52 Games. 1 Year. 2025. [BacklogBeat]

Game 50

Ghostbuster: The Video Game Remastered - Finished playthrough, all upgrades and PKE scans.

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This was a very good game, or for a licensed game it was great. Written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd and starring all the actors from the films, the game carried the same sarcastic and often absurd humor the first movie did. In this game you play a rookie member who just joined the team just after the events of Ghostbusters II and work your way through set pieces and location from the movies scattered around New York city like the hotel, library, sewers, etc. The music is also pulled straight from the films. Gameplay is 3rd person and honestly feels really good. There is almost no HUD, everything is displayed on your proton pack, similar to Dead Space, something I wish more games did. Progressing further into the game, as dimensions merge, you find yourself in increasingly bizarre locations and unlocking more functions of your proton pack. There are several fun boss fights and plenty of exploration to do while looking for secrets with your PKE meter. The game is pretty short by modern standards at around 8-10 hours, but I feel that is about as long as the game needed to be without getting repetitive,

Game 51

Resident Evil Remaster - Finished Jill run, 100% items

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This is the first Resident Evil game I've ever finished. I absolutely suck at this style of game. The deliberately clunky controls coupled with the fact that I can back myself into a corner with item overuse and the fact I hate not killing the zombies every time I see them means I tend to get frustrated way too fast playing these. I am a huge fan of the games though; I used to watch my siblings play them. The setting and story are fascinating, uncovering the messed-up things that happened in the mansion are the kind of thing I've always gravitated toward. I finally did myself a favor and forced myself to play the game properly and push past my grievances with the controls. As one would expect, it took an hour or so before I stopped noticing the controls and started enjoying exploring the mansion. This version of the game has a ton of new content over the original PS1 title, and the animated backdrops hold up quite well despite how much time has passed. The voice acting is still trash, but not nearly as awful as in the original game. This was a massive hole in my gaming history, I'm looking forward to trying more games in the series.

Game 52.

Resident Evil 2 (Gamecube) - Finished Leon Scenario A and B, Jill Scenario A

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I went into this game expecting it to be more than a little rough but came away surprised at how well it holds up. While I never played this game back in the day, I did watch my siblings play it a lot, I remembered a lot of it, but in pieces. While I still tend to struggle with tank controls at times they never get in the way of the game. In this game the mansion is replaced with the Raccoon City Police station and all the strange structures tied to it. The PD is similar in size compared to the mansion, but the layout feels easier to navigate. The separate areas are also more contained, meaning keys and secret items tend to be used mostly in the area you find them in. This game takes itself a bit more lightly than the first, with goofy characters and scenarios popping up throughout the game. The game is chock full of jump scares, most expected but back in the day the licker jumping through the interrogation room mirror was pants-shitting stuff, not because I was scared but because I just felt like doing it, I do what I want when I want, it's my hot body! Splitting the game up into multiple scenarios makes replaying the game worthwhile, I only played scenario A for both characters, but I'll eventually run through scenario B for both which brings in new things and events, like the Mr. X encounters.

Game 53.

Resident Evil 3 - Completed playthrough, killed off Nikolai

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This game is better than 2 in many ways, new control features mean you can quick-turn and dodge attacks, you can make your own ammo, and the visuals got a huge bump up from RE2 (sometimes). Unfortunately, Raccoon City's map is nowhere near as well-planned and fun to traverse as RE2 and when you need to backtrack it's down a spaghetti mess of narrow, samey alleys. Puzzles are of a similar vein as previous entries, nothing is too hard to figure out as long as you look around for the answer. The atmosphere in this game goes further down the goofy path from the original, Umbrella becomes more and more cartoon villain-tier evil as the series continues, but I actually like that. Nemesis was fun, he shows up all the time at the worst possible times and unless you take care of him, he won't let up. The choose your own adventure sections are an interesting addition to the game but honestly, I doubt I would replay this one just for a slightly different section here and there, it's a far cry from the various scenarios in RE2 that completely change how the game is played. In the end I found this game felt way longer than it needed to be but then I discovered that I had only played it for 7 hours. Where I still want to go back to RE2 after a dozen hours, I think I'm good moving on from this one.

Game 54.

Resident Evil: Code Veronica X - Completed playthrough

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I had a lot of fun with this one. Umbrella continues to become more and more cartoonishly evil with a literal Bond villain-tier military complex run by an insane lunatic. It's got everything a good villain island fortress could ever need. There are a bunch of great characters like the prison guard who regifts you your own lighter, Steve "Not John Connor" who doesn't know how to hold a gun, Wesker who has become a supervillain and of course there's Alfred Ashford who is actually schizophrenic. This game changes the series forever with a switch from pre-rendered 2D to fully polygonal backdrops. On one hand the game lost the gritty (but low resolution) details off previous entries but in place of that came dynamic camera angles that had a degree of movement making it easier to see and required a lot less camera swapping. Despite still using tank controls, the game feels a lot tighter to control and thanks to the polygonal environments you can tell where the collision boxes are, so you get hung up a lot less than in previous entries. The map in this game was really well done, compared to previous games it's much bigger but at the same time easier to navigate. Backtracking is frequent like before, but it never feels like I'm going out of my way or that a safe room is annoyingly out of reach. This was by far the most enjoyable map to explore so far. There's not too much new in terms of weapons, but the combat feels quicker with the quick turn returning and more responsive movement. Jump scares are constantly popping up but I found the game was lighter on the horror aspect this time. Overall, this is my favorite of the Resident Evil games I've played so far, but I expect RE4 will probably top it.

Game 55.

Resident Evil 0 - Completed playthrough

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I actually started playing the Gamecube version using Dolphin and got past the train section where the emulation had issues getting past a bunch of FMV sequences. Apparently I own it on Steam as well so I restarted the game there. The game itself doesn't follow Code Veronica in its presentation. While Code Veronica moved to polygonal environments this went back to the FMV backdrops first used on the Gamecube REmake. The Gamecube game was a really good looking game in its day but the PC HD remaster is really pretty. The FMV backgrounds were all redone in higher resolutions and in many cases they were completely changed including slight camera angle changes. I would honestly love to see this done with modern storage. The gameplay also goes back to REmake, but with a new co-op mechanic where you control Rebecca, Billy or both at the same time. Solving puzzles over multiple floors of the training facility was a new twist for the series and for the most part was a fun addition. Another new feature was the removal of item boxes, instead each part of the map could contain a set number of items, allowing you to just dump items you either don't need, or want to save for later. The AI controlled character was, unfortunately, an idiot. Even in the middle of a boss fight they would often just stand there waiting to get hit before retaliating. The origin story in this was absolutely goffball-tier stuff, once again Umbrella is pushed further into cartoon villain territory which I 'm loving. I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as the others but overall came away pretty impressed with it.

Game 56

Resident Evil 4 - All Treasures/Bottlecap figures

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This game was so different from all the REs so far. It kind of picks up where Code Veronica leaves the series, going more towards action than before. The game is constantly throwing enemies in your path and unlike previous games just running by them isn't always a great option. You're given plenty of ammo, health and support items thanks to an almost magical merchant who is always around to sell you weapons, upgrades and health if you're in desperate need. There are also save locations all over the place, so you don't need to go back and forth to one location constantly to save. The puzzles are toned down in this, and the map is much less maze-like than before. For the most part your goal is always dead ahead, with only minor backtracking or exploration. Despite that, the game environments are fantastic, taking you from the woods, through a ruined village, the surrounding farms, a church, a massive castle, then finally to a military island. The gameplay in this goes from laid-back to absolutely frantic and often back and forth, nothing ever feels unfair, while enemies will rush up to you, they slow down giving you a chance to get a shot off. The bosses are all great, often including the environment in the fight. The story fits well with the series, though the game is a lot grittier than Code Veronica, it's full of goofy shit like a giant robot, fire-breathing dragon statues, and things that were clearly added just to make the game fun. The supporting characters are all good, Ashley isn't annoying and can be stuffed in a box if you think she'll get killed. Ada pops in and out to torment Leon, Luis seems like a fun guy at parties. The visuals in this game (especially back in 2005) hold up remarkably well. It goes back to polygonal environments, but they are much more detailed and fleshed out than Code Veronica. While they aren't quite as detailed as RE0, the new over the shoulder camera angle would be impossible with FMV environments. My gripe with this game is the overabundance of QTEs, which I absolutely detest. I was playing the Steam release in which the QTEs are broken unless you play at 30fps which made them even more annoying. Once I lowered the framerate they give you plenty of time to press the buttons, but I still hate them.
 
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27.EarthionPC1 hour9/10An incredible shmup from Yuzo Koshiro. The music took me back to 1992.
28.PataponPC16 hours9/10More cryptic than I remember. Very fun though and immersive. Has soul like a Katamari game.


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Took a break for a bit, but I'm back at it. Not sure I'm going to hit 52 by the end of the year. Going to do my best. The following games are newer and not backlog. Still adding them to the list though.

#22 Chronicles of The Wolf - Apparently the team behind this have been doing Castlevania style games for a bit and it shows. This is a combination of Simon's Quest and Symphony of the Night style gameplay. If you have even a passing interest in metroidvanias, I'd urge you to play this. It's way better than it has any right to be. Will probably make it's way into my top 10 at the end of year.

#23 Earthion -This is a love letter to Sega Genesis shmups from my childhood. Except rather than some random indie studio, it's from Yuzo Koshiro and Ancient Corp. People that actually worked on games back in the 90s. There's a lot of imitators out there - modern games made for retro consoles. Earthion is authentic to the Genesis and the genre in a way that truly feels like it could have came out in 30 years ago. Gameplay is smooth. It introduces a shield mechanic that I can't recall seeing before in this type of game. Graphically, it's as impressive of a Genesis game I can remember.. Most importantly, it's not brutally hard and there's adjustable difficulty settings. Anyone that's a fan of the Genesis or retro games in general needs to play it.

#24 Ninja Gaiden Ragebound - I just finished this one tonight, but will maybe write something up later.
 
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#6 - Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (2015)

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It's a fantastic game, despite its original limitations, as it's a PSP game. One of the best games in the franchise I've ever played.

The story is interesting, it shares mythologies and concepts from the FFXIII saga, especially because it was initially going to be a canonical game, but then Square changed their minds.
The story centers on a war between nations, in which a group of cadets acts as an elite force, carrying out special infiltration missions into nations and destroying them from within. It's very interesting that the game has 12 protagonists, which greatly varies the gameplay. The game is quite violent for Final Fantasy standards. The ending is sensational.

Despite being repetitive, the missions are very enjoyable. However, one thing I hated were some missions where you planned an invasion and had to guide troops through an open-world, similar to an RTS. The controls there weren't very user-friendly.

The graphics are mixed. Sometimes they look like a PSP, sometimes they look modern, making them quite inconsistent. Square improved the character textures and polygon count, but left some scenarios with poor geometry and low-resolution textures.
The game has a lot of bugs, at least in the PC port. After playing for a while and experiencing random freezes, crashes, or even missions that wouldn't progress, I discovered it was because the framerate was unlocked. I locked it at 30 fps, and the game never crashed again. It was difficult to adapt to 30 fps, but I soon got used to it.
The soundtrack is wonderful, imposing, and gives the game a warlike tone.
This game deserves a remake or a new version, as it has a lot of potential.





#7 - Guitar Hero III (2007) - RPCS3

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While I was struggling with FF-Type-0, I decided to play Guitar Hero 3 on RPCS3 to de-stress. My hands ended up hurting because playing with an Xbox controller (8bitdo) isn't very ergonomic. GHIII campaign mode is pretty cool, and the game is still very good. I think I'll get a guitar.
 
21: Dino Crisis (ps5) 5 hours
It's taken me years to beat this game, as I previously attempted on the PSP/Vita. A normal controller, and some save states, made it a breeze. Really wish we could get a good dinosaur survival horror game. Not sure why Capcom hasn't remade this but let's hope it's soon.

22: Star Wars Bounty Hunter (ps4)
This game would've been a helluva lot more fun if I didn't get all the trophies. How this game got a ps4 port AND a ps5 remaster and nobody bothered to fix how the secondary bounties worked is ludicrous. Otherwise, a pretty enjoyable time.

23: Nightmare Reaper (ps5) 36 hours
I liked this game a lot. I think the RNG can be a little much at times, and the samey environments in the middle started to drag. Overall pretty fun if your into more acradey shooters.

24: Forgive Me Father (ps4) 27 hours
I wanted to like this game more than I do because I love the premise and the art style. I think its a bit overtuned honestly, and I actively had to lower the difficulty down at the third boss and then again in the last episode. The respawning enemies and the difficulty curve just made it very frustrating and I wanted to get it over with.

25: Devil May Cry (ps4)
I had previously only played the third game and it was nice to go back and check this one out. It's a pretty solid foundation, though the stiff jumping was aggravating. No dedicated dodge button was a pain as well.

26: Powerslave Exhumed (ps4) 22 hours
I freaking love Powerslave. What a strange little fps from the 90s. Has one of the best endings in any game ever made. I do wish this remaster had fixed the hitbox on the lasers. Those made me want to tear my hair out.

27: Chasm: The Rift (ps5)
How on God's green Earth this game got a modern port over Blood or OG Shadow Warrior is a mystery for the games. Great little piece of Slav jank that can be a little grating at times. Still need to finish the expansion.

28: Devil May Cry 2 (ps4) Dante+Lucia
This one... was boring. I'm still glad I got through it but it was just kinda nothing? I can see why outside of the reboot, this is the worst of the bunch. At least it was short

29: Doom 64 (ps5) 13 hours
A helluva lot more fun than Doom 2, and didn't become a slog either. Reminded me of a more fair Sigil. I highly recommend checking this one out

30: Devil May Cry 3 (Ps4) 26 hours for DMC HD
I played this as a kid but never finished it. Best of the series that I've played so far. SO much fun. Though, I personally don't really like the other styles besides Trickster.
 
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August Update!

Here's my July Post...

So it's starting to look likely that I'm going to finish 52 games this year. Honestly didn't think I had this in me again this year.

42: Strider - PS4 - Beat 8/7
This game was awesome. The controls and everything were so tight, and the art design was pretty decent. You can definitely tell it was a lower budget game, but it was a great experience. I will say, I would have liked to have been able to play using the D-pad. And the final boss was a little on the easy side. But the good far outweighed the bad.
I'm thinking next up is probably Gunman Clive 2. That or the original Silent Hill. I dug my PSP out of my basement and installed a new battery, so I immediately downloaded Silent Hill and a few other games from back in the day that I've never beat. Fun fact: I've never played Silent Hill. Or any Silent Hill, for that matter. Unless you count P.T.
I want to jump back in to God of War, but that will probably wait until next Tuesday when the kids go back to school. Hopefully it's not crazy long and I can zip through it next week. I was going to get Madden on launch this year, but decided against it when I saw impressions about it today. It's a lot of the same old same old. And it looks like the Switch 2 version is a bit rough, so I'll wait for a sale. Also doesn't help that one of my cars broke down, so I'm sure I'll have a nice little bill for that tomorrow.

43: Gunman Clive 2 - Switch - Beat 8/8
While this was definitely a better game than part 1, it was also more frustrating at times. The Starfox-esque levels were bad. The major issue with those was that enemy projectiles have the same colors as Clive's. It took 2 attempts on the first level to even realize I was being shot at, because I just assumed all the green was from my gun. Then the final boss. I beat the damn boss as it was finishing and blowing up, Clive falls. When I hit the ground, it had me hit an enemy which ended up killing me. That was bogus in a whole new level. Thankfully the next life went off without a hitch. There were a few other annoyances, but those were the big ones. I wish I played it on the 3DS as you can tell it was really tailored to the 3D screen in a lot of places.

44: What Remains of Edith Finch - PS4 - Beat 8/8
This was pretty interesting. Definitely held my attention better than Everyone's Gone to the Rapture. I kind of want to know more about the history after playing through this. Like a book of Fitch family lore. I don't know why I loaded this up today. I saw it sitting on the bottom of my installed game list on my PS5 and just decided to give it a whirl. It's a game day today since it's too damn hot to do anything else. Might finish Overcooked with my kids after we water our garden today.

45: WWE2k24 - PS5 - Beat 8/9
I beat the Showcase mode, and it was pretty decent. I haven't played a WWE game since 19, and this one plays a lot better than I remember the Yukes games playing. Good on them, because I remember the hubub about how bad it was when 2K initially took over completely. Some of the matches were iffy. Doing the challenges with 3 way matches was a pain. I'm actually interested in playing 2K25 now. I had basically given up on them, so I'm kind of surprised. In a good way.

46: Journey to the Savage Planet - Switch via Switch 2 - Beat 8/13
Another fun one! On one hand, I wish I beat it on another system so that it didn't look crummy. On the other, I don't think I would have beat this without being able to be played handheld. That all aside, this was a fun game with lots to explore. Scanning everything gave me good Metroid Prime vibes, and the world and drip fed story kept me invested. Would like to play the sequel. I see it's on Gamepass...

47: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins - Game Boy - Beat 8/14
Definitely better than the original Super Mario Land, but I just didn't really like it. The downgrades and changes from NES Mario games were just too much. It's interesting to me how far portables have come. I remember playing my friends' Game Boys back when they first came out and being amazed. It's crazy how minimal the compromises have become with modern portables.

48: God of War: Ragnarök - PS5 - Beat 8/19
I started this game not really liking it mostly because I couldn't stand Atreus. I really disliked him in the last game, and that carried over here. By the end, I didn't hate him so much. Very good game, but it seems to finish of Kratos' story. After the ending, I'm not really sure where you would go. And even though I ended up not despising Atreus, I won't buy a game where he's the main. So I hope that's not where they're going with this. I will say, the last 3 bosses were way too easy. Some people might not think so or even have an issue with that. I was a little disappointed.

AS AN ASIDE... I just finally upgraded my TV and have an OLED. I broke it in with God of War, and it was absolutely beautiful. Glad I was playing this when I made the upgrade.

49: The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe - PS5 - Beat 8/21
I spent a stupid amount of time playing this. It was so strange and funny. I still have no clue if I've seen everything in the game yet, but I got to to a point where it didn't seem like I could trigger anything new to happen. Regardless, it was very creative and I recommend anybody that hasn't played it to check it out.

50: Lunistice - PC - Beat 8/21
This was a satisfying little game. They really nailed the mid/late 90s Sega feel, even down to the music. The platforming at times felt imprecise, but us typically solid. I don't know if it was the stray wonky camera view or what that messed me up, but there were a few times I really struggled in some stupid parts.
The game needed a proper ending, though.
So I've been trying to beat Overcooked with my son, but we've hit an impasse. We don't have enough stars to continue, but I can't pull him through any levels with more stars. And the game is starting to get heated at times. Not just on my side, either. I've also been chipping away at Silent Hill, but I really don't like it. I might try play it on my PS3 on a big screen, but this one is very close to just being abandoned. No pun intended. Playing it is just a chore at this point. I might switch gears and play some Panzer Dragoon. Another game I've never played outside of a demo way back in the day. Unfortunately all I have is the remake on the Switch.

51: Panzer Dragoon Remake - Switch via Switch 2 - beat 8/22
Ran great on the Switch 2, but supposedly is pretty ropey on OG Switch. So I guess I'm glad I never played it on my old system. Pretty solid game. I saw some complaints about the controls online, and I honestly don't get it. Was just fine to me. I think younger gamers are just too soft. The ending left a lot to be desired. That's 2 games in a row with garbage endings. Game 52 is going to be a little different and more of a treat for my daughter than anything.

52: Bluey: The Videogame - XBOX - Beat 8/22
I played this one for my daughter and she loved it. For her, I'm sure this just felt like watching a big episode of Bluey. She's only 2, so she couldn't "play" the game. She like making Bluey run around and just seemed really happy for the 3 hours we played. The story felt like an episode and I looked the part. Looking at stuff like this and the South Park games, it's cool that licensed games based on cartoons can finally FEEL like they're in the world. Not like the Simpsons games and stuff from the NES days.

And that's officially 52 games for me this year! I finished about a month earlier this year than last. Like I've felt the previous 2 times I've done this: I'm glad I did it, but I'm glad it's done. I feel like I need to finish as quick as possible and playing games consumes all my time. But in the end, the last 2 years have really cut down my backlog. I'll keep this thread updated if I finish anything else this year. I'm sure I'll get through a handful more this year.

Highlights this year were Fire Emblem: 3 Houses, Verlet Swing, and God of War: Ragnarök. Stanley Parable and Avowed were also big highlights.

This years stinkers were led by Altered Beast. AER was pretty meh, and the first Game Boy Castlevania was especially stinky. And Biomutant was an absolute drag.
But this was a really solid year on the whole. I played a lot of stuff that I didn't even realize I owned, and some of those were fantastic. That's always a pleasant surprise.
 
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Game 57

Andro Dunos - I think I finished it, but I honestly barely remember playing it.

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This was a side-scrolling shoot 'em up that was so exceptionally unexceptional. It has powerups, it looks fine, the music is actually pretty good, but none of it stuck with me at all.

Game 58

BYE-BYE BOXBOY! - 100% Complete

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I played the majority of this game last year but when the summer ended my 3DS went in the case for the cold months. I finished all the bonus stages and completed the game 100%. This is a great puzzle platformer, it doesn't leave a lot of room for error but at the same it time it isn't so tight that you have to be pixel precise. The visuals are basic as can be but that's the direction the series has always taken. The music is really good too.

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I dove back into my Resident Evil project after this, I've already finished RE5 and Revelations (out of order, I forgot about the Revelation games). After that I'll play Revelations 2, RE6, Biohazard, Village, then revisit the remakes of 2, 3 and 4.
 
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29.Gradius 3PC4 hours8/10Fun but the difficulty is too much. I prefer the SNES version.
30.GradiusGameboy30 minutes 4/10A very stripped down experience for the Gameboy. Fun but absurdly short.
31.Earth Defense Force SNES1 hour9/10Super fun 16-bit shooter.
32.MUSHAGenesis1 hour9/10A bit on the easy side in the beginning, but the difficulty ramps up. Very fun.


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Gradius (EU Arcade version)

First game in the series so it's a bit basic. Barely any boss variety. Easy until the final stage where you get spammed to death for more quarters.

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Switch via Contra Collection

Beat this four times technically. 2xEasy 1xNormal 1xHard. Holds up so well. A breezy 20-30 minute run unless I play on Hard where it takes me a couple hours to succeed.

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Switch via Contra Collection

The EU version of Contra 3. Same game except it has a dumb name and the main guys are replaced by robots. Giving Germany/EU the side eye on this one.

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PC

Got this on sale for $2. And that's about what it's worth. Did a few play throughs on the various difficulty options. Fun with a mouse. Awful with a controller.
 
37) Blue Fire (Xbox Series X)

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I had to put this separate than the recent games for gold games I have been playing lately because it's that good. Looks can be deceiving, and by that I mean the cover of this amazing game. It is 1 part 3D Zelda, 1 part 3D Mario, with a slight sprinkle of soulslike (You lose a currency upon death that needs to be collected).

This game is basically the best aspect of 3D Zelda games, which are it's dungeons (with puzzles), but designed as back to back connecting areas (so no overworld). It has the Zelda-style lock-on system with combat, a block, a dodge, but with added air combos for certain airborne enemies. Each dungeon has their own set of puzzles, but the difference here is that they require verticality. This is where the other half comes into play, the platforming mechanics.

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Jumping, dashing, wall running, wall bouncing, air dashing, etc. that all feels very 3D Mario (Mario 64 inspired) in terms of gameplay feel and looseness all fun and fair. Also, to earn a new heart container you have to do a platforming challenge that is the equivalent to a special level or bowser level in a 3d Mario game. Some of them will test the limits of your skill when it comes to good platforming.

The only 2 drawbacks that make it an A- is the fact that I had a few game crashes in the fire dungeon (not sure what caused them) and the fact that there is no map in the game, so you will have to try your best to remember some key areas to come back to later, however that aspect isn't too bad since there aren't that many areas in the game itself due to being under 15 hours.

It has wonderful music as well:



Three tips when playing:

1) Don't bother backtracking until you unlock fast travel. It's after the second dungeon (water dungeon). Nothing is time-based and you won't be locked out of anything so don't worry.

2) The small wallet that you need first will be a bit further in the game, even though the first merchant you meet has a larger one.

3) Don't do the harder heart challenges (4 star or 5 star) until you unlock enough traversal skills. You will come across them while exploring and may have to backtrack for some.

The two aspects of Mario+Zelda combined made for a very unique experience and felt like a dream in terms of gameplay design and controls and made for what I consider a really amazing experience, that took me slightly under 15 hours to complete, fully worthy of the A- rating I'm giving it. It is the very definition of a hidden gem. A hidden diamond.

Rating: A-

38) Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (Steam Deck)

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Here is my review for Ragebound:
Just finished it myself.

Unfortunately, this game has a split personality (no pun intended here) when it comes to it's gameplay loop. There are two ways to play this game. One way is a combination of these two games:

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The other way is more careful and methodical, like this game:

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Playing it either way will lead to the game attempting to punish you for it. For example, being more methodical will lead to enemies either respawning too fast or more enemies spawning from outside of the screen area, running towards you full-sprint. Nothing wrong with the idea, but it starts to feel like I'm grinding in an RPG with zero experience points. The first way, the faster way, has it's own shortcomings too. I think the game's over-reliance on the pogo stick-style mechanic of bouncing on enemies is part of what causes this problem.

Secondly, in the second half of the game, it starts to funnel you more and more into taking either path, because the checkpoints are fewer and far between and the enemies are more and more armored (with some having moves that give them super armor). Also, before anyone says anything, my issue has nothing to do with difficulty. Difficult games are fine and I usually prefer hard modes anyway. My issue with this game is with the gameplay loop and it's design, and I think I simply prefer the NES Ninja Gaiden games over this, as odd as that may sound.

However, aside from this glaring issue, the boss fights were really fun, the game looks gorgeous and the levels were varied enough to keep things interesting. I wasn't a fan of the enemy types in the last 3rd of the game, nor the story twist regarding why you're fighting these enemies, but I guess that enemy type is sort of a Ninja Gaiden staple at this point. I was nearing a point where I started to feel like I wanted to get the game over with and thankfully it ended right before I fully felt that way.

I was hovering at a C+ for my rating of this game but I think I'll push it over to a B-

I hope, if they are successful enough to greenlight a sequel, that they use a different 'hook' for it's gameplay.

Rating: B-

39) Anthem (Xbox Series X Backwards Compatibility)


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I played this using the 60fps mode on Series X. My thoughts on this game are pretty much similar to my thoughts on First Descendant, except this game has two problems that make it worse.

1)

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In this game, you do a mission, go back to home base, then do your rounds talking to people (they give you more missions). The problem isn't that they just talk a lot, but there's not a lot of substance behind the things that they say. It's a lot of back-patting, meandering, and what feels like stretched out 'small talk' to the point where the plot and villain felt like they were pushed into the background until they were randomly brought back up during a twist 2/3 into the game. Also due to this I never truly felt immersed into this world. Instead it felt more like looking at a theme park from a distance.

2) The loading and backtracking are too long. The First Descendant solved this with fast and snappy loading, in and out of missions. It also helped by loading you into specific parts of a map to not make you walk all the way back to an objective. Since Anthem came before TFD, Anthem had neither of these solutions. So it had the old school "walk all the way back" thing going on, but multiple times to the same area to complete a story thread.

One interesting but odd thing here is that once you complete the game, you essentially are in this "MGS V: Chapter 3" moment of being in an Epilogue with an unfinished plotline. So you're kind of doing side missions for people but there is no leadup or conclusion to some of them, and it eventually comes down to the game pretty much saying 'well, this is it, help others online with missions and build up credits for your base' as it's endgame. It's definitely odd and I guess this is the second time in my life I've ever seen something like this with the first time being MGS V.

Otherwise, I agree that this feels the closest to an Iron Man-like experience in a video game. Maybe one day I'll find a copy of that ultra-difficult Xbox 360 Sega game and see what that's about. Anthem's gunplay felt nice, environments look nice, and the lore is kind of interesting.

It's just a shame that I could kind of tell from playing the game that there were development issues, potential disagreements on the plot, and lastly it just felt like Bioware's heart not being in the right place on this one. The game will be shutting down at the beginning of next year.

Rating: C+
 
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Game 59

Resident Evil 5 - Completed Chris playthrough

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I liked this much more than I thought I would. I'd barely call it a resident evil game though, it's not survival horror, it's just straight action. I'd compare it to Gears of War but that game isn't nearly as clunky as this. This game takes the series even further into the action genre than RE4 did. It does away completely with the save system, replacing it with checkpoints. The map is so linear the map is almost pointless save for the odd section once in a while. Gone is the item management and the cool attaché case from RE4, replaced with two 3x3 storage squares for both Chris and Sheva. Speaking of Sheva, she was a great addition to the series and though I don't like NPCs stealing my items and picking up stuff on the map, she wasn't always completely useless and on the odd occasion actually helped. Gameplay itself isn't as good as RE4, way too many QTEs, too many sections where the enemies never stop spawning and so much instant-death it got annoying. The visuals in this game not only hold up well, I genuinely think that how the shots were framed coupled with great art design make this game look as good or better than some of the newer games that my PC struggles to run, The flamethrower in particular still looks insanely good. Unfortunately this game is from the era where cutscenes are FMV resulting in several blurry, low framerate cinematics. If I wasn't comparing this to other games in the series I probably would have rated it higher because I did have fun with the game, but I can't ignore how much is missing here.

Game 60

Resident Evil Revelations - Completed playthrough

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This game had a really cool setting, out at sea on a ship. There is a pretty cool twist leading to a lot of back and forth between Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield's teams. The game is back to survival/horror as you explore the massive cruise ship. Plenty of jump scares, lots of grotesque creatures and the boss fights were pretty impressive in scale. The jumping around in time and to different characters made the story fun to piece together and the characters supporting it all were pretty well-written. The issue I had with this game was the instant death. Fail a QTE, dead. Walk too close to a hunter, dead (There are so many Hunters in this game), wading in water? You're going to get ambushed a dozen times by aquatic enemies that you either have to destroy your analog stick to shake off, or death. QTEs are just the worst, and they really dragged this game down. I also wasn't too sold on the whole Terragrigia thing, the city doesn't seem like it fits in the same universe as prior RE games.

Game 61

Resident Evil Revelations 2 - Completed playthrough

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This game is Barry Burton's redemption story. In RE2 he sold out the entire Stars team because the bad guys threatened his family but in the end he tried to stop the bad guys. In this game his daughter and Claire are kidnapped and taken to an island where experiments are being run on innocents (in a Resident Evil game? You don't say) in order to do something sinister. The game has you exploring as Claire Redfield and Moira Burton, but also as Barry Burton and Natalia Korda. Each team has a character who shoots and a second character that can discover secrets and access areas the other can't. The two teams' adventures on the island also take place six months apart and due to this, items collected in the past by Claire and Moira are no longer there when Barry and Natalia make their way around the map, that includes the map itself. If Claire picks up a map it's gone and Barry has to explore blind. Alternately, there are things you can do to affect the environment in the past that will change things in the future. It was a really fun mechanic. Gameplay in this game is back to maze-like structures and decently complex puzzles, but keeps a lot of the action and controls from newer games in the series. Less reliance on QTEs and instant death made the game way more enjoyable.

Game 62

Resident Evil 6 - Completed Leon playthrough

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This game jumps from fun, to boring, to infuriating, to just plain stupid. The first section of the game wouldn't let me actually control my character, regardless of the direction I pressed on the stick, Leon just followed a path. This happens now and again throughout the game when they REALLY want you to look at something. QTEs in this game just never stop either. There is a boss fight I swear is twenty minutes long, and it's just peppered with these annoying QTEs. The game has steered the series so far into the action genre they didn't even bother putting a map in the game. The item inventory screen is a soulless PS3-style menu. The notes found lying around giving backstory and context are all gone too. The setting and visuals are great, bosses look amazing, and the body horror is on another level, but all that is overshadowed by the clumsy movement, poorly designed world, and very poor game design choices. I was hoping this one would surprise me like RE5 did, but in the end, I found myself way more annoyed with it than I expected.

Game 63

Resident Evil VII Biohazard - Completed playthrough

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I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this game. I assumed from watching videos that the game had deliberately slow movement, but the gameplay was great. This game is pure horror and really never lets up. Jump scares are everywhere, body horror, and a constant feed of creepy vibes. The sound design is brilliant, you hear doors closing throughout the house, random footsteps, people muttering and the buildings settling all the time. The lighting throughout the game really helped set the tone and the ambient music helped ramp things up when things were about to take a turn. The Baker family were terrifying. Jack takes on the same role as Nemesis from RE3, only he's dialed up the fear factor to eleven. Marguerite isn't as much of a menace, but she kept my pants pooped with her sudden appearances. Lucas is mostly just a jackass, but his part of the game included an escape room that was a lot of fun to run through. The game's map isn't massive, especially when you compare it to basically any RE since RE2, but the way you make your way through the environments is a master class on how to optimize a map. Everything is distinct and making your way around the structures never gets tedious. Backtracking never feels like it because the house is being destroyed as you go, opening up new passages. Boss fights were also a lot of fun, notably the fight with Jack in the garage. After a little back-and-forth Jack tears the roof off your car and starts doing donuts in the garage, fun stuff!
 
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Ace Combat 6

I remember the game being challenging and having played it again — yep. The soundtrack is incredible. It's not as good as the PS2 games but still a fun time.

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Game 41 - Cygni: All Guns Blazing (PS5) - 03h 20m
Beat 05/08/2025 - my score: 6/10

Game 42 - Mafia: The Old Country (PS5) - 13h 41m
Beat 12/08/2025 - my score: 7/10

Game 43 - Lost Judgment (PS5) - 32h 04m
Beat 21/08/2025 - my score: 8/10

I like shmups, but Cygni isn't my favourite. Rather disappointed.
Mafia is good. Not as good as first and second part, but certainly better than third. Sicily is beautiful and voice acting fantastic.
Lost Judgment. I love Yakuza games. Played almost all of them and LJ is good installment. Not in my top, but all right.
 
OK, so since I just finished my 52 here's the consolidated list. Hope everybody else finishes strong. Lots of year left.

My last detailed post...


1: Mission in Snowdriftland - Switch - Beat 1/2
2: Mega Man 2- NES - Beat 1/2
3: Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 - Switch - Beat 1/10
4: Spiderman: Miles Morales - PS5 - Beat 1/25
5: Red Dead Redemption 2 - PS4 - Beat 2/25
6: Avowed - PC and Xbox - Beat 3/24
7: Hitman - PS4 (Via PS5) - Beat 3/26
8: Mullet Madjack - PC - Beat 3/29
9: Dead Space (2008) - PC - Beat 4/6
10: Event[0] - PC - Beat 4/7
11: AER Memories of Old - PC - Beat 4/7
12: Travis Strikes Back Again: No More Heroes - Switch - Beat 4/23
13: Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse - NES via the Castlevania Anniversary Collection (Switch) - Beat 4/29
14: Aviary Attorney - PC - Beat 4/29
15: Donut County - PC (Gamepass) - Beat 4/30
16: Kid Dracula - NES via Castlevania Anniversary Collection (Switch) - Beat 4/30
17: Altered Beast - Genesis (via Genesis Classics Switch version) - Beat 5/2
18: Infamous: First Light - PS4 via PS5 - Beat 5/2
19: Castlevania: The Adventure - Game Boy via Castlevania Anniversary Collection - PS5 - Beat 5/2
20: Castlevania 2: Belmont's Revenge - Game Boy via Castlevania Anniversary Collection - PS5 - Beat 5/5
21: Castlevania Bloodlines - Genesis via Castlevania Anniversary Collection - PS5 and Switch - Beat 5/5
22: Super Castlevania 4 - SNES via Castlevania Anniversary Collection - PS5 - Beat 5/6
23: Good Job! -Switch - Beat 5/14
24: Streets of Rage - Genesis (via Genesis Classics Switch version) - Beat 5/21
25: Biomutant - PS5 - Beat 5/23
26: Mortal Kombat 11 - PS5 - Beat Story Mode 6/1
27: Huntdown - PS5 Beat 6/4
28: Mushroom Wars 2 - Switch via Switch 2 - Beat 6/17
29: Ape Out - Switch vis Switch 2 - Beat 6/24
30: Fort Defense - PC (Steam) - Beat 6/25
31: Super Mario World - SNES via Switch 2 - Beat 6/30
32: Verlet Swing - PC - Beat 7/2
33: Little Nightmares - PS4 via PS5 - Beat 7/5
34: It Takes Two - PS5 - Beat 7/15
35: Mario Kart World - Switch 2 - Beat 7/16
36: Bowser's Fury - Switch 2 - Beat 7/17
37: Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - Beat 7/23
38: Gunman Clive - Switch - Beat 7/25
39: EA Sports College Football 25 - XBOX - Beat 7/26
40: Retro Bowl - Switch - Beat 7/28
41: Saints Row the 3rd - Switch via Switch 2 - Beat 7/31
42: Strider - PS4 - Beat 8/7
43: Gunman Clive 2 - Switch - Beat 8/8
44: What Remains of Edith Finch - PS4 - Beat 8/8
45: WWE2k24 - PS5 - Beat 8/9
46: Journey to the Savage Planet - Switch via Switch 2 - Beat 8/13
47: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins - Game Boy - Beat 8/14
48: God of War: Ragnarök - PS5 - Beat 8/19
49: The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe - PS5 - Beat 8/21
50: Lunistice - PC - Beat 8/21
51: Panzer Dragoon Remake - Switch via Switch 2 - beat 8/22
52: Bluey: The Videogame - XBOX - Beat 8/22
 
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