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08 Jan: Crypt of the Serpent King (Xbox One, review copy, 100% achievements, one of the worst game's I've ever played)
19 Jan: Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China (Xbox One, 100% achievements)
26 Jan: Dear Esther: Landmark Edition (Xbox One, 100% achievements)
26 Jan: Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments (Xbox One, 100% achievements)
29 Jan: METRICO+ (Xbox One, review copy)
25 Feb: Spheroids (Xbox One, review copy, 100% achievements)
26 Feb: The Swapper (Xbox One, 100% achievements)
27 Feb: Contrast (Xbox One, 100% achievements)
3 Mar: Ghost Blade HD (Xbox One, review copy. Hard mode complete.)
11 Mar: Defense Grid 2 (Xbox One, 100% achievements)
11 Mar: 2Dark (Xbox One, review copy)
11 Mar: Sky Force Anniversary (Xbox One, all but one achievement - too grindy)
16 Mar: Sublevel Zero Redux (Xbox One, review copy - easy campaign completion only)
18 Mar: Death Squared (Xbox One, review copy)
6 Apr: Thimbleweed Park (Xbox One, review copy)
17 Apr: Mass Effect 3 (360 on Xbox One - returned for Omega & Citadel DLCs, plus Insanity run and 100% achievements)
28 Apr: Hitman GO (Windows Phone, 100% achievements)
8 Jun: LEGO Marvel Superheroes (Xbox One)
11 Jun: Beautiful Katamari (Xbox 360)
18 Jun: Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One)
12 Jul: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox One, including DLC)
13 Jul: ABZU (Xbox One, 100% achievements)
18 Jul: Picross 3D Round 2 (3DS)
18 Jul: Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ (Xbox 360 - 100% achievements)
20 Jul: The Room and The Room Two (Android)
26 Jul: The Room Three (Android)
27 Jul: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Game of the Year Edition (Xbox One - 100% achievements)
12 Aug: Aaero (Xbox One)
13 Aug: Burrito Bison: Launcha Libre (Android)
13 Aug: Life is Strange (Xbox One)
18 Aug: Monument Valley (Android)
22 Aug: Pokémon Moon (3DS)
14 Sep: The Bridge (Xbox One - 100% achievements)
17 Sep: The Witness (PlayStation 4)
23 Sep: Day of the Tentacle (PlayStation 4)
10 Oct: Morphite (Review copy - Xbox One)
A very bog standard No Man's Sky-like cash-in. Not an entirely bad one, and it makes an attempt at a story. Some of the worst voice acting I've heard in quite a while though. It all starts to feel like pointless randomly generated busywork very quickly.
21st Oct: Alien Isolation (Xbox One)
So this was the subject of the podcast for my first ever co-hosting gig. Given that the idea of expressing my opinions and putting my voice on the airwaves was terrifying, I naturally chose to join in right when we were playing a horror game... and I normally can't stand them. Isolation broke something deep inside of me. I've always found horror in all media forms more boring than terrifying, but since playing Isolation I jump at everything and have terrible nightmares. So that's... good? Effective, at least. And enjoyable in the end - I felt proud of myself for getting through it, especially as I also managed to grab the achievement for never dying. Another thing I probably shouldn't have attempted when I was already so nervous, but there we go.
30 Oct: Gone Home Console Edition (Xbox One - 100% achievements)
I can't believe I ignored this for so long. It's now easily in my top 20 games of all time. I found the story deeply and personally affecting, and I adored the continual subversion of your expectations as you pick up narrative clues. I finished the game with a big grin on my face and maybe even a little tear in my eye. I've become a big softie. Again, probably Alien's fault.
31st Oct: Tacoma (Xbox One - 100% achievements)
I felt guilty about not playing Gone Home until it was free, so I made up for it by immediately buying Tacoma at full price. Not remotely as affecting as Gone Home in my opinion but still an interesting narrative carefully delivered. I think the main issue is that in Gone Home, nothing gets in the way of getting to know its limited cast extremely well - discovering their character arcs IS the story. Tacoma has a lot of sci-fi plotting going on and maybe a couple too many characters, so we end up not getting to know them as well. It also has some woeful visual tearing that I was hoping would be patched so far beyond release, when people first complained. Oh well. Still enjoyable. Can't wait for more from Fullbright.
31st Oct: Fragments of Him (Xbox One - 100% achievements)
On the flip side, here's a tale with similar themes to Gone Home that is simply terrible. Utterly flawed approach to storytelling, neither drawing the player in or allowing them to discover it for themselves. Bland low-poly presentation, most of it in muddy grey tones, and unforgivable loading times for something so simple. It's trash - don't bother.
01st Nov: The Sexy Brutale (Xbox One - 100% achievements)
I can't decide whether I liked this game or not. It's got some wonderful twists and the central Groundhog Day mechanic is neat, but some of the execution is so clunky. The effects sound like they were recorded in a bathroom, there's a lot of technical hiccups every time you open a door (and you open a LOT of doors), and there's something a bit slapdash about the art style too. Definitely a good game for discussion.
02nd Nov: Microsoft Solitaire Collection (Android - 100% achievements)
Well. What can we say? Solid, well executed... Solitaire. Can't knock the classics.
07 Nov: Super Lucky's Tale (Review Copy, Xbox One - 100% achievements)
I picked this one up to review purely because I was jealous of all of you bastards cooing over Mario on a platform I can't currently justify purchasing. It's pretty good, but good Lord someone needs to inject Lucky with some personality. He feels committee-designed, sanitised to the point of oblivion. Good one to play with young kids though.
