Main Post #1 (Games 1-26)
Game 27: Super Mario Bros. 3 - (Finished on 5/3)
Back to that platforming goodness after the strangeness of SMB2. Not much to say about this one. Though I gotta admit I’ve always preferred Super Mario World’s physics. This game always felt weirdly slippery to me, as if Luigi were the main character.
Game 28: Sonic CD - (Finished on 5/12)
The only classic Sonic game I never got to play back in the day, as I never owned one of those fancy Sega CDs. Playing it now was a dandy experience. With the time travel mechanics, levels are laid out differently than Sonic 1-3K. They’re shorter, but more maze-like and a bit less linear. Ignoring the time travel mechanic allows one to speed through a level easily. But when attempting to maintain speed to initiate time travel, things become serious, as there often isn’t a straight path laid out to make things easy. This requires the player to get crafty in their methods to keep up the speed. I’m unsure as to why there are two soundtracks, but I’m glad both exist, as they comprise probably the
cheesiest greatest Sonic soundtrack from that era. Lastly, the jump sound effect in this game is a travesty—I can tolerate it, but I can’t accept it. Nope.
Game 29: Sonic Adventure 2 - (Finished on 5/12)
"Sonic, what are you doing here?"
"I heard you were on a quest for the Master Emerald."
"You know me and you don't get along."
"I don't think that's the point right now, Knuckles. I know how much the emerald means to you, and I wanna help get it back. Stop being stubborn and think!"
"Well I guess you're right."
"You're damn right, Knuckles."
Game 30 Okami - 27:55:22 (Finished on 5/21)
I’ve always ranked Okami amongst my favorite games, despite playing it only once long ago. Getting around to the PS3 version, I’d say it still holds up, with a few missteps. The game itself is still gorgeous and as charming as ever with its wonderful cast of characters. The Celestial Brush is a creative take on upgrades and environmental interaction. And of course there’s the memorable music and fulfilling story. What I noticed upon replaying it however was the game has a tendency to seriously drag. Like, even though I didn’t mind the slow pacing too much, it feels like a case of a game that doesn’t need to be as long as it is and could be trimmed down without losing much, if anything at all. Also the game likes to give very heavy handed cues as to how to solve a puzzle/where to go next/etc. It’s bothersome when things are solved for you before you really have a shot at attempting it. Despite these gripes, Okami is still a fantastic game.
Game 31 Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions - (Finished on 5/21)
Decided I’d call it done after getting through Adventure, Ultimate and Hardcore modes. Something about the amount of malicious shapes flying at you, constant explosions and shots being fired elicit this perplexing trance—a state of absolute focus—wherein one is able to transcend their limits and achieve those 3-star scores and beyond, or at least that’s how I feel when I play Geometry Wars. The inclusion of bosses was also an interesting touch, it switches up how the game is played somewhat, and offers up a fun challenge. I also appreciate the inclusion of Retro Evolved mode as that’s my favorite flavor of the Geometry Wars formula. Very addictive and a worthy follow up to the first and second games.
Game 32: Space Channel 5 - 1:06 (Finished on 5/24)
My experience with this game was an enigmatic one. I love absolutely everything about it, but I’m absolutely terrible at playing it. Space Channel 5 is essentially a blend of Simon Says and a rhythm game. The opposing side will perform a sequence of dances, and you have to repeat their actions with the same timing. My problem wasn’t a matter of memorization but one of timing; the rhythm and timing needed to match the dances and whatnot required deft precision. Even after completing the game I still can’t consider myself good at it, rather barely decent enough to get by. The moments where I was able to get the timing down were a treat and allowed me to get sucked into the strange, fun world of Space Channel 5—where aliens are forcing people to dance and disco and swing music is in abundance. Oh, and can’t forget about Space Michael either. The main downfall of this game was the length. Despite my struggles, it only took about an hour to get through. But a groovin’ hour nonetheless. Thankfully it is very replayable.
Game 33 Space Channel 5: Part 2 - 1:23 (Finished on 5/25)
Very similar to the first game, now with nicer visuals, checkpoints, instruments and singing. My time with this one was identical to the first, as in, enjoyable but my skills kept letting me down, down, left, right, chu, hey!
Game 34: Pokemon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team Great Rocket!- 9:11 (Finished on 5/28)
Pokemon TCG had a super swell ending. You beat the Grand Masters, obtain the legendary Pokemon cards and thus become the strongest player on TCG Island. Life is great! That is until one day, a mysterious blimp flies around the island and vacuums up everyone’s Pokemon cards, as well as taking some of the renowned Club Leaders and the Grand Masters hostage. The only way to get back everyone’s cards and liberate the hostages is to play card games against Team Great Rocket, the group responsible. TCG 2 certainly has a much more urgent plot set up than the easygoing adventure of TCG 1. Gameplay wise, it’s identical to the first with a notable exception. Opponents will often have a stipulation when battling them, such as restricting themselves and the player to a single energy type, or requesting the player to use a deck with specific cards, such as using 4 Eevee’s in a deck. It puts a fun spin on battles and encourages a lot of experimentation when building decks. After playing both games, the soundtrack has been burned into my mind—these Game Boy
tunes are pretty
jammin’.
Game 35: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Jetstream Sam + Blade Wolf DLC) - 1:31 (Finished on 5/28)
Short but sweet. The DLC includes some neat extra insight on the respective characters and a few satisfying boss fights.
Game 36: Devil May Cry 2 - 4:38 (Finished on 5/31)
I guess I’d sum this game up as ‘bland.’ DMC2 didn’t really feel challenging. All the enemy encounters and bosses were very simple and painless affairs—making use of Dante/Lucia’s ranged weapons for instance, trivialized the majority of boss fights and regular enemies were pretty pathetic, even when up against groups of the stronger ones. The combat itself felt pretty sluggish and wasn’t engaging—it became mindless quickly. Honestly as I was slicing my way through the game I couldn’t help but think, “Was that it?” every time I completed a mission. Definitely a step down from DMC1.
Game 37: Devil May Cry 3 - 9:03 (Finished on 6/5)
Whoa. After the lethargy inducing DMC2, DMC3 did a complete 183° rotation. The combat was fun, the bosses and enemies proved challenging and the cheesiness in the cutscenes reached levels I previously thought to be unreachable. The different fighting styles were pretty neat, though I would have liked the option to switch between all of them at will. I haven’t played many games in the cuhrazy stylish character spectacle action slice ‘em up genre, but DMC3 is definitely up there from what I have played.
Game 38: Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (Finished on 6/6)
First time playing Castlevania, and by extension, classic Castlevania. After adjusting to the limited mobility, one direction whip, and situational backflip, I rather enjoyed myself. The levels are sprinkled with secrets and branching paths, encouraging replays. They have a good length to them too, not depressingly short or overly long, but just right. Also I experienced a lot of death. Embarrassing death, accidental death, rage-inducing death. The game challenged me a lot, with its relentless enemies and bosses. Even outside of the branching levels, the game has a lot of content, with the both the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night being unlockables—essentially making Dracula X Chronicles 3 games in 1. Sweet deal.
Game 39: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - 8:23:04 (Finished on 6/9)
Alucard, the protagonist of Symphony of the Night, may very well have the
smoothest running animation I've witnessed (both in media and real life). I was deeply saddened upon realizing backdashing was the faster form of locomotion. My lamentations about running animations aside, this game was really great! I jumped in after unlocking it in the main portion of Dracula X Chronicles. Seeing the map getting filled in as you backdash from room to room while leveling up after slaying grotesque enemies is very addicting. It's one of those games that just
feels good to control, likely helped by the aforementioned movement animations. My only gripes were that at times the RPG elements seemed to clash with the exploration, such as defeating a boss, or reaching a hidden area, only to be rewarded with equipment that is weaker than what you already had. I also felt that the game was bit unintuitive at times when finding a new powerup and figuring out what to do/where to go with it. Otherwise, this is a game I look forward to replaying over the years.
Game 40: Mega Man X - (Finished on 6/11)
I've mingled a bit with the classic Mega Man series, so I decided I'd give the X series a go. It was here where I learned the true terror of enemies that respawn instantly when the screen briefly shifts away from them. That vertical corridor partway through Sigma Stage 1... It bums me out just thinking about how much pain and suffering I felt there. Like sleep paralysis—you know you'll be able to move eventually, but you still struggle to move anyway. Solid game otherwise, I'll need to check out the sequels at some point.
Game 41: Super Mario World - (Finished on 6/12)
I’m pretty disappointed in myself. This is my favorite 2D Mario, and I’ve played it many times over the years, and even now—finally beating it for the first time—I still haven’t found the red, green and blue switch palaces.
Game 42: EarthBound - (Finished on 6/19)
Having played EarthBound Beginnings earlier this year I decided I would replay one of my all time favorites. EarthBound still holds up quite well, aside from the painful inventory management. The battle system is simple, but the rolling HP counters add a neat layer of urgency when navigating through battle menus. I'd actually forgotten how difficult certain portions of the game were, such as the opening area where the enemies attack in groups and do tons of damage while you're limited in resources at that point in time. I first played EarthBound when I was quite young, so I find myself appreciating a lot more of the game's ridiculous dialogue now that I'm older. Now that I can compare it to the first game, it's interesting to note how similar the two are—to the point where EarthBound almost feels like a retelling of EarthBound Beginnings. Also, one day I will obtain the Sword of Kings. One day.
Game 43: VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action - 17:20 (Finished on 6/25)
The year is 207X. Corrupt corporations and criminal gangs are at the top of the food chain in Glitch City—a dystopia where brutality reigns supreme, where the rift between the fortunate and the poor grows larger every passing day, where all individuals are kept under control by nanomachines, and where the integration of artificial life into society is progressing the quickest. None of this is really a big deal though, since you're in control of Jill, a simple bartender at the titular bar, VA-11 Hall-A, or just Valhalla. This game essentially plays like visual novel, only instead of making choices at set points, the events that occur are instead dictated by how well you serve drinks to clients. Successfully fulfilling their orders will lead to Jill receiving more money in her paychecks and in turn, being able to pay her bills. The game is very charming, with an aesthetic evocative of that seen on the PC-98. Then there's the dialogue, which often flip-flops between thought-provoking and salacious. Characters always have interesting things to say, and give valuable insight to both the game's setting and other characters, which builds up the world nicely. The game's charismatic characters actually contrast quite well with the bleak setting. And of course, the game has the
quintessential nighttime soundtrack full of crystalline synths, dreamy pianos, dope guitars, smooth basslines, and electrifying beats. One of my favorite games I've played this year.
Game 44: LIMBO - 3 hours (Finished on 6/30)
A bit mixed on this one. The artstyle, along with the sense of isolation in a hostile environment, ambient soundtrack and gruesome deaths creates a beautifully surreal and eerie atmosphere. But the gameplay doesn’t really hold up as well as the former aspects as the game presses on. The controls don’t feel solid enough when tackling some of the later precision based puzzles/areas, and the puzzles themselves go from fun distractions to sometimes frustrating episodes with obtuse solutions. It's on the short side, so my gripes didn't detract too much from the overall game.
Game 45: Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight - 4 hours (Finished on 7/4)
Beneath the cute aesthetic, is not a particularly cute game. Atmospherically, Momodora is brooding, dreary, somber and melancholy. In that order. The game follows Kaho, a priestess—armed with a leaf and a bow—seeking audience with the queen of Karst, in hopes of dispelling a curse looming over the land. Gameplay wise, it’s very reminiscent of Castlevania, with a big interconnected map filling in as it’s explored and finding powerups to gain access to previously unreachable areas. The game has a bit of a sharp difficulty curve at the start due to limited resources that have to be managed carefully, and learning to believe in rolling, which grants invincibility frames. The tough times smooth out pretty quickly as progress is made however. As already stated, the game has a bleak setting full of hopeless NPCs and showcases a decaying land full of little environmental touches that reinforce how dire things have become. It’s a really nice looking game with great pixel art and cool boss fights. Radical game overall.
Game 46: Hotline Miami - 4 hours (Finished on 7/5)
I was overwhelmed. Suddenly thrown into exuberantly colored levels with dozens of dudes lusting for my death as violence is spraying everywhere while accompanied by
sick jams was quite something. I was impressed by how well the game managed to straddle the line between frustration and elation. One moment I'm endlessly dying and restarting a section, and In the next moment, I've entered a state of flow—easily shooting and smashing through a section. Overcoming a level after tons of deaths always proved satisfying. Of course, the constant feeling of death lurking at every corner when a level is almost completed has probably taken a few seconds off of my actual life.
Game 47: Shovel Knight - 4:23:10 (Finished on 7/6)
While Shovel Knight proudly flaunts its classic platforming roots, it still manages to feel unique—namely in using the shovel bounce as both a means of offense and traversal, along with twists such as the ability to destroy checkpoints in exchange for currency. With plenty of charm in its lighthearted and silly dialogue and solid level design, I’d say it was an excellent game.
Game 48: Portal - 3 hours (Finished on 7/6)
Finally, I've been meaning to get around to this game for almost 10 years now. Pretty fun game with mildly challenging puzzles, entertaining dialogue and a great final stretch.
Game 49: To The Moon - 4 hours (Finished on 7/7)
I cried.
Game 50: Flower - (Finished on 7/8)
Nice grass.
Soothing music. Smooth controls. Nice grass. Pleasing visuals. Great sense of speed. Positive vibes.
Game 51: Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden* - (Finished on 7/9)
Putting aside the beautifully absurd premise for a moment, Shut Up and Jam has a really neat battle system. Reminiscent of action commands seen in the Mario RPGs, each character's standard attacks have specific inputs to maximize damage, such as releasing the button at the height of Barkley's jump shot. It was engaging enough to ward off that "going through the motions" sensation often felt while playing RPGs. Despite the game’s parodic nature, I found it to strangely compelling. I mean, there's nothing quite like traversing in a post basketball ban world as Charles Barkley, up against antagonists such as Michael Jordan. Though some of the game's humor feels antiquated or falls flat at times. Otherwise, it's perfectly competent game, and nicely paced at about 4-5 hours long.
(*this game is canon by the way. A must if you have ever seen Space Jam.)
Game 52: Mother 3 - (Finished on 7/13)
Phantasmagoria is a word I learned playing this game many years ago when it was first translated. It's an admirable word. I think it's phonetically pleasing and it looks cool. Mother 3 certainly feels like being entangled in a long dream that abruptly rotates between serene, humorous, poignant and nightmarish. It's a game that stuck with me because of its constant shifts in tone, evoking smiles and tears in quick succession. As the conclusion to the Mother saga, I like how it differentiates itself from its predecessors with a more personal narrative, in addition to fostering a greater intimacy with the setting, which feels like a character itself. At the same time, it still retains that undeniably charming self-awareness the series is known for. Then there's the activation of the hidden link between video games and auxiliary human interaction—or just simply head bobbing to keep in tune with the rhythm game portions of battles. I enjoyed those a lot. I'm not really sure how to wrap this up other than a quote following a battle with a Mystery Metal Monkey:
"It was a good experience!"
Game 53: The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - 42:58 (Finished on 10/20)
You know, whenever a game has character sprites/models that walk in place, there's a 79% chance it will be good. Trusting these odds, I decided to finally—truly—delve into this game which had been sitting unbeaten in my Steam library for far too long. I'd tried a few times to get into it before, but the uneventful opening hours never held my attention. After about 15 or so hours of brute-forcing my way through the game, focusing solely on the main plot, I started to get really engrossed in the world and I was struck by a shining epiphany: this world is pretty detailed and well thought out, I should chill out and talk to the NPCs and do sidequests. And I'm glad I did, because it turns out all these NPCs have names, lives and even development. Not to mention the sidequests were usually filled entertaining and interesting happenings. So, similarly to reading a good, long book, I buckled my imaginary seat belt and played through as thoroughly as I could. Overall, I really liked how the plot dabbled in political affairs while having that lighthearted aura of "two kids going on an adventure to help people." Looking back, I appreciate the slow pace of the game, taking its time to build up the setting and characters, because once the ball got rolling—
Game 54: The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC - 75:08 (Finished on 11/4)
—It didn't stop. The eventual payoff was fantastic, and I'm still coping with that empty feeling one may experience when completing a damn good pair of games. Thank you, 79% chance.
Game 55: Pokemon Sun - 36:01 (Finished on 11/21)
As far as generation opening Pokemon games go, (Red & Blue, Black & White etc.) Sun & Moon are my favorites. Forgoing gyms in favor of the island challenge proved to be a very refreshing take on the tried and true Pokemon formula. The Alola region was nice to explore, partly due to the tropical flavor, and partly due to the larger scale of the world and more dynamic geography after shifting away from the chibi style of the older games. While story has never been Pokemon's strong suit, I was pretty invested in this one as it broke some story conventions the series has been trapped in since Ruby & Sapphire. My gripes are fairly minor, such as the overall selection of Pokemon being weaker compared to XY's massive 400+ selection and the festival plaza being less intuitive than the PSS from Generation 6. Still, Generation 7 is off to a great start, hopefully Game Freak can carry the momentum from here.
Game 56: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - 104:20 (Finished on 12/12)
It was always a magical time in elementary school when a field trip was announced. A moment of reprieve from the grueling schoolwork to take in the sights and sounds of an unfamiliar location full of adventure, intrigue, and soon-to-be-gained life experience. When the trip was over, it was back to the mundane everyday school routine of fighting monsters in an abandoned school building, fighting classmates in practical exams, talking to every stranger met, and otherwise being a well-rounded altruist. But it was worth persevering through such a routine, as just as the end of the month arrived, bam, a new action-packed field trip was announced and much rejoicing was had.
Elementary school may be a distant memory, but thankfully Trails of Cold Steel allowed me to relive my younger years yet again.
Game 57: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II - 83:20 (Finished on 12/25)
"Second form..."
*teleports behind you*
"Gale!"
*cuts through all the enemies at really fast speed and defeats them*
"That's the power of the Eight Leaves.*
*sheathes tachi*
A distilled version of my gameplay experience, if you will.
