Beaten on 2/2/2025
Time Taken: 108h:57m:12s
I received this as a Christmas present to myself. I remember when it was originally announced; my brother was really disappointed because he thought it was a new Persona game. To be honest, it's similar enough that it could be one. I initially forgot about it until the Game Awards came around and it was nominated for Game of the Year, so I thought, "What the hell, let’s give it a try."
I'm fond of turn-based RPGs, and this game hit all the right notes for me. However, I have two issues: there isn’t enough content surrounding the side characters, and Strohl sometimes feels more like the leader than the protagonist. Overall, the game was enjoyable; the themes were well explored, and it featured stunning scenery along with an engaging story. It has become one of my favorites in its genre, thanks to its diverse cast and the fact that it doesn’t rely on romantic elements to showcase its characters, unlike Persona 5. The characters in this game are beautifully designed, as expected from Atlas, and it has an amazing soundtrack. I can see why it was nominated for Game of the Year last year.

Beaten on 18/2/2025
Time Taken: 9h:34m:51s
I first heard of Bayonetta through Smash Bros. 4, where they added Bayonetta as the last DLC character. This sparked my interest in trying the game, especially since I wanted to experience each title represented in the Smash Bros. series. Overall, I found the game enjoyable. The gameplay felt very smooth and responsive compared to other games in this genre that I have played. The fights were challenging but not overly frustrating, even when I lost.
The weapon loadout customization allowed for some fun play styles, though I mostly stuck with the default loadout throughout most of the game. However, I did encounter some issues with the flying and turret shooter sections; I found them to be boring, frustrating, and much slower-paced than the other parts of the game.
The music in this game is amazing, and the enemy designs are incredibly unique, inspired by Biblically depicted angels. They create a surreal horror aesthetic with grace. I want to pick up the second game when I get the chance.

Beaten on 24/03/2025
Time Taken: 76h:17m::00s
I had played this game up to the last eight chapters upon its release but had to stop due to university commitments. Recently, I returned to it, purchased the DLC, and decided to try playing on Hard mode. While it wasn't particularly challenging, I found it enjoyable; I often faced consequences for progressing without careful thought.

The characters in this game were a mixed bag for me. Some had intriguing backstories and engaging personalities, while others felt dull or cringeworthy. The levels were well-crafted, and the absence of reused maps was a significant improvement compared to the issues seen with the maps in Three Houses. Typically, there’s a standout track that I want to revisit, but I can't pinpoint one this time. The music wasn’t bad; it’s just that nothing specific stands out in my mind as I reflect on it.

There was a lot of good in this game: excellent level design, balanced classes and reclass systems, and a more compact hub. However, many omissions and elements didn’t quite hit the mark. The story revolves around the power of friendship, and the support conversations often feature backstory dumps, with the other character commenting on them afterwards. Fortunately, most of the main character avoided this.

Although the hub was more compact than in Three Houses, navigating it to collect all the items after battles was time-consuming and could take up to five minutes of downtime before I could do anything meaningful again. The mini-games were alright but didn’t provide enough rewards for completing them. For example, while the Training mini-game provided stats for battle, the Cooking interaction yielded stats of your choice and helped raise the support level of three characters.

The DLC Fell Paralogues were challenging and required you to assign the right skills to the appropriate characters to progress. These maps became considerably harder due to their set levels and equipment. The skills needed for success required SP grinding, which was difficult because the game limited the number of free non-story battles you could fight. I did lower the difficulty of the DLC to complete the final chapter, as it took about four hours per attempt on Hard.

However, these are the only significant downsides. The skills themselves are well-balanced, suggesting that the creators learned from the shortcomings of previous games. I would like to eventually return and play through the story on Lunatic difficulty to see if it provides a challenge.

Beaten on 21/2/2025
Time Taken: 10h:21m:26s
I received this game as part of a bundle with the Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright Trilogy, and I didn’t know much about it beforehand, other than that it is a puzzle game featuring a ghost detective. I found it to be a fun puzzle game. I enjoyed playing it and would likely return to achieve 100% completion. While the game's charming characters and animations are delightful, the storyline is quite straightforward and repetitive, except for the second-to-last chapter, which breaks the mould. Despite this, the game remains enjoyable, and the puzzles are challenging enough to keep you engaged without becoming frustrated.

Beaten on 15/2/2025
Time Taken: 18h:23m:02s
I experienced a massive nostalgia trip with this game, as it was the first one I ever owned. I remember getting it along with my DS, which unfortunately no longer works. However, I later received another DS from my grandmother. Returning to finish the game brought back wonderful memories. "Dinosaur King" was a significant part of my childhood, and revisiting it was a delightful experience. I'm glad it was given to me as a Bounty.
The combat in the game can be hit or miss, as it relies heavily on a Rock-Paper-Scissors mechanic. You learn moves as you level up, and you can assign these moves to Rock, Paper, or Scissors from any dinosaur, as long as the move is non-elemental or matches the dinosaur's type. The game features a type system that is never clearly explained; you only notice it when you get defeated by a specific type, often because you are using a type that is weak against it. The type matchups are as follows: Fire beats Wind, Wind beats Grass, Grass beats Earth, Earth beats Lightning, Lightning beats Water, and Water beats Fire. There is also a Mystery type, which serves as the game's Rare/Legendary collectible.
It's essential to pay attention to the dialogue and remember how the AI behaves, which can be incredibly tedious. Collecting dinosaurs requires you to excavate fossils, allowing you to make a rough guess at the type of dinosaur, but you can't know for sure until it's restored. This often leads to a lot of duplicate dinosaurs. I love the dinosaur designs in this series; they hold a special place in my heart despite their inaccuracies. The collection of species is wonderful, and you are bound to find dinosaurs you've never heard of before. The pixel art sprites are charming, but the music is quite basic, and there aren't many tracks in the game.
In summary, I have a love-hate relationship with this game.

Beaten on 8/2/2025
Time Taken: 11h:09m:49s
I picked up this game as part of a bundle on Steam, which included the second game as well, mostly on a whim. I remembered hearing that people enjoyed it, and the reviews mentioned that it was a pleasantly in-depth RPG. Additionally, my brother played the game last year, which made me think it would be a great addition to my playlist.
It's a fun game filled with content, offering plenty of engaging activities and sights to explore. One downside is that the game is quite easy; some achievements are easily missed or require different classes, meaning you'll need multiple playthroughs to achieve 100% completion. The combat is straightforward but still has a lot of depth, and progression feels quick. Everywhere you go on the map, there’s something to do. The game features a classic South Park style, resembling an episode.

Beaten on 5/2/2025
Time Taken: 8h:22m:47s
I chose to play this game because of its positive reception as well as receiving this as a bounty, along with the memes and music that piqued my interest. I wanted to discover what all the fuss was about. This game proved to be quite challenging for me since I’m not accustomed to this genre. The story was strong, but as this was my first Metal Gear game, I felt a bit out of the loop regarding certain characters. Once I mastered the parry mechanic, the game became much easier. However, my main issues were with the finicky camera and the parrying system.
The designs in Metal Gear are somewhat goofy, but I love them. The animal inspirations are cool, and the characters are all exceptionally designed. Jetstream Sam is iconic, and the Senator is almost a perfect representation of what a politician looks like, though more muscular. The music in this game is fantastic, featuring hit after hit—you can't go wrong with "Rules of Nature."

Beaten on 3/2/2025
Time Taken: 9h:56m:48s
I enjoy collecting fighting games, and I loved playing Soulcalibur III when I was younger. When I saw it on sale, I decided to buy it and played for a bit, but I never completed the game's story mode. After finally finishing the game, I found the story quite disappointing, especially given my nostalgia for it. It lacked engagement and depth. The battles weren't as captivating as I remembered, and they didn't require much strategy against the NPCs. Additionally, many battles required tedious grinding to obtain better weapons, which diminished the overall experience. On a positive note, the character designs are still amazing, and the Character Creator allows for a lot of customization, which is great.