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General and Gaming => General => Topic started by: bikingjahuty on December 25, 2019, 01:51:41 pm

Title: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 25, 2019, 01:51:41 pm
Another year, another 52 games to scratch off those backlogs! 2020 is going to be a big year for releases since not only are a lot of highly anticipated new games, but we're also getting two next gen consoles, the PS5 and the Project X. On top of that I'm sure we all have a mountain of older titles we'd like to finally play this year as well ;)


Let's all go for personal records this next year! Good luck everyone!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 25, 2019, 01:51:52 pm
I'm changing the format of reviews a little. In the past I've clustered as many reviews as I could into a single post until I met the character limit and had to create a new post. This year I'm going to list the games I beat here, along with the date I beat them, and the score I gave. Each review will get its own post with my detailed experience of playing that game, but I'll aggregate all the scores here.


As for the games I'll be playing, I'm going to try and play a lot more PC games, and as I mentioned in last year's thread, I'm going to try and play mostly newer games I've never played before. Only 1 in 4 games I plan on beating next year will be games I've already beat or at least have extensive play time with. The rest will be games I've never played or have barely any experience playing. I decided to do this as a response to me replaying a lot of games I've already beat in the past, which there's nothing wrong with, but I really want to try and lot of new stuff out this year.

1. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor (Wii) (1/3/20) [34/50]
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis) (1/4/20) [39/50]
3. Resident Evil 2 (PS4) (1/12/20) [40/50]
4. Mario Kart DS (DS) (1/15/20) [36/50]
5. Armored Warriors (PS4) (1/16/20) [31/50]
6. Final Fight (PS4) (1/17/20) [34/50]
7. Mega Man Legends (PS1) (1/28/20) Abandoned
8. Wipeout (Saturn) (1/28/20) [32/50]
9. Virtua Fighter 3tb (Dreamcast) (1/30/20) [31/50]
10. Daytona USA (Dreamcast) (1/30/20) [26/50]
11. Battle Garegga (PS4) (2/1/20) [44/50]
12. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (Dreamcast) (2/9/20) [33/50]
13. Gran Turismo 6 (PS3) (2/12/20) [28/50]
14. Knuckles Chaotix (32X) (2/21/20) [27/50]
15. Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled (PS4) (2/22/20) [39/50]
16. Gran Turismo Sport (PS4) (3/2/20) [38/50]
17. Goldeneye Reloaded (PS3) (3/11/20) [27/50]
18. Doom Eternal (PS4) (3/24/20) [41/50]
19. Gundam Wing: Endless Duel (SNES) (3/25/20) [34/50]
20. Command and Conquer (PC) (3/27/20) Abandoned
21. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1) (4/1/20) [40/50]
22. Mr. Driller (Dreamcast) (4/3/20) [30/50]
23. Sim City 3000 Unlimited (PC) (4/6/20) Abandoned
24. Mario Party (N64) (4/8/20) [25/50]
25. Panorama Cotton (Genesis) (4/12/20) [32/50]
26. Final Fantasy VII: Remake (PS4) (4/19/20) [42/50]
27. Street Fighter EX+ Alpha (PS1) (5/2/20) [26/50]
28. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4) (5/5/20) [29/50]
29. Truxton (Genesis) (5/10/20) [25/50]
30. Thunder Dragon 2 (Arcade) (5/16/20) [33/50]
31. Zero Gunner (Arcade) (5/29/20) [31/50]
32. Virtua Fighter 2 (Arcade) (5/29/20) [39/50]
33. Star Fox 64 (N64) (6/5/20) [41/50]
34. Sin and Punishment (N64) (6/15/20) [43/50]
35. The Last of Us: Remastered (PS4) (6/22/20) [43/50]
36. The Last of Us Part II (PS4) (6/25/20) Abandoned
37. Tail Concerto (PS1) (7/22/20) [28/50]
38. Outrun (Arcade) (8/4/20) [34/50]
39. Radiant Silvergun (Saturn) (8/17/20) [44/50]
40. Street Fighter X Tekken (PS3) (8/18/20) [31/50]
41. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PS3) (8/19/20) [36/50]
42. Marvel vs Capcom (Dreamcast) (8/20/20) [36/50]
43. Capcom vs SNK (Dreamcast) (8/20/20) [35/50]
44. King of Fighters 97: Global Match (PS4) (9/12/20) [35/50]
45. Super Mario 64 (Switch) (9/19/20) [45/50]
46. SNK Heroines (PS4) (9/27/20) [26/50]
47. Fighting EX Layer (PS4) (9/27/20) [24/50]
48. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Arcade) (10/12/20) [36/50]
49. Cruisn' World (Arcade) (10/18/20) [33/50]
50. Sturmwind (Dreamcast) (10/30/20) [36/50]
51. Psychic Assassin Taromaru (Saturn) (11/16/20) [38/50]
52. Cho Aniki: Kyuukyoku Muteki Ginga Saikyou Otoko (Saturn) (11/18/20) [27/50]
53. Eschatos (PC) (11/27/20) [26/50]
54. Akai Katana (360) (11/27/20) [37/50]
55. Radien IV (360) (11/27/20) [31/50]
56. Nights into Dreams + Christmas Nights (Saturn) (12/5/20) [41/50]
57. Jurassic World Evolution (PC) (12/9/20) [38/50]
58. Panzer Dragoon (Switch) (12/28/20) [35/50]
59. Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei (12/29/20) [33/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on December 25, 2019, 02:31:39 pm
Previous Years

2019 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,9921.msg162658.html#msg162658) - 45 beaten, 34 tried and discarded
2018 (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,8821.msg149025.html#msg149025) - 44 beaten, 41 tried and discarded
2017 (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,7980.msg147415.html#msg147415) - 37 beaten, 9 tried and discarded
2016 (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,6762.msg132260.html#msg132260) - 21 beaten

Games beaten

01] Dead or School (NSW)  |16 Jan| A cracking metroidvania which has kept me occupied since Christmas, finally started off the year.
02] Royal Envoy (PC)  |25 Jan| Very well put together time management game, kept me occupied during downtime over an extended period, nice.
03] Ratchet & Clank: Nexus (PS3)  |31 Jan| Not a bad R&C game at all, like the others from this generation it's a bit half-sized, but better than no R&C!
04] Warriors Orochi 4 (NSW)  |19 Feb| OK.
05] Mount & Blade: Warband (PS4)  |24 Feb| Yet another replay of one of my all-time favourites.
06] The Lost Child (NSW) |15 Mar| Turned from red to green, managed to beat the first boss then spent 50 hours playing through it, perfectly fine tile-based RPG game.
07] Earth Defence Force 5 (PS4)  |29 Mar| Beat campaign on normal difficulty with a ranger character. Brilliant game.
08] Blair Witch (PS4)  |1 Apr| A bit too walking-simulator for my liking, but still an atmospheric horror experience which I enjoyed.
09] Super Mario Odyssey (NSW)  |9 Apr| Superb.
10] Resident Evil 2 (PS4)  |24 Apr| Claire A scenario cleared, great to get back to this again, was originally in the hope of going onto the new Resi 3, but can't afford it :/
11] Moero Chronicle H (NSW)  |25 Apr| Didn't expect to beat this any time soon, that makes four in a month for once! Enjoyed playing it again.
12] Resident Evil 3 (PS4)  |2 May| Unexpectedly treated to this by my nephew, bless him! Thorougly enjoyed this, even more than 2, chuffed.
13] Garden Defence (PC)  |7 May| Bought all shop upgrades then beat the game on easy mode, next time it'll be hard mode.
14] Build-a-Lot 5: The Elizabethan Era (PC)  |19 May| Love Build-a-Lot, enjoyed this one as expected, makes a nice change from console games.
15] Build-a-Lot 6: On Vacation (PC)  |2 Jun| Liked this one even more, lots of good challenges.
16] Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (MD)  |6 Jun| Emulated, save states used, mad hard game.
17] Mickey Mouse: World of Illusion (MD)  |10 Jun| Emulated, save states used, the shark boss took a few goes, otherwise a pretty straight run.
18] Finding Teddy II (NSW)  |13 Jul| Had fun playing it despite the cryptic nature of some of the puzzles, but the ending was bugged - no end credits.. WTF?
19] Forager (NSW)  |17 Jul| Certainly addictive, but as it runs out of things to do the shine does wear off (inevitable), perfectly good game of this sort though.
20] Resident Evil 5 (PS4)  |25 Jul| NG++ replay, enjoyed it yet again, unexpectedly unlocked a massively OP weapon in the last level or two, be even more fun next time.
21] Rune Factory: Oceans (PS3)  |28 Jul| Liked the characters and the setting a lot, but combat's janky and so many areas of this game are poorly developed.
22] Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (PS2)  |29 Aug| Another PS2 game I've never beaten before but started multiple times in the past. Very tough in places but an excellent game.
23] Paper Mario: The Origami King (NSW)  |2 Sep| Beautiful game, had a lot of fun with it and the ending was a little emotive too, another great reason to own a Switch.
24] Harvest Moon: Mad Dash (NSW)  |6 Sep| One-trick pony match-3 game with knobs on, still quite enjoyable and nicely presented, happy.
25] The Count Lucanor (NSW)  |8 Sep| Unlike the broken PS4 version the Switch one saves properly, loved it!
26] Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (NSW)  |5 Oct| Standard Nintendo fare - IE colourful and brilliant.
27] Mount & Blade: Warband (PS4)  |12 Oct| Yet another replay of one of my all-time favourites.
28] Vaporum (NSW)  |21 Oct| Enjoyed it, pleased it got a physical version on Switch, shows promise for the next game in the series.
29] Shantae and the Seven Sirens (NSW)  |11 Nov| Very good, ended very abruptly though which took it down a peg :(
30] Rune Factory 4 Special (NSW)  |17 Nov| Special indeed, an infinitely better game than RF: Oceans, still loads of content to go through too.
31] Yoshi's Crafted World (NSW)  |22 Nov| Does exactly what you'd expect, nice tidy little game I enjoyed playing
32] Ancient Planet (STM)  |7 Dec| Playable and enjoyable but totally standard tower defence game.
33] Pikmin 3 Deluxe (NSW)  |24 Dec| Didn't realize the last boss was like 'right there'. Unexpected bonus beat for the year.

Games Tried/Disliked/Got Rid Of

01] Legion: The Legend of Excalibur (PS2) |3 Jan| Completely bog-standard early PS2 era stuff, no point playing things like this now.
02] Collection of Mana (NSW) |23 Jan| One happy trip down memory lane, one slightly disappointing detour and then a slog which I gave up on, done with this.
03] Shadow Man: 2econd Coming (PS2) |3 Feb| Awful, just awful. Managed about 3 or 4 minutes.
04] DNA: Dark Native Apostle (PS2) |8 Apr| Too much trial and error and not enough progress, became a chore.
05] The Outer Worlds (PS4) |8 Apr| Underdeveloped item/loot and levelling ultimately sapped my interest in it, not a bad game but not good enough for my limited time.
06] Happy Birthdays (NSW) |20 Apr| Struggling to even count this as a game, can't even begin to get my head around what the hook or purpose is, no thanks.
07] The Princess Guide (NSW) |27 Apr| Glorified flash game, very irritating presentation, clicky and fiddly menus along with button mashing, bah!
08] Mary Skelter 2: Nightmares (NSW) |18 May| Not a bad game, more complicated mechanics than other Compile Heart dungeon games but not as interesting, pity.
09] Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory (NSW) |24 May| Another glorified flash game, character portraits and menus, characters look like mediocre fan-manga.
10] Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl - Gold (NSW) |24 May| Not a bad game, but perhaps a little too built for multiplayer for my liking.
11] Dusk Diver (NSW) |31 May| Low-rent action game with the worst Japanese translation I've seen since "all your base", boring.
12] Seven Samurai 200XX (PS2) |3 Jun| Again, not a bad or broken game, just utterly boring and basic, nothing to keep your attention.
13] Dead Eye Jim (PS2) |3 Jun| Inoffensive but utterly basic, nothing I'd play again.
14] Rune Factory: Oceans (PS3)  |29 Jul| Weird one, green and red! Hated the way the post-game content is structured, very poor indeed, won't be playing this again.
15] Dragon Rage (PS2) |5 Aug| Oof, first-generation PS2 disaster, ugly as sin and controls like a tank, boring, do not want crap like this on my shelf.
16] Assault Suits Valken (PS2) |29 Aug| God no, just like the PS4 game I tried a few years ago, nasty controls, irritating as sin.
17] Dungeons of the Endless (NSW) |10 Sep| The mechanics just didn't connect with me on any level.
18] Rad Rodgers (NSW) |25 Sep| Basically sound, but a little glitchy in places which caused unfair deaths, found a level too large and confusing to be bothered with and stopped.
19] Medievil (PS4) |5 Nov| Didn't click at all, difficulty feels artificially boosted, not enough exploration and hardly any different sorts of loot to find.
20] Sphinx & the Cursed Mummy (NSW) |6 Dec| 3 minutes is all it took to see this wasn't for me, very dated.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on December 25, 2019, 03:43:52 pm
This will be my master list

Completed
1. Kirby Super Star[Switch NSO]
2. Dig Dug(PS4)
3. Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum
4.
5.
6.

Playing
Cuphead(Switch)


Plan to play
Ori and the Blind Forest(Switch)
SNES-Nintendo Switch Online
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War(PS4)
Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition(PS4)
Destroy All Humans 2(PS4)
Kingdom Come(PS4)
Horizon Zero Dawn: Frozen Wilds(PS4)
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness(GC)
Katamari Damacy Reroll(Switch)
Hollow Knight(Switch)
The Witcher 3(PS4)
Flower(PS4)
Hohokum(PS4)
ABZÛ(PS4)
Ghost of Tsushima(PS4)
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat(GameCube)
LotR: The Two Towers(GameCube)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 25, 2019, 05:21:05 pm
New Games Played in 2020:
1. Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Switch) 
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Warzone (PS4) 
3. Celeste (PC)
4. A Night in the Woods (PC)
5. Super Punch Out!! (SNESc)
6. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (PC)
7. Ticket to Ride (PC)
8. Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten (PS3)
9. The Last Blade 2 (PS4)
10. Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
 
New Games Finished in 2020: 
11. (1.) Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg174180.html#msg174180) - 1.19 
12. Tales of Berseria (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175051.html#msg175051) - 2.8
13. Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment (Wii U) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175478.html#msg175478) - 2.20
14. Red Dead Redemption II (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175893.html#msg175893) - 3.14
15. (5.) Broken Age (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176060.html#msg176060) - 3.21
16. Dark Souls: Remastered (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176385.html#msg176385) - 4.3
17. Shovel Knight: Showdown (Wii U) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176437.html#msg176437) - 4.6
18. Shovel Knight: King of Cards (Wii U) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176535.html#msg176535) - 4.10
19. Shenmue III (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176931.html#msg176931) - 4.26
20. (10.) Mega Man Zero (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg177005.html#msg177005) - 4.30
21. Journey (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg177025.html#msg177025) - 5.2
22. Psychonauts (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg177297.html#msg177297) - 5.7
23. Mega Man Zero 2 (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg177470.html#msg177470) - 5.13
24. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg177611.html#msg177611) - 5.16
25. (15.) Mega Man Zero 3 (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg177722.html#msg177722) - 5.19
26. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg177956.html#msg177956) - 5.27
27. Mega Man Zero 4 (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg178052.html#msg178052) - 5.30
28. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg178616.html#msg178616) - 6.13
29. Kirby's Dream Course (SNESc) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg178892.html#msg178892) - 6.16
30. (20.) Salt and Sanctuary (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg179026.html#msg179026) - 6.21
31. Wattam (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg179501.html#msg179501) - 7.6
32. 2064: Read Only Memories (PC) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg179693.html#msg179693) - 7.10
33. Pikmin (GC) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg179714.html#msg179714) - 7.11
34. Pikmin 2 (GC) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg180016.html#msg180016) - 7.17
35. (25.) Marvel's Spider-Man (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg180680.html#msg180680) - 7.30
36. Milkmaid of the Milky Way (PC) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg181191.html#msg181191) - 8.6
37. Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg181897.html#msg181897) - 8.23
38. Final Fantasy IX (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg182080.html#msg182080) - 8.26
39. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg182229.html#msg182229) - 8.30
40. (30.) Star Fox 2 (SNESc) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg182292.html#msg182292) - 9.2
41. Bastion (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg182387.html#msg182387) - 9.6
42. Super Castlevania IV (SNESc) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg182440.html#msg182440) - 9.8
43. F-Zero (SNESc) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg182618.html#msg182618) - 9.12
44. Super Mario Kart (SNESc) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg183408.html#msg183408) - 10.4
45. (35.) Super Ghouls and Ghosts (SNESc) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg183711.html#msg183711) - 10.14
46. Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg184243.html#msg184243) - 10.30
47. Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg184580.html#msg184580)  - 11.12
48. Oxenfree (PC) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg184828.html#msg184828)  - 11.21
49. Midnight Club: Los Angeles (PS3) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg184977.html#msg184977)  - 11.28
50. (40.) The Yawgh (PC) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg185073.html#msg185073)  - 12.2
51. God of War (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg185199.html#msg185199)  - 12.6
52. Shantae and the Seven Sirens (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg185480.html#msg185480) - 12.13
53. Kirby Superstar (SNESc) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg185658.html#msg185658) - 12.19
 
Games Replayed in 2020:
54. Mega Man ZX (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175913.html#msg175913) - 3.15 
55. (45.) Mega Man ZX: Advent (PS4) (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg179300.html#msg179300) - 6.28   

End of Year Stats (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg185786.html#msg185786)
 
Previous Lists
2015 List (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,5879.msg104675.html#msg104675) - 27 finished, + 10 played but not finished
2016 List (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,6762.msg105642.html#msg105642) - 32 finished, + 16 played but not finished
2017 List (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,7980.msg132293.html#msg132293) - 26 finished, + 13 played but not finished
2018 List (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,8821.msg149017.html#msg149017) - 23 finished, + 6 played but not finished
2019 List (http://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,9921.msg162665.html#msg162665) - 20 finished, + 9 played but not finished
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on December 25, 2019, 05:27:28 pm
I just barely managed to hit 52 last year, and a lot of that was from occasionally taking a weekend a playing older NES or SNES games and beating 2-3 of them.  Going to try and be a bit more consistent this year, and like last year, try to play more PC games.

1. Watch Dogs (PS4) - Beat
2. Assassin’s Creed Origins (XB1) - Beat
3. Just Dance 2 (Wii) - Endless
4. Sonic Spinball (Switch) - Beat
5. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (XB1) - Beat
6. Gears of War 3 (XB1) - Beat
7. Gears of War 4 (XB1) - Beat
8. Bloodborne NG (PS4) - Beat
9. Rayman Legends (PS4) - Beat
10. My Name is Mayo (Vita) - Platinum
11. Persona 4 Golden (Vita) - Beat
12. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (XB1) - Beat
13. Dead Space 3 (XB1) - Beat
14. Doom (1993) (Switch) - Beat
15. Doom II (Switch) - Beat
16. Doom Eternal (PS4) - Beat
17. Watch Dogs 2 (PS4) - Beat
18. Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch) - Endless
19. Cities: Skylines (PC) - Endless
20. Sniper Elite 4 (PS4) - Beat
21. Sleeping Dogs (PC) - Beat
22. The Surge (PS4) - Beat
23. Virtual Boy Wario Land (VB) - Beat
24. Divinity: Original Sin (PC) - Beat
25. The Last of Us Part II (PS4) - Beat
26. New Super Luigi U (Wii U) - Beat
27. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (N2DS) - Beat
28. Injustice: Gods Among Us (PS4) - Beat
29. Borderlands 3 (XB1) - Beat
30. Sins of a Solar Empire (PC) - Endless
31. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (PS4) - Endless
32. Gears 5 (XB1) - Beat
33. Beat Saber (PSVR) - Beat
34. PC Building Simulator (PC) - Endless
35. Donkey Kong Country (Switch) - Beat
36. HuniePop (PC) - Endless
37. Super Mario Galaxy (Switch) - Beat
38. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (Switch) - Beat
39. Command & Conquer Remastered (GDI Campaign) (PC) - Beat
40. Katamari Damacy Reroll (Switch) - Beat
41. Forza Horizon 3: Hot Wheels (XB1) - Beat
42. Resident Evil Revelations (XB1) - Beat
43. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4) - Beat
44. Middle-Earth: Shadow of War (PS4) - Beat
45. Resident Evil 3 (XB1) - Beat
46. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 (Switch) - Beat
47. Golden Axed: A Cancelled Prototype (PC) - Beat
48. Project Highrise (PC) - Endless
49. Katana Zero (Switch) - Beat
50. Super Mario 35 (Switch) - Endless
51. Pillars of Eternity (PC) - Beat
52. The Order: 1886 (PS4) - Beat
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on December 25, 2019, 06:06:28 pm
Met my goal in 2016 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,6762.msg105641.html#msg105641), 2017 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,7980.msg132350.html#msg132350), 2018 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php?topic=8821.msg149004#msg149004), and 2019 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,9921.msg162655.html#msg162655) with 2016/2017 being 104 games and 2018/2019 being 52 games as the goals.  2015 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,5879.msg103895.html#msg103895) I tracked the info super late and I had another really busy year that year.  Last year was an effort to get back to playing more games, as 2018 was a really busy year, I managed to get up to 82 games beat, and a lot of those games weren't short games, so I'm really happy with how far I got.  This year, I'm just aiming for more better games and playing through whole franchises if I can manage.  Again, I'm not going to explicitly carry over titles from previous years just like last year.  If I start playing such a game again, I'll bring over the info, but I'm not going to clog up my post with that info.

Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

2020 52 Game Challenge

In a continued effort to keep track of my favorite games played each year.

Top Games played that released in 2020

Top Games played NOT released in 2020

Top Games played overall in 2020

Honorable Mention

Content posts
Games 1 - 24 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg173291.html#msg173291)
Games 25 - 38 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg174427.html#msg174427)
Games 39 - 56 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175106.html#msg175106)
Games 57 - 72 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175217.html#msg175217)
Games 73 - 100 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175819.html#msg175819)
Games 101 - 119 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176395.html#msg176395)
Games 120 - Current and Not in progress (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176400.html#msg176400)
Final Stats (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg185839.html#msg185839)


Gonna track my wife's progress too

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on December 25, 2019, 06:06:37 pm
Main List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg173290.html#msg173290)

Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

1. Death Stranding (PS4)
Having runthrough the entire mainline MGS series last year, I was pretty excited to hop into Death Stranding once I got my hands on it.  I was already aware to not go in expecting an MGS game.  The game seems a lot like a delivery simulator game crossed with survival horror.  I'm not largely familiar with survival horror in general to be honest, but I think it's a recurring trend to have the character powerless and as the game progresses the character gains the ability to defend themselves, so the trends seem to match up here.  I don't think they are doing anything necessarily new, but they are applying indie-esque concepts in a AAA landscape.  The game is very slow to start, and as usual with Kojima the story is just a hot mess that is tough to follow... but once you get into it, it's really good and you just want to continue.  I'm enjoying my time with the game, and I'll likely aim for the platinum on this game.  Really enjoyed this game a lot, it got better as you progressed, the only complaint I have is how inconvenient the fights are when you're trying to work on quests.  It's worse than random battles.  I've decided that since Sony killed the rewards program for earning trophies that I won't bother putting in the time for the platinum.  I might do it later if I really feel like playing Death Stranding, but I doubt it.
Rating: Recommended, but really only if you like exploration games and exposition... and you can tolerate a 10 hour tutorial.

2. SUPERHOT (X1)
I've been having problems justifying playing Xbox games when I only need to earn achievements every other week to maintain my Rewards streaks, but it seems now they have daily and weekly side goals that can earn me more rewards for playing, so maybe I'll start playing Xbox more.  It's sort of the only reason I started playing SUPERHOT.  Game seems to be exactly the same as it was when I played it during the KS beta, which is okay, but I was hoping they would've added content.
Rating: Recommended, it's like a puzzle/strategy shooter.

3. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age (NS)
I finally acquired this game for the Switch after abandoning and dumping my PS4 version.  Started it up pretty soon after getting it, and I'm just as far in this version as I got in the PS4 version.  Much further in the game and I'm making an effort to active accept battles so I can keep up LVL wise.  Doing really good with this game, I'm playing it instead of console games like Judgment which is a good sign for the game.  I've not really had to level grind but once early on because I was doing my skipping all battles things that I do when they let me.  Really feels like I'm towards end game, but I was reading some stuff about the casinos and it made it sound like I wasn't even halfway done.  Finished the game at level 50 I think, credits popped and did a little more to the point that I could tell what was going on.  Time travel to get the "perfect" ending, and honestly, I'm happy with the way things ended here, time travel to get a perfect ending always irks me, so I'm gonna stop here, maybe I'll come back and do it, but bringing people back belittles what everyone went through and fought for.
Rating: Recommended

4. Gris (NS)
Decided to play this because it's short and my wife started playing it and had to quit because she doesn't like platformer games.  I figured if I played through it I could help her out and she could finish it.  Took me an hour or so to beat the game... and I gotta say I don't get the hype for this game.  There is 0 story, the graphics/art are only good when they zoom in for cutscenes which is extremely rare, maybe twice in the whole game.  The music is absolutely necessary for the game to be even slightly enjoyable and even that isn't that great.  The gameplay mechanics are interesting, but nothing really new or noteworthy.  I just don't get it.
Rating: Hard Pass.

5. Pan-Pan (NS)
Decided to play this after Gris because it's been on my Switch for sometime.  It's not a terrible game, but it gives you 0 context so you're just wandering around trying to figure out what to do.  If you know what to do, it's a 30 minute game.  If you don't, maybe an hour if you use Youtube when you give up.  Otherwise, infinity I guess because no context.  I'm gonna have my wife play it because she's better at these types of games, so maybe I just suck.
Rating: Soft Pass.

6. Judgment (PS4)
I finally decided to start up this game, I think I kept putting it off because I wanted to make myself finish Fist of the North Star first, but fuck it, time to play Judgment.  This game started a little slow, but once the story picked up and you got through the first Chapter the game gets the full Yakuza experience.  I'm enjoying playing the game.  The combat feels different than the other Yakuza games, I can't tell if the enemies block more or if I'm just weaker because I'm not Kiryu or what, but it's irksome.  I really hope 7 does poorly and they make 8 and beyond Kiryu style, but with Kaito at the helm.  He feels like a nice replacement for Kiryu and I'd love to see more of him, he can fight like Kiryu, but he has his own personality.
Rating: Recommended.

7. Devil May Cry HD (X1)
Started up this game because my wife claimed that she wants to play through Judgment, so I left the PS4 free.  Started playing this fully expecting Bayonetta, but I can see how this is a predecessor.  I'm not a fan of mandatory limited continues in console gaming.  It's a remnant of arcade games and a time when games really couldn't contain much, so you had to pad for time somehow.  So I got about 4-5 levels in and I died running out of continues.  I made the decision that I don't care enough to try and play through the game flawlessly so I never use any continues as I just want to get through the franchise to the more recent entries, so I started over and unlocked auto easy mode so I can power through this game.  Rather quick to beat once Auto Easy is unlocked.  Overall not terrible game, honestly kind of feels like an episodic 3D metroid-vania type of thing.  Emphasis on the "like".  So far I don't see the love for this series.
Rating: Soft Pass.

8. Devil May Cry 2 HD (X1)
Started this one up immediately after finishing the first.  I've been consistently told to just skip this game.  Even after beating it I don't know why folks say to skip it other than the fact that the entire game feels like filler content, which could be the case.  Otherwise it seems to be a perfectly fine game, I did have to look up what to do in a lot of instances, but that may be more on me than the game itself.  So in this instance, I don't see the hatred for this entry.  I didn't really give the Lucia story a try as that felt like it would definitely be a spin off story and not relevant to the overall series in general.  I might go back to it at some point, but I'll definitely count it as a separate game, it even had its own disc in the original release.
Rating: Soft pass.

9. Wandersong (NS)
Decided to play this after Pan-Pan because I was thinking my wife would like it, but I should play it first so we don't have a Gris repeat.   ::) This game is an adventure game with some platforming elements, so maybe my wife will hate it.  The rhythm stuff is honestly kind of nonexistent.  It's super forgiving.  The platforming sections, which are like 1 per Act, can be pretty tough, but they set you up where you fall so just try again.  The game overall is a bit of a slog for me, I just didn't care about the characters enough to really listen to them, the music didn't feel meaningful in general when I wasn't playing on mute, and since I am playing on mute it's even less so.  I found almost all of the characters in the game absolutely annoying, but getting past Act Five, I've started to care about Miriam, she's the character I seem to identify with the most.  I also thought I was further away from the end at that point and was really considering abandoning the game, but then I read there are only Seven Acts, and I'm there at this point, so no reason not to finish, but I definitely don't see the love for this game.  The dialogue is a little West of Loathing, so it can be amusing at points, but that's about it's only saving grace... which just isn't enough.  Finished the game.  No closure with Audrey, so maybe a sequel?  The game didn't exactly over stay its welcome, but it wasn't really anything special.
Rating: Soft pass.

10. Cat Quest (NS)
Started playing this game because my wife kept pestering me to play it talking about how it's the best game ever.  I promised that I'd play it after finishing Wandersong.  Beat it within a day or so.  Game is super easy to just pick up and play.  Quests are easy to follow.  Combat is simple to use and simple to master.  Side quests are definitely a necessary part of beating the game, but they are quick and simple that it's hardly a hassle.  Complaints.  Viewing the map is a pain.  Seeing where and if there are quests is nigh impossible.  It's a small world, but a lot of quests have you literally running across the world from right to left, and then left to right, top to bottom, etc.  Minor annoyance, but no fast travel exists, I won't really hold that against it given the small size of the world and the relative quickness to the game, just wish you could run faster.  Overall I really enjoyed the game, it probably won't stay on my top 5 list, but it's there for now.
Rating: Soft Recommendation.  It's fun and it doesn't overstay its welcome.  Definitely going to buy the sequel.

11. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition HD (X1)
Started this up immediately after finishing DMC2.  This one was recommended at me as the best DMC game in the series.  I'm kind of hoping that's untrue as DMC4 and Reboot should have QoL improvements over a PS2 game and DMC5 should be even better.  I don't honestly expect a single game in this franchise to make it into my top 10, let alone top 5, for this year.  Having played through the majority of the game, I still don't see what's great about this franchise and this entry in particular.  Matter of fact, the dialogue has seemingly gone even further into the cringe-zone.  At this point it has to be on purpose.  There seems to be actual story to this game compared to the previous two entries.  Actually feels like it directly sets up the story for DMC4, but I could be wildly wrong.
Rating: Soft pass.

12. Bomb Chicken (NS)
Don't really know why I decided to play this.  I'm concerned this is going to be like most platformers where the first 10 levels or so are pretty easy and quick and then the difficulty curve spikes and the last 20 levels take forever and a half and several game overs.  Difficulty spiked, but not too hard, until the last 3-4 levels.  And then I spent an hour or so on the final boss of the game.  Gotta say, this game deserves no hype.  It's okay, but it's not that good and provides almost nothing other than a bomberman esque puzzle platformer.
Rating: Hard Pass.

13. Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition (X1)
Didn't really start this one up yet, installed it and started up the game, but literally haven't done a thing.  Started playing it over the weekend.  Wife's friend came over and saw I was playing it and said she wanted to watch me play it because DMC is one of her favorite series.  So I managed to burn through the majority of the game while she was over because I was able to play with minor interruptions.  Finished it up before my kid's nap Sunday afternoon.  Game is much better than previous entries due to QoL stuff and very much felt like Bayonetta, in so many ways.  The game provides no backstory or ICYMI stuff so it almost makes 1 and 3 necessary prerequisites (2 provides nothing to canon).
Rating:  Soft Recommendation.

14. DmC: Devil May Cry (X1)
Started this up while my kid was napping.  This being a 3rd party title, I expected it to be different.  Only Ninja Theory title I've played is Senua, so I have no expectations going into this.  The missions feel particularly long in this game, like way longer than previous entries, but the game overall has a similar run time.  Having played for a bit, while the game definitely has the structure of a DMC game, it doesn't really play like one.  It feels more like Alice: Madness Returns or WET.  It's got a heavy emphasis on puzzle platforming that previous entries just didn't have.  I told my wife my opinion and then she watched me play and she agreed heavily that it made her think of Alice: Madness Returns.  Overall, my favorite entry in the series for many reasons, but I think that might come down to personal preferences and not caring for DMC's general structure.
Rating: Soft Recommendation, but you might hate it if you're a hardcore DMC fan.

15. DmC: Devil May Cry - Vergil's Downfall (X1)
DLC is pretty much bundled as a standalone entry, so I treat it as such.  It's an interesting story as it would definitely link DmC to DmC2 if it existed.  Plays well, a little confusing as the characters do have different basic moves.  I believe Dante had Airhike by default, but you have to purchase it for Vergil.
Rating: Soft Pass.  If DmC 2 ever comes to fruition, Soft Recommendation.

16. Pipe Dreams 3D (PS1)
For some odd reason I decided to play a PS1 game, don't recall if it was wanting to play something in the game room in general or if it was specifically this title.  The stupid pipe connecting mini-games are a favorite of mine, my favorite being this simple flash game called HyperPipes.  Started it up and played it for a couple of days until I beat it.
Rating: Hard Pass.

17. Destruction Derby (PS1)
Finished Pipe Dreams and decided I'd play something else.  I was busy in some manner and didn't go look at my physical PS1 games and looked at my PS1 Classics on my PS3 and decided to play this.  I remember being really good at these games in my youth, but now I play them and I'm not very good, too aggressive.  I don't remember these games doing so much recoil damage for ramming people, but they do apparently.
Rating: Hard Pass.

18. Felony 11-79 (PS1)
I was trying to pick a new game to play after Destruction Derby, I had decided on going back to Tecmo's Deception, but apparently I was playing on PS1/PS2 not on my PS3 using BC, so my save data is on a PS1 memory card and I can't find my PS1/PS2 -> PS3 memory card adapter.  So I started looking at some games and read the back and was total enthralled.  Loaded it up, did three races... credits popped.  Super short game.  I get the gameplay is in its replay value and unlocking things, but wowie was it short.  Also, when I read about destruction I was thinking destructable environments a la Red Faction, so I was a little disappointed.
Rating: Hard Pass.

19. Incredible Crisis (PS1)
Think a quirky Japanese game that consists of Mario Party-esque mini games.  You have Incredible Crisis.  Overall funny and enjoyable, but the final minigame is straight up brutal.  You have to alternately press /\ and [], while also pressing left and right on the D-Pad to dodge attacks.  This lasts for like 3 minutes.  The story also never really explains why this one lady is consistently trying to murder your family.
Rating: Soft Pass.

20. Medal of Honor (360)
I was trying to pick a game to play and I really wanted to play something mindless while I was doing some configuring of my PS1 Classic, of which now that it's set up I might play a lot more PS1 games and I might even play some other stuff if I can get retroarch working correctly.  So I loaded this up and started playing it.  It's definitely up there tier wise with CoD and Battlefield for playability.  I don't know about story though, it might be, but I really don't recall the story of CoD or Battlefield.  It was a relatively enjoyable experience.
Rating: Soft Recommendation.

21. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (PS1)
Decided to pop this in after Medal of Honor while the PS1 classic was still configuring, this is like a 3 day process and required me to buy a new external hard drive (8TB).  Starting out this game was pretty tough because the FOV was so small for a stealth game and the enemies could see me while they were outside of my physical FOV, but as I progressed I learned how you are supposed to handle those things.  The controls are very frustrating at times as you and the enemy will be fighting and constantly missing each other, could really do with a lock on system.  Definitely not aged well IMO, but I'm gonna attempt to play through the rest of the Tenchu games this year to see how they've progressed.  It's possible that Aragami will be a true successor to Tenchu if these games don't live up to that one, because boy did I enjoy Aragami.
Rating: Soft Pass.

22. Conflict: Denied Ops (360)
Wanted to play another FPS game that wasn't available on X1BC, saw this was FPS and was like sure.  This is mostly because I want to play in my game room and not the living room where the modern consoles are.  The controls on this game take some getting used to.  It's one of those tactics FPS games where you guide and tell your partner what to do or they do nothing.  It's got some interesting mechanics that I enjoy, but the not using LT to zoom/aim is frustrating because I'll constantly press LT, fuck up my tactics, and still not zoom in.  The game also has no run button so I'll click the left stick to run and he'll crouch.  I'm getting more used to it and as I get used to it I enjoy the game more, but it sure has a learning curve.  The final level of this game is so damned brutal compared to the rest of the game it's kind of frustrating.
Rating: Hard Pass.

23. Doom 64 (X1)
Preordered Doom Eternal mostly just to get this freebie.  My order got delayed, but they still sent me the code for the game so I was pretty ecstatic to jump into it.  For a 20 year old game it has a disturbing amount of lag and framerate drops, especially on X1X.  Overall an enjoyable experience.  Enjoyed the experience so much that I went back and got all of the achievements for the game.  If it has a platinum trophy I might double dip because I enjoyed it that much... no such luck unsurprisingly.
Rating: Recommended.

24. Doom 64: The Lost Levels (X1)
This is a shorter separate campaign made available after beating the main campaign.  Overall enjoyable experience, I sort of wish they had done more levels as I really want to play more.  This campaign is exclusive to the remaster/rerelease here and it's in the same vain as post release expansions for other Doom games.  Well worth buying this game for and with an overall price point of $5 it's absolutely recommended.
Rating: Recommended.

Next List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg174427.html#msg174427)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: medisto on December 25, 2019, 07:44:52 pm
I didn't get to complete many games this year, the main reason being Pokémon Shield.

My now 8-year old niece is totally into everything Pokémon, and last year she had shown me Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu which I thought looked pretty good, but since I had never played a Pokémon game or watched the cartoons there was a lot of stuff (region lore, character backgrounds, etc.) I didn't really get. So, after playing a bit of Let's Go Pikachu with my niece and seeing her enthusiasm while she explained everything to me I decided to buy Sword for her and Shield for myself, and we've been playing since January and have been having a blast.

It's been the perfect Covid-lockdown game for me, and with the main game and both DLCs completed, a complete Living Pokédex (incl. every available Pokémon not in the dex), over 250 shiny Pokémon, and more than 1400 hours of playtime I can now say that this game has definitely been completed. GOTY for me, no contest.

My backlog is now bigger than ever, though, but I'll get around to digging into it eventually :)


GAMES COMPLETED IN 2020

1. Galaxy Invader 1000 (Handheld LSI game) - Reached max score of 1000 = Game Over.
2. Espgaluda II Black Label (360) - All game modes completed, the two novice modes 1CC'd on default settings.
3. Scramble (Switch) - 1CC on default settings.
4. Pacific Wings (Switch) - 1CC No Deaths on default settings first time ever playing the game = very poor shmup.
5. Time Pilot (360) - 1CC on default settings.
6. Pokémon Shield (Switch) - Complete story/Living Pokédex (incl. both DLCs) + all transfer/trade only pokémon.
7. Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (Switch) - Complete story + almost every side quest (incl. SoDS expansion).
8. Horizon Chase Turbo (Switch) - All races completed in 1st-3rd place, except the 109 races endurance championship; Game crashed during race 91 while I was leading the championship and I couldn't be bothered to start all over from scratch. The Switch port of this game has sloppy performance in general, but a crash hours into a championship of 109 full races that has to be completed in one sitting with no save option is just so incredibly bad, and unfortunately it ruined the whole experience for me.
9. Donkey Kong - NES (Switch) - Two casual playthroughs, made it to L4/Game A and L3/Game B.




GAMES ADDED TO COLLECTION IN 2020

1. Ultracore - Collector's Edition (Switch)
2. Smoke and Sacrifice (Switch)
3. Thimbleweed Park (PS4)
4. Kingdom: New Lands - Collector's Edition (Switch)
5. Gigantic Army (Switch)
6. Trüberbrook (Switch)
7. Romancing Saga 3 (Switch)
8. Thea: The Awakening (Switch)
9. Battle Princess Madelyn: Royal Edition (Switch)
10. Mercenaries Wings: The False Phoenix - Special Edition (Switch)
11. Terraria (Switch)
12. Kemco RPG Omnibus (Switch)
13. Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX - Collector's Edition (Switch)
14. River City Girls (Switch)
15. Blazing Chrome - VHS Edition (Switch)
16. Pawarumi - Limited Edition (PS4)
17. Anthem (PS4)
18. Planescape: Torment & Icewind Dale: Enhanced Editions (Switch)
19. Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition (Switch)
20. Rune Factory 4 Special - Archival Edition (Switch)
21. Psyvariar Delta (Switch)
22. Rockman Zero & ZX Double Hero Collection (Switch)
23. Vasara Collection - Collector's Edition (Switch)
24. Poi: Explorer Edition (Switch)
25. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)
26. Dragon Quest Builders (Switch)
27. La-Mulana 1 & 2 - Hidden Treasures Edition (Switch)
28. Trials of Mana (Switch)
29. WarGroove - Deluxe Edition (Switch)
30. Dead or School (Switch)
31. Bud Spencer & Terence Hill: Slaps and Beans - Old School Heroes Edition (Switch)
32. Stranger Things 3: The Game (Switch)
33. Blasphemous - Collector's Edition (Switch)
34. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - Collector's Set (Switch)
35. ADK Damashii (PS4)
36. Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (Switch)
37. Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Edition (Switch)
38. Dark Devotion - Devoted Bundle (Switch)
39. Minecraft (Switch)
40. PC Engine Core Grafx Mini Console
41. Gun Gun Pixies - Day One Edition (Switch)
42. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch)
43. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country (Switch)
44. Octopath Traveler (Switch)
45. Kemco RPG Selection Vol. 1 (Switch)
46. Gunlord X - Limited Edition (Switch)
47. Namcot Collection (Switch)
48. Moero Chronicle Hyper (Switch)
49. Mary Skelter 2 (Switch)
50. 2064: Read Only Memories (Integral) - Collector's Edition (Switch)
51. VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action - Collector's Edition (Switch)
52. Graceful Explosion Machine (Switch)
53. Horizon Chase Turbo (Switch)
54. Finding Teddy II - Definitive Edition (Switch)
55. Shmup Collection (Switch)
56. Darius Cozmic Collection: Arcade & Console - Collector's Edition (Switch)
57. Final Fantasy X (PS2)
58. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
59. Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Switch)
60. Lot of 73 PS2 games
61. Tetris 99 (Switch)
62. Lovecraft's Untold Stories - Collector's Edition (PS4)
63. Space Blaze (Switch)
64. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (DS)
65. Pokémon: Pearl Version (DS)
66. SteamWorld Collection (Switch)
67. Counter-Strike 1: Anthology (PC)
68. Nexomon: Extinction (Switch)
69. Golf Story (Switch)
70. Brave Dungeon Chronicle Pack (Switch)
71. Lock's Quest (PS4)
72. Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch)
73. Door Kickers: Action Squad - Crimefighter Edition (Switch)
74. Slot Machine with 118 Games and 3 Sound Levels (mini arcade console)
75. Key Ring with Digital Pet (LCD game)
76. Chroma Squad (Switch)
77. Freedom Finger (Switch)
78. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - Remastered (PS4)
79. Rainbow Brite: Journey to Rainbow Land (Coleco Tabletop Arcade)
80. Moero Crystal H - Limited Edition (Switch)
81. Murder By Numbers - Limited Edition (Switch)
82. Xeno Crisis - Collector's Edition (Switch)
83. Mothergunship (PS4)
84. Dragon Quest Builders 2 (PS4)
85. The Survivalists (Switch)
86. Ball - Club Nintendo Re-issue (Game & Watch)
87. Moon - Premium Edition (Switch)
88. Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the Necrodancer featuring The Legend of Zelda (Switch)
89. Wallachia: Reign of Dracula (Switch)
90. Darkwood (Switch)
91. Black Bird (Switch)
92. Shadowgate (Switch)
92. Mystik Belle (PS4)
93. Fate/EXTELLA LINK - Fleeting Glory Edition (Switch)
94. Stardew Valley - Collector's Edition (Switch)
95. Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)
96. Yes, Your Grace (Switch)
97. Dark Souls Trilogy (PS4)
98. Bayonetta & Vanquish - 10th Anniversary Bundle (PS4)
99. Minecraft Dungeons - Hero Edition (PS4)
100. The Sexy Brutale - Full House Edition (PS4)
101. Deponia (PS4)
102. Chaos on Deponia (PS4)
103. Goodbye Deponia (PS4)
104. Deponia Doomsday (PS4)
105. Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin - Divine Edition (Switch)
106. Waifu Uncovered (Switch)
107. Ikaruga - Hypergun Edition (Switch)
108. Morbid: The Seven Acolytes - Signature Edition (Switch)
109. Sisters Royale - I'm Being Harassed by 5 Sisters and it Sucks Edition (Switch)
110. Paper Mario: The Origami King (Switch)
111. Final Fantasy IX (Switch)
112. Little Town Hero - Big Idea Edition (Switch)
113. Sega Astro City Mini Console
114. Aleste Collection (Switch)
115. Kyogeki Quartet Fighters (Switch)
116. Elliot Quest (Switch)
117. Dungreed (Switch)
118. Ittle Dew (Switch)
119. CrossCode - Collector's Edition (Switch)
120. Aleste Collection - Game Gear Micro Include Edition (Switch)
121. Entertainment System Mini Game Anniversary Edition Console
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on December 25, 2019, 07:48:13 pm
-------------------------
GREEN - BEATEN - The games story or core experience has been finished.
BLUE - PLAYING - In the process of playing the game.
BLACK - ENDLESS/MULTIPLAYER - Games with no clear ending or purely for online multiplayer.
RED - DROPPED - Either hated the game, lost interest, or just never returned to finish.
-------------------------

1 - World War Z (PC 2019) - DROPPED
2 - Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (PC 2017) - BEAT
3 - Hellbalde: Senua's Sacrifice (PC 2017) - BEAT
4 - Pokemon Sword (Switch 2019) - BEAT
5 - Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (PS4 2020) - BEAT
6 - Metro Exodus DLC (PC 2020) - BEAT
7 - Nioh 2 (PS4 2020) - DROPPED
8 - Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (PC 2018) - DROPPED
9 - Jurassic World: Evolution (PC 2018) - DROPPED
10 - Doom: Eternal (PC 2020) - BEAT
11 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch 2020) - BEAT
12 - Resident Evil 3 (PC 2020) - BEAT
13 - Ori and the Will of the Wisps (PC 2020) - BEAT
14 - Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS4 2020) - BEAT
15 - Fallout 76 (PC 2018) - BEAT
16 - Predator: Hunting Grounds (PC 2020) - ENDLESS
17 - Maneater (PC 2020) - BEAT
18 - Helltaker (PC 2020) - BEAT
19 - Terraria (PC 2011) - BEAT
20 - Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn Remastered (PC 2020) - BEAT
21 - The Last of Us: Remastered (PS4 2014) - BEAT
22 - Command & Conquer: Red Alert Remastered (PC 2020) - DROPPED
23 - Green Hell (PC 2018) - BEAT
24 - The Last of Us: Part 2 (PS4 2020) - BEAT
25 - Earth Defense Force 5 (PC 2019) - DROPPED
26 - Ghost of Tsushima (PS4 2020) - BEAT
27 - Battletoads (PC 2020) - BEAT
28 - Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 (Switch 2020) - PLAYING
29 - Fortnite (PC 2017) - ENDLESS
30 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 (PS4 2020) - BEAT
31 - Marvel Avengers (PS4 2020) - BEAT
32 - Watchdogs 2 (PC 2016) - BEAT
33 - Hades (PC 2020) - BEAT
34 - Shock Troopers (Arcade 1997) - BEAT
35 - Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad (Arcade 1998) - BEAT
36 - Carrion (PC 2020) - BEAT
37 - Streets of Rage 4 (PC 2020) - BEAT
38 - Genshin Impact (PC 2020) - ENDLESS
39 - The Surge 2 (PC 2019) - BEAT
40 - Darksiders Genesis (PC 2019) - DROPPED
41 - Control (PC 2019) - BEAT
42 - Alien: Isolation (PC 2014) - BEAT
43 - Wolfenstein: Youngblood (PC 2019) - BEAT
44 - Astro's Playroom (PS5 2020) - BEAT
45 - Demon's Souls (PS5 2020) - BEAT
46 - Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5 2020) - BEAT
47 - Rust (PC 2013) - ENDLESS
48 - Dark Souls: Remastered (PS4 2018) - BEAT
49 - Spider-Man: Remastered (PS5 2020) - PLAYING
50 - Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin (PS4 2015) - BEAT
51 - Cyberpunk 2077 (PC 2020) - PLAYING
52 - Override 2 (PS5 2020) - PLAYING
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 25, 2019, 07:56:19 pm
Quote from: telly on December 25, 2019, 05:21:05 pm
Reserved :)

But it's not even the 31st yet  ;)


eh, I got bored before some Christmas plans I had today and started thinking how excited I am to tackle this challenge for next year, so I created the thread a week early :)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: droaa on December 25, 2019, 09:49:00 pm
January
1. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu(Switch)-1/2/20-7.5/10
2. Street Fighter: The Movie(Saturn)-1/3/20-4/10
3. Bullet Witch(Xbox 360)-1/4/20-6.5/10
4. Katamari Damacy REROLL(Switch)-1/6/20-8.5/10
5. Virtua Fighter Remix(Saturn)-1/10/20-4/10
6. Bioshock Infinite(PS4)-1/14/20-9/10(Burial At Sea-1/15/20, Burial At Sea Episode 2-1/20/20)
7. Virtua Cop(Saturn)-1/22/20-7/10

March
8. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order(Switch)-3/18/20-7.5/10
9. Doki Doki Literature Club(PC)-3/20/20-9/10
10. Contra: Shattered Soldiers(PS2)-3/26/20-7/10
11. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II(Xbox 360)-3/27/20-6/10
12. The Matrix: Path of Neo(Xbox)-3/29/20-7.5/10

April
13. Captain America: Super Soldier(Xbox 360)-4/1/20-7/10
14. Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo(PS2)-4/6/10-6.5/10
15. Beyblade: Let it Rip!(PS1)-4/6-6.5/10
16. Kingdom Hearts III(PS4)-4/24-7/10
17. Resident Evil 3(PS4)-4/26/20-8/10
18. Capcom vs. SNK(DC)-4/26/20-7/10
19. 198X(PC)-4/26/20-8/10

June
20. Call of Juarez: The Cartel(PC)-6/1/20-6/10
21. Dark Souls Remastered(PS4)-6/16/20-9/10

July
22. The Last of Us Part II(PS4)-7/19/20-7/10
23. Silent Hill: Homecoming(PS3)-7/22/20-5/10
24. Mafia II(PC)-7/27/20-8/10

August
25. Mortal Kombat 11: Afternath(PS4)-8/4/20-8/10
26. Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes(Switch)-8/7/20-7/10
27. Metal Slug(PC)-8/8/20-8/10
28. Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash(Wii U)-8/9/20-5/10
29. The King of Fighters: Orochi Saga(PS4)-8/20/20-9/10

September
30. The King of Fighters 2001(PS2)-9/14/20-7/10
31. The King of Fighters 2002(PS2)-9/15/20-9/10
32. The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match(PS2)-9/16/20-9.5/10
33. The King of Fighters 2003(PS2)-9/17/20-9/10
34. The King of Fighters: Neowave(PS2)-9/20/20-7/10

October
35. Homefront(PC)-10/11/20-5/10

December
36. Mafia(PC)-12/25/20-7/10
37. Astro's Playroom(PS5)-12/31/20-8/10
 
Replayed
1. Resident Evil 3: Nemeis(PC)-4/4/20-9/10
2. The King of Fighters 1999(PS1)-9/9/20-8/10
3. The King of Fighters 2000(PS4)-9/12/20-8/10
4. The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact Maniax(Xbox)-9/21/20-5/10
5. The King of Fighters 2006(PS2)-9/21/20-8/10
6. The King of Fighters XI(PS2)-9/23/20-10/10
7. The King of Fighters XII(PS3)-9/23/20-5/10
8. The King of Fighters XIII(PC)-9/23/20-10/10
9. The King of Fighters XIV(PS4)-9/25/20-7/10

Now Playing
Ghost of Tsushima-PS4
Super Mario 3D World-WiiU
Yugioh: Legacy of the Duelist-Link Evolution-Switch
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2-PS4
Army of TWO: The 40th Day

Replay List
Bujingai: The Forsaken City


Nope List(Games abandoned)



Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: indenton on December 26, 2019, 11:18:40 am
Plan on beating in 2020
Games beat in 2020
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: aliensstudios on December 26, 2019, 12:13:09 pm
Currently playing:
● Rats (GBC)
● The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
● Super Smash T.V. (SNES)

Completed:
● Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis) 7/11/20 | ★★★★★
● Streets of Rage (Genesis) 7/11/20 | ★★★★★ - First game beat in new house
● Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (SNES) 3/21/20 | ★★★★★ - Played co-operatively with Joe
● Kirby's Dream Land 2 (Game Boy) 2/29/20 | ★★★★★
● Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Switch) 2/27/20 | ★★★★★
● Kirby's Dream Land Advance (PC) 2/24/20 | ★★★★★
● Kirby's Dream Land (Game Boy) 2/21/20 | ★★★★★
● The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Switch) 2/15/20 | ★★★★★
● FC Genjin (NES) 2/14/20 | ★★★★★
● Bonk's Adventure (PC Engine) 2/9/20 | ★★★★★
● Castlevania: Bloodlines (Genesis) 1/25/20 | ★★★★★ - Played on Sega Genesis Mini
● Castlevania: Dracula X (SNES) 1/24/20 | ★★★★★ - Played on Wii U Virtual Console
● Super Castlevania IV (SNES) 1/19/20 | ★★★★★
● Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PC Engine) 1/14/20 | ★★★★★ - Played on PlayStation 4
● Castlevania (NES) 1/5/20 | ★★★★★

Plan on Playing:
● The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
● Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
● Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
● Castlevania III
● Pepsiman
● Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on December 26, 2019, 12:13:57 pm
Reserved as well. This year I'm not going for 52, instead I'm just going for all the long ass games I missed out on cause I was trying to get 52 in 2019 lol. Persona 5 here I come!

Also since I'm not going for the full 52, I figured I'd start a list of games I want to finish this year.

Games I plan on beating in 2020:
God of War 2
God of War 3
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
The Witcher 3
Persona 5
Dragon Quest XI
Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 3
Horizon Zero Dawn
Death Stranding
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Luigi's Mansion 3


2020 Game Beat List:
1. God of War 2 (PS2) - 1/5
2. Pokemon Sword (Switch) - 1/8
3. God of War 3 Remastered (PS4) - 1/17
4. Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon (3DS) - 2/1
5. God of War (PS4) - 2/3
6. Mortal Kombat (Genesis) - 2/9
7. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PS4) - 2/13
8. Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch) - 2/27
9. Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast) - 3/8
10. Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast) - 3/22
11. Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4) - 3/29
12. Undertale (Switch) - 4/2
13. Abzu (PS4) - 4/4
14. Sayonara Wild Hearts (Switch) - 4/10
15. Journey (PS4) - 4/11
16. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) - 5/3
17. Dragon's Lair (Switch) - 5/15
18. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) - 5/23
19. Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core (PSP) - 6/2
20. The Last of Us Remastered/Left Behind (PS4) - 6/5
21. The Last of Us Part II (PS4) - 6/30
22. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition (Switch) - 10/11
23. Astro's Playroom (PS5) - 12/28


Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Limeface on December 31, 2019, 01:40:49 am
Here we go again! ;D
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: vivigamer on December 31, 2019, 05:01:29 am
I don't think I'll reach the big 52 but I still like to keep track of what I beat :)

Currently Playing:
Death Stranding (PS4)
Borderlands 1 GotY (PS4)
Sniper Elite (PS4)

Intend to beat list:
Yakuza 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (PS4)
Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)
Resident Evil 3 Remake (PS4)
Trials of Mana Remake (ps4)
Persona 5 Royal (PS4)
Infinite Indiscovery (360)
Ni No Kuni Remastered (PS4)
End of Eternity 4K (PS4)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: chrismb on January 01, 2020, 04:12:23 am
2017 : https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,7980.msg149108.html#msg149108
2018 : https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,8821.msg160906.html#msg160906
2019 : https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,9921.msg162691.html#msg162691

Doing this again!

1. FIFA 19 [Xbox One]
2. Hitman: Bonus Episodes [Xbox One]
3. NBA 2K20 [Xbox One]
4. Madden NFL 20 [Xbox One]
5. Hitman: Patient Zero [Xbox One]
6. Control [Playstation 4]
7. Hitman 2: Expansion Pass [Playstation 4]
8. NBA 2K15 [Xbox One]
9. NBA Live 19 [Xbox One]
10. NBA 2K6 [Xbox 360]
11. NBA Live 06 [Xbox 360]
12. FIFA 20 [Xbox One]
13. NBA 2K7 [Xbox 360]
14. MLB: The Show 2019 [Playstation 4]
15. Shenmue III [Playstation 4]
16. Red Dead Redemption 2 [Xbox One]
17. Death Stranding [Playstation 4]
18. Afterparty [Xbox One]
19. I Am Alive [Xbox 360]
20. Max Payne [Playstation 2]
21. Bitlife [Android]
22. Mafia [PC]
23. The Sims 4 [PC]
24. State of Mind [Switch]
25. Ma Bimbo [PC]
26. Amour Sucrée [PC]
27. Eldarya [PC]
28. Max Payne 3 [Xbox 360]
29. Manhunt [Playstation 2]
30. Mafia 2 [Playstation 3]
31. State of Emergency [Playstation 2]
32. Mafia 2: Jimmy's Betrayal [Xbox One]
33. Mafia 2: Jimmy's Vendetta [Xbox One]
34. Manhunt 2 [Wii]
35. State of Emergency 2 [Playstation 2]
36. Mafia 2: Joe's Adventures [Xbox One]
37. Devil May Cry HD [Xbox One]
38. Resident Evil [Playstation 1]
39. NBA 2K21 [Playstation 4]
40. EA UFC 4 [Xbox One]
41. The Last of us Part II [Playstation 4]
42. Resident Evil: Director's Cut [Playstation 1]
43. NBA 2K20 [Playstation 4]
44. Devil May Cry 2 HD [Xbox One]
45. The Sims [PC]
46. The Sims 2 [PC]
47. The Sims 3 [PC]
48. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 [Playstation 4]
49. NBA 2K19 [Xbox One]
50. NBA 2k21 [Xbox One]
51. NBA 2k21 [Xbox Series X/S]
52. Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition HD [Xbox One]
53. Resident Evil 2: DualShock Ver. [Playstation 1]
54. Devil May Cry 4 [Xbox 360]
55. Madden NFL 21 [Xbox Series X/S]
56. NHL 21 [Xbox One]
57. FIFA 21 [Xbox Series X/S]
58. WWE 2K20 [Xbox One]
59. Rugby 20 [Playstation 4]
60. AFL Evolution 2 [Playstation 4]
61. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis [Playstation 1]
62. The Sims Mobile [Android]
63. Love Sick [Android]
64. Frontier Justice [Android]
65. NHL 19 [Xbox One]
66. AO International Tennis [Playstation 4]
67. Pro Yakyū Spirits 2019 [Playstation 4]



Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shatterstar69 on January 01, 2020, 06:54:58 pm
Only hit 21 games last year but it was my first try at this.  Going to give it another go!

2020
Games Completed:
Actual Sunlight
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed Revelations
Back to the Future: The Game
Black the Fall
Call of Duty Black Ops
CoD: Black Ops 2
Dark Pictures Anthology: The Man of Medan
Day of the Tentacle Remastered
Doom (2016)
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark
FF VIII
FF IX
Fractured Minds
Full Throttle Remastered
Gears of War Remastered
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 3
Gears of War Judgement
Gears of War 4
Gone Home
Goosebumps the Game
Guardians of the Galaxy
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Horizon Chase Turbo
Infamous 2
Infamous First Light
Infamous Second Son
The Last of Us 2
Life is Strange 2
Limbo
Little Nightmares
Nex Machina
Night Call
Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 3 (2019)
Resident Evil 4 (PS4)
Soma
Strike Vector EX
Submerged
Titanfall 2
Until Dawn
Untitled Goose Game
Walking Dead Season 1
Walking Dead Season 2
Walking Dead New Frontier
What Remains of Edith Finch
The Wolf Among Us
Zombie Army 4: Dead War

Total 51
Games In Progress:
Call of Duty Black Ops 3

Only one to go I think I'm going to make it!!

*updated 12/26/20
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kevininja on January 03, 2020, 05:56:30 am
JANUARY:

1. A Case of Distrust (Steam) | January 1st - 2.3 hours | ★★★☆☆
2. Viscera Cleanup Detail: Santa's Rampage (Steam) | January 3rd - 3.1 hours | ★★★☆☆
3. Paratopic (Steam) | January 6th - 0.6 hours | ★★☆☆☆
4. Door Kickers: Action Squad (Steam) | January 13th - 13.2 hours | ★★★★☆
5. RUINER (PSN) | January 15th - N/A | ★★★★☆
6. Extreme Exorcism (PSN) | January 17th - N/A | ★★☆☆☆
7. Ratchet & Clank (PS4) | January 20th - N/A | ★★★☆☆
8. House of 1,000 Doors: Evil Inside (Steam) | January 20th - 6.0 hours | ★★☆☆☆
9. One Strike (Switch Download) | January 20th - N/A | ★★★☆☆
10. Star Fetchers: Pilot (Steam) | January 21st - 0.8 hours | ★★★★☆
11. ZOMBI (Uplay) | January 24th - 8.0 hours | ★★★★☆
12. Driver: San Francisco (Uplay) | January 31st - N/A | ★★★★☆

FEBRUARY:

13. Gish (Steam) | February 2nd - 2.7 hours | ★★★☆☆
14. Agent A: A puzzle in disguise (Steam) | February 4th - 3.5 hours | ★★★☆☆
15. Super Fatty Office Administrator Simulator | February 8th - N/A | ★★★★☆
16. Ben There, Dan That! (Steam) | February 15th - 1.2 hours | ★★★☆☆
17. Mission: It's Complicated (Steam) | February 15th - 6.0 hours | ★★★★☆
18. Karlson 2D (itch.io) | February 16th - N/A | ★★★☆☆
19. Paramedium: A Noise in the Attic (itch.io) | February 17th - 0.1 hours | ★★☆☆☆
20. Paramedium 2: Girl in the Road (itch.io) | February 17th - 0.3 hours | ★★☆☆☆
21. Tom Clancy's The Division (Uplay) | February 19th - 23.0 hours | ★★★☆☆
22. Tom Clancy's The Division 2 (Uplay) | February 23rd - 24.0 hours | ★★★★☆
23. No Response (itch.io) | February 24th - 0.2 hours | ★★★☆☆
24. Crypt Shyfter: Moonbright (itch.io) | February 24th - N/A | ★★★☆☆

MARCH:

25. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Steam) | March 8th - 8.6 hours | ★★★☆☆
26. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Steam) | March 9th - 16.3 hours | ★★★★☆
27. Grand Theft Auto III (Steam) | March 13th - 15.9 hours | ★★★☆☆
28. WarioWare Gold (3DS) | March 14th - 1.8 hours | ★★★★☆
29. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (Steam) | March 19th - 2.3 hours | ★★★☆☆
30. Life is Strange 2 (Steam) | March 21st - 18.1 hours | ★★★★★
31. Batman: The Enemy Within - The Telltale Series (Steam) | March 28th - 9.8 hours | ★★★★☆
32. Monument Valley 2 (Android) | March 30th - N/A | ★★★★☆

APRIL:

33. Q-YO Blaster (Switch Download) | April 1st - N/A | ★★★☆☆
34. Respawn Man (Steam) | April 2nd - 0.7 hours | ★☆☆☆☆
35. Pop'n TwinBee (Switch Download) | April 4th - N/A | ★★★☆☆
36. Coffee Talk (Switch Download) | April 5th - N/A | ★★★★☆
37. Neo Cab (Switch Download) | April 5th - N/A | ★★★★☆


Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 03, 2020, 09:15:20 pm
First game of the year! Woohoo!


1. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor (Wii)


This year I've committed to mostly playing games I've never played before, but ironically I started the year with a game I have beat. I absolutely adore the first Sin and Punishment on the N64; it's one of my favorite games on the console which is saying a lot since I am a huge fan of the N64. I was beyond excited to play its sequel which I was hoping would be more of the same, and in a lot of ways it is, but it isn't nearly as good. Star Successor is a loose sequel that takes place some time after the first game. You'd be forgiven for not knowing what the hell was going on since both games have a very anime-ish story that barely makes sense. More or less you wouldn't be missing much if you didn't play the first game, but you do find something kinda cool about one of the character after you beat the game.

Gameplay wise, Star Successor takes the on-rails action of the first game, but enhances it in various ways like allowing for more varied shooting depending on the scenario or boss you're fighting. The first Sin and Punishement did this too, but to a lessor degree. You are also given a quick dodge attack that makes you briefly invincible, but also leaves you vulnerable for a brief second as well. Overall, the controls and gameplay are probably the best quality of Star Successor and what's closest to the original in terms of quality. However, that's where it's superior qualities end. Star Successor was a game made for the Wiimote motion controls, mainly aiming your character's gun and the many enemies around you. This mostly works in the same way a lightgun game would, however when your character's perspective changes it can be awkward and clunky at times to aim. You control the characters movements like the aforementioned dodge, flying, and jump with the Wii's nunchuck which all works well enough. The game mostly succeeds in making a fun game with Wii's controls, but it would have been nice to have a mode where the classic controller would have been used instead.

The sound is sorely lacking in Star Successor. With no hyperbole, the first Sin and punishment had one of the best soundtracks of any N64 game, period. Yes, it was up there with Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask in terms of how excellent it was. Star Successor's soundtrack mostly just sounds like generic video game techno most of the time, although it does appropriately fit the gameplay and visuals so it certainly gets credit for that. Another area where the the audio is lacking is the voice acting. For the record, neither game had good voice acting or dialogue, however the first game absolutely fit into that so bad it was good category, but the second is just mostly bad. The dialogue, while mostly nonsensical like the first game, lacks that hilarious quality, making it just confusion and awkward. It does have it's moments though, but it isn't nearly as good. The sound effects are decent as well with tons of cool effects throughout the game.

Graphically, Star Successor is a mixed bag. The game looks very 6th gen in presentation, although to be perfectly honest most Wii games did. Since I judge visuals by the standards of the time the game was released I have to dock it for that, since it looks like a game released on the PS2, not a console that was directly competing with the PS3 and 360. However, the artistic direction and creativity of this game definitely carry it visually; the enemies are varied, weird and cool looking. The bosses are often larger than life and very cool to fight (most of the time), and the character and level design is excellent. it is absolutely a game that could have been a major standout had it been developed on more powerful hardware, although this game was absolutely meant for the Wii given its dependance on the Wii motion controls.

Sin and Punishment Star Successor is a fast paced, vibrant, challenging, and weird rail shooter, one certainly worth playing if you can find it. However, it is a downgrade from its predecessor in nearly every way, which makes it feel more run of the mill and generic. Luckily it's unique and weird art style save it from this, but in the end it only ends up being above average in terms of fun and overall quality. (1/3/20)

Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 7/10
Fun: 12/20
Overall: 34/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on January 04, 2020, 12:22:19 am
2 - Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (PC 2017) - BEAT - This was part of something I started last year and technically the year before that with a couple missions, but finally got around to finishing the story.  As brought up in the Star Wars thread, the story for this game is "aggressively fine".  I think there's a really great story here dealing with a special forces unit for the Empire seeing how truly evil they are, but it's so rushed between realizing they are bad, and then becoming a totally great rebel soldier.  The story also has you jumping between about 5 other regular Star Wars characters for missions, which at times feels like it takes away from Inferno Squad's story abit.

It's certainly not bad, but it's really just your generally alright shooter story.  Though I was surprised to find out there's basically a First Order epilogue that ties everything pretty nice, I didn't know they went that far and there's actually another little story update they could do to finalize it with connecting it to Rise of Skywalker, but no clue if they have plans for that.  I will say that this was one of the better stories DICE has done for their games as they've not really done anything really that good since the Bad Company games.

Multiplayer is still pretty great though.  Looking forward to the upcoming update they got planned.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: necrosexual on January 04, 2020, 11:58:34 am
o hell yeah, i will join this thread)))
2019: in my personal list, last year i beat 20 games that i could recall. of those 20 games, i beat 11 pokemon games which resulted in a living pokedex up through generation 6 in pokemon (stored on omega ruby currently). from the remainder, i got 3 platinum trophies, 2 on PS4 and 1 on vita. i dropped 5 games that i can recall. aaanyway...


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/419736706393178134/663045184636059658/1067979-20_platinum.png) <-- this icon means if i beat the game, i got the platinum trophy or in-game 100% completion if it doesn't have trophy support.

beat/completed:
~~~~~03.01.20~~~~~ final fantasy X HD (PS4)
~~~~~09.01.20~~~~~ sonic generations (PS3)
~~~~~14.01.20~~~~~ sonic advance 2 (GBA) [cream route]
~~~~~16.01.20~~~~~ sonic heroes (PS2) [team rose route]
~~~~~24.01.20~~~~~ sonic adventure dx (PS3) [super sonic ending]
~~~~~24.01.20~~~~~ sonic and all stars racing transformed (PS3) [all characters/maps unlocked/it takes ages trophy unlocked]

~~~~~08.02.20~~~~~ pokemon crystal (3DS VC)
~~~~~10.02.20~~~~~ pokemon yellow (3DS VC)
~~~~~11.02.20~~~~~ pokemon blue (3DS VC) [speedrun in 2:42]

~~~~~06.03.20~~~~~ pokemon mystery dungeon: blue rescue team (DS)

~~~~~01.07.20~~~~~ atelier lydie & suelle ~the alchemists and the mysterious paintings (PS4) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/419736706393178134/663045184636059658/1067979-20_platinum.png)
~~~~~22.07.20~~~~~ hyperdimension neptunia (PS3) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/419736706393178134/663045184636059658/1067979-20_platinum.png)
~~~~~30.07.20~~~~~ story of seasons: friends of mineral town (NSW)

~~~~~23.09.20~~~~~ pretty soldier sailor moon - another story (SNES) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/419736706393178134/663045184636059658/1067979-20_platinum.png)
~~~~~24.09.20~~~~~ pocket monsters 2 (sega MD///taiwanese unlicensed game)

~~~~~03.10.20~~~~~ the 7th saga (SNES) [lejes + esuna]
~~~~~09.10.20~~~~~ phantasy star (master system)

~~~~~09.12.20~~~~~ digimon story hacker's memory (NSw)
~~~~~19.12.20~~~~~ pokemon mystery dungeon: rescue team DX (NSw)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 05, 2020, 11:28:19 am
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis)

While Sonic 2 seems to be the favorite classic Sonic game in general, it was actually the Sonic game I played the least as a kid. I got hooked on Sonic from playing the first one at my cousin's house growing up, and then it's like the second one didn't even exist. I got Sonic 3 as well as Sonic and Knuckles when those came out and absolutely loved them, but again 2 was never a game I owned or really played that much back in the day. Fastforward to the last decade or so, and the internet pretty much sings Sonic 2's praises up and down like it's the perfect masterpiece in the classic 2D Sonic lineup. My interest absolutely was peaked at this point.


And for the record I have played Sonic 2, a lot, during my life up to this point. However it's with some embarrassment that I admit I've never actually beat Sonic 2. Most of my experience with this game involves playing through the first 3 or 4 Zones and then quitting for one reason or another. Given the game consists of 12 Zones I felt it qualified as a game I lacked enough experience with to justify beating it, and that's what I did. Now that I've played through Sonic 2 here is my review of it.


Sonic 2 is a fantastic game, and I can genuinely see why people sing it's praises nearly 30-years since it was released. It has a lot of gameplay improvements made from the first game and genuinely has a much greater sense of speed, lending itself to the level and stage design. However the level design is also part of this game's weaknesses. While you're encouraged to go as fast as you possibly can in many parts through the various zones, doing so most of the time will be at your own peril. This is even further supported by the addition of the spin dash which is often sited as a major improvement to Sonic 2 over its predecessor. I get that you can't always be going 100mph through the entire stage and they were never designed for that, but I feel that compared to Sonic 3 the pacing in the levels feels significantly more choppy with zones like Mystic Cave Zone and Metropolis Zone being by far the worst offenders of this. Even the first Sonic, with its generally slower gameplay felt more balanced in terms of level design. Despite this flaw, Sonic 2 is mostly a very enjoyable, fun game to blast through, and the amount of imagination and detail in the game's stages were outstanding for the time and still mostly impressive to this day.


Visually Sonic 2 looks amazing, and is up there with the better looking Genesis games. The stage art direction is by far the biggest standout, but so are the character and enemy sprites as well. Some of it shows its age a little, but I find it hard to fault anything major in the visual department of this game.


It goes without saying that Sonic 2's soundtrack is one of the very best on the Sega Genesis. I personally prefer Michael Jackson's score on Sonic 3, but it terms of quality Sonic 2 is just as good. There are only a few tracks on this game that I'd consider just okay, while the rest range from good to outstanding. Sound effects between Sonic's movements and interaction with enemies and objects in the game are top notch as well. Sonic 2 is an absolute eargasm from start to finish.


I guess at this point the million dollar question is whether Sonic 2 is the best classic Sonic game. I'd say no, but it isn't too far off. I'd say that honor goes to Sonic 3, and I'd even say Sonic and Knuckles is superior as well. But this is definitely not saying Sonic 2 is a bad game, in fact the complete opposite. Sonic 2 is an outstanding example of 2D platforming in its golden age, and especially for someone who grew up playing Sonic 2 more than I did I can certainly see why people would sing its praises so high to this day. However, I think it's because I lack this sentimental fondness for Sonic 2 that I fail to appreciate it as much as many others do. I had fun with Sonic 2, but some of the gameplay issues mentioned earlier and also my limited history with this game hurt my overall subjective enjoyment of it while playing. Still, it's an excellent Sonic game and one worth being mentioned when talking about the very best Sonic games. (1/4/20)


Gameplay:8/10
Sound: 10/10
Graphics: 9/10
Fun: 12/20
Overall: 39/50


Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: necrosexual on January 05, 2020, 05:16:45 pm
oh man, thanks for that sonic2 write up. i love sonic2, first genesis game i owned and the only one i had for a long time... hearing how you feel about it compared to 3 reminds me i really should sit down and beat sonic3 some day. i'm not sure exactly why i haven't, and i'm looking for a short beat-it-in-a-day game after completing two large RPGs... and ngl i am really disappointed in sonic mania oops did i say that? i've been really wanting some good sonic lately. considering my least favourite zone is metropolis for what you said, and that the speed vs patience reward is more balanced in sonic 3, i think i know what i'm gonna play as a breather game soon. :) also because i've missed out on that spicy michael jackson ost for years smh.

thanks for posting a review)))
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on January 05, 2020, 07:33:39 pm
Just finished up my first game for the year:
 
God of War 2 on the Sony PlayStation 2. After finishing the first one at the end of last year, I couldn't wait to jump into the sequel. I've heard from a lot of people that God of War 2 was the best of the older games and to say that those people were right is an understatement (granted I haven't played many of the older GoW games yet but it's going to be hard to beat this one). Everything I loved about the first one was cranked up a few notches. The added subweapons, new powers, and Pegasus combat were all welcome additions; oh and Kratos gets Icarus' wings!!!! WHAT! This game was fricken awesome!! Cant wait to get started on 3!

Oh also I'll be posting all my completed games to my instagram, give me a follow if you want @bravethebacklog
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 05, 2020, 09:04:34 pm
Quote from: necrosexual on January 05, 2020, 05:16:45 pm
oh man, thanks for that sonic2 write up. i love sonic2, first genesis game i owned and the only one i had for a long time... hearing how you feel about it compared to 3 reminds me i really should sit down and beat sonic3 some day. i'm not sure exactly why i haven't, and i'm looking for a short beat-it-in-a-day game after completing two large RPGs... and ngl i am really disappointed in sonic mania oops did i say that? i've been really wanting some good sonic lately. considering my least favourite zone is metropolis for what you said, and that the speed vs patience reward is more balanced in sonic 3, i think i know what i'm gonna play as a breather game soon. :) also because i've missed out on that spicy michael jackson ost for years smh.

thanks for posting a review)))


Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed my review! Yeah 3 is excellent. I have a heavy, heavy amount of nostalgia for it, but I like to make the majority of my reviews about the more objective parts of the game, which Sonic 2 and 3 stand almost toe to toe. I personally enjoy 3 more however.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on January 05, 2020, 09:34:52 pm
First game of the year finished.  Watch Dogs plays pretty good (aside from the driving), but the plot is a mess.  It’s a dumb game that thinks it is smart.  Had the occasional performance hiccup, usually during a level-up.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: redblaze57 on January 06, 2020, 10:09:41 am
finished:
1. The Evil Within 2(ps4)
2.Psychonauts (ps4)
3. Yakuza 5 (PS4)
4. Fable 2 (360)
5. Fable 3 (360)
6. Sonic Adventure (360)
7. Tony Hawk's American Wasteland - story & classic mode (360)

Plan to beat
Yakuza 3,4,5- want to mainly play the cut content but also have yet to play 5
Dragon Quest Builders- been playing as a winding down game
Devil May Cry 1,2,3- been since i got my ps2 since i beat 1 & 3 2 is the only devil may cry i have yet to beat
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on January 09, 2020, 07:02:57 am
3 - Hellbalde: Senua's Sacrifice (PC 2017) - BEAT - Another Game Pass game, this was something I had long been interested in, but never took the dive into.  I'm glad I did as it's a very interesting game and it's cool to have played it now after Death Stranding as they feel similar to me in terms of offering up an unconventional gameplay experience to build itself around a story and character driven narrative.  That's of course all they share, but I really liked this, because going in, I wasn't sure what I was gonna expect, as it's not really an action game since the combat is so simple and basic, and it's not really a puzzle game, because the puzzles are too easy, but it all works to keep you super engaged with journey you are being taken on and I was pretty sucked into it just to see what was revealed.

Using ASMR style audio was also a very new thing to see in a game and I'm surprised I haven't seen it used more since then, because man it works well.  The whole feel and atmosphere of this game is unsettling, almost in a horror game sense, but it's not jump scares or genuinely trying to scare you, it just wants to make you uncomfortable the whole time to get into the mindset of this mentally disturbed woman trying to deal with her fears.

Really good game though and I'm pretty interested to see what they do with the sequel that expands on what they did here.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on January 09, 2020, 11:59:03 am
Second game of the year was Pokémon Sword on the Nintendo Switch. I’ve been a Pokémon fan since Red/Blue and I had some mixed feelings going into this one. There’s been a lot of complaining about how there was no national dex and how the graphics could have been way better, but I can say that none of that mattered. The graphics fit the game perfectly, there were PLENTY of Pokémon to catch, and all the quality of life improvements made this easily the best Pokémon game in my opinion. With all this said... I have no intention of picking up the expansion pass that was just announced. I finished the game, got my legendary, I'm done and on to something else.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on January 11, 2020, 01:00:33 pm
1. Kirby Super Star(Switch NSO)

First game of many this year. I'm really trying to push myself this year to reach a respectable number. Maybe not 52 but better than what I've done.

I honestly thought this was my favorite Kirby game for a long time, but playing it again felt very lackluster. Don't get me wrong it's still great but nothing special like Planet Robobot and not as fun as Kirby 3 imo. Still had fun though and that's all that matters.

Time: 5 hours

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 12, 2020, 02:05:47 pm
3. Resident Evil 2 (PS4)

I'm really happy I replayed the original Resident Evil 2 last year since it really refreshed my memory on a lot of the story and events that took place; prior to beating it last year I hadn't played it since the mid-2000s so I was a bit rusty on the details. Some of the value in replaying the original RE2 was also to give me a frame of reference for the remake which also came out last year. I really wanted to get RE2 Remake when it launched since Resident Evil has been consistently one of my favorite video game franchises for a long time, but I held off for the reason mentioned above and also because I had a lot of other things I was playing around then. But I finally got around to buying the remake during Black Friday and I just finished up both the A and B Scenarios (Leon A, Claire B for the record) and am ready to do a review on it.


Resident Evil 2 remake is one of the best remakes I've ever played, albeit not necessarily one of the best video games I've ever played. It truly takes all those memorable moments, settings, enemies, bosses, and even modes and updates them enough to where they feel fresh and new while also making them very recognizable and memorable in the remake. While the overall story is the same between the original and remake, things do not transpire and take place the same way they did in the original. However, all the most memorable parts of the original do eventually show up in the remake in a different way that is still very recognizable and memorable when you reach these points.I guess in other words things are both very nostalgic and novel at the same time which is something I've never seen a remake do so well.


The gameplay of Resident Evil 2 remake is greatly updated, however not necessarily better. Anyone who played the original RE2 remembers he tank controls for better or worse, which are completely gone in this version. Instead you have a third person view that allows you to manually aim if you shoot in order to shoot specific parts of enemies. Also gone is the fixed camera from the original and instead the camera and environments are all dynamic. While this all might sound like a vast improvement, there are various issues that hamper it. While the freedom to aim is a huge advantage, it almost doesn't matter since virtually all the enemies in the game are freakin bullet sponges. I played the game on Standard Difficulty and even then some zombies literally took a dozen shots in the head to take down. Occassionally you'll get lucky and be able to take a zombie down with a couple of bullets to the head, especially if one blows their head off, but this did not happen nearly enough even with upgraded weapons. Then there are other enemies like the Lickers and these new sewer monsters that took a crap ton of bullets as well. There are certain weapons that give you an advantage over certain enemy types, but overall I found this to be incredibly frustrating and tedious most of the time. The movement controls also leave a lot to be desired. You are given a lot of freedom to move around, however your character still feels slow and bulky. This made navigating through the game at times, especially when running from Mr. X all the more frustrating. This brings me to my biggest issue with RE2 remake, Mr. X.

Like Nemesis in RE3, Mr. X is probably one of the most memorable parts of RE2 and it would not have been the same game without him. However, he is in this game way more than he was in the original. This wouldn't necessarily be an issue if you weren't literally running into him constantly. There are various safe rooms throughout the Police Station where he won't pursue you, however this almost doesn't matter since there were many times where he would just walk around in the hallways right outside the door and I had to wait upwards towards 5-minutes a handful of times for him to go away. But, like clockwork, he's be on my ass again within a minute or two after leaving the safe room, interrupting whatever it was I was about to do so I could seek refuge in another safe room. This really chopped up the pacing for me during the sections Mr. X was present, and especially during scenario B with Claire, his presence was profoundly annoying. Luckily he is only in about 1/4 of the game, but that was enough to really put a damper on his inclusion in the remake.

I'm not trying to sound ultra negative about the gameplay, in fact most of it works well enough and despite these flaws it's still a very enjoyable game, but they are issues I had with it and ones I wish would have been rectified. But despite all these problems, the amount of tension and unease through the game was excellent; this game truly maintained its status as survival horror as I just barely had enough ammo and health at any given time to make it through the game. However, I never found myself in an absolute dire situation, although I very well could have if I didn't know you had to play these games very conservatively. And while I knocked on the clunky movement controls, in a way it was nice not having Leon and Claire move like gymnasts or Olympic runners either since they certainly didn't move like this in the original. It made the game feel more authentic and was certainly part of why this was such an excellent remake.

Graphically the game looked pretty awesome. I found the faces of the characters, particularly Claire and Sherry to look kind of goofy sometimes, but overall the character models and animations looked great. One minor gripe I had about how some of the characters looked, particularly Claire and Annette Birkin was how out of place they looked from a fashion standpoint; both looked like women dressed in 2019, not 1998 when this game takes place. While this is a fairly minor gripe, it still is something that broke my immersion slightly while playing. The enemy and zombie models were excellent and very well done! Unlike the original version, each zombie looked different from the others and one inclusion that I thought was awesome was how the corpses of all the enemies, zombie or otherwise never disappeared after killing it. On top of that all missing body parts from the games great dismemberment system remained consistent as well.

The updated areas were probably the biggest standout of all though. I loved how the Police Station looked like it has been through absolute hell during the outbreak, as did it in the original, but the huge leaps in graphics really lended itself to this aesthetic. I also loved how there was no power throughout most of the station, which made it more realistic and how there were signs everywhere that the survivors before you really tried to fortify the police station before meeting their ends. The other main setting like the sewers and also the Umbrella labs received probably the biggest facelift, not just in terms of layout, but visually as well. Despite being very different from how these settings were in the original, they still managed to have all those familiar touches that I mentioned before which made them feel grounded in the RE2 universe.

Sound was pretty awesome in this game. While there weren't any real standout tracks through the game, the soundtrack was instrumental is ramping up the games horror theme. There were times when the music would start playing which really made the tension go through the roof. This was especially true during the parts where you were on the run from Mr. X, despite how otherwise annoying that was. Sound effects were great as well, which also included the monster noises; it was always eery walking into a room and hearing a faint moan that you were unsure if it was in the same room or the room right next to you; the end effect was it really kept you on your toes throughout the game. Voice acting was pretty good as well. There were a few cheesy lines that were delivered as well as they could be, but overall all the voice actors did a great job in their respective roles.

Then of of course there is this games massive amount of unlockable content, just like the original RE2. There are various unlockable modes, costumes, weapons, concept art, characters models, and more that you can unlock by replaying the game repeatedly and meeting certain requirements. Perhaps the best piece of extra content is the ability to experience the game depending on who you play as and whether you choose Leon or Claire first. Claire's A scenario plays out fairly different than her B scenario, same with Leon's. All of this really adds to this games replayability, and it was enough for me to beat the game again in the scenario B just so i could see the good ending and also see at least what Claire's B scenario was like.

Resident Evil 2 remake is definitely an awesome game, albeit one with its imperfections and flaws. However, you really have to hand it to Capcom for taking the time and effort into making this game feel different and fresh while staying true to the original. The end result of all this is a game that diehard RE2 fans will love and that many younger games who were either too young to play the original RE2, or weren't even born yet can enjoy due to its modern presentation and changes.

Presentation: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Fun: 15/20
Overall: 40/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 16, 2020, 01:25:07 am
4. Mario Kart DS (DS)


Going into Mario Kart DS I was a bit worried. I love and enjoyed Mario Kart 8 so much over the last few years that I was worried that it would ruin all previous Mario Kart games for me because of just how good that game was. Not only is Mario Kart 8 my favorite Mario Kart game, it's also my favorite racing game, and up there with the games I've sunk the most time into. So to say Mario Kart DS had very big shoes to fill would be an understatement. This essentially meant I knew I wouldn't like it as much as 8, probably not even close, but in the end I did enjoy this entry in the Mario Kart series far more than I expected.


Prior to Mario Kart DS being released in 2005, my experience with Mario Kart was with the original and Mario Kart 64, both games I loved, especially the latter. For whatever reason I missed out on Mario Kart Advance and also Double Dash, and sadly still have not played either of those games. So I tried comparing my experience with Mario Kart DS far more to those two older Mario Kart games I did play even though 64 is nearly a decade older. When Mario Kart DS did come out I was more interested in dating and hanging out with friends so the game never crossed my path around the time it came out. But I figured it was time to throw in in my neglected DS and see wha this game was like.


Mario Kart DS is a very impressive entry given the hardware limitations of the DS. The levels, especially many of the original levels in in this game are excellent. The other half of the levels present in the game are taken directly from previous Mario Kart games, and given that DS polish (or downgrade in the case of the tracks taken from Double Dash). Whether they're brand new or old tracks, they're all pretty fun to race on.


There are various modes in this game as well including Grand Prix, Time Attack, Battle Mode, and a new Mission mode here you have to complete various challenges. There is of course Multiplayer, but I wasn't able to try that out since I didn't have another person to play with, and the online multiplayer has probably been long gone for some time. However, all the single player content is pretty enjoyable, although I found the most value in Grand Prix and Time Attack modes. The more of this game you complete, the more you unlock which includes karts, characters, and new cups. Mario Kart DS definitely incentivizes playing everything on offer in order to unlock all this extra content.


Regarding the games controls, they handle very well for the most part. I noticed that the drift mechanic definitely took some getting used to, as was the dash charge that is tied to it, but once I got the hang of it, it really made the game more interesting when taking sharp turns and going into straight aways. Like the other Mario Kart games, you collect items to use in various ways. One thing I was surprised by was the ability to use these items for both attack and defense depending on the item, something I'd only experienced in Mario Kart 8 up until this point. I also really enjoyed the balancing in many of the stages in terms of the overall design. There is also a cool drafting mechanic as well which allows you to draft the driver in front of you and attempt to pull ahead of them. There is enough on offer with how the game plays and what's available to you, where it offers some very dynamic and fun gameplay throughout.


The game's graphics are pretty good as is the overall presentation. However, I couldn't help but feel the game looked fairly blocky for a game released in 2005, but given its release date and that it was a very early DS game it's forgivable it doesn't look as good as various later DS games. Still, for what it is, it's a pretty impressive looking handheld game. 


Sound quality is slightly hampered by the DS as well, but still has that undeniable upbeat Nintendo sound that make many of their first party games so memorable. There weren't many standout tracks, but all definitely made playing through the game enjoyable and fun. Racers also made comments and noises while racing, and sound effects were very well done.


Even though I went into Mario Kart DS wanting to compare it more to older entries in the series, I actually found myself drawing more comparisons to Mario Kart 8 in the end. This is definitely a reflection on how innovative and impressive this game must have been for the time, and how even today with three newer Mario Kart games it still holds its own very, very well. However, despite it being a very well made game, and a fun one at that, I still absolutely prefer Mario Kart 8, just because of the leaps and bounds in gameplay and overall quality that have taken place since 2005. But as someone who never played Mario Kart DS well before Mario Kart 8 came out, it was still a highly enjoyable, fun game that I could see myself playing again if I was ever looking for a fun DS game to play on the go. (1/15/20)

Gameplay: 8/10
Sound: 7/10
Graphics: 8/10
Fun: 13/20
Overall: 36/50


Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: necrosexual on January 16, 2020, 08:39:35 am
sonic heroes (PS2)

i don't know how often i'll do reviews here but i need to vent. i just beat this, starting with team rose, as i planned to at least play through all the stories; i think i heard to get to the true ending you have to beat all stories and get all the emeralds or something, so that wasn't going to happen, but i'll get to that. i'm going to make it clear too that i knew what to expect when going in as far as the gameplay. i don't really have a problem with the gameplay in theory, in fact, it was kinda fun and refreshing after playing a bunch of other games. i've been on a sonic kick lately, so mixing it up with heroes seemed like it would be a fun breather. oh boy, i was wrong.

again i'll state that i don't mind the gameplay IN THEORY. swapping off between team members and all, i ended up playing power most often for obvious reasons, due to the revamped combat, but i don't mind because i really like big the cat tbh found out really fast that playing as speed (amy in my run) was causing all kinds of problems, it's too fast for this game tbh. i wouldn't mind this entire gameplay style again, tbh, it's quite fun as long as you know what you're in for... well, when it works. fwiw i think the complaints here are overblown, as far as gameplay. it never felt extremely 'slowed down' in gameplay, despite not 'moving forward' constantly. i never felt like the game screeched to a halt, and was constantly bouncing around, slinging my teammates around and so on. often at enemies that take multiple hits, you can just pop off a team blast, which come often enough that as long as you use them somewhat wisely, you'll never be stuck on a random mook for very long, even if it has '24 health', or about 8 hits. but that's the end of the good i have to say.

grinding rails in this game is anxiety-inducing, as characters don't seem to 'snap to' the rails like in the adventure games or later games like generations and even forces. this means you will spend an incredible amount of lives just by slipping through rail tracks or by trying to jump to the rail to the side, only for your character to fly off the side of the tracks completely. a number of times the end of a rail has a spring that sent me straight into a pit? after a few deaths it sent me in the correct direction instead. i have no idea what happened there. it makes riding rails extremely unfun in this game, which is startling after sonic adventure 2 has some stages centered around grinding rails and they're a blast. what happened?

honing isn't telegraphed at all. a few times i wanted to break boxes located in an area with a spring and had to find an alternative method entirely, as the honing was stuck on the spring in the opposite direction. sometimes, that spring was off camera, as well, and the camera is extremely bad in this game, like a precursor to the camera issues in sonic 06. rails also do not seem to be targets for honing, or, well, i stopped trying after the second time of trying to hone onto them only to fly completely off stage. no thanks. i faintly recall honing having a target system in adventure 2 battle, so why doesn't heroes?

some very precise jumps combined with a floating physics issue makes for frustrating moments where you will end up dying fairly often, while not feeling exactly like 'lack of skill' on your part. this is especially irritating when it combines with bad camera.

most, if not all, of the bosses are easily cheesed in the game. i don't really care either way about this, boss fights tend to be my least favourite parts of non-rpg games, but y'know, i noticed.

the special stages to get the emeralds have awful controls, just terrible, and without redos, you won't get chances to retry to figure them out. you'll have to go through entire stages to get another go. ugh. it's absolutely wild how something they got down with perfectly capable controls in sonic the hedgehog 2 is a mess in this game. i think i was starting to kind of figure out a method by the last time i got a special stage, but y'know... i really shouldn't have to 'figure out' how to navigate a literal pipe. it's a mess. i have also heard that you can fall through the stage which is astounding, considering it is a long, closed pipe. this didn't happen to me, but i started to avoid the keys in the level to avoid wasting my time with these stages. considering how many other things i fell through or that just corrupted for me, it probably would have happened.

the worst part is they intend people to play team rose first, as noted because it is the only story with a tutorial. so if the issues i had are prominent with the beginner characters, then i don't even want to see how bad they get with team chaotix.

i recalled picking this game up multiple times at a cousin's house when i was younger and trying it and every time quitting and couldn't recall why. tbh, i'm still not 100% sure why back then, but i know why i'm done after this credit roll now. this game just makes me sad. this is a sad game and it really shouldn't have been like this.

i don't really give out review scores because i can never figure out a good method so i'll give this a
wish i was playing sonic adventure 2 instead/10.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 16, 2020, 11:20:40 pm
5. Armored Warriors (PS4)

Prior to buying the Capcom Beat Em' Up Collection I had never heard of seen this game, ever. However, the idea of a mech beat em' up sounded like an awesome idea on paper, and in many way Armored Warriors delivers on this, however in many ways it does not as well. I'll start this review off by talking about the two things I loved the most about Armored Warriors, it's soundtrack and its presentation.

The soundtrack of Armored Warriors is excellent, like as in really good! Given that Capcom was behind it, it's no surprise that it would at least be good, but it was actually way better then I could have expected. Aside from the killer OST, there's lots of sound effects and audio cues when you're about to battle a boss. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but it gets the job done and makes the game feel action packed from start to finish. But dat soundtrack doe!

The presentation and graphics are also top notch; Armored Warriors came out the same year as Alien vs. Predator, and is nearly as good looking, but not quite. The game doesn't have the stage and enemy variety of AvP which makes it a little less appealing to look at, but there are a lot of cool destruction and battle animations, as well as really cool weapon effects. The inclusion of certain destructible environment pieces also compliments the story, which Armored Warriors makes an effort to give this game a scifi feeling story about an two waring factions, and needing to save an alien civilization. It feels very Gundam like, and even though it's fairly generic, it's one of the better attempts to give a beat em' up an interesting story behind the repetitive waves of enemies and gameplay. Speaking of gameplay....

The gameplay in Armored Warriors is more or less about what you'd expect in a beat em' up. For everything Armored Warriors does right, it does something equally as wrong. For example, this game has a really cool mech customization/upgrade system that allows you to pick up various parts and weapons from defeated enemies and assimilate them into your mech, which allows for some cool variations in what your mech looks like, and how it functions in battle. This would make this game standout above the pack if it weren't for how ridiculously busy this game is most of the time and how there is no sense of balance or design for the most part in throwing enemies at you. As a result most of this game is a matter of beating and blasting the hell out of your opponents fast enough before you inevitably get destroyed. This would have been infuriating in the arcade, but being able to play the game on freeplay it becomes more of an annoyance mostly. And like nearly every beat em' up from the 90s, this game does get really, really repetitive to the point where you're just ready for it to be over by the time you get to the last couple stages.

With all that said, I thought the game was okay overall, but was certainly enjoyable to look at and listen to while playing it. I'd say if you want to play a unique and kind of interesting beat em' up that you probably never played when you were younger, I'd say give this one a go. However, realize that all the cool mechs, upgrades, and flash does not make this game an exceptional title for its genre, but pretty much another example of why these sort games fell out of favor just as fast as they rose to prominence in the early and mid 90s. (1/16/20)

Presentation: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Fun: 10/20
Overall: 31/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 17, 2020, 02:36:34 pm
6. Final Fight (PS4)

As a Sega kid growing up, my go to beat em' up series was always Streets of Rage. Little did I know at the time that Streets of Rage was Sega's response to Final Fight, a game very similar in style and premise. Likewise, I never knew as a kid that Final Fight was actually an arcade game originally. Funny enough, my first experience with some of Final Fight's characters were actually via other Capcom franchises, mainly Street Fighter. And while in years since I have played Final Fight, I've never actually beat it or really progressed past the Samurai Wrestler guy, also a future Street Fighter character. But with Capcom Beat Em' Up Collection still in my PS4 from playing Armored Warriors last night, I decided to play this much loved, and venerated Beat Em' Up icon.


While Final Fight does suffer from the ills of most beat em' ups mainly its repetition and simplicity, it actually manages to somewhat standout as well. This feat is made even more impressive by the fact that it ends up somehow being more enjoyable than many other beat em' ups that came out years later in the 90s. While I did mostly enjoy my time with Final Fight, there are various issues I had with it too.


I don't think the gameplay of Final Fight requires much explanation; you are essentially moving right through the entire game, using a single attack button to bunch, kick, and bludgeon bad guys to death. The game offers various items to aid in your journey to save the mayor's daughter, as well as a variety of health pickups that look like various foods. You can also jump and combined attacks with it that help you avoid getting hit often, but also do less damage to your opponents. With that out of the way, this game is mostly fun and enjoyable to play, however there are more than a handful of very cheap parts in the game where you literally get beat to the ground again as soon as you get back on your feet. This pales in comparison to some of the boss fights which are just stupid, specifically some of the final bosses in this game. Despite these cheap parts, the game still is mostly enjoyable and works fairly well for what it is.


Visually, Final Fight looks incredible, especially for a game that was released in 1989. The sprite based graphics have aged well, and the games use of a pretty generous amount of enemies, and different settings for each stage is really cool. There are also destructible environmental pieces that add to the games action and mayhem. While there is a decent amount of enemy variety, there are still pretty limited character sprites, and seeing the same enemies appear dozens, if not hundreds of times throughout the game will grow old after a while, but it can be slightly forgiven since this is a 30-year old game we're talking about here.


The audio in final fight is also pretty good for the most part. While it's no standout in the sound department like the Street Fighter games, or even other Capcom beat em' ups games like Armored Warriros and Alien vs Predator, the soundtrack is still pretty good for the most part. Other than that you hear your fairly run of the mill action game sound effects and the like.


While I did enjoy my playthrough with Final Fight I couldn't help but think that it's unlikely I'll be replaying it again anytime soon. At the end of the day this is still a fairly formulaic beat em' up that is fun for a quick session, and then you move on to something else. If i had more nostalgia or experience with the Final Fight series like some, this game might be more enjoyable for me, but even without that I still thought it was pretty good for a beat em' up. (1/17/20)

Presentation: 9/10
Sound: 7/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Fun: 12/20
Overall: 34/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on January 19, 2020, 10:39:09 am
Game 1 – Yoshi’s Woolly World (Wii U) – 21 Hours

I enjoyed a very leisurely playthrough of this, trying to get as many collectibles that I could. I didn’t try overly hard to complete every level, only as it remained fun for me. My final total as far as collectibles go was:

53 Yoshis
251 Flowers
989 Special Gems

+ The first thing that I loved about this game was the yarn and wool-based aesthetic. It’s incredibly well done, and it was clever seeing how they implemented that style into the level, enemy and monster design. It just looks really nice and makes you feel happy while playing. :) There were some really unique and interesting levels and they all implement wool or fabric in some way. The controls are pretty solid as well, though they’re pretty similar to the SNES game (for better or worse). The soundtrack was really cute and fun with some memorable music. The badge system was a nice addition, though it makes some of the levels an absolute joke. For example, there was one level in the desert where if you equip the fire immunity badge, you can’t get hurt by literally anything in the level. But of course you don’t have to equip those buffs if you don’t want to. Overall a very relaxing and fun experience!

- The game isn’t particularly difficult, but it is challenging to find every collectable in every level. That’s fine, but the game has these “points of no return” sprinkled in through many of the levels where if you take the wrong turn on a branching path you can’t go back, which is frustrating. And some of the collectables aren’t visible unless you touch a very specific part of mid-air in the level. Having said that, collecting everything still isn’t that hard as long as you touch every collectable at one point during your runs, it will count. The badges that make you immune from pits and fire, and the badge that allows you to find hidden items, really make the game quite easy. Only the special hidden levels really pose a decent challenge.
That aside, the game’s pretty derivative with it’s story and many of the bosses, but I suppose that’s to be expected. It also didn’t make any sense why the game stuck with that archaic-ass moving reticle for throwing eggs when we have a whole second analog stick that goes unused.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on January 19, 2020, 12:34:56 pm
Finished game #2 Assassin's Creed Origins, which is definitely the most polished AC game I've played yet.  It evolved the series in a good direction, smoothing out gameplay, building a great open world, and it has a generally good story.

A few problems I ran into though: issues with contextual commands.  Several times that my assassination didn't take and I got stuck in combat, or I tried to mount my horse and picked up a corpse, etc.  And while the story is very engaging it goes on way too long.  There were no less than 4 different times that I thought the game was over, and then found out there are more quests, or more cut scenes.  It really played hell with the pacing of the back third of the game.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 19, 2020, 12:37:01 pm
Quote from: telly on January 19, 2020, 10:39:09 am
Game 1 – Yoshi’s Woolly World (Wii U) – 21 Hours

I enjoyed a very leisurely playthrough of this, trying to get as many collectibles that I could. I didn’t try overly hard to complete every level, only as it remained fun for me. My final total as far as collectibles go was:

53 Yoshis
251 Flowers
989 Special Gems

+ The first thing that I loved about this game was the yarn and wool-based aesthetic. It’s incredibly well done, and it was cleaver seeing how they implemented that style into the level, enemy and monster design. It just looks really nice and makes you feel happy while playing. :) There were some really unique and interesting levels and they all implement wool or fabric in some way. The controls are pretty solid as well, though they’re pretty similar to the SNES game (for better or worse). The soundtrack was really cute and fun with some memorable music. The badge system was a nice addition, though it makes some of the levels an absolute joke. For example, there was one level in the desert where if you equip the fire immunity badge, you can’t get hurt by literally anything in the level. But of course you don’t have to equip those buffs if you don’t want to.

- The game isn’t particularly difficult, but it is challenging to find every collectable in every level. That’s fine, but the game has these “points of no return” sprinkled in through many of the levels where if you take the wrong turn on a branching path you can’t go back, which is frustrating. And some of the collectables aren’t visible unless you touch a very specific part of mid-air in the level. Having said that, collecting everything still isn’t that hard as long as you touch every collectable at one point during your runs, it will count. The badges that make you immune from pits and fire, and the badge that allows you to find hidden items, really make the game quite easy. Only the special hidden levels really pose a decent challenge.
That aside, the game’s pretty derivative with it’s story and many of the bosses, but I suppose that’s to be expected. It also didn’t make any sense why the game stuck with that archaic-ass moving reticle for throwing eggs when we have a whole second analog stick that goes unused.


My fiancee and I played this on Co-op when it first came out and we ended up loving this game way more than we thought we would. It's a blast!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on January 19, 2020, 12:39:22 pm
Oh that's fun! How does the co-op mode work?
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 19, 2020, 07:31:04 pm
Quote from: telly on January 19, 2020, 12:39:22 pm
Oh that's fun! How does the co-op mode work?


From what i remember it's just two Yoshis instead of one, and each are cntrolled by a different player. i remember having to communicate with each other a lot wile dong it in order to prevent the other person from screwing things up lol. My fiancee and I are going to be replaying it again this Spring so I'll get a refresher on some of the nuances of co-op.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on January 19, 2020, 08:25:09 pm
Sounds like a blast :) My girlfriend is not a gamer at all but I'm hoping maybe I'll convince her to indulge me with a co-op game or something. Co-op anything is like my favorite way to play.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on January 23, 2020, 08:25:50 pm
2. Dig Dug(PS4)

One of the few classic games that I have always loved. To this day I feel like it has very unique style of gameplay and mechanics. It's simple and creative and always fun.

Time: 5 hours
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: NickAwesome on January 23, 2020, 11:21:19 pm
We'll see how many games I beat this year- I'll shoot for 26

Looks like 18 for the year- I started off strong but faltered down the stretch.  I'm on paternity leave till early February- let's see if that will help me do better for 2021...
1. Judgment- PS4 1/4/20
2. Super Mario Bros U Deluxe- currently playing
3. Dragon Quest Builders 2- currently playing
4. Donut Country- currently playing
5.Control- PS4- beat 3/22/20
6. Doom Eternal- beat 3/29/20
7. A Plague Tale Innocence 4/5/20
8. Final Fantasy VII Remake 4/28/20
9. Beat Saber 4/30/20- I beat the campaign and saw credits- that counts right? lol
10. Legend of Legaia- in progress
11. Trails of Cold Steel PS4- Beat 5/30/20- on to Part II
12. Indivisible- in progress
13. What the Golf?- Switch- Beat 6/6/20
14. Trails of Cold Steel II- PS4- Beat
15. Shovel Knight Treasure Trove- beat Shovel Night and Spectre Knight campaign- that might be enough for me 6/26/20- beat- don't like plague knight or king knight
16. A Hat in Time- beat 7/11/20- 26 time pieces
17. Retro Game Challenge
18. Hades- beat 10/14/20- GOTY?
19. Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2- beat 10/1/20
20. Descenders- PS4 beat 10/10/20
21. Yakuza Like a Dragon- beat 12/10/20
22. Ghost of Tsushima- beat 12/27/20
23. Cyberpunk- in progress
24. Hot Shots Golf 1+2
25. THPS 1+2 Remake- Beat
26. Animal Crossing- GC- Found all fossils and paid off debt- that is beating the game for me
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on January 24, 2020, 08:56:38 am
Game #3

Sonic Spinball
Looks great, but the controls were a little laggy.  There's also only 4 levels, which explains why they were so cryptic and non-explanatory.  Fun way to kill a couple of hours, but not much else.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on January 24, 2020, 01:29:40 pm
Collection of Mana - Switch - 2nd abandoned game (traded in)

This one's been a bumpy road.

Final Fantasy Adventure/Mystic Quest Adventure is a game I have a lot of good memories about and playing through it again has been a real buzz. The quick-save feature on the cartridge was a real help because there's time this one tested me and I was left having to backtrack, I also needed to consult gameFAQs a few times. It's seriously dated but remains a cracking adventure for such a basic system as the original gameboy, nice soundtrack too!

Secret of Mana is where the wobble begins. The overall package is as good as I remember it, in terms of graphics, 'feel' and soundtrack, but there's a stark difference between the game's size and scope compared to how I remember it. The early stages of the game see you getting lead back and forth through the same few areas, then when the world does open out it's just a few different zones like 'snow' and 'desert', along with a couple of others which very quickly disappear in the rear view mirror. The tail-end of the game features a few large dungeons which help give a sense of exploration, but it's too little too late. Something else the game suffers with is the lack of rewards for exploring - you can find a few weapon upgrade orbs, but that aside there's nothing to actually gain. Several endgame enemies drop equipment randomly, though not often, but for the rest of the game it's only restoratives you'll find in drop chests. It's another way the game saves something for the end which should have been there from the start. Not an unpleasant trip down memory lane, but certainly a case of a game not being as I remembered it. Wouldn't call it 'rose tinted specs' so much as things moving on, YS VIII for instance is a massive departure from SoM in terms of scope, and that's comparing a retro triple-A with a modern double-A.

'Trials of Mana' (Seiken Densetsu 3) is where the wheels came off for me. The senes of scale is considerably ramped up from the previous games (SoM in particular), but it's far worse in terms of the sense of exploration and characters. I couldn't give a damn about ToM's characters, they're completely cookie-cutter. It doesn't feel like 'The World's in DANGER', so much as the world's about to be mildly inconvenienced. Different baddies appear without rhyme or reason ("it's Spiteful Sylvia, oh noes, and there's Knoblord Dread, ruler of Cakeland"). Seriously. Weapons just come from shop upgrades, as with SoM's armour and accessories, but this time there's not even weapon orbs to find. So, with zero loot to find, traversing the game's larger locations often devolves into running from the end of area into the next in simple mazes. It gets extremely boring. Then there's level-grinding just to make sure you're not KO'd by an overpowered enemy's sneeze. Even the combat itself - no more waiting for the bar to charge to 100% before striking, but instead mashing attack produces a short combo, after which your character just sits there a second or two before they'll attack again. It just doesn't feel like the mechanics work very well.

So yeah, got a good bit through ToM before deciding I really don't care any more and want to play something fun or at least compelling.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 24, 2020, 04:13:31 pm
Quote from: Cartagia on January 24, 2020, 08:56:38 am
Game #3

Sonic Spinball
Looks great, but the controls were a little laggy.  There's also only 4 levels, which explains why they were so cryptic and non-explanatory.  Fun way to kill a couple of hours, but not much else.


This was one of my favorite games as a kid.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: zenrhino on January 26, 2020, 09:58:59 am
I'd like to give this a go, it's a fun idea. I just counted up and I beat 36 last year...a lot more required in 2020 then!

I will start from scratch from today.

Games Beaten
1. Metro Exodus (PS4)
2. 11-11: Memories Retold (PS4)
3. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (PS4)
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4)
5. Final Fantasy XV (PS4)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on January 27, 2020, 08:45:53 am
Main List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg173290.html#msg173290)
Previous List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg173291.html#msg173291)

Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

25. Doom Eternal (X1)
Started this game up after finishing Doom 64 because Amazon delivered my copy around when I finished Doom 64, out of nowhere too because they were telling me that they wouldn't deliver until mid April.  The missions in this game are like an hour and a half long, it's insane.  It took a couple of missions before I really got into the game because I had enjoyed Doom 64 so much and this is an entirely different thing.  I'm a big fan of collectibles in games in general, and I really really like them when you get their locations on the map so it's not hard to find.  Very enjoyable experience, makes me wish we had more shooters that were rip and tear style instead of cover style shooters.
Rating: Rip and Tear! Highly recommended.

26. Control (PS4)
The Foundation DLC just came out and I bought the Season Pass a while back when it was on sale, so I jumped back into this after it got released.  It's been a while since I played so I really didn't remember the controls, so I died a lot while I was getting reacquainted.  After about a day I got used to the controls again and had minimal problems, but then I finished the DLC later that day.  DLC has a lot of interesting stuff that will take you some time and then it's got a new gameplay loop to do that allows you to have a sort of radiant quest thing to get mods and such, I took no part in it as I hate that sort of thing and grinding for equipment.
Rating: Main game is highly recommended, DLC is a soft pass unless you really liked the story, then soft recommendation.

27. Wolfenstein: Youngblood (X1)
After playing Control I decided I wanted to play another Rip and Tear shooter, and this was the closest thing really.  Gameplay is enjoyable, the sort of open world thing is kind of refreshing, and the game is long enough to justify the price it's going for these days (pretty cheap).  Story wise it all felt super tropey and like d-movie terrible.  Character wise, almost all of the characters are terrible, just absolutely horrible... especially the twins.  The beginning mission really makes the twins seem like psychopaths, and it made me super uncomfortable.  I'd say this game's only redeeming quality is the gameplay, and even that isn't the best.  Within 2 minutes of playing the game I got stuck in a wall where I had to quit and restart the campaign... and I was able to replicate it, repeatedly.  I was kinda stubborn as what caused it was the way I play games, so I kept doing it until I gave up, just chose not to play the game even remotely stealth like.  Which I guess makes sense because the AI for the other twin has no idea about stealth and will just wander ahead of you and get seen while trying to sneak around.  It would've been nice to have a semblance of some sort of command system where you could tell the other twin to stay or follow, be passive or aggressive, etc.  I don't know if this game is considered canon, and that would be my deciding factor on whether or not you should play this game.
Rating: Soft Pass honestly.

28. Resident Evil 3 (PS4)
I had heard a lot of complaints from folks, but I kept my preorder.  Sort of glad I did as I was very pleased with this game.  It is a fairly short game, but so was the original.  Game took me a little over 7 hours to finish.  I'm actually not a fan of the Mister X and Nemesis sections of these games.  I want to be able to wander around and stuff and the dude constantly murder-balling me takes that away from me.  I had a tough time deciding if this should go at the top of my list because in general Doom Eternal is a much more refined game, but this game had me thinking about it day and night and wanting to play it, even after finishing I didn't want to be done so I started playing other Resident Evil games, so while it might not technically be a better game than Doom Eternal, I am going to put it higher on my list because I just enjoyed this game that damned much.
Rating: Recommended.

29. Resident Evil 6 (PS4)
Started this up after finishing RE3 because I had put running through the RE franchise on hold until I could playthrough 3.  I've played 4 and 5 before, and I'm not certain I want to play them again, especially when I'm just trying to prioritize planning through the entries I've never played.  I started this game a long time ago on 360, but I don't think I got very far, maybe through Chapter 1 of Leon's story.  I know a lot of people will constantly spout to just skip this game and don't play it because it doesn't exist.  I feel that's disingenuous to say, it's definitely not your normal RE game and it has no survival horror aspects, it's just a mildly spooky themed 3rd person shooter, with an emphasis on the 3rd person shooter.  There are no puzzles, no ink ribbon typewriters, no item boxes, very limited inventory management (which is just annoying in a 3rd person shooter), and just no terror at all, not even jump scares.  It makes me think back on my experience with RE5, which I think is a well reviewed game, but I feel like that game was just a step above this game and basically a lot like this in some of these manners.  If you're all about the mechanics, I'd definitely agree to skip this game, but story is there and exists, so I'd say go for it if you can stomach it, but so far the secondary campaigns don't really add much to the game.  Even the Ada campaign barely adds anything to the story.  I'm really inclined to count this game 4 times because of this garbage, but I won't.
Rating: Soft Pass.

30. Resident Evil: Revelations (PS4)
Started this up after Resident Evil 6 because it seemed quick enough of a game that I could get through before FF7R came in the mail.  Not quite, so I swapped over to my 20th Anny PS4 so my wife could play FF7R on the Pro.  Game plays just as well on the OG PS4 model.  This game is only mildly better than Resident Evil 6, but it's just as bad in a lot of ways, the only thing better is it follows closer to the original Resi structure of doors with keys and generally one large place to explore.  Game has basically no inventory management, which sometimes can be quite nice, but the only being able to carry 3 guns basically has you carrying 2 guns so you can pick up new weapons without losing old ones.  This wasn't too bad because I constantly had rifle and shotgun ammo and both weapons dealt 1000+ damage/shot with weapon mods.  Final boss fight was a little annoying because all I had was a scoped sniper rifle and a shotgun that required being charged up, but that's on me.  Story wise, I don't think this game adds much to the franchise as a whole other than establishing BSAA and not directly stating about TRICELL, but gameplay wise it's a solid and fun game.
Rating: Recommended

31. Atelier Ryza (NS)
I've heard a lot of good things about this game, and I've been meaning to try an Atelier game and this sounds like the best one yet.  I'm mostly pushing myself to play it because from what I heard it sounds like a game my wife would like.  The combat system is more complex than I think I'm willing to learn, so I'm expecting to hit a wall where I need to learn the inner workings of this system before progressing and I don't look forward to that.  I'm still learning things about this game, I highly expect once I figure things out that I will greatly enjoy this game... but a lot of the features just seem very unintuitive.  As expected, as soon as I figured out the alchemy part of the game, the combat mechanics of the game, and the other little features of the game, I'm really enjoying this game.  I'm planning to give one of the older Atelier games a go after this at some point this year, because if they are even moderately like this game I'm going to enjoy the fuck out of my time with them.
Rating: Highly Recommended.

32. Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (PS4)
Revelations had 12 episodes that were broken down into scenes, super easy to track.  This game has 4 episodes and I don't believe it's broken down into scenes, so I'm not entirely sure how granular I can get with the tracking of this game.  First thing I notice with this game is that it is SUPER SPOOKY and CREEPY.  Also, I notice that headshots actually do something in this game.  Other recent Resi games, even the remakes IIRC, headshots do nothing more than body shots, in this a headshot will down most zombies(?).  I'm enjoying this game so far, just got to a room full of bugs and noped out for the night.  That bug room is where everything turned around.  Infinitely spawning enemies and stupid AI companions.  AI companion will literally stand still and get attacked rather than do anything.  Enemies infinitely spawn, so you're trying to do something and having to swap off to the other companion constantly because they WILL get murdered.  I had to BUY a skill to let 1 of my characters defend themselves as an AI.  Fucking bat shit stupid.  Infinitely spawning enemies only seem to be during "boss" fights.  Just overall not pleased with this game so far.  The game is getting more acceptable as I progress, but I'm still not a fan of that infinitely spawning enemy shit during those "run away" fights.  AI is still getting murdered even though I bought the skill for them to defend themselves.  1 hit kill invisible enemies are introduced now which is just absolute garbage.  They literally spawn on you, so you can't even prepare for them.  Beat the game and just straight up didn't care for the ending.  Told my wife about it and she looked it up and told me I got the bad ending and that the game has two endings, ending is driven by a single decision earlier on in the game.  A decision that I meant to make the way the good ending would've went, but the design left me confused as to what to do and I wound up doing what I didn't want to do.  Luckily with chapter select it didn't take much to correct it, but did require replaying chunks of the game.  Too frustrating and adds literally nothing to the franchise.  Maybe if Resident Evil still existed as a contiguous franchise.  I'd change my rating to Soft Recommendation if the ending of this game ever has any affect on the overall nature of the franchise.
Rating: Soft Pass honestly. 

33. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)
My wife made me start playing this because I finished Revelations 2 right when she finished this game.  She has a real tough time shutting up and not spoiling things.  Like she would with no asking try to explain mechanics to me about a minute before the tutorial would pop up, which made the tutorials MORE annoying and her interjections MORE annoying.  On top of that, I really wasn't feeling playing this and I have never played the original so I have no nostalgia for this game.  So I got to about Chapter 3 and quit playing in favor of Animal Crossing because I just wasn't feeling it.  Came back to it the next day and could only really play a little bit at a time because of my kid hollering and my wife hollering, just an overall distracting kind of Sunday.  Got to playing it once everyone else went to bed and got to Chapter 7.  Enjoying the game overall, but many complaints.  I don't like the button mapping, triangle should be cross and vice versa, there is no jump button, too often the game makes you walk at a snail's pace.  I've mostly gotten over the button mapping issue, the jumping not existing is annoying with the constant flying enemies, and the snail's pace walking drives me up the wall still.  Other than that, I'm really enjoying the game, I'm disappointed that there are difficulty based trophies because I have no intent of replaying the game once hard mode is unlocked, so no chance I'm going for the platinum even though I'm gonna finish the game with like all but 5 trophies.  More than 5 trophies missing, and that's largely because I just won't be arsed to go do the last 2 quests and get the other bridal dresses.  I was waiting on the ending of this game to decide if I'd play the original game, and I'm thinking that I will.  It might be painful going through essentially the same game again, but I've got some curious opinions about the future of the Remake series based on some things that seem to be included that weren't in the original.  I won't share those opinions, but I've got em.  Ending wasn't too much of a cliffhanger and ends fairly well.  I'm fully expecting the next game to start you at Level 1 like always and in this particular instance it is quite an annoying thought as the remake should be one game, not a series.
Rating: Highly Recommended

34. Omega Labyrinth Life (NS)
After starting Animal Crossing I realized that I'd have too many times where there's nothing to do, so I wanted another game to swap to after productivity is done for the day.  Decided on this game, probably for lewd reasons.  My sole experience with dungeon crawler games was Izuna, which I believe is mystery dungeon.  This game is also mystery dungeon, but with rogue elements.  Rogue elements are extremely frustrating, but this game isn't difficult, so it isn't so bad.  I'm at the second to last dungeon and I've died twice.  1 time was because grim reaper because I didn't understand mechanic, game could've straight up said I'd die, but I went ahead like a moron.  2nd time I had a revive on me, the enemy did like 100 DMG per hit so I died super fast, but when I revive he got confused and just let me beat him senseless.  Almost died a 3rd time because an enemy did like 50-100 DMG and took that damage as health, so I wasn't whittling his health at all, so I swapped it up to distant attacks and status effects.  I think this game is quite enjoyable on its own and the rogue elements make it a little unique in the dungeon crawler genre.  The lewd elements are quite nice, but I don't think it makes or breaks this game, so I'd say Labyrinth Life on PS4 is probably pretty good too, I'm genuinely curious to look up just what was cut from that version.  You seem to lose the touch events, TFT events, and the bathing scenes are more censored but you also get like a $15 price cut.  I skip all of those events so really it's not that huge of a loss.  That said, I'd still prefer to play this on Switch over PS4, so it is what it is.  The difficulty seemed to ramp up in these last few dungeons, my companion has been dying a lot and a lot of de-leveling enemies.  A little frustrating to be hit with a difficulty spike this late, but it hasn't really slowed me down yet, so I guess it's not really a spike.
Rating: Soft Recommendation if you're okay with lewdness, otherwise pass I guess.

35. Final Fantasy VII (NS)
I really wanted to track progress like FF7R and be like (Chapter 10) but that really doesn't make much sense given the scope of this game compared to 7R.  Anyway I decided to give this a go after finishing 7R.  I was going to burn through it, but my wife is insisting on watching me play through it because we both recently played 7R, she's played 7 before but doesn't remember how closely 7R followed the original and doesn't particularly feel like replaying it herself, and I've never played 7 before so it's a win-win all around... except that I can only play when she's willing to watch which sort of sucks for me.  So I'm swapping back and forth between this and Clannad based on when she wants to watch.  Insofar though, it's been pretty spot on with the Remake.  I think there were only really two differences that I noticed so far... getting a flower from Aerith right at the beginning and who Corneo chose.  My wife said the game has some sort of friend point system which I guess I'll look into, but I don't believe FF7R had any such thing.  I'm seeing points where I think to myself, oh this could be a stopping point for Remake 2, or a starting point for Remake 3 or 4.  Unless Remake is going to turn into a Ground Zeroes/Phantom Pain type of thing where part two is so much larger than part 1, I'm expecting multiple 40+ hour experiences and I could easily see them throw together multiple 40+ hour experiences.  I think I've acquired all party members.  I hate Cait Sith and Yuffie, I'm assuming this is par for the course.  One major thing I notice is that Dragon Quest immediately gives you Zoom and FF games give you no form of fast travel.  Call me spoiled, but I prefer Dragon Quest.
Rating: Honestly, soft pass.

36. Ys: Book I & II (NS)
I hadn't looked through the list of offerings before buying the TG mini, so this was the first game I saw that I was like "Oh, I wanna play that" and just started it right up before really looking through the list of the games.  Played it over a couple of days and beat it.  I didn't ever really fully get the combat because sometimes I'd think I'm gonna hit the enemy, but then I'd take damage, and sometimes it would work like I expected.  Some of the boss fights were really frustrating and didn't make a ton of sense.  I overall enjoyed my experience, once MMC puts out their hack maybe I'll try and load up Ys III... though I suppose I could play the remake.
Rating: Soft recommendation

37. Neutopia (TG16)
Cover art looked interesting on this one so I gave it a go.  It's a Zelda clone in the vein of OG Zelda.  Overall enjoyable game, not too long, the bosses aren't the worst.  Combat is frustrating, but so are the original Zelda games.  Game is very minimalistic in comparison where Zelda has the constant need for new items to progress, it's pretty fun, but very simple.
Rating: Soft Recommendation.

38. Clannad (NS)
I've always been interested in playing this game because I love the anime.  I backed the kickstarter way back when and got multiple copies of the game.  I think I had the issue that all copies were DRM-free and I really wanted a Steam copy so I could go for achievements, but oh well.  Now I have the game on Switch and I'm really enjoying playing it on the go, especially using just touchscreen.  This game is my first real experience with a Visual Novel.  I played the Mermaid game on the Switch last year and it was just terrible in all aspects and the game was broken in that it wouldn't let me go any other path than the bad ending, I tried playing through multiple times, picking the exact options while watching a video walkthrough and I'd reach a point and I couldn't make the same choices as the walkthrough, so I gave up and it kind of soured me on VNs in general.  This game is my second chance for the genre and I'm really enjoying it because I love the story and the characters.  I'm actually intending on playing this full on VN style and going for all of the different endings and trying to unlock the After Story.  I might even go play Tomoyo's After Story on PC if I can manage it afterward.  I don't know that I'll have much else to say about this even after beating it, but I'm really enjoying my time with this game.  This game took forever to get through, not a bad thing, but it just lasted so long.  Personally, I'd say this is a great entry title for the VN genre.
Rating: Recommended.

Next List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175106.html#msg175106)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on January 28, 2020, 08:30:49 am
Quote from: bikingjahuty on January 24, 2020, 04:13:31 pm
Quote from: Cartagia on January 24, 2020, 08:56:38 am
Game #3

Sonic Spinball
Looks great, but the controls were a little laggy.  There's also only 4 levels, which explains why they were so cryptic and non-explanatory.  Fun way to kill a couple of hours, but not much else.


This was one of my favorite games as a kid.

Yeah, I found myself thinking about how much I would have dug it as a kid.


The GF and played through Gears of War as couch co-op.  These games are hilariously over-the-Top macho.  The gameplay is fine, but we probably had just as much fun yelling about protein shakes.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 28, 2020, 06:27:25 pm
7. Mega Man Legends (PS1)

It's always a real shame when all you hear about a specific game for years and years on the internet is how incredible it is, only to finally play the game and wonder what the hell those people are smoking. That was exactly my feelings with Mega Man Legends. I know for context this game came out pre-Ocarina of Time so in regards to 3D adventure games it didn't have a lot of competition and the bar was certainly not raised very high. However, even if someone grew up with this game and thought it was incredible back in the late 90s, I'd find it hard to believe that someone could return to this game over the past 15-years and say that Mega Man Legends is a good, solid adventure game.


Let's rip the bandaid right off; the gameplay in Mega Man Legends is terrible. As in you spend more time finding with the awkward, rigid, and clunky controls just as much, if not more than the actual enemies you encounter. Controlling Mega man involved a combo of using the d-pad and the R1 and L1 buttons to rotate him. While this doesn't sound too complicated, the way it is executed is awful. You will often be fighting with the controls to gain the right angle to hit an enemy, jump on a ledge or pretty much do anything within the game. On top of that, the auto aim can be fairly janky at times where Mega Man will attempt to shoot an enemy in another room even though there's an enemy right in front of you. Essentially all the controls whether it's aiming, shooting, or simply moving are cumbersome and annoying to control.


The game takes a lot of notes from Zelda and has you explore various bland, boring dungeons to find various items and money. While there are several different dungeons in the game, you'd be forgiven for thinking many are the same with basic color and texture swaps. The enemies are a variety of robots that give you money and energy to recharge as well, however there aren't many enemy types and you'll continuously run into the same kinds over and over again. As for the special enemies and bosses, these are all beat the same way by simply taking a few pot shots, running away enough to get a few more in, rinse and repeat. Some of the boss and enemy designs are fairly cool, but again there is far too much repetition in Mega Man Legends, and the way you beat most of them is pretty much the same formula.


Mega Man Legends story is nothing special either; you play as Mega Man and travel around with Roll, Roll's grandpa, and a monkey names Data as you explore the game's ruins which are all connected to an island that serves as the setting for the game. While doing this you'll be met with helping the island's townfolk defend themselves against the efforts of the Bonne gang of pirates that include the famous Tron Bonne character as well as her servbots. Storywise this is about as boring as it sounds, however there is some funny and occasionally adorable dialogue and writing that takes place between the characters, all of which is voice acted well in a very late 90s, anime-ish style. the characters and their interactions were probably my favorite part of Legends, but sadly it isn't nearly enough to forgive the actual gameplay and everything else wrong with this game.


The graphics in Mega Man Legends are pretty bland and boring for the most part. I already mentioned how dull the dungeons are, but the towns looks very basic in design, the connecting areas is this very generic forest setting with very little variety, and many of the game's other artistic attributes and how they're executed in 3D just looks so uninspired. I do have to give props for the character designs though, especially the facial animations of he characters during the games cut scenes; these really give a lot of emotion to the characters and is part of the reason why they remain my favorite part about this game. But other than that, this is not a good looking game, nor is it terrible, but somewhere in that just okay middle ground.


Sound is also a mixed bag in Mega Man Legends. The voice acting is well done, at least for what the game is, but outside of that there isn't much to praise. There are some fun tracks, but nothing sticks out. The part that really drags this game's audio down is the actual lack of audio in a lot of parts, mainly the main area of the island that connects a lot of the towns and sub areas. There is literally no sound in this area, other than the sound of birds chirping. It just comes across as incomplete, like there was supposed to be music and the devs just forgot about it at the last minute.


So if you've read this far you can tell I did not enjoy most of my time with Mega Man Legends, and you'd be 100% right about this. I knew the game was fairly short, and because of that I was willing to grit my teeth and get through it. However, the lack of save points in the dungeons and the fact that I felt I was on the verge of not wanting to play the game anymore finally broke me towards the end of the game when I just spent around half an hour in one of the final dungeons you explore, when i encountered three boss characters that demolished me. Truthfully I could have probably gone back and beat them eventually, but knowing that i'd have to play this game for another half hour longer than I would have otherwise was enough for me to abandon the game. I honestly didn't care that I was an hour or so away from finishing it; I'd been done with the game after the first hour and hopelessly held out for the game to click with me at some point, which it never did.


I get that a lot of people have nostalgia for this game, and as I pointed out, this game was pre-Ocarina of Time so playing this in 1997 probably felt like one of the best 3D adventures games ever made. However, I'd challenge anyone to defend this outdated mess of a game in our post-Ocarina of Time world, where this game's obsolescence is astounding. After playing this I'm essentially done with the entire Legends series, including Tron Bonne. While they aren't all going up on ebay this evening, my desire to play anymore of the Mega Man Legends series is significantly diminished after my experience with the first game. (1/28/20)

Abandoned



Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 28, 2020, 11:42:32 pm
8. Wipeout (Saturn)

Despite having barely any experience with Wipeout or any other game in the franchise, I do have several unique associations with it. For one, there is some sort of arcade version of it in the 1995 movie Hackers that also happens to be one of the coolest scenes in the film. Also, on a personal level, the night my parents decided they were getting a divorce in 1997, my mom too me and my two younger sibling to my Uncles house, which we never did outside of Christmas Eve. While I was confused by the whole thing at the time because my mom wouldn't tell me what was happening until the next day, I was distracted by my cousin's PS1 console and games.


Too my knowledge this was my second experience playing a PS1, the first being on a road trip my parents, siblings and I took to Idaho, where i played the PS1 along with Destruction Derby at a second cousin's house or something. But that evening at my Uncles house I played several of my cousin's games including Loaded, Resident Evil, and Wipeout. Since they were very different than anything I was used to, Loaded and Resident Evil were only played briefly before I turned them off. Luckily Wipeout was something I was more familiar with, but from what I do remember I sucked badly at it, as in I struggled to even make it past the first level. All these years later I never played it or its various sequels, until this evening. I don't own the PS1 version of Wipeout, but I do own the Saturn version and I decided to pop it in and see if the game holds up or if it's another relic of the past like Mega Man Legends (yes, I'm still salty about that game lol).

Wipeout is a cool, futuristic racing game where you pilot a aerodynamic hovercraft through a very sloped and angular race track against 7 other hovercraft. Each track is set on some fictional futuristic track. The gameplay of Wipeout is umm, interesting. It feels very floaty, which I guess you'd expect from a vehicle that isn't bound to the laws of gravity, but this doesn't necessarily lend itself to a game with good, tight controls. Getting used to this floatiness takes getting used to as you are required to master a weird air drift technique to whip around sharp turns without hitting the walls of the track. Hitting the walls or other drivers has little consequence beyond slowing you down, same with the game's various weapons you and other racers use against one another. There is no permanent destruction, which is probably a good thing since you will hit the walls and drivers a lot, especially on the more advanced tracks later in the game. The creates an issue with the pacing of the race as you'll feel more like a bumper car than a 1000mph futuristic race craft.

Wipeout's graphics are fine. They have that fairly early 3D, highly pixelated look, but for what it is it probably looked great back in 1995 when this game came out, and even today it doesn't look completely awful. Still I'm judging this more by the standards of the time which it gets an above average score on. There is also the cool track and ships graphics as well, which while pixelated as well, still look cool and really compliment the Wipeout's futuristic setting.

The absolute standout of Wipeout is the soundtrack which is a excellent variety of mid/late 90s trance and drum and bass electronica. While the graphics and art style lend themselves to the game's futuristic feel, the music absolutely does to an even greater degree. Funny enough, playing this game with the cool 90s techno OST reminds me more of the 90s than a game about the distant future; it just has this unique quality that I remember being indicative of that time period, and i find games and movies that use that absolutely intoxicating. Sadly the sound effects in this game are fairly lacking, but you won't care with how good that soundtrack is!

Wipeout is absolutely one of those time capsule sort of games; a game that really captures the look, feel, and sound of the time period it was made. Just like I watch a movie like Hackers to remember the time period around 1995 and 1996, I'd play this game mostly to remember those years too. This is coming from someone who didn't see Hackers until probably 2012 for the first time, and someone who barely played Wipeout in the 90s. Too bad the gameplay is fairly rough, and does unfortunately spoil some of the experience while playing this otherwise fun and unique game. (1/28/20)

Gameplay: 6/10
Sound: 8/10
Graphics: 7/10
Fun: 11/20
Overall: 32/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 28, 2020, 11:44:34 pm
Well damn! 8 games already (7 completed)! I think this might be a personal record for me in a single month, certainly the first month of the year! It makes me happy I've been sticking to my plan to mostly play games I never played or barely played before too. However, I'm about to change that soon with a game I haven't played since probably 2004 or so; Resident Evil 3. I'm not sure if it'll be the next game I play, but if not the next then the one after it for sure.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on January 30, 2020, 03:27:41 am
5 - Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (PS4 2020) - BEAT - Took awhile, but I finally finished up Kakarot.  I went into the game not exactly the most hyped for it, even as a DBZ fan, but it ended up coming across better than I expected.  Not that it's an amazing game, it's more like Xenoverse 2, but cleaned up abit gameplay.  As a retelling of the DBZ saga, it mostly works, not a full experience or a Kai level, but more so than I think most of the other games have.

The side stuff works to add a little more fun to the experience from a fan service point of view, but most of the side stuff is pretty basic delivery and fight stuff.  I tried to do as much as I could, but by the time the Buu saga came, I kinda dropped that, though the Buu saga in general seemed less open than before.  But you can go back at the end of the game to finish everything up and do all the endgame stuff which has the harder fights.  Camera can be wonky, which is annoying, but it's not a dealbreaker.

Overall it was enjoyable enough and when the high quality cutscenes kick in, that is where I got really drawn in, because if it's gonna rehash well known moments, it's gonna make those moments look even cooler than the anime.  I do feel like they don't do it enough though, but when they do put the money in, it's so good.

One thing this game does do though, is get me interested in the potential of Xenoverse 3.  If it plays and looks like this, but we get the customization and variety of Xenoverse 2, and finally we get a full original story, not just another rehash, it could be a pretty fantastic game.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 30, 2020, 09:35:15 pm
9. Virtua Fighter 3tb (Dreamcast)

Beyond the first two Virtua Fighter games, my experience with the rest of the franchise is pretty limited. I have played all the other Virtua Fighter games to varying degrees, but at the very most I've probably played 5 cumulatively for about two hours. As for 3tb, I've probably played it for about an hour total and ended up turning it off as soon as I was forced to rematch a specific, cheap character more than 5-times. However, I fought through the game, getting past those ultra annoying characters, and can now say i've beat a Virtua Fighter game outside the first two. Sadly, my opinion of Virtua Fighter 3tb is less favorable than the first either of the first two games.


The first thing that became obvious as I was playing through Virtua Fighter 3tb was how outdated and irrelevant it felt for a game ported to the Dreamcast a year after its arcade debut. Beyond the fact that the graphics look pretty outdated (think of a game that looks better than the first two games, but subpar for a Dreamcast game), the gameplay is grounded in a pseudo realistic approach to martial arts combat that had been outdone many times by the time Virtua Fighter 3tb came out. We had 4 Tekken games, the 3rd and Tage Tournament being way better then this game, as well as various other 3D fighting games that had not only surpassed the first two Virtua Fighter games, but especially 3tb.


The fighting mechanics in 3tb manage to feel slightly more clunky, inaccurate, and cheap than they did in the first two Virtua Fighter games, which may have been a bit of a novelty at the time they came out, but for the third game in the series to be continuing on with this is fairly inexcusable. That's not to say the fighting in 3tb is totally terrible, however it does lack the smoothness and polish of many other 3D fighting games that had been released at this point, especially the Tekken games I mentioned earlier. I certainly didn't hate it, well, except when I was having to fight the same cheap character, with the same inconsistent hit boxes over and over, and over again, but when I didn't have to do this the game was decent enough in terms of gameplay.


As mentioned, Virtua Fighter 3tb is not a very good looking game, especially when compared to many of the Dreamcast's other 3D fighting games, or even other fighting games on older consoles like the PS1. There are some very cool stage and background visuals, but sadly there character models look like they're barely a leap in terms of graphics over the arcade version of Virtua Fighter 2. Sadly, playing this game before or after Dead or Alive 2 or Tekken Tag Tournament on the PS2 (sorry I keep bringing this game up lol) will show you just how bad this game looks in comparison.


Without a doubt, Virtua Fighter 3tb's greatest asset is its stellar soundtrack! Like so many other AM2 developed games 3tb is no exception in how excellent its soundtrack is. It has this unmistakeable 90s Sega arcade sound that not only sounds awesome, but really takes me back personally to the time when Sega ruled the arcades, and to a lessor extent the console market as well. It was actually a motivator to help me continue to playing to hear a new song for a new stage I hadn't been to yet, that's how good it is!


Virtua Fighter 3tb is no fighting game masterpiece or hidden gem, but then again neither were its predecessors. Sadly though, it's predecessors are still better then it, and playing 3tb will really show you how much it was left behind as a 3D fighting game by the time it was ported to the Dreamcast. Hell, this was even true when it came out in the arcades a year earlier. 3tb is an okay game, but certainly don't go into it expecting an amazing fighting game. (1/30/20)

Presentation: 6/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Sound: 9/10
Fun: 11/20
Overall: 31/50



Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on January 30, 2020, 10:32:35 pm

I've been battling some pretty bad insomnia for the last two weeks and am desperately trying to get my sleep schedule on track. At least for me the best way to stay awake in the evening after work, at least until my normal bedtime around 11pm, is to play video games and write out some reviews.

10. Daytona USA (Dreamcast)

Any person who was over the age of 5 during the mid to late 90s no doubt remembers walking into at least one Arcade and seeing a row of Daytona USA arcade machines as people raced each other in one of the best arcade racing games ever made. Like many Sega arcade games of the 90s, this one would be eventually ported to home consoles. Daytona USA on the Saturn is definitely compromised, but for what it was it was still a fun way of playing this classic at home with a friend. Where the Saturn version fell short was definitely its visuals and its ability to capture how awesome it was to play the arcade version with many other people. Daytona USA on the Dreamcast, a remake of sorts, does somewhat rectify the visuals issue of the Saturn version, however that specialness of the arcade is lost on this version too.


To call Daytona USA on the Dreamcast a remake isn't entirely accurate; it's more or less an enhanced port with completely revamped visuals, a lot more stages and modes, and just overall it's a more comprehensive game than the arcade or Saturn versions. Despite these enhancements and editions, it still fails to capture that amazing arcade feel of the original, but in a way this isn't necessarily a bad thing, at least in a way. The Dreamcast version suffers from the arcade emersion of the arcade version, but also lacks the controls of the arcade version as well. Sega and various other developers outdid themselves with many other racing games throughout the 90s and into the 2000s, making Daytona USA's gameplay feel more like a relic of the past than anything. This is very apparent when playing Daytona USA with a controller, which isn't that big a deal on the less technical tracks, but on stages with many sharp turns this game becomes almost borderline unplayable.


Visually Daytona USA on the Dreamcast looks pretty good. It's far from being the best looking Dreamcast game, but it manages to revamp the visuals with colorful stages and vistas. As mentioned, this game has many more tracks than the original version, and each of them is easily distinguished from the others. This game is actually more fun to look at then play at times, and I really have to hand it too the developers for doing such a great job in the graphics and arts direction of the game.


The soundtrack is also excellent, using all the very memorable tracks of the original game including the iconic "Dayyytonnaaaa!" theme as well as various other exciting tracks to race too. The sound effects are also mostly lifted from the arcade version including the engine and tire noises of the cars, as well as the menu and car select chimes and bleeps; even the Game Over screen at the end of the race is the same.


Daytona USA will always be a classic game, at least it will in the arcade. If you were dying to play a good looking port of it with a lot of bonus content that this version will mostly scratch that itch, however don't expect the same high octane, exhilarating experience you had with your buddies at Dave and Busters that one time. Daytona USA is a game meant to be enjoyed at the arcade, and no matter how you're playing it at home, minus having an actual arcade machine in your basement or garage, you're going to be missing out on the real Daytona experience. (1/30/20)

Presentation: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 3/10
Fun: 8/20
Overall: 26/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on February 01, 2020, 01:17:28 pm
11. Battle Garegga (PS4)

I find myself, maybe more than any other SHMUP going back and playing Battle Garegga. The game has this quality to it that it almost indescribable in how polished, unique, and cool everything about the game is. While I do pop it in from time to time when I don't feel like playing anything new or in depth, and just want to play a video game, I find myself playing it this time around because of a high score competition going on in a local Facebook group I belong to. While competing for high scores I thought I might as well re-evaluate where this incredible shooter ranks in my top shooters.


As I was playing Garegga this morning it certainly crossed my mind that I may like this game more than Radiant Silvergun, my favorite SHMUP of all time. Before replaying through the entire game again this morning Battle Garegga placed behind Mushihimesama Futari, Dodonpachi, Layer Section, and Radiant Silvergun as mentioned. While I was fairly certain it would jump a place or two, I legitimately thought there was a chance that Radiant Silvergun could get knocked from its perch as being the best SHMUP I've ever played. Before I reveal if it ended up doing this, here's a quick review of Battle Garegga.


Maybe more than any other SHMUP I've ever played, Battle Garegga's gameplay, at least in terms of SHMUPs is among the most deep I've ever played. While you can certainly play this game like most other SHMUPs, collecting power ups, blasting every thing in front of you, there are a surprising amount of nuances with this game that can make the game easier or harder without you even realizing it. For example, the game punishes you in a way for collecting power ups in the form of making the amount of bullets and other projectiles thrown at you increase. It's almost as if the game balances out how much more powerful you've become by making the enemies you come up against more powerful themselves. There are also a trove of secrets and other things that you won't just stumble upon in the game. This aspect of Battle Garegga becomes very important if you're going for high scores. Aside from all that, Garegga's gameplay is buttery smooth, pretty well balanced with the exception of a few later levels, and is one of the best crafted shooters ever made. Perhaps its biggest and most blaring fault is how it decides to use a metal color for the vast majority of bullets flying at you, which can make them very hard to see; you'll often die because of an unseen bullet as much as you'll die from being in a pinch from having nowhere to go. You do acclimate to this to a degree, but it's still a fault with the game. Luckily the PS4 port allows you to make these bullets different, bright colors, mostly remedying this issue.


The graphics and visuals in Battle Garegga top notch. Battle Garegga is one of the most visually impressive 3D, sprite based games I've ever played; the amount of detail and polish in the visuals is absolutely stunning and deserves a lot of recognition. The stages in Garegga are all very unique from one another, and contain some of the most atmospheric levels in any SHMUP ever. The absolute standouts are actually the first level as well as the Clouds level which at first glance might not seem like anything special, but having two massive storm cells below you with lighting passing between them truly creates an incredible effect. This is even further complemented that the Cloud stage's final boss, Dark Heart, is the most memorable boss in the game. Speaking of enemies and bosses, the ship and vehicle design in Garegga is super cool and surprisingly varies as well. While you will encounter a lot of the same enemy types, particularly your basic cannon fodder tanks and planes, there are a lot of other ship and vehicle types that all present their own challenge in dispatching and avoiding their attacks. Visually, Garegga is truly a difficult game to fault, and is among the best looking SHUMPs, of not the best looking I've ever played.


I have possibly saved the best quality of Battle Garegga for last, which is none other than it's soundtrack. While I've certainly played SHMUPs that look as good as Garegga, if not slightly better, I can say without any hesitation that Battle Garegga has the best OST of any SHMUP ever! In fact, it is one of my all time favorite video game soundtracks. The sound effects of ships exploding, power ups, and background effects and everything are also excellent. The audio in this game is absolutely perfect.


Battle Garegga was originally released in the arcade, and playing it that way absolutely is an idea way to play it. The Saturn version is also excellent, capturing the look and feel of the arcade version down to near perfection with the exception of some annoying loading screens. However, the ultimate version of this game is M2's PS4 port which not only captures the arcade version perfectly, but adds so many options for customization that it would make it nearly impossible for you not to be able to make this game exactly how you'd want it. It possesses everything from the amount of credits and ships you get, to adding bonus fighters, to increasing or decreasing various attributes regarding the scoring and difficulty, to changing the look of the game, to being able to change the soundtrack in various ways. You get the idea; there are literally hundreds of configurable options making this one of the most customizable gaming experiences I've ever played. As I said, this also remedies certain issues the original arcade version of the game had, making this the idea version to play, although you certainly could play just like the arcade version if you wanted to.


I'm very happy I decided to replay Battle Garegga and evaluate how I feel about it again. While there were certainly SHMUPs I played that I liked more, I feel like Garegga has arguable stood the test of time longer then any of this in regards to being a SHMUP I often find myself wanting to play. With that said, I still very, very, very slightly prefer Radiant Silvergun over Battle Garegga despite them possessing the same score. The reason for this has to do with me subjectively enjoying Radiant Silvergun more since it was the shooter that really, really got me into this genre. However, I can safely say that Battle Garegga is an objectively better looking and sounding game, and the gameplay is only slightly inferior to Radiant Silvergun. However, one thing Battle Garegga has done since I last really scrutinized it is leap over over other SHMUP I've ever played, landing it as my second favorite STG of all time. I honestly can't think of a more worthy SHMUP as being my second favorite. (2/1/20)

Presentation: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Fun: 16/20
Overall: 44/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on February 01, 2020, 08:16:04 pm
3. God of War 3 Remastered (PS4) - 1/17
The more I play of this series the more I love it; I cannot believe I’ve slept on these games for so damn long. 3 really felt like a turning point for the series, you can see exactly how the game evolved from a fixed camera action game into the 3rd person, single shot masterpiece that was God of War 2018.

4. Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon (3DS) - 2/1
Not going to lie, early on I wasn’t really digging it, it just seemed to lack some of the charm of the first game; BUT, I kept with it and I’m really glad I did. I wish they would have kept the unique “named” ghosts from the first game since catching the same like 8 ghosts gets old pretty quick, but having 5 different mansions each with its own theme and mechanics really helped keep the game fresh. Originally I was planning on skipping Dark Moon and going right to LM3 but in the end it was worth it.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on February 02, 2020, 12:39:13 pm
I think you're going to love LM3 Justin!  ;D
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on February 02, 2020, 06:54:36 pm
Quote from: shfan on February 02, 2020, 12:39:13 pm
I think you're going to love LM3 Justin!  ;D

I started it up last night and so far its everything I could have wanted! SO GOOD!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on February 03, 2020, 09:28:27 pm

01. Pan-Pan: A Tiny Big Adventure || Nintendo Switch || 01.01.20
02. Life Is Strange 2 || PlayStation 4 || 01.06.20
03. SteamWorld Dig 2 || Nintendo Switch || 01.07.20
04. Hidden Folks || Nintendo Switch || 01.13.20
05. Luigi's Mansion 3 || Nintendo Switch || 02.03.20
06. Mario Tennis Aces || Nintendo Switch || 02.04.20
07. Animal Crossing: New Horizons || Nintendo Switch || 04.03.20
08. Wattam || PlayStation 4 || 07.12.20
09. Ape Escape 3 || PlayStation 2 || 07.31.20
10. .hack//Infection || PlayStation 2 || 08.16.20
11. Little Nightmares || PlayStation 4 || 09.01.20
12. Inside || PlayStation 4 || 09.07.20
13. Gitaroo Man || PlayStation 2 || 09.19.20
14. .hack//Mutation || PlayStation 2 || 10.09.20
15. Gris || Nintendo Switch || 10.23.20
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on February 04, 2020, 04:17:35 am
Quote from: justin8301 on February 02, 2020, 06:54:36 pm
I started it up last night and so far its everything I could have wanted! SO GOOD!

Really pleased that's the case  :)  It was one of those games where I was thinking "well, this looks great but it'll probably not be as good as I'd like", but I was wrong, so deliciously wrong :D
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: zenrhino on February 04, 2020, 01:07:04 pm
1.  Metro Exodus (PS4)

After my late start it's good to get my first game finished, although I have very mixed thoughts about this title.

The levels are a mixture of the normal tightly constructed linear sections and then open-world areas with markers on the map to check off. I quite like this new formula.

The problem is the quality of each levels design varies massively from area to area. It's almost like each level was designed by different companies.

Another bad point is the pathing within the levels....I can't tell you the amount of times my character got stuck on a virtually invisible twig or empty can....very frustrating.

The game is a looker...the landscapes are beautiful (in a post apocalyptic way!) and filled with detail. The character models are excellent apart from one noticeable area where I shot the identical looking henchman 40 times over in 5 minutes!

I like the general gameplay, it's pretty generic but well done. I enjoyed the weapon upgrade path and that I didn't seem to spend much time in the menus.

The audio design is another mixed bag. The game can be almost silent at just the right time to spook you out...very atmospheric and well done. But then there is the good awful dialogue, where multiple npcs would talk over each other, often drowning out the main story. Really very poor!

Overall, I feel there is a good game here, buried very far beneath the parts that let it down [6/10]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: zenrhino on February 05, 2020, 06:33:13 am
2. 11-11: Memories Retold (PS4)

This is a collaboration between Aardman Animation (Wallace & Gromit) and the developer DigixArt.

It's a narrative based, walking simulator set in the First World War that tells the story of two men on opposite sides of the conflict. It was made to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the armistice.

Firstly, it has a pretty amazing & unique artstyle. The world is rendered to mimic an oil painting....I'm no art expert, but think of an animated Monet painting. I found it quite jarring at the start, but as my eye adjusted, I really grew to love the effect.

Secondly, the voice performances and soundtrack are phenomenal. Elijah Wood & Sebastian Koch voice the two main characters and do a top class job, very believable. The mixture of orchestral and choral music is hauntingly beautiful, and my copy came with code for the OST.

The story itself is interesting and very well written. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

The gameplay is very straight forward. The puzzles are almost childish in their simplicity and there is zero challenge here. I didn't expect or want anything else.

My one complaint with the game is the lack of narrative choices of any consequence, a problem I have with the walking simulator genre as a whole. The only time you get to effect the story in a meaningful way is right at the very end.

This game is short and sweet, it took me about 6 hours in three sittings. I absolutely think it is worth a play if you have any interest in the setting and enjoy the walking simulator genre. [8/10]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on February 08, 2020, 12:07:32 pm
Game 2 - Tales of Berseria (PS4) - 65 hours

While this isn't my favorite Tales game I've played, it's definitely a close second. Everything was done really well, but there were several minor things that I didn't like.

+

I think my favorite part of this game was the main antagonist, Artorious. I really liked him because his motivations are far more rational than a lot of villains in RPGs. He sacrifices Velvet's brother to help fix a world constantly plagued with death and tragedy, which makes his actions morally grey and thus far more intruiging. And his relationship with Velvet is complex and interesting. This adds to a world that really does feel like it's in a constant state of crisis, and the NPCs and side characters help build this narrative too and it was interesting to think about. Too many games try to play the "reset button" cliche when it's not entirely clear what is so wrong with the world in the first place (looking at you Pokemon X/Y, looking at you Ace Combat Zero). I'm also glad the story is more straightforward with minimal plot twists compared to Tales of Xillia. Overall the story was really well done with some incredibly dark themes and really standout and emotional moments.

The combat is as good as ever, with some fun tweaks. I really liked the ability to switch in characters when you die, and chain mystic artes together across characters. It was nice to have artes mapped to the face buttons. Granted, I'm skipping forward a few games, so these things could have been present in previous Tales titles. Just looking at this game as it is though, I thoroughly enjoyed the combat. The game has a ton of fun mini games too; some of my favorites were the Geoboard racing, the serving games, and card shuffle especially.

The game looks great, and there are some really fun areas and dungeons to explore. There was more puzzle solving in the dungeons too compared to Xillia, which was nice.

I'm excited to maybe try a new game plus or try some of the sidequests. It seems like there's a lot of extra content that would keep me busy for a long time. I really liked the sailing mechanic too, even though it wasn't very deep.

Velvet, Laphicet and Eizen were really great characters. I originally didn't care for Velvet very much; I thought she was pretty one-dimensional for most of the game. But she really grows and develops substantially over the course of the story and I grew to like her a lot more.

-

I have one major complaint and a few minor complaints

I think my biggest qualm was with the characters. I didn't really care much for Rokourou, and Bienfu and Magilou were downright UNBEARABLE. Some of the secondary characters were not my cup of tea either. Especially Kamoana and Zavied.

While I thought the story was overall well told, there were a few inconsistencies that held it back in parts. There was some herky jerky pacing after you fight Artorious for the first time. The whole "emotions are bad, free will is important" preaching, especially during the suppression portion of the game and beyond, felt a little silly. The dark themes of the game definitely melt away towards a more light-hearted conclusion that the series is infamous for, for better or worse.

It was hard to suspend my disbelief during some parts of the story. Like when the suppression starts and every human becomes mindless robots, but all the important human characters are conveniently not affected. Or when you take the therions out of their earthpulse points and the nearby towns are supposed to turn into demons (which you see in Haria), but when you remove the therions from Loegres and Hellaves, nothing happens, even though it's alluded to by the characters after the fact.

The biggest one for me was how Velvet is like literally public enemy number one but she is able to waltz through towns to her heart's content and nobody notices or says anything. You would have thought someone would have put up a wanted poster or something? She literally murders like 20 people in Hellaves during the beginning of the game.

The music was really droning and boring. Usually Tales games are very mediocre with the music, but in this game it felt substantially worse. There are some good tracks though.

I didn't like the enhancing and dismantling mechanic for weapons, it was a little too "micromanage-y" for my part. I was constantly dismantling and selling off the excess and it felt very cumbersome. You're incentivized to constantly swap equipment to obtain more master skills, but you're also incentivized to upgrade a piece of equipment more than once, so why dismantle it or equip something different after you spent your resources upgrading it? These two systems deliberately compete with each other and do not mix at all. I wish you could just upgrade shop levels like in Tales of Xillia. That would also provide some use for some of the items that you can pick up in the overworld. You pick up so much worthless crap that's worth like 5 Gald that I ignored most of the overworld pickups.

Towards the end of the game some really strange and sloppy translation errors started creeping through, especially with Magilou's lines. One time instead of saying "gruesome", the text read "goose I'm". And this kind of thing happened for like 4, 5 lines in a row. It was during the subquest skits mostly.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on February 09, 2020, 02:16:32 pm
5. God of War (PS4) - 2/3
God of War for the PS4 was my introduction to the franchise; I picked up and played through it in 2018 right when it came out, so I wasn’t planning on playing it again but of course, after finishing the original trilogy I just had to go back and play it. This second playthrough was just as amazing as the first and I think I can say without any doubt in my mind, God of War is THE BEST GAME ON THE PS4… for now…


6. Mortal Kombat (Genesis) - 2/9
Today was just supposed to be cleaning and testing some cartridges, but when you start Mortal Kombat you don’t stop Mortal Kombat till you’ve won the tournament, defeated Shang Tsung, and saved Earth Realm
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on February 09, 2020, 10:55:33 pm
12. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (Dreamcast)

With the announcement of Resident Evil 3 remake I was extremely excited, especially after how good the Resident Evil 2 remake from last year ended up being. However, upon hearing the news of the remake and its imminent release this March, I also realized that I barely remembered anything about Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. The last and only time I'd ever played and beat Resident Evil 3 was at least 16-years ago on the PS1, and in addition to that I barely remembered anything about the game. Literally all I remember is Nemesis saying "STARS" and scaring the shit out of me whenever he appeared. I also remembered other details like you playing as Jill and Racoon City getting destroyed in the end, but that is literally it. I didn't remember any of the story or overall plot, and all the other details of the game. Compare this with the original RE2 which I replayed last year, but before then I still remembered a decent amount of that game despite not playing it for almost as long as RE3. While I did enjoy RE3, I found out why I didn't remember it as much after all these years.


Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a good game, but not a good sequel to one of the best Survival Horror games of all time. In fact, it barely qualifies as Survival Horror since it puts a much greater emphasis on action than either of its predecessors. I would still place it in the category of Survival Horror, but instead of the slow burn, methodical horror of RE2 and especially the first RE, it favors literally mowing down crowds of zombies with an assault rifle and a much more linear approach to proceeding through the game. The item you need for the locked door you just encountered will likely be the next key item you encounter, and while there is some backtracking like the first two games, it is definitely underplayed for a much more straight forward experience. Sadly this really undermines a lot of the game including the setting of Racoon City and the story that takes place in it.


As Jill Valentine you pretty much enter the city shortly after Claire and Leon from RE2 left it. The city is in utter chaos as hoards of zombies and bioweapon creatures swarm the disaster torn streets. Meanwhile you encounter a group of merchs and have to work with them to survive. While the basic plot does work, it just doesn't have that survival feel like the first two games do. I knew the city was the same city from RE2, but I felt like I'd already been there, even though most of your experience in RE2 is spent in a police station and a secret lab. So much of RE2 just felt like a retread, and while I did enjoy a lot of it, it just felt like I was playing some sort of RE2 DLC where you get to play as Jill, rather than a full fledged RE sequel.


Various tweaks were made to the controls since RE2, however I didn't find them to dramatically increase the tank controls from the previous titles. You are given a dodge that you can use side step enemies as they lung and try and attack you, but I found that all this did several times was put me out of harms way with one enemy, only to set me up to be attacked by another. However, this isn't my biggest gripe with the controls and gameplay of RE3, that would be the bosses. RE3 contained several bosses that while cool and creative, are poorly designed in terms of how you fight and defeat them. There is one boss that's a giant worm creature that you actually fight twice. Each time you are given a very limited space to fight it, and I swear it's impossible to not get hit during each encounter. You pretty much just have to take damage and respond with a healing item as fast as possible, rinse and repeat until you defeat the boss or the encounter is over. Combine this with the already dated tank controls and you have a recipe for some very frustrating parts in the game. Although to be fair, the tank controls of RE2 and RE1 caused a lot of the same grievances, but RE3 takes the cake with some questionable boss encounter design.


The soundtrack of RE3 is pretty good; it is appropriately creepy at times, while at others has more of an action tone to it. There aren't any particularly stellar tracks in this game, although I do have to give a shout out to the theme that plays whenever Nemesis is able to pop out of nowhere and chase you down; it creates a level of unease and tension that at the time RE3 came out was unmatched, and even to this day has been outdone maybe only a handful of times. The voice acting in RE3 is umm, funny. To be fair, the dialogue given to some of the voice actors is very cliche and hammy, but the voice acting is definitely a downgrade from RE2, and probably on par with the original RE1. There is definitely a charm to it, but it has to be said that it's not of the same quality as RE2.


And finally, there is RE3's presentation. RE3 is a good looking game, although for whatever reason it seems to lack the polish of RE2. The environments just didn't seem as memorable or interesting to me while playing. As I said earlier, this might be due to the fact that I felt like I was plopped back into a gaiden story within RE2 rather than a sequel to it at times, and everything just felt too seen this, done that. Despite this, RE3 is still a great looking game, and definitely up there with some of the better looking PS1 games. The zombie and enemy designs are mostly varied and cool, even if some seem very derivative from what we saw in RE2. Many of the bosses are also very cool, of course Nemesis being the standout.


Overall Resident Evil 3 is a great game, and definitely has some very memorable parts, however as a sequel to Resident Evil 2 it does fall short of its predecessor in almost every single way. Still, I'm happy that I replayed the original Resident Evil 3 before the remake comes out next month. Where I felt like the room for improvement between the original RE2 and the remake was minimal, I feel like there is a lot more room for improvement with RE3's remake. I guess we'll find out if Capcom ends up making this game better than the original soon. (2/9/20)

Presentation: 8/10
Sound: 7/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Fun: 12/20
Overall: 33/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: zenrhino on February 10, 2020, 03:39:04 am
3. Uncharted - The Lost Legacy (PS4)

I have played the Uncharted games out of sync. I started with UC4, then UC1 and now have played Lost Legacy. I want to have them all beaten this year.

This game is much shorter than the other entries...I believe it was originally intended as UC4 DLC but it snowballed to something bigger. I beat it in about 8 hours.

The story follows the Chloe Frazer who is new to me and Nadine who plays a part in UC4. The two are great protagonists in Lost Legacy. They have a great chemistry, all helped by the excellent script and voice acting.

It's rare you get two female leads in a game and I think it's handled really well.

Gameplay? Not a lot to say here other than it's more Uncharted and I love it! You play as Chloe throughout, and she plays similarly to Nathan, although her fighting style is a bit more about dodging punches to launch a good counter attack.

The graphics are on a par with UC4, there are no corners cut here.

I would love a full blown sequel with Chloe and Nadine, maybe with Nadine as the playable character this time [8/10]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on February 10, 2020, 09:43:10 am
Main List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg173290.html#msg173290)
Previous List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg174427.html#msg174427)

Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

39. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NS)
Finally decided to jump into this one having finished Ryza, so good by the way.  Did a bunch of stuff yesterday just short of a major goal, did the major goal this morning, so now I have next to nothing to do for the rest of today because I don't get the rewards until tomorrow.  Remembering how much that stuff sucks in AC because you can only do so much in a given day.  Set up a secondary game to play when I reach a point that I can't do anything else in the game.  I've got a house now, Blather's museum should be built now, earning money, and trying to get enough iron nuggest to build Nook a shop.  Game still seems like a village rather than a deserted island.  Nothing screams deserted island so far, just feels like more of the same town building.  I've sort of abandoned the game, plus it's not really a "beatable" game, so I'm just gonna mark it beat and maybe I'll come back to it.  I'm on one of the last upgrades and I've got like 500,000 bells in the bank.  Managed to come back and get the credits to pop after a few more days of playing.
Rating: Soft recommendation.  It's good, but the gear wear mechanic sucks.

40. Fisher Price: Perfect Fit (NES)
I should probably not count this, but I played it and I beat it.  There is almost nothing to this game.  Just move the item over to it's shape and hit A.  Only played this because my wife insisted that I try and have our son play something on the NES to see if he could start learning to play games.  He was mildly interested at first, but lost interest pretty quickly.
Rating: Hard Pass... obviously.

41. Super Mario Bros. (NES)
I've never actually beaten SMB on the original NES.  I'm sure I beat it on the SNES in All-Stars, but never the original. Anyway, decided to put this on after the other game to see if he would hit the jump button and enjoy getting Mario to jump.  He did it for a few seconds, but wasn't really having it.  So I played to see if he'd watch me play.  I got to around World 4-2 before he got bored.  Put him to nap and I finished the game.
Rating: Recommended... obviously.

42. Luigi's Mansion 3 (NS)
I tried to play this shortly after I got it last year, but I just couldn't do it.  I literally had the game on for 3 minutes before I shut it off.  The intro just didn't meld with me and my expectations of a Luigi's Mansion game.  I finally pushed myself to get through the intro and now I'm enjoying it.  Though the piano playing ghost boss pissed me the fuck off.  Relatively enjoyed this game, but I found most of the boss fights were really frustrating in some mechanical way, I think it's mostly the controls just aren't great for the aiming.  I have the issue that I'll try to aim and then the controls will decide I moved Luigi, so instead of continuing where I pointed, he does a 180 and I shoot in the wrong direction.  Too often I was having to look up how to beat a boss because the only way to hurt them wasn't immediately obvious.  The final boss fight has a section that's timed, personally I hate that garbage.  Overall it's a good game, but it definitely goes 3rd in the list of my favorite Luigi's Mansion games.  The money mechanic is entirely wasted on this game.  You can use money to give you extra lives or to make finding collectibles easier.  I would've liked to see the money be able to be used to make the game more accessible, increasing max health, increasing suction distance/spread, etc.
Rating: Soft Recommendation

43. Minit (NS)
Decided to play this after Luigi's Mansion 3, because I wanted something shortish to play.  Overall I really enjoyed this game.  Don't get me wrong, I hate the dying every 60 seconds mechanic, I do wish they had an option to turn that off maybe as an accessibility option, but that straight up takes the game from a 2 hour game to like a 20 minute game.  I had to look stuff up a couple of times because I forgot where stuff was or couldn't figure out what to do.  I think the cloth map that came with my game probably would've helped some had I used it.
Rating: Soft Recommendation

44. Celeste (NS)
I finally said fuck it and decided to play this.  Partly because it's always touted as such a great game, and partly because I know it's supposed to have some great accessibility options that I was interested in trying out.  Accessibility options seem like they could make the game too easy, but the game still presents some challenge even with them.  I had set a button to reset, thinking this would reset the current screen when I knew I was fucked... nope, it resets the entire chapter.  So I unmapped that button when I accidentally reset the chapter right at the end, but rather than fighting through the whole chapter again, I turned on the accessibility options thinking it would just let me breeze to where I was.  For the most part it made it pretty damned trivial, but some sections were still fairly challenging considering.  I'm proud to say that I got through the entire game without needing the accessibility options, though I did use them at the aforementioned scenario.  I'm mildly surprised that I played through the whole game, as it feels very Super Meat Boy, but I could only get through the first couple of worlds in SMB before I got bored to death of the gameplay loops.  The game barely didn't overstay it's welcome, or in other words, it almost outstayed its welcome.  I was getting quite sick of the game right there at the end, but I'm aware it was from my playing it for like 8 hours straight. I really wanted to see the story content from Chapter 9, but it requires you basically doing the entire game, so I assist moded to get the remaining crystal hearts so I could get through Chapter 9.  Finishing chapter 9 unlocks the C-Sides, I did one C-side and said f it.  I got what I wanted out of this game.  It is very much like SMB, but it feels shorter or more reasonable because it's not quite level based like SMB.  Plus you get real story which helps pull you through.  Overall enjoyable, though assist mode can make the game trivial, I'm glad I beat the game without the need of assist mode.
Rating: Soft Recommendation

45. Panel de Pon (SFC)
After finishing Celeste, I wanted to play something else and not Ring Fit because I wasn't in a position to exercise.  So I loaded up the SNES Switch Online app and played this.  Burned through Hard mode's story and wrecked house.  I love this game.
Rating: Recommended.

46. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS)
So far, this game is the worst DQ game I've played.  I've spent more time grinding than actually progressing in general... and I expect that to continue.  As it is, I'm grinding and there is this one monster I fight that I can kill in 1 or 2 turns, but if 2-3 of him spawn they will all coincidentally spam attacks that pretty much 1-hit kill my group, too early for enemies to be this strong.  I appear to have the full party now, but still I'm fairly certain the majority of this game is going to be a grind fest.  This game is killing me how much of a grind fest it is, every single dungeon is grinding for hours because naturally you get to the boss 4-5 levels lower than what you need to be.  I'm like level 18 at my highest character and I need my lowest character at like 21.  I abandoned this game for a reason 2 years ago... came back and went and found some metal slimes and liquid metal slimes and grinded from 18 to 36, playtime shows that took like 12 hours. ::) Anyway, I'm further now and I just got to a dungeon with Metal Slime Kings, so I'm gonna grind that like a bad mother and then I'll continue with the story at a ridiculous level.  Before I left that dungeon I hit level 47, so now I'm super over leveled for the rest of the game.  ;D  I'm gonna change my opinion on this game, because coming back to it, I didn't have much trouble where I left off at, I was just being cranky and I needed time away.
Rating: Recommended.

47. The Last of Us: Part II (PS4)
I've been sort of hyped for this game because the last one was so memorable.  As a game, I think they aren't necessarily anything special, but the writing and acting does so well, just amazingly well that you can't help but have these games stick with you.  I sort of wish I had played the Remaster leading up to this to have the first game fresh in my mind.  I also sort of wish I had at least read a full synopsis of the first game minimally, because there were so many things I just didn't remember, but I don't think it would've really changed how I absorbed the content.  Though I do feel there were probably things I didn't notice that maybe I would've noticed.  You know, people or reactions to things.  As much as I'd love to talk about story and such, I'll keep my review absolutely spoiler free as best as I can.  The accessibility options in this game are absolutely mindblowing, I have never seen a game with this many accessibility options.  I love it, it's great, I have hearing problems and sight problems, and I find button mashing sequences to be very annoying, plus so many other things I hadn't considered that I absolutely took advantage of for this game.  It's been so long since I played the original game and I don't really remember how I felt about the core mechanics of the game, but I have very little to no complaints about the core mechanics of this game.  My wife watched me play a little bit and she commented on how cool it was that character hair has collision detection and doesn't just cut through your body and stuff... I didn't dare mention or show that your weapons and stuff still clip through walls though  ::).  A lot of people's main complaint about Uncharted 4 was that it went on for too long as it was double the length of the rest of the Uncharted franchise, I expect to hear the same complaints about this game as it runs a little less than twice as long as the first entry.  I know I had several times where I was like "Oh, I'm at the end, cool" and then the game went on for 3 more hours and I just kinda gave up and continued playing.  It did it so much that when the game finally ended, I honestly expected there to be more, and I think that took something away... like going to a Marvel movie and it not having an after the credits scene.  I think if you hated the first game, or Uncharted games in general, this is obviously going to be overhyped BS for you.  If you loved or liked the first game, you'll probably enjoy this game.  This game wears its emotions right on its sleeve, and it doesn't pull its punches either.  That being said, I don't feel like this game necessarily captured the same essence as the first game.  Not necessarily a complaint, not necessarily a compliment either.  The game does well enough being different from its predecessor whilst also not being too different... makes for a mildly refreshing experience.  I'm gonna try to find a way to share my thoughts in a spoiler ridden excerpt, but I want to provide a manner to hide the content, might just do colored text here to match the site background, highlight the text to read.
Rating: Highly recommended.

48. Happy Birthdays (NS)
I was trying to pick out a game that might entertain my kid, this seems colorful and full of animals and such so I thought it would be good.  Not really, it's more of a god game, and the controls are sort of infuriating. I got all the way to ancient humans before I realized there were a lot of features to help see why certain things aren't appearing.  I think maybe I would've enjoyed the game more if I had pieced that together earlier.  That isn't necessarily the game's fault, as I know the game told me about it multiple times, that's on me for ignoring it.  I feel like the main story is essentially a tutorial for the game, which is play god and grow all sorts of plants and animals.  I think if I was interested in just playing to play and not go through the story like I normally do, I think I would enjoy this game doing the things, but the controls are a bit frustrating which is a big reason why I'm not really willing to come back to this game.
Rating: Hard Pass.

49. Little Nightmares (PS4)
My wife has been wanting me to play this game for years.  I sort of assumed it was because she thought it was a really good game, apparently it was because she wanted to see if the game would be as difficult and frustrating to me as it was to her.  The answer is yes.  It's a fairly short game, but the platforming mechanics combined with the terrible camera work constantly has you pressing left or right, but you move diagonally, so walking on thin platforms has you falling to your death.  Couple this with infrequent checkpoints that has you walking through annoying sections repeatedly just makes this game pretty unbearable.
Rating: Hard Pass.

50. Samsara Room (Android)
My wife every so often insists on me playing one of her escape games, this was one of those times.  In general I get frustrated with these games because a lot of times they are buggy/glitchy and overall they don't direct you well.  This game was mildly okay, but there were multiple times where I had to just trial and error guess because there just was no information anywhere for me to piece together the information.  Not much to say, generic escape room stuff.
Rating: Hard Pass.

51. Picross 3D: Round 2 (3DS)
I bought this game years ago while on sale or using Nintendo rewards coupons, but I was constantly waiting to finish DQ8 before I started this, now that I'm done with DQ8 I can enjoy this game to my hearts content.  It's Picross, but 3D!  I really don't know what to say other than that, I enjoy Picross.  I don't expect to say much more about this game.  I enjoy it, but it's hard to recommend given that it doesn't have a physical US release and the 3DS is region locked.  Credits rolled after book 40, but after the credits you get another 15 books, plus I still haven't done the Amiibo puzzles yet.  Slowly burning through the post game books and then I'll do the amiibo puzzles.  I won't be updating this anymore, even though I'm still playing.
Rating: Soft pass, no physical and a high price make this an easy pass.  If you can play it, I recommend the EU 3DS physical release though.

52. Forza Horizon 4 (X1)
I saw there was a Forza Xbox Reward card, so I decided to play Forza Horizon 4.  First off, there was a 10GB update, it took the better part of a day because Xbox and my ISP were both throttling so I'd get 1Mbps for 3 seconds every couple of minutes.  Absolutely frustrating.  I don't really know how to track my progress on this, I don't even understand the seasons thing.  I did stuff in previous seasons but it says I have no progress in them, so if I leave my current season, do I have to start over?  Do the seasons matter?  I don't know, it just confuses me, I guess I'll try to google it.  The seasons are part of the games as a service ordeal with this game, and because of that, the game has no clear end goal and nothing to pop the credits.  I hit the various championship milestones and I'm calling it a day with this one, personally not a fan of games as a service, because I'm not the type of consumer to stick with one thing endlessly, I get why they do it, but it isn't for me.
Rating: Soft Recommendation.

53. Sayonara Wild Hearts (NS)
I wanted to play something that I thought would entertain my kid, so I went with something rhythmic.  This game is like a snowboarding minigame from greater games, but inside of a kaleidoscope that constantly loops electro music.  Music and graphics are interesting, but I definitely can't recommend this game, especially for the cost of a physical.
Rating: Hard Pass.

54. Wattam (PS4)
I asked my wife to pick a game and it was literally the first game she saw, so she said play this.  I think maybe I just wasn't in the mood for the game, because I didn't enjoy the game that much.  It captures a similar atmosphere to Katamari, same kooky Japanese soundtrack, colorful world and characters, silly nonsensical story... but it doesn't capture the same essence that Katamari had in terms of gameplay, it didn't grab you and make you want to play more and more.  Katamari's gameplay loop very much has you competing against the game, this is very chill, so obviously this will be a different experience.
Rating: Soft recommendation.

55. Gravity Ghost (PS4)
I've been interested in this game for some time.  But it's a sort of puzzle platformer which isn't my favorite genre, so I've put it off.  VO work is entertaining.  Puzzles are pretty short and not too difficult.  Game is short enough that the puzzles don't get tiresome.  Story is interesting.  Artwork is very meh.  I enjoyed the game, but not enough to do all there is to do.  I wouldn't honestly recommend the game though.
Rating: Soft pass.

56. Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (X1BC)
I've been wanting to play through the Battlefield games because I really enjoyed Hardline, I was expecting CoD style gameplay, but boy was I mistaken.  This game is squad based tactical FPS stuff.  Every mission is basically wave based objectives.  Overall not enjoying this game.  I find that I start a mission, fail it, and then the second time I can beat it.  The most recent one I'm on, I game over within about 30 seconds.  Got all the way to the final mission and just kept failing because of the timer.  I was so close to abandoning this game, but I put enough time and was all the way at the end, it sucks to abandon a game right at the end, but the entire game is just garbage.  The controls are garbage, the ally AI is non-existent, the enemy AI is hyper intelligent, it takes an enemy one shot to kill you, but half a clip to kill them, enemies infinitely spawn, etc.  The enemy AI is the most ridiculous thing, I read walkthroughs and watch videos and they are like oh, sneak up on these guys and take them out, if you can see an enemy, they can see you.  You try to sneak up on a guy, as soon as he renders, doesn't matter which way he's facing, he aim hack shotguns you to the face.  You can kill a guy, but if you turn just slightly, he'll respawn exactly where he was standing.  This game is just plain terrible.  I wound up having to find a video where a guy basically skips all combat by walking out of the combat area to win the mission.
Rating: Hard Pass, absolutely atrocious game.

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Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: zenrhino on February 10, 2020, 02:04:56 pm
Quote from: ignition365 on February 10, 2020, 09:43:10 am
Finally finished Dragon Quest XI, really good, but I don't know if I enjoyed it more than Death Stranding.  I really enjoyed Death Stranding, but the BT fights sort of ruined the game for me, it could be a great chill game if it weren't for the BTs.  Any time "combat" comes up in the game I get really angry and annoyed, and that really needs to count against it, so maybe DQ11 will take #1 for now.

I completely agree re: the BTs in Death Stranding. I would just let the buggers catch me, then run until I was out of the black goop. Much quicker than fighting them and it clears the surrounding area of BTs for a while.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on February 13, 2020, 12:15:31 am
13. Gran Turismo 6 (PS3)

While I'd played Gran Turismo 6 before, my experience was fairly limited; I bought the game years ago and started playing it, but for one reason or another I stopped and never resumed playing it until recently. Replaying it again, I sort of found out why I stopped playing it originally. In many ways GT6 is a fun racing sim built on the solid foundation of the Gran Turismo series, but sadly Gran Turismo is a series on the decline and has been since the series hit its peak with Gran Turismo 4 on the PS2 in 2005. I adore Gran Turismo 4, and find myself replaying it for weeks at a time every few years. Despite its fairly outdated roster of cars and now dated graphics, it's still the best GT game. So why wouldn't a newer GT game with more modern vehicles, better graphics, and more modes appeal to me more?


I asked myself this question while playing Gran Turismo 6 and while I'm still not absolutely sure of all the reasons, I can say there are a lot of things that this game just doesn't do all that well compared to its predecessors, and also feels like a very lazy game in many ways, but more on that soon. In fact, in many ways GT6 feels like a step back from GT4 and even older Gran Turismo games. But without further ado here are my thoughts on Gran Turismo 6.


I'll start with Gran Turismo 6's greatest asset, its gameplay. The driving physics in Gran Turismo games are the main reason I keep on coming back after all these years, and while they certainly don't carry this game, they do make playing it pretty enjoyable. As much as a video game can, the feel of the cars feels very realistic with each car handling as you'd expect it to in real world conditions. This is further complemented the the various weather conditions, terrain, and various other environmental effects in the game. Where GT6's gameplay loses a few points actually has to do with the game's progression system which chooses to dole out more money per race than to reward the player with prize cars for winning first place in a series of races like in previous GT games. You are rewarded stars for winning races and these stars allow you to unlock more parts of the game as you progress. This system isn't terrible by any means, but just doesn't feel as rewarding as the system in previous Gran Turimso games, save maybe GT5. Gran Turismo 6 also has somewhat of an RPG aspect to it as you're able to customize your driver, participate in side driving missions for extra cash, and do a plethora of other things to give the feeling of immersion. This element is a nice addition, although i found it mostly superfluous.

Unlike Gran Turismo 4 whose graphics looked like some sort of black magic coming from your PS2, the graphics and presentation in GT6 are fairly disappointing. Many of the car models looks fairly bland despite being on a fairly powerful system. This includes viewing the cars in your garage, on the track, and in the showroom where you purchase cars. Perhaps the only place where the car models do look decent is ironically while actually racing and also in the game's photo mode. Some of the tracks also look very good, but at the same time others look only slightly better then the same tracks in Gran Turismo 4. Spectators still have that 2D, cardboard cutout look to them, and various other aspects of the track environments can just look old and outdated. I found the best looking tracks to actually be the ones brand new to this game, or at least taken from GT5. While the visual presentation in this game is slightly better than not, it is definitely below the standard set by previous Gran Turismo titles which have all been known to be paragons of graphical fidelity on the consoles they were released on originally.

Undoubtedly the worst part of Gran Turismo 6 is its audio. Sadly the only place in this game where I enjoyed the audio for the most was the lobby/menu music where you navigate between the game's modes and options. The OST in this game might as well not even be there since it mostly consists of very generic tracks. But the game's soundtrack is not its worst audio related sin. That dishonor belongs to the sound of the vehicles. Gran Turismo had never had a great record when it comes to the sounds the vehicles make. Many cars which in real life sound like screaming monsters, even using a completely stock setup, sound something like vacuum cleaner in GT6. This has admittedly been a problem in nearly every GT game since 3, but the fact that it hasn't been corrected over a decade after that game came out is completely inexcusable. That's not to say all the cars in GT6 sound terrible, some sound very cool actually, but a lot of the consumer level vehicle sounds do not do the vehicles they're supposed to be any justice.

In the end, Gran Turismo 6 is a very disappointing, albeit competent racing sim. It does the sim part right, but lacks so much in presentation and audio that it actually makes it hard to enjoy how well it plays. On top of that, you can see how Forza and other racing sims have gained the upper hand on the GT series since the release of 4, even if some of those games don't feel as authentic to play. We'll see what Gran Turismo 7 brings, assuming that's what it's going to be called, but I fear that Gran Turismo 4 will remain the very best in the series for here until the end of time. (2/12/20)

Presentation: 6/10
Sound: 4/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Fun: 10/20
Overall: 28/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on February 14, 2020, 11:57:42 am
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Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

57. Battlefield: Bad Company (X1BC)
After being really disappointed with the last Battlefield game I played, I really still wanted something good to scratch my FPS itch.  This one is really well reviewed and seems the next entry to try.  So much in the way of QoL improvements over the previous entry.  I do notice I'm not really good at military shooters because I just absolutely can't see enemies.  They wear camouflage and blend pretty well and I'm color blind.  It makes for a difficult experience, but I'll persevere.  The controls are definitely better, but still a tad awkward.  Story is pretty great and the characters are entertaining.  Quite an enjoyable experience.
Rating: Soft Recommendation

58. Just Shapes & Beats (NS)
Been waiting on this game for years, playing it at PAX South every year, pretty much since PAX South's inception.  Bought this game shortly after release and will totally double dip if it ever goes physical.  I was skimming my digital games on my Switch and saw this and thought about playing it again.  Thought it'd be a good idea because my kid seems to love music stuff.  Loaded it up after an update and saw that they added a casual mode, which is great because I suck at shmup/bullet hell games.  Played for a couple of hours and managed to finish the story mode.  Really not much to it, I think the value in this game comes from the multiplayer and party modes.
Rating: Soft Recommendation as a party game, otherwise pass.

59. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (X1BC)
Started up this game as soon as I finished the first Bad Company game.  Story revolves around the same characters as the first game, but I guess in a different universe or something because it acts like the first game doesn't exist at all.  Story is a bit too serious compared to the first entry, which takes away a little bit from the experience, but the gameplay is definitely improved over the previous entry.  These games seem to leave off on a sort of cliffhanger/sequel note, but I guess it's on purpose?
Rating: Soft Recommendation

60. Battlefield 3 (X1BC)
Started this up right after I was done with Bad Company 2, didn't even have to install it or anything as it was already on my system, that was convenient.  Combat feels more of the same.  Story was intriguing in a generic conspiracy action movie kind of way.  Didn't care for the fact that there removed the weapon crate feature from previous entries.  Overall this entry is just kind of bland and disappointing.  I enjoyed the varied mechanics that this game did like riding passenger in a jet and a lot of tank stuff, but over the game just didn't have that oomph.  They also did almost nothing to make me care for any of the characters in the story, when characters would die, I would be like uh, which was this guy again?
Rating: Soft Pass.

61. Battlefield 4 (X1)
Jumped into this one shortly after 3.  Had to wait on an install that took like 40 minutes.  The game starts with a character in your squad dying but I don't think they really did anything to convey that you should care, like I feel like it's supposed to be a big ordeal, but you literally start the game with him dying with little context other than it was for nothing... I guess.  Just plain not good story telling and pacing.  They brought back the weapons crates, but they added a separate gadget crate... I think these were merged into one in previous entries, glad it is back, but could've been better.  ::)  They seem to be better about having you maybe care about the other characters, but honestly, your two squad mates are quite annoying for different reasons.
Rating: Soft Pass

62. Battlefield 1 (X1)
Started this like a day after finishing Battlefield 4.  This game has a new structure to its story mode.  It's called War Stories and it's essentially several self contained story modes.  I actually really enjoyed this new structure, I think if I hadn't played a lot of really good games this year this might have made it up on the top 5, the story telling and pacing and just everything was very reminiscent of film making and just made for a really great set of experiences.  Honestly, considering how cheaply this game can be had, I can't not recommend this game.  The campaign doesn't force you into the usual CoD/Battlefield fight fight fight experience, it allows you to choose how you want to go about your missions with so many options, it's almost like playing a completely different franchise.
Rating: Highly recommended.

63. Battlefield V (X1)
I was able to have this game loading and updating while playing Battlefield 1 because I actually had 1 from GWG or something, so I popped in the disc for this while playing 1.  That was nice because it allowed me to immediately jump into this game.  First War Story wasn't that great, and was pretty frustrating throughout.  I feel like this one stepped a bit away from the do things your own way, or maybe I just decided to play it differently... I don't know.  It definitely feels more like you're being forced to do things the developer's way this time around.  It gets a little bit better as you proceed, but this game is definitely a step down from the previous entry.
Rating: Soft recommendation

64. Maneater (X1)
Finally decided to give this game a chance.  Man am I glad I did, this game was pretty freaking amazing.  Don't get me wrong, it isn't a high quality game, but it is fun as fuck.  The camera work can get a little frustrating and there is no lock on, so you wind up missing your intended target a lot, but still fun.  As you progress through the game you become more and more menacing until you can destroy just about anything in your way.  Gawd, if the environments were destructible that would be insane!  I wouldn't call this game a GOTY contender by any means, but it's so damned fun, I can't not recommend it.
Rating: Highly recommended.

65. Carrion (X1)
Story for this game is non-existent at least in terms of text, story is relayed through 3 (maybe 4) flashback sequences.  Even having beat the game, I'm not entirely sure what the story was.  First complaint upfront, there is no map.  So as you play the game, it being a metroidvania, you're supposed to remember where to go with your new skills, personally a metroidvania game needs a map to be good for me.  Progression is done via your monster's size, with skills being locked to specific sizes, so frequently you find yourself needing to backtrack to grow back full size or to deposit bodymass to get back down to your small size.  A side effect of this is that your size also controls your health, small you has half the health of middle you, middle you has 2/3 the health of large you.  Game is largely easy and trivial until about the last 2 sections where the humans are better equipped.  I think I didn't die once until I got towards the end, I wouldn't call it a difficulty spike, but it's basically that, so make sure towards the end you are saving often, because repeating easy sections over and over just to get killed super fast is annoying.  I observed no gameplay issues, crashes, glitches, framerate drops, etc.  Someone made the complaint about not having slithering noises as you move around, I was disturbed by this statement, and further disturbed to find that the game does in fact make those noises gross.  Gameplay mechanics are largely satisfying, though, as you get larger it gets harder to maneuver and controlling your tentacles becomes a hassle.
Beating the game does allow you to continue postgame going around, the only reason to do this is to go find the remaining containment units.  To my knowledge no new game plus or anything, no other collectibles, personally I find very little replay factor in this. My stupid rating system that I'm still really not happy with rates it as a 54/100.  I would call this game a soft recommendation.  It is fun and has interesting and unique gameplay mechanics, but the game is short clocking in at roughly 3 hours long and has little to no replay value.
Rating: Soft Recommendation.

66. Dragon Quest Builders 2 (NS)
I'm not really following the story so far.  It sounds like it takes place after the first game.  It sounds like the monsters are regrouping to take over again.  It sounds like I'm partnered up with the main antagonist.  I don't know that this game is going to straighten things out for me.  I finally finished all of the puzzles in Picross 3D Round 2, so I can get back to having a Switch game as my handheld game.  Will probably put about 30 minutes a day in on this game until it really grabs me.  This game has finally grabbed me, right around when Tsushima released.  Is this because this game is so good and finally at an interesting point?  Or is it because I'm really not enjoying Tsushima that this is a more welcomed alternative?  I don't know.  I just know that I'm preferring this to Tsushima right now and as such am playing the fuck out of this.  I really almost considered continuing playing this game after finishing it because I enjoyed the building aspect so much.  I also considered going out and finding more mini medals and such.  I really enjoyed this game.  Honestly, I might come back to it one day just to screw around.
Rating: Highly Recommended.

67. Devil May Cry 5 (X1)
Started this up right after finishing DmC.  I'm really not feeling it, so I'm taking some time to play other games for now, mostly PS1 games.  Jumped back into this after Maneater and before Ghost of Tsushima.  I'm still not feeling it, but I had an easier time this go around.  Had Tsushima not arrived a day earlier than expected I might've gotten a few missions further.  Hopefully I'll jump back into it after Tsushima.  Nero being voiced by Vash the Stampede doesn't bother me nearly as much as I think it should.  Dante looks like Matt Mercer cosplaying as Dante and I can't unsee that.  It's interesting to see Trish and Lady in modern character models, they don't look like what I would've expected, not a complaint.  The weapons/store lady bothers me in the same way Cindy bothered me in FFXV, it's that voice.  V looks like an emo Degrassi character.  His bird reminds me of Gilbert Godfried.  Having left and come back to this game for months, I know I hadn't really looked forward to this game in general, but that might've been burn out.  But coming back I'm really enjoying the game.  The combat is better than I remember in previous entries, the different characters keeps things varied, the graphics are just so attractive, and the story is interesting enough.  Game definitely leaves the series open to more entries.
Rating: Soft Recommendation

68. Chrono Trigger (NDS)
I'm part of an Amiibo discord community and they are starting up a game club of sorts, mostly games that folks should've played but probably haven't.  Chrono Trigger was game one on the list.  I'm jumping in a bit later than other folks, but I'll probably catch up with how I play games... but maybe not, who knows.  I'm still pretty early in the game.  I've made quite a ways into the game, still don't think I'm but maybe halfway through the game at this point.  I make the connection because I played it first, full well understanding this game came first, but I see the inspirations Cosmic Star Heroine took from this game... the level/world design, the combat systems, etc.  CSH is the only RPG I've played that I would say is comparable to this game, I enjoyed CSH, and I'm enjoying this.  I may even play Chrono Cross after I finish this game.  Might even play that Chrono Trigger fan game Crimson Echoes and possibly play Radical Dreamers.  I really enjoyed this game, I had to do 0 grinding this entire game and that makes the game super high in my books.  I have minor complaints and the DS content dungeon sucked because of the constant back and forth fetch questing... I didn't actually finish that quest, I just remembered that. I actually started up Chrono Cross before I finished this game just to test if PS3 remote play on PSVita was viable... it kind of isn't... but I played for maybe ten minutes... the battle system seems super convoluted and I don't get it.  I think it's going to be an ordeal getting myself to actually go play that game... and the game doesn't look like you play as the characters from this game.
Rating: Highly recommended.

69. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)
Something about this game doesn't feel right.  I can't quite put my finger on it.  I will at least make the complaint about the color tone, the game feels like it's tone should be dark, but the color tone for the game is bright and vibrant.  Kurosawa mode gives you a darker tone, but the lights are too bright, almost blindingly bright.  The game just doesn't seem to be capable of hitting the right color tone.  I lowered the brightness settings down to like 10-20, and messed with a few more settings and now it seems a bit more appropriate.  A lot of people have told me my opinion is shit and that I should use Kurosawa mode if that's what I want ::)  I'll try to jump back into this at some point, but what with next week being an achievement week for Xbox Rewards, who knows.  I haven't played this game in weeks, I really need to make time and jump back into it. It has taken literally weeks, but I'm finally getting into this game.  I'm still not quite digging it, and totally would rather be playing Chrono Trigger, but I'm trying so I can get through this game.  The combat is better now that I'm taking advantage of the stances.  The game's pacing and story doesn't quite pick up until Act 3, which is the final act of the game, the first two act's story and pacing is just super slow, it's really unfortunate.  They definitely could've paced the game better by making the first area smaller and shorter, and spread out some of the story/side quest tales that really grab you.  Overall, I did enjoy the game though, and it does live on my top 5 for games released this year, not that I've played that many games that released this year so far.  I managed to get the platinum trophy at the same time that I beat the game, I guess it gets some points for being an enjoyable platinum trophy that didn't require much a slog.
Rating: Soft recommendation

70. Uncharted: Golden Abyss (PS Vita)
I had initially started this game around when I bought my house, but I think I didn't get 2 chapters into the game.  I really wasn't enjoying the Vita back then.  I'm really enjoying it now.  I might even hack it to get more out of the system.  Overall I'm enjoying the game, it'll probably rank the lowest for me in the Uncharted series, because the game is largely gimped by forcing Vita features.  I rarely aim for trophies for these games because there is super hard mode trophies which I don't really do... but I was at the tail end of Chapter 23 and I was standing in a camera zone for a collectible, I stepped out of the zone by a step and it initiated the transition to Chapter 24.  Chapter 24 loads and invisible wall preventing me from taking the step back into the camera zone.  Overall a pretty enjoyable experience only hampered by the forced vita touchscreen, motion, and gyro controls.
Rating: Soft recommendation.

71. Titanfall 2 (X1)
This game was recommended to me by a guy on one of my discord servers.  Guy recommended it so much that he literally sent me a copy in the mail.  Game arrived around Tsushima's release, so I put off playing this.  Campaign starts with Matt Mercer.  I hate this guy's voice.  I just do.  It super revolves around my love/hate relationship with Critical Role.  You make so much damned money with voice acting, and then you do this, which you've turned into a business, and so much of their content is locked behind a paywall, and then when they do live events they charge hundreds of dollars just to sit in the crowd and watch.  Really, who am I to judge, you do you, especially if folks are willing to pay, but damn.  Legitimately I assume everyone on critical role is a humongous asshole in real life.  Anyway, that was a huge hurdle to overcome to play this game, but I powered through because he talks so infrequently and you can actually choose to not respond to BT and you don't have to hear Matt Mercer's stupid voice.  Might be the fact that I listened to like 60 episodes of CR and it's mostly him talking so now I hate his voice.  :shrug:  Anyway, the game is fun, the story does feel a bit like it just teaches you how to play multiplayer like a 10 hours tutorial type of thing.  The campaign can be slow at times and just feel like it's dragging on, but it's still relatively short.  I really enjoyed the time travel level, I'd serious play an entire full length game surrounding that core mechanic.  "Oh, he moves so fast, it's like he's teleporting" No, I'm just time traveling.... so fucking dope.  I have to imagine there is already a game like that.  I think I compared the game as Armored Core meets Mirrors Edge meets CoD.  Honestly, I don't regret playing this game.
Rating: Soft recommendation.

72. Papers, Please (PS Vita)
I had been interested in the game for quite some time, but I kept putting off playing it because "Oh, the Switch version will come eventually" and it still hasn't.  Then it was ok, I'll buy the Vita version, my Vita version got rerouted in the mail and during that time I had decided to hack my Vita so I got the game digitally.  I actually played it on Steam a couple of days earlier and decided for sure to play on Vita.  I really enjoyed my time with the game.  It's a pleasant little puzzle game with a story.  I went for Ending 19, don't know that I'll bother with any other endings.  I might go through and get a few more trophies just for shiggles, but if there were a platinum trophy you can be damned sure I'd put in the time for the platinum because this game is actually pretty enjoyable to play, but to put in the time for a few more bronze trophies just isn't worth my time.  I sorta lied, as I was typing this I went and looked and got all of the rest of the trophies except two silvers.  I might actually go work on those silver trophies.  It's basically getting Ending 20 + getting the class 5 apartment.  It would be playing the game over again, so I'll have to think on it, but it'd only take an hour or so to get.
Rating: Honestly, Recommended.

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Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on February 15, 2020, 07:06:26 am
Quote from: Cartagia on January 28, 2020, 08:30:49 am
The GF and played through Gears of War as couch co-op.  These games are hilariously over-the-Top macho.  The gameplay is fine, but we probably had just as much fun yelling about protein shakes.

Gears 3 is more of the same, but Gears 4 is definitely and evolution / more mature.  It ends very abruptly, though.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on February 15, 2020, 02:22:13 pm
7. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PS4) - 2/13
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this was the hardest game I’ve ever finished. I was a little hesitant going into this one since I’ve never really wanted to play a Dark Souls or really any Souls-like game. I just didn’t get the appeal; I mean what’s to like about just dying over and over again… But I’ll have to admit, I kinda get it now. There really is something satisfying about FINALLY just destroying that boss after like 20 attempts. So yea, I had a lot of fun with this one and it’s opened my eyes to possibly tying some other Souls-like games this year
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on February 15, 2020, 05:43:20 pm
I haven't played many souls games, but I found Demon's souls to be relatively easy compared to the other ones if you want to start there. It was the perfect level of challenge for me
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: zenrhino on February 16, 2020, 06:21:44 am
4. Deux Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4)

I started this game all wrong! I was playing it as an FPS and really having a hard time...it wasn't much fun and I was tempted to put it down.

Having had a look online, I realized it is more of a stealth based RPG with guns as back up measure if things go wrong. With that in mind I restarted and immediately the game clicked.

The story follows on from Human Revolution and there is a handy recap at the beginning. The main story is pretty good, if fairly generic. I didn't do all the side missions, but some of the best storytelling is buried in there.

One frustration is the main story finishes abruptly without tying up loose ends. I believe the game did not sell enough for a final chapter, which leaves fans in a bad place.

The world is incredibly detailed and there is plenty to explore. There are always a few ways to approach each situation and some of them are a lot of fun.

The world itself is graphically stunning, but I think the character models are terribly animated.

The music gives you that Blade Runner vibe and the voice acting is good, although some parts have none which felt jarring.

Overall, I think it's an okay game, but one that I will forget very quickly. [6/10]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on February 16, 2020, 07:17:58 am
Quote from: telly on February 15, 2020, 05:43:20 pm
I haven't played many souls games, but I found Demon's souls to be relatively easy compared to the other ones if you want to start there. It was the perfect level of challenge for me

This is the only one of the Souls games that I haven't played, but I do have it.  I was afraid it would be too clunky or hard to get into.  I'll give it a shot soon!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on February 16, 2020, 12:11:16 pm
Quote from: Cartagia on February 16, 2020, 07:17:58 am
Quote from: telly on February 15, 2020, 05:43:20 pm
I haven't played many souls games, but I found Demon's souls to be relatively easy compared to the other ones if you want to start there. It was the perfect level of challenge for me

This is the only one of the Souls games that I haven't played, but I do have it.  I was afraid it would be too clunky or hard to get into.  I'll give it a shot soon!

I might have top do the same
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on February 17, 2020, 12:53:02 am
3. Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum(PS2 emulation)

I had a craving to play this game recently and it still holds up as my favorite take on Yu-Gi-Oh ever. It's like chess, but each match is completely unique depending on the pieces you pick. The campaign is actually incredibly lengthy and the difficulty gives you a genuine challenge. The campaign can also be very different depending on what symbol/element you pick. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes Yu-Gi-Oh or chess or any strategy game.

Time: 30+ hours

Also working on Cuphead atm and so far it's excellent.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on February 17, 2020, 07:51:22 pm
Demon's Souls is well worth a go fellas, it's no more clunky than Dark Souls, the only real difference is the splitting of the game into stages and being able to stockpile restoratives rather than having a limited estus flask. (There's probably lots of differences in the item and equipment mechanics, but from a distance it's basically Dark Souls 0.5 with those two exceptions).
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: thewelshman on February 19, 2020, 03:44:02 pm
Might as well see if I can at least do better than the previous years.

Completed:

1. Eye of the Beholder (PC)
2. Eye of the Beholder II (PC)
3. Trails of Cold Steel III (PS4)
4. Trails of Cold Steel III (PS4) 2nd Complete Playthrough on Nightmare
5. Alicemare (PC)
6. Final Fantasy III (IOS)
7. Suikoden (PS Vita) - All 108 Stars
8. Phantasy Star IV (PC)
9. Shadows of Adam (PC)
10. Diablo (PC) - Completed with the Rogue

Currently Playing or Queued:

1. Trails from Zero (PC - Geofront Translation)
2. Final Fantasy (IOS)
3. Suikoden II (PS Vita)
4. Tales of Phantasia (GBA) - On Hold - Have to buy a new GBA case.
5. Akiba's Beat (PS Vita)
6. Final Fantasy 6 (PS Vita)
7. Chrono Trigger (PS Vita)
8. Skyborn (PC)
9. LiEat (PC)
10. Claire (PS Vita)
11. Akiba's Beat (PS Vita)
12. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)
13. Undead Darlings - No Cure For Love (PC)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on February 21, 2020, 02:34:43 am
6 - Metro Exodus: DLC (PC 2020) - BEAT - I only count DLC for my stuff if it's a notable story campaign stuff, and I think there's enough here for this to count as it's about 4 to 7 hours of an experience for Sam's Story and another hour or two for the Colonel's one when I get to it.  Sam's Story was pretty alright, it suffers from a little of the sloppiness the main game had, though I liked playing as Sam who gets more of an active role in things, as Artyom only really talked during the loading screens.  Plus it's Steve Blum and that's always fine to listen to lol They added a new boss monster which was kinda cool to have throughout, though I felt like they could've added more to the experience.  There's not really anything new mechanic wise, the only new mutant shows up in the second to last area of the game, and there's no weird or cool new gun in particular.  I did like getting more story about the state of the world, as it sets up future games perhaps, but I'm not sure how much I want that.

I still think Metro Last Light is the better game and I do enjoy this series, but feel like they've run its course with it maybe...I should've loved the open world experience more, but it didn't feel like the game nailed things as well as it did before.  I really don't want to see this series become like Far Cry, where the games just feel hollow, so hopefully they are done with it or if they do continue, they find a way to make the game really stand out once again.

*EDIT* And did a quick run through "The Two Colonels" DLC that came first, which is mostly just a little backstory into what happened in the game towards the end of it.  It had way less gameplay than I was expecting, but it's more of the traditional Metro stuff stuff that I like, which is better than what was going on in Sam's Story.  Basically this had the better story, while Sam had better gameplay.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: zenrhino on February 21, 2020, 06:41:17 am
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on February 21, 2020, 02:34:43 am
6 - Metro Exodus: DLC (PC 2020) - BEAT - I only count DLC for my stuff if it's a notable story campaign stuff, and I think there's enough here for this to count as it's about 4 to 7 hours of an experience for Sam's Story and another hour or two for the Colonel's one when I get to it.  Sam's Story was pretty alright, it suffers from a little of the sloppiness the main game had, though I liked playing as Sam who gets more of an active role in things, as Artyom only really talked during the loading screens.  Plus it's Steve Blum and that's always fine to listen to lol They added a new boss monster which was kinda cool to have throughout, though I felt like they could've added more to the experience.  There's not really anything new mechanic wise, the only new mutant shows up in the second to last area of the game, and there's no weird or cool new gun in particular.  I did like getting more story about the state of the world, as it sets up future games perhaps, but I'm not sure how much I want that.

I still think Metro Last Light is the better game and I do enjoy this series, but feel like they've run its course with it maybe...I should've loved the open world experience more, but it didn't feel like the game nailed things as well as it did before.  I really don't want to see this series become like Far Cry, where the games just feel hollow, so hopefully they are done with it or if they do continue, they find a way to make the game really stand out once again.

I was wondering how to treat DLC...I might go with your rule and count anything over 5 hours or so. Gotta have a system!  :)

I don't play that much DLC but I still haven't played Witcher 3: Blood & Wine.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on February 21, 2020, 04:34:36 pm
Quote from: zenrhino on February 21, 2020, 06:41:17 am
I was wondering how to treat DLC...I might go with your rule and count anything over 5 hours or so. Gotta have a system!  :)

I don't play that much DLC but I still haven't played Witcher 3: Blood & Wine.

Yeah normally I don't count it unless it's story heavy and I can get a nice chunk of time out of it.  I don't count multiplayer stuff since that usually ends up being more additional content, rather than unique story driven material, but there could be exceptions, like MMO expansions and what not.  There's no real rules to all this, but I figured it makes sense to handle it like that lol
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on February 21, 2020, 06:11:32 pm
Game 3 – Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment (Wii U) – 6 Hours

+ It’s so great that this DLC comes for free, but even if it did cost money, it would be worth it because Shovel Knight is a fantastic game and this is just more of it. It was fun to play as Specter Knight through a prequel before the events of the main game. Really everything that was great about the first game is present here. Great 8-bit style visuals, lovely music, pretty nice story on top. Really a solid experience for, again, being free.

-   I will say that compared to the main game and Plague of Shadows, this campaign is my least favorite. Part of it is I’m not the biggest fan of Specter Knight’s controls. It’s easy to get stuck on walls or miss your timing on a jump and fall to your death. Also, It was kind of stale fighting the same bosses for the third time in a row, even though they have minor tweaks to cater to Specter Knight’s playstyle. That said, it makes sense story-wise, and again, it was free, so I really can’t complain that much.

Will probably play the final DLC campaign within the next couple of months.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on February 21, 2020, 10:16:25 pm
14. Knuckles Chaotix (32X)

I became inspired to play a Sonic game after seeing the Sonic the Hedgehog movie last weekend and absolutely loving it. Unfortunately the Sonic game I picked was one I didn't end up loving. Going along with my commitment to mostly play games I have limited to no experience playing, I decided to play Knuckles Chaotix on the 32X, a game I never owned or played on a console I've never owned or played.


I had relatively high hopes for this game going into it, mostly because the internet seems to think this game is some underrated hidden gem in the Sonic franchise, however after playing it and beating it, this couldn't be further from the truth. While not as pretty or polished as the other main Sonic games on the Genesis, this game is no slouch in the looks department. It's biggest issue is the fact that it recycles the same few levels which while colorful and definitely capturing that Sonic aesthetic, just don't look as good or interesting as the stages in the main Sonic games. On top of that there is very few enemies and the enemies there are aren't that special. More so than that, the bosses in this game are just dumb for the most part, lacking that cool creativity of the originals; the bosses seem to be trying to show off the technical advancements of the 32X more so than give us a cool looking Robotnic boss like in the previous games. Besides this, the characters you play as all look great as do some of the graphics effects and visuals.


The sound quality in this game is even better. Knuckles Chaotix definitely has that signature Genesis Sonic sound that the other games on that console had. It definitely is no Sonic 2, Sonic 3, or S&K in the sound department, but it isn't bad either. There are some genuinely good tracks in this game that would fit perfectly in one of those better Sonic games. There are a few tracks that aren't that great, but nothing terrible or offensive to the ears.


Sadly, I saved this games worst quality to discuss last and that's its gameplay. In Knuckles Chaotix you essentially control two characters at one that are tethered together via a magical bond between rings that each character holds. The best way to describe how this feels to play is like running a three legged race; it's difficult, cumbersome, clumsy, and just unpleasant to try and move around the stages. Speaking of the stages, there are 5 main stages which the game wants you to beat 5 times each. Each time you play the next part of a stage it changes slightly, but not in any sort of noticeable way other than a minor color pallet swap. You'd be forgiven if you thought you were just playing the same stage over and over again 5 times, and to a degree you'd be right.


If the terrible controls don't get you first then the boredom of having to replay only 5 levels over and over again will. There's a reason that outside a niche internet audience this game never caught on or inspired kids to ask their parents for a 32X for their birthday or Christmas. This game is vastly inferior to the main Sonic games made specifically for the Genesis and neither of its failed add ons. The audio and visuals do have that quality of the main Sonic games somewhat, but the gameplay couldn't be further from how fast, fluid, and fun it is to play those main Sonic games. While I'm happy I can finally scratch another Sonic game off my list, it's too bad that I had to find out this isn't that great of a game after all. (2/21/20)

Presentation: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 4/10
Fun: 8/20
Overall: 27/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on February 22, 2020, 01:38:19 pm
15. Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled (PS4)

Growing up in the 90s my goto cart racers were always the Mario Kart games, sepcially Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64. I didn't own a PS1 until after he PS2 had come out so I missed out on a lot of PS1 titles, including the original Crash Team Racing. However, one person that did not miss out on this game was my fiancee; she first played this game at a family friends' house when she was a kid and her and her sisters loved it so much that their parents bought them a PS1 along with this game and several others. Since this was her only console when she was younger the original CTR means a lot to her. So of course when they announced a remake of CRT for the PS4 she was beyond excited for it.


While before Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled came out I had played the original CRT on the PS1, it's not a game I had a lot of experience with. Occasionally my fiancee and I would pop it in and we'd play it for about an hour or so, but to be honest I don't remember a ton about it other than I thought it was a surprisingly good game. Often with games that try and be just like a much more popular game, in this case Mario Kart, the imitator is often vastly inferior to what it's imitating. Not so with CTR. The game is certainly not as good as Mario Kart, but comes pretty close for what it is. The same is true for Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled when comparing it to Mario Kart 8: Deluxe which is the closest game to it.


First off, CTR Nitro Fueled is an outstanding cart racer, and just an excellent game in general. The controls are smooth, responsive, and surprisingly deep. Like many other games of this sub-genre you race around colorful, fun tracks while collecting various powerups to help speed you up and slow down your competition. Combine various hazards, boosts, and other obstacles and you have the making for a really good time. All of this is absolutely true in Nitro Fueled. You also have a ton of unlockables in the form of new racers, carts, cart accessories, paint jobs, and all kinds of other cool features. The game will definitely keep you hooked for a while based of the unlockables alone, but when you consider the various modes this game has as well then it becomes hard to beat. Perhaps the only gameplay fault I could find in CTR Nitro Fueled was design issues on some of the tracks and the occasional glitch that had me stuck on a wall or hitting a ledge. However, these barely distracted by how well designed and fun this game is.


Visually CTR is an excellent looking game. The graphics definitely carry the Crash Bandicoot art style over well while making everything look vibrant and colorful. Each track is unique in its design, and there are many, many tracks to race on. Nitro Fueled includes all the tracks from the original CRT, plus many more original tracks made specifically for Nitro Fueled. Beyond the cool, interesting tracks are the characters, carts, and other visual aspects of the game which are well animated, funny, and very well designed. CTR Nitro Fueled is just such a fun game to look and and experience from a visuals standpoint, and honestly I have a hard time faulting anything about it in this regard.


Unfortinately the audio isn't as great as the gameplay and graphics, but is still not that bad either. The tracks in this game are definitely in line with the Crash Bandicoot games, however I never found the music in those games to be particularly remarkable. The same is true for CTR Nitro Fueled unfortunately. What does save the audio somewhat are the very cartoonish racers that will blurt out various things as you race as them or with them, and will make you laugh on more than one occasion.


If I could use one word to describe Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled it would undoubtedly be fun. It's such a wonderful game all around that is only let down by mostly minor issues, and it's hard not to be smiling the entire time you're racing around ridiculous stages with a bunch of very entertaining cartoon characters. This is a game I wish I could have experienced for the first time as a kid because I feel like I would have loved it way more than someone playing it in their 30s. Still, even playing this as an adult I'm reminded how awesome the Crash franchise is, and being a spinoff title, this is actually one of the best, if not the best title in the entire series. (2/22/20)

Presentation: 10/10
Sound: 6/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Fun: 14/20
Overall: 39/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on February 23, 2020, 07:33:32 am
Bloodborne (again)

This just really solidified BB as my game of the generation.  I had a friend who started playing, and I wanted to be available to help if they wanted to summon me in.  So, I went back to my original (terrible build) NG+ character.  I breezed through certain parts.  Beat hard bosses on the first try, took forever to beat easy bosses.  It was like playing a warm comfy blanket.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on February 29, 2020, 07:05:32 am
Rayman Legends

A fun and gorgeous platformer.  I beat the main campaign, and may go back to do some post-game clean-up.  I will not be attempting to 100% however, as it was already starting to get a little tedious towards the end.  I will say I kept hearing how difficult this game was, and I've gotta say, it did not live up to the hype.  Maybe it's be cause I didn't do much of the optional stuff?  Still, it's a recommend for anyone who enjoys a good platformer.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: sonicfan53 on February 29, 2020, 06:57:40 pm
So far, here's my list of acquired games this year.

Sonic Jam (Sega Saturn) - A very good compilation of the Genesis/Mega Drive Sonic games, plus, the Sonic World thing is awesome!
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PlayStation) - My favourite of the original trilogy.
Sonic CD (Sega CD/Mega CD) - An underrated Sonic game. Like, REALLY underrated.
Sonic Heroes (Xbox) - One of my favourite 3D Sonic games.
Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive/Genesis) - The one that started it all :)
Sonic Spinball (Mega Drive/Genesis) - The best spinoff Sonic game on the Genesis/Mega Drive IMO
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive/Genesis) - Very fun :D
Sonic Advance (Game Boy Advance) - The start of an amazing trilogy
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on February 29, 2020, 09:26:16 pm
8. Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch) - 2/27

I’ll tell you what, Nintendo really knows how to make a game! Every damn floor gets better than the last! This game is just so charming. The amount of thought that was put into this game just blows my mind, every corner has something to find and the sound design is just perfect!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on March 02, 2020, 10:32:51 pm
16. Gran Turismo Sport (PS4)

When Gran Turismo Sport first came out I remember being incredibly disappointed, mostly because as the newest installment of the GT series it would put significantly more emphasis on online multiplayer than it would on the single player experience like the previous games. In fact, if memory serves me right, there was only an Arcade mode for offline, single player gameplay. Combine this with the fact that GT Sport only had like 200 cars at launch and I was all but certain I'd never want to play this game.


A little over a month ago I learned that GT Sport had added a ton of content to the game since it came out a few years ago, including a pretty robust single player mode complete with various tier level races, driving missions, and various other single player content that was enough for me to want to play this game. On top of that, the game's car roster had almost doubled, with new cars being released for the game almost monthly for no extra charge. From everything I could see, Gran Turismo Sport had fixed every issue I'd had with the game that made me shy away from it when it first came out.


Having played the game a ton over the last few weeks, the game is undoubtedly the biggest leap forward for the franchise since Gran Turismo 3 on the PS2, and certainly the best GT game since 4, also on the PS2. While GT Sport does lack the amount of cars, modes, and other extras of Gran Turismo 4, it instead takes a quality over quantity approach to the series that definitely works out for the most part. While improvements to GT Sport compared to its predecessors are plentiful, so are its shortcoming compared to many of those older games in the franchise.


For starters, the gameplay in Gran Turismo Sport is very, very good! It absolutely feels like the most authentic driving experience compared to any of the previous titles. In fact, it almost makes them fee arcady by comparison with how realistic the driving physics feel in this game. Of course, there is still that slight video game feel to the whole thing, however it's absolutely the next best thing to actually sitting in the actual cars in the game and driving them in real life. The sense of grip, handling, and other dynamic factors that define how a car drives have certainly been obsessed over in this game, and I really have to hand it to the devs for pulling off the level of realism present in the game.


As I mentioned before GT Sport does lack a lot of the modes of the previous Gran Turismo titles, but in terms of what it does have, it certainly gives you enough to keep busy for hours and hours. Fortunately there isn't a license mode in this game, but instead a driver leveling system that takes into account experience gained from races you've completed. As you level up, you unlock more advanced, difficult race events to compete in. For those that liked the license mode, there is something similar called racing missions that allow you to complete a variety of tasks using many different cars from the game like coming to a complete stop at a specified distance, or learning how to take difficult corners as fast as possible. There is an arcade mode as well, that allows you to do Time Trials and various other single player or local multiplayer challenges, all allowing you to use cars from your garage if you want. Sadly the amount of offline races and the various profession tiers you can play are more limited than in previous games.

There are several gameplay gripes and issues I had though, mainly having to do with the CPU controlled racers and their AI. GT Sport's aim for realism is absolutely present in how the cars handle, however that realism is spotty at best when it comes to your opponents. All the single player races begin from a rolling start and often you are placed at the very back of the race, or somewhere towards the middle. Essentially the challenge becomes overtaking the first place car at the very front before the end of the final lap. With almost no exceptions I found getting to the front of the race not terribly difficult, however as soon as I obtained the lead, it's as if the other cars in the race, especially the car or two behind me all the sudden went from being that scrub street racer who stalls his car out all the time, to freakin Senna. It almost motivated me to stay in second for a long as possible because as soon as I passed the first place racer, they were going to go from amateur to pro in an instant. Also, the AI opponents are very inconsistent in how they race around you; one minute they will drive with extreme caution, doing whatever they can to avoid swapping paint with your car, and the next they'll think you're actually in a demolition derby and ramming you off the track. This inconstancy in driver difficulty and interest in not crashing into me made the immersion of this game difficult at times.

One final issue I had with Gran Turismo Sport's gameplay was the incredibly nurfed tuning mode. In previous Gran Turismo titles the granularity of customizing your car's performance was outstanding. Just wanted an exhaust and intake, you could do that. Or if you wanted to you take a stock car and throw on a stage 3 turbo, racing slicks, giant brakes, an new manifold, and reduce the weight of the car by hundreds of pounds. While you still can technically tune your cars in this game, most of that tuning is controlled by a generic slider that allows you to boost power or reduce weight after you've paid for the next level of being able to do this. You can also control things like tires, tire pressure, and various other aspects of that as well, but sadly that's pretty much it. I do have to give the game extra credit however, for having a pretty good vehicle appearance editor, which dwarfs the previous games considerably in that regard.

Visually Gran Turismo Sport looks amazing! The cars, tracks, and visual effects actually look consistently PS4 quality unlike GT5 and GT6 on the PS3 which barely looked better than GT4 on the PS2. As I mentioned, there are fewer cars in this game than in previous games in the series, however the amount of detail given to the cars on offer is very impressive to say the least. The exteriors and interiors are detailed to stitching on the steering wheel, accurate climate control vents, and every other little detail present on the real life cars represented in GT Sport.  The tracks feel and look more realistic than ever as well, with not one track looking like it was just pulled from an older game, given a slopping texture upgrade and passed off as new. In fact, my only issue with the visuals has to do with the ridiculous damage effects on the cars; you could be rear ended by a car while going hundreds of miles an hour, yet the damage on the back of the car looks like a shopping cart hit your car in the parking lot of a Wal Mart. Likewise, hitting the wall at any speed looks more like you got your car repeatedly keyed rather than having made a high speed collision with a wall. I never expected the damage effects to look ultra accurate and realistic, but as is their just uneccesary and stupid with how they actually look.

The audio in Gran Turismo Sport is fairly good as fell, well, mostly. For the first time I can remember in the series, the cars don't mostly sound like a variety of vacuum cleaners, but like the actual cars represented in the game. This goes back to the games attention to detail and quality, over having over a thousand cars to choose from, and it really doe go a long way towards giving each car a memorable distinction over any other model in the game. Likewise, engine noises when accelerating are great and very realistic. My main issue with GT Sport's sound is an issue I've had with every game in the series I've played, the soundtrack. While some have certainly been better than others, the soundtrack in GT Sport sounds like the music was mostly picked from a bargain bin of cheap licensed rock music. The only exception to the mediocre to bad soundtrack is the menu music which is a combination of ambient and jazz like tracks which are fairly nice to listen to. Luckily you can mute the game's music and just listen to the sweet, sweet symphony your cars create while racing them.

I have to say, I haven't enjoyed a Gran Turismo game this much since Gran Turismo 4, which even after extensively playing GT Sport, is still my favorite Gran Turismo game of all time. Still, it isn't far off from being as enjoyable or good as that game, in fact it's very close. This game does however have a distinct advantage over GT4, which is the fact that it isn't 15-years old; as much as I love GT4, not having a lot of the better cars released since 2005 to choose from definitely diminishes the appeal of that game more and more as time goes by. However, GT Sport satisfies in this regard by having car models from as recent as 2019, and with new cars added frequently I'm expecting to see some 2020 models as well at some point. But regardless, Gran Turismo Sport is an excellent game for the most part with some minor flaws, but is definitely a step in the right direction for the series. (3/2/20)

Presentation: 9/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Sound: 7/10
Fun: 14/20
Overall: 38/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on March 07, 2020, 05:31:14 pm
4. Cuphead (Switch)

This game has the perfect balance of challenge and fun. I enjoyed how unorthodox the level/boss system was. I also love how each level introduces different patterns and enemies. The Devil was actually surprisingly easy compared to every other boss. So much work and effort went into the graphics and I really appreciated all the little details. Excellent game!

Time: 20+ hours

5. Star Wars: Battlefront II (PS4)

Finished the campaign on this. It's pretty fun, but it kinda just felt like a glorified tutorial for the game.

Time: 5 hours
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on March 09, 2020, 03:58:37 pm
9. Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast) - 3/8

I’m honestly not sure if loved this game or it was complete trash. On one hand it was innovative, taking Sonic into the world of 3D with fun levels, cool new abilities, and a pretty “rad” soundtrack; but on the other hand, the game was kinda broken as hell. I can’t even begin to count how many times I got stuck in a wall or fell through a level. Not to mention how badly the camera sucked, the Dreamcast really could have benefited from a second analog stick but I still managed to get through it.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on March 11, 2020, 11:54:03 am
Main List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg173290.html#msg173290)
Previous List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg175217.html#msg175217)

Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

73. Muppets Movie Adventure (PS Vita)
I'm a huge Muppets fan and saw this on a list of Vita exclusives, so I decided I'd give it a go.  I expected to abandon it quickly or something, but it looks like it's a super short game that I'll probably beat in a day or so.  It is no good so far, I wouldn't even recommend it as a Muppets fan because there is no voice acting, the writing is terrible, the director is annoying at death screens, and the gameplay is honestly mediocre at best.  But I'm committed at this point, so I'm going to try and finish the game.
Rating: Hard Pass.

74. Word Sudoku by POWGI (PS Vita)
I like games like this and saw that POWGI has a bunch of games like this, and then I saw they are all quick and easy platinums, so I'll probably be playing through all of their games.  Took a day or two to get through it.  I will hard pass all of these games for sure, but I like games like this so not an issue for me.
Rating: Hard pass.

75. Nier: Automata (PS4)
For some reason I started this game after I finished Titanfall 2.  Not sure why other than I beat Nier years ago and meant to play through this game.  I burned through Ending A pretty quickly, then burned through Ending B pretty quickly too.  I think I've got 35 hours in the game so far.  Each ending took my about 17 hours.  I'm having the problem that I really really want to count my two playthroughs as separate games on this list because each ending took a feature length game to get through and both provided basically the same ending.  I'm actually super frustrated that I bothered to play through a second time to get the B ending.  I rarely play through games more than once, so feeling forced to play through twice just to get the real ending isn't a concept I enjoy, having to play through twice to get the same ending twice so I can get the real ending in a 3rd playthrough?  That infuriates me.  I don't expect this game to be a recommended game, I expect it to be a hard pass, honestly.  Went back and looked and I really don't have much in the way of notes on the first game.  My recollection is it being purely hack and slash, this game is hack and slash with lots of shmup/bullet hell elements.  I think the only reason I've been pushing myself to get through Ending C is because I read that this game is an easy platinum once you get through Ending C because you can literally buy the rest of the trophies with in game currency and save scumming.  It sounds so bullshit I can't believe it and I want to see.  Story wise, I'm not too invested in this game, I don't particularly care for any of the characters.  I'll say the only thing I've enjoyed is the few scenes of interactions you see between Adam and Eve, which is mildly entertaining, but even that I sort of expect to get ruined through something story wise later on.  The introduction of hacking in playthrough B provided enough difference and sped up battles such that playthrough B wasn't much of a slog and I was able to just sort of burn through it.  Eventually I realized that you can basically run from all fights except boss battles so you can literally just run from boss to boss in your second playthrough and destroy the boss in 4-7 hack mini-games.  I'm probably going to count the game as 1 playthrough.
Rating: Soft Recommendation, I just don't get this series.

76. Crossovers by POWGI (PS Vita)
More POWGI puzzle games, I won't be tracking progress on these because I burn through the puzzles too quickly and they don't straight forward tell you progress.  Eh, I'm not big on crosswords, the game wasn't terrible, but not my thing.  My kid loved it just because it's a ton of letters.
Rating: Hard pass.

77. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (X1BC)
I actually started this game over ten years ago on 360, but I guess I abandoned it.  Transferred my save data from my 360 on to the cloud so I can play on X1.  I was actually pretty close to the end of the game so it didn't take my longer to get through the game.  Standard Sonic gameplay and Knuckles is a dick.
Rating: Soft recommendation

78. Sonic the Hedgehog (GG)
One of my earliest gaming memories is playing this game.  I feel like I never beat it before, but I know I played it a lot as a kid and I feel like I made it to at least the final zone. I don't know other people's opinions on these for sure, but I think most people hate the GG games, but this is one of my favorite Sonic games.
Rating: Soft recommendation

79. Word Sweeper by POWGI (PS Vita)
Another POWGI game, this time crossword minesweeper.  I still don't like crosswords, but I like minesweeper.  I'm probably going to hate this game though, from what little I've played.  It's not a terrible game, but meh.
Rating: Hard pass.

80. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (GG)
I read this is one of the hardest Sonic games, so wasn't really looking forward to slogging through this one.  Everything about this game is so different from other entries in the series. Honestly, this one wasn't anything special though.
Rating: Soft pass.

81. Sonic CD (GCN)
I hadn't planned on playing this one yet, but only because I didn't realize it released so early in the franchise.  Had to check the best way to play the game, I don't own it on XBLA so GCN it is, plus it's an opportunity to try out my GCHD.  Loading up the gamecube and then loading progressive mode... o.m.g. worlds apart in quality.  Game though, yikes.  Mostly not bad, but man was the Metal Sonic boss race/battle the worst.  Ending animation was interesting it being a first for the Sonic franchise.
Rating: Soft pass.

82. Word Maze by POWGI (PS Vita)
Another Powgi puzzle game, pretty simple puzzle mechanics.  Nothing special.  Words link together to fill the screen using all of the words.
Rating: Hard pass

83. Crypto by POWGI (PS Vita)
Oh look another Powgi puzzle game.  Generic Cryptoquip stuff, but with quotes from famous people.  Honestly, that alone makes this game more interesting and worth playing for me.  My wife watched me play a bit and she may play it too.
Rating: Soft pass.

84. Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos (GG)
I thought this game was going to be something special with the name, but it's really just another entry in the Sonic series.  Nothing special, the later levels get frustrating with the pipes, teleporters, etc.
Rating: Soft pass

85. Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (Gen)
I really didn't want to play this one because I was sure it was going to be terrible... and it was.  This is my wife's favorite Sonic game... for some reason.  Honestly, this could've been a better game if the instructions were more clear and knowing where the emeralds are and how man you have and how many you have left.
Rating: Hard pass.

86. Sonic Drift (PS2)
I wasn't really planning on playing this one because it provides nothing, but I went ahead and played it anyway.  It's pretty terrible, like 80s arcade racer terrible.  Hopefully Drift 2 is more Daytona or Mario Kart.
Rating: Hard pass.

87. Sonic & Knuckles (X1BC)
I had started this game about 10 years ago, but only got like 10 minutes in, so I didn't bother transferring my save data up to the cloud and just started the game over.  A little upset with myself that I didn't plan that out better a decade ago and play through Sonic 3 & Knuckles, but it is what it is and I don't plan on replaying just to get the whole shebang all at once.  Game just seems to be more of fuckles being a dick.  Nothing really stands out here.
Rating: Soft pass.

88. Sonic Triple Trouble (GG)
Basically seems to be the GG counterpart to 3/Knuckles.  Again, nothing special.  Game Gear has massive frame drops in these games and that can get real annoying, but nothing that makes the game totally unplayable... except when the game isn't responsive during the framedrops.
Rating: Hard pass.

89. Knuckles Chaotix (32X)
I'd love to mark progress on this game, but it seemingly randomly decides what level you will do next.  It took me a bit to figure out playing this one.  I really didn't want to hook up my 32X to play this game, so I needed some alternative way to play.  Looked at running RetroArch on PSClassic, couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get a 32X core running on a device with no internet.  Looked at running RetroArch on PSVita, but it literally took 3 hours to download and install, by which time I had it figured out elsewhere.  Eventually I downloaded RetroArch on my phone, bluetooth'd my 500mil PS4 controller, and downloaded a Knuckles Chaotix rom.  Smart View'd my screen to my TV, plugged the phone into a fast charger, and went on my way.  Plays really well, even with the screen mirroring.  Kind of a game changer for me.  Anyways, on the topic of the game, I was very discouraged by the actual tutorial at the beginning of the game, further discouraged by the fact that I couldn't get past tutorial 2 without skipping it... but this game is actually really fun.  Honestly, that was super enjoyable.  Pleasantly surprised by how good this game was.  I think this is going to come out of this as my favorite Sonic game.
Rating: Soft recommendation.

90. Tails Skypatrol (GCN)
More sonic games, I've got a lot of spin off games in my future.  I'm burning through these games so quickly, but the 3D games are going to stick around for way too long, I'm sure.  Anyway, this one wasn't very good, but it wasn't the worst.  Tails flies around helicopter style, the game's basically a shmup without the shooting kinda.  Tails carries a ring that can be thrown at enemies and slings back to him.  It's interesting and telling of the designs of the time, not the worst, but it's not really a good game.
Rating: Hard pass.

91. Sonic Drift 2 (GCN)
I was originally going to play this on GG, but I already had the GCN up and running so I figured might as well.  It just makes it a little frustrating in that I like that my backloggery was getting filled with GG beats, but now GCN is getting populated with beats.  I was hoping this would be different from the first Drift game, but it really isn't.  It's more refined and totally playable, it was way less of a pain to get through than the first one, so I'll still say it's better than the original, but still not a great game.
Rating: Hard pass.

92. Tails Adventures (GCN)
More GG games that I could've been playing on the OG carts  ::)  Anyway, this is probably one of the longest Sonic games I've played yet.  It definitely felt longer because it took me 3 days to beat instead of like an hour.  This game is arguably a metroidvania game, and it's not terrible.  I'd argue it's a good game, matter of fact.  Shit, I'd go so far as to say it's probably one of the few spin off games worth your time playing, shit probably one of the few Sonic games worth playing.  Some of the mechanics can be frustrating and make you feel like there is no way to get through sections without getting hit, but health is pretty plentiful and there are no instant death mechanics, the game's pretty forgiving.
Rating: Soft Recommendation.

93. Sonic Labyrinth (GG)
Started this one right after Tails Adventures hoping to get into the game enough to understand the mechanics so I could finish it the next evening... but this game is short as fuck, I beat it in about 20 minutes according to the stats at the end.  My understanding is that this game is a precursor to Sonic 3D Blast, so I expect 3D Blast and subsequently Blast, to be more of this.  This honestly wasn't the worst.  The slow walking is pretty painful, but the spin dashing makes movement bearable.  Grab some keys, find the exit.  Eventually fight a boss.  Repeat.
Rating: Hard pass.

94. Sonic the Fighters (GCN)
Jumped into this one after finishing Labyrinth (Which was shooooort).  Just a standard fighting game, pick a character, run through all the characters, fight yourself, then fight the sub-boss and final boss.  Game was mostly easy until I got to Metal Sonic which was insanely difficult, and then Robotnik was a super pushover.  Wack.  I hate fighting games in general, so this was miserable.
Rating: Hard pass.

95. Sonic 3D Blast (SS)
My first Saturn game I've ever played and beaten now.  I decided to go with Saturn because it seemed like the definitive way to play the game, the quality and graphics are just worlds better than the Genesis version.  I played this game over the course of several days, it was such a slow play for me.  I used cheats to jump to where I left off since there are no save points or anything, so my final score in the game was butt, but appreciated that I didn't have to play it all in one go or leave my Saturn on for days.  Honestly, this game sucked major butt.  3D doesn't work very well in isometric perspective.  The final boss fight was a bullshit take no hits repeat the process twice go through 5 phases kind of boss.  This one has me constantly considering buying a Retrotink2x Pro to get a better picture out of it.  I have my retro setup split to two screens, an HDTV and a CRT, it obviously looks better on the CRT, but I mostly played on the HDTV despite.  I'm still on the fence about buying a retrotink2x Pro. 
Rating: Hard pass.

Special rant (Retrotink2x Pro)
Going to go on a tangent about that here because I want to talk about it, but I don't really need input from people I guess.  So in trying to justify Retrotink I posed myself the question of what would I use it for.  Anything pre NES isn't composite/component so moot.  NES, SNES, Genesis, SMS, GG, or GB/C/A I generally use Retron5 which already has a 2x scaler built in.  N64, I've got Super64.  GCN, I've got GCHD Mk II.  PS1, I would play on PS3.  PS2/Xbox are component already, I expect no real improvement of quality.  Saturn/DC would be useful.  32X/Sega CD could potentially be useful.  I don't really expect to ever play my TG-16, but it could use it if I did. 3DO is basically the same statement as TG16.  The other potential use is that I have an HDTV that only takes HDMI inputs, so this would convert any component/composite to HDMI even if no improvement, it gets the systems on that TV if I need it.  That all said, Saturn through composite on my 4k TV wasn't the worst, colors were a bit washed out, but it wasn't the worst.  Spending $150 (even if it's all in Amazon rewards money) just doesn't seem like a good investment right now.

96. Sonic Blast (GG)
Was sort of expecting this to be more of Labyrinth/3D Blast, but this game is totally just another 2D Sonic game.  Pretty short entry too, nothing special though.  Really don't have much to say, it's pretty forgettable.
Rating Hard pass.

97. Sonic R (GCN)
Immediately hopped into this after finishing Blast, took all of 20 minutes to get through the GP mode and beat the game.  Much better than the Drift racing series, but not great.  Some of the controls are confusing, the level layouts aren't intuitive all the time, so I got turned around a few times.  I almost look forward to playing the Riders/Rivals games, though I don't own any of the Riders games, so I've got to figure out what to do about that.  Still a hard pass though, definitely provides nothing of value.
Rating: Hard pass.

98. Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (NGPC)
I considered not playing this one because why, and because it's basically Sonic 2, but I did it anyway.  Again nothing really special, first level or two feels identical to Sonic 2, but then things get different.  Played this one on my phone through an emulator like Knuckles Chaotix.  This one had 2 act zones, which made the game go by pretty quickly.  I actually, in the order I was planning, shouldn't have played this one yet, but I felt like getting it out of the way before jumping into Adventure, because A and A2 could be back to back this way.
Rating: Hard pass.

99. Sonic Adventure DX (X1BC)
Such a controversial one this one.  I tried to gather what's the best way to play this one.  I heard DC is best because best textures and lighting.  I heard GCN DX is best because additional content, all Game Gear games, and updated visuals.  I heard XBLA definitive if you don't care about the GG games and have the DX DLC.  I heard PC with unofficial patches, but I don't own the PC version and had no interest in wrangling that together.  I chose XBLA via X1X mainly because there is no info out there on how it plays on X1X.  First thing I noticed, on the first level, I lost all but 1 life dying via falling through the level... at completely different points each time.  After the first level it never happened again though, so that's something I guess.  Voice acting is absolutely terrible in this game, like laughably terrible, which is sad, because you know they weren't going for campy so awful it's awesome VO work, but here we are.  Camera work is still pretty terrible and they even call that out at the very beginning "We know it's rough, but stick with it and you'll be fine"  uh what?  Other controversial thing... I only beat this game via Sonic's Adventure mode and didn't beat it with all of the characters.  I committed to playing all of the Sonic games, but I know I'll get burnt out if I re-play every game over and over to get all of the endings.  After Nier Automata, I don't think I can do that sort of thing again, so for now I'm just doing the one ending and calling it a day.  I don't want to say I might come back and do it, because I know I won't.
Rating: Hard pass.

100. Pokemon Picross (GBC)
Current Progress: 6-6
This game got released as part of a leak of Nintendo stuff, game looks to be complete and fully functional, which is frustrating because I would have imported the heck out of this.  Sounds like it's 150 puzzles, 1 for each pokemon in gen 1.  Just general Picross stuff.  What little text the game has is not in English, but it's picross so you don't really need it to play, and the text is mostly pokemon names and "Oh look, it's [pokemon]! You want to come with me?  Okay, let's go.  Yes, I got [pokemon]".  Totally playable.  Did all 151 puzzles and got initial credits and complete credits.  Unlocked Safari Zone and started that.  I don't fully understand what this mode is, I went through the translate for it, but it didn't make much sense.  The fact that all of the puzzles are pokemon, it's definitely more worth playing than your average Picross game.
Rating: Soft recommendation

Next List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg176395.html#msg176395)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on March 12, 2020, 01:01:15 am
17. Goldeneye Reloaded (PS3)

Like many I have very fond memories of playing Goldeneye 007 on the N64, both the stellar single player campaign which did a great job capturing the movie, but also the classic multiplayer that I spent countless hours playing with friends. I remember about 15-years ago someone had recreated Goldeneye in the Source engine and I remember wanting so badly to play it, but unfortunately I didn't have a PC at the time that could run it. Several years later, this game was announced and my initial reaction to it was very, very optimistic. I didn't actually end up buying Goldeneye Reloaded until several years after it was released, which I'd say was unfortunately, but after playing through it I kinda wish I'd just downloaded the Source engine remake of the original.


Goldeneye Reloaded is what you get when you attempt to remake a game and story not only with the modern touch of what James Bond is now with Daniel Craig, but also attempt to shoehorn the innovative and fun gameplay of the original into the military FPS craze that was at its zenith around the time this game was released in 2011. Goldeneye Reloaded feels more like a Call of Duty Modern Warfare skin than a James Bond game. Sure, you are given objectives, but these involve little more then getting to a marked checkpoint, pressing an activate button, and then getting to the next checkpoint. In between, you'll encounter a variety of military goons and gun wielding mobsters that you have to take out while taking cover. The gameplay is essentially Call of Duty, which some people might not find fault with, but it just clashes so much with the James Bond theme, and ends up feeling more like Rambo or Commando in the end.


Speaking of being thematically off, Goldeneye Reloaded retells the story of the original Goldeneye movie, but replaces Brosnan with Daniel Craig, makes the story take place in the late 2000s rather than the 80s and 90s, and replaces most of the characters with generic, forgettable caricatures of much more memorable characters from the movie. Perhaps the only character to reprise her role is Q voice aced by Judy Dench, just like in the film. However, while Goldeneye Reloaded takes place in the late 2000s using the likeness and voice of the current bond of that time, many of the main villains feel straight out of the 60s and 70s bond films, making the more or less serious tone of this remake feel very strange; I feel like bond should be laughing at Xenia and Trevelians Reloaded interpretations rather than seeing them as legitimate adversaries. The whole plot, characters, and theme of the game just feels so confused and all over the place as a result.


As I said, Judy Dench voices Q in this game, as does Daniel Craig for James Bond, which is a cool touch. All the Reloaded versions of all the other characters are "modern" interpretations of them voiced by new voice actors that had no role in the original 1995 film. This didn't necessarily bother me, if it weren't for the fact that so many of these characters were just outright lame and forgettable. On top of that the voice acting for some of the other characters ranges from okay to pretty bad, and not so bad its good like in House of the Dead 2 or Shenmue.


The music in the game is very James Bond, and has that suave orchestral sound that is present in virtually all the movies and games related to James Bond. The guns sound good, explosions sound good, and pretty much everything you'd expect to sound good in the game does.


Visually Goldeneye Reloaded is pretty unimpressive. With the exception of some good background and weapon models, the character models are almost late PS2 quality. This might be acceptable if this was an early Gen 7 title, but it came out just two years before the PS4 was released. I will give the game credit for capturing the likeness of various characters, but the facial animations are just stiff and awkward looking. This game is certainly not a shining example of one of the better looking PS3 games available.


By the time I beat Goldeneye Reloaded I was just so ready for it to be over. I did find the modern interpretation of Goldeneye to be somewhat interesting at first, but that quickly wore off as I realized how significantly inferior it was to the movie's story. Also, the game itself is vastly inferior the the N64 game that it very poorly attempts to remake using the generic template of COD shooter which was popular at the time this game was made. There were parts of the game I did like, but overall I absolutely will never replay this game, and in fact I expect to pretty much forget all about my experience with this game in a few months to a year. Luckily Goldeneye Reloaded was a short experience and didn't consume too much of my time that I could spend playing much, much better games. (3/11/20)

Presentation: 6/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Sound: 7/10
Fun: 8/20
Overall: 27/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on March 14, 2020, 10:27:01 am
Game 4 - Red Dead Redemption II (PS4) - 55 Hours

This was quite the fun adventure. I haven't played the first Red Dead Redemption, which is kind of to my advantage, since I feel like playing the first game spoils the events of this game a little. My brother has the first game, so I'd like to play it sometime soon.

+

Graphically the game is astounding. The lighting and breathtaking landscapes feel super realistic and the towns feel alive and bustling. I never used the fast travel feature so I could take in the amazing beautiful environments. I did use stagecoaches and trains though.

The story overall was well told. The whole premise of making money so your gang can survive makes the actual things you do in the open world feel connected to the story objectives, which I appreciate when open world games accomplish. However, I felt like the story is really only good as the individual threads in each town you visit. For the most part you go through the same basic story scenarios over and over again (botch an important job, move to another campsite, repeat), so it felt like it wasn't going anywhere at times. I would say it's a fine story overall though.

The characters that make up your gang all have unique and interesting personalities, and it's fun to get to know them. When things start to go downhill with the gang, you get invested in the fates of all your comrades and it makes the people that die feel that much more impactful. The voice acting and writing were excellent too, which is pretty typical for Rockstar games I feel. The side characters were all pretty great as well. Even though Arthur is a little bland, he turned out to be a really likable character and he has some side quests that flesh him out a little more.

The game plays really well (for the most part). There's some clunkiness with trying to run and mount your horse, but overall it feels nice. The shooting works well, and for all the different mechanics available (fishing, hunting, etc.) it's all pretty fluid and responsive. There are also tons of random events that meld together perfectly with the game world and help make your experiences different from other people that are playing. There are some fun side quests and collectible quests too, though I didn't spend too much time on them. Needing to keep up your health, stamina and deadeye cores added just the right layer of strategy to the game without feeling overbearing.

There is an exquisite amount of detail in the world from the people you interact with, to the need to eat and keep your guns cleaned and maintained, to haircuts and fully realized general stores and gunsmiths. There are lots of different animals and plants to examine, and a lot of mechanics centered around keeping your horse happy and well equipped, which makes him/her feel like an actual partner as you play the game.

The sound design is among the best I've ever heard in gaming. Just walking through a forest desert or swamp you really feel like you're actually there. I could almost smell the trees and dirt while riding in the forests, it was really cool. The soundtrack was also phenomenal. Most of it was ambient music, but it fits the game incredibly well. There are some great standout tracks with vocals that really add to the moment after an impactful mission.

-

There were a few minor things that I didn't like.

I felt like the honor system was kind of stupid. You lose honor for killing or looting very specific people, but you can shoot up entire town's worth of lawmen in the story and it doesn't affect your honor at all. It's kind of arbitrary which actions are designated "bad" or "good" by the game and it can be frustrating when you're trying to max out honor.

It's really hard to find things to spend your money on. You can buy upgrades for your camp, but you don't need any of it (except the fast travel map), because you can pick up ammo, food and tonics everywhere you go. Or you can buy them from stores for dirt cheap. I found myself buying a lot of extravagant stuff just to burn some of the money I had lying around. Just didn't feel really well optimized in my opinion.

I didn't like the epilogue; it went on for way too long and was such a tonal shift after the last chapter ends that it really detracted from the overall conclusion of Arthur's story. I get that they were trying to tie together this game with the first Red Dead, but I almost feel like it would have fit better story wise for the epilogue to come out as DLC (though obviously more gameplay is nice).
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on March 15, 2020, 12:05:19 pm
Game 5 - Mega Man ZX (PS4) - 15 hours

Knocking these games out with another one down this weekend!

Let me first say that this PS4 collection as a whole is really solid. Super slick and well put together. I messed around with the Z-chaser mode and it was enjoyable, but that's not all they added to this collection. All the cutscenes in ZX and ZX Advent are the pre-compression originals and and look so much better than their 240p counterparts on the DS. And all the voice acting in Advent has been updated with the original masters so it sounds fantastic. Really nice touches.

Now I haven't played every Mega Man out there, and I intend to play through all the Zero games and then come back to my thoughts on all the 2D Mega Man games as a whole. But as of right now, ZX and ZX Advent are without a doubt the finest 2D Mega Man games ever made. It's such a shame because they are so underrated, but in my opinion they completely blow every single classic, X-series and Zero game out of the water. These games were the peak of Mega Man for me. And after these came out, Mega Man was pretty much abandoned by Capcom for many years with the occasional throwback but nothing that really moves the franchise forward like these games do. I haven't played these games in about 10 years, so it will be exciting to revisit them.

+

The game takes on a Metroidvania style which feels like a perfect evolution of the franchise. Rather than pick a boss from a stage select and getting dumped in an area, all the bosses are in an interconnected world of areas with secrets that you can find. It's incredible. You still have to pick which boss you want to fight from the mission select, but now it's a bit more streamlined.

Hands down my favorite thing about ZX is when you defeat a boss, you not only get a new weapon, you get 4-5 new weapons depending on the biometal, AND gain an entirely new appearance and play style. Model H gives you advanced movement, Model L lets you swim better and find treasures, Model P lets you hang on walls and see in the dark. Again, it's such a brilliant improvement over the Zero and X games. And it melds nicely with the metroidvania style because your movement options open up new areas of the map for you to explore.

The game has a silly plot, but it's entertaining enough to get you through the game. Definitely better than a lot of Mega Man games, and this and Advent are definitely my favorites out of all the 2D games. There are some generic side quests that you can do as well, which are mostly fetch quests, but you do get something out of it.

The controls are so fluid and responsive, just like all Mega Man games. Really nothing much to say. And full controller remapping means I can map the dash button to R rather than A (circle) like I've always preferred. The challenge was perfect too.

-

I have two main complaints. The first is that the map is absolutely GARBAGE, for many reasons. It's probably the worst map I've ever seen in a metroidvania. Here's why.

1. The map consists of a generic linkage of areas with no details to help you figure out what corridors or rooms you haven't explored or what areas connect to where
2. None of the areas are connected in any logical way. For example, you might think area A-4 is connected to A-3, but it's not. It's connected to A-1. And you would think that A-4 might connect to B or possibly C, but nope. It's connected to area J and M. It's a total confusing intelligible mess.
3. You may think that an area located down and to the right of the area you're in on the map means you need to go in that general direction, but that's almost never the case. It's completely random which direction you need to go in.
4. None of the map is filled in at the start of the game, so areas you need to go to are completely obscured. And because of the three points above, you basically have to wander aimlessly until you either stumble upon a new area at random, or look it up online.

My second complaint is with the missions. If you abandon a mission, it teleports you back to the portal where you first accepted it for no good reason, which can be halfway across the map. It's incredibly frustrating. In general, the side content is pretty basic, and the secrets that you can uncover are expanded upon a lot with the sequel.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: sonicfan53 on March 15, 2020, 01:54:17 pm
Games I have played since last post:
Art Academy - An underrated DS game
Sonic Advance 3 - A really nice end to the Sonic Advance trilogy
(Am waiting on Sonic Advance 2 and the DS version of Sonic Colors)
(Lemme explain: I THOUGHT I got Advance 2, but apparently, I accidentally got two copies of Advance 3. So, I ordered a boxed copy of Advance 2 on Amazon.)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on March 21, 2020, 12:13:10 pm
Two games to add to list:

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was every bit as good as I had hoped.  The story was incredible.  It and The Mandalorian are easily the two best Star Wars stories that have been made since at least 2004 (KOTOR2) - maybe even 1983.  Combat was fun and engaging.  My only wish was that the travel system was a little more robust (fast travel, mainly).  The lack of that last feature is what is stopping me from going for the Platinum.  Traversing back through some of the worlds is a huge pain.

Dead Space 3 was not as bad as I had heard.  Especially the first third or so.  But, by the end it became too much of a repetitive corridor shooter.  Easily the weakest of the three games, but not as bad as its reputation would have you believe.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: sonicfan53 on March 21, 2020, 05:51:26 pm
Three new games: Sonic Advance 2, Sonic Colors DS, and Rayman 10th Anniversary.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on March 21, 2020, 09:47:23 pm
Game 6 - Broken Age (PS4) - 12 Hours

COVID-19 sure has been giving me plenty of free time to play more games  :o

Disclaimer: this is the first point and click adventure game that I've ever played, so I don't have much to compare this game to. I thought it was a fine experience, but it wasn't anything special. It may just be that these kinds of games are simply not my cup of tea though.

+ The best way I can describe the game is "charming". It wasn't particularly funny, but had a really delightful and pleasing aesthetic, art style and dialogue that all work together to pull you into the worlds you're exploring. I personally liked the characters, they felt really human and their dialogue was all well written. The music was a nice accompaniment too. I did have a few good chuckles here and there too. I liked the puzzle solving as well. Like I've said, this is the first game of this kind that I've played before, so it was fun to experience a new style of genre that's more focused on story and characters than action or game mechanics. I liked the story a lot in the first act, though not so much in the second (see below).

- All that being said, I think one thing that started wearing on me immediately with how boring the game is to play, funnily enough. When you get stuck trying to figure out a puzzle, the actual game became aggravating very quickly. You're confined to wander aimlessly and click on things 20 times over and hear the same dialogue over and over again. I also wasn't the biggest fan of going through the same areas in the second act. Felt a little cheap to me. Lastly, while I thought the story started out relatively strong, the ending really fell apart. The final villains are given so little screen time, and their nefarious scheme is given almost zero development. Most of it is conveyed through dialogue and you don't actually see any of what you're trying to stop. The ending left more questions than answers and felt incredibly unsatisfying; you barely even fight the villians at the end of the game. It felt very sloppy and rushed.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on March 22, 2020, 06:55:07 am
10 - Doom: Eternal (PC 2020) - BEAT - Binged the heck out of this, getting myself through the story mode, killing demons, ripping and tearing, huge guts and while I had way more written, I just felt like tossing it all and going simpler.  There's a lot of changes and additions to the game, most of it good, though I think the game lost abit of something with aspects of its new gameplay loop and level design.  I saw it put that the game is more of a roller coaster, guiding you to your next battle, so its way more linear and the "secrets" are just very obvious and you'll very rarely need to use the backtracking feature to go back and get stuff you missed. 

There's also a poor thing where it feels like there is a prologue missing about what happened between the first game and this.  You end the first game on Mars and now you got a space station, new armor, you are on Earth, Hayden is nowhere, Earth is screwed, and there's talk of alien races and all sorts of other stuff.  The ongoing story is good, you get backstory on the Doom Slayer which is also good, but it just feels like I am missing something at the start.

Good game still, enjoyed myself for sure.  Not sure if it's better than the first one, in some areas it is for sure, but overall, I'd probably say I liked it as much as the first.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on March 24, 2020, 01:47:23 pm
18. Doom Eternal (PS4)

After beating Doom 2016 my anticipation for a sequel was absolutely peaked. Doom 2016 ended up being one of the best games I'd ever played, and as it stands the best FPS game I've ever played. I knew I would like it, but I was genuinely surprised at how much I ended up liking it. However, when the first trailer for Doom Eternal dropped it just didn't look, well, Doomish.


There were a lot of weird, almost angelic stages with trees, blue skies, and weird mech angels. And just for whatever reason it didn't inspire my excitement the way the trailers leading up to its predecessor did. However, the last couple trailers Bethesda released before launch definitely changed my attitude about Doom Eternal, enough to where I went from thinking about getting it when the game was on sale for around $30, to absolutely having to have it on launch day. After playing through and beating Doom Eternal I can say that it's certainly a worthy successor to Doom 2016, albeit not as good.


I'll start with the gameplay, which surprisingly is where the majority of the changes between Doom and Doom Eternal took place. The buttery smooth movement and shooting controls make a return, as do the glory kills, item pickups, and projectile combat. However, ID made extra effort to increase the depth and complexity of the gameplay, and while they absolutely succeeded I don't feel like it really made the gameplay that much better. The game heavily relies on your ability to use glory kills to regain health, chainsaw attacks to obtain armor, and the use of a new weapon called the flame belch to obtain armor. While these things are present in the environment as pickups still, you will need to master the ability to harvest these resources from enemies during combat since you very quickly run out of ammo in this game. It does create a sense of tension and strategy to every encounter, but at the same time I feel like it comes across as a little superfluous and bloated; I felt like Doom 2016 nailed that balance of depth and simplicity while Doom Eternals gameplay just feels like too much of a deviation in terms of gameplay.


Where my main gripe with Doom Eternal's gameplay comes in is the huge increase in platforming and sections that require platforming. Doom 2016 had some platforming, but it was used minimally, and even when it was used I wasn't the biggest fan of it. However, there are many, many, many platforming sections in Doom eternal. These sections range from being mildly annoying to me wanting to rage quit because of how clumsy and frustrating they can be. The game adds a dash function as well as a grapple ability that allows you to climb walls of various textures as well, and are often implemented into the platforming. All these do is make the platforming that much more annoying though, and if it weren't honestly for the excellent shooting gameplay I'd probably have docked more points off the gameplay score for how dumb Doom Eternal's platforming gameplay is and how often you're forced to do it.


Visually, Doom Eternal is gorgeous. Beyond the textures, character and enemy models, and stages looking very polished and detailed, the art direction for the game is outstanding as well. There are a lot of different and varied looking environments in Doom Eternal, ranging from the typical hellish vistas we've all come to know and love, to almost serene Valhala/Heaven inspired stages with mountains, storm clouds, and more classic looking architecture.  There are also a nice variety of enemies in Doom Eternal, and the game doesn't seem to overuse any of the enemies with maybe the exception of the Imps, zombies, and soldiers, but since these characters are integral to the gameplay they become somewhat of a necessity. I literally have no complaints about the visuals or art in this game; they really nailed it from end to end.


The heavy metal and techno inspired soundtrack of the first game returns to Doom Eternal, albeit not as memorable. The music sufficiently gets your adrenalin going with heavy guitar and metal riffs, but it just didn't impact me the same way Doom 2016's OST did. The gun sound effects are excellent as well, as are the noises Doomguy and your demonic adversaries make as well.


One final thing I want to bring up has to do with Doom Eternal really emphasizing the lore and story of the Doom series. While it isn't anything super deep or earth shattering, there is a pretty interesting story and plot in Doom Eternal, certainly more than what we got in Doom 2016. Without spoiling anything you learn a lot about the Doomguy, his origins, and how he fits into the big picture of some age old arrangements between Hell and some angelic force in the game. Doom Eternal is also partially a remake of Doom 2 on the PC, although I want elaborate too much on this as not to spoil anything. I thought all the additional lore, story, and cinematic cutscenes were a welcome addition, however it sadly made the whole experience feel slightly less Doom-like, but maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing.


I really, really enjoyed most of my time with Doom Eternal and I'm happy I bought this game at launch. It does disappoint me slightly that I didn't like it at least as much as Doom 2016, but I liked it almost that much to feel satisfied with it as the sequel to one of my all time favorite games.


Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 8/10
Fun: 15/20
Overall: 41/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on March 25, 2020, 11:48:30 pm
19. Gundam Wing: Endless Duel (SNES)

First and foremost, yes, this is a Super Famicom game technically since it never got release outside Japan, but for the same of consistency and because it's essentially the same system as the SNES, I'm categorizing this as an SNES game. Now, on to the review!


Like many young nerds in the late 90s and early 2000s, I was introduced to anime via a little programming block on Cartoon Network called Toonami. I think everyone at this point with any degree of nerd cred, and certainly anyone who was into anime in the 90s and 2000s knows what Toonami is, but it was my gateway into anime and introduced me to many anime series I've come to love and appreciate ever since. One of those series was Gundam, with Gundam Wing being my introduction to the series. Beyond DBZ, Gundam Wing was probably my 2nd favorite anime for a moment in the late 90s and I would have done anything to get more Gundam at the time, but unfortunately we were very limited at that time to any anime whatsoever. I love the whole concept of giant mechs with laser swords, laser guns, and giant epic, scifi battles in space. When I found out there was a video games based off the series I nearly lost my shit!


I first found out about Gundam Wing: Endless Duel from a friend of mine in middle school who was actually Japanese, and other than having lived the first 5-years of his life there, frequently went back to visit family that still lived there. Nearly everytime he'd return to the states he'd bring along with him a bunch of awesome import video games that I could have only dreamt of owning at the time. Around the height of Gundam Wing's popularity in the west, I went over to his house one afternoon and was beyond shocked to not only find out there was a Gundam Wing video game, but that my friend actually owned it! My friend and I played Gundam Wing: Endless Duel only briefly since my friend, whom had not only been aware of Gundam Wing for half his life, but had also played the crap out of Endless Duel years before I'd even known what Gundam was, didn't want to play it long due to boredom with it. So while I've technically played Gundam Wing:Endless Duel, my actually experience with it is ultra limited and it's been easily over a decade since I've played it at all, via emulation. I decided it was time to sink some serious time into playing it and see how this game stacks up after all these years, and the west finally getting many of the Gundam titles that Japan now gets given the series' worldwide recognition and popularity.

My first impressions of Gundam Wing: Endless Duel is that it feels like the precursor to what would eventually become Gundam Battle Assault, which to this day is my favorite Gundam-based title (well, technically the 2nd one is, but I also love the first one). This is absolutely a good thing, and the fact that I'm drawing parallels between a game released on a 16-bit console and one released on a much more powerful, disc based 32-bit consoles speaks volumes to the quality of Endless Duel.

First and foremost, the visual presentation of Endless Duel is excellent. It's certainly up there with some of the better looking games on the SNES which is definitely a huge compliment given how good so many SNES games look. The sprites of the mobile suits are very detailed and articulate, very accurately capturing the look of the suits from he show. Likewise, the stages all are very well done, and have dynamic effects in them to make them feel like more than just a backdrop that you're fighting in front of; things movie, lights flash, other mobile suites move and blink, it's very impressive stuff. Also, there are character sprites for the various characters in the anime, as well as a very cool intro that is very high quality.

Regarding the sound in Endless Duel, it has a very catchy OST, one that not only embodies how amazing music can sound coming from the SNES, but also captures the sound and feel of the show. In fact, there is a 16-bit version of the opening theme from the show which sounds just as good minus the vocals of TWO-MIX. The sound effects are also great, with all the laser, blaster, thruster, and mechanical noises you'd expect Gundams to make, many of which sound like they were lifted straight from the show.

While definitely above average overall, the gameplay of Endless Duel is probably its weakest area. The game is fairly fast paced and doesn't stutter from framerate issues or lag of any kind, which makes the fighting feel fluid much like Street Fighter Turbo or Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Also, the controls, while definitely not perfect, are for the most part easy to figure out and responsive. Where the game isn't as good is no counter to blocking and a fairly imbalanced damage system. There is also a special move meter which allows depletes at varying amounts depending if you're doing a normal special move and a super move. You refill it by landing basic attacks on your opponent. Pulling off the special moves is fairly reliable, although I found it to be far easier to pull them off with certain suits over others. The gameplay is certainly with its flaws, but overall it adds to the enjoyment of playing this game.

Like any licensed game, one's subjective enjoyment is going to be based heavily on your appreciation of the source material. While Gundam Wing: Endless Duel and a Super Famicom to play it on would have been towards the top of my birthday and Christmas list when I was 13, it's now a game and series that I only have a minor interest in now. Sadly my anime fandom, especially for newer anime, has diminished greatly as I've aged. I tried watching Gundam Wing 7 or 8 years ago for the first time since it originally aired on Toonami and remember struggling to get through it due to how melodramatic and silly it was much of the time. When I was a kid I probably cared far more for the epic mech battles far more than what was going on in the plot, however it takes more than flashy Gundam battles now to keep me entertained, and so with that my interest in Gundam Wing isn't even close to what it was.

Still, I'm able to enjoy this game not only as a pretty good 16-bit fighter, but also as a game that I would have adored growing up, and envied my friend greatly for having. I can't imagine I'll ever play Endless Duel again, but I'm glad I did replay it just so I can scratch a desire off my childhood list of things I wish I could have done when I was younger.

Gameplay: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Graphics: 9/10
Fun: 10/20
Overall: 34/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on March 27, 2020, 11:40:29 pm
20. Command and Conquer (PC)

My experience with the CnC series is pretty limited. I didn't have a PC capable of running CnC games until the late 90s, however my first experience playing the game was Red Alert at a friends house. i remember it was so different than anything I'd ever played, and the whole concept of controlling an army of troops, tanks and other vehicles was something really cool to me at the time. A few years later when I did have a PC it was around he time that Tiberium Sun came out and I ended up getting it for Christmas the year it came out. Tiberium Sun was the CnC game I played the most and remember thinking it was really fun when I was a kid. However, despite all of this I never played the original CnC game and it's been a long time goal of mine to play it on PC as it was intended.


Well, I finally sat my ass down, played around with patches and configurations for the better part of an evening, and finally played the game that started it all. And sadly, this isn't a game I was able to get into and just felt really bored with during my time with it. The game wasn't bad by any means, but I found its simplicity to what I was used to with other RTS games to be just too underwhelming for me to get into. While there is a degree of strategy involved while progressing through the game, it just felt like a lot of build, deploy, build, deploy, build deploy. I greater emphasis on the narrative might have helped out more, but sadly it was too antiquated of an experience for me to get into.


In my few hours with the game I did really like the music and it's very mid 90s, attitude filled sound. It definitely captured the feel of the period it originally came out in. I'm pretty sure had I played this game back in the 90s I'd have a greater appreciation for this game and even on nostalgia alone I might have been able to enjoy my time with Command and Conquer more. Unfortunately this is an experience I'll probably never revisit, and I hope I don't feel the same way about the other pre-2000s titles.


 Overall: Abandoned
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on March 28, 2020, 05:29:32 am
Do you plan on trying the remaster when it comes out?
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on March 28, 2020, 06:00:33 am
11 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch 2020) - ENDLESS - I am fairly loaded with games right now, but I needed something more casual to play after beating Doom and some big action/rpg games coming up, something chill I can play while watching stuff, so figured I would play some Animal Crossing.  I was never "excited" for the game, though I did play the original a good bit back in the day, but seeing some peoples reactions to it were like if you got amped for "taking a nap" or "having a mug of cocoa" lol Still, as a time waster game, it's been nice so far.  I put it as endless as there's no real story or ending, you just keep doing stuff, but I'll probably casually play it for a good while.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on March 28, 2020, 10:59:45 am
Quote from: Cartagia on March 28, 2020, 05:29:32 am
Do you plan on trying the remaster when it comes out?


I probably will at some point, but I'm in no rush to play it.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on March 30, 2020, 10:56:25 am
Snack World (Switch) - abandoned

I really like this game, a randomly-generated dungeon action RPG with quirky Level 5 charm, the problem is that it's a grinder, which in many circumstances would be great, but I have so little time at the minute that it's not good to be playing something with no sense of progress. I'll be trying to play more beatable games, having already beaten a 50 hour dungeon game this year.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on April 01, 2020, 12:38:33 pm
10. Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast) - 3/22
The whole time I was playing the first Sonic Adventure, I was thinking to myself just how much I hated the “open world” part of the game. 15 minutes into Sonic Adventure 2 and I was sad they took it out. Even though the game just felt like it was missing something, it was still a ton of fun; the controls were better, the camera was betterish, and the levels were better. Everything was just a step up from the previous game. Beat 3/22


11. Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4) - 3/29
I really wanted to love this game, I had planned on going for a platinum trophy on it, but for some reason I couldn’t get into it. It wasn’t a bad game at all, it was actually pretty good; I just didn’t connect with it like I did God of War or Last of Us, it felt a little disconnected at points and I had trouble playing it for long sessions. Beat 3/30
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on April 02, 2020, 12:39:20 am
21. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1)

One of the sad realities I've come to know as a video game collector is that the majority of very rare, expensive, sought after games rarely live up to their hype and price. I've owned some very rare and expensive games over the years and only a handful of them I felt were actually worth the cost of entry, or at least their reputation of being an excellent, hidden gem were warranted and true.


Luckily for me I found my copy of Klonoa for only $3 years ago at a now defunct used media store I used to frequently hunt for games at. At the time I think it was an $80 game or so, so finding it for only $3 made me insanely happy. Out of curiosity I just looked up the current going rate for this game and it's hovering around $200+ for a complete copy! Even without knowing how dramatically the price of Klonoa on the PS1 had gone up, I honestly went in expecting it to be another one of their overrated, overpriced retro games that I'd probably consider selling as soon as I beat it or gave up trying. To my complete surprise and delight it was not just another game the internet has built up as being falsely amazing, but actually is an amazing game!


Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is a 2.5D platformer where your range of motion is on a 2D plane, however the platforms you walk and jump on and background have the appearance of being in a 3D space. In a lot of ways Klonoa reminded me of a mixture of Kirby 64 and Nights into Dreams, but is absolutely its own thing which I will elaborate on shortly. But visually Klonoa is a pretty creative, colorful game with fun backgrounds and level design that make each stage feel unique and distinct from the last stage you got through. The game is broken up into 6 stages with each one being divided into two levels. These levels all feel different, even the ones that take place in the same stage. Despite this variety in each levels look, style, and layout, Klonoa is in some ways not the most visually impressive game.


While all the characters and bosses are certainly unique looking and well designed, graphically this isn't the best looking game. It is an early 3D game and even for the time it came out there were far better looking platformers not just on the PS1, but also on the Saturn, N64 and PC. Where Klonoa lacks variety is in your standard enemy types of which there are maybe a dozen in the entire game. It would have been nice to have them mixed up a bit more, but for what you're using the enemies for it isn't a really big deal when there is so much variety elsewhere in the game. Overall the style and presentation of Klonoa is pretty good despite the somewhat below average presentation.


Klonoa is a nice sounding game as well. Going along with the adorable aesthetic, the cast of characters all speak in a made up language that sounds like baby noises and 90s cartoon characters speaking Japanese. While this might not be the best way to describe it, it isn't annoying, but is actually very endearing and certainly makes the character voices and dialogue memorable. Given that their language is fictional, the dialogue is all subbed which I think was the right thing to do for this game. The music of Klonoa is also excellent with some very, very pleasant songs that play during the game's stages, all sounding like they belong in this game 100%. Klonoa's OST has an almost dreamlike quality, which again is 100% appropriate for this game, and also makes this game that much more enjoyable to play.


The gameplay of Klonoa is pretty good overall as well. Being a 2.5D game, you're mostly moving left or right and either jumping or using a ring punch to grab enemies. Grabbing enemies is a core mechanic of this game as you'll be using enemies to not only throw at other enemies and bosses to destroy them, but also to help propel your jumps to get to higher platforms, as well as throwing enemies to activate far away switches or grab out of reach items. This mechanic works pretty well throughout the game, however in some of the more technical or time limited areas, these mechanics can show their flaws, mostly in their difficulty to execute fluidly and quickly. Despite this, they mostly work well and do very little to detract from how well the game plays.


You will also be completing a variety of optional tasks throughout each stage including collecting gems to earn extra lives and saving local inhabitants, of which there are six in each level. The boss fights in Klonoa: Door to Phantomile are also pretty fun for the most part, and each one feels distinct and challenging in its own way compared to the previous one. However, the boss fights highlight something about Klonoa that could be seen as good or bad depending on your point of view, and that's the game's difficulty. Klonoa definitely falls on the easier end of the video game platformer genre difficulty spectrum; the first half of the game is a breeze for the most part, and the second half is only slightly more challenging save a few areas in the final few levels, and the last few bosses. But even at its most difficult Klonoa is a pretty easy game, which you can get through in just a few hours. One final thing about the gameplay that I enjoyed is that decreased length; I appreciate games that don't outstay their welcome, which I feel like Klonoa is probably a perfect length given the type of game it is, as well as the game's story. Oh yeah, did I mention this game has a story?!


Yes, Klonoa is one of the few platformers I've ever played that actually has an engaging, interesting, and genuinely heartfelt story. When I first started playing Klonoa I expected it to pretty much be your standard cookie cutter mid/late 90s platformer story similar to what we got in Mario, Banjo-Kazooie, or Crash where the story is given little attention beyond giving you a reason to reach the end of the game. Not Klonoa. Klonoa starts out very similar to those aforementioned games, but the deeper into the game you get, the more the story takes various twists and turns, as well as actually develops Klonoa's character and several other side characters as well. There are several points in the last third of the game that genuinely gut punched me in the feels, and the ending actually made me tear up; if you would have told me I'd shed a tear during this game before I starting playing it I'd likely have laughed at you and called you insane. No, this game has an excellent story on par with some of the better kids movies I've watched during my life, which essentially means it's not going to win any awards, but it well written and delivered impactfully enough to leave a mark on you once it's all over.


While Klonoa: Door to Phantomile might not be the most well made platformer during the late 90s era of 2.5D and 3D platformers, for me it was certainly one of the most memorable and enjoyable ones I've ever played. Between the heartfelt story and variety of unexpected twists, and the cute, colorful, and lighthearted look of the game, it was hard for me not to completely fall in love with Klonoa's charm. Even playing this game for the first time ever 20-years after it originally came out, I really, really enjoyed it. I'm going to go as far as to say I enjoyed it at least just as much as I do Super Mario 64 which is the best platformer I've ever played, and also one of the best games I've ever played. Admittedly, Klonoa is not as good as Super Mario 64, but in terms of my personal enjoyment of Klonoa it's right up there with Super Mario 64 which is saying a lot! (4/1/20)

Presentation: 7/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Fun: 17/20
Overall: 40/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on April 03, 2020, 06:05:06 am
12 - Resident Evil 3 (PC 2020) - BEAT - While I was never expecting this to live up to the Resident Evil 2 Remake, it is unfortunate that the game comes across more like a DLC campaign than standalone sequel.  It's not bad at all, I enjoyed my run through the story, its doing much the same gameplay and visually its still quality, it just doesn't have the same level of content and detail.  Like they got rid of some of the zombie gore, you could kinda tear apart zombies more viscerally in RE2, but not here, and while I like the combat dodge against certain creatures, I almost never used it against zombies because I found it super hard to get the timing with how fast their lunge is.

I can't say how the game is in comparison to the original version, I never played it much and don't remember it, though I know it is lacking a few things.  I understand RE3 was meant to be a quick sequel to pump out back in the day, but I think they should've spent more time with this game, because it being done by the B-Team is sorta obvious. 

If you are a Resident Evil fan, you'll still totally like it, it's fun, it just may not be the best version of the game it could've been and that Resistance multiplayer doesn't seem to be very good, so the price its at now is hard to justify, though I'll  probably end up getting 20 to 30 hours out of the game anyways with replays through the story and to get the unlockables, much like I did with RE2R.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on April 03, 2020, 10:01:57 pm
22. Mr. Driller (Dreamcast)

Mr. Driller has been a game that more people have recommended than I can remember. It's a puzzle game that I knew very little about other than from the back it looks like some sort of stack em' up puzzle game like Tetris or Puyo Puyo. Having finally sat down and played it, I have to say I expected a little more given the amount of praise this game has got from people I know, but for what it was Mr. Driller is a decent puzzle game with some pretty unique elements.


As stated, Mr. Driller is a puzzle game where you play the game's protagonist, Mr. Driller and have to drill away blocks of varying size so they fall on other blocks, ideally of the same color in order to gain points. The more blocks of the same color connect, the more points you earn, with a minimum of four same colored blocks needed for the blocks to produce a higher score per block. There are also brown blocks that vanish after connecting four of them as well, bit the only difference with these is they require more oxygen to break. Yes, this game requires oxygen as a way of forcing the playing to act quickly while breaking blocks. These oxygen pickups are randomly placed between blocks that you must obtain before your oxygen meter hits 0% and you lose a life. You can also lose a life by accidentally having a block fall on you from above, typically from a combination of blocks connecting, but a miscalculated odd block out leading to your demise.


The gameplay system is pretty fun overall, however I found the way that blocks decide to fall to be somewhat inconsistent to what I'm used to in games like Tetris. This is how the game is designed, but it was still something that took some getting used to, and even when I did I didn't care for it all that much. I found the oxygen system to be a unique, fun way of creating a time constraint in the game, as well as penalizing you for breaking brown blocks by depleting more oxygen. As you can imagine the further down you go, the less oxygen pickups there are, and also there are less same block clusters for you to combine to clear out more blocks.


Visually Mr. Driller is not a paragon of graphical excellent by any means, although it was never meant to be. This is a stack em' up, block based puzzle game that you could easily port to a calculator, and in fact was ported to the Gameboy if I'm not mistaken. There are colorful backgrounds and menus, but overall this is a game that does not focus on the visuals, but does enough with them to make this game mostly pleasing to look at. The same can be said in the audio department; there isn't any story or dialogue here, nor did there ever need to be. There's just catchy little songs that play as you descend deeper and deeper into your puzzle, with the songs being fairly catchy.


Despite Mr. Driller being a pretty competent, well put together game, it just didn't hold my interest for long. I was mostly enjoying my time with it, but it certainly was not one of those puzzle games that I had trouble putting down. It was certainly more of a game that I feel like I played, thought it was pretty good, and am likely content with never playing it again. Sadly, I do not share the same opinion of Mr. Driller that several local collectors and game store employees have. In the end, it's an alright puzzle game that i'd recommend people at least try out and see if they like it. (4/3/20)

Presentation: 5/10
Sound: 7/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Fun: 11/20
Overall: 30/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on April 04, 2020, 07:09:06 am
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on April 03, 2020, 06:05:06 am
12 - Resident Evil 3 (PC 2020) - BEAT - While I was never expecting this to live up to the Resident Evil 2 Remake, it is unfortunate that the game comes across more like a DLC campaign than standalone sequel.  It's not bad at all, I enjoyed my run through the story, its doing much the same gameplay and visually its still quality, it just doesn't have the same level of content and detail.  Like they got rid of some of the zombie gore, you could kinda tear apart zombies more viscerally in RE2, but not here, and while I like the combat dodge against certain creatures, I almost never used it against zombies because I found it super hard to get the timing with how fast their lunge is.

I can't say how the game is in comparison to the original version, I never played it much and don't remember it, though I know it is lacking a few things.  I understand RE3 was meant to be a quick sequel to pump out back in the day, but I think they should've spent more time with this game, because it being done by the B-Team is sorta obvious. 

The "expansion" feeling is very much in line with the original game.  While I haven't played this one yet, all the reviews seem to point to most of the shortcomings originating from the original game - RE3 was never as good as the first two games, and while it's nice to have an updated version it's just not nearly as essential as those.  I pre-ordered REmake2, but I'm definitely going to wait for the price drop on REmak3.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on April 04, 2020, 07:26:19 am
Quote from: Cartagia on April 04, 2020, 07:09:06 am
The "expansion" feeling is very much in line with the original game.  While I haven't played this one yet, all the reviews seem to point to most of the shortcomings originating from the original game - RE3 was never as good as the first two games, and while it's nice to have an updated version it's just not nearly as essential as those.  I pre-ordered REmake2, but I'm definitely going to wait for the price drop on REmak3.

Yeah even if you are a fan of RE2R, I would wait on a good sale for RE3R.  I don't think Resistance adds much value and the only replay value for the game is difficulties and buying unlockables from the challenges you do as you play through the game.  Like I'll probably in the end get like 20 hours out of my time with the game by replaying it a few times, but it doesn't offer the same replay value as RE2R did with the two campaigns and two variations of each campaign.  Not too mention the DLC they added, which I don't think RE3R will get.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on April 04, 2020, 02:04:42 pm
Game 7 - Dark Souls: Remastered (PS4) – 43 Hours – level 86

This was a very tough game for me to review. This is another one of those games that has a huge following and is beloved by many. After beating it, I dug heavily though the wiki reading about all the characters and lore I could. I also watched several analysis videos on both the bosses, areas, and overall story to get a better understanding of the game. I think this game is excellent, but it does have flaws, which are presented below.

I think this game’s strongest suit was its controls (minus trying to platform and jump). You move at a nice pace, swinging weapons feels good, and you can build your class to be as nimble/protected as you like. The game is hard as hell, but you feel so accomplished when you finally overcome that one big boss you’ve been struggling for hours to defeat. I swear there were some issues with hit detection, which I complained about in Demon’s Souls, but it can help you as well, so it’s fine. Outside of the controls, the gameplay is also excellent. There’s an incredibly deep customization of your characters which was fun to experiment with. The framerate was buttery smooth as well. I liked the new game plus idea, because this game feels like the sort of thing to play multiple times. After watching a few videos I realized there was a fair amount of content, bosses and secret areas that I missed, and I was immediately tempted to start playing all over again to fight those bosses right away. That’s a testament to how entertaining the game is.

One of the things I loved about Dark Souls was the equally breathtaking and disgusting environments. I felt like this was a major improvement over Demon’s Souls. I loved the beautiful yet completely empty Anor Londo, the mysterious DarkRoot Garden, and the tense and terrifying Catacombs and New Londo Ruins (the latter made me feel a squeamish while exploring, believe it or not.) That said, there are some areas that I felt were not the best. Blighttown felt like a reskin of the Valley of Defilement from Demon’s Souls, and the Valley of Drakes, Demon Ruins, and Lost Izalith areas felt very bland and forgettable.

Something I had heard about at length regarding this game was the brutally tense and lonely atmosphere. And I will agree, that was certainly present, but there were equal parts immersion-killing goofiness in the form of the multiplayer elements. The loneliness of the game completely clashes with all the countless bloodstains and phantoms of people playing alongside you, all the silly messages with “praise the sun!” and other jokes, the helpful allies you can summon into the game at your will, the weird ragdoll physics of the dead bodies… you can see where I’m going with this. Not that it’s bad, it’s just… not at all what I was expecting. It reminded me of Resident Evil 4. Equal parts scary, creepy, funny, and campy.

On that note, I’m not sure how I felt about the multiplayer elements. I wanted to make sure to turn them on, as I felt it was an important part of the overall experience. The messages and bloodstains left by other players were very helpful in beating the game. I’m just not the biggest fan of being invaded by other players. Thankfully you can avoid it by staying hollowed, but if you do return to human form, you have no control over when or who the game decides to have invade you, and it can make an already frustrating game even more frustrating.

I definitely liked the music in this game though. And I liked how the game takes what I call the “Shadow of the Colossus” approach, with very little music in the overworld but swelling to a massive orchestral and choral score during the boss fights. I had to take another listen after beating the game though because I was too focused on the boss fights to really pay attention. The sound design is pretty trash, though, but that’s more of a minor complaint for me.

I think the thing I was most conflicted with about Dark Souls upon finishing it was the storytelling. I went thought this game completely blind, so I had only a very loose grasp on what I was doing or what the story was even about. After finishing the game, I watched a plot synopsis that only used information found in the game, and it furthered a lot of my understanding of the story elements. Most of my concerns were addressed, but it’s still unclear to me how elements of this story is told to the player in-game, specifically how the lead up story with Gwyn is revealed to the player, and the results of your decisions at the end of the game. And I’m not sure if the faceless generic protagonist that you play as really helps or hurts the overall narrative. I sense that I will come back to play this game later on as a new game+, so if I do that I will probably use a walkthrough to try and complete as much as possible and then I might get a better grasp on things. So for now, I think the story presentation is a little sloppy, and I honestly think it tells the player too little, but that opinion could change with another playthrough or two.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on April 05, 2020, 04:44:26 pm
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Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

101. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GCN)
Started this one up as 100, but took a break from it so it wasn't game 100 on my list, and I'm glad I did that.  This game is one of the worst games I've ever played.  Consistently throughout the game did I phase through walls and just die, the game had no sense of targeting so I'd fall off the level when trying to land on grinding rails, frustrating instant death mechanics, enemies that could instant kill you somehow invalidating invulnerability after taking damage, and just generally poor game/level design.  Again, I get shit from people who claim I didn't beat the game because I didn't 100% beat the game, I'm very confused by this, beating a game is beating a game, not completing a game.  Just a terrible game
Rating: Hard pass.

102. Super Mario 64 (NS)
Got the Super Mario 3D All-stars collection in the mail and decided to play some of Mario 64, then decided might as well beat it.  Just as good and frustrating as I remember.  No octagonal gates makes directional inputs feel off.  Using a joystick for the c buttons feels odd.  No option for invert on sticks, absolutely terrible.  Game aged incredibly poorly, but it's totally playable.  Game is using the release that patched out most glitches so can't beat the game with like 16 stars.  I still love this game and at least like 4 of its levels, I tolerate most, and hate a bunch.  Getting thrown from levels is frustrating, accidentally collecting stars while working on other stars is also frustrating.  I have a lot of complaints, but I don't regret my time revisiting this game.
Rating: Soft recommendation

103. Sonic Heroes (GCN)
This actually isn't supposed to be next on the list, but I'm still doing extra content in Pokemon Picross, so Sonic Advance games get to wait.  I might actually wind up playing these simultaneously with how I balance handheld and console games, so we'll see.  Though I've got a lot of handheld Sonic games before the next console title... which I think is Shadow.  Anyway, this game is terrible.  I loaded up the game and created a save slot and started story mode.  Beat the first level, but it actively said "Continue without saving" because I didn't go into options and load my created save file before starting story mode.  WTF, so I had to redo the first level.  Game still has the terrible oh you phased through a wall and now you're dead issue. Got all the way to the final level, got all the way to the end of the final level, but didn't understand that you have to hold B to speed up on the grinding rails, because the icon implies to mash B, not hold B, so I died and got a game over.  I nearly abandoned the game right there.  I used Action Replay to beat that level because fuck redoing that terrible level because of the game's inability to properly convey what to do.  Final boss was bullshit instant death mechanics out the wazoo.  I spent more time standing around waiting for an opportunity to make a jump so I didn't instant die than anything else.  Honestly, I was like can't get worse than SA2, but they outdid themselves.
Rating: Hardest of passes.

104. Ring Fit Adventure (NS)
I've heard so much from folks using this as a daily exercise routine and getting good results.  Then pandemic and scalping happened.  Now they are being produced again and I'm glad to say I got one of my own and I'm giving this a go.  It's a decent workout for me, I'm playing in silent mode, because I'm adamantly not a fan of running in place.  I have a bad knee, so even silent mode is quite trying because you're doing squats instead of running in place, hopefully this can work as a sort of rehab for my bad knee.  So, I had stopped playing this for like a month, felt like it had only been like a week, but apparently it had been like a month.  My wife finally decided to start playing it and that encouraged me to hop back into  it.  I watched her play and realized that I was overdoing my squats for silent mode and that's what was killing my knees, now that I'm doing lazy squats (as I like to call them, or really you're just teabagging  ::)) it isn't so bad.  So now I'm putting in 10-20 minutes each day and progressing through story mode.  I think I'm currently level 19 and my difficulty level is 17, working my way up.  Now I'm up at level 30 something and difficulty level 22, so I'm up with my wife, and we're both about the same place in the adventure mode, we're just constantly try to either keep up or get ahead of each other.  I'm really only going to update this every other week or so.  I'm at level 60 something and difficulty 27, I'm doing about 2 hours a day which works out to about 40 minutes of active exercise.  At this point, I'm about level 100 and I blew out my knee the other day, so I'm dialing it back as best I can and laying off of knee exercises as well.  I'm currently at world 19 out of 23 I think, and I'm at the tail end of that world, so getting closer and closer to "beating" the game, I know the game keeps going afterward and I'll probably keep playing as it's good exercise, I've lost 3-5 lbs already.  I'm level 171 and still difficulty level 27 and putting in about 30 minutes of active exercise daily.  Once I beat World 23, I'll mark it as beat and stop updating this though. Finally beat the game.  Level 220ish, 30.5 hours of exercise, and I've lost roughly 10lb.  Going to plan on still doing this every day, but I won't be updating anymore.
Rating: Highly recommended.

105. Word Search by POWGI (PS Vita)
More POWGI puzzle games!  Just a generic word search game, nothing special.  This one is taking me forever to finish.  It's got like 400 word search puzzles.  I'm nearly done with it.  I don't know that I want this game to be 104 though, so I may take my time with this so Ringfit can be 104.
Rating: Hard pass.

106. One Word by POWGI (PS Vita)
Another POWGI game.  I just couldn't care with this one, it's a word search, but you only get the letters for the word you want, my eyes aren't good with that, so this was a miserable experience.
Rating: Hard pass.

107. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (PSP)
I've finally decided to start my franchise run of the Persona series.  Mind you, if I hate this so much, I may not, but it's the plan.  I beat my 104 goal, so I've got 3 months with no real goal in mind, so I've decided to aim for longer games, and what's longer than Persona? So far, really enjoying the game.  I'm having no problem whatsoever playing this and only thing, I normally have a handheld and a console game going, but I'm playing this on what would be my console game time.  Throw some anime on the TV and play away.  I'm really not a fan of the fact that RPGs increment the gameplay timer when the game is paused.  I'm *really* not a fan of the fact that this RPG increments the gameplay timer when the system is in standby mode.  So it claims I'm at 200 hours of gameplay, really have no clue how long this game is taking me because of that.  Pretty much had no trouble with this game until near the end.  I had two issues.  1) Gaining spell cards has been an ordeal for me because I've been consistently underleveled for gaining cards the entire game, so I've been having to grind not to beat bosses, but to be able to be high enough level to gain spell cards ::) 2) This dungeon I've made it to is so bullshit.  So many enemies with instant death mechanics, only 2 people in my party... and if you run into a group of succubus kiss your evening goodbye, you can't kill them, they spam charm, and you can't run away... it's a recipe for an immediate gameover. 3) You can't run away.  Here's hoping future games fix this issue? Overall I really enjoyed the game, but it got real bullshit near the end.
Rating: Really soft recommendation.

108. Tracks (X1)
I went on Xbox yesterday to do my Rewards stuff for the week, and I noticed there were a bunch of new Monthly cards to do (Worth roughly 12,500 reward points overall).  The gist of them is earn up to 10,000 achievement points and get up to 10,000 reward points, point for point.  So I went looking for games with quick and easy achievements, about an hour in this game nets you the full 1,000 points, so I went ahead and played the game through pretty much all of it's base content.  I'm going to wind up playing through a lot of games, and I don't know if I'll count them because I'm not "beating" them so much as just earning as many achievements as I can.  Game probably is pretty entertaining, but it just doesn't seem like much to it.  Game's purpose is probably play to play.
Rating: Hard pass... I guess

109. Minit (X1)
More games played just to boost gamerscore to get MS Rewards points.  Saw that this one can get 1000 in an hour or so, so I spent my evening last night playing through this and getting all of the achievements.  Really enjoyable game, makes me consider giving Majora's Mask a try, but this is in small repeatable bursts whereas Majora it's 3 "days" instead of 60 seconds.  One day... one day.  I don't remember what I gave this game when I played it earlier this year, but I'm gonna go with a good ole highly recommended because it's just such an enjoyable game.
Rating: Highly recommended.

110. Fractured Minds (X1)
Saw that this one can get the 1000 points in like 20-30 minutes so I gave this one a go.  I had been ignoring it for the longest time because it looked like it was going to be a spooky game.  spoiler: it's not.  It's an artsy, emotionally driven game, won indie awards and such.  I normally love these types of games, but this was pretty bad.  Like I definitely recommend it for the points, but it's just not worth your time otherwise.
Rating: Hard pass.

111. Minecraft (X1)
I was thinking about not adding this one, but I did play it for quite a bit, got all of the achievements on one version and then went and played an older version trying to get more achievements.  The achievement world thing is very interesting and I won't say quickly, but easily can net you the full near 3000 achievement points, which is great for the Xbox Hall of Fame thing.  I'm sitting at like 9080 achievement points earned this month for this thing which is great.  Today starts a new achievement week with Rewards so I'll probably go do PixARK's trial to get the 1000 points from that since allegedly that works.  I may not write about it because it's a trial and I think I'm not actually playing the game similar to some of the other games I just got points from and didn't actually play.
Rating: It's minecraft, of course it's recommended.

112. Super Mario Maker 2 (NS)
I wasn't intending on beating this game or even counting it.  I loaded this up to sort of give my kid the opportunity to start playing video games.  I was intending on making simple levels for him and then handing him a tiny switch controller for him to play.  The game doesn't let you swap controllers quickly or anything, which is a huge bummer.  The kid's tiny controller doesn't have all of the buttons necessary to make levels so I have to use my controller to make levels, shut off my controller, turn on his controller, hand him his controller. and then hope he doesn't press the quit level button because you can't easily restart the level with his controller.  I kind of gave up on it quickly and just proceeded to play through the game while he watched.
Rating: Recommended... but not for what I wanted.

113. What Remains of Edith Finch (X1)
Another game being played because it's got easy achievements, relatively quick too.  Maybe 3-4 hours and you get the full 1000 points with minor skill needed for one achievement.  I've played this game before and I love the story.  I think when I last played the game I didn't have a kid, so Gregory's story really fucked me up.  Yeah, I played it almost a year before my kid was born.  I know the Gregory story messed with me last time too, but it really fucked with me this time because as much as my kid makes me angry (on purpose I'd bet) it would destroy me for something like that to happen.  Anyway, I really enjoy this game's story, having already done all the things before it doesn't have a lot of replay value though.  It's definitely one of those games where I think physical serves better because beat the game, sell the game, instead of beat the game and be stuck with this digital download that you're never going to use again.  It's my big issue with digital in general.
Rating: For Game Pass, absolutely recommended.  For buying, gotta say it's a toss up, super soft pass or recommendation.

114. Super Mario Sunshine (NS)
I wasn't really intending on counting this game, but I'm playing it quite a bit when spending time with my kid so I'll probably wind up beating it at some point, might as well track it.  I played it for a bit after finishing Super Mario 64 but I just wasn't feeling it.  Having taken some time away from it and coming back after SMM2, I'm sort of enjoying my time with it.  I'm remembering how the controls are still pretty frustrating.  The switch controller still isn't very good.  You lose the pressure sensitive buttons and mario doesn't "walk" well so you run or you don't run, walking is such hit or miss garbage.  I died 15-20 times on one galaxy precursor space no fludd having platforming segments.  I remember for the longest time I didn't know Yoshi was in this game because I never recalled seeing it advertised and I kept not getting far enough to unlock Yoshi.  I also remember once getting Yoshi it being pretty frustrating to control for some of the stuff, but I'm curious if I'm getting that mixed up with Galaxy.  We'll see.  I was getting it confused with Galaxy for sure, but Yoshi is frustrating because it's almost certainly tied to water areas which is instant death for Yoshi, and getting Yoshi isn't like SNES just hitting a box, you gotta go find the specific fruit he wants.  It was a pain but 100% completed this game, collected all shines and blue coins and such.
Rating: Recommended

115. Super Mario World (NSO)
Decided to play this because my kid keeps yelling for more pod games, no clue what he's trying to say, but I know he means Mario.  Normally when I play this, I go through the warps and beat it in like 15 minutes, but I decided to go through as much as I could bother.  Beat all the world's main bosses, got through the special world, and beat Bowser through the front door.  Probably ended around 70-80 exits.
Rating: Highly recommended, obviously

116. Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels (NSO)
Someone on Discord was talking shit about how SMB2 (USA) is the best Mario game and that SMB2 (JP) was the worst Mario game.  I disagree, I had never beaten SMB2 (JP) but I could honestly say SMB2 (USA) is my least favorite Mario game hands down (at least of the games I've played).  Their argument was the JP was too hard, like ridiculously deviously hard.  So I beat it in about an hour.  I did use warp pipes, I'll admit that, and I obviously looked up the correct paths for the boss levels, but the game was super enjoyable.  I then tried to play USA, and I got bored before I got to the second level.  I mean USA isn't even a Mario game.
Rating: Soft recommendation

117. Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker (NS)
I mean technically, I don't know how much I should count this as beat.  I beat Episode 1, credits rolled.  Episode 2 unlocked which is playing through a new set of like 20 levels as Toadette instead of Toad.  I'm gonna count it for now, if I go back this year and beat the rest of Episode 2, I probably won't count it separately.  It's a puzzle game.  I'm not a huge fan of this type of puzzle game, I get pretty bored pretty quickly with this type of thing.
Rating: Soft pass.

118. Afterparty (X1)
I had been interested in this game for some time, I saw it was getting delisted on Halloween so I decided to prioritize playing it and got my wife to sit with me while I played it, handed her the controller on occasion to help with decisions and stuff.  Game is pretty interesting, they don't really ever explain why they went to hell specifically, but I gather that pretty much everyone goes to hell regardless, so I won't dwell on that too much.  Sounds like the bad ending leaves it open for a sequel.  Honestly, I really enjoyed this game.  I would've liked different dialogue choices I think, but you're playing a character and are stuck with what the writers decided are what the characters would possibly say, so whatever.  Enjoyable regardless, and got quite a few chuckles out of it.
Rating: Really soft recommendation.

119. Party Hard (PS4)
Here's my annual complain about my neighbor entry.  My neighbor had a huge Halloween party on Halloween.  Invited tons of people, had a pinata, huddled up on a bonfire, and blared music all night long.  Normally, I would stay up all night long, super angry, and just trying to find something to use up my time until they yield and I can sleep.  Normally, that's playing Party Hard and living vicariously through the protagonist.  But I just couldn't do it because it didn't matter what I did, I could hear and feel their music over anything I did.  We have no noise ordinances and I can't call the cops or do a lawsuit unless I can prove monetary loss/cost due to the nuisance.  We're due to be annexed in the next few years at which point we will have a noise ordinance, but ACAB and they don't actually enforce the noise ordinances anyway.  Anyway, I spent the next day playing this game because I was still angry about the ordeal, I had already beaten this game, but I hadn't done the extra bonus levels, so I played through and beat all of the bonus levels.  Some pretty tough, some pretty fun, some just outlandishly random to beat.  Enjoyable as always.  Anyway, went to the furthest room in my house from the neighbor, blared a white noise machine, had my work computer on being loud fanned af, turned on some fans, and managed to have a miserable nights sleep due to all the elements.
Rating: Biased Recommendation.

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Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: droaa on April 05, 2020, 07:53:44 pm
Quote from: ignition365 on April 05, 2020, 04:44:26 pm
Whewie.  I am in a conundrum.  Do i count Resident Evil 6 multiple times because of the multiple campaigns, or just consider it one game?  I am inclined to say count it multiple times.

In my opinion, I count it all as one game given that all 3 campaigns as different as they may be are all within the same realm in terms of story. I think as each campaign as 3 pieces of the overall game rather that 3 separate campaigns.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on April 05, 2020, 09:32:24 pm
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Quote from: Legend
bold games are games that have been beaten, previously beaten, or are unbeatable.
italicized games are in progress.
standard games are games I am not currently trying to beat.
strikethrough games are games that have been abandoned.

120. Final Fantasy III (6) (SNES)
Really hate that they called it 3 when it's 6. ::) Anyway, another game club game, started this up right after finishing Persona.  Had some trouble early on because I really wanted to play Persona 2 instead, but I powered through and I'm making progress now.  Progress is slow, but I'm making it.  I just don't enjoy FF's ATB combat system, and this game has some convoluted aspects like the Blitz system for Sabin.  A few of the people taking part love this game, like they named their children after characters from this game.  I'm figuring that's a childhood thing, because I'm honestly not enjoying this game as much as say Chrono Trigger.  I basically abandoned this game for a month or so, stopped playing games and watched a bunch of anime and read a bunch of books.  Finally decided that I'm back playing games and played Fallout 76 and Watch Dogs and a bunch of other stuff.  Decided now that I'm playing games again, I need to give this game another chance.  Decided that if I'm going to give this game a chance, I'm going to use cheats to help push me through.  Played with cheats that weren't working for a while whilst still trying to get cheats working.  Mainly wanted to A) Turn off/lower chance of random battles, B) Increase XP/Lvl to where it should be for battles, and C) Have money to buy whatever equipment I want.  A) Took me a while, but I figured out turning off random battles around when I got the moogle charm ::).  B) The only way to level up skills I could find that actually worked pushed you to level 99, didn't figure it out until near the end of the game, so earlier, I was level whatever stat wise, but HP wise I was still 18, so that didn't work out very well. ::) C) Couldn't find a way to have money, but found a way to have 99 of an item, 99'd a high selling item and sold it to have gold to buy equipment.  That stuff aside, I didn't follow the walkthrough close enough, and I didn't save often enough that Shadow died and I would've had to replay several hours of game to get back to the point where he died to save him.  So I said fuck it and kept playing.  Didn't get back Gau, Relm, Relm's pappy, and maybe one other person and ran through the rest of the game with groups of 3 instead of groups of 4.  Final battle, my groups died on the final hit at each stage so no chance of Phoenix Down to keep them alive so finished the boss with one guy still alive.  I feel like I can't rate this game too badly, because I didn't rightfully give it a chance it deserved, but the random battle rate was way too high and the combat system too complex.  I didn't care or understand Gau, Sabin required memorized button inputs, I didn't get or remember the relic/esper systems, and I just don't care for the ATB system of FF games.
Rating: Soft Pass.

121. Watch Dogs: Legion (PS5)
For some reason preordered this game when I know I shouldn't have.  Didn't pay full price, but still would've saved quite a bit of money waiting like 5 days for the 50% price drop lol.  Anyway, left the game sealed until I got my PS5.  Day one on PS5, couldn't get past the intro mission without the game crashing over and over.  Finally found a work around and got to playing, but I was so frustrated that I just wasn't very interested anymore.  Kept playing on and off for a while.  I feel like I had the same issue with WD2, but at least that game had characters.  This game has randomly generated characters that all sound way off from how they look. Honestly, that's this games biggest downside.  Not only aren't the characters relatable because they are randomly generated and not well thought out or designed, but the random generation is just absolutely terrible.  I didn't stress test the recruit system because I assume it's bad, like I assume there is an upper limit of like 50 recruits or something, otherwise I'd consider going and just recruit as many as I can, but I can only assume there is an upper limit and not worth the effort.  It'd be neat to have a game with a finite population where you can recruit the whole population and immediately win the game, or kill the whole population and immediately win the game because there is no reason for the game to continue.
Rating: Soft pass.

122. Dark Souls III: Fire Fades Edition (X1)
See Game Challenge 2021 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,11230.msg185665.html#msg185665)

123. Wreckfest (X1)
See Game Challenge 2021 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,11230.msg185665.html#msg185665)

124. Tomoyo After (NS)
See Game Challenge 2021 (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,11230.msg185665.html#msg185665)

125. Resident Evil: Code Veronica X HD (X1BC)
Current Progress: Military Training Facility
Been looking to play more games that I want to play, and it was an achievement week, so I decided to pop this on and play far enough to get 3 achievements.  Managed to get all the way to Claire's playthrough's Military Training Facility.  Big bad is annoying, Steve is even more annoying.  Honestly, this game feels like so terrible it's good, my wife and I had a decent time laughing and making fun of the voice acting and such.

126. Marvel's Avengers (PS4)
A good dude on Discord used his Verizon perk thing to hook me up with a copy.  Not happy that the game requires an internet connection to start up, but the game seems fine so far.

127. Oxenfree (NS)
Current Progress: Going to save Ren
I asked my wife about playing a game again and she insisted on this one.  Personally I'm not feeling it, and I absolutely hate games that make you make decisions but don't give you enough time to even read the options.  It sounds like it's short though, and my wife insists, so I'll give it a go, but I will probably only play while my wife is watching.  What with me being so interested in DQ Builders 2, I just don't know when I'll get around to finishing up this game.

128. Yakuza Kiwami 2] (PS4)
Current Progress: Chapter 5
Decided to play this for some reason.  Not quite getting into it, but I'm enjoying my time so far.  I'm already struggling with the fact that I've already played through the story of Yakuza 2 so I'm not paying attention to dialogue.  I may not make it through given that fact alone.

129. Human Fall Flat (X1)
Current Progress: Demolition
I started playing this a while back for the easy achievements to meet my goals for Xbox Rewards, so when I need achievements I hop on this.  It's definitely a frustrating game, but it seems easy for quick achievements.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on April 05, 2020, 09:51:02 pm
I would personally count it as one game, I only really count stuff more than once if they are added on as DLC and tell a new story, like with Metro Exodus I counted Sam's Story with the Two Colonels story as a separate thing because Sam's is a new tale that acts sort of like an epilogue.  With RE6, they are all a part of the one story, so playing them all because creates the full picture, hence it being just one game.  Like I wouldn't count RE2 Remake as 2, even though they are two separate stories that intertwine.

Then again there are no real rules to this, so you can do what you want lol
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on April 06, 2020, 08:47:10 am
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on April 05, 2020, 09:51:02 pm
I would personally count it as one game, I only really count stuff more than once if they are added on as DLC and tell a new story, like with Metro Exodus I counted Sam's Story with the Two Colonels story as a separate thing because Sam's is a new tale that acts sort of like an epilogue.  With RE6, they are all a part of the one story, so playing them all because creates the full picture, hence it being just one game.  Like I wouldn't count RE2 Remake as 2, even though they are two separate stories that intertwine.

Then again there are no real rules to this, so you can do what you want lol
I'd definitely count RE2's 2 campaigns as separate because they are full on the same game... aren't they?  I played RE2 Remake as Claire and it was exactly as I remember Leon's campaign from the original, I didn't play the remake's Leon campaign because I just assumed it was the same, maybe with some minor differences.  I completed Leon's campaign and Chris's campaign so far, and Chris's campaign really didn't add much except maybe the last chapter at the underwater facility.

If I beat a game start to finish twice in one year, I count it twice.  I did it with Sekiro when I went through NG+.  It's not a common thing, but I count it when it happens.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on April 06, 2020, 11:19:08 am
They are not as different as they were in the original game, but there are some differences throughout - like playing as Ada and Sherry, and some unique boss fights.

But there is almost no difference between Leon A / Claire B and Claire B / Leon A.  So rather than 4 campaigns it’s really closer to 2.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on April 06, 2020, 11:34:18 am
Devil May Cry for instance, if I played through any of the other character campaigns, I would probably count those as separate because they are the exact same game, you've just got different controls and stuff.

RE6 at least for the most part the campaigns are completely different content with maybe 1 or 2 sections that are exactly the same as someone else's campaign.  But story wise it's all the same story.  I don't feel like Chris' campaign actually added anything to the overall story except maybe the very very end.  I don't feel like Jake's campaign is going to add anything either.  Ada's campaign I'm waiting for because I see that tieing shit back together to make a cohesive story, but probably not.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on April 06, 2020, 02:02:17 pm
23. Sim City 3000 Unlimited (PC)

Sim City has always been a franchise I've known about as a result of friends I've had growing up owning and playing it, but it was never a series I had much experience with. My first Sim City game was Sim City 3000 Unlimited that I vividly remember buying at Sam's Club with my mom back in the early 2000s. I was enthusiastic to play god and create my own sprawling metropolis like my friends had and get into this series as much as they did.


I remember trying very hard to figure out Sim City 3000's system, mostly in that I could never seem to keep up enough money to pay for everything while also keeping my town's people happy enough to stay. I remember playing for hours trying to figure it out before i finally just gave up, loaded a premade city and then unleashed tons of natural disasters upon it until the city lie in rubble. Returning to Sim City 3000 years later as an adult I was hoping that it was just my impatient, non-analytic 13-year old mind that had issues getting into this game, but unfortunately I've found that little has changed in 20-years.


While I understand the financial aspects of Sim City 3000 Unlimited better, actually making sure my city is making money while continuing to please my citizens remains a major annoyance for me. I feel like anytime I make an adjustment to taxes or ordinances, people freak out and move away, but as soon as I lower them I have no money to address the city's other problems. On top of that I continued to get notifications about not having enough water or electricity despite having more plants, power lines, water pipes, and other infrastructure components present to support my city.


Pretty much this game became the same micromanaging nightmare it was when I was a young teen, and I found myself wanting to pull my hair out more than enjoying the game. I know there is a way to overcome the financial issues the game throws at you, but as much as I tried to figure that out I eventually reached a point where I just didn't care anymore and decided enough was enough. I'm sure this game is fun as hell to some, but for me it just annoys me and creates a confusing series of tedious problems that I seem unable to overcome.


The game isn't all bad however, as there are various things I do enjoy about it. For one I love the music that plays; I've always found it very pleasing to my ears and just all around great music to build and manage your city too. I dare say it takes some of the edge off of the things I don't like about this game, but obviously it wasn't enough to keep me going. Also, I have a fair amount of nostalgia for Sim City 3000 as it's a game I did play quite a bit when I was younger, albeit unsuccessfully.


Sadly I think this is going to be my departure from this game for good. Funny enough I've never played Sim City 2000 which seems to be everyone's favorite for the most part, so maybe someday I'll give that game a chance, but as for 3000, I just can't seem to catch enough of a break in this game or separate up from down half the time to make any meaningful progression while playing. I've ran into similar issues in the Sims, a game about micromanaging people rather than entire cities, and found the task of trying to balance my Sims' needs and goals to be a very slow and tedious process. I guess that is sort of a hallmark of these games, but honestly I just can't do it anymore, and I'm going to pass on continuing to play this game I've spent 20-years trying to like and get into.


Abandoned
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on April 06, 2020, 09:32:46 pm
Game 8 - Shovel Knight: Showdown (Wii U) - 15 hours

I counted this game as finished after I unlocked all of the characters and finished the story line with all of them.

+ I stumbled across this new addition to the latest DLC while I was playing through King of Cards, and was pleasantly surprised. Plays just like a 2D version of Smash Bros. except for a health bar and an emphasis more on gem collecting rather than stock based matches. There was a nice selection of characters across the main game and the DLC. The beautiful sprite work is a joy to look at. The gameplay is just as fast, frantic, and fun, with varied and exciting stages stages, and cool items. There was an absolutely kick-ass soundtrack, as always.

- My biggest complaints were with the movesets/mechanics. Most characters have maybe 3 or 4 attacks which is pretty restrictive. Some characters have little to no upwards recovery which really sucks when you get knocked over a pool of lava or a pit. Lastly, the parry felt way too overpowered and I don't like how it knocks your characters back.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on April 08, 2020, 07:06:13 am
2 more abandoned games: DNA (PS2) and The Outer Worlds (PS4).

Dark Native Apostle is the kind of quirky action game I like, but its small size seems to be padded out by forcing you to bang your head against a wall going back and forth and using trial and error to scrape forward. I just can't be chewed when there's no levelling system or anything like that to even have some kind of reward for having to kill respawning enemies.

The Outer Worlds.. it's good but not great, what really killed it for me is the lack of a solid narrative and the whole item/level system being underdeveloped. There's not enough different types of item to get and use, which makes exploring redundant. In the end the limitations became glaringly obvious to the point I just stopped playing.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on April 08, 2020, 07:12:26 am
Quote from: shfan on April 08, 2020, 07:06:13 am
The Outer Worlds.. it's good but not great, what really killed it for me is the lack of a solid narrative and the whole item/level system being underdeveloped. There's not enough different types of item to get and use, which makes exploring redundant. In the end the limitations became glaringly obvious to the point I just stopped playing.

Yeah it's unfortunate that Outer Worlds wasn't very good, I ended up beating the game, but it was very lacking.  It's dialogue system and characters are great, along with a lot of variety to decisions you can make, it's got all the components of what makes me like Fallout games, its just doesn't match up, because exploration and gear isn't very good, which is what drives everything between the dialogue and story.  I'm kinda hoping that since Outer Worlds seemed to do well for them and now with big studio support from Microsoft, they can make a sequel that actually makes the game amazing.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on April 08, 2020, 11:05:52 pm
24. Mario Party (N64)

Unlike many who look back on the Mario Party franchise fondly, I personally have more of an indifferent set of feelings towards it. Back during the N64 era I only ever rented a couple of the Mario Party games, the first and second ones to be specific. Years later I purchased Mario Party 8 on the Wii to play with my then girlfriend; we played and enjoyed Mario Party 8 for maybe a weekend before getting bored with it and never playing it again. That was over a decade ago, so I thought what better way to revisit the Mario Party franchise than to replay the first one, probably 20-years after I'd initially rented it from Blockbuster.


As many are aware, the Mario Party games are set up like a board game, with several levels, or boards for you to choose from. On these boards are a variety of spaces you can land on that do many different things including, but not limited to giving you coins, taking away coins, changing the location of items and spaces, stealing coins or stars from your opponents, and initializing mini games, but more on those mini games in a moment. You play against three other people or computer controlled opponents with the primary objective of collecting the most stars and coins by the end of the game which is preset by the player based on how many turns you select for everyone to engage in. You earn coins and stars in a variety of ways, but mostly stars are bought with coins you obtain in many different ways, the most noteworthy being through the games many different mini games.


These mini games come in a vast variety ranging from memory games, knocking your opponents off platforms, racing them, knocking them down with a bowling ball, and many other scenarios. These mini games are played in a variety of ways including battle royal, 2 vs 2, and 3 vs 1. I didn't count how many mini games there were, but if I had to guess I'd say around 30. Playing the game for a couple of hours will have you trying nearly all of them out.


While I have to give Mario Party creativity points in the concept of having people compete on intricate, dynamic Mario themed board games with unique mini games sprinkled throughout, I also have to fault it for its relatively poor execution of all these elements. For example, most of the mini game controls feel very unresponsive, stiff, and slippery, making the objective artificially difficult given the handicap the controls provide. In addition to the often janky mini game controls, some of the mini games are downright cheap or rely more on luck than any sort of skill. Speaking of luck, there are a lot of conveniences while navigating the board, that depending on what difficulty you've selected make you wonder how truly impartial the game is when it comes to dice rolls and item selection; for example while playing the game on easy I found myself in the right place at the right time more often that what seemed random, and meanwhile on normal difficulty it was often my opponents whom this happened to. It certainly gives the impression of the game being rigged. In addition to that, each of the game's six or so boards are aesthetically unique, however many of the same obstacles and strategies are present across all the boards with only minor variations; this can result in a major sense of deja vu while playing, easily making the game feel unfun and stale.


Graphically Mario Party is not much to look at. While it doesn't look outright terrible and the art direction of the stages is nice to look at and certainly creative, the 3D models in this game are among the most blocky, massive polygons I've ever seen. For example the characters in Mario Party look like a downgrade or two over those same character models in Super Mario 64. Many of the mini game levels are overly simplistic, but also some do look more intricate and detailed. I'd say the game looks slightly better than not, but it's still not a very good looking N64 game.


The audio in Mario Party is mostly good, if not serviceable at times. You will hear a lot of the same singles and themes depending on what is happening on the board or in mini games, but they are all pretty fun to listen to. Also, each stage has it's own theme song that will play while navigating that board. These songs are good, but nothing groundbreaking or so good you'd want to put them on your MP3 player or phone.


Sadly, Mario Party is one of those games I wish I'd left in my past. Again, while my feelings towards the game were on the indifferent side from when I was younger, I certainly remember enjoying them more than I did while replaying them recently. My experience replaying this game has certainly dampened my desire to play more games in the franchise, although I'm sure that I'll at least jump into the other two N64 titles at the very least, someday. There's also the fair criticism that Mario Party are not meant to be played alone against the game's AI controlled characters, but in a room full of friends as you yell and shout at one another for screwing over one another in mini games and during the duration of your turns. I'd be interested to see how this might change my opinion of the game, but unfortunately I don't possess the friends or the time to arrange such an event, which leaves me with my single player impressions of Mario Party. Overall, it's not the worst game in the world, but certainly one that's hard to understand the appeal of after replaying it again. (4/8/20)

Presentation: 6/10
Sound: 7/10
Gameplay: 4/10
Fun: 8/20
Overall: 25/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on April 10, 2020, 06:11:35 pm
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on April 08, 2020, 07:12:26 am
Quote from: shfan on April 08, 2020, 07:06:13 am
The Outer Worlds.. it's good but not great, what really killed it for me is the lack of a solid narrative and the whole item/level system being underdeveloped. There's not enough different types of item to get and use, which makes exploring redundant. In the end the limitations became glaringly obvious to the point I just stopped playing.

Yeah it's unfortunate that Outer Worlds wasn't very good, I ended up beating the game, but it was very lacking.  It's dialogue system and characters are great, along with a lot of variety to decisions you can make, it's got all the components of what makes me like Fallout games, its just doesn't match up, because exploration and gear isn't very good, which is what drives everything between the dialogue and story.  I'm kinda hoping that since Outer Worlds seemed to do well for them and now with big studio support from Microsoft, they can make a sequel that actually makes the game amazing.

Totally agree with that, I think increasingly that kind of model is going to be used - try something out before a massive budget is lavished on it rather than running at every project as though it requires God of War levels of polish.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on April 10, 2020, 08:34:27 pm
12. Undertale (Switch) - 4/2/20
Now I know I played Undertale last year… and I know it probably sounded like I didn’t really like it, but I was looking for something short to play to hold me over till the FF7 Remake comes out and one of my friends suggested I revisit it and go for the True Pacifist run. So, I figured what the hell, lets do it; and let me just say, the True Pacifist ending was totally worth it. It really felt like a true ending to the story, way more satisfying than the Neutral run ending. I know there are a few more endings to experience, but I think I’m good at this point.

13. Abzu (PS4) - 4/4/20
If you have a few hours to kill, don’t care about story and just want a game where you can explore and maybe solve a few simple puzzles, Abzu is for you.  Just play it.

14. Sayonara Wild Hearts (Switch) - 4/10/20
So first of all.. WOW, holy shit! Ok so this game was recommended to me by my buddy a while back and I really wish I would have gotten around to playing it sooner, but since I’m still waiting for my copy of FF7 Remastered to come in, it seemed like the perfect time to do it. I’m just going to say it, this is hands down the best soundtrack for a game ever. I mean really this isn’t a game, its more like an interactive album; I just can’t believe how well the gameplay and music complemented each other. If anyone is reading this, go download this game, plug in some headphones and just enjoy the next hour of your life.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on April 11, 2020, 11:51:40 am
Game 9 - Shovel Knight: King of Cards (Wii U) - 9 Hours

It's sad to be done with Shovel Knight, but this was a great way to finish off the series. The story actually had an interesting end to it and it took a direction that was more depressing and somber, which was unexpected and welcome. Everything that's great about the other games is here. Fantastic pixel art, and amazing music are present as always. I liked the shorter level design with lots of optional exits that you can find and unlock. I made it a point to try and find every secret that I could even after beating the game!


- I wasn't the biggest fan of King Knight's controls, but I got used to them eventually. I think it's the fact that his regular attack moves you forward, which can be tricky when trying to platform. I also wasn't the biggest fan of Joustus. It's cool that they put in a full collectable strategy card game in to the game, but it just wasn't the most fun for me.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on April 12, 2020, 11:57:43 pm
25. Panorama Cotton (Genesis)

I remember first hearing about Panorama Cotton on Racketboy's webpage, more specifically on his page about the rarest and most valuable Sega Genesis games. However, Panorama Cotton was technically never a Genesis game since it never was released in the US, but was a Japan exclusive Megadrive game. Lucky for me I didn't have to drop the insane amount of money this game typically goes for, nor import one, but rather I played it via emulator for the first time tonight to see if another one of these uber rare games was worth the price of entry.


Before I get into the meat and potatoes of Panorama Cotton I was to say right off the bat that this was a very, very ambitious game for its time. Panorama Cotton is an on rails shooter, with the closest thing I've played to it being Space Harrier. The fact that this game runs like it does on the Genesis without the assistance of something like the Sega CD or 32X is very impressive in its own right. However, Panorama Cotton might have been a little too ambitious given the hardware it was released on.


In Panorama Cotton you play as a cute little anime witch blasting all manners of random looking enemies with energy blasts, similar to Space Harrier, but you also have various special attacks to help you blow away these enemies and the various stage bosses. While this is all fairly simple, there is so much on the screen at once at varying depths from where you are in the foreground that it can be at times confusing and overwhelming. I can't count the amount of times I misjudged the depth of an enemy or was confused about what depth an object was at, that it ended up damaging me in the end. You are given a life bar instead of ships/guys like in your standard shooters like this. This addition is nice, however you will be hit by so much of the projectiles and enemies on the screen that having it any other way would have literally ruined this game. With this gameplay config the game is definitely playable, but expect a lot of cheap shots and confusion while playing this game.


Graphically and just visually in general Panorama Cotton is a very, very impressive looking game. The bright, vibrant visuals, combined with the fun art style makes this game awesome to play through. Also the transition of settings and going in and out of areas, building, and environments is really cool to see, especially with how quick and seamless these transitions occur. This also has to be one of the most Japanese games I've played, especially on the Genesis. This extends to more than just the anime art style and visuals, but also most of the enemies seem very random and odd in nature, similar to what you'd see in a game like Parodius, albeit less self aware than that game. My only gibe with the presentation of this game has to do with there being a little too much going on and the framerate suffering as a result. This happens far too often and if it weren't for that, this would be up there with the best looking Genesis games, if it isn't already up there.


The audio is also great in Panorama Cotton. It has a very cute, upbeat soundtrack and just is awesome to listen to for the most part. With this game being made by Sunsoft I would expect no less since most of their games had incredible OSTs. There is also some modest voice acting in this game and it's your standard fare cute, Japanese voice acting for the witch and a few other characters in the game.


With the exception of the gameplay issues this would have been one of the better Genesis games I've ever played. Sadly, those gameplay issues make this game frustrating and just a pain to play and as a result my enjoyment of the game truly suffered. I did go back and try replaying it, but unfortunately I didn't feel like I was having anymore fun with it despite being more used to the chaos and issues with depth perception in this game. I mostly just felt like this should have been a game better suited for more powerful hardware where it may have been the excellent game it almost was on the Genesis. Still, it's a cute, unique game that is definitely worth checking out if even just for the impressive novelty of a game like this running on a Genesis. (4/12/20)

Presentation: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Fun: 9/20
OverallL 32/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on April 13, 2020, 10:09:32 am
14 - Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS4 2020) - BEAT - With everything going on in the world, this game really couldn't have released at a more perfect time.  My sleep schedule is out of whack and I just got absorbed into this game and loved the absolute heck out of it.  It's a great mixture of nostalgia, but with lots of new flavor to everything that can keep you on your toes if you are familiar with the original game.  Honestly, any fan should love this unless you are an absolute purist about the experience and newer people will just enjoy the game as it's not some crazy time sink like a lot of JRPG's can be where you'll be doing 100+ hours.  I beat it in 35 hours, but I still have extras to do and it does unlock Hard mode, though I'll not likely play that, so I'll probably squeeze out another couple hours, finish up the battle intel, weapons, and make sure I have all the music and what not, the stuff I find fun to finish up with as I'm not really a 100% kind of guy.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: koemo1 on April 18, 2020, 10:55:20 am
1. Bayonetta 2 [WiiU]
2. Super Mario 3D World [WiiU]
3. Seek and Destroy [PS2}
4. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag [360]
5. Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway [360]
6. Medal of Honor: Warfighter [360]
7. Call of Duty 2: Big Red One [PS2]
8. Call of Duty 3 [PS2]
9. Star Wars the Force Unleashed [360]
10. Uncharted: Nathan Drake's Collection [PS4]
11. Uncharted 4 [PS4]
12. Dex [PS4]
13. Assassin's Creed: Origins [PS4] PLATINUM
14. Battle Garrega.rev.2016 PLATiNUM
15. Yakuza Kiwami [PS4]
16. Caladrius Blaze [PS4]
17. Battlefield 1 [PS4]
18. Call of Duty WWII [PS4]
19. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey [PS4] PLATINUM
20. Bloodborne [PS4]
21. Smuggler's Run Warzones [GC] [IN PROGRESS]
22. Red Dead Redemption 2 [IN PROGRESS]
23. Tomb Raider [IN PROGRESS]
24. Red Faction  [UPCOMMING]
25. Secret Agent Clank [UPCOMING]
26. Transformers Devastation [UPCOMING]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on April 19, 2020, 10:45:08 pm
26. Final Fantasy VII: Remake (PS4)

To say my expectations of FF7:Remake were high would be an understatement. The original FF7 was my first RPG and not only initiated a deep love I had for the genre during the 2000s, but also made FF7 one of my favorite games of all time up until recently. When the remake was finally announced during Sony's 2015 E3 Press conference I totally lost it. Even with FF7:Remake being personally overshadowed by Shenmue 3 that evening, my hype and anticipation for FF7:Remake was huge, and remained so up until its release last week. Having played through and beat FF7:Remake I can say that it certainly met those high expectations I had for it, and also surprised me in many ways I did not expect, mostly in a good way too.


Final Fantasy VII Remake is not a beat for beat remake of the original. It certainly follows the general plot and story of the original FF7, to a point, but is a significantly more developed, fleshed out, and detailed experience, so much so that it at times feels like an entirely different game. There are enough new elements, both in terms of story, characters, gameplay, and plot to where FF7:Remake feels like a fresh new experience. This manifests itself in obvious ways like the switch from turn based to an ATB (Active Time Battle) system and graphically, but also is heavily present in the story as well. I feel like the best place to start is with the story and characters of FF7:Remake.


While FF7:Remake's plot and general story is mostly the same as the original, it gets to each new plot point in a different way, sometimes very different. Part of this is because of the advances in technology, game design, and video game story telling that has developed over the past 20-years, but also has to do with FF7:Remake wanting to tell its own story as well. You will find yourself in familiar areas and scenarios from the original, but in terms of how you got to them, how you get through them, and what happens after can look very different than what you remembered from the 1997 game. This is by far the most pronounced in the final few chapters of the game, which take a very, very different series of events than what you remembered in the final part of the Midgar portion of the original game. Without spoiling anything I am very, very interested to see where the story goes in part 2 of the remake, and I imagine that at the very least half of that game will be an entirely new story.


The story of FF7 was not the only thing to benefit from decades of advances in video games. The characters in FF7:Remake, both major and minor characters are way more developed and fleshed out then they ever were in the original. This greatly contributed to my enjoyment of the remake as it made these characters I'd known for years and gave them more depth to their personalities, as well as enriched the interactions they had with one another. Another thing I really appreciated it how many minor characters were given way more development and time in the main story to develop. By far the best examples of this were Biggs, Wedge and Jessie with Avalanche. In fact, all three of them have become among my favorite characters in FF7 after getting to know them way better in the Remake.


Probably the most obvious difference from the remake compared to the original (other than the graphics) is the gameplay. While the original used a traditional turn based battle system, the new game uses an ATB system or Active Battle System. What that means is instead of waiting your turn and selecting an action, you are now able to run about freely and attack, however your special attacks, magic use, limit breaks, summons, and item use are restricted by an ATB gauge which takes time to fill up. As soon as one half of the ATB gauge is filled you are allowed to use one of these special commands. Certain special abilities or summons require a completely full ATB gauge which adds to the level of strategy required to beat various enemies. Unfortunately the level of depth this system has doesn't go far beyond that.


Things like weaknesses, resistance, and status effects return and correspond with various types of magic and abilities, all of which are granted via materia, just like in the original. In addition to materia, using various different weapons or armlets grants you various changes to your character stats, again just like he original. Where the weapons differ from the original is you ability to upgrade them through gaining more experience, granting them better stats like increased MP or HP, debuffs, and even new materia slots, just to name a few. Unfortunately I found the need to manually upgrade my weapons a bit tedious and almost would have preferred to an auto upgrade system that scaled with the amount you used the weapon.


What all this adds up to is a serviceable, yet someone unremarkable battle system that works, but often not very well at times. Perhaps the battle systems biggest shortfall is the lock on system, which is stupidly mapped to the camera. What will often happen is you'll want to target a specific enemy or part of an enemy, but moving the camera will have you attacking another enemy or part of an enemy. Luckily the game gives you the ability to slow things down while you select an item or ability to use once your ATB gauge allows it, which also means you can target a specific enemy or enemy part in battle via a menu. But this still doesn't help you when trying to use basic attacks.


Outside of combat you're essentially navigating various areas throughout Midgar. This system is very simple and basic for the most part. You are allowed to run jog or walk, and areas where you need to use a latter, jump over a gap, or duck under an object are clearly marked in blue and simply require hitting the analogue stick in that direction. You are also given a variety of other tools to use outside of combat such as Barrett's gun and a grappling hook gun to get through certain parts of the game. Like the combat system it's serviceable and it mostly works, but unlike the battle system it's not made overly complicated or doesn't allow you to accurately execute actions at all times.


Graphically FF7:Remake looks incredible. While there are some pretty plain looking textures here and there, the game mostly is very impressive. The biggest standouts are the details character models and environments. The enemy models are also nice, but noticeably less detailed for the most part. There are many cool bosses in FF7:Remake, many of them returning from the original, and all are realized in excellent detail overall. Visually FF7:Remake is hard to fault on any level and the amount of polish this game has is nothing short of amazing.


The soundtrack and audio in FF7:Remake are also huge standouts. Like the original there are so many excellent tracks that you hear throughout your experience. Some of them are remixed versions of songs from the original, but others are original tracks made for the remake. What really surprised me is how the original tracks stand toe to toe with the original tracks, remixed or now, which really complements the level of quality put into this game's soundtrack. The voice acting in this game is stellar across the board as well, with each character portrayed very well by their respective voice actors. Sound Effects were awesome with enemies, weapons, environmental effects, and the various other objects and events in the world sounding impactful.


While FF7:Remake is definitely not a perfect game, it is certainly an amazing game that delivered on nearly every level it needed to as a remake to one of the most beloved video games ever made. I'd even go as far as to say this game is more than just a very well made remake, but is destined to become a classic in its own right. It was seriously that good. If not for slightly above average gameplay and some pacing issues at certain parts of the game, this might be one of my all time favorite games of all time. While it didn't quite hit that mark, it is certainly one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and at least so far a game I enjoy more than the original. (4/19/20)

Graphics: 5/5
Sound: 5/5
Story: 8/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Fun: 16/20
Overall: 42/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on April 21, 2020, 06:13:16 am
4 - Pokemon Sword (PC 2019) - BEAT - I had been wanting a console Pokemon game for a very long time as someone that hasn't wanted to really play portable games since like the GBA days.  Until Let's Go Pikachu, I hadn't played a Pokemon game since Yellow.  I had seen the series off and on through people playing Nuzlockes, so I have a grasp on how the series has went since then and I feel like what we got here with Sword is just really underwhelming.

The core Pokemon element of catching and fighting is fine.  It's certainly not a bad game and kids who don't know any better won't care, but for the first mainline release console, for a series in its 8th generation, after so many releases, after over 20 years, and this being one of the biggest game franchises in the world, you can see almost none of that in this game.  It comes across like a budget game, like this is what I would expect from like lower/mid end Japanese RPG games where you can forgive some of the clunk and basic stuff because it isn't a super big budget release from a major company.  It all functions fine, but the game is so lackluster.  It takes no advantage of the hardware as I feel like you could make this game on 3DS no problem toning down parts of the visuals and such.  The pokemon pop in is like 30 feet away or something, so areas look completely empty until you are right on top of them, there's a lot of weak animation stuff, visually there's nothing that looks good beyond this just being an HD release...

It's not all terrible, like I said, the core Pokemon capturing is fine, I will always sorta like that part as someone who collects stuff.  I also love the gimmick of Dynamax, because it gave me the opportunity to craft a team with giant kaiju and robots as the theme.  It's just hard to deny that this is not a very good game, when the story is absolutely terrible, the final boss is terrible fight-wise, most of the characters aren't very good outside of some good designs, and when you look at some of the stuff they are making people pay for in the expansion, it feels like content was cut so they could make release and it comes off as sleazy.

I know the game sold a lot, so this will never change, and I only really got it so that I could let family play it and I got it cheap enough to justify the expansion as a single full price game, rather than having paid 60 for this, and then had to pay more for the expansion.  I had hoped this would revive Pokemon for me and Let's Go Pikachu actually sort of did for me a little, it was an enjoyable nostalgic romp, but after Sword, I just got no interest in continuing on unless they drastically overhaul the next game.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on April 21, 2020, 07:50:28 am
Watch Dogs 2 is much better than the first game, primarily because the story line and tone aren't so insufferably self-serious.  That isn't to say it doesn't have its share of issues - I saw a review that said it is at its worst when it is trying to be Grand Theft Auto, which is 100% true.  There's still a few rough edges when it comes to AI behavior, etc.  It's also one of those games that greatly encourages stealth - until it suddenly doesn't which can be jarring and tough to adjust to.  Overall, though, a pretty enjoyable experience, especially all the main characters who are fun.  I'd give the first game about a 7 and this game an 8 or 8.5.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on April 26, 2020, 12:03:14 pm
Game 10 - Shenmue III (PS4) - 48 hours

Finally finished this game after taking a pretty leisurely pace. Overall, I felt like this game is the best in the Shenmue series so far. But like Shenmue II, with every improvement the game makes, there are still areas that never seem to improve. At any rate, it feels like every time I beat a Shenmue game I have like a million thoughts so here we go.

+

Graphically, I feel like the game looks exactly like it should be. This game provides an incredibly authentic look that retains the spirit of the original game with the art design and assets, with just a touch of modern tech and polish under the hood. It was definitely a tough line to walk, but I feel like they nailed it. It helps build the wonderful atmosphere that makes these games so much fun to play.

Alongside the graphics, there’s a lot of throwbacks to the old games. I loved being able to call up old characters from the previous games, for example. There are tons of little touches that you will appreciate if you know and love this series.

On that note, I really liked all the recognition towards fans of the series who helped bring Shenmue III to life. Even though I only have my name in the credits, it’s a wonderful feeling know that I have my own mark in this game, along with everyone else who supported this project.

Outside of the graphics, I LOVED all the improvements that they made to the gameplay. Here are a list of all of them


-

I’ve split the elements of the story that I didn’t like out from everything else for spoilers.

~~ STORY SPOILERS ~~

The one thing that just never seems to do it for me in these games is the story. It goes through the same motions as the first two games, and at this point we’ve dragged out this searching for Lan Di for hours and hours and taken so many detours and distractions, I just don’t care anymore. For some, I’m sure that finishing this saga will feel rewarding, but for me, the simple revenge story just does not have enough gravitas to feel worth what has now been a 96 hour experience. Not helping my enjoyment in the story is the writing, which was horrendous. It’s a little tough to explain, but plot elements will be discussed and re-hashed between Ryo and Shenhua that will have already been conveyed ages ago. I felt like I was being treated like a 10 year old, and overall it feels like you’re watching a really badly written kids movie.

Once I got into Niaowu, the game started becoming more polarizing for me. The game play expands and opens up even more, which is great. You get more jobs, more things to collect, more games, and a bigger city to explore. I loved every second of that. But the story (which I was already struggling to enjoy) begins to slip even more. I loved that you learn about the past relationship between your father and Lan Di in Bailu Village. It gives the plot some much needed backstory and development. But no less that 3 hours into the city, though, does the story fall back into that wild goose chase bullshit that I despised in the first game. It’s such a waste of time and feels like padding out the game length. The relationship between Ryo and Shenhua also doesn’t feel the same once you get to the city. I loved those little interactions they have in Bailu and they just don’t transfer once you leave because Shenhua doesn’t… do anything in Niaowu.

And after all that screwing around and running around in circles, the story barely moves forward at all. All the training that you go through in Shenmue II was made obsolete in this game, and then the training you undertake in this game is made for nothing during the ending. The overall lack of development both story- and character-wise felt frustrating and incredibly unfulfilling. Thankfully, Shenmue III adds more to the story than Shenmue II (which in retrospect feels almost worthless story-wise other than meeting Ren and Shenhua, since the nature of the mirrors and the hidden treasure is described again, in far more detail, in this game).

Lastly, I’m really, REALLY not a fan of the decision to not end the series with this installment. And this is coming from someone who only played the games last year, so it’s not even that I’ve had to wait a long time to play Shenmue III. It’s mainly because I don’t feel like this story is worth playing through another 30+ hour game that will take who knows how many years to finally materialize. To be frank, it feels mismanaged and manipulative. That said, I don’t really like Shenmue’s story to begin with. So if it’s just more of the same gameplay, I’d probably still enjoy it.

EDIT 8.30.20: I've recently learned that the original intent has been to lead the player into a very grounded experience that becomes much, much larger in scope later on. While that doesn't diminish my lack of enjoyment with the series so far, and I think it's ultimately really bad storytelling, it has made me more excited for the 4th installment.

~~Game play stuff~~

Quick time events are back baby, and they suck. You have but a nanosecond to react, and I almost never get them the first time. So it becomes more about just memorizing which button you need to press. I especially didn’t like it when the QTE’s replaced what should have been an actual fight.

It’s in Niaowu that the game really starts showing its limitations graphically. I had very little issues in Bailu other than the occasional framerate dip. But in the bigger city, there were loads of graphical glitches (especially with the water), slowdown and motion blur, bad pop-in with people walking in the street, and really poorly placed music that loves to change seemingly at random. It’s certainly not a dealbreaker, but it is noticeable. I feel like just putting in some loading screens when moving from area to area like the first two games could have really helped with some of these issues.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on April 28, 2020, 01:49:42 am
6. Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm(PS4)

I decided to play through the Naruto Storm games recently. This first one is pretty barebones, but fun. You get to run around a pre-Shippuden Hidden Leaf Village which is really cool as a big Naruto fan. My only gripes are the highly repetitive filler side missions and the difficulty of the QTE's during boss fights. Even with foreknowledge of the button combos I had a hard time getting them within the timing window. Lots of fun and nostalgia was had

Time: 60+ hours
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on April 29, 2020, 02:51:21 am
7. Sonic Forces(PS4)

I decided to play this because I had a craving for a Sonic game and got it for free from PS+. It's really not very good. Not terrible, but definitely not good. It's like they looked at Sonic Generations and thought, "how can we make a Sonic Generations sequel but worse?". The only enjoyable parts of this game were the Classic Sonic levels and even then the physics were very funky.

Time 10 hours
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on April 30, 2020, 10:03:14 pm
Game 11 - Mega Man Zero (PS4) - 9 Hours

While I liked this game, it definitely felt like an inferior experience to other Mega Man Games. However, I can see the elements that started the foundation for the ZX games with the mission select, multiple weapons, etc.

+

The game is still fun to play though even if it's less of an experience than other Mega Man X games on the SNES, Playstation and others. Gameplay is excellent as always, and for an early GBA game it looks quite nice as well. I enjoyed the story, while it was told on a relatively small scale, had some decent moments. I really liked the Cyber Elves (in concept anyway), it adds some RPG elements that allow you to customize a loadout for each mission. The optional weapons you could find and level up was a neat addition. The music was overall great, classic Mega Man Tunes.

-
 
There were several aspects of the game that felt insubstantial. Four reploid bosses instead of eight, only a paltry elemental change to your buster and Z-saber when you kill bosses, and overall it was a pretty short experience without a lot of stages. The rating system felt really stupid because playing this for the first time, I certainly was not good enough to speedrun through such a tough game like this, so I consistently E and D ranked every stage.

Almost immediately when I started the game I despised the controls. I don't know how much freedom you had with the remapping controls in the original GBA version, but thank goodness you can in this collection. I switched it to my prefered control scheme and never looked back (main - square, sub - triangle, dash - R1)

Those who have played the game probably know how hard Mega Man Zero is. Design-wise it didn't feel any different than other games in the series. The issue is that the lives system is totally borked. You don't get new lives when you get a game over; instead you have to reload an old save game. So you may be stuck with zero lives on a save file in perpetuity until you can collect new ones without dying in a stage. I had to find a level that could give you two lives and die to keep resetting them all. Then once I stockpiled them I had to make sure I could beat the stage without dying. Was really poorly designed and there's no reason the game had to be that way. Lastly, even though the Cyber Elves were cool, they took like a million crystals to power them up so you could actually use them, which led to some grinding.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on April 30, 2020, 11:10:22 pm
16 - Predator: Hunting Grounds (PC 2020) - ENDLESS - While I kinda got more games than I need right now to play, I had a coupon, which made the game slightly more appealing, as it's really not a 40 dollar game at all.  I haven't played as the Predator yet, but I've been enjoying the Fireteam gameplay as it's a simple shooter setup with objectives for you to do.  I don't usually like the asymmetrical games, because the non-killer role is generally not fun, like Dead by Daylight's gameplay loop for the survivors is kinda terrible, running around to just turn on generators, while being at a severe disadvantage with the killer, so making it that you fight AI soldiers while dodging Predator attacks and working to take him down is nice.

That said the game is super sloppy.  Illfonics previously made Friday the 13th, which was a pretty sloppy game for a long time, and this is much the same.  It feels and looks like a 360 era game, though it's pretty reasonably playable.  It also doesn't have much content.  Some customization items for your soldier and Predator, but not a ton, and there's only two maps that I've seen, but they are the same jungle location, so you'll never really know the difference other than one has old Aztec temples.  It at least has crossplay, so there's more likely to keep being players for awhile while I'm on PC, but this game could die pretty quick if they don't offer up some pretty regular content updates.

I'm hoping we see a Predator 2 styled city location and rural America location and I really want to see them do an Alien crossover.  Colonial Marine weapons, some xenomorph enemies to fight, etc...
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on May 01, 2020, 06:33:16 am
11 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch 2020) - BEAT - Wrote about this before when I had it early on, but I didn't realize it had a basic "ending" to reach, which is just to get KK Slider to show up to your your island, which is the last thing Nook wants you to do and you get the credits screen, and finally lets you start modifying the island...sorta...have to spend 12k Nook miles to modify terrain and water which is annoying, but oh well.

I have generally enjoyed myself, I've done a little time travel to skip past some of the waits for business opening and such, and been trying to find the stuff I want for my house along with doing some of the event stuff.  It's not a bad game at all, but I think it needs a lot of QoL type improvements to speed up menus, interaction, dealing with your storage and crafting, and just things that make the game snappier.  I know it's a game that is meant to be played casually and with patience, but like there's no good reason I can only buy seeds at 5 a piece, just let me buy in bigger bulks.  Let me plant them easier too.  Let my crafting table access my storage if its in my home.  Give me an easy overview for island construction like I have inside my house for easily moving things around.  There's other things too that can easily improve the game if they update it, which they should since it sounds like they plan to support it for awhile.

While the game does have its charm, I think something like Stardew Valley is the better experience, though AC is nicer with the visuals and customization in terms of like houses and your character and having more options for who lives in your town and such, compared to the set stories and characters of Stardew, but Stardew is great for everything you can do gameplay wise with your farm and there's the whole underground combat stuff that is pretty good.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on May 01, 2020, 11:31:32 am
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on May 01, 2020, 06:33:16 am
11 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch 2020) - BEAT - Wrote about this before when I had it early on, but I didn't realize it had a basic "ending" to reach, which is just to get KK Slider to show up to your your island, which is the last thing Nook wants you to do and you get the credits screen, and finally lets you start modifying the island...sorta...have to spend 12k Nook miles to modify terrain and water which is annoying, but oh well.

I have generally enjoyed myself, I've done a little time travel to skip past some of the waits for business opening and such, and been trying to find the stuff I want for my house along with doing some of the event stuff.  It's not a bad game at all, but I think it needs a lot of QoL type improvements to speed up menus, interaction, dealing with your storage and crafting, and just things that make the game snappier.  I know it's a game that is meant to be played casually and with patience, but like there's no good reason I can only buy seeds at 5 a piece, just let me buy in bigger bulks.  Let me plant them easier too.  Let my crafting table access my storage if its in my home.  Give me an easy overview for island construction like I have inside my house for easily moving things around.  There's other things too that can easily improve the game if they update it, which they should since it sounds like they plan to support it for awhile.

While the game does have its charm, I think something like Stardew Valley is the better experience, though AC is nicer with the visuals and customization in terms of like houses and your character and having more options for who lives in your town and such, compared to the set stories and characters of Stardew, but Stardew is great for everything you can do gameplay wise with your farm and there's the whole underground combat stuff that is pretty good.
Ak.  I guess I need to go back to it at some point then.  I didn't think it had any form of an ending and abandoned it after about a week.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on May 01, 2020, 06:51:48 pm
Quote from: ignition365 on May 01, 2020, 11:31:32 am
Ak.  I guess I need to go back to it at some point then.  I didn't think it had any form of an ending and abandoned it after about a week.

It's probably not worth the time if you've already dropped the game just to see a KK Slider performance over some credits unless you just want to say you "beat" it lol  Could probably time travel enough to speed through everything you need though.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: wolfen on May 02, 2020, 03:02:34 am
8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons(Switch)

I got KK on my island and saw credits so I guess I technically "beat" the "story"
This is the most fun I've ever had with a simulation game and I hate sim games. It does a good job of obscuring/making fun out of the menial tasks you are given. The crafting gives the player a lot more control over getting items compared to previous games. There are also less repercussions for skipping days because flowers don't wilt and weeds won't grow as wildly as in past games. It just feels much more relaxing and inviting

Time: 200+ hours
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 02, 2020, 12:49:45 pm
Game 12 - Journey (PS4) - 3 Hours

+ Such a beautiful, captivating game. Even though it was really short, it was still incredibly memorable. Breathtaking visuals, fantastic music and score, and a lots of mysteries to uncover. Jumping and flying felt so exhilarating, and meeting and interacting with other players always put a big smile on my face (I met 8 on my first journey). This is the kind of game I would show to someone that had never played games before. It's not very difficult to control, but still has some challenge and mystery to it. And the player-to-player interactions are always nothing but positive. I really enjoyed it and will probably play through it a few more times to try and find all the secrets.

- The only thing I didn't like was the ending. Granted I got a phone call right as the credits started playing so I could have missed something, but it felt relatively unceremonious and just kind of drops you back off at the beginning of the game. Maybe there are elements to the overall story that I missed, but overall it didn't fit super well in my opinion.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on May 02, 2020, 01:40:21 pm
27. Street Fighter EX+ Alpha (PS1)

While I wait for Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition to come out at the end of the month I figured it was a good time to play some shorter games in order to gear me up for playing a longer one at the end of the month. This makes fighting games a good choice, and there are several that I've been wanting to try out for some time, but for whatever reason haven't got around to. One of those games was Street Fighter EX Alpha+ on the PS1.


There are few games that I feel epitomize the strange phenomenon during the mid to late 90s of game companies seeming almost required by law to make 3D versions of their successful 2D games than Street Fighter EX Alpha+. By 1996 when this game originally was released in arcades, the Street Fighter franchise was a very successful, well established 2D fighting game franchise that never needed to try and jump on the 3D graphics bandwagon. But Capcom did just that and the results are failry disappointing overall. Technically Street Fighter EX is a 2.5D game in that the gameplay is on a 2D plain, however the character models are a few background objects are 3D polygon figures. Sadly, not even the gameplay was spared by the jump to 3D in terms of its lack of quality compared to the franchise's 2D predecessors.


While the gameplay in Street Fighter EX technically works and functions, it's not particularly refined and at times can even feel clunky and unresponsive. Even though I played this game on a CRT, there was still a noticeable input lag, and also I felt like the hit detection was slightly off. There were also times when moves should have connected, but didn't, or they did and I was somewhat surprised as a result. I think part of this was probably due to transitioning a 2D fighting game engine into a 3D game, which at least for Street Fighter I don't think had ever been done prior to Street Fighter EX. But even when the game does seem to function as it should, the AI in this game is among the most spammy of any fighting game I've played in recent memory. I literally played matches where my opponent repeated the same move over and over again, which beyond being irritating, just showed how subpar the programming was compared to games like Street Fighter Alpha 2 or even Street Fighter 2. Without needing to be said, this greatly diminished my enjoyment while playing this game.


As I mentioned before the graphics are mostly all in 3D. I say mostly because while the character models and certain background objects like fountains are 3D polygons, the backgrounds are fixed, low quality images that rotate with the 3D stages and perspective. This give the look your character fighting in front of a backdrop picture rather than in the setting the game is trying to immerse you in. By far this is the worst visual blemish this game has, but it's not the only one. I am admittedly a fan of early 3D games, including several games that made the transition from 2D to 3D in the mid 90s. However, the 3D models in Street Fighter EX, while not terrible, aren't that great either. The facial expressions of the characters are fixed in place given them a very action figure look to them. Obviously the polygonal shapes that make them up are also big and bulky, but judging by the 3D standards of the time they aren't too bad. Still, this game's visuals would be enough to make a diehard Street Fighter 2 Turbo fan cry.


Luckily I saved Street Fighter EX Alpha +'s best quality for last which is its soundtrack. Funny enough I was actually aware of this game's soundtrack before I'd ever actually played it because of how good it is. It's actually not too far off from Street Fighter 2's soundtrack which is in itself about as iconic and amazing as you can get for a video game OST. The other sounds including the impact noises and the character voice acting are all good as well. I'll definitely give this game credit where it's due with the audio, they really nailed it here.


Street Fighter EX feels more like some experiment that Capcom wanted to try back in the 90s to see if Street Fighter had a viable future as a 3D game. Obviously doing this bared some fruit in the form of 3 more sequels, and as of Street Fighter 4 the series taking on a full 2.5D perspective. I guess like any early stage of an experiment you're bound to run into a lot of issues and what you've created is going to lack a lot of refinement, which certainly describes EX. In a way, it feels like a very, very rough draft of what Street Fighter would inevitably become in later games, which I can say certainly paid off by the time Street Fighter 4 came out given how awesome that game is. However, unless you're very curious about where 3D Street Fighter all began, or just have a fetish for early 3D games from the mid-90s, I'd probably just skip this one. (5/2/20)

Presentation: 5/10
Sound: 8/10
Graphics: 5/10
Fun: 8/20
Overall: 26/50


Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on May 05, 2020, 11:10:53 pm
28. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4)

It's been a long term gaming goal of mine to try out the Uncharted series, which seems to be regarded in the same acclaim as many other modern classics like the Tomb Raider reboot, The Last of Us, and Mass Effect. Because of this, my expectations were fairly high going into this game. Sadly, I don't think it would have mattered if my expectations were through the roof or very low, I'd still have found this game the same poorly designed, frustrating mess it was. My fiancee is a huge fan of these games, and while she admits the first game is the weakest, she seemed to disagree with my experience while playing the first Uncharted game. You might agree with her or me, but this is my experience with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.


I wish Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a movie that I could sit back, relax and enjoy because I genuinely really liked the story and characters. Being a big Indiana Jones fan, this game's story heavily reminded me of it, but also felt fresh, like a new adventure franchise for a new generation. I really enjoyed the plot of him hunting for the lost city of Eldorado and all the mishaps, dangers, and obstacles he must face in his pursuit of his treasure. The characters were all likable, the villeins were all well done, and overall i really enjoyed their interactions. There were several things in the story that felt overly convenient or made me go wtf from a writing standpoint, but it did little to distract from what was definitely a well written story.


Visually Uncharted is a great looking games. While the character models and animations are above average, the locations, tombs, and vistas you find yourself exploring are absolutely stunning and almost so pretty you'd like to stop and take them in for a bit. It's odd for me still going back and playing 7th gen games and noticing how dated the graphics can look, but for its time Uncharted was probably one of the best looking games and for that I need to give credit where it's due.


The audio in Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is also pretty good. The voice acting is very well done, and each character interaction feels authentic and straight out of a big budget Hollywood film. The soundtrack is also appropriate, having a very adventure-like quality. It reminded me of a budget John Williams score, which even a step or two below Williams is a complement in of itself. Gun sounds were unique depending on the gun, the enemies banter and talk and you're in combat with them, and there are sounds you'd expect to hear in a jungle or tropical setting.


Up until now I've had mostly very positive things to say about Uncharted. So you're probably wondering what I didn't like about it. Well, if you've been keeping track I haven't mentioned maybe the most important part of a game like this; the gameplay.


The gameplay in Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is pretty bad, bordering terrible. It baffles me that this game was given the praise and acclaim it was back in 2008 to where it could spawn one of the most successful modern video game franchises. I feel like the gameplay can be broken up into two categories; exploration and combat. The exploration portion of the gameplay, while not perfect, is mostly fine. I found myself wondering for ledges occasionally and falling to my death more times than I'd like, but overall it was mostly fine. The movement controls during these exploration sections was also mostly fine, but could feel clunky on occasion. The absolutely worst part of the gameplay was the combat. Uncharted is a cover shooter that relies heavily on you taking cover behind walls, crates, and other objects to avoid the heavy rain of gunfire pointed at you. The cover system in this game is bad, like real bad. I found myself getting hit despite being adequately covered, and well as getting frequently flanked by enemies that seemed to materialize out of thin air. Combine that from getting cheap shot frequently, dropping into rooms and less than a second later taking damage, and being unable to take cover fast enough before being attacked relentlessly to death. I literally dreaded anytime the area I was in hinted an upcoming combat section by having plentiful places to take cover or having deposits of ammo available. I can't count how many times I considered turning the game off during many of the game's combat sections, but at the insistence from my fiancee I continue and to see how the story concluded I persisted despite my best wishes to quit.


Having beat Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, I am glad I can finally say I've played this so-called classic, but sadly I am very reluctant to ever want to play another game in the franchise. I've been told they just get better and better up through Uncharted 4, but even if Uncharted 2 is even half as frustrating, that's still way more frustration than I'm willing to go through again, at least this soon after beating the first game. I really thought I'd like this series of games, and maybe I will like the others when I eventually play them, but as far as the first Uncharted game goes, I absolutely will never play it again, even for the otherwise great story. (5/5/20)


Presentation: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 4/10
Fun: 8/20
Overall: 29/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on May 06, 2020, 12:42:35 am
Uncharted does not nail the combat in their games until Uncharted 4.  I know people really dug the multiplayer they offered in 3 (and maybe 2? I forget), but Naughty Dog didn't really nail that aspect of their gameplay till then as Last of Us also sorta suffered with that (I'm not sure if the remastered version was improved at all).  It just comes off clunky and it was weird how poor they were about it, since other games were doing TPS gameplay much better and this was such a big series.

You could probably just jump to Uncharted 4 and see how that goes, because that's one I'd certainly recommend playing.  The games do get better combat wise after the first, but it took them a long ass time to get it right.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 08, 2020, 10:45:55 pm
Game 13 – Psychonauts (PS4) – 14 Hours

+

Found I could download this game off of PSN for basically nothing so I thought I would give it a go. This game felt very nostalgic for me because I grew up on this era of games. The gameplay reminds me of other 3rd person collectathons like SpongeBob BFBB, Jak and Daxter, and Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, with humor that reminded me of the Ratchet & Clank series.

While I didn’t particularly enjoy Broken Age that much, this offering from Tim Schafer was far more entertaining. The game has some incredibly original and smart ideas regarding the exploration of mind, and creates some incredibly well-conceptualized environments that tackle many interesting and dark themes, like the psychology of war, self-esteem and fear, paranoid schizophrenia, and many others. The smart design carries over into the collectables like the figments, mental cobwebs, and emotional baggage you have to sort through. It’s brilliant.

I found this game to be laugh out loud funny with some really funny dialogue and memorable characters. While the story wasn’t anything special, the main treat comes from the story and characters you interact within the individual minds.

I thought the controls (for the most part) were relatively solid. You also get some really cool powers that match nicely with the theme of psychic powers. Lastly, I really liked the overworld, it was very fun to explore, and you have many different collectables to gather that incentives you to explore more.

-   

Overall I’m not the biggest fan of the art design. The disproportionate faces and the beady eyes really don’t do it for me. It reminds me a little of Tim Burton style animations, which I’m not averse to, but in this game, it just didn’t sit right.

While the music is definitely a product of this era, most of it was pretty unremarkable. There were some good tracks, but nothing that particularly stood out to me.

I’m really glad I decided to hold of on buying a physical version from LRG, because I had heard that the PS2 port of this game was of particularly poor quality. And boy, is it ever. Not just buggy, this may be one of the most poorly optimized games I’ve played in a long while. Numerous framerate issues, collision issues when hanging and jumping on to things, and many lighting and shadow issues (especially on Raz’s face). In fact, the first level of the game is like mudtown with how dark it is, and there are other levels that suffer from poor lighting as well. The sound design is awful, music cutting in and restarting at random, sound glitches, voices getting louder and softer for no reason. The game also crashed to the PS4 menu twice while I was playing, and I got stuck in the walls or floor three times, once while I was just walking down a ramp. Thank goodness for autosave.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on May 11, 2020, 01:32:37 am
29. Truxton (Genesis)

While there are other SHMUPs on the Genesis I haven't played, or at least have never played enough to provide a review for, I felt like towards the top of that still need to play list was Truxton, a game that many go on about as being one of the best SHMUPs of the 16-bit era. Sadly in recent years I've become a little bit pessimistic towards pre-mid 90s SHMUPs as I've found most of them to contain many of the annoyances of later release SHMUPs with few of the benefits. Mainly, they seem to often suffer from imbalanced gameplay, annoying gameplay mechanics, huge or inconsistent hit boxes, and various other issues that seem to plague the vast majority of shooters releases before 1994. Sadly, Truxton is absolutely no exception to this.


Playing through Truxton is a bit like falling into a hole, climbing out of it, falling back in several times, finally climbing out again, walking a few more steps, then falling into a new hole. Rinse and Repeat. Truxton uses one of the most annoying gameplay mechanics i've ever encountered in shooters which are checkpoints. If you die before reaching a specific part of a level, you must go back, replay that undefined section over and over again until you finally reach the next section. This forces you to play some of the more difficult sections of Truxton a dozen times or more, which really wares you down from wanting to play more. The only forgiveness I can give Truxton for incorporating this system is that many other shooters of the type like R-Type were doing the same thing so I guess you could say it's a bit of a product of its time. Unfortunately I'm not finished with the gameplay woes of this game.


Truxton is a pretty imbalanced game. You will often get blindsided by enemies from behind, requiring that you pretty much stick in the middle of the screen, which unfortunately limits the amount of response time you have to enemies in front of you that quickly appear and fire as soon as their sprite enters. You then have a ridiculous amount of projectiles thrown at you, especially during the last couple stages, meaning you're constantly between a rock and hard place throughout almost the whole game. And then there is the power up system, which while not as bad as other shooters I've played from around this time, maroons you if you die since you lose all your previous power ups, and there are few to prepare you for the road ahead. In other words you are always playing at a handicap whenever you die, making the game that much harder even though you dying was an indication that it got a little too hard for you already. The power ups themselves are pretty cool. Beyond making your shots stronger, you have three types of shots; a weaker scatter shot, a slightly stronger, but more focused homing laser shot. And then finally a very focused lock on shot that is also the most powerful. You also have your standard, screen clearing bomb as well for when you are in a tight spot or what to try and make short work of the game's bosses.


And then there is Truxton's final annoying gameplay mechanic, the loop. Many shooters of the late 80s and early 90s used a loop system to artificially increase the length of the game. Essentially you beat the game and then are encouraged to beat it again, albeit with more power ups and a higher difficulty. Some shooters reward you for beating all the games loops, but honestly after loop one I feel like I'd seen all I could and quit after that. While not the most annoying thing about Truxton's gameplay, it certainly didn't help with my enjoyment of it either.


Graphically Truxton looks fine for a shooter of this time. The backgrounds are a bit dull, but the cool art style and diverse group of ships and bosses certainly helps with the visuals. Also, there is very limited damage effects to the sprites of stronger enemies, giving you some indication that you are getting closer to defeating them. Also, when terrestrial enemies die, there is a smoldering spot on the ground where they met their demise. Obviously this is nothing groundbreaking or even noteworthy by modern standards, or even the standards of 20-years ago, but for a game from 1989 it's not bad.


Sound is also decent in Truxton. Sound effects pretty much consist of shots being fired from you and the enemies, as well as explosions from when one of you gets destroyed. The soundtrack is fairly catchy, but nothing to write home about. For what it is though, it's fine and certainly fits the game and action going on.


I was hoping Truxton would be another Thunder Force IV where I'd actually be able to hold a pre mid-90s SHMUP in the same regard with some of the more modern greats like Ikaruga or Dodonpachi, but unfortunately the technology or game design just wasn't evolved enough yet by the late 80s to even come close to competing. The amount of improvements to the shooter genre from the late 80s to the late 90s is almost unreal. Toaplan who developed Truxton would later reform to create Cave, who is responsible for some of the very best shooters ever made. Seeing this game certainly shows the early stages of their ability to create shooter, while what they accomplished in the late 90s and early 2000s highlights their mastery of it. I can't completely tear apart Truxton given it's similarity to other shooters of the time, but what I can fault it for is making me wish I'd just believed this game was awesome from word of mouth rather than experiencing this game for myself and finding it to be annoying, frustrating, and a total waste of time for the most part. (5/10/20)

Presentation: 7/10
Sound: 6/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Fun: 7/20
Overall: 25/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 13, 2020, 08:33:45 pm
Game 14 - Mega Man Zero 2 (PS4) - 6 Hours

+ Definitely enjoyed this game more than the first Zero game, but there were still a couple things I didn't enjoy that much.

For the most part, this game has all the elements that made the first Mega Man Zero fun. Great gameplay, music and challenging bosses and levels. They fixed two problems I had with the first game; a continue option that replenishes lives, and scaling back the crystals needed to power up your Cyber Elves. Generally the game has some more polish in the menus, cutscenes, and gameplay. They also added a wider variety of Cyber Elves which are still fun to collect and use. Lastly, while I didn't enjoy the story as much in the first game, it was still entertaining.

-

I really don't like the ranking system in these games. I F ranked literally every stage in this game because again, it's really hard to play through these levels without dying, or taking damage, or taking a lot of time trying to figure out bosses, enemies and stage hazards. If you want to get a good ranking you have to play the same stage over and over again, which I didn't want to do. There are also secrets and collectables which goes against the notion of speeding through the level. Second, the game is so brutally hard that you pretty much need to exploit as much as possible. Once I got the Cyber Elf that doubles your items, I could grind lives, crystals and health easily, and used the crystals on a ton Cyber Elves that improved my max health and let me cross spikes safely, etc. So the game turned from a really difficult experience to a relatively easy one at the end. The final boss was far easier than the first game, for example.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on May 13, 2020, 11:18:28 pm
15 - Fallout 76 (PC 2018) - BEAT - Definitely not a game I would've initially expected to say I beat (Main story quest line that leads to you using a nuke, not counting the new Wastelanders stuff), but I did.  I picked this up last year initially, having gotten it for super cheap to the point of thinking I could get SOMETHING out of the game for that price, but after putting time in, the servers and issues were still so bad, so I dropped it.  I knew going in I would likely drop it, but because I got it for like 10 bucks, I figured I would try, and I failed.  Cue nearly a year later and I will say that they have improved the game to the point of it being playable.  Not that this means its good.

While the servers are more stable, the performance improved, this game is still a big mess of bugs and all sorts of other issues.  I played this game entirely solo outside of a few moments strewn about, or buying plans from player vendors, because I really wanted to explore this world as I am a big Fallout fan.  It kills me that they did all of this for a terribly made multi-player game, rather than just do the easy thing and make this something like New Vegas, because there's great story ideas here.  The story has such potential, but it's wasted here.  And to note, Wastelanders doesn't fix the story, it's new, extra, story on top of the old one, so if you are going through the games original missions, they are still the same shitty ones, there's just better, more interesting, ones with characters off to the side.  I didn't play a ton of them, they are better, but it's the bare minimum that should've been there at launch.  It's like they've reached the "beta" state for this early access release.

So no, I can't recommend the game.  It's objectively a bad game that is more playable now and die hard fans of Fallout will find things to like, but the game is still so buggy and annoying, that it will try your patience a lot.  If you can get it for 10 bucks or less, and you are an absolute fanboy of Fallout, then maybe I'd say it would be okay, but not for anything more and even then, there's stuff you probably won't like.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on May 14, 2020, 07:59:19 am
Quote from: bikingjahuty on May 05, 2020, 11:10:53 pm
28. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4) [...]
I really thought I'd like this series of games, and maybe I will like the others when I eventually play them, but as far as the first Uncharted game goes, I absolutely will never play it again, even for the otherwise great story. (5/5/20)

The first game is easily, and I mean easily, the worst game in the series, so don't let it put you off too much.  I was someone who was very skeptical of them coming back for UC4, and walked away thinking it was far and away the best in the series.  It's one of those franchises that built great things from rocky beginnings.

Persona 4 Golden
The first real JRPG I've played in a long time.  Great design, atmosphere, and (mostly) characters.  However, I put just over 70 hours into this, and can't help put find myself thinking about the how long it took to get going (it was close to 3-4 hours before I played for more than 5-10 minutes at a time) and just how overlong it stayed its welcome.  I was ready for the game to end 15 hours before it did.  I never found it overly difficult except for a couple of early encounters and when I ran up against a boss or miniboss that was just anti-my party composition.  I'm still looking forward to playing P5, but I'll definitely need a break first.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 16, 2020, 03:21:34 pm
Game 15 - Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS4) - 7 Hours

The best way I can describe this game is bland and cliche. It wasn't an awful experience, but was incredibly unengaging as a game. For one, this game doesn't have a single original bone in its body. Everything regarding the story, characters, environments, and gameplay feels ripped straight out of Tomb Raider and the Indiana Jones movies. The gameplay felt incredibly repetitive and boring, mostly consisting of exhausting gunfight after gunfight with enemies that can shoot you with pinpoint accuracy while you're behind cover at 100 yards away. The climbing and platforming felt linear and brainless and sometimes you don't jump to where you want to, which is frustrating. Nathan Drake is such a stock, typical handsome white dude and it was boring to play as him. The villains are so forgettable and underdeveloped, partially because half of them die before the game even ends, which doesn't help with the final boss fight being one of the worst I've played in a while.

I do have a couple positive thoughts. Visually the game is very nice, although like I said earlier, the environments are about as cliche as you can get. The vehicle sections did add some nice variety and were relatively fun. My favorite level was the bunker which changed up the enemies you fight and added a little horror to the experience, which I wasn't expecting. Lastly, the music is pretty well done, with some nice production behind it. The voice acting was also top-notch, and I enjoyed the side characters a little more than Nate. That's about all I can say though. Will definitely continue with the series, but it was pretty disappointing.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on May 16, 2020, 03:53:14 pm
I'll just paste what I just said to biking :D :

Quote
The first game is easily, and I mean easily, the worst game in the series, so don't let it put you off too much.  I was someone who was very skeptical of them coming back for UC4, and walked away thinking it was far and away the best in the series.  It's one of those franchises that built great things from rocky beginnings.


I've been alternating between Super Mario Maker 2 and Cities: Skylines, two uncompletable games, so that's not helping my numbers this year.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 16, 2020, 04:16:20 pm
Oh wow, didn't even see that post xD That's good to hear though. Definitely planning on giving the other two games a shot.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on May 16, 2020, 11:29:16 pm
30. Thunder Dragon 2 (Arcade)

This was a SHMUP that came highly recommended within the online SHMUP community for a long time, and remained one of those few supposed "must play" shooters. Being in somewhat of a SHMUP mood I decided to see what all the fuss was about on this classic shooter from 1993, and after playing through it several times I've created my own opinion on it, which doesn't necessarily match that of many others who sing this game's praises.


I want to start off by saying, no, I didn't hate this game, and for what it was when it was released back in the early 90s it's a pretty impressive game. It's very well made, balanced, and the controls are precise and smooth. Your hit box is appropriately sized and the game is very fair and balanced when it comes to supplying power ups throughout your time with this game. There are a few sections of the game that are relatively cheap, but definitely not the worst I've seen in this genre. The gameplay is pretty solid overall and is hard to fault for the most part.


Visually Thunder Dragon 2 looks great for the time it was released. The graphics are crisp and polished, especially those of the ships in this game. The game has a very steam punk inspired look, and in terms of the overall design it does a very good job portraying this. The backgrounds are also very well done and look very cool, albeit very generic. In fact, the main issue I have with Thunder Dragon 2's presentation is mostly the way the game looks; it's that all too familiar WW2 look, similar to 1943 and many other shooters. I just felt like I had played this game before many times before, but I'll get to that more in a minute.


The audio in Thunder Dragon 2 is a mixed bag. On one hand the soundtrack is excellent, like really good. While limited in terms of how many tracks there were, all the songs were very catchy and fun to listen to while i blasted through the game's 7 or 8 stages. Unfortunately there's another set of noises that stick with you throughout the game and that's your very vocal pilot in the ship you control. He will say something when you die, when you continue, before you continue, after blowing up a series of ships, after defeating a boss, and probably every other instance in between. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't saying the same 10 or so so things all the time, all in the same Japanese person trying to sound American or British in semi-broken english. This gets real old, real fast, and was enough by the end of my 2nd playthrough to consider muting the game entirely.


As I had mentioned earlier, this game felt very, very familiar. Before I started playing Thunder Dragon 2 I had forgot to check if I actually had played it before given the plethora of other SHMUPs I've played that look and play very similar to this game. I was constantly second guessing myself while playing through Thunder Dragon 2, before finally getting to check and finding out I hadn't played it before. But that was the problem; the game felt so generic and similar to the other WW2, Steampunk style shooters I'd played I didn't know if I'd played it already or not. This was reflected in my overall enjoyment of the game as well; Thunder Dragon 2 is a well balanced, well crafted, and good looking shooter, but I felt mostly bored with the game while playing it. In other words the game is definitely above average, and I can even see why some people might really, really like it, but it wasn't for me. I guess for what it's worth, I can now scratch another "must play" shooter off my list. (5/16/20)

Presentation: 8/10
Sound: 7/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Fun: 10/20
Overall: 33/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 19, 2020, 10:15:42 pm
Game 16 - Mega Man Zero 3 (PS4) - 9 Hours

+

I'd have to say that this was my favorite Zero game yet. There were a couple tweaks to the game play that I appreciated. You can adjust your cyber-elves in the field now, which is super convenient. The game has an great selection of body, head and boot chips, and an expanded variety of cyber elves that you can use, which increase your possibilities for customization. You can also equip certain elves rather than consuming them so you don't have to decrease your score as a tradeoff. The secret discs were fun to collect, especially because they can give you helpful bonuses and e-crystals. Other than that, the game is just as good and sounds great just like the other games.

On the topic of ranking, this time around I actually tried to get a high ranking on every mission, in contrast to how I played the previous two games. I A-ranked all of them except the final mission, and while it was nice to get those additional EX skills, I really only used two of them. My play time was longer compared to Zero and Zero 2 because I had to replay stages that I had already beat just to increase my ranking. I didn't even bother trying to S-rank all the stages, and I found out later that they just unlock a bunch of mini games, so I'm glad I didn't waste my time with that.

-

I really didn't enjoy the story this time around. There were some elements that I liked, like fighting the original Zero at the end, but overall it felt kind of silly with the Dr. Weil's quest to destroy the world and yadda yadda yadda. To be honest, I didn't really pay attention to the story that much.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on May 23, 2020, 09:43:28 pm
17 - Maneater (PC 2020) - BEAT - Underwater games for me are always somewhat unsettling, and sharks creep me out, but it's like how easily scared people watch horror movies, it's the same with games like Maneater.  The deep water is unsettling, sharks are creepy, but I have fun with these games and movies.  Maneater itself is a fun time, just an arcadey, somewhat ridiculous, shark adventure where you roam around, grow/mutate, and eat lots of things.  The game is rather simple, the gameplay loop doesn't really differ just chomping a lot of stuff and the missions are pretty uncreative, but the whole package works well enough together.  You got the kinda "serious" story done in a Discovery Channel reality tv show setup, with Chris Parnell narrating everything with lots of wacky dialogue related to the city and all the easter eggs you find.  It's also open world, but it doesn't overstay its welcome, this isn't a massive open world epic that you'll dump 50+ hours into, I 100% the game short of fully upgrading some parts I had in about 11 to 12 hours.

It's one of those games where if the concept of "You play as a shark, devouring animal and people alike, while growing bigger, and mutating to gain a few new abilities" sounds fun, you'll like it.  I'm hoping they add new content eventually like challenges, new missions and enemies, and new mutations, because I'd love to go back eventually.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on May 26, 2020, 02:28:47 pm
Forgot to update this again.

15. Journey (PS4) - 4/11
16. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) - 5/3
      - I know this one doesn't really end, but I got credits so I'm calling it beat for this at least lol
17. Dragon's Lair (Switch) - 5/15
18. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) - 5/23
      - Like a lot of you, I’ve been waiting for this game for 23 years. I distinctly remember finishing the original back in eighth grade and being totally blown away; I had never experienced anything like it and I immediately started the game over again, I couldn’t get enough of it. As each new console came out, I always though about how cool it would be if they just remade it on the new platform with upgraded visuals; 23 years and 3 console generations later it finally happened. After FFXV, I was really nervous going into this, I specifically avoided any reviews or articles on the game and didn’t even play the demo, I didn’t want anyone else’s opinions swaying mine. After 23 years, I got to experience Final Fantasy VII for the first time again, and let me just say… it was perfect! This game was everything I could ever imagine a remake being and so much more. Square did such an awesome job expanding on an already amazing story and really made you connect with characters that had only a minor role in the original. I can’t wait to see what they do with the next part!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 27, 2020, 04:57:37 pm
Game 17 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS4) - 11 hours

+ Overall I would definitely say that this game was an improvement over the first installment. The gameplay and controls are a little more refined, and the environments are more varied and setpieces are a lot better. While the story felt very similar to the first game, the villains were a lot better, which definitely improved my enjoyment. I thought the characters outside of the villains were also better developed and human-like, and there are some great dialogue and funny moments sprinkled throughout the game. Everything that was great about the first game was present here; gorgeous visuals, amazing music, and top-notch voice work. Altogether I finished this game feeling much more entertained than the first iteration.

- Frankly, I'm still not sure why these games are so highly regarded. For all the 10/10s and "Game of the Year"s that Uncharted 2 earned, this series so far has felt very much like "style over substance". All of the combat and climbing is set up to feel treacherous and kinetic, but it's usually very straightforward and brainless to get through. The same issues crop up with the puzzles, which can be solved simply by reading your notebook, and usually don't require much thought or critical thinking. Perhaps the issue is me playing this game so long after it's release, but all the same, I'm now wondering why I enjoyed similar games like The Last of Us but haven't been digging this series so far. Lastly, progressing through the game requires a lot of trial and error, especially with the climbing, as there are lots of ledges in the game that can't be climbed on, which leads you to falling to your death a lot of the time. It can be very frustrating.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on May 29, 2020, 02:19:32 am
18 - Helltaker (PC 2020) - BEAT - I love coming across a game that appears out of nowhere, and I have no expectations for what it is whatsoever, and then it turns out to be super neat.  I questioned whether to count this, but I played it twice, put an hour and a half into it for both the regular and secret ending, and because I think it's awesome.  I stumbled across the game purely because of fan art I saw of cute demon girls in similar attire on twitter.  Looked it up, found a totally free, short, indie game that was up on Steam and ends up being a fun little puzzle game about a guy going to hell because he wants to create a demon harem.  It ended up having fun humor, good art for the characters and the puzzle solving is just hard enough to be a challenge. 

I super recommend it, because I mean, it's free, it's a competent, if short, puzzle solver game, and it's just charming.  I would've paid a couple bucks for this, but I ended up paying for the art book, which is really just the game assets and a few concept pictures the creator made, along with a pancake recipe I might actually try lol
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on May 30, 2020, 12:14:30 am

Had a long overdue arcade jam session this evening and played one game that I never played until very recently as part of my last youtube Top 5 video on arcade exclusive SHMUPs and also got to play an absolute classic that it's been far, far too long since I last played in its original, best form.

31. Zero Gunner (Arcade): This is actually one of the best looking Sega Model 2 games I've ever played, which makes sense since it was released pretty late in that board's life, even after the model 3 came out. Audio is nothing special unfortunately, and sadly neither is gameplay. The game is mostly fun, however I found the game's lock on system with enemy ships and bosses to be more of a hinderance than a fun gameplay mechanic and it got me killed countless times. Still, the controls were pretty tight, the enemies and bosses were cool big aircraft and battle stations, and it was an enjoyable romp in a game I'd never played before. (5/29/20) [31/50]

32. Virtua Fighter 2 (Arcade): I probably won't be satisfied until I've played and beat every single version of Virtua Fighter 2 in existence, but you know what, this one is the best. The PS2 Sega Ages port is very very close in terms of quality, however i feel like something was either tweaked or maybe even lost when transferring over the gameplay from the arcade to the PS2. The arcade version just felt more balanced and fair compared to any other version of the game I've played. Maybe I'm just getting better at this game from having played it so many times over the years, but after spending some quality time with the arcade version this evening I can say I enjoy the arcade version just a smidge more than any other, which is the way it probably should be since it's the original version. (5/29/20) [39/50]

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on May 30, 2020, 10:00:12 pm
Game 18 - Mega Man Zero 4 (PS4) - 15 Hours

Definitely on pace to beat my personal record for games beat this year! Let's check another one off the list and talk about the final entry in the Zero series.

+ My personal ranking for these games from worst to best would be 1, 4, 2 then 3. Gameplay and control wise, Zero 4 just as good as the other Zero games, so I won't spend a lot of time there. I will say that the music was probably the best in the Zero/ZX series, and the game has a really cool final boss and ending theme that ends on a very touching and personal note. You can see that my play time was quite long on this one, as the game bordered on frustratingly hard. Like Zero 3, I tried to get at least an A high ranking on every stage but kind of abandoned it towards the latter half of the game (because the game was more challenging overall).

- This game made quite a few changes to the formula established by the previous three games, and all were unwelcome. The way the game handles cyber elves required a ton more grinding than before, which was lame. Body, feet and head chips now need to be created from parts that are dropped randomly from enemies. And you don't know what the required recipe is for the chips, which is frustrating, as it's impossible to create them through random chance. Lastly, the claw weapon, while cool in concept, was left almost entirely ignored by the end of the game. Part of the problem is the range of the claw sucks, and you also don't get enough oomph from the weapons you steal from enemies, and some of them have limited ammo to boot. Lastly, the level design was by far the most ugly, boring, and uninspired out of all the Zero games.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on May 31, 2020, 06:17:02 pm
I'm seriously suffering from try-new-game fatigue, the challenge is great for tackling backlogs (mine is ridiculous), but having shed a good 300 games in the past few years one way or another I'm really struggling to keep putting an hour or two (or way, way more) into games which I end up dropping and trading in. The Switch has been the worst for this because I've picked up a load of cheap JRPG-type things for it, which is the sort of thing I used to love, but these days I'm not enjoying it.

I'll be focusing less on trying/beating new games and more on replaying favourites like the Resi series.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on June 09, 2020, 10:21:42 pm
20 - Command & Conquer Remastered (PC 2020) - BEAT - I'm counting this as beat, even though I didn't do the NOD campaign or expansion stuff, but I felt like I did enough with a GDI campaign run, .  The game is a nice nostalgia trip with some good updates to the visuals and music, I love the music, but it's also a 20+ year old game and they kept all the old jank intact.  Personally I would've rather they updated the game, maybe make it an optional thing, but the game really needs improvements.  The AI is kinda awful, their pathing is bad, there are some poor level designs and there's maybe a few things they could've worked into the game that I know show up in Red Alert and there's some real goofy cheese mechanics.

The game is a cool, updated, time capsule, but it can be rough and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they have a history with the series and want to support it in the hope they do Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 next.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on June 09, 2020, 11:14:13 pm
Speaking of C&C cheese, my favorite tactic was to build a sandbag wall all the way to the enemy base, and then wall them in.  The AI didn't recognize it as enemy assets, just paying obstructions, so they'd just sit in their base while I strip mined the entire map.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on June 10, 2020, 01:10:12 am
Quote from: Cartagia on June 09, 2020, 11:14:13 pm
Speaking of C&C cheese, my favorite tactic was to build a sandbag wall all the way to the enemy base, and then wall them in.  The AI didn't recognize it as enemy assets, just paying obstructions, so they'd just sit in their base while I strip mined the entire map.

I never thought to go that for with it, but I had to use that cheese to  block off certain paths which would either funnel them or block them off completely from my base, which was necessary in certain maps due to how annoying the AI could get.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on June 13, 2020, 12:16:46 pm
Game 19 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS4) - 9 Hours

Compared to Uncharted 2, this game felt more like a lateral change compared to the experience I had moving from the 1st to 2nd game. There were some aspects that were improved, but others were not as good. So like Uncharted 2, while it was an enjoyable experience, I still have a hard time seeing all the 9 and 10/10s this game got at the time.

+ Many aspects of this game are just as good as previous entries in the series. The game looks gorgeous as always, the characters (other than Drake) and writing are fun and memorable. The set pieces were fun, though they feel very samey to the second game. One thing I thought was improved greatly was the puzzles. Some of the gameplay elements were improved like throwing grenades, and improved hand-to-hand combat. The game felt a little like the Arkham games when it would throw you into a throng of unarmed guys to beat up. I played the game on hard mode this time, and felt the additional challenge made the game more fun.

- My biggest issue with this game was the story, which feels copy-pasted from the second game but was not as interesting (with the ancient city, etc), and there were some padding issues once you get on the boat as well. There were also several elements to the story that were added in order to flesh out Drake as a character (like his name being made up) but weren't fully explored over the course of the narrative. The final boss fights were extremely anticlimactic and boring as well.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on June 13, 2020, 03:36:21 pm
I beat The Surge, which was a pretty passable Souls-like.  It was way better than the developers previous attempt, Lords of the Fallen.  Unfortunately, the last area is a bit of a slog, and the last boss is kind of cheap.  All-in-all, I enjoyed it though.  I'll definitely pick up part 2 when it gets a good enough discount.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on June 13, 2020, 11:34:57 pm
19 - Terraria (PC 2011) - BEAT - This game was a heck of an experience, both good and bad.  As a crafting/build experience, it's enjoyable, there's a lot to collect, numerous things to use to build, lots of items to find, and it offers up a number of ways for you to play the game, it's something that I wish Minecraft had (I know there's mods), because there's just so much here and it can feel overwhelming at times.  The game is essentially split into two parts, a normal mode that you play until you beat the Wall of Flesh, and then instantly the game kicks you in the balls, all the gear and weapons you worked hard to get are near useless, and the game is so much harder.  From here, there's a lot of grinding, a lot of dying, so much more than before.  Numerous times I almost quit.  This game is hard (I am not playing the harder mode lol), though I will say it's not impossible, there's just these hurdles you have to keep reaching for and every time you think you've hit a good spot, some new crazy challenge appears lol

Where the game becomes mixed, is with the combat and bosses.  Generally it's good, but there's a number of obnoxious enemies and a number of bosses that I personally found were awful to fight or the only way to really fight them is with some real dumb cheesy mechanics that to me don't make for a fun fight.

Some of the frustrating grind and difficulty aside, this is a pretty solid game that is worth getting.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on June 14, 2020, 09:37:00 pm
I've been so busy with other things that I've forgot to post on here recently.


33. Star Fox 64 (N64)

I've played, beat, and played Star Fox 64 hundreds of times since it came out nearly 25-years ago, and recently played through it again as part of a high score competition I'm participating in on Facebook. This game is truly a classic and is still the best Star Fox game on any console, period. The only part of this game I'm not totally crazy about is it's soundtrack, but it's still pretty good for the most part. Definitely a game that I don't need an excuse to play and one of my all time favorites on the N64


Gameplay: 10/10
Sound: 7/10
Presentation: 8/10
Fun: 16/20
Overall: 41/50
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on June 15, 2020, 06:27:39 am
Quote from: telly on June 13, 2020, 12:16:46 pm
Game 19 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS4) - 9 Hours
[...]There were also several elements to the story that were added in order to flesh out Drake as a character (like his name being made up) but weren't fully explored over the course of the narrative.

I was pretty sure that was from the first game?  But it's been a while since I played them.

Overall, my experience was pretty much the same as yours - I think they are good, fun experiences, but not necessarily the best games.  Playing them closer to release may have something to do with it, as there have been a lot of copycats since then - notably the Tomb Raider reboot, which I think is a much better game.  All that said I do think that 4 and The Lost Legacy are way better than the original three.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on June 15, 2020, 09:39:49 am
Quote from: Cartagia on June 15, 2020, 06:27:39 am
Quote from: telly on June 13, 2020, 12:16:46 pm
Game 19 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS4) - 9 Hours
[...]There were also several elements to the story that were added in order to flesh out Drake as a character (like his name being made up) but weren't fully explored over the course of the narrative.

I was pretty sure that was from the first game?  But it's been a while since I played them.

Overall, my experience was pretty much the same as yours - I think they are good, fun experiences, but not necessarily the best games.  Playing them closer to release may have something to do with it, as there have been a lot of copycats since then - notably the Tomb Raider reboot, which I think is a much better game.  All that said I do think that 4 and The Lost Legacy are way better than the original three.

I played all of them back-to-back and didn't remember hearing that Drake had a fake name but I could have missed it. Regardless, it would have been cool to see that explored a little more.

I definitely agree that the way modern games and copycats went over time probably diminished my opinion of these games than compared to if I played them at release.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on June 18, 2020, 04:50:11 am
21 - The Last of Us: Remastered (PS4 2014) - BEAT - I've had this game sitting on my shelf for basically 4 years now, it was one of the games I bought for my PS4, just kinda planning to jump in and eventually play it, but never did, so here I am, the day before the sequel released, having beaten the game again lol I didn't super love the game back on the PS3, I thought it was fine, good story and characters, alright gameplay, and that's about my view now too.

While this game got all the accolades, I always felt like Naughty Dog's weakness for their games was their combat and that it wasn't till like Uncharted 4 that they mostly figured it out.  The Remaster didn't really change any of that, it just runs nicer than it did before.  Not sure if I'm gonna do the DLC or not, I might, but I think this is the last time I'll ever play the game.

As for the sequel, I'm not 100% sure if I'm grabbing it tomorrow or not.  Was gonna be a birthday gift to myself, but I've heard how the game is much more hardcore than the first one, not a lot of moments of light in all that darkness, and I'm not sure if I'm super in the mood for it right now.  I'll get to it soon though since it and Ghosts of Tsushima are the last big hurrah for the PS4.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on June 18, 2020, 08:56:11 am
Game 20 - Game – Kirby’s Dream Course (SNESc) – 14 Hours

Spent a lot of time to beat this game because I kept replaying courses trying to get a better score. I ended up only getting one gold and a handful of silver and bronze medals so there’s definitely some challenge for those that want it.

+

Kirby’s Dream Course was a real treat to play. It’s certainly one of the most unique games I’ve ever played, and it takes the concept of golf and combines that with delightful stages and interesting and unique powerups. The controls were really smooth and the music was playful and fun. Just a game that makes you feel good while playing. Not much else to say other than I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

-

I do have some minor complaints. First, the goal is way too damn small. When you think about golf, the hole is easily several times larger than the actual ball. In this game, the goal is just barely large enough for Kirby, and this combined with Kirby’s bouncy and light physics leads to many frustrating moments when trying to make a short-range shot. Second, the range indicator for your shots will not go over ledges, nor change when going through water or bouncing on sand, movement tiles, etc, which gives you a pretty poor indication of where your shots are going to end up. Third, some stages contain powerups that are required to beat the stage. And if you lose a life, you loose access to those power ups if you already grabbed them, meaning you must restart the whole course over. Lastly, the final boss was really lame. Relatedly, I heard this game had a story that was completely cut from the North American release, which is dissapointing.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on June 21, 2020, 02:05:46 am
23 - Green Hell (PC 2018) - BEAT - Been a fan of survival games for awhile, though particularly good survival games are quite rare I feel.  Off the top of my head, the best ones would be The Forest, Subnautica, and now Green Hell.  They all got a good story component and good survival mechanics.  Green Hell stands out for probably being the most realistic of the three, but it's closest comparison would be The Forest for sure.

Story is surprisingly good, like there's an ongoing narrative, with an ending, and I won't say anything on it, but it gets way more interesting and engaging as you go on.  The actors in it do a pretty good job, though it is a little annoying how mad he gets every time he has to start a fire or breaks a tool lol.  It can feel very unforgiving at times, the tutorial only does so much and there were mechanics I didn't know about until I had basically restarted a few times and overall spent like an hour just failing before realizing what I was doing wrong or what I needed to do and it's easy to overlook some things.

A big recommend for the game, it was better than I was expecting as I was just looking for any sort of new survival game to play and this ended up being a great buy.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on June 21, 2020, 11:50:36 am
Game 21 - Salt and Sanctuary (PS4) - 26 Hours

I've been really flying through games lately. Already have beat more games than all of 2019.

+ This game is famous for being a 2D adaptation of Dark Souls, and it certainly feels like that. That isn't a bad thing though. The gameplay was really excellent, with all the features that makes Dark Souls so fun and addicting to play, including the stamina, light and heavy attacks, equipment and class variety, leaving notes for other players, covenants, items, etc.

This game also adds some nice revisions to the Dark Souls formula. I really liked the way weapons and equipment were managed, with scaling classes of weapons and armor, and equipment load. I liked this game's version of bonfires because you can add shops, blacksmiths, and other services to your sanctuaries. This game also takes a page out of other 2D Metroidvanias, giving you extended movement abilities like a wall jump and dash. For that reason the game reminded me of Hollow Knight as well as Dark Souls. The bosses were all really fun to beat and the game has a lot of secrets and lore to uncover, which give you satisfying rewards.

- There were a few things I didn't like. This game desperately needs a map. Thankfully I didn't need to look up where anything is, but it's really easy to lose your way without it. I had heard at length on how beautiful this game was, but I strongly disagree. I thought this was one of the ugliest modern 2D games out there. Part of it is the art design; the characters and enemies look like something out of a 2007 flash game. I know this is the style of this development studio, but I still didn't like it. The ugly art style also extends to the environments. Visuals are muddy and blurred, and I found the overall level design very boring and bland. Hope you like the color grey, because that's all you'll be seeing. Grey, grey-green, grey-white, grey-blue, grey-orange, brown, and black. That's it. Lastly, I really didn't like the music. There is very little music in the game, and 90% of it you will hear within the first couple hours of playing, which means they get really repetitive once you're 15-20 hours in. The last few tracks were really good though.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on June 23, 2020, 01:42:53 am
Two replays for me that may or may not be getting videos made of them soon ;)


34. Sin and Punishment (N64): Maybe the best rail shooter ever made, certainly on the N64. I absolutely love this game and seem to return to it annually like some tradition. I love its off the wall story, characters, and art design, as well as its phenomenal gameplay. However, I may love its soundtrack the most which is by far of of the best in all of gaming; I mean that 100% sincerely, it's freakin amazing. I don't know that a year will go by that I don't pop this in at least once and enjoy its odd awesomeness. [43/50] (6/15/20)


35. The Last of Us: Remastered (PS4): I've actually wanted to replay this game for a while now and there was no better time than recently with the release of the sequel. I remember liking this game back when I played it for the first time in 2016, but for one reason or another I ended up loving it way more than I remembered. It's story and characters are incredible, and the voice acting by every single character is amazing. The soundtrack isn't necessarily something I'd throw on my Ipod, but it suites the game very well and really sets the mood no matter what is happening. The weakest part of the game actually ended up being the gameplay which isn't terrible, but it's not the best either. But you'll muster through it just to see how the story unfolds and how the characters all develop. The game is on the cusp of being a top 10 game for me, and I am absolutely stoked to start playin The Last of Us Part II now! Oh, I also played the Left Behind DLC, which tells two compelling stories that really complement the main game very well. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but was a bit anti-climactic after playing and beating the main game, but whatever. [43/50] (6/22/20)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on June 25, 2020, 04:29:44 am
36. The Last of Us Part II (PS4)

Before playing The Last of Us Part II I knew it was a game surrounded by controversy and outrage. I had theories as to why this was and none of those theories could sway my excitement to play the game. So after beating the first The Last of Us I didn't waste anytime with starting the next game and despite one story decision towards the beginning of the game that a lot of people are super pissed about, it didn't sway me from continuing to play the game, and in fact sets up the rest of the game to drive the plot and the main character's actions. However, there was a massive shift halfway through the game that I kept hearing about in the spoiler free reviews and wondered throughout, "what could this be?" I was left guessing until I was literally right on the cusp of finding out when the need to go to bed because I have work in the morning arose and needed to turn the game off. I then spent the next hour in bed unable to stop wondering if I was right about the shift in the game because I knew if I was right, it would be incredibly difficult if not impossible for me to continue playing the game. I then made the difficult decision to spoil that part of the game for myself to see if I was right and it turns out that I wasn't only right, but it was actually way worse than what I could have imagined. I am purposely avoiding spoilers on this because if someone wants to play The Last of Us Part II I want them to in order for them to make up their own minds, but for me there could not have been a worse way to kill all enthusiasm and excitement I had for this game and prior to getting tipped off to what happens midway through the game. Needless to say at this point I could not even imagine spending another 12-hours playing through this game given what happens and I'm absolutely, 100% done. I am genuinely saddened about this since up until this point I was really enjoying the game for the most part. There were various things I didn't like about it, and I knew I didn't like it as much as the first game, but I still found it to be highly enjoyable for the most part. But I simply cannot go on with this game with what I know know. What a shame. (6/25/20) Abandoned


Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on June 25, 2020, 04:11:16 pm
Quote from: bikingjahuty on June 25, 2020, 04:29:44 am
36. The Last of Us Part II (PS4)

...there was a massive shift halfway through the game that I kept hearing about in the spoiler free reviews(6/25/20) Abandoned

I believe I just got to the part you are referring to last night... and I will say this was a huge WTF moment for me... I've been avoiding ALL spoilers, reviews, or even comments on this game cause I really wanted to come into it and experience the story as it was intended. I sat there for a minute and really thought about turning the game off, but I continued on. I've not very far past that part but I have decided that I'm going to see it through till the end. I want to see how everything plays out and really give it a chance. I am still enjoying the game, its just not what I expected at all and I'm ok with that.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on June 25, 2020, 09:52:01 pm
24 - The Last of Us: Part 2 (PS4 2020) - BEAT - Well, adding to the Last of Us 2 talk, I just beat the game.  Going into it, this game  was so loaded with controversy, a lot of it overblown as it tends to be on the internet, and I did my best to avoid most of what was going on, being spoiled on one thing, but it didn't affect my experience.  I also won't spoil anything here.

Overall, just to cut to it, I think it's a really good game.  Visuals, gameplay, all of that is good to great.  It's a notable improvement over the first game, it's more challenging, fights are exciting, and I like having more to explore in a mini sandbox sort of way.  The story is where the game is the most controversial, but I think most of it is good.  This is a brutal, dark, depressing story, it's a misery march for a lot of it, and I can see people not liking that or how the story does it for the entire length of the game, it's a lot.  That said, I don't think it's much worse than most of Walking Dead, and in fact a lot of is a better than what Walking Dead has been doing for awhile. 

Not that I love the story, some parts of it annoy me, the structure of how its told drags at a certain point, and the "misery march" starts to feel kinda overdone towards the end of the game, but there isn't much to the overall story that I hated, it's just a few elements of it that kinda lessen the experience.  This is absolutely a good game, but I see where the story can get rough for people and the writing isn't the best in spots as it's not nearly as tight of a story as the first game was.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on June 26, 2020, 08:27:09 am
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on June 25, 2020, 09:52:01 pm
24 - The Last of Us: Part 2 (PS4 2020) - BEAT - Well, adding to the Last of Us 2 talk, I just beat the game.  Going into it, this game  was so loaded with controversy, a lot of it overblown as it tends to be on the internet, and I did my best to avoid most of what was going on, being spoiled on one thing, but it didn't affect my experience.  I also won't spoil anything here.

Overall, just to cut to it, I think it's a really good game.  Visuals, gameplay, all of that is good to great.  It's a notable improvement over the first game, it's more challenging, fights are exciting, and I like having more to explore in a mini sandbox sort of way.  The story is where the game is the most controversial, but I think most of it is good.  This is a brutal, dark, depressing story, it's a misery march for a lot of it, and I can see people not liking that or how the story does it for the entire length of the game, it's a lot.  That said, I don't think it's much worse than most of Walking Dead, and in fact a lot of is a better than what Walking Dead has been doing for awhile. 

Not that I love the story, some parts of it annoy me, the structure of how its told drags at a certain point, and the "misery march" starts to feel kinda overdone towards the end of the game, but there isn't much to the overall story that I hated, it's just a few elements of it that kinda lessen the experience.  This is absolutely a good game, but I see where the story can get rough for people and the writing isn't the best in spots as it's not nearly as tight of a story as the first game was.
I finished the game a couple of days ago and I agree with so much of this.  The structure of the story bothered me the most, it didn't make for the best pacing.  It's not the worst pacing, but I think they could've done better.  The only other thing I would complain about is the game not doing enough to make you care about most of the characters in the game.  The first game did so much to make you care about a lot of the characters.

I expected the game to go on the top of my list, and it did... but after playing it, I did have a serious sit down and thought about whether or not I liked it more than say Resident Evil 3 or Atelier Ryza.  I think it wins out for me because days later I'm still thinking about the game, and normally once the credits hit I'm already thinking about the next game I'm gonna play.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on June 26, 2020, 01:41:16 pm
Quote from: ignition365 on June 26, 2020, 08:27:09 am
I finished the game a couple of days ago and I agree with so much of this.  The structure of the story bothered me the most, it didn't make for the best pacing.  It's not the worst pacing, but I think they could've done better.  The only other thing I would complain about is the game not doing enough to make you care about most of the characters in the game.  The first game did so much to make you care about a lot of the characters.

I expected the game to go on the top of my list, and it did... but after playing it, I did have a serious sit down and thought about whether or not I liked it more than say Resident Evil 3 or Atelier Ryza.  I think it wins out for me because days later I'm still thinking about the game, and normally once the credits hit I'm already thinking about the next game I'm gonna play.

Yeah abit of my annoyance with that pacing could've been dealt with I think had they split the story into like two playthroughs.  You play through the one and then the second opens up afterwards.  Not sure if that would work, but to me that would've helped with the story dragging abit where it does.  That was probably my biggest issue with the story as anything related to the characters were much more minor.  Also I definitely see the inevitable DLC and what story that will tell.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on June 28, 2020, 02:46:26 pm
Game 22 - Mega Man ZX: Advent (PS4) - 9 Hours

The last game on the Zero/ZX collection has been finished! This was the game I had the most experience with, so it felt good to revisit what is my favorite 2D Mega Man game (out of the ones I've played so far anyway).

+ All the improvements in the original ZX games are here, but there were some tweaks added with the sequel. The biggest one was that you can transform into every single boss that you defeat in the game, which is such a cool concept. Altogether you can transform into almost 20 different characters, which adds a lot of strategy in navigating and exploring the game. Some bosses can let you fly or hover, roll into tight spaces, access certain items, and break special obstacles. The game has lots of hidden secrets that encourage you to revisit the earlier levels with your new upgrades.

Unlike the first ZX game, you also get an actual map, and it's like 100% easier to use when figuring out where to go. There are also special challenges that you can do with each of the bosses if you would like. The sidequests are much more improved and can give you items that help you in the game. It was a treat to play the game on this collection to experience the cleaned up cutscenes and original audio recordings. Other than that the music and gameplay is just as good as any Mega Man game.

-

On the topic of voice acting, the writing and dialogue is super cheesy and silly, just like the other Mega Man games. The story is your standard destroy the world spiel, which is worn thin and cliche, but that's a pretty obvious statement by this point. I also found this game to be the easiest out of all the games on this collection, but it could be because I beat it as a kid both on easy and expert mode.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on July 06, 2020, 08:49:45 pm
Game 23 - Wattam (PS4) - 5 Hours

+ This was one of the weirdest and most surreal gaming experiences I've ever had. Playing this game felt like I was watching children play in real life. The game apes a simpler time, with no responsibilities, no stress, and no conflict. A period of time in our lives that was all about sharing, accepting differences, working together, laughter, holding hands, and having fun. It made me reminisce of my own childhood, and reflect on some of those important lessons about life that we all learned as kids but we sometimes lose sight of as adults. I dunno, that's just the reaction I had with this game, but I really enjoyed it. There are lots of fun and humorous little moments that just put a smile on your face. Even though the game has a lighthearted overtone, the overall story does have a serious and emotional message and theme to it that felt very well put together. Lastly, the music is phenomenal. Very much feels like Katamari Damacy-caliber of cute and endearing. It was also really great how all the characters have their own instrument that adds to the music, I loved that little touch.

- I do think this game has several flaws. For how short the game is, the actual gameplay never challenges you or makes you think. The puzzles are extremely simple, and 90% of the time the solution is just flat out given to you. I think the potential was definitely here to make a really interesting and challenging puzzle game, but the game never takes of the training wheels and ultimately feels really insubstantial. There are a lot of weird collision problems and other jank when trying to control the different characters too. Lastly, some of the voices can get really obnoxious especially when there are a lot of characters on screen too.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on July 08, 2020, 08:01:34 am
Quote from: justin8301 on June 25, 2020, 04:11:16 pm
Quote from: bikingjahuty on June 25, 2020, 04:29:44 am
36. The Last of Us Part II (PS4)

...there was a massive shift halfway through the game that I kept hearing about in the spoiler free reviews(6/25/20) Abandoned

I believe I just got to the part you are referring to last night... and I will say this was a huge WTF moment for me... I've been avoiding ALL spoilers, reviews, or even comments on this game cause I really wanted to come into it and experience the story as it was intended. I sat there for a minute and really thought about turning the game off, but I continued on. I've not very far past that part but I have decided that I'm going to see it through till the end. I want to see how everything plays out and really give it a chance. I am still enjoying the game, its just not what I expected at all and I'm ok with that.

I'm not quite finished with the game yet, but I feel like I know what you guys are talking about - and to be honest, as someone who was also not spoiled on the game - it has done very little to surprise me.  I'm invested in the story - and do agree about how the structure could have used some tweaking - but none of the major beats have shocked me.  In fact, I predicted the major "twist" coming right after the prologue.  Maybe its simply the fact that I was aware that something was coming that upset people and caused controversy, but I find it hard to believe that any one familiar with "prestige" storytelling (like Game of Thrones, The Wire, etc) and how their story structures play out could have been blindsided by any of this.  I have a friend who was roughly at the same place as me and we have a text thread that straight up says after we passed the prologue that "So, this thing is related to that thing, right?  And the story is going to do this with it?"
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on July 11, 2020, 11:25:28 am
Game 24 - 2064: Read Only Memories (PC) - 11 Hours

+

I was very surprised by how good this game was, compared to Broken Age, this was definitely a better point-and-click experience for me by far. The game has a nice pixel aesthetic and the character animations are well done. The game builds a compelling and appealing dystopian future world that's fun to explore and learn about. The characters, writing, and voice work is top notch, and feels very natural. I really liked the inclusion of non-binary and LGBTQ individuals as major characters in the story, that was a great touch. Lastly, the music is fan-freaking tastic. The music combined with the setting reminded me a lot of Cowboy Bebop, but it also stands on it's own in spite of that. Just ticked all the right boxes for me. The only song I didn't like was the ending credits, didn't fit the mood of the game at all, and just wasn't a good song (and this is coming from someone who's a big fan of hip-hop).

-

The only negative thing I have to say is that the game can get incredibly long-winded at times, and the dialogue as a result starts getting really tiresome to listen through. That's about all I have to criticize the game on though.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on July 11, 2020, 09:07:08 pm
Game 25 - Pikmin (GC) - 9 Hours

I remember really enjoying Pikmin 3 a few years back. So I was excited to jump into the first two games and give my GameCube some play time again. The first Pikmin game definitely feels a little less refined compared to the third game, which is to be expected. Most of what's really fun about Pikmin is here, including the addicting gameplay, with just the touch of urgency with the survival mechanic. The game has a cool art and music style that feels very alien, and it's fun to play as and control creatures on such a small scale (like ants).

However like I said, the first game had the least in the way of features. Only three pikmin types, minimal bosses and areas, not a lot of challenge, and the least amount of mechanics. I found all 30 parts on my first playthrough, so there's really no reason to play the game again unless I want to try and get a higher score (I did have to retry the final boss a few times though).
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on July 12, 2020, 04:50:33 pm
Quote from: Cartagia on July 08, 2020, 08:01:34 am
I'm not quite finished with the game yet, but I feel like I know what you guys are talking about - and to be honest, as someone who was also not spoiled on the game - it has done very little to surprise me.  I'm invested in the story - and do agree about how the structure could have used some tweaking - but none of the major beats have shocked me.  In fact, I predicted the major "twist" coming right after the prologue.  Maybe its simply the fact that I was aware that something was coming that upset people and caused controversy, but I find it hard to believe that any one familiar with "prestige" storytelling (like Game of Thrones, The Wire, etc) and how their story structures play out could have been blindsided by any of this.  I have a friend who was roughly at the same place as me and we have a text thread that straight up says after we passed the prologue that "So, this thing is related to that thing, right?  And the story is going to do this with it?"

Finished it on Friday.  Stand by everything I said.  It's probably about 5 hours or so too long, and about as subtle as a freight train, but still a worthy follow up to the original.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on July 12, 2020, 07:08:36 pm
I beat like 5 games this weekend.  Gonna jump me up quite a few numbers when i update my stuff in the morning.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on July 13, 2020, 03:52:30 pm
8. Wattam || PlayStation 4 || 07.12.20

From the creator of Katamari Damacy, Noby Noby Boy, Tenya Wanya Teens, and several more prolific and creative projects, Wattam is a title that most who enjoy the quirky, colorful, and casual side to gaming will want to seek out. Wattam exemplifies itself as a unique and unorthodox narrative that many players may have experienced on a personal level: beginning a new life in a foreign area, discovering friendship across many differences including language barriers, the idea that the very basis of joy and fun can bring people together, experiencing pain and woe from a greater force, and the power of acceptance, forgiveness, and second chances. To be honest, the latter two points are ones I was not prepared to experience throughout my playthrough. This inclusion allowed for a fun game to find a greater purpose in connecting to its audience. I was happy to finally play Wattam as I had followed the creator's blog updates across its development as he moved to the United States and formed his family which are two critical reasons why Wattam exists at all.

Quote from: telly on July 06, 2020, 08:49:45 pm
There are a lot of weird collision problems and other jank when trying to control the different characters too. Lastly, some of the voices can get really obnoxious especially when there are a lot of characters on screen too.

However, as telly mentions just a few posts above mine, the game is plagued with problems that only became more and more paramount as I advanced further to the end. In addition to the issues telly has touched on, a huge dip in frame rate occurs frequently, both as the player makes certain actions and during certain story segments. During the post-game as I was collecting trophy achievements, I had major issues regarding characters climbing, non-selected characters' AI movement, and game crashes. In truth, these issues plague the overall experience, and it made what could have been a joyous short gaming session into one filled with reoccurring annoyances. I will say, though, that, despite the game's shortcomings being problematic, reaching the game's end wasn't an issue. And, on the topic of character voice, I was reminded of Teletubbies. That's not bad resemblance, but it is a connection I can't look past.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on July 14, 2020, 09:24:19 pm
New Super Luigi U.  Fine, I guess, but if this is the most difficult of the "New" games then I am quite disappointed.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on July 17, 2020, 09:50:07 am
I know I've said before that I'm not a fan of scoring games and just leaving it at a recommend/pass type of thing, but I'm trying my hand at building my own scoring system for games because I know at the end of the year I wind up pushing recent games to the top of the list because my recollection of games played months ago wanes over time.

I did a test rating with Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, which I believe was a hard pass from me and my scoring system puts it at a 33/100, which sounds about right.

Anyway, I've managed to burn through nearly the entire console playable physically released battlefield games, halfway through the war stories on Battlefield V, which I am enjoying.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on July 18, 2020, 10:39:14 am
Game 26 - Pikmin 2 (GC) - 11 Hours

Out of the three Pikmin games, I'd have to say that this entry is probably my least favorite. I really didn't care for the dialing back on the survival and time-management aspects of the game with the tradeoff of cranking up the combat. For me, the time limit was a huge part of what made the first and third games so entertaining to play. Since there's no time limit in this game, you no longer have a fire under your butt to work efficiently and make smart decisions. You can play as inefficiently as you want, and it doesn't matter. They could have easily put in a time limit as well since you're trying to pay off a debt after all.

On the topic of efficiency, I don't know why they gave you a second character to control. You can't throw them to other places or set them on their own path like in Pikmin 3, so 90% of the time Louie just dawdles along behind you doing nothing. The two characters only make things a tiny bit more efficient, but like I said, efficiency doesn't matter because there's no time limit. So I mostly used Louie as a second life bar more than anything.

The combat overall has been improved significantly over the first game. The game has a more refined control scheme with more Pikmin to use and additional mechanics. It was fun exploring the different caves and seeing what treasures you can find. I especially like the brand names used on some of the treasures (the first thing you scavenge is a Duracell D battery). The strategy is now fully contained within the combat rather than time-management, and while it was fun, I don't really enjoy the combat that much in this game. Throwing your Pikmin is so goddamn imprecise, and moving characters with the c-stick is clunky as well. And because you have very little options to regenerate pikmin in the tunnels, screwing up basically means you have to quit or start over, which can be frustrating. There were quite a few treasures I missed after beating the game, with at least 5 more dungeons and one more world to explore, so I might pop this game in again sometime in the future.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on July 22, 2020, 06:05:34 pm
37. Tail Concerto (PS1)

I decided to play this one before selling it given how much it's currently going for. I picked this game up at a game store years ago after I caught them slipping super hard on it, and was very happy to add such a rare game to my collection. However after playing it I can say all the buzz around this game has to do with its rarity because otherwise it kinda sucked. I will praise the graphics, anime cutscenes, and the music which were actually pretty good, but what really ruined the game was the thing that matters the most, the gameplay. The gameplay in Tail Concerto is bad, like really bad. Everything from shooting to just moving around is difficult and cumbersome, and don't even get me started on the platforming sections. This game has some of the worst controls I've ever experienced and it really ruins what would have otherwise been a decent little PS1 adventure game. Absolutely not worth the asking price, not even close! (7/22/20) [28/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on July 27, 2020, 01:15:49 am
26 - Ghost of Tsushima (PS4 2020) - BEAT - I gotta say that this might be one of the most well rounded open world action games I've played in the past couple years.  It doesn't really do anything new for this genre that hasn't been done before, but the combat is well done, the open world isn't too overwhelming, the story is fantastic, all the characters in the story are important to it, and stylistically it really stands out.  My only real complaints are quite minor, such as some QoL things I'd appreciate, the game can feel a little stiff animation wise at times outside of cutscenes, and I would've really liked for the Japanese language option to be lip synced, which is sorta weird to say as someone who regularly watches the English dub of stuff, but because this is such a Japanese game, it's weird watching a Japanese dub and the lips don't match during cutscenes lol Likely just a time constraint issue, but I believe Final Fantasy 7 Remake did this and it would be nice for them to patch it in. 

Definitely recommend this game if it seems at all interesting to folks, it's a real enjoyable time and it's got me to want to go and watch some classic samurai feeling stuff like I don't know if I've ever watched Seven Samurai.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on July 27, 2020, 09:21:48 am
I finished Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga over the weekend.  I've now played an entry in each of the Mario RPG franchises, and while M&L and Paper Mario are fine, its shocking just how much Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars holds up.  They just don't hold a candle to it.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on July 29, 2020, 10:40:17 am
I beat the first Injustice game yesterday.  The story is very interesting, but not told as well as it could be.  But what surprised me was just how clunky the game feels.  Not unplayable, but very slow to respond to everything.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on August 01, 2020, 04:12:14 am
7 - Nioh 2 (PS4 2020) - DROPPED - Though I've had the game since March, I just kept finding myself not binging the game like I do others, and when new games came out, they always drew me in more, so Nioh 2 would get shelved, until I'd beat the other game and then I'd pop Nioh 2 in and play for abit more, just to drop it again.  Been like this for awhile and I think the interest just isn't there for me.  Not that I ever loved the first game, I thought it was just okay, and I only grabbed the sequel more as something to tide me over till I could play like Doom Eternal and Final Fantasy 7 Remake.  I thought I'd keep going, but I just looked and I think I'm a little over halfway through the main missions and I still have like 6 more to go, but that's a lot of work to go and I'm just not sure if I can push myself.  I've pushed myself in other games, I did a big one with Red Dead 2 that I mostly regret, so I think I'm just gonna set Nioh 2 aside, fool around with a few smaller games after getting absorbed into heavy hitters like Last of Us 2 and Ghost of Tsushima.

Not that I want this to seem like its a bad game at all, but it's mostly just the same exact game as the first one, just with a new story and some new additions, so if you loved the first one, you'll love this one.  I'd also recommend it if you haven't played the first one, because this is just the first game with more, and the story doesn't seem to involve the first game all that much that I saw.  I think I just like the FromSoftware design more as while Nioh 2 hits on a lot of the same things, the loot system, mission structure, and stance stuff doesn't feel as good to me in terms of keeping me engaged.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on August 01, 2020, 09:31:47 am
Game 27 - Marvel's Spider Man (PS4) - 33 hours, platinumed

+

Even though I know very little about the Spider-Man universe, on the whole I thought this game was excellent. I found myself comparing this game to the Arkham games as I was playing given the open world city feel and combat system. This game certainly is a lot more beautiful than the Arkham games, and I preferred traversing the beautiful cityscapes in this game a lot more. Even though the combat is very similar, I felt like I used the gadgets and web gun much more frequently than the gadgets in the Arkham games. The one thing I think the Arkham games do better though is the stealth sections. The story was pretty good, with some really emotional moments especially at the end of Act I and III. There's a ton of side content to keep you playing in the form of picture taking, backpack collecting, secret basses and challenge missions. There's even secret side content like hidden photos and newspapers to collect. I'm surprised looking at PSN profiles how many people have platinumed this game. That's just a testament to how fun and addicting the game is for many.

-

There were a couple things that I wasn't the biggest fan of. I found the music very generic "movie music" and it got old really quickly. For some reason, I'm hypersensitive to these kind of generic string piece accompaniments that you hear in commercials and the like. I would just play my own favorite music on spotify instead. The other issues I had were some minor glitches, particularly with enemies getting stuck in the walls or obstacles and preventing me from finishing base assaults and crimes. Lastly, the moments in the story where you play as one of Peter Parker's friends was fine, but really wasn't very fun overall.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on August 01, 2020, 11:28:34 am
9. Ape Escape 3 || PlayStation 2 || 07.31.20

As the third entry in the Ape Escape series, Ape Escape 3 was a game that I hope could improve upon the problems I had while playing Ape Escape 2 back in 2013. However, this sadly wasn't the reality. Unlike the appeal for how the first entry Ape Escape is set up with each monkey being memorable in catching and many requiring thought and planning to successfully capture, Ape Escape 3 is the opposite—nothing seems memorable, with stages being able to be rushed through without strategy. While special tools to catch monkeys have been a staple for the series, Ape Escape 3 expands upon these mechanics by allowing the player to access a job system that gives higher capability and greater ease in catching monkeys. I ignored this aspect largely for the first half of my playthrough, but I saw the fun and novelty of it by the end.

Now, it has been some time since I've last played a game of this era. But I do not remember either of game's predecessors controlling as poor as much as Ape Escape 3 does. Platforming can be quite cumbersome. During the final boss fight, so much goes on that it seems impossible to dodge everything, with the player only having luck on their side to avoid death. Something also problematic was notable drops in frame rate regularly. And, with regularity, the camera controls are something to tackle. Honestly, I don't remember either Ape Escape and Ape Escape 2 having any of these issues. Despite this, the game was okay for what it is as a 3D platformer, but if you've played the first two entries and are on the fence about playing the third installment, you'd be justified about skipping it.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on August 04, 2020, 11:03:39 am
I only beat one game last month so I'm going to attempt to play some catch up (even though I'm still ahead for the year lol). I've been really into vaporwave music recently, and I became inspired to play a lot of Outrun to go along with this.


38. Outrun (Arcade)

Pretty much any game Yu Suzuki has had any involvement in I like to some degree, and Outrun is no exception. While I only played Outrun a handful of times in the arcade, it's still one of those games that draws you in given it's huge cabinet, and just amazing aesthetic. The game has this eternal summer feel to it which I absolutely love, and also love the fact that the game encourages replay given its various branching paths. The graphics and music in Outrun still hold up well today as well mostly, and I can imagine how blown away people were by it when it first came out in the 1980s. And while the gameplay is fairly outdated and slippery, it still does a good enough job of allowing you to get around sharp turns and avoid crashing into other motorists. Most of all, the game is more of an experience today than something you'd spend hours playing again and again, but that is more than enough for me. (8/4/20) [34/50]



Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on August 06, 2020, 09:42:53 pm
Game 28 - Milkmaid of the Milky Way (PC) - 3 Hours

+

This was a short but sweet point and click adventure with some really nice visuals and music, and (for how short the game is) a very touching and interesting story. I find myself getting frustrated at these kinds of games if the puzzles are too difficult, but this game struck a nice balance between a decent challenge and not being impossible to figure out. I also like how your dialogue options were split among the emotions you wanted to convey rather than the things you would actually say.

-

The biggest issue I had with this game was the writing, because it's all written with rhymes. Trying to do that takes an extraordinary amount of effort and skill to make it work, and this game doesn't deliver on that at all. It's very noticeable where compromises were made with the meter, awkwardly worded sentences, and slant rhymes to force the dialogue to rhyme, and it ruins many moments in the game. At best, it's charming, but at worst, it's cringey, strained, and immersion breaking. And most of the dialogue fell in the later category unfortunately.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: astralsoul on August 09, 2020, 11:30:16 am
Late to party but here is what I've beaten so far with the console I beat it on and the date I beat it:

1. Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch) - 1/15
2. Super Mario Land (GB) - 3/1
3. Super Smash Bros (N64) - 3/11
4. Mario Kart 64 (N64) - 3/12
5. Super Mario 64 (N64) - 3/31
6. Crash Bandicoot: Warped [N Sane Trilogy] (PS4) - 4/3
7. Crash Bandicoot [N Sane Trilogy] (PS4) - 4/6
8. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back [N Sane Trilogy] - 4/8
9. Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (PS2) - 4/14
10. Final Fantasy VII [PS1 version] (PS4) -  4/18
11. Crash Twinsanity (PS2) - 5/2
12. Dark Souls Remastered (PS4) - 5/18
13.  Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) - 6/4
14.  Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin (PS4) -. 6/7
15.  Sea of Solitude (PS4) - 6/13
16. Resident Evil 3 [Remake] (PS4) - 6/15
17.  Crash Tag Team Racing (PS2) - 6/26
18.  Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back (PS4) - 6/28
19.  Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1) -  7/9
20.  Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled (Switch) - 7/9
21. Donkey Kong Country [SNES] (Switch) - 7/21
22. Panel de Pon [SFC] (Switch) - 7/21
23. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (SNES) - 7/22
24. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES) - 7/24
25.  Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (SNES) - 7/27
26. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES) - 7/31
27.  Paper Mario: The Origami King (Switch) - 8/2
28.  Mario Kart 8 (Wii U) - 8/8
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on August 18, 2020, 09:09:17 pm
39. Radiant Silvergun (Saturn)

Every couple years or so I get the urge to pop in Radiant Silvergun and fall in love with it all over again. This time was no exception, especially since my Saturn's internal battery decided to die and my previous save file went with it. No matter, I got to play through Radiant Silvergun's incredible gameplay and presentation, and it's just as amazing as it has always been. I've played hundreds of SHMUPs at this point and I'm fairly certain I will never play a shooter I like more, although there have been a few that have come close. I'll happily pop this masterpiece back in my Saturn in a few years and enjoy it all over again. (8/17/20) [44/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on August 19, 2020, 01:26:49 am
40. Street Fighter X Tekken (PS3)

I love the idea and cross over in this game; being able to play as Tekken characters in a Street Fighter-like game is something that I drooled over when I first heard about this game years ago, and in execution its a thing to behold. However, this game is more MvC3 than it is Street Fighter, which isn't necessarily a bad things, but when combined, and having a confusing gem system thrown into the mix the gameplay does suffer for any of the aforementioned titles. I did enjoy this game, however it also just felt kinda boring at times and I was ready for it to be over by the time I reached the final boss in arcade mode. Visually the game looks very nice, borrowing heavily from Street Fighter IV in the looks department. However audio is sort of meh; it does have an appropriate, upbeat soundtrack, but no tracks particularly stuck out to me and it mostly just sounded generic. I did, however love the stage design, especially how many stages change between rounds. This reminded me of old KOF games and I really appreciated that attention to detail. Overall this is a decent game to throw in from time to time, however it's definitely lacking compared to all the games that were cannibalized to create it. (8/18/20) [31/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on August 19, 2020, 03:06:38 pm
41. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

I've played this game off and on since it came out and each time I remembered having a decent amount of fun with it, so I decided to pop it in and play it with a more objective eye. This game feels, plays, and looks like I'd expect the sequel to one of the most well known, famous and awesome fighting games ever made should. However, it seems to have half the charm and appeal of that game, much of which I feel is a product of how much the video game industry has changed in recent years. Gone are the ability to unlock new characters and stages, and instead everything is there for you right from the start. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does kill my desire to replay it. Other than that I feel very mixed about the character roster in this game. On one hand I appreciate the interesting and obscure characters on both the Marvel and Capcom side that were included; however many of those odd ball characters, as well as more well known newcomers like Thor and Felicia just didn't do it for me. The stages are mostly pretty cool in this game too, but again, I really prefered the odd, somewhat random stages from MVC and MVC2 more. Gameplaywise this game plays and feels very similar to the previous two games with the most noteworthy exception being the X system which allows you to go super charged briefly which helps when you're in a bind again your opponent. Overall this is a pretty fun game, however if you have access to either of the previous two MvC games just play those instead. (8/19/20) [36/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on August 20, 2020, 04:05:29 am
27 - Battletoads (PC 2020) - BEAT - I had no real plans to get this game, but I still have the Xbox game pass on PC right now, so I figured I'd give it ago.  I almost dropped the game within the first 45 minutes or so, because it wasn't really clicking for me.  The combat is fine, it's maybe the least interesting part of the game, the humor wasn't doing much for me, and the art style never really becomes anything all that enjoyable (It's not bad in itself, it's just not what I wanted to see for Battletoads).  But I made it through and after Act 1, the game started to pick up.  Also this game I don't know if I'd consider really a beat 'em up.  It's like 40% beat 'em up, 60% minigames and other genres.  It has stuff that reminds me of the newer Rayman games, it has the bike sections, it's a 2D platformer, there's a straight up twin stick SHMUP part of the game.

Overall, I generally liked it, the game got better after the first hour, and I even laughed abit at later parts, but I wouldn't recommend running out to get it in particular.  If you got the Xbox Game Pass, give it a go, that thing is saving me a lot of money, because otherwise I would've never played this game lol

Thinking of playing Streets of Rage 4 next, so that I can get more of an actual Beat 'Em Up experience.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on August 20, 2020, 11:17:32 am
10. .hack//Infection || PlayStation 2 || 08.16.20

Having been familiar with the .hack series since the PlayStation 2 era itself, I only recently decided to look further into what the series is all about. And, on a whim, I purchased a bundle of the first three installments for a great price! Despite the admittedly sub-par dungeon-crawling gameplay experience the original series has to offer, it was exactly the kind of gameplay that I needed to experience at the time! As the series presents itself as a fictitious MMORPG, the gameplay tries to replicate early-2000s MMORPG gameplay as much as it can. So, needless to say, this area is lacking. However, something about the degree of open-endedness toward exploration that the game offers appealed to me, and I hope that I did experienced the bulk of what the initial entry has to offer. Can't wait to begin .hack//Mutation!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on August 21, 2020, 11:11:15 am
42. Marvel vs. Capcom (Dreamcast)

I've been on a big fighting game kick recently, and I may or may not be preparing for a new youtube video soon...but anyhow, I've had the opportunity to go back and play some amazing fighting games that I either haven't played extensively or haven't played in years. Marvel vs. Capcom falls into the latter category as growing up I played the hell out of this game. I rented it several times and I still remember that it was the first game I ever controller raged so hard at I actually broke a controller. MvC is an amazingly good fighting game even to this day, however I've come to several realizations while playing it. For one, the game shares way more in common with its predecessors Marvel Super Heroes, Xmen vs Street Fighter, and Marvel Super Heroes vs Street fighter than it does its direct sequel. This is absolutely no a bad thing at all, however what makes me sad is I realized I didn't like it as much as some of its predecessors despite how good it is. Visually this game is incredible, and it has my favorite roster of games of the mentioned Capcom versus games...except MvC2 of course. I will always love this game, just not as much as I used to. (8/20/20) [36/50]

43. Capcom vs SNK (Dreamcast)

This game definitely is one of those that I had limited experience with. Despite owning it for probably close to ten years I just never really got around to playing it much, and in fact the most I've played it at any given time was at an anime convention where it was available in the con's game room. Before getting into my thoughts on CvSNK I do want to say that I kicked complete ass at that convention and destroyed every person that came up against me, including one salty weeb that accused me of cheating lol. But anyhow, CvSNK controls and looks just as good as you'd expect a 90s Capcom fighting game too; in other words amazing! However, the games issues seem to stem mostly from its limited gameplay options, ratio system, confusion and strange menus, and it just not being on par with the games I mentioned in the MvC thoughts above. Still, this is definitely a great game and definitely worth playing for any fan of the Capcom Versus series and 90s arcade fighting game fan. (8/20/20) [35/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on August 23, 2020, 10:28:11 am
Game 29 - Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution (PS4) - 41 Hours

When I found out that the enhanced version of Legacy of the Duelist was coming to PS4 after being on the Switch for a while, I was really excited. I had been going through some of the older Yu-Gi-Oh! games on the GBA and DS, and was looking forward to exploring the modern era of this long running card game.

One of the other things I was looking forward to playing through was the story mode, which was missing from the older World Championship Games. You just play through the anime arcs, but because I never watched the show, it was a new story experience for me. By the end of the game though, I was barely paying attention to the story. The presentation is really flat and basic, with static characters and little action or animation to keep things interesting. Just lots of text to read through.

I played through the campaign using the story decks, which for the most part was a fun and challenging way to play. It was frustrating that some of the story decks lacked important tools like spot removal, effect negation, and overall attack power. But, it's nice that you can also use your own pre-made deck if you don't want to use the story decks.

Overall, the more I progressed in the campaign, the less fun I had. Modern Yu-Gi-Oh! is an extremely complicated game, and by the time you get to the Zexal arc, every deck is a new archetype with like 50 words of effect text per card, and I have to take like 15 minutes to read every card and figure out the synergies, which cards aren't worth playing, my extra deck options, AND do the same thing for my opponents deck. Combine that with over 10,000 cards, and complicated summoning mechanics like Pendulum and Link, it overall makes for a very impenetrable experience for a new player like myself to get into. That all being said, the over-complexity really isn't the fault of this video game per se, but the card game as a whole. The eternal format that Yu-Gi-Oh! has supported for almost 20 years have ultimately made power-creep and feature-creep spiral out of control, and this game feeling like a chore towards the end is just the end consequence of that. I could have also mitigated this issue by using my own personal deck, since exclusively using the story decks means you're always learning new archetypes that go with a particular character.

Outside of the campaign, there are some other challenges, draft leagues, and online multiplayer to keep yourself playing for a long time after you finish the story. I did miss the puzzle, theme and limitation duels that were in the older games, especially since I didn't even bother trying to play online with how frustrated I was getting towards the end of the story.

Lastly, the game as a whole plays well. It's very slick and works great, with only the occasional slowdown. Making a deck and sorting/finding cards is really easy (which is good considering how many cards are in this game). However, actually obtaining cards was a little more frustrating than I would like. You get cards by buying packs, but each pack has a 300+ card pool for you to pull from, which makes actually getting the card you want a total crapshoot. And without any information on pack breakdown or the passcode system (like in previous games), it makes identifying and pulling a choice card you want almost impossible.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on August 26, 2020, 10:28:24 pm
Game 30 - Final Fantasy IX (PS4) - 48 Hours

This was an interesting game for me. This was probably the last classic, universally acclaimed FF game that I hadn't played through, and there were many reasons why I was looking forward to the experience. Being the last game directed by Sakaguchi gives the game probably the closest definition to "Final Fantasy" out of the whole series. And while I haven't played through many of the SNES and NES games, this entry feels like the definitive old-school FF experience that both calls back to and takes a wonderful introspective look at the legacy of those older games.

The game definitely has a very nice art style and graphical design. This 2017 version also looks very clean and sharp. The developers also added some helpful tools like battle assistance and speed up, which was a nice inclusion for those that needed some extra assistance.

The story definitely felt like an older Final Fantasy game overall, but did have some of the more serious elements from the PS1 games, and it felt like the perfect combination of the two. I did have some gripes, however. I felt like much of the main story elements are back-loaded in the last few hours of the game in the Hill of Despair, and the final boss after Kuja, Necron, is introduced and then killed off in a matter of minutes. That said, I found this game's story to be an overall enjoyable experience.

Character-wise, I definitely think that these are the strongest group of characters out of the entire series when taken as a whole, though there were still some that I didn't like. Quina and Amarant were definitely my least favorite, and their reasons to join you were flimsy at best. There are some really good characters that have some great development, especially Vivi and Garnet. The side characters were also great too (Cid, the Tantalus troupe, Beatrix, too many to count). I wasn't the biggest fan of the villains though (already mentioned Necron); I found Garland to be a much more interesting character compared to Kuja. Kuja also has some very unsettling and weird character design as well, with the man-thong and all.

The combat overall felt familiar yet fresh, using the tried and true ATB system with a very streamlined and trim equipment and ability system that was strategic and engaging. Not a whole lot else to say on that front. I had two complaints however; the first is that the game runs incredibly slowly, with some serious lag between character actions during battles. The second was the way Trance was implemented. It's funny how FF7 and 10 were the only games to get the limit mechanic right. Because you enter Trance as soon as the bar fills up, you can't strategize around when to use it. If you don't want to attack with that character, or the battle ends, it gets completely wasted. Really squandered potential in my opinion.

The side content was overall mixed for me. I didn't do all of it, but there was some stuff I loved and some stuff I hated. My favorite was definitely the Chocobo treasure hunting. Least favorite was Tetra Master by far. There are so many problems with Tetra Master, which are:

- The explanation of what the numbers on the cards do were excluded from the tutorial, which was confusing
- You can't see your opponents cards unlike in Triple Triad, so you can't strategize how to play around your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. It means going first is completely disadvantageous, as you have to commit your first card completely blind, and your opponent will get the last move when all the cards have been laid out
- None of the cards you collect have any use outside of the game unlike in FFVIII
- Placing a card that is better than your opponent's doesn't always guarantee you a win. You can still lose your card because the game implements a random feature during the battles. It's absolutely infuriating.

Normally I wouldn't complain too much about a game like this if Tetra Master was only side content and left as is. The problem is that the game is presented as side content at first, but then a card tournament is sprung on the player as a required obstacle in the story in order to progress, which is unforgivable. Thankfully I was going for the trophy so I had a decent collection at that point...

The music is where I find my opinion diverting from others. It's no secret that Nobuo Uematsu requested help with FFX's soundtrack because of an understandable feeling of burnout, and while I found this soundtrack to be good, unfortunately I could feel that exhausted, worn-thin mental state creeping into much of the music in this game. A lot of the music felt very uninspired, or a worse version of previously composed music. Obviously not trying to knock Uematsu, because he's an absolute genius, and I do think the soundtrack is good, but in a crowded field of excellent Final Fantasy OSTs, "good" only gets you so far. It's definitely outside of my top 5 soundtracks in the series.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on August 28, 2020, 06:02:56 am
29 - Fortnite (PC 2017) - ENDLESS - So I'm just randomly playing this now.  I don't have any real issue with the game, for some folks it's just the popular game to hate on, I just never got into it because I never liked the "Fort" part of the game.  I like building to get up to another level and destructibility of stuff, but some people are just so good that you'll pop them and they'll have a brick skyscraper surrounding them in about 3 seconds and just makes the game not fun because then it's just about who can build better most of the time. 

I actually enjoy the general third person shooter gameplay with some of the goofy stuff it does, all the wild characters and it's had some fun crossover stuff.  The new season has Marvel stuff again, which is what drew me in, so if I decide to grab the battle bass, I can play as She-Hulk or eventually Wolverine or Iron Man if I get that far and that's kinda cool.  I jumped into the Rumble mode, which isn't a BR mode, it's team based action with a kill count and it's actually kinda fun.  I might play that more than the normal mode other than you can only do some of the Marvel event stuff in the regular game mode.  Enjoying myself though and will probably play it for abit, at least through this Marvel event.

That being said...my first solo game back in like 2 years? 1ST PLACE, BABY! With almost no building, I won! Eat it all you 13 year old kids and also Ninja! KING OF FORTNITE, RIGHT HERE!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on August 30, 2020, 09:57:14 pm
Game 31 - Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (PS4) - 4 hours

This was a short but sweet Metroidvania with some really nice 2D sprite art and gameplay. The environments are really beautiful with some nice level design, and the combat is fun and satisfying. Unfortunately it's not a very deep experience, with only one movement upgrade, like 3 weapon upgrades, and some health upgrades, it altogether isn't nearly as deep and complex as something like Hollow Knight or Ori and the Blind forest. Same story was with the narrative, which didn't really go anywhere, with minor characters being introduced and finished off in a matter of minutes. Overall not a bad experience at all though!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on September 02, 2020, 12:01:38 am
11. Little Nightmares || PlayStation 4 || 09.01.20

I remember being super impressed with the original teaser trailers for Little Nightmares when it was still known by its previous title Hunger. Having gotten a hold of a copy of the game when it released over three years ago, I played through for about an hour or so but then set it down and simply never picked it back up. And what a shame too! Little Nightmare's world is something I enjoyed deeply, as there are so many questions left for the player to simply guess for answers. I'm sure the DLC chapters fill in some of the answers, so I'll definitely be picking those up sometime soon. As for its actual gameplay content, it was fine—certainly not the greatest. However, I'm sure that most people interested in Little Nightmares play for the atmosphere, which is something it definitely excels at. The characters you meet as the player—and even the player-character too—are interesting to question about and to watch on-screen. As someone who enjoys horror but is admittedly not the most able to play the genre, Little Nightmares gave me enough to be scared of, albeit mostly in the form of stress from avoiding the enemies you encounter. I have high hopes for the game's sequel which plans to debut next February!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on September 02, 2020, 07:39:37 pm
Game 32 - Star Fox 2 (SNESc) - 3 Hours


I counted this game as beat once I beat the hard campaign. The Normal campaign was very easy, and I beat it on my first try, so I did the Hard campaign as well to get a little more challenge.

+

This game takes a very different direction compared to the first Star Fox, with the more strategic movement and decision making regarding which target to attack first. It's cool, and a fun way to play. I know a lot of people don't like the way these games look/play, but I love it. It's very cool looking even though it is dated. This game also adds a ton of improvements over the first entry in the series. You get multiple wingmen to play as, rival starships that you have to engage in, and a variety of stages with different objectives to complete. Playing as the walker was kind of cool and some enemies required you to use it.

-

My biggest disappointment was how short the individual levels were. Unlike the first game that had what felt like very long stages in it because it was more of an arcade-style experience, this game's stages felt like they were over in the blink of an eye. In fact, the whole game felt like that, considering how fast it took me to beat the game. I can understand why they held off on releasing this game back in the day because Star Fox 64 is a quantum leap beyond this game.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on September 04, 2020, 08:08:30 pm
Gears 5 is pretty solid.  Not as good as 4, I don't think.  However, there's a moment towards the end that felt totally out of place.  Kinda soured me of the whole ending.  Final boss was pretty underwhelming, too.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on September 05, 2020, 09:29:23 pm
30 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 (PS4 2020) - BEAT - This was one of those games that I was just hoping to hope that it would actually come out and be just genuinely good and it absolutely was.  It's both the first and second game, with all the series gameplay improvements, combined into one experience that you can play with any characters.  You'll do challenges and just beat levels to unlock xp and money, you can then buy new stuff for your custom skater, and connects both games and the ranked mode tour mode.  I love this compared to just having each game be it's own singular experience, like the Crash Bandicoot Trilogy release, where each one is its own game.  Highly recommend this if you were a fan of the series as it plays great and there's still a lot for me to do even after having completed all the main objectives in all the levels.  I got two secret characters to unlock, there's the special Vicarious Vision logo's to collect in every level, and there's doing all the challenges for each skater to unlock stuff for them, so I'll be playing this game off and on for abit as my casual game.  I really hope the game does well so they can do 3+4 in a year or two.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on September 06, 2020, 07:30:23 pm
A New Record!!


Game 33 - Bastion (PS4) - 10 Hours


With this game finished, I have now beat the most games out of any year that I've done the 52 Games Challenge. And with several months left to go, I'm feeling pretty good about the possibility of even hitting 52 by the end of the year.

+

I thought this game was really good. It weaves a well crafted story with some strong characterization and an incredibly sexy-sounding narrator that ties everything together wonderfully. But it wasn't just the story that was great, the gameplay was fantastic too. Action packed with tons of weapons and variety which gives you lots of options for customization and experimentation. Graphically Bastion has a nice art style and the environments are really cool to explore. Lastly, the music was great, with some really nice vocal bits as well. Overall a solid experience. Might toy around with the New game + to try a different loadout or something (I used the Brusher's Pike and the Duel Pistols).

-

I do have a few minor complaints. I think your character moves a little too slowly, and I had to dash constantly to get any kind of meaningful movement. I swear there was some shoddy hit detection especially when using ranged weapons. Lastly, the game is pretty easy. I had a couple idols on to increase the difficulty, and even then I only died a few times. If the idols weren't available to ramp up the difficulty, then I doubt I would have died at all.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on September 07, 2020, 08:25:17 am
I try to do franchise runs of series that have a lot of games I haven't played each year... For some dumb reason I decided that I would franchise run the Sonic series.  Prior to starting I've only beaten Sonic 1 and 2 on Genesis (via XBLA) and I guess Sonic Heroes (but I'm going to replay that).  There are like 70 games in queue for this.  That number might be off by like 10-20 after I finish making my list and cutting stuff out.

Beat So far
Sonic 1 (360)
Sonic 2 (360)
Sonic 3 (X1BC)
Sonic 1 (GG)
Sonic 2 (GG)
Sonic CD (GCN)
Sonic Chaos (GG)
Sonic Drift (PS2)
Sonic Spinball (GEN)

Up next
Sonic & Knuckles (X1BC)
Sonic Triple Trouble (GG)
Sonic Drift 2 (GG)
Knuckles Chaotix (32X)

Knuckles Chaotix might be where I yield, because I just really don't want to hook up my 32X.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on September 08, 2020, 08:25:17 pm
Game 34 - Super Castlevania IV (SNESc) - 5 Hours

+

I've picked up and started this game many times over the years, but this time I really wanted to sit down and beat it. This game is such a classic. Amazing gameplay and level design, fluid controls, and kick ass music. There really isn't much to say. It's just a really good game. I've only played this, Dracula X and SotN so I'm excited to get that Castlevania Collection from Limited Run and try the other games.

-

I think the only flaw with this game is the item system, because they're totally useless. Over the course of my playthrough, I used items twice, one of which was the final boss, that's it. There's no reason to use any of the items because your whip does so much, so they were entirely unused for the entire playthrough. I'm also not the biggest fan of levels that rely on one-hit deaths from spikes or pits as a form of challenge, which really starts to become a problem around level 8. I suppose that's more of a personal preference more than anything.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on September 09, 2020, 03:37:06 am
31 - Marvel Avengers (PS4 2020) - BEAT - I had some fun with this game.  I got through the story, which will lead to more as the game goes on,  though I do have my issues.  The good is that I think the general game itself, the gameplay, the characters, the story, it's all pretty solid.  The bad is this game is sloppy as hell, at least on PS4.  Performance tanks in any large mission and especially during fights in those large areas.  It's not constant, but it's pretty frequent and much of the final story mission is plagued with this, even in cutscenes.  This is probably my biggest annoyance that will likely be solved once I can play this on the PS5 and I'm sure it runs better on PC right now, but I went with Playstation for the Spider-Man content when that releases.

Overall, this is gonna be a divisive game and while I do like it, this is a game that's probably gonna be better off down the road when more story and characters are added as free updates.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on September 09, 2020, 12:08:35 pm
12. Inside || PlayStation 4 || 09.07.20

As the follow-up to debut title Limbo, Inside takes what was great about Limbo and has nothing but excelled in being Playdate's follow-up project. With standard puzzle-platforming with a handful of trial-and-error puzzles, Inside introduces a world of curiosity, danger, and wonder. Just as Limbo, Inside begins with zero context, allowing for the player themselves to piece together the narrative unfolding as you delve deeper and deeper along your path. Just as many others across reviews have remained silent about specifics to what the game offers, I also can only recommend for others to experience this short but incredibly well-executed experience.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: maximo310 on September 10, 2020, 02:56:56 am
Quote from: bikingjahuty on January 16, 2020, 11:20:40 pm
5. Armored Warriors (PS4)

The gameplay in Armored Warriors is more or less about what you'd expect in a beat em' up. For everything Armored Warriors does right, it does something equally as wrong. For example, this game has a really cool mech customization/upgrade system that allows you to pick up various parts and weapons from defeated enemies and assimilate them into your mech, which allows for some cool variations in what your mech looks like, and how it functions in battle. This would make this game standout above the pack if it weren't for how ridiculously busy this game is most of the time and how there is no sense of balance or design for the most part in throwing enemies at you. As a result most of this game is a matter of beating and blasting the hell out of your opponents fast enough before you inevitably get destroyed. This would have been infuriating in the arcade, but being able to play the game on freeplay it becomes more of an annoyance mostly. And like nearly every beat em' up from the 90s, this game does get really, really repetitive to the point where you're just ready for it to be over by the time you get to the last couple stages.

I just want to say that even though the game can be pretty intimidating with the enemy waves, you do have multiple attacks that can be utilized with your arm/leg weapons ( which differ based on if you're dashing/jumping, and depending on movement input+weapon) along with two different specials ( that eat portions of your health bar) for crowd control.  Two weapons that can be extremely abused are the Turbo Jet leg parts ( stage 4) for its 4 way flame attack when jumping in the air & has a fast recharge, and the Shield Cannon (stage 5), which can not only hit targets from far away, but has an electric beam that can stun; a multi shot missile attack that covers most of the vertical axis, & a shield that blocks attacks ( very helpful for the last boss).

There's more viable attack options than this from what I've seen, but I remember that I used Drill+treads for early game & then shield cannon/treads from stage 5 onwards just to make some sections/bosses more consistent with my 1 credit clear strategy. I do agree that stage 4/5 are a pretty bad difficulty spike ( compared to stages 6/7) and that only having 2 lives to 1 credit clear the entire game ( no extends on default settings) is pretty ridiculous when other capcom beatemups give you at least 1/2 extends, or allow you to purchase a 1up.

Besides that tho, I think your review of the game is pretty good.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on September 12, 2020, 02:03:27 pm
44. King of Fighters 97: Global Match (PS4)

Outside of 98 and a few of the newer KOF games I've never extensively put a lot of time into the other KOF games. I'm attempting to change that by playing a KOF title that I conveniently owned on the PS4. 97 Global Match is very good, in fact a lot better than what I had expected. I had played 97 before, but sadly with only a few exceptions I have a hard time distinguishing some of the earlier KOF games. I'm baffled I never remembered 97 though given how high quality most of the game is. I actually like the way this game plays slightly more than 98, and visually it is definitely on par with that game. A few complaints I had about 97 were its music and also its final stages. Regarding the audio there are rounds of fighting where no music plays at all; I found out this has to to with certain characters not having theme music, however I don't understand why they couldn't have just reused someone else's theme instead of fighting essentially in silence. However the tracks that are here are pretty good. My other compliant about the final/boss fights are pretty much a constant across all KOF games I've played. While not nearly as cheap as some other KOF games, 97's final stages are still pretty cheap and pretty infuriating to get through. Luckily the rest of the game is pretty solid and this is definitely one you should check out if you're a fan of 90s tournament fighters. (9/12/20) [35/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on September 12, 2020, 07:05:31 pm
Game 35 - F-Zero (SNESc) - 3 hours

+

One of my favorite games on the Super Nintendo, and easily my favorite racer on the system. The game is really fast and exhilarating, the controls are buttery smooth and responsive, and the music is amazing. Really a fantastic game. There aren't a ton of tracks or content, but what you do have is very fun to play. I kind of like how there aren't any items, because it makes winning the game more about skill (and getting lucky when bouncing off other racers).

-

I think my only complaint is that you need to get at least 3rd or better to advance, because that rule doesn't apply to any of the other racers. I wish it was a point system more akin to Mario Kart.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on September 15, 2020, 01:32:39 pm
Didn't feel like getting out of bed too much over the weekend, so I pulled out the Switch and beat Donkey Kong Country.  It's a good game, but both of the sequels are vastly superior.

Finally beat the campaign on Beat Saber, which was, for lack of a better word, beating my ass.  It's incredibly fun, though, and not too shabby of a cardio workout.

A friend gifted me HuniePop on Steam a while back.  It's a surprisingly fun puzzle game hidden in a very horny title.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on September 16, 2020, 10:32:14 am
MAN.. i really kinda dropped the ball this year... I started playing WoW Classic right around the beginning of the pandemic and that's pretty much all I've been playing. I am about 30 hours into Xenoblade Chronicles on the switch and I really need to get back to that. what a year guys.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on September 16, 2020, 10:45:33 am
I'm all the way up to Sonic Adventure 2 now in my franchise run of Sonic.  Taking a break because I just really don't want game 100 this year to be Sonic Adventure 2... plus it's an achievement week on Xbox rewards, so prioritizing doing something on Xbox to get achievements.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on September 19, 2020, 11:56:02 pm
13. Gitaroo Man || PlayStation 2 || 09.19.20

Having played through the game twice before eight years ago, I was definitely in for a treat once the company I had visiting showed interest in playing Gitaroo Man. They were able to get through the first three stages just barely passing and had enough, so I then took over to finish off the story. Much like PaRappa the Rapper, Gitaroo Man holds a lot of charm both in its flaws and its presentation—in addition to, well, its amazing music.  As a game with ten short stages, the difficulty spikes pretty quickly, although the game still encourages song mastery with its grading system and performance stats. Despite not having played the game in almost a decade, I was able to finish the game in one single sweep without any failures. Even though this should be seen as a good thing, I think that, during my initial time spent with the game long ago, the countless failures which yielded small improvements over time allowed my love for the game to grow to what it is today. Back then, I spent so much more time becoming acquainted with the rhythm system's quirks and shortcomings, and obviously the music itself too. Despite all of this, my time today with the game was much appreciated and I'm glad that a proper opportunity to revisit the game came along.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on September 20, 2020, 01:40:54 am
45. Super Mario 64 (Switch)

I was originally going to play Super Mario Galaxy when I picked up Mario 3D All Stars, but the call of Super Mario 64 was too strong so I played through that instead. I've replayed and beat Super Mario 64 so many times over the last 24-years that the game is barely a challenge anymore and I know most of it like the back of my hand. Still, the game is still magical and one of the most important games, not just for me personally, but to video games in general. It revolutionized the 3D platforming genre and set the standard for many, many years past its release. This game still plays excellent minus its annoying camera. The soundtrack is pretty much perfection thanks to Koji Kondo, and the graphics aren't actually that bad. Sure, it's earlier 3D, but given how this game doesn't try to do anything too complex or crazy like various other N64 or PS1 games. With this port to the Switch the game looks better than it ever has too. This game is definitely a great time to be had no matter how long its been since it was released, and for me it will always be one of my most cherished and loved games of all time. (9/19/20) [45/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: droaa on September 20, 2020, 06:54:56 pm
Quote from: droaa on December 25, 2019, 09:49:00 pm
January
1. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu(Switch)-1/2/20-7.5/10
2. Street Fighter: The Movie(Saturn)-1/3/20-4/10
3. Bullet Witch(Xbox 360)-1/4/20-6.5/10
4. Katamari Damacy REROLL(Switch)-1/6/20-8.5/10
5. Virtua Fighter Remix(Saturn)-1/10/20-4/10
6. Bioshock Infinite(PS4)-1/14/20-9/10(Burial At Sea-1/15/20, Burial At Sea Episode 2-1/20/20)
7. Virtua Cop(Saturn)-1/22/20-7/10

March
8. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order(Switch)-3/18/20-7.5/10
9. Doki Doki Literature Club(PC)-3/20/20-9/10
10. Contra: Shattered Soldiers(PS2)-3/26/20-7/10
11. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II(Xbox 360)-3/27/20-6/10
12. The Matrix: Path of Neo(Xbox)-3/29/20-7.5/10

April
13. Captain America: Super Soldier(Xbox 360)-4/1/20-7/10
14. Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo(PS2)-4/6/10-6.5/10
15. Beyblade: Let it Rip!(PS1)-4/6-6.5/10
16. Kingdom Hearts III(PS4)-4/24-7/10
17. Resident Evil 3(PS4)-4/26/20-8/10
18. Capcom vs. SNK(DC)-4/26/20-7/10
19. 198X(PC)-4/26/20-8/10

June
20. Call of Juarez: The Cartel(PC)-6/1/20-6/10
21. Dark Souls Remastered(PS4)-6/16/20-9/10

July
22. The Last of Us Part II(PS4)-7/19/20-7/10
23. Silent Hill: Homecoming(PS3)-7/22/20-5/10
24. Mafia II(PC)-7/27/20-8/10

August
25. Mortal Kombat 11: Afternath(PS4)-8/4/20-8/10
26. Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes(Switch)-8/7/20-7/10
27. Metal Slug(PC)-8/8/20-8/10
28. Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash(Wii U)-8/9/20-5/10
29. King of Fighters: Orochi Saga(PS4)-8/20/20-9/10

September
30. The King of Fighters 2001(PS2)-9/14/20-7/10
31. The King of Fighters 2002(PS2)-9/15/20-9/10
32. The King of Fighters 20002: Unlimited Match-9/16/20-9.5/10
33. The King of Fighters 2003-9/17/20-9/10
34. The King of Fighters: Neowave-9/20820-7/10
36.



Replay
1. Resident Evil 3: Nemeis(PC)-4/4/20-9/10
2. The King of Fighters 2000(PS4)-9/12/20-8/10


Now Playing
Ghost of Tsushima
Super Mario 3D World
Yugioh: Legacy of the Duelist-Link Evolution
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2


Nope List(Games abandoned)
1. Homefront(PC)


Playlist
Game Boy Advance: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Game Boy Color: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
GameCube: Die Hard: Vendetta
NES: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Nintendo 3DS: Metroid: Samus Returns
Nintendo 64: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Nintendo DS: Diddy Kong Racing DS
Nintendo Switch: The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
PC:
PlayStation: Parasite Eve II
PlayStation 2: Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
PlayStation 3: Silent Hill Downpour
PlayStation 4:
PlayStation Portable: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
PlayStation Vita: Persona 4: Golden
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive: Castlevania: Bloodlines
Super Nintendo: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Wii: Mad Dog McCree: Gunslinger Pack
Wii U: ZombiU
Xbox:
Xbox 360: Ninja Blade
Xbox One: Wolfenstein: The New Order
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on September 25, 2020, 08:59:39 am
Finished my 104th game (along with 105 and 106  ::))  Now that my goal is met, I'm gonna play some longer games... starting with Shin Megami Tensei: Persona.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on September 25, 2020, 09:27:18 am
Quote from: ignition365 on September 25, 2020, 08:59:39 am
Finished my 104th game (along with 105 and 106  ::) )  Now that my goal is met, I'm gonna play some longer games... starting with Shin Megami Tensei: Persona.


Ever since I started my youtube channel my output of games beat has decreased unfortunately. Still, I should be on track to "play" 52 games, however I'd have to hit 56 games with no more abandoned games to reach my goal. I'm not too far off this number, but I might be cutting it close.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on September 25, 2020, 10:07:44 am
I was doing really well but since starting Tales of Vesperia and picking up more stuff at work I don't think I'm going to be able to make it anymore :( I have some shorter SNES Classic and PC games I could play still, so we'll see.

I at least beat my personal best this year.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shfan on September 25, 2020, 01:14:23 pm
My attempt this year is already tanked, at 25 beaten games now, just haven't had the time to play enough, not able to game from one day to the next usually. At least half of my collection (probably more) isn't even in the house to play, plus I've now picked up Mount & Blade Warband again, which has totally torpedoed the hull, it's a real timesink.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 01, 2020, 10:58:29 pm
33 - Hades (PC 2020) - BEAT - Hades was one of those games I had no real interest in till I heard people talking about it and since I could get if for 10 bucks on on PC with a coupon and the art seemed cool, I figured why not.  Generally I don't enjoy Roguelike games, I've found most of them to be very frustrating other than Crypt of the Necrodancer/Cadence of Hyrule.  The randomness can mean that you just get a really bad run, so that's kinda just a waste of time, or the difficulty is so high that the game is annoying difficult and not fun most of the time, like Binding of Isaac and Enter the Gungeon.  Hades does away with a lot of that.  It's not a bullet hell nightmare, the combat items you get are all very useful, the difficulty can be ramped up optionally, and there's really good continued progression that you feel and notice.

My favorite stuff about the game are the characters, there's a lot of great dialogue and there's very little re-use even after 10+ hours of playing.  Each character has their own interactions with Zagreus, some characters have connections with others, and you get to know them more as you play.  It's all done with great voice acting and the art for every single character is the best, almost feeling like a visual novel with the art popping on and voices coming up to chat at you, even having a narrator that Zagreus interacts with humorous ways.  Alongside that, the music is really good, particularly Hades theme and the one you get during the credits, though in general it has a very unique sounding soundtrack.

My negatives with the game are that the story could've been better, it sorta drags around the middle and I won't spoil anything, but it didn't go where I thought.  Also the game initially makes it feel like as you play, more new stuff will show up to keep your runs fresh, but by like the halfway point, not much is added.  No new enemies, no new levels, so the repetition that wasn't there for me in like the first 5 to 8 hours, starts to make itself more known in the latter half unfortunately.  Some stuff does show up, but it's kinda rare, and perhaps more shows up after you beat the game, but I don't know how much I'll keep playing, I mostly just want to finish up the story stuff with the different characters, get those social links up lol

Overall, this is definitely one of the best rogue-like's I've played.  It's really fun, it's well designed, the general story and characters are all enjoyable, it's a recommend even if you aren't huge into rogue-likes  as it's much less frustrating than others and just comes across as a solid top down hack and slash sorta game.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: necrosexual on October 03, 2020, 10:14:04 am
THE 7TH SAGA (SNES)

oh man, this game has a terrible reputation. most people consider it horribly cryptic at times, with a story that doesn't make sense and padded out by grinding, which most modern sensibilities consider de facto bad design as well. this was all very shocking to me, as i expected the 7th saga to have "cult classic" admiration... hoo was i wrong. i went in blind to this game.

there is a lot that one can appreciate here. the partner system of recruiting from towns where they randomly show up, tho they may ask to fight or force a fight or say idle text instead of asking to join, is unique to SNES RPGs. party members can also turn traitor on you, which i didn't experience, but which i find just charming, tho certainly an instant reset button moment.

there is a decent plot twist near the end imo. i feel the complaints of the game being cryptic and nonsensical must come from such players who play their RPGs trying to avoid NPC text as much as possible, frankly speaking, other than two particular moments that use a seldom-employed 'push' mechanic. one of those is telegraphed if you check things which may have text normally enscribed on them (in this case, tombstones, which i of course do after the excellent RIP LINK in FF1), but the other is not telegraphed at all well, and is required for one of the necessary items for completion. oops. hidden items (found by using 'search' in a menu you open by pressing 'A', o yes it's that kind of RPG) are completely untelegraphed. you will never find them without a guide. period.

it must be said that the 7th saga is a grindfest of a JRPG. there is no peninsula of power here to help out either, and this is a huge turn-off for most people these days it seems. not me. i have games explicitly for grinding (hello disgaea) and this game hit the spot just right. well, mostly. enemies have a tendency to run, which is extremely annoying to deal with, and the amount of enemies in the mid and late game with revival spells for their partners makes grinding a real chore at times. certain party makeups threaten to make this process far more tedious than need be, and it is clear that certain partners are intended by the devs. this is somewhat hinted at by NPCs however. still, of my 35 hours, i am sure 20+ of those were spent grinding.

the rest of my time was spent in dungeons, on the overworld or in towns.

this is the moment i should talk about the 'crystal ball' key item, a circular 'minimap' in the top left of the screen in dungeons and on the overworld. it shows enemy encounters moving around (in white) and loot chests (in yellow) that are on the map you're currently on. this is a great feature for showing if you are going to be in an encounter, it also helps to dodge said encounters. it's unfortunate, then, that most dungeons and much of the world map don't allow for space to adequately dodge enemies. areas that narrow out leave you a sitting duck like simon on stairs in NES castlevania games. this sucks, and the design choices of the crystal ball and layout of land really clash. still, at least you know it's incoming in advance.

the world map feels large and towns actually feel quite connected in one large world with commerce and trade happening, NPCs refer to other towns and the other continents, it is very nice. this is sometimes lacking in RPGs so it's nice to see a world instead of a collection of villages. traversing the world map and towns is made easier thanks to the wind rune, gotten as the first one very early, being a fast travel item. this is good, as backtracking for item shops and party members makes going to old towns necessary.

dungeon maps are not too linear, tho most do end up having one final path to take. by following chests on the crystal ball, you will not get lost. tbh the theme music for dungeons is so fantastic tho that even if i did get lost i barely complained.

the music in this game is sublime, there are multiple town themes and multiple overworld themes, a very subtle difference in dungeon vs overworld battle themes, and a completely different battle theme in the late game. a ton of these songs are total fucking earworms too, and i can't recall a single song i disliked other than the theme that plays during a few success scenarios, and that mostly because it sticks out and doesn't fit the rest of the OST to me, and i can't describe why exactly. regardless, these tracks never wore out their welcome despite all the time spent grinding. i love the bloody battle theme for the bulk of the game (it changes for the last fourth of the story, and i like it too but not as much). i would expect it to tire on me thanks to how much you have to grind but nah.

the battle enemy sprites ooze style, they're very good. there's a lot of recolours but that should be expected i think for a 1994 rpg. they often end up syncing movement with the battle music, and i don't know if it was intentional, but it happened fairly often. very nice. in fact, battle sounds and animations very often seem to flow with the music, as if seamless. a few sound files are... suspect... mostly the ear-piercing screech they decided on for vacuum2 (which only comes very late game), and similarly, the flashing effects so often used back then that come off as seizure-inducing for some animations, but these are few and come fairly late game and not often at all, fortunately, but when they do it's excessive, though not atypical for the time if i'm being honest. overall however, good sprites, use of the processor's camera abilities to transition in and out of battle in a way only SNES could at that time and good music make a necessary presentation for the tedium of grinding.

in the west.

and here's where everything nice i have to say grinds to a halt because it must be addressed: elnard is the japanese name for this game, but in the west, elnard is the game before localisation to make the game into a grind that puts off even most rpg diehards. and elnard is clearly not supposed to be a grind, by design. the western localisation missed all of this subtlety. we got, instead, a tough as nails game with certain scenarios that can force a player into restarting files due to impassable difficulty spikes. elnard is not meant to be impassable, ever, because it isn't meant to get time from difficulty, but time from replaying the game.

the 7th saga has various unique scenarios for some characters, as well as actual player choice in its story. it is clear from the moment you choose one unique character, to having only one additional member of your party and all the way to the credit scene that this is a game that is shouting at you to reroll a new character, choose a new partner and do it again...! and unfortunately, the western game was mangled to discourage that very intentional design element. with hours and hours of grinding required for each playthrough, it's just too much of a pain to be bothered. and that's a real bloody shame, because JRPGs with story scenarios of differing results and certain unique interactions are rare from this era. it is this reason that if i play the 7th saga again, i will grab a romhack that restores the elnard leveling curve and enemy patterns and feel absolutely 0 guilt for it.

it absolutely has to be noted that the western release destroys the charm of party members turning traitor--turning it into a reset SNES moment--because the AI apprentices are their elnard counterparts. they have better stats than you, better equipment than you and are 1-5 levels higher than you and when they stab you in the back they rob you of all your runes in the process. these runes are the collectable plot tokens--but with actual usage, such as being reusable HP or MP potions, defence buffs, etc (once per battle per character)--and the AI is programmed to use them if they have them. at two points do you have to fight an apprentice for runes in the story, and one of these fights in particular can get so absurdly out of hand (thanks to their levels scaling and the push to grind in the same area thanks to an enemy with abnormally large XP output and, well, the grindfest nature of this game) that certain matchups for that rune become instant reset file moments. if they beat you in combat, they take all your runes. it's absolutely punishing in the western release--which destroys this entire concept that is a challenging, but intriguing and unique, moment in elnard instead of an instant console reset like in saga.

i am so charmed by the 7th saga overall, though. it certainly feels like a project of love and care and it is a damn shame that it is widely trashed whenever brought up. o, yes, it is flawed, and the western release is a bastardisation for a game that is clearly meant to be played multiple times over, but it is such an ambitious title that ended up buried by an avalanche of incoming SNES rpgs with static/linear storylines, level up systems, characters and parties that played it safe but had stories with happy endings that tickle power fantasy and were relatively straight forward to follow, no NPCs or manuals required. the title screen is a tombstone with the title carved into it, and in this context it is very appropriate. elnard is a cult-classic in japan as well, despite being an enix produced game.

for what it's worth, i like those RPGs too, and those are considered classics for a reason, but none of them really make me bite my lip in contemplation of whether pressing new game next week is too early to have another go. the 7th saga did this--is doing this now as i sit at the post-credits scroll as i type--and that alone is a testament to my newfound adoration for this game, flaws and all.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on October 03, 2020, 04:29:16 pm
46. SNK Heroines (PS4)

Being a big King of Fighters fan I had high hopes for this game. Sure, I realized it was pretty much just a fan service filled spinoff with the female characters from that series, but I figured it would still have the same, awesome gameplay and combat as the KOF games. Nope. This game is very shallow and the tag team system is both fairly confusing and poorly implemented as well. The gameplay is literally just there to allow you to unlike more outfits and accessories for your SNK waifus, and that's it. My disappointment was considerable because of this and despite enjoying the task of unliking these things as well as photos and cutscenes, it just wasn't enough to hold my interest for long. Graphics were okay for the most part, and the sound was slightly less great with some to be desired. Kinda wish I hadn't picked this game up at full price, but eh, it is what it is. (9/27/20) [26/50]

47. Fighting EX Layer (PS4)

My fiancee was a huge fan of Street Fighter EX3 on the PS2 back in the day and over the years of being with her that game has grown on me as well. So when we both learned that it got a spiritual sequel developed by the same company Arika we were both immediately interested. Sadly, this game was not that great at all in any department. The audio for one was inferior to EX3 in every way, and while not horrible, just wasn't that great. The graphics were umm, weird as well. The character models in the game have the look of action figures and the levels kinda look like playsets. It was like I was playing Small Soilder or Toy Story Tournament Fighter or something. Speaking of the characters, Arika was unfortunately not able to get the rights to any Capcom characters so while this is sort of a spiritual sequel, it isn't actually a sequel to Street Fighter EX3 which obviously was filled with Capcom characters. Sadly, the gameplay isn't that great either, but then again isn't terrible. There's some weird card/deck mechanic that is supposed to give you various enhancement during combat. I really didn't notice any considerable advantage in using them and they mostly just felt arbitrary. Sadly, this game ended up being a pretty big disappointment and one that I can't see myself ever playing again. It was definitely half as good, and a fraction as special as the EX series of the 90s and early 2000s. (9/27/20) [24/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on October 04, 2020, 11:41:57 am
Game 36 - Super Mario Kart (SNESc) - 5 Hours

Unlike a lot of Super Nintendo games that have aged like fine wine, Super Mario Kart is one that has aged pretty poorly. It's not a terrible game, but the Mario Kart franchise has expanded and improved so much since this initial release that I'd almost say that playing this game really isn't worth it anymore. The tracks are boring and same-y. The controls are super slippery and I never quite got a handle on drifting. The items are very basic and your opponents get unlimited special items that they will chuck at you at no end if you're in first, which felt very unfair. With only 4 cups and not a whole lot of things to unlock, the replay value is pretty poor too.

Even if this was the only Mario Kart game, I still prefer F-Zero over this if I'm going to play a racing game on the SNES. My biggest complaint is that stupid map that takes up half of your screen real estate. I also prefer the speed and music of F-Zero.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: shatterstar69 on October 05, 2020, 07:58:15 pm
Need to update my progress.  I really think I am going to make it this year if everything goes according to plan because reasons....lol

COMPLETED: 47
Actual Sunlight
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Assassin's Credd Revelations
Back to the Future - The Game
Black the Fall
Call of Duty Black Ops
Call of Duty Black Ops 2
Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan
Day of the Tentacle Remastered
Doom (2016
Everbody's Gone to the Rapture
Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark
FF VIII
FF IX
Fractured Minds
Gears of War Remastered
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 3
Gears of War: Judgement
Gone Home
Guardians of the Galaxy
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Horizon Chase Turbo (Finished World Tour)
Infamous
Infamous 2
Infamous First Light
Infamous Second Son
The Last of Us 2
Life is Strange 2
Little Nightmares
Nex Machina
Night Call
Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 2 (2019)
Resident Evil 3 (2020)
Soma
Strike Vector EX
Submerged
Titanfall 2
Until Dawn
Untitled Goose Game
Walking Dead Season 1
Walking Dead Season 2
Walking Dead New Frontier
What Remains of Edith Finch
The Wolf Among Us
Zombie Army 4: Dead War

So 5 games to go!  I think I've been able to do better this year because I'm staying home more (which I'm sure a lot of you are, lol)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on October 06, 2020, 04:15:53 pm
Having beat my goal for the year, I've lost a lot of motivation to even play games, so I've been spending a lot of time watching anime and such.  Played through Persona because I've been meaning to give the series a try, so starts my long franchise run of the Persona games... might even play the other SMT games too. Discord server I'm on moved on to their second game in their game club so now I'm playing through Final Fantasy 3 (6).
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 09, 2020, 04:19:28 am
32 - Watchdogs 2 (PC 2016) - BEAT - After the first game, which was basically just a pretty dull GTA knockoff with some minor hacking elements, I had no real interest continuing on with the series.  The sequel had a more interesting style to it, but it wasn't till I got the game for free twice, that I figured I would give it a shot and it's absolutely a better game than the first.  There's a whole style and theming to it with Dedsec and this hip, young, hacker scene and that adds a lot of character to the game.  No longer are you generic hacker man out for revenge, you are young hacker dude out to party and bring down THE MAN.  I like the crew you get, they are fairly memorable, and the stylings makes the game way more colorful and fun.  The general experience is your standard GTA stuff, but I think it does a good bit to stand out on its own with the casual multiplayer stuff that happens, and some of the side stuff going on. 

I eventually hit a point where I was getting a little bored and just pushed through the story to beat it.  The story I feel is kinda of a weak part, it bounces between fun "Fight the Man" stuff, and then interjects with some serious story stuff that doesn't really last and then is immediately passed over with the fun things.  Like a character in your crew dies in what is basically a random side story moment, completely unrelated to the main plot and they are never talked about again in the story afterwards.  The tonal issues also come into the gameplay as they try to put it that the you are a cool, friendly, good guy just trying to fight injustice, but Marcus can build/buy a whole lot of guns and there's no negative repercussions to killing people.  I understand it's a GTA-style game, but it doesn't matter if you kill people in GTA, because you are a bad guy, but that's not supposed to be Marcus.  I feel like they should've built the game around non-lethal stuff entirely in clever ways.  Also for a game made by the company known for its parkour climbing video games, they could've made that abit smoother here.  I found myself getting a little more hung up on things than I'd like throughout the game and felt like stuff could've linked more smoothly like in Assassin's Creed.  Nothing gamebreaking, just something I noticed.

Otherwise, it's a solid enough game.  This series went from being a boring time, to being entertaining.  It didn't wow me and I don't really want to keep playing to do all the side stuff in particular, but I'm gonna keep my eye out for Watch Dogs: Legion when that gets a sale.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on October 10, 2020, 11:35:35 am
14. .hack//Mutation || PlayStation 2 || 10.09.20

As part two to a four-part story, Mutation continues what Infection offers in almost every single way. In regards to the game's gameplay, somewhat more depth with its combat is prevalent, as using buffs becomes necessary. Mutation opens up party member choices by adding opportunities to recruit several more party members, although I honestly couldn't bring myself to enjoy using them and instead only enlisted their help to max out everyone's friendship level. Admittedly, not much plot progression takes place, but that's something I anticipated once finishing Infection. The player is definitely in this for the long-run. However, the final moments were interesting to experience and gives me hope for what's to come for Outbreak, despite the very abrupt endings that these games offers players. I'm still looking forward to the series's end!

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 12, 2020, 02:51:22 am
34 - Shock Troopers (Arcade 1997) - BEAT - This was certainly the shortest game I've probably played all year lol I shouldn't be surprised being an arcade game, but it's not even an hour.  That said, I had fun.  For such a short game, they give you a bunch of characters to play with their own bomb type and pretty good gameplay.  Comes across like top down Metal Slug (It is SNK), my only real complaint being that the bosses suck.  You fight the same tank and helicopter twice, a spiked forklift thing once, two sub-boss dudes on foot, and then the final boss, but they just aren't that interesting and come across pretty boring, but generally it's a fun little arcade game.  Gonna check out 2nd Squad next.

35 - Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad (Arcade 1998) - BEAT - And burned through this pretty quick.  This game was not nearly as good as the first one.  The levels feel abit longer, the bosses are a little more interesting, but this game very quickly turns into arcade bullet spam garbage.  That's not a huge issue with infinite continues, I can brute force my way through the game, but there's sections in the latter half of the game that aren't fun because there's no way to dodge stuff.  Maybe the first game was abit too easy, but at least it was enjoyable.  They also made some of the sprites look abit more cartoonish, it definitely feels way more Metal Slug than ever before, down to having tanks to kill in.  There's less characters here which isn't as cool and generally just not as fun.  I'd say pass on this one unless you are super into this kind of bullet hell arcade games.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on October 12, 2020, 09:26:04 am
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on October 09, 2020, 04:19:28 am
32 - Watchdogs 2 (PC 2016) - BEAT - After the first game, which was basically just a pretty dull GTA knockoff with some minor hacking elements, I had no real interest continuing on with the series.
[...]
I eventually hit a point where I was getting a little bored and just pushed through the story to beat it.  The story I feel is kinda of a weak part, it bounces between fun "Fight the Man" stuff, and then interjects with some serious story stuff that doesn't really last and then is immediately passed over with the fun things.  Like a character in your crew dies in what is basically a random side story moment, completely unrelated to the main plot and they are never talked about again in the story afterwards.  The tonal issues also come into the gameplay as they try to put it that the you are a cool, friendly, good guy just trying to fight injustice, but Marcus can build/buy a whole lot of guns and there's no negative repercussions to killing people.  I understand it's a GTA-style game, but it doesn't matter if you kill people in GTA, because you are a bad guy, but that's not supposed to be Marcus.  I feel like they should've built the game around non-lethal stuff entirely in clever ways.

You've hit my feelings square on the head.  It's a massive improvement over the first game, but its still got a few problems - most notably being when the gameplay is diametrically opposed to the story being presented.  I appreciated that there were more options than just "Gun down everyone", but they just weren't quite fulfilling enough with the story the game was trying to tell.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on October 12, 2020, 01:11:21 pm
Been a little side tracked with WoW Classic and haven't posted an update here in a bit.

19. Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core (PSP) - 6/2
20. The Last of Us Remastered/Left Behind (PS4) - 6/5
21. The Last of Us Part II (PS4) - 6/30
22. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition (Switch) - 10/11
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on October 13, 2020, 11:33:06 am
48. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Arcade)

This game has always been one of my favorites in the arcade and a must play whenever I happen upon it in the wild. Luckily with the arcades in my area finally being allowed to reopen I got the chance. This game is just as fun as it was when I first played it over 20-years ago. Sure, it's an arcade lightgun game which means there isn't a whole lot to it, however the Jurassic Park license really carries this title and makes it stand out among many other games of this genre. On top of that, the fact that it's sort of an alternative version of The Lost World movie, and actually takes from the books makes it even more interesting and cool. Visually The Lost World is an excellent looking game for a 1997 arcade release with all the Dinosaurs, stages, and action looking great. The audio in this game isn't the greatest with the exception of the dinosaur noises and sound effects. The soundtrack just doesn't really do it for me and comes just seems kinda lazy and boring compared to the rest of the game. Despite the inferior sound it does very little to spoil what is otherwise one of the best arcade games based off a movie license and one that will always remain a personal favorite. (10/12/20) [36/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 13, 2020, 05:03:41 pm
13 - Ori and the Will of the Wisps (PC 2020) - BEAT - Got back around to this after having to stop because it was having issues.  They eventually got patched and I got through the game and enjoyed it of course.  It's just a nice, charming, platformer with some good metroidvania elements to it and some wonderful visuals and music.  I think it's probably just as good if not better than the first game and definitely worth checking out.

36 - Carrion (PC 2020) - BEAT - Another somewhat quick game, this time a newer one just released this year.  I wasn't planning to play the game originally, but Game Pass has been good for letting me dabble in games I otherwise wouldn't grab.  The game is nice and creepy with you playing an otherworldly creature, a writhing mass of worm like tentacles that devours all within its path, come across very "The Thing".  The game is mostly abit of a puzzle solving sort of game, trying to figure out how to progress forward, expanding your moveset, dealing with threats that aren't particularly hard, more a temporary distraction.  I enjoyed myself, it's only a couple hours long, so it doesn't feel like it's wasting your time, though I do feel without any sort of map, it's a little hard to figure out where you need to go once in awhile.  I got lost abit towards the end trying to figure out where I needed to go.  A weird, but definitely unique game.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on October 14, 2020, 11:18:44 am
Game 37 - Super Ghouls and Ghosts (SNESc) - 11 Hours

+

I decided to beat this game for Halloween. Overall it's a pretty good platformer with some really nice spriteart, interesting monster design, and excellent music. The environments were varied and very dark, gloomy, and creepy. Definitely feels like a Castlevania game with a little Mega Man thrown in. The game is actually pretty fair, and most of the time when you get hit it was your fault. I didn't use any of the SNES Classic's rewind features, just kept a savestate to load when I wanted to turn the game off and come back later. I did give myself maximum lives however, which also meant I could rack up enough score after getting a game over to have unlimited continues.

-

Even with lots of lives and continues, this game was still extremely hard. That in itself isn't a bad thing, but a huge portion of the problems with the gameplay and challenge stem from the somewhat limited controls. You have no course correction while jumping, and you can't shoot in any direction but forward. When you get hit, you fly backwards and have no control over your direction so if you get sent over a cliff or into a pit, you're screwed. If you walk off a cliff by accident, you also drop like a stone and can't recover at all. So while it may be your fault when you get hit, most of the time it's because of the crippled controls. Additionally, the majority of the weapons in the game are just not cut out for the challenges that the game presents you. The only weapon that's really good is the dagger, and the axe was helpful for killing the red devils. The other unforgivable aspect of this game was after you beat it for the first time, and the princess shows up and basically says "oh that's great that you busted your balls coming to rescue me but you don't have the right weapon to beat the final boss so start over. Also I hid the weapon and won't tell you where to find it. Good luck" Such bullshit. So you have to play the game through a second time with a largely inferior weapon to the dagger.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 15, 2020, 12:41:29 am
37 - Streets of Rage 4 (PC 2020) - BEAT - Well after Battletoads being abit of a mixed bag for me, I was looking for a more proper beat 'em up game and you get that with Streets of Rage 4.  It's pretty no nonsense, not much frills, but there's a pretty competent game here.  The combat comes across a little basic, but I generally liked how it played out, as it's a tug of war with your life bar.  Power moves take away a chunk of recoverable health, and you get it back by punching stuff, so you can use it to block attacks and then recover your health afterwards as long as you don't get hit again.  It's a more clever way of handle things compared to the old way of doing it where you just lost health, so you didn't want to use those moves too often.  It is easy to lose track of that recoverable health, lose too much and then take one random little hit that knocks a huge chunk off your life bar.

My annoyances showed up later on in the end game, especially against the final boss, where I wish I had like a block and dodge.  It can be annoying getting in and out of spots without more mobility, there's no running that I noticed, and your block is a defensive power attack, so if you find yourself using it too much, you'll just lose a lot of life.  More mobility in general would've been nice as even the most agile characters like Cherry and Adam who can either jump on peoples heads to sorta get away, or using Adam's dashing doesn't add a lot to me.  Max was absolutely awful in the final boss fight because he has zero mobility other than his jumping ground pound move which means he's just gonna lose a lot of health most of the time.

It is a pretty reasonable time though, even if it felt real short.  I like that you can fight as the original pixel art versions of characters, though I think they lose their power moves, at least that is what it seemed to me when I tried to play as SOR1 Axel.  The cartoon art style is good, a big step up from the likes of Battletoads which went way too cartoony.  This feels like a proper update of the series for sure, so if you are into classic beat 'em ups, you'll probably totally dig this.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 18, 2020, 06:03:46 am
38 - Genshin Impact (PC 2020) - ENDLESS - The game doesn't have a strict ending, being that it's a F2P experience and will be updating the story for awhile, so I'm just gonna count it as an "Endless" for my list.  As a game, it mixes a JRPG with Zelda: Breath of the Wild and it overall creates a pretty reasonable game.  I do feel like it sorta comes across like a lot of general anime games, not exactly having a lot of depth, but as a general action adventure game, I think it's pretty alright.  The F2P gacha stuff aren't too intrusive, though I heard after awhile the game stops giving you enough freebie stuff and gets grindy, but I've picked up a lot of characters with little effort, so for now, it's actually a pretty generous F2P game.  Not sure how long I'll keep with the game, but it's alright as abit of casual fun for now while I wait for the PS5 to show up.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on October 19, 2020, 12:52:02 am
49. Cruisn' World (Arcade)

Growing up Cruisn' World was always one of my favorites to play. There was a machine at a sports bar my dad used to take my siblings and I too and it was one I regularly played along with NFL Blitz and Golden Tee. But anyhow, Cruisn' World is a huge leap forward from its predecessor in pretty much every regard. While it by no means is an outstanding game in any regard, it certain was an above average arcade racer from the mid-90s with some pretty good graphics, sound, and gameplay. I really love a lot of the locations you race as well as various things that happen while racing them that make this game both fun and memorable. Really happy I got to tackle this one the way it was meant to be played. (10/18/20) [33/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 21, 2020, 06:57:44 am
39 - The Surge 2 (PC 2019) - BEAT - I decided to play this as I heard it was better than the first game, which was fairly crappy, and was glad to see that this was true, its definitely a great step up from the first one, though I still had some issues with it.  The gameplay is what stands out, it's about directional parrying and focusing on certain body parts to get certain gear or crafting scrap.  I feel like in this Soulsborne style it's trying to be, this is generally what makes it stand out from them.  Otherwise, it's basically the same type of game, but not on the same level.  It just doesn't have the same quality that Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3 have with their gameplay.  Another negative was just the the whole story and characters.  The setting and setup is functional, but there's nothing interesting going on with the story and characters.  The characters are all pretty basic and forgettable and usually when a character started chatting it up too much, I'd skip on through, because it's just not interesting and the writing isn't very good.  I may not be a fan of how FromSoft tends to do their lore and story, but it comes across way more interesting than what Surge does.

It's still a pretty reasonable game and I'd generally recommend it if you are into this style of action game, like the Soulsborne stuff, Sekiro, Nioh, etc...It hits much of the same itch, just with a scifi edge to it.  I played it through Game Pass, so I basically got it for very little, but it's worth like a 20 to 30 dollar price tag.

*EDIT*

There was a real good sale on the Epic store for Control, so with that and a coupon I still I had, I got the game pretty cheap and I'm really liking it so far.  It's weird and creepy, gives off like SCP/Cabin in the Woods vibes, and I love that it doesn't waste any time with the setting or characters.  Like in the first 5 minutes, something throws you for a loop and they don't drag out the reveals for what is happening, or playing dumb with characters, or feeling very stereotypical with the writing.  You learn a lot about what the place you are at is like, and it's super interesting.  Like I personally hate when stuff is weird for the sake of it, or everything is so vague and nonsensical, and they leave it up to you, wanting you to go "Well what do YOU think?"...I'm hear for a story, tell me a story lol Not that I want to be spoon fed info, but i want an engaging world built around this crazy experience, and I'm getting that info I want and there's still a great big mystery to deal with.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: dhaabi on October 24, 2020, 12:00:04 pm
15. Gris || Nintendo Switch || 10.23.20

Meaning to play Gris ever since its debut release, I'm disappointed that it has taken me as long as it has to set the time to do so.  All in all, many accomplishments can be said of Gris despite its short three-hour play time. Without any dialogue, Gris strongly captures the feelings of loss, grief, hope, betrayal, and, eventually, accomplishment. Adopting some of the best creative art direction I've seen in a game to-date, Gris offers a magical visual experience full of vibrant colors and beautiful animations within a world of ruin. As a platform-adventure title, Gris is not set out to reinvent either genre. However, its gameplay, time and time again, excels at forwarding the player with environmental puzzles that subtly shift to something new which the player hasn't experienced yet to maintain interest. While Gris is only a three-hour journey, the game's pacing is at the perfect speed. New and unexplored areas remain awe-inspiring and a mystery throughout the time players adventure through them, leaving the player in a constant expression of wonder.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 27, 2020, 12:37:59 am
41 - Control (PC 2019) - BEAT - This was a real surprise for me, I hadn't really looked too deep into the game and I only got it because it had a real great sale, but I ended up really loving the game for its story and setting.  This idea of an organization that deals with empowered objects that caused havoc is awesome and it's all handled so well.  Closest comparisons I can think of would be like the SCP stuff, or that one TV show I really liked, Warehouse 13 lol I had kinda wished it had gone full Cabin in the Woods and I felt like they were almost teasing it, but what we get is still quite good.  The writing and characters in particular is great, it never drags things out for too long, and characters don't just play dumb or keep secrets, kinda the tropey stuff you expect out of this kind of scifi stuff.  This is also one of the few games where I was actively looking for all the collectible note stuff, because it was all so interesting or funny.

Combat is generally a third person shooter with your powers, and the powers definitely improve the game, as the gunplay is pretty weak.  It's functional, but some of the gun forms really aren't that good and once I got Charge and Pierce, it's all I pretty much used.  Some of the combat situations honestly get kinda frustrating as even maxed out health, you are pretty puny, and the only way to get life back is to pick up shards dropped off bodies, but that means pushing into enemies, so it's kind of an aggressive gameplay style as a glass cannon.   You also pick up mods for your character and guns, and this felt really unnecessary to me.  Would've been better to not have it I think.

My only real negative with the story is that it ends pretty flat.  As a story it's pretty good, but before I realized it, the game ended.  No big climatic battle, just more of the same enemies I had been fighting.  It's put a slight black spot on what I thought was overall a real great time.  I also ended up doing the Alan Wake DLC on accident, it shows up within the middle of the story, so I just went for it, but it was real good.  I just have one more bit of dlc to do and I'll be done with the game, but I highly recommend the game.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on October 30, 2020, 12:02:00 am
42 - Alien: Isolation (PC 2014) - BEAT - Originally a few years ago I picked up the game and didn't really get into it.  Not sure if I had the difficulty to high or what, but I was getting pretty frustrated with the game a few hours in, so I stopped.  Decided to give it another shot and I managed to get through the whole game.  This game is a huge mixed bag for me.  I'm not someone that really likes purely hide and sneak type games, especially with a low amount of combat, preferring Resident Evil or Evil Within over Outlast or Amnesia.  This game sits right in the middle of that, so it never really fully won me over.

The gameplay is overall interesting, I like the gear options, you get some weaponry you can use at points, I think dealing with the old school "future" tech is neat, I basically like the whole aesthetic and story.  The stuff that annoys to do with the enemies.  People are people, not hard to fight when you do need to.  Working Joes are like if Mr. X from Resident Evil was really boring.  They don't insta-kill you at least, but they get obnoxious.  The Xenomorph is definitely cool and intimidating, but it's all one hit kill stuff and that gets really annoying at points.  Also had a lot of audio issues with the game.  Like for some reason I wasn't getting all the audio upon death with the xenomorph, which was the most consistent problem, the audio balancing was kinda bad at times, and I would get some other odd audio issues.  Not sure if  this is a PC thing or just a me thing.

Also I don't know how I did this, but I picked two games with unsatisfactory endings to play back to back lol Control at least had a proper ending to it, but it was poorly done from a gameplay point of view, and Alien: Isolation is bad more because it's a half-assed cliffhanger.  I understand wanting to setup a sequel, but they could've done it way better, and seeing that there was no sequel to the game going on 6 years now, it's pretty lame.

It's not a bad game at all, it just never fully connected with me, but I was okay with the time I spent playing it.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on October 30, 2020, 02:18:29 pm
50. Sturmwind (Dreamcast)

I remember being super excited for this one back when I first hear about it around 2011 or so. It finally came out in 2013, and while I can't remember why I stopped playing it, I got about 2/3 through the game and never picked it back up until recently. But anyhow, this is a pretty good homebrew Dreamcast shmup that is probably one of the most visually impressive Dreamcast games I've ever played. Unfortunately where it falters the most is its gameplay, which while still above average has some major issues like indistinguishable background and foreground elements, projectiles that are way too subtle, and things that obstruct your view of what's going on as well as the controls themselves. Still, it's hard not to have a good time with this game even if those things are fairly annoying. It also has a pretty cool techno soundtrack to boot. If you can track down a copy of this game I highly recommend checking it out. (10/30/20) [36/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on October 31, 2020, 09:58:34 pm
Game 38 – Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition (PS4) – 50 Hours

It feels bad to say this, but this game is my least favorite in the Tales series so far. This came as a surprise to me because apparently this game is considered the best in the series by all the websites that I’ve looked at. Personally, I found it to be a relatively comparable experience to the other Tales games I’ve played. But there were a couple areas where this game definitely fell short and that’s why it’s at the bottom for me.

The biggest letdown for me by far was the story. The pacing felt extremely poor at the beginning, with a trivial quest to fix a goddamn fountain carrying you through the first 10 HOURS of the game. It was such. a. slog. Then after that’s resolved, it’s another 10 hours trying to find Phaeroh so you can find out why he insulted Estelle. Exciting right? That second plot thread does pick up little minor points of interest over time before you actually meet Phaeroh, but it was still not a compelling motivation to keep playing. I’ve seen more intriguing plots out of Saturday morning cartoons, for crying out loud. Compared to Tales of Berseria where Velvet’s brother gets murdered in front of you within the first hour, this game was a huge disappointment.

As the game continues, the story gradually gets better and ends with a solid conclusion well told, but I still had a couple gripes after getting over the huge hump with the game’s beginning storyline fumbles. There’s a LOT of technical science-y stuff integrated into the plot which can be very confusing to follow. Some of the villains also felt superficial and left me wanting more development, such as Alexei and particularly with Zagi. The Adephagos was also disappointing when it showed up because it had been hyped as this cataclysmic event, but it ended up barely being an inconvenience. Like… one town gets attacked, and you have to save some migrating villagers once, and that’s it. For the majority of the time sky just gets purple and weird and you can stroll through every town like nothing bad’s happening at all.

The characters were another aspect that felt a little hit and miss for me. There’s usually one character in every Tales game that I can’t stand (with the exception of Xillia), and in this game it was Rita. Was just unnecessarily antagonistic and rude all the time. Also I didn’t really enjoy the party dumping on Raven over and over and over again, and wearing that Old Man joke down to the nub when he’s like… 30? But I digress. On the whole, I liked these characters. Some of the ones that I thought I would despise ended up growing on me over time, like Karol and Patty (who is hilarious). I think a really interesting aspect of the characters was Yuri acting like a vigilante and killing villains by his own discretion alone, and whether or not that was moral to do so. I was hoping for a little more conflict between Flynn and Yuri as the game progressed, but that doesn’t really pan out in the end. Ah well.

Despite my gripes with the story and characters, the gameplay is just as good as any other Tales game. I didn’t mind going back to an older version of the combat system, even if it is a little more clunky. I really appreciated how challenging the game could get at points as well. However, I don’t think the combat was truly perfected yet, so while I’m sure this was very impressive at the time, going back does reveal a couple rough spots around the edges. One of my biggest gripes was the locking of specific skills like backstepping and using items on allies behind skills that you have to learn and equip, and the game is not balanced at all with the limited amount of points you have to allocate to these skills.

Even though this game came out on the 360 first, this game has not aged at all with the graphics. This game was absolutely gorgeous. What I really loved was traversing that big overworld looking for secrets and filling out my monster book. I’ve been missing that from the newer games. The Definitive Edition also comes packed with a lot of extra content which definitely adds a lot of value.

It wouldn’t be a Tales game without some glitches and sloppy presentation. This time it was the sound design. No joke, I spent a good 15 minutes trying to get the sound levels to an acceptable level. The opening scene in the Lower Quarter where the fountain is blowing up assaults your ears with a deafening cacophony of crashing water and you can’t hear a damn thing. Once I finally got that under control, I was still having issues with the volume of the voices, particularly during some of the skits. The other weird thing about the sound was the recasted voice acting. Even though I never played the original and had no prior knowledge of the redone voicework, I still noticed it. It’s unmistakable on Yuri because the voice actor was a different person, but Karol, Estelle and Judy also have varying qualities of their voices from line to line. It ended up being distracting because I ended up focusing more on the character’s voice than the lines they were saying. I wish the new voice acting was an option you could turn off, but it’s not a huge deal.

There is one part about this game that I was pleasantly surprised about, because this game easily has the best music in the series. The Tales games have never been notable for their soundtrack, but this game actually has a great OST. The exception is the opening theme however, which is my LEAST favorite in the series. I don’t mind the lyrics, but the instrumentation was not good, especially with that strange dissonant riff after the first chorus. Oh well, can’t win them all, I suppose.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on November 09, 2020, 02:38:43 am
43 - Wolfenstein: Youngblood (PC 2019) - BEAT - Kinda playing a few random games that I have left in what amounts to a backlog on Game Pass for PC, and Youngblood was one of them.  I know this game didn't really have a great launch, especially for singleplayer folks, but I heard they cleaned it up and they mostly have.   Functionally it plays much like the last Wolfenstein did, you can pick to go stealth or loud, I usually went loud, running around small areas of a map that you can keep coming back to, there's a hub section for picking up missions, it's overall an alright game that I could see being a solid enough co-op game.

Not a lot really impressed, it's just a side game, and it feels like it.  I think they wanted people to really get into the very talkative and goofy sisters, but honestly, they are very try hard to me.  Oh they are goofy dorks who kill Nazi's, how wacky and over the top.  You get more use to them as things go on, but as characters, they didn't really do anything for me outside of a few moments.  This game hurts from a lack of other interesting characters throughout.  Other than the sisters, you get Abby who is the straight-laced, technical, person of the group, and Juju is just a side character to kinda give background about Paris as it his new, but there's no villain hamming it up through the game like there was before and doesn't show up till the finale area.

If you are a fan of the new Wolfenstein games, there's something okay here.  If you are looking for a co-op shooter, I think this is a solid game to play with a buddy.  As a singleplayer shooter, it's alright, I'd only really recommend it if you have Game Pass or can get it on a sale that drops it to 20 bucks or cheaper.  No real complaints, but nothing that really blew me away either.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on November 12, 2020, 10:46:33 pm
Game 39 - Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 (PS4) - 19 Hours, platinumed

+

I had a lot of fun with this game. Beating it is really challenging, but the gameplay is so fun and addicting that it makes you want to keep playing. It's a very interesting spin on the classic Pac-Man that still emphasizes getting a big score but with a couple fun twists thrown in. Graphically the game is very stylized with lots of interesting options for backgrounds and effects and it looks really cool. The soundtrack is also phenomenal, with some really fun techno and EDM music that gets you all pumped up.

-

I will say that I wish the game had a little more variety. All the challenge courses and adventure courses have you doing the exact same thing with a different level layout, and I wish there were some more interesting challenges or maybe some different power-ups. All in all it does get a little stale especially if you're marathoning it and playing levels over and over again trying to get that high score.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on November 16, 2020, 07:18:44 pm
44 - Astro's Playroom (PS5 2020) - BEAT - I wasn't planning on making this the first game I beat on PS5, but I did lol I hooked up the system, started it up since it's meant to show off the controller features, and then I just ended up playing it for like 3 hours and beat it lol It's a fantastic and a wonderful nostalgic trip through Sony's history, finding all the "artifacts", and really enjoying all the references they pack in.  I recognized most of them, but there were a couple I just had no idea what they were. 

Honestly kinda bummed this game is so short, but for a free pack in game, it's brilliant and will be one of the few games I try to Platinum.  It's nothing groundbreaking as far as platformers go, but much like Wii Sports was, it plays super well to the controllers gimmicks and will likely be the best of controllers features.  The suit-ups you get are all pretty unique and do a lot to mix up the level.  Plus the game is just adorable with all the little Astro bots, and I think Sony has finally hit on a great little mascot that might actually stick.  I can't wait for them to add more to the game or do a sequel as I'm there day one, this is as good as any Mario game.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on November 17, 2020, 02:23:13 am
51. Psychic Assassin Taromaru (Saturn)

I have wanted to own this game for a long, long time, and have wanted to play it even longer. While I certainly do not own this game (it goes for around $1000) I did finally get to play it and while it's in no way worth it's asking price, it's still a pretty fun game. This game has a ton of Japanese folklore imbeded in it and as far as games rich in Japanese culture go this one is hard to beat. On top of that you're essentially combing Shinobi, Castlevania, and Wild Guns into one game. While this sounds like this game would easily be worth its asking price if it's truly a combo of those games, its actual execution leaves a lot to be desired. The presentation and sound are incredible in this game, but the gameplay is little more than slightly above average. Please do yourself a favor and do not actually buy this game to play it even though it certainly has some awesome things about it. (11/16/20) [38/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on November 17, 2020, 09:25:22 am
Quote from: kamikazekeeg on November 16, 2020, 07:18:44 pm
44 - Astro's Playroom (PS5 2020) - BEAT
[...]
 I can't wait for them to add more to the game or do a sequel as I'm there day one, this is as good as any Mario game.

You should check out Astro-Bot: Rescue Mission for PlayStation VR.  It's a full Astro game and is a total delight.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on November 21, 2020, 11:04:18 pm
Game 40 - Oxenfree (PC) - 4 Hours

+

I found myself really enjoying this game. While it doesn't offer much in terms of gameplay other than walking around and activating things with your radio, it tells a really interesting story with a lot of creepy and mysterious elements, and was paced incredibly well so that things didn't overstay their welcome. The game feels like a ghost story mixed with a teenage 80s movie and while it wasn't scary, it definitely had some unsettling moments and was very entertaining. Based on the ending and a replay of the beginning, I feel like there's more to explore with this game so I might play again someday to see if I can get a different ending. The characters and dialogue also felt really well written which is so important for games like this. Lastly, the visual design and audio were also very well done. Altogether it was a short, but sweet experience.

-

The only thing I didn't like about this game was the way the dialogue was handled. You are given a limited amount of time to select your answers when conversing with people, and it made things a little more annoying than it needed to be. You also end up cutting other people off prematurely as a result because you need to select a reply before the options disappear, which often happens while other characters are talking. In a different game where the dialogue wasn't such a huge part of the experience, I think it would have made less of an impact on me. Wasn't a huge deal at the end of the day though.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on November 21, 2020, 11:36:40 pm
45 - Demon's Souls (PS5 2020) - BEAT - While Astro's Playroom was a nice little warmup to the PS5 hardware, Demon's Souls is the proper PS5 experience and I think it shows.  Very good looking game, super smooth gameplay, pretty quick loading between all the areas, it's just all around quality  It's not gonna visually blow people away like some other games would like a Ghost of Tsushima or Spider-Man: Miles Morales, games that really pop visually, but it's a real nice looking game.  This is a remake, so I will say that if you haven't played the original Demon's Souls, but played anything from Dark Souls and on, I feel like this game is gonna come off a tad clunky in places, because it is meant to recreate an 11 year old game, so they didn't change a whole lot. I think they updated and cleaned up a few small things, but some aspects don't take into account what has improved over the Soulsborne lifespan.

Boss fights I think stand out as generally not being good compared to the other games, as most are very one note.  They have a gimmick, you exploit the gimmick, and you are done.  Only a few fights come off as particularly hard, and I only felt like one of the fights felt like a real solid fight.  Some are visually very cool and cinematic and that what makes them standout, but I'd never say they are as good as what the games will go on to do.

Otherwise it's what you expect out of a Souls game and I enjoyed my time with it and is a solid start for the PS5.

46 - Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5 2020) - BEAT - As expected with this game, it was a fun time.  From the outset, it seemed to be basically "Spider-Man 1.5" and that's what it was, so if you played the first game, you've played this one.  I think where it does set itself apart, aside from the PS5 just make everything play and look better, is stuff with the story and the additions to gameplay.  The story is a good time, basically a way to do somewhat of a Spider-Man origin thing, without rehashing Peter Parker's experience that has been explored to death in other media and games at this point.  It's all pretty good stuff.  Gameplay is extra impactful with the inclusion of the venom powers, which are generally DoT/High Power strikes and make for some really cool visuals.

The negatives for me probably come down to the lack of villains or hero's showing up much in the game.  Like there's Rhino, and Tinkerer is basically an original character at this point, and other than the Prowler who is a notable character for Miles, that's it, other than a very tiny appearance of a villain through a computer screen and barely worth mentioning.  I know they probably wanted to focus on Miles more, him becoming a proper Spider-Man, and this is a shorter game, but I feel like they needed some other characters to show up, even for a one-off, like there's not even anyone on the level of like Screwball for the game compared to the first one and it sorta sags the middle of the game just a tad.

Minor complaint aside, it's still a fun game, swinging through New York is never not a good time and Miles is a fun character.  The tease for what I assume is Spider-Man 2 is pretty exciting.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on November 22, 2020, 10:18:14 pm
52. Cho Aniki: Kyuukyoku Muteki Ginga Saikyou Otoko (Saturn)

Undoubtedly this is the most strange shooter I've ever played. You play a genie shooting a variety of creatures and body builder men in Speedos while collecting white protein pills to power your shot up....yeah....


Extremely Japanese Strangeness aside, this game is definitely below average in nearly every way possible. Graphics are pretty ugly, gameplay is pretty messy and imbalanced, and the music is nothing to write home about. Still, you'd be extremely hard pressed to play a weirder game, SHMUP or otherwise, which makes this a pretty entertaining game at the very least. (11/18/20) [27/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on November 27, 2020, 01:06:49 pm
53. Eschatos (PC)

I had really high hopes for the game after years of meaning to play it and just never getting around to it. Hell, in that time I was lucky enough to come across a brand new physical copy of it which I still have. However, I thought it best to play it on Steam before committing to opening a game that fetches $200+ on ebay in its current condition, and luckily I did that. Eschatos is probably on of the most unimagintive shumps I've ever played, especially in the visuals department; all the ships and bosses are pretty much variations of polygonal shapes with various flashing balls in them. The backgrounds, while certainly better, aren't really that great either. Musically Eschatos is pretty good with a cool, upbeat techno soundtrack. The gameplay is certainly above average, however overall it's just fine overall. I definitely appreciated having multiple weapon types, however the including of a speed mechanic as well as various issues with avoiding projectiles when the game's perspective changing was fairly annoying. While I certainly have played worse shooters, this one is certainly one of the weaker SHMUPs I've played in recent memory. (11/27/20) [26/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on November 27, 2020, 11:44:29 pm
54. Akai Katana (360)

I pride myself in the fact that I've played and beat almost all of Cave's SHMUP library, however this was one of the holdouts I'd been meaning to return to for some time. Akai Katana feels like the spiritual successor to Progear No Arashi, however it is way, way more than that. Akai Katana enhances the gameplay dramatically over that game by adding a tethered attack orb that you can position in various ways depending on ship you select, as well as an alternative ship you can temporary transform in in order to get through certain parts easier. It almost feels like this game has a tinge of Hyper Duel in it which is just amazing! However, there are some balancing issues in the gameplay, primarily towards the end, but overall this is definitely one of the better Cave shooters I've ever played. On top of that the graphics look great, the soundtrack is fun and cool, and overall this one is a very, very good bullet hell shooter that needs to be played! (11/27/20) [37/50]

55. Raiden IV (360)

I feel like the Raiden series is definitely hit or miss for me when it comes its various titles. In many cases I seem to either love or hate the games in this franchise, however this one I oddly felt neutral on. Raiden IV is a decent shooter and I mostly enjoyed playing it until I got to the last couple stages when all balancing went out the window. On top of that this game loops and the second loop is even more imbalanced and bullshit throughout the whole thing. Your ships speed and hit box are both poorly suited for the action taking place on screen which pretty much results in you spamming bombs to get past the harder parts of this game which just makes the game boring at times. However, during the portions of the game where the difficulty and gameplay mesh perfectly is when this game is amazing. Graphically Raiden IV is a pretty good looking game and also has a cool soundtrack. While far from being one of the better 360 SHMUPs, Raiden IV is still a pretty good time overall. (11/27/20) [31/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on November 28, 2020, 07:59:14 pm
Game 41 - Midnight Club: Los Angeles (PS3) - 26 Hours

The Midnight Club and Need For Speed series during the 2000s are very close to my childhood, and few racing games are as nostalgic for me as Midnight Club 3 DUB Edition Remix. I remember playing that game with my brother all the time and exploring every nook and cranny that we could, building custom tracks to race on, and destroying each other's car in the arcade mode. We've had the last entry to the series on PS3 for a while now, so I've been chipping away at the game's story campaign little by little while I'm home visiting family.

Generally, this game plays as well as any from this generation of racers. The game controls well for the most part and races are exhilarating and fun. However, (and maybe this is nostalgia talking here), I found this game to be barely an improvement over the 3rd installment. Some of the things the game does right are added race modes during the campaign including a delivery challenge, demolition derby, pinkslip races, and time trials, among others. But as far as car and customization selection, this game is actually a little worse than MC3. Seriously, only 2-4 options for exterior customization? Only 2 vehicles to choose from in the SUV category? Really disappointing. The game takes place in a huge city which you think would be fun to explore, but only has a basic collectable to find, which again, is about on par with the previous game. I also really wish there was a fast travel option, as oftentimes you'll finish a race with the next one you want to compete in being located halfway across the city. The music, one of my favorite aspects of Midnight Club 3, felt much weaker in this game, with only a small portion of soundtrack that I liked.

As I continued through the game, I found it to be less and less enjoyable. The game gets incredibly repetitive after 15 hours of nonstop racing and there's very little else to keep you entertained once you've unlocked the best vehicles to race in. The game also has almost no story to speak of. You're just a generic unlikable cocky douchebag and you're here to race. And when you beat everyone, that's it, done, you win. It was cool that once you beat the game you can make any car you like for free, but that was a small consolation.

Ultimately I finished this game wondering if my opinions of those older racing games from my childhood would change if I were to revisit them. I think these earlier racing games have been largely replaced by Forza Horizon, and even Rockstar's own race customization tools in GTA 5. I wonder if that's why there hasn't been another Midnight Club game since Los Angeles.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 02, 2020, 09:45:48 pm
Game 42 - The Yawgh (PC) - 1 Hour

+

After hearing about this game years ago I finally had a chance to play it with one other person. The game is incredibly short, so we were able to play through the game twice in under an hour. This is a fun little choose your own adventure with some absolutely beautiful visuals and a captivating soundtrack. The game has some really dark moments for how cute and charming the game looks, which was definitely a surprise, and it was fun to replay the game trying to get a different ending.

-

Unfortunately, the game really doesn't have a lot of substance to it. Just the fact that you can beat the game in 1 hour already should tell you that. But even after playing through two sessions with two people we already started to get repeat scenarios and even repeat endings, so not even that draw of the game felt that special. It seems like after you've played the game through a couple times it would be incredibly easy to figure out all the options and how the game works behind the scenes and it kind of breaks the mystique a little bit.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 05, 2020, 07:50:07 pm
56. Nights into Dreams + Christmas Nights (Saturn)

I've probably replayed this game every year since we've been doing the 52-games challenge on VGcollect so I'm not going to go into a lot of detail. But the short and sweet is I adore this game and there are few games more nostalgic and special to me. The presentation is excellent even though the gameplay is less than perfect, but still pretty good overall. I will always cherish and love this game. (12/5/20) [41/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 06, 2020, 12:28:12 pm
Game 43 - God of War (PS4) - 26 Hours

+

This was actually the first God of War game I've ever played, so I don't have the previous games to compare to at all. That said, I really enjoyed this game, particularly the combat. Felt incredibly fluid and fast and it was so satisfying to land a big hit with your axe or nail something at a distance. It was a nice touch to discover and be able to use the Chaos Blades as well. I absolutely adored the puzzle solving throughout the game which was required to find all the secrets and upgrade materials. I found Kratos and Atreus's relationship to be incredibly well done and the story touches on some really interesting themes of parenting, the price of keeping secrets, and dealing with one's past that felt very impactful despite me not having played any of the previous games. The world of Midgard was soo well done with beautiful visuals and lots of lore and backstory woven in beautifully though the boat rides that you take while traveling. Seems like there's a lot of extra stuff to do which would keep you playing for hours, so I'm looking forward to exploring that a bit more. The music was also really great too.

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I did have some complaints with the game. My biggest issue was largely with the story. What would appear to be a straightforward quest to spread your wife's ashes felt so bogged down by distractions and detours that felt tacked on at the last second to prolong the length of the game, and it felt a little sloppy. And that objective felt like in constant competition with your attempt to escape from Baldur and the Aesir who hunt you, and the two storylines didn't come together until the last 5 minutes of the game. On that note, you hear all game about how Odin and Thor are the most powerful beings in Midgard and all that, but you don't see them at all during the entire game. So disappointing. The final boss in particular didn't really sit right with me. I didn't understand Kratos's decision protect Freya after she requests for Baldur to kill her, then contradicts his own actions after the fact by explaining to Atreus that some parents would sacrifice themselves if it meant their offspring could live a better life, and that he would do the same thing. I felt like a lot of the bosses were copy-pasted in general, especially that one troll with the huge rock. Lastly, it was really disappointing how sparse and empty the individual realms were, compared to Midgard which had like a million things to do. And you only get to visit about half of the realms anyway.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on December 09, 2020, 01:18:58 am
48 - Dark Souls: Remastered (PS4 2018) - BEAT - After beating the Demon's Souls remake, I really got into a big urge to play through the rest of the games.  I have played all of them, but I never beat Dark Souls 1 and 2.  I did beat Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3, DS3 being my favorite, but I wanted to kinda go from Demon's Souls and then see how the series progressed.  I'm sorta having to mentally deconstruct Demon's Souls into what I think it was like originally, like I know they updated things here and there, but kept a lot of the core gameplay, design, and bosses intact.  It was just an alright Souls game, that was elevated by being an incredible PS5 game in terms of visuals and performance.

As for Dark Souls 1, I definitely prefer it to Demon's Souls.  It really brings in that "shortcut porn", there's some better bosses and levels, and the remaster in particular made everything way better than what I originally played, as I think I played the original PC version which was abit sketch.  Like I remember burning my eyes out with the lava in Izalith lol It's not without its problems, its got some jank of course, the Souls trademark, the inventory system really sucks, and some other annoyances here and there.  I did accidentally punk out Gwyn at the end of the game, as I was kinda in the mood to move on, so I brought a player to help out and he just straight up nuked Gwyn like it was nothing, but it does look like a legit fight otherwise lol  I will say the story kinda sucks, but that's something I'll say about every Souls game, I'm not a fan of its story structure most of the time, because it's all handled piecemeal with item lore and NPC conversations, like there's no ending cutscene at all after you complete it, which feels very unsatisfying.  It's something I hope is notably better with Elden Ring.

On to Dark Souls 2 next, probably after Cyberpunk.  I'm looking forward to it because I really don't have any memories of it, though I know it's kinda considered the weakest of the Dark Souls.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 09, 2020, 03:41:57 am
57. Jurassic World Evolution (PC)

I played this game originally on the PS4 when it first came out and I liked it quite a bit for the most part. However, I feel like these park/city sim type games are better experienced with a mouse and keyboard on a PC. When Evolution and most of its DLC were on sale on Steam over the summer I decided to repurchase it and give it a go again. My experience with the game was mostly the same as the PS4, however the inclusion of more content because of the DLC made it more enjoyable, as did using a mouse+keyboard instead of a controller. All together though it only slightly enhanced my experience and I still have all the same complaints and issues that I did on the PS4. Still, for any dinosaur or Jurassic series lover this is one of the best games to be released for the franchise. (12/9/20) [38/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: koemo1 on December 09, 2020, 04:26:34 am
I'm never going to make the 52 game threshold but I'm still kinda proud.
Maybe the Christmas vacation will be kind and allows me to reach 30!

1. Bayonetta 2 [WiiU]
2. Super Mario 3D World [WiiU]
3. Seek and Destroy [PS2}
4. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag [360]
5. Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway [360]
6. Medal of Honor: Warfighter [360]
7. Call of Duty 2: Big Red One [PS2]
8. Call of Duty 3 [PS2]
9. Star Wars the Force Unleashed [360]
10. Uncharted: Nathan Drake's Collection [PS4]
11. Uncharted 4 [PS4]
12. Dex [PS4]
13. Assassin's Creed: Origins [PS4] PLATINUM
14. Battle Garrega.rev.2016 PLATiNUM
15. Yakuza Kiwami [PS4]
16. Caladrius Blaze [PS4]
17. Battlefield 1 [PS4]
18. Call of Duty WWII [PS4]
19. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey [PS4] PLATINUM
20. Bloodborne [PS4]
21. Smuggler's Run Warzones [GC] [IN PROGRESS]
22. Red Dead Redemption 2 [IN PROGRESS]
23. Nier Automata [FINISHED]
24. Tomb Raider [IN PROGRESS]
25. Red Faction  [UPCOMING]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 13, 2020, 11:28:09 am
Game 44 - Shantae and the Seven Sirens (PS4) - 8 Hours

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I would say that this game is my second favorite in the Shantae series, behind Half-Genie Hero. It seems to me like every new Shantae improves over the previous iteration and this game is no different. The game adopts a full-on Metroidvania style to it's level design which provides you a large interconnected area to explore with some additional towns and shops, which was really nice. This game also adds special monster cards which you can collect from killing enemies and equip to gain different abilities (kind of like the charms in Hollow Knight). I liked how the different transformations were mapped to a button press instead of having to perform a dance to use. The dances in this game felt kind of like summons, and they were pretty useful. Lastly, I thought the game had a pretty good story and the cutscenes were a nice bonus.

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There were two aspects of this game that I found a little disappointing. The biggest one is in fact the game's new Metroidvania design, which overall felt very underdeveloped. About 60% of the game takes place in an underwater city/ship with a very basic and minimal art style, and it looks very boring. There are practically no secret areas or side quests for you to partake in, which was lame. On that note, there's also very little for you to actually discover while exploring, which throws all the fun of playing these kinds of games out the window. The only things you can upgrade are your health, and equip 3 total abilities with the aforementioned monster cards. There are secret monster cards, but these are only found by collecting nuggets which can then be traded in for maybe 5 total abilities? Compared to Hollow Knight where you can upgrade your health, soul, nail, charms and charm notches ALL by exploring, this game just doesn't reward you for going off the beaten path. All of your hair upgrades, magic spells, etc. are just bought in the shops like any other game. Really missed potential there. The other thing that was disappointing was the music. Without Jake Kaufman, the music took a slight dip in quality in my opinion, though there are still some really good tracks.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on December 17, 2020, 10:23:36 am
I'm hoping to beat at least one more game before the end of the year... but I'm gonna start building my end of year stats post soon.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 18, 2020, 08:46:45 am
I imagine I will probably be able to beat Kirby Superstar by the end of the year, but that might be it. I'll probably make my stats list over the holidays!
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: Cartagia on December 18, 2020, 09:25:37 am
I'm on game 51 right now, which is a long form RPG (Pillars of Eternity).  I've got a big stretch of time off now, so I should be able to finish it and something short before the end of the year.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 18, 2020, 04:03:58 pm
I'm hoping to beat Cyberpunk 2077 by the end of the year, which will put me at 54 games beat for the year. Another successful year I guess :)
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on December 18, 2020, 04:30:25 pm
Won't be hitting 52 games beat, but I might be able to do 52 games played.  I was thinking of pushing through the story of Cyberpunk 2077 and then saving the rest of the game for abit later and then I was thinking of grabbing Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity after Christmas, of which I might be able to beat the story before the end of the year.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 20, 2020, 07:58:06 pm
Game 45 - Kirby Superstar - SNESc - 7 Hours

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This is such a charming and fun game. Loved the graphics are colorful and dynamic, and the game pops with a lot of  of distinctive quirkiness particularly with the animations and the fun/strange enemy design. It was really great to experiment with all the different copy abilities that Kirby had and figure out which ones were my favorites and which ones could be used to help you navigate through the levels. The controls are excellent as well, and while the game was pretty easy, it was still fun to play with some memorable boss fights. Lastly, the music is great.

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I think the only thing that I wasn't the biggest fan of was the game's "8 different games" that you play. Spring Breeze, Dyanblade, and Revenge of Meta Knight are basically the same game, with Spring Breeze being finishable in about half an hour. I wish it was just one seamless adventure, because altogether the different game modes really don't change all that much.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: kamikazekeeg on December 21, 2020, 09:17:08 pm
50 - Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin (PS4 2015) - BEAT - This game ended up being kind of a mixed bag for me.  After enjoying Demon's Souls Remake and Dark Souls: Remastered, DS2 feels like a bit of a mess.  There's odd gameplay and camera changes, I'm not a huge fan of some of the levels, there's some real obnoxious areas, it's nothing big, just lots of little stuff that bugged me throughout.  That being said, it has some nice improvements from DS1.  Better inventory system, I like that Majula is sorta like this small town as it expands with people, and there were a few good fights.

It's definitely gonna be near the bottom of the Soulsborne list for me with what what I know of Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne.  It's Demon's Souls on PS3 at the bottom as I really didn't like the game back then, it just runs and plays terribly.  Then it would be DS2.  Then it would be Demon's Souls Remake, as while its a gorgeous game that plays very well, because it's just the original game updated, it does feel abit lacking in some areas, even compared to DS2, but I enjoyed the overall experience more.  Then it's DS1 as that game just stands out way more for me and was a pretty solid experience.  I'm gonna play Dark Souls 3 next and then whenever Bloodborne gets a PS5 update or a remaster, I'll play that and I'll be able to figure out which of the two will be at the top as I'm not sure at the moment.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 26, 2020, 02:33:10 pm
Gonna start building my end of year stats post! Might add some more things as I see y'all make yours. This was my personal best year since I've done this challenge. While I wasn't able to beat 52 games, I have been able to at least play 52, which still feels like a big accomplishment for me.

Total Numbers
Total games played: 55
Total games finished: 45
Games played for the first time: 53
Games replayed: 2
Games released in 2020: 1 (if you count Shantae's PS4 port, otherwise 0)

Play Time
Longest game played: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Warzone (PS4) - 75 hours
Longest game beat: Tales of Berseria (PS4) - 65 hours
Shortest game beat: The Yawgh (PC) - 1 hour
Average to finish a game: 17 hours

Also made a little graph of the time spent. ;) Most of the games I played or beat ended up being less than 10 hours, which I think helped my numbers this year.
(https://i.imgur.com/VbzU5Tll.jpg)

Games Played per Platform
PS4: 29
SNES Classic: 9
PC: 7
Wii U: 4
PS3: 3
Gamecube: 2
Switch: 1

Genres
2D platformer: 17
Adventure: 7
Strategy: 6
Action-adventure: 5
Action: 4
Racing: 3
Fighting: 3
RPG: 3
Other: 2
First person shooter: 1
3D platformer: 1
Action RPG: 1
Flight simulator: 1
Arcade: 1

Best and Worst
Top 5 Best Games Played in 2020
1. Journey (PS4)
2. 2064: Read Only Memories (PC)
3. Red Dead Redemption II (PS4)
4. Dark Souls Remastered (PS4)
5. Tales of Berseria (PS4)

Top 5 Worst Games Played in 2020
1. Uncharted (PS4)
2. Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution (PS4)
3. Broken Age (PS4)
4. Tales of Vesperia (PS4)
5. Mega Man Zero (PS4)

Like last year, these games aren't what I would consider bad, just mediocre.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: ignition365 on December 28, 2020, 03:17:25 pm
Main List (https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10536.msg173290.html#msg173290)

As is my tradition, time to close out the year's challenge with a stats post.

Top Games played that released in 2020

Top Games played NOT released in 2020

Top Games played overall in 2020

Honorable Mention

Console breakdown

Platform with Most Beat Games: As expected from last year, X1 took the lead with 32 games beaten.  7 of those games were BC titles (all 360), so considering that, you could argue that Switch won with 26, winning by 1 game.  That said, I'm hoping to beat a game or two by the end of the year, likely on X1 so moot.

Platform with Most unfinished titles: It's a tricky one in that I didn't track quite a few games this year because I didn't intend to beat them (Playing for quick achievements or because Xbox said play this and we'll give you reward points)... but of what I've tracked this year... X1 with 4 games, 5 if you count that I played Fallout 76 on XSBC.

Current v. Retro v. Mobile/Handheld v. PC: 74 - 24 - 23 (I am considering anything not PS4/X1/NS/PS5/XS to be "retro")

Game that ate up the most time: Phantom Pain isn't getting the win this year either, even though I did play it a bit this year on X1.  I'll have to do some digging, might be Ring fit Adventure due to getting fit, might be Clannad because I did everything in that game, could also be Fallout 76, Nier Automata, or Animal Crossing.  Maybe even one of the POWGI games.

Quickest game beat: Probably Fisher Price: Perfect Fit.  I did everything that game had to offer in like 10 minutes.  Alternatively Sonic Drift was super fast too.

Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: justin8301 on December 28, 2020, 05:33:40 pm
23. Astro's Playroom (PS5) - 12/28

I really did a shit job playing games this year.. I spent too much time playing wow instead of other games. I am 100% going to fix that in 2021! going for the full 52 again.
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 28, 2020, 11:26:25 pm
58. Panzer Dragoon (Switch)

I've been super excited about finally playing the Panzer Dragoon remake ever since it was announced and after FINALLY getting my Limited Run Games copy I finally got to pop it in and see how it stacks up against the original. I have to say that this is one of the most faithful remakes of a game I can remember playing. I feel like everything was updated in all the right areas in order to make it look way better than the original, while also retaining its feel and look. Call me crazy, but I feel like the gameplay was also slightly improved over the original as well. The sound is pretty much the same as the original Saturn version, albeit more clear thanks to advancements in game audio. My only real gripe with this game is that for a modern remake the graphics still look about on par with original XBOX graphics, and maybe PS3/360 graphics, but certainly not with the better or even above average looking modern games. I figure a lot of this has to do with them trying to retain the overall aesthetic of the original game, but overall it's a relatively small gripe. It's hard to say whether I like the original or remake more, but for what it's worth I'm very pleased with the remake and the developer did a great job at capturing the originals very unique aesthetic. (12/28/20) [35/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: bikingjahuty on December 29, 2020, 02:26:12 am
59. Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei (Saturn)

After playing through the remake of the first game I thought, what the heck! Let's play the other Panzer Dragoon game I haven't played yet! That would be Zwei. I had pretty high hopes going into Zwei since I've heard more than one person say it's their favorite in the series. Sadly, it's charm, at least relative to the other entires in the franchise, must have been lost on me. I certainly didn't hate Zwei, but found it to be significantly more frustrating given how cheap and poorly designed certain sections of the game are. Despite this I still was able to enjoy the game quite a bit and at least in terms of presentation and sound I'd say it's up there with the first. In the end I thought it was a pretty good game, just not as good as the others on the Saturn and of course Orta. (12/29/20) [33/50]
Title: Re: 52 Games Challenge 2020
Post by: telly on December 31, 2020, 06:50:14 pm
Well sadly I won't be able to add Valkyria Chronicles to the finished list before 2021. But I will say that it's an excellent game and I've really enjoyed my time playing it so far (have put in about 20ish hours).