This past April has been filled with more games being played to get through the backlog (despite more games eventually joining at the same time oof).
Completed Game #8 | Touch My Katamari (Vita)
When Sony initially announced plans to close their store, I decided to revisit my Vita (which needed to be recharged due to age) and one of the games I decided to check out was Touch My Katamari, a Vita instalment in Bandai Namco's wacky puzzle type series about dragging everything from tiny pieces to whole planets on a ball.
The Vita version is actually pretty good in terms of gameplay though it's timed and can be quite challenging but the modern controls approach I selected worked out pretty well. It's a very short game though, basically a digital title that got a physical release in the end, but overall worth a visit if you want something short and quick to play on the go.
Completed Game #9 | The 25th Ward: The Silver Case (PS4)
A visual novel spin-off and sequel to the cult classic PlayStation game The Silver Case by Suda51. This one was originally released exclusively on a specific cell phone type but is now back as a remake and more 'complete' compared to its original. It continues to provide the blend of visual novel storytelling and adventure gameplay elements which works as well as it did in the first game.
Personally I am overall conflicted in how I felt about the overall plot of the game because it did not invest me as much as I had wanted. The second story arc I quite liked a lot, probably because it made the most sense in storytelling. There's a lot to like with The 25th Ward overall but it's not going to top the first game basically.
I did manage to get the Platinum trophy however I should warn you that one of the trophies requires spending 8-9 hours straight going through 99 different endings with no way to speed it up and it is boring and bizarre as hell. One ending for instance you do something and suddenly you reincarnate as cheese, like what on earth. Playtime is about 14 hours before the 99 endings route.
Completed Game #10 | Everybody's Golf (PS4)
A couple of years ago I got heavily invested in the Vita version of Everybody's Golf because it's the type of game where it's challenging but addicting to continue and try to overcome the obstacles. I liked it so much that I eventually acquired the PS4 instalment but for some reason it did not click with me in the same way that the other did.
Fast-forward to recently, I decided to revisit the PS4 version as I never really finished it for the collection and thus I continued progress. The game is very different in style due to its open-world look and online focus, but the gameplay is really great and the graphics look great. The issue I have is the continuous repetitiveness in the re-using of maps because I feel having to replay the same map every time, even if its mirrored or has additional wind speed/direction changes, does not justify its issues. What the game needed was more variety of maps without having to spend DLC just to resolve that issue.
Eventually as you go up the ranks, you do unlock more maps but the issues still remain. But overall other than that it's still a solid game in general. I haven't 100% the game but I plan to save it for the PS5 since the Pro version has 4K and 60fps.
Completed Game #11 | 428 Shibuya Scramble (PS4)
And now we get to the main focus of this post, 428 Shibuya Scramble is a visual novel developed by Spike Chunsoft that was originally released on the Nintendo Wii before eventually getting a western release on PlayStation 4 many years later. This takes the usual formula and replaces the anime visuals with live-action shots that gives it the same feel and look as though you were watching a J-Drama series or film.
428 was known for having the perfect 40 rating from Famitsu when it first came out, but to be honest it deserves it because the storytelling in this game is really good and concludes on a very satisfying note. You follow many protagonists and your choices will drastically impact everyone's fates so it's up to you to try and make sure they don't end up in a BAD END which can be funny or an oof depending on what the character was doing. It's pacing is also very good and even though there's no voice acting it works really well.
Speaking of BAD ENDs, there are over 80 in the game and most of them are different to each other which have their own quirks. The game is also designed where even if your choices are correct for one person's route, they can still hit a BAD END or KEEP OUT (this means you can't proceed until someone else's actions reach a certain point) unless another person is able to make the right choice in their path. It gets very important during the final moments of the story because every choice matters.
The main storyline can take about 24 hours which is plenty, and there's tons of bonus post-game content also. One scenario is called Suzune which is a heart-breaking story of love, while another scenario is called Canaan which some of you may be familiar with. Canaan is the only part of the whole game where it's actually presented in an anime style because it's written by TYPE-MOON (Fate, Tsukihime).
Overall, 428 is a fantastic game and highly recommended. It's so good that it's reinvested my interest in playing more visual novels lol. Of course this game is very unique in its approach but the story-telling is what makes the game so good.
My backlog so far:
Completed Games Collection of 2021:
Platinum Trophy Collection:
Completed Game #8 | Touch My Katamari (Vita)
When Sony initially announced plans to close their store, I decided to revisit my Vita (which needed to be recharged due to age) and one of the games I decided to check out was Touch My Katamari, a Vita instalment in Bandai Namco's wacky puzzle type series about dragging everything from tiny pieces to whole planets on a ball.
The Vita version is actually pretty good in terms of gameplay though it's timed and can be quite challenging but the modern controls approach I selected worked out pretty well. It's a very short game though, basically a digital title that got a physical release in the end, but overall worth a visit if you want something short and quick to play on the go.
Completed Game #9 | The 25th Ward: The Silver Case (PS4)
A visual novel spin-off and sequel to the cult classic PlayStation game The Silver Case by Suda51. This one was originally released exclusively on a specific cell phone type but is now back as a remake and more 'complete' compared to its original. It continues to provide the blend of visual novel storytelling and adventure gameplay elements which works as well as it did in the first game.
Personally I am overall conflicted in how I felt about the overall plot of the game because it did not invest me as much as I had wanted. The second story arc I quite liked a lot, probably because it made the most sense in storytelling. There's a lot to like with The 25th Ward overall but it's not going to top the first game basically.
I did manage to get the Platinum trophy however I should warn you that one of the trophies requires spending 8-9 hours straight going through 99 different endings with no way to speed it up and it is boring and bizarre as hell. One ending for instance you do something and suddenly you reincarnate as cheese, like what on earth. Playtime is about 14 hours before the 99 endings route.
Completed Game #10 | Everybody's Golf (PS4)
A couple of years ago I got heavily invested in the Vita version of Everybody's Golf because it's the type of game where it's challenging but addicting to continue and try to overcome the obstacles. I liked it so much that I eventually acquired the PS4 instalment but for some reason it did not click with me in the same way that the other did.
Fast-forward to recently, I decided to revisit the PS4 version as I never really finished it for the collection and thus I continued progress. The game is very different in style due to its open-world look and online focus, but the gameplay is really great and the graphics look great. The issue I have is the continuous repetitiveness in the re-using of maps because I feel having to replay the same map every time, even if its mirrored or has additional wind speed/direction changes, does not justify its issues. What the game needed was more variety of maps without having to spend DLC just to resolve that issue.
Eventually as you go up the ranks, you do unlock more maps but the issues still remain. But overall other than that it's still a solid game in general. I haven't 100% the game but I plan to save it for the PS5 since the Pro version has 4K and 60fps.
Completed Game #11 | 428 Shibuya Scramble (PS4)
And now we get to the main focus of this post, 428 Shibuya Scramble is a visual novel developed by Spike Chunsoft that was originally released on the Nintendo Wii before eventually getting a western release on PlayStation 4 many years later. This takes the usual formula and replaces the anime visuals with live-action shots that gives it the same feel and look as though you were watching a J-Drama series or film.
428 was known for having the perfect 40 rating from Famitsu when it first came out, but to be honest it deserves it because the storytelling in this game is really good and concludes on a very satisfying note. You follow many protagonists and your choices will drastically impact everyone's fates so it's up to you to try and make sure they don't end up in a BAD END which can be funny or an oof depending on what the character was doing. It's pacing is also very good and even though there's no voice acting it works really well.
Speaking of BAD ENDs, there are over 80 in the game and most of them are different to each other which have their own quirks. The game is also designed where even if your choices are correct for one person's route, they can still hit a BAD END or KEEP OUT (this means you can't proceed until someone else's actions reach a certain point) unless another person is able to make the right choice in their path. It gets very important during the final moments of the story because every choice matters.
The main storyline can take about 24 hours which is plenty, and there's tons of bonus post-game content also. One scenario is called Suzune which is a heart-breaking story of love, while another scenario is called Canaan which some of you may be familiar with. Canaan is the only part of the whole game where it's actually presented in an anime style because it's written by TYPE-MOON (Fate, Tsukihime).
Overall, 428 is a fantastic game and highly recommended. It's so good that it's reinvested my interest in playing more visual novels lol. Of course this game is very unique in its approach but the story-telling is what makes the game so good.
My backlog so far:
| # | Platform | # | Game Name | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3DS | 1 | Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson | Action |
2 | 3DS | 2 | Tales of the Abyss | Action RPG |
3 | PC/Steam | 1 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky | Turn-Based RPG |
4 | PC/Steam | 2 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter | Turn-Based RPG |
5 | PS3 | 1 | 3D Dot Game Heroes | Action RPG |
6 | PS3 | 2 | Castlevania: Lords of Shadow | Action |
7 | PS3 | 3 | Catherine | Puzzle |
8 | PS3 | 4 | Drakengard 3 | Action RPG |
9 | PS3 | 5 | Eternal Sonata | Turn-Based RPG |
10 | PS3 | 6 | Folklore | Action |
11 | PS3 | 7 | inFAMOUS | Action |
12 | PS3 | 8 | Katamari Forever | Puzzle |
13 | PS3 | 9 | Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch | Turn-Based RPG |
14 | PS3 | 10 | Puppeteer | Platformer |
15 | PS3 | 11 | Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time | Platformer |
16 | PS3 | 12 | Ratchet & Clank: Nexus | Platformer |
17 | PS3 | 13 | Ratchet & Clank: QForce | Platformer |
18 | PS3 | 14 | Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty | Platformer |
19 | PS3 | 15 | Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction | Platformer |
20 | PS3 | 16 | Sengoku Basara 3: Samurai Heroes | Musou |
21 | PS3 | 17 | Siren Blood Curse | Horror |
22 | PS3 | 18 | Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD | Platformer |
23 | PS3 | 19 | Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time | Platformer |
24 | PS3 | 20 | Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD | Platformer |
25 | PS3 | 21 | Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves HD | Platformer |
26 | PS3 | 22 | Soul Calibur V | Fighting |
27 | PS3 | 23 | Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord | Tactical RPG / Visual Novel |
28 | PS3 | 24 | White Knight Chronicles | Turn-Based RPG |
29 | PS3 | 25 | White Knight Chronicles II | Turn-Based RPG |
30 | PS4 | 1 | Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle | Musou |
31 | PS4 | 2 | Blue Reflection | Turn-Based RPG |
32 | PS4 | 3 | The Caligula Effect: Overdose | Turn-Based RPG |
33 | PS4 | 4 | Chaos;Child | Visual Novel |
34 | PS4 | 5 | Code Vein | Action RPG |
35 | PS4 | 6 | Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online | Action RPG |
36 | PS4 | 7 | Danganronpa 1 Reload | Visual Novel |
37 | PS4 | 8 | Danganronpa 2 Reload | Visual Novel |
38 | PS4 | 9 | Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony | Visual Novel |
39 | PS4 | 10 | Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 1: Rinne Utopia | Visual Novel |
40 | PS4 | 11 | Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 2: Ars Install | Visual Novel |
41 | PS4 | 12 | Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 3: Twin Edition: Rio Reincarnation | Visual Novel |
42 | PS4 | 13 | Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune | Simulation |
43 | PS4 | 14 | Dragon's Crown Pro | Action RPG |
44 | PS4 | 15 | Fate/Extella Link | Musou |
45 | PS4 | 16 | Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise | Action |
46 | PS4 | 17 | Gal*Gun 2 | On-Rails Shooter |
47 | PS4 | 18 | Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Infinite Combate | Action RPG |
48 | PS4 | 19 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven | Fighting |
49 | PS4 | 20 | Judgment | Action |
50 | PS4 | 21 | Langrisser | Tactical RPG |
51 | PS4 | 22 | Langrisser II | Tactical RPG |
52 | PS4 | 23 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel | Turn-Based RPG |
53 | PS4 | 24 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II | Turn-Based RPG |
54 | PS4 | 25 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III | Turn-Based RPG |
55 | PS4 | 26 | Megadimension Neptunia VII | Turn-Based RPG |
56 | PS4 | 27 | Megadimension Neptunia VIIR | Turn-Based RPG |
57 | PS4 | 28 | Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom | Action RPG |
58 | PS4 | 29 | Nights of Azure | Action RPG |
59 | PS4 | 30 | Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon | Action RPG |
60 | PS4 | 31 | One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 | Musou |
61 | PS4 | 32 | Onechanbara Z2: Chaos | Action |
62 | PS4 | 33 | Our World Is Ended | Visual Novel |
63 | PS4 | 34 | Persona 5 Royal | Turn-Based RPG |
64 | PS4 | 35 | Punch Line | Visual Novel |
65 | PS4 | 36 | Raging Loop | Visual Novel |
66 | PS4 | 37 | Robotics;Notes DaSH | Visual Novel |
67 | PS4 | 38 | Robotics;Notes ELITE | Visual Novel |
68 | PS4 | 39 | Saint Seiya: Soldier's Soul | Fighting |
69 | PS4 | 40 | Sakura Wars | Action RPG / Dating Sim |
70 | PS4 | 41 | Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi | Musou |
71 | PS4 | 42 | Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal | Action |
72 | PS4 | 43 | Shining Resonance: Refrain | Action RPG |
73 | PS4 | 44 | Steins;Gate Elite | Visual Novel |
74 | PS4 | 45 | Steins;Gate: Linear Bound Phenogram | Visual Novel |
75 | PS4 | 46 | Super Robot Wars V | Tactical RPG |
76 | PS4 | 47 | Super Robot Wars X | Tactical RPG |
77 | PS4 | 48 | Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet | Action RPG |
78 | PS4 | 49 | Tales of Berseria | Action RPG |
79 | PS4 | 50 | Tales of Vesperia | Action RPG |
80 | PS4 | 51 | Tales of Zestiria | Action RPG |
81 | PS4 | 52 | Tokyo Xanadu eX+ | Action RPG |
82 | PS4 | 53 | Toukiden 2 | Action RPG |
83 | PS4 | 54 | Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception | Tactical RPG / Visual Novel |
84 | PS4 | 55 | Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth | Tactical RPG / Visual Novel |
85 | PS4 | 56 | Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen | Tactical RPG / Visual Novel |
86 | PS4 | 57 | Utawarerumono: Zan | Musou |
87 | PS4 | 58 | Valkyria Chronicles Remastered | Tactical RPG |
88 | PS4 | 59 | Valkyria Chronicles 4 | Tactical RPG |
89 | PS4 | 60 | The Witch and the Hundred Knight Revival Edition | Action RPG |
90 | PS4 | 61 | WORLDEND SYNDROME | Visual Novel |
91 | PS4 | 62 | YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World | Visual Novel |
92 | PS4 | 63 | Ys IX: Monstrum Nox | Action RPG |
93 | Vita | 1 | Bullet Girls | Third Person Shooter |
94 | Vita | 2 | Demon Gaze | Dungeon RPG |
95 | Vita | 3 | Freedom Wars | Action |
96 | Vita | 4 | Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart | Tactical RPG |
97 | Vita | 5 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 | Turn-Based RPG |
98 | Vita | 6 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2: Sister's Generation | Turn-Based RPG |
99 | Vita | 7 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3: V Generation | Turn-Based RPG |
100 | Vita | 8 | Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed | Musou |
101 | Vita | 9 | MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies | Musou |
102 | Vita | 10 | Muv-Luv | Visual Novel |
103 | Vita | 11 | Muv-Luv Alternative | Visual Novel |
104 | Vita | 12 | Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls | Turn-Based RPG |
105 | Vita | 13 | Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni | Action |
| # | Game Name | Platform | Genre | Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yakuza 6: The Song of Life | PS4 | Action | January |
2 | GOD EATER Resurrection | PS4 | Action RPG | January |
3 | GOD EATER 2: Rage Burst | PS4 | Action RPG | February |
4 | Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star | PS4 | Musou | March |
5 | Gal*Gun Double Peace | PS4 | On-Rails Shooter | March |
6 | Odin Sphere Leifthrasir | PS4 | Action RPG | March |
7 | Kandagawa Jet Girls | PS4 | Racing | April |
8 | Touch My Katamari | Vita | Puzzle | April |
9 | The 25th Ward: The Silver Case | PS4 | Adventure Visual Novel | April |
10 | Everybody's Golf | PS4 | Sports | April |
11 | 428 Shibuya Scramble | PS4 | Visual Novel | April |
| # | Game Name | Platform | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Saints Row: The Third | PS3 | Action | 2014 |
2 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle | PS3 | Fighting | 2015 |
3 | Hyperdimension Neptunia | PS3 | Turn-Based RPG | 2015 |
4 | Dekamori Senran Kagura | Vita | Music/Rhythm | 2015 |
5 | Steins;Gate | PS3 | Visual Novel | 2015 |
6 | NieR | PS3 | Action RPG | 2015 |
7 | No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise | PS3 | Action | 2015 |
8 | Asura's Wrath | PS3 | Action | 2015 |
9 | Saints Row IV | PS3 | Action | 2015 |
10 | The Darkness II | PS3 | First Person Shooter | 2015 |
11 | Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 | PS3 | Turn-Based RPG | 2016 |
12 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HD | PS3 | Action | 2016 |
13 | Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus | Vita | Action | 2016 |
14 | Gravity Rush | Vita | Platformer | 2016 |
15 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory | PS3 | Turn-Based RPG | 2016 |
16 | Resogun | PS4 | Arcade Shooter | 2016 |
17 | Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls | Vita | Third Person Shooter | 2016 |
18 | Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game | PS4 | Adventure | 2016 |
19 | Miracle Girls Festival | Vita | Music/Rhythm | 2017 |
20 | Senran Kagura Estival Versus | PS4 | Action | 2017 |
21 | The Wolf Among Us | PS4 | Adventure | 2017 |
22 | Final Fantasy XV | PS4 | Action RPG | 2017 |
23 | Amplitude | PS4 | Music/Rhythm | 2017 |
24 | Root Letter | PS4 | Visual Novel | 2017 |
25 | IA/VT -Colorful- | Vita | Music/Rhythm | 2017 |
26 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night | Vita | Music/Rhythm | 2017 |
27 | Gravity Rush Remastered | PS4 | Platformer | 2017 |
28 | NieR: Automata | PS4 | Action RPG | 2017 |
29 | The Silver Case | PS4 | Visual Novel | 2017 |
30 | Steins;Gate 0 | PS4 | Visual Novel | 2017 |
31 | Under Defeat HD | PS3 | Arcade Shooter | 2017 |
32 | Tales from the Borderlands | PS4 | Adventure | 2017 |
33 | Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection | PS3 | Fighting | 2017 |
34 | Life is Strange | PS4 | Adventure | 2017 |
35 | Sword Art Online: Lost Song | PS4 | Action RPG | 2017 |
36 | Crash Bandicoot Remastered | PS4 | Platformer | 2017 |
37 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back Remastered | PS4 | Platformer | 2017 |
38 | Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped Remastered | PS4 | Platformer | 2017 |
39 | Final Fantasy Type-0 HD | PS4 | Action RPG | 2017 |
40 | Corpse Party: Blood Drive | Vita | Horror | 2018 |
41 | Persona 5 | PS4 | Turn-Based RPG | 2018 |
42 | Zero Escape: The Nonary Games | PS4 | Visual Novel | 2018 |
43 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night [Japanese Version] | PS4 | Music/Rhythm | 2018 |
44 | Marvel's Spider-Man | PS4 | Action | 2018 |
45 | Akiba's Trip 2: Undead & Undressed | PS4 | Action RPG | 2019 |
46 | Spyro the Dragon Remastered | PS4 | Platformer | 2019 |
47 | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage Remastered | PS4 | Platfomer | 2019 |
48 | Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon Remastered | PS4 | Platformer | 2019 |
49 | Tekken Tag Tournament HD | PS3 | Fighting | 2019 |
50 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy HD | PS3 | Platformer | 2019 |
51 | Taiko no Tatsujin V Version | Vita | Music/Rhythm | 2019 |
52 | Utakumi 575 | Vita | Music/Rhythm | 2019 |
53 | Jak II: Renegade HD | PS3 | Platformer | 2019 |
54 | Jak 3 HD | PS3 | Platformer | 2019 |
55 | Ratchet & Clank HD | PS3 | Platformer | 2019 |
56 | Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando HD | PS3 | Platformer | 2019 |
57 | Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal HD | PS3 | Platformer | 2019 |
58 | Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash | PS4 | Third Person Shooter | 2019 |
59 | Kingdom Hearts III | PS4 | Action RPG | 2020 |
60 | Zero Escape 3: Zero Time Dilemma | PS4 | Adventure Visual Novel | 2020 |
61 | Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut | PS3 | Action Horror | 2020 |
62 | Gal*Gun Double Peace | PS4 | On-Rails Shooter | 2021 |
63 | Odin Sphere Leifthrasir | PS4 | Action RPG | 2021 |
64 | Kandagawa Jet Girls | PS4 | Racing | 2021 |
65 | The 25th Ward: The Silver Case | PS4 | Adventure Visual Novel | 2021 |
66 | 428 Shibuya Scramble | PS4 | Visual Novel | 2021 |
Been highly anticipating a global release for this title and now we're drawing near.
