What Games Are You Playing?

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Next up on the PS4 is another visit to Nier:Automata. I finished the first route but never did the rest so I think it's time to complete the game fully.

Nier does some nice trickery with the so called endings, given that the first ending is actually less than halfway through the full story. Very nicely scratches that itch of wanting to carry on experiencing the story and playing a game you've enjoyed, without having to resort to buying separate DLCs.

 

[DragoStark]

Nier does some nice trickery with the so called endings, given that the first ending is actually less than halfway through the full story. Very nicely scratches that itch of wanting to carry on experiencing the story and playing a game you've enjoyed, without having to resort to buying separate DLCs.

You're right about that. The second route was a bit too similar to retain my attention the first time round, but I have heard it deviates eventually. I'll stick with the game until the actual "end" this time!

 

[awadama]

I started Metroid Dread today. I've never been a big fan of Metroidvania type games, but I'm having fun with this so far.

There have been some really hard parts early on and I seem to be permanently lost, but it's fun!

 

[Adela]

Been playing some Soul Calibur IV in the past few days, trying to get 1,000,000 Gold for the secret achivement, then I'm going to buy Soul Edge, Soul Calibur and complete Chain of Souls and buy all weapons for five characters. BAM. Kill five birds with one stone.

I also completed Lost Odyssey about 30 minutes ago... so sad, I didn't want it to end, but it did, great RPG, far from the best but it was really fun. I liked the drama and intensity towards the end, it was pulled off quite well and obviously there's no sequal getting done and it ended well with all things tyed together. Great music by Uematsu, brilliant dream sequences, epic story-telling with an interesting world. Sakaguchi is the master. Lost Odyssey is everything Final Fanatasy: XII SHOULD have been. Now I only hope that since Square Enix has targeted the 360 for possible RPG investments they don't drive Mistwalker out of business, because that'd be quite bad.

 

[SteadyHandMcDuff]

Completed Langrisser 1 HD. I'd never played a Langrisser game before, but I really enjoyed it. I would have liked to have seen some unique boss themes instead of the same one every time, and the new art felt generic but that's probably because of budget constraints.

 

[awadama]

I’ve been playing the Demon Slayer game.

It’s pretty much a reskinned version of the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm games (it even uses the same font) - so if you like them (I do), you’ll probably like this too

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

I knew I preferred Replicant immediately after finishing Automata, but now that I think so fondly about it, I'm not sure anymore. I gotta finish the replicant remaster myself, didn't even do the first route.

So after reading of your admiration for Replicant, I got that a lot earlier than planned off the back of Automata (even got the White Snow edition imported from Amazon JP but people should be wary that despite the descriptions & photos on the website they will generally not include the bloody Steelbook.... Can't even be bothered to return now given the cost of importing..).

Played about an hour of that and it's fascinating playing it after Automata. By knowing the world in the latter, what would have come across as a standard action RPG actually comes across as an incredibly tragic look at a still beautifully alive post-apocalyptic world, before it becomes the post-post-apocalyptic world! Seeing Popola, Devola and the actual library, which was the basis of Automata's copied library, was particularly heartbreaking. Going to have to pause my Automata replay and do Replicant first. I'm quite glad I didn't play the original Nier, which I bought ages ago for the Xbox 360, before Automata now.

 

[Greygo]

Now I'm back to Final Fantasy series <3 great memories form my childhood

 

[NormanicGrav]

Even though this month would usually be dedicated to my anime Blu-ray backlog I decided to shift things around, especially as I now have a full-time job.

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Completed Game #28: Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction (PS3)

Spoiler

Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction is the first game in the Ratchet & Clank's Future saga and was one of the earlier games released for the PlayStation 3. I initially was not going to acquire these instalments but after the PS3 store fiasco earlier in the year I decided to pick them all up when they were cheap.

Tools of Destruction is an interesting game for me because the gameplay is still as enjoyable as the previous games, with tons of different weapon options and big large areas to explore for metal objects and any hidden collectibles you can find. The gameplay structure is pretty simple, you visit a world and you go through one or more linear paths and find an object before leaving the world for another. Sometimes you may have a boss but the general concept is still the same.

The game offers a variety of puzzles, from using rails with gaps to avoid by jumping, pressing buttons on the ground before it explodes, and using helipads to unlock more platforms before it disappears. The puzzles in the franchise have always been pretty fun, but what caught my eye the most were the ones that involved using the PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS motion controls. Those puzzles include moving a ball in a techy grid to allow the electric current to hit one point to another, shooting a lazer and guiding it to break down a wall, and my least favourite but for those who love it a mini rhythm segment with pirate dancing.

The difficulty in this game is apparently dynamic and the final boss is pretty tedious since most of your weapons are effectively pointless to use even when they are fully charged. The checkpoints are quite spaced out so you will be frustrated more than once in various areas. The Clank segments are pretty good and enjoyable but the checkpoint setup tampers with the experience.

The story is alright but it's setting up for big things that feels rather different to the previous games in the series, though the comedic humour tone of the franchise is still there. I personally didn't mind the story but the villain was pretty forgettable. Overall I would say that Tools of Destruction is a pretty fun game and worth playing if you have a PS3 and find copies for cheap. Since this is an older game there are no trophies so there's no need to worry about that either. Playtime was about 12 hours total.

---

Completed Game #29: Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty (PS3)

Spoiler

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty is a short 4 hour game that is pretty much a prologue or standalone demo for the next game A Crack in Time, and despite that the game does enough to offer some interesting elements to the mix. The game re-uses the same assets, weapons and concepts from Tools of Destruction with a few differences to the mix - Clank is not around and there are extra unique abilites that are pretty fun and works well with the game's mechanics which involves using your wrench to move platforms around on the screen.

There's not much to say for this game because it's short, and the story is simple and does the job. The only importance is the ending which ties directly into A Crack in Time. Overall, I would say that the game is good fun but only get it for a cheap price if you want a physical copy because of its length. Like Tools of Destruction, there are no trophies for this game either.

---

Completed Game #30 + Platinum #74: Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time (PS3)

Spoiler

In 2009 came the second major instalment in the Ratchet & Clank Future saga with A Crack in Time, and... this is a really damn good game, probably one of the best instalments in the whole franchise.

I had so much fun playing through this game and not only was the gameplay really fun but the story was way better than the previous games. The game brings back Dr. Nefarious from Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal and honestly I'm glad because he's pretty memorable with his attitude and appearance. Even though it continues from the events of Quest for Booty and Tools of Destruction, you can honestly skip those two if you really need to as the only major thing you need to know was that Ratchet & Clank got separated at some point.

The game is shorter than Tools of Destruction, but pacing-wise is just about right because it has enough content to keep you occupied without overstaying its welcome, and the extra stuff is really good such as navigating from one planet to another in your spaceship. The coliseum returns as per usual as well as a variety of weapons including the RYNO V which does the job in destroying everything in your path. Personally, I found the game to be compared with the LEGO franchise due to its structure and collectibles. The puzzles don't use the motion controls from the PS3 controller this time, but Clank's puzzles are top tier and have a good balance between challenging and not overdoing it.

Graphics look great, the level design is very good, and the story is among one of my favourites in the franchise with a really interesting backstory for both of our main leads. The ending I found to be pretty satisfying so I'm curious to see how Nexus handles the end of the saga.

Overall, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time in my opinion is a fantastic addition to the franchise and worthy of your 9 hour playtime (Almost 16 hour playtime for the Platinum trophy). The checkpoints is very reasonable and there's enough post-game content to keep you occupied like finding the collectibles, a post-game boss fight and New Game Plus for more upgraded weapons.

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Completed Game #31 + Platinum #75: Ratchet & Clank: Nexus (PS3)

Spoiler

Just before the release of the PlayStation 4 and after a few spin-off instalments, Ratchet & Clank's Future saga wraps up with Nexus (also known as Into the Nexus in North America). This is another short game but a few hours longer than Quest for Booty was, but has enough content to make up for it.

Nexus feels like a step-down in various ways. For starters there are only four major worlds plus an Arena world in general and the story itself is an epilogue but not the best that the franchise has to offer. The villains are okay but are not fleshed out enough to be as memorable as the others before them. Pacing is decent but considering the game's length I can let it slide. Graphics feels like a stepdown despite the impressive space segment at the intro, and the performance feels worse than its predecessors.

Gameplay is not as great as A Crack in Time but the weapon selection is still solid, though they are mostly recycled from previous instalments. The new mechanics are pretty cool and Clank's puzzle segments continue to be the highlight.

I don't have much to say about this one other than the fact that overall it felt like an unnecessary addition to the series. While it is considered an epilogue it felt like one long drag to make a single point and while the gameplay was good, I don't think the game is worth acquiring at full price if you do plan to check it out.

I did manage to get the Platinum trophy which requires going through the game on Legend difficulty (which isn't hard except for the beginning parts of the game), going through New Game+ i.e. Challenge Mode, and the tedious part being upgrading every weapon to Level 6 which is a drag to say the least. There are collectibles in this game but surprisingly there are way less to collect than before.

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Completed Game #32: SIREN BLOOD CURSE (PS3)

Spoiler

Last year I played Deadly Premonition from my backlog to coincide with Halloween, and this year I'm doing something similar by playing SIREN BLOOD CURSE, an episodic remake of the original PS2 cult classic Siren aka Forbidden Siren. I actually bought both Deadly Premonition and SIREN BLOOD CURSE by chance in CeX back in 2019 so it has taken me this long to check this one out in particular.

Horror is not something that I generally delve into when it comes to the genre but I don't mind giving it a shot from time to time. SIREN BLOOD CURSE has an interesting premise and it's gameplay fits well with the genre. The goals are presented in a newcomer friendly way but there is still some challenge presented as your characters for the most part won't have any items to protect yourself against these cursed people called Shibito. The Shibitio behave like zombies but do still have a mind of their own so they will use guns and get back on their feet when you are closeby, they are basically immortal so you can't kill them and the sense of fear is still there.

As mentioned, this is an episodic game so it was originally released as a digital download for the PlayStation Network but Japan, Asia and Europe each got a physical release on disc while United States was left out. Considering this is a Sony IP, the fact that the European and Asian copies got a physical release is quite a surprise, but then again the PS2's second game was also not released in North America which probably explains the decision. That said, the English releases came out during the early years of the PlayStation 3 so physical copies are quite rare to acquire, and if you do find a copy I do suggest picking it up especially considering the EU/UK version also comes with a 20 minute Behind the Scenes featurette that can be accessed on the PS3 dashboard. The episodes are split into 12 parts with chapters that offer a mixture of cutscenes and gameplay segments.

The goal tends to be 'reach this location' but also with specific requirements like 'keep this character safe with you' or 'grab a key to unlock the door to this goal'. The game goes through a show and tell approach so you won't be completely lost but I wouldn't say the game is super easy by all means. Sure there are checkpoints presented but the enemies do pack a punch if you aren't equipped properly. Some Shibitio are even so scary that they could kill you in an instant so you'll want to rely on being cautious as you progress through the story.

Included in the gameplay is 'sight jacking' which allows you to see from the perspective of the enemies which has its positives and negatives. One is that you can see what they are doing and whether its safe to proceed closeby without being completely detected, however the performance drops in frame rate as a result. When you don't use the sight jack you often get a mix between 30 to 60 frames per second while using it results in around 15 to 30 frames. This feature was included in the original games on PS2, but the difference here is that rather than taking up the full screen, it's actually half a screen which by design is similar to recent titles like The Medium.

The episodic structure and the way the game was laid out I thought was exclusive to SIREN BLOOD CURSE, but upon some research it came to my surprise that the PS2 originals also had a similar structure. The difference between the PS2 games and the PS3 remake is that the former was designed similar to the visual novel 428: Shibuya Scramble with timeslots and branching paths, while BLOOD CURSE is linear and split by episodes. I actually don't mind this approach but after discovering how the original was presented, I can see why fans of the original would be very let down by the game.

Puzzles do exist throughout SIREN BLOOD CURSE with various tasks like finding an object or having to kill a specific Shibito to proceed to the goal. With this combined with the atmosphere that the game has adds a bit more to the horror element. The game is mostly set at nighttime so you will have to rely on your flashlight but also the sight jacking to proceed. The sound design is pretty good too as you can hear Shibito quite a lot so you'll want to rely on noise to avoid being detected. You can crouch walk to bypass enemies to avoid detection also.

While I do think SIREN BLOOD CURSE is pretty good on the overall gameplay side, its biggest issue is its story. The idea of having American characters in Japan is not a problem, but this game has the US horror trope of characters being over-reactive and can be a pain to deal with, though I will give props to the main character Howard Wright who is pretty good and likeable. The Japanese character Seigo Saiga is pretty nuts throughout the game also. The rest of the cast is not particularly great, and the story delves into a direction that doesn't make much sense because its first half followed quite well until the half-way point where there's a lot of missing gaps here and there.

Overall I found SIREN BLOOD CURSE to be a fun, short and pretty scary game in general. The game took me 7 hours to complete all of the episodes and there were some pretty tough goals in the latter half of the game but overall I thought it was a good time. The final boss battle is also pretty cool and its ending is a homage to the original PS2 game also.

Bonus Edit Note: Apparently SIREN BLOOD CURSE is portrayed as if this was an American film adaptation of the first Siren game, and that idea actually works in this case especially considering J-Horror has always been given American remakes over the years.

SIREN BLOOD CURSE is available physically and digitally on PlayStation 3. The original PS2 version is also available on PlayStation 4 as part of the PS2 Classics line-up.

---

My backlog so far:

Spoiler

#​	PC/Steam Backlog - Game Name:​	Genre:
1​	The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky	Turn-Based RPG
2​	The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC	Turn-Based RPG

#​	PlayStation 3 Backlog - Game Name:​	Genre:
1​	3D Dot Game Heroes	Action RPG
2​	Castlevania: Lords of Shadow	Action, Hack n Slash
3​	Catherine	Puzzle
4​	Drakengard 3	Action RPG
5​	Eternal Sonata	Turn-Based RPG
6​	Folklore	Action RPG
7​	inFAMOUS	Action
8​	inFAMOUS 2	Action
9​	Katamari Forever	Puzzle
10​	Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch	Turn-Based RPG
11​	Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time HD	Action, Hack n Slash
12​	Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones HD	Action, Hack n Slash
13​	Prince of Persia: Warrior Within HD	Action, Hack n Slash
14​	Puppeteer	Platformer
15​	Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One	Action, Platformer
16​	Ratchet & Clank: QForce	Action, Platformer
17​	Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles HD	On-Rails Shooter
18​	Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles HD	On-Rails Shooter
19​	Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes	Action, Musou
20​	Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time	Action, Platformer
21​	Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord	Tactical RPG, Visual Novel
22​	Way of the Samurai 4	Action
23​	White Knight Chronicles	Turn-Based RPG
24​	White Knight Chronicles II	Turn-Based RPG

#​	PlayStation 4 Backlog - Game Name:	Genre:
1​	13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim	Tactical RPG, Visual Novel
2​	AI: The Somnium Files	Adventure, Visual Novel
3​	The Caligula Effect: Overdose	Turn-Based RPG
4​	Chaos;Child	Visual Novel
5​	Code Vein	Action RPG
6​	Conception Plus: Maidens of the Twelve Stars	Turn-Based RPG
7​	Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online	Action RPG
8​	Danganronpa 1 Reload	Visual Novel
9​	Danganronpa 2 Reload	Visual Novel
10​	Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony	Visual Novel
11​	Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 1: Rinne Utopia	Visual Novel, Dating Sim
12​	Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 2: Ars Install	Visual Novel, Dating Sim
13​	Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 3: Twin Edition: Rio Reincarnation	Visual Novel, Dating Sim
14​	Death Mark	Visual Novel
15​	Dragon's Crown Pro	Action RPG
16​	Fate/Extella Link	Musou
17​	Final Fantasy VIII Remastered	Turn-Based RPG
18​	Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise	Action
19​	Gal*Gun 2	On-Rails Shooter
20​	Gintama Rumble	Action, Musou
21​	Gravity Rush 2	Action, Platformer
22​	Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Infinite Combate	Action RPG
23​	JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven	Fighting
24​	Judgment	Action
25​	Langrisser	Tactical RPG
26​	Langrisser II	Tactical RPG
27​	The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel	Turn-Based RPG
28​	The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II	Turn-Based RPG
29​	The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III	Turn-Based RPG
30​	Megadimension Neptunia VII	Turn-Based RPG
31​	Megadimension Neptunia VIIR	Turn-Based RPG
32​	NG	Visual Novel
33​	Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom	Action RPG
34​	Nights of Azure	Action RPG
35​	Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon	Action RPG
36​	One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3	Musou
37​	Onechanbara Z2: Chaos	Action
38​	Our World Is Ended	Visual Novel
39​	Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight	Music, Rhythm
40​	Persona 5 Royal	Turn-Based RPG
41​	Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight	Music, Rhythm
42​	Punch Line	Visual Novel
43​	Raging Loop	Visual Novel
44​	Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-: Prophecy of the Throne	Visual Novel
45​	Robotics;Notes DaSH	Visual Novel
46​	Robotics;Notes ELITE	Visual Novel
47​	Saint Seiya: Soldier's Soul	Fighting
48​	School Girl / Zombie Hunter	Action, Shooter
49​	SD Gundam G Generation Genesis	Tactical RPG
50​	Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi	Musou
51​	Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal	Action
52​	Shining Resonance: Refrain	Action RPG
53​	Steins;Gate Elite	Visual Novel
54​	Steins;Gate: Linear Bound Phenogram	Visual Novel
55​	Super Robot Wars OG: The Moon Dwellers	Tactical RPG
56​	Super Robot Wars T	Tactical RPG
57​	Super Robot Wars V	Tactical RPG
58​	Super Robot Wars X	Tactical RPG
59​	Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet	Action RPG
60​	Tales of Berseria	Action RPG
61​	Tales of Vesperia	Action RPG
62​	Tales of Zestiria	Action RPG
63​	Tokyo Xanadu eX+	Action RPG
64​	Toukiden 2	Action RPG
65​	Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception	Tactical RPG, Visual Novel
66​	Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth	Tactical RPG, Visual Novel
67​	Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen	Tactical RPG, Visual Novel
68​	Utawarerumono: Zan	Action, Musou
69​	Valkyria Chronicles 4	Tactical RPG
70​	The Witch and the Hundred Knight Revival Edition	Action RPG
71​	WORLDEND SYNDROME	Visual Novel
72​	YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World	Visual Novel
73​	Ys IX: Monstrum Nox	Action RPG

#​	PlayStation Vita Backlog - Game Name:	Genre:
1​	Bullet Girls	Action, Shooter
2​	Demon Gaze	Dungeon RPG
3​	Freedom Wars	Action
4​	Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart	Tactical RPG
5​	Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2: Sister's Generation	Turn-Based RPG
6​	Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3: V Generation	Turn-Based RPG
7​	Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed	Action
8​	MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies	Action, Musou
9​	Muv-Luv	Visual Novel, Dating Sim
10​	Muv-Luv Alternative	Visual Novel
11​	Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls	Turn-Based RPG
12​	Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni	Action

Completed Games Collection of 2021:

Spoiler

#	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
12​	Blue Reflection	PS4​	Turn-Based RPG	May
13​	Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune	PS4​	Simulation, Sports	May
14​	Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory	PS4​	Music Rhythm	June
15​	Time Crisis: Razing Storm	PS3​	On Rails Shooter	June
16​	Time Crisis 4 Arcade Ver.	PS3​	On Rails Shooter	June
17​	Deadstorm Pirates	PS3​	On Rails Shooter	June
18​	Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle	PS4​	Action, Musou	August
19​	Sakura Wars	PS4​	Action RPG, Dating Sim	August
20​	Valkyria Chronicles Remastered	PS4​	Tactical RPG	August
21​	Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD	PS3​	Action, Platformer	August
22​	Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD	PS3​	Action, Platformer	August
23​	Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves HD	PS3​	Action, Platformer	August
24​	God of War: Chains of Olympus HD	PS3​	Action, Hack n Slash	August
25​	God of War: Ghost of Sparta HD	PS3​	Action, Hack n Slash	August
26​	SoulCalibur V	PS3​	Fighting	August
27​	Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1	Vita​	Turn-Based RPG	September
28​	Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction	PS3​	Action, Platformer	October
29​	Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty	PS3​	Action, Platformer	October
30​	Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time	PS3​	Action, Platformer	October
31​	Ratchet & Clank: Nexus	PS3​	Action, Platformer	October
32​	SIREN BLOOD CURSE	PS3​	Action, Horror	October

Platinum Trophy Collection:

Spoiler

#	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
67​	Blue Reflection	PS4​	Turn-Based RPG	2021
68​	Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory	PS4​	Music Rhythm	2021
69​	Sakura Wars	PS4​	Action RPG, Dating Sim	2021
70​	Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD	PS3​	Action, Platformer	2021
71​	Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD	PS3​	Action, Platformer	2021
72​	Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves HD	PS3​	Action, Platformer	2021
73​	Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1	Vita​	Turn-Based RPG	2021
74​	Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time	PS3​	Action, Platformer	2021
75​	Ratchet & Clank: Nexus	PS3​	Action, Platformer	2021

 

[RadFemHedonist]

I haven't bought any video games either physically or digitally in quite a while, but I did just start playing Stardew Valley and I really like it... I'm not very good at it tho XP

 

[Claire]

Bought an Xbox One X used a few weeks ago just for the 4K player, but then if dawned on me that there were a handful of games that either didn't get onto PC or got really horrible ports. With that in mind I bought:

Crash 4
Crash Nitro Fueled
The Bioshock Collection
Rare Replay

I've already played the hell out of Nitro Fueled and done a run of Bioshock 2 for the first time in like nine years. Currently going through Crash 4 and absolutely loving the way they've moved that series forward.

Aside from that I have too many PC games I need to play but I keep playing Binding of Isaac compulsively even though I polished off the last Repentance achievement months ago. I need to start making a dent in my backlogue because otherwise the ridiculous new rig I built will seem like a bit of a waste. Been watching too many movies lately to pay attention to it.

 

[Dai]

Returnal
I can't remember the last time I've had such mixed feelings about a game. For reference, I normally hate roguelike/soulsborne type games, and this is the first one I've enjoyed to any extent. The controls are tight and responsive, the bullet hell combat is exciting, the atmosphere is gripping (at first), the mysteries interesting, the procedurally-generated levels stave off boredom in repeated runs, and the gameplay loop compelling.

This game is also complete bulls***.

It tells you next to nothing about how things work, what will help you, and what will damage/kill you. It forces you to experiment, and punishes you for it by killing you off in new ways that nothing warned you about. It loves to throw lopsided risk/reward systems at you where the potential gains are usually drowned out by the risk or cost. But worst of all are the cheap-shots. Returnal's raison d'etre is to p*** you off and waste your time by throwing encounters at you that you don't stand a chance of surviving until you've learnt the attack patterns and behaviours of all the different enemies, and unless you're lucky enough to find the right combination of randomly-generated weapon and random upgrades to fit your play style or the particular mobs you encounter on any given run. It delights in throwing up to ten enemies at you at a time (including sub-bosses sometimes) and having them attack from all angles, so sometimes you die without ever seeing what blind-sided you. It has enemies that do an exploding kamikaze run at you after you've supposedly killed them. It has enemies that can kill you in one or two blows. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Despite all of that, I loved this game for the first 15 hours or so. It could get frustrating, but I played by the rules. I got a genuine rush from finally defeating a boss, where in Dark Souls or Bloodborne I'd just be left with bitter anger at how long it took. But eventually the endless grinding repetition, the length of the runs, and above all the overpowered and cheap enemies in later biomes wore me down.

So I cheated.

Save scumming has only become possible in the last few weeks, thanks to a patch that now allows you to suspend and resume the game. It deletes the file when you load it, but if you have Playstation Plus you can upload the save to the cloud and then download it as many times as you like. This is the only way I managed to complete the game. If I hadn't it probably would have sat unfinished forever because tacking an hour or two of exploration onto each of the dozen attempts it took me to beat the third boss, or the 30-ish attempts it took me to beat biome five, would have killed my interest. Seriously, what were Housemarque thinking when they put enemies that can one-hit kill you into a game where every death in certain parts means repeating the last two hours?

Anyway, it's finished, and frankly it ends with a frustrating whimper. A lot of what kept me going was the sense of mystery, but the ending seems to contradict information found earlier in the game, and I'm not sure how much of it was meant to be taken literally. Considering that this game rarely dips below £60, I'd only recommend it to people with endless patience or no compunction about save scumming. Housemarque have intentionally tuned it so that only a fraction of players will ever finish it if they play by the rules.

EDIT: I looked up a guide, and it turns out the reason the ending was so underwhelming was because you have to complete the whole game a second time to get the true ending...

 

[awadama]

I got Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and I absolutely love it! I spent a lot of time with the original and the new version is even better.

I love the visual style and everything else is great too. Now I want all the other generations remade in the exact same style!

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Considering that this game rarely dips below £60, I'd only recommend it to people with endless patience or no compunction about save scumming. Housemarque have intentionally tuned it so that only a fraction of players will ever finish it if they play by the rules.

Thanks for the heads up dude, this was on my list to eventually buy after hearing about it being good. I probably would've loved this in my youth, but now I have no patience for these currently on trend soul-destroying games that assume the player has endless time on their hands...

 

[Dai]

Thanks for the heads up dude, this was on my list to eventually buy after hearing about it being good. I probably would've loved this in my youth, but now I have no patience for these currently on trend soul-destroying games that assume the player has endless time on their hands...

Yeah, it's a shame it becomes such a frustrating time sink because the core gameplay is excellent.

A couple more things I'll add to the plus column are the memorable bosses and some of the most beautifully mesmerising bullet patterns I've ever seen in a shooter. Seriously, just look at this technicolour madness:

If the music in that video sounds familiar, it's a heavily altered rendition of Don't Fear the Reaper, which has both thematic and plot significance.

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

It does look and sound very impressive. I'll aim to pick it up in a sale or platinum edition eventually, then plonk it on to the demon/dark souls pile to play, maybe after retirement heh.

 

[João Gomes]

lol, Dai, I also abandoned the game after buying it day 1. It pains me because I really want to find out what the story is about and I love the setting and visuals.

You just taught me the way to finish it, thank you! I'll try that... Eventually...

 

[Dai]

It pains me because I really want to find out what the story is about and I love the setting and visuals.

Despite having finished it, I still don't know what the story was about. The normal ending is confusing, the 'true' ending (which I looked up on Youtube) is even more confusing, and neither gives you any clue about how that planet ended up in its current state, or even a clear picture of Selene's story. I collected a lot of the cyphers to translate the historical tablets, but the ones I found don't give a clear idea of what happened. Just as the gameplay doesn't cut you any slack, it expects you to figure out the story for yourself too, which is difficult when it's unclear how much of what's happening is literal and how much is Selene having a Lovecraftian psychotic breakdown.

 

[HWR]

I’ve been playing through the GTA Trilogy The Definitive Edition and as others have noted it doesn’t especially live up to the title.

Whilst Vice City and San Andreas (the two I’ve played so far) have had some nice improvements made to the overall cities and environments, the character models and buggy gameplay are big letdowns, not to mention the radio songs that are still missing.

I am enjoying the actual storylines as these are still remasters of absolute classics, but I get the sense that more time and resource was needed for a project with such a legacy, and I hope the upcoming promised updates deliver some much-needed fixes, especially to address the random crashes which have been a real pain to deal with.

 

[João Gomes]

Despite having finished it, I still don't know what the story was about. The normal ending is confusing, the 'true' ending (which I looked up on Youtube) is even more confusing, and neither gives you any clue about how that planet ended up in its current state, or even a clear picture of Selene's story. I collected a lot of the cyphers to translate the historical tablets, but the ones I found don't give a clear idea of what happened. Just as the gameplay doesn't cut you any slack, it expects you to figure out the story for yourself too, which is difficult when it's unclear how much of what's happening is literal and how much is Selene having a Lovecraftian psychotic breakdown.

I just assumed it was all pretty much the latter, thanks to all the out-of-place elements.

It's disappointing to hear that you at least don't get definitive information about Selene, I was creating all kinds of Silent Hill-level fantasies in my head... I really want to experience the whole thing for myself, but I don't know if I'll have the patience, even with your method!

If only they designed it so we could retain more elements from one run to the next, it would be more motivating