It hasn't hurt this much to only give a game a 9/10 in a while.

Gushing over Wind Waker's beautiful story, lovable characters, fun exploration, expansive sea, gorgeous soundtrack, rewarding upgrades, strong dungeons and amazing charm would hopefully convey why this game holds such a special place in my heart. This enthralling, character-driven masterclass of story and game design will always hold an irreplaceable spot in my heart. Some monotonous quests and an overall lack of difficulty hold this back from being my favorite Zelda game, a title it held for many years. But still, if this is the only Wii U game I ever care to revisit, it will have justified the console's purchase.

The fact that I am so compelled by such a strange premise shows the developers must have done something right.

The game's combat provides a good blend of mindless fun, skill-based progression and resource management. The iconic Disney worlds are brought to life and are captivating to explore. Seeing Sora interact with the beloved characters from Disney's pantheon is surprisingly endearing as a premise which must have sounded like a teenage fanfic on paper evolves into a gripping, atmospheric and unique gaming experience that is worth revisiting many years later. I love this game, and there is a good chance that you love it too. However, I need to discuss negatives. So, if you want good vibes only, I'd stop reading here.

For all that I love, this game has three big strikes against it:

1) Monstro is one of the worst levels in any 3D game I've played. The inside of the whale is undetailed, repetitive and butt-ugly. I always get lost despite the level being so short. It's a low point in every playthrough. But, despite being terrible, at least Monstro was one-and-done, unlike...

2) The Gummi-Ship flying in this game is everything I hate about Monstro, hideous and repetitive, but on a much larger scale. I have to come back to this unfinished flight simulator several times throughout the playthrough and it's almost enough to make me turn the game off.

3) Riku can piss off. One of the worst characters in video game history. It's embarrassing how Maleficent is able to completely deceive him after ten seconds of obvious lies, and that Riku considers it a betrayal that Sora banded together with friends to stay alive rather than trudging through those dangerous worlds alone because Riku and Kairi had to be his only friends. Speaking of Kairi, Riku is overwhelmed with sympathy for her, despite her physical body being completely safe, and doesn't seem to care that Sora is nearly getting his heart ripped out on an hourly basis. Noticing Riku staring avidly and Kairi's unconscious body legitimately makes me uncomfortable, especially considering how obvious it is she loves Sora, not Riku. I honestly get the feeling that most of Riku's saintly future appearances are just to make up for everything he did here. If so, I suppose it worked. But still, considering KH1 alone, I hate this kid.

Sorry, that got a little out of hand, I still love the game though!

I liked Miles Morales more than the 2018 game.

While having less content, I thought the overall pacing of the story was much better. Miles's personal dilemmas resonated much more with me due to the consistent tone and intimacy of the story. Gone are the tidal wave of repetitive side quests and gimmicky gameplay sections that held the 2018 game back. If the compactness and streamlined gameplay structure from this game could be applied to a story with more content, the next Spider-Man game could be getting five stars from me.

Just because I loved Arkham City doesn't mean I want to play a much worse version of it.

The plot holes in this game are ridiculous, the villain motivations are non-existent and every villain in the rogues gallery is pointlessly shafted and delegated to repetitive, serialized side quests with the exception of three. The explosion of repetitive, tedious Riddler trophies are almost preferable to the repetitive tedium of the main quest. Nearly every plot point from this confused, unnecessary story is directly stolen from Arkham City, and the 100% ending is actually somehow worse than the base ending. I did find the tank gameplay fun for a time, but there was far too much of it and it didn't fit the tone of the rest of the game at all.

While far from the worst game I've every played, Arkham Knight is among the most disappointing.

A detailed, captivating world rich with deep lore, interesting characters, useful collectables and perilous enemies. The intricate, cohesive world of Hollow Knight begs to be explored. The massive, sprawling land of Hollownest lures the player in, many hours spent filling out a huge map, never feeling frustrated in doing so on account of how compact and reasonable the game's exploration is, featuring a streamlined badge an upgrade system which gives weight to every decision the player makes. This game boasts a huge amount of content outside of the plentiful DLC, which adds even more character, lore and replay value to this powerhouse of an experience.

Also, the best Boss roster in the history of video games. Just saying.

The cutscenes in this game are truly the stuff of nightmares.

Fortunately, the rest of the game fares far better. Amusing writing and varied missions taking you through big, detailed worlds filled with collectables and references to the iconic show.

I didn't care much for the second half of the game. The reused locations, jacked-up item prices and eventual sense of repetition stopped me from calling the game amazing, but I can recommend it to any diehard Simpsons fan, or anyone looking for a less violent GTA game.

One step forward, one step back.

Ratchet is much more likable in this version, but his relationship with Clank feels like an afterthought. The gameplay is much more addicting, but the story is far weaker. As a remake, it changes too much to feel loyal to the original game, but keeps enough elements from the 2002 game to stop it from being able to stand on its own entirely.

Oh well, at least it was better than the movie

One of the most underrated games I've ever played.

A compelling story loaded with memorable gameplay sequences, strong characters, entertaining boss fights and powerful themes. Seeing a younger, edgier and less experienced Bruce Wayne interact with a begrudging Alfred was interesting, and the thematic parallels between Batman and Joker were nothing short of artful.

I can't say I encountered many glitches or performance issues on my playthrough, but a number of re-used assets and ideas from city were distracting, and the side quests weren't as distinct or meaningful.

Still, I respect Origins as an essential chapter in the Arkham Legacy. And, just in case this review wasn't divisive enough:

Origins -> Asylum -> City is a far better trilogy than
Asylum -> City -> Knight

Satisfying moment-to-moment gameplay bolstered by strong characters and a decent story. The web-swinging, combat, character interactions and collectables in this game make for an experience that can be played for hours at a time.

The game isn't perfect by any means. Any part of the game where you play as anyone other that Spider-Man, while brief and rare, tend to be boring. The game can be held back by some repetitive and uninspired side quests. And lastly, I take issue with the game's pacing.

Spider-Man PS4 begins with an incredible, pulse-pounding sequence, but then drops and doesn't meet that same level of urgency until the final third. But, with that said, the last third of this game is top-tier, and I refuse to spoil anything about it. It is worth playing for that part alone.