My Favorite Video Games
Persona 5 & Persona 5 Royal
https://store.steampowered.com/Persona_5_Royal/
I would say Persona 5 / Persona 5 Royal is my #1 Favorite video game. In total I have played both of these games for many play-throughs and easily hundreds of hours. P5 was also my introduction to the Persona & Shin Megami Tensei Franchise. Many of the games in these series are some of my favorite JRPGs as well.
For starters the reason I place both of these games in the same spot, is both are very similar, but P5 Royal is clearly the definitive version. Still much of my playtime with these games was with the original P5, so I felt both games deserve the same spot as the full Persona 5 experience.
Much of what I like from Persona 5 is how the story is blended with the main RPG mechanics. The social life aspects of the game truly make it feel like living in the world of the game. In addition how the things you do in the real world impact what you do in the dungeons of the game gives you a incentive to do as much as you can within the limit amount of days in the game's calendar.
The RPG game-play is both simple to understand and very in depth with the amount of combinations and combos possible with the hundreds of personas to choose. I love how each of the major dungeons are vastly different from each other and contain their own unique level gimmicks and enemies. The exception is mementos of course. At least in P5 Royal, mementos gets different themes every few levels to break up the same loop of music from the original.
The story of Persona 5 is one of the best parts. The many arcs of the game split the story into different sections along with different seasons. I think the best part of the story is the 6th and 7th palaces for reasons that I will not say, because it would be a massive spoiler. I also find the extra 3rd semester in Persona 5 Royal to be one of the best parts of the story, it adds more story and gameplay content, while perfectly fitting into the original schedule from the original. The new true ending is quite a treat as well.
I cannot convey how much I enjoy Persona 5, it is truly a one of a kind experience. I believe anyone who is interested owes it to themselves to play this game. Just be prepared for one long JRPG, one play though can easily take 60-80 hours. Even more for Persona 5 Royal.
As said earlier I feel Persona 5 Royal is the definative version of the game. There are plenty of improvements from the original, along with gameplay additions and remixed parts of the original game. Also it is available on PC, which makes it perfect for those who want to experiment for mods.
Once again if you like JRPGs or are interested in the Persona franchise, Persona 5 is the perfect place to start.
Pizza Tower
https://store.steampowered.com/Pizza_Tower/
Pizza Tower is one of the most creative and fun to play platformer games I have played. It is truly a one of a kind game, with inspiration from the Wario Land Series, but cranks it up to 11.
The gameplay is simple yet very complex in the many tricks that Peppino can do with hours of practice. While intially the controls took some getting used to, after about an hour, it felt natural to control Peppino at break next speeds.
Each of the levels offers their own unique challenges and themes. Each of the levels keeps the game feeling fresh and fun from start to end. This is helped from the fantastic ost from ClascyJitto and PostElvis, that gives each stage a personality of their own.
It would be wrong not to mention the absolute fantastic escape themes for the game, the Lap 2 theme in particular is a true treat.
While all of what I have described is great and all, the aspect the makes Pizza Tower truly fantastic is its replay-ability and scoring system. For starters the levels are built in a way the encourages repeated runs. This is not only due to the collectables scattered across the stage, but also the grade you receive upon completing the level. Based on how well you did, you can earn a rank between D to S. These ranks help to incentive replaying each and every stage to get the highest score.
Now anyone who has played Pizza Tower, might have realized that I left out one more rank. Certainty they are correct. The game features a hidden final rank, the P rank. This is the reason I believe this game is one of the best platformers of all time. For those who have not played Pizza Tower, the P rank is achive when the following conditions are met:
- The player must have a score high enough to reach an S rank.
- The player must find all the secrets in the level, this includes all of the toppins and the secret treasure.
- The player must complete lap 2.
- And finally, the player must keep their combo from the start of the stage to the end, without breaking it.
This final point is the real kicker. Keeping a combo up for the entire level takes a expert sense of the games controls, along with a deep understanding of the stage's structure and points of trouble. I cannot express how this insane combination of requirements makes finally P ranking a level one of the best feelings in gaming. Truly seeing the special animation after all the work is a treat to behold.
If it isn't already clear enough. I love Pizza Tower. I spent over 50 hours getting a 100% on the game, with many of those hours being attempts to P rank a level. The game itself isn't super difficult if you want to play it casually, but the true magic is attempting to 100% it. It is one of the most exhilarating and fun Platformers I have played. If you are at all interested I highly recommend you try the game. You won't be let down.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne
https://store.steampowered.com/Shin_Megami_Tensei_III_Nocturne_HD_Remaster/
Now certainty not as new as my other favorites, there is a reason SMT3 is considered a cult classic and one of the best and most difficult JRPGS made.
Being the game that introduced the brilliant "Press-Turn" battle system, SMT3 provides the player with minimal hand holding and expects them to adapt or die, with the game's brutal difficulty. I will say once you have defeated the first fiend the game's difficulty does simmer a bit, but only due to the player's increased skill set and experience with the battle system.
Honestly the Press Turn battle system is some of the most fun and interesting gameplay in JRPGs. The balance between exploiting weaknesses and gaining extra turns, to using resistances and buffs to take away enemy turns is simply genius. There is no wonder that the battle system is still being used in mainline SMT till this day.
Aside from the combat, the atmosphere in SMT3 is simply fantastic, the bleak and muted color scheme, along with Kazuma Kaneko's art brings to the game to life. The almost liminal space look of most of the game gives the impression that you are truly on your own, and that everyone is out to kill you. Which is true I may add.
Along with the visuals the music is fantastic, not only is the battle themes and boss themes perfect. The numerous dungeon themes are standouts as well. My personal favorite of which is the "Labyrinth of Amala" dungeon which was added in the later "Maniax Edition" of the game. The dark and foreboading theme ties in perfectly with the dungeon. The fact that the song changes as you get further along with added instruments and sounds is the icing on the cake.
Now I have played through SMT3 twice now, once on normal on a PS2 Emulator, and the second on hard on the HD remaster. Both times I enjoyed the game from start to finish. I will add that hard mode in this game lives up to its name. It is truly an experience for those who are willing to put up with a lot of BS random encounters and difficult bosses that require entire new teams. Despite this I found hard mode to make the game truely shine. I remember that I order to beat the true final boss, I had to grind past level 100 in order to survive, but the pay off was 100% worth it.
As mentioned earlier this game does have a HD remaster. It is available for most of the modern consoles and PC. Overall it is an improvement from playing on original hardware or even an emulator. The higher resolution does make the dated models and textures stand out a bit. Regardless the HD remaster is the way to go if you want to experience SMT 3 Nocturne.
I would absolutely recommend anyone who is interested in the Shin Megami Tensei francise to give SMT 3 Nocturne a try. It is the father of the Press Turn Battle System and is a one of a kind JRPG. Just make sure to bring a guide a long or be prepared to get many game overs, as this game even on normal is not for the faint of heart.
Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild
For anyone who owns a Nintendo Switch, Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild is an obvious must play. I say this because even though I have had my switch since launch day, I only got around to playing BOTW about 3 years later during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The game itself is truly incredible, the expansive map and the great atmosphere are some of the highlights for me. You could spend hundreds of hours in this game looking for all sorts of hidden places and collectables.
The ability to be immersed in the game is truly special, and it was certainly a great way to escape the boredom of pandemic life. I find the simpler art style to benefit the game's looks as the cell shading give the game a unique look that helps hide some of the technical challenges of the switch hardware.
I would say the combat is one of the weak points of the game. The durability system on weapons makes it hard to use good weapons with the fear of breaking them. The dodge mechanic is a good idea, but it starts to get stale with how wide the window is. Despite this the combat is good enough, just something that feels somewhat under-baked.
Overall Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild is a fantastic game and one that any switch owner should play at some point. I would even go as far as to say I like the original BOTW over its sequel.
Osu!
https://osu.ppy.sh/
Another genre I enjoy is the rhythm game genre. It combines 2 of my hobbies, video games and music into one. Osu! is a great example of bringing many different interests together for me.
Based on the Osu! Taken Ouedan game series released for the Nintendo DS, localized as elite beat agents for the west, Osu! takes the same gameplay to PC. The result is a fantastic rhythm game with thousands of community made beat maps and skins. Although if you don't like japanese music and or anime openings, you may have a hard time finding the songs you want. In spite of that there are still tons of variety in community made maps.
The game itself is simple to understand, but incredible complex if given a difficult map. The difficulty can also change based on the mods you select. I love the customization in how you can play. You can really do anything with what Osu! gives you.
Currently I play on the version called Osu! Lazer. It is an improved version of the base game that streamlines the interface and gameplay. It makes the game easier to get into an enjoy in my opinion.
The best part is the game is 100% free. The only thing you need to start is a keyboard and mouse really. I would say if you like rhythm games and haven't heard of Osu!, that you should check it out!