1. Chico and The Magic Orchard DX (Switch)
2. Dusk ‘82 (Switch)
3. Dusk (Switch)
4. Rock Boshers DX (Switch)
5. Metal Slug 4 (Neo Geo)
6. Bleed 2 (Switch)
7. Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
8. Mighty Gunvolt Burst (3DS)
9. Love 3 (Switch)
10. Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge (3DS)
11. Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Switch)
12. Mother 3 (GBA)
13. Princess Peach: Showtime! (Switch)
14. Avenging Spirit (Arcade)
15. Blossom Tales II (Switch)
16. The Fall of Elena Temple (Switch)
17. Finding Teddy II (Switch)
18. Animal Well (Switch)
19. Runner 3 (Switch)
20. Master Key (Switch)
21. Gargoyle’s Quest II - The Demon Darkness (NES)
22. Gargoyle’s Quest II - The Demon Darkness (GB)
23. Demon’s Crest (SNES)
24. Master Key Picross (Switch)
25. Prince of Persia (SNES)
26. Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure (Switch)
27. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch)
28. Soul Blazer (SNES)
29. Swords & Bones 2 (Switch)
30. Underground Blossom (iOS)
31. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (Xbox)
Underground Blossom is a narrative “escape room” game from Rusty Lake, my favorite developers of “escape room” games. (They developed the brilliant Rusty Lake Hotel and every game in the Cube Escape series, among others.) This game continues the loose Twin Peaks-inspired narrative from previous games, and in it, you proceed from one subway station to another, each of which correspondents to a different era in a dead woman’s life. It’s just as surreal as previous entries, and the tactile puzzles are just as clever. I enjoyed it and recommend it, along with all the developer’s other games.
Shadow of the Erdtree is the expansion to Elden Ring, my very favorite game. Ever. On any system. It is, basically, just a lot more, more challenging Elden Ring. There are new enemies, items, spells, and most importantly, bosses. The new map is massive and beautiful, and the narrative makes the base game even better (and weirder). I enjoyed it thoroughly, and it took me about 60 hours to slay every god, great enemy, and legend; collect every new item; find all of the collectibles, etc. It was a must play for me, and I loved it even more than I thought I would when I bought it months ago. I am a little sad to leave the Lands Between, and I’m still reeling a bit from the realization that there’s nothing left for me to do there. I left my avatar in the safest, most beautiful place I could find, and I hope he’s happy there.
Games Beaten 2024
-
prfsnl_gmr
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 12314
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:26 pm
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Re: Games Beaten 2024
1. Lufia & the Fortress of Doom (SNES)
2. OutRun 2 SP (PS2)
3. Dynamite Cop (DC)*
4. Soul Calibur (DC)*
5. Melfand Stories (SFC)
6. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES)
7. Dynamite Cop (Arcade)*
8. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (PS2)
9. Kishin Douji Zenki FX: Vajra Fight (PC-FX)
10. Wild Arms (PS1)
11. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (GBC)
12. Lucky & Wild (Arcade)
13. Ico (PS2)
14. Champions of Norrath (PS2)
15. OutRunners (GEN)
16. Final Fantasy Adventure (GB)
17. OverBlood (PS1)
18. Parasite Eve (PS1)
Parasite Eve is a title I didn't own when released; however, a close friend of mine did, and I got a chance to play through chunks of it while hanging out at his place. The game left an impression on me back then, and it was one of those titles I always wanted to pick up to play through for myself, but I just never got around to it. Last year, I came across a copy in nice shape, so I decided to go for it.
Parasite Eve's an interesting mix between a survival horror game and a RPG. The game doesn't have jump scares like the Resident Evil series does, but it does have an eerie and creepy atmosphere and some grotesque looking enemies and bosses. You start the game as Aya Brea, an officer with the NYPD who is going out to a show with a colleague. However, when they get to the theater, things start to go awry and it's your job to figure out what's going on. The game is based on a Japanese novel and movie with the same name. As a native New Yorker, it was fun to see Square's 32-bit take on the city, and cool to play through environments I've actually visited.
I found the battle system to be a lot of fun. Battles play out in real time, and you have to dodge enemy attacks, while you wait for your attack meter to build up. You also have a limited number of item slots and an opportunity to store items you don't need have on you. Another interesting aspect is the upgrade system for weapons and armor. You can use an item called a tool to remove an ability from an armor or weapon and put it into another, but you will lose the former item. Certain weapons or armor also have more ability slots than others, so an item with better stats and a few slots to add abilities is what you'll want to equip and upgrade along the way.
After you finish the main game, you can replay the game in EX mode, which contains the main game along with a new area, the Chrysler Building. The Chrysler Building is a 70+ floor dungeon, and from my understanding has a different final boss and a different ending. I didn't tackle this section, but when I revisit this game down the line, I'd be interested in taking this on.
Graphics wise, I think Square did a nice job with the pre-rendered backgrounds and the character designs. As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of unique enemy designs as well. I also liked the sequences where the main character Aya was riding with colleagues in the police car, they had a really unique look to them. The FMVs also do not disappoint and they're very well done for the time of release. Music wise, I really liked the soundtrack and the battle theme is especially catchy. The soundtrack consists of tunes that I would listen to outside of the game.
Overall, I think Parasite Eve is a great and unique RPG and is worthy of your time. The main game is fairly short, clocking in around 15 hours. However, the EX game seems to give fans more than enough additional gameplay to chew on. This is a fun one to play around the holidays. For any fans of RPGs or survival horror games, I definitely recommend this one. As for me, I'd like to get through the EX mode eventually and try the sequel sometime, even though I heard it plays quite differently. If you haven't played it yet, check this one out!
2. OutRun 2 SP (PS2)
3. Dynamite Cop (DC)*
4. Soul Calibur (DC)*
5. Melfand Stories (SFC)
6. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES)
7. Dynamite Cop (Arcade)*
8. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (PS2)
9. Kishin Douji Zenki FX: Vajra Fight (PC-FX)
10. Wild Arms (PS1)
11. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (GBC)
12. Lucky & Wild (Arcade)
13. Ico (PS2)
14. Champions of Norrath (PS2)
15. OutRunners (GEN)
16. Final Fantasy Adventure (GB)
17. OverBlood (PS1)
18. Parasite Eve (PS1)
Parasite Eve is a title I didn't own when released; however, a close friend of mine did, and I got a chance to play through chunks of it while hanging out at his place. The game left an impression on me back then, and it was one of those titles I always wanted to pick up to play through for myself, but I just never got around to it. Last year, I came across a copy in nice shape, so I decided to go for it.
Parasite Eve's an interesting mix between a survival horror game and a RPG. The game doesn't have jump scares like the Resident Evil series does, but it does have an eerie and creepy atmosphere and some grotesque looking enemies and bosses. You start the game as Aya Brea, an officer with the NYPD who is going out to a show with a colleague. However, when they get to the theater, things start to go awry and it's your job to figure out what's going on. The game is based on a Japanese novel and movie with the same name. As a native New Yorker, it was fun to see Square's 32-bit take on the city, and cool to play through environments I've actually visited.
I found the battle system to be a lot of fun. Battles play out in real time, and you have to dodge enemy attacks, while you wait for your attack meter to build up. You also have a limited number of item slots and an opportunity to store items you don't need have on you. Another interesting aspect is the upgrade system for weapons and armor. You can use an item called a tool to remove an ability from an armor or weapon and put it into another, but you will lose the former item. Certain weapons or armor also have more ability slots than others, so an item with better stats and a few slots to add abilities is what you'll want to equip and upgrade along the way.
After you finish the main game, you can replay the game in EX mode, which contains the main game along with a new area, the Chrysler Building. The Chrysler Building is a 70+ floor dungeon, and from my understanding has a different final boss and a different ending. I didn't tackle this section, but when I revisit this game down the line, I'd be interested in taking this on.
Graphics wise, I think Square did a nice job with the pre-rendered backgrounds and the character designs. As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of unique enemy designs as well. I also liked the sequences where the main character Aya was riding with colleagues in the police car, they had a really unique look to them. The FMVs also do not disappoint and they're very well done for the time of release. Music wise, I really liked the soundtrack and the battle theme is especially catchy. The soundtrack consists of tunes that I would listen to outside of the game.
Overall, I think Parasite Eve is a great and unique RPG and is worthy of your time. The main game is fairly short, clocking in around 15 hours. However, the EX game seems to give fans more than enough additional gameplay to chew on. This is a fun one to play around the holidays. For any fans of RPGs or survival horror games, I definitely recommend this one. As for me, I'd like to get through the EX mode eventually and try the sequel sometime, even though I heard it plays quite differently. If you haven't played it yet, check this one out!
-
TheSSNintendo
- 128-bit
- Posts: 614
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:27 pm
Re: Games Beaten 2024
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
Re: Games Beaten 2024
Previous Years: 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
First 50:
51. Metaphor: ReFantazio - PS5
52. Mechwarrior 5: Clans - PC
53. Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - PC
54. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven - Switch
Revenge of the Seven is a 3D remake of Romancing SaGa 2. We got a remaster of it (and a first time English localization) several years ago, and apparently it did well enough to convince Square that the SaGa series had gained appeal and was worth revisiting. Since then we've gotten more remasters and/or ports plus a new game. And now we get a remake of the game that started off the current stream. It stays pretty faithful to the core, but adds in a ton of quality of life that's extremely welcome.
The setup for Romancing SaGa 2 is that in the distant past there was a group known as the Seven Heroes. People tell tales that someday they will return, but the game opens with one of them returning and it being a very bad thing. You play as a series of emperors of the nation of Avalon, each one passing down their skills and memories to the next using inheritance magic, as you seek to stop the Seven from whatever nasty things they're up to.
Now, this inheritance system has a few consequences. The first is that outside of the initial and final generation, you're dealing with a bunch of generic characters. Each generation you're free to select from one of six possible classes to be the emperor that generation, and you can abdicate to swap to another one midway through. After doing enough quests or your emperor losing all their life points, you have a generational skip, repeating the process. A generational skip has a few things happen. Aside from the new emperor, all the characters you've recruited have their trained skills (ones they have at least one point in) raise up to match the global skill levels that you gain as any character gains them. Any techs that were glimmered become learned by your training hall and can be given to anyone with the appropriate skill level. And any smithy projects are now purchasable at the store, rather than the single instance you got. So there is a lot of power that you build up over time, and you can have a very well rounded set of characters by the end.
Combat is fairly familiar if you're a SaGa fan. Your party of five engages in turn based battles where you can attack, use techs, and cast spells. Your party will be set in a formation, which provides bonuses and sometimes maluses, but the formation is only active if all five party members are alive. You learn new formations when you choose a new emperor, if that emperor's class hasn't yet been emperor. When you take actions you have a chance of glimmering a new tech, which will then be available for the rest of the battle and for future battles, and at the end of combat you have a chance to glimmer a new spell if you used magic. New to this version is that you get to see the timeline of this turn and the next turn. Instead of needing to select all actions at the start, you choose them as your turn comes up. This means if you're trying to status-lock bosses (many of which are vulnerable to it) you have a lot more freedom, as you can see which move finally lands that stun and then switch to your heavy hitters for the turn. Unlike the most recent SaGa games, there isn't really much in the way of timeline manipulation. Another new QoL feature is that it shows you when you hit enemy weaknesses, a la Octopath Traveller. This is not only nice for dealing extra damage, it is used in another new feature, Unison Attacks. Hitting weaknesses fills up a meter, when it's full you can combine multiple characters' turns to do big damage. Not only do you do attacks back to back without enemies being able to block or counter, you get a damage multiplier. You start with being able to link up two characters, but later in the game you can link three, four, or even five. When you go to link, the game automatically chooses the skills; you generally have up to two options. The first is single-target focused, while the other is multi-target focused. But they are always the strongest attacks you have fitting that attribute.
The game gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to progression. After the first couple quests you are pretty free to wander the world, unlocking towns and dungeons and doing things in whatever order you want. After completing enough quests you will trigger the Final Emperor; at this point you have to shepherd your life points more, because if you die this time it's game over. But outside those confines you are pretty well free to do things as you will. Unlike Romancing SaGa 1 and 3, quests are not gated by an overall progression meter and they don't get cut off if you progress too much. The game does track your overall progression for the purposes of monster strength (and in another QoL improvement, you can see the level at any time), and it behooves you to not grind too much early, as equipment is a major source of power and that tends to be gated by quest progression.
Overall, this is probably the single most approachable SaGa entry that isn't secretly a prototype for Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. It makes a whole bunch of its systems more visible to the player, without undermining the systems themselves. So you no longer need to look up reams of guides to understand how to gain power and progress. If you've always been curious about the series, this is the one to jump in with.
First 50:
52. Mechwarrior 5: Clans - PC
53. Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - PC
54. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven - Switch
Revenge of the Seven is a 3D remake of Romancing SaGa 2. We got a remaster of it (and a first time English localization) several years ago, and apparently it did well enough to convince Square that the SaGa series had gained appeal and was worth revisiting. Since then we've gotten more remasters and/or ports plus a new game. And now we get a remake of the game that started off the current stream. It stays pretty faithful to the core, but adds in a ton of quality of life that's extremely welcome.
The setup for Romancing SaGa 2 is that in the distant past there was a group known as the Seven Heroes. People tell tales that someday they will return, but the game opens with one of them returning and it being a very bad thing. You play as a series of emperors of the nation of Avalon, each one passing down their skills and memories to the next using inheritance magic, as you seek to stop the Seven from whatever nasty things they're up to.
Now, this inheritance system has a few consequences. The first is that outside of the initial and final generation, you're dealing with a bunch of generic characters. Each generation you're free to select from one of six possible classes to be the emperor that generation, and you can abdicate to swap to another one midway through. After doing enough quests or your emperor losing all their life points, you have a generational skip, repeating the process. A generational skip has a few things happen. Aside from the new emperor, all the characters you've recruited have their trained skills (ones they have at least one point in) raise up to match the global skill levels that you gain as any character gains them. Any techs that were glimmered become learned by your training hall and can be given to anyone with the appropriate skill level. And any smithy projects are now purchasable at the store, rather than the single instance you got. So there is a lot of power that you build up over time, and you can have a very well rounded set of characters by the end.
Combat is fairly familiar if you're a SaGa fan. Your party of five engages in turn based battles where you can attack, use techs, and cast spells. Your party will be set in a formation, which provides bonuses and sometimes maluses, but the formation is only active if all five party members are alive. You learn new formations when you choose a new emperor, if that emperor's class hasn't yet been emperor. When you take actions you have a chance of glimmering a new tech, which will then be available for the rest of the battle and for future battles, and at the end of combat you have a chance to glimmer a new spell if you used magic. New to this version is that you get to see the timeline of this turn and the next turn. Instead of needing to select all actions at the start, you choose them as your turn comes up. This means if you're trying to status-lock bosses (many of which are vulnerable to it) you have a lot more freedom, as you can see which move finally lands that stun and then switch to your heavy hitters for the turn. Unlike the most recent SaGa games, there isn't really much in the way of timeline manipulation. Another new QoL feature is that it shows you when you hit enemy weaknesses, a la Octopath Traveller. This is not only nice for dealing extra damage, it is used in another new feature, Unison Attacks. Hitting weaknesses fills up a meter, when it's full you can combine multiple characters' turns to do big damage. Not only do you do attacks back to back without enemies being able to block or counter, you get a damage multiplier. You start with being able to link up two characters, but later in the game you can link three, four, or even five. When you go to link, the game automatically chooses the skills; you generally have up to two options. The first is single-target focused, while the other is multi-target focused. But they are always the strongest attacks you have fitting that attribute.
The game gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to progression. After the first couple quests you are pretty free to wander the world, unlocking towns and dungeons and doing things in whatever order you want. After completing enough quests you will trigger the Final Emperor; at this point you have to shepherd your life points more, because if you die this time it's game over. But outside those confines you are pretty well free to do things as you will. Unlike Romancing SaGa 1 and 3, quests are not gated by an overall progression meter and they don't get cut off if you progress too much. The game does track your overall progression for the purposes of monster strength (and in another QoL improvement, you can see the level at any time), and it behooves you to not grind too much early, as equipment is a major source of power and that tends to be gated by quest progression.
Overall, this is probably the single most approachable SaGa entry that isn't secretly a prototype for Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. It makes a whole bunch of its systems more visible to the player, without undermining the systems themselves. So you no longer need to look up reams of guides to understand how to gain power and progress. If you've always been curious about the series, this is the one to jump in with.
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
Re: Games Beaten 2024
1. Live A Live (RPG)(Switch)
2. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Action)(Switch)
3. Pathway (Strategy [Tactics])(PC)
4. Rewind or Die (Horror Adventure)(PC)
5. Tomb Raider (Action Adventure)(PC)
6. Remnant: From the Ashes (Action RPG)(PC)
7. House Flipper (Simulation)(PC)
8. Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor (RPG)(PC)
9. Wild West and Wizards (FPS/RPG)(PC)
10. SPRAWL (FPS)(PC)
11. Lunacid (RPG)(PC)
12. PowerWash Simulator: SpongeBob SquarePants (FPS)(PC)
13. PowerWash Simulator: Warhammer 40,000 (FPS)(PC)
14. PowerWash Simulator: Back to the Future (FPS)(PC)
15. Marathon (FPS)(PC)
16. Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force (FPS)(PC)
17. Rome: Total War (Strategy)(PC)
18. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (FPS)(PC)
19. Thief II (Stealth)(PC)
20. Jydge (Top-Down Shooter)(PC)
21. Command & Conquer (RTS)(PC)
22. Iron Lung (Horror Adventure)(PC)
23. Scorn (FPS)(PC)
24. Killer Frequency (Survival Horror)(PC)
25. Intravenous (Top-Down Shooter)(PC)
26. Outlast (Survival Horror)(PC)
27. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (Action)(PC)
28. Picross Touch (Puzzle)(PC)
29. Quake: Dimension of the Past (FPS)(PC)
30. Quake (FPS)(PC)
31. Quake: Dimension of the Machine (FPS)(PC)
32. MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (Action)(PC)
After hanging out with MrPopo back in September, I decided to try getting into BattleTech. This includes video games, and while I had spent some time in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries already, I figured I should get back to it and actually beat the game. One of my brothers has been needing to find ways to relax, so he would hop in as a pilot in my lance, and we'd go smash buildings and shoot mechs, tanks, helicopters, and whatever else our enemies would throw at us.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries follows Commander Mason, whose father was killed by a group of heavily armed and secretly supplied mercenaries. Seeking revenge as well as cash and gear, Mason teams up with friends of his old man to investigate these mercs, in the process taking contracts and building up his own repository of gear and mechwarrior pilots to resolve jobs. What follows is a string of battles, often at the behest of rival governments who will take positive or negative views of your actions. This in turn can cause shifts in potential rewards on jobs as well as shifting prices in shops within those governments' territories, so a place that likes you might be willing to drop a few million in extra cash or bonus salvage, while a place that hates you is gonna charge an extra 25% when you need to buy new guns or mechs. That gets pricey quick, hence why salvage is important, though not always required.
As you move system to system, you'll enter conflict zones, where governments offer contracts to your mercenary company. These might be defending a city, assassinating a specific person or group, demolishing an enemy base, or even an endless struggle to kill as many foes as you can for bonus money. The battlefields are usually large squares or rectangles, though the terrain can vary significantly within, sometimes in your favor, sometimes very much against. Have to run to protect a city that's being hammered with long range missile-fire from behind the far side of a canyon can put a serious damper on your spirits as the civilians you're aiding beg you for help. But hey, that's life as a mechwarrior.
More importantly, you'll also get tonnage requirements on these missions, which limit or focus your options for what mechs to bring. A lance in MW5:M is four mechs, and you can adjust who's driving what (including yourself), as well as rearm, upgrade, and redesign armaments within certain limits. Like a massive gauss rifle and a little machine gun aren't going in the same slot, folks. But once you build mechs to suit your needs, you then pilot them around the battlefield to handle blasting whatever you need to destroy. And there will be lots of blasting. I particularly love my Awesome AWS-8Q, but eh, I'm boring, and I like to blast enemies to bits with concentrated PPC fire before I overheat.
After each action, you'll also have to collect your funds and conduct repairs. Repairs are the part where I find MW5:M struggles a bit, because doing it in a conflict zone will automatically increase time and expense required, but travel outside of the conflict zone also costs money, and not all systems have the required facilities to perform those repairs. So if you're a long way off from a decent industrial hub, you're gonna have to weigh the value and cost of travel versus doing it there, which can often run up higher than what you're bringing in if you're mechs are getting hammered. Which they will, because the AI pilots are often morons.
Having to make considerations for repairs and cost is one thing that I find frustrating, but I get it; it makes sense in this kind of universe, and it's a major part of what a mechwarrior would go through. But the AI is often dumb. They've gotten better over time, but they're still idiots that like to run in point blank and get their limbs blasted off. They have no real sense of self-preservation, and you're footing the bill. Heck, when the game first came out, Defense missions were nigh impossible because they'd run through their own client's base and smash all the buildings. That isn't nearly as prevalent now, but I still often had to figure out which mechs they were more likely to smash and not let them have them.
That said, they're the biggest detraction, and having someone else to play with who is a decent pilot drastically improves things. Co-op unfortunately treats everyone besides the host as a bit player, so they get way limited say in armaments and can't even see the universe map. But it feels so much better to play with someone who can strategize on their own and won't get fragged...usually. My brother still likes to sometimes go fisticuffs in a Medium mech against Assault mechs.
Overall, as I explore more of the BattleTech hobby, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries has been a great way to familiarize myself more with various mechs and designs. I've learned a lot, and while it may not be completely applicable to the base game it springs from, it's still giving me some good times and some entertaining experiences. What more could I have asked of it?
2. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Action)(Switch)
3. Pathway (Strategy [Tactics])(PC)
4. Rewind or Die (Horror Adventure)(PC)
5. Tomb Raider (Action Adventure)(PC)
6. Remnant: From the Ashes (Action RPG)(PC)
7. House Flipper (Simulation)(PC)
8. Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor (RPG)(PC)
9. Wild West and Wizards (FPS/RPG)(PC)
10. SPRAWL (FPS)(PC)
11. Lunacid (RPG)(PC)
12. PowerWash Simulator: SpongeBob SquarePants (FPS)(PC)
13. PowerWash Simulator: Warhammer 40,000 (FPS)(PC)
14. PowerWash Simulator: Back to the Future (FPS)(PC)
15. Marathon (FPS)(PC)
16. Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force (FPS)(PC)
17. Rome: Total War (Strategy)(PC)
18. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (FPS)(PC)
19. Thief II (Stealth)(PC)
20. Jydge (Top-Down Shooter)(PC)
21. Command & Conquer (RTS)(PC)
22. Iron Lung (Horror Adventure)(PC)
23. Scorn (FPS)(PC)
24. Killer Frequency (Survival Horror)(PC)
25. Intravenous (Top-Down Shooter)(PC)
26. Outlast (Survival Horror)(PC)
27. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (Action)(PC)
28. Picross Touch (Puzzle)(PC)
29. Quake: Dimension of the Past (FPS)(PC)
30. Quake (FPS)(PC)
31. Quake: Dimension of the Machine (FPS)(PC)
32. MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (Action)(PC)
After hanging out with MrPopo back in September, I decided to try getting into BattleTech. This includes video games, and while I had spent some time in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries already, I figured I should get back to it and actually beat the game. One of my brothers has been needing to find ways to relax, so he would hop in as a pilot in my lance, and we'd go smash buildings and shoot mechs, tanks, helicopters, and whatever else our enemies would throw at us.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries follows Commander Mason, whose father was killed by a group of heavily armed and secretly supplied mercenaries. Seeking revenge as well as cash and gear, Mason teams up with friends of his old man to investigate these mercs, in the process taking contracts and building up his own repository of gear and mechwarrior pilots to resolve jobs. What follows is a string of battles, often at the behest of rival governments who will take positive or negative views of your actions. This in turn can cause shifts in potential rewards on jobs as well as shifting prices in shops within those governments' territories, so a place that likes you might be willing to drop a few million in extra cash or bonus salvage, while a place that hates you is gonna charge an extra 25% when you need to buy new guns or mechs. That gets pricey quick, hence why salvage is important, though not always required.
As you move system to system, you'll enter conflict zones, where governments offer contracts to your mercenary company. These might be defending a city, assassinating a specific person or group, demolishing an enemy base, or even an endless struggle to kill as many foes as you can for bonus money. The battlefields are usually large squares or rectangles, though the terrain can vary significantly within, sometimes in your favor, sometimes very much against. Have to run to protect a city that's being hammered with long range missile-fire from behind the far side of a canyon can put a serious damper on your spirits as the civilians you're aiding beg you for help. But hey, that's life as a mechwarrior.
More importantly, you'll also get tonnage requirements on these missions, which limit or focus your options for what mechs to bring. A lance in MW5:M is four mechs, and you can adjust who's driving what (including yourself), as well as rearm, upgrade, and redesign armaments within certain limits. Like a massive gauss rifle and a little machine gun aren't going in the same slot, folks. But once you build mechs to suit your needs, you then pilot them around the battlefield to handle blasting whatever you need to destroy. And there will be lots of blasting. I particularly love my Awesome AWS-8Q, but eh, I'm boring, and I like to blast enemies to bits with concentrated PPC fire before I overheat.
After each action, you'll also have to collect your funds and conduct repairs. Repairs are the part where I find MW5:M struggles a bit, because doing it in a conflict zone will automatically increase time and expense required, but travel outside of the conflict zone also costs money, and not all systems have the required facilities to perform those repairs. So if you're a long way off from a decent industrial hub, you're gonna have to weigh the value and cost of travel versus doing it there, which can often run up higher than what you're bringing in if you're mechs are getting hammered. Which they will, because the AI pilots are often morons.
Having to make considerations for repairs and cost is one thing that I find frustrating, but I get it; it makes sense in this kind of universe, and it's a major part of what a mechwarrior would go through. But the AI is often dumb. They've gotten better over time, but they're still idiots that like to run in point blank and get their limbs blasted off. They have no real sense of self-preservation, and you're footing the bill. Heck, when the game first came out, Defense missions were nigh impossible because they'd run through their own client's base and smash all the buildings. That isn't nearly as prevalent now, but I still often had to figure out which mechs they were more likely to smash and not let them have them.
That said, they're the biggest detraction, and having someone else to play with who is a decent pilot drastically improves things. Co-op unfortunately treats everyone besides the host as a bit player, so they get way limited say in armaments and can't even see the universe map. But it feels so much better to play with someone who can strategize on their own and won't get fragged...usually. My brother still likes to sometimes go fisticuffs in a Medium mech against Assault mechs.
Overall, as I explore more of the BattleTech hobby, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries has been a great way to familiarize myself more with various mechs and designs. I've learned a lot, and while it may not be completely applicable to the base game it springs from, it's still giving me some good times and some entertaining experiences. What more could I have asked of it?
-
PartridgeSenpai
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:27 am
- Location: Northern Japan
Re: Games Beaten 2024
Partridge Senpai's 2024 Beaten Games:
Previously: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
* indicates a repeat
1~50
51. Adventures of Lolo (Famicom)
52. Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)
53. Adventures of Lolo II (Famicom)
54. Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES)
55. Kickle Cubicle (NES)
56. Adventures of Lolo (GB)
57. Cocoron (Famicom)
58. The Darkness (PS3)
59. Haze (PS3)
60. Animaniacs (GB)
61. Lair (PS3)
62. Bionic Commando (PS3)
63. Donkey Kong Land (GB)
64. Darkwing Duck (NES)
65. Donkey Kong Land III (GBC)
66. Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
67. Metroid II (GB) *
68. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond (Switch)
69. Eggerland (FDS)
70. Eggerland: Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Famicom)
71. Eggerland: Souzou he no Tabidachi (FDS)
72. Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (SFC)
73. Legendary Starfy (GBA) *
74. Legendary Starfy 2 (GBA)
75. Tales of the Abyss (PS2) *
76. Tales of the Tempest (DS)
77. Tales of Eternia (PS1)
78. Nier: Replicant (PS3)
79. Tales of Symphonia (PS3) *
80. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (PS3)
81. Tales of Zestiria (PS3)
82. Tales of Berseria (PS3)
83. Gargoyle's Quest II (Famicom)
84. Bionic Commando: Rearmed (Steam)
85. Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
86. Resistance 2 (PS3)
87. Killzone 2 (PS3)
88. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3)
89. Jak & Daxter (PS2)
90. Kileak: The DNA Imperative (PS1)
91. Legendary Starfy 3 (GBA)
92. Medal of Honor: Frontline (PS2)
93. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
Previously: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
* indicates a repeat
1~50
52. Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)
53. Adventures of Lolo II (Famicom)
54. Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES)
55. Kickle Cubicle (NES)
56. Adventures of Lolo (GB)
57. Cocoron (Famicom)
58. The Darkness (PS3)
59. Haze (PS3)
60. Animaniacs (GB)
61. Lair (PS3)
62. Bionic Commando (PS3)
63. Donkey Kong Land (GB)
64. Darkwing Duck (NES)
65. Donkey Kong Land III (GBC)
66. Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
67. Metroid II (GB) *
68. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond (Switch)
69. Eggerland (FDS)
70. Eggerland: Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Famicom)
71. Eggerland: Souzou he no Tabidachi (FDS)
72. Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (SFC)
73. Legendary Starfy (GBA) *
74. Legendary Starfy 2 (GBA)
75. Tales of the Abyss (PS2) *
76. Tales of the Tempest (DS)
77. Tales of Eternia (PS1)
78. Nier: Replicant (PS3)
79. Tales of Symphonia (PS3) *
80. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (PS3)
81. Tales of Zestiria (PS3)
82. Tales of Berseria (PS3)
83. Gargoyle's Quest II (Famicom)
84. Bionic Commando: Rearmed (Steam)
85. Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
86. Resistance 2 (PS3)
87. Killzone 2 (PS3)
88. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3)
89. Jak & Daxter (PS2)
90. Kileak: The DNA Imperative (PS1)
91. Legendary Starfy 3 (GBA)
I identify everyone via avatar, so if you change your avatar, I genuinely might completely forget who you are. -- Me
-
PartridgeSenpai
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:27 am
- Location: Northern Japan
Re: Games Beaten 2024
Partridge Senpai's 2024 Beaten Games:
Previously: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
* indicates a repeat
1~50
51. Adventures of Lolo (Famicom)
52. Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)
53. Adventures of Lolo II (Famicom)
54. Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES)
55. Kickle Cubicle (NES)
56. Adventures of Lolo (GB)
57. Cocoron (Famicom)
58. The Darkness (PS3)
59. Haze (PS3)
60. Animaniacs (GB)
61. Lair (PS3)
62. Bionic Commando (PS3)
63. Donkey Kong Land (GB)
64. Darkwing Duck (NES)
65. Donkey Kong Land III (GBC)
66. Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
67. Metroid II (GB) *
68. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond (Switch)
69. Eggerland (FDS)
70. Eggerland: Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Famicom)
71. Eggerland: Souzou he no Tabidachi (FDS)
72. Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (SFC)
73. Legendary Starfy (GBA) *
74. Legendary Starfy 2 (GBA)
75. Tales of the Abyss (PS2) *
76. Tales of the Tempest (DS)
77. Tales of Eternia (PS1)
78. Nier: Replicant (PS3)
79. Tales of Symphonia (PS3) *
80. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (PS3)
81. Tales of Zestiria (PS3)
82. Tales of Berseria (PS3)
83. Gargoyle's Quest II (Famicom)
84. Bionic Commando: Rearmed (Steam)
85. Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
86. Resistance 2 (PS3)
87. Killzone 2 (PS3)
88. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3)
89. Jak & Daxter (PS2)
90. Kileak: The DNA Imperative (PS1)
91. Legendary Starfy 3 (GBA)
92. Medal of Honor: Frontline (PS2)
93. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
94. Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)
95. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PS3)
96. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS3)
Previously: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
* indicates a repeat
1~50
52. Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)
53. Adventures of Lolo II (Famicom)
54. Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES)
55. Kickle Cubicle (NES)
56. Adventures of Lolo (GB)
57. Cocoron (Famicom)
58. The Darkness (PS3)
59. Haze (PS3)
60. Animaniacs (GB)
61. Lair (PS3)
62. Bionic Commando (PS3)
63. Donkey Kong Land (GB)
64. Darkwing Duck (NES)
65. Donkey Kong Land III (GBC)
66. Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
67. Metroid II (GB) *
68. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond (Switch)
69. Eggerland (FDS)
70. Eggerland: Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Famicom)
71. Eggerland: Souzou he no Tabidachi (FDS)
72. Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (SFC)
73. Legendary Starfy (GBA) *
74. Legendary Starfy 2 (GBA)
75. Tales of the Abyss (PS2) *
76. Tales of the Tempest (DS)
77. Tales of Eternia (PS1)
78. Nier: Replicant (PS3)
79. Tales of Symphonia (PS3) *
80. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (PS3)
81. Tales of Zestiria (PS3)
82. Tales of Berseria (PS3)
83. Gargoyle's Quest II (Famicom)
84. Bionic Commando: Rearmed (Steam)
85. Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
86. Resistance 2 (PS3)
87. Killzone 2 (PS3)
88. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3)
89. Jak & Daxter (PS2)
90. Kileak: The DNA Imperative (PS1)
91. Legendary Starfy 3 (GBA)
92. Medal of Honor: Frontline (PS2)
93. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
94. Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)
I identify everyone via avatar, so if you change your avatar, I genuinely might completely forget who you are. -- Me
-
Markies
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 1522
- Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:29 pm
- Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Contact:
Re: Games Beaten 2024
Markies' Games Beat List Of 2024!
***Denotes Replay For Completion***
1. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
2. Jackal (NES)
***3. Evolution: The World Of Sacred Device (SDC)***
4. Skies Of Arcadia Legends (GCN)
5. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)
6. Sunset Riders (GEN)
***7. Tactics Ogre (PS1)***
***8. Forza Motorsport (XBOX)***
9. Riviera: The Promised Land (GBA)
***10. Darkstalkers (PS1)***
***11. Splatoon (WiiU)***
12. Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (NSW)
***13. Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball (NES)***
14. 3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)
***15. Puzzle Kingdoms (Wii)***
16. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall Of The Foot Clan (GB)
17. Steel Empire (GEN)
***18. Super Mario Strikers (GCN)***
19. Evolution 2: Far Off Promise (SDC)
20. The King Of Fighters '95 (PS1)
21. Disgaea 3: Absence Of Justice (PS3)
22. Jade Empire: Limited Edition (XBOX)
23. The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (SNES)
24. Super Smash Bros. For WiiU (WiiU)
***25. Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2)***
***26. Ducktales 2 (NES)***
27. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
28. Super Paper Mario (Wii)
***29. Valkyrie Profile (PS1)***
***30. Destruction Derby 64 (N64)***
31. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (NSW)
32. Mario Superstar Baseball (GCN)
33. The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB)
***33. Phantasy Star IV (GEN)***
***34. Maximum Pool (SDC)***
35. Pokken Tournament (WiiU)
36. Sonic Advance (GBA)
***37. X-Men Legends (XBOX)***
I completed X-Men Legends on the Microsoft Xbox this evening!
During my pre-teen years, I was a rather large X-Men fan. I remember getting up early and watching the cartoon rather religiously. I collected the comics as well for a very short time. I always wanted an X-Men video game to go with the series and though my nostalgia goggles are strong on the Genesis' games, I know they are not the greatest ones in the world. So, when I saw a Gauntlet/Diablo style X-Men game that looked good, I instantly became interested in the game. Back in 2019, I played the game and it was the last beat in my apartment. Many years later and I'm now in my house, I figured now would be a good time to replay the game to completion.
X-Men Legends is a perfect implementation of the Gauntlet/Diablo style gameplay that you expect. You are able to run around as one of the X-Men and destroy many bad guys and fight iconic villains. And everything runs so smoothly and the combat is so satisfying. Obviously, with these styles of game, it gets a little repetitive after a while, but the ability to change characters really mixes up the game play. Also, you can customize and level up your character however you see fit and the ability to destroy almost anything in the game never gets boring. Only after long play sessions did I feel bored as the action never ceases to get old. The story is what you expect from a X-Men game with enough twists and turns to make it at least interesting. The great voice work also helps in the story and adds some realism to the characters.
However, the look of the characters was really unappealing. They all had this blocky appearance with a painted cell-shaded look. And they all got this modern look to them as I sorely missed their appearances from the cartoon. Obviously, some characters are more over powered then others. I used Wolverine throughout the entire game because his healing ability is quite broken. That didn't help against some of the bosses as they ranged from pushovers to utterly frustrating. There is no balance and they mostly come out of nowhere.
Overall, X-Men Legends is an incredibly good Gauntlet Legends/Diablo style game using very popular characters. It's probably the best X-Men game I've ever played and would be very fun to play with multiple people. It makes a good game around the license with some unique features. If you like those overhead hack and slash games and enjoy the X-Men franchise, this is a game not to miss!
***Denotes Replay For Completion***
1. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
2. Jackal (NES)
***3. Evolution: The World Of Sacred Device (SDC)***
4. Skies Of Arcadia Legends (GCN)
5. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2)
6. Sunset Riders (GEN)
***7. Tactics Ogre (PS1)***
***8. Forza Motorsport (XBOX)***
9. Riviera: The Promised Land (GBA)
***10. Darkstalkers (PS1)***
***11. Splatoon (WiiU)***
12. Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (NSW)
***13. Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball (NES)***
14. 3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)
***15. Puzzle Kingdoms (Wii)***
16. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall Of The Foot Clan (GB)
17. Steel Empire (GEN)
***18. Super Mario Strikers (GCN)***
19. Evolution 2: Far Off Promise (SDC)
20. The King Of Fighters '95 (PS1)
21. Disgaea 3: Absence Of Justice (PS3)
22. Jade Empire: Limited Edition (XBOX)
23. The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (SNES)
24. Super Smash Bros. For WiiU (WiiU)
***25. Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2)***
***26. Ducktales 2 (NES)***
27. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
28. Super Paper Mario (Wii)
***29. Valkyrie Profile (PS1)***
***30. Destruction Derby 64 (N64)***
31. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (NSW)
32. Mario Superstar Baseball (GCN)
33. The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB)
***33. Phantasy Star IV (GEN)***
***34. Maximum Pool (SDC)***
35. Pokken Tournament (WiiU)
36. Sonic Advance (GBA)
***37. X-Men Legends (XBOX)***
I completed X-Men Legends on the Microsoft Xbox this evening!
During my pre-teen years, I was a rather large X-Men fan. I remember getting up early and watching the cartoon rather religiously. I collected the comics as well for a very short time. I always wanted an X-Men video game to go with the series and though my nostalgia goggles are strong on the Genesis' games, I know they are not the greatest ones in the world. So, when I saw a Gauntlet/Diablo style X-Men game that looked good, I instantly became interested in the game. Back in 2019, I played the game and it was the last beat in my apartment. Many years later and I'm now in my house, I figured now would be a good time to replay the game to completion.
X-Men Legends is a perfect implementation of the Gauntlet/Diablo style gameplay that you expect. You are able to run around as one of the X-Men and destroy many bad guys and fight iconic villains. And everything runs so smoothly and the combat is so satisfying. Obviously, with these styles of game, it gets a little repetitive after a while, but the ability to change characters really mixes up the game play. Also, you can customize and level up your character however you see fit and the ability to destroy almost anything in the game never gets boring. Only after long play sessions did I feel bored as the action never ceases to get old. The story is what you expect from a X-Men game with enough twists and turns to make it at least interesting. The great voice work also helps in the story and adds some realism to the characters.
However, the look of the characters was really unappealing. They all had this blocky appearance with a painted cell-shaded look. And they all got this modern look to them as I sorely missed their appearances from the cartoon. Obviously, some characters are more over powered then others. I used Wolverine throughout the entire game because his healing ability is quite broken. That didn't help against some of the bosses as they ranged from pushovers to utterly frustrating. There is no balance and they mostly come out of nowhere.
Overall, X-Men Legends is an incredibly good Gauntlet Legends/Diablo style game using very popular characters. It's probably the best X-Men game I've ever played and would be very fun to play with multiple people. It makes a good game around the license with some unique features. If you like those overhead hack and slash games and enjoy the X-Men franchise, this is a game not to miss!
-
PartridgeSenpai
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:27 am
- Location: Northern Japan
Re: Games Beaten 2024
Partridge Senpai's 2024 Beaten Games:
Previously: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
* indicates a repeat
1~50
51. Adventures of Lolo (Famicom)
52. Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)
53. Adventures of Lolo II (Famicom)
54. Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES)
55. Kickle Cubicle (NES)
56. Adventures of Lolo (GB)
57. Cocoron (Famicom)
58. The Darkness (PS3)
59. Haze (PS3)
60. Animaniacs (GB)
61. Lair (PS3)
62. Bionic Commando (PS3)
63. Donkey Kong Land (GB)
64. Darkwing Duck (NES)
65. Donkey Kong Land III (GBC)
66. Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
67. Metroid II (GB) *
68. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond (Switch)
69. Eggerland (FDS)
70. Eggerland: Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Famicom)
71. Eggerland: Souzou he no Tabidachi (FDS)
72. Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (SFC)
73. Legendary Starfy (GBA) *
74. Legendary Starfy 2 (GBA)
75. Tales of the Abyss (PS2) *
76. Tales of the Tempest (DS)
77. Tales of Eternia (PS1)
78. Nier: Replicant (PS3)
79. Tales of Symphonia (PS3) *
80. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (PS3)
81. Tales of Zestiria (PS3)
82. Tales of Berseria (PS3)
83. Gargoyle's Quest II (Famicom)
84. Bionic Commando: Rearmed (Steam)
85. Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
86. Resistance 2 (PS3)
87. Killzone 2 (PS3)
88. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3)
89. Jak & Daxter (PS2)
90. Kileak: The DNA Imperative (PS1)
91. Legendary Starfy 3 (GBA)
92. Medal of Honor: Frontline (PS2)
93. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
94. Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)
95. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PS3)
96. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS3)
97. Halo: Reach (Xbox One)
I couldn’t rightly be doing a big overview of PS3-era FPS games without checking out a Halo game, now could I? Truthfully, this is effectively one of the FPS series I’d had the most experience with up to this point. I played through Halo 2 and 3 with friends (who were much more into FPS games than me) when I was much younger, so even though I’ve virtually never played them as an adult, I’ve had a relatively solid idea of what “Halo” as a series is before this year’s spate of playing FPS games. This one, however, is the one of the old Bungie-developed Halo campaigns I’ve never had any experience with. All of the others I’ve either watched someone else play or have played myself at least a little at some point, but despite so many of my friends loving Reach so much, it’s the one game in the series that I’ve never so much as seen footage of the single player mode for. That made it seem like a great candidate for this marathon of FPS stuff, so I picked it up as quick as I could. It took me around 7 hours to beat the Japanese version of the campaign on normal mode playing a 360 copy via my Xbox One.
Halo Reach is a prequel to the other 4 Bungie-developed Halo games. Based on an early Halo novel, it details the events surrounding the Spartan team Noble during the fall of the human colony on Reach. You play as Six, the newest member of the team. You go on missions with the rest of your squad during the month or so that Reach falls to the Covenant. You know for certain that Reach will fall, but will your team be able to turn this into a victory regardless?
I’d always heard a lot of praise for both Bungie’s Halo narratives as well as this game in particular, but to be frank, I honestly don’t understand all the hype around this game. You’ve got quite a crowded cast of characters for one of these kinds of games, but the game doesn’t really do anything with them. There’s a fair bit of chatter during missions and a handful of cutscenes, but those don’t really serve to build up fleshed out characters or anything. They’re just there to relay mission objectives and the literal events of the story more than anything. What we’re left with is just a cast of memorable designs set up around you to both assist you on missions, give exposition, and then die in tragic set pieces one by one. The flat storytelling only really made sense once a close friend told me of this being an adaptation of a novel, though I’m not sure which aspect of that is more confusing: The fact that they adapted a novel at all, or the fact that a studio as prestigious as Bungie left their biggest series on the note of such a weak adaptation of a novel.
This is, in effect, a story about what soldiers on a doomed mission will nonetheless do for the cause, but the story isn’t really saying anything about that or doing anything with that. Them dying for the cause is more a literal description of the events of the game rather than an elaboration on some great theme or narrative message. This certainly makes the way Sony’s Resistance games are put together make a lot more sense in retrospect, as those are also games whose main narrative thrust seems to be putting together a sci-fi world novel enough to be compelling on its own with little support beyond that. Overall, I found the narrative very boring and hard to care about. It’s a competent enough put together blockbuster action movie-type story, I guess, but even then, compared to something with stronger set pieces and pacing like a contemporary Call of Duty, I wouldn’t say this holds much of a candle to those.
Mechanically, this is very much more Halo, at least as far as I remember the older games being. You’ve got regenerating shields as well as a health bar beyond that which you’ll need med packs to heal back. You’ve also got a big assortment of guns, both human and alien, to choose from, and they’re all great fun to use. The time to kill is quite long, which certainly took some getting used to compared to other shooters of the era, but it’s ultimately a really cool change of pace in how it makes you rethink your strategies in taking on tough enemies. There are a couple new additions compared to earlier Halo titles via a couple new guns as well as a new activatable abilities system, but it’s not too different to Halo as I recall it being, at least.
The game does have some very odd design choices compared to contemporaries though. On the accessibility front, I don’t really mind that there aren’t language options. Playing the Japanese version, I was stuck with the Japanese dub, which is pretty standard for the time. What’s a lot less standard for the time is how awful the subtitles are. There aren’t any subtitles for the loads of dialogue spoken outside of cutscenes, and it made the narrative and more importantly my mission objectives far harder to follow than they needed to be. CoD had been giving full subtitles for since before the last major Halo title at this point, so I find it quite difficult to excuse how they’ve done things here. Heck, they don’t even specify who’s talking for the subtitles they do have in cutscenes.
Outside of particular subtitle grievances, there are just a few other very odd changes. Checkpoints range from either comically frequent to bizarrely rare depending on the mission, and I’m not sure I’m a fan of how it’ll bump you back to a checkpoint beyond the one you’re currently at if you die enough times. Level design is usually pretty good, but the lack of objective markers can get very annoying with how open some levels are and how poor the game can be at relaying your mission objectives to you (as earlier mentioned with the subtitles thing). There’s even the most baffling point that the game has no option to turn off *rumble* of all things. I’ve got bad joints in my, well, everywhere, hands included, so I prefer to turn off rumble. It is absolutely unimaginable to me that a game published by Microsoft in 2010 for their biggest flagship series lacks a feature so basic there’s virtually no game of the previous console generation that is without it.
I’ve rambled a lot about stuff here that’s fairly particular to me, and I’ll be the first to admit that most of it is quite minor complaints. However, with how big my other grievances with the game have been, the subtitles, objective markers, and rumble stuff are just insult to injury. The whole game feels so clumsily put together at times, which is just so inexplicable to me given where Halo was in importance to not just Microsoft, but the gaming landscape as a whole at the time.
The presentation is very... Halo, I suppose? XD. The music is really good, and frankly it often felt *too* good for the action/scenes it was accompanying. The graphics and such look quite good and Halo-y though, even if I’m sure no small part of that is the shot in the arm that they’re getting from the Xbone version enhancements. This has all of the fixin’s that Halo is usually known for in its aesthetics and music though, so it really doesn’t disappoint in that regard whatsoever.
Verdict: Hesitantly Recommended. This was a really hard verdict to come to. At least some of my lukewarm reception to this game was definitely down to it just not being my cup of tea, but there’s also so much weak or underwhelming design in other places that I can’t cut it *that* much slack in good conscience. If you already care a lot about Halo, then I’m sure that this is a great entry in the series (and I’m sure the multiplayer was and is great fun too), but as far as a stand-alone campaign experience is concerned, this will likely leave you sorely wanting compared to modern or even other contemporary alternatives. The note I’ll end this on is that, as much as I’ve had incredibly varied and mixed times with Battlefield, Resistance, or even Killzone games up to this point, I’ve still got quite a bit of curiosity to keep exploring those series to see what makes them tick. Halo: Reach, however, was an experience so middling that it actually made me cancel my plans to pick up more Halo games to play after this, and I think that sentiment is so damning that it adequately speaks for itself.
Previously: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
* indicates a repeat
1~50
52. Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)
53. Adventures of Lolo II (Famicom)
54. Adventures of Lolo 3 (NES)
55. Kickle Cubicle (NES)
56. Adventures of Lolo (GB)
57. Cocoron (Famicom)
58. The Darkness (PS3)
59. Haze (PS3)
60. Animaniacs (GB)
61. Lair (PS3)
62. Bionic Commando (PS3)
63. Donkey Kong Land (GB)
64. Darkwing Duck (NES)
65. Donkey Kong Land III (GBC)
66. Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
67. Metroid II (GB) *
68. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond (Switch)
69. Eggerland (FDS)
70. Eggerland: Meikyuu no Fukkatsu (Famicom)
71. Eggerland: Souzou he no Tabidachi (FDS)
72. Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (SFC)
73. Legendary Starfy (GBA) *
74. Legendary Starfy 2 (GBA)
75. Tales of the Abyss (PS2) *
76. Tales of the Tempest (DS)
77. Tales of Eternia (PS1)
78. Nier: Replicant (PS3)
79. Tales of Symphonia (PS3) *
80. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (PS3)
81. Tales of Zestiria (PS3)
82. Tales of Berseria (PS3)
83. Gargoyle's Quest II (Famicom)
84. Bionic Commando: Rearmed (Steam)
85. Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
86. Resistance 2 (PS3)
87. Killzone 2 (PS3)
88. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3)
89. Jak & Daxter (PS2)
90. Kileak: The DNA Imperative (PS1)
91. Legendary Starfy 3 (GBA)
92. Medal of Honor: Frontline (PS2)
93. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)
94. Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)
95. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PS3)
96. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS3)
97. Halo: Reach (Xbox One)
I couldn’t rightly be doing a big overview of PS3-era FPS games without checking out a Halo game, now could I? Truthfully, this is effectively one of the FPS series I’d had the most experience with up to this point. I played through Halo 2 and 3 with friends (who were much more into FPS games than me) when I was much younger, so even though I’ve virtually never played them as an adult, I’ve had a relatively solid idea of what “Halo” as a series is before this year’s spate of playing FPS games. This one, however, is the one of the old Bungie-developed Halo campaigns I’ve never had any experience with. All of the others I’ve either watched someone else play or have played myself at least a little at some point, but despite so many of my friends loving Reach so much, it’s the one game in the series that I’ve never so much as seen footage of the single player mode for. That made it seem like a great candidate for this marathon of FPS stuff, so I picked it up as quick as I could. It took me around 7 hours to beat the Japanese version of the campaign on normal mode playing a 360 copy via my Xbox One.
Halo Reach is a prequel to the other 4 Bungie-developed Halo games. Based on an early Halo novel, it details the events surrounding the Spartan team Noble during the fall of the human colony on Reach. You play as Six, the newest member of the team. You go on missions with the rest of your squad during the month or so that Reach falls to the Covenant. You know for certain that Reach will fall, but will your team be able to turn this into a victory regardless?
I’d always heard a lot of praise for both Bungie’s Halo narratives as well as this game in particular, but to be frank, I honestly don’t understand all the hype around this game. You’ve got quite a crowded cast of characters for one of these kinds of games, but the game doesn’t really do anything with them. There’s a fair bit of chatter during missions and a handful of cutscenes, but those don’t really serve to build up fleshed out characters or anything. They’re just there to relay mission objectives and the literal events of the story more than anything. What we’re left with is just a cast of memorable designs set up around you to both assist you on missions, give exposition, and then die in tragic set pieces one by one. The flat storytelling only really made sense once a close friend told me of this being an adaptation of a novel, though I’m not sure which aspect of that is more confusing: The fact that they adapted a novel at all, or the fact that a studio as prestigious as Bungie left their biggest series on the note of such a weak adaptation of a novel.
This is, in effect, a story about what soldiers on a doomed mission will nonetheless do for the cause, but the story isn’t really saying anything about that or doing anything with that. Them dying for the cause is more a literal description of the events of the game rather than an elaboration on some great theme or narrative message. This certainly makes the way Sony’s Resistance games are put together make a lot more sense in retrospect, as those are also games whose main narrative thrust seems to be putting together a sci-fi world novel enough to be compelling on its own with little support beyond that. Overall, I found the narrative very boring and hard to care about. It’s a competent enough put together blockbuster action movie-type story, I guess, but even then, compared to something with stronger set pieces and pacing like a contemporary Call of Duty, I wouldn’t say this holds much of a candle to those.
Mechanically, this is very much more Halo, at least as far as I remember the older games being. You’ve got regenerating shields as well as a health bar beyond that which you’ll need med packs to heal back. You’ve also got a big assortment of guns, both human and alien, to choose from, and they’re all great fun to use. The time to kill is quite long, which certainly took some getting used to compared to other shooters of the era, but it’s ultimately a really cool change of pace in how it makes you rethink your strategies in taking on tough enemies. There are a couple new additions compared to earlier Halo titles via a couple new guns as well as a new activatable abilities system, but it’s not too different to Halo as I recall it being, at least.
The game does have some very odd design choices compared to contemporaries though. On the accessibility front, I don’t really mind that there aren’t language options. Playing the Japanese version, I was stuck with the Japanese dub, which is pretty standard for the time. What’s a lot less standard for the time is how awful the subtitles are. There aren’t any subtitles for the loads of dialogue spoken outside of cutscenes, and it made the narrative and more importantly my mission objectives far harder to follow than they needed to be. CoD had been giving full subtitles for since before the last major Halo title at this point, so I find it quite difficult to excuse how they’ve done things here. Heck, they don’t even specify who’s talking for the subtitles they do have in cutscenes.
Outside of particular subtitle grievances, there are just a few other very odd changes. Checkpoints range from either comically frequent to bizarrely rare depending on the mission, and I’m not sure I’m a fan of how it’ll bump you back to a checkpoint beyond the one you’re currently at if you die enough times. Level design is usually pretty good, but the lack of objective markers can get very annoying with how open some levels are and how poor the game can be at relaying your mission objectives to you (as earlier mentioned with the subtitles thing). There’s even the most baffling point that the game has no option to turn off *rumble* of all things. I’ve got bad joints in my, well, everywhere, hands included, so I prefer to turn off rumble. It is absolutely unimaginable to me that a game published by Microsoft in 2010 for their biggest flagship series lacks a feature so basic there’s virtually no game of the previous console generation that is without it.
I’ve rambled a lot about stuff here that’s fairly particular to me, and I’ll be the first to admit that most of it is quite minor complaints. However, with how big my other grievances with the game have been, the subtitles, objective markers, and rumble stuff are just insult to injury. The whole game feels so clumsily put together at times, which is just so inexplicable to me given where Halo was in importance to not just Microsoft, but the gaming landscape as a whole at the time.
The presentation is very... Halo, I suppose? XD. The music is really good, and frankly it often felt *too* good for the action/scenes it was accompanying. The graphics and such look quite good and Halo-y though, even if I’m sure no small part of that is the shot in the arm that they’re getting from the Xbone version enhancements. This has all of the fixin’s that Halo is usually known for in its aesthetics and music though, so it really doesn’t disappoint in that regard whatsoever.
Verdict: Hesitantly Recommended. This was a really hard verdict to come to. At least some of my lukewarm reception to this game was definitely down to it just not being my cup of tea, but there’s also so much weak or underwhelming design in other places that I can’t cut it *that* much slack in good conscience. If you already care a lot about Halo, then I’m sure that this is a great entry in the series (and I’m sure the multiplayer was and is great fun too), but as far as a stand-alone campaign experience is concerned, this will likely leave you sorely wanting compared to modern or even other contemporary alternatives. The note I’ll end this on is that, as much as I’ve had incredibly varied and mixed times with Battlefield, Resistance, or even Killzone games up to this point, I’ve still got quite a bit of curiosity to keep exploring those series to see what makes them tick. Halo: Reach, however, was an experience so middling that it actually made me cancel my plans to pick up more Halo games to play after this, and I think that sentiment is so damning that it adequately speaks for itself.
I identify everyone via avatar, so if you change your avatar, I genuinely might completely forget who you are. -- Me
Re: Games Beaten 2024
1. Lufia & the Fortress of Doom (SNES)
2. OutRun 2 SP (PS2)
3. Dynamite Cop (DC)*
4. Soul Calibur (DC)*
5. Melfand Stories (SFC)
6. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES)
7. Dynamite Cop (Arcade)*
8. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (PS2)
9. Kishin Douji Zenki FX: Vajra Fight (PC-FX)
10. Wild Arms (PS1)
11. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (GBC)
12. Lucky & Wild (Arcade)
13. Ico (PS2)
14. Champions of Norrath (PS2)
15. OutRunners (GEN)
16. Final Fantasy Adventure (GB)
17. OverBlood (PS1)
18. Parasite Eve (PS1)
19. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS1)
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a title I missed out on when originally released. My original PS1's laser went out after a few years, so there were some later released PS1 games I ended up not picking up or getting a chance to check out at the time. I was a huge fan of the first game in the series, and after beating the second about two years ago, I wanted to make an effort to finish the original trilogy. So for some Halloween themed survival horror gaming in October, this one was high on my list. I'm very glad to say I have finally beat the original RE trilogy.
In Resident Evil 3, you control Jill Valentine, the heroine from the original game, and you'll have to travel throughout various areas of Raccoon City to try to escape the zombie filled hellscape. From my understanding, this game's events take place around the same time as Resident Evil 2, within a day or so. In the first two games, you have the chance to play through scenarios from two different characters' perspectives, which piece together the full story. In comparison, there is only one main scenario in RE3. However, you will get a chance to control a second character later in the game.
RE3 features a few new additional mechanics that I found to be very useful during the game. The first is a dodge mechanic, which is executed by pressing R1 the moment an enemy attacks you. This mechanic was probably my favorite out of the new ones, as I used it a lot in the late game, when there are some tougher and quick enemies and mini-bosses going after you. The next new mechanic is the 180'-turn, which enables you to quickly turn around to focus on something that was just behind you. Lastly, you have the ability to create your own ammo by mixing different gunpowder items throughout the game. I found this to be useful too, because you could create what you needed, as opposed to having to search for it. I mostly used this to create freeze rounds and acid rounds for the grenade launcher. There is one other minor control change here, as you no longer need to press the action button to go up and down stairs. Lastly, there are various sequences in RE3, where the game stops for a moment, and a live selection menu comes up to choose your next action, similar to a quick time event. Your choice will impact what path you take moving forward, so that adds some replay value.
Another unique feature of RE3 is how you encounter your main enemy throughout the episode, Nemesis. He will randomly pop up throughout the game, and you have the choice to either try to take him down or to escape. There are certain battles later in the game where you'll have no choice but to fight him. Throughout the earlier sections, I mostly ran from Nemesis, but as I got better weapons and loaded up with freeze rounds, I began taking Nemesis down. I found the dodge mechanic to be very useful in your battles against old Nemesis, as you'll be stuck engaging with him in some tight corridors, where it's tough to avoid his powerful attacks. If you play on Hard mode and choose to fight Nemesis, he will drop different parts that can be used to create powerful weapons. I found the handling of Nemesis and the random encounters with him to be pretty tense, and I think the development team did a great job with this.
Graphics wise, the game has a similar look to the first two, with the pre-rendered backgrounds, stationary camera, and 3D character models. However, the models for the playable characters and enemies are dialed up and are a nice improvement over the earlier titles in the series. Music wise, the team here did a great job and there are some atmospheric and haunting tunes. Some of my favorites are the music that plays during the hospital sequence, and the music that comes on during the last sequences prior to the fight with the final boss. Also, it's cool to hear a tune or two from the first two games.
Overall, I think Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a great game and worthy of your time. While, I still consider RE1 my favorite game in the series, due to how mind blowing it was when first released, and RE2 to be a little better plot wise because of the additional scenario, RE3 adds some great new mechanics and the approach to Nemesis brings another layer of terror and dread into the mix. I definitely recommend RE3: Nemesis for survival horror fans or those seeking out the best the PS1 has to offer. Check this one out!
2. OutRun 2 SP (PS2)
3. Dynamite Cop (DC)*
4. Soul Calibur (DC)*
5. Melfand Stories (SFC)
6. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES)
7. Dynamite Cop (Arcade)*
8. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (PS2)
9. Kishin Douji Zenki FX: Vajra Fight (PC-FX)
10. Wild Arms (PS1)
11. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (GBC)
12. Lucky & Wild (Arcade)
13. Ico (PS2)
14. Champions of Norrath (PS2)
15. OutRunners (GEN)
16. Final Fantasy Adventure (GB)
17. OverBlood (PS1)
18. Parasite Eve (PS1)
19. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS1)
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a title I missed out on when originally released. My original PS1's laser went out after a few years, so there were some later released PS1 games I ended up not picking up or getting a chance to check out at the time. I was a huge fan of the first game in the series, and after beating the second about two years ago, I wanted to make an effort to finish the original trilogy. So for some Halloween themed survival horror gaming in October, this one was high on my list. I'm very glad to say I have finally beat the original RE trilogy.
In Resident Evil 3, you control Jill Valentine, the heroine from the original game, and you'll have to travel throughout various areas of Raccoon City to try to escape the zombie filled hellscape. From my understanding, this game's events take place around the same time as Resident Evil 2, within a day or so. In the first two games, you have the chance to play through scenarios from two different characters' perspectives, which piece together the full story. In comparison, there is only one main scenario in RE3. However, you will get a chance to control a second character later in the game.
RE3 features a few new additional mechanics that I found to be very useful during the game. The first is a dodge mechanic, which is executed by pressing R1 the moment an enemy attacks you. This mechanic was probably my favorite out of the new ones, as I used it a lot in the late game, when there are some tougher and quick enemies and mini-bosses going after you. The next new mechanic is the 180'-turn, which enables you to quickly turn around to focus on something that was just behind you. Lastly, you have the ability to create your own ammo by mixing different gunpowder items throughout the game. I found this to be useful too, because you could create what you needed, as opposed to having to search for it. I mostly used this to create freeze rounds and acid rounds for the grenade launcher. There is one other minor control change here, as you no longer need to press the action button to go up and down stairs. Lastly, there are various sequences in RE3, where the game stops for a moment, and a live selection menu comes up to choose your next action, similar to a quick time event. Your choice will impact what path you take moving forward, so that adds some replay value.
Another unique feature of RE3 is how you encounter your main enemy throughout the episode, Nemesis. He will randomly pop up throughout the game, and you have the choice to either try to take him down or to escape. There are certain battles later in the game where you'll have no choice but to fight him. Throughout the earlier sections, I mostly ran from Nemesis, but as I got better weapons and loaded up with freeze rounds, I began taking Nemesis down. I found the dodge mechanic to be very useful in your battles against old Nemesis, as you'll be stuck engaging with him in some tight corridors, where it's tough to avoid his powerful attacks. If you play on Hard mode and choose to fight Nemesis, he will drop different parts that can be used to create powerful weapons. I found the handling of Nemesis and the random encounters with him to be pretty tense, and I think the development team did a great job with this.
Graphics wise, the game has a similar look to the first two, with the pre-rendered backgrounds, stationary camera, and 3D character models. However, the models for the playable characters and enemies are dialed up and are a nice improvement over the earlier titles in the series. Music wise, the team here did a great job and there are some atmospheric and haunting tunes. Some of my favorites are the music that plays during the hospital sequence, and the music that comes on during the last sequences prior to the fight with the final boss. Also, it's cool to hear a tune or two from the first two games.
Overall, I think Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a great game and worthy of your time. While, I still consider RE1 my favorite game in the series, due to how mind blowing it was when first released, and RE2 to be a little better plot wise because of the additional scenario, RE3 adds some great new mechanics and the approach to Nemesis brings another layer of terror and dread into the mix. I definitely recommend RE3: Nemesis for survival horror fans or those seeking out the best the PS1 has to offer. Check this one out!