Topic: Games you've recently beat

@phil_j I find that games that need good reflexes etc. I need to play straight through to be honest. I started a playthrough of Dark Souls last year then got distracted by going back to Bloodborne and I think I'll need to start from scratch if I go back to it.

Yeah, I did think that would be the case. Although I'm not sure I find the current levels any harder than the initial ones. I think I get through most of them with luck more than skill.

@phil_j Yeah I agree with @Rudy_Manchego as I find you can lose a lot of memory muscle when playing those games. I had similar thoughts as you with Nioh, did not find the story engaging at all.

Although I did it in co-op (wouldn't want to tackle it alone, it would be hell) finishing Sniper Elite 4 in Authentic mode has given me a fresh appreciation for the game. The level design is probably my favourite thing about it, and that difficulty makes you appreciate it so much more. The story's still guff though.

I beat Silent Hill 2 there. Got the ‘In Water’ ending for the first time and I’d probably say it’s the best ending. I honestly believe it’s the greatest game I’ve ever played, no amount of 60 hour playthroughs or detailed open worlds top what’s essentially 8 tense, thought-provoking hours. I haven’t played a game released in the almost 20 years since it was released that really tackled those themes with the same intensity. It’s a masterpiece in game design and storytelling but most of all, it’s just a treat to play and the controls absolutely hold up. I’m in the minority of people that doesn’t mind tank controls and I think they add to the tension. The soundtrack is brilliant and I’m glad I own the first two games’ OST on vinyl because just a few minutes of sound brings back all those memories of playing the game for the first time. I wish I could go back and play it without knowing the story like the back of my hand, I would recommend anybody that hasn’t played it before to play it as soon as they can, just not the terrible HD port!

@nessisonett I’ve not completed the second game, I really want to but the only opportunity for me to do so is via the HD remake (which is on Now). I wouldn’t say a minority of people like tank controls either, a bit like turn based battles there are plenty of people out there who like em and plenty that don't! But I understand each side, I’m just glad I like both of those things because they are in lots of awesome games 😂

@kyleforrester87 The PC version’s actually considered abandonware so depending on your ethics it’s readily available in the same vein as DOS games but I already owned the PC disc. It’s such a good game that literally anything but the HD version is worth it, the voice changes definitely take away from the experience.

@nessisonett I wouldn’t have an issue picking it up like that but I only have a couple of old Mac computers which I try and use as little as possible. A new gaming PC has been on my mind for a few years now.. one day I’m sure.

@kyleforrester87 Ahh, it’s amazing just how useful even a mid-grade PC can be for gaming, there’s loads of ports that I had no idea about. That’s how I played MGS2 for the first time, instead of the HD version.

@nessisonett Between emulation and the sheer number of smaller or foreign games that never get ported to consoles, I don't think I could ever do without some sort of PC that's useful for gaming.

Also, I'll never, for the life of me, understand why people object to "pirating" games that are out-of-print and/or unobtainable by any sort of legitimate source. How is it more ethical to pay some random dude for an overpriced copy of his old PC game than it is to just download the thing and enjoy it without being juiced by secondhand sellers?

It's too bad I didn't create an ISO image of my copy of Silent Hill 2 before loaning it out to someone (of course, I never saw the thing again).

@Ralizah The only reason I bought the disc is that if society truly crumbles and the whole world implodes, I have a hard backup and can sit in my room playing Silent Hill 2 over and over, while ignoring my impending doom. Might not be the greatest game for my mental health unless I consistently aim for the dog ending.

@KratosMD Have you played Axiom Verge? @kyleforrester87 will agree with me in that it is a great metroidvania game and probably more similar to Super Metroid than anything I've played this gen.

@JohnnyShoulder yeah it’s my favourite metroidvania (although I didn’t play a lot of the classics back in the day, I have found they don’t hold up so well when going back without any nostalgia either).

Jury is out on the second so far... hope it’s good!

@KratosMD I played Axiom Verge and Super Metroid more or less in the same year for the first time and Axiom Verge was far superior in my opinion. Sure it still has that 8-bit (16-bit?) style but it felt modern in the same way lots of retro styled modern games do - (Fez, HLD, Meatboy, Celeste, Shovel Knight, Sonic Mania, etc..)

Note also I said that they don't hold up as well - very different to not holding up at all.

Finally, Axiom Verge has a darker, mature tone that I appreciated. (That's not to say Metroid isn't atmospheric.)

(Also I played Samus Returns recently, that games such a drag!)

I'd probably say that Symphony of The Night is still the best Metroidvania I've ever played, I've not tried Axiom Verge (might give it a go this weekend) but I agree with @kyleforrester87 about Samus Returns, It wasn't great back then so I don't really know why they remade that one and not Super Metroid. Speaking of which I did replay that recently and the map could do with a bit more detail and some things like the wall jump are a bit trickier then they really need to be, it would definitely need tweaks should it be released today

@carlos82 I missed out on a lot of the earlier ones, i’d obviously played them before Axiom Verge but it’s the first one I properly got into so I do hold it in a high regard. Wouldn’t say it’s better than the classics to the masses, but to me it is.

@kyleforrester87 Samus Returns was decent but more a novelty for actually having a 2D Metroid that was new. I just dislike it when Metroidvanias are both that linear and have a distinct ‘collectible’ that you need to progress, it feels lazy. It made sense on Game Boy but it’s been however many years since that, they should have updated it more.

@nessisonett @kyleforrester87 I enjoyed Samus Returns for possibly the first half or so but the enemy 'bosses' as they were are just largely repeated and became frustrating and to be honest, I got to a boss then just gave up. Keep meaning to finish it as I think I am probably 85% ish done.

I think the game and controls and graphics were great, just very repetative and quite linear.

@carlos82 I guess the reasoning was that the original Metroid II is rather archaic/crap and therefore the title that would have benefited most from a remake. I think the developers largely succeeded. Although a little simple by today's standards Super Metroid holds up really well. I agree that the map and wall jump would benefit from some updating. My favourite Metroidvania is probably still Symphony of the Night.

As I mentioned in the trophy thread, I recently finished Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. I seem to remember @Ralizah doing a big writeup on it so I'll just put a few thoughts.

It's a really neat platformer with plenty of character and a fun art style. I liked the fact that all 20 levels had an alternative mode to play through as well; water levels can be replayed in a frozen state, an industrial level has a powered and unpowered version, one level is replayed vertically. The levels are obviously quite different but it's a cool way of replaying levels with a different twist.

The titular "impossible lair" is the end game level which encompasses features of many of the games levels but can be tackled at any point. The USP of the game is that completing levels unlocks bees which enable you to take a hit when completing the lair. You can go straight in without any or unlock all 48 to give yourself as much of a chance as possible. Even with all 48, it's still tough. Doing it without any of your bee armour right at the beginning of the game gives you the one tonic I missed on my top image (thankfully not needed for the platinum).

They have since patched the game to give a few checkpoints along this route; I think the original reviewer on here didn't have this option which would have been much less fun as an entire run through is about 25 minutes.

It was a nice change after FF7R so thanks to those who recommended it previously.