Ain't that a kick in the head?

Fallout New Vegas was almost too successful at what it was: The outcast. Developed by Obsidian entertainment rather than Bethesda I was curious if it would end up being as good as Fallout 3 or the last few Elder Scrolls games, but I think it's safe to say it blew all expectations out of the water.

What we got with Fallout New Vegas was the most unique Fallout game in the franchise's history. Las Vegas and the surrounding area was almost perfect for what Fallout is, both are: wacky, zany, a little off kilter, and offer themselves for some very interesting happenings. Running through the Nevada countryside and coming across all the colorful characters of the NCR, Caesars Legion, and standard NPC's felt so appropriate for how the game was built, it was almost too perfect.

Players, in typical Fallout/Elder Scrolls fashion, were led to craft their own stories and make their own decisions across the Mojave. Story happened on the players' own time and the experiences they had looting and pillaging added so much to the overall experience. Again sidequests and NPC interactions reigned supreme and rummaging through the Strip and the city of Las Vegas held endless possibilities. Another appreciated piece was the ability to choose from four different endings that were all vastly different from eachother, I think this was the first game I'd ever played four times to get every single ending on different characters.

Final Fantasy at its most youthful and wholesome. FFIX is a JRPG set in a medieval fantasy setting full of magic and wizardry and with a kingdom at peril against a sinister threat that is more evil than anyone can imagine.

WIthin the world of FFIX you will cry, you will laugh, you will cheer. Many of the characters have impressive growth and are entierly different at the end of the story, their arcs will hit you like a truck with surprise and make you more emotional than you ever would have thought.

Melodies of Life is also a 10/10 song.

It should go without saying: This is the most influential first person shooter of the new milennium. There are two eras of First Person shooter, those that existed before Half Life 2 and those that existed after.

Physics. Story. Music. World. Characters. All perfected in Valve's smash hit that set the standard for games in the West in terms of plot, presentation, and overall success.

You can't do Half Life 2 or its subsequent expansions justice in word, only through play.

The multiplayer of this game is also WAY more fun that It really could be thanks in part to the amazing physics engine (that still holds up) and wonderful modding community that kept it alive thanks to the tools gifted by Valve.

How do you capitilize off of the success of Halo 3, one of the genre's best games ever? You make Halo Reach.

While the campaign of Reach can't hold a candle to the John 117 original trilogy, the multiplayer absolutely blows it out of the water mechanically. While the maps of Halo 3 are undoubtedly better, it feels clunky. Reach? It feels like butter on a muffin.

Everything in Reach multi feels smooth. The DMR is a 10x level up from the BR, the large scale combat and modes of Reach and movement that came with the addition of powerups like sprint and jetpack made Reach not only fun in its launch year, but all the way in 2021 as well.

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.

It's honestly hilarious how much of a well crafted game every Mario Kart ends up being. From Mario Kart 64 to DD to MK8 the series remains crisp and inventive in control and fun to play either alone, online, or with friends.

There's never a dull moment in MK8D, and the sales numbers are proof of that. Every map feels fun to drive on due to the intricate map design but also beautifully colored environments. Being able to fully customize your ride and pick from a plethora of Nintendo favorites is also a great touch. I also play Rosalina with Mr. Scooty because it just feels so RIGHT.

There's an endless amount of joy jumping on after a stressful day and getting into a lobby of people from across the world spamming "I'm using tilt controls!"

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.

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.

DOKTOR, TURN OFF MY PAIN INHIBITORS

I'm not going to lie, I bought this game exclusively because I saw all the memes about it and knew them almost all by heart before playing BUT was I in for a shock when I discovered that this would soon become one of my favorite games ever.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengance is a lovechild collaboration between the kings of action and hack & slash in Platinum Games and Hideo Kojima's beloved and acclaimed Metal Gear IP. You get the best of both worlds here: the fluid and demanding combat of Platinum mixed with the obscure and convoluted lore of MG. Not only is the action in this game out of this world FUN to master and get a hang of, but the humor is leagues ahead of most games on the market and the political theory is honestly very interesting.

MGSR:R is the genesis of some memorable moments with some fairly interesting characters. Senator Armstrong, Monsoon, and Raiden himself have much more intrigue and depth to their character and ideals than just the viral moments.

I played this in a single eleven hour sitting and would definitely do so again.

I never played the original Nier so my review of Replicant ver.1.toomanynumbers won't come from the eyes of someone playing a remake but rather the game for the first time.

Since Nier: Automata is one of my five favorite games, I had extremely high hopes for its Yoko Taro created predecessor and it delivered more than I ever would have imagine. I tried to block out any spoilers or shown content out that I could and went into this completely blind, and got a world entierly different from the one that would serve as the sequel. Replicant is much more fantasy than Automata, taking place in a small less than ten zone area with generic location themes like "Desert," "Forest," "Air" and "Ocean" but despite its simplicity, it remains extremely interesting.

When you dive into a Yoko Taro game you know that what you get at the beginning is going to be vastly different at the end. The first playthrough of Replicant (And Automata) finished with a "well that was cool, but I still have some questions" which are fulfilled in subsequent playthroughs. I love this method of storytelling, it requires the player to stay on their mental feet always taking note of what is new, connecting dots they are aware of in the second and third go-arounds with things they heard in the first.

As the game progresses and the story changes through playthroughs, the game gets progressively more and more tense. Beloved characters see tragedy fall upon them and there's nothing you can do but accept the depressing nature of Replicant as its reality. It feels like a sort of dark fairy tale story through the first run, but becomes even more sinister and full of sorrow as you go on. Your heart will break for several characters you meet within your journey wishing that the moments spent with them earlier on could be the reality in which they live, but alas. You begin as a young Nier looking out for his sickly little sister, but soon become a grown man with the weight of the world on your shoulders. Who is responsible for all the darkness around you? Why does tragedy seem to be accelerating? When will all the madness end? These are all questions that are asked in the first route, and answered in the third, I love that.

The characters of Replciant were also one of the biggest shockers to me, I thought that because it was older that they wouldn't hold a candle to Automata, but I was wrong. Kaine for example is an extremely interesting and heartfelt character, you cannot help but feel sickly and sad for her as she retells the torment from her youth and inner battle she fights throughout the story. Emile, oh poor Emile is another lovely character who echoes a Vivi from FFIX. Short in stature and contains a pippy youthful excuberance, you only want the best for Emile. Other side characters like the Junk brothers, the seaside town lighthouse lady, and Devola & Popola all have their moments in the spotlight and are greatly appreciated.

Nier Replicant is another phenomenal example of Yoko Taro's genius in combination with Keiichi Okabe's excessively talented musical prowess.

Really the only qualms I have with this game are the monotonous sidequesting (a relic of an older time) and time spent running from point A to B (fast travel was vastly improved from Replicant to Automata.)

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.

I did not read how people felt about this game, it is an EXTREMELY sad experience, however it was very very very enjoyable and I had a lot of fun with the characters, gameplay, and beautiful hand drawn art/world.

Omori is a shorter JRPG in the same vein of quirkiness and heavy themes as Undertale and Mother, which were clear influences. Runtime is a hair over twenty hours, which felt just right. You will laugh at the jokes that your party members and best friends crack but also want to cry at the sorrow that all these youths experience. I don't want to spoil any of the sorrow or psychological horror that is involved in this game because I think its best going in mostly blind but tissues and emotional support are in order for the latter half of Omori.

It is a powerful tale that encompassies bullying, depressing, anxiety, hopelesness, and friendship, something all too real.

Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is the most balanced and enjoyable party fighting game to have ever been made, and that should be no surprise to anybody who has heard the name. The series has been Masahiro Sakurai's pet project for the last twenty years and some change, and each game builds upon the success and mechanics of the game previous. While Melee purists might proclaim that the series peaked then, I think Ultimate is the best Smash experience in the history of the franchise.

Boasting a roster of over eighty characters from both blockbuster franchises and lesser known titles from the days of yore, SSBU has tons of options and reasons for newbies and veterans of Smash to be interested. There's a character and playing style for just about everyone; be it that you were a fan of the game/series or just really like how a certain fighter plays, its there for you and the movesets continue to be extremely faithful to the games they come from. An added benefit of SSBU is the plethora of available music and stages for the eighty-one fighters. One such example is the addition of Joker from Persona 5 who brought alone themes from all over the Persona Franchise to his own Mementos stage.

Mechanically SSBU is not insanely deep like its fighting game peers or ancestry in SSBM but it feels rewarding to be good at. True combos don't (really) exist meaning that read based combos and playing a successful guessing game with your opponent are most prevalent. Being able to predict roll options, opponent tech's and di's, and shield breakage is all rewarded. With the massive roster available there is naturally a certain tierlist where some fighters are theoretically better than others, but your skill with them seems to matter more than anything as opposed to an instant lose scenario, for instance a Duck Hunt player made it to top eight in the last EVO which is extremely impressive. Because SSBU doesn't require ten degrees of combo knowledge to understand, it is easy for the casual player to get into and have fun. Smash continues to be a great party game in this regard, however because of the offensive and defensive options as well as crisp movement and maps offered in SSBU, it also rewards those who have a competitive itch.

In all, SSBU combines all aspects of Smash that have made the series as successful as it is: a large roster, fun maps, casual and competitive balance, clean UI, uniform art, and a developer who truly cares.

I'm still in a dream
Snake Eater

I just beat MGS3 recently and my mouth is still open in awe of the genius of Hideo Kojima in creating one of the most thick and convoluted narratives I have ever seen, but having the skill to weave and resolve said plot within a ~fifteen hour experience.

MGS3 is not perfect mechanically, but with a release year of 2004 that is easily excusable, however everything else included in the game is done to almost a sheer perfection. Metal Gear has become sort of a meme (MGSR pun intended) in how all over the place the plot gets and how interconnected it seems every single character is, but after getting my feet wet I see why the series is held in such high regard outside of the fact.

In Snake Eater you hear the legendary quips of: "You're pretty good," Snake's issue with tactical engravings, and learn about the "basics of CQC" which make you laugh, but the story is so much more interesting than these moments. You play as Naked Snake, who many will eventually know as Big Boss, on a sneaking mission deep into Soviet Russia in the height of the Cold War 1960's with one mission: to rescue a Soviet scientist to bring back to the States.

Everything goes awry very quickly and Snake's mission changes on a whim, soon the famous man with the headband and sneaking suit becomes the sole person responsible in prevention of nuclear destruction. Friends soon become foes, Snake becomes isolated and alone in the jungles of a foreign land. Constantly while you fight the pest ridden jungle and Soviet forces on your top secret mission (I will not devulge due to spoilers) you learn more and more about the uncertainty of the task you were given and those who come to your aid. Snake Eater beckons the player to ask many questions: Even though the future of the world rests upon Snake's shoulders, why is everything going the way it is? Why are certain characters acting as if they are playing both sides, is the sacrifice for your nation, pride, or for a loved one? By helping the United States, are you really performing the morally good action?

It's with the above levels of intricacy that MGS3 hits the nail on the head. There's so much at stake and so much unknown that the story has you constantly invested and impacted by the events that go on. One moment you are silencing guards inside a desolate forest, and a few moments later you are watching the Soviet Union at a terrifying new level debut heinous and world destroying technology.

Sneaking in MGS3 is far improved on the sneaking in MGS2, where camoflauge and added items to Snake's toolbelt make it extremely rewarding when you succesfully take out an enemy encampment and are able to hide from it. I still get chills on my spine from a moment in the game where you climb a mountain and have to take out troops on the way to the other side, ideally without being seen. Part of this is due to the wide arsenal in Snake's inventory: you have multiple pistols, a shotgun, several fully automatic options, a sniper rifle, and more that are all available for your Soviet removal needs.

Needless to say, but MGS3 has stellar voice acting from the entire cast, and especially everyone's favorite David Hayter.

All in all. MGS3 is a masterclass in storytelling that gives you a captivating experience with exciting gameplay in addition.