Game 29: Kirby's Adventure (3-4 hours).
It's crazy to think that an NES game came out in 1993. But this one did.
I owned the original Kirby's Dream Land for Game Boy, as well as the sequel. I remember thinking they were incredibly polished games, especially for a handheld. This is very similar to those games. Kirby can still suck up enemies and take their powers. Kirby can still fly over difficult levels. It's a great platformer, and if you've played any of the Dream Land games, you know what to expect... but now it's color.
Major Spoilers:
It was great to see that they included a level from Kirby's Dream Land toward the end of the game. It was also cool that King DeDeDe wasn't the final boss
4/5
Game 30: Forza Motorsport 4: Essentials Edition (~28 hours)
I played Forza 3 and had a really good time with it. What I specifically remember being fun was before a race, going into a menu and upgrading parts in your car, then participating in the race and smoking the competition.
Well, Forza Motorsport 4 takes this fun away. Before a race, you have to go back a menu to upgrade car parts. Worse still, even after upgrading your car, the game is going to ask to automatically upgrade your car to fit the specifications of the race before the race. This takes half the fun out of car simulator games: speccing your car to have the best performance it can have.
Because this is the Essentials Edition, there are cars you really want to drive (read: Ferrari California) that are locked behind a paywall. Unlock the full game to drive any car you like... well, except for the ones that are DLC. I miss the days when you'd go to the game store and get a full game out of the box.
I can't be too hard on this game. The joy of racing cars you will probably (possibly) never drive in real life is still there. But I remember Forza 3 being a better game all throughout.
2/5
Dragon Quest I and IV are pretty short (as in, sub 20-25 hours for IV and much less for I) so you can start there if you want to. Then there's DQ VII which is a 100+ hour monstrosity for most. Can't wait until it drops on the 3ds in here, it's the main reason I decided to not even attempt the challenge this year lol
Actually IV will be pretty easy because I'm at Psaro the Manslayer already I just fell out of playing it. Same thing with DQV actually - I just need to beat that Nimzo!
Game #11: Teslagrad (Wii U). Time Played: 05:49 hours. Completion Reached: Beat the game with all collectibles.
I've been on an indie roll this past month, first beating Guacamelee (an action oriented Metroidvania) and then The Swapper (an exploration heavy puzzle platformer). Teslagrad is, genre-wise, a cross between both since it has both action and puzzle elements.
Teslagrad's main gameplay element is electromagnetism, represented by Red and Blue. Simply put, Red things repel Red things, Blue things repel Blue things and Red and Blue things attract each other. It's a simple representation of magnetism that allows many interesting puzzles to be created. The game shines here, showcasing many creativepuzzle setups. However, magnetism is also very erratic and can be quite difficult to control in puzzles that require precise movement, which leads to frustrating moments. Also, puzzles can get tedious since it's easy to die and some of them require a lot of waiting and/or are somewhat long. Teslagrad also features boss battles which showcase the action side of the mechanics. However, they also suffer from being tedious because it's too easy to die in the game, forcing you to restart and repeat parts of the battle often.
Presentation is top notch here. Graphics are (or look like) handdrawn, featuring many cool animations and backgrounds. Music takes a bit of a backseat (a sadly common trend in many of the indie games I've played) but still has some good songs here and there. Story is barely told throughout the game and is mostly left for the player to figure out. While that's an interesting concept it also causes the game to lack a clear indication of progression.
Overall, I think this is an interesting game. The magnetism mechanics are used in many creative ways but they are also unweildly so there are many frustrating and/or tedious moments. I'd recommend if you're a die hard puzzle platformer fan but the other indies I've played are better IMO.
Game 16: AdVenture Capitalist - 14 hours - May 13th, 2016
I can hear the gears whirring in your heads already. "Why in the hell did you put fourteen hours into a clicker?"
I dunno man. I really don't. But I did. It's not even a particularly good clicker, considering that one portion is so broken that you literally cannot finish it. Should I play AdVenture Capitalist? For the love of all that is sacred, no.
Game #82: Fortified Zone (GB) - ★★★★★★★★☆☆
This was a surprisingly good gem. It suffers a bit due to your character being so big, but overall it's a really good overhead shooter for the Game Boy. It's also like wicked cheap if I recall - something like $2.99 on the American 3DS eShop. It's fairly short, but it also offers decent replay value.
Game #83: Number Battle (DS) - ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Number Battle is a pretty interesting puzzle game, bogged down by frustrating AI. Its mechanics revolve around chain reactions, and damn can it ever be satisfying. You have basically a sack of tiles (for you, you're typically blue) with numbers and directions, and you have to connect them. You can do that by creating a numerical sequence (ie 12345), matching numbers (ie 55555), creating a loop, or creating a situation where it is impossible to add more to the combo (ie, no directions going outward). You can only build on blue tiles or rainbow tiles (which the opponent can build on as well). You also get items that you can use to either improve your standing in the match or hurt your opponent. Unfortunately, later on it starts to feel a bit tiresome, and it especially overstays its welcome in the later final matches for the worlds where you face multiple opponents, because damn if they aren't working together. I swear to goodness, I've seen them place rainbow tile next to a piece owned by another CPU that was sequential (where the rainbow tile was a 4 and the opponent piece was a 5), and the other CPU added onto that right away. More egregious is when I am in dead last sometimes, and they will use items to hurt me. I understand why it works the way it is - good AI is hard to program - but I never really enjoyed arbitrarily having the human player be targeted, despite the fact that doing so could make the CPU that targeted you lose.
Game #00: Dragon Crystal (GG) - ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
Dragon Crystal was certainly an okay game, but even as someone who enjoys games of its ilk (like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer), I found it unreasonably difficult - and not even in interesting ways. It has a really nice visual design, and some enemies have really interesting patterns of movement (the first enemy I noticed in this regard was a ninja who teleported around and would throw a shuriken when you were in range), but what I found really untenable was that in this game, you would usually find an exit by merely walking into unexplored territory (for instance, if you walk towards a certain tree, it would disappear and reveal more of the path). In some cases, you would have to click on walls such as the trees until you found the one that you needed to find. Eventually, I gave up. I like the gameplay, but I wish the challenge was a little less tedious.
Game #84: Mario Kart: Super Circuit (GBA) - ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
This is a tough game to discuss, because I had not played it back when it came out. No idea why, but I was just never that interested (plus, Konami Krazy Racers was pretty great). I don't even think I had played it until I got it on the 3DS as part of the Ambassador Program. Well, let me tell you - if I had played this game, I probably would have liked it quite a bit. It does look quite nice, and when you get a hang of the handling it works. Unfortunately, it just kind of feels “off” from the Mario Kart experience I'm used to - even when compared to Super Mario Kart, on which SC is somewhat based. It is undeniably content rich however, featuring all new levels as well as levels from Super Mario Kart (I think it was the first Mario Kart to feature past levels).
Game #85: A Kappa's Trail (DS) - ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
A Kappa's Trail is pretty neat, and I almost want to bump it up a point for the fact that it has references to Mother 3. Unfortunately, the game kind of wore thin on me after a while. It became somewhat unwieldy, and I dunno, I just kind of felt a disconnect - like a part where you are standing on moving platforms, but not moving with them. I'd still probably recommend it since it's so cheap (like $5.00 on the eShop), but it's not the best DSiWare game Nintendo has made.
It and Fortified Zone were pretty easy games to finish, since they were both pretty short, while Mario Kart Super Circuit took a bit longer because I played through the five cups.
Game 16: AdVenture Capitalist - 14 hours - May 13th, 2016
I can hear the gears whirring in your heads already. "Why in the hell did you put fourteen hours into a clicker?"
I dunno man. I really don't. But I did. It's not even a particularly good clicker, considering that one portion is so broken that you literally cannot finish it. Should I play AdVenture Capitalist? For the love of all that is sacred, no.
Game 17: Chameleon Run - 1ish hours - May 14th, 2016
I'm not much of one for platformers, but I saw this one in the iOS thread last month, and the visual design really just charmed the pants off of me. I ended up buying it today and finishing it while waiting for my graduation to finish (lol). On the plus side, it's really a charming package, and I love the color swapping idea. Some of the other mechanics are pretty nifty as well. On the less positive though, the game is really short. There's only like 11 actual levels. Theoretically, if I wanted to, I could sink some more time into trying to complete all the objectives for each level and beating all the times. But even with that, the content is pretty barebones here. It's an alright value proposition for $1.99 I guess. Less than a morning coffee. Should I play Chameleon Run? Sure, especially if it goes on sale in the App Store!
[image above not my screenshot] Game 39: Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards: Reloaded (PC)
Finished 4/10/16 (1 pt)
Time to complete: 2.0 hours as per Steam
I've rarely been so thoroughly disappointed in a game as I was with this one. The first Leisure Suit Larry is one of my favorite games from my misspent youth, but this game... is pretty awful. The puzzles and gameplay haven't aged well, and they shoehorned a whole lot of Kickstarter backer cameos (I know, contractual obligations, but still...). At least it was short... so short in fact, that I didn't think to take a screenshot before uninstalling it in disgust.
Game 40: Code of Princess (PC)
Finished 4/21/16 (1 pt)
Time to complete: 5.0 hours as per Steam
I bought this on launch to show my support for more niche Japanese titles on Steam... can't say I'm super happy with the game though. Picked this up on the premise of being an Guardian Heroes sequel in all but name, and having never played the 3DS original, I bit.
As you can see from the screenshot, the sprites look like ass (not surprising, being a 3DS port), but the gameplay itself was a lot weaker than I was expecting. There's a stronger than expected emphasis on grinding to increase stats, and some bosses were so cheap that they required the use of dirty tricks and spamming to get the W. Will likely never play this again.
Game 41: Ratchet and Clank 2016 (PS4)
Finished 5/1/16 (1 pt)
Time to complete: Around 7 hours
[image above not my screenshot]
Now that's more like it! This from-the-ground-up remake of the hoary old PS2 classic has some of the best graphics I've ever seen, bar none: as has been discussed in the game's OT, ad infinitum, the train section is absolutely nuts and makes you feel an unparalleled sense of speed, like you're afraid to jump gaps because the momentum seems like it'd throw you off.
Still, being a remake of the very first game means some negatives in my book: 1)
the return of the godawful Skid McMarx skateboarding races
, and 2)
the lack of any arena stage, which is something I look forward to in any R&C
. Overall though, an incredible effort, especially for a bargain priced release.
Game 42: Sine Mora (PC)
Finished 5/7/16 (1 pt, story mode)
Time to complete: 1.5 hours as per Steam
I loved this game on the Vita, but just couldn't get the fine control I needed to beat it all the way. Bought this off a Steam sale when I realized my PSV version was just a PS+ copy.
Graphics are still crazy good, and bumping up the resolution made everything look fantastic. I recognize I'll never be good enough at shmups to rock through this game's achievement list (some of those goals are hard as hell), but finally beating that stupid rotating battleship with the lasers felt so good. Take that, game! Catharsis!
Game 43: Loot Hero DX (PC)
Finished 5/8/16 (3 pt)
Time to complete: 38 minutes as per Steam
I beat this game 3x in 38 minutes and still haven't figured out what the flying fuck I just played.
You run to the right. Stuff dies.
Can no longer move to the right, because enemy is too tough?
Run to the left. Stuff dies.
Repeat until you can run to the right.
It goes on like this forever, I suppose.
Game 44: Alpha Protocol (PC)
Finished 5/15/16 (1.5 pt)
Time to complete: 36 hours as per Steam
This game has it all - horrible B-movie dialogue. Fallout 4 style conversation tree where you pick an "emotion" without knowing what your dipshit avatar is going to say. Broken skills (that Shadow Master skill is incredibly OP). Shooting that doesn't quite feel right until you've maxed out a skill tree. Incredibly unbalanced boss fights that had me looking up a FAQ several times just to figure out how to cheese them (I actually had to switch to mouse and keyboard for one fight because the 360 pad just wasn't cutting it)...
...but despite everything, I loved this game so, so much. Quite possibly the best bad game I have ever played. Even when they suck, Obsidian still rules!
The actual clicker "mechanics" (if you could call them that) work fine.
There's three "worlds" that you run a business on (Moon, Earth, Mars). The way that the clicker upgrades are currently implemented basically make it impossible to ever complete the game, because the Earth upgrades don't scale in a sensible way.. I think someone did the math that it would take 10^13 years to finish upgrading Earth.
Like I get it, it's a stupid, free clicker where they want me to buy microtransactions. But your game needs to be completable within a human lifespan. The devs have claimed to be working on it, but that was like 8 months ago. I gave up hope, finished Mars and called it quits.
25) Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - 15 hours - 5/14
I was about 50 hours into Witcher 3 but when this game came out I put that on hold immediately. I love the Uncharted games but this exceeded my wildest expectations. It is the best game I've ever played hands down. It's stunningly gorgeous, wildly impressive, and is the perfect end to Nathan Drake's story. I felt like I played through it so slow because I wanted to savor the world they had built and explore all the levels. I abused the photo mode and probably snapped around 50 screenshots before the credits rolled. I absolutely can't wait to replay this and go for the platinum.
15. Wario Land: Shake It!
★★★☆☆ - 6 hours - Completed 5/7/2016
Unwieldy tilt controls aside, a solid platformer. Doesn't do anything particularly noteworthy or memorable in terms of mechanics or level design, but, as usual from Good-Feel, the visual design and soundtrack stand out.
16. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
★★★★☆ - 13 hours - Completed 5/13/2016
Once again I'm left somewhat unimpressed and unsatisfied by Uncharted's gameplay, but it's enjoyable enough. The storytelling (best in the series) and unparalleled visuals carry the experience here.
17. Doom (2016)
★★★★☆ - 8 hours - Completed 5/15/2016
Somehow id Software made a classic style FPS that works well in 2016. It's fast and it's fun. Solid level design and surprisingly enjoyable platforming. The campaign starts to wear thin towards the end but it doesn't overstay its welcome for too long.
15. Yo-Kai Watch [Finished 13/05/16]
Pokemon should be ashamed of itself, at least on a technical level. Yo-Kai Watch is one of the best looking games on 3DS, and it runs at 60 FPS in 3D! A feat that Pokemon only wishes it could achieve. However, just looking good doesn't make Yo-Kai Watch better than Pokemon, because mechanically there is a lot to live up to. This game is super weird, and I guess I should expect no less, but everything about it is Japanese to the core. The Yo-Kai themselves aren't really that appealing from a visual standpoint, and they feel like they are far more Eastern inspired than the Pocket Monsters that had much more worldwide appeal. The battle system is again strange, allowing the yo-kai to attack on their own while you play touch screen minigames to either purify them or give them a special move, all while spinning a wheel to rotate characters in and out of the front line. I thought at first that it was going to be a very passive experience, but you quickly realise that it was made this way with a purpose as you are frantically spinning, using items to heal, using special moves and rushing to eliminate your foe. This gives battles a really nice quick pace that allows you to never get bogged down. I was very engaged with it for the first 7-8 hours, going around doing sidequests, leveling up my yo-kai and enjoying the carefree atmosphere. This really feels like a Saturday morning cartoon, with each main story plotline feeling like a 20 minute episode where a simple trouble gets resolved. However, the game does start to lose its luster if you aren't interested in collecting all the yo-kai, which I really wasn't. Making friends with a yo-kai is way too much of a hassle, with you having to know its favourite food and then hoping that it will approach you after you've taken it down. It just wasn't worth it, especially when the game is so easy. You could make it to the end of the game with some very low rank creatures and still be able to claim victory. As such I used a lot of the yo-kai that you naturally get as part of the storyline. The bosses are the only area where I think the battling becomes a mess, they have really high health and small windows of opportunity for attack, meaning that they are never hard but really really really long and quite tedious. There are many elements that I like about Yo-Kai Watch, but I was glad to be done with it, as it slightly outstayed its welcome.
16. Shadow Complex Remastered [Finished 18/05/16]
I'm sure that Shadow Complex was revolutionary when it first came out, being this Indie darling that shook the 360 downloadable world in an era where Metroidvania's were very hard to come by, however, it certainly didn't give me that impression. Despite being a remaster the game is surprisingly ugly. Textures are low quality and certain rooms have a filter that makes it look as if Vaseline had been rubbed all over the screen. That aside, the story and voice acting are pretty terrible and the world isn't one that I really got invested in, probably because I'm not a fan of army/military things generally. So many things primed me to not enjoy this game, but I still had a fun time. This genre is my favourite in all of gaming, so even a mediocre one will get its hooks in me and not let go. Exploring is fun and getting upgrades is cool, but I wasn't a fan of the combat. The problem with having enemies in the foreground and background but maintaining a 2D perspective means that aiming the sticks is cumbersome and awkward. Often I wanted to shoot the background but he ended up spraying in front of him instead. This along with generally boring enemies and very exploitable, easy boss fights made combat a really weak element. Overall, I completely understand why everyone loved this back in 2009, but these days it just doesn't hold up, the landscape has changed and there are much better versions of this out there.
17. Nano Assault EX [Finished 24/05/16]
Another hit from the Humble Bundle! This was a fun little game that I thought might be too difficult for me to beat at first, owing to its bullet hell-y nature. However, it gets easier as you go owing to the lives system that gives you more and more chances the more orbs you collect. By the end I was breezing through stages and admiring the visuals that are very impressive for a 3DS game. The frame rate is unfortunately wonky in 3D and there is also a lot of weird screen tearing, but the 3D really shines in the Star Fox esque on rails levels. These gave me more thrills than Star Fox ever could, looking beautiful and offering up some really cool boss fights that became the highlight of the game. Overall, a really bitesize fun time.
18. Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright [Finished 27/05/16]
It may have been a result of burning through 36 hours in a single week, but I was incredibly underwhelmed by Birthright. Mechanically it really threw me for a loop, messing with the weapon triangle in a way I didn't enjoy and confusing me with different weapons that were still meant to fill the roles of the old ones. The characters you start with are weak as shit, and it really doesn't feel like you can properly utilise the attack stance without fear of someone being easily offed. The maps look wonderful, but are relatively bland in their design and objectives, creating no stakes and leaving me with a bad taste. Aesthetically the game is top notch, but the weak story and monotonous campaign mean that I was not invested in the Birthright side of this Fire Emblem triple threat.
19. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition [Finished 29/05/16]
This game is in the running for my favourite game of all time already, so there isn't much more I need to say. Playing through again reminded me how much I was in love with it, and the definitive edition adds a few elements that streamlines the original. If I'm honest the new area looks gorgeous, but reintroduces my least favourite mechanic (albeit not for too long), but the new abilities make Ori feel even more fluid and add to what is already one of the most polished and sublime gameplay experiences I've ever had.
20. Freedom Planet [Finished 06/06/16]
Freedom Planet is to Sonic what Shovel Knight is to Mega Man. I could stop there, but that would do disservice to some of the wonderful things about this game. The story is surprisingly engaging, taking the tone of a Saturday morning cartoon with some wonderfully cheesy voice acting and dialogue that fits so well with the aesthetic. The levels are incredibly long and sometimes frustratingly challenging, which meant I leant towards playing on easy, but that didn't dimish the experience. There are screen filling bosses and colourful characters aplenty. A great surprise.
21. The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine [Finished 08/06/16]
Witcher 3 is the gift that keeps on giving. Blood & Wine gives you a brand new area to play around in and it's almost always plastered in sunshine. I love being in bright colourful environments and Toussaint may the most beautiful I've ever seen. I enjoyed the addition of player housing in the Vineyard (and had a great place to show off all my armour!) and didn't mess too much with the new mutation system, but found it a welcome addition. As always with this game, the side quests are the shining centrepiece and they didn't disappoint. The main story goes in some interesting directions and making your way through the branching choices gives it the agency that I've come to expect. Overall its a cherry on top of what is already one of the best game ever made. Bravo CD Projekt Red, take a bow.
22. Game of Thrones - A Telltale Games Series [Finished 10/06/16]
Boooooooooooring. Man I can't believe I'm saying that, but its true. This game captures nothing great about the joy that is the Book series and TV show. It's characters are uninteresting, and make the "twists" have so much less oomph. The shoehorning in of actual canon characters was a mistake as they add almost nothing and make the game seem more desperate than interesting. This is the worst Telltale game since they started this new type of adventure game. What a shame.
23. Stardew Valley [Finished 09/06/16]
There is nothing that has absorbed me this year more than Stardew Valley. It's crack. I can't stop playing. Help. Ok, ok, so it's basically Harvest Moon, but refined to a tee. The stamina system makes you conserve yourself for multiple activities in one day, and you can never get everything done meaning that you bleed from one day into the next and before you know it, its 3 am and you are still farming. Yeah combat isn't great and the town and its surrounding areas aren't massive, but there is SOOOOO much to do and its all executed so well with such a charming veneer, that its hard not to fall in love with this fantastically designed game.
24. Super Mario Land [Finished 09/06/16]
25. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening [Finished 25/06/16]
26. Pikmin 3 [Finished 07/07/16]
27. Inside [Finished 07/07/16]
28. Box Box Boy! [Finished 16/07/16]
29. Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest [Finished 23/07/16]
30. Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE [Finished 01/08/16]
31. ABZÛ [Finished 02/08/16]
32. Retro City Rampage: DX [Finished 05/08/16]
33. Another Metroid 2 Remake [Finished 09/08/16]
34. Affordable Space Adventures [Finished 15/08/16]
35. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance [Finished 17/08/16]
36. Shank [Finished 27/08/16]
37. SpeedRunners [Finished 28/08/16]
38. EarthBound [Finished 30/08/16]
39. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney [Finished 10/09/16]
40. The Fall [Finished 12/09/16]
41. Super Mario Bros. 3 [Finished 19/09/16]
42. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End [Finished 10/10/16]
Game 1: The Division - 24+ hours (5/15/16) Game 2: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - 17 hours (6/5/16) Game 3: Gone Home: Console Edition - <5 hours (6/25/16)
I'm not doing too well this year. Just beat game #1.
Life has been really different - work has been especially time-consuming this year, and my wife and I welcomed our first child back in March. It doesn't help that I spent most of last year playing Destiny, then most of the winter playing Fallout (which I never beat).
Game #1 was The Division. I really slogged through the campaign. Tried to solo it. Gave up around level 16 and started courting randos, but made little progress since every group only went for the supply missions that don't give a lot of XP. Around level 24, I employed the help of two high-level friends, who drug me through the rest of the story and got me to 150gs in the DZ in just about five hours.
It wasn't pretty, but it's my first :B: of the year. Uncharted is up next, already about halfway done. Can't wait to beat a few more over the summer.
Game 31: Kirby's Dream Land (1 hour)
This game is a classic. I played it as a little kid, but haven't beaten it until now.
It's really short, but it lays the groundwork for future games in the Kirby series. The controls feel spot on. Swallowing enemies doesn't give you their power. That would be introduced in a later game.
There are basically four stages and a final boss. You can beat it in an hour. And it leaves you wanting more. Which is what Kirby's Dream Land 2 provides.
5/5
Game 32: Kirby's Dream Land 2 (~5 hours)
This is the best Kirby game I've played. In my opinion, it's one of the best 2D platform games ever.
Kirby now has the ability to take enemies powers, which (I think) was introduced in Kirby's Adventure. Kirby also has three friends who help him along the way. What's interesting about his friends is when you ride on (or in) one of them, if you're carrying or you pick up a power, the power becomes slightly different. It adds a lot of abilities to Kirby's arsenal.
Spoiler:
It's a shame the final boss is practically identical to the one in the first game.
But that's my only complaint in what is otherwise a flawless platformer.
5/5
37. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4, 2016) - 18:14 Completed on Moderate difficulty.
Much like Ratchet & Clank, Uncharted 4 feels like a greatest hits version of the franchise. An astoundingly pretty game that remembers to do right by its characters, Uncharted 4 also provides a good balance of combat encounters, death-defying climbing stunts, and quiet moments where you're encouraged to soak up the scenery or learn a little backstory. The main issue with the game is that it doesn't necessarily do anything particularly new--nothing here will amaze in quite the way the hanging train in Uncharted 2 or the cargo plane sequence in Uncharted 3 did. But nearly everything it does is extremely polished and well thought out.
As blockbusters go, this is a pretty good one. In some ways, it feels almost back to basics. There's a decent amount of globe-hopping, but not as much as the previous two games. You end up spending a significant amount of time in a single geographic location, very much like the first Uncharted. The cast of characters is pretty slim, meaning you get to concentrate on a few personalities instead of juggling a huge rogue's gallery all scheming against one another (hello Uncharted 3). But at the same time, lessons from previous games have been put to good use here. Most combat encounters allow you a great deal of latitude, though Uncharted 4 sometimes feels like it leans heavily on stealth by throwing a ton of people at you if you screw up and the fight gets hot. The game also remembers to throw in some quiet moments; if you were hoping for another experience like the Tibetan village in Uncharted 2, today's your lucky day.
But my favourite part of Uncharted 4 is its characters. A while back, someone noted in a review of the sci-fi TV show Firefly that so few genre shows and movies feature a married couple in a healthy relationship. You get a lot of single people falling in love or rejecting each other, and a ton of unrequited sexual tension; you don't see a lot of couples dealing with the usual problems of being a couple, like should we have kids or how do we deal with conflicting career priorities. This goes double for video games, in which relationships of any sort have for so long been used as a reward for players when they're featured at all.
The Uncharted franchise is part of an exclusive club that tries to depict two people in love but dealing with a occasionally rocky relationship. The way Uncharted depicts the evolution of that relationship over time practically makes it the Before Sunrise of video games, except with a whole lot more rock climbing and shooting. In some ways, the way Uncharted 4 handles Drake and Elena is a bit cliche and rote. But there's also a genuine warmth to the performances and to the writing that makes the relationship work even at its most strained. There's a lot of other great stuff in the game--stunning vistas, vertigo-inducing climbs, intense combat, etc.--but ultimately Drake and Elena are what make the game for me. So kudos, Naughty Dog. You haven't put a foot wrong yet.
Wicked first person platformer with the movement fluidity of Quake, the platforming fun of Super Mario and a tiny bit of Qbert floor painting. You have to raise submerged platforms by reaching and pushing buttons. The more platforms are raised, the bigger the obstacle course gets and the harder it gets to reach the next button. Plays great, sounds great, looks great. My first Unreal4 engine game, buttery smooth, flawless frame pacing, so easy on the eyes. Only negative point: it's a very brief game, more would have been nice.
This horizontal SHMUP is definitely one of my favorites now, right up there with the likes of Gradius V, Life Force, R-Type. This arcade to home conversion not only went the extra mile, it ran an extra marathon. The ultra-wide screen setup from the arcade is present in AC/EX mode: AC being the 1:1 port and EX being a tougher remix of AC. The third mode is the content heavy home conversion extra: CS Mode. They took the arcade machine assets and build a whole playable Darius timeline into the Chronicle Saviours mode; 200 missions, endless combinations of ship setups, unlocks, stages, challenges and boss rushes. The missions in CS vary in playtime and difficulty: the perfect mix of learning the basics, slowly building skills and rewarding progression. Every mission is using the game's tool set in different ways. Brilliant effort, there's almost too much content in Dariusburst CS. Props for the PC release, scales nicely beyond 4K, allows multi-screen setups and runs buttery smooth no matter how crazy the action gets.
19. Yakuza 5 (PS3, 2016/05/16, 64 hours)
Epic journey featuring 4-5 converging story lines with old and new faces. Having played and enjoyed all previous games in the series made this one even more rewarding. Especially in terms of its continued story and meta stories. Gameplay grew with every addition to the series and 5 tripled down on that: so many missions, locations to explore, things to learn, styles to master. My completion rate was mere 24% after 64 hours. My new favorite Yakuza game so far. I was very impressed how well they highlighted the underworld's involvement in the entertainment and professional sports industry. The music/idol arc was spot on. There was also surprisingly enough lots of social commentary about touchy subjects like compensated dating with minors. Things japanese media usually likes to sweep under the carpet. I'm so grateful it got localized and without any censoring AFAIK.
20. Ultionus: A Tale of Petty Revenge (Steam, 2016/05/17, 3 hours)
Awesome little 16 bit throwback, down to its base res of 320x240. This shoot'em up / platformer feels like a lost and unearthed SNES cart. The game sports excellent sprite work and a wicked little soundtrack. The controls could have been tighter, but are serviceable. There are moments of slow down which introduce input lag. Old systems had similar issues, so that's fair enough and not really a show stopper. Props for the amusing story of intergalactic social media beef and girl power.
Game 33: DmC: Devil May Cry(~6 hours)
I'm struggling to think of good things to say about this game. The story is boring and the cutscenes are unskippable. The music is bad death metal. The gameplay is not as good as other games in the genre. The controls for jumping are at times confusing. There is unnecessary swearing.
I really can't recommend this game less. I know some people like this game. This is only my opinion.
1/5
Game 29: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4) | 15 Hours | 05/12/16 | 4/5
Uncharted is uncharted. I knew what to expect out of it and it fulfilled all my expectations. The platforming/climbing is what you'd expect, but with fun twists with sliding slopes and rope swinging. Encounters take a stealthier approach most of the time, with more focus on marking people while hiding in bushes and going for sneak attacks before blowing the rest up. The story is good and the graphics are absolutely fantastic, the details on characters and the environment are stunning.
Overall, it gets a
Crash Bandicoot.Monkey Island
out of 10. GOTY all years silly string spaghetti glands the zodiac killer was donkey kong the whole time.
Named "Drive Any Track" during Early Access, this is one of those games where the levels are created based on your own personal choice of music. With the full release here, I played it and its pretty good. The game controls well and 90% of the time the randomly made tracks are good. There isn't much to the game beyond that, you earn coins as you play levels to buy new cars and paint jobs but that's about it. Hey, if you play a police song you get a police car, that's pretty cool.
Game 8: No Time To Explain Remastered (PC) | 2 Hours | 01/20/16 | 2.5/5
It's an alright game built around lazer/rocket jumping and things happen and it's pretty forgettable. But hey, if you just love all those Newgrounds funnies and making the Big Refs to Minecraft that make your heart go xdddddd then hey it's right up your alley.
Game #86: Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA) - ★★★★★★★★☆☆
My view feels a bit weird on this, because I absolutely adore its predecessor (the GB Donkey Kong), which has essentially the same gameplay. Despite that, I found this game to be a lot more frustrating and annoying, and also inconsistent (some jumps merely stun you, but then others that are from a shorter height may kill you). Overall I found the gameplay to be pretty solid, but at some point, especially in the later levels, I felt the urge to just have it finished. Just a lot of compounding little things, I think. It certainly doesn't help that everything outside of the gameplay is actively bad in my opinion. The soundtrack is damned forgettable, the enemies are simple and generic, the graphics are fuzzy and shitty and make Donkey Kong Country look like a finely aged wine, and the cutscenes have virtually zero animation. Seriously, look at this!
Every cutscene is that same shitty slideshow style. I've seen Amir0x talk about how problematic the DS was with respect to making ugly 3D games vs. attractive 2D games, but GBA was so much worse. Doesn't matter if it was a good idea or not, Nintendo just has to put that faux 3D look in everything on the system it seems! I'm being a bit too hard on it, but it frustrates me to see a company that so often pursues interesting art styles buckling to chasing technology sometimes.
Game #87: AdVenture Capitalist (PC) - ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
Not too much to say. Obviously I didn't finish it 100%, but I did as much as I care to. I got fairly far into it, mainly because it served as a good thing to play when I wanted to interact with something, but wasn't in the mood for having to think, haha. I may go back to it in the future since they very recently released a fix to address the issue with the barrier to completion, but I don't think I'll touch it for another year if that.
Game #88: Scribblenauts Unlimited (3DS) - ★★★★★★★★☆☆
This feels like the ultimate Scribblenauts game. Personally, I thought that the first one was actually a solid game, even if it was so easily exploited and the controls weren't great. Super Scribblenauts was obviously an improvement over the first, since it introduced both non-touch controls and the ability to give things adjectives. Here, Unlimited perfects the formula by making it more about levels that involve interactive problem-solving puzzles rather than get past the dinosaur to get the Starite! As such, the game has more situations where you need to think about how to beat a level rather than breaking the game with wings and ropes.
With regard to platform, I'd probably recommend getting this on Wii U or PC. Both have the benefit of running better than the 3DS version. The PC version obviously has the advantage of letting players type the names of their objects, while the Wii U has exclusive content, such as the ability to put Mario and other Nintendo characters into the game.
Game #89: Ikachan (3DS) - ★★★★★★★★☆☆
Decently fun, quick quirky game where you play as a cute squid named Ikachan. It's made by Pixel, who also made Cave Story, and is fairly simple - you just control the direction of your movement and push A to swim (think Mario 1-style swimming in that respect). I really like how momentum works in the game, and while I would have liked to have a more full-fledged game, I didn't feel like it was too little.
Game #90: Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition (3DS) - ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Ultimately was somewhat disappointing, as I was hoping that it would be a puzzle game more to my interests and enjoyment. I guess I just don't get into match-three puzzle games quite as much (outside of the likes of Tetris Attack). It does have a pretty neat combo setup system where you have a time limit with which to set up the board before the combos take place, but it's unfortunately not an interesting enough system to make this game something I care much to replay.
There's a decent amount of ideas for stylus based microgames and quick challenges. Only microphon challenges stick out like a sore thumb. On the other hand, the amount of ,,bigger" minigames is fairly lacking in this game and there's also missing characters. So the content isn't too heavy, even for a Warioware game. Fortunately this was a freebie.
I haven't been posting my updates, but I feel like I have to share the last game I've played.
GAME 13: Drakengard 3: A game not for normal people. Playing through it, Drakengard 3 was definitely a huge improvement gameplaywise over Taro's last two games, but severely suffers from huge framerate issues.Really didn't care about the characters until I got to ending B. Ending C had me to the edge of my seat. Ending D's last boss made me feel emotions I never knew I had. One of the few games I love a lot, but can't bring myself to recommend. Im really glad I got to play this Masterpiece? of a game.
Game 29: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (3DS) 12/05/16 - 19/05/16 23 Hours
The second game of the Zero Escape series and this being another replay to get me ready for the release of the final game of the Zero Escape series. It was kinda weird playing this, I actually remembered more of 999 and than this game or this game was just really a huge mind blowing or confusing experience this time around. I kinda rushed through the game, I had a flow chart solution to the multiple endings and mostly looked up the solutions of the puzzles but it still took me a lot of time to complete the game and get the true and extra endings. I definitely enjoyed 999 more than VLR but this was still a great game with it being a continuation of 999. Now I'm ready to take on the next and final game in the series, Zero Time Dilemma, can't wait for it to come out.
Done with my speedy .hack//G.U. Vol.1: Rebirth playthrough! Think I overgrinded alil towards the end on the side of caution, totally coulda had this done in under 5 hours.
Games Beaten: 30 / 52 Total Playtime: 533:50:38 01 - 27 28 - ??
Game 18: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - 14 hours, 44 minutes, 41 seconds - May 18th, 2016[/URL]
I have been dwelling on this game ever since I finished it. Even while playing a couple games since then, it's still been in the back of my mind. And more than anything else, I think that says something about Uncharted 4. The best games, the best pieces of really any type of media are the ones that stick with you. Much like The Last of Us, Uncharted 4 doesn't tell a necessarily unique story. But as I often remind people, plot beats aren't what makes a story special, it's the quality of the storytelling and characterization that makes a story great. And Uncharted 4 is just off the charts in those regards. Some of the banter, particularly in spots like Chapter 5 and 17 are some of the best, most natural that I've ever heard in a video game. Amazing storytelling, supplemented by improved combat and more open areas all come together to produce a real gem. Should I play Uncharted 4? Without a doubt. It may very well be one of this gen's best.
14h-ish. Completed Story mode, got all RYNO holocards, completed all sidequests, around 80% of the holocard collection.
I got this game in a whim and thinking it would be a waste of money, having completed the original Ratchet in Clank in the Vita less than a year ago. Turns out, I was so wrong! Yes, the similarities were undeniable, but Ratchet & Clank 2016 is a great game on its own right. The story has changed enough to remain interesting, the new weapons "fished" from other games feel awesome (some, like the Pixeliser or the Warmonger, are a bit OP though) and the updated level design rocks.
All in all it was a much-needed experience, an old-school platforming shooter. I hope this is only the first R&C game of many to come for the PS4
Game1: Fallout 4 January - 35 Hours - 6/10 - PS4
Loved Fallout 3, loved Fallout New Vegas, not a fan of the original Fallouts. Anyway I didn't liked this much, mostly because the plot never got me in... I liked the graphic, but I didn't find any location particularly inspired, neither the companions (I was liking the robot medic, but at some point I lost him changing partner, and I didn't found him anywhere...). So I just rushed to the end and stopped playing. I know that Fallout 3 didn't have a lot of rpg choiches like NV, but I liked it much more than this, probably for the best soundtrack of the series, and because it was something fresh.
Game2: Bloodborne: The Old Hunters January - 12 Hours - 9.5/10 - PS4
I actually platinum the game, so I was waiting a lot for that expansion, and it did exceeded my expectations. I was on NG++ but I found the challenge good balanced, the new location were very interesting to explore, also the new enemies are inspired and fun to fight. The bosses? Oh... they are really fantastic, no one excluded, and the satisfaction when you defeat them it's all there. Best moment for me was beating
Maria
, what a fight!
Game3: Knight Quest:Episode 1 January - 12 Hours - 8/10 - PS4
Got it free with EU Plus service. A nice surprise, cause I liked a lot the writing, the cheerful atmosphere that surround the story, also with sad moments (
the mute knight death I wonder if it is possible to save him
, and the puzzles that are fun and never too complicated. Also found good that the game is not totally linear depending on some choices, minot changes but that's ok.
Game4: Until Dawn February - 21 Hours - 8/10 - PS4
I read a lot of good things about the graphic of the game, but less about the quality... anyway I like these kind of games so I buyed it. Played with my girlfriend and, apart from the bad italian acting, I liked it. The story is actually a tipical horror teen movie, but I say that is a good one, with good moments and the horror is more based on tension for nothing happening, or something trying to kill you. Funny that the decisions can also kill the protagonists of the story, that is also something that keep you from doing reckless decisions if you want to save everyone.
Game5: Steins Gate February - 35 Hours - 10/10 - PSVITA
Wow. I have not played a lot of visual novels, but that was amazing. I never expected to be so much entertained by a visual novel... I played it in any free moment, not only for the story but also for the characters. It's one of these games that initially you don't like much, but as soon as you get involved, you can't stop. I really miss this game and waiting for the sequel announced. It's officially in my top 20.
Game6: Bravely Default March - 55 Hours - 8/10 - 3DS
I always liked the possibility in an JRPG to switch "jobs/classes", that's why I liked Final Fantasy 3/11 and similar games... well when I got a N3DS that is the first game I played. I must say that the game is very well made, fun to play, beautiful to see... well the plot it's nothing particular, and the characters are also very simple, but it all works fine... the only complaint is that half of the game is a copy of itself... it's just stupid, I finished every chapter to the very end, but still I think that the game should have ended at half point, with just one more chapter to take the real boss.
Game7: Professor Layton and the Last Specter - 15 Hours - 6.5/10 - 3DS
From this series what I like is not the puzzles, but the story and the characters, and I can say that this chapter is not as good as the previous (that is probably my favourite), but it's still fun to play. I can say that I like the idea to see how all started, but that's all.
Game8: Broforce - 5 Hours - 7/10 - PS4
Finished this game in two sessions... well the humor it's all that keep you playing, cause the game is nothing special, but you have so many characters to play after every death, and the fast action helps to keep you entertained. It's ok, it's fun, but not something I will come back thinking as a game I loved.
Game9: Persona 4 Dancing All Night - 20 Hours - 9/10 - PSVITA
Instead of most of the comments that didn't liked it, I did. I found the story funny and well written, I also loved the original game so I was glad so see and hear again the characters to pass some time with them again. I also think the soundtrack of the game is fantastic, but I didn't like some of the new/changed tracks... anyway after the "main plot" I just played a bit the "arcade" but for now I'm done, it's one of these titles that you take it back time to time to play more. EDIT: took it back and platinumed thx to new hearphones. Fantastic.
Game10: Super Mario 3D Land - 14 Hours - 9/10 - 3DS
The last Mario game I played was Super Mario Bros. on the DS, so I found this game just amazing with his 3D movement (remembered me of Mario64), at first I was worried that the 3D control could be difficult to manage with the N3DS, but then it was not...
I finished the main game and the additional stages, missing like 20 starts but never using any help... I was satisfied like this.
Game11: New Super Mario Bros. 2 - 10 Hours - 6/10 - 3DS
It's very hard that I liked games that are "just" a more of the same, and that is the case... it was like playing again New Super Mario Bros., but a less brilliant one... the game is not bad, it's just a "more of the same" for me, and also very easy... maybe they should have just used the idea of the coins in all the game, without the classic gameplay.
Game12: Super Smash Bros. 3DS - 15 Hours - 5.5/10 - 3DS
I know you are thinking I didn't played it a lot... and thats true. The real thing is that I never liked this series much, but I decided to give it a try also on 3DS... well I enjoyed it for a bit, and tryed many characters (my favourite was at last Yoshi), but the magic never happened for me... also tryied online, but didn't have lot of luck, most of the time I had connection issues and I had to wait a lot of time for the next match... so...
Game13: PES16 - A lot of Hours - 8.5/10 - PS4
Is there a way to count time here? Well officially I'm done with it, maybe I will play some matches during Euro 2016, or with friends, but I won't play it much more. This year I think the game was almost "perfect". I played Winning Eleven at the beginning, then with the PS3 changed on FIFA because it was better, but now on PS4 the series of PES is back. I'm just rank 6 online, but I enjoy my matches, only a few looks like the ball just don't want to go in, most of the match are fair. And that is something in FIFA I didn't feel anymore.
Game14: Galak Z - 11 Hours - 8/10 - PS4
It's a shame that the game will never get the real final chapter (void dlc...), but I enjoyed a lot the game, well both the funny characters and the gameplay itself, that at first looks very hard to manage, but then it's super satisfaction gameplay style. It's so much fun to fly your ship against a lot of enemies,trick and kill them with your skills.
Game15: Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask - 14 Hours - 5/10 - 3DS
I have to say that this is for me the worst chapter of the series... I didn't liked the story at all, the plot was very easy to understand, also the villain was clear by the start of the game... very disappointed. Liked just the chapter in the past when you have the 3d puzzles to solve in the ruins.
Game16: Dark Souls III - 61Hours - 9/10 - PS4
After the disappointing DSII, I was expecting a fantastic comeback cause of Miazaky involved and I was not disappointed. The game has a lot of reference to Demons Souls, and as a fan of it I liked that, also it's a bit more fast than the previous, but not as Bloodborne. I found it a bit easier, but after so many games maybe I'm just better at this kind of game, anyway I liked a lot the art direction, just superb. Finished two times (but got the three ending with save backup), the lore was good, the final boss not so good... and this time I also enjoyed much more the online component, invading also a lot (and dying most of the time... )
Game17: Fantasy Life - 12Hours - 4/10 - 3DS
I actualy gave up on this... at first I liked the idea of lot of jobs and the happy and relaxed feeling of the game, but it was too much childish for me. A little of spoiler
first quest, the two bad brothers... ok it's fine, it's kind of funny, they became good, let's go on. Wow a pirate quest, i'm in! Mmm ok good pirates? Oh ok the pirate princess!!! Oh wow she now wear a princess dress well ok next chapter looks good, a desert with a city with a bad king! And a dark knight that... wait he's helping me? He is a good dark knight? Ok but his boss will be the... no he is kind of a nice person too... but his father is locked and now is free, he's going to kill everyone! No... he was just joking... wtf?!
Not that I expected gore or violence, but looks like everyone is good and nice in the end...
Game18: Uncharted 4 - 25Hours - 10/10 - PS4
Just the best entry of the series, and also a perfect ending for it. Graphics, gameplay, acting... everything feels perfect. The story and the puzzle are very good but this time also the gameplay is more funny like the second game. Masterpiece for me.
Game19: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call - 22Hours - 8.5/10 - 3DS
So much content to play, many songs even without the DLCs and most of the best are here to play... also the quest section is funny to play, and the RPG element is interesting. Never expected to like it so much, done for now but surely I will pick it up again in the future to play more!
Game20: Witcher 3 Blood & Wine - 27Hours - 9/10 - PS4
Another awesome expansion for this game, a shame that is the last. A very good amount of extra content and the main quest is incredibly good both on the plot and the cast. Also liked a lot the fact that it can end in many different ways but not only for the "ending sequence", but also different ending path to follow and play!
Game21: Grim Fandango Remastered - 12Hours - 9/10 - PSVITA
First time I play this game after I heard a lot of good things about it... and I can confirm them all! Also that the "forest" part in the beginning is the worst part of the game. The humor, the cast, it's all so funny that you can't just have enough.... what a journey!
Game22: Hyperdimension Neptunia Rebirth:1 - 20Hours - 8/10 - PSVITA
Thanks to the discounts on the Jap games I buyed this one! I actually liked it much, the story is light hearted, the humor its ok, the gameplay its funny enough... it's an easy game, not particularly challenging and maybe a bit grinding like, but not too much. I liked the graphic also, and all the concept of talking about "gaming industry" inside the game... the idea it's good, the realization it's so and so, but as I said it's enjoyable. I must say it's one of these game so "jap" inside that one has to be fan of that kind of things to appreciate it. Overall was a relaxing experience, and now i'm going to start the sequel that i bought just before the ending of the sales...
Game23: Persona 4: Arena Ultimax Battle - 15Hours - 7/10 - PS3
Another PsPlus game... Loved Persona 4 Golden and Persona 4 Dancing, so I gave a try also at this... well I appreciated the "plot" and the possibility to hear and follow once again the characters, but maybe because I'm not a big fan of this kind of games I didn't liked it so much... still a good game.
Game24: Yakuza 5 - 56Hours - 9/10 - PS3
Played all the main series titles, and also Kenzan. This game it's the best entry to me, very balanced in terms of variety of situations, subquests, characters.... everything is just perfect. I must say that I prefer the first two games for the plot. That said I didn't played all of the content, more or less played for the story and some subquest/minigames. But I found it really fun to play!
Game25: Hyperdimension Neptunia Rebirth:2 - 20Hours - 6/10 - PSVITA
The games is a bit too much a more of the same of the first one, also the story is terrible, the bosses are for most part the same again and again... and the new characters are not so good... so it's not that terrible, but still I didn't liked it, and stopped me to buy the third game for now
Game26: Digimon Cyber Sleuth - 40Hours - 9.5/10 - PSVITA
Never been a big fan of Digimons, saw a couple of episodes of the anime. The game is AMAZING. All of it. The digimon training, the story, the characters, the graphic, the music... it's almost perfect also to be played on the VITA. It's like a Pokémon game with some challenge and a good story! Loved it.
Game27: Actual Sunlight - 1Hours - 7/10 - PSVITA
Kind of strange. Not a game, more of a little novel. Liked the subject, would never pay more than a few for it, really really short.
Game28: Layers of Fear + Expansion - 4Hours - 7.5/10 - PS4
More or less a walking simulator. That said I liked a lot the story, the setting, and how all is narrate. The artistic part of the game is very good, so it is the soundtrack and all the effects. Maybe with some more puzzles it could have been a little more interesting
Game29: Batman VR - 3Hours - 8/10 - PSVR
First bought VR game. To be the Batman in VR is awesome. You are mostly investigating in the game, but that's ok because is so fun to play the role, the immersivity is real, You feel like the Batman... a little short, but the Enigma trials after is fun too.
Game30: Wayvard Sky - 3Hours - 8/10 - PSVR
A point and click adventur in VR. Short but really fun to play, nice story, smart use of the Move controllers. And the cartoon graphic is original and well made. The puzzles are a bit too easy, would love if the do some expansion for the game.
Game31: Pokémon Go - 2 months - 5/10 - Android
After the initial fun, the game became boring. The fun is about catching Pokémon, but when You start to have most of them, is just a battery consuming game where you hope a Pokémon you need appear somewhere. Also the traking is broken, and most of the updates where to stop third part apps that helped people with the lack of content... very bad.
Game32: DragonBall Dokkan - More than 1 Year - 9/10 - Android
That is how you do a Mobile game. Lot of contents, lot of updates during all the year, not necessary to buy with real money, I have most of the content and never spent a cent. Also the game is fun and challenging but never impossibile.
Game33: Color Switch - A couple of months - 8/10 - Android
The idea on this is very simple, but they managed to change the formula to have many minigames. It's mostly a "tap" game with a very simple graphic, where yuo need to take your little dot on the other side of the screen, but it's fun and challenging.
Game34: Atelier Rorona: Alchemist of Arland - 12 hours - 7.5/10 -PSVITA
First time with the series. The game is good to play on the PSVITA, some minor slowdowns in some scenes, but mostly playable with no problems. The formula is very simple. You need to gather ingredients to fullfill the request during the years to continue in the next chapter. The story is very basic, the characters are mosrly fun and interesting in their own... not a masterpiece but a nice game.
Game35: Abzu - 5 hours - 8.5/10 -PSVITA
Looked like a game from the Journey developers, I was wrong... the art style is similar but it's not by them!
The game is artistically amazing, with also a really good sountrack. It's all about exploring the ocean, with real fish and real names... it's a "swimming simulator" and a really beautiful one. If you like artistic games this is a must buy.
Game36: Hyper Light Drifter - 12 hours - 8/10 -PS4
I backed the game so I was looking forward for it... well I can say I liked the concept, the combat, the art style... the exploration and everything was quite good. That said I didn't found it hard as I heard from others, so not much a challenge for me. A fine action/exploration game, with an unique narration style.
Game37: Furi - 10 hours - 9/10 -PS4
Got it for free with PSPlus. Wow! An amazing boss rush game. Challenging, interesting art style, fun to play with his "trial & error" gameplay... and so satisfactory to learn how to play and beat a boss. Finished with all the endings and also beat the "real" boss in the end. A must play in this generation.
Game38: Bubble Bobble Arcade- 6 hours - 7.5/10 -PS4
Nostalgia. Bubble Bobble is such a classic... played the arcade, played the amiga version... the music is still so catching! The gameplay is easy to learn, but some levels are just too hard and punish, like if they want you to get stuck on those to spend a lot of money in the arcade or just give up and go back playing the day after hoping to find an object to avoid these...
Game39: Until Dawn: Rush of Blood - 8 hours - 7.5/10 -PSVR
I think I have a problem with some horror games... this didn't scare me at all. That said, the gore and the atmosphere were really good. I loved the on-rail shooter idea, and the rollercoaster sections were pretty fun! Overall is an ok experience, I played the game 2 times choosing the hard difficulty level on the second run, but not going to play with the hardest one. (1 hit life). A nice VR experience, and this time a decent lenghty one.
Game40: DragonBall Xenoverse 2 - 30 hours - 8/10 -PS4
I didn't played the previous one and that I think make a difference. Tha game is super fluid with the 60fps, the graphic it's ok, the combat is fun enough, and the multi experience is ok. The game is full of things to do, but the problem is that it's too much repetitive. But I liked the idea of creating a DBZ character, the different races, all the moves and equipments available in the game... so if you are a DBZ fan and didn't played the previous (I read it's too much similar), it's a must buy. Disclaimer: there are a lot of character of the DBZ and movies, but not all of them... maybe with the DLC... plus there are some of the DBZ Super new characters, more to come with Season Pass and DLC...
Game41: Playroom VR - 8 hours - 9/10 -PSVR
A free collection of awesome party games! The cat&mouse, the saloon game, the "godzilla"... all the games are incredible fun to play with your friends! Also the "platform" like level, that can be played alone, is just incredible well made and fun, I would love a complete game made like that.
Game42: Allumette - 1/2 hours - 9/10 -PSVR
I would call it Cinema 2.0. Its a short film, and a good one, fun to see and play with the visual moving ourself during the play... also its free.
Game43: There is no game - 1/2 hours - 6/10 -Android
My friends talked to me about this to be awesome and incredible. So i downloaded and played it. Well I was disappointed... the idea is simple and fun in some way, but it's super easy and not so fresh after all... I don't know... it's ok... i guess....
Game44: The Tomorrow Children - 4 hours - 5/10 -PS4
It was free to play, so I tried it... at first it was fun to explore new island, and the communism concept and art was great. But after some hours it was always the same, and also the island were too much similar with no real exploration... so no.
Game45: Corpse Party: Blood Drive - 10 hours - 8/10 -PSVITA
Last game of this saga. I always played these with a walktrought guide, 'cause I like just to follow all the story... and I liked also this last game. The only thing I didn't liked much were the new "villains" with their strange powers and outfits... too much "manga" to me in this context. But overall this game is great as the others. A disappointment was the 3D graphic, not good as the 2D and also full of framerate problems, really a nonsense decision.
Game46: Final Fantasy XV - 61 hours - 9/10 -PS4
So what to say? The story is good but is narrated terribly. So many holes in the storytelling... also characters are not narrated good enough. That said the game is awesome. The open world part is gorgeous, both in graphic and fun to explore and do subquest (not so good those but okish). The gameplay is very fun, despite the bad AI of your party. The sensation of a journey with your bros. is there, and is good. So are the photos feature during the journey, the fishing minigame, the good looking cooking of ignis during camping. Also post game content is huge and well made, mostly. Really a surprise.
Game 19: Vanquish - 4 hours, 9 minutes, 47 seconds - May 19th, 2016
I've never been the biggest fan of Platinum's games. Vanquish was pretty fun though. I enjoyed the goofy story (with its oh-so-not-subtle meta commentary about the USA) and I really enjoyed the high speed combat. However, for a game focused on novel high-speed combat, it does seem annoyingly dedicated to checking off some of the worst parts of other games like stealth and escort missions.As usual for a Platinum game, my annoyance with this game was having to drop the difficulty level down very low. After dropping the difficulty, I was finally able to proceed forward and actually experiment with the combat system. Once I was able to do that, it was a pretty fun romp. Should I play Vanquish? If you're into this kind of game, sure.
Game #91: Boulder Dash-XL 3D - ★★★★★★★★☆☆
I have enjoyed Boulder Dash since I played it on the Game Boy Advance, so I'm glad that this game turned out to be decent. I beat every level, and gosh, it can get a bit frustrating, but there's definitely a lot of content and some pretty interesting puzzles at work. The instant deaths, while understandable given the game, can get pretty disheartening in some levels, you can die rather easily even if you know the general approach that needs to be taken, so it sometimes feel like you're just being made to do the same thing over and over. It also includes a classic mode with different puzzles, in case you prefer the more hardcore gameplay of the original game. Outside of gameplay, I must say that the visuals are rather poor. On a technical level they're fine, but artistically, they feel really plain and disappointing. The graphics in the classic mode are pretty neat at least.
Game #92: Robot Rescue - ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Robot Rescue is a pretty decent game, given that it costs only $2.00. Where Boulder Dash was visually uncreative yet technically fine, Robot Rescue is the opposite it feels rather cheap, but the art style is unique. The game is slightly awkward to play, where you must hold the DS or 3DS sideways (like Brain Age or Hotel Dusk: Room 215). This poses the problem that, at least for me, you may keep touching the screen, which pauses the game. You control multiple robots with the d-pad trying to get into an exit, and it can give you some pretty fun and intriguing puzzles.
Game #93: GO Series: 10 Second Run - ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
It's an okay enough game, but I just can't jive with the physics and engine. It requires a bit too much precision, and as the name implies, you cannot waste a second ideally. Unfortunately, this encourages players to take risks, and yet risky play is punished by long wait times between attempts. Compare it to Super Meat Boy, where dying 80 times in certain levels is the norm.
Game #94: Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge - ★★★★★★★★☆☆
I hadn't played a Mini Mario game in a while (that is, one where you control the Mini Marios), so I forgot how much I enjoyed them (I enjoy them). There's a lot of depth when working to figure out how to approach one puzzle to the next, and I love that you can spend some time taking in your surroundings in order to try and figure out the best way to start off a level. As for the amiibo functions, I actually found it pretty endearing. I really wish I had a few more compatible amiibo all I have are the 8-bit Mario and Green Yarn Yoshi but this game might actually convince me to get some more amiibo (at least ones that I'm somewhat interested in, like Peach and Bowser). But damn, everyone hates Wario it's rather astonishing that Wario was snubbed! Hopefully they do DLC down the road that adds Wario (and maybe some other amiibo like Inkling Boy/Girl). For clarity, I beat every level possible with Mario and/or Yoshi.
Game #95: Irrational Exuberance - ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
After doing about as much as I could find to do in the game, I kind of liked it. Yet, I do wish there was more of it to like. It feels a bit disjointed and short, which given that it's an experimental game is not that big of a deal. That said, this definitely feels like something that could lead to something great.
Game #2: The Legend Of Zelda: Triforce Heroes - [In Progess]
I took a break to play other games. Will probably go back and finish this soon since I'm more than halfway done.
Game #4: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - 13 Hours and 26 minutes [Complete]
Even though I got through this quickly the game's scenery and graphics still blew me away. The story still has the Uncharted feel which I was very happy with and the ending is exactly what I wanted the game to go with. The open exploration was wonderful and I loved vehicle control. I haven't given multiplayer a shot so no comment for that but I'll be trying it soon. The game was worth the purchase and if you're a fan of the franchise you should definitely pick it up.
Game #5: Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright - 21 Hours and 38 minutes [Complete]
I finally opened this up last week and finished it a couple days ago. Overall the battle system is it's usual addicting self for the series but I was a little disappointed with the story. It didn't hook me like previous entries and there's too many copycat character designs of Awakening characters even if there is also some fantastic new ones. It might be a weaker entry but it was still a fun enough game.
Game #6: Final Fantasy XIV Patch 3.2 - [Complete]
I finished the story update pretty much when it released but I wanted to wait until I completed all the new raids before counting it as finished. I know it's an MMO but since I spend a lot of time on it and there is technically a story finish with patches I'm counting it. The new story update was definitely not a happy one but the new raid boss was fun and the music as usual is perfect. The new Bird mounts are gorgeous and I was lucky enough to land Ravana's. I'm pretty with everything added in.
Game #7: Fire Emblem Fates Revelations[In Progress]
I'm currently halfway through and I'm enjoying this a lot more than Birthright. The accessibility to both sides characters and perspective change is making the story a lot more fun and interesting to follow. I'm currently on Chapter 18 and doing some pairing for children characters.
amazing metroidvania meets dark souls which manages to feel like the best of both worlds. How this game was made by 2 people (Ska Studios) is beyond me, but then agin you could say the same about most 1 or 2 person games. Awesome level design, tons of zones, tons of bosses, great weapons, cool leveling system, I love the art but I can understand how someone think its ugly, just overall a great package and well worth the price. Will easily be in my GOTYs this year.
26) Rise of the Tomb Raider - 13 hours - 5/21
Coming right off of Uncharted 4 I was a little bit worried I wouldn't enjoy this game as much as I could. I really liked the first of Crystal Dynamic's reboot and although this one started a bit slow for me, I ended up having a blast and the last third of the game was a ton of fun. I did a lot of exploring as I went through and completed all of the tombs so by the halfway point I was pretty overpowered for the human enemies, but
by the time the undead enemies showed up, things leveled out
. Overall this was a great second entry in the new storyline.
It has been a while since I last updated this, but I've got the time and saw the thread pop up on the front page, so I figured I would add the seven games that I've played in the last few months.
Game 7: Peggle 2
I was looking for something to play and saw Peggle 2 on sale, so I figured I would pick it up and play through it. It's fun. It is simply more of the first game, which was also a fun game. There isn't much to say about Peggle other than that it does what it is trying to do very well. Was definitely worth the short time and discounted price I spent on it.
Rating: 4 Stars
Game 8: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
This game is crazy in all of the right ways. It feel like a natural evolution of the Metal Gear universe post-MGS4, and it combines both the craziness of Kojima with the craziness of Platinum. The gameplay is fun and flashy, and the boss fights are some of the best I've ever played. It's a short game, but I would rather have a game leave me wanting more than wear on me overtime. I thought the counter heavy combat was an interesting twist on the formula but actually made sense with how the rest of the game played despite making the game sort of a cake walk after you grasp how it works. I thought the zandatsu kills were ridiculous and over the top in all of the right ways. I thought that Raiden was a much more fun character than his MGS4 iteration. And while I love MGSV last year, it almost feels like this is the route the franchise should have continued down.
Rating: 4 Stars
Game 9: OlliOlli
I played OlliOlli 2 last year due to it launching free on PS+, and I really loved it. I've never been into skateboarding games, but it was more of a platformer than anything else. And a really tough on at that. It definitely scratched that Super Meat Boy itch with punishing platforming and quick restarts. It had me coming back for months trying to beat the last few levels. Because I loved the sequel so much, I decided to grab the first game. If I had played this version first I might have had a different view on it, but I was somewhat disappointed. I knew that the second one added features not in the first one, but what really disappointed me was both the style and the difficulty. The environments aren't as interesting and the music isn't as good. Plus, I ran through the game pretty quick with only a few levels giving me any trouble. As a first game, it was probably pretty good, but its sequel makes it practically irrelevant.
Rating: 3 Stars
Game 10: Persona 4: Golden
Wow. This game is something special. The characters in this game are so well written that by the end of it they felt like real friends that I didn't want to say goodbye to. I love plenty of games that make me get invested in the story and characters, but this is the only one that I've ever been reluctant to beat because I didn't want it to be over. The game isn't perfect in all aspects, but it easily became an instant favorite of mine. I would say more, but I don't want to cheapen my experience by doing so.
Rating: 5 Stars
Game 11: Journey
About once a year I'm good for a replay of Journey. It is still as beautiful to look at and listen to as it's always been. It's a game that by the end of it I feel physically exhausted. The tension of the mountain followed by the wonderful respite afterwards is really quite something. And the sliding section is still breathtaking. Breaking News: Great Game Still Great.
Rating: 5 Stars
Game 12: Mirror's Edge
I played Mirror's Edge when it first came out and never really got into it. Then I played it again a few years later and it clicked with me. In anticipation of Catalyst, I decided to give the game another playthrough. I had already done a gunless run, so I figured I would play it on hard this time. The game is still a flawed masterpiece. Everything it tries to do is incredibly admirable and different, and it is incredible when it works. However, bad combat and a dull story are both incredibly valid complaints about this game. I love it, but I do recognize its flaws. As for Catalyst, that beta got me both excited and worried about that game.
Rating: 4 Stars
Game 13: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
What can I say. Naughty Dog is just better at making games than other developers in the industry. This is their fourth homerun in a row, and it is the best Uncharted game. The visuals are obviously amazing, but what impressed me the most was the slower pacing. This is not just a rehash of Uncharted 2. This game is a much slower and more mature version of it, taking plenty of cues from The Last of Us. The story is incredibly well told and does a great job of ending this franchise. The gameplay is the best its every been and combat is doled out sparingly in a way that improves the overall quality of the game. This is the only game where I never got tired of shooting dudes because they never shoved it down my throat. It's sitting right now at #2 on my game of the year list, right behind The Witness.
Rating: 5 Stars
Game 20: Gunman Clive - 47 minutes, 34 seconds - May 21st, 2016
I have a long-standing dislike of platformers. It's not that they're bad games, I'm just bad at them. For context, I had to play Gunman Clive on easy to be able to beat it. It's a pretty solid platformer (as far as I can tell), and the artstyle is a nice change of pace from more common platformer artstyles. It's a jump-and-shoot-man akin to other famous platformers, with a slightly more floaty jump. There's also definitely some replay value to be had if you're into speedruns and trying the other two characters. Definitely a worthwhile part of the recent Humble Bundle. Should I play Gunman Clive? Why not, it's like $2.
I've been really behind so far this year, so I've been trying to blitz through as much stuff as I possibly can during some free time in between semesters. I think I'm doing pretty alright for May so far, but I'm hoping to pick up even more speed over the next few weeks.
Game #16- Grim Fandango Remastered
Rating: ★★★★★
Platform: PS4
Beaten: May 5th
Time: 4-5 hours
Growing up, Grim Fandango was one of my favorite PC experiences, and one that I've been talking to my friends about for years- but was always just out of our grasps- since it was never available digitally, and not incredibly easy to find in-person after its launch. Thus, a remake on PS4, with the tank controls ripped out, is a godsend. It's not a perfect port- there were a couple times where a puzzle became totally unfinishable and forced me to reload a save (involving the crane in the third year) and a point in the very end that likewise required a reload due to a cutscene bug locking me in a neverending cinematic, both of which are new to this version of the game and still unpatched a year after launch, but those are still minor blemishes on a personal favorite. Going back after all this time, there's definitely some of that adventure game-ass-adventure game nonsense puzzle solutions that made me baffled kid me ever worked his way through this thing, but all in all, it was great taking a trip down memory lane with Manny Calavera.
Game #17- Marvel Heroes 2016
Rating: ★★★
Platform: PC
Beaten: May 9th
Time: 4-5 hours
I've got a real love/hate relationship with this fantastic tire fire of a video game. Sometimes I wonder if I only really care because I'll sit through any shit show just to get my Marvel fix, and there's just not that many Marvel games worth playing on the market. Other times, it's one of my favorite games of the last few years, and one that pulls me back in all the time. Then I remember that something new is broken every week and that I really dislike a lot of the higher level creative choices in regards to the use of these characters, and I'm back on the grump train. But then Civil War comes out, and I really want to play as Captain America in a video game, and Super Soldier wasn't that good, so I decided to load it up and play through it and the new story content as Cap, and I had a really good time doing that; the new Civil War mission is cool as hell, the Skrull Secret Invasion chapter is pretty fun, and they've removed the murderous grind that took place from levels 40-60 once you finished the story by making sure you basically hit the level cap during your playthrough, and that's really cool. But then it took me 40 minutes to log in, everyone told me not to redeem the stuff for the Team Cap side in the Civil War event because that shit was broken, and I had to hard shut down my laptop because the game broke.
Shit, Marvel Heroes, I really want to love you without reservation.
While I was scrolling through and sampling each of my unplayed games in Rare Replay, I ended up booting up Battletoads Arcade and finishing it in one sitting, mostly because I felt like it was pretty doable, and it was alright fodder to listen to podcasts while playing. Even by traditional sidescrolling arcade beat 'em up standards, this seems pretty shallow- though a couple vehicle sections were a nice change of pace from the normal levels, and it kept my interest long enough to finish it without actively loathing it, which is more than I can say for stuff like Remember Me or the weird PSP Web of Shadows.
Rating: ★★★★
Platform: Xbone
Beaten: May 21st
Time: 12.5 hours
Halo 2 always was my favorite game in the original trilogy; from the awesome opening, to the really cool twist of getting to play from both the Chief and the Arbiter's perspectives, to that awesome Scarab sequence- plus all those fantastic additions to the game, from dual wielding, to vehicle jacking. I know a lot of people were pretty down on 2, and going back to it after all this time, I expected to find more of the faults people at the time had with it, but to be honest, I still liked it a lot more than Combat Evolved's campaign. The Flood are still the shittiest part of the game, but there's nothing in 2 as bad as CE's Library or 3's Cortana, and I still think levels like Cairo Station, Metropolis and Uprising are some of the series' peaks. I'm looking forward to heading into Halo 3 after this; it's the one I have the most distance from since I last played it, and one that I was relatively critical of at launch- time and distance may have given me much more radical thoughts on it.
I was kind of worried going into this thinking it would just be an Uncharted 2.75 and nothing new from the past games....I was wrong Naughty Dog really raised the bar to end the series on a high note. The story has improved so much in this one, it feels deeper and more real than in past entries that felt typical hollywood action movie. They improved the gameplay as well. Overall just huge improvements.
Pros
+Deep rich story better than past Uncharted games.
+Still great graphics you expect from Naughty Dog
+Gameplay has improved.
Cons
-Minor weird things, like things that break the immersion, but other than that.
Terrible game. The whole plot is typical and boring, the controls are wonky as hell even more so than past games. The whole Owl touchpad thing was awful. It starts out very slow, just not a good game.
The only redeemable factors are how good looking it is and the multiplayer is decent.
I liked Killzone 2 and 3, this just was awful I stopped the campaign barely in because I just couldn't take it anymore.
Game 34: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (about 45 hours)
This has become my favorite Zelda game.
It certainly is the best looking Zelda game, with it's distinctive cel-shaded art style. The visuals are great everywhere you go. I'm not sure exactly what changed in the HD remaster, but I'm glad to have it in HD and widescreen.
The dungeons are clever but not annoying. The music feels Zelda-y. Perhaps most notable outside of graphics is the English translation. It's really well done. It's perhaps second to Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door as far as best translated games I've played.
Spoiler:
The Triforce Chard fetch quests were annoying. But, on an unrelated note, it was cool how the music paid tribute to previous Zelda games.
How did Wolfenstein hold up after playing through Doom?
The reception Doom got has made me willing to check both of them out, but I'm wondering if I should play them in order if Wolfenstein would be hard to play after Doom
Game 21: Broforce - 6+ hours - May 22nd, 2016
So, over two sessions at a friend's house, three friends and myself played through this on PS4. As a party game, it's pretty darn fun honestly. We had a lot of fun playing up the whole "Bro" idea when yelling at each other. We were also pretty impressed with the range of "Bros" to unlock, as they covered a huge variety of franchises. My biggest complaint would be that the game still has all kinds of technical problems, months after launch. The biggest problem we ran into was that once we got 2/3 into the game, missions started taking a ridiculous amount of time to load. At one point, the game seemed to just get stuck in a loading loop and we actually had to close the application. It's a shame the game is plagued by so many problems, because it could be a real gem without them. Should I play Broforce? Not until they fix all the technical problems!
Game #23: Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space (PC) - 11 Hours
I enjoyed this one more than the first game. The puzzles this time around are more challenging, with only a few obscure ones sprinkled here and there. I do recommend taking advantage of the hint system and turning it on to the lowest level before it turns completely off. The writing is solid throughout the whole game. I recommend playing the first game before jumping into this one as a lot of characters from season one return. A lot of these character's dialogue involves pulling jokes from season one's events. Only huge gripe about the game was that getting sam to run was a pain, and that you could only do it in the bigger areas.
Game #24: Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse (PC) - 12 Hours
This game stands out a lot from being a lot different than the last two games. While Season one and two had episodes with different plots that are loosely connected, season three has all episodes be directly related to each other. Controls are completely different than before where you now control Sam via WASD/clicking on points of interests instead of having to click everywhere. This season of Sam and Max has probably the best puzzles out of the three Telltale S&M games.
Game #25: Melody's Escape (PC) - 9 Hours
This is a side scrolling rhythm game that also analyzes your music to create the tracks akin to Audiosurf. Its a fun game where you can just shut off your brain and relax awhile playing along your favorite music. Although, it was hard for me to find music that the game can properly analyze it accurately. The game tells you how confident it feels about analyzing your music, which i mostly get "acceptable" rating. Most of my music is fast paced rock which doesn't give great results in the game, but i noticed that my pop songs and slower songs were able to translate well into the game. I like the fact that you customize the difficulties to your liking. For example, i like the amount of notes that come with the hardest difficulty but i don't like how it makes you push the dpad/control stick and face buttons at the same time and so i can customize it so I can take that part of the difficulty out. The game doesn't have anything else going on outside the main game, if you are looking for something with more substance you might want to look somewhere else first. Otherwise, if you need something simple to scratch that rhythm game itch, this is right up your alley.
Game #26: Bioshock Infinite (PC) - 14 Hours
I could not put this game down. First time playing a Bioshock game and after playing this one im really interested in playing the first two games. The shooting gameplay is pretty decent, most of the time the enemy's strategy is to rush you down hoping to make you move out of cover while some enemies, who stayed back, take a shot at you. It gets pretty repetitive after awhile, but thankfully the use of vigors help speed up the process and make things more interesting. My favorite battles always involve the sky rails and i love using them to zip around the battlefield, get some shots off, jump on an enemy, maybe punch another one to see if my gear skills activate, and then jumping back on the sky rails before the enemy could get a shot on me. Game looks absolutely fantastic, aside from a few weird textures when you look at some stuff in detail, and I enjoyed taking in some of the sights the game had to offer.
Currently Playing: Bravely Second, and probably something from my Steam backlog
Game 16: Ratchet & Clank
PS4 - 20 hours - Beaten 25/05/16 - ★★★★
I had high hopes for this game when it was initially announced, and while I enjoyed it, I felt it felt very short of what it should have been.
Practically every change from the PS2 original (outside of the base gameplay) is a downgrade. The story has been butchered, characters have become jokes of themselves, worlds and weapons have been scrapped etc.
I think the main reason for that is the whole "game based on the movie based on the game" thing. They made a children's film based around the original game, so they removed asshole-Ratchet, added a band of merry heroes, changed the villain etc to help appeal to kids, and this game is based on that. Thankfully though the movie bombed while the game did well, so the inevitable R&C2 should be able to stand on its own and be more like the original trilogy again.
But yeah, other than that, the game looks gorgeous, plays well etc, so I'm really excited for the sequel to build on this foundation, now that the series has become a success again.
Game 22: DOOM - 12 hours - May 23rd, 2016
I came into this game with little to no nostalgia for the original Doom of '93. I was far, far, far too young to have played the game when it was released (it came out before I was born!) and over the years, I have never gotten around to playing more than a few minutes of it. But I do understand the legacy of DOOM, and I certainly know the feel of others 90s shooters. And oh boy, does DOOM feel like a 90s shooter, in all the best ways. But importantly, it feels completely modern as well. It's not a piece of regressive, nostalgia-bait that feels inherently dated. It smartly takes the best of the core 90s' era design and then picks out the best of modern design to go alongside it.
What impressed me perhaps the most is that within seconds of the game starting, I was moving and shooting. Seconds. No tutorializing, none of the typical "look left, look up" stuff. I love that id understood their target audience and knew that most of us know how to play this type of game well enough that we do not need that stuff. Besides that, I was also especially impressed with the characterization of Doomguy and with the level design. Doomguy gives more flavor to the game and creates a stronger characterization for himself with his damn arms than most characters do with expensive mocap, extensive dialogue and lengthy cutscenes. In regards to level design, I love that the frantic horizontal movement of 90s' era shooters is supplemented by tons of verticality. DOOM's intricate, multilayered spaces are a testament to the fact that linear games don't need to be restrictive, and that open-world games are not the end-all-be-all of game design. Should I play DOOM? You'd do a disservice to yourself to not play it.
Game 11: Megaman Battle Network 3 Blue (GBA) - 21 Hours
Saw a video recently of MMBN3 play and decided why not replay it, still one of my favorite GBA games ran a snake folder and just had fun one shotting everything.
Game 12: Dark Souls 3 (PC) - 23 Hours
I wasn't sure if I actually cared about this game when it was announced all the way until the day it came it out i wasn't feeling it. As soon as I loaded it up and played it though I knew I was back in. Already thinking about 2 more playthroughs when I get the time.
What a pleasant surprise this was. Combines the arcade stylings of Tony Hawk without sacrificing the technical leanings of the SKATE series and put into a side-scrolling Trials-like package. No checkpoints, no timers, each level has to be completed in one go without bailing. Every level has 5 goals just like Tony Hawk but those are only necessary to unlock the "pro" version of the level; you can still progress just by reaching the end of the previous level. I appreciate that the game tackled the difficulty in this way. I was able to enjoy myself and get 90% of the way through the "amateur" levels just by button mashing, mostly. The last few require more precise timing with landings and grinding to maintain speed, which was fine, but the pro levels delve deep into requiring specific trick combos and very granular knowledge of levels and mechanics. That wasn't really for me, but it's great that it's there, and it's even better that I could get what I feel was a complete experience without having to jump into that specific deep end of the game play. Score-chasing abounds, and the instant restarts are a very welcome facilitator of that. A great time for anyone looking for a pick-up-and-play arcade style game, and might even be the next great skateboarding game that no one seems to talk about.
In days gone by where I had more time and less games I could see myself losing a lot of time in this game. Great concept, it's like a very stripped down Cities in Motion with restriction on parts instead of monetary ones. You have 3 lines and 3 trains, make a network that gets the people where they need to go. Every few minutes you gain another train and then another thing (tunnel, line, carriage) of your choosing. Last as long as you can while stations randomly pop up and people start showing up more often.
Preview: I'm now in the second trial portion of The Cosmic Turnabout in AA5
24. Dragon's Age Inquisition - XB1
Completed main story: 5/16/16
Time: 38 hours
Rating: 4/5
I had started DA: O on the PS3 years ago and dropped it roughly halfway. Never played DA2. Playing through this game, I thought it was a solid game. As per my stated playtime, I obviously skipped many of the fetch quests, and even most of the inner circle quests, etc. The game was good, but I couldn't see myself spending a whole lot more time on it so pushed through the story so I could move on.
25. Uncharted 4 - PS4
Completed main story: 5/18/16
Time: 13 hours for main story and spent an hour or two in MP
Rating: 5/5
Amazing game. What a fantastic way to end this series. Took all the previous elements of UC games and improved them, while still adding a new mechanic that felt like a natural implementation to gameplay and not forced or overused like some games do (see reference: Batmobile/Arkham Knight). Played MP a tad. It's not bad, just with all my other MP games, it won't be vying for my time. SP is where this game is at and it's great. (again, MP is solid, just IMO lacks compares to other alternatives)
26. The Taken King - PS4
Completed Main Story: 5/20/16
Time: 9 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
The gameplay of Destiny is so good. And I'll give Bungie credit in trying to up the SP quality with cutscenes, voice acting etc compared to the vanilla game or 2 DLC packs. But despite all this, I have gotten tired of Destiny (without even playing it nearly as long as many) and have moved on.
I really loved this game. Was such a fun game to just sit down and play through. Good gameplay mechanics without needlessly making things complicated. Bought it off a PSN flash sale based off WoM here, and so glad I did. Easily one of the best games I've enjoyed this year.
At the halfway point going into the summer where I probably won't game as much. Also, still am trying to work RPGs/longer games from my backlog into this so still have a lot of fun to complete.
Currently playing:
Dark Souls 1
Rainbow Six Vegas (getting ready to drop this though as just not feeling it)
Overwatch
Defense Grid 2
Banjo-Kazooie
I just fell out of playing it. Same thing with DQV actually - I just need to beat that Nimzo!
