Slowly updating this list with mini-reviews. Games labeled "masterpiece" are extremely tightly designed, but aren't necessarily my favorite games ever. Likewise they might not be perfect, but as long as they nearly flawlessly execute what their creators were intending, they are masterpieces in my eyes.
Masterpiece - Breath of the Wild is easily my favorite game of all time. I 100% completed it on Master Mode (yes I'm bragging) and I enjoyed the entire experience. Open world games will never be the same again. As a long-term Zelda fan since I was a kid, I am very satisfied with what Breath of the Wild did for the series and I can only hope that its sequel adequately compares to its predecessor.
Masterpiece - Despite having the least amount of content of any Monster Hunter game, Monster Hunter Tri is truly a masterclass in atmosphere and doing a lot with a little. Every monster is an event, and the entire experience is magical.
Masterpiece - The game that made me who I am today. Twilight Princess made my childhood, and so I'm almost certainly giving it way more credit than it's due. I love this game to death and almost nothing will ever change that; it means too much to me personally.
Masterpiece
Masterpiece - It's Ocarina of Time, what can I say that hasn't been said?
Masterpiece - Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne is truly amazing. Very rarely have I ever played a game and been so thoroughly enthralled during the *entire* experience. Fantastic combat, oppressively isolating atmosphere, it even beats the masters like Super Metroid in atmosphere. Nocturne is a must-play for anyone who loves subversive, weird games that aren't afraid to kick you in the balls.
Masterpiece..?
Masterpiece
Masterpiece..?
Masterpiece
Masterpiece
Unfinished - tentative rating
Near masterpiece, if this game received a sequel or significantly more polish it could have been amazing. Instead the glitches and jank hold it down, and this is coming from someone who often finds charm in janky games.
Easily the worst Monster Hunter game to me, Monster Hunter Generations boils MH down to just combat, and in my opinion completely misunderstands the appeal of Monster Hunter. While it is very fun to revisit Kokoto, Pokke, and Yukumo, it's flashy combat and over-the-top aesthetic is just not nearly as enjoyable to me personally. While it's exansion, Generations Ultimate, improved the game immensely, it still misses the point of MH to me.
The claustrophobic atmosphere in this game puts it above the fan-favorite Arkham City for me, and while I think a lot of this series is lacking in certain ways, the tone often carries it extremely well.
