Tackling the Humble Backlog

I still couldn’t be bothered to play my long-term unplayed games in my unplayed section. I also didn’t want to keep playing only my filler games forever. I also didn’t want to buy new games since I still had unplayed games in my backlog. So, I had to get creative. I took the chance to look into my unused humble keys as to what is short and I could play. And since I didn’t manage to find much, I got more creative and went back to trading a bit. Rearranged my wishlist and follow games list in the process, to get actually stuff I’m interested in. And while there may be some trades where I “overpaid”, I think I can be content with what I’ve got. I managed to trade for Forgive me Father, Flynn: Son of Crimson, Deep Sleep: Labyrinth of the Forsaken, Terra Nil as well as La Pucelle: Ragnarok. Overall a good list, even if nearly everything has been bundled before (well I traded bundle keys too, so that seems fair).

Since this (together with a Humble Key I actually activated, a recent SG wins and an additional game I bought on Steam despite my intentions) bloated my unplayed section , I also had to do some actual playing ^^

• Mutant Mudds Deluxe
  

  6 hours playtime

  10 of 10 achievements

• Monster Bash HD
  

  56 hours playtime

  60 of 60 achievements

• Flynn: Son of Crimson
  

  10 hours playtime

  22 of 22 achievements

• Forgive Me Father
  

  14 hours playtime

  20 of 20 achievements

Mutant Mudds Deluxe: This was an old humble key which I activated myself instead of trading it away since I played a lot of platformers and this one seemed okay and short. And both is actually true. Mutant Mudds is probably best known from the Nintendo 3DS which uses the games main gimmick better. In each level you have three layers: Back, Middle, Front which you can switch at certain points. Since these points are very limited, it is just a visual gimmick and doors would have had the absolute same effect. The game centers around Max (and his Grandma) which use a water gun and a water-powered jetpack to fight muddy alien invaders. And that’s it for the story. There are in total 40 levels plus 40 ghost levels and bonus levels in each normal level. You can buy three upgrades during the game (longer jetpacking, longer weapon reach and …. forgot the third one) which you need to reach the bonus levels. And since you don’t know before hand which power-up is needed, you need to replay levels again.
That said, the levels are rather short. They have collectibles but they are also quite easy to gain. And the bonus levels while slightly more difficult are also not much of an issue. Overall, the game is rather easy and also - luckily - on the short side as expected. Therefore, achievement-wise, everything can be also earned quite easily. If you look for some casual platforming, then the game is a good choice. However, it is probably best played on the 3DS(?). Also, don’t mistake it with its sequel (also on Steam) which is apparently a lot more difficult.

Monster Bash HD: I bought this game for two reasons. Nostalgia and because I like the developer Emberhearts of whom I played Crystal Caves HD (another nostalgia remake) as well as Wirzodum (an original and fantastic Boomer Shooter). The game is about Johnny in search for his kidnapped pet dog, traversing nightmarish levels in the process, fighting zombies, ghouls, witches and eyeballs with his sling. You know, stories 30 ago didn’t need to be great. For platformers it is still the same today. Unfortunately, I didn’t have as much fun with the game as I had with Crystal Caves HD. Reason for this is the very rough start to the game (and my idiotic stubborness playing on the highest difficulty and then replaying on the even higher difficulty because of score -_-). Everything in this game tries to kill you. And lots of things hurt you. And sometimes you only find out while running through it. So, first you have to get accustomed to what can damage you and how it interacts. Especially, since the close zoom can create unfair situations with some enemies exploiting this effectively (looking at you flying witches!).
Since the game is already hard enough, it also means that completing it, is equally difficult and grindy. You have to find all bonus items per level (with some hidden extremely well), speedrun each level, complete one episode on the highest difficulty (you can play level-wise, not in one run luckily) and even do some level-specific challenge. And with some levels being very large and complex, this all can take some time. It is a great and faithful remake (with two new secret levels) and a good game. But with score and achievement hunting and the large levels, it overstayed its welcome. There is also an achievement for making and publishing a map. And since I dont want to just spam something for the sake of it, this have been another few hours creating something I am content with.

Flynn: Son of Crimson: Apparently bundled before as well, Flynn tells the story of the red-haired youth using the power of crimson to save his island. The game itself is an action platformer with an overworld map which makes backtracking easier. You fight different enemies (although the same tactic can applied to most of them) and you can after the first quarter buy some upgrades to get stronger. There are diverse areas (forest, desert, snow mountains, underwater), different mechanics and three different weapons you acquire over the course of the game. Buying upgrades felt good since they made a difference, even when it is just combat related. The game is also rather short and easy. Since I am stubborn, I played again on hard difficulty. But even then, it is for the most part quite easy. All achievements can be gained within one run of the game as you can collect missed stuff in earlier levels after beating it. While there are “grindy” achievements like getting all upgrades and finding all relics, the game is still quite easy and short. There is one missable achievement which is however in the first two minutes of a new game.
So, if you seek something different for a while, the game can fill a weekend without dragging to long. If you play on normal, it should also not pose a challenge at all. This one was a good trade.

Forgive me Father: After being impressed so much with Wizordum last year, I looked at other boomer shooters which seemed interesting. Two which fit that bill were Cultic (still looking at potential trades if I can get it with the DLC) and Forgive me Father. Since this one was bundled before, I could get it rather cheap. As said, the game is a boomer shooter where you play as a priest (or journalist) on the search for his cousin (I think). The story is a bit confusing. But this is by “design” as the game plays within the Cthulhu mythos which is known for blending reality and insanity, so certain story parts are open for interpretation.
The game does a lot of stuff well. The aesthetics are certainly the strongest point of the game. There is also a rpg mechanic where you level up and can buy upgrades for the abilities you get over the course of the game as well as the weapons you collect). While the upgrades for the abilities are kinda boring (longer activation time, super useful however), the weapon upgrades are very interesting, sometimes changing how a weapon works completely. I liked that part very well. Level-design is kind of ….. meh. The levels all look great but have strange layouts which certainly are not like something would really be constructed (can probably be argued away with insanity ….) and you jump through so many different themes that it might be difficult to get something coherent. But again, aesthetics save a lot here. And weapons are fun. Enemy-design is a mixed bag. A lot of standard stuff. But later levels have many enemies which move to fast and shoot to fast for my liking. As someone with a careful approach this feels annoying. So, the first two episodes are great, the third episode drags on for to long and episode four and five are kinda littered with annoying enemies. Still a good game overall. If you also don’t play on Extreme, you will probably have a better time than me. However, even on the highest difficulty, the game was not that difficult since your abilities are really powerful if upgraded (especially the god-mode). With one notable exception: the bosses. Specifically the bosses of Episode 3 and 5 (Episode 1 was difficult but doable, Episode 2&4 I somehow managed on first try). The boss in Episode 3 is a multi-stage boss with the first phase being the most difficulty as well as an ever-changing landscape and some transition periods which are not explained however. So, the first time I simply died because I did not know where I have to run and the island I was standing on disappeared. And the boss in episode 5 was so annyoing that I had to reduce the difficulty from Extreme to the one below. There is just so much going on. You have to avoid his shoulder canon and look up to shoot at him and see which attack he does. However, there is a moving something on the ground which can block and hurt you (and while the game is mostly easy, everything hurts like hell). Also, his red circle attacks can only be seen while looking down. And he has the bullet hell phase to. So, there are three eye levels you have to check which means you have to constantly juggle where to look at how to move.
Well, anyway did get it done. Achievement-wise the game is on the tamer side actually. You dont need to play on hard difficulties actually (Forgive me Father 2 has this changed apparently), there are some level-specific achievements which are kinda easy however and in worst case can played from main menu. There is an arena mode, you need to get to wave 20. But you can do it on easy again. Only thing a bit cumbersome is that there are ability-related achievements and playing through the game with both characters. However, the game has a New Game+ mechanic which allows to start with 40 skill points, full ability and full weaponery. You can even activate near god mode (which I couldnt bring myself to activate ^^’). So, I did a speedrun on easy just rushing through most levels. Surprisingly, there are very few stops which means I completed most levels in 2-4 minutes or less. Only some later levels gave some trouble and you could just play through in god mode. Playing a second round also gives chance to get previously missed level-specific achievements.
Overall, another short game which is not “too” difficult and can keep you week(end).

And now back to deciding what to play next. However, this time it is not that difficult. I will start with one of my other trades, Deep Sleep: Labyrinth of the Forsaken, next. Looking forward to that one since I really like the fourth Don’t Escape game from Scriptwelder. At the same time (aside of my filler games), I will probably hunt more achievements in my recent SG win Look Outside which is another fantastic game (but very unsettling at times) with a great atmosphere and story. Afterwards, I will look at Terra Nil, yet another one of my trades and probably return to Persona 4: Golden. The closer I get to this being done, the higher the chance I will start La Pucelle: Ragnarok which is another Nostalgia game that I played on PS2 (a fun game with lots of mechanics and a giant part you can easily completely miss). So, lots of gaming to do! Backlog has to shrink further (also the Humble one).