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Post by dsparil on Nov 11, 2022 10:19:34 GMT -5
Paper Jam was my limit for M&L. It was the first one I didn't finish. That was when it started to feel too repetitive for me. Paper Mario did right itself with Origami King though, and it might be my favorite. TTYD does a lot of things right, but it also has a final boss fight was an overlong cutscene right in the middle that makes it annoying to restart. That's the sole reason I've never beaten it. I've been meaning to replay it for a while, but the thought of the final boss keeps putting me off. Edit: Nintendo Life literally just posted an article about the problems with Sticker Star! Color Splash has similar gimmicky combat with it's cards, but everything other than combat was pretty good. It would have been so much better as a pure adventure game. www.nintendolife.com/features/soapbox-paper-mario-sticker-star-was-when-the-series-came-unstuck
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Post by excelsior on Nov 11, 2022 12:11:50 GMT -5
I'd say that article misses the mark a little, but you've hit the nail on the head. NintendoLife for a while has been using Resetera threads as 'inspiration' for their articles and this is no exception - but I guess they didn't do their homework.
I do think the dialogue overload in Mario RPGs dates back to The Thousand Year Door. I tried that game on my partner and he put it down pretty quickly due to how dialogue heavy it was. A shame because I thought it was a certain hit, since he took to South Park: The Stick of Truth so well. That game was a nice clone, though its appeal is more through the humour - people will know if they'll like it going in, since it's basically an extended episode - the actual combat takes the simple and easy approach.
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Post by Digitalnametag on Nov 11, 2022 16:50:15 GMT -5
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games PS5 FTP 9 hours
Odd combination of VN and SHMUP. That and the Danganronpa vibes attracted me to the game. Which is okay. The story is kind of a let down. Starts interesting but fades as playing. The puzzles in the VN portion are pretty easy, and even use some all too common riddles that nearly everyone has seen before. On the other hand the SHMUP stuff is kinda fun and the game is fairly brief. Would play a sequel.
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Post by JoeQ on Nov 12, 2022 10:30:52 GMT -5
Darkwing Duck (NES via PS4) - First playthrough, Time: pretty short, Rating: 4/5Played this a lot as a kid at my friend's place, but never managed to beat any of the bosses. Now I've finally done it and it was as good as I remembered. Definitely my favorite NES game I've played this year. I played the game through The Disney Afternoon Collection for PS4. Beat it twice (with no savestates or rewind) and got all associated trophies. Alphabet Challenge: ABCDEFGH-JKLM-OPQRST------
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Post by dsparil on Nov 13, 2022 15:47:34 GMT -5
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Switch, First Time)
This Rome set sequel is mostly a misfire for me. The overall issue is that the game was developed in under a year, and it feels very noticeable. Pretty much everything starts out okay but clearly didn’t get enough time. That applies to basically every element: the missions, story, new Brotherhood mechanic, and renovating Rome.
Missions - As the game progresses, it feels like they got less and less testing. There’s a lot of rough edges and some things that I can’t tell if they’re bugs or weird design decisions. Assassin Tombs also got re-used as Lairs of Romulus that are less interesting. One of them also never appeared which is another thing that I’m not sure is a bug or not.
Story - It starts out as if there’s going to be more of an emphasis on story compared to II, but that goes away after a few Sequences. Towards the end, I wasn’t even sure why certain things were happening any more. II at least gave you a chart of targets, but you don’t even get that. Because of when the main villain actually died, there’s a large time jump at the end which is jarring. Most of the game takes place over a short period of time, but for the end, it’s almost like the writers forgot that the main villain actually died nearly a decade after when the bulk of the game is set and didn't adjust the dialogue when that got noticed.
Brotherhood - This felt like a tacked on feature in III, and I am surprised to see that it is just as tacked on here. You can recruit new Assassins to send off on missions to gain money or keep them around to use in combat. If it wasn’t for the fact that some missions require their combat use this element could be completely ignored.
Renovating Rome - I guess the idea was to expand the estate development of II onto the entire city of Rome, but it is mostly pointless. You mainly just reopen closed stores that all sell the same thing in their type so you can reopen more stores that sell the same thing. There’s a few exceptions, but most of the locations are stores. You also have to take down Borgia leaders and set the Borgia Tower ablaze before being able to renovate an area, but none of these are particularly interesting and the tower climbing is nearly identical between all of them.
I don’t understand what it is about this that makes people say it’s their favorite. It’s more of the same with a few tweaks but generally worse. The half bright spot is the side missions where you need to commandeer and destroy Leonardo Da Vinci’s war machines, but those drag on for too long as if whoever was tasked with them didn’t have anything else to do so they got lengthened unnecessarily.
I finished in about 22.5 hours. Somehow it was almost exactly 45 hours for the first two. At least Revelations has a real timer.
Edit: Found the timer, and I finished in 24:33:13.
Rating: 5
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Post by personman on Nov 13, 2022 15:47:42 GMT -5
Super Mario Bros. (via Super Mario All-Stars, SNES; emulated on 3DS)
So I've never actually finished the original Mario game... even though I said I did on the Backloggery. Shame on me lol the only one I know for a fact I finished were two and three and I know I barely ever touched Lost Levels so time to remedy that. I've heard people criticize the All-Star's version of the games and I can maybe see some of what they mean but ultimately this is the version I grew up with so meh. Besides, this one lets you save progress so its a no brainer. Besides that I love the way they all look and sound there was a lot of effort put into making the backgrounds more varied and the music has that sorta Reggae feel from three that I still kinda associate with Mario even though it pretty much stopped being a thing past these remakes. Miss it a bit honestly.
For the game itself I mean it's ye olde Mario. Not a ton to say on it besides a few gripes which may be exclusive to this version though I'm not sure. Hit detection seems pretty sloppy like I know for a fact I landed squarely on a koopa and still took a hit or plainly cleared one of the jerks and they still got me; yet on the other end of the spectrum the bullet bills are super generous with their hit boxes and it felt like I should have took a hit when I didn't lol. Then of course the hammer bros. which are just awful, awful enemies. There is a method to dealing with them but they're just way too erratic and aggressive to feel reasonable and its pretty much down to luck whether they spawn in a place you can even approach. Getting through stage 8-3 pretty much requires being fully powered up thanks to them, hey look at that: Gradius syndrome in a platformer lol. Fortunately you can find a mushroom and flower in the stage quickly once you know they are there.
Hell, also like Gradius the damn thing loops. Games loved to do that back then huh? I decided to give it a shot and use the warp pipes this time and really all it seemed like it changed were replacing goombas with the beetle things so I didn't mind it. Thankfully once you go through the second time it ends proper. I won't say I loved this but obviously I liked it if I was willing to go through it twice. It's basic but still holds up just knowing what comes later with the series kinda makes it feel like this is more a curiosity than anything people need to play. Can't go wrong with it though it's freaking Mario.
Rating-7
I started Lost Levels and have managed to get through to world 5 and honestly I don't think I'll be able to take much more without save scumming ugh.
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Post by dsparil on Nov 14, 2022 10:17:36 GMT -5
TaleSpin (TurboGrafx-16, First Time)
Pretty crummy with no redeeming elements.
I finished in 00:27:07.
Rating: 4
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Post by personman on Nov 14, 2022 21:18:51 GMT -5
AM2R Return of Samus (PC, technically Linux; played on Steam Deck; first time; 8 hours)
Been waiting a while to play this. I have this stupid thing where I just don't like playing games like this on a PC. There's just something about hooking my 360 controller to my desktop that keeps me from games I just kinda perceive as meant for a console. So I've had this thing sitting on my desktop for years just waiting for a solution like an unofficial port to a handheld or something. Welp now that have a Steam Deck I was able to finally circumvent my stupidity and give this a go lol. I am a broken individual.
Feels like this was built off of Zero Mission and expanded on. Like all the ledge grabbing stuff is there with some other niceties like being able to just quickly climb over small ledges without needing to jump. I also liked how enemies have knock downs and you can even do a little Ukemi thing and get back on your feet with a properly timed jump. It feels remarkably authentic and I kinda can't help but think of it as a sequel to Zero Mission itself which really deserves praise; this doesn't have that nagging fan game feel at all. If you put this on a GBA cart and got it running I wouldn't even bat an eye.
It's been... god like 18 years or something since I played the original? So I can't really tell if its closer or farther to the original than the 3DS take on it. I think it may be a bit closer in layout but deviates on the actual level design dramatically with each area having a little set piece to make it stand out. The Tower has an escape sequence, a water treatment plant has water levels you have to deal with, there is a little part where you control a jumping robot to open the way forward. It's full of neat little creative things that make each area stand out which is very cool. One is completely new and optional where you find the ship of the expedition team that came before you. It even has these chutes to zip you over to far off areas that makes me think of similar short cuts between the areas in Fusion. Combine this with a really nice soundtrack and some nifty sights to see here and there (like the giant statues at the top of the tower) and you've got a winner. Only thing I think I'd criticize are some places are pretty drab and flat but at the same time you have to consider what they were working with.
What I don't care for are many of the enemies, specifically the Metorids. They're awful plain and simple mostly because they commit the worst sin you can in my opinion and do that thing where they just move on top of you and just keep bumping into you. The forms that can fly move around so fast that getting away from them is more trouble than its worth and you're best off just sitting still and letting them push you around as you make the pot shots you can. It just feels bad and only gets worse as the next mutation of them had ridiculously small hit boxes. It's weird because the developer does have a knack for good boss design! There are new mini bosses who are all well done or replicate old ones perfectly while putting a new spin on them. But with the main feature of the game they just dropped the ball really bad. The final evolution of the things runs around so much and is such a pain to deal with that each time you run into them there is a corner you can always retreat to and safely wait for them to open themselves up. It just feels like an admission that they couldn't get these things right and its a real bummer to see. Fortunately the showdown with the Queen is well done and while not hard it is a nice enough spectacle to cap the game off with so least they got the most important fight right.
Otherwise I have no real complaints outside of the Metroids and unfortunately it was one of the bigger things a Metroid II remakes needed to get right lol, Samus Returns pulled this off MUCH better. However all the other things the game does right I think makes up for it. Speaking of its been a good while since I played through the 3DS take on the game so I may need to revisit it to refresh my memory but I probably would put this one above it... however not too terribly far above. I like that this game goes out of its way to develop the level design but its ultimately the safer of the two. It really just stay within the rules of the series where as Samus Returns took risks and in some way stands out to me a bit more. Rougher around the edges sure but some of the things it accomplishes I can't help but respect a bunch. It also feels a touch unfair to compare them as well, one was under a deadline and had budget and publisher constraints the other may have been done by like 3 people or so but they had all the time in the world lol.
Either way its fantastic. Really happy that DoctorM64 got to see this fulfilled and wish them the best if they ever try making another game sometime again. They understand Metroid to its core and while many love to claim they do on the same level just because they're a fan most really just don't. You can't help but respect this thing up and down and I'd say its the finest fan game I've ever played.
Rating-9
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Post by alexmate on Nov 17, 2022 14:57:44 GMT -5
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (PS1, first time, 3hr 50 min estimate) Not a masterpiece, but an enjoyable game. I've tried completing it before, but couldn't manage it and it's actually much easier this time around.
Rating: 8
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Post by spanky on Nov 17, 2022 20:18:09 GMT -5
The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES via NSO, Replay)
The black sheep of Zelda is...naturally one of my favorites across the series. I played the game to death as a kid, despite not owning it. My aunt had it and she'd always bring her copy to family functions. I never made it particularly far but I loved getting lost in this larger, more populated Hyrule. I don't think it's quite as good overall as the original but in many ways I like it better. This time, my 4 year old watched me play and I even got out my old NES Atlas so he could be my navigator in the dungeons. We both got a kick out of it.
The shift to more combat, platforming and even honest-to-goodness traditional RPG elements sounds like a nightmare but honestly they pull it off. I love the dueling enemies, it can be quite tense. The experience system gets a lot of flack but I like how you can defer your points for better upgrades. I love the meta game of trying to maximize my level ups with the instant level up found at the end of each dungeon. Once you figure that out, you'll max out your attack very quickly. Worst case scenario, there's a few grinding spots. Yeah it's tough but the game gives you some extra lives to balance things out and you can really use spells to your advantage (Shield with tougher enemies, Jump for trickier platforming, Fairy to avoid pits when knocked off a ledge). There's a lot more in the way of hints though some are vague. There's still plenty of exploration but far less of the "burn every bush, bomb every wall" stuff found in the first game though I could see people missing that.
I also love the story and the world. Ganon's minions are tracking you down in the overworld (for the purposes of killing Link to make blood sacrifice to revive Ganon! Gnarly!), but the monsters in the palaces are just guardians put there by the king to keep you out. Even the final boss is just meant as a test for link to overcome. In terms of scale, it's also much larger than the original game (a shrunk down version of the original game's overworld takes up a very small section of the map), it's also a lot more alive with several populated towns. I even love little details like the towns with Ganon's spies.
It also looks good. Link and the enemy sprites are well animated. I love how Link raises his sword and shield before he strikes, the slime enemies jiggle, the Dairas charge you in a frenzy etc. The sound is good though I think the overworld theme is sort of weak. Lots of distinct and memorable NES era sound effects to be found here.
It's an experiment, with a lot of ideas that were never followed up on but it's still excellent in my book. Maybe in my top 5 Zelda games? 9/10.
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Post by dsparil on Nov 18, 2022 8:15:21 GMT -5
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (Switch, First Time)
Easily the best of the three Ezio games. It’s half the length of Brotherhood which was already 20% shorter than II (for me anyway), but that is to its benefit. The core gameplay is much better developed than in Brotherhood and II for that matter.
There’s actually a real discernible plot with three strands that work together. This main one is Ezio trying to find the keys to open Altaïr’s library before the Templars do. This is basically a replacement for the optional tombs in the other two, but it also some extra plot dealing with an Italian bookseller helping him. Tying into this are some flashbacks about Altaïr mostly later in life, and some general political machinations in Istanbul. Nothing is hugely complicated, but it’s also more focused than the disjointed mess in Brotherhood.
The gameplay is better too with a lot of exciting moments and better climbing. Nearly the entire city is available right off the bat with only an obvious gated portion blocked until the storyline calls for it. You also get the ridiculous hook blade as a second hidden blade. It extends your grasp a little bit when climbing, but doesn’t do a whole lot more than that. The city renovation and Brotherhood elements return and are still pointless. There’s also a new base defense element, but aside from the mandatory tutorial, I never had to do one. They only occur when you’re in Notorious status, but you have to be reckless to have it get to that point.
There’s also some optional first person platforming stages that give some background on Desmond who I’m assuming didn’t have much. These got expanded into a piece of DLC, but I probably won’t get to that until after Pokémon Scarlet.
I think the overall positive is that everything got scaled back enough to actually fit into the year’s long development time. I don’t really get why people see this as the worse of the II “trilogy”. Looking at reviews, there was some clear fatigue setting in, but everything from II to Syndicate is working off the same template so I suppose people got used to that eventually.
I finished in 12:28:47. I ended up finding where the timer has hidden in the other two with times of 31:25:45 and 24:33:13. Connect wasn't actually that far off.
Rating: 7
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Post by Woody Alien on Nov 18, 2022 11:18:43 GMT -5
Boo Party (PC/Steam, first time, about 6h 30 according to in-game timer)
Another game in the style of Frank's Adventure for Newgrounds, I never actually played the series but I did play Foto Flash inspired by it. This has the same idea, a photographer going around and completing fetch quests and mini-games to catch sexy pictures of various models, only with a supernatural twist: the MC has been called by a "mad scientist" to investigate on a manor full of paranormal activity, which is a haunted house full of monster girls and various creatures having a massive party. Lewd comedy adventure game with a Halloween vibe, but nothing too sexy apart from some cheesecake, a few innuendos and goofy situations. It's mostly a comedy game with a few nude drawings that can be turned off if you so wish, but then what's the point?
The 16bit-style graphics are very cute, the drawings are nice, the funky tracks are good (though there are just a few of them) and you can make your own playlist, the comedy is enjoyable, my only problem were some of the mini-games that are mandatory to unlock some of the girls' pics and are way too difficult for such a laid back, goofy game (that's why I have about 9 hours on Steam's timer...). In any case I reported the issue on the Steam forums and the dev Cosmi Kankei almost immediately answered me and patched the game so that there now are some helps if you get stuck on them or even the opportunity to outright avoid them. I don't think they did this just for me, more likely it was something they were already working on, but it was a nice gesture! This is only the second game for them, the first one was the sexy puzzle game "Crawlco Block Knockers" which I played for last year's Challenge: I enjoyed that one a lot and this one is quite good for my tastes. So I'm looking forward for their next works! Good job Cosmi. 7.5/10
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Post by dsparil on Nov 18, 2022 15:48:22 GMT -5
Magic Knight Rayearth (SNES, First Time)
MKR was one of the first completed RPG fan translations back in 1999. I remember giving it a try back then, but I wasn’t familiar with the property so I lost interest. I’m still not very familiar with it, but it’s a whole lot easier to get a plot summary these days. The game is technically based on the anime not the original manga as it has some characters unique to it, but the overall plot is so cut down and compressed that it doesn’t really matter. After seeing that there was a new patch that fixes up some early hacking and translation issues, I had to give it a try.
As a game, this is intended for children so it’s very easy with quickly gained levels. I also played the version of the patch that halves the encounter rate and double experience which cut down on the grinding that does exist. Most of the dungeons are short, and there isn’t much challenge. The graphics are fairly good though. Setting aside the ease, I’d say the only real problem is that the mecha element of the material doesn’t really come across. Each of the Magic Knights has their own, but in the game, they only exist as the most powerful magic attacks gained towards the end.
I finished in 02:02:42 from fast forwarding the whole thing.
Rating: 7
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Nov 19, 2022 6:38:39 GMT -5
AM2R Return of Samus (PC, technically Linux; played on Steam Deck; first time; 8 hours) Either way its fantastic. Really happy that DoctorM64 got to see this fulfilled and wish them the best if they ever try making another game sometime again. They understand Metroid to its core and while many love to claim they do on the same level just because they're a fan most really just don't. You can't help but respect this thing up and down and I'd say its the finest fan game I've ever played. Didn't this guy go on to join Moon Studios and help develop Ori 2?
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Post by Apollo Chungus on Nov 19, 2022 13:44:34 GMT -5
AM2R Return of Samus (PC, technically Linux; played on Steam Deck; first time; 8 hours) Either way its fantastic. Really happy that DoctorM64 got to see this fulfilled and wish them the best if they ever try making another game sometime again. They understand Metroid to its core and while many love to claim they do on the same level just because they're a fan most really just don't. You can't help but respect this thing up and down and I'd say its the finest fan game I've ever played. Didn't this guy go on to join Moon Studios and help develop Ori 2? Yes, he did. --- Save Room (Switch; First Time; 1 hour 30 minutes)
This is a fairly cool puzzle game very blatantly inspired by the inventory system from Resident Evil 4, where you organized all your weapons and items on a limited gridlike space. Sorting out your items so they all fit together is a presentable manner was something of an addictive thing, and this game taps into that by presenting you with various puzzles where you have to make all the items you have fit within that limited space. It slowly introduces various mechanics such as loading ammunition into guns, consuming health resources, combining different kinds of gun powder, and so on in order to give you more space, and having you do all these things in a particular order. Although there's only 40 puzzles, Save Room makes very good use of that time to build up its many ideas and combinations, and it's really funny how much it's basically a Resi spin-off in all but license considering how identical many of the items look to their counterparts, the UI and even the brief captions referencing the infamous merchant from 4. There's also no time limit, so you can take as long as you need to figure things out, which especially makes this my kind of puzzle game. A definite recommendation for a short but fun way of playing around with one of Resi 4's cooler minor aspects.
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