I shall try this again and take this post. Best I managed was 40 last year and 42 the year before. I'm addicted to Stardew Valley and trophy hunting though so my odds feel....low of even hitting that.
1: Stardew Valley - PS4 (Jan 6th - 98 hours)
# Finished with this for all intents and purposes. Made it through year 3 and except for trophy hunting and repeating tasks there isn't much left to do. Amazing game though that absolutely sucked me in and wouldn't let me go. I imagine I will keep coming back to it here and there when the feeling takes me. 9/10
2: Arc the Lad - PS1 classic on PS3 (Jan 8th - 14 hours)
# I try and beat one older game from my backlog each year, last year was Okami, this year I went to Arc the Lad. It's...ok? It has a lot of problems, I found half the characters useless in battles, I disliked there only being one female character in the whole game, the writing was bad, the fights require a lot of level grinding later on to beat with the difficulty spikes and it just ends out of nowhere on an awful cliff hanger. Still despite that I kind of enjoyed it anyway as i'm a sucker for SRPG's, seems like I will have to play the next game to finish the story. 5.5/10
3: The Walking Dead: New Frontier - PS4 (Jan 13th, - Platinum, 7 hours?)
# My 209th platinum trophy. I wasn't the biggest fan of season 2 after loving season 1 so it was great to feel this was back up with the initial quality. Clementine continues to be just an all round great character. Fantastic voice actress, great design, I love her. The new characters were all great too and I liked how some of the acts are played in flashbacks to build some depth with them. There were a few moments which were kind of stupid and illogical intended to give the player tough choices rather than quite fitting in with what's happening but overall it was a well written experience that's occasionally also pretty emotional. I did get two hard crashes forcing me to turn my PS4 off though which almost never happens on any game I play and had to replay some chapters so it gets knocked down a little for that. 8.5/10
4: The Sexy Brutale - PS4 (Jan 23rd, - Platinum, 7 hours)
# I heard a lot of great things about this last year but just never got around to playing it with how many great releases there were, real shame because now I finally got to play it I loved every second of it. The gameplay is great, I really loved following the characters around and exploring before figuring out the puzzle to save them. The puzzles were just the right level for me that I had to figure out the solution without once getting frustrated, i'm not the biggest puzzle game fan yet this I really liked. The rest of the game was excellent to boot. The story was really nice if a little obvious towards the end but I still enjoyed it a lot. I liked the graphical style and absolutely loved the music. While only a short game it felt just right so it kept me interested the whole way through and didn't out live it's welcome. Essentially if you like slightly different games or light puzzle/adventure games you should buy this.9/10
5: Nier Automata - PS4 (Jan 26th, - Platinum, 30 hours)
# Got the first ending, I gather there are more. It's a good game, I liked it but not sure why so many people were voting for it as a GOTY contender? Maybe the other endings/playthrough make up for it? I do intend to go back to it for other endings though Monster Hunter took over...
I liked the combat, the animations are especially amazing, loved the music, superb OST and thought both 2B and 9S were pretty interesting. I hated the shitty anime villain antagonists though, just kind of generic silver haired villains, what a snooze fest. Also the environments are kind of...bland artistically. Know it's a low budget title but really they are pretty meh to explore around.
Edit: beat the other endings and to be honest it lowered my view on the game even more. Route B is really dull and pointless and Route C just emphasised what a meandering mess of a story the game has. 6/10
6: Monster Hunter World - PS4 (Feb 8th, - 120 hours to beat, up to 340 atm total)
# Well this game killed my dream of the 52 I suspect. It's near the end of Feb when I update this and it's pretty much all I played all month. superbly balanced gameplay, fantastic visuals that run super smooth, huge amount of content and customisation options with weapon sets, armour sets, charms, decorations, upgrades etc. At 180 hours I discovered yet a new type of upgrade called augments, crazy. All that without any microtransactions or restricting progress systems in sight. That said it's not perfect, while the SOS system is genius the story missions co-op restrictions until you see the cutscenes are really annoying, and erm....yeah it's just pretty much all round great. 9.5/10
7: Rime - PS4 (March 6th - Platinum, 15 hours)
# Beautiful, emotional and relaxing game with a gorgeous soundtrack. Really liked it. It's obtuse in a couple of places and the frame rate stutters in some of the more open sections but overall a really good game I think fans of Ico, Journey and Laura Castle in the Sky will enjoy. 8.5/10
8: Alone with you - PS4 (March 15th, - Platinum 25 hours)
# Looks like I'll need multiple playthroughs for all the trophies. I rather liked it overall. It's a strange game. It has a wonderful art style and a pretty interesting story. Some of the tasks are mundane and a little repetitive but exploring around is pretty fun. 7.5/10
9: Ronin - PS4 (March 25th, - 100% trophies 8 hours)
# I really enjoyed this, at first. As the game went on though it became very frustrating and the game mechanics just fell apart. The whole game just feels a little clunky and unwieldly getting stuck on walls aor in no win jump situations meaning I died, a lot. Skills are a pain to get, not much better to activate and the level design is just a hinderence to a lot of the fighting. It would have been a much better stealth game then the turn based combat they force in. It's a great idea, I like the graphical art style but the execution is a bit of a disaster. I am most the way through NG+ that makes it harder while giving you every skill and if anything it only shows it's glaring flaws even more, real shame. 6/10
10: Wonderboy in Monster World - PS3 (April 4th, - 100% trophies, 10 hours)
# Pretty good game, I like the art and design of a lot of it making you explore with new abilities to find where to go. The last two levels are however a product of the era it was made and are awful. The last boss is especially cheap and horrific in design just bouncing me to my death. Hated it. 6/10
11: Yonder The Cloud Catcher Chronicles - PS4 (April 17th, - Platinum, 30 hours)
# Imagine an open world RPG with no combat. Imagine the quests in it to all be fetch quests of the dullest variety with no story worth a fart. Imagine an adventure game that is no fun to explore, imagine minecraft without the creativity of building, imagine Stardew Valley with all the depth and fun removed, and imagine all the characters looking like they were made from playmobil parts and that's Yonder. It's a jack of all trades, master of none game if I ever played one. It's not terrible so to speak it's just an empty experience. 3/10
12: Metal Slug 3 - PS4 (April 25th, - 100% trophies, 4 hours)
# Shot through this in a couple of hours then another couple of play through to mop up the trophies. Just as fun as I remember it when I played it in arcades with friends like 16 years ago. 8.5/10
13: A Way Out - PS4 (April 28th - Platinum, 10 hours)
# I Was enjoying it a fair bit up until the last, didn't enjoy the ending sequence at all. Real shame. It has some pretty cool ideas for the co-op system but a lot of the other aspects are a little loose in execution with some controls and story. Glad I played it though and there is one sequence I thought was especially awesome. 6.5/10
14: Pillars of Eternity - PS4 (May 9th, 130 hours)
# Finished this with the White March DLC. Great game, really enjoyed the writing and exploration elements especially. It was an engrossing experience that reminded me of Baldurs Gate. Wouldn't be an Obsidian game without technical problems though. One character has a companion that after battles would freeze so I couldn't get out of battle mode forcing me to reload. I also had some crashing moving between areas and the load times and frequency were just ludicrous. That said it didn't hold back how much I liked it though I'm glad to be moving on. 8/10
15: Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ - PS4 (May 29th - Platinum, 134 hours)
# Finished this, the epilogue and the after story, then replayed it quickly on new game + on Calamity and Insanity difficulties/mode. I enjoyed it a lot despite its flaws. The characters and npcs are what really drive it with some good voice acting and I think the localisation by Aksys was really good. Some cliches, bland dungeons and meh combat are the weak points but they don't hold it back from being fun. 8/10
16: Alien Storm - PS4 Sega Megadrive Collection (June 3rd, 1 hour)
# Always liked this game but could never beat it. I only got to mission 5 as my best solo but the new collection allows me to rewind time so I can cheat to actually beat it! XD It took me about an hour. A good game overall but a lack of enemy variety and too hard, a product of the arcade era. 6.5/10
17: Streets of Rage - PS4 Sega Megadrive Collection (June 3rd, 1.5 hours)
# One of my favorite games going but on this collection (not Streets of Rage fault but this particular version) seems to suffer from input lag as well as sound and music glitches.What can be said about Streets of Rage? The music is amazing, the art is wonderfully 80's and it's just great fun, just don't play this version if you have access elsewhere, it just doesn't feel right for lack of a better word. Streets of Rage - 9/10
This version - 7.5/10
Been wanting to revisit (and finish) the Uncharted series for awhile now, and the remastered collection is the perfect opportunity for it. The first game actually holds up better than I expected, even if its still very much a blueprint of what was to come. Some frustrating shooting gallery sections aside (a staples of the series afterall), it is completely competent and fun action adventure game, where you could see little glimmers of what they wanted to achieve but couldnt until later, especially with set pieces. Still looks gorgeous, and Nolan North is still super charismatic and his Nathan Drake totally carries the game (and the franchise). Oh and the first one is a lot shorter than I remember, the stat page actually said 5 and half hours, I rounded to 6 for the deaths and whatnot, but it pretty much felt like a CoD campaign size wise, and I remember these games being longer than that.
Game #2 - Uncharted 2 Among Thieves
Time: 9 hours
One of the most improved sequels ever made, Uncharted 2 feels like the game Naughty Dog wanted to make when they started the series. Much more varied locations, better shooting, fantastic set pieces, cast is rgeat as always with the much welcome addition of Chloe and it just looks flat out gorgeous (I'm not sure how much work was done to the remaster but if you told me this was a current gen game I would believe you), just a fantastic game all around. Even the blue guys weren't as annoying as I remember. These games are just a good ol' romp aren't they? Looking forward to 3 and 4 since I actually haven't played those.
Game #3 - 1979 Revolution Black Friday
Time: 2 hours
Very interesting look at the 1979 Iranian revolution, the game takes basically the Telltale approach (the current Telltale that is) of story telling to craft a surprisingly ambiguous story about a young photographer caught in this revolution. There are a few quick time events and lots of Telltale style dialogue options (including prompts saying characters will remember this heh), and also several moments where you are taking various photographs of various happenings during these protests (which all lead to interesting real life factoids). Its the real life setting that really sets this apart and makes it worthwhile, especially since its not very long. It's also quite bleak and violent, but unfortunately that is expected given the subject matter. Well worth a playthrough.
Game #4 - The Little Acre
Time: 1.5 hours
Super cute point and click adventure with gorgeous 2D art style that unfortunately is way too short to recomend at full price. Such mixed feelings about this as even tho I really enjoyed it, and it tells a nice story in its short duration, at full price there's just not enough game there to justify it. It's also very easy and most of the puzzles are solved by the items you get in the same room. But, if you have it from a bundle or grab it on sale, and you like point and click adventures (or just cute little cartoon romps), it's one of the best ways to spend a hour and half.
Game #5 - Virginia
Time: 1.5 hours
A "walking simulator" with slick art style and little else going for it. Virginia starts out strong with a dialogue-free (all the story is told via the various interactions with the environment and characters, but outside of some text files, there is no dialogue or voices) story about a missing person case, and at the same time your own internal affairs investigation into your partner, but quickly devolves into confusing, symbolism filled mess of a story that trues very hard to be "indie movie" like (when you start the game its not "game", its "feature") but fails on every count, mostly because of how short and confusing it is. It mxies various dream scenes with actual scenes which are sometimes hard to distinguish, and goes nowhere with either cases it starts off with. Huge disapointment that I would hardly recomend unless you get it in a bundle or very cheap (I got it for 99cents and I'm still not sure it was worth it).
Game #6 - Mimpi
Time: 2 hours
Very neat puzzle platformer that has you guide Mimpi the dog through various worlds as you manipulte the environment using the mouse to help guide Mimpi to safety. Lovely art and cool puzzles make up for some finicky platforming (it was originally a mobile game afterall), but it's not very long and certainly doesn't overstay it's welcome. Recomended for fans of the genre, especially since it gets quite cheap during sales (along with it's sequel Mimpi Dreams).
Game #7 - Uncharted 3 Drake's Deception
Time: 7 hours
And we end the PS3 trilogy with...kind of a bang? I won't say a whimper because I liked it and thought it was good, but either I've hit diminishing returns or the game flat out just isn't as good as 2. Less set pieces, enemies seemed a lot more bullet spongy, and it had a wee bit too much "been there done that", with yet another truck chase (now with horses), yet another collapsing hidden city, etc. Still, it's a fun romp, voice acting is still fantastic and it's still a gorgeous game that I would easily mistake for a current gen title. It also felt shorter than 2, as my time player proves it. I think I might need a break before I tackle 4, even if I'm super curious to see what a actual current gen Uncharted looks like.
Game #8 - Dex
Time: 9 hours
Very cool 2D cyberpunk action rpg, one of those little gems I have little bad to say about. Story follows the titular Dex as she finds herself mixed up in a war between activist hackers and government rulers, with a lot more going on underneath. Story is a bit cliche but its well told, there is a TON of writing in the game, between the many sidequests and main quest (npcs have a lot of shit to say let's leave it at that), all voice acted, quite well in fact, for a indie game. Art is really nice, even if it has a little of that "flash game" style to it. Melee and weapons at your disposal, an extensive skill tree, lots of sidequests and a meaty main quest that doesnt overstay it's welcome make this just a terrific game all around.
Game #9 - The Deed
Time: 30 minutes
Neat little murder simulator where the objective is to murder your sister and then plan evidence in order to frame someone. Each game plays out in 3 acts, where first you have to talk to several people in the house and obtain 2 items, a murder weapon and a piece of evidence, then you act out the murder and finally there is a interview to see if you suceeded in getting away with it or not, almost like a board game. It's a very short game, I did 2 runs, as I failed the first one and got caught (lol) and managed to sucessfully get away with it the second time. There isn't much to it but it's neat and different, so it's worth playing for the novelty of it, especially since it's so cheap and most likely in your library from some random bundle. You can replay it and try to frame different people and whatnot, but by then you already got everything you are going to get out of the game to be honest.
Game #10 - EvilQuest
Time: 4 hours
A surprisingly decent action rpg (or Zelda-like to get an idea of what style of action rpg) that unfortunately looks, well, quite bad. If you can get over the graphics (looks like something made in paint really), you will find a short but enjoyable simple game of a evil ruler trying to destory the world. Various spells and gear to obtain, dungeons to conquer and items to get to be able to get to following zones (sounds familiar?) make the short runtime (finished it in about 4 hours) a breeze to get through. Again, if you can get over the looks...
Game #11 - LiEat
Time: 3 hours
First of all, don't let the horrible steam banner scare you off. Nor the kinda-sorta rpgmaker look to it. This is a fantastic quasi-jrpg investigation game that has better story and world building in it's 3 hour duration (about 1 hour each chapter) than most 80 hour games. Just fantastic storytelling, and fun mechanics too, even if the gameplay is quite easy and just there as a mechanism to push forward the story. Huge surprise, and I now wish there was more of this, I want more stuff in this universe and with these characters. Hell, I want a "proper" game from this universe. Great stuff, hugely recomended.
Game #12 - The Last Guardian
Time: 12 hours
Can a game be considered amazing even if it has a myriad of problems? If it can, then that game is The Last Guardian. Just a fantastic experience, a genuine "adventure" the likes of only Breath of the Wild really instilled in me recently, but at the same time, its plagued with a ton of problems. The boy controls like a wet noodle, the camera is terrible at times, the frame rate is awful even on the Pro and half the time you can see it was originall a PS3 game, the puzzles can get quite obtuse and as it's been well touted by many people, Trico refuses to do what you tell him half the time. But at the same time, sometimes it looks outright amazing, Trico especially is straight out of the uncanny valley (his animations and maneurisms are outright spooky if you are a dog person), the game has icnredible set pieces, a lot of good puzzles and platforming (even if the boy controls like a wet noodle and some of the puzzles are obtuse like I said), and it was one of the few games that actually brought out some emotion out of me. I absolutely loved it and it would make my GOTY list in any year I played it, flaws and all (and there are many).
Game #13 - Expand
Time 1.5 hours
Very cool minimalistic puzzle game where you navigate a square through various mazes avoiding hazards and opening up new paths. As usual with these games, the graphics are very simple but they do the job nicely, especially sicne it uses a lot of perspective tricks to grow and shrink the mazes. Soundtrack is also great as it matches the crescendos with the various mazes. It's short enough that it doesn't overstay it's welcome so its a easy recomendation if you like these types of games.
Game #14 - Distraint: Deluxe Edition
Time: 2 hours
Fantastic side scrolling psychological-horror adventure game (basically a point and click adventure but you control the character with WASD) about a guy that evicts people for a living and how that is slowly messing with his head. I love the art style in the game (I specifically mentioned I played the deluxe edition because it has quite a few graphical improvements over the original version), sound design is equally good, and it's actually quite powerful and emotional for a horror game. Puzzles aren't very hard and it's not very long (2 hours, which im finding more and more is the perfect amount of time for a adventure game) but if you like horror games, adventure games or just plain ol' good story telling, you cant go wrong with Distraint. There's even a sequel coming this year!
Game #15 - Blackwell Unbound
Time: 2.5 hours
Second game in the Blackwell series, as we look back at the adventures of Lauren Blackwell (Rosa's aunt) and her ghost buddy Joey in this prequel to Blackwell Legacy as they help spirits move on to the other side. After coming into her calling as a medium, Lauren is now fully ingrained in the detective life, as the preque tackles two cases
that end up being connected somehow
as Lauren unwillingly throws herself at this life. Another fantastic point and click adventure (hey, its a Wadgeteye game, so thats not surprising) as it continues to focus more on investigation and conversations than actual item usage, but I like that as its refreshing. Voice acting is still top notch, and the graphics are still very much old school, monkey island style like the first game (they improve in the sequels starting with the third game). Any fan of point and click adventures needs to play this series, especially since they are also very easy to play, as they are quite short each (again, as adventure games should be).
Game #16 - Aragami
Time: 9 hours
Hot and cold about this one, as it starts a bit slow and you feel very underpowered and can't really play it as a "proper" stealth game, but as you get more skilsl the game becomes super fun to play and I was really enjoying it. Until I got to the seecond to last level and the last boss, which completely shits the bed and almost ruined the game retroactively for me. It throws everything you learned out the window which is always a big no-no with games for me, and bosses in stealth games are always shit anyway. But the rest (most) of the game is great and I would say still very much worth playing. Story is neat, the stealth skills and mechanics you get (or rather, can get, its all optional) feel great to use, it looks good and it's quite lenghty (especially if you are a completionist). Shame about that final stretch tho, real shame.
Game #17 - The Blackwell Convergence
Time: 3.5 hours
Third game in the Blackwell series, and we are back to following Roseangela's adventures in the present after the pequel last game. Another fantastic addition to the series, probably the best one so far as it perfectly follows up both the first game and the prequel, tying both together in a great way. Great writing and voice acting as usual, and a more modern art style (reminiscent of the other wadgeteye games) make this as usual, a very easy recomendation for point and click adventure fans. Great cliffhanger for the fourth game aswell.
Game #18 - Fire
Time: 2.5 hours
Daedalic continues to be one of the best publishers on PC with another solid release, this time a hybrid of puzzle and point and click adventure, as you help our caveman friend retrieve fire back to his village through 10 levels full of imaginative puzzles. Fantastic 2D art, and super charming on top, with great puzzle design, you can finish this in about 2 hours give or take, depending on how good you are at puzzles (I had to look up a couple of solutions myself) as the levels themselves aren't very big. Very cool and very easy to recomend.
Game #19 - A Bird Story
Time: 1 hour
Super cute interactive story from the maker of To The Moon (which I have yet to play) about loneliness, friendship, childhood, all told with no dialogue, simply via the fantastic visual design, be it the crisp (albeit rpg maker-like) visuals or the various cool little animations that subtly give life to the story. Music is also really good, as is the various sound effects, especially the emotive bird chips. There isnt much gameplay to be had as it's basically a 1 hour 2d "walking sim", but again, its super cute and very well made / told.
Game #20 - Adam Wolfe (Season One?)
Time: 6 hours
Back at the start of 2017 I told myself I would try new genres that year. Visual Novels, 4X games... I ended up doing no such thing. Maybe 2018 will be different, because I have just played my very first Hidden Object Game, and it turns out, I kinda loved it. Maybe this is cheating as it seems Adam Wolfe is more of a hybrid of adventure game and HoG than most pure HoGs (funny acronym btw), but I was surprisingly into this. Im a sucker for supernatural detective stories (no surprise since I love the Blackwell series for example) and this has all the crazyness you can expect from one of those. Demons, Ghosts, Evil Cults, you name it. Great puzzles, great art, lot of animation and "action" scenes to my surprise (again, I expected this genre to be mostly static screens), good length and a cool story that unfortunately ends on a cliffhanger leaving me hoping for a Season 2 (hence, the question in the title) made this easily my biggest surprise of the year so far along with LiEat (and like that game, also one of my favorites so far). Will I rush to play a ton of hidden object games now? Probably not, but im certainly open to the genre now.
Game #21 - Owlboy
Time: 10 hours
What a bittersweet feeling I'm left with after finishing Owlboy. It has all the ingredients to be a all time classic, but for some reason, it never meshes them together to do that. It has fantastic 2d art (some of the best around really), great music, the story is pretty good as are the characters. But unfortunately the gameplay is a bit bland and it never really "feels great" to play, its hard to explain without playing it. It also becomes increasingly frustrating in the second half of the game, as I felt it traded fair challenge for cheapness. I still think it's well worth playing, its a good platform adventure and quite lenghty, just dont go in expecting the 10 year in the making classic that it could have been. It's a good game that should have been a great game. Shame.
Game #22 - Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles
Time: 3.5 hours
Decided to have another go at a Hidden Object game after loving Adam Wolfe, and unfortunately, this one was more in line with what I expected and kept me away from the genre. A bunch of hidden object scenes where everything blends into the background (I know I know thats the point), generic art and a bunch of puzzles the style of which I really dislike (and had to look up solutions to) made this one a complete dud for me. But hey, maybe it's not just my genre, and thats fine, at least I gave it a go (well I gave it two goes with Adam Wolfe).
Game #23 - Escape Goat
Time: 2.5 hours
Great little puzzle platformer that has you face 50+ levels of various traps and mechanisms to escape each room. Level design is great, but the precision platforming is not, as I failed a lot of times due to the controls rather than not knowing what to do. Still, its fun and well made, the art is alright (the sequel looks much better from what I've seen) and it doesnt overstay it's welcome. Speaking of, when you finish it it opens up a super hard post game mode (game even warns you how hard it is) that I just cant be arsed with. Remember when I said precision platforming wasnt the game's forte? Well, this post game needs a lot more of it, and I was already getting tired of it in the main game (especially on a laptop lol). Main game is great tho (and maybe the post game if you are a challenge nut).
Game #24 - The Blackwell Deception
Time: 4 hours
Fourth game in the Blackwell series, and the first to feel more stand alone and moving the series along to the finale as the first three games really felt like a trilogy story wise (although it has some tiny references to the previous games). Not much to say that I havent said about the others, it continues to have the same strong writing, puzzles and voice acting as usual, and it ends on quite a note and cliffhanger for the last game. It's also a little longer than the previous three, and a little harder I felt (I got stumped and had to look up solutions a couple of times). As usual, very recomended for point and click adventure fans.
Game #25 - Freedom Fall
Time: 1.5 hours
Very short but well made platformer that has you fall down a series of levels avoiding various traps and picking up coins to buy upgrades (or bombs but you can pick those up in the levels aswell). Cute art style (even if a bit flash-y looking) and good gameplay makes this a easy one to get through in about 1 to 2 hours, depending on how much you go for collectibles (you can buy 3 types of jump upgrades, but you get enough coins for all 3 long before you finish the game and then there's little point in trying to get them, unless you are going for achievements). Good to pass the time listening to a podcast or something. Oh and make sure to go back to the level select after you finish the story for a new level and the true ending :)
Game #26 - Borderlands The Pre-Sequel + Season Pass
Time: 49 hours
So once in a while you pick up a game, maybe soemthing that you've owned for a long time, and for whatever reason, it just clicks with you. That's exactly what happened after I finally bought the season pass and decided to play Pre-Sequel. I forgot how much I loved the Borderland games, from the art style, the shooting, the different classes. Pre-Sequel adds some neat features that actually improve the gameplay in my opinion, such as the low gravity super jumps which really give the game a whole new vertical aspect to it. Main story (which acts as both a sequel to BL1 and a prequel to BL2) is good and there is a ton of content in here, as usual even sidequests have a lot of dialogue and story. Everytime I thought the game was almost over, it kep going. DLC unfortunately isnt as good as past games. There's only two real expansions (and 2 new classes in the season pass, one of which I played, Jack), and only one of those is worth it, as the other is just a arena mode and its terrible. Thankfull the Claptrap focused expansion is fantastic and also really long, so it adds to the game in a big way and actually bridges Pre-Sequel and BL2 nicely. so yeah, call it time and place, but I loved my time with this and will probably still play more, maybe clean up some sidequests I missed or even start a true vault hunter mode.
Game #27 - The Blackwell Epiphany
Time: 6 hours
Talk about going out with a bang, as the Blackwell series ends with it's fifth and arguably strongest title. Longer, better (and much darker) story than the previous games, it is a fitting end to this excellent point and click adventure saga, only marred by, while closing out the over-arching story of the series, not continuing the cliffhanger ending from the fourth game (there is a passing mention to those events but not much). Still, fantastic game and fantastic series. Dont miss these if you are a fan.
Game #28 - A Normal Lost Phone
Time: 1 hour
I am left very split on this game, as on one hand, I think it is very important, very sweet and needs to exist. There is some powerful stuff in here (that, while I can't relate to, I think it's great that a game puts it out there) and it's worth playing to experience it. On the other hand, the game itself isn't very good unfortunately. The few puzzles that there are are a bit cryptic and sometimes make little sense (one of the passwords in particular), and the execution is a little flawed. Not to mention that, while its a novel idea, you are basically pretending to be this person on this phone you found, which either nobody would do, or it would be very strange to do. Still, very cool subject and message (I am being vague for a reason), so it's worth it for that (especially since its quite short).
Game #29 - The Order 1886
Time: 6 hours
Surprisingly decent third person shooter (at least given the horror stories I had heard) with amazing presentation makes this a enjoyable ride if you can find it cheap (and you can, it goes on sale all the time these days). In fact, I wonder how the game would have done if it had released at a budget price like Hellblade for example. It's completely competent, has some cool weapons, a fantastic setting
steampunk + werewolves + vampires
and like I said, my god does it look good. I couldnt tell if it was CGI at times to be honest. Voice acting is also good, and the story is ok-ish if very predictable, but they were clearly setting up a sequel that will never happen given how the game bombed. I would say its as enjoyable as any Call of Duty campaign for me, and I wish I could find the CoD campaigns as cheap as you can find The Order these days. I liked it, so /shrug on the haters I guess.
Game #30 - Until Dawn
Time: 7 hours
Holy shit, this really blew away my expectations. What a great love letter to slasher, or horror movies in general. Super fun horror game with a lot of emphasis on Heavy Rain style quick time events but also a lot of third person exploration. The story is both very cliche but well told, with a shocking lack of plot holes which made me happy. It's also quite meaty for a game that you can (or even are supposed to) play multiple times, as choices and events in the game can drastically change the story and scenes. I'm not going to play it again anytime soon but I can totally see myself play this again next year or something and go for totally different choices. The only blemish in the game is that performance really takes a hit sometimes, and characetr models' faces have some weird uncanny valley animations going, especially since it's known actors. the game itself actually looks quite good outside of that. And on a personal note, i'm a little bummed at who I let die, especially the last one as I didnt fully understand what the game wanted me to do I guess (the others were either failed quicktimes or bad decisions which I'm fine wtih lol). So yeah, one of my favorite games of the year so far, and huge recomendation for horror fans.
Game #31 - Battlefield 4
Time: 7 hours
If you know me or you read my 52 challenge lists, you will know that I'm a person with very low standards for videogames, I usually at the very least enjoy everything, and very rarely dislike a game, let alone hate it. Well, I guess I was due for one, as I absolutely hated this game. Where to start... completely bland story with no worthwhile character, the worst "monster closet" syndrome I've seen in ages with enemies spawning around you for no reason, horrid companion AI that will just stand enar enemies and not shoot them, and the engage feature didnt work half the time, terrible case of "wait for the npc to get to the spot top proceed", even worse than most CoD campaigns if thats possible, and on top of it all its super buggy with models falling through the ground, shots not registering (lost count of the amount of center mass snper shots that didnt hit) and a few crashes, one of them actually hard locked my PS4 Pro and gave me a scare. I'm not the best at FPS games but I can get through your average CoD campaign on normal without issue, and usually really enjoy them, but here there were two or three times where I was jsut stuck in the same endless enemy spawning battle and dying over and over again that the only reason I didnt drop the game was for this challenge, and also the only reason the game didnt take me 5 hours instead of 7, because it's not very long at all levels wise. In fact, its the first time the 52 game challenge worked against me lol. I feel like I wasted hours of my life with this game, I really do. As for the MP, I dont play MP socan't comment on it. Oh, almost forgot, its SUPER pretty, there's that at least.
Game #32 - Full Throttle Remastered
Time: 3 hours
Full Throttle was for a long time my favorite game ever, at least my favorite point and click adventure game ever. I used to play it multiple times when I was a teenager, just something about it always resonated with me (well I guess Full Throttle's style of badassery was easy to resonate with in the 90s lol). So, with that being said, does it hold up? It does, to an extent. It's still a great adventure game, the soundtrack is still fantastic and the art style, especially with the new graphics is still great. Story is cool too, what little there is of it, as Full Throttle was always one of the shortest Lucasart point and click games, even back then. It's just the whole badass biker thing doesnt really work as well these days, and some of the more action-y stuff they tried with the game (like the awful Route 9 section or the Demo Derby) are just bad. Still, completely worth playing, and it still holds a special place in my heart, just not THE place anymore.
1) Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death(XB1) 12/30-1/1
The game clearly borrows plenty from God of War and the game doesn't shy away from it. The combat system, the wall/vine climbing and attacking, the throwing to a fatality/death, the upgrade system. So if you are looking for an innovative game, this isn't it. However, if you can understand this mindset, you do have a decent enough game and especially if you get it on the cheap/downloaded it for free in the XBL Gold free games of the month....you're going to have a decent enough time. The game is like a Michael Bay directed film which is both a good and bad thing. Explosions, relentless pace, action after action without the ability to breathe. It's a mixed bag in this regard. From a pure mayhem standpoint, this game does well enough to keep you on your feet but there are so few and far between places you can explore, relax and sitback on. One minute, boss fight. Next minute, quick time event, next minute, plane fight.
The linear play from this game is clear and it is frustrating that there aren't enough places to explore and it is evenly frustrating when you go far enough into a scene and forego all of the left behind excessive amounts of health/mana that are put all over the journey. There were times that I would see if this outside scenery led to a hidden secret only to either fall to my death or lose track and have to go back up again after learning my lesson. The story is incredibly clique but this is a pure gameplay sort of deal where you have to know heading in its going to be mindless good ol' God of War button mashing fun. What this game does right is in its variety where this isn't just a 6-7 hour hack and slash game. You have challenges that loosen up the game from turret play to Sch'emup to sliding through obstacles that are very much appreciated.
The two biggest issues that cannot be pardoned are the atrocious audio/voice acting(I can overlook wooden voice acting though the main two characters are not bad at all in this department, especially from an Indie title but clear faults from different audio pitches when you throw an enemy or the cringe worthy beginning opening sequence are evident) & the total number of glitches that occur in this game. We're talking laughable glitches from climbing on platforms that you should not which in turn take you completely off the screen in a nonsensical gamebreaking display to invisible walls blocking you on when trying to land in an area to having your character get stuck/sucked into a mountain and being unable to move or respond to anything. 3 big time glitches in a 6 or so hour game is just baffling, the game certainly lacks polish and could have used a bit more of it to make these omissions less troublesome.
For a downloadable Indy title, the game isn't all that bad. For getting this game cheap or even free, its a slam dunk of a 6 or so hours you'll have with the game. I played this on hard and got enough of a challenge where it wasn't too overly difficult but it wasn't a pushover by any means and it made me a few times have to wiggle around and be clever with my actions in a fight and change up my fighting quite a bit. You can do much worse than this game.
1. Metal Slug 3 (1 hour)
You pretty much know what you're getting from a Metal Slug game: Bonkers scenarios, possibly unfair gameplay, and gorgeous spritework.
Completed: 36/52
Total Time Spent Playing = 1584 Hours
Average Time Per Game = 44 Hours
Most Played Game = PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS (533 Hours)
Most Played Platform (By # of Games) = PC (14 Games)
Most Played Platform (By # of Hours) = PC (1174 Hours)
Comments -
01/01/2018 - Claiming a spot here. 2017 was my first year doing this challenge and I barely snuck by with 52. I hope to get closer to 70 this year, but that could be a pipe dream XD My big goals for the year are to finish up my Wii U and PS3 backlogs (1 and 6 games, respectively), then just start cranking on Vita and 3DS (15 and 25 respectively). Best of luck to everyone!
06/17/2018 - Coming out of E3 this year, I had to have a little heart to heart with myself. As much as I am enjoying playing older games, I would much rather be playing new releases, but I simply can't play them fast enough to ever catch up—even playing more than 52 per year, it'll take me forever to do so. As such, I made a list of 60 or so must-play games from 2018 or newer to play over the next 18 months. Beginning 2020, I will then be playing new releases as they come, and dabbling back into older games when there are lulls.
I won't get anywhere near close, but I'm gonna try and at least play more games this year than last. My main goal is to finish up some of the games I missed from 2017 and then clear out most of the games I bought on PS4 that I haven't touched yet. Hopefully I'll get in some old games this year at some point.
Currently Playing:
Nier: Automata (replay) (PS4)
Night in the Woods (PS4)
Hitman: Game of the Year Edition (PS4)
On Deck:
The Silver Case (PS4)
Vakyria Chronicles (PS4)
Doki Doki Literature Club (PC)
Finding Paradise (PC)
Root Letter (PS4)
I will finally participate in one of these threads. I'm not actually aiming for 52, but, who knows, maybe I can do it!
__________________________________ GAME #1 - Mayohiga - January 13 - 7/10
~2 hours
So, thirteen days later, I finished game 1... and it's a short freeware RPG Maker horror game. We're off to a good start.
That's not a slight against the game, which was pretty fun, with a cool atmosphere (it's not scary at all, just sorta disturbing at times with the design of the monsters) and decent puzzles. The story is also basically Spirited Away but creepier, and I'm down for that. I love RPG Maker games, the limitations of the engine and the fact that's usually one person breeds creativity in a way that's fascinating. It's a cool scene!
GAME #2 - Hello Charlotte (all episodes) - January 26 - 7/10
~2 hours
It's actually a series of three short games that I'm counting as one for this challenge, because i'm treating it like an episodic game.
That being said, it was... weird. The first one is like a collection of rpg maker references. there are sequences that look like Ib, like Witch's House, like Off, but all in it weird style, enveloped in a weird premise and setting that I won't even try to explain, but trust me, if it seems weird initially, it gets weirder. The second and third game go all in with the meta aspect, creating a story with so many layers that I think went way too far with its abstractness. But at the end, everything is explained... sort of, and it has an actually heartwarming message. It also has a message by the creator thanking you for playing, that was really nice.
I honestly would recommend it just for the trippy visuals and concepts. It can't be understated, it's a fucking out there game, and honestly, that's kinda fascinating. The first episode (wish is NOT the one on Steam) is free, I would recommend you try it.
Link to the past without a soul. Perfectly enjoyable ride, but completely forgettable afterwards. Very easy, wasn't even close to dying once. Repeatable puzzles, not very challenging. However, I'd still recommend to anyone itching for a 2D Zelda-like adventure.
1. Star Wars: Battlefront II - Playstation 4 - Jan 3rd - 6/10
The campaign is fine but the story is very predictable. Arcade mode is where the game shines, helping to bring back memories of playing the original Battlefront II in my childhood. Didn't even bother trying the online after hearing about all the issues.
2. What Remains of Edith Finch - Playstation 4 - Jan 4th - 8/10
Giant Sparrow take everything they did well with The Unfinished Swan and combine it with a genuinely intriguing and heartfelt story, with each of its tales of life and death feeling unique and interesting. Genuinely improves on The Unfinished Swan in every way.
3. Yakuza Kiwami - Playstation 4 - Jan 14th - 8/10
A fantastic game to follow up the story of last year's excellent Yakuza 0. I never played the original Yakuza (having never played a game in the series until the aforementioned 0) so was delighted at the chance to play the original game. A great story coupled with some awesome characters (I goddamn love Majima). Looking forward to the localisation of Kiwami 2!
4. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Playstation 3 - Jan 19th - 9/10
Despite loving the Metal Gear series, I've never played this thanks to never owning a PS3, until now. Man it was worth the wait. A truly fitting conclusion for Solid Snake, in a game that, for better and for worse, indulges Kojima and his whims. Sure, the boss fights were all kinda similar to those in previous games, but the story, the characters, the twists and turns and the combat are all stellar. Holds up even a decade on.
5. Persona 5 - Playstation 4 - Jan 24th - 10/10
The best RPG of all time? It just might be. Persona 5 has such an incredible cast of characters, and I fell in love with each and every one. With a story that has so many twists and turns, some awesome antagonists along the way and of course the usual things you'd expect from a Persona game with regards to things like confidants and how easy it is to bond with your teammates and accomplices. A true 10/10 game.
6. Celeste - Nintendo Switch - Jan 30th - 8/10
My first new, 2018 release played this year, and what a blast it was. Celeste is tough as nails, but thanks great checkpointing, and it always being clear what the game requires you to do, it's not frustratingly difficult. Getting through a particularly difficult segment in Celeste feels fantastic and with a surprisingly good story, Celeste is the first great game of the year. Don't forget Celeste when Game of the Year discussion rolls around.
7. Stardew Valley - Nintendo Switch - Feb 1st - 9/10
Been playing this on and off since the Switch version launched but I'm finally able to say that I'm okay to put it down for a while now. Reached the end of the second year and have had an absolutely brilliant time on the farm, it's a game which really got me gripped and kept me coming back. Firmly enjoyed the 40 hours or so I spent with the game. Most importantly of all, Emily is best girl.
Currently Playing
L.A. Noire - Nintendo Switch
Persona 4 - Playstation 2
Managed to get to 54 games last year so hoping for the same again this time around!
Finished last year. Reserving a spot for Round Two. One of my resolutions this year is to actually follow through and write up my thoughts on all the games I played rather than just a list of titles.
It sorta gave me what I wanted out of the first season of Life is Strange. I sorta missed the time rewind ability and reloaded a few checkpoints because I'm a wuss. Otherwise it made Chloe actually likeable for me. Soundtrack was great, the artstyle I still like but I hope that Squenix gives future games a higher budget because some of the animations are still awkward. 4/5
The sad thing about Cuphead is that its great gameplay gets overshadowed by the reception of its style and I got to honestly say: without the artstyle I don't know if I would have had the patience for Cuphead. The first two worlds are pretty much perfect as far as I am concerned. In the third there are some bosses with attack pattern combinations which make it impossible to evade without taking damage. And some of the bosses have foreground graphics which block your line of sight on some sections of the screen. Overall Cuphead is a great but not flawless package of style, sound, gameplay and charm which I can only recommend. 4/5
There is nothing much to say about The Plan. You press W most of the time, think about life and then the game is over after five minutes. It's free and if you need a quick +1 for your 52 games it's worth checking out. No Score but thumbs up
A Visual Novel without writing. Well drawn pictures give you a little look in the lives of three children on the other side of the world. Music is nice, too. An experiment by the developer that they offer for free. Also worth checking out. No Score but thumbs up
By the same team as the previous game. Also a Visual Novel with just pictures and no words. Halfway through the game there is a gameplay twist. I understand the first half but the second goes over my head. Also free, also short, also worth checking out. No Score but thumbs up
It's the story mode to MS Paint. It's a relaxing game which you can just get lost in. But my art got pushed by Donald Trump. Now I feel dirty. 3/5
Charming puzzle game based on the Captain Toad levels in Super Mario 3D World. The diorama levels are nice to look at but I often had problems with the camera. Neither of the two camera settings are ideal in some situations. Apart from the nice presentation the music is good to hear to, too. I also liked the Arabian theme of many levels. It was a great breaking of pace in 3D World but for my taste Treasure Tracker maybe overstays its welcome a little bit despite it being pretty short. My swan song for the WiiU. Can recommend! 3/5
Plays great with Mouse & Keyboard. Looks good, runs well. The main mission is good, the side stuff not so much. Rescued Hideo Kojima. Menu Navigation with no mouse is something I don't like. 3/5
Visual Novel with a twist that I won't spoil. Didn't take the direction I thought it would but what was there was also good. Didn't flash me though as it did many others. It's free so check it out. 3/5
Sometimes a game just resonates with you. For me Hob is one of these games. Playing it its inspirations are pretty obvious with the main ones being top down Zelda games and Ghibli. It gets pretty big framerate dips which are probably both my 970 showing its age and not the best optimization considering what happened to Runic after Hob released. Since the game has a fixed camera there are some perspective issues here and there but nothing to major. It also uses the "show don't tell" approach to telling its story which I'm not that big a fan of since much of the stuff is hidden and then also just implied and open to interpretaion. I would have liked to at least read somethings. Nevertheless the charme of the game showing in its design (I have a weakness for red hoods) of the animals and world and especially the animations just drew me in. Add some nice puzzles to that. 5/5
February
Cool Metroidvania-ish. The story goes some interesting places and has some interesting ideas though the mood switches were sometimes a little bit glaring. Pixelart is great for all of the game as are the animations. The upgrade system felt pointless for the most part. A lot of the things you can build don't feel like a significant improvement and get deactivated one at a time when you get hit thus losing the small benefits while recharging them can take quite some time. Most annoying were character switches which didn't control that well though one of my favorite boss fight was with a character that was not the main character Robin. Last word goes to the music which is good in almost all places. Will definitly be on my GotY list when the year ends (and I hopefully don'T forget it). 4/5
Remedy is one of my favorite studios so I was pretty excited for Quantum Break that I even thought buying a Xbox One for it. Thankfully it came to PC and I probably would have regreted a console for it. Good things first: It looks nice, the time animations are impressive and I thought doing the decisions which affect story and gameplay as the antagonist was interesting. I can get something out of time travel stories. Here, too, though some things would probably require digging in the collectibles which is something I will never do. And I hate to get down on a game but it feels like I can't do it any other way in this case. The shooting feels janky which is disappointing coming from a studio which made two fantastic and two pretty good third person games with shooting in it. The time abilities are boring. Collectibles for story stuff and upgrade points are hidden in the levels but are only visible with a Batman-ish detective vision and so you walk through the levels always pressing the button for it. The NPCs are incredible annoying and always make some noises for you to find the right way. The series with real actors is pointless. The characters it focuses on are in the game for not even a minute and adds nothing to the overall plot. In the end Quantum Break is a disappointing game by a great studio. 2/5
A first-person exploration game (walking sim if you want to be mean and edgy) in which you explore a house of your family and learn about the stories which led to their death. These vary in quality though almost all have some neat design decisions. The house is very detailed. It is a short but very touching game. 4/5
At the end I was pretty burned out with Yakuza 0 which has more to do with playing 3 other Yakuza games in the last year but also digging deep into the real estate side game. To make it quick: It is another Yakuza game and probably my favorite one. Not that hot on the three battle styles but style, music, characters and story made me forget that pretty much. Start with this one if you want to get into Yakuza. You won't regret it! 4/5
An Ace Attorney with birds. I like the art style and music. Given that this is a game on a much smaller scale than Ace Attorney the cases are pretty short and the cross examination are pretty basic to put it nicely. Wasn't a fan of a fail state when you screw up in the investigations though you can get back where you were fast. The game has three different endings though after I got mine I didn't feel like investing the half and hour to an hour to get the other ones. 3/5
I think one of Telltales first adventure games which shows in the production values. Nevertheless Bone Episode 1 is a neat adventure game. I liked the characters and the dialogue. It doesn't offer much in puzzles and has some bad breaks from the main mechanics though you can skip at least two of the three I thought were bad. 3/5
I played over 57 games last year, lets see if I can top it. 1: OutRun 2 SP (1/1/2018) ★★★★★
I wanted to start the year off by replaying one of the best racing games ever made. The physics, the art style, the sense of speed is still awesome and never gets old.
2: Hidden my game by mom (16/1/2018) ★★★
I enjoyed my time with this game and while it had some boring puzzles, the awesome ending made me like this game.
3: Assassins Creed Rogue (22/1/2018) ★★★★
This game is basically Black Flag 2 but the mission design is better, So no more tailing someone while they are talking or anything like that. It fixed my problems from BF but I felt like the setting and the story are worse. Pirates are much more unique and interesting and I liked the Caribbean islands more than NY and the Arctic. Still, gameplay wise it is much better than BF.
Guess I'll attempt this again. Haven't succeeded the last uh... 4 times?
1. Grim Dawn | 1/6 | PC | ★★★★½
Haven't played a Diablo-style game in a long time, but I'd always meant to give this one a shot. Wow. This was by far the best game of its type I've played. Killing stuff just feels so good, and the visuals and music are great. This is what Diablo III should have been. Playing through the expansion now.
2. Hotline Miami | 1/6 | PC | ★★★★★
It's been about 5 years since I've played through the first HLM, so I figured I'd run through it again. Still a hell of a lot of fun. The second game's soundtrack definitely outclasses this one's, though.
3. Grim Dawn: Ashes of Malmouth | 1/7 | PC | ★★★★½
Really well-done expansion. It's more of the same, but in some some cool new locales. It's also a hell of a lot tougher than the main game. Glad I finally got around to playing this one.
4. Crysis Warhead | 1/9 | PC | ★★★½
Haven't played through this one since 2009. It's aged... relatively well. A lot of the flash has worn off, but the game still looks good and is fun to play. Having said that, certain segments of it still run like shit for no reason, and the game's got way too much reliance on "defend the objective" sequences. Combat feels good, though it's hampered by guns that aren't loud enough and a distinct lack of satisfying violence. Fun romp, though it's not as good as I remember it.
5. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number | 1/9 | PC | ★★★★★
I wasn't planning to run through the game again, but after having so much fun replaying the first game, I figured I might as well -- hadn't played HLM2 since it came out 3 years ago. I like this game better than the first. It's way tougher, has a way better soundtrack, and has a much more oppressive atmosphere. The game definitely has some cheap moments (ie: enemies shooting you from off-screen, even when you're using shift to look around), but whatever. The sheer difficulty just makes it all more thrilling. Between all the violence and kinda disturbing... well, everything, though, it's a surprisingly draining experience.
6. The Mummy Demastered | 1/18 | PC | ★★★★
I like Wayforward's stuff, so I wasn't surprised that I liked this one a lot. I'm pretty sure the game has absolutely nothing to do with the movie, and that's obviously fine. It's a really well-done Metroidvania, and I appreciate a modern take on the genre that isn't loaded up with RPG-lite bullshit.
7. Hard Reset Redux | 1/21 | PC | ★★★★
Didn't play the original version of the game back when it came out in... what was it, 2011? 2012, maybe? Well, whatever. The Redux version was great, and exactly what I wanted to play. Super-fast combat, satisfying guns, and it's cyberpunk. Cool. Also love that they dropped in the sword from Shadow Warrior. The game does lack variety in the enemies and environments, but at the 6 or so hours it took, it didn't overstay its welcome.
8. Iconoclasts | 1/27 | PC | ★★★★★
Wow. Maybe one of the best games I've ever played. It just did everything right. I'd hoped Iconoclasts would be good, but I did not expect something like this.
9. Doki Doki Literature Club | 1/28 | PC | ★★★½
Well, that was interesting.
10. The Red Strings Club | 1/29 | PC | ★★★★
I really wasn't sure what to expect from the game, but I ended up having a lot of fun with it. The game's basically a simplified P&C adventure where the emphasis is firmly on the storyline, and the myriad branching paths. The game gives you a pretty crazy amount of control over both the plot and your relationship to the cast -- I was kind of amazed. The story, itself, is a super-interesting take on futuristic dystopia, and the aesthetics are just perfect. It's a short ride, but I've got a feeling I'll be going back to play this one again at least a few times.
11. Zwei: The Arges Adventure | 2/4 | PC | ★★★½
Being a huge Falcom fan, I wasn't surprised that I liked this one. Zwei isn't as polished, mechanically, as Falcom's later games are, but it's still a fun dungeon crawler that's got about as much charm as I've ever seen in a game. It's unabashedly old-school (it originally came out in 2001, and feels old even by those standards), so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to everyone... but it's definitely worth a look if you're a fan of the developer.
12. Suikoden | 2/14 | Playstation | ★★★½
I gave Suikoden a shot back in 2013, and it didn't really grab me. It might've been the crappy setup I was playing the game on, but I didn't spend more than a few hours on it. Gave it another shot, and to my surprise, ended up having a great time with it. I blew through the game in 3 days... the game was only about 18 hours (and I took my time), but that's still good indicator that I was hooked. The game's most interesting twist was the recruiting system to collect Suikoden's 108 characters, which provided a pretty novel reason to veer from straight and narrow. The game does have a lot of cumbersome issues, namely that you have to keep returning to base to swap out characters, can't dash without equipping a special ability, and inventory management is a pain... but they didn't do a whole lot to diminish what was otherwise a really fun JRPG.
13. Front Mission 3 | 2/23 | Playstation | ★★★★
I'd always wanted to check out the Front Mission series, and since I was on a PS1 kick, I figured now was the time to dig into FM3. Really, really liked this one. It feels surprisingly different from other SRPGs, and I was impressed by the fact that the mech theme is more than just window dressing -- the combat is built entirely around destroying destroying the various parts of enemy mechs, and adds an interesting layer of strategy to the mix. The game is pretty slow-paced -- jarringly so at first, but once you get used to the flow, it's pretty damn addictive. The game is loooooong as hell, too -- I clocked in at around 38 hours, but FM3 also has an alternate campaign that's basically a whole second game. Which is insane. I'll take on that someday, but for now, I kinda need a break.
14. Mega Man X5 | 2/24 | Playstation | ★★★★
X5 has always been one of my favorites in the series, so I wasn't terribly surprised that I still had a great time blowing through the game. Oddly enough, I'd never owned the PS1 version of the game prior to this, so it was nice to finally play the original version of the game, rather than the PC or PS2 port. I ran through the game as X, as I always do. I played through a second time with Zero (which I've somehow never done before in X5), and... it's pretty good. The final set of stages and bosses don't really feel like they were designed well for Zero, which wasn't really a great way to cap off the game. But, still fun.
15. Cave Story+ | 2/27 | Switch | ★★★★★
I don't know what inspired me to play through the game on a whim, especially after blowing through it 4 times when it first came out on the Switch last year... but I played through the game again and got the best ending. Obviously, still an amazing game, and it really doesn't get old.
16. Superbeat: Xonic | 3/15 | Switch | ★★★★½
Man, is it nice to finally have a new music game to play. I haven't really gotten into a music game since Beatmania IIDX on the PS2, and that series stopped back in 2009. It's good to be back. Superbeat: Xonic is fun as hell, and feels satisfyingly different from other games in the genre. The music's great, and the DLC tracks are totally worth buying. I cleared all the songs in 6-button mode, maxed out my level, and generally just played the hell out of it.
17. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze | 5/8 | Switch | ★★★★★
After playing Tropical Freeze back in 2014, I was pretty sure it was my favorite platformer of all time. Revisiting the game on Switch confirmed it. I ran through all of the stages in the game again, including the hidden ones, and enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time around. What an incredibly lazy effort, though - $10 more than it cost 4 years ago, and they added nothing of any value (Funky Mode doesn't count.) Eh, whatever. Game's still rad.
18. Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero | 5/12 | Switch | ★★★½
It's about time I got around to this one. 1/2 Genie Hero was a fun romp, though a huge step back from Pirate's Curse (which is an all-time favorite of mine.) There's a bit too much backtracking, and having to transform in order to do basic exploration got a little tedious. The atmosphere was also lacking, which was a bit of a shame considering how well Pirate's Curse nailed that. Even so, I did have a lot of fun with the game, and the whole experience was charming as hell. Though, more than anything, it did make me wish they'd throw Pirate's Curse on a Switch cart -- that'll be something special.
19. Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap | 5/13 | Switch | ★★★½
Wonder Boy was pretty cool. I never played the original, but this definitely felt old-school. The overarching design was great -- the game's exploration totally worked, and backtracking always seemed to yield some satisfying discoveries. Mechanically... the game was alright. The controls were a little too fiddly for my liking, and some enemies were just annoying as shit... but in general, it worked. Visually, the game was amazing, but the music was a total let-down -- there was only one track in the entire game that I really liked. So, a bit of a mixed bag, but the game's definitely more than the sum of its parts. I had fun.
COMPLETED [43]
1: 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (1-1-2018) | 8/10 | PS4 | ~ 20 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | Solid score for a VN in my books. Not a genre I normally play Gameplay - 7.5 | The actual gameplay is fun, but its nothing revolutionary Sound - 5 | Not great, not bad. To be honest I can't remember it much Story/Online - 9 | Great story, why you play the game Asking Price- 8.67 | This is a game you want to 100%, many different paths and branches
2: Metroid: Zero Mission (1-7-2018) | 7/10 | GBA | ~ 4.5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 7 | Great game and the added content/upgrades are substantial. Gameplay - 8 | Controls are fantastic, and enemies/concept are great. Sound - 8 | I always love Metroids vibe. It adds to the emotion of environments.Picking up an upgrade sound=<3 Story/Online-6 | For a Metroid game and added content its good. Overall adequate Asking Price- 6.67 | Its a short game, but a great one.
3: Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (1-8-2018) | 5/10 | NES | ~ 6.5 Hours | Recommend: N
# Overall - 5 | I liked parts and hated parts Gameplay - 5.2 | The stair mechanic paired with controls is infuriating Sound - 6 | Decent overall soundtrack Story/Online - 5 | Story is there for the gameplay, not the other way around. It serves its purpose Asking Price- 5 | The biggest lasting appeal from this game is how it plays today, which isn't great. I played it on NES, but if you played on an emulator and remapped, your millage would be better.
4: Super Castlevania 4 (1-9-2018) | 6/10 | SNES Classic | ~ 4 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 6 | Worthy Upgrade from 3, taking the best parts and improving the worst. Gameplay - 6.4 | Improved controls. Enemies/Concept nothing crazy new for series Sound - 7 | Had some memorable tracks. Story/Online - 5 | Same as 3, story is a means for the gameplay. Serves its purpose Asking Price- 5 | It is a very short linear game. I really enjoyed it, but don't need to replay it.
5: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1-12-2018) | 9/10 | Vita | ~8 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | Aggregate of 4 components below. Decimal rounded up or down by personal bias. Gameplay - 8.6 | Like Metroid, start small and end unstoppable. It is fantastic. Sound - 8 | I was humming tracks from this game a week after I beat it. Story/Online - 7 | Bigger story compared to previous games, some great bad voice acting! Asking Price- 9.33 | Its the perfect length for its gameplay. Would replay again.
6: Kirby Super Star (1-14-2018) | 6/10 | SNES Classic | ~ 3.5 Hours | Recommend: N
# Overall - 6 | Whats there is good, I just wanted much more. Gameplay - 6.6 | Whats there is good. I didn't like the concept of the game though compared to KA. Sound - 6 | Got some decent tracks, more repeat from previous titles. Story/Online - 7 | Its story for a Kirby game is good, especially one of the games. Asking Price- 5 | The content included is good, just not enough compared to Kirbys Adventure.
7: Octodad: Deadliest Catch (1-20-2018) | 7/10 | PS4 | ~ 2 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 7 | I got a ton of laughs out of this game. Going back to get all the ties! Gameplay - 6.75 | Had to exclude a category I normally judge gameplay on. Also controls was a hard one to grade as they are supposed to be tough. Its fun to play though, which matters most. Sound - 6 | Not a ton, but has some funny tracks. Story/Online - 7 | An Octopus in disguise as a human. Game is hilarious which is hard to do. Asking Price- 8.33 | Had a great lasting appeal on me and the content/replay value is high.
8: SteamWorld Dig (1-22-2018) | 7/10 | PS4 | ~ 4.5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 7 | Great first game to the series. Image & Form made a gem Gameplay - 7.8 | I really enjoy the loop of pushing through a mine, upgrading..etc. Game controls well. Sound - 7 | Only a few tracks, all decent. Story/Online - 6 | Its a minimal story, but the mine itself is the story and whats lurking beyond. Asking Price- 8 | With randomized worlds, if you enjoy the mechanics the game welcomes you back for more
9: Zero Escape: Virtues Last Reward (1-28-2018) | 9/10 | PS4 | ~ 41 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | Great game that takes 999, doubles the content and keeps the story moving. 100% complete! Gameplay - 7.75 | Some great puzzles. Controls are awkward at times. Also mixed about move to 3d models Sound - 6 | Better than the 999. Not a huge factor in the game. Towards the end had some audio bugs Story/Online - 10 | You play the game for the Story. Its very well done and has twist and turns. Asking Price- 9.33 | Tons of content, Replaying the game for different branches is a must.
10: Iconoclasts (1/30/2018) | 9/10 | PS4 | ~ 18 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | Phenomenal action platformer with a great story and bosses Gameplay - 9.6 | Mechanics, bosses, world are all top notch. One of the prettiest 2D games ever. Sound - 8 | Most of the tracks are good, with a few great ones. Story/Online - 10 | A genre not known for a story it goes above and beyond. There is a moment in the game that goes against everything you know about a character and truly made me feel the rush of the moment. Asking Price- 9.33 | The content there is fantastic and I am going back for another run shortly!
11: Celeste (2-16-2018) | 8/10 | Switch | ~ 10 Hours | Recommend: Y Overall - 8 | Great platformer that climbs together with challenge and fun throughout the experience. Gameplay - 8 | Tight controls & interesting level designs and interactions. Controls are tight minus the feather Sound - 9 | The game plays to a fantastic soundtrack and homage to its past. Story/Online - 8 | For its genre it was fairly deep, also giving great insight into the feelings of a human side. Asking Price- 9 | 100/175 strawberries and 2 more sides to complete, there is plenty to keep me coming back!
#12: Monster Hunter World (2-17-2018) | 9/10 | PS4 | ~ 82 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | Its a game you can play for 10 minutes or lose yourself for hours. Easy GOTY contender Gameplay - 9.4 | MHW controls fantastic, with tons of weapons &combos. Unique enemies lead to wild fights. Sound - 9 | Great soundtrack, what truly shines is the monsters & the noises they make. Battles can be one or lost off of catching the sounds they make. Story/Online - 7 | Story is serviceable and is a good way to introduce monsters & mechanics Asking Price- 9.67 | Tons of monsters, tons of quest, even after the credits roll the content only increases.
#13: Zero Times Dilemma (2-28-2018) | 7/10 | PS4 | ~ 23 Hours | M
# Overall - 7 | A good game with many QOL improvements to the game. Story weakest in the series. Gameplay - 7.5 | Much easier to navigate. The rooms seemed easier overall, needing less logic to solve. Sound - 6 | Still not a highlight of the series. Its there to support whats happening and that's it. Story/Online - 8 | Overall it was a decent story, tying up lose knots in the series. Enjoyed darker tones Asking Price- 8.67 | Good amount of content (although half of VLR). It didn't end with the same bang though.
#14: Metal Gear Survive (2-28-2018) | 7/10 | PS4 | ~ 23 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 7 | Enjoyable game that is overall fun to play and screw around in. Gameplay - 7.8 | Built off of fantastic mechanics it puts the player in alternative world to have fun in Sound - 8 | Music included in this game definitely bumped it up from a 7 to 8. Also credit song was great! Story/Online - 7.5 | Game has a deeper story than expected and while online is only 1 mode it works well. Asking Price- 7.67 | The game has a good amount of content and some post game stuff, easily worth MSRP.
#15: Bayonetta (3-7-2018) | 8/10 | Switch | ~ 12.5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | The game is over the top fun with fantastic controls and enemies Gameplay - 9 | I can't count the amount of times I said that was insane from over the top action Sound - 8 | Its catchy soundtrack matches the crazy gameplay Story/Online - 8 | The story is okay mixed with excellent dialogue to keep you laughing along the way Asking Price- 8.33 | Great amount of content for single player game taking around 12.5 hours to finish.
#16: Axiom Verge (3-11-2018) | 8/10 | Switch | ~ 15 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | Great Metroid style game that has its own ideas and unique abilities. Gameplay - 8.6 | Map is well thought out with good amount of enemies. Loved Trace's abilities. Sound - 8 | Great soundtrack. There were a few noises though that don't sound great blasting through a TV. Story/Online - 7 | Interesting world and characters but story is more to keep the gameplay going. Asking Price- 9 | Big map, tons of hidden collectibles. On of the better Metroidvaina games made.
#17: The Silver Case (3-17-2018) | 9/10 | PS4 | ~ 14.5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | What seems mundane at first turns into a genius stroke in story. Gameplay - 7.75 | The games style is unique in how it presents the characters and text. Sound - 9 | Its not an "Epic" soundtrack, but it creeps into your everyday life while not playing. Story/Online - 10 | I have not played a video game like it to date. Its characters and arch where unexpected Asking Price- 8.33 | The games true value is its lasting appeal. Bought the next two games in the series.
#18: Lego Ninjago Movie Game (3-17) | 6/10 | PS4 | ~ 7 Hours | Recommend: N
# Overall - 6 | As a fan of the Lego games, I was not a fan of this entry Gameplay - 6.6 | We both did not enjoy this Lego game. To many pop ups, world design was poor Sound - 7 | Not bad, not memorable. Story/Online - 7 | Story follows movie, awkward as they have to put movie clips & gameplay disjointedly Asking Price- 6.33 | Play lego games co-op. We both agreed this was one not worth going 100%
#19: Shadow of the Colossus (3-17) | 10/10 | PS4 | ~ 7.5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 10 | Absolute gem and one of the greatest games I have ever played Gameplay - 9.2 | Bluepoint did a amazing job recreating this game. Colossus are all incredible and unique Sound - 10 | Not sure how it was in the original, but the sound is another character in this game. Story/Online - 9 | The story is subtle, but is told without words. The world & colossus are told beautifully. Asking Price- 9.33 | Easily worth a pickup and one I could see myself replaying which is rare.
#20: Bayonetta 2 (3-21-2018) | 9/10 | Switch | ~ 8 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | You would be hard press to find a funner game than Bayonetta 2. Improves on 1 in every way Gameplay - 9.6 | Seriously one of the most fluid games I have ever played with a ton of enemies. Sound - 8 | Fairly good soundtrack & gameplay sounds Story/Online - 8 | Its wacky, but works well. The band of characters while crazy are interesting. Asking Price- 8.67 | Very much enjoyed this game and going back on a harder difficulty shortly!
#21: Flower, Sun and Rain (3-29-2018) | 8/10 | 2DS | ~ 12 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 8 | Never played a game like it before. PS2/Remastered version could easily be 9 or 10 Gameplay - 7.4 | DS version graphics are bad, controls are okay. Puzzles are very good Sound - 9 | There are times I left the game going to listen to a song loop. Story/Online - 8 | Great continuation of the first game, The Silver Case, story. It also uses a 4th wall well. Asking Price- 8.33 | Good amount of content (especially the extra things you can find).
#22: The 25th Ward: The Silver Case (4-15-2018) | 9/10 | PS4 | ~ 22 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | Great game and for now ending to Kill The Past series Gameplay - 8 | Easier to control than Silver Case. Adventure Novel so more reading versus inputs. Sound - 8 | Takada Story/Online - 9 | Bread & butter is the story. Kill the Past series story is hard to match in industry. Asking Price- 9 | Great amount of content, 20 hours of story with side cleanup endings once done.
23: Braid (4-26-2018) | 7/10 | Xbox One | ~ 5 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 7 | Some good ideas mixed with so-so execution. Gameplay - 8.2 | Puzzle pieces well thought out.. Jumping/Enemies lackluster. Beautiful Art Sound - 6 | Music wasn't bad but didn't fit the game well. Cant remember any other sounds. Story/Online - 7 | Story wasn't great although learning pieces through the puzzles was interesting. Asking Price- 7.67 | Going back to get every piece provided replay value but the experience was short.
#24: God of War (4-26-2028) | 10/10 | PS4 | ~ 40 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 10 | The game is the definition of polished and I loved every piece of it. Gameplay - 9.6 | Its beautiful, Combat is fantastic, Enemies are a joy. Controls are good, but not natural. Sound - 9 | Soundtrack brings you through the game. Enemies and environment sounds great Story/Online - 10 | A troubled Kratos words at odds with his prior actions is great to watch. Asking Price- 10 | Main Story, Side Story, Side Stuff are all great. Finishing last few things for 100%
#25: VVVVVV (4-28-2018) | 7/10 | VITA | ~ 2 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 7 | Whats there is good, wish there was more! Gameplay - 7.5 | Cool concept that controls well. Sound - 7 | Limiting soundtrack but one track is fantastic! Story/Online - 6 | Its bare bones, not the focus of the game Asking Price- 6.67 | Has some extras to tackle after the game ends. Was fun but lasting appeal was low.
#26: ClusterTruck (5-2-2018) | 7/10 | Xbox One | ~ 4 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 7 | Fun concept that leads to enjoyable gameplay. Last level no joke! Gameplay - 8.25 | Variety of abilities with cool level designs. World orders seem out of line for difficulty Sound - 6 | Quick fuel to boost you for your next jump. Story/Online - NA | If there was a story I was unaware of it! Asking Price- 8 | Good amount of levels that does not overstay its appeal. Fun unique physics game!
#27: MLB The Show 18 (May 11th) | 8/10 | PS4 | ~ 60 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | Aggregate of 4 components below. Decimal rounded up or down by personal bias. Gameplay - 8.6 | Best Baseball game to date. Nothing comes close to feeling/playing this good Sound - 7 | Actual baseball sounds great. Soundtrack is bad, announcers are okay. Story/Online - 9 | Online plays well. Tons of modes for if you have long or short play sessions. Asking Price- 9 | Easily most addictive game of the year, just want to play one more game!
#28: Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (3-27-2018) | 10/10 | PS4 | ~ # 35 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 10 | A hell of a ride from start to finish. A game fitting of the Dragon of Dojima's final legacy Gameplay - 9 | Game bumps the series onto a new engine making the world & fighting even smoother Sound - 10 | Greatest voice acting I have ever heard in a game. The world immersion for the setting is top. Story/Online - 10 | Possibly the best story in games. Its depth, characters and topics are unmatched. Asking Price- 9.67 | Less content than other Yakuza's, more content than most games. Huge lasting appeal
#29: Cuphead (5/29/2018) | 8/10 | Xbox One | ~ 12 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | Creative boss rush game that was fun and challenging. Gameplay - 9.6 | Boss fights are intense and all look gorgeous. As the fight develop, so does the art. Sound - 8 | Soundtrack is great, it does blend together though when your focus is on the gameplay. Story/Online - 7 | Simple story to get you from start to finish. Asking Price- 8.33 | Tons of bosses, side levels are okay. Don't feel the need to replay once beaten.
#30: Metroid Fusion (5/31) | 7/10 | GBA | ~ 5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 7 | Mixed feelings. While enjoyable, game seemed too obvious/direct. Gameplay - 8.4 | Mutated particles turning into enemies was interesting. Game has fantastic color. Sound - 8| While I wasn't a fan of some of the renditions, the tone in Metroid is set by the music very well Story/Online - 7 | There actually is a story, nothing to write home about. Asking Price- 6.67 | Disliked the change of being led everywhere. Last 2 hours was better than first 3
#31: SuperHot VR (6-3-18) | 8/10 | PSVR | ~ 3 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | Unique idea that makes the player feel like Neo. Each level is intense offering unique design. Gameplay - 8.6 | Slowy tilting your head to the side as your body leans backwords to dodge bullets is ace. Sound - 6 | Very minimal. Gunshots, and the odd SUPER...HOT every now and then. Story/Online - NA | Kill the red people Asking Price- 9 | Story content plus endless mode leads to a solid package.
#32: Sunset Overdrive (6-5-2018) | 8/10 | Xbox One| ~ 9 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | A game self aware of itself, presenting fun above all else Gameplay - 9 | Smooth over the top gameplay was a joy start to finish. Weapons are awesome & unique. Sound - 8 | Not a huge punk fan, but the soundtrack fits the game perfectly. Voice acting fairly good. Story/Online - 8 | Its silly, both missions & voice acting but its comical and keeps you coming back. Asking Price- 8.33 | Big city, plenty of story/side mission content as well as some collectibles to find
#33: Rachet and Clank (6-7-2018) | 8/10 | PS4 | ~ 10 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | Aggregate of 4 components below. Decimal rounded up or down by personal bias. Gameplay - 8.6 | Gorgeous game with fun weapons and levels. Experienced few slow controls & glitches Sound - 8 | Nice voice acting, soundtrack is complementary of area nicely. Story/Online - 7 | Nothing wild, fun plot to take you across the galaxy. Asking Price- 7.67 | Story ended at good point, didn't stay to long. Challenges to cleanup once over.
#34: Hollow Knight (6-19-2018) | 10/10 | Switch | ~ 27 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 10 | After the end credits roll my first thought was I want to go right back into Hollow Knight Gameplay - 9.8 | The world, enemies, art are some of the greatest I have ever played in a video game Sound - 9 | Beautiful soundtrack. Each area has distinct sounds that set the mood while great to listen to Story/Online - 9 | Its story and characters are told through its wonderfully crafted world. Asking Price- 10 | Only 74% completed and still need to play. I am jumping straight back into it.
#35: Golf Story (6-21-2018) | 7/10 | Switch | ~ 13.5 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 7 | A charming experience that overstays its welcome Gameplay -7.2 |Frustratingly easy, AI makes mistake to ensure you win. Nice pixel art. Golf mechanics okay Sound - 7 | Few decent tunes, definitely get overplayed. Hitting the ball sounds great though. Story/Online - 8 | Game has a great amount of humor, It will keep you laughing the entire time. Asking Price- 7 | Good amount of content, can feel a bit "Same-y" at times.
#36: Forza Horizon 2 (6-28-2018) | 8/10 | Xbox One | ~ 15 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | Fun open world arcade racing game with an insane amount of content. Gameplay - 8 | Plowing through the fields in an expensive sports car could never be more fun Sound - 8 | Cars sound good as well as the soundtrack Story/Online - NA | Game has been out 3 years so I didn't judge online. There isn't really a story, go race Asking Price- 9.33 | Completing the Finale in around 15 hours, it only covers 12% of all the races included
#37: Mario Tennis Aces (7-2-2018) | 6/10 | Switch | ~ 8 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 6 | The search for another great Mario Tennis game continues Gameplay - 6.8 | The concept is great and plays well but every mode only feels 1/2 completed Sound - 7 | Not much, besides Toad yelling at you every few minutes. Story/Online - 5.5 | SP is over before it starts , online matchmaking is laughable. Offline modes lacking Asking Price- 7 | Right now the game is quite restricted. Lets hope Nintendo adds content over time
#38: Donkey Kong Country (7-2-2018) | 8/10 | SNES C | ~ 4.5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 8 | A classic that still holds up today. Replayed the game and finished what I couldn't as a kid Gameplay - 7.4 | Fun gameplay with cutting edge graphics. Hit detection and # enemies spotty Sound - 8 | Fantastic soundtrack . Limited number of tracks but all high quality Story/Online - 7 | Get your bananas back? Asking Price- 7.67 | Fun game with good amount of levels. Still hate the mine carts
#39: The Legend of Zelda (7-5-2018) | 8/10 | NES C | ~ 8 Hours | Recommend: M
# Overall - 8 | The one that started it all! Still holds up today very well Gameplay - 8.4 | Satisfying gameplay with a good variety of enemies. Some convoluted puzzles Sound - 8 | Not a ton of tunes but all of them are good Story/Online -7 | Not really a focal point Asking Price- 8.67 | Ton of content, especially for a game made in 1986
#40: Kirby's Adventure (7-6-2018) | 9/10 | NES C | ~ 3 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 9 | A childhood favorite I finally finished as an Adult. It still holds its charm and gameplay. Gameplay - 9.4 | Beautiful worlds, a good variety of enemies and some great boss fights. Sound - 9 | This is the soundtrack I associate as one of the best on the NES Story/Online - 7 | Barebones, similar to a lot of games from this time period. Asking Price- 9 | This game has had a huge lasting appeal on me. One of the NES best!
#41: Final Fantasy VI (7-18-2018) | 10/10 | SNES C | ~ 33.5 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 10 | An incredible journey that holds up in current standards Gameplay - 9.2 | Beautiful turn base game with huge amount of enemies and polish. Final boss fight is wild Sound -10 | A fantastic soundtrack somehow originally held on a SNES Cartridge Story/Online -9 | Giant cast of characters. The story is a grand experience that will keep you interested. Asking Price- 9.33 | If you like RPGS, you need to play this game. It is perfect for those that want to play straight through or those that want to explore every nook and cranny in the world
#42: Final Fantasy X (8-1-2018) | 10/10 | Vita| ~ 44 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 10 | Aggregate of 4 components below. Decimal rounded up or down by personal bias. Gameplay - 9 | One of the best RPG fighting mechanics I have ever played. Fantastic start to finish Sound - 9 | Some of the character voices where hit or miss, but the OST is fantastic Story/Online - 10 | It is such a deep story, it kept me engrossed all the way. Asking Price- 9.33 | Its a huge game with well crafted side content.
#43: Chasm (8-7-2018) | 7/10 | Vita| ~ 9 Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - 7 | An overall good game that does not excel in anyone area besides art Gameplay - 8 | While controls are not the best, there is a good amount of enemies and things to discover Sound - 7 | Not a lot going on here, only a few tracks Story/Online - 7 | Serviceable, not the key focus. Few moments that are interesting Asking Price- 8.33 | The game does not feel randomly generated so if you like it, round 2 awaits!
Best 2018 Title So Far: God of War
Best Non-2018 Title So Far: Hollow Knight
Review Breakdown
10: Perfect or Incredible experience
9: Near Perfect, definite recommendation to anybody.
8: Great, has a few, non-major flaws here and there
7: Fun, enjoyable experience
6 Alright , has a few minor flaws holding the game back.
5: Mediocre, as Ron Swanson would describe it: "It is a game." I like parts, I hate parts
4 or Lower: Bad, Needs major fixing, you should skip
#: Title (Date) | #/10 | System | ~ # Hours | Recommend: Y
# Overall - | Aggregate of 4 components below. Decimal rounded up or down by personal bias. Gameplay - | 5 categories Sound - | 1 category Story/Online - | 1/2 category Asking Price- | 3 categories
Games Completed:
1)Trails in the Sky SC - Amazing game! I love the series. On to the next one!
2) Trails in the Sky the 3rd - Fantastic end to the trilogy
3) Pokemon LeafGreen Randomizer - Thank God my legendary Clefairy evolved into Gyarados before the Elite Four
Games in progress:
1) Xenoblade Chronicles 2
2) Romancing Saga 2
3) Trails of Cold Steel
I have never even came close to finishing 52 games in a year before, so I have no idea how this will go but I have a huge backlog I wanna put a dint in so I'll give it a shot.
Some of these I got 100% for, some I played through multiple times, but I'll just keep it simple and list the games I've finished this year.
Games Completed:
Short Games:Proteus, 9.03m, 140, 8-bit Bayonetta, My Name is Mayo, Bleed, Type:Rider, Donut County
Replays: Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, DOOM (2016), Devil May Cry 3
Respect to Wozzer for taking over the thread, and thanks once again to VisceralBowl for all your work in previous years.
I hit 52 in our inaugural year are Resetera but I think this year has too many work deadlines in it for me to get anywhere near it in 2018. That said, I'm still going to log completed games here so consider this a reserved post for my master list.
Completed Games (10/52) - 42 to go #01: Cook, Serve, Delicious 2!! - Vertigo Gaming Inc. - PC - comments - ★★★☆☆ #02: Descenders - Ragesquid - PC - comments - ★★★☆☆ #03: WoodFarer - Yasaman Farazan and others - PC - comments - ★★★☆☆ #04: Domino Sky - Russpuppy - PC - comments - ★★☆☆☆ #05: XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Firaxis Games - PC - comments - ★★★☆☆ #06: XCOM: Enemy Within - Firaxis Games - PC - comments - ★★★★☆ #07: Super Inefficient Golf - 34BigThings - PC - comments - ★★☆☆☆ #08: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands - Ubisoft - PC - comments - ★★★☆☆ #09: Dark Souls III - From Software - PC - comments - ★★★★★ #10: HITMAN - IO Interactive A/S - PC - comments - ★★★★☆
☆☆☆☆☆ - Unplayable | ★☆☆☆☆ - Bad | ★★☆☆☆ - OK | ★★★☆☆ - Good | ★★★★☆ - Great | ★★★★★ - Exceptional
Gonna track them here this year. Lets see if i can do this l.
January
1. Persona 5 (PS4 - 8.5/10) [95 hours]
Pretty good game despite the fact that it didn't live up to the hype.
The gameplay has been improved from the previous Persona, adding some nice new elements such as the cover system.
The soundtrack is also great, with some nice vocals in some tracks.
The story has some nice twists, however one of them was too obvious from the start. The pacing however is where I think the problem is. It started great but then dragged on with some poor level design on the mid-game dungeons, but then pick up in the final act and managed to end on a high note.
2. Batman: A Telltale Game (PS4 - 6.5/10) [7 hours]
Honestly I was not expecting much, so I was not too disappointed.
The game feels the already tired Telltale formula with generic gameplay and forgettable soundtrack.
The story itself focus much more on Bruce Wayne than on Batman, and that itself is not bad, but some of the liberties taken on the characters, lead to some poor writing and character development.
The decisions through the game don't really fell meaningful, except for maybe one near the end.
One good point i get from this game is their take on the Joker, which was a nice refresh for the character while maintaining some old traits.
3. Lego Marvel Superheroes (PS4 - 8/10) [9 hours]
March
4. Nioh (PS4 - 9.5/10) [65 hours]
5. Uncharted: Lost Legacy (PS4 - 9/10)
6. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (PS Vita - 6/10)
7. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4 - 7.5/10)
8. Superhot VR (PSVR - 9/10)
9. One Piece: Unlimited World Red (PS Vita - 7/10)
Game 1: SteamWorld Dig 2 (NS / 1.2.18 / 10:59:45)
This was my first foray into the SteamWorld series and it instantly became one of my favorite games of 2017. The chill music and inviting aesthetics help, but the real meat of the game is the the gameplay loop it creates. Going down to dig your way to the next objective, finding some treasure along the way and stumbling into secret areas that test your grasp of the game's mechanics, and then getting back up to town to sell your treasure and re-fit yourself with cogs (the upgrade system that you can always change around at the workbench in town and which allows you to truly change how you can approach situations) makes for a wonderful experience that puts it above your run-of-the-mill Metroidvania.
Game 2: Battle Chef Brigade (NS / 1.4.18 / 9:58)
A charming, brilliant mix of match 3 puzzler and action platformer, brought together in a hand-drawn world where cooking reigns supreme. The writing is fantastic, and the voice acting brings life to the characters. I just wish the story would delve into these characters a bit more. It hits its story points so fast that when I reached the ending I was surprised it was already over. I found myself wanting there to be more there so that I could spend more time with the charming friends I had made in this beautiful world.
Game 3: Seedship (Browser / 1.6.18 / 0:40)
A neat little browser game (also available in the Android app store) about a colony ship trying to find a suitable planet for humanity to begin again. Outcomes get a score based on planet atmosphere, gravity, temperature, water, resources as well as how many survivors there are and the technological/cultural levels achieved by the new colony. The highest score I achieved in my 40 minutes of playing was 9450 when I founded an Engaged Atomic Age Democracy on a cold forest-filled planet dubbed Arcadia.
Game 4: Universal Paperclips (Browser / 1.9.18 / 5:40)
You should go play this game. A clicker with a message about optimization, in games and in life. I don't want to say too much, it should be experienced with fresh eyes.
Currently Playing: Hollow Knight, Night in the Woods, Pyre, Golf Story
I finished the campaign and dug through a bit of the multiplayer. It's a shame that they flubbed launch so bad, because there's a pretty fun -- albeit sometimes boring Star Wars story here. It also looks absolutely beautiful, and the space battles are some of the best I've played.
2. Assassin's Creed Origins (PS4) - Jan. 26 ★★★
I went back and forth on this game the entire time. On one hand, the open world is incredibly well crafted, with enough life and scenery to carry its close-to-30 hour runtime. However, I ran into so many issues playing the main story, from Trophy glitches to the not-so-great level-guarded missions.
3. Celeste (Switch) - Feb. 3 ★★★★★
Celeste is quite simply one of the best platforming games I've ever played. Its world is spritely and wonderful, and its speed is honestly unparalleled. It takes the best parts of games like Super Meat Boy or Metroid and rolls them up into one difficult, exhilarating package. It is also a lovely examination of mental illness, and we need more of that.
4. SteamWorld Dig (Switch) - Feb. 9 ★★★★
This was my first go-around with the SteamWorld franchise after failing to click with Dig 2 when it launched in 2017. The Switch port of the first game sold me, and I was hooked to the world until the minute credits rolled -- then I jumped right into the sequel.
5. SteamWorld Dig 2 (Switch) - Feb. 12 ★★★★
This is how to do a sequel well. Dig 2 elevates everything about the first game, while continuing its story and expanding on the world, from the sound to the NPCs to the incredibly well done art style.
6. Night In The Woods (Switch) - Feb. 26 ★★★★
Night In The Woods is another fantastic examination of mental illness, one that uses it as an intellectual weapon, not a crutch. These characters, the music and the expert writing made this game a breeze. The bonus content adds even more.
7. Subsurface Circular (Switch) - March 4 ★★★
I liked my time with Subsurface Circular, and despite its handholding, the impact of the story was good enough to have me thinking about it the entire night following its end.
8. Bayonetta (Switch) - March 13 ★★★★★
I can't believe I never finished this game before. Bayonetta is a tour de force in action gameplay, and I've honestly never played anything else like it.
9. Shadow Of The Colossus (PS4) - March 28 ★★★★★
It seems that this is the year for me to experience some of gaming's best for the very first time. This game justified my PS4 Pro and 4K TV purchases, and while I feel like I've had my fill of the world, I can't stop wondering about what it looks like now that the game is over.
10. Bayonetta 2 (Switch) - April 7 ★★★★★
Just when I thought the set pieces and incredible action from Bayonetta couldn't get any better. The power of Bayonetta 2 is in everything from its music, to fluid controls and fairly incoherent, yet lovely narrative. Bring on Bayonetta 3!
11. Kamiko (Switch) - April 7 ★★★
As a $5 game, Kamiko is more than worth its price of entry. Its a fast-paced Zelda-like that has some really interesting game play hooks, but almost outstays its welcome, despite how short it is. Still, a super fun game in the Switch's ever-expanding indie hat.
12. Kirby Star Allies (Switch) - April 17 ★★★
Kirby Star Allies is absolutely an on-par Kirby experience. It's safe, but that doesn't mean it's not a joy to play through. The game looks incredible and the use of HD Rumble is lovely, even if the final boss battle felt oddly similar to Planet Robobot's.
13. God of War (PS4) - April 28 ★★★★★
Welp, I thought Celeste would be hard to knock off the top of my list for the year but Sony Santa Monica went and did it -- and to great effect. This latest entry in the tried God of War franchise is a case study in subtlety and nuance in narrative gaming. Seriously, these characters are so compelling and live in such a living world that it's hard to leave it.
14. SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition (Switch) - May 3 ★★★
I started out really enjoying this game, but about halfway through the second area I started to feel so bogged down by it. I went ahead and trudged through, exploring some neat combinations and strategy along the way. The game didn't do a great job in convincing me to switch from its starting characters or connect with them, but I appreciate how well-built the world seemed to be.
15. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch) - May 14 ★★★★
Tropical Freeze is a superb platformer that hits all of the right notes when it comes to precision, fluidity and frustration. At times, I felt like I was speed-running a game I had no intention of speed running, but the mechanics felt so impulsively natural that I had to stop myself from speeding through. It's even better on Switch.
16. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (Switch) - June 7 ★★★
This was the first Musou-style game that I've ever finished, and I've got to say, it was pretty enjoyable. The game is an absolute love letter to the Zelda franchise, complete with tons of tunes, characters and locations.
17. Far Cry 5 (PS4) - June 16 ★★
Far Cry 5 was a total disappoint for me, and only really gets its stars from playing in co-op. The story ranges from oddly incomprehensible to non-committal. There were some things here with potential, but none of it is explored and all of it is just weird.
18. Florence (iOS) - June 24 ★★★★
A beautiful art piece of a game that honestly and skillfully illustrates the end of a relationship. It's not long, but it's absolutely worth the cost of entry to experience.
19. Mario Tennis Aces (Switch) - July 2 ★★★
This game was so much deeper and more difficult than I expected it to be. The adventure mode is a fun ride that you'd think would prepare you for playing online, but frequent lag and slowdown made playing multiplayer kind of a pain. The systems are ace (heh) though.
20. Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido (Switch) - July 13 ★★★★
Sushi Striker is a gem that will no doubt be a hidden champion of the Switch's early output. I'd put it in the same realm of games like Elite Beat Agents or Pocket Card Jockey. These are unique puzzle-adjacent experiences that are just so darn charming -- and Sushi Striker stuns in its near-15 hour campaign.
21. Brawlout (Switch) - July 20 ★★
I went in expecting a mild Smash Bros. clone and ended up getting something that couldn't even hit that mark. The game is slow, floaty and at times unresponsive. It gets points for building out its indie fighters (the coolest of the bunch), but I definitely wanted more.
22. WarioWare Gold (3DS) - August 5 ★★★★
A beautiful little love letter to the wonderful microgame franchise that kept me playing the Game Boy Advance entries years into the DS's life cycle. I still have to go back and get all of the museum stuff, but the "story" was fast, lightweight and fun.
23. Yoku's Island Express (Switch) - August 26 ★★★★
After hearing about this game's hook, I knew I'd be into it, but I didn't realize how alluring the pinball + exploration aspects really are. The game is beautifully-designed with a charming art style.
24. Donut County (PS4) - August 29 ★★★★
I was really, really, really excited for this game, and it didn't disappoint. Sure, it's content-light, but it's cheap and so neatly put together that it's hard to fault it for anything. I gladly finished the game and snagged the Platinum Trophy in just over two hours.
25. Spider-Man (PS4) - September 14 ★★★★★
I really didn't think a game would top God of War for me this year, but leave it to Insomniac Games and Spider-Man to make me look stupid. This game is an absolute thrill, so much so that even the mundanity of finding random crimes and collectibles was a joy.
26. Overcooked (PS4) - October 11 ★★★★
This is game is SO DIFFICULT. It took two friends and I about a month to finish the game totally in couch co-op, but boy was it worth it. Never has a game made me scream so much and come up with weird shorthand for vegetables.
27. Spider-Man: The Heist (PS4) - October 25 ★★★★
A nice addition to the main campaign of Spider-Man that states its case for being separated from the original story. It also opens up a few unique avenues for future expansions/installments.
28. Tetris Effect (PS4) - November 9 ★★★★★
29. Spyro the Dragon (PS4) - December 1 ★★★★
30. Pokemon, Let's Go! Pikachu (Switch) - December 2 ★★★★
I doubt I will get anywhere close to 52, but I will give it a shot.
I am currently playing Breath of the Wild, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Nioh. I might switch to some shorter games. I tend to play too many open world or open ended games.
Alright, got a "banner" layout I can live with so here's my first update!
Game #1: Hidden Folks Started 26 Dec. 2017 - Beaten 1 Jan. 2018
Verdict: One of the best puzzle games I have played.
Ooooh, I love this one. The levels are so varied and simply perfectly detailed. The clues the game give you ranged from a bit too easy to very hard, and I have to confess that I resorted to random clicking for a couple of items. But that doesn't bring the game down, especially when every random click will give you an amazing sound effect. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I started up the game because I had no idea it would sound the way it does (I got it as a gift and went in completely blind). This game is almost perfect and I look forward to more updates!
Game #2: Viscera Cleanup Detail: Santa's Rampage Started 29 Dec. 2017 - Completed 1 Jan. 2018
Verdict: Relaxing and addictive.
This is the third Viscera Cleanup Detail level I have played. I started with the Shadow Warrior "addon", and then the House of Horror level. I think I liked this one the best of these three. A nice looking level with two interesting achievements for cleaning out everything including the christmas stuff, or keep the christmas stuff unbroken and nice which is pretty much hard mode because... TNT. There is something very relaxing and addictive with cleaning in this game. I love it. It does have some minor "issues" like the physics going a bit bonkers at times and aiming being a little off, but since it doesn't require too much of you it isn't actually a problem.
Game #3: Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death Started 1 Jan. 2018 - Beaten 1 Jan. 2018
Verdict: Some big issues but still worth playing through.
This was better than expected. I appreciated the humour, the varied levels and the wackyness. I did not appreciate the damage sponge enemies, wonky camera, frequent bugs and multiple crashes. Near the end I got pretty frustrated by the combat and it feels like I missed something fundamental about how the game worked. The enemies just took ages to kill even with the weapons fully upgraded and throwing combos left and right. Still worth a playthrough but I will not be going back for 100 %.
Game #4: Where is my Heart? Started 1 Jan. 2018 - Completed 2 Jan. 2018
Verdict: Adorable but a little underwhelming.
The idea of this short puzzle platformer is cool. The world is broken up into tiles that are "shuffled" around so that nothing is where you expect it to be. The goal is to collect hearts and bring all three spirits to the goal through careful platforming. The shuffled world tiles can be quite a pain to make sense of and sometimes it feels like you can't get enough information and have to make a leap of faith. In the end it was short, a little too trial and error-y and all around underwhelming.
Might as well try this again. Can't get very far with law school and Monster Hunter, but at least I can try.
Game #1: Steamworld Dig 2 Completed 1/2/18 - 9 hours - 9 out of 10
A very nice Metroidvania game. I never played Dig 1, only Heist, but I really enjoyed this. Found every normal relic but decided against doing the super challenge so I didn't quite get 100%. The loop of "digging down, finding loot, returning to town to upgrade" is very enjoyable, but the best parts of the game are in the challenge caves where the game really tests your skills and puzzle solving abilities. My only complaints are that the combat is pretty bad early in the game, the "dig, loot, return" loop doesn't get really good until you unlock the Portal of Pardon ability, and that a lot of the cool movement options in the game are completely negated by some of the late game upgrades.
1. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch) 100 hours
Never played the first one so wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. Despite some of the hate it got, I really loved this game. Some quests got tedious in the end, but getting new rare blades was fun and the story was...there.
2. Life is Strange: Before the Storm (PS4) 10 hours
Not sure how I feel about this one. Gives good back story to Chloe, and makes you really feel for Rachel, but it felt rushed.
3. Four Sided Fantasy (PC) 3 hours
Interesting puzzle game, way too easy.
4. Digimon Cyber Slueth: Hacker's Memory (PS4) 50 hours
Not as fun as the first one for the sole reason that everything was rehashed, the environments, the Digimon, everything. Pretty disappointed, though still enjoyed collecting Digimon
5. Monument Valley 2 (Android) 2 hours
Didn't understand the story, easier than the first too, but still great visually
6. Celeste (Switch) 8 hours
Felt like playing Meat Boy again. Great game, fun characters, and I'm really glad it was on the Switch
7. Shadow of the Colossus (PS4) 4.5 hours
Improved the orginial in every way, 10/10.
8. The Room (PC) 2 hours
I did not find the puzzles very intuitive, kinda annoyed me at points. I didn't get what the narrative was supposed to be either.
9. Rime (PS4) 4 hours
Looked nice, I liked the style of it, but I was disappointed with how short it was. Glad I got it for free from PS+
10. The Darkness 2 (PC) 6 hours
I still really like The Darkness 2. It is fun to play, and has interesting lore. I would really like a Darkness 3
12. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS4) 7 hours
This is my fourth time beating the game. One of my favorite series of games, and the first will always be my favorite of the three
13. The World Begins With You (PC) 30 minutes
I don't know what to say about it, controls were bad, visually it was fine, very short, but it was free.
14. Kingdom Hearts Final Mix (PS4) 30 hours
I never played the Final Mix version, I'm not sure what is new about it. I mainly played this to prep for Kingdom Hearts 3 next year. Still a great game.
15. Ni No Kuni 2 (PS4) 60 hours
Didn't have the same charm as the first game, though it was more refined in other ways. I'd still say I'm a bit disappointed with it when comparing it to the first one, but on its own, it's a good game.
16. God of War (PS4) 40 hours
Probably game of the year for me, though I'm still thinking on it. Great visuals, great story, great combat, great world building. I only wish it was a bit longer.
17. Kingdom Hearts 2 (PS4) 37 hours
Just like the first one, I mainly played this to prep for Kingdom Hearts 3. Still one of my favorite games of all time, though replaying it now has tempered that a bit.
18. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (PC) 7 hours
Didn't like it as much as the first, mainly because I found it harder.
19. Bit.Trip Runner (PC) 4 hours
I beat the second when it came out, but never got around to finishing the first one. A good runner game, but still just as distracting as the sequels
20. Minit (PC) 1 hour
I liked the concept, but not enough to play it a second time with less than a minute each time. It was nerve racking for me until I figured out way to late that there are re-spawn points.
21. Florence (Android) 10 minutes
A nice and short interactive game on mobile that goes through the highs and lows of someone's life
22. Submerged (PC) 86 minutes
One of the titles I got in a steam sale and never got around to. Controlled back, crashed twice, and just wasn't fun to play.
23. Detroit: Become Human (PS4) 16 hours
Only did one playthrough, but I think I preferred this game to Heavy Rain. Visually it was interesting to see the world, though I didn't care for parts of the story, and this game was all about the story.
24. Shape of the World (PC) 2 hours
Interesting walking simulator with cool visuals, but I didn't understand what the message was at the end of it.
25. FAR: Lone Sails (PC) 2 hours
I thought this was more of a management game at first, but it was soooo good. I liked the world we were in, keeping everything going without getting set on fire, and how it all ended.
26. Caligo (PC) 1.5 hours
Bad walking simulator is bad
27. Scanner Sombre (PC) 1.5 hours
Was very interesting at first, but then I got real bored with it real fast
28. Ittle Dew (PC) 2.5 hours
A game that takes inspiration from original Zelda games. It was nice, but super short. I think the sequel will have fixed many of the issues it has.
29. The Fidelio Incident (PC) 2 hours
Walking simulator where you have to manage the cold. I did not enjoy it, though the story had some okay parts.
30. Super Skelemania (PC) 1.5 hours
Had some problems, but I really enjoyed the indie game. All the powers you get and the platforming was fun
31. Valley (PC) 2 hours
Was fun to go super fast all over the place, but the enclosed areas and the controls ended up getting annoying, especially later in the game
32. Q.U.B.E. 2 (PC) 5.5 hours
I really enjoyed the puzzles, found the difficult but fun enough to not get frustrated.
33. Emporium (PC) 1 hour
I got this on a steam sale. I don't understand what the hell was going on in it.
34. Pinstripe (PC) 2 hours
Surprisingly good adventure/platformer. Not my cup of tea style wise, but I still thought it was good.
35. The Turing Test (PC) 3 hours
Good puzzle game, reminded my of Portal style games.
36. The Walking Dead: A New Frontier (PC) 7 hours
Focused on the wrong character, but was still better than the second game. Makes me disappointed about the next game though
37. Octopath Traveler (Switch) 50 hours
I expected an overall story that brought all 8 characters together. instead it was separate stories with the characters vaguely speaking to each other. Fun to play for a while and looks really cool
38. Vampyr (PS4) 20 hours
Great action adventure game. The story was great, and the way they did the EXP system with NPCs was great, giving you enough time to get to know they before making a decision
39. Donut County (PS4) 3 hours
Shit ton of charm in this game. Easy to do, the puzzles aren't brain scratchers, and it's the perfect length for what it's going for
40. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (PS4) 1 hour
Short and sweet, got me excited for Life is Strange 2
41. Spider-Man (PS4) 30 hours+ (ongoing DLC)
Awesome game, awesome gameplay, awesome visuals. Everything about it is great and fun to play. My favorite superhero game
42. Dragon Quest XI (PS4) 63 hours
First ever Dragon Quest game. Had a cool style, but at the end of the day it was a cookie cutter turn based JRPG, which is what I love
43. The Gardens Between (PC) 2 hours
Enjoyable for what it was. I was just surprised how easy and short it was
44. Planet Alpha (PS4) 3 hours
I didn't enjoy this game, not because of the visuals, but the gameplay. So many deaths because the character didn't grab a ledge when I wanted him to
45. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country (Switch) 20 hours
I liked the gameplay changes and visiting the areas 500 years before the main game. It makes the main game bittersweet
46. Assassin's Creed Odyssey (PS4) 80 hours+ (ongoing DLC)
My favorite AC game to date. I enjoy going around the world, the side quests were fun, the ship battles were less confusing and difficult than 4 and the overall gameplay was fun. NPCs and main story could be improved though
47. Q.U.B.E.: Director's Cut (PS4) 2 hours
Had to play it as I played the second game first. Not as good as the second game, but it shows how they improved on it in the sequel
48. DmC: Devil May Cry (PS4) 8 hours
I played a bit of Devil May Cry 4 when it came out, but I wanted to try the newest one. It was, meh.
49. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) 80 hours
Great story, amazing visually. You really get lost in the world. I did not like the combat, and the tedious stuff you had to do, like worrying about your horse and cleaning your guns, and checking on people in camp.
50. Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PS4) 30 hours
Not as good story wise to the first Kiwami game, and for sure not as good as Zero, but it's still Yakuza, and it's still great
51. Spyro the Dragon (PS4) 6 hours
Completed everything in the game. Looks amazing and reminds me why I loved the series as a kid
51. Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! (PS4) 7 hours
My favorite of the Spyro games. Still fantastic
52. Spyro: Year of the Dragon (PS4) 7 hours
Great game, good ending to the original trilogy
This game was originally a mobile game (Android/iOS). I've been seeing it for months but I couldn't play it because I need real controls! Finally it came out on PS4 and I actually loved it. Pretty neat little game. Fun hack/slash and dodging mechanics and the Gamebros made a cool world that was pretty funny and didn't get in your way too much. I dug the bits of lore in there, and the simple RPG grind. Overall took me about 10 hours to platinum (most of my grind was getting all equipment) and I'd definitely recommend it. Especially if you have some down-time and want some quick pick-me-ups.
Game #2 - The Sexy Brutale (completed / Platinum'd)
What a cool game. It's like a stealth puzzle roguelike. The story is nice, but kind of predictable near the end, but still played out nicely. The mechanics are great, and the power ups you gain work really well in this world Tequila Games created. After a while you get a good feel on which characters are where, what they're doing, and it really adds to setting up this day you keep repeating, and why it's so important, and why things happen the way they did. The platinum grind is ok. I just followed a guide to get all the cards/invitations which took less than an hour. I recommend completing the game beforehand, though. You'll need the abilities anyway, and you'll have a better time getting around the Sexy Brutale!
Game #3 - Batman: The Telltale Series (completed/Platinum'd)
This game was good, not great. I really enjoyed the first 3 episodes. The story had me hooked and I was really invested in the changes they made to regular Batman lore. But the "twist" in episode 4 didn't sit well with me. It seemed like it was made for shocks instead of making a good character arc, and it made episode 5 have an extremely rushed ending. It was unsatisfying to me. I loved the Joker, though. It makes me want to play season 2. The game ran fine in early episodes, but episode 5 was really bad for me. Stuttering everywhere, voice/lip-sync issues, and the game crashed for me right at the ending! Luckily, it had autosaved not too far ahead of this moment, but still...
