52 Games Challenge 2024!!!!!

[bikingjahuty]

I need to bet 3 more games before I reach 52, and I'll be damned if this is the first year I don't make it. My life has seemingly been constantly busy since the beginning of November, but with a decent amount of time off in the last few weeks of the year, I'm going to hit 52 come hell or high water. I'm in the middle of two games right now, one of which I definitely intend to beat this year. The other will likely be an early 2025 completion for me. There are a few shorter games in my backlog that I've been meaning to play too so yeah, 52 games should hopefully be in the bag with maybe a game or two more beyond that. What a year though...

[Cartagia]

Knocked out another short one for the end of the year.  Alan Wake's American Nightmare has most of the best elements of the original Alan Wake distilled down into a super optimal side-story, and makes strides towards what Remedy ended up making in Control.  not perfect, bit a fun hameplay loop and reality bending narrative that felt the perfect length for a smaller more direct story.

[dhaabi]

48. Papers, Please || PlayStation Vita || 12.18.24



After reading reception about Papers, Please, I knew it was a game that I'd like to someday experience. Eventually, I was able to secure a physical copy of the game through Limited Run Games years ago before they began their open preorder system. I've had my copy for quite some time now, so I'm glad to finally take the time to play it.

At its core, Papers, Please is a simulation game with overt political themes which has the player being forced to work as a newly-assigned immigration officer at their country's border. With each shift, players are tasked with acting in accordance to regulations, cross-referencing various documents, and generally ensuring the safety of the unnamed protagonist's country of Arstotzka by vetting everyone seeking to enter from the various neighboring countries and districts. In order to achieve these goals, the player must inspect passport details to ensure they're correct in correspondence to another alongside the information found on other required materials. Since the player's daily wages are dependent on how many people are processed, there is a huge incentive to move along quickly but still slow enough to avoid mistakes. Such mistakes first result in warnings, but those then become citations with fines. And while memorizing certain rules and document formats may seem simple enough, it's not. Guidelines are constantly being created, revised, or even removed, so the one job of border security becomes a constant act of juggling all sorts of changing information.

Of course, since there are so many rules to remember and documents to inspect for just one encounter, there was always some brief anxiety I felt relating to whether I correctly followed the guidelines or not. From there, some small degree of frustration would set in if I overlooked some small detail. This isn't to suggest that players must remember everything that's explained, though. Instead, an always-updating rule book is available and is simple enough to sift through, although the stress of remembering what all to verify and cross-reference still remains. At the same time, the game offers players some moments of reprieve, as the protagonist's shift only starts once the player calls the first traveler to the window. So during this time, players can familiarize themselves with rules, which is especially helpful if certain ones are regularly being overlooked or are in relation to others.

However, the protagonist's home land of Arstotzka and the general region is not friendly. People determined to immigrate lie. Bribery is a regular occurrence (which players can choose whether or not to accept.) Terrorism is commonplace, and at one point, the player is encouraged to minimize the threat, so to speak, after being access to a gun. In nearly every encounter, that these people are pursuing the chance for a better life is reminded. But tough decisions must be made. If there is outdated or conflicting information, though—no matter how genuine or desperate the person across from you may seem—I chose to deny them for my playthrough. Operating in a totalitarian state, there are obvious repercussions to actions taken, and the protagonist has their own self and family to support. After each day, wages, bills, and other miscellaneous finances are totaled, and there is often little, if any, savings. There were many days where I couldn't afford to pay for heat and medicine; in the end, all but one of my family members died. To my surprise, there are all sorts of possible endings to achieve which are dependent on the moral choices players make. But nothing in this game can be argued as black or white, and the reasons for choosing any one action seem boundless.

On some level, Papers, Please is one of the more stressful games I've played, although that may be better described as it being a game which demands the player's full attention. While I am curious of other endings, I'm not really interested in playing through the game again—especially not anytime soon. As I've suggested, it's not particularly a simple game, and a lot of people probably wouldn't consider it a fun one either based on the premise alone, but it's not one that was made with that idea in mind. Obviously, the in-game border depicted mimics what could be or even is like for real people, and the game exceeds at portraying that idea.

[marvelvscapcom2]

Close But Not Beat

1. Michael Jackson Moonwalker for Sega Genesis

That darn breakdancing zombie bosses, huh?  had me quit it too

Dont ya know it lol  .   Towards the end it basically feels like the devs just kept right clicking copy and paste on enemy sprites until they got bored.  But its such a glorious game. Wish I could beat it. Maybe ill try again tonight.

__________________________________________

29. Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart (Platty)


One of the greatest Video games ive played in the definiton of all a game should be. Great development. Great weapons. And some of the best graphics to date.


I also realize that while I will most likely only beat 30 to 32 games this year.  A good handful of those were platinums on collectathons that added maybe x3 to the playthrough. So im actually really proud to hit 30.



UPDATE


30.  Need For Speed Unbound (Challenging difficulty setting)  - Game was a beauty. Its everything you expect in a need for speed. And based on how inconsistent that franchise is and how odd they can wander into lanes they domt belong.  Saying its true to its identity is a massive compliment. Its easily top 5 NFS for me all time. The delivery missions are a big thrill. 92.5/100

[kashell]

90. Mega Man X

91. Mega Man X4 - Zero

Two plane rides. Two games done during both of them. Not much to say about these classics. I played them both on the Switch. I may go through X4 again with X, but we'll see.