What an amazing game, even though I liked HK a lot, I wasn't planning on playing this immediately but I finally caved and was so glad I did. IMO I found everything to be better than the original (though it has been a bit since my last foray). The evolution of gameplay mechanics' progression, exploration always feeling novel and interesting, the artistic and interactive elements (background/foreground and hittable objects) makes the world feel so alive. Hornet being so talkative made her way more of an enjoyable and immersive protag (even if it was merited for The Knight). Customization was done super well and though it's been awhile since I've played a difficult game, I really enjoyed the challenge and felt the difficulty gave weight to the story and overall setting. Enemy gauntlets felt like the quiz for each area which I liked, though they could be annoying if part of a boss fight. The game slowed down a bit getting to act 3 but since I was aiming for the 100% it didn't bother me too much. Definitely my favorite game this year.

Quite possibly one of the most cinematic games I've ever played, it oozes polish and weight. Verso, Maelle, and Renoir were great characters but I didn't end up caring for the others nearly as much. This game also has an amazing OST that fits very well. I loved the evolution of JRPG mechanics and creativity provided to the player. Voice acting was top notch, character interactions were organic, the world felt unlike anything else, and the ending was solid. My only complaint was that gameplay can end up feeling repetitive and the twist can end up making or breaking the experience.

A perfect blend of interesting gameplay mechanics and how it ties into the story, unique storytelling that's interesting to watch unfold, hilarious/wholesome character interactions, and amazing music too. There isn't anything like it, can't recommend enough.

I just finished this so I'm coming to terms with it still but my initial thoughts are that even though this was a short duration entry, it was one of the most impactful stories in the entire series. The ending cutscene is probably the best cutscene I have ever seen. The emotional payoff for the series (so far) is insane and I'm pretty sure I cried harder than I have in any game (except and Roger). The actual content was a great package overall too, the graphics and sheen to the world and battle effects are amazing, minigames are consistent with the series, Akame was a great addition and fun spin on the substory system. Combat is easily top 2-3 in the series and the agent style was super creative. The only drawbacks were that the entire campaign was solid but didn't get enough time to do anything too crazy in the earlier segments and was very top-heavy at the end (which was amazing) and the short overall duration for the game. Music was solid but there weren't that many standout tracks compared to earlier entries (will need to go through the OST though). Love this game and how it rounds out Kiryu's character and the story.

One of the best visual novels I've ever played. It feels like such a literary classic in VN-form along with its gorgeous illustrations, amazingly unique OST, realistic characters, and the writing is practically unparalleled. The story structure was my favorite part and how the timeline is navigated alongside the house. The lack of voice acting felt a little unnatural at first but was soon forgotten. Such a beautiful tragedy of a game, glad I finally got around to experiencing it.

One of the best stories in Yakuza with one of the worst combat systems. This could have been my favorite entry if the combat was up to par with the other games (excluding 3). The story just hit perfectly for me and had many great new characters. Haruka was the best addition to this series, not just for her character but for how her presence motivates and complements Kiryu. Music is great as always (besides the baby crying song), substories are always great, but man the combat was awful, that aside, solid entry

One of the best co-op games I've played. The creativity displayed through game mechanics and the leeway to jump from story to story through the medium of the story all played together for an amazing package. Level design is peak and the boss fights were amazing. The story was campy but not in a way that felt overly cheesy and though it felt fairly vanilla early on, it ramped up towards the mid-point and ended strong with emotional peaks. Side stories are fun and a good change of pace but knew when to stop to deliver serious moments.

I played this game solely for Ryukishi's involvement and I don't regret it at all. While the story was definitely my favorite part (so much symbolism) and how it is integrated from the enemy designs to the item placement, the entire package helped support it in so many ways. The music and sound design was so unsettling and creates the perfect environment for the setting. Voice acting was serviceable for the dub but went above and beyond for the sub. Combat felt weighty and purposeful, so many attacks left you wide open and made you consider your choices which feels tied to the narrative. The evolving story throughout all the endings made the replays worthwhile, though they can be repetitive at times and it can be hard to tell what changed in new cutscenes. The bosses were also amazingly designed and narratively entwined and Hinako's internal conflict felt very meaningful especially with the era the game is set in. I haven't played many horror games so it was a little hard to get into at first, but I had a blast even though I haven't played any other SH games.

Still actively playing trying to get all the checklist completion done. Here is my verdict per mode. Air Ride (races) are fun occasionally but are very gimmicky in that slipstreams always pretty much guarantee comebacks so every race is a coin flip (though the stages are nice). Top Ride is very much so just a party mode and excuse to add a little bit of content though it was kinda fun going through the checklist. Road trip is too long but has some cool payoff with an awesome ending sequence and sick boss fights. City Trial is the best its ever been and is absolute crack, if you enjoy this mode it literally makes the game and justifies its purchase all on its own. So easy to just boot up a quick match and get lost for hours. Lastly, the music is amazing too!

A very quick ~1 hour game with an amazing premise. The subject matter is very personal to me and my family and playing this left me in complete shambles, I sobbed for the majority of this experience. Absolute masterclass in using a video game as an interactive medium to express an idea. Other than a few hiccups with how to proceed in certain segments which can certainly add to the gameplay post realization. Go in blind if you can, good luck.