StarTopic The 2024 Completed Games Thread

rickyson33 · Jun 4, 2024

somehow I actually finished 4 games 5 months into the year which is usually around my yearly total so I guess i'll make a post here

1. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (8,5/10)

I really liked this and it was an improvement over the first Like a Dragon in basically every way except unfortunately the story, it seemed fine at first and some of the Kiryu stuff hit the mood they were going for pretty well but the overall story just kinda felt like it fizzled out

2. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (7,5/10)

I was really in the mood for a game like this with the tons of different characters and base building and such even more so than I thought it would be so it really punched above that 7.5 for me but it felt flawed enough that I don't feel like I should rate it higher than that, from what I hear they're making another one so definitely interested in seeing how that turns out and hopefully we see some sort of release date for those Suikoden remasters soon as well

3. Sea of Stars (7,0/10)

I wasn't really planning on ever playing this to be honest but I started playing it on a whim and the combination of it looking pretty, having some nice music, and the short length of individual areas making it really easy to pick up and play it for a little while at a time did lead to me eventually finishing it. overall though I thought it was just kinda okay, not bad but not anything I feel particularly strongly about either which is pretty much how I thought I would feel about it

4. Hi-Fi Rush (9,0/10)

another game I started playing on a whim although this one I was vaguely planning on playing eventually( albeit the sort of vague plan that often never materializes) I didn't have a great first impression of it the first hour or so(very tutorially at the start plus the tone felt a bit too cheesy before I got used to the characters and it eventually shifted to more of an endearing feeling) but pretty much everything after that was fantastic

I actually just finished this one tonight so there's some postgame challenge kinda stuff I didn't really look at yet that i'll check out tomorrow but I don't anticipate that really changing how I feel about the game overall

meatbag · Jun 4, 2024

The nice part about juggling a bunch of games at once is that sometimes I get to update my list of completed games multiple time in quick succession. Here I am again, having just finished Unpacking.

Mechanically it is very simple: you unpack your stuff, and place them where they ought to go. The special thing is that you can glean a lot from the life of the invisible person you're playing as, just from the things they own, and where they put them. Your doll starts showing signs of wear and tear. The game consoles you own change. Your toothbrush cup suffered a little chip on the rim. It's poignant, but where it really starts to hit the feelings really start to hit is when your character is implied to have entered a relationship with someone who frankly doesn't have space of them. There's a "difficulty spike" in this section, where you're trying to fit your things into the precious, scarce open space. And then I spent a frustrating 20 minutes trying to hang up my diploma/award thingie, and then it turns out the "correct" place to put it was under the bed, out of the sight. What the hell. I had to take a break after that. Unpacking is a stellar showcase of the potential of video games as a storytelling medium.

buildz · Jun 4, 2024

#21 - Kirby: Power Paintbrush

The mid-2000s wasn't the best time to be a Kirby fan. The protracted development of Kirby GCN meant the series was absent on GameCube and Wii (until the 2010s), and the handheld titles aren't particularly beloved by modern standards. Enter Kirby: Power Paintbrush in 2005: a spin-off making use of the DS touchscreen. Is this a memorable game in the series, or just another relic of the series' slump in the 2000s?

The game starts with Kirby walking around Dream Land. Sure enough, disaster strikes when Drawcia appears and turns the world into a painting. Kirby follows her but is turned into a ball; Drawcia's "Power Paintbrush" then has a change of heart and decides to help us give chase. The game has a very unique art style, consisting of Dream Land in various actual art styles - watercolours, pastel, cartoon-y, black and white, etc - in keeping with the story, with a lot of the user interface reflecting this artsy look. While gameplay looks nice, most of the UI is a little hard to look at - consisting of lots of shapes and colours, with a somewhat obtuse font.

Gameplay itself is where this game deviates from regular Kirby. As Kirby has lost his limbs, all he can do is roll around; you draw lines using the Power Paintbrush to guide Kirby around. Tapping on Kirby lets him dash forward slightly; there is a satisfying sense of momentum as you can throw Kirby into the air with a well-drawn ramp and dash. Only rarely did I find the controls cumbersome; the early levels do a good job of letting you get to grips with the controls. Compared to this game's spiritual successor, Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush, this game is a bit faster-paced; you're often juggling Kirby around more rapidly, turning him around in tighter spaces, building quick speed with a loop-de-loop, and whatnot. This is complemented by the presence of Copy Abilities, which you obtain when defeating certain enemies. These are a nice idea, bringing the game closer to regular Kirby, and are ocassionally used well. However, you lose the ability to dash; therefore, some Copy Abilities felt like a bit of a nuisance. Given most enemies and blocks can be dispatched easily, it feels like the Copy Abilities didn't add a lot; the main exceptions were the Kirby stalwarts Burning, Wheel and Beam.

A major difference between this and Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush is the fact that you can interact with levels outside of just controlling Kirby. You can tap enemies to stun them, and there are plenty of environmental objects to interact with; these complement the smaller, faster paced levels, with the levels that made better of use of these being more memorable. Indeed, most of the game feels like regular (pre-Return to Dream Land) Kirby level design (instead of the more open, explorative focus of Rainbow Paintrbush)... which is both a positive and negative. Most levels are paced well, and present interesting challenges, but only roughly a third felt like they were taking full use of the new movement options and momentum, with very few setpieces along the way as well.

Stages also have 3 medals to find, which usually require solving a small puzzle or challenge - these are quite good, except those that are arbitrarily locked behind hitting a Big Switch later in the game. Additional medals are found by taking part in "Rainbow Run", a challenge mode where you replay levels to beat segments either as fast as possible, or by drawing lines as little as possible. These were fun, though most of the medal requirements weren't too onerous. Generally the game is rather replayable - alongside Rainbow Run, medals unlock additional challenge stages, music tracks, extra health, or even new characters. King Dedede and Meta Knight are nice additions as they make the game feel rather different, but Waddle Dee and Waddle Doo feel too similar to Kirby.

At the end of each world (all three levels long except the final one), you face a boss. Or, well, a boss minigame. Alas, only the Drawcia & Drawcia Soul fights at the end are "traditional" Kirby bosses; the rest are minigames. There are three - Kracko, King Dedede, and Paint Roller - with each fought twice (another misstep in itself). While the minigames are fine - although Kracko's Block Attack is very awkward to control - it is no doubt disappointing that there are few proper bosses. One area which isn't disappointing, however, is the music - the game has a distinct chiptune style unlike any other Kirby game, although I had heard a lot of these songs before as Kirby: Planet Robobot later reused them! That said, there aren't enough unique songs - most are remixes of existing Kirby level themes.

In all, Kirby: Power Paintbrush is an interesting game, and was a very enjoyable time (I'm currently about to finish beating every level as every character). What holds this game back, however, is the level design and bosses - the former lacks enough memorable setpieces, and the latter are just a disappointment. That said, Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush fixed these issues pretty handily. A solid

7.75/10.

Yooka-Laylee (05/01/2024, 7/10)
Buckshot Roulette (06/01/2024, 8/10)
Another Code: Recollection (19/01/2024, 8.25/10)
Saga of the Moon Priestess (24/01/2024, 7/10)
Super Kiwi 64: Doomsday [Update] (26/01/2024, 7.5/10)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (03/02/2024, 8/10)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (15/02/2024, 8/10)
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling (22/02/2024, 8.5/10)
And Yet It Moves (27/02/2024, 6.5/10)
Mario Golf (GBC) (15/03/2024, 7/10)
Psalm 5:9-13 (17/03/2024, 8/10)
Crypt of the Necrodancer: SYNCHRONY [DLC] (18/03/2024, 8/10)
Princess Peach: Showtime! (22/03/2024, 8/10)
Dragon Quest (Switch) (30/03/2024, 7/10)
Froggo's Adventure: Verdant Venture (01/04/2024, 8/10)
Otogi Katsugeki Mameda no Bakeru: Oracle Saitarou no Sainan!! (07/04/2024, 7.75/10)
Amazing Hebereke (13/04/2024, 5/10)
Tsugunohi (15/04/2024, 7/10)
POOLS (01/05/2024, 7.5/10)
ANIMAL WELL (11/05/2024, 9/10)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (24/05/2024, 9/10)
Kirby: Power Paintbrush (02/06/2024, 7.75/10)

(plus a large amount of small (free) indie horror games and some kaizo Super Mario World hacks)
(gold - my current Game of the Year)

Cubs017 · Jun 4, 2024

Scarlet/Violet Indigo Disk
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
Super Mario RPG
Persona 5 Royal
Super Mario Land

Not a lot this year. P5 is a long ass game.

Síriocaz · Jun 4, 2024

Cubs017 said:
Not a lot this year. P5 is a long ass game.

The dungeons are surprisingly very long

Pillydillsy · Jun 4, 2024

Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door: WHOOOOOOOOOOO BOY, this is a big one. I was actually just thinking recently about how it’s nice to not constantly be playing the critically acclaimed big masterpieces, because it makes the times you are playing them all the more special, and this applies to TTYD 100%. This has easily been cemented as one of my favorite games of all time, and all it took for me to really get into it is a couple of changes. The backtracking changes, while they didn’t fully fix everything, really benefited the experience beyond the little of the GameCube version I played. The more colorful visuals and music also added so much more life than the OG, which felt much more dry in comparison. Said remake music is insanely good BTW, really brought back the feelings I got listening to the Origami King soundtrack for the first time. The gameplay is so good too, the badges really add to the complexity of the battle system and there is nothing in this universe that feels better then hitting a stylish. The thing that really grabbed me the most though was the story, which beyond be filled to the brink with great set-pieces and characters, had my favorite take on the “save the world plot” in any game I’ve ever played. Most games, and stories for that matter, will have you save the world because it’s the right thing to do, and that’s not a bad motivation just one that never felt special to me. This game actually gets you familiar with the world, naming just about every NPC and giving all of them distinct personalities and lore. Not only that, but it also highlights that the world doesn’t always work in the ways we want, but that we could still find happiness beyond the issues with the world/ the bad things around us. Like that quest with the girl trying to come back to Podley, I really expected them to get back together, but in the end they stayed apart. I think having the maturity to show the bad things in the world alongside the fun and happy things is really commendable, especially for a Mario game. Really the only issues are the backtracking issues and that non of the partners really interact. Beyond that though, it’s just perfect. 10/10, might go down to a high 90 later but I’m feeling generous right now

Legion of Primes · Jun 4, 2024

I need to update my list some.

16. Super Mario Bros. Replayed for the Mario event. Haven’t played it in a long while but still a classic

17. Dragon’s dogma 2. My second favorite game of the year. I loved a lot of and thought it was fantastic minus issues with saving and fast travel.

18. Star Wars battlefront 2 classic. I enjoyed playing thus again from the classic collection

19. Sonic the hedgehog 2. Never played the og Sonics until the origins collections and so I now played sonic 2 and I really liked it.

JorgenRaft · Jun 5, 2024

Just finished Animal Well, making it my 6th 2024 game completed this year. This is how I'm feeling ranking wise. At the worst so far it's been Suicide Squad which was just okay, but everything else has been pretty great. FF Rebirth still had the lead by quite a bit, though.

Next I'm probably going to get into Hellblade 2 and then TTYD, as well as FF16's 2 DLCs. Nothing this summer is really speaking to me until Astro Bot comes out, so I'll have plenty of time to get through them before then I'm sure.

Hocot8 · Jun 5, 2024

Just posting a few games I've played but never posted about here.

4. Supermarket Simulator (PC)
Got into this when it was trendy. It's a fun little game but it's very shallow. After about a couple hours of gameplay you realize that the gameplay doesn't really change that much and it's about managing your time by getting employees. It's fun but I consider it like a bubblegum type game. Great at first but dried out quickly and eventually you're done with it. (6/10)

5. Astroneer (PC)
I had played this a little a few years ago but got sick and never went back to it until 6 weeks ago. Much like Supermarket Simulator it's fun at first but does wear out it's welcome. The purpose of the game is pretty minimal but it's mysterious and that can be enticing for people. It wasn't for me. Just felt like a reason to go from planet to planet but that exposes the issue with the game; managing resources and dealing with one of the clunkiest UI's in a survival style game I've ever endured. It's a pain dealing with trying to find out what to build, what you can build and how to get the resources. There is an appeal here and I couldn't help but come back to it even if I was getting irritated. That speaks for something, right? (6/10)

6. Football Coach: College Dynasty (PC)
I'm still playing it but I've got 60 hours into it and it's a pretty clean-cut game. I decided to get this because I needed something to hold me over until EA Sports College Football comes out. The game is pretty number heavy so if you are adverse to that then this may not be for you. It can be overwhelming strategizing which prospects to go after but for me that was fun. I did eventually find a way to kind of game it and almost cheat my way to get who I want, which detracted from the experience. With that said the game is simple in it's focus; you run a college football team and have to chase after recruits, have successful seasons and plan your path to winning more. It's a well thought out game that I would recommend to people needing to scratch that NCAA itch. (7.5//10)

7. MLB The Show 25(XBX)
It's practically no different than 24. Maybe worse because DD was atrocious this year. I gave up after 2 weeks and typically I can play DD for a couple months. (6/10)

8. OOTP Baseball 25 (PC)
The best baseball simulation game got a little better with changes under the hood. New ways to improve and influence the team made running a team more fun. I really didn't care for Perfect Team because it's still a pay to win mode unlike DD in The Show. If you like OOTP, this year's iteration was good. If you haven't played it in a while because yearly iterations are shit, this is a good one to jump into. (8.0/10)

Vookatos · Jun 5, 2024

77. Selaco

I'm tempted to call Selaco a new boomer shooter, but that's not entirely fair. Selaco is a love letter to all kinds of FPS games, borrowing the best from a lot of different titles while doing its own thing.

Selaco is an arcadey FPS with levels and secrets, yet it takes a lot from shooters that came out after Half-Life, too. It has absolutely massive levels, yet it breaks them into chunks much like a Mario game would structure a world. One of the levels might be a massive mall, but it has clear chokepoints leading you into different areas with their own secret counts, which helps a lot if you're enjoying exploration like me.

Exploration is what got me hooked. The shooting is good, but it's been a while since I've seen an FPS game that understands how fun it is to find secrets. There are a TON of secrets in Selaco. What the game does best is give you the reason to seek them out to, as they feature upgrades to your health/guns/max grenade capacity, or something entirely new. It's a far cry from secrets which are fun to find but contain ammo you can't even pick up because you're full. There are surprises all over!

Visually, the game is a treat. Everything feels punchy and meaty, with quite a few props exploding, which makes the action feel so much more alive. Enemies explode into purple chunks, paper flies everywhere, it's a treat. That said, it's never too overbearing. The visual language of the game is quite simple, and despite levels being large, I've not gotten lost a single time thanks to pretty clear green visual indicators over progress. And even if I did get lost, there's a quest log along with a good mini-map. There's never a feeling of not finding a button you needed to use and wandering around.

The levels all feel unique and are even structured quite differently. Some feel more like arena shooters, while others let you breathe and explore, organically fighting any enemies you see. Some are puzzley levels, while others prioritize atmosphere. If there's one thing I don't like about this game is that so far there are a few too many office complex levels. It feels like each set of levels contains one pretty sizeable office space, and even if devs try to make them unique, it wears off its welcome. I get that the game tries to go for realism, and part of it is having offices for workers of various organizations, but I feel like at now they're way too prevalent while taking up a lot of their respective levels.

Oh yes, I completely forgot to put (Early Access) in the title and only remembered it while typing out "so far"! That's because this is pretty much a full-length game already with around 10-15 hours of gameplay, yet it's only a third of the way done. I honestly can't say enough good about this title.

Every weapon is a joy to use and every battle felt pretty significant. The enemies are fairly smart and the game is quite hard even on the lower difficulties, at least for me. I have encountered some bugs (one secret broke, and the game would crash occasionally), but I don't even care. This rules. If you like Half-Life's often mundane enviroments, DOOM's secrets or Resident Evil 4's gun upgrading, pick this up. If you don't, still give it a try.

4.5/5

VolcanicDynamo · Jun 6, 2024

Replay #3: Super Mario 64

Per my post in the Famiboards Pride event...

VolcanicDynamo said:
Did a "quick" 16 Star run of Super Mario 64 to get a hold of So Long, Gay Bowser. We'll, short for my standards. I'm no speedrunner, so this was still over an hour long.

The only thing less straight than Gay Bowser is my aim. I'd consider myself decent at Super Mario 64, not an expert player but I've completed an alright number of 120 Star Runs. But I've always had trouble with the Bowser fights - it's like patting my head and rubbing my belly at the same time (or in this case, focusing on the right timing to press B and spinning the analog stick at the same time). Least I got to enjoy that wonderful credits music again!

komicer · Jun 6, 2024

meatbag said:
The nice part about juggling a bunch of games at once is that sometimes I get to update my list of completed games multiple time in quick succession. Here I am again, having just finished Unpacking.

Mechanically it is very simple: you unpack your stuff, and place them where they ought to go. The special thing is that you can glean a lot from the life of the invisible person you're playing as, just from the things they own, and where they put them. Your doll starts showing signs of wear and tear. The game consoles you own change. Your toothbrush cup suffered a little chip on the rim. It's poignant, but where it really starts to hit the feelings really start to hit is when your character is implied to have entered a relationship with someone who frankly doesn't have space of them. There's a "difficulty spike" in this section, where you're trying to fit your things into the precious, scarce open space. And then I spent a frustrating 20 minutes trying to hang up my diploma/award thingie, and then it turns out the "correct" place to put it was under the bed, out of the sight. What the hell. I had to take a break after that. Unpacking is a stellar showcase of the potential of video games as a storytelling medium.

I like the next bit when the protagonist moves back to her childhood home after the breakup. And you are supposed to dump the 'couple' photo into a place where it can't be seen. It will be even better if you can actually put it in the trash.

MissingNo. · Jun 6, 2024

17. Final Fantasy IX

I might be leaning a bit too heavily into RPGs at this point, but this is one of my all-time favorites, and I've meant to replay it for a while. And thanks to the speed-up feature in the modern re-releases, it does not have to be as time consuming as it used to be anymore, either.

This is my favorite Final Fantasy game ever. FF12 might have my favorite combat in the series. FF7 might have the more memorable story overall. But FF9 is a more complete package for me. It's more whimsical in nature, at least at a first glance. It leans heavily into your typical medieval fantasy setting, but it still has its moments where it brings in more sci-fi oriented themes and visuals, and it manages to blend them quite well too. And above and beyond everything else, whether you expect it to or not, it explores some heavy themes, has some of the most distinct, nuanced, and well-written characters and character developments in the series, and an ending that never fails to get me.

Sakaguchi and Uematsu themselves thought FF9 was their best work at the time, and after all those years it's still hard to argue with that.

meatbag · Jun 6, 2024

Finished Nightmare Kart for Fami's Pride event. It started out as Bloodborne Kart, then copyright got in the way and they had to file the serial numbers off.

Like a lot of these free passion projects, there's a lot of cool ideas accompanied by a lot of jank. The mechanic of taking down monsters to boost your top speed is super creative. In addition to the standard races and arena battles, there are modes where you just chase someone down, and where you ferry eyeballs to your home base. It's definitely not a straightforward Mario Kart clone.

Word of warning: there are a lot of technical hiccups. Every single level I was falling outside the play area, or getting stuck on some invisible piece of geometry. And the items need tuning too: you can get hit by the blue shell equivalent thrice in quick succession. Was I salty after that.

Still worth taking for a drive, though, especially since it's free on Steam!

Six Cats Under
Maneater
Chained Echoes
Sylvie Miniature
The Dead Mines
Good Pizza, Great Pizza
Portal 2: Designed for Danger
Super PunchOut
They Are Billions
Bear and Breakfast
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
Celeste 64
Nintendo General Discussion |ST29 Feb. 2024| Two Handhelds, Both Alike In Dignity
Graceful Explosion Machine
Blast Corps
Ironcast
Chrono Trigger
LEGO Builder's Journey
A Good Snowman Is Hard To Build
Gorogoa
Blanc
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
Drainus
West of Loathing - Reckonin’ at Gun Manor
Streets of Rage 2
Mario Tennis GBC
The Ramen Sensei
Metroid Fusion
Thimbleweed Park
Super Mario Land
Shakedown Hawaii
Another Crab's Treasure
A Short Hike
Squad 51 vs The Flying Saucers
Wintermoor Tactics Club
Doronko Wanko
Vaporum
Bugsnax
Unpacking
Nightmare Kart

Wow, I'm already at 40 games done for the year? Can I continue this groove?

Dardan Sandiego · Jun 6, 2024

Just finished Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Third time total, first time (duh) in the Switch remake.

Was going to skip it initially but saw the (good!) changes to the script and that they streamlined some of the backtracking and thought I'd give it another chance. I already knew going in that this would be a bit of a dud for me but it was still mostly enjoyable.

The base mechanics taken from Paper Mario 64 are just extremely solid and this probably also has the most intriguing and most well-developed world out of all of the RPGs with the most varied cast and locales. The graphical update is great (excessive sheen and reflections in some parts aside), the new soundtrack is stellar and all of the small additions and changes make for a generally more pleasant experience. Shame about the 30fps but I got used to it quickly. In some respects it really feels like a modern game, not something from 2024. Which is probably what makes the weaker parts such a bummer to me.

I've been pretty vocal about my issues with the original and the remake sadly doesn't really address most of the more egregious ones. The backtracking and bland level layouts sadly persist throughout but I can sort of accept that changing those was outside of the scope of a remake like this. I've jokingly said that the game is mostly "going left to right and occasionally right to left" and it's pretty funny how that is the case for large chunks of multiple chapters. Chapter 4, 5 and 6 are so mind-numbingly boring during their respective first halves and only get better when the level design is broken up with some puzzles and light platforming challenges. There's absolutely some good stuff here though I realize that I'm one of the weirdos who really likes Boggly Woods because of the almost Zelda-like structure of its dungeon and kind of despises Chapter 3 and 6.

The overall story is okay (though I will never get over Luigi's adventure being a meta-joke about how formulaic these games tend to be) but it's really more about all of the wacky characters you meet and the scenarios Mario is thrown in. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the script changes pertaining to Vivian which were really appreciated. Humour is obviously a big part of the series but I feel like TTYD is at its best when it delivers those sad and dramatic moments with absolute earnestness. It's not an easy balance to get right. B- and C-plots starring Peach and Bowser respectively kinda stink though. Peach's sideplot is conceptually intriguing and obviously a new take on the interludes from the original. Sadly, the unnecessarily creepy undertones ultimately ruin it for me. The Bowser segments don't really add much beyond showing Bowser being a buffoon and just further hurt the pacing.

As mentioned, the base combat mechanics are really good and the changes mostly make sense. Splitting Mario and the partners' HP gives you more options and makes their positioning more important, Superguarding is a great risk-reward mechanic and the audience is a really neat addition that both adds a mechanical wrinkle as well a fun in-world element. I really only don't like the slot machine and the stage hazards because they're just too random and haphazard. The mini game for Sweet Treat also sucks but whatever. The real star of the show are the badges, though. I put almost all of my upgrades into BP and it makes your party super versatile. They're the main thing I hope they bring back in future entries.

The biggest issue with the combat doesn't stem from its mechanics, however, but is in its balancing. Especially compared to the original the difficulty curve here just seems completely fucked. The first three chapters are a cakewalk, then you get a bit of a spike in Chapter 4 only for the difficulty to plummet again right up until the very last part of the last dungeon with the final boss and its lead-up which can absolutely steamroll you. You can reliably get through the entire game without ever having to superguard or use any of your specials and then the final boss is like "not so fast, fucko." This has always been super frustrating in the original and it's sadly still the same in the remake.

This is ultimately a game that is carried hard by its aesthetics, characters, writing and general vibes which are all (mostly) really good. It has some of the highest highs in the series but is also really uneven. I'm interested in checking out the post-game stuff but I think I need a bit of a break from the game now.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Alan Wake II
Rytmos
Pizza Tower
Hi-Fi Rush
Humanity
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Jusant
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell
Panzer Dragoon (Remake)
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix
Astro's Playroom
Ghost of Tsushima
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Birth
Final Fantasy VII
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
Sifu
Minishoot' Adventures
Final Fantasy XVI
Botany Manor
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Animal Well
Portal 2
Tangle Tower
Yoshi's Island
Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope
Isles of Sea and Sky
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows
Mother: 25th Anniversary Edition
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment
Metroid Planets
Devil Blade Reboot
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Remake)

komicer · Jun 6, 2024

Jun 2024 - Shin Megami Tensei V

Completed! Just in time for Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Which I don't really plan to get right now.
During the midgame bit, I was really really enjoying it. Fusing demons. Sacrificing essences and incenses to make my team of midgame demons viable for endgame. It is a grind but I didn't really mind. Idun for life. Alice for death. Black Frost for... chaos. Fionn and Amanozako were cool additions too. Altogether, even though I had overpowered demons like Metatron, I stuck to my favorites, the ones that make the most sense canonically.

But the ending... I went for the true Neutral ending first. The steps to get there was fine but that secret boss fight was a nightmare. In the end, I decided the cheese the whole thing by bumping Nahobino to level 99 via all the gospels I got. It was still a difficult victory (which does make it sweet). However, having grown attached to my demonic homies, the true Neutral ending of erasing all demons was kinda a bummer.

This was a poor first attempt. I was crushed.

So the next step was to go with my personal choice, Chaos. Darn, does everyone else just drop like flies. THAT was quite a bummer too.

In the end, both the endings I got were bummers and that made me slightly sad. And my team was so overpowered (after the grind to beat the secret boss) that the final stretch was too easy. At this point of time, I'm still undecided on getting Vengeance. The stronger focus on the human characters does look good (and Persona-ish) but I got plenty of other games to get to first.

Jan 2024 - Super Mario RPG
Jan 2024 - Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
Jan 2024 - Pokemon Violet DLC - The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero
Feb 2024 - Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout
Feb 2024 - Another Code: Recollection
Feb 2024 - Bear and Breakfast
Apr 2024 - Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy
May 2024 - Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (Scarlet Blaze)
May 2024 - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Jun 2024 - Shin Megami Tensei V (Chaos and True Neutral)

Mer.Saloon · Jun 6, 2024

I finally beat Tears of the Kingdom semi-warpless 76%.

After months of getting armor parts, slowly doing the regional phenomena, completing shrines, and finding all caves. I've finally done it.

This game is waaaaay too big. There's a point where overworlds become too large, and Tears has pushed it for me.

But let me get the good stuff out of the way. The main quest in Tears is significantly stronger than it was in Breath of the Wild, along with the main dungeons. While they are not even close to approaching the best dungeons in the series, their bosses may just be some of my favorite bosses. On a level of scale and boss design, they are absolutely up there with my favorite boss fights (except Mucktorok who sucks). You have incredible scale between fights as well as incredible freedom on how to tackle them. And that final boss, is great. Absolutely fantastic, and even the spectacle final final boss is so much cooler than the one in Breath of the Wild. To me, that's how you do an interactive cutscene right there.

And the main quests themselves are much more involved than they were in Breath of the Wild, with just more... structure and sense of pacing in a way that I think fit very well within the open air Zelda gameplay.

The Zonai devices are a fun alternative gameplay that you don't have to make use of, and I commend Nintendo for making it entirely optional as a form of traversal barring moments here and there. Really, the amount of options you have in this world are astounding.

It's just too big.

I'm the kind of person who loves to get the most out of a world. And I adored the world of Breath of the Wild. It was so fun to do a warpless playthrough of that world because it was just the right size for tackling the challenges of tracking down all the shrines guideless. Getting some monster parts here and there for armor upgrades. And more than anything; traversal was incredible. This Breath of the WIld traversal system is absolutely amazing in how fun it feels to just wander around.

In general, I find warping in most games to be a necessary evil. It shrinks the world artificially and turns things into some sort of checklist, but prior to Tears, I just never found traversal in open world games to be all that fun after a point. You're just walking between sections. Outside of maybe the Spyro games, it just wasn't that amazing. Then I played Breath of the Wild and I just had so much fun just walking about with such absolute freedom, I couldn't cheapen the experience. And it didn't feel cheapened even when going for a majority percent (I decided long ago I never wanted all the Koroks.)

Tears is just as great to play, but there has been so much added to find. Caves with Bubbul Gems, more shrines, Crystal charges, zonanite, Depth Roots. On top of that, enemies hit so much harder in this game, and food is a little less useful on a regular basis, so I felt the need to hunt for monster parts to upgrade myself.

And it's all just such a pain at a point. I am a bit ashamed to say, when I beat Phantom Ganon in the castle and I still had so many more caves to find, I just couldn't anymore. I had been going back and forth for so long just getting bloody monster parts, and mind you, I was trying to do this as guideless as possible.

I caved and started warping, and what I feared would happen happened. I felt like I had just arbitrarily shrank the world for the sake of a checklist instead of just for the sake of discovering and having fun. And it felt like such a shame to do that.

I have committed Ocarina of Time, Majora's Masks, and even Wind Wakers worlds to memory. And I have a good deal of Breath of the Wild's to memory to;, that I feel I could reliably replay those games, and get what I feel is the full scope of what I want from the game.

Herein lies the problem with Tears. If I decide I don't wanna collect the Bubbul gems, or monster parts, or Zonai upgrades, or depth exploration in the future, I am taking a lot away from what makes Tears unique from Breath of the Wild. And there it is, I can't see any way I personally could satisfactorily shrink this game down that doesn't turn it into Breath of the Wild 2.0. The main quest is cooler, but the main quest is not the meat and potatoes of why I wanna play this game. This overworld is too big and too similar to Breath of the Wild's for me to play how I want to, and have a satisfying playthrough. At a certain point it just becomes crossing a checklist.

This is a me thing, but I do hope the next Zelda is set in a smaller world than this. Keep the mechanical lessons learned from Tears, but just give us a smaller playground please.

I rate this Light Dragon/10

Christo750 · Jun 6, 2024

9. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Switch) - I think on one hand the release strategy of 2024 Nintendo games being re-releases and remakes kinda bums me out; I'm eager for the next batch of new Nintendo games. But on the other hand they're great opportunities to return to a bunch of games I once loved and still do. Mario vs. DK is one, and this is the other. There's a reason TTYD is the golden apple of the Paper Mario series. It is just packed to the brim with originality and adventure. There's always talk of the Mario Mandate™ but honestly there aren't even a whole lot of "new" species to be found here. What TTYD does, more than anything, is breathe so much life into the existing Mario universe. There's just personality everywhere. I wasn't the biggest fan of some of the new music, there seems to be a lot of input delay on the new version, but revisiting TTYD is just such a pleasure. Bring on the Kid Icarus: Uprising Remaster.

meatbag · Jun 6, 2024

komicer said:
I went for the true Neutral ending first

Classic Shin Megami Tensei player right here! And yeah I wish there was an option to fight the secret bonus boss before you take on the final stretch of the game.

Mer.Saloon said:
It was so fun to do a warpless playthrough of that world because it was just the right size for tackling the challenges of tracking down all the shrines guideless

I can't imagine doing a warpless run for either BotW or TotK, so my hat's off to you, that's a significant accomplishment as far as I'm concerned.

Plum · Jun 6, 2024

Main Post

GAME 29: Bramble: The Mountain King
Xbox Series X | Finished 06/06/24 | 4 Hours Played | 7/10

Whilst I wouldn't say that this is the 'best' of the "Limbo-Likes" (a small sub-genre primarily consisting of the likes of Inside, Little Nightmares, Somerville, etc), Bramble is definitely a fairly decent, and imaginative example. It very much follows the formula to a tee. Small defenseless child in a big, dark, and scary world? Check. Stealth-focus with light platforming and basic puzzle-solving? Check. Instant deaths, many of which are practically unavoidable if you don't already know what to look out for? Check.

There's little here that truly deviates, but whilst that does let it down somewhat, I feel that the art, the storytelling, and such elevate it quite a lot. The game, whilst clearly not the most expensive of titles, looks gorgeous at times, and has a very distinct style in how it presents its world, creatures, and so on. Its use of camera techniques is great throughout, showing the benefits of a more fixed style over the traditional third-person. Its story is also suitably grim, whilst keeping its fairy-tale 'feel' throughout; it has moments that genuinely surprised me in how dark they were. And, whilst I've seen complaints about the controls and such, I never felt like I didn't have a decent control over the main character. Sure, none of it was incredible, but it served its purpose for the vibes and story, and rarely distracted from such things by being truly frustrating, repetitive, or laughable.

Oh, and I know he's just a kid, but in a game full of monstrosities designed to make one fear the dark... the main child protagonist in this is the creepiest of them all. I don't know what they were going for there, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't 'marianas trench' levels of uncanny valley-ness. Like, damn.

Gengar · Jun 6, 2024

1. Spider Man 2 (PS5)
2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
3. Kuru Kuru Kururin (GBA NSO)
4. Persona 3 Reload
5. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
6. Sayonara Wild Hearts
7. Cocoon
8. Bayonetta 3
9. Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince
10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
11. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
12. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom

13. Super Mario Land (GB NSO)

I sat down and played this game on a whim today, and it was pretty short! I took advantage of save states to avoid replaying from the beginning a couple times, but I stuck to my self imposed rule of going back to the beginning of a level if I got a game over. I didn't do any rewinding a few seconds to instantly fix mistakes.

Anyways, this was a very unique Mario game! I don't think I've seen many of the new enemies in any recent Mario entries. The music was also a standout, and it even sounded like something from a Zelda game in a couple of worlds. I was expecting some clunky platforming since it's a Game Boy game, but I was able to control it better than I anticipated. There were some tricky moments, but nothing ever felt impossible. I'm glad I experienced this interesting chapter in Mario's history today!

Mandos · Jun 6, 2024

15)Ace Combat 7 Skies unknown

Will have to come back for a normal difficulty replay at some point. The framing was pretty solid, had a great time, haven’t played a game in this series in a decade

1) ~~Riccchhhhhaaarrrrd~~ Metal Wolf Chaos XD
2) Toree 3D
3) Piczle Cross Adventure
4) Macbat 64
5)Metroid Prime Remastered
6) Good Job!
7)Golden Sun
8) Crash 4
9)Star Wars Starfighter SE
10) EDF2025(ranger normal)
11) Klonoa Door to Phantomile
12) Just Cause 2
13) Final Fantasy IX
14) SW Jedi Starfighter

Vookatos · Jun 7, 2024

78. Silent Hill Zerorigins (PSP)

Silent Hill Origins was the first non-internal SH title made and it truly is a sign of things to come.

I have no idea whose bright idea it was to make a prequel to Silent Hill 1, but while the idea is silly, I do believe it could be done relatively well.

This game is competent and has all the elements of Silent Hill. You get an "open world" map and several dungeons, puzzles, monsters, melee and ranged weapons. However no element feels like it functions properly.

This was the first SH game that decided that prior games had bad combat and therefore need to be "fixed". I don't mind the idea, but the solution of having QTEs and allowing the main character to carry an entire Looney Tunes arsenal of melee weapons from typewriters to toasters is incredibly stupid.

The dungeons lack any tension or memorable moments. I can remember most rooms from classic SH games because so many of them were interesting. Not every was an all-timer, but most had something: music, a little sting to make you jumpy, an ambush, striking imagery... Origins has none of that. I don't even ask for something like a mirror room from SH3, but it doesn't even have empty rooms with awesome audio design. Sometimes you unlock a room for it to be completely quiet, go in, pick up a key, and leave.

The way you deal with dungeons is a little changed, but in my opinion, for way, way worse. Now you can interact with mirrors to go into the otherworld and back. This is a pathetic and awful idea that trades tension for a bunch of stupid, often time-wasting puzzles. Can't open the door here? Go find a mirror!
However, my biggest gripe with this idea is why would you give player control over the scariest part of the world?! Instead of being its own thing, this town is on your leash now. Who thought it would help if you could take over when the world changes?!

The story is kind of split in two, being a prequel to SH1 and a personal story of new protagonist, Travis. The former fails spectacularly by failing to say anything at all new about Silent Hill 1 or introduce any new characters. So you meet all your favorites like Lisa Garland or Dr. Kaufmann, who are now just in the story for no reason, don't do much interesting, and whose arcs, due to them also being present in SH1, have no conclusion at all. Lisa, for example, just walks out of the story the last time you see her!

Travis' personal trauma is a little more interesting, but not enough to hold the game together. You learn the main thing about his past in dungeon two out of four. As a protagonist, he is not only bland, but overly bumbling. Other characters had the reason to be in Silent Hill, but Travis just saves Alessa from the fire, wakes up on the streets, and just sorta walks around.

You first go into the hospital to learn how Alessa is doing, and don't ever leave until you learn that she is, supposedly, dead. You also meet Lisa who basically says "I'm gonna go into a different hospital now". So you also go there for some reason. Then you find a theater ticket so you also go there for some reason. Then you find a motel key so you also go there for some reason. Travis doesn't need anything in town, makes no attempt to leave, there's no feeling like he's being kept there, and the final reveal is underwhelming. He doesn't come out of the story in any way changed, just reminded of the past trauma.

The game feels like Silent Hill Best Hits, as it reuses a couple of locations, which is welcome with new graphics. However, it also reuses monsters for some reason. You'll fight creatures that are basically Lying Figures from SH2 who will hump you, and I honestly have no idea what that's about. Of course the nurses return, despite Alessa being just admitted to the hospital, and they aren't even the kind from Silent Hill 1. There's an off-brand Pyramid Head, too, who you see like twice and then you have a boss battle where he chases you around a table.

There's nothing about this game that feels worthwile. If you want to check doors in spooky dungeons, I guess you can do so. It looks and sounds pleasant, sure. But there's nothing to it. It's a short underwhelming journey that won't give anything new to SH1 fans and will only confuse newcomers.

1.5/5

meatbag · Jun 7, 2024

Wrapped up my Nuzlocke run of Pokemon Crystal Legacy, by which I mean I've defeated Red and captured Mewtwo. My friends on my endgame team were:

Leviathan the Suicune, who almost croaked to Red's Level 93 Pikachu;
Pixiebob the Golem, whom I pitted against Pikachu instead, but fell to its surprise Surf move;
Menma the Gengar, who spammed Hypnosis and Dream Eater until Mewtwo outwitted it with its Miracle Berry;
Shana the Arcanine, who carried on Menma's will as she bit Mewto to submission;
Yuu the Machamp, who got a lucky crit against Snorlax;
And finally Orly the Noctowl, who was just there for Flash and Fly

Crystal Legacy is fantastic. Every Pokemon was tweaked to make them more viable. The AI trainers have better movepools and strategies. You can actually catch 2nd gen Pokemon in Johto! As far as I'm concerned it's the definitive edition of the second generation of Pokemon.

Dardan Sandiego · Jun 7, 2024

meatbag said:
Wrapped up my Nuzlocke run of Pokemon Crystal Legacy, by which I mean I've defeated Red and captured Mewtwo. My friends on my endgame team were:

Leviathan the Suicune, who almost croaked to Red's Level 93 Pikachu;

Pixiebob the Golem, whom I pitted against Pikachu instead, but fell to its surprise Surf move;

Menma the Gengar, who spammed Hypnosis and Dream Eater until Mewtwo outwitted it with its Miracle Berry;

Shana the Arcanine, who carried on Menma's will as she bit Mewto to submission;

Yuu the Machamp, who got a lucky crit against Snorlax;

And finally Orly the Noctowl, who was just there for Flash and Fly

Crystal Legacy is fantastic. Every Pokemon was tweaked to make them more viable. The AI trainers have better movepools and strategies. You can actually catch 2nd gen Pokemon in Johto! As far as I'm concerned it's the definitive edition of the second generation of Pokemon.

@Red Monster

Vookatos · Jun 8, 2024

79. Wizordum, still Early Access, episode 2

Gonna paste my Backloggd review from replaying Episode 1 to explain general feelings first:

A cute arcadey Wolfenstein-like shooter.
Fun time, very colorful, but I feel like it suffers from some bloating. The levels are a tad too big, running around 40-60 minutes if you explore around.

Unlike Wolfenstein, the game very clearly has different areas and a lot of care was put into making enviroments distinct most of the time. One of the levels goes through the village and market into the castle, for examples. That said, there are a few outliers like sewers which really should've been shorter.

The arsenal is satisfying mostly magical weapons, yet they lack a certain punch to them. Not to say I didn't enjoy using them, but they do feel a little limp.

The game does try to constantly keep you updated so you remember where to go: mini-map gets updated with new points of interest, and doors you've gone through stay open. However, it's weird to me that if the level consists of multiple location (for example level 2 has a lot of houses) they don't have any connection on mini-map, so you effectively travel between featureless squares. Where was the house you visited? Should've remembered, I guess. It's just strange because otherwise the game does a good job at navigation, and I really would've preferred some lines to show what door leads where.

The game requires pretty thorough exploration as it also has a shop, but it feels a little underbaked so far. Completing levels with all enemies killed, secrets found, or loot collected gives you enough of a bonus so you want to do it, but there's not much you actually want to buy there, I find. Splitting "capacity up" into a lot of various capacities for all kinds of things is a little cheap.

I have enjoyed my time with Wizordum, but ultimately I really feel like it should've gone the Project Warlock way with shorter levels but higher quantity of them, as just exploring a space as big as one of this game's levels takes a LOT of time.

That said, Episode 2 is way better. While levels don't feel connected at all, each throwing you into a completely new world, they are much tighter. Enemy counts don't exceed 200 yet with levels being smaller there are still levels that feel packed with enemies despite there being fewer enemies.

I have rarely exceeded 30 minutes playtime on levels even when exploring a LOT. Although with some upgrades I feel comes a downgrade: new mobs feel exceedingly tanky. The game basically just has 2 types of enemies in terms of health pool, your trash mobs and more serious types, and I feel like Ep 2 could really make its trash mobs not as spongy because the basic spiders can take four "shotgun" blasts from close distance, and that's with them being jumpy already.

The arsenal has received only one new weapon, with some new alt fire options from the shop, which is a bit of a shame as there are a ton of consumables yet right now only 5 weapons if we exclude melee. I still feel like the arsenal could use a bit of work. I feel like the common fire blast and the "shotgun" are especially on the weaker side. The former isn't very satisfying, while the latter, despite obvious range weakness, doesn't do as much damage as you'd want to justify long reload time. I could easily spam enemies with fire in the same time or quicker, and while being way safer.

The game's on track to be a great shooter, especially if they rework some maps from Ep 1, which they said they'll do, but right now it's just not quiiiite there.

3.0 for Ep 1, 4.0 for Ep 2.

buildz · Jun 8, 2024

#23 - Platform 8

Platform 8 is a prequel to the viral horror game The Exit 8 which released last November (it released on Switch after the last Indie World). The premise is simple: you're on a neverending train heading towards your destination, which is 8 stops away. As you move from carriage to carriage, anomalies begin to occur. If you survive, you move forward... else, you start back at the first stop. This should sound familiar to those who played The Exit 8, which had a similar premise (moving from Exit 0 through to Exit 8, where failure reset you at Exit 0).

The major difference here is that the anomalies are more... simple, perhaps. Most of the anomalies in The Exit 8 were minor discrepancies in the environment (e.g., the tiles on the floor having a very faint face, for example); if you missed them and kept going, you'd find yourself back at Exit 0. A handful of others involved a clear threat (e.g., two masked men) which were easy to deal with: just turn around! Here, there are no such "spot the difference" anomalies; instead, most of the anomalies are just setpieces you have to play along with - do it correctly, reach the next door, and you can keep playing.

Anomalies here include a creepy girl playing "red light, green light" with you, or a giant hand smashing through the doors, etc. The streamlining of this entry was made clear to me when the handful of "spot the difference"-esque anomalies are signposted so clearly (the words "Find the anomaly before continuing." appears on the door!) that any mystery or tension disappears immediately. That said, there was no feeling of "why did I get sent back to the start?!" unlike the prior entry, given how obvious the anomalies are this time.

Given this, I'd say Platform 8 is just a solid 7/10 - it isn't really much better or worse than The Exit 8.

#24 - FLATHEAD

Another recent indie horror darling, FLATHEAD is a Buckshot Roulette-inspired game; instead of playing Russian roulette, you're playing a much simpler game - higher, or lower? In each round, you must accumulate enough points to exit the level. To earn points, you play a round of higher or lower, from 1 to 20. Points are then placed in your "temporary" bucket - win, and you double your existing points in that bucket (or +1 if you have none). Lose... and they're gone. Thankfully, you can "bank" points by moving them to your "stored" bucket, and use those to unlock the exit.

Of course, you might be wondering... why do I need accumulate points? Well, it's in your interests, after all - lest the very creepy monster in the corridor behind you gets too close. You can deter the monster with your light, which stuns it temporarily; but this will eventually break. If you're backed into a corner, you could try spinning the "wheel of luck" - which can multiply your points, among other things - or "make your own luck". The latter will reveal the number that will come next, so you know with certainty whether to pick higher or lower... but the monster will speed up. This simple, risk-reward gameplay works well in allowing you to form your own strategy, similar to the items in Buckshot Roulette. For example: you could build up half the points you need in the "temporary" bucket, then use "make your own luck" to guarantee a win... if you're sure the monster won't reach you before you can unlock the exit.

The game has a very oppresive and tense atmosphere. Everything is dripping with style, from the smaller jumpscares that can get you (FNaF-style), to the dystopian world you find yourself in; it's all excellently designed. The feeling as the monster gets closer - as the footsteps become louder, and louder - is extremely unnerving, and makes playing the otherwise simple game much more engaging than it should be. The jumpscare itself is really solid too. Clearing a game - or "interview" - unlocks tapes which reveal some of the lore behind the game. I couldn't figure out much, but I do appreciate the way in which the story is told, in keeping with the analog VHS style the game is going for. A respectable 8/10, and a game I can't wait to replay.

Yooka-Laylee (05/01/2024, 7/10)
Buckshot Roulette (06/01/2024, 8/10)
Another Code: Recollection (19/01/2024, 8.25/10)
Saga of the Moon Priestess (24/01/2024, 7/10)
Super Kiwi 64: Doomsday [Update] (26/01/2024, 7.5/10)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (03/02/2024, 8/10)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (15/02/2024, 8/10)
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling (22/02/2024, 8.5/10)
And Yet It Moves (27/02/2024, 6.5/10)
Mario Golf (GBC) (15/03/2024, 7/10)
Psalm 5:9-13 (17/03/2024, 8/10)
Crypt of the Necrodancer: SYNCHRONY [DLC] (18/03/2024, 8/10)
Princess Peach: Showtime! (22/03/2024, 8/10)
Dragon Quest (Switch) (30/03/2024, 7/10)
Froggo's Adventure: Verdant Venture (01/04/2024, 8/10)
Otogi Katsugeki Mameda no Bakeru: Oracle Saitarou no Sainan!! (07/04/2024, 7.75/10)
Amazing Hebereke (13/04/2024, 5/10)
Tsugunohi (15/04/2024, 7/10)
POOLS (01/05/2024, 7.5/10)
ANIMAL WELL (11/05/2024, 9/10)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (24/05/2024, 9/10)
Kirby: Power Paintbrush (02/06/2024, 7.5/10)
Platform 8 (04/06/2024, 7/10)
FLATHEAD (09/06/2024, 8/10)

(plus a large amount of small (free) indie horror games and some kaizo Super Mario World hacks)
(gold - my current Game of the Year)

Dardan Sandiego · Jun 9, 2024

Was in the mood to play the first Axiom Verge again and once again I didn't manage to 100% it. I don't think I ever will.

This game obviously wears its inspirations on its sleeve but still manages to be very much its own thing with its trippy story and grotesque environments and enemies. It's already impressive on its own but even more so when you consider that this was made by a solo developer. So it's a little bit weird to say this but I feel like it's a bit too bloated in some areas. The sheer amount of weapons that I ignored outside of a handful, the notes and passwords etc. felt like too many parts that were a tad bit superfluous when there's already a really solid game underneath.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Alan Wake II
Rytmos
Pizza Tower
Hi-Fi Rush
Humanity
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Jusant
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell
Panzer Dragoon (Remake)
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix
Astro's Playroom
Ghost of Tsushima
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Birth
Final Fantasy VII
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
Sifu
Minishoot' Adventures
Final Fantasy XVI
Botany Manor
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Animal Well
Portal 2
Tangle Tower
Yoshi's Island
Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope
Isles of Sea and Sky
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows
Mother: 25th Anniversary Edition
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment
Metroid Planets
Devil Blade Reboot
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Remake)
Axiom Verge

Vookatos · Jun 9, 2024

80. Silent Hill 4: The Room

So, I've never actually beaten The Room. The furthest I've got was the second half of the game, upon which I realized what the game was doing and stopped. However, since I've already played one bad Silent Hill, I guess it's time to correct my mistake and play a less-bad-Silent-Hill.

I usually don't spoil stuff in my reviews, but there is a discussion of a plot twist ahead as well as spoiler of game mechanics that appear later on because I feel like I NEED to explain what the fuck this game is for it to be believed. I won't put parts or all of it under spoiler, the game's 20 years old, read at your own risk.

There are parts to Silent Hill 4 that are downright genius. Just booting the game up will present you with the unforgettable intro and the weirdest and coolest few minutes you've ever played.

This might be the Silent Hill with some of the best things from the series. Unfortunately, this is also Silent Hill with some of the worst stuff you've seen in a video game.

The central premise is the one I will defend to my death: being stuck in an apartment as your door has been chained is incredible, and I honestly wish the game would've come out in an era where it could've been a download-only small spin-off, because everything on top of that feels undercooked.

Much like Silent Hill 3, there's no "Silent Hill" to speak of, just a series of levels you go into from your room via a sinister hole. I do like the pacing a little better than SH3 since your room provides you much needed comfort as opposed to SH3's almost unceasing tension. Your room is still creepy and claustrophobic, but it does heal you, so it's a great little unnerving safe haven.

The levels, however, are hit and miss. Mostly miss. At best you'll get stange structures with weird off-putting atmosphere and the scariest monsters the series has ever seen. At worst, it's a forest with some bats.

There's not much in terms of navigation in this game. You never know what it is you're doing which adds to the atmosphere, but does make the game a little annoying. There are still very Silent Hill puzzles as well as familiar dungeons, but everything feels even more dream-like than usual. It's kind of neat, but there are a few times where I felt like the game could've used a little more guidance.

The story has its own highs and lows. As I've said, the concept is genius. Tying it all to a mysterious culty serial killer is cool! However, for each good idea there's a baffling adition or two. For example, your landlord just having an umbilical cord in his room. No, not his own! He just picked it up!

And of course there's the whole thing where the plot twist of the game is that the main antagonist thinks that your apartment is his mom. There's just no way to write this for it not to be funny. It's a shame, because I like Walter Sullivan as a villain, his backstory is tragic and his character is strange. But he also thinks his mom is a room. He kills 21 people including HIMSELF for the purpose of being reunited with his roommom. This is real. This is a video game that was sold in stores as a numbered Silent Hill title.

This whole "good idea/bad idea" feels like it stretches through the game. For each good monster, there's a nurse that makes a burp every time you hit her. The sound design is weirdly flat in this installment overall, but it sometimes just sounds like a library of free sound effects. When I say that nurses burp, I do mean they do a "burp.wav" not that it sounds like it. Then there are dogs that sound like cats and enemies with monkey noises. It's all strange and isn't unsettling.

Nevertheless, I respect Silent Hill 4. It's the most baffling game I've played on nearly every level. That said, I don't think I'll ever play it again.

You see, just when you feel like you understood this game, it throws some curveballs. Again, some good (your room is now possessed and spooky - great!), some bad. You know what I'm talking about.

The entire second part of Silent Hill 4 is going through the same levels again only with an escort mission and some annoying ghosts that are hard to dispose of.

I'm not one who thinks that video games should be fun at all times. Obviously, horror should make you uncomfortable, it shouldn't all be RE4. However, when the game just starts being annoying, it's time to go back to the concept stages.

The entire second half is an even more undercooked section of an already rushed game. Battles with Walter Sullivan, a recurring mini-boss, for example, feel like something you could see on Classics of Game youtube channel, as the villain just runs in circles and sometimes stops to shoot you in the face, as you try to hit him with the golf club.

It can't be overstated just how deflating the second part of The Room is. There are some additions, but it really is just the same already imperfect game but with mechanics that annoy, and in locations that aren't scary at all the second time around.

Silent Hill 4 is fucking baffling. It's an insane video game that combines some of the best things you've experienced with complete and utter trash. I kinda love it, despite being a person who generally dislikes when video games waste their time. The original concept and the idiotic at times story are just strong enough for you to want to see how it ends, but I do wish it was given more time. It's pretty clear that this game isn't what devs wanted it to be. After Silent Hill 3 reused a dungeon and some parts of the town, I think I can definitely say that the devs just couldn't make it in time with an all-new game that has so many additions to it. This is the Silent Hill that deserves a remake the most. There is a gem hidden among the dirt, but I'm afraid the reputation will make it so no one will bother to clean it.

2.0/5

Mandos · Jun 9, 2024

16) Megaton Musashi Wired
Well I finished the story(well it ends on a TBC but that’s not my fault, got all the side stories). Had a blast, top tier mech action and story nonsense XD. Still a ton of side mission and mode content I’ll be going back to a long time, with a major update coming up soon too!

1) ~~Riccchhhhhaaarrrrd~~ Metal Wolf Chaos XD
2) Toree 3D
3) Piczle Cross Adventure
4) Macbat 64
5)Metroid Prime Remastered
6) Good Job!
7)Golden Sun
8) Crash 4
9)Star Wars Starfighter SE
10) EDF2025(ranger normal)
11) Klonoa Door to Phantomile
12) Just Cause 2
13) Final Fantasy IX
14) SW Jedi Starfighter
15)Ace Combat 7

Pillydillsy · Jun 9, 2024

Played some PS2 games on my legally obtained PlayStation 2 with an official PlayStation 2 controller (wink wink) (nudge nudge) (ain’t I hilarious) (alright this is getting old)
-Dragon Ball Budokai- It seems Dragon Ball Games have a way of braking through my usual lack of interest in fighting games, because this is another hit for me. I appreciate that they tried with the cutscenes and graphics, even if they fell victim to the limitations of the PS2. They actually did a pretty good job making the story more like the Japanese one, which was nice after so many games at the time failed to do so. Can’t wait to play the sequels, 7/10
-Gran Turismo 4: This games sucks, like I never really enjoyed Gran Turismo but this one really felt like a slog. Doesn’t matter how many car brands you have, this is a miss. 4/10
-Simpsons Hit and Run: This game is really solid. Some cool references to classic simpsons jokes, like the nonchalant vibe the game has, the police system isn’t annoying like it sometimes feels in GTA, good stuff. The best -art of the game for me was when I ran over Flanders, drove over him, thrashed him into a fence, then had the car explode right over him, only for him to be standing unharmed after the smoke cleared. Made for some good laughs. 7/10
-Tekken 5: Can’t beat some classic Tekken fun as far as I’m concerned, and this is that for sure. The Mishima relationship drama is just as ridiculous as one would expect, though I am quite sad they didn’t even bother trying to pretend Heihachi was dead for more than 5 seconds. Like he just gets right back up in his story mode, whats up with that? 7/10
-Godzilla Save the Earth: Really not too different from Destroy All Monster Melee, though that’s far from a bad thing. Bigger roster and more mini games is nice, as is the fact Godzilla has the Akuma pose as his victory screen. 8/10

grobla123 · Jun 9, 2024

Single Player

Pokerogue, 8.5 Dang what a good gameplay/decision loop. Had more fun than with Emerald Rogue.

Bayonetta 3 replay, 8.5 liked it way more than the first play through, I'm enjoy looser free-er bayonetta movement more than ever. I'd suggest people give it a second try or retry if they weren't feeling it the first time. (Or wait for a potential switch 2 version). I was very ready for a rollercoaster this time and wasn't invested in the story at all though.

DMC 5 replay, 7.9, like it way less than my first playthrough, the relatively heavy gameplay and somewhat combersome hold target and flick back to start an air combo thing kind of gets in the way for me. V is dull. Should have done the Vergil playthrough.

Metal Gear Rising, 8.4 its good. Slicey dicey silly game.

Mario 64 PC visuals+camera mod, 7.9, great but still very much aged even with the additions. Full camera control doesn't help as much when the game still auto sets the camera to weird angles every 4 seconds. Which was always the bigger problem for me than the limited moment to moment control. It does look really pretty though and the core controls are excellent.

Splatoon 2 DLC (finally), 7.9 I liked it. But didn't love it. The motion doesn't feel as good as splatoon 1 on gamepad to me which impacts my enjoyment of the game in general.

Princess Peach Showtime 6.9 its cute. I have nothing special to add to the conversation.

Paper Mario TTYD remake 8.9 its good, the slower dialogue and little battle pauses irk me way more than they should.

The Last of Us 2, 8, enjoyed this way more than I expected. Level design and combat is an enormous step up from 1, which I greatly disliked. The plot is definately very blunt and it doesn't quite hit the levels of 1, but I still enjoyed it. Accessibility settings greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the game, slowly scanning for items would have been incredibly tedious. Motion controls were surprisingly bad compared to my other Ps5 experiences, so I turned them down and didn't use it for side to side.

Dark Souls 3 replay, 8.4 Its good, I'm going to go against the grain and say I really missed being able to explore a few more areas from the start like Elden Ring. Not necessarily open world, but just more to explore when one boss is giving me trouble. There were a lot of parts where I felt underlevelled and losing souls to bosses and having to replay them to attempt to get it back (maybe over and over) is a bad mechanic imo. I'd rather lose like 25% and be forced to pick the rest up outside the boss arena. At any rate, the dungeons are always very fun and tense to explore and 3 might have some of the best.

FF7 Rebirth, 8.4, also good, a little bloated and sometimes trips over itself (what on earth happened with the Palmer stuff?), and I'm more skeptical than every of the not-multiverse stuff, but the core gameplay is excellent and the variety and breadth of the world is incredible. Silly minigames are peak, but I'd probably like them less if going for gold.

Sea of Stars, 8.3, charming and pretty, but I lost interest later on. It needed some more combat mechanics for the main cast by the end.

Astrobot Demo Game, 8.6, Shockingly fun. Scrimblo is love. Should play the new content soon. Looking forward to the full game later.

God of War Ragnarok 8, almost certainly a better more interesting game then 1 (sans maybe some major boss fights in 1 being better). But boy is that camera less appropriate for the larger and more numerous levels. I find it hard to build a mental map, maybe its good that 1 had lots of backtracking and a hub, I found it easier to get around. Really I think I had my fill with 1 and didn't really need more. I guess I'm glad they didn't make a trilogy despite this games pacing being kind of wack as a result.

Persona 3 Reload, 8, good, but Tartarus could have used a bigger upgrade. The early story skipping over character awakenings is really goofy in retrospect but the cast is still good and I like the pacing more than 4/5. But I have come to the conclusion that I just don't enjoy the social link stuff as more these days and wish it was more like 20% of the game instead of 60-70%. The two halves of the game do benefit each other a lot though.

Split Screen/CO-op
Tiny Tinas Wonderlands, 7.9, good with a friend, huge step up from base 3, but it is very short and has a kind of insulting asking price.

Risk of Rain 2 (copius mods), 7.9, Deputy is a life saver, not really a roguelite fan as I don't love replaying levels waiting for good RNG, but the variety of levels and builds is cool. I love the emphasis on speed. Main final boss is lame. DLC final boss is cool. Great aesthetic and vibe.

Bang on Balls free western DLC, 7.9, a cute little romp of a simple 3d platformer with good reasonably quick movement and momentum. Fun with a friend.

Trackmania Turbo, 8, love trackmania, we beat the main levels and I liked the fun 2 player modes, I really liked getting all the bloody tracks without a subscription. Its a shame the series is now so annoyingly monetized and stingy.

Enter the Gungeon 8.39, Similar to risk of rain 2, but I preferred the overall content package. Great boss fights and a great sense of progression for a roguelite. Good easy to read pixel art.

Left4 dead 2, 6.9, this hadn't aged all that well imo. Better with drinks and at least 3 players, which we didn't have.

Pummel Party (lots of mods), 8.3, very fun, but hard to be strategic with so many items and with lots of players. Steam work shop support elevates it completely. Maps with stores increase options and strategy. And there a lot of fun mini games.

Ultimate Chicken Horse, 8.5, a classis for a reason, a fundamentally great idea and execution. I'll keep coming back to it.

Make Way, 8.4 similar to Ultimate chicken horse, but top down cars where you build a little race track with hazards. An underrated party game that would I would strongly suggest is added to rosters and is boosted to similar classic status as some of the others.
The game becomes much more fun after you have already unlocked hazard randomization and custom options to make it more chaotic, the first couple of cups are sadly bland.

Plate up, 7, its fine. Surprisingly hard at times. The game is more about discovering what builds work with experimentation while execution can be pretty tight.

Rock of Ages 2/3, 8 and then 6. 3 could have been dlc for 2, its adds almost nothing to the experience. However they are very fun, humorous and creative games. They are enhanced with a fantastic artstyle and sense of humor.

Lego 2k drive, 8, its good, way more loading than I would expect in a modern game. Variety is nice but not all quest are made equal. Freeroaming is fun but feels constrained. The core racing is fun (and kind of hard? compared to other kart racers), but its very swingy with items and harsh rubber banding.

Grip, 7.4 fun, with a high skill ceiling, but items are incredibly punishing compared to most racers I've played. One hit can ruin a whole game and there are plenty of straights with limited options. Even in 1st I regularly don't get defensive items.

Boti, 5, a platformer that has some charm, but with almost no momentum, it feels like you can only move at a locked pace with no room for player expression. level design is more basic than Kirby, and its not nearly as interesting. It also runs very badly. Local co-op couldn't save it.

Hot Shots racing, 8, what if the sumo digital racers had an arcade cabinet style game? Its still very good. Simple, good gameplay for racing, some silly modes like barrel mode and survival give it extra life. Its not quite sonic all stars transformed, but the fundamentals are good. A little lite on content, but is also regularly sub $5.

Bee Simulator, 6, yeah its a gimmick game. But its cute enough. Controls aren't bad but the racing sections are rough, which is a shame, because the rest of the game is pretty uninvolved. My monkey brain like pretty flowers and cottages and green houses.

Saints Row 3, 7.4, silly fun, but a lot of the "humor" is very dated and of its time, if it was ever good to begin with. The actual gameplay is reasonably enjoyable with friends. And all the added vehicles and silly dlc content thats been added over time helps.

Saints Row 4, 8.35, more games should be willing to change tone and add new crazy movement and gameplay elements like this. The cyber world and super powers are excellent and results in a frankly insane gameplay loop where you zip around and nuke enemies. Its also nice to play a game that doesn't punch down constantly. I cannot believe they decided a more grounded (but not really?) tone for 5 was appropriate, but I guess you can't dial it to 11 forever.

Want to play soon:
Ys X, Prime 4 (please), Astrobot Game, Prince of Persia Lost Crown, Metaphor, and If I can get a friend to play Dragon Ball Sparking,

undefined · Jun 9, 2024

I think I just finished Returnal, I mean, the credits rolled, but the story is told in fragments so I’m not sure if I saw everything

Gonna explore it more someday but I think it hogged way too much time already, I’m done for now

I found the first half way harder for some reason, I think the later bosses took me less tries
Really liked the movement, combat, visuals (although I had to tune down the resolution and some other settings). Also pretty cool when some bullet hell vibes kick in, bunch of glowing stuff everywhere

afternoon delight · Jun 9, 2024

undefined said:
I think I just finished Returnal, I mean, the credits rolled, but the story is told in fragments so I’m not sure if I saw everything

There is a NG+ of sorts- fragments of a more complete ending are scattered in each zone now, revealing more of the story.

I think it's the best feeling third person shooter I've ever played?

Deleted member 1081 · Jun 9, 2024

Sea of Stars (4/5)
Final Fantasy VII Remake (4/5)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (3/5)
Balatro (4.98/5)
Sonic CD (2/5)
Balatro (5/5)
Sonic Superstars (3/5)

It has been awhile! Let’s play catch up:

8. Animal Well (NS) - This is a remarkable little game. I didn’t stick around after the credits for the post-game madness because I’m far too dumb for the meta, but before the game before the credits was worthwhile on its own merits. It’s a clever little search action game with truly unique abilities and a delightful series of mysteries to unwind. I can’t recommend this game enough! Rating:

️

️

9. Super Mario Land (GB) - This is either the best Tiger Electronics game ever made or the most middling Super Mario Bros., depending on your perspective. Rating:

️

️

10. Super Mario Land 2 (GB) - Every time I revisit this game I’m so impressed with how much Mario they crammed onto a little handheld game system. Mario looks the part and plays the part, contributing a ton of creativity to the series that helps this entry stand out. In particular, I love the bunny ears, even if they do make some sections too easy. Rating:

️

️

11. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB) - I’ve only ever played the fourth game in this series. I adore it! I heard this leaned more traditional while also incorporating some of Wario’s unique abilities, so I was pretty intrigued to see all of that play out. In the end, I had a pretty good time! This is a meaty little game that delivers on some of what you expect from a Mario game while also introducing some fun new elements that get better explored in future games. My favorite part of this game is the way it scores you at the end of the campaign: Based on the number of coins and treasure you collect, Wario gets a different type of house. I did a poor job and garnered Wario a birdhouse. Womp womp! I like having a reason to revisit this game and try to do a little bit better; this is one of the aspects of the first Luigi’s Mansion that I really miss in its sequels, too. Rating:

️

ShahAbbles61 · Jun 10, 2024

First off, I finally finished "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," and I have to say, it lived up to all the hype. The storytelling and world-building were top-notch.

Enpsty · Jun 10, 2024

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

I bought this game based on a teaser trailer and some comments from people I trust that it features great puzzles. So I dove in the game blindfolded which elevated the experience.
Lorelei is a puzzle game where you play as a woman that explores a mysterious mansion filled with secrets, closed doors and numerous puzzles. I won't spoil anything about the story since unraveling the mystery is part of the game after all. I will only say that this is the most Lynchian story I've seen in a game. I know that calling something Lynchian is cliché as hell, but this one does feel like something David Lynch would have made. It's not just the mystery that you have to piece together, it's the dreamlike experience, the surrealism, the hidden meaning or maybe the complete lack of it. It's definitely an experience I will remember for ever.
The story of the game is presented mostly through notes, letters, documents etc. so expect some reading. But unlike other games where it's cumbersome and maybe pointless in Lorelei they are a major part of the gameplay as well. Many puzzles solutions are hidden in the various pages you will find so there's not a division between lore and gameplay, in Lorelei they are interconnected.

The gameplay is something like Resident Evil's mansion without enemies and filled to the brim with puzzles. The puzzles are all absolutely amazing. The closest I can describe them is like those challenges you can find in I.Q. tests. Some of them are easy, some of them incredibly hard, but none of them (and I can't stretch this enough) none of them has a bullshit solution. All of them are absolutely logical and make perfect sense no matter how hard, bizarre or meta they are. I can honestly say that this game features some of the best puzzles in the medium. I will also recommend to not look any solutions since they're all feasible. I only had to look online for one and I felt like a moron afterwards since the solution was right in front of my eyes.
I also have to mention that the game is pretty long and meaty, close to 18-20 hours for a 100% completion.

The presentation of the game is perfect. The general art direction is fantastic and elevates the whole dream like experience. Plain and simply this is a beautiful game. There are also many surprises when it comes to how the game looks which I really don't want to spoil.

It's easy to dismiss the game as a try hard attempt to artsy fartsy games based on early impressions, but I guarantee you this game is not like that. This is a genuinely interactive experience that excels in both narrative and gameplay.

In the end Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is one of the best games I ever played and I can't recommend it enough. Especially if you like puzzle games This.Is.A.MUST.

10/10

Dardan Sandiego · Jun 10, 2024

I kinda stumbled into the ending of Axiom Verge 2 and I feel that's partly emblematic of my overall experience with it. It's not by any means a bad game and I actually enjoyed the shift from combat to exploration. It's also nice just how different it feels from the original and especially the [minor spoilers]dual world mechanic is quite impressive. However, compared to the first one it doesn't quite have the same kind of escalating tension leading up to the finale. Part of that is the fact that bosses are for the most part optional but there's also something about the way the world is laid out. In AV1, like most Metroidvanias, it felt like the level design was gently pushing and pulling me towards objectives by leaving just enough hints about what to do. AV2 in contrast feels a bit haphazard. Still a solid game but I definitely prefer the original.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Alan Wake II
Rytmos
Pizza Tower
Hi-Fi Rush
Humanity
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Jusant
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell
Panzer Dragoon (Remake)
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix
Astro's Playroom
Ghost of Tsushima
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Birth
Final Fantasy VII
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
Sifu
Minishoot' Adventures
Final Fantasy XVI
Botany Manor
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Animal Well
Portal 2
Tangle Tower
Yoshi's Island
Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope
Isles of Sea and Sky
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows
Mother: 25th Anniversary Edition
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment
Metroid Planets
Devil Blade Reboot
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Remake)
Axiom Verge
Axiom Verge 2

HockeyBird · Jun 10, 2024

Finished the campaign for Destiny 2: The Final Shape. The 10-year story had its Avengers Endgame moment, quite literally. I thought it was a nice ending to the story arc that started back in 2014.

Deleted member 1081 · Jun 10, 2024

ngpdrew said:
Sea of Stars (4/5)

Final Fantasy VII Remake (4/5)

Mario vs. Donkey Kong (3/5)

Balatro (4.98/5)

Sonic CD (2/5)

Balatro (5/5)

Sonic Superstars (3/5)

It has been awhile! Let’s play catch up:

8. Animal Well (NS) - This is a remarkable little game. I didn’t stick around after the credits for the post-game madness because I’m far too dumb for the meta, but before the game before the credits was worthwhile on its own merits. It’s a clever little search action game with truly unique abilities and a delightful series of mysteries to unwind. I can’t recommend this game enough! Rating: ️️️️

9. Super Mario Land (GB) - This is either the best Tiger Electronics game ever made or the most middling Super Mario Bros., depending on your perspective. Rating: ️️

10. Super Mario Land 2 (GB) - Every time I revisit this game I’m so impressed with how much Mario they crammed onto a little handheld game system. Mario looks the part and plays the part, contributing a ton of creativity to the series that helps this entry stand out. In particular, I love the bunny ears, even if they do make some sections too easy. Rating: ️️️️

11. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB) - I’ve only ever played the fourth game in this series. I adore it! I heard this leaned more traditional while also incorporating some of Wario’s unique abilities, so I was pretty intrigued to see all of that play out. In the end, I had a pretty good time! This is a meaty little game that delivers on some of what you expect from a Mario game while also introducing some fun new elements that get better explored in future games. My favorite part of this game is the way it scores you at the end of the campaign: Based on the number of coins and treasure you collect, Wario gets a different type of house. I did a poor job and garnered Wario a birdhouse. Womp womp! I like having a reason to revisit this game and try to do a little bit better; this is one of the aspects of the first Luigi’s Mansion that I really miss in its sequels, too. Rating: ️️️

I'm back already! I've had a lot of time in the back of a car the past couple of days, so I've been finishing portable games at a hot and heavy clip. It's like the good old days!

12. Kirby's Nightmare in Dreamland (GBA) - I can't talk about this game without mentioning the extremely annoying circumstances surrounding my first exposure to it around launch. This game came out at the peak of my Kirby fandom (I believe this came out around the time the TV show debuted), so it was at the absolute top of my Christmas list. On Christmas Day, I got a slip telling me that I had a copy on hold at Babbage's. This was unusual! It turns out my mom had reserved it but Babbage's kept selling her preorder. This kept happening, culminating in one particularly memorable day where they called to say a copy was in the store only to tell us they sold it when we arrived. I was devastated! It was a lot like that famous clip from Seinfeld:

Anyways, we located a copy at a different store that same day after cancelling our reservation at Baggage's. All was well! Then I finished the game that very same day.

This is probably the first time I've ever completely revisited it since then and I'm happy to say that it still holds up as a largely pleasant adventure. The visuals are top notch for the era and the game itself has just about everything you'd want from a Kirby game (unless you want the ability to do more than one move with a copy ability, in which case you are in for a bad time). My only real reservation (irony!) with this game is that it does seem to relish in just dropping enemies on your head with little chance for you to properly respond. I don't think that's an especially fun way to make a game more engaging, but what do I know? Regardless, I had a pleasant enough time, especially at the end when it devolved into the usual Kirby chicanery.

Rating:

️

DenkeyKong · Jun 11, 2024

DenkeyKong said:
6. Xenoblade 3: Future Redeemed DLC
Keeping the DLCs rolling! What a fun campaign! I really enjoyed its length and how it still had a good story build-up despite how short it is compared to the base game. The music was also a standout (as is always the case for Xenoblade hehe) and the characters were also really solid. I did not expect Matthew to have as much depth to him as he had. And Rex and Shulk were amazing to have on the team as well.

As for the story, which was the main draw for most people I think, at least 75% of all the references flew way over my head given that I have only played Xenoblade 2 and 3. However, the story still gave some nice extra closure to base 3 and the ending did more for me than some parts in 3 that were supposed to be more heavy-hitting. All in all, had a great time with this one and will probably go back to further up my completion percentage and abuse Double Spinning Edge! some more.

Speaking of the completion rate though, some of the changes made are really nice like being able to see where you can get which items. (In previous games you often needed the internet for this.) Though I'm slightly conflicted on it as well as it does feel a bit too much like a checklist at times. I'd like to see it return in future games, but maybe a bit more organic.

7. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Switch)
Super happy I finally got the chance to play this game after it being so poorly available for the last decade plus! It certainly did not disappoint; the characters, world design, music and battle system were all top-notch. The only thing that could use some improvement is the level design and with it the somewhat egregious backtracking (looking at you General White). Still, those minor issues were nowhere near enough to detract from the experience. The game's great and left me wanting to play Paper Mario 64 again. And I might also do a replay of this one down the toad to try out a different strategy (this time I went all-inn on BP and ended with 69 of it)

Hocot8 · Jun 11, 2024

9. Paper Mario: TTYD Remake (Switch)

A largely faithful remake to one of my favorite games from the Gamecube. I was so excited to play this game from the moment it was announced last year. I played the original maybe 6-8 times but it had no bearing on my enjoyment while playing this remake. The game looks beautiful and while it runs at 30fps I didn't recognize any difference in gameplay. There are two maybe three points where the frames drop ever so slightly under 30 but not during gameplay, just during cutscenes. There are a couple new things added to the game that I will not get into outside of the new added warp pipes that ease the back tracking.

This brings me to the negatives. Backtracking. It stands out more to me now than when I was younger but in the end I really didn't care. It's honestly not that big of a deal. However, the biggest issue I had with this game was the text speed. The inability to press the A button to speed through the text was very frustrating and to me wasted more time than any back tracking in this game. It hurts one of the best chapters in the game in chapter 3(but it's still the best so don't worry).

Now back to the positives. The dialogue is so incredibly amazing. There are some serious laugh out loud moments with characters brimming with emotion and personality. The end of this game. It, unlike the end of it's predecessor, truly tests you with a fantastic increase in difficulty at the end. To me I enjoyed the gauntlet of boss battles that peaked with the final boss. I enjoyed my playthrough of this game immensely and I still believe it's the best in the series. (9.0/10)

10. Paper Mario 64 (NSO 64)

After finishing the TTYD remake I had to replay 64. I don't really have much to say about it but it's such a fun game. It's a little bit simpler than TTYD but it's still a great RPG. One pretty big difference between this game and the TTYD remake was the lack in personality. Don't get me wrong there is some personality in the characters but the dialogue does linger behind TTYD. Another thing that lingers behind the successor is the end of the game. Doesn't hit the highs of TTYD but it's still good. Overall this game has aged very well and is still enjoyable and a blast to play. (8.5/10)

NBOctoling · Jun 11, 2024

NBOctoling said:
Haven't updated in a while. Let's fix that.

10) Mario vs Donkey Kong: One of my favorites as a child, replaying this was a blast
11) Unicorn Overlord: This was really fun! While the story was pretty standard, the VA definitely raised it. Gameplay was fun though I am looking forward to hard mods since there is definitely something there.
12) Big Pharma: Fun little management sim.
13) Buckshot Roulette: Finally took the time to play this with the Steam Release. Fun little game. Not much to say on it. Am interested in Multiplayer when available
14) Regency Solitaire: Fun little casual game.
15) Princess Peach Showtime: Decent second outing for the Princess. Definitely more of a spectacale game than a gameplay one but it has a lot of charm

Big Update:

16: Elder Scrolls: Arena) Finally decided to play the entire Elder Scrolls series! And...OOOF do aspects of this doesn't play well at ALL. It's great from a historical setpoint and the voice acting is hilarious at times but man I was tearing my hair out by the end of it.
17: Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall (Unity Editions): A far better step up. Also needs to be played with a guide if you want to complete the main quest. It's a fun game and it's scope is vast in a way I haven't seen in games even if there isn't a lot of depth to it outside of the main quest. I do like how the books start to come into their own and how there are cetain tomes with two versions told by opposite sides of a war. Still fun to experience.
18: Elder Scrolls: Morrowind: Fun! Going to be honest, the worst thing about it so far is speed as a stat. I ended up with a character with 32 speed and heavy armor specced and...yeah I wasn't able to go anywhere. I made it to Vivec before finally giving up and modding it to 100. Liked how they handled prophecy in this game.

Edie Napier · Jun 11, 2024

I posted my review of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on my backloggd. Long story short, a great game that hasn't aged as gracefully as I would've hoped and I found myself a lot more critical of it in the light of TOK and the SMRPG remake being fantastic games in a similar vein.

meatbag · Jun 12, 2024

NBOctoling said:
I ended up with a character with 32 speed and heavy armor specced and...yeah I wasn't able to go anywhere.

Oh no!

Regulus Tera · Jun 12, 2024

Regulus Tera said:
11. Super Mario Land (1.5/5)

Historical significance aside, it’s just not a very good platformer. I can count in my hand the amount of R&D1 games I enjoy and this one pretty much is exemplary of everything that’s characteristic about that development group. Their games are imaginative and quite ambitious, but it often feels like they don’t get play tested enough, and as a result they have just enough kinks that make their titles a chore to play.

Mario’s midair control is nearly non-existent. Hit boxes don’t match the enemy sprites. There’s little tell for environmental hazards. To be honest, the only reason I don’t rate it lower is that it’s a thirty minute game. It doesn’t have enough stay to truly irritate you.

Just play Super Mario Land 2 instead. Dope soundtrack, though.

12. Mega Man X2 (4.5/5)

X2 was the first Mega Man game I ever played as a kid. I remember not being able to beat a single Maverick, and only ever being able to obtain some of the armor parts. It was a hard game! But X was so cool and I wanted to decipher the mystery of Zero's parts. Fun times.

Revisiting this as an adult was a nostalgia trip. I no longer am a dumb noob and got through the game in a few hours, and even then I still think I like X1 more. However, X2 does a lot of stuff to improve on the X formula. Being able to dash in the air opens a lot of movement options, which allows for more varied boss fights, to begin with. Level design is still as good as in X1, even if I think some of the later stages start to show some instances of leap of faith that are not too worrisome here, but become a problem down the line.

Weapon variety is imo the biggest problem here. Unlike X1, X2's weapons are not as useful, and in some cases I didn't even bother checking their charged versions. Magnet Mine for instance has no real utility aside from the Crystal Snail fight, where as even the situational weapons in X1, like the flamethrower, have their moment to shine.

However, X2 is still a very brisk and challenging romp. Any quibbles I have with this game are minimal at best. It's a worthy successor to the original, and one of the coolest games on the SNES (have you seen those wireframe effects? holy shit).

Enpsty · Jun 12, 2024

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

This is a game I wanted to play for years even though the walking simulator genre is not something I'm particularly fond of. However there's something in this game that made me eager to try it and I can say that I'm glad I did.

In Ethan Carter you play as a psychic detective that have to find out what happened to the eponymous character. If you expect puzzles, interrogations, actual detective work or any kind of deduction type gameplay look elsewhere. This is a walking simulator all the way. They're some moments of putting things in order narrative-wise, but they're too few and easy.
Instead the game is all about the atmosphere and following the mystery. The story itself seems very basic at first, filled with a slight Lovecraftian atmosphere (I'm sure Ethan Carter is a homage to Lovecraft's protagonist Randolph Carter) however unraveling the mystery will give you enough twists to appreciate it more. Overall it's a positive narrative experience, nothing too complex but interesting enough to keep you invested till the very end.

Of course the biggest selling point of the game is the amazing setting. Apparently the devs wanted to create a realistic environment instead of a "game-ish" world and they nailed it. The game does make you feel like you are in a real place. A place oozing tranquility and...a strange melancholy one can say. The map is not gigantic and since this is a walking simulator don't expect to find side quests, collectibles or any actual secrets. You explore because it just feels good. This is the kind of game that I could see someone play occasionally just to relax in its environment. The game does look gorgeous even today and even on PS4 and I'm sure it will look ever better in 60fps. The lighting is creating a painting aesthetic and the relaxing soundtrack soothes you even more.

Overall this is a great experience even though I generally dislike walking simulators. But the overall ambience paired with the interesting story make for a beautiful experience.

7/10

Plum · Jun 12, 2024

Main Post

GAME 30: Pikmin 4
Nintendo Switch | Finished 11/05/24 | 100% | 36 Hours Played | 9/10

If there is any game this generation that best exemplifies that ethereal, oft-maligned notion of 'Nintendo Magic', then this is it. Looking at it through an 'objective' (as much as such a thing exists...) lens, there are many issues here. Elements that don't work well, others that are underbaked... but when I look at it through the lens of what I actually played, the game is just absolutely fantastic. A title so full of love, care, and attention that it manages to become far, far more than the sum of its parts. Fitting, given the game's premise is literally just that.

So, to get them out of the way, what are those issues? For me, perhaps the biggest issue throughout was the difficulty, or the lack thereof. The game constantly demands that you delve into your 'Dandori' skills to win, yet rarely did it feel that I actually had to. Even near the beginning, with few Pikmin and even fewer upgrades, levels feel so spread apart, and enemies so tame, that I rarely felt that this was a 'dangerous' world. Only near the very final conclusion of the game did it feel like my 'Dandori' was challenged, and only then it was when I was (quite fruitlessly, I might add) aiming for meaningless Platinum medals in end-game challenges. Exacerbating it are the controls, which - whilst granting the game a far more impulsive, action-focused feeling - removes any true challenge when it comes to combat, whilst adding unnecessary frustration at times when you do want a finer touch.

Then there's the story or, again, the lack thereof. Despite having a cast magnitudes larger than prior games, none of the new ('human'?) characters here are particularly memorable. They're generically 'good' with pretty much one character trait each. Which, for how much they speak, is definitely underwhelming. And, whilst I'm not one to find continuity in the series that much of a 'big issue', the quasi-reboot status of this game feels so weird, when connecting the game directly to prior titles would have required very few changes. Story, however, isn't really what you go to these games for, so whilst these are issues... they're really not that big.

So, why such high praise if I can dedicate two whole paragraphs to problems I had with the game? Well, it's because the game just feels so inherently fun to play. It's incredibly finely-tuned, never getting to a point where things get truly frustrating, boring, etc, whilst constantly providing both small and large boosts of dopamine. All in a package that simply oozes charm throughout. In a way, it feels like the culmination of every Pikmin game that came before it. Picking and choosing the very best of each one whilst ditching elements that led to needless friction. Hell, it doesn't even completely remove the 'time limit' people love so much, for reasons that should remain unspoiled.

What amazes me most is that the game manages to remain so consistently fun and enjoyable whilst simultaneously being just very, very big for its genre. As my final results down below show, the game took me 36 hours to do everything there is to do, and in none of those hours did I feel that I was having a genuinely bad time. The loop of collecting, dungeon-delving, night-crawling, and upgrading - whilst being incredibly enjoyable elements in their own right - join together to make sure the game never stays in a single 'element' for too long. And that's before the massive endgame which just adds so much more, including things that would I'd have happily paid for as DLC.

Outside of the gameplay - and the immediate 'mainline' narrative - the game is just chockful of genuinely joyful moments: the way Pikmin sing whilst travelling long distances; the consistently-brilliant treasure and monster names & descriptions; and, of course, the inherently-marketable presence that is Oatchi the Dog. It features these whilst also just looking visually beautiful. Whilst clearly 'last-gen' in its technical presentation, the way in which Nintendo presents this world is just outright gorgeous at times (and the shorter caves, and larger overworlds, mean you get more time with the best of it). It's a testament to the brilliance of the art-direction here that the game is able to portray the 'feeling' of a far, far larger world than your own with what, essentially, amounts to a few low-poly background models, and a heavy dose of depth-of-field. The music's not bad too!

So, yeah. Frankly, this game should not be a 9... but, like many of the best games I've played, that doesn't matter. What matters is how I felt whilst actually playing it, and what I felt here was something memorable, and brilliant.

Christo750 · Jun 12, 2024

10. Mario VS Donkey Kong (Switch) - One of my favorite GBA games was remade for Switch and it was....fine! It was fine. Loved the new animations, enjoyed the new music, and that's that. Pretty easy one-and-done I think.

AngryAlchemist · Jun 12, 2024

19. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Remake) (NS) [June 11th, 2024] - 6.5/10:

My Backloggd review for TTYD that I worked incredibly hard on

This game is really good at its highest moments, and is easily the best "weird Mario" i've ever seen. It's also an absolute slog to get through and you could cut every chapter by half and you wouldn't miss a thing. When the final dungeon was basically two dungeons with multiple boss fights I was done. Cool game but it wasn't worth my time.

StarTopic The 2024 Completed Games Thread

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