u/Any-Confection7911

It took an absurd amount of time. During all those endless laps around the bridge, I managed to listen to an entire audiobook and watch around 25 episodes of Dragon Ball. (The audiobook was actually great — The Treasure Hunt by Andrea Camilleri. Highly recommended for detective fans.)

At one point I genuinely started thinking I was stuck in Limbo and that this grind would never end.

I hate achievements like this. And I hate DLCs filled with lazy, unimaginative achievements even more. The base game is an absolute masterpiece, but the DLCs… that’s another story. When I started the first one, I had no idea what kind of suffering I was signing up for. And ahead of me still waits a thousand kills and a million points. And that’s without even mentioning the third game.

I should probably take a break from all the mafia business and get lost in something completely different for a while.

I absolutely love soulslikes, and I also watch anime quite often, so I had high expectations for this game. In the end, I’m completely satisfied.

The graphics aren’t for everyone, but I personally found them beautiful. The locations are diverse and feel alive. There are plenty of shortcuts and interesting level geometry. You can definitely see which series inspired the developers. That deep swamp pit is a good example.

The story is fairly standard, but it still hooked me. There were moments when I genuinely felt sad and sympathized with the characters. Eva is a great example. I also liked how the characters’ pasts are presented. You collect memory fragments across different locations and piece them together in the hub, diving into those memories.

The main highlight: bosses. They’re very well designed and integrated into the story. The formula is familiar, but it feels naturally woven into the world’s lore. Most boss designs are fantastic, as are the enemies. Although, in my opinion, the regular enemies could have had a bit more variety. Still, there’s enough to keep things from getting boring.

The combat system is well developed. Every weapon and every Blood Veil feels different. Because of that, you actually want to explore locations and complete side quests, not just for 100%. Ichor also adds variety to the gameplay, which is another big plus.

In the end, it’s a great game with fairly standard achievements. But that didn’t stop me from getting a huge amount of enjoyment from completing them.

The “South Park” series is basically “finished” for me. Why? Because even though there’s a third installment, it just doesn’t feel the same anymore. I get that games need to evolve, but not by jumping from that classic style into full 3D.

As a fan, it was incredible to dive into something that felt like the actual show. The same style, the same signature humor, the same familiar characters. I felt like I was part of it. In the third game, I just didn’t get that feeling.

As for 100% completion, I’ve never seen trophies this funny anywhere else. Everything in the game works toward its atmosphere, making sure the smile never leaves your face. Achievements included.

Exploring the familiar town is genuinely enjoyable. Collectibles are easy to gather and actually fun to hunt down. Even the difficulty levels are humorously implemented in both games, which makes playing on hard surprisingly enjoyable. Though overall, the series isn’t very difficult.

These are light, fun experiences that stick with you for a long time after completing them. If you love the show and just want to relax, this is absolutely for you.

An unparalleled series that captivated me from the very first minutes. I played through all the games in one breath, and at the end I found myself asking, “Is that all?”

Despite the combat system and graphics, the first installment was the most atmospheric and the most “book-like” for me (at that time I had only read three books from the saga). Its quests kept putting a smile on my face throughout the entire game. It’s just a shame there are no achievements here. I hope the developers fix that in the remake.

The second installment felt like the weakest to me. At the same time, it’s the most mature, if you can call it that. Political intrigue, tough choices between sides in a conflict with no lesser evil to pick. By that point I had almost finished the books, so the romance with Triss felt twice as unpleasant. Overall, it’s still a very good game, just slightly behind its brothers. And the “Madman” achievement made me sweat a bit. I hate nekker enemies and adore Quen.

The third game truly went all out. Dozens of activities, hundreds of engaging quests, Gwent. A compelling story that concludes the tale of the White Wolf. No wonder it won Game of the Year. The achievements are interesting without being exhausting. I love getting 100% like that. And how much all our friends have changed for the better. Triss became more charming and attractive. Still, no matter how much she changed, after reading the books the choice is obvious. For those who choose Triss, why? I’m curious to hear your arguments.

An incredible almost 600 hours that, as it turns out, won’t let me go for a long time.