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[Wozzer]

And we're onto the list!

And yes, I enjoyed and played that ascii game a lot more than I anticipated lol

 

[IKSTUGA]

2. Transformers: Devastation, 9/10
I got the game like a thousand years ago off of PS+, just beat it for the first time. My my, what a game. Loved the combat, music and nods to the old series. I still remember the cartoons and toys from my childhood, so playing this was one helluva nostalgia trip as well. Also, Vince motherfucking DiCola. This song man...

It was a very "productive" weekend.

3. Horizon Zero Dawn, 8.5/10
Looks great, plays great. Gameplay wise it's a pretty generic AAA title and I'm not too fond of the setting, those are two negatives I can think of. Indian larping is kinda lame.

4. Resident Evil 2 Remake, 9.5/10
Last year I only gave this a 9/10, but now I must bump it up a bit, it's just too much fun to play. Did Claire A and Leon B this time. By far my favorite Resident Evil game and I can't wait to get my hands on 3R.

5. Mega Man X4, 9/10
Wow, what a game. I love the inclusion of Zero, such a fun character to use. OST has always been one of my favorites in the franchise, those synths .

6. King of Fighters XIV, 8/10
Welp, it's KoF. Visuals aren't too impressive, but I do like the gameplay. Beat the story mode, tutorials etc. Probably won't continue playing it too much, because there are so many better fighters out there.

 

[The Scrivener]

2/52 The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

No spoilers.

Polish developers, The Astronauts, place players straight into the unknown on a mission to find Ethan Carter, in this bizarre fictional ride through the microcosm of an occult ghost town. It has strong elements of psychological horror, from the beginning to the end, but even if you’re on this ride because you thought you bought a ticket for a cozy walking sim, be prepared to be gripped, amazed, and saddened by setting off into the woods of Red Creek Valley. Like most walking sims, the story only comes together at the very end, but the journey was perfectly paced, despite the game warning you upon loading that it will not hold your hand. Voice acting was superb, puzzle design was perfect for the genre, and I gave the game a 5/5. For a game to get this score, it would mean I’d want to happily play it again, and knowing all about Ethan, I’d still be happy to go on this ride again.

Similar to Alan Wake, Mudered: Soul Suspect, Gone Home.

 

[KormaChameleon]

Ok, let's clear the Xbox One backlog.

Game 1:
South Park: The Fractured But Whole (hue) - I got this game like 2 years ago, still sealed. NEVER played it. Love the show and really enjoyed The Stick of Truth.

 

[Jack Videogames]

22h-ish. Roche's Path, easy mode, did as many quests as I found.

I broke this review and I'm not about to rewrite it all

Basic points, game good, story very good, lots of QoL improvements over Witcher 1. Lots of bugs and eurojank and npcs getting stuck in hilarious ways. Difficulty can be unforgiving and you can get stuck even in easy, particularly in the early game. Will play Witcher 3 soon. Eightouttaten.

My Score: ★★★★☆

Original post

 

[jshackles]

Game 1 - Bloons TD6 - PC Steam - Completed Jan 24th, 2020
I've played this game before on my phone and I liked it well enough. Sometimes I just want to play a game that's simple enough that my PC can absolutely crush it and give me 300+ FPS and I figured this was that game. After about 10 hours though, it became readily apparent that this PC port was made with the intention of extracting micro-transaction payments from it's players rather than just trying to be fun. 1/5

 

[wyvern_bloodfist]

Game 1. Dead or Alive Xtreme 3: Scarlet
21 hrs. 32 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 2.Onimusha HD Remaster
5 hrs. 32 mins. 24 out of 25

Game 3. Ai: the Somnium Files
12 hrs. 42 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 4. Death's Gambit
22 hrs. 46 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 5. Urban Reign
2 hrs. 58 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 6. THE bouncer
1 hrs. 58 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 7. Street Fighter Alpha
2 hrs. 2 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 8. Street Fighter Alpha 2
1 hrs. 35 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 9. Street Fighter Alpha 2Gold
1 hrs. 35 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 10. Street Fighter Alpha 3
2 hrs. 15 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 11. Tekken 3
1 hrs. 15 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 12. Tekken 5
3 hrs. 25 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 13. Street Fighter 2 Anniversary
4 hrs. 49 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 14. Rumble Roses
2 hrs. 45 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 15.Onimusha 鬼武者
4hrs. 50 mins. 24 out of 25

Game 16.Onimusha 2 鬼武者2
12hrs. 22 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 17.TMNT The ArCade Game
1hrs. 05 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 18.Onimusha 3 鬼武者3
17hrs. 06 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 19.Close to the Sun
3hrs. 15 mins. 24 out of 25

Game 20.新 鬼武者 DAWN OF DREAMS
26hrs. 26 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 21.零～zero～
6hrs. 37 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 22.Knights of the Temple Infernal Crusade
4hrs. 32 mins. 24 out of 25

Game 23.Knights of the Temple 2
6hrs. 22 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 24零～红蝶～
7hrs. 25 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 25零～眞紅の蝶～
9hrs. 01 mins. 24 out of 25

Game 26Bloody Roar 3
1hrs. 01 mins. 16 out of 25

Game 26. Bloody Roar 3
1hrs. 01 mins. 16 out of 25

Game 27. 零～刺青の聲～
18hrs. 21 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 28. サムライウエスタン 活劇侍道
4hrs. 03 mins. 23 out of 25

Game 29. Resident Evil 3 Remake
5hrs. 14 mins. 24 out of 25

Game 30. Nioh 2
221hrs. 11 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 31. Zombie Army Trilogy
16hrs. 47 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 32. Final Fantasy VII Remake
28hrs. 47 mins. 20 out of 25

Game 33. ANIMUS:HARBINGER
25hrs. 39 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 34. Trials of Mana
25hrs. 11mins. 20 out of 25

Game 35. Oninaki
35hrs. 12mins. 22 out of 25

Game 36. Dark Devotion
38hrs. 27mins. 16 out of 25

Game 37. Dead Cells
6 hrs. 52mins. 20 out of 25

Game 38. Final Fight
2 hrs. 50mins. 24 out of 25

Game 39. Final Fight 2
1 hrs. 35mins. 18 out of 25

Game 40. Final Fight 3
0 hrs. 45mins. 22 out of 25

Game 41. King of Monsters 2
3 hrs. 05mins. 16 out of 25

Game 42. Alien Vs. Predator
2 hrs. 10mins. 24 out of 25

Game 43. Tmnt Turtles in Time
1 hrs. 23mins. 24 out of 25

Game 44. Knights of the round
3 hrs. 08mins. 25 out of 25

Game 45. King of Dragons
3 hrs. 50mins. 24 out of 25

Game 46. 零～月蚀的假面～
8 hrs. 47mins. 25 out of 25

Game 47.Brawl Brothers
3 hrs. 45mins. 20 out of 25

Game 48.Super Double Dragon
3 hrs. 00mins. 16 out of 25

Game 49.undercover Cops
0 hrs. 45mins. 16 out of 25

Game 50.Armored Warriors
2 hrs. 33mns. 20 out of 25

Game 51.Captain Commando
2 hrs. 22min. 16 out of 25

Game 52.戦国伝承
2 hrs. 37min. 16 out of 25

Game 53.Run Saber
1 hrs. 10min. 20 out of 25

Game 54.零 ～濡鴉ノ巫女～
19 hrs. 27min. 24 out of 25

Game 55.Dark Souls Remastered
64 hrs. 27mins. 18 out of 25

 

[Faust]

Spoiler: 2020 Completion List

1. Concrete Genie (PS4) | 2nd Jan - 8-ish hrs | 3/5
2. Final Fantasy IV (DS) | 24th Jan - 25-ish hrs | 3/5
3. Rayman 2 Revolution (PS2) | 25th Jan - 11.2 hrs | 3/5

An expanded 3D remake of the original Final Fantasy IV which debuted on the SNES and Super Famicom. The remake follows the same story of the Dark Knight Cecil and his journey for personal redemption after a horrific incident involving the small summoner town of Mist. The remake expands upon previous scenes, adds the ability to see the inner thoughts of all playable characters through the pause screen, increases the difficulty above even the original JPN version, and adds numerous other features such as new side quests, augments, and more.

There is much that I love about this remake and a few things that I don't. The increase difficulty makes each fight more intense, however that difficulty is artificially inflated if you do not access specific augments that the game does not tell you. Important abilities such as Dualcasting and Omnicasting can be missed which could require you to grind even more to compensate. This alone kills a lot of the fun this remake has for me and basically requires the player to use a guide to get the most out of the game.

For veterans, I would definitely suggest trying out the game if only for the expanded story. For new players, I would skip this and suggest the PSP version instead.

Our titular hero must defeat Admiral Razorbeard, leader of the robo-pirates, after escaping from his prison ship. By finding the lums and freeing the familiar spirits trapped in cages, you gain extra powers and strength to continue your fight. Multiple levels of platforming challenges and combat await you in this remake of the original Rayman 2: The Great Escape.

This version introduces a more open level select hub as well as the traditional quick select via Teensie Circles once you beat a level the first time. A number of levels will require you to return later once you unlock a new move to obtain any remaining collectibles. Lums can be used to purchase new abilities and upgrades for Rayman such as rapid fire, rebound, and the ability to run while carrying objects. Later on, you can also purchase one of three multiplayer minigames (which I didn't play). The "familiar spirits" are found in cages. By finding a set number of them, you can visit the fairy, Ly, and play one of 8 challenges provided. These challenges can range from spinning on a line to collect red lums and avoid hazards to a Gradius-style SHMUP. By finishing these challenges, Rayman is awarded increased health.

Overall, I found the game to be rather fun. I ran into a few graphical hiccups and frame drops, but they didn't quite bother me that much. What did bother me was the sliding and vehicle sections, given the trial-and-error needed to obtain all the collectibles unless you know where they are in advance.

 

[Jack Videogames]

10h-ish. Ranger Ending (I was not aware of the morality system until it was too late) Spartan Ranger difficulty.

If I was to describe this game on a phrase, it can be "surprisingly Russian". During most of the plot, it's a mix of an atmospheric walking simulator, a survival horror game, and a shooter. The game is sometimes scary, always foreboding and very depressing, but it has a glint of drunken hope shining through the dark, with a coat of dark humor very present (particularly on the conversations with the more soldiery types). I would say that it's the Slav answer to Half Life 2.

At the end of the game, at least in Spartan mode, it becomes a more standard shooter with a hint of something big going on, that will surely be developed in the next two games in the series. All in all, a very enjoyable and very different game - not the shooter I expected but the shooter I needed maybe?

My Score: ★★★★☆

Original post

 

[jshackles]

Game 2 - Gal*Gun: Double Peace - PlayStation Vita - Completed Jan 26th, 2020
I'd heard both good and bad things about this game, and all of it seemed pretty controversial. So I decided to see what all the fuss was about. So imagine, if you will, someone created an on-rails shooter where the main character basically has the gun from Orgazmo - and now you know the plot essentials. Basically, you run around your school giving as many girls orgasms as possible. In the game it's called euphoria but any sane and rational person would know what's really going on. The game's subtitle, Double Peace, is a reference to when you successfully activate Doki-Doki mode and give the girl a kind of super-orgasm which causes them to throw up two peace signs with both their hands and get covered flowers. Which then activates a sort of bomb that causes every other girl on the screen to orgasm at once. Yes this game is weird and I doubt I'm even doing it justice. I'm glad I got to experience this so that I at least know what other people are talking about now when they reference this game.

 

[IKSTUGA]

It was a very "productive" weekend.

3. Horizon Zero Dawn, 8.5/10
Looks great, plays great. Gameplay wise it's a pretty generic AAA title and I'm not too fond of the setting, those are two negatives I can think of. Indian larping is kinda lame.

4. Resident Evil 2 Remake, 9.5/10
Last year I only gave this a 9/10, but now I must bump it up a bit, it's just too much fun to play. Did Claire A and Leon B this time. By far my favorite Resident Evil game and I can't wait to get my hands on 3R.

5. Mega Man X4, 9/10
Wow, what a game. I love the inclusion of Zero, such a fun character to use. OST has always been one of my favorites in the franchise, those synths .

6. King of Fighters XIV, 8/10
Welp, it's KoF. Visuals aren't too impressive, but I do like the gameplay. Beat the story mode, tutorials etc. Probably won't continue playing it too much, because there are so many better fighters out there.

7. Final Fantasy XV, 8/10
Really enjoyed the story, the music and the visuals, but the combat frustrated me to no end. It's just a total clusterfuck with unresponsive controls and weird camera angles. The open world also felt so empty and boring. So much wasted potential...

Beat these next two games from the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Collection with a couple of friends:

8. The King of Dragons, 8/10
Really simplistic, but enjoyable.

9. Captain Commando, 9/10
This one was great! There are so many cool combat options in the game (skills, weapons and mechs). I really enjoyed the humor and the character designs as well, it has the 90's written all over it.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

7. Final Fantasy XV, 8/10
Really enjoyed the story, the music and the visuals, but the combat frustrated me to no end. It's just a total clusterfuck with unresponsive controls and weird camera angles. The open world also felt so empty and boring. So much wasted potential...

Beat these next two games from the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Collection with a couple of friends:

8. The King of Dragons, 8/10
Really simplistic, but enjoyable.

9. Captain Commando, 9/10
This one was great! There are so many cool combat options in the game (skills, weapons and mechs). I really enjoyed the humor and the character designs as well, it has the 90's written all over it.

Playin beat em ups with buddies is the way to do it.

 

[Jack Videogames]

14:58h. Rank B Ending, +-69,500 coins (I later read I was like 500 coins away from the best ending ). Around 80% of all gems

Luigi's Mansion 3 is the maximum expression of Luigi's Mansion. Takes the best things from the original (Streamlined gameplay, freedom to explore, less railroading) and the sequel (More verticality, varied locales, less repetitive gameplay) and mixes it up in a game that does a lot and does it well. The beautiful graphics (Some of the lightning is stunning for a Switch) and the as-usual catchy music helps quite a bit too.

While you can easily breeze through the game, as most stages aren't really that long (some of the floors are basically boss-levels) Luigi's Mansion 3 rewards exploration and thinking out of the box, and it is so satisfactory when you try to do something with the furniture and not only works, but you're also rewarded for it. And basically everything will work, and that's basically the best thing you can ask from a game like this.

The only thing preventing a perfect score are, for me, the controls. The tank-ish way Luigi controls and the way the game wants you to rely on the gyroscope (to the point that disabling it does more harm than good) and the fact that in some fights you are forced to make very precise shots can be infuriating. The game is not difficult by any means, but this sort of "fake difficulty" will have you gnawing at the controller sometimes (I'm looking at you, King Boo)

Even with that, Luigi's Mansion 3 is easily one of the biggest sleeper hits of 2019, and given the progression this series had, I'm salivating at what Nintendo can achieve with a Luigi's mansion 4.

My Score: ★★★★☆

Original post

 

[The Scrivener]

3/52 Tomb Raider - Definitive Edition

No spoilers.

Lara Croft’s origin story is filled with mystery and is a satisfying action game. The gameplay is divided into a main battle scene for each main area on the lost island of Yamatai, and also exploring hidden tombs for skill points to upgrade Lara’s survival abilities. The story, overlapping many different historical periods onto the main story of the game’s legendary Queen Himiko, is developed through collectible diaries and relics, leading the player to question until the very end if it really is a story of magic and divine beings or science-fiction and cults. The first game in the trilogy suffers mostly in its fighting scenes, as out of the four available weapons, the rapid-fire rifle with its alt-fire grenade gets the player though most dangers. Playing with the bow and Lara’s iconic pistol feels more fun, and the finishing move for the bow is particularly awesome. I'm quite interested in fast-travelling around the island post-game, to see how the adventuring skills hold up in order to find all the tombs and collectibles. This is the first ever Tomb Raider game I’ve played, and I hope that with the reboot sequels there is better support of exploration and adventure, but in this first entry, subtitled “a survivor is born”, the game shares Lara Croft's exciting journey with the player quite spectacularly, therefore I give it a 4/5.

 

[marcincz]

First update:

Game 1 - Erica (PS4) - 01h 52m
Beat 03/01/2020 - my score: ★★★☆☆

Game 2 - Final Fantasy XV (PS4) - 37h 47m
Beat 26/01/2020 - my score: ★★★★☆

Game 3 - Final Fantasy XV - Episode Gladiolus (PS4) - 01h 24m
Beat 27/01/2020 - my score: ★★☆☆☆

Game 4 - Final Fantasy XV - Epidode Ignis (PS4) - 01h 22m
Beat 29/01/2020 - my score: ★★★☆☆

Game 5 - Final Fantasy XV - Episode Prompto (PS4) - 02h 05m
Beat 01/02/2020 - my score: ★★★★☆

 

[jshackles]

Game 3 - Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon - PlayStation Vita - Completed Feb 2nd, 2020
I had played this lovely Castlevania 3 NES throwback title back when it first released, but I wanted to play it again after playing through last year's Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and loving it to pieces. Now that I had a better understanding of the characters and their motivations, I found this game to be a lot more fun. I also originally played it on the big screen, on Xbox, and now playing it on the Vita I feel like it's the perfect handheld game. I also found this run through the game much easier than my last attempt unless it's just been a few years and my memory is fuzzy, I seemed to have a lot of trouble with the final boss last time. This time, I aced it on the first go. Despite being a kickstarter tier unlock reward, this game is surprisingly awesome and a great nostalgia trip!

 

[Jack Videogames]

11h-ish. Redemption Ending. Spartan Normal difficulty.

After playing Last Light my first thought was "man, this game was so sad". Being more story-driven than Metro 2033, I expected LL to try and strum some emotional strings, but I haven't felt this level of hopelessness since The Last of Us. From Pavel's betrayal to the quarantine in Oktyabraskaya, and the thoughts of the Little Dark One on the humans' situation, it really feels like a fleshed-out, well-thought setting.

Gameplay-wise, Last Light seems to be easier than 2033 - mostly because stealth is more viable. As I now was aware of the moral point system, I took my time exploring and stealthing away from the enemies and I realized that the suffocating locales of the Metro are actually brimming with detail. If bet that if you skip all those little detours, the world of Metro seems much more drab and stereotypical than it actually is. Of course, if you prefer to go gung-ho, it's still viable, but keep in mind that crossfire kills you in a matter of settings so the gunplay is actually closer to a cover shooter than a fps.

All in all, a very worthy, improved sequel. I've heard mixed thoughts of Metro Exodus so I'm going to give it a rest for now so I can take the game with a clear mind.

My Score: ★★★★★

Original post

 

[Psychotic_Mantis]

Main Post

4. Moss (PSVR) - 9/10

Getting back into the VR game this year. Absolutely loved my time with this game. Playing this in VR was a blast and I found myself constantly looking around the tiny world, sometimes in awe. Many complain about the length, but I felt it was fine. The game did just kind of end though which was frustrating. I am eagerly awaiting a Chapter 2 for this game.

5. Half-Life: Blue Shift (PC) - 8/10

Final part of the original Half-Life. This was similar to Opposing Force where I enjoyed it and the callbacks to the original but it was still missing something. I felt this one was pretty easy. I think I beat it in around 2 hours having never played it before. All said, it was fun and is worth a play if you are a HL fan.

6. Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) - 8/10

Between a 7 and 8 on this one. There were times I found it incredibly bland and other times I was having such a blast with it. Leaning towards 8 at this time due to the Mario charm that never seems to wear off of me.

7. Batman: Arkham VR (PSVR) - 8/10

Originally beat this when I first got the PSVR and found it alright. I decided to go through it again and get all of the trophies. It actually opened up my appreciation of it more. I felt like I was detective batman trying to find all the riddler clues and other odds and ends. Great little VR experience.

8. Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order (PS4) - 8/10

I was all over the place with this game. I started going in thinking this would be a top tier for me. As I continued I found the gameplay super janky and the map completely abysmal. I didn't get the love for the main character and honestly felt like I just wanted to end it. About half way through it started to click and instead of treating it like a wannabe Dark Souls I took it more as an Uncharted/Tomb Raider game. It works but I think it needed more time in the over. The fighting mechanics were a mess and I never felt like I was really in complete control like in other actiony games. Also -

Spoiler: Ending stuff

did the ending basically make half the game pointless?

9. Super Mario Bros. Lost Levels (Switch) - 7/10

Never played the original and haven't dabbled with my Switch online stuff yet so figured I would give this a go. I didn't find it as hard as more people claimed but I did find the last 2-3 worlds to be designed to f with the player. I used save states throughout for saving progress and didn't end up using the rewind feature until close to the end. Maybe nostalgia but Mario Bros. 2 (US) is the true follow-up to me. this felt more like a hardcore DLC package.

 

[IKSTUGA]

7. Final Fantasy XV, 8/10
Really enjoyed the story, the music and the visuals, but the combat frustrated me to no end. It's just a total clusterfuck with unresponsive controls and weird camera angles. The open world also felt so empty and boring. So much wasted potential...

Beat these next two games from the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Collection with a couple of friends:

8. The King of Dragons, 8/10
Really simplistic, but enjoyable.

9. Captain Commando, 9/10
This one was great! There are so many cool combat options in the game (skills, weapons and mechs). I really enjoyed the humor and the character designs as well, it has the 90's written all over it.

10. Ys Origin, 8.5/10
I've always heard good things about this series, so I finally gave it a shot, wasn't disappointed. It's really simple, but so much fun. I'm almost done with the last character. Can't wait to hop into Ys VIII at some point!

11. Gears of War Judgement, 8/10
So last weekend me and my friend decided to continue our Gears series playthrough in the form of Judgement and man something about this game still bugs me. I dunno if it's the tone, level design or the scoring system, but Judgement is just not as fun to play as the other ones.

 

[jshackles]

10. Ys Origin, 8.5/10
I've always heard good things about this series, so I finally gave it a shot, wasn't disappointed. It's really simple, but so much fun. I'm almost done with the last character. Can't wait to hop into Ys VIII at some point!

So was this your first Ys game? The others are pretty different from this one, although mechanically The Oath in Felghana and The Ark of Napishtim use the same engine. Ys Origin is the only game in the series that doesn't have the same protagonist and main characters as the rest of them.

 

[Jooxed]

First update in attempts to clear my Switch backlog

January 2nd - Astral Chain ...loved this game..started to get a little repetitive towards the end but really enjoyed my time with it.

January 14th - Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate : After spending about 15 hours or so with the game I can saty its not for me. Maybe I just do not like the game play formula.

February 1st Hollow Knight - GOAT, love the art..loved everything about this game.

February 2nd - Hellblade - Fun experience I enjoyed it enough that I played it pretty much start to finish in a day. The switch port was really good.

I will try and keep my list updated as I complete them instead of sporadically.

 

[IKSTUGA]

So was this your first Ys game? The others are pretty different from this one, although mechanically The Oath in Felghana and The Ark of Napishtim use the same engine. Ys Origin is the only game in the series that doesn't have the same protagonist and main characters as the rest of them.

Yeah it was my first, thanks for the info! I'm probably jumping into number 8 next, I guess it's the only other Ys game available on the PS4.

EDIT: Finally finished Bloodborne and its DLC.

12. Bloodborne: The Old Hunters, 9.5/10
Great addition to the main game. Cool bosses and areas. Orphan can go fuck himself, hardest boss in the game by far.

13. Bloodborne, 10/10
Finished it for the first time and I must admit, it's an all-time classic. I just love how the game plays and feels. Definitely one of the most intense and rewarding gaming experiences I've ever had.

14. Dragonball FighterZ, 9.5/10
I beat the story mode again, just for fun (yes, the story is still crap, thank god you can skip cutscenes). For a longtime DB fan, this game is just perfect. It's simple, smooth and fun, one of the best looking games I've ever played as well.

 

[Jack Videogames]

17:49h. 79.1% completion. Full Golden armor, only weapon upgraded.

Really liked this one and it's also a perfect fit for the Switch. A mix between a classic 2D platformer and a modern Metroidvania, Monster Boy starts slow and easy, perhaps a bit too retro for its own good - but the difficulty ramps up once you unlock the Frog form, coming to a climax on the Volcano level, which can be grueling at times. If I were to find fault at the game is that it's sometimes too clever by half, and some of the secrets are a bit counter-intuitive (Invisible doors or false walls are cheating if you aren't given a clue and they're not used anywhere else, boys).

Also, the game sort of overstays its welcome for a bit - when I got to the Haunted Manor I sort of wanted it to end, but I was still like 2-3 hours away. But that might be a matter of personal choice, and it's really not that big a problem when the content is so good.

My Score: ★★★★★

Original post

 

[jshackles]

Game 4 - Star Ocean: First Departure R - Nintendo Switch - Completed Feb 7th, 2020
I liked this game quite a bit but felt it was a bit of a letdown considering all the hype it had and how many people love the SNES original and PSP remake. The portraits were a thousand percent better in this release, and the voice acting was very nice as well. The story was interesting (until the end) and progressed nicely, but I definitely feel like I missed out on a TON of stuff. I guess that's the point? I took a detour in the middle of the game to cheese all of my main characters up to level 100, so that was fun I suppose. The skill system in this game is absolutely broken but it was a lot of fun to exploit. Overall I'd say this was a fun adventure but largely forgettable.

 

[jshackles]

Game 5 - Sayonara Wild Hearts - Nintendo Switch - Completed Feb 9th, 2020
This game was absolutely brilliant on a few different levels. It worked well as a disjointed story of heartbreak and recovery (artistic, basically) but also worked well in that it was an arcade racer / shooter / score attack / collection of mini-games that were all surprisingly varied and a lot of fun. The overall mechanics of the game, as they were slowly introduced, were surprisingly consistent between levels which is saying a lot considering the game seems to seamlessly flip genres. The music in this game was really incredible and seemed perfectly timed for the action - very well done and a unique experience to be sure. I wish the game were a bit longer (it only took me just shy of two hours to complete) but other than that this was a great experience. However, I can't help but wonder how much of my $13 purchase went to paying Queen Latifah.

Game 6 - Home - PlayStation Vita - Completed Feb 9th, 2020
I've had this (short) game in my back log for a while now and decided it'd be a good time to tackle it. I remember it being pretty well received here a few years back when it released, but other than that I went into the experience blind. The game is like an old-school point and click adventure game, but it's also a side-scrolling horror title. The interesting thing was that the game seemed to react to just about every action / inaction that I took, which made the game's mystery pretty compelling overall. While on the surface it looked pretty simple, the game had a surprising depth to it and some interesting twists. I'd recommend it as a quick and short, but fun, experience.

 

[Jack Videogames]

11:25h. Good Ending (Chicken Key completed)

Guacamelee 2 is one of a kind, really. It doesn't rely as much on memes as its predecessor, instead going for shout-outs and self-referential humour. While the plot is as silly as it can be and not even the NPCs manage to take it seriously, it's mainly an excuse to put you through several stages full of tight mexican platforming.

The gameplay is smooth as ever, though the limited amount of moves makes it a bit repetitive after a while. Also, the difficulty is all over the place - most of the game is smooth sailing, but then you get the Chicken Keys, the bonus Pollo dungeon and some bits at the Templo de la Serpiente, which are absolute controller-throwers.

Real good game if you want something light to "palate cleanse" though.

My Score: ★★★★☆

Original post

 

[Jack Videogames]

3h-ish?

Hm. I know SUPERHOT has a lot of fans, but I can't say I'm one. The shooter itself is impeccable and even though the gameplay is completely different, it reminds me somewhat of the "GO" mobile series (Lara Croft, Deus EX, etc.). I had a blast with some of the stages, particularly the endgame.

But the story around that gameplay is... not so hot. Too artsy for its own good, between level and level you're forced to watch some ominous IRC chat prompts and pixellized DOS screens that aren't great at keeping your interest alive. If the game was longer and the story was better integrated with the gameplay...

This said, SUPERHOT is likely the most innovative shooter I've played in years. Wish it had some more meat around that bone though.

My Score: ★★★☆☆

Original post

 

[jshackles]

Game 7 - Final Fantasy XI - PC - Completed Feb 11th, 2020
After 83 hours, my son and I finally finished the main campaign of Final Fantasy XI. We didn't do much of the DLC / expansion content although I did unlock a few of the expansion classes. I ended up with a level 66 Paladin / 33 Dancer, which was a great combo and a lot of fun. The game's super archaic PS2 era graphics and systems took a bit to get over at first but once we did it was pretty smooth sailing as the gameplay itself is punishing but shines. We mostly followed quest guides on the online wikis because everything about the progression in this game is more convoluted than Castlevania 2. We also found a vintage paperback guide from 2003 that was a fun read. Overall, this was an amazing experience to share a bit of gaming history with my son and for us to strategize about our party builds while doing dishes or he would text me about it while I was at work. That alone made this a truly unforgettable experience for me.

 

[IKSTUGA]

Yeah it was my first, thanks for the info! I'm probably jumping into number 8 next, I guess it's the only other Ys game available on the PS4.

EDIT: Finally finished Bloodborne and its DLC.

12. Bloodborne: The Old Hunters, 9.5/10
Great addition to the main game. Cool bosses and areas. Orphan can go fuck himself, hardest boss in the game by far.

13. Bloodborne, 10/10
Finished it for the first time and I must admit, it's an all-time classic. I just love how the game plays and feels. Definitely one of the most intense and rewarding gaming experiences I've ever had.

14. Dragonball FighterZ, 9.5/10
I beat the story mode again, just for fun (yes, the story is still crap, thank god you can skip cutscenes). For a longtime DB fan, this game is just perfect. It's simple, smooth and fun, one of the best looking games I've ever played as well.

15. Astral Chain, 8.5/10
I was mostly in it for the combat, didn't really enjoy the other gameplay styles. Story and world were pretty interesting, loved the OST!

16. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, 9.5/10
I fucking loved this game, never played the original. It's just so cute and compact. Some of the bosses were kinda pushovers, but who cares, it was just too much fun.

 

[IKSTUGA]

15. Astral Chain, 8.5/10
I was mostly in it for the combat, didn't really enjoy the other gameplay styles. Story and world were pretty interesting, loved the OST!

16. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, 9.5/10
I fucking loved this game, never played the original. It's just so cute and compact. Some of the bosses were kinda pushovers, but who cares, it was just too much fun.

17. Bayonetta 2, 9/10
What can I say, game was great. I think it's better than the first game in almost every way. Less bs quick-time events and more streamlined level design.

18. Mega Man X5, 8/10
Kinda boring after X4, which is a game I really liked. Still a decent entry in the series.

 

[jshackles]

IKSTUGA dude you are killing it!

 

[Jack Videogames]

7h-ish. Normal difficulty

It's difficult to categorize Enslaved. It plays like a mixture of Darksiders, Beyond Good and Evil and Prince of Persia - and looks like a cross between Nier Automata, The Last of Us and Horizon. All while being a (very liberal) take on Journey to the West. It's also an aggresively 2000s game. Just look at Monkey's hair and Trip's wardrobe.

Enslaved doesn't excel at anything. The combat is easy and straightforward, the platforming consists in mashing A (sometimes B) and your worst enemy is easily the shoddy camera. Also it's a 7h game that you will easily forget after it's done. And still, Enslaved is better than the sum of its parts. There's a certain charm on its unabashed "epicness". From the first minute you are doing extremely cool things like escaping of an exploding airship or fighting giant mechas with a stick. It's old-fashioned yet it works even today. I do not understand how it was not a hit when it was released as it hits all the right buttons for a fancy flashy action-adventure.

This game can be found for dirt cheap and it's real fun even today, so you'd be doing yourself a disservice not giving it a try.

My Score: ★★★★☆

Original post

 

[jshackles]

Game 8 - Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward - PC Steam - Completed Feb 17th, 2020
For about two months now, my son and I have been playing Final Fantasy XIV again and we just completed the Heavensward expansion. The story and setting were both top notch, along with the game's great music. It's been a few years since we finished the original campaign as well as the quests between it and Heavensward, but we watched a "catch up" video on Youtube to jog our memories then we were off to the races. Rather than continue on with our same classes, we decided to start new classes so I became a white mage and he chose bard. Thankfully as a white mage, most of our duty registrations were near instantaneous. Now my white mage is level 66 at the end of this campaign, so I'll likely stick with it until I hit level 80. Overall, this game is an amazing experience whose only downside is really the monthly fee to play.

 

[NewComer]

Okay. I'm going to take advantage of this thread to run through my entire backlog of games on Steam and consoles.
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - This game's content is incredible! I love the bright and cheery soundtrack it offers as well as the sound effects. The gameplay is addicting! Especially the online mode as I cannot stop playing it on the weekends! The cast of characters is immense....I really cannot complain there. I'm perfectly content with it. In fact, I'll probably play all of the characters at least a couple hundred times on quickplay. I'm not very impressed with the single player adventure mode World of Light as I think it drags on for way too long and a lot of the challenges feel too similar to others. I think it is fun and unique in its campy rpg sub-game content. Still, I liked all the other single player offerings such as classic mode, multi-man smash, homerun contest, and cruel smash. I'd give it a 9/10! It is only missing the break the target and jump the platform challenges from the older games. The online mode could really use a total remodel though.

 

[Psychotic_Mantis]

Main Post

10. Braid (PS3) - 8/10

Great puzzles while the rest felt a bit flat to me. I had to look up what he was going for with the ending and it made sense and was kind of cool. The puzzles and satisfaction I got from solving them will what sticks with me, not sure much else will.

11. Battletoads (Xbox One) - 6/10

Not really sure if this is a good game or not. It felt like a decent into the pits of hell as each level after the other made you question why you should keep bothering. The final 3 levels really tested my brain on if this was a challenge I wanted to bother with. F CLINGER WINGER. Anyway, happy to say I completed it. I found out about the rewind feature about midway through the game on Rare Replay. While it helps...it doesn't make the last few levels that much easier. Brutal game.

12. Jetpac (Xbox One) - 6/10

Snuck this one in after Battletoads. I went to every level and it was just the same thing over and over. For it's time, it appears to be a good game but under today's standards there isn't much there.

13. Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch) - 9/10

Booted up the campaign randomly the other night and couldn't stop playing. I kept trying to stop yet wanted to do one level more. I am taking this off the list even though I will continue playing plenty of user levels for a long time. Maybe one day I will attempt to make something.

14. Super Princess Peach (DS) - 7/10

Don't remember how I came across this game but I am glad to have finally played it. No one really talks about it...maybe due to it being a Peach game. I got to the final level and was left with a smack in the face...you MUST save every toad if you want to go to the last level. I decided to go for it. Some were easy and a few I had to lookup where they were located. Honestly, it's pretty easy but some of the bosses and levels offer some unique challenge. The last boss was a treat and I wish normal Mario games would try and change it up a bit like this.

15. My Mom Hid My Game! (iPad) - 7/10

Feels a bit like a cheat with how short it is. I found out about these games on a past challenge from someone else. This was a fun quick little puzzle game. Since they are free...why not try them all?! I will probably play through the next few in the coming months. Game is weird as hell but it definitely adds to the charm. Give it a shot.

 

[Jooxed]

Main Post

2/17 Wrapped up Diablo 3 story for the first time. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Interested to see what Diablo 4 will bring. I think I'm done with Dauntless I put about 8 hours into it. I actually enjoyed this more than MHGU but I have more single player games to get to I will come back to it later.

Still plugging away at Octopath and I started Darksiders.

 

[Jack Videogames]

30h-ish.

First things first, when I discovered there was a complete English patch for this game I was stoked. I've played all Ace Attorneys, including the Investigations games which similarly never left Japan, and I was chomping at the bit top play this one. So, if there's anyone from Scarlet Study here:

1) You seriously rock
2) Get on with DGS2 already!

Moving on... I can see why DGS was left untranslated, to be honest. DGS is set in the real(...ish) Victorian England, and the fact that Ryuuichi and Susato are Japanese is a plot point, as they're hit with racist abuse from time to time. This clashes with the weird fantasy Earth from "regular" Ace Attorneys, with countries like Kurain, Allebahst or Cohdopia.

The game itself? Well, it's an Ace Attorney game that hits all the usual buttons. The first case is a tutorial trial, the second and fourth cases are unrelated to the rest of the game, and the third case and the long fifth case develop the underlying story. Pretty much par for the course. The only thing I've disliked is that there is not much investigating in this game; apart from the second case, which is mostly investigation, and the fifth, which is a "normal" Investigation + Trial case, there's little to no fieldwork to do: Ryuu tends to be "thrown" into the trial with the details of the case and the evidence mostly decided for him. Maybe this is more realistic, but it's less Ace Attorneyish.

The main gimmick in this game, the Great Deductions, is painfully underused. They're fun, but there's no more than 3 or 4 of them in the whole game - and generally no more than once in a given case. Why do you introduce a new mechanic and not give it the spotlight? It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Also, the fan translation decided to not go the "hurr hurr memes" route that Capcom tends to take with Ace Attorney. Some of you might be jumping in joy, and I mostly agree - but keep in mind that, while DGS is still a mighty enjoyable game with its share of humour, it's way more "serious" and focused than you're used to.

All in all, I'm really happy that I managed to play this one after almost abandoning all hope. But as the game ends in a major cliffhanger with basically no plot points fully resolved, I simply can't wait for the sequel to be translated.

My Score: ★★★★☆

Original post

 

[IKSTUGA]

17. Bayonetta 2, 9/10
What can I say, game was great. I think it's better than the first game in almost every way. Less bs quick-time events and more streamlined level design.

18. Mega Man X5, 8/10
Kinda boring after X4, which is a game I really liked. Still a decent entry in the series.

19. Gears of War 4, 8.5/10
Finally tackled this one with a buddy. It was surprisingly good. Gameplay is so much smoother than in the 360 games. Story is kinda like Force Awakens, but whatever, I don't play Gears for its story.

20. South Park : The Fractured but Whole, 8.5/10
Funny as fuck, the difficulty selection screen in the beginning made me almost piss my pants. Gameplay felt kinda repetitive, but writing was excellent. I haven't watched SP in years, but after playing this one, I definitely feel like I should start watching again.

 

[Jooxed]

19. Gears of War 4, 8.5/10
Finally tackled this one with a buddy. It was surprisingly good. Gameplay is so much smoother than in the 360 games. Story is kinda like Force Awakens, but whatever, I don't play Gears for its story.

20. South Park : The Fractured but Whole, 8.5/10
Funny as fuck, the difficulty selection screen in the beginning made me almost piss my pants. Gameplay felt kinda repetitive, but writing was excellent. I haven't watched SP in years, but after playing this one, I definitely feel like I should start watching again.

Damn dude you are going to crush this year. I refuse to let jshackles beat me

 

[EviLore]

Giving this a temporary move to Gaming for increased visibility.

 

[Phase]

Hey MiyazakiHatesKojima how's Oblivion going?

 

[wyvern_bloodfist]

Game 21.零～zero～
6hrs. 37 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 22.Knights of the Temple Infernal Crusade
4hrs. 32 mins. 24 out of 25

Game 23.Knights of the Temple 2
6hrs. 22 mins. 18 out of 25

Game 24零～红蝶～
7hrs. 25 mins. 22 out of 25

Game 25零～眞紅の蝶～
9hrs. 01 mins. 24 out of 25

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

Hey MiyazakiHatesKojima how's Oblivion going?

No comment.

 

[jshackles]

Game 9 - Untitled Goose Game - Nintendo Switch - Completed Feb 23rd, 2020
I have to say, I don't understand the love and praise this game got last year. I found the game to be an absolutely frustrating experience overall. The goose was cute and was animated well, but the tanky controls combined with the game's stealth mechanics just didn't mesh very well in my opinion. The list of things to do was at times incredibly obtuse and I'll admit I had to look up guides online more than a few times to figure out what exactly I was supposed to do / what the guide was even referring to. The end sequence of the game was like nails on a chalkboard for me, I almost gave up at that point. Overall I'd say I just didn't "get" it maybe.

Game 10 - Night Trap: 25th Anniversary Edition - Nintendo Switch - Completed Feb 23rd, 2020
This game is a lot more shallow than it seemed to me back when it was on the Sega CD. I guess with modern games and their expansive choices it's easy to see how a little this game actually offers although on the outset it seems like a solid premise. To be fair, it's one of the better FMV games of a bygone era insomuch that it actually has gameplay associated with it. Find the bad guys, spring a trap on the bad guys, wait for the good guys to say what color code they're going to use, then change the color at the appropriate time. Miss too many bad guys or don't spring the trap at the right time, and it's game over. In a way, it's a lot like Dragon's Lair but with more steps. It took me a few run-throughs of the game before I got a hang of the controls and such on the Switch version. Still pretty fun for the nostalgia sake (and girls in sports bras!) but otherwise pretty lame by most modern standards.

 

[Perrott]

Spoiler: All completions!

1. Resident Evil 2 Remake | January 10th - 10hs | 9/10
2. Persona 5 | January 31st - 129hs | 10/10
3. Bioshock: Infinite | February 11th - 12hs | 9,5/10
4. Dreams | February 23rd - 2hs | 9/10
5. Bloodborne | ??? - ??? | 10/10
6. The Sims 4 | ??? - ??? | 8,5/10
7. Shadow of the Colossus Remake | March 30th - 9hs | 9/10
8. Resident Evil 7 | April 18th - 14hs | 10/10

 

[pochepiller2]

Game 9 Super Robot Wars T (Switch) 40 hours: Fun tactical game but way too long. 7/10

 

[ROMhack]

Turns out that I didn't reserve a space on the front page like last year so I'll update as I go this time.

Game #1: Final Fantasy IX

I liked it, although reserve some feelings about how amazing it is because it never wowed me like FFVII did (which I only played in 2018). At best, I think it's a fun game with a simple story - and in many places quite endearing. You know, the classic, must save the universe with a hero and princess and a whole bunch of side characters shtick. There's something like Chrono Trigger about it which makes sense why fans of both seem to enjoy both titles quite a lot.

I s'pose I preferred the game when it was expanding its setting in the early parts. It's quite typical of a Final Fantasy game that it gets weaker as it goes on. I don't think Kuja is a great villain so never had that sense of absolutely wanting to beat the crap out of him like I did with Sephiroth or Kefka. I liked the straightforward and uncomplicated approach to gameplay though - which is just good fun. The romance between Dagger/Zidane also didn't work for me compared to Cloud/Aeris/Tifa in FFVII and Squall/Rinoa in FFVIII.

Overall, enjoyable and definitely worth the 40 hours it took. Played it on Switch and would certainly recommend that version even though I've heard bad things from some people. Will also add that Vivi is useless in the final fight - I basically beat Kuja and Necron with a team of three: Zidane, Dagger and Freya (who is easily my favourite character).

No scores this year either.

 

[Jack Videogames]

74:32h. A+ Rank. Still romanced second best girl Laura.

Alright then. For readability reasons I'm not spoilering things, save for a certain late-game twist.

I'm going to preface this by saying, I really liked this game. The story is fairly interesting and Falcom are masters of JRPG worldbuilding. The combat system is almost perfect, the music is the bomb, and I can't wait for TOCS4.

But the real strength of TOCS lies on its characters. There is a fuckload of them and most of them are great - I'm not too fond of most of the newbies though. Alisa the IInd Juna can be almost as irritating as Alisa, at least before her character arc, she becomes fairly likable afterwards, and Dude Looks Like a Laura Kurt is basically there to look pretty. Fiellium Altina starts as basically a potted plant but is the character that grows the most during the game. Then there's Musse and Ash, which provide most of the humor and I frankly liked them - Musse is one of the most interesting characters in the series as she seems to have a lot of depth, which I hope is appropriately explored in TOCS4. Also, her incessant teasing of Rean was funny and somewhat realistically handled by him ("This girl is going to get me fired" indeed)

Not only that, but TOCS3 is pure fanservice for Falcom lovers (no, not that kind of fanservice). Lots of characters from other Kiseki series appear, are namedropped or are even playable. I feel I should have played TiTS (heheh tits) 2 & 3 before getting into TOCS, but ah well.

And with the good out of the way, like with every game I like I'm going to use this to rant the hell about it.

What I didn't like much about this game is the general lack of gravitas. I vaguely remember saying TOCS2 feels like an extremely resourceful school play, and that feeling is exacerbated here. You never feel at risk, you never feel the world is at stake. The bad guys are extremely polite and your repeat fights about Ouroboros feel like friendly soccer matches at a work BBQ. When they have you at their mercy, they always go like "Oh well! I've had fun, but now I gotta bounce!" and leave. I'm starting to think they're not really evil, and frankly, that would improve things a lot as it would give their actions some logic.

Remember when I critizised TOCS2 death toll of, I think, 4? Well then, all things considered and taking into account that several characters that were supposed to be dead before the first game even begun are actually alive, and that there's no way in hell they killed the crew of the Corageous, and being generous and believing Angelica and Millium are really dead, this game has a total death toll of -2. Yay tension!

Also, I swear, Rean gets rescued more time than the main character of Far Cry 5. Falcom, I get what you're trying to do. I get it. I get the concept. There's no need to have three chapters with the same exact structure, plot twist and all.

On a more meta level, there's also the matter of the translation. I think NISA's work is seriously lacking compared to XSeed's. I didn't mind the localization of a couple controversial scenes, because they work and they don't slap you in the face with SJW shit - I seriously laughed at Ash wanting to get into Emma's "tig ol' bitties". The problem is the translation quality itself. There are lots of noticeable typos, particularly in the last third of the game, and if I read another "Haha." I'm seriously going to kill someone.

Game of the year, Tenouttaten, would lose to and then be left alive by Ouroboros for another 75h.

My Score: ★★★★★

Original post

PS: Best girl is Towa

 

[IKSTUGA]

19. Gears of War 4, 8.5/10
Finally tackled this one with a buddy. It was surprisingly good. Gameplay is so much smoother than in the 360 games. Story is kinda like Force Awakens, but whatever, I don't play Gears for its story.

20. South Park : The Fractured but Whole, 8.5/10
Funny as fuck, the difficulty selection screen in the beginning made me almost piss my pants. Gameplay felt kinda repetitive, but writing was excellent. I haven't watched SP in years, but after playing this one, I definitely feel like I should start watching again.

Last weekend I caught the corona virus or something (most likely seasonal flu), so I decided to play a ton. Like, what else am I supposed to do on sick leave, sleep?

I started my "marathon" by getting a bunch of fighting games. I did basically all the offline stuff they had to offer.

21. BlazBlue: Central Fiction, 8.5/10
I played BB: CT and CS back in the 360 days and wanted to see what had changed. Not much, as it turns out. The game still plays like the BB I remembered. It's funny, mechanically I've always liked BB over GG, but GG definitely beats BB in style (who doesn't love the rock/metal theme). Out of the new characters I tried, I only really liked the boxer dude with the rekkas. Solid stuff, too bad game's been dead for awhile.

22. Under Night In-Birth EXE:Late[st], 8.5/10
Never played this series (?) before, saw it in the EVO lineup, so decided to give it a go. It's good. I really like the simple button layout and the fact that the combat is a bit more grounded compared to some of the other weeb fighters. Graphically it isn't very impressive, but I found a bunch of fun characters to play, so doesn't really matter to me. What is up with the name?

23. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, 8.5/10
This must be the simplest fighter I've ever played, still, it's so cool! It's nice to see Ragna, Hyde and those Persona characters duke it out. Ruby is my favorite character so far, don't know which game she's from.


After I got my fighters fix, I decided to finally tackle two games I've been dying to play for some time.

24. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, 8.5/10
Man, I have mixed feelings about this game. I would have loved to give it a 9, but I just can't. It started out super strong, but some of the later areas were kinda annoying. Final bosses have way too much hp and you have to rely on potions and food to survive, which doesn't feel like Castlevania to me. It's still good, but no way near the top, when it comes to Igavanias.

25. God of War (2018), 9.5/10
Holy crap this game was good. I always thought the OG God of Wars were super overrated, but this game is something else. It's gorgeous, it plays great and the story hits you right in the feels. Only reason why this one doesn't get a 10 is, because the game was kinda lacking in the boss department. I just wanted to fight big T and his dad...

 

[pochepiller2]

Game 10: Out of the Park 20
Won in 1997 with the Montreal Expos, finally.