Games Completed 2021

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Indiana747
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Indiana747 »

(Jan) Call of the Sea - Series X.
(Jan) Remember Me - PS3.
(Jan) Ghostbusters Remastered - Series X
(Feb) Disney Infinity 2.0 - PS4 Pro.
(Feb) Batman: Arkham Knight - PS4 Pro.
(Feb) Sacred 3 - PS3.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Magical_Isopod »

#5 - Thunder Cross

This is a SHMUP from the Konami Arcade Classics Collection. It's uh... Adequate. And that's kinda all I can say about it. It's a horizontal-scrolling SHMUP in the vein of Gradius, but it's completely unexceptional. It's definitely designed to eat quarters - tons of enemies have projectiles you often can't avoid, including homing projectiles too fast to realistically dodge. Just as well, there's not much of an upgrade path for weapons here - you always have 2 options, and you can power up to 4 total. There's only one weapon upgrade, and that's going from the puny pea shooter to thick missiles. Even for the time (1988), this seems super rudimentary compared to R-Type, Gradius, Soldier Blade and their peers. Unlike those contemporaries, however, the sprite art in Thunder Cross is just kinda mediocre, with some really bog standard spaceship stuff. And the bosses? They die really quickly, even with the default weapon. This was probably done as a balance thing given the poor spread of your shots, but still... Really weird.

If I were to highlight a positive though? The music's pretty great all the way through.

All in all, this game's not really worth playing. Even on the Arcade Classics collection, there are better games, and this is one that I don't see the rationale for including on a collection like this.

As an interesting curio, this game features a strange alien diamond that jumps from boss to boss to bring them to life... Something the Raiden games would also incorporate. Is there a connection? Some Japanese sci-fi reference I'm unaware of? Who knows, but I thought it was a strange commonality. Please though, check out the Raiden games, especially 1, 2, 4, DX and the Fighters subseries. Basically, everything but 3 and 5.

&iso2021
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Games Completed 2021

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#5.5 - Thunder Cross (Japanese version)

Right, so this is a weird addendum. I was fiddling around with that Konami collection, and found you could select Japanese variants. I highlighted Thunder Cross and the preview music was different... Weird!

The Japanese version of Thunder Cross is basically a completely different game - and a better one. First off, the levels are in a different order. And unlike the American release, there are no longer insta-death homing projectiles. The enemy placement seems to be different too - I played through the full game and didn't experience any slowdown from the game hitting its sprite limit. Basically, this Japanese version is a much more methodical game, and deaths no longer feel cheap. And the game actually DOES have power-ups. You can't select them like in Gradius, but in this version, you don't start with any Options, and there are 3 different weapon types, and there are speed-up tokens. Curiously, the bombs from the US version don't appear here at all.

Do these changes make Thunder Cross a great arcade game? Not really. It still has some of the problems listed above, but the changes to the American version were... Downright idiotic. SHMUP diehards, is there a story behind this one? It's real damn weird if you ask me.

&iso2021
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ThirdDrawing
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Re: Games Completed 2021

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Rhaegyr wrote: February 12th, 2021, 3:11 pm I remember adoring the battle system on Grandia II - is it still a highlight?
Yes and no.

The combat system is essentially the same, but how you level up is different. In Grandia 1 you level up through using the spells. In Grandia 2 you get coins in which you can spend on your spells and special moves. Depends which system you like, both have pros and cons.

Battle system itself is still great fun though.

Also finished #7 today - Truberbrook. A nice, brisk play through after an RPG.

It's.....ok. The first half is great and feels like it's building to something. The second half has you meandering around finding items and doing "find the right item for the right situation" type puzzles like a very trad point and click game. Somewhat interesting but not as good as I'd hoped.

Maybe a 7/10?
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Flabyo
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Re: Games Completed 2021

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Rhaegyr wrote: February 12th, 2021, 3:11 pm I remember adoring the battle system on Grandia II - is it still a highlight?
Ubisoft liked it, they lifted it for Child of Light.
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Jobobonobo »

Spoiler: show
January 30: Celeste
February 12: Katamari Damacy Rerolled

It was nice to play the original Katamari for the first time. Music, visuals and the satisfaction of making your katamari bigger all added up to a really fun experience. It does a nice job of progressing from small to big as the game progresses and the final level where you are rolling up entire buildings and landmasses is a glorious way to finish the game as long as you don't think too hard about the almost Lovecraftian horror elements of a giant ball consuming everything it touches and the traumatic experience of being rolled into an ever expanding mass. Definitely recommend if you want a nice carefree experience and are not adverse to some Japanese silliness. Overall however, I still prefer the sequel We Love Katamari for its greater variety in missions and the soundtrack is even better than the already stellar offering presented here. Despite that, I still say this is a great introduction if you are a newcomer to one of the most quirky series in gaming.
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ThirdDrawing
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by ThirdDrawing »

Flabyo wrote: February 13th, 2021, 9:54 am
Rhaegyr wrote: February 12th, 2021, 3:11 pm I remember adoring the battle system on Grandia II - is it still a highlight?
Ubisoft liked it, they lifted it for Child of Light.
Now that's interesting. Ubisoft published Grandia 2 on PS2.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Magical_Isopod »

I really want that Grandia collection, but the price is really high for what it is. Been waiting for a good sale, to no avail - and I'd love to have it physical, but a Limited Run release only drives the price up higher. Did any trendy Euro publishers pick that one up for physical?
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Re: Games Completed 2021

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Not sure, but it has dropped as low as £16 here in sales.
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stvnorman
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by stvnorman »

Magical_Isopod wrote: February 13th, 2021, 1:25 am #5.5 - Thunder Cross (Japanese version)
Right, so this is a weird addendum. I was fiddling around with that Konami collection, and found you could select Japanese variants. I highlighted Thunder Cross and the preview music was different... Weird!
I’d have never have known that. Thanks! I’m quite fond of Thunder Cross - I think stage three is beautiful - so I’m definitely interested in a variant I didn’t know I owned!

UPDATE. That was really interesting! Stages 1 and 2 then 3 and 4 are mixed up. It’s curious because stage 2 here is definitely more of a stage 1! I didn’t really miss the bombs but the power-ups are different too, and much more stingy, making it seem far less forgiving, but the stage order is more forgiving. Curious!
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ratsoalbion
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by ratsoalbion »

One of the key differences is that the US version dropped the player defined option spacing, making it a less tactical affair.
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Feirsteax
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Re: Games Completed 2021

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Feb 13: The Medium [Xbox Series X]

I enjoyed this game. The story was good despite relying on some well-worn tropes and I was keen to find out the truth behind all the mysteries. The game drives forward at a good pace, and the story was over quicker than I expected. This is definitely a good thing, if it was much longer it would have felt like a drag.

The chase / boss fight segments were really hit and miss for me though. While some worked well, others just felt like a dead weight to the momentum of the game, and the scare-factor soon dissolved into bored frustration, which was really detrimental to the experience of these segments.

The bits I loved were the times you had to explore a dark, moody environment, finding hints and memories of dead spirits scattered around the area. There were some light puzzles here, nothing groundbreaking, but piecing together the story as you soak in the atmosphere was a pleasure. I essentially viewed this game as a Walking Simulator more than a Survival Horror, and I was satisfied with what I got out of it.
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Combine Hunter
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Combine Hunter »

Spoiler: show
06/01 - Monster Hunter: Iceborne (PS4/PS5)
22/01 - Black Mesa (PC)
24/01 - HITMAN 3 (PC)
15/02 - The Pathless (PC)

Very good, but runs out of ideas quickly. Visually incredible though.
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ThirdDrawing
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Re: Games Completed 2021

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Magical_Isopod wrote: February 14th, 2021, 1:38 pm I really want that Grandia collection, but the price is really high for what it is. Been waiting for a good sale, to no avail - and I'd love to have it physical, but a Limited Run release only drives the price up higher. Did any trendy Euro publishers pick that one up for physical?
No, sadly, but I'm wondering if it will start to happen more. Brigandine got a Euro release after the LR release, which ticks me off. And Untitled Goose Game got a wide physical release after the Iam8bit release. It doesn't always happen but it's starting to.

I ended up splurging for the LR release for Grandia, because I knew the price would only go up if I didn't.

The problem is they take so bloody long to get shipped after you order.
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Jon Cheetham »

Spoiler: show
8th Jan - Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin (PS4)
10th Jan - Donut County (Android)
20th Jan - Dark Souls Remastered (Switch)
23 Jan - Bastion (Switch)
30 Jan - Hitman 3 (PS4)
15 Feb - Loco Motive (Itch)
A pay-what-you-want point and click adventure game I read about on pcgamer, it's about an hour long and I really recommend it if you like these sort of games. I don't usually play them, haven't played the old Lucasarts Monkey Island stuff for example, but this is a murder mystery on a train so I had to. Really quite funny in places, charming visuals and doesn't outstay its welcome.
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Shy Monkeys »

Finally finished Trails of Cold Steel 4 today. I am very excited to see where the series goes from here with Hajimari no Kiseki. Hopefully the wait for an English release won't be too long.
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Miririn
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Miririn »

6. Resident Evil 2 (Remake)

Dumb and fun. Played both campaigns with a lot of wine. I actually enjoyed my second campaign more than my first. I wish the characters could run, the plotline is completely daft, and I'm not too fussed about the puzzles, but I liked the spooky settings and stupid gory boss monsters. Shredded my nerves too, that was a lot of fun. The first Resi game I've played to completion (...although maybe I'll try Resi7 again one day) and I've now bought "Resident Evil 4" and the remake of "Resident Evil 3", so it clearly did the trick. Popcorn game - turn your brain off and have a blast. All the characters (except maybe poor old Marvin) are like aliens who are trying to pretend to act like humans.
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Indiana747
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Indiana747 »

(Jan) Call of the Sea - Series X.
(Jan) Remember Me - PS3.
(Jan) Ghostbusters Remastered - Series X
(Feb) Disney Infinity 2.0 - PS4 Pro.
(Feb) Batman: Arkham Knight - PS4 Pro.
(Feb) Sacred 3 - PS3.
(Feb) The Darkness II - PS3.
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Miririn
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Miririn »

7. Resident Evil 3 (Remake) PS4

Dumb, fun, and short - so it was exactly what I was looking for. Was nonplussed with Nemesis at the beginning (Nemesis, sweetheart, you try too hard - less is more), but I perked up when he went all Xenomorph later on. Some of the set pieces were good fun, like when Carlos and his hair had to buy time and stop all the zombies and cute frog monsters-- I mean... Hunters--- from getting into the sickroom.

It didn't have the great setting or the dread of the Resi2 remake... but I thought the pacing was better, and I really dug Jill Valentine, who got to be a sort of Ellen Ripley-type character. I've only played two and a half Resi games (these two remakes and half of Resi7) and all the dialogue makes the characters seem like they're robots trying to learn how to emote/communicate like real humans, and it's oddly endearing.

Being able to dodge in this game was also appreciated.
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by markfm007 »

Jan 22nd - Jedi Fallen Order
Feb 21st - Little Nightmares

Decided to give Little Nightmares a go as a break from Final Fantasy X, which I'm working my way through and coming up to the end of. Really enjoyable game. I loved the lighting, the clanks, echoes and discordant tones, and the exaggerated features and movement of enemies. Level design is excellent, either for chase sequences or extended stealth/puzzle solving. I particularly enjoyed
Spoiler: show
the third chapter in the kitchen, leading the chefs around the various rooms and maneuvering keys.
The main drawbacks are controls and perspective. The controls are a bit clunky, particularly around the grab mechanic, making anything needing speed or precision a bit of a dice roll. The camera perspective also makes the 3d environment difficult to navigate at times, which can lead to falling off or getting stuck on things often. These together lead to a fair amount of cheap deaths and some frustration.

Neither are a huge drawback though, and the game is well worth playing, particularly considering it's 3 hour run time. I've downloaded the demo for the second game, hopefully they'll have improved some of these issues, but I'll likely play both it and the DLC for the first game regardless.
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