Slowly going through that backlog Unfurl’s profile

I use Harry Potter grading system to rate games I'm done with/played a lot:
Passing Grades: Outstanding; Exceeds Expectations; Acceptable
Failing Grades: Poor; Dreadful; Troll

Other stuff & how I classify games:
- I mark games as Beaten if they have achievements and 1) I've finished the story; 2) I've played 10+ hours if there's no story.
- I mark games as Completed if 1) I got all achievements; 2) they have no achievements and I've finished the story, or played 10+ hours if there's no story.
- I mark games as Won't Play only if I tried them and 1) they don't work anymore or I have a remastered/updated version I can play instead; 2) I didn't quite like them enough to finish; 3) they are utter garbage.

Ongoing projects:
Bad ABC - giving a chance to crappy games, mostly in vain (rated Mixed or lower, or removed from Steam)
HOG ABC - when I get that Sunday vibe to play something casual, I might as well do it with purpose (list made according to Hidden Object tag on Steam)
A Journey Through Time as explained here

If a game I'm supposed to play has prequels, I always finish the prequels first.
SG win (starting from oldest wins): Overture [Done]
Game gifted by friends (going through the list in "ABC" challenge manner): Actual Sunlight [Done]
HB Monthly/Choice game (starting from oldest purchases): Layers of Fear (2016) [Done]
Game NOT on Steam (PS4, GOG, EA, Ubisoft, Battle.Net, Epic, Humble, in that order, "ABC" challenge manner): Uncharted 4 (PS4) [Done]
Bad ABC: GabeN: The Final Decision [Done]
HOG ABC: Inbetween Land [Done]
A Journey Through Time: Fallout Tactics (playing Fallout and Fallout 2 first)
Random game / something unfinished / replay for achievements [-1 next batch]: Fallout, Fallout 2

27 February 2024 | S24E02 Replay for Challenge Mode completion

Half-Life 2

IXION

Outstanding (unchanged)
169.5 hours
50 of 57 achievements

25 January 2024 | S24E01

Half-Life 2
HB Monthly/Choice

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante

Acceptable
22.5 hours
62 of 89 achievements

Although after the first playthrough I thought more highly of this game, I have to say that after multiple playthroughs of all life paths I got slightly disappointed. It is great how some earlier choices carry over to the future or how certain actions are blocked due to skills being too low, however essentially that means min-maxing the stats instead of choosing what feels right for that specific version of Sir Brante. In terms of the story, it is well made - the worldbuilding is great, the issues make sense, some things will happen in the world despite of your actions and you can't affect it. However, in some life paths the culmination of the story - the Revolt - doesn't make sense, and it doesn't help that this final chapter is the worst story-wise (IMO). I also hated that most of the time you can't tell your family to fuck off with their stupid issues I couldn't care less about. So, solid "Acceptable" rating, enjoyable first playthrough, before you understand the game well and see it for what it is.

12 January 2024

Half-Life 2
HB Monthly/Choice

Layers of Fear (2016)

3.2 hours
0 of 27 achievements

Right, I am not very good at horror games, most are too spooky for me, including this one. I couldn't bring myself to move past couple of steps in this game knowing it's an insanity game with a shitton of jump scares. Nope, I'm too scared, bye.

26 December 2023 | S23E15-E26
So I have been lazy with updates, especially with endless games I’ve played a lot in-between all the story games, but never marked as beaten/completed, or games I’ve replayed throughout the year. Now that the New Year is almost here, I thought an update is finally due. Well there they are, in no particular order, thanks for Steam’s year in review for reminding me what I’ve played…

Half-Life 2

Hades

Outstanding
45.0 hours
16 of 49 achievements

An absolutely fantastic game, it renewed my interest in rogue-like games (I don't recall which game made this interest wither away). I was very late to the Hades-hype-train and yet I am very glad I jumped on it in the end.

Half-Life 2

The Oregon Trail

Acceptable
9.3 hours
14 of 83 achievements

I have never played the original and was always interested due to multiple media references to the game (e.g., B99). Can't say this remake was fantastic but it was fun, I'm looking forward to playing it more somewhere down the line.

Half-Life 2
Replay / Humble Monthly/Choice

Spellcaster University

Exceeds Expectations (unchanged)
40.8 hours
19 of 20 achievements

I decided to replay this for an achievement which only unlocks if you play it on a specific day…never finished the walkthrough on that high difficulty, as I recall I'm at the very end of it…might fire it up to complete it fully :)

Half-Life 2
Humble Monthly/Choice

House Flipper

Exceeds Expectations
25.1 hours
5 of 86 achievements

This is my ultimate "I'm too stressed after work but want to play something nonetheless" game. There's something about painting walls and vacuuming cockroaches that I find soothing.

Half-Life 2
Humble Monthly/Choice

Surviving Mars

Exceeds Expectations
98.6 hours
22 of 80 achievements
Half-Life 2

Against the Storm

Outstanding
109.7 hours
32 of 59 achievements

Recently out of early access, an absolutely FANTASTIC game. It has everything I like, maybe aside from a tragic story (although it has a tiny bit of that too). A rogue-like city-builder strategy game…what's not to like.

Half-Life 2

The Tenants

Acceptable
31.7 hours
50 of 86 achievements
Half-Life 2

Cartel Tycoon

Exceeds Expectations
40.3 hours
no achievements

I thoroughly suck at this game yet I really like it. I don't know why I dropped it, will probably come back to it in no time…

Half-Life 2
Humble Monthly/Choice

Before We Leave

Outstanding
59.3 hours
25 of 56 achievements

A game where an Excel sheet is required to keep track of stuff, and I love those.

Half-Life 2
New DLC / Humble Monthly/Choice

Surviving the Aftermath

Acceptable (unchanged)
266.5 hours
72 of 74 achievements
Half-Life 2
Humble Monthly/Choice

Stellaris

Outstanding
135.7 hours
47 of 174 achievements

This game…what the hell. I remember multiple friends recommending it to me and I never picked it up until this year, and wow, it's stellar (I'll see myself out)! Should I also start watching TV series my friends recommended me?

Half-Life 2
Replay / New DLC

Cyberpunk 2077

Outstanding (unchanged)
418.2 hours
52 of 57 achievements

Last but not the least, my lovely Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom Liberty. That DLC was…wow. I was then obsessed with the game once again, finishing it again with all the endings but slightly different build, and I'll do it again. Couple years back CP77 removed its brother Geralt from my No. 1 game spot and I doubt any other game will top it soon.

23 December 2023 | S23E14

Half-Life 2
Humble Monthly/Choice

The Pale Beyond

Exceeds Expectations
14.2 hours
28 of 47 achievements

An excellent game! I really enjoyed the mix between a good story, where your choices really matter, and unforgiving resource management. I am aware there are couple more endings to this but I managed to get a good one and I am not really sure I will come back for the others. The game is good and worth replaying but I suppose after you make choices you are happy with, there is no point in seeing how bad (or more mystical, I suppose) this can turn out to be.

20 August 2023 | S23E13

Half-Life 2
HOG ABC

Inbetween Land

Acceptable
2.4 hours
26 of 26 achievements

20 August 2023

Half-Life 2
Bad ABC

GabeN: The Final Decision

Dreadful
0.4 hours
2 of 13 achievements

Trash meme game. Not getting "Troll" rating just because it is actually playable.

20 August 2023 | S23E12

20 hours
8/56
Outstanding
Played on Playstation

I finally finished the Uncharted franchise! The last game is, of course, the most cinematic and really, really beautiful! It was really great to see more background on Nathan Drake and the game takes the player to many beautiful locations, as usual. It doesn't really offer anything new in terms of gameplay and I still think I liked the 2nd game better but nonetheless this was a brilliant conclusion to Nate's story and adventures.


15 August 2023 | S23E11

Half-Life 2
Game gifted by friends

Actual Sunlight

Exceeds Expectations
1.7 hours
1 of 1 achievements

Oh this story is so great! Ok it's barely a story but more like thoughts and social commentary of a depressed person. Most of what is said hits close to the heart, and is something I thought myself more than once in my life, and I know my friends did too. I don't think there are many games that are just so brutally honest and direct on the subject of depression.
Also I'll just leave this quote here, I really liked it: Networking. Best practice. Leadership. But we don't let anyone into the network. And we don't practice anything. And we don't lead anyone anywhere but someplace fucked up, where we get paid and they get dick. <…> Sometimes, I think: Could I go my whole career without doing a single useful, material thing? Did a street sweeper eclipse my social utility the day he picked up a piece of gum?

15 August 2023

Half-Life 2
Won on SteamGifts

Overture

Dreadful
0.1 hours
0 of 4 achievements

Well I don't like bullet-hell games as it is, and this one is not even well-made. Dropped like a hot potato.