Games Beaten 2018

Post by **Arenegeth** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 3:52 pm

PartridgeSenpai wrote:The game is hardly a failure. [url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/22/pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-and-eevee-break-switch-sales-record-2]The game sold 3 million units in its first week

Yeah and? Why should I care? Am I getting dividends? Why should you (or the fans) care for that matter if the game isn't what you wanted? Or assuming it is what you wanted, as an indication of getting more of it in the future? Sure, you can care about it that way, but why else? What is it to you if game A or game B sells well or not?

PartridgeSenpai wrote:but trying to paint Let's Go as any kind of commercial failure is just ignoring reality.

I agree, who's doing that? Most fans, from what I read anyway, don't seem to account the game's commercial success at all, probably because it doesn't really concern them, if they do, is as an indication of future games getting the same treatment, but I haven't read every fan account out there I'm sure some of them are saying all sorts of silly things.

Post by **prfsnl_gmr** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 8:29 pm

First 50

51. Knightmare Tower (iOS)
52. 80s Overdrive (3DS)
53. Hitman Go (iOS)
54. Deus Ex Go (iOS)
55. Ecco the Dolphin (Genesis)
56. Double Dragon IV (iOS)
57. Double Dragon Neon (PS3)
58. Double Dragon (GB)
59. Shadow Tower (PS1)
60. Double Dragon 3: The Sacred Stones (NES)
61. Double Dragon II (GB)
62. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap (SMS)
63. Legend of the Dark Witch Ep. 2 The Price of Desire (3DS)
64. Wonder Boy in Monster World (Genesis)
65. Costume Quest 2 (PS3)
66. Resident Evil (NDS)
67. Pang Adventures (iOS)
68. Resident Evil Deadly Silence (NDS)
69. Cube Escape: Paradox (iOS)
70. Time Soldiers (Arcade)
71. The Dynastic Hero (TG16)
72. Monster World IV (Genesis)
73. Rush (Wii U)

Rush is a puzzle game by Two Tribes, the now-defunct developers of Toki Tori. It plays a lot like Sega’s Chu Chu Rocket in that you guide moving blocks through a maze to a goal by placing tiles that change the blocks’ trajectory. It complicates the formula, however, by literally adding another dimension to the puzzles. Whereas the mice in Chu Chu Rocket need only navigate 2D puzzles, the blocks in Rush must frequently navigate mazes on multiple levels. This increases the challenge significantly. The game starts out easy enough, but the “hard” and bonus levels are a real challenge. Thankfully, the game has a generous hint system; so, you don’t have to be stuck too long on any puzzle. (I felt guilt using them, but I confess I used some to finish the game.) The game also has nice, clean, spare graphics and a relaxing soundtrack.

Finally, the game has some killer bonus content. Specifically, GLaDOS from Portal can invade your game and, if she does so and you manage to beat the puzzle without hints, you unlock the “actual challenge” levels. GLaDOS taunts you at beginning and end of each level with lines like, “For the record, you don’t have to breathe through your mouth the whole time you’re trying to solve the test.” :lol:

The blocks rolling to the goal are also replaced with companion cubes. The levels are also exceptionally difficult, and hints are completely disabled. I was able to beat one of them, but I confess to consulting walkthroughs for the rest. (Even with a step-by-step guide some of these levels are so intricate that they’re still difficult to beat...). There is also some holiday bonus content too that I discovered quite by accident. (The levels are remixed; the blocks are replaced by presents; and I have until January 3 to beat them.)

Overall, the game is very good, and I respect its design immensely. The inclusion of so much bonus content is also pretty great, and the game is frequently on sale for as little as $0.50(!), making it a tremendous value. (I think it is on sale right now, actually.) That said, I never found it to be that much fun for some reason, and I also found it very easy to put down in favor of something else. I really had to force my way to the end, and that fact explains why, despite starting the game in 2016, I just now beat it.

.....

With Rush down, the only “carry over” games I have left are Alto’s Adventure and Affordable Space Adventures. I spent some more time with Alto’s Adventure - I’ve been playing it on and off since 2015 - but it’s clear I’m not going to beat it. (I made some progress, though!) I need to talk my wife into helping me with Affordable Space Adventures., which is one of the best co-op games ever. I think we’re close to the end, and I may be able to finish it by the end of the year too.

Post by **BoneSnapDeez** » Sun Dec 16, 2018 10:10 am

Good review.

I gotta admit, when I'm looking in the eShop and find games consisting of "shapes" I usually keep scrolling...

Post by **ElkinFencer10** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 8:26 am

Games Beaten in 2018 So Far - 100
* denotes a replay

January (16 Games Beaten)

February (18 Games Beaten)

March (10 Games Beaten)

April (7 Games Beaten)

May (6 Games Beaten)

June (20 Games Beaten)

July (8 Games Beaten)

August (4 Games Beaten)

September (1 Game Beaten)

October (6 Games Beaten)

November (2 Games Beaten)

December (2 Games Beaten)

100. Super Smash Bros Ultimate - Switch - December 10

I'm not the world's biggest fan of Super Smash Bros. The obnoxiously toxic competitive scene (which includes a couple of my friends - you know who you are) kind of ruined it for me. When I bought Smash Ultimate, I did so out of a bizarre feeling of obligation more than anything else. As an avid Switch fan, a collector, and a Nintendo fanboy, I felt like I HAD to buy Smash. Turns out, though, the title "Super Smash Bros Ultimate" is quite fitting as this truly is the best of the five Smash games.

Normally any "single player" in Smash is kind of an afterthought. Brawl made a solid effort with Subspace Emissary, but even then, it was clearly never the focus. Ultimate is different. The adventure mode in Ultimate is a fully fleshed out single player that could easily stand alone as its own game. It kept me busy for around 30 hours, and that's longer than I spend on a lot of full price retail games these days. In addition to that, each of the more than 70 characters has their own unique classic mode. All of that is in addition to the standard local and online multiplayer that Smash is known for. It really feels like they tried to balance the expected multiplayer aspect with a legitimately great single player, and for that, I give some major props.

The adventure mode in Ultimate has you go through a fairly large map fighting TONS of matches against clones of the heroes that have been possessed by spirits (basically replacing the trophies from Melee). Each match you win frees a spirit which you can use to customize a spirit team that enhances your fighting abilities. You can have your fighter start off with a beam sword, start off giant, do extra damage to metal enemies, etc. It adds a TON of options for varying approaches. They also added a Fire Emblem style type triangle to the "primary" spirits that dictate your type so to speak; Attack spirits beat out Grab spirits, Grab spirits beat out Defense spirits, and Defense spirits beat out Attack spirits. There's also a Neutral type that's neither strong to nor weak against any type. Very much like Fire Emblem's Sword > Axe, Axe > Spear, Spear > Sword with magic being the neutral equivalent (before they added the magic triangle). Through adventure mode, you can unlock all of the game's characters, and there are three different endings you can get.

The standard multiplayer Smash mode is exactly what you'd expect; up to eight fighters with a TON of playable characters and a TON of stage options. It's nothing new or exciting aside from a few new items, but it doesn't have to be. They perfected the formula back in Melee; all they've had to do since then is add characters and stages. In that regard, they hit the nail on the head. The toxic competitive try-hards are whining about how they need to nerf this character or buff that character, but speaking as someone who plays Smash to have fun and not stroke my e-peen, it's fine. I mean, I also said that about Brawl, so take that for what it's worth, but if you're just trying to enjoy the game and not turn into CS:GO levels of competitive BS, it's great.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate really is the "ultimate" Smash Bros. Every aspect of this game is clearly carefully crafted. The single player is a truly fantastic experience that could easily stand on its own as an independent game. The fact that the multiplayer remains as masterful as ever makes this about as truly perfect a game as Smash has ever been. This is the perfect Smash package and a definite must-have for all Switch owners.

Post by **noiseredux** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:09 am

I'm not a big Smash fan, but the amount of praise from every kind of gamer does have me interested in Ultimate. Not to mention all the content. I downloaded the demo of the 3DS game to sort of get in a Smashy place, so we'll see.

Post by **PartridgeSenpai** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 4:57 pm

Partridge Senpai's 2018 Beaten Games:
Previously: 2016 2017
* indicates a repeat

1-20

21-40

41-60

61. Iconoclasts (Steam)
62. Serial Cleaner (Twitch)
63. Silent Hill: Book of Memories (PSVita)
64. Hokuto Ga Gotoku [Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise] (PS4)
65. Pokemon Picross (3DS)
66. 3D Picross: Round 2 (3DS)
67. Vampyr (PS4)
68. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)

69. Slime-San (Steam)

This is a game I got as a part of this year's Jingle Jam Humble Bundle, and I got about halfway through it while waiting for Smash Bros to arrive two Fridays ago. Not wanting to leave a job unfinished, I sat down this morning and went through the last 50 levels. I played with a 360 gamepad and got all the apples in the main adventure, and it took me about 6 hours.

Slime-San is a Meat Boy-like platformer through and through to the point where I don't think it'd be entirely unfair to call it a "clone." A series of levels with an often out-of-the-way apple (like Meat Boy's bandages) to collect, and a speed-run time on each stage as well (also like Meta Boy). However, Slime-San has levels which are a series of 4 stages, each stage having its own apple but all 4 sharing one collective time goal (which can be insanely annoying if there's just ONE tough section near the end of a stage so you need to do the entire set of levels over again to get the time goal). The time trial stuff and apples are totally optional though. While Slime can wall-jump like Meat Boy, Slime can also slow-down time as well as do a dash. Slowing down time also causes Slime to go translucent and can pass through green objects. This differentiates Slime-San's playstyle pretty significantly from Meat Boy, and given the TONS of stages in Slime-San, there is plenty here to enjoy if this is more your style than Meat Boy.

The only things I wasn't so hot on are the smaller nuances of the platforming, which is really make or break for a game in this genre. Stages are filled with neutral platforms as well as both green and red. Slime can pass through the green platforms (as well as green enemies) whenever he goes translucent/slows down time. Combine this with how some enemies and platforms can disappear/reappear when you are or aren't slowing down time. Part of why the game can be frustrating at times is because you need to keep track of SO much stuff (especially when you have a deadly ghost following you, tracking your movements), part of it is because the 360 D-pad was absolutely trash as usual, but the last aggrivating part can be the ambiguous hit-boxes on platforms as well as Slime. There were MANY times where it seemed Slime would have a very generously small hit-box, and other times where he'd just skim along platforms but not actually get a jump off of them, or be so suddenly big that he'd die by touching a bad platform I could've sworn was pretty far away from the hit-box. Bad controller aside, Slime's floaty movement combined with his weird hit-box made the game a lot more aggrivating at times than it needed to be (especially as dashing up is often needed in harder stages to act as a second jump, and a finnicky/unclear character hit-box makes that a LOT harder :/ ).

The presentation of the game is fantastic. The music is great and the game has a kind of alt-Gameboy retro pallette going on. Lots of pretty pixel art done with only a few shades (although not genuinely monochrome) of green and red. There are also tons of little indie game characters and other references, sometimes genuine and sometimes changed just enough to be legal XD, that are fun to find around the game and the little city-area that you can muck around in between levels.

Verdict: Hesitantly Recommended. Perhaps all the negative control elements would be solved playing this with a Switch Pro Controller or something, but I'm fairly sure the faults in the mechanics of this aren't entirely down to my controller. It's a fine game and you'll probably enjoy it if you like this genre, but existing in such a crowded genre (especially on PC), you'll probably have a better time with something like Celeste or Super Meat Boy if you haven't already played those and just wanna check out his genre.

Post by **ElkinFencer10** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:23 am

Games Beaten in 2018 So Far - 101
* denotes a replay

January (16 Games Beaten)

February (18 Games Beaten)

March (10 Games Beaten)

April (7 Games Beaten)

May (6 Games Beaten)

June (20 Games Beaten)

July (8 Games Beaten)

August (4 Games Beaten)

September (1 Game Beaten)

October (6 Games Beaten)

November (2 Games Beaten)

December (3 Games Beaten)

101. Starlink: Battle for Atlas - Switch - December 16

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is perhaps the biggest surprise of 2018 for me. I originally bought it because it was on sale for like $30 on Amazon and had a sweet Arwing model to go along with the Switch-exclusive Starfox content. I thought it was just going to be a stupid toys-to-life cash grab...and it somewhat is. If you buy it physical, it's a total rip-off; you can easily spend close to if not more than $200 on the various ship, pilot, and weapon models. Granted, they're pretty decent quality and look pretty cool, but considering that you can get almost everything digitally if you buy the $60 digital edition...yeah, that's definitely the way to go.

The premise of Starlink is that you're part of a crew of humans on the first interstellar starship bound for the Atlas system in search of the homeworld of Judge, an alien who crashed on Earth. When you get to Atlas, you discover that a race known as the Legion has taken control of the system's seven planets (there used to be eight planets, but then it exploded. It never really explains why) and are attempting to exterminate the native species and drain the planets of electrum, the resource that serves as both energy and currency for Atlas. You then being your quest to pew-pew your way through the star system, murdering countless Legion and conquering/liberating the planets of Atlas. Then, if you're playing on Switch, you can go blow up Wolf because why not?

The missions themselves are pretty cut and dry for the most part, but the majority of my gameplay consisted of scouring every planet to get my discovery percentage to 100 because for some reason, this is one of the few games that captivated me enough to bother 100%ing it. You go through each planet to discover each planet's four biological samples, three unique fauna species, and freeing all of the various ruins and outposts from Legion control. There are also imp hives to destroy (imps are like the Legion's ankle-biter grunt soldiers), Legion Extractors to destroy (they spawn Legion enemies), and eventually Legion Primes to destroy. There's also a "wonder" on each planet that have an exceptionally strong enemy with its small entourage, but if you defeat these enemies, you unlock a "Relic" ship enhancement.

The big selling point for the game is the ability to customize your ship, and aside from the hella pricey physical ship and weapon options, the game does a really good job of giving you a ton of options (just buy it digitally for the sake of your wallet). There are five main weapon types - fire, ice, gravity, stasis, and kinetic. Fire and ice are effective against one another, gravity and stasis are effective against one another, and kinetic is kind of neutral to everything; it's nothing's weakness, but nothing is strong against it, either. If you play on Switch and pilot the Arwing with no weapons attached, you get another option - the Arwing's standard laser cannons. They're not overwhelmingly powerful, and they can't be modified with weapon upgrades, but they pack enough punch to be viable, and there's not much that looks more badass in a space battle. Othwerise, though, there are 19 weapon options, and you can attach a weapon to each of your ship's two wings. You can also Frankenstein up to three wings on one side of your ship, but they just sort of stack onto one another awkwardly making a single sort of chimera wing; you can still only have two weapons equipped.

The neat thing about the physical aspect of the game, rip off though it may be, is that you can make changes on the fly. Find that your weapons aren't working in the middle of a fight? Just pull the weapons off of the figure attached to your controller and slap different ones on there. It changes immediately in the game to reflect the change. Of course, you can also pause the game and do all of this in the menu which is how it needs to be done if you buy the game digitally, but it's pretty cool to see the weapons and ship configuration change immediately. With that said, though, it's not really necessary for you to have all of the weapons unless you're trying to 100% the game. It definitely makes it a ton easier to have ice weapons to use against fire enemies, but it's not necessary. I was able to kill fire enemies with fire weapons, and I used a shotgun in space. It's just harder. Of course, you could always just go with Fox's lasers and pew-pew your enemies to death.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an infinitely more legitimate game than I ever expected when I first saw it advertised, and the digital option makes the toys-to-life money pit completely optional. There are a couple of ships and weapons that aren't available digitally (yet at least), but the digital version has a ton of content and configuration options. I really expected to hate it, but I ended up absolutely loving it. My biggest complaint with the game is that the tutorial was really hit or miss. Some features and mechanics are never explained at all and really could have used a tutorial whereas there are some things that are explained over and over again every single time. Pick up a rare piece of salvage? Doesn't matter if it's the first time or the hundredth time, the game will remind you that Prospectors will pay you a bunch for it. Try to use a shotgun in space? Every single freaking time, Razor's stupid face appears on your screen telling you to try a different weapon because the shotgun doesn't have the range needed for space. Like, shut up, woman. I'm an adult; I do what I want. Other than those frustrations, though, I absolutely adored my time with this game.

Post by **noiseredux** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 9:12 am

I got back to Starlink myself this week, as I still haven't beaten it. I got annoyed though because I'm on a mission quest where I need to build an armory on a planet but I don't have enough um "Nova" to do so and I can't remember how to generate more. I have enough "Electrum," though. I actually really do like this game as well, but unlike you I find some of the planetary missions kind of a drag and just want to get on with it.

Post by **ElkinFencer10** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 2:43 pm

noiseredux wrote:I got back to Starlink myself this week, as I still haven't beaten it. I got annoyed though because I'm on a mission quest where I need to build an armory on a planet but I don't have enough um "Nova" to do so and I can't remember how to generate more. I have enough "Electrum," though. I actually really do like this game as well, but unlike you I find some of the planetary missions kind of a drag and just want to get on with it.

Sell an excavator core or unlock an electrum rush era chest. I know selling excavator cores gets you one nova, and I think you get one or two from those electrum rush chests. You also get two or three for clearing out an outlaw base in space and opening the chest inside.

Post by **noiseredux** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 2:54 pm

you can sell stuff...? Haha. I feel like there's a lot of systems in this game that I'm not even aware of. I don't really spend much time in the menus. I don't really even mess around with all the ship mods or upgrades or whatever. I'm sure I'm doing myself a disservice. And I'm not sure if it's that the game doesn't explain things well enough, or if I'm just not absorbing it because I've been playing it in spurts between other games so I'm forgetting how a lot of things work.

racketboy.com

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