this genre, nothing difficult, the map is actually pretty open, it doesn't feel like you're cutoff from exploring that often. Enemies are actually quite a challenge with patterns and keep you on your toes, perhaps a little too often in my experience. speaking of, you also level up with exp, but the game isn't very stat heavy, it's more skill than anything.

The graphics are quite beautiful, if you like the kind of art style that Hollow Knight and Ori bring with the character being a blooming white while the backgrounds are a dark goth-ish type setting, then you'll love this since it follows the same thing.

The music is also beautiful and somber, not much you'll find yourself humming, but music you'll remember the second you step in certain places.

If I had to say anything bad about the game, I can't really find anything major...as good as the game is, on a personal level, I couldn't bring myself to 100% the game after I beat it, for me combat doesn't give anything besides leveling up and the gameplay doesn't change much the more spirits and relics you get so after beating it I had no intention on cleaning up. But the game was amazing for what it was as I went through it.

This review is about the collection as a package rather than the individual games. It's been nearly 10 years since I played this trilogy and it's been an absolute joy being able to relive them. I had forgotten many parts of them and not played all the DLC so having it all in one package? Couldn't be happier.

To start, all 3 games have been enhanced though to varying degrees. Each game plays extremely smoothly now with a near solid 60fps, increased resolution and textures for a really high level of performance and image quality all around. Mass Effect 1 especially had a complete overhaul needing it more than the others with completely new visuals in a lot of areas, improved lighting and the integration of later higher quality models from Mass Effect 3 brought into it. The changes here are frankly, huge. Mass Effect 2 and 3 haven't had quite the same attention though your Shepard character model is at least consistent for all three titles now. There have been other more subtle tweaks to user interface, controls etc. to enhance the overall experience and some slight moments of slow down I experienced in Mass Effect 1 in a couple of places aside they look and play better than they ever have.

The collection has all previously released DLC, mostly. It's missing one smaller piece of content for Mass Effect 1, Pinnacle Station as the source files for that were corrupted after initial release preventing it though it's not key content fortunately. All other DLC content has been included in the package big or small including armour packs, additional characters, weapons and quests supplying a huge amount of additional game.

My only complaints about this collection are that despite the obvious effort put into remastering the games, (which is the important part I fully acknowledge) the overall package feels threadbare on additional content. I would have liked to have seen more museum type extras like other remasters and collections include like concept and character art, a music gallery, history of or interviews with developers. A little disappointing. Additionally Mass Effect 3's multiplayer has been cut from the collection and whilst in most cases I'd be happy about that I seriously loved the co-op mode and would have loved to play through it with friends again.

Small gripes aside, this is the best way to play these three games now visually, performance wise and content wise (mostly). A celebration of one of the best trilogies in gaming. as a collection it could be better but it's a small complaint in what was clearly a surprising amount of effort and the first Electronic Arts game I've bought in literally years.

+ Games look and play brilliantly.
+ Mass Effect 1 improvements especially notable.
+ Nearly all content for the trilogy included in one package.

- Lack of extras.
- No Mass Effect 3 multiplayer.

I really loved this game. On the first playthrough I didn't get all the trophies but I was okay with it. About four months later I decided to Platinum it on PS5 and played it second time with help from playthrough. And I'm glad I did. I missed so many interesting things on the first play that I was happy to enjoy it again.
The story was really good, funny but also sad at some times and I hope there will be another game. At first I was a little put off by the characters not having movie actors faces, but after some time I got used to them. The fight system wasn't that good and some actions were hard to get down.
Overall, the game was fun and I may replay it in the future.