The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

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Phaseknox
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The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

Played: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Added: Nothing

I’ve put some good time into Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: The Fate of Atlantis Episode 1 Fields of Elysium, and I’m enjoying it. However, it feels like standalone DLC more than expansion content.

Elysium is really pretty, but somewhat small and dense with a lot of verticality. It doesn’t take long to uncover all of its map, and I rarely fast travel since I can physically get everywhere on foot or horseback rather quickly. But it does offer a decent amount of content for taking place in such a small space which I like.

The storyline and characters aren’t really engaging me since they’re an extension of the modern day sci-fi stuff which I’m not the biggest fan of, but the core gameplay is the same fun as it is from the main game with a few new added elements to change things up a bit.

It’s nice to have a change of scenery, but it’s somewhat missing an ultimate goal to strive for. I just feel like I’m playing for the sake of playing since it’s a trial simulator that’s part of the modern day sci-fi stuff and isn’t nearly as compelling or meaningful as Kassandra’s odyssey to find her family, and defeat the cult.

The scenery is nice and the gameplay is fun, but it’s missing a real incentive to be drawn into. Instead of feeling like an adventure like the main game does, it feels like a series of repetitive objectives to complete in a somewhat small self-contained area. I would have personally rather had another adventure to go on in the real world than this, but it’s still fun to play and I look forward to seeing what the next two episodes have to offer.

Games releasing this week
The Amazing American Circus
Apsulov: End of Gods
Aragami 2
Arkan: The Dog Adventurer
Catlateral Damage: Remeowstered
Cruis’n Blast
Deathloop
Dustwind: The Last Resort
Earth Marines
Eastward
Fire Commander
Flynn: Son of Crimson
Gamedec
I Am Fish
Marek’s Market
Metallic Child
Mr. Pumpkin 2: Kowloon Walled City
Murder Diaries
Nexomon
Omen of Sorrow
Project Winter
Severed Steel
Skatebird
Song in the Smoke
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
Tails of Iron
Titan Chaser
Toem
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jfissel
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by jfissel »

Finished: Nothing

Now Playing: Final Fantasy VII Remake, Psychonauts 2

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 40 games

Didn't get a whole lot of time with Psychonauts or any other games last week...went on a 1.5 day trip to kentucky to visit a few distilleries and hunt for bourbon bottles.
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argyle
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by argyle »

Games added: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 (physical), Tales of Arise

Last week: Finished nothing, played Psychonauts 2 & Hades

This week: I'm right at the end of P2, then I'll start Tales

I'm gonna say something that won't mean much to anyone here but Crim, but he will get how big of a deal this is - Psychonauts 2 does the whole "helping a person work out their issues by going into their mind" thing better than Persona 5 does it. The story is seriously Pixar-level stuff - very funny but also very genuinely sad in places with some fantastic character development and twists that you won't see coming. But the P5 comparison for me is mainly in the levels - they both use things in the levels to reflect the person's emotional state & what they're dealing with. But it's so well thought out & executed in Psychonauts 2 that it just puts the game on another level in that regard. You'll go into a level thinking that the theme of the level is just some silly idea they had to execute some really cool level design, but mid-ways through you'll realize exactly what that theme is reflecting for the character and how it plays into the overall story. It's just incredibly well done. An absolute must-play game.

Haven't started Tales yet, because I want to finish P2 first. I've also been busy this weekend with my side gig, so playtime was limited.
"When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed
if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I
became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the
desire to be very grown up.” ― C.S. Lewis

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canedaddy
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by canedaddy »

argyle wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 1:41 pm [But the P5 comparison for me is mainly in the levels - they both use things in the levels to reflect the person's emotional state & what they're dealing with. But it's so well thought out & executed in Psychonauts 2 that it just puts the game on another level in that regard. You'll go into a level thinking that the theme of the level is just some silly idea they had to execute some really cool level design, but mid-ways through you'll realize exactly what that theme is reflecting for the character and how it plays into the overall story. It's just incredibly well done. An absolute must-play game.
That was true of the OG too.
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argyle
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by argyle »

so-i-married-an-axe-murderer-phil-hartman.gif
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Psychonauts 2 just has a thematic cohesiveness between levels that's way beyond what the orignal had. I played the first one old man, I'm tryin'a tell you this one is better. :P
"When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed
if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I
became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the
desire to be very grown up.” ― C.S. Lewis

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crimson_tide
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by crimson_tide »

School started. Less game time fam. BUT school started...Image

I ****ing LOVE TEACHING!!! Goddamn it feels great to be back...

Played: NEO: The World Ends With You :D 8-) :lol: :) ...and Lego City Undercover and Lego Batman 3. Why the **** do people like Lego games? Theses things are straight up the hottest garbage. Ew. I need to get my goddaughter into some good stuff. I almost have her sold on starting up a play through of FFX2...she likes the music and when said the battles were all based around changing clothes, she was sold. Now if only a 6 year old who's just getting the reading thing down could play FFX2...but now, I am stuck playing Lego until she's old enough to play that. But seriously, anyone have ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS, LITERALLY ANYTHING to play with her, I am more than open...

Beat: Nothing

Bought: Nothing...ok, I'm lying, I bought a hex trap bar for my shed gym. But nothing you people would care about.
argyle wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 1:41 pm I'm gonna say something that won't mean much to anyone here but Crim, but he will get how big of a deal this is - Psychonauts 2 does the whole "helping a person work out their issues by going into their mind" thing better than Persona 5 does it. The story is seriously Pixar-level stuff - very funny but also very genuinely sad in places with some fantastic character development and twists that you won't see coming. But the P5 comparison for me is mainly in the levels - they both use things in the levels to reflect the person's emotional state & what they're dealing with. But it's so well thought out & executed in Psychonauts 2 that it just puts the game on another level in that regard. You'll go into a level thinking that the theme of the level is just some silly idea they had to execute some really cool level design, but mid-ways through you'll realize exactly what that theme is reflecting for the character and how it plays into the overall story. It's just incredibly well done. An absolute must-play game.

Haven't started Tales yet, because I want to finish P2 first. I've also been busy this weekend with my side gig, so playtime was limited.
Fine argyle, I will try Psychonauts AGAIN. It is on sale for $4 on the ol PSN store this week (the original, not 2) so I will try to get back into it. I don't care for collectathons and 3d platformers (and shut it, Sonic doesn't count. Because I said so) but I keep hearing that P2 is THE game I specifically should be playing for the reasons argyle listed. Anyone who knows me knows I love my media to have an empathy bent and from what I have been told about P2 in particular makes me curious to go back and give it the series one last shot. If I can't get into part one, I will just move on to part 2 when it hits my price threshold. I have tried part 1 so many times but it just didn't click with me for some reason. But into the breach once more...

I have also decided to keep NEO thoughts in my NEO thread. I am going to have so much to say about that when I get done hopefully by the weekend. It goes places bruh...

Fam Phase, I strongly suggest playing through the Atlantis DLC. I got bored of the first part but the second part did way better and it finishes nicely. Well, Layla still exists (uuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggghhhhhhhhh) but it's pretty minimal and it finishes fine. Not strong.But fine. I really enjoyed that expansion way more than the first blade one. I liked being away from the main quest. I though I would hate it because I bounced off Origins dlc pretty hard. I finished the real world hidden ones thing and that whelmed me at best. Then there was nutty, crazy supernatural stuff happening and I just bowed out entirely. Again though, I would have liked the first blade stuff fine without the storytelling that was just bad and the Atlantis stuff hit pretty nicely for me, I found it to be well paced. Curious to see where you go after this Odyssey kick, Phase.
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isthatallyougot
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

I hadn't played anything "modern" in a while, so I decided to fire up Hellblade : Senua's Sacrifice. I had forgotten what high-end visuals looked like, lol. Anyway, I'm not too far in, but the presentation is fantastic, typical of Ninja Theory. It seems to be light on "game", but feels like it will be a good (and pretty intense) ride.
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Dragon kick your a$$ into the Milky Way!
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Phaseknox
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 193: 9/11/21: Deathloop Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

crimson_tide wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:14 amWhy the **** do people like Lego games? Theses things are straight up the hottest garbage. Ew.
As games they’re not very good IMO, but as interactive movie parodies they can be somewhat humorous and entertaining. I bought a few of them somewhat recently for cheap, and hopefully they will provide me with at least $5 worth of entertainment that I paid each for them.
crimson_tide wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:14 amI need to get my goddaughter into some good stuff. I almost have her sold on starting up a play through of FFX2...she likes the music and when said the battles were all based around changing clothes, she was sold. Now if only a 6 year old who's just getting the reading thing down could play FFX2...but now, I am stuck playing Lego until she's old enough to play that. But seriously, anyone have ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS, LITERALLY ANYTHING to play with her, I am more than open...
I think that she might enjoy the Spyro Reignited Trilogy running Spyro around ramming into enemies, shooting fire at them and collecting gems. And you could help her with some of the more challenging platforming parts if needed. I know that kids tend to like kart racers too, and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is a fun one that you could play with her.
crimson_tide wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:14 amI will try Psychonauts AGAIN. It is on sale for $4 on the ol PSN store this week (the original, not 2) so I will try to get back into it. I don't care for collectathons and 3d platformers (and shut it, Sonic doesn't count. Because I said so) but I keep hearing that P2 is THE game I specifically should be playing for the reasons argyle listed. Anyone who knows me knows I love my media to have an empathy bent and from what I have been told about P2 in particular makes me curious to go back and give it the series one last shot. If I can't get into part one, I will just move on to part 2 when it hits my price threshold. I have tried part 1 so many times but it just didn't click with me for some reason. But into the breach once more...
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the original Psychonauts back when I played it when it first came out, but I still somewhat enjoyed it just not enough to finish it. I bought it digitally for PS4 a while back, and I plan on giving it another go before playing the second since the second is a direct continuation of it. My taste in games is somewhat different now compared to back when it came out, so I’m curious to find out what I think of it now. I expect to like it more this time for some reason, we’ll see.
crimson_tide wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:14 amFam Phase, I strongly suggest playing through the Atlantis DLC. I got bored of the first part but the second part did way better and it finishes nicely.
You got bored of going around a somewhat small and same-y looking environment breaking statues over and over again? :P That’s basically the only side thing that you do in the first episode. The story quests are better, but still nothing great. There’s a lot of going back and forth doing somewhat mundane tasks for characters that I don’t really care about. I want to wrap it up now so that I can move onto the second episode.
crimson_tide wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:14 amI really enjoyed that expansion way more than the first blade one. I liked being away from the main quest. I though I would hate it because I bounced off Origins dlc pretty hard.
As of right now I enjoyed Legacy of the First Blade more since it was a side adventure to the main game while The Fate of Atlantis is completely disconnected from the main game, and feels like standalone DLC. I’m still somewhat enjoying it, but it does feel a bit mundane. I hope that the second episode is better like you said.
crimson_tide wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:14 amCurious to see where you go after this Odyssey kick, Phase.
I plan on playing and finishing Diablo III next since that’s what I was playing before I started Assassin’s Creed Odyssey again.
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