Games Beaten 2014

[MrPopo]

Do the D&D games even let you repeat stages or grind in any way? From what I recall the RPG elements are kinda superfluous. Surprised to hear you hated the game though.

I think you would enjoy Code of Princess and Murumasa (though the later is more of a RPG/Metroidvania crossover).

They're completely superfluous in Tower of Doom - all you get is a bit more health when you level up. In Shadow of Mystara you at least get a sense of character progression (finding gear, unlocking more spells on level up) even though your progression rate is the same.

[alienjesus]

Do the D&D games even let you repeat stages or grind in any way? From what I recall the RPG elements are kinda superfluous. Surprised to hear you hated the game though.

I think you would enjoy Code of Princess and Murumasa (though the later is more of a RPG/Metroidvania crossover).

That's not how i'd describe muramasa at all. Its pretty much all beat em up with barely any RPG mechanics, and certainly little that could be described as metroidvania. Story progression is scripted and linear.

[Luke]

17. *NEW* Army Men Air Combat: The Elite Missions - Gamecube (August 2)

After completing Sarge's War...

The Army Men games aren't exceptional, but I think they get a bum rap. They deliver exactly what they promise, which is silly fun. Plus, it's cute. The idea of actually being able to "play" with toy Army soldiers fit to scale screams fun. I need o fire up Sarge's War on the PC.


Slacking on my list this year. Simply way too busy. But I do want to get on Sarge's War.

[Czernobog]

Had much less time to game this year but:

1. Bioshock - PC/Steam
2. Ryu ga Gotoku: Kenzan (second time, amazing game) - PS3/Jpn import
3. Devil Children White Book - GBC/Jpn Import

Devil Children White Book Thoughts:

So I just beat Devil Children: White Book for Game Boy Color. When I mentioned it in the RPG progress report, I would estimate I was at about the halfway point and that was about ten hours into the game. It's unfortunate that this one wasn't released in English, but I can see why it wasn't. Lucifer's a relatively good guy, you're a ten year old with a gun (albeit a devil capturing computer gun thing), and some of the angels turn out to have a little touch of the world domination-genocide frame of mind.

I really enjoyed this one. When I got it I wasn't sure what to expect since I do love the Shin Megami Tensei games, but this really just looked like a Pokemon clone to me. Even though SMT did the whole enemy join your team and fight for you thing first, there were a lot of other things clearly taken from Pokemon. Luckily, you can find all the devils in the game without trading with a friend (although the feature is in the game). It was a lot of fun though, and the story which started as simply go to devil world and get cure for your friend's sister became much more sinister and grandiose after you found the cure. There were a ton of different areas to explore along the way and the game is quite massive.

After you beat the game, you can continue playing in a prologue where you can more easily warp around the world, find new devils and explore at least one completely new area. The music and graphics were actually among the best I've experienced on a Game Boy cart. There's at least ten different music tracks, and you can buy discs in the game and switch which track is playing whenever you feel the urge. The graphics were incredibly colorful and popped out on the SP more than any other GBC game I've played.

This was a huge surprise for me, and is now easily in the top GB/GBC games I've ever played. I still keep picking it up to wander through some areas and collect/fuse new devils, and play a couple of the extra mini-games that are in some towns.

[ExedExes]

The Army Men games aren't exceptional, but I think they get a bum rap. They deliver exactly what they promise, which is silly fun. Plus, it's cute. The idea of actually being able to "play" with toy Army soldiers fit to scale screams fun. I need o fire up Sarge's War on the PC.

Slacking on my list this year. Simply way too busy. But I do want to get on Sarge's War.

Sarge's War is probably the best example of the Army Men experience. A POW camp on the floor of a kitchen? YES, just because.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Do the D&D games even let you repeat stages or grind in any way? From what I recall the RPG elements are kinda superfluous. Surprised to hear you hated the game though.

I think you would enjoy Code of Princess and Murumasa (though the later is more of a RPG/Metroidvania crossover).

That's not how i'd describe muramasa at all. Its pretty much all beat em up with barely any RPG mechanics, and certainly little that could be described as metroidvania. Story progression is scripted and linear.

Well it does have a leveling system (for what it's worth GameFAQs has it under "Action-RPG") and there's a huge branching map that one traverses through 2D platforming (though you're right - it's made linear by the fact that the game tells you exactly where to go at all times). But yeah, the combat is complex enough to be considered beat 'em up. It's a multi-faceted game, and a damn good one.

[Luke]

Sarge's War is probably the best example of the Army Men experience. A POW camp on the floor of a kitchen? YES, just because.

And of course I couldn't find it in my PC binder. I swear it's like every time I know what to play I can't seem to find it.

Well, it didn't run away, so it'll pop up one of these days.

[Exhuminator]

Title | Platform | Time To Completion | Date Completed | Score
New Super Mario Bros. | Wii | 8 Hrs | 1/5/14 | 6/10
Final Fantasy Tactics | PS1 | 29.09 Hrs | 1/6/14 | 9/10
Yakuza 2 | PS2 | 18.52 Hrs | 1/16/14 | 8/10
Trauma Team | Wii | 29.37 Hrs | 1/19/14 | 8/10
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles | Wii | 5.57 Hrs | 1/29/14 | 7/10
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII | PSP | 23.17 Hrs | 2/3/14 | 7/10
Metal Gear Ac!d | PSP | 20.47 Hrs | 2/11/14 | 7/10
Metal Gear Ac!d 2 | PSP | 13.24 Hrs | 2/25/14 | 8/10
Samurai Warriors 3 | Wii | 7 Hrs | 3/9/14 | 7/10
Ys Seven | PSP | 32.47 Hrs | 3/17/14 | 9/10
Assassin's Creed III: Liberation | Vita | 13.37 Hrs | 3/30/14 | 7/10
Front Mission 4 | PS2 | 51.31 Hrs | 4/21/14 | 8/10
Conception II: Children Of The Seven Stars | Vita | 28.57 Hrs | 5/13/14 | 7/10
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors | DS | 12.37 Hrs | 5/28/14 | 5/10
The First Templar | PC | 12.5 Hrs | 6/1/14 | 5/10
Dokapon Kingdom | Wii | 23.33 Hrs | 6/7/14 | 8/10
The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks | DS | 7.5 Hrs | 6/15/14 | 7/10
Double Dragon Neon | PC | 3.41 Hrs | 6/29/14 | 8/10
Ravensword: Shadowlands | Android | 10 Hrs | 7/14/14 | 8/10
Bourin | Android | 1 Hr | 7/17/14 | 7/10
The Conduit | Wii | 7 Hrs | 7/27/14 | 6/10
Guacamelee! | PC | 9hrs | 8/3/14 | 9/10

If you're looking for a "metroidvania" styled game with unique combat and ingenious challenges, Guacamelee!'s a top choice. Stylish day of the dead graphics combined with chiptune enhanced mariachi music create a truly unique atmosphere. Frantic luchador combat, innovative platforming, and a crazy plot dense with internet meme jokes keeps the player(s) intrigued. Plenty of secret challenges will test the mettle of any hardcore gamer's patience with gusto. Guacamelee! is a game made by people who obviously love games, olé!

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Assassin's Creed IV WiiU
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon PC
Splinter Cell: Blacklist WiiU
The Wolf Among Us: Episode 1 PC
The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 PC
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut WiiU
Jazzpunk PC
Pikmin 3 WiiU
Call of Duty: Ghosts WiiU
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze WiiU
Tomb Raider (2013) PC
The Wolf Among Us: Episode 3 PC
Danganronpa Vita
Far Cry 2 360
The Witcher 2 360
Catherine 360
Gears of War 360
Forza Horizon 360
Portal PC

Portal 2 PC

Yup, better in every way than the original Portal. Interestingly I found the length too long when I first played it but the second time through I thought it was perfect. The puzzles are still a bit easy in the main campaign but much more imaginative and fun than the original. They totally ran with the atmosphere in the game too, which is quite nice considering the sterility of the original. With what can be argued as some of the best writing in games, Portal 2 is easily in with Catherine in terms of being one of the best puzzle games of all time.

[Damm64]

1- Metroid Confrontation
2- Red Dead Redemption (PS3)
3- Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (PS3)
4- Bayonetta (PS3)
5- Doom 1 (Ps3) (BFG Edition)
6- The Last of Us (Ps3)
7- Condemned 2: Bloodshot (PS3)
8- Resident Evil: Revelations (Ps3)
9- King of Dragons (PSP)
10- Mercs (PSP)
11- Silent Hill: Downpour (PS3)
12- Dead Space (PS3)
13- Thief Gold (PC)
14- Crysis 3 (PS3)
15- Silent Hill Homecoming (Ps3)
16- Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion (3DS)
17- Pokemon Y (3DS)
18- Dead or Alive: Dimensions (3DS)
19- Mario & Luigi: Bower's inside story (DS)
20- Siren: New Translation (PS3)
21- Super Princess Peach (Ds)
22- Warhammer 40.000: Space Marine (Ps3)
23- X-men Origins: Wolverine (PS3)

24- The Darkness (Ps3)

I beat this game a couple weeks ago but i needed some time to think about it becausei wasn't sure what i like about the game. The setting, the narrative, the pacing and the dark powers all work together in a perfect way that put me in the edge of my seat at all times. When i play the game to the point i have headache but i still want to play more it is a good game. I have a issue with FPS, thats why i seat far away from the TV.

I know i could consider it "inferior" in the combat since games like bioshock have a bunch of more combat option against this one. But despite that i enjoy it the game a lot more with two of the most simplest darknest powers. One of them allows you to use one of your snake like creatures to go and sneak behind enemies and kill them, you can also explore the ares with this to prepare a strategy before attacking. The other one is basically a tentacle that kills a enemy in one hit. Then there's the best a huge black hole that inflicts huge damage but consumes a lot of darkness power. The forth and last power are two guns that are filled with the darkness so, in theory, as long as you have darkness power you have unlimited ammo on those.

In order to keep your darkness power you must avoid light, because this drains the power, you can break 90% of the light sources in the game with your weapons or with your tentacle if you wish. There's nothing more awesome that you walking down a hallway and breaking lights at each step with the tentacle, is just so simple but effective. The darkness also has a "shield" that absorbs damage for some time before your health. You maybe thinking that you feel god like with all these... yes and no. Even at full darkness level if you dont stay in cover enemies can kill very quickly specially if they're in bands. Also you refill your darkness and make it "level up" by eating the hearts of your fallen enemies... that only makes you more awesome.

There's also the amount of detail in the game, there's a bunch of TV's scatered around where you can see news about the events of the game itself or change the channel to see music videos or even full movies or short cartoons. Also when you're wielding a gun, or two guns one on each hand, when you're too close of a object your character will point up the gun since he is disabled from shoot it because he is too close of the wall. All of this without mentioning the side missions the voice acting and history itself of the game. Another detail i love aboutthe game is the loading times instead of your usual bar going up you're presented to the character narrating under a light in a dark room, he usually narrates about the area you can access, about his life, about the events of the game or just show him standing looking at the dark.

I could keep going on this game but i feel i would never be able to put all of my thoughs in text. This is my example when people tell me that modern games are all the same, those people are just not looking like they should.