blindly's Posts
Posts blindly created.
___________________________
Games Beaten - August 2024
- 1.7K Views
- 42 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
On August ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
Beat:
03 - Cocoon - 90%
Retired:
02 - Freud’s Bones - 50%
09 - ULTRAKILL - 75%
The Best/Worst thing is obvious by the wildly different scores. Cocoon was a mind-bending puzzle game that got better as it went along. You solve puzzles in worlds within worlds within worlds...I've never played anything quite like it.
I thought Freud's Bones would have been more interesting than it was. Neat concept to play as Freud and help him (and his patients) deal with their shit, but very rough around the edges and dull, dull, dull. ULTRAKILL was cool, but I've just played so many (retro) shooters that I couldn't bring myself to care enough to persevere after dying to V2 100 times. Very stylish, fast-paced, and intense, with a high skill ceiling. There is a reason this one gets highly reviewed.
Beat:
03 - Cocoon - 90%
Retired:
02 - Freud’s Bones - 50%
09 - ULTRAKILL - 75%
The Best/Worst thing is obvious by the wildly different scores. Cocoon was a mind-bending puzzle game that got better as it went along. You solve puzzles in worlds within worlds within worlds...I've never played anything quite like it.
I thought Freud's Bones would have been more interesting than it was. Neat concept to play as Freud and help him (and his patients) deal with their shit, but very rough around the edges and dull, dull, dull. ULTRAKILL was cool, but I've just played so many (retro) shooters that I couldn't bring myself to care enough to persevere after dying to V2 100 times. Very stylish, fast-paced, and intense, with a high skill ceiling. There is a reason this one gets highly reviewed.
___________________________
Games Beaten - July 2024
- 1.5K Views
- 29 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Yes, go us! I'm glad we both liked Star Wars Jedi: Survivor so much. I felt that game subscription time crunch we were talking about last month on that one. If I wasn't trying to burn through as many as I could, I would have spent more time exploring Survivor after I unlocked all the skills to get past all the obstacles. I still had a lot of surprising moments stumbling upon some secret bosses and whatnot, but I know there was a lot more to see.
I played Still Wakes the Deep with a friend too, passing the controller back and forth. Good luck with those longer ones, and enjoy!
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
This was my most productive gaming month ever, and reminded me of the carefree days in my early 20s, when I would play World of Warcraft all day, then sleep on a cushion on the floor next to my computer, get up, play World of Warcraft all day, eat peanut butter from the jar, repeat, and generally disassociate from the world. (I now have a bed to sleep in and eat real food). I went to town in July, with 20 completions (by FAR the most I've ever done in a month) and another 8 retirements (though several of those I had played a lot some time ago and I was just cleaning out my "playing" list). After finishing and retiring some short/old games early on, I did a packed month of Microsoft Game Pass. I also have officially completed everything I wanted to play on the PS4 and given it to a friend. I am now console-less and, in addition to also getting rid of my Wii U and a bunch of DVDs, my TV stand is bare (and needs dusting).
On July ___ I beat ___ and gave it a score of ___.
1 – FAR: Changing Tides – 60%
1 – Rez Infinite – 80%
3 – Blind Drive – 80%
4 – Pilgrims – 60%
4 – Chuchel – 75%
9 – Happy Game – 80%
11 – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – 95%
12 – Remnant II – 80%
14 – Brotato – 75%
15 – The Case of the Golden Idol – 65%
17 – Neon White – 100%
18 – Solar Ash – 80%
21 – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – 95%
22 – Rollerdrome – 65%
22 – Lil Gator Game – 75%
23 – Still Wakes the Deep – 85%
25 – Jusant – 80%
26 – Clone Drone in the Danger Zone – 70%
29 – Portal: Revolution – 85%
31 – As Dusk Falls – 85%
My retirements were:
2 – [Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch] – 60%
2 – [Mario Kart 8 Deluxe] – 80%
2 – [Luigi’s Mansion 3] – 75%
2 – [Velocity 2x] – 85%
4 – [N++] – 65%
22 – [Humanity] – 75%
28 – [Chants of Sennaarr] – 65%
28 – [Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess] – 70%
Best
Neon White was killer. I didn't expect to enjoy this so much. I found the design flawless. It's a stylish speedrunning game with slick movement, and I was compelled to get most of the ace medals and gifts. A very different type of game, coming in at #2, was Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which improved on Fallen Order in every way. I can't wait for a third installment; I expect it will be phenomenal. At #3, I will lump together the two bigger narrative-class games: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and Still Wakes the Deep (and honorable mention for As Dusk Falls). I found each impressive for different reasons. The settings of Hellblade and Still Wakes the Deep are incredible.
Most Disappointing
I guess you can't process almost 30 games in a month without some not landing. While I handed out several scores in the 60s, I was most disappointed in the language/word/mystery games, The Case of the Golden Idol and Chants of Sennaar. This may not be entirely their fault; it could be me. I was into both of them at first, and then lost interest, largely because I wanted to interpret things differently than the games wanted me to interpret things. I still want to try out Return of the Obra Dinn and Heaven's Vault, because I know they are similar, but if those don't land either, then I will come to terms that this genre is not for me. The Case of the Golden Idol did a Bad Thing though and bugged out toward the end, which resulted in it auto-solving the last chapter and the epilogue and telling me "thanks for playing." All my deduction work, rendered meaningless! Oooh, I was mad! I was also thinking that Rollerdrome would be more like roller derby, with some racing, maybe with a Burnout feel, so that was a mismatched expectation (and I really don't like skating games where you have to do tricks). My last gripe is that as fun as Kunitsu-Gami was sometimes, I hated many elements of the UI. That game had so much more potential. Maybe a sequel?
On July ___ I beat ___ and gave it a score of ___.
1 – FAR: Changing Tides – 60%
1 – Rez Infinite – 80%
3 – Blind Drive – 80%
4 – Pilgrims – 60%
4 – Chuchel – 75%
9 – Happy Game – 80%
11 – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – 95%
12 – Remnant II – 80%
14 – Brotato – 75%
15 – The Case of the Golden Idol – 65%
17 – Neon White – 100%
18 – Solar Ash – 80%
21 – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – 95%
22 – Rollerdrome – 65%
22 – Lil Gator Game – 75%
23 – Still Wakes the Deep – 85%
25 – Jusant – 80%
26 – Clone Drone in the Danger Zone – 70%
29 – Portal: Revolution – 85%
31 – As Dusk Falls – 85%
My retirements were:
2 – [Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch] – 60%
2 – [Mario Kart 8 Deluxe] – 80%
2 – [Luigi’s Mansion 3] – 75%
2 – [Velocity 2x] – 85%
4 – [N++] – 65%
22 – [Humanity] – 75%
28 – [Chants of Sennaarr] – 65%
28 – [Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess] – 70%
Best
Neon White was killer. I didn't expect to enjoy this so much. I found the design flawless. It's a stylish speedrunning game with slick movement, and I was compelled to get most of the ace medals and gifts. A very different type of game, coming in at #2, was Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which improved on Fallen Order in every way. I can't wait for a third installment; I expect it will be phenomenal. At #3, I will lump together the two bigger narrative-class games: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and Still Wakes the Deep (and honorable mention for As Dusk Falls). I found each impressive for different reasons. The settings of Hellblade and Still Wakes the Deep are incredible.
Most Disappointing
I guess you can't process almost 30 games in a month without some not landing. While I handed out several scores in the 60s, I was most disappointed in the language/word/mystery games, The Case of the Golden Idol and Chants of Sennaar. This may not be entirely their fault; it could be me. I was into both of them at first, and then lost interest, largely because I wanted to interpret things differently than the games wanted me to interpret things. I still want to try out Return of the Obra Dinn and Heaven's Vault, because I know they are similar, but if those don't land either, then I will come to terms that this genre is not for me. The Case of the Golden Idol did a Bad Thing though and bugged out toward the end, which resulted in it auto-solving the last chapter and the epilogue and telling me "thanks for playing." All my deduction work, rendered meaningless! Oooh, I was mad! I was also thinking that Rollerdrome would be more like roller derby, with some racing, maybe with a Burnout feel, so that was a mismatched expectation (and I really don't like skating games where you have to do tricks). My last gripe is that as fun as Kunitsu-Gami was sometimes, I hated many elements of the UI. That game had so much more potential. Maybe a sequel?
___________________________
Games Beaten - June 2024
- 1.3K Views
- 30 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
My verdict on Changing Tides is "don't bother." I would play Lone Sails and call it a day. Changing Tides is twice as long, and although some of the length is enjoyable through expanded puzzles, a lot of it is just longer times going from A to B and swimming around underwater, which wasn't interesting to me. Plus, it glitched out on me a few times and the controls were way floatier than Lone Sails, which I didn't like at all. I found Lone Sails a tighter game, and Changing Tides doesn't add much of interest to the formula. All those other games in June though (except Dreams) are definitely worthy of being in your backlog! That was one month of PS Plus, and as of yesterday, I am officially done with my PS4!
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Solid summer month with PS Plus. Hopefully July is even more with Game Pass.
On June ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
10 – Final Fantasy VII Remake – 85%
13 – Detroit: Become Human – 90%
20 – Ghost of Tsushima – 85%
23 – Dredge – 90%
27 – FAR: Lone Sails – 75%
27 – Dave the Diver – 95%
30 – Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – 85%
30 – [Dreams] – NR
Best
Well, this is tough. I liked everything I completed this month. I'm going with Dave the Diver. It's so creative, clever, charming, and fun. Expertly meshes exploration/roguelikes and management sims (a genre that I generally dislike). The pixel art is incredible and the cut scenes made me smile every time. But I would easily recommend everything on this list except for...
Worst
Nothing was bad, and aside from Dreams, which I didn't spend much time with, my least favorite was FAR: Lone Sails. It's a 2d sidescrolling puzzle game in the vein of Limbo and Inside, but with the twist that you figure out how to operate a vehicle and drive it to the right. Interesting, not all that compelling, but I guess compelling enough because I'm playing the sequel now...
On June ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
10 – Final Fantasy VII Remake – 85%
13 – Detroit: Become Human – 90%
20 – Ghost of Tsushima – 85%
23 – Dredge – 90%
27 – FAR: Lone Sails – 75%
27 – Dave the Diver – 95%
30 – Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – 85%
30 – [Dreams] – NR
Best
Well, this is tough. I liked everything I completed this month. I'm going with Dave the Diver. It's so creative, clever, charming, and fun. Expertly meshes exploration/roguelikes and management sims (a genre that I generally dislike). The pixel art is incredible and the cut scenes made me smile every time. But I would easily recommend everything on this list except for...
Worst
Nothing was bad, and aside from Dreams, which I didn't spend much time with, my least favorite was FAR: Lone Sails. It's a 2d sidescrolling puzzle game in the vein of Limbo and Inside, but with the twist that you figure out how to operate a vehicle and drive it to the right. Interesting, not all that compelling, but I guess compelling enough because I'm playing the sequel now...
___________________________
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
This is amazing. I have a similar tracker in a Word doc. I split them into two lists, "long/need prequel first" and "normal," and note the Main and Main+ times to beat and the price. I eyeball what would be your "price/hour" ratio and play in rough order. It typically ends up being newer, longer, and more expensive games first, followed by shorter indies. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is up first, so looks like we'll be playing that one alongside each other. But, I am going to up my game and convert my list to a spreadsheet like yours!
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
I'm kind of relieved that I don't qualify for NVidia's promotion! But I am about to sign up for one month of Game Pass, after just finishing two months of PS Plus (I thought I could beat everything I wanted in one month, but it took about 6 weeks). The Game Pass goal is 14 games in a month, probably starting on Monday. Most are relatively short (less than 8 hours or so), but there are a couple longer ones (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Remnant II). The really long ones on my wishlist (like Pillars of Eternity 2 or Octopath Traveler II, anything over 40 hours or so) or things that I can get sucked into spending more time on than HLTB often says (usually roguelikes) I don't even attempt when doing a subscription month because they'll eat up all my time and I so I may as well buy them. I figure if I play some combination of as many as I can and the most expensive ones, then I'm getting the best bang for my buck.
This, plus the Steam sale yesterday and my backlog is instantly doubled. Anyway, it is this kind of strategizing and prioritizing around the subscription services that we are talking about! Overwhelming for sure. Let's try to keep the fun in it and not let the mountain of wishlisted games crush our spirits!
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
I feel this a lot when I sign up for a month of a subscription service like Microsoft Game Pass. I usually do this one or two months per year, and in those one or two months, am compelled to burn through as much of my wishlist as possible on that service. I'll lose sleep over it and will play like a man possessed. After the month, I feel some combination of sated, accomplished, and burned out. I don't get caught up in "beating the game" if I'm not trying to beat it within a time frame. Do other people experience this more with subscription services?
___________________________
Reasons besides "pure fun" for playing videogames
- 999 Views
- 23 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
People are giving thoughtful reasons, and I've enjoyed reading everyone's responses to why they play, or the value that games have in their lives. Many of them resonate with me at some level. I'll add another one though: work and not-work.
Re: work -- Playing videogames is important to me as part of my professional life. The more familiar I am with a variety of games and genres, the more I know about gaming cultures, and so on, the easier it is for me to do a variety of things with games related to those parts of my work such as doing and understanding games research, teaching about/with games, collaborating with designers and others on projects, and so on. This is also a great justification for having some extra fun: "I'm not playing; I'm working!"
Re: not-work -- I put in super long work hours (during the semester at least) and often feel exhausted; I need to turn my brain off and recharge. But as many people on here have said, TV doesn't do it for me. I feel no accomplishment after watching a couple hours of TV and somehow usually feel even worse. But a couple hours of gaming, getting into a zen-like state, as someone mentioned, and feeling like I can shut off my work-brain and get transported into a virtual world, does wonders. I try to rotate the not-work activity also with reading (if my eyes can still focus after the workday) and exercise (if I can still move after the workday). I will read while walking on a treadmill and just moved my PS4 into the exercise room to see if I can walk and play games at the same time. This reason is related to the escapism reason (which does apply to me on occasion), but the not-work reason isn't playing to avoid reality; it's more like recharging so that I can continue to engage with reality tomorrow.
Re: work -- Playing videogames is important to me as part of my professional life. The more familiar I am with a variety of games and genres, the more I know about gaming cultures, and so on, the easier it is for me to do a variety of things with games related to those parts of my work such as doing and understanding games research, teaching about/with games, collaborating with designers and others on projects, and so on. This is also a great justification for having some extra fun: "I'm not playing; I'm working!"
Re: not-work -- I put in super long work hours (during the semester at least) and often feel exhausted; I need to turn my brain off and recharge. But as many people on here have said, TV doesn't do it for me. I feel no accomplishment after watching a couple hours of TV and somehow usually feel even worse. But a couple hours of gaming, getting into a zen-like state, as someone mentioned, and feeling like I can shut off my work-brain and get transported into a virtual world, does wonders. I try to rotate the not-work activity also with reading (if my eyes can still focus after the workday) and exercise (if I can still move after the workday). I will read while walking on a treadmill and just moved my PS4 into the exercise room to see if I can walk and play games at the same time. This reason is related to the escapism reason (which does apply to me on occasion), but the not-work reason isn't playing to avoid reality; it's more like recharging so that I can continue to engage with reality tomorrow.
___________________________
Games Beaten - May 2024
- 1.7K Views
- 36 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
On May ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
05 – Resident Evil 2 – 100%
13 – [Portal Reloaded] – NR
14 – Firework – 70%
14 – Creaks – 95%
22 – Gravity Rush 2 – 80%
28 – Blair Witch – 65%
Best
The Resident Evil 2 remake was phenomenal, a really tense survival horror experience. I haven't given a 100% to a game since last July (both Immortality and Hi-Fi Rush). Another gem that I highly recommend was Creaks, a 2d puzzle game from Amanita Design. Finally, honorable mention for two cool aspects of two other games: the "falling" movement in Gravity Rush 2, which was like nothing I've ever played before, and the third "time" portal in Portal Reloaded. The puzzles were breaking my brain, but it added a creative and challenging layer to the test chambers to incorporate a green portal to go back and forth in time.
Worst
Blair Witch was the weakest of the bunch this month. Although it nailed a creepy environment in the woods, and the dog, Bullet, was a great companion (hint: make Bullet the lightest color you can, with a bright collar), I found it clunky, repetitive, drawn out, and the storytelling unnecessarily obtuse. I'd recommend two other Bloober Team games, Observer and The Medium, instead. Or if you want a really great horror game, play the Resident Evil 2 remake!
05 – Resident Evil 2 – 100%
13 – [Portal Reloaded] – NR
14 – Firework – 70%
14 – Creaks – 95%
22 – Gravity Rush 2 – 80%
28 – Blair Witch – 65%
Best
The Resident Evil 2 remake was phenomenal, a really tense survival horror experience. I haven't given a 100% to a game since last July (both Immortality and Hi-Fi Rush). Another gem that I highly recommend was Creaks, a 2d puzzle game from Amanita Design. Finally, honorable mention for two cool aspects of two other games: the "falling" movement in Gravity Rush 2, which was like nothing I've ever played before, and the third "time" portal in Portal Reloaded. The puzzles were breaking my brain, but it added a creative and challenging layer to the test chambers to incorporate a green portal to go back and forth in time.
Worst
Blair Witch was the weakest of the bunch this month. Although it nailed a creepy environment in the woods, and the dog, Bullet, was a great companion (hint: make Bullet the lightest color you can, with a bright collar), I found it clunky, repetitive, drawn out, and the storytelling unnecessarily obtuse. I'd recommend two other Bloober Team games, Observer and The Medium, instead. Or if you want a really great horror game, play the Resident Evil 2 remake!
___________________________
Games Beaten - April 2024
- 2.5K Views
- 43 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
On April ___ I beat ___ and gave it a score of ___.
02 – Stray – 80%
14 – Before Your Eyes – 80%
22 – Wandersong – 90%
26 – Portal Stories: Mel – 80%
Best
Wandersong wins this month's prize. Utterly charming, funny take on RPGs. You aren't a hero, but an overly optimistic bard who thinks they can save the world with a song.
There is no "worst" game this month. The other three were all solid. Of the three others, I'd probably recommend Beyond Your Eyes first for the original story and the unique way that you control the game by blinking. Plus, I think that it's free or really cheap on various platforms. As for the other two, if you love cats and want to play as a cat and do cat things like knock stuff off tables (in a beautiful, grimy dystopian city), then Stray is for you. And if you want a hard-as-nails Portal mod that is basically a full prequel to Portal 2, then Portal Stories: Mel is for you.
02 – Stray – 80%
14 – Before Your Eyes – 80%
22 – Wandersong – 90%
26 – Portal Stories: Mel – 80%
Best
Wandersong wins this month's prize. Utterly charming, funny take on RPGs. You aren't a hero, but an overly optimistic bard who thinks they can save the world with a song.
There is no "worst" game this month. The other three were all solid. Of the three others, I'd probably recommend Beyond Your Eyes first for the original story and the unique way that you control the game by blinking. Plus, I think that it's free or really cheap on various platforms. As for the other two, if you love cats and want to play as a cat and do cat things like knock stuff off tables (in a beautiful, grimy dystopian city), then Stray is for you. And if you want a hard-as-nails Portal mod that is basically a full prequel to Portal 2, then Portal Stories: Mel is for you.
___________________________
Games Beaten - March 2024
- 2.2K Views
- 33 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
I went to town on my backlog over Spring Break. 9 completions, with the first being a longer one I'd been playing for months. And I have whittled my remaining PS4 backlog nearly to the end! One month of PlayStation Plus this summer should be sufficient for playing everything else I want to on the console. Then it's PS5 time!
On March ___ I beat ___ and gave it a score of ___.
03 – Yakuza 0 – 90%
08 – Iconoclasts – 85%
08 – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – 95%
09 – The Unfinished Swan – 65%
11 – Pyre – 75%
17 – Journey – 90%
20 – Flower – 70%
24 – Trials of Fire – 60%
24 – Dorfromantik – 70%
Best
Uncharted 4, despite being too long (but I get that it's hard to part with a beloved character), was an absolute blast. Hands down, favorite of the month.
Worst
Most objectively, this would be Trials of Fire, a generic deck-builder/tactics RPG/roguelike. I probably would have liked this more had I not played Wildermyth last month, which was far more compelling. I was most disappointed by Pyre. If I had gone into it expecting a visual novel, I probably would have enjoyed it more. The RPG/MOBA basketball thing was simple and fell flat for me. I would have liked a more complex sports component.
On March ___ I beat ___ and gave it a score of ___.
03 – Yakuza 0 – 90%
08 – Iconoclasts – 85%
08 – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – 95%
09 – The Unfinished Swan – 65%
11 – Pyre – 75%
17 – Journey – 90%
20 – Flower – 70%
24 – Trials of Fire – 60%
24 – Dorfromantik – 70%
Best
Uncharted 4, despite being too long (but I get that it's hard to part with a beloved character), was an absolute blast. Hands down, favorite of the month.
Worst
Most objectively, this would be Trials of Fire, a generic deck-builder/tactics RPG/roguelike. I probably would have liked this more had I not played Wildermyth last month, which was far more compelling. I was most disappointed by Pyre. If I had gone into it expecting a visual novel, I probably would have enjoyed it more. The RPG/MOBA basketball thing was simple and fell flat for me. I would have liked a more complex sports component.
___________________________
Games Beaten - February 2024
- 2.5K Views
- 39 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
On February ___ I beat ___ and gave it a score of ___.
02 - The Last Campfire - 70%
16 - Ghostrunner - 80%
23 - Wildermyth - 85%
Wildermyth was my favorite. It features procedural narrative, which I have never experienced in quite this way. I really enjoyed seeing my characters interact and develop based on their personality traits, and seeing them form relationships and have experiences with one another. I was always kind of sad when a campaign ended because whatever dream team I had built took a seat and I had to start over, though it was cool being able to recruit legacy characters (even though it led to some strange interactions, like when the ages of parents and children become impossible or they forget one another). It did start getting repetitive after a couple campaigns, but still a great experience.
Ghostrunner was super cool and totally succeeded in making me feel like a badass. Except it made me nauseous to play, so I did it in like 45-minute play sessions over the course of a month.
The Last Campfire could have been skipped, but I really liked listening to the narrator.
02 - The Last Campfire - 70%
16 - Ghostrunner - 80%
23 - Wildermyth - 85%
Wildermyth was my favorite. It features procedural narrative, which I have never experienced in quite this way. I really enjoyed seeing my characters interact and develop based on their personality traits, and seeing them form relationships and have experiences with one another. I was always kind of sad when a campaign ended because whatever dream team I had built took a seat and I had to start over, though it was cool being able to recruit legacy characters (even though it led to some strange interactions, like when the ages of parents and children become impossible or they forget one another). It did start getting repetitive after a couple campaigns, but still a great experience.
Ghostrunner was super cool and totally succeeded in making me feel like a badass. Except it made me nauseous to play, so I did it in like 45-minute play sessions over the course of a month.
The Last Campfire could have been skipped, but I really liked listening to the narrator.
___________________________
Giving away a bunch of Steam keys through Humble Bundle
- 5.4K Views
- 69 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Anyone have recommendations for H3nr0c23 for roguelites/likes from the list? I have no idea what most of the games are that are left!
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Hey FakeEntity! I've got this for you, but can't PM you because your account is private. PM me so I can send you the link!
___________________________
Games Beaten - January 2024
- 2.8K Views
- 39 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Just one completion, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth on Jan 19th (85%). I'd been playing this off and on for months and that's the first of the "clear all the longest games out of my backlog" game on my 2024 gaming resolutions list. Hooray!
___________________________
Giving away a bunch of Steam keys through Humble Bundle
- 5.4K Views
- 69 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Hey AmirDiaf, I'm so sorry, but apparently I had given away the Brutal Legend key some time ago and didn't update my list! Is there anything else from the list that you want?
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Hey FakeEntity, I'm so sorry, but apparently I had given away the World of Goo key some time ago! Is there anything else from the list that you want?
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Gift links have been sent, and many codes redeemed, for every reply before this post (save a couple region lock issues). There's still some real gems in the list. Keep the requests coming!
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
So, I have accumulated over the years about 100 extraneous games in my Humble Bundle account. In the spirit of the holidays and the new year, please take some of them off my hands and enjoy them! Reply to the thread with what you want and I'll message you a Humble Bundle gift link, where you should be able to go to reveal your Steam key. You must have been a user of this site for at least a few months, and normal Halloween candy rules apply: don't take too many; leave some for others. I'll strike through games from the list as they are claimed. And apologies if it takes me a little while to get back to you. I'm not checking this regularly, but I'll respond to replies in order!
Edit: The list continues to be chipped away. I've deleted everything that's been gifted. Here are the available games as of 3/16/2024:
Alien Spidy
Archangel: Hellfire – Fully Loaded (requires base game, which is free)
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 7 (via Ashampoo)
A-Tech Cybernetic VR
Beholder
Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box (redeemable on Origin instead of Steam [note to self: this is on my other account])
Canabalt x2 (note to self: one is on my other account)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Uprising (redeemable on Origin instead of Steam [note to self: this is on my other account])
Corridor Z
Draw Slasher
Drawful 2
Driftland: The Magic Revival
DV: Rings of Saturn
HIVESWAP: Act 1
Lust for Darkness
Magicka
Monaco
NecroWorm
Neverout
OddPlanet
Out of Reach: Treasure Royale
Pathway
Radio Commander
Rustler (Grand Theft Horse)
Shing!
Starfinder: Pact Worlds Campaign Setting (via Paizo)
Stealth 2: A Game of Clones
Super Hexagon
Telefrag VR
WARSAW
We Are Alright
Edit: The list continues to be chipped away. I've deleted everything that's been gifted. Here are the available games as of 3/16/2024:
Alien Spidy
Archangel: Hellfire – Fully Loaded (requires base game, which is free)
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 7 (via Ashampoo)
A-Tech Cybernetic VR
Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box (redeemable on Origin instead of Steam [note to self: this is on my other account])
Canabalt x2 (note to self: one is on my other account)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Uprising (redeemable on Origin instead of Steam [note to self: this is on my other account])
Corridor Z
Draw Slasher
Drawful 2
Driftland: The Magic Revival
DV: Rings of Saturn
HIVESWAP: Act 1
Lust for Darkness
Monaco
NecroWorm
Neverout
OddPlanet
Out of Reach: Treasure Royale
Pathway
Radio Commander
Rustler (Grand Theft Horse)
Shing!
Starfinder: Pact Worlds Campaign Setting (via Paizo)
Stealth 2: A Game of Clones
Super Hexagon
Telefrag VR
WARSAW
We Are Alright
___________________________
Games Beaten 2023
- 2K Views
- 24 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
I beat 45 games this year. This is 50% more than last year and the highest since 2013, when I beat 49. Woohoo!
Average time to beat: 14h 29m.
Total time recorded: 22d 22h 50m. A record high.
This is three-and-a-half days more playtime on completions than last year. Average time to beat was two hours more though; I completed more games, but they tended to be shorter. I also retired a lot, one less (13) than last year. I put good time into some of those. Actually, I guess I can calculate that retired time too...add another 54 logged hours for games I didn't beat (compared to 88 logged hours of retired games last year).
I seriously decreased my backlog and held my wishlist steady (even after the Steam sale, which typically erases all my annual progress!), which is amazing. In 2021 at this time, my backlog was 46 games and 48 days; in 2022, it was 44 games and 47 days; now, it is only 35 games and 29 days. My wishlist numbers 91 on Steam, and another 10 or so scattered around other platforms/storefronts.
I mostly nailed my goals of 2023 of cleaning out my backlog on every non-Steam platform/storefront. I got Epic games down to one (Death Stranding), kept Amazon games at 0, and only have 6 more PS4 games to go (plus 3 to buy). In 2024, I want to finish everything else on the PS4 so I can retire that console, and keep all the non-Steam storefronts at 0. Other goals for the year include: (1) putting some of these end-of-year data points that the website doesn’t track from year to year in a spreadsheet; (2) continuing to be attentive to review scores (the change to increments of 5 and me starting to use the PC Gamer review criteria to think about scores helped me be more discerning in 2023 [note to self: start calculating annual average review scores]); (3) knocking out the longest games in my backlog (those over ~50 hours, currently: Gwent, Binding of Isaac, Metal Gear 5, Death Stranding, Yakuza 0, and Wildermyth), (4) and as always, prevent that backlog from going up!
Now, the mega list. Those I totally recommended are bolded. Those I would stay far away from are italicized. By order of date, I completed or retired (with an R):
Jan 13 – Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration
Jan 19 – Slay the Spire
Jan 28 – Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Feb 01 – The Dark Pictures: Little Hope
Feb 06 – Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Feb 10 – Shadow Tactics: Aiko’s Choice
Feb 10 – The Talos Principle (R)
Feb 10 – The Forest (R)
Feb 10 – Rounds (R)
Feb 14 – One Leaves
Feb 22 – Monster Train
Feb 26 – The Last of Us Remastered
Feb 27 – Resogun
Mar 08 – Deathloop
Apr 08 – Celeste
May 12 – SteamWorld Heist (R)
May 13 – SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech (R)
May 13 – Weird West (R)
May 18 – Signalis
May 19 – Horizon Zero Dawn - Complete Edition
Jun 02 – A Plague Tale: Requiem
Jun 09 – Tunic
Jun 11 – Metal: Hellsinger
Jun 16 – Monument Valley (+DLC)
Jun 20 – Monument Valley 2 (+DLC)
Jun 21 – Far From Noise
Jun 21 – Vampire Survivors
Jun 24 – Amnesia: The Bunker (R)
Jun 25 – Road 96
Jun 29 – Citizen Sleeper (+DLC)
Jul 01 – Hi-Fi Rush
Jul 02 – Immortality
Jul 07 – Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Jul 08 – NORCO
Jul 08 – Disc Room
Jul 08 – Trolley Problem, Inc.
Jul 08 – Sunlight
Jul 20 – Pentiment (R)
Jul 21 – Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
Aug 06 – inFAMOUS: Second Son
Aug 25 – The First Tree (R)
Aug 25 – Fran Bow
Aug 31 – Little Misfortune
Sep 04 – Aperture Desk Job
Sep 04 – The Beginner’s Guide
Sep 09 – Helldivers (R)
Oct 10 – The Last Guardian
Oct 20 – Devil May Cry 5
Oct 22 – DUSK (R)
Oct 23 – Black Mesa
Nov 07 – Homeworld: Remastered Collection (R)
Nov 15 – Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak
Nov 21 – Q.U.B.E. 2
Nov 24 – Marvel’s Spider-Man
Nov 30 – The Walking Dead: A New Frontier
Dec 03 – The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia
Dec 16 – One Hand Clapping (R)
Dec 16 – Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
Average time to beat: 14h 29m.
Total time recorded: 22d 22h 50m. A record high.
This is three-and-a-half days more playtime on completions than last year. Average time to beat was two hours more though; I completed more games, but they tended to be shorter. I also retired a lot, one less (13) than last year. I put good time into some of those. Actually, I guess I can calculate that retired time too...add another 54 logged hours for games I didn't beat (compared to 88 logged hours of retired games last year).
I seriously decreased my backlog and held my wishlist steady (even after the Steam sale, which typically erases all my annual progress!), which is amazing. In 2021 at this time, my backlog was 46 games and 48 days; in 2022, it was 44 games and 47 days; now, it is only 35 games and 29 days. My wishlist numbers 91 on Steam, and another 10 or so scattered around other platforms/storefronts.
I mostly nailed my goals of 2023 of cleaning out my backlog on every non-Steam platform/storefront. I got Epic games down to one (Death Stranding), kept Amazon games at 0, and only have 6 more PS4 games to go (plus 3 to buy). In 2024, I want to finish everything else on the PS4 so I can retire that console, and keep all the non-Steam storefronts at 0. Other goals for the year include: (1) putting some of these end-of-year data points that the website doesn’t track from year to year in a spreadsheet; (2) continuing to be attentive to review scores (the change to increments of 5 and me starting to use the PC Gamer review criteria to think about scores helped me be more discerning in 2023 [note to self: start calculating annual average review scores]); (3) knocking out the longest games in my backlog (those over ~50 hours, currently: Gwent, Binding of Isaac, Metal Gear 5, Death Stranding, Yakuza 0, and Wildermyth), (4) and as always, prevent that backlog from going up!
Now, the mega list. Those I totally recommended are bolded. Those I would stay far away from are italicized. By order of date, I completed or retired (with an R):
Jan 13 – Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration
Jan 19 – Slay the Spire
Jan 28 – Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Feb 01 – The Dark Pictures: Little Hope
Feb 06 – Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Feb 10 – Shadow Tactics: Aiko’s Choice
Feb 10 – The Talos Principle (R)
Feb 10 – The Forest (R)
Feb 10 – Rounds (R)
Feb 14 – One Leaves
Feb 22 – Monster Train
Feb 26 – The Last of Us Remastered
Feb 27 – Resogun
Mar 08 – Deathloop
Apr 08 – Celeste
May 12 – SteamWorld Heist (R)
May 13 – SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech (R)
May 13 – Weird West (R)
May 18 – Signalis
May 19 – Horizon Zero Dawn - Complete Edition
Jun 02 – A Plague Tale: Requiem
Jun 09 – Tunic
Jun 11 – Metal: Hellsinger
Jun 16 – Monument Valley (+DLC)
Jun 20 – Monument Valley 2 (+DLC)
Jun 21 – Far From Noise
Jun 21 – Vampire Survivors
Jun 24 – Amnesia: The Bunker (R)
Jun 25 – Road 96
Jun 29 – Citizen Sleeper (+DLC)
Jul 01 – Hi-Fi Rush
Jul 02 – Immortality
Jul 07 – Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Jul 08 – NORCO
Jul 08 – Disc Room
Jul 08 – Trolley Problem, Inc.
Jul 08 – Sunlight
Jul 20 – Pentiment (R)
Jul 21 – Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
Aug 06 – inFAMOUS: Second Son
Aug 25 – The First Tree (R)
Aug 25 – Fran Bow
Aug 31 – Little Misfortune
Sep 04 – Aperture Desk Job
Sep 04 – The Beginner’s Guide
Sep 09 – Helldivers (R)
Oct 10 – The Last Guardian
Oct 20 – Devil May Cry 5
Oct 22 – DUSK (R)
Oct 23 – Black Mesa
Nov 07 – Homeworld: Remastered Collection (R)
Nov 15 – Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak
Nov 21 – Q.U.B.E. 2
Nov 24 – Marvel’s Spider-Man
Nov 30 – The Walking Dead: A New Frontier
Dec 03 – The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia
Dec 16 – One Hand Clapping (R)
Dec 16 – Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
___________________________
Top 10 Game Completions of 2023
- 1.5K Views
- 24 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
These aren't the 10 games I've rated highest this year, but as I looked back over my list of 2023 completions at the end of the year, they are the most memorable (in no particular order):
Slay the Spire / Monster Train
I typically stay at a friend's house one or two nights per week after work to save time on my commute, and I usually have a laptop game that I'll play on those nights. Those are often really memorable games because I'm alone in a quiet, dark room, in a house that's not my own, decompressing in the middle of the work week. I played these two back-to-back. Phenomenal rogue-lite deck builders.
The Last of Us Remastered
I played this alongside watching the HBO show: game, episode, game, episode, game, episode...A great way to experience the story, the two mediums, and the similarities and differences between each! I'd like to do the same thing with The Last of Us (Season) 2.
Tunic
I remember this for being skeptical. It was getting great reviews, and I was hesitant to pick it up because it didn't really seem like my cup of tea with the Zelda comparisons. But it was on Game Pass this summer, and I am so glad it was. This was one of my favorite (and highest rated) of 2023.
The Dark Pictures: Little Hope
Played with above-mentioned friend. We like to play couch co-op games, or play single-player (narrative) games and trade the controller back and forth. This was great to play with him, lots of jump scares, gore, speculating on plot and how the character relationships work. Was also amusing to poke fun at. Would definitely play more Dark Pictures games.
Deathloop
I have never played anything else quite like Deathloop. Hugely original FPS with roguelike elements and oozing with style (if repetitive by the end). Definitely sticks with me!
Celeste
Thinking back on Celeste gives me a feeling that everything will be alright, that we can overcome all our challenges. This was one of those after work games in the quiet, dark room, and the context made me reflective.
Immortality
Another Game Pass gem, played while I was dog/cat/plant/house-sitting for my girlfriend's mom. I brought my big computer monitor, created a little gaming haven in the basement, and had three days of uninterrupted bliss with some outstanding games. Immortality had me mesmerized. I think it's artistic genius.
Fran Bow / Little Misfortune
Brought to my attention by a friend for their disturbing content (he is always thinking about how to use games in classrooms, and I am always suggesting why whatever he is proposing might not be a great idea), I really enjoyed these weird point-and-click adventures, especially Little Misfortune. Yikes forever!
The Beginner's Guide
Unique and contemplative experience, creative and compelling narrative. I would love to play again to think about it some more, and have been suggesting it to folks looking for something different. Don't look it up; you'll ruin it!
The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia
A random freebie on either Amazon or Epic, one that I never would have picked up otherwise. A silly story, and a typing game filled with (unintentional) typos. This was perhaps the most action-packed game I played all year. A white-knuckle experience. I don't think a game has ever made my hands cramp so much. I loved the gameplay of this typing/bullet hell mashup.
And for fun, the worst games of the year award is dishonorably shared by:
One Leaves and Amnesia: The Bunker
Slay the Spire / Monster Train
I typically stay at a friend's house one or two nights per week after work to save time on my commute, and I usually have a laptop game that I'll play on those nights. Those are often really memorable games because I'm alone in a quiet, dark room, in a house that's not my own, decompressing in the middle of the work week. I played these two back-to-back. Phenomenal rogue-lite deck builders.
The Last of Us Remastered
I played this alongside watching the HBO show: game, episode, game, episode, game, episode...A great way to experience the story, the two mediums, and the similarities and differences between each! I'd like to do the same thing with The Last of Us (Season) 2.
Tunic
I remember this for being skeptical. It was getting great reviews, and I was hesitant to pick it up because it didn't really seem like my cup of tea with the Zelda comparisons. But it was on Game Pass this summer, and I am so glad it was. This was one of my favorite (and highest rated) of 2023.
The Dark Pictures: Little Hope
Played with above-mentioned friend. We like to play couch co-op games, or play single-player (narrative) games and trade the controller back and forth. This was great to play with him, lots of jump scares, gore, speculating on plot and how the character relationships work. Was also amusing to poke fun at. Would definitely play more Dark Pictures games.
Deathloop
I have never played anything else quite like Deathloop. Hugely original FPS with roguelike elements and oozing with style (if repetitive by the end). Definitely sticks with me!
Celeste
Thinking back on Celeste gives me a feeling that everything will be alright, that we can overcome all our challenges. This was one of those after work games in the quiet, dark room, and the context made me reflective.
Immortality
Another Game Pass gem, played while I was dog/cat/plant/house-sitting for my girlfriend's mom. I brought my big computer monitor, created a little gaming haven in the basement, and had three days of uninterrupted bliss with some outstanding games. Immortality had me mesmerized. I think it's artistic genius.
Fran Bow / Little Misfortune
Brought to my attention by a friend for their disturbing content (he is always thinking about how to use games in classrooms, and I am always suggesting why whatever he is proposing might not be a great idea), I really enjoyed these weird point-and-click adventures, especially Little Misfortune. Yikes forever!
The Beginner's Guide
Unique and contemplative experience, creative and compelling narrative. I would love to play again to think about it some more, and have been suggesting it to folks looking for something different. Don't look it up; you'll ruin it!
The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia
A random freebie on either Amazon or Epic, one that I never would have picked up otherwise. A silly story, and a typing game filled with (unintentional) typos. This was perhaps the most action-packed game I played all year. A white-knuckle experience. I don't think a game has ever made my hands cramp so much. I loved the gameplay of this typing/bullet hell mashup.
And for fun, the worst games of the year award is dishonorably shared by:
One Leaves and Amnesia: The Bunker
___________________________
Games Beaten - December 2023
- 1.3K Views
- 23 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
Normally, I have a nice break between semesters in December/January, but no such break this year. I didn't get to spend hardly any time gaming in a month that normally nets me a lot of completions and/or progress toward January completions. But, this year was my highest number of total completions since 2013, and apparently the most time tracked since I started on the site. So I suppose I can't complain; I got my gaming in!
On December ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
03 – The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia – 80%
16 – [One Hand Clapping] – 65%
16 – Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery – 90%
Best
Although I gave Behind the Frame the highest score (beautiful little narrative game!), I’m giving The Textorcist the best game of the month. I keep thinking about how intense the typing/moving was. If you want a white-knuckle experience, this is it. Be prepared for the irony of typos in a typing game.
Worst
I was disappointed by the singing mechanics in One Hand Clapping. It was such a novel experience, but so dull at the same time.
On December ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
03 – The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia – 80%
16 – [One Hand Clapping] – 65%
16 – Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery – 90%
Best
Although I gave Behind the Frame the highest score (beautiful little narrative game!), I’m giving The Textorcist the best game of the month. I keep thinking about how intense the typing/moving was. If you want a white-knuckle experience, this is it. Be prepared for the irony of typos in a typing game.
Worst
I was disappointed by the singing mechanics in One Hand Clapping. It was such a novel experience, but so dull at the same time.
___________________________
Games Beaten - November 2023
- 1.9K Views
- 34 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
On November ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
07 – [Homeworld: Remastered Collection] – 60%
15 – Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak – 70%
21 – Q.U.B.E. 2 – 80%
24 – Marvel’s Spider-Man – 90%
30 – The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – 60%
Best
Easily Spider-Man. Despite too much open world bloat, the web swinging, combat, and storytelling are extremely compelling. I could get lost in this one for hours at a time.
Worst
Easily A New Frontier. A disappointing Telltale game. You’ve seen it done better in nearly all of their other games.
07 – [Homeworld: Remastered Collection] – 60%
15 – Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak – 70%
21 – Q.U.B.E. 2 – 80%
24 – Marvel’s Spider-Man – 90%
30 – The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – 60%
Best
Easily Spider-Man. Despite too much open world bloat, the web swinging, combat, and storytelling are extremely compelling. I could get lost in this one for hours at a time.
Worst
Easily A New Frontier. A disappointing Telltale game. You’ve seen it done better in nearly all of their other games.
___________________________
Games Beaten - October 2023
- 2.8K Views
- 37 Replies
13 Yrs♥F$✓#
On October ___ I beat [or retired] ___ and gave it a score of ___.
11 – The Last Guardian – 85%
20 – Devil May Cry 5 – 80%
22 – [DUSK] – 75%
23 – Black Mesa – 95%
Best
I never completed the original Half-Life. I remember starting it several times when I was a teenager but never getting into it. Well, thank goodness for this remake in the form of Black Mesa, the best game I’ve completed in several months. This is required playing, especially if you want a history lesson on the evolution of FPS games.
Worst
Nothing was bad this month, but my two top picks of the month also had the lowest lows. Black Mesa’s final chapter dragged the game out to an absurd degree. I thought it was over after Xen, which itself lasted too long, but then there was like two more hours of climbing the most pointless tower ever in Interloper before the end. And The Last Guardian occasionally transported me to my own personal hell. Trying to get Trico to do what you want was as frustrating as dealing with a real pet! The climbing around and “combat” in that game were also pretty bad.
11 – The Last Guardian – 85%
20 – Devil May Cry 5 – 80%
22 – [DUSK] – 75%
23 – Black Mesa – 95%
Best
I never completed the original Half-Life. I remember starting it several times when I was a teenager but never getting into it. Well, thank goodness for this remake in the form of Black Mesa, the best game I’ve completed in several months. This is required playing, especially if you want a history lesson on the evolution of FPS games.
Worst
Nothing was bad this month, but my two top picks of the month also had the lowest lows. Black Mesa’s final chapter dragged the game out to an absurd degree. I thought it was over after Xen, which itself lasted too long, but then there was like two more hours of climbing the most pointless tower ever in Interloper before the end. And The Last Guardian occasionally transported me to my own personal hell. Trying to get Trico to do what you want was as frustrating as dealing with a real pet! The climbing around and “combat” in that game were also pretty bad.
Page