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02-22-2023, 03:48 PM | #31 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2016 - Stardew Valley
2016
So many, and I mean so many good games were released this year, so it was certainly difficult (again) to pick a favorite from the list. So I simplified it by only talking about the games I've actually played, and again, I'll throw in an exception now and again. When I look through the list of games that were released this year, I keep finding myself saying "oh that's a good one, oh that's a good one", but it all boils down to my personal experience with the game, and I don't think a lot of them come close to what Stardew Valley did. And even more-so considering this game was developed by one singular person. That alone deserves praise. Stardew Valley is a farm sim mixed with a sort of RPG of sorts, though the focus is certainly on the farming aspect, and positivitely so. I love farm sims, and when they're done right, they can be a lot of fun. Stardew Valley does everything it needs to do so well that it's honestly difficult to even critique it. The graphics are cute, the music is fun, and the gameplay is certainly addicting, but like I said, the game really starts to shine once you get your farm up and running and you're making the big bucks. You can start relationships with the townfolk as well as doing your own exploration in and out of caves, which give their own respective rewards. The game is also rewarding every second you play it because it is just a relaxing good time that certainly reminds me of the Animal Crossing games. Nothing is ever stressed, but you basically have a goal in mind, and are looking to achieve that goal or goals in any way possible. I also just enjoy the game for how it looks simple to being with, but there is so much hidden depth to this game, that it only can reward you the longer you play. And lemme tell ya, the game really does open up more and more as you progress, so I urge you to get through the initial few hours of the game and you'll see what I mean. I'm also not saying anything that isn't universally known. Everybody who plays games knows how good or has experienced themselves how good Stardew Valley is. If you're a fan of Animal Crossing and the like, this one is right up your alley. And mine, evidently. |
02-22-2023, 03:52 PM | #32 (permalink) | |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2017
This is again one of those cases where I feel like my original review of this game is going to tell you everything you need to know about my experience, so I'm going to drop that review here: Quote:
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02-23-2023, 02:40 PM | #33 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2018 - Marvel's Spider-Man
2018
We're getting closer and closer to the conclusion of this section of my journal, and I must say, I'm quite happy with the list of games I've chosen to talk about for the past few months. A lot of these games I honestly think I'll go back and play as it has been quite some time since I've played a lot of them. And as we are getting to current time, it got even harder to choose games to talk about, because there were a few years in recent memory where I played a lot of games that I really enjoyed. But, we can't possibly talk about all of them, or I guess we could. I'm choosing not to. However, today I'm talking about Marvel's Spider-Man because it's one of those games that I probably spent more time on than any other game in recent memory. It falls into that category with a few others but definitely one that I put a **** ton of time into. Marvel's Spider-Man in my opinion is exactly what it needed to be, a much more refined and intense version of the Gamecube Spider-Man that we have all come to love throughout the years. One of the most important aspects of a game like this is the gameplay, specifically how it feels to swing around with your webs. And up until this point, I'd say the gamecube version was the superior version, however this one just completely blows that one out of the water, and in my opinion, Marvel's Spider-Man is THE version to play if you want to experience Spider-Man in its truest form. Mix that all together with a great yet familiar combat system akin to the likes of Shadow of War and Batman Arkham, and a great story to bring it all together. I played through this game seemingly flawlessly, but that's because the game allowed you to do so with its free feeling mechanics. Along with Shadow of War and very few other games, Marvel's Spider-Man falls into the 100% completion category given that I completed everything I could when I played through it. I simply could not do anything but. The game was and is still so good that I only recommend doing everything you possible can. And yes, this is one of those kinds of games where it just throws collectibles at you left and right, but with how the game manages to allow you to freely swing and fly wherever you want, the collectathon aspect really doesn't feel stale. Especially given the fact that the game is based in a virtual version of New York City, which...even back in the gamecube days was an impressive feat. I think it will be a while before I decide to take the plunge into this game since I have completed it fully. So there really isn't a lot of reason to go back and play other than for nostalgia sake. But it remains one of my favorite experiences in gaming. |
02-23-2023, 03:09 PM | #34 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2019 - Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
2019
I'm honestly excited to get to this year because I get to talk about Jedi Fallen Order. This is one of those cases where I not only followed the development of this game from when it was first teased, but I also preordered it, and played through it twice. Once when it initially released, and another time when I learned of the sequel. When I learned that there was going to be a Star Wars game that has an influence of Dark Souls-like mechanics, I was excited. Especially since around this time, my experience with Souls games in general was rather lack luster. I didn't get into them as much as other people because the difficulty curve was just a bit too high for my taste. Then comes Jedi Fallen Order, and suddenly I'm finding myself wanting to go back and play the Souls game, with the most recent one being Elden Ring, of course. Jedi Fallen Order is a pretty great game, with some mechanics that have definitely been used in games before. So, while the game definitely feels like its own things, overall it does feel familiar. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, hell it probably makes it even more accessible given that anyone could pick it up and have a good time. It's not the perfect Star Wars game, nowhere near it, but for it to be a Star Wars game that is completely absent of microtransactions and more focus went into making the game actually good, it's got me very excited for the next one in the series. And you know damn well I will try to get a special edition of that. Just based on some of the trailers already, I'm really looking forward to playing the sequel. If I didn't mention it already, the both times I played this game, I enjoyed immensely. But the second playthrough was probably a bit more fun as I had the basic jist of the game down, now I just had to put it into practice. And the combat just feels so good and makes you really feel like a powerful jedi. Much like the Force Unleashed games did. For anyone that didn't feel like jumping into this game, it's the perfect time to do so now given that the sequel is quickly approaching. |
02-23-2023, 03:19 PM | #35 (permalink) | |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2020 - Ghost of Tsushima
2020
This is a bit of an odd one because despite having played through this game and absolutely enjoying every minute of it, I'm finding it difficult to really remember too many details about it. So, I'm taking a post from a previous journal that sums it up nicely. I want this game to be featured here despite not really being able to talk about it in depth too much now because either I just simply don't remember anything about it that I want to, or I was just so engrossed into the game that I was only focusing on the now, and not really worrying about remembering much of it. I do remember enjoying it so much that I nearly 100% it, but it will always be a game on my PS4 that I just didn't quite finish. One day I'll get back to it, but anyway, here are my thoughts on Ghost of Tsushima: Quote:
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02-23-2023, 03:45 PM | #36 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2021 - Outriders
2021
I'm gonna be honest, this is another one of those years where I'm not 100% sold on the one I want to talk about, however it is the one that I certianly put the most time into when compared to the other games released this year. And on top of that, there were a lot of great games released in 2021, and the surrounding years both prior and ahead of it. And I'm serious, 2021 was a really good year in gaming. We had games like Monster Hunter Rise, Returnal, Loop Hero, Back 4 Blood. So many, but I definitely spent more time playing Outriders over any of those, and I honestly enjoyed my time with until the gameplay progression started to feel a bit stale as the game went on. Doesn't mean it's a bad game or anything. Hell, I was honestly more surprised by how good it actually was because I hadn't really heard of the game until it was released, and my brother told me to play it. I don't think I ever finished it, but it could certainly be one of those games that I go back to. I just have to be in the right mood. Outriders follows the same kind of gameplay loop that games like Warframe or other third person mission based shooters, and there's not a lot of difference between this and those games, however I would still say that Outriders manages to stay in a league of its own despite it having a lot of similarities to other games. The customizations and the type of weapons you can get are neat and fun to mess around with, but unfortunately, I feel like the mission style gameplay sort of stales the experience a little bit. I remember games like Mercenaries where this type of gameplay was still going strong, however at that time, it still felt sort of new. Outriders still does what it needs to do well, but it unfortunately becomes more of a chore as you progress. Some people like that, some people don't. I don't mind either way, especially since the time I put into the game is time that I enjoyed immensely, so no hard feelings there. I don't have a lot to say about Outriders because you sort of get what you see. You play as a character in third person with an arsenal of weapons, and you take on waves of enemies in different environments. The gameplay is fun, certainly. And the game does do a good job at making you want to progress, but there just isn't enough to where the progression feels warranted or great. If anything, if I were to rate this game, it'd be anywhere between good and great. It's nothing crazy or new, but it definitely is worth your time if you're looking for something to put time into. |
02-23-2023, 03:48 PM | #37 (permalink) | |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2022 - Elden Ring
2022
I did a review on Elden Ring somewhat recently in my previous journal, so I want to post that here as it's the best representation of how I feel about it. Elden Ring is my game of the year for 2022, so I would hate to try to put that into words again when I just recently did that exact thing. So here is that review: Quote:
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02-23-2023, 04:13 PM | #38 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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2023 - Hogwarts Legacy
2023
I know what I said, and I know that it doesn't make much sense to talk about a game in 2023, since we're still in the 2nd month of the year, but I honestly believe that I have already played the game that will undoubtedly be my game of the year for this year. That, or it's going to be really difficult for a game to surpass it, and that's why I'm choosing to talk about it now. I will most likely talk about this game towards the end of the year, but due to me wanting to get this project done, I've decided to add 2023 to this list, main reason being that I really just want to talk about this game. And please keep in mind that I am not going to go into any of the controversies that are revolving around this games release etc. I have my own opinions on that that I don't think fit well in this format, so I'm strictly sticking to my experience of the game and how I am doing with it, a few weeks after its release. So here we go, here are my thoughts on Hogwarts Legacy. What can I say, Hogwarts Legacy hit all the right notes with me. An open world game based on the world of Hogwarts, and mix that with the gameplay loop of Shadow of War and a fantastic combat system that feels all its own, Hogwarts Legacy is truly going to be one of those games that we look back on years down the road, and remember how good it was and still currently is. And I know this type of gameplay style is not for everybody, but for someone like me that enjoys having a lot to do ala Assassins Creed etc, the minute I looked at the map and saw everything before me, I was ready to go. This game was also a bit of a surprise for me, because the minute I saw that you can get it early through a pre-order, I took the plunge. I knew very little about this game, given that I had only watched maybe 1 or 2 trailers, so there wasn't a whole lot to expect. And boy, when I jumped in for the first time, I must have spent anywhere between 3 and 4 hours just taking it all in, and that was just the beginning. Once you progress enough, the game really starts to open up as you acquire more essentials to make your experience that much more enjoyable. I'm trying to be somewhat vague as I know a lot of people have yet to spend some time with this game, so I am sensitive to spoilers. Plus, I would feel bad if I spoiled any of this experience for anyone else as it is such an experience that it's worth going through yourself. At the moment, I've clocked around 22 hours of gameplay time, and I have only finished about 41% of what the game has to offer as a whole. I'm incher closer to finishing the main quest, but as its pretty normal with me and these kinds of games, I will take my time. I'll jump in for an hour, do a few things, stop, go back, and do more. Sometimes I'll spend more time if I'm really wanting to do something. But that to me is an enormous strength where I game can continue to pull you in even after spending many hours playing it. It doesn't make you feel like there's too much as you can progress at whatever speed you like. Everything does have a purpose, and given that I have done close to half the game at this point, I would highly recommend doing everything you can. It'll unlock customizations and sometimes spells that you'll need to take on other challenges. Nothing ever really feels forced, and you're basically free to tackle things the way you want. I know what you're thinking, it should be pretty obvious that an open world game based in the Hogwarts world is no doubt going to be amazing, but you just have to have the right people behind it. And boy, the developers being this game did everything exactly right. You can tell with each time you make progress that every detail was well thought out and executed in such a way that makes you remember situations in the game. And I also know that people don't generally do well with fetch quests etc. I can say again that with as much time as I've had in the game, nothing has ever felt recycled or reused, though the types of quests are somewhat similar. Not so much that they feel the exact same though. But I digress, I really think the love and care shown throughout this game is certainly a gift from the developers. Sometimes, you'll get a dev team that couldn't care less about what they're making, and the experience is sub par at best. I would say Hogwarts Legacy is one of the best experiences in gaming I've ever had. It brings me back to the days when I was grinding through Shadow of War attempting to 100%, which eventually I did. I'm thinking Hogwarts Legacy will get the same treatment from me in the sense that eventually, that number will show 100%, and I'm honestly excited about that. The other thing that I have always appreciated about these games is yes, the game never really forces you to do anything, so your sense of progression is solely based on you as the player. You're free to go where you want, do what you want, and fight what you want. And despite the obvious quest lines etc, you really don't have to do everything in a set amount of time. You can pretty much take as much time as you want. My younger brother has right around the same amount of hours as I do, and he's finished the main quest, and now he's going back and doing the exploration. I usually hold off on main quest and do the collectibles first. Ether way, you'll find satisfaction out of the experience. I guarantee it. The only thing I will say about the controversy surrounding it is this: Sometimes, you have to separate the artist from the art. And in this case, it's J.K Rowling against the developers, and I would honestly just forget about J.K Rowling, and support the developers. They created a truly magical experience, pun intended. And I would honestly say that you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you decide to not play this solely based on that. Again, everyone is different and you're free to do as you choose. But I highly recommend checking this out. As I said, we're only near the end of February, and I honestly think Hogwarts Legacy will be my game of the year this year. |
02-23-2023, 04:34 PM | #39 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
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Video Game Music Extravaganza
Video Game Music Extravaganza I've done sections like this before in previous gaming journals where I talk about video game music. Since it has been a few years since the last time I did it, and we've had a lot of great games with great music being released in that time, I feel like it's the right time to jump into this particular topic since again, there's been a lot of great stuff coming out in recent years. I will do my best to not repeat myself from the times I did this before, but I can't make any promises. I looked back and realized I have done this twice, once in my very first gaming journal years ago, and again in my previous journal when I focused on music in open world games. This time it's just going to be general discussion and talking about music in any video games that I believe I have not discussed yet. |
02-23-2023, 04:34 PM | #40 (permalink) |
ask me about cosmology
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Milky Way Galaxy
Posts: 8,991
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nice journal key! I only played the super mario world game on the list, heard of donkey kong though
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