Games Beaten 2022

[Markies]

Arc The Lad 1 is very much a prologue and really just an introduction to Arc The Lad 2.

Arc The Lad 2 will take you about 40 hours to complete, so it is full fledged game.

But, I played through Arc The Lad Collection just a few years ago and I really enjoyed all of the games. They are meatier games and take a chunk of time, but if you love SRPG's, they have that perfect feeling!

Markies' Games Beat List Of 2022!
*Denotes Replay For Completion*

1. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (PS3)
2. Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne (XBOX)
3. Streets of Rage 4 (NS)
4. The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Master Quest (GCN)
5. Dirge Of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2)
6. Darkstalkers (PS1)



I beat Darkstalkers on the Sony Playstation 1 this evening!

When I first discovered Marvel Vs. Capcom, I unearthed a plethora of fighting games that I had missed before. Two of my favorite characters from Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 were Morrigan and Felicia. I knew they both came from Darkstalkers, but it was a game I had never played before. Well, I remember trying the Arcade version at this Arcade I frequently visit and I then realized how much I enjoyed the game. So, I then added it to my list and I then went looking for the game. In 2020, I needed to buy a PS1 game and I wanted it to be short because of my dwindling Backlog. So, after going through my Wishlist, Darkstalkers jumped out at me and seeing that it is still a reasonable price, I decided to jump on it.

Much like Street Fighter II, Darkstalkers is a one on one fighting game that plays much like other Capcom games of the genre. The major difference is that the characters are all based on horror themed monsters. For example, you have Dracula, Wolfman, Mummy, or Frankenstein's Monster and they are all fighting against each other. For a Capcom fighter, the game fits right into that Super Street Fighter II range. The gameplay is a little rough, but it is still rather smooth. Combos are in the game, but you are only going to do a small amount. One of the introductions is Air Blocking, which helps and is very nice. The system and characters are a little rough around the edges as they aren't as balanced or refined as the Street Fighter II Characters, but the basis is there and it is still very enjoyable.

Much like in any Capcom Fighter, the Final Boss absolutely cheats to win. He'll miss a super move and while the super move is still going on, I will attack him and he will still block my attack. It took me a few tries to defeat him, but I had to change up my style and play much more defensively than I am used to. But, that was the only way I could get around his cheating.


Overall, I still enjoyed my time with Darkstalkers. It's a very bare bones fighter with only an Arcade Mode and a Versus Mode. You only have ten characters to play through and once you do all that, then there is nothing else left to do. However, if you looking for a Capcom fighter and are tired of playing Street Fighter, this is a nice diversion. The characters are very unique and the fighting system is enjoyable enough to make me want to play it every now and then.

[prfsnl_gmr]

The marathon continues as I try to catch back up to my man, Elkin!

…..

1. Space Warrior (Switch)
2. Itta (Switch)
3. Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn (Switch)
4. Mask of Mists (Switch)
5. Metagal (Switch)
6. Foxyland 2 (Switch)
7. Submerged (Switch)
8. Back to Bed (Switch)
9. Thoth (Switch)
10. 140 (Switch)
11. Infinite: Beyond the Mind (Switch)
12. Ninja Striker (Switch)
13. Kid Tripp (Switch)
14. Miles & Kilo (Switch)
15. Neon Junctions (Switch)
16. Golf Zero (Switch)
17. 198X (Switch)
18. Macbat 64 (Switch)
19. Kiwi 64 (Switch)
20. Toree 3D (Switch)
21. Toree 2 (Switch)
22. #RaceDieRun (Switch)

198X is a very short VN about the role arcade games played in the life of a troubled teenager. The visuals are consistently pleasing, and the narrative, while a bit hackneyed and definitely incomplete, is fine. The voice acting is also solid. Most notably, the story is interspersed with faux arcade games in different genres. There’s a beat’em up, clearly inspired by Streets of Rage, a shmup inspired by Axelay and R-Type, an Outrun-clone, and a runner that plays like a cross between Son-Son and Strider. The game concludes, strangely, with a short first-person, dungeon crawler (which is not exactly the sort of game you’d have found in an arcade in the 1980s). Each is about one level, and feels like a demo of a more fleshed-out experience. (While Yuzo Kushiro himself composed the beat ‘em up’s excellent soundtrack, the shmup is really the standout title, and even if the developer never continues the story, they really should flesh that title out to a full game.) Recommended.

Macbat 64 is a very short adventure game clearly inspired by 3D platformers on the N64 (most obviously, Banjo Kazooie). It is very, very short, and you can beat it in an hour or so. Since the game is only $0.99, however, the very short playing time is not such a big deal. Moreover, the developer has added a lot of features since its initial release, including some prototype levels that never made it into the final release, and as discussed shortly, another complete, but even shorter game. Recommended.

Kiwi 64 is included as a hidden bonus in Macbat 64. (Narratively, Macbat 64 is the Kiwi 64’s sequel.) It is a very, very short collectathon 3D platformer even more obviously inspired by Banjo Kazooie. (The villain even speaks in couplets.) It is about as long as a single level in Banjo Kazooie, and I was of two minds about including it in my “games beaten list. It is available independently (and for free) on itch.io, however, and it has its own credits when you beat it. Accordingly, I decided to include it here. Recommended.

Toree 3D and Toree 2 are two 3D platformers from the developer of Macbat 64, and they are a huge step-up in quality. With bright colorful graphics, infectious soundtracks, and very fast gameplay, they are what I imagine a good 3D Sonic the Hedgehog game would have been like on the Sega Saturn. You play as a little bird who can run very fast, double jump, and die instantly upon contact with any hazard. The linear levels are sprawling, by fifth-generation standards, but you move through them very quickly. So quickly, in fact, that you can probably roll credits on each in under an hour. Collecting all the stars in each level takes significantly longer, however, and obtaining an A- or S-ranking on each level is quite the challenge. (Collecting all the stars and obtaining good rankings is how you unlock hidden playable characters, including Macbat from Macbat 64.) Moreover, the developer has added some bonus levels since the games’ initial release that imagine what the games would be like if they played more like collectathons, which also expand the games’ length substantially. These games would be recommended at almost any price, but at $0.99 each, they’re a steal. Highly Recommended.

#RaceDieRun, despite its awful title, is OUTSTANDING and an early contender for my 2022 GOTY. It mixes the gameplay of a very fast futuristic racing game, such as F-Zero GX or WipeOut, with the gameplay of a die-and-retry platformer, such as Super Meat Boy. The result is an fast-paced, incredibly challenging experience that is also highly addictive and rewarding. The game is unashamed of its steep challenge, presenting you with Bible verse about the virtues of perseverance in the face of adversity between levels and Bruce Lee quotes when you die…which you will…a lot. (I restarted two of the game’s levels almost 1000 times before I completed them.) Thankfully, the game reloads instantly, and each level lasts only 10-25 seconds. Better yet, each level is completely fair, and while each certainly required some practice, I never felt the game was unpredictable (just predictably deadly at a speed that pushed my reflexes to their limits). The game is frequently on sale in the eShop for $1.99, and it is a steal at that price. While it is definitely not for the faint-of-heart or the easily discouraged, I can’t recommend it highly enough for anyone seeking a true challenge. (I clawed my way to the end of the game’s 60 normal levels, but there are still 15 unlockable levels I haven’t completed. I can only imagine the skill and dedication required to unlock and complete all of those.) Very Highly Recommended.

[Note]

Games Beaten 2022:



1. Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth (N64)

This was on my to get list for N64 titles for quite a while now as it's one of the only shmups on the system, and I finally came across it last month. I was in the mood for some pick up and play action titles one night last week, so decided to fire this one up and was really glad I did!

To start off, Star Soldier has three different ships to choose from. Each ship has different weapons and different upgrades. For my session on this night, I played as the blue ship, but I'd like to test others in subsequent playthroughs. As in most titles in this genre, you have a regular shot and a bomb shot when things start to get rough. Another nice feature, is that the game has turbo built in, so that you can simply hold the fire button down.

The controls are quite responsive in this title and I didn't find any issues with controlling the ship. I ended up playing using the d-pad as opposed to the control stick. When it comes to playing shoot 'em ups on a console, I'm more used to playing them with the d-pad, but it did feel kinda funny using a d-pad for a N64 game, as it doesn't happen too often, at least with the games in my small collection for the system.

The game includes seven levels, and each level has a different environment. The graphics for the backdrops in this game look pretty impressive IMO and I think the development team did a good job of transitioning a genre that was usually known for being 2D into a 3D title. Each stage also includes a boss battle, and the bosses in this game are pretty stunning as well. Most of them are quite large in scale, with a variety of patterns that you'll need to get a handle of to get to the next section.

Also, it seems that most of the levels have a secret path, and a hint for these paths is displayed after you finish the level. This is a nice touch, and adds to the replayability. Even with these hints, I had a tough time finding the secret areas, but it's something I'd like to look more into on a following playthrough. I'm curious if going through these alternate paths changes the ending or unlocks anything specific. I also enjoyed the soundtrack and sound effects in Star Soldier. The sound effects are satisfying IMO and the background music is pretty great. I've got to give it some more listens, but I particularly enjoyed it for something on the N64. The tunes are really atmospheric and pair well with the on-screen action.

One criticism I have though, is that the bomb shots will make quick work of the bosses. I think in most instances, three bombs will finish off most bosses. This seems a bit too easy, and I think this should've been adjusted, as anyone can just spam bombs and not bother with working on getting a hang of the pattern. Another criticism is that the game is only single player -- I really think a two player co-op mode would've been a great addition to this title.

Overall, I would recommend this for fans of the shoot 'em up genre! I think it's fun to see this type of game on a console that's not known for it. Check it out if you get a chance!

[corn619]

I've been on a real revisit the games of my childhood kick lately. Replayed and completed the original NES Mega Mans 1 thru 6. I haven't touched them in about 10 years. Part 2 & 3 still are my favorite though with 3 edging out by a hair. The rest of them was a fun experience to revisit though. Also got my ass kicked on part 3 of the original Ninja Gaidens. 1 was still hard, 2 was still easy and 3 broke me faster than a 2000s era BMW. I definitely don't have the patience and coordination I had back in the early 90s lol.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I've been on a real revisit the games of my childhood kick lately. Replayed and completed the original NES Mega Mans 1 thru 6. I haven't touched them in about 10 years. Part 2 & 3 still are my favorite though with 3 edging out by a hair. The rest of them was a fun experience to revisit though. Also got my ass kicked on part 3 of the original Ninja Gaidens. 1 was still hard, 2 was still easy and 3 broke me faster than a 2000s era BMW. I definitely don't have the patience and coordination I had back in the early 90s lol.

Try the Japanese version of Ninja Gaiden III. It is much, much easier. (So easy, in fact, I’d consider it the easiest game in the series.) The version included in Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for the SNES is a bit more demanding than the Japanese version, but not quite as frustrating as the NES version. Accordingly, if you have access to that, you may want to give it a shot too.

Ninja Gaiden is one of my favorite 2D action series - along with Mega Man! - and I ran all the games last year, including all the versions released on systems other than the NES. (Word to the wise…avoid the DOS version of Ninja Gaiden II and the Lynx version of Ninja Gaiden III!)

[o.pwuaioc]

Ninja Gaiden is one of my favorite 2D action series - along with Mega Man!

I used to say that Super Mario Bros 3 was my favorite NES platformer (and game, really), but I think Ninja Gaiden has pushed it out of the top spot these days. I wish it spawned more games that followed that gameplay, stuff like that, Strider, or Ninja Spirit.

[Raging Justice]

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy - PS4 re-release



So I'm playing this again. I played it years ago, but remembered very little about the game from then. I just remembered that I was never very impressed with the Jak and Daxter series. I thought I'd give em another shot, so I went and played Precursor Legacy again.

Wow, how did this series get so popular? The first game alone isn't very impressive. The jumping mechanics are no where near as smooth as its competitors at the time, Sly Cooper and Ratchet and Clank. The camera is one of the worst I've ever seen in a 3d platformer. I hate how you can't configure the controls for it either, so if you wanted to say invert the controls so the camera goes left instead of right when you move the analog...no dice. In terms of gameplay, Ratchet and Sly were experimenting. Sly was mixing platforming with stealth. Ratchet was bringing third person shooter mechanics to the genre. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy...is just a generic, collect-a-thon platformer, and it's not like it was the first 3d platformer to do that back then.

Then there's the characters. They are nowhere near as charming as the characters in Sly Cooper, or as funny as the characters in Ratchet and Clank. Daxter has about as much charm as Bubsy the Cat and Jak is just a run of the mill, boring, silent protagonist. The enemies are so generic too. Both Ratchet and Clank and Sly Cooper had cool enemies for you to fight.

Even graphically, Sly Cooper was way better than this game, and the music in Jak and Daxter really doesn't stand out at all.

The game just feels kind of generic. It hasn't aged well. Sly Cooper is still a fun game to play now and still stands out with the stealth and the cel shaded graphics. Ratchet and Clank isn't as great as its sequels, but you can at least see the seeds of what that series would become in the first game with its wacky weapons. Jak and Daxter just feels by the numbers and uninspired. There are better modern games you can play like New Super Lucky's Tale, which is a better game in every way. As a fan of the genre I wouldn't recommend this one and have no idea why people think it's some kind of classic

[prfsnl_gmr]

Ninja Gaiden is one of my favorite 2D action series - along with Mega Man!

I used to say that Super Mario Bros 3 was my favorite NES platformer (and game, really), but I think Ninja Gaiden has pushed it out of the top spot these days. I wish it spawned more games that followed that gameplay, stuff like that, Strider, or Ninja Spirit.

I agree. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that SMB3 is one the system’s best games, but Contra, Mega Man 2, and Ninja Gaiden are the games I’m most likely to revisit.

Also, there are a lot of modern indie platformers that have adopted Ninja Gaiden’s gameplay, which is something I appreciate.

Wow, how did this series get so popular?

It was really impressive at the time of release, which was almost a full year before either Ratchet & Clank or Sly Cooper. There wasn’t a lot of competition among 3D platformers in 2001 except, perhaps, games released on fifth-generation systems. That’s my theory, at least.

[o.pwuaioc]

Ninja Gaiden is one of my favorite 2D action series - along with Mega Man!

I used to say that Super Mario Bros 3 was my favorite NES platformer (and game, really), but I think Ninja Gaiden has pushed it out of the top spot these days. I wish it spawned more games that followed that gameplay, stuff like that, Strider, or Ninja Spirit.

I agree. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that SMB3 is one the system’s best games, but Contra, Mega Man 2, and Ninja Gaiden are the games I’m most likely to revisit.

Also, there are a lot of modern indie platformers that have adopted Ninja Gaiden’s gameplay, which is something I appreciate.

There were fortunately many Contra-clones in the years that followed. For NES games, I think I'd probably give the edge to Ninja Gaiden, but mostly because I don't love the 3D levels. If they were bonus levels (think like Sonic 2 or 3) then it'd be tougher to decide. Mega Man was always a bit below these two for me, though once you get to MMX, it evens out.

[Ack]

1. Record of Lodoss War - Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (PC)(Action Adventure)
2. The Citadel (PC)(FPS)

The Citadel is a strange hybrid of tactical FPS and DOOM-based sprite blasting. It has bland, blue levels that sometimes heavily emphasizes platforming, but the enemies are all anime-esque sprites that explode into surprisingly nasty piles of gore. The story is unintelligible as far as I can tell, possibly due to translation issues, but also maybe it's just not sure what to say. And hey, there's a money system and a store that sells weapon upgrades, many of which you simply don't need but can still have fun with because even the start pistol is useful until the end of the game.

You are The Martyr, some kind of clone in a world of clones that are going nuts due to the dream of a sleeping god fetus. Your job is to go kill the sleeping god...and everyone who gets in your way, so all the other clones. But to get to it, you have to pass the seven angels which guard it, which means going through different sections of levels from a hubworld, fighting your way to a big boss, and then blasting the crap out of said boss with everything in your arsenal. And you end up with a surprisingly large arsenal, including different kinds of shotguns, assault rifles and SMGs, a pistol, a chaingun, a couple of rocket launchers, a sniper rifle, and several explosives. Some of these also offer alternate fire modes which further increase your combat versatility, like your chaingun also being a flamethrower. A very big, nasty flamethrower.

And when I say it's a tactical FPS, I mean it. It's not just that every weapon has iron sights, bullet drop, and reloading (they all do); they can be tactically reloaded faster by throwing away all ammunition remaining in the magazine or must be reloaded one round at a time. It's that leaning is critical to success, because even though you can dodge your enemies' bullets, they often fire a rapid stream of them and are also tougher than you are. It's not that you have health, you also have to manage your hunger and oxygen levels in a system both more complex than necessary and yet strangely underwhelming once you get into it. Oh, and saving is based on checkpoints at the start of the level, unless you find the special switch that lets you use lives to keep going when you die.

And yes, you also get vehicles, or more precisely a mech with jump jets, because why not?

The game is challenging at the start, but gets less so as you get used to how it works. If this sounds like a let down, that's ok; you can then begin messing with the in game difficulty options as you wish to do things like limit your ammo pickups or make air toxic for you at certain points. Yeah, you can make the game stupid hard if you want a challenge, and even if you make it abysmally easy, it has platforming. Prepare for sweaty palms!

That said, the game might not be for everyone. While there are folks online who rail about the "nudity" and "sexual content" (of which there isn't any that I ever noticed), you may also not be so into seeing someone's intestines splatter on the floor after you reduce their upper half to paste at point blank with a shotgun. If that's not ok with you, I understand. For the rest of us, The Citadel is weird but not bad. I liked it.