The 2022 Backlog Challenge

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

Beat the first Tiny Toon Adventures game on NES.

This game is definitely harder than the sequel (though that game has its moments too). I've played the game several times, so generally it wasn't too difficult for me until stage 5 (Wackyland).

Avoiding Elmyra at the end of an area isn't super difficult, but it's kind of frustrating that the game sends you back to the beginning of the area you're in if she kisses you. I do kind of like how it gets more difficult to avoid her, like having to jump on small platforms. However, in 4-2, Furrball can basically just climb the wall, making it pretty easy to avoid Elmyra unless you're playing as a different character.

Wackyland isn't "hard" because of the platforms, but because some of the enemies can be a bit hard to avoid. There are bucket enemies that are in plain sight, but the drops of water that come out of them sort of blend into the green background and can be hard to notice.

The final level is pretty much why I put off beating this game until now. The first section isn't too hard. The enemies can be a bit cheap, but the chandeliers are easy to avoid. The second section is where things can get difficult. You have to duck and slide under several spikes. Unless you're running before ducking, you won't slide far enough to avoid the spikes and enemies. The third section where you ride a platform is the hardest part of the level, in my opinion. Unless you know when to duck and jump, you'll get hit and have to start the level over from the beginning. I had to continue several times because of this section. Eventually I figured out the pattern. You only need to duck maybe twice, and jump the rest of the time. You need to be quick about jumping, though, or you might get hit at the peak of your jump. There's a balloon at the top where you can get some energy. The fourth section is pretty easy. The enemies are fast and you might get hit once, but it's still easier than the previous sections. The fifth section is also pretty easy and getting through it is just a matter of timing your jumps so you can reach the moving platforms on the walls.

Montana Max is a bit harder to beat than in the sequel, because there are spring gloves that you have to both avoid and jump on and there are also coins flying around in the room. Also, Buster doesn't have the somersault kick in this game. I had to try a few times, but it's definitely not as difficult as the level itself. You can jump through the springs and onto the glove, then jump on Max. Three hits and he's defeated. A bit challenging with the coins flying around the room, but not too difficult.

Did you notice the curtain? Yeah, Konami was definitely thinking of Super Mario Bros. 3. In fact, the game is very similar to Super Mario Bros. 3. Still like it, though. And being able to play as four different characters is also nice.

Edited September 15, 2022 by MegaMan52

[Sumez | 2,963]

On 9/16/2022 at 12:11 AM, MegaMan52 said:

However, in 4-2, Furrball can basically just climb the wall, making it pretty easy to avoid Elmyra unless you're playing as a different character.

You can do that in every single stage

I think every Elmyra stage lets you just sit it out until the door appears, and then you go for it, I always did that as a kid. It's a little disappointing it's so boring like that, because the idea of those stages is a really fun one, but I still really love that game.

On 9/16/2022 at 12:11 AM, MegaMan52 said:

The final level is pretty much why I put off beating this game until now. The first section isn't too hard. The enemies can be a bit cheap, but the chandeliers are easy to avoid. The second section is where things can get difficult. You have to duck and slide under several spikes. Unless you're running before ducking, you won't slide far enough to avoid the spikes and enemies.

Funny enough, I never found out you could just rush and duck under the spikes as a kid, it didn't even occur to me until I replayed the game in my adult life. I'd always use Dizzy Devil to get through them, which is very easy, but causes you to just sit around and wait for him to recharge after most sets of spikes, which makes it more tedious. Overall though, I think the final stage i sreally brilliant. I wish Konami had made a ton more games like this, just puling out a whole Mega Man 1 through 6 on it for all I care.

[Sumez | 2,963]

I played through The Last of Us some days ago btw, But, uh, instead of going on with my backlog I've decided I need to play through the sequel before passing judgment on the game...

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

3 hours ago, Sumez said:

You can do that in every single stage

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I was just saying that particular part (end of 4-2 with Elmyra) is very easy if you use Furrball. I know he can climb walls in every stage.

Edited September 17, 2022 by MegaMan52

[Sumez | 2,963]

Sorry I meant the trick works for every single Elmyra stage

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

Beat Rad Racer.

I had to continue a few times (mostly on track 8), as you can probably tell by looking at my low score. But I didn't use Game Genie or skip any of the tracks. That was my goal: to get through the entire game without using Game Genie or the button code to skip tracks. 

The copy of Rad Racer I have is my original copy that I've had since 1990 or so. I've played the game a lot over the years, so the first few tracks weren't too difficult.

On track 5, I had to continue once because I crashed into one of those slow cars and ran out of time. Slow cars are on track 4 as well but become a bigger issue on track 5.

One of the game's biggest flaws is that if you crash, you have to wait (up to) four or five seconds for the game to put you back on the track. While I like this game more overall, if there's one thing about the sequel that I like more it's that it gets you back on the track quicker and you don't waste as much time.

My thumb got kind of sore once I got to track 6. And this is the track where time becomes an issue and there's little room for error. But I got through track 6 and 7 fairly quickly and only needed to continue once or twice.

When I got to track 8, I ran out of time but actually got to the finish line. I was right there beside the flags but was a few pixels too far away for the game to count it as a win. Of course, I was disappointed. So, I had to continue...several times. My thumb was pretty sore by this point and was the reason why I had to continue on track 8 several times. Because my thumb was sore, I suddenly couldn't get more than halfway through the track. I suppose I could've taken a short break, but I was kind of frustrated...first the game wouldn't count one of my previous runs on this track as a win (even though I was at the goal), and then I wasn't playing the game quite as well. So, I kept going. After almost half an hour, I finally got through track 8 and beat the game. My thumb was starting to turn purple.

if I decide to play through Rad Racer II, I'm probably going to take a few short breaks. I also wouldn't mind playing Out Run again sometime (I have it for Master System).

Edited September 19, 2022 by MegaMan52

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

A Plague Tale: Innocence - Xbox Series X
Score: 9/10

A Plague Tale is hands-down one of my favorite games that I have played this year. Its unique setting, interesting characters, enjoyable gameplay, and beautiful graphics place it heads and shoulders above most AA games. The closest comparison I can come up with is Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, another absolutely stellar game from a smaller studio that checks many of the same boxes.

The game follows Amecia and her younger brother Hugo as they flee the Inquisition in 14th century France. Their escape is set against a virulent plague which is ravaging the land and somehow sending rats into a supernatural frenzy, all of which seems to be related to young Hugo. The setting really helps the game stand out from the crowd and was a big factor in my enjoyment. It also makes for some beautiful environments and impressive set pieces. The characters are amazingly detailed and the shift from a verdant green summer to a hellish, rat-infested nightmare is powerful.

The game could best be described as a stealth adventure with light action elements. Gameplay can be a bit simplistic, but as Amecia learns more recipes and her abilities improve, things open up nicely. The game is at its best when it lets you creatively use the environment and weapons to lure enemies to their grisly death by rodent. There is also a bit of puzzle solving and exploration which are appropriately simple and keep the game moving at a nice pace. My only complaint comes towards the end when the developers opted for a few more action-oriented encounters which just don't work. They add unneeded frustration to the game and actually slow things down due to the relatively strict fail states. I personally enjoyed the limited boss encounters, even with their heavier focus on action, although your mileage may vary.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is a phenomenal experience that I would highly recommend to all players. The story and setting do a lot to lift the total package above the more standard gameplay elements, but I found enjoyment in pretty much every aspect of the game. This is easily one of my favorite games of the last generation and one of the best AA games around.

As for the rest of the backlog, no big changes. Still plugging away at FFX which is enjoyable (outside of Blitzball... ugh) and a few co-op Switch games with my son. Now that Deathloop is out on XSX, I'll probably give that a go after I finish Guardians of the Galaxy.

Edited September 21, 2022 by DoctorEncore

[Reed Rothchild | 9,545]

I'm sold @DoctorEncore.  Next times it's $20 or less on PS5, I'm jumping on it.

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

Finally managed to get back around to playing some stuff that was actually on my list.  Played some Wasteland last week and yesterday and made some actual, meaningful progress for the first time in a long time.  Posted updated details to my list on the first page.

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

9 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I'm sold @DoctorEncore.  Next times it's $20 or less on PS5, I'm jumping on it.

Usually I find indie games to be overhyped and their review scores laughably inflated (I'm looking at you Stray), but I enjoyed almost every second of this one. I think it is a great example of proper project scoping and management. It sticks to what its good at (with the exception of a couple sequences towards the end) and executes almost flawlessly. I don't think everyone will enjoy it as much as I did, but I love it when games punch above their weight and absolutely stick the landing. It really did remind me of Hellblade in so many ways. In a world of endless open world checklists, there is something to be said for a tightly crafted adventure. Amazingly, I'll probably be getting sequels to both of these games within the next 12 months. It's a great time to be a gamer.

[ScaryD | 237]

I have completed quite a few games this year just not the ones on my initial list. I will see if I can get refocused for the last quarter of the year.

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

Beat Rad Racer II.

As with the first Rad Racer, I had to continue (hold A and press Start on the title screen). But I didn't use Game Genie or skip any tracks.

I got through the first four tracks without much issue. But like the first Rad Racer, the difficultly increases a fair bit on track 5 because slow cars become an issue. Also, slow cars seem to be more common in this game. The cars that change lanes are far more annoying in this game, because they change lanes more often and basically react to everything you do. Of course, I had to continue once on this track.

Track 6, similar to the first Rad Racer, is when time becomes an issue. Even if you don't crash or bump into cars much, it seems like the game gives you just barely enough time to reach the checkpoints and goal. Once again, slow cars and cars that frequently change lanes just to get in the way make this track challenging. It seems harder than track 6 in the first Rad Racer, because I had to continue a few times in this game compared to only once or twice on track 6 in the first Rad Racer.

Track 7 is a nightmare and took me almost an hour to get through. I had to continue on this track more than any of the others. Yes, even more than track 8. It kind of reminded me of track 8 in the first Rad Racer in that I actually got near the goal, but I ran out of time. The problem here was that there was a slow car near the goal that I crashed into, and then I lost almost all my speed just as the timer reached 0. And like track 8 in the first Rad Racer, I suddenly couldn't get more than halfway through track 7 in Rad Racer II. But it wasn't because my thumb was too sore. It was because the AI is cheap sometimes and you basically can't crash at all if you hope to reach the second checkpoint. Then, of course, there are the slow cars. But after almost an hour, I finally got through track 7. Just barely.

Track 8 is pretty difficult at the beginning. There's a slow car near the beginning that you'll likely crash into unless you already know it's there. Then there are three or four cars that constantly change lanes. If that's not enough, the game only gives you about 30 seconds to reach the first checkpoint. I had to continue a few times. Oddly, once you reach the first checkpoint, the rest of the track seems to be easier than track 7. Seriously, it didn't take me very long to get through this track (15 minutes at the most). Other than the first part, it is way easier than track 7 and also way easier than track 8 in the first Rad Racer.

I don't like this game as much as the first Rad Racer. The only vehicle you can choose is the Ferrari, the spin crashes are not as cool as the car flying/flipping in the first Rad Racer, the AI is unfair sometimes, and most of the tracks are too similar to the first one. Track 7 and track 8 are the only ones that look completely different. Also, you can't hear your car's engine unless you turn the music off. There are only two music tracks to choose from. There actually is a third music track, but it's unused.

Anyway, I still like the game. It's just not as good as the first Rad Racer.

Edited September 26, 2022 by MegaMan52

[Philosoraptor | 468]

It's been a while since I posted an update about the random games I've been beating. I've mainly been focused on handhelds recently, but I wanted to highlight some interesting ones.

• River City Ransom EX (GBA) - I'm a massive fan of the original RCR on the NES. It's easily one of my top five favorites on the console I revisit it as much as I do SMB 3. My GF bought me a beat-up box to keep my cart warm one fateful birthday many years ago, kickstarting my love for CIBs. Needless to say, it's got a special place in my heart. So, I've been side-eyeing this version on my shelf for years. What if it's bad? What if I hate it? Well, all that worry was for naught. In fact, I'd say it's probably better than the original. How? It's the same amazing game, but just more. More weapons. More street gangs. More one-liners. More techniques. And dare I say it...more fun. Quality of life improvements have also been added, such as not needing to specify "to go" or "eat in" for every order and you get a computer-controlled buddy instead of brawling it out by your lonesome. 
• Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales - This one came as a surprise. I'll be the first to admit I'm not the biggest Square, Enix, or Square Enix fan. I had zero expectations for this game, but lately I've been trying to play games on my shelf when the urge strikes me. For whatever reason, this game stuck out to me a few weeks ago. I was blown away by how fun this game turned out to be. Of the dozens and dozens of mini and micro games, only one stood out to me as having bad touch controls. The diversity of control types and mini game ideas is staggering, and after playing several games that struggled to get the touch controls right in general, it's amazing they did it so well across the board. There's also a genuinely fun card game packed in here, too. The whole thing took me about 15 hours to beat, but I'd be happy to revisit it in the future and try for 100%.
• Might and Magic Clash of Heroes - This one I've been meaning to play for a long time. I've heard it was good, and it lived up to expectations. The story isn't amazing or unique, but it's an interesting mix of match/puzzle game and RPG where you're trying to make matches to queue attacks and bolster defenses. In standard fashion, when your hero's health hits zero, you lose. Battles are fun and reasonably quick (5-15 minutes, typically). The units and heroes you control change throughout the game, but the core gameplay remains the same. There's also enough depth here to keep an adult interested but not so much that it can't be enjoyed by a younger audiences. It takes about 20-25 hours to beat, but it's very easy to pick up and play. 
  

I also beat Sonic Blast, Sonic Labyrinth, and Sonic Triple Trouble on the Game Gear. Of the three, I liked Labyrinth the most. It's a departure from the standard Sonic formula, but it works for me. Compared to other Sonic games, you walk very slowly, however, spin dashing sends you careening around of the isometric, pinball-esque levels. It's also probably the easiest of the Sonic games I've played on the GG and SMS up to now. One other thing to note is that if you're epileptic, this is probably not the game for you. Whenever you a grab power-up, the background flashes until it runs out.

Triple Trouble is a return to the standard 2D Sonic formula, but it's plagued by an extremely irritating water level that has you floating around in bubbles, avoiding spikes, and figuring out the maze in slow-ass underwater-Sonic speed. Otherwise, due to the lack of variety in its stages, it's not terribly noteworthy. However, that might be because I played the Tails route.

What is noteworthy, is how awkward Sonic Blast is. It doesn't feel like a Sonic game. It's slow and plodding. The sprites look like fancy Saturn sprites that have been demade for the GG. The special stages have you running towards the horizon, but at best, they feel like a brisk walk. It also has the worst water level of any of the GG Sonic games; it's a maze of pipes, water currents, and multiple levels of platforms. It's very easy to get lost or just go in circles. The fifth (and last) stage is a maze of teleporters full of enemies that land cheap hits due to how cramped the corridors are. 

Here's how I'd rank the Sonic games I've played on the SMS and GG so far:

1. Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS) (Best)
2. Sonic 2 (SMS)
3. Sonic the Hedgehog (GG)
4. Sonic Chaos (SMS)
5. Sonic Labyrinth
6. Sonic Chaos (GG)
7. Sonic Triple Trouble
8. Sonic 2 (GG)*
9. Sonic Blast (Worst)

It's worth noting that, even though Sonic Blast and Sonic Triple Trouble are next to each other in the rankings, Sonic Blast is significantly worse. I'd say Triple Trouble is at least a 7/10 and Sonic Blast might be a 5/10.

*Edit: After some thought, I think Sonic 2 (GG) is worse than Sonic Triple Trouble. The camera in Sonic 2 makes some stages extremely, extremely frustrating, especially as Green Hill Zone 3. It has you bouncing off of springs and essentially making blind landings in either spikes on other springs. You can't see any of them. It's all memorization. Nothing in Triple Trouble is that frustrating, including the water level.

Edited October 3, 2022 by Philosoraptor

[Sumez | 2,963]

The Last of Us (and The Last of Us Part 2) - Beaten 14/9 (and 30/9)

Like I wrote earlier, I ended up playing both of the Last of Us games back to back, even though only the first was on my backlog. But it feels like the game has such an abrupt and pointless ending that I couldn't possibly judge it without knowing where they were intending to take it in the sequel.
And despite the absurd time sink that turned out to be, I'm glad I did. Because playing the second game you quickly learn that the first one is merely setting up the foundation - but I'm getting ahead of myself.

(*deep breath*)

 

 

Just in case anyone else also haven't played this yet, and needs to know it, TLOU is not a zombie game.
Sure, you do fight zombies, but you spend a surprisingly small amount of the game doing that. Instead, when you're not just moving ladders about or swimming aorund with pallets, you'll spend most of your time violently murdering human beings who were unfortunate enough to get in your way. It's the Nathan Drake syndrome all over again, except this time around the story halfway realises the fact, which only makes it feel even more ridiculous when we're afterwards asked to care about the characters' relationship, or go completely out of your way to save a single person's life, most likely taking down a small army in the process.

Right off the bat, Joel, and the partner he starts out with for the early sections of the game, are seen infiltrating a gang of equally dodgy guys, killing nearly everyone you come across because of some trade agreement that wasn't honored. Later on, you're ambushed by a gang of raiders and need to fight for your survival. This is one rare occasion where the game actually successfully makes it feel like the only way to survive is to take down the people trying to kill you. Subsequently however, you're asked to trek across the city, and just keep coming additional across clones of the same people, who aren't even aware of your presence when you get there. What first seemed like a small gang of no-good scum quickly evolves into a massive militia organization spanning hundreds of people across an entire city, all hellbent on slaughtering you the moment they spot you, because apparently that's somehow how anyone survives in this world?

Of course, the game needs to keep giving you enemies to fight, so this is why that happens, but when it also keeps trying to justify these situations in its storytelling, it just piles up and becomes increasingly more ridiculous and unbelievable.
You might argue that taking down the enemies is my own choice, but the game does little to encourage sneaking around everything - even going the sneaky route typically requires stealth takedowns which are often even more brutal than the other weapons at your disposal. It's not like the Metal Gear games, where you're scored on how many people you left alive, you're absolutely expected to leave a trail of bodies.
Anyone who isn't a murderous villain is already dead when you come across them, and everyone else seemingly has military training. The main motivator for the story is the potential of creating a cure to save the world, but the game gives us little reason to believe there is anyone in this world worth saving, or for that matter that it's the zombies who are a threat to the world's survival. And in a world where only few human survivors are left, there's now several hundreds fewer left once Joel is done with his murderous rampage.

I hate having to do this, but to fully justify those thoughts I need to add a spoiler tag, and I think anyone else who has played the game can understand why.

Spoiler

Because the game does fully realize that Joel is an absolutely awful human being. By the end of the game it becomes clear that his moral codex is completely screwed. It's understandable that he is unwilling to lose Ellie, but in the process he starts just randomly murdering left and right, several people that absolutely didn't need to die in order for him to save her. Including the sympathetic person who sent him on his quest to begin with, who shared his own issues with sacrificing Ellie to create the cure, and who was already in a defenseless position when he decides to also kill her just to be extra mean.

The thing is, the game acts as if the only terrible thing Joel did was choosing the life of Ellie over the potential saving of mankind, a somewhat relatable trolley problem given the time you have already spent with her and gotten to know her. But Joel's approach to that dilemma is so downright psychopathic and unrelatable that it's impossible to find any kind of redeemable qualities in his actions, which completely kills that entire point to me, and honestly makes it very difficult to gauge what the game is trying to say at all.

Although the story is front and center, TLOU is also a video game, and I think compared to the Uncharted series it succeeds much better in this regard. Between encounters you go around looting abandoned homes and businesses, and it helps building up the cliche-ridden setting. The encounters themselves are usually fun if somehow repetitive. It's a little too easy to just rely on the frequent checkpoints to learn the layout of areas and try again until you sneak through flawlessly, but IMO the most fun really comes from owning up to your mistakes and trying to deal with them. The game is designed with player improvision in mind, and that's where it becomes by far the most enjoyable. I played on Hard Mode (which is the highest available option starting out), and I can't imagine the game would be quite as fun playing on anything lower.

However, I think the conflict of TLOU trying to be both a video game and a cinematic story, as well at the gigantic unwieldly production it must have been to create, resulted in a very onfocused voice, unintentionally sitting between two chairs. On one hand you have the completely detestable and unrelatable main character, which is an interesting trope in its own, given the serious and grounded tone of the story - and on the other you have all the little sequences along the way where the characters act all human and sympathetic, and it feels like the game is trying to make you feel something for their relationship. There's an interesting story here, but the game completely fails to tell it, probably because someone on the team had a completely different idea of what it was trying to say.

And that's why I needed to play The Last of Us 2. The first game was so damn bad at explaining what stance it actually took on the actions that occur not just in the end of the game, but all the way throughout it, that I needed to see where it all lead in the sequel.

 

 

And while I don't want to go too deep into the sequel for this writeup (though there's a lot to say about it), the game absolutely handles that better than I could have hoped for. In fact, playing The Last of Us 2, it becomes immediately clear, that the events of the first game were simply just the catalyst for the real story here. The sequel is not only much better as a game - it gives the player much more agency, there's a more dynamic challenge to the encounters with a better balance of actions you can choose from, and generally much more variation, it's also heads and shoulders above in terms of storytelling and world building.
Although the setting itself is still very subdued, the developers managed to squeeze in an insane amount of jawdropping vistas and setpieces that truly makes it a worthy follow-up to the Uncharted series. And some unexpected turns, not in the story itself, but in the way it tells it, makes the game extra memorable, while the pacing also just feels a lot more balanced overall. And for anyone who hasn't played it yet, if you still have the option of going in completely blind, I absolutely recommend that.
That said, the game suffers from a similar syndrome to the first game, where it feels like elements of the story are pulling in opposite directions.

Spoiler

I can't help feeling like it's trying to set up a "twist" where the second act controlling as Abby is trying to tell you that oh no, Ellie's action weren't as nice and justified as you thought, but it's completely crystal-clear right from the get go, that Ellie has turned into a person just as awful as Joel, and her bloodlust-fueled quest for revenge is uncomfortable and unrelatable right from the first step you take into Seattle.
At the end of the game (and I mean the absolutely tail end, hours after you think the game was actually ending for the second time), you think there might be some kind of insightful encounter where both characters learn and evolve as people. But instead you're getting "controversial" quick-time events where you're asked to mash a button in order to brutally murder a character you've just learned to care for - otherwise you'll lose and have to try again.

Eventually, the worst struggles the story suffers are inherited from the first game, where it becomes very hard to relate to Ellie's emotions given what Joel did wasn't just sacrificing the cure to save his surrogate daughter - but mindlessly slaughtering innocent people, making himself the absolute authority on who deserves to live, and who does not. Even before you're introduced to Abby's personal stake in her vendetta, her actions were already somewhat justified, at least in the eyes of the player.

It's honestly too bad that both games fall too short of whatever their goals intended to be, at least in terms of storytelling. Which - let's face it - is the primary focus of both of these games.

I should acknowledge that at least the acting is incredibly commendable, and I think when these games are commonly praised, that is probably one of the primary things that most people resonate with. In the first game, Ellie's voice actor especially goes above and beyond at creating an identifiable character with a strong personality, and when characters interact they actually sound like real people talking, and not like a video game trying to immitate a conversation. This is lifted even further in the second game, where facial animation becomes so full of character that it's impossible not to be impressed.
This of course puts us in a situation where it's hard to not compare those scenes to actual movies or TV series. When the best qualities of the game's noninteractive story scenes becomes simply immitating actual acting, those qualities get married to a big fat "...for a video game" disclaimer. The acting in The Last of Us Parts 1 and 2 is simply amazingly good ...for a video game. But I guess until that becomes the standard for all story driven games, that's still gotta count for something.

 

Ultimately, The Last of Us 2 is just a much better game in every way compared to the first game, which after playing them both feels mostly like Naughty Dog simply testing the waters and seeing if their ideas worked. I think the second game is worth playing, but the length of both of them back to back was exhausting, especially given the poor pacing of the first one - and honestly I'd recommend just watching the most important scenes from it so you have an idea of the story going in. It starts out really engaging with an incredibly impactful intro sequence, only for nothing to happen for the next ten hours, after which all of the game's story is packed into the final five.
It could have easily lost one entire chapter, and at least half of the one that takes place in Pittsburgh - since every single location is "derelict American city", nothing unique would be lost.

Edited October 4, 2022 by Sumez

[Reed Rothchild | 9,545]

Incidentally, my copy of TLoU2 just arrived today...

[Sumez | 2,963]

Hagane - Beaten 1/10

I've praised Hagane in the past, but never taken the time to beat it myself. Shame. Every time I've flirted with it I played a few stages, but didn't find the time to press on - the game feels very difficult when you are just sitting down with it, and its reputation only supports that.
It's too bad really, because once you get to know it, it's honestly not very hard. In fact, I think the biggest issue I have with the game is probably that it's too easy. It's the kind of game where it will rip you apart until you understand the enemies and in some cases the stages. But once you do? It's you who'll be doing the ripping. I played one full playthrough where I kept continuing until I'd used up all available continues very near to the end of the game. On the very next playthrough, the experience I'd built was enough for me to make it to the final boss with the maximum allowed number of lives in stock.

  

Make no mistake though, Hagane is a blast to play!

It's one of surprisingly (and sadly) few of its kind on the SNES, but a fantastic demonstration of the genre. The best comparison I can make is probably Shinobi 3 on the MegaDrive, sporting many similar enemy encounters and varied approaches to stage design, requiring mastery of both combat skills and unique traversal skills.
One thing that immediately sets Hagane apart though, is how there is no contact damage with enemies unless they are actually performing an attack. This massively influences how you approach those enemies, where simply moving forward with conviction is actually enough to dodge most of their attacks, meaning most of them pose very little threat unless they appear alongside other hazards.
This is incredibly satisfying, because it brilliantly rewards a continuously aggressive approach, where you'll often simply opt for tearing your foes apart before they are even able to do anything.

Your ninja's moveset is incredibly flashy when performed correctly, which makes the contrast between falling on your face, or conquering your enemies, a very distinct one. Though the 1CC itself is easily acquired, a one-life clear takes more practice, and with every gradual improvement to your abilities, the better your playthrough will look. The game has a whole set of unique charge attacks that can be employed in sequence with the forward or backflip moves you also have at your disposal with the L/R buttons. So far I have used neither of these in any playthrough, since using them in the wrong play can easily leave you vulnerable, so there really isn't any reason to actually do so. But I can totally see myself integrating them in a playthrough when I've become more familiar with where they can be utilized effectively.
Why? Because it looks cool!

A much more useful move is an odd somersaulting double-jump that launches you ahead horizontally instead of vertically. Most of the game's stages are designed around utilizing this move well, and there's a slight timing aspect to when you can activate it, which makes nailing perfect somersaults extra satisfying on the stages that rely more on them, especially on some of the last few stages.

Hagane is a type of game that feels like it's been designed to mesh perfectly with the aspects of action games that I love the most. The only thing I truly regret is that the "16 bit generation" didn't see a ton more of this style of game. A sufficient Hard Mode would also have done wonders, as it did for Contra 3. There is actually a second loop once you've beaten the game once - but all it does is giving every enemy a lot more health, including the smaller zako who absolutely shouldn't have that. It does make the game harder, but it also completely ruins the quick pace of the game that is one of its strongest qualities in the first place.

Do yourself a favor. Play Hagane today!

Edited October 6, 2022 by Sumez

[Sumez | 2,963]

Ninja Jajamaru: Ginga Daisakusen - Beaten 3/10

Welcome to the beautiful world of inertia-based NES platformers that aren't Super Mario. Just from saying that I'm sure most NES savvy video game enthusiasts know exactly what I'm talking about. Ginga Daisakusen is one of many forgettable but marginally interesting looking platformers on the system, that just don't quite get what makes the controls of Super Mario (and in particular SMB3) so damn satisfying. Ginga Daisakusen feels awkward and somewhat unintuitive, but is just about competent enough to still be a fun game. I feel like it joins the ranks of games like Panic Restaurant or Time Zone, but it's challenging enough to give it just a bit more lasting power.

Ginga Daisakusen translates into "Galactic Operation", and has little in common with any of the other Ninja Kun games. Jajamaru no longer gets his shurikens, or really anything ninja-themed (aside from a giant robot frog which shows up twice and serves no purpose), and is instead tossed into a space adventure where jumping on the heads of enemies is the primary method for disposing of them. 

Initially the controls feel completely fine, but you are only able to jump a few pixels short of what you'd normally assume. To give you more powerful jumps, the game instead relies on holding down the B button which lets Jajamaru-kun run in place until you release the button, allowing for a small burst of speed and the ability to jump much farther and higher. Hold the button even longer, and you'll add a somersault attack to this move, but it's tedious enough to charge up that you really only want to be using it when enemies are blocking your path.
It's a pretty strange way of adding momentum, compared to Super Mario's classic B-button run, but it creates a unique gameplay style that helps set the game apart. The stages change character quite frequently too, and never stay in one place more than a few paces at a time. All the way till the final stage, it's got new locales and challenges up its sleeve, which is probably one of the strongest assets of the game.

Less flattering is the constantly glitchy look of the game. There's a consistent glitch line separating the play area and the status area, caused by poorly timed code, and the tiles that leave the left edge of the screen will fill in quite far into the right edge before getting replaced, making even SMB3's lazy approach to this issue appear competent in comparison - and every time you change scenes you get to stare at several frames of completely garbled garbage graphics before the correct stage tiles show up.

(Look at this screen and tell me which of these platforms you think you're able to stand on. Pretty good chance you'll be wrong)

The gameplay-related glitches are even worse though. Occasionally a forward jump will simply lose its momentum abruptly, and pretty much always right over a pit or lethal trap, causing you to fall to your death. It's usually in the same few places, but after several runs through the game I have not yet been able to figure out what triggers it, so making those jumps usually comes down to praying for a lucky break. Enemies and items will also gladly refuse to spawn if they feel like it, and this also includes floating platforms essential for making progress - another thing that will often result in falling to your death through no fault of your own.

The game is clearly super rushed in general, populated by tons of enemies that roam around in corners where they pose no threat at all, and oddly distributed powerups that are often completely redundant. Some ideas show up and are then never utilized again before they even get to play any role, and there's a really, really confusing difficulty curve to the game, where the biggest challenges are oddly distributed as early as the first couple of stages - with the occasional obstacle often clearly being much harder than what was actually intended.
Meanwhile, end-of-level bosses usually go down in mere seconds, simply by bouncing on their head, a strategy that even works on the final boss.
It is clear that the game had little to no playtesting and all, and was rushed out the door the second they had anything resembling a coherent video game.

It's too bad, because Ninja Jajamaru: Ginga Daisakusen really does seem like a game that could have easily become a noteworthy little hidden gem with just a bit more polish and maybe some more actual content. Instead it's become a barely noticeable footnote in the Famicom-exclusive collector's club.

[Floating Platforms | 720]

Two games to report from this weekend.

Control - Very early on the game won me over with its presentation. I know that this mix of 60s/70s décor and aesthetics placed in a modern world is becoming a bit overdone, but it was still slick at the start. And the first time you see the old director talking with the projection effect as you walk down the hallway is quite something.  Then as time goes on, its evident the game is something of a one-trick pony in that regard (although the fake TV show was interesting). The acting from the lead is extremely stiff with dry delivery.  But, the main story beats were good enough to keep me going (even if the resolution fell very, very, very flat).  The combat and exploration of the world was also a blast for this guy that doesn't play a ton of modern stuff and probably doesn't know if there are other games that might do this style better.  The enemy variety was a worthwhile challenge for most of the game until the skill tree and weapon upgrades made it so I could use the exact same tactic on everybody.  Overall, it was a good time that deserved to have better treatment of the world they were creating because the story feels incredibly unfinished.  Maybe they're saving stuff for a potential sequel. If so, I'd be up for playing that.

 

Great Ace Attorney Chronicles - This was one of the more disappointing Ace Attorney games I've played.  The second half picked up, but all of the increased capabilities a non-DS/3DS console provides is generally wasted.  The first 5 cases felt extremely lazy to me. In most "Ace" games you have a nice cast of quirky characters and you're bouncing from location to location to talk to people and discover clues.  Usually after the tutorial case, you will have the investigation & courtroom & 2nd investigation & 2nd courtroom.  These 5 cases have little to none of that. Very limited locations across the board (even in the 2nd half when it opens to a degree).  Many repeated characters (that I largely did not enjoy, except for the brothers at the end), including in the jury. The jury is a new mechanic - basically this game's gimmick - but it falls flat and it's very strange to see the same people show up multiple times with no real reason for it.  The second half expands the story to a large degree, but the damage was done to my perception. Still no great, interesting characters. A second "tutorial" case because they are considering this as 2 games in 1. More locations, but still fewer overall than what you might find in a DS title.  It was interesting to play a game on a more modern console where they could do more with character animations and add a little bit more flair to the presentation, but I don't think they went far enough with either. I understand these weren't originally built for the PS4 generation, so if Capcom ever decides to make another game in the Ace Attorney series, I hope they can bring more of that charm into the system. This one was good, but not great.

[Lynda Monica | 350]

I think a nice alternate option people should have for this thread is to say a number of games they'd like to complete, rather than list specific titles. Should a person lose interest in a game or system, then they can still work toward a numerical goal. Backlogs grow all year, so being able to select whichever game you want to knock off the backlog would be better. Maybe this could be implemented for next year's thread?

 

 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,545]

Some people were already doing that.

But I like the idea.  I'll think about how to incorporate that.

The important thing is that people are making progress on chopping their list down, and feel good about it.

[Sumez | 2,963]

2 hours ago, Lynda Monica said:

I think a nice alternate option people should have for this thread is to say a number of games they'd like to complete, rather than list specific titles. Should a person lose interest in a game or system, then they can still work toward a numerical goal.

I think that is also a nice goal to have, but I think it also kinda defeats the primary purpose of this practice. I've done "52 Game Challenge" a couple of years, and it's basically exactly what you're requesting. I've only been able to beat it once. Honestly it's kinda stressful.

The thing is, this thread is just a fun challenge, you don't have to beat it, it's about setting the goal and trying to aim for it, much more than it's about actually reaching it. So being enticed to pick out games that you have been postponing for way too long is to me pretty much the most interesting part.

[Foochie776 | 1,052]

As I’m facing the end of yet another game that was on my backlog but not on the list for this year, I realize that next year I need to make an all encompassing list despite what I think I may finish. This year I went light on the list and tried to make it so it could “complete” it but I find myself constantly jumping on other games that are on my back log.

[Foochie776 | 1,052]

Yet again, I took down another game on my backlog that I didn’t list. Next year I am going to make my log much larger and have it more encompassing as I realize I only chose games that were higher priority (or so I’d thought). 
 

Anyways, Donkey Kong Country 3 is done! I played the first one a lot as a kid and have a lot of nostalgia attached. I was very impressed with the game, I’d picked it up and set it down a couple times over the years but never stuck with it. This game was very good. The graphics were fantastic (especially the underwater ones) and they introduced new and fun level mechanics. 
 

Pros: Great graphics, level variety, more animal buddy usage, fair challenge 

Cons: controls were tough to adjust to at first, navigating the overworld got boring quick and the final boss (while fun) was far too easy. 
 

I am now back on playing Link to the Past (which is much tougher than expected) and Kingdom Hearts. I’m at the second dark world palace for LttP and Halloweentown for KH. 

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

On 10/16/2022 at 9:45 PM, Foochie776 said:

As I’m facing the end of yet another game that was on my backlog but not on the list for this year, I realize that next year I need to make an all encompassing list despite what I think I may finish. This year I went light on the list and tried to make it so it could “complete” it but I find myself constantly jumping on other games that are on my back log.

This is similar to my strategy. I have a big running list which I use to craft a focused list. I try to put a bit more effort into those games, but I don't feel beholden to them. Whenever I finish a game, I always peruse the big list too just in case I'd rather do something there. That way I feel guided by my lists, rather than limited by them. It's a subtle difference, but it's appreciable.

[Sumez | 2,963]

A little behind on my writeups due to a small impromptu vacation trip. Not that anyone cares anyway.

Hammerin' Harry (beaten 4/10)

Hammerin' Harry is another NES platformer I've been pushing back for too long. Or, Daiku No Gen-San, given this is the Japanese version of the game - not that there's any differences in gameplay, as far as I am aware.

In a refreshing change-up from the previous game I played, Hammerin' Harry immediately feels a lot more arcade paced and overall solid. Right away on the first stage you'll be swarmed by respawning enemies coming at you from both sides, which all need to be dispatched with a well timed attack. Even though Harry's hammer looks quite oversized, the animation happens so quickly that mis-timing the attack is the most surefire way to get punished. That creates a feel that's very similar to other Irem games like Kung Fu or Vigilante, though you don't pile up groups of guys humpinghugging you like in those games.

Combined with the lack of verticality on this stage, the result is a very nice experience focusing more on direct one-on-one combat with various enemies, rather than relying a lot platforming.
But even from the very next stage, the screen starts scrolling vertically, and you get to climb ladders, jump on elevators, and force various stage hazards, immediately putting Hammerin' Harry more in line with a bunch of more traditional platformers on the NES. I'll admit it adds at a lot more variation than you would otherwise expect, but it also reduces most of the challenges to very basic memorization, rather than just relying on quick reactions.
Most enemy behaviors and spawning routines have just enough randomness that you need to always stay on your toes without ever feeling unfair, but those swinging wrecking balls, descending platforms, or toggling waterfalls, they always behave exactly the same.

Speaking of arcade gameplay, I actually though this would be a port of the arcade game of the same name. That game relies on large sprites and very colorful graphics and physics simulations, so of course it goes without saying that the NES wouldn't be able to catch up. But rather than just being a heavily reduced version of the same game, the stages are all brand new, sharing only few individual setpieces or enemy types between them - with plenty of new ideas or boss fights being completely new to the NES game.
The game doesn't do anything to add to the runtime though, and is probably an even shorter game. Once I figured out how to tackle each stage, I think it took me less than 15 minutes to run through it with no deaths. I don't think it needs to be that much longer, and it's really good at remedying the short length with tons of fun ideas, never really staying in one place for more than a few paces. But for a game of this type, a runtime of 20-30 minutes would feel more fitting, especially if it would have been able to up the challenge a bit, making the pace feel a bit more hectic overall, like the better parts already do.

There is at least a second loop that actually feels decently designed most of the time. Some enemies take additional hits, but only the ones where it makes sense, while most of them become a lot more aggressive and plentiful, and hazards tend to move a lot faster too. Boss fights even get additional behaviors or hazards, which really makes it feel like the game was probably designed around the second loop initially, with the first one added later as a gentler way to ease players into the game.
That said, the second loop still isn't too difficult, though it does require learning how to deal with a bunch more things, and in certain locations dying and losing your hammer upgrade can be pretty detrimental. There are also a couple of challenges that I feel like I had to pretty much cheese in order to have any chance at all.

The qualities the game has are further elevated by the cute graphics and comical tone that comes through quite well for an NES game. Harry is an over-the-top and expressive working man whose gimmick of hitting everything with a hammer feels very solidly integrated into the gameplay. Hitting the ground will stun nearby enemies and cause the entire screen to shake, and any enemies you kill are sent flying by your oversized hammer, which can become even more oversized with the right powerup. It's delightful, definitely worth visiting for anyone into basic NES platformers.