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StarTopic The 2023 Completed Games Thread

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Brock Reiher said:
46. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2) [7.5/10]

I really tried to like this, but after finishing it for the first time the best thing I can say of it is it's a worse remix of Metal Gear Solid that really showed off what the Playstation 2 hardware was capable of. I think the stereotype for this game is that people are mad that you don't play as Snake for most of the game but I had the opposite reaction because right away the voice acting and visual direction of the tutorial felt very flat and boring to me. I was excited once it was over for what felt like a proper Metal Gear mission to get going. I'm gonna chalk this game up to a "you had to be there" situation because I'm sure the visuals and first person aiming stuff was mind blowing in 2001, but now of days it has aged worse visually than Metal Gear Solid on PS1. Some parts early on really remind me of Metroid Prime 3 where you can tell sequences are being designed around new hardware gimmicks first and foremost but nothing is too egregious.

My main complaint with the previous game was the pacing. That game's issue was back tracking at in-opportune times. I didn't like that, but I'd take that over whatever the hell was happening with Otacon and his sister and to a lesser extent the Mad Bomber stuff.

The biggest issue with this game is the story. The game was clearly rushed, and most of the story takes place through codec conversations, even when between two people alone in a room. I'm gonna again be generous and assume that it was different in 2001, but this is not only insanely boring but also looks much worse visually than the codec conversations in the Playstation 1 game due to swapping out stylish 2D art for ugly 3D models. I will be generous and say that certain aspects of the finale are disjointed most likely because 9/11 happened two months before release day and the game takes place near Manhattan. The big twist ends up being maybe the stupidest thing I've ever seen in the game, with the takeaway being that the main antagonists only know how to waste everyone's time and money for an epic prank on Lin Manuel Miranda with no other payoff.

A convoluted story can be excused with strong characters, but sadly Raiden is a big huge loser who's impossible to root for. You can see what they're going for early on-- "What if Solid Snake was a gamer?"-- but the premise never grows beyond that. Instead the entire last act is filled with those visually uninteresting very long (VERY long) codec conversations where our main character goes through melodrama about his past that we were never given any reason to care about and in fact are given numerous reasons not to care about as it is happening. The game then robs our player character of any sense of accomplishment by revealing the epic prank before he sits and takes a 20-minute dressing down from a robot. He then does what the robot tells him to do anyway and defeats an elderly polisci nerd who was just revealed to be an even bigger fool. What should be a triumphant moment is instead a loser realizing he's not cut out for being the player character in a video game with no redemption, and to the game's credit it ends with Raiden saying he wants to join Snake and Snake rightfully saying "no". Snake also looks really weird in this so he doesn't feel as badass as he should despite always being in control of the situation.

All in all this was an interesting experience and a good stealth action game, but it was a bad Metal Gear game. I'm excited to move onto Snake Eater which I expect will be much better.
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As perhaps the biggest defender of Big Loser Shinji Ikari, I can't say your analysis of MGS2 is that far off. Raiden is indeed kind of a weak character at least in the first half, and I remember feeling bad that I didn't like him much at first because so much of the narrative around MGS2 has evolved into people not understanding Raiden or just being upset. So many people who's taste I trusted respected and love the hell out of Raiden, not so much for the character but what Kojima did with him, but that takes forever to get going. Raiden is just kind of an annoying whiner because ... that's his personality? I guess? And also his girlfriend nags him? The reasons at first are very unrelatable compared to what you normally get from depressed losers.

A lot of how much MGS2 works for you is based on how much you accept the second half, its answers and its themes. Thankfully, I belong to the group of people who liked it. Going back to the Raiden complaint for example, I think Raiden being a whiner makes a lot of sense when you consider he's basically a child of war with no personality of his own. But again, if you don't like the second half, this explanation isn't going to satisfy you no matter how much sense it may make. I will say I'm surprised you didn't like Solidus. I had played Metal Gear Solid 1, 3, and a lot of Peace Walker and V by the time I got to MGS2. And while the trope of "The villain was right the whole time" is definitely pretty generic, the fact that he's basically Raiden's dad as well as the fact that his voice acting and personality is so cool made me really like him. By the end I got the distinct impression that in a series known for its great villains he was a weirdly underrated one, as a character that is a one off he is surprisingly memorable and almost as good as Liquid or Revolver Ocelot.

I feel like a lot of these complaints also apply to MGS1 as well. MGS1 has multiple long conversations that are basically there to explain nuclear war to you, again, because it didn't trust it's audience in 1998 to understand the concept. It also has multiple long conversations where Snake explains the horrors of war, in the most dramatic, generic anti-war speech imaginable, and in most of these scenes Snake is even talking down to Meryl because she's a girl. One common complaint I have with MGS1 and 2 is despite both being among the best video game stories of all time, both start incredibly rough with their first halves. But at least MGS2 has the Tanker mission, which while probably a bit overhyped is still great stuff. And also MGS1's entire plot hinges on Kojima not understanding genetics hue.

I'd give MGS1 a 7-7.5/10 and MGS2 an 8-8.5/10, but your perspective is very valid and understandable, and I'm only giving mine to maybe de-mystify this game as someone who also didn't beat it for the first time until just 2021. It's a game where it can be very confusing why people like it, but I think no matter how clunky MGS2 is, it's payoff was worth it for the interesting themes you never really get again in other triple A games.

Also don't let MGS1 vs MGS2 distract you from the fact that Kojima ripped off the theater scene from End of Evangelion almost verbatim in the final fourth wall break cutscene from MGS2.

Hope you like MGS3 when you get to it. It's a very different game from MGS1 and MGS2 in some ways.
 
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106, 107. Wizodrium, Incision

Both are retro FPS games that only have first episodes out. However, both are games that are really good at what they do, even if what they do is also quite different.
Wizordium is a bit more Wolf 3D with its flat enviroments and sprites, but features sprawling mazes and tons of secrets, as well as score counter (just for bragging rights it seems). Levels can go nearly an hour long and may feature multiple enviroments within them (castle level starts in a burning town before leading you through castle square and garden into the castle and its crypt).
Insicion is more of a Quake-like: fast and gorey, making you feel like you're Silent Hill's first ever mass shooter decimating all the weird body horror creatures at hyperspeed. I kinda feel like the levels run together a bit with its use of very red/brown palette and after the first level in the town you barely go outside, as the game sticks to weird organ factories and crypts.

Recommend them both although I liked Wizordium a little more.
 
AngryAlchemist said:
A lot of how much MGS2 works for you is based on how much you accept the second half, its answers and its themes. Thankfully, I belong to the group of people who liked it. Going back to the Raiden complaint for example, I think Raiden being a whiner makes a lot of sense when you consider he's basically a child of war with no personality of his own. But again, if you don't like the second half, this explanation isn't going to satisfy you no matter how much sense it may make. I will say I'm surprised you didn't like Solidus. I had played Metal Gear Solid 1, 3, and a lot of Peace Walker and V by the time I got to MGS2. And while the trope of "The villain was right the whole time" is definitely pretty generic, the fact that he's basically Raiden's dad as well as the fact that his voice acting and personality is so cool made me really like him. By the end I got the distinct impression that in a series known for its great villains he was a weirdly underrated one, as a character that is a one off he is surprisingly memorable and almost as good as Liquid or Revolver Ocelot.
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I actually didn't mind the first half of the plant chapter! Even if it was a little meandering with the mad bomber stuff. For both Raiden and Solidus my issue is that they don't really ever come off as anything other than a fool/putz. Like Solidus for example is presented as this ultimate badass/big boss 2, but then we learn he never accomplished anything on his own and never really had a chance of accomplishing anything. He never even gets like a little "fuck you!" moment where he throws a wrench in the Patriots plans or anything, he just kind of plays his role. When he's describing his motivation at the end it comes off as more pathetic than anything because you can see none of it was ever gonna happen.

Similarly I think a character like Raiden can work great as long as they get the payoff of moving beyond their trauma or past and coming into their own. But Raiden really... doesn't. He does everything he's "supposed" to do then gets a pat on the back from Snake. So it feels kind of hollow when the game implies he's broken free or become his own person when there's no evidence anything different has happened. He even still carries the evil robot in his brain and gets right back together with his girlfriend with no questions asked. Maybe that's the point and they save his actual character growth for a later game, but as is it feels like a bit of a waste of time.
 
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0
1) Super Metroid (SNES)
2) Metroid Fusion (GBA)
3) Metroid Dread (NSW)
4) Sonic Frontiers (PS5)
5) MX vs ATV Legends (XSS)
6) Kuru Kuru Kuruin (GBA)
7) Metroid Prime Remastered (NSW)
8) HiFi Rush (XSS)
9) Final Fantasy Crisis Core Reunion (NSW)
10) Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales (PS5)
11) Sonic Spinball (Genesis)
12) Sonic 3d Blast (Genesis)
13) Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis)
14) Sonic CD (Genesis)
15) Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS5)
16) Donald Duck Advance (GBA)
17) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS2)
18) Stunt Race FX (SNES)
19) Rhythm Tengoku (GBA)
20) Super Mario RPG (SNES)
21) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time (SNES)
22) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Hyperstone Heist (Genesis)
23) Tearaway (PSV)
24) Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure (GBA)
25) Gundam Battle Assault (PS1)
26) Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)
27) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Shredder’s Revenge (XSS)
28) Asura’s Wrath (X360)
29) Ridge Racer (PS1)
30) Gravity Rush (PSV)
31) Ninpen Manmaru (Saturn)
32) Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PS5)
33) Final Fantasy VII Remake INTERmission DLC (PS5)
34) En Garde! (PC)
35) Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4)

36) BIT.TRIP RERUNNER (PC)

What an absolute treat. The original BIT.TRIP RUNNER is an all-time classic, and this remake somehow improves on a game that was already nearly perfect. It updates the graphics and remixes the original levels, which would be worth the price of admission alone, but this release is just getting started. It also comes with the original, unremixed levels (with optional checkpoints, which if you've experienced the original Runner and the brutal hell it puts you through should mean something to you), plus all-new levels set to the music tracks from every single song in the BIT.TRIP franchise, from BEAT all the way to RUNNER 3. And in addition to all of that, it also comes with a level editor, where you can create and share your own stages. It's a dream come true for Runner fans.

If you like BIT.TRIP games, buy this game. If you like rhythm games, buy this game. If you like video games, buy this game.

37) WarioWare Twisted! (GBA)

I’ll just repost what I said in the weekend thread: What a fun and unique spin on WarioWare. The stages felt even more frantic than usual because before you can even figure out what the microgame wants from you, you have to learn what exactly you’re controlling with the gyro. It’s hectic and stressful and maybe the most fun I’ve had with any WarioWare title.

38) Sonic Dream Team (iOS)

My initial impressions for Dream Team were through the roof. Bright, colorful, wide-open 3D Sonic stages featuring multiple routes, a fun use of the Mario 64 system of unique goals for each level, multiple playable characters, and fun music. And for the most part, it stays that way throughout the game. It’s lighthearted and fun. But despite being so short, it does start to run a bit thin towards the end. The bosses are terribly easy and the story is worthless. And the exact reason the game is so breezy and simple means that there simply isn’t any depth to the movement, so unlike in Frontiers, there’s no reason to try and speedrun stages.

I enjoyed Dream Team for what it is, but what I really want is these kind of levels and this aesthetic in a full console-sized 3D Sonic game.
 
Jan 2023 - Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Jan 2023 - Miracle Snack Shop (Korean Philia route)
Jan 2023 - Cruis'n Blast
Feb 2023 - Persona 5 Royal
Feb 2023 - Persona 5 Strikers
Feb 2023 - Katamari Damacy Reroll
Mar 2023 - Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Apr 2023 - Okami HD
May 2023 - Pokemon Let's Go Eevee
May 2023 - Bayonetta 3
Jun 2023 - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Jul 2023 - Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Jul 2023 - New Pokemon Snap
Sep 2023 - Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Sep 2023 - Dredge
Sep 2023 - Record of Lodoss War -Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth-
Oct 2023 - Catherine: Full Body
Oct 2023 - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Dec 2023 - Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

Yay! Second Bayonetta game of the year. As a whole, I found the franchise cool but it really isn't it for me. I think there's a good number of unfortunate factors that prevented this game, as good as I think it is, from fully getting its rose hooks into me.

Life for one thing. I started the game on the plane to my month-long stint in NYC. And once in the foreign city, I barely had enough time or mental capacity to play and appreciate the game for what it is. I only got back into the gaming groove when I'm back home. But by then, I was really just looking forward to playing Persona 5 Tactica.

Me not THAT into the Bayonetta series is another thing. I've only played Bayonetta 3 so far. So I don't have the same in depth lore knowledge of the series. If there's any easter eggs to fanboy over here, it went over my head. I get the faeries connection and Cheshire bits though.

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In the end, the only potion I used was the healing one.

The game itself. Not bad. The story... it's interesting enough. Cereza herself had a lot of character development though her midgame childishness somewhat grates. Dear, Cheshire just saved you. The environments were VERY pretty but I got really tired of being lost towards the end. Maybe I didn't really get into the game was because I was button-mashing my way through.

Oh well! A solid... B tier for me. It was a good game but I am ready to move on.
 
So I know I said I wasn't going to add games I have beaten before but I want to add one more game before the year is over and I doubt I'll beat Raincode in time. I beat Arkham Asylum Switch. Good port only saw one issue, at one point in the game Batman wouldn't do the takedown move on the lunatics and the game wouldn't let me leave the room until I did so I eventually got it to work but it took awhile before I could do the takedown. I'm sure if I reloaded the save it would have been fixed and would have been faster. Oh well. Still as awesome of a game as it was when it released.
 
18. Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Very easy 10/10. Hands down the best 2D Mario platformer. It's not even better than the NSMB series because of its visuals, but its playability is head and shoulders above them. Physics are smoother, less weighty, and thanks to the badge system, every level can have tons of variety for a few different playthroughs. It really must be said how incredible it is that the same company in charge of the same IP for 40 years has been able to reinvent it so many times while maintaining quality. I'm really excited for this new era of 2D Mario.

19. Pokemon Violet - The Teal Mask - It was a pleasure returning to the gameplay of S/V but wow I really wish Game Freak did anything to fix performance. It's quite jarring returning to it after not playing for quite a few months. But, at the end of the day, it remains the best new Pokemon generation since Gen 5. This just adds to it.

20. Super Mario RPG - Something I've been trying to do more as I get older is focus less on newer releases one after the other and remember why I love games in the first place. I replayed a LOT of older games this year, even some I didn't finish. Some of them are games I've never finished before. Enter Super Mario RPG, and my new justification for why I want most older games remade now. This was simultaneously super faithful to the original while leaving room for new ideas that compliment the game I've always loved. It was such a pleasure to revisit it in this way. I'd imagine it's already very successful and Nintendo is already thinking about other games ArtePiazza can do next. I'm excited to see the fruits of their labor.
 
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda)

I played the Game & Watch version to justify the $50 spent on it. The game still slaps. I was a little concerned about the controls because they’re the silicone membrane buttons. Wasn’t an issue. 👍

As for the unit itself, the only thing I’d definitely change is placing the speaker on the front as I occasionally covered it with my left index finger despite my tiny, baby hands. The USB-C port could have been placed on the bottom for more comfortable charging-while-playing though that would have affected using the included cardboard stand.

Hime’s Quest (GBC)

As a game developed on GB Studio intended to advertise Crunchyroll, it’s fine. I’m so desperate to scratch that 2D Zelda itch that I try everything even though none are playing the same sport as Zelda let alone playing in the same league.

Honestly, that’s okay. Comparing an indie game to a first party Nintendo game would be unfair. Having played Link’s Awakening around the same time as Hime’s Quest, the thing that sets Nintendo’s 2D Zeldas apart is dungeon design. Zelda-likes rarely get this right. Game Maker’s Toolkit’s Boss Keys series made me more aware of just how far ahead Nintendo was in this regard.

Otherwise:
  1. Mercifully, Hime is a decent protagonist who doesn’t lean into being Sarcasm, The Character®.
  2. The plot is silliness though not distractingly so.
  3. Some screens are laid out strangely where one side is a dead end so you have to go up and around several screens to get where you want to go. A lot of 2D action-RPGs do this (including Zelda). I’d appreciate if I could open up the dead end once I got to the other side for easier future traversal.
One last thing: while the orange cartridge sold via Crunchyroll’s store is [chef’s kiss], I probably wouldn’t have bought the physical version had I known Crunchyroll offered the digital version for free.
 
1. Nier Automata (Switch)
2. Lunistice (Switch)
3. Super Mario Land 2 (NSO)
4. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch)
5. Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch)
6. Fire Emblem Engage (Switch)
7. The Legend of Zelda: the Minish Cap (NSO)
8. Wario Land 3 (NSO)
9. A Space for the Unbound (Switch)
10. Kirby's Dream Land (NSO)
11. Advance Wars 1&2 Reboot Camp (Switch)
12. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch)
13. Final Fantasy (Pixel Remaster, Switch)
14. Goldeneye (NSO)
15. Oxenfree II Lost Signals (Switch)
16. Pikmin 4 (Switch)
17. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (NSO)
18. Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed (Switch)
19. Telltale's The Expanse (Xbox Series S)
20. Sea of Stars (Switch)
21. PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo (Switch)
22. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch)
23. Starfield (Xbox Series S)
24. Cocoon (Xbox Series S)
25. Octopath Traveler II (Switch)
Wrapped the main story and some side content after 65 hours. Part of me is tempted to continue and try the remaining 3 (I think) superbosses I haven't done, but we'll see; there's already Mario Bros Wonder and Sea of Stars post-game in my Waiting Pile.

As it is, I'm also very satisfied with my overall experience here. A large number of smart changes versus the previous game, a host of really fun and interesting stories, and a solid way to tie it all together. I massively enjoyed this and I've been pretty absorbed in it for the last month or so. Glad I made the effort to play it before 2023 was over.

Jusant on Series S next, I think, with A Highland Song and Mario RPG probably next on Switch.
 
Sadist said:
Haven't updated this in ages, but here we go;

7. The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

An amazing game. I still want to return to it, but after 65 hours of exploring and a massive backlog I needed to pass Gannondorf. It was fantastic, even if its a Hyrule I know, it still was able to surprise me. Loved it.

9.5/10

8. Like a Dragon: Ishin!

It took me a long time to get into this game; I really dig the setting and the story, but the fighting styles were a bit... off I guess? I got used to them, but I think Ishin! had a bit of old Yakuza in it, which made it feel stiff. Still, the game had a lot of cool moments. Not my favourite, still fun!

7.5/10

9. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The man who erased his name

Mentioned in the topic; did we need a new Kiryu game? His name is Jory- SHUT UP. Not really. Was it a great farewell tour of his greatest adventures? Absolutely. While the story is a bit thin, the combat, the missions, the arena are fun as heck. And the final part of the story... I'm not crying, you are crying.

8/10
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10. Ni No Kuni II Prince Edition

I think I prefer the original. It’s a fun romp, it looks good, combat works quite well and the manage your kingdom minigame is pretty cool.

The enemy and music reusage is a bummer though. It feels like this one had a far tighter budget. Not a tidy one.

7.5/10
 
Every game and DLC I’ve completed this year, by console:

NINTENDO
  1. Metroid Prime Remastered
  2. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
  3. Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario Bros. 3
  4. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
  5. Disney Illusion Island
  6. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
  7. Super Mario RPG

PLAYSTATION
  1. Final Fantasy XVI + Fallen Echoes DLC
  2. Spider-Man 2
  3. Final Fantasy VII: Remake + Yuffie DLC
  4. God of War: Valhalla DLC (will be completed this week)

XBOX
  1. Tinykin
  2. Power Wash Simulator
  3. The Jungle Book (Disney Classic Game Collection)
  4. Aladdin (Disney Classic Game Collection)
  5. Goldeneye 007 Remastered
  6. Banjo-Kazooie
  7. Resident Evil 4 + Separate Ways DLC (2023)
  8. Ravenlok
  9. Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
  10. Street Fighter 6
  11. Bramble: The Mountain King
  12. Lies of P
  13. Alan Wake 2
  14. Jusant
  15. Spongebob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
  16. Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn DLC
BONUS: GAMES STARTED BUT NOT COMPLETED
  1. Fire Emblem: Engage
  2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
  3. Sea of Stars
  4. Super Mario Sunshine (Super Mario 3D All-Stars)
  5. Horizon: Forbidden West The Burning Shores DLC

I should be able to squeeze in another game or two after I finish Valhalla this week, but we’ll see. I’ll update this post with any new additions.
 
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RoyalGoldenFES said:
January:
1) Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (PS2*, 9/10)
2) Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS, 7.5/10)
3) Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 (PS2*, 8/10)
4) Portal (PC, 9.5/10)

February:
5) Portal 2 (PC, 8.5/10)

March:
6) Witch on the Holy Night (NSW, 9.5/10)
7) Trails in the Sky the 3rd (PC, 8.5/10)

April:
8) Trails from Zero (NSW, 9/10)
9) Metroid Prime Remastered (NSW, 9.5/10)
10) Superhot (PS4 on PS5, 7/10)

May:
11) Persona 5 Strikers (PS4 on PS5, 8.5/10)

June:
12) Sakura Wars (Saturn*, 8.5/10)

July:
13) Ys 1 Chronicles (PC, 7/10)
14) Yoshi's Island (NSO on NSW, 7.5/10)

August:
15) Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN*, 8.5/10)
16) Fate/Extra (PSP on PSV, 6.5/10)
17) Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (PS5, 8.5/10)
18) Titanfall 2 (PS4 on PS5, 9.5/10)

September:
19) OneShot (PC, 8/10)
20) Drakengard (PS2*, 6/10)
21) Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones (GBA*, 8/10)
22) Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA via NSW, 9/10)

October:
23) 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (NSW, 9.5/10)

November:
24) Super Mario Bros. Wonder (NSW, 9.5/10)
Click to expand...

December:
25) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1 on PSV, 9/10)

Absolutely fantastic, no other way to put it. Even with the game’s age and relatively slow movement, I found the game itself incredibly enjoyable from start to finish. The only real issue I had was the game almost randomly buoying from being really easy to being extremely difficult (especially in the second half) and the so bad it’s good voice acting, but otherwise I really loved it.
 
if rimworld doesn't suck me back in I should be able to get through multiple games before the year is out. Got Surviving Mars, AC: Mirage and Pokemon DLC. That's my goal to end the year.
 
Pokemon Violet: The Indigo Disk

I left a longer post with more detailed thoughts in the dedicated S/V thread, but I'll summarize here for posterity. Overall, it's a great package that has a great amount of fun enviorments to explore. I had a great time with it, and I think there's something here that I felt really clicked in a way the base game never did with me.

I felt like it perfromed way better too, atleast in the main Terarium area, I didnt notice nearly the number of the issues the base game and first DLC did, and it was the first time it felt like the game wasnt fundamentally broken. I dont know if it's truly better or if I was just lazer focused on all the new stuff, but whatever it was, it did a lot to improve my experience.

The story was much lighter than I was expecting given the buildup, but the characters were all fun. I popped off at the musical refrences to certian other games in the series, and some of the unlocked activities look like they could keep pulling me back in for a while to come.

Overall, I think I feel the same about Scarlet/Violet as I do Sonic Frontiers. I dont think this itself was the one....but I think these game provided the base/ the blueprint/the rough draft/etc for something truly special to come in the future (especially when coupled with the feedback from Legends Arceus) . After this DLC, I've gotten a whole refreshed sense of excitement and hope to see what that future brings.

Indigo Disk - 8/10
 
1) Super Metroid (SNES)
2) Metroid Fusion (GBA)
3) Metroid Dread (NSW)
4) Sonic Frontiers (PS5)
5) MX vs ATV Legends (XSS)
6) Kuru Kuru Kuruin (GBA)
7) Metroid Prime Remastered (NSW)
8) HiFi Rush (XSS)
9) Final Fantasy Crisis Core Reunion (NSW)
10) Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales (PS5)
11) Sonic Spinball (Genesis)
12) Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)
13) Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis)
14) Sonic CD (Sega CD)
15) Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS5)
16) Donald Duck Advance (GBA)
17) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS2)
18) Stunt Race FX (SNES)
19) Rhythm Tengoku (GBA)
20) Super Mario RPG (SNES)
21) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time (SNES)
22) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Hyperstone Heist (Genesis)
23) Tearaway (PSV)
24) Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure (GBA)
25) Gundam Battle Assault (PS1)
26) Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)
27) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Shredder’s Revenge (XSS)
28) Asura’s Wrath (X360)
29) Ridge Racer (PS1)
30) Gravity Rush (PSV)
31) Ninpen Manmaru (Saturn)
32) Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PS5)
33) Final Fantasy VII Remake INTERmission DLC (PS5)
34) En Garde! (PC)
35) Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4)
36) BIT.TRIP RERUNNER (PC)
37) WarioWare Twisted! (GBA)
38) Sonic Dream Team (iOS)

39) Final Fantasy XVI Echoes of the Fallen DLC (PS5)

It might be short, but this DLC dungeon is spectacular. A wonderful setting, excellent music, and a string of increasingly more challenging bosses culminates in one of the most complex and over-the-top boss fights in the entire game (the fights that don’t involve Eikons, anyway!). I can’t wait for the next batch of DLC, which will hopefully be a fuller experience!
 
I'm not going to bother trying to list the stuff I've completed this year, but I've written my backlog down so this thread is now relevant to my interests!

I'll list the three most recent I've completed in the last couple of weeks:

Super Mario RPG Remake - 7/10

I'm glad I played this, at long last. The game has charm bursting out of its seams - where else would you see Mario using mime to act out the events of the story? The game is delightfully weird, throwing bizarre locales, scenarios and characters at a breakneck pace - there's no filler here!

And the soundtrack? Magnificent.

...that being said, I can definitely tell that this was the first attempt at a Mario RPG. It's the foundation from which Paper Mario and the Mario & Luigi games was built from. The humor, the battle system, the original party members, the whacky scenarios - it's all here and it's all solid.

That's something to be applauded, but I also think that those games have all improved on what this SMRPG bought to the table.

The characters in this game aren't really as memorable as they could be. The pacing means that any character moments aren't really given the time they need to breathe and leave their mark. Geno and Mallow are likeable party members with some fantastic character designs, but that's kind of it. TTYD showed what could be done with party members, and SMRPG doesn't really reach those heights.

The villains are pretty one-note as well, and tend to be cast aside as quickly as they're introduced. Booster is great, but he barely counts as a villain. Smithy and his gang don't really leave as much of an impact as Cackletta/Fawful, or Count Bleck and his menagerie. They're just sort of there.

The game is also very easy. I don't look for difficulty in Mario RPGs, but once you have unlocked Peach and have her decked out in the right gear, you'd have to actively  try to lose a battle in the regular campaign. Even disregarding Peach, the game is a cakewalk, to the point where I felt I was going on autopilot towards the end.

I feel like I have been negative about this, but I do want to stress that SMRPG is very solid. It has to be, considering it served as the fundamental basis for the RPGs that came after. This game was likely incredible to experience when it originally released, but unfortunately it didn't wow me as a first time player.

I still recommend it though! Especially if you're a fan of the classic styled Mario RPGs.

Sonic Superstars - 5/10

I don't want to flog the dead horse too much, but the bosses in this game truly are horrid. The  long periods of waiting for attack animations to complete, the cheap insta-kill tactics that are employed towards the end, the droning music - it all adds to nearly every level having a miserable denouement.

I'm bringing up the bosses first as the final boss of the main campaign was the last straw. I beat it, but the thought of going through a second run with harder bosses has led me to cross this one off the list. Going off of YouTube, it doesn't seem I'm missing out on much.

It's a real shame, because the actual levels are mostly pretty good, particularly through the first few zones. Not all the concepts hit, but there's enough there to make me believe that Oshima/Arzest have enough of an idea on what makes a classic Sonic level click. The physics are also spot-on, so kudos to them for making the effort on getting that right.

Unfortunately even the regular gameplay has its drawbacks. Some of the concepts and level design towards the back half of the game just tend to cause more frustration than engagement. Running into obstacles you can't see coming is a rite of passage for any classic Sonic game, but it seemed a bit more egregious here.

The Emerald Powers also didn't do much for me. They're a neat concept but ultimately they're too context sensitive to really be of much use. The wheel to choose the Powers seemed to be weirdly buggy on PS5 as well.

Aesthetically the game isn't much to shout about either. I played on PS5, but I'd still say the game pales in comparison to Super Mario Bros Wonder in terms of graphics and animations. That might be harsh given that Wonder obviously had more time and money placed into it, but the contrast is still stark. The game looks and animates  fine, but doesn't seem to strive for anything greater.

The music is also bizarrely forgettable, which is a big miss for a Sonic game. The Sonic 4 inspired tracks do not help, and I am baffled as to their inclusion here - if nothing else it makes the soundtrack feel very disjointed.

Unfortunately Sonic Superstars treads the same path that Sonic game projects have walked since Origins last year: there are some solid fundamentals undermined by a number of caveats. Superstars will likely get an update like Origins and Frontiers did next year, but it's frustrating that Sega seem to be incapable of releasing a game that is complete and solid on its own merits at launch. Sonic Mania got an update as well, but I don't think anyone can accuse that game of being undercooked at release.

So, yeah. Superstars is a disappointment in its current state. I wouldn't say I  regret playing it, but I have no desire to play it again without some major amendments being made.

Trip is cute though. I hope she comes back!

Splatoon 3: Story Mode - 8.5/10

Splatoon has never really held me to the same extent as the first one - to the extent I've sorta wondered if I made the wrong choice in buying Splatoon 3. I'm confused as to why given that I still really enjoyed my time with Splatoon 2 and the Octo Expansion.

Ultimately though, I haven't really given Splatoon 3 much in terms of time. I think the oft-mentioned criticisms regarding how overly familiar it feels are correct, though I don't think that's inherently an issue. There's a part of me that doesn't blame the Splatoon team for being reluctant to push the boat out when they managed to nail it so much in the first game.

Not all sequels need to innovate, but I do think Splatoon is maybe a bit too comfortable in its current form - to the point where some of the issues dating back to the first game haven't been fixed.

That being said, I wanted to give the game a fairer shake. As I know there are other multi-player games thay will take up my time, I felt it was best to focus my efforts on the single player campaign.

...and it's fantastic! You get around 70 levels, each that explore a concept with escalating difficulty before moving on to the next one. One level can see you rail grinding on a ink stream while hitting targets, the next will see you jumping between enemy aircraft to climb through the level.

No two levels feel exactly the same, though naturally some concepts are revisited. Almost every weapon is used, every enemy type exploited and every mechanic explored as thoroughly as possible.

The level design has a vibe not dissimilar to Super Mario Galaxy, which is very high praise coming from me. The bosses are of a similar ilk, in that they all have a central gimmick you need to overcome three times in order to succeed. Not the most difficult or memorable, but they're solid.

Another Galaxy similarity is how some of the levels are set in an abstract locales that don't have a massive sense of place. This isn't a criticism, but it did make the final gauntlet before the final boss stand out for being a continuous journey through the space center. I wouldn't be against future Splatoon titles having more scenarios like this, presuming that they can keep the free-flowing level design intact.

Oh yeah, the music is a banger too. Hopefully they can come up with something other than Calamari Inkantation for the last boss next time though.

As it stands though, the single player campaign is an excellent little romp that doesn't wear out its welcome. There are some drawbacks - a couple of the level ideas are a bit rubbish, with the art copying one springing to mind. I didn't really care for the progression and skill tree aspects either, they felt more tacked on. Callie and Marie are still super charming but I also wish they'd stop nagging me about Smallfry finding stuff in the hub.

It's still great though. I'll definitely jump into Side Order if it's near the same quality, which is not something I'd have said a couple of weeks ago.
 
#8. Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (Switch)

Final Fantasy VI is widely regarded as one of the best RPGs ever and it's easy to see why. Its pacing is incredible, the whole adventure takes around 30 hours IF you take your time to do sidequests, which is just insane. Its story is great, with memorable characters and one of the best mid-game twists in all of gaming. Ironically, its weakest part is the gameplay itself, which is just standard Final Fantasy without nothing particularly special... this doesn't mean it's boring to play or anything, just not super noteworthy.

Anyway, this has always been one of my favorite games. I wish modern RPGs would look back at this era where story beats could pass by quickly and we didn't need hours of dialogue and cutscenes to deliver plot.

Regarding the Pixel Remaster itself, I think it's great. Its main goal was to deliver the FFVI experience to modern consoles while keeping the classic look alive and it delivers almost perfectly. Graphics have received some slight updates that make it look nicer and don't break the retro feel, while music has (optional) remixes that are mostly great. I love that the game now has Quick Saves, which make going through its toughest sections much more bearable (Cultists Tower I'm looking at you).

I'm sure some changes, like not keeping the SNES localization or the new Opera scene, won't be liked by everyone but I thought they were neat. You really can't go wrong playing this version of the game.
 
I struggled to get into RPGs this year and now I finished three back to back, the latest being Sea of Stars. It doesn't really hide that it's extremely inspired by Chrono Trigger but even though it lifts several tropes, it gives everything a unique spin to set itself apart from that game. Aside from the pixelart graphics and the music, which are both top notch, it's also just really good mechanically.

The combat system is fairly straightforward but elegant in its implementation. You only get a few spells per character and some combos but everything has its purpose. I love that you can switch characters on the fly and really have to consider combat order and make sometimes tricky decisions about whether to go for a "break" attack or not. My favourite combat systems are the ones that make you drop bad habits and playing on "auto-pilot" and SoS has this in spades, making for very dynamic fights with a lot of back and forth. One thing I wish I had realized earlier is how useful one character's spell to delay attacks is. I was also pleasantly surprised by the level/dungeon design. It's very circular in nature with tons of shortcuts to remove tedium and the puzzles are super fun to do. Not quite on the level of Golden Sun or Lufia but a welcome addition nonetheless.

Story/writing can be a bit of a mixed bag, admittedly. It's solid overall but comes off as a bit amateurish with lots of smaller weird mistakes (they're clearly weaving and not sewing!) and dialogue that feels like it was written for a different medium. I can't count the times where characters just go "Hahaha". It's not bad enough to make me drop it or not enjoy the overall journey but still noticeable. And for as much as I like Garl, the way he's centered in the story end up revealing how little they knew what to do with Valere and Zale. Same with some story threads that are seemingly only there to hint at something beyond the game which makes it conclude at a logically coherent but emotionally somewhat unsatisfying place.


  1. Dark Souls III
  2. Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)
  3. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
  4. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
  5. Donkey Kong Country
  6. Metroid Prime Remastered
  7. Metroid Fusion
  8. Kirby's Dream Land
  9. WarioWare, Inc. Mega Microgames!
  10. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
  11. Resident Evil 4 Remake
  12. Nintendo Switch Sports
  13. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
  14. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (Linked Game)
  15. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (Project Restoration)
  16. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
  17. The Room
  18. The Room Two
  19. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  20. Dredge
  21. Storyteller
  22. Luna's Fishing Garden
  23. Nuclear Blaze
  24. The Room Three
  25. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
  26. Spaceplan
  27. The Gardens Between
  28. Pikmin 4
  29. Xenoblade Chronicles 3
  30. Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed
  31. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  32. Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
  33. Judgment
  34. Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways
  35. Pokémon Crystal Legacy
  36. Kaze and the Wild Masks
  37. Drainus
  38. En Garde!
  39. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
  40. Lunacid
  41. Resident Evil Village
  42. Resident Evil Village: Shadows of Rose
  43. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
  44. Resident Evil 7: Not A Hero + End of Zoe
  45. Gunbrella
  46. High Hell
  47. Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered
  48. Mafia: Definitive Edition
  49. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
  50. Cocoon
  51. Spark the Electric Jester 3
  52. Jack Move
  53. Super Mario RPG (Switch remake)
  54. Sea of Stars
 
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
19. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
20. Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe
21. Super Mario RPG
22. Paper Mario
23. Contra
24. Super Contra
25. World End Syndrome
26. Operation C

27. Infernax

A great metroidvania! It seems more directly inspired by Castlevania than anything else, but I really liked the branching paths and upgrades you can find. I'm also proud that I managed to finish it in "classic" mode, where checkpoints are less forgiving, especially when I don't normally have the patience for that kind of thing these days.
 
18. Surviving Mars (PC)

This is a hard game to review for me tbh. I didn't exactly complete an entire game but I saw no reason to do so. The game gives you little reason to. And that's kinda how I feel about the game. It has a promising premise but it's shallow. Everything from top to bottom is shallow. It's a shallow city-builder and a shallow simulator. Micro-managing is even shallow and so unnecessary. It's a waste of time and I regret being a micro-manager.

With that said Mars as a setting is still interesting. But that's all it is. I did look up the 9 mysteries of Mars, one of which you will have to endure in a playthrough, and realized I got a boring one. That's pretty disappointing but then again most of the mysteries are either boring or, again, shallow. I wanted to have fun but when I realized there wasn't really that much to do in the game.

Honestly, I played two space themed games this year and this was the most disappointing and shallow one of them. And the other space game I played was Starfield....so let that speak for itself. (5.5/10)
 
47. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2) [9/10]

In a lot of ways this feels like the real Metal Gear Solid 2 to the point where I wonder if this is Kojima's real vision for that game before executive interference and 9/11 made him change plans. It follows many of the same themes of the previous game but done in a much more emotionally impacting and coherent way. The badassery levels are off the charts here and unlike the last game every character is memorable or likable in their own way. I knew a few things about a few things in this game going in just because it has such a huge cultural footprint, but everything still hit as it should. One of the few big pleasant surprises for me was the Shagohad fight as playing it felt like being on one of those 4D theater theme park rides.

In terms of gameplay, it once again builds off of the already complicated systems of MGS2 but adds more survival elements. This is awesome when it works well because you feel like the world's sneakiest spy, but I think I still prefer the simply gameplay of MGS1. I played on normal and was pretty bad at the game (I ended up going on mass sprees with the shotgun in every indoor area) so I didn't use the mechanics to their fullest. That being said I wonder how necessary or satisfying some of the mechanics like hunting for food are when you are trying to play a perfect run or are playing on higher difficulties. I think there's a lot of potential for MGSTriangle if it can make all of the different mechanics seem more meaningful on an average playthrough.

I have two big complaints about this one. One, it makes a mistake that seems to be pretty common in prequel games where they reveal that Metal Gear REX was already completely designed by some Russian dude in the 60's. Otacon was never the most likable character in MGS1, but the events of MGS2 really made him unlikable and now they are robbing him of his one interesting character conflict. Poor guy. The other big complaint is the camera angle. I like the classic Metal Gear top down view as much as anyone, but the loss of the Soliton Radar mixed with the better enemy AI makes it seem unfair when you get spotted by an enemy at the bottom of the screen some times.

All in all this game did a great job of righting the ship and I am nervously anticipating MGS4 to finish the fight.
 
I finished Outer Wilds today. Why did I play this game this year?! I was already trouble arranging my top games list for 2023. Gah. Anyway, what a ride. I love how the only thing you need to progress is knowledge, and you can theoretically finish this game in your first run if you already know what to do.
 
As I was nearing the end of Chants of Sennaar I looked at my little book of glyphs I had translated, wondering why I was doing all of this. Obviously because it's fun to go through various levels of the mysterious structure I had woken up in the same way it is fun to go through any kind of adventure game. I was looking at murals and maps and books that at first seemed inscrutable and talking to curious people that became progressively more understandable. The nearest comparison I can think of is Return of the Obra Dinn, where you have to observe the environment and combine the knowledge you've gained to make deductions. It isn't quite as convoluted I found but deciphering languages gave it another intriguing layer, making you think about the way each language with its own distinct idiosyncrasies works, how you form a sentence and so on.

But as I was making my way to the top of the structure I had woken up in, my character's raison d'être in this reverse Tower of Babel scenario was revealed and I realized that I wasn't just playing a game about language but one about communication. It was kind of a very banal realization but one that made everything fall into place. Beautiful game and one of my faves of the year.

  1. Dark Souls III
  2. Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)
  3. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
  4. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
  5. Donkey Kong Country
  6. Metroid Prime Remastered
  7. Metroid Fusion
  8. Kirby's Dream Land
  9. WarioWare, Inc. Mega Microgames!
  10. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
  11. Resident Evil 4 Remake
  12. Nintendo Switch Sports
  13. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
  14. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (Linked Game)
  15. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (Project Restoration)
  16. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
  17. The Room
  18. The Room Two
  19. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  20. Dredge
  21. Storyteller
  22. Luna's Fishing Garden
  23. Nuclear Blaze
  24. The Room Three
  25. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
  26. Spaceplan
  27. The Gardens Between
  28. Pikmin 4
  29. Xenoblade Chronicles 3
  30. Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed
  31. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  32. Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
  33. Judgment
  34. Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways
  35. Pokémon Crystal Legacy
  36. Kaze and the Wild Masks
  37. Drainus
  38. En Garde!
  39. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
  40. Lunacid
  41. Resident Evil Village
  42. Resident Evil Village: Shadows of Rose
  43. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
  44. Resident Evil 7: Not A Hero + End of Zoe
  45. Gunbrella
  46. High Hell
  47. Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered
  48. Mafia: Definitive Edition
  49. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
  50. Cocoon
  51. Spark the Electric Jester 3
  52. Jack Move
  53. Super Mario RPG (Switch remake)
  54. Sea of Stars
  55. Chants of Sennaar
 
And I'm back. This time , I beat Hi-fi Rush.

Honestly, a fantastic game full of charm. Loved the music, loved the character interactions,combat is great. Not much to say, it's just fantastic!
9/10

Previus games completed
  1. Honkai Impact 3rd part 1
  2. Omori
  3. Metroid Prime Remastered
  4. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom
  5. Super Mario Bros Wonder
Next game will be Lies of P. I'm like 90% done with it, only dropped it to play Hi-fi Rush beause I reached a pretty big difficulty spike and it just started feeling unfair with it's difficulty. I needed a break from it.. Let's see if i manage to finish it before the end of the year.
 
December 12th - Layover Lovers (7/10)
This truly is something the games industry needs more of: a short, free and wholesome visual novel about love. In this case, it's about two people who meet at an airport. The game is being told in past tense, where it begins with someone recounting the events of the story in a radio program, causing the host to "shed a tear", something I admit that I did as well.

December 18th - Alan Wake II (8/10)
Alan Wake II is one of those experiences where you just have to tip a hat and applaud a vision and ambition that is nothing if not truly bold. It's just so rare and appreciated for a developer and a publisher to spend this amount of money and resources on such an absurd, postmodern, beautifully trippy and meta-metafictional work of art. Gaming as a medium are very rarely treated to this kind of narrative, one that is so in love with the idea of going all in on whatever mad idea the writers can come up with, and cram it together into a bizarre spectrum of abstract storytelling that confuses and tires at times, but otherwise always delights, surprises, and shocks.

Alan Wake II really pulls absolutely zero brakes when it comes to its story, where "the voice actors showing up as real actors in a TV show that is a part of the plot inside the part of the plot that contains the show" is the tip of the iceberg. Saga Anderson and Alex Casey are a likable duo, and Alan Wake himself is brilliantly portrayed when it comes to framing a struggling, creative man in distress. It's engaging, and at its peak, it's the video game equivalent of the page-turners to end all page-turners. Alan Wake II deserves critique for some of its gameplay aspects, though. I'm not referring to the survivial horror elements, which I found to be engaging and tense throughout. Rather, it's the slow-paced, investigative puzzle elements that drags the experience down and sometimes completely kills any momentum that the story had built up. And for all of the praise I'm willing to give the plot, it does dip at times, where it plays with fire when it comes to becoming too meta for its own good, and sometimes looses its footing as a result. Still, this is a video game story for the ages, and one that I will surely look upon fondly for years to come.

2023 games completed

1. January 4th - Missed Messages (9/10)
2. January 4th - Florence (9/10)
3. January 5th - Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk and milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk (9/10)
4. February 16th - Metroid Prime Remastered (10/10)
5. March 14th - Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo (8/10)
6. May 19th - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (11/10)
7. June 5th - I Was A Teenage Exocolonist (8/10)
8. August 17th - Oxenfree (6/10)
9. August 29th - Citizen Sleeper (7/10)
10. September 10th - Starfield (7/10)
11. October 8th - Stella of the End (9/10)
12. October 18th - Gorogoa (9/10)
13. October 25th - Her Tears Were My Light (8/10)
14. October 30th - Super Mario Bros. Wonder (10/10)
15. November 5th - Fashion Dreamer (9/10)
16. December 12th - Layover Lovers (7/10)
17. December 18th - Alan Wake II (8/10)
 
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Games beaten in 2023 some were started last year, ordered by month:

1) Jan - Spirit Hunter: Death Mark (9/10)
2) Jan - Spirit Hunter: NG (8/10)
3) Jan - Labyrinth of Refrain (8/10)
4) Jan - FE Engage (10/10)
5) March - Trails into Azure (10/10)
6) April - Cold Steel 1 PC (8/10)
7) April - Cold Steel 2 PC (7/10)
8) April - XC3: Future Redeemed (9/10)
9) April - FE Engage: Fell Xenologue (8/10)
10) April - Labyrinth of Zangetsu (6/10)
11) May - Trails into Cold Steel 3 (9/10)
12) June - TOTK (10/10)
13) June - Persona 4 Golden (8/10)
14) July - Ghost Trick (9/10)
15) July - Might & Magic - Clash of Heroes Definitive Edition (9/10)
16) August - Digimon Survive True Route (8/10)
17) September - Tales of Arise PC (7/10)
18) September - Bioshock Infinite: Complete Edition (8/10)
19) October - GetsaFuma Den: Undying Moon (7/10)
20) October - Paranormasight (10/10)
21) October - Bayonetta Origins (9/10)
22) November - Monark (7/10)
23) November - Master Detective Archives: RainCode (9/10)
24) November- Super Mario Wonder (9/10)

Currently near the end:
- Trails into Cold Steel 4
 
  1. Metroid (NES) 1/5
  2. Super Mario 3D World (Switch) 6/5
  3. Gravity Rush Remastered (PS4) 2/5
  4. Vice: Project Doom (NES) 1/5
  5. Kid Icarus (NES) 1/5
  6. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis) 3/5
  7. Super Mario Land 2 (GB) 4/5
  8. Kirby’s Dream Land (GB) 2/5
  9. Florence (Switch) 3/5
  10. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX (GBC) 4/5
  11. Wario Land 3 (GBC) 4/5
  12. Ring Fit Adventure (2nd Campaign) (Switch) 4/5
  13. Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels (SNES) 4/5
  14. Metroid II: Return of Samus (GBC) 2/5
  15. Sonic the Hedhehog 3 (Genesis) 3/5
  16. Mega Man 4 (NES) 3/5
  17. Sonic & Knuckles (Genesis) 5/5
  18. Deltarune Chapter 1 (Switch) 4/5
  19. Deltarune Chapter 2 (Switch) 4/5
  20. Yooka-Laylee (Switch) 3/5
  21. Sonic Frontiers (Switch) 3/5
  22. Dragon Quest XI S Definitive Edition (Switch) 5/5
  23. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild (Switch) 5/5
  24. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild The Champions’ Ballad (Switch) 5/5
  25. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS4) 4/5
  26. Mega Man 5 (NES) 2/5
  27. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze (Switch) 6/5
  28. Metroid Dread (Switch) 5/5
  29. Akumajo Densetsu (Famicom) 4/5
  30. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze (Funky Mode) (Switch) 5/5
  31. Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition (Vergil mode) (Switch) 5/5
  32. Demon Turf (Switch) 3/5
  33. Mega Man 6 (NES) 2/5
  34. Final Fantasy IX (PSX) 3/5
Currently playing TotK so I doubt I’ll finish that before end of the year.
 
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1. Nier Automata (Switch)
2. Lunistice (Switch)
3. Super Mario Land 2 (NSO)
4. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch)
5. Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch)
6. Fire Emblem Engage (Switch)
7. The Legend of Zelda: the Minish Cap (NSO)
8. Wario Land 3 (NSO)
9. A Space for the Unbound (Switch)
10. Kirby's Dream Land (NSO)
11. Advance Wars 1&2 Reboot Camp (Switch)
12. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch)
13. Final Fantasy (Pixel Remaster, Switch)
14. Goldeneye (NSO)
15. Oxenfree II Lost Signals (Switch)
16. Pikmin 4 (Switch)
17. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (NSO)
18. Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed (Switch)
19. Telltale's The Expanse (Xbox Series S)
20. Sea of Stars (Switch)
21. PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo (Switch)
22. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch)
23. Starfield (Xbox Series S)
24. Cocoon (Xbox Series S)
25. Octopath Traveler II (Switch)
26. Jusant (Xbox Series S)
I thought this was very good, though a little rough at the edges. Very atmospheric and absorbing at its best, and I loved the sense of place and the gradually unfolding mystery of what you're climbing. Slightly janky physics - especially when jumping - dropped it down a little, but I'm glad I tried this. While I'm always happy to buy indies, it's certainly an upside of Game Pass that it gives me incentive to try shorter stuff like this. I'm still going to let my sub expire, though, and will use my Series S for Baldur's Gate 3 from January onwards.

I'm about 2 and a half hours into Super Mario RPG and need to try and get back into it. Hasn't really gripped me so far, to be honest.
 
  1. Death's Door
  2. Kirby's Dreamland
  3. Super Mario Land 2
  4. WarioWare Inc. Mega Microgames
  5. Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga
  6. Metroid Prime: Remastered
  7. Metroid Fusion
  8. Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe
  9. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
  10. Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon
  11. Resident Evil 4 Remake
  12. Pikmin 1
  13. Pikmin 2
  14. Pikmin 4
  15. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
  16. Astro’s Playroom
  17. Jackbox Party Pack 10
  18. Sonic the Hedgehog
  19. Spider-Man 2

20. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (NS) - At long last, the Demon King has been felled! I spent around 70 hours completing this game, which is a lot for me. I think the longest I'd ever spent completing a single game before this was Breath of the Wild, naturally, which only took me about 35 hours. Overall, I think this game is markedly better than BOTW in almost every way: The dungeons feel more substantial while also having unique boss encounters, shrines are incredibly clever with way more variation than before, and the abilities are just far more interesting and useful, in my opinion. Of all the changes made for this game, the only one that didn't strike me as a vast improvement was the Depths: I just didn't like being in the Depths all that much! I know that's the point, but for a game where exploration is the draw it does strike me as a little unfortunate that there is a large portion of the game that makes exploring a slog. That's the beauty of this design, though: I didn't like the Depths, so I mostly avoided them! And I wasn't much worse for wear!
 
Didn't expect I would end up playing more games this year than the last, but here we are. 41st game finished for 2023 is Shin Megami Tensei V. The story and character writing are frankly, awful, and those are not usually things I complain about in my vidya games. However, SMTV makes up for its weaknesses in spades by providing a sublime, terrain-scouring, turn-based battling, team-building JRPG experience. Nothing is quite as satisfying as defeating an enemy 10-15 levels above you by a team of demons carefully selected to hit their weaknesses and block their attacks. The negotiation system also feels like the best it's ever been, like I felt like I could organically understand a certain demon's personality and pick the right things to say to get them on my side. Loved the game enough to immediately gun for a New Game Plus run after finishing. Make no mistake, SMTV is another stellar entry in a star-studded series.
 
1) Super Metroid (SNES)
2) Metroid Fusion (GBA)
3) Metroid Dread (NSW)
4) Sonic Frontiers (PS5)
5) MX vs ATV Legends (XSS)
6) Kuru Kuru Kuruin (GBA)
7) Metroid Prime Remastered (NSW)
8) HiFi Rush (XSS)
9) Final Fantasy Crisis Core Reunion (NSW)
10) Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales (PS5)
11) Sonic Spinball (Genesis)
12) Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)
13) Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis)
14) Sonic CD (Sega CD)
15) Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS5)
16) Donald Duck Advance (GBA)
17) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS2)
18) Stunt Race FX (SNES)
19) Rhythm Tengoku (GBA)
20) Super Mario RPG (SNES)
21) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time (SNES)
22) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Hyperstone Heist (Genesis)
23) Tearaway (PSV)
24) Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure (GBA)
25) Gundam Battle Assault (PS1)
26) Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)
27) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Shredder’s Revenge (XSS)
28) Asura’s Wrath (X360)
29) Ridge Racer (PS1)
30) Gravity Rush (PSV)
31) Ninpen Manmaru (Saturn)
32) Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PS5)
33) Final Fantasy VII Remake INTERmission DLC (PS5)
34) En Garde! (PC)
35) Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4)
36) BIT.TRIP RERUNNER (PC)
37) WarioWare Twisted! (GBA)
38) Sonic Dream Team (iOS)
39) Final Fantasy XVI Echoes of the Fallen DLC (PS5)

40) Electroplankton (NDS)

In my memory, Electroplankton is way more substantial than it is in reality. I loved playing the game back then, and I spent a lot of time seeing just what was possible with the different music games the game offers.

Playing it now, I can see just how little content there actually is - that is, there is practically no content whatsoever. The game consists of ten mini games, except they’re hardly games. They’re more like music toys that use the touch screen and microphone in different ways to make different sounds, and the fun comes from manipulating the little sea creatures in such a way that they produce something that sounds good. That’s all there is to it.

Electroplankton is a good time if you know what you’re getting. The visuals and sounds combine to form a charming package. It’s just that it’s a very light package.
 
0
Persona 5 Royal

AI Somnium Files 2: Nirvana Initiative

Lil Gator Game

Super Mario Land 2

Danganronpa 2

Great Ace Attorney Adventures

Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe

Portal

Kirby and the Forgotten Land (postgame)

Metroid Prime Remastered

Paranormasight

Trails to Azure

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Trails of Cold Steel

Trails of Cold Steel II

Pikmin 4

Witch On The Holy Night

Pikmin 1

Danganronpa V3

Pokemon SV DLC

Super Mario Bros Wonder

Paper Mario

Kirby Crystal Shards

WarioWare Move It!

Zero Time Dilemma

Higurashi 5

Higurashi 6

Higurashi 7

Higurashi 8

Super Mario Bros 3

Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario RPG

Higurashi Rei
Played a whole lot of games this year. Probably won't play any more because of mental health issues but a respectable list
 
Christo750 said:
Would anyone be interested in a “Dropped/Quit Games of 2023 Thread”? I’ve thought about making it a few times but idk if in the long run it would feel overly negative.
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I think it’s a great idea. Ideally you’d have people chiming in to try and sell people on continuing the games, or perhaps just share similar stories.
 
Potentially final(?) update of the year on my end.

Games completed in 2023 so far:
  1. Tales of Arise
  2. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
  3. Diablo 3 (replay)
  4. Hi-Fi Rush
  5. Pentiment
  6. Asura's Wrath
  7. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
  8. Umurangi Generation
  9. Day of the Tentacle Remastered
  10. Full Throttle Remastered
  11. Onimusha: Warlords (replay)
  12. Halo 3: ODST
  13. Halo 3
  14. Doom (2016) (replay)
  15. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (replay)
  16. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
  17. Halo Reach
  18. Diablo IV
  19. Dark Souls Remastered (replay)
  20. Quake
  21. Quake II
  22. Battletoads (2020)
  23. Vampire Survivors
  24. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
  25. Final Fantasy VII (replay)
  26. Cocoon
  27. Fire Emblem Engage
  28. Resident Evil (Remake)
  29. Resident Evil 2 (Remake)
  30. Resident Evil 3 (Remake)
  31. Resident Evil 4 (Remake)
Forgot to share the update after I completed RE3, so it's a twofer. Unless I manage to complete DQM or OT2 before the end of the year somehow, I'm pretty sure this will be it for me.
 
Brock Reiher said:
46. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2) [7.5/10]
I'm gonna chalk this game up to a "you had to be there" situation because I'm sure the visuals and first person aiming stuff was mind blowing in 2001, but now of days it has aged worse visually than Metal Gear Solid on PS1.

All in all this was an interesting experience and a good stealth action game, but it was a bad Metal Gear game. I'm excited to move onto Snake Eater which I expect will be much better.
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A lot of us felt the same way at the time of release in regards to the ultra-lame story, never understood why people like this very childish, very lame and draaaawn ooooout nonsense soap opera dressed up in tight leather and bullets- despite the introduction of first person aiming. MGS3 is a billion times better, it's honestly the best MGS ever.

I haven't felt the need to play MGS2 since its release, it was that insultingly dumb of an experience- a skateboarding minigame couldn't save it either. Fun mission scenarios though, like you said.

ngpdrew said:
I hope you can tolerate enough Raiden to play Revengeance!
Click to expand...
On the flip side, Revengeance is such an incredible game it's a must-play if you have any interest at all in some of the tightest hack-and-slash ninja action you can find, and it redeems every moron's decision ever written considering this character.

Brock Reiher said:
All in all this game did a great job of righting the ship and I am nervously anticipating MGS4 to finish the fight.
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Skip this garbage trash and do yourself a favor, it is ultra-terrible, your eyes will not be able to roll hard enough out of their sockets and you will only wish for the game to simply shut the fuck up and stop babbling.
 
afternoon delight said:
.On the flip side, Revengeance is such an incredible game it's a must-play if you have any interest at all in some of the tightest hack-and-slash ninja action you can find, and it redeems every moron's decision ever written considering this character.
Click to expand...
Definitely. Revengeance is a certified banger with many of the best boss fights in any action game I've ever played. It's the best reward for yourself after playing through the MGS Quintilogy!
 
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