Jan 2: Days Gone, PS5
Feb 27: Demon's Souls (2020), PS5
May 8: Deathloop, PS5
June 9: King of Fighters 15, PS5
July 4: Sonic Mania, PS4
July 16: Dragon Quest 11S Definitive Edition, PS4
July 22: God of War (2018), PS5
Aug 10: Elden Ring, PS5
Aug 15: Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, PS5
Aug 21: Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, PS5
Sept 6: The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, PS4
Sept 6: What Remains of Edith Finch, PS5
Sept 16: Dead Cells, PS4
Sept 22: A Plague Tale - Innocence, PS5
Oct 16: Hades, PS5
Oct 16: Death's Gambit, PS4
Nov 15: Dishonored - Death of the Outsider, PS4
Dec 13: Saints Row The Third Remastered, PS5
I picked this up on a recent PSN sale for $8 because a friend who recently acquired a PS5 wanted to find something co-op to play and I actually enjoyed it more now than when I first played it on the Xbox 360. I also played the DLC for the first time.
Normally, I don't enjoy games that are marketed as being funny, like Borderlands for example. However, I think this game worked for me because as ridiculous as so many of the scenarios were, the characters almost always took things seriously. I mean, there were definitely points when the characters were knocking on the fourth wall, but I don't think they ever kicked it down completely. Also, I normally don't love Family Guy-style "Hey Lois, remember when..." references, but again I think they worked here. When the game made references to other films or tv or other games, it wasn't highlighted. It was up to you as the player to recognize them.
Anyhow, SR The Third is solidly my second favorite of the series. My favorite still remains, and I know this is probably blasphemy to many Saints Row fans, Saints Row IV.
Games Completed 2022
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Indiana747
- Member
- Posts: 1042
- Joined: September 3rd, 2012, 5:17 pm
Re: Games Completed 2022
(Jan) Terminator Resistance(platinum) - PS5.
(Jan) Call of Duty: Cold War - Series X.
(Jan) Dishonored 2 - PS5.
(Jan) Aliens: Fireteam Elite - Series X.
(May) State of Decay 2 - Series X.
(June) Chorus - Series X.
(June) Shadow Warrior 3 - PS5.
(June) TMNT: Shredders Revenge - Series X.
(July) TMCC: Halo Reach - Series X.
(July) The Dark Pictures: Little Hope - PS5.
(July) Tiny Tina's Wonderlands - Series X.
(July) Far Cry 6 - Series X.
(July) Road 96(1000GS) - Series X.
(July) Trek to Yomi - Series X.
(July) Stray - PS5.
(July) Toy Soldiers: Cold War - Xbox 360.
(Aug) Avicii Invector - PS5.
(Sept) GRID Legends - Series X.
(Sept) Crossfire X(1000GS) - Series X.
(Sept) Metal Hellsinger - Series X.
(Oct) Bayonetta Remaster - Series X.
(Oct) Prodeus - Series X.
(Oct) Battle Islands - Series X.
(Oct) Tinykin - Series X.
(Oct) New Super Lucky's Tale - Series X.
(Oct) Dead Space 2 - Xbox 360.
(Oct) Scorn(1000GS) - Series X.
(Oct) Uncharted 4: LoTC - PS5.
(Oct) Final Fantasy VII Remake - PS5.
(Oct) Modern Warfare II - Series X.
(Nov) Somerville(1000GS) - Series X.
(Nov) As Dusk Falls - Series X.
(Nov) CoD Vanguard - Series X.
(Dec) The Callisto Protocol - Series X.
(Jan) Call of Duty: Cold War - Series X.
(Jan) Dishonored 2 - PS5.
(Jan) Aliens: Fireteam Elite - Series X.
(May) State of Decay 2 - Series X.
(June) Chorus - Series X.
(June) Shadow Warrior 3 - PS5.
(June) TMNT: Shredders Revenge - Series X.
(July) TMCC: Halo Reach - Series X.
(July) The Dark Pictures: Little Hope - PS5.
(July) Tiny Tina's Wonderlands - Series X.
(July) Far Cry 6 - Series X.
(July) Road 96(1000GS) - Series X.
(July) Trek to Yomi - Series X.
(July) Stray - PS5.
(July) Toy Soldiers: Cold War - Xbox 360.
(Aug) Avicii Invector - PS5.
(Sept) GRID Legends - Series X.
(Sept) Crossfire X(1000GS) - Series X.
(Sept) Metal Hellsinger - Series X.
(Oct) Bayonetta Remaster - Series X.
(Oct) Prodeus - Series X.
(Oct) Battle Islands - Series X.
(Oct) Tinykin - Series X.
(Oct) New Super Lucky's Tale - Series X.
(Oct) Dead Space 2 - Xbox 360.
(Oct) Scorn(1000GS) - Series X.
(Oct) Uncharted 4: LoTC - PS5.
(Oct) Final Fantasy VII Remake - PS5.
(Oct) Modern Warfare II - Series X.
(Nov) Somerville(1000GS) - Series X.
(Nov) As Dusk Falls - Series X.
(Nov) CoD Vanguard - Series X.
(Dec) The Callisto Protocol - Series X.
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Magical_Isopod
- Member
- Posts: 993
- Joined: May 29th, 2018, 11:57 pm
- Location: London, ON, Canada
Re: Games Completed 2022
#17 - Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022, Switch)
The biggest game I played this year is finally over, and my feeling is a resounding "meh".
Xenoblade 3, to be clear, is a very good game. If you are playing it strictly for the combat, the world building, the music, that stuff... You'll be a happy camper.
But the story is where this one really fails to stick the landing. It's well told, with great cinematics, acting, and set pieces. But the overall story, the force that should drive the game forward... It's just kind of a mess. Tone is not consistent, lots of questions go unanswered, and without going into spoilers, the game sets up some pins and fails to knock them down. The pacing is odd too - they spend great amounts of time focusing on characters that wind up having a minor impact on the plot, but major story beats are waved off as unimportant and the player is hurried through.
The priority of the characters is constantly shifting too, and main character Noah is intensely frustrating and inconsistent, as he's wise in some moments but an oblivious dummy in others. I found Noah to be an intensely unlikeable protagonist overall, and I was waiting for him to grow on me... Never really happened.
Xenoblade 2, for perspective, is my favourite in the series. That game is focused. You know what characters want (not you, Jin), you know what the goals are, you know why you're chasing the ending. You care about these folks, you want to be along with them on the journey.
In XC3, I was never completely clear on what the goals were. It was all over the place. You could simultaneously cut like 40 hours out of the story and still arrive at the same point, but it also fes like it needs another 20 hours of development to make its point.
Alright, enough negativity. The story was a huge disappointment for me. But what's good here?
Graphics and art direction: The Switch is a potato, but this game looks great. It's not trying to be a PS5 game, of course not, but it looks fantastic in its own right.
Music: While the soundtrack is up and down and overall not as strong as XC1 and 2, it's still fantastic, and it was criminally snubbed for awards this year.
Gameplay loop: It honestly never gets boring. I don't understand what's happening mechanically sometimes, but it's fun to look at!
But yeah. Overall, I can't recommend this one to everyone. If you demand a strong story, you won't find it here. It has its moments and emotional highs, but the complete package feels undercooked. But if you play your RPGs for the systems and mechanics, I think you'll have a good time.
&iso2022
The biggest game I played this year is finally over, and my feeling is a resounding "meh".
Xenoblade 3, to be clear, is a very good game. If you are playing it strictly for the combat, the world building, the music, that stuff... You'll be a happy camper.
But the story is where this one really fails to stick the landing. It's well told, with great cinematics, acting, and set pieces. But the overall story, the force that should drive the game forward... It's just kind of a mess. Tone is not consistent, lots of questions go unanswered, and without going into spoilers, the game sets up some pins and fails to knock them down. The pacing is odd too - they spend great amounts of time focusing on characters that wind up having a minor impact on the plot, but major story beats are waved off as unimportant and the player is hurried through.
The priority of the characters is constantly shifting too, and main character Noah is intensely frustrating and inconsistent, as he's wise in some moments but an oblivious dummy in others. I found Noah to be an intensely unlikeable protagonist overall, and I was waiting for him to grow on me... Never really happened.
Xenoblade 2, for perspective, is my favourite in the series. That game is focused. You know what characters want (not you, Jin), you know what the goals are, you know why you're chasing the ending. You care about these folks, you want to be along with them on the journey.
In XC3, I was never completely clear on what the goals were. It was all over the place. You could simultaneously cut like 40 hours out of the story and still arrive at the same point, but it also fes like it needs another 20 hours of development to make its point.
Alright, enough negativity. The story was a huge disappointment for me. But what's good here?
Graphics and art direction: The Switch is a potato, but this game looks great. It's not trying to be a PS5 game, of course not, but it looks fantastic in its own right.
Music: While the soundtrack is up and down and overall not as strong as XC1 and 2, it's still fantastic, and it was criminally snubbed for awards this year.
Gameplay loop: It honestly never gets boring. I don't understand what's happening mechanically sometimes, but it's fun to look at!
But yeah. Overall, I can't recommend this one to everyone. If you demand a strong story, you won't find it here. It has its moments and emotional highs, but the complete package feels undercooked. But if you play your RPGs for the systems and mechanics, I think you'll have a good time.
&iso2022
Re: Games Completed 2022
DEC - Fight Night Champion (Xbox)Alex79 wrote: ↑February 16th, 2022, 7:37 pmJAN - Universal Paperclips (Android)
JAN - Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox)
JAN - Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons (Switch)
JAN - Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (Xbox)
JAN - Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox)
JAN - Halo Infinite (Xbox)
JAN - Hitman (Xbox)
FEB - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Nintendo DS)
FEB - Max Payne 2 (Xbox)
FEB - The Walking Dead: 400 Days (Xbox)
FEB - Hyper Sentinel (Switch)
FEB - It Takes Two (Xbox)
FEB - Overboard! (Android)
APR - Hollow Knight (Switch)
APR - Sagebrush (Switch)
APR - Saints Row IV (Switch)
APR - Sonic The Hedgehog (Genesis on Switch)
APR - Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox)
APR - WarioWare: Get It Together! (Switch)
MAY - Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Arcade on Xbox)
MAY - Super Mario 3D World (Switch)
MAY - You Must Build A Boat (Android)
MAY - Untitled Goose Game (Switch)
JUN - The Secret Of Monkey Island (PC-CD on Android)
JUN - Street Fighter (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (Switch)
JUN - Super Street Fighter II (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter Alpha (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Switch)
JUN - Disco Elysium (Switch)
JUL - Portal (Switch)
JUL - Poinpy (Android)
JUL - Dishonored: Definitive Edition (Xbox)
JUL - Portal: Still Alive (Switch)
AUG - X-Com 2 (Switch)
SEP - Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck's Revenge (PC on Android)
SEP - Grid Legends: Story Mode (Xbox)
SEP - Batman: Arkham Knight (Xbox)
OCT - X-Com 2: War Of The Chosen (Switch)
OCT - Curse Of Monkey Island (PC on Android)
OCT - Dark Souls: Remastered (Switch)
NOV - Mafia: Definitive Edition (Xbox)
Really seem to have tailed off from finishing games over the last few months. I'm midway through 4 or 5 huge open world games and spend a couple of weeks with each of them before switching to another.
Anyway... I'll continue to play through Fight Night Champion every now and then until EA pull their finger out and release a new installment in the series. I enjoyed the UFC games, but they're not the same. Imagine what a new boxing game could look like now, it would be amazing. Still hoping this eSports Boxing game comes out at some point and is basically a new Fight Night game with the full spectrum punch control on the right stick. And if not, I suppose we still have Fight Night Champion!
Re: Games Completed 2022
- Spoiler: show
I think Magical Isopod was spot on with their review and just wanted to second that it is a worthwhile play through. Pacing is an issue and the story could have been served with an opening that developed the characters more before being thrown into the horror elements. It's got Nicholas Cage Wicker Man vibes which you might think is a bad thing, but I enjoyed
Dec - Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (PS Vita)
I decided to give this a go on my Vita and really enjoyed it. I felt like the reviews and consensus on this wasn't positive but I'm not really sure why...of note I haven't played any of the other Arkham games and maybe people were just disappointed in comparison or fatigued of Batman games at this point? This is Batman as a 2D Metroid game and was made by some of the Metroid Prime team that came over from Retro. Another good short game!
Also, downloaded the update to the Witcher 3 and started a Deathmarch playthrough and just arrived at the Bloody Baron. I haven't touched it since I completed the DLC 5 years ago and damn does this game suck you in. All the updates are much appreciated with the 60 fps, haptics, and 3D audio but it will always be the characters and dialogue that I come for. I think I should go finish Ragnarok though (think I'm about half way) and then really just commit to another playthrough.
Re: Games Completed 2022
Played it twice and I think it's a solid 7/10. Pretty decent game hampered by some boring, excessive backtracking (even for a Metroidvania) and possibly the worst map in any game I've ever played. (Well ok, second worst after Fez). But overall, I thought it was fun enough. I'd probably knock another point off if it wasn't Batman and was just a generic character.Pconpi wrote: ↑December 19th, 2022, 5:52 pm
Dec - Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (PS Vita)
I decided to give this a go on my Vita and really enjoyed it. I felt like the reviews and consensus on this wasn't positive but I'm not really sure why...of note I haven't played any of the other Arkham games and maybe people were just disappointed in comparison or fatigued of Batman games at this point? This is Batman as a 2D Metroid game and was made by some of the Metroid Prime team that came over from Retro. Another good short game!
Re: Games Completed 2022
Yes, all fair critiques. The map is maddening with the 2.5D aspect. Is that hallway underneath me? To the right? And I had tedious backtrack moments where I thought "ain't no way the fastest way out of here is just going back the way I came". But it was Batman and I thought the comic book cutscenes were fun, I loved zipping around with the batclaw, and enjoyed the boss fights.Alex79 wrote: ↑December 19th, 2022, 5:58 pm Played it twice and I think it's a solid 7/10. Pretty decent game hampered by some boring, excessive backtracking (even for a Metroidvania) and possibly the worst map in any game I've ever played. (Well ok, second worst after Fez). But overall, I thought it was fun enough. I'd probably knock another point off if it wasn't Batman and was just a generic character.
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Jon Cheetham
- Member
- Posts: 524
- Joined: October 29th, 2019, 12:49 pm
- Location: Singapore
- Contact:
Re: Games Completed 2022
13. A Plague Tale - Requiem (Series X, Game Pass) - 19th DecJon Cheetham wrote: ↑November 1st, 2022, 5:30 am 1. Dark Souls Remastered (Switch) - 3rd Jan
2. Pyre (Steam) - 10th Jan
3. Disco Elysium (Switch) - 17th Jan
4. Deathloop (Steam) - 24 Jan
5. The Forgotten City (Steam) - 13 Feb
6. The Solitaire Conspiracy (Switch) - 14 Feb
7. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4) - 19 Feb
8. A Short Hike (Switch) - 22 Feb
9. Elden Ring (PS4) - 10 April
10. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: Expansions and DLC (PS4) - 22 Oct
11. Resident Evil Village: Shadows of Rose (PS4) - 31 Oct
12. Gears 5 (Series X, Game Pass) - 8th Dec
I adored this game. I downloaded it just to have a go as I had never played the first one, and ended up absolutely caning through it in a week. The gameplay is quite simple really - you sneak around staying in cover and if you get spotted you have a slingshot and a few limited tools to fend off 14th Century France's many hostile guards. In other sections you need to use your little repertoire of tools to light yourself a safe path through the series' banner feature, immense hordes of rats. This is where I've been seeing something I never have on a game console before - actual tidal waves of up to 300,000 animated rats, bursting through floors, toppling buildings, turning streets and towns into seething carpets of fetid fur and tiny gleaming eyes. The effect is astonishing, and as you progress you get more opportunities to turn this overwhelming mass of rodents to your advantage. The best weapon in the game is the extinguis shot with your sling, dousing a guard's torch so that seconds later he is swarmed and picked to the bone by all those furry land piranhas.
Although the play is nowhere near as expressive as something like Thief, it did remind me of the different arrows you use to traverse those levels. It also reminded me a bit of the excellent Shadow Tactics, as you get various companions with different abilities - like a brawny soldier who can take on the enemies with a sword and shield while you act as support, and a loveable rogue pirate lady who can refract the light from fires to open more paths through the rats.
There were a couple of sections that felt like they were just pass/ fail, with instant failure for being spotted or very specific ways to overcome a tough enemy that you just had to rinse and repeat until done. Quite a few crate/ cart pushing puzzles as well which feels very dated. Nothing egregious though and certainly nothing that harmed my enjoyment.
What hooked me though was the narrative.
The story is gripping in the way a good TV drama is, a sweeping saga of two young children fighting for survival during the rat plague and searching for a cure for little Hugo. Events take a supernatural turn - this isn't historical fiction so much as dark fantasy horror, but it is grounded in human stakes with big sister Amicia's depthless devotion to Hugo as she fights off a cruel and plague-ridden world to try and give him a chance at life. I did find the story very sad and depressing, and it really punched me in the gut a couple of times - it isn't a jolly hang. But I found it impossible to put down.
It is elevated by splendid performances by the voice cast particularly for Amicia De Rune. There were points in the story where her emotive performance just ruined me. Hugo is a tiny boy and her charge, but she herself is still only a child - a fact that the writing and the performance reminds you of while still showing what a stout defender Amicia becomes, and the way Leopoldine Serre drew out all those elements was so impressive. I should say, I played this with French audio so I'm talking about the French actors, but I understand the English VO is well regarded too. I just thought it was extra enthralling with the French dub and I really recommend it for maximum immersion.
The audio is immaculate (no pun intended) across the board. I have liked Olivier Deriviere since Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Freedom Cry, and always enjoy his work, but this is the best thing he's done. Haunting strings, mournful choirs and heartbreaking acoustic guitars, an absolute feast for the ears with many individual tracks I would have written into Sound of Play with back in the good old days.
In terms of visuals this game is not just stunningly gorgeous, with its vistas of the French countryside and lovingly rendered medieval towns, but features inventive and even fantastical art direction. I won't spoil anything, but there is one particular reveal later on that is so incredible, so metal, that it had my jaw on the floor. If you play this game just to see a series of amazing views and landscapes and gorgeous building interiors then it will be worth it just for that. I took more photo mode snaps than I have for years. The character models are also terrific, the most lifelike and detailed I have seen, particularly for protagonist Amicia and the burly Arnaud. Arnaud's facial hair and craggy brows are really something! I also thought the animations added weight to the melancholy of the narrative, the way Hugo throws his arms round Amicia's neck when she carries him and the way these two kids look at each other when they're talking. They really are all each other have and the whole game is triumphant in how it always brings you back to that central familial bond.
Maybe one day I'll try the original, but after that ending I need to sit with this a while. It's one I won't soon forget.
Re: Games Completed 2022
I just assumed I would've needed to have played the first game to play this but it appears that's not the case. I'll add it to my list.
Re: Games Completed 2022
I thought they did a decent job of aping the Arkham combat on a 2.5D plane, but ultimately I didn't finish it due to the stealth sections frustrating me too much and finding the boss battles to be a chore. After my umpteenth attempt at one of the bosses I ultimately gave up.Alex79 wrote: ↑December 19th, 2022, 5:58 pmPlayed it twice and I think it's a solid 7/10. Pretty decent game hampered by some boring, excessive backtracking (even for a Metroidvania) and possibly the worst map in any game I've ever played. (Well ok, second worst after Fez). But overall, I thought it was fun enough. I'd probably knock another point off if it wasn't Batman and was just a generic character.Pconpi wrote: ↑December 19th, 2022, 5:52 pm
Dec - Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (PS Vita)
I decided to give this a go on my Vita and really enjoyed it. I felt like the reviews and consensus on this wasn't positive but I'm not really sure why...of note I haven't played any of the other Arkham games and maybe people were just disappointed in comparison or fatigued of Batman games at this point? This is Batman as a 2D Metroid game and was made by some of the Metroid Prime team that came over from Retro. Another good short game!
Re: Games Completed 2022
13. Evil West
Do not sleep on this game! Gameplay wise it is the most fun I have had with a game this year. It is like a third person Doom mixed with God of War. The exploration is pretty basic and the story and characters were pretty average and it can even get a bit repetitive towards the end when it just chucks more enemies at you, but ultimately I didn't care as I was having too much fun. When you're playing a game like this and you're coming up to an area you just know is a combat section and you might let out a groan, well here I was delighted to see a combat area. The upgrade progression path is super satisfying so that by the end you feel like a badass. An absolute treat that took me by surprise. 8/10
Do not sleep on this game! Gameplay wise it is the most fun I have had with a game this year. It is like a third person Doom mixed with God of War. The exploration is pretty basic and the story and characters were pretty average and it can even get a bit repetitive towards the end when it just chucks more enemies at you, but ultimately I didn't care as I was having too much fun. When you're playing a game like this and you're coming up to an area you just know is a combat section and you might let out a groan, well here I was delighted to see a combat area. The upgrade progression path is super satisfying so that by the end you feel like a badass. An absolute treat that took me by surprise. 8/10
Re: Games Completed 2022
- Spoiler: show
Found myself drawn back to this game again as I was idly mulling over what to play. This is a fairly short DLC, and I had already started it from my most recent run through the base game, so it didn't take long to complete.
Every time I come back to this game after a long break I'm always impressed at how good it still looks. The lighting is just fantastic, and it has so many little touches that give it a great atmosphere. It sells the summery music festival vibe so well, in a way the series has gradually moved away from. The rally stages also allow the game to bump up the graphical detail too, as it doesn't have to deal with streaming in a huge world the whole time.
The actual experience of this expansion though I'm not as crazy about. I've never liked it as much as the base game, since I just don't tend to like that style of off-road racing. I always feel like I can't predict where the car will go, and I never have grip when I really need it. Except in those moments when it suddenly grips up and spins my car around way faster than I'm expecting. It's not so bad earlier on in this mini-career, when you're in slower cars. But once you get towards the end it can get a bit frustrating, and I end up leaning on the rewind way more than I really want to.
I might carry on to other old Horizon games after this too. For as much as I do go back to them, this first game is the only one where I've started fresh on a new career. Might be fun to relive the memories of the early game in 2 and 3.
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Indiana747
- Member
- Posts: 1042
- Joined: September 3rd, 2012, 5:17 pm
Re: Games Completed 2022
(Jan) Terminator Resistance(platinum) - PS5.
(Jan) Call of Duty: Cold War - Series X.
(Jan) Dishonored 2 - PS5.
(Jan) Aliens: Fireteam Elite - Series X.
(May) State of Decay 2 - Series X.
(June) Chorus - Series X.
(June) Shadow Warrior 3 - PS5.
(June) TMNT: Shredders Revenge - Series X.
(July) TMCC: Halo Reach - Series X.
(July) The Dark Pictures: Little Hope - PS5.
(July) Tiny Tina's Wonderlands - Series X.
(July) Far Cry 6 - Series X.
(July) Road 96(1000GS) - Series X.
(July) Trek to Yomi - Series X.
(July) Stray - PS5.
(July) Toy Soldiers: Cold War - Xbox 360.
(Aug) Avicii Invector - PS5.
(Sept) GRID Legends - Series X.
(Sept) Crossfire X(1000GS) - Series X.
(Sept) Metal Hellsinger - Series X.
(Oct) Bayonetta Remaster - Series X.
(Oct) Prodeus - Series X.
(Oct) Battle Islands - Series X.
(Oct) Tinykin - Series X.
(Oct) New Super Lucky's Tale - Series X.
(Oct) Dead Space 2 - Xbox 360.
(Oct) Scorn(1000GS) - Series X.
(Oct) Uncharted 4: LoTC - PS5.
(Oct) Final Fantasy VII Remake - PS5.
(Oct) Modern Warfare II - Series X.
(Nov) Somerville(1000GS) - Series X.
(Nov) As Dusk Falls - Series X.
(Nov) CoD Vanguard - Series X.
(Dec) The Callisto Protocol - Series X.
(Dec) Sniper Elite 5 - Series X.
(Jan) Call of Duty: Cold War - Series X.
(Jan) Dishonored 2 - PS5.
(Jan) Aliens: Fireteam Elite - Series X.
(May) State of Decay 2 - Series X.
(June) Chorus - Series X.
(June) Shadow Warrior 3 - PS5.
(June) TMNT: Shredders Revenge - Series X.
(July) TMCC: Halo Reach - Series X.
(July) The Dark Pictures: Little Hope - PS5.
(July) Tiny Tina's Wonderlands - Series X.
(July) Far Cry 6 - Series X.
(July) Road 96(1000GS) - Series X.
(July) Trek to Yomi - Series X.
(July) Stray - PS5.
(July) Toy Soldiers: Cold War - Xbox 360.
(Aug) Avicii Invector - PS5.
(Sept) GRID Legends - Series X.
(Sept) Crossfire X(1000GS) - Series X.
(Sept) Metal Hellsinger - Series X.
(Oct) Bayonetta Remaster - Series X.
(Oct) Prodeus - Series X.
(Oct) Battle Islands - Series X.
(Oct) Tinykin - Series X.
(Oct) New Super Lucky's Tale - Series X.
(Oct) Dead Space 2 - Xbox 360.
(Oct) Scorn(1000GS) - Series X.
(Oct) Uncharted 4: LoTC - PS5.
(Oct) Final Fantasy VII Remake - PS5.
(Oct) Modern Warfare II - Series X.
(Nov) Somerville(1000GS) - Series X.
(Nov) As Dusk Falls - Series X.
(Nov) CoD Vanguard - Series X.
(Dec) The Callisto Protocol - Series X.
(Dec) Sniper Elite 5 - Series X.
Re: Games Completed 2022
DEC - FIFA 23: World Cup (Xbox)Alex79 wrote: ↑February 16th, 2022, 7:37 pmJAN - Universal Paperclips (Android)
JAN - Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox)
JAN - Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons (Switch)
JAN - Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (Xbox)
JAN - Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox)
JAN - Halo Infinite (Xbox)
JAN - Hitman (Xbox)
FEB - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Nintendo DS)
FEB - Max Payne 2 (Xbox)
FEB - The Walking Dead: 400 Days (Xbox)
FEB - Hyper Sentinel (Switch)
FEB - It Takes Two (Xbox)
FEB - Overboard! (Android)
APR - Hollow Knight (Switch)
APR - Sagebrush (Switch)
APR - Saints Row IV (Switch)
APR - Sonic The Hedgehog (Genesis on Switch)
APR - Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox)
APR - WarioWare: Get It Together! (Switch)
MAY - Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Arcade on Xbox)
MAY - Super Mario 3D World (Switch)
MAY - You Must Build A Boat (Android)
MAY - Untitled Goose Game (Switch)
JUN - The Secret Of Monkey Island (PC-CD on Android)
JUN - Street Fighter (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (Switch)
JUN - Super Street Fighter II (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter Alpha (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Switch)
JUN - Disco Elysium (Switch)
JUL - Portal (Switch)
JUL - Poinpy (Android)
JUL - Dishonored: Definitive Edition (Xbox)
JUL - Portal: Still Alive (Switch)
AUG - X-Com 2 (Switch)
SEP - Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck's Revenge (PC on Android)
SEP - Grid Legends: Story Mode (Xbox)
SEP - Batman: Arkham Knight (Xbox)
OCT - X-Com 2: War Of The Chosen (Switch)
OCT - Curse Of Monkey Island (PC on Android)
OCT - Dark Souls: Remastered (Switch)
NOV - Mafia: Definitive Edition (Xbox)
DEC - Fight Night Champion (Xbox)
Thought I'd right the wrongs in the world and have a quick play through of the World Cup mode in FIFA 23. Smashed Poland 6-0 in the final. That's all.
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Jon Cheetham
- Member
- Posts: 524
- Joined: October 29th, 2019, 12:49 pm
- Location: Singapore
- Contact:
Re: Games Completed 2022
14. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (Switch) - 21st DecJon Cheetham wrote: ↑December 20th, 2022, 1:37 am 1. Dark Souls Remastered (Switch) - 3rd Jan
2. Pyre (Steam) - 10th Jan
3. Disco Elysium (Switch) - 17th Jan
4. Deathloop (Steam) - 24 Jan
5. The Forgotten City (Steam) - 13 Feb
6. The Solitaire Conspiracy (Switch) - 14 Feb
7. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4) - 19 Feb
8. A Short Hike (Switch) - 22 Feb
9. Elden Ring (PS4) - 10 April
10. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: Expansions and DLC (PS4) - 22 Oct
11. Resident Evil Village: Shadows of Rose (PS4) - 31 Oct
12. Gears 5 (Series X, Game Pass) - 8th Dec
13. A Plague Tale - Requiem (Series X, Game Pass) - 19th Dec
A huge paid expansion for what is unquestionably one of my favourite games of all time - unsurprisingly, I loved it. I have been playing Rise basically since launch, although now more as a constant game I do a bit of here and there than the dedicated sessions of the first few months. So I had nibbled away at this expansion since it launched and then plowed through the final few story quests.
Sunbreak is an extremely generous expansion, with two huge new maps that (like Icebourne's Hoarfrost Reach) are better than almost anything in the base game. Still love the Shrine Ruins, mind. The Jungle makes a return from older titles and the new Citadel is an impressively atmospheric region of mountainsides and gothic keeps.
There are new monsters of course, and tougher versions of the ones you already had - the fights now are longer and more tense as the aggression and damage output of the creatures is a lot to handle. Unlike the gentle onboarding vanilla Rise offers, this feels more like a traditional MonHun with a fairly stiff selection of challenges awaiting. Between the increased threat level and the very ornate monster designs and animations I think many of the best fights in the game are to be had here. All added to by another round of cracking battle themes to get the blood pumping while you throw down.
There's also more ways to take on the maps and monsters than ever, with Support Surveys and Follower Quests adding an element a bit like MH World's Investigations, and Anomaly Investigations also make an appearance later on. In short there are dozens and dozens of new quests, mostly optional, with new Event Quests being added constantly and regular Title Updates that bring yet more monsters and stuff to do. Rampage Quests are non-existent this time however - I liked the Rampage, but I don't miss it too much as I can always do the ones in the base game still. This could still occupy all my gaming time easily, and every time I jump in for a few quests I can feel myself getting drawn into the dopamine pumping loop of crafting and hunting and working towards every hunter's dream - looking fabulous while covered in carved off monster bits.
There is a new Follower system where you can bring up to two NPC chums along on hunts if you don't want to go online. They apparently do about 5% damage so it's not like bringing Iron Tarkus to do the job for you, but it provides an aggro draw for the monsters while still letting you have a solo experience. They're very well designed - they don't get in the way or do idiotic things, they will go and get other wyverns to ride to take on the one you're hunting, and are generally some of the best tuned NPC helpers I've seen in a game. I did almost all of the quests single player as usual and enjoyed bringing characters from the game like Luchika and the dango-loving Hinoa along with me.
Vanilla Rise's Kamura is up there with Majula as a hub in a game that lives in my head rent free. It's the cosiest most beautiful place in a MH game I've played, including the lovely Seliana from World. Elgado Outpost isn't up there with those, but it is cool and reminds me of some of the older hubs I visited in Generations Ultimate as well as Astera. It comes with a new cast of characters connected to Kamura's Argosy trader Rondine. Other than some of the iconic character designs like Hinoa and Minoto I generally don't care too much about the NPCs in these games, but I thought Fiorayne was a genuinely badass knight of this new realm and a great main character for the story.
I still have tons to do, which I'm happy about. I've 250 hours on this game and it still feels new and fun when I play. There's Master Rank 6 quests and all the Anomaly stuff that makes up the postgame, as well as a bunch of Event Quests and optional MR quests. A word to the wise - it makes sense to mainline the story quests before mopping up the optional stuff, as your Master Rank progression only starts after killing the final story boss, unlike in the base game where you might finish the High Rank story and suddenly get 20 or 30 Ranks in one go. It isn't cumulative this time, for some reason. So if that matters to you, you can save some grinding by doing the story first.
If you love Rise and poured a lot of time into this is easy to recommend - and the brilliantly designed environments and creatures will shine when it gets added to current gen consoles in 2023.
Re: Games Completed 2022
I noticed this was coming to Gamepass soon and although it's definitely a game I prefer to play handheld for short sessions, I'm interested to see how it looks on Xbox.
Re: Games Completed 2022
I'm really looking forward to RISE on Gamepass - I really enjoyed World with a few mates (never got round to playing Iceborne) so this will be a great point to jump back on.
Re: Games Completed 2022
- Spoiler: show
This is kind of a repeat of what I just did with the Rally Expansion. Picking up from an existing save, not really sure if it was worth mentioning. But since this expansion is way bigger, it actually took me more time to finish off the last third or so of this than doing the whole Rally Expansion, so I figured it's worth it. It's also a very similar piece of content conceptually, being more focused on off-road racing conditions.
So comparing it to that, Storm Island does seem to have improved on the problem of unpredictable grip. It's still something of an issue, as that's inherent to these loose surfaces, but it felt much more manageable this time. But the style of racing you do is much more similar to the main game, so it has less of a distinct personality. It's all races against a grid of other cars, just like normal. This DLC does push the weather effects pretty hard though, something that Rally didn't really have. Sometimes it's cool, delivering some impressive visuals. Other times it can be a bit annoying, as it obscures your vision way too much.
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Magical_Isopod
- Member
- Posts: 993
- Joined: May 29th, 2018, 11:57 pm
- Location: London, ON, Canada
Re: Games Completed 2022
#18 - Sonic Frontiers (2022, PS5)
Really great game! I was prepared to dismiss this game as 2022's laughing stock... A 3D Sonic game copying Breath of the Wild? Sounded like a joke.
However, Sonic Frontiers is not that. At all. In marketing, the game was described as "open zone" game design. And that's honestly an incredibly apt way to describe it. This isn't a braindead open world map marker hunter, nor is it a 3D platformer collectathon. This is an entirely different beast. This is a game where most of your time will be spent with exploration puzzles - using platforming and movement tech to navigate toward your waypoint while also completing challenges to unlock new pathways. And frankly, that formula WORKS. I don't like open world games, I don't like 3D Sonic... But I love this.
Nyooming around the world and reacting to button prompts, jumping between rails and springs with quick timing, optimizing your speed to clear obstacles... This is so much FUN. It's not a carbon copy of, say, Sonic Generations. This is a different system. The freedom of movement and huge playing fields with tons of options for motion on all three axes greatly improves the formula - relying less on cheap deaths and perfect runs, and more on quick eyes and planning routes.
The bosses and combat in this game are equally phenomenal - and pleasantly accessible. If you want a complex character action game with special move combos, you can do that. But if, like me, you have trouble with mechanics like that, there's an auto-combat system that will let you spam cool moves while focusing on evasion and watching the cool set pieces unfold.
Accessibility also plays into the fishing mini game - if you're bad at traditional 3D Sonic mechanics seen in the cyberspace stages, there's an entire fishing mini game that lets you collect coins found around the world and use them to fish for points that can be redeemed to unlock keys and other trinkets that might otherwise halt progression. If you want the challenge, you have it. If you want to take your time and forage... You can!
Those cyberspace stages though... Those are ROUGH. Some (or all?) of them are lifted straight from past Sonic games, and they are frequently at odds with the controls and mechanics of the open world segments. The cheap deaths and poor camera angles of traditional 3D Sonic games are here in force, and there seems to be an issue with the physics that makes the controls vary wildly moment to moment... Sometimes pushing left on the stick will tilt Sonic to the side, sometime it will throw him wildly to the left, and often off the stage completely. It's messy. Probably 50% of the technical issues I had with the game come with these segments.
But the technical issues, sadly, do not end there. The most aggressively irritating segments of Frontiers come when, for some reason, the game locks you into a 2D plane in a 3D space. This would be fine... If it worked. The automation for this transition is incredibly finicky. Sometimes the camera stays locked to this plane, but the controls do not... So you fly right off the back of the platform. This ALWAYS breaks when the game plays its obnoxious "you are at max rings" animation that plays EVERY SINGLE TIME you hit max rings. This scene breaks the game's automation 100% of the time, and it's incredibly annoying to boot.
Worse still are these "wall running" surfaces Sonic is supposed to be able to cling to and run along. Sometimes these work... Often, they don't. Sonic will often not stick to the surface, and often wind up on top of the floating wall instead of running on its face. These are fundamentally broken, to the extent that I dreaded seeing them.
I also had a boss late in the game that took 5 attempts to defeat. Not because I died, but because the boss got stuck under the map twice, despawned completely while in frame once, and had another instance where its "control tower" disappeared and could not be attacked.
All that being said... These technical issues, while irritating, do not define the game. They really only become a problem in the last 25% or so of the game, and they can still be overcome with patience. I think the game has some issues with automation and programming, but these will hopefully be resolved with time. The game is incredibly ambitious, and I'm honestly shocked the automation works so well as often as it does.
The story is a little scant, but honestly really interesting. Robotnik has a great character arc, Sonic is a likeable hero, and Sage is the best new character in years. This isn't the aggressively edgy "way past cool" era of Sonic... This is something, while not revolutionary, is smarter and more compelling than I could have ever expected from this series.
Overall, Sonic Frontiers is a great time, and there's really nothing else like it. It's a bold and downright fun new direction for the series, and I love it. While I'd love having another Sonic Mania 2, I'd gladly accept another Sonic Frontiers as well. Really recommend this one, with the caveat that it's got some warts.
&iso2022
Really great game! I was prepared to dismiss this game as 2022's laughing stock... A 3D Sonic game copying Breath of the Wild? Sounded like a joke.
However, Sonic Frontiers is not that. At all. In marketing, the game was described as "open zone" game design. And that's honestly an incredibly apt way to describe it. This isn't a braindead open world map marker hunter, nor is it a 3D platformer collectathon. This is an entirely different beast. This is a game where most of your time will be spent with exploration puzzles - using platforming and movement tech to navigate toward your waypoint while also completing challenges to unlock new pathways. And frankly, that formula WORKS. I don't like open world games, I don't like 3D Sonic... But I love this.
Nyooming around the world and reacting to button prompts, jumping between rails and springs with quick timing, optimizing your speed to clear obstacles... This is so much FUN. It's not a carbon copy of, say, Sonic Generations. This is a different system. The freedom of movement and huge playing fields with tons of options for motion on all three axes greatly improves the formula - relying less on cheap deaths and perfect runs, and more on quick eyes and planning routes.
The bosses and combat in this game are equally phenomenal - and pleasantly accessible. If you want a complex character action game with special move combos, you can do that. But if, like me, you have trouble with mechanics like that, there's an auto-combat system that will let you spam cool moves while focusing on evasion and watching the cool set pieces unfold.
Accessibility also plays into the fishing mini game - if you're bad at traditional 3D Sonic mechanics seen in the cyberspace stages, there's an entire fishing mini game that lets you collect coins found around the world and use them to fish for points that can be redeemed to unlock keys and other trinkets that might otherwise halt progression. If you want the challenge, you have it. If you want to take your time and forage... You can!
Those cyberspace stages though... Those are ROUGH. Some (or all?) of them are lifted straight from past Sonic games, and they are frequently at odds with the controls and mechanics of the open world segments. The cheap deaths and poor camera angles of traditional 3D Sonic games are here in force, and there seems to be an issue with the physics that makes the controls vary wildly moment to moment... Sometimes pushing left on the stick will tilt Sonic to the side, sometime it will throw him wildly to the left, and often off the stage completely. It's messy. Probably 50% of the technical issues I had with the game come with these segments.
But the technical issues, sadly, do not end there. The most aggressively irritating segments of Frontiers come when, for some reason, the game locks you into a 2D plane in a 3D space. This would be fine... If it worked. The automation for this transition is incredibly finicky. Sometimes the camera stays locked to this plane, but the controls do not... So you fly right off the back of the platform. This ALWAYS breaks when the game plays its obnoxious "you are at max rings" animation that plays EVERY SINGLE TIME you hit max rings. This scene breaks the game's automation 100% of the time, and it's incredibly annoying to boot.
Worse still are these "wall running" surfaces Sonic is supposed to be able to cling to and run along. Sometimes these work... Often, they don't. Sonic will often not stick to the surface, and often wind up on top of the floating wall instead of running on its face. These are fundamentally broken, to the extent that I dreaded seeing them.
I also had a boss late in the game that took 5 attempts to defeat. Not because I died, but because the boss got stuck under the map twice, despawned completely while in frame once, and had another instance where its "control tower" disappeared and could not be attacked.
All that being said... These technical issues, while irritating, do not define the game. They really only become a problem in the last 25% or so of the game, and they can still be overcome with patience. I think the game has some issues with automation and programming, but these will hopefully be resolved with time. The game is incredibly ambitious, and I'm honestly shocked the automation works so well as often as it does.
The story is a little scant, but honestly really interesting. Robotnik has a great character arc, Sonic is a likeable hero, and Sage is the best new character in years. This isn't the aggressively edgy "way past cool" era of Sonic... This is something, while not revolutionary, is smarter and more compelling than I could have ever expected from this series.
Overall, Sonic Frontiers is a great time, and there's really nothing else like it. It's a bold and downright fun new direction for the series, and I love it. While I'd love having another Sonic Mania 2, I'd gladly accept another Sonic Frontiers as well. Really recommend this one, with the caveat that it's got some warts.
&iso2022
Re: Games Completed 2022
DEC - The Last Campfire (Switch)Alex79 wrote: ↑February 16th, 2022, 7:37 pmJAN - Universal Paperclips (Android)
JAN - Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox)
JAN - Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons (Switch)
JAN - Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (Xbox)
JAN - Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox)
JAN - Halo Infinite (Xbox)
JAN - Hitman (Xbox)
FEB - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Nintendo DS)
FEB - Max Payne 2 (Xbox)
FEB - The Walking Dead: 400 Days (Xbox)
FEB - Hyper Sentinel (Switch)
FEB - It Takes Two (Xbox)
FEB - Overboard! (Android)
APR - Hollow Knight (Switch)
APR - Sagebrush (Switch)
APR - Saints Row IV (Switch)
APR - Sonic The Hedgehog (Genesis on Switch)
APR - Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox)
APR - WarioWare: Get It Together! (Switch)
MAY - Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Arcade on Xbox)
MAY - Super Mario 3D World (Switch)
MAY - You Must Build A Boat (Android)
MAY - Untitled Goose Game (Switch)
JUN - The Secret Of Monkey Island (PC-CD on Android)
JUN - Street Fighter (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (Switch)
JUN - Super Street Fighter II (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter Alpha (Switch)
JUN - Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Switch)
JUN - Disco Elysium (Switch)
JUL - Portal (Switch)
JUL - Poinpy (Android)
JUL - Dishonored: Definitive Edition (Xbox)
JUL - Portal: Still Alive (Switch)
AUG - X-Com 2 (Switch)
SEP - Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck's Revenge (PC on Android)
SEP - Grid Legends: Story Mode (Xbox)
SEP - Batman: Arkham Knight (Xbox)
OCT - X-Com 2: War Of The Chosen (Switch)
OCT - Curse Of Monkey Island (PC on Android)
OCT - Dark Souls: Remastered (Switch)
NOV - Mafia: Definitive Edition (Xbox)
DEC - Fight Night Champion (Xbox)
DEC - FIFA 23: World Cup (Xbox)
This is the puzzle adventure, released by Hello Games, that game out a couple of years ago. What a shame that I've not heard a single person talk about it since release, because it's one of the nicest games I've played in years. I would really recommend it to anyone, it looks lovely, great atmosphere and some interesting puzzles. The overall themes of the game are really nice too, and I love the Bjorkalike sounding narration. Please give it a go! I got it for a couple of quid in a sale a few weeks back and loved every minute.