Board 8 > Post Each Time You Beat a Game: 2022 Edition

(+) Yeah! (+)

Adam's Venture: Origins (PS4)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80138067

I will say that some of the puzzles in the game are very well made, and that gives it a slight positive. The stealth and minecart sections are both annoying, and there's no combat at all so the game just feels like a worse version of Tomb Raider or Uncharted. There are also a bunch of Christian references throughout, with some puzzles revolving around certain Bible passages. Also, Adam is an annoying protagonist overall and makes a lot of stupid jokes throughout the game.

More ambiguous end states but
Nioh 2: Complete Edition (PS5) All trophies complete
I don't think I ever posted about Ys VIII so I will when I get the platinum.

Subnautica (PS5)

Continuing my quest to play every single game about scuba diving... Man, I dunno about this one. I liked a lot of it, but it also really proves that crafting/building games are just not for me. This game took me 26 hours to beat and it's not like the main quest is particularly involved, by itself. There's just a lot of busywork with collecting resources and trying to manage the game's awful inventory and building systems.

Everything is too slow, the building and power generation systems make zero sense, the game is super glitchy (I ran into enemies and walls that didn't actually exist, fish that followed me onto dry land where they flew around, building pieces that can't be rotated, and more), and there's no map, presumably just to make you suffer. Even Minecraft gives you a (shitty, shitty) map! If I was playing on PC I would absolutely have used console commands/mods to just give myself infinite resources and teleportation around the 10 hour mark, but oh well.

With that being said, when you're actually playing the game instead of doing chores it's really fun! I just don't think I'll be coming back to this one anytime soon. For my sensibilities I think I'd be better off just replaying ABZU.

12 Minutes (XB1)

There's a more playful version of this game that encourages and rewards experimentation, but the reality of it being a more rigid, trial-and-error filled game definitely leaves a lot to be desired. I think I still like it though? It does have some neat highs in what little breathing room it does give you, and it's hard to feel negatively toward a game featuring the voice of Willem Dafoe.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA (PS4)
Okay, got the Platinum finally.
Adol gets LOST
This one starts with the rather unusual premise of Adol getting shipwrecked on a desert island with the crew and passengers of the ship he was on. Turns out there's more going on on that island than meets the eye, to put it mildly. Mysteries build as he gains new comrades and explores, and it escalates to the kind of thing he usually deals with. The best thing about this one is the structure. Rather than a typical JRPG where the action follows the path set by the story, Ys VIII is filled with exploring the unknown, finding useful items and locating new characters to add to your band of survivors. This can mean shops opening, new sidequests, and the ability to clear obstructions blocking off areas. With all the exploration, it's fortunate that your characters are fast. They can run and jump through the 3D environments as well as using key items for things like climbing and lighting dark areas. In combat, you can do a timed dodge to activate bullet time, or parry for a similar effect. You can quick-switch between your characters, and a meter built by using normal attacks fuels your special moves, which you can spam about as fast as you can hit the buttons. There are also some interesting minigames, like Raid, where you have to defend your village from enemies, and you can spend materials to improve your fortifications beforehand. The more you've progressed each NPC's "S-Link", the more it powers up their automatic abilities to assist you during Raids. This is a really nice example of an ARPG.

Prototype (Steam)

It's somewhat hard for me write a review for this game as I'm pretty biased; I absolutely despise this game.

I'll start with one of the more positive aspects: the story. While the story isn't some groundbreaking, fascinating adventure, it is more interesting than games of this nature generally warrant. There are some twists that I did not anticipate which again, aren't mind-boggling but do more than I think most people would have expected. These twists aren't fully explored unfortunately, but at the very least they are there. There are some inconsistencies, as Alex Mercer (the main character) has a lot of anger at how the military can play with people's lives, but the gameplay loop generally requires you to slurp up people (enemies and civilians) to regain health, so that doesn't entirely make sense. There is/could be a story reason for this (going back to the story being more interesting than needed) but it never really feels justified, especially because that story reason would then also somewhat clash with the rest of the happenings in-game. Be ready for some late 00's edge too; Alex Mercer's voice actor leans into it and the story kinda demands it as well.

Having started with something positive, we can move on to the negative: the gameplay. I never had fun playing this game, at all. The traversal is okay; once you get your powers upgraded you can get around NY pretty easily, but Alex is very cumbersome in turning and when you reach a big building, going up it will take some time regardless, whether you're running or jumping up.

But while the traversal is okay, the combat is where this game truly falters. See, Prototype is a superhero game. Alex Mercer is not actually a superhero, but his powers basically enable him to be one. However, you are only more powerful than basic civilians, basic mutants and the most basic of army personnel. Even the soldiers who have RPGS will instill fear in you; the damage they do will have you getting out of whatever combat situation you're in to guzzle up some poor civvies for health. And then we haven't even talked about tanks, helicopters, hunters, supreme hunters, and super soldiers, who will happily tear you to shreds in seconds.

I understand; it's hard to balance a game like this. But there maybe should have been some RPG elements involved in this game, where the further you get, the stronger you become. At the start of the game guys with RPGS and tanks can be a problem; later on however, these should be nothing to fear. You get stronger by unlocking upgrades, but these are mostly additional powers or a different move, rather than just hitting harder or being able to take more damage. Alex' power definitely goes up later in the game, but he will perpetually feel like cardboard on the taking damage front. One of the final powers you obtain is an armor one, which helps, but is also hamstrung by limiting your movability, and the quickest way to die in Prototype is by being surrounded on all sides by enemies. The most annoying aspect for me was definitely the fact that the game never started me anywhere with full health, which meant I had to run around consuming people first, but that probably got the military on my back who I then had to evade or take care of, losing health again in the process.

The variety in gameplay missions also leaves something to be desired. There's a lot of traveling around the map to destroy some radars or helicopters, or to blow up a base or a nest, or to have a fight with some specific enemy. It especially becomes egregious later on in the story, when some missions really feel like they were designed to pad the game out a bit, rather than having an organic story purpose.

One other positive to mention is the Web of Intrigue mechanic. This will mark some people on the map when you get near them, and when you consume them, you'll get some backstory on what's going on. It's unfortunate there's no easy way to hunt for them, but it's a neat way to explore the story.

On a technical note, the game is mostly unimpressive. It's not exactly pretty to look at, and it was very clearly designed in the era of video games when developers all suffered from a colour phobia. The music isn't bad, but nothing that will really stick in your head either.

I would not recommend this game to anyone, but I've also seen a lot of people love it, so I can accept being in the minority on this. I would probably recommend playing it on a console, or at least on a controller. The keyboard was not a great experience for this game.

I didn't bother to 100% the game because some of the challenge missions were more frustrating than fun, but I thought it was fine. It's not great by 2022 standards, though. I thought Infamous did the superhero thing well and holds up a bit better.

I enjoyed the challenge of dealing with all the military stuff, and disagree that Alex should be able to tank rocket shots while also moving so quickly. That would have made the game much too easy. I was constantly dodging and striking when given the opportunity, and that seemed to work.

KingButz posted...

I didn't bother to 100% the game because some of the challenge missions were more frustrating than fun, but I thought it was fine. It's not great by 2022 standards, though. I thought Infamous did the superhero thing well and holds up a bit better.

I enjoyed the challenge of dealing with all the military stuff, and disagree that Alex should be able to tank rocket shots while also moving so quickly. That would have made the game much too easy. I was constantly dodging and striking when given the opportunity, and that seemed to work.

Dodging felt useless to me unless you were in a one-on-one, which rarely happened. Combat was just a lot of fighting and suddenly getting hit by rockets from every angle for me.

I just would've preferred to be able to take a bit more damage, especially near the end. Or at the very least have the hijacking go a bit faster. I'm supposed to believe Alex effortlessly picks up cars, yet we go through an entire scene to climb up the tank and then a button/mousemash just to be able to open the tank cover?

Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin (PS5) Trials of the Dragon King
In the immortal words of Jack Garland, "This sucks..."

The Blackwell Deception (PC)

This is my first time playing the 4th game; I'm in entirely new Blackwell lore. The flow is more of the same; you talk to people to get clues that you connect dots with and you keep talking to more people. But it looks better. And the tech has improved in-universe; Rosa now uses her phone to google stuff so you don't have to keep going back home to search for shit. It's also got a better villain that's more personal and isn't just some rando we can outsmart. It feels like its all ramping up to something but I was too curious and I found that this cliffhanger we are left with will not be resolved in the final game. So yeah.

Still, it is not without its merits. The first 3 games had a connection that required you to play them in order. This was more of a standalone title that felt right sort of like a DLC in itself. I guess it's just one more game and I can finally put this saga to rest.

The Blackwell Epiphany (PC)

Wow. This game was a rush. Idk what was up with the art shift in Deception but Epiphany brought it back to the usual and it looks better. This was more of the same but so much more complicated; the puzzles and conversations were always interesting to me and its clear the writer loves his ghost stories.

But that third act came out of nowhere and frankly did not answer every question. I found the ending rather cop-out despite the plot tying itself into a neat little bow. I can't believe there's only 5 games ever and it ends here. I thought they could probably do with 2 more. Ben Jordan did 8.

This is a very connected series I'd say. You need to appreciate this in order, to be able to ride this saga well. Excellent writing and production from one guy. And with this, my quest to knock the Wadget Eye games continue. I still have to go through Gonzalo's stuff as well as Unavowed.

Adventures of MANA (Vita)

I have only beaten one Mana game before this one, and it was Children of Mana back on the DS (and it wasn't very good). This game was much shorter and a lot more fun to play, and with the better translation it was pretty clear on what to do despite the limited dialogue. Since the game was initially a mobile phone game, it made heavy use of the touch screen (you could use the face buttons if you wished) and I had no problem using the touch controls to attack and use magic spells in battle. The platinum requires level 99 which is pretty ridiculous when I finished the game at level 54, but I'll attempt it at a later date.

Kawaii Deathu Desu (PS4)

An interesting beat-em-up where you play as the Grim Reaper re-imagined as a female idol harvesting the souls of crazed fans that rush the stage. I am literally not making this up. There are other characters too, but I didn't unlock any of them while beating the game as I used most of the souls I collected to level my main character instead. Though I have to unlock and use them for most of the other trophies, so it will be done eventually!

Dink Smallwood HD (PC)

I beat the main game which is "beatened" but I probably won't consider this out of my life as there are a bunch of custom games on this bad boy right here. Honestly surprises me that the community is still active somewhat.

Dink Smallwood was one of the first demo/sharewares I've encountered in my gaming life and I always wondered about it. It's short and simple and the battle system leaves much to be desired but it has a place in my heart, one where I can finally considered finished. It's a good thing there's an overlay debug mode for the HD version too as I never knew how grindy this game actually was. I never would've finished it back then so now here we are. I also dig alot of the crude and raunchy humor which I guess was a thing back then.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos (PS4)

A pretty basic hack and slash title, however the gameplay is probably not the reason some people played this game. It's still fun and doesn't take too long to play through all the chapters. Did encounter a bug where an enemy spawned on the other side of a locked gate and I had to glitch up a staircase using the dash move to get to it. After searching about it, it seems to be a common problem in that specific area. I only got 12 trophies in my run through story mode in a game with 44 of them - might take some time later to get a few more.

Islets (Steam)
An excellent Metroidvania from Armor Games of all developers. Lightly similar to Hollow Knight but not to the degree of a Haiku, the Robot. You play a mouse adventurer, and have to explore a number of sky islands that were once all one island. Progressing will bring them back together, joining the maps and creating new paths between them. The writing is cute and irreverent, and movement is fast and natural, letting you fly through previous areas after a few unlocks. Fast travel is also pretty generous. The basic upgrade collectibles also let you choose between three non-traversal upgrades each time, which is an interesting idea.

Islets sounds like my kind of game, gonna have to look into that one!

Final Fantasy X (PS2)

This has always been one of my absolute favourite games. As a kid however, I never did manage to beat Braska's Final Aeon. Older and wiser, however, I finally managed to end this part of my story.

Story is a good thing to start with on Final Fantasy X, as I think it's absolutely one of its strongest points. All of the characters are believable and well written; Tidus gets a lot of crap but given the situation and where he comes from, makes perfect sense. The voice acting gets critiqued as well, but I think that's mostly down to some poor directing, rather than actually bad performances. It says plenty that a lot of the themes that are central to the story are actually still relevant, as some parts of the world are still ruled by religious doctrine that suffers no opposition. While Final Fantasy X doesn't look like the standard JRPGS of that time (or rather, before that time), certain mechanics still live through. As I did more traveling around the map and talking to people than I did before, I was pleasantly surprised at how much backstory and lore could be gained from talking to people in Luca and Guadosalam among others.

The strength of the storytelling does not just lie in the actual writing but also in the visual storytelling. There's the Sending at Kilika (which is in my opinion, the most beautiful and my favourite cutscene of any video game), which starts with Yuna's look of hesitation transforming to determination as she commences with the act. You also have Yuna's pained expression at the end of the game when the aeons need to be ended, as they have been true allies to Yuna for the entire duration of the game. This visual storytelling also lives in the locations; Besaid and Kilika, being very near the sea, are more rustic towns, as they need to fear an attack by Sin at any moment. Landlocked Bevelle however, is huge and filled with the machina the Yevon religion so despises (further adding to the hypocrisy of the religion). Guadosalam is part of the Yevon church, but the Guado are still not fully accepted by the rest of the world, so their home is essentially in a cave.

There are a few flaws to the story in my opinion. There's a stretch somewhere around the middle where it feels like the story slows down a lot. From the start of the game up to and including Operation Mi'ihen, the gameplay and the story felt very intertwined. The entire stretch from Djose to Via Purifico however, feels like separated segments of gameplay|story|gameplay|story, without really feeling like a concise whole. Secondly, some characters definitely get the short end of the stick. Lulu lives in bits and pieces of information scattered in some optional scenes, Wakka's turnaround happens rather abruptly where it feels like there should have been some scenes, and Kimahri also never really gets a chance to shine.

But what certainly deserves praise is the eye to detail. In the final fight, every enemy has a specific line when Sensor is active or Scan is used. Early in the game, Tidus teaches Yuna a way to signal him if she needs help. This trick is never mentioned again in the game...until the ending, when it is painfully sweet. Final Fantasy X has plenty of moments like this, truly showcasing that none of the decisions made in this game were half-assed or just it'll work itself out. There was a plan and an intent that was completely carried out.

Gameplay-wise, Final Fantasy X is excellent too. CTB (condition turn-based) is a great combat system. You lose the tension of ATB, but you gain a strategic element as you check the turn order with every move you make for maximum effectiveness. It's very simple, but it's great fun and it honestly surprises me they never went back to it (or that other games didn't pick it up). At the start of the game, most party members also have a specific enemy type assigned to them so it's easier to come to grips with the combat and to guarantee all your party members get some AP. Later on these types get less prevalent and you're expected to utilize more of your party members with each fight. Here as well, some characters come out better than others. I highly doubt first-time players will get a lot out of Kimahri, Rikku, and Lulu. While Lulu at the very least has a clear niche for about half of the game, Kimahri definitely requires some knowledge of how the game works, as does Rikku. And while Rikku at the very least also has her own skills with Steal and Use, if you don't know the intricacies of the game, it's very likely you won't use these abilities, as they might just seem like a waste.

When you think about it, Blitzball is a coding wonder. There's a real developed system of a sports game added to this jRPG, with actual RPG elements to boot! That makes it all the more of a shame that Blitzball kinda sucks. There's a cumbersome nature to actually playing a game of Blitzball that always gives it a goofy feeling, and it doesn't help that you can very easily glitch out the AI by keeping the ball in a corner while the AI swims circles around the middle of the field. But the worst grievance with Blitzball is that it is presented to the player in the most unappealing way.

Once your party arrives in Luca, the Blitzball tournament starts. You get the option to go through a tutorial to learn the basics. As your prepare to face the Al Bhed Psyches, Yuna has gotten kidnapped! While you take control of Tidus, Kimahri, and Lulu to go save her, Wakka stays back to play in the tournament. You manage to save Yuna and Wakka wins. You're in the finals against the Luca Goers! Welcome to your first game of Blitzball.

It's truly a horrible start. While the story gives you an underdog tale anyway, the chances of the Luca Goers absolutely brutalizing you is very big. They really have only one bad player, which luckily is their goalkeeper, but that's counterbalanced by the Besaid Aurochs really only having Tidus as a competent player, and he gets subbed out at half-time for story reasons. After the story events in Luca, Blitzball opens up as a mini-game and you get the option to recruit other players, and it's very easy to find out that it is not as hard or as brutal as that first game indicates, but I doubt many players find that out. Most of the other mini-games are just as harsh too. Chocobo Racing, Lightning Dodging, Butterfly Catching,...these are all notorious for how hard they are, but Blitzball is also the only one that's required to be played in the story.

Another aspect that I liked is that the temples you visit throughout the story have puzzles to solve. I've always been a fan of jRPGs incorporating puzzle elements in the game like the Golden Sun franchise also did; I think these genres work really well together, and the puzzles can serve as a welcome reprieve from trekking through areas filled with random encounters.

On a technical level, there's very little to be said. Final Fantasy X looked beautiful at the time, and the FMVs honestly still hold up. The OST is pretty much flawless; there's so many classics, with To Zanarkand obviously being the most notable one. Props also have to be given to the world design; Spira is filled with tropical locales, so there's plenty of colour to the world. There's plenty of variety as well, with deserts, icy lakes, cave-towns and deserted lands to be explored too.

Final Fantasy X to me is a clear indication of what games should (aspire to) be. It's a clear example of the strength of a well-developed and thought-out single-player experience. It has a story and a vision to tell and it follows through on it. It has an attention to detail in the story, the combat, and the technical elements that I unfortunately find lacking in many modern titles. It truly is a must-play title in my opinion.

Beasts of Maravilla Island (XB1)

This is like the fourth or fifth photography-based game that I have played this year. This game lacks polish and never quite reaches the immersiveness it deserves due to all the scripted game breaks, but given its budget, it did a great job at invoking a fantastical setting.

DragonGargoyle posted...

CTB

I horribly misread this acronym

only CBT could've improved FFX

DragonGargoyle posted...

This might be my favorite of the FFX reviews that I've seen

(Which is saying a lot, because I usually deep dive into fandom opinions a out games, and X was one of the biggest dives iirc)

Yeah the three of them don't really get to do much outside of gameplay. And even then, it seems like most people struggle to find a place for Kimahri

X probably has my favorite RPG party tho. Kimahri is one of my favorite characters ever, despite having a small role and not having much gameplay content that was made specifically with him in mind.
I horribly misread this acronym

Thanks! (?) I quite like Kimahri too, just wish he got some more cool scenes. He turned out rather well for me too; I completed his Sphere Grid, got him Steal and Use, snaked to Yuna's path to nab Reflect and Dispel, then sent him to a mix of Tidus and Auron's path to get him some solid Str and other useful abilities. Later random encounters go a lot quicker when you have two people who can cast Provoke or Dispel, and getting items is also easier when you have two (or three) people who can Steal!

MacArrowny posted...

only CBT could've improved FFX

yeah almost everyone in the party could have benefited from some therapy

Going Under (XB1)

Goofy, colorful, and destructible, this roguelike dungeon crawler is greater than the sum of its parts. It is also a lot more difficult than I expected it to be. I almost quit in the second half, but I slowly unlocked access to more skills, and some of those skills were absolutely essential for me.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Yep, it's still the best platformer ever made. Stages like High-Tide Ride and Cliffside Slide are just on another level for the genre. Retro got so ambitious with the levels that went pseudo-3D, I really wish we'd get the successor to this game that doubled down on the experimenral camera work. The whole game is a masterpiece of the genre, but those courses stuck out on this replay as much as they did my first couple times through.

Found this replay disappointingly easy though, strangely enough. For example, I beat every boss my first try, where I know my first time through the world 4 boss and the final boss took me like an hour each. Maybe even though it was 8 years ago, one playthrough on hard is enough to stay permanently with you. Guess if I want the challenge, it's time to replay hard mode next!

Also I just realized I abused the shit out of Dixie's combo attack for the extra hearts the whole game...hard mode is going to destroy me.

Into the Breach (PC)

Great followup to FTL! While I return to FTL more for nostalgic reasons, I'm more likely to return to this game because of how more approachable and well-designed it is.

Thymesia(PC)
My participation in this one was limited, but I can still say it's a mixed bag kind of game. Indie Soulslike with alright production values, somewhat original combat, and not much runtime, though I think the reviews lowball it. The gameplay is designed pretty well but sometimes making it work is frustrating. I'm currently unsure whether I want to keep trying to get the last achievement, which is to beat the "supposed to lose" tutorial boss at a point in the game when you have nothing to work with, due to a lack of NG+.

DragonGargoyle posted...

I didn't use any combo attacks when I replayed the game this year, and hard mode still destroyed me lol

Bashmaster bash ass faster

I did the bonus world on hard mode before DK Isle, so that I could save Fredrik for last. His fight is amazing

Good idea at the end. Actually, 7-1 Levitation Station was literally the first level I played on hard mode as soon as I unlocked it: "I'm already here and this level has no checkpoints anyway, let's go." Saving the other two bonus levels though.

I'm in the middle of World 4 on hard now, having a blast. Kinda going for all the KONG letters too but not really (I just know I never got them all on hard before, so it'd be a first). Irate Eight is next, which is...maybe the longest level in the game? On top of being one of the hardest. I remember absolutely dreaaaading this one my first time through and somehow beating it either my very first or second try (think it was second but the first I died really early on, so felt like my first "real try"). Doubt I'll get in the zone like that first try again, but we'll see! Hopefully it doesn't take hours, very possible.

And yeah, since I beat Lord Fredrik my first try by - you guessed it - abusing Dixie's combo move so I had 7 hearts instead of 4, hard mode Fredrik is gonna be real fun getting to learn!

Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Switch)

For a long time I thought I wasn't going to bother with this game. But a few weeks ago I did buy it on a whim after feeling like playing a Pokemon game again and seeing it placed pretty highly on rankings for the Pokemon series.

What a pleasant surprise! I think this might be one of the most flawed games I got this addicted to. I can literally play for hours and hours and forget the time, which has been a long time since I've experienced that. I can't make up my mind why though. There are a lot of flaws in this one: it's a very repetitive gameplay loop, side quests are often generic (but the characters/pokemon in it are quite cute), the graphics are truly terrible both technically and aesthetically, sound design is all right but it tries to be very Breath of the Wild with it and does it worse, ride pokemon have a botched camera sometimes and let's just save this for last; the battle system is...a thing. Turn order is just unreliable and you basically need speed and few weaknesses in this game to do anything. Story is expectedly meh and far-fetched, but it's not too bad for a pokemon game and the characters are decent too within the context of the series.

It almost sounds like a bad to mediocre game, but what got me is just how chill it is to play and how easy it is to make progress with both quests and the pokedex. Pokemon in a game structure like this just works. I've had so much fun playing it, sneaking up on things to catch them, coming across pokemon in more hidden locations, running around and gathering stuff. It's a simple loop, but it's absorbing. I got a little burn out after about the 3rd area, but near the end and even past that I'm really into it again and want to finish the pokedex and go to the final encounter.

9/10
In terms of the pure quality of the game, it doesn't deserve this rating, but I just had/have so much fun with it that rating it lower wouldn't do justice to how I experienced it myself.

Final encounter is quite awesome. But there are some Pokemans you basically have to Google to figure out how to get. Like...100% have to. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Anyway totally agreed with that rating. Arceus freaking rules and had me wildly addicted too. Easily my #3 GotY behind Elden Ring and Tunic.

Immortality - 8.8/10

What do I even say about this "game"? There's nothing else like it. Basically, you watch clips from three movies, and while you're watching, you select objects in those clips (like people's faces or clocks or whatever), which sends you to other clips that have the same/similar objects in them. While you're at it, you have to uncover certain secrets, and discover things like why a certain actor died or why a certain character disappeared. The answers are all incredibly interesting and satisfying. The three movies are all pretty interesting (they were all made just for this game) in and of themselves, maybe moreso because you see them out of order, so you see certain twists early which change how you perceive the more normal parts of movies. You don't just get the final versions of scenes from movies, either: some scenes will just be the actors doing a script read, others are rehearsals, and still others are them actually filming the scene, so you see both the movie and the actors. Learning about the actors is generally the more interesting part, of course.

The way everything comes together in the end is excellent, though I ended up having to read an analysis to understand all of it. Unfortunately, it can get kinda repetitive trying to unlock every scene (I got most of them, then looked up the rest once I felt like I'd had enough), and you'll end up going through the same scene more than once a good number of times. Would be nice if there was some sorta way to prevent that, but I get why there isn't. The controls could be a bit finicky sometimes too, though apparently there's a trick to them that can guarantee getting what you want that I didn't discover until after I was done. All in all, this is an incredible accomplishment. It's not very game-y, but it's a story that would only work in video games. Some of the twists remind me of certain others that take advantage of the medium. The acting is all quite good too, or at least it felt that way to me. I didn't enjoy Her Story, an earlier game from the developer very much, but this was way better, and frequently had me enthralled. The high points are incredible. I think a lot of people wouldn't click with it, but it's certainly worth trying out.

_Blur_ posted...

Final encounter is quite awesome. But there are some Pokemans you basically have to Google to figure out how to get. Like...100% have to. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Anyway totally agreed with that rating. Arceus freaking rules and had me wildly addicted too. Easily my #3 GotY behind Elden Ring and Tunic.

Yeah absolutely. I am in that stretch where the last few Pokemon I need are RNG-based (Space-Time Distortions forming and hoping the pokemon spawn, weather changing etc). I at least got the Cherubi I still needed fairly quickly. But all of these I absolutely needed a guide for, no way you are going to find that out without it becoming insaaanely tedious. Distortions don't happen nearly enough to just "try what you can find" in all the regions. Did make me realise I should have gone to all the distortions during the main game probably instead of waiting it out until postgame.

And that's a great list you've got there! Elden Ring is just ridiculously amazing and Tunic, while I don't have it, really seems interesting and fun!

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Switch)

It took me roughly two and a half years, but I finally finished it! This is a surprisingly great turn-based strategy game. I like all the customization options for teams, abilities, and weapons, but I honestly stuck to basically the same three-person squad for the majority of the game. Mario and Luigi's counterattacks were so good, especially when I maxed out how many attacks they would do and the ability cooldown. I kept Rabbid Peach for a second homing bomb attack (it took me too long to realize how great that weapon is) as well as a healer. Rabbid Yoshi and Rabbid Luigi had their own merits too. Peach was the only one that I wasn't particularly fond of using.

I kinda forgot to put this one down.

Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past (SNES)

I did a randomizer, still beat every boss, and even had a couple fights that would be harder than they'd be in the actual game. It was a fun run though.

And then one more randomizer done.

Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap (GBA)

I never fought the 2nd boss, due to finding Cane of Pacci late enough that it was my go mode (although I didn't even realize I needed it for Palace of Winds and Vaati originally, so I thought I was already in go mode funnily enough)

SpoinkRulezz posted...

Yeah absolutely. I am in that stretch where the last few Pokemon I need are RNG-based (Space-Time Distortions forming and hoping the pokemon spawn, weather changing etc). I at least got the Cherubi I still needed fairly quickly. But all of these I absolutely needed a guide for, no way you are going to find that out without it becoming insaaanely tedious. Distortions don't happen nearly enough to just "try what you can find" in all the regions. Did make me realise I should have gone to all the distortions during the main game probably instead of waiting it out until postgame.

And that's a great list you've got there! Elden Ring is just ridiculously amazing and Tunic, while I don't have it, really seems interesting and fun!

Those ones can be a pain, and I think I looked up a couple (Pichu I remember specifically), but that's not even what I was referring to! The absolute "must Google" one is Manaphy who you get at the end of the quest "The Sea's Legend." Those RNG ones don't compare to the absurdity of it

Toem (PS5)

A cute photography game. Compared to something like Alba, I didn't like it quite as much, but it's solid. I thought the ending was pretty good -- any time a story builds up to a big reveal of something impressive at the end there's a chance the reveal will be disappointing, and in a video game you can't just not show it. Toem went simple and I think it worked out better that way.

It's free on PS+ right now so the price is definitely right. Easy platinum too, if you're into that.

I've played a bunch of photography games this year. Off the top of my head:

Pupperazzi > Alba > Toem > Maravilla > Umurangi

First three were great, fourth was very unpolished and had performance issues but charming and enjoyable, and the last was way too stiff in movement and photography for my liking.

I realized this was close to the max posts, so I made a new topic:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80156702

Feel free to keep posting in here until it reachs 500 if you wish.

Escape Academy (XB1)

Great puzzle game. I was close to needing no help, but the library did me in.

Bowser's Fury (Switch)

Another great Super Mario game that happens to be stuck behind an annoying gameplay loop.

KCF0107 posted...

I've played a bunch of photography games this year. Off the top of my head:

Pupperazzi > Alba > Toem > Maravilla > Umurangi

First three were great, fourth was very unpolished and had performance issues but charming and enjoyable, and the last was way too stiff in movement and photography for my liking.

I want to play Maravilla (this isn't the first time I've heard those complaints about it though). Maybe when it's on sale on Steam.

Never heard of Pupperazzi but I'll have to wishlist that one too!

One Piece: Burning Blood (PS4)

Not much to say about this one. It's a pretty average arena fighter based on an anime, very similar to pretty much every other one like it. If you want a One Piece game I recommend the Pirate Warriors series over this one, or wait for the JRPG coming out next year?

_Blur_ posted...

Those ones can be a pain, and I think I looked up a couple (Pichu I remember specifically), but that's not even what I was referring to! The absolute "must Google" one is Manaphy who you get at the end of the quest "The Sea's Legend." Those RNG ones don't compare to the absurdity of it

Oh that one, yeah you're absolutely right about that. I had already looked up a guide for that one earlier in the game as I was never going to get that quest. Which makes sense, considering the way you're "supposed" to solve it...that was ridiculous from the developers. :')

Wuppo - Super Deluxe Edition (PS4)

What an odd little game. Unfortunately I tired of it around hour 5 and just made a beeline for the end of the game. There's a whole major area I didn't even bother checking out. There's a lot to sink your teeth into here if you're about it, though.

You'll never guess what's been keeping me up these past 2 weeks. Fuckin Powerwash Simulator (PC) which I initially started as a joke because I don't have friends to play on with this thing. Then it got interesting. Then boring. And I don't know I just couldn't play anything else but this soul sucking madness.

One thing to say is that this game had no right having a story but they did it anyway because why not. And it wasn't slapdash either. They incorporated some deep lore and hidden twists into the background behind why you do what you do. Still stupid though.

"mind scanners" is awesome. great story balanced by silly gameplay. more hopeful than papers, please

"operator" on humble was a big fat disappointment. why show 10 missions on the initial mission screen if there's only one?

Final Fantasy Record Keeper (iOS)

I've now beaten all bosses that the global version is going to get before shutting down on the 29th, so I'll call this a beated game

Final Fantasy VII (PS4, the original game)

My first ever playthrough of FFVII, although I did play through the Midgar portion already years ago. Such a long time before I got around to it, but now I can finally say I've played FFVII.

I find it nearly impossible to make up my mind about this one. In some ways, it is one of my favorite Final Fantasy games, in other ways, it shows its age too much and it has story problems (but to be fair, almost every JRPG does, so I can't really fault FFVII more than other JRPGs).

Honestly, from the games I have beaten in the series, it's hard to say which ones I truly enjoyed more. The only certain one is 7. 9 and 12 are close, I guess I have a soft spot for 12. 6 would be, but I have never actually beaten it. 1, 3, 4, 5, 10-2, 13 and 15 are all below 7 for me. Haven't played 2 or 8 yet. So that leaves it as a top 5 FF, despite finding some things not hold up well.

I would say the start of the game is great. I love the setting. After that, it becomes a little more generic, but it's still pretty good with some great setpieces even now. It has quite interesting characters and simple but effective lore/world building. However, the way those parts are presented and even some of the elements used to explain what happens or happened to whom are not always that elegant and it feels like the game is a bit ambitious for its time. The small text boxes can only do so much and it shows in some of the unexplained, convoluted or downright illogical story elements. I also feel like the translation is bad, even considering I don't know Japanese and even ignoring the spelling/grammatical errors, because some of the dialogue flows absolutely horribly.

Gameplay? Mixed bag as well. Materia system feels both fun and problematic. Some of the forced and gimmicky 3D minigames are just tacked on to showcase what they could do, but they don't hold up well I feel. At least this version has some QoL additions to make it less slow and sluggish, a thing that is welcome in every PS1 FF.

Overall, it is at least a memorable title. The story, characters and world building are all flawed but gripping at the same time (moreso than a lot of games in this series). Also, it definitely increased the scope of the series and modernised the setting while keeping the fantasy as well. And man, I'm LIVING for that boss music.

I don't know what score to give it in 2022. I think it has enough of its own identity in the series and is actually more enjoyable to play than FFIX I feel (which was too slow and rigid for its own good despite a lot of the other elements being fantastic). I'll have to go with a 9/10. I can definitely see how good it must have been in 1997 and in terms of gameplay and story I would say it holds up fine compared to the rest of the series.