PS2 Backlog Committee

Appreciate the review of that one. I think I'll give the series a try at some point, maybe starting with the first one.

3) The Wild Eternal (PC - 2017: 20.6 hours played) 4/5



Once I switched to PC gaming as essentially my exclusive platform, I started accumulating a ridiculous number of games. Well, I should say that that accumulation started PRIOR to switching exclusively to PC, and while I say exclusively, I still play “console” games; I just do so on PC most of the time. For me, everything is better on PC, but that's neither here nor there with respect to this review. I bring it up, though, because one game I purchased at least a few years ago was a game I finally fired up in 2025, a game called The Wild Eternal. I was thinking of the pros and cons of having such a large library due to so many cheap games, via Steam sales or otherwise - mostly elsewhere - and one of the cons is that sometimes I will buy a game because it's cheap, or even VERY cheap, only to see the price drop even further prior to cracking the virtual shrink wrap. Well, with The Wild Eternal, I don't remember what I paid, but I know it would have been on discount - I don't think I got it in a bundle. Whatever it was I ultimately paid, it turned out to be more than I would have had to cough up because when I decided to finally download it this year and checked the store page, it was now listed as free to play. (It's not a multi-player game, to be clear.) So, surely patience pays and is warranted, especially when dealing with various PC storefronts. But this introduction really has little to no bearing on the actual game; it was just something that I noticed in the process of starting this particular game. Well, enough off the path stuff, and back onto another sort of path.

You see, The Wild Eternal is about the mystical path of life itself. As we look through the lens of a couple of main characters - Ananta an elderly woman in the 1600s who has lived a hard life full of suffering in the Himalayan mountains, and the Avatar of Dreams, a mysterious creature who has taken the shape of a fox, a talking fox, a being who claims to be 50,000 years old all while distancing himself from the very concept of time. Ananta has found herself in a bardo of sorts and is simultaneously in a state of reflection upon the pain of her most recent/current life and seeks an end to the cycle of rebirth and all the suffering that comes along with existence. In her weariness and quest to “opt out” of incarnation, she meets this Avatar of Dreams who seems to have had his own trauma from one (or more) of his own incarnations upon which he occasionally reflects. (I say “his” because of the life/experience he generally seems to be referencing, but given his age and suggested powers to shift form/realm, I can only assume there are many forms to which this fox has belonged.) And their journey through this realm is about the very notion of suffering, identity, meaning, and all of those other existential questions that face us all on our own adventure through this world. So while there is a focal point for a narrative about at least a couple of specific beings and their uniquely specific tales, they are only used as a framing device for circumstances that confront all sentient beings, or to put it another way, this game is really about YOU. And in the course of this journey with Ananta and the fox, you will be offered myriad opportunities to reflect and consider these heavier themes that ultimately must be dealt with sooner or later, whether within this “life” or another.

In terms of the practical execution of this idea, we are presented with an open world where you (as Ananta) are free to roam about and discover whatever there is to uncover. You will soon realize that you can find items called "tribute," which can be offered up at any of many magical shrines where you can pray and, by doing so, can get additional help on your travels. These blessings are beneficial in practical terms, giving you things like better sight for Ananta's aged eyes, increased jumping, better compass functionality, and a variety of other very useful perks to aid you in your wanderings and exploration. It's a fun way to incorporate some "leveling up" within what is otherwise largely a walking simulator. The world itself is also really beautiful. It's not that it is pushing a large number of polygons, but the art direction is very attractive, with lots of spacious and peaceful environments that really accentuate the contemplative mood. The sounds of nature, the peaceful, unintrusive music, and the setting (trees, critters, streams, bridges, gardens, shrines, wind, mountains, lanterns, etc.) are just wonderfully relaxing. Everything has such a soothing and inviting tone for the most part, and there is an excellent use of a diverse color palette that gives the various areas their own vibe and personality. You wander at your own pace and see what there is to find as you leisurely roam about these vast landscapes, following whatever captures your attention. And there are so many things that might. This world surely does NOT have a cut and paste feel. There are pathways that lead to gardens and open vistas or mysterious doorways and all manner of little elements and landmarks that make the world feel distinct and tantalize your visual curiosity, pulling you forward. And combining all those elements with a philosophical, eternal lens where death is really no big deal... just part of the movement of all things, and there is just this calming tone to the entire experience. If you want to chill, here you go. Very very Zen. It just begs you to explore and wander at an unhurried pace, as one might across the span of timeless eternity. There are so many endless little things, both useful and general environmental points of interest, that capture your attention and prompt you onward. Wonderful. There is some MILD potential danger in the world from some hostile natural creatures, but there is no real heavy consequence for "dying," especially for the (essentially) already-dead, ha. You can lose your compass, fruit (which replenishes your stamina or you can use to feed the animals), and your diya (your lamp), but they are usually easily found again, and even if you don't have them, it won't interfere with progression to any significant degree. This isn't meant to be a rushed experience in the first place, and in the course of eternity, all that is lost is regained, sooner or later, as you understand eventually that there is nothing to lose or gain in the first place. And while the worlds - there are different sections that divide the greater whole and which you can travel between - aren't quite as large as they might appear at first, they're still plenty big enough so that you feel like you are properly exploring, and it is quite easy to become lost as you wander and lose track of your bearings. The Wild Eternal imparts a wonderful sense of navigational disorientation that synchronized beautifully with the idea of a mystical eternal journey into the endless unknown and does a great job of making you feel small in a vast world while simultaneously giving you subtle direction. Nicely done.

And I thought the game was a satisfying length at about 6 hours +/- to "complete," although there is definitely more to explore and discover afterwards if you are so inclined. Personally, I was tantalized by some of the locked doors that seemed to eventually be accessible as well as the pure joy of roaming about this large, visually delightful, and varied world, so I kept playing a long while after I finished at about the 6-hour mark, hoping to see what other bits of existential philosophy or visual splendor I might find. The game touches on some very profound stuff as well. I love that it deals with the complexities of life, situations where a person's heart can be completely in the right place and yet the outcome goes ALL wrong. It touches on that exquisite tragedy and paradox... that inherent sorrow embedded within the human experience. If you love mysticism, the exploration of the indescribable and such, this will be right up your alley. It touches on the ultimate "unknowability" and irresolvable nature of things. Just an eternal maze with no real end point - both torturous and wonderful in equal measure. If you have any philosophical leanings and like to explore the existential mysteries of being, this may really seep into your bones like it did mine. There's an invitation to explore and just ****BE**** without the unnecessary and troublesome defining or "understanding" that often plagues the mind, the advanced and “evolved” mind that often seems to bring suffering along with its skills and abilities. This was a game I expected to enjoy. I remember specifically picking it up and the tone I thought it might have, but it exceeded those expectations significantly for me, offering much greater depth than I had imagined it to contain. I've been walking the real road referenced within this game (as have we all, imho), and it was wonderful to find such an insightful parallel within the gaming world. It's a real shame that this developer hasn't made anything else nor seems to have had much in the way of success with The Wild Eternal. But given the content of this work, I can surely understand why it has eventually been offered for free. And I'm surely not bothered that I paid rather than getting this for free, had I waited. If you resonate with any Eastern philosophy/spirituality or just find yourself amused and/or troubled with the transient nature of experience, then this comes with an even stronger recommendation. 4/5

2) Ion Fury (PC - 2019 : 19 hours played for the first play-through on normal.) 5/5



Some games just have that “it” factor that is readily apparent right off the bat. Now, of course, this quality may be more easily appreciated if you enjoy the style of game, but, when you feel it, you know when that clicks in for you. But it's always a wonderful feeling when you know you're going to be in for a truly satisfying ride from a brief taste. I played a game in 2025 that imparted that delicious flavor in the form of Ion Fury, a retro "boomer-shooter" that left me breathless.

Now I will say up front that the aforementioned quality is even more impressive, given my gaming background and general preferences within this hobby. In the first place, I've only briefly dabbled with the glory days of this genre within the genre. Of the classic “build engine” games, I've only lightly sampled the original DOOM, and that was on PS1. I never came close to finishing it or even really getting into it at all. And I've never played Blood, Duke Nukem 3D (or any other), or Shadow Warrior. I came to learn that this breed of FPS is venerated by a large segment of the gaming community, and having now experienced Ion Fury, I will surely make a point to rectify this omission. Secondly, while I DO semi-regularly rotate in the FPS genre within my gaming diet, it's a very rare breed that truly blows me away. I generally enjoy the shooting gameplay, but it's not usually a form that I find to reach the height of the best gaming experiences. Surely good enough to keep it in rotation, but I never really expect to be wowed, as it happens so infrequently.

So, I'll start with the premise. You are Shelly Harrison, a bomb defusal expert who finds herself at opposition to the megalomaniacal Dr. Jadus Heskel and his transhumanist agenda. He's got all the resources at his disposal, but she's got a determined axe to grind, and so IT IS ON! To be clear, the narrative is VERY sparse, which, depending on your preferences, may be a pro or a con. Personally, I just want to play a good game, and if a detailed narrative is an aspect of the experience, fine; if not, that can be fine too. Here, it felt appropriate to trim all the fat and just let you get to blasting. And, make no mistake, there is plenty of blasting to be had. Heskel's army is made of absurd levels of opposition, both in numbers and in power. As you take to the streets, high-rises, underground and hidden nooks and crannies of Neo-DC, you will encounter innumerable goons of both the organic and mechanical variety. There is very little time to breath as you navigate these levels, and you'd best be always on your toes. There is such FANTASTIC pacing within Ion Fury. The game does a wonderful job of mixing up pop-and-drop (duck and cover - what's the term?) shooting with situations where you'd best not be still or you'll face a quick death. That varied rhythm to the fundamental shooting is already so well done, and then when you sprinkle in excellent boss fights, secrets that feel challenging and rewarding to find, and some relatively complex, multi-path level design, it's just continually engaging. The whole thing is just a white-knuckle, roller-coaster thrill ride of a thing. If you have ANY affinity for the FPS genre (boomer or otherwise), you'd be hard pressed to find a more fun time - just a rip-roaring party! And the setting itself is a pleasure aesthetically. There's a really cool neon-drenched cyberpunk motif and an appropriately themed and kicking ost. Visuals are “electric” and trippy, and the thumping techno ost really adds to the stylistic vibes. Shelly's movement is also a highlight as she can zip and hop around the world greasy-fast style, and everything just feels snappy and responsive in the most wonderful ways. Her arsenal, while not overly bloated or comprised of really unique weapons, is nonetheless nicely balanced against the challenges present, and the fact that all weapons have an alternate fire mode makes things feel more fleshed out.

There are some points I felt could have been improved. I know it's an homage to old-school shooters (and on the ancient Build engine), but like those old games, the animations are sparse and choppy. Whether you like that or not is up to taste. I don't necessarily hate it, but it can feel a little archaic in relation to more modern fare. That's also part of the charm, imo, but it isn't cutting edge in any way. The level design is really good, and the secrets are really well hidden. But the game kind of mocks you for not being a real gamer if you don't get 100%, lol. And in the first region I only found 3/31 secrets while feeling like I explored pretty thoroughly. It's nice that there's so much to find, but these things might be hidden a little too well. (At the conclusion of my first run I had found 26% of all secrets, so there's plenty of room to explore still.) On the flip side, this fact, along with the multiple difficulties, certainly gives the game a nice amount of replay value if you are so inclined. Also, because of some (moderate - not overly difficult) navigational complexity, it is possible to get stumped briefly as you hunt around for the method of progression. I've read that some complained about this, but I found it to facilitate the overall flow and pacing. I will say that I did get stuck for a bit in a couple of spots, but the game does offer direction to the player. It can be subtle at times, but the path forward will become clear if you are persistent and observant. I never felt the need to resort to a guide, even though a couple of cases had me wandering for a little while. It can also be a little tricky to always identify the location of incoming damage. There are often enemies above/below/before/& behind and often simultaneously in various combinations. And there doesn't seem to be an incoming directional damage highlighter of any sort, so it can make things feel a little frustrating in spots until you get into the flow. You eventually learn to spin around wildly and check vertically when you're not sure, though, and it does add to the intensity. Also, as mentioned, the arsenal could have been more expansive, even if I was pretty satisfied. More variety and experimental/weird weaponry is always appreciated. I think Ratchet & Clank has forever spoiled me in this regard. Finally, I ended up reading about some controversy with the developer and apparent insensitivity towards a particular group. While I think the world is a better place when we all have compassion for one another, I've always been one to separate the art from the artist. But I don't appreciate hatred and bigotry, as wearying and ever-present as it seems to be on an expanding scale. Lastly, and while I personally thought it was nicely balanced on normal, I have read complaints about the difficulty. So keep that in mind if you're looking for a low-stress time, although there are easier difficulties, to be fair.

But overall, I was FULLY absorbed with my time in Ion Fury. My first run lasted 19 hours. (I'm always slow, lol.) And I just kept playing after completion on a higher difficulty. It's pretty incredible how such an old engine (Build Engine) can feel so fresh and relevant, raw tech notwithstanding, and it's just a tribute to talented developers who know how to code a good time. Shelly as a character was also loads of fun. Granted, her personality mostly comes in the form of quips and one-liners that will be familiar to those with a finger on the pulse of action pop culture history, but those bits of verbalization really infused her with a badass persona that made reveling in the killing and rebellion a true joy. You'll hear her say, “Dodge This!" "Say my name!" and “Oh my god, the quarterback is toast!” from The Matrix, Breaking Bad, and Die Hard, respectively, among many others, and it just adds to the satisfaction of dispatching the hordes. The bottom line is that if you enjoy quick-twitch action games, FPS or otherwise, I imagine you'd really click with this. For me, it's a 5/5 and one of a handful of entries I've played in the genre that I'd consider a classic. And apparently the DLC “Aftershock” is nearly the same length as the main campaign and even better according to some accounts, and I'll surely be getting to that sooner or later. Highly recommended.

Wow, sounds pretty great! I'm a boomer so I'm going to need to try a shooter of my generation at some point, might as well be that one.

canedaddy wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2026 12:07 pm Wow, sounds pretty great! I'm a boomer so I'm going to need to try a shooter of my generation at some point, might as well be that one.

Do it boomer! It's on PS4, I believe. Nice of you to include a recent selfie.

isthatallyougot wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2026 6:50 pm Do it boomer! It's on PS4, I believe. Nice of you to include a recent selfie.

I wish!

Related: I'm currently editing something and was going to suggest changing a reference to 65-year-olds as "elderly." (In my newspaper days, that was a big no-no... everyone from 65 to 70 would write in or call to say, "THAT'S NOT ELDERLY!") Well, I just looked it up, and the Internet is 100% in agreement that 65 is elderly, and 60 is acceptable too! As much as we joke about it, I've never seen myself as elderly, so this is a gut punch.

canedaddy wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2026 10:01 am

isthatallyougot wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2026 6:50 pm Do it boomer! It's on PS4, I believe. Nice of you to include a recent selfie.

I wish!

Related: I'm currently editing something and was going to suggest changing a reference to 65-year-olds as "elderly." (In my newspaper days, that was a big no-no... everyone from 65 to 70 would write in or call to say, "THAT'S NOT ELDERLY!") Well, I just looked it up, and the Internet is 100% in agreement that 65 is elderly, and 60 is acceptable too! As much as we joke about it, I've never seen myself as elderly, so this is a gut punch.

Ooof! It's funny because as close as I now am to 60, I still feel like a young dude within too. The calendar seems to no longer agree. Well, all you can do is laugh, live and let go.

1) Out of the Park Baseball '22 (PC - 2021: 800+ hours in 2025 alone - thousands and thousands over the course of the franchise, both single and multiplayer.) 5/5



Well, what to say about a series that you've poured thousands of hours into across mutliple iterations over many years - a series which you've played and won titles in multi-player online leagues and single-player MLB seasons, and even created your own custom league...a series that every time you fire it up devours hours upon hours like a ferocious and ravenous school of piranha devouring a capybara until it's just a floating head in the river? Hmm? Hmm?!? Well, surely there's a great deal that could be said, obviously. But I'll keep it brief.

Of all games/series, I have by FAR poured more hours into Out of the Park Baseball than any other. This year alone gobbled up nearly 1000 hours, and when accounting for all the time I've spent with the series over the years, it simply dwarfs my time with any other game/series. A crossroads of personal interests - sports, and more specifically baseball, and gaming - gives this series a pull unlike anything else, really. It also appeals to the strategy and management lover within, both within the confines of general baseball strategy and broader strokes like organizational management. There are really few things that excite me like the prospect of taking over a sports franchise and sculpting it with my own vision as I seek to lead it to dominance over the long term. I should have been a combination GM and owner in real life, a Jerry Jones-like...ugh, I shudder. But where's the money? Sigh. Alas, I have to sate these urges within the virtual realm. But if there is an outlet that gives a close enough approximation to that fantasy, surely, Out of the Park Baseball is IT. And my imagination is sufficient to extract what I imagine to be a nearly 1:1 source of satisfaction, so deep and nuanced are the variables on offer to a would-be architect of a sporting dynasty.

How much do you want to tweak things? Well, the series tagline has sometimes been "Create your own baseball universe" or “Infinite Baseball Sandbox," and that is exactly what's on offer. You can craft things with a precision that allows you to fine-tune both the challenge as well as the very structure of your experience, all with tools that allow for nearly whatever vision you want within the confines of a baseball management simulation. In 2025, I decided to create my own custom league - something I had never done before - complete with team names and logos of my own design. Because I had this “new” experience with the series, I decided to include it in my year-end rankings rather than relegate it to the replay category. It already was crowned my 2018 Game of the Year (for OOTP ‘18), and I generally consider games that are largely similar from year to year, like sports games, to be a singular title. However, given the investment I made in creating the United States Baseball League and the distinct experience that ultimately was, along with the absurd hours I played, I couldn’t really deny its well-earned status in my countdown.

Without going into all the minutiae available to a player of this series, I'll just say that if you have a vision for how you want the game to play in terms of the raw numbers engine and a vision for how you want to build your team and league, you will be absolutely spoiled for choice. All the intricacies of team and organizational management, from in-game strategy, roster building, finance, and organizational chemistry (both roster and coaching), are available to the would-be GM/manager. And the interplay of all the variables on offer, including injuries (even devastating career-enders), suspensions, contract negotiations and disputes, slumps/hot streaks and anomalies/under- and over-performing players, story-lines, and on and on and on, are all present and accounted for. If you are able to internalize the fantasy, it truly is like being both a fan and owner of your very own professional baseball franchise, and for me, that is about as intoxicating a proposition as you could imagine. Imagine the rabid sports fan who is heavily invested in their team but one who also gets to steer the decision-making ship, and you get a decent idea of the impact. To say I'm invested as strongly as in actual sport would be an understatement. I am the architect AND the fan, and I live and die with every signing, every injury, every trade, every winning or losing streak, every season...every PITCH. I have considered the gravity this series has on me over the years, both generally and in the context of the ongoing project of identifying and expressing my all-time rankings within this medium, and to be clear, I have VERY broad tastes within the realm of gaming and a passionate desire to experience and sample as much as I can within this creative format. But when I play Out of the Park Baseball, I don't want to play anything else, and I think that is the best framing I can give for my feelings about this game/franchise. It CAPTURES me and will not let go unless I forcibly rip myself away. But when I do, I am continually considering how long I have to wait until my return. This game is a strange sort of thing for me. What does it say about me or my favorite ***video*** game of all time that it hardly needs sound or visuals at all to be all-consuming, lol? Clearly, the breadth of this hobby is wide and deep! “Open your mind." (Kuato speaking to Quaid in Total Recall. ) Incomparable.





Well, that'll do it for this year. I've already played more games in 2026 than 2025, even though I'm still playing OOTP, so next year may be more interesting, or at least expansive to some degree. Thanks for tuning in PS2 backlog brothers!

I was wondering what would end up in the top spot.

Are there 12-step groups for OOTP baseball? Maybe we should stage an intervention? I was similarly hooked on old baseball (and other sports) board games, which I'm sure we've discussed before. I truly could get in danger if I got a taste of OOTP, haha.

Another great year of writeups. Well done, izzy.

canedaddy wrote: Mon Aug 17, 2026 10:40 am I was wondering what would end up in the top spot.

Are there 12-step groups for OOTP baseball? Maybe we should stage an intervention? I was similarly hooked on old baseball (and other sports) board games, which I'm sure we've discussed before. I truly could get in danger if I got a taste of OOTP, haha.

Another great year of writeups. Well done, izzy.

Thanks cane.

And I would be the most infuriating candidate for an intervention in this particular case. I would be CONVINCED that all those participating had lost THEIR minds and that I had slipped into some sort of Twilight Zone episode.

BTW, if you or anyone else is wondering or even remembers me playing DQ VIII and curious why it didn't make my list; it's because I didn't finish it in 2025, even though I had played a great deal. But fear not, it shall make it's appearance on the 2026 countdown.