Yeah i kept seeing references to an android version, and suspect links to apk downloads. But nothing on the official site. I'm hoping it'll come eventually, looks cool.
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52 Games. 1 Year. 2019.
- Thread starter Wozzer
- Start date
Yeah i kept seeing references to an android version, and suspect links to apk downloads. But nothing on the official site. I'm hoping it'll come eventually, looks cool.
Games 1-7
Games 8-14
Games 15-21
Games 22-28
Games 29-35:
#29
Steins;Gate: Linear Bounded Phenogram
PC
Completed: June 29, 2019
Playtime: 31h 37m
This VN is a collection of mostly self-contained "what-if" stories in the Steins;Gate setting. The game basically presents them as glimpses into alternate parallel worldlines where things took a different turn at some point. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out exactly what difference is compared to the "official" worldline, sometimes it never becomes clear. Some stories were a lot more interesting/emotional for me than others, but all of them offer a chance to see a new side of familiar characters from the original game, and that's pretty cool. It's definitely worth playing for any Steins;Gate fan, a bit of a shame that this VN is held hostage by only being bundled with Elite on steam and not available separately. One big issue I have is how in one or two of the stories, the writer (probably a different writer from the other stories, since they got the part covered right) somehow completely forgot a pretty important detail about the mechanics of Okabe's time leap machine as it were originally presented.
#30
Return of the Obra Dinn
PC
Completed: July 01, 2019
Playtime: 12h 10m
A small masterpiece from the creator of Papers Please, couldn't stop playing this gem until I finished it. The goal of the game is to investigate the mystery of the lost ship Obra Dinn and decipher/deduce the exact fate of its crew using a special tool. At its core it's a puzzle, but it's probably not like any puzzle game you have played before. It's hard to convey any further exactly why Return of the Obra Dinn is so good without spoilers. But it's also worth mentioning a cool visual style (don't get dissuaded by muddy screenshots on the store page - this has to be seen and played in motion to appreciate it), and a great soundtrack. Loved every minute of it, highly recommended.
#31
Nier: Automata
PC
Completed: July 02, 2019
Playtime: 48h 28m
A cool game which inventively mixes third person open-world action/rpg with side-scrolling 2d platformer and shoot-em-up sections, and Yoko Taro story with traditionally multiple endings. Finished all the main ABCDE endings, but didn't bother getting all the extra/joke ones. The story was weird but intriguing, although I honestly expected more surprising crazy twists from Taro. Unfortunately, the PC release, even with unofficial patch, is marred with annoying performance issues (memory leaks which cause degrading game performance and increasing stutter over time).
#32
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Wii
Completed: July 06, 2019
Playtime: 88h 34m
I very much enjoyed playing Path of Radiance for its simple but engaging tactical scenarios and well-written story. This sequel uses very similar battle mechanics with a few new tricks and twists. The story in Radiant Dawn takes on a whole new level, now following multiple groups of characters, both old acquaintances and new, split across different countries/sides all around the world, sometimes working together, sometimes clashing against each other. It's an awesome fantasy epic which sometimes almost feels like mini Game of Thrones, just with no sex and gore. I loved it, except for the final portion and its sudden difficulty spikes which forced me to restart battles many times. I feel like maybe I messed up somehow and made wrong choices or didn't do something optional, which prevented me from having some potentially powerful allies in the final battles, and that's why they were so hard to win. Also, one complaint I have is how most Laguz (except tribe leaders) were nerfed into oblivion compared to Path of Radiance - they used to be unstoppable killing machines, now they're like made of glass and can't dodge or take more than a couple good hits.
#33
Love Language Japanese
PC
Completed: July 10, 2019
Playtime: 15h 26m
The only good thing I can say about this game is that it gave me the push to seek out other better ways to actually start learning Japanese (WaniKani for Kanji, Genki books for grammar is the way to go). As a visual novel, it's below average - the story and character cast was mostly just boring to me. As an educational tool, it's not very effective - for one, it doesn't teach you any kanji except a few in the very last lesson (even though learning Japanese is hard in part precisely because you need to learn 2000+ kanji to be able to read it). I guess you could use it to learn Hiragana and Katakana, it does a decent job of teaching you those. Also, it's buggy - there were numerous times when I was quizzed on words I'd never previously been taught in lessons, and the tests can sometimes feature the same question several times in a row.
#34
Street Fighter V
PC
Completed: July 23, 2019
Playtime: 11h 46m
Played through the general story campaign (which was well-made for a multiplayer-focused fighter), individual story arcs for select few characters (these seemed too short and cheaply made), and beat the arcade modes for the same characters. Decided to stop there though, since the fighting mechanics in this game are a bit off my preferences - as a casual player I'd rather have ready-to-use combos like in Killer Instinct or MK than spend a lot of time trying to find and nail down workable attack chains. Really didn't like the not-so-subtle push for spending more cash on additional costumes, stages, etc. The so called "free" fighting currency I accumulated after completing everything listed above couldn't even cover 1/3 of the cost of a single new stage. I kind of regret now preemptively spending money to get all season characters, but oh well.
#35
Endless Space 2
PC
Completed: July 24, 2019
Playtime: 63h 29m
An excellent space strategy/4X game. Similar in a lot of ways to Stellaris which I played last year, ES 2 is not quite as systematic (there are a lot more significant quests/story events affecting gameplay and development of your empire) and more fast-paced (the 60+ hours listed above actually include more than one playthrough, although I didn't quite finish my first attempt and rerolled). The most impressive difference for me was how well-developed and different the various races/factions are, they each have their own quest chains and special gameplay mechanics which is pretty cool. Won the game by way of economic victory with the Horatio faction (which I just loved the concept of: a race of genetic clones of a single brilliant megalomaniac who are intent on gene-splicing and remaking the whole galaxy in their magnificent image? Yes, please!). One complaint I have is with limited diplomacy options, and especially with how alliances work: alliance members for some reason have the ability of forcing a truce or starting a war without consulting anyone else in the alliance, which can be aggravating.
Currently playing:
Elite: Dangerous (PC/Vive)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC (PC)
Chaos;Head (PC)
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PS3)
Hollow Knight (PC)
The Last of Us (PS4)
Roundabout (PC)
Games 8-14
Games 15-21
Games 22-28
Games 29-35:
#29
Steins;Gate: Linear Bounded Phenogram
PC
Completed: June 29, 2019
Playtime: 31h 37m
This VN is a collection of mostly self-contained "what-if" stories in the Steins;Gate setting. The game basically presents them as glimpses into alternate parallel worldlines where things took a different turn at some point. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out exactly what difference is compared to the "official" worldline, sometimes it never becomes clear. Some stories were a lot more interesting/emotional for me than others, but all of them offer a chance to see a new side of familiar characters from the original game, and that's pretty cool. It's definitely worth playing for any Steins;Gate fan, a bit of a shame that this VN is held hostage by only being bundled with Elite on steam and not available separately. One big issue I have is how in one or two of the stories, the writer (probably a different writer from the other stories, since they got the part covered right) somehow completely forgot a pretty important detail about the mechanics of Okabe's time leap machine as it were originally presented.
#30
Return of the Obra Dinn
PC
Completed: July 01, 2019
Playtime: 12h 10m
A small masterpiece from the creator of Papers Please, couldn't stop playing this gem until I finished it. The goal of the game is to investigate the mystery of the lost ship Obra Dinn and decipher/deduce the exact fate of its crew using a special tool. At its core it's a puzzle, but it's probably not like any puzzle game you have played before. It's hard to convey any further exactly why Return of the Obra Dinn is so good without spoilers. But it's also worth mentioning a cool visual style (don't get dissuaded by muddy screenshots on the store page - this has to be seen and played in motion to appreciate it), and a great soundtrack. Loved every minute of it, highly recommended.
#31
Nier: Automata
PC
Completed: July 02, 2019
Playtime: 48h 28m
A cool game which inventively mixes third person open-world action/rpg with side-scrolling 2d platformer and shoot-em-up sections, and Yoko Taro story with traditionally multiple endings. Finished all the main ABCDE endings, but didn't bother getting all the extra/joke ones. The story was weird but intriguing, although I honestly expected more surprising crazy twists from Taro. Unfortunately, the PC release, even with unofficial patch, is marred with annoying performance issues (memory leaks which cause degrading game performance and increasing stutter over time).
#32
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Wii
Completed: July 06, 2019
Playtime: 88h 34m
I very much enjoyed playing Path of Radiance for its simple but engaging tactical scenarios and well-written story. This sequel uses very similar battle mechanics with a few new tricks and twists. The story in Radiant Dawn takes on a whole new level, now following multiple groups of characters, both old acquaintances and new, split across different countries/sides all around the world, sometimes working together, sometimes clashing against each other. It's an awesome fantasy epic which sometimes almost feels like mini Game of Thrones, just with no sex and gore. I loved it, except for the final portion and its sudden difficulty spikes which forced me to restart battles many times. I feel like maybe I messed up somehow and made wrong choices or didn't do something optional, which prevented me from having some potentially powerful allies in the final battles, and that's why they were so hard to win. Also, one complaint I have is how most Laguz (except tribe leaders) were nerfed into oblivion compared to Path of Radiance - they used to be unstoppable killing machines, now they're like made of glass and can't dodge or take more than a couple good hits.
#33
Love Language Japanese
PC
Completed: July 10, 2019
Playtime: 15h 26m
The only good thing I can say about this game is that it gave me the push to seek out other better ways to actually start learning Japanese (WaniKani for Kanji, Genki books for grammar is the way to go). As a visual novel, it's below average - the story and character cast was mostly just boring to me. As an educational tool, it's not very effective - for one, it doesn't teach you any kanji except a few in the very last lesson (even though learning Japanese is hard in part precisely because you need to learn 2000+ kanji to be able to read it). I guess you could use it to learn Hiragana and Katakana, it does a decent job of teaching you those. Also, it's buggy - there were numerous times when I was quizzed on words I'd never previously been taught in lessons, and the tests can sometimes feature the same question several times in a row.
#34
Street Fighter V
PC
Completed: July 23, 2019
Playtime: 11h 46m
Played through the general story campaign (which was well-made for a multiplayer-focused fighter), individual story arcs for select few characters (these seemed too short and cheaply made), and beat the arcade modes for the same characters. Decided to stop there though, since the fighting mechanics in this game are a bit off my preferences - as a casual player I'd rather have ready-to-use combos like in Killer Instinct or MK than spend a lot of time trying to find and nail down workable attack chains. Really didn't like the not-so-subtle push for spending more cash on additional costumes, stages, etc. The so called "free" fighting currency I accumulated after completing everything listed above couldn't even cover 1/3 of the cost of a single new stage. I kind of regret now preemptively spending money to get all season characters, but oh well.
#35
Endless Space 2
PC
Completed: July 24, 2019
Playtime: 63h 29m
An excellent space strategy/4X game. Similar in a lot of ways to Stellaris which I played last year, ES 2 is not quite as systematic (there are a lot more significant quests/story events affecting gameplay and development of your empire) and more fast-paced (the 60+ hours listed above actually include more than one playthrough, although I didn't quite finish my first attempt and rerolled). The most impressive difference for me was how well-developed and different the various races/factions are, they each have their own quest chains and special gameplay mechanics which is pretty cool. Won the game by way of economic victory with the Horatio faction (which I just loved the concept of: a race of genetic clones of a single brilliant megalomaniac who are intent on gene-splicing and remaking the whole galaxy in their magnificent image? Yes, please!). One complaint I have is with limited diplomacy options, and especially with how alliances work: alliance members for some reason have the ability of forcing a truce or starting a war without consulting anyone else in the alliance, which can be aggravating.
Currently playing:
Elite: Dangerous (PC/Vive)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC (PC)
Chaos;Head (PC)
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PS3)
Hollow Knight (PC)
The Last of Us (PS4)
Roundabout (PC)
Original Post
52) Dragon Quest Builders 2 (PS4 - July 24th - NA - 4/5)
I already really liked the first game, and this one might be even better, especially from a technical aspect. If only the text wouldn't be so slow, it's so bad that it makes me feel it can't be intentional.
Really kinda sucks that PS4 doesn't track your playtime (or doesn't let you view it at least, since I think it does actually track it), but oh well. Anyways, not sure if I ever reached 52 that early, so that's pretty cool
52) Dragon Quest Builders 2 (PS4 - July 24th - NA - 4/5)
I already really liked the first game, and this one might be even better, especially from a technical aspect. If only the text wouldn't be so slow, it's so bad that it makes me feel it can't be intentional.
Really kinda sucks that PS4 doesn't track your playtime (or doesn't let you view it at least, since I think it does actually track it), but oh well. Anyways, not sure if I ever reached 52 that early, so that's pretty cool
62. Mark of the Ninja
Now this was a nice and chill stealth game. I quite liked that it doesn't need to be rushed for those that want to take their time when progressing in a level or mission, yet at the same time offering a variety of options and challenges for those that want to get more out of the game or test their own skills.
Strongly recommend it to any fan of stealth genre.
Now this was a nice and chill stealth game. I quite liked that it doesn't need to be rushed for those that want to take their time when progressing in a level or mission, yet at the same time offering a variety of options and challenges for those that want to get more out of the game or test their own skills.
Strongly recommend it to any fan of stealth genre.
Main Post part 1
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23. Space Siege - 7.5 hours
Forgotten ARPG from Gas Powered Games released in 2008. It was removed from the sale on all digital storefronts because somehow developers managed to fuck up with mouse pointer that doesn't appear in fullscreen mode on modern systems. PC exclusive that built around using the mouse and it has an issue with the mouse controls - that's all you need to know about the late '00s in PC gaming. It's possible to fix this problem by launching the game in windowed mode, but it's still showing that even PC-only developer couldn't make a game without such technical issues.
At least game fully playable in windowed mode, though I can't say the gameplay is something special. It's a very linear game, you just run through the same corridors, listen to boring radio talk, and shoot stuff with very little variety. Through the game, you unlock new guns and abilities and also upgrade them and your stats by using loot that drops from chests and dead enemies. There is also cybernetics that you can permanently install in your body to get bonuses and use some guns, but in reality, it changes very little gameplay-wise - stats bonuses are barely noticeable, and you'll find those 2 guns that require cybernetics way too late to properly upgrade and use them. Cybernetics only slightly alter some dialogues and ending talk, and in the breaking point of the story they won't matter, the game will just ask you straight away if you want to join the baddies or not, and that's it.
The storyline in Space Siege didn't hold up for such linear game, it's full of cliches and bad acting, they even added creepy dead girl that constantly run in front of you and her dad who trying to find her on the ship for the entire game. And without an engaging story, there is not many reasons remain to play Space Siege - the game is lacking depth and once you'll finish it there won't be much point in playing it ever again. I mean, the game is not that bad, but I would have described it as "painfully mediocre" - you can have fun while playing it, but overall repetitiveness and lack of replayability are not allowing me to recommend it to anyone. Especially considering that you can't officially get it anywhere, so sadly it's really not worth the effort.
-------
23. Space Siege - 7.5 hours
Forgotten ARPG from Gas Powered Games released in 2008. It was removed from the sale on all digital storefronts because somehow developers managed to fuck up with mouse pointer that doesn't appear in fullscreen mode on modern systems. PC exclusive that built around using the mouse and it has an issue with the mouse controls - that's all you need to know about the late '00s in PC gaming. It's possible to fix this problem by launching the game in windowed mode, but it's still showing that even PC-only developer couldn't make a game without such technical issues.
At least game fully playable in windowed mode, though I can't say the gameplay is something special. It's a very linear game, you just run through the same corridors, listen to boring radio talk, and shoot stuff with very little variety. Through the game, you unlock new guns and abilities and also upgrade them and your stats by using loot that drops from chests and dead enemies. There is also cybernetics that you can permanently install in your body to get bonuses and use some guns, but in reality, it changes very little gameplay-wise - stats bonuses are barely noticeable, and you'll find those 2 guns that require cybernetics way too late to properly upgrade and use them. Cybernetics only slightly alter some dialogues and ending talk, and in the breaking point of the story they won't matter, the game will just ask you straight away if you want to join the baddies or not, and that's it.
The storyline in Space Siege didn't hold up for such linear game, it's full of cliches and bad acting, they even added creepy dead girl that constantly run in front of you and her dad who trying to find her on the ship for the entire game. And without an engaging story, there is not many reasons remain to play Space Siege - the game is lacking depth and once you'll finish it there won't be much point in playing it ever again. I mean, the game is not that bad, but I would have described it as "painfully mediocre" - you can have fun while playing it, but overall repetitiveness and lack of replayability are not allowing me to recommend it to anyone. Especially considering that you can't officially get it anywhere, so sadly it's really not worth the effort.
I am no longer on track for my goal of hitting 26 games. In my defense, my life is currently an unmitigated mess. At least I am starting to make progress on my PSP backlog.
6) Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (PSP) - 3/5 - played through campaign on easy difficulty
Storytelling is awful, and I checked out mentally long before I started skipping cutscenes. The game is has a clean style, but the level design is empty, and load times are frequent. Enemy encounters are extremely repetitive. At least the boss fights are creative, and the ability progression system encourages changing up move-sets frequently. As a basic, mindless dungeon crawler it works, but Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep falls flat on its face every time it aspires to be an action adventure game.
7) Every Extra Extend (PSP) - 2/5 - played through the first three levels and promptly gave up
Control feels a little bit sluggish given the clean art-style and arcade-style action. The back and forth between the various mechanics that comprise the level progression is a little oblique. Procedurally generated enemy patterns can have a huge impact on the high stakes boss encounter and makes levels seem interchangeable. The main issue here is that the mechanics aren't really fleshed out to a full game in an interesting way.
8) X Men Legends II (PSP) - 2/5 - completed campaign on medium difficulty
X Men Legends II features long load times for basic tasks like opening menus, making item and character management a pain. This is a problem given how important character customization is for dungeon crawlers. Furthermore, the game features the genre-staple, repetitive enemy encounters, but the skills and character progression systems aren't interesting enough to justify the grind. The game isn't even very pretty: The dark, muddy graphics make the game visually difficult to read.
9) Lumines II (PSP) - 3/5
The slick presentation of Lumines II exudes "cool." The game play-field is probably too large and too wide given the scope of the main mechanics. The game doesn't seem to reward large combos very well.
10) Me and My Katamari (PSP) - 3/5 - completed the campaign
The dual directional controls and camera can feel unwieldy against the physics engine, and the game feels very sluggish at the largest stages. It often feels like the player is fighting the game, which might be the point. The release in frustration against the movement controls may be intended to enhance the basic catharsis of rolling over previously insurmountable obstacles. The presentation is fun and peppy, but there are too many load screens. Content is repeated ad nauseam, and the mission specific objectives do little to help add variety.
11) Daxter (PSP) - 3/5 - completed the campaign
Although Daxter is technically competent, its level designs are boring, and they don't necessarily work with the collectathon objectives. There are also some problems with basic collision detection with stage geometry. In general, Daxter feels middling in/by design.
Next up: God of War: Ghosts of Sparta. I'm not really feeling it so far, but it is an incredibly pretty game. Prediction: I think that the shock and awe of the set-pieces and general technical competence will warrant a 3/5 even if I find the base mechanics dull.
6) Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (PSP) - 3/5 - played through campaign on easy difficulty
Storytelling is awful, and I checked out mentally long before I started skipping cutscenes. The game is has a clean style, but the level design is empty, and load times are frequent. Enemy encounters are extremely repetitive. At least the boss fights are creative, and the ability progression system encourages changing up move-sets frequently. As a basic, mindless dungeon crawler it works, but Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep falls flat on its face every time it aspires to be an action adventure game.
7) Every Extra Extend (PSP) - 2/5 - played through the first three levels and promptly gave up
Control feels a little bit sluggish given the clean art-style and arcade-style action. The back and forth between the various mechanics that comprise the level progression is a little oblique. Procedurally generated enemy patterns can have a huge impact on the high stakes boss encounter and makes levels seem interchangeable. The main issue here is that the mechanics aren't really fleshed out to a full game in an interesting way.
8) X Men Legends II (PSP) - 2/5 - completed campaign on medium difficulty
X Men Legends II features long load times for basic tasks like opening menus, making item and character management a pain. This is a problem given how important character customization is for dungeon crawlers. Furthermore, the game features the genre-staple, repetitive enemy encounters, but the skills and character progression systems aren't interesting enough to justify the grind. The game isn't even very pretty: The dark, muddy graphics make the game visually difficult to read.
9) Lumines II (PSP) - 3/5
The slick presentation of Lumines II exudes "cool." The game play-field is probably too large and too wide given the scope of the main mechanics. The game doesn't seem to reward large combos very well.
10) Me and My Katamari (PSP) - 3/5 - completed the campaign
The dual directional controls and camera can feel unwieldy against the physics engine, and the game feels very sluggish at the largest stages. It often feels like the player is fighting the game, which might be the point. The release in frustration against the movement controls may be intended to enhance the basic catharsis of rolling over previously insurmountable obstacles. The presentation is fun and peppy, but there are too many load screens. Content is repeated ad nauseam, and the mission specific objectives do little to help add variety.
11) Daxter (PSP) - 3/5 - completed the campaign
Although Daxter is technically competent, its level designs are boring, and they don't necessarily work with the collectathon objectives. There are also some problems with basic collision detection with stage geometry. In general, Daxter feels middling in/by design.
Next up: God of War: Ghosts of Sparta. I'm not really feeling it so far, but it is an incredibly pretty game. Prediction: I think that the shock and awe of the set-pieces and general technical competence will warrant a 3/5 even if I find the base mechanics dull.
Last edited:
65. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round (12 hours)
This is a damn fun game, but I would be here all day if you asked me what I didn't like about it.
Full list to date
This is a damn fun game, but I would be here all day if you asked me what I didn't like about it.
Full list to date
17. Contra (Xbox 360)
This game came up in an arcade tournament. Completed without continues.
18. Forza Motorsport 6 (Xbox One)
Been grinding away at this for some time now. I think I've put 25 hours into it. It funny,.. I've played Forza Motorsport 7, A LOT, and Forza 6 just feels more polished and the graphics look sharper?
It doesn't have as many customization options as Forza 7 but overall I think I like Forza 6 better. Just too bad that online is not as active.
main thread
This game came up in an arcade tournament. Completed without continues.
18. Forza Motorsport 6 (Xbox One)
Been grinding away at this for some time now. I think I've put 25 hours into it. It funny,.. I've played Forza Motorsport 7, A LOT, and Forza 6 just feels more polished and the graphics look sharper?
It doesn't have as many customization options as Forza 7 but overall I think I like Forza 6 better. Just too bad that online is not as active.
main thread
The game is available on amazon.comMain Post part 1
-------
23. Space Siege - 7.5 hours
Forgotten ARPG from Gas Powered Games released in 2008. It was removed from the sale on all digital storefronts because somehow developers managed to fuck up with mouse pointer that doesn't appear in fullscreen mode on modern systems. PC exclusive that built around using the mouse and it has an issue with the mouse controls - that's all you need to know about the late '00s in PC gaming. It's possible to fix this problem by launching the game in windowed mode, but it's still showing that even PC-only developer couldn't make a game without such technical issues.
At least game fully playable in windowed mode, though I can't say the gameplay is something special. It's a very linear game, you just run through the same corridors, listen to boring radio talk, and shoot stuff with very little variety. Through the game, you unlock new guns and abilities and also upgrade them and your stats by using loot that drops from chests and dead enemies. There is also cybernetics that you can permanently install in your body to get bonuses and use some guns, but in reality, it changes very little gameplay-wise - stats bonuses are barely noticeable, and you'll find those 2 guns that require cybernetics way too late to properly upgrade and use them. Cybernetics only slightly alter some dialogues and ending talk, and in the breaking point of the story they won't matter, the game will just ask you straight away if you want to join the baddies or not, and that's it.
The storyline in Space Siege didn't hold up for such linear game, it's full of cliches and bad acting, they even added creepy dead girl that constantly run in front of you and her dad who trying to find her on the ship for the entire game. And without an engaging story, there is not many reasons remain to play Space Siege - the game is lacking depth and once you'll finish it there won't be much point in playing it ever again. I mean, the game is not that bad, but I would have described it as "painfully mediocre" - you can have fun while playing it, but overall repetitiveness and lack of replayability are not allowing me to recommend it to anyone. Especially considering that you can't officially get it anywhere, so sadly it's really not worth the effort.
Thats where i got my key from. I got it mainly as a way of completing or expanding my sega collection on steam ;p
63. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
This was prob. my very first MMO experience, but man the initial expansion....they really did try to salvage as much as possible huh?
I spent 2+ weeks working to reach lvl. 50 and finish the main scenario and it had some of the lamest quests ever for a main game; go here talk to this fella, go back and talk to that fella, then teleport and talk to that person before teleporting back again to talk to another person.
Like I guess they wanted the player to get a sense of engagment of the world and setting but it fell flat on that.
Non the less I am moving onto Heavensward which I hear has a good story at least so I am down for that.
Just need to figure out a good way to use my NInja with a DS4 controller :v
This was prob. my very first MMO experience, but man the initial expansion....they really did try to salvage as much as possible huh?
I spent 2+ weeks working to reach lvl. 50 and finish the main scenario and it had some of the lamest quests ever for a main game; go here talk to this fella, go back and talk to that fella, then teleport and talk to that person before teleporting back again to talk to another person.
Like I guess they wanted the player to get a sense of engagment of the world and setting but it fell flat on that.
Non the less I am moving onto Heavensward which I hear has a good story at least so I am down for that.
Just need to figure out a good way to use my NInja with a DS4 controller :v
Main Post
61. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - 7h10 - 21.07
Uncharted 3 is a game of two halves. If the story and characters are the obvious focus on the first half only to get mostly forgotten or swept aside later on, disappointingly so, the gamey game on the other hand starts up slow and then ramps up spectacularly on the latter half of the game with a barrage of great setpieces.
I remember being a bit deflated back in the day with this title, but i quite enjoyed it this time around. Apart from a couple of forgettable chapters there is almost no fat here. I'd argue that gameplay wise at least, it has better pacing than Uncharted 2.
And that's the end of my Uncharted replays. Moving on to the newer ones, which i never played.
62. Detroit: Become Human - 13h - 24.07
As far as Quantic Dream games go, Detroit is by far their most accomplished. It's still an extremely beautiful mishmash of clichés though. I find myself having the same kind of experience with Cage games, where i enjoy them well enough while i'm playing them, but as soon as i turn these games off and give their writing even a passing thought, everything crashes down. This thought is nothing new, but i'd really love to see this company doing a game with both a competent writer and director. Their tech is incredible and there are interesting bits permeating all their games, enough to keep me interested at least.
I will say that looking at Cage's past forays into poc characters, this could have gone a hell of a lot worse. I'm glad it didn't. But Detroit is still marred with a facile understanding of racial and systemic discriminatory issues.
Kara's story is essentially SVU: Androids. I liked the characters though. It has a very dumb twist near the end which i kinda guessed but dismissed as too dumb. Well, never overestimate David Cage i guess.
Markus' Violent Revolution/ Peaceful Demonstration dichotomy is gloriously dumb and revelatory of how little the author understands social upheavals. I decided to be extremely peaceful at all times. Not only did i get all the population on my side (which would never happen in reality as we can see from, well, reality), i also changed the Madam President's mind just by kissing my android gf. Weak emotional females amirite?
I found Connor's story the most enjoyable, not because it does anything new or very interesting with its buddy movie setup, but because Clancy Brown and Bryan Dechart do a great job with what they're given and also because i'm a sucker for investigating shit in games.
61. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - 7h10 - 21.07
Uncharted 3 is a game of two halves. If the story and characters are the obvious focus on the first half only to get mostly forgotten or swept aside later on, disappointingly so, the gamey game on the other hand starts up slow and then ramps up spectacularly on the latter half of the game with a barrage of great setpieces.
I remember being a bit deflated back in the day with this title, but i quite enjoyed it this time around. Apart from a couple of forgettable chapters there is almost no fat here. I'd argue that gameplay wise at least, it has better pacing than Uncharted 2.
And that's the end of my Uncharted replays. Moving on to the newer ones, which i never played.
62. Detroit: Become Human - 13h - 24.07
As far as Quantic Dream games go, Detroit is by far their most accomplished. It's still an extremely beautiful mishmash of clichés though. I find myself having the same kind of experience with Cage games, where i enjoy them well enough while i'm playing them, but as soon as i turn these games off and give their writing even a passing thought, everything crashes down. This thought is nothing new, but i'd really love to see this company doing a game with both a competent writer and director. Their tech is incredible and there are interesting bits permeating all their games, enough to keep me interested at least.
I will say that looking at Cage's past forays into poc characters, this could have gone a hell of a lot worse. I'm glad it didn't. But Detroit is still marred with a facile understanding of racial and systemic discriminatory issues.
Kara's story is essentially SVU: Androids. I liked the characters though. It has a very dumb twist near the end which i kinda guessed but dismissed as too dumb. Well, never overestimate David Cage i guess.
Markus' Violent Revolution/ Peaceful Demonstration dichotomy is gloriously dumb and revelatory of how little the author understands social upheavals. I decided to be extremely peaceful at all times. Not only did i get all the population on my side (which would never happen in reality as we can see from, well, reality), i also changed the Madam President's mind just by kissing my android gf. Weak emotional females amirite?
I found Connor's story the most enjoyable, not because it does anything new or very interesting with its buddy movie setup, but because Clancy Brown and Bryan Dechart do a great job with what they're given and also because i'm a sucker for investigating shit in games.
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Main Post
63. Firewatch - 4h50 - 25.07
I have a hard time writing anything meaningful about Firewatch because it would just be endless variations on 'i like thing'. There are a few aspects of this that absolutely make it an experience that i recommend to anyone though; the brilliant writing, the great voice acting and the really solid atmosphere. Even if Firewatch hadn't an absolutely gorgeous art style and a perfectly moody soundtrack i would still recommend it. But it also has those things. So, there. Play it.
64. Resident Evil VII: Beginning Hour - 1h50 - 27.07
A not so short teaser for Resident Evil 7 that i decided to include here, seeing as it is kind of its own thing, working as a prequel for the main game. Got all the endings. The 'true' ending was a pain due to the game being extremely vague with what is required. The atmosphere is fantastic, as are the visuals. The characters have a lot of personality despite being onscreen for a mere 5 minutes or so. It's done its job as i'm itching to get into the main game after playing it.
63. Firewatch - 4h50 - 25.07
I have a hard time writing anything meaningful about Firewatch because it would just be endless variations on 'i like thing'. There are a few aspects of this that absolutely make it an experience that i recommend to anyone though; the brilliant writing, the great voice acting and the really solid atmosphere. Even if Firewatch hadn't an absolutely gorgeous art style and a perfectly moody soundtrack i would still recommend it. But it also has those things. So, there. Play it.
64. Resident Evil VII: Beginning Hour - 1h50 - 27.07
A not so short teaser for Resident Evil 7 that i decided to include here, seeing as it is kind of its own thing, working as a prequel for the main game. Got all the endings. The 'true' ending was a pain due to the game being extremely vague with what is required. The atmosphere is fantastic, as are the visuals. The characters have a lot of personality despite being onscreen for a mere 5 minutes or so. It's done its job as i'm itching to get into the main game after playing it.
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Phew. What a month. It's summer and I haven't been up to as much so I've been able to cross a lot off my backlog. I'm just over the halfway point, and if I'm lucky August should be just as productive. I'm finishing up a "ramp up the ridiculousness" Resident Evil marathon (REmake, then RE4, then RE6. RE and RE4 are done, so now I just have to see if I fall into the camp that loves how over the top stupid RE6 gets. Fingers crossed). I plan on playing Half-Life for the first time (I'm going in totally blind, which I haven't done with a game in a while. I bought it off reputation and how good Portal was), I still want to try and beat Twilight Princess and Paper Mario, and I feel like there's other games I'll get a sudden urge to dive into this month. So far, so good.
Master Post
Games beaten in July:
1. Super Mario Bros 2 (NSO on Switch) | July 2nd - 5 hrs | 3/5
2. Portal (Mac) | July 3rd - 6 hrs | 5/5
3. Yoku's Island Express (Switch) | July 10th - 8 hrs | 3/5
4. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (GBA) | July 11th - 3 hrs | 4/5
5. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (GBA) | July 17th - 6 hrs | 4/5
6. Enter The Gungeon (Switch) | July 21st - 100 hrs | 5/5
7. Resident Evil Remake (Gamecube) | July 27th - 10 hrs| 4/5
8. Resident Evil 4 (Wii) | July 30th - 15 hrs | 5/5
Progress so far: 27 games
January - 5 games
February - 1 game
March - 2 games
April - 4 games
May - 2 games
June - 5 games
July - 8 games
Thoughts on July
1. Super Mario Bros 2 - Another "eh let's speed run one of the Nintendo Switch Online games out of historical curiosity" pick. This one was more disappointing than Kirby's Adventure was for me. It wasn't terrible, there's a lot of stuff I do like in it (the multiple playable characters, the aesthetic, the fact that Peach looks perpetually annoyed that she's on this adventure the entire time you're playing as her), but there was just a lot of small frustrating stuff in it that annoyed me (hello, infinitely spawning enemies, I thought I left you behind back in Ninja Gaiden). Thankfully this version had save states, I feel like I'd be harsher if I was trying to play it normally. The good news is this game got a remake, twice, so I think I'll revisit it down the line either in the All-Stars or the Advance version and see how it stacks up. 3/5, not great but I liked it enough to try a remake.
2. Portal - Now THIS is a game. I got it on sale for $1 on Steam (my first Steam purchase and, aside from Half-Life 1 and 2, probably my last, since I use a MacBook Pro and nobody besides Valve seems to put their games on it). It was my first time playing a game with mouse and keyboard, which I liked more than I thought I would. I wanted something I could beat in a night, and I already own 2 (I just haven't played it yet since I didn't play this one) so this felt like a good choice. I really can't think of anything I didn't like about this game. The length was just right, the mechanics were varied and used efficiently, it was FUNNY and the atmosphere was perfect. Also it got me to impulse buy the Half-Life games while they were on sale, so we'll see how those go when I get to them. 5/5, fantastic.
3. Yoku's Island Express - I really wanted to love this one. The demo hooked me and it's such a creative little game that I really didn't want to be too harsh on it (I'm always down for a wacky, creative idea if it's done well). For the most part, this game does its thing well. It's surprisingly open for a Metroidvania, I love how they tackle all the different aspects of pinball in an organic way and tonally it feels like a sunnier analogue to Hollow Knight. My big issue? Pinball and precise exploration do NOT go well together, it seems. There were way too many times where I'd be backtracking and trying to get through a board and couldn't get the ball to go where I wanted. This is a problem because backtracking in a Metroidvania is kind of the point, and plenty of games with regular controls can make backtracking feel tedious, so the fact that you can't maneuver yourself with a ton of precision when you're in pinball mode just doesn't really work for me. I will say, I loved the final boss fight (no spoilers but uh... yeah, I like who you end up fighting, and how they handle the fight itself). I really did like a lot about this game and maybe I'll come back to down the line and it'll click with me better, but for now, 3/5. Creative, but kind of frustrating.
4. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! - I was feeling nostalgic for Warioware: Touched! on my DS and I'd never played this one, so I gave it a whirl. God I love the WarioWare formula. This one isn't perfect, but it's such a neat little game with a ton of personality. I forgot how important music was in the DS game, because it almost feels like a rhythm game when you really get into it. I love that finishing anything nets you some kind of unlockable mini game (I even made a thread here about how much I liked the Dr. Wario one as an unlockable). My main complaint is that there were a few too many re-used microgames to a point where I was like "ah, yeah, there's the Jump!(?) one again". It's a cool proof of concept though and good game in its own right, I'll be coming back to this one again, 4/5.
5. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge - I made a thread because of this game (the discussion was about handheld versions of console games) so I'll just copy what I put there: "Yeah, it's good, especially considering how bad some of these types of games tend to go. The tone and charm of the series is still there which is already about half of my grading system for a game in this series, but the gameplay is also surprisingly solid. Yeah the top-down perspective means there's a lot of platforms that you won't always guess the height of correctly, but other than that it's the same basic gameplay as the console games, just simplified. All of the moves that I would expect these two to have are here (except for flying, but I can forgive that considering the limitations of the system), it's still a collectathon and even the music feels right (if I didn't know that Grant Kirkhope didn't make the music, I'd have thought it was him). Some "isms" of a lot of handheld spinoffs are here and accounted for, of course. Simple and forgettable mini-games account for a few of the jiggies and some generic/out of place NPCs pop up (I'm looking at you, chickens in the first world who look like they should be in the Spyro GBA games), but those are all pretty inoffensive. This is Banjo-Kazooie on a portable. I really like it." If this didn't capture the spirit of Banjo-Kazooie as well as it did, I'd probably rate it a little lower and I don't think I'll be playing it again for a while, but it was just nice to have another solid adventure with these two. 4/5, I'm being generous but only a little.
6. Enter The Gungeon - I'm considering this "finished" for the challenge because I finally made it to the end of the Gungeon after a year of playing the game. It was all luck, I somehow found a Rainbow chest on what was going to be my last run for a while and became so overpowered that I pretty much broke the game. If you want to read about just well the run went, take a look at my post in this link. Thanks to this run I was able to unlock Rainbow Mode, and since then I've beaten the Dragun several times and killed at least two pasts. This game is too addicting and I'm going to have to put it down for a while, since picking it back up a few weeks ago I went from having 80 hours to 130. I'll be back to finish off the rest of the game down the line. Probably in a few months. 5/5, I'll be back, past.
7. Resident Evil Remake - I already played this as Jill a few years ago. This time I wanted to see what Chris's side was like. It was definitely a little harder, although I did play on easy mode to compensate. Now, I kind of ruined this playthrough for myself, I'll admit. I'm fascinated by the speed running potential of these games and wanted to see if I could learn it myself. Unfortunately that meant that if I wanted to learn the optimal route for the game, I'd be consulting a guide. I used a 1 hour 30 minute speed run on 100% as a guide to figure out what to do, and following that/messing up a few times (like using an old key on a door I wasn't supposed to because I thought I understood what to do and charged ahead anyway) led to my playthrough being about 10 hours. That part I don't mind, but I felt like I was following a walkthrough more than playing the actual game. The game was still fun, and there's a certain satisfaction in finding out you can skip certain boss fights if you want to. I think my next playthrough will be more fun, but for now, 4/5. Could have been 5/5 if I just let myself play it without worrying about a guide.
8. Resident Evil 4 - Immediately after doing REmake, I popped in RE4. This was my first New Game+ and my goal was simple: get the Chicago Typewriter and Brute Force my way through the game. It took me longer than I thought it would to get the Typewriter (I finally got enough money and treasures around the time I got to the maze, and I only just had enough after selling everything I had) but my god this has been a satisfying playthrough. It was already fun using more powerful weapons at the start of the game (the village sequence was over WAY quicker than I thought it would be), but once I got the Typewriter, the satisfaction got cranked up to 100. I just really love this game, I don't even need to get into it. 5/5, masterpiece, magnificent, pure video game fun.
TOTAL SO FAR: 27 games, 22 weeks left.
Master Post
Games beaten in July:
1. Super Mario Bros 2 (NSO on Switch) | July 2nd - 5 hrs | 3/5
2. Portal (Mac) | July 3rd - 6 hrs | 5/5
3. Yoku's Island Express (Switch) | July 10th - 8 hrs | 3/5
4. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (GBA) | July 11th - 3 hrs | 4/5
5. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (GBA) | July 17th - 6 hrs | 4/5
6. Enter The Gungeon (Switch) | July 21st - 100 hrs | 5/5
7. Resident Evil Remake (Gamecube) | July 27th - 10 hrs| 4/5
8. Resident Evil 4 (Wii) | July 30th - 15 hrs | 5/5
Progress so far: 27 games
January - 5 games
February - 1 game
March - 2 games
April - 4 games
May - 2 games
June - 5 games
July - 8 games
Thoughts on July
1. Super Mario Bros 2 - Another "eh let's speed run one of the Nintendo Switch Online games out of historical curiosity" pick. This one was more disappointing than Kirby's Adventure was for me. It wasn't terrible, there's a lot of stuff I do like in it (the multiple playable characters, the aesthetic, the fact that Peach looks perpetually annoyed that she's on this adventure the entire time you're playing as her), but there was just a lot of small frustrating stuff in it that annoyed me (hello, infinitely spawning enemies, I thought I left you behind back in Ninja Gaiden). Thankfully this version had save states, I feel like I'd be harsher if I was trying to play it normally. The good news is this game got a remake, twice, so I think I'll revisit it down the line either in the All-Stars or the Advance version and see how it stacks up. 3/5, not great but I liked it enough to try a remake.
2. Portal - Now THIS is a game. I got it on sale for $1 on Steam (my first Steam purchase and, aside from Half-Life 1 and 2, probably my last, since I use a MacBook Pro and nobody besides Valve seems to put their games on it). It was my first time playing a game with mouse and keyboard, which I liked more than I thought I would. I wanted something I could beat in a night, and I already own 2 (I just haven't played it yet since I didn't play this one) so this felt like a good choice. I really can't think of anything I didn't like about this game. The length was just right, the mechanics were varied and used efficiently, it was FUNNY and the atmosphere was perfect. Also it got me to impulse buy the Half-Life games while they were on sale, so we'll see how those go when I get to them. 5/5, fantastic.
3. Yoku's Island Express - I really wanted to love this one. The demo hooked me and it's such a creative little game that I really didn't want to be too harsh on it (I'm always down for a wacky, creative idea if it's done well). For the most part, this game does its thing well. It's surprisingly open for a Metroidvania, I love how they tackle all the different aspects of pinball in an organic way and tonally it feels like a sunnier analogue to Hollow Knight. My big issue? Pinball and precise exploration do NOT go well together, it seems. There were way too many times where I'd be backtracking and trying to get through a board and couldn't get the ball to go where I wanted. This is a problem because backtracking in a Metroidvania is kind of the point, and plenty of games with regular controls can make backtracking feel tedious, so the fact that you can't maneuver yourself with a ton of precision when you're in pinball mode just doesn't really work for me. I will say, I loved the final boss fight (no spoilers but uh... yeah, I like who you end up fighting, and how they handle the fight itself). I really did like a lot about this game and maybe I'll come back to down the line and it'll click with me better, but for now, 3/5. Creative, but kind of frustrating.
4. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! - I was feeling nostalgic for Warioware: Touched! on my DS and I'd never played this one, so I gave it a whirl. God I love the WarioWare formula. This one isn't perfect, but it's such a neat little game with a ton of personality. I forgot how important music was in the DS game, because it almost feels like a rhythm game when you really get into it. I love that finishing anything nets you some kind of unlockable mini game (I even made a thread here about how much I liked the Dr. Wario one as an unlockable). My main complaint is that there were a few too many re-used microgames to a point where I was like "ah, yeah, there's the Jump!(?) one again". It's a cool proof of concept though and good game in its own right, I'll be coming back to this one again, 4/5.
5. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge - I made a thread because of this game (the discussion was about handheld versions of console games) so I'll just copy what I put there: "Yeah, it's good, especially considering how bad some of these types of games tend to go. The tone and charm of the series is still there which is already about half of my grading system for a game in this series, but the gameplay is also surprisingly solid. Yeah the top-down perspective means there's a lot of platforms that you won't always guess the height of correctly, but other than that it's the same basic gameplay as the console games, just simplified. All of the moves that I would expect these two to have are here (except for flying, but I can forgive that considering the limitations of the system), it's still a collectathon and even the music feels right (if I didn't know that Grant Kirkhope didn't make the music, I'd have thought it was him). Some "isms" of a lot of handheld spinoffs are here and accounted for, of course. Simple and forgettable mini-games account for a few of the jiggies and some generic/out of place NPCs pop up (I'm looking at you, chickens in the first world who look like they should be in the Spyro GBA games), but those are all pretty inoffensive. This is Banjo-Kazooie on a portable. I really like it." If this didn't capture the spirit of Banjo-Kazooie as well as it did, I'd probably rate it a little lower and I don't think I'll be playing it again for a while, but it was just nice to have another solid adventure with these two. 4/5, I'm being generous but only a little.
6. Enter The Gungeon - I'm considering this "finished" for the challenge because I finally made it to the end of the Gungeon after a year of playing the game. It was all luck, I somehow found a Rainbow chest on what was going to be my last run for a while and became so overpowered that I pretty much broke the game. If you want to read about just well the run went, take a look at my post in this link. Thanks to this run I was able to unlock Rainbow Mode, and since then I've beaten the Dragun several times and killed at least two pasts. This game is too addicting and I'm going to have to put it down for a while, since picking it back up a few weeks ago I went from having 80 hours to 130. I'll be back to finish off the rest of the game down the line. Probably in a few months. 5/5, I'll be back, past.
7. Resident Evil Remake - I already played this as Jill a few years ago. This time I wanted to see what Chris's side was like. It was definitely a little harder, although I did play on easy mode to compensate. Now, I kind of ruined this playthrough for myself, I'll admit. I'm fascinated by the speed running potential of these games and wanted to see if I could learn it myself. Unfortunately that meant that if I wanted to learn the optimal route for the game, I'd be consulting a guide. I used a 1 hour 30 minute speed run on 100% as a guide to figure out what to do, and following that/messing up a few times (like using an old key on a door I wasn't supposed to because I thought I understood what to do and charged ahead anyway) led to my playthrough being about 10 hours. That part I don't mind, but I felt like I was following a walkthrough more than playing the actual game. The game was still fun, and there's a certain satisfaction in finding out you can skip certain boss fights if you want to. I think my next playthrough will be more fun, but for now, 4/5. Could have been 5/5 if I just let myself play it without worrying about a guide.
8. Resident Evil 4 - Immediately after doing REmake, I popped in RE4. This was my first New Game+ and my goal was simple: get the Chicago Typewriter and Brute Force my way through the game. It took me longer than I thought it would to get the Typewriter (I finally got enough money and treasures around the time I got to the maze, and I only just had enough after selling everything I had) but my god this has been a satisfying playthrough. It was already fun using more powerful weapons at the start of the game (the village sequence was over WAY quicker than I thought it would be), but once I got the Typewriter, the satisfaction got cranked up to 100. I just really love this game, I don't even need to get into it. 5/5, masterpiece, magnificent, pure video game fun.
TOTAL SO FAR: 27 games, 22 weeks left.
My write up for July!
Games Completed: 4
Total Games Completed: 32/52
29. Super Mario Maker 2, Switch, July 3rd, 30 Hours and Counting, 4/5
Since i never had a WiiU, my exposure to SMM was getting very into the Youtube and Twitch community, and badly wanting to take part. Now, with a switch in my hands, I'm able to experience the Joy of basically infinite 2D Mario, and hey, what a joy indeed. Creativity of people never fails to impress me, and we are still just a month in at this point. I see this game having a long shelf life for me, potentially longer than any game on my list. Mario is good!
30. Bastion, PS4, July 13th, 6 Hours, 4/5
I've played both Transistor and Pyre, but due to the fact that Bastion never made it to the PS3, i actually had not played Supergiant's Seminal Work. Gameplay wise, i think that this is the tightest that Supergiant has made, and while I do think Transistor and Pyre both played well, I appreciate the fluid action of bastion, and am not shocked that they have gone back to it with Hades. Even though 7 years of internet discourse has pretty much spoiled me on all the story beats, the Narrator and the Music, combined with a solid tale, still proved to be effective. Recommended
31. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, PS4, July 22, 10 Hours, 4/5
Turns out, this game is a classic because its just a dang good game. Though "good game is good" isn't a deep statement, I was complete pleased with just how well this game holds up despite its 22 year age. I kind of appricate just how much of the game is skippable, and i'm not just talking about the inverted castle, the bottom third of the map is also completely optional, which is just unthinkable from a modern persepctive. Again, it has a lot of old faults, but a lot of it is smoothed out by the fact that the game is very mild difficulty wise. I think its for the best, and some of the bosses in the inverted Castle can get very brutal (Galamoth). All in All, fun, and glad i reached back and played a classic.
32. Kirby's Adventure, Switch, July 26, 4 Hours, 3/5
Probably the best NES Online game i've played so far on the Switch. Its fun, breezy, and not too hard, which isn't a bad way to spend an afternoon, Haven't played a Kirby game before this one, but its got me curious for more.
So This month puts me at 20 games left with 5 months left. While i'm not suuuper invested in completing this challenge, going to be interesting to see if i do it. I would probably put my money on no at this point, a lot of the games i'm looking foward to are going to be more time intensive, expensive games, so it will be close. Fire Emblem is already looking like its going to eat most of my august, but its fantastic so i don't mind haha.
Games Completed: 4
Total Games Completed: 32/52
29. Super Mario Maker 2, Switch, July 3rd, 30 Hours and Counting, 4/5
Since i never had a WiiU, my exposure to SMM was getting very into the Youtube and Twitch community, and badly wanting to take part. Now, with a switch in my hands, I'm able to experience the Joy of basically infinite 2D Mario, and hey, what a joy indeed. Creativity of people never fails to impress me, and we are still just a month in at this point. I see this game having a long shelf life for me, potentially longer than any game on my list. Mario is good!
30. Bastion, PS4, July 13th, 6 Hours, 4/5
I've played both Transistor and Pyre, but due to the fact that Bastion never made it to the PS3, i actually had not played Supergiant's Seminal Work. Gameplay wise, i think that this is the tightest that Supergiant has made, and while I do think Transistor and Pyre both played well, I appreciate the fluid action of bastion, and am not shocked that they have gone back to it with Hades. Even though 7 years of internet discourse has pretty much spoiled me on all the story beats, the Narrator and the Music, combined with a solid tale, still proved to be effective. Recommended
31. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, PS4, July 22, 10 Hours, 4/5
Turns out, this game is a classic because its just a dang good game. Though "good game is good" isn't a deep statement, I was complete pleased with just how well this game holds up despite its 22 year age. I kind of appricate just how much of the game is skippable, and i'm not just talking about the inverted castle, the bottom third of the map is also completely optional, which is just unthinkable from a modern persepctive. Again, it has a lot of old faults, but a lot of it is smoothed out by the fact that the game is very mild difficulty wise. I think its for the best, and some of the bosses in the inverted Castle can get very brutal (Galamoth). All in All, fun, and glad i reached back and played a classic.
32. Kirby's Adventure, Switch, July 26, 4 Hours, 3/5
Probably the best NES Online game i've played so far on the Switch. Its fun, breezy, and not too hard, which isn't a bad way to spend an afternoon, Haven't played a Kirby game before this one, but its got me curious for more.
So This month puts me at 20 games left with 5 months left. While i'm not suuuper invested in completing this challenge, going to be interesting to see if i do it. I would probably put my money on no at this point, a lot of the games i'm looking foward to are going to be more time intensive, expensive games, so it will be close. Fire Emblem is already looking like its going to eat most of my august, but its fantastic so i don't mind haha.
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Original post
64. Thief (2014)
This game is NOT one I'd recommend for anyone with Kleptomania-cal looting OCD.
This was one of the very first PC games I bought when I started getting into PC gaming back in 2014, but I had been putting it off for years mainly because of some annoying stuff early in the game. I finally decided to go through it and overall....it's a game with some decent ideas far as stealth is concerned. I've not played any of the prior Thief games, but this one feels more like a modern gaming era stealth game that older fans would find not living up to the original games. I don't think I could recommend it outside of suggesting to go in with low expectations, as if one wanted to play a Stealth game set in a victorian-like setting, Dishonored series is a much better fit esp. as it has better looking visuals.
I should also note that the game has a level set in an abandoned asylum which is 85% more creepy than horror, but can be off putting and disturbing for some.
64. Thief (2014)
This game is NOT one I'd recommend for anyone with Kleptomania-cal looting OCD.
This was one of the very first PC games I bought when I started getting into PC gaming back in 2014, but I had been putting it off for years mainly because of some annoying stuff early in the game. I finally decided to go through it and overall....it's a game with some decent ideas far as stealth is concerned. I've not played any of the prior Thief games, but this one feels more like a modern gaming era stealth game that older fans would find not living up to the original games. I don't think I could recommend it outside of suggesting to go in with low expectations, as if one wanted to play a Stealth game set in a victorian-like setting, Dishonored series is a much better fit esp. as it has better looking visuals.
I should also note that the game has a level set in an abandoned asylum which is 85% more creepy than horror, but can be off putting and disturbing for some.
This month I managed to finish 15 games, which is probably a record. I basically decided to take some time off of reviewing, and its been super nice. Here's the full list.
33) Etherborn (PC)
An okay puzzle game that is way too short to expand on the ideas that could have carried it.
34) Rime (PC)
Not fantastic, but honestly really glad I got a chance to play it. Been meaning to for a while now. Lovely, at least. Real good foxxo.
35) Nephise (PC)
I don't get it. Felt like someone made a nearly empty terrain, speed treed it, then quickly added in voice overs for a story. Had a real good wolf tho.
36) Aces Wild: Manic Brawling Action! (PC)
A totally okay brawler. Has some clever ideas, but also terrible difficulty spikes and an obsession with "fill the screen with enemies" and little else.
37) Anomaly: Warzone Earth (PC)
Been meaning to finish this forever. Real glad I did. Love this kind of weird tower offense gameplay.
38) Anomaly: Warzone Earth - Mobile Campaign (PC)
Wanted to see if this was different in any way. It plays slightly different, but is the same game otherwise. Meh.
39) Anomaly Korea (PC)
The stand-alone expansion for the first game. Plays like the mobile game for some reason. It was okay, not enough different to really stand out.
40) Assassin's Creed Syndicate (PC)
The last major hole in my Assassin's Creed series. I really enjoyed the hell out of it. Great setting, fun characters, good combat. Also love the grappling hook.
41) Assassin's Creed Syndicate: The Last Maharaja (PC)
The first DLC campaign for the game. Felt more like 10 barely connected sidequests than anything else. Still fun though.
42) Assassin's Creed Syndicate: The Dreadful Crimes (PC)
The second DLC campaign. Also felt like 10 barely connected sidequests, but they were really unique thanks to their focus on puzzle solving and investigation instead of combat.
43) One Finger Death Punch 2 (PC)
This has been my pallet cleanser game between other games. Finally beat the campaign. It's fantastic. Honestly possibly my GOTY.
44) Wolfenstein Cyberpilot (PSVR)
I don't understand how "Wolfenstein but in VR" turned out so bad. Man, what a disappointment.
45) Lightstep Chronicles (PC)
Can't say much because embargo reasons, but it's a neat visual novel.
46) Assassin's Creed Syndicate: Jack the Ripper (PC)
Last DLC campaign for Syndicate. This one was a full expansion with new map, side quests, weapons, and more. Also it's absolutely fantastic. A great way to close off the game.
47) The End: Inari's Quest (PC)
I accidentally finished this game because it was only 20 minutes long. You play as a fox escaping a cyberpunk city. That should be awesome. It's not.
48) Drizzlepath (PC)
Quickly played this because someone (Spyware) told me it was 30 minutes long and I really wanted to end on an even 15 games. It's just walking in a straight line while vague unconnected voice clips play. I don't get it.
33) Etherborn (PC)
An okay puzzle game that is way too short to expand on the ideas that could have carried it.
34) Rime (PC)
Not fantastic, but honestly really glad I got a chance to play it. Been meaning to for a while now. Lovely, at least. Real good foxxo.
35) Nephise (PC)
I don't get it. Felt like someone made a nearly empty terrain, speed treed it, then quickly added in voice overs for a story. Had a real good wolf tho.
36) Aces Wild: Manic Brawling Action! (PC)
A totally okay brawler. Has some clever ideas, but also terrible difficulty spikes and an obsession with "fill the screen with enemies" and little else.
37) Anomaly: Warzone Earth (PC)
Been meaning to finish this forever. Real glad I did. Love this kind of weird tower offense gameplay.
38) Anomaly: Warzone Earth - Mobile Campaign (PC)
Wanted to see if this was different in any way. It plays slightly different, but is the same game otherwise. Meh.
39) Anomaly Korea (PC)
The stand-alone expansion for the first game. Plays like the mobile game for some reason. It was okay, not enough different to really stand out.
40) Assassin's Creed Syndicate (PC)
The last major hole in my Assassin's Creed series. I really enjoyed the hell out of it. Great setting, fun characters, good combat. Also love the grappling hook.
41) Assassin's Creed Syndicate: The Last Maharaja (PC)
The first DLC campaign for the game. Felt more like 10 barely connected sidequests than anything else. Still fun though.
42) Assassin's Creed Syndicate: The Dreadful Crimes (PC)
The second DLC campaign. Also felt like 10 barely connected sidequests, but they were really unique thanks to their focus on puzzle solving and investigation instead of combat.
43) One Finger Death Punch 2 (PC)
This has been my pallet cleanser game between other games. Finally beat the campaign. It's fantastic. Honestly possibly my GOTY.
44) Wolfenstein Cyberpilot (PSVR)
I don't understand how "Wolfenstein but in VR" turned out so bad. Man, what a disappointment.
45) Lightstep Chronicles (PC)
Can't say much because embargo reasons, but it's a neat visual novel.
46) Assassin's Creed Syndicate: Jack the Ripper (PC)
Last DLC campaign for Syndicate. This one was a full expansion with new map, side quests, weapons, and more. Also it's absolutely fantastic. A great way to close off the game.
47) The End: Inari's Quest (PC)
I accidentally finished this game because it was only 20 minutes long. You play as a fox escaping a cyberpunk city. That should be awesome. It's not.
48) Drizzlepath (PC)
Quickly played this because someone (Spyware) told me it was 30 minutes long and I really wanted to end on an even 15 games. It's just walking in a straight line while vague unconnected voice clips play. I don't get it.
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I never told you the 30 mins would be good! ;) And I didn't get it either. His games are very, very odd.
Main post here
July update
32- Doom(2016) -12h- 4/5
You can't go wrong with a fast paced shooter that involves heavy metal music killing docens of demons while their guts are fliying on the stage, one of the best shooters out there. FUN
33- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue -12h49m- 3/5
First contact with mistery dungeon saga, good ideas but too many restrictions for my taste. No evolutions till post-game, limited recruit system and the last dungeons are just a chore to climb.
Nonetheless, the game is fun to a certain point and the story is more interesting than most pokemon mainline games.
34- Mario Odyssey -15h- 5/5
Never been a big fan of Mario games, but I have to admit this game is REALLY GOOD.
One of the most fun experiences I have played in years, comfy OST, beautiful maps full of life and A LOT of new mechanics to toy with in every new map.
Among top games of the generation without a doubt.
35- New super mario bros -8h- 3/5
Wanted to play some more Mario after Odyssey, fun and short 2D plataform with some challenging maps.
36- Observation -5h- 3/5
Very intesting game, with good ideas and fantastic sci-fi setting. Some sort of 30% walking sim - 70% solving of puzzles.
HOWEVER, the control of SAM (the robot you use) when you can move is TERRIBLE, really hinders and sometimes ruins the inmersion, and it's such a shame because the story and setting is so good.
Interesting experience nonetheless.
Now playing:
- Fire Emblem 3 Houses
July update
32- Doom(2016) -12h- 4/5
You can't go wrong with a fast paced shooter that involves heavy metal music killing docens of demons while their guts are fliying on the stage, one of the best shooters out there. FUN
33- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue -12h49m- 3/5
First contact with mistery dungeon saga, good ideas but too many restrictions for my taste. No evolutions till post-game, limited recruit system and the last dungeons are just a chore to climb.
Nonetheless, the game is fun to a certain point and the story is more interesting than most pokemon mainline games.
34- Mario Odyssey -15h- 5/5
Never been a big fan of Mario games, but I have to admit this game is REALLY GOOD.
One of the most fun experiences I have played in years, comfy OST, beautiful maps full of life and A LOT of new mechanics to toy with in every new map.
Among top games of the generation without a doubt.
35- New super mario bros -8h- 3/5
Wanted to play some more Mario after Odyssey, fun and short 2D plataform with some challenging maps.
36- Observation -5h- 3/5
Very intesting game, with good ideas and fantastic sci-fi setting. Some sort of 30% walking sim - 70% solving of puzzles.
HOWEVER, the control of SAM (the robot you use) when you can move is TERRIBLE, really hinders and sometimes ruins the inmersion, and it's such a shame because the story and setting is so good.
Interesting experience nonetheless.
Now playing:
- Fire Emblem 3 Houses
66. Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (4 hours)
Not flashy, but still really fun and really beautiful, though the characters are on the wrong side of the uncanny valley.
Full list to date
Not flashy, but still really fun and really beautiful, though the characters are on the wrong side of the uncanny valley.
Full list to date
Master Post
52. Void Bastards - Really fun, but tense game. Liked it a lot, a better story and it might be in the running for my GotY, but no real story to speak of although it did make me chuckle several times at least.
53. Halo 5: Guardians - Liked it a lot more then I was expecting. Liked Luke Cage, I mean Locke a lot more then I was expecting. Was pleasantly surprised when Buck was in my party. The music like always in Halo games was top tier.
54. Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil - Really good expansion/dlc that was hurt by technical issues. Really love the world and lore of the game and here's hoping we see a full blown sequel.
55. Pandemic: The Board Game - Really weird title for a video game. Enjoyed the board game previously with my nephews and the video game ain't as good as that, but still a fun challenge. Beat it 3 times with different combinations.
56. Assassins Creed Odyssey: The Fate of Atlantis Episode 3 - Enjoyed the final dlc for the game and after 190 hours of playing the game it's finally time to delete it off of my hard drive. Not really a fan of the present day stuff here, but still want to see how it concludes in the next game.
57. Sagebrush - Cool "walking sim" sim where you uncover what happened to a cult. Short game took me a little over 2 hours to finish it. Could've been done faster, but took me about an hour to figure out you can run in the game. Easy platinum trophy and inexpensive as well as its around 5 dollars.
58. Wolfenstein: Youngblood - Not quite on the level as the two mainline games. Played it solo so not sure how co-op is, but a lot of the bigger enemies were bullet sponges which causes the game to drag at points. Really wish there was more story to flesh out the twins and the games story, but what's there is good especially if you love the craziness of the Wolfenstein stories.
59. Life is Strange 2 Episode 3 - I really hate the little brother Daniel. Such a whiny brat. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to like him or not, but that kid is the 2nd coming of Magneto. I'm doing all my choices on what I would do in that situation so I'm trying to steer him in the right direction, but that punk kid refuses to listen.
60. Erica - Neat little interactive drama. Took me about 90 minutes to clear and from the trophy list it has a lot of different endings. Would recommend to fans of Quantic Dream type games.
52. Void Bastards - Really fun, but tense game. Liked it a lot, a better story and it might be in the running for my GotY, but no real story to speak of although it did make me chuckle several times at least.
53. Halo 5: Guardians - Liked it a lot more then I was expecting. Liked Luke Cage, I mean Locke a lot more then I was expecting. Was pleasantly surprised when Buck was in my party. The music like always in Halo games was top tier.
54. Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil - Really good expansion/dlc that was hurt by technical issues. Really love the world and lore of the game and here's hoping we see a full blown sequel.
55. Pandemic: The Board Game - Really weird title for a video game. Enjoyed the board game previously with my nephews and the video game ain't as good as that, but still a fun challenge. Beat it 3 times with different combinations.
56. Assassins Creed Odyssey: The Fate of Atlantis Episode 3 - Enjoyed the final dlc for the game and after 190 hours of playing the game it's finally time to delete it off of my hard drive. Not really a fan of the present day stuff here, but still want to see how it concludes in the next game.
57. Sagebrush - Cool "walking sim" sim where you uncover what happened to a cult. Short game took me a little over 2 hours to finish it. Could've been done faster, but took me about an hour to figure out you can run in the game. Easy platinum trophy and inexpensive as well as its around 5 dollars.
58. Wolfenstein: Youngblood - Not quite on the level as the two mainline games. Played it solo so not sure how co-op is, but a lot of the bigger enemies were bullet sponges which causes the game to drag at points. Really wish there was more story to flesh out the twins and the games story, but what's there is good especially if you love the craziness of the Wolfenstein stories.
59. Life is Strange 2 Episode 3 - I really hate the little brother Daniel. Such a whiny brat. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to like him or not, but that kid is the 2nd coming of Magneto. I'm doing all my choices on what I would do in that situation so I'm trying to steer him in the right direction, but that punk kid refuses to listen.
60. Erica - Neat little interactive drama. Took me about 90 minutes to clear and from the trophy list it has a lot of different endings. Would recommend to fans of Quantic Dream type games.
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Main Post
Really slacking on updates after having a second kid. Still finding time to game but it's not easy!
37. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Master System
Score - 5/10
Awful. This was a chore to play and I only finished it for competitionists sake of the series. The level design stunk and the controls were awful. I still don't understand the damn hang glider. Most people forget this game exists...and that's a good thing. I won't bother with the game gear one after playing this. Sounds like it's the same game with less field of view. Yuck.
38. Sonic Chaos - Master System
Score - 7/10
I enjoyed this game a lot. Although it was really...really easy. I beat some levels in 30 seconds and I really don't think I died once. It's also really easy to get all of the choas emeralds. It was a nice palate cleanse after that last nice.
39. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary -Xbox One
Completed 7/6/19
Score - 9/10
I haven't played Halo in years and it was a nice trip back through the game. I always found it to be a good game and fun...but this playthrough really clicked with me. I enjoyed the improvements to the graphics and it felt great at 60 FPS. Looking forward to playing through everything else soon!
40. Luigi's Mansion- 3DS
Completed 7/10/19
Score - 8/10
Still a lovely charming game. I had a blast going through the mansion again and found the graphics to be nicely updated. Can't wait for 3!
41. Cat Quest - Switch
Completed 7/16/19
Score - 6/10
Played this with a sleeping baby on me. It is mindless and full of every cat pun imaginable. It really felt like a mobile game...and maybe it is. The charm really wore off after an hour or two. It's short but felt long. Meh.
42. Halo 2 Anniversary - Xbox One
Completed 7/16/19
Score - 8/10
I remember liking this more than Halo 1 back in the day and now they flipped. The gameplay is great but the story feels half finished. I know where it goes since I played 3 years ago...but the game still feels like it's missing something. While I loved the look of Halo 1...I didn't care for the updates to this one. I found myself playing in the original art more often than not. Those cinematics are fn amazing though. I was in love with the story told with those graphics. The sound and 60 FPS were top notch too. Great game but not as great as I remember.
43. Lair - PS3
Score - 6/10
Yikes. Glad to clear this one out of the backlog finally. Controls, even without six axis, stunk. Lot's has been written about this game and it's mostly true. It starts off well enough and I thought I was actually going to like it a lot. By the end it was too frustrating and I couldn't wait to end it. It could have been so good! Glad it's over and will leave my collection forever.
44. Battlefield 1 - PS4
Completed 6/26/19
Score - 7/10
I enjoyed the war stories but they did feel a little short and half baked. I wish they would have doubled down on the stories and given it extra weight. I did really enjoy the gameplay and it was well done...just could've beefed up that campaign and it would be fantastic. Not sure if V does better or not.
45. Hey! Pikmin - 3DS
Completed 7/30/19
Score - 7/10
I really did enjoy this even though my hand would cramp holding the DS in the silly way the game needs you to. I don't think it is as bad as critics claimed. I thought the graphics were pretty nice and there were some really cool levels to go through. All said, it is rather simple and easy. I picked it up for $5 and it was worth it!
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Really slacking on updates after having a second kid. Still finding time to game but it's not easy!
37. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Master System
Score - 5/10
Awful. This was a chore to play and I only finished it for competitionists sake of the series. The level design stunk and the controls were awful. I still don't understand the damn hang glider. Most people forget this game exists...and that's a good thing. I won't bother with the game gear one after playing this. Sounds like it's the same game with less field of view. Yuck.
38. Sonic Chaos - Master System
Score - 7/10
I enjoyed this game a lot. Although it was really...really easy. I beat some levels in 30 seconds and I really don't think I died once. It's also really easy to get all of the choas emeralds. It was a nice palate cleanse after that last nice.
39. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary -Xbox One
Completed 7/6/19
Score - 9/10
I haven't played Halo in years and it was a nice trip back through the game. I always found it to be a good game and fun...but this playthrough really clicked with me. I enjoyed the improvements to the graphics and it felt great at 60 FPS. Looking forward to playing through everything else soon!
40. Luigi's Mansion- 3DS
Completed 7/10/19
Score - 8/10
Still a lovely charming game. I had a blast going through the mansion again and found the graphics to be nicely updated. Can't wait for 3!
41. Cat Quest - Switch
Completed 7/16/19
Score - 6/10
Played this with a sleeping baby on me. It is mindless and full of every cat pun imaginable. It really felt like a mobile game...and maybe it is. The charm really wore off after an hour or two. It's short but felt long. Meh.
42. Halo 2 Anniversary - Xbox One
Completed 7/16/19
Score - 8/10
I remember liking this more than Halo 1 back in the day and now they flipped. The gameplay is great but the story feels half finished. I know where it goes since I played 3 years ago...but the game still feels like it's missing something. While I loved the look of Halo 1...I didn't care for the updates to this one. I found myself playing in the original art more often than not. Those cinematics are fn amazing though. I was in love with the story told with those graphics. The sound and 60 FPS were top notch too. Great game but not as great as I remember.
43. Lair - PS3
Score - 6/10
Yikes. Glad to clear this one out of the backlog finally. Controls, even without six axis, stunk. Lot's has been written about this game and it's mostly true. It starts off well enough and I thought I was actually going to like it a lot. By the end it was too frustrating and I couldn't wait to end it. It could have been so good! Glad it's over and will leave my collection forever.
44. Battlefield 1 - PS4
Completed 6/26/19
Score - 7/10
I enjoyed the war stories but they did feel a little short and half baked. I wish they would have doubled down on the stories and given it extra weight. I did really enjoy the gameplay and it was well done...just could've beefed up that campaign and it would be fantastic. Not sure if V does better or not.
45. Hey! Pikmin - 3DS
Completed 7/30/19
Score - 7/10
I really did enjoy this even though my hand would cramp holding the DS in the silly way the game needs you to. I don't think it is as bad as critics claimed. I thought the graphics were pretty nice and there were some really cool levels to go through. All said, it is rather simple and easy. I picked it up for $5 and it was worth it!
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S.T.A.R.S Beret - 44/52 Games (22 first playthroughs, 22 replays)
Game 40 – Final Fantasy X (PC) – 53 hours, 9 minutes – 3.5/5
Finally finished this up after starting it on 1/1 this year. I still like this a decent amount but attempting a decent amount of the side content really showed me another side (an ugly one at that) of this one. I have a lot of respect for those who took the time to grind things out to finish everything but it just wasn't worth it for me. I went back and played around with a bit of boosters to try to see some of the side content afterwards but ultimately decided against doing it all. Will try to hop into X-2 really soon so I can remove the installation from my PC. I wish it was separate for each game so I didn't have to have both taking up so much space at once.
Game 41 – Deus Ex Go (Android) - ~5 hours – 3/5
As solid as the other games in the line of Square Enix Go games. If I had to rank them it would probably be Lara Croft Go > this > Hitman Go. It's too bad this never came to PC/consoles and some of the functionality that ties into praxis stuff for Mankind Divided seems to be broken.
Game 42 – Vampyr (PS4) - ~20 hours – 2.5/5
Loved the world design and aesthetics but this really becomes a chore to play after awhile. The game is really glitchy (I had problems with a handful of side quests among other things) and the combat is some of the worst I've ever played. Later in the game enemies become so incredibly damage spongey that even random encounters on the streets are an ordeal. Add in the lack of quality of life features like any kind of fast travel (navigating the map can be really confusing) and it just added up after a bit. I wanted to like this so much more than I did.
Would definitely be up for giving a second try to this same idea from Dontnod. I think they could improve a lot with another go.
Game 43 – Puzzler World 2 (PC) – 72 hours, 42 minutes – 2/5
More of the same from the original but less good almost consistently across the board. There's no language options this time around so crossword puzzles are heavily centered around British English and that can be troublesome. Also things like Pic-a-Pix are made more annoying than necessary due to the new zoom feature.
Even still, a great value for what normally goes on sale for around $1. My almost 73 hours are from doing all puzzles, including the master ones unlocked by doing the regular ones.
Game 44 – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice for All (PS4) - ~20 hours – 4/5
Potentially my favorite of the original Ace Attorney trilogy still. Case 3 is wack, as always but the rest is almost universally great. The soundtrack alone is fantastic.
65. Batman Arkham Oranges
Building off Arkham Citrus' formula, this is an action adventure game with a hub world to roam around in. There are various Riddler Collectibles and scenarios involving various of Bats' rogue gallery. I just wish the concept of Bats having to deal with a group of hired assassins was given more focus as the game's plot.
The combat is hit or miss as enemies generally don't get KOed unless you do a ground knockdown or perform a special attack on them for an instant KO. Worse when enemies are generally ganging up on you too close for comfort. Despite the simple combat system, it tends to leave much to be desired sometimes. ...and don't get me started on the pretty subpar 'upgrade system'.
Non the less it is a solid entry in the Arkham series, and I only encountered 2 bugs which weren't really critical thankfully.
Building off Arkham Citrus' formula, this is an action adventure game with a hub world to roam around in. There are various Riddler Collectibles and scenarios involving various of Bats' rogue gallery. I just wish the concept of Bats having to deal with a group of hired assassins was given more focus as the game's plot.
The combat is hit or miss as enemies generally don't get KOed unless you do a ground knockdown or perform a special attack on them for an instant KO. Worse when enemies are generally ganging up on you too close for comfort. Despite the simple combat system, it tends to leave much to be desired sometimes. ...and don't get me started on the pretty subpar 'upgrade system'.
Non the less it is a solid entry in the Arkham series, and I only encountered 2 bugs which weren't really critical thankfully.
65. Batman Arkham Oranges
Building off Arkham Citrus' formula, this is an action adventure game with a hub world to roam around in. There are various Riddler Collectibles and scenarios involving various of Bats' rogue gallery. I just wish the concept of Bats having to deal with a group of hired assassins was given more focus as the game's plot.
The combat is hit or miss as enemies generally don't get KOed unless you do a ground knockdown or perform a special attack on them for an instant KO. Worse when enemies are generally ganging up on you too close for comfort. Despite the simple combat system, it tends to leave much to be desired sometimes. ...and don't get me started on the pretty subpar 'upgrade system'.
Non the less it is a solid entry in the Arkham series, and I only encountered 2 bugs which weren't really critical thankfully.
Not sure if typos or intentional, but I would love to try Arkham Oranges. I would imagine they would come from Poison Ivy's plants. Arkham Citrus on the other hand not sure what to think.
Question.
I'm nearing the end of my first playthrough of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I'm planning on playing again following a different House (and then another doing the third house, etc.).
Do I count this all as one game or can I separate my playthroughs based on the different paths?
I'm nearing the end of my first playthrough of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I'm planning on playing again following a different House (and then another doing the third house, etc.).
Do I count this all as one game or can I separate my playthroughs based on the different paths?
Main Post
65. Until Dawn - 9h20 - 28.07
This might be my favourite slasher movie since Scream. And yeah it's a game, not trying to be clever here or imply it's not a real game. But Until Dawn is essentially a playable movie, and i definitely say it as a compliment. All the genre defining tropes are here, but the player gets to subvert them at will.
The writing and cinematography are highlights, though the framerate kinda chugs along at times, ruining the effect a bit. The acting is a little more debatable. A couple of the characters were grating, which might be on purpose as a good slasher needs assholes to be killed off. But for the most part, it's pretty good. Rami Malek and Brett Dalton in particular are great.
At about 2/3 in, the game takes a turn that i didn't love tbh. I think the last third is the weakest, but overall this is a pretty successful take at the genre. Playing this shortly after Detroit really highlighted the latter's shortcomings. It's astounding how much more natural and at ease Until Dawn feels, despite the lower production values.
65. Until Dawn - 9h20 - 28.07
This might be my favourite slasher movie since Scream. And yeah it's a game, not trying to be clever here or imply it's not a real game. But Until Dawn is essentially a playable movie, and i definitely say it as a compliment. All the genre defining tropes are here, but the player gets to subvert them at will.
The writing and cinematography are highlights, though the framerate kinda chugs along at times, ruining the effect a bit. The acting is a little more debatable. A couple of the characters were grating, which might be on purpose as a good slasher needs assholes to be killed off. But for the most part, it's pretty good. Rami Malek and Brett Dalton in particular are great.
At about 2/3 in, the game takes a turn that i didn't love tbh. I think the last third is the weakest, but overall this is a pretty successful take at the genre. Playing this shortly after Detroit really highlighted the latter's shortcomings. It's astounding how much more natural and at ease Until Dawn feels, despite the lower production values.
I would personally count it as just one game. But i also count individual pieces of DLC and episodes in episodic games as different entries so i'm not one to judge. What i usually do is think about what the spirit of the challenge is and follow that. But that's kind of different for everyone anyway, so... i've got nothing useful lol
By my personal rules I could count it as two if I wanted to. Reaching credits of some kind means I beat the game, but I can count it again if I then play through all paths/endings and grabbing all the achievements and so on, actually completing the game. I usually only do this if I play the rest some time later, like during the next year. If I go for completion immediately it only counts as one.
It's all up to you in the end, do what feels right :)
Personally, I'd be counting these as two/three components of a single completion, but one for which you could still take credit if you stopped at the less 'complete' stage of a single path through the game. As above, though, ultimately you should just do what feels right to you.
Game #74 - Warhammer 40k Inquisitor Prophecy
Time: 24+ hours
I will preface this by saying I did not play Inquisitor Martyr, the "main" game this standalone expansion builds on, so I cant speak on how bad it was at launch or how it is or isnt good these days, I can only speak about Prophecy, in fact I will add a second caveat which is the fact I am a huge pet/minion fanboy. So with that said, did I enjoy Prophecy? Very much so actually, I think it's quite fantastic for what it sets out to do, I had a ton of fun with it and will probably continue playing it now and then after finishing the campaign. The main draw, for me (and for the expansion really) is the new summoner class, and in my opinion it's one of the best summoner classes I've seen in a long time. You can build a army of pets that will just swarm everywhere, you can play with big lumbering robots instead that do a lot of damage but you can only have a couple out at a time, or you can mix and match. I always joke about summoner classes that if the game plays itself, its doing a good job, and you can definitely make the game "play itself" with a swarm build. I really like the look of the game, it's very grim-dark as one expects from a Warhammer 40k game, it ran great usually sticking to 60fps even with a ton of mecha spiders running around (again, I can speak for how badly the original game ran), the voice acting, particularly the main character, is fantastic, and the campaign is quite meaty, as it took me about 24 hours to do every main and side mission (the narrative ones at least, theres infinite amounts in the end game). Lastly there are a few end game modes, multiplayer and pvp, so all around I felt it was great, but at the same time, I felt it was made especially for me as a fanboy of pet classes, so if you dont like those, stick with the main game and the new 2.0 patch I guess.
Game #75 - Forager
Time: 18 hours
Super streamlined resource-gathering / building style game (think Stardew Valley and the like), with a heavy focus on the gathering part, and a much more action-y feel than most games in it's genre. You move much faster than you usually would in these games (and with various upgrades you move even faster and gather resources even faster), there is a giant skill tree to unlock and every perk pretty much feels like an upgrade so you constantly feel like leveling up, there isnt a overwhelming amount of stuff to build which I like, everything is very streamlined to make it fun instead of a chore. Also, compared to most of the genre, its not very long, as you can pretty much do or see everything in about 20 hours tops. The dev has a road map with various content updates coming, and I will definitely jump back in when these hit, but with a lack of any sort of end game and having done pretty much everything now (own all the lands, have almost all the perks and items), I feel I'm pretty much done with the game. And you know what? That is a good thing, as closure is something these games sorely tend to lack.
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13. Overcooked - Finished on 6/20/2019 Time: ~10 hours
Finished it with my partner and we had a lot of fun. We often yelled at each other but become better in the process. It is a really fun experience if you have someone around who plays with you.
14. Detroit - Become Human - Finished on 8/7/2019 Time: ~15 hours
Absolutely amazing graphics. It is a true quantic dream game with little to no gameplay. I enjoyed my playthrough and even my partner was interested in it. The story was really captivating and I encourage people to at least try it out while it is free on PS Plus. But I am not sure if I start a second playthrough. I am afraid that there is a lot sitting through already seen cutscenes only to get to the alternative paths.
Coming up: I am 90 hours in AC Odyssey and I am still not done so I am enjoying my time in ancient Greece.
Finished it with my partner and we had a lot of fun. We often yelled at each other but become better in the process. It is a really fun experience if you have someone around who plays with you.
14. Detroit - Become Human - Finished on 8/7/2019 Time: ~15 hours
Absolutely amazing graphics. It is a true quantic dream game with little to no gameplay. I enjoyed my playthrough and even my partner was interested in it. The story was really captivating and I encourage people to at least try it out while it is free on PS Plus. But I am not sure if I start a second playthrough. I am afraid that there is a lot sitting through already seen cutscenes only to get to the alternative paths.
Coming up: I am 90 hours in AC Odyssey and I am still not done so I am enjoying my time in ancient Greece.
24. Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4
25. Rise of the Tomb Raider: Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch PS4
26. Rise of the Tomb Riader: Cold Darkness Awakened PS4
27. Rise of the Tomb Raider: Croft Manor PS4
29. Assassin's Creed Chronicles India PS4
30. Assassin's Creed Chronicles Russia PS4
25. Rise of the Tomb Raider: Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch PS4
26. Rise of the Tomb Riader: Cold Darkness Awakened PS4
27. Rise of the Tomb Raider: Croft Manor PS4
29. Assassin's Creed Chronicles India PS4
30. Assassin's Creed Chronicles Russia PS4
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1. A Plague Tale: Innocence
2. Anthem
3. Assassin's Creed: Chronicles: China
4. Assassin's Creed: Chronicles: India
5. Assassin's Creed: Chronicles: Russia
6. Assassin's Creed: Liberation
7. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
8. Crackdown 3
9. Dead Space
10. Dead Space 2
11. Dead Space 3
12. Deus Ex: The Fall
13. Devil May Cry
14. Diablo 3
15. Last Day of June
16. Metro: Exodus
17. Ori and the Blind Forest
18. Oxenfree
19. RAGE 2
20. Sea of Solitude
21. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
22. Shadow of the Tomb Raider
23. Tacoma
24. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
25. Transistor
26. Watch Dogs
27. Watch Dogs 2
28. What Remains of Edith Finch
29. Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Not sure if I'll pass my 38 from last year.
2. Anthem
3. Assassin's Creed: Chronicles: China
4. Assassin's Creed: Chronicles: India
5. Assassin's Creed: Chronicles: Russia
6. Assassin's Creed: Liberation
7. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
8. Crackdown 3
9. Dead Space
10. Dead Space 2
11. Dead Space 3
12. Deus Ex: The Fall
13. Devil May Cry
14. Diablo 3
15. Last Day of June
16. Metro: Exodus
17. Ori and the Blind Forest
18. Oxenfree
19. RAGE 2
20. Sea of Solitude
21. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
22. Shadow of the Tomb Raider
23. Tacoma
24. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
25. Transistor
26. Watch Dogs
27. Watch Dogs 2
28. What Remains of Edith Finch
29. Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Not sure if I'll pass my 38 from last year.
67. Alpha Protocol
This game had the jankiest stealth mechanics I ever had to deal with. I didn't start to appreciate it until about halfway through the game. Its choice system is rather interesting and is intriguing me to replay but with aiming at performing better with allies to see how it'd work out with them.
I honestly thought this game can be played stealthly putting all my ap points into stealth but the game has boss fights and my weapons hardly did much damage to them =_=. In my next playthrough I'll focus on putting points into weapon and just playing it as a janky shooter instead.
This game had the jankiest stealth mechanics I ever had to deal with. I didn't start to appreciate it until about halfway through the game. Its choice system is rather interesting and is intriguing me to replay but with aiming at performing better with allies to see how it'd work out with them.
I honestly thought this game can be played stealthly putting all my ap points into stealth but the game has boss fights and my weapons hardly did much damage to them =_=. In my next playthrough I'll focus on putting points into weapon and just playing it as a janky shooter instead.
67. Dragon Ball FighterZ (19 hours)
I had a lot of fun with this game for how little I care about the source material, but it suffers from samey-feeling characters and a dragged-out story (from Dragon Ball? Never!).
Full list to date
I had a lot of fun with this game for how little I care about the source material, but it suffers from samey-feeling characters and a dragged-out story (from Dragon Ball? Never!).
Full list to date
A little late, but here's my update for July - 7 games beaten means that the target of 52 is now coming within sight!
35. Katana ZERO (Switch) - 2 July 2019
Completed (standard difficulty) with all five Government Lab keys collected. With the player taking control of a katana-wielding ninja across a series of missions each tasking you - at least initially - to kill a specific, well-guarded target, Katana ZERO feels much like an exceptionally well-presented 2D side-scrolling take on the fast-paced action of Hotline Miami, aided by a time-slowing ability and instant restarts in the case of failure (styled as the protagonist perfectly planning out each scenario and discarding any approaches that "won't work"). Controls are fluid and very responsive throughout, with any failure always feeling fair, alongside a number of available approaches to many encounters in achieving an extremely satisfying experience. There's a fantastic plot driving this all forward, which actually can vary in how it develops in both subtle and significant ways, though you won't realise this unless you replay the game - or of course, read up about the alternatives - and it's just a shame that it's all over quite quickly, quite feasibly within around 5-6 hours for a single playthrough.
36. Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch) - 7 July 2019
All story mode 'jobs' completed, castle fully rebuilt. As with the original Super Mario Maker (and the later 3DS release), I tended more towards playing rather than creating levels here, but either way, this an excellent extension of the concept, with really meaningful new concepts/items, etc. to use in stage creation. While the Switch's physical form isn't as directly well-suited to creation as was the Wii U, especially when used in handheld mode the creation interface is well-built, feeling about as natural as is probably possible (though do make sure to get a stylus if you intend to use it extensively).
In terms of 'play' content, the campaign/story mode is appreciated, with some very unusual and creative course designs and in places an impressive level of difficulty. The typical Mario charm is here in spades with the dialogue from the characters you're interacting with (mainly the Toad builders) and satisfying secrets to uncover, all feeling very polished. Of course, the game's long-term appeal will depend on community support but all signs so far are that this will be very strong, with some astounding levels around and hugely varying designs.
37. Riverbond (Xbox One - Gamepass) - 11 July 2019
Completed with all achievements unlocked = 1,000/1,000 Gamerscore. Riverbond is a fairly simplistic but satisfying 'hack-and-slash' (or 'shoot-and-slash', peer the official blurb) 'dungeon crawler game, entertaining and satisfying to play through, though ultimately with fairly shallow gameplay. A variety of collectibles and a few well-hidden secret add to the game's longevity, as does the game's encouragement to chase high scores and, potentially, the multi-player capabilities. I always find voxel-based graphics appealing, as used to good effect throughout, emphasising the destructibility of much of the game's environment, but ultimately this isn't a game that's going to be memorable beyond the short-term.
38. Timespinner (Switch) - 21 July 2019
Completed with 100% of collectibles, all quests completed, 100% map exploration (all possible single-playthrough 'feats' completed). Combining one of my favourite game genres - the Metroidvania - with a time-travel based plot, which I always find intriguing, Timespinner sets itself up strongly as a game that appeals to me, and didn't disappoint. The game sees Lunais, assuming the role of protector of her tribe against any disasters that might befall it through her mastery of a 'timespinner' device granting time-travel abilities to those able to use it - which she is forced to do in the game's introductory sequence.
Very much resembling Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in its mix of platforming, combat and RPG elements, Timespinner was a very satisfying experience, with level-ups bring noticeable stat increases alongside a nice variety of weapons (seen here as orbs). Key to the success of any Metroidvania is of course the world in which the game takes place, which here is very intelligently-designed, with satisfying but not excessive use of time-travel based puzzles to aid traversal, an interesting plot and well-written characters - all leading up to an end-game choice that feels meaningful. Wrapped up with excellent presentation and beautiful pixel-art graphics, this is a really great package all around.
39. Assassin's Creed Odyssey – The Fate of Atlantis (PS4) - 27 July 2019
Episodes 1-3 completed, each with 100% of trophies earned. Overall, a superb send-off for one of 2018's best games, I enjoyed this second expansion package more so than the earlier Legacy of the First Blade, which was already good. The Fate of Atlantis sees Kassandra (or Alexios, I suppose) travelling to three mythological locations - Elysium, Hades and finally Atlantis itself, each populated with very interesting characters and with an engrossing storyline. As new areas independent of the base game, each of these three locations is smaller in scope, but still sizeable at that - an impressive accomplishment for a DLC pack. I'm just sorry now to see my time with the game coming to an end!
40. Kid Tripp (Switch) - 28 July 2019
All levels beaten; three gold medals earned and several challenges beaten, but I'm not chasing all of these. Kid Tripp is a simple but challenging auto-runner platform game. With a low-resolution pixelart presentation, the game betrays its mobile roots, but otherwise is very playable for its Switch release. The high level of precision that is often required, combined with lack of checkpoints, mean that there's potential for frustration here, but the the short length of each level (typically 20-30 seconds) keeps this in check. Awards for collecting all collectibles in a level and speedrunning potential help to provide some longevity, but I was satisfied with completing a single run through the game.
41. The Messenger: Picnic Panic (Switch) - 30 July 2019
Completed with all 4 feathers and 10 mask pieces collected. Taking account of common feedback on the base game, this free DLC focuses on the core platforming gameplay aspects of the game, with two mostly linear, but lengthy and challenging new levels, plus an initial bonus stage reminiscent of the dragon-riding and similar sequences from the base game. Overall this is an excellent, very enjoyable opportunity to revisit a game that I enjoyed very much earlier in the year, with the difficulty level well-judged to provide a great feeling of satisfaction from success at navigating the levels, especially so with the fairly well-hidden collectibles hidden throughout each level. My only real gripe is that to collect any missed collectibles, you need to replay each level from the start, without any alternative warp points that would help to ease this backtracking.
35. Katana ZERO (Switch) - 2 July 2019
Completed (standard difficulty) with all five Government Lab keys collected. With the player taking control of a katana-wielding ninja across a series of missions each tasking you - at least initially - to kill a specific, well-guarded target, Katana ZERO feels much like an exceptionally well-presented 2D side-scrolling take on the fast-paced action of Hotline Miami, aided by a time-slowing ability and instant restarts in the case of failure (styled as the protagonist perfectly planning out each scenario and discarding any approaches that "won't work"). Controls are fluid and very responsive throughout, with any failure always feeling fair, alongside a number of available approaches to many encounters in achieving an extremely satisfying experience. There's a fantastic plot driving this all forward, which actually can vary in how it develops in both subtle and significant ways, though you won't realise this unless you replay the game - or of course, read up about the alternatives - and it's just a shame that it's all over quite quickly, quite feasibly within around 5-6 hours for a single playthrough.
36. Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch) - 7 July 2019
All story mode 'jobs' completed, castle fully rebuilt. As with the original Super Mario Maker (and the later 3DS release), I tended more towards playing rather than creating levels here, but either way, this an excellent extension of the concept, with really meaningful new concepts/items, etc. to use in stage creation. While the Switch's physical form isn't as directly well-suited to creation as was the Wii U, especially when used in handheld mode the creation interface is well-built, feeling about as natural as is probably possible (though do make sure to get a stylus if you intend to use it extensively).
In terms of 'play' content, the campaign/story mode is appreciated, with some very unusual and creative course designs and in places an impressive level of difficulty. The typical Mario charm is here in spades with the dialogue from the characters you're interacting with (mainly the Toad builders) and satisfying secrets to uncover, all feeling very polished. Of course, the game's long-term appeal will depend on community support but all signs so far are that this will be very strong, with some astounding levels around and hugely varying designs.
37. Riverbond (Xbox One - Gamepass) - 11 July 2019
Completed with all achievements unlocked = 1,000/1,000 Gamerscore. Riverbond is a fairly simplistic but satisfying 'hack-and-slash' (or 'shoot-and-slash', peer the official blurb) 'dungeon crawler game, entertaining and satisfying to play through, though ultimately with fairly shallow gameplay. A variety of collectibles and a few well-hidden secret add to the game's longevity, as does the game's encouragement to chase high scores and, potentially, the multi-player capabilities. I always find voxel-based graphics appealing, as used to good effect throughout, emphasising the destructibility of much of the game's environment, but ultimately this isn't a game that's going to be memorable beyond the short-term.
38. Timespinner (Switch) - 21 July 2019
Completed with 100% of collectibles, all quests completed, 100% map exploration (all possible single-playthrough 'feats' completed). Combining one of my favourite game genres - the Metroidvania - with a time-travel based plot, which I always find intriguing, Timespinner sets itself up strongly as a game that appeals to me, and didn't disappoint. The game sees Lunais, assuming the role of protector of her tribe against any disasters that might befall it through her mastery of a 'timespinner' device granting time-travel abilities to those able to use it - which she is forced to do in the game's introductory sequence.
Very much resembling Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in its mix of platforming, combat and RPG elements, Timespinner was a very satisfying experience, with level-ups bring noticeable stat increases alongside a nice variety of weapons (seen here as orbs). Key to the success of any Metroidvania is of course the world in which the game takes place, which here is very intelligently-designed, with satisfying but not excessive use of time-travel based puzzles to aid traversal, an interesting plot and well-written characters - all leading up to an end-game choice that feels meaningful. Wrapped up with excellent presentation and beautiful pixel-art graphics, this is a really great package all around.
39. Assassin's Creed Odyssey – The Fate of Atlantis (PS4) - 27 July 2019
Episodes 1-3 completed, each with 100% of trophies earned. Overall, a superb send-off for one of 2018's best games, I enjoyed this second expansion package more so than the earlier Legacy of the First Blade, which was already good. The Fate of Atlantis sees Kassandra (or Alexios, I suppose) travelling to three mythological locations - Elysium, Hades and finally Atlantis itself, each populated with very interesting characters and with an engrossing storyline. As new areas independent of the base game, each of these three locations is smaller in scope, but still sizeable at that - an impressive accomplishment for a DLC pack. I'm just sorry now to see my time with the game coming to an end!
40. Kid Tripp (Switch) - 28 July 2019
All levels beaten; three gold medals earned and several challenges beaten, but I'm not chasing all of these. Kid Tripp is a simple but challenging auto-runner platform game. With a low-resolution pixelart presentation, the game betrays its mobile roots, but otherwise is very playable for its Switch release. The high level of precision that is often required, combined with lack of checkpoints, mean that there's potential for frustration here, but the the short length of each level (typically 20-30 seconds) keeps this in check. Awards for collecting all collectibles in a level and speedrunning potential help to provide some longevity, but I was satisfied with completing a single run through the game.
41. The Messenger: Picnic Panic (Switch) - 30 July 2019
Completed with all 4 feathers and 10 mask pieces collected. Taking account of common feedback on the base game, this free DLC focuses on the core platforming gameplay aspects of the game, with two mostly linear, but lengthy and challenging new levels, plus an initial bonus stage reminiscent of the dragon-riding and similar sequences from the base game. Overall this is an excellent, very enjoyable opportunity to revisit a game that I enjoyed very much earlier in the year, with the difficulty level well-judged to provide a great feeling of satisfaction from success at navigating the levels, especially so with the fairly well-hidden collectibles hidden throughout each level. My only real gripe is that to collect any missed collectibles, you need to replay each level from the start, without any alternative warp points that would help to ease this backtracking.
Four Wii U download games cleared, with The Swindle as the highlight. Once again it's seeming improbable to reach the 52 mark by year's end, but eh... These threads are mostly about reading people's experiences anyway. :)
19. Inside My Radio (2015, Wii U) ★★★☆☆
Short 2D platformer mixed with a rhythm game. Pretty novel idea, you can only jump/perform actions in sync to the beat. In practice this means you don't have complete freedom to jump when you like, which can be annoying. When you're in a flow however, hitting every jump, stomp and dash in a row to the beat, it's very satisfying. Unfortunately those moments were a bit sparse for me, and since levels are short you're frequently interrupted by the terrible dialogue/story here. Would've been better without any text by a country mile. Ending is kinda odd too, suddenly you're doing actual bossfights and almost bullet hell-esque segments. Decent game though!
20. CastleStorm (2013, Wii U) ★★★☆☆
This is a Zen Studios game which mixes the 2D real-time strategy of Swords & Soldiers with tower defence elements. Game looks pretty good, they manage to make it feel like a premium product by economical use of the art style. Performance is fine too, virtually no slowdown even if the screen gets flooded with projectiles. It's a fairly complex package too; towards the end you're juggling 5 different projectiles from your castle with different cooldowns, constantly spawning soldiers to keep your army size to a maximum, popping off different magic with separate cooldowns, and even spawning hero characters you control directly. Add in basebuilding options, 2 campaigns, 2 more modes, DLC options, multiplayer... Zen Studios really did well with this one.
I have some minor complaints, like how the 2nd campaign is less interesting than the first, how the humour of the cut-scenes almost always falls flat (luckily you can skip them), and gameplay wise the Viking designs are all too similar - I want to know whether I'm spawning shamans or axe throwers, but the miniscule icons don't help in differentiating between the two. Overall though, good game in its genre!
21. The Swindle (2015, Wii U) ★★★★☆
Was kinda taken by surprise by this 2D heist game. It plays somewhat similarly to SteamWorld Dig, in that you enter a zone from a safe hubworld and must retrieve riches with which to purchase persistent upgrades for your character. The Swindle puts a lot more pressure on you though, by mixing in roguelike elements (if you lose a burglar, he/she's gone forever, including any multiplier bonuses they might've accrued), as well as a hard deadline (you must do the final heist within 100 attempts or fail forever).
The result is a really tense stealth game that preys on your greed very well. There's always more cash in difficult spots, or a hackable computer nearby with just a guard or two... You can probably make that one too right? The game is constantly coaxing you into taking more risks, and forgetting about your exit plan. Really well done.
Less well done unfortunately, is the technical performance. The game crashed my console 5 times (!) mid-heist, there's some occassional bugs and glitches, the height from which fall damage occurs seems to vary, and the upgrade which lets you control downed drones can easily halve the framerate on Wii U (seems fine on PS4 videos). Normally I could deal with these issues, but it resulted in 3 lost final missions, which were rather irritating occurances.
22. Master Reboot (2014, Wii U) ★★★☆☆
It feels wrong to fault ambition, which this game certainly has, but maybe my rating is a bit generous here. The developers have shaped an intriguing world, visually. The art direction and premise aim somewhere between TRON, Portal, and neon-synthwave album covers. This world is used to tell some vignettes from the life of a couple (their childhood, beach holiday together, a fatal encounter) and does so successfully to a degree. I like how seemingly throwaway references like a Tomb Raider-esque poster in a bedroom will later manifest as an in-game Tomb Raider-esque puzzle. Exploration is rewarded too, by giving you more clues about what's going on. Another admirable aspect is the fact the entire game is playable in Welsh; I'm sure this was partially done to receive funding from Welsh culture foundations or whatever, but it's still nice to see developers determined to keep their language alive.
That said, the gameplay here is scattered in too many unfocused directions. Driving sections, stealth sections, action/chase sections, first person platforming sections... None of them is ever truly well-developed, and especially first person platforming feels undercooked for how vital it turns out to be (Metroid Prime is still the standard bearer here, in my opinion).
I'm also not a fan of the cutscenes, which clash really harshly with the rest of the art style and make it look like much more of a budget product. Furthermore, it relies heavily on tired horror tropes: weirdly lit teddy bears! Unknown women with glowing eyes! Empty playgrounds at nighttime! Very generic stuff. Lastly, the sound mixing is (purposefully?) all over the place, seemingly only so they can randomly make loud banging noises in lieu of actual jumpscares. Overall I started disliking it, but the game kinda grew on me. Three stars, but just barely.
19. Inside My Radio (2015, Wii U) ★★★☆☆
Short 2D platformer mixed with a rhythm game. Pretty novel idea, you can only jump/perform actions in sync to the beat. In practice this means you don't have complete freedom to jump when you like, which can be annoying. When you're in a flow however, hitting every jump, stomp and dash in a row to the beat, it's very satisfying. Unfortunately those moments were a bit sparse for me, and since levels are short you're frequently interrupted by the terrible dialogue/story here. Would've been better without any text by a country mile. Ending is kinda odd too, suddenly you're doing actual bossfights and almost bullet hell-esque segments. Decent game though!
20. CastleStorm (2013, Wii U) ★★★☆☆
This is a Zen Studios game which mixes the 2D real-time strategy of Swords & Soldiers with tower defence elements. Game looks pretty good, they manage to make it feel like a premium product by economical use of the art style. Performance is fine too, virtually no slowdown even if the screen gets flooded with projectiles. It's a fairly complex package too; towards the end you're juggling 5 different projectiles from your castle with different cooldowns, constantly spawning soldiers to keep your army size to a maximum, popping off different magic with separate cooldowns, and even spawning hero characters you control directly. Add in basebuilding options, 2 campaigns, 2 more modes, DLC options, multiplayer... Zen Studios really did well with this one.
I have some minor complaints, like how the 2nd campaign is less interesting than the first, how the humour of the cut-scenes almost always falls flat (luckily you can skip them), and gameplay wise the Viking designs are all too similar - I want to know whether I'm spawning shamans or axe throwers, but the miniscule icons don't help in differentiating between the two. Overall though, good game in its genre!
21. The Swindle (2015, Wii U) ★★★★☆
Was kinda taken by surprise by this 2D heist game. It plays somewhat similarly to SteamWorld Dig, in that you enter a zone from a safe hubworld and must retrieve riches with which to purchase persistent upgrades for your character. The Swindle puts a lot more pressure on you though, by mixing in roguelike elements (if you lose a burglar, he/she's gone forever, including any multiplier bonuses they might've accrued), as well as a hard deadline (you must do the final heist within 100 attempts or fail forever).
The result is a really tense stealth game that preys on your greed very well. There's always more cash in difficult spots, or a hackable computer nearby with just a guard or two... You can probably make that one too right? The game is constantly coaxing you into taking more risks, and forgetting about your exit plan. Really well done.
Less well done unfortunately, is the technical performance. The game crashed my console 5 times (!) mid-heist, there's some occassional bugs and glitches, the height from which fall damage occurs seems to vary, and the upgrade which lets you control downed drones can easily halve the framerate on Wii U (seems fine on PS4 videos). Normally I could deal with these issues, but it resulted in 3 lost final missions, which were rather irritating occurances.
22. Master Reboot (2014, Wii U) ★★★☆☆
It feels wrong to fault ambition, which this game certainly has, but maybe my rating is a bit generous here. The developers have shaped an intriguing world, visually. The art direction and premise aim somewhere between TRON, Portal, and neon-synthwave album covers. This world is used to tell some vignettes from the life of a couple (their childhood, beach holiday together, a fatal encounter) and does so successfully to a degree. I like how seemingly throwaway references like a Tomb Raider-esque poster in a bedroom will later manifest as an in-game Tomb Raider-esque puzzle. Exploration is rewarded too, by giving you more clues about what's going on. Another admirable aspect is the fact the entire game is playable in Welsh; I'm sure this was partially done to receive funding from Welsh culture foundations or whatever, but it's still nice to see developers determined to keep their language alive.
That said, the gameplay here is scattered in too many unfocused directions. Driving sections, stealth sections, action/chase sections, first person platforming sections... None of them is ever truly well-developed, and especially first person platforming feels undercooked for how vital it turns out to be (Metroid Prime is still the standard bearer here, in my opinion).
I'm also not a fan of the cutscenes, which clash really harshly with the rest of the art style and make it look like much more of a budget product. Furthermore, it relies heavily on tired horror tropes: weirdly lit teddy bears! Unknown women with glowing eyes! Empty playgrounds at nighttime! Very generic stuff. Lastly, the sound mixing is (purposefully?) all over the place, seemingly only so they can randomly make loud banging noises in lieu of actual jumpscares. Overall I started disliking it, but the game kinda grew on me. Three stars, but just barely.
S.T.A.R.S Beret - 52/52 Games (28 first playthroughs, 24 replays)
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Game 45 – Always Sometimes Monsters (PS4) – 9 hours, 24 minutes – 3.5/5
A solid game but I can't recommend the PS4 port at all. Constant crashes after the first two towns/areas. Play on PC instead.
Game 46 – Zup! (PC) – 24 minutes – 2.5/5
A simple but solid enough puzzle game. Mainly played this to get cards and achievements for my steam profile/showcases but I ended up finishing it instead of just letting it run in the background. Will definitely get to the other Zup! titles eventually.
Game 47 – Final Fantasy X-2 (PC) – 27 hours, 4 minutes – 1.5/5
One of the worst games I've ever played in terms of things I had any expectations/hopes for. I was here for the tonal shift and returning to parts of Spira but this really fumbled things. Not one to let X have all the fun with trash side content X-2 just throws constant mini-games and new gameplay elements at the wall every 5 minutes. The combat system is interesting but good luck enjoying it when the surrounding game was like it is. The random requirements for 100% content were wack.
I was aware this game was going to have some messy content from word of mouth over the years but the massage mini-game and the fountain scenes really blew me away. A disaster.
Game 48 – Zup! 2 (PC) – 26 minutes – 2/5
More of the same from the first game.
Game 49 – Zup! 3 (PC) – 22 minutes – 1.5/5
More of the same still. I'm glad these were so cheap...
Game 50 – Doom 3 (PC) – 14 hours – 2/5
I wanted to give this a fair chance since I love the aesthetics and a more horror leaning atmosphere for Doom is interesting but woof. The combat is an absolute misfire with poor feeling/sounding weapons and constant/annoying enemies. Horror sometimes calls for being overpowered but a lot of good that does when the game executes the combat encounters and scares the same way from the start. Doom 3 blows completely past being scary and is just annoying. I was getting sick of the monsters seemingly popping out of closets after the third or so level and that was with another twenty to go. An absolute nightmare.
There's definitely some good moments to be found (Hell making an appearance finally was incredible) but I had to slog through the rest to get to it. I don't think I'd ever want to do it again. I'm glad I played it/had the experience at least once, still.
Game 51 – Zup! 4 (PC) – 25 minutes – 2/5
Still Zup!ing away.
Game 52 – Silent Hill 2 ( PC) – 2 hours 23 minutes – 5/5
Wanted my 52nd game to be something special so I figured why not try to get my favorite game of all time working on PC. Especially now that it has the Enhanced Edition mods and whatnot. The installation process was a bit of an ordeal (this wasn't the process itself so much as me just being dumb) and it ended up taking what felt like longer to set up than it took for me to play through but it was absolutely worth it.
I've played this game nearly 20 times (this was my 17th) and at times it felt like playing it for the first time. What a treat. If you're a fan of the game and have access to it on a PC that can run the game with the mods you really owe it to yourself to give it a go.
Game #76 - PictoQuest The Cursed Grids
Time: 10+ hours
Not much to say about this one, it's a neat little picross game with a healthy amount of puzzles and cute art style. It has some "light rpg mechanics" as the game calls it, but it basically boils down to enemies attacking you making some levels basically have a "timer", you can use health potions to get health (aka time) back but anyone remotely familiar with Picross games won't even need to. It's cheap so if you are itching for some more Picross in your life, you could do worse, its certainly enjoyable.
Game #77 - Turok
Time: 8 hours
Nice surprise with this one as I did not expect to enjoy it so much, nor expect it to hold up so nicely. The new HD remaster looks good enough, especially on the Switch's smaller screen, but what I really liked was the fantastic level design, they really don't make them like these anymore do they (well, except with the wave of retro style FPS coming out lately, I guess they do again). Having to actually look on every nook and cranny of each level to find keys to be able to progress on later levels was super satisfying, there are a ton of weapons to use and they feel great, enemy variety isnt the best and neither are the locations you visit (at least visually) but overall I had a great time and it really made me want to play the vastly superior sequel as soon as possible.
Game #78 - Cat Quest
Time: 8 hours
Cat Quest is one of those games I feel weird talking about, as I actually quite enjoyed overall, but I don't think I could recomend it to anyone, unless it's in a bundle or in a cheap sale. A simple action-rpg with fantastic art style (it really carried the game for me, I love the "walking on a world map" style) and serviceable gameplay, but the game doesnt have much going for it (you basically have a sword swing, various magics that mostly boil down to aoe attacks, and a dodge), and while the writing is cute (expect MANY cat-puns), the game is basically a long string of fetch quests and it gets SUPER repetitive. I did most of them (finished at level 75, couldnt be arsed to grind to do the level 99 sidequest) because, like I said, I mostly liekd the art style and overall cuteness. There's a new game+ and a "mew game" which introduces various modifiers, but I cant imagine anyone would want to replay the game after they finish it tbh.
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19. Horizon Chase Turbo (PS4)
Great arcade racer but a bit on the easy side as I got gold trophys 100% of the time. Need to replay about 10 stages to get Super Trophys
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Great arcade racer but a bit on the easy side as I got gold trophys 100% of the time. Need to replay about 10 stages to get Super Trophys
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31. Life is Strange Before the Storm Episode 1 PS4
32. Life is Strange Before the Storm Episode 2 PS4
33. Life is Strange Before the Storm Episode 3 PS4
34. Life is Strange Before the Storm Bonus Episode PS4
35. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit PS4
36. Hitman: Codename 47 PC
32. Life is Strange Before the Storm Episode 2 PS4
33. Life is Strange Before the Storm Episode 3 PS4
34. Life is Strange Before the Storm Bonus Episode PS4
35. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit PS4
36. Hitman: Codename 47 PC
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Games 41-50 finally completed. The only reason this one took so long was because I threw some JRPGs into the mix. And I got my hands on a PS3.
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41: Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (Start: 5/21/2019. End: 5/28/2019)
Aron run. I thought this was an interesting, but ultimately flawed, experiment. Still, gotta commend the effort in trying to pull off a game like this on the Genesis.
Played as part of Sega Gensis Classics on Switch.
42: Tales of Graces f (Start: 5/19/2019. End: 6/1/2019)
I've had a long history of trying to make my way through this game. A few PS3s have slipped through my fingers over the years, so I never got a chance to really play this game. That all changed this year, when I got access to a PS3 and (mostly) fully immersed myself in this game.
Played on PS3.
43: Altered Beast (Start & End: 6/4/2019)
I was just looking for something to do for a few minutes. I didn't remember just how short this game actually was.
Played as part of Sega Genesis Classics on Switch.
44: Persona Q2 (Start: 6/5/2019. End: 6/16/2019)
I rushed through this game as if my 3DS were going to die at any moment, lol. A solid dungeon crawler with some QOL improvements over the first game. Solid presentation. Fun game.
Played on Nintendo 3DS.
45: Trials of Mana (Start: 6/11/2019. End: 7/4/2019)
Over 20 years after its original release in Japan, Seiken Densetsu 3 is officially released in the West as Trials of Mana. And I jumped at the chance to play it (following my obsession with PQ2, lol).
Played as part of Collection of Mana on Switch.
46: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (Start: 6/18/2019. End: 7/10/2019)
Most of the recent Kickstarter backed Spiritual Successors haven't lived up to the expectations, but this one is the exception. It's definitely a Castlevania game in all but name. I got what I wanted out of this one.
Played on PS4
47: Okami HD (Start: 6/3/2019. End: 7/20/2019)
I had heard how great this game was for years, and I'd always been meaning to get into it. For various reasons, that didn't happen until now. And I was pretty "meh" on the whole thing. I think it was too long. I think it was too repetitive (did I really need to fight Orochi three times?). I think it was too easy (I didn't die once). I just didn't like this game as much as I thought I would.
Played on Nintendo Switch.
48: Yoshi's Crafted World (Start: 7/24/2019. End: 7/26/2019)
I borrowed my brother's copy and did a quick playthrough of this adorable little platformer. It was just what I needed.
Played on Nintendo Switch.
49: DuckTales Remastared (Start & End: 8/7/2019)
Picked this up and did a quick playthrough in honor of it being taken down (for the moment?). It was harder than I remember.
Played on PS3.
50: Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Start: 7/26/2019. End: 8/18/2019)
I previously asked if I should count my multiple playthroughs as multiple games. As you can see I eventually decided to count them as one. And I loved this game. This will rank as one of my favorite Fire Emblem games, one of my favorite SRPGs, and one of my favorite games of this generation.
Played on Nintendo Switch.
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41: Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (Start: 5/21/2019. End: 5/28/2019)
Aron run. I thought this was an interesting, but ultimately flawed, experiment. Still, gotta commend the effort in trying to pull off a game like this on the Genesis.
Played as part of Sega Gensis Classics on Switch.
42: Tales of Graces f (Start: 5/19/2019. End: 6/1/2019)
I've had a long history of trying to make my way through this game. A few PS3s have slipped through my fingers over the years, so I never got a chance to really play this game. That all changed this year, when I got access to a PS3 and (mostly) fully immersed myself in this game.
Played on PS3.
43: Altered Beast (Start & End: 6/4/2019)
I was just looking for something to do for a few minutes. I didn't remember just how short this game actually was.
Played as part of Sega Genesis Classics on Switch.
44: Persona Q2 (Start: 6/5/2019. End: 6/16/2019)
I rushed through this game as if my 3DS were going to die at any moment, lol. A solid dungeon crawler with some QOL improvements over the first game. Solid presentation. Fun game.
Played on Nintendo 3DS.
45: Trials of Mana (Start: 6/11/2019. End: 7/4/2019)
Over 20 years after its original release in Japan, Seiken Densetsu 3 is officially released in the West as Trials of Mana. And I jumped at the chance to play it (following my obsession with PQ2, lol).
Played as part of Collection of Mana on Switch.
46: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (Start: 6/18/2019. End: 7/10/2019)
Most of the recent Kickstarter backed Spiritual Successors haven't lived up to the expectations, but this one is the exception. It's definitely a Castlevania game in all but name. I got what I wanted out of this one.
Played on PS4
47: Okami HD (Start: 6/3/2019. End: 7/20/2019)
I had heard how great this game was for years, and I'd always been meaning to get into it. For various reasons, that didn't happen until now. And I was pretty "meh" on the whole thing. I think it was too long. I think it was too repetitive (did I really need to fight Orochi three times?). I think it was too easy (I didn't die once). I just didn't like this game as much as I thought I would.
Played on Nintendo Switch.
48: Yoshi's Crafted World (Start: 7/24/2019. End: 7/26/2019)
I borrowed my brother's copy and did a quick playthrough of this adorable little platformer. It was just what I needed.
Played on Nintendo Switch.
49: DuckTales Remastared (Start & End: 8/7/2019)
Picked this up and did a quick playthrough in honor of it being taken down (for the moment?). It was harder than I remember.
Played on PS3.
50: Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Start: 7/26/2019. End: 8/18/2019)
I previously asked if I should count my multiple playthroughs as multiple games. As you can see I eventually decided to count them as one. And I loved this game. This will rank as one of my favorite Fire Emblem games, one of my favorite SRPGs, and one of my favorite games of this generation.
Played on Nintendo Switch.
Game #79 - Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas
Time: 10 hours
Decided to replay / finish (I never finished it on PC originally) this on Switch to scratch my Zelda itch before Link's Awakening hits, and I qutie enjoyed my time with it (I had already liked it on PC). Looks great in portable mode and it has a meaty campaign with various islands and dungeons to explore, items and spells to get, you know the deal, it's a shameless Zelda clone (I don't even mean that in a bad way). The optional content in particular is quite good and you can tell it was added after the game's iOS origins, but the main content is certainly passable, if a little simple (lot's of box pushing puzzles). It runs well, it feels a little janky to play but nothing that ruins the experience, and like I said initially, it scratches that Zelda itch that everyone gets now and then. Its a neat little game and well worth it in a cheap sale, as long as you dont expect actual Zelda quality.
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