Perhaps, if this game wasn't dogshit, it could be the best kart racer ever made!
Unfortunately, the devs (who are a bunch of stuck up, brainrotted asswipes), forgot to playtest their game with people who aren't themselves, so we're left with AI that blatantly cheats, special stages that require a LOT of trial and error, worse controls and game feel than SRB2 Kart, and a bunch of tedious achievements to unlock.

Shame, too, cuz most of my issues could be fixed if the devs got their heads out of their asses, and fixed the AI. Unfortunately, it probably won't be addressed.
I'd love to eat my words, though.

Wish this game didn't feel like winning or losing was luck-based.

Perhaps the best narrative ever spun on the PS2; Metal Gear Solid 2 works as both a celebration of, and a cautionary tale of the information age we are currently living in.
Going in, I had an idea about what the game was going for, but to my surprise, it wasn't as cynical as I'd feared.
No, this game is as hopeful as it is critical of our behavior as human beings.

I'm unsure I have the ability to properly put into words what this game means to me without sitting here for more than a couple of hours just thinking about what to say.

It's a good game, and you should play it.

I started playing this game on a whim randomly about a year ago, and it led to me doing a marathon of the entire Metal Gear Solid series with a few of my friends.

I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like to play this game in the year it came out.
I was blown away with pretty much ever aspect of it.
From story to art direction to music to stealth mechanics, all of it is lightyears ahead of its time.
Great time, albeit with the asterisk of that one bit near the end with the keycard.
Regardless, definitely an all-time classic.

I know this game isn't well liked among fans of the original Metal Gear Solid, and while I understand why, this game is just too dang fun for me to consider it anywhere near mediocre, much less bad.

Honestly, the fact that you can avoid the entire backtracking section near the end is enough to make me wanna replay this over the original any day of the week.

That being said, the story is admittedly less enjoyable in comparison to the original due to the over-the-top nature of its cutscenes.
Metal Gear Solid was always a bit cheesy/campy, but its main themes were and still are profoundly resonant in a lot of ways to this day.
I feel as though this game trades that in for some over the top thriller action.
Both are good, I think! I just prefer the original.

I'm still not completely in the endgame just yet, but I figured I'd write up my thoughts for the time being.

I looked forward to this game for more than a couple of years - ever since we first got a look at it, I knew it was something that I'd enjoy thoroughly.
The combat looked flashy and fun, and the presentation seemed immaculate - complete with a colorful cast of charming characters, I thought it to be everything I could want out of Granblue's first deep dive into a truly high-budget, triple-A experience.

So, did the game deliver on the promise its trailers and showcases gave me?
I would say yes, honestly.
At least mostly.
I have a few nitpicks here and there, but it's just personal preference.

The production quality on that main story campaign is something else, man.
The voice acting, the visual fidelity, the music, the bosses... Absolutely incredible - my jaw was on the floor multiple times at the sheer scale of a lot of the bosses.
They feel like FF14 raids on crack half the time (though, they aren't as challenging).
The combat is similarly satisfying depending on the character you're using. Siegfried is a personal favorite!
I love the way the game emphasizes teamwork; playing with friends is a blast, and coordinating our skills so that we can each fulfill a certain role for the team is extremely rewarding.

Endgame seems to be a monster hunter-type gameplay loop, which is awesome, though obviously, it isn't quite as fantastic as Monster Hunter is at that loop.

This is a sort of jack-of-all-trades sort of game.
Great at many different things, though I'd hesitate to call it a masterclass in any of them.
Even so, I'd say that it's a good bit more than the sum of its parts.

Highly recommend!!

I've now finished every route this game has to offer, and I honestly and am in awe of how massively overwhelming it is trying to process my thoughts on it.
What an incredible cast of characters that I won't soon forget.

Fate Route - 11/10
Unlimited Blade Works 8/10
Heaven's Feel - 10/10

Easily the best Metroidvania ever made in my opinion. There's not much to say that hasn't already been said, so on a personal note, this game, for me, carries a lot of emotional weight. Playing it now, I can't help but remember the way my life was when I first played it; the people I talked to, and the way I felt - I'm a completely different person now.
I appreciate different things about this game now than when I first I played it.
The atmosphere is notably lighter than I remember it being when I first played it.
Make no mistake, it's brimming with atmosphere, but I wasn't nearly as intimidated this time around.
Hollownest is as beautifully full of life and history as it is somber and melancholy.

I also remember the game being more difficult.
I remember struggling a lot with Radiance and the Pure Vessel when I first played, but I guess my reflexes have gotten better with the slight amount of aging I've done.

Either way, I fell in love with it all over again.
Here's hoping Silksong comes out soon!