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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hfwTMlP1lVFj8_XP_8NYcPrWdY7aHHZfNFiDmUcKxQk/edit?usp=sharing

Godot
L

Garrus
Geralt

I think I can sort of explain. When you first boot up Chrono trigger, it doesn't feel like anything special

But by the time you're 8 hours in, you realize it hasn't missed a single beat, and it keeps not missing a beat for the entire rest of the game. That is an absolute rarity in narrative rpgs. No boring, awkward or cringey sections, and it doesn't promise anything it can't deliver

my theory is that it is good, but it also has no reason to have anti-voters

Yeah, Chrono Trigger looked pretty well in control, even in some of the closer matches. Personally, I think it's a well-deserving winner. Truly one of the best during the golden age of JRPGs

Also the delayed morph ball was the most brilliant idea ever

Oh yeah I forgot to mention that, this has to be the latest that we've ever gotten the Morph Ball right? In 2D games at least. I kept waiting for it to pop up, but it was a wise move to hold it back for so long.

You uh, sound like you didn't actually beat the game, for the record. The Hollow Knight is not the last boss.

And that's without even getting into the DLC adding other new endings.

1. HK has the best exploration of any Metroidvania I've played. Whereas most games in the genre encourage you to "beat" an area then return later for bonuses/powerups, HK sends you through areas you're not equipped to explore (the jellyfish section) or not equipped to complete (City of Tears) and creates this "setup/payoff" style of exploration. I love it.
2. I did encounter pacing issues because of not having the slightest hint where the next necessary powerup might be. There were times I went 2+ hours trying to find something hidden in an obscure section of the map that I overlooked. That said, when I did finally discover where I needed to go, it was intensely rewarding.
3. I'm amazed that a Metroidvania map of this size never felt bloated or like it was trying too hard. I beat the game (and some side content) in 27 hours. That's double the length of most long Metroidvanias, yet HK never felt like a slog. Impressive.
4. That said, more Stag Stations/warp points would've been nice.
5. I'm not a fan of sticking save points 1-2 minutes away from a boss. I hate this game design choice in Soulsborne games and I hate it here too. At least the one-way teleport spell takes the sting out of it.
6. The Final Boss was a massive disappointment. I beat the Traitor Lord prior to attempting The Hollow Knight and found Traitor Lord to be a more intense, exciting battle. The Hollow Knight by comparison felt like a cakewalk remix of that fight.
7. Ending was grim and cool with the knight sacrificing himself to protect/preserve the world of Hollownest (or at least that's how I interpreted it). The lore in this game is fantastic, and simple hubs like Dirtmouth and City of Tears contribute so much to the worldbuilding and atmosphere that it's mind-boggling.
8. Greenpath has S-Tier music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWquuWkHVP4

Yoshi

It's the best version of Bowser's Castle, at least.

Rosalina
Scout
Garrus Vakarian
Franziska von Karma