I had heard for years that this was one of the pinnacles of Wrestling games, and now that I've finally played it? Ehhhhhhh.... It's fine to a point. It has that corny attitude era charm, I can't deny that, but it really does not feel fun to play. The AI is insanely brutal at times, and I swear I could not make the game do what I wanted it to do during my matches. It also doesn't help with the amount of Handicap matches they throw at you that winning just feels like an impossible task sometimes. There is fun to be had in No Mercy, but man, I couldn't find it.

I gotta admit, I was a little burnt out on XBC3 when I went into this, so I was a little worried once I started it. Imagine my surprise when not even 20 minutes in, I was already incredibly invested, and by the end, I didn't want it to be over. Future Redeemed takes every system that works from XBC3 and builds upon them in such a fun and satisfying way that it makes the gameplay loop maybe the most enjoyable in the entire series. Playing as Rex is quite possibly the most fun I've had in a JRPG, Double Spinning Edge is one hell of a drug. In terms of story, I gotta hand it to FR for being able to weave bits and pieces from all 3 XBC games, alongside nods to Xenosaga and Xenogears, and do it all so coheasively, its an enjoyable tale all the way through. FR doesn't add too much new music, but the pieces it does have all stand out extremely well, with the Final Boss theme in particular being absolutely insane. My last big praise for FR is its length, because it genuinely feels like the perfect length, its not too long nor too short, I never felt like my interest was fading, it really nailed that sweet spot. In conclusion, I'm feeling full of beans and I need XBC4 stat.

Neon White had been on my radar for awhile but I truly didn't know what I was getting into. If you want insanely kinetic and smooth gameplay that really tests your reflexes, then this is exactly what you're looking for. Every level provides a challenge that feels fun, and the multiple weapon types really make the movement puzzles fresh every single chapter. The Shotgun, RPG and the final type you get are by far the most enjoyable to use. It also helps that you have an amazing soundtrack done by Machine Girl to help puncuate the action. It's very easy to find a level you vibe with, and just continously attempt to shave seconds off your time, I know I sure did. The only real weakness of Neon White, to me, is the writing can be a bit much sometimes, it's not hard to see why some call this a "reddit" game, but honestly, I don't find it as bad as most. The cast is overall solid, with White and Mikey being my standouts. I only just beat it, and I already feel that itch to jump back in and run more levels, it's that addicting.

Super Metroid was always gonna have big shoes to fill after the non-stop praise I've heard for it over the years, and boy did it succeed and then some. I was worried about getting lost but much to my surprise, the map flows together pretty well, and very rarely did I ever feel like I didn't know where to go next. The physics feel weighty and once you get used to it (and also change your buttons because my god the default is not good for modern controllers), it feels super smooth to play. The real fun is learning the tech like bomb jumping to really make the most out of the exploration. In terms of atmosphere and music, it's pretty unrivaled in how on edge it can make you feel, outside of Fusion's Horror-esque vibes. I think my only complaint really is Maridia as an area is a total chore to navigate through, especially the sandy patches, but it's the only blight on a damn near perfect package. Onwards to Metroid Dread

It only took 200ish hours but I finally finished Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and to nobody's surprise, its my favourite of the bunch. There are plenty of things that XBC3 improves upon within the franchise, but I think it's biggest strong suit is the story this time around. It might have some of the best twists and overall storytelling I've seen in a piece of media. The gameplay is likely at its peak, with the new party size, chain attacks, and class switching making combat feel extremely enjoyable. The music goes without saying, to be honest, its a Xenoblade game, of course the music is gonna go absolutely crazy. XBC3 isn't without some minor faults, things like the Chain Attack music interrupting the OST, some side quests feeling like a chore, and just the overall lack of solid tank classes, but even with those gripes, I can't deny that the pros definitely outweigh the cons on every level.
All hail the commander of Colony 11

Onechanbara is a franchise I often remember seeing on the shelf at EB Games when I was younger and always being vaguely intrigued by it (which could have to do with the bikinis but thats besides the point). I had played Onechanbara Origin in 2022 for the Platinum trophy and had a decently fun time with it, so I was down to try Z2 Chaos once it went on sale. I'm definitely glad I waited for it be a cheap one because while it is a fun time, there is a lot of jank to be experienced. The combat is enjoyable but does lack depth, especially once you realize your main combo is the most effective, so why would you use anything else. Story wise, it's an Onechanbara game so don't expect much there. I will say the music is probably the biggest highlight, there is a lot of solid tunes throughout Z2, and the transformation themes are the star of the show. The characters are also pretty enjoyable, my favourites specifically being Aya and Kagura, but its an enjoyable cast for the short time you spend with them. Side note regarding preformance, but the game would crash on two specific fights practically every single playthrough, so that was a bit of a fun killer. Would I ever play Z2 Chaos again now that I got the Platinum trophy for it? Probably not, Origin is much more fun experience, but I do think Z2 Chaos does have enough charm to warrant a playthough if you ever find it cheap.

Rounding off my Silent Hill 3 trifecta, I finally got through Silent Hill 3. I don't really know the right words to describe this game, but I'll give it my best shot because I truly did love my time with it. I said a similar thing with Silent Hill 1, but playing SH3 after 2 is weird because SH2 does so much extremely well that it feels hard to top. I can't say SH3 pulls off the story or music quite as well as SH2, which is a lofty goal, but it doesn't need to either. The difference in style musically, going a bit more industrial, does wonders for the tone SH3 is trying to set, same with including far more vocal tracks. Storywise, it doesn't have that same freedom that SH2 has, as its following up the threads laid out by SH1, but it definitely succeeds in continuing that story, both in touching upon previously established lore and introducing its own. Heather herself is a wonderful protagonist, and is one of the most well written depictions of a Teenager I've ever seen. I think the best aspect SH3 has is it's oppresive atmosphere compared to the previous installments. I was constantly on edge throughout every single level, and it never truly felt like I was safe or given a moment of reprieve. Add in that the enemies felt like stronger callbacks to SH1's enemies, I truly felt terror from start to end. I also really like the callbacks to prior levels from 1 and 2, it felt like a proper culmination of the aspects the first two did right. My only real complaint is the maps not being as great as SH2's, but that's such a minor nitpick. I still don't know if I love SH3 over SH2, but that doesn't change that Silent Hill 3 is an extremely memorable experience well worth playing.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a special experience, truly, because no matter how little interest you have in tabletop or strategy RPGs, you can find pure enjoyment in your playthrough. How do I know that? I was a person with little interest in tabletop and strategy RPGs, yet here we are with a 5 star ranking.

There is plenty to love in BG3, with hours upon hours of content to delve into, including so many different routes and options that you're likely to have a unique experience on every playthrough. The amount of things that got referenced or brought back throughout my playthrough, whether it was a small bit of information heard or characters interacted with hours or acts before, your choices actually do influence your playthrough. The story really does feel like a proper D&D campaign, with so much exploration to do and plenty of fun little interactions to have with the world throughout all 3 acts.

A good cast can make or break your game, and I'm delighted to say the cast of BG3 is the true star of the show. Whether you like the abrasive Lae'zel, charming Astarion, the hellfire teddy bear that's Karlach or everyone's favourite loser Gale, there is somebody in this cast for you. The aforementioned Karlach and Shadowheart are my two favourite characters in the game and I loved every single interaction provided.

Finally the gameplay of BG3 is a creative beast to say the least. It takes a bit of time to get used to the systems presented to you, but once you remember to play it less like your typical strategy game, and implent some of that classic D&D jank, it gets a whole lot more enjoyable. Being able to mix combat encounters with enjoyable dialogue checks, the gameplay loop never truly gets stale. It also helps the world aroud offers plenty of diversity in terms of strategy.

I went into BG3 worried that I wouldn't love it as much as everyone else has, and I'm sure I've parroted what everyone else has said, but honestly, this game was a proper experience. The fact that I'm already eager to do a second playthrough down the line says it all.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel going into Sonic Heroes, after hearing years and years of less than stellar things said about it, but hey, I finally gave it a shot. It's a 3D Sonic game, so its gonna control amazingly one second, before veering you off a cliff, and Sonic Heroes definitely provides that experience in spades. Some of the level design, enemy placements, and just overall physics can be janky as hell, leading to plenty of deaths, but honestly the checkpoints and sheer amount of 1UPs they throw at you make it not that big of a deal. Storywise, I gotta be honest, it was pretty par for the course, repeating events over 4 stories before climaxing with the LAST story, so its nothing too special to write home about, but also not bad to experience either, as it does have that typical Sonic charm to it. The real standout is the soundtrack, with bangers such as Egg Fleet, Bullet Station and Frog Forest all being some of the best tracks in the series, I genuinly don't think Heroes has a single bad track. My main complaint is Team Chaotix, as I appreciate them trying something new, but it didn't quite pan out all that fun, which is a shame, because they're lovable characters. Honestly, I can see why Heroes gets a bad reputation, but I also think it has plenty of fun elements to warrant a genuine chance.

Alright now look, I'm not a huge strategy guy, I will attempt to brute force a situation many times before I attempt it logically, that being said, I had a wild run with FE Conquest. My only real FE experience was a casual run with Awakening, and beating one route in Three Houses, so I knew this was gonna be a rough time, especially since I was doing this one on classic, and BOY, was it rough.

Story wise, I gotta admit, I barely paid attention to it after awhile, its not the most engaging premise and writing in the franchise. The character writing and supports however, were all a pretty solid read throughout my playthrough, with plenty enjoyable faces throughout the cast. On the gameplay front, I feel like once you get used to all the systems they give you, you can feel a third eye open when you actually do use every resource you have to clear a map. Only real issue is when you have to try said map 20 times before a solution finally clicks, which can wear down some enjoyment. Graphically, its an improvement from awakening, with the usual great character art you can expect from this franchise, and the music is some of the best in the series (Looking at you End of All (Land)).

Will I play this game ever again? Probably, just likely on casual in the future, but I gotta admit, I did enjoy the challenge at times. Considering this is considered the gem in the rough that is the Fates trio, I can gladly say it can be a pretty damn enjoyable time.

Coming back to this after playing SH2 first is definitely a time, because no matter what, this game was gonna feel date, despite that, SH1 is still an enjoyable experience. It may not be as scary in terms of enemy design and symbolism, but it makes it up for it in the oppressive atmosphere and sound design. The controls take a bit of getting used to, being a tank control PS1 horror but it really does click fast. It can be a bit obtuse as times but overall I didn't struggle as much as I thought I would. Another solid trip into Silent Hill.

Having played Pirate Warriors 4 awhile back when I hadn't even read One Piece yet, I figured now was the best time to try out Pirate Warriors 3 since I fully caught up on the manga. It's a pretty solidly fun musou game, characters all feel like they have thier niches, some better than others, and it does a decent enough job at adapting up to Dressrosa's midway point. The Dream log was also enjoyable, if not just a wee bit too long. My main gripes with the game really just stem from the grind for crew levels, as well as having to replay the same maps over and over for coins to upgrade your character's Special Attacks (Looking at you Sanji, Zoro and Usopp). There is one thing for sure though, I'm never platinuming this game ever again.