Games Beaten 2015

Post by **MrPopo** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 3:31 pm

First 50:

Second 50:

101. Alien Isolation - PC
102. Medal of Honor Allied Assault - Spearhead - PC
103. Medal of Honor Allied Assault - Breakthrough - PC
104. Castlevania Bloodlines - Genesis
105. MechWarrior 3: Pirate's Moon - PC
106. Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption - PC
107. Star Fox Assault - GCN
108. Contraption Maker - PC
109. Panzer Dragoon - Saturn

Well, this was much better than Star Fox Assault, though I think I prefer the other Star Fox games more. Panzer Dragoon is quite short and is both hard and easy at the same time. The difficulty comes from how hard it is to read and dodge enemy attacks. Whereas in Star Fox you had fast moving lasers you could roll through and slow moving other projectiles you had to dodge, in Panzer Dragoon your only way to avoid damage is to dodge or kill the enemy before they fire. And most enemy projectiles are quite fast and shot at a close range. So your first time through the level is going to be quite difficult, but the second tome is much, much easier, as you know where enemies are coming from and which ones you need to worry about.

Speaking of, the most interesting thing the game does is the 360 degree mechanic. Your default view is your standard rail shooter, but you can hit the shoulder buttons to have your dragon auto fly while you turn around and shoot stuff to the sides and rear of you. This is heavily integrated into the gameplay and mastering it and focusing on your radar is essential. Since you can't control your dragon during this time it's even more essential that you kill everything right away. In addition to standard shots you also have a lock on; this differs from Star Fox 64's in that you can lock on to up to eight(?) targets at once. Some enemies have multiple lock on points to get more damage on them. The Panzer Dragoon lock on is about managing the number of enemies, while the Star Fox 64 lock on was about combos.

The bosses are fairly interesting, with some being best killed with rapid shots (the Saturn controller is fantastic for this, tap all three fingers on the three fire buttons) and others best killed with your lock on. The annoying thing is that some bosses would get into a pattern, and then if you depleted their HP to the point that would trigger their next pattern they become invulnerable until they finish that pattern. The stage one boss launching its missiles comes to mind.

HLTB · Post by **Xeogred** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 4:56 pm

1. Tomb Raider Definitive Edition (PS4)
2. Demon's Souls* NG+++ (PS3) [PLATINUM]
3. Castlevania (WiiUVC)
4. Dragon Age Inquisition (PS4)
5. Super Castlevania 4* (WiiUVC)
6. Castlevania Rondo of Blood (WiiVC)
7. Castlevania 3 Dracula's Curse (WiiUVC)
8. Castlevania Dracula X (WiiUVC)
9. Castlevania Adventure Rebirth (Wii)
10. Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes (PS4)
11. Castlevania Bloodlines (Gen/Emu)
12. Castlevania Chronicles (PSN)
13. Donkey Kong Country* (WiiUVC)
14. Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance (WiiUVC)
15. Super Ghouls n' Ghosts (WiiUVC)
16. Castlevania Aria of Sorrow* (WiiUVC)
17. Bloodborne NG++ (PS4) [PLATINUM]
18. Sonic & Knuckles* (PS3)
19. Donkey Kong Country 2* (WiiUVC)
20. Sonic the Hedgehog 3* (PS3)
21. Mortal Kombat X (PS4)
22. Donkey Kong Country 3* (WiiUVC)
23. Sonic the Hedgehog 2* (PS3)
24. Sonic the Hedgehog* (PS3)
25. Ratchet & Clank Crack in Time* (PS3) [PLATINUM]
26. Dark Souls 2* NG++ (PS4) [PLATINUM]
27. Ratchet & Clank Into the Nexus (PS3) [PLATINUM]
28. Jak & Daxter Precursor Legacy HD (PS3) [PLATINUM]
29. Infamous 2 (PS3)
30. DuckTales Remastered (WiiU)
31. Yakuza 3 (PS3)
32. Borderlands 2 (PC)
33. Suikoden* (PSX)
34. Suikoden 2* (PSX)
35. Suikoden 3 (PS2)
36. Resident Evil Dead Aim (PS2)
37. Silent Hill 3* (PS2)
38. Silent Hill 2* (PS2)
39. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PS4)
40. Metal Gear (PS3)
41. Metal Gear Solid* (PSX)
42. Metal Gear 2 (LP)
43. Outlast (PC)
44. Amnesia A Machine for Pigs (PC)
45. Thief (2014) (PC)
46. Dishonored* (PC)
47. Doom 64* EX (PC)
48. Sonic CD* (PS3)
49. Fallout 4 (PS4) [PLATINUM]
50. The Lost Vikings* (Genesis)
51. Bloodborne: The Old Hunters (PS4)
52. Rayman Legends (WiiU)

Have to be honest, I didn't love it, though I didn't hate it. I saw some credits, only had 200 some blue guys out of 700+, but I'm done.

People knock on the DKC games or the Returns series for the controls, which I don't get, but well I guess this is my choice for ultra slippery and annoying controls. I tend to hold down run buttons in all sidescrolling games, but the way it works here is completely weird. Holding the button down makes his momentum instantly faster from standing still. There's just a lot I didn't like about the controls.

Music didn't stand out at all and I didn't care too much for the art style.

This isn't a knock on the Wii U version, but the Murphy AI bugged the heck out of me. Had to restart to a few checkpoints because he would get stuck or something.

Overall, this is more of a twitch trial and error fast paced kind of platformer, and I don't think I'm a fan of that style.

6/10.

Post by **Sarge** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 6:02 pm

January:

February:

March:

Previous undated:

100) Metal Slug 5 (via Metal Slug Anthology on Wii)
101) Metal Slug X (via Steam on PC)
102) Street Fighter X Tekken (Vita, Hardest, Ken/Ryu)

So I finally got SFxT. Pretty decent, even if I didn't use all the techniques available. I slid by on specials and abusing spacing and foot sweeps. It worked reasonably well against everyone but the grapplers. I hate Zangief with a passion, on the highest difficulties he's a shoto-stopper for sure. I'd love to learn to properly utilize his grappling game, honestly. It did work on the last boss, but the spacing was even more important there, because he'd nail you if you jumped in too deep, so my cross-ups were out of play, and anything that didn't chain very well went out the window. I honestly resorted to a lot of hard kick jump-ins from distance straight into a hard kick sweep, and I won by timing him out both times.

Vita version seems to run mostly fine, just a few framerate hiccups here and there. It only set me back $8 new, and if I ever get the PS3 version, I can redeem the DLC to get all the fighters in that as well. Not a bad deal, honestly.

Also, I don't know how the original Vita handles, but the d-pad on the new model is really nice. A good, clicky feel, almost like the original DS, and I loved that d-pad. It controlled extremely well for a game that demands it. I'm still adjusting to some of the layout, but I'm getting there.

I also snagged a few other Vita games on the cheap: The Wolf Among Us for $4, Walking Dead: Season 2 for $6, Freedom Wars for $6, and Borderlands 2 for $6. Not a bad haul for unopened games.

Website · Post by **BogusMeatFactory** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 7:30 pm

Xeogred wrote:Have to be honest, I didn't love it, though I didn't hate it. I saw some credits, only had 200 some blue guys out of 700+, but I'm done.

People knock on the DKC games or the Returns series for the controls, which I don't get, but well I guess this is my choice for ultra slippery and annoying controls. I tend to hold down run buttons in all sidescrolling games, but the way it works here is completely weird. Holding the button down makes his momentum instantly faster from standing still. There's just a lot I didn't like about the controls.

Music didn't stand out at all and I didn't care too much for the art style.

This isn't a knock on the Wii U version, but the Murphy AI bugged the heck out of me. Had to restart to a few checkpoints because he would get stuck or something.

Overall, this is more of a twitch trial and error fast paced kind of platformer, and I don't think I'm a fan of that style.

6/10.

I do feel like Rayman Legends needs to be played Co-Op with the second player as Murphey. I feel like a lot of the fun is communicating together and working as a team to overcome obstacles. The amount of fun you can have is definitely diminishing if you are playing solo. As for the music not standing out? Those musical stages are just plain awesome and I don't know how you couldn't find them charming. That's ok though! I loved to hear your thoughts on it!

HLTB · Post by **Xeogred** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 7:34 pm

BogusMeatFactory wrote:
Xeogred wrote:Have to be honest, I didn't love it, though I didn't hate it. I saw some credits, only had 200 some blue guys out of 700+, but I'm done.

People knock on the DKC games or the Returns series for the controls, which I don't get, but well I guess this is my choice for ultra slippery and annoying controls. I tend to hold down run buttons in all sidescrolling games, but the way it works here is completely weird. Holding the button down makes his momentum instantly faster from standing still. There's just a lot I didn't like about the controls.

Music didn't stand out at all and I didn't care too much for the art style.

This isn't a knock on the Wii U version, but the Murphy AI bugged the heck out of me. Had to restart to a few checkpoints because he would get stuck or something.

Overall, this is more of a twitch trial and error fast paced kind of platformer, and I don't think I'm a fan of that style.

6/10.

I do feel like Rayman Legends needs to be played Co-Op with the second player as Murphey. I feel like a lot of the fun is communicating together and working as a team to overcome obstacles. The amount of fun you can have is definitely diminishing if you are playing solo. As for the music not standing out? Those musical stages are just plain awesome and I don't know how you couldn't find them charming. That's ok though! I loved to hear your thoughts on it!

I meant to mention that I actually loved the musical stages... and the frantic twitch gameplay made sense in those stages!

Yeah it does seem like something that'd be more fun with friends. So until then!

Post by **Markies** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 7:50 pm

I beat Legend of Mana on the Playstation 1 this afternoon!

Secret of Mana was one of my favorite games that I played recently, so I was incredibly excited to play this one as well. I know the games have very little to do with each other, but it was still fun to go through the series. I had heard mixed reactions to this game and I can see why. At the beginning, there is very little explanation. In a matter of minutes, you can make a mistake that will haunt you for the rest of the game. There is nothing in discussing the missions or how to go about them or even what to do.

However, once you figure what to do, the game is incredible. The art style and graphics are simply top notch and some of the best on the console. The music is phenomenal and really adds to the storybook atmosphere. I really loved discovering new places and figuring out each quest that I would find. I would say the overarching story is rather weak and the combat can be a little iffy at times as well.

But, the game can be a joy to play. It's not easy to get into and takes a little work, so follow a good Walkthrough. Once you really get into it, the game is addicting and just a real joy to play through.

Post by **MrPopo** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 8:26 pm

First 50:

Second 50:

101. Alien Isolation - PC
102. Medal of Honor Allied Assault - Spearhead - PC
103. Medal of Honor Allied Assault - Breakthrough - PC
104. Castlevania Bloodlines - Genesis
105. MechWarrior 3: Pirate's Moon - PC
106. Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption - PC
107. Star Fox Assault - GCN
108. Contraption Maker - PC
109. Panzer Dragoon - Saturn
110. Hexen II - PC

The final chapter of the Serpent Riders trilogy comes to a close. Hexen II is built on the Quake engine and carries forward the design decisions from Hexen. The big new thing it adds is a level up system, wherein as you kill monsters you gain levels which will increase you stats (including health and mana) and unlock abilities. I found the abilities to be pretty superfluous on the Assassin, but maybe they're better on another character.

You still have the system of blue and green mana and weapons for each plus a super weapon that consumes from both. You still have a hub system where you need to travel back and forth across the areas to get the required items and flip switches to open your way to the boss. This game definitely had better defined bosses than Hexen. At the end of the first four hubs is one of the Horseman of the Apocalypse, and each fight is sufficiently challenging. However, I found that the bosses had far too much HP. I had to go through multiple Kraters of Might and the final boss took me a long time of dodging and shooting to kill. I think this was an overreaction to the fact that the super weapons in Hexen were able to kill the final boss in a handful of shots, especially if you used the Icon of the Defender to be invincible.

The levels are spread across four themes: Medieval Europe, Mesoamerica, Ancient Egypt, and the Roman Empire. The themes are pretty well done and lend themselves not just to different wall textures but different architecture that does a pretty good job of selling these locales. Egypt actually has a couple of decent puzzles to solve, while the rest are just "find item A and insert to slot B, that will open the way to item C, etc". One thing you'll find is there are a lot of secrets required to be found. Some walls are breakable or pushable, and sometimes switches are hidden under breakable objects. The walls that you can do stuff to end up being noticeable once you know what to look for, but on your first pass it's really easy to miss.

I feel like the game was a little less solid than Hexen, but still quite good.

HLTB · Post by **Xeogred** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 10:06 pm

Markies wrote:I beat Legend of Mana on the Playstation 1 this afternoon!

Secret of Mana was one of my favorite games that I played recently, so I was incredibly excited to play this one as well. I know the games have very little to do with each other, but it was still fun to go through the series. I had heard mixed reactions to this game and I can see why. At the beginning, there is very little explanation. In a matter of minutes, you can make a mistake that will haunt you for the rest of the game. There is nothing in discussing the missions or how to go about them or even what to do.

However, once you figure what to do, the game is incredible. The art style and graphics are simply top notch and some of the best on the console. The music is phenomenal and really adds to the storybook atmosphere. I really loved discovering new places and figuring out each quest that I would find. I would say the overarching story is rather weak and the combat can be a little iffy at times as well.

But, the game can be a joy to play. It's not easy to get into and takes a little work, so follow a good Walkthrough. Once you really get into it, the game is addicting and just a real joy to play through.

I am a huge fan of Evermore, Mana, and Densetsu 3... Legend of Mana has never sat well with me. Taking the party limit down to 2 and not having exp anymore (if I remember right???) were low blows, and the structure of the game was weird with the world building mechanics.

I've been wanting to give it another fair shot someday though, it's probably been a decade. lol

Post by **ExedExes** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 12:31 am

1. Call of Duty United Offensive Expansion Pack - PC (January 16)
2. Dead To Rights - Gamecube (January 24)
3. River City Ransom EX - GBA (February 21)
4. Call of Duty 2 - PC (February 28) (link missing due to this game's post being wiped during the great RB server move)
5. Quake - PC (March 31)
6. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - PC (April 5)
7. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon - PC (April 18)
8. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter - PC (May 19)
9. Super Puzzle Fighter II - GBA (May 23)
10. Saints Row The Third - PC (June 24)
11. Konami Krazy Racers - GBA (June 27)
12. Medal of Honor: Airborne - PC (August 13)
13. Code Name: Viper - NES (November 15)
14. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon-Desert Siege Expansion Pack - PC (November 25)
15. Grim Fandango Remastered - PC (November 30)
16. *NEW* Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike - Gamecube (December 25)

With all the Star Wars hype, I thought it was a good time to play this. Factor 5 does it again. Using the same presentation and many of the same features as Rogue Leader, in RS III you do more from each of the first three movies that you did not in the previous game, thanks to special on-foot missions that allow you to leave vehicles and go into buildings, walkers, and other places. My only issue(s) were with these stages as the cameras were fixed in many spots and the auto-aiming wasn't as as accurate as it should be. But during many of the missions, there were clips from those three movies as cutscenes which did a good job of setting up what you were doing in all of these missions. All the fighters from Rogue Leader are back, including a few new ones. Another nice bonus was the inclusion of 3 Atari Star Wars arcade games, emulated to near perfection. As I was playing this I was reading Exhuminator's not so favorable review of Rogue Leader and I'll bet he wouldn't like this game either :lol:

I can see where they went with the on-foot parts, but if that was a little better, I think the game would have been a little more enjoyable.

Post by **MrPopo** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 1:03 am

My favorite on foot mission in that game was the one where you steal the AT-AT. I like that the game just says at that point "go forth and conquer, and have fun blowing everything up".

racketboy.com

Games Beaten 2015

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Re: Games Beaten 2015