13th Jan - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
24th Jan - The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
28th Jan - Far Lone Sails
10th Feb - Super Mario World
21st Feb - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
7th Mar - The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
18th Apr - Batman - The Telltale Series
9th May - Animal Crossing
9th May - Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure DLC
29th May - Luigi's Mansion 3
9th June - Journey To The Savage Planet
24th June - Golf Peaks
30th August - Hollow Knight
31st August - A short hike
12th September - SuperHot
21st October - The Last Guardian
25th October - Paper Mario: The Origami King
My kids and I completed this today. Admittedly I was a bit in and out of it with my daughter playing some sections on her own, which is impressive as she couldn't read the text info (and there's a LOT of text to read to two kids), but it's an odd one.
On the one hand, the writing is funny, self aware and certain sequences reduced me to tears. It looks gorgeous. The continuing things it does with origami, paper and stationery supplies is endlessly inventive. The music is awesome as ever. The puzzles were sporadically great. It used characters we've known for decades and did something interesting with them. And certain sections of the game exuded charm.
But I ultimately always felt reluctant to load it up and play it. And I do think that's down to the battle system. It was either incredibly easy, incredibly hard or incredibly annoying. Rarely did I enjoy it, bar one or two boss battles. And there is a lot of it.
A patch to remove the combat or have it auto-play would genuinely improve it ten fold for me.
So it's a weird one. It felt like an insanely inventive, characterful celebration of the Mario world and went places I loved. But equally, I don't think I'd wish it on my worst enemy.
Games Completed 2020
-
duskvstweak
- Member
- Posts: 1123
- Joined: August 23rd, 2017, 6:40 pm
- Location: North Carolina
- Contact:
Re: Games Completed 2020
I played through INSIDE last night!
- Spoiler: show
-
Angry_Kurt
- Member
- Posts: 395
- Joined: May 1st, 2020, 2:53 pm
Re: Games Completed 2020
Inside had my favourite ending in any game I’ve played. I was left stunned and thinking about it long afterwards
Re: Games Completed 2020
- Spoiler: show
This game ended up being pretty disappointing. It has a ton of potential, but it fumbles the landing pretty badly. I really like what it was going for though, and it has some fantastic artistic and conceptual elements. But when it comes to actually playing it, the execution is pretty bad, and it never really comes together.
Visually and audibly it's fantastic. It has a really unique and strong sense of style to it, with striking character design and a cool vibrant world, that you get to explore in a hub city area too. The soundtrack is great as well, mixing together pumping and energetic EDM and rock in some cool ways. Aesthetically it is really strong, with the only issue being a few minor clipping issues with character outfits occasionally.
The ideas behind the bosses are all really cool as well, that take a fun twist on the style of music each one is about. Like there's one boss that is a child prodigy pianist, and in the fight with her she is defended by her overbearing mother who looms over the battlefield, holding up her daughter on strings like a puppet. Or a later boss that is a boy band made up of robots, where if you destroy any individual one, it gets replaced by a new one. Your real target is the military drill sergeant cyborg who is the one manufacturing these robots. You can tell they put a lot of thought in to who these bosses were, and how they could use their musical themes in fun metaphorical ways.
But the actual combat feels pretty sloppy and makes actually fighting these bosses and their preceding levels frustrating and clumsy. The idea is that all the enemies attack in rhythm with the music. So even though you as a player can move around and attack as you please, you have to keep track of the music to dodge attacks and work out parry timing. But it just doesn't work. Enemy attacks only seem to vaguely line up with the beat, and frequently fall out of step with it. On top of that, telegraphing is really bad. Very inconsistent, often unclear, and even when you think you know you got it worked out, the game will pull rug from under you and not do what you expect anyway. Your own attacks don't seem to be designed with the rhythm of enemies in mind either, as it feels like even if you know when it should be safe to attack, you don't really have the time to do anything useful in that window. Getting hit-stunned is a huge issue as well. If you get caught up by a couple of enemies at once or something similar, you can very easily get stuck there with no way to respond. It's particularly a problem with rapid fire projectiles. It just makes playing through levels feel like stumbling your way through poorly constructed gauntlet where you don't have any control over the action. And it gets worse as the game goes on, as the harder levels that have more numerous and complex enemies just compound these problems. It's so disappointing because the idea here is really good, and I can see how great it could be if it worked well. In the very few moments when everything does work for a second and you manage to make use of it, it does feel great. But that feeling is so fleeting it's barely there at all.
I have to rant a bit about the ending to the story too. In general the story is pretty fun. Nothing special, but it's an amusing tale of rebellion against an oppressive system done in a lighthearted way that focuses more on the rivalry between music genres rather than anything actually serious. Although it does have some elements of more heavy themes, as the game's world is one powered by music, so record labels control the electricity supply. The idea being that since the evil EDM empire is hoarding energy for richer districts of the city, you're fighting back with the power of rock to show that it is better at supplying power and can give enough to everybody. But then the ending happens...
- Spoiler: show
So a big disappointment this is then. Not just because I've had my eye on this game for years, but because how how great this game could be if it actually nailed what it was trying. It's extremely cool to look at and listen to, with some very brief moments of greatness when all the chaotic strands happen to line up through sheer chance. But most of the time it feels too unfocused and unrefined to rise above its flaws and deliver on its promise.
-
Angry_Kurt
- Member
- Posts: 395
- Joined: May 1st, 2020, 2:53 pm
Re: Games Completed 2020
A shame it didn’t live up to your expectations. I still like the idea of it though but I’ll wait till it’s had a good discount
Re: Games Completed 2020
I kind of went in with the same mindset. I did hear the general vibe of reviews of this game when it came out were pretty middling. Some reservedly positive, but quite a few negative too. But it still seemed interesting to me based on the idea. I figured maybe I would appreciate it even if it was rough round the edges. I like games like that. But even though I was already tempering my expectations somewhat, it turned out the problems were bigger than I'd hoped they would be. The disappointment comes more from what the game hints that it could be when you first play it, compared to how it pans out in the long run.
I did also wait to get it with a pretty big discount too. It was recently on sale on the Epic store with a modest discount, but I combined that with one of those £10 coupons they gave out a while back, since it was about to expire. Managed to get it down to like £16. The standard asking price is pretty steep.
I did also wait to get it with a pretty big discount too. It was recently on sale on the Epic store with a modest discount, but I combined that with one of those £10 coupons they gave out a while back, since it was about to expire. Managed to get it down to like £16. The standard asking price is pretty steep.
Re: Games Completed 2020
That is interesting. And yeah, that's where we were coming from.duskvstweak wrote: ↑October 24th, 2020, 5:11 pm Speaking of Capcom classics, I replayed Resident Evil 4. I played it once before, very slowly, years ago and I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Now, with Resi 1, 2, 3, Veronica, and Zero under my belt, I feel like I'm seeing 4 through brand new eyes. Maybe not the "greatest game of all time" eyes, but in terms of a breath of fresh air that revitalizes the Resi series? I get that now.
-
Angry_Kurt
- Member
- Posts: 395
- Joined: May 1st, 2020, 2:53 pm
Re: Games Completed 2020
16. Ratchet and Clank (PS4)
I have been quite taken aback at just how much I enjoyed this game. I think part of it is due to my only other previous Ratchet experience being Tools of Destruction on PS3 which I also remember enjoying, but not as much as this. I found the whole experience to be just pure fun. The weapons were really cool and the upgrades for them, some say that the combat is quite basic and the platforming too. I can see the latter but I think the combat can be quite strategic at time, in a similar way to Doom 2016, certain weapons work better in certain situations with a certain selection of enemies compared to others. It looks gorgeous, it was the first game I played on my new LG OLED 4K TV and it was a huge step up from my last TV. I even found the script to be quite funny in places. I actually think it might be my second favourite PS4 exclusive and Rift Apart will be one of my first purchases whenever I get a PS5. 9/10
I have been quite taken aback at just how much I enjoyed this game. I think part of it is due to my only other previous Ratchet experience being Tools of Destruction on PS3 which I also remember enjoying, but not as much as this. I found the whole experience to be just pure fun. The weapons were really cool and the upgrades for them, some say that the combat is quite basic and the platforming too. I can see the latter but I think the combat can be quite strategic at time, in a similar way to Doom 2016, certain weapons work better in certain situations with a certain selection of enemies compared to others. It looks gorgeous, it was the first game I played on my new LG OLED 4K TV and it was a huge step up from my last TV. I even found the script to be quite funny in places. I actually think it might be my second favourite PS4 exclusive and Rift Apart will be one of my first purchases whenever I get a PS5. 9/10
Re: Games Completed 2020
Oct 31st - Carto (XBO)Flabyo wrote: ↑October 17th, 2020, 6:18 pm Jan 10th - Spider-Man (PS4)
Jan 26th - Children of Morta (XBO)
Feb 10th - Indivisible (XBO)
April 6th - Monument Valley 2 (iOS)
April 18th - Yakuza 0 (XBO)
May 2nd - Streets of Rage 4 (XBO)
May 29th - Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (PS4)
June 1st - Bastion (XBO)
June 28th - Observation (XBO)
July 11th - The Messenger (XBO)
August 9th - Ghost of Tsushima
Sep 24th - Lego Batman (360)
Oct 17th - CrossCode (XBO)
Nice little puzzler with a fun mechanic based around changing the world you explore by moving map tiles around and re-joining them (think how tiles work in Carcassonne, like that)
It’s quite short, it’s on gamepass, and it’s not too tricky. I think I would’ve liked it to be a little longer, some of the cleverer puzzle mechanics in it never really get a chance to shine.
Lovely art too.
Re: Games Completed 2020
NOV - Super Mario Maker 2: Story Mode (Switch)Alex79uk wrote: JAN - Titanfall 2 (PS4)
JAN - Pinball FX3: Fish Tales (Switch)
FEB - Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4)
FEB - Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (PS4)
FEB - Mafia 3 (PS4)
MAR - Mega Man X (Switch)
MAR - Assassin's Creed III Remastered (Switch)
MAR - Control (PS4)
MAR - Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (PS4)
APR - Yoku's Island Express (100%) (Switch)
APR - WWF Wrestlefest (Arcade on PS Vita)
APR - Holedown (Android)
MAY - South Park: The Stick Of Truth (Switch)
JUN - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)
JUN - Golf Story (Switch)
JUL - Days Gone (PS4)
JUL - Bayonetta (Switch)
JUL - Watch Dogs 2 (PS4)
JUL - The Gardens Between (Android)
AUG - Hyper Light Drifter (Switch)
AUG - Celeste Classic (PICO-8 on Switch)
AUG - Thimbleweed Park (Android)
AUG - Celeste (Switch)
AUG - Bury Me, My Love (Android)
AUG - NBA 2K20: Career Mode story (Switch)
SEP - Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch)
OCT - Final Fight (Switch)
OCT - The King Of Dragons (Switch)
OCT - Death Stranding (PS4)
OCT - Sunset Riders (Switch)
Saw the credits roll on this last night, and it's been a really enjoyable romp through some very imaginative levels. Now to dive in to the creation tools fully, which I suppose is where the real value lies. I've had a dabble, and made one level I'm happy with. I think the real skill lies in pitching difficulty. I'd thought I'd made an incredibly easy level, but even my 14 year old took a fair few attempts to clear it (although he's never played much 2D Mario to be fair).
I've had a look at the course world and there is some ridiculous stuff on there. Spot The Difference games and stuff, just stuff I'd never even had dreamed of. I really have this vision of creating a brilliant full game with courses and worlds and bosses and stuff, but I expect my imagination will far outweigh my talent, and coming up with original ideas is harder than it seems!
I'm hoping it's possible to make some sort of MetroidVania-lite type thing, but we are hours of tutorials away from that...
Re: Games Completed 2020
- Spoiler: show
Really enjoyed this one. It's a big step up from the first and actually fulfills the potential that one laid out. This world and its story is really interesting, with how it weaves around with time travel and how events across time intersect with each other. And the dialogue is fantastic. The wording is really dramatic and flavourful, and the delivery is done with a wonderful sense of gravitas that is a joy to listen to. It has a sense of intrigue that has me hooked wanting to find out where things go from here too.
Although there are still some rough aspects to it as well. Controls and combat are still pretty clunky and not that enjoyable. It's a definite improvement over the first, and it's fine for most of the game, but by the later parts enemies start getting really aggressive, and it kind of falls apart a bit. The puzzle/dungeon like areas are also a lot better than the first, but again I wouldn't call them anything special. Still far behind the likes of Zelda, and a few puzzles in particular were pretty unintuitive and not well portrayed. But there were a few dungeons that I think were genuinely pretty good this time.
Then there are some aspects which were simply different. Not sure I'd call them better or worse, but more just a change in philosophy with how the game is structured. Here the overworld feels smaller, although I suspect that's not actually the case. But it sort of feels that way because you're going back to the same locations multiple times but in different time periods. And despite the backtracking involved with that, the whole game feels pretty linear, and as far as I could tell, there were no optional paths or upgrades at all. I kind of appreciate that in a sense, since I didn't really care much for the side-content in the last one. But it does reduce the sort of Metroidvania world design feel. Also no real bosses in this one either. Sort of a shame, but it's not like the bosses were particularly good before either.
Very good time overall though. I'm really liking going through these games. One thing I like is how it's something totally new to me that I'm getting to experience for the first time. When it comes to old games like this, if they're good they tend to get a reputation and it sprouts years of talk about them. So even if you never play them yourself, if you're invested in the conversation around games you're likely going to be familiar with those old games anyway just through cultural osmosis. With these games though, there isn't really a big conversation around them. Little more than a vague positive mention every so often. So it's really fun to play these with a fresh perspective and discover something new.
-
stvnorman
- Member
- Posts: 911
- Joined: March 19th, 2013, 8:09 pm
- Location: Keysoe, Bedfordshire, UK
- Contact:
Re: Games Completed 2020
- Spoiler: show
9 October: Bloodstained - Curse of the Moon 2 (Switch)
17 October: Powerdrift (Arcade on 3DS)
20 October: Out Run (Game Gear)
25 October: Road Rash Jailbreak (Game Boy Advance)
27 October: The Ninja Kids (Arcade on PS2)
28 October: Star Wars Squadrons (PS4)
31 October: Out Run (3DS)
I seem to have a thing for handheld racers at the moment! With that and Mario 3D Land, my 3DS has had more play in the last month than ever before. Highlight of the month was Bloodstained 2 though. Very nearly as good as any proper old-school Castlevania, and definite game of the year contender, closely followed by Star Wars Squadrons, which is just so much nerd fun, win or (mostly) lose.
-
seansthomas
- Member
- Posts: 857
- Joined: March 31st, 2015, 8:10 am
Re: Games Completed 2020
13th Jan - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
24th Jan - The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
28th Jan - Far Lone Sails
10th Feb - Super Mario World
21st Feb - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
7th Mar - The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
18th Apr - Batman - The Telltale Series
9th May - Animal Crossing
9th May - Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure DLC
29th May - Luigi's Mansion 3
9th June - Journey To The Savage Planet
24th June - Golf Peaks
30th August - Hollow Knight
31st August - A short hike
12th September - SuperHot
21st October - The Last Guardian
25th October - Paper Mario: The Origami King
2nd November - The Last Of Us: Remastered
So after hearing about this game for over 6 years and managing to somehow avoid spoilers, I've finally beaten it, and it is exactly what I expected it to be.
A very good narrative driven linear game with decent combat, but which is essentially doing the same stuff games were on PS1 and 2 underneath the incredible production values.
And that's totally fine. And like I said, what I expected. But I guess the hyped up posters covered in 10/10s, the articles claiming it's a new peak in storytelling, the anecdotes saying it has the most gritty, realistic combat in a game ever and all the praise had started to make me think I was going to play something genuinely new here.
And really... it isn't, is it? It's better made. Better told. Better detailed. Better scored. Better written. All hugely ambitious, praiseworthy endeavours.
But I've still got block puzzles, quicktime events, enemies who stand gormlessly looking at walls a foot from me, an AI companion who wanders into a room and seems invisible to guards, gameplay that funnels me down a path via blocked off stairwells, disguised gun turret sequences and repetitive cover shooting.
I know it's about the story. And it is good, maybe really good - certainly by gaming standards - but I play games for the gaming. And the combat isn't as fun as Resident Evil 4. As satisfyingly fluid as Tomb Raider. As tense as Arkham Asylum. As varied as Metal Gear Solid. As well written as Witcher.
I'm very glad I've played it. I'm weirdly even tempted to tackle it on a really hard setting, despite not loving the gameplay, as I feel beating it on a mixture of Normal and Easy mode may have robbed the game of some of its tension.
But all in all, I'd say whilst I get the acclaim, it's a good example of whilst trying not to believe the hype, falling into believing the hype, and I don't think the game really goes anywhere better than the Metal Gear games did on the first two PlayStation machines.
So now I'm in a quandary. Do I bother with TLOU2...? Maybe, down the road, when the hype has died down.
24th Jan - The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
28th Jan - Far Lone Sails
10th Feb - Super Mario World
21st Feb - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
7th Mar - The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
18th Apr - Batman - The Telltale Series
9th May - Animal Crossing
9th May - Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure DLC
29th May - Luigi's Mansion 3
9th June - Journey To The Savage Planet
24th June - Golf Peaks
30th August - Hollow Knight
31st August - A short hike
12th September - SuperHot
21st October - The Last Guardian
25th October - Paper Mario: The Origami King
2nd November - The Last Of Us: Remastered
So after hearing about this game for over 6 years and managing to somehow avoid spoilers, I've finally beaten it, and it is exactly what I expected it to be.
A very good narrative driven linear game with decent combat, but which is essentially doing the same stuff games were on PS1 and 2 underneath the incredible production values.
And that's totally fine. And like I said, what I expected. But I guess the hyped up posters covered in 10/10s, the articles claiming it's a new peak in storytelling, the anecdotes saying it has the most gritty, realistic combat in a game ever and all the praise had started to make me think I was going to play something genuinely new here.
And really... it isn't, is it? It's better made. Better told. Better detailed. Better scored. Better written. All hugely ambitious, praiseworthy endeavours.
But I've still got block puzzles, quicktime events, enemies who stand gormlessly looking at walls a foot from me, an AI companion who wanders into a room and seems invisible to guards, gameplay that funnels me down a path via blocked off stairwells, disguised gun turret sequences and repetitive cover shooting.
I know it's about the story. And it is good, maybe really good - certainly by gaming standards - but I play games for the gaming. And the combat isn't as fun as Resident Evil 4. As satisfyingly fluid as Tomb Raider. As tense as Arkham Asylum. As varied as Metal Gear Solid. As well written as Witcher.
I'm very glad I've played it. I'm weirdly even tempted to tackle it on a really hard setting, despite not loving the gameplay, as I feel beating it on a mixture of Normal and Easy mode may have robbed the game of some of its tension.
But all in all, I'd say whilst I get the acclaim, it's a good example of whilst trying not to believe the hype, falling into believing the hype, and I don't think the game really goes anywhere better than the Metal Gear games did on the first two PlayStation machines.
So now I'm in a quandary. Do I bother with TLOU2...? Maybe, down the road, when the hype has died down.
Re: Games Completed 2020
I think it's important to remember it's almost 7.5 years old now, and at the time it really did feel very cinematic and the story seemed really good. I think its still a great game, with some duff sections. I'm not sure I'd agree it's doing the same as PS1 or PS2 games did, though. Not to that scale of character development and world building. I suppose it depends entirely on how much mileage you get out of the Naughty Dog template, which doesn't particularly vary between TLOU and Uncharted, no matter how much you dress it up. They're perfect no brainer games for me, though. And I don't mean that negatively, I just mean both series have characters I like and enough of a story to pull me through some shooting galleries. I'm not sure I ever remember anywhere at the time saying it has the best or most realistic combat ever though, I think that's definitely a case of hyperbole building up after the fact!
And personally, I wouldn't go straight on to TLOU 2 straight after the first one. That's a sure fire way to burnout on the formula.
And personally, I wouldn't go straight on to TLOU 2 straight after the first one. That's a sure fire way to burnout on the formula.
-
seansthomas
- Member
- Posts: 857
- Joined: March 31st, 2015, 8:10 am
Re: Games Completed 2020
Totally agree it's a huge leap in terms of storytelling, characterisation, score, cut scenes, facial expressions, emotion connection etc. No question.
More that in the moment to moment gameplay, I personally didn't get the stress of inventory management Vs all out gunplay joy of RE4 (maybe because I played it on the lower difficulty settings), nor the variety of stealth options to distract, confuse, take out, hide and subdue the guards that you got in Splinter Cell and MGS3 on PS2, and maybe even MGS1 and 2.
And I also felt like the cover shooting was more fluid in Tomb Raider, also out in 2013, and the mix of combat & stealth better handled in Arkham Asylum.
Appreciate it was not their primary concern here nor where it was trying to push boundaries, but at for me personally, it'll always be about gameplay over story.
I even think Ico did a better job of making you care for your companion through the gameplay, in the ways it put Yorda in peril, made her an element of solving puzzles and gave you moments of calm with her.
When I think of TLOU as an interactive story you play, it's a winner. And when I think of it as a game with a story to tell, it's less successful.
Looking forward to listening to the C&R show on it.
More that in the moment to moment gameplay, I personally didn't get the stress of inventory management Vs all out gunplay joy of RE4 (maybe because I played it on the lower difficulty settings), nor the variety of stealth options to distract, confuse, take out, hide and subdue the guards that you got in Splinter Cell and MGS3 on PS2, and maybe even MGS1 and 2.
And I also felt like the cover shooting was more fluid in Tomb Raider, also out in 2013, and the mix of combat & stealth better handled in Arkham Asylum.
Appreciate it was not their primary concern here nor where it was trying to push boundaries, but at for me personally, it'll always be about gameplay over story.
I even think Ico did a better job of making you care for your companion through the gameplay, in the ways it put Yorda in peril, made her an element of solving puzzles and gave you moments of calm with her.
When I think of TLOU as an interactive story you play, it's a winner. And when I think of it as a game with a story to tell, it's less successful.
Looking forward to listening to the C&R show on it.
-
seansthomas
- Member
- Posts: 857
- Joined: March 31st, 2015, 8:10 am
Re: Games Completed 2020
Okay, listening to the podcast is making me reflect on it differently now!
I feel a playthrough on Survivor coming down the line...
I feel a playthrough on Survivor coming down the line...
-
Angry_Kurt
- Member
- Posts: 395
- Joined: May 1st, 2020, 2:53 pm
Re: Games Completed 2020
I mostly agree with what you said on the game, I must say though that I thought the very final scene was one of my favorites in gaming.
-
seansthomas
- Member
- Posts: 857
- Joined: March 31st, 2015, 8:10 am
Re: Games Completed 2020
I definitely think I've laid into the stuff I didn't like about it more than celebrated the things I did love. Didn't want to call them out here as they would be spoilers, but yeah the ending, some clever bits in how Ellie responds to you and behaves in the final scenes, the Winter chapter, etc. All really amazing.Angry_Kurt wrote: ↑November 3rd, 2020, 9:38 am I mostly agree with what you said on the game, I must say though that I thought the very final scene was one of my favorites in gaming.
Re: Games Completed 2020
They still never managed to get around the whole "if we are in stealth how come the enemies can't see Ellie literally running around in front of their eyes" thing though.
Re: Games Completed 2020
Bioshock Infinite was the same with the enemies somehow completely unable to see Elizabeth standing right in front of them as long as Booker was hidden from them himself.
I was mainly doing opponent and ally AI at the time and so it took me out of both games pretty heavily.