The Backlog Check-In Vol. 440: 6/8/26: Bellwright Edition

[canedaddy]

New games this week:

Where Winds Meet (Xbox Series X/S)
Solarpunk (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)
Bellwright (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
NBA The Run (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Voidling Bound (PC)
33 Immortals (Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Crushed In Time (PC)
Frog Sqwad (Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Lost Castle 2 (PC)
Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC)
Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)
Tales of Seikyu (PC)
To a T (Switch 2)
Unrailed 2: Back on Track (PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Switch, PC)

Bellwright looks pretty cool:




Played recently: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, The Messenger

Finished: DQ3

Added to backlog: nothing

I wrapped up DQ early last week, at long last. Now I've played all the mainline games. I hope to replay III at some point, trying out different jobs and using a guide to get all the mini-medals and monsters (and plat).

After that, I fired up the PS5 version of The Messenger. I had tried it (and loved it) on PS4 but got stuck early on and quit. Different story this time... I've made it to the latter portion of the game. Sure, I've died over 500 times, but that would be under 50 for those of you who have skills. Highly recommended if you like 2D action/platforming. This team (Sabotage) does great work. Fun to play with lots of charm and humor. Hope to finish this week.

[argyle]

Games added: Nothing

Last week: Finished nothing, played Crimson Desert

This week: Crimson Desert

Copy/Paste

[jfissel]

Played recently: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, The Messenger

Finished: DQ3

Added to backlog: nothing

I wrapped up DQ early last week, at long last. Now I've played all the mainline games. I hope to replay III at some point, trying out different jobs and using a guide to get all the mini-medals and monsters (and plat).

After that, I fired up the PS5 version of The Messenger. I had tried it (and loved it) on PS4 but got stuck early on and quit. Different story this time... I've made it to the latter portion of the game. Sure, I've died over 500 times, but that would be under 50 for those of you who have skills. Highly recommended if you like 2D action/platforming. This team (Sabotage) does great work. Fun to play with lots of charm and humor. Hope to finish this week.

I'm sorry...5...hundred times? I don't know if I could take that.

And congrats on finishing the last numbered DQ on your list! How would it rank for you?


Finished: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (platinum(

Now Playing: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Order of Giants DLC)

Added to Backlog: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Order of Giants DLC)

Current Backlog: 36 games

Man, Indy was a lot of fun. There are a few graphical quirks like pop-in and bodies clipping through boxes, the first-person platforming can be a bit wonky at times, some of the "boss" fights were a little weird to figure out what to do...but they just nailed an Indiana Jones game. Visuals, sound, characters, story, locations, punching, whipping, exploration, tombs and strange places, and puzzles. Fantastic game, recommend to everyone here.

[isthatallyougot]

After that, I fired up the PS5 version of The Messenger. I had tried it (and loved it) on PS4 but got stuck early on and quit. Different story this time... I've made it to the latter portion of the game. Sure, I've died over 500 times, but that would be under 50 for those of you who have skills. Highly recommended if you like 2D action/platforming. This team (Sabotage) does great work. Fun to play with lots of charm and humor. Hope to finish this week.

I thought about firing up The Messenger just recently, but opted to play a couple other games instead. It's already installed so I'll probably get to it sooner rather than later. I'm playing Voodoo Vince Remastered and Quake 1 right now. Both for the first time and really having fun with them. Also still playing Spelunky - 40 hours into a replay. I love how bite-sized the experience can be while remaining engrossing over a long period of time.

J, I always thought Indy looked like a good time. I'll need to pick it up. Glad you enjoyed it.

And not to steal argyle's movie review thunder, but I just rewatched Jacob's Ladder for the first time since its release. What a great and disturbing film, and the Silent Hill influences are overwhelmingly obvious. I had forgotten that Macaulay Culkin was in it. I probably just saw Home Alone after JL, and so I never even knew who he was back in the day. Anyway, wonderful surreal tone that keeps you questioning (Jacob's) reality all the way until the end. It really conveyed an excellent sense of paranoia and dread. Not too long ago I saw another one of Adrian Lyne's films in 2022's Deep Water, which wasn't as good as Jacob's Ladder, but was nicely twisted and disturbing in its own right. The dynamics between that couple were sure something else.

[argyle]

And not to steal argyle's movie review thunder, but I just rewatched Jacob's Ladder for the first time since its release. What a great and disturbing film, and the Silent Hill influences are overwhelmingly obvious. I had forgotten that Macaulay Culkin was in it. I probably just saw Home Alone after JL, and so I never even knew who he was back in the day. Anyway, wonderful surreal tone that keeps you questioning (Jacob's) reality all the way until the end. It really conveyed an excellent sense of paranoia and dread. Not too long ago I saw another one of Adrian Lyne's films in 2022's Deep Water, which wasn't as good as Jacob's Ladder, but was nicely twisted and disturbing in its own right. The dynamics between that couple were sure something else.

Hey, not stealing my thunder at all - the more the merrier. I want to say the missus has seen Jacob's Ladder, that's more her cup of tea than mine. She's the horror movie junkie, not me.

I haven't seen any new movies in the past week or so. Did rewatch Clue over the weekend, but I've seen that many times - great movie. We've been watching Spider Noire, slowly, and it's fantastic but I'm saving my final thoughts for once we wrap it up.

Oh, and I've played some Messenger too - I didn't make it to where it turns non-linear, but I had to have been really close where I stopped. That was years ago, and I've been thinking of giving it another go, but I'd definitely have to start over at this point. Eventually, when I finish CD, I'll play something else.

Watched this morning's Nintendo showing. Very underwhelmed - it's nice to know I picked up the Switch 2 to play games I could have played on my other consoles 5+ years ago. I am interested in that new retro styled Final Fantasy they announced, but it's not Switch exclusive either (not saying it should be, mind you). Apparently, it's a redo of the mobile gotcha game they had, but people seem to have really liked that. And hey, reworking that so I can play it on the big screen & removing all the gotcha crap is fine by me if the core is a good game.

There's alos an enhanced port of VanillaWare's Muramasa coming for Switch, PS5, & PC. Happy about that, since the only way to play it on the big screen previously was the Wii (or the Vita TV thingie? ).

[canedaddy]

That's good to hear, argyle. I really enjoyed Muramasa on Vita back in the day.

I'm sorry...5...hundred times? I don't know if I could take that.

Yep. Quarble (little shithead) tells you how many times he's "saved" you.

And congrats on finishing the last numbered DQ on your list! How would it rank for you?

Hard to say! Better than the first two for sure. I'm not sure my memory is good enough to rank it among the rest, all of which I greatly enjoyed.

I'll check out Indy when it's cheap. Glad you enjoyed it.

[argyle]

That's good to hear, argyle. I really enjoyed Muramasa on Vita back in the day.

I'm sorry...5...hundred times? I don't know if I could take that.

Yep. Quarble (little shithead) tells you how many times he's "saved" you.

I honestly thought you were being facetious. But I can attest that the game is NOT easy.

[canedaddy]

I honestly thought you were being facetious. But I can attest that the game is NOT easy.

Ha, it's not that the game is brutally difficult. I was serious when I said a competent person would have 50 deaths. I just suck. Old man reflexes. (But also old man persistence! )