Cool: They sent me it a day early and I enjoyed it a lot more than the first time I played it on PS4 because I stupidly bought into the hype at the time.

Uncool: Making trophies missable by not tracking them in chapter select so I can't get the Platinum without doing New Game+ and I'd rather not replay the whole game again just to get two trophies as it would devalue the whole experience overall. So I'm counting having 26/29 trophies as a 'master'. I might replay the game to get them eventually but I doubt it.

I thought this game was alright. It was a mediocre rip-off of Last of Us, what do you want me to say? Hence why I wasn't gonna write a review.
But the pushing the cart bit in Chapter 16 almost made me rage quit for the first time in ten years! I fucking hated that shit so much. So incredibly poorly made, who the fuck put that in? You make a shitty combat system designed around stealth for when you and the enemy are stationary so yeah let's just put a bit where the player and the enemies are moving with our busted-up aim system and one option for combat and during a scene that's supposed to be sad (?) and traumatic for the characters. Fuck off.
But yeah, it was alright. Really liked the sibling dynamic. Not too bad for £8 on a sale.

I don't typically rate stuff but I instantly clicked with this and think this is one of the best triple-A games to come out in recent years. Yet, I don't hear enough conversation about it.

It being on a console not many people have factors into that but I also assume its difficulty. Spending 70 quid on a game that's intended to be challenging that you may give up on reflects the in-game risk-reward mechanics. You could risk buying it and end up with a sizeable hole in your wallet and a game you don't like cos you think its too hard or you could be rewarded with a game that has intensely satisfying control, rewarding and equally visually interesting boss fights and a well-thought-out narrative that's up to player interpretation that doesn't feel pretentious.

For players who aren't as skilled, this game is dopamine bank. Every time you die and restart from the beginning, you store a little bit dopamine so when you finally complete the boss, you have a huge dopamine rush and feel happy. For skilled players, you'll get a dopamine rush because you'll realise that you're actually one of those skilled players. I hate to be that guy but this game made me realise I was good at video games. I had heard so much that people have 100-200 deaths and can't get past the first boss and I completed the main game in 9 deaths, completing biome 4-6 in one go which was my first. Then 15 deaths, to complete the true ending. Shit made me feel like a god.

At the end of the day, if you don't like dungeon-crawler roguelikes, you most probably will dislike this too. But I feel it blends the genre with psychological horror, disco lights and shooters in a unique way to create a great layered human story about grief wrapped up in Greek mythology and Sci-Fi setpieces.

It's incredibly fun and addicting to play due to the gameplay loop (haha) supported by the DualSense controller which is proved to not be a gimmick by this game. And also fun to dissect the little nuggets of a story you get and piece it all together.
I was constantly intrigued by the characters and world throughout so I highly recommend it but with a warning as I fully understand why someone would hate this game despite its great design.

Luckily, it's on PS Plus Extra so give it a go. That's what I did and ended up buying it off eBay as I feared I wouldn't be able to finish it before my subscription ran out. I finished the main game before it did but still had Act 3 to finish and now the 'Ascension' expansion. Plus, I really like the game so I'm proud to own it and don't consider it a waste of £30 at all.

Played this with my eight-year-old brother (I'm eighteen) who is not the brightest person overall but they just really don't click with video games (they play a lot, they're just not very good for their age) so there were some parts of the game that were frustrating because I had to help them figure out their puzzle and they just couldn't get it and didn't understand how dependent we both are on eachother. Thankfully, as it progressed, they got better. But if you play with someone who isn't my little brother, I don't think there will be much of a problem. This is THE game for casual gamers. Nothing ever seemed too difficult nor too easy.

I don't think the ending was fully earned but the story is quite nice and the characters are likeable and well-written. They actually feel like a real couple who's reason for divorce is very layered. These layers are uncovered through each level and WOW!

The gameplay in each level is truly wonderful. Each level introduces a new mechanic and it really keeps the game so fresh and constantly exciting. It never felt like it was doing too much or just straight-up copying other games. It managed to feel unique while also exuding a feeling of familiarity -- if that makes sense?

Also, the minigames are fun and we're gonna go back and find the six we didn't find.

The "Fuck the Oscars" easter egg got a good laugh out of me and my little brother couldn't understand why.

As a kid, I liked both but this will forever be far superior than Battle for Bikini Bottom in my eyes.

It's a great companion piece to the movie of the same name while building upon BfBB.

This game is so fun and charming. The platforming is great (especially the Mario Sunshine rip-off challenges) and holds the great humour of the show.

My biggest problem is that some of the challenges are really poorly implemented. Like, the guitar challenge in the Shell City level was a clear afterthought because the stage was not designed with that in mind.

The Patty Wagon & slide levels are amazing.

Also, the ending is kinda anti-climactic and nowhere near as good as the film. But everywhere else, it does a great job of adapting it to this medium and altering it slightly to work better as a game.

Got the PAL Director's Cut on PS2 which I've read is just the European 'Restless Dreams' version.

I was looking forward to playing this but at the same time massively dreading it because most highly-rated stuff (no matter the medium) is always overhyped by some sort of mob mentality and didn't want to be crucified for not adding to that. These fears came true in the first hour or two with the clunky movement, "meh" combat and poor voice acting but I quickly got used to it and really got into it.

Is this the greatest game ever made? Fuck off. Is it one very spectacular one that I thoroughly enjoyed? Fuck yes!

This game is clearly very special due to the incredible amount of detail put into it. The sound design is easily the best aspect but every aspect of this game works so well together to truly make you feel horrified.

Lots of people seem to have had a severe emotional reaction (other than "ooh, spooky") to this game and that's fine. I'm not trying to discredit that but this game did not do that for me. I already had my eye-opening therapeutic experience this year so that's all used up for the next five I'd say. But I can see why it could cause such a reaction in some. James' own guilt and trauma could act as a reflection to some, I suppose, even if it's for something different. Which I think was the intention given the save screen of James looking back at you looking at him on your TV -- like a mirror to indicate you're the same person.

Anyway, I'm sure I'm not bringing anything new to the table so I'll stop here:
Silent Hill 2 is a mesmerizing experience carefully crafted by some very passionate people. While I don't think it fully takes advantage of the video game medium, it truly is something special in this medium. There's a reason why people still talk about it today and that's because the story and symbolism are almost perfectly executed from a writing standpoint.
Worth paying £46 for a copy off eBay even 21 years after it came out. And that will stay in my collection until I die.

Also, I got the 'Leave' ending which I was very satisfied with in the moment and even more proud of myself after watching what the other endings are. I think it's the best ending.

I would like to add that I really don't understand the hype for "Born from a Wish", though. Perhaps, it's just cos it kinda fucks with my interpretation of the main scenario.

A great by-the-books game that hides its faults with pretty graphics.

I haven't actually 100% completed cos I'm not playing all those games of Machine Strike but I did get the platinum trophy which, I feel, is good enough.

And that, alone, is a pretty good indicator of how I feel about this game. I didn't think I would want to go for the platinum as I was skeptical about how good this could be but, after a while, I really sunk into this game. Unlike the first game, it gets more fun as it goes along.

Despite adding more combos and whatnot, the combat still feels repetitive after a while but it's still fun. The weapons in this game are also slightly better than the first game because I actually kept swapping them out towards the end instead of sticking with the same set the whole game. The weapon wheel however is still too cluttered. Having three different ammo types for every weapon can often make me select the wrong thing.

I liked the skill tree progression because it didn't feel incredibly generic. Overall, unlocking stuff felt more rewarding in this game than in the first. The D-pad scroll to select shit is still hell, though. That needs a rework cos I spent ages unequipping shit and moving it all around to be in a order that's practical for me.

What also needs a rework is the climbing and platforming. Holy shit, is this the worst the part of the game, holy fucking shit! Breath of the Wild was all like: "you can climb anything" while Zero Dawn was like: "there are these yellow nipples". So they try to be more like BotW in this but it's just horrible. I still opted to cheese my way up mountains by Bethesda-hopping. The yellow lines you climb on mountains seem randomly placed, Aloy gets stuck and just can't fucking move half the time so I have to jump off and it's just so slow as well. I don't care if it's realistic, I don't want to see this three second animation of Aloy leaping for a ledge, grabbing it and phasing through a wall before she decides to climb up. I just wanna climb.

The fact that these games take themselves so seriously is most probably the worst part of them. Once the mystery of the world is gone, it's significantly less interesting, so they bring in these goofy-ass thousand year old rich people to act as the bad guys and the way they end the story with them really isn't that great. They over-explain everything without actually saying anything of value. The amount of dialogue in this that's just so tedious and not necessary (I spent twenty minutes talking to GAIA about some shit I can't even remember). I get the impression they think they're creating some amazing world with their writing but they just give it too much. They attempt to push in two messages into the game (brave for a triple-A game, I know) but it’s executed quite poorly. I literally share the same views and it still got me rolling my eyes. Aloy at one point literally said something like “It’s almost like blind faith is bad or something.”. I agree with these messages but they’re so unsubtle.

Atleast, the voice acting was better, the facial expressions were a huge step-up and not every piece of dialogue was in awful shot/reverse shot. But, for some reason, every dialogue in this game ends with an awkward four second pause.

Aloy has no personality. I quite liked her in the first one but now she comes off as a really generic video game protagonist in this one. The way she talks to herself and interacts with others comes off as real cheesy and lame. I often talk to myself and therefore don’t find it weird but a lot of her solo dialogue is a thinly veiled way of saying “You fucking idiot game, you gotta do this” when, maybe, I wanna figure it out myself. Apparently, a criticism people had of the first one was the side characters. I thought their inclusion was tasteful as it was Aloy's story but clearly others didn't. This game feels far more like an 'Aloy & Friends' story which I didn't like as it felt quite by-the-numbers and they didn't even give them anything noteworthy to do. I quite liked Alva. I also liked the dynamic between Beta & Aloy but it was severely underdeveloped. It felt like there's a huge chunk from their relationship missing.


Side quests were actually really good and not a chore. Almost as engaging as the main story if not equal. I’m glad I’m the type of person who does all the side-quests before main ones. However there was one where you have to go to an island to save someone that bugged me. The world felt a lot more alive than the first but it’ still not great cos I checked out that island before the side-mission thinking there would be a secret there or something, but there was nothing and I was disappointed. A few days later, I find a side-quest that tells me to go there and, surprise! There’s a person there now. I wish I could just go there on my volition and find the guy. Instead of being told to like I’m playing a Rockstar game.

But yeah, I surprisingly got really into it which I was not expecting cos I thought I was done with exhausting open world games. But, I guess not. I had a lot of fun getting the platinum and doing the main story. The map is easily explorable with a good quantity of stuff to do. And, wow. Is it beautfiful. I may be against hyper-realistic graphics because, ya know, it's a fucking video game but just wow. I've spent so much time in photo mode. Zero Dawn was the nicest looking game I had ever played but now this takes it.

Overall, gameplay-wise: it's better than the first. Writing-wise: about the same, I reckon.
But, it's a good entry level game as you don't really need to play the first either. If I’m still alive when the third one comes out, I’ll probably pick it up even though the franchise would’ve lost its steam by then.

There's just some stuff sprinkled in here that makes you forget this is a triple-A game.
~ Aforementioned climbing
~ Mounts don't jump down a little 2cm high rock
~ Sunwing too slow and when you boost, there's a blur effect that just suddenly appears and disappears which is really jarring.
~ Why do I have to hold triangle EVERY FUCKING TIME I WANT TO LOOT SOMETHING.
~ I turned on the feature so you can just press square to activate the Sheildwing but it's quite clunky cos it will deploy even when I don't want it to (BotW paraglider is so much better)
~ Time of day randomly changes (typically in the desert from midnight to mid-day)
~ Will just get a black screen for two seconds when it loads
~ Occasionally get a glitch where I can't use melee attacks and need to restart the game.

Good game, glad I got my second ever platinum for it. I might go back and actually 100% one day. I appreciate it made me feel like a dumb twelve year old again.

I think that’s most of what I had to say.

This game exceeded my expectations.

The platforming is masterful. I never got frustrated at it but I never found it too easy. The solution is always immediately clear but actually performing that solution is typically the opposite.

I've heard more positive things about the music over the years than the game itself and I understand why. It's very good. Very nice electronic and piano melodies that are calming yet distressing. And also just sounds great.

The pixel art is nice as it isn't too simple but the "art art" is very cute and appropriate to the game's overall tone and themes.

I thought this was one of those things trans people gravitated towards because you could really stretch and interpret it as a trans allegory because, when you're queer, you view everything as having a queer subtext. But, no. It's actually here and it warms my heart so damn much. Maybe I'm dumb but I do feel that metaphor can get muddled in with the "overcome your fears and doubts" message as it becomes one towards the end which makes sense but just felt it wasn't the perfect execution.

Overall, I think the game is a tad over-rated. The story and messaging aren't THAT in-depth or smart. It's just well-done and people don't expect platformers to have any meaning to them other than "jump to the end". But I still had a LOT of fun with it and it actually made me feel something. Plus, it is nice to see such a highly acclaimed game be made by a trans person considering gamers are known for not being too friendly towards them.

Either way, most probably the best platformer I've played in terms of how satisfying it is so I'll most prob pick it up when it's on sale to give it the support it deserves as I played this through PS Plus Extra after I played about 2 hours of it 3.5 years ago with Xbox LIVE Gold.

This was better than I was expecting. The dialogue can be bad at times and the choices they give you aren't very well detailed (Press Square to say "I'm not sure" actually makes you say "You are a fucking idiot") but the atmosphere was very pleasant.

The characters are likable and the setting is very comforting. The soundtrack really tops this off as well (I can't believe I fell victim to musician marketing).

Not much to say because, if you played the first game, you know not to expect a masterclass in storytelling and it's more of the vibe that comes with it. And the vibe in this one is far superior. Also, the choices you make actually seem to have actual consequences unlike the first game where literally nothing mattered so that was nice. The facial animation was a HUGE step up as well. Overall, I love the artstyle of this game. It's the perfect blend of hyper-realism and cartoon.

Enjoyed playing through the story and getting all the trophies over the course of a month and I'm a bit sad it's over. It left me wanting more but in a good way. Like, I wish I could explore more of Haven once it's over, play more arcade games, etc.
Sidenote: I really recommend you try to get the memories when playing as they add to the character and worldbuilding.

I'm not gonna play the DLC because it baffles me they gave the least interesting side character their own DLC.

Good game.

I feel like a played a different game.

I've been tempted to buy this the past two years but didn't because "it will receive a price cut with PlayStation Hits" before I realised that's no longer a thing. The price actually increased. I never caved though because despite all the positive discussion about this game. I never heard anything good about it other than how gorgeous it is - meaning it's probably not that good overall. And I don't think it is. So, I really appreciate this was on PS Plus Extra.

I put 50+ hours into it and got the platinum so it's not like I disliked it. The combat, although after that amount of time can feel repetitive as you basically just mash △ and then ▢, is the highlight. It was a lot of fun and I fucking loved the duels. I just found the story quite lacklustre and I don't believe they achieved what they set out to do regarding its themes and how they connect to the gameplay. I feel the game did feel up itself at points.

Perhaps it's cos I'm a side-quest bitch and upgrade everything before main missions but the final fight against the Khan was so anti-climactic. And the proper ending was obviously gonna happen once you complete the first act and it didn't have the emotional effect on me that I think the score wanted me to.

Now some minor nitpicks cos I don't wanna make people who like this game angry and instead they can read this and go "haha". Although I'm annoyed at it being called 'Kurosawa Mode', I loved it. I played most of the game with it on (atleast 30 out of my 50 hours). But it's not perfect as button prompts are still coloured even though the menu isn't. And when it goes to a cutscene with the 2:35 aspect ratio, the film scratch and grain overlay they put over it also goes over the black bars which isn't how film works (would've been nice if they had more attention to detail and with it on the cutscenes would be in 1.85:1 aspect ratio like most of Kurosawa's films are but I understand why not). And talking about the cutscenes themselves, most of them have the worst cinematography. I don't understand why most shots were wides. In addition, the titlecards shouldn't be there for every fucking tale, just the main ones in Jin's Journey and maybe the last ones of the character-focused ones.

Overall, this is a generic open-world game which I did have fun with but I don't understand the hype for. I would say that this is another case of Animal Crossing: New Horizons where it's a game that takes up a lot of time that came out at the perfect time so people were just happy to sink time into something and have a long distraction from the world ending. But people have played it for the first time since then and still love it. I really don't understand why. It's not challenging with its storytelling or gameplay and not everything has to be as It's nice to have simple shut-your-brain-off-fun every now and then. But I think this tried to be more than that and failed.

It's a perfectly fine game that can be a lot of fun but don't expect anything new or anything super well-written. I would rather buy a DVD boxset of the Netflix series 'The Crown' than spend 70 quid on this. Clearly, a lot of people have spent that much to buy this game and that's fine if it gave them £70 worth of happiness but if I bought it for that price, I'd ask for a good portion of it back.

Cute and interesting idea. Not too sure how well it translates to an actual thing but it's cute.
Storytelling through the environment is nice but think this could've been many more levels and a straight-up puzzle game instead of capitalising off the short, cozy game market.
Get it on sale, preferably on a platform with a mouse, and play it in short bursts.

Shoutout to the hilarious Naomi Higgins on 'Gamey Gamey Game' for recommending this back in December on that show.