 | Out with the old and in with the old |
Burn in Hell, 2024. This was not my best year by a long shot, but even with divorce, financial woes, and depression, it still beats 2011 and 2016. However, those things pretty much dealt a blow to my free time and prevented me from getting as much gaming done as I wanted to. Lately, I've been making myself take it easy now and then, playing games and reading books as a means to better my mental health. It's been working, but we'll see how much I get done in 2025, assuming I get a much-needed, part-time, second job.
The Jury's Out:
Dimensity (PC)
A mix of Diablo and OG Warcraft, this game has potential. But to be perfectly honest, I don't have high hopes. We all make a fuss about production values and polish, and those things don't always make a game great. However, when a game is missing so much of those qualities that grand events like the death of a king feel underwhelming, you really begin to miss things like dramatic build and cinematics.
UPDATE: I have beaten Dimensity, and it sadly does not kick ass.
Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster (PC)
I've played Final Fantasy V. I've liked Final Fantasy V. I've played Pixel Remasters. I've liked Pixel Remasters. This game has everything going for it so far, so I really hope it doesn't find some what to biff it hard.
Iesabel (PC)
A Diablo knockoff from over a decade ago, this one also doesn't look good. However, it's still too early to tell for sure, but given its weak storytelling early on and lack of standout features, I don't see it being much more than mediocre.
THIS YEAR'S GAMES
Anodyne (PC)
Zelda through a more sociological lens, this game stays focused on offering a gaming experience while delivering narrative through suggestive imagery and themes. There seems to be an undercurrent of trauma (what isn't about trauma these days?) mixed with escapism. What happens when we escape our traumas so much that they begin to invade our getaways? Anodyne explores such questions effectively.
Cursed (PC)
A slightly stripped-down, freeware Shadowgate/Tombs & Treasure/The Uninvited love letter that's both satisfying and creepy. It's also strangely cartoony and loaded with sound effects and music from older video games, which might pluck at the heartstrings of nostalgic fogies like me. I mean, c'mon, you don't even pay money for it and it's short! Plus, it's got that fanfare that plays when Jason Voorhees appears in the NES Friday the 13th game, and the final boss music is the regular boss music from Journey to Silius.
Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster (PC)
The first of the good Pixel Remasters. I actually enjoyed this version much more than the DS remake, though I still saw some missed opportunities. On one hand, it's cool to see the birth of the job system and to battle your way through an inventive world, but on the flip side, you get a lot of unnecessary jobs that are only offered to pad out content. At least the final boss isn't a huge pain in this ass this time...
Final Fantasy VI (Old Version) (PC)
It's FFVI, but with a different presentation that rubs some people the wrong way. Honestly, I still enjoy this one. At least it's not loaded with lag like the PlayStation port, and I'm adjusting to the visuals. Granted, I still prefer SNES's graphics, but these are passable.
Golden Sun (GBA)
Camelot's “not quite a spiritual successor” to Beyond the Beyond shows they can make a competent RPG sometimes despite themselves. While you have a much more solid and smooth system this time around, you also have an episodic storyline mostly composed of worn-out subplots. Still, it's hard to deny this one's beauty. At first, you might not be tempted to try the second one because this one comes across as so ordinary. Good guys save the world from bad guys who want to do forbidden thing... We've been there before. You wouldn't even think the second installment aims to turn the plot on its head...
Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA)
If you had told me the second Golden Sun would blow its predecessor out of the water while changing very little, I would've called you mad. Yet, that's what happened. Camelot outdid themselves with this one, crafting a game with a better plot, stiffer challenges, incredible dungeons, and less of an episodic feel. You also learn so much more about the lore, plus some major plot twists turn this run-of-the-mill RPG adventure into a tale with one hell of a conflict and a denouement that could spell trouble for their world in the future. I have yet to play the third title, so we'll see where the conclusion of this one got them...
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders (PC)
“Doom going through a D&D phase” is quite the old-school thrill ride. Here, you exchange high-tech weaponry for things like staffs that shoot fireballs, crossbows loaded with ethereal arrows, and gauntlets that electrocute their targets, plus a wonderful helping of consumable items you carry around for buffs, special abilities, and offensive characteristics. I may be stuck in the past, gaming-wise, but at least I'm stuck with some good shit.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
I love this game, but man did the camera controls on most N64 games not age well. Yeah, yeah, the transition to 3D was difficult for a lot of brands. I don't care why they went with what they had. It doesn't change the fact that they're awkward now. Still, this game absolutely kills it despite that one tiny snag, showing us how expansive its franchise can be and laying solid groundwork for future installments. Seriously, the series' future looked brighter than a supernova after this one.
Mega Man 3 (NES)
Mega Man returns to battle Wily for a third time, albeit with some missed opportunities. Yes, it's the same run 'n gun meets platformer experience we've all come to love, but somehow it feels too bloated and at times empty. Plus, there's Hard Man. It's like they couldn't drum up a single good [Attribute] Man offering. Come one, there still isn't a Quake Man, Island Man, Forest Man, Water Man, Sound Man... Those are basic and pretty much sell themselves. There you go, Capcom. I just gave you half of your next installment's roster.
(Rocket Man, Grave Man, Beam Man, Smog Man... I just pulled all of those out of my ass, and even without concept designs, they're still better than Hard Man. I'll expect the check in my mail next week.)
Mega Man 4 (NES)
Take everything I said in the above MM experience and throw it out the window. This one always brings the noise, and now it stands the test of time in a world that has welcomed back 2D platformers, even if they are more of a niche genre these days... And hell, with bots like Ring Man, Pharaoh Man, Skull Man, and Drill Man, this one's got an awesome lineup.
Mega Man 5 (NES)
More satisfy than 3, less satisfying than 4, but nonetheless a worthwhile Mega Man adventure. Still, I feel like this one gets abused more than loved, and it definitely deserves the latter much more. Don't worry, MM5. I love you.
Mega Man 7 (SNES)
Despite its presence on here, I'm conflicted about this one. It's a stark and welcome departure from titles that utilized Mega Man 2's engine, but it feels like a dialed-back Mega Man X entry. Still, it's worthwhile, filled with some great challenges, a lot of fun, and thankfully/finally included in a compilation that doesn't have awful input lag. I'm looking at you, Anniversary Collection.
Mega Man 8 (PlayStation)
Yes, yes, “Doctoh Wiwy.” I know, you have to strain to hear Duo speak. I don't care. MM8 doesn't get its due. Its got swift combat, a decent soundtrack, and some really fun segments that add variety to the experience without devolving into whatever the hell Mega Man X6 was. It's yet another departure from standard MM fare, and all for the better. Then again, Clown Man? Ugh...
Mega Man X4 (PlayStation)
Speaking of departures, there are few better than this one. You get to assume the roles of X and Zero, providing you with either a run 'n gun or hack 'n slash experience. Plus, it's got smooth mechanics and awesome combat. Plus, it's not all gimmicky like the worst entries of this series. Plus, it just kicks ass.
StarTropics (NES)
Kid with a yo-yo fights a pink alien with a dinosaur crest. There's nothing more NES than that, except maybe an action-adventure game with a winding campaign like this one. Seriously, I went through my share of Nintendo Powers getting through some of the puzzles. Part of the experience sees you venturing around islands in a top-down mode similar to Dragon Quest, allowing you to talk to locals and search non-combat zones. Then, you venture into dungeons filled with all manner of odd creatures, from skull-headed ostriches to orange minotaurs and winged monkeys. It's like Zelda dated a B-movie for a short while, and this was their beloved bastard son.
Shining Force II (Genesis)
My third foray into the Shining series brought me to this wonderful S-J-RPG. I think I prefer the tone of the first one over this, but this one has a terrific campaign with memorable moments and boss encounters that absolutely had that “big showdown” feel. One of my only complaints isn't something I would tally against this title in a review, but it's annoying that a couple of the characters require you to go out of your way to do special things, like find a missable arm or catch a falling baby bird, only to give you mediocre recruits. But hey, you also a smartass phoenix, a kappa that evolves into Gamera, and monk women who can just about one-shot foes.
The Touryst (Switch)
An adventure platformer with very little violence, a lot of problem solving, and just an all-arounnd feel-good atmosphere to it. You venture to different vacation resort islands, solve mysteries in temples, complete tons of side quests, and hit numerous mini-games. I would say you couldn't ask for more, but this game did leave some small things to be desired.
Yearning (PC)
Sometimes horror scare you, sometimes it hits you right in the heart. That's how Yearning rolls, sending you on a quest to find your ill sister in a seemingly surreal and possessed version of Edo Japan crawling with all kinds of phantasms. Work hard and solve puzzles and you'll survive, only to be struck down with a bleak, albeit touching and kind of beautiful, reveal.
Zelle (PC)
Part graphic adventure, part RPG, all awesome. I was super surprised how well this one turned out because I've never heard of it. Scour an accursed castle, solve puzzles, fight demons, have a blast. I know I did. You explore an old castle, figure out how to survive it's demonic denizens, and occasionally engage in combat that requires you to pay attention and reach quickly.
It was a tough pick, with Zelle, Golden Sun 2, Shining Force II, and Mega Man X4 being frontrunners for the title. Yeah, I know, there aren't many relevant games on here, but I mostly blame my crappy run with life on that. Anyway:
Best in Show:
Golden Sun: The Lost Age
I never would have thought an RPG on Game Boy Advance, and a sequel to a not-amazing RPG would actually captivate me this much. Then again, this game's aim seemed to be defying expectations, and it succeeded well enough to land here in the year 2024.
EPIC:
Shining Force II
It's sad for me to cross the last of the Shining games off my main backlog because this series definitely has a vibe all its own. Somehow, it pulls of a somewhat cartoony look with anthropomorphic animals without coming across as super Disney-ish, but it also doesn't hold back on the occasional bleak development. I only wish this one would have explored the apparent love triangle between the protagonist, the princess, and Sarah more fully. And sure, I've got Shining Force Neo, one of the Game Gear entries, and Resonance Refrain on my secondary backlogs, but I'm probably not going to get to those any time soon.
BIS 2024: Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Epic 2024: Shining Force II
BIS 2023: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Epic 2023: The Evil Within
BIS 2022: Bayonetta 2
Epic 2022: Rise of the Third Power
BIS 2021: Mad Father Remake
Epic 2021: Wild Arms 3
BIS 2020: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Epic 2020: Ara Fell
BIS 2019: Unforgiving: A Northern Hymn
Epic 2019: Phantasy Star IV
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honestgamer - December 31, 2024 (06:50 AM) Neat little list! I especially like that someone else recognizes how great Mega Man 4 was. I've been defending that one online for decades now. Alongside 2, it's my favorite of the NES lot. I need to make another attempt at 7. I've just never been able to get into it. As for 8, I liked it well enough the time I played through it, but it didn't compel me to return to it. The voice, funnily enough, never really bothered me. Maybe it would grate on my nerves now. |
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JoeTheDestroyer - January 01, 2025 (04:38 AM) The voices in 8 didn't bother me the first time I played it because I was accustomed to bad voice acting back then. That's more or less what you got with video games, and no one really cared. Hell, I had a lot of friends who loved Tenchu: Stealth Assassins, and that game was light years away from winning an acting award. |
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EmP - January 01, 2025 (10:50 AM) Don't be sad: You still have all three chapters to Shining Force 3 to go. And you'll spend more time trying to get a Saturn emulator to run the game correctly alongside fan-patched scripts so you can play it in English. That's what real sadness feel like! Wisdom and Holy Ark are both bloody good times, too. If you can, try and get the EU translations rather than the cringe-filled Working Design efforts. |
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JoeTheDestroyer - January 02, 2025 (03:03 AM) There are a ton of Shining games, and I'm one of those weirdos that sometimes gets too obsessed with franchises and has to play everything. Getting a working Saturn emulator does seem to be in my future, because Holy Ark does look awesome. |
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EmP - January 03, 2025 (01:52 PM) Probably stop when you get to the PS2 Shining action game era. It's spectacularly bad. |
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JoeTheDestroyer - January 04, 2025 (06:20 AM) A little late for that... |
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overdrive - January 17, 2025 (09:15 AM) Don't forget Shining Soul for the GBA! I know I didn't and I still bear the scars... There's also a Shining Soul 2. Something tells me I won't be going after that one unless I really feel like adding one more Shining review to my list. And if I do feel that, there's the Sega CD one that's actually in the "do what they do best" realm of strategy RPG-ing. And I haven't ever actually finished Shining in the Darkness. |
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JoeTheDestroyer - January 17, 2025 (03:47 PM) Darkness is fun and worth playing. Some of it is a bit dated, but even with that in mind, it's still an enjoyable game. |
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overdrive - January 18, 2025 (08:35 AM) From what I played (maybe halfway through the "test of whatever" four levels), it was enjoyable. But I have realized that when it comes to the pure retro stuff, my patience isn't what it used to be for some of them. Like those first-person RPG things like this, Wizardry, etc. Especially ones where a bit of grinding is always a great idea. And so, it kind of turned from something I was playing at least pretty regularly into something I stopped playing and didn't even think about until reading this post. Weird though, how I'll have near-unlimited patience with other stuff. Like most Souls/Souls-likes. Which is good at the moment. Chapter 4 of Lies of P is threatening to give me fits. Make it through a mine and a village to get to a church. Use the church checkpoint. Realize that to get to another or to get a path opened back up to that one, I have to do a lengthy "in the rafters" walk on narrow boards high enough up that falling is death. While fending off creatures, some of whom fire projectiles capable of knocking me off a rafter. And then there's the ramp where you have to avoid electrified balls careening down it. And then, after dying a bunch of times getting up to and past that point, there was a basic-ass room I died in because after that, I let my guard down and didn't realize there were multiple dormant enemies there, along with the 1-2 I knew I was going to fight. Not gonna lie, that was emotionally crippling. But, no, I'll be patient and work my way through all this. An old dungeon crawler with mazes...maybe not. But I'll endure this! |
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