Support NeoGAF

[InfiniteCombo]

This is likely my final post in the 2021 thread; it's unlikely I'll finish Yakuza 5 before the end of the year. I got derailed with getting Retro Achievements for a couple of games I previously had in progress. So that brings us to the 26th and final completed game this year, Street Fighter III: New Generation (cross-posting from the Retro Achievements thread)

After I posted this, I thought that maybe I can try to get as many as I could. And.... holy shit, I'm still shocked. Didn't think I'd do anywhere near this well:

I learned A LOT about the game in the process, and learned a good deal about the AI as well.

 

[DelireMan7]

My challenge :
No 2021 games . I can buy older game.

Physical Backlog :

• Lunar Silver Star Harmony (PSP) Done !
• The Legend of Heroes : Trails in the Sky (PSP)
• Rogue Galaxy (PS2)
• Odin Sphere (PS2) Gave up !
• Baldur's Gate : Siege of Dragonspear (PS4)
• Baldur's Gate 2 : Shadows of Amn (PS4)
• Baldur's Gate 2 : Throne of Bhaal (PS4)
• Assassin's Creed IV : Black Flag (PS3) Done !
• Baten Kaitos : Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (Gamecube) Done !
• Zelda Ocarina of time (N64)
• Hollow Knight (PS4) Done !
• [Replay] Final Fantasy X and X-2 (PS2) Done ! and Done !
• [Replay] At least one SoulsBorne (PS3/4) : Dark Souls Remastered Done !
• [2021] Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
• [2021] Project X Zone (3DS)
• [2021] Radiant Historia : Perfect Chronology (3DS) Done !
• [2021] Brigandine : The legend of Runersia (Switch)
• [2021] The Mark of Kri (PS2)
• [2021] Shin Megami Tensei Devil Survivor 2 : Record Breaker (3DS)
• [2021] Demon's Souls (PS5) Ongoing !

Games completed :

1. Rayman Origins (PS3) (started in Spring 2020, main story finished 5th of January 2021, coop with my 4 years old daughter, her first video game)
2. Lunar : Silver Star Harmony (PSP) (Started 1st of January, finished 17th of January, 25h56m)
3. Baten Kaitos : Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (Gamecube) (Started 19th of January, Finished the 13th of March, around 67h)
4. Hollow Knight (PS4) (Started 26th of February, Close to platinum the 23rd of April, around 83h)
5. Assassin's Creed IV : Black Flag (PS3) (Started the 25th of April, Finished the 29th of May, around 33h)
6. [Replay] Metal Gear Solid (PC) (Started the 29th of May, Finished the 5 of June, 8h32)
7. [Replay] Metal Gear Solid 2 : Sons of Liberty (PS2) (Started the 7th of June, Finished the 15th of June, 13h29)
8. [Replay] Metal Gear Solid 3 : Snake Eater (PS2) (Started the 18th of June, Finished the 29th of June, 22h25)
9. [Replay] Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of the Patriots (PS3) (Started the 29th of June, Finished the 8th of July, 18h44)
10. [2021] Metal Gear Solid : Peace Walker (PSP) (Started the 16h of July, true ending the 28th of July, 34h46)
11. [2021] Metal Gear Solid V : Ground Zeroes (PS4) (main mission done the 30th of July, 2h06)
12. Metal Gear Solid V : The Phantom Pain (PS4) (Started the 2nd of August, done the 20th of August, true ending in 63h)
13. [Replay] Final Fantasy X (PS2) (Started the 21st of August, done the 17th of October, 79h)
14. [Replay] Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2) (Started the 18th of October, done the 31st of October, 25h)
15. Odin Sphere (PS2) (Started the 1st of November, gave up the 15th of November, 20+ hours)
16. [2021] Radiant Historia : Perfect Chronology (3DS) (Started the 15th of November; done the 21 st of December, around 49h)
17. [Replay] Dark Souls Remastered (PS4) (Started the 23th of December, done the 30 th of December, 20h49)

Well a surprise game done before the end of the year. 1 and half week ago I gave my PS4 to a friend. Then he turned up Covid positive so he's at home for a bit less than 2 weeks. He decided to try the Souls with Dark Souls. He's not a gamer anymore so it was quite a challenge at the beginning. So another friend and me, we decided to start a new character on the sole purpose to help him (and let's admit it was a nice excuse to redo this masterpiece). We created our characters when he was about to enter Blightown, so we rushed our characters to catch him as fast as possible.

It was a funny experience to rush this game I usually explore methodically. It added some challenge since for a big part my weapons were not really upgraded.

We did mostly only mandatory stuff. No DLC and not much optional zones. It was a fun run. I ended up with a full strength, fat roll build using heavy weapons (such as Smough's Hammer) and a bit of pyromancy.

Our "neophyte" friend has still to beat the final boss (we decided that he should beat him alone). He almost did it yesterday so he should be done today.

About the game : you know the deal, my best game ever so... Nothing to say, an almost perfect game. I realize how cryptic the game can be for a neophyte. It was nice to re experienced the discovery of Dark Souls through my friend's "virgin" eyes.

What to play next :
Well still on Demon's Souls. It was more or less in standby due to Dark Souls, but now I go back to it.

 

[LegionX]

I mentioned I was going to bump up my games completed by jumping on some short ones... and here we are!

18. 140 (PC)

Steam has me listed as 106 minutes to complete this one.... It's a super graphically basic 2D side scrolling game that is music/rhythm based in that the platforms etc all move or appear/disappear in time with the music, and generally each level builds in intensity as it all goes along... I really did enjoy this one.. but it's literally only 4 levels long (originally 3, a 4th was added a few years later) so it's over in a flash.... Technically there is an option to play the levels through without checkpoints... but that WOULD take me hour on hour on hour... and as it's more of a bonus, I didn't bother... I'd recommend this one if it's super cheap, or comes in a bundle like how I got it

19. 198X (PC)

Another super short little game, it only took me 91 minutes according to Steam... This one has a fairly simple story which is wrapped around 5 retro 80's arcade type games... Each one is actually pretty fun to play, but equally extremely short.... I think originally this was supposed to be episodic with extra levels for the arcade games but it doesn't seem to have ever come, but there's pretty solid games in here, a streets of rage clone, r-type clone, outrun clone, and a couple others... I enjoyed it for what it was, but if it was of a decent length it may have gotten boring, not sure!

20. Brothers - A Tale Of Two Sons (PC)

2.8 hours for this one.. so a little more of a game I guess... This is the first game from the guy that did A Way Out and It Takes Two, so co-op is a theme here again, except for this one it's a single player game where you control two brothers at once... It requires a controller and each stick controls one of the brothers.. Often they need to team up to get past obstacles, simple stuff like lifting the younger one up so he can drop down something for the older brother to climb on, or other things like the younger brother not being able to swim, so needing to climb on the older brothers back. All up it's a pretty simple game and story, it uses a made up language like ICO, so you don't know exactly what is being said but it's pretty well implied. All up, was enjoyable, but messed with my head a bit trying to multitask!

 

[DelireMan7]

20. Brothers - A Tale Of Two Sons (PC)

2.8 hours for this one.. so a little more of a game I guess... This is the first game from the guy that did A Way Out and It Takes Two, so co-op is a theme here again, except for this one it's a single player game where you control two brothers at once... It requires a controller and each stick controls one of the brothers.. Often they need to team up to get past obstacles, simple stuff like lifting the younger one up so he can drop down something for the older brother to climb on, or other things like the younger brother not being able to swim, so needing to climb on the older brothers back. All up it's a pretty simple game and story, it uses a made up language like ICO, so you don't know exactly what is being said but it's pretty well implied. All up, was enjoyable, but messed with my head a bit trying to multitask

I started a run with my non gamer wife. We share the controller : she controls the little brother and me the big one.

1 hour in and we like it so far. Even my wife is quite enthusiastic about it.

I really like the mood of it

 

[LegionX]

I started a run with my non gamer wife. We share the controller : she controls the little brother and me the big one.

1 hour in and we like it so far. Even my wife is quite enthusiastic about it.

I really like the mood of it

Nice one, it's a pity they didn't actually add a legit co-op option... all it really needed was support for 2 controllers or 1 controller and 1 keyboard... may have been a little less cramped!

 

[LegionX]

21. Guardians Of The Galaxy (PS5)

This is my final "cheat" title of the year, but I've stuck within the "5 backlog per new title" challenge I set myself so I'm fine with it. All up, really enjoyed this one... I've been playing it at a slow pace over the last couple weeks, doing on average just one mission per day, and I've had a blast playing it at that pace. I can certainly understand why some would love this and some find it very average though. They've really kinda nailed the characters and there is SO MUCH banter and back and forth between them that often I was just waiting in place to hear them say more lines... however, to the type of player who doesn't care about plot/etc and is there purely for mechanics.... it's a little weaker in this regard. It's all totally serviceable but controlling Starlord barely changes over the course of the game and while you do unlock new gun modes etc, it does mostly feel like you are doing the same thing over and over. But with the story and humor, varied locations etc, I was kept entertained... An added bonus, absolutely no micro transactions, currencies, etc... the skins you unlock you do so by finding them hidden on the levels. Only negative is there's apparently no DLC coming, I'd be quite happy for more Story DLC, but who knows, maybe a sequel is already in the works.. all they need to do is improve the combat and they could have greatness in hand

 

[InfiniteCombo]

I started a run with my non gamer wife. We share the controller : she controls the little brother and me the big one.

1 hour in and we like it so far. Even my wife is quite enthusiastic about it.

I really like the mood of it

This is a nice heartwarming post. Glad you both like the game!

21. Guardians Of The Galaxy (PS5)

This is my final "cheat" title of the year, but I've stuck within the "5 backlog per new title" challenge I set myself so I'm fine with it. All up, really enjoyed this one... I've been playing it at a slow pace over the last couple weeks, doing on average just one mission per day, and I've had a blast playing it at that pace. I can certainly understand why some would love this and some find it very average though. They've really kinda nailed the characters and there is SO MUCH banter and back and forth between them that often I was just waiting in place to hear them say more lines... however, to the type of player who doesn't care about plot/etc and is there purely for mechanics.... it's a little weaker in this regard. It's all totally serviceable but controlling Starlord barely changes over the course of the game and while you do unlock new gun modes etc, it does mostly feel like you are doing the same thing over and over. But with the story and humor, varied locations etc, I was kept entertained... An added bonus, absolutely no micro transactions, currencies, etc... the skins you unlock you do so by finding them hidden on the levels. Only negative is there's apparently no DLC coming, I'd be quite happy for more Story DLC, but who knows, maybe a sequel is already in the works.. all they need to do is improve the combat and they could have greatness in hand

I've read nothing but good things about Guardians of the Galaxy.

Too bad I don't think my current GPU can handle it -- or at least handle it at a nice enough level of fidelity for me to enjoy it.

 

[LegionX]

I've read nothing but good things about Guardians of the Galaxy.

Too bad I don't think my current GPU can handle it -- or at least handle it at a nice enough level of fidelity for me to enjoy it.

Yea, I'd be in the same boat if I was playing it on my PC... I've wanted to upgrade for a while but the pure insanity of current video card pricing has me waiting on all that... which is why I went for the PS5 version, still looks really nice, and I played it with RT enabled so I didn't get max FPS or Resolution, but it was totally fine for me

 

[LegionX]

This will be my last completed games of the year, bit of a last minute rush but shows how things change when I have actual time off I guess! (plus cheaping out with smaller games I guess)

22. What Remains Of Edith Finch (PS4)

This one is pretty close to just being a walking simulator, you are returning to a weird house you grew up in that has had all the rooms of the people that used to live there locked up and you basically are walking around and finding how to get in to them all and then finding out their story. It does have some sections of almost gameplay, like having to swing, or take photos with zoom and focus needed, or one point where you play as animals (It's a bit of an out there story), but there are no fail states, so it's something a non-gamer could easily deal with if they were in to narrative and story. I'm not sure on exact length as the PS5 time logging isn't perfect, but it was under 3 hours to complete. It was an interesting experience and worth that short amount of time

23. Adam's Venture Chronicles (PC)

This one has been sitting in my Steam collection for ages, originally it was released as three separate chapters, but they repackaged it as Chronicles with minor fixes etc and gave that to everybody that owned any of the chapters.. I jumped in to it with expectations of it being a cheap action/platform game but I turned out to be wrong there. It DOES have platforming, but there's no action, it's platforming and puzzles.. and the platforming is..... pretty awful.... Adam has one of the worst jumps I've ever seen, and the platforming is glitchy and rough, it's certainly a lower budget/inexperienced teams game.. so I kinda wonder what got fixed from the episodic releases.... It took me about 7 hours as well so it was more substantial than the other games I've played the last few days.. I can't recommend this one though, it's just a bit too rough and messy.... Oddly, rather than make a brand new game, after this the team remade the game AGAIN in a different engine.. so there's 3 different versions of the same game... not sure how that really went for them financially... but there's been no actual sequel... but I don't think I'd bother even if one came out.

Now the year is over I think I'll jump back to some longer games... I STILL have a partial play through of Tales of Destiny DC to get back to as an example.... I do always finish game... but for some reason.. some I blast through start to finish.. and some I stop and start over months or even years at times.....

 

[VidKid369]

Topped the year off with beating The Last of Us (PS3) and Illusion of Gaia (SNES). Great year, guys!

 

[RAIDEN1]

Topped the year off with beating The Last of Us (PS3) and Illusion of Gaia (SNES). Great year, guys!

Have you played Earthbound/Mother on the SNES if so what did you think? I only recently started it as it came as a pack-in with the SNES Mini....normally I don't play turn based games, so fortunately with this game it has the auto-battle feature..

 

[stonedwal]

Hadn't given an update in some time. The last lockdown was a killer and work just got too damn busy.

I didn't beat any games after August. I barely played any games after August.

In the end I failed the challenge as I played bought and played Death Stranding Director's Cut in September. Technically not "new", but I count it. That opened the floodgates and I bought a bunch more after.

I still view the exercise as a success in that it got me to play a lot more games - I played and beat more games in 2021 than I had in the preceding 7 years.

 

[VidKid369]

Have you played Earthbound/Mother on the SNES if so what did you think? I only recently started it as it came as a pack-in with the SNES Mini....normally I don't play turn based games, so fortunately with this game it has the auto-battle feature..

I used to play Earthbound all the time as a kid but I never beat it. I recently beat it though and thoroughly enjoyed it. I just thought it was a fun game. Not being able to see your characters in battle used to bother me but I grew out of it. You should definitely try it out you won't be disappointed if you're a RPG fan.

It was interesting seeing the Japanese's take on America and American culture.

 

[Hypereides]

Looking at my original post I just managed to fulfill the expectation (10~20 games bracket)

Rounded 2021 off with 10 games completed:

Deus ex: human revolution
Teslagrad
Damnation
Asura's wrath
The bureau: XCOM declassified
The shoot
Max Payne 3
Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll
Alien isolation
Hydrophobia

 

[RAIDEN1]

I used to play Earthbound all the time as a kid but I never beat it. I recently beat it though and thoroughly enjoyed it. I just thought it was a fun game. Not being able to see your characters in battle used to bother me but I grew out of it. You should definitely try it out you won't be disappointed if you're a RPG fan.

It was interesting seeing the Japanese's take on America and American culture.

When it comes to RPGs for me it has always been about the Deus Exs and Mass Effects not into the Zelda's et all and certainly not turn-based games..

 

[DGrayson]

Anyone else want to report on their progress in 2021? If not Ill probably close this one. Let me know.

 

[Soodanim]

Anyone else want to report on their progress in 2021? If not Ill probably close this one. Let me know.

On the off chance there’s anyone waiting to post, they can just post in ‘22. I reckon you might as well close this now.

 

[DGrayson]

2022 thread here!

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/no-new-games-in-2022-unfinished-backlog-only.1626674/