that final mission may be one of the best things i've ever played? holy fuck dude. the goosebumps are still there. so insane

verdict day is a fascinating game. coming off the heels of the divisive V, it's clear that this time, they wanted to bring the game closer in-line with its predecessors. now, how successful it is in that is up to debate, but the mixture of V's visual design and mechanics, For Answer-esque narrative and Last Raven-esque missions, it feels like a greatest hits album of everywhere and everything the series has gone or done, and even if i'm still not the biggest fan of its gameplay nor its changes, it's impossible for me not to love this game. the story is up there with the all time greats like that aforementioned LR and FA, the soundtrack is legendary, god it's hard not to gush about it.

and what a game it is.. i struggled with this more than even last raven, i think. it always felt a little like i was wrestling with the controls to do what i wanted, but it's a mech game so you can't really fault it for that. it's probably just a skill issue on my part - i could easily see the argument that this has the biggest skill ceiling (and floor? maybe?) of the entire series. still not a big fan of the way the shop updates, or the different damage types, and i think there can be way too much going on on-screen sometimes, but i really can't bring myself to not love this game, even if i prefer V's direction on the whole... wow. i love this series so much man. there really is nothing like it.