Mine!

Movies and TV

The Hunt For Red October
Murder Is Easy
Yellowstone (S4)
Patriot Games
People Just Do Nothing (S3)
Traitors (S2, UK)
The Sum of all Fears
Cold Pursuit
The Commuter
Shiva Baby
The Good Thief
Non-stop
Dinner With Schmucks
Beverley Hill Cops
People Just Do Nothing (S4)
The Curse
Fool Me Once
Taskmaster (s16)
Beverley Hills Cop 2
Beverley Hills Cop 3
Saltburn
Aftersun
Killers of the Flower Moon
Duel
Jaws
Constellation
People Just Do Nothing (s5)
Taskmaster (s15)
Incendies
Enemy
The Prisoner
The Favourite
Zombieland (again)
True Detective (S4, Night Country)
The Dry (S1)
Dune Part 1
Dune Part 2
The Kitchen
Circle
Leave The World Behind
Tremors
Good Luck to You Leo Grande
Past Lives
The Dry (S1)
The Dry (s2)
Ripley

Books

The Stand
Why Don't You Love Me
The Dark Arena

Games

1) Alan Wake 2
2) Haiku the Robot
3) Evan's Remains
4) Lone Fungus
5) PoP
Balatro
HAAK
Aeterna Noctis
BG3
Ultros
Spiderman 2
Blue Fire
Coffee Talk
Assassin's Creed: Mirage
The Legend of Tianding
Season: A Letter To The Future

I shall be taking part this year, and will actually try to keep it up with the videos, as I'm a lot better at the editing now.

I've got quite far in Arcade Paradise, so will hopefully have that ticked off in the next day or so.

1. Alan Wake 2 25 hours, [10]

2. Storyteller 5 hours, [7]

3. Another Code: Recollection 10 hours [7]

I’m in!

These threads make my main hobby more enjoyable so I'm in again. Triangle Strategy here I come.

1. Alligator Hunt [5 out of 6]
2. Aqua Jack [3 out of 6]
3. Burning Fight [3.5 out of 6]
4. Crime City [3 out of 6]
5. Heave-Ho! [10]
6. Jusant [8]
7. SIFU [8]
8. SANABI [9]
9. Goodbye Volcano High [7]
10. Sonic Superstars [6]
11. Zero Team USA [4 out of 6]
12. Double Dragon Gaiden [7]
13. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown [9]
14. 64th Street: A Detective Story [2.5 out of 6]
15. Drainus [8]
16. Captain Commando [4 out of 6]
17. Golden Ave [4.5 out of 6]
18. Neon White [9]
19. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe [10]
20. Wizard Fire [1.5 out of 6]
21. Vendetta [3.5 out of 6]
22. Steel Assault [7]
23. Gear Shifters [7]
24. Planet Cube: Edge [8]
25. Gaia Crusaders [2.5 out of 6]

Heh.  Yeah.  It's always been in the Off Topic folder, never really thought about it.  WTF my bad it seems.  I'll move it.

Stats updated with all I could find in the 2023 thread but Cocha who I think hasn't finished his write-up (?)

ALL THE ROMS

Mines!

1.Alan Wake 2 - Hours - 100/10 - Xbox Series X

My GOTY 2023, held off on posting as completed ‘The Final Draft’ mode too.

Not just my GOTG but joint GOTG for me. I thought for its genre and technically it was perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing. I started it a little after release but once I started I couldn’t put it down and what’s more had to 100% it as I just couldn’t get enough.

Cannot wait for the DLC and miss rushing home to play it because it was just that good.

Perfect at everything it set out to do for me, 10/10



2.Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 - 6/10 - Xbox Series X

As it is every year…it’s just more Call of Duty…which though was a little short this year, is absolutely fine with me as it’s just a video game blockbuster mental action romp with shooting that’s pretty much second to none on its scale. Would’ve liked a little more but that’s reflected in the score, was enough for me to have fun and the new missions which were set in a small multi layered map actually worked quite well.

6/10



3.Star Wars Jedi Survivor - 20 Hours - 9/10 - Xbox Series X

Another I had on the back burner for a while as I wanted to concentrate on it as I loved the first…and I did right…this was even better.

Improved in every way over the first in gameplay and technically. I’m sure it’s been patched a number of times but ran like a dream and it was a lovely example of playing stuff with the Philips Hue system with the bright and colourful environments. Feels much fairer in combat aside from some of the bosses which felt like total cheats with some of their move sets. Enjoyed the story and introducing more elements of The High Republic with some great characters, you can see the twist coming but not to the extent that it does so kept it fun. And it’s still the best Jedi experience with even more lightsaber stances and combat options.

Plus…they manage to fit in a fight against Vader which is absofuckingloutely badass as it’s ace when Vader is his bad self.

Great game, I probably add on at least one point as a Star Wars saddo. Great start to this yesterday in gaming, 910.



4.The Last of Us Part 1 - 16 Hours - 8/10 - PS5

Played through this again before planning to tackle Part 2 but gonna leave it a little time because the gameplay when you know the story is good but so very, very tiresome and one note.

Game is a stunner, the sound is incredible and it builds a tremendous atmosphere. Another one that works extremely well with the Hue system which I hadn’t anticipated. But it was just very boring after a while. Perhaps I’ve played it too much this being maybe the fourth playthrough, but it is just an interactive movie, there’s no change, no clever AI, it’s just the same everytime.

Still amazing in its own way but I doubt I’ll ever play it again.

8/10



5.Halo Combat Evolved - 10 Hours - 10/10 - Xbox Series X

Time for the annual playthrough of the Halo’s with being off with my destroyed arm.

Gotta admit…the 10 is partly because it’s still an incredible game…but also partly nostalgia as it has unsurprisingly aged a hell of a lot.

It’s probably because whilst it’s still the best Halo in some ways it’s very limited in comparison with some others. A lot of people would argue that’s part of the beauty as it’s all built together to be part of its perfection but I just miss so many bits from the others. A medium distance rifle being the main thing, and no the pistol doesn’t cut it, it’s a thing of beauty no doubt, but it’s strangely inaccurate, which I don’t remember it being at all. And again I know it was made to be exactly what it is, and most hated the addition, it feels really pedestrian without a sprint button. Just a slow traversal around some awesome, awesome levels.

The story though is still the best, the levels are all some of the best, even including the Library as I always loved the challenge of it. And the best finish to the game.

Loved it. But being honest it’s a nostalgia 10…not a real 10 anymore…and that’s coming from someone who is one of if not the biggest Halo fan.

10/10



6.Halo 2 - 10 Hours - 8/10 - Xbox Series X

So onto number 2, the proper oddball of the series to me. So hard to follow up the original but they went so far out the box for me in trying to establish the Arbiter. I hated playing as him. Hated his levels. Just didn’t care. And the Chief levels varied wildly from incredible to just so boring. I remember it all so vividly as I had gone to a house party the night before on the proviso that the girl I’d just started seeing got us home early so I could be at the 08:00 opening of game. Yet she got me to stay by offering a threesome with another girl but as I was only 17 it was a godawful experience and I snook out at like 04:00 and walked home in both embarrassment and anger, so when I had to suddenly play as the Arbiter I was like ‘WHAT THE FUCK?!’.

But anyway. I fell in love with the Battle Rifle, the awesome levels that were spaced throughout, some of the returning characters and new ones and the universe filling out after reading the books too. It wasn’t the game I wanted it to be, but it was incredible anyway. And the Brutes were just less fun to fight than everything else. Clues in the name as they’re just Brutes but still…

Similar this time. Because the upgrade has been more recent its looks are much improved as was the gameplay in general with it being younger. And the BR, amazing.

Same with this in terms of extra pointage for nostalgia but it actually was more fun than the first when playing as the Chief. Just some absolutely incredible levels. So much vehicular carnage too which is always fun.

8/10



7.Halo 3 - 8 Hours - 9/10 - Xbox Series X

Much better…back to just being the Chief. Slight visual downgrade from H2 Anniversary but a much more cohesive game in every way. The story from the off, characters, objectives, all just better written and more complete a vision. An even better BR, and much, much better Brutes.

Gotta admit though, amidst the better everything and again, absolutely stand out missions, there was a lot of crap ones or slow meandering sections that just really bored me, it wasn’t as good as last time. Has everything just moved on so much in such a short period or have the sequels to this just made some of the older ones less fun in a number of ways?

Don’t get me wrong, it was still incredible, and got everything perfect at the time and is still unbelievable as a whole now, just a little less every time I play it. Though taking down that first scarab never gets old.

Now onto 4…which to my shame…has become my favourite…by a mile.

9/10



8.Halo 4 - 8 Hours - 10/10 - Xbox Series X

I know nobody agrees with me…but this game is just the best in the series. I mean I might play 5 or infinite and change my mind but I doubt it.

It looks incredible. Like not just how did they manage this on the 360 incredible but even to today’s standards it’s so clean and absofuckingloutely stunning. The lighting is just to die for and with the Hue system the lighting is just out of this world. The sound work is terrific. And they made it so different and future sci-fi in such a sharper way than traditional Halo but it’s still so Halo and awesome. The mix of weapons is unsurprisingly the best, and some of the Promethean weaponry is awesome, some awful but I only ever like using UNSC stuff anyway. The Promethean’s as enemies aren’t the best but I don’t quite understand the hatred for them.

The Didact, to me he is a great big bad and whilst he’s part of why it’s such a great package to me, he and the story are entirely what are wrong with the game for everyone else and I entirely understand that and to this day don’t understand what 343 were thinking in just hoping fans knew the expanded universe to go straight off in such a direction. Cannot believe nobody stopper them. Perfect for me though and he brought everything forerunner to life for me.

The biggest thing though is the gameplay. Just so, so smooth. Brings everything together in the best form of any of them, so far, and after just starting 5 that’s still the case. Just such a joy to play. Feels so fluid and has everything I could want from my Halo. I absolutely love H4 and for me it’s just the best Halo there is.

Absofuckingloutely awesome. You’ve got the Infinity in it, the Spartan IV’s, mad Cortana, the best Mjolnir armour MK VI, Rick Flair whew! Wish they hadn’t fit everything in that story direction in one game as it threw it all on you then ended it all in the same short campaign. Weird, weird perfect game. Weird, weird perfect short shit review.

10/10

iPhone trial games here we come.

Can I review Marvel Snap

Think I'll take part this time.

0.5 (honorary mention) Astro's playroom PS5. 3.5 hours

I'll count this because my daughter set us a challenge at 8pm New Year's Eve that we could start a new save on a fresh account and platinum this before midnight. Did it with 30 minutes to spare! We seriously need a new Astrobot game [10]

1 Balder's Gate 3. PS5

I'm probably not going to finish this monster before November at the rate I'm going. It is incredible, and a bit of a gamble buying it, seeing that I haven't really gotten into modern fantasy genre games if they're not soulslikes.


2. Ultima Runes of Virtue. GB

I last played this over 26 years ago. Apparently it's seen as pretty difficult and I'd agree, but it doesn't feel unfair aside from the occasional moment and it has some great puzzles. It's still as charming as I remember and a good spin off from the ultima series. Definitely worth playing if you like old school Zelda. [9]

3. Returnal PS5
4. Horizon Forbidden West
5. Demons souls remake
6 Cult of the lamb

regmcfly wrote:

Can I review Marvel Snap

Yes.

Reads like a [7]

1. Alligator Hunt - Arcade (30mins)

The thumbnail had two kids on skateboards with guns on it, so in we went. I was expecting a belt scroller of sorts, but it's actually reminiscent of (the rather good) Wild Guns on SNES. Spoiler alert: you only get to control the skategunners directly for the opening stage - after that they both jump on spaceships (which doesn't actually change the mechanics much at all). You can move left and right along the bottom of the screen while aiming a cursor anywhere, but when you fire your character is locked in place. A dodge/barrel roll lets you evade enemy fire, and it all works surprisingly well. I'd go as far as saying this is a genuinely good arcade game, and probably one of the best lightgun sans lightgun types I've played.

Cutscenes are amusing with sampled speech a-go-go, and alongside the Big Shred guitars that constantly wail away there's a wild drum heavy motif that repeats throughout the missions. The guitars do eventually get a bit annoying tbf, but for the first couple of missions they're amazing.

It's all fairly easy too, which was a pleasant surprise for an arcade game. Even the graphics are pretty stylish, with plenty of nice effects, and the way you can juggle Doozer looking lizards for extra missles is a valid addition. Jaleco might've been responsible for some infamous duffers in their time but this would have been a fine way to spend a 50p or two in 1994. [5 out of 6]. Another successful random rom romp.

Keeping this as a reference here in this post, so I don't need it at the beginning of every entry. 

2022: Final Post

Games reviewed:
Ready or Not, Can Androids Pray, Bad End Theater, Anger Foot, Bloodborne PSX, Day Repeat Day, Elden Ring, GT7, Horizon: Forbidden West, Emily is Away 3, Fifa 22, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Good Night Knight, There is no Game, Disco Elysium, Cyberpunk 2077, Deep Rock Galactic, YAKLAD, Manifold Garden, Factori, Circadian Dice, Nier Re[in]carnation, The Sexy Brutale, Dragon's Dogma, Vampyr, Rogue Legacy 2, Lair of the Clockwork God, Escape Simulator, Ender Lillies, Rhythm Doctor, Citizen Sleeper, You Have to Win this Game, Narita Boy,, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, NORCO, Buck Up and Drive, A Year of Springs, Buddy Game Simulator 1984, Dicey Dungeons, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order, Grindstone, What the Golf, Reigns, Moonlighter, Ctrl Alt Ego, Tales of Arise, Mini Metro, Gloomwood, Kill it with Fire, Civilization IV, Civilization VI, In Other Waters, Deathloop, Blink


2023: Final Post

2022-2023 hangovers - finished in 2022, written up in 2023:
Marvel's GotG, Two Point Campus, Stray, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Peglin, Slay the Spire, Nioh 2, Railway Empire, Catherine: Full Body, Wasteland 3, Subnautica, Death Stranding: Director's Cut

Games Reviewed: 
Judgment, Vampire Survivors, Miles Morales, Vaporum: Lockdown, DMC5:SE, Lost Judgment, Roadwarden, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Against the Storm, RE: Village PSVR 2, Tentacular, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Destiny 2: Lightfall, Tyranny, Lunacid, Pile Up!, Synapse, Far Cry 6, GTA 5, RE4 Remake, Tchia, Scarlet Nexus, Pistol Whip, Olli Olli World, Nier: Replicant, JETT: The Far Shore, Rune Factory 4: Special, Horizon: Call of the Mountain, DQ11:EoaEAS - Definitive Edition, Legend of Grimrock 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Whitewater Wipeout, Casual Birder, Pick Pack Pup, Crankin's Time Adventure, Direct Drive, Legend of Etad, Reel Steal, Recommendation Dog, Dungeons and Puzzles, The Bookwalker, Chambers of Devious Design, Super Corporate Tax Evader, El Paso, Elsewhere, BABBDI, Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Teardown, Humanity, Walkabout Mini Golf, Shadows of Doubt, Omaze, Demon Quest 85, Slay the Spire...again, Vignettes, Froggy's Battle, co-open, Fatum Betula, Executive Golf DX, Questy Chess, He Fucked the Girl Out of Me, Crusader Kings 3, Football, Tactics & Glory, Backpack Hero, Starfield, Salamander County Public Television, Tangledeep, Jupiter Hell, Final Fantasy XVI, Druidstone, Mary Skelter 2, Slay the Princess, Etrian Odyssey 3 HD, Etrian Odyssey 5, Shogun Showdown, Brotato, Dotage, Hitman: World of Assassination, Spider-man 2, Darkest Dungeon, Pawnbarian, Radical Rabbit Stew 

Next / The To-Play List:
Growing my Grandpa
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty 
The Forest Quartet 
Spare Parts: Episode 1 & 2 
Unpacking
NUTS
Super is Hot
Neurocracy
Evolution
Slasher U
Cannelé & Nomnom - Defective Agency
Prodigal
Scanner Sombre
Recursed
Kine
Vomitoreum
Moonring
Omen Exito: Plague
Supermarket Shriek
Marco & The Galaxy Dragon
Total War: Warhammer II
Inquisitor
Kiryu's Karaoke Sim featuring Punching with No Name
Alan Wake 2
Save me Mr Tako: Definitive Edition
Overboard! 
Marvel Midnight Suns
Smushi Come Home
Sticky Business
Railbound
A Procession to Calvary 
The House in Fata Morgana (still going with this one...)