Haven't posted in this thread for a while, here's some brief thoughts on my most recent batch of beaten games.
Wolfenstein: The New Order (Xbox One)
Still the best single player FPS of this gen. Brutal, bloody and brilliant. Saved Fergus this time which made my playthrough 200% swearier.
Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox One)
This is the point I think I gave up on the Halo series. Not because this game is bad but because the series is stale. There is no innovation anymore, just increased spectacle. I also realised with the Doom Beta how little I care for the multi-player aspect of the Halo franchise these days. As in the single player things have gotten stale but, and to make things worse, it's also riddled with microtransactions. And enough said about the story the better. Recent Halo games have seemed less like blockbuster movies and more like mid-season episodes of a middling HBO show.
Beyond Eyes (Xbox One)
A walking sim where you play as a little girl searching for her cat. The gimmick here is that as your character is blind, you have to "fill in" levels by walking in white space and revealing the scenery. It's a very slow game, even for its genre and despite a beautiful watercolour aesthetic, Beyond Eyes is very middle of the road. There's heart here but not enough I think to pull most people through its short playtime.
Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (PS2)
Pretty decent early noughties FPS game using the Quake 3 engine. Doesn't set the world on fire but is quite fun for Trek fans. Voyager isn't my favourite Trek (is it anybody's favourite?) but it gives you the opportunity to shoot Borg, Klingons and Hirogen so I'm happy enough. Not very well optimised for the PS2 though with frequent slow-down and frame rate issues. Also gives me a reason to use this pic:
Castlevania (PS2)
Know elsewhere as Lament of Innocence, Castlevania was slightly disappointing to be honest. I really liked Curse of Darkness when I played it a couple of years back and had heard LOI was even better. And in some ways it is; its graphics are less muddy and the sub-weapon upgrade system is easier to understand and generally more interesting than COD's over-designed "innocent devils".
The problem is COD does everything else better from level design, to boss fights, to music, to story. LOI also gives the impression it'll be a Metroidvania but it quickly becomes clear it's a far more linear affair, which I guess might be preferential depending on your personal taste. After a brief tutorial area you're granted access to five areas of the castle proper and while I can appreciate the choice it leads to LOI biggest issue. The game is too damn easy. This isn't bravado speaking, this is plain fact. I died once in the entire game and that was on the last boss. By letting players choose their path through the castle from the off, Konami, whether they meant to or not, have taken a iron to the challenge and beat it flat.
This is still a pretty damn good game and certainly full of that classic Castlevania gothic appeal. It just doesn't have the challenge or energy of its forebears or its 3D sibling, Curse of Darkness.
Liquid Kids (PS2)
Cute arcade platformer starring a hippo (that looks more like a platypus) who has to save his family by chucking water balloons at increasingly bizarre enemies. Like a lot of arcade platformers of that era it starts off pretty laid back, then bares its teeth about three levels in. Becomes a bit of a chore later on to be honest. Still, it has a lot of that classic Taito charm you from something like Rainbow Islands, as well as some meme-worthy engrish. I always put Taito in the same box as Data East; their games aren't quite as polished as a Sega or Capcom joint but they have some unmistakable aura about them. Regardless, it's a fun way to waste a hour or so.
Castlevania (NES)
The real deal this time. Feels good to finally beat it. Like Ninja Gaiden, it's staggering how utterly playable these NES action-platformers still are. They really don't make them like this anymore. If I had one complaint it'd be that I think the difficulty takes a turn for the cheap in the rooms directly preceding Dracula. The corridor before death is fine by me but that room with the bizarre level geometry and the buzzards dropping of fleamen can get in the fucking sea. Those two screens aside though, pretty much perfect.
Power Blade (NES)
This one caught me off guard. Extremely playable action platformer from Natsume in which you play as some beefy bro who kills everything with a boomerang. Excellent. There were times when I was enjoying this more than Castlevania but some easy boss fights and middling soundtrack stop it from being top tier material. It's still an A+ though, lots of fast fun action. Has a similar issue to Castlevania (PS2) where you get a level select from the off, which means the challenge remains level as you progress instead of ramping up. Great game though, highly recommended.
Wai Wai World 2: SOS!! Parsley Jo (Famicom)
Wai Wai world is a Konami crossover series both in teams of character line up and gameplay variety. Unlike the more open plan Wai Wai 1, WW2 is a more linear platformer where you play as Konami Man who can transform into various Konami NES characters via Contra style power up system. The game mixes things up though by having certain levels set in different genres altogether, like a level ripped from Twinbee or Gradius. Amusingly, the Gradius styled levels are also the game's most challenging. It's a fun game overall, the platforming isn't spectacular but it is novel seeing Simon Belmont whip his way through sweets and cakes themed stage from Bio Miracle Upa. It's one of those where nothing really stands out but it leaves a good impression overall. Konami kept things fresh in the gameplay department and it's enough to give the gimmick legs.