The Backlog Check-in Vol. 299: 9/23/23: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty/Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: Remnant: From the Ashes, Shadowrun Returns, Souldiers, Vernal Edge, Zombie Army 4: Dead War

Finished: Nothing

Playing: ?

Added: Afterimage, Baldo: The Guardian Owls, The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos, Homebody, RPGolf Legends, Souldiers, Soulstice, Vernal Edge

I started playing Remnant: From the Ashes, and it’s a pretty cool post apocalyptic third person action/adventure/shooter with good graphics, gameplay and music. You even get to select your character, and customize their look a little. Unfortunately, it’s designed to be played co-op and is too difficult single player.

Playing it single player doesn’t really feel like a co-op designed game like some co-op games do, it actually kind of feels like a survival horror game. But the amount of enemies that they throw at you and the toughness of the bosses are too much for a single player to take on.

It has some Soulslike elements such as all defeated enemies respawning when you replenish your health flasks and ammo at checkpoints or when you die, but I didn’t really find these aspects to be too big of an issue especially since they place checkpoints right before bosses. The problem is that there are usually too many enemies coming at you at one time to deal with by yourself, and the bosses are bullet sponges with extremely long life bars that are meant to be dealt with by more than one person especially considering that regular enemies constantly attack you as you’re fighting them as well.

If they weren’t going to balance the game to be played single player, then there shouldn’t even be the option to do so. There are different difficulty settings, but the lowest is normal which is more like hard. This is yet another game that I would like if it wasn’t for the difficulty, and I’m getting tired of this being the case with games lately especially third person action adventure games and RPGs which are my favorite genres.

Games releasing this week
Abomi Nation
Afterdream
The Cannon Fighters
Cocoon
CounterAttack: Uprising
The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition
Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
CyberTD
Cyfer 007
Delphine Software Collection 1
Definitely Not Fried Chicken
Deflector
Disney Speedstorm
Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission
Escape From Mystwood Mansion
Everhood: Eternity Edition
Fate/Samurai Remnant
Firefighting Simulator: The Squad
Forgive Me Father
Fortune’s Run
Gothic Classic
Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos
Hometopia
I Expect You to Die 3: Cog in the Machine
Indoor Kickball
Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest the Adventure of Dai
Kingdoms of Ereloth
King of Crabs
Last Monarch
Lil Gator Game
Mineko’s Night Market
My Hero Ultra Rumble
Newcomer: A Language Learning RPG
Noun Town Language Learning
Paleo Pines
Paper Beast
Park Beyond - Beyond eXtreme
PAW Patrol World
Pizza Possum
Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties: Definitive Edition
Project Planet - Earth vs Humanity
A Quest That Became Legend
Relic Hunter Legend
Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition
RoboDunk
Saleblazers
Savant: Ascent Remix
Sunsoft Collection 1
These Doomed Isles
Train Sim World 4
Truck Driver: The American Dream
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 4: Bush Rescue Returns
Wildmender
WitchSpring R

[crimson_tide]

Played: SMT Nocturne briefly, Kena... spirits... something...it was fine like a very, very pretty PS2 3D action platformer,...Sakuna? Rice and...it was fine like a very pretty 2.5D PS2 platform/action/farming sim hybrid, Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak, Star Ocean The Divine Force...I think that's it?

Bought:...I think nothing.

This week: Star Ocean and SMT Nocturne (now I feel obligated to beat it because Izzy is playing TWEWY)

I need to stop trying to chase video game waterfalls and stick to the rivers and the lakes that I'm used to. Because I keep trying all these new things for like an hour and then I am bummed I can't do more with them because time. I liked everything I played, I just need more time with all of it. I REALLY dug Rise. It's more like a fighting game with the weapons and these wirebugs fulfill the promise of that glorious Lost Planet 2 demo where you could go nuts with the grapple for traversal.

Star Ocean seems mad basic (as basic as these combat systems get). I picked dude because his name is Raymond instead of something like EDGE MAVERICK or FEYT LEINGOD ! Also, he's ******** JACKED with sick arms...and that hair. That mullet is...words fail me. It's so goddamn ugly, that they HAD to know what they were doing. I immediately regretted my choice though because Leticia is like...a person? Also she dual wields fencing swords. Baller **** right there. I thought she'd be all magicky but nope, she runs the fade roughshod up close and personal. Oh well, at least Ray is equally reasonable.

About 4 hours into SMT. Bruh, they mad vague about where they want you to go next. I had to go dig up my strategy guide in storage because online was annoying to keep going back to. The guide is also annoying . But imma stick with it, PS2 vibes fam.

[isthatallyougot]

This week: Star Ocean and SMT Nocturne (now I feel obligated to beat it because Izzy is playing TWEWY)

Naw, my good brother, you need feel no sense of obligation on my account. I wanted to play TWEWY for years, and I'm happy to finally get to it. (enjoying it so far) You've got family obligations and edumacatin' the utes sucking at your time. Don't worry about it. Do as you please. What have I got to do? Playing games and scratching my ass? Spend your "me" time in whatever ways move you.

[argyle]

About 4 hours into SMT. Bruh, they mad vague about where they want you to go next. I had to go dig up my strategy guide in storage because online was annoying to keep going back to. The guide is also annoying . But imma stick with it, PS2 vibes fam.

The guide should have been included with the game IMO, since parts of it are near impossible without it. That final dungeon was designed by a masochist, no doubt. Don't get me wrong, I love the game - but those maps especially are vital.

EDIT: Oh yeah, my weekly update

Games added: Nothing

Last week: Finished nothing, played Starfield & Souldiers.

This week: Same


Starfield is great, if you're in the mood for basically more Fallout. I guess I was, as I'm pretty hooked on it. I'm getting really close to the end of Souldiers. Platforming is getting pretty tricky in the final dungeons, but they give you enough checkpoints so that it's not too frustrating.

[jfissel]

Finished: Nothing

Now Playing: Zero Time Dilemma

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 41 games

Made more progress in ZTD, unsure how many branches are complete but I have 3 out of the 6 or 7 save file icons.

[isthatallyougot]

I'm still enjoying TWEWY. The initial appearance of overwhelming complexity faded to reveal an essential simplicity to the combat. That's not to say there's no nuance or room for expert play. But it's quite easy (at least on normal) one you realize the basic nature of things. It's more satisfying in visual presentation than actual mechanical interaction for me though, but it's fun nonetheless. And it's got a good amount of nice music loops to add to the setting and atmosphere. I'm on (the 2nd week) day 2, and I think I read that there are 21 days, so I've still got a good ways to go. The narrative is a bit odd (which is fine to me), although there seems to be some nice themes permeating the strangeness...interdependence, loyalty and the like.