Last Game You Finished And Your Four-ghts

It doesn't take too long at all - worth a look, I'd say!

Gato Roboto

Fun, simple Metroidvania. Rock hard bosses in places, but tight enough controls that I never felt frustrated enough to pack it in. Funny and charming characters, too.

Resumed my playthrough of Pokemon Colosseum which I had abandoned the other day, and finished it today.

This was also a game I played as a kid but never completed and it was fun going back to it. It's refreshing playing a game that plays a lot like a mainline pokemon game but also has a much different feel to it due to the different developer.

One thing I like is the double battles and how the battles are strictly Set so you can't switch out pokemon between faints - never manually set it to that option myself in other pokemon games because it felt like I was disadvantaging myself for no reason. So it feels like there's a bit more strategy inherent to these games and it encourages you to make your whole team good. The enemy AI was still bad but there were some cool team co-ordination moments (when they aren't KOing each other with Earthquake).

It's a shame that Colosseum (and I guess XD which I haven't played) aren't acknowledged at all in mainline or really any other pokemon games because they're pretty cool despite their faults. I guess it's because they are spin-offs made by another developer, but still.

Also while it's expected of a pokemon game there are a lot of good jams in it.

I enjoyed Colosseum back in the day.
Set is how competitive battles are fought as standard. One of these days I'll start playing campaigns that way.

Wait what? People actually play Pokémon campaigns on the Switch setting? Is it not all phenomenally easy?

Drunkalilly wrote:

Set is how competitive battles are fought as standard. One of these days I'll start playing campaigns that way.

You are never allowed to tell anyone to ‘git gud’ at Pokémon ever again.

Kriken wrote:

Also while it's expected of a pokemon game there are a lot of good jams in it.

I’m confused: that’s not Miror B.

Might just be watching the anime etc but doesn't Switching make more sense, like I know he's going to send out a charizard, that I need to switch to my vaporeon and not have a leafeon out.

Balladeer wrote:

Wait what?  People actually play Pokémon campaigns on the Switch setting?  Is it not all phenomenally easy?

Usually, yeah. I don't actually particularly want a tough challenge in Pokemon, that ain't what I came for.

Balladeer wrote:

Kriken wrote:

Also while it's expected of a pokemon game there are a lot of good jams in it.

I’m confused: that’s not Miror B.

You're confused that there's more than one good tune in the game?

masofdas wrote:

Might just be watching the anime etc but doesn't Switching make more sense, like I know he's going to send out a charizard, that I need to switch to my vaporeon and not have a leafeon out.

Surely it makes more sense to play according to the same rules the opposing trainers are bound by?

Drunkalilly wrote:

Usually, yeah. I don't actually particularly want a tough challenge in Pokemon, that ain't what I came for.

I mean, fair enough. If you're enjoying playing the game then you're not playing it wrong. I like having a little bit more challenge though. (Made Leon bastard hard.)

Kriken wrote:

Balladeer wrote:

Kriken wrote:

Also while it's expected of a pokemon game there are a lot of good jams in it.

I’m confused: that’s not Miror B.

You're confused that there's more than one good tune in the game?

To be serious, I don't think there's a tune in Colosseum that comes anywhere close. Maybe Realgam Tower?

I'm sure other trainers switch out, or am I imagining that?

Some of them switch monsters, but they don't get the free switch after a knockout that Switch style gives you.

I use Set if I'm playing a Nuzlocke as that's all about trying to make Pokemon into a challenge, but I think playing the game normally is never going to be difficult and I reckon that using Set style will feel like more of an inconvenience than any sort of additional challenge.

I didn't even know the Set/Switch option existed until Let's Go so I've played a fair few games with the Switch rules (ironically not the Two Switch games).

Each to their own.  I feel like I'm 'cheating' playing Switch, given the advantages I already have over my hapless foes!




Oh I like this.  I like this a great deal.

A Hat in Time is definitely an homage to the older 3D Marios, and to a lesser extent other collectathon 3D platformers like Banjo-Kazooie.  It blends good bits from all of them: there's the exploratory quality of 64, Galaxy-like set-pieces, and the Time Rifts are very much Sunshine-inspired.  To this it adds character that feels more like something out of a Luigi's Mansion, or even TTYD - there's a train level that apes the Excess Express to terrific effect.  It's all so charming and nice, most of it (there's one set piece that's horrific - in a good way).  Hat Kid looks like she's having a tremendous time on her adventure, sticking her tongue out at bad guys and pulling silly poses when she enters levels, and it inspired me to have a good time too.  Her co-stars are generally pretty great as well, chirruping away (fully voice-acted).  On top of all this is layered colourful and character-oozing aesthetics, fun boss fights, and the by-now-expected top quality indie soundtrack.  Feat. Grant Kirkhope, because of course.

All this makes up somewhat for the platforming.  Don't get me wrong: it's fun, and that's key.  Hat Kid feels good to control, her many hats put to decent use, and the level design's good to jump around.  The acid test is whether the Time Rifts, pieces of pure platforming, are fun to complete; and they are, and I did all of them.  However, it has the non-Mario 3D platformer problem of a camera expelled from Satan's own anus to toy with you.  Numerous times I misjudged distances and fell screaming, or found the camera staring up Hat Kid's nose from inside a wall, or the game decided I'd really like a dramatic change of perspective when I really didn't.

It's easy to find other minor issues to poke at AHiT on Switch.  Noticeable downgrade in graphical quality in handheld mode; parts of the game that feel like they're missing something cut during the game's apparently tangled development process; a slightly character-less last (main game) world; limited enemy variety; a rival who spends most of the game missing; and, curiously, limited reference to any actual time mechanics for all that it's in the title.  I'd say that the two issues that actually stood out were the camera and the loading pauses, presumably a Switch-specific issue and one that probably makes other platforms preferable.  You could make a cup of tea and let it get cold in the time it takes to load a level, including the hub.

None of these are enough to make AHiT not a tremendous game that I'd recommend to basically anyone.  Whether you prefer 64's platforming or Galaxy's, pick games for their writing or their gameplay, I think you'll enjoy AHiT.  I got all the main game's Time Pieces, and intend to play both DLCs before I move onto something else from the backlog.  It's very good.

Interesting points about the plot there, Balla - I'd not really thought about that! Yeah, the hourglass thing doesn't really make a lot of sense. Maybe it's too much of an homage to Rare platformers, i.e. they make up what they're doing as they go along! I did like that last Chapter though - I ended up caring about the mountain people.

Aye, AHiT is definitely a future pick up for me. Your high praise only cements that further! One for a sale though, natch, like all my games should be with my current backlog!

Oh, I meant to post a couple of recent finished games in here.

Firstly...

Pokémon Shield



Maybe it's because I skipped ORAS and didn't play anywhere near enough of Let's Go Pikachu, but I really enjoyed this.

I was somewhat concerned about how this would come together after the game didn't seem to be revolutionising the core formula in the way I'd hoped. I don't think I would be alone in presuming that the jump from handheld to console would bring about some much needed changes to the formula. We didn't get that in the way I'd expected, but some of the changes weren't unwelcome in the least.

The much bemoaned Dexit ended up making the game feel tighter and the post-game content to feel much more achievable than in most of the recent Pokémon games. At the end of the day, it's impossible to properly care about 900+ 'Mon and all my favourites made it in, so I can't complain there. I'm also far more inclined to actually go and complete my Pokédex this time around with a much more manageable amount of critters to catch. I'm happy with the new 'Mon that appeared too, for the most part. I think it's got the biggest number of winners in my eyes since Generation V, so top work there from the lads at GameFreak. Going in mostly blind meant I felt that thrill at wondering what would pop out of the grass next and I felt a sense of wonder in discovering new critters in each route. The Wild Area was also a welcome inclusion and I hope they expand that to cover the entirety of the game moving forwards. A truly open Pokémon game is something I've dreamed about for years and it feels like we're finally getting closer to that.

Pokémon has always worked well in its core battling and whilst there's little in the way of changes as to how it plays - no, Dynamaxing isn't a big deal - I can't say I'm bothered by that. Why change what isn't broken, after all? The return to a traditional gym system was initially disappointing as Sun/Moon was a great change of pace. But, I really liked the sports like presentation given to the gym challenge and it made the journey mean something as opposed to some of the previous entries in the series. It felt like Hop and my character were two rising athletes striving to be the best at their game and the gym challenge felt like it meant something again rather than being an arbitrary inclusion. Some of the later battles were even somewhat tricky, which is rare for a Pokémon game. Having said that, I'd still prefer a change of formula as opposed to a reliance on the old gym system.

What's somewhat frustrating is that there's clearly potential here for a truly world-beating game. Visually, the game isn't a looker, even by the Switch's standards. Visuals certainly aren't the be all and end all for me, but I'd hoped the jump to Switch would have come with a somewhat substantial jump in visual quality whereas what we got felt like up-resed (sp?) 3DS graphics. Again, not a dealbreaker, but slightly disappointing. As alluded to earlier, I'd liked to have seen a more open game as well - the route system feels outdated and due for being scrapped, I'd say. I'd also like to see a bit more of an engaging story - I'm not asking or expecting for a JRPG epic or anything, but the "plot" revolving the Darkest Day and whatnot felt tacked on and inconsequential. Something closer to Black/White's story would be just the ticket.

Ultimately, it's hard for me to score this super high as it's a very safe game as its core. Pokémon's formula works well and it worked well for me as I'd taken a wee break from the series, but I think it's time for the series to take a few risks. Let's see a truly open world. Let's see a change to the usual story formula - Sun and Moon had it right, so let's build on that.

Still, this is a fine game and one that I'll likely still be plugging away at from time to time to try and catch 'em all. 7.5/10.

Devil May Cry V



Back at the start of 2019, I marathoned the first four DMC games in a bid to get ready for DMC V and... I never actually ended up picking up DMC V.

I think Sekiro got in the way, but I finally got around to starting DMC V at the end of last year and polished it off recently. This is easily my favourite of the series and is now one of my favourite games from 2019. And that's simply because the game aims to be unabashedly fun.

Firstly, the characters. A character action game, funnily enough, lives and dies by its characters. I had a blast playing as each of the three playable characters as they were all distinct from one another whilst being fun and satisfying to learn. Nero has a low barrier for entry with his core playstyle being easy to pick up, but I think his mechanics make him the trickiest to play well. It was simple to jump in with him as his basic moveset was mostly unchanged from DMC4, but learning the new mechanics such as his various prosthetic arms each with their own unique powers made him interesting to play. V is incredibly unique for the series as he's more of a puppeteer in a sense - he uses two demons to do his dirty work which you control from a distance as V himself is pretty frail. It was a great change of pace from playing as Nero and Dante, and I think V's sections were important to keep the game feeling fresh as you progressed onwards. I will admit that V's sections weren't as fun as playing as Dante or Nero, but I still enjoyed them. I think it's more to do with the fact that playing Dante or Nero was just that damn good. Speaking of Dante, Dante himself was just a blast to play - again, he's mostly unchanged from DMC4 with his gameplay focusing on changing combat styles on the fly, but I found his increasingly zany weapons to be the stars of the show. His motorbike swords - you read that correctly - were the highlights in my book.

Pulling off combos as each of the characters was so satisfying and it didn't feel like a gargantuan task to play well in DMC V. To draw a comparison, I found myself struggling to find a "flow" in combat in DMC3 and I'd instead rely on the same few combos to get through, but DMC V almost encourages you to experiment with different moves and combos and rewards you with S ranks. That just feels good, and I think feeling that sense of satisfaction is pivotal for character action games.

As for the other aspects of the game, they all tie into making this a blast to play. The story is arguably at its best for the series, which isn't saying much as DMC has never been known for having a top tier storyline, but I found myself getting wrapped up in the story of DMC V and that served the purpose of giving my battles a purpose beyond kicking demon ass for the fun of it. The game also steered away from some of the serious edge that plagued DMC4 and leaned more into the wackiness of DMC3. This cutscene which plays after Dante gets a new weapon - yes, it's a hat - is a solid example of the fact that the game really doesn't take itself seriously and isn't afraid to have fun.

The music was also fantastic and played its role amazingly of being the soundtrack to the aforementioned demon ass kicking. And visually, I genuinely think this is one of the best looking games I've ever played. I mentioned earlier that visuals aren't the be all and end all in a game, and I stand by that, but having a game like this look stunning does mean a lot. After all, this sub-genre is sometimes known as "spectacle action", and having the spectacle of it all look that good is important. I'd say performance is even more important than visuals for an action game, but DMC V ran buttery smooth throughout the whole game, even during the busiest battles.

The only real gripes I have with the game are that the environments, whilst pretty, were really samey and it got dull running through the same demonic tree area and ruined city umpteen times. DMC4 had this beat hands down as I remember that game went from urban cityscapes to snowy mountainsides to gothic castles to lush jungles in the space of a few levels. This issue bleeds into the level design as well - it can sometimes feel like you're just moving forwards from battle to battle with little in the way of variety. DMC3 and DMC4 both had their fair share of puzzles and focusing on traversing back and forwards from a level to get to the next area. I think it's a real shame as it does prevent the game from being a masterpiece in my eyes.

On a lesser note, I also wish they'd done more with the multiplayer aspect as they only really took advantage of it in one level. I'd love to see DMC VI have co-op and I hope DMC V's asynchronous multiplayer bits were Capcom testing the water.

On the whole though, this was a genuine treat to play. I think some games are guilty of taking themselves too seriously and are sometimes concerned too much about telling a story and delivering a message and stray away from actually being fun to play. DMC V doesn't have that problem at all - it's just fun. 9/10

masofdas wrote:

OR will be pleased as after all these years I've finally finished Gravity Rush on something, as I just had this urge to go back and play it on my PS4 for the first time since Feb 2016.

I really like it, but it's not brilliant more along the lines of an odd cult classic 7/10 type deal because it was on VITA and it's kinda quirky. I may even put the sequel in the console after being on my shelf for 3 years.

Glad you liked it! The sequel is easily the better game, if it helps. A shame the servers are dead now though so you can't experience the online elements that made exploration more fun, but the bulk of the game is still there.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Gato Roboto

Fun, simple Metroidvania. Rock hard bosses in places, but tight enough controls that I never felt frustrated enough to pack it in. Funny and charming characters, too.

Yup, fun and simple is about right (as is singling out that it has some tough bosses!). I just missed out on 100% though, must have missed one secret somewhere and have no idea where

Oh, my dude, I finished with like 50%

JayMoyles wrote:

Ultimately, it's hard for me to score this super high as it's a very safe game as its core. Pokémon's formula works well and it worked well for me as I'd taken a wee break from the series, but I think it's time for the series to take a few risks. Let's see a truly open world. Let's see a change to the usual story formula - Sun and Moon had it right, so let's build on that.

Still, this is a fine game and one that I'll likely still be plugging away at from time to time to try and catch 'em all. 7.5/10.

It's definitely about as safe a game as they could have gone for, Dexit aside. I agree with pretty much all of your take although I'd give it a slightly higher score, 8/10. A lot of the routes felt significantly underdeveloped in Sword/Shield - sparsely populated by trainers and with very few items to discover. They did come across as quite old, but I think what the game was really lacking was a cracking dungeon or two to delve into. There was no hidden Team Rocket HQ or any sort of puzzling cave.

My expectations for Sword/Shield were pared back way before even the controversies about the game came about because Game Freak seemed to be playing down how big/ground-breaking the game would be. Stuff like saying it'd more of a portable console experience.

Honestly despite some not-insignificant technical hitches I really liked the visuals. The pop-in was bad, but a lot less jarring in a cartoony game like this than it would be in, say, Witcher 3. The classic charming quality of the art helps, as well as the game being 1080p which is something I thought they might have compromised on like in Xenblade 2 and other big titles. It is dynamic so will go down when required, but mostly didn't notice that if it did much. To be clear - Xenoblade 2 looks absolutely better, but it capped out at 720p and still dynamic at that, dropping a lot and getting very blurry sometimes.

Yep overall the plot was lacking. S/M and B/W did a better job overall, but I did like a fair few of the characters. Mainly your rivals and others. Maybe not so much Hop, but I didn't mind him.

My heart would say it's a 8/10 game, even 9/10 at times, though by the end - even though I thought the little post-game story was great - I was rating it a little lower and have not played it that much since beating it. 7.5 is pretty fair.

Expecting maybe a Diamond/Pearl remake in a similar engine next. Faithful to the original but with a new wild area, or maybe with one of the routes adapted into one. And then after that another game that makes a big technical leap. Could be the one that goes open world or close to it.

Interesting that you use that term, Kriken.  I believe I'm down on record here as being very much up for more 'portable console experiences' on Switch.  I think it's a bit of a shame that we haven't got more games like Ace Attorneys, or weirder nicher JRPGs out of the DS/3DS school, or in general just more games using sprites.  Released by bigger developers but taking less time and money, or by firms in the middle of the range, this would be my preferred method of bulking out the release schedule for a machine that is, after all, a combination of home console and handheld.

My personal problem with SS was mostly it feeling unfinished even compared to the handheld games. I think that if they'd done a big shiny Pokémon in exactly the same way as previous generations (routes, Gyms, evil team, traditional League - the lot), and then focussed on keeping it tight and upping the presentation (visible Pokémon, anime cries) I'd have been completely happy.  That's just me though.

Muss wrote:

They did come across as quite old, but I think what the game was really lacking was a cracking dungeon or two to delve into. There was no hidden Team Rocket HQ or any sort of puzzling cave.

Oh man, that's a great point. I actually thought the power plant at the end was going to be that sort of area.

Kriken wrote:

Yep overall the plot was lacking. S/M and B/W did a better job overall, but I did like a fair few of the characters. Mainly your rivals and others. Maybe not so much Hop, but I didn't mind him.

I liked Hop, but the story they were trying to tell wasn't told in a particularly great manner. He was obviously struggling with the pressure of trying to live up to his brother and finding his own route in life, but it didn't make a lot of sense when he proclaimed he was your biggest rival after I pasted him multiple times.

Kriken wrote:

Honestly despite some not-insignificant technical hitches I really liked the visuals. The pop-in was bad, but a lot less jarring in a cartoony game like this than it would be in, say, Witcher 3. The classic charming quality of the art helps...

I found the pop-in noticeable at first, but my eyes soon adjusted. As you say, it being cartoony helped in that regard. I actually really liked the way the game looked. Every model seemed good to me but I particularly liked the illusion of depth in the backgrounds of any given town.

JayMoyles wrote:

Oh man, that's a great point. I actually thought the power plant at the end was going to be that sort of area.

That would have been nice! The End of Days stuff never really hit home and I wish they'd done something different.

I'm actually glad there wasnt a big cave or base or anything, theyre usually pretty dull.

I also like how the plot was done! Hes a billionaire who controls the country so you know from the start that he needs a kicking. And you dont really get involved until later, after Leon fails, because youre 12 years old. I dunno it just landed for me. Id say 9 or 10 . . .

Sonia and Leon were the real protagonists of the story, you are just their crazed 10 year old superweapon that they point and shoot at what they need making dead