diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseNotificationOverlay.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseNotificationOverlay.cs
index 233914767d..a83cead213 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseNotificationOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseNotificationOverlay.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2007-2017 ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>.
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
@@ -16,6 +17,15 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
         private readonly NotificationOverlay manager;
         private readonly List<ProgressNotification> progressingNotifications = new List<ProgressNotification>();
 
+        public override IReadOnlyList<Type> RequiredTypes => new[]
+        {
+            typeof(Notification),
+            typeof(ProgressNotification),
+            typeof(ProgressCompletionNotification),
+            typeof(SimpleNotification),
+            typeof(IHasCompletionTarget),
+        };
+
         public TestCaseNotificationOverlay()
         {
             progressingNotifications.Clear();
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
index fe7ca77d44..1dc4c487f3 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ using osu.Game.Screens;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Menu;
 using OpenTK;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using osu.Framework.Input.Bindings;
 using osu.Framework.Platform;
@@ -220,15 +221,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
                 Depth = -6,
             }, overlayContent.Add);
 
-            Logger.NewEntry += entry =>
-            {
-                if (entry.Level < LogLevel.Important) return;
-
-                notifications.Post(new SimpleNotification
-                {
-                    Text = $@"{entry.Level}: {entry.Message}"
-                });
-            };
+            forwardLoggedErrorsToNotifications();
 
             dependencies.Cache(settings);
             dependencies.Cache(social);
@@ -290,6 +283,36 @@ namespace osu.Game
             Cursor.State = Visibility.Hidden;
         }
 
+        private void forwardLoggedErrorsToNotifications()
+        {
+            int recentErrorCount = 0;
+
+            const double debounce = 5000;
+
+            Logger.NewEntry += entry =>
+            {
+                if (entry.Level < LogLevel.Error || entry.Target == null) return;
+
+                if (recentErrorCount < 2)
+                {
+                    notifications.Post(new SimpleNotification
+                    {
+                        Icon = FontAwesome.fa_bomb,
+                        Text = (recentErrorCount == 0 ? entry.Message : "Subsequent errors occurred and have been logged.") + "\nClick to view log files.",
+                        Activated = () =>
+                        {
+                            Host.Storage.GetStorageForDirectory("logs").OpenInNativeExplorer();
+                            return true;
+                        }
+                    });
+                }
+
+                Interlocked.Increment(ref recentErrorCount);
+
+                Scheduler.AddDelayed(() => Interlocked.Decrement(ref recentErrorCount), debounce);
+            };
+        }
+
         private Task asyncLoadStream;
 
         private void loadComponentSingleFile<T>(T d, Action<T> add)
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
index 0ddff5e5aa..ea0bf22112 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
@@ -177,8 +177,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
             }
             catch (MigrationFailedException e)
             {
-                Logger.Log((e.InnerException ?? e).ToString(), LoggingTarget.Database, LogLevel.Error);
-                Logger.Log("Migration failed! We'll be starting with a fresh database.", LoggingTarget.Database, LogLevel.Error);
+                Logger.Error(e.InnerException ?? e, "Migration failed! We'll be starting with a fresh database.", LoggingTarget.Database);
 
                 // if we failed, let's delete the database and start fresh.
                 // todo: we probably want a better (non-destructive) migrations/recovery process at a later point than this.
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/Notifications/Notification.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/Notifications/Notification.cs
index b4720e79c4..dc2dcf2d74 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/Notifications/Notification.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/Notifications/Notification.cs
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays.Notifications
                                     AutoSizeAxes = Axes.Y,
                                     Padding = new MarginPadding
                                     {
-                                        Top = 5,
                                         Left = 45,
                                         Right = 30
                                     },
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Edit/HitObjectComposer.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Edit/HitObjectComposer.cs
index 4487f74364..36740b96cb 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Edit/HitObjectComposer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Edit/HitObjectComposer.cs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Edit
             }
             catch (Exception e)
             {
-                Logger.Log($"Could not load this beatmap sucessfully ({e})!", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Error);
+                Logger.Error(e, "Could not load beatmap sucessfully!");
                 return;
             }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
index 340fc39d52..2cbb203c37 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             }
             catch (Exception e)
             {
-                Logger.Log($"Could not load this beatmap sucessfully ({e})!", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Error);
+                Logger.Error(e, "Could not load beatmap sucessfully!");
 
                 //couldn't load, hard abort!
                 Exit();