Okay sidenote, I just wish that Mass Effect 3 had the same UI.

Mass Effect 2 is the perfect example of Godfather syndrome, not only being better than its predecessor but being one of the best games ever made. Bioware wins again in continuing one of the most in depth and captivating sci-fi universes across gaming, film and TV.

Shepard begins fresh with a different alleigance, with different allies and new enemies. He meets familiar faces, but how do they feel about him now that he's switched sides, will they listen to his pleas and help him in the name of the galaxy? The beautiful thing about ME2 is that none of these answers are clear or predictable, you make friends with some despicable people and say some incredibly tough goodbyes. The added squadron members like Jack, Miranda, Legion, Samara, and more are all welcome. One might think that with as many characters as ME2 has that some might be forgettable, but that is simply not the case (okay there is Jacob.) Everyone on your squadron has a degree of depth that sets them apart from their peers, they all have unique backgrounds and offer something new to the table. Getting to know them and come to their aid in the Loyalty missions was a great storytelling and teambuilding tool.

It seems like everybody knows how this game ends (hint: it's with a bang) but I won't divulge in the interest of spoiler but I will say it delivers one of the most breathtaking and nerve wracking finales I've ever witnessed.

The real mystery is the friends who we made along the way.

999 is the beginning of a legendary trilogy of detective VN/escape room games and while it is short, it is more than effective in setting up a fantastic mystery with some endearing characters and sharp humour. The puzzles in this game are much simpler than its sequels yet still require a great degree of intelligence. Character interaction and exposition is also another strongsuit of 999 seeing 9 (Lol) unique characters with their own unique quirks that make every minute of the escape exciting and enjoyable.

Catherine is two things: a fun puzzle game and an enjoyable story, which is something I never would have thought I'd say.

I normally hate puzzle games but Atlus really hits the nail on the head with experimentation and not over complication in Catherine, with the puzzle missions having forgivable checkpoints and multiple ways to completion.

The story and choose your own adventure aspect of Catherine is also very enjoyable, as you witness and play a part in a lovestory completely gone wrong. Vincent's lovers and friends are always a real hoot to hang around and exist as a fun reprieve between the puzzles.

It seems like there are two types of Final Fantasy fans (of course there are more but I'm making a point that fits my narrative here): Those that prefer the retro pixelated games that predate the Playstation 1, or those who grew up on the 3D models and more expansive stories. People who belong to the former seem to almost always hold FFVI in the higest regard, and if I had played this game in the 1990's I would agree wholeheartedly.

The Good things about FFVI:
-Music: FFVI has some of Uematsu's most memorable and impactful songs including Dancing Mad and Terra's Theme.
-Character writing: Some of the best written character in FF belong to FFVI including Terra, Celes, and Cyan. The arcs that these (and some of the others) will make you tear up when you encounter their respective tragic backstories, bouts with depression, and family loss.
-Scope: A LOT happens in the world of FFVI, as it is split into two very different chapters. Between the constant travelling, character recruitment, and expose's with one of gaming's most evil villains in Kefka, the player will embark on a game that feels like it takes a long with how much time it takes, and rightfully so.
-Moments: I don't want to divulge and spoil but one example: suplexing the damn phantom train.

Cons of FFVI:
-Other Characters: With as expansive of a cast as FFVI, some characters are bound to feel like they have less impact (cough cough Gau.)
-Length: Because it's a SNES game and length/replayability back in those days was of higher importance than these days (Last of Us is <15 hours for example) in story games, FFVI takes a VERY long time to beat if you are playing without game assists.
-Random Encounters: This is a trope that never should have existed.

I laughed at Josef Fares at the Game Awards when he made his infamous "F the Oscars" rant, but I knew right away after hearing him for the first time that he was somebody who truly CARED about the games he made.

It Takes Two is an absolute labor of love from EA's Hazelight Studios. Every level of this ~10 hour experience is carefully hand crafted from top down, no segment is boring and no mechanic becomes too stale. I played this with a close family member and we were constantly laughing at the pranks we pulled on eachother, but silence befell us when listening to the story and our mouths were in awe at all the beautiful colors and extensive world design.

The minigames stayed fresh, the change of platforming to gameplay unique genre segments, the characters outside of the main two all added to what is without a doubt the greatest co-operative game ever made.

The best game in the storied 4X genre that implores you to learn more about the history and cultures of mankind. Civ V can be played at a very difficult level for those looking for a extremely long challenge, or by those looking for a mild gaming experience where they can chill out and experience the allure of "one more turn."

There are multiple win conditions in Civ V that are all fun to explore in their own right, which in addition to the long game length make for a seemless and enjoyable gaming experience. I love playing this game late at night or on lowkey days where I can relax and enjoy building a civilization from the ground up.

The game that started it all, the greatest space opera.

Mass Effect 1 in retrospect can seem short and scant, but at the time Bioware was doing exactly what it had been doing in the Western RPG scene in creating an innovative an immersive world with deep lore and powerful stories. While combat and UI were simple, the story and relationships built within your squad were unlike anything that was available on the market.

Beginning as a newbie Commander Shepard felt GREAT in 2007 and as time and sequels came, felt more and more vindictive. The lore team at Bioware did an impeccable job building out stories and sensical scenarios for tons of intergalactic races. It felt like there is no stone left unturned into why a certain race behaves X way in ME1 or why species Y and Z dislike eachother. Mass Effect (and the games following) is probably the only game where I've intentionally read every codex entry for lore because I was that invested in it.

The story of the Reapers and Saran is only just the start of one of the greatest fictitious universes in any medium ever made.

Super Mario Galaxy is another classic 3D Mario experience. Finding yourself jumping from planet to planet across a galaxy filled with colorful creatures and funky denizens you experience the same Mario gameplay loop that has remained thankfully unchanged since SM64.

What sets this apart from its predecessors is the beautiful world around you and the top tier orchestrated soundtrack. Everything from Rosalina's hub world to the Gusty Gardens to fighting Bowser is filled with rich and exciting melodies that makes you never want to put it down.

Psychonauts 2 is one of the best jumps in quality from the first game in a series to the second, and giving the amount of time and financial backing included, that makes sense. Microsoft swooping in and giving this franchise a much needed lift resulted in a fantastic platformer and one of the genre's greatest experiences.

I do have qualms with the game that prevent me from really loving it, but I think I got enough from the game to acknowledge its stroke of genius. Even though I felt like it ran a bit long, had subpar combat, and a (personally) not up to Psychonauts 1 caliber of mental health conversation, it more than made up for it in other ways.

The visuals and zones/levels of Psychonauts 2 were picture perfect, legitimately I don't know if I've seen a linear game with this much life ever. Every room in every brain and area was filled with an abundance of life and things going on: beautiful colors and lighting abound, thematically appropriate backdrops and items included, and great game within a game moments. Even though the gameplay loop of using psi-powers and simple jump to platform remain unchanged, every area was built to perfection to keep the limited gameplay interesting.

Characters were designed and voice acted to perfection, something I felt was very lackluster in the Tim Burton-esque Psychonauts 1. Here you have some gorgeous 3D visuals on modern hardware, popping and making the unrealistic characters look like humanoids out of a Pixar film. Raz, Sasha, and Milla all return with great acting jobs and are again, interesting characters. I wasn't too crazy on the new additions to the game like Bob and Hollis, but thats a small knock against the otherwise great cast.

I'm glad I was able to play this game and add it to my 2021 gamelog.

There's not much to say about Bioshock 2 other than that it's a legitimate downstep from the first game in just about every way possible, and its predecessor is already a game I didn't like. In Bioshock 2 you play as a Big Daddy, which just makes for a more aggrivating gameplay style (guns are awful) and otherwise adds nothing in terms of gameplay. The story is very forgettable and largeley pointless, missions usually boil down to collecting/fetching items or simply going from point a to point b, the world is drab and boring, and the enemy encounter design is downright awful. The game throws muiltitudes of enemies at you that move far faster than you can react and do wayyy more damage than is even remotely fun. Even for a skilled FPS player this game is just simply frustrating.

This is a game that simply just "exists."