Games Beaten 2022
Re: Games Beaten 2022
And wow, all the character unlocks!
Dope Pope on a Rope
B/S/T thread
My Classic Games Collection
My Steam Profile
The PC Engine Software Bible Forum, with Shoutbox chat - the new Internet home for PC Engine fandom.
B/S/T thread
My Classic Games Collection
My Steam Profile
The PC Engine Software Bible Forum, with Shoutbox chat - the new Internet home for PC Engine fandom.
-
prfsnl_gmr
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 12202
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:26 pm
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Re: Games Beaten 2022
Two classic beat ‘em ups in a row! I’m loving these reviews, guys.
…..
First 60
61. Beeny (Switch)
62. Fatum Betula (Switch)
63. Once Upon a Time on Halloween (Switch)
64. Hatchwell (Switch)
65. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Switch)
66. The Turing Test (Switch)
The Turing Test is a first-person puzzle game in which you play as an astronaut sent to investigate the disappearance of a ground crew on Europa. When you arrive at the landing site - with the help of your trusty A.I. companion T.O.M. - you notice that the ground crew has configured its base into a series of puzzle rooms supposedly unsolvable by any form of artificial intelligence. As you navigate the rooms, you converse with T.O.M. regarding both the missing ground crew an artificial intelligence, generally. The game has a relatively solid story, and the conversations with T.O.M. are generally interesting, even if T.O.M. is a bit of a know it all.
The puzzles, however, are a bit too easy, and none of them require that much creativity. (I’m pretty sure a A.I. could solve them…) They also rely on the same few mechanics, which makes the game drag a bit. Still, the game isn’t so long that it wears out its welcome, and while it doesn’t hit the heights of games like Portal or Q.U.B.E. 2, it’s still pretty fun.
…..
First 60
61. Beeny (Switch)
62. Fatum Betula (Switch)
63. Once Upon a Time on Halloween (Switch)
64. Hatchwell (Switch)
65. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Switch)
66. The Turing Test (Switch)
The Turing Test is a first-person puzzle game in which you play as an astronaut sent to investigate the disappearance of a ground crew on Europa. When you arrive at the landing site - with the help of your trusty A.I. companion T.O.M. - you notice that the ground crew has configured its base into a series of puzzle rooms supposedly unsolvable by any form of artificial intelligence. As you navigate the rooms, you converse with T.O.M. regarding both the missing ground crew an artificial intelligence, generally. The game has a relatively solid story, and the conversations with T.O.M. are generally interesting, even if T.O.M. is a bit of a know it all.
The puzzles, however, are a bit too easy, and none of them require that much creativity. (I’m pretty sure a A.I. could solve them…) They also rely on the same few mechanics, which makes the game drag a bit. Still, the game isn’t so long that it wears out its welcome, and while it doesn’t hit the heights of games like Portal or Q.U.B.E. 2, it’s still pretty fun.
Re: Games Beaten 2022
1. Record of Lodoss War - Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (PC)(Action Adventure)
2. The Citadel (PC)(FPS)
3. Gothic 3 (PC)(RPG)
4. Witchaven (PC)(FPS)
5. Unpacking (PC)(Puzzle)
6. Firewatch (PC)(Adventure)
7. Perilous Warp (PC)(FPS)
8. The Ascent (PC)(RPG)
9. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned (PC)(FPS/RPG)
10. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (PC)(FPS/RPG)
11. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - Claptrap's New Robot Revolution (PC)(FPS/RPG)
12. Kingdom of the Dead (PC)(FPS)
13. Monument (PC)(FPS)
14. Bloodwash (PC)(Horror Adventure)
15. Dead Estate (PC)(Isometric Shooter)
16. Lost in Vivo (PC)(Survival Horror)
17. Star Explorers (PC)(FPS)
18. Dark Souls Remastered (Switch)(RPG)
19. NAM (PC)(FPS)
20. WWII GI (PC)(FPS)
21. Necromunda: Hired Gun (PC)(FPS)
22. Quake: Dimension of the Past (PC)(FPS)
23. Quake: Dimension of the Machine (PC)(FPS)
24. Quake: Scourge of Armagon (PC)(FPS)
25. Quake: Dissolution of Eternity (PC)(FPS)
26. Huntdown (PC)(Run and Gun)
27. A.W.O.L. (PC)(FPS)
28. Hands of Necromancy (PC)(FPS)
29. Cyberpunk 2077 (PC)(FPS/RPG)
30. Prodeus (PC)(FPS)
31. Tails of Iron (Switch)(Action)
32. Tails of Iron: Bloody Whiskers (Switch)(Action)
33. Arkos (PC)(FPS)
34. Security Booth: Director's Cut (PC)(Horror Adventure)
35. Skinwalker Hunt (PC)(FPS)
36. Vomitoreum (PC)(FPS)
37. Hellbound (PC)(FPS)
38. Streets of Rage 4 (Switch)(Beat 'Em Up)
39. Wholesome Slaughter (PC)(FPS)
Wholesome Slaughter is yet another throwback FPS available on Steam. At four levels long, it's a quick romp of cutesy violence. There is also a wave-based survival mode with two levels, as well as a level select if you really, really want to go back to playing through the game, though considering its brevity, there isn't much really worth going back for.
The game lacks much of a story beyond you waking up in some kind of fantasy world and then deciding to murder everything, starting with the tutorial fairy. After that, you collect various cutesy firearms such as a pink shotgun, holy hand grenade, and candy-striped rocket launcher, and then you blast teddy bears, buff unicorns, and fat pandas. Why? Search me, I just play 'em. There is a short dash for additional mobility which can be used in the air or to enable you to dash off a cliff and air jump.
There is a nifty final boss fight, where you must shoot tiny fairies around the big boss to stun and remove her invincibility, while also platforming around and avoiding spawning mobs (that will continue to spawn after her death if you just want to farm kills or something). While it's a lot of running around, I learned just how much better the shotgun was at close range versus just about everything else. In fact, that single boss battle probably taught me more about the game's guns than any of the levels.
For fans of boomer shooters, I still wouldn't place this that high on the list if games to check out. There isn't anything here that really recommends it over other games beyond the novelty factor of blasting cutesy enemies. That said, I didn't have a bad time either, more just lukewarm.
2. The Citadel (PC)(FPS)
3. Gothic 3 (PC)(RPG)
4. Witchaven (PC)(FPS)
5. Unpacking (PC)(Puzzle)
6. Firewatch (PC)(Adventure)
7. Perilous Warp (PC)(FPS)
8. The Ascent (PC)(RPG)
9. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned (PC)(FPS/RPG)
10. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (PC)(FPS/RPG)
11. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - Claptrap's New Robot Revolution (PC)(FPS/RPG)
12. Kingdom of the Dead (PC)(FPS)
13. Monument (PC)(FPS)
14. Bloodwash (PC)(Horror Adventure)
15. Dead Estate (PC)(Isometric Shooter)
16. Lost in Vivo (PC)(Survival Horror)
17. Star Explorers (PC)(FPS)
18. Dark Souls Remastered (Switch)(RPG)
19. NAM (PC)(FPS)
20. WWII GI (PC)(FPS)
21. Necromunda: Hired Gun (PC)(FPS)
22. Quake: Dimension of the Past (PC)(FPS)
23. Quake: Dimension of the Machine (PC)(FPS)
24. Quake: Scourge of Armagon (PC)(FPS)
25. Quake: Dissolution of Eternity (PC)(FPS)
26. Huntdown (PC)(Run and Gun)
27. A.W.O.L. (PC)(FPS)
28. Hands of Necromancy (PC)(FPS)
29. Cyberpunk 2077 (PC)(FPS/RPG)
30. Prodeus (PC)(FPS)
31. Tails of Iron (Switch)(Action)
32. Tails of Iron: Bloody Whiskers (Switch)(Action)
33. Arkos (PC)(FPS)
34. Security Booth: Director's Cut (PC)(Horror Adventure)
35. Skinwalker Hunt (PC)(FPS)
36. Vomitoreum (PC)(FPS)
37. Hellbound (PC)(FPS)
38. Streets of Rage 4 (Switch)(Beat 'Em Up)
39. Wholesome Slaughter (PC)(FPS)
Wholesome Slaughter is yet another throwback FPS available on Steam. At four levels long, it's a quick romp of cutesy violence. There is also a wave-based survival mode with two levels, as well as a level select if you really, really want to go back to playing through the game, though considering its brevity, there isn't much really worth going back for.
The game lacks much of a story beyond you waking up in some kind of fantasy world and then deciding to murder everything, starting with the tutorial fairy. After that, you collect various cutesy firearms such as a pink shotgun, holy hand grenade, and candy-striped rocket launcher, and then you blast teddy bears, buff unicorns, and fat pandas. Why? Search me, I just play 'em. There is a short dash for additional mobility which can be used in the air or to enable you to dash off a cliff and air jump.
There is a nifty final boss fight, where you must shoot tiny fairies around the big boss to stun and remove her invincibility, while also platforming around and avoiding spawning mobs (that will continue to spawn after her death if you just want to farm kills or something). While it's a lot of running around, I learned just how much better the shotgun was at close range versus just about everything else. In fact, that single boss battle probably taught me more about the game's guns than any of the levels.
For fans of boomer shooters, I still wouldn't place this that high on the list if games to check out. There isn't anything here that really recommends it over other games beyond the novelty factor of blasting cutesy enemies. That said, I didn't have a bad time either, more just lukewarm.
Re: Games Beaten 2022
1. Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth (N64)
2. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (Arcade)*
3. Metal Slug 6 (PS2)
4. Time Crisis II (PS2)*
5. Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (360)
6. Shining the Holy Ark (SAT)
7. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES)
8. Soul Blazer (SNES)
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES)*
10. Warriors of Fate (Switch)
11. Knights of the Round (Switch)
12. Armored Warriors (Switch)
13. Battle Circuit (Switch)
14. OutRun (GEN)*
15. Kirby's Adventure (NES)
16. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
17. Shadowrun (SNES)
18. Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (PS2)
19. Ratchet & Clank (PS2)
20. Final Fight 3 (SNES)
21. The House of the Dead (Arcade)
22. Die Hard Arcade (Arcade)
23. Final Fantasy II (SNES)
24. Streets of Rage 2 (GEN)*
25. Double Dragon (SMS)
26. Ninja Warriors (SNES)*
Originally I was going to sit down tonight and try to setup and play some Phantasy Star Online on the GameCube. However, the gaming gods had other plans for me, because when I fired up my console, I ran into a "No Disc" screen, which was a bummer. I tried cleaning the lens, but it was a no go, and will have to be handled at another time by a seasoned technician. Well, I also had an itch to play a beat 'em up, so I ended up pivoting and returning to a game I more recently discovered within the past few years, Ninja Warriors on the SNES. Normally, after I finish a game, I keep my subsequent playthrough reviews fairly short, but since this game has grown to be a favorite of mine, this review may end up being a bit longer than I normally would write for a repeated beaten game.
Ninja Warriors has all the ingredients needed for a great beat 'em up game -- colorful and well animated sprites, a bumping soundtrack by Taito's house band Zuntata, satisfying sound effects, sharp controls, and a fair difficulty setting. Oh yeah, and you get to kick ass while controlling one of three robot ninjas. For this playthrough, and most of the time I've spent with the game, I played as Kunoichi. Her regular attack is quite short range, so it takes some time to get used to, but overall I like her move set, as she has a jump kick that can combo into a second jump kick in another direction, and a good throw where she dashes across a portion of the screen hitting other enemies.
Since Ninja Warriors is played on a 2D plane, the crowd control here is pretty important. You don't have the ability to roam around much to dodge enemies, so you'll need to manage a lot of henchmen in close quarters throughout most of the game. It's also important to avoid being hit for a significant amount of time, because the availability of your special depends on whether you could avoid being hit by enemies. Once your special meter is full though, you're able to take damage and not lose the special. This is an interesting mechanic, that I haven't seen in other beat 'em ups.
The Ninja Warriors doesn't come without a few criticisms though. The major and glaring one is the lack of two player co-op; however, the game might have felt really chaotic with two players romping around in a small 2D plane. I would enjoy reading up on whether Natsume intentionally left out a co-op mode, or if there was a technical issue that prevented it's inclusion. This is one of the few titles in the genre where everything else delivers, so you could maybe look past that omission. Another issue I have with this game, that is a minor thing, is the ending. I don't want to spoil it, so I'll just say I think the developers could have came up with something better.
Overall, Ninja Warriors is a very fun beat 'em up and I think it's one of the best games in the genre on the SNES. Also, an updated remake was released on the Switch in 2019, which I would eventually like to track down and play as well. If you haven't tried this one yet, give it a go! I highly recommend it.
2. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (Arcade)*
3. Metal Slug 6 (PS2)
4. Time Crisis II (PS2)*
5. Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (360)
6. Shining the Holy Ark (SAT)
7. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES)
8. Soul Blazer (SNES)
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES)*
10. Warriors of Fate (Switch)
11. Knights of the Round (Switch)
12. Armored Warriors (Switch)
13. Battle Circuit (Switch)
14. OutRun (GEN)*
15. Kirby's Adventure (NES)
16. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
17. Shadowrun (SNES)
18. Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (PS2)
19. Ratchet & Clank (PS2)
20. Final Fight 3 (SNES)
21. The House of the Dead (Arcade)
22. Die Hard Arcade (Arcade)
23. Final Fantasy II (SNES)
24. Streets of Rage 2 (GEN)*
25. Double Dragon (SMS)
26. Ninja Warriors (SNES)*
Originally I was going to sit down tonight and try to setup and play some Phantasy Star Online on the GameCube. However, the gaming gods had other plans for me, because when I fired up my console, I ran into a "No Disc" screen, which was a bummer. I tried cleaning the lens, but it was a no go, and will have to be handled at another time by a seasoned technician. Well, I also had an itch to play a beat 'em up, so I ended up pivoting and returning to a game I more recently discovered within the past few years, Ninja Warriors on the SNES. Normally, after I finish a game, I keep my subsequent playthrough reviews fairly short, but since this game has grown to be a favorite of mine, this review may end up being a bit longer than I normally would write for a repeated beaten game.
Ninja Warriors has all the ingredients needed for a great beat 'em up game -- colorful and well animated sprites, a bumping soundtrack by Taito's house band Zuntata, satisfying sound effects, sharp controls, and a fair difficulty setting. Oh yeah, and you get to kick ass while controlling one of three robot ninjas. For this playthrough, and most of the time I've spent with the game, I played as Kunoichi. Her regular attack is quite short range, so it takes some time to get used to, but overall I like her move set, as she has a jump kick that can combo into a second jump kick in another direction, and a good throw where she dashes across a portion of the screen hitting other enemies.
Since Ninja Warriors is played on a 2D plane, the crowd control here is pretty important. You don't have the ability to roam around much to dodge enemies, so you'll need to manage a lot of henchmen in close quarters throughout most of the game. It's also important to avoid being hit for a significant amount of time, because the availability of your special depends on whether you could avoid being hit by enemies. Once your special meter is full though, you're able to take damage and not lose the special. This is an interesting mechanic, that I haven't seen in other beat 'em ups.
The Ninja Warriors doesn't come without a few criticisms though. The major and glaring one is the lack of two player co-op; however, the game might have felt really chaotic with two players romping around in a small 2D plane. I would enjoy reading up on whether Natsume intentionally left out a co-op mode, or if there was a technical issue that prevented it's inclusion. This is one of the few titles in the genre where everything else delivers, so you could maybe look past that omission. Another issue I have with this game, that is a minor thing, is the ending. I don't want to spoil it, so I'll just say I think the developers could have came up with something better.
Overall, Ninja Warriors is a very fun beat 'em up and I think it's one of the best games in the genre on the SNES. Also, an updated remake was released on the Switch in 2019, which I would eventually like to track down and play as well. If you haven't tried this one yet, give it a go! I highly recommend it.
Re: Games Beaten 2022
Previous Years: 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
First 50:
51. Prodeus - PC
52. The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero - Switch
53. Arkos - PC
54. Valkyrie Elysium - PS5
55. AWOL - PC
56. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) - PC
57. Warhammer 40000: Shootas, Blood, and Teef - Switch
58. X Rebirth - PC
59. Star Ocean: The Divine Force - PS5
60. Pokemon Scarlet - Switch
The latest in the Pokemon franchise, Violet and Scarlet push the series fully into a seamless open world, with a lot of notes taken from Legends: Arceus. The end result feels like they're still figuring out how to move the franchise to this model, and it isn't helped by general performance problems that seem to indicate that we're beginning to cap out what the Switch can do.
This generation is set in the Iberian Peninsula, so the characters will pepper their speech with a bit of Spanish and some of the architecture evokes "latin" in the mind. However, it feels like they mashed up Spain with Latin America, as there are some elements that definitely feel like they are pulled from the latter (most notably a Aztec-style pyramid mon). The game begins with you getting read to head off to the Pokemon trainer boarding school in the center of the country. This serves as the central point from which your adventures begin. You're given three different plotlines to complete; the standard gym circuit, a circuit of Team Star's bases to bring them to heel, and finally taking down some Titan Pokemon to get what they're guarding. You will bounce between these different plots, as the level curve is set up so that you can't just do one to the exclusion of the others without major grinding (and you need to do all three to unlock the finale anyway).
As mentioned, the game is fully free roaming. Like Legends, wild Pokemon show up on the field and can be engaged. We're back to traditional battles, and one thing you'll notice is that wild Pokemon are really non-aggressive, so you can easily move through the world without fighting anything (until you hit a level wall on a required fight). You're given a special Pokemon (the cover legendary) at the start for mobility, and you unlock more mobility as you progress the plots. By the end of the game you can very quickly traverse the land, which is nice when going for the sealed Legendaries.
However, this free roaming really feels like it comes at a price. Because you aren't restricted by grid-based terrain anymore, they can't use trainers as traps to help keep you leveled properly. There are still trainers, but they are completely opt-in. And there feels like there are less of them. The game ends up being a lot more wander than battle, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. The open nature also means that all items and TMs are randomly generated, so while you won't get something end game early due to loot pools, you don't have the same crafted move curve.
The game has a lot of performance problems. There is an insane amount of pop in, and at many points NPCs will drop down to extremely choppy animation (as in, dropping most of the frames to keep the same speed of hitting key frames). Occasionally you will encounter micro stutters when moving, and when you unlock late game gliding you can get noticeable framerate changes depending on how you angle the camera. The very core battle gameplay is still smooth, but it feels like they were scrambling to make sure at least that met par.
Overall, this felt like a step backwards for the franchise. I think Sword/Shield had better overall gameplay. However, one thing that I did like in Scarlet was the fact that the open world nature meant they had to pull back a bit on individual story elements, as they couldn't count on the order you did things. This brought the dialog down more towards the GB/GBA era, which is just the right amount to give some story but without putting you in a ton of cutscenes. My concern at this point is they are going to make the next one open world as well, without solving what I consider to be the key flaw. Possibly because they consider that flaw a strength.
First 50:
51. Prodeus - PC
52. The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero - Switch
53. Arkos - PC
54. Valkyrie Elysium - PS5
55. AWOL - PC
56. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) - PC
57. Warhammer 40000: Shootas, Blood, and Teef - Switch
58. X Rebirth - PC
59. Star Ocean: The Divine Force - PS5
60. Pokemon Scarlet - Switch
The latest in the Pokemon franchise, Violet and Scarlet push the series fully into a seamless open world, with a lot of notes taken from Legends: Arceus. The end result feels like they're still figuring out how to move the franchise to this model, and it isn't helped by general performance problems that seem to indicate that we're beginning to cap out what the Switch can do.
This generation is set in the Iberian Peninsula, so the characters will pepper their speech with a bit of Spanish and some of the architecture evokes "latin" in the mind. However, it feels like they mashed up Spain with Latin America, as there are some elements that definitely feel like they are pulled from the latter (most notably a Aztec-style pyramid mon). The game begins with you getting read to head off to the Pokemon trainer boarding school in the center of the country. This serves as the central point from which your adventures begin. You're given three different plotlines to complete; the standard gym circuit, a circuit of Team Star's bases to bring them to heel, and finally taking down some Titan Pokemon to get what they're guarding. You will bounce between these different plots, as the level curve is set up so that you can't just do one to the exclusion of the others without major grinding (and you need to do all three to unlock the finale anyway).
As mentioned, the game is fully free roaming. Like Legends, wild Pokemon show up on the field and can be engaged. We're back to traditional battles, and one thing you'll notice is that wild Pokemon are really non-aggressive, so you can easily move through the world without fighting anything (until you hit a level wall on a required fight). You're given a special Pokemon (the cover legendary) at the start for mobility, and you unlock more mobility as you progress the plots. By the end of the game you can very quickly traverse the land, which is nice when going for the sealed Legendaries.
However, this free roaming really feels like it comes at a price. Because you aren't restricted by grid-based terrain anymore, they can't use trainers as traps to help keep you leveled properly. There are still trainers, but they are completely opt-in. And there feels like there are less of them. The game ends up being a lot more wander than battle, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. The open nature also means that all items and TMs are randomly generated, so while you won't get something end game early due to loot pools, you don't have the same crafted move curve.
The game has a lot of performance problems. There is an insane amount of pop in, and at many points NPCs will drop down to extremely choppy animation (as in, dropping most of the frames to keep the same speed of hitting key frames). Occasionally you will encounter micro stutters when moving, and when you unlock late game gliding you can get noticeable framerate changes depending on how you angle the camera. The very core battle gameplay is still smooth, but it feels like they were scrambling to make sure at least that met par.
Overall, this felt like a step backwards for the franchise. I think Sword/Shield had better overall gameplay. However, one thing that I did like in Scarlet was the fact that the open world nature meant they had to pull back a bit on individual story elements, as they couldn't count on the order you did things. This brought the dialog down more towards the GB/GBA era, which is just the right amount to give some story but without putting you in a ton of cutscenes. My concern at this point is they are going to make the next one open world as well, without solving what I consider to be the key flaw. Possibly because they consider that flaw a strength.
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
Re: Games Beaten 2022
1. Record of Lodoss War - Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (PC)(Action Adventure)
2. The Citadel (PC)(FPS)
3. Gothic 3 (PC)(RPG)
4. Witchaven (PC)(FPS)
5. Unpacking (PC)(Puzzle)
6. Firewatch (PC)(Adventure)
7. Perilous Warp (PC)(FPS)
8. The Ascent (PC)(RPG)
9. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned (PC)(FPS/RPG)
10. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (PC)(FPS/RPG)
11. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - Claptrap's New Robot Revolution (PC)(FPS/RPG)
12. Kingdom of the Dead (PC)(FPS)
13. Monument (PC)(FPS)
14. Bloodwash (PC)(Horror Adventure)
15. Dead Estate (PC)(Isometric Shooter)
16. Lost in Vivo (PC)(Survival Horror)
17. Star Explorers (PC)(FPS)
18. Dark Souls Remastered (Switch)(RPG)
19. NAM (PC)(FPS)
20. WWII GI (PC)(FPS)
21. Necromunda: Hired Gun (PC)(FPS)
22. Quake: Dimension of the Past (PC)(FPS)
23. Quake: Dimension of the Machine (PC)(FPS)
24. Quake: Scourge of Armagon (PC)(FPS)
25. Quake: Dissolution of Eternity (PC)(FPS)
26. Huntdown (PC)(Run and Gun)
27. A.W.O.L. (PC)(FPS)
28. Hands of Necromancy (PC)(FPS)
29. Cyberpunk 2077 (PC)(FPS/RPG)
30. Prodeus (PC)(FPS)
31. Tails of Iron (Switch)(Action)
32. Tails of Iron: Bloody Whiskers (Switch)(Action)
33. Arkos (PC)(FPS)
34. Security Booth: Director's Cut (PC)(Horror Adventure)
35. Skinwalker Hunt (PC)(FPS)
36. Vomitoreum (PC)(FPS)
37. Hellbound (PC)(FPS)
38. Streets of Rage 4 (Switch)(Beat 'Em Up)
39. Wholesome Slaughter (PC)(FPS)
40. Battle Engine Aquila (PC)(Action)
Battle Engine Aquila is a mech game originally releases around 20 years ago for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, with a PC port following a few months later. The story focuses on a civilian loader pilot who gets recruited on short notice to pilot the Aquila, an experimental transforming tank, in a war on an Earth-like planet reduced to island chains after global warming has melted its polar ice caps. Despite mediocre reviews, the game has its fans, likely because it offers a mix of branching story paths and alternate level versions, a ton of unlockable artwork, and a continuing memory of what you destroy in any given level on particular islands. So if you blast a SAM site at the start of a string of missions set on that island, it's permanently gone from all future missions, because the game remembers you destroyed it.
But that is getting ahead of myself, because the meat and potatoes is the Aquila itself. As you progress, you eventually gain access to four variations of the Aquila design with different weapons loadouts, so you can adjust between options depending on the mission. All versions present the option of transforming between the ground tank mode and an aerial combat mode, where you can take to the skies to engage in dog fights or bombing runs. The flight mode does pull from a limited power source however, so you will need to land and recharge your battery to get back up into the air or risk crash landing and death. It also means you need to pay attention to possible landing zones at all times.
This is especially true on full ocean levels, because in a world only covered with a few islands, you sometimes will have to fight naval battles. But there is something incredibly fun about landing on the deck of an enemy battleship, destroying all its deck guns while recharging, and then flying off knowing you just neutered a powerful war machine. Dogfighting also isn't bad, so long as your missile locks stay true. The game will auto lock some of your weapons if you manage to keep the target within a specific circular reticle on your screen, and this takes some of the harder work out of it, though you never get a range listing to tell you if your guns actually can hit what you're aiming at. You also eventually gain access to a choice of AI pilots with different specializations against aerial and ground targets, which helps immensely depending on the level.
That said, levels are generally short, and RNG can play a huge factor in your success. For example, one battle had me taking out anti air defenses with a squadron of fighters, though if their numbers sink to half, we fail the mission. Sometimes they would destroy half the anti air defenses on their own. Other times, a third of them would be destroyed by those same defenses before I even reached the island to fight. Queue a lot of frustration, and that's just when you're lucky enough to know the loss conditions. In some levels I'd be told to let loose, only to fail because ground forces had to pull back due to battle conditions I had never been told about. I didn't realize I had to babysit the whole invasion force.
I have read some folks praise the story, but it's literally "Good guys wear blue, bad guys wear red and are EVIL". Imagine the lead singer of Powerman 5000 shouting "Just tell me where to shoot!" and you have the plot in a nutshell. Also, because there are a few branching story sections, you can end up with some glorious mix ups. I saved a POW in one level, only to be told she was dead in a video two levels later, despite having just seen a cutscene of me rescuing her.
Battle Engine Aquila had a lot it was trying to do, and it falls flat in some regards, but when it works, it works really well. I felt like I was driving a powerful mech, taking out whole armor columns without batting an eye and mowing down squads of infantry like stepping on ants. That part, BEA does well, and it's what I wanted out of the game.
2. The Citadel (PC)(FPS)
3. Gothic 3 (PC)(RPG)
4. Witchaven (PC)(FPS)
5. Unpacking (PC)(Puzzle)
6. Firewatch (PC)(Adventure)
7. Perilous Warp (PC)(FPS)
8. The Ascent (PC)(RPG)
9. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned (PC)(FPS/RPG)
10. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (PC)(FPS/RPG)
11. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced - Claptrap's New Robot Revolution (PC)(FPS/RPG)
12. Kingdom of the Dead (PC)(FPS)
13. Monument (PC)(FPS)
14. Bloodwash (PC)(Horror Adventure)
15. Dead Estate (PC)(Isometric Shooter)
16. Lost in Vivo (PC)(Survival Horror)
17. Star Explorers (PC)(FPS)
18. Dark Souls Remastered (Switch)(RPG)
19. NAM (PC)(FPS)
20. WWII GI (PC)(FPS)
21. Necromunda: Hired Gun (PC)(FPS)
22. Quake: Dimension of the Past (PC)(FPS)
23. Quake: Dimension of the Machine (PC)(FPS)
24. Quake: Scourge of Armagon (PC)(FPS)
25. Quake: Dissolution of Eternity (PC)(FPS)
26. Huntdown (PC)(Run and Gun)
27. A.W.O.L. (PC)(FPS)
28. Hands of Necromancy (PC)(FPS)
29. Cyberpunk 2077 (PC)(FPS/RPG)
30. Prodeus (PC)(FPS)
31. Tails of Iron (Switch)(Action)
32. Tails of Iron: Bloody Whiskers (Switch)(Action)
33. Arkos (PC)(FPS)
34. Security Booth: Director's Cut (PC)(Horror Adventure)
35. Skinwalker Hunt (PC)(FPS)
36. Vomitoreum (PC)(FPS)
37. Hellbound (PC)(FPS)
38. Streets of Rage 4 (Switch)(Beat 'Em Up)
39. Wholesome Slaughter (PC)(FPS)
40. Battle Engine Aquila (PC)(Action)
Battle Engine Aquila is a mech game originally releases around 20 years ago for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, with a PC port following a few months later. The story focuses on a civilian loader pilot who gets recruited on short notice to pilot the Aquila, an experimental transforming tank, in a war on an Earth-like planet reduced to island chains after global warming has melted its polar ice caps. Despite mediocre reviews, the game has its fans, likely because it offers a mix of branching story paths and alternate level versions, a ton of unlockable artwork, and a continuing memory of what you destroy in any given level on particular islands. So if you blast a SAM site at the start of a string of missions set on that island, it's permanently gone from all future missions, because the game remembers you destroyed it.
But that is getting ahead of myself, because the meat and potatoes is the Aquila itself. As you progress, you eventually gain access to four variations of the Aquila design with different weapons loadouts, so you can adjust between options depending on the mission. All versions present the option of transforming between the ground tank mode and an aerial combat mode, where you can take to the skies to engage in dog fights or bombing runs. The flight mode does pull from a limited power source however, so you will need to land and recharge your battery to get back up into the air or risk crash landing and death. It also means you need to pay attention to possible landing zones at all times.
This is especially true on full ocean levels, because in a world only covered with a few islands, you sometimes will have to fight naval battles. But there is something incredibly fun about landing on the deck of an enemy battleship, destroying all its deck guns while recharging, and then flying off knowing you just neutered a powerful war machine. Dogfighting also isn't bad, so long as your missile locks stay true. The game will auto lock some of your weapons if you manage to keep the target within a specific circular reticle on your screen, and this takes some of the harder work out of it, though you never get a range listing to tell you if your guns actually can hit what you're aiming at. You also eventually gain access to a choice of AI pilots with different specializations against aerial and ground targets, which helps immensely depending on the level.
That said, levels are generally short, and RNG can play a huge factor in your success. For example, one battle had me taking out anti air defenses with a squadron of fighters, though if their numbers sink to half, we fail the mission. Sometimes they would destroy half the anti air defenses on their own. Other times, a third of them would be destroyed by those same defenses before I even reached the island to fight. Queue a lot of frustration, and that's just when you're lucky enough to know the loss conditions. In some levels I'd be told to let loose, only to fail because ground forces had to pull back due to battle conditions I had never been told about. I didn't realize I had to babysit the whole invasion force.
I have read some folks praise the story, but it's literally "Good guys wear blue, bad guys wear red and are EVIL". Imagine the lead singer of Powerman 5000 shouting "Just tell me where to shoot!" and you have the plot in a nutshell. Also, because there are a few branching story sections, you can end up with some glorious mix ups. I saved a POW in one level, only to be told she was dead in a video two levels later, despite having just seen a cutscene of me rescuing her.
Battle Engine Aquila had a lot it was trying to do, and it falls flat in some regards, but when it works, it works really well. I felt like I was driving a powerful mech, taking out whole armor columns without batting an eye and mowing down squads of infantry like stepping on ants. That part, BEA does well, and it's what I wanted out of the game.
Re: Games Beaten 2022
103%ed Donkey Kong Country 3.
Maybe I'll 104-105% DKC3 some other day.
1. Pokemon Snap (Completed the PKMN Report)
2. Yoshi's Story
3. Super Mario World (All 96 exits)
4. Paper Mario
5. Kirby Super Star (100%)
6. Ape Escape (100%)
7. Spyro The Dragon (120%)
8. Donkey Kong Country 3 (103%)
Maybe I'll 104-105% DKC3 some other day.
1. Pokemon Snap (Completed the PKMN Report)
2. Yoshi's Story
3. Super Mario World (All 96 exits)
4. Paper Mario
5. Kirby Super Star (100%)
6. Ape Escape (100%)
7. Spyro The Dragon (120%)
8. Donkey Kong Country 3 (103%)
-
prfsnl_gmr
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 12202
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:26 pm
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Re: Games Beaten 2022
Nice work! DKC3 is, IMO, the best game in the original trilogy by a wide margin.
Re: Games Beaten 2022
I think I beat the GB counterpart back a year or so after it came out. Keep in mind that this was back when I still had my old GameBoy Pocket, which along with my brother's GameBoy Pocket was in a pouch that I'm almost certain got left at a restaurant on a vacation to Chincoteague, VA back in '98 iirc. I remember because I remember taking it to school one day in the 6th grade, which I started in the fall of '97 and therefore ended in spring '98. And I think in '99, that's the year I got my GameBoy Color for Christmas. I remember because a month prior I did "I Want it That Way" by The Backstreet Boys at my school's lip-sync contest.
-
alienjesus
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 8776
- Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:10 pm
- Location: London, UK.
Re: Games Beaten 2022
prfsnl_gmr wrote:Nice work! DKC3 is, IMO, the best game in the original trilogy by a wide margin.
You’re good people
