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Video Games Finished in 2020


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Metroid: Return of Samus (3DS)

It's been probably a decade since I last played a Metroid game, and this took some getting used to. By the end of the game, I agree with the sentiment that the game relies too much on the Counter system. It's not so much a recovery or safety system, but the key to defeating almost all your enemies. This game is also pretty long. I finished my first playthrough at around 12 hours with the help of a guide. The last few areas are pretty quick, but the first half is a slog. If they were to cut two areas, I think the length would have been better. I'd like to see the team re-do Metroid Fusion.

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After many years of trying, finally beat a Road Rash game.  Beat Road Rash II on the Genesis.  Big fan of the series and own all the ones on the Genesis and the Sega CD version.  Easily one of the most challenging motorcycle games out there.  Ending was nothing to write home about though like most of those early 90s games even if the cutscenes are funny.

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Restarted my 100 SNES game challenge, so I finally have things to report here.
Beat Star Fox (SNES) and Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R.
Both of these games were unexpectedly rough, and both of them I beat with one life left before getting a game over :v
s/o to sailor jupiter

Edited by Pichi
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- Curious Expedition (Switch)

As far as roguelikes go this was an enjoyable one—at least on easy mode the difficulty curve was gentle enough for me to figure out best practices at a decent pace.
 
- Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout (Switch)
First time I've tried one of these Atelier games and I don't think it's for me. Little too grindy for my taste, but not as engaging as say Monster Hunter.
 
- Lost Sphear (Switch)
I was lukewarm on I Am Setsuna but wanted to give this a try anyway and…meh. I still just don't like the Spritnite system, it feels needlessly complicated, and even when I got to the end of the game and had built up some super useful and powerful Spritnites I just wasn't invested in playing with Spritnite combos. I also wasn't very engaged by the characters or story.
 
- Shovel Knight (Wii U)
Since King of Cards officially closed out the Shovel Knight saga I wanted to go back and play the original game and other DLC. I'd forgotten how short the original game actually is. Still fantastic though.
 
- Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows (Wii U)
Man, Plague Knight's movements via bombs are so erratic; I love that Yacht Club Games created a system that feels like a fresh variation of the Shovel Knight formula and is also so reflective of PK's character.
 

Console: 35

Overall: 35

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On 1/2/2020 at 2:44 PM, purple_beard said:

 

 

4/7 Trials of Mana *DEMO* / Switch

 

 

 

I debated on even listing this as its a demo, and based on my SNES game play through, it only allows for getting to and exiting the "first" main objective.  Either that, or its timed (3hrs?).  I like what I played, and at the game going to retail for $50, I might get it.  I am enjoying the SNES version I am playing right now and its an interesting way to re-imagine the game.  Personally, I found that Octopath demo a better deal as you could do and see more of the game. 

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Just updating this again.  Games #16 and #17 have been knocked out in Battle Unit Zeoth and Mega Man V (GameBoy).  Battle Unit Zeoth is a really fun Shmup where you control a mech/gundam dude.  It is short with only 5 stages but it is impressive for a GameBoy game.  I also beat the GameBoy version of Mega Man V on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console.  I have beaten just about every single Mega Man game out there except for the handheld versions.  MMV for GB was unique in the sense that it is it’s own thing and not a .5 edition like 1-4 were.  I thought it was pretty awesome.

 

I really liked the whole spacey theme and how you battle the Star Droids.  Some of the stages were a little repetitive like in most Mega Man titles, but I felt like like they did a good job with it.  Working on Solar Striker for the GameBoy.  I will probably be streaming that one at some point once I familiarize myself with it.  I am also putting Breath of Fire on the back burner for right now (the game is just so fucking...generic feeling) and doing Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology.  I had it for DS back in the day but it somehow got lost in the shuffle of moving around.  I really love the enhancements they made to it and it has been on my backlog for awhile.

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- Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment (Wii U)

Love zipping around with Specter Knight's scythe slashes. Kinda wanted more of that rail-grinding mechanic though.
 
- Feudal Alloy (Switch)
Really like the hand-drawn art style, but it loses its luster when the enemies and backgrounds are so repetitive. Gameplay is kind of the same unfortunately—it's a decent enough Metroidvania but there isn't much in the way of new, clever ideas to alleviate the repetitive combat.
 
- Battle Chef Brigade (Switch)
Been wanting to replay this for a while. I really don't think this game got the attention it deserves; it's such a unique, fun mash-up of concepts and they come together so surprisingly well.
 
- Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD (Switch)
I remember quite liking the original Super Monkey Ball games, so what happened? Why aren't any of the sequels as entertaining as the first two games on the GameCube? Maybe the concept just isn't novel anymore.
 
- A Case of Distrust (Switch)
I really liked the 1920s detective setting (and in San Francisco, which is neat), and the detective gameplay wasn't bad, even though the UI really should have been better ported to the Switch instead of clearly using the PC's interface. But the game is entirely too short; it's like playing just the first case of a Phoenix Wright game and then, poof, credits roll. I wouldn't mind seeing this as a series though.
 

Console: 40

Overall: 40

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4/15- Persona 5 Royal for PS4 

 

 

 

 


 

Last year, I played Persona 5, one of the greatest games of the last decade. It had perhaps the best plot, the best artistic design, the best soundtrack, the best boss designs, and the best NG+. It is also perhaps the best RPG of all time. So, I was curious how or if the Royal version could top that. To my surprise... yes. 

 

The Royal edition adds in a few more confidants and another semester. It also expands on a certain important confidant, made a great improvement on the script in a few ways, and adds a good amount of lovely portraits. 

 

I love the music of the original game, and many of the new songs in Royal aren't half-bad. But, I don't really like the new ambush and opening cinematic music. Sorry, but Last Surprise and Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There can NEVER be replaced. Sure, Last Surprise still plays normally, but ambushing is a huge part of the game. Don't get me wrong, I will forever love the soundtrack, flaws and all. ... Oh, and the game still looks fabulous. 

 

There are wonderful improvements to the gameplay too. First is the addition of the grappling hook. Its effectiveness is dungeon-exploration deviation and a more effective ambush. Ambushing enemies with the hook also rewards status ailments on enemies. When an enemy or party member is hurt really badly, there will be a prompt to saw “SHOWTIME!”, which involved two characters doing wacky stuff in an odd scenario, where a Shadow is always the victim. The first with Mona and Ann is priceless. Next, after leveling up a confidant, some will call Joker. The answer Joker gives will give more confidant points, which are necessary to get to the next level. Some confidants have new rewards and revisions, making certain rewards faster to get. Joker can now read books in the Cafe Leblanc, after getting rid of the customers. New shadows, attacks, equipment, and items have also been added. You can talk to Caroline and Justine, the helpers to Igor, outside of the Velvet Room. Taking them to different places rewards Joker with skill cards. Speaking about skills, abilities have also been added, which boost many effects of many Personas. A few new locations have also been added, and one is the location of the new confidants and a few new great shops, hang-out areas, and a shrine. Go to that big new city as much as possible, I say with all seriousness. Because of it, the Baton Pass has a bigger buff in battles. Mementos, the most grindy and one of the blandest dungeons in the game, has gotten a bigger overhaul. Not only are there new deviations, but a new character named Jose is collecting stamps and flowers. Joker can find the flowers in Mementos, and can trade them for a various amount of items. As for the stamps, in return for giving them to Jose, he can affect the money, items, and EXP gained in Mementos. If one doesn't like the choices they made, Jose can reset the outcome by being given flowers. Each Palace also have Will Seeds. Collect all three, and they will fuse into a crystal. Give the crystal to Jose, so that he can make powerful accessories. Last is the Velvet Room. After challenging many opponents in the Palaces and Mementos, a siren will go off. The siren will affect the outcome of the Persona fusions and power ups. However, doing too much during the siren time will eventually cause a failure. One can also take part of challenge battles, and the battles against Minato and Yu from Persona 3 & 4 are DLC. They're hard, but they reward one with many rewards. There's more DLC to enjoy too, such as costumes. There might be other noticeable changes to the gameplay that I forgot about, but this expanded version has done so much wonderfully. 

 

The last greatest bonus is the Thieves Den. One can look at different statues, movies, events, music, art, and even play cards. It's a big thank you for the fans. 

 

Persona 5 Royal evoked a lot of emotions like the base game did, but they came out more powerful. To appreciate my love for the game, I'll forever hold the steelcase versions of both Persona 5 and Royal. To that, I say... thank you Persona 5 Royal.

 

 

Edited by Link, the Hero of Dreams
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Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan 

Shadow of the Colossus 

Castlevania

Golden Sun

 

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country -  Dang. Even knowing from the full game that the events of Torna don't end happily, that ending got me. I had a great time with this one, and I was impressed with the maturity of the storytelling on display here. I was less impressed with the game closing off its story until you complete X amount of sidequests, which was something I took issue with in Xenoblade X and is slightly less egregious here. In other news, I now know to trust Tetsuya Takahashi when he says to play Xenoblade 2 all the way through Chapter 6, stop and play through Torna, then finish the main game. Makes me kinda wish I'd done that. Even so, It was nice to return to Alrest after beating the main game last year, and this certainly whet my appetite to return to the Bionis next month. 

Edited by Laclipsey
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