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52 Games Challenge 2025!!!

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kashell:
31. Suikoden HD Remaster

Hot take. I like this game more than Suikoden II, which is a fine game in its own right. I just like how swift and no-nonsense the first game is. This new HD version is excellent. Along with some nifty QoL features, it the HD look really shines. The new portraits are another amazing, nice touch. Gameplay is still the classic stuff we know and love. I saved my clear data and immediately started the next game. I'm not sure if I'll play that now or later.

bikingjahuty:
34. Shenmue III (PS4)

I last played and beat Shenmue III weeks after it came out in late 2019. At the time, I had suffered the better part of two decades of not knowing when or if the story to my two favorite games of all time would see a conclusion. I had many ups and even more downs in that time leading up to the 2015 Kickstarter campaign which I threw a generous and probably irresponsible amount of money towards at the time. So when Shenmue III finally came out and I had a copy of it in my hands (actually about 5 of them to be exact), I was beyond ready to see how Ryo Hazuki's journey played out and progressed after waiting nearly 20-years to see what happened next. In other words, I was in an emotionally heightened state and my expectations to play something at least nearly as good as Shenmue 1 and 2 were definitely strong during my first play through of 3. I gave the game a very generous 48/50 score after first beating it and even placed it in my top 10 games of all time.


Today was my first time playing or beating Shenmue III since my initial play through of it, and unlike my first time with Shenmue III several new factors were now in play. For one, it had been over a year since I last played Shenmue 1 and 2 prior to playing Shenmue 3. However, this time, I immediately jumped into Shenmue III right after beating II. Then of course, there's the fact that I've already beat Shenmue III and know what to expect, versus anxiously awaiting the unknowns of where the saga would go next. And then finally, with the game having been out for over 5 years now, I am well aware of many of the criticisms towards this game, some ridiculous and sensationalized, while others are absolutely valid and reasonable. With all this in mind, I have a new take on Shenmue III than I did after my first time beating it, which I will share with you now.


Similar to beating Shenmue III the first time in 2019, I absolutely loved my time with it overall. However, I didn't enjoy my time with it as much as I did after my initial play through. By far, the biggest factor contributing to my decreased enjoyment with Shenmue III was its gameplay. Shenmue III's gameplay is a downgrade from Shenmue II's in almost every possible way. The fighting system of Shenmue II which ripped right out of Virtua Fighter 3 and was even a noticeable upgrade over the first game which used the same underlying system. However, Shenmue III completely throws that system away and replaces it with something more akin to a beat em' up rather than a fighting game. The end result is something that feels a lot more shallow, clunky, and uninteresting compared to Shenmue II's fighting system. Shenmue III does incorporate a leveling system that complements the new fighting system to try and make it more interesting and RPG-like, but overall it just comes across as more tedious than in either previous game; doing horse stance, one inch punch, or spamming the same few moves during a sparing match over and over again to level them up is as boring and grindy as it sounds. It's not all bad, but overall it definitely made me yearn for Shenmue II's fighting system which grew on me more than any previous time I'd played that game.


Aside from the lackluster fighting system, nearly everything else that was present in Shenmue 1 and 2 feels less optimized and/or enjoyable than it did in those older games. The QTE events, while less frequent than in Shenmue II are far less forgiving and at times even felt unresponsive. There are no licensed Sega arcade games in Shenmue III (there are plenty of reminders of them via posters throughout the game though, and instead incredible dull original games that you're better off not even playing. Aside from Shenmue characters, there are no licensed Sega capsule toy figures or collectibles, which completely destroys any incentive to buy them. Even lucky hit isn't nearly as good since the ball now feels more like a super ball rather than a metal ball with actual weight, making the physics super wonky. As for the original gameplay additions of Shenmue III, most are fine, but do very little to make the game's gameplay more engaging or enjoyable. In summary, there is nothing egregiously wrong or broken with Shenmue III's gameplay; most of it works fine and some of it can be fun at times, however it's all a noticeable downgrade compared to the two older games in nearly every way.


One final aspect of Shenmue III's gameplay that I wanted to mention is its pacing. Shenmue games in general are not known for their rapid fire action and exciting plot drops; they are mostly slow, explorative games, which for some makes them amazing, while others hate them for it. I definitely lean hard into the former group, however there are a few parts of Shenmue III that even tested my patience. There are two parts specifically, one that occurs in Bailu Village and the other in Naiwu that had my eyes glazing over or were just downright annoying. Luckily the rest of the game is more in line with the pacing of the older Shenmue titles, but Shenmue III does hold the distinction of having a few of the most horribly paced sections in the entire franchise so far.


This leads me into Shenmue III's story, which I feel could have been better in terms of pushing the narrative of the saga forward. I think the game wasted far too much time in Bailu Village, which I get was partially done to build up Ryo and Shenhua's relationship, however by the time you reach Naiwu, you're practically strangers and barely interact. Bailu Village should have been a quarter of the game, tops, meanwhile Naiwu could have been 40-50%, and then presumably the beginning of Shenmue IV (assuming that ever happens) should have been the last 25% to third of the game. This all lends itself to the criticism that Shenmue III didn't do enough to push the plot and story forward, which is something I now mostly agree with. On top of that, I feel like the ending of this game was rushed and also gave the player something they'd wanted for a very long time, but did it in a way that actually felt a bit jarring and forced. I don't want to spoil what I'm referring to specifically, but it honestly came across as more fan service than the game's writers actually trying to write a well done story. Shenmue III's story is fine for what it is, and even good at times, but there were some inconsistencies, strange retconning of past events, and other things that just either left me confused or dissatisfied.


Shenmue III's presentation, which has been a hot button of contention, is actually something I have the least amount of issue with in this game. I feel like the visuals are a very good modern approximation of Shenmue 1 and 2's visuals and presentation. Given, Shenmue is no longe the graphical powerhouse it was in the late 90s and early 2000s, but I would hope YsNet would try and make Shenmue III look like GTAV or The Last of Us. I think the visuals definitely capture the unique quirkiness present in the Dreamcast games, but rendered in the Unreal Engine with modern flare. I think Shenmue III would have avoided a lot of criticism if they'd tried to make Shenmue III look just like the Dreamcast games, but I also get why they didn't and to an extent probably couldn't. This game does have some ugly, cheap looking textures and some of the shading and character animations do leave some to be desired, but overall I think Shenmue III's visuals are great for the most part.


Finally, Shenmue III's audio is also top notch and does the series justice. While some of the original tracks made for Shenmue III don't hit as hard as those found in the first two games, they're still excellent and go along perfectly with the setting and atmosphere of the game. There are also many arranged and throwback tracks from Shenmue and Shenmue II present in III which is also a very good thing. The voice acting, while often stiff and awkward is still distinctly Shenmue and absolutely fit where in many other games it would have been jarring or just straight up bad. I'm not going to say Shenmue 3's audio is incredible, but rather it fits perfectly given the precedent set in the first two games. Cory Marshal and a few other voice actors from the first two games do reprise their roles, however there are a few main characters that sound noticeably and often jarringly different than they did in the older games. This was somewhat annoying, but only a small blemish to the game's overall audio presentation.


Your mileage with Shenmue III will greatly depend on how much of a fan you were of the first two games and also how much of a fan you still are of the Shenmue saga in 2025. For me, playing through all three games still proved that I adore them and they will likely always remain my favorite games of all time, even if the story is never finished. However, even as a diehard modern Shenmue fan, I can no longer call Shenmue III a nearly flawless 48/50 game. My personal enjoyment of 3 definitely does bolster my new score quite a bit, but it's hard for me to say the gameplay is anything better than pretty good overall, mostly due to the crazy amount of things you can do in the game. And while I do mostly stand by my assertion about the presentation and audio being nearly perfect for these games, I now acknowledge they do fall short of that, if for nothing else than there lack of modern appeal. With all that said, however, I cannot in good faith call Shenmue III a top 10 game for me any longer. I still enjoy it wy more than probably 95% of the games I play, but it no longer sits in the upper echelon of games I've ever played. Shenmue III is absolutely worth playing and enjoying if you loved Shenmue and Shenmue II, but for anything else, this game is difficult to recommend. It's because of this that I worry if Shenmue IV will ever happen, but even if it doesn't, we're still left with three mostly excellent games chronicling Ryo's quest for revenge, kung fu, and capsule toys. (3/24/25) [42/50]

bikingjahuty:
35. Thunder Force IV (Genesis)

I have mixed feelings about a lot of SHMUPs released before the mid-90s, mostly of the negative variety. While there are various titles from this time period I really enjoy, I'd say two thirds of them make me wish I was playing something from the later half of the 90s or newer within 10 minutes or so. However, one older retro SHMUP that I definitely don't feel this way about, and in fact I think is better than most SHMUPs released even decades after it is Thunder Force IV (aka Lightening Force).


From a presentation standpoint, Thunder Force IV may be top of class. There are very few SHMUPs from its era that look as good in terms of stage design, boss and enemy design, ship design and special effects, and just about everything else you can feast your eyeballs on. Thunder Force IV is absolutely gorgeous and a true labor of love from the criminally overrated Technosoft. Seriously though, this game has some of the coolest SHMUP bosses of the 90s, which are just as much fun to blast apart as you get closer and closer to defeating them.


The audio of Thunder Force IV rivals its visual presentation as this games best attribute. Seriously, this game's OST is almost up there with Genesis/MD legends like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in terms of how freakin good it is. It's only barely shy of perfection with its amazing gritty guitar and rock inspired rifts that sound incredible coming from the Genesis' sound chip. Simply put, Thunder Force IV's is one of the best soundtracks on the Genesis, period. The sound effects, woman's voice when you pick up power ups, and all other sounds are excellent as well.


Finally, while not as remarkable as its more superficial qualities, Thunder Force IV's gameplay is exceptional for an early 90s SHMUP. There are no stupid arbitrary stage checkpoints you have to return to when you die, the game is fairly generous about balancing enemies and projectiles with your ships default weapons, and going along with that, if the game power up maroons you, you aren't completely SOL. There are generous power up pickups throughout each level and certainly enough to carry you to the boss. Thunder Force IV shows a surprising amount of balancing in terms of shot patterns, enemy projectiles, and enemy volume. The bosses in this game also subtly advertise their attacks, reminding slightly of something like the Souls games. Unfortunately a few of the bosses still have some very cheap attacks or not having specific power ups when you reach them can make the significantly harder, which means you're likely going to need  a continue or two...or three before you'll finally beat them. Luckily like many of the other Thunder Force games, you are allowed to scroll between weapons, giving you the tools to deal with most situations and bosses throughout this entry. Unfortunately, if you lose your ship while using a power up weapon, you also lose it, which sucks, but I suppose is fair.


Thunder Force IV is not just one of the best, if not the best SHMUP on the Genesis, but possibly of all time as well. It seriously blows my mind this game came out years before STG greats like Mushihimesama Futari or Ikaruga since it's not that far off in terms of overall quality and how much I adore playing through this game every few years or so. (3/24/25) [39/50]

marvelvscapcom2:
16. Need For Speed 2015 [PS4] Finished - Mar 25th, 2025



I HATE THIS GAME

 :o :o :o :o :o

Oh NFS 2015. I could write poetry about you. A guteral WHY!!!  Honestly. All the good the game has to offer comes so hard and pricey. But all it's issues come cheaper than wholesale Tuna.  The game has a constant race. One race.  A race between it being a fun game and it being a broken dumpster fire.  And that distinction isnt always clear. And thats what tees me off the most about it.

always online

SERVER MAINTNENCE IN 30 MINUTES. SERVER MAINTENANCE. SERVER MAINTENANCE. SERVER MAINTENANCE. INCOMING CALL. INCOMING CALL FROM SPIKE.  HEY BROOO COME RUN THAT SAME RACE 270 MORE TIMES. NOBODY BELIEVED YOU THE FIRST 269 TIMES YOU RAN IT. BRRRRR BRRRR BRRRR PHONE CALL. BRRRR PHOHE CALL. BRRRRR. PHONE CALL. BRRRR. CALL FROM AMY.  YOOO WHATUP WHATUP. MONSTER ENERGY DRINKS AND ANGST DAWG. COME RACE THE SAME RACE. 270,000 MORE TIMES OR ELSE YOU'RE SQUARE

Please make it stop!!  Im being serious. The game at its surface had the potential to be one of the best need for speeds. It's pretty. Damn pretty.  But ask yourself. If your ex was the most gorgeous human to ever live. Like model pretty but abused you every day emotionally for your entire life? Would you stay?  If your answer is no.  Avoid need for speed 2015.   It is a gorgeous game. A pretty little dainty drop of water. An all america pro queen with perfect looks. That holds a butter knife to your throat while you sleep.  I asked myself the whole bloated run time. Does this games pros outweigh the cons?


The cons are Johnny Depp in pirates of the carribean. The pros are Orlando Bloom.  The cons are the meat of this game.

LIST OF CONS


1. Who in their right mind had the idea to make the game always online then simultaneously make it so other online players can ram you mid story? You gotta be joking. They make it so your career races merge with online players. Its a mess.

2. Vibrating phone calls interrupting you every 10 seconds. Im not exaggerating. Look it up. NFS 2015 phone.  Brrrr. Brrrr. Brrr.

3. You know the type of game that deliberately manipulates NPC to crash into you to add fake challenge to an otherwise easy game? A cab will stop in your drift line to sabotage you? Yup this game.

4. Imagine a racing game that forces you to only have 4 cars. Any more and you gotta put some in a warehouse like Austin Powers.

5. You buy a new Lambo. Thinking how fun itll be to customize. No visual parts. Only certain cars. Womp womp. What a waste.

6. Phone calls. Dont forget phone calls. If you don't like it in real life. Imagine your in laws dialing every time you win, lose or consider a race. At least 200 times in the game they call. You gotta hit L1 to answer. It doesnt automatically. They will KEEP CALLING. Trust me. Like the IRS.

7. Repetitive races. 10 hours too long.

8. Cops are not able to be crashed out of pursuits like every other NFS game ever. Just floating sherman tanks. Fun huh?

9. Servers are choppy. Crash. Game will be unplayble in the future. Probably for the best.

10. Terrible soundtrack of unlicensed grunts and techno.

11. No Ford GT

12. Slippery controls. Certain cars feel like you are driving on black ice

13. Film grain mandatory.  Devs in general seem to be obsessed with film grain. As if our eyes have perpetual fog on them. Like we want to play our games while looking through cheese cloth. It makes no sense.

14. Spike is an edgelord and makes you feel guilty for winning even though nothing comes of it.

15. No story. No plot. Just race legendary drift dude named Nagai Sahn from japan because mad peepz in the street will care. Super sideways fun.  Where is the villain? Who is my ally? What am I ever accomplishing.


The whole game is a big vape pen, buffalo wild wings and being vulgar to your own mother angsty red bull energy mess of a scenario. And boy do I wish their was less to hate. Because under it all. It rides great. Looks good. And was semi fun. Their was a smidge of something to love.


Rating - 67/100

bikingjahuty:
36. Road Rash 64 (N64)

Back in the day of video rental stores, there were a handful of games that I either rented by myself or with a friend on a Friday or Saturday night that ended up being way more fun and entertaining than I'd imagined. Keep in mind, this was during the 90s and early 2000s, before Youtube and easily being able to see reviews and gameplay of a game before buying or renting it. Probably the biggest and best rental surprise I ever had was Grand Theft Auto III, however one other title that provided a weekend of laughs and entertainment was Road Rash 64. Prior to renting Road Rash 64 I'd never played any of the previous entries, so other than it bing a combat racer, I didn't know what else to expect. Oh man, was I pleasantly surprised when my friend and I first popped this game into my N64!


Even 25-years later, I still think this game is a riot to play. As expected you and a bunch of other outlaw bikers compete for money in illegal races around an island while swerving around cars, avoiding getting taken throw off your bike by motorcycle police, and of course knocking the crap out of all the other racers as they attempt to do the same to you. This all sounds pretty damn fun in theory, and in practice it's also very fun. However, this isn't the only thing that makes Road Rash 64 more fun than it has any right being. The physics in this game are so bad, their amazing! Think something like Goat Simulator with motorcycles and late 90s, super blocky N64 polygon graphics. Essentially, this game is hilarious. I'm not even joking when I say I was laughing out loud often while playing this game, and at a few parts specifically I completely lost it to the point where I had to pause for a moment to collect myself. Watching a terrible looking 3D police car plow his car through 4 or 5 of your opponents as they fly stiffly in every direction, including 40 feet straight up into the air is absolute gold and never got old. The ability of Road Rash 64 not to tank when so much chaos and pandemonium is going on is truly impressive and what helps make this game so damn entertaining. Unfortunately the actually racing part of the game is nothing special and there is often zero regard to how well designed several tracks are, but you'll barely care as you're knocking people off their bikes, getting knocked off or hitting cars head on, or smacking cops with a night stick or taser.


While the physics are definitely part of this game's gameplay, they also help make the visuals of this game too. It's a good thing they contribute heavily to this game's appeal since otherwise Road Rash 64 is not a particularly attractive game, even for N64 standards. Stages are fairly boring, plain, and unremarkable in any way, and there is what looks like a thick haze in every stage, which is actually the limited draw distance of the N64 and the game attempting to maintain a smooth framerate. The bikers and their motorcycles themselves are recycled heavily and don't show off a great deal of detail beyond there being a dozen or so different character models.


Finally, the audio in Road Rash 64 is pretty good all around. The soundtrack is a mix of late 90s rock music, nothing you'll likely remember being played on MTV or the radio during the time, but certainly still sounding right out of the nu-metal and late 90s punk rock scene. You just better hope you like the music in Road Rash 64, since there are only 5 or 6 songs that will continuously play on repeat over and over again during menus and while playing. Sound effects are also good and definitely add to the entertainment and charm mentioned earlier.


I hesitate to call video games underrated, but it's hard for me not to describe Road Rash 64 as such. It is such a fun, hilarious game that is made even more so if you have some friends to play with. Even if some of this game's charm falls under the so bad it's good category, what matters in the end is you having a good time and I can't imagine many people not enjoying themselves while playing Road Rash 64. (3/25/25) [34/50]

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