Board 8 > The Great 2022 Video Game Challenge 2

(+) Yeah! (+)

Happy New Year! Good luck to everyone who participates in this.

Credit goes to tazzyboyishere for first starting this in 2016, and Robazoid for carrying the torch through 2020. Basically, there are 50 challenges outlined below that will require you to beat 52 games total. This isn't a competition and there's no prize for winning aside from a sense of accomplishment. This is just a fun thing to participate in while we all work through our video game libraries. It also gives us a place to discuss what we're playing. Feel free to join in!

Changes from last year:
I decided to combine the WRPG and JRPG categories as well as the FPS and third-person shooter categories. I feel like the lines have blurred with JRPG-esque games developed in the west and WRPG-esque games developed in Japan, and there's not much need to separate them. I don't feel the shooting categories need to be separated either, and a lot of games can switch between perspectives anyway. In their place, I added a category for indie games (surprised there wasn't one already!) and one for simulation games, two categories I feel like have seen a lot of growth in recent years. Of course, the Years categories have been moved forward by one year.

Rules:
- A single playthrough of a game can only be used for one challenge
- Use your own judgment to decide if game fits in a certain category
- Games started in 2021 or earlier are fine as long as they're finished in 2022
- Please add your own games to the spreadsheet linked to below, which anyone can edit
- When using the spreadsheet, please don't mess with checklists/tallies that aren't yours
- There's a tab listing favorite games in the spreadsheet if you need help with Challenge 42
- If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_UtEH3lbFCyMIbe_LKgvaL_2qug0-r2kAKh7nplxqeM/edit?usp=drivesdk

Challenges:

Years (5)
1. Beat a game released before 1992
2. Beat a game released between 1992-2001
3. Beat a game released between 2002-2011
4. Beat a game released between 2012-2021
5. Beat a game released in 2022

Series (4)
6. Beat a game in a completely new series
7. Beat a game in a series you've already played some of
8. Beat a spin-off or a game that rebooted a franchise
9. Beat a remake or enhanced port

Creators (4)
10. Beat a game made by a director/composer/artist/etc that you like
11. Beat a game made by a developer you like
12. Beat a game made by a developer you've never tried
13. Beat a game made by an indie developer

Genres (10)
14. Beat an RPG
15. Beat a puzzle game
16. Beat a rhythm game
17. Beat a shooting game
18. Beat a simulation game
19. Beat a platformer
20. Beat an action game
21. Beat a strategy game
22. Beat a fighting game
23. Beat a sports game

Themes (6)
24. Beat a game with romance as a central theme
25. Beat a game with horror as a central theme
26. Beat a game with revenge as a central theme
27. Beat a game with mystery as a central theme
28. Beat a game with the supernatural as a central theme
29. Beat a game with comedy as a central theme

Demographics (6)
30. Beat a game with a female lead
31. Beat a game with a child lead
32. Beat a game with a non-white lead
33. Beat a game with a robot/artificial lead
34. Beat a game with an animal lead
35. Beat a game with a lead that's from a fictional species

Time (4)
36. Beat a game that's been in your backlog for a long time
37. Beat a game you'd dropped or had a long hold on
38. Finish a game in one day
39. Finish a game that took you at least twenty-five hours to beat

Stats (3)
40. Beat a game with a Metascore below 70
41. Beat a game with a Metascore above 90
42. Beat another user's favorite game

Adaptation (3)
43. Beat a game based on licensed stories/characters
44. Beat a game that's been adapted into another medium
45. Beat a game that features historical events or people

Miscellaneous (5)
46. Beat a game you received for free or through a paid subscription service
47. Play a technically unbeatable game for at least six hours
48. Beat a game that starts with the first letter of your username
49. Choose a random page on TVTropes and beat something from the video game section
50-52. Beat three games in a series

Re-posting my TVTrope
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MergingMachine

Looks like it might be time to finish Mario + Rabbids or finally undertake Persona 5 (Royal)

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CoolAirship

29. Beat a game with comedy as a central theme

Reventure

47. Play a game that's technically unbeatable for at least six hours

Romancing SaGa Re; univerSe

2/52

Awesome! Excited to play along with you guys this year!

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IronButtmonkey

I'll have to see what Looney Tunes or Nickelodeon games I have on the shelf.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimationAnatomyAging

Probably replay Ocarina of Time or one of the KH games for this.

let's get started then

18. Beat a simulation game

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Producing Perfection

1/50

43. Beat a game based on licensed stories/characters
Guardians of the Galaxy (PS5)

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SlipknotPonytail

32. Beat a game with a non-white lead
Raji: An Ancient Epic

And also just finished another game:

30. Beat a game with a female lead
Jenny LeClue - Detectivu

2/52

Looks like my trope is going to be
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SpinOffspring

So any game where a main character of a game is the child of a previous game's main character? Sounds easy enough! Maybe I'll finally play Apollo Justice

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CarpetOfVirility

Haha nice. I've been planning on playing Punch-Out 09 for a while now so that'll do it.

28. Beat a game with the supernatural as a central theme
Phantasmagoria (1995, PC)

What a game! Finally got around to playing and beating this one.
I was a big fan of point 'n clicks back in the 90s and Sierra games.
The graphics and live action were a delight.
The puzzles were not too difficult. Exploring was fun.

Got really difficult on the final chapter though.
I was ripping my hair out trying to escape from Don.
I was missing items and couldn't for the life of me, find what I needed!

This game was banned in Australia due to the violence and rape scene.
Took me 6 hours to beat. Nice way to spend a lazy Sunday.
I didn't intend on finishing it so quickly, but I couldn't stop myself from playing!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/5/8/AAeuYYAACxL-.jpg

50. Beat three games in a series (First game)

Shovel Knight: Spectre of Torment

I think it's okay to count these as separate games? They're as long as the original, can be bought separately, and Treasure Trove bills itself as having 5 games.

3/52

50-52. Beat three games in a series

Have you guys put any thought into this one yet?
(ArkofTurus is going for the Knight series, as he just posted).
Curious to hear some others thoughts.
Even if it doesn't eventuate...

almost definitely Trails for me again this year

Reposting, unfortunately.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ADegreeInUseless

Three games on my someday list, but doubtful this'll be the year.

33. Beat a game with a robot/artificial lead

Inscryption

but since this is a virtual card game, would that count as a simulation game? Because I might move it over to that

43. Beat a game based on licensed stories/characters

Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne

47. Play a technically unbeatable game for at least six hours

Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage

3/50

8. Beat a spin-off or a game that rebooted a franchise
Jack Bros. (1995, Virtual Boy)

Oww... my eyes!!

60 floors of puzzles and combat in a race against time.
I chose to play as Jack Ripper, as his attack, although short range, is really powerful.
I found that the long range attacks are not helpful in some of the tight passageways.

This was the first time for me to play and beat this game.
Half the challenge was battling eye soreness and discomfort while playing.
But overall, really enjoyed the game a lot!

Jack Bros. is a spin-off from Atlus' video game series Megami Tensei.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/8/0/AAeuYYAACyMY.jpg

4. Beat a game released between 2012-2021
Hidden Through Time

47. Play a technically unbeatable game for at least six hours
Apex Legends

I forgot that I it's a new year, and I have to keep up with this

31. Beat a game with a child lead
Pokemon Shield

I actually liked it!

1/52

39. Finish a game that took you at least twenty-five hours to beat
Terraria

Lol at Turus already having a second list on the spreadsheet (I know it'll just be a holdover from last year but lol)

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StudentAndMasterTeam
I really think there should be way more games here than the ones listed... I've been meaning to play KOTOR2 for a while but the bugs/unfinished nature put me off (I don't have a PC), so hopefully they'll put a better version on Switch or something and I can do that. Or maybe I'll finally get around to Suikoden.

SpikeSetsFire posted...

Have you guys put any thought into this one yet?

Probably Final Fantasy for me again. I'm working through the series and there's enough entries left that shouldn't be hard to get.

46. Beat a game you received for free or through a paid subscription service
Firewatch

Will probably move this around later. I enjoyed this a great deal, the game's tone was perfect and the dialogue was great. A bit anticlimactic near the end, but I guess that's the point.

39. Finish a game that took you at least twenty-five hours to beat
Monster Sanctuary

Basically Pokemon crossed with a Metroidvania which I wasn't sold on at first, but once I figured out you actually need to put a strategy together I ended up blasting through it. Great game, even if I felt like the endgame was lacking a little.

21. Beat a strategy game

Into the Breach

50. Beat three games in a series (Second game)

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows

Shovel Knight was good. Spectre Knight was great. Plague Knight... I don't think I can say it was bad, but I didn't enjoy it at all. Would have dropped it if not for this topic/the sunk cost fallacy. Every fight was beyond trivial due to how many tools he had, but Plague Knight felt really awkward to control, making the platforming sections extremely frustrating to me. I'm pretty sure this isn't a common opinion, but it just didn't click with me.

5/52

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PracticallyJoker
well. we'll see what i pick for that

25. Beat a game with horror as a central theme
Inscryption

TheArkOfTurus posted...

Shovel Knight was good. Spectre Knight was great. Plague Knight... I don't think I can say it was bad, but I didn't enjoy it at all. Would have dropped it if not for this topic/the sunk cost fallacy. Every fight was beyond trivial due to how many tools he had, but Plague Knight felt really awkward to control, making the platforming sections extremely frustrating to me. I'm pretty sure this isn't a common opinion, but it just didn't click with me.

FWIW I think Plague is easily the worst campaign and I know I'm not alone on that, it's the least fun to control by far. The next campaign is a great return to form and very substantial (though nothing feels as smooth as Specter).

42. Beat another user's favorite game
Batman: Arkham Asylum

3/52

43. Beat a game based on licensed stories/characters

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series: The Final Season

26. Beat a game with revenge as a central theme
The Hex

46. Beat a game you received for free or through a paid subscription service

Dragon Fantasy: Volumes of Westeria

4/50

15. Beat a puzzle game

Sparkle 2

5/50

I'll play again, but i'm changing a bunch of the challenges to ones that suit my backlog better; same number though.

My random tropes page has more than 1 game i own this year! Yay!
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheDeadCanDance

EDIT: I tried to enter my name on the sheet but something weird happened and everything disappeared. Thank heck for "undo"!

Hit the ground running this year.

27. Beat a game with mystery as a central theme
Enigmatis 3: The Shadow of Karkhala

38. Finish a game in one day
Splatter: Zombiecalypse Now

7. Beat a game in a series you've already played some of
Hero of the Kingdom: The Lost Tales

24. Beat a game with romance as a central theme
Perky Little Things

12. Beat a game made by a developer you've never tried
Turbo Dismount

5. Beat a game released between 2020-2022
Milo and the Magpies

6/52

2. Beat a game released between 1992-2001
Super Mario 64

3. Beat a game released between 2002-2011
Resident Evil 0

38. Finish a game in one day
Sonic the Hedeghog 2

42. Beat another user's favorite game
Resident Evil: Remake

Might be able to do this, since games count that we started last year.

40. Beat a game with a Metascore below 70
The Academy: The First Riddle

4/52

32. Beat a game with a non-white lead

The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve

6/50

44. Beat a game that's been adapted into another medium

Hitman 3

I'm counting it; there's been plenty of Hitman adaptation

40. Beat a game with a Metascore below 70
Buzz! Master Quiz (PSP)

The score is 68, which is about right as i'd give the game a 7 too.

7/52

52. (Third game in the series)
Shovel Knight: King of Cards

andylt posted...

The next campaign is a great return to form and very substantial (though nothing feels as smooth as Specter).

It's close, but I think it might actually be my favorite. Needless to say, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Felt great to control, tons of charm, I liked the shorter, more varied levels, and it never wore out its welcome despite being quite a bit longer than the others. Not sure how much of that was Joustus (which I enjoyed, but maybe not as much as I was hoping to,) but it seems like it would have been longer even without that.

6/52

As someone who isn't really into simulation games and hasn't played one in a long time, what are some good recommendations to check out?

I feel like a lot of games belonging to more specific genres can double as sim games, such as numerous sports and racing games

I went looking to see which games in my Steam library counted as a simulation game. Apparently Into the Breach has it listed as part of its genre? Guess I can move that there, and stop worrying about it.

On that note, I recommend Into the Breach. Or FTL, FTL's great too.

HBJDubs posted...

As someone who isn't really into simulation games and hasn't played one in a long time, what are some good recommendations to check out?

Persona 5 imo

TheArkOfTurus posted...

I went looking to see which games in my Steam library counted as a simulation game. Apparently Into the Breach has it listed as part of its genre? Guess I can move that there, and stop worrying about it.

The meaning of simulation is subjective, it seems no dictionary or site can agree on whether or not it's a realistic imitation. One could claim Gameboy Tennis is a simulation of Tennis and have a dictionary definition to back them up in doing so. If you think something fits then that's good enough for the challenge!
---

Anyway.
46. Beat a game you received for free or through a paid subscription service
Hitman Sniper
8/52

22. Beat a fighting game

Shovel Knight Showdown

49. Choose a random page on TVTropes and beat something from the video game section

Final Fantasy X

Will this be the time I finally feel like playing more than like 3 hours of Final Fantasy X-2? Probably not, but I'll start it up anyway!

8/52

34. Beat a game with an animal lead
Chicory: A Colorful Tale

3/52

15. Beat a puzzle game
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

43. Beat a game based on licensed stories/characters
Batman: The Enemy Within

I think someone messed up the work someone put in to make the tally sheet automatically update because now my name is missing from that list when I was listed and being tracked maybe a week ago, and I get a warning sign that I could mess the script up when I try to manually add myself.

KCF0107 posted...

I think someone messed up the work someone put in to make the tally sheet automatically update because now my name is missing from that list when I was listed and being tracked maybe a week ago, and I get a warning sign that I could mess the script up when I try to manually add myself.

aw nuts

I'll fix it when I get home and make that sheet protected, so only the list sheet can be edited