Games Completed 2018

[Chopper]

Hidden Agenda (PS4 Playlink)

This is one of the Playlink games, where multiple players download an app to their phone and use it to play the game by making choices (majority decision wins) to progress the plot. There are also some QTEs (move pointer into target area on screen) and some hidden object-type stuff (find three clues on a static crime scene screen by moving the pointer over them). There's also a meta game where a player can play cards to break a tie, and one where one of the players is given a hidden agenda (to ensure a certain outcome in the game, I think) and has to try and influence the others to go down that route. I played single player so didn't see any of that. As the story progresses, it unlocks character bios, story notes etc on your phone, so there is always plenty to do.

The game itself (from Supermassive) hits some bum notes in continuity, uses some preposterous plot points and enters the uncanny valley occasionally (excusable, very high quality in most cases). The phone input (even if you are playing single player, you control the whole game with your phone) is a bit laggy at times and the game paused twice when my phone hit the 20% and 10% power warnings. It also needs a bit more polish, with strange cuts and jumps, and the decision tree not quite working (I got a 'good' outcome but there seemed to be a bit from another, bad outcome mixed in with it). With all that, it's good fun, and looking at the trophies afterwards it seems like there are quite a range of outcomes and your choices do count(TM). I don't know that I'd get people round to play through it again, but it's definitely viable.

All in all I had a running list of issues while playing it last night - none huge - but this morning I look back on it quite fondly.

[Michiel K]

15 Jan - Ultra Street Fighter II (Switch)

Propah 1CC, this one. I ran through the arcade mode with my guy E. Honda, straight supering fools into the sunset. I only lost the first round against M.Bison / Dictator

[Todinho]

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc(pc)- I wasnt that impressed by the beginning of the game but once it got it's hooks on me It just didnt let go and I couldnt stop playing until I finnished it. I still have the same basic complaints I did at the start, the class trial gimmicks are too much, I like the basic truth bullet stuff and the final section where you have to recreate the event like a comic book but everything else I just really disliked and it just felt like unecessary hoops getting in the way of solving the mystery. Another thing that bothered me was the whole "reaction" system where you pick up a word a character say and react to it, I mean it would be fine if all of them werent madatory to progress the story, which makes them kinda pointless, another example of adding something for the player to do just because when it would be better just leave without it.

Now what really made me like the game was the whole story and characters, getting to figure out the mystery behind every murder and behind the school, speaking of which the trials and investigations did get better as it went on and there wasnt really any time that I felt the game cheated by withholding information from me, other then that one part in the beginning, the game always hinted at every single crucial piece of evidence to solve the mystery. Also I was really impressed by not only how funny the game is but also how much I liked the cast, I mean all of them are a especific anime clichés but the game is fully aware of that and constantly makes fun of that while kinda of embracing what it is, while most of then are character types I've seen before I think they are executed really well. Oh and one thing the japonese performance for some of these characters is great, if you you're gonna play it do it with the japanese voices, Monokuma especially you have to listen in the original language he just has so much more life and energy to it.
For the plot itself the game pretty followed what I thought it was going to be and like I said they drop plenty of hints that if you're observant enough you can guess alot of it beforehand, that's not to say the game never got me off guard there were plenty of surprising twists and turns I didnt see coming but I pretty much had the overall picture, but this is a case of how they execute it and it's fucking great, Im not gonna spoil it but I was grinning from ear to ear during that conclusion.

I didnt expected it but I really liked this game, I havent played a Visual Novel that I liked this much since 999 and VLR, granted it's not my go to genre but still, and I fully intend to jump to the sequel straight away, hopefully it will be just as good.

[Joshihatsumitsu]

The World Ends with You - DS (on a 3DS XL)

This is a game that caught my eyes many, many years ago when it first came out. And in some ways I wished I played it back then.

And by that I mean, as good as this game is, and it is good, Persona has kinda spoilt me so much. It's completely unfair to compare TWEWY to the Persona series, but sometimes it's hard to ignore the experiences I've had. Again, unfair, but worth mentioning.

But putting that aside, I'm glad I got around to playing through the game, especially as the game was originally designed around the DS, with the twin screens and the stylus. I imagine the Switch version will probably be very good, however it won't be the unique dual screen experience, so it's kinda special in a way.

Of course, once you finish the game, the option to go back and select chapters becomes available. And the fact that I'm currently digging into that with no reservations or hesitation says a lot about the quality of the game.

So yay for the upcoming Switch release. If you don't feel like tracking down a DS cart, and you haven't played this game but want to, Switch may be the way to go.

[AndrewBrown]

02/01: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past [SNES Classic]
04/01: Oxenfree [Switch]
13/01: Axiom Verge: Multiverse Edition [Switch]
14/01: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [Switch]

15/01: Super Mario World [SNES Classic]

The other game on the SNES Classic I can easily blow through in a single day, it was logical to beat when I had an afternoon free. One of my favorite things about Super Mario World is, though it's a side-scrolling platformer, it still manages to create an illusion of... I don't want to call it three-dimensions, but it definitely feels multi-dimensional, with multiple exits from some levels which open new levels on the map. The NES Marios felt like running from the left side to the right side of a world with little context as to how they exist as part of a functioning world. Even Mario Bros. 3, which does have an explorable overworld map, still felt this way, albeit with the levels approachable with some degree of player preference. If Mario Bros. 3 is a shallow illusion of a functioning, multidimensional world, then Super Mario World is a deeper one.

[James]

Spoiler: show

3rd Jan - Hidden Folks (Android)
13th Jan - Bleed 2 (PC)
13th Jan - Bleed (Xbox One)

14th Jan - The Sexy Brutale (Xbox One)

Hopefully my comments will be vague enough to avoid spoiling the game for anyone who hasn't played it.

A bit of a mixed bag, The Sexy Brutale, I thought. I can't deny the allure of the style, the premise, and the humour. I thought the clock mechanic was really intriguing, and well-executed. Learning the layout of the mansion, and the timeline of events was a joy, but I can't help feeling that a little too much of the ol' arbitrary adventure game logic made its way into TSB.

When I was able to work out what was going on, plan my intervention, and execute, TSB was a joy to play. But there were definite moments where I had to figure out, or guess, what the developer wanted me to do. Either I missed hints at what I was meant to do, or they just weren't there. Whatever the case, I found myself more flummoxed than I was able to enjoy.

A cool game, but not likely to trouble my top 10 of last year, sadly.

[James]

Oh, I did go back long enough to grab all 1000G, so it can't have been that frustrating an experience.

[James]

Spoiler: show

3rd Jan - Hidden Folks (Android)
13th Jan - Bleed 2 (PC)
13th Jan - Bleed (Xbox One)
14th Jan - The Sexy Brutale (Xbox One)

16th Jan - Scanner Sombre (PC)

I don't remember how/when/why this was added to my GOG library, but I decided to fire it up today. A short game (less than 2hrs), but a pleasant surprise. At first blush, it seems like Unfinished Swan, but as a pure exploration game, and I suppose that's a fair description. Scanner Sombre does a lot with atmosphere, via sound design and its unmistakeable pointillism visuals. It's a simple game, with a simple story, but quite beautiful and poignant. And a map that is to die for... possibly my favourite ever.

Oh, it's by Introversion Software, whose previous games include Darwinia and Prison Architect. A bit of a departure from what they're known for, or at least what I know them for.

N.B. Apologies for the triple post!

[kintaris]

Spoiler: show

3rd Jan - Hidden Folks (Android)
13th Jan - Bleed 2 (PC)
13th Jan - Bleed (Xbox One)

14th Jan - The Sexy Brutale (Xbox One)

Hopefully my comments will be vague enough to avoid spoiling the game for anyone who hasn't played it.

A bit of a mixed bag, The Sexy Brutale, I thought. I can't deny the allure of the style, the premise, and the humour. I thought the clock mechanic was really intriguing, and well-executed. Learning the layout of the mansion, and the timeline of events was a joy, but I can't help feeling that a little too much of the ol' arbitrary adventure game logic made its way into TSB.

When I was able to work out what was going on, plan my intervention, and execute, TSB was a joy to play. But there were definite moments where I had to figure out, or guess, what the developer wanted me to do. Either I missed hints at what I was meant to do, or they just weren't there. Whatever the case, I found myself more flummoxed than I was able to enjoy.

A cool game, but not likely to trouble my top 10 of last year, sadly.

I wholeheartedly agree. I enjoyed the game only when I found a guide online that I could refer to - which makes it a fairly standard adventure game experience I suppose!

I was still having significant audiovisual stutter even playing late last year on the Xbox, which really affected my enjoyment as well.

I hope we see more from the studio in the same vein, with just a little more polish.

[mikeleddy83]

Spoiler: show

Jan - Mega man 3
Jan - Mega man 4
Jan - Mega man 5
Jan - Mega man 6
Jan - Mega man 7
Jan - Mega man 8
Jan - Mega man 9
Jan - Mega man 10

Jan - Horizon: Zero Dawn
Jan - Metal Slug XX
Jan - Dead Rising: Case Zero
Jan - Talespin
Jan - Darkwing Duck
Jan - Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Jan - Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers 2
Jan - DuckTales
Jan - DuckTales 2

and respective boss mode rush for each Disney Afternoon Collection title as a bonus

[dezm0nd]

Jan 1: Duke 3D + expansions (Xbox One)
Jan 2: 1080 Avalance
Jan 17: A Hat in Time

A Hat in Time might be the worst best game I've played. It's so devoid of any polish but underneath it all is an incredible game.

[James]

Spoiler: show

3rd Jan - Hidden Folks (Android)
13th Jan - Bleed 2 (PC)
13th Jan - Bleed (Xbox One)
14th Jan - The Sexy Brutale (Xbox One)
16th Jan - Scanner Sombre (PC)

17th Jan - Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition (PS4)

Seems daft to include SFV:AE, but Arcade Mode was, up until recently, my primary barometer for a fighting game 'completion'. I've previously counted polishing off all the Character Stories as a completion, and then finishing the General Story Mode when it was added. Hopefully I'm not pushing my luck too much by including a third completion as the game goes into its third year!

Very taken with the Arcade Edition update. Arcade Mode is as inventive as I've seen in a SF game since the Alpha 3 (MAX) World Tour Mode. The gold UI overhaul looks great, in my opinion. And the addition of weekly Extra Battles is likely to entice me to log in at least once a week. Two thumbs, way up!

[Scrustle]

Spoiler: show

04/01 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Normal)
05/01 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - Jetstream Sam DLC (Normal)
06/01 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - Blade Wolf DLC (Normal)
10/01 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Hard)
14/01 - Killer Is Dead (Hard)

18/01 - Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut

One of the many games I've had sitting around I've been meaning to get to. Was pretty underwhelming to be frank. I wasn't expecting a whole lot from it, but still, it didn't really excite me much. It's a very straightforward first-person puzzle game where you have the ability to control various different blocks coming out of the wall. But you only have three, and none of them do anything that interesting. They do try to apply those simple mechanics in some different ways, but nothing really feels substantially different from the basic idea. Visual style of it is pretty boring too. It's all blank white rooms made up of cubes. Some later parts are a bit more interesting as you find more crumbled down areas, and some hallways that have moving walls and such, but generally it's quite a monotone and sterile looking game. This version of the game also has a story added to it, where you have two voices occasionally talking in your head telling you conflicting things about why you're doing what you're doing. Adds a tiny bit of suspense to things, but feels very tacked-on, without much to it.

[Indiana747]

(Jan) Life is Strange: Before the Storm - PS4.
(Jan) Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition - PS4.
(Jan) Watch Dogs II - PS4.

[Alex79]

JAN - Dear Esther (PS4)

I've had this for ages and kept meaning to get to it, and had a spare couple of hours this evening and thought I'd get it done.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. I didn't dislike it, but it doesn't come close to how I felt about Rapture and Gone Home. I had most of the story understood after finishing it, and further reading online suggests most people drew the same conclusions, it's just that it wasn't as interesting a story as other similar games I've played. The island was very atmospheric, and the caves were one of the most beautiful in game locations I've explored in years, but I was left with the feeling that whilst it was obviously an important game with regard to essentially popularising the genre, I feel it's been much improved upon since. I shall now listen to the podcast!

[Michiel K]

20 Jan - Rez HD (Xbox 360)

Just in time for tonight's podcast recording!

[AndrewBrown]

02/01: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past [SNES Classic]
04/01: Oxenfree [Switch]
13/01: Axiom Verge: Multiverse Edition [Switch]
14/01: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [Switch]
15/01: Super Mario World [SNES Classic]

20/01: BioShock Infinite [360]

The first time I played this a number of years ago I was incredibly disappointed in it, and that hasn't changed much here. I enjoyed it more as a shooter this time around (probably because last time I played it was at the tail end of a month-long marathon of shooters, including the first two games and Borderlands 2, so I was quite weary of them at that point), but its political statements are completely tone deaf and seem to end up siding with the ostensible villains. The ending doesn't make any sense even by the rules established by itself; BioShock Infinite doesn't seem to understand what the word "Infinite" means. See the Podcast Recording thread for more detailed thoughts in the coming weeks.

[Chopper]

Skyrim VR

Completed the main quest, and the Mage’s College quest, which took almost 28 hours. Even though most quests were, go to this dungeon and kill everybody in it, they were generally dressed up in an engaging story and were decent enough, though I never pushed the difficulty up past Novice, which is the default in this version of the game. I’m not sure difficulty settings matter too much when you can pause the game and chug healing potions in the middle of battle anyway.

Overall it was fairly enjoyable; I’ve left it installed and might do the DLC at some point.

The VR implementation had some wow moments with scenery and the like, but I don’t think there was a significant difference between being ‘in the world’ and ‘watching the world’ in the non-vr version. Maybe this would be more apparent if you were role-playing properly rather than teleporting though the game as quickly as possible like me. I’ve seen players on reddit planning to sleep on the couch in their vr headset, beside a burbling stream in the forest in Skyrim, so it’s possibly different if you have that level of buy-in

I’m still trying to figure out what separates the really good vr games from the rest; I had been thinking of sound design, the necessity of engaging in 360 degrees (eg having threats or action happening behind the player), building atmosphere etc. Skyrim seemingly has all of these, so I don’t know why it doesn’t elevate itself in vr.

[James]

Spoiler: show

3rd Jan - Hidden Folks (Android)
13th Jan - Bleed 2 (PC)
13th Jan - Bleed (Xbox One)
14th Jan - The Sexy Brutale (Xbox One)
16th Jan - Scanner Sombre (PC)
17th Jan - Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition (PS4)

21st Jan - Dear Esther: Landmark Edition (Xbox One)

Decided to pick an old fave to put myself over the 100,000GS mark. Couldn't imagine a better game than Dear Esther, and it was lovely to return to after all this time (last played 6 years ago, on its PC release.) I played through twice, so that I could listen to the developer commentary as well. I can't recommend highly enough that fans of the game listen to the story of the original mod, and how it then developed into something more.

I know it, and the genre it spawned, aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I adore this game every bit as much now as I did back in 2012.

[Alex79]

Ah I wondered if I should go through it again for the commentary. Worth it then?