The final stretch!
47. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
15h-ish of which I spent like 3h in the Final Final challenge. 100%.
Not gonna lie, I was a bit wary of this one. I have played most "modern" 2D Marios but I don't think I have finished one (Maybe NSMB2?) because, as good as they are technically, they're missing that je-ne-se-pas-quoi that the 3D Marios
do have. Most modern 2D Marios are extremely "by the book" platformers; technically brilliant, but lacking that dash of genius that makes a game great.
Not this one. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a blast from beginning to end, and more than that, it has the unique spark of 3D games like Odyssey or Bowser's Fury. It might not be the longest game, or the hardest one - even the Champion's Road is comparatively easy compared to prior games'- . It fails in some specific things, like the disappointing bosses. But the Wonder Flowers make each level a surprisingly unique experience that leaves you wanting to continue until the end. And that's something very few games can do.
My Score: 
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48. Marvel Spider-man 2
23h-ish. 95% of the game. I don't know what I'm missing nor do I care.
It was... OK I guess? I don't have a lot to say about this. The graphics were great (except for the characters' faces... MJ is going to be in my nightmares for years), the setpieces were brutally awesome, the gameplay is as flawless as the first one's, Peter's sections were OK,
exaggerated swagger Miles' sections were a bit boring with all the "BARRIO!" stuff...
At the end, I was left me with the feeling of having played a thorougly cookie-cutter game, made to check boxes (And I'm not talking about the woke stuff, I'm talking about the game itself). Super pretty, super shiny, actually plays super well... but leaves you unsatisfied. Kinda like a Marvel movie?
My Score: ★★★★☆
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49. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
26:04. Basically beat all content including Amon. Normal difficulty.
Ok, this was a pleasant surprise. As one of the biggest Yakuza fans I know, I was super wary of this one, because it felt like a cash grab or a desperate try to get more eggs out of RGG's Golden Goose, Kiryu. And the first hour or so basically confirmed my fears. I've been saying that Kiryu looks more miserable with each game, to the point that in Yakuza 6 he seemed on the verge of tears/rage basically all the time. And here Kiryu is even darker. He's uncharacteristically blasé, almost (but not quite) cheerful, about having to cave faces in, and he's in a permanent "I'm too old for this shit" mode. But then you realize, he IS old. And he's been living like shit for the last few years. And he can't see any of his loved ones. It's understandable he's not the same stoic-but-goofy self he used to be 10 years ago.
Fortunately, Kiryu gets closer to his usual self during the game, and the ending is the perfect coda to the Kiryu saga. I'll say, being absolutely sincere, that a certain scene (yeah, that one) brought me to the verge of tears.
Technically? Well the game is great, as always. The Dragon Engine continues being a beast, the fighting is the most fun it's been in years thanks to the inherent goofiness of the Agent style, and there are a few substories and "errands", though this time they're less creative and more of the "Fetch quest" variety. Oh well.
SteamDeck: Works great in medium specs and 40hz.
My Score: ★★★★★
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