All sides + Farewell, Strawberries, Hearts, 8 Goldens, Moon Berry, and 50 hours later, I think I'm comfortable saying I can put Celeste down. You really do become addicted to the struggle. The narrative is deceptively simple and transparent thematically, but works by owning that while complimenting the gameplay.

I never particularly connected with Madeline or the others despite having similar mental strife, but the actual act of struggling through these kaizo-tier rooms alongside mountain imagery and slowly improving until you reach the sky brings about a bond that the narrative can't achieve alone. Despite the game re-iterating that you don't need to prove your own worth, it's hard not to push yourself further out of personal pride. Mechanically, Celeste is smooth and even the advanced movement techniques always feel good to use. Farewell is a perfect end cap that took 4 hours to finish, but I did it.

I'm not usually too big on retro FPS/boomer shooters but Cultic blew me away and stands on its own amidst the comparisons to Blood. It facilitates slower, strategic play, and really encourages switching through weapons, playing to their strengths. The level design is top notch and never overstays its welcome. After warming up to the mechanics, you can continue playing slow and deliberate, or you have the freedom to go full Doom Eternal, strafing through the levels to a gorgeous soundtrack while being encouraged to flip through your diverse arsenal, accompanied by the screams of burning robed cultists left behind in your wake.

The controls are tight, and enemy targeting isn't hitscan, which encourages you to take advantage of the fluid movement baked into the game. It really is whatever you want to make of it, but it's always at the very least badass and great to look at.

Holds up pretty well. This feels like the first real game in the franchise. It improves the controls, colors, and variety from the first while removing the (imo) arbitrary scoring system.

The new robot masters are cool and powers are all fun to use. Metal Man is dope but holy shit his ability really trivializes the whole game. In general levels are shorter, (way) easier, and ultimately less complex (and less bullshit) for better or worse. Also whoever thought of the Boobeam Trap should be locked in a basement. Legendary OST once again, especially Flash Man's stage and the normal boss theme which may be my favorite of the series.

The slide really makes the series hit it's stride movement wise, and Rush is a great addition. The platforming has been tightened up from 1 & 2 and it feel MUCH more fair. The robot masters and powers are more balanced than in 2 but they're all also a quite a bit less fun and/or useful than weapons from the previous games (especially top spin, that shit sucks). Fuck though man, the Doc robot stages are super tedious, and the final boss is so lame compared to the dope flying alien from 2.

It's length is impressive in general for an NES game, and while I really enjoy it this does cause it to drag towards the latter half with the re-treading of level concepts. The level design feels a little less inspired, but is still really solid here, especially in keeping up with the fast pacing. The OST is also still jamming, specifically Proto Man's theme.

Haak cements itself firmly in the upper echelon of metroidvanias. The level design may seem uninspired visually, but the absolute confidence and fluidity with which the gameplay is executed lends well to the simple 2D world. It just feels good to play, with snappy mechanics and movement, both of which are so important in a 2D platformer of this scale, as you'll be spending close to 25 hours to achieve 100%.

There's a stellar map system, progressive upgrades, and a proper teleport system that leave you with close to zero secrets left to find after the final boss, which is a massive plus in my book. The game respects your time, and by the last leg of it you have and are able to utilize Haak's entire toolkit to its fullest, rather than snagging the final upgrade or two when there's nothing left to do. Bosses, enemy variety, and combat in general aren't particularly satisfying, nor where the game shines. Enemies are to be looked at more as platforming obstacles, and there isn't a single difficult fight to be found. The exploration, platforming, and engagement with the tools provided to you are where Haak really shows its prowess.

The UI is entirely readable and follows general common sense design, and there are close to zero bugs. There is a story here and it's not uninteresting, but the translation is incredibly stifled, which ended up being the only other detractor in my experience; there is no word of mouth at all in English for Haak. It's readable, but you're almost better off skipping the text unless it's improved; just let the gameplay speak for itself. Some may not be able to overlook this but the atmosphere, world building, and superb execution of mechanics are more than enough to wash down the lackluster translation.