Games Beaten 2019

[marurun]

OK, that's a pretty cool article.

[ElkinFencer10]

I didn't even know COD4 was getting remastered. I figured it had just been forgotten.

IIII does get used on clocks though.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/24578/why-do-some-clocks-use-roman-numeral-iiii

Yeah man, the remaster is over two years old.

Also fuck those clocks, IIII is bullshit. #IVmasterrace

[marurun]

Roman hipsters are all over that IIII

[ElkinFencer10]

Doesn't matter if the hipsters are Roman, Greek, Byzantine, or Gothic; hipsters suck.

[pook99]

32. Daggerhood (switch)

Daggerhood is a hardcore 8-bit 2d platformer with a very neat gimmick that really helps set it apart from others in the genre.

Like most games in this genre, you have a fairly simple move set, jump, double jump, wall jump(which you can climb vertically as well as diagnolly) and a dagger throw that serves as your main attack. The gimmick is that you can throw one dagger at a time, and if you press the attack button while you have a dagger onscreen you instantly teleport to the location of the dagger.

This unique mechanic opens up a ton of cool platforming challenges, in the simplest cases the dagger throw is used to extend your jumps, but in order to successfully navigate the levels you will be required to use this mechanic in a variety of creative ways, it is simple, easy to use, and presents some very unique scenarios that were a ton of fun to navigate.

The game is divided into 5 worlds with 20 levels each. The last level in every world is either a boss fight or a chase scene. The boss fights are a ton of fun, and the chase scenes are a fucking nightmare that almost compelled me to throw my switch through my plate glass window in my living room. There are 3 chase scenes and 2 boss fights which was a huge disappointment, especially given the final level is a chase scene that I had absolutely no fun playing.

This is a hard game, you will die, there are some cheap deaths here and there but for the most part you will know how to navigate the obstacles in front of you, succesfully doing so is a whole other ordeal. The levels themselves are very short, each one is no more than a minute or 2 upon completion and there is instant respawns so dying is not typically frustrating, but this is a very tough game. On top of all that there are also 5 hidden treasures to collect in each level, a fairy that is timed, and speedrun goals, so there is a ton of content if you are a total masochist.

Despite the bad taste the final level left in my mouth I did enjoy this game a lot. The unique dagger teleport mechanic was just really fun to use and the short nature of the levels make it a perfect switch title as it is easy to pick up and play a level or 2, but it is also the kind of game that you can sit for long sessions and lose yourself as you die and retry these levels over and over again. I think this is a must play for switch owners who love retro style platformers.

[Markies]

Markies' Games Beat List Of 2019!
*Denotes Replay For Completion*

1. Power Stone 2 (SDC)
2. Radiata Stories (PS2)
3. Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball (NES)
***4. Saiyuki: Journey West (PS1)***
5. Shining In The Darkness (GEN)
***6. Metropolis Street Racer (SDC)***
7. Half-Life 2 (XBOX)



I completed Half-Life 2 on the Microsoft Xbox this evening!

I have never liked Valve or any of their games they produced. From their obsessed fans to the overtaking of Steam to the perfection that each game has garnered, it has always been a bit much for me. It had turned me off for several years, but then I saw the many reviews of Half-Life 2. I thought the Gravity Gun looked amazing and the lifelike portrayal of the characters really intrigued me. So, with some hesitation, I played the original Half-Life on the PS2 and really enjoyed it. In fact, the ability to play Half-Life 2 was one of the main reasons I bought a XBOX. So, this year, it finally came down to it and I was ready to experience Half-Life 2 for the very first time.

I can clearly see why Half-Life 2 was given such praise. It is very hard to find anything wrong with the game as nothing is overtly bad in the game. Everything that is there in the game is done really well. First and foremost is the Gravity Gun as it really does change the entire game. Everything has weight to it and can be moved around in the game. The Gravity Gun takes advantage of that and makes you think differently. It is so fun, that I wished the game forced you to use it more. Besides getting it, a few sections in the middle and the final level, I hardly used it as I mostly relied on the machine gun. Also, the characters are fantastic because they look, talk and act like real people. It felt like a movie in a way as I understood every character's reasoning and purpose. I enjoyed every one of them and I can why they are well loved.

Everything else is kind of by the books FPS affair. You move from set piece to set piece and they are really well done. Some are rather frustrating with nonstop enemies that don't indicate that they won't stop or jumping places with insta-death platforming. Also, the driving sections and moving in tight corridors was a pain. I never felt that either of them were rather smooth.

Fortunately, those are just nitpicks and could be glossed over by somebody who loves PC FPS games more than I do. I'm not much for the genre, but this is one of the better FPS games I have ever played. There is enough uniqueness in the game that make it worthwhile for anybody. If you like FPS games, then this is a must play. It is fantastic experience that is only hampered by little flaws.

[elricorico]

1. Ni No Kuni 2 (PS4)
2. Mario Kart 64 (N64)
3. Spider-Man (PS4)

4. King of Dragons (PS2)


I recently picked up the Capcom Classics Collection Vol 2 and today I credit fed my way through King of Dragons. I didnt count how many continues I used but I feel like either I played decently, the game is on the easier side, or I've completely fooled myself and I blew my whole (virtual) allowance.

I've been a fan of this type of arcade game since Golden Axe, which is the first arcade game I remember finishing. I played through today as the elf from start to finish. I enjoyed myself quite a bit. There were times I felt like a badass, and there were times I felt I was being brutalized, but mostly it felt fair.

I would have liked a little more enemy variety, as outside of the bosses there is really only a handful of enemies and palette swaps. The bosses are nicely designed though, which does make up for it a bit.

I'm looking forward to playing more of this in co-op, and trying out other characters. So far I'd say this is well worth playing if you like the classic Golden Axe games or the Mystara D&D games.

[MrPopo]

1. Octopath Traveler - Switch
2. Dusk - PC
3. Forsaken Remastered - PC
4. Tales of Eternia - PS1
5. Resident Evil 2 (2019) - PC
6. Pokémon Trading Card Game - GBC
7. Metro Exodus - PC
8. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales - PC
9. Project Warlock - PC
10. Magic: The Gathering - PC
11. Ghost 1.0 - PC
12. Call of Duty 2 - PC

I started this when I had some time to kill before my copy of Sekiro arrived, and finished it off when I was taking a break from Sekiro. CoD2 hearkens back to a simpler time, when the enemies were Nazis, and everyone agreed they should be shot. CoD2 is the point where the series really starts to differentiate itself from Medal of Honor; while the first game had the squad gameplay this game introduces the regenerating health. This actually fits better with the general gameplay loop that CoD1 had; when you have infinite health it's much easier for the player to realize they just need to charge to the next trigger point to stop the enemies spawning at the next combat point.

Like the previous game, CoD2 covers missions with the British, Americans, and Soviets. The Soviet campaign is the contractual "Battle of Stalingrad", the US campaign starts with the contractual "D-Day" before the capture of Hill 400 and a final mission crossing the Rhine, and finally the British campaign actually does interesting things. Most of it is set during the Africa front, so your terrain is a mix of rolling desert and desert towns. This also gives the devs a chance to give you a couple of missions piloting a Crusader tank against a horde of enemy tanks. Fortunately, your speed is good enough to keep you from dying.

Aside from the switch to regenerating health the game isn't too different from the previous game. All the same weapons are there, and you'll spend a lot of time using German weapons if your squad doesn't die enough for you to get ammo for your superior weapons. One thing I noticed is that a scoped version of a rifle (such as the Gewehr) is considered to be different from a non-scoped version ammo-wise, which is dumb. I don't know if it was the same in the previous game or not.

There's not really a whole lot more to say about the game. If you liked CoD1 you'll like this. If you didn't like CoD1 because you kept having to budget health for the charges then you might like this, due to the regeneration.

[prfsnl_gmr]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary (NDS)
2. Reigns (iOS)
3. Castlevania: The Adventure (GB)
4. Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge (GB)
5. Castlevania Legends (GB)
6. Yankai’s Triangle (iOS)
7. Mega Man III (GB)
8. Mega Man IV (GB)
9. Mega Man V (GB)
10. Sin & Punishment (N64)
11. Love You to Bits (iOS)
12. Mega Man Powered Up - Old Style (PSP)
13. Mega Man Powered Up - New Style (PSP)
14. Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA)
15. Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (NDS)
16. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (NDS)

I wrote a lot about these in the March TR thread; so, I won’t write much here. I will say, however, that Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (NDS) and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (NDS) are both really solid, and surprisingly different, puzzle platformers. They borrow a bit from Donkey Kong, a bit from RTS, and a bit from Lemmings to create charming, challenging experiences. I played both of them obsessively, completing one and achieving 98% completion for the other. (The precision touch controls required to beat the penultimate bonus level in Minis March Again! are just too much for my tiny original 3DS touch screen, and I want to hold on to both my sanity and my pleasant experience with the game.)

I’m half way through this series now, and I may try to finish sh it up before the end of the year. I am very happy that the March TR inspired me to play these, and I highly recommend them.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Nice work d00d. Sounds like games worth checkin' out.

1. Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (Famicom)
2. Dragon Scroll: Yomigaerishi Maryuu (Famicom)
3. Ninja-kun: Majou no Bouken (Famicom)
4. Hello Kitty World (Famicom)
5. Galaxian (Famicom)
6. Esper Dream 2: Aratanaru Tatakai (Famicom)
7. Ninja Jajamaru-kun (Famicom)
8. Jajamaru no Daibouken (Famicom)
9. Front Line (Famicom)
10. Field Combat (Famicom)
11. Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken (Famicom)
12. Mississippi Satsujin Jiken: Murder on the Mississippi (Famicom)
13. Space Harrier (Famicom)
14. Geimos (Famicom)
15. Attack Animal Gakuen (Famicom)
16. Sky Destroyer (Famicom)
17. Ripple Island (Famicom)
18. Oishinbo: Kyukyoku no Menu 3bon Syoubu (Famicom)
19. Bird Week (Famicom)
20. Baltron (Famicom)
21. Yie Ar Kung-Fu (Famicom)
22. Challenger (Famicom)
23. Ikki (Famicom)
24. Dough Boy (Famicom)
25. Atlantis no Nazo (Famicom)
26. Bio Senshi Dan: Increaser tono Tatakai (Famicom)
27. Yume Penguin Monogatari (Famicom)

28. King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch (Famicom)
29. Congo Bongo (Atari 2600)
30. Coconuts (Atari 2600)

King Kong 2

King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch is a Famicom game by Konami, released in 1986. This is the first Famicom game to feature the "new" Konami logo (the swirly thing), which the developers were apparently quite proud of as it's included in King Kong 2 as a power-up. It seems odd that Konami would craft a sequel to the 1982 Atari 2600 King Kong by Tigervision, but that's not what happened here. Rather, this game takes its name directly from a film title: "King Kong Lives" was known as "King Kong 2" in Japan. Nevertheless, this is indeed the second game to star the great ape. To make things more confusing, Konami also released a King Kong 2 on the MSX2, which was a completely different beast altogether.

In a move that will surprise no one, Konami decided to (mostly) ignore the films's plot when developing King Kong 2. Instead, the game's storyline is focused solely on King Kong's rescue of Lady Kong, with Kong himself taking the role of playable character. The game showcases some relatively speedy top-down action, reminiscent of Konami's 1986 arcade release Jackal, melded with more complex action-adventure elements. Some websites describe this as an "action-RPG" though that's probably giving the game too much credit.

Kong is tasked with working his way through nine meaty stages. He's equipped with his fists, as well as a cache of rocks. Pressing the select button toggles between the two methods of attack. The controls are quite solid. Close range combat is satisfying, with some good weight there behind Kong's punches, and while tossed rocks travel in an arc they're still quite simple to aim given the top-down view. Kong can jump, and whenever he lands the screen shakes slightly. It's wholly unnecessary and corny as hell, and also quite awesome. Rock use is limited, though Kong can replenish his stash by collecting those dropped by slain foes. There are also upgrades that permanently increase how many rocks Kong can hold, though the game apparently houses a glitch that can cause that number to roll over from 90 back to 0. "Artificial hearts" can be found, one per stage, to boost max HP. Additional power-ups grant temporary invincibility, enhance walking speed, vanquish all on-screen enemies, and the aforementioned Konami logo summons the health-replenishing Konami Man. And since every Konami game must reference another, Gradius Moai heads serve as extra lives. Enemies include the anticipated Kong foils (jeeps, tanks, and other military equipment) but also capricious fiends like killer whales, dragons, and slimes.

The game's surprisingly non-linear. Stages can be completed out-of-order, and it's oftentimes necessary to backtrack to previously-visited venues. While each stage contains a boss battle, success does not "end" the stage but instead provides Kong with a key. Eight keys must be collected in order to unlock the final pathway to victory, in stage nine. Bosses are giant grotesque monsters, fought within claustrophobic arenas, a concept that would be reused in the two Esper Dream titles. Victory typically seems predicated not on tactical acumen, but on sheer resistance. With enough HP in stock, any boss can be defeated simply by sidling up to it and engaging in a b-button-mashing frenzy.

Stage environments themselves are both varied and interesting to look at. There's the expected military base scene, a sort of mecha-jungle (think Contra), and a coastal city, as well as some weird trippy areas like a disorienting "nightmare" world and a darkened cyberpunk landscape. Kong navigates screen-by-screen, in Zelda fashion, and much like Link he has the ability to obliterate scenery to unveil hidden doors and items. There's a lot to destroy, and plenty to uncover. Hidden doors may include an item, or serve as a bridge to another stage. It can get disorienting, as some doors will warp Kong ahead or back multiple stages (there's even a trollish door in stage nine that warps back to stage one), though pausing the game displays a status screen stating current location.

Graphics are of exemplary quality, as one would expect from Konami. There's a brightly-colored cartoonish look to the game, accentuated by the occasional cutscene featuring Kong pining for his lady. Later stages arguably tend to experiment a bit too much graphically, as they can appear cluttered and garish. There's a hodgepodge of musical composers listed in the game's credits, and Kong features about fifteen minutes of total tunage. Everything sounds competent enough, though this certainly isn't one of Konami's distinguishing soundtracks.

Though undeniably creative, the game is ultimately a victim of its own indulgence. It straddles genre lines in a way that isn't entirely pleasing. Kong lacks both the complexity and routine elements (experience points, inventory, etc.) of an RPG, and any semblance of fast-paced action is continually broken up by item hunts and the need to properly orient oneself. There are no continues, saves, or passwords; the game is a timesink that demands the player's full attention. Konami, being Konami, mostly makes it work, however, though anyone approaching this cold should do so with a walkthrough in tow. Lady Kong can't be kept waiting.

Congo Bongo

Congo Bongo (1983) is, of course, Sega's answer to Donkey Kong. The game stars a safari hunter who, rather than rescuing a fair maiden, is apparently seeking revenge on an ape who set his tent on fire. Like Nintendo's classic, Congo Bongo originated in the arcade and consisted of four single-screen platforming stages. The big difference being that Congo Bongo features an isometric viewpoint. This makes the game inherently more challenging than others, though Sega seemed quite comfortable with working manageable control schemes into games with this angled presentation (see Zaxxon the year prior).

Like many arcade titles, big and small, Congo Bongo received a slew a ports. One such variation was an Atari 2600 cartridge, also released in 1983. Unsurprisingly, the game has been severely downgraded. First and foremost, four stages have been cut down to two. It's the first and final areas that survived the transition, as the middle 50% of the game has been excised.

"Isometric" and "Atari 2600" are two terms rarely seen together. When Coleco ported Zaxxon to the system, they rebuilt the game from the ground up, with a traditional top-down 2D viewpoint. Shockingly, the Sega-published Atari Congo Bongo leaves the isometric elements intact -- almost. The first stage is pretty faithful to the arcade original, while the second (and final) has been flattened out.

The hero of our tale, the Pitfall Harry wannabe, can walk in four directions and jump with a press of the Atari's singular button. Stage one is a climbing stage, not unlike that of Donkey Kong, with the goal being to reach the top of an outdoor cliff. Bongo rains coconuts down, but they're easily avoided. At one point, monkeys appear. Touching one of these does not spell instant death, but instead they act as jump-impeding weights, and must be shaken off via button-mashing. Overall, the stage handles pretty well and is dutifully crafted, though there's one cluster of closely-bunched rock formations that looks oddly blurry and ambiguous.

Next, the game transitions into a Frogger tribute. Here a river must be crossed, by utilizing hippos and crocodiles as platforms. The jumping during this segment is surprisingly competent, and the animated river waves a nice touch. Beat (or "loop") the game and the explorer gets his revenge by poking Bongo with a fiery stick. I only know this as I'm familiar with the source material; the Atari 2600 conveys this scene among a disorienting sequence of flashing rainbow colors.

To the game's credit, it does contain something otherwise missing from the arcade original: a persistent piece of music. It's a catchy drum beat, like a precursor to the infamous Battletoads pause tune. Overall, the game is playable, and passable. Those seeking the authentic Congo Bongo experience should look elsewhere, though Atari completionists are sure to be amused.

Coconuts

Like Apollo and Data Age, Telesys is one of those unknown forgotten Atari developers. Programming a whopping six games for the 2600 (and no other console), they folded in 1983 amid the great video game crash. The "best known" Telesys title is probably the hilarious eat 'em up Fast Food, which may also be their only game to adhere to any kind of quality standard.

Boot up Coconuts and one is greeted by some admittedly impressive sprite work. The main character, a jungle explorer named Stanley I. Presume (groan), is absolutely huge, as is his simian rival. Stanley is decked out in blue shorts, brown shoes, and a yellow hat. He's ostensibly holding an umbrella, but it appears to be growing out of his head like the accursed mushrooms of EarthBound. The monkey is suitably well-detailed; you can even see his bellybutton and the whites of his eyes! This is a mean monkey though. Real mean.

Graphical veneer aside, Coconuts may be the simplest game on the Atari 2600. It essentially plays like a reverse Kaboom! -- the object here is to avoid objects that rain from above, as opposed to collecting them. As one could garner from the game title, said objects are coconuts. They're tossed straight down by the monkey. Stanley must move left and right to dodge; note that the default joystick is still used rather than the paddles.

The game plays terribly. Big sprites make for choppy animation. Neither Stanley or Monkey move smoothly. It feels as if significant frames of animation are missing, as if all the sprites are "teleporting" about rather than moving in a linear direction. While the monkey is supposed to be throwing the coconuts, they also occasionally materialize out of thin air. This is especially obvious if Stanley is placed in the gap between the two trees -- the monkey has no footing here but that doesn't stop coconuts from dropping down regardless.

As anticipated, Coconuts is a pure high score chaser with no ending sequence. Stanley can withstand three hits, if he makes contact with a coconut an article of clothing vanishes (no he never gets naked). For every 500 points gained, clothing begins to reappear as necessary. Music is nonexistent, and sound effects are pretty standard and blasé. If the monkey scores a successful hit, he "rustles about" in the trees for a short time. There no way around it, it looks like he's pleasuring himself. The game seems to be divided into "stages" but the transitions between each feel jarring and arbitrary.

Coconuts is one of those ancient Atari games that picks up speed until it becomes unplayable. Though one has to question if it was even playable in the first place.

I have a Donkey Kong review coming soon as well...