Hollow Knight is incredibly frustrating and hair-pulling, yet it's also one of the most fun and substantial metroidvania I've ever played. The game mechanics are incredible, and feel very cohesive. Every level was challenging. I struggled a lot during boss fights. I got lost touring the game. But I loved every moment of it, even if sometimes I rage-quit.

Hollownest itself is nothing short of spectacular and captivating, but the sound design makes this game even more marvelous. I absolutely enjoyed the world-building, and had the satisfaction of exploring a game shrouded in mystery. And if that wasn't enough, I'll say it again: the visuals were terrific.

This game is very polished and arguably sets the bar pretty high. Frankly, I'm excited for what's next.

Sackboy is a well-thought out platformer game with adorable visuals. The cute style choice is just the cherry on top. Every layer and element in this game is beautiful, and the well-placed depth of field just makes the game even more mesmerizing. It's easy to tell how much time and effort was spent in polishing the whole experience. I knew it was a good game, and still it blew my expectations away. My better half and I had so much fun.

The movement feels satisfying but not over the top. The levels are challenging but not frustrating or confusing. The player camera is well-designed, and we had no trouble playing on a split screen unlike a lot of games. There's a lot of skins available right off the bat, and it makes the experience more enjoyable in subtle ways. I take pleasure in knowing that the game didn't cut any corners.

My only complaint is that it launches Epic Games - which is pure garbage - as it got stuck trying to "initialize" (ergo install) the game. We somehow got past this step, so I'm less frantic about it.