List of Games You've Beaten 2023

[Signalstar]

Just Finished: The World Ends With You Final Remix (Switch)

This is my attempt to try more JRPGs and expand beyond Kingdom Hearts (and Pokemon). It helps that TWEWY is similar to Kingdom Hearts in many respects and Nomura's work on it is clearly evident. Heck characters from this game even appeared in the last KH game I played. I played completely in handheld mode which meant using only the touchscreen to control everything. For the most part it works well but the game can confuse touch inputs and it seems convoluted to have movement controlled by the same touch input as well. The combat is mostly satisfying and thankfully there aren't any random encounters. The game has manygreat features that I would welcome in other JRPGS  or games in general such as autosave, giving you experience points for time not spent playing, and the ability to swap difficulty levels easily and without consequence. Tying your stats to fashion customization is a strange and not engaging mechanic. The story is strange and melodramatic. The main character Neku is almost unbearably emo. The crisp HD 2D hand drawn graphics are a delight. I think it would have been hard for me to play the original DS version. As someone still not accustomed to long JRPGs the game's lengths was right about the sweetspot for me. The game world is a loving recreation of Shibuya. I used to live in Tokyo and spent quite a bit of time in Shibuya so I felt strong nostalgia for that neighborhood while playing. I would consider playing the sequel some day but I have my doubts that the game will be as charming in 3D. THE MUSIC IS FIRE!!!!!

Score: 7/10

Full Completed 2023 List:

• Super Mario World (NSO)
• Star Fox (NSO)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5)
• Donkey Kong Country (NSO)
• The Legend of Zelda (NSO)
• Gran Turismo 7 (PS5)
• Grand Theft Auto V (PS5)
• The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition (PS5)
•  Bioshock Infinite: Complete Edition (PS4)
• The World Ends With You Final Remix (Switch)