For a forever DM this is a dream come true and a clear Game of the Decade contender AT LEAST. Larian has always been stellar at creating stories and worlds worth taking an extra look around, providing many an opportunity to turn a game's whole story on its head and this game is no different. Add on top of the fact that they showed the entire world what games could be, and what they could go back to, and I'm hit with a sort of dissociative nostalgia that makes me want to cry. Near perfect, will become perfect in time, just you wait.

The pizza man wants to blow up your pizza place and a bunch of former disgruntled customers of that same pizza place are helping him. Go commit murder on em. A simple straight forward plot that allows for wacky hijinks, an incredibly done hand-drawn and animated world that, in my opinion, is ten times better and more expressive than Cuphead's attempt, and a smooth, high-skill cap gameplay loop that will have you running back for that Lap 2. Do you like the Wario Land games? This is just all of that and more.

With the release of High on Life 2 comes the decision for the game to completely revamp its art style. From its cartoony 3D aesthetic to a more washed-out, grey-coated, drearily dispassionate color palette that makes me want to claw my eyes out. They've also, controversially, gotten rid of the gun banter setting, which was used to turn down the frequency at which your main character and gun speak to each other about something that has nothing to do with the plot because Marvel Movies or something. Jokes aside, the game is another drawn-out and annoying open-world FPS with nothing going for it besides its aesthetic, of which does nothing for me personally. Oh yeah and robo-ballerina titties..

Glad that Forspoken came out only to prop up this game that Bethesda thought they could shadow launch on us. More proof that game company heads have no idea what's truly fun. Good game too, some quirks here and there with a serviceable story but the gameplay, oh the gameplay. Action games are made for combos and this game has that to the max, incredibly satisfying to mix and match strings together in time with the beat, and using your partner's assists at the same time makes it oh so smooth. One complaint is that games that weren't meant for platforming shouldn't bother with platform segments (at least not ones that are too long or precise), DMC 1 fucked that up to the same degree this game did and it occasionally left a sour taste in my mouth, not very fun those parts. It has a postgame too, it's filled to the brim with even more challenging segments that are akin to DMC's challenge missions it also, conveniently enough, ties up some loose ends in the story. Now, since the game is a rhythm game and that implies a beat which implies music, how are the tunes? Nine Inch Nails, Zwan, Number Girl, and The Black Keys to name a few. Familiar with those names? You probably are if you frequent the rock genre often and some pretty big names at that. The soundtrack's a banger, honestly, my head was bobbing to the beat every session I played. Now the art style is a comic book-esque take on cell-shading which plays well on the outstanding character designs that vibe incredibly well with the general thematic feeling portrayed in the story. A stick-it-to-the-man vibe, you know? The outfits rock that vibe. The characters are quite charming as well, something you'd see out of a Saturday morning cartoon, just a little more PG-13 with the dialogue here though, hell, we even got character development that was simply put, well done. All in all the game is tight, but it lacked an edge for me to call it more than "great", after all considering its predecessors (DMC, God of War, Bayonetta, God Hand, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance) it just can't compete with them to me. 80/100, 4 stars. A good game that can not only stand on its own two legs but do a sick guitar solo too.

God or demon, what am I?

It's time for me to choose my path.
The power of my god hand.
No evildoer will get past.

Hand-to-hand or fist-to-fist.
Kicking nuts or twist your wrist.
God power keep my pimp hand strong.
So trust me or you won't last very long.

Dragon kick your ass into
the milkyway!
(Milkyway!)
Don't act like you don't like
the ball buster!
(Ball buster!)

My arm,

my arm
my arm,
my arm
my arm,
my arm
will summon up the
power of the god hand!


Lost a limb in a fight.
But don't worry babe I'll be cool.
The ultimate power of a
god is now my secret tool.
My defenses are impregnable.
My style is impetuous.
If it's too much I'll
grovel at your feet.
I beg for mercy when I feel the heat.

Jaw-dropping attacks from my

roulette wheel!
(Roulette wheel!)
Apocalyptic beatdowns from
the god hand!
(God hand!)

My arm,

my arm
my arm,
my arm
my arm,
my arm
will summon up the
power of the god hand!


Everybody wants a piece.

Who's next? Don't be a fool.
Hyperactive fighting style,
so slick they will make you drool.
God hand helps me work out my stress.
It's overpowering I must confess.
The only person who it doesn't work on,
is the girl who got me into this:
Olivia.


Slicing through thugs with

my shockwave!
(Shockwave!)
More beheadings than a guillotine,
headslicer!
(Headslicer!)

My arm,

my arm
my arm,
my arm
my arm,
my arm
will summon up the

power of the god hand!

God Hand theme is tight af: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhTL3sOINKY