Very satisfying rogue-lite FPS that has barely any flaws.
+ competent shooting core with a diverse weapon arsenal and fantastic movement system
+ formidable soundtrack and great audio in general
+ solid level design with many different unlockable routes and secrets
+ multiple characters allowing for both ranged and melee playstyles
+ well-thought-out boss fights
+ reasonable difficulty options accommodating most skill levels
+ simple narrative told in comic-style panels between gameplay sections
+ not particularly unique but decently implemented meta upgrades
- a little repetitive and claustrophobic areas in the early stages
- fairly long runs without the ability to save and quit

Not especially creative but well-made tactical RPG that does almost everything at least solidly.
+ clean anime art style both in and outside combat
+ reasonably balanced collection of units who each fill different roles
+ pleasant adventure vibes in the early game
+ decently written story with a strong (if clichéd) thematic core and some surprising twists
+ nice J-Pop soundtrack that is central to the experience
+ competent equipment and crafting systems
+ good difficulty curve (aside from the final battles)
+ emotive voice acting for important dialogue
+ neat bonding system with an alright payoff
- standard gameplay except for the one singing mechanic
- comedy rooted in immature tropes
- very slow and formulaic beginning

Technically decent modernization of the series that has barely changed its shoot 'em up core after more than a decade.
+ a lot of spaceship customization to modify gameplay a little
+ quick music import supporting many sources
+ unique library organization feature sorting music in a virtual universe (which is tedious to navigate, unfortunately)
+ visually more bombastic than ever (with options to turn the intensity down)
- confusingly designed menus
- little diversity or innovation in-game
- music choice still has almost zero practical influence on gameplay

Regular survival auto shooter that requires even less active thought than usual.
+ solid pre-run customization options (character, pet, difficulty, etc.)
+ catchy music setting either an energetic or calming atmosphere
+ simple but optimized core gameplay loop with a steady increase in intensity
+ fairly varied enemy types
- forgettable pixel art style and boring maps
- so many equipment slots that choice almost becomes a non-issue
- limited synergies and extreme stat-checks forcing you to grind upgrades immediately or abuse mechanics
- no unique features whatsoever

Simple music-based twin-stick shooter that is very rough around the edges but still fun to play in short bursts.
+ flashy visual effects complementing the most intense moments
+ intuitive gameplay with a nice ebb and flow in difficulty
+ functional if limited song import (no streaming service support)
- some almost invisible projectiles
- low enemy variety
- poorly designed music selection

One of the grandest JRPG adventures out there that is held back by its deeply flawed gameplay and questionable main party.
+ another incredible soundtrack that ranks among the best in any game
+ fantastical setting just like its predecessor (if a bit less conceptually inspired)
+ remarkable amount of diverse content
+ impressive environmental design
+ solidly written antagonist faction (even if they are individually annoying)
+ ambitious story that often gets silly or corny but still delivers its themes well
+ interesting active combat system with enjoyable timing elements
+ freely adjustable difficulty settings
- a lot of barely explained mechanics
- generally unhelpful map
- memorably bad main character designs
- nonsensical enemy pathfinding and hitboxes
- very slow beginning not helped by the disagreeable initial cast
- bothersome gacha mechanic that promotes grinding for battle effectiveness
- tedious menu navigation that is constantly forced upon the player (field skills...)

Technically lackluster part of the franchise that took a divisive narrative turn but still shouldn't be missed for its bold expressiveness.
+ most significant characterization for the protagonist yet with a much more sentimental value than before
+ refreshing small town setting accompanied by a restraint in scope
+ surprising new cast additions with endearing individual character stories
+ really interesting main antagonist who is sadly underutilized
- rough visual fidelity only somewhat mitigated by the strong art direction
- comparatively weak soundtrack and a strange absence of music in town
- underwhelming finale with a lot of clichéd moments
- poor quality of life compared to Y0 and Kiwami 1+2 (terrible menus, return to save points)
- some atrocious boss fights due to constant blocking of almost every move

Mildly experimental Pokémon game with more successful ideas than duds overall.
+ surprisingly decent story that trumps over most other series entries in terms of character integration and exposition
+ unconventional setting and progression structure
+ consistently competent 3D environments
+ neat collectables and mini games
+ for the most part good Pokémon variety and decent new designs
+ optional experience share and a larger level range covered in the main game
- annoying companion gadget
- painfully slow and guided opening
- almost exclusively trivial fights due to most opponents only having 1-2 Pokémon, strong moves getting handed out early, and one accessible super attack each battle

Interesting story epilogue that really should have been included with the main game in the first place.
+ good use of a time skip allowing for new character dynamics and a resolution to the most important hanging plot threads
+ insightful lore revelations
+ decent variety of focused dungeons rather than some large open map
+ actually challenging combat
- small scope in general considering the narrative implications

A simple remaster that lacks many features from the previously released sequels but still constitutes one of the most idyllic farming and life-sim games out there.
+ attractive player housing in a picturesque village that always feels lived-in
+ Raven (and many other fairly one-dimensional but easily lovable characters)
+ straightforward relationship and plot progression without some frustrating issues like in RF4 & RF5
+ satisfying leveling of all skills as is usual in the series
+ neat bonus content ("Newlywed Mode" and "Another Episode") to serve as a playthrough send-off
+/- comparatively basic crafting without hidden variables
- simplistic and very short main story
- small world essentially made up of the main hub and four "dungeons"
- often painful quality of life (tiny inventory initially, only two active skills, no crafting cost display, etc.)

A solidly made open world RPG whose multiple massive maps can be either its strongest draw or potential downfall depending on expectations.
+ distinct locations with dozens of hours worth of bountiful content to explore
+ huge graphical improvements over the previous games and a more vivid presentation in general
+ generally well-designed party of companions once again
+ some very important choices to make and decent enough ability to roleplay through dialogue
- less satisfying action combat than DA2 without the strategy of DA1
- unnecessarily lengthy real-time countdowns for one part of the game
- simplistic main story that sees the protagonist immediately worshipped and brought up to defeat an obvious evil

A straightforward dungeon crawling expansion that is only really worthwhile as an excuse to spend more time with combat.
+ fairly challenging fights rewarding unique gear
+ intense spelunking atmosphere
- monotonous environments with few memorable points of interest
- dull storyline that just tapers off

Legitimately special JRPG that could have been one of the very best of its genre had its remarkable foundation be more polished.
+ intriguing story centered around a unique time travelling mechanic that lets one replay anything at any time and choose different outcomes
+ inspired turn-based battle system focused on positioning and combos
+ almost exclusively important side quests whose completion leads to an extensive epilogue
+ very solid cast explored from various angles
+ beautifully melancholic soundtrack (of which some tracks are overused, however)
+ multiple antagonists from different factions keeping the suspense high
+ numerous interesting albeit short and forced "what if" scenarios on wrong choices
+ satisfactory quality of life with the ability to skip all kinds of repetition — ignoring the bothersome party formation resets
- well-conceptualized but rather small continent
- generic character portraits compared to the original game version
- poor utilization of the battle mechanics toward the end
- occasionally unreasonable steps to progress (e.g. a random NPC only present in one of the dozen time nodes)
- very low money and experience gain without the DLC (which is unobtainable legally now and also trivializes everything)

ME1: (17h, 8/10)
+ concise plot with a fascinating twist and a lot of impactful decisions to make
+ vast space setting that has some great worldbuilding to offer
+ decent shooter combat without annoying resource management
+ excellent soundtrack all around
+ at least 3 great companions who more than make up for the couple dull ones
- rather bad character creator
- unnaturally rushed story developments particularly at the beginning and end
- very poor dialogue system considering its importance (prompts not matching what is said, easily skipped choices, awkward transitions)
- disappointing exploration with only a handful of interesting, unique environments and lots of copy-pasted assets

ME2: (23h, 8/10)
+ significantly better space exploration with many diverse locations
+ great character loyalty missions
+ amazing final mission testing the bonds of one's crew
+ improved shooting mechanics and streamlined weapon management
- overly reduced RPG elements (inventory, skills)
- tedious resource mini game
- fairly inconsequential main story that may feel like a collection of side quests in the overarching narrative

ME3: (28h, 8/10)
+ respectable effort at involving the player in a large-scale war and finishing the previously stalled narrative
+ satisfying send-offs for almost all of the many companions
+ best DLC in the trilogy by far
+ beautiful and cinematic set pieces
+ decent weapon upgrade system that sits between ME1 and ME2 in complexity
+ faster movement
+ least annoying resource gathering
- no more hacking mini games at all
- only one persistent area aside from your spaceship
- controversial ending choice that isn't foreshadowed well

DLC:
ME1 Bring Down the Sky: interesting and somewhat important, dull gameplay (7/10)
ME2 Normandy Crash Site: short and uninspired mission (5/10)
ME2 Zaeed: rough companion with an alright story attached (6/10)
ME2 Kasumi: great mission and fine companion (7/10)
ME3 From Ashes: forgettable mission but very involved character (7/10)
ME3 Leviathan: solid storyline with horror elements and important lore for the main conflict (8/10)
ME3 Omega: drawn-out action centered around an unlikable character, nice visuals and gameplay (7/10)
ME3 Citadel: remarkable fan service with great self-referential humor and a perfect opportunity to say goodbye to the cast (9/10)