After 75+ hours and reaching Hunter Rank 100, I think I’m finally ready to review this game.

I’ve played quite a few Monster Hunter games over the years, but the one I’ve spent the most time with is Monster Hunter World and Wilds is pretty much an improvement in every way.

Let’s get this out of the way first, the story is nothing special. In fact, at times, it was just frustrating. I wanted to hunt epic monsters, not be locked into following Alma until she decided to let me actually play the game.

Now, onto the combat, which is where Wilds truly shines. It’s a massive upgrade from World, every impact of your weapon feels heavier and more satisfying, and the new Focus Mode makes fights even more engaging. Wounding a monster and then zoning in on that wound is incredibly satisfying, adding a layer of strategy that makes every hunt feel even more rewarding.

The monster designs in this game are on another level. World already had some fantastic creatures, but some of the new designs in Wilds completely blew my mind. From how they move and react to the environment to the insane physics and effects, every fight feels cinematic and dynamic.

The environments are equally impressive. Each location feels unique and alive, and some of the fauna-rich areas during storms at night, Absolute vibe. The world just feels more immersive than ever before.

That said, performance issues need to be mentioned. I was able to brute force my way through with my system, so my experience was mostly flawless, but the game definitely needs optimization. For how it looks, it should not be running this poorly. If you’re on a lower-end system, I’d suggest waiting for patches before diving in.

But despite that, I had an absolute blast, and I can’t wait to jump back in when the Title Updates start rolling out. If you loved Monster Hunter World, this is an easy recommendation.

I really wish Steam allowed for a "Mixed" review option because that’s exactly how I feel about Metaphor: ReFantazio. I wanted to love this game so much, but I ended up with mixed feelings.

Let’s start with the positives, the turn-based combat is fantastic, and the boss designs are genuinely impressive. Battles are engaging and strategic, which is definitely one of the game’s strong points.

However, the pacing of the story dragged me down. Just like with the Persona games, I found this game way too long for its own good. It’s not that I dislike lengthy JRPGs, I’ve put hundreds of hours into others without issue, but there’s something about how this game tells its story that just loses me. I get disinterested, and it makes sticking with it a chore.

The visuals are also a mixed bag. Some of the art is beautiful, but overall, it feels dated, like I’m playing a polished PS3 game. I really wish the developers would modernize their rendering pipeline to incorporate more up-to-date techniques.

The soundtrack? It’s... fine. At first, the battle music is a banger, but after hearing it a hundred times, it loses its charm. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by FFVII Remake/Rebirth’s dynamic approach to music, which keeps things fresh and impactful even after long hours of gameplay.

I’m genuinely torn. There’s a great game here, but it’s bogged down by elements that just don’t click for me. If you’re a fan of Atlus-style storytelling and don’t mind the length, you’ll probably love this. For me, though, it’s an experience I appreciate but didn’t fully enjoy.