Games Beaten 2016

[alienjesus]

55. Monument Valley (iOS)

This looks like Echochrome. Does it play like it too?

[prfsnl_gmr]

55. Monument Valley (iOS)

This looks like Echochrome. Does it play like it too?

I own Echochrome, but I haven't played it yet. Based on what I have seen, however, I think that the two games play similarly.

Monument Valley reminded me of Fez, to a certain extent, in that you change your perspective on the landscape (or the landscape itself) to open a path for your character. Each level has a definite M.C. Escher feel to it, however, and often the way through the level involves shifting an object in the foreground so that your character can step on top of it from the background. The extent to which you can alter the landscape or your perspective on it is usually somewhat limited, but in a way that makes the game more intuitive. Moreover, the touch controls are perfect, and perfectly responsive.

Here is a short video that should give you an idea of the gameplay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIlIKgSYzV4

The game is played almost exclusively from an isometric perspective, and everything that is potentially confusing about the perspective in other games is put to great use Monument Valley.

[Stark]

55. Monument Valley (iOS)

This looks like Echochrome. Does it play like it too?

In my opinion it is better than Echochrome. I think one of the reasons Monument Valley ends up being "easier" is because they do such a great job of teaching the player and the UX is very intuitive.

@prfsnl, did you play Ida's Dream or just the two you mentioned? If not, you should check that one out too.

[prfsnl_gmr]

@prfsnl, did you play Ida's Dream or just the two you mentioned? If not, you should check that one out too.

I did. It is a great add on, and it was distributed for free with the base game.

.....

Right now, I am torn between diving into yet another iOS game (Severed), playing a very short PS3 game (TMNT: Mutants in Manhattan), or continuing my quest in DQVII. Which way should I go?

[Sarge]

January:

1) Bonk's Adventure (NES)
2) Little Samson (NES)
3) Holy Diver (NES)
4) Holy Diver (NES) (legit!)
5) Mitsume Ga Tooru (NES)
6) TMNT II: The Arcade Game (NES)
7) Mighty Final Fight (NES)
8] Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (NES)
9) Monster In My Pocket (NES)
10) Battle of Olympus (NES)
11) Gunstar Heroes (GEN) (repeat)
12) Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS4)
13) Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser (PS4)
14) Captain America and the Avengers (NES)
15) StarTropics (NES)
16) Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES) (save states)
17) Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES) (legit)
18) Crisis Force (NES)
19) Esper Dream 2 (NES)
20) Felix the Cat (NES)
21) Moon Crystal (NES)
22) Panic Restaurant (NES)
23) Frankenstein (NES)
24) Crystalis (NES)
25) Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu (NES)

February:

26) Killer Instinct (GB)
27) Mashin Hero Wataru Gaiden (NES)
28) Sly Spy (ARC)
29) The Red Star (unreleased XBOX, also on PS2)
30) Adventure Island 4 (NES)
31) Cocoron (NES)
32) Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4)
33) Xeodrifter (VITA)
34) Doom 2 (PC)
35) Brandish: The Dark Revenant (PSP)
36) Magical Pop'n (SNES)
37) The Ninja Warriors (SNES)
38) Phantasy Star (SMS)
39) Phantasy Star III (GEN)
40) Super Smash Bros. for 3DS (3DS)
41) Brandish: The Dark Revenant (Dela Mode)

March:

42) Freedom Planet (Milla, 82 lives lost) (PC)
43) Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (PC)
44) Lara Croft Go (AND)
45) Oniken (PC)
46) Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (3DS)
47) Batman: The Video Game (GB)
48) Batman: The Video Game (NES)
49) Super Spy Hunter

April:

50) Mega Man 2 (NES)
51) Mega Man 4 (NES)
52) Mission: Impossible (NES)
53) Mega Man 6 (NES)
54) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
55) Sword Master (NES)
56) DuckTales 2 (NES)
57) Rush'n Attack (NES)
58) Mega Man 3 (NES)
59) Mega Man 5 (NES)
60) Mega Man (NES)
61) S.C.A.T. - Special Cybernetic Attack Team (NES)
62) TaleSpin (NES)
63) Double Dragon III (NES)
64) Donkey Kong (NES)
65) Astyanax (NES)

May:

66) Master Chu and the Drunkard Hu (NES)
67) The New Ghostbusters II (NES, proto)
68) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSP, via Dracula X Chronicles)
69) Revenge of Shinobi (GEN)
70) Shinobi III (GEN)
71) Shadow Dancer (GEN)
72) El Viento (GEN)
73) Earnest Evans (GEN)
74) One Must Fall 2097 (PC)
75) A Nightmare on Elm Street (NES)
76) Hebereke (NES)
77) Contra (NES)
78) Wario Land: Shake It! (WII)
79) Gimmick! (NES)
80) Ninja Gaiden (GG)
81) Wai Wai World 2 (NES)
82) Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II (NES)
83) Uncharted: Golden Abyss (VITA)
84) Double Dragon (SMS)

June:

85) Astra Superstars (SAT)
86) Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (360)
87) Star Wars: Dark Forces 2 - Jedi Knight (PC)
88) Star Wars: Dark Forces (PC)
89) VVVVVV (PC)
90) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist (GEN)
91) Broforce (PS4)
92) Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (PC)
93) The Terminator (SCD)
94) Aban Hawkins and the 1001 Spikes (PC)
95) Electronic Super Joy (PC)
96) Golden Axe (GEN)
97) Double Dragon (GB)
98) Double Dragon II (GB)
99) Double Dragon III (GB)
100) Super Mario Land (GB)
101) Kirby's Dream Land (GB)

July:

102) Vapor Trail (GEN)
103) King Colossus (GEN)
104) Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS)
105) Curse of Issyos (PC)
106) Alisia Dragoon (GEN)
107) Curse of the Crescent Isle DX (PC)
108) Tales of Hearts R (VITA)
109) Flashback (SCD)
110) Rayman Legends (VITA)
111) Wonder Boy in Monster World (GEN) (via 360)
112) Altered Beast (ARC)
113) Altered Beast (GEN)
114) Song of the Deep (PS4)

August:

115) Tatsunoko vs. Capcom (WII)
116) Another Metroid 2 Remake (AM2R) (PC)
117) Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (GEN)
118) Streets of Rage (GEN)
119) Technobabylon (PC)
120) Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (GB)
121) Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe (GG)

September:

122) Xenoblade Chronicles X
123) Final Fight (ARC) (via Final Fight: Double Impact)
124) Magic Sword (ARC) (via Final Fight: Double Impact)
125) Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
126) Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty
127) X-Men (ARC)
128) Vanguard (ARC)
129) Trio the Punch (ARC)
130) Street Fighter 2': Special Champion Edition (GEN)
131) Snake Rattle 'n' Roll (NES)
132) Rad Racer (NES)
133) Super Mario Bros. (NES)

October:

134) JAWS (NES)
135) Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
136) Double Dragon II: The Revenge (PCE CD)
137) Splatterhouse (TG-16)
138) Super Dodge Ball (PCE)
139) Demon's Crest (SNES)
140) Splatterhouse 2 (GEN)
141) Super Ghouls 'N' Ghosts (SNES)

Yeah, I save-scummed through Super Ghouls 'N' Ghosts. Don't judge me. I see a path to victory, but daaaaang, it's a tough one. Of course, I'd probably feel similarly about Castlevania if I hadn't been playing it all these years. I actually think most of it is quite doable, except for the dang Red Arremers. Huh, imagine that, they actually live up to their rep. I was starting to get a feel for manipulating their behavior, but I'll need a little more time to really get it down.

The graphics are fantastic, especially for an early SNES title. You can see a ton of the graphics design that would go into Demon's Crest. It's kinda hard to compare the two titles, though, since they inhabit different genres. I prefer the latter, because it feels much more fair, but I can see SGnG's appeal.

One thing I liked is the double jump, even if it did get you into trouble. One thing that was disappointing is the removal of being able to fire upward. Man, that would have come in handy in a few spots.

Sound design is solid enough, but it's definitely using the usual early Capcom sound fonts. Lots of the tunes reminded me of Breath of Fire. Demon's Crest didn't have quite that problem, given the emphasis on pipe organs, spooky choirs, and all that. It just sounds much different from the early Capcom stuff.

Slowdown can be pretty brutal in this one, too. I'm guessing that's also a byproduct of being an early SNES title. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.

Anyway, it's one that's worth playing, just don't expect to blaze right through it. It definitely lives up to its reputation as a brutally hard action game.

[alienjesus]

141) Super Ghouls 'N' Ghosts (SNES)

I actually think most of it is quite doable, except for the dang Red Arremers.

I actually didn't find Super Ghouls n Ghosts that bad except for learning the jump timings on the lava level and the final stage on the 2nd run with the bracelet.

The arremers can be taken out pretty easily in this one - the bow totally shreds them, even if it's not powered up. The gold armour knife does a lot to them to.

There's also a way to cheese them if you dont have the bow- they don't seem to react unless they're totally on screen, so if you move forward slowly so they just appear on the edge of the screen you can just spam fire at them and kill them before they can move.

[Stark]

@prfsnl, did you play Ida's Dream or just the two you mentioned? If not, you should check that one out too.

I did. It is a great add on, and it was distributed for free with the base game.

.....

Right now, I am torn between diving into yet another iOS game (Severed), playing a very short PS3 game (TMNT: Mutants in Manhattan), or continuing my quest in DQVII. Which way should I go?

Severed is from Drinkbox Studios, makers of such fantastic games as Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack and Guacamelee! If I were you, that's which way I would lean.

[Xeogred]

I don't recall any of the Breath of Fire music being as awesome as Super Ghouls.

The ice stage theme is my favorite. I believe Mega Man X4 had a remix of it.

Yeah, count me in for being a huge Super Ghouls fan, but I've officially given up on Demon's Crest. It never pulls me in and just makes me want to play Super Ghouls. Visuals aside they are definitely quite different in style.

alienjesus knows what's up, the bow is the best weapon for sure. Nowadays I like pitting Super Ghouls against Super Castlevania 4 in my mind, but nostalgia makes me want to say I still like Super Ghouls more.

[Sarge]

I'm at the end of a legit run, so we'll see how it goes. I'm learning the quirks.

Still not a patch on Demon's Crest, though.

[Xeogred]

If the controls in Demon's Crest felt like Super Ghouls, I'd be all over it!