Games Completed 2021

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Scrustle
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Scrustle »

I was planning on playing the Peace Walker remaster through emulation, so no multiplayer. Is it really a big deal if I don't have it? I have heard there's a secret true ending that is really hard to get, but it's really important leading in to MGSV. But if it's really that much of a pain to get normally, I might just look up a video of it instead.

But since I'm doing these games in release order I'll be playing it after 4 anyway. Plus I'm still curious to see where things go following the end of 2. But I'm also kind of curious about Portable Ops. I'm not too concerned about sticking religiously to exactly what's canon, and the sort of weird position this game has in the series makes me want to see what the deal is.
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ColinAlonso
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by ColinAlonso »

Spoiler: show
Jan 1 - Slay the Spire (Switch)
Jan 10 - Streets of Rage 4 (PS4) (Cherry - Normal)
Jan 24 - Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (Switch) (True Ending)
Feb 28 - Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (Switch)
Mar 28 - Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (Vita)
Jun 13 - Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (PS4)
Jul 11 - What The Golf? (Switch)
Jul 17 - Everything (PS4)
Jul 24 - Astro's Playroom (PS5)
Aug 2 - The Darkside Detective (Switch)
Aug 5 - Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)
Sep 4 - Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (PS5)
Sep 10 - Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Switch)
Sep 26 - Blaster Master Zero (Switch)
Sep 29 - Flipping Death (Switch)
Oct 11 - Yakuza: Like A Dragon (PS5)
Oct 25 - Hotshot Racing (Switch)
Nov 6 - Neo: The World Ends With You (PS5)
Nov 25 - Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition (Switch)
Dec 1 - Professor Layton and the Specter's Call (DS cart on 3DS)
Dec 6 - Outer Wilds (PS5)
Dec 20 - Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition (PS5)
Dec 28 - Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5)

Other people can talk about how this is a technical showcase for the PS5, I'll just say it looks really pretty at times.

More importantly though, it's a return to form for the series after the disappointing 2016 PS4 entry and 2013's mini sequel Nexus (I'm being harsh here given that I skipped it but it was a budget release rather than a full R&C game) Though I don't think it quite reaches the highs of Tools of Destruction and A Crack in Time (holy crap that was released in 2009), it brings the series back up towards that level of quality. It doesn't really do much new for the series, it is executed well though.

I played it on hard (can't remember the specific name) and that felt just right difficulty wise.
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stvnorman
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by stvnorman »

Spoiler: show
9 January: Resident Evil 4 (GameCube)
12 January: Power Drift (ZX Spectrum)
15 January: Resident Evil 3 Remake (PS4)
16 January: Castlevania - Rondo of Blood (PC-Engine Mini)
17 January: Wonderful Dizzy (ZX Spectrum)
23 January: V-Rally 3 (Game Boy Advance)
30 January: Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! (PS4)
6 February: White Jaguar (ZX Spectrum)
8 February: Alien Planet Underwater Research (ZX Spectrum)
13 February: Indiana Jones & the Fountain of Everlasting Life (ZX Spectrum)
15 February: Batman - The Video Game (Mega Drive)
16 February: Scooby Doo (ZX Spectrum)
17 February: World of Illusion (Mega Drive)
18 February: Akumajō Dracula - Castlevania (NES on Switch)
20 February: Super Star Wars (SNES)
28 February: Cyber Shadow (Xbox One)
3 March: Double Kick Heroes (Xbox One)
4 March: Battletoads (Xbox One)
4 March: Jaws (ZX Spectrum)
8 March: Shao-Lin’s Road (ZX Spectrum)
9 March: Shao-Lin’s Road (Arcade on PS1)
10 March: The Medium (Xbox Series X)
13 March: Donut County (Xbox Series X)
15 March: Gears 5 (Xbox Series X)
18 March: Frankenstein’s Monster (Atari 2600)
19 March: Star Fox 64 3D (3DS)
21 March: Undertale (Xbox Series X)
25 March: Dragon Quest (Switch)
28 March: Wreckfest (Xbox Series X)
2 April: Genesis Noir (Xbox Series X)
6 April: Narita Boy (Xbox Series X)
10 April: Commando (Arcade on Switch)
14 April: Outriders (Xbox Series X)
19 April: Dirt 5 (Xbox Series X)
30 April: Danterrifik III (ZX Spectrum)
14 May: The Trap Door (ZX Spectrum)
16 May: Resident Evil Village (Xbox Series X)
17 May: Hotshot Racing (Xbox Series X)
23 May: Resident Evil Village NG+ (Xbox Series X)
26 May: WEC Le Mans (ZX Spectrum)
29 May: Silent Hill 2 NG+ (PlayStation 2)
30 May: Mr Heli (ZX Spectrum)
31 May: Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)
6 June: The Saboteur (PS3)
11 June: Riddle of the Sphinx (Atari 2600)
13 June: Wave Race - Blue Storm (GameCube)
15 June: Dragon Spirit - The New Legend (NES on Switch)
17 June: Continental Circus (Arcade on PS2)
21 June: Silent Hill 3 (PS2)
27 June: Super Cycle (Atari ST)
4 July: Dungeons & Dragons Dark Alliance (Xbox Series X)
5 July: Out Run (PC-Engine)
6 July: Madden NFL 21 Franchise Mode (Xbox Series X)
7 July: Panzer Dragoon Mini (Game Gear)
13 July: Super Turrican (SNES on Switch)
17 July: Pit-Fighter (Arcade on Xbox Series X)
17 July: Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox Series X)
19 July: Resident Evil 4 (PS4)
21 July: Frontline (Atari 2600)
29 July: Cotton Reboot Arrange Mode (Switch)
2 August: Renegade (ZX Spectrum)
15 August: Cotton Reboot X68000 Mode (Switch)
15 August: Cotton Reboot Arrange Mode / Appli (Switch)
20 August: Twelve Minutes (Xbox Series X)
23 August: Blair Witch (Xbox Series X)
27 August: Silent Hill 2 HD (Xbox Series X)
30 August: Luigi’s Mansion (GameCube)
1 September: Rogue Trooper (ZX Spectrum)
3 September: Commando (Arcade on Switch)
5 September: Psychonauts 2 (Xbox Series X)
10 September: Art of Rally (Xbox Series X)
11 September: The Artful Escape (Xbox Series X)
12 September: Jason’s Gem (ZX Spectrum)
17 September: Myst (Xbox Series X)
25 September: Dracula X - Castlevania Advance Collection (Switch)
6 October: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon - Castlevania Advance Collection (Switch)
10 October: Gleylancer (Switch)
15 October: Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance - Castlevania Advance Collection (Switch)
17 October: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow - Castlevania Advance Collection (Switch)
17 October: Monument Valley 2 - The Lost Forest Expansion (iOS)
20 October: Kung-Fu Master (Game Boy)
29 October: Cotton 100% (Switch)
31 October: Super Castlevania IV (SNES Classic Mini)
1 November: Splatterhouse 2 (Mega Drive)
5 November: Splatterhouse (PC-Engine)
7 November: Super Mario World (Game Boy)
14 November: Hypnospace Outlaw (Xbox Series X)
20 November: Haunted Castle (Arcade on Switch)
24 November: Noddy - A Day in Toyland (Game Boy Advance)
26 November: Exo One (Xbox Series X)
27 November: Journey (PS4)
30 November: Clockwork Aquario (Arcade on Switch)
4 December: Abzu (Switch)
6 December: Feud (ZX Spectrum)
17 December: Halo Infinite (Xbox Series X)
21 December: Serious Sam 4 (Xbox Series X)
23 December: Firewatch (Xbox Series X)

I bought Abzu for almost nothing years ago and finally got around to its slightly poncey but mostly impressive couple of hours to kick off the month. Feud’s couple of hours is always way more than mostly impressive, which is why it’s my favourite game ever! Halo Infinite not quite that - too many metal corridors ending in metal doors for that - but it was a blast all the same, as was Serious Sam 4 along similar, albeit less polished lines! “Less polished” is a good way to describe Firewatch too, but maybe I just left it too long!
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Simonsloth
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Simonsloth »

Scrustle wrote: December 29th, 2021, 5:16 pm I was planning on playing the Peace Walker remaster through emulation, so no multiplayer. Is it really a big deal if I don't have it? I have heard there's a secret true ending that is really hard to get, but it's really important leading in to MGSV. But if it's really that much of a pain to get normally, I might just look up a video of it instead.

But since I'm doing these games in release order I'll be playing it after 4 anyway. Plus I'm still curious to see where things go following the end of 2. But I'm also kind of curious about Portable Ops. I'm not too concerned about sticking religiously to exactly what's canon, and the sort of weird position this game has in the series makes me want to see what the deal is.
It’s not a massive deal but genuinely enhanced my experience as sometimes there’s a bit of grinding otherwise. When I say that it’s the nice type I.e going back to old levels to retrieve special NPCs or weapons of memory serves. It’s no drakengard.

I really enjoyed portable ops but at the time maybe that was because it was a stripped down metal gear in your pocket. I think the psp and vita versions of big titles seemed better than they were because of that. Now the switch and remote play of ps5 games and xcloud make it far less impressive.

The Xbox 360 version is on game pass I think (or was) and the ps3 version on ps now. If you have ps now or a ps3 you could give that version a whirl?
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Scrustle
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Scrustle »

Spoiler: show
05/01 - Brutal Legend
07/01 - Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
13/01 - Sludge Life
17/01 - AER: Memories of Old
19/01 - Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (Human - Nero/Dante)
05/03 - CrossCode: A New Home
14/03 - Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
17/03 - Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (100cc)
02/04 - Drakengard (Endings A-D)
14/04 - Drakengard 2 (Ending A)
28/04 - Drakengard 3 (Endings A-D)
02/05 - Rain
10/05 - God of War: Chains of Olympus HD
15/05 - God of War: Ghost of Sparta HD
24/05 - NieR Replicant ver. 1.22474487139... (Endings A-E)
08/06 - Final Fantasy XV (NG+)
02/07 - God of War II HD
15/07 - Scarlet Nexus (Yuito)
20/07 - TRON: Evolution
21/07 - Sky: Children of the Light
01/08 - Scarlet Nexus (Kasane, NG+)
12/08 - Forza Horizon
18/08 - A Plague Tale: Innocence
21/08 - Contrast
31/08 - Forza Motorsport 7
04/09 - No More Heroes III
13/09 - Metal Gear Solid
23/09 - Metal Gear Solid 2 HD
09/10 - Psychonauts 2
15/10 - Unsighted
17/10 - Sable
18/10 - Halo: Reach (Master Chief Collection)
23/10 - Split/Second
29/10 - Darq
11/11 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut
14/11 - Darksiders II (Apocalyptic)
21/11 - Kid A Mnesia Exhibition
23/11 - Forza Horizon 5
27/11 - Exo One
29/11 - Omno
11/12 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64HD)
15/12 - Halo: Combat Evolved (Master Chief Collection)
19/12 - Halo Infinite
26/12 - Metal Gear Solid 3 HD
30/12 - Halo 2 Anniversary (Master Chief Collection)

I wasn't totally sure I wanted to play through this one again. I've been half considering doing a Halo marathon lately, but also kind of not sure on the idea as I didn't want to burn myself out on it. But without anything else on my plate right now I decided to boot this one up and found it was a very swift and seamless playthrough. I've never paid much attention to exactly how long each of these games are before, but I have heard it said this one is the longest, yet it didn't feel like it at all.

I also wasn't sure whether I wanted to play with the original graphics or the remaster. I haven't played the original in ages, so I partially wanted to go back to that again to refresh my memory, and sort of repeat what I did with Halo 1 earlier in the month. But I ended up playing with the new graphics, only occasionally flipping back to the old to see how it compared in certain areas. They really did a fantastic job with this one. A much better and more faithful take than the first game, but improving it in almost every way. Although there are some areas where there are certain touches I prefer in the original, like the colour palette of the early city levels, or some atmospheric/weather effects that are missing in some of the later levels. But in general there's way more detail with much more natural lighting, and maintains the character of the aesthetic really well. It is generally brighter in most spots, but it's still not afraid to use darkness when necessary, and it doesn't ruin the mood.

I was rather surprised comparing the soundtrack and general sound design too. They did a great job remastering that as well, but there are certain quirks to it that give a slightly different personality. For one, the remaster actually has music much more prominent in the mix, which I wasn't expecting. At least that's how it seemed most of the time when I did switch back to compare. There was one point where the original had louder music than the remaster though, so maybe it would seem more even if I compared more. The newer compositions use more conventional and more acoustic instrumentation as well, which changes some things. It's pretty noticeable with the choir voices, as the presumably synthesised samples of the original made for a more artificial yet ethereal sound, with more clearly distinctive changes in notation. The original also has more obvious use of synth in general, although the remaster still isn't shy about using it. The remaster also uses slightly more brass. In a way I prefer the old soundtrack for those qualities, but the new music has a much richer and fleshed out composition, and is mastered much better to actually stand out and punctuate moments, it's hard to not prefer it in most situations.

Audio design outside the soundtrack is kind of a tricky one. On the one hand, the sounds of the weapons are mostly excellent. They are punchy and have impact, but still most of the time carry over the personality that they had in the original version. This is the kind of thing that I was disappointed Infinite couldn't do, which was making the Covenant weapons sound good and also actually memorable. The remastered weapon audio here is leagues above the original, it's no contest, with only a scant few exceptions. But when it comes to the background audioscape, the remaster is a little lacking. Most of the time if there's no gunfire or music, it's dead silent, and it feels a bit flat. While if you go back to the old graphics, there might be some ambient sound of some sort. It's not always the case, and again things might come off a bit different if I checked more thoroughly, but that was something I noticed.

As an actual game though, it's still a lot of fun. But that said, playing it after Infinite does highlight how improved the gameplay actually is now. Levels are pretty linear, even just comparing it to the first game. The arenas you do fight in are still good however, and it doesn't have the issue of level assets being reused too much. While the weapon variety is better than the first, it still feels rather limited compared to Infinite. I still really like it as an adventure through this world, and the story it tells too. Seeing deeper in to the Covenant society, the Arbiter's arc and how it relates to that are still really cool. Making your way through High Charity and marvelling at the scale of it, while watching the Covenant descend in to chaos as civil war breaks out, only for it to then fall to The Flood is a really cool sequence to see play out. The game has a lot of memorable moments that are some of the best in the series.

---

And with that I think that's the last of the games I'll be completing this year. Much like last year, I didn't play much new stuff, and instead spent time on older games, be that replaying stuff or trying out stuff I never got around to before. So I don't think I've really played enough new stuff to pick out what I think my "games of the year" are, but there were still a good number of games that stood out that stuck with me.

The Drakengard games were a trip. I really enjoyed playing through them. Actually, I'm not sure "enjoy" is the right word... They were extremely compelling in a strange way that I've never had before, even as someone who has been a fan of Nier for a long time. They were strange, obtuse, and tedious, but at the same time oddly cathartic, repeatedly surprising, and did some clever things with games as a medium that is similar to some of the things Nier does, but in a unique way. They are in many ways awful by a lot of conventional standards, but in a way that I found somehow made them intensely engaging and interesting. I've taken to saying that the first game in particular is good because it's bad. It feels like these games have done something to my brain that can't be un-done.

On the topic of Nier, the remake/remaster that came out this year was also another big highlight. An excellent version of the game that hugely improves on basically everything while still keeping the core of what made the original great fully intact. A great entry point for new people to come in and see this game in the best possible light, as well as being a good reason to replay the game given the changes and the sizable additions too.

I also had a great time replaying Final Fantasy XV as well. I already liked that game quite a lot, but going back through again with the Royal Edition DLC was very much worth it. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the game and its combat systems, thanks to the tweaks made there, and the revamped final chapter also helped make the conclusion of the game much more satisfying. The bits added to the final dungeon sequence were a lot of fun, and even helped strengthen the story's themes as well. This game may still be rather awkward thanks to its rough development, but it has so much heart that I can't help but appreciate it. The new bits here do a good amount to bring it closer to being what it was always trying to be.

Scarlet Nexus was probably my most pleasant surprise this year. Going in I was expecting it would be maybe a good action game, but not anything special. Something that might scratch the same itch as Astral Chain, even if it didn't really hold up to that standard. But I got really drawn in to this game and played the hell out of it, to the point of exhausting it of all content. I still wouldn't put it in the same bracket as Platinum's best, but I found it actually had a really fun combat system that had more going on than it first seemed on the surface. I really dug the aesthetic of it as well, and the story was a fun rollercoaster of wacky nonsense, that while I wouldn't say was particularly great, was definitely entertaining.

I had a lot of fun with No More Heroes III as well. It was great to finally see that series come back with a full sequel, after so long in limbo. It's encouraging as the start of a new era for Grasshopper too, in going back to making unconventional, wild, "punk" games, and escaping the struggling position they have been in for so long. The game may not have been everything I was hoping it would be, but those were high standards to live up to. But even in light of that, I had a fun time with it, and there was a lot I did appreciate about it. And it seems appropriate for this new era of Grasshopper to start off by closing the books on this series too. It makes the possibilities of where things can go from here look encouraging.

My ongoing journey with the Metal Gear Solid games has also been another standout. Games I've always heard so much about over the years, occasionally wondered about trying for myself, but have always been on my periphery. Not the kind of thing I would usually try of my own volition, and wouldn't expect to enjoy. But I've actually really been liking this little exploration of these games. Even if I struggle to get on with the gameplay, these games are certainly worthy of the praise they've been getting over the years. It has an intriguing pseudo-novelty to me as well, being something that is very well established in the medium, but still pretty alien to me in a lot of ways.

Psychonauts 2 was also great. I'm not a huge fan of platformers in general, and don't play that many, but I was pretty impressed with playing the original some years back. This sequel builds on this in some very smart ways, and is an excellent follow-up that is one of the most original and imaginative games I've played in a long time. It could have very well been the case that in the years between each entry Double Fine could've lost their touch, or been unable to get back on the bike. Instead not only did they not skip a beat, they managed to improve on the original very convincingly too. A very fun game, with loads of fun ideas, fantastic writing, and a wonderful aesthetic.

Finishing off with a couple of honourable mentions, CrossCode: A New Home was a fantastic capstone to a game that I have been following ever since early development. It had some of the best moments in the game, and brought some nice closure to some of the lingering questions from the main game. Returning to Zelda: Majora's Mask was a good time, in what was effectively an impressive remastered form. I'm a little hesitant to mention it because it might just be recency bias, but Halo Infinite was impressive in that it was better than I expected it would be, and an interesting turning point in the turbulent path of this series.
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Alex79
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Alex79 »

Alex79uk wrote: January 1st, 2021, 1:25 pmJAN - 80 Days (Android)
JAN - What Remains Of Edith Finch (PS4)
JAN - Judgment (PS4)
JAN - Donut County (Android)
FEB - Gorogoa (Android)
FEB - Horace (Switch)
FEB - Castlevania (NES on Switch)
FEB - Akumajō Dracula (Famicom on Switch)
MAR - Pinball FX3: Back To The Future (Switch)
MAR - Pinball FX3: E.T. (Switch)
APR - Fantasy Zone (1cc) (Arcade on Switch)
APR - Assassin's Creed: Unity (PS4)
APR - There Is No Game: Game Jam Edition (Android)
MAY - Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch (Switch)
JUN - Super Mario 64 (Switch)
JUL - Silent Bomber JP (PS1 on Vita)
AUG - OutRun 2 (PSP on Vita)
AUG - OutRun 2 SP (PSP on Vita)
AUG - Ashen (Switch)
AUG - Papers, Please (Vita)
AUG - Scramble (1cc) (Arcade on Switch)
AUG - Bayonetta 2 (Switch)
AUG - Pinball FX3: Family Guy (Switch)
AUG - Shovel Knight: Shovel Of Hope (Switch)
SEP - FAR: Lone Sails (Android)
SEP - The Artful Escape (Xbox)
SEP - Pinball FX3: Portal (Switch)
SEP - Pinball FX3: Aliens vs Predator (Switch)
SEP - EA UFC 4 (Xbox)
OCT - Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Xbox)
OCT - Pinball FX3: Aliens (Switch)
OCT - Pinball FX3: Alien Isolation (Switch)
OCT - Pinball FX3: Attack From Mars (Switch)
OCT - Superliminal (Xbox)
OCT - Haunted Castle (Arcade on Switch)
OCT - Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES on Switch)
OCT - Gears Of War: Ultimate Edition (Xbox)
OCT - Castle Of Illusion (SMS on Vita)
OCT - Land Of Illusion (SMS on Vita)
OCT - Akumajō Densetsu (Famicom on Switch)
OCT - Castlevania: The Adventure (Gameboy on Switch)
OCT - Super Castlevania IV (SNES on Switch)
OCT - The Red Strings Club (Switch)
OCT - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Xbox)
NOV - Guacamelee: STC Edition (Switch)
NOV - Bastion (Switch)
NOV - The Walking Dead: Season One (Xbox)
NOV - Red Dead Redemption (Xbox)
NOV - Assassin's Creed Liberation: Remastered (Switch)
DEC - Halo: Combat Evolved: Anniversary (Xbox)
DEC - Transistor (Switch)
DEC - Halo 2: Anniversary (Xbox)
DEC - Halo 3 (Xbox)
DEC - Halo 3: ODST (Xbox)
DEC - Halo: Reach (Xbox)
DEC - Halo 4 (Xbox)

Almost certainly my last completion for the year, and what a year, think I've finished more games this year than ever! My 6th Halo game in a month too, I just seem to have not been able to stop once I'd started!

So,Halo 4. I'd understood this to be widely regarded as a bit of a misstep for the series, and something of a let down for 343's first entry in the series. As I played the first few stages I couldn't understand why. It seemed brilliant, and looked amazing for a 360 game. However, the back end of the game gets very repetitive, a lot of 'go to these 3 points, plug Cortana in, go to the next set of points' mission, and it became ever so slightly tedious towards the end. Also, an almost unforgivably shit spaceship section where you're piloting along the ravines of a larger ship. I must have crashed a dozen times before I made it to the end.

I really liked the design and feel of the new weapons though, and the new enemies were pretty cool, if also a little repetitive. It was really neat how the forerunner weapons sort of came together in compartments as you picked them up though.

I thought the story was OK, as far as Halo lore goes. I'm keen to play Infinite now, but I'm going to get through what seems to be universally derided as the worst in the series first, though. Halo 5 it is, then!
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Magical_Isopod »

#20 - The Alliance Alive HD (2019, PS4)

Wow. What a game this wound up being. Not counting replays, this is the best game I played in 2021, no doubt about it.

Alliance Alive is what Octopath Traveller and I Am Setsuna tried to be - a throwback, turn-based JRPG that actually stands in the same league as the games that inspired it. I bought this game a year ago, for Boxing Day, on a "Let's gamble on a JRPG that looks well-made" whim. Pulled up Video Games Plus's website (a Canadian retailer that always stocks all kinds of cool, niche games), looked at what was on sale, and this is one of two games I checked out with. (The other being Nexomon Extinction, which was sold many moons ago).

And the gamble paid off, good lord. I am in love with this game. Is it the BEST JRPG I've ever played? No. It doesn't quite hit the emotional highs of Xenoblade 2, it doesn't have a plot with a ton of moving pieces like Final Fantasy 7, and it doesn't have the ultra-polished battle system of Chrono Trigger. But if you asked me to make a Top 10 JRPGs list, The Alliance Alive would probably be on there.

So what is this game? Without getting into any spoilers, the core premise is simple: You start in the shoes of two characters who live in a world of eternal rain, and one of them has a dream about a blue sky. Circumstances lead you to the ruins of a building from a lost civilization, and an arcane device reveals an image of the world you know - but with a shining blue sky... However, before long, a powerful being has come by to punish you for discovering forbidden knowledge. It's a simple premise - but it works. Throughout the game, I was emotionally invested in story. There's a fairly large cast of characters, and while many of them are strictly in a supporting role whose arcs come and go early on, those with bigger stakes in the world consistently drive the story forward, with very few dull moments. And by the end, when each character delivers a line before the finishing blow... You can't help but cheer for them.

At first, I was put off by the "chibi" art style, but something felt different... Something about the style was its own beast. It looked like other things, but it riffed on those things with creativity. That feeling permeates the whole art style. Some of the artwork on display is downright gorgeous, with the cell-shading being used to create something damn near identical to watercolour paintings. The Rainbow Tower late in the game is absolutely a visual spectacle. The game's awash in bright colours and pastels, while not shying away from intense reds and purples. It's far from some generic anime guff - it's inspired. While the game isn't exactly a graphical powerhouse - it was originally a 3DS game after all - the art style more than compensates, offering a visually pleasing spectacle, ESPECIALLY during the gorgeous and well-animated cutscenes.

Gameplay is where the game falters, but only a little bit. I beat the game, and I can't say I completely understand the battle system. Your characters don't level up in a traditional sense, but their moves do. You gain HP and SP upgrades from completing battles. But this kind of poses a problem - those level-ups only apply to the characters in your party. So what winds up happening is, you have your main party of 5 characters, and a bunch of others you just never use, because they're too underpowered. I feel like there's something I'm missing in there, but playing it like a traditional JRPG, I still had a blast, even if I had little incentive to change up my party. This is one where you pick favourites, and stick with them.

I'd never heard of this game before picking it up on that fateful Boxing Day sale, and it really seems like this game just missed everybody that wasn't already buying up hardcore JRPGs, and that's a damn shame. This is, bar none, the best example of a modern, turn-based JRPG of the decade. Well, last decade, I suppose. If you have any interest at all in the genre, absolutely pick this one up. It's on Switch, PS4 and Steam - and 3DS if you don't mind a big drop in graphical fidelity. I've seen it go on sale a lot, too. Rest assured, this is not some Kemco shovelware. This is not some fanboy's lazy also-ran. This is not some nostalgia-bait cash grab from Square-Enix. This is a phenomenal game, and you should absolutely check it out if this sounds like your jam.

&iso2021
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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.
(Feb) The Bureau: XCOM Declassified - PS3.
(Mar) Gears 5: Hivebusters - Series X.
(Mar) Silent Hill: Downpour - PS3.
(Mar) The Medium - Series X.
(Mar) Donut County - Series X.
(Mar) Astro's Playroom - PS5.
(Apr) Outriders - Series X.
(May) Lego City Undercover - Wii U.
(May) Ghost of Tsushima - PS5.
(May) Resident Evil Village - PS5.
(May) Dantes Inferno - Series X(BC).
(May) Streets of Rage 4 - Series X.
(May) Dead Space - Series X(BC).
(June) Matterfall - PS5.
(June) Battlefield 4 - Series X.
(Aug) Metro Exodus + DLCs - Series X.
(Aug) Mass Effect 1 Legendary Edition - Series X.
(Aug) Maneater(1000GS) - Series X.
(Sept) Dead Rising 4 - Series X.
(Sept) Limbo - Series X.
(Sept) Raji: An Ancient Epic - Series X.
(Sept) The Ascent - Series X.
(Sept) The Artful Escape - Series X.
(Oct) Mighty Goose - Series X.
(Oct) Alan Wake Remastered - Series X.
(Nov) The Evil Within 2 - Series X.
(Nov) Minecraft Dungeons - Series X.
(Nov) Forza Horizon 5 - Series X.
(Nov) Unpacking - Series X.
(Nov) Totally Reliable Delivery Service - Series X.
(Nov) Titanfall 2 - Series X.
(Dec) Guardians of the Galaxy - Series X.
(Dec) Exo One - Series X.
(Dec) Horizon ZD: The Frozen Wilds - PS5.
(Dec) Townscaper - Series X.
(Dec) Halo Infinite - Series X.
(Dec) The Gunk - Series X.
(Dec) Marvel's Avengers - Series X.
(Dec) Spider Man Miles Morales - PS5.
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RinseWashRepeat
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by RinseWashRepeat »

Remember Me! I loved that game. The gameplay itself wasn't anything revolutionary, but the setting and the soundtrack really stuck with me.

As for games I completed this year - the biggest ones I can remember are Hollow Knight and the Resident Evil 2 remake. Both were pretty outstanding.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Magical_Isopod »

RinseWashRepeat wrote: December 31st, 2021, 10:21 am Remember Me! I loved that game. The gameplay itself wasn't anything revolutionary, but the setting and the soundtrack really stuck with me.

As for games I completed this year - the biggest ones I can remember are Hollow Knight and the Resident Evil 2 remake. Both were pretty outstanding.
Okay you know how Remember Me has those sections where you need to spin the control stick to rewind time? The only PS3 controller I had at the time was like... Weird. It wouldn't detect the rotation. Almost like it was a series of digital points instead of an analog stick. Third party controller. I got so frustrated I bailed on that game. I remember enjoying it tho.
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Indiana747
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Indiana747 »

Yeah, Remember Me was a highlight of the start of the year. I was in the process of wrapping up games from the PS3 backlog that i always wanted to check out, as i knew id never play them once i got a PS5. I must of got Remember Me off of PS+ subscription as i don't think i ever bought it.
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Pconpi
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Location: Seattle, WA USA

Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Pconpi »

So fun looking back over this list of the games completed this year, a lot of great memories here :)

Alan Wake Remastered
Another World
Astro's Playroom
Banjo-Kazooie
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Castlevania
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin
Death Stranding
Demon's Souls 2020
Donkey Kong 64
Donkey Kong Country
Final Fantasy IV PSP
Final Fantasy VII Remake - Episode INTERmission
Final Fantasy X
Ghost of Tsushima
Gravity Rush
Hitman 2 (2018)
Ico
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
Marvel's Spider-Man
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Metroid
Metroid Dread
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Mother 3
Okamiden
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
Ratchet & Clank 2016
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Resident Evil (2002)
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil Village
Returnal
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Super Paper Mario
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Wolf Among Us
The World Ends with You
Tomb Raider
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
Wario Land 4
WarioWare Gold
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenogears
inFAMOUS: Second Son
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OneCreditBen
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by OneCreditBen »

Image

Brian Jacks Superstar Challenge
ZX Spectrum
He wrecked me at the dips, but I was so far ahead I got the gold.
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NoMoreSpearows
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by NoMoreSpearows »

https://blog.spacehey.com/entry?id=202613

If you would like to read yet another "games of the year" list, here ya go.
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ThirdDrawing
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Location: Poverty Stricken StudentLand

Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by ThirdDrawing »

My last two finishes of 2021, #s 33 and 34 - The Darkness and Way of the Samurai 4.
Magical_Isopod wrote: December 31st, 2021, 1:53 am #20 - The Alliance Alive HD (2019, PS4)

Wow. What a game this wound up being. Not counting replays, this is the best game I played in 2021, no doubt about it.
Rest assured, this is not some Kemco shovelware. This is not some fanboy's lazy also-ran. This is not some nostalgia-bait cash grab from Square-Enix. This is a phenomenal game, and you should absolutely check it out if this sounds like your jam.

&iso2021
I really need to play this.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Games Completed 2021

Post by Magical_Isopod »

Indiana747 wrote: December 31st, 2021, 2:01 pm Yeah, Remember Me was a highlight of the start of the year. I was in the process of wrapping up games from the PS3 backlog that i always wanted to check out, as i knew id never play them once i got a PS5. I must of got Remember Me off of PS+ subscription as i don't think i ever bought it.
It was a PS+ release waaaay back before the PS4 launched, I remember it.
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