How refreshing to see a Resident Evil game not take itself too seriously. RE4 manages to work in amazing concept and memorable moment one after another across a lengthy campaign while maintaining laser-focused core gameplay.
While not particularly scary, the game still boasts a gripping horror aesthetic which feels right at home with the other RE games. However, 4 adds enough new gameplay renovations to make it stand out, not just from its constituents within the franchise, but from any game this review has ever played.
Nothing about this experience feels pretentious or angsty. While I respect other RE games before and after for furthering a story, creating lore and defining a genre. I will always admire RE4 for bluntly saying, 'you know what, we just want to make a damn fun game,' and they delivered.

As the man who gave RE4 a perfect five stars, I feel somewhat hypocritical awarding 8 a mere 3.5, for it does deliver much of what I love in a resident evil game. I enjoy the campy tone, memorable set pieces and supernatural elements. However, while I applauded 4 for being consistent and unapologetic in its tone, I found RE8 to be a less consistent experience.

Negatives: The game left an awful first impression on me. I was rolling my eyes at he first hour of the game, which felt rushed, unnecessary and seemed to make light of Ethan's accomplishments from RE7. Overall, I did not care for the story, which altogether just felt too derivative of RE7 and riddled with tonal dissonance.
The game's level design is also on a near-perfect downward turn in quality outside of the titular village, which changes very little throughout the campaign. There are the first two areas, which I will talk about when I get to the positives section; the reservoir, which is a visually interesting location with little going on in terms of gameplay; the nest, which I almost forgot to mention given its blandness and lack of narrative significance; and the factory area, which feels like a dull maze loaded with nothing worth talking about. I ran through the area many times and still struggle to remember the layout. I haven't even mentioned that, just before you leave that dull place, you must fight the worst boss in the game. It is a pity the low point of the playthrough must come so near the end. Fortunately, it is still worth the trek to get there.

Positives: All prior grievances aside, this game, like RE4, is damn fun. I didn't start to enjoy it very much until my second playthrough, but the extensive weapon selection and customization makes the game a blast on repeat runs. The collectables scattered throughout the village, hidden goat statues, edibles, etc. This game has so much to do even outside of the insanely fun mercenaries mode. The game is filled with memorable characters and interesting locations. The castle may be the most detailed and interesting location in any RE game: filled with lore, collectables and interesting level hazards. Unlike the sheer horror that is the factory level, each room feels distinct and purposeful while still having an aura of dread and hostility.
As for the next level... I can't, in good conscience, spoil anything about it. Just play it.
Lastly, the game has quite possibly my favorite character in any RE game. His vocal performance is amazing, his powers are intimidating and his boss fight may be the best, not only in any RE game, but in any FPS I have ever played. If you played the game, you know exactly who I am talking about.

In summary, RE8 is an exceptionally fun time for anyone willing to look past a few narrative flaws and some degrading level quality. The game is worth playing for mercenaries and new game+ alone.

What strange, unsuitable reality have I entered wherein this game even exists? Never mind that it's as good as it is. This is 2.5 games seamlessly woven into a package that made me look at remakes a new way.

Nitro-fueled went above and beyond: bringing content back from the near-forgotten Crash Nitro Kart, adding never-before playable characters and yet more content with a new track each month for seven months. Anyone who wasn't engrossed by the entertaining main quest could dive into the online multiplayer or any of the fun and varied side modes, paying alone or with a friend. Just about every track in the game, old and new, is loaded with visual details shortcuts which complement the skill-based driving beautifully. The player can fiddle with thousands of cart combinations while finding all of the hidden crates or CTR letters in each track. It is no exaggeration to say I logged over a hundred hours into this bizarre masterpiece.

No remake I have ever played has transformed a fun-yet-dated experience the way this one has. The customization and overall content of the original PS1 game was acceptable for the time, but would look pitiful by PS4 standards. If CTR on PS1 is a one-story office building, Nitro-fueled built on its foundation and turned it into a skyscraper. I hand-on-heart recommend this as both my favorite kart racing game and my favorite crash game.

Also, if you're mad about microtransactions, then don't pay them. I got every unlockable I wanted without spending a cent past the initial purchase of the game. Good Luck!

An improvement over the first game in nearly every regard.

Much more interesting and varied settings, better enemy variety and a story that made me want to learn all about this disturbing nightmare world. Little Nightmares 2 incorporates more puzzles than the first game and is a masterful example of sound direction done fabulously well in a game.

The game, like part one, is still lacking in replay value, and levels two and three do outstay their welcomes in my opinion. Still, there is far more good here than bad.

I feel very alone in the world as a man who would list Drake's Deception as his favorite Uncharted game. My only real negative about this game is the nonsensical, Looney Tunes story. There are far too many ridiculous things that happen to be quickly listed here. Suffice to say, it is nonsense, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love this game for a similar reason that I love Resident Evil 4, because it says, 'screw it, let's just make a really fun game.' The set pieces in this game are amazing even ten years later. The gameplay has more memorable moments and overall variety than just about every other Uncharted game combined. I find it fitting that such a ridiculous game have such ridiculous moments. I don't see it as an issue, because this game's drama comes from its characters, not its story.

If you asked me to sum up why this is my favorite game in the series, the exchange would go something like this:

Me: Who is the greatest character in video game history?
You: Karl Heisenberg?
Me: The other one
You: Victor Sullivan
Me: Which Uncharted puts the most focus on him?
You: 3
Me: Any further questions?

The interactions between Nate and Sully in this game have resonated with me so much since I first played the game. I loved seeing them meet, Sully saving Nate, their mature conversations and literally every other scene with Sully in it. His final word to Nate in the story never fails to make me emotional. Altogether, I think that no Uncharted game has more heart, character or charm than this one.

Instead of reviewing the game, I'm just going to describe some of the things that happened in my playthrough:

I went to the Lincoln Memorial, put a stealth boy on and went up behind a slaver to stick a grenade down his pants. The others couldn't detect me since I was invisible, so they said, "huh, must have been the wind" after the first one blew up, and I repeated the process until half of them were dead.

I went to Father Clifford in Rivet City and baselessly claimed that Diego was having a sexual relationship with Angela. The moron believed me and turned around to Diego, who was about three feet away, and excommunicated him from the church. Diego got over it pretty quickly, turned to Angela, who was about three feet behind him, and proposed. They will be getting married soon.

(I'm smirking just as I write this)

I went to Tenpenny Tower and spoke to Gustavo over the intercom, demanding to be let in. He boasted that he was safe on the other side of the wall and told me to scram. I took out my mini-nuke launcher and fired a shot over the side of the wall, killing Gustavo and sending his lifeless body flying over the side of the wall. After looting his corpse, I went back to the intercom and spoke to Gustavo for the first time since blowing him up. He still wouldn't let me in.

My goodness, you need to play this game.