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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by marurun Fri Jan 03, 2020 1:57 pm

In Military Madness I believe you can carry some unit experience forward, and that experience can make a huge difference. So how you play early levels can alter the calculus of later levels.
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ElkinFencer10
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by ElkinFencer10 Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:28 pm

Games Beaten in 2019 So Far - 66
* denotes a replay

January (12 Games Beaten)
1. Army Men 3D - PlayStation - January 1*
2. Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished - NES - January 4
3. Mega Man - NES - January 6
4. Mega Man 2 - NES - January 6
5. Mega Man 3 - NES - January 6
6. Mega Man 4 - NES - January 7
7. Dr. Discord's Conquest - NES - January 7
8. Mega Man 5 - NES - January 26
9. Just Cause 3 - PlayStation 4 - January 26
10. Mega Man 6 - NES - January 27
11. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight - Vita - January 27
12. Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space - PlayStation 2 - January 27


February (2 Games Beaten)
13. Earth Defense Force 5 - PlayStation 4 - February 2
14. Fallout 76 - PlayStation 4 - February 3


March (4 Games Beaten)
15. Octopath Traveler - Switch - March 2
16. Resident Evil 0 - PlayStation 4 - March 9
17. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered - PlayStation 4 - March 10
18. Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade - Game Boy Advance - March 30


April (3 Games Beaten)
19. Moemon - Game Boy Advance - April 5
20. Yoshi's Crafted World - Switch - April 10
21. Wargroove - Switch - April 26


May (8 Games Beaten)
22. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen - Switch - May 5
23. Battlefield V - PlayStation 4 - May 9
24. Timespinner - PlayStation 4 - May 12
25. Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain - PlayStation 4 - May 17
26. Shenmue - PlayStation 4 - May 19
27. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht - PlayStation 2 - May 26
28. Team Sonic Racing - Switch - May 29
29. Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse - PlayStation 2 - May 30


June (5 Games Beaten)
30. Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprache Zarathustra - PlayStation 2 - June 2
31. Gato Roboto - Switch - June 3
32. Katana Zero - Switch - June 4
33. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct - Wii U - June 8
34. Dark Savior - Saturn - June 12


July (12 Games Beaten)
35. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim - Switch - June 7
36. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim: Dragonborn - Switch - June 7
37. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim: Dawnguard - Switch - June 7
38. Tiny Troopers - Switch - July 8
39. Tiny Troopers 2: Special Ops - Switch - July 8
40. Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth - 3DS - July 10
41. Super Robot Wars T - Switch - July 13
42. Super Mario Maker 2 - Switch - July 13
43. Command and Conquer - Saturn - July 16
44. Command and Conquer: Covert Operations - PC - July 16
45. Super Neptunia RPG - PlayStation 4 - July 18
46. My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? - Switch - July 19


August (5 Games Beaten)
47. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - August 10
48. Wolfenstein Youngblood - Xbox One - August 24
49. Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - DS - August 27
50. Metal Wolf Chaos XD - PlayStation 4 - August 31
51. Fire Emblem: Archanean War Chronicles - SNES - August 31


September (5 Games Beaten)
52. Golf Story - Switch - September 2
53. Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 3 - September 7
54. Far Cry 4 - Xbox One - September 14
55. Muv-Luv Extra - Vita - September 19
56. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Switch - September 23


October (7 Games Beaten)
57. Muv-Luv Unlimited - Vita - October 1
58. Panty Party - Switch - October 2
59. Mario Kart Tour - Android - October 3
60. Muv-Luv Alternative - Vita - October 10
61. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - October 25*
62. Resident Evil 2 (Leon) - PlayStation 4 - October 28
63. Resident Evil 2 (Claire) - PlayStation 4 - October 31*


November (1 Game Beaten)
64. Pokemon Sword - Switch - November 18


December (2 Games Beaten)
65. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - December 8*
66. Catherine - 360 - November 19


66. Catherine - 360 - November 19

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With Catherine getting an expanded and enhanced port for PS4 and Xbox One, I was sorely tempted to pick up this definitive edition and finally see what all the fuss is about with Atlus’s tower climbing puzzle adventure. Then I remembered that I’m poor and already have the original release on 360, so I figured I’d just play that version instead of spending more money I don’t have. From what I’ve read, the re-release has another character that adds some pretty major points to the story, but whatever; beggars can’t be choosers, and public teachers in North Carolina are definitely beggars.

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You play as Vincent, a guy in his early 30s who’s, by all accounts, a pretty good dude but with a serious complacency problem. He’s in a long term relationship with Katerine, but while she clearly wants marriage, Vincent fits the stereotype of guy-who’s-terrified-of-commitment. Every night, Vincent meets up with his friends at the Stray Sheep bar, but one night he meets this young, flirtatious blonde named Catherine. Then, night after night, he starts having dreams about being trapped in his world full of talking sheep and being forced to climb a massive tower or die. What could this all mean? Who is Catherine? Why is everyone a sheep?

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The underlying theme in Catherine is order vs chaos. Most games that introduce choice mechanics are on a good vs bad dichotomy, but Catherine’s choices aren’t so cut and dry. Sometimes the choice that seems “good” will swing you towards the chaos alignment, and the choices that swing you towards the order alignment sometimes seem kind of harsh. I don’t see this as a flaw so much as a commentary that life isn’t as easily discernible as black and white as a lot of us sometimes make it out to be.

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For the first three quarters or so of the game, the story is fantastic. It’s got a solid romantic drama vibe going that really hooks the player and keeps them coming back to find out what happens next. The last part of the game, however, starts to weaken quickly. Once the secrets behind the game’s goings-on are revealed, it gets kind of disappointing. Not bad, per se, but much less intriguing and captivating than it had previously been.

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The actual gameplay starts off pretty simple to ease you into the puzzle-solving, but after the first nights, it gets downright brutal. The bosses especially can be exceptionally challenging. What I have to note, however, is that the game never feels unfair. There are enough continues that it never feels insurmountable provided that you have the perseverance to keep trying until you figure it out. You’ll need quick reflexes to solve some of the later puzzles, but it’s totally doable.

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Catherine was a frustrating experience at times, but it was an extremely rewarding experience. The puzzles really make you work your spatial reasoning skills, but they do so in a way that encourages you to keep trying rather than getting frustrated and giving up through checkpoints and retries. I can’t speak for the improvements and additions that were added in the PS4 and Xbox One remasters, but the original releases on PS3 and Xbox 360 are still totally worth playing in 2020, so I can only imagine that the polished and enhanced ports are even better.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.

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ElkinFencer10
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by ElkinFencer10 Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:48 am

Games Beaten in 2019 - 68
* denotes a replay

January (12 Games Beaten)
1. Army Men 3D - PlayStation - January 1*
2. Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished - NES - January 4
3. Mega Man - NES - January 6
4. Mega Man 2 - NES - January 6
5. Mega Man 3 - NES - January 6
6. Mega Man 4 - NES - January 7
7. Dr. Discord's Conquest - NES - January 7
8. Mega Man 5 - NES - January 26
9. Just Cause 3 - PlayStation 4 - January 26
10. Mega Man 6 - NES - January 27
11. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight - Vita - January 27
12. Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space - PlayStation 2 - January 27


February (2 Games Beaten)
13. Earth Defense Force 5 - PlayStation 4 - February 2
14. Fallout 76 - PlayStation 4 - February 3


March (4 Games Beaten)
15. Octopath Traveler - Switch - March 2
16. Resident Evil 0 - PlayStation 4 - March 9
17. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered - PlayStation 4 - March 10
18. Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade - Game Boy Advance - March 30


April (3 Games Beaten)
19. Moemon - Game Boy Advance - April 5
20. Yoshi's Crafted World - Switch - April 10
21. Wargroove - Switch - April 26


May (8 Games Beaten)
22. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen - Switch - May 5
23. Battlefield V - PlayStation 4 - May 9
24. Timespinner - PlayStation 4 - May 12
25. Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain - PlayStation 4 - May 17
26. Shenmue - PlayStation 4 - May 19
27. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht - PlayStation 2 - May 26
28. Team Sonic Racing - Switch - May 29
29. Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse - PlayStation 2 - May 30


June (5 Games Beaten)
30. Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprache Zarathustra - PlayStation 2 - June 2
31. Gato Roboto - Switch - June 3
32. Katana Zero - Switch - June 4
33. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct - Wii U - June 8
34. Dark Savior - Saturn - June 12


July (12 Games Beaten)
35. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim - Switch - June 7
36. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim: Dragonborn - Switch - June 7
37. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim: Dawnguard - Switch - June 7
38. Tiny Troopers - Switch - July 8
39. Tiny Troopers 2: Special Ops - Switch - July 8
40. Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth - 3DS - July 10
41. Super Robot Wars T - Switch - July 13
42. Super Mario Maker 2 - Switch - July 13
43. Command and Conquer - Saturn - July 16
44. Command and Conquer: Covert Operations - PC - July 16
45. Super Neptunia RPG - PlayStation 4 - July 18
46. My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? - Switch - July 19


August (5 Games Beaten)
47. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - August 10
48. Wolfenstein Youngblood - Xbox One - August 24
49. Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - DS - August 27
50. Metal Wolf Chaos XD - PlayStation 4 - August 31
51. Fire Emblem: Archanean War Chronicles - SNES - August 31


September (5 Games Beaten)
52. Golf Story - Switch - September 2
53. Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 3 - September 7
54. Far Cry 4 - Xbox One - September 14
55. Muv-Luv Extra - Vita - September 19
56. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Switch - September 23


October (7 Games Beaten)
57. Muv-Luv Unlimited - Vita - October 1
58. Panty Party - Switch - October 2
59. Mario Kart Tour - Android - October 3
60. Muv-Luv Alternative - Vita - October 10
61. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - October 25*
62. Resident Evil 2 (Leon) - PlayStation 4 - October 28
63. Resident Evil 2 (Claire) - PlayStation 4 - October 31*


November (1 Game Beaten)
64. Pokemon Sword - Switch - November 18


December (4 Games Beaten)
65. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - December 8*
66. Catherine - Xbox 360 - December 19
67. The Banner Saga - Switch - December 27*
68. The Banner Saga 2 - Switch - December 29


67. The Banner Saga - Switch - December 27*
68. The Banner Saga 2 - Switch - December 29

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The Banner Saga 2 picks up exactly where the first game left off, and not much has really changed. There’s no major gap in the story between the first game’s conclusion and the second game’s beginning, and the game’s mechanics and visuals are largely identical. The only change of note is that the max level for your characters has been increased from 5 to 10 which makes sense considering that they’re about to go through an entire second game’s worth of combat.

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The main narrative point driving this second game is the approaching apocalyptic “Darkness” that threatens to destroy everything - human, Varl, and Dredge - and seems to be unstoppable. While the first game had an uneasy atmosphere, Banner Saga 2’s atmosphere is downright foreboding with the lurking specter of global annihilation coupled with the continued pressure and attacks from the Dredge. As the overall circumstances become more desperate, so too do the situations in which your caravan finds itself. As the leader of the caravan, it’s up to you to find resolutions to these situations, and as is often the case in real life, many situations leave you little but a choice between “bad” and “worse.” I think Polygon hit the nail on the head in their review when they said “The Banner Saga 2 is intense and unrelenting in its mission to make you feel like the worst leader alive” because of the choices you’re forced to make really do feel that way.

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The combat is exactly the same as it was in the first game. It’s your standard SRPG affair with a team of six fighters chosen from your roster of probably WAY more characters than that. I usually ended up with three times as many fighters as I was allowed to field, and while I played on Bitch Mode (my term for Easy) keeping me from having any injuries kind of exacerbated how overstaffed my army was, the game is definitely generous with making sure you’re never lacking people to field in a fight. Partway through the game, a fourth race - the Centaur-looking Horseborn - is introduced, and this adds a new element to your combat strategy should you choose to employ your Horseborn character in combat.

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All in all, The Banner Saga 2 is a perfect follow-up to the original game even considering how high the original game set the bar. The game’s story continues to impress, the characters continue to develop and entertain, and the choices the game forces you to make continue to twist your soul and make you live with the consequences of your often ill-considered decisions regardless of whether those consequences are positive or negative. It’s a fantastic ride from start to finish that will leave you almost literally salivating to see how the story wraps up in the third installment.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.

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MrPopo
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by MrPopo Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:49 pm

The third game in the Banner Saga is for those who think the first two games were too lighthearted.
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by dsheinem Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:39 am

Suppose I should do the annual stat wrap up:

Games Beaten 2019

Kentucky Route Zero Act 1 - PC
All Our Asias - PC
Shape of the World - Switch
Hidden Folks - PC
Hyrule Warriors - Wii U
Onrush - PS4
Assassin's Creed Origins - X1
Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown -360
Metro Exodus - PS4
Split/Second - 360
Far Cry: New Dawn - PS4
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon - X1
Marvel vs Capcom Infinite - PS4
Rage - PC
Red Faction: Armageddon - 360
Momonga Pinball Adventure - Switch
Psycho Soldier - Vita (Arcade)
Super Mutant Alien Assault - Vita
Burly Men at Sea - Vita
Sigil - PC
Fat Princess - PS3
Borderlands 2: Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary - PC
Monster World IV - Genesis (PS3)
Marvel's Spider-Man - PS4
Mega Man X4 - Switch
Armored Warriors - Switch (Arcade)
Battle Circuit - Switch (Arcade)
Borderlands 3 - PS4
Hyper Dyne Side Arms - PS3(Arcade)
Legendary Wings - PS3 (Arcade)
The Outer Worlds - X1
Akai Katana - 360
RayStorm - PS2 (Arcade)
Operation C - PS4 (Game Boy)
Kid Dracula - Switch (Famicom)
Castlevania: The Adventure - Switch (Game Boy)
Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Switch (Game Boy)
What the Golf - iOS
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots - PS4
tint. - iOS

Total: 40

Previously: 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010


------

End of Year Totals, Stats, and Thoughts

Since starting to keep track 10 years ago, I have now beaten 810 games!!

Modern: 20 across 5 systems (PS4:7, PC:6, X1:3, Switch:2, iOS:2)
Retro: 20 across 9 system (Arcade:6, 360:6, Game Boy:3, Vita:2, WiiU:1, PS3:1, PS1:1, Genesis:1, Famicom:1)

Genre Breakdown:

Platformer: 8
FPS/RPG: 6
Shmup: 4
Beat Em Up: 2
Fighting: 2
Racing: 2
Third Person Open World: 2
Hack-n-Slash: 1
FPS: 1
Run-n-Gun: 1
Third Person Shooter: 1
Point-n-Click: 1
Other: 9

Best game I've finished that was released this year: Metro Exodus
Best retro game(s) I finished for the first time: Monster World IV

This is by far the lowest annual total I've had since keeping track of game beating (my previous low was 65 in 2017). I am not really sure why that is, as I don't feel like I've changed my game-playing habits all that much (e.g. I didn't get sucked into a MMO or spend considerably less time gaming), and the ratio of short/long games isnt' all that different than what I've seen most years. This was the first year where I've evenly split my modern/retro balance (though I had no idea of this until compiling these stats) - this was due, I think, to the growing number of more accessible and attractive retro collections on some modern consoles, Thus, much of my time beating retro games was via emulation on systems like PS4/Switch - I don't think I hooked up a 20th Century console to actually beat a game on it this year :oops: Need to remedy that this year.

At one point I thought it would be possible to beat 1000 games in 10 years, but in retrospect I don't think that was realistic goal unless I wanted to spam short games or start to neglect/ignore other areas of my life. Still, I'd like to think I can get to 900 games beaten by the end of 2020 and then maybe to 1000 games beaten by the end of 2021 (1000 games in 12 years is still nothing to scoff at!). In any case, it will be interesting to see what the release of some new systems this year does to my totals - usually I am quick to buy new systems at launch and spend a lot of time with launch games, so that bodes well for a higher total in the new year...
Last edited by dsheinem on Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ElkinFencer10
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by ElkinFencer10 Sun Jan 05, 2020 2:55 pm

Last post for my 2019 gaming.

Games Beaten in 2019 - 69
* denotes a replay

January (12 Games Beaten)
1. Army Men 3D - PlayStation - January 1*
2. Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished - NES - January 4
3. Mega Man - NES - January 6
4. Mega Man 2 - NES - January 6
5. Mega Man 3 - NES - January 6
6. Mega Man 4 - NES - January 7
7. Dr. Discord's Conquest - NES - January 7
8. Mega Man 5 - NES - January 26
9. Just Cause 3 - PlayStation 4 - January 26
10. Mega Man 6 - NES - January 27
11. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight - Vita - January 27
12. Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space - PlayStation 2 - January 27


February (2 Games Beaten)
13. Earth Defense Force 5 - PlayStation 4 - February 2
14. Fallout 76 - PlayStation 4 - February 3


March (4 Games Beaten)
15. Octopath Traveler - Switch - March 2
16. Resident Evil 0 - PlayStation 4 - March 9
17. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered - PlayStation 4 - March 10
18. Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade - Game Boy Advance - March 30


April (3 Games Beaten)
19. Moemon - Game Boy Advance - April 5
20. Yoshi's Crafted World - Switch - April 10
21. Wargroove - Switch - April 26


May (8 Games Beaten)
22. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen - Switch - May 5
23. Battlefield V - PlayStation 4 - May 9
24. Timespinner - PlayStation 4 - May 12
25. Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain - PlayStation 4 - May 17
26. Shenmue - PlayStation 4 - May 19
27. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht - PlayStation 2 - May 26
28. Team Sonic Racing - Switch - May 29
29. Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse - PlayStation 2 - May 30


June (5 Games Beaten)
30. Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprache Zarathustra - PlayStation 2 - June 2
31. Gato Roboto - Switch - June 3
32. Katana Zero - Switch - June 4
33. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct - Wii U - June 8
34. Dark Savior - Saturn - June 12


July (12 Games Beaten)
35. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim - Switch - June 7
36. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim: Dragonborn - Switch - June 7
37. The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim: Dawnguard - Switch - June 7
38. Tiny Troopers - Switch - July 8
39. Tiny Troopers 2: Special Ops - Switch - July 8
40. Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth - 3DS - July 10
41. Super Robot Wars T - Switch - July 13
42. Super Mario Maker 2 - Switch - July 13
43. Command and Conquer - Saturn - July 16
44. Command and Conquer: Covert Operations - PC - July 16
45. Super Neptunia RPG - PlayStation 4 - July 18
46. My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? - Switch - July 19


August (5 Games Beaten)
47. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - August 10
48. Wolfenstein Youngblood - Xbox One - August 24
49. Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - DS - August 27
50. Metal Wolf Chaos XD - PlayStation 4 - August 31
51. Fire Emblem: Archanean War Chronicles - SNES - August 31


September (5 Games Beaten)
52. Golf Story - Switch - September 2
53. Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 3 - September 7
54. Far Cry 4 - Xbox One - September 14
55. Muv-Luv Extra - Vita - September 19
56. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Switch - September 23


October (7 Games Beaten)
57. Muv-Luv Unlimited - Vita - October 1
58. Panty Party - Switch - October 2
59. Mario Kart Tour - Android - October 3
60. Muv-Luv Alternative - Vita - October 10
61. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - October 25*
62. Resident Evil 2 (Leon) - PlayStation 4 - October 28
63. Resident Evil 2 (Claire) - PlayStation 4 - October 31*


November (1 Game Beaten)
64. Pokemon Sword - Switch - November 18


December (5 Games Beaten)
65. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Switch - December 8*
66. Catherine - Xbox 360 - December 19
67. The Banner Saga - Switch - December 27*
68. The Banner Saga 2 - Switch - December 29
69. The Banner Saga 3 - Switch - December 30


69. The Banner Saga 3 - Switch - December 30

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The Banner Saga 3 is the culmination of an epic fantasy trilogy that puts you in the position of leader of a caravan of refugees fleeing a Dredge invasion and a mysterious world-destroying “Darkness.” As was the case with the transition from The Banner Saga to The Banner Saga 2, the jump to The Banner Saga 3 sees almost nothing change. There are a couple of very minor quality of life tweaks that were made, but those are so minor that a lot of players might not even notice them. The only other big change is, as was the case with the second game, a bump to the level cap; the max level is now 15 instead of 10. Otherwise, it’s pretty much another continuation.

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With the huge cliffhanger on which The Banner Saga 2 ended, there was a lot for The Banner Saga 3 to live up to. Personally, I found this third entry to be the weakest of the three, but that’s like saying that Fat Man was a weak bomb when you line it up against Castle Bravo and Czar Bomba; the weakest of three VERY strong entries is still pretty dang strong. By the time we get to this point in the narrative, the caravan has arrived in the last known free city in the world unswallowed by the ever-encroaching darkness, and it’s time to put up or shut up. The pressure is on as our heroes literally stare Armageddon in the face and try desperately to hold out against the slew of enemies pounding on the gates while a small team tries to venture into the Darkness and stop it from destroying all of creation.

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The only minor problem I had with the fact that almost nothing has changed since the first game is that by the time you get to the third ten-hour game with almost no change to combat, the battles can feel a bit boring after a while. You know your basic strategy, you know your preferred combat line-up, and you know what enemies have what abilities for the most part; a lot of the fighting turns into a wash/rinse/repeat scenario, and that’s not going to hold everyone’s attention. I still found it personally enjoyable, but it was certainly less captivating at Hour 25 than it was at Hour 3.

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Since this is a trilogy with no real visual or mechanic changes that flows pretty seamlessly in terms of narrative, it’s not a series you can really just jump into anywhere you like; to get a full appreciation for the trilogy and its story, you really have to start at the beginning. It’s fortunate, then, that the trilogy is available in a single package which is how I played it on Switch. The physical version of the trilogy, while coming on one game card, does require a download to start, so it’s not great in terms of preservation, but it is nice to have all three games in one bundle with one application to launch.

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The Banner Saga 3 is the epic conclusion to a Nordic fantasy adventure that I honestly didn’t expect to love as much as I did. The characters are interesting and pretty deep, the storyline is compelling, the world is fascinating, the combat is fun, and the choices you have to make are difficult with often gut-wrenching consequences with which you have to learn to live. It was a remarkable trip that I wish I could experience for the first time all over again, and I consider the trilogy to be an absolute must-own for Switch players.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.

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Note
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by Note Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:49 pm

A bit late, but finished two games at the end of 2019 and wanted to discuss them. I received a Sega Genesis Mini as a Christmas gift, and am playing through a few titles on the system, and trying out some games I never had a chance to play when originally released.

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Gunstar Heroes (Sega Genesis Mini)
I'm a fan of run and gun games, and had played this game using emulators in the late 90's, but had never finished it. I wanted to give this title another go. I got drawn into this game and really enjoyed my play through. I find the art style and pixel work in this game to be impressive, and the fast paced action is a good challenge. Also, I like the variety in the level design, weapon selection, and the inclusion of a shoot em up level. My only critique is that I'm not a big fan of the board game area, it feels a bit repetitive after a while, but I appreciate the uniqueness of it. Overall, if you haven't played or revisited this game in a while, I highly recommend it! Now, I'd like to add a CIB copy to my Genesis collection.


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Comix Zone (Sega Genesis Mini)
This is another game I played through emulators in the late 90's, but had never made much progress in a play through. Originally, I was drawn to the game because of the concept and the graphic style. I always thought the graphics looked great in this game. I figured I'd give it another chance now that I had access to it through the Mini system. I liked the mix of beat em up gameplay and puzzles, I found that aspect of the game very unique. I found the game to be quite challenging, there were certain sections that took me more than a few attempts to get through. With that being said, this game left me coming back for more, and I wasn't frustrated enough to put it down. I managed to beat it with the "good ending", which was awesome! Overall, this is another title I recommend to anyone who has not played it yet! I would also like to add this to my collection.
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elricorico
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by elricorico Mon Jan 06, 2020 7:24 pm

1. Ni No Kuni 2 (PS4)
2. Mario Kart 64 (N64)
3. Spider-Man (PS4)
4. King of Dragons (PS2)
5. Super Mario Odyssey (NS)
6. Wipeout HD (PS4)
7. Knights of the Round (PS2)
8. The Last Guardian (PS4)
9. Ratchet and Clank (PS4)

10. Outrun (SMS)


I beat Outrun on the SMS several weeks ago. I was going through my collection looking for games I wasn't sure I wanted to keep and popped this in for a test. After a couple of tries I decided that I was enjoying myself. After a couple more tries I thought I was improving relatively quickly. A few days later I had some time and it only took a few more tries to reach a finish line. I assume that it was the easiest route through the game(all right turns), but i still count it.

This game holds up reasonably well and I like it enough that it is staying in my collection for a while. Controls are pretty good and the graphics do the job. I'm not sure I ever remember playing this in an arcade, so I cant really comment on how well it compares as a port. Simple classic racing fun.
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outlaw_moon
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by outlaw_moon Wed Jan 08, 2020 3:02 pm

2019 was not a good gaming year for me. I didn't have much time but I am happy to say that the game I got around to beating was:

(drum roll)

FFVII on the PS4 8) (p.s. my 4th time beating it)

I planned on getting the Platinum for it, but sadly failed because i messed up to get the Bromance trophy.

I plan on finally getting the trophy in 2020 and collect my Platinum.
It's time to kick a$$ and chew bubble gum...and I'm all out of gum.
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PartridgeSenpai
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Re: Games Beaten 2019

by PartridgeSenpai Wed Jan 15, 2020 4:29 am

Back from vacation, so it's time to finally do my write up for my games beaten in 2019! It was a bit of a huge year outside of games for me, with getting a teaching job in Japan and moving out here in March, but even with that I manged to beat more games than I have in any year since I've been tallying them up here on Racketboy (the previous high was 70). I guess I have a lot more free time as a teacher who barely leaves the house than I did as a full time student who would go and hang out with friends from time to time :lol:

I played a lot more retro games this year than I have the past couple years (certainly compared to last year). Also a lot more repeats than previous years, that's for sure. I guess that's likely a combo of getting addicted to playing through games I know well in English but now in Japanese, and those games being easy/cheap to find between the resale stores in my city and my access to the Wii U Virtual Console. Then all the repeats are also due in at least part to just wanting some comfort food gaming because moving was a bit stressful ^^;. Regardless, the comparisons of Japanese and English versions (at least in regards to my memory) was something I really enjoyed and I hope I can do at least a few more in this new year ^w^

Anyway, now down onto my highlights. I didn't really play many games that actually came out in 2019, so these are just gonna be my favorite/least favorite games I played this year, regardless of their release date.

~Favorite Games (in no particular order)~

Shin Gundam Musou: Flake talks about this game a lot (the English version anyhow) in the Slack chat, and I really enjoyed the first Dynasty Warriors Gundam so I've been meaning to try this out for ages, and what a great use of 800 yen it was. One of the very few PS3 games I've ever put the time into to earn the platinum trophy on, this one absolutely devoured my attention with a combination of how mindless and fun the giant robot bashing is. I didn't really pay attention to much of the "What If" stories, as this was definitely a comfort food kind of game that I got pretty close to when I moved out here and I wasn't really in the mood to look up tons of words to understand a story I couldn't really appreciate, but I still really enjoyed my time with this game. Not quite Hyrule Warriors, but easily one of the best Musou games ever made (and it even got me to watch Turn-A Gundam, which I also really enjoyed ^w^).

Final Fantasy VI: It'd been a while since I played this game, and playing it in Japanese was really neat at first, but then I realized just how long it's been since I played this and just how much better than I remembered it actually was to play. Getting a deeper than ever understanding and respect for the story and characters, particularly the villain (although I think that's down to being an adult who's better at analyzing the media they consume, more than it has anything to do with playing the original text of the game) made this one of my favorite experiences of the year for sure. This is also the winner of "favorite repeat" out of the games I replayed this year, I suppose.

Paper Mario: Color Splash: A game I'd had for ages and even brought to Japan with me because I meant to play it, on a streamer's recommendation I finally got to playing this game and I'm so glad I did. A welcome improvement on Sticker Star's combat and some of the funniest writing I've seen in a game, I was grinning ear to ear the whole time playing this thing (well, except for all the swearing during the rock-paper-scissors tournaments I suppose :b). I really hope this gets a Switch port someday, because this was really chained down by the stigma of its predecessor (and being released in the twilight years of an unpopular console), and I think it really deserves a second chance ^w^

The Outer Worlds: I got my Xbone at the perfect time to pick up Game Pass and play this really close to launch, and I devoured it. Bringing back tons of memories of an old favorite, Fallout: New Vegas, but with suuuuch welcome modern quality of life improvements. I know very well that some folks didn't care for it, but I adored the story, especially the character writing. To have an asexual major character in a AAA released game, especially one written so well, was just so awesome to see on top of everything else. Not my favorite game I played this year, but it came damn close.

~Honorable Mentions: Blazing Chrome, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga & Bowser's Minions, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Recore: Definitive Edition, Steamworld Dig 2

~Game of the Year: God of War (2018). Leave it to Sony to have made the best OoT-style game ever. Great combat, beautiful world, engaging and well-paced story. This game just has it all and it keeps coming. This lived up to and leaped clear over the hype for me. A new entry for my all-time favorites list, god damn I have no idea how they're gonna follow this up, but if it's even close to this good I'll be happy.

-----

~Least Liked Games~

Final Fantasy IV: This will take the top spot for "least liked repeat game" (edging out Mario Party 3). Several friends of mine talk up 4 as one of the better ones but I absolutely do not see it. Granted I was playing the much clumsier Super Famicom original rather than the streamlined SNES port, this game was still such a let down it's easily on this list. I'm not gonna go into it again, as I already did on the actual review, but just how shallow the story is still gets to me on top of just how much of a mechanical step down it is compared to FF3 (even just on QoI features, totally ignoring the differences between the job systems).

Tiny Barbarian DX: This game is close to fun, but falls deeeeep into a "far too aggravating to be fun" trap that it never escapes from. Especially in the more recently released 3rd and 4th chapters, there are SO many pixel-perfect jumps, annoying enemy placements, and grueling combat gauntlets combined with not quite precise enough controls that this game is a miserable time. It may have some nice animation, but god damn is it not worth it once you really get into the gameplay parts.

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon: Another game I know has its defenders, especially on this site, but I just cannot see the appeal like they can. Clunky controls, a too big and too barren castle, underwhelming or just outright cheap boss fights (that final Dracula fight is one of the worst in the series I swear). I would say that the card system is fun, but the cards are so well hidden that I barely even got to use them because I wasn't lucky enough to find them. I'm really glad that Castlevania moved away from this idea of what their Metroid-like games could be, because this is far at the bottom of the barrel of Metroidvanias in my book.

~Honorable Mentions: Snake Pass, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story & Bowser Jr.'s Journey, Shantae: Risky's Revenge

~Least Liked Game of the Year: Corpse Party. Anyone who read the review I wrote for this very likely saw this one coming (the longest one of these reviews I've ever written, coming in at just over 3000 words). A decent horror story buried under a mountain of clunky controls, perverse serialization, and crude localization choices, I don't think Corpse Party will be a game I will ever forget for just how much I disliked playing it. I certainly realize that there are games who do the things this one does but worse, and I don't care because I see those as nothing but garbage for the same reasons. Sexualization of minors is a horrifically commonplace problem in the anime industry, and while I'm certainly not going to conquer that issue myself, I very much hope that Corpse Party is the last of that I ever have to be exposed to personally.
I identify everyone via avatar, so if you change your avatar, I genuinely might completely forget who you are. -- Me
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