gabrielcrem
As a (former) radio host myself, playing as a character from that perspective was really fun. Wavelengths is my favourite kind of DLC - pretty much its own little game with a side character as a protagonist, and Steph is probably my favourite protagonist alongside Chloe.
I played True Colours before, during and after going through a love drama, and it really helped distract me from everything going on in my life at the time. Having a LiS protagonist in their 20s feels like something they should have done ages ago, and it really feels refreshing. Just like literally every LiS game, the last episode's sped up and dramatic pacing is thrilling to go through and comprehend, but I do think the first few episodes felt like a bit of a drag.
2018
As an older brother myself, many major scenes including (most importantly) the ending I got in Life Is Strange impacted me personally more than any game I have ever played has, to the extent that I still felt guilt weeks after finishing it. My decisions mattered, and that is profound. My major issue with LiS2 is that it feels awkward - the scope is so much larger, but the game itself is restricted by the 5 Chapter bullshit
I loved the original Life is Strange, but I never really related to it. I played Before the Storm at a very sentimental time in my life filled with change, and it's story is exactly what I needed to be able to comprehend everything for me. I still listen to Daughter's soundtrack for this game quite often and just think about Chloe's story and how it contrasted with my life at that age.. and that means a lot to me.
2015
I played Life is Strange at one of the strangest eras in my life. I had just graduated, but I hadn't yet come to terms with the plan for the next chapter in my life. Life is Strange impacted me a whole lot - I had a lot of free time and this franchise was all I thought about. How Max's choices affected everyone around her, and how being able to go back and change it doesn't always avoid tragedy. The sentiments this game bought me were crucial in my perception of choices in my life going forward from that point, and I love it for that.
Left Behind's complex descriptions of love, heartbreak, tragedy, and reminiscence really had an impact on me when I first played it... everything else about it kind of pissed me off. The set pieces and general gameplay was super underwhelming and repetitive, but I still think this is something novel to check out for anyone invested in the stories of The Last of Us.
The Last of Us was always a special game to me, however I rarely reflected on it. Now I am a good few years older and have experienced much more in my life, I better understood the minute details in the story and as a result I have a much larger appreciation for this remake. Now, the game itself - the graphics are tip top and I doubt if I've ever seen better, the scenery is redone and improved.. and that's about everything new. For first timers or people who played the original when they were younger (such as myself), this is a must buy.
Breath of the Wild isn't by any means perfect - but I can never understate what it means to me personally. This was my first open world game, my first Zelda game, my first Switch game. BotW's immersion got me through so much social and romantic drama; I'd turn my phone off and just embrace this magical world - I'll always cherish it for that.
No other 2D platformer has blown me away in the way that Donkey Kong Frozen Ape. I was pretty young when I first played this, so I struggled a lot, but I was so determined to finish this game that my brother ended up helping me out.
For whatever reason this game scared the living shit out of me as a kid.
2020
I dunno if it's just that I'm a sucker for these cozy and heart-warming types of games, but I absolutely adore Coffee Talk. The subtle messages didn't feel out of place, and so many of them really made me think about things in my own life.
2011
This game never really clicked with me as a kid in the same way Mario Kart Wii and 8 did, and I think it just comes down to the game lacking co-op multiplayer (obviously) and not really having the charm of it's predecessor.
2008
Mario Kart Wii is the first game I can ever remember playing - flat out. For that reason I won't critique it because I know my bias would be insane.
2014
I got Mario Kart 8 with my Wii U sometime in 2015, and I remember being blown away by everything about it aside from the game itself lmao.
2010
This was probably the highest quality game I had as a kid, and man I remember being absolutely blown away by some of its gimmicks.