Previous Years: 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
1. Void Destroyer - PC
2. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights - Switch
3. Raging Blasters - Switch
4. Citizen Sleeper - Switch
5. GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon
6. Hands of Necromancy - PC
7. Project Downfall - PC
8. Chasm: The Rift - PC
9. Cultic - PC
10. Kirby Super Star - SNES
11. Kirby's Dream Land 2 - GB
12. Kirby's Dream Land 3 - SNES
13. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64
14. Fire Emblem Engage - Switch
15. Mechwarrior 5: Rise of Rasalhague - PC
16. Kirby's Epic Yarn - Wii
17. Kirby's Return to Dreamland - Wii
18. Mega Man 7 - SNES
19. Mega Man 8 - PS1
20. Conquest: Frontier Wars - PC
21. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - Switch
22. Octopath Traveler II - Switch
23. Last Call BBS - PC
24. The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure - Switch
25. Dread Templar - PC
26. The Great War: Western Front - PC
27. GrimGrimoire OnceMore - PS5
28. Haegemonia: Legions of Iron - PC
29. Everspace 2 - PC
30. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - PC
31. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Switch
32. Warhammer 40000: Boltgun - PC
33. Diablo 4 - PC
34. System Shock (2023) - PC
35. Huntdown - Switch
36. HROT - PC
37. Armored Core V - PS3
38. Armored Core: Verdict Day - PS3
39. Aliens: Dark Descent - PC
40. Zone of the Enders HD - PS3
41. Trails into Reverie - Switch
42. Baldur's Gate 3 - PC
43. Quake 2 64 - PC
44. Quake 2: Call of the Machine - PC
45. Amid Evil: The Black Labyrinth - PC
46. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon - PS5
47. Starfield - PC
Starfield is Skyrim and Fallout 4 in space. That's the one sentence summary that is about as accurate as can be. So with that in mind, you already know if you're going to enjoy it or not. But it's worth doing a deeper look into things, as there are all these little touches that can cause it to resonate with you in ways that those other two games might not.
Starfield begins with you as a space miner. You are tasked to check out a gravitational anomaly and discover a weird chunk of metal embedded in the rock. Touching it gives you a confused view of various stellar images, and as it turns out this isn't the only one of these artifacts. You end up joining Constellation, an exploration group that is seeking to find more of these artifacts and see what mysteries they can uncover. So begins your journey into Starfield, in a galaxy where humanity has spread to the stars.
Now, you might have noticed that the setup doesn't involve any sort of threat to the galaxy, or even a personal threat to yourself. Unlike basically every other Bethesda game prior, Starfield is a much more hopeful and personal tale. The main quest is driven by the search for knowledge, rather than to try and stop some sort of catastrophe. The game is set in a time of relative peace; while there were some notable wars in the past, the embers have died down and the prime threat is from space bandits and hostile wildlife. While you have always been free to faff about in Bethesda games, this is the first one where it doesn't feel like you're abrogating responsibility to do so.
Mechanically, the game takes the skill system of Fallout 4 and fleshes things out more. You have five groups of skills, each divided into four tiers. Unlocking skills in a higher tier requires you to have a certain number of points in that group. Additionally, each skill can be raised to level four. However, while the first point can be placed no problem, additional points require you to have utilize the skill in question a certain amount. So, for example, to improve your piloting you must shoot down enemy ships, while improving your planetary scanner requires you to scan resources on planets. It adds back in that "learn by doing" that Fallout 4 lacked. It also means that you have choices to make; do you go broad or do you go deep when you're trying to unlock higher tiered skills? You definitely won't get enough skill points to get great at everything, so you need to pick and choose.
Ground combat is pretty similar to Fallout 4, though there is no VATS system this time. The gunplay feels fairly good; there is wide weapon variety and they tend to have satisfying effects. You can modify some weapons to deal non-lethal damage; this is useful to get certain quest outcomes, especially when a stealth mission goes south and you don't want to lose all the rewards by going fully loud. Like Fallout 4, there is a modification system for your weapons and armor, and it's worthwhile to invest in this to squeeze out some nice benefits.
In terms of new systems, you can split them into two categories. The first is on planet exploration. You can pull up a scanner display and search for minerals and lifeforms on a planet. Minerals can be mined, while lifeforms can have biological components harvested (which requires combat prior to a particular skill). These resources are used in the crafting system. Additionally, some planets will have discoverable anomalies. If you can catalog all of this for a given planet you're given a data slate containing the survey data, which can be sold for a profit. On planet you can also build outposts; this is akin to Fallout 4's building system, but it has a much more tangible benefit. Aside from putting crafting benches down, you can construct resource harvesters. These will collect some of the ambient minerals on the world and can be sent to storage for later usage. If you can find planets with particularly rare resources this can be quite the benefit. However, things are balanced such that you never are required to engage in this.
The other major new system is the spaceship. To move across the stars you need a ride, obviously. The ship is your mode of fast travel; you can jump from system to system, and you can land at either particular points of interest (which might be quest areas) or at arbitrary spots on the planet (which are fully auto generated). While moving through space you can encounter pirates, and this is where the space combat comes into play. It's fairly arcadey, with you having up to three weapons on your ship of various types (shield damage, hull damage, systems damage, etc). You need to balance power across your systems a la the X-Wing series, though you can also construct ships with excess power so you don't have to think about it. There also is a system where you can enter targeting mode, which is essentially VATS. This lets you target subsystems like the engines so you can engage in boarding actions (and maybe claim the ship for yourself). The space combat knows that it's there for flavor, so it's mostly a numbers game of you having to spend some credits on decent components. You can buy ships off the market or modify your own with different components (up to and including a full rebuild). There are certain considerations, like needing bigger engines if you have a higher mass or needing enough landing gear. You can create bare bones stuff, or dip into the cosmetic pieces to construct prettier ships.
Overall, Starfield executes on what it sets out to be, which is a Bethesda game in a new IP that lets them explore new systems due to the change in setting. If you're on the Bethesda train then this is a new brainer pickup. Conversely, if you've always disliked Bethesda games this one is unlikely to change your mind. If you're on the fence, then it's worth thinking about what has caused you to bounce off, as this game might have iterated on just the right components.
Games Beaten 2023
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
Re: Games Beaten 2023
I read an article yesterday about how Starfield’s alien life is either weak, passive herbivores or aggressive, strong carnivores and one reviewer kept finding lots of aliens massacred because a couple carnivores would almost instantly wipe out herbivore spawn points.
Re: Games Beaten 2023
There's also scavengers that will come in after the predators have killed some prey.
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
-
Markies
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 1517
- Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:29 pm
- Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Contact:
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Markies' Games Beat List Of 2023!
***Denotes Replay For Completion***
***1. Dragon Valor (PS1)***
2. Breath Of Fire (GBA)
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (NS)
4. World Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse And Donald Duck (GEN)
5. XIII (GCN)
6. NES Remix Pack (WiiU)
7. Dr. Mario (GBC)
***8. Bully (PS2)***
9. Dragon's Crown (PS3)
10. Bangai-O (SDC)
11. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
12. Destruction Derby (PS1)
13. X-Men Legends II: Rise Of Apocalypse (XBOX)
14. Vice: Project Doom (NES)
***15. Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2)***
16. Terranigma (SNES)
***17. Super Street Fighter II (GEN)***
18. Guitar Hero II (PS2)
19. Kirby's Dream Land (GBC)
***20. Gunbird 2 (SDC)***
***21. Stella Deus: The Gate Of Eternity (PS2)***
22. I Am Setsuna (NS)
23. DuckTales: Remastered (WiiU)
***24. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)***
***25. Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers 2 (NES)***
26. Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (GBA)
27. Prince Of Persia: The Two Thrones (XBOX)
28. Baten Kaitos Origins (GCN)
I beat Baten Kaitos Origins on the Nintendo GameCube this evening!
Back in the spring of 2020, I played through the original Baten Kaitos and I ranked it as my favorite game that I played that year. I love Deck Building Card Games, so this was a natural fit and I fell in love with the battle system. Since then, I always wanted to check out the sequel. During one of my last gaming trips after beating my Backlog, I went to an out of the way gaming store that had a very nice copy of Baten Kaitos Origins just sitting there. Obviously, I picked it up and it became one of the big games I wanted to play this year.
Baten Kaitos Origins is a prequel sequel to the original game and I'm normally not a big fan of that storytelling as it doesn't advance the plot much, but I did like how it colored one much from the previous game. The world is so unique and rich that a prequel actually makes a bunch of sense as it is not your fairly standard world. For the story itself, it is mostly interesting though it gets a bit repetitive in the middle as that part began to drag a little. There is some overwrought parts that were a bit much, but it was very good overall. I really loved the characters in the game as the bickering between your party members was quite enjoyable. But, they were also quite unique and had very deep backstories that slowly unfurled throughout the game. The major change in the game play would be the battle system as they decided to create one giant deck of cards for all the characters instead of unique character decks. For the most part, I didn't mind this change as it made the game feel very different from the first part as it streamlined the system. However, it felt like a step back in complexity from the first game, which felt weird in a sequel. Also, because of one giant deck, most of the battles began to feel the same and lose their luster after a while.
Overall, I still really enjoyed Baten Kaitos Origins. I think I enjoyed the original more because of the battle system, the game had sharper graphics and it flowed more smoothly. In this one, the dungeons and the game itself can be quite long and tedious. For a sequel of a game, it felt like it took a few steps backwards instead of going forward. In a weird way, I would almost suggest playing this one first and then the original. Storywise and complexity, it makes sense to do it that way, but completely backwards chronologically. But, the game should still be played!
***Denotes Replay For Completion***
***1. Dragon Valor (PS1)***
2. Breath Of Fire (GBA)
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (NS)
4. World Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse And Donald Duck (GEN)
5. XIII (GCN)
6. NES Remix Pack (WiiU)
7. Dr. Mario (GBC)
***8. Bully (PS2)***
9. Dragon's Crown (PS3)
10. Bangai-O (SDC)
11. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
12. Destruction Derby (PS1)
13. X-Men Legends II: Rise Of Apocalypse (XBOX)
14. Vice: Project Doom (NES)
***15. Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2)***
16. Terranigma (SNES)
***17. Super Street Fighter II (GEN)***
18. Guitar Hero II (PS2)
19. Kirby's Dream Land (GBC)
***20. Gunbird 2 (SDC)***
***21. Stella Deus: The Gate Of Eternity (PS2)***
22. I Am Setsuna (NS)
23. DuckTales: Remastered (WiiU)
***24. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)***
***25. Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers 2 (NES)***
26. Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (GBA)
27. Prince Of Persia: The Two Thrones (XBOX)
28. Baten Kaitos Origins (GCN)
I beat Baten Kaitos Origins on the Nintendo GameCube this evening!
Back in the spring of 2020, I played through the original Baten Kaitos and I ranked it as my favorite game that I played that year. I love Deck Building Card Games, so this was a natural fit and I fell in love with the battle system. Since then, I always wanted to check out the sequel. During one of my last gaming trips after beating my Backlog, I went to an out of the way gaming store that had a very nice copy of Baten Kaitos Origins just sitting there. Obviously, I picked it up and it became one of the big games I wanted to play this year.
Baten Kaitos Origins is a prequel sequel to the original game and I'm normally not a big fan of that storytelling as it doesn't advance the plot much, but I did like how it colored one much from the previous game. The world is so unique and rich that a prequel actually makes a bunch of sense as it is not your fairly standard world. For the story itself, it is mostly interesting though it gets a bit repetitive in the middle as that part began to drag a little. There is some overwrought parts that were a bit much, but it was very good overall. I really loved the characters in the game as the bickering between your party members was quite enjoyable. But, they were also quite unique and had very deep backstories that slowly unfurled throughout the game. The major change in the game play would be the battle system as they decided to create one giant deck of cards for all the characters instead of unique character decks. For the most part, I didn't mind this change as it made the game feel very different from the first part as it streamlined the system. However, it felt like a step back in complexity from the first game, which felt weird in a sequel. Also, because of one giant deck, most of the battles began to feel the same and lose their luster after a while.
Overall, I still really enjoyed Baten Kaitos Origins. I think I enjoyed the original more because of the battle system, the game had sharper graphics and it flowed more smoothly. In this one, the dungeons and the game itself can be quite long and tedious. For a sequel of a game, it felt like it took a few steps backwards instead of going forward. In a weird way, I would almost suggest playing this one first and then the original. Storywise and complexity, it makes sense to do it that way, but completely backwards chronologically. But, the game should still be played!
Re: Games Beaten 2023
1. Kirby's Dream Land (GB)
2. River City Girls (Switch)
3. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)
4. The Simpsons (Arcade)
5. Illusion of Gaia (SNES)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Switch)
7. Shining Force III [Scenario 1] (SAT)
8. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (SNES)
9. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1)
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (GEN)
11. X-Men Legends (PS2)
12. Snatcher (SCD)
13. Smash Remix (N64)
14. Golden Axe III (GEN)
I was in the mood last week for a beat 'em up and thought I'd give Golden Axe III another try. When I first played Golden Axe III in the early days of emulation, I didn't realize Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder existed, so I didn't see the game as a disappointment. I just thought of it as the mysterious sequel that wasn't released here in the States. However, I was surprised by the character choices, as there was no Gilius Thunderhead to be found, and two new characters to choose from, a humanoid panther named Chronos Lait and a slower stronger character, Proud Cragger. For this playthrough, I chose Chronos Lait.
Graphics wise, the game does look similar to the first two titles on the system. I have mixed feelings about this, as I think the graphics look fine in comparison to the other games in the series, but considering this game was released after Streets of Rage 2, I feel like the development team could've turned things up a notch in the visuals department. One feature I do like in Golden Axe III is the overall brighter levels in the game, which include deserts, jungles, mountains, and villages. In regards to the soundtrack, I think the OST is very strong and one of the highlights of this entry in the series. My favorite songs are probably for the Ancient Mound and Bloody Street levels. Both great tunes!
Gameplay wise, Golden Axe III is very similar the other titles in the series, as it keeps the same button scheme and magic system as the previous entries. However, each character does have some additional moves. For example, each character can now do a trip attack by pressing down and regular attack. Each character also has an additional special attack by pressing forward with the jump and attack buttons at the same time. Playing as Chronos Lait, this additional special attack consist of lunging forward with an unblockable swipe, that has the possibility to damage multiple enemies. I found this attack to be crucial later in the game when you have to face multiple bosses at once. I'm also aware that there is a team special attack and a team magic special; however, since I played through solo, I can't comment on the usefulness of these.
Regarding the magic system, Golden Axe III is more similar to the first title, where you don't have a choice as to the strength of the magic attack. The amount of magic potion bottles collected will determine the strength of your magic attack. A minor criticism I have is for the Chronos Lait character. His magic consists of fog or mist, which I found to be kind of a bore. Proud Cragger has rock magic, Kain Grinder (the Ax Battler look alike) has water magic, and Tyrus Flare has fire. Maybe Chronos could have had something blizzard or snow related? Or something thunder related? Some type of summon spell?
Golden Axe III also has branching paths which is another nice addition and helps give it additional replayability. I would definitely like to revisit this again, for trying it with a second player and to see some of the stages I missed. However, all paths (consisting of six stages) lead to the same last level and final boss fight. If you finish the game with one continue or less, you get the "bad" ending, which is the one I received.
I understand why Golden Axe III wasn't well received with The Revenge of Death Adder already out in arcades. However, I don't think it deserves the mostly negative reputation it's received. I had a really good time with the game and I think it's one of the better beat 'em ups on the console. I think if the graphics and level designs were beefed up a bit, perhaps a few additional levels to extend the experience, and the branching paths could lead to an alternate boss, it could've helped the reputation of the game. Overall, I think Golden Axe III is a fun time on the console and worth spending some time with if you're a fan of the genre. Give it a go!
2. River City Girls (Switch)
3. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)
4. The Simpsons (Arcade)
5. Illusion of Gaia (SNES)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Switch)
7. Shining Force III [Scenario 1] (SAT)
8. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (SNES)
9. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1)
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (GEN)
11. X-Men Legends (PS2)
12. Snatcher (SCD)
13. Smash Remix (N64)
14. Golden Axe III (GEN)
I was in the mood last week for a beat 'em up and thought I'd give Golden Axe III another try. When I first played Golden Axe III in the early days of emulation, I didn't realize Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder existed, so I didn't see the game as a disappointment. I just thought of it as the mysterious sequel that wasn't released here in the States. However, I was surprised by the character choices, as there was no Gilius Thunderhead to be found, and two new characters to choose from, a humanoid panther named Chronos Lait and a slower stronger character, Proud Cragger. For this playthrough, I chose Chronos Lait.
Graphics wise, the game does look similar to the first two titles on the system. I have mixed feelings about this, as I think the graphics look fine in comparison to the other games in the series, but considering this game was released after Streets of Rage 2, I feel like the development team could've turned things up a notch in the visuals department. One feature I do like in Golden Axe III is the overall brighter levels in the game, which include deserts, jungles, mountains, and villages. In regards to the soundtrack, I think the OST is very strong and one of the highlights of this entry in the series. My favorite songs are probably for the Ancient Mound and Bloody Street levels. Both great tunes!
Gameplay wise, Golden Axe III is very similar the other titles in the series, as it keeps the same button scheme and magic system as the previous entries. However, each character does have some additional moves. For example, each character can now do a trip attack by pressing down and regular attack. Each character also has an additional special attack by pressing forward with the jump and attack buttons at the same time. Playing as Chronos Lait, this additional special attack consist of lunging forward with an unblockable swipe, that has the possibility to damage multiple enemies. I found this attack to be crucial later in the game when you have to face multiple bosses at once. I'm also aware that there is a team special attack and a team magic special; however, since I played through solo, I can't comment on the usefulness of these.
Regarding the magic system, Golden Axe III is more similar to the first title, where you don't have a choice as to the strength of the magic attack. The amount of magic potion bottles collected will determine the strength of your magic attack. A minor criticism I have is for the Chronos Lait character. His magic consists of fog or mist, which I found to be kind of a bore. Proud Cragger has rock magic, Kain Grinder (the Ax Battler look alike) has water magic, and Tyrus Flare has fire. Maybe Chronos could have had something blizzard or snow related? Or something thunder related? Some type of summon spell?
Golden Axe III also has branching paths which is another nice addition and helps give it additional replayability. I would definitely like to revisit this again, for trying it with a second player and to see some of the stages I missed. However, all paths (consisting of six stages) lead to the same last level and final boss fight. If you finish the game with one continue or less, you get the "bad" ending, which is the one I received.
I understand why Golden Axe III wasn't well received with The Revenge of Death Adder already out in arcades. However, I don't think it deserves the mostly negative reputation it's received. I had a really good time with the game and I think it's one of the better beat 'em ups on the console. I think if the graphics and level designs were beefed up a bit, perhaps a few additional levels to extend the experience, and the branching paths could lead to an alternate boss, it could've helped the reputation of the game. Overall, I think Golden Axe III is a fun time on the console and worth spending some time with if you're a fan of the genre. Give it a go!
-
Jagosaurus
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 4041
- Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:15 pm
- Location: Houston area, Texas
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Been way too long since I updated. Adds in bold.
1. Sonic Adventure (DX HD)
2. Goldeneye 007 (Remaster)
3. Panzer Dragoon Remake
4.Halo 5 (Heoric & Skulls Replay)
5. Policenauts (PS1 English Translation)
6. Aaero
7. Gears of War Ultimate Edition
8. Gears of War 2
9. Gears of War 3
10. Doom 3 BFG Edition
Too tired to comment in depth, but 100%, Microsoft and the Coalition should make the Marcus Fenix Trilogy remaster. Those original 3 games are amazing.
On the other hand, Doom 3 showing its age, but I had fun
Outside of these, I did get quite distracted with both Splitgate & Minecraft but didn't "beat" them. Probably 50 hours+ between them...
1. Sonic Adventure (DX HD)
2. Goldeneye 007 (Remaster)
3. Panzer Dragoon Remake
4.Halo 5 (Heoric & Skulls Replay)
5. Policenauts (PS1 English Translation)
6. Aaero
7. Gears of War Ultimate Edition
8. Gears of War 2
9. Gears of War 3
10. Doom 3 BFG Edition
Too tired to comment in depth, but 100%, Microsoft and the Coalition should make the Marcus Fenix Trilogy remaster. Those original 3 games are amazing.
On the other hand, Doom 3 showing its age, but I had fun
Outside of these, I did get quite distracted with both Splitgate & Minecraft but didn't "beat" them. Probably 50 hours+ between them...
Games Beaten 2025, 2024, 2023 | Retro Achievements
xJAGOx = Xbox Gamertag | Console Mods
xJAGOx = Xbox Gamertag | Console Mods
-
prfsnl_gmr
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 12304
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:26 pm
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Re: Games Beaten 2023
What’d you think about Aaero? I really liked that game.
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Previous Years: 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
1. Void Destroyer - PC
2. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights - Switch
3. Raging Blasters - Switch
4. Citizen Sleeper - Switch
5. GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon
6. Hands of Necromancy - PC
7. Project Downfall - PC
8. Chasm: The Rift - PC
9. Cultic - PC
10. Kirby Super Star - SNES
11. Kirby's Dream Land 2 - GB
12. Kirby's Dream Land 3 - SNES
13. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64
14. Fire Emblem Engage - Switch
15. Mechwarrior 5: Rise of Rasalhague - PC
16. Kirby's Epic Yarn - Wii
17. Kirby's Return to Dreamland - Wii
18. Mega Man 7 - SNES
19. Mega Man 8 - PS1
20. Conquest: Frontier Wars - PC
21. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - Switch
22. Octopath Traveler II - Switch
23. Last Call BBS - PC
24. The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure - Switch
25. Dread Templar - PC
26. The Great War: Western Front - PC
27. GrimGrimoire OnceMore - PS5
28. Haegemonia: Legions of Iron - PC
29. Everspace 2 - PC
30. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - PC
31. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Switch
32. Warhammer 40000: Boltgun - PC
33. Diablo 4 - PC
34. System Shock (2023) - PC
35. Huntdown - Switch
36. HROT - PC
37. Armored Core V - PS3
38. Armored Core: Verdict Day - PS3
39. Aliens: Dark Descent - PC
40. Zone of the Enders HD - PS3
41. Trails into Reverie - Switch
42. Baldur's Gate 3 - PC
43. Quake 2 64 - PC
44. Quake 2: Call of the Machine - PC
45. Amid Evil: The Black Labyrinth - PC
46. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon - PS5
47. Starfield - PC
48. Zone of the Enders HD: The 2nd Runner - PS3
The 2nd Runner takes the tech demo of the first Zone of the Enders and turns it into a proper full game. In the process you get to see just how much meat there was available for the core combat engine, and I think it's safe to say this game wrings it dry.
The game opens with a miner on Callisto discovering the abandoned Jehuty suit and gets in. After some fighting he is shot by the same end boss of the first game and left for dead. Cue a massive quest for revenge, as well as stopping the big bad's ill-defined plans that probably involve catastrophe for everyone. A good chunk of the plot is hard to follow due to the extremely low budget localization. This is early CD game (as in, 16-bit era) quality localization on what was originally a PS2 game.
As mentioned, the core combat is the same. You have a sword and a gun and the game focuses the controls on allowing you to do the cool mech fights like you see in Gundam. The subweapons now draw from a universal bar, rather than having individual ammo. This makes them overall more usable, as you get regular recharges of this bar, while the ammo needed to be individually hunted down. There is a slightly wider range in enemy suit types, but in practice it doesn't amount to a lot of changes in how you approach combat.
The bigger change is in the level structure. Instead of a series of unconnected wide battlefields, here you have more purposefully crafted levels, with twists and turns and various gimmicks. One level involves navigating a minefield, while another is a giant battle against a massive horde of enemies alongside allies. A third involves blowing up a bunch of space battleships by hitting their weakpoints with a giant ass laser. The game likes to put a new wrinkle in every level on top of the general "kill the dudes in your way"; about half the time this works well, and the other half the time it's a pain in the ass (like the "carry the broken suit up to the top and stop a few times to kill key enemies" level).
It's definitely a stronger game than the first one, but it's not a strong game overall. If you can grab the HD collection cheap and are a big fan of mecha games you might like this, but it's certainly not worth putting real effort into hunting down.
1. Void Destroyer - PC
2. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights - Switch
3. Raging Blasters - Switch
4. Citizen Sleeper - Switch
5. GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon
6. Hands of Necromancy - PC
7. Project Downfall - PC
8. Chasm: The Rift - PC
9. Cultic - PC
10. Kirby Super Star - SNES
11. Kirby's Dream Land 2 - GB
12. Kirby's Dream Land 3 - SNES
13. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64
14. Fire Emblem Engage - Switch
15. Mechwarrior 5: Rise of Rasalhague - PC
16. Kirby's Epic Yarn - Wii
17. Kirby's Return to Dreamland - Wii
18. Mega Man 7 - SNES
19. Mega Man 8 - PS1
20. Conquest: Frontier Wars - PC
21. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - Switch
22. Octopath Traveler II - Switch
23. Last Call BBS - PC
24. The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure - Switch
25. Dread Templar - PC
26. The Great War: Western Front - PC
27. GrimGrimoire OnceMore - PS5
28. Haegemonia: Legions of Iron - PC
29. Everspace 2 - PC
30. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - PC
31. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Switch
32. Warhammer 40000: Boltgun - PC
33. Diablo 4 - PC
34. System Shock (2023) - PC
35. Huntdown - Switch
36. HROT - PC
37. Armored Core V - PS3
38. Armored Core: Verdict Day - PS3
39. Aliens: Dark Descent - PC
40. Zone of the Enders HD - PS3
41. Trails into Reverie - Switch
42. Baldur's Gate 3 - PC
43. Quake 2 64 - PC
44. Quake 2: Call of the Machine - PC
45. Amid Evil: The Black Labyrinth - PC
46. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon - PS5
47. Starfield - PC
48. Zone of the Enders HD: The 2nd Runner - PS3
The 2nd Runner takes the tech demo of the first Zone of the Enders and turns it into a proper full game. In the process you get to see just how much meat there was available for the core combat engine, and I think it's safe to say this game wrings it dry.
The game opens with a miner on Callisto discovering the abandoned Jehuty suit and gets in. After some fighting he is shot by the same end boss of the first game and left for dead. Cue a massive quest for revenge, as well as stopping the big bad's ill-defined plans that probably involve catastrophe for everyone. A good chunk of the plot is hard to follow due to the extremely low budget localization. This is early CD game (as in, 16-bit era) quality localization on what was originally a PS2 game.
As mentioned, the core combat is the same. You have a sword and a gun and the game focuses the controls on allowing you to do the cool mech fights like you see in Gundam. The subweapons now draw from a universal bar, rather than having individual ammo. This makes them overall more usable, as you get regular recharges of this bar, while the ammo needed to be individually hunted down. There is a slightly wider range in enemy suit types, but in practice it doesn't amount to a lot of changes in how you approach combat.
The bigger change is in the level structure. Instead of a series of unconnected wide battlefields, here you have more purposefully crafted levels, with twists and turns and various gimmicks. One level involves navigating a minefield, while another is a giant battle against a massive horde of enemies alongside allies. A third involves blowing up a bunch of space battleships by hitting their weakpoints with a giant ass laser. The game likes to put a new wrinkle in every level on top of the general "kill the dudes in your way"; about half the time this works well, and the other half the time it's a pain in the ass (like the "carry the broken suit up to the top and stop a few times to kill key enemies" level).
It's definitely a stronger game than the first one, but it's not a strong game overall. If you can grab the HD collection cheap and are a big fan of mecha games you might like this, but it's certainly not worth putting real effort into hunting down.
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
Re: Games Beaten 2023
1. Kirby's Dream Land (GB)
2. River City Girls (Switch)
3. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)
4. The Simpsons (Arcade)
5. Illusion of Gaia (SNES)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Switch)
7. Shining Force III [Scenario 1] (SAT)
8. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (SNES)
9. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1)
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (GEN)
11. X-Men Legends (PS2)
12. Snatcher (SCD)
13. Smash Remix (N64)
14. Golden Axe III (GEN)
15. Iridion II (GBA)
I haven't been playing too many handheld games the past few years; however, I'm a big fan of the GBA and had been enthusiastic about the handheld upon it's release. Who wouldn't want an on the go device that could pump out a similar experience to a SNES? One game that interested me around launch was Iridion 3D developed by Shin'en, as the graphics were impressive, but I never got around to playing it. After reading that the game had a polished sequel, with a viewpoint that I'm preferential to, it was an instant add to my list of games I needed to try. This past week I sat down and played through it via emulation!
Graphics wise, Iridion II looks great and it's still impressive that these visuals came out of a GBA. The level designs are all quite varied and total eye candy, along with the unique enemy designs. The bullets coming at you and the power-ups also appear in a way that stick out and don't get lost in the level, which I totally appreciate, as this is sometimes an issue for me when playing shmups. Also, I really need to highlight the soundtrack here! The music in this game is awesome and definitely stands out. The composer really pushed the limits of the GBA. My partner even paused what she was doing to compliment the music the other night and ask about the game.
In regards to gameplay, your ship has an energy bar, which is a nice touch, as you don't have to deal with the frustration of one-hit deaths. Also, you have the ability to choose which weapon you would like to start out with going into a level. I mostly used a spread shot, but through trial and error, I found that certain weapons are more helpful in certain stages. Each weapon has a regular shot and a charge shot, and you also have access to screen clearing bombs. So, you have a lot of choices to manage!
When a new level begins, you will lose the power-ups received from the previous stage; however, you usually find two pretty early on in each level, so it's not a big deal. Getting two is important, as the first two power-ups will have your two satellites that stick around your ship reappear. The satellites are especially important, as they can act as shields and absorb bullets, which is extremely useful, especially in the late game! When you come across a power-up, you can use it to either increase the strength of your current weapon or make another one available to you in that level. Also, usually you can find an energy power-up or two in each stage.
Another element to the game, is that there are checkpoints in each level which appear as green circles that you have to fly over. This is also a nice touch, in case you do find yourself in a tougher part, you don't have to start from the beginning of a level. The game also has a password system, which is another nice feature, as there is a total of 15 levels to get through. The levels are shorter for the most part, with each containing a boss at the mid-point and another at the end of the stage. The boss designs are really unique as well! After finishing the main game, you unlock an "arcade mode" which gives you a level select option.
Overall, I'm really glad that I checked out Iridion II. It's a very impressive game considering the hardware it was released on. Also, I don't consider myself to be good at shoot 'em ups, so it's always fun to find one that I seem to be decent at. With that in mind, I think this game is great for both those interested in dabbling in the genre, and veterans having the ability to crank up the difficulty. As mentioned earlier, I played the game through emulation, so I would like to add the game to my small GBA collection eventually! Check this one out!
2. River City Girls (Switch)
3. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)
4. The Simpsons (Arcade)
5. Illusion of Gaia (SNES)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Switch)
7. Shining Force III [Scenario 1] (SAT)
8. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (SNES)
9. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1)
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (GEN)
11. X-Men Legends (PS2)
12. Snatcher (SCD)
13. Smash Remix (N64)
14. Golden Axe III (GEN)
15. Iridion II (GBA)
I haven't been playing too many handheld games the past few years; however, I'm a big fan of the GBA and had been enthusiastic about the handheld upon it's release. Who wouldn't want an on the go device that could pump out a similar experience to a SNES? One game that interested me around launch was Iridion 3D developed by Shin'en, as the graphics were impressive, but I never got around to playing it. After reading that the game had a polished sequel, with a viewpoint that I'm preferential to, it was an instant add to my list of games I needed to try. This past week I sat down and played through it via emulation!
Graphics wise, Iridion II looks great and it's still impressive that these visuals came out of a GBA. The level designs are all quite varied and total eye candy, along with the unique enemy designs. The bullets coming at you and the power-ups also appear in a way that stick out and don't get lost in the level, which I totally appreciate, as this is sometimes an issue for me when playing shmups. Also, I really need to highlight the soundtrack here! The music in this game is awesome and definitely stands out. The composer really pushed the limits of the GBA. My partner even paused what she was doing to compliment the music the other night and ask about the game.
In regards to gameplay, your ship has an energy bar, which is a nice touch, as you don't have to deal with the frustration of one-hit deaths. Also, you have the ability to choose which weapon you would like to start out with going into a level. I mostly used a spread shot, but through trial and error, I found that certain weapons are more helpful in certain stages. Each weapon has a regular shot and a charge shot, and you also have access to screen clearing bombs. So, you have a lot of choices to manage!
When a new level begins, you will lose the power-ups received from the previous stage; however, you usually find two pretty early on in each level, so it's not a big deal. Getting two is important, as the first two power-ups will have your two satellites that stick around your ship reappear. The satellites are especially important, as they can act as shields and absorb bullets, which is extremely useful, especially in the late game! When you come across a power-up, you can use it to either increase the strength of your current weapon or make another one available to you in that level. Also, usually you can find an energy power-up or two in each stage.
Another element to the game, is that there are checkpoints in each level which appear as green circles that you have to fly over. This is also a nice touch, in case you do find yourself in a tougher part, you don't have to start from the beginning of a level. The game also has a password system, which is another nice feature, as there is a total of 15 levels to get through. The levels are shorter for the most part, with each containing a boss at the mid-point and another at the end of the stage. The boss designs are really unique as well! After finishing the main game, you unlock an "arcade mode" which gives you a level select option.
Overall, I'm really glad that I checked out Iridion II. It's a very impressive game considering the hardware it was released on. Also, I don't consider myself to be good at shoot 'em ups, so it's always fun to find one that I seem to be decent at. With that in mind, I think this game is great for both those interested in dabbling in the genre, and veterans having the ability to crank up the difficulty. As mentioned earlier, I played the game through emulation, so I would like to add the game to my small GBA collection eventually! Check this one out!
-
Markies
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 1517
- Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:29 pm
- Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Contact:
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Markies' Games Beat List Of 2023!
***Denotes Replay For Completion***
***1. Dragon Valor (PS1)***
2. Breath Of Fire (GBA)
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (NS)
4. World Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse And Donald Duck (GEN)
5. XIII (GCN)
6. NES Remix Pack (WiiU)
7. Dr. Mario (GBC)
***8. Bully (PS2)***
9. Dragon's Crown (PS3)
10. Bangai-O (SDC)
11. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
12. Destruction Derby (PS1)
13. X-Men Legends II: Rise Of Apocalypse (XBOX)
14. Vice: Project Doom (NES)
***15. Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2)***
16. Terranigma (SNES)
***17. Super Street Fighter II (GEN)***
18. Guitar Hero II (PS2)
19. Kirby's Dream Land (GBC)
***20. Gunbird 2 (SDC)***
***21. Stella Deus: The Gate Of Eternity (PS2)***
22. I Am Setsuna (NS)
23. DuckTales: Remastered (WiiU)
***24. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)***
***25. Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers 2 (NES)***
26. Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (GBA)
27. Prince Of Persia: The Two Thrones (XBOX)
28. Baten Kaitos Origins (GCN)
29. Virtua Racing (GEN)
I completed Virtua Racing on the Sega Genesis this evening!
Virtua Racing is a groundbreaking arcade game that used polygonal graphics for almost all of its game play. It was quite stunning and something to behold back in the day. I never played the Arcade version, but I did rent the Genesis version a few times as a kid. It was a game that I would rent when I would want something short and simple to play a few times throughout the weekend. I had seen the game several times when I had gone game shopping, but I always passed it by as it was quite common. Well, after beating my Backlog and having zero unfinished games, sometimes you just wanted quantity and Virtua Racing came perfect for it. After the incredibly long games of Fire Emblem and Baten Kaitos Origins, I want something short and simple, so I figured Virtua Racing would fit that niche perfectly.
It is hard to compare Virtua Racing in the modern eyes. Back in the day, the game looked fantastic and was something I had never seen before. It was Sega's version to Star Fox and it really showed what the future of video games would hold beyond the second dimension. Many 3D racing games would be inspired by the game and it really changed the landscape. Beyond the graphics, the game play is short and simple. You have three tracks to race on ranging from different difficulties. The racing is butter smooth and the game runs at fervent pace throughout the entire experience.
After getting past the groundbreaking milestones, there really is nothing to the game. The game only has three tracks, so it is incredibly short. The tracks are small and offer hairpin turns which is quite difficult to do when it moves that fast. The computer AI is quite brutal as it is nearly impossible to catch up once you make one mistake. There is no music in the game as you just get jingles after each checkpoint. So, all you hear throughout the entire game is F1 engine car sounds and that began to give me a headache after a while.
Overall, after I got past the nostalgia and unique factor of the game, there really is nothing left to Virtua Racing. The actual game play is way too short and difficult to be enjoyable. The game is bare bones as almost the entirety of the cartridge is spent on the graphics and look of the game. I picked up the game for under $10, so if you like racing games and are interesting in gaming history, I would say that is the correct price for this kind of game.
***Denotes Replay For Completion***
***1. Dragon Valor (PS1)***
2. Breath Of Fire (GBA)
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (NS)
4. World Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse And Donald Duck (GEN)
5. XIII (GCN)
6. NES Remix Pack (WiiU)
7. Dr. Mario (GBC)
***8. Bully (PS2)***
9. Dragon's Crown (PS3)
10. Bangai-O (SDC)
11. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
12. Destruction Derby (PS1)
13. X-Men Legends II: Rise Of Apocalypse (XBOX)
14. Vice: Project Doom (NES)
***15. Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2)***
16. Terranigma (SNES)
***17. Super Street Fighter II (GEN)***
18. Guitar Hero II (PS2)
19. Kirby's Dream Land (GBC)
***20. Gunbird 2 (SDC)***
***21. Stella Deus: The Gate Of Eternity (PS2)***
22. I Am Setsuna (NS)
23. DuckTales: Remastered (WiiU)
***24. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)***
***25. Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers 2 (NES)***
26. Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (GBA)
27. Prince Of Persia: The Two Thrones (XBOX)
28. Baten Kaitos Origins (GCN)
29. Virtua Racing (GEN)
I completed Virtua Racing on the Sega Genesis this evening!
Virtua Racing is a groundbreaking arcade game that used polygonal graphics for almost all of its game play. It was quite stunning and something to behold back in the day. I never played the Arcade version, but I did rent the Genesis version a few times as a kid. It was a game that I would rent when I would want something short and simple to play a few times throughout the weekend. I had seen the game several times when I had gone game shopping, but I always passed it by as it was quite common. Well, after beating my Backlog and having zero unfinished games, sometimes you just wanted quantity and Virtua Racing came perfect for it. After the incredibly long games of Fire Emblem and Baten Kaitos Origins, I want something short and simple, so I figured Virtua Racing would fit that niche perfectly.
It is hard to compare Virtua Racing in the modern eyes. Back in the day, the game looked fantastic and was something I had never seen before. It was Sega's version to Star Fox and it really showed what the future of video games would hold beyond the second dimension. Many 3D racing games would be inspired by the game and it really changed the landscape. Beyond the graphics, the game play is short and simple. You have three tracks to race on ranging from different difficulties. The racing is butter smooth and the game runs at fervent pace throughout the entire experience.
After getting past the groundbreaking milestones, there really is nothing to the game. The game only has three tracks, so it is incredibly short. The tracks are small and offer hairpin turns which is quite difficult to do when it moves that fast. The computer AI is quite brutal as it is nearly impossible to catch up once you make one mistake. There is no music in the game as you just get jingles after each checkpoint. So, all you hear throughout the entire game is F1 engine car sounds and that began to give me a headache after a while.
Overall, after I got past the nostalgia and unique factor of the game, there really is nothing left to Virtua Racing. The actual game play is way too short and difficult to be enjoyable. The game is bare bones as almost the entirety of the cartridge is spent on the graphics and look of the game. I picked up the game for under $10, so if you like racing games and are interesting in gaming history, I would say that is the correct price for this kind of game.