60 beaten. Last year I hit 79 before failing to make any more progress in November or December due to life events out of my control. Could I hit 100 this year?
#1-20
#21-40
#41-60
61. Space Ribbon (Switch) - 25/08/19 - ~6 hours (100% Mastery, 100% Collection)
We all know how to play racing games. Most of us have also had exposure to 'futuristic' racers like F-Zero, Wipeout et al.
Space Ribbon looks like a regular futuristic racer but tries to differentiate itself with a few mechanical differences - I'd go as far to say that none of them work in its favour. Graphics and sound are nice, but it's the core of the racing itself that doesn't hold up.
Firstly, each track is procedurally (yawn) generated. For the most part this is fine, but there are times, like the bonus cup in F-Zero X, when tracks are made with sudden tangles which result in almost every racer being launched off the road. Next, the finish line of each race moves dynamically, with it being reasonably common for you to drive within inches of winning, before the flag is then spooled off into the distance. This wouldn't be so bad, if it weren't for the game's most heinous decision.
Inspired perhaps by the pack strategy in horse racing, this is a game which actively punishes you for being out too far in the lead. You're top speed is dynamic, boosted ten-fold when you are slipstreaming behind another racer, and similarly boosted when drifting. On paper, none of these mechanics sound that bad - in theory it would mean you have to carefully plan your break from the pack, then using well executed drifts to stay ahead on the home stretch. BUT, and this is a huge but, the combination of the movable goalpost (meaning racers often pip you to the finish despite you driving a flawless race) and the useless drift feature mean that it never feels like you're fully in control of your own destiny, even on the easier difficulty.
The game was cheap, and is often in the eShop's deep discount sales. I'm not sure why I committed the time to finish this one, especially given the low cost of entry, but it's very hard to recommend. If you get a chance to play it, by all means give it a blast. If nothing else its a very different experience and might appeal as a curio. As a game in its own right though, it's just not that fun.
62. Mimpi Dreams (Switch) - 09/09/19 - ~3 hours (100% Collectibles)
One of the many mobile games that's made the jump to Switch with a barebones port. Mimpi Dreams is a puzzle platformer that has you manipulating level elements using either the touch screen, or the second analogue stick to solve puzzles of create pathways, etc.
It's a charming game, but one that's picked up a few performance issues and bugs in its move to the console. Collectibles required me to replay around half the levels to search for things I'd missed, but I enjoyed my time here due to the game's pretty art and chipper aesthetic. There are a handful of in game 'achievements' I didn't unlock, but they were mostly for things like 'die 1000 times' which didn't really seem in the spirit of the game. Mimpi Dreams also has a one-life challenge mode, but sticky controls and occasionally iffy collision detection in platforming sections means I probably won't be attempting to fell that particular tree.
63. Hello Kitty Kruisers with Sanrio Friends (Switch) - 12/09/19 - ~90mins (100%)
Truly awful. I had the Wii U version, sold it before it became sought after, and endeavoured not to make the same collector's mistake with the Switch.
This cost me £12 and every penny of that was a waste. The game is perilously slow - compared to Mario Kart's speed settings, I'd say the vehicles in this game have 20cc engines. Controls are awful, AI is dreadful. Audio and visuals are a state. I beat every cup and challenge on my first try.
A bad, bad game. Though one that one day may bank me a few pounds!
64. Final Fantasy Adventure (Gameboy) - 16/09/19 - ~10 hours (Credits)
A great, brisk, action RPG that predates Link's Awakening by a good two years. Combat is fun, gear management is fun, dungeons are fun (within reason). The game does get a little oblique at times, and the ability to almost fuck yourself over if you run out of Mattocks or Keys in the late game is pretty aggravating, but I really enjoyed my time with the game.
(PRO TIP: If you end up in a dungeon without the requisite keys to proceed, backtrack until you find an area that will spawn skeletons - they appear in every dungeon as far as I'm aware and drop keys around 50% of the time.)
I played via the Collection of Mana, and fully intend to try Secret and Trials at some point in the future. I don't want to burn myself out just yet though, seeing as the Link's Awakening remake should drop through my door very shortly.
65. Untitled Goose Game (Switch) - 30/09/19 - ~5 hours (Credits+)
What an absolute charmer. Basically a direct control point and click adventure game, where all puzzles relate to item management and manipulating how NPCs react to different objects and actions. Just a joy from start to finish.
The elevator pitch sells you on the game immediately, audio visual design is fantastic, the length is just right so the concept doesn't outstay its welcome, and above all, it's really fucking funny. Very few games nail humour properly - a joke might be funny in and of itself, but very few use the medium properly as its so hard to pace a joke when the player can become distracted at any time. Goose Game uses a combination of its puzzles, its concept and its aesthetics to churn out frequent laughs.
Post-credits you unlock additional tasks which I'm about half way through - they mix up the game well, asking you to consider how items from area may be used in later areas, basically pushing true exploration and experimentation. Lovely.
66. Pilgrims (iOS - Apple Arcade) - 07/10/19 - ~1 hour (Credits)
A brisk adventure game, not a million miles away from UGG above in that it remixes the interface and format slightly, but arguably is still a series of puzzles that have you using items and NPCs reactions to said items to find solutions. It's short, and is intended to be replayed (a gallery of playing cards are revealed when you uncover certain character responses suggesting that there are multiple solutions to several puzzles), but even as a one-and-done- type of game, it's a lot of fun, and a nice way to spend an hour.
67. Sagebrush (Switch) - 31/10/19 - ~2 hours (Credits)
A first person narrative game, or walking sim if you will, about an extremist Christian cult.
My interest was piqued by the fantastic lo-fi art style, low resolution rendering, and low resolution textures that leans into an almost PS1-era aesthetic (but without the texture warping).
The game does a good job at keeping the story moving through the now obligatory text and audio logs, but I was actually really impressed at the games pacing and voice acting. I'm pretty sure this is a relatively low budget project helmed by one person, but in execution it feels assured enough to seem like a game of greater stature.
It's not Firewatch or Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, but Sagebrush does a good job at creating atmosphere and suspense despite the absence of other characters.
68. Submerged (Switch) - 01/11/19 - ~5 hours (100%)
I've beaten this before on the PS4, but it's such a unique, plaintive and reflective experience it took zero convincing for me to pick up the Switch port as well.
A combat and threat free game set in a post-'event' city almost completely submerged by water outside of climbable structures that represent capitalist expansion. It's a gorgeous game that fits perfectly between other more action heavy games as a real palette cleanser.
I love the non-linear approach the game takes to 'levels', with each story checkpoint being triggered whenever a building is beaten regardless of the order you tackle them in. I love the pictorial approach to storytelling. I love the foregrounding of wildlife on the world as the element that outlasts humanity.
Highly recommended. Hardly anyone seems to know or play this game and it's a crying shame.
69. The World Next Door (Switch) - 01/11/19 - ~4 hours (Credits)
I enjoyed this game. The puzzle battles weren't as satisfying as I feel they could have been and always felt sloppier than the action / match-3 hybrid suggested on paper, and the story just gave up on itself in the final act (or at least the outcome my choices led me to felt that way anyhow). The package was redeemed though by the gorgeous art, well considered score, brisk length, and well written characters. Teen melodrama with a bit of magic and fantasy.
70. Forager (Switch) - 13/11/19 - ~20 hours (All Feats)
Forager is essentially a crafting-based idle game, that you have to play
actively. I've never had a problem with idle games, but I enjoy them far more in the opening hours when you can actively make progress with the game or app open, rather than just leaving it to run in the background. I've played Clicker Heroes, Bitcoin Billionaire, Adventure Capitalist - they were all enjoyable for me up until the point where they became 'that thing I checked in on for 2 minutes before loading something else' - less game, more a utility that just did its thing behind the scenes.
Forager's crafting and building only runs when you're playing, but you don't get bored because the game gives you lots of micro tasks to focus on. As well as a world to expand and explore, there's a massive skill tree tied to player XP to unlock, small dungeons to play through, and some pretty tricky puzzles to solve. I've 'beaten' it now, save a small bug preventing true 100% completion (one puzzle will become unsolvable for most players if its not tackled immediately), but I'm looking forward to revisiting when updates already available on the PC migrate to the Switch release.
71. Suicide Guy (Switch) - 02/12/19 - ~4 hours (100%)
I buy a lot of games on the eShop. The basic rule is anything that hits a 70% discount and is unlikely to get a physical release via the myriad of limited print publishers is fair game. Suicide Guy probably ran me about three quid at the most, and for the price was a decently fun time.
Essentially developed by one man (coincidentally the same developer who produced the pretty woeful Woodle Tree Adventures), Suicide Guy has you completing puzzles in first person where the goal of each stage is to 'kill' your avatar so they can wake from a series of Inception-style layered dreams. Some puzzles are clever, some are super simple, and some are a bit broken by way of the game's questionable platforming and collision detection.
It's ropey for sure, but has a bit of charm to it. I've read some people take real offence from its title which seems bananas in an industry dominated by games whose sole objective is senseless murder, but there we go. Absolutely worth a play, especially if its on a similarly deep discount. It did recieve a DLC campaign that I think is a standalone game on Switch, so providing its got a similarly low price, may also feature on this list before the year is out.
72. My Big Sister (Switch) - 08/12/19 - ~3 hours (Credits)
Not a fan of this one to be honest. An adventure game with a 'creepy' plot, that trips over itself constantly. Dialogue is pretty poorly written, but serviceable. Art and music feel similarly passable as opposed to being particularly stand out in any area. There are multiple endings apparently, but I'm not sure I can be bothered to go back and find them. Had thought about just using a guide to help mop them up, but even then, I felt so disconnected to the characters by the time the credits rolled I'm not convinced I'd get much out of spending another hour replaying the final chapter a bunch of times.
73. Gris (Switch) - 13/12/19 - ~4 hours (Credits)
Gris is an artsy puzzle platformer, and it is spectacular.
Easily one of the most beautiful games, visually and sonically that I've ever played. The art is stunning: all hand drawn, with textures of the world filled with lush water colour washes, inky spills and other abstract colour work that's all rendered by hand and then digitised. It's a really standout art style.
It also tells a brilliant story about personal development and belief in one's self. It reminded my partly of Madeleine's journey in Celeste, as even though there is no dialogue in Gris, I feel there are definitely some paralells in how Madeleine battles with her own self doubt and inner turmoil, and how the lead character in Gris goes from a slumped figure whose only ability in the opening minutes is to collapse in total resignation, up to a becoming a more able, spritely avatar by the game's later stages. I love that more games are not only tackling difficult, in some cases almost existential narratives, but also doing so in ways that fit the medium. Gris uses gameplay to tell the bulk of its story - few cutscenes, no big dumps of text or exposition. We're finally reaching a stage where developers are using interactive media BY CHOICE to tell their stories. It's fantastic.
It's also really well designed to be accessible - there are moments of challenge, but none that will have you smashing your controller. The way the stages are designed is also really clever in that they often feel very open, despite having a sort of hard-coded linearity to them. You won't get lost or stuck for where to go next, but you'll feel like you 'could' because of how the art suggests pathways and platforms in the distance. It's hugely clever.
74. Psy-O-Blade (MD) - 19/12/19 - ~4 hours (Credits)
A weird, fan-translated, sci-fi point and click adventure / graphical text adventure from the late 80s / early 90s. It's about the least 'Mega Drivey' a game could be: narrative led and slow paced - it's no wonder that it was never localised, and I imagine it was a challenge to get published even then.
It is however, a really good time. It features gorgeous art, and a UI that looks like it would have a direct influence on modern indie games like VA-11 HALL-A and Read Only Memories 2064. The story draws from genre classics like Alien, but actually has more in common with Danny Boyle's much later Sunshine. I think it's very unlikely Boyle even knows this game exists, but it's an interesting comparison all the same.
The game can be frustrating - certain puzzles are solved by literally expending every dialogue option, regardless of their content, with the narrative stalling until a 'read all' flag has been met that lets you progress. I swear other sections are actually time gated too, with the game locking you to a certain room until an arbitrary time limit has been reached - given the amount of things to interact with in each space is quite low, this can be quite annoying and feels a way of artificially padding the games length.
Special props have to go to the AWFUL action sequence that was shoehorned in, presumably to help sell the game to the arcade loving Sega audience. You are forced to get a high score in an After Burner or Space Harrier themed psuedo-space shooter 3/4s through the game and it is horrendously difficult. Gave the buttons on my Vita (on which I played this game via emulation) a beating too.
Overall, a solid experience, mainly worth playing for the aesthetic of the piece.
75. A Winter's Daydream (Switch) - 21/12/19 - ~3 hours (Credits)
A straight kinetic novel - no choices, no interactivity.
It's a short, mostly sweet exploration of inter-family relationships with a central protagonist looking to try to reconnect with his brattish sister, and aged Grandmother. The writing is slightly overwrought, and despite being a pretty innocent, heartwarming tale it carries some of the grubby hallmarks of the genre. Even as a joke, did the game need to flirt with the concept of incest quite so much?
In terms of structure, pacing is mostly decent, but the game lacks any feeling of agency. I know this might sound silly when talking about a kinetic VN, but something about the way Planetarium that I read earlier in the year was partitioned and delivered made me feel a larger part of the narrative, and somehow gave the illusion of choice, even without dialogue options. AWD on the other hand just feels like an amateur-written short story with pictures.
76. OVIVO (Switch) - 23/12/19 - ~3 hours (100%)
An artsy physics based platformer. The whole game is presented in stark black and white. You can move left and right, but must invert your own colour to make use of the platforms, carefully considering your momentum generated by shifting between the two to propel yourself along and to higher areas.
Each stage eventually pans out to reveal that your entire journey has taken place on a weird Rorschach style ink blot. The game is also filled with strange imagery like the Ourobous, various geometric Zentangle style patterns, as other symbols which could be interpreted as anything from hieroglyphics, to buddhist scriptures.
I really enjoyed my time with this one, save for the odd frustrating section here and there which meant replaying a stage or two to nab all the collectibles.
77. Miniature - The Story Puzzle (Switch) - 23/12/19 - ~45mins (100%)
A gorgeous, though sadly empty puzzle game that asks you to pan around five still dioramas per stage, to then place in order to tell a micro narrative. The model work is beautiful: evocative, expressive scenes that play with perspective really nicely. Sadly the 'game' itself is totally unexplained (I had to google a similarly confused review to make sense of what I was supposed to be doing), wrapped in an unhelpful interface, and painfully short.
12 scenarios, all of which can be beaten in minutes. Some might take a little longer if you place a scene out of order to begin with, but all can be vanquished through trial and error alone.
A nice idea, but not worth much more than the 70-odd pence I paid in the eShop sale.
78. Spellworm (Switch) - 25/12/19 - ~2 hours (100%)
A great, but all too short, word puzzle game. Each level presents you with a theme, e.g. 'Medieval', 'Colours', 'Countries of Europe', etc, and you have to figure out how to spell a series of relevant words in a continuous line that covers an entire grid. The description sounds a bit confusing, but in practice, the game is immediately accessible, and presented with a whimsical style that really brings what could be a very flat experience to life.
Wish there was more - a great game to play in short bursts.
79. Taco Master (Vita) - 26/12/19 - ~4 hours (100% Trophies [PSN])
A mobile-like touch screen puzzler. You are presented with increasing complex taco orders which you must compose by dragging ingredients together. Fast paced, and tactile, the game was only really let down by its occasional performance drops which rendered certain tasks harder than they should have been. Reminds me of the soft management games like Diner Dash that were popular in the early iOS days - for all I know this may even be a port from an existing mobile title. Who knows.
Fun enough.
80. Deep Space Rush (Vita) - 27/12/19 - ~30mins (100% Trophies [PSN])
An sort-of endless runner that gives out trophies like sweets. I swear I say it every time, but its a crying shame that Ratalaika now focus so much on their easy trophy lists when porting games to consoles, as nine times out of ten, the games themselves are genuinely decent and end up with a shitty reputation purely by way of their easy Platinum lists.
Deep Space Rush suffers a bit by being quite hard to read - a minute into a run, and there are so many enemies and obstacles, even a well upgraded character and decent player will struggle to make much progress.
Decent enough, and with a small enough digital footprint that it earns its place on my Vita memory card as a quick time killer.
#81-???
