Clair Obscur feels big, it feels important, it feels like a game for now, that you’ll be thinking about for years to come. Expedition 33 might be built off of the groundwork laid by decades of creatives that came before, but its impact is wholly singular and essential in its own right.
The Mad Dog of Shimano is getting up there in age, but he’s still got a few new tricks up his snake-skin sleeves that Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is worth taking to the seven seas for.
The music and vibe of Afterlove are both fittingly beautiful with the contrast in difficulty in certain rhythm sections doing a great job of showcasing Rama’s focus at the time.
Simply put, the act of playing Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is not fun enough to abate that existential question from rattling around your head while you play.
Despite this not being the traditional type of story we associate with Kiryu, Infinite Wealth is a fitting send-off to a legend of gaming. In the words of Kiryu, "Even if I'm not as strong as I once was, I'm still me. And I'm starting to think that's not so bad."
Having now completed every side mission, substory, and objective in a little over 25 hours, I can only hope Ryu Ga Gotoku learns from this game and works on more bite-sized spin-offs fleshing out the rest of this universe roster of loveable weirdos, gallant heroes, and snarling villains.