Ranking Puyo Puyo Games

Puyo Puyo is not a series I talk about too much, but I've been rediscovering the series a bit later and wanted to make a post about my thoughts on the series. While not my favorite arcade puzzle game, Puyo Puyo is always a great time and probably stands as the best competitive arcade puzzler for how much depth it has and how fast-paced and cutthroat it can be. But even beyond the mechanics, Puyo stands out for being more story-driven and character-focused than your average arcade puzzler, boasting multiple stellar casts across both Compile's and Sega's runs with the series. Its fusion of gameplay and story is what helps the series stand out among the genre to this day.

I also have to say Puyo Puyo is a very consistent series in terms of quality, even the weaker games have a lot to love, so ranking the mainline games is a little tricky. Also this is an updated post including Box and Chronicle since I got the opportunity to play them recently.

17. Puyo Puyo (MSX): The very first Puyo Puyo game was released for MSX and the Famicom only, and it's not very good. Frankly, it's the only mainline Puyo game that I'd straight up call bad since it came out before Puyo Puyo found its identity as a character-focused VS arcade puzzler. It's exclusively endless, the only character is Arle and even then you barely see her, there's no VS or multiplayer, and there's no story, which makes for a really sterile, dull, and content-lacking package especially by today's standards. But even back then, this came out after Dr Mario and GB Tetris so I can't even say it was good for the time.

16. Puyo Puyo: The original Puyo Puyo game is pretty good. Obviously, it's a groundbreaking title in terms of competitive arcade puzzling, but I don't find it easy to go back too since offsetting isn't a thing yet. The console ports are also all seriously lacking for single-player content, a common issue in Compile's games that marginally improves over time, only containing a single campaign and an endless mode. Unlike the MSX game, this is definitely a game that was good for its time but hasn't exactly held up the best. I just see no reason to play it over anything else.

15. Minna De Puyo Puyo: Also known as Puyo Pop for the GBA, this was Sega's first entry in the series and it's quite awkward. It feels like a fusion between Compile and Sega's stylings in a package that ultimately just feels like a remake of Tsuu. That's not a bad thing, of course, Tsuu is one of the best Puyo games, but the weaker audio and presentation leaves Puyo Pop feeling pretty disposable. I do like how snarky Arle is in this game though, even by Compile Arle standards.

14. Puyo Puyo Box: Puyo Puyo Box is Compile's true final Puyo game, and it's really strange. It's a bizarre compilation of the Mega Drive versions of Puyo 1 and Puyo Tsuu, complete with a lot of random extras that pay homage to all of the first four games. You can battle with any rule from OG Puyo to Yon of all things. There's a solid endurance mode that pits you against every single Compile character, a strange PocketStation mode, and even a full-fledged RPG mode. However, there are some monkey paws here. While Puyo 1 was always the best on the Mega Drive, Puyo Tsuu on the Mega Drive is lacking some modes and features some of the later versions had so Tsuu feels pretty barebones here. And while the RPG Mode is cool in theory, the execution suffers from an obnoxiously high encounter rate and the bizarre decision to tie basic features like offsetting to specific pieces of equipment (and it doesn't help that this game has yet to see a translation). Puyo Puyo Box as a whole is a cute enough package and a nice tribute to Compile's history with the series, but it's not exactly my preferred way to play any of the Compile games.

13. Puyo Puyo Champions: Puyo Puyo Champions was a fairly cheap entry released in 2018 to accomodate for the competitive scene a bit more. It's got a fleshed-out multiplayer mode with no unlocks required, the best tutorial mode in the series since 15th (though it was added in a post-release update), and that's pretty much it. There's no story mode and not much in the way of singleplayer content aside from an achievements system which does hold it back for me personally, someone who tends to value the single-player in these games. And while the roster is decent, the abundance of Quest characters and lack of Fever characters also holds it back for me more than it probably should. That being said, as a purely competitive-focused outing, Champions does its job and does it well. It's probably my go-to game if I want to hop in and play a quick match, but all the other games just have more to offer beyond that.

12. Puyo Puyo 7: Puyo Puyo 7 is a strange game. This was Sega's second soft reboot of the series that aimed to introduce a new setting in Suzuran, but it wasn't quite as much of a success as Fever was. I like Ringo, but Suzuran's cast of characters is much smaller than that of Primp's stellar cast and as such feels a lot more underdeveloped. It also doesn't help that Fever's story is currently still unresolved, probably because of this game which replaced it with a far less interesting storyline. The new Transformation rule is also pretty unbalanced, basically being an inferior version of Fever that prolongs matches thanks to its overly long timer. It's not a bad game though. I like the unique new artstyle, it brings back Draco finally, it's the first Sega game to introduce a more fleshed-out Story Mode structure that the Tetris games would build on, Ecolo is pretty cool, the soundtrack is once again fantastic, and at the very least, you're not forced to always use Transformation like with prior games. This is a fine entry in the series, just pretty awkward overall compared to the two games it's sandwiched between.

11. Puyo Puyo Chronicle: Puyo Puyo Chronicle is the game I've played the least of so far since the fact that it's a Japan-only 3DS game means it's pretty inaccessible and hard to get running on my computer especially well. But from what I did play, it's solid, but like many of the weaker Sega Puyo games, it feels a bit undercooked. Chronicle is defined by being the first Puyo-adjacent game since Box to have a full-fledged RPG mode, and guess what, it's slightly better! The Skill Battle system is far better and more suited to an RPG than Puyo Box's bizarre equipment system, and the overworld navigation is a bit more involved. It can still be a bit repetitive, but I'd say it does the job. However, from a story perspective, I was expecting a bit more. In this era of Puyo, an RPG mode could've done so much to flesh out the pre-established characters and world with its extra runtime, but Chronicle just tosses everyone into a generic fantasy world and lacks much of the snappy character banter that defines the series.

Beyond that, Chronicle does offer a pretty solid Sega era Puyo game outside of the RPG Mode, boasting a really solid cast of characters, 17 rulesets, and a solid amount of side stuff like achievements, online play, and a shop. Granted, a lot of this stuff are things you can get in other games like 20th or Tetris 2, but it still makes for a really complete package for the 3DS. It also helps that I think the presentation is really charming too. Chronicle is entirely rendered in 3D this time which is a first for the series, and while it doesn't look as sharp as the games with 2D art, the character models and expressions are genuinely adorable. The pastel color palette and patchwork menu design gives the whole game this really comfy feel to it that I quite like, and there's even some full-on cutscenes for the campaign which just rules. I do wish I liked Chronicle more because there is potentially a really cool entry in the series here, but it's buried behind a few missed opportunities with its campaign.

10. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2: In a lot of ways, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is an improvement over the original. The Adventure Mode is a bit more involved, with side stories, optional chapters, a proper world map with nonlinear progression, RPG mechanics, and a story with a proper villain. The cast of characters is also far better especially post DLC, with it currently being the largest roster in a Puyo game. Lidelle, Serilly, Ocean Prince, Accord, Harpy, Possessed Klug, Sonic the freaking Hedgehog, so many great characters that weren't in the first game. On top of that, there's also a slicker visual style with flashier spells, more robust online, a new Skill Battle Mode that's more developed than I was expecting going in, a better tutorial mode, and the game feels less biased solely towards Tetris fans. If you prefer Tetris 2 over the original, I totally see why, it's a richer game in terms of what it offers.

However, it's hard to ignore just how much Tetris 2 rips from prior games, even compared to the other direct sequels in the series. The menu is nearly identical to that of Tetris 1, the player card and tutorial modes are nearly identical to the ones in Champions, the first two chapters of the Adventure Mode feel like blatant reintroductions to all the characters, and even the Skill Battle Mode is from Chronicle! Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 has nothing that it can call its own, and it has nothing to offer to people who own the first game unless they just so happen to be diehard Puyo fans already. And that's also not to mention the stuff that I think the first game did better, like gameplay speed, music, comedy, and the Adventure Mode's pacing. Tetris 2 is undeniably a great game, but it just lacks the same magic and novelty as the original for me.

9. Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop: Puzzle Pop should've been a homerun of a game because it does a lot right. It has arguably the best adventure mode of the bunch mechanically combining the level-based structure of the Tetris games with the multiple character stories of the Anniversary games and the item system of Fever 2. While it's not especially funny and some of the side stories fall a bit flat, I also appreciate that Puzzle Pop is the first game since 15th to actually shine a light on the Fever cast, it's been long enough. This game also has an absurd amount of side content too, from a ton of rulesets, to achievements, to a solid tutorial mode, to a scenario creator. If you said Puzzle Pop was your favorite, I totally get it. However, there's just a lot of little things I'm not huge on. The 3D artstyle, reminiscent of Chronicle, doesn't really do it for me. I also don't love the fact that you have to slowly unlock all the characters by beating their story modes, a process that takes quite a while. And of course, this is an Apple exclusive game which means you either have to use touch controls or forced full-screen on your computer, neither of which is ideal for me. If Puzzle Pop got a proper console release, I think it could jump up a few places, but as it is now, there are other games that are just easier for me to play.

8. Puyo Puyo 15th Anniversary: Puyo Puyo 15th Anniversary is Sega's first anniversary game, and as such, it's probably their biggest package to date in terms of pure content. With a whopping 22 campaigns, a whole bunch of rulesets you can unlock, and an impressive 300 lessons to help new players get adjusted to Puyo gameplay, there's a lot to dig into here. I also quite like the tournament arc premise for the Story Mode as it helps give this entry its own identity even despite it being an anniversary game, coupled with the fact that this is the first game to properly fuse the Compile and Fever casts. That being said, 15th does feel a bit harder to go back to now that 20th is a thing. Characters like Draco and Witch still haven't been reintroduced yet, and I'm not fond of having to slowly unlock all of the rulesets when later entries give you all of them right out of the box. At the time, 15th Anniversary was definitely the biggest Puyo game to date, but that crown has been stolen since.

7. Puyo Puyo Sun: In terms of its presentation, Puyo Puyo Sun is a big step up over the previous games. Sun takes its tropical premise and runs all the way with it, boasting a lovely and bright summer-themed aesthetic, and easily the series' cheeriest soundtrack. The story mode was expanded upon by giving Arle, Draco, and Schezo their own campaigns, and the gameplay is faster and snappier than ever before. I appreciate the Puyo games that are able to have their own unique identity, and Sun is a great example of that. Unfortunately, it's held back by the fact that I just don't like the Sun rule all that much. More than any of the other game-exclusive gimmicks, the Suns overcomplicate the gameplay too much for my tastes, and can easily skew the game towards a player depending on how many Sun Puyos they have. It's not the worst thing in the world and I can certainly put up with them to enjoy Sun for all of its good elements, but it does prevent it from being one of my personal favorite Puyo games.

6. Puyo Puyo Fever: Puyo Puyo Fever is a game that I will always have a soft-spot for. After GBA Puyo Pop's weak showing, this was the game where Sega really gave the series a new identity. I adore the poppy artstyle that Fever established, it's very 2000s and it warms my heart that Sega is still using it to this day. I adore Primp Town and its eclectic cast of characters, it's got such a comfy atmosphere and easily stands as my favorite location in the series. I adore the Fever rule, it strikes a great balance between being chaotic and arcade-y while still requiring a lot of skill to use it well. And I especially adore Fever 1's soundtrack, it's still probably Hideki Abe's best work in my eyes. The only reason why Fever 1 isn't higher up on the list is the fact that it is pretty light on content and is overshadowed by a lot of the later entries, including its own sequel, but rest assured, I still love this game to death. It did a fantastic job at laying the groundwork for the rest of the series.

5. Puyo Puyo~n: You read that right, I actually put Yon in my Top 5. To get the obvious out of the way, this is easily the worst competitive game in the series, being much slower and far more gimmicky. However, as a single-player experience, I think this is probably Compile's best offering. It's their first Puyo game to have a proper Free Battle mode, the Story Mode is longer and always you to save after each battle, there's a full-on Nazo mode, and the additions of alternate arenas and character-specific super attacks adds a nice dose of variety. It may be woefully unbalanced in a more competitive setting for now, but Yon's experimentation did pave the way for stuff like the Fever mode or the alternate rulesets in later games. If Yon simply moved a bit faster, I'd easily call it a top tier entry but even as it is now, it's a really fun time in its own unique way.

But of course, the real highlight of Yon is the entire presentation. Just all of it. The more painterly artstyle looks absolutely gorgeous, and I adore the darker fantastic aesthetic and more mature character designs. The prerendered backgrounds also really stand out for their dramatic and ethereal lighting, the whole game is just an absolute feast to the eyes. The soundtrack is also easily my favorite out of the Compile games, boasting a melancholic and dreamy feel that still feels very Puyo-y. And of course, the slightly darker story is one of the series' best as well. Puyo has always had a bit of a split between its gameplay and story sides, and Yon is probably the series at its most story-focused. While I wish it put a bit more effort into its gameplay, I think the strong presentation and story is still enough to make it a personal favorite of mine.

4. Puyo Puyo Tetris: Like with many people, Puyo Puyo Tetris was the game that got me into Puyo Puyo. It's such a brilliant concept that was also the perfect title to bring to the west after years and years of JP-only entries. Hook people in with the Tetris side and use the story mode to introduce newcomers to the entire Puyo cast and lore, it's great. If you want to just play Puyo or just play Tetris, or if you want to mess around with the Fusion modes, this is a great package with a lot of content and it's still generally faster and snappier than its sequel. The campaign is also easily the funniest in the entire series thanks to a uniquely manic localization and stellar vocal performances, though it still manages to hit some serious emotional highs in its final act as well. The one notable gripe I have with Tetris 1 is that, of course, it is biased more towards Tetris players. Tetris is more blatantly overpowered here, and several Puyo mainstays were cut so the new Tetris characters could join the roster. That is absolutely something the sequel handles a bit better. But despite that, I still love Tetris 1 to death for its creative premise and how effectively it introduced me to the Puyo series.

3. Puyo Puyo Tsuu: Puyo Puyo Tsuu is the game that perfected the Puyo formula with the introduction of offsetting, along with generally smoother gameplay, and it's still probably my favorite Compile era entry to go back to just because of how well-balanced it is. The character interactions are a joy, the music is infectiously catchy, there's multiple rulesets, and the campaign is a lot more involved with its tower structure and the addition of XP. I would complain once again about Tsuu lacking content for single-player, but the Super Remix version adds in multiple campaigns just to sweeten the deal. An absolute classic that still holds up to this day, there's a reason every Puyo game since 15th has made a point of allowing you to use the Tsu rule.

2. Puyo Puyo 20th Anniversary: It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that this is so high up, Puyo Puyo 20th Anniversary has pretty much everything you could want from a Puyo Puyo game. A massive story mode with 26 campaigns, one of the best character rosters in the series, a whopping 20 rulesets including the grand return of the Puyo Sun rule, a fun 2v2 mode exclusive to this game, a cleaner artstyle, and a stellar collection of music tracks both old and new. If I had any gripe it's that the story isn't particularly stellar, coming off as more of a sequel to 7 rather than something that actually takes advantage of the anniversary premise like 15th's story did, but that's really it. And even then, 20th's story does a lot to redeem PP7's story, particularly in how it makes Ecolo a far more interesting character. Otherwise, Puyo Puyo 20th Anniversary is still the ultimate Puyo Puyo package that brings together all the best elements of all of Sega's prior entries, and I don't see its sheer scale being topped any time soon.

1. Puyo Puyo Fever 2: Puyo Puyo Fever 2 is such a gargantuan improvement and refinement of the first Fever, it's hard to even know where to begin. The character roster has been vastly expanded on with great new characters like Sig, Feli, and Lemres. The gameplay feels a lot tighter and faster than in Fever 2, and the artstyle has been further refined to great result. The Story Mode was made much more involved with three character campaigns, a proper item system, and bigger lore bombs like the reveal of the Ocean Prince's true form and the debut of Possessed Klug. The Endless mode has more to offer with the introduction of a Tower mode like in the Compile games, and there's a ton of unlockable stuff ranging from minigames, to lore books, to music tracks, to charming Puyo-themed movie posters. But most of all, the world-building of Primp Town has been amped up to eleven. Being able to explore the town through the menu, interacting with the various characters and getting to know them more, does so much to help Primp Town feel like a living, breathing place. Add in those aforementioned lore books and the mail system and yeah, it's no wonder this is the Puyo cast I have the most attachment to. On a gameplay standpoint, Fever 2 is great, but you can make the argument that the anniversary games often have more content, customization, and competitive viability. But the way Fever 2 expands on the cast and fleshes out its world is what makes it truly special in my eyes.

Brave Fencer Musashi

Squaresoft's Brave Fencer Musashi starts with one of the hardest openings I've ever seen in a game. It's a roughly half-hour-long action sequence that introduces you to all the game's mechanics in spectacular fashion, packing in platforming, combat, puzzle-solving, a manic chase sequence down the side of a tower, and a town-destroying three-phase boss fight where you throw a giant mech 10 times your size through walls and off a cliff, all the while a triumphant and orchestral score plays punctuating your every action. It's truly incredible. If the whole game was like this opening, Brave Fencer Musashi would probably be one of my favorite games of all time.

Unfortunately, Brave Fencer Musashi isn't entirely like that opening. It's still a great game, but it's a lot messier once you actually get exposed to its central gameplay loop. Brave Fencer Musashi is a lighthearted action RPG about the adventures of a chibi version of the titular samurai. The plot is simple, all you really have to go off is that you need to save Princess Fillet, rescue the castle staff, and collect all five scrolls while keeping them out of the hands of the enemy force. So what really gives BFM its charm are the wacky scenarios you get yourself into, along with Musashi's snarky dialogue with the other characters. From a vampire invasion, to giant ant infestations, to multiple steam-related mishaps, to a straight-up dance battle near the end of the game, Brave Fencer Musashi is filled with memorable moments and sequences that just add to the game's fun and goofy tone.

The core movement and combat is generally pretty solid too, though a bit rough around the edges. Musashi moves fast and platforming mostly feels reliable, though Musashi tends to skid a bit upon hitting the ground which can make it easy to accidentally slip off platforms right after landing on them. This is more of an issue in the first half of the game though since you eventually get a double jump that fixes this issue. The combat system gives you a solid amount of combos with Musashi's two weapons, Fusion and Lumina. Fusion is shorter and weaker but attacks faster, and Lumina is longer and more powerful but attacks slower. You can also pick up and toss enemies around, use a variety of magic spells with Lumina, and toss Fusion right at enemies to flat-out steal their powers giving you a ton of options on how to tackle enemy encounters. If I had any gripes with the combat system, it's that your sword range can be a bit stubby and your jump attack with Lumina is absurdly overpowered, but for the most part, it's an incredibly fun and versatile battle system.

However, the combat in BFM is also the first sign of the sheer system overload this game has. As I mentioned, there's a mechanic where you can steal the abilities of almost every enemy in the game which is really cool in theory, but a bit mixed in execution. You can only hold one ability at a time and need to read a tutorial box every time you get a new one (or reclaim an old one), and since the game doesn't always force you to make use of enemy abilities, I often don't even bother. Brave Fencer Musashi also tries to squeeze in life sim elements to mixed results. The game revolves around a real-time day/night cycle where some events will only occur at certain times, once again a cool concept in theory, but in execution it leads to a lot of downtime. You can fall asleep to speed up the timer, but I still spent a lot of time waiting for shops to open or Minkus to appear. I'd say the day/night cycle is best utilized in the main story when the game occasionally gives you a timed sequence, but most of the time, it feels like a hinderance. There's also a very irritating fatigue system where Musashi will get more and more tired over time and lose BP, which can get quite intrusive in dungeons and especially boss fights. Eventually, you can get a quilt that lets you sleep off all your fatigue with no risk pretty much negating the entire system, and guess what? The game is more fun that way!

Brave Fencer Musashi's roughly ten-hour length is mostly split between exploring the town and the areas surrounding it, and linear action stages. The linear action stages are by far the better half of the game. From solving your way through various temples, to platforming across mine shafts, to fighting some of the craziest boss fights on the PS1, to playing a variety of silly minigames, Brave Fencer Musashi is an absolute blast when it focuses purely on action. As a matter of fact, I'd argue that Brave Fencer Musashi at its best is more frenetic, inventive, and varied than Threads Of Fate, its spiritual successor that I generally prefer a lot more. But once again, that's only half the game. You'll also have to do a lot of running around the town talking to people to figure out what you need to do next, and the top-down perspective can make it pretty hard to tell where you are in the town, especially early on. And even outside of the town, there are several areas that you will have to backtrack through entirely multiple times to get everything and it got pretty tedious. Ultimately, my big issue with Brave Fencer Musashi is that when it locks in, it can be a ton of fun. But there are also a fair amount of moments that feel like they're padding out the experience, from the constant backtracking and cryptic event triggers near the town, to waiting out the clock, to dealing with the fatigue system.

Thankfully, Brave Fencer Musashi does get better the more you play it. It has an element of metroidvania progression where you get upgrades that make navigating the world and dealing with stuff like the fatigue system a lot easier, and the game overall gets increasingly action-focused as it goes on. I'd say the Vambee arc is where BFM really hits its stride, since it introduces this creative premise where vampires attack the town, and it puts you through several incredibly fun and challenging platforming sequences in close succession. And as I mentioned, the boss fights are a consistent highlight, most of which being super bombastic and dynamic, boasting multiple phases and a variety of attack patterns to throw you off guard. At worst, some of these fights have a bit too much downtime, but the sheer scale and creativity of most of them more than make up for it. It all culminates in the great final chapter which drops the timer all together as Musashi wages a one-man war on the enemy force all on his own, and it's awesome. The final area tests all of your abilities from platforming to combat, and it contains a whopping five boss fights, including several 1-on-1 duels, a hilarious dancing minigame, a stunningly large-scale fight against a tower, and a stellar final boss complete with multiple chase sequences and a fast-paced final phase that makes excellent use of your assimilation ability.

As per the usual for a Squaresoft game on the PS1, the overall presentation of Brave Fencer Musashi is also good enough to elevate the entire package. The whole game boasts this adorable and expressive chibi look, and the story is conveyed through an impressive amount of fully voice-acted in-engine cutscenes. While I think Threads Of Fate is overall a cleaner-looking game, Brave Fencer Musashi did a great job at laying the groundwork (not to mention Threads doesn't even have any voice acting to begin with). The soundtrack by Tsuyoshi Sekito is also incredible, going for a sweeping orchestral sound that really sells the adventure as grander than it probably is. The main theme in particular is chill-inducingly epic, and BFM knows exactly when to let it kick in for maximum effect. Brave Fencer Musashi has so much sauce and charm that are able to carry the experience even in its weaker moments.

Brave Fencer Musashi is a game that has a lot to love. When it's focused on offering high-octane action RPG goodness, it excels with its fun and versatile combat, varied traversal mechanics, charming scenarios and setpieces, stellar presentation, and sick sense of style. But the slower, life sim elements just don't do it for me and often feel like they intrude on the experience more than they compliment it. There are stretches where Brave Fencer Musashi could absolutely rank among my favorite games, but it's just not at that level all the time, and that's fine. Even if it has its rough edges, Brave Fencer Musashi is still a really enjoyable action RPG that I enjoyed playing through.

4/5 Stars

Ranking Goldeneye 007 Story Levels

It's easy to forget how much of a landmark title Goldeneye 007 was for the N64 and console FPSs in general. Considering it came out in 1997 and its biggest competition at the time was Turok and countless flawed Id Software ports, Goldeneye having these big levels with various mission objectives, impressively clean texture-work for the N64, fairly smooth aiming, mid-stage cutscenes, a huge multiplayer offering, and a wide selection of weapons is quite an impressive fact. There are certainly areas where it hasn't aged well, but I still think it's pretty fun today as a brisk, all filler no killer FPS experience. Since I just replayed it recently, I thought I'd rank the main campaign's stages from least favorite to favorite.

But just to make things clear, I'll be ranking these stages based on how they play in Agent Mode since I'm not good enough to attempt the harder difficulties, and as such I won't be including the two optional levels either for reasons you can probably guess by now. Sorry this won't be a more high-level ranking.

18. Control

I'm always pleasantly surprised at the levels where you have to escort Natalya because she usually doesn't die as easily as you'd think. The exception of course is Control, a level where you'll have to defend her for a minute while being surrounded by enemies that pop out from every angle. This whole protect sequence feels like pure trial-and-error as I was constantly blindsided by enemies that break through the glass, and it really drags down Control for me since otherwise, this is a fine enough stage. The map design is pretty clean and the Boris interaction is funny, though I had a hard time figuring out what the armored mainframes were supposed to be as they're not communicated especially well. It also doesn't help that Control is easily the longest stage so by the time I even get to the Natalya defense sequence, I'm already aching for it to end.

17. Jungle

Right before Control, we have yet another level that gave me a lot of trouble. The first half of Jungle is a slog as you spend most of it walking through a murky, dull-looking jungle while dealing with powerful turret guns that blend in with the scenery. I do like that this is the only time Natalya wields a gun, and she's surprisingly effective with it too, but it doesn't do much to mitigate the frustrating turret gun bits. The second half is thankfully a lot stronger though, between the decent boss fight against Xenia and the cavern at the end which does look a bit more visually-pleasing.

16. Surface 2

Having to revisit Surface and Bunker so soon after playing them for the first time isn't especially fun, but I think Surface definitely had it worse hear. Surface 2 is basically Surface 1 but with a red sky, more enemies, and more objectives that force you to tread more ground in this already massive stage. Most egregiously, the communication dish is now locked and the key is placed in some random cabin, so first time players are probably going to be wasting a lot of time looking in every single cabin until they find the key, if they even know that's what they're supposed to do to begin with. It all makes for another stage that I feel just overstays its welcome, even if it's not "hard" per se.

15. Runway

Runway is just short, at least in Agent mode. You can find the key to the plane right by the entrance, and then the plane isn't that much of a walk from there. Sure, the runway is big and there's a bunch of stuff to interact with including a tank, but as a whole, this stage just feels like an epilogue to Facility rather than its own thing.

14. Bunker 1

Bunker 1 is another level I found pretty short, though its objectives are slightly more interesting like getting a photo and copying a key, as it makes you put some of the game's gadgets to use. However, when the map itself is this compact, the stage still flies by way too fast. It also doesn't help that unlike with Surface, Bunker 1 is vastly overshadowed by its revisit.

13. Surface 1

Surface is noteworthy for how open it is, but the large buildings and paved roads in the snow still make it fairly easy to find your way around. This is one of those stages that allows you to take a more stealthy approach by using a sniper rifle, but just blasting through foes as usual works just as well. The open layout helps Surface feel like a breath of fresh air, but the objectives aren't tedious enough that you'll be wasting time running around like in Surface 2, which makes for a fairly enjoyable stage.

12. Statue

In terms of just the map design, Statue is definitely one of the more memorable and unique stages, as it has you fighting through a cramped junkyard filled with various odds and ends. It definitely has the potential to be one of my favorite stages, but it's held back quite a lot by its objectives. Finding Valentin is confusing since he's hidden in a shipping crate you're likely only to see on your way back, there are multiple context sensitive events that can lead to failure or getting shot if you screw up, and of course, you'll have to backtrack all the way to the start at one point. 

11. Silo

Silo is fine. It's a decently fast-paced level in a unique location that kinda ends in somewhat of a chase, and it even has yet another photography mission like in Bunker 1. The thing that holds this stage back for me is just the sheer amount of copy-pasted halls and rooms which isn't usually an issue in Goldeneye, but by the time I met Ouranov, it became really apparent how one-note this level can feel. Despite that though, Silo doesn't really do anything especially wrong so putting it in the middle of the pack feels fair.

10. Depot

Similarly, Depot is just a really inoffensive level that's also pretty unremarkable, but it makes for a solid breather between the bombastic Streets and Train stages. It's fun to check out the stage's wide variety of warehouses in search of weapons and armor, and fighting your way into the train at the end is pretty fun as well. It's also just too short and lacking in spectacle to really make an impact beyond me not really having any issues with it.

9. Archives

Archives is almost a great level. The setting is fantastic, I always loved the library chase in the original movie and this level captures that environment pretty much perfectly. It opens strong as well with the player having to escape an interrogation without any weapons and there's tons of rooms to explore. The only problem is the fact that leaving the level isn't exactly made clear. There is an exit to an outdoor area, but it's blocked off and a red-herring. Instead, you have to shoot out the windows which the game doesn't even indicate is an option until Natalya tells you to do it several minutes into being lost. And once you do know how to escape, Archives ends up actually being incredibly short.

8. Bunker 2

Bunker 2 starts with one of the most memorable openings to a stage where you get introduced to Natalya, steal a key using your watch magnet, mess around with the guard, and break out. The endless floods of enemies makes Bunker 2 a far more intense experience than the first iteration of the stage, and the map having been slightly changed means you can't just rely on your previous understanding of the stage. It even ends with an easy but still exciting chase sequence to end the stage on a more memorable note.

7. Streets

I remember really loving Streets at first, because who wouldn't? It's the iconic tank level! But the more I play it, the more flaws I notice with it. Piloting the tank is a real power trip for sure, but when it's so easy for enemies to hit your head and when you're likely to have so little ammo, it ends up being optimal to just beeline for the exit, which in turn makes this stage really short. Despite this issue though, I still find Streets to be a really fun spectacle of a stage that will always stick out in my memory, even if it's solely for how fun piloting the tank is.

6. Frigate

Frigate is another really short level but the fact that it's all set on a compact boat setting helps it stand out as memorable. Frigate places a strong emphasis on stealth even giving you a bunch of silencers to take enemies out with, and it's really fun. The fact that the whole mission is a brisk in-and-out affair really gives off the feeling of going on a spy mission, possibly more than any other stage in the game. The main gimmick of rescuing hostages is also quite fun, albeit outside of the rare times the hostages are randomly taken out before you even enter the room.

5. Dam

Dam is an iconic first level for a reason. It has a great setting, banger music, several wide open spaces that encourage a variety of tactics, and even some optional superfluous areas like those docks that solely exist just to flesh out the space. It is on the short side, but every second of its runtime is packed with engaging action that still feels fun to this day.

4. Cradle

Goldeneye's boss fights aren't exactly great, but Cradle definitely stands out as a memorable finale. Despite its short length and compact nature, having to juggle disabling the cradle and chasing after Alec is makes for a fun and frenetic setpiece, and the stage's fast pace is only heightened by its incredible music. The final encounter is also a solid interpretation of the movie's final battle, and it can be deceptively easy to get knocked off the platform making for a worthy last challenge.

3. Train

Train levels are always great, and this one is no exception. The cramped corridors make for some of the toughest shootouts in the game, especially early on with how easy it can be to detonate crates and make the fights even more chaotic. While it can be a bit too easy to miss out on one of the brakes and have to backtrack, I still find the first half of Train to be quite fun. But what really puts it over the head is the second half where you need to carefully take out Ouranov and use your watch to carve an escape before the train blows up in probably the game's most intense escape sequence of them all.

2. Caverns

In terms of just the map design, Caverns is one of my favorite levels to explore with how visually distinct it is. Goldeneye isn't exactly a game with platforming, but careful walking across railways and up tight rock ledges while taking out enemies makes for a nice change of pace. Despite the name, I also didn't find myself getting lost much either. There are a few split paths, but they're made pretty clear. And coming off the heels of Control, Caverns having a relative lack of objectives made for such a nice breath of fresh air.

1. Facility

Yeah, what did you expect, it's Facility. This is easily the most well-rounded, full-featured level in the game, offering so much in the way of variety in objectives, encounter design, and map design. Starting with that iconic opening where you crawl through vents and shoot through a bathroom, and ending with an encounter with Alec and a quick escape, Facility has no shortage of memorable setpieces. But even the standard Goldeneye gameplay throughout the middle of the stage is fun since the stage is so engaging to navigate and filled with little details. You can open the bathroom stalls to find soldiers camping out in there, enter science labs and break all their beakers, and mess around with the final cutscene in a variety of chaotic ways.