The Backlog Check-in Vol. 371: 2/8/25: Civilization VII/Tomb Raider IV-V-VI Remastered Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Little Witch Nobeta

Finished: Nothing

Playing: ?

Added: Adventure Bar Story, Ambition Record, Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore, Best Month Ever!, Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition, Dead Island 2, Deathwish Enforcers, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, Journey to Kreisia, HammerHelm, The King of Fighters XV, Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series, Little Witch Nobeta, Lost Epic, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Terminal 18, 3 Minutes to Midnight, Trinity Trigger, Unknown 9: Awakening, Vambrace: Cold Soul

Games releasing this week
Afterlove EP
Alien: Rogue Incursion
Amber Isle
Astronomics
Blood Hunting
Bullet Noir
Civilization VII
Cold VR
Dawnfolk
The Executive - A Movie Industry Tycoon
Legacy: Steel & Sorcery
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II
Metal Suits: Counter-Attack
Mind Over Magic
Quilts & Cats of Calico
Project Tachyon
Recall: Empty Wishes
Rugby 25
Sancticide
Shujinkou
Slime Heroes
Snezhinka: Sentinel Girls 2
SteamDolls: Order of Chaos
Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip
Tomb Raider IV-V-VI Remastered
Undying
Urban Myth Dissolution Center

[canedaddy]

Played recently: Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Finished: nothing

Added to backlog: nothing

Current backlog: 45


It has been fun revisiting the world and characters of DQ8, one of my favorites of all time. It somehow looks pretty good on my big TV, and I found my old Logitech wireless PS2 controller, so I'm set up very nicely for the replay. My first time through was my introduction to DQ, so now that I've played eight other games in the mainline series and numerous others (Builders 1 & 2, Monsters Joker 1 & 2, Rocket Slime, Warriors), I have a much better feel for all the systems and whatnot. Very much enjoying this trip down memory lane (though, as I said earlier, many things aren't how my old brain remembered them).

I hope you all are avoiding the flu that's been going around. I have, even though almost everyone around me has been hit hard. My granddaughter and mother both needed to go to the hospital for it. Thankfully both are doing pretty well this morning.

[isthatallyougot]

It has been fun revisiting the world and characters of DQ8, one of my favorites of all time. It somehow looks pretty good on my big TV, and I found my old Logitech wireless PS2 controller, so I'm set up very nicely for the replay. My first time through was my introduction to DQ, so now that I've played eight other games in the mainline series and numerous others (Builders 1 & 2, Monsters Joker 1 & 2, Rocket Slime, Warriors), I have a much better feel for all the systems and whatnot. Very much enjoying this trip down memory lane (though, as I said earlier, many things aren't how my old brain remembered them).

I hope you all are avoiding the flu that's been going around. I have, even though almost everyone around me has been hit hard. My granddaughter and mother both needed to go to the hospital for it. Thankfully both are doing pretty well this morning.

You know, I have always had the sensation that I would *LOVE* DQ8. I even picked it up twice (along with the huge guide) on PS2, and have still yet to play it. And after playing DQ XI, I'm even more sure I'd fall in love with 8. Maybe this year.

Thankfully I'm not ill. I got that horrible bug a few months ago, but my body seemed to have said "That's enough!", ha. Hopefully most of us are avoiding the nasties.

*********

I started playing Ecco the Dolphin (Genesis version). I haven't played enough to really comment, and when I do, I'll do so in the dedicated thread. But I *have* started that gamer's club journey. Thanks again crim!

I'm also still designing team badges/logos and uniforms for my Out of the Park Baseball League. I've finished about half the league, but I'm unsatisfied with some of the finer detail with some things and a few of the concepts are ones I'm second guessing. And I'll probably make a second, refining pass for all teams once I've got the basic idea for each team installed. I also need to design stadiums for all 50 big-league clubs, and that will surely eat a bunch of time. But little by little, I'm approaching the milestone of opening day for this league - a dream I've had for quite a number of years, only held up by my own fear of fully diving into it all.

[argyle]

Games added: Nothing

Last week: Finished nothing, played Cyberpunk & Eternal Strands

This week: Same

Eternal Strands is an amazing game - I'm really surprised it's not getting more attention. Blows most AAA slop out of the water. The weapon upgrade system is extremely intuitive and unique, the elemental magic can not only be used as attacks and to affect the environment, but it also plays a role in what's dropped (If you kill certain enemies with fire, they are more like to drop rare "refined" elements, for example). They borrow some of the best ideas from other great action-RPGs and combine them in very cool ways. The climbing on bosses has been done first in SotC and then in Dragon's Dogma, but it fits in perfectly here as well. You can also climb on anything like in the recent Zelda games. Collecting materials to make & upgrade armor & weapons is very Monster Hunter, but in a more streamlined way. The zones are very large, so there's lots of exploration opportunities and you're pretty much always rewarded for going out of your way. Honestly, any issues I have with it are very, very nit-picky (it would be nice to be able to pin a list of materials that you need so you could remember when you're out in the world, for example). Basically, this game is a very easy recommend to everyone here. It's fantastic.

[jfissel]

Finished: Nothing

Now Playing: Ace Attorney Trilogy

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 43 games

I didn't realize how long some of these cases in Ace Attorney are - I'm almost done with the first game. Hopefully, I can finish this by the time Yakuza comes out.

[canedaddy]

Eternal Strands is an amazing game - I'm really surprised it's not getting more attention. Blows most AAA slop out of the water. The weapon upgrade system is extremely intuitive and unique, the elemental magic can not only be used as attacks and to affect the environment, but it also plays a role in what's dropped (If you kill certain enemies with fire, they are more like to drop rare "refined" elements, for example). They borrow some of the best ideas from other great action-RPGs and combine them in very cool ways. The climbing on bosses has been done first in SotC and then in Dragon's Dogma, but it fits in perfectly here as well. You can also climb on anything like in the recent Zelda games. Collecting materials to make & upgrade armor & weapons is very Monster Hunter, but in a more streamlined way. The zones are very large, so there's lots of exploration opportunities and you're pretty much always rewarded for going out of your way. Honestly, any issues I have with it are very, very nit-picky (it would be nice to be able to pin a list of materials that you need so you could remember when you're out in the world, for example). Basically, this game is a very easy recommend to everyone here. It's fantastic.

That looks great! On my list for when/if I get a PS5.

I didn't realize how long some of these cases in Ace Attorney are

"They are the appropriate length to achieve justice!"

[jfissel]

I didn't realize how long some of these cases in Ace Attorney are

"They are the appropriate length to achieve justice!"

Haha. There are some wacky characters - I wonder what games 2 and 3 have in store!