I'm changing up the format this time around. The last couple of years I was focusing more on games that I finished. I found while this incentivized me to finish more games, it created a "hit it and quit it" mentality. While this is a gross analogy, it was kind of a gross way for me to be playing. I've had such a large desire to want to be apart of the conversation around most new releases, or just to have my own opinions on them, that I'm not sure if I'm really getting everything I can out of them. Then I never really do anything with those thoughts and feelings, they just kind of sit there. So this year, while I'll still be striving to finish games new and old, I'll be trying to worry about my "FOMO" a lot less and just slow down a little. Hopefully this will incentivize me to write down some more thoughts for this things this time around as well.
*Dates next to entries are specified as the dates beaten. Otherwise tags such Unfinished, for games I've never finished, or Replay, for games I'm returning to, will be used.
Finished: 24
Unfinished: 10
Does Not Apply: 2
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1/6/18
1/16/18 I did absolutely everything there is to do in this game. Every single moon, every single purple coin, every single costume, maxed out coins, I've done it all. I've been to one end of the world and back again, multiple times at this point. And you know what? It was alright. Not to say I didn't have plenty of highs, the feeling of controlling Mario, the callbacks, those bosses and that music, arguably the best in the series. But there was just something this time around that didn't hit for me. At points I would just say the world and overall design felt like a mixture of both being both cluttered and aimless. There are so many things for you to do but that dopamine hit of getting moons and purple coins can only hit so hard after the hundredth one. Especially from menial tasks like sitting on benches and spelling Mario. Not to say there was no initial enjoyment, because having Mario follow his good doggo to find a moon was amazing... the first time. I guess that's what it really comes down to for me, there was a lot of repetition of basic, uninteresting tasks from world to world. I wish that there was a greater incentive of platforming tasks and challenges because the ones that were there ranged from good to great. As one last point, this is a very much me thing because as I type this, I realize that these similar complaints can be levied against another big Nintendo game from last year that I just didn't have the same issues with. Still, Super Mario Odyssey is quite good.
*Unfinished
1/24/16
*Replay 10/6/18 (Platinum) I've lost count of how many times I've started a new file for Bloodborne at this point. This time around it was after watching Waypoint's eight hour live stream and seeing them dig back into Bloodborne just got me craving that world again. While I'll never be able to recreate the first time of me playing through it, dipping back into that world always reminds of why I love it so much. The feeling of using trick weapons, firing off a prefect parry, finding that prefect look for your hunter this time around, taking on a boss or just remembering that one shortcut that blew your mind when you found it all those years ago. Going through it this time around, makes me realize how compact many of these areas actually are, but just how well laid out and layered they are. And yes, acknowledging the criticism of how the farming/grinding in the game can be a little much at some points. Even though for myself, I could just run through the same areas hacking away for days, soaking in all of what Yharnam has to offer. So after all these years, I finally went out of my way to Platinum the game in the matter of a few days. God, this game is seriously incredible, and definitely at the top of my GOAT list, glad I finally took care of that.
9/17/18 So I got this game for my phone when it came out years ago after hearing such good buzz about it. I was pretty terrible at it if I'm being honest, I don't remember if I ever made it past the second area. There was something about the loop though that I just loved, even with the touch controls not doing it for me. It only makes sense that years later, finally playing the game with a controller has gotten it all to click with me. The mixture of momentum and precision the game feeds to you is something I can't really compare. Watching it I feel like I should lose control at any moment, but I don't. I'm so close to finally besting this one, but I know like other rogue-like's I enjoy, I'll definitely return to this one. I DID IT!
2/13/18 God this game, I can't believe it actually came together. One of, if not the best, fighting game developers around putting their mark on one of the biggest franchises, it's like a dream come true. Not only that, but Arc somehow made a tag style fighting game extremely approachable with a mixture of simplified move sets, the use of multiple and different auto combos and a somewhat smaller roster. I say this as someone who's look at the Marvel vs. Capcom series from afar and thought it's just looked like nonsense. And even after playing this I still think it does, and I won't argue that there will be a bit of a curve when dipping your toes into DBFZ, but the game makes an attempt to help you out. Unfortunately, the game has some ways to go when it comes to introducing players to this style of fighter. While the game has a solid tutorial teaching the player all the basics you need to know, and even showing basic combo's for all characters, it doesn't do much in showing how the tag system really works. You'll have no idea what a characters tag attack will be until you either use it in training mode or in a fight, and how to properly and successfully pull off a tag in a match either by itself or into a combo. This may seem like some lofty expectations but I'd argue the game goes out of it's to help bring new players in, it just seems like an odd omission to me. I'm not saying this is a huge grievance against the game, it's just something I've noticed and has stuck with me. One other small gripe I have is with the online and lobbies. Now, when I'm online actually playing against someone, the game runs great and I have no issues which is key when it comes to a game like this. However, where the online comes into question is whenever I'm in a lobby. Constant disconnects from the lobby when I'm trying to practice in the training mode, playing the story, or even go through the arcade mode, it just all feels unnecessary. It seems as if a central hub, similar to what you'd see in a Destiny or the most recent Call of Duty what pasted into the game. I won't deny that it has a lot of charm seeing cute, chibi versions of all my favorite Dragaonball characters and some locales, but when there's no way of inviting a friend to match, outside of making sure we're in the right lobby together and setting up a fight ring, seems like a small oversight. One huge caveat here is that this game has only been out for a week or so, and while former may not be as easily addressed, there could be a possibility of the latter being fixed later down the line. With all that out of the way, what a hell of the game. A Dragonball game has never looked or played this good, and the attention to detail is outstanding. Not even in just the visuals because those are just incredible, all the character interactions, depending on who's fighting, or what move is being used is such a delight. While it can all feel on the nose and occasionally over the top, that's what Dragonball is and I wouldn't have it any other way. Now at the time of writing this, I've spent most of time either in the training mode or online, I've finished the first arc of the story and I'll note when I eventually do finish it. Even if there is a little too much padding. But I cannot wait to keep digging into this one. Honestly, I haven't wanted to learn a fighter like this since 2014 and the release of Persona 4 Area Ultimax. My love for Android 16 grows stronger after to every match and I can't wait to see my beautiful android son grab his way to victory. So I've finished the story, it's pretty dumb. Like extremely dumb, it just drags on with boring fight after boring fight, but at least the writing and voice acting for the characters was quite well done. I unlocked the three unlockable characters which was a little much to accomplish. However, I can't stop thinking about this game. Finally getting my team together (Android 16, SSGSS Vegeta and Tien currently), putting some work in the lab, and trying to hold my own online, one of favorite experiences in a good while. I'm now about 100 hours, 250 ranked matches, 300 ring matches in with a ranking of Supreme Kai. I was worried I starting to plateau a bit with my play, but with the introduction of the new dlc characters, plus me getting out of my comfort zone, I'm still improving, and more importantly, enjoying my time.
9/21/18 I wish I liked this game more. I remember listening to old podcasts and even having conversations with friends about how great this game feels and tight it is to play it. For whatever reason, it just doesn't click with me. I find the aspect of grinding for levels, better stats and equipment between runs hampers the game as a rogue-like. I become less interested with learning what things are supposed and how to react to them accordingly and just find myself going on gold runs to make myself stronger and ignore everything. So I went back to this one after watching the most recent Breaking Brad and seeing him get to the final boss. Then somehow in the matter of a day, I found myself beating the game. This may have something to do with me putting a lot of time into different rogue likes recently, not super sure. While I have warmed up to this game more, it has helped cement what I enjoy more in a rogue style game, and I can say it's less of this...
4/1/18 It finally came to plus, I can finally experience the true masterpiece, the true GOAT. All dumb, not funny jokes aside, I'm surprised how, even with my lowered/measured expectations for this three year old launch game, underwhelming and out right boring Knack is. I'm only four chapters in of game that should not be as long as it is, and I just find almost all of the encounters tedious. Combat is unnecessarily difficult and slowly paced , especially as small Knack. It all feels like a giant shrug to me. Yes, it probably hits the notes it wanted to and the demographic it aimed to hit, it's still just... *bleh*. Oddly enough, I still want to finish it for whatever reason, just to see where it goes and why they would ever desire to make a sequel. So, I finally beat it, and gosh that game is a mess and a half. All of my complaints still stand from above to be honest. One last addition is how it seems like Knack thinks is super replayable. With all of it's collectibles, different Knack forms, a harder difficulty, and more. But after finishing it, I could not be more uninterested. I've heard better things about the sequel so maybe one day, three years after its release, I'll check it out.
*Unfinished I'm going to finally finish this game this year. I got pretty far back in 2015 or 2016, getting to just shy Skellige. I assume there was still a huge amount left to do, but for whatever reason I just moved on from it. However, I'm going back, starting over and just taking my time with this one.