March 2021
If I die here, it means I’m not the hero. The hero is supposed to survive to the end. So… I guess that makes me the villain. The villain is always supposed to take the hero’s side right before dying. - Metal Gear Acid
(All the quotes I wanted to use this month were so long. Guess you will just have to play them to find out! Most notably from Metal Gear: Peace Walker)
Another month I am far too late on catching up on, but here I am. Luckily March was a shorter month of games, though I spent plenty of hours on them (particularly with my beloved MGS games). Hopefully once I start and finish to move I will get some much needed comfort and freedom to be up to date on these. Anyways, let’s get to it as I have another couple of months to catch up on.
(Fighting/Visual Novel)
This sequel to Calamity Trigger not only serves as a continuation of the story, but improves upon the original as well. Haven’t played Calamity Trigger? Good news as this game includes the original campaign with a more straightforward single path to play through. Calamity Trigger storyline also has been updated visually with animated scenes from Production I.G.
The new campaign still has similar branching paths as the original did, but improved on this as well. The complex paths of the original game were a problem, so much so that this game even has a scene where a character makes fun of it. So, instead, they made it so there are only three different endings (Gag, Bad/Normal, and True endings) for each character and no longer have to criss cross wins and loses along your path. Each ending also felt much more enjoyable and if you perchance get a bad ending, it is always followed up by a humorous bit where Professor Kokonoe assists the character to know where they went wrong in a 4th wall breaking skit.
Fighting mechanics are still pretty close to the original with some slight tweaks and some new twists. Every character is back with a few additions.
Lewd? Other than a few suggestive lines, nope!
Recommend? Absolutely, with the inclusion of the original game’s campaign even players new to the series can start here.
Genre (Puzzle/Lewd)
Back at it again, but this time you gotta stop the apocalypse by going on double dates. This “Match-3” game takes the original puzzle dating game and adds a twist where you can switch between people during the date to focus the puzzle pieces towards their criteria. This new addition means a few new challenges including stamina (lowers each time a move is made on that person) and baggage which randomly selects one of few issues that date has to create an extra challenge during that date instance.
The game still does well with these new additions to gameplay and the background music helps create your environment as 2D as it is. The dialogue however… is a bit everywhere. You will range from humorous bits, genuine conversation to some “Why would you say that?” or “Please… stop talking” moments.
Lewd? Very much so.
Recommend? Only to those who meet the age requirements, but yes, a genuine puzzle game.
Genre (Shoot ‘Em Up)
A free game that designed to raise awareness on how pollution and waste can cause issues in the environment. You play a tadpole that must face hand drawn creatures corrupted by pollution and cleanse them back into their cute forms. This game is both challenging as it is cute as you must go down the river to defeat 3 areas and bosses. Your tadpole can get up to 4 health with each health upgrading your tadpole into a borderline frog while giving it better cleansing bubbles. Even if you manage to beat the game once, there is a harder mode in wait and a few achievements that suggest even further challenges.
Lewd? Not here.
Recommend? Yes. A cute challenging game that does well both in it’s gameplay and the ideals it represents.
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Metal Gear Ac!d- PSP
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Metal Gear Ac!d 2- PSP
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Metal Gear Acid
(Genre: Tactics/Deck Builder)
Tactical Espionage Action turned Card game Tactics. A surprisingly fit for a new twist on the well-established series. Visually the game is very similar to MGS1 and 2 with darker shades along with a twisted and convoluted (maybe over convoluted) story that I love so much about the series. Speaking of visuals, the art for each character is so good. It maintains the dark themes the surroundings and story provide. The gameplay, however, seems to dip away from the fluid nature of the previous MGS games. Though you do get to deck build and customize to your preference and the mission, there really is little to no pacifist or non-lethal routes to go. As well, the limitations to your movement can be annoying as once you choose to crouch/prone, you are committed to that action and will use up your few movement actions during the turn. This is especially painful when you believe you are able to crawl under a vehicle but turns out to be untrue, so movement and card wasted.
Another grievance I have for this game is there were so few bosses. This for me was always a highlight of the series of unique and twisted bosses Snake encounters, but there are only 3 total, some of which you fight multiple times with no change.
Still, I quite enjoyed this game and the story along with it, but long for improvements in the sequel.
Lewd? Nope.
Recommend? As a fan of Kingdom Hearts, I always appreciate games that switch up gameplay between side entries and this is no exception. For those who love Metal Gear and particularly deck building tactic games, this is very much recommended.
Metal Gear Acid 2
(Genre: Tactics/Deck Builder)
Despite being a sequel to Acid 1, this game actually switches things up quite a bit. The visuals are much brighter and more colorful (which is rather unlike MGS), but it does give you more actions and choices between lethal, non-lethal, etc (which is much closer to MGS). Crouching no longer takes up an action and thus you can toggle at your leisure. The story is a bit more straight forward but still carries the essence of MGS. Most importantly, WE GOT BOSSES, BABY! So much so that they actually advertise and stress it quite a bit in the opening cinematic. This game improves quite a bit on the original Acid 1 overall and truly succeeds it.
Lewd? Aside from some jiggle physics… nope.
Recommend? If you enjoyed the first Acid or enjoy Deck Building and Tactic genres, Very much so.
Metal Gear Portable Ops
Genre: (Third Person Shooter/Action-Adventure)
After MGS4 and the general conclusion of the series, Konami needed to figure out how to evolve and create more entries for the series. This game is more of a step in that direction than an actual entry. We return to the days of Naked Snake (Big Boss) post MGS3. This game continued CQC actions along with the ability to forcibly recruit enemy soldiers (which we see later in MGSV). However, the recruiting system is a pain as you need to drag them all the way back to your starting truck. This is made a little simpler by bringing recruits with you, moving them to a location they can hide in a box, and have them drag the person back. Still, this is a lot of leg work for potentially useless individuals. The levels you can play are quite repeated and generally small, lacking visually. The cinematics are the more appealing visuals as they are a comic book format with similar drawing style that you see on most early MGS games. Though the story (for all intensive purposes) as been generally retconned, I still believe it has a place in the MG lore as we do see some familiar faces and even give them backstory on how they joined up with the Boss. More enjoyably enough, the boss fights have the feel of a MGS boss fight with superhuman like qualities and needing to outwit your opponents with brains and reflex.
Lewd? Nope
Recommend? Despite my enjoyment of the game, it is still lacking (even for the PSP) visually, gameplay and control-wise. Only true hardcore fans of the series would this be a must play.
Metal Gear Peace Walker
(Third Person Shooter/Action-Adventure)
If Portable Ops was a step toward the next big entry, this was a leap. This game, despite being on the same console as MG:PO, was visually stunning, controlled far better, and included quality of life improvements that were much needed. Visually, oh my god, there is so much more depth and detail in this game that I honestly did not think possible thanks to Portable Ops. A wide color range that is fitting for the various eco systems of South America (this game’s locale) and creates a believable and realistic environment. Cinematics retained the comic book style that Portable Ops introduces, but with a little more animations and the ability to interact during certain scenes.
The story still follows Naked Snake post MGS3 and not long before MGS5. The story telling and grittiness feel much closer to the style of MGS3 and contains a lot of themes in regards to ideals and purpose. With some convolution and crazy tech, we can confirm this is a solid and very true story to the series. A variety of characters are introduced that Snake can talk with between cinematics and audio logs that help build both characters, thus enriching the story as you go. These audio logs also serve as a bit information in general for history, geography, zoology, plants, weapons, etc.
Gameplay is so very good. If you have played MGS5, you are pretty much playing MGS5. If not, the motion is fluid, direction easy to control, and more importantly items and weapons easily swappable. By the way, you remember the horrible recruiting system in Portable Ops? We now have the Fulton System! Just attach a fulton balloon to your target and awayyyy they go. The level design works as you are no longer attached to a single area for the mission, but areas linked together with loading transitions. This allows the same general areas to have a bit more variety and thus reusable for the many missions this game provides. By the way, bosses are strictly vehicle/mecha based. This does make sense for a series that calls itself Metal Gear, which they use as a name for a bipedal walking tank that can eject nuclear missiles. This does create a good change of pace, but I can’t help but miss the humanoid bosses with unique abilities. Also, there are loads of secrets, references, and even a crossover with Monster Hunter which is always much appreciated.
Lewd? You can go on a couple of dates, but nothing visually happens.
Recommend? Very much so. This game really does everything right for a handheld version of MGS and if you liked MGS5, this is just that but with no open world.
I’m glad you enjoyed Continuum Shift as much as I did. I’m currently playing through Continuum Shift II on the 3DS (which is just a port of CS) to have a portable BlazBlue experience. I hope you also enjoy the next game, Chronophantasma, which is IMO even better.
Absolutely! The fighting mechanics are solid and fluid. The story is very present throughout. Every scene meant to be a gag always made me laugh. Simply impressive that it managed to improve every aspect of the Calamity Trigger without introducing any real negative impacts.
I could not imagine a fighting game on the 3DS, but maybe on the PS Vita. How are you enjoying it?
I’m very excited to get into Chronophantasma, especially since it sounds like the series only gets better with each entry. So, thanks for the assurance!
I didn’t even know there was so many metal gears games, guess its like resident evil where you got the main couple then just a random bunch that everyone wants but is never added to the big consoles
Indeed. I often compare it to Kingdom Hearts as both of them have convoluted story lines, games tend to shift between time periods for the series, and they have spin off games on handhelds that utilize new mechanics and carry over the story.
Luckily, only Peace Walker is the only case that really connects and adds lore to the main series in case you and many others did not get a chance to find these forgotten gems or have the consoles.
Sadly with the closure of the PSP store (and inevitably the Vita store) many of these will be lost. Hopefully, they can bring it back from the dead and port it to console and PC! I do know that Peace Walker was included in the MG HD Collection for PS3 and XBOX 360, but I think that is as far as it has made it.