January - Reconnect. Kingdom Hearts
Devil Daggers is a unforgiving, unrelenting, survive as long as you can shooter (likely not very long). You wield a single weapon (I only assume the Devil Dagger) in which allows you to fire a shotgun or machinegun styles as you mow down various demonic spawners and their spooky summons. My average right now is about 90 sec. It’s only achievement is to survive 500 sec. and is not easy to say the least. A good way to pass short amounts of time, very challenging.
Compared to it’s previous entry, Grid 2 makes a lot of improvements and stands closer to it’s other major racing counterparts. Major graphical improvements, focused car system, car types displayed (grip, drift, and balanced), no noticeable “rubberbanding” (getting so far ahead that other cars get an unnatural speed boost), rewind mechanic, and interesting story mode. It’s not to say it doesn’t have it’s flaws, I have encountered multiple bugs that despite some drivers being disqualified still got first while I had ended in first place. Luckily it was rare enough to only hinder a singular race. Some of the flaws of the first carried over as well, the statistics for each car still mean almost nothing and you are better of testing it, and the view from behind the car is just a little too low, a couple of races do not seem very likely to get first without luck, and DLC cars seems like it would be annoying in online play. Otherwise definitely suggest over the first game, and it is just above average if you are looking for another racing game.
A simple side scrolling game that involves you surviving through every level the only way you know how, skateboarding. Utilizing grinds and a plethora of easy to do skateboarding tricks (all while trying to land them) you can complete challenges, get high scores and move onto more challenging variations of each level. Other than grinding each trick has the same effect so you don’t necessarily need to do more than one ( I resorted to Olli’s as I’m not that into skate culture). I very quickly found myself not even able to think about using varieties of tricks or completing challenges as the games difficulty ramps up pretty quickly and brings quite a lot of obstacles you must traverse/pass. I enjoyed it okay enough and liked the zany things to grind in various levels, but the theme doesn’t really resonate with me, so I’ll likely just kickflip it to my beaten and let it remain there.
A very simple style puncher game that only involves left or right in order to defeat incoming enemy waves. I believe I already played the much simpler Kung Fury reskin of this game. Various enemy types, weapons, and fighting modes increase the variation in gameplay. Completing levels (especially perfectly) causes the world to increase speed, which is only reduced by losing levels and (oddly enough) exiting the game. If the main story isn’t enough there are also various challenge modes such as endless, no indicators, and “No Luca No” (a digital cat comes up on your screen that you have to push aside, I suggest having a physical cat do that as well to increase difficulty :3). A good time passer, though be wary you will likely realize you haven’t blinked during some levels, and I suggest to not get hung up on not perfecting every level to avoid frustrations as there are many levels and multiple difficulty worlds.
A beat-em up with a lot of wasted potential. The enemies and background have an old Japanese stylized and mythology look (in which it is loosely based on) to it and story was okay, but the gameplay was not very enjoyable with more than a few annoying enemies. Completing difficulties does not waterfall down to lower difficulties, which good luck anyways as making it through a whole level on hard becomes very unlikely due to nearly unavoidable damage. You are equipped with a kendama (for close encounters) and a bow and arrows (for distance) along with supers. I’d probably avoid this one or at least get very very cheap.
To be honest, I don’t really understand the clicker game genre other than trying to get you to break your left mouse button (if of course you aren’t just using an auto clicker). I had previously played a mobile clicker (10 Billion Wives I think) and it just doesn’t do anything for me. Regardless I feel a duty to go through the Sakura series and this is certainly one of them. It’s greatest influence is from the Sakura Dungeon game where it features scantily clad monster girls that you must defeat through clicking and hiring heroes. There is a ridiculous amount of DLC that does nothing more than aesthetics. Beating it standard was getting to the rebirth power that traded the current progress for spirit currency used to increase carry over stats. My current “complete” standard will be getting and maxing out all hired heroes. Free-to-play (thankfully…)
I believe I was gifted this almost a year ago, started playing and never finished… until now. I really don’t know why I didn’t either, I love this game. It’s got that great Miwashiba story telling to it, a stylish art style, and a bomb (stylish amazing) soundtrack. The gameplay itself is primarily Ace Attorney-esque where you talk to people and find contradictions or inconsistencies in order to solve various mysteries. Very much recommend especially if you have enjoyed Miwashibas other works. The only issue is that it’s real easy to miss an ending (I didn’t have the issue, only because I forgot about being able to do certain things), but otherwise filled with a wide variety of diverse characters and interesting stories.
Another “Ace Attorney”-esque game except… well you are an attorney. The more interesting quality of this game is it’s detailed realistically drawn art style between both it’s scenery and it’s animal people characters. It has a France setting, with a Sherlock and Holmes protagonist pair, and an Ace Attorney gameplay which makes for a pretty enjoyable game. During your investigations for the trials you are met with a bunch of terrible(ly funny) puns coming from your sidekick while you often play the straightman. Eventually the game comes to a crossroads the offers various endings differing in quality. Despite being an Attorney game it brings a time mechanic where travelling between places takes up a day with only so many days before each trial. This can be a little frustrating in case you are not sure which locations to cover, but each chapter and day can be reloaded from the main menu. Definitely get this as it is often found insanely cheap and generally enjoyable.
It’s kinda seeming like they are pumping these games out like a factory as of late… I suppose simple gameplay and same formula makes it pretty easy to do this. Still my love for 80’s synthwave soundtrack and bullet hells have brought me to it again. Continuing from DSW: Fantasy you are now in charge of taking in cats… well catgirls. As per usual this game brings forth the ability to shoot the clothes off of the targets, of course there is a gentleman mode where you will lose if you do so. This time instead of choosing between bikes for shooting styles it introduces two playable characters, a female catgirl, and Leisure Lion (sort of played as a Seducer god). A single playthrough will prove short, but it’s multiple difficulties, modes, and styles offer more.
A sort of mini novel based on the Nekopara series that focuses on the early years before La Soleil (the pastry business you run) was even a concept and simply owned catgirls. It’s definitely more slice of life i.e. no real plot and touches upon some Japanese and Universal Holidays and traditions. The game is only like 45 min. long and only ran 7 hours just to get all the cards. Only suggest if you are a big fan of the series, but really doesn’t add much otherwise.
My favorite of the series simply because it takes a huge focus on how society views catgirls, how they are treated differently, and how it affects the catgirls themselves with their self image, goals, and dreams. This game definitely gets a little deeper than just having cute catgirls everywhere and puts a lot more emotion into it. As per formula you focus on the last two catgirls of your “nekopara” (i.e. coined by your little sister who rejoices in creating this “Neko Paradise”). Feeling much longer than the previous title I found a lot more humor strewn about and just generally enjoying the story much more.
Other than being the usual Sakura game, there’s not too much to add. The theme this time is game programming, in particular visual novels. In which Winged Cloud seemed to take the liberty of jabbing at themselves for their own formula as well as promoting their other games into the mix (various posters of Sakura characters as well as Sakura games can be found in the background and dialogue). Probably leave this somewhere in the average or below in the Sakura game tier list.
A simple little puzzle adventure game. Daughter is looking for her father at some spooky historical house and finds the ability to “go ghost” to help solve puzzles. A generally less challenging game as I found the puzzles on the easier side, but the world building and story were pretty good. There are some enemy types which I found more annoying and in some areas can limit backtracking (not that it would affect story progress).
Where to start… a quite outdated game that is probably better with mods (such as Open Xcom), though I took it at vanilla form. Strategy and tactical gaming combined in order to protect Earth from an invasion of aliens. You must build bases, research, and combat aliens. This game is very unforgiving as you find that you are quite outmatched and outclassed and even if you rank up your people, all it takes is a simple crit blast to bring them down. I also had the displeasure of experiencing two big issues with the game. One being a ship reached an asymptote of running out of feul on it’s way back and never returned, but also was never destroyed. Not only did this take up a Hangar spot that I could not replace, but the ship itself wastes money over time. The second is an easy to do soft lock on the game involving researching something in the wrong order which means you can’t progress the story, thus having to research the particular thing again which isn’t as frequent as one would like. Other than the misgivings and frustrations I relatively enjoyed the experience and look forward to playing Terror From the Deep. I don’t necessarily suggest this game unless you can handle older games.
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Metroid: Zero Mission- Gameboy Advance
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Metroid: Samus Returns- Nintendo 3DS
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Other non Steam changes
KHII: Final Mix (Beaten to Completed)
Metroid: Zero Mission A remake of the first game made for the GBA with a bonus scenario that takes place between the first two games. Very enjoyable and is definitely the reason Metroidvania is a genre of gaming that is so well known today. It even has the original game available to play after beating it. Pretty sure I had beaten this in the past, but I didn’t really remember the last segment, so it’s hard to say. Largely influenced to play this series again by the hours put into the latest Super Smash Bros game.
Metroid: Samus Returns This remake is of the second in the series, which not only offers better graphics, but also a new counter mechanic as well as a cinematic-like gameplay experience. I feel I might need to go back and play the original second game, just because this remake feels like such a dramatic change in gameplay. However, still really enjoyable and going to continue to Super Metroid very soon.
Last Words for the First of the Year
A pretty productive (in some perspective) start to the new year. I am glad to have been able to catch up on the Kingdom Hearts series before playing Kingdom Hearts III (which I am quite enjoying at the moment and doing my best to hold back this excitement). It’s been a pretty hectic month too, had to take a temporary lead position in my job (so glad that ended, the stress…), starting my final semester for my degree, and had to bare the polar vortex for a few days (it got to be -20 Farenheight (-17.7 Celsius) to -35 F (-37.22) with windchill). Luckily that’s all over and things will start warming up (kinda).
Also! I having been working on a costume that I am getting pretty excited about, starting off with a simple one. Always have been putting it off whether I should bother doing it, or what kind I should make. Still, getting a little bit nervous on the sewing sections, and buying the supplies has not been as cheap as I would prefer… Hopefully this will inspire me to make more though!
Well other than all that, I suppose I look forward to what the rest of the year has to offer and all the updates you all will post! ^_^
Just to say this (and courage if you keep on playing it!)
I most definitely will! …just not for a little while til I have consistant free time to improve. Thank you!
Be careful with terror from the deep! Due to a bug, the original X-com was easier than the developers intended at higher difficulties (it basically bumped it down to the lowest difficulty no matter what), and people complained about the lack of difficulty. The developers did not realize why people complained, and decided to bump of the difficulty in Terror from the Deep as a response… thus Terror from the Deep got super hard.
That’s really interesting to find out, and I will definitely keep it in mind, thank you kindly! ^_^
Looks like somebody was productive! \o/
And what kinda costume? excitedly curious
Nothing special, a simple one to wear at a convention. I’m taking a more realistic approach to the character below. If I get really into this I would like to branch out into all sorts of categories for costumes though. Hopefully my ambitions don’t outweigh my motivation and resources.
Sounds great! I always want too but eventually never make any costumes. I realized just last week I really need/want a Mary Poppins costume though cough So there we go xD
Hmm, seems you may have caught something in the cold weather :p. Maybe if my costume making abilities grow I can consider doing orders :3, but until then wish me luck on my path! ^_^
Ha, no worries. I’d totally make that myself. If I ever find enough motivation to do some sewing ;)
Oh and good luck ofc! \o/
Thank you! ^_^