The 2023 Backlog Challenge

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

Officially decided to call it quits on Baba is You. I enjoyed it, but was getting pretty bored in the latter half of my time. Without using a guide, I cleared 186 levels. It's clear there is more to do, but I saw an ending screen and I feel like going any further isn't going to provide me any further joy. Perhaps someday I'll come back to whittle away at it, but I have no desire to do that any time soon. The game reminds me a bit of The Witness in the way it takes a simple idea and then bludgeons it to death. This is both criticism and praise. It takes true commitment, passion, and creativity to produce so much from so little, but doing the same thing at hour 80 that you were doing at hour 1 starts to wear you down.

As for what's next, I'll keep working on Deathloop and FFX. Hi Fi Rush and FF16 are on my radar for next games since I'm holding off on Zelda for now.

Spoiler

Edited May 24, 2023 by DoctorEncore

[Floating Platforms | 715]

Mansion of Hidden Souls is done

I'm back on the board! With all my complaining about the long games I'm juggling, I kinda forgot that I've been promising to stream more non-Game Boy games. I'll do my normal GB streams and then break and come back with other retro systems for the general backlog.  I started this a couple weeks back and finished it up last night.

It's a fun little experience, but if I owned a Sega CD and this growing up it would be disappointing. It's weird that it was included in the Genesis Mini 2.  We're looking at a very short adventure that's light on exploration, light on puzzles, light on story and light on just about everything. It has its charms but I wish there was more to interact with or more point & click elements/inventory puzzles. Mostly, it's walking around and talking to the butterflies and grabbing an item here and there to open the next door.  The ending sequence was odd with a timed escape and what seemed like pure guess work to get out (unless I missed some key piece of information, but it's really hard to miss the little lore there is). I guessed wrong so often that I barely got out before the timer was up, but I can say goodbye to that mansion now.

I think I'll start up Rise of the Dragon next to keep the Sega CD fun going.

[greenthunder | 115]

Oops, it's been a while. Finally updated my post with the two games I beat months ago (I swear I haven't been at 0/20 all year). I've been struggling with motivation, including my backlog, but I'm hoping I'll get back on track to it eventually since I've just been either picking up and playing shorter games I got since my last post (Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed and Weapon Shop de Omasse), trying to actually get into A-Train 3D or just playing my favorite evergreen games.

I *did* start Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy in the last few months, which I was enjoying, especially coming off harder games like Etrian Dungeon and Strange Journey Redux. At first I kinda wanted to raise the difficulty, but at the same time I didn't want to deal with really having to strategize/minmaxing, but I've hit the point where combat is mostly satisfying now. Plot/characterwise, it's comfy hanging out with Ryza and her friends again.

I think I might try to start Ace Combat: Horizon Legacy+, especially since I should be able to complete it in an afternoon or so.

[Brickman | 3,983]

Super Donkey Kong for the GBA port done. It’s a solid port but I much prefer playing it on the SNES. 

I wasn’t really into the palette change but some of the changes were good for quality of life, especially not having to farm lives. 

The main change is you can save any time on the map and if you run out of lives you start from your last checkpoint.

Worth checking out if you want to relive the game, and portable makes it an easier option.

[Lago | 220]

Not on my list but I did a run through of Super Mario Bros. with the kiddos.  We went through every stage, it was fun.  The kids really enjoyed figuring out the maze castles, which is something I never really liked much.

[Brickman | 3,983]

Metroid Zero Mission for the GBA is done. I finished the main mission back in Feb but got about halfway through the bonus mission and got distracted by other games. Today I decided to finally finish it off.

This is definitely my preferred way of playing the original Metroid. It fixes the farming issue that I had with the original. The graphics look nice and the bonus mission is a lot of fun and reveals some interesting cannon story bits.

Highly recommend playing this version if you struggle with the original Metroid.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,523]

14 hours ago, Brickman said:

Metroid Zero Mission for the GBA is done. I finished the main mission back in Feb but got about halfway through the bonus mission and got distracted by other games. Today I decided to finally finish it off.

This is definitely my preferred way of playing the original Metroid. It fixes the farming issue that I had with the original. The graphics look nice and the bonus mission is a lot of fun and reveals some interesting cannon story bits.

Highly recommend playing this version if you struggle with the original Metroid.

Bonus mission?  I guess it's been so long I can't remember.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,523]

I'm almost 40 hours into Xenoblade.  Got to be honest, I had a lot more fun with XB2.  The worlds seemed a lot more fun to explore, rather than a bunch of big, bland, open areas.  And the side quests are completely mindless (and prevalent).  I spend hours at a time just chasing down quest markers on the map, while whacking monsters and watching movies.  It's not a bad deal, but I had higher hopes.

[Brickman | 3,983]

5 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Bonus mission?  I guess it's been so long I can't remember.

You play as zero suit Samus. I’ll leave it at that because I don’t want to spoil the mission. It is about 2 hours of extra content.

[Lago | 220]

Finished Atari 50 today.  I loved going back and learning about the history of Atari.

Atari was right on the cusp of “before my time”. I don’t have the nostalgia for it that I do for Nintendo. That being said some of the games are just hard to play. It seemed like Atari was stuck in the Asteroids/Missile Command era and just couldn’t move past it.  Which is a shame. There was so much potential there.

Definitely would recommend for anyone wanting a good look back at video game history.

[rdrunner | 422]

15 hours ago, Lago said:

Finished Atari 50 today.  I loved going back and learning about the history of Atari.

Atari was right on the cusp of “before my time”. I don’t have the nostalgia for it that I do for Nintendo. That being said some of the games are just hard to play. It seemed like Atari was stuck in the Asteroids/Missile Command era and just couldn’t move past it.  Which is a shame. There was so much potential there.

Definitely would recommend for anyone wanting a good look back at video game history.

Nice!  I've been considering this one.  I have other Atari compilations but as usual they stuck in a few new arcade games that have never been released on a console before.  Cloak & Dagger jumped right off the page when I saw the game list, though not sure how it handles without a trak ball.

[Brickman | 3,983]

Super Donkey Kong GB (Donkey Kong Land) for the Gameboy finished.

I haven’t played this since release when I saved up and bought it for my Gameboy. I loved this game as a kid and I think it holds up pretty well.

What I really love about this game is that it isn’t just a DKC 1 clone but for a handheld, it’s actually its own thing. It takes inspiration from DKC 1 but also adds a lot of different level designs and ideas. 

Ok, enough of getting side tracked. Next up I need to finish LttP and then knock off some GC games. 

[Webhead123 | 675]

Destroy All Humans: Remastered is complete.

Fun game and glad I finally finished it. It isn't a flawless experience. There are some mid-game stages that are frustrating for reasons that are mostly the result of poor design (escort missions...ugh) and the final boss fight is the kind of tedious bullshit that has no honest justification. However, the variety of weapons and skills that the game offers the player to simply go ballistic is quite satisfying. The game manages to keep from getting too stale, thanks to mixing up the gameplay ever couple of stages. I think it gets an 8/10 from me. Very solid and fun.

Now I'm ready to check out the sequel, which I hear is generally better than the first and almost certainly the best game in the series.

[fox | 1,667]

Diablo IV

 

Spoiler

Also I'm going to be realistic and try to focus on a few of the partly finished games I want to beat and retire a bunch.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,523]

In a totally bass ackwards move, in order to help defeat a late-game Xenoblade boss, I started the prologue bonus chapter "Future Connected" so that I can utilize the abilities bonuses it unlocks in the main game...

This game would be a lot easier if I wasn't constantly drawing aggro off my tank.  Like every 10 seconds...

[Philosoraptor | 468]

Alright. Whelp. I'm doing Castlevania wrong.

The first game I beat this year was Castlevania 64, which was extremely okay. But, I've never played a 2D one. Beating one is one of my backlog challenges.

Well, what's the "Castlevania" I've been itching to play most? Bloodstained. I figured that'd be a fun introduction to the series since it's a highly acclaimed, recent title.

Nope. Apparently, all the Metroidvanias I've played have been light on the Vania and heavy on the Metroid. I was not emotionally prepared for crafting systems, enemy-specific drops, crystals, familiars, grinding, and the littany of other RPG-esque mechanics in this game. Apparently, Bloodstained is best enjoyed after playing other Castlevania games because it doesn't really explain everything Castlevania to you. It feels like handing someone who just finished up Shining Force a Disgaea game.

My GF recommended I start with Symphony of the Night, but is there another one out there that might be worth checking out? Maybe one that better tickles my Metroid sensibilities or eases me into the systems, preferably without a damn crafting system?

[Reed Rothchild | 9,523]

10 minutes ago, Philosoraptor said:

Alright. Whelp. I'm doing Castlevania wrong.

The first game I beat this year was Castlevania 64, which was extremely okay. But, I've never played a 2D one. Beating one is one of my backlog challenges.

Well, what's the "Castlevania" I've been itching to play most? Bloodstained. I figured that'd be a fun introduction to the series since it's a highly acclaimed, recent title.

Nope. Apparently, all the Metroidvanias I've played have been light on the Vania and heavy on the Metroid. I was not emotionally prepared for crafting systems, enemy-specific drops, crystals, familiars, grinding, and the littany of other RPG-esque mechanics in this game. Apparently, Bloodstained is best enjoyed after playing other Castlevania games because it doesn't really explain everything Castlevania to you. It feels like handing someone who just finished up Shining Force a Disgaea game.

My GF recommended I start with Symphony of the Night, but is there another one out there that might be worth checking out? Maybe one that better tickles my Metroid sensibilities or eases me into the systems, preferably without a damn crafting system?

Symphony or Aria, maybe.  They're all pretty similar.

[Brickman | 3,983]

36 minutes ago, Philosoraptor said:

Alright. Whelp. I'm doing Castlevania wrong.

The first game I beat this year was Castlevania 64, which was extremely okay. But, I've never played a 2D one. Beating one is one of my backlog challenges.

Well, what's the "Castlevania" I've been itching to play most? Bloodstained. I figured that'd be a fun introduction to the series since it's a highly acclaimed, recent title.

Nope. Apparently, all the Metroidvanias I've played have been light on the Vania and heavy on the Metroid. I was not emotionally prepared for crafting systems, enemy-specific drops, crystals, familiars, grinding, and the littany of other RPG-esque mechanics in this game. Apparently, Bloodstained is best enjoyed after playing other Castlevania games because it doesn't really explain everything Castlevania to you. It feels like handing someone who just finished up Shining Force a Disgaea game.

My GF recommended I start with Symphony of the Night, but is there another one out there that might be worth checking out? Maybe one that better tickles my Metroid sensibilities or eases me into the systems, preferably without a damn crafting system?

SoN is a good one. Aria of Sorrow on the GBA and the follow-up Dawn of Sorrow on the DS are also great games. If you don't like any of those then I'd probably move on because they're probably some of the best Metroidvanias imo. 

[Sumez | 2,950]

2 hours ago, Philosoraptor said:

Nope. Apparently, all the Metroidvanias I've played have been light on the Vania and heavy on the Metroid. I was not emotionally prepared for crafting systems, enemy-specific drops, crystals, familiars, grinding, and the littany of other RPG-esque mechanics in this game. Apparently, Bloodstained is best enjoyed after playing other Castlevania games because it doesn't really explain everything Castlevania to you. It feels like handing someone who just finished up Shining Force a Disgaea game.

My GF recommended I start with Symphony of the Night, but is there another one out there that might be worth checking out? Maybe one that better tickles my Metroid sensibilities or eases me into the systems, preferably without a damn crafting system?

Bloodstained is basically designed through and through as a love letter to Symphony of the Night. I think the game is absolutely better appreciated if you're already a fan of SOTN, and I'm kinda surprised that someone would tell you otherwise, suggesting you should start with it.

If you do want to play the "metroid" Castlevanias regardless, there is absolutely no reason not to start with Symphony of the Night. It's a well loved game for a reason, and all the other ones derive from it to some extent, and the only one I'd say even comes close to challenging SOTN as "the best one" would be Order of Ecclesia, due to having more qualities of its own, rather than just being "SOTN but not quite as good".

However, it sounds to me like, the Metroidvania formula isn't that much your cup of tear? Enemy-specific drops is a thing in all of those, and although grinding is never forced, they all have things to go for that do border on grinding up exp or familiars, and going for specific drops, etc. Circle of the Moon is probably the furthest from this, playing more like a traditional Castlevania split up into individual areas within the castle, but why not try some of the classic Castlevania games instead, the ones that are just really good linear action games?

I'd say either start at the first Castlevania on NES, it's just a super good and decently challenging, fine tuned action game that doesn't run very long, or since you're apparently prepared to take a dive into what's perceived as the most evolved title, play Dracula X: Rondo of Blood. This is the game that everyone likes, no matter what era of Castlevania they dig the most. It has linear stages, and great action setpieces and boss fights, but retains a heavy exploration focus tons of secrets, including an alternate route through the game and an alternate unlockable character to play as. There's an insane amount of work put into seemingly pointless background details, and it'll keep blowing your mind as you progress. In terms of controls it manages to both retain the dedicated jump arc of the classic games, but gives the player just enough control and in-air wiggle room for it to not bother the people who usually dislike that. It's pretty much a perfect compromise that satisfies both camps.

 

In short - TL;DR, forget every other title mentioned, just play Rondo of Blood

Edited June 8, 2023 by Sumez

[Sumez | 2,950]

Tears of the Kingdom is aggressively grinding my backlog progress to a halt.

The past weeks I've had very little time to sit down with a game at all, and when I have, it's been TOTK every time. There's just too much to see nad explore in this game, and I'm not really seeing any end to it yet, I'm expecting it'll go very close to 100 hours before I can let it go. A playtime which could have been used to play through tons of smaller games in my backlog.

Trails in the Sky 2 is still progressing like it's always been though. I'm still playing it on my commute (even though I'm itching to just bring my Switch instead), and closing in on 30 hours, which still has taken me practically nowhere in its story.

I was playing Crash Bandicoot 3 and Kaze and the Wild Masks before I got TOTK, so god knows how well I'll be able to pick those back up afterwards. Both are relatively short games, so it's kind stupid to not just finish them first. But what can I do? TOTK is impossible to let go.

[Philosoraptor | 468]

Alright! Thanks y'all! I have a game plan now. I'm going to try some more Castlevania games in the following order:

1. Symphony of the Night
2. Aria of Sorrow
3. Rondo of Blood
4. Castlevania (NES)
5. Order of Ecclesia

I really appreciate y'all's opinions.

9 hours ago, Brickman said:

...If you don't like any of those then I'd probably move on because they're probably some of the best Metroidvanias imo. 

7 hours ago, Sumez said:

However, it sounds to me like, the Metroidvania formula isn't that much your cup of tea?

I'm really hoping that it was less of me not liking the genre and more of a framing issue for me. The games I've played, beaten, and enjoyed that fall under the "Metroidvania" umbrella are Momodora - Reverie Under the Moonlight, Rabi Ribi, and several Shantae games. I didn't think any of those games would be as different from Bloodstained as they actually are.

[Webhead123 | 675]

It's a personal thing, obviously, but I like my Castlevanias to be more, well, "Castlevania" and less "Metroid". That is, I like more linear stage progression, pure side-scrolling action and less exploration, puzzles and RPG systems. Give me the NES, SNES and GEN games over the later entries all day every day (and Rondo is great, too).

Of the later Castlevania's that I have tried though, I can say that Symphony and Aria have been the most enjoyable. Yeah, there's still a lot of "busywork" going on in them compared to the early titles (and even compared to actual Metroid games) but they have enough focus on the action and platforming that it doesn't ruin the mood.

I think the list you're working with should prove to be a good litmus test of what you like about Castlevania and what you don't. I have not played Ecclesia, though, so I have no comment on that one.

[Floating Platforms | 715]

12 hours ago, Sumez said:

Tears of the Kingdom is aggressively grinding my backlog progress to a halt.

The past weeks I've had very little time to sit down with a game at all, and when I have, it's been TOTK every time. There's just too much to see nad explore in this game, and I'm not really seeing any end to it yet, I'm expecting it'll go very close to 100 hours before I can let it go. A playtime which could have been used to play through tons of smaller games in my backlog.

Same here...I will be making a strong effort to keep TOTK as a weekend only game from here on out and do retro consoles on weekdays. Because of that, I'm almost done with Rise of the Dragon. I think. Making good progress either way and enjoying it a lot.  Even though I'm loving my time in Zelda, beating it is a long way off (only done 1 of the 4 main quest areas after 60 hrs). I might take a couple days off from it to go back to Yakuza again. I've been feeling the itch to do some more gambling and climb back in the coliseum.

[Brickman | 3,983]

6 hours ago, Philosoraptor said:

Alright! Thanks y'all! I have a game plan now. I'm going to try some more Castlevania games in the following order:

1. Symphony of the Night
2. Aria of Sorrow
3. Rondo of Blood
4. Castlevania (NES)
5. Order of Ecclesia

I really appreciate y'all's opinions.

I'm really hoping that it was less of me not liking the genre and more of a framing issue for me. The games I've played, beaten, and enjoyed that fall under the "Metroidvania" umbrella are Momodora - Reverie Under the Moonlight, Rabi Ribi, and several Shantae games. I didn't think any of those games would be as different from Bloodstained as they actually are.

That is a solid list. I wish I could relive those games for the first time again.

As Sumez said, Bloodstained is more of a love letter to SOTN and better appreciated after playing it.

I look forward to hearing what you think of those games.

 

[Webhead123 | 675]

15 hours ago, Sumez said:

Tears of the Kingdom is aggressively grinding my backlog progress to a halt.

This is one of a handful of reasons why I'm not going to dive into Diablo 4 for a good while. As one of those "endless" type games where grinding, exploring and leveling up is essentially the entire point, I just don't want to sink that kind of time, considering how many other things I've got on my plate. TotK is also going to have to wait for that same reason. I know I'll love it...I'm just not ready for it to dominate my free time right now.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Webhead123