A timeless classic that still holds up well in 2024. Master Collection version is OK - perfectly playable without issue, but port itself is barebones with no QOL features.

[Based on first hour] The cyberpunk grungy atmosphere is aesthetically pleasing. Full voice acting is very nice although voice direction seems a little off. Lots of text - slow burn.

[Based on first hour] Beautiful, lifelike clay presentation. Story seems to be mellow and takes a while to get going.

Short and sweet tale of a mother/daughter relationship with environmental storytelling in the vein of Gone Home/Tacoma. A mellow story with no huge drama beats, but invites quiet introspection.

[PS5 version] Fantastic follow-up to Aloy's journey with some great memorable side quests, although open world is quite static and could use some innovation.

[Based on first hour] Historical setting can be a little difficult to follow w/o context, but emotion manipulation magic seems like it could lead to interesting story moments.

Gameplay is clearly the main focus, but the worldbuilding and narrative are nice companion pieces to it.

Fantastically witty dialogue with outstanding voice acting. Will be very relatable to people of specific backgrounds (ie. of South Asian descent/immigrants/POC/queer folk).

Narrative is not the main focus and survival/crafting becomes busywork, but the driving is atmospheric and immersive.

A murder mystery intertwined with fun, colourful characters. Puzzles can be a little obtuse, but overall a great time.