The Backlog Check-in Vol. 291: 7/29/23: Baldur’s Gate III Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, Immortals: Fenyx Rising, Scars Above

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Added: Dead or Alive 5: Last Round, Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess, Scars Above, XCOM 2: War of the Chosen

Games releasing this week
Adore
American Truck Simulator Oklahoma
Baldur’s Gate III
Cornucopia
Flutter Away
F1 Manager 2023
GigaBash
Greedland
A Guidebook of Babel
Lunia Z: Revival
Ninja or Die: Shadow of the Sun
Paquerette Down the Bunburrows
Palia
The Radiants
Reign of the Dwarf
Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition
Sclash
Soul Stalker
Strange Horticulture
Super Space Club
Tales & Tactics
There is No Light
Tiny Thor
Thronefall
Venba
VR Skater
Whispike Survivors: Sword of the Necromancer
White Album: Memories Like Fallen Snow

[argyle]

Games added: Game Tengoku: CruisinMix Special

Last week: Dabbled with several games, finally landed on River City Girls over the weekend

This week: River City Girls, maybe some more FF16 or Marvel Midnight Suns if the mood strikes

Game Tengoku - AKA The Game Paradise - is an old-school shmup that's VERY Japanese. Tam played it while we were at the con & enjoyed it, so I grabbed a copy.

After bemoaning the fact that no one in town has a physical copy of Double Dragon Gaiden because physical is dying an no one stocks anything that isn't a AAA title anymore, I remembered I had the 2 River City Girls games that I still hadn't played. Popped the first one in and instantly fell in love. It's a non-linear beat-em-up with some light RPG elements and a great sense of humor. It's a WayForward joint, so really that's all I needed to know - they rarely miss. It's exactly the kind of pick-up-and-play that I'm in the mood for right now.

[Phaseknox]

After bemoaning the fact that no one in town has a physical copy of Double Dragon Gaiden because physical is dying an no one stocks anything that isn't a AAA title anymore, I remembered I had the 2 River City Girls games that I still hadn't played. Popped the first one in and instantly fell in love. It's a non-linear beat-em-up with some light RPG elements and a great sense of humor.

I’m still upset that they didn’t release physical copies of Asterigos: Curse of the Stars and Scars Above for PS4, but they did for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Those are games that I would like to have physical copies of. As for River City Girls, I agree with you. This is what I said about it back when I played it:

“River City Girls is a good blend of old and new when it comes to beat-em-ups, and I’m having a really good time with it. It has appealing pixel art graphics and character sprites, cool music, tight gameplay and a somewhat open-ended design structure. It’s an adventure beat-em-up as opposed to an arcade one that just has you beating up enemies through short linear stages. It has an interconnected game world that you travel back and forth through, and open up other areas of as you progress. There’s also a leveling system where you level up and gain better stats as well as unlock new moves at the dojo. You get money from defeating enemies and there’s shops to buy healing items and such in, but the main reason for the money is to buy fighting moves at the dojo. This is the natural progression of the beat-em-up genre IMO. The core gameplay is beating up lots of baddies, but in an interconnected game world and also offering adventure and light RPG elements.”

However, I got stuck on the third boss and quit playing. It was clearly designed to be played co-op, and is harder playing it single player. It needed an easy setting IMO. I’m curious to hear what you think of the difficulty when you make it further.

[argyle]

After bemoaning the fact that no one in town has a physical copy of Double Dragon Gaiden because physical is dying an no one stocks anything that isn't a AAA title anymore, I remembered I had the 2 River City Girls games that I still hadn't played. Popped the first one in and instantly fell in love. It's a non-linear beat-em-up with some light RPG elements and a great sense of humor.

I’m still upset that they didn’t release physical copies of Asterigos: Curse of the Stars and Scars Above for PS4, but they did for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Those are games that I would like to have physical copies of. As for River City Girls, I agree with you. This is what I said about it back when I played it:

“River City Girls is a good blend of old and new when it comes to beat-em-ups, and I’m having a really good time with it. It has appealing pixel art graphics and character sprites, cool music, tight gameplay and a somewhat open-ended design structure. It’s an adventure beat-em-up as opposed to an arcade one that just has you beating up enemies through short linear stages. It has an interconnected game world that you travel back and forth through, and open up other areas of as you progress. There’s also a leveling system where you level up and gain better stats as well as unlock new moves at the dojo. You get money from defeating enemies and there’s shops to buy healing items and such in, but the main reason for the money is to buy fighting moves at the dojo. This is the natural progression of the beat-em-up genre IMO. The core gameplay is beating up lots of baddies, but in an interconnected game world and also offering adventure and light RPG elements.”

However, I got stuck on the third boss and quit playing. It was clearly designed to be played co-op, and is harder playing it single player. It needed an easy setting IMO. I’m curious to hear what you think of the difficulty when you make it further.

Well I beat the 2nd boss last night, so I'll tell you soon.

[isthatallyougot]

As mentioned in the "2oose" thread, I finished up Vexx and found it to be a really good example of the mascot platformer genre.

I'm still playing Animal Crossing : WW, and anticipate that being a regular short session game I return to for quite a long while. Really cozy and relaxing like the original and a good game to de-stress if you're in the need of some chill.

Being in the DS mood, I also fired up Monster Tale - a combination metroidvania / monster raising game (just one who stays with you throughout, I think.) The presentation is a little "teeny" and lacking any spice, but it's not necessarily bad. But the exploration and combat are fun so far. Hopefully it continues to live up to its early impressions. (I'm only about 12% in according to the game.)

Edit: Still plan to return to Chronicon soon as well. Had so much fun through the main campaign of that one and want to plumb those depths proper-like.

[argyle]

As mentioned in the "2oose" thread, I finished up Vexx and found it to be a really good example of the mascot platformer genre.

I'm still playing Animal Crossing : WW, and anticipate that being a regular short session game I return to for quite a long while. Really cozy and relaxing like the original and a good game to de-stress if you're in the need of some chill.

Being in the DS mood, I also fired up Monster Tale - a combination metroidvania / monster raising game (just one who stays with you throughout, I think.) The presentation is a little "teeny" and lacking any spice, but it's not necessarily bad. But the exploration and combat are fun so far. Hopefully it continues to live up to its early impressions. (I'm only about 12% in according to the game.)

Edit: Still plan to return to Chronicon soon as well. Had so much fun through the main campaign of that one and want to plumb those depths proper-like.

I really enjoyed Monster Tale, it was a fun Metroidvania with a neat wrinkle - that being raising the monster. It deserves a port and/or a sequel.

[isthatallyougot]

I really enjoyed Monster Tale, it was a fun Metroidvania with a neat wrinkle - that being raising the monster. It deserves a port and/or a sequel.

Good to hear. I'm now more optimistic about my future.

[Phaseknox]

Being in the DS mood, I also fired up Monster Tale - a combination metroidvania / monster raising game (just one who stays with you throughout, I think.)

I really enjoyed Monster Tale, it was a fun Metroidvania with a neat wrinkle - that being raising the monster.

That sounds similar to this game:



I have it, but I haven’t played it yet. It’s currently on sale for $7.99 at the PS Store.

[isthatallyougot]

That sounds similar to this game:



I have it, but I haven’t played it yet. It’s currently on sale for $7.99 at the PS Store.

Yeah, it has some of those elements I think. It's in my Steam library, but I've never fired it up. Looks like most everyone really digs it though.

[argyle]

After bemoaning the fact that no one in town has a physical copy of Double Dragon Gaiden because physical is dying an no one stocks anything that isn't a AAA title anymore, I remembered I had the 2 River City Girls games that I still hadn't played. Popped the first one in and instantly fell in love. It's a non-linear beat-em-up with some light RPG elements and a great sense of humor.

I’m still upset that they didn’t release physical copies of Asterigos: Curse of the Stars and Scars Above for PS4, but they did for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Those are games that I would like to have physical copies of. As for River City Girls, I agree with you. This is what I said about it back when I played it:

“River City Girls is a good blend of old and new when it comes to beat-em-ups, and I’m having a really good time with it. It has appealing pixel art graphics and character sprites, cool music, tight gameplay and a somewhat open-ended design structure. It’s an adventure beat-em-up as opposed to an arcade one that just has you beating up enemies through short linear stages. It has an interconnected game world that you travel back and forth through, and open up other areas of as you progress. There’s also a leveling system where you level up and gain better stats as well as unlock new moves at the dojo. You get money from defeating enemies and there’s shops to buy healing items and such in, but the main reason for the money is to buy fighting moves at the dojo. This is the natural progression of the beat-em-up genre IMO. The core gameplay is beating up lots of baddies, but in an interconnected game world and also offering adventure and light RPG elements.”

However, I got stuck on the third boss and quit playing. It was clearly designed to be played co-op, and is harder playing it single player. It needed an easy setting IMO. I’m curious to hear what you think of the difficulty when you make it further.

So I got to the 3rd boss Monday night & got beat down pretty bad. I didn't get a chance to play Tues, but last night I fired it up again after reading some general game tips (nothing mind blowing, basically level up, use consumables - which I hadn't been doing - etc.). I finished up one or two side quests I hadn't completed, fought around a little and leveled up 2 or 3 times, learned some new moves at the dojo, and loaded up on hamburgers from one of the early stores. When I went back to the boss after that, I didn't have any trouble with her at all. So I guess the lesson is I need to use the resources the game gives me.