OP
OP
- Done in one sitting.
- Story was interesting, but looking online there doesn't seem to be much discussion about it.
- Voice acting was very well done.
- Gameplay, super basic and not the draw here.
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Games you've beaten in 2024
- Thread starter PJTierney
- Start date
Yakuza 5
This was a replay, as I'd originally played it for the first time in 2017. I think it's still up there with 0 as my favourite game in the series.
The fact a game about gangsters punching people in the face can add in a 10 hour long (!) section in the middle where you play as a teenage girl trying to be an idol where all the combat is now rhythm based and you have to try and win the Princess League, is just great.
It's such a massive game, 5 characters across 5 maps, each with it's own cast and own entire game modes. It can feel bloated at times, and the pacing can drag, but it's a great story that almost sticks the landing, but doesn't quite.
This was a replay, as I'd originally played it for the first time in 2017. I think it's still up there with 0 as my favourite game in the series.
The fact a game about gangsters punching people in the face can add in a 10 hour long (!) section in the middle where you play as a teenage girl trying to be an idol where all the combat is now rhythm based and you have to try and win the Princess League, is just great.
It's such a massive game, 5 characters across 5 maps, each with it's own cast and own entire game modes. It can feel bloated at times, and the pacing can drag, but it's a great story that almost sticks the landing, but doesn't quite.
OP
OP
Here's my completions and progress so far in 2024.
- For me, "beating a game" means getting all of its Achievements, including DLC.
- I don't play many games in a given year, but of the ones I do play I almost always get 100% Achievement completion.
- Full history and more stats available on TrueAchievements.
- 2022 Completions
- 2023 Completions
- Another Game Pass pickup, but one worth playing even if you don't subscribe.
- Visuals, audio and implied narrative are all excellent.
- Surprisingly solid platform in mechanics and level design, even if the game never intends to push that moveset to challenging places.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (2024) enjoyed it
Mortal Kombat X (2015) just for the story mode
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (2021) meh
Final Fantasy VII Remake + Intermission (2020) replay
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024) amazing
Did Remake + Intermission + Rebirth back to back and never felt any burnout, which speaks volumes about the quality. Just had a great time throughout. I actually kinda want to play that Crisis Core remake now.
Mortal Kombat X (2015) just for the story mode
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (2021) meh
Final Fantasy VII Remake + Intermission (2020) replay
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024) amazing
Did Remake + Intermission + Rebirth back to back and never felt any burnout, which speaks volumes about the quality. Just had a great time throughout. I actually kinda want to play that Crisis Core remake now.
Beat Prince of Persia The Lost Crown yesterday. Played it on and off so it took me over two months, even though it is not an overly long game. My impression is very positive even though it could have done with more fast travel points and some of the locations looked very samey. Would recommend to everyone looking for a great metroidvania though.
Gravity Rush Remastered
LTTP Link - https://www.resetera.com/threads/gravity-rush-remastered-ps4-i-miss-japan-studios.818253/
Bunch of games that are 70-90% complete, but for some reason I stopped. Need to push myself to finish them.
LTTP Link - https://www.resetera.com/threads/gravity-rush-remastered-ps4-i-miss-japan-studios.818253/
Bunch of games that are 70-90% complete, but for some reason I stopped. Need to push myself to finish them.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
This was my first ever Warhammer game. I picked up a cheap copy on PS3, and beat it over the space of a week.
I thought this was going to be a standard 7th gen cover based shooter, but it doesn't use cover at all. If anything, it almost plays like a proto-Doom 2016, in that:
- There is no cover system
- It's best to always be moving
- You can only regain health by performing brutal melee finishers on foes
- Portals from hell
If I'd had played this in 2011, maybe it would have felt like just another linear 3rd person shooter, but as those are pretty much a dead genre now, playing it in 2024 actually makes it feel pretty novel and kind of refreshing in a lot of ways.
The story has gone over my head as the world and lore of Warhammer is new to me, and the game doesn't exactly offer a good on-ramp for new players, but that's not really hampered my enjoyment too much.
I'm also surprised that it runs well for a PS3 game (by well I mean it seems to hold a locked 30fps, which for a late era PS3 game is pretty amazing) though I've read the 360 version is the better version as it runs in a higher res.
The Orcs all speak in an amazing English accent and will always yell SPAAACCE MAUREEN whenever they see you, which is never not funny.
The end boss is mostly a few waves of enemies then a QTE, but it's a really solid shooter with some really fun mechanics.
This was my first ever Warhammer game. I picked up a cheap copy on PS3, and beat it over the space of a week.
I thought this was going to be a standard 7th gen cover based shooter, but it doesn't use cover at all. If anything, it almost plays like a proto-Doom 2016, in that:
- There is no cover system
- It's best to always be moving
- You can only regain health by performing brutal melee finishers on foes
- Portals from hell
If I'd had played this in 2011, maybe it would have felt like just another linear 3rd person shooter, but as those are pretty much a dead genre now, playing it in 2024 actually makes it feel pretty novel and kind of refreshing in a lot of ways.
The story has gone over my head as the world and lore of Warhammer is new to me, and the game doesn't exactly offer a good on-ramp for new players, but that's not really hampered my enjoyment too much.
I'm also surprised that it runs well for a PS3 game (by well I mean it seems to hold a locked 30fps, which for a late era PS3 game is pretty amazing) though I've read the 360 version is the better version as it runs in a higher res.
The Orcs all speak in an amazing English accent and will always yell SPAAACCE MAUREEN whenever they see you, which is never not funny.
The end boss is mostly a few waves of enemies then a QTE, but it's a really solid shooter with some really fun mechanics.
So far this year:
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
Trails of Cold Steel IV
Paper Mario
Pokemon Blue
World of Goo
Princess Peach Showtime
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
Trails of Cold Steel IV
Paper Mario
Pokemon Blue
World of Goo
Princess Peach Showtime
Just a handful so far:
- Super Mario Wonder - A delightful game. My wife and I played through this one and really enjoyed it, especially since it was harder to accidentally kill each other like you do in the New Super Mario Bros. games.
- Final Fantasy XVI - I picked this up a little while after it released because I thought the demo was really strong. Unfortunately, it didn't really go places I was hoping it would. There is some fun spectacle to enjoy, but the story never pulled me in and the combat was okay, but felt tedious after a while since there's not a ton of enemy variety and virtually no environmental variables or much to spice it up.
- Final Fantasy XII (original PS2 release) - I'm very mixed on this game because the gambit system is really interesting and allows for lots specificity and customization. I did not like how every little thing is transactional. Buying your skills and possible boosts and stuff like that was okay, but having to buy the ability to wear certain armor or wield weapons with those same skill points was annoying considering you can't see all the options on the board at once. So you waste lots of points on skills you might not want because you just didn't know what it would be. Money is also not as easy to come by given how expensive everything is, so you do have to grind a fair bit more than I liked. I probably should have played the Zodiac Age version but I already owned the PS2 copy.
In 2024 so far I've replayed (and finished)
I don't 100% games and don't give a damn about achievements, but Mario Wonder is so good that I at least want to unlock all the levels and get all the wonder seeds. Working on it.
- Metal Gear Solid - played on PS1/CRT TV + handheld emulator
- Metal Gear Solid 2 - played on PS2/CRT TV + emulated on Steam Deck
- Metal Gear Solid 3 (Subsistence) - played on PS2/CRT TV
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (DX) - played on Analogue Pocket
- Death Stranding - PC (began in 2020 but never finished; started over this time)
- Normal Fishing (demo) - It felt like a full game so I'm counting it.
I don't 100% games and don't give a damn about achievements, but Mario Wonder is so good that I at least want to unlock all the levels and get all the wonder seeds. Working on it.
I will take this opportunity to rave about Steamworld Dig 2. Played a lot of Metroidvanias (Favs Symphony of the Night and Super Metroid) but this has to be one of the best so far. Everything is just so well thought out, all the power ups make perfect sense and are super fun, the gameplay loop is incredibly addicting, the music is awesome, you can find all secrets without any guide, the game has a perfect length, there is (considering the genre) not a lot of forced backtracking and so on. Easily 5/5
Beware long rant incoming:
Also finished Judgement (PS4). I've played every Yakuza game since the PS2 (only ones I didn't play is the PSP and the recent ones) and this is easily the worst one. Like by a mile.
The only plus are the characters and to some degree the story, everything else is awful (for a Yakuza game) there are so many completely unnecessary gameplay elements like actually having to open doors with keys on a keyring (wtf?) the worst side activities in any Yakuza game (VR, Drone Race) Skills are locked behind some books that you have to find. The boss fights are boring as hell, in one level you have to fight the same goddamn mini boss like 7 times while running up copy pasted stairways...but the worst thing of it all was the 'Keihin gang'. I really doubt that anyone involved in developing this game actually played it. I mean how on god's green earth did this make it through testing. And yes I know there are ways not having to fight these idiots basically every 5 minutes, but still, why implement this crap in the first place.
And even besides that the encounter rate was absolutely INSANE.
What is the point of making a detective game when you end up fighting even more than in a regular Yakuza game?
All the detective stuff also was super boring (like searching for clues with a magnifying glass or tailing people) same with the side stories, like running after the wig was kinda fun the first time, but then you had to do it like 4 times again to complete the side quest..why? why why why?
Plus no weapons, no cabaret club (dates were kinda fun though) and so on and so forth.
If it was like 20 hours I would've been ok with it but took me like 50 hours to finish it and man was I glad when it was finally over.
It does have one of my most favorite EX attacks of any Yakuza game though, hope I can find it on YouTube.
m.youtube.com
This one, laughed so hard when I triggered it ^^
Beware long rant incoming:
Also finished Judgement (PS4). I've played every Yakuza game since the PS2 (only ones I didn't play is the PSP and the recent ones) and this is easily the worst one. Like by a mile.
The only plus are the characters and to some degree the story, everything else is awful (for a Yakuza game) there are so many completely unnecessary gameplay elements like actually having to open doors with keys on a keyring (wtf?) the worst side activities in any Yakuza game (VR, Drone Race) Skills are locked behind some books that you have to find. The boss fights are boring as hell, in one level you have to fight the same goddamn mini boss like 7 times while running up copy pasted stairways...but the worst thing of it all was the 'Keihin gang'. I really doubt that anyone involved in developing this game actually played it. I mean how on god's green earth did this make it through testing. And yes I know there are ways not having to fight these idiots basically every 5 minutes, but still, why implement this crap in the first place.
And even besides that the encounter rate was absolutely INSANE.
What is the point of making a detective game when you end up fighting even more than in a regular Yakuza game?
All the detective stuff also was super boring (like searching for clues with a magnifying glass or tailing people) same with the side stories, like running after the wig was kinda fun the first time, but then you had to do it like 4 times again to complete the side quest..why? why why why?
Plus no weapons, no cabaret club (dates were kinda fun though) and so on and so forth.
If it was like 20 hours I would've been ok with it but took me like 50 hours to finish it and man was I glad when it was finally over.
It does have one of my most favorite EX attacks of any Yakuza game though, hope I can find it on YouTube.
Judgment Rare and funny heat action: Sending the enemy to a yakuza car
Judgmenthttps://store.playstation.com/#!/en-sg/tid=CUSA13186_00
m.youtube.com
This one, laughed so hard when I triggered it ^^
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So far this has been the year of Final Fantasy for me.
I beat XVI a week or two ago, VII Remake last night, and Intermission as of this morning.
Now I'm onto Rebirth baby!
I beat XVI a week or two ago, VII Remake last night, and Intermission as of this morning.
Now I'm onto Rebirth baby!
OP
OP
I'm not going to get another game going by the end of the month (got multiplayer stuff to do in Forza Motorsport and EA SPORTS WRC), but March has been a productive month overall.
Inertial Drift is (according to TrueAchievements) rarest completion I have ever gotten, as there's a fairly high skill floor towards the end.
Inertial Drift is (according to TrueAchievements) rarest completion I have ever gotten, as there's a fairly high skill floor towards the end.
Not a bad month. Newest entries in green:
January
January
- Pokémon Violet: Mochi Mayhem (NS, 1 hr, 7/10)
- Pikmin 2 (NS, 28 hrs, 8/10)
- Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (NS, 3 hrs, 7.5/10)
- Return of the Obra Dinn (NS, 12 hrs, 8.5/10)
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (NS, 32 hrs, 9.5/10)
- Another Code: Recollection (NS, 15 hrs, 7/10)
- SOMA (PS4, 15 hrs, 8/10)
- Paper Mario (NS, 28 hrs, 8.5/10)
- Portal (NS, 4 hrs, 10/10)
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (PS5, 25 hrs, 9/10)
- The Messenger (PS4, 22 hrs, 7.5/10)
- Unpacking (NS, 5 hrs, 8/10)
- Star Trek: Resurgence (PS5, 11 hrs, 7/10)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
I had a good time with this, though it feels like a Kickstarter game, if that makes sense. It's a really solid "Greatest Hits" of the Castlevania series. I don't think i's quite at the level of the best Castlevania games (SoTN, AoS) but it's a really solid imitation.
The art style is all over the place, and quite a step down from the series that inspired it, but that's to be expected considering the budget and circumstances it was made under. The music is also not quite as good, though it's by no means bad.
I really enjoyed exploration and how extensive the shard upgrade system was. The story went mostly over my head, though I liked the tone it was going for, and it's always nice to hear Solid Snake pop up in a game.
I had a good time with this, though it feels like a Kickstarter game, if that makes sense. It's a really solid "Greatest Hits" of the Castlevania series. I don't think i's quite at the level of the best Castlevania games (SoTN, AoS) but it's a really solid imitation.
The art style is all over the place, and quite a step down from the series that inspired it, but that's to be expected considering the budget and circumstances it was made under. The music is also not quite as good, though it's by no means bad.
I really enjoyed exploration and how extensive the shard upgrade system was. The story went mostly over my head, though I liked the tone it was going for, and it's always nice to hear Solid Snake pop up in a game.
8- Crysis 3: Remastered: I've always wanted to play the Crysis trilogy, didn't get a chance during the launch period. So I bought the remastered trilogy and here I am today, having conquered all three games. The game looks very nice and plays very smoothly, I love that they re-allowed stealth gameplay in this one (in 2 it was rather hard to do stealth gameplay) since I believe it's where the game shines the most. The first two levels are more of a linear deal, but then it opens up and it's a joy to find all the possible ways to dispose of your enemies. Of course the bow is the preferred method, but the game gives you plenty of options and rewards exploration a lot with weapons, upgrades and what not. Sadly since I specialized in stealth so much I ended up collecting skill spoints just for the sake of it. Great game design that stealth can also be used against bosses, even if it becomes a game of hide and seek. Performances were good, and you could see the plot twists coming from a mile away. The orchestral music is nice touch, and sounds very battlefieldy at times. Very fun shooter that usually get overlooked, overshadowed, or tainted by it's predecesors.
9- Titan Chaser: I bought this one on a whim because I said "That looks like a cool experience". I'm glad I did. This game, just like Gorogoa, is the definition of Author gaming, in which the "game" is only a means to an experience. It even says so in the title screen when you are greeted to an "experience" instead of the conventional play. In this case, to the feeling of lonelyness, isolation and lack of purpose. The game hits hard with simple mechanics, on point soundtrack and moody ps1 (way polished) low poly aesthetic. I loved my time with it, chasing the titans, learning the ins and outs (quite literally) of the car and just absorving the vistas. The game leaves you to your own devices to figure almost everything out. It even let's you skip to the end if you wish to see the ending. I understand it's not for everyone, and even not for every kind of mood you are in, but I loved every second of it.
10- Foreclosed: I'm always in the mood for some cyberpunk, with comic style presentation, an interesting art style reminiscent of Mœbius. The game tells a good story, it's concise, to the point and packed with mechanics, that do not fully realize their potential but are very fun to engage with. The story is well written and might as well be, if told on paper, a short story from Gibson. I loved the game, though I have to say the checkpoint system could be very harsh at times forcing you to replay big sections until you got a grip of the action sequences. I loved it and will follow Antlab Studios nexts projects closely. I was even more surpised when I found out it's a small indie studio from Milan with less than 10 people and reviews online judged it as if it was a BIG game.
Reading the mixed reviews on the gameplay, is the story strong enough to enjoy for that? It seems to be a 3 hour game.
If you are looking for a polished game, the gameplay alone won't satisfy you. This isn't a "must play before you die" game. There are many gameplay systems one on top of another and none fully realized, and most fully exploitable. But the number of ways in which you can combine them are very impressive for a small team. After I finished it I read some reviews, and couldn't help but feeling that reviewers didn't place the game in context of being an indie title (granted, I don't know how much it sold for on release day, I bought it on a sale). None of them talked about how the camera shifts perspectives in very smooth and polished transitions from comic panel to comic panel. Very few mentions of the contained story, of the noire elements, etc.
My suggestion is put it on the easiest difficulty (I don't recall changing any difficulty setting) and enjoy the ride. It's a cyberpunk story, if you've read Gibson, the Incal or played other cyberpunk experiences, nothing here will surprise you much. But the story is told well, it's placed in a cohesive cyberpunk world, without falling on either all exposition or the "world savoiur" clichés. The fact that it's narrated as a detective noir story and presented in a comic style did wonders for me, but your mileage might vary.
Try seeing the first 20 minutes on youtube and seeing if the world grips you enough to want to try it.
From watching footage I'm getting cyberpunk XIII, and that's a game I love so I might check it out just for the aesthetic and story. I've read Neuromancer and the Incal, so thanks for giving those reference points.
The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls (Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru)
I finally got around to beating DK94 earlier in the year and so have continued my quest of playing through classic Game Boy games I've not yet played by jumping into Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru, or to use it's translated name "The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls"
This game often gets mentioned as a footnote when discussing Link's Awakening, as that game features a cameo from one of the characters from The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls. I think both games also use the same engine (or shared development tools anyway). Both games feature a top down overworld along with several 2D platformer sections, with gameplay consisting of combat and puzzles for the player to solve.
The main thing that had put me off from playing this until now was how the game deals with combat. When you bump into an enemy you both disappear inside a cloud of dust while the game takes health off both the player and the opponent at regular intervals. There is no input from the player, so it's often easy to tell if you'll win or if you'll lose. On paper, this doesn't seem engaging, however in practice this is more of a progress check to ensure you have done and found everything you need to do before beating a boss and moving onto the next section of the game.
The reason this game is held is such high esteem is the story, the world design and just how charming the game is. It's also very funny and often breaks conventions in fun ways. It's world is small but dense, and while it's not a difficult game (nor a long one, it took me just under 7 hours to beat) you're always sent off to do something new with each new objective.
You're also able to transform into a frog and a snake, with each having their own pros and cons (the snake can fit in small gaps, but can't jump. The frog can jump higher and swim, but can't fight anything but bugs)
Overall this stands right up there in my view with the very best games on the Game Boy, highly recommended. (I've also expanded on this post in it's own LTTP thread)
I finally got around to beating DK94 earlier in the year and so have continued my quest of playing through classic Game Boy games I've not yet played by jumping into Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru, or to use it's translated name "The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls"
This game often gets mentioned as a footnote when discussing Link's Awakening, as that game features a cameo from one of the characters from The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls. I think both games also use the same engine (or shared development tools anyway). Both games feature a top down overworld along with several 2D platformer sections, with gameplay consisting of combat and puzzles for the player to solve.
The main thing that had put me off from playing this until now was how the game deals with combat. When you bump into an enemy you both disappear inside a cloud of dust while the game takes health off both the player and the opponent at regular intervals. There is no input from the player, so it's often easy to tell if you'll win or if you'll lose. On paper, this doesn't seem engaging, however in practice this is more of a progress check to ensure you have done and found everything you need to do before beating a boss and moving onto the next section of the game.
The reason this game is held is such high esteem is the story, the world design and just how charming the game is. It's also very funny and often breaks conventions in fun ways. It's world is small but dense, and while it's not a difficult game (nor a long one, it took me just under 7 hours to beat) you're always sent off to do something new with each new objective.
You're also able to transform into a frog and a snake, with each having their own pros and cons (the snake can fit in small gaps, but can't jump. The frog can jump higher and swim, but can't fight anything but bugs)
Overall this stands right up there in my view with the very best games on the Game Boy, highly recommended. (I've also expanded on this post in it's own LTTP thread)
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Probably the most fun game I've played in the last 27 years. Perhaps only Silksong and Metaphor can top it as my game of the year.
Persona 3 Reload. Slow start, very limited when it comes to gameplay, I got bored with the school setting, but overall it was a good game, good art style, soundtrack and the story gets interesting later.
Final Fantasy X. Best FF I've finished so far, much better than FFVII Remake for sure. I just think a remake could be a good idea to turn blitzball into an actually fun minigame. The idea is great. The linearity didn't bother me. I just didn't like some of the puzzles.
Final Fantasy XV. I hated it the first time I played it. It has its problems, but overall it was an enjoyable adventure with Noctis and his friends.
Persona 3 Reload. Slow start, very limited when it comes to gameplay, I got bored with the school setting, but overall it was a good game, good art style, soundtrack and the story gets interesting later.
Final Fantasy X. Best FF I've finished so far, much better than FFVII Remake for sure. I just think a remake could be a good idea to turn blitzball into an actually fun minigame. The idea is great. The linearity didn't bother me. I just didn't like some of the puzzles.
Final Fantasy XV. I hated it the first time I played it. It has its problems, but overall it was an enjoyable adventure with Noctis and his friends.
Prince of Persia Lost Crown: 8/10. Really enjoyed it even earning the platinum. I don't think it was as brilliant a Metroid-like as many reviews cited though. A very good one though. Lore and storytelling was not great(too much reliance on long-winded note pickups) and some secrets led to lame or useless collectibles.
Ghosts of Tsushima: 9/10. Really surprised me. I was worn down on open world games at its launch, but after the PC announcement I decided to give it a try to see how I felt as I had it on ps5 already from some sale. Ended up engaged enough to just plow through it and earn the plat also over a couple months. Gave me a similar vibe that AC used to way back in the Ezio era. Gorgeous open world without reliance on minimap(wind!!). Fun combat(a bit repetitive) but enjoyed the tools and ability progression as I became nigh unstoppable. Solid DLC too.
Tomb Raider Remaster(1 so far): 10/10. A bit biased as I adored the first game at launch in '96. Still holds up wonderfully and with the latest patch the collection is almost perfect. Looking forward to 2 and 3. I only finished 2 at launch and quit TR3 early as I hated its early levels. Fresh eyes will give it a new perspective.
Ghosts of Tsushima: 9/10. Really surprised me. I was worn down on open world games at its launch, but after the PC announcement I decided to give it a try to see how I felt as I had it on ps5 already from some sale. Ended up engaged enough to just plow through it and earn the plat also over a couple months. Gave me a similar vibe that AC used to way back in the Ezio era. Gorgeous open world without reliance on minimap(wind!!). Fun combat(a bit repetitive) but enjoyed the tools and ability progression as I became nigh unstoppable. Solid DLC too.
Tomb Raider Remaster(1 so far): 10/10. A bit biased as I adored the first game at launch in '96. Still holds up wonderfully and with the latest patch the collection is almost perfect. Looking forward to 2 and 3. I only finished 2 at launch and quit TR3 early as I hated its early levels. Fresh eyes will give it a new perspective.
I decided to tackle my backlog instead of buying new games altogether.
Here's my list of games I've completed this year:
- Half Life Episode 1 VR
- Half Life Epiaode 2 VR
- Half Life Alyx
- Prince of Persia: The lost crown
- Persona 3 Reload
- Chrono Trigger
Currently playing:
FF7 Rebirth
Dragon Quest V
Here's my list of games I've completed this year:
- Half Life Episode 1 VR
- Half Life Epiaode 2 VR
- Half Life Alyx
- Prince of Persia: The lost crown
- Persona 3 Reload
- Chrono Trigger
Currently playing:
FF7 Rebirth
Dragon Quest V
With not much coming out these coming months I decided to take a step back with new stuff and deep dive in to Final Fantasy 7 with starting overr in FF7 remake after bouncing off it on the PS4 and recently finished that and right after finished the original FF7 and currently started Crisis Core Reunion.
I also beat Hades not that long ago.
I also beat Hades not that long ago.
The games I've beaten in 2024 so far are:
Dave the Diver
Need for Speed Heat
Chillquarium
Minishoot' Adventures
Dave the Diver
Need for Speed Heat
Chillquarium
Minishoot' Adventures
Sin and Punishment
First thing I wanna say is this game looks beautiful on a CRT. It's got to be one of the best looking N64 games too, and it actually manages to maintain a pretty solid framerate
The controls are weird though. I only managed to get the grips with control type 3, which uses the classic controller shoulder buttons to move left and right, with the stick left for aiming.
So this is a rail shooter where your character is always moving forward, so one part of the game is moving your character left and right to dodge projectiles, get behind cover, or move to platforms so you don't fall, all while jumping over stuff that comes into your path, while the second part is using the control stick to aim and shoot the ever loving shit out of thousands of enemies.
It does at times feel like you're playing two games at once, it's not always easy to dodge roll, side step and jump over stuff all while aiming at a bosses weak points, but it does get easier the more you stick with it. I'm sure the game would map to a modern controller in a much more intuitive way anyway.
You can also hit projects back, which causes them to fly down where your sights are aiming, and this is essential to beating some boss encounters.
It's a really short game, it took me under 2 hours to clear one run, and that's with multiple deaths and retries, but each stage is unique and there are a ton of fun bosses to fight. A few of the levels are really visual spectaculars as well. The story is almost impossible to parse from playing the game, I got to the end and watched the final scene still utterly baffled at what was going on. I know people don't play these games for the story, but it's worth pointing out anyway. That said, I loved the style and direction of the cut scenes, they all look fantastic.
First thing I wanna say is this game looks beautiful on a CRT. It's got to be one of the best looking N64 games too, and it actually manages to maintain a pretty solid framerate
The controls are weird though. I only managed to get the grips with control type 3, which uses the classic controller shoulder buttons to move left and right, with the stick left for aiming.
So this is a rail shooter where your character is always moving forward, so one part of the game is moving your character left and right to dodge projectiles, get behind cover, or move to platforms so you don't fall, all while jumping over stuff that comes into your path, while the second part is using the control stick to aim and shoot the ever loving shit out of thousands of enemies.
It does at times feel like you're playing two games at once, it's not always easy to dodge roll, side step and jump over stuff all while aiming at a bosses weak points, but it does get easier the more you stick with it. I'm sure the game would map to a modern controller in a much more intuitive way anyway.
You can also hit projects back, which causes them to fly down where your sights are aiming, and this is essential to beating some boss encounters.
It's a really short game, it took me under 2 hours to clear one run, and that's with multiple deaths and retries, but each stage is unique and there are a ton of fun bosses to fight. A few of the levels are really visual spectaculars as well. The story is almost impossible to parse from playing the game, I got to the end and watched the final scene still utterly baffled at what was going on. I know people don't play these games for the story, but it's worth pointing out anyway. That said, I loved the style and direction of the cut scenes, they all look fantastic.
I've been streaming a lot more playing older games, I find it helps me stay focused and stick through a game, rather than pick up/put down with interruptions and pauses. YMMV of course I know this doesn't apply to everyone. It also lets me talk out loud and explain my thoughts while playing :p
All I've finished in 2024 so far
----
Gamecube:
Freedom Fighters
Xbox:
Splinter Cell (via BC)
Splinter Cell - Pandora Tomorrow (via BC)
Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory (via BC)
Blinx The Timesweeper (via BC)
Xbox One:
Hotel Translyvania 3: Monsters Overboard
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Remnant 2
Alone in the Dark
Dead Island 2
PS1:
Dr. Slump (translation)
Iblard: Laputa no Kaeru Machi (translation)
PS2:
Wild ARMs 3 (via PS5)
PS3:
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
Sly 4: Thieves in Time
Puppeteer
Tokyo Jungle
Siren: Blood Curse
PS5:
Silent Hill: The Short Message
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Nintendo DS:
Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled
PC:
My Friendly Neighborhood
Ad Infinitum
Bendy and the Ink Machine
Bendy and the Dark Revival
All I've finished in 2024 so far
----
Gamecube:
Freedom Fighters
Xbox:
Splinter Cell (via BC)
Splinter Cell - Pandora Tomorrow (via BC)
Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory (via BC)
Blinx The Timesweeper (via BC)
Xbox One:
Hotel Translyvania 3: Monsters Overboard
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Remnant 2
Alone in the Dark
Dead Island 2
PS1:
Dr. Slump (translation)
Iblard: Laputa no Kaeru Machi (translation)
PS2:
Wild ARMs 3 (via PS5)
PS3:
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
Sly 4: Thieves in Time
Puppeteer
Tokyo Jungle
Siren: Blood Curse
PS5:
Silent Hill: The Short Message
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Nintendo DS:
Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled
PC:
My Friendly Neighborhood
Ad Infinitum
Bendy and the Ink Machine
Bendy and the Dark Revival
Does NFS Heat have difficult cops like NFS Unbound does? I am curious if I should download and play through it.
Yes, and I thought it was too much, but after I watched some tip videos on YouTube it was pretty easy to lose them. They are very dumb.
I have beaten thus far:
Minishoot Adventures
Crop Rotation
Q.U.Q
Otxo
Buckshot Roulette
Halls of Torment (kind of, it is still in early access and being updated)
Home Safety Hotline
Decent so far!
Minishoot Adventures
Crop Rotation
Q.U.Q
Otxo
Buckshot Roulette
Halls of Torment (kind of, it is still in early access and being updated)
Home Safety Hotline
Decent so far!
2024's already been a great gaming year for me.
Dragon's Dogma II
Final Fantasy XII
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Star Ocean: Second Story R
Thirsty Suitors
It's going to be very hard for a game to beat Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth as my GOTY 2024. It was an absolute joy to play – I miss having Ichiban and the gang in my life on the daily.
Dragon's Dogma II was a bit of an exercise in endurance due to playing it on Series X, but I found a lot to love by the time I was done.
Final Fantasy XII is maybe my favourite Final Fantasy.
Thirsty Suitors comes highly recommended, especially if you have Game Pass. A total breath of fresh air in terms of the themes and ideas explored.
Working my way through Persona 3: Reload at the moment. Will have to play something that isn't JRPG or JRPG-adjacent next!
This is also my first ResetEra post. Hello! Hope you have wonderful gaming years ahead of you, too.
Dragon's Dogma II
Final Fantasy XII
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Star Ocean: Second Story R
Thirsty Suitors
It's going to be very hard for a game to beat Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth as my GOTY 2024. It was an absolute joy to play – I miss having Ichiban and the gang in my life on the daily.
Dragon's Dogma II was a bit of an exercise in endurance due to playing it on Series X, but I found a lot to love by the time I was done.
Final Fantasy XII is maybe my favourite Final Fantasy.
Thirsty Suitors comes highly recommended, especially if you have Game Pass. A total breath of fresh air in terms of the themes and ideas explored.
Working my way through Persona 3: Reload at the moment. Will have to play something that isn't JRPG or JRPG-adjacent next!
This is also my first ResetEra post. Hello! Hope you have wonderful gaming years ahead of you, too.
Diablo IV
I'd not played a Diablo game before, though I do remember watching my parents play the first game back in the late 90s. I played IV co-op with my partner (she played a rogue, I played a barbarian) and we only did the campaign.
Personally I'm mostly interested in story content, and less interested in games you can play forever for hundreds of hours, so I was only ever interested in the story content.
I actually had a really good time with the game. The cinematics were great, the story was compelling and the moment to moment gameplay was extremely satisfying. I imagine it would less less fun if played solo, but as a co-op game it was a really fun time.
I'd not played a Diablo game before, though I do remember watching my parents play the first game back in the late 90s. I played IV co-op with my partner (she played a rogue, I played a barbarian) and we only did the campaign.
Personally I'm mostly interested in story content, and less interested in games you can play forever for hundreds of hours, so I was only ever interested in the story content.
I actually had a really good time with the game. The cinematics were great, the story was compelling and the moment to moment gameplay was extremely satisfying. I imagine it would less less fun if played solo, but as a co-op game it was a really fun time.
so far this year:
1) spider-man 2
2) stray gods
3) like a dragon: infinite wealth
4) persona 3 reload
5) the spirit and the mouse
6) forspoken
7) open roads
8) lil gator game
i finished 27 games last year, but that's mostly because i went through a period of unemployment where i didn't have much to do besides job hunt and work on my backlog. i think most games i finish from this point forward will probably just be smaller indie titles, since i already got two big jrpgs out of the way.
1) spider-man 2
2) stray gods
3) like a dragon: infinite wealth
4) persona 3 reload
5) the spirit and the mouse
6) forspoken
7) open roads
8) lil gator game
i finished 27 games last year, but that's mostly because i went through a period of unemployment where i didn't have much to do besides job hunt and work on my backlog. i think most games i finish from this point forward will probably just be smaller indie titles, since i already got two big jrpgs out of the way.
1. Yakuza 3
2. Persona 5 Royal
3. Persona 4 Golden
And I am currently working on Trails in the Sky FC. Hoping to finish the Sky trilogy as well as Yakuza 4, 5 and 6 this year so I can pick up more games in those series come the holiday sales, alongside Persona 3 Reload.
2. Persona 5 Royal
3. Persona 4 Golden
And I am currently working on Trails in the Sky FC. Hoping to finish the Sky trilogy as well as Yakuza 4, 5 and 6 this year so I can pick up more games in those series come the holiday sales, alongside Persona 3 Reload.