Final Fantasy XVI is my first Final Fantasy game (at least the first one I played all the way through) and though I am aware it's not really emblematic of what the rest of the series is like, it was still a damn good game and one that might serve as my gateway into the series' countless other games.

The setting and deep-rooted themes of Final Fantasy XVI are a big standout here, and something that I don't think I could get far in this review without first bringing up. The twin continents of Valisthea are afflicted by a plague and everyone in the land is worse off for it. Though the plague doesn't affect people directly, instead opting to sap up all the life from the land it touches and making it unhabitable, it's through the terror that this ever-spreading plague causes that the worst sides of man are brought out. The world of FFXVI is one where nations' clashing ideals are brought to the forefront as they fight to gain more land unaffected by the blight, and where oppression and slavery are unfortunately commonplace. They're mature and heavy themes for sure and the game handles them pretty damn well, paired with some interesting worldbuilding and a medieval-fantasy setting (for once in the series' recent history) and this game became one that I couldn't wait to keep playing so that I could just see more of what it had to offer.

The story of Final Fantasy XVI is the story of Clive Rosfield, a man who to say has had a hard life would be an understatement. Having lost his father and his younger brother, whom he was sworn to protect, as a child and then unbeknownst to him sold into slavery to the imperial army by his own mother, we pick up with Clive as a broken man just trying to survive and on a quest for revenge on his brother's killer. It's only when he learns that he was the one who killed his brother (albeit in the form of a large fiery beast that he had no control over) that he sets out on a journey to right the wrongs of the world, to stop the spread of the plague, to free those who like him have been oppressed because of their abilities, and to discover what the purpose of his life is now after living only for revenge for most of his life. Thematically, the decision to focus on Clive alone as the main character, even going so far as to have him be the only character you take control of in the game in a series that is known for it's diversity of party memebers in gameplay, is a really strong one. Part of Clive's personal struggles is that of not knowing and not being able to rely on others and feeling the need to take problems into his own hands and bare the burden of many things by himself, even when it harms him to do so. Throughout the story however he makes countless friends and allies and learns to rely on their help which is just a really touching transformation and gives him a great sense of personal stakes to want to see the world saved. If I had one main problem with the story however it would be it's main villain. While there are several minor villans that each play their parts in certain acts of the story, the main villain, Ultima, kind of falls flat in my opinion. He is a very loosely defined threat, and one that despite easily having the power to end things at any point, for some reasons chooses to wait until the very end of the story to step in. His plan and motives are unclear and uninteresting and admittedly he just talks way too much, which when it all sounds like fantasy jargon, just doesn't make any scene with him enjoyable or interesting. It's because of this that the whole final few sections of the game's story were a slog to get through, and though the game does have a really good ending, any part that Ultima is in is is a part that I find myself unable to enjoy.

Finally, I want to talk about perhaps the most important aspect of the game, it's gameplay. The base gameplay of FFXVI involves exploring vast and well-crafted areas and getting into fast-paced action RPG battles. The battles are really enjoyable giving you a wide base moveset to use against swarms of monsters or human enemies as well as various magic combat abilities in the form of Eikon powers that allow for a small form of moveset customization and more powerful attacks at your disposal in battle. You obtain several new sets of Eikon powers throughout the game which was something I found really cool as it kept the gameplay fresh and engaging. Perhaps the best part of the gameplay though are the boss battles. These are really cinematic and have several phases which really test your mastery of the games combat, leading to fun and satisfying fights that are an absolute blast from start to finish. These were easily my favorite part of the gameplay and something I always looked forward to at the end of certain sections when I could tell they were coming, adding another great layer of challenge and fun onto gameplay already racked with it.

Final Fantasy XVI was a great gateway into the world of Final Fantasy for me and one packed with a deep and mature story and themes, an immensely likable and relatable protagonist, and really fun combat and boss fights that kept me playing.

Oh, and you can pet the dog :)

A really short and sweet puzzle game. The ducks are cute and I felt incentive to save them just to hear the fun things they would each say. The gameplay is unique and doesn't outstay it's welcome. My only complaint is that the game neglects to tell you that you can move your vessel thing faster by pressing "B". I didn't find this a problem for most of the game but at a certain point it became required to beat certain levels and since I didn't know about it I had to look up a guide on how to beat the level, assuming I was just playing sub-optimally, only to be told of this crucial mechanic's existence, so that was fun.

I haven't finished Sonic Mania, but I played enough to know that whatever the incredibly talented team that made that did next was something that was going to be worth playing, and Penny's Big Breakaway is exactly that. From the moment this game was revealed in a Nintendo Direct last year, to when it was shadow dropped in a Partner Showcase this year I knew it was something I wanted to play, and now having done so I'm happy to say that it delivers on most fronts.

To start off with the world of this game is so vibrant with colors and a visually appealing artstyle that makes each level a joy to traverse. The level design here is great as well, world themes that would feel basic in other 3D platformers are done with an interesting twist here and it's absolutely refreshing. The main draw to the gameplay though is of course Penny and her expansive moveset, and while I for sure had fun with this aspect it didn't feel like it was made for me. Penny's moveset is off the walls, the number of tricks you can do with your yoyo to complete levels fast and in style is wild and while I would like to say I found this as intuitive and fun as other did, but personally I just never quite got the hang of this and felt like I was doing it wrong throughout the entire game. The only part of the gameplay that I think just didn't add up were the boss battles, they weren't particularly long or difficult, especially not the final boss which kinda just ended things on an anticlimactic note.

In terms of story the game is charming enough but I'd be lying if I said I was fully engaged with it. I liked the little penguin guys and some of the character designs, and the love story between Emperor Eddie and Taboo was cute I guess, but that's about all I remember lol.

Overall, Penny's Big Breakaway is a really fun and imaginative game from Evening Star and I still can't wait to see what they do next.