Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Basically Mario Party

I just finished playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which is the second game in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, and FF7 Rebirth is undoubtedly a great video game with outstanding music, amazing character performances, and much-improved combat. However, FF7 Rebirth does have some flaws as well, and I will talk about all of that down below. 

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Content-Heavy (SPOILERS)

By https://www.xbox-now.com/en/game/20146/like-a-dragon-infinite-wealth-standard-edition, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75041798

I am not going to write a full-on review about the newest entry in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise. I have already written posts about the Yakuza franchise, including why the Yakuza games are so brilliant, as well as talking about Yakuza: Like a Dragon (the previous main-line entry in the franchise). If you have played Infinite Wealth (or any other Yakuza game), then you already know what to expect: excellent storytelling, bonkers side-quests, and fleshed-out side activities. I will spend most of this post talking about the new stuff in Infinite Wealth, and then also talk about the potential direction of the franchise. I am going to talk about spoilers in this post so this is my warning to you.

NieR: Automata - Why Is This Game So Special?

Before I start to answer the question in the title, I want to talk about my relationship and experience with playing NieR: Automata. The first time I played this game was maybe around 2018 or 2019 on the PS4. The release of NieR: Automata was in 2017, developed by PlatinumGames (makers of the Bayonetta series, among other titles), and published by Square Enix. 

Dave The Diver: You Are What You Fish (And Serve)

By Mintrocket - https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1868140/capsule_616x353.jpg?t=1688092032, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74176167

For my first game of 2024, I chose to play Dave the Diver. I found it difficult to define what kind of game Dave the Diver is. I think Dave the Diver is mainly an adventure game with some RPG elements. You spend your day fishing at a place called the Blue Hole; catching fish for the nearby sushi restaurant and collecting resources for various upgrades. In the night, Dave the Diver turns into a business simulator where you must manage the sushi restaurant, with everything from setting the menu to serving customers on a nightly basis.

My Top 10 Games I Played in 2023

By Insomniac Games - https://blog.playstation.com/2023/06/08/marvels-spider-man-2-arrives-only-on-ps5-october-20-collectors-digital-deluxe-editions-detailed/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73989403

I played so many video games in 2023 that I can actually write a top-10 list on my best games I played in 2023. Just a reminder, this is NOT my top-10 list on games released in 2023, but rather my top-10 games I played in 2023. Some of these games came out before 2023 (though most of these games are from 2023). 

"Sea Of Stars" Is An Excellent Tribute To SNES RPGs

By Sabotage - Giant Bomb, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72375507

I just finished playing Sea of Stars, which is a turn-based RPG from Sabotage Studio, which has had heavy influence from the Super Nintendo RPGs that came before it. There is so much influence from those SNES RPGs that Sea of Stars feels like a tribute game, or a love letter, to that genre on that system. Part of the fun of Sea of Stars is identifying which classic games influenced this game.

Looking Back On The "Gears Of War" Series

I had a trial for a month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and last month was the time for me to use it, because I had the craving of playing the Gears of War games all in one go. I have not played a Gears of War game since Gears of War 3 came out in 2011. I thought it would be as good of a time as ever to relive the original Gears trilogy, as well as play the newer Gears games (4 and 5) and give my brief thoughts on those games as well.

Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer Thoughts

If you have been living under a rock for the last little while, we finally got to see the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI. I did not think I was going to see a GTA VI in my lifetime, considering how long ago the initial release of GTA V was. I am so genuinely excited and hyped over this announcement and the trailer that 2025 cannot come soon enough. I just want to offer my brief thoughts on the trailer and offer my general thoughts on the Grand Theft Auto franchise to this point.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Review

By nintendo - https://www.ign.com/games/super-mario-bros-wonder, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75108015

Some of my earliest and fondest gaming memories was playing Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES and Super Mario World for the SNES when I was a child. Playing these platforming games and trying to get to the end of the level was captivating to me, and it helped to stoke a love affair for video gaming that I still continue to have. Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World were hugely influential games and along with Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, were the pinnacle of 2D platforming games.

Final Fantasy XVI - If "Game Of Thrones" Was A Video Game

I do not think I have reviewed a main-line Final Fantasy game on this blog. I have reviewed the Final Fantasy VII Remake, as well as Crisis Core, but I finally get to talk about a brand-new Final Fantasy adventure and find out if FFXVI is as good as the legendary name that dons it.

Diddy Kong Racing - The Superior N64 Racing Game

I have been thinking about creating blog posts giving my thoughts playing video games that I used to play religiously in my childhood. There is no video game console that defined my childhood more and that I remember more fondly than the Nintendo 64. I have already written posts about Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Super Smash Bros. However, I want to use this post to talk about Diddy Kong Racing, which is the superior racing game on the N64, and certainly better than Mario Kart 64.

Cassette Beasts Is What Pokemon Should Have "Evolved" Into

I have been playing Cassette Beasts, which is a monster-taming RPG that takes inspiration from Pokemon. Cassette Beasts is an indie video game made by Bytten Studio that I bought on sale during the Steam Summer Sale, because I heard good things about this game, and I wanted to check it out. I am glad I played this game, because Cassette Beasts is solid, and feels like an evolution to the long-outdated gameplay mechanics of the mainline Pokemon games. Before I compare the gameplay mechanics between Cassette Beasts and Pokemon, I will highlight the other aspects of Cassette Beasts and give my thoughts.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Gameplay Perfection

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is, without a doubt, one of the best video games I have ever played. It might just be THE best video game I have ever played. Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the previous main-line Zelda game, Breath of the Wild, released in 2017. Even though Tears of the Kingdom plays extremely similarly to its predecessor, TotK makes BotW feel like a Switch tech demo in terms of its scale, immersion, and exploration. I will try to keep this blog post as spoiler-free as possible.

Quick Thoughts - Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion

Maybe this is my fault for having high expectations, but I thought the new Crisis Core remake was on the disappointing side. I do not think the new Crisis Core remake was a bad game, but I do not think there was much that made it a good game either. When the Final Fantasy VII Remake was released, I was floored with the overall presentation and its beautifully rendered cut-scenes and music. The new Crisis Core remake feels significantly inferior to the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Maybe I am not supposed to compare the two games, but since Crisis Core is a direct prequel to the events of FFVII, it only seems logical to do so.

God of War: Ragnarok (Review)

God of War: Ragnarok is a sensational follow-up to the 2018 release of God of War. I want to say this right off the bat. God of War: Ragnarok was the satisfying experience I wished the 2018 God of War could have been. I mentioned in my review of the 2018 release of God of War that the developers made it too obvious that a sequel(s) was going to be made, and the game experience suffered because of it. The overall story of God of War: Ragnarok, with a definite beginning, middle, and end made the gaming experience worth it.

Quick Thoughts: Xenoblade Chronicles 3

I finally finished playing Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (seriously, this game is well over 100 hours in game length if you do many of the side quests), and after playing the first two games in the trilogy, I think it is safe to say that XC3 is the best game in the series, and one of the best (if not, the best) JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch. I felt like XC3 is the sum of the best parts of XC1 and XC2 and improves upon them, which I will explain below:

My Top 5 Games I Played In 2022

I was meaning to write this post earlier in 2023, but I was dealing with a tailbone injury so I could not sit for long periods of time. I feel well enough now to talk about my five best games I have played in 2022. As mentioned in previous lists, this is not my best games that were released in 2022, but rather the games I played for the first time in 2022. Before I get into the list, I have one honorable mention:

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet - Lots To Unpack Here

I do not know why I did this, but I purchased Pokémon Violet on the day of its release. I have not been kind to the previous main-line Pokémon games, but maybe, just maybe, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet could be decent. I am a jaded Pokémon fan who just wants to play a universally decent Pokémon game. As of writing this post, I have finished playing Pokémon Violet, and I have some thoughts about this latest entry.

Stray - You Play As A Cat

Copyright: Annapurna Interactive

I played Stray not too long ago (which is an indie adventure/puzzle/platformer) and I have some thoughts about the game. Stray was the second recent video game I remember getting some publicity in gaming circles where you play as an animal since Untitled Goose Game. The whole gimmick of this game is that you play as a cat, which leads to some interesting gameplay mechanics and content that was briefly refreshing to see, even if these mechanics got boring quickly.

Horizon: Forbidden West Review

I finally have a PlayStation 5, and the first game I purchased with the console is Horizon: Forbidden West developed by Guerilla Games. Horizon: Forbidden West is an action RPG, and is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Horizon: Zero Dawn released in 2017. I have played the first Horizon game a while back but never wrote a review for it, so I hope to make this up by writing a review for the second one. Horizon: Forbidden West is basically like the first game, but with a few new bells and whistles.