I'm far from any sort of Monster Hunter guru, seeing as I've bounced off of Generations Ultimate and World many times before. But that makes it all the more impressive that Rise manages to be the most accessible game in a notoriously complicated, inaccessible franchise -- and I'm so, so glad they managed that! Monster Hunter has such an addicting gameplay loop. If anyone's played games like Warframe that center around playing, crafting a shiny new toy, then playing again, the difference between Monster Hunter and those types of game is stark. Unlike grindier games, every aspect of the MH Rise is rewarding. The combat is deliberate and satisfying, and the weapon / armor upgrades are fun thanks to the increase in power and fashion. Furthermore, it's incredible how well-made every monster fight is. For a Dark Souls fan like me, it's like getting to fight unique variations of Kalameet / Midir in a nonstop loop. Absolutely exhilarating, and I can't wait to find 500 hours of time to sink into Generations Ultimate and World.

Pokemon White 2 is almost certainly my ideal Pokemon game. Aesthetically it's my favorite; I think the pixel art and spritework is at its peak here, with the music being great as well. The variety of pokemon is a lot of fun too, a nice contrast to what BW did -- I understand why they kept to only the new pokemon in Black & White, I think that was a smart move, but team building in White 2 gives me a lot more joy. Progressing through the map in a different way from BW was also a super neat detail, along with the ways the region changed. Pokemon already has such a solid foundation, and I think the BW2 games provide the most polished experience using that framework while minimizing the annoying parts of the series that are traditionally present in every game.