Games Beaten 2021

Post by **Raging Justice** » Wed Dec 29, 2021 9:02 pm

Record of Lososs War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth - PS4

So, this is sort of a bite-sized, slightly, stripped down version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night...with some "polarity" elements. If you've played games like Ikaruga, Silhouette Mirage, and Outland you might understand what I mean about "polarity". Basically, these are games where you have to change elements periodically to avoid taking damage. Basically, you hit a button and your character changes color. Any attacks of the same color will be absorbed, any attacks of the opposite color will damage you

There are also some minor, physics based, puzzles that require you to make use of your bow and arrow to interact with the environment in various ways. Ricocheting shots off metal surfaces to hit various targets, or shooting far away gears to open doors and stuff

That's the game in a nutshell. I enjoyed it. It doesn't break any new ground. I mean, Metroid style games are so common in the indie scene these days, but it's yet another solid entry in that sub genre. Record of Lodoss War fans will appreciate it. It tells a fairly simple story that seems to fit in well enough with what little I remember of the anime. It's got Pirotess in it, though I wish I could play as her as she's way cooler than Deedlit. Games like this are like comfort food, it won't surprise you in any way but if you love this type of game, it will scratch that itch.

Post by **REPO Man** » Wed Dec 29, 2021 9:40 pm

I'm waiting for the Switch port, which for some stupid-ass reason won't be coming out until January.

Post by **ElkinFencer10** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 12:25 am

Games Beaten in 2021 - 109
* denotes a replay

January (12 Games Beaten)

February (5 Games Beaten)

March (3 Games Beaten)

April (7 Games Beaten)

May (9 Games Beaten)

June (17 Games Beaten)

July (31 Games Beaten)

August (2 Games Beaten)

September (6 Games Beaten)

October (7 Games Beaten)

November (4 Games Beaten)

December (5 Games Beaten)

109. Medal of Honor: Airborne - Xbox 360 - December 15

I am and always have been a huge Medal of Honor fan (at least while it stayed World War II; the modern set ones were crap), but the series definitely started to stumble once the HD era rolled in. Medal of Honor: Airborne is one of those HD games in the series, and while it's certainly not a bad game, it's clear from the start that this is no Rising Sun or Allied Assault.

You play as Boyd Travers, a fictional paratrooper in the US Army 82nd Airborne, ready to leap from a plane boldly into battle anywhere Nazis needed killing. Throughout the course of the game, you'll fight in Italy, France, and Germany as you help to push back the Nazi war machine. So basically the basic core plot of every Medal of Honor game worth mentioning. It's your standard first person shooter affair, although being from the mid 2000s, the controls are a bit awkward at first as the industry was still trying to settle on what "standard" was for the genre. The controls, while awkward by today's standards, aren't bad at all. Rather, they just take some getting used to. What's bad is the hit detection. You'd think I was hip firing a shotgun at range with how bad my accuracy was aiming down the signs with a Garand or a 1911. I'd have a guy square in my sights and miss four of my five shots. Meanwhile, if I so much as poke my head out from behind cover for a moment, it's being turned into Swiss cheese, and that's on the default difficulty. I ended up spending most of the game not even aiming, and while my accuracy was a little worse, it wasn't that much worse, and at least that, I didn't feel like the inaccuracy was BS.

Visually, the game looks fine for 2007. It's not as impressive as Call of Duty 4 was which released the same year, but it certainly doesn't look "bad." Aurally, it's about the same - good but not great. The voice acting is acceptable, although it's clear this cast isn't doing any work for Pixar. I quite liked the music, but it sounded like pretty standard World War II game music. The big letdown in the audio department is the weapon sound effects. They're certainly not the worst that I've ever heard, but they just sound weak and hollow compared to some more recent World War II shooters. They don't have as much "oomph" as I'd like. If you're not a gun enthusiast, then you'll probably be like me and think "That's disappointing. Oh well," but if you are into guns and know exactly how these guns should sound, it will probably be a bit more jarring.

Medal of Honor: Airborne is a good time if you just want an excuse to massacre Nazis (and really, who doesn't?), but it's a pretty mediocre game even by the standards of 2007. It is absolutely not a bad game once you figure out the wonky aiming, but it just doesn't stand out from the crowd. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty 2, and Call of Duty: World at War are all better choices if you just want a World War II shooter. Still, if you have Game Pass Ultimate, it's included thanks to EA Play, and while I haven't checked to confirm, I can't imagine it's all that expensive to buy used physically on Xbox 360, so it's worth giving a play.

Post by **ElkinFencer10** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 11:30 am

Games Beaten in 2021 - 110
* denotes a replay

January (12 Games Beaten)

February (5 Games Beaten)

March (3 Games Beaten)

April (7 Games Beaten)

May (9 Games Beaten)

June (17 Games Beaten)

July (31 Games Beaten)

August (2 Games Beaten)

September (6 Games Beaten)

October (7 Games Beaten)

November (4 Games Beaten)

December (6 Games Beaten)

110. Kaze and the Wild Masks - Switch - December 25

Kaze and the Wild Masks is a game that I added to my Amazon wishlist on a whim months ago and then promptly forgot about until I unwrapped it Christmas morning (thanks, mom). I wasn't exactly sure what kind of game Kaze was when I added it to that wishlist aside from "platformer," but having finished the game, I'm extremely glad I had that whim to add it.

Kaze is a love letter to Donkey Kong Country. The core gameplay is very similar; you run forward and platform your way through levels, taking out enemies along the way by either jumping on them or attacking into them. There are various collectibles you can get in each level; two secret areas that each unlock one half of that level's green emblem, red jewels which unlock the level's red emblem if you collect at least 100, and four golden letters that spell out K-A-Z-E exactly like the K-O-N-G letters in Donkey Kong Country. This game makes absolutely no effort to hide the fact that it's half DKC clone, and it's all the better for it because the parts that are distinct from DKC help to highlight the parts that are similar. The DKC inspiration and elements that are distinct work hand-in-hand to create an experience that's colorful, enjoyable, and perfectly walks that tightrope line between copy and homage.

For those who aren't as good at or patient with platformers as some, there are two difficulty settings. The lower setting has more frequent checkpoints in levels (although they can still be several minutes apart) and allows you to take an extra hit before dying from full health. There is also, as has become fairly common in platformers these days, a mercy option that eventually triggers. After a certain number of deaths in a row, the game offers to let you skip the level. You don't keep any of your collectibles from that level, and it won't have the level marked as complete, but it will allow you to proceed to the next level (you can always go back and replay older levels). This way, if there's a part that just gets more frustrating than fun for you, you can still see the rest of the game's admittedly fairly shallow story (bad guy curses friend, you go on a journey to beat the bad guy and saves friend) without pulling your hair out.

The visuals in this game are absolutely stunning. It's bright, it's colorful, and it's all the things we love and miss about 16-bit and 32-bit 2D platformers with all of the quality of life improvements that we've come to expect from modern games. The controls are also buttery smooth, as well. If you die in this game, it's always your fault; I didn't find one single instance where the controls got me killed or a level was outright unfair. Some of the bosses are merciless and truly challenging, but they're never unfair. The music is also delightful, although it can feel a little bit generic sometimes. Still, while the music may not live up to the standard Rare set with Donkey Kong Country, everything else in the game does. The movement mimics DKC, the collectibles mimic DKC, and even the animal helpers from DKC are mimicked in mechanics with the different masks that give you the ability of whatever animal the mask depicts (hence the "wild masks").

Kaze and the Wild Masks is truly a fantastic platformer. What Freedom Planet was to classic Sonic the Hedgehog, Kaze and the Wild Masks is to classic Donkey Kong Country. With that said, if you loved Donkey Kong Country on the SNES, you owe it to yourself and your sense of nostalgia to try Kaze and the Wild Masks. It may not have the nostalgic charm that Donkey Kong Country does, but it's absolutely standing toe to toe with classic DKC for gameplay, and that's not an accolade to be given lightly. The game isn't quite perfect - I would have liked to see the developers try a little bit harder to make it a bit more distinct from Donkey Kong Country or flesh out the characters' personalities and the story a bit more as Freedom Planet did - but it's a DAMN fine platformer and well worth playing.

Post by **prfsnl_gmr** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 1:34 pm

Great reviews, guys! I’m really looking forward to playing through both Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (when it’s released for the Switch) and Kaze & The Wild Masks.

…..

First 70

71. Semblance (Switch)
72. Dreamo (Switch)
73. Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (Wii)

I stayed up late last night and <finally> beat Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth. It’s a remake of Castlevania: The Adventure (i.e., the worst Castlevania game on the Gameboy), and it’s the most recent Castlevania game to employ classic-vania gameplay. Although it’s not groundbreaking, it looks pretty great, and it plays really well. It’s also fairly easy for a classic-vania game. My only complaint is that there is no way to save your progress, and the game is a bit long to beat in a single sitting. (There are only six levels, but they’re each REALLY long.) If you still have a way to play this game, which remains exclusive to the Wii, you should.

Post by **Note** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:17 pm

1. Golden Axe II (GEN)
2. Time Crisis [Special Mode] (PS1)
3. Streets of Rage (GEN)
4. Time Crisis: Project Titan (PS1)
5. Rayman Origins (360)
6. Borderlands (360)
7. Streets of Rage 4 (Switch)*
8. King of Dragons (SNES)
9. Wild Guns (SNES)
10. Star Fox (SNES)
11. Guardian Heroes (SAT) [2x]*
12. World of Illusion (GEN)
13. Raiden Fighters Jet (360)
14. Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive (360)*
15. Streets of Rage 3 (GEN)
16. Street Fighter III: Third Strike (Xbox)*
17. Mushihimesama Futari (360)
18. Guwange (360)
19. Star Fox 64 (N64)*
20. Soul Calibur (DC)*
21. Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition (GEN)
22. Xeno Crisis (GEN)
23. Galactic Attack (SAT)
24. Die Hard Arcade (SAT)
25. Luigi's Mansion (GC)
26. Steel Empire (GEN)
27. Virtua Cop (SAT)
28. Sonic R (SAT)

29. Chrono Trigger (SNES)

This was one of my grail games to finish and I finally did a few weeks ago! When I was younger, I had the re release of Chrono Trigger in the Final Fantasy: Chronicles compilation on PS1. I played through a good portion of the game multiple times but always ended up getting distracted before completing the game, I also did not have much luck with memory cards back then. More recently, I purchased a SNES copy of Chrono Trigger and began playing through it once again, with the goal of finally completing the game and seeing one of the many storied endings.

Graphics wise, I think the sprite work is quite stunning and perhaps one of the best on the console for a RPG. The character designs by Akira Toriyama are awesome, and when I was young, before I even owned my original PS1 copy, I used to try to draw the characters using illustrations from magazines as a reference. Some of the designs and sprite works of the bosses are impressive too, with some of them taking up nearly the entire screen. Tyrano and Lavos look especially imposing when those battles start. The settings in the game are also quite varied from lush and colorful forests to dark factory and sewer settings. Some of the settings are pretty amazing though, with my favorite probably being the Kingdom of Zeal. The music in this section is fantastic and it really presents a great atmosphere. Which leads to the soundtrack, which is one of the best on the console, and something I enjoy listening to in the background, even outside the game. The battle music is also really catchy! Chrono Trigger was released late in the console's lifespan, so the development teams had the know how to really take advantage of what the system could do.

Gameplay wise, the game is balanced, straight forward, and intuitive. The enemies are never painstakingly difficult or too easy, and I never needed to put time into grinding, until the very end of the game. Also, the player is never left wondering what to do next, as the story is always moving along and pointing you in the direction needed to continue on the adventure. The time travel mechanic is very unique, and something I had not seen in another RPG. It's pretty amazing to visit the same location in different time periods to get an idea of how the areas changed over time. This also gives you an opportunity to finish one of the final side quests in multiple time periods for additional experience points and items. For my particular playthrough, I finished all the extra side quests for the more powerful weapons and armor for each character, which I think was well worth it, considering how tough I found the final battle to be.

Another unique feature of the game is the amount of endings there are to achieve, depending on when you encounter the final boss. This adds a ton of replay value, as after you finish the game, you can restart on a New Game+ mode and play it again with your same party (including the same stats and weapons), and take on the final battle at a different point. This is a great feature and something I'd like to revisit down the line. When I have the itch for some more Chrono Trigger, I will most likely start my game over with the same party I had and try to achieve one of the other endings.

Overall, I think Chrono Trigger still lives up to the praise all these years later. There's a lot to like here with the story, battle system, great graphics, amazing soundtrack, and tons of replay value. I think anyone whose a fan of the SNES should play it, if they haven't already! I'm glad I finally finished it and I'm looking forward to finishing a few more RPGs on the Super Nintendo next year!

Post by **Raging Justice** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 6:57 pm

REPO Man wrote:I'm waiting for the Switch port, which for some stupid-ass reason won't be coming out until January.

Funny you mention that, as I was annoyed to discover that Touhou Luna Nights, another game from these developers, is not available on my console of choice...PS4 :lol:

I do own a Switch though, so I guess I'll check out that version some time

Post by **REPO Man** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:18 pm

In the meantime, the Switch port of Touhou Luna Nights is amazeballs.

Really wish we'd get console versions of the main games.

Post by **prfsnl_gmr** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:39 pm

REPO Man wrote:In the meantime, the Switch port of Touhou Luna Nights is amazeballs.

Really wish we'd get console versions of the main games.

REPO and I agree on something! Touhou Luna Nights Is an OK metroidvania with really awesome shmup-inspired combat.

Post by **ElkinFencer10** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 1:26 am

Games Beaten in 2021 - 111
* denotes a replay

January (12 Games Beaten)

February (5 Games Beaten)

March (3 Games Beaten)

April (7 Games Beaten)

May (9 Games Beaten)

June (17 Games Beaten)

July (31 Games Beaten)

August (2 Games Beaten)

September (6 Games Beaten)

October (7 Games Beaten)

November (4 Games Beaten)

December (7 Games Beaten)

111. Ace Angler - Switch - December 30

I absolutely love fishing games. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, honestly, but despite hating the actual act of fishing, I love fishing in video games. I especially love it when those fishing games are super arcade-y and have ridiculous or goofy fish to catch, and Ace Angler firmly checks both of those boxes.

Having its roots in the arcade, there are a couple of different game modes in Ace Angler, but the one I spent the most time with was obviously the adventure mode. The story is that you're a novice angler/treasure hunter setting out with the captain of a boat you chartered, someone from an oceanic research institute, and two only-barely-disguised kappa (mischievous water yokai said to bring good luck). You start off simple enough - catching regular fish near a reef. About a third of the way through the game, things get extreme. About halfway through the game, things get a bit ridiculous. By the end of the game, things are completely insane in a way that only the Japanese could manage in a fishing game. If any of that sounded like criticism, it wasn't; I loved every second.

Despite not being a AAA title, the game looks pretty good on the Switch. It definitely looks better handheld thanks to the smaller screen, but even blown up on a 65" 4K TV, the game looks quite good. The fish models all look nice, and the water effects when you're actually fishing look great. There are two ways to play - with the Joycons' motion control (which the game makes clear is how you're intended to play) casting with the left hand and reeling with the right or with button controls. Oddly, even with button controls as an option, the game does not allow the use of the pro controller; despite this, putting the Joycons in the grip works just fine. Generally, I preferred playing with the motion controls as they were just more fun, but some of the boss battles (yes, this fishing game has legitimate boss battles) can get long and a bit tedious with motion controls, so I tended to use the button controls for those.

The game's sound design and soundtrack are great, but they're honestly pretty forgettable with everything else the game has going for it with the addicting gameplay and the gorgeous visuals. As you complete missions in each of the game's ten regions, you'll get rewarded with money and materials both of which are needed to craft and upgrade new rods with better stats. You've got three basic "types" of rods - red, blue, and green. Each fish has a color affinity, and a rod of that color will be most effective against that fish. You'll be alright using any rod against regular fish if you're not trying to get an S rating on each quest, but you'll definitely want to make sure you're using the right rod for the bosses as they can easily deplete your stamina and defeat you if you're not playing smart. The materials needed for upgrade bring me to my one main complaint with the game - you end up with WAY more money than you need but usually need a few key materials that can be obnoxious to go farm, so it would be nice if you had the option of buying materials at the shop. It would definitely take away some of the challenge, and I can absolutely understand why some might not like that, but when you're sitting on over a million yen you don't need and don't feel like farming for a great white tooth so you can upgrade your rod, it would be a nice feature to have.

Ace Angler may not have quite enough meat on its bones to be a game of the year contender for me, but it's absolutely a FANTASTIC game and just oozes wacky charm. It's a shame that this game never got released in the West (not even digitally), but fortunately, the Asian physical release has full English menu and subtitle support. If you're into arcade games, fishing games, or just silly games in general and have $60 or $70 you don't need, check this one out. I wish Nintendo of America would at least release it digitally, but thankfully, the Switch is region-free and easy to set up accounts able to access different regions eShops, so you've got options if this sounds like your cup of tea. I definitely recommend it.

racketboy.com

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