The Pre-Sequel is just another large DLC for Borderlands 2 in hindsight, but that's really not a knock for this game at all. The new characters and world of Elpis are amazing additions to Borderlands world-wise and gameplay-wise. The story of Handsome Jack's upbringing really helped expand upon the previous 2 games while also creating its own identity. The addition of Zero Gravity and jump pads really make levels feel very "Doom-like" and the addition of cryo-damage instead of slag is such a welcome one. It's a very special game and something that should be played as it is an amazing expansion to the wacky world of Borderlands.

I think it's hard to give this game anything above a 3, but I also don't think it's as bad as everyone says. As someone who has played maybe too much Overwatch throughout the years, I have had a lot of fun with Overwatch 2. I think the 5v5 system is a lot less chaotic than the old 6v6 teams and I enjoy the new maps and heroes for what they are. Comp has felt less like a sweat-fest and while I dislike the new ranking system, I can see what they were trying to go for even if it wasn't executed the best. However, the new battle-pass system is awful and will lock a lot of people away from getting the skins they want without paying for money which in my opinion, is just scummy. Overwatch 2 really is just Overwatch 1.5, but I don't really see that as a bad thing as the changes made I personally feel were for the best. Will it get better? Hopefully, but I hope Blizzard fills the game with enough content to keep it fresh because if OW2 stays the same through the years its relevancy will slowly diminish.

For my first Fire Emblem game, I was incredibly surprised by the amount of care, depth, and just pure fun that this game contained.

While I do enjoy JRPGs, the fantasy setting has never really interested me beyond games that take place in already-established universes such as Skyrim or The Witcher, however, I took a chance on Three Houses out of spite and was immediately enthralled with its characters and its strategic gameplay. The game forced me to constantly stay on my guard, especially since I was playing on the classic difficulty where your teammates can permanently die. I made sure to grow my army of friends into this unstoppable force, and it was incredibly rewarding to see how each of them grew all the way until the credits rolled.

The gameplay was an absolute blast from the beginning to the end. It really does feel like a game of chess where you have to be aware of each of your troop's strengths and weaknesses to avoid failure while also pushing forward to your goal with varying styles of map designs that are there to constantly challenge you. I have many memories of me and my troops basically being corned with no feasible way of getting out of it, only to emerge triumphant through the skin of our teeth. It's the moments like these that help make the combat so much fun to engage yourself in.

The only nit-picky complaint I have is that some dialogue can be a bit repetitive and obvious, but the downtime spent with the characters avoids most of these, and they are really reserved for the main story, which was fun but nothing too much to brag about.

All-in-all, Three Houses was an absolute joy, and I am looking forward to diving into this franchise even more.