StarTopic The 2023 Completed Games Thread

[Vookatos]

87. Haunted Laia (Android)

Another game from the same series as Haunted Shadow

I think this escape-the-room series tries to go for a horror vibe, but it really can't pull it off. Between the Tim Buckley-esque designs and somewhat broken English, it's more cute than anything. Various ghouls that show up from time to time are just things I'd like to befriend.

I think they're going for a Rusty Lake (another escape the room dev) feel, but those guys, while also not having the greatest style, understand surrealism better.

At this point this isn't even the second game from this series I've tried and unfortunately Another Shadow was the best one. It seems their puzzles range from simple pattern recognition to just using everything with everything, and a lot of older games have the latter method. This one wasn't too egregious, which is why I've actually completed it, but no puzzles felt interesting.

As with Another Shadow, if you long for the days of flash games, give it a go.

 

[Vookatos]

Quick question for everyone. Trying my best to stick with one game at a time, but my attention span is totally shot. How do you make yourselves stick with one game to completion? Im always jealous of the focus jirard the completionist seems to have on YouTube. I want to get the most out of every game I play like that

I don't. I've played maybe 150 games this year and as of now juggling Tales of Vesperia, Octopath 2, a few games I'm unlikely to complete (Tales of Destiny, Terranigma), and a few I've shelved for later (Nioh 2, Sushi Striker)

I just stick with what's interesting. Right now I mostly play simple games on my phone because I'm depressed and not in the mood for either difficult games or lots of story, so even saying I "juggle" those two titles is incorrect, as I've played them more than a week ago.

That said, I also rarely complete games. Even when I start a game and think "this is a good one, I wanna see everything", it usually gets boring and old by the end. Do I really need to waste my time on a quest that gives me a crafting material when I have everything I need, for example? The games I try to complete are usually stuff like Yakuza, where every activity is full of life, gives you weird and new crap. Same with Igavania Castlevania titles.

Think about whether you really need to complete games and if you're having fun. After all, it's not you who's made it their gimmick to do so for a Youtube channel.

 

[meatbag]

How do you make yourselves stick with one game to completion?

I'm juggling 3-5 games at any given time. But I do have a rule that I set for myself to motivate me to finish games: I only buy a new game when I've cleared a backlog game. Helps my wallet too. Addendum to that, I've limited myself to a 64 GB memory card. So if I want to make space for new games, I need to finish and archive some stuff I already have.

 

[Gengar]

1. Persona 5 Royal
2. Metroid Prime Remastered
3. WarioWare (GBA NSO)
4. Fire Emblem Engage
5. Metroid Fusion (NSO)
6. Paranormasight
7. Trails to Azure
8. Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception
9. Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth
10. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
11. Donkey Kong Country (NSO)
12. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion
13. Loopers
14. The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie
15. Steins;Gate Elite
16. Pikmin 4
17. Eternights

18. Anonymous;Code

I enjoyed this for the most part. The plot kind of fizzled out as I neared the end, but I liked the concept. Some specific references and "reveals" were lost on me since I haven't followed the science-adventure series too closely, so hard-core fans might get more out of it than I did.

It was good, but now I'm asking myself if I really needed to spend $60 on it. Oh well. Can't do anything about it now.

 

[Christo750]

13. Pikmin 4

I don’t think the start was was slow as everyone made it out to be. Yes there’s some dialogue and no you can’t have 100 Pikmin at once from the jump but I also love early-game limitations like that. Like when your Pokémon are only just reaching level 20. Feels like there’s still so much road ahead of you. And the road ahead of Pikmin 4’s opening section is quite frankly sublime. Zelda was my most hyped game this year but I wonder if Pikmin 4 takes GOTY for me.

14. Pokémon Trading Card Game (GBC)

I know there’s a modern online version of TCG and after playing this I’m so curious as to why it isn’t on Switch yet. When I played it as a kid I never really messed around with building my own decks but now I’m a big strong man and can handle more than 2 options I guess lol. Customizing my deck and really caring about what was in the booster packs was so engaging. Loved it.

15. Mortal Kombat 1 (Kampaign)

Ummm…

Yeah this campaign kinda sucked lol.

Don’t get me wrong, gameplay is vastly superior to MK11, thankfully, and very good on its own, without comparing it to anything. But writing and acting was shoddy, lots of the VO are giving very “crunchy” performances, transitions between fights and cutscenes are sloppy, and the overall plot is so incredibly weak. The ending felt so rushed and was so utterly soft that I can’t help but feel like there’s a second half of it being held for DLC. MK1 was hyped as a new era for MK but really it’s the same as it ever was. This formula of story mode needs a shakeup.

 

[meatbag]

I know there’s a modern online version of TCG and after playing this I’m so curious as to why it isn’t on Switch yet

TPC works in mysterious ways (but my guess is that they haven’t bothered thinking about it or otherwise there’s a lot of odd bureaucracy involved)

 

[carbvan]

Not really keeping track of what I've beaten this year, but I just finished Lies of P. It's up there in the running for my goty. DS3 is my favorite FromSoft game and it feels a lot like it except with an added parry like Sekiro that I can actually pull off (I sucked at Sekiro and couldn't parry in it, was good here tho). If you have GamePass, don't pass it up. It's not too long and it's definitely on the easier side of Soulslike games. I got the true ending in about 25 hours, so it isn't the longest game, though it is a Soulslike and I'm sure others will get stuck on various things much more than me.

Some mild spoilers about story elements:

Spoiler: Spoiler

To talk negatives, I think the 1 thing that I truly disliked about the game was how sad the story was. At first, it was pretty happy-ish for a Soulslike. There were moments of hope and character's lives improving, but it was all for nothing. Shit hit the fan at the end of the game and it was like the writers read the Soulslike manual and realized no happy endings allowed. I just wish one of these types of games weren't so damn depressing. Still good, tho.

I gotta figure out which P game is the best this year now, though - Lies of P or Pikmin 4. Very close in terms of enjoyment I got out of them.

 

[Dardan Sandiego]

Quick question for everyone. Trying my best to stick with one game at a time, but my attention span is totally shot. How do you make yourselves stick with one game to completion? Im always jealous of the focus jirard the completionist seems to have on YouTube. I want to get the most out of every game I play like that

I never do this but I usually try to limit myself to 2-3 games that are sufficiently different from each other. I’m currently playing Judgment and Fire Emblem: Three Houses (again lol) and making decent progress in both but I know I’d get distracted if I played another open world game or turn-based RPG.

 

[AngryAlchemist]

Quick question for everyone. Trying my best to stick with one game at a time, but my attention span is totally shot. How do you make yourselves stick with one game to completion? Im always jealous of the focus jirard the completionist seems to have on YouTube. I want to get the most out of every game I play like that

This is something I struggle a lot with too. I'm currently playing Yakuza 0, Fire Emblem Engage, and The Great Ace Attorney 2 - all three very long games. I'm focusing more on the first two rather than the latter. Personally, I think the best advice is to just play at your own pace. Yes, it's nice to beat games but if you just focus on one when you're wanting to play another ... it might sour you on the game. Just play what you want, basically. Maybe don't go above 3 tho.

 

[meatbag]

DS3 is my favorite FromSoft game and it feels a lot like it

Oh nice, I liked DS3 when I played it last year. Keeping an eye out for Pinocchio here.

 

[smoothies]

22. Chrono Cross [4.5/5]

Radical Dreamers Edition on Switch. I haven’t finished Radical Dreamers itself so this is just some impressions on Chrono Cross.

First, here’s what I had problems with. This is a game where I think having access to the instruction manual would help a lot, as it explains the combat system thoroughly. It can be pretty obtuse otherwise. Sega Ages games, for example, include a digital version of the manual in the overall menu. I feel that this could have been an easy feature to include here that would improve the experience. Also, the frame rates were all over the place, especially during combat. At times, I thought I had accidentally put the game in slow motion, but no, it was just actually being that slow for a second. Speaking of combat, the battle theme is totally fine in and of itself, but I wish I was able to absorb more of the rest of the soundtrack. It’s a bit of a mood breaker.

Otherwise, I thought the game was a joy. It is exactly the kind of surreal, cerebral and earnest RPG that I eat up. Other folks will feel differently based on their particular tastes, but every wild swing worked out favorably for me. The writing, story, enemy design and characters were all excellent. It covers a wide range of experiences from silly to serious. And the combat is pretty good once you get into it. Most bosses are little puzzles, making sure you’re utilizing Elements correctly.

This game has so many beautiful, cosmic liminal spaces.

It’s rare that I look forward to doing a New Game + right after finishing an RPG, but I certainly look forward to running through this one again.

Ranked List of 2023 Games Completed

Spoiler

Super Mario World
Super Mario Bros.
Parappa the Rapper 2
Octopath Traveler 2
Ristar
Metroid Fusion
Chrono Cross
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Gunstar Heroes
Castlevania Bloodlines
DariusBurst: Another Chronicle
G-Darius HD
WarioWare Inc.: Mega Microgames!
Sonic the Hedgehog
Super Fantasy Zone
Streets of Rage 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
Double Dragon 2
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Super Mario Bros. 2
Kuru Kuru Kururin
Famicom Detective Club Pt 2: The Girl in Back

 

[Nmanic]

I have finished 53 games this year (I live for this shit lmfao. In 2022 I finished 100 games) so I won't make a ginormous post by sharing all of them (I do keep lists and journal my thoughts about each one.) But I did wanna just throw in my highlights!


My top 5 games so far from 2023--

Octopath II (just finished it last night and was TOTALLY hooked on everything. It improved in all the right areas for me)
Hi-Fi Rush (out of nowhere and bursting with quality and fun ideas. A huge hit for me)
Tears of the Kingdom (nothing to say that hasn't been said, this game owns)
Paranormasight (another out of nowhere gem with great atmosphere building and some neat tricks for the mystery VN genre)
Final Fantasy XVI (I see a lot of gripes with this one but I was sooo invested in the characters and didn't mind a lot of issues)

Other highlights in no particular order-- Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane Armored Core VI, FE Engage, XBC3 Future Redeemed, Metroid Prime Remastered

My top 5 PRE-2023 games so far that I played this year

NieR Automata (absolutely blown away by the storytelling and soundtrack of this one. I was moved deeply on a few occasions)
Sekiro (among the best feeling gameplay of anything I've ever engaged with)
Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (really earnest and wholesome game. I love this series)
Aviary Attorney (BIRDS AND PUNS. I WOULD DIE FOR SPARROWSON)
Trombone Champ (TOOT TOOT)

Other highlights-- Tetris (GB), NieR Replicant, Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney, Zero Escape VLR, Escape Academy


This has been one of the strongest years ever for me in gaming, and it's not slowing down! I have been genuinely looking forward to Detective Pika2 for years, and Spider-Man 2 and Mario Wonder are both super exciting. This will probably go down as one of the most stacked years ever for me personally!

 

[meatbag]

I have finished 53 games this year (I live for this shit lmfao. In 2022 I finished 100 games

I hope to get even a fraction of your power, daaang

 

[Nmanic]

I hope to get even a fraction of your power, daaang

hahaha ty, it's definitely not a lifestyle for everyone. But for me, gaming is a special interest/passion that's only ever gotten more enjoyable with age. Most of my friends only play a handful of games a year (if that) and few actually finish what they play. Everyone has different priorities and that's 100% cool, as long as you're doing what makes you happy!

I definitely pushed myself to finish 100 last year though. That was a conscious choice I made when I had finished around 65 in October and realized I could make it work (and that I may never be in a position again in life to get 100 games in a year once my wife and I have kids and more work responsibilities). So in that case, I did play some games with the intention of beating them rather than enjoying them, which I chose never to do again. But I'm glad I was able to hit 100! My final game of 2022 was Neon White, really awesome time.

 

[meatbag]

But I'm glad I was able to hit 100!

A monumental achievement in my book regardless. Cheers!

 

[Joy-Boy]

Final Fantasy 16

Whew lads. What an experience that was. I'm a casual FF enjoyer, only played 15, 7, and 7 Remake, so I was excited to jump in. What I got was some of THE best spectacle and boss fights in video game history. This is the first game this gen I played that truly felt "next gen" and I was blown away with how fun the combat was. It can be as simple or complex as you want, but there's never a dull moment either way. I was hooked from minute one, and it only got better as you progressed.

The world was fully realized, and it commited to a singular vision, which is the one thing I wish I could say about FF15. That game had a solid beggining, middle, and end....all completly unconnected from each other. 16 knew the story it wanted to tell, and told it. Voice acting was great too. Clive nailed every emotional beat with his full soul, and Cid might just have the coolest voice of any human being in history.

That being said, it wasnt perfect, there were certian things I wasnt feeling. One thing I felt 15 did really right was the Party. I miss the road trip bros. This game doesnt really have a party, but it wasnt the kind of the story they were trying to tell so I cant really fault them for it.

The main villian was a huge letdown, he reminded me a lot of Zed from Xenoblade 3. Uber mysterious bad guy trying to sound deep and philosophical, but ends up just sounding pretentious and spouting absolute nonsense and pales in comparison to even some minor characters personalities and characterizaion in the same game. The ending also let me down. There was so many characters that could have had really great moments that were pretty much cast to the wayside. The resolution to certian main characters arcs was something I just didnt feel fulfilled by, and in the end just brought down the mood of what could have been one of the hypest climaxes ever.

Overall, there's a LOT to love about FF16, I'm glad I got to experience it and am SO excited to see how these systems evolve in other games like FF Rebirth and FF17 and whatever down the line.

And in the end.....Torgal is a good boi, and that's all that really matters

 

[afternoon delight]

#3. Lake Haven Chrysalis
A small snack- a prologue event that seems to act as a design document for a much larger game and concept. If you like adventure / survival horror and are digging the recent lo fi polygon revival like I am, do yourself a favor and check out this short game.

A fantastically strange and inventive time for survival horror geeks who miss directional input.

2023 so far...

Spoiler

1. Deep Rock Galactic (PC)
2. Returnal (PC)
3. Lake Haven Chrysalis (PC)