Board 8 > Jan. Game of the Month Club ft. Wonderful, Psychonauts, PixelJunk, and Mass Eff.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Januarys Games:
The Wonderful 101 (PC/PS4/Switch/Wii U/Luna)
Psychonauts 2 (PC/XB1/PS4)
PixelJunk Shooter 2 (PC/PS4/PS3/Vita)

Games of the Month of the Year:
Mass Effect (PC/XB1/PS4/360/PS3)
Mass Effect 2 (PC/XB1/PS4/360/PS3)
Mass Effect 3 (PC/XB1/PS4/360/PS3/Wii U)

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 on the 25th
- If you periodically keep us posted on your progress and/or talk about different aspects of the games, then everyone will obviously think you are super awesome!

Nomination Rules
- You get one nomination automatically each month
- You receive additional nominations each month for every featured 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 featured game after the drawing for next month's games but before the end of the month
- You have 9 supports you can use throughout the year. Your only limitations are that you can't support your own nomination, and you can only use one support per game per month

Just-for-Fun Top 20 Standings
KCF - 159
gameking - 116
ArkOfTurus - 99
Mr Crispy - 93
Lolo Guru - 70
Cody - 57
KnightOfNee - 35
MegamanX - 28
ViolentAbacus - 25
Wickle - 25
Arti - 23
scarletspeed - 23
FakeAccount - 21
Seanchan - 19
darkx - 18
GreatPaul - 17
Fenny - 16
MZero - 16
Suprak the Stud - 14
tazzyboy - 14

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

Additional noms this month
Ark x2
KCF

The Wonderful 101 is on sale for $18 USD for Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190400/The_Wonderful_101_Remastered/

The Wonderful 101 is on sale for $18 USD for PS4
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP2522-CUSA18780_00-THEWONDERFUL101R

The Wonderful 101 is on PS Plus Extra

The Wonderful 101 is on sale for $18 USD for Switch
https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/the-wonderful-101-remastered-switch/

Psychonauts 2 is on sale for $20.39 USD for Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/607080/Psychonauts_2/

Psychonauts 2 is on Game Pass for console and PC

Psychonauts 2 is on sale for $19.80 USD for XB1
https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/psychonauts-2/9nbr2vxt87sj

Psychonauts 2 is on sale for $20.39 USD for PS4
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10002422/

PixelJunk Shooter 2 (the second half of Ultimate) is on sale for $1 for Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/332330/PixelJunk_Shooter_Ultimate/

Xbox sale ends on the 3rd, Steam on the 5th, eShop on the 6th, and PSN on the 7th

Tag

Probably nothing for me this month unless I hop into Mass Effect.

I'd recommend playing the duology. Pixeljunk Shooter I mean.

Oh, I forgot to post the Mass Effect stuff:

Mass Effect Legendary Edition, the remastered versions of the trilogy, is on sale for the following platforms:
$15 USD on Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1328670/Mass_Effect_Legendary_Edition/

$15 USD on EA Store
https://www.ea.com/games/mass-effect/mass-effect-legendary-edition/buy/pc

$15 USD on Xbox One/S/X
https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/mass-effect-legendary-edition/9pkwht7g60wq

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is currently on EA Play, Game Pass Ultimate (via EA Play), and Playstation Plus (I'm seeing that you have to claim it by noon ET on January 3rd of 2023 on Playstation). The original versions of the three games are also on EA Play/GPU.

I'll probably go ahead and finish Pixeljunk Shooter even though I didn't enjoy it very much.

Is there any significant differences in w101 on the wii u vs. the switch? I have both but don't know which one I should play. If it's a game that has a fair amount of touch screen stuff I'd probably play it on the wii u.

I don't remember enjoying doing the touch screen stuff on the Wii U, but it could just be that I was terrible at the game...

The Switch is a touch screen too and a better one, so I'd imagine playing on Switch would be better?

I only ever used the Pro controller on the Switch, so never had to use the touchscreen.

I've finished the first half of Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate, aka Shooter 1... Not going for a 100% run, just doing the best I can and moving forward.

I've gone through a couple of the worlds/levels in Psychonauts 2. From a pure gameplay perspective, everything seems to be a step up from the original (It has been roughly 15 year since I played that). However, none of the levels have come remotely close to how awesome Milkman Conspiracy, Velvetopia, or Waterloo World were. Maybe it gets better around the middle.

Bought Pixeljunk. Not sure if I'll get around to playing it. I want to give Wonderful 101 another chance, but I'm not sure if I'll be inspired to get my Wii U/buy it again. Played the Mass Effect series pretty recently, but I do kind of want to try an incompetent Shepard run.

Finished Episode 4 of Shooter. Significantly more difficult. I felt like I was getting one shot a lot. Very aggravating to be 3 seconds away from finishing and then have to do an area all over again.

One more stage left in Shooter. Had to go back to the earlier, easier episodes to get some extra gems to unlock that level. Thankfully you only have to collect the gems you missed, so I was able to breeze through them pretty quick.

I will NOT be going for 100% here

KCF0107 posted...

I've gone through a couple of the worlds/levels in Psychonauts 2. From a pure gameplay perspective, everything seems to be a step up from the original (It has been roughly 15 year since I played that). However, none of the levels have come remotely close to how awesome Milkman Conspiracy, Velvetopia, or Waterloo World were. Maybe it gets better around the middle.

Psychonauts 1 really had some rough patches as a game but the sheer creativity and atmosphere was like noting else..even the final level was a cool unique concept despite being a pain in the ass to play..

Hmm, maybe I should play through at least some of the original before I get to 2. I havent played it since it came out, though I still remember some of the levels.

Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate BEATED!

I ended up collecting just north of 400 gems but I have no inclination to collect them all and unlock the bonus stage.

I think my feelings on both games are generally the same as they were from playing them back when they came out. The first (Episodes 1-3) is much easier and more fun. The second (Episodes 4-6) is significantly harder and has a lot more going on but it can sometimes be enormously frustrating. The bosses in particular in 2, are long, challenging, multi-part duels. I'm glad I saved a shield for the last part of the Episode 6 boss, so I could strafe in place rather than needing to continually circle him.

These middle levels in Psychonauts 2 are a significant step up. They are a lot more imaginative in terms of aesthetics and gameplay to a lesser extent, but other than Compton's Cookoff, everything seems to be settling into the good-to-very good tier. Until I see some elevation, my favorite non-Cookoff part might be exploring outside of the base.

I also started PixelJunk Shooter for like sixth time, and it is as awesome as I remember it. I have gone through one area now. In the essence of time, I might immediately go to the final level in an area once I unlock it, but I don't know if I will always meet the treasure requirements that way. I honestly don't know what they are because I have always done every level before going to the area's final one before, and I almost always get every treasure or miss no more than two.

I'm going to be leaving for almost a week starting on Sunday, so I won't be playing either of those two games, but I might bring my Switch to start Wonderful 101.

Pseudo bump

Ive been replaying the original Psychonauts.

Finished the original Psychonauts via Game Pass.

I have to say, even if it's just up-rezed, the first one still holds up graphically fairly well. Cutscenes are still standard def though.

In terms of gameplay, it's still very playable, even if it does feel like an older game. There was always a certain amount of "jank" to the platforming and while it's bothersome it's mostly something that you can overlook, outside of the nightmare that is the Meat Circus. The only issue I had playing on the Series X was trying to remember that the old black and white buttons are mapped to left and right bumper.

Of course, the main pull of the game is the humor, characters, and world. And it shines there from the very jump. As people have already noted though, all the most memorable stages (Lungfishopolis, Milkman Conspiracy, Waterloo World, Velvetopia) are in the second half of the game.

If anyone else decides to replay it, SAVE BEFORE FREEING LILY! Stupidly, the game creates an autosave AFTER the "point of no return", so you can't return to the camp and clean up anything you missed.

I was going to take a break before jumping into the sequel but then I jumped right in...

IMMEDIATELY I realize how much better Psychonauts 2 is in feel and controls. Everything just feels so much smoother and more fluid than in the original (and I don't think it's just because of framerate). Plus, powers like telekinesis work so much more intuitively.

The visuals threw me off a bit. The character designs are a little "off kilter" and seeing them all high resolution and extra detailed seems a little weird. But I've gotten used to it.

The game continues with a lot of the concepts from the original such as figments, emotional baggage (much faster collection animation thankfully), vaults, etc. The censor enemies are back as well (so far). It also throws a lot of the old powers right back into the mix immediately, which is good.

I brought but never ended up playing my Switch while away for five days and seeing as I just got back yesterday after being gone for like five days, the only progress I have made is with Psychonauts 2. I made it to a new hub world and have nearly gone through two levels (currently on Bob's). I'm not sure how much of the game is left (it has felt a little long), but I am convinced at this point that Compton's Cookoff is the outlier in terms of unique design. The others have mostly been very good platforming, but after the levels from the original I mentioned before, I was expecting more along the lines of Cookoff. I'm not sure how I am going to feel in the end, but being disappointed while still thinking the game is very good/great is looking likely at this point.

KCF has beaten Psychonauts 2

I have probably said this every time when talking about the game, but the "not as creative but improves upon just about everything from the original" is still my takeaway. Whether I like it or the original more is something that would require a replay or the first.

One thing that I want to nitpick that I don't think that I mentioned is that games that have lots of linear and open-world segments I can find to be a little obnoxious due to the former locking me out of the latter whenever it feels like it and also just a general sense of being unable to fully get into a groove. There were times when I unlocked an ability I could use elsewhere but oops I have to wait an hour or even hours.

I will still beat PJS2, but it is looking iffy I will get around to Wonderful 101 if I still plan on doing at least one of the Replay games. For now, I will nominate:

Blacksad: Under the Skin
Shakedown: Hawaii
Underhero

I've been working on episode 4 of Pixeljunk Shooter (despite hating it because of all the big euro shooter energy it's got going on barf).

I'm pretty sure they somehow managed to make the last level of episode 4 unwinnable in the vita version, since unless I'm missing something or it's possible to get another shield powerup you can't move the ship fast enough to get out of the way of the falling rocks in the narrow tunnel. (maybe you could do it if you entered the section with the shield, get hit with the first rock, go back for the powerup so you can get past the second rock, I didn't want to start the level over again to try it)

I had to download the ps4 version to get past that part.

finished off the fourth episode of pixeljunk shooter.

also did stage 1a in w101. it's not really hard... but there's so much going on onscreen that I keep getting hit more than I really should. >_>

I have beaten PixelJunk Shooter! Now it's time to tackle the second one...

Psychonauts 2 beated (100% too)!

Overall a great game, and much improved on the original because it's simply more fun to control despite still having a few annoyances. I think I'd find it hard to go backwards and play the original now.

I agree that the levels aren't necessarily as creative in structure as the original. But there are still fine levels and variety at play here, and more important, the levels fit much better into the structure of the story. In the original, it felt like they came up with level ideas first and then stuck them on random asylum people.

I also think those most famous Psychonauts levels are a little overrated. Milkman Conspiracy is just an adventure level where you have to find the right "key" to unlock the next "door", and it was a bit frustrating when a few of those were a little obtuse. Velvetopia has a cool look, but it's not actually too fun to play. The timing is tight sometimes on avoiding the bull, plus, the FOUR battles against the lucha libre wrestlers was a bit much when it's essentially the same fight.

Monthly Progress
Wonderful -
Psycho - KCF, Sean
PixelJunk - Sean

Nominations
Cody - Journey
KCF - Shakedown Hawaii, Underhero, Blacksad

Supports

Drawing on Wednesday

Mr_Crispy posted...

I've been working on episode 4 of Pixeljunk Shooter (despite hating it because of all the big euro shooter energy it's got going on barf).

I'm pretty sure they somehow managed to make the last level of episode 4 unwinnable in the vita version, since unless I'm missing something or it's possible to get another shield powerup you can't move the ship fast enough to get out of the way of the falling rocks in the narrow tunnel. (maybe you could do it if you entered the section with the shield, get hit with the first rock, go back for the powerup so you can get past the second rock, I didn't want to start the level over again to try it)

I had to download the ps4 version to get past that part.

Aw boo. I'm playing it on the Vita as well. I'll see if I get stuck on that part as well, but that is super annoying if it's the case.

Nominate:

Axiom Verge 2

and then we can all debate on whether the graphics are really bad or not

Kenri posted...

Nominate:

Axiom Verge 2

and then we can all debate on whether the graphics are really bad or not

It looks like a Game Gear game. Fun enough game but its still butt ugly.

Are Game Gear games known for looking bad? Tbh it was way ahead of its time graphically!

I'm not sure if "in reality" it looks like a Game Gear game. It's been a long while since I played one. There was just something about that game, even beyond the visuals, that made me think about Game Gear.

Beat The Wonderful 101

Incredibly fun despite me struggling for almost the entire game. Definitely took a while to get used to dealing with all the formations and I had trouble seeing what was going on at times due to how much could be on-screen at once. I was playing on PS5 and it got buggy at times for me like the game pausing by itself, some times where I couldn't get out of Unite Morph and some times where I got soft-locked when fighting bosses.

Nominate The Legend of Tianding and Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Support Journey

Beat Psychonauts 2

Hella great game there. Going for the Platinum now, almost done with that too.

Just beat PixelJunk Shooter (first one) so on to two! It is pretty decent. Nothing remarkable but I thought it was enjoyable enough, particularly the third chapter where things got a little more complex.

I doubt I'll finish PixelJunk by the end of the month. I meant to, but got addicted to DQ11.

I was going to nominate Like a Dragon: Ishin, but then realized it doesn't release until really late in February, so I'll save it for March.

Nominate Duke Nukem 3D

Support Chicory: A Colorful Tale

KCF has beaten PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate

I love coming back to this every few years. As I think I mentioned, I tried something different and attempted to beat this in as few levels necessary as possible, but the treasure requirement for the final level in an episode explodes in Episode 5. I was still able to beat it having not played any Episode 6 level except the first and last. I finished with 422 treasures.

On that note, possibly my biggest complaint about these games is that they use treasure for (arbitrary) end-of-episode requirement when thematically it makes far more sense to have survivors be the target. Given the heavy puzzle and methodical nature, these games are not a walk-in-the-park, and the treasures are more prone to having limited opportunity to grab them than the survivors, so beyond making more sense, it would be more fair to the player to have a survivor requirement if there has to be one.

I will make my final nom be Demon Turf

I will also go ahead and support Chicory

Monthly Progress
Wonderful - JONA
Psycho - KCF, Sean, Fake
PixelJunk - Sean, KCF

Nominations
Abacus - Duke Nukem 3D
Cody - Journey
JONA - Legend of Tianding, Chicory
KCF - Shakedown Hawaii, Underhero, Blacksad, Demon Turf
Kenri - Axiom Verge 2

Supports
Abacus - Chicory
JONA - Journey
KCF - Chicory

Drawing tomorrow

Hmm...nominations...

Black Mesa
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Epistory: Typing Chronicles

KCF0107 posted...

KCF has beaten PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate

I love coming back to this every few years. As I think I mentioned, I tried something different and attempted to beat this in as few levels necessary as possible, but the treasure requirement for the final level in an episode explodes in Episode 5. I was still able to beat it having not played any Episode 6 level except the first and last. I finished with 422 treasures.

On that note, possibly my biggest complaint about these games is that they use treasure for (arbitrary) end-of-episode requirement when thematically it makes far more sense to have survivors be the target. Given the heavy puzzle and methodical nature, these games are not a walk-in-the-park, and the treasures are more prone to having limited opportunity to grab them than the survivors, so beyond making more sense, it would be more fair to the player to have a survivor requirement if there has to be one.

Totally agree with that. The treasures tend to be not as fun to find and seem ancillary to the whole game honestly. It was weird to tie them into level requirements. I'm finding them anyway as I'm going for 100% but I would definitely be annoyed if I wasn't.

Seanchan posted...

Epistory: Typing Chronicles

Oh sure, I can beat this again, especially in a short month. Support

One sec about to nominate

Nominate
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
Nier: Replicant

Nominate: Chained Echoes

Support: Chicory, Nier: Replicant

WickIebee posted...

Oh sure, I can beat this again, especially in a short month. Support

It was just free on EGS so I figured, eh, why not!