Super Metroid is one of the finest games I've played. It's aesthetically perfect and the gameplay holds up unbelievably well for its time. There are some really frustrating sections but controlling Samus is so satisfying that the tedium barely matters. It's really easy to get lost exploring Zebes and I feel like that's just the best way to experience this game (I'll admit I was looking at a map forever). Godlike soundtrack, amazing level design, badass female protagonist, swagged out bosses, a captivating story with zero dialogue...how else can I sell this?

If I was born a little bit earlier I think me and my dad would've been up late unraveling this gorgeous masterpiece.

It was nice to be able to choose skill inheritance instead of hitting the slots at the Cathedral and the graphical upgrades were mostly good but I felt like the lighting was messed up in many areas and the demons looked way less cool than when I upscaled this game on an emulator. Overall I didn't care for the sound design, particularly the demon sounds in combat and the voice acting. I'm sure many appreciate the VA but I thought it was just an awkward overlay. Raidou was cool, makes me want to try his weird games.

Also, there's an achievement for dying and not one for clearing True Demon Ending. It was fine, I'll probably just use my ps2 from now on.

I've really been missing Demon's Souls in my life, and much like a diet soda, this only made me crave the real thing more. There were aspects of this Demon's Souls adjacent experience that I really enjoyed, namely the lighting and some of the enemy designs. I felt like I was able to see this game's levels in a new way and deepen my appreciation for its sheer beauty. However, the vast majority of the changes were a massive downgrade from the original and also a disservice to the preservation and re-evaluation of this critical title, this absolute pillar of the action RPG genre.

I won't make the same list of complaints that other Demon's Souls diehards have talked about for years (except the sound design and voice acting, god why?), but I will say that I feel like this project had some good intent and I am somewhat pleased to be able to play it with a modern console's conveniences. I should probably buy a working PS3 soon.

Umbasa.

This is one of the most swagged out titles on the ps2 and it still holds up today. Unfortunately most vehicle types have atrocious controls besides the tuners, but honestly if you're driving anything other than JDM, you are a fool. The AI can be really obnoxious especially when swerving through traffic but the maps are fun enough to make up for it. GTR for life.

Also it's pretty incredible that birdman voices himself and the soundtrack is loaded with cash money. Idk how this collaboration came to be but I love it.

Baroque is artistic in its approach to game design and achieves an immensely dreadful atmosphere by combining its bleak aesthetics with simple but arduous gameplay. The objective is simple: make it to the bottom of the tower, but your success can be largely dependent on your luck with random items. You learn bits and pieces about the world through context rather than explanation, which is an approach to storytelling that I've always appreciated. Masaharu Iwata's grim sound arrangements are the perfect backdrop for this experience, and contribute so much to the pure isolation I feel while playing. I felt similar emotions while watching the anime series "Texhnolyze" years ago, but that story has much more of a concern for society than I can say for Baroque. However, this is the kind of game that different people will read in different ways. There are definitely allusions to problems of human civilization, but I find that Baroque is more concerned with understanding Being and the self. This isn't the sort of media I draw concrete conclusions from; I just find tremendous enjoyment in playing it repeatedly while considering any or all of the pieces of this incredible composition.

This is my new favorite Fire Emblem title from a gameplay perspective (Path of Radiance will always be my favorite due to nostalgia). Most people that are familiar with this title are somewhat aware of the obscure mechanics and strange game design choices, which admittedly could be off-putting to those that enjoy more simplified FE titles. Sometimes it feels complex for the sake of it rather than to achieve some goal with the design, but frankly I enjoyed it so much because it is such an outlier in the series. The unit management is unlike any other FE, and requires some actual consideration for who to field and train. Most FE titles are a bit obvious with who to make into your singular carry (mounted/flier usually), but Thracia has so many effective role players that it feels like more units have a purpose.

I've played it a few times now and it has kind of boiled down to abusing the broken staff wielders in the late game, but even this opens up so many options for how to clear some of the more insane maps really quickly. I don't know if I'm even selling this game honestly I just think every FE fan should try it especially now that the translation patch is so solid. I love this game.