When Ghost of Tsushima was announced few years ago, I was very interested in playing it. Unfortunately, as time passed by, I started losing interest.
It's been more than a year since Ghost of Tsushima came out though, and I finally decided to give it a try.
It might come off as a surprise to some of you, but story of Ghost of Tsushima is a mixed bag in my opinion; it's alright, predictable and not very interesting, but not underwhelming either, just decent.
Same goes for the characters; they're likeable and their Tales are quite intriguing, but half of them are rather forgettable.
The gameplay is amazing though; it's one of my favorite parts of the entire game. It's as deep as it needs to be, it's challenging, it looks very cinematic and it feels incredibly satisfying.
The music is awesome too, and the cinematography and the visuals are some of the best I've seen in a videogame.
Also, I really like the way this game utilizes the touch pad.
As I said before, the world looks gorgeous, however, the side-content is repetitive for the most part and the unskippable dialogue makes the chores even more tedious than they already are.
Also, the stealth system lacks depth and there are so many mandatory stealth missions in the story, I didn't expect it.

Pros:
+ Serviceable story and characters
+ Enjoyable and satisfying gameplay
+ Fantastic soundtract
+ Incredible visuals & cinematography
+ Utility of the touch pad

Cons:
- Quest design
- Unskippable dialogue
- Shallow stealth system

Narrative: 6/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Content: 7/10
Characters: 6/10
Music: 9/10
Graphics/Audio: 10/10

Final Rating: 7.5/10
- Very Good -
Despite its fair amount of flaws, Ghost of Tsushima is better than the sum of its parts; it's very fun to play, it looks spectacular, it has an engaging story and a big map filled with content.

Do I recommend it?:
Yes but I'd recommend it mostly to people who enjoy playing Open World games.

Well, I finally played Death Stranding, and oh boy... I have a lot to say about this game.
So, many of people have accused the game for being a "walking simulator", and I understand why, but is it truly a walking simulator? Μy answer is a resounding... no, Death Stranding is not a walking simulator. First of all, the game has combat system, driving and boss fights, although all of them are astonishingly bad, and also, it has many different mechanics to help you traverse though the map or engage with enemies. So no, it's not a walking simulator, however... the gameplay loop is tedious for sure; most of the orders in the game are fetch quests, there's constant micromanagement through bloated UI, there are many unnecessary cutscenes that interrupt the gameplay... but I enjoyed it... a lot? Like, it all sounds horrible, sure, however, it's oddly enjoyable, and it's absolutely fascinating. Also, it's even quite... emotional, because of 3 things; the plot, the multiplayer and the wonderful soundtrack.
It also helps that the graphics and the environments are gorgeous.
As for the story... I really liked it overall, it's very good, however, I think it has some issues as well; it feels a bit nonsensical because the delivery is mostly convoluted, and the pacing is quite slow in the first half.

Pros:
+ Varied mechanics
+ Unique gameplay
+ Multiplayer utility
+ Incredible music
+ Fantastic visuals
+ Intriguing narrative

Cons:
- Very bad combat system and driving
- Awful boss fights
- Fetch quests
- Tiring cutscenes
- Convoluted storytelling
- Slow first half

Narrative: 8/10
Gameplay: ?/10
Characters: 6/10
Music: 10/10
Graphics/Audio: 10/10

Final Rating: 7.5/10
- Very Good -
Death Stranding was made by people who fully respect the medium and see it as nothing short of a form of art; the game oozes with love and passion for art itself, either by having a powerful vision or rewarding the player with music tracks from various artists for their accomplishments, and I'll always respect it for that, even if it is an impressively flawed videogame.

Do I recommend it?:
Maybe? At low price, just to try it out.

Not gonna lie, after playing the 2016 reboot of the series, I was a bit unsure if I wanted to play Rift Apart because I didn't enjoy playing that game at all.
To my surprise, however, I can safely say Rift Apart is genuinely a fun game to play; in fact, I had a blast, like, I enjoyed it much more than I expected.
The gameplay has a lot of similarities to the older games and it can feel somewhat mindless when you're facing a wave of trash mobs, but it's not only refined in every single way possible; the haptic feedback made everything so much better, making the game all the more enjoyable to play.
The weapon variety is impressive once again, not surprising.
The story, while not exactly good or anything like that, is still enjoyable to play through, and the characters are pretty good.
The best part of the game though, is without a single doubt in my mind, the visuals; they're just incredible! The game truly looks and feels exactly how a next-generation game should, running at stable 60 FPS, no loading times, no technical issues, ray tracing and haptic feedback technology, gorgeous graphics... you just can't ask for more.
Also, most of the set-pieces are great as well.
The game is definitely not perfect though, for example, the enemy and boss variety is seriously lacking, unfortunately.
The puzzles are all repetitive and they slow down the pacing most of the time.
Lastly, not exactly a serious flaw, more of a personal gripe, but I thought the humor felt a bit... immature and childlike for the most part; it was very hit or miss.

Pros:
+ Very fun gameplay
+ Haptic feedback
+ Amazing weapon variety
+ Breathtaking visuals
+ Beautiful set-pieces

Cons:
- Poor enemy and boss variety
- Tedious puzzles
- Inconsistent humor

Narrative: ?/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Content: ?/10
Characters: 7/10
Music: ?/10
Graphics/Audio: 10/10

Final Rating: 8/10
- Great -
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart feels like a proper next-generation, PS5 exclusive title through and through, and it's very fun to play.

Do I recommend it?:
Highly recommended for PS5 owners, as it showcases the technology of the PS5 perfectly well.

Persona 5 Strikers is a spin-off title of the Persona series and the direct sequel to Persona 5... not Royal. Still, even if you've only played Persona 5 Royal, you won't need to play Persona 5 before jumping on Persona 5 Strikers, since Persona 5 Royal is just an enhanced version of Persona 5 and not a different game.
When I finished playing Persona 5 back in 2019, I remember wishing for a sequel, and it seems like my wish came true... in a way.
Despite being a sequel to Persona 5, Persona 5 Strikers shares a similar narrative structure. Overall, Persona 5 Strikers has merely a good story, just not an exceptional one, like Persona 5.
The gameplay is completely different though; while Persona 5 plays like a turn based JRPG, Persona 5 Strikers plays like a mix of turn based JRPG and hack 'n' slash, it's challenging, it's quite fun and it works well for the most part.
The characters are still awesome in this game, and the additional characters are actually great too.
It is no surprise that the music is fantastic, coming from a Persona game.
Also, the art style is very stylish and charming, it's not as impressive as in Persona 5 but the quality is noticeably better.
Unfortunately, although the gameplay itself is fine, the dungeons get a bit tiring after some time, unfortunately.

Pros:
+ Nice story
+ Fun gameplay
+ Engaging characters
+ Amazing music
+ Beautiful visuals

Cons:
- Tedious dungeons

Narrative: 7/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Content: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Music: 9/10
Art Style: 9/10

Final Rating: 8/10
- Great -
For Persona 5 fans like me, Persona 5 Strikers is a love letter in a form of a spin-off videogame.
For the people who haven't played Persona 5 though, Persona 5 Strikers is still a good game.

Do I recommend it?:
It depends; fans of the series should give it a try while newcomers should play Persona 5/Royal first.

I remember playing Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance when I was younger but I wasn't good at it and I couldn't play it properly.
Few years later, after hearing about all the ridiculous memes on the internet, I was interested in giving it another try, however, I felt like the game lived off from its memes and not because it's actually a good game.
After playing it though, I can definitely say that Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a really enjoyable Hack 'n' Slash game! The camera is awkward at times but the combat system is very fun and it has some cool mechanics.
The highlight of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance isn't the gameplay though, it's the bosses; they're just epic!
Also, the music is awesome and the visuals hold up well, even though the environments look uninteresting for the most part.
Unfortunately, the narrative is not on par with the rest of the game in my opinion. Thankfully, the characters are likable and the dialogue is funny at times, but the story is quite bad overall and very short; it could've been longer.

Pros:
+ Great gameplay
+ Interesting mechanics
+ Amazing bosses
+ Fantastic music
+ Charming characters

Cons:
- Camera issues
- Bland environments
- Weak & short story

Narrative: 3/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Characters: 6/10
Music: 9/10
Graphics/Audio: 6/10

Final Rating: 8/10
- Great -
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a very enjoyable Hack 'n' Slash game that aged well.

Do I recommend it?:
It's worth playing this game solely for the memes but I'd recommend it mostly to fans of the genre because the narrative is lacking.

I was never intended to play Journey, but it's free on PS Store and I decided to give it a try.
I really like how this game throws you in the middle of nowhere, without giving you any information yet it's designed in a way that makes it easy for you to understand what's going on.
There's no story at all... but it seems that the game tries to tell you something.
There's no gameplay at all... but it's an enjoyable game to play.
The set pieces and the mechanics are absolutely fantastic and the visuals are ahead of their time for sure.
The music reminded me of Skyrim and I like it!
I'm impressed...
Even the multiplayer is cool and really interesting.
My only complain about the game is the very limited gameplay.

Pros:
+ Unique design
+ Amazing mechanics
+ Beautiful visuals
+ Good music
+ Multiplayer

Cons:
- Linear/limited gameplay

Graphics/Audio: 8/10
Music: 7/10

Final Rating: 8/10
- Great -
Journey is a really good game; it's different than any other videogame I've played and it's not my favorite type of game to play, but I had a lot of fun.

Do I recommend it?:
Well, it's free on PS Store, so, don't miss it!
If you miss it, you can find it cheap anyway, so, yes!

As someone who only played the new God of War series before, I had a hard time getting into the older series; I tried streaming the first 2 games on the PS4 but they didn't run well and the only thing I could do is to directly jump into the third game... and so I did.
I got to say, even though the story in this game is very simple and not engaging at all, having played the newer series first made the story more meaningful than it seems to be.
The story isn't an important part of the older series though, the gameplay is, and surprisingly enough, God of War III's gameplay holds up extremely well; it almost plays like a modern hack 'n' slash game. The amount of QTEs in the game is overwhelming, sure, but still, the gameplay is very enjoyable, with many different weapons and abilities.
Another important thing in the game is the bosses; they're a major part of the game and they're quite impressive. The music, the spectacle, the scale, all of these elements combined make some of the bosses stand out.
Also, the soundtrack is amazing; no other game has made me feel this way with its music before.
Lastly, the graphics and the audio design are slightly outdated for sure but they hold up well for the most part.

Pros:
+ Great gameplay
+ Spectacular bosses
+ Fantastic music

Cons:
- Many QTEs

Narrative: ?/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Characters: ?/10
Music: 9/10
Graphics/Audio: ?/10

Final Rating: 8/10
- Great -
God of War III is an epic, fun and special hack 'n' slash game even to this day, despite coming out more than a decade ago.

Do I recommend it?:
Yes, for sure, especially for fans of the newer series.

It's been a while since I played an Action FPS game before, so playing DOOM Eternal felt refreshing.
Being my first DOOM game, DOOM Eternal was a complicated but interesting experience.
While the story is trying to take itself seriously and it really doesn't work, it's not an important part of the game anyway.
The gameplay is where DOOM Eternal truly shines; it's extremely smooth, running at 60 fps even on consoles, it's fast-paced and very diverse, from the wide variety of weapons to the resource management. It gets a bit frustrating at times but once you understand how everything works, it plays like a dream and it's undoubtedly one of the highlights of the game.
Another highlight of the game is the music; it feels like it's part of the gameplay, and it's awesome!
Also, the graphics and the audio design are amazing too.
Despite being a solid FPS game though, DOOM Eternal features platforming elements, however, they're not executed well; there's too much unnecessary platforming.

Pros:
+ Exciting, fluid & challenging gameplay
+ Fantastic music
+ Beautiful visuals

Cons:
- Very weak narrative
- Excessive amount of platforming

Narrative: 1/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Content: ?/10
Music: 9/10
Graphics/Audio: 9/10

Final Rating: 8/10
- Great -
DOOM Eternal might look like a typical FPS game but the fast flow of the combat and the resource management make it a one-of-a-kind FPS experience.

Do I recommend it?:
Yes, unless you don't enjoy playing FPS games.

BioShock Infinite is a game I wanted to play for a long time now, despite not having played the previous games in the series.
I got into the game with high expectations, and I gotta say, it managed to surprise me.
First of all, the story is quite mind-blowing; it's actually a bit too convoluted and slow at times, but everything makes sense towards the end, and the ending in particular is one of my favorite parts of the game. All in all, BioShock Infinite's story is both complicated and impressive, as well as inconsistent.
The highlight of the game in my opinion, howevere, is the representation and world building; they're amazing.
The characters are good too, especially the main characters and particularly Elizabeth.
Also, the visuals hold up well because of the art style and the music is very charming.
The gameplay isn't on par with the rest of the game unfortunately because it feels a bit clunky and I didn't like being limited to use only 2 weapons at a time, but it's still enjoyable nonetheless with a nice amount of different weapons, abilities and upgrades.
As for the DLC, I didn't feel motivated to play it yet but I've heard it's quite decent.

Pros:
+ Compelling narrative
+ Excellent representation & world building
+ Engaging characters
+ Great music
+ Fun gameplay

Cons:
- The combat system feels slightly clunky
- 2 weapon limit

Narrative: 7/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Characters: 7/10
Music: 7/10
Graphics/Audio: ?/10

Final Rating: 7.5/10
- Very Good -
With an intriguing narrative and spectacular world building, BioShock Infinite is a videogame experience that soars high even to this day, despite showing its age in some areas.

Do I recommend it?:
Yes because it holds up very well.

Normally, I wasn't planning on playing Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, but it went up for sale and I couldn't pass on it. In the end, I'm glad I decided to play this game because otherwise I'd miss out on a very interesting experience.
Final Fantasy XII's story, while not as exciting as in most of the other Final Fantasy games, is still well-written for the most part.
The gameplay on the other hand, is amazing; it's innovative because it makes you feel like playing an offline MMO game instead of a typical turn based JRPG. The gambit system is basically programming an AI, it's genius and I love it. The license boards add extra layers of character customization, giving you the opportunity to build each character differently. Overall, the combat system is extremely fun, the customization is fantastic and the mechanics work perfectly.
The characters are good too; some of them are a bit underwhelming but most of them are fine and few of them are truly great.
The visuals hold up well and the CGI cutscenes are stunning, and the music is very good as well.
Also, the world in Final Fantasy XII is probably one of the best in the series.
Now, although Final Fantasy XII does many things well, it also has some noticeable flaws; the story for example, is not engaging at times, it feels a bit disjointed.
Lastly, many dungeons get tiring after a while because of their lenght.

Pros:
+ Decent story
+ Addictive gameplay
+ Unique mechanics
+ Nice characters

Cons:
- Inconsistent narrative
- Overwhelming dungeon design

Narrative: 6/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Music: 8/10
Graphics/Audio: ?/10

Final Rating: 8/10
- Great -
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a unique, rewarding and enjoyable RPG.
If you're a fan of J/RPGs but you haven't played the original version of Final Fantasy XII before, you should give Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age a try.

Do I recommend it?:
Yes, even to those who don't play JRPGs at all.

Even though I always liked Yakuza's setting, I was never interested in getting into the games.
After hearing nothing but praise for Yakuza 0, especially for it's story, I was eager to give it a try.
Unfortunately, my expectations for the story were very high, but fortunately, the story surpassed my expectations; it starts off really strong, it never drops the ball and it's filled with plot twists. I was expecting a really good story and I got a narrative masterpiece; I'd go as far as to say that it's one of the most engaging and well-written stories in a videogame, keeping me on the edge of my seat every few... minutes. Overall, it's one of the best stories I ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
The characters are very good, especially Kiryu and Majima; Majima in particular is one of my favorite videogame characters in a while.
Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the gameplay; it's quite enjoyable but the combat system is not deep enough and it feels repetitive.
The highlight of the game are the minigames and the substories; there are so many of them and they're very amusing for the most part! I spent hours singing in the Karaoke bar, playing billiards and going for bowling... and I barely scratched the surface.
Also, I really love the music in this game.
Now, aside from the combat system not being complex, another thing that bothered me a little bit is that the graphics look outdated at times.

Pros:
+ Consistent and compelling narrative filled with twists and turns
+ Great characters
+ Decent gameplay
+ Tons of different minigames
+ Fantastic music

Cons:
- Combat system lacks depth
- Dated visuals in some instances

Narrative: 10/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Content: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Music: 9/10
Graphics/Audio: 7/10

Final Rating: 9/10
- Amazing -
It's been a while since I couldn't stop playing a videogame because of its somehow addictive storyline, and the minigames are just the cherry on top of an already delicious cake.

Do I recommend it?:
Yakuza 0 is the perfect Yakuza game for both fans and newcomers.

Nathan's brother, Sam, offers Nathan their last adventure, on their way to find Henry Avery's hidden treasure in order to save Sam's life.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is the last game in the series, and honestly, it's the perfect ending for Nathan's story.
The story is surprisingly good; the plot seems simple at first, but the writing, the dialogue and the characters are awesome, and they make up for the simplicity of the plot.
The gameplay is quite simple as well, but it's enjoyable and it feels satisfying.
The graphics and the audio are absolutely incredible! Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is probably one of the best looking games I've ever played and it has some spectacular set-pieces.
Now... although the ending itself is awesome, I felt like the last few hours before the ending were a tiny bit tedious; in fact, the pacing in general feels slightly padded at times.
Also, while the combat system is fun, the gameplay loop feels monotonous and basic for the most part.

Pros:
+ Great narrative
+ Likable and engaging characters
+ Dialogue/humor
+ Fun gameplay
+ Superb visuals and set-pieces

Cons:
- Inconsistent pacing
- Repetitive gameplay loop

Narrative: 8/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Characters: 9/10
Music: ?/10
Graphics/Audio: 10/10

Final Rating: 9/10
- Amazing -
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is better than the sum of its parts and it's another fantastic experience from Naughty Dog, and a masterful sequel for the entire series.

Do I recommend it?:
Highly recommended for PS4 owners and must-play for Uncharted fans.

Been late to the party, but I couldn't miss this game.
The story is not only very emotional, but it's also one of the most well paced stories I've ever played.
The characters, especially the acting and the bond between the main characters is incredible, as well as the voice acting, facial expressions and the dialogue.
The gameplay is good in my opinion; it's quite fun, the shooting feels fine and the survival horror elements are done very well.
The graphics are still good; it's definitely one of the best looking games of the previous generation.
Also, the music is surprisingly good and the DLC was decent; it's not anything special but it's a nice addition.
Unfortunately though, the side-characters are not as interesting as the main characters.

Pros:
+ Amazing storyline
+ Enjoyable gameplay
+ Memorable main characters
+ Nice visuals

Cons:
- Inconsistent side-characters

Narrative: 9/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Content: ?/10
Characters: 8/10
Music: 7/10
Graphics/Audio: 7/10

Final Rating: 9/10
- Amazing -
The Last of Us is still a fantastic story-driven game and I can't wait for the sequel.

Do I recommend it?:
I don't consider it a must-play, but I definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.

It's been very long since I played a Super Mario game before, so playing Super Mario Odyssey felt really refreshing.
However, Super Mario Odyssey pays homage mainly to the older sandbox Mario games, which I haven't played before, and that made my experience with Odyssey more interesting than I expected.
Now, the story, just like in every other Super Mario game, is not important.
What's important in a Super Mario game, is the gameplay, and the gameplay in Super Mario Odyssey is the best in any Mario game I've ever played, as well as in any platformer game I've ever played; it's crazy, thanks to the impressive amount of different mechanics that sync in perfectly well with each other, Cappy's unique ability and Mario's smooth movement and moveset.
Visually, it's one of the better looking platformer games I've seen in the past few years, and the music is surprisingly good and fitting too.
Also, the level design is detailed and very creative, the Kingdoms are all great, the open areas are extremely fun to explore and their secrets are wonderful.
Unfortunately though, the game feels a bit short and the post-game content is underwhelming as well. Maybe some optional Kingdoms to explore, and different modes and mini-games for side-content would be perfect.
Lastly, the boss fights are pretty bad; they're way too easy, repetitive and uninspiring.

Pros:
+ Exciting gameplay
+ Amazing mechanics
+ Beautiful visuals
+ Fantastic level design
+ Awesome surprises

Cons:
- Short playtime
- Bad boss fights

Gameplay: 9/10
Content: 6/10
Music: 7/10
Art Style: 9/10

Final Rating: 9/10
- Amazing -
Super Mario Odyssey is an incredibly focused and meticulously crafted platformer game for sure, and a wholesome homage to the entire series. It might not be a game that exceeded my expectations or truly impressed me in any way, but it left me feeling satisfied with a smile in my face and some... tears in my eyes.
Seriously though, the ending was so unexpectedly beautiful.

Do I recommend it?:
Yes, highly recommended for Nintendo Switch owners and especially Super Mario fans.

Even though I found Resident Evil Village to be a heavily flawed game, I was actually quite interested in playing more Resident Evil games. Unfortunately, Resident Evil 7: biohazard's strong emphasis on horror didn't interest me much, so I decided to play Resident Evil 2.
Anyway, so, I wasn't expecting a good story from Resident Evil 2 and I didn't really get a good story; it's not bad, in fact, it managed to surprise me at times but it's just not necessarily good either. It's definitely not an important part of the game though, so it didn't affect my thoughts on the game overall.
The characters are decent; Claire is great, Leon is cool, Ada is fine and the side-characters are okay, even if most of them are not memorable.
The gameplay is absolutely amazing though! It's so much fun to play, it's genuinely hard to put the controller down because the survival horror elements are executed so incredibly well and the shooting mechanics feel extremely satisfying.
The atmosphere and the representation are perfect, and they're accompanied by breathtaking graphics and audio, and outstanding level design. These are some of the most important parts in a survival horror game for me and Resident Evil 2 excels in every single one of them.
Also, the boss fights are surprisingly exciting and interesting, albeit not very well designed for the most part.
I feel like the only serious complaint I have about the game is how the second run feels very similar to the first run and its implementation messes up the backtracking in some instances, but it's not a big deal.

Pros:
+ Addictive gameplay
+ Excellent survival horror elements
+ Gorgeous visuals and audio
+ Awesome level design

Cons:
- The addition of the second run isn't executed very well

Narrative: 4/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Content: ?/10
Characters: 6/10
Graphics/Audio: 10/10

Final Rating: 9.5/10
- Outstanding -
Resident Evil 2 is a masterful survival horror game and an excellent videogame in general, simple as that.

Do I recommend it?:
Must-play if you enjoy playing survival horror games, still highly recommended for everyone else because it's so much fun to play.