Partridge Senpai's 2023 Beaten Games:
Previously: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
* indicates a repeat
1. Super Hero Operations (PS1)
2. Lil' Gator Game (PC)
3. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (PC)
4. Dragon Quest VII (PS1)
5. Dragon Quest III (SFC)
6. Dragon Quest VIII (PS2)
7. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
8. Mario Party 6 (GC)
9. Last Bible 3 (SFC)
10. Mario Party 4 (GC)
11. Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch)
12. Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest (SFC)
13. Chrono Trigger (SFC) *
14. BoxBoy + BoxGirl! (Switch)
15. The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog (PC)
16. SaGa (GB)
17. Wario Land 3 (GBC) *
18. Sutte Hakkun (SFC)
19. Kane & Lynch 2 (PC)
20. Burger Time Deluxe (GB)
21. Super Mario Advance 4: World e+ (GBA)
22. Bomberman GB 2 (GB)
23. Mario Party 5 (GC)
24. Klonoa: door to phantomile (PS1)
25. Mario Party 7 (GC)
26. Mario Party (N64) *
27. Crash Bash (PS1)
28. Balan Wonderworld (PS4)
29. From TV Animation One Piece Tobidase Kaizokudan! (PS1)
30. One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 (Vita)
This is a game I’ve been looking at picking up for genuinely years. I watched an arc of One Piece in a movie night with some friends on Discord, and my close friend mentioned this game afterwards as a good way to get a good overview of One Piece (especially the pre-time skip stuff). Fast forward like 2+ years to only a couple weeks ago when I learned that this bad boy was not only on Vita and worked on the Vita TV but that it was also only 500 yen at Book Off, and I snapped it up as quick as I could x3. I played through both the adventure (story mode) and dream log (the challenge map mode, basically) modes all the way through and unlocked every character. I played the Japanese version of the game on real hardware (and I have no idea how long it took me, but it had to be at least 50 or so hours).
The story of Pirate Warriors 3 is basically just the story of the One Piece anime up through at least the start of the Dressrosa arc (which was airing when this came out in 2015 but wasn’t close to finishing, so this game just makes up an ending for it to cap off its story mode). While I’m not completely unfamiliar with One Piece, a lot of this game’s story was completely new to me, and for my money it does a pretty good job of translating the source material to Musou maps. It generally does this by turning one story arc into one map, but here and there you’ll get an arc spread over two maps, or some smaller unimportant (or difficult to Musou-ify) arcs just summed up in pre-mission briefings before actual levels. How well those are translated into Musou levels varies by arc, with some being still very effective despite how truncated they are here and others being *so* truncated that it’s honestly difficult to tell what’s going on or where certain emotional beats are supposed to come from. At the very least, I think they do a very admirable job of turning One Piece into a Musou game, and I by and large really enjoyed going through the narratives of each arc.
Being a Musou game, the overall gameplay is likely not difficult to guess for anyone familiar with the genre. You go around big maps killing hundreds or thousands of little unimportant generic soldiers as you complete objectives. These objectives often revolve around fighting other major characters, but they also include defending friendly hero units or capturing enemy capture zones. All that stuff is going to be extremely familiar to anyone who’s played a Musou game of basically any stripe since like 2004, and this game does it quite well. While there are a few pretty lackluster maps here and there (either for story or gameplay reasons), map design is generally quite strong and the 37 different characters feel very different and fun to play (albeit how balanced one will feel from another varies quite a bit).
What Pirate Warriors 3 does uniquely (or at least relatively so) among Musou games aren’t super extreme, but they do give the game a fun vibe apart from contemporary mid-2010’s Musou games like Dynasty Warriors Gundam, Dragon Quest Heroes, or Hyrule Warriors. Maps have extra semi-hidden objectives called Treasure Events that you can do for both extra story events and boons occurring for your side in the fight, and they add a fun flair to maps and a good encouragement to replay maps, even if they’re hardly a game defining addition. Another neat thing in maps is how you can link with an ally on the map and they’ll hop in to deliver an assist-like extra attack when you finish a combo (or you can summon them outright when you max out the gauge and do a super attack along with them). This is a tiny change, but it definitely changed how I played the game a fair bit compared to something like the Gundam Musou games. Being that you need to finish your combo to trigger their assist, it discourages just dodge-cancelling constantly mid-combo like the Gundam Musous’ combat systems do, and figuring out which kinds of assists work best with which player characters added a fun but not too complicated extra layer of depth to clearing out waves of enemies or taking on powerful enemy hero units.
The aspect of this game compared to other contemporary Musous that is most worth mentioning is how character leveling and advancement works. Where most other Musou games by this point had equippable weapons or armors you could find in stages or resources you could use to unlock further combo trees or move sets, Pirate Warriors’s bread and butter is in its character coins. Fighting as a character, fighting with a character as your assist, and outright defeating enemy hero units will earn you character coins of those characters. These can be used in between battles to upgrade your stats, and they’re a *very* meaningful aspect of upgrading power alongside simple leveling up (which can be done by just using a character or you can outright buy levels with in-game currency too). It’s a neat idea, and it certainly gives you a *lot* to grind for in certain cases, but it’s overall more of a hindrance than it is a help in my experience.
Especially in the story mode, it makes playing anyone but a few characters very prohibitively difficult unless you want to go back and grind for specific coins in past stages, as different characters require different (and sometimes far rarer) coins to upgrade their power levels. It made me stick to playing just a few characters a lot more than I would’ve liked, and it’s ultimately the game’s biggest weakness compared to its contemporaries. It’s not a *huge* weakness, as especially once you’re doing the challenge maps, you’ll likely have more than enough coins to mess around with a good few characters should you so choose to, but it definitely makes the story mode a bit more restricted than it already is in terms of who you can play around with and not expect to get the tar kicked out of you.
The presentation is really well done. There’s tons of music tracks from the show as well as original ones as well that make for fun, pumping fights during stages, and I found myself humming the main theme quite a lot in between sessions of playing. It’s just so catchy! X3. The graphics are also by and large very nicely done, and they do a really good job of translating Oda’s art style from 2D manga and anime into a 3D space. The animation and cutscene work is especially very done, recreating iconic scenes from the anime very well in climactic endings to fights, moving emotional scenes, and your more general special moves.
The one tiny critique I’d have for art design is that they’re clearly trying to have their cake and eat it too in regards to some characters’ pre-time skip character models. Some main characters like Luffy and Nami in particular look very noticeably unlike their more gaunt and less-built pre-time skip selves, and they’re clearly just their post-time skip models altered not nearly enough to have them fit in clothes they wore earlier in the show. It’s a very minor gripe, but it’s something even someone with only a passing knowledge of One Piece like me noticed, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a more dedicated fan noticed more weirdness here and there with other characters.
Performance-wise, this game is a real marvel to see run as well as it does on the PS Vita (or in my case, the PSTV). Enemy limits on screen are usually somewhere around 30 at a time, and I’d be interested to know if the PS3 version is able to up that at all, but generally speaking this game still looked great on my flat screen TV and I would’ve forgotten I was playing a Vita game if I didn’t have the little console sitting in front of me. There is some noticeable slowdown at some points when there’s a lot happening on screen, but it was never anything that really meaningfully affected gameplay for me. There are some other somewhat questionable design decisions in the controls like the lack of a lock-on button for fighting enemy hero units, but with just how fast some of them can teleport and whip around you, I can see why they didn’t end up including one.
Verdict: Highly Recommended. This is my new #3 favorite Musou of the modern ones I’ve played. It doesn’t quite have the polish of Hyrule Warriors (my #1), and it lacks the sheer amount of content that Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn does, but it still manages to be a really fun and colorful adaptation of what it’s bringing to the Musou formula. The quality of the included maps and characters carries strongly the lessons they’ve learned by their third time adapting One Piece, and it shows in just how fun it is. Where the Gundam Musou games helped make me a fan of Gundam, this Pirate Warriors game has helped me be a fan of One Piece, and if that isn’t high praise of how this adapts its license, then I don’t know what is~.
Games Beaten 2023
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PartridgeSenpai
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 2988
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:27 am
- Location: Northern Japan
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Last edited by PartridgeSenpai on Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
I identify everyone via avatar, so if you change your avatar, I genuinely might completely forget who you are. -- Me
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prfsnl_gmr
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 12198
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:26 pm
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Re: Games Beaten 2023
1. Kirby & The Forgotten Land (Switch)
2. Kirby’s Dreamland 3 (SNES)
3. Earthbound Beginnings (NES)
4. Super Mario Bros. - The Lost Levels (NES)
5. Tuff E Nuff (SNES)
6. Star Fox 2 (SNES)
7. Rival Turf (SNES)
8. Brawl Brothers (SNES)
9. The Peace Keepers (SNES)
10 Arm Champs II (Arcade)
11. All-Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. (FDS)
12. Super Mario Bros. Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 - World e (GBA)
13. Vs. Super Mario Bros. (Arcade)
14. Super Mario Bros. Special - 35th Anniversary Edition (NES)
15. Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball (3DS)
16. Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (3DS)
17. Vampire Survivors (iOS)
18. Ninja Spirit (TG16)
19. Earthbound (SNES)
20. King’s Field II (PS1)
21. Commando (Arcade)
22. Commando (NES)
23. Commando (7800)
24. Commando (2600)
25. Bionic Commando (Gameboy)
Since I was traveling, I decided to take a break from TOTK and continue my work playing through a long running series, in this case, Capcom’s Bionic Commando series.
While not as popular (or good), Capcom’s Commando is, really, the first game in the series. (It stars Joseph “Super Joe” Gibson, a recurring character in the Bionic Commando games, as the titular commando, and it clearly influenced the overhead sections in the NES port of Bionic Commando.) The game plays a lot like Taito’s Front Line or SNK’s (vastly superior) Ikari Warriors. That is, you are a lone commando single-handedly battling an entire army to rescue the most well-guarded hostages ever. The game is played from an overhead perspective, and there are no power ups or tanks. You just spend the entirety of the game running around shooting, dodging bullets, and throwing grenades. (The gameplay effectively captures the “feel” of the action scenes in old “commandos running around shooting stuff” movies like The Dirty Dozen or The Great Escape.)
The arcade version of the game is, IMO, the worst version. It consists of eight stages, and according to a long play video, it can be beaten in about twelve minutes. You’re not going to beat it, though, because it is brutally, brutally difficult. Also, you have to restart from a checkpoint each time you die, and there are no continues. I played through the game using some of the QOL features included in Capcom Arcade Stadium, and I’m not sure anyone on earth could beat it in an arcade. The game’s a bit easier once you realize that, while the enemies shoot a lot, they don’t shoot at you and start focusing on dodging more than shooting. Still, just running around dodging bullets and enemies isn’t very much fun, and I don’t recommend the arcade version.
The NES version is a bit better, although I also don’t recommend it. It features the same basic gameplay, but extends the game’s length to sixteen levels. It also allows unlimited continues, and it features some hidden areas, which you locate by throwing grenades, which make the gameplay more interesting. As a very early release, however, it looks terrible and is full of flicker. It also gets pretty boring after a while, despite the new features.
The 7800 port is totally awesome, and it is easily the best version of the game. It features only eight levels; so, unlike the NES version, it never wears out its welcome. While there are no continues, the game’s adjustable difficulty settings make beating the game achievable with a little practice. Better, it features both power ups - a machine gun enabling rapid fire and a knife allowing you to kill enemy soldiers on contact - and the hidden sections from the NES port. It also has really good graphics and sound for a 7800 game, looking and sounding a lot better than the NES port.
The 2600 port is a curiosity. It is subject to the hardware’s extreme limitations, but it captures the core gameplay really well, playing a lot like Halo 2600. It looks and sounds remarkably good for a 2600 game, and it’s a lot of fun. While not as good as the 7800 version, obviously, I somewhat preferred its charming simplicity to the NES version.
…..
The Gameboy version of Bionic Commando is based on the NES game which, IMO, is one of the greatest action platformers on any system. In it, you play as Nathan “Rad” Spencer on a mission behind enemy lines to rescue Super Joe and destroy the enemy’s secret weapon. The game is an action platform or, you cannot jump. Rather, you make your way from one platform to another using the Bionic Commando’s extendable bionic arm. This allows you to swing from one platform to another raise yourself vertically off the ground. This simple change in mechanics adds a tremendous amount of depth and difficulty to the gameplay, just as it did in the NES version.
In many ways, the Gameboy port is superior to the NES version: it has cut scenes, different level layouts, different bosses, and slightly more content. While it has a fantastic soundtrack, the smaller screen and monochrome display don’t do it any favors, and there are more blind jumps (or swings, rather) than in the NES version. The last few levels are also brutally, brutally difficult. Thankfully, the game features a password system; so, unlike the NES version, you don’t have to beat it entirely in one sitting. I was really, really impressed with this game, and I now consider it one of the very best Gameboy games. I really can’t recommend it highly enough, especially if you enjoyed the NES version.
2. Kirby’s Dreamland 3 (SNES)
3. Earthbound Beginnings (NES)
4. Super Mario Bros. - The Lost Levels (NES)
5. Tuff E Nuff (SNES)
6. Star Fox 2 (SNES)
7. Rival Turf (SNES)
8. Brawl Brothers (SNES)
9. The Peace Keepers (SNES)
10 Arm Champs II (Arcade)
11. All-Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. (FDS)
12. Super Mario Bros. Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 - World e (GBA)
13. Vs. Super Mario Bros. (Arcade)
14. Super Mario Bros. Special - 35th Anniversary Edition (NES)
15. Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball (3DS)
16. Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (3DS)
17. Vampire Survivors (iOS)
18. Ninja Spirit (TG16)
19. Earthbound (SNES)
20. King’s Field II (PS1)
21. Commando (Arcade)
22. Commando (NES)
23. Commando (7800)
24. Commando (2600)
25. Bionic Commando (Gameboy)
Since I was traveling, I decided to take a break from TOTK and continue my work playing through a long running series, in this case, Capcom’s Bionic Commando series.
While not as popular (or good), Capcom’s Commando is, really, the first game in the series. (It stars Joseph “Super Joe” Gibson, a recurring character in the Bionic Commando games, as the titular commando, and it clearly influenced the overhead sections in the NES port of Bionic Commando.) The game plays a lot like Taito’s Front Line or SNK’s (vastly superior) Ikari Warriors. That is, you are a lone commando single-handedly battling an entire army to rescue the most well-guarded hostages ever. The game is played from an overhead perspective, and there are no power ups or tanks. You just spend the entirety of the game running around shooting, dodging bullets, and throwing grenades. (The gameplay effectively captures the “feel” of the action scenes in old “commandos running around shooting stuff” movies like The Dirty Dozen or The Great Escape.)
The arcade version of the game is, IMO, the worst version. It consists of eight stages, and according to a long play video, it can be beaten in about twelve minutes. You’re not going to beat it, though, because it is brutally, brutally difficult. Also, you have to restart from a checkpoint each time you die, and there are no continues. I played through the game using some of the QOL features included in Capcom Arcade Stadium, and I’m not sure anyone on earth could beat it in an arcade. The game’s a bit easier once you realize that, while the enemies shoot a lot, they don’t shoot at you and start focusing on dodging more than shooting. Still, just running around dodging bullets and enemies isn’t very much fun, and I don’t recommend the arcade version.
The NES version is a bit better, although I also don’t recommend it. It features the same basic gameplay, but extends the game’s length to sixteen levels. It also allows unlimited continues, and it features some hidden areas, which you locate by throwing grenades, which make the gameplay more interesting. As a very early release, however, it looks terrible and is full of flicker. It also gets pretty boring after a while, despite the new features.
The 7800 port is totally awesome, and it is easily the best version of the game. It features only eight levels; so, unlike the NES version, it never wears out its welcome. While there are no continues, the game’s adjustable difficulty settings make beating the game achievable with a little practice. Better, it features both power ups - a machine gun enabling rapid fire and a knife allowing you to kill enemy soldiers on contact - and the hidden sections from the NES port. It also has really good graphics and sound for a 7800 game, looking and sounding a lot better than the NES port.
The 2600 port is a curiosity. It is subject to the hardware’s extreme limitations, but it captures the core gameplay really well, playing a lot like Halo 2600. It looks and sounds remarkably good for a 2600 game, and it’s a lot of fun. While not as good as the 7800 version, obviously, I somewhat preferred its charming simplicity to the NES version.
…..
The Gameboy version of Bionic Commando is based on the NES game which, IMO, is one of the greatest action platformers on any system. In it, you play as Nathan “Rad” Spencer on a mission behind enemy lines to rescue Super Joe and destroy the enemy’s secret weapon. The game is an action platform or, you cannot jump. Rather, you make your way from one platform to another using the Bionic Commando’s extendable bionic arm. This allows you to swing from one platform to another raise yourself vertically off the ground. This simple change in mechanics adds a tremendous amount of depth and difficulty to the gameplay, just as it did in the NES version.
In many ways, the Gameboy port is superior to the NES version: it has cut scenes, different level layouts, different bosses, and slightly more content. While it has a fantastic soundtrack, the smaller screen and monochrome display don’t do it any favors, and there are more blind jumps (or swings, rather) than in the NES version. The last few levels are also brutally, brutally difficult. Thankfully, the game features a password system; so, unlike the NES version, you don’t have to beat it entirely in one sitting. I was really, really impressed with this game, and I now consider it one of the very best Gameboy games. I really can’t recommend it highly enough, especially if you enjoyed the NES version.
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Sonic Triple Trouble 16-Bit for Android. The Android port went live last Friday after AGES of waiting, not counting the wait for the Windows release months ago.
Built on the same engine as Sonic: Time Twisted, this fan game reimagines the Game Gear title as if it came out for the Genesis. But in lieu of just rehashing the 8-bit darling with a 16-bit style, we get a few new additions and gimmicks.
Built on the same engine as Sonic: Time Twisted, this fan game reimagines the Game Gear title as if it came out for the Genesis. But in lieu of just rehashing the 8-bit darling with a 16-bit style, we get a few new additions and gimmicks.
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
Boltgun is a boomer shooter set in the Warhammer 40000 universe. It serves as a vague sequel to Space Marine; you go back to the planet Graia and need to purge heretics who are still hanging around, because this is 40k and there are no nice things. You blast your way through 24 levels split into three episodes, with an inventory reset between each episode.
The game has a Doom-esque 2.5D presentation, where the enemies are sprites and the world is polygons. The level design is more at the Quake level of complexity and is a mixture of corridors and combat arenas. Most of the time you're running through and blasting enemies a la Doom, but now and then you'll be in a large combat arena that locks you in until you kill everything, usually with several waves that warp in as you clear a previous one. You have a jump that can mantle, so you have a solid amount of mobility.
The star of the game is the titular Boltgun, which is an assault rifle that fires explosive shots. The gun is such a great all rounder that you'll end up using it most of the time, switching to others for specific enemies or situations. You also get a shotgun, plasma gun (high aoe damage), heavy bolter (chaingun), sticky grenade launcher, laser, meltagun (super heavy shotgun), and heavy laser. One thing the game does is assign a numerical power to each gun and a defense to each enemy, which shows up next to their health bar that shows up at the top of the screen when your reticle is over them. If a weapon's power is higher than their defense, you do bonus damage, while if it's lower you take a damage penalty. This is the main thing that causes you to swap weapons, as everything but the boltgun is a bit ammo limited and tends to be a bit more niche in application.
The game uses a mix of human enemies and chaos enemies as the primary obstacles in your path. This gives a good enemy variety, though you've seen everything there is to see by the end of the second episode, leaving the third one to just be different level setups and a different weapon acquisition order. The whole package is a very solid FPS that is fast paced and satisfying to blow enemies away. I'd love to see them do more with this engine.
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
Boltgun is a boomer shooter set in the Warhammer 40000 universe. It serves as a vague sequel to Space Marine; you go back to the planet Graia and need to purge heretics who are still hanging around, because this is 40k and there are no nice things. You blast your way through 24 levels split into three episodes, with an inventory reset between each episode.
The game has a Doom-esque 2.5D presentation, where the enemies are sprites and the world is polygons. The level design is more at the Quake level of complexity and is a mixture of corridors and combat arenas. Most of the time you're running through and blasting enemies a la Doom, but now and then you'll be in a large combat arena that locks you in until you kill everything, usually with several waves that warp in as you clear a previous one. You have a jump that can mantle, so you have a solid amount of mobility.
The star of the game is the titular Boltgun, which is an assault rifle that fires explosive shots. The gun is such a great all rounder that you'll end up using it most of the time, switching to others for specific enemies or situations. You also get a shotgun, plasma gun (high aoe damage), heavy bolter (chaingun), sticky grenade launcher, laser, meltagun (super heavy shotgun), and heavy laser. One thing the game does is assign a numerical power to each gun and a defense to each enemy, which shows up next to their health bar that shows up at the top of the screen when your reticle is over them. If a weapon's power is higher than their defense, you do bonus damage, while if it's lower you take a damage penalty. This is the main thing that causes you to swap weapons, as everything but the boltgun is a bit ammo limited and tends to be a bit more niche in application.
The game uses a mix of human enemies and chaos enemies as the primary obstacles in your path. This gives a good enemy variety, though you've seen everything there is to see by the end of the second episode, leaving the third one to just be different level setups and a different weapon acquisition order. The whole package is a very solid FPS that is fast paced and satisfying to blow enemies away. I'd love to see them do more with this engine.
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
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elricorico
- 32-bit
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:02 pm
Re: Games Beaten 2023
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(Arcade)(XBONE)
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:Turtles in Time(Arcade) (XBONE)
3. Kirby Super Star Ultra (NDS)
4. Metal Slug II (PC)
5. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PS4)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Android)
7. Horizon Chase Turbo (PC)
8. Streets of Rage 4 (XBONE)
I beat Streets of Rage 4 twice this week. First I played through solo using Axel, second a couch co-op session with a friend where I played Blaze and he played Floyd(or "Floyo" which is what my friend read on the character select screen due to the odd font used there
).
I really love the original Genesis games from this series and found that this is a really strong reboot. Definitely maintained a lot of the old feel, but brought in many advances to modernize the experience. It isn't too long of a game overall, but with unlocking characters and various challenges there are plenty more hours of enjoyment to be had. The co-op playthrough happened all in one session unbroken, probably a bit over two hours with no Game Overs.
This game probably has the tightest/truest controls of any beat-em-ups I've played. I heavily leaned on the "Blitz" moves and throws for my characters, while my friend liked to use specials regularly. I never felt cheated by the controls, if I missed a move it was 100% because I just did it wrong. There's not a lot of cheap enemy attacks, but there are a lot of different enemy attacks that require the right strategy to avoid.
I did find that sometimes in co-op one player would get left out for a short time as enemies bunched up to one side. We tended to stay pretty far apart to avoid friendly fire.
This one is plenty of fun, revives one of my old favourite franchises and was one of the better co-op experiences I've had in a long time. Well worth trying out.
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:Turtles in Time(Arcade) (XBONE)
3. Kirby Super Star Ultra (NDS)
4. Metal Slug II (PC)
5. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PS4)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Android)
7. Horizon Chase Turbo (PC)
8. Streets of Rage 4 (XBONE)
I beat Streets of Rage 4 twice this week. First I played through solo using Axel, second a couch co-op session with a friend where I played Blaze and he played Floyd(or "Floyo" which is what my friend read on the character select screen due to the odd font used there
).I really love the original Genesis games from this series and found that this is a really strong reboot. Definitely maintained a lot of the old feel, but brought in many advances to modernize the experience. It isn't too long of a game overall, but with unlocking characters and various challenges there are plenty more hours of enjoyment to be had. The co-op playthrough happened all in one session unbroken, probably a bit over two hours with no Game Overs.
This game probably has the tightest/truest controls of any beat-em-ups I've played. I heavily leaned on the "Blitz" moves and throws for my characters, while my friend liked to use specials regularly. I never felt cheated by the controls, if I missed a move it was 100% because I just did it wrong. There's not a lot of cheap enemy attacks, but there are a lot of different enemy attacks that require the right strategy to avoid.
I did find that sometimes in co-op one player would get left out for a short time as enemies bunched up to one side. We tended to stay pretty far apart to avoid friendly fire.
This one is plenty of fun, revives one of my old favourite franchises and was one of the better co-op experiences I've had in a long time. Well worth trying out.
Re: Games Beaten 2023
Super Mario Land 1989, Nintendo Gameboy
I played Super Mario Land on my standard, purple gameboy advance.
I played this game about twenty years ago on a gameboy color and beat it first try. I decided to try again a few days ago and did it again. I do not consider myself to be an elite gamer. It is just very short and very easy.
Having never made any serious video games, I feel like difficulty must be something difficult to really dial in. Overall, I really prefer a game to be on the easier side. I used to feel like it was kind of a waste for developers to put twelve huge levels in a games if 90% of players would never make it past level three.
I do not like the button tilt on the gameboy consoles. It makes it difficult to press both face buttons at one. Perhaps considering this, the designers wisely require one or fewer "b runs" to complete the game.
Maybe I'm being too hard on a launch title on an under-powered machine, but I never really got comfortable with the game.
I played Super Mario Land on my standard, purple gameboy advance.
I played this game about twenty years ago on a gameboy color and beat it first try. I decided to try again a few days ago and did it again. I do not consider myself to be an elite gamer. It is just very short and very easy.
Having never made any serious video games, I feel like difficulty must be something difficult to really dial in. Overall, I really prefer a game to be on the easier side. I used to feel like it was kind of a waste for developers to put twelve huge levels in a games if 90% of players would never make it past level three.
I do not like the button tilt on the gameboy consoles. It makes it difficult to press both face buttons at one. Perhaps considering this, the designers wisely require one or fewer "b runs" to complete the game.
Maybe I'm being too hard on a launch title on an under-powered machine, but I never really got comfortable with the game.
Systems: TI-99/4a, Commodore Vic-20, Atari 2600, NES, SMS, GB, Neo Geo MVS (Big Red 4-slot), Genesis, SNES, 3DO, PS1, N64, DC, PS2, GBA, GCN, NDSi, Wii
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)
I've been meaning to play through the various Power Rangers games from the 16-bit era, as I was a fan of the show back when it was originally released and I recall watching friends play the SNES games while hanging out. I revisited this title briefly through emulator a year or two ago and found it to be more fun than I anticipated, which prompted to me track down the cartridge. Another reason the game piqued my interest is Natsume's involvement, as I've enjoyed many of the games developed by them. For this playthrough, I chose Billy, the Blue Ranger.
Regarding gameplay, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a side scrolling (single plane) beat 'em up, which has some minor platforming elements throughout. There are also a few boss battles later on that are setup more similar to a fighting game. The game is only one player, and you have a choice between Trini, Billy, Jason, Kimberly, and Zach. At the beginning of each level, you will start off with the character in their casual attire, and about halfway through the level, the boss of the stage will make a brief cameo, your character will morph into their ranger outfit, and you'll get a health refill, which is a nice bonus. After you've morphed into the stronger version, your normal attack will cover a bit more ground thanks to the use of a weapon, you'll have a bomb attack which can be used once in the level, and some of the characters even have an additional ranged attack.
There is also a password system to pick up your progress, which is a nice touch for a beat 'em up. At this time, most beat 'em ups did not have any type of save or password system at all. However, the game is short, so the use of the password system might not even be necessary, as it has a total of five levels and an additional two boss battles at the end. The title is quite easy, especially for anyone with some experience in the genre. Both the enemies and bosses aren't much of a challenge. Each boss does present an attack pattern, but is easily defeated once this is figured out. My playthrough was broken up into two sessions and I would guess it took less than two hours to finish. For a title like this, it would have been nice if the game featured a two player co-op mode, but I'm aware this was included in the later released MMPR: The Movie game. Also, there is a lack of variety when it comes to enemy types, but this isn't a big deal IMO.
Graphics wise, I think the game looks good for the most part. The character sprites look fairly accurate and the pixel art for the backgrounds are mostly well done. However, I do have some nitpicks with the look of the game. For the character Billy, when he's in his casual attire, I think his character sprite looks a little off, as his body looks a bit wider than the other characters, but then his arms look thinner than the others. I believe this is supposed to represent his baggier overalls and shirt he was sometimes seen with on the show, but I think it looks a bit odd in comparison to the other characters. Another issue I have with the graphics, is that the backgrounds don't have much movement or life to them. I don't believe I saw any animations in the background in any of the various stages. The music however is a strong point of the game, as the theme music associated with the franchise is well represented here, and the background tunes for the levels are catchy.
Overall, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on the SNES is a short, simple, and easy game. If you're looking for a challenge, this wouldn't be the right title. However, if you're looking for something you can just play casually and finish after an hour or two, this might be a fun romp, especially if you're a fan of the franchise. In my case, it was a nice change of pace after finishing a long strategy RPG. I'm aware that the sequel Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie was different on the Genesis and SNES and I'm looking forward to trying those titles out down the line!
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)
I've been meaning to play through the various Power Rangers games from the 16-bit era, as I was a fan of the show back when it was originally released and I recall watching friends play the SNES games while hanging out. I revisited this title briefly through emulator a year or two ago and found it to be more fun than I anticipated, which prompted to me track down the cartridge. Another reason the game piqued my interest is Natsume's involvement, as I've enjoyed many of the games developed by them. For this playthrough, I chose Billy, the Blue Ranger.
Regarding gameplay, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a side scrolling (single plane) beat 'em up, which has some minor platforming elements throughout. There are also a few boss battles later on that are setup more similar to a fighting game. The game is only one player, and you have a choice between Trini, Billy, Jason, Kimberly, and Zach. At the beginning of each level, you will start off with the character in their casual attire, and about halfway through the level, the boss of the stage will make a brief cameo, your character will morph into their ranger outfit, and you'll get a health refill, which is a nice bonus. After you've morphed into the stronger version, your normal attack will cover a bit more ground thanks to the use of a weapon, you'll have a bomb attack which can be used once in the level, and some of the characters even have an additional ranged attack.
There is also a password system to pick up your progress, which is a nice touch for a beat 'em up. At this time, most beat 'em ups did not have any type of save or password system at all. However, the game is short, so the use of the password system might not even be necessary, as it has a total of five levels and an additional two boss battles at the end. The title is quite easy, especially for anyone with some experience in the genre. Both the enemies and bosses aren't much of a challenge. Each boss does present an attack pattern, but is easily defeated once this is figured out. My playthrough was broken up into two sessions and I would guess it took less than two hours to finish. For a title like this, it would have been nice if the game featured a two player co-op mode, but I'm aware this was included in the later released MMPR: The Movie game. Also, there is a lack of variety when it comes to enemy types, but this isn't a big deal IMO.
Graphics wise, I think the game looks good for the most part. The character sprites look fairly accurate and the pixel art for the backgrounds are mostly well done. However, I do have some nitpicks with the look of the game. For the character Billy, when he's in his casual attire, I think his character sprite looks a little off, as his body looks a bit wider than the other characters, but then his arms look thinner than the others. I believe this is supposed to represent his baggier overalls and shirt he was sometimes seen with on the show, but I think it looks a bit odd in comparison to the other characters. Another issue I have with the graphics, is that the backgrounds don't have much movement or life to them. I don't believe I saw any animations in the background in any of the various stages. The music however is a strong point of the game, as the theme music associated with the franchise is well represented here, and the background tunes for the levels are catchy.
Overall, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on the SNES is a short, simple, and easy game. If you're looking for a challenge, this wouldn't be the right title. However, if you're looking for something you can just play casually and finish after an hour or two, this might be a fun romp, especially if you're a fan of the franchise. In my case, it was a nice change of pace after finishing a long strategy RPG. I'm aware that the sequel Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie was different on the Genesis and SNES and I'm looking forward to trying those titles out down the line!
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)
[Posted my initial thoughts in the Summer Games Challenge thread, but have expanded on it here!]
I had heard a lot of praise for Klonoa over the years and in that time span, I began to grow curious about other platformers I missed out on. I had a lot of fun playing other games I previously missed in the genre, so I was looking to finally jump into this series. I've also enjoyed Namco titles from the 32-bit era, so I was fairly interested in this one. Eventually I managed to pick up a copy on the PS1 and I decided to give it a go this summer after playing through a longer RPG.
Off the bat, I liked the atmosphere presented in Klonoa. The main character had a unique design which stood out, the levels in the beginning of the game were quite colorful, and the music was upbeat. The adventure started with a dialogue sequence, which became a somewhat frequent occurrence between levels, to get across the major plot points. There are also some FMV sequences throughout, which are very well done, IMO. The plot presented in Klonoa is also pretty emotional, which I think is unique for a title in this genre, as usually the story is simple and doesn't hook the player in. The game is broken up into "Visions" which is the word used for levels here. In total, there are twelve visions, six boss fights, plus the final boss, which has three forms. Klonoa has three hearts and usually the damage received in the game is a half heart, so there is some room for error. I really appreciated the fact that the game didn't consist of one hit deaths or the need to collect something to stay alive. Also, when facing a boss, you can also see a health bar for the enemy, which is a nice touch.
The developers did a nice job designing the 2.5D levels, as the majority of the gameplay is side-scrolling, but there's elements to interact with in the foreground and background. When it comes to picking up and tossing enemies at switches or eggs in the foreground or background, your aim better be precise! The hit detection is accurate here, and anything slightly off will not connect. There are no issues with the camera here either, which is also a nice achievement for this era in gaming. I think the controls are pretty spot on. I did have an issue with them, but it's due to my own habits when playing a platformer. I tend to hold the up direction after jumping, does anyone else do this? Lol. In this game, pressing up while jumping will make Klonoa face the background, so if you want to grab an enemy to the right after jumping, you'll be facing the wrong direction and will miss! I got used to not doing this after a while, but I had to train myself to stop with the additional button presses.
Klonoa lets you save after each level and also gives you multiple save slots per file, so you can save at various points in your adventure. I tried to play carefully, collecting as many lives as possible and restarting if I felt like I lost too many lives during a stage. I read that you could get to a point in the game and not have enough lives to get through a level, and could potentially need to restart from the beginning, which I wanted to avoid. This approach ended up working out, as I had about 14 lives left when I reached the last stretch. However, I needed them all, as I had issues with getting through a few sections! Also, it took me a few lives to figure out the final boss patterns.
The game has a total of 72 prisoners that can be rescued throughout the game, which breaks down to 6 per stage. On my initial playthrough, I missed two prisoners at the beginning of the game, but after clearing the final boss, I went back to find the two I missed. When I got them all, this unlocked a secret level, simply labled "Extra" on the map. However, I found this stage to be extremely tough! This stage consists of various situations where precise platforming skills are needed. I got through a portion of it, but it ended up being a bit too tough for me to finish. This level definitely humbled me. After finishing Donkey Kong Country 2 earlier in the year, I was feeling pretty good about my platforming skills, but the extra level in Klonoa kicked my butt.
Overall, I think Klonoa is a great platformer title and anyone that enjoys the genre should check it out! With prices in the sky for the the PS1 version, I would suggest people go with whatever rerelease is accessible to them. The recent remake includes both games that appeared on the PS1 and PS2, so that may be the best bet. I plan to check out the sequel on the PS2 later on as well. Give this game a go if you haven't had a chance to yet! Wahoo!
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)
[Posted my initial thoughts in the Summer Games Challenge thread, but have expanded on it here!]
I had heard a lot of praise for Klonoa over the years and in that time span, I began to grow curious about other platformers I missed out on. I had a lot of fun playing other games I previously missed in the genre, so I was looking to finally jump into this series. I've also enjoyed Namco titles from the 32-bit era, so I was fairly interested in this one. Eventually I managed to pick up a copy on the PS1 and I decided to give it a go this summer after playing through a longer RPG.
Off the bat, I liked the atmosphere presented in Klonoa. The main character had a unique design which stood out, the levels in the beginning of the game were quite colorful, and the music was upbeat. The adventure started with a dialogue sequence, which became a somewhat frequent occurrence between levels, to get across the major plot points. There are also some FMV sequences throughout, which are very well done, IMO. The plot presented in Klonoa is also pretty emotional, which I think is unique for a title in this genre, as usually the story is simple and doesn't hook the player in. The game is broken up into "Visions" which is the word used for levels here. In total, there are twelve visions, six boss fights, plus the final boss, which has three forms. Klonoa has three hearts and usually the damage received in the game is a half heart, so there is some room for error. I really appreciated the fact that the game didn't consist of one hit deaths or the need to collect something to stay alive. Also, when facing a boss, you can also see a health bar for the enemy, which is a nice touch.
The developers did a nice job designing the 2.5D levels, as the majority of the gameplay is side-scrolling, but there's elements to interact with in the foreground and background. When it comes to picking up and tossing enemies at switches or eggs in the foreground or background, your aim better be precise! The hit detection is accurate here, and anything slightly off will not connect. There are no issues with the camera here either, which is also a nice achievement for this era in gaming. I think the controls are pretty spot on. I did have an issue with them, but it's due to my own habits when playing a platformer. I tend to hold the up direction after jumping, does anyone else do this? Lol. In this game, pressing up while jumping will make Klonoa face the background, so if you want to grab an enemy to the right after jumping, you'll be facing the wrong direction and will miss! I got used to not doing this after a while, but I had to train myself to stop with the additional button presses.
Klonoa lets you save after each level and also gives you multiple save slots per file, so you can save at various points in your adventure. I tried to play carefully, collecting as many lives as possible and restarting if I felt like I lost too many lives during a stage. I read that you could get to a point in the game and not have enough lives to get through a level, and could potentially need to restart from the beginning, which I wanted to avoid. This approach ended up working out, as I had about 14 lives left when I reached the last stretch. However, I needed them all, as I had issues with getting through a few sections! Also, it took me a few lives to figure out the final boss patterns.
The game has a total of 72 prisoners that can be rescued throughout the game, which breaks down to 6 per stage. On my initial playthrough, I missed two prisoners at the beginning of the game, but after clearing the final boss, I went back to find the two I missed. When I got them all, this unlocked a secret level, simply labled "Extra" on the map. However, I found this stage to be extremely tough! This stage consists of various situations where precise platforming skills are needed. I got through a portion of it, but it ended up being a bit too tough for me to finish. This level definitely humbled me. After finishing Donkey Kong Country 2 earlier in the year, I was feeling pretty good about my platforming skills, but the extra level in Klonoa kicked my butt.
Overall, I think Klonoa is a great platformer title and anyone that enjoys the genre should check it out! With prices in the sky for the the PS1 version, I would suggest people go with whatever rerelease is accessible to them. The recent remake includes both games that appeared on the PS1 and PS2, so that may be the best bet. I plan to check out the sequel on the PS2 later on as well. Give this game a go if you haven't had a chance to yet! Wahoo!
Re: Games Beaten 2023
1. Northern Journey (PC)(FPS)
2. Hatchpunk (PC)(FPS)
3. Might and Magic IX (PC)(RPG)
4. Star Wars: Empire at War (PC)(RTS)
5. Chasm: The Rift (PC)(FPS)
6. Real Heroes: Firefighter HD (PC)(FPS)
7. CULTIC (PC)(FPS)
8. Consortium (PC)(FPS)
9. Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (PC)(FPS)
10. Forgive Me, Father (PC)(FPS)
11. Teomim Island (PC)(FPS)
12. Regions of Ruin (PC)(Action RPG)
13. Void Bastards (PC)(FPS)
14. Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad - Single Player (PC)(FPS)
15. Quake: Scourge of Armagon (PC)(FPS)
16. Quake: Dissolution of Eternity (PC)(FPS)
17. Bioshock Infinite (PC)(FPS)
18. Chop Goblins (PC)(FPS)
19. Ravenloft: Stone Prophet (PC)(RPG)
20. Halfway (PC)(Tactical Strategy)
21. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PC)(FPS)
22. Might and Magic X - Legacy (PC)(RPG)
23. Civilization IV (PC)(4X Strategy)
24. Operation Body Count (PC)(FPS)
25. WW2 Rebuilder (PC)(Simulation)
26. Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos (PC)(Action-Adventure)
27. The Ascent: Cyber Heist (PC)(Top-Down Shooter)
28. Bright Memory Infinite (PC)(FPS)
29. Tuin (PC)(Farming Sim)
30. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (PC)(FPS)
31. Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef (PC)(Run and Gun)
A couple of weeks ago, Games Workshop had their big Warhammer Skulls event, and numerous video games went on discount as a result. I picked up a few I had my eye on, and I'm happy to say I have been enjoying myself while not busy traveling and working. Having now gone through a few of them, it's time I shared my thoughts.
Boltgun
There have been a few attempts at bringing Warhammer 40,000's universe into a first person shooter or something akin: Space Hulk, Fire Warrior, Deathwing, Necromunda...all of these have tended to be underwhelming as far as an FPS experience was concerned. Darktide is also currently out, but its developer, Fatshark, is continuing to work on it, as they have a history of releasing products half-baked and then supporting and building upon them for years.
All of these served as a let down, both because I wanted to spend time in a preferred genre checking out the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and also because it seems like it shouldn't be a tough sell: let me control a big stompy space marine as I go and kick the hell out of everything that moves. And that is where Boltgun succeeds.
I'm standing head and shoulders above regular humans. I'm taking my holy boltgun and reducing them to pasty smears for worshiping heretical Chaos gods. I'm revving a chainsaw sword and burying it into demonic creatures from within the Warp. I'm chucking grenades, firing off superheated plasma, and straight up bum rushing through whatever thing is stupid enough to get into my way, all so I can kick the crap out of Chaos at the behest of my tyrannical, obsessive, genocidal government and Emperor, of which I completely worship. I am a killing machine, and even my most basic movement is a testament to my sheer size, power, strength, and killing potential.
Boltgun is almost everything I wanted in a Warhammer 40K FPS, an old school-styled "Boomer Shooter" reminiscent of the mid-90s, and the only thing it truly lacks, in my opinion, is simply more enemies from across the stars to wreck. The foe here is Chaos Undivided, but I love the weight of the weapon kick and want to use things like my Heavy Bolter and Meltagun to annihilate Ork, Tyranid, Tau, Dark Eldar, and whatever other foe I can find. I just don't get to do it this time, but hey, that's what expansions and sequels are for.
Is it perfect? No. I have had repeated issues with the graphical interface needing to be reset upon startup because it stretches everything strangely. The game also locked up when I unplugged a controller from my PC while it was running, and I have had a single crash in hours of playtime. Also, I'm not going to lie, the game kind of runs out of new enemies to throw at you around the halfway mark, so by the end, it's just throwing hordes of the same fodder, minibosses, and bosses in different arrangements. But is it a bad sign when the biggest complaint I have is that I want more to kill because the combat feels so good? No.
I am now going back through on the highest difficulty, seeking out all the secrets I missed, and I am still having a blast. Finally, I feel like someone has nailed the experience I craved.
Shootas, Blood & Teef
In all of Warhammer 40,000, only one race seems to actually be having any fun. Those are Orks, a relatively sentient space fungus that lives to fight and feel adrenaline, because what else is there worth doing? The Orks are getting more and more games, because they're frankly entertaining in their ridiculous simplicity and crafty stupidity, and Shootas, Blood & Teef is exactly the kind of run and gun excitement that works for them.
You play an Ork whose warboss takes his hat. You like that hat. You think that hat looks good. So now you have to kill your way through Orks, Humies, stuff in the sewers, giant robo mech boys, whatever, collect teef, get more guns and more hats, and go get your beloved hat back. You will literally rip your way through a planet, blow up a starship, and ride the wreckage down for this hat. It's a good hat.
Shootas, Blood & Teef plays like a combination of Metal Slug and Castle Crashers. It's the run and gun styling of Metal Slug, complete with over the top boss battles, chucking grenades, trying different weapons like flamethrowers, laser shotguns, seeking rocket launchers, and plasma pistols, while looking like cartoon cutouts and trying on new styles and Ork clans to give you skills and appearances. You have a health bar, so you don't die in a single hit, but the game likes to throw a lot of enemies at you, so you're gonna get hit anyway. That's ok, hit back! It's that kind of game.
The game is relatively short, with a first run taking usually only a few hours. Some people complain about this, but with this style of gameplay, it's exactly perfect without coming across as too much and stagnating. You can replay to find more teef, purchase new guns and hats, and try different difficulties. It's the kind of thing that I may well occasionally revisit just because it's fun, exactly like how I will revisit Metal Slug.
If I have any complaints, it's that the controls are a little awkward with a keyboard and mouse. The controller feels better, though even there, some of the button mappings felt like odd choices. It doesn't gel for me the way I want it to. Yet the frantic gunfire and rushing onslaught of cartoonish enemies, many of whom take themselves way to seriously, drives me forward regardless.
Now the only downside to the game is that I don't have other folks playing it with me on Steam, because this feels like the co-op experience would be fantastic.
2. Hatchpunk (PC)(FPS)
3. Might and Magic IX (PC)(RPG)
4. Star Wars: Empire at War (PC)(RTS)
5. Chasm: The Rift (PC)(FPS)
6. Real Heroes: Firefighter HD (PC)(FPS)
7. CULTIC (PC)(FPS)
8. Consortium (PC)(FPS)
9. Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (PC)(FPS)
10. Forgive Me, Father (PC)(FPS)
11. Teomim Island (PC)(FPS)
12. Regions of Ruin (PC)(Action RPG)
13. Void Bastards (PC)(FPS)
14. Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad - Single Player (PC)(FPS)
15. Quake: Scourge of Armagon (PC)(FPS)
16. Quake: Dissolution of Eternity (PC)(FPS)
17. Bioshock Infinite (PC)(FPS)
18. Chop Goblins (PC)(FPS)
19. Ravenloft: Stone Prophet (PC)(RPG)
20. Halfway (PC)(Tactical Strategy)
21. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (PC)(FPS)
22. Might and Magic X - Legacy (PC)(RPG)
23. Civilization IV (PC)(4X Strategy)
24. Operation Body Count (PC)(FPS)
25. WW2 Rebuilder (PC)(Simulation)
26. Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos (PC)(Action-Adventure)
27. The Ascent: Cyber Heist (PC)(Top-Down Shooter)
28. Bright Memory Infinite (PC)(FPS)
29. Tuin (PC)(Farming Sim)
30. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (PC)(FPS)
31. Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef (PC)(Run and Gun)
A couple of weeks ago, Games Workshop had their big Warhammer Skulls event, and numerous video games went on discount as a result. I picked up a few I had my eye on, and I'm happy to say I have been enjoying myself while not busy traveling and working. Having now gone through a few of them, it's time I shared my thoughts.
Boltgun
There have been a few attempts at bringing Warhammer 40,000's universe into a first person shooter or something akin: Space Hulk, Fire Warrior, Deathwing, Necromunda...all of these have tended to be underwhelming as far as an FPS experience was concerned. Darktide is also currently out, but its developer, Fatshark, is continuing to work on it, as they have a history of releasing products half-baked and then supporting and building upon them for years.
All of these served as a let down, both because I wanted to spend time in a preferred genre checking out the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and also because it seems like it shouldn't be a tough sell: let me control a big stompy space marine as I go and kick the hell out of everything that moves. And that is where Boltgun succeeds.
I'm standing head and shoulders above regular humans. I'm taking my holy boltgun and reducing them to pasty smears for worshiping heretical Chaos gods. I'm revving a chainsaw sword and burying it into demonic creatures from within the Warp. I'm chucking grenades, firing off superheated plasma, and straight up bum rushing through whatever thing is stupid enough to get into my way, all so I can kick the crap out of Chaos at the behest of my tyrannical, obsessive, genocidal government and Emperor, of which I completely worship. I am a killing machine, and even my most basic movement is a testament to my sheer size, power, strength, and killing potential.
Boltgun is almost everything I wanted in a Warhammer 40K FPS, an old school-styled "Boomer Shooter" reminiscent of the mid-90s, and the only thing it truly lacks, in my opinion, is simply more enemies from across the stars to wreck. The foe here is Chaos Undivided, but I love the weight of the weapon kick and want to use things like my Heavy Bolter and Meltagun to annihilate Ork, Tyranid, Tau, Dark Eldar, and whatever other foe I can find. I just don't get to do it this time, but hey, that's what expansions and sequels are for.
Is it perfect? No. I have had repeated issues with the graphical interface needing to be reset upon startup because it stretches everything strangely. The game also locked up when I unplugged a controller from my PC while it was running, and I have had a single crash in hours of playtime. Also, I'm not going to lie, the game kind of runs out of new enemies to throw at you around the halfway mark, so by the end, it's just throwing hordes of the same fodder, minibosses, and bosses in different arrangements. But is it a bad sign when the biggest complaint I have is that I want more to kill because the combat feels so good? No.
I am now going back through on the highest difficulty, seeking out all the secrets I missed, and I am still having a blast. Finally, I feel like someone has nailed the experience I craved.
Shootas, Blood & Teef
In all of Warhammer 40,000, only one race seems to actually be having any fun. Those are Orks, a relatively sentient space fungus that lives to fight and feel adrenaline, because what else is there worth doing? The Orks are getting more and more games, because they're frankly entertaining in their ridiculous simplicity and crafty stupidity, and Shootas, Blood & Teef is exactly the kind of run and gun excitement that works for them.
You play an Ork whose warboss takes his hat. You like that hat. You think that hat looks good. So now you have to kill your way through Orks, Humies, stuff in the sewers, giant robo mech boys, whatever, collect teef, get more guns and more hats, and go get your beloved hat back. You will literally rip your way through a planet, blow up a starship, and ride the wreckage down for this hat. It's a good hat.
Shootas, Blood & Teef plays like a combination of Metal Slug and Castle Crashers. It's the run and gun styling of Metal Slug, complete with over the top boss battles, chucking grenades, trying different weapons like flamethrowers, laser shotguns, seeking rocket launchers, and plasma pistols, while looking like cartoon cutouts and trying on new styles and Ork clans to give you skills and appearances. You have a health bar, so you don't die in a single hit, but the game likes to throw a lot of enemies at you, so you're gonna get hit anyway. That's ok, hit back! It's that kind of game.
The game is relatively short, with a first run taking usually only a few hours. Some people complain about this, but with this style of gameplay, it's exactly perfect without coming across as too much and stagnating. You can replay to find more teef, purchase new guns and hats, and try different difficulties. It's the kind of thing that I may well occasionally revisit just because it's fun, exactly like how I will revisit Metal Slug.
If I have any complaints, it's that the controls are a little awkward with a keyboard and mouse. The controller feels better, though even there, some of the button mappings felt like odd choices. It doesn't gel for me the way I want it to. Yet the frantic gunfire and rushing onslaught of cartoonish enemies, many of whom take themselves way to seriously, drives me forward regardless.
Now the only downside to the game is that I don't have other folks playing it with me on Steam, because this feels like the co-op experience would be fantastic.
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elricorico
- 32-bit
- Posts: 224
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:02 pm
Re: Games Beaten 2023
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(Arcade)(XBONE)
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:Turtles in Time(Arcade) (XBONE)
3. Kirby Super Star Ultra (NDS)
4. Metal Slug II (PC)
5. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PS4)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Android)
7. Horizon Chase Turbo (PC)
8. Streets of Rage 4 (XBONE)
9. Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - Owltimate Edition (NS)
I finished playing through Giana Sisters last night on the Switch. Beat the main game and the bonus levels. Played about 11 hours or so.
This is a game that I had some interest for on the WiiU, but never happened upon it for cheap. Last year I got it for free on PC. I played a few levels and then one of the levels made my PC grind to a halt. I had enjoyed what I had played, so when it was on sale for 99 cents on the eshop I was happy to grab the Switch version.
This is a platformer with the gimmick of switching back and forth between versions of the main character(Punk or Cute). Each time you switch the world changes as well. The character has different skills when you swap back and forth, and new paths open up or close in the world. It makes for a reasonably interesting mechanic that opens up level design quite a bit.
There are only about 40 levels, but the levels are long with lots to explore. It is a bit of a collectathon, with hundreds of crystals in each level, but most of them can be gathered with only a little bit of exploring. Completion would be quite a bit of a task to find every last crystal.
The controls are fairly solid. I did have one minor gripe that would bite me from time to time when dashing. It seemed much more forgiving to dash in a diagonal than in a straight vertical line. I found myself having to try 2 or 3 times on some straight up dashes a few times.
The platforming can get pretty tough in spots. Sometimes the visuals are so busy that I just wouldn't even see a hazard on the map, causing a silly death. Once you get more used to spotting dangers this fades though. Checkpoints are pretty forgiving, so even if you die four or five times in one spot there isn't much in the way of frustration.
I enjoyed my time with Giana Sisters, enough that I wanted to beat it before putting a new Switch game into the system, and I have a few new Switch games that I'm really expecting to love. Not a top tier platformer, but definitely has its charm.
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:Turtles in Time(Arcade) (XBONE)
3. Kirby Super Star Ultra (NDS)
4. Metal Slug II (PC)
5. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PS4)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Android)
7. Horizon Chase Turbo (PC)
8. Streets of Rage 4 (XBONE)
9. Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - Owltimate Edition (NS)
I finished playing through Giana Sisters last night on the Switch. Beat the main game and the bonus levels. Played about 11 hours or so.
This is a game that I had some interest for on the WiiU, but never happened upon it for cheap. Last year I got it for free on PC. I played a few levels and then one of the levels made my PC grind to a halt. I had enjoyed what I had played, so when it was on sale for 99 cents on the eshop I was happy to grab the Switch version.
This is a platformer with the gimmick of switching back and forth between versions of the main character(Punk or Cute). Each time you switch the world changes as well. The character has different skills when you swap back and forth, and new paths open up or close in the world. It makes for a reasonably interesting mechanic that opens up level design quite a bit.
There are only about 40 levels, but the levels are long with lots to explore. It is a bit of a collectathon, with hundreds of crystals in each level, but most of them can be gathered with only a little bit of exploring. Completion would be quite a bit of a task to find every last crystal.
The controls are fairly solid. I did have one minor gripe that would bite me from time to time when dashing. It seemed much more forgiving to dash in a diagonal than in a straight vertical line. I found myself having to try 2 or 3 times on some straight up dashes a few times.
The platforming can get pretty tough in spots. Sometimes the visuals are so busy that I just wouldn't even see a hazard on the map, causing a silly death. Once you get more used to spotting dangers this fades though. Checkpoints are pretty forgiving, so even if you die four or five times in one spot there isn't much in the way of frustration.
I enjoyed my time with Giana Sisters, enough that I wanted to beat it before putting a new Switch game into the system, and I have a few new Switch games that I'm really expecting to love. Not a top tier platformer, but definitely has its charm.