Anything that is gaming related that doesn't fit well anywhere else
pook99
128-bit
 
Posts: 788
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2017 11:27 pm

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by pook99 Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:14 pm

Here are the games I have beaten so far this year:

1 Final Fight lns ultimate (openbor)
2 double dragon 4 (switch)
3. Ultra age (switch)
4 final fight lns capcom all stars (openbor)
5 marsupalami (switch)
6 super castlevania 4 (snes)
7 tmnt rescue palooza (openbor)
8 mega man 4 (nes)
9 clockwork aquario (switch)
10 foreclosed (switch)
11 legend of double dragon (openbor)
12 golden axe myth (openbor)
13 castlevania holy relics (nes)
14 contra (nes)
15 wonder boy asha (switch)
16 streets of rage 4 anniversary(switch)
17 ninja saviors (switch)

Seems like a lot, but keep in mind I am quarantined and sick with COVID, so I am completely isolated in a room and playing games about 10-15 hours a day, this will dramatically slow down once I get better, here is a quick summary of them:

1) Final Fight LNS ultimate + capcom all stars: 2 open bor games with 67 characters spread across tons of different franchises, great beat em up with loads of combos and special moves per character, might be my new favorite beat em up

2) Double Dragon 4: Not the first time I have played this, worse than I remember TBH, kind of slow moving, cheap enemies that just gang up on you with no recourse, lots of annoying 2d sections where enemies throw stuff at you and you cant block/duck, I dont hate it but it is definitely the worst of the mainline double dragons

3) ultra age: Definition of a hidden gem, extremely awesome devil may cry style 3d brawler that nobody ever talks about, very challenging game play, lots of cool weapons and combos, fantastic bosses and an engaging story. On the short side (which is fine by me) but a really pleasant surprise

4) marsupalami: 2d platformer in the vein of DKC and Kaze and the wild masks. A little on the easy and short side as it is geared for kids but it is mechanically sound and fun to play. Don't expect something as epic as Kaze but if you like this style of game or have a little one at home this is definitely worth checking out

5) Super Castlevania 4: Not much to say here, greatest castlevania game ever made, havent played it in a while and it is even more awesome then I remember somehow, also the SNES soundtrack is just so good

6) tmnt rescue palooza: fan game that takes the best of all the NES turtles games, adds just about every character you can think of as an unlockable playable character, and tons of different levels including a few 2d nods to the NES original, perfect homage to 8 bit turtles beat em ups and is free to download, a must for turtles fans

7) Mega Man 4: 4 falls somewhere in the middle of the mega man series for me, it is a great game and one of the more challenging in the series

8) clockwork aquario: a lost arcade game that I bought over a year ago and it finally came in the mail. Bright colorful sprites and fun 2d platformer that has you jumping on enemies and then grabbing them and throwing them at other enemies to kill them. It is a good mechanic and the level designs are varied and fun, pretty short, beat it in about 30 minutes or so on my first playthrough(was playing easy mode) but a good time.

9) foreclosed: Really stylistic 3rd person shooter/stealth game. The game has a cell shaded look but everything is very washed out and drab, which is intentionally done to match the dystopian nature of the game. The story is told through comic book style panels that take place in real game time, if you ever saw the original crappy hulk movie it is kind of like that but done well and works for the dynamic they are going for. The game alternates between stealth segments and 3rd person shooter segments, both arepretty well done and the 3rd person segments are augmented by different mind powers and cover based mechanics. A little short but unique and fun.

10) Legend of Double Dragon: a fan remake of super double dragon which adds story cutscenes, additonal levels, a faster pace of gameplay, and a whole bunch of new moves and combos. Very well done fan game and worth checking out for fans of the source material

11) Golden Axe Myth: A fan made prequel to the original golden axe, which as the 3 heroes from the first game teaming up with death adder to retrieve the golden axe from an evil dude who stole it. The graphics here are all done from the ground up and I love the artstyle here, characters are big, bright, and everything has the look of a saturday morning cartoon. Gameplay is what you would expect from a golden axe game, although each character has some new special moves to play around with and there are a number of new beasts to ride along with upgradeable stats. Probably the best golden axe fan game I have played and is at least on par with the original games if not better

12) Castlevania Holy relics: for those of you who don't know holy relics is the best romhack of castlevania ever made. If somebody showed me this game in 1988 I would easily assume this is the real castlevania 2. Every level is completely redone, the subweapons are redone, they added a relic mechanic to the game where you get to bring a relic with a special power into each stage and use it x times per level by hitting select. The levels also take a cue from the msx game and have you finding keys to open doors in order to progress. The game is challenging but not cheap and is what you would expect from a standard castlevania game

13) contra: nothing to say here, best run n gun ever, I am sure everyone on this forum has played this or at least heard of it

14) Wonder Boy Asha in monster world: Fun remaster done in the style of dragons trap, asha is a lot more linear than the other games in the series as you have a hub world and just go level to level, although each level contains some exploration and secrets to find. Asha has a little blue dude with her that she can use to solve puzzles, interact with the environment, glide, and double jump. It is a really fun mechanic that gets completey ditched in the later half of the game which kind of sucks. While not as good as dragons trap or monster boy it is still a solid 2d hack n slash platformer with a cute story and beautiful graphics

15) Streets of rage 4 anniversary edition: I played this on release and enjoyed it but it is honestly much better than I remember. The added combo mechanics and moves, along with a whole host of new enemies, add a ton to the gameplay, there is also lots of unlockables and point incentives for completing the game with different characters. At least on par with streets of rage 2 and if I take my nostalgia goggles off I would probably concede that sor 4 > sor 2

16) ninja saviors warriors return: a remake of the ninja warriors on SNES. Ninja saviors is a beat em up that is unique in that it takes place in an entirely 2d plane so you cant move up and down to try and get position on enemies, instead you have to learn each enemy type, what they do, and how to counteract it. This game adds a lot of new moves, combos, and 2 extra playable characters. I have played the original but I am not sure if the levels here are different. Late game gets pretty difficult but they do give you unlimited continues so with enough persistence you can eventually beat it. Very cool unique game, fans of the orginal should definitely check it out, but even if you have not played that it is a solid game for any beat em up fan.
User avatar
elricorico
32-bit
 
Posts: 224
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:02 pm

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by elricorico Sun Jan 09, 2022 6:43 pm

1. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond (NS)

I finished Pokémon Brilliant Diamond today. I got it and Shining Pearl(for my daughter) at Christmas expecting to play together, but she took to it much more slowly and I put a bunch of hours in during my Christmas staycation.

This would be the first mainline Pokémon game I've ever beat, and I did enjoy it. I found it pretty easy right up until the "Elite Four" and champion series of battles where I failed once sending me to do a little grinding before clearing it reasonably safely on my second attempt. I started with Turtwig, completely chosen because I liked the look of him best at the beginning.

I've put about 30 hours in altogether and may do a little more, but I don't expect too much more unless my daughter is looking for some trades or play together. Not because I don't think I'd enjoy a bit of the post-game, but because I have a mega backlog and would like to finish a few more games this year than the last couple.

Having never beat any other mainline Pokémon games I don't think I'm the right guy to ask for an opinion on where this stands amongst the rest of them, but my only gripe would be that there seemed to be a very limited variety of encounters through a lot of portions of the game. The Grand Underground area definitely helped, but since that is a side quest type area and I wanted to progress the story more often than not I didn't really spend too much time in it.
User avatar
MrPopo
Moderator
 
Posts: 23908
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:01 pm
Location: Orange County, CA

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by MrPopo Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:52 pm

Diamond's generation is noted for its fairly weak Pokedex available prior to the end (when you unlock the National Dex and new areas). So the fact you noticed the lack of diversity is not surprising.
Image
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
Chk991
Newbie
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2021 8:05 am

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by Chk991 Mon Jan 10, 2022 10:51 am

Beat Kingdom Hearts Final Mix yesterday.

This must be the third time I'm beating the first Kingdom Hearts I think but it's been so long ago that it all felt fresh again. Game is shorter than I remember once you know where to go and don't bother as much with the various collectibles. Still, a very enchanting experience and you can feel the love that went into every part of the game from level design, music, character models and the gameplay itself. I think some of the abilities I was using a lot were added in Final Mix in order to make the combat a little smoother and it feels great once you start using abilities in general and attacks connect more, combos are longer.

Fun to remember a time where Disney was a bit more magical to me than it is now and the story of the game is a lot more self-contained and charming before Kingdom Hearts 2 and the massive amounts of spin-offs. Still I bought the remastered collection and I'm willing to try an immerse myself more in the story this time around. Next game is Chain Of Memories which I never played (just the GBA original) so I'm looking forward to that one and hopefully it won't feel repetitive with all the reused worlds and assets.
Image
User avatar
ElkinFencer10
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 8582
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:34 pm
Location: Henderson, North Carolina

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by ElkinFencer10 Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:31 pm

Games Beaten in 2021 - 2
* denotes a replay

January (2 Games Beaten)
1. Project MIKHAIL: A Muv-Luv War Story - Steam - January 1
2. Shin Megami Tensei V - Switch - January 9


2. Shin Megami Tensei V - Switch - January 9

Image

Ever since my buddy Pat convinced me to give Shin Megami Tensei IV a shot in college, I’ve been a massive fan of the series. Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse routinely makes my Top 5 JRPGs when I’m asked to suggest games. When I first saw the trailer for Shin Megami Tensei V, then, I was unspeakably hyped. Then five long years passed with nothing until finally in November, 2021, Atlus graced the world with the newest entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series.

Image

The premise of the game is that you’re a high school student who finds himself abruptly and unexplainably thrust into a ruined landscape full of angels and demons. You’re saved by a mysterious cyborg-looking demon who fuses with you to become something called a Nahobino. You are thus not only given the ability to fight demons but to summon and lead them as well. From there, you learn that someone went and killed God (sorry, guys; God’s death was relegated to backstory in this entry) and thus threw the pandemonic order into chaos as various factions vie for control of the Empyrian throne that controls all of creation. There are, of course, different branching paths and endings depending on which of these factions you choose. In all, the game has four endings - three “main” endings and a hidden ending that’s a variation of one of the three main endings.

Image

If you’ve played one Shin Megami Tensei game, you pretty much know how the gameplay works. You run around the overworld, fight demons, and recruit demons to fight alongside you and fill your demon compendium. As popo once called it, it’s basically “evil Pokemon.” It has a few different difficulty settings that can have the game range from balls hard to laughably easy, so no matter what kind of experience you want as far as difficulty goes, Shin Megami Tensei V has you covered. Personally, I didn’t find the overall story or characters to be quite as interesting as that in IV or IV Apocalypse, but it’s still an exceptionally good JRPG that stands out as a cut above the rest.

Image

Being on the Switch, by far the weakest of the three current platforms, the game obviously is going to take some hits in the visuals and performance departments, but honestly, I was consistently impressed with the visuals. It looked like a mid-tier PS4 game in most cases, and the models for the demons were extremely well done. Environments looked nice, although it’s worth noting that performance took a pretty major hit to get the game looking this good. The frame rate targets 30 fps and usually hangs in the mid 20s. Thankfully, with a turn-based game, this isn’t really a hindrance so much as a mild annoyance. In some places, the frame rate can vary briefly drop to the low teens, and that’s a bummer, but the most frequent and glaring frame rate issue was actually an intentional one. In, I assume, an attempt to save system resources, demons on the overworld will move and perform their idle animations at like five frames per second until you get close to them at which point they speed up to the normal “30.” Again, this does absolutely nothing to hinder the gameplay in the slightest, but it was something I found to be rather annoying even if I totally understand why Atlus would design the game like this and even support the decision.

Image

The music is exactly what you’d expect from Shin Megami Tensei; not as catchy as Persona but fantastic in its own right. The main series has never been quite as solid as far as soundtracks go as the Persona sub-series, but I still love the music in mainline Shin Megami Tensei games. An epic rock feel mixed with some foreboding more orchestral sounds are the overarching feel of the music in this game, and it fits really well in addition to being generally well done. It’s a nice bow to tie together an overall fantastic package.

Image

Shin Megami Tensei V is definitely pushing the Switch to its limits, and while there are some noticeable issues with frame rate, the game’s turn based nature makes that a fairly minor problem in practice, and the game’s graphics are fantastic for Nintendo’s little handheld that could. Some folks criticise the visuals for not standing up well against what Sony’s and Microsoft’s platforms offer, and that’s fair given how much more powerful even their last generation consoles are, but this is still the most graphically impressive original release for a mainline Shin Megami Tensei game to date, and I think it looks pretty comparable against even the PS4 release of Shin Megami Tensei III HD once you take the resolution difference into account. If you’re a fan of JRPGs or generally dark, apocalyptic stories, then this is definitely a game you need to play. Even with the frame rate issues, I have zero problem recommending this to any and all JRPG fans.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.

Image
User avatar
ElkinFencer10
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 8582
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:34 pm
Location: Henderson, North Carolina

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by ElkinFencer10 Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:31 pm

Games Beaten in 2021 - 3
* denotes a replay

January (3 Games Beaten)
1. Project MIKHAIL: A Muv-Luv War Story - Steam - January 1
2. Shin Megami Tensei V - Switch - January 9
3. Halo 2600 - Atari 2600 - January 10


3. Halo 2600 - Atari 2600 - January 10

Image

Everyone talks about game remakes - and rightly so - but what doesn't get enough attention are game demakes - when you take a game and make a dramatically scaled back version for older hardware. The most famous is probably the Chinese NES demake of Final Fantasy VII, but the most impressive as well as the most fun in my opinion is definitely Halo 2600, the aptly named Halo demake for Atari 2600.

Image

2001's Xbox was the powerhouse console at the top of the spec lists of the 6th generation of console gaming, and 1977's Atari 2600 was the behemoth 2nd generation console that took the world (or at least America) by storm. What do these two have in common? Aside from being filled with Activision games of various quality, not much. Except for Halo. Created by Ed Fries, the guy who led the team that created the first Xbox and was key in acquiring studios like Rare and Bungie, Halo 2600 is a surprisingly good answer to the question "What if Halo had been created 20 years earlier?" It's obviously got no story told outside of the instruction manual (as was the case with pretty much all of the 2600's games) and very crude sprite graphics, but it's probably the best game ever to fit on a 4 KB cartridge, at least in my opinion.

Image

When you start the game, you're greeted to a 2600 version of the Halo theme. The game itself plays a lot like a mix of Adventure and Berzerk. The combat is a lot like Berzerk in that you have to shoot enemies while avoiding getting shot yourself, and the game seamlessly progresses from screen to screen like Adventure. The enemies - really fantastically done sprites of Grunts and Elites - can shoot in any direction, but your pixel Master Chief can only shoot left or right, so it's important to get a feel for the controls and the timing of your attacks.

Image

As you go through the game searching for keys to unlock the energy gates blocking your path, you'll get a gun upgrade (I like to imagine it's an upgrade from the assault rifle to the sniper rifle), a shield upgrade that lets you survive a single shot, and a boot upgrade that doubles your speed. While there's only so much detail the 2600 can cram into a landscape, you do see a variety of trees, rocks, and weird energy...things...as you progress. The culminating challenge is a final boss, a flying saucer-looking enemy, that you have to shoot several times to take out. If you manage to defeat the boss, congratulations! You beat the game! It immediately restarts but with a red title screen indicating that you've progressed to "hard mode" which really just has you play the game again but moving at like one-quarter speed.

Image

Halo 2600 may not stand up to the likes of Halo Infinite for a deep and engaging narrative experience, but it's an extremely impressive demake that manages to cram the core "feel" of Halo into just four measly kilobytes. AtariAge, bless them, sold physical cartridges of this back in 2013 complete with box and instructional manual, although I imagine that most people played this on an emulator or a Harmony flash cartridge. Regardless of how you play it, it's one of the 2600 I most readily recommend, and it's a must for those of in the intersection of "Halo fan" and "retro gamer." It would be nice if there were a score counter or some enemy randomization for replay value, but it's a damn fun game nonetheless.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.

Image
VG_Addict
16-bit
 
Posts: 69
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2017 11:16 pm

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by VG_Addict Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:34 pm

Beat Pokemon Snap.

Image

And Yoshi's Story.

Image
User avatar
Nemoide
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 2395
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 6:37 pm
Location: New York state

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by Nemoide Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:32 pm

Just beat Resident Evil 4 for Gamecube!
I've owned this game for over a decade and since it's the most popular entry in the series it's about time I finally play/beat it. I have to say, it holds up well for the most part. It really isn't a survival-horror game like the previous games in the series, but it's still creepy enough to feel like a part of the series and does action so well that it's fine that it's doing something different. It has a couple aspects that haven't aged well: brown is the primary color at all times and QTEs are not a welcome addition to gameplay. But it's still a very solid game and I understand now why it's so beloved. In my mind, the original Resident Evil will always be the one to define the series because it really effectively created a sense of horror and dread, but RE4 is definitely a lot more fun and a lot less frustrating!
Image
User avatar
Markies
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 1410
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:29 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by Markies Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:00 pm

Markies' Games Beat List Of 2022!
*Denotes Replay For Completion*

1. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (PS3)
2. Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne (XBOX)

Image

I beat Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne on the Microsoft XBOX this evening!

Way back when I went game shopping for my original XBOX, I picked up the original Max Payne. It had been a game I've wanted to play for a long time, but reviews had said it played better on the XBOX, so I picked it up for that console. It was actually one of the first games I ever beat for the XBOX as the game was incredibly fun. It got a little repetitive and trippy at times, but the basic structure was there and fantastic. I was always interested in the sequel, but other games attracted my attention first. Well, last year, I was looking to finalize my last XBOX game and I wanted something short. I then realized it would be a perfect book end, so I picked it up and played it as my last XBOX game to beat my Backlog.

Overall, the same basic structure and presentation of the game is all right here. The story still feels like a Noir crime drama. It mostly just gun fights where you use Bullet Time to slow the world down to your advantage. And the game still has that Rockstar feel to it. I always enjoyed the simplicity of the first game. The story was a simple Noir Revenge story and the gameplay was simple as well. And when those aspects appear in Max Payne 2, the game is great. Levels where you are just Max shooting down multiple enemies are the best levels in the game. When you are using Bullet Time to dive away and shoot an enemy or two, the game is fantastic.

When the game deviates from that formula is when you run into problems. When you get into large rooms with multiple enemies, you have no indication where you are getting shot, so you just take so much damage without seeing the shooter. Also, there are two escort levels in the game that are just completely frustrating that I had to save scum to get my way through. Finally, the simple story is thrown away for one about conspiracy theories with double and triple crosses that it looses its simplicity and turns a bit crazy.

Overall, I still enjoyed my time with Max Payne 2. I would say that I preferred the first game by far. The story of a man avenging his dead wife is a classic one that resonated with me more. I think the sequel kind of lost sight of what made the first one great, but there is still remnants of the first one in here. If you liked the first game, then I would say this is a worthy sequel and worth your time to see it through.
Image
User avatar
Nemoide
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 2395
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 6:37 pm
Location: New York state

Re: Games Beaten 2022

by Nemoide Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:12 pm

The list:
1. Diddy Kong Racing (N64)
2. Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube)


3. Freedom Planet (Switch)
The first game I've beaten on the Switch! Freedom Planet is a pretty excellent homage to classic Sonic games that manages to do its own thing enough so it doesn't feel like a fan-game. The characters are all cute and memorable, having a fleshed out story with fully voice-acted cut-scenes is the kind of thing I'd have dreamed of as a kid, the core gameplay is very solid, and the bosses are extremely fun and can be pretty challenging. Even though I'm not so into side scrolling platformers these days, I found this one to be a lot of fun and I easily see myself replaying it as another character. I feel like the best capsule review would be "if you read Sonic comics as a kid, give this game a shot"
IIRC there was someone who used to post around here who had a Freedom Planet signature, but I don't remember who they were...
Image
Return to General Gaming

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests