Topic: Games you've recently beat

@Tjuz Puzzles are almost always the downfall of adventure-type games, unfortunately. Still, this seems interesting. I'd never even heard of this title before!

Thanks for putting this on my radar.

Well finished the Fight for Sanctuary DLC for Borderlands 2 in order to get ready for Borderlands 3 and I will say it was really good. The story is a good Pre-sequel to BL3 and it's nice to be able to see why things are the way they are in BL3.

As for the story it's one of the better DLC stories if not the best but that's to be expected since it's to connect two and three. The villian is good (I am a bit biased for Handsome Jack so it's hard for me to say the villian this time was as good as Jack) and definitely memorible. I'd say he ranks up there with Commandant Steele from Borderlands 1. Gameplay wise it's just more BL2 nothing more to say. Still this is definitely worth playing if you are a BL2 fan or as an appetizer for BL3.

@Tasuki I enjoyed what I little played of it, I was just not ready for more Borderlands when I was playing it.

Super Mario World

SNES (via Nintendo Switch SNES app)

So, after years of starting and stopping this game on various systems, I FINALLY beat it. And I didn't just beat it, I completed Star World and the unlockable Special world as well (the one with hilariously dated level names like "Gnarly," "Tubular," and "Mondo"). I think there might be a secret level or two that I didn't complete, but I'm not really bothered about that, especially since I never consulted an online FAQ for this game even one time (which was a huge temptation in the irritating Forest of Illusion).

I've stated for years that I just don't like this game. Has that opinion changed after fully experiencing what it has to offer? ...not really. I don't understand the acclaim this receives. Most of the worlds feel very samey and don't do enough to distinguish themselves from one-another (which wasn't an issue in SMB3, which featured very creative and distinct worlds).

The available power-ups are incredibly disappointing (the only really new one you'll use with any regularity is the cape, which is, frankly, a nuisance, and a massive downgrade from the Tanooki suit in SMB3; stuff like the balloon powerup, which strikes me as someone's bizarre inflation fetish that was somehow worked into the game, and the wings that attach to Yoshi and turn him into a blue Yoshi are so incredibly rare that they're little more than occasional level gimmicks).

The music is weird and very limited. You'll hear the same couple of tracks over and over.

Yoshi and a number of new enemies are introduced, but Yoshi feels very nerfed without the wonderful flutter jump that was later added into Yoshi's Island. Swallowing enemies is useful, but otherwise he just feels like an extra layer of armor to protect Mario from hits or, occasionally, a pawn to sacrifice when large jumps are needed and you're not wearing a cape.

The difficulty is all over the place in this game. I understand some people will find some things more challenging than others, but why do some of the random levels from the main game feel so much more brutal at times than the Secret levels, or the Star World levels? There's no rhyme or reason to it. Boss fights follow this trend as well, with several of the Koopalings being far more challenging than the actual final boss encounter against Bowser, which was pretty disappointing.

A lot is made about the number of secret exits in this game, and the interconnected world map. But, honestly, the focus on hidden content feels like it comes at the expense of the regular level design, and the connected world map really does nothing for me. SMB3 had actual minigames and item houses on its map, so, if anything, that game felt like it benefitted more from the somewhat open map design, despite the worlds not all being interconnected like they are here.

Probably the worst addition to the series via this game are the ghost houses, which slow down the momentum of the platforming to a crawl and force you to engage in irritating trial-and-error puzzle design until you happen to chance upon the correct path that'll take you to the end of the level. The design of these levels are improved in several subsequent Mario games, but they're almost intolerable here, and I groaned in frustration everytime I came across one, because I knew any semblance of fun I was having was about to end.

Any positives? Well, the game has a bright, cheerful aesthetic, which is nice. Yoshi coins, which you collect five of in a level to get a 1-Up, I believe, are interesting. While I prefer the flagpoles of previous and subsequent games, the system here where you have to tear the tape on the goal post to collect stars so that you can play a minigame is nice, although I personally prefer the flower system that accomplishes the same thing in Yoshi's Island. I also kind of like how different Yoshis can have different abilities (the rare Blue Yoshi, for example, can fly when he's holding a koopa troopa in his mouth). Control-wise, I dig the spin jump, and wish Nintendo had elaborated on it in later games.

It's not a bad platformer, and is still far preferable to the dreadful Mario 64, but I don't think I'll ever really 'get' why this game is so beloved to so many Nintendo fans (apart from the obvious nostalgia factor, which might be the missing ingredient; I didn't first play this until it released on the Wii VC, and obviously didn't complete it until 2019).

Verdict: 6/10

@Ralizah You could chuck this in the 'Unpopular Gaming Opinions' thread too! haha

@Ralizah I have been replaying this over the last week or so on the SNES Mini and I'll be honest, it is so tightly woven into my nostalgic childhood memories, I can't be objective. I love the game and it is my favourite 2D Mario however, I agree on the difficulty. I can absolutely whizz through some levels and then randomly hit a brick. I also don't like the Ghost houses.

@Rudy_Manchego I'm the same way with FFVII. I'm not sure how much I'd actually love it if I played it as an adult for the first time, but there's so much emotion and memory mixed into my experiences with the game that just thinking about it makes me feel warm and happy.

I didn't talk about it, but I also hate how much harsher the damage penalties are in older Mario games. In newer games, if you're equipped with a power-up and get hit, you usually retain your adult form, giving you 2 more hits before you die. You only ever have 2 HP in SMW, though, unless you're riding a Yoshi, which lets you tank another hit.

@KALofKRYPTON Probably. Unlike a lot of people, I think Nintendo's games have only improved over the years. They absolutely still have their classics, of course, like Yoshi's Island, SMB3, A Link to the Past, etc., but I find that my favorite Nintendo games tend to almost universally be modern or semi-modern.

@LN78 I could write paragraphs about all the stuff I hate in that game, but suffice to say that it's probably my all-time least favorite Nintendo game.

Also another one I didn't fully finish despite trying to replay it time after time over more than a decade. Maybe I'll force my way through it on the Wii U sometime just to say I beat it, like I did with SMW.

@LN78 I'd absolutely joust with you about Mario 64! It does sound like we share a common interest in Galaxy, though, which is absolutely my favorite Mario game, and one of my all-time favorite platformers. I don't feel equally as fond about Galaxy 2, unfortunately. Something about it just rubs me the wrong way. It's missing all of the grandeur, emotion, and scale of Galaxy, and I wasn't a fan of the change to even more linear level design.

Still hate the Wii, but until we get a remaster of Galaxy that matches or exceeds the quality of the original, I'll always have something that plays Wii game plugged up where I live.

@Kidfried I get aggravated with the ghost houses in this game because, more often than not, the solutions feel like pure trial and error. There's nothing fun to me about entering a door and then finding that it just transported me back to the beginning of the level, for example. I will concede that the choco ghost house that featured ghosts that turn into blocks was clever (you have to lure the ghosts over to a certain location to access the secret exit), but most of them weren't that good.

RE: secret exits, I'm fine when the secret exits go to optional levels or open up shortcuts to later worlds, but in places like the Forest of Illusion where they hide the real exit, I just feel like my chain is being yanked.

To be completely honest @Ralizah I have no idea what Mario game you're talking about 😂

I only know of Mario Bros 1, 2 & 3 (Plus lost levels I guess) thanks to the SNES release Super Mario All-Stars (The different styles for each game (Except for lost levels) helps) never knew there was a super mario world til now!

Honestly I couldn't play them for longer then half an hour before I got bored of them

In fact... aside from Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart DS and Super Smash Bros Brawl (If you even count that as one) those are the only Mario games I've played! So I have no opinion on your "Blasphemous" opinion either lol

Your score of a six seems rather generous actually for a game you didn't particularly seem to enjoy :')

@Frigate It's strange because the missions are starting to get quite repetitive but oddly they're still fun. And like you say, just when you think you're getting bored of the gameplay loop, a great cut-scene comes along and you think "right well I have to keep going then"

When I've got work to do, or some household chores, I usually close whatever game I'm playing and put Spotify on. But Mafia 3 has stayed on in the background so I can listen to the soundtrack while I'm doing ironing or whatever!

@Frigate Mafia 3 was only released on this gens consoles? I got this on ps plus, still not played it as not been in the mood.

Been struck down by bad Man flu this week but managed to finished 2 games.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Played this on Switch and ended up putting a lot of time into it. I liked it (as a big South Park fan) but I had literally come off the back of The Stick Of Truth and I thought it took a step backwards. I preferred combat in SOT but I can see how the grid helped. However, the story and the world travel was more convuluted and it felt more 'Ubisoft' then the first release. I know Obsidian were contracted for the first one so that probably explains it but there felt like there was more filler in TFBW. Also, loading times on the Switch version were pretty poor and quite annoying.

Gears 5 - I have played all Gears games except Judgement (ain't nobody got time for that) and this was, in my mind, the best since Gears 2. The story was character driven largely, the combat pretty smooth and it did a good job of explaining the world and the threat in good detail. I also liked Kait as a character. Not groundbreaking, sure but a decent enough campaign.

@Rudy_Manchego Funny that as I thought the biggest improvement between the two games was the combat.

In the first game, it felt like you could just stick (no pun intended) with the same characters and just mash the same couple of attacks over and over whereas the second game was more tactical with movement, AoE attacks etc (particularly the one fight later in the game where you needed to knock enemies back to defeat them).

I did prefer the superhero theme though but the first game was set around the time I still watched the show so I knew a lot more of the references etc.

@Thrillho I agree that it made it far more tactical, in that different enemies needed you to experiment with different team members and your own moves - the knock back one being a prime example. At the same time, I missed the RPG elements where you could build up a costume and attacks etc. I also thought you could develop your own style in Stick of Truth as there felt like more point in upgrading. I also liked that consumables didn't take a turn - I guess that made it easier but just seemed to make the battles quicker.

Also, with the experiementation, I found a few situations that made things harder like the knockback boss. I didn't have any knock back attacks so found that harder without changing.

The superhero theme was very funny and I liked it a lot but I guess I enjoyed the ribbing that Skyrim took in the first one. Maybe because I never stopped laughing at Cartman doing the background singing when you were walking around the city!

However, these are the first two turn based games I have played end to end in years so hopefully I can take that further in other games!

@RogerRoger Great work there on that post! An enjoyable read on a game I actually didn’t know existed. Love the screenshots too. It’s an Indy extravaganza lately for you! (I feel the same with Marvel lately since watching the movies inspired me to play Spider-Man)

I actually finally finished Lara Croft Go today, which is also one for the relic-hunting adventure theme here. I recall it being one of your favorites, and your recommendation is one of the reasons I picked it up. I’ve said a little about it before, and I will say that I enjoyed it for what it was — a simple puzzle game within the setting of the TR Universe. The perfect portable short session palate cleanser for when I didn’t want to be bogged down by booting up a PS4 game and investing a bunch of time. The puzzles got to be very challenging toward the latter half and for me it was hard to do them all without hints. I did finally get the platinum though. 🎉 The worst thing I can say about it though is how poorly it runs on Vita. Between inaccurate input (especially with the analog stick, less of a problem with the touch screen controls) and unacceptably long load times, it dragged down a pleasant and creative experience to something of a chore at times. But overall it was definitely worth it and I’m sad to see it end — that desire for more is testament enough to the quality of the game. I considered picking up Hitman Go in the current sale, but I don’t have an invested interest in the Hitman world yet.

@RogerRoger How big are those air vents when it looks like that skeleton could be stood upright and still have a metre or two of space above it??

Some of those era tie-ins which just retold the story of the film were a little weird. I seem to remember a level in the PS1 game version of The World is Not Enough had a casino scene where you actually had to gamble to get enough money to progress.

@Th3solution The loading times almost killed the game for me. Utterly grotesque port. Luckily the quality of the puzzles shone through - some are really well designed. It's a neat little game, just a shame about the loading times and control lag.

@RogerRoger Nice review. That last screenshot is terrifying! The presence of air vents in Indiana Jones sounds somewhat out of place. Were there conspicuously placed oil barrels too?

@RogerRoger Wow, that review can pass as actual magazine review. Great stuff.

Note: I liked the use of screenshots in one of @Thrillho 's reviews recently, so I was inspired to incorporate them into my own when possible. Also trying for a more organized and less scattershot approach.

Most of this was written on a cellphone while I was on vacation (no access to PC and limited access to dead trees), so please excuse me if the writing seems rough. I'll try to touch it up when posting, as I need something to do in-between washing the insane amounts of laundry we came back with!

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark + DLC chapter

WHAT IS IT?
A horror game by developer Experience Inc. where you play as a cursed amnesiac (the curse manifests itself as a mark on the host's body that steals their memories before killing them) who, under the guidance of a mysterious talking doll named Mary, investigates paranormal mysteries and helps people confront the angry spirits and monsters that have also given them similar 'death marks.'

PLATFORM
Playstation Vita

LEVEL OF COMPLETION
Everything. Platinumed it.

GAMEPLAY
Similar to the horror game Corpse Party: Book of Shadows, it's a classic adventure game (exploration happens across static screens where you pixel hunt for items to collect, objects to manipulate, and puzzles to solve) with heavy visual novel elements (lots of dialogue and automated, dialogue-driven sequences). Additionally, you'll frequently be confronted with "live or die" scenarios, where a health meter of sorts called "Soul Power" will run down as you're confronted with something dangerous (usually a run in with a lesser spirit), and you have to choose between three or four ways to react. If you react properly (you often get hints on how to react to these sequences based on information you learned earlier in the chapter), you'll not lose health from your meter; wrong answers or actions will see dramatic reductions to your available health meter, and, if it reaches zero, you'll die, and to start over either from your last save (you can save almost anywhere, thankfully) or from the beginning of the live or die scenarios. You'll find talismans hidden in your environment that will boost your available health in each chapter, thankfully.

In an interesting twist, almost every chapter in the game features a boss battle against the primary spirit you're investigating (a different one each chapter), where you have to engage in certain combinations of actions or combine certain items at the right time to either destroy or save the spirit (saving the spirit involves engaging it with items from its past life as a human, almost always found while investigating haunted locations throughout the chapter, that force it to confront the emotions of anger and grief that inform its campaign of terror in the first place; as is usually the case in Japanese ghost stories, the intense karmic impact of human brutality and cruelty continues to manifest itself even after everyone involved is long dead).

You meet new "mark bearers" each chapter, and the game allows you to take one other person with you on your investigation. While this seems like a fluff feature at first, you quickly learn that certain partners have certain skill sets that are required for beating certain challenges in the game (for example, in one boss fight, you'll want to bring along someone who knows how to play the piano).

PRO:

• I love that, if you die in a "Live or Die" scenario or in a boss battle, you can restart from the beginning of the encounter right away. Great feature!
• It's pretty standard for a VN, but I continue to appreciate when a fast-forward button is included that allows me to rapidly skip previously seen dialogue when I replay sections of the game for trophies.

CON:

• Weirdly, in the menu screen, the game seems to assign a set of stats to each character, but these stats never seen to feature in the actual gameplay. It's just a strange bit of misleading design fluff.
• While I appreciate how little of the "rub every combination of items together with every object in your environment to find out how to progress" nonsense this game has, I do find the amount of environmental interactivity here to be extremely limited.
• Text changes color depending on whether the main character or someone else is speaking, but, without names on the textboxes or even character illustrations at many points, it can occasionally become confusing to ferret out who is saying what when three or more characters in a scene are talking together. Especially since this game has little to no voice acting. Not a huge issue, but little niggles like this eventually add up.
• There are a noticeably large number of typos in this game. The localization script job seems a bit sloppy in a number of ways, actually. Count the number of times characters use the phrase "up and [x]" during the game, for example ("up and left;" "up and lied;" etc.)

STORY/CHARACTERS
The game feels rushed to me. Each investigation flies by so quickly that the story never feels like it has time to really organically develop, and each chapter instead goes through the motions of shuffling you through a repetitive formula of sequences. It's a very rote form of storytelling.

The game shifts to an almost entirely new set of supporting characters with each new investigation, which makes it where we never get much time to spend with most of these people. Especially considering the investigations all take between 1.5 - 2 hours. Some of these characters are fun, but the constant turnover means we never really get attached to them.

This is remedied, weirdly, in the DLC chapter, which reunites most of the side characters introduced throughout the game to excellent effect. Actually, the DLC chapter is more developed story-wise and marginally more well-written, too.

ART/CHARACTER DESIGNS/MUSIC
One of the highlights of the game is the art design. Environments are suitably atmospheric and beautifully gothic. Character designs find some middle ground between traditional anime and Junji Ito, and it works well with the horror setting. The CGs that crop up throughout the game, while often creepy and disturbing, are often weirdly detailed, and just gorgeous to look at. Despite the clearly low budget presentation, it still manages to be a reasonably attractive game to look at.

The monsters and spirits in this game are often spectacularly grotesque, but the game does a good job of mostly keeping them off-screen until the climax of an investigation for maximum effect. It's handling of the material is effective

One thing to note is the light but noticeable eroguro vibe this game has. While the game doesn't really feature heavy amounts of what might be called "fanservice," and the designs of the female characters are fairly normal and modest, there is quite a bit of implied, referenced, and after-the-fact sexualized violence against women in this game. You'll see a lot of voluptuous corpses in this game in various states of undress. Sexual assault, while never seen or played for cheap drama, does become a plot point as well. Doesn't bother me, but some people might want to know about this before buying the game.

The music, while not terribly memorable, does its job of communicating the horror atmosphere effectively. Sound design is decent throughout: while it probably wasn't the intended effect, the spooky chime noise and text that slowly crawls across the screen when the game is trying to scare you with something really gave me the giggles. There's a certain cheesiness to the whole affair, but not everything can be Silent Hill. In general, fans of ghost stories will dig what this game has to offer.

CONCLUSION
While the game is saddled with pacing, translation, and QoL issues here and there, it was still, overall, a pleasant experience. One that was, unfortunately, over just a bit too quickly. The genre and art both resonate with me, so I had a good time. There's definite room for improvement, though, and I'm not sure I'd recommend someone pay full price for this.

VERDICT
6.5/10