The Backlog Check-in Vol. 289: 7/15/23: Pikmin 4 Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: Ghost Recon: Wildlands, Itorah, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Shady Part of Me, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth

Finished: Shady Part of Me

Playing: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Added: Last Beat Enhanced, Wanted: Dead

Games releasing this week
Blackout Protocol
Bloodhound
The Break-In
Brewpub Simulator
Cats Hidden in Paris
The Complete Expidition
Coreborn: Nations of the Ultracore
Cross Tails
D-Corp
Dros
Ember Knights
Eternal Return
Evergreen: Mountain Life Simulator
Forge Industry
Frank and Drake
From Madness With Love
Full Void
Geometry Arena 2
Gunsmith Simulator
Gym Empire
Hell Let Loose
Homeseek
Killsquad
Lakeburg Legacies
Let’s! Revolution!
Lisa: Definitive Edition
Maquette
Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes
Murder is Game Over: Streaming Death
My Friendly Neighborhood
NghtmareScape
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening
Nuwa
Oaken
Outer Space Shack
Pikmin 4
Pocket Academy 3
Punch A Bunch
Punch Club 2: Fast Forward
PuPu’s Adventure Park
Remedium: Sentinels
Roto Force
Sephonie
Skullgirls 2nd Encore
Snowbreak: Containment Zone
SnowRunner
Soul Fighter 2023
The Spirit and the Mouse
Spirit Hunters: Infinite Horde
Stonks 9800: Stock Market Simulator
Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance
Tea for God
Techtonica
Train World
Turbo Overkill
Unholy
Viewfinder
Walkabout Mini Golf VR
Whispike Survivors: Sword of the Necromancer
Xenonauts 2

[isthatallyougot]

Still enjoying Vexx. I'm about halfway through based on the collectible requirements for the final area. Fun platformer that could have used some fleshing out in terms of presentation / story. But nice puzzles and platforming. Good time.

I also started up Animal Crossing : Wild World on the DS. I have only ever played the Gamecube (N64?) original back in the day. Anyway, it's a nice return to that soothing setting. So much to do and just chill. Mellow to the max.

[Phaseknox]

I got in the mood for an action RPG, and decided to play Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning again. I’ve been somewhat enjoying it, but it’s showing its age now. The gameplay/combat still holds up pretty well, but the graphics don’t look as good as I remember. They still look decent, but definitely PS3/Xbox 360 generation.

The one thing that still bothers me about the game now that bothered me back when I originally played it is that your character is more of an avatar than a character. They’re a silent protagonist with no emotion, personality, or voice. Also, unlike Bethesda and BioWare RPGs it doesn’t matter which race or gender that you play as since it’s strictly cosmetic. All character interactions are exactly the same no matter which race and gender that you are. I don’t get into games as much if I feel like I’m just controlling a generic voiceless avatar instead of playing as an actual character with emotion, personalty and a voice.

I’m still having some fun due to the colorful game world and gameplay/combat, but I’m not totally engrossed and invested in it like I usually am with RPGs that offer a lot of characterization for both the main character and side characters.

[crimson_tide]

Played: Marvel Midnight Suns

...sigh...Beat: Marvel Midnight Suns

This week: Ishin. I guess. Exoprimal whenever me and my friend can get together online to play. I'm just sad I beat Midnight Suns already after...good lord, had to be over 100 hours I poured into it.

So you know Midnight Suns made an impact because I named my next set of workouts after them. Including one named after Charlie the demon dog. Charlie was ****ing baller...oh and seriously, the best Wolverine ever. Great stuff! Too bad they'll never follow up on that post credit scene. Oh well, I had an absolute blast with that game.

It's after 1am and well past my bedtime, later fam.

[jfissel]

Finished: Nothing

Now Playing: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, ??

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 43 games

I think I'm about 30% through A Link Between Worlds, I can now travel between worlds. Still have nothing on other consoles, just taking a break I guess lol.

[canedaddy]

Played: Marvel Midnight Suns

...sigh...Beat: Marvel Midnight Suns

I'm just sad I beat Midnight Suns already after...good lord, had to be over 100 hours I poured into it.

Do you think I'd like it? I'm not a huge Marvel guy but I loved Ghost Rider back in the day... I know he's in there. As for gameplay, I love SRPGs (FF Tactics, Disgaea, Tactics Ogre, etc.) but couldn't get into XCOM.

I got in the mood for an action RPG, and decided to play Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning again. I’ve been somewhat enjoying it, but it’s showing its age now. The gameplay/combat still holds up pretty well, but the graphics don’t look as good as I remember. They still look decent, but definitely PS3/Xbox 360 generation.

The one thing that still bothers me about the game now that bothered me back when I originally played it is that your character is more of an avatar than a character. They’re a silent protagonist with no emotion, personality, or voice. Also, unlike Bethesda and BioWare RPGs it doesn’t matter which race or gender that you play as since it’s strictly cosmetic. All character interactions are exactly the same no matter which race and gender that you are. I don’t get into games as much if I feel like I’m just controlling a generic voiceless avatar instead of playing as an actual character with emotion, personalty and a voice.

I’m still having some fun due to the colorful game world and gameplay/combat, but I’m not totally engrossed and invested in it like I usually am with RPGs that offer a lot of characterization for both the main character and side characters.

Did you play the remaster or the original? That's one game I really enjoyed and want to replay at some point, if for no other reason than the Baltimore Ravens armor.



Played recently: Octopath Traveler II

Finished: nothing

Added to backlog: Arcade Paradise (a buddy convinced me this is awesome)



Current backlog: 32

[Phaseknox]

Did you play the remaster or the original? That's one game I really enjoyed and want to replay at some point, if for no other reason than the Baltimore Ravens armor.

I played the original on Xbox 360. I really enjoyed it as well back when it came out, but I wasn’t really enjoying it now. The graphics, gameplay and combat still hold up fairly well, but the story and characters are kind of bland and the game world mainly consists of branching pathways and is broken up with a lot of segmented loading areas. The world just feels kind of artificial and copy and pasted instead of organic like other open world RPGs from the same time such as The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion/Skyrim, Fallout 3/New Vegas and the Risen games which have more believable and realistic game worlds. That in addition to the main character being an emotionless and voiceless avatar was preventing me from really getting into it. RPGs like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Dragon Age Inquisition, Horizon Zero Dawn, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, King’s Bounty II, Mass Effect Andromeda, etc. have spoiled me over the years when it comes to having main protagonists with emotion, personality and voices like real people, and that’s why it’s somewhat difficult to go back and play older RPGs like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning that have emotionless and voiceless avatars as main characters.

Added to backlog: Arcade Paradise (a buddy convinced me this is awesome)

I watched a video review of this, and it actually looks like it could be fun as it’s a humorous mix of running a laundromat and arcade combo. I might buy it since it’s on sale for $11.99, and seems like something different.

[Phaseknox]

I’ve been playing Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements, and somewhat enjoying it. I played and finished it several years ago, and got in the mood to play it again. It’s a linear medieval fantasy first person action adventure game with melee combat, and platforming. The story and characters are decent, the graphics are ok and the gameplay is somewhat varied but clunky. It’s not a great game, but the pacing is good and it’s kind of fun.

[crimson_tide]

Played: Marvel Midnight Suns

...sigh...Beat: Marvel Midnight Suns

I'm just sad I beat Midnight Suns already after...good lord, had to be over 100 hours I poured into it.

Do you think I'd like it? I'm not a huge Marvel guy but I loved Ghost Rider back in the day... I know he's in there. As for gameplay, I love SRPGs (FF Tactics, Disgaea, Tactics Ogre, etc.) but couldn't get into XCOM.

Sir, this is NOT an SRPG, so sorry if I gave that impression. I actually am curious myself if this is what XCOM is because that's going in the hopper if it's anything like Midnight Suns. I wish there were a demo. It's literally the same loop over and over again. If they gave you like a two hour demo, you would know for sure if it's for you or not. Funny you mention Ghost Rider. Johnny Blaze is in the game. He is not playable. Robbie Reyes, the new Ghost Rider is. He will get on your nerves but grows on you in the end. The writing and voice acting is great (except for the 'I'm walking here' line in NYC...I don't know why they let that happen). This visuals are ok. The combat is really fun and engaging...ok, so the loop is you go out with 3 characters, fight one mission a day. Before you go, you prep making whatever items you need, training with heroes, filling request and if you have the option extending friendships which have tangible effects in battle. After you do the mission, you go back to base and do more friendships, explore the grounds and participate in clubs with the heroes.. That's it. You do not need to be a Marvel head (I barely knew half these characters before I played the game but now really dig them because the writing was so well done). However, I can't remember if you have a PS5. If you do not have a PS5, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. It is a buggy mess on PS4 I put up with simply because I loved the loop and characters so much. I cannot recommend anyone without a PS5/Xbox series/PC play this. I really wish they had a demo though...

[jfissel]

Added to backlog: Arcade Paradise (a buddy convinced me this is awesome)

Haha, what in the world? I'm intrigued...you'll have to tell us more as you play.