Board 8 > July Game of the Month Club ft. Castlevania, Deg. of Separat., and Full Throttle

(+) Yeah! (+)

Julys Games:
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PSP/Wii/TG-16)
Degrees of Separation (PC/XB1/Switch/PS4)
Full Throttle (PC/PS4/Vita/iOS)

Ark mentioned that Dracula X might be a suitable alternative to Rondo of Blood and it is available for SNES/Wii U/3DS XL.

What is Game of the Month Club?
Game of the Month is a community project open to all B8ers where users share, discover, play and/or discuss a select few games every month. The games featured each month are chosen by YOU the users (and Lady Luck)

The Basics
- Each month will, usually, feature three games that were chosen via a random drawing from a pool of games that users nominated
- For each game you beat, you get a cool point on our just-for-fun standings as well as a nomination for next month's randomized drawing
- In order to receive the point and nomination, you must beat said game within the calendar month
- If you beat one of the current month's games in the previous month, you can apply for a "recently beaten waiver," but you will only receive a point and no nomination should you do so
- Drawing for next month's games is usually around a week before the end of the month
- If you periodically keep us posted on your progress and/or talk about different aspects of the games, then everyone will think you are super awesome!

Nomination Rules
- You get one nomination automatically each month
- You receive additional nominations each month for every chosen game that you beat
- Each game you nominate has to be unique from all other nominations and cannot include a game that has already been selected for GotM
- Each game must be a standalone game that can be acquired and played on its own (aka cannot be DLC/expansion that requires the base game)
- Nominations only carry over if you beat a chosen game after the drawing for next month's games but before the end of the month
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Just-for-Fun Standings (among those who beat a game in 2017 or later)
KCF: 92
gameking: 86
Mr Crispy: 54
Lolo Guru: 53
ArkOfTurus: 48
KnightOfNee: 35
Arti: 23
scarletspeed: 23
MegamanX: 19
Cody: 16
Fenny: 15
Robazoid: 13
Wickle: 13
profDEADPOOL: 8
Wigs: 8
Shaduln: 7
Shonen Bat: 7
UndeadUnicorn: 7
darkx: 6
Johnbobb: 6
BetrayedTangy: 5
MrSmartGuy: 5
MZero: 5
paperwarior: 5
LordoftheMorons: 4
Bane: 3
GreatPaul: 2
KommunistKoala: 2
PrinceReva: 2
Waluigi1: 2
azuarc: 1
Fake Account: 1
Harrich: 1
Kain66: 1
Peace Frog: 1
SantaRPG: 1
SBell: 1
Steiner: 1
Tom Bombadil: 1
Wiki: 1

Spreadsheet with history
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X8E8oqzES42W4S82j7WTfNnzNa8c3uXdSE1rnqYG7WM/edit?usp=sharing

Additional noms this month
Crispy - 1
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Degrees of Separation is available on PS4 for $6 USD for PS+ users:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP4735-CUSA13083_00-0000000000000000?smcid=

Degrees of Separation is available for PC via Steam for $10 USD as part of the Steam Summer Sale:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/809880/Degrees_of_Separation/

Full Throttle Remastered is available for PC via Steam for $2.25 USD as part of the Steam Summer Sale:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/228360/Full_Throttle_Remastered/

If you are unwilling or unable to purchase Full Throttle, I can confirm that I have a Steam key for it that I am making available to anyone. All I ask is that you add to the discussion in some way, shape or form (progress reports, final thoughts after beating it, etc...).
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Nominate Star Fox 2
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tag, i'll try to play rondo of blood if i can find a suitable way
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Played enough of Rondo of Blood to unlock Maria. Probably gonna play the rest of the game as her.

I do own Full Throttle, so I might as well try it, but I don't think I'll end up finishing it.
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Okay, I'll take the offer on the Full Throttle steam key.

I originally wasn't going to, but it's for Mac so I'll play it.
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Full Throttle is also $2.25 USD on GOG:
https://www.gog.com/game/full_throttle_remastered
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Tag

I'll give Full Throttle a try next week most likely.
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My opening nomination:

The Simpsons Hit and Run
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ArkOfTurus has beaten Rondo of Blood

I forgot how easy Maria makes the game. Still love it, and want to play more, though, so I'll probably do the alternate route with Richter.
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tagging.
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Rondo of Blood is also available on PS4 with Symphony of the Night

https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0101-CUSA13434_00-CASTLEVANIA00001
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Oh yeah, they mentioned that last topic, but I forgot to add it in.
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Started Full Throttle today. I like it so far.

Progress: 13% at the moment. Just got the welding torch, still need to get forks and gasoline.
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I'll probably start Degrees tonight or tomorrow.
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I didn't expect to wait this long, but I'm finally going through Full Throttle. I am something like 13-18% done according to the save file. There was a really good scene when Ben reluctantly asked the reporter to drive him. She said that she didn't have a set of wheels and once you exited the screen, she enters her hidden car and drives off like a bat out of hell. Ben pops back into the screen having seen this unfold and says meekly (by his standards), "Thanks for the lift." Maybe I am the only one who actually laughed out loud at that, but I wanted to highlight it.
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Full Throttle is going pretty fast. I am somewhere in the 40-50% range, and I think that I have only played maybe 60-75 minutes. It took some getting used to controls on the road. It doesn't help that the game displays PS4 controller buttons when I use an XB1.
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I just realized that there is no need to use a controller for a PnC adventure, so I won't use one when I play next.

Steam sale ends tomorrow by the way.
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I started Degrees last night. The presentation and atmosphere really remind me of Child of Light, even though that's an RPG and this is a puzzle platformer.
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Rondo of Blood (and SotN) $12 USD for PS4 via PSN:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0101-CUSA13434_00-CASTLEVANIA00001

Full Throttle Remastered $3.75 USD for PS4 via PSN:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP2154-CUSA06644_00-FULLTHROTTLE0PS4
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Well, I've downloaded Full Throttle to my PS4, but I'm kind of waiting to maybe try clearing some space off my Vita memory card because I'd rather play it on handheld (in spite of my pleasant experience with Broken Game ha ha ha).

Been playing Dracula X Chronicles today though. On stage 7 in Rondo of Blood so I'm almost done (although with the bad ending since I haven't saved anyone. thought I had unlocked the original Rondo, but apparently I only unlocked SotN)
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KCF has beaten Full Throttle

While I enjoyed this, it isn't among the best of the LucasArts games from the 90s. I would take at least the first two Monkey Islands, Grim Fandango, Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max Hit the Road, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, and Zombies Ate My Neighbors over this.

Vehicular combat was an absolute chore and so finicky that I considered giving up on the game. I was also disappointed by the lack of interesting characters, but it still managed to be pervasively funny.
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I think that I will make my nomination theme be licensed games for August, and I'm going with Batman: Arkham Knight and South Park: The Fractured But Whole for now.
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Cody has beaten Full Throttle.

Definitely among the weaker point and click games I've played, but the humor and Mark Hamill made up for the more aggravating moments.
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really slow month lol
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Monthly Progress
Castlevania - Ark
Degrees -
Full Throttle - KCF, Cody

Nominations
darkx - Simpson's Hit and Run
KCF - Batman: Arkham Knight, South Park: TFBH
Paul - Star Fox 2

Drawing on 24th-26th
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I made a little more progress in Full Throttle. 34%.
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Degrees of Separation $4-6 USD for XB1 depending if you have a Gold subscription or not.

I was under the impression that the game was specifically designed for co-op but allows you to play solo anyway, so because of my busy schedule, I didn't buy it previously. For $4 though, that might be low enough to get me to purchase something solely to not make darkx so lonely this month.

Would anyone be willing to play co-op with me after the drawing? I remember getting no nibbles when I asked about playing XB1 co-op before, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
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Nominate Kamiko and Prey (2017)
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Has Kamiko been ported or is it still Switch-only? I believe I am thinking about the right game anyway.
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It quietly got a Steam release last month.
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Gameking has beaten Degrees of Separation.

Haven't been hoe for most of the month, so I downloaded this on my Switch and have been playing it when I could. Honestly, wasn't a huge fan of it. There were moments in the game where I got into it and had a good time trying to solve some of the puzzles, but for every clever puzzle there were several that just felt like I was going through the motions. Probably would have been more enjoyable playing co-op. The environmental art in the game was pretty beautiful though.

I will nominate Beyond: Two Souls and Grand Theft Auto III for next month.

I did download Full Throttle when it was on sale, so I should be starting that up pretty soon. I've never really dived deep into the adventure genre, but have always wanted to play through some of these, so I'm glad to give this a go.
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I'm going to look more into Degrees of Separation solo reviews before making a decision since it appears that is my only option.
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Rondo of Blood beaten

Nominate: Seiken Densetsu 3/Trials of Mana, Sonic Mania, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
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Monthly Progress
Castlevania - Ark, Crispy
Degrees - gameking
Full Throttle - KCF, Cody

Nominations
Ark - Kamiko, Prey (2017)
Crispy - Seiken Densetsu 3, Sonic Mania, M&L: SS
darkx - Simpson's Hit and Run
gameking - GTA III, Beyond: Two Souls
KCF - Batman: Arkham Knight, South Park: TFBH
Paul - Star Fox 2

Drawing on 24th-26th
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went back and unlocked Maria and the OG Rondo of Blood in Dracula X Chronicles.

Also went through and beat the OG Rondo of Blood quickly today. Maybe I'm just more used to the levels and such now but I'm surprised that it seems a lot easier to me than the remake. (I got up to Death before getting a game over, but struggled a lot more in the remake.) I don't know exactly but while it kind of feels less random it also feels a lot slower paced and maybe some things got nerfed or you have to put in more hits to kill certain things or w/e.

I dunno if I'll try to get the good ending in DXC, since I think I like the original better and I'll need to start full throttle eventually.
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I was making good progress in Castlevania until I moved. My apartment is furnished so I thought it would include a TV, but it didn't so I haven't been able to play any console games for the last two weeks

I feel bad for not even finishing my own nomination >_>
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I'll nominate Her Story and Marvel's Spider-Man (PS4)
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I am hoping to do drawing on Thursday
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Oh, Degrees of Separation is local co-op only. Online co-op has apparently been abandoned. From what I read, AI playing solo is problematic, so I'm sorry darkx, but it appears I will be skipping this game after all.
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Might not be able to finish Full Throttle before the end of the month. I do intend to finish it eventually though.
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Ok, finally started Full Throttle. Though maybe I should have cleared off my vita memory card so I could listen to it with headphones since it's kind of hard to hear some of the dialog and I don't think there's subtitles...?

in the cave right now, 49% completion.
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Gameking has beaten Full Throttle.

Had a good time with this. The comedy was solid and everything felt super nostalgic despite having never played this before. Could be a little tough to figure out certain puzzles though, and the bike combat section was not fun.

Last nomination will go to What Remains of Edith Finch.
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Noms and changes are closed. I will draw momentarily
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And your August Games of the Month are...

Star Fox 2 (SNES)
Beyond: Two Souls (PC/PS4/PS3)
Prey (2017) (PC/XB1/PS4)

Congrats to Paul, gameking, and Ark for having their games selected!
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1. Star Fox 2
2. Beyond: Two Souls
3. Prey (2017)
4. Her Story
5. Grand Theft Auto III
6. Seiken Densetsu 3
7. Batman: Arkham Knight
8. Kamiko
9. Sonic Mania
10. What Remains of Edith Finch
11. South Park: The Fractured But Whole
12. Simpson's Hit and Run
13. Marvel's Spider-Man
14. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
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I highly recommend anyone with any interest in the System/Bioshock games give Prey a try. It's going to be a hard mode replay for me, but I really hope someone else gives it a chance.

I've never actually played Star Fox 2, so I might as well try that one, myself.
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I both own Prey and it is on Game Pass, so I will definitely play it. The length concerns me though as while not a completionist per say, I like to do everything that I enjoy in a game. If that takes like 30 hours, I likely won't be beating it.
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Based on the activity/discussion level, total noms, and responses to the drawing, GotM might have died this month lol.
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