I have a strange relationship with the Paper Mario series. The first two entries in the series, the ones that stray more closely to the typical RPG formula are some of my favorite games ever. Then comes a series of not so great titles. Some swear by Super Paper Mario, but it just wasn’t my thing, then follow-ups like Sticker Star and Color Splash seemed to miss the mark altogether. I have good news for any existing fans who were feeling cautiously optimistic about Paper Mario’s latest outing. While not a return to form, it’s an excellent game, and possibly most interestingly, I don’t think I’ve ever played anything quite like this.
Review: The Last of Us Part II
Violence in games tends to be easier to justify than violence in films. If the protagonist of a summer blockbuster set in the post-apocalypse murdered thirty men in cold blood only to hesitate to take out a single character a room over we would all collectively roll our eyes, but when Nathan Drake does it we’re forced to contend with the puckish rogue being a mass murder between cut scenes. If not, gameplay could get pretty boring.