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52 Games. 1 Year. 2019.
- Thread starter Wozzer
- Start date
Completed games in January:
Diablo 3 Switch ★★★☆☆
- Started in December
- Fun game, will probably go through it again as a different class whenever I get bored. Definitely worth the 30$ price tag.
- Beating criteria: Defeat Diablo. Reaper of Souls expansion doesn't count.
Super Mario Odyssey ★★★★★
- Started in November
- Beat and 100%ed it. 100%ing took some time and the end-game reward was somewhat of a let-down.
- Beating criteria: Collect every single Power Moon available in every region including all post-game ones that unlock via Moon Cube. Costumes don't count.
Pokemon Let's Go Eevee ★★★★☆
- Started in November
- Beat it and fully completed the Pokedex (all 153 including Meltan and Melmetal). Didn't bother with the master trainers because i found it to be a pointless grind.
- Beating criteria: Beat the Elite 4 and Completing the Pokedex. Beat Elite 4 in November, got Melmetal as the last available Pokemon in this game in January.
In Progress:
New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe
Kirby Star Allies
Hitman 2
RDR2
Diablo 3 Switch ★★★☆☆
- Started in December
- Fun game, will probably go through it again as a different class whenever I get bored. Definitely worth the 30$ price tag.
- Beating criteria: Defeat Diablo. Reaper of Souls expansion doesn't count.
Super Mario Odyssey ★★★★★
- Started in November
- Beat and 100%ed it. 100%ing took some time and the end-game reward was somewhat of a let-down.
- Beating criteria: Collect every single Power Moon available in every region including all post-game ones that unlock via Moon Cube. Costumes don't count.
Pokemon Let's Go Eevee ★★★★☆
- Started in November
- Beat it and fully completed the Pokedex (all 153 including Meltan and Melmetal). Didn't bother with the master trainers because i found it to be a pointless grind.
- Beating criteria: Beat the Elite 4 and Completing the Pokedex. Beat Elite 4 in November, got Melmetal as the last available Pokemon in this game in January.
In Progress:
New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe
Kirby Star Allies
Hitman 2
RDR2
Game #14 - Onimusha Warlords
Time: 5 hours
When this remaster was announced out of the blue I was legit surprisd and excited, but unfortunately the game ended up being a big disapointment, as I don't feel like it holds up at all these days. Basically Resident Evil with Samurai, but with much simpler level layout and puzzles, very basic melee combat (people recently comparing this to Ninja Gaiden or Nioh were smoking some high quality drugs let me tell you) and super short runtime (steam says 5 hours with deaths, actual save was about 3.5) make this a nostalgia trip and little else. Also, unskippable cutscnes in 2019... come on Capcom. I don't regret buying it and playing it, and even with all this, I would still buy the sequels, but it's still a huge bummer for me and maybe sometimes you just can't go back I guess.
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7. Barack Fu: The Adventures of Dirty Barry (Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn DLC) (XB1) | 17th Jan - 1.5 hrs | 3/5
This was pretty great. Combat still sluggish but the ridiculously over the top story made me laugh. Plus same as Shaq Fu, its short so never felt bored.
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3. Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun! | Nintendo Switch | January 18th | 6hrs | 2/5★
First kinda "meh" game this year for me. I bought both the PS4 and Switch version of Taiko to support English releases finally happening again. I meant for the Switch version to be my portable version but god, the joycon's buttons feel so bad to play with. Having played the Vita version with its amazing dpad and buttons, it just doesn't compare. Using the joycons detached with motion controls isn't very responsive sadly for fast paced songs. The touchscreen mode is probably my favorite way to play but it's not as good as the 3DS version with the resistive screen and using two sticks. I could probably buy a pro controller or something to play it but then it wouldn't be very portable I guess. The PS4 version on the other hand, I'm absolutely loving. I'm attempting to get the platinum for it though so I don't think I'll finish it for a while.
3. Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun! | Nintendo Switch | January 18th | 6hrs | 2/5★
First kinda "meh" game this year for me. I bought both the PS4 and Switch version of Taiko to support English releases finally happening again. I meant for the Switch version to be my portable version but god, the joycon's buttons feel so bad to play with. Having played the Vita version with its amazing dpad and buttons, it just doesn't compare. Using the joycons detached with motion controls isn't very responsive sadly for fast paced songs. The touchscreen mode is probably my favorite way to play but it's not as good as the 3DS version with the resistive screen and using two sticks. I could probably buy a pro controller or something to play it but then it wouldn't be very portable I guess. The PS4 version on the other hand, I'm absolutely loving. I'm attempting to get the platinum for it though so I don't think I'll finish it for a while.
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#5: Resident Evil: HD Remaster (PC) | 9.3h | Jan 18 | ★★★½
This was the first time I played RE1 and I think it's a bit too old school for me. I'm not a big fan of the fixed camera and excessive backtracking. But the puzzles were cool even though I had to use a guide more often than I'd like to admit.
#5: Resident Evil: HD Remaster (PC) | 9.3h | Jan 18 | ★★★½
This was the first time I played RE1 and I think it's a bit too old school for me. I'm not a big fan of the fixed camera and excessive backtracking. But the puzzles were cool even though I had to use a guide more often than I'd like to admit.
6. Onimusha: Warlords (6 hours)
Perhaps a bit dated, but it's quite fun and briskly-paced. I'm surprised that Capcom let this series disappear for so long.
Full list to date
Perhaps a bit dated, but it's quite fun and briskly-paced. I'm surprised that Capcom let this series disappear for so long.
Full list to date
Off to a decent start this year.
Game 1: Assassin's Creed Rogue (Xbox One BC) | 24 hours | January 3rd
Game 2: Assassin's Creed Liberation HD (Xbox One BC) | 11 hours | January 7th
Game 3: Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One) | 16 hours | January 9th
Game 4 : Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Xbox One) | 21 hours | January 18th
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Game 1: Assassin's Creed Rogue (Xbox One BC) | 24 hours | January 3rd
Game 2: Assassin's Creed Liberation HD (Xbox One BC) | 11 hours | January 7th
Game 3: Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One) | 16 hours | January 9th
Game 4 : Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Xbox One) | 21 hours | January 18th
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GAME #02: Off-Peak
Cosmo D - PC - ★★☆☆☆
Completion State:
Found all the ticket pieces, stole all the stuff (and didn't) and saw the ending (1.3 hours, 67% Steam achievements)
Comments:
Short cool art piece made by the cellist from Archie Pelago, Cosmo D.
Pretty simple stuff, find all the tickets and listen to all the folk. Worth playing through for the surreal art and the soundtrack.
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Main Post
9. Submerged - 4h30 - 16.01
Submerged feels like an unfinished thought, an incomplete idea. There is a skeleton of a good game here, but some things seemed to have been stopped halfway through design and/or development. There is kind of a story but there is really nothing of note to it and the end is a big bag of nothing. There is lore but it feels confused and unclear. There are collectibles but they feel superfluous. The animation feels half finished, the music is composed of 2 or 3 tracks on loop without rhyme or reason, etc. This permeates the whole experience. I have put almost 5 hours into it and all i can say on a positive note is that i somewhat enjoyed some of the traversal and sailing. That's about it.
10. Bury Me, My Love - 1h50 - 17.01
This game punched me in the gut. Repeatedly. It also made me laugh to tears before it took the floor from under me one final time. Heartbreaking. Not a spoiler, as the game contains several different paths and endings. It's in essence a visual novel, or a CYOA under the guise of a chat conversation. You can influence some of the outcomes that will befall Nour, the protagonist of this story. A Syrian migrant, she's trying to reach Germany. We play as Majd, her husband, trying to help her make the right choices along the way. The dialog feels real and intimate, and the art is quite up my alley. Past that, it's up to anyone's taste. I strongly recommend anyone that might be mildly interested in playing it to take the leap. I really loved it.
I will come back to it eventually as i want to explore other avenues and try to do better, but for now the ending i got is canon :(
9. Submerged - 4h30 - 16.01
Submerged feels like an unfinished thought, an incomplete idea. There is a skeleton of a good game here, but some things seemed to have been stopped halfway through design and/or development. There is kind of a story but there is really nothing of note to it and the end is a big bag of nothing. There is lore but it feels confused and unclear. There are collectibles but they feel superfluous. The animation feels half finished, the music is composed of 2 or 3 tracks on loop without rhyme or reason, etc. This permeates the whole experience. I have put almost 5 hours into it and all i can say on a positive note is that i somewhat enjoyed some of the traversal and sailing. That's about it.
10. Bury Me, My Love - 1h50 - 17.01
This game punched me in the gut. Repeatedly. It also made me laugh to tears before it took the floor from under me one final time. Heartbreaking. Not a spoiler, as the game contains several different paths and endings. It's in essence a visual novel, or a CYOA under the guise of a chat conversation. You can influence some of the outcomes that will befall Nour, the protagonist of this story. A Syrian migrant, she's trying to reach Germany. We play as Majd, her husband, trying to help her make the right choices along the way. The dialog feels real and intimate, and the art is quite up my alley. Past that, it's up to anyone's taste. I strongly recommend anyone that might be mildly interested in playing it to take the leap. I really loved it.
I will come back to it eventually as i want to explore other avenues and try to do better, but for now the ending i got is canon :(
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First update.
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S.T.A.R.S Beret - 5/52 Games (2 first playthroughs, 3 replays)
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S.T.A.R.S Beret - 5/52 Games (2 first playthroughs, 3 replays)
Game 1 – Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (PC) – 13 hours, 51 minutes – 3/5
This one wasn't playing around in terms of difficulty. It doesn't have traps quite as ruthless as seen in Tomb Raider III but the complex and non-linear level designs (sometimes multiple levels based around one hub) more than made up for it. Definitely not friendly to newcomers to the series.
I was enjoying this a decent amount more in the first 2/3s of the game but near the end I started to be ready for it to end. Being primarily based in Egypt is nice in concept but it gets kinda samey after the varied environments of the first three TR games. Add in some reused level design and puzzles in the last few areas and it started to drag pretty badly. Even still, I had fun and I'm always happy to play the classic TR games again. Will hop into Chronicles and the other games eventually so I can finally get to Shadow.
Game 2 – OKAGE: Shadow King (PS2) – 50 hours, 9 minutes – 3/5
I loved the story, characters, and dialogue here so much. This is one of the most unique games I have ever played. The gameplay is definitely clunky and flawed but not enough so to take away from that completely. Enemies dealt heavy amounts of damage sometimes even with level grinding and when you throw in quirks like attack targeting among other things it could get pretty rough. Things came to a head with a labyrinthine final dungeon with multiple keys and constantly spawning random encounters. I was glad to be finished.
Worth a look if you like unique games story wise, there's a really nice experience here under some of the messiness.
Game 3 – WarioWare Gold (3DS) – 2 hours, 17 minutes – 2.5/5
It was great to play a WarioWare game again (I haven't since Smooth Moves) but this was really lacking in content. My 2 hours, 17 minutes playtime was not only the full story (saw the credits) but also some messing around with the challenge modes. I will spend more time with this for sure (I'll definitely make sure to try each challenge mode) but I can't help but wish there was more meat to the story mode since I'm not one for chasing high scores.
Also not huge on the gyro mini-games. The 3DS XL is a bit bulky/uncomfortable to try to turn quickly with how fast paced the mini-games are. Especially in the levels/modes that mix up the mini-game types. Going into a gyro mini-game from a touch screen game for example can be a bit annoying.
Game 4 – Dead Island: Definitive Edition (PC) – 18 hours, 5 minutes – 1/5
An extremely inconsistent and flawed experience. Things approach being fine almost in the resort and one of the later areas but the issues with the combat and other gameplay systems is too much to deal with. Especially when human combat becomes more and more of a thing.
I acknowledge that this is a 4 player co-op game and might play better that way but some of us are losers unable to find 3 other players (especially in 2019). I did play 60% of this with one other player for what it's worth but it made little difference in terms of enjoyment beyond spending time with my friend. Sometimes it made things in the game worse in terms of navigating/dealing with the mobs.
Hopefully Dying Light when I get to it does this kinda thing better.
Game 5 – Metro 2033 Redux (Xbox One) – 14 hours, 45 minutes – 3.5/5
Replayed this for Microsoft Rewards points and to get ready for Exodus. Not quite as good as I remembered but still really solid. Absolutely love the setting and world building on display here. The combat is iffy but thankfully you can stealth a lot of the areas and the parts where you can't aren't too prevalent.
Going to eventually play the original 2033 on PC as that seems to have completely different lighting and some levels are different.
Added two more.
#4. Burnout Paradise Remastered - Same story as 10 years ago with the original, I got to the burnout license, but gave up after that. Last year with the remaster I did the same. I've finally decided to work through all the events to get the elite license. I don't think I'll 100% it though. I miss the old Burnout, but this is still my absolute favourite arcade racer this gen. Nothing compares to the amount of excitement and fun this game manages to produce.
#5. Tetris Effect - I did finish the journey mode last year on normal, but the real struggle really starts on expert. It wasn't as time consuming as I'd expected, but maybe that's because time really moves at a different pace with this one. With every other game I have an approximate sense of how much time has passed, but here I'm way off. When I think an hour has passed, it's usually closer to four.
#4. Burnout Paradise Remastered - Same story as 10 years ago with the original, I got to the burnout license, but gave up after that. Last year with the remaster I did the same. I've finally decided to work through all the events to get the elite license. I don't think I'll 100% it though. I miss the old Burnout, but this is still my absolute favourite arcade racer this gen. Nothing compares to the amount of excitement and fun this game manages to produce.
#5. Tetris Effect - I did finish the journey mode last year on normal, but the real struggle really starts on expert. It wasn't as time consuming as I'd expected, but maybe that's because time really moves at a different pace with this one. With every other game I have an approximate sense of how much time has passed, but here I'm way off. When I think an hour has passed, it's usually closer to four.
Make sure you play Last Light and get the good ending too. Exodus seems to pick up directly from this plot thread.
Games 1-7:
#1
Torn
PC VR (Vive)
Completed: January 06, 2018
Playtime: 7h 43m (started in 2018)
A visually impressive VR adventure game which has you exploring an old mysterious mansion and solving lots of puzzles. I was kind of indifferent to the story for most of the game, right until the WTF ending which I feel could be handled better. The puzzles themselves aren't too hard and are pretty fun to figure out and assemble in VR. For the most part they involve finding objects with hidden shapes/keys in the environment and fitting them into predetermined positions in the room to unlock the next stage.
#2
Summer Funland
PC VR (Vive)
Completed: January 07, 2019
Playtime: 5h 10m
A collection of fun mini-games and attractions neatly compiled in an amusement park that you can explore in VR. Not unlike the free NVidia Funhouse I played earlier, but this game has much more to offer and lets you actually walk around the park to pick whatever activity your heart desires. To name a few of my favorites, climbing to the top of the lighthouse was awesome. The puzzle labyrinth was genuinely hard, think The Witness maze puzzles but here you must physically trace the lines with your hand/VR controller, sometimes requiring you to step around to get different angles/perspective while trying very carefully to keep your hands perfectly still and not let the beam touch the tunnel walls. The non-interactive attractions such as the rollercoaster ride, the Gotham bike ride and the underwater world submersible ride were also fun to experience. I ran into minor technical issues where for instance the lighthouse climb wouldn't record my attempts, but it all resolved itself after restart.
#3
Prey: Typhon Hunter - TranStar VR
PC VR (Vive)
Completed: January 08, 2018
Playtime: 1h 21m
I wasn't interested in the multiplayer part of the Typhon Hunter expansion, but I did want to play this VR add-on part of it. It consists of three separate stories/situations, where in each you need to solve puzzles to achieve a certain story goal. They all take place on board Talos I before the Typhon outbreak, and have you play as Morgan Yu, Dr.Calvino (dude who invented Looking Glass technology) and Abigail Foy. While there's no action or interesting exploration to be found here like in main Prey campaign, but revisiting this cool sci-fi universe in VR still felt awesome to me. The grabbing controls were a bit frustrating to work with though - press-and-hold side buttons on Vive wands isn't a very convenient control scheme for picking stuff up.
#4
Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight
PS4
Completed: January 18, 2019
Playtime: 22h 34m (started in 2018)
I love the P3 cast to death, but since hip-hop is really not my thing, the soundtrack for this one is probably my least favorite in the dancing series, there's a bit too much of that here for my taste. Still there's plenty amazing remixes here that I enjoyed listening to - songs like When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars, A Way of Life, Burn My Dread, Light the Fire Up in the Night, Want To Be Close and Heartful Cry. It also features Mitsuru and Yukari, so who cares about song selection, really. Also Elizabeth is the best velvet room assistant ever hands down, so there's that. I don't mind them replacing the campaign with social link-like meetings, since to be honest the P4D campaign was pretty boring to me, and in any case most of my playtime in these games is spent in free dance mode. My mediocre rhythm game skills were enough to achieve the King Crazy rating on Hard for about half of available songs. I could nail the rest of them too eventually, but I've started to get a bit tired of replaying them at this point, time to move on.
#5
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight
PS4
Completed: January 18, 2019
Playtime: 22h 58m (started in 2018)
To continue my thoughts on the series, I do wish these game had more dancing songs per character. This is my main complaint with the persona dancing series really, as watching my favorite characters from the games dance to nice music is my main attraction here. 2 songs per character just doesn't feel enough for me, and I don't really care for all the animated videos and live concert videos they use to pad the song count. Meanwhile, the P5D game has excellent songs like Rivers in the Desert, Blooming Villain, Will Power, Beneath the Mask, Keeper of Lust, Wake Up Get Up Get Out There, With the Stars and Us, and Price going for it. It also features Makoto and Futaba, so who cares about song selection. Just like with its Moonlight counterpart, I managed King Crazy on some but not all songs on Hard difficulty for now. I may come back to these games again this year if they release more DLC, the gameplay is addicting as hell and I love the characters.
#6
Persona 4: Dancing All Night
PS4
Completed: January 18, 2019
Playtime: 12h 13m (started in 2018)
Replayed the PS4 version after beating the Vita one in 2018. A bit annoyed that I had to replay the story campaign again to unlock the final Margaret song and last level of difficulty. Even more annoyed that I have to rebuy the DLC I already own on Vita again for this PS4 release, this is kind of bullcrap. But after all said and done, the game is probably my choice for the #1 spot in the series, since both the P4 cast and P4 soundtrack are still my favorites, with great songs like: Your Affection, Now I Know, Signs of Love, Heartbreak Heartbreak, Time to Make History, Shadow World, Pursuing My True Self, Maze of Life, Snowflakes, and Electronica in the Velvet Room. It also features Chie, Yukiko and Rise, so who cares about song selection. Even though I'm already familiar with the songs, achieving King Crazy ratings felt harder in this one since it doesn't have the Auto-Scratch modifier, which helped me immensely in P3D and P5D.
#7
Vampyr
PC
Completed: January 19, 2019
Playtime: 38h 10m (started in 2018)
An action-RPG from creators of Life is Strange with cool gothic setting, great atmosphere, intriguing story and some interesting gameplay ideas involving choice, morality and roleplaying your character. Storywise, I loved the several final chapters the most, especially the ending I got was beautifully made. Unfortunately, the game also features a mediocre combat system and at the same time way too much combat for its own good. Seriously, I feel like this game would benefit greatly from having 2-3 times less enemies to fight, or from having an alternative to fighting them, like stealth or persuasion or some kind of vampire powers to use instead of killing everyone in your path. It's also jarring since the game's systems/narrative make a point of using the amount of citizens you "embrace" (feed on until they're dead) to indicate how beastly/evil a vampire your character is, but it never once comments on how many guards and people patrolling the streets you kill while running around the districts. Another thing the game is sorely missing is a fast-travel system - by the second half of the game it gets really tiresome to run from one end of the large city map to the other AGAIN just to cure a few patients there, or to turn in a side quest.
Currently playing:
Hitman 2 (PC)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)
Divinity: Original Sin II (PC)
CLANNAD (PC)
Arcade Saga (Vive)
Elite: Dangerous (Vive)
#1
Torn
PC VR (Vive)
Completed: January 06, 2018
Playtime: 7h 43m (started in 2018)
A visually impressive VR adventure game which has you exploring an old mysterious mansion and solving lots of puzzles. I was kind of indifferent to the story for most of the game, right until the WTF ending which I feel could be handled better. The puzzles themselves aren't too hard and are pretty fun to figure out and assemble in VR. For the most part they involve finding objects with hidden shapes/keys in the environment and fitting them into predetermined positions in the room to unlock the next stage.
#2
Summer Funland
PC VR (Vive)
Completed: January 07, 2019
Playtime: 5h 10m
A collection of fun mini-games and attractions neatly compiled in an amusement park that you can explore in VR. Not unlike the free NVidia Funhouse I played earlier, but this game has much more to offer and lets you actually walk around the park to pick whatever activity your heart desires. To name a few of my favorites, climbing to the top of the lighthouse was awesome. The puzzle labyrinth was genuinely hard, think The Witness maze puzzles but here you must physically trace the lines with your hand/VR controller, sometimes requiring you to step around to get different angles/perspective while trying very carefully to keep your hands perfectly still and not let the beam touch the tunnel walls. The non-interactive attractions such as the rollercoaster ride, the Gotham bike ride and the underwater world submersible ride were also fun to experience. I ran into minor technical issues where for instance the lighthouse climb wouldn't record my attempts, but it all resolved itself after restart.
#3
Prey: Typhon Hunter - TranStar VR
PC VR (Vive)
Completed: January 08, 2018
Playtime: 1h 21m
I wasn't interested in the multiplayer part of the Typhon Hunter expansion, but I did want to play this VR add-on part of it. It consists of three separate stories/situations, where in each you need to solve puzzles to achieve a certain story goal. They all take place on board Talos I before the Typhon outbreak, and have you play as Morgan Yu, Dr.Calvino (dude who invented Looking Glass technology) and Abigail Foy. While there's no action or interesting exploration to be found here like in main Prey campaign, but revisiting this cool sci-fi universe in VR still felt awesome to me. The grabbing controls were a bit frustrating to work with though - press-and-hold side buttons on Vive wands isn't a very convenient control scheme for picking stuff up.
#4
Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight
PS4
Completed: January 18, 2019
Playtime: 22h 34m (started in 2018)
I love the P3 cast to death, but since hip-hop is really not my thing, the soundtrack for this one is probably my least favorite in the dancing series, there's a bit too much of that here for my taste. Still there's plenty amazing remixes here that I enjoyed listening to - songs like When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars, A Way of Life, Burn My Dread, Light the Fire Up in the Night, Want To Be Close and Heartful Cry. It also features Mitsuru and Yukari, so who cares about song selection, really. Also Elizabeth is the best velvet room assistant ever hands down, so there's that. I don't mind them replacing the campaign with social link-like meetings, since to be honest the P4D campaign was pretty boring to me, and in any case most of my playtime in these games is spent in free dance mode. My mediocre rhythm game skills were enough to achieve the King Crazy rating on Hard for about half of available songs. I could nail the rest of them too eventually, but I've started to get a bit tired of replaying them at this point, time to move on.
#5
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight
PS4
Completed: January 18, 2019
Playtime: 22h 58m (started in 2018)
To continue my thoughts on the series, I do wish these game had more dancing songs per character. This is my main complaint with the persona dancing series really, as watching my favorite characters from the games dance to nice music is my main attraction here. 2 songs per character just doesn't feel enough for me, and I don't really care for all the animated videos and live concert videos they use to pad the song count. Meanwhile, the P5D game has excellent songs like Rivers in the Desert, Blooming Villain, Will Power, Beneath the Mask, Keeper of Lust, Wake Up Get Up Get Out There, With the Stars and Us, and Price going for it. It also features Makoto and Futaba, so who cares about song selection. Just like with its Moonlight counterpart, I managed King Crazy on some but not all songs on Hard difficulty for now. I may come back to these games again this year if they release more DLC, the gameplay is addicting as hell and I love the characters.
#6
Persona 4: Dancing All Night
PS4
Completed: January 18, 2019
Playtime: 12h 13m (started in 2018)
Replayed the PS4 version after beating the Vita one in 2018. A bit annoyed that I had to replay the story campaign again to unlock the final Margaret song and last level of difficulty. Even more annoyed that I have to rebuy the DLC I already own on Vita again for this PS4 release, this is kind of bullcrap. But after all said and done, the game is probably my choice for the #1 spot in the series, since both the P4 cast and P4 soundtrack are still my favorites, with great songs like: Your Affection, Now I Know, Signs of Love, Heartbreak Heartbreak, Time to Make History, Shadow World, Pursuing My True Self, Maze of Life, Snowflakes, and Electronica in the Velvet Room. It also features Chie, Yukiko and Rise, so who cares about song selection. Even though I'm already familiar with the songs, achieving King Crazy ratings felt harder in this one since it doesn't have the Auto-Scratch modifier, which helped me immensely in P3D and P5D.
#7
Vampyr
PC
Completed: January 19, 2019
Playtime: 38h 10m (started in 2018)
An action-RPG from creators of Life is Strange with cool gothic setting, great atmosphere, intriguing story and some interesting gameplay ideas involving choice, morality and roleplaying your character. Storywise, I loved the several final chapters the most, especially the ending I got was beautifully made. Unfortunately, the game also features a mediocre combat system and at the same time way too much combat for its own good. Seriously, I feel like this game would benefit greatly from having 2-3 times less enemies to fight, or from having an alternative to fighting them, like stealth or persuasion or some kind of vampire powers to use instead of killing everyone in your path. It's also jarring since the game's systems/narrative make a point of using the amount of citizens you "embrace" (feed on until they're dead) to indicate how beastly/evil a vampire your character is, but it never once comments on how many guards and people patrolling the streets you kill while running around the districts. Another thing the game is sorely missing is a fast-travel system - by the second half of the game it gets really tiresome to run from one end of the large city map to the other AGAIN just to cure a few patients there, or to turn in a side quest.
Currently playing:
Hitman 2 (PC)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)
Divinity: Original Sin II (PC)
CLANNAD (PC)
Arcade Saga (Vive)
Elite: Dangerous (Vive)
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Main Post
11. Alan Wake - 13h - 18.01
First off, this was very generously gifted to me by MauroNL and i want to thank him for his awesomeness. We ended up agreeing on how great this game is :)
Alan Wake is not a literary masterpiece, but it sure is a truly fantastic game. I'd venture it's the best game Remedy has ever developed. The story is pretty good and the writing hits just the right notes of self aware cheesiness and earnest seriousness, sprinkled with a healthy dose of references and homages. Alan Wake is a washed out asshole, wallowing in self pity, and this is his redemption story. Along the way, we'll get to meet the friendly residents of Bright Falls and the sordid history of Cauldron Lake and the darkness within. Structured as a tv show, each episode has its own arc and motif. Remedy really went all in on the 'Twin Peaks game' angle and i love it for it. I'm hard pressed to find another game with such a somber, well defined tone, while never feeling dour. There is always a smart quip or a well written exchange to keep things grounded. If i have a clear criticism it would be the FBI agent, which comes out of nowhere, serves as a quick reverse Agent Cooper joke and then promptly gets discarded with no explanation regarding his motivations. Talking characters though, they are mostly great. Barry is awesome and i won't hear otherwise.
The gameplay is also quite good; while the exploration is very expansive and quite generous, the gunplay segments feel claustrophobic and dangerous. The gunplay feels just right and the various light/dark mechanics that permeate the entire game fit perfectly together. The driving is a bit eh but it doesn't really matter as it is mostly used for pacing. Which is another high point for me. I always wanted to keep moving forward and see more of this dark tale.
As for the ending, i really liked it and it felt appropriate. Which kinda colors how i feel about the two DLC episodes.
12. Alan Wake: The Signal - 1h50 - 19.01
The first extra episode feels like a bare necessity to tie into the second one. There are some interesting tidbits to glean out of it but for the most part, nothing much moves forward story or character wise. As for the gameplay, a couple of things stand out: first off, there's a lot of recycled areas, something that was not present at all in the main game. Not a fan; secondly, expanding on the floating word interactions was a great idea and it leads to some clever parts.
Status of Barry greatness: still great.
13. Alan Wake: The Writer - 1h30 - 19.01
The final episode has some of the most interesting visuals until now, and there's quite a lot of ingenuity in how this world twists upon itself. It leads to some great, very surreal sections, that are not without fault though. There is a good amount of platforming here, and Alan Wake jumps just as well as me, which is... not very well. As for the story, i really feel like these extra episodes were largely unnecessary, and somewhat unsatisfying. The main game had a clear conclusion, that imo, wrapped up Wake's story pretty well. These two episodes muddy the waters a bit while leaving the ending kind of in limbo.
Status of Barry greatness: less great :(
11. Alan Wake - 13h - 18.01
First off, this was very generously gifted to me by MauroNL and i want to thank him for his awesomeness. We ended up agreeing on how great this game is :)
Alan Wake is not a literary masterpiece, but it sure is a truly fantastic game. I'd venture it's the best game Remedy has ever developed. The story is pretty good and the writing hits just the right notes of self aware cheesiness and earnest seriousness, sprinkled with a healthy dose of references and homages. Alan Wake is a washed out asshole, wallowing in self pity, and this is his redemption story. Along the way, we'll get to meet the friendly residents of Bright Falls and the sordid history of Cauldron Lake and the darkness within. Structured as a tv show, each episode has its own arc and motif. Remedy really went all in on the 'Twin Peaks game' angle and i love it for it. I'm hard pressed to find another game with such a somber, well defined tone, while never feeling dour. There is always a smart quip or a well written exchange to keep things grounded. If i have a clear criticism it would be the FBI agent, which comes out of nowhere, serves as a quick reverse Agent Cooper joke and then promptly gets discarded with no explanation regarding his motivations. Talking characters though, they are mostly great. Barry is awesome and i won't hear otherwise.
The gameplay is also quite good; while the exploration is very expansive and quite generous, the gunplay segments feel claustrophobic and dangerous. The gunplay feels just right and the various light/dark mechanics that permeate the entire game fit perfectly together. The driving is a bit eh but it doesn't really matter as it is mostly used for pacing. Which is another high point for me. I always wanted to keep moving forward and see more of this dark tale.
As for the ending, i really liked it and it felt appropriate. Which kinda colors how i feel about the two DLC episodes.
12. Alan Wake: The Signal - 1h50 - 19.01
The first extra episode feels like a bare necessity to tie into the second one. There are some interesting tidbits to glean out of it but for the most part, nothing much moves forward story or character wise. As for the gameplay, a couple of things stand out: first off, there's a lot of recycled areas, something that was not present at all in the main game. Not a fan; secondly, expanding on the floating word interactions was a great idea and it leads to some clever parts.
Status of Barry greatness: still great.
13. Alan Wake: The Writer - 1h30 - 19.01
The final episode has some of the most interesting visuals until now, and there's quite a lot of ingenuity in how this world twists upon itself. It leads to some great, very surreal sections, that are not without fault though. There is a good amount of platforming here, and Alan Wake jumps just as well as me, which is... not very well. As for the story, i really feel like these extra episodes were largely unnecessary, and somewhat unsatisfying. The main game had a clear conclusion, that imo, wrapped up Wake's story pretty well. These two episodes muddy the waters a bit while leaving the ending kind of in limbo.
Status of Barry greatness: less great :(
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Thanks for sharing. Nice to see you enjoyed it as much as I did. Still one of the best Remedy games ever; for me Max Payne 2 still reigns supreme.11. Alan Wake - 13h - 18.01
First off, this was very generously gifted to me by MauroNL and i want to thank him for his awesomeness. We ended up agreeing on how great this game is :)
Alan Wake is not a literary masterpiece, but it sure is a truly fantastic game. I'd venture it's the best game Remedy has ever developed. The story is pretty good and the writing hits just the right notes of self aware cheesiness and earnest seriousness, sprinkled with a healthy dose of references and homages. Alan Wake is a washed out asshole, wallowing in self pity, and this is his redemption story. Along the way, we'll get to meet the friendly residents of Bright Falls and the sordid history of Cauldron Lake and the darkness within. Structured as a tv show, each episode has its own arc and motif. Remedy really went all in on the 'Twin Peaks game' angle and i love it for it. I'm hard pressed to find another game with such a somber, well defined tone, while never feeling dour. There is always a smart quip or a well written exchange to keep things grounded. If i have a clear criticism it would be the FBI agent, which comes out of nowhere, serves as a quick reverse Agent Cooper joke and then promptly gets discarded with no explanation regarding his motivations. Talking characters though, they are mostly great. Barry is awesome and i won't hear otherwise.
The gameplay is also quite good; while the exploration is very expansive and quite generous, the gunplay segments feel claustrophobic and dangerous. The gunplay feels just right and the various light/dark mechanics that permeate the entire game fit perfectly together. The driving is a bit eh but it doesn't really matter as it is mostly used for pacing. Which is another high point for me. I always wanted to keep moving forward and see more of this dark tale.
As for the ending, i really liked it and it felt appropriate. Which kinda colors how i feel about the two DLC episodes.
12. Alan Wake: The Signal - 1h50 - 19.01
The first extra episode feels like a bare necessity to tie into the second one. There are some interesting tidbits to glean out of it but for the most part, nothing much moves forward story or character wise. As for the gameplay, a couple of things stand out: first off, there's a lot of recycled areas, something that was not present at all in the main game. Not a fan; secondly, expanding on the floating word interactions was a great idea and it leads to some clever parts.
Status of Barry greatness: still great.
13. Alan Wake: The Writer - 1h30 - 19.01
The final episode has some of the most interesting visuals until now, and there's quite a lot of ingenuity in how this world twists upon itself. It leads to some great, very surreal sections, that are not without fault though. There is a good amount of platforming here, and Alan Wake jumps just as well as me, which is... not very well. As for the story, i really feel like these extra episodes were largely unnecessary, and somewhat unsatisfying. The main game had a clear conclusion, that imo, wrapped up Wake's story pretty well. These two episodes muddy the waters a bit while leaving the ending kind of in limbo.
Status of Barry greatness: less great :(
Your post is making me want to replay it again, but I'm still hoping for a 4K X patch one day!
A Last Light replay is definitely on the agenda for what to play in the near future. Going to probably get to it after I finish a few of the games I have in progress.
Cheers mate. As for the patch, maybe this year, what with Control (probably) coming out later. We'll see. It would sure look glorious in 4k. Some of the vistas are really beautful here.
Very productive weekend as I attended a private arcade party. Did some 1 credit clears that will be added to my list.
6. Ghouls'n Ghost (SEGA MegaTech) - completed both loops, without using continues, for the first time ever.
This game is brutally hard and I've been playing it on and off for a couple of years but I finally beat the game.
5/5
7. Double Dragon (Arcade) - completed without the use of continues
I really love this game and I've been playing it since the late 80's on C64. Fun game with good music.
4/5
8. Gradius (Nintendo PlayChoice-10) - completed the game without the use of continues.
Love this classic shooter. Gameplay is fun and the challenge is brutally hard and I just love the music in this game.
5/5
Main Page
6. Ghouls'n Ghost (SEGA MegaTech) - completed both loops, without using continues, for the first time ever.
This game is brutally hard and I've been playing it on and off for a couple of years but I finally beat the game.
5/5
7. Double Dragon (Arcade) - completed without the use of continues
I really love this game and I've been playing it since the late 80's on C64. Fun game with good music.
4/5
8. Gradius (Nintendo PlayChoice-10) - completed the game without the use of continues.
Love this classic shooter. Gameplay is fun and the challenge is brutally hard and I just love the music in this game.
5/5
Main Page
OG Post
Game #3 - Resident Evil 2 (1998)
Platform: Gamecube
Time: 17.5 hours
Rating: ★★★★★
An untouched classic. I had to experience this masterpiece one more time before the remake hits. And boy does it hold up from the varied puzzles, and creature designs completely one-up the first game, with a groundbreaking survival horror romp. Capcom did so well in making Resident Evil 2 the most significant title in their cult classic franchise I am looking forward to experiencing the updated version soon.
Game #3 - Resident Evil 2 (1998)
Platform: Gamecube
Time: 17.5 hours
Rating: ★★★★★
An untouched classic. I had to experience this masterpiece one more time before the remake hits. And boy does it hold up from the varied puzzles, and creature designs completely one-up the first game, with a groundbreaking survival horror romp. Capcom did so well in making Resident Evil 2 the most significant title in their cult classic franchise I am looking forward to experiencing the updated version soon.
Well... I'm not gonna make it this year :(
Too long games too little time, oh well next year perhaps :)
---------------------------------
I've never done 52 games before but I'll try this year
Finished:
1. Battle Chasers: Nightwar (PS4) - ~50 hours (8/10)
2. The Darkside Detective (PC) - ~7 hours (7/10)
3. What Remains of Edith Finch (PC) - ~2 hours (3/10)
4. Omega Quintet (PS4) - ~52 hours (6/10)
5. The Dig (PC/Dos) - ~9 hours (7/10)
6. Dishonored - Definitive Edition (PS4) - ~23 hours (9/10)
7. LEGO Harry Potter - Years 5-7 (PS4) - ~25 hours (8/10)
8. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Xbox360) - ~43 hours (8/10)
9. Never Alone (PS4) - ~3 hours (5/10)
10. Millennium: Return to Earth (PC/Dos) - ~12hours (7/10)
11. Grand Theft Auto 5 (PS4) - ~53 hours (9/10)
12. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (PS4) - ~21 hours (8/10)
13. Guild of Dungeoneering (PC) - ~11 hours (7/10)
14. Borderlands - Game of the Year Edition (PS4) - ~39 hours (8/10)
15. Shadow Hearts (PS2) - ~36 hours (10/10)
16. Full Throttle (PS4) - ~5 hours (7/10)
17. Batman: Return to Arkham - Arkham Asylum (PS4) - ~26 hours (8/10)
18. World Cruise Story (Android) - ~6 hours (8/10)
19. Tokyo Xanadu eX+ (PS4) - ~88 hours (9/10)
20. Cat Quest (PS4) - ~12 hours (7/10)
21. Assassin's Creed 2 (PS4) - ~38 hours (9/10)
22. The Order: 1886 (PS4) - ~9 hours (6/10)
23. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (PS4) - ~16 hours (5/10)
24. Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden (PC) - ~5 hours (7/10)
25. Afterparty (Xbox One) - ~5 hours (5/10)
26. Tales of Legendia (PS2) - ~67 hours (9/10)
27. Crime Secrets: Crimson Lily (PC) - ~4 hours (6/10)
28. Elex (PS4) - ~103 hours (9/10)
29. Headlander (Xbox One) - ~7 hours (7/10)
Currently playing:
No Man's Sky (PS4)
Aviary Attorney (PC)
The Outer Worlds (Xbox One)
Fallout 4 (PS4)
Knack 2 (PS4)
Too long games too little time, oh well next year perhaps :)
---------------------------------
I've never done 52 games before but I'll try this year
Finished:
1. Battle Chasers: Nightwar (PS4) - ~50 hours (8/10)
2. The Darkside Detective (PC) - ~7 hours (7/10)
3. What Remains of Edith Finch (PC) - ~2 hours (3/10)
4. Omega Quintet (PS4) - ~52 hours (6/10)
5. The Dig (PC/Dos) - ~9 hours (7/10)
6. Dishonored - Definitive Edition (PS4) - ~23 hours (9/10)
7. LEGO Harry Potter - Years 5-7 (PS4) - ~25 hours (8/10)
8. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Xbox360) - ~43 hours (8/10)
9. Never Alone (PS4) - ~3 hours (5/10)
10. Millennium: Return to Earth (PC/Dos) - ~12hours (7/10)
11. Grand Theft Auto 5 (PS4) - ~53 hours (9/10)
12. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (PS4) - ~21 hours (8/10)
13. Guild of Dungeoneering (PC) - ~11 hours (7/10)
14. Borderlands - Game of the Year Edition (PS4) - ~39 hours (8/10)
15. Shadow Hearts (PS2) - ~36 hours (10/10)
16. Full Throttle (PS4) - ~5 hours (7/10)
17. Batman: Return to Arkham - Arkham Asylum (PS4) - ~26 hours (8/10)
18. World Cruise Story (Android) - ~6 hours (8/10)
19. Tokyo Xanadu eX+ (PS4) - ~88 hours (9/10)
20. Cat Quest (PS4) - ~12 hours (7/10)
21. Assassin's Creed 2 (PS4) - ~38 hours (9/10)
22. The Order: 1886 (PS4) - ~9 hours (6/10)
23. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (PS4) - ~16 hours (5/10)
24. Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden (PC) - ~5 hours (7/10)
25. Afterparty (Xbox One) - ~5 hours (5/10)
26. Tales of Legendia (PS2) - ~67 hours (9/10)
27. Crime Secrets: Crimson Lily (PC) - ~4 hours (6/10)
28. Elex (PS4) - ~103 hours (9/10)
29. Headlander (Xbox One) - ~7 hours (7/10)
Currently playing:
No Man's Sky (PS4)
Aviary Attorney (PC)
The Outer Worlds (Xbox One)
Fallout 4 (PS4)
Knack 2 (PS4)
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I'm doing this too, I love to see someone repping the GameCube in 2019!
Awesome! It's the best way to play Resident Evil 2 to be honest. Gamecube rules
Amen. Just dug my OG Wavebird out of storage. You've inspired me to pop in RE2 before the 25th.
Cheers.
Guess I'll take a crack at this. Didn't finish very many games last year since I was a bit fatigued after 2016 and 2017, but I'm ready to hit games hard again in 2019. Though my current yearly record is less than half of the 52-game target, and to be honest my personal goal for this year is exactly half of 52... but maybe I'll surprise myself and somehow manage 52 anyway.
Fancy formatting stuff later (maybe). For now, you just get this:
Rating Scale:
1 = Awful
2 = Bad
3 = So-so
4 = Good
5 = Great
Fancy formatting stuff later (maybe). For now, you just get this:
1. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (PC) | 16th Jan - 2hrs | 3/5
2. Yakuza 4 (PS3) | 18th Jan - 27hrs | 5/5
3. Monument Valley (iOS) | 24th Jan - 2hrs | 5/5
4. Florence (iOS) | 24th Jan - 1hr | 5/5
5. Gorogoa (Switch) | 31st Jan - 2hrs | 5/5
6. OPUS: The Day We Found Earth (Switch) | 4th Feb - 1hrs | 3/5
7. Wendy Every Witch Way (Game Boy Color) | 16th Feb - 1hrs | 4/5
8. Trip World (Game Boy) | 16th Feb - 1hrs | 3/5
9. Metroid Fusion (Game Boy Advance) | 23rd Feb - 10hrs | 5/5
10. Bean Dreams (iOS) | 2nd Mar - 7hrs | 5/5
11. Turok Dinosaur Hunter (Switch) | 20th Mar - 8hrs | 5/5
12. Demon's Souls (PS3) | 6th Apr - 28hrs | 5/5
13. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (PC) | 10th Apr - 9hrs | 5/5
14. Timberman Vs. (Switch) | 13th Apr - 2hrs | 4/5
15. OPUS: Rocket of Whispers (Switch) | 13th Apr - 4hrs | 2/5
16. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (Game Boy Color) | 26th Apr - 19hrs | 5/5
17. Yakuza 5 (PS3) | 5th May - 40hrs | 5/5
18. Shenmue II (PC) | 6th May - 30hrs | 5/5
19. Observation (PC) | 25th May - 5hrs | 4/5
20. Assassin's Creed Odyssey (PS4) | 25th May - 45hrs | 4/5
21. Auto Modellista (PS2) | 6th June - 3hrs | 4/5
22. Pillars of Eternity (PC) | 18th June - 50hrs | 5/5
2. Yakuza 4 (PS3) | 18th Jan - 27hrs | 5/5
3. Monument Valley (iOS) | 24th Jan - 2hrs | 5/5
4. Florence (iOS) | 24th Jan - 1hr | 5/5
5. Gorogoa (Switch) | 31st Jan - 2hrs | 5/5
6. OPUS: The Day We Found Earth (Switch) | 4th Feb - 1hrs | 3/5
7. Wendy Every Witch Way (Game Boy Color) | 16th Feb - 1hrs | 4/5
8. Trip World (Game Boy) | 16th Feb - 1hrs | 3/5
9. Metroid Fusion (Game Boy Advance) | 23rd Feb - 10hrs | 5/5
10. Bean Dreams (iOS) | 2nd Mar - 7hrs | 5/5
11. Turok Dinosaur Hunter (Switch) | 20th Mar - 8hrs | 5/5
12. Demon's Souls (PS3) | 6th Apr - 28hrs | 5/5
13. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (PC) | 10th Apr - 9hrs | 5/5
14. Timberman Vs. (Switch) | 13th Apr - 2hrs | 4/5
15. OPUS: Rocket of Whispers (Switch) | 13th Apr - 4hrs | 2/5
16. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (Game Boy Color) | 26th Apr - 19hrs | 5/5
17. Yakuza 5 (PS3) | 5th May - 40hrs | 5/5
18. Shenmue II (PC) | 6th May - 30hrs | 5/5
19. Observation (PC) | 25th May - 5hrs | 4/5
20. Assassin's Creed Odyssey (PS4) | 25th May - 45hrs | 4/5
21. Auto Modellista (PS2) | 6th June - 3hrs | 4/5
22. Pillars of Eternity (PC) | 18th June - 50hrs | 5/5
Rating Scale:
1 = Awful
2 = Bad
3 = So-so
4 = Good
5 = Great
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Game #15 - Devil May Cry
Time: 7 hours
Decided to keep the Capcom nostalgia trip going and finally play Devil May Cry, which I never really did back in the day (I've only played 4 and DmC until now), and it certainly holds up much better than Onimusha does, not to mention it's a much better game. Great gameplay, the remaster looks great, fantastic soundtrack, the only thing I would say against it is that it's a much mroe subdued game than I expected given the series and character's fame. There's barely any "cocky Dante" here, he's very self serious msot of the time, and there's not really that many crazy set pieces or bosses either, I guess that's more a staple of the later games. Still, it's good fun, and I'm excited to play more of the series (even if next up is 2 which everyone hates lol).
Main Post
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Post 2: Games 11 to 20
Link to main list
11. 1979 Revolution: Black Friday (PC)
Beaten 1/12/2019, 2.1 hours
2/5
I respect what the game was trying to do, and setting an adventure game inside an environment like 1979 Iran was a neat idea. But the execution is just a little too weak for me, and I was glad when it ended.
Note: I also tried playing this on NSW (bought a cheap copy when it was on sale) but I couldnt push forward. Seriously bad technical issues in portable mode, which was the entire point.
12. To The Moon (PC)
Beaten 1/12/2019, 4.1 hours
4/5
I was promised a tear-jerker, but the resolution of the story, while dramatic and touching, didnt quite get there. Still a great game, though! Debating whether to push through with the two extra Sigcorp minisodes as those are apparently more for comedy purposes?
13. Shikhondo (NSW)
Beaten 1/13/2019, 35 minutes
1/5
An absolutely atrocious shmup. Yeah, it looks great in screens (which is why I bought it), but the feel i'm looking for is just absent. It's like you're battling cardboard cutouts, and enemies in general feel like they have too much HP.
14. Persona 4: Dancing All Night (PS4)
Beaten 1/13/2019, 8.5 hours
4/5
Wonder of wonders, the "free" throw in game from the Persona Dancing collection (and the oldest!) is still the best. Great soundtrack, the most content, and the most appealing way to unlock new stuff. It's still markedly inferior to some other rhythm games I could name, but P4D is clearly the best in the series.
15. Tetris Effect (PS4)
Beaten 1/1/2019, 5.5 hours
5/5
Decided to put Tetris Effect on the back burner for now (I finished the campaign shortly after launch but wanted to keep messing around with the other modes); however, this is an evergreen game, and I will be coming back to it many times over the years. Incredible, fantastic game, and one of The Miz's greatest achievements.
16. Aviary Attorney (PC)
Beaten 1/19/2019, 2.5 hours
3.5/5
Sold to me as Phoenix Wright, but with birds. The initial returns were inconsistent (it's very Euro), but it really grew on me, and by the end I was rooting for Falcon and Sparrowson to pull through. Branching paths too! I reached a bittersweet ending of sorts but enjoyed it so much that I decided to keep that canon for now.
17. Bright Memory: Episode 1 (PC)
Beaten 1/19/2019, 50 minutes
2/5
This was instasold to me by the sick, sick GIFs they used on the game's Steam store page. Also apparently the work of just one person, and I'm always glad to give an industrious indie dev a boost. However, the game itself is pretty weak - sure, it looks OK for a one man Unreal Engine game (like a decent quality PS3 game, albeit running at a high framerate due to the platform), but everything about Bright Memory is janky af. The dialogue is exceptionally badly translated too: voice is in Chinese, but the subtitles often make very little sense.
18. Hitman: Sniper Challenge (PC)
Beaten 1/19/2019, 17 minutes
2/5
Decided to finally clear this short "game" off after seeing a promo piece on Rock Paper Shotgun. It was pretty fun while it lasted, but there's only so much you can do with a sniper rifle before it gets old.
19. Bad End (PC)
Beaten 1/20/2019, 69 minutes
1/5
A really dreadful visual novel about an EVIL mobage (ironically, also a visual novel) that kills the player in real life if you lose ingame. How apropos. Thankfully, it doesnt take long to beat, and permanently uninstall.
20. Blackwell Unbound (PC)
Beaten 1/20/2019, 103 minutes
3/5
Slowly digging my way through the Blackwell series; I didnt like the gameplay of this as much as the first, but I really like the retro setting and Lauren as a protagonist in general: a pessimistc chainsmoker with lots of attitude, but not as much an out and out asshole as Rosa was in Blackwell Legacy.
Link to main list
11. 1979 Revolution: Black Friday (PC)
Beaten 1/12/2019, 2.1 hours
2/5
I respect what the game was trying to do, and setting an adventure game inside an environment like 1979 Iran was a neat idea. But the execution is just a little too weak for me, and I was glad when it ended.
Note: I also tried playing this on NSW (bought a cheap copy when it was on sale) but I couldnt push forward. Seriously bad technical issues in portable mode, which was the entire point.
12. To The Moon (PC)
Beaten 1/12/2019, 4.1 hours
4/5
I was promised a tear-jerker, but the resolution of the story, while dramatic and touching, didnt quite get there. Still a great game, though! Debating whether to push through with the two extra Sigcorp minisodes as those are apparently more for comedy purposes?
13. Shikhondo (NSW)
Beaten 1/13/2019, 35 minutes
1/5
An absolutely atrocious shmup. Yeah, it looks great in screens (which is why I bought it), but the feel i'm looking for is just absent. It's like you're battling cardboard cutouts, and enemies in general feel like they have too much HP.
14. Persona 4: Dancing All Night (PS4)
Beaten 1/13/2019, 8.5 hours
4/5
Wonder of wonders, the "free" throw in game from the Persona Dancing collection (and the oldest!) is still the best. Great soundtrack, the most content, and the most appealing way to unlock new stuff. It's still markedly inferior to some other rhythm games I could name, but P4D is clearly the best in the series.
15. Tetris Effect (PS4)
Beaten 1/1/2019, 5.5 hours
5/5
Decided to put Tetris Effect on the back burner for now (I finished the campaign shortly after launch but wanted to keep messing around with the other modes); however, this is an evergreen game, and I will be coming back to it many times over the years. Incredible, fantastic game, and one of The Miz's greatest achievements.
16. Aviary Attorney (PC)
Beaten 1/19/2019, 2.5 hours
3.5/5
Sold to me as Phoenix Wright, but with birds. The initial returns were inconsistent (it's very Euro), but it really grew on me, and by the end I was rooting for Falcon and Sparrowson to pull through. Branching paths too! I reached a bittersweet ending of sorts but enjoyed it so much that I decided to keep that canon for now.
17. Bright Memory: Episode 1 (PC)
Beaten 1/19/2019, 50 minutes
2/5
This was instasold to me by the sick, sick GIFs they used on the game's Steam store page. Also apparently the work of just one person, and I'm always glad to give an industrious indie dev a boost. However, the game itself is pretty weak - sure, it looks OK for a one man Unreal Engine game (like a decent quality PS3 game, albeit running at a high framerate due to the platform), but everything about Bright Memory is janky af. The dialogue is exceptionally badly translated too: voice is in Chinese, but the subtitles often make very little sense.
18. Hitman: Sniper Challenge (PC)
Beaten 1/19/2019, 17 minutes
2/5
Decided to finally clear this short "game" off after seeing a promo piece on Rock Paper Shotgun. It was pretty fun while it lasted, but there's only so much you can do with a sniper rifle before it gets old.
19. Bad End (PC)
Beaten 1/20/2019, 69 minutes
1/5
A really dreadful visual novel about an EVIL mobage (ironically, also a visual novel) that kills the player in real life if you lose ingame. How apropos. Thankfully, it doesnt take long to beat, and permanently uninstall.
20. Blackwell Unbound (PC)
Beaten 1/20/2019, 103 minutes
3/5
Slowly digging my way through the Blackwell series; I didnt like the gameplay of this as much as the first, but I really like the retro setting and Lauren as a protagonist in general: a pessimistc chainsmoker with lots of attitude, but not as much an out and out asshole as Rosa was in Blackwell Legacy.
Master Post
8. Silent Hill - Replayed it over the weekend on a whim as I haven't played it this generation. What a masterfully crafted work of art. The gameplay holds up less and less every time I replay it, but everything else more then makes up for it.
8. Silent Hill - Replayed it over the weekend on a whim as I haven't played it this generation. What a masterfully crafted work of art. The gameplay holds up less and less every time I replay it, but everything else more then makes up for it.
finally finished replaying majora's mask 3d, last of the big games i've been playing for months
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Just wanted to say i love your b&w headers. Very charming and old school.
This might be a little late, but i'm gonna join in.
This week i'm gonna dedicate my weekend to finish Resident Evil 2, while trying to finish my backlog, maybe gona pick nier or metal max back.
I think i'm gonna update my post with details later.
edit: updating list. I don't think i'm gonna finish 52 games this year, probably around 35 games at best, hope i can manage my times better.
edit2: adding other games, turned out only able to finish 26 games this year :(
This week i'm gonna dedicate my weekend to finish Resident Evil 2, while trying to finish my backlog, maybe gona pick nier or metal max back.
1. Dark Souls 3 (PC) | 4th Jan - 55hrs | 4/5
2. Sleeping Dogs (PS4) | 19th Jan - 20hrs | 4/5
3. Megaman X-7 (PS4) | 24th Jan - 15hrs | 1/5
4. Resident Evil 2 (PS4) | 2nd Feb - 30hrs | 5/5
5. Anthem (PS4) | 25th Feb - 200hrs | 0/5
6. Apex Legends (PS4) | 11th Mar- 150hrs | 4/5
7. Mortal Kombat 11 (PS4) | 28th Apr- 45hrs | 3/5
8. Castlevania - Castlevania Anniversary Collection (PS4) | 20th May - 6hrs | 4/5
9. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PS4) | 26th May - 50hrs | 4/5
10. Dark Souls II: SotFS (PS4) | 2nd Jun - 55hrs | 3/5
11. Borderlands 2 (PS4) | 7th Jun - 75hrs | 4/5
12. Dark Souls Remastered (PS4) | 12th Jun - 40hrs | 5/5
13. Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled (PS4) | 30th Jun – 60hrs | 5/5
14. Castlevania 3 - Castlevania Anniversary Collection (PS4) | 20th Jul – 6hrs | 4/5
15. Brandish The Dark Revenant (PSP) | 3rd Aug – 19hrs | 4/5
16. Diablo 3 (PS4) | 20th Aug – 100hrs | 4/5
17. .hack//G.U. vol. 1//Rebirth (PS4) | 3rd Sept – 30hrs | 3/5
18. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PS4) | 6th Sept – 100hrs | 4/5
19. Xanadu Next (PC) | 23rd Oct – 26hrs | 5/5
20. Elder Scroll V: Skyrim (PC) | 2nd Nov – 11hrs | 5/5
21. Crimzon Clover World Ignition (PC) | 19th Nov – 5hrs | 5/5
22. Pokemon Glazed (PC – Emulator) | 21st Nov – 30hrs | 3/5
23. Shovel Knight {PC} | 13th Dec – 11hrs | 5/5
24. Raiden V (PS4) | 22nd Dec – 5hrs | 4/5
25. Black Desert Mobile (Android) | 23rd Dec – 50hrs | 3/5
26. Dota Underlords (PC) | 23rd Dec – 143hrs | 3/5
2. Sleeping Dogs (PS4) | 19th Jan - 20hrs | 4/5
3. Megaman X-7 (PS4) | 24th Jan - 15hrs | 1/5
4. Resident Evil 2 (PS4) | 2nd Feb - 30hrs | 5/5
5. Anthem (PS4) | 25th Feb - 200hrs | 0/5
6. Apex Legends (PS4) | 11th Mar- 150hrs | 4/5
7. Mortal Kombat 11 (PS4) | 28th Apr- 45hrs | 3/5
8. Castlevania - Castlevania Anniversary Collection (PS4) | 20th May - 6hrs | 4/5
9. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PS4) | 26th May - 50hrs | 4/5
10. Dark Souls II: SotFS (PS4) | 2nd Jun - 55hrs | 3/5
11. Borderlands 2 (PS4) | 7th Jun - 75hrs | 4/5
12. Dark Souls Remastered (PS4) | 12th Jun - 40hrs | 5/5
13. Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled (PS4) | 30th Jun – 60hrs | 5/5
14. Castlevania 3 - Castlevania Anniversary Collection (PS4) | 20th Jul – 6hrs | 4/5
15. Brandish The Dark Revenant (PSP) | 3rd Aug – 19hrs | 4/5
16. Diablo 3 (PS4) | 20th Aug – 100hrs | 4/5
17. .hack//G.U. vol. 1//Rebirth (PS4) | 3rd Sept – 30hrs | 3/5
18. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PS4) | 6th Sept – 100hrs | 4/5
19. Xanadu Next (PC) | 23rd Oct – 26hrs | 5/5
20. Elder Scroll V: Skyrim (PC) | 2nd Nov – 11hrs | 5/5
21. Crimzon Clover World Ignition (PC) | 19th Nov – 5hrs | 5/5
22. Pokemon Glazed (PC – Emulator) | 21st Nov – 30hrs | 3/5
23. Shovel Knight {PC} | 13th Dec – 11hrs | 5/5
24. Raiden V (PS4) | 22nd Dec – 5hrs | 4/5
25. Black Desert Mobile (Android) | 23rd Dec – 50hrs | 3/5
26. Dota Underlords (PC) | 23rd Dec – 143hrs | 3/5
I think i'm gonna update my post with details later.
edit: updating list. I don't think i'm gonna finish 52 games this year, probably around 35 games at best, hope i can manage my times better.
edit2: adding other games, turned out only able to finish 26 games this year :(
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Weekly update 3!
A nice week! Streamed a full playthrough of Ghost of a Tale and then replayed it to grab the (very few) achievements I missed. Been messing around a lot with my new PC, sorting my games, cleaning out some stuff from my backlog that I figured out I didn't actually want to play and mostly been poking around with shorter game experiences in the meantime.
6. CrossCells (PC) | 14th Jan - 4hrs | 3/5
7. Mana Spark (PC) | 15th Jan - 14hrs | 4/5
8. Hidden Folks (PC) | 16th Jan - 7hrs | 5/5
9. Critter Crunch (PC) | 18th Jan - 18hrs | 5/5
10. Ghost of a Tale (PC) | 20th Jan - 21hrs | 5/5
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Master Post!
A nice week! Streamed a full playthrough of Ghost of a Tale and then replayed it to grab the (very few) achievements I missed. Been messing around a lot with my new PC, sorting my games, cleaning out some stuff from my backlog that I figured out I didn't actually want to play and mostly been poking around with shorter game experiences in the meantime.
6. CrossCells (PC) | 14th Jan - 4hrs | 3/5
This was a bit of a letdown. I adore the Hexcells games and really liked SquareCells. This one felt more like pure math than a puzzle game, and I found myself sitting there and wishing it was Hexcells instead. A very meh experience.
7. Mana Spark (PC) | 15th Jan - 14hrs | 4/5
One of my many Steam Discovery Queue gems! I immediately fell in love with the look of it, and bought it without doing more research than looking at the pics, the little info box and seeing that it had positive reviews. Yeah I like to go in blind. It was a treat! It feels very inspired by The Binding of Isaac and a couple of other well-like roguelikes/-lites, but definitely not in a bad way. It has its own personality. I liked every mechanic of the game. Starting with one character and getting to learn how he and the dungeon worked was a good idea. That also made it really fun to find the second character and see how differently she played. The third one was a real surprise so I won't say much about them, aside from them being great too. Collecting, saving and spending runes to upgrade the camp and gadgets, deciding on starting buffs and what to bring with you after you die is great. The characters have their own strengths and weaknesses so switching around the buffs and gadgets in the camp to give them a good start is a very good idea. At various points in the dungeon crawl there are rooms where you can buy items, you can also find items in the dungeon itself and get them from mini-bosses. I loved the diversity of the items and how different the characters felt depending on what they found during their runs. The thing that brings down the score from max to a 4/5 is that I didn't like the last boss. At all. That was a bit sad, but since the rest of the game is so fun I can forgive it.
8. Hidden Folks (PC) | 16th Jan - 7hrs | 5/5
I beat this game back in January 2018 and loved it then. I had just as much fun playing it now. The hints are good. Some might be a little easy but the game balances it out by having some hard ones too. That makes it easy-ish to get enough of the folks and items to through to the next level but a bit harder if you wanna find everything. The "new" Beach Pack that I finished now is probably my favorite set of levels. And all these new mouth sounds! Loving it! What an amazing game.
9. Critter Crunch (PC) | 18th Jan - 18hrs | 5/5
Aw Critter Crunch, how I have missed you. When I picked up Hidden Folks from my beaten but not completed category I saw that this one was in there too. I beat the whole thing in one sitting last time I played (in 2012) and had not played it since. So I quickly decided to get the multiplayer achievements and finish the whole thing one more time. And I am so glad I did! It's still just pure joy, with a great look, nice sounds and a very fun puzzle mechanic. Or mechanics, I should say. The different modes are all fun in their own way, especially the versus one! I can't believe that I have missed out on that for so long! Definitely coming back for a couple of matches here and there.
10. Ghost of a Tale (PC) | 20th Jan - 21hrs | 5/5
REWIND! GO BACK! IT CAN'T BE OVER! Noooo! I played this twice, back to back, completing everything both times, and I still can't get enough of this. What a marvelous little adventure! I love every single character, stealth is one of my favorite things in games (and this game does it so well too!) and the whole costume thing is very fun. The game has gotten awards for the graphics and I definitely understand why. It's looks superb. The music is great, both the overall soundtrack and Tilo's little minstrel songs. There is a huge amount of lore to explore if you want to (it's all optional) and the texts can be sorted in to two categories. Either informative ones that paint a great picture of what the world is like, or absolutely hilarious entries that both informs you of things while also at least bringing a huge smile to your face. The story is wonderful and I hope to see it do well when it soon releases on consoles. I would love to see a sequel. One thing I really loved was that side quests didn't get shoved into my face. Almost every quest was activated because I asked if I could do anything for the different characters via dialogues. That feels just so much more logical than everyone treating the player as this little servant that they can order around. So many details, so many wonderful dialogues, the look of Tilo and the whole world. I am at a loss for words.
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Master Post!
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Original Post
Luigi's Mansion (New 3DS)
4.5 hours - 4/5
I always will have fond memories of this game as it was one of the first games I played on the GameCube. So of course when I heard it was going handheld I knew it would be a purchase. I'm happy to say it holds up on the 3DS admirably and is benefited by the subtle motion controls. The 3D elements help sharpen the features, too. The controls, what with the 3DS's nub-macguffin-thingy and the "control stick" worried me initially but you soon get used to them.
This game is packed with charm and whimsy and exploring the mansion is as much fun as it was back in the GCN's heyday. The portrait ghosts offer a light dose of puzzle-solving to break up the otherwise excellent Hoovering of mob ghosts.
The only negatives are the ones inherent in the original. Some battles and interactions require a sense of depth perception that a fixed camera angle cannot deliver regardless of any amount of 3D tech, with frustration obscuring the otherwise blissful gameplay. The inclusion of treasure in this game serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever except that it's fun as hell to vacuum up beachball-sized diamonds and sheafs of bills.
In 4.5 hours I beat the game, captured all 23 portrait ghosts, 50 Boos, and finished with $104,000,000. I did not proceed into the Hidden Mansion mode or experiment with coop (which I'm not sure this game needs, but hey, if that's what it takes to sell games to children these days than why not?)
If you missed this one in its day or just want a haunted mansion in your pocket do yourself a favor and play this game. Its not long, but my 4-hour completion time is based off of completing it dozens of times over more than a decade. First time plathroughs I imagine would take between 10 and 20 hours.
Luigi's Mansion (New 3DS)
4.5 hours - 4/5
I always will have fond memories of this game as it was one of the first games I played on the GameCube. So of course when I heard it was going handheld I knew it would be a purchase. I'm happy to say it holds up on the 3DS admirably and is benefited by the subtle motion controls. The 3D elements help sharpen the features, too. The controls, what with the 3DS's nub-macguffin-thingy and the "control stick" worried me initially but you soon get used to them.
This game is packed with charm and whimsy and exploring the mansion is as much fun as it was back in the GCN's heyday. The portrait ghosts offer a light dose of puzzle-solving to break up the otherwise excellent Hoovering of mob ghosts.
The only negatives are the ones inherent in the original. Some battles and interactions require a sense of depth perception that a fixed camera angle cannot deliver regardless of any amount of 3D tech, with frustration obscuring the otherwise blissful gameplay. The inclusion of treasure in this game serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever except that it's fun as hell to vacuum up beachball-sized diamonds and sheafs of bills.
In 4.5 hours I beat the game, captured all 23 portrait ghosts, 50 Boos, and finished with $104,000,000. I did not proceed into the Hidden Mansion mode or experiment with coop (which I'm not sure this game needs, but hey, if that's what it takes to sell games to children these days than why not?)
If you missed this one in its day or just want a haunted mansion in your pocket do yourself a favor and play this game. Its not long, but my 4-hour completion time is based off of completing it dozens of times over more than a decade. First time plathroughs I imagine would take between 10 and 20 hours.
8. No More Heroes: Travis Strikes Again (Switch) | 20th Jan - 8 hrs | 4/5
This was what I was hoping for (besides being a full fledged numbered sequel to NMH). Had the Suda51 humor and weirdness that has been sorely missing this gen.
7. Poi
This was a nice 3D platformer with a soothing soundtrack. There are some gameplay elements that annoyed me but I enjoyed the overall experience.
8. Q-Yo Blaster
Nice looking shmup but it went the way of bullet hell by the final stages. Still managed to enjoy it though.
This was a nice 3D platformer with a soothing soundtrack. There are some gameplay elements that annoyed me but I enjoyed the overall experience.
8. Q-Yo Blaster
Nice looking shmup but it went the way of bullet hell by the final stages. Still managed to enjoy it though.
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Aw, thank you and I hope you like it! It's always scary when people try out games based on my words. These things are very subjective after all. But I bet Tilo will charm you instantly at least! :D
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3. Life is Strange: Before the Storm - PS4
Completed 1/20/19
Score - 6/10
Was a big fan of Season 1. Not so much with this. I think they completely crapped on Rachel's character and just made the whole thing over dramatic. The only real fun I had was finding the hidden graffiti locations. Everything else was such a downer, especially when you know where it all leads. I also wasn't a fan of having locked away the bonus episode for the Ultimate Edition. I was able to play it, and while not great, it was at least a breath of fresh air. No reason it shouldn't have been included for everyone that played the game. Maybe they should have made it a reward for beating both Season 1 and BtS. Bit fat Meh.
3. Life is Strange: Before the Storm - PS4
Completed 1/20/19
Score - 6/10
Was a big fan of Season 1. Not so much with this. I think they completely crapped on Rachel's character and just made the whole thing over dramatic. The only real fun I had was finding the hidden graffiti locations. Everything else was such a downer, especially when you know where it all leads. I also wasn't a fan of having locked away the bonus episode for the Ultimate Edition. I was able to play it, and while not great, it was at least a breath of fresh air. No reason it shouldn't have been included for everyone that played the game. Maybe they should have made it a reward for beating both Season 1 and BtS. Bit fat Meh.
9. Superhot (PS4) | 21st Jan - 3 hrs | 5/5
Freaking too short. And I rarely say that about a game. My thighs are killing me but man what a fun game. I didn't even realize how close I was to beating it. Just started and 1 missions later I'm done. I might try to platinum this one.
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3. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PS4) | Completed: 21/01 | 10 hours | Score: 9/10
Incredible game, the gameplay is amazing, story has humor and is intriguing until the very end.
Some cutscenes are up there with some of the best in any game, and the characters are so well developed and charismatic.
Would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a shooter to play.
3. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PS4) | Completed: 21/01 | 10 hours | Score: 9/10
Incredible game, the gameplay is amazing, story has humor and is intriguing until the very end.
Some cutscenes are up there with some of the best in any game, and the characters are so well developed and charismatic.
Would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a shooter to play.
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3. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PS4) | Completed: 21/01 | 10 hours | Score: 9/10
Incredible game, the gameplay is amazing, story has humor and is intriguing until the very end.
Some cutscenes are up there with some of the best in any game, and the characters are so well developed and charismatic.
Would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a shooter to play.
Man I need to finish this. For some reason I just ... stopped during the
Moon sequence.
That sequence is from Wolfenstein The New Order (which came before W2), but if you're in that sequence, you're in the chapter 13 of 16.
You should really finish the game, it's one of my favorite shooters of the last decade, and now Wolfenstein 2 joins it.
I have a lot of thoughts on this game... Very very light spoilers on some characterizations will follow.
4. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) | 1/21/19 - 52hr | 9/10
I played the original Red Dead Redemption in 2012 when I was 15. My first experience with a Rockstar game, I had nothing to compare it to because my family was one of the strict ones that didn't let me usually play Mature rated games. My dad had a soft spot for westerns though, so he allowed me to get it. I will always remember my first time playing the game. It was this big sweeping grandiose thing that cared more about the people living in this virtual world than the means with which you had to eliminate them. It treated its virtual denizens like actual people and that blew my mind. Some of my favorite gaming memories revolve around that game. Accidentally herding cattle off of a cliff while my dad dies of laughter watching, all the way to that unforgettable ending. Red Dead Redemption will always have a special place in my heart.
So suffice it to say I was very excited for Red Dead Redemption 2. After having beaten it I can already tell that there will always be two camps for this game. Those who can look past gameplay flaws and view the experience as a whole, and those who cannot. I fall into the former camp, but I completely understand the latter.
Let's get my issues out of the way first. Red Dead Redemption 2 controls like shit. I just played The Order 1886, and RDR2 makes it look like Vanquish. The camp system is pointless, and the game gives you WAY too much money to make large parts of the story have any sort internal consistency for the most part. There were also some missteps in regards to said story. Chapter 5 feels like a missed opportunity, and a some of the worldbuilding sections of Chapter 3 felt boring for no good reason. I also wasn't impressed with the general mission structure, as it felt very repetitive, despite the story giving it different window dressing every time.
Even with all that said, I can confidently say that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a perfect companion piece to the first game, and worthwhile sequel in its own right. The presentation is masterful, with THE BEST montages in any game ever. The game oozes style, with every square inch of the game world feeling designed. The graphics and animation are bar none the best in any open world game, and give most linear games a run for their money.
But most importantly, the story nails the beats that it had to hit. The death of the West makes everyone afraid in their own way. Arthur is a stoic man who is afraid that everyone and everything he loves will pass him by. Dutch is a coward, and all of his actions betray his true feelings. John is afraid of being a family man, because he thinks he's not good enough for Abigail and Jack. Sadie is afraid that accepting what happened to her will make her a victim. The characters are the strongest part of Red Dead Redemption 2, and they are what let me fall in love with the game. Additionally, the entire ending sequence (no spoilers) from the end of Chapter 6 to the end of the game was almost flawlessly executed.
With some time to reflect, my opinion might change, but I think this is a game I will eventually look back on with the same reverence I have for the original. I only hope that Rockstar can make more stories with less cynicism like this one in the future. 9/10.
4. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) | 1/21/19 - 52hr | 9/10
I played the original Red Dead Redemption in 2012 when I was 15. My first experience with a Rockstar game, I had nothing to compare it to because my family was one of the strict ones that didn't let me usually play Mature rated games. My dad had a soft spot for westerns though, so he allowed me to get it. I will always remember my first time playing the game. It was this big sweeping grandiose thing that cared more about the people living in this virtual world than the means with which you had to eliminate them. It treated its virtual denizens like actual people and that blew my mind. Some of my favorite gaming memories revolve around that game. Accidentally herding cattle off of a cliff while my dad dies of laughter watching, all the way to that unforgettable ending. Red Dead Redemption will always have a special place in my heart.
So suffice it to say I was very excited for Red Dead Redemption 2. After having beaten it I can already tell that there will always be two camps for this game. Those who can look past gameplay flaws and view the experience as a whole, and those who cannot. I fall into the former camp, but I completely understand the latter.
Let's get my issues out of the way first. Red Dead Redemption 2 controls like shit. I just played The Order 1886, and RDR2 makes it look like Vanquish. The camp system is pointless, and the game gives you WAY too much money to make large parts of the story have any sort internal consistency for the most part. There were also some missteps in regards to said story. Chapter 5 feels like a missed opportunity, and a some of the worldbuilding sections of Chapter 3 felt boring for no good reason. I also wasn't impressed with the general mission structure, as it felt very repetitive, despite the story giving it different window dressing every time.
Even with all that said, I can confidently say that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a perfect companion piece to the first game, and worthwhile sequel in its own right. The presentation is masterful, with THE BEST montages in any game ever. The game oozes style, with every square inch of the game world feeling designed. The graphics and animation are bar none the best in any open world game, and give most linear games a run for their money.
But most importantly, the story nails the beats that it had to hit. The death of the West makes everyone afraid in their own way. Arthur is a stoic man who is afraid that everyone and everything he loves will pass him by. Dutch is a coward, and all of his actions betray his true feelings. John is afraid of being a family man, because he thinks he's not good enough for Abigail and Jack. Sadie is afraid that accepting what happened to her will make her a victim. The characters are the strongest part of Red Dead Redemption 2, and they are what let me fall in love with the game. Additionally, the entire ending sequence (no spoilers) from the end of Chapter 6 to the end of the game was almost flawlessly executed.
With some time to reflect, my opinion might change, but I think this is a game I will eventually look back on with the same reverence I have for the original. I only hope that Rockstar can make more stories with less cynicism like this one in the future. 9/10.
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I have a lot of thoughts on this game... Very very light spoilers on some characterizations will follow.
4. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) | 1/21/19 - 9hr | 9/10
I played the original Red Dead Redemption in 2012 when I was 15. My first experience with a Rockstar game, I had nothing to compare it to because my family was one of the strict ones that didn't let me usually play Mature rated games. My dad had a soft spot for westerns though, so he allowed me to get it. I will always remember my first time playing the game. It was this big sweeping grandiose thing that cared more about the people living in this virtual world than the means with which you had to eliminate them. It treated its virtual denizens like actual people and that blew my mind. Some of my favorite gaming memories revolve around that game. Accidentally herding cattle off of a cliff while my dad dies of laughter watching, all the way to that unforgettable ending. Red Dead Redemption will always have a special place in my heart.
So suffice it to say I was very excited for Red Dead Redemption 2. After having beaten it I can already tell that there will always be two camps for this game. Those who can look past gameplay flaws and view the experience as a whole, and those who cannot. I fall into the former camp, but I completely understand the latter.
Let's get my issues out of the way first. Red Dead Redemption 2 controls like shit. I just played The Order 1886, and RDR2 makes it look like Vanquish. The camp system is pointless, and the game gives you WAY too much money to make large parts of the story have any sort internal consistency for the most part. There were also some missteps in regards to said story. Chapter 5 feels like a missed opportunity, and a some of the worldbuilding sections of Chapter 3 felt boring for no good reason. I also wasn't impressed with the general mission structure, as it felt very repetitive, despite the story giving it different window dressing every time.
Even with all that said, I can confidently say that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a perfect companion piece to the first game, and worthwhile sequel in its own right. The presentation is masterful, with THE BEST montages in any game ever. The game oozes style, with every square inch of the game world feeling designed. The graphics and animation are bar none the best in any open world game, and give most linear games a run for their money.
But most importantly, the story nails the beats that it had to hit. The death of the West makes everyone afraid in their own way. Arthur is a stoic man who is afraid that everyone and everything he loves will pass him by. Dutch is a coward, and all of his actions betray his true feelings. John is afraid of being a family man, because he thinks he's not good enough for Abigail and Jack. Sadie is afraid that accepting what happened to her will make her a victim. The characters are the strongest part of Red Dead Redemption 2, and they are what let me fall in love with the game. Additionally, the entire ending sequence (no spoilers) from the end of Chapter 6 to the end of the game was almost flawlessly executed.
With some time to reflect, my opinion might change, but I think this is a game I will eventually look back on with the same reverence I have for the original. I only hope that Rockstar can make more stories with less cynicism like this one in the future. 9/10.
Tell me 9 hours to beat is a typo.